Binder1

FG plans N6trn budget for 2016

Money laundering: Ex-Gov Sule Lamido’s son, Aminu loses appeal

…sets $38 per barrel oil benchmark Oil production at 2.2 million barrels per day

ROTIMI FADEYI ABUJA

Udoma

Vol. 5 N0. 1260

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inister of Budget and National Planning,

Udoma Udo Udoma, yesterday, said the Federal Government is planning a budget of N6trn for the 2016 financial year.

According to him, the

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

budget would be predicated on $38 per barrel crude oil benchmark, considering the current economic realities.

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INEC declares Bayelsa guber election inconclusive ...cancels Southern Ijaw result

OSAHON JULIUS YENAGOA

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ith tension mounting amidst allegations of irregularities, violence, used of thugs and military might by both the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and All Progressives Congress, APC, Bayelsa State Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Mr. Baritor Kpagih, yesterday,

Dickson hails INEC decision, Sylva kicks

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Govt makes u-turn on Dec deadline to end P.11 insurgency

LEFT: Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Osun State Governor Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi during the presentation of Staff of Office and his official coronation as Imperial Majesty, Arole Oduduwa Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, the Ooni of Ife, yesterday. RIGHT: The new Ooni after the coronation.

Ooni declares new Yoruba nation ...gets staff of office

I won’t attend Bello’s inauguration, says Faleke

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Appeal Court sacks PDP Senator Uche Ekwunife P.10

Social media bill: No plan to gag press –Buhari P.4

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News

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Ooni declares new Yoruba nation BOLADALE BAMIGBOLA OSOGBO

T

he ancient city of Ile Ife, yesterday erupted in wild jubilation as the 51st Ooni, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Babatunde Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, was presented with the staff of office and instrument of appointment.

All commercial activities in the town were put on hold in honour of the monarch, as schools, banks and shops were shut.

The event, held at Afewonro Park, Enuwa, which had in attendance, the Vice President, Prof.

Yemi Osinbajo, governors of Osun, Ogun, Oyo and Lagos states, came exactly 35 years and one day after the immediate past Ooni, Oba Okunade Sijuade was coronated.

In his goodwill message, Prof. Osinbajo, who represented President Muhammadu Buhari at the event, said the throne of Ooni, being a deep and revered institution among the Yoruba people carries the responsibility of the race.

Osinbajo identified honesty, integrity, and hard work as integral attributes of the Yoruba race.

He described events, such as the coronation, as rare and very historic in all ramifications, especially to the people of Ile-Ife and the entire Yoruba race.

The VP also used the occasion to remind the new Ooni of the great responsibility before him.

“The stool of Ooni is revered and deeply important to the Yoruba race and the Ooni remains the father to all.

“And as a father to all, you have the primary responsibility of carrying the responsibility of the people.

“We are indeed grateful to God for affording us the opportunity to celebrate with pump and pageantry,” he said.

He told the new monarch to exercise courage, integrity and loyalty to truth, urging him to be virtuous and use his position to work for the unity of the country.

He averred that Ile Ife is blessed to have a youthful monarch at this critical period in the history of

the country and prayed for the anointing of virtuous as explained in the book of Ecclesiastes, chapter 10 verses 16 and 17, to rest on the monarch.

Speaking in similar vein, co-chairman of National Traditional Coun-

cil, His Eminence, Saad Abubakar, Sultan of Sokoto, noted that the coming of Oba Ogunwusi to the throne was timely, saying the demand for recognition by youth at the moment should not be taking lightly.

The sultan said all traditional rulers in the country would give Ooni the needed support to lead the charge to get youth positively engaged, being one of them.

In his remarks, Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, urged the

monarch to handle the responsibilities attached to the throne with fear of God and large-heartedness.

He urged him to draw on the wisdom of people by listening to them and advised him against pursuing naked personal interest

at the expense of the larger interests of his subjects.

According to the governor, the new Ooni must mobilise his subjects to support government in its bid to implement its programmes by enlightening CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

L-R: Author, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu; President Muhammadu Buhari; former Governor of Cross River, Mr Clement Ebri; former Vice-President/chairman of the occasion, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal, at the presentation of the book “From Opposition to Governing Party: Nigeria’s APC Story” written by Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, in Abuja yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

INEC declares Bayelsa guber election inconclusive CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

canceled and suspended indefinitely, gubernatorial election in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.

The REC said a new date would be announced for the conduct of the election in the troubled area.

It would be recalled that election in Southern Ijaw Local Government, comprising largely riverine communities that are difficult to access because of the terrain, was postponed to Sunday following alleged violence and the killing of five persons by hoodlums, which was however denied by the police.

Kpagih, while announcing the cancellation, said the poll was characterised by political violence and rigging beyond internationally acceptable standard as monitored by foreign and local observers.

Briefing newsmen in Yenagoa, Mr. Kpagih, said the Commission had decided to reschedule the election till a later date, although, he did not announce the new date.

Before the cancellation of Southern Ijaw Local Government result, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had collated and announced results in seven other local governments, including Yenagoa, Brass, Nembe and Sagbama, Kolokuma/ Opokuma and Ogbia.

Incumbent governor and candidate of the PDP, Seriake Dickson, was leading in six out of the seven local governments, while the candidate of APC, Timipre Sylva, leads in one local government.

According to INEC, APC scored 72,595 votes, PDP, 105,748 votes and KOWA 13 votes, PDM, 1,422 and Labour Party, 70 votes.

But in a swift reaction, APC gubernatorial candidate, Chief Timipreye Sylva, said such decision was unacceptable, adding that the REC has no power to cancel an election that had already been conducted.

Sylva, who addressed a press conference, said APC would reject the decision

of the Resident Commissioner, describing it as a rape of democracy and unacceptable.

He also said the party would probably go to court if there was any need for that, to redress the anomalies and reclaim his mandate.

While rejecting the decision, the former governor queried the rationale behind the move to cancel election results in some places where APC was leading and allowing electoral malpractices to go on in PDP dominated areas.

He said most of the complaints and protests of the party, no matter how genuine, was like a candle in the wind, just as he fingered former President Goodluck Jonathan, for inducing voters at the last minute with huge amount of money.

He said it was unacceptable for INEC to collate and announced election as conclusive in local government areas like Ekerermor, where the Minister for State, Agriculture

and Natural Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri; Sagbama, where thugs chased away APC agents and had a field day rigging, and many other irregularities, only to announced the cancellation of Southern Ijaw, when it became obvious that APC was leading.

In his reaction, Governor Dickson commended the people of the state for standing up to be counted by protecting their votes during the election.

Governor Dickson was full of praise for the people for their courage, stressing that, the cancellation of the elections in Southern Ijaw could not have happened without the resilience and courage of Bayelsans in defending democracy and the Ijaw nation.

A Government House statement noted that, the cancellation has further vindicated Governor Dickson, who had earlier urged the commission and the security agencies not to go ahead with the election in Southern Ijaw in the light of clear cases of insecurity

created by APC, who were jittery and were losing in the results collated from seven out of the eight local government areas in the state.

“If the commission and the security agencies had heeded the governor’s counsel, they wouldn’t have wasted tax payers money conducting the illfated elections in some wards in Southern Ijaw,” the statement said.

The statement also commended INEC for cancelling the election and called on the security agencies not to put the state under siege again in the rescheduled date, because Bayelsans will always resist any attempt to subvert the will of the people.

The statement enjoins Bayelsans to remain law abiding and go about their businesses, assuring them of government’s readiness to always protect their interest and also deliver democracy dividends to them and the Ijaw nation.

In Abuja, the national CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

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Photo News

Teusday, December 8, 2015

L-R: Special Adviser on Education to Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Obafela Bank-Olemoh; Executive Director/Chief Financial Officer of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Mrs. Yemisi Edun; Vice Chancellor of Pan-Atlantic University, Professor Juan Manuel Elegido and Group Managing Director/CEO of FCMB, Mr. Ladi Balogun, during the commissioning ceremony of a Students’Centre built by the bank and donated to the university. The ceremony took place at the university’s campus, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos.

L-R: President Pediatric Association of Nigeria, Prof. Adeniyi Olaru; Cluster Medical Lead, GlaxoSmithKline, Dr. Olakunle Oladehin; wife of Senate President & Founder, Wellbeing Foundation Africa, Her Excellency, Mrs Toyin Saraki; and Representative of Country Manager, World Health Organisation, Dr. Daniel Ali, at the commemoration of the 2015 World Pneumonia Day, recently.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

L-R: Vice President, Digital Services, Airtel Nigeria, Nitin Anand; one of outstanding students in 2015 UTME and Pass.ng Awardee, Faith Bamidele, with founder, Pass.ng Platform, Samson Abioye, during the award presentation at Pass.ng Excellence Awards 2015 held at Ikoyi, Lagos, over the weekend.

L-R: Managing Director, Rainoil, Mr. Gabriel Ogbechie; Head, Tax and Treasury, British American Tobacco, West Africa, Abisola Adefarati; Director-General, National Bureau of Statistics, Dr. Yemi Kale; Chief Executive Officer, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mr. Yinka Sanni and Executive Director, Corporate and Transactional Banking, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Yewande Sadiku, during the official unveiling of Stanbic IBTC Purchasing Managers Index in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO:ADEMOLA AKINLABI

National News

Social media bill: Buhari restates commitment to free speech

•He won’t assent to unconstitutional legislation •NUJ set for showdown with NASS Rotimi Fadeyi and Kemi Olaitan

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resident Muhammadu Buhari yesterday said he would not assent to any legislation that may be inconsistent with the constitution of the country.

Buhari, while reacting to a move by the Senate to regulate the use of social media, restated the commitment of his administration to the protection of free speech in keeping with democratic tradition.

A statement issued yesterday by his senior special adviser on media and publicity, Mallam Garba, in reaction to public hostility towards the social media bill being debated by the Senate stated: “President Buhari is fully aware of public reservations about the proposed legislation, but assured that there is no

cause for alarm “because the Senate is a democratic institution. The President won’t assent to any legislation that may be inconsistent with the constitution of Nigeria.”

According to Shehu, the President has sworn to defend the constitution of Nigeria and would not lend his hand to anything that is inconsistent with it.

“But he is not averse to lawful regulation, so long as that is done within the ambit of the constitution, which he swore to uphold.

“The president said free speech is central to democratic societies anywhere in the world. He explained that without free speech, elected representatives won’t be able to gauge public feelings and moods about governance issues.

“As a key component of democratic principles, the president acknowledges that people in democratic

societies are so emotionally attached to free speech and they would defend it with all their might,” Shehu added.

Senate had last week commenced debate on the social media bill that may ultimately curtail press freedom in the country.

Specifically, the bill is seeking to prohibit frivolous petitions and abusive statement through text messages, tweets, WhatsApp and other social media platforms.

The bill, sponsored by Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah, if passed into law, would makes it an offence for anybody to malign the integrity of any person, group of persons or an institution of government through publication of any false statement, petition or complain in any medium, be it the traditional media or social media.

The bill provides for

N2m or N4m fine or six years imprisonment for offenders.

Section 4 of the bill states: “Where any person through text message, tweets, WhatsApp or through any social media, post any abusive statement, knowing same to be false, with intent to set the public against any person and/ or group of persons, an institution of government or such other bodies established by law shall be guilty of an offence and upon conviction shall be liable to imprisonment for two years or a fine of N2m or both such fine and imprisonment.

Section 3 of the bill also reads: “Where any person in order to circumvent this law makes any allegation and or publish any statement, petition in any paper, radio or any medium of whatever description, with malicious intent to discredit or set the public against any person or group of persons, institu-

tions of government, he shall be guilty of an offence and upon conviction shall be liable to an imprisonment term of two years or a fine of N4m.

The bill further seeks to make it unlawful to submit any petition, statement intended to report the conduct of any person for the purpose of an investigation, inquiry and or inquest without a dully sworn affidavit in the High Court of a State or the Federal High Court confirming the content to be true and correct and in accordance with the Oaths Act. Meanwhile, president, Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Mr. Waheed Odusile, has come hard on the National Assembly, stating that the media would not allow the muchtouted social media bill proposed by the Senate to see the light of the day.

He said this yesterday at a lecture with the theme, ‘Nigeria Beyond Oil,’ as part of the 2015 press week

of the NUJ, Oyo State council, held at the Press Centre, Iyaganku, Ibadan.

He said: “They are trying to bring back the widely condemned Decree 4 of 1983 to satisfy their selfish interests. It is a law targeted at restricting freedom of expression.

“I am imploring our state councils to submit petitions at their respective state assemblies. We should also register our grievances at our respective governor’s offices.’’

He said the union would also mobilise its members across the nation to the National Assembly to stop the bill whenever it is presented for public hearing.

It will be recalled that the bill had become a matter of national interest, having been passed for a second reading by the Senate.

The bill, according to its content, is to punish anyone caught writing, posting or spreading false stories about personalities on the social media.

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News

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

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FG plans N6trn budget for 2016 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Briefing State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting at the Presidential Villa, Udoma disclosed that the Council approved the Medium Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF, which sets out the policies of government over the next years as well as the fundamental econom-

ic underpinning of the budget.

The minister stated that Federal Government is working with 2.2 million barrels a day production to prepare the budget.

Udoma, who briefed in company of his Minister of State, Hajia Zainab Ahmed and Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, said the projection

was achievable, particularly with the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, which he said the government was working on to achieve, He, however, said the 2.2 million barrels per day was a modest figure as the country would be able to produce something higher than that.

“So next year, we are looking at an expansion-

ist budget, we are looking at a budget that will be N1trn more than last year, so we are looking at a budget of about N6trn.

“Last year’s budget, including the supplementary was about N5trn; so we are looking at a N6trn budget. All the increases actually will be spent on capital because there is the need to increase the capital because of the in-

frastructure issues that we have to address,” Udoma said.

The minister also disclosed that the budget would be made up of 30 per cent capital expenditure, up from the prevailing 15 per cent.

“We are projecting almost 30 per cent capital project, up from the 15 per cent or so that it is currently. We will try and

Cross section of ministers at the Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Ooni declares new Yoruba nation CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

them on the need to pay taxes.

“New Ooni must work towards fostering unity among his subjects, not a unity that will be achieved through coercion. Your attitude will be the cardinal determinant of your success and try to carry along all in decision making,” Aregbesola said.

Commenting shortly after receiving the staff of office, Oba Ogunwusi, dedicated ascension to Nigerian youth and promised to liaise with the people in leadership posi-

tions to fashion out ways that the teeming youthful population can be engaged.

The monarch stated that shortly after he was named Ooni-elect, he immediately commenced interfacing with monarchs across the country, declaring that during his reign, there would not be competition, stressing the need for a more united Yoruba nation.

He said: “Shortly after I was named Ooni-elect, I sprang into action. I called my friend, Oba Saheed Elegushi, I spoke to

Sultan of Sokoto. I also called Kabiyesi, Alaafin.

I spoke to Awujale, Alake. I am prepared for the throne and this is not accidental.

“I am close to many monarchs and uniting them should not be a problem. It will be easy. No competition with anyone.

And I want to announce to the entire world that new Yoruba nation is coming.”

On his programme for the youth, Ooni Ogunwusi said he had experimented with a model for youth empowerment in the last three weeks, with

the employment of about 3,000 of them on the site of a resort he is building, which has in return, reduced crime rate in Ile Ife. He called for conscious efforts by all tiers of governments to get youths off the streets by providing them with good jobs.

Guests at the event included, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd), his wife, Senator Daisy Danjuma, former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, two former Osun State governors, Chief Bisi Akande and Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, for-

mer Oyo State governor, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, members of the National Assembly, and representatives of foreign missions in the country.

Traditional rulers across the country and beyond in attendance included; Dein of Agbor, Obong of Calabar, Owa Obokun of Ijesaland, Oba Adekunle Aromolaran, Orangun of Ila, Oba Wahab Adedotun, Elegushi of Ikate, Oba Saheed Elegushi, Orangun of Oke Ila, Oba Adedokun Abolarin and monarchs from Benin Republic, among others.

INEC declares Bayelsa guber election inconclusive CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

secretariat of the PDP also commended the courage of the people of Bayelsa state in ensuring a fairly transparent gubernatorial election.

The party said but for the bravery of Bayelsans in standing up for their votes, their will as a people would have been completely subverted in the election.

PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh said it is proud of the actions and concerted efforts of its members in resisting rigging and impunity.

“We condemn in the strongest possible term, the wanton confiscation and transfer of voting materials by security operatives directly to APC

agents for outright allocation of votes.

“For the purposes of the rescheduled Southern Ijaw election, we wish to make it abundantly clear that we are ready, willing and able to defend the choice of the people. Never again will this leadership of the PDP allow our party candidates to be manipulated out of any elec-

tion at any level.

“In that regard, we have activated our structures across the country to defend our mandate always, with all force and means available in a democracy.

“Nevertheless, we are indeed concerned about the apparent inability of the present INEC to conduct a credible election in a single state, especially

in the light of the fact that very soon they will need to conduct a general election in all the states.

“Finally, for the security forces busy brutalizing innocent Nigerians exercising their democratic rights, we declare that they should hide their faces in shame over the flexing of muscles in terror free zones,” he said.

reduce overheads, but keep personnel cost; we are not going to adjust it that much. But we are expecting some savings from the IPPIS (Integrated Pay roll and Personnel information System), which we are using, so we are not cutting anybody’s salary, everybody will get their salaries,” he added.

Udoma disclosed that government would source funding from two sources to finance the budget.

According to him, government is looking at ways of increasing non-oil revenue as well as generating revenue from various government agencies by policing their collection.

The minister explained that government would also look at keeping down recurrent budget, which would ensure savings from overheads.

“We will look at the efficiencies from our revenue collecting agencies like FIRS, in terms of company income tax, in terms of VAT, and then the difference, we will have to borrow.

“But the level of borrowing that we anticipate and we are projecting will be well within the maximum that we allow, which is 3 per cent of the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) because we want a prudent budget, we want a credible budget,” the minister said.

He explained that government was working on the budget based on the exchange rate that Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, provided.

On whether oil subsidy would be retained in the budget, Udoma said the government was still looking into the issue.

He stated that the MTEF would be submitted to the National Assembly for approval after which the budget would be finalised.

“The MTEF will be submitted to the National Assembly, and we expect a feedback from them.

Thereafter, we will be working to try and get the budget finalised. It is when the budget is finalised that you really see the details of what we intend to do. This is just a medium term economic framework,” Udoma said.

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News

Wale Igbintade

F

our days after being granted bail by a Federal High Court in Lagos presided over by Justice Ibrahim Buba, former Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr. Patrick Akpobolokemi, is still in prison custody following his inability to fulfill his bail conditions.

Akpobolokemi and five accused persons that included Captain Ezekiel Agaba, Ekene Nwakuche, Governor Ameche Juan, Blockz and Stonez Nigeria Limited and Al-Kenzo Nigeria Limited, were arraigned before the court last Friday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on alleged theft of N2.6 billion.

They were however admitted to bail in the sum of N50 million with one surety each by the court, while the matter was adjourned for trial yesterday (Monday).

However, at the resumed trial of six accused persons yesterday, their lawyers gave different reasons for seeking an adjournment of the accused persons’ trial.

Addressing the court, Dr. Joseph Nwobike (SAN), told the court that Akpobolokemi was unable to perfect the bail conditions granted by the court since Friday.

He told the court that

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

N2.6bn theft: Ex-NIMASA boss yet to meet bail conditions –Lawyer •court warns against delay this made it impossible for him to have meaningful discussions with his client.

Nwobike prayed the court for a very short adjournment which he said his client would have been able to meet the bail conditions and he would have opportunity to discuss with him.

Counsel representing the second accused person in the case, Mr. Madu Paschal, in seeking adjournment said he was preparing for a burial, hence his unpreparedness for the trial.

Counsel representing fourth accused person, Mr. Asemugara, urged the court to first decide his application challenging court’s jurisdiction to try the accused persons before taking any step on the matter.

Also, lawyer representing the third, fifth and sixth accused persons, Mr. Lanre Olayinka, through a letter informed the court of his medical appointment abroad.

In responding to the submissions made by the defence lawyers, EFCC’s lawyer, Mr. Rotimi Oyede-

po, urged the court to discontinue their requests and begin trial.

But ruling on the adjournment sought by the accused persons, Justice Buba warned the lawyers to be aware of provisions of Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, which mandated day-to-day trial of criminal proceedings and not do anything to

frustrate the accused persons’ trial.

The judge said, “Whether the defendants were able to perfect their bail should not stop the trial. The only issue is that the third is not represented by counsel. The court warned that counsels must be aware of the provision, Administration of Criminal Justice Act, which mandates day-

to-day trial of criminal matter. The letter of the law for day-to-day trial will be followed strictly.”

The judge consequently adjourned the matter till December 14, for definite hearing.

Akpobolokemi and his co-accused persons in a charge marked FHC/ L/511c/15, were alleged to have, on or about February

4, 2014, conspired among themselves to commit the act by converting the said sum, property of NIMASA, which was derived from stealing. In another criminal charge, Akpobolokemi and nine others were last Thursday, arraigned before Justice Saliu Saidu of the same court on a 30-count charge of alleged theft of N3.4bn.

L-R: Non-Executive Director, Transcorp Hotels Plc, Benjamin Dikki; MD/CEO, Valentine Ozigbo and Chairman, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, OON, at the Transcorp Hotels Plc completion board meeting and signing ceremony for its Series 2 Bond Issue, at Transcorp Hotels, Abuja, at the weekend.

Include Abuja Airport 2nd runway in 2016 budget –C’ttee

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enate Ad-Hoc Committee on Aviation has urged Federal Government to make provision for the proposed second runway for the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja in the 2016 budget.

Chairman of the committee, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, said this while briefing newsmen after the facilities inspection tour of the airport on Monday in Abuja.

Kwankwaso said the committee would make recommendations to Senate and communicate same to the executive arm of government on the importance of the second runway.

He said the senate committee also identified other areas of concern such as maintenance of equipment and procurement of new ones as well as other

safety infrastructure that required prompt attention.

Kwankwaso said the senate is committed to the development of the country’s aviation industry through cooperation with the executive arm as well as all industry players.

“For the second runway, we will make our recommendations to the executive because many people are involved.

“We will make sure that it is included in the 2016 budget.

“We will also make some recommendations to the industry itself because there are certain things that they can do by themselves.

“On one hand, we are happy and on the other hand, there are concerns that need to be taken into consideration, especially the second runway, maintenance of equipment and purchase of additional

ones.

“There are issues of maintenance because there are many things to be done that require a lot of money and budgeting,’’ he said.

Also, Senator Stella Oduah, a member of the committee and former Minister of Aviation, faulted certain uncomplimentary rating of the nation’s airports, saying she did not believe in the assessment.

According to Oduah, “That assessment really is highly subjective because in my view, it is not fair and not acceptable at all.”

She said the nation’s airports had fared better over the years, considering the developments that had taken place in the industry in line with global best practice.

“The committee will make its recommendation

with priority on finance because revenue source is key to aviation development.

“The contractor handling construction of the new terminal told us the project would be completed in 2016 because they have their constraints such as funds and other logistics,’’ she said.

Meanwhile, Managing Director, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, Mr Saleh Dunoma, underscored the need for collaboration with the National Assembly, to enable the sector receive adequate budgetary provision for its infrastructural development.

Dunoma said adequate budgetary provision would enable the authority to properly handle safety-related infrastructure at the nation’s airports.

He said the authority needed Senate’s support to be able to meet its target of getting Lagos and Abuja airports certified by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Audit Team in 2016.

The FAAN managing director said the authority would ensure that all airport equipment, especially the Instrument Landing System, ILS and the airfield lighting system were in proper working condition.

“We are working with the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and other agencies to make sure all the equipment is working, especially during this time of weather challenge.

“We are doing a lot of work in all the airports to make sure that airfield equipment, terminal

equipment and other facilities are working to ensure passenger comfort.

“Security is another special area and I want to assure the general public and travellers that their security is guaranteed, especially during the festive period.’’

Dunoma said the process for the construction of second runway for the Abuja Airport had started, adding that FAAN is in the process of getting the scope of work.

He said efforts were also being made to ensure the cost of the construction of the second runway is captured in the 2016 budget.

On Enugu Airport, Dunoma said FAAN had contracted geophysics consultants to investigate the alleged potholes on its new tarmac and to communicate their findings to the contractor that handled the project.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News 7

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

to 100,000 persons LASU re-issues ASUU president 25belowdoctors int’l standard –Don withheld PhD certificate P Saidat Alausa

F

ollowing directive by the Governing Council of the Lagos State University, LASU, Ojo, the institution’s management has re-issued the controversial withheld PhD certificates of about 19 post graduate students of the institution, which include that of chairman of the institution’s chapter of the Academic Staff Union of

Universities, ASUU, Adekunle Idris.

Idris, at a press conference held in the school’s campus yesterday, said his certificate was re-issued to him last Thursday, December 3, 2015.

He, however, said he was expecting the letter announcing the re-issue to contain an apology from the institution for the stress and embarrassment the whole scenario has caused him.

According to Idris, the letter of re-issue was signed by the institution’s Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Fidelis Njokanma.

He said; “I think I deserve an apology from the university for the embarrassment caused me, but I am yet to receive anything close to that.”

Meanwhile, efforts to confirm the development from the management were unsuccessful, as the Acting Head of the university’s

Centre for Information, Press and Public Relations, CIPPR, Mr. Adekoya, said he was yet to be officially briefed by the institution, and so could not comment on it.

Several calls put through to the university’s Registrar’s mobile lines were unsuccessful, as he was said to be busy with the screening interview for the applicants for the university’s vacant position for substantive vice-chancellor.

Executive Secretary, Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, Mrs Uju Hassan-Baba (right), with Head of European Union delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr. Michel Arrion, who paid her a visit, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

I won’t attend Bello’s inauguration, says Faleke …absolves Buhari of complicity in party crisis Wale Ibrahim LOKOJA

K

ogi APC governorship running mate in the just concluded Kogi State governorship election, James Faleke, has disclosed that he would not make himself available for swearing in with Alhaji Yahaya Bello on January 27, 2016.

Faleke, who made this known yesterday at a meeting of APC stakeholders from Kogi West senatorial district, stated that this was in furtherance of his earlier letter to the national leadership of the party not to work with Bello, the governorship candidate.

Faleke, who was reacting to resolutions reached at the meeting that he should pursue the legal

option to a logical conclusion, said the Audu/ Faleke ticket remained intact and unchanged.

“I will not disappoint Prince Abubakar Audu.

I, James Abiodun Faleke, will not be there for the swearing in if we don’t finish the case before January 27, 2016.

“Nobody consulted me before making me a deputy to Bello, Bello too did not consult me. I have made my position known to the party leadership on this. I am not ready to betray and disappoint Prince Abubakar Audu,” he said.

He however, absolved President Mohammadu Buahri from the crisis, saying that Buhari he knows cannot be a party to injustice and outright violation of the rule of

law.

He also warned the leadership of the party against setting it on a path of destruction through impunity and injustice, saying that they should learn from what happened to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. He said that the present struggle was a complex one and beyond him, adding that it was about emancipation of the people and the future of the state.

Faleke therefore urged the people not to fight or castigate anybody over the development, adding that those who are fighting in 2015 for positions in 2019 were trying God. “People are fighting for 2019 in 2015. Are they God? What is happening is beyond Human imagi-

nation, he said .

He warned members and supporters of the party against fighting or castigating anybody, saying that those behind the plot were only working to actualise God’s plan and the ultimate liberation of the state from the claws of poverty and underdevelopment.

“I am a marathoner, no matter how bumpy and rough the road is, we shall get there,’’ he said.

According to him, the constitutional crisis created by the sudden death of Audu when finally resolved will enrich the country’s democracy.

He thanked the Igalas for their support and resolves to defend the mandate with their blood and assured them that their efforts will not be in vain.

rovost, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Professor Folasade Ogunsola, yesterday decried the situation whereby 25 medical doctors attend to 100,000 persons.

“A country that boasts of 25 doctors per every 100,000 population (using 39,210 doctors for 158 million people) is far below the standard and has made doctors out of us all,’’ she said.

Ogunsola, a medical microbiologist, spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Lagos.

She called for the training of more medical students that would be proportional with the nation’s emerging population.

The don also bemoaned the frightening increase of infectious diseases globally with Africa accounting for a larger percentage.

While commenting on the rate of infectious diseases in Africa, she said: ``Infectious diseases have for centuries ranked with wars and famine as major challenges to human progress and survival.

“But, we have a major challenge in Africa due to backwardness.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as SAMUEL EKE, now wish to be known and addressed as UZOMA ERNEST UGWU. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as NWANKWO CHUKWUEMEKA MOSES, now wish known and addressed as NWANKWO EMEKA SABBATH. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I hereby confirm that I, NKANSI EDET NDUMAYAK OKON is the same one person as NKANSI EDET OKON, and now wish to known and addressed as NDUMAYAK OKON NKANSI. All former documents b

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as ABIOLA KAFAYAT DUROJAIYE, now wish known and addressed as MRS. LASAKI ABIOLA KAFAYAT. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Miss Veronica Sunday Okon, now wish known and addressed as MRS. Okoroboh Sunday Okon. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly addressed and known as Miss Adegoke Jumoke Deborah now wish to be known and called as Mrs Oladoye Jumoke Deborah. All former documents remain valid, general public should please take note.

“Infectious disease is among leading causes of death and disability worldwide. It is more ravaging in the third world to which Africa belongs. ``We have cases of established infections, epidemics of new and old infectious diseases periodically emerging, greatly magnifying the global burden of infections, the case we have in Africa is overwhelming. ‘’Studies from Africa about these emerging infections revealed the evolutionary properties of pathogenic micro-organisms and the dynamic relationships between micro-organisms, their hosts and the environment,’’ she said.

Ogunsola said most of the emerging infectious diseases defiled treatment and were not easily managed because many of them were not preventable through vaccination.

“By mid-19th century, the discovery of microbes as causative agents of infectious diseases led to the development of preventive counter-measures such as passive immunotherapy, vaccines and drugs against infective agents.

“This has not worked out because they keep on revolving to the extent that physicians and public health workers began to lose sight of the emergence of new and previously unrecognised infectious diseases.”

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as MISS NUNU EJUMATAN MARYJANE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. WEST EJUMATAN MARYJANE .

All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME This is to notify that my full name is ENIAFE AYOMIDE ADEOLA MUIBAT. ANY PREVIOUS DOCUMENTS WITH THE OMISSON OF ANY THE NAMES STAILL REMAIN VALID. LAGOS STATE GOVT, FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS AND GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD TAKE NOTE.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as KUDIRAT ISHOLA, now wish known and addressed as QUADRI KUDIRAT ARIKE. And my correct date of birth is 23rd June, 1981 instead of June 22nd, 1981. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I formerly known and addressed as ELIZABETH JOSEPH, now wished to be known and addressed as MRS ISLAMIAT OLAJIDE. All former documents remain valid.

Airport Police Command and the general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Ibrahim Bukar , now wish known and addressed as Ibrahim Abubakar.

All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

8

South West

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Police arrest 4, seize 6 bags of Indian hemp Francis Suberu

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L-R: Former Governor of Osun State, Chief Bisi Akande; Lagos State Governor Akinwumi Ambode; APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola and Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, during the coronation of Oba Ogunwusi at the Enuwa Sqaure, Ile-Ife, yesterday.

OOU lecturers threaten strike over unpaid salaries Femi Oyeweso ABEOKUTA

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cores of lecturers of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, AgoIwoye, OOU, yesterday trooped to the streets of the university town to protest non-payment of their 16 months salaries by Ogun State Government.

The protesting lecturers, who were armed with placards bearing different inscriptions, also lamented poor funding of the university and the state of infrastructure in the institution, alleging that most of its buildings and laboratories are dilapidated and left without equipment for practical courses.

The OOU branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, however, threatened that lecturers in the institution may embark on an indefinite strike after a meeting of the union

congress scheduled to hold this week.

The union warned that the proposed strike would be "total, comprehensive and indefinite" and "shall remain in force until the state government takes concrete and sustainable steps" to address their demands.

The lecturers who began demonstration at the OOU mini-campus, Ago-Iwoye, at about 12 noon, took their protest outside the university’s gate, moving in procession along Ita-Merin/Igan Road area to sensitise students and residents of the community on their plight and proposed industrial action.

Armed with placards and large banner, the lecturers chanted protest and solidarity songs condemning the attitude of the state government towards the institution and their welfare.

Addressing the protesting lecturers and journalists, Chairman of OOU branch

of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Dr. Deji Agboola, said lecturers in the institution were being constrained to consider going on an indefinite strike because the state government had failed to respond to two ultimatums earlier issued concerning their grievances.

Agboola accused the state government of forming the habit of not paying OOU lecturers regularly.

The OOU ASUU chairman noted that this anomaly in the payment of their monthly salaries had led to a situation where it had become impossible for many lecturers to meet their financial obligations to their families, while at the same time infrastructure in the institution had continued on progressive dilapidation.

"One prominent way by which the state government has been cutting back

on funding of the university is the non-payment of full salary of staff and removal of subvention head.

We have written several letters to the council and the visitor to the university to this effect. Public education is a social good.

"Government currently pays about half of the full salary of staff at OOU. To make matters worse, the so-called salaries are placed under the "subversion" heading; a misleading heading which could be misinterpreted as grant meant for research and development of the university.

"Government also pretends that they do not know that this half salary of staff is the subvention sent to the university. In short, as at this moment, the government has failed to send the supposed subvention to the university for 16 months.

What a shame! Agboola said.

en of Lagos State Rapid Response Squad, RRS, a crime combat unit of the Lagos State Police Command, has arrested four men found with six bags of Indian hemp.

Leader of the RRS team, Adeniba Olorunshola, a Police Inspector, told newsmen yesterday that his team stormed a hideout notorious for the sale of Indian hemp in Oyingbo area of the state and arrested the suspects.

According to him, the team acted on a tip-off and after two weeks of surveillance decided to swoop on the hideout.

Olorunshola said that six

N20m Ghana trip: Ekiti workers tackle labour leaders Abiodun Nejo ADO EKITI

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ggrieved workers in Ekiti State have expressed opposition to alleged plan by the state government to sponsor labour leaders to a capacitybuilding trip in Ghana.

The workers, under the aegis of Enlightened Workers Forum, EWF, described the proposed trip as another reward for labour union leaders' blind loyalty to the present administration in the state.

According to them, such a trip, billed to cost the state government N20 million at a time the government claims there is no money, leaves much to be desired.

EWF Coordinator, Mike Bamidele, in a statement in Ado Ekiti yesterday, wondered why leaders of the state’s chapters of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC,

Group protests council revenue collection on highways

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embers of National Association of Scrap and Waste Dealers Employers of Nigeria, NASWDEN, will today commence a peaceful protest against touts operating on the highways in the guise of collecting tolls for local government authorities.

NASWDEN National President, Comrade John Egaji Obeh, who directed

all union members, agents and councils in the country to join in the peaceful demonstration, explained that the protest was principally against some touts who had formed different groups with the sole aim of harassing union members conveying scrap and waste materials on federal highways and collecting illegal tolls from them.

Obeh added that the

union’s agents, dealers, suppliers and members always experienced multiple taxation by various government agencies throughout the country whenever they were to convey scrap metals to any other part of the country.

NASWDEN president pleaded with the InspectorGeneral of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, to ensure his officers and men carry out his

directives of July 2, 2015, to dislodge officials operating on the highways in the guise of collecting tolls for local government authorities, more so when the touts were still very much on the highways harassing and intimidating his members.

He noted that the areas with highest number of illegal ticket operators were Sagamu, Ogere and

bags of Indian hemp were recovered inside the hideout, which has underground escape tunnels.

He said four suspected peddlers were apprehended, but the main suspect, a man popularly known as “Aroso’’ escaped the raid by his men, adding that the suspects would be handed over to the NDLEA after investigations had been concluded.

Olorunshola said the manhunt for the drug kingpin, “Aroso’’ would continue.

One of the suspects identified as Yakubu Mudashiru said he was a barber before he started selling Indian hemp due to financial hardship that made it impossible for him to set up his own barbing salon after apprenticeship.

Atoyo in Ogun State, stressing that the union would no longer tolerate illegal extortions of his members across the country.

Obeh, who said the union, was doing everything possible within the confines of the law to put a stop to the ugly trend, appealed to other security agencies to collaborate with NASWDEN to eradicate touts on the federal highways.

Trade Union Congress, TUC, and Joint Negotiating Council, JNC, were planning a N20 million trip to Ghana when many workers were suffering non-payment of arrears of entitlements.

The aggrieved workers, who accused the labour leaders of being accomplices in the ‘looting’ of state treasury, alleged that their investigation revealed that labour leaders in the state had made about N52 million since the coming on board of the present administration.

The workers, who threatened that they would not hesitate to stage street protest over the matter, said: “It is disheartening and highly disturbing that labour leaders have abdicated their roles and have joined the governor’s no-money chorus group when they are supposed to fight for workers’ interests.”

But the NLC State Chairman, Comrade Ade Adesanmi, dismissed the allegations as rumour, saying he was not even aware of any trip.

Adesanmi said the rumour was being sponsored by a former labour leader in the state to smear labour leaders.

The labour leader said: “It is the Ministry of Establishment that plans and facilitates such a tour and as at now, nothing of such is in the offing. You can go to the ministry to make your own findings".

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South West

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Med-View Airline to commence Jeddah route, acquires new aircraft Olusegun Koiki

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arely 17 days after it commenced direct flight operations from Lagos to London, Med-View Airline is set to commence another international flight out of the country to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

The airline unveiled its latest aircraft, Boeing 737800, leased from Slovakia, to the media yesterday.

Managing Director, MedView Airline, Alhaji Muneer Bankole, while unveiling the new aircraft, which increased its fleet of airlines to five, said the airline would commence two weekly flights from Lagos/Kano to Jeddah with plans to increase frequencies to four in the coming months.

Bankole disclosed this to journalists at the airline’s office at the Murtala

Muhammed Airport Two, MMA2, Ikeja, Lagos.

He said the aircraft, which landed at the international wing of the airport on Sunday evening, was leased from Air Explore in Slovakia and would be used for the Jeddah route from December 31, 2015.

The aircraft with registration number OM-GEX is configured for 176 passengers, eight business class seats and 176 economy seats.

Apart from the Jeddah route to which the aircraft would be deployed, he added that the aircraft would immediately commence flight operations to its Yola route, which it has since increased from one to twice daily.

Besides, he further disclosed that the airline had been designated for 17 international and regional routes, including seven in Africa, to which it would continue to

explore and operate.

He added that in a couple of weeks, it would expand its Port Harcourt operations to two flights from the existing one daily.

Commenting on its Lagos-London flights, Bankole hinted that the flights have been increasing on daily basis and expressed confidence that it would continue to grow.

He said: “We chose Gatwick instead of Heathrow airport because the airport has a limited challenge.

From Heathrow alone, we have three airlines that are operating direct flights daily; even with the British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Arik Air, we are the only one operating from Gatwick.

“As it is today, all our flights out of Lagos to London are fully booked till the end of January. I don’t know whether to call it acceptance

or something else; but one thing I know is that our flights have been increasing daily and I want to thank Nigerians for this.

“Also, our flights to and from the Accra route, which we started about 14 months ago, have been increasing and regularly full. We are also planning Dubai operations in the first quarter of 2016 and that is how we hope to grow and consolidate our operations.”

Also speaking at the event, Chief Executive Officer of Air Explore, Slovakia, Mr. Martin Stulajter, commended management of Med-View Airline for the existing relationship between the two organisations.

Stulajter assured that the relationship would continue as the airline has proved to be reliable and consistent in its business development plans.

L-R: Director of Flight Operations, Air Explore, Mr. Vladimir Klein; Chief Executive Officer, Air Explore, Mr. Martin Stulajter and Managing Director, Med-View Airline, Alhaji Muneer Bankole, during delivery of Med-View's new aircraft Beoing-737-800 at the Murtala Mohammed Airport 2, Ikeja, Lagos, yesterday.

9

Businessmen groan under weak naira

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ome businessmen in Lagos yesterday expressed concern that the continued crash of the naira at the parallel market was making it difficult for them to sell their goods.

In separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Lagos, they said the development had led to daily increase in the prices of goods and services.

NAN reports that the currency of the biggest economy in Africa depreciated further last weekend as it exchanged for N248 to the dollar, a situation the businessmen said was becoming unbearable.

Mr. Abel Obodo, an importer of men’s wears, said the high exchange rate was impacting negatively on import businesses.

According to Obodo, his colleagues are tired of giving explanations on why prices of clothing items are increasing by the day.

He noted that some of their customers are already fed up with the daily recitation of explanations linking the volatility of the market to fluctuations in naira rates at the parallel market.

In her remarks, Mrs. Funke Agboola, an importer of cosmetics, said the weakening naira was causing consumer apathy in the market.

Agboola therefore, called on the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to urgently address the continued slide of the naira at the parallel market.

She noted that a situation where the difference between the official exchange rate and that at the parallel market was widening by the

day is counter-productive to the economy. ``It is becoming difficult to sell some of the cosmetics I imported because of price fluctuations. ``The CBN should do something to reduce the widening gap between the official exchange rate and that at the parallel market,’’ Agboola said.

Also, an importer of vehicles, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the fluctuation in the price of the naira and the tightening forex policy of the CBN has forced him to source forex abroad.

The importer explained that he chose to transfer Naira to a country in the United Arabs Emirates and travel there to get an agreed dollar equivalent from his business counterpart. ``Some of us - in our line of business - had to choose this option because of the strict dollar policy of the CBN. ``Unless government reviews its policies, we will continue to devise means of accessing forex to finance our businesses,’’ the importer said.

NAN reports that the official rate at the interbank window stood at N197 to the dollar, a rate many believe is a far cry from that at the parallel market.

The CBN, in a bid to save the soul of the Naira, came up with its dollarisation policy through which it restricts forex access to about 41 goods.

Beyond this, the apex bank also issued a circular to bureaux de change operators to demand Bank Verification Numbers from their customers before selling forex to them.

Senate c’ttee decries decaying infrastructure at Lagos airport Olusegun Koiki

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enate Ad-hoc Committee on Aviation has called on the Federal Government to urgently improve the infrastructure decay at the nation’s airports, especially the Murtala Muhammed Airport, MMA, Ikeja, Lagos, and the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, NAA, Abuja.

The committee, while

on tour of the two airports yesterday said a lot still needs to be done to put the nation’s airports at par with their contemporaries around the world.

Chairman of the committee, Senator Rabiu Kwankwanso, frowned at the state of infrastructures at the airports and advised that in order to prevent them from total collapse, government should make improved

Kwankwanso

infrastructure at the nation’s airports a priority.

He said: “I can say we are happy on one hand, but on the other hand, we are not happy because a lot still needs to be done in the aviation sector in this country.

“We have seen the decaying facilities at the two major airports and those needed to be replaced. We have seen ongoing projects. We will go back and make recommendations to the Senate so that we can move

forward. We started from Abuja Airport, where we saw the facilities and at the Lagos Airport too, we have seen several equipment.”

Also commenting, Senator Stella Oduah said the committee would recommend the best way to improve on revenue drive in the industry to government through the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika.

“Ours is to write our

reports and make recommendations to government and find out the lapses and gaps in the system,” she said.

The committee commenced its tour of airport facilities from Abuja Airport and proceeded to the Lagos Airport where it visited the ongoing terminal construction and the Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria, TRACON, site of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency.

10

South East

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Appeal Court sacks Ekwunife, orders re-run …Reps member too

Emmanuel Ezeh ENUGU

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nugu Division of the Court of Appeal, Enugu, yesterday sacked Senator Uche Ekwunife, who represents Anambra Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly.

The court's judgement was consequent upon an appeal filed by Sir Victor Umeh of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA. Umeh had earlier lost to Ekwunife of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, at the lower tribunal, which delivered its judgement in Awka, Anambra State.

Court validates Ekweremadu’s election George Oji ABUJA

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nugu division of the Appeal Court has upheld the election of Senator Ike Ekweremadu as valid candidate for Enugu West Senatorial District.

A statement from the media office of Ekweremadu said the appeal court judgement was delivered on Monday in Enugu.

Reacting to the judgement, Ekweremadu, who is Deputy President of the Senate, expressed satisfaction with the ruling of the court.

Ekweremadu said he was never perturbed as the mandate handed to him by his people was “free, fair, credible, resounding, and therefore incontrovertible.”

The lawmaker, who said he did not begrudge his challenger for trying his luck at the tribunal, restated that his major concern was to provide quality representation to his constituents and the nation in general.

He said: “This is the beauty of democracy. My challenger exercised his democratic right. It is also democratic and reassuring that the appellate court has upheld the return made by the lower tribunal on my

Emmanuel Ezeh ENUGU

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ormer Enugu State governor, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani, yesterday lost his bid to upturn the election of Senator Gil Nnaji of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, representing Enugu-East senatorial district.

Nnamani of the People for Democratic Change, PDC, had approached the National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal where he challenged Nnaji's victory as declared by

election.

“I thank my constituents and the good people of Enugu State for their prayers, goodwill, and immense faith they have continued to repose in me. Let me also reassure them that I will never let them down. I will continue to work for the common good and to justify every bit of confidence reposed in me.”

It would be recalled that Ekweremadu polled 120,075 votes to re-emerge senator for Enugu West Senatorial District in the 2015 general elections.

However, although his closest rival of the All Progressive Congress, APC, Mrs. Louisa Achieze, who polled 2,314 had openly accepted the result and congratulated Ekweremadu, Mr. Philip Chukwudi Eze had approached the threeman National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Enugu to challenge Ekweremadu’s victory on the ground that he was the rightful candidate of APC. The petition was thrown out for lack of merit by the tribunal headed by Justice Michael Edem. It also awarded a total sum of N60,000 in favour of the Deputy President of the Senate.

At its ruling, the Appeal Court described the tribunal's ruling as a perverse judgement, which cannot stand.

It therefore, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct fresh election within 90 days.

Reacting to the judgement, Umeh, who arrived the court’s premises few minutes after the verdict, said it was clearly an act of God. He said: "PDP died the day Jonathan lost election; they should cover themselves with blanket of shame. At the tribunal, they were laughing at us, but today they are covered with shame.

"We would have won the first election but they introduced impunity and recklessness; they used the police, the army to rig the election."

On the rerun, Umeh was optimistic he would coast home to victory, declaring: "I

will write INEC before this election and I'm optimistic that those who were involved in the former election will not be involved in conducting this new exercise."

Umeh, who danced with his supporters in elation over the judgement, lauded the Appeal Court judges for "standing strongly on the path of truth despite every pressure. This Appeal Court has always been where I get justice, because this is where you find men of integrity."

In a related development, the Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu has affirmed Ferdinand Dozie Nwankwo of APGA as the rightful winner of the Anaocha/Dunukofia/ Njikoka Federal Constituency seat of Anambra State.

In a unanimous decision, the appellate court ruled that Dr Okey Eze of PDP, who currently occupies the seat, was wrongly declared winner of the election and there-

fore, should immediately vacate the seat for Nwankwo.

In the judgment delivered yesterday by Justice Pemu, the court agreed with the decision of the tribunal that sat in Awka that Nwankwo and not Eze ought to have been declared winner of the election, having scored the majority of lawful votes cast in the National Assembly Election held in the constituency.

Nwankwo had challenged the return of Eze, who INEC declared winner of the election on the ground that he did not win majority of lawful votes cast in the election.

He told the tribunal that if the votes cast in the election had been properly declared based on the results declared in the polling units, he (Nwankwo) would have been declared winner of that election.

But curiously, he said the final result which INEC an-

nounced, declared his PDP opponent, Eze as winner of the election. He contended that he did not know how the commission arrived at the result announced because the final result of the election ought to be the same as the summary of the calculation of polling units results, which was not so in the said election.

Based on this, Nwankwo approached the tribunal which upheld his election, prompting Eze to proceed to the Appeal Court to challenge the decision.

The Appeal Court, in its ruling, however, agreed with the decision of the tribunal which ordered Eze to vacate the seat for Nwankwo.

Meanwhile, it was jubilation galore for members of APGA from Anambra State, who besieged the Appeal Court on Monday morning to listen to the verdict.

L-R: 2nd runner-up in the female dancing competition, Nnawuba Nicole; winner, Blessing Okorie, and 1st runner-up, Jessica Chinwendu, at the Glo Slide 'n’ Bounce Concert held at Imo International Conference Centre, Owerri, Imo State, on Saturday.

Enugu East: Chimaroke loses at Appeal Court the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. Consequently, the tribunal had on October 13, in its judgment read by Justice M.O. Adewara of Kwara High Court, agreed with Nnamani that the election was fraught with substantial irregularities and non-compliance with the 2010 Electoral Act. But Nnaji appealed the judgment in suit No:

CA/B/38/2015, praying the appellate court to set aside the judgment of the lower court. He had insisted that the alleged irregularities were not substantial enough to cancel the poll even as he maintained that he won the election.

In a judgment by the three-man appeal panel led by Justice A.H. Yahaya, the court held that, "the respondent (Nnamani) failed to prove that substantial

irregularities marred the election. The evidence adduced from PW5 (forensic data analyst) only covered three out of the six Local Government Areas that constitute the senatorial district. As such, it could not prove substantial irregularities. I hereby set aside the judgment of the lower court and uphold Nnaji's victory as declared

by INEC." In a related develop-

ment, the Appeal Court equally upheld the election of Chukwuemeka Ujam, representing Nkanu East/ West Federal Constituency.

His election was challenged by candidate of PDC, Nnoli Nnaji, over alleged non-qualification and possession of 4,000 PVCs. Delivering judgment on the appeal brought before it by Nnaji, court described the appeal as an "academic

exercise."

"The appeal lacks merit and should never have been brought before an Election Petition Tribunal. Since it is a matter of qualification, the appellant is from a different political party, he should have approached the Federal High Court. The appeal is hereby rendered a nullity and the first respondent's victory (Ujam) upheld," it added.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

11

Deadline for insurgency open to modification —Buhari

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resident Muhammadu Buhari said yesterday that the deadline given to the military to end terrorism in parts of the country is open to modification.

Buhari, who was represented by Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin, stated this in Dutse at the opening ceremony of the 2015 annual conference of Chief of Army Staff.

Said he, “Let me emphasise that the time frame given should serve as guide and if exigencies of multiple operations across the country requires modification, Federal Government will not hesitate to do so in order to address the flashpoints emerging in parts of the

country.

“The Nigerian Army must therefore, develop strategies to address the current challenges facing the country and ensure total elimination of the insurgents.''

He said the Federal Government would assess the present situation and act appropriately in order to end the menace of terrorism in the country.

The president said the timeline was only a guide for the military operation.

He therefore, charged the military to develop new strategies to address the emerging challenges in its operations.

His words: “Despite the achievements of the mili-

tary in combating terrorism in the North East, the challenges of terrorism in other parts of the country remains an issue of serious national concern with the potential to impede our change drive.''

The president restated the support of his administration to the armed forces in ensuring that they delivered on their mandates.

He commended the leadership of the armed forces and the Army in particular, for ensuring professionalism and discipline among its ranks, which he noted, had impacted positively on its operations.

Buhari assured Nigerians that recent gains recorded by the armed forces in the ongoing offensive against

Boko Haram would soon restore sanity to the affected areas.

Meanwhile, Olonisakin, during an interview with newsmen, said efforts are underway to ensure full deployment of the Multinational Joint Task Force across the Lake Chad region.

According to him, those countries yet to deploy troops for the Multi National Joint Task Force operations would soon do so.

He said recent talks held with the Nigerien Military High Command were geared toward actualising that goal.

The CDS said other countries in the Lake Chad region are all committed to

restoring peace to the region devastated by the Boko Haram insurgency.

News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that top on

the agenda of participants at the conference would be the Boko Haram insurgency and the issue of human rights.

Walk, prevent heart disease, LUTH doctors advise Nigerians

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ssociation of Resident Doctors, ARD, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, yesterday urged Nigerians to prevent the high rate of cardiovascular diseases in the country with daily brisk walk and exercises.

The association’s President, Dr. Ramon Moronkola, gave the advice while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, on the sidelines of their `Cardiovascular Walk’ in Ikeja.

The walk is part of activities heralding their 2015 Health Week and Scientific Conference in Lagos.

Moronkola, who noted that more active or fit individuals tend to develop less Coronary Heart Diseases, CHD, than their sedentary counterparts, said 30 to 45 minutes brisk walk daily reduces the risk.

According to him, if CHD develops in active or fit individuals, it occurs at a later age and tends to be less severe.

“This walk is about acting what we profess. We tell

our patients all the time that exercise is good for the heart and we need to set the pace.

“Indulge in exercises such as climbing, charisma walking, swimming, jogging, biking and others.

“These exercises can help you burn calories and fat, stabilise your blood sugar and prevent heart diseases and stroke.

“To effectively improve your heart health is to start walking; it is enjoyable, free, easy, social and a great exercise.

“Take a 30 to 40 minutes brisk walk daily, three to four times a week,’’ he told NAN. “A sedentary lifestyle is one of the five major risk factors that cause high blood pressure, abnormal values for blood lipids, smoking and obesity, leading to cardiovascular diseases.

“Evidence from many scientific studies shows that reducing these risk factors decreases the chance of having a heart attack or experiencing another cardiac event such as stroke,’’ he added

'Nigerian private varsities on danger list' Kemi Olaitan IBADAN APC supporters during a protest at INEC office in Bayelsa.

Bankruptcy suit against industrialist fixed Dec 11 Gbenga Ogunbufunmi

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Federal High Court sitting in Lagos yesterday adjourned till December11, 2015, to decide whether to accede to Ecobank Plc’s request that a receivership order should be made against the estate, funds, shares or other interests of industrialist and billionaire, Dr. Oba Otudeko, following his alleged inability to pay a debt of N4.1 billion.

The decision of the court to adjourn till Friday was a fallout of a bankruptcy suit filed before the court by Ecobank against Oba Otudeko.

In the creditor's petition numbered FHC/L/ BK/19/2015, filed on behalf of Ecobank Nigeria Plc by a Lagos lawyer, Kunle Ogunba, it was alleged that Otudeko was unable to repay the facilities duly availed Honey Well Flour Mills, Siloam Global Services Limited and Anchorage Leisures Limited in line with the terms and conditions of the credit facilities and a personal guarantee he duly executed.

The bank said there was an unpaid debt of N4,118, 552, 765. 71 as at August 6, 2015, on an account guaranteed and secured by Otudeko, which he has refused to pay in spite

of numerous demands.

According to the petitioner, the repayment plans of the facilities have lapsed due to unending default of the debtor.

Stating the facts behind the facility, Ecobank Plc alleged that following the failed public offer of shares of Honeywell Flour Mills, another credit facility was granted Siloam Global Services Limited, a sister company of Honeywell Flour Mills Plc, to cover underwriting exposures, which arose from the failed public offer.

The petitioner added that the underwriter's exposures on behalf of Honeywell

Flour Mills Plc to Siloam Global Services Limited guaranteed by Otudeko has also become payable in view of the unending defaults by him.

The bank further alleged that Otudeko, serving as chairman of the borrowing companies and on whose guarantee the various facilities were availed and restructured and at whose instance the various meeting were held for an amicable solution, refused to heed all lawful demands of the bank.

Consequently, Justice Okon Abang adjourned the matter till December 11, 2015, for the creditor to show proof of service.

V

ice Chancellor, Lead City University, Ibadan, Prof.

Olufemi Onabajo, yesterday raised alarm that many private universities in the country may be forced to close down if the Federal Government refuses to come to their aid through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFUND. He expressed the fear yesterday while addressing journalists on the 10th anniversary and eighth convocation ceremony of the university, held at its International Conference Centre.

He said it was important for all Nigerians, regardless of their background, to benefit from TETFUND since it was meant for the education sector, adding that

the scheme would improve the education sector in the country if the Federal Government recognises private institutions in disbursing the fund.

He said, "Since TETFUND is the contribution from the private sector to education sector in the country, private universities are also entitled to benefit from it. Secondly, the law that established TETFUND was enacted before the establishment of private universities in Nigeria. So, one could understand why private universities were not captured in the law; and thirdly, since most of the students and their parents are Nigerians who are paying taxes, why should they not benefit from the Federal Government’s scheme when their counterparts in public schools are benefiting?

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North

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Senate visits fuel depots to end scarcity A ZA MSUE KADUNA

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Destruction of banned, fake and expired products by NAFDAC in Kebbi State, yesterday.

Kpojime Commission summons Suswam J ustice Elizabeth Kpojime Commission of Inquiry has summoned former Benue State governor, Gabriel Suswam, to appear before it tomorrow at 10am to provide relevant information and documents relating to 33 matters of financial misappropriation recorded during his tenure as governor.

In a letter of invitation to the former governor signed by chairman of the commission, Justice Kpojime, and published in national dailies, Suswam, among

other issues, is to provide all relevant information and documents relating to his financial approvals.

For example, the former governor is expected to explain to the commission reasons behind the termination of contract to Bi-Water and its subsequent revision and award to MS Gilmor Construction for the greater Makurdi waterworks, as well as respective payments for the contract.

Suswam is also to explain details about the

approval and disbursement of over N68 billion under the sub-head “Logistics funds for security surveillance” where more than N1 billion was spent monthly in some cases during his time as governor.

He is also to clear the air on receipt and utilisation of about N14bn SURE-P funds that accrued to the state during his tenure, approval of N414 million and N290 million as scholarship, among others.

Other matters Suswam is required to pro-

vide answers to are the approval and utilisation of huge cash withdrawals from various accounts of the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in First Bank, FCMB and Sterling Bank to the tune of over N48 billion between 2011 and May this year.

The immediate past governor is also to provide explanation before the Judicial Commission about authorisation and/ or receipt of various cash sums from his aides or agents and the utilisation of same.

Faleke insists on Audu/Faleke ticket …vows to go to tribunal WALE IBRAHIM LOKOJA

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unning mate to the late APC governorship candidate, Prince Abubakar Audu, in the November 21 elec-

JUSTIN TYOPUUSU JALINGO

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here was jubilation yesterday in Jalingo, Taraba State capital, following the flagoff of the first commercial flight from Jalingo to Abuja and Lagos.

Performing the ceremony, Governor Darius Ishaku expressed delight that the dream of building the airport had materialised.

He commended former Governor Jolly Nyame,

tion in Kogi State, James Faleke, has vowed to defend the Audu/Faleke ticket.

Faleke disclosed this yesterday while receiving All Progressives Congress, APC, supporters from Western Senatorial

district, who paid him a solidarity visit in Kabba, insisting also that he be declared winner of the just concluded election.

Faleke, while promising to file his petition as soon as the Kogi State Governorship Election Petitions Tri-

bunal is constituted, told the crowd: “It is not over until it is over.”

He noted that he would continue to defend the mandate freely given by people of the state to Audu/Faleke during the November 21 poll.

enate Committee on Petroleum Downstream Sector yesterday embarked on tour of depots to end persistent fuel scarcity across the country.

Vice Chairman of the committee on Downstream Sector, Senator Jubril Barau, who visited Pipelines and Products Marketing Company Ltd, PPMC Kaduna area office, said the Senate would do everything within its constitutional powers to solve fuel crisis that has brought untold hardship on Nigerians.

He said the present administration and other stakeholders in the oil sector are committed to bringing succour to Nigerians, adding that fuel must be provided for the people without stress.

Barau however called on the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and its subsidiaries

to embark on more public enlightenment against vandalism for the nation’s refineries to work effectively.

“Senate should work hand-in-hand with President Muhammadu Buhari and other stakeholders to find lasting solution to the re-occurring fuel scarcity across the country,” he said.

Earlier, Area Manager PPMC Kaduna area office, Robo Shuaibu, said the refinery was not running due to non-supply of crude, and called on the National Assembly to ensure judiciary’s speedy trial of vandals who break pipelines to sabotage the economy.

Shuaibu called on the federal government to replace old pipelines with modern technologies and intervene in Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, leadership crisis which is one of the factors responsible for fuel shortage.

CBN disburses N210m SME loans in Borno

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overnor Kashim Shettima of Borno State yesterday said 1,000 traders would benefit from the N210 million Central Bank’s Small and Medium Scale Enterprise, SME, Loans Scheme.

Shettima, who disclosed this at the disbursement ceremony in Maiduguri, said the loans would be given to beneficiaries through Borno Renaissance Micro Finance Bank.

According to him, of the N210 million, N20 million will be disbursed to persons with disabilities drawn from 27 local government areas of the state.

Shettima also said trad-

ers from Gamboru, Customs, Baga and Timber markets would be among the beneficiaries.

The governor said the state would bear the total interests on the loans, while the beneficiaries would only repay the exact amounts received from the scheme.

“The loan is for everybody, traders from Biu, Bama, Konduga and other parts of the state would also benefit,’’ he said.

Shettima added that the gesture was to cushion effects of poor economic hardship in the state as a result of recurring insurgency.

Jubilation as Taraba begins commercial flight who conceived the idea in 2005 and the immediate past governor, Danbaba Suntai, for bringing the project to finishing level.

“Funding challenges and other logistics led to termination of the contract project in 2010; and later, the state’s Ministry of Works resumed work then stopped in 2012.

Given my commitment to continue with projects of past administrations

that are of benefit to the people, I took over funding of such projects and this is one of them.

“Today, we are witnessing the maiden commercial flight from this airport. Very soon I will look into the issue of Taraba State Transport Corporation, TSTC, and buy buses to take care of those travelling by road,” he said.

The governor added that the airport will un-

lock investment opportunities and boost tourism and businesses in the state. He also commended Overland Airway Nigeria for believing in his mission and the ministry of works for putting in necessary measures for the commercial flight to commence.

Ishaku called on Taraba residents to embrace the opportunities provided by the airline by pa-

tronising it, saying it was cost effective, the fastest and safer means of transportation.

Managing Director of Overland Airway Nigeria limited, Capt. Edward Boyo, promised greater service to people of the state, adding that with the commencement of commercial flight in Jalingo, the era of traveling to Abuja by road or landing in Yola and driving to

Jalingo, is over.

Boyo commended the governor for taking the initiative to bring air transportation to the state and assured that daily flight will commence in January of 2016. According to him, the flight from Jalingo to Abuja would be on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays by 11-12pm from Abuja to Jalingo and 2:45 from Jalingo to Abuja.

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

SUPER TUESDAY House of Reps sensitive to peoples’ needs –Babatunde

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Politics

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Kemi Adeosun and her efficiency unit magic

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rs. Kemi Adeosun, the new Minister of Finance has taken in her stride the job of managing the nation’s finances at a time of great financial strain. While national revenues have more than halved due to the steep decline in global oil prices with basically not much savings to fall back on, recurrent expenditure is pretty much same and the need for increased capital expenditure is ever present. It is largely up to her to drive efforts at making up for the shortfall and providing the tonnes of funds required to keep government running, fund a huge infrastructure deficit and finance the electoral promises of the Buhari administration amongst which is the 5000 cash handouts to 25 million jobless Nigerians.

The spirited plans of the heads of top revenue generating agencies like the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS), the Nigerian Customs and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) to expand the revenue base and explore smart ways of generating more revenues are commendable and if aggressively followed through will make appreciable difference and give boost to revenues.

From the surveys done by several analysts and professional bodies, there is sufficient evidence and statistics to show that by simply strengthening tax administration, getting more people and companies to pay taxes as at when due, the government can successfully double its revenues from taxes.

However, even if the efforts succeed in ramping up revenues to pre-crisis levels or even outstripping earlier revenue thresholds, that is not necessarily a guarantee that things would in practical terms get any better in terms of real value for money. Simply increasing revenues is not enough if the revenues are not judiciously applied to areas with the most capacity to impact public life. There is always an opportunity cost to money, an area where it is most needed.

It is against this pressing need for prudent allocation of scarce resources that the establishment of an Efficiency Unit (E-Unit) by the Finance Minister, Mrs. Adeosun is significant. Nigeria at such a time as this seriously needs to maximize the value it can get from every single amount of revenue it gets. We simply cannot continue in the culture of waste and inefficiency. That is a recipe for exacerbating an already bad situation. The E-Unit is one strategic way to make strong impact at a time of serious financial challenges and dwindling revenues. It is a brilliant, strategic and logical first move. Without first strengthening the system and closing out instances of waste, even if more money is brought in, not much will be achieved in the end. In fact, we are where we are not really for the lack of money, but largely because of the inefficient, wasteful application of our resources. Building a culture of cost consciousness, removing duplicate expenditure items, completely cutting out irrelevant expenses and refocusing money towards areas of high impact is the best possible way to deploy public sector funds.

And it is a good thing that the Minister is leading the charge in this direction as a first major step as Finance Minister.

According to a statement from the Minister, the E-Unit will be established within the Ministry of Finance to ‘ensure that every single naira that government spends is necessary and that all expenditure represents the best possible value for money”. “To do this it will work across all MDAs to identify and eliminate wasteful spending, duplication and other inefficiencies in the system so as to enhance general efficiency and to promote a culture of cost consciousness across all areas of government”.

Bottom-line, the aim of the E-Unit is to reduce cost of governance by ensuring that wasteful expenditure is cut out and more money is freed and deployed towards financing

Adeosun

strategic, growth enhancing projects that will create jobs and impact on Nigerians. According to the Minister “we must deliver more, but spend less”.

The E-Unit is designed to use the scientific methods of analysis to review overhead expenditure with a view to benchmarking costs, identifying wastage and curbing inefficiency. Considering the high skill set that will be involved to align the project with international best practices, implement the change program, and train civil servants to keep it going, the project will draw upon the knowledge of private sector players to complement.

The key focus areas of the E-Unit is the Personnel and Overhead Cost Segments which constitutes a large chunk of the burgeoning recurrent that takes over 70% of annual budgets. According to the 2015 budget total, overhead estimate was N360 billion, representing 8% of the total budget, while personnel costs together with pensions amounted to N2.172 trillion, representing 48% of the total expenditure budget. This is clearly unsustainable and there is no way government can make real progress in the area of infrastructure development if this figure is not pruned down.

In the area of personnel costs, the E-Unit will include continuation of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) rollout which uses technology to confirm the authenticity of pensioners and salary earners.

The IPPIS system has been deployed in over 100 MDAs and has led to the discovery and elimination of over 60,000 ghost workers from the federal payroll saving the government an estimated N140billion. The E-Unit is to aggressively push through a full compliance by all MDAs within the shortest possible time so as to totally eliminate ghost workers from the payroll and any cases of sharp practices.

On overheads, the E-Unit is to undertake a programme of reviews of common items of expenditure across all areas of

operations to include printing costs, stationery, motor running costs, real estate, Information Technology (IT) services, and telephone charges amongst others. The E-Unit’s focus on overhead and Personnel related costs will complement the efforts of the Due Process Office which has largely concentrated on contract related expenditure.

The Unit will be coordinated by a Supervising Committee (SC) which will comprise of government officials and three members from the private sector who have chosen to donate their time without fee towards making the initiative a success. The SC will be chaired by the Minister of Finance, with the Head of Service, Accountant General of the Federation, Auditor General of the Federation and Director of Budget as members. The three members from the private sector include Alhaji Kabir Mohammed – Former ICAN President, Mr. Kunle Elebute – Partner KPMG, Ms. Seyi Kumapayi – Chief Financial Officer, Access Bank. The project is to be led by Ms. Patience Oniha, an experienced Chartered Accountant, who had worked with Citibank and Standard Chartered Bank is currently working as a Director with the Debt Management Office.

The Efficiency Unit initiative is a tried and tested solution to cutting down government spending and has been deployed in several other advanced countries like the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland at the local government level have resulted in significant savings of government funds. As a result of the recent sharp drop in international oil prices, countries like Mexico, Brazil and Thailand are currently undertaking similar reviews of the project to see how they more efficiently manage their dwindling resources.

In the United Kingdom for instance, the Efficiency and Reform Group was established in the Cabinet Office in May 2010 to look for ways of saving money in departments and within a short time was exceedingly productive. Just like Nigeria, the key intention of the then UK government was to introduce a significantly different approach to efficiency and reform in order to make the spending reductions required by the 2010 Spending Review. They wanted to form a group that will mark and symbolize an important departure from previous arrangements by bringing together expertise from across departments on a large scale to work across organization boundaries on common issues that are core to the Government’s agenda of cost reduction. While the group acts as focal point for this activity, it does not act alone as all government departments were integrated, each with a role to play, sometimes taking the lead in particular areas in a strategy known as ‘tight-loose’ strategy.

On reducing costs, the Group’s short-term priority was to help government bodies live within budgets that were reduced by £6.2 billion in 2010-11, by applying efficiency and reform measures to government spending. Key early actions by the Group included, introducing central controls on Information and Communications Technology (ICT) contracts and reviewing 300 major projects; estimated reductions in running costs of at least £50 million on the government property estate; freezing civil service recruitment and limiting pay rises; renegotiating contracts with major suppliers to save an expected £800 million in 2010-11; and saving an estimated £133 million in the first six months of 2010-11 by freezing non-essential advertising and marketing spend.

In the Republic of Ireland, the introduction of the Efficiency Review Group at the local government level sometime in 2008 also delivered real savings and meaningful reform with a short time span. It was set up to review the cost base, expenditure of and numbers employed in local CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

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Politics

How would you assess the 8th National Assembly?

The 8th National Assembly is doing well . Though there was a little shaking at the beginning, the House is stable now. There is a legislative agenda in place, standing committees have been successfully constituted and inaugurated. They are up and running. And the Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has expressed the commitment of the 8th House to ensuring that Nigerians reap the dividends of democracy through virile and people- oriented legislations.

Issues such as security, unemployment and economic diversification are on the front burners. The Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs which are the offshoots of insurgency in the North- Eastern part of the country are receiving attention from the House so much so that it created a new Standing Committee for them. The House has even passed a resolution for the establishment of a Commission for the Development of the North East.

If you also noticed, many of the motions brought by members are infrastructure-related and have to do with things happening in their constituencies like roads, electricity, floods and so on. They are usually passed without debate because of its importance to the socio- economic activities of the people. It was under this grace that I was able to bring the motions for the rehabilitation of the OwoIyere-Ipele-Ago Alao-Owoani-Idoani- Ifira-Sosan-Isua road which is a federal road and the Owo-Oba-Ajegunle-Akungba-Iwaro-Oke Oka-Okhia-Epinmi-Isua road which is a state road in Ondo State. And the motion was passed. This is to tell you that the 8th House is sensitive to the problems of the people and is doing its best to make things better.

What’s the present situation concerning the composition of standing committees which unsettled the House and almost tore its members apart?

Like I said earlier, the committees have been successfully constituted, inaugurated and are up and running. But you are also aware that there were some disagreements over the constitution of the committees. But by and large, the committees have been inaugurated. What is needed now is patience to allow the committees go full throttle.

The 8th House is barely six months. Things are just taking shape. Nonetheless, from the morning, one can discern how the day would be. From the way the House is going, it is obvious that Nigerians should expect good things from its members.

The motion you moved last week seeking to control Nigeria’s population provoked uproar in the House. Why do you think high population is not an asset to the country?

The truth is, I never said population is not an asset to the nation. It is an asset. But unbridled and unmanageable population has negative consequences. Everyone knows that. If at an estimated 166 million we are still adding about 5 million births per annum, there should be cause to worry. There is need to plan, otherwise, like the motion states, there would be pressure on the country’s finances and infrastructure especially roads, housing, education and health. Also, there would be a corresponding increase in unemployment, crime, poverty and so on.

So, it was a great surprise that some members saw it as an attack on Muslims. That was not the intention or motive of the motion. The motion was simply asking that the federal government should take steps to manage the population, and that it should also direct the National Orientation Agency to educate Nigerians on the benefit of family Planning.

The report by US-based Population Reference Bureau, PRB, is in public domain. And it states in its 2011 World Population Data Sheet, released in 2014, that Nigeria’s population would be 433 million by 2050 and that by that year, Nigeria will be the 3rd largest country in the world, bigger than the United States and next to only China which has 1.4 billion people and India’s 1.28 billion. That is really scary. So there is the need for urgent action by the government to forestall the fallouts of population explosion.

What are your expectations from the committees on Justice, Rules and Business and Population that are directed to look into the motion?

I don’t anticipate any negative report from the relevant committees that are expected to further look into this very important motion. This motion is about formulating

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

House of Reps sensitive to peoples’ needs –Babatunde Hon. Kolawole Babatunde is the lawmaker representing Akoko South-East/SouthWest Federal Constituency of Ondo state in the House of Representatives. He speaks with OJO OYEWAMIDE on his controversial motion seeking to control the country’s population, next year’s gubernatorial election in Ondo state among other issues.

Excerpts: ment, for jobs for the teeming youths who are the hopes of our future, for good healthcare services for both the young and elderly, for a responsible and responsive government, for qualitative and all encompassing education. The people of Ondo know that all these things are synonymous with APC. That is why APC is strong in Ondo and it is the reason for the people wanting to be part of the change agenda. They want to be part of the party that can drive that change.

Do you think the party is now well-positioned to win the next year’s gubernatorial election in the state?

By the grace of God, APC is going to win the governorship election in Ondo State. It is not just talk, we are prepared. The people desire change, we know their pains, we have the blueprint to eliminate this pain. And I believe Ondo State is tired of moving a step forward and five steps backwards. I am one of the numerous personalities that our amiable and distinguished Senator, Prof. Robert Ajayi Boroffice, mentored. Within the few months that I have spent in office, I have been able to further build the confidence of the good people of Akoko South East and South West in the new government. It is time for progress.

Kemi Adeosun and her efficiency unit magic

Babatunde

The truth is, I never said population is not an asset to the nation. It is an asset.

But unbridled

and unmanageable population has negative consequences a Policy that will ensure adequate planning for our present population and generations unborn. We will be falling short in the discharge of our duties as a government if an enabling environment is not created for this teeming population to strive as it affects employment, security, infrastructure and the economy at large to mention but a few.

You see, this is not just about Hon. kolawole Babatunde, it is about Nigerians that have been thrown into a situation of hopelessness by the 16 years of PDP misrule. We now have a government that has the political will to translate masses-driven policies into action. I am not against any religion but passionate about our future as a country, particularly as it affects the youths. We have seen this happen in developed countries and we cannot be left behind. There is no doubt that the committees will handle this task with the sincerity of purpose putting the interest of the Nigerian people first. I have the support of my colleagues. The change mantra is in place and it is change Nigerians must have.

What is the state of APC in Ondo State?

APC is the party of choice in Ondo State. It is apparent that the yearnings and aspirations of the people are not being met. The visible desire of the people is for develop-

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 authorities with a view to reporting on specific recommendations to reduce costs. This they did and reported back with recommendations and targets. In 2013, the group is reported to have met and surpassed its targets and announced a gross savings of 839m in the period 2008 - 2012.

The results of the several smart initiatives launched by the Group also showed that local authorities were indeed ‘doing more with less’ by delivering quality services in new and innovative ways. This included the development and implementation of shared services that improved customer experience and outcomes through enhanced service levels while giving greater value for money; local government authorities drawing inspiration from best practice in the private and public sector in the application of rigid, robust, and transparent procedures to assess feasibility, credibly design, and successfully build and execute the shared service projects.

The success of the Efficiency Review Initiative in the United Kingdom shows that it is a tried and tested solution that will help government cut down on unnecessary expenditure. Given the expressed determination of the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Adeosun to see that the initiative succeeds and the strong political will that the President has already shown towards running a Spartan government that emphasizes ‘value for money’ there is no doubt that the E-Unit will be a success. The economic crisis has thrown the spotlight on the imperative of reducing costs and achieving efficiencies in public expenditure which shows that the introduction of the Efficiency Unit is a Smart Step in the Right Direction. With this, Mrs. Adeosun would be driving the change reform agenda from the inside out. All Well-meaning Nigerians must support it and help towards ensuring that it succeeds.

MARSHALL GUNDU Director (Press), Federal Ministry Of Finance

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

15

A PUBLICATION OF NATIONAL MIRROR NEWSPAPERS

Olumba warns those fuelling Biafra agitation Richard Ndoma CALABAR

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L-R: INEC National Commissioner, South-South, Dr Muhammed Mustafa Lecky; Bayelsa State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Hon Baritor Kpagih, and Returning Officer, Prof Zana Akpaku, during the collation of the 2015 governorship election result of Bayelsa State, yesterday.

It was hell being in PDP, says APC chieftain Richard Ndoma CALABAR

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he APC National Vice Chairman (South South), Prince Hilliard Eta, on Sunday, in a thanksgiving ceremony lambasted the Cross River State leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, over what he described as “tortuous and thorny moment” which he got from the PDP throughout the times he stayed in the party.

Eta, a former PDP man before defecting to the APC said that his 10 years sojourn in the PDP was full of sorrow, adding that he decided to leave his former party for the APC due to the kind of

R ichard Ndoma CALABAR

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he Acting Director-General of National Directorate of Employment, NDE, Mr. Kunle Obayan, yesterday said that the federal government was still very serious and committed with its plan towards job creation.

Obayan made the remark in Calabar while declaring open a five day training workshop tagged “NDE Enterprise and Finance Counseling Clinic 2015, NDE.” The Acting DG said that the federal government would not renege on its promise to maximally

wickedness unleashed on him by the former governor of Cross River State, iyel Imoke.

He said the governor acted god.

“I told Imoke that he was no God to be tormenting people in the party. Imoke was acting god simply because he was a governor at that time,” Eta said.

Eta made the remark while fielding questions from journalists shortly after a thanksgiving service/ conferment of title of Nta Nta Offiong by the ward 5 people of Calabar Municipality held in his honour at the St. Charles Lwanga Catholic Church,Calabar, Cross River State.

Eta, a founding member of the PDP in Cross River State, averred that he took a bold step to dump the then ruling PDP for the defunct Action Congress of Nigera(ACN) because of the lofty programmes and stressed that the ideals of the PDP were completely at variance with his personal values and principles.

He stressed that the then ruling PDP`s leadership denied him opportunity to ventilate his rights and never gave him any chance to play politics the way he ought to play it.

Eta who is now an APC chieftain said, “My 10 years sojourn in the PDP was very tortuous and full of thorns and sorrow.

For over 16 years it was all about them and not all about the people.”

The APC National Vice Chairman expressed optimism that the APC would triumph in the rerun governorship elections in Akwa Ibom State.

Eta maintained that the APC would soon engage the PDP in an intellectual and moral battle.

Earlier, the APC chieftain was also given an award of excellence and recognition for being so resilient throughout his trial period when the PDP was in charge of power by the his alma-mater, Hope Waddel Training Institutute of Calabar, where he had his secondary school education.

he Sole Spiritual Head of Brotherhood of the Cross and Star, Olumba Olumba Obu, yesterday cautioned all those agitating for Republic of Biafra to refrain from promoting disunity as they would not succeed.

Olumba gave the warning on Sunday at his organisation headquarters in Calabar in the course of sermonisation where he urged his adherents to remain cautious and watchful against unscrupulous elements that could make them to derail against state and divine authorities.

He stated that the agitators were wasting their time and that no force could divide Nigeria, adding that if they wanted, the agitators could move away from Nigeria, and get to the Gulf of Biafra and form their republic.

“There is nothing like Biafra.

They are wasting their time and resources. Who said there is Biafra?

Let them go and sleep. They can even go to the Bight of Biafra and form their own country because Nigeria can never be divided,” Olumba declared.

It would however be recalled that during the Nigerian Civil War in the late 1960s, the Spiritual Head of the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star sounded a note of warning that those who started the rebellion against a united Nigeria were going to fail woefully and that the country was going to remain as one.

Olumba charged those sponsoring the rebellion in and out of Nigeria to desist forthwith but instead they should channel the resources to the benefit of larger society, and pursue peace and unity and one strong united and indivisible Nigeria that would speak with one voice.

FG still committed to reducing unemployment –NDE reduce mass unemployment so as to bring succour to the teeming unemployed youths.

The programme which was organised for 50 unemployed graduates were drawn from the three senatorial districts of the state.

Representing the Cross River coordinator of NDE, Mr. Edem Duke, Obayan said that the federal government over the years, had rolled out programmes targeted at empowering and impacting employability skills on unemployed graduates.

The coordinator mentioned the

programmes to include, Small Scale Enterprises, Rural Employment Promotion, Special Public Works, Vocational Skills Development, Finance Management among others.

The concept of NDE-EFCC was borne out of the desire to ensure that unemployed graduates of tertiary institutions are exposed to the benefits of self reliance through entrepreneurship. ``The clinic seeks to guide participants in their choices of business ideas by giving them a solid business management training

that would instill self confidence in them especially in managing their business successfully. ``NDE encourages the formation of small businesses which have the potential to end up as big entities depending on the commitment of the business owners. ``NDE was established in 1987, it has remained the foremost federal government agency to implement programmes meant to tackle mass unemployment through various strategies developed over the years,’’ the coordinator added.

Obayan maintained that the unemployed graduates would be trained on writing an acceptable bank feasibility report, finance control, business management, entrepreneurial development and others.

The acting DG added that NDE would recommend the participants to different banks to enable them obtain soft loans after the training in order to help them set up their own businesses and urged participants to maximise the opportunity and get the best out of the training.

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ome dealers in food items in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, have attributed the rising cost of some commodities in the city to the deplorable condition of roads in the state.

The traders made the assertion at the Watt and Marian Markets, Calabar, during a survey conducted on Sunday by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

A plantain dealer at Watt Market, Mrs Roseline Etta, said that the price of plantain had increased because of the high cost of transporting the commodity to the city. ``Due to the bad condition of roads, the drivers have increased the transport fares; sometimes, they refuse to convey our goods to Calabar because of the bad nature of the

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Traders in Calabar attribute high cost of food items to bad roads roads. ``I have been in this plantain business for almost three years now. I go as far as Yakurr Local Government Area to buy plantains in bulk. ``A very big bunch of plantain that used to go for N1,900 is now N2,500; it is not our fault because motorists have also increased the fares because the roads are bad,” she said.

Mr. Francis Ubong, a yam dealer in the same market, said the cost of conveying the product to Calabar from Ikom Local Government Area of the state had risen.

Ubong lamented that only few transporters now accepted going to Ikom to carry yams to the city because of the deplorable condition of the roads. ``I have not been having it easy with transporters. Sometimes they refuse to follow us to the bush where we normally buy the commodity cheaper because of bad roads. ``A journey from Calabar to Ikom that usually took three hours now takes seven hours,” he said.

According to him, an average size of yam sold for N400 in August, now sells for N600, while

a big tuber earlier sold for N700 now goes for N,1000.

For Mrs. Sarah Okon who sells garri in Main Market, the story is the same as she also attributed the high cost of the commodity to the rise in transport fares.

According to Okon, a basin of garri that used to go for N3,500 is now N4,000, because of the increase in fares.

The transporters have increased their charges and we have also increased our prices of the commodities too,” she said.

A resident, Mr. Richard Emeka, however, said that the in-

crease in prices was expected. ``The price increase is not a surprise in Calabar, considering the deplorable state of the roads leading to where the commodities are produced. ``We have been suffering as a result of bad roads in the state, especially the federal roads. `` I am appealing to the federal and state governments to repair these roads to promote economic growth in the state. ``I know that in business you must make profit; but I am appealing to the food dealers not to hike the prices of food items this Christmas period,” he pleaded.

Fishermen laud Navy for reducing pirate attacks in Akwa Ibom

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A cross section of members of Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN, during a peaceful protest at the Central Zonal Office of the Nigerian Maritime Administration & Safety Agency, yesterday.

PSC okays conduct of policemen in Bayelsa election

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he Police Service Commission (PSC) has expressed satisfaction with the conduct of policemen during the December 5 Bayelsa governorship election.

This is contained in a statement issued by the Head, Press and Public Relations of the commission, Mr Ikechukwu Ani, on Sunday in Abuja.

It would be recalled that 19Man monitoring team of the Commission led by a Retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Yakubu Muhammad, monitored the election.

The statement said that Police Officers were courteous and ensured a sense of orderliness at the polling stations.

It said that the PSC team vis-

ited 43 polling units in four of the eight local government areas in the state.

The 43 polling units were drawn from the 27 towns/villages in the four local government areas visited.

The statement said that there was an average of nine policemen per polling unit.

It stated that in some of

those polling units there were up 21 policemen in one polling unit.

“In Ogbia Local Government Area, there was an average of four policemen per polling unit, while an average of two policemen manned polling units in Sagbama and Kolokam/Opokuma local government areas, “it said.

Brisibe calls for change in approach to unemployment problem Elo Ogwara WARRI

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s part of efforts to reverse the downward trend of Nigeria’s economy, government at all levels have been urged to consider alternative measures to increase revenue.

Speaking at the 67th Founders Day/Luncheon party of the

Warri chapter of the University of Ibadan Alumni Association (UIAA), Hon Tam Brisibe, the Chief of Staff, Delta State Government House, traced the nation’s economic woes to military era.

In his paper titled “Achieving Economic Development and Economic Growth in Tough Times”, the governor’s chief aide, who was Guest

Speaker at the event, noted that the first military coup in 1966 and the civil service purge ten years after by the Murtala Mohammed/Olusegun Obasanjo military regime in 1976 were the starting points of the unemployment dilemma faced in the country today.

However, he called on federal and state governments to di-

versify the sources of revenue and most importantly, take security, development of the entrepreneurial and agricultural sectors, more seriously.

He noted that the Delta State government, under the Ifeanyi Okowa administration, had already started working towards achieving economic independence through its SMART agenda.

he Artisan Fishermen Association of Nigeria (ARFAN) in the Niger Delta, on Sunday, commended the Nigerian Navy for reducing the activities of sea pirates on Akwa Ibom waterways.

Mr. Inyang Ekong, the Coordinating Secretary of ARFAN in the zone, made the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Ibeno, Akwa Ibom.

He said that the Navy had been able to contend with the menace of sea piracy on the waterways in the past one year.

“I really thank the Nigerian Navy for fighting sea pirates in our waterways. The activities of hoodlums have reduced significantly.

“Since last year till now, we have not heard of sea pirates attacking fishermen in the waterways in the state,” he said.

The coordinator said that since the Navy curtailed the activities of the pirates, fishing business had been booming in the state.

Ekong noted that some fishermen who quit fishing due to the incessant attacks by the pirates, had returned to their businesses.

He said that the gunboats provided by the Navy had been able to scare the pirates from the waterways.

“In the past, pirates robbed not less than seven engine boats in a day, but now the incident has reduced to the barest minimum,’’ he said.

He also called on the federal government to give incentives to ARFAN members to boost their businesses.

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Tuesday, December 8, 2015

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On passengers’ right to comfort and vehicular usages SUNDAY ONYEMAECHI E ZE

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n climes where law reigns supreme and lives are treasured, all road users, if not all citizens, are at home with the traffic laws. These laws are clearly spelt out and a dividing line drawn between the functions of different kinds of vehicles plying their roads. Before one acquires a driver’s licence and qualifies to sit behind the wheels, such individual must have passed through rigorous tutorials, driving tests and exams expected to be passed with good grades. Citizens dread breaking traffic laws more than anything else for fear of the attendant dire consequences.

Offenders are charged to court immediately, vehicles impounded or statutory fines imposed accordingly and licences seized for a certain stipulated time. Heavy duty vehicles are strictly designated for haulage of goods and services, while other smaller vehicles like cars and buses strictly convey human beings contrary to which full weight of the law will be visited upon defaulters. At no time or circumstance will a haulage truck driver contemplate interchanging his traditional role of conveying goods with that of a commuter bus even if he was financially induced or pressurised to.

It is a different kettle of fish here in Nigeria. Land transportation system has witnessed and accommodated terrible practices. The ugly consequences

and the resultant carnages of these actions are common on our roads. Road users in Nigeria can willingly break traffic laws and easily get away with it.

As evident on our roads, vehicles are all utilised interchangeably, depending on the situation, the seeming accruable gain to the driver, the vehicle owner or even the passengers themselves. It has become a common pathetic, astonishing, worrisome and unbecoming sight on our highways to behold people, especially the young ones regularly hanging on trucks from Kano to Lagos, or Port Harcourt to Damaturu without a whimper.

Passengers are also seen cramped inside trunks of vehicles reminiscence of animals or mere commodities as they journey to their various destinations. Some national dailies have done a bit by attempting to portray the dangers by dedicating a pictorial column to it and some other unusual developments in our roads and society. However, the trend demands drastic measures and deserves urgent attention of road managers. This unwholesome common practice takes place under the nose of several mounted security and road safety check points. Still the law turns blind eye and looks on mindlessly.

Many Nigerians have been confined perpetually to wheel chairs while others unfortunately met their untimely deaths to this unacceptable practice.

The nation can no longer afford to have disabled citizenry or lose more lives to this system; hence, it should be discouraged. This ugly situation has practical-

ROAD USERS IN NIGERIA CAN WILLINGLY BREAK TRAFFIC LAWS AND EASILY GET AWAY WITH IT ly thrown up the quantum of attention and concern an individual Nigerian pay to the sanctity of his own life; that of his neighbours, and to a large extent the seriousness Nigerian state attaches to the welfare of her citizens. Furthermore, it brings to light the high level of ignorance, or perhaps the folly which induces some passengers to inconvenience or denigrate their persons for some ludicrous reasons.

Are there extant laws for passengers’ comfort as they journey around Nigeria? How active and protective are conveyance laws in the nation? Are the road users and transport operators aware of the laws? Of course, there are lots of laws with institutions driving them, but something urgent needed to be done to make them adequately functional. If the awareness for the protection of the rights of even lower and less important animals is on the increase the world over, every Homo sapiens deserve the right to live a decent and dignified life in addition to comfort and convenience, while travelling. This law of nature guiding our existence has no meaning to some passengers themselves and transport operators in Nigeria, who are both ignorant and indifferent to this grave danger lurking

around.

Vehicular mode of transportation is the fastest, reliable, comfortable and most convenient among various kinds of road transport systems all over the world. Peoples’ lives, movement of goods and services from one place to another have been improved and enhanced by this common but unique type of transport system.

Therefore, for continued preservation of lives of citizens, growth and improvement in the vehicular transport system, we must not underestimate the right to passengers’ comfort and convenience to vehicular usages in Nigeria.

The federal, states and Llcal governments, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and even passengers and community leaders should understand the enormity of this transportation challenge and disaster. These groups and institutions should individually or jointly engage in aggressive and robust public enlightenment of the operators and stakeholders in the transport sector to learn, recognise and understand the essence of safety of their lives, choice of vehicles and the right to comfort when travelling. By so doing, the consciousness of the road users will be awakened to the realities and the consequences of this unwarranted trend.

Eze, a media and communications specialist, wrote via sunnyeze02@ yahoo.com and can be reached on 08060901201

Discovering your million dollar mentor (I) OLADELE OLUNIKE

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elemachus needed ‘Mentuor’ to acquire certain life skills without which he would have not been a young boy fully prepared for manhood and consequently wouldn’t have been a well groomed man. Odysseus had to get ‘Mentuor’ for him for his customary grooming. In the same way you may not be fully prepared for manhood or adulthood without having a mentor from whom you can glean inevitable life skills. (The story of Telemachus, Odysseus and Mentuor can be found in the “Mentoring For Career and Life Mastery” article on Wednesday, May 27, 2015 edition of this newspaper).

Once you are convinced you need a mentor “your million dollar mentor” must be discovered by you. The mentor you don’t seek is the one you don’t discover. Accepting the personal responsibility to discover or seek out that individual that you believe you can submit to or learn from for your personal, career and business success is important.

It is a protégé who submits to a mentor to be mentored that empowers a mentor with the authority to be his or her mentor and not the other way round.

The question is who is a mentor? A mentor is an experienced individual who advises and helps somebody with

less experience over a period of time.

The experienced in this definition is the mentor, and the less experienced (or in-experienced is the protégé or mentee). The ‘experience’ which the mentor shares with the protégé could be in a particular field of endeavour, a particular aspect of life or various fields or aspects of life. That’s why it’s instructive (as I’ll be discussing later in future editions) that the choice of who a protégé decides to mentor him/her must be somebody (a mentor) among other things, must be in his/her field. The protégé enjoys the privilege of leveraging on the experience of the mentor to launch forth in life and destiny.

A mentor is the prophetic picture of a protégé’s preferred future. A mentor is the ladder that takes a protégé higher. A mentor is the secret to a protégé’s extra-ordinary success. A mentor is the roadmap to the protégé’s personal, career and business success. A mentor is a custodian of divine virtue, meant to enhance a protégé’s destiny value. A mentor is a coach, a goad, a teacher, a trainer, who schools a protégé into exploits and releases him/her into destiny. If you my dear reader must make a mark too difficult to erase in personal, career and business success, you NEED a mentor.

To Myles Monroe, internationally renowned bestselling author and leadership mentor, “the greatest act of

A MENTOR IS A CUSTODIAN OF DIVINE VIRTUE, MEANT TO

ENHANCE A PROTÉGÉ’S DESTINY VALUE leadership is mentoring”. Mentorship refers to a personal developmental relationship in which a more experienced or more knowledgeable person helps a less experienced or less knowledgeable person. The person in receipt of mentorship may be referred to as a protégé (male), a protégée (female), an apprentice or, in recent years, a mentee.

Mentoring is a process that always involves communication and is relationship based, but its precise definition is elusive. One definition of the many that have been proposed is: Mentoring is a process for the informal transmission of knowledge, social capital, and the psychosocial support perceived by the recipient as relevant to work, career, or professional development. Mentoring entails informal communication, usually face-to-face and during a sustained period of time, between a person who is perceived to have greater relevant knowledge, wisdom, or experience (the mentor) and a person who is perceived to have less (the protégé).

John Crosby (May 18, 1912 – Septem-

ber 7, 1991), a newspaper columnist said of mentoring: “Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction.”

Mentorship (or mentoring) is a destiny relationship where the mentor shares his/her wealth of experience with his/her mentee with respect to a particular aspect(s) of life or field(s) of endeavour. Through mentorship, a mentor out of his wealth of insight, wisdom and experience tutors helps to discover hidden talents of the mentee and nurture them into skills.

What Mentorship is not: Mentorship is not imposition of authority, but an empowerment into authority by the submission of a mentee to a mentor. Until a protégé submits to a mentor, a mentor has NO right of authority over a protégé, neither can he or she exercise same.

Oladele, an award-winning quintessential polymath and lead consultant at World Class Compere Academy (WCCA), wrote via oladeleolunike@gmail.com 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 clearly marked as such.

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

SUNDAY OLAJIDE MANAGING DIRECTOR/CEO BEN MEMULETIWON ACTING DAILY EDITOR GBEMI OLUJOBI SATURDAY EDITOR AYO OLESIN SUNDAY EDITOR DOZIE OKEBALAMA COORDINATOR, EDITORIAL BOARD CALLISTUS OKE EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR OBIORA IFOH ACTING ABUJA BUREAU CHIEF AUGUSTUS IMEKAN ACTING HEAD, GRAPHICS

Reps’ probe of sale, closure of NNMC

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he House of Representatives has resolved to probe the unclear sale processes that sent the Nigerian Newsprint Manufacturing Company (NNMC), Oku Iboku, Akwa Ibom State, to the grave. Before 2008, when the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), under a so-called principle of guided liquidation, which expires in five years, sold the newsprint company for the sum of N4,020 billion to an indigenous firm, Negris Holdings Limited, which renamed it as the OkuIboku Pulp and Paper Limited (OKIPP), the newsprint firm was the saving grace of most newspaper and other publishing houses in the country when it comes to the sourcing of newsprint. The five years grace period over; and with the BPE still in place and watching, Negris has woefully failed to make NNMC operational long after it ought to have revived the company it cornered.

Reports said a couple of days ago that the House of Representatives authorized its Committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation to investigate alleged flawed processes of valuation, liquidation and sale of the company – processes that did not comply with the provisions of the BPE Act – dogging the sale of NNMC; and report back to the House within eight weeks for further legislative action. The nation’s print media and the entire pub-

lishing industry in the country have Rep Henry Archibong from Akwa Ibom State to thank for opening the rotten lid on the national waste that NNMC has now become. Archibong, who raised the issue in the house, we were told, lamented that the NNMC, one of the three pulp and paper mills the Federal Government established between the 1960s and 1970s – the others are the Nigeria Paper Mill Limited (NPM) Jebba, Kwara State, and the Nigeria National Paper Manufacturing Company Limited (NNPMC) in Ogun State, was set up to produce 100,000 metric tonnes of finished newsprint papers per annum. The Rep said until it was eventually shut down in 1994, it was producing newsprint of internationally accepted standards, which were then being exported to countries like Togo, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Cameroun, United States and Germany, among other countries of the world.

Rep Archibong said in August 2008, Negris claimed it had put in place all that was required financially to rehabilitate NNMC. Again in 2010, the company also claimed it carried out and passed all environmental safety standards’ tests required for the smooth take-off of the newsprint company. Archibong, unfortunately, pinpointed the glaring lack of financial capacity of Negris to resuscitate NNMC. He spoke of

December 8, 1987 The Alianza Lima air disaster occurred when a Peruvian Navy Fokker F27-400M, chartered by Peruvian football club, Alianza Lima, plunged into the Pacific Ocean six miles short of its destination, off the Ventanilla District of the city of Callao. On board the flight were a total of 44 players, managers, staff, cheerleaders and crewmembers, of whom only the pilot survived the accident.

VIRTUALLY ALL NEWSPRINT AND OTHER PAPER MATERIALS THAT FEED THE

NIGERIAN

PUBLISHING INDUSTRY ARE IMPORTED AT

GRAVE COST.

HOW

ACCEPTABLE IS THIS SITUATION?

the plantation yard in Akamkpa, Cross River State, where several items including cranes, heavy duty trucks, stainless steel pipes, giant electric motors and welding machines, among others, were carted away and sold as scrap items by Negris.

The Director-General, Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Mr.Ibrahim Hussain Doko Ibrahim, said the estimated cost implication of the non-performance of NNMC, NPM and NNPMC between 2006 and 2009 was N153.05 billion. He said the figure would climbed to about N180 billion before the end of 2015”. For the NNMC, he said the cost implication of the company’s moribund state between 2006 and 2009 was N18.76 billion; and that for the four-year period, the deficit turnover amounted to N74.8 billion.

A Senior Manager in charge of Quality Control at NPM, one of

ON THIS DAY December 8, 1991 The leaders of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine signed an agreement dissolving the Soviet Union and establishing the Commonwealth of Independent States. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, shortened as Soviet Union, was a Marxist–Leninist state on the Eurasian continent that existed between 1922 and 1991. It was governed as a single-party state by the Communist Party, with Moscow as its capital.

the paper companies sold off imprudently like the newsprint firm, Chief Samson Olalade Ogundele, disclosed, for example, that NPM valued at N30 billion in 1995 was sold for a mere N334 million in 2012. The new buyers, he said, had been unable to produce papers from the abundance of forestry solely dedicated to the mill. Instead, they prefer the recycling of used papers. “As far as l know, all the facilities in Jebba are still there, especially, the three paper machines, with the last two inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari who was then the (military) Head of State”, Ogundele said.

The above remark, for us, has said it all; and we believe that Ogundele spoke up because of his belief that the past wrongs would be corrected by President Buhari who has again taken the mantle of leadership in the country. We recommend that those wrongs should be corrected. For, it is a huge shame that newsprint now constitutes a huge source of hard currency haemorrhage to a country with a vast forest reserve that can yield raw materials for the production of more than enough newsprint for local use and export. As we speak, virtually all newsprint and other paper materials that feed the Nigerian publishing industry are imported at grave cost. How acceptable is this situation?

December 8, 2010 The Japanese solar-sail spacecraft, IKAROS, passed planet Venus at a distance of about 80,800 km. Solar sails are a form of spacecraft propulsion using the radiation pressure (also called solar pressure) from stars to push large ultrathin mirrors to high speeds. Light sails could also be driven by energy beams to extend their range of operations, which is strictly beam-sailing rather than solar-sailing.

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Global leaders agree to address climate change impact 26

Lagosians, others raise fresh alarm over abandoned buildings’ risks 24

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19

South African firms acquire Ikeja City Mall 27 AIRLINES’ FLIGHT SCHEDULES Med-View Airline

Rice import policy: Appraising the implications for a groaning economy For a country like Nigeria with huge natural and human resource endowments needed to produce agricultural commodities and feed her citizens, the raging controversies on whether to ban or not to ban rice importation again reflect one of sordid features of national development plans. In this analysis, TOLA AKINMUTIMI appraises the issues from stakeholders’ viewpoints and the implications for the economy in the long term.

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t is indeed an irony that a country that in the early 60s prided itself as one of the agro-based flourishing countries with prospect to become a leading world power if her potential in agricultural sector is fully explored is today sourcing over 70 per cent of her food needs through importation at huge costs to its foreign reserves, other national savings, sustainable growth and socio-economic well being of the people.

This is even more worrisome when the nation’s inability to feed itself is

analysed within the context of the fact that the just published Unemployment and Underemployment Watch report by the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, indicated that the economically active population or working age population (persons within ages 15‐ 64) increased from 102.8 million in the first quarter of this year to 104.3 million by the third quarter.

A cursory appraisal of Nigeria’s import bills over the past years indicated that substantial part of the country’s foreign exchange earn-

But then as with other policy measures in the public sector over the years, the rice import policy regimes has again stoked the fire of controversy with those given the task to generate more revenues from rice importation as well as the fiscal authorities lauding the move while others, including the Legislature believe full scale lifting of ban on the commodity requires some caution

ings was spent on importation of food items, which in most cases, as analyses by medical experts confirmed, are harmful to consumers. The latest official figures showed that about N356 billion is spent yearly on rice importation.

The World Bank report on the country’s merchandise trade volume for the period 2011-2013 showed that in 2011, food imports accounted for 31 per cent of the country’s import component of the merchandise trade while in 2012 the figures dropped to 23 per cent. In 2013, food imports cost the country 18 per cent of the year’s import bill.

Although the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, reported that the nation’s food imports declined from N 1.1 trillion ($6.7 billion) in 2009 to N684 billion ($4.35 billion) in 2013 while 12 million metric tonnes (MT) of food were added to the domestic

food basket last year as a result of the successes recorded under the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA), the truth is that Nigeria cannot still feed her population through domestic farming programmes.

As it is with other issues affecting sustainable national development policy thrusts, analysts have blamed the failure to explore abundant country’s agro ecological opportunities in the country, including very rich arable land across the geopolitical zones, fauna-friendly weather and climate as well as huge labour population, to the fullest to policy reversals in the agricultural sector.

For instance, in 2013 fiscal year, government raised the import duty on rice to 100 per cent with an additional levy of 10 per cent based on its believe that such a fiscal regime would discourage import and encourage local production capacity in CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

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. Abuja-Yola: 11.00. Yola-Abuja: 13.00.

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Aero Contractors 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

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Rice import policy: Appraising the implications for a groaning economy CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19 furtherance of the ATA agenda. A year earlier, import duty on the commodity was 50 per cent and 10 per cent levy bringing total tariff on its import to 60 per cent.

The immediate fiscal and economic fallouts of the implementation of the policy were that smuggling of the commodity increased, causing substantial revenue to the economy and economic losses to importers and other stakeholders engaging in rice business.

For instance, at the ENL Consortium terminal at the Lagos Port Complex (LPC), Apapa, where at least 60 per cent of rice imported into the country is discharged, available statistics indicated that the port recorded nearzero import of the commodity in 2013.

The Chairman, Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN), Princess Vicky Haastrup, estimated the total revenue loss by the rice duty hike in 2013 at about N300 billion, noting that in the first quarter of this year N80 billion was lost as over 600,000 metric tons of rice were diverted to Benin Republic, Cameroon, Ghana and Togo.

She lamented: “This is becoming rather unfortunate. Our economy is bleeding seriously because of this policy. The loss to other countries, as a result of the high tariff on rice was over N300 billion last year while in the first quarter of this year alone, both government and private operators have lost a least N80 billion.

Haastrup, who is also the Executive Vice Chairman, ENL Consortium Limited, listed the revenue losses associated with the 110 per cent rice policy to those that should have accrued to the Nigeria Customs Service, terminal operators, dockworkers and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

While absolving the Customs from blames connected with the huge revenue losses to the country, the industry player explained that there was a lot of pressure on Customs because the quantity of rice produced locally can only satisfy 30 per cent of local demand.

Apparently worried by the negative impact of the policy on the economy, especially revenue losses, the former Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, at the occasion of the Centenary Award held in Abuja, hinted of plans by government to revise the policy in the 2014 budget.

She said: “We increased the tariff to110 per cent, and it encouraged some people to go and grow rice and we grew 1.1 million metric tons of the product. But it also encouraged smuggling by neighbouring countries because they immediately dropped their own tariffs to 10 per cent. For rice, we decided to bring it down because we see that it is not working”, she said.

To prove her point, available revenue collections on imported items by the Customs of which rice imports remained substantial showed that in first quarter 2014, Customs import duty collections dipped substantially between January and March to N77.9 billion, a far cry from the N400 billion target set for it by government during the period.

This represented a 19.5 per cent or a N322.1 billion loss and also less than half of the N191.3 billion collected by the Service in the corresponding period of 2013.

Ogbeh

Alli Apart from the fiscal strains the policy was creating for government, another major factor that undermined its feasibility is that local production capacity could not meet demand, despite sundry efforts under the ATA to complement farmers’ productive activities with the dry season farming since 2013.

Curiously, in the 2015 fiscal year, the controversies that characterized rice import allocations for 2014 did not abate despite Federal Government’s downward review of import volume from 1.5 million MT to 1.3 million MT. Compelled by the failure of the policy as well as the frustrations arising from the dwindling revenue occasioned by whirlwinds in the global oil market where prices of oil crashed by about 60 per cent since July 2014, the government reversed the tariff regime on rice in the 2015 budget with a view to using the revenue collections to augment revenue in the federation account in the fiscal year.

But then as with other policy measures in the public sector over the years, the rice import policy regimes has again stoked the fire of controversy with those given the task to generate more revenues from rice importation as well as the fiscal authorities lauding the move while others, including the Legislature believe full scale lifting of ban on the commodity requires some caution.

In October, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd.), unveiled plans by the Federal Government ‎to lift the ban on rice importation through the land borders to improve revenue generation and to curb unbridled smuggling of the commodity into the Nigerian market.

In a spontaneous reaction to the proposed measure, the National Rice Millers Association of Nigeria, NRMAN, faulted the Customs boss stance and advocated for he sustenance of the existing policy on land border restrictions on imported rice.

The Chairman of the association, Mohammed Abubakar, apart from saying that the NCS acted out of its statutory mandate to have made the declaration, noted that open-

ing the borders would hurt the economy and rubbished the successes recorded under the rice value chain so far.

Abubakar, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Umza Rice, said the decision was an attempt by the Customs to give official backing to smuggling of rice.

He said: “First of all, the customs does not have the power to do that, it is a matter of national policy and customs does not make national policy, it is an implementation agency. This will completely kill the rice value chain and everything concerning rice production will stop; customs does not have the right to make such decision.

“This ban was placed six years ago and everybody knows that, so it does not have any reason to say rice should be brought in through the land borders. Anyone who gives such directive has smuggling intentions,” Abubakar added.

He urged government to be focused and ensure that the country becomes self sufficient in rice production.

However, barely a month to the implementation of the proposed fiscal measure, the Senate Ad-Hoc Committee on‎ Import Duty Waivers, Concessions and Grants, chaired by Senator Adamu Aliero submitted its report after a review of the policy.

The Aliero-led Committee recommended that the Senate ask the Federal Government to suspend the policy on the grounds that it would escalate rice smuggling into the country.

The Committee noted that the Customs lacked “the capacity to monitor and control the flow of goods through the land borders”.

Convinced of the logic in the Committee’s stance, the Senate adopted the recommendation calling on the government to suspend the policy.

As expected, the proposal by the Customs and the subsequent recommendations of the Senate have opened a new phase in the unending controversies surrounding the importation of rice such that except the government fully appraised the implications of the planned fiscal regime on rice

Allowing for importation of a commodity (rice) that is available locally depresses revenue for the sector and discourages the

farmer. It increases our foreign exchange expenditure. It is by no means a mechanism that increases GDP as alleged by the

proponents of importation of rice. Importation of rice to Nigeria is criminal, absurd and retrogressive

imports in the 2016 budget, the country may be the ultimate loser in the medium and long terms.

In what seems a direct reaction to the USDA’s stance but more particularly to his conviction that Nigeria can do without massive importation of rice, the Vice President of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Mr Dele Oye, advised the Federal Government to implement the proposed 2015 deadline for the ban on rice importation.

He pointed out that Nigeria cannot be threatened by food insecurity in any form given , the wide variety of food crops that are cultivated in the various agro ecological zones of the country.

According to him, even if there is any shortfall in polished rice and supply comes short of demand, Nigerians have alternatives in other food sources with high carbohydrates nutrients such as garri, yam, foo-foo and plantain, among others.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, has also rued the increasing rate at which rice was being smuggled into the country and urged the National Assembly to help in curbing it menace He described the smuggling of 300 trailers of rice through the Seme boarder as unacceptable and called for strong measures to tackle the menace.

The Minister, during an interactive session with members of the House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture last Tuesday, cautioned that “if we carry on like this for the next five months, the economy of Nigeria would collapse” and solicited the support of the lawmakers in protecting the citizens.

Ogbeh expressed his desire to deal with import substitution in which he said $15 billion could be saved if the country explored the rice and wheat export potential to other West African countries, hence the need to develop the small scale industries to create jobs for the rural poor and develop the cotton industry.

In the final analysis and based on stakeholders’ perspectives it is only logical to feel that outright ban on the importation of rice for now may be counter-productive for the economy while prolonged delay in building the much talked-about local production capacity will only expose government’s insincerity to take the destiny of the nation in its hand by anchoring the diversification the economy on agricultural sector.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business News

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

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Insurance firms’ late filing of returns undesirable for industry –CIIN boss Tola Akinmutimi

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he President of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria, CIIN, Lady Isioma Chukwuma, has urged insurance companies in the country to comply with regulatory requirements on their operating year’s returns filing as a strategic option of growing the industry.

She gave the charge during an interactive session with National Mirror when she led a delegation of the Institute on a courtesy visit to the media organization.

The industry expert explained that filing of returns by operating companies would go a long way in also helping them in the preparation of their Annual Reports and Accounts, adding that when this becomes the norm, then the regulatory authorities and the insuring public will be properly informed about the companies’ performances, including returns on their shareholders investments.

The CIIN President, who is also the Managing Director, Nigeria Re-insurance Corporation, spoke on the priority her company’s management continued to regulatory requirements compliance, saying that “at Nigeria-Re we don’t joke with filing our returns and I speak now, we have met the target up to the

institutions on Diploma in In- geria-Re had settled all claims in Domestic Product, GDP. third quarter of this year” surance programme and other line with the management’s zero For instance, the risk under“As a professional body, our courses that could fast-track its tolerance for outstanding claims, writing expert hinted that the InInstitute is strongly in support professional drive in the indus- adding that doing this will enable stitute had distributed Insurance of timely filing of returns by try. textbooks to many senior secondthe company sustain its leadercompanies and we have consisOn claims payment by her ary schools in the country while ship position in the market on a tently advocated this. It is in the company , she disclosed that Nialso partnering with tertiary sustainable basis. best interest of all companies to file their returns as prescribed by the regulators in order to also get their Annual Reports and Accounts submitted as at and when due.

“If there are companies that are yet to appreciate the importance of this to their operations, we urge them to take a cue from others who are doing so well in this area. This is the best way to go if we are to go the industry”, she added.

According to her, compliance with regulations as may be prescribed by the National Insurance Commission, NAICOM, is important in view of the implications for building public confidence in the industry and also ensuring regulatory authorities’ support at all times for operators in the collective drive to L-R: Director, Fidelity Bank Plc., Kayode Olowoniyi, Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Chief Moses Adeyemo, Managing Director, Fidelity Bank Plc., Nnamdi Okonkwo and Ekarun Olubadan of Ibadanland, High Chief Biodun Kola Daisi, at grow the industry. the Regional SME Conference - South-West organised by the Bank in Ibadan last Thursday.

Expatiating on recent programmes of the professional body, Lady Chukwuma restated the Institute’s commitment to promote insurance education in furtherance of its efforts to create a strong professional tery), and that they were expected of a slowing in the economic manpower base for the growth Tola Akinmutimi to expand from R23.9 billion in 2014 growth rate, slower growth is of the industry and increase its ambling revenues improved to R30.3 billion in 2019, a 4.8 per cent expected in the industry. contributions to nation’s Gross in Africa in 2014, despite compound annual increase.

It stated: “For the forecast

South Africa, Nigeria top Africa’s gambling business

… Nigeria’s yearly market to hit $69m by 2019

Int’l cargo volumes up 0.5% yearon -year in October – IATA Olusegun Koiki

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he International Air Transport Association, IATA, has released data for global air freight markets showing that air cargo volume measured by freight tonne kilometers rose just 0.5 per cent in October compared to a year ago.

Year-over-year expansion fell back from September’s faster growth rate, and total cargo volumes in October stand 1.1 per cent lower than the peak of the uptrend at the end of 2014.

IATA noted that European carriers had driven recent improvements in air cargo growth, but they ran out of steam in October with a rise of just 0.2 per cent.

Other regions also underlined the weak October trend. The most significant decline in cargo activity was experienced by North American carriers, who reported a 2.4 per cent fall in volumes.

Latin America (-8.1 per cent) and Africa (-1.1 per cent) are smaller markets and also declined. Asia-Pacific was up, little

more than Europe with a rise of 0.3 per cent. Growth in the Middle East, although a robust 8.3 per cent, was some 4.3 percentage points down on the average performance for the year to date.

“The outlook for air cargo continues to be very difficult. While there was some optimism from third quarter growth it has all, but disappeared as the industry basically flat-lined. Cargo capacity has grown largely in lock-step with the continued robust demand for passenger travel.

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challenging and weakening economies with South Africa and Nigeria topping the chart of surveyed markets.

The just published PwC’s fourth annual edition on the gaming industry entitled ‘Taking the odds: Gambling outlook for 2015 – 2019’ indicated that South Africa’s gross gambling revenues jumped to the second-largest annual increase over the past five years, with casinos taking the largest share of this growth by rising 4.5 per cent over the prior year.

The report reflected that overall, gross gambling revenues in South Africa rose by R2.1 billion in 2014 cutting across most sectors of the market(excluding the National Lot-

The highlights of the fourth PwC’s annual edition on the gaming industry which covered South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya, focuses on segments within the gambling industry with detailed forecasts and analysis. Each segment details the key trends observed as well as key challenges and future prospects.

For Nigeria, the publication showed that gross casino gambling revenues in Nigeria rose by 17.1 per cent in 2014, continuing the pattern of double-digit annual increases.

PwC pointed out that the country’s casino market was not harmed by the recent terror attacks or the Ebola outbreak that hit the country in July 2014, adding that as a result

period as a whole, gross gambling revenues will expand at a projected 8.5 per cent compound annual rate to USD68.9 million in 2019. Although growth will be substantially lower than during the past five years, Nigeria is expected to continue to expand at a faster rate than either Kenya or South Africa” While South Africa’s data were sourced majorly from the South Africa’s Gambling Regulatory Authority, with regard to Nigeria, figures were derived and extrapolated from selected company informa-

tion while Kenya’s figures were derived and extrapolated from casino taxes.

FG to commission international terminal in South East Olufemi Adeosun, ABUJA

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he Minister of state, Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, has said that the International Terminal being built in the South East would be commissioned next year.

The minister said this when a delegation of the South East Progressive Forum paid him a courtesy visit in his Abuja office.

Sirika also promised that he would look into the conditions of the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport Owerri and that

of Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu and effect repairs where necessary as soon as possible.

He, however, maintained that all hands must be put together to allow aviation in South East zone to be well catered for the promotion of trade and commerce.

According to him, the place of aviation in the development of Nigeria cannot be overemphasised, particularly the landlocked areas of eastern states.

The minister assured the delegation that the lighting equipment at the airports would be put in place, adding that ‘’I cannot under-

stand why airplanes cannot land at the airports because of poor visibility’’ H said partnership with the South East Progressive Forum was important as no one could ignore South East if desired change in aviation and the government in general had to be achieved.

The Chairman of the South East Progressive Forum, Hon. Bethel Nnaemeka Amadi, said the forum was made up of politicians, technocrats, community leaders and businessmen and women with representation from all the wards in all the local government areas in South East Nigeria.

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Business News

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Govt must create enabling environment Agric Minister flaws institutes’ relocation to education ministry for businesses –Ambode ABOLAJI ADEBAYO

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he Lagos State government has promised to intensify effort on the creation of enabling environment for businesses to thrive within the state just as it assured that the state would become industrial hub of the country in no time.

Speaking at the investiture and dinner organized in honour of the new President of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, Dr. (Mrs.) Nike Akande, at the weekend, the Lagos State Governor, Akinwumi Ambode, pointed out that the major responsibility of the governments in the development of the economy is to create the environment to enhance, promote and make businesses thrive.

According to him, this is required to attract more investors both local and foreign ones and as a result, enhancing economic growth and development.

Ambode, who was represented at the occasion by his deputy, Dr. Idiat Oluranti Adebule, declared that Lagos State would continue to sustain and strengthen its relationship with the LCCI especially to make sure that the state attains its leadership role as an economic hub of the country.

He congratulated the new LCCI boss while charging her to expend more energy on the mandate she was entrusted with.

In her remarks, the wife of the President, Hajia Aisha Buhari, said she was sure that the Federal Government would also collaborate with the Chamber in order to grow the nation’s economy.

Hajia Buhari, who was represented by the former Lagos State Deputy Governor, Adejoke Orelope Ad-

efulire, noted that the emergence of Akande as the new OPS group’s President was apt at the time the country was in critical economic condition and greatly needed to diversify its economy.

She said the investiture of the new President would inspire more women to pursue leadership positions and prove their worth in the management of human affairs, adding that while government remained focused and committed to economic diversification, it would intensify efforts to create more conducive and enabling environment for businesses to thrive in the country.

The new LCCI President, Dr. (Mrs.) Nike Akande pledged to rededicate herself to the service of the Chamber, assuring commitment to ensure the Chamber retains its foremost position as a leading private sector advocacy organization in Nigeria as well as the flagship of the Chamber of Commerce movement in the country.

She said: “As I mount the saddle of leadership of the Chamber, effectiveness and positive impact on the quality of investment climate will be my watch word.

“The private sector is pivotal to the transformation of the Nigerian economy, and indeed any economy for that matter. We need the private sector to create wealth from which the government could generate revenue; we need the private sector to generate employment to address the acute and frightening unemployment, poverty and insecurity in our society; we need a virile private sector to make Nigeria a respected country in the comity of nations.

“We would not relent in our advocacy to promote a conducive environment for the private sector to play the role expected of it in the realization of the Nigerian vision.”

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he Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, has faulted the movement of the National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike, and two others under the Ministry of Agriculture to the Education Ministry without any amendment in the Act establishing them.

The Minister expressed his displeasure over the movement during an interactive session with members of the House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture last Tuesday at the National Assembly in Abuja.

Ogbeh said the lawmakers were major players in the agricultural sector and needed to make appropriate laws to curb all the nefarious and unwholesome practices in the agricultural sector.

He described the smuggling of 300 trailers of rice through the Seme boarder as unacceptable and called for strong measures to tackle the menace, adding that “if we carry on like this for the next five months, the economy of Nigeria

Glo introduces ‘Campus Booster’ to enhance learning, networking

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L-R: Chief Executive Officer, CSL Stockbrokers, Mr. Gboyega Balogun; Chief Executive Officer, Meristem Securities, Mr. Wole Abegunde; Chief Executive Officer, GTI Securities Limited, Mr Aledare Amos; Executive Director, Market Operations and Technology Division, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr Ade Bajomo; Head, Market Services, NSE, Mr Ade Ewuosho and Chief Executive Officer, Investment One, Mr Oluwole Awe, at the launch of Trade Smart press conference in Lagos, recently.

Firm plans N20bn investment in rice production SYLVA EMEKA-OKEREKE

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earl Universal Impex Limited, PJS, has unveiled plans to invest $100 million (about N19.7 billion) into the nation’s rice production.

The company’s Chairman of, Mr Pulkit Jain, who disclosed this in Niger State, said the amount would be committed to the cultivation of 7,500 hectares of rice farm as well as construction of two rice mills in the state in the next three years.

He said the project would also create 3,000 direct and 4,000 indi-

rect jobs through its out-grower scheme while also urging the federal and state governments to support rice farmers and millers in order to realise the value chains on the commodity.

According to him, the project was predicated on successful rice yield of 7 metric tonnes per hectare at the trial phase of the project, adding that the company would move to another 2000 hectares of land for cultivation this December.

Jain said that with an estimated N356 billion spent on importation of rice annually, Nigeria remained the second largest importer of rice

in the world.

The rice investor advised the government to sustain the ban on rice importation to enable rice producers and investor add value to the nation’s economy through backward integration into rice milling and farming in the country.

While pointing out that the equipment for the next phase of the project had already been shipped and would arrive the country in January, Jain also noted that the company was also training local farmers on the scientific method of cultivating rice.

would collapse”.

While soliciting the support of the lawmakers in protecting the citizens, the minister expressed his desire to deal with import substitution in which he said 15 billion USD could be saved.

He said Nigeria has the capacity to export rice and wheat to West Africa, hence the need to develop the small scale industries to create jobs for the rural poor and develop the cotton industry.

The Minister promised to revive the Agricultural Development Programme (ADP), provide a more nutritional school feeding programme and revive the river basins in partnership with the Ministry of Water Resources, while also assuring the committee of his readiness to take agriculture to where it should be.

Earlier, the Committee’s Chairman, Hon. Mohammed Tahir Monguno, said the meeting became imperative to enable the committee and the ministry interact and identify ways and means of moving the agricultural sector forward.

lobacom, has launched a first-of its- kind product that will give students of institutions of higher learning across the country ample opportunity to enjoy unfettered access to internet browsing and downloading within their campuses Tagged ‘Campus Booster’, the product is designed to aid academic activities and social networking among students and staff of tertiary institutions across Nigeria, and will, among other benefits, support and improve education standards, create intellectual wealth for students, and provide access to information on research topics and thesis writing.

Senior Manager, Events and Sponsorship, Mr. Sola Mogaji, said at the product launch in Lagos that the Glo Campus Booster is a special data plan that allows students and others on campus to get up to eight times more data value whenever they use their Glo lines on campuses.

According to him, with the product, a N200 data recharge will guarantee a subscriber 400MB of data which is eight times more than the 50MB of data a subscriber would normally get with a N200 recharge.

Similarly, a recharge of N500 will give 1 gigabyte of data on campus. The service is available

on all Nigerian campuses nationwide, including Military, Police, Customs and Immigration training institutions, Mogaji explained.

He clarified: “Students as well as staff on campuses can enjoy this offer when they subscribe to a Glo Campus Data Plan of N200 and above. They will subsequently enjoy enhanced data offered while used in the campuses”, adding that another juicy feature of the package is that theGlo Campus Data Plans can be gifted to another subscriber on any other campus within the country.

According to Mogaji, as soon as any subscriber on the Campus Data Plan enters a school campus anywhere in Nigeria, “You will be notified via a flash message that you have entered a Glo Campus Zone”.

While urging Nigerians wishing to register to enjoy the huge benefits of Glo Campus Booster to dial *777# to choose a preferred plan from N200 and above, he disclosed that Globacom chose to offer the Campus Booster, having come to terms with the dearth of internet facilities on Nigerian campuses, and the need to enhance education and social integration through the provision of adequate data plan for students.

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National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Real Estate & Environment

Lagosians, others raise fresh alarm over abandoned buildings’ risks Lagos residents have raised fresh alarm over threats posed by high-rise buildings in Lagos metropolis and by extension, other metropolitan cities in the country.

SYLVA EMEKA-OKEREKE reports.

Like a recurring decimal, Lagos residents have raised fresh alarm over the growing threats of empty structures in the state, saying some of them have become serious hideout for criminals.

Beyond Lagos, some residents in some major cities like Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt among others had separately raised concerns over such situation in their areas, urging state and Federal Governments to intervene.

Series of complaints from residents, prompted National Mirror to investigate such situation in Lagos, where it was revealed that over 50 percent of high-rise buildings in Lagos metropolis alone are un-occupied.

This is in addition to other vacant buildings in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja; Port Harcourt and by extension, other major cities in the country.

A Lagos resident, Mr Tunde Agboola said that it was unfortunate that such edifices, built with tax payers’ money were allowed to waste away, with scores lying

Africa’s building green initiative on course –Leaders30

fallow in Lagos Island.

He said, instead of wasting tax payers’ money, government should convert them to hotels as well as accommodations for some higher instructions, where they can use shuttle buses to convey students from there to schools.

Agboola, who said that some criminals use those structures as there base for their heinous crimes, expressed his concern that if urgent steps were not taken to stem

the tide, the immediate residents might be forced to relocate to other areas due to the disturbing acts of the hoodlums in those areas.

Also, another resident on Broad Street, who only gave his name as Adeyemi said, several high-rise buildings in the area are empty and posed serious threats to the immediate residents.

According to his statement, ‘’some hoodlums uses those structures as their

Before such relocation, those in public, financial, manufacturing, oil and gas sectors as well as religious bodies struggled to erect highrise buildings for economic purposes on the Island

hideouts. They smoke in those areas and do all manners of shady things in those places’’, A visit to some high-rise buildings on Lagos Island, shows, that most of the structures are fast becoming empty as well as dilapidated. Over 50 percent of such structures are almost empty.

The situation, some residents revealed, started after the relocation of the seat of power from Lagos to the FCT. Before such relocation, those in public, financial, manufacturing, oil and gas sectors as well as religious bodies struggled to erect high-rise buildings for economic purposes on the Island.

But with a stable government, the coast widened with buildings rising to more than 25 floors and above.

Some residents, who spoke to National Mirror said, since the relocation of the ministries to Abuja, those structures have become hideout for criminals, just as some expressed concerns over the seCONTINUED ON PAGE 26

Is Interest Free (Islamic) Finance really an “exotic” product in the African experience?

27

FG refutes annexation of Nigerian villages rumour 30

Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

25

Lagosians, others raise fresh alarm over abandoned buildings’ risks CONTINUED FROM 25 curity of some ‘illegal’ occupants of those structures. This is in addition to economic wastes.

Further investigations show that several properties are vacated as the fortune of the high-rise buildings in Lagos metropolis have began to nose-dive. It was also observed that some offices occupied by the federal ministries and parastatals were vacated without prospective tenants coming forward to occupy the spaces.

Lagos Island alone is not only housing the tallest buildings, but highest number of such structures in Africa.

For instance, at 520 feet, the Nigerian External Communications (NECOM) building is the tallest in Nigeria, if not Africa. Ditto to a 23-storey Independence building, otherwise known as Defence Building.

The building was hitherto occupied by the Federal Ministry of Defence (FMOD) before its relocation to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), shortly after part of the building was gutted by fire.

As it is today, the structure is fast-dilapidating without any of its floors being occupied.

Also, the Financial Trust building house, which is housing Fidelity bank; Elephant house, where First Bank is located: the Western house, Savanna building, Church house building as well as Marine View, housing Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation, all in Lagos Island have become shadows of their old selves.

Same situation applies to 7Up house, LASACO building, Bookshop house, Mandilas building and the National Bank building located at No 41/42 Broad Street, formerly used by the defunct National Bank of Nigeria A source said the buildings were fully occupied in the 80s and 90s, regretting that today; they are either partially-occupied or fully-deserted.

The high-rise buildings, according to sources, were initially aimed at closing the social inequality gap in the state, until the sudden relocation.

National Mirror gathered that despite the dilapidating nature of such existing buildings, Lagos state government said, it would still construct more high-rise buildings under its urban regeneration scheme.

It said under the scheme, it would convert more bungalows to high-rise buildings in some areas, to be determined by the government..

On the high-rise buildings in Lagos state, the former Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, who said those buildings belong to the Federal Government also said, the state government was doing everything possible to solve the housing problems in the state, disclosing that “Not less than 1, 200 high-rise buildings would be erected in the ongoing Eko Atlantic City.

Such initiative, he noted would also encourage co-habitation of low- and middle-class citizens in the society while also ensuring social cohesion and harmony among the residents.

Already, over 10, 000, 000 square meters

of land had been reclaimed to build the new city to boost the housing needs. It is expected that the city would provide accommodation for 250, 000 people with more than 150,000 job opportunities in the city.

Some property experts have agreed that the un-occupied buildings in some states are very worrisome and require the urgent attention of the Federal Government as well as better approach from both governments.

They however attributed the situation to some factors, including relocation of the seat of government from Lagos to Abuja, general economic downturn, youth unemployment, retarded growth for the middle class and many unsettled interests on titles among other social factors.

An Estate Surveyor and Valuer, Mr Chris Oboh, admitted that many tenants are actually moving out of Central Lagos Business due to such threats.

He called on the Federal Government to intervene in the development without further delay.

“There is the need for government intervention on the proper management of such structures. Also the loneliness of such areas is creating a lot of security concern with growing number of area boys, who harass tenants and their clients on the Island”, he said.

According to him, some of those structures were products of inheritance. While some groups are laying claims to a particular property, others would lay claims to other properties, thus discouraging ten-

ants from living in some of the buildings.

From the analysis, the study reveals that the cost of maintaining high rise buildings has consistently increased over the years with the average year to year increase hitting the roof at N10, 553, 662.43 between years 2006/2007.

Although the trend analysis shows a 7.7% increase in the maintenance cost of high rise buildings for year 2007/2008 as against the 41.2 percent increase in cost for year 2004/2005, it is important to state that conscious effort has to be made by all the stakeholders who are responsible for the maintenance management of these buildings to keep this trend within acceptable limits.

Building maintenance is a major activity in most countries. Any reduction in resources applied to building maintenance will have a visible effect on the economy.

Few years ago, a rapid growth of highrise (six floors and above) building construction clearly appears as a part of the country development. The number of modern houses increases and more houses are being constructed. As a result, more maintenance work is required in order to cope with this type of construction.

Due to the growth of housing with the lack of building Standards, more maintenance, rehabilitation, and renovation work have become necessary to ensure the serviceability and safety of the constructed houses. In addition, the existing houses need to be sustained as long as possible. Therefore, ways must be found to

The increasing involvement of the multinational companies in the private partnership sector of housing provision and delivery in

Nigeria is getting more and more uncomfortable for the national economy

Commissioning of Bank of Industry-funded Solar power project in Osun State... recently

reduce the maintenance cost works due to ageing of the buildings while keeping the same quality.

Building maintenance costs have increased significantly over the years primarily due to the absence of proper maintenance management approaches especially in high-rise buildings.

Few building owners regard planned maintenance as a matter for serious concern, and yet cannot afford to allow buildings, old or new, to decay through neglect.

As it is clearly impractical and even undesirable to replace building, whether as owners, designers, constructors, or users should take a serious interest in this vast problem of building maintenance.

The 11-floor urban regeneration residential development in Isale Gangan in Central Lagos is an example of the new scheme in which the state government also is showing that high-rise residences are the way of the future.

The development being handled by Anatolia International Limited for the state government consists of nine residential floors with a total of 54 flats made up of 36 two-bedroom flats and 18 three-bedroom flats.

Each floor contains six flats made up of four two-bedroom flats and two threebedroom flats, while the ground and first floors are for parking lots.

Federal Government’s housing policy in consonance with the United Nations ‘Agenda 21’ advocated the need for private sector partnership with the public sector in housing delivery. The increasing involvement of the multinational companies in the private partnership sector of housing provision and delivery in Nigeria is getting more and more uncomfortable for the national economy. For any success to be recorded, the active involvement of the populace would be most desirable. The government’s involvement should be limited to site and services level. The paper concluded that the on–going public-private partnership would not proffer the desired solution, rather re-empower the multinational construction companies who are essentially billed purely to make profits.

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National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Real Estate & Environment

Global leaders agree to address climate change impact

MORTGAGE NOTES

Olufemi Adeosun,

with Adenike Fasanya-Osilaja

ABUJA

Email: Nike@MVPSolutionsinc.com https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=35277333

Is Interest Free (Islamic) Finance really an “exotic” product in the African experience?

M My last post on Islamic Finance as a Christian was mainly well received, but as usual there were a few people who had problems with me “legitimizing” Islamic Finance.

Let me make it clear; Islamic Finance is here to stay. There is such a vast, continuing influx of money into this system of finance that it can only continue to grow. The perception of Islamic Finance (aka Interest Free Finance) being an “exotic’” finance product is therefore erroneous in my opinion. Any Nigerian over the age of fifty should remember the days of the local co-operative societies called “esusu”or “ajo” or whatever your people called it. These were organic grassroots groups of people with similar interests, from housing to farming to trade. They simply pooled their funds on a regular basis, and would finance one member at a time with whatever their project of choice was.

They shared all the risk and all the reward of their societies, the most important of which was the ability to finance without an interest based loan.

The concept of Islamic/Interest Free finance is quite similar. Instead of an interest based loan, the bank “cooperates” with the customer in a process similar to a joint venture, to finance a specific project acceptable to both parties. The implementation tasks are shared and the final profits are shared on an investment ratio basis.

As a Christian looking in, I found several similarities and differences between Conventional and Islamic/Interest Free finance. I am sharing some of them today in the hope that the conversation will evolve from the usual name-calling to an objective comparison and adaptation of the best concepts in each mode of finance. I am truly convinced that whoever is able to merge the best principles of these two products into a cogent and practical product will revolutionize the finance industry. The economics of mortgage finance should be analyzed, not just in the macro-economic realm, but also in the micro-economic realm. After all, a customer looking to obtain a mortgage is not concerned about the larger economic statistics, but only about his particular situation. Mortgage fraud may be at 35% in the economy but if it happens to him, it has a 100% effect on him.

Conventional and Interest free finance really do have multiple similarities. No matter what the technical name is, the purpose of any kind of

finance product is to enable immediate enjoyment of an asset, with deferred payment, usually on an instalment basis. To the consumer, this is really the end goal. The mode of getting there is of secondary importance. We would do well to remember this in our industry.

Finance used to be about listening to the customer and trying to meet their specific need in the most uncomplicated way available. Somewhere along the line we lost that mentality and decided that we know so much more than our customers, that we should prove our superior intelligence by putting together the most sophisticated, incomprehensible products possible, without any concern for the benefit of the customer. I have a first degree in law as well as other post graduate qualifications, and some of the products out there are so multi-faceted that I have actually refused to offer some of them to my clients.

Several differences have been identified between interest based and non-interest based finance products and I will touch on a few of them. Conventional finance involves an “abstract” asset, which is the mortgage note. The bank’s main security for the return of the funds they provide is the loan document signed by the customer to obtain the funds for a specific project. That claim remains intact, whether or not the project succeeds or even takes off the ground.

As such, the bank bears little or no risk whether or not the project succeeds, and has no interest in comanaging to ensure said success.

With Islamic/Interest free finance, the “physical” asset is the main security and the bank bears a risk proportional to their investment in it. As a result, the bank has more of an interest in co-managing to ensure or increase their chances of making a profit from the project. This, in my opinion, is actually a more significant difference than the issue of interest or non-interest mode of financing.

So, let us try and understand the concept of “non-interest” financing. Islam forbids “riba” or inter-

est charges on finance transactions.

Clearly the finance company has to make a profit from the money they loan out, so if they are not charging “interest” how are they getting “paid”? The uncomplicated explanation is that the interest over the period of the loan is calculated and converted into a monetary figure, which is then added to the principal amount and divided over the loan period. The borrower then pays the grossed up amount. This is another major difference between the interest based and the interest free finance. An interest free mortgage note will not show a percentage of interest charged on the face of it like the Conventional mortgage note will. This way, the bank makes its money and the customer is comfortable with a product that is not contrary to his deeply held principles.

Finally, Islamic Finance forbids investment in, or the financing of products or projects considered “haram” or contrary to Islamic religious principles. This actually mirrors conventional Christian morality in its essence. Gambling, prostitution, alcohol etc are some of the areas expressly identified as immoral for finance in Islamic Finance. As a matter of fact, even in traditional African society some of the activities banned in Islamic Finance were banned too. In the xxxxx system, this is the conAmerican cept referred to as “ethical investing”. This distinction should not be seen therefore, as highly unusual, but as one which reflects the culture of the market the product serves.

In conclusion, I will reiterate that the customer should be allowed the capacity to determine what they feel is in their best interest when it comes to financing their project.

Let us stop name-calling, educate ourselves regarding all product offerings available in the market, and just maybe, we will see in the near future, that perfect hybrid product that will become the next big thing in our industry.

As usual, all comments and questions are welcome. I wish you all a very merry Christmas, and a successful and fulfilling 2015.

ABOUT THE WRITER Fasanya-Osilaja a lawyer and mortgage expert has owned and operated Marvel Ventures Mortgage, Inc. (www.marvelmortgage.com), a Chicagobased Mortgage Brokerage Company since 2000 and has worked in the US Mortgage industry since 1996. She also consults and facilitates industryrequired activities, from set up of mortgage organisations to documentation, training and compliance.

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s UN climate change negotiations get underway in Paris, indications have emerged that, rather than before, several world leaders were now committed to the multilateral process to combat the adverse impacts of climate change.

According to Act Alliance, a coalition of 137 churches monitoring the proceedings, The world leaders spoke first to launch the negotiations, with 11 governments pledging nearly US$250m towards support for vulnerable communities to adapt to climate change.

The international humanitarian and development organisation ACT Alliance also reported that the move signaled hope for an ambitious agreement that would secure the planet’s future.

Speaking from the ground at the UNFCCC COP21 in Paris, the alliance said that the contributions to the Least Developed Countries Fund showed a new commitment to supporting poor and vulnerable communities and an acknowledgment that action is now needed. ”We welcome these climate finance contributions and we remind the negotiators that there is need to come up with a financial mechanism in the new agreement which shall ensure sustainability

and predictability of finance support for resilience of those already suffering the adverse impacts of climate change,” ACT’s Global Climate Change Ambassador, Archbishop Most Reverend Dr Thabo Makgoba said.

Act Alliance co-chair of the Advisory Group on Climate Advocacy, Mattias Soderberg also added, “The commitments by several countries to reduce emissions, with some clearly setting the peak years, is critical. It is important to get such commitments, and we want our negotiators to ensure that they come up with an agreement that will help the world decarbonize by the middle of the century. We need to embrace a goal and work towards achieving it. ”It is important that all countries take part in climate action.The world is no longer developed and developing. Paris is an opportunity to ensure that all take part in climate action based on their capacity. Those with more capacity should do more and those with little capacity should be supported to do more”. ”By no means should any country be left behind,” reiterated Archbishop Thabo Makgoba, stressing that all countries have a role to play from today if the fight against the adverse impacts of climate change is to be won, in accordance with their capabilities and responsibility.

African nations pledge to restore 100m hca of forests

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ree by tree, more than a dozen African governments pledged to restore the continent’s natural forests at the United Nations climate talks on Sunday.

The earth has lost more than half its forests over the course of human history, according to the World Resources Institute. The deforestation of the world’s tropical forests has contributed to climate change by producing up to 15 percent of global carbon emissions, the organization said.

The AFR100 initiative is a pledge by African nations to restore 100 million hectares (about 386,000 square miles) of forest by 2030, according to the organization.

“As the world forges a climate agreement in Paris, African countries — which bear the least historic responsibility for climate change — are showing leadership with ambitious pledges to restore land,” said Andrew Steer, president and CEO of the World Resources Institute.

Wanjira Mathai, daughter of the late Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Wangari Maathai, described the AFR100 forest restoration project as unprecedented.

“I have seen restoration in communities both large and small across Africa, but the promise of a continentwide movement is truly inspiring,”

said Mathai, chairwoman of the Green Belt Movement founded by her mother.

“Restoring landscapes will empower and enrich rural communities while providing downstream benefits to those in cities. Everybody wins. “ During the Global Landscapes Forum at the U.N. climate talks, the World Bank and the German government and other partners, set aside more than $1 billion in development funding and $540 million in private funding for the African reforestation.

More than a dozen African countries, including Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Burundi and Rwanda, have pledged millions of acres to the project. West African nations along the Sahara desert have also pledged to plant more trees to stop the ever encroaching desert from destroying more arable land.

“Restoring our landscapes brings prosperity, security and opportunity,” said Vincent Biruta, Rwanda’s Minister of Natural Resources. “With forest landscape restoration we’ve seen agricultural yields rise and farmers in our rural communities diversify their livelihoods and improve their well-being.

Forest landscape restoration is not just an environmental strategy, it is an economic and social development strategy as well.”

Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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FG refutes annexation of Nigerian villages rumour Olufemi Adeosun, Abuja

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he Federal Government has denied claim that it ceded some Nigerian villages in Kwara State to Benin Republic, describing such assertion as baseless and unfounded.

Some national media organisations had alleged that Benin Republic had annexed some Nigerian Villages located in KwaraState.

The Director-General, National Boundary Commission Dr. Mohammad Bose Ahmad, who led a Federal Government team on a fact finding mission to the affected

areas in Buraten Local Government Area of Kwara State, explained that no inch of Nigeria’s territory known to law and international agreement was annexed by the Benin Republic or any other country neighbouring Nigeria.

Dr. Ahmad who, had earlier visited the Emir of Okuta, Alh Abubakar SeroIdris along with officials of Kwara State Government said “in this 21stCentury, the idea of annexation or encroachment into a legal territory of a nation, is phantom and impossible”.

He said that the Vice President and Chairman of the National

Boundary Commission, Prof.

Yemi Osinbajo was conscious and concerned over the safety of the entire Nigeria Boundaries.

The Director-General assured the people of the villages that federal government would not in any way shirk its responsibility in safeguarding the territorial integrityof the Nation.

He stressed the need for the media to educate and enlighten the citizenry on the responsibility of government in defending and protecting the people and territorial space of Nigeria, rather than being a medium used to spread false-

hood create unnecessary tension and apprehension in the minds of peaceful people of Nigeria.

The Kwara State Governor, Alh. Abdulfatah Ahmed who was represented by the State Commissioner for Local Government Chieftaincy Affairs and Community Development, Alh. Haruna Tanbiri Mohammed while receiving the Delegation, said “the State Governor regretted the involvement of some persons of the state whose responsibility it is not to comment on International Boundary matters yet were quoted by the misleading media reports.” both the federal government and Kwara State governments to disregard the story, adding that it was fictitious and aimed to malign his person and mar the peaceful coexistence of border communities of both Nigeria and Benin Republic The Chairman of the Baruten Local Government Council, Alh. Mohammed UmarBio, who took

He warned that the State Government would not condone recklessness by anyone of its officials or the traditional institution, noting that relationship between Nigeria and the Benin Republic transcends neighborliness, but brotherhood.

Responding to the remarks of the Federal and State Government Delegation in his palace, the Emir of Okuta, Alh. Abubakar Sero Idris, who was quoted in the media as a source of the story, denied ever speaking to any journalist on any matter of the sort.

The Royal Father appealed to the delegation to the area also confirmed that there was no attempt to annex his people recently or in the past by the Gendarmes of Benin Republic as published by a

newspaper, adding that his community’s relationship with the border communities of Benin Republic has been peaceful, brotherly and enduring.

Ethiopia, cheapest market for luxury property –Research

L-R: Group Head, SME Banking of First City Monument Bank ,Mr. George Ogbonnaya; Chairman, Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Dr. Okey Akpa and Director General, National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control, Dr. Paul Orhi, during the agency’s SummExx Summit which was supported by the Bank and held in Lagos recently.

Africa’s building green initiative on course –Leaders

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frican authorities have not yet developed comprehensive costing standards for building green because the idea of costing green buildings is still a new initiative, reports Ortneil Kutama, South Africa Commercial Property News Media Director.

There is no significant cost difference between the construction of green buildings compared with conventional buildings, and green buildings achieve better investment returns and higher valuations. There is no significant cost difference between the construction of green buildings compared with conventional buildings, and green buildings achieve better investment returns and higher valuations, However, advanced studies are underway and companies are getting better at costing green buildings. And yes, green buildings are more expensive to design but cheaper in the long run.

Certain objects such as the type of lights used and the use of certain water technological equipment are all common across most green buildings

which means they can be measured more easily in terms of their cost.

Various talks occurred at the annual Green Building Conference held recently in Cape Town, where it was discussed that Green buildings represent responsible investing, reduce liability and risk because they are cognizant of, guarding against increasing utility costs, supply constraints, possible carbon taxes and potential mandatory energy performance disclosure and broader regulation.

Green building is now shift-

ing to affordable housing too and this makes getting the costing correct even more important than would be the case with general buildings. Residential property is in high demand in South Africa and listed property groups are investing heavily in it.

These companies want to create buildings which are as green as possible. Green buildings across the spectrum whether they are small houses or large super malls are not necessarily cheap to make green but by being green they save other costs.

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ith a boom in construction, Addis Ababa is slated to emerge as one of the most modern cities in Africa. With a boom in construction, Addis Ababa is slated to emerge as one of the most modern cities in Africa.

A recent study reviewed that Ethiopia is the most affordable location to buy luxury real estate in the emerging markets.

Purchasing luxury real estate in Ethiopia costs an average of 396.58 EUR per square meter, according to a new ranking from online property portal Lamudi.

At the other end of the scale, luxury property for sale in Angola is priced at 3965.52 EUR per square meter on average, the report showed.

“As Ethiopia’s property market matures, high-end real estate is increasingly in demand. At the same time, prices here remain low comparative to many of our neigh-

South African firms acquire Ikeja City Mall

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ontrary to some views that Ikeja City Mall is owned by some Nigerians, indications were rife that the property has been sold for an undisclosed amount to two South African property funds, Hyprop Investments Limited and Attacq Limited.

The previous owners, Actis, RMB Westport and Paragon Holdings on confirmed the sale.

SA Real Estate Investment Trust, Hyprop acquired a 75 per-

cent interest in Ikeja City Mall and the JSE-listed real estate capital growth fund, Attacq has acquired the remaining 25 percent.

Actis has now sold its 60 percent majority stake, while Paragon Holdings and RMB Westport have both sold their 20 percent stakes in the mall.

Ikeja City Mall comprises more than 22,000m² and has a tenant mix anchored by Shoprite. The mall offers South African brands, including Mr Price, Spur, MTN and

Markham, as well as international brands, such as Nike, Lacoste, Tommy Hilfiger, TM Lewin, Mango, iStore, KFC and Max Fashion.

The Mall is Hyprop’s first investment in Nigeria. Hyprop CEO Pieter Prinsloo said Hyprop was well placed to capitalise on opportunities across sub-Saharan Africa.

David Morley, Head of Real Estate at Actis, had said, “The sale reflects the strong retail opportunity in West Africa.

bours, making Ethiopia the most affordable place to buy luxury real estate anywhere in the world.” said Wunmi Osholake, MD of Lamudi Ethiopia.

In recent months, a number of luxury developments were announced, including the 21-tower project from Chinese developer Sinomark Real Estate, which will be the country’s biggest real estate project to date.

Africa dominates the luxury property ranking, with Ivory Coast in second place, where the price per square meter for highend real estate is 427.65 EUR on average. Tanzania claims the third spot in the ranking (486.03 EUR per square meter).

Latin America also has a strong showing. Mexico, which has an abundance of luxury property on offer, ranks fourth with high-end real estate in the country costing 675.65 EUR per square meter on average. Rounding off the top five is Colombia, with high-end real estate priced at 756.97 EUR per square meter.

In Asia, Indonesia boasts the most affordable luxury real estate, with an abundance of luxurious properties available on the market, costing on average EUR 870.73 per square meter. The country’s luxury market has been in the spotlight in recent years, with Knight

Frank’s global Wealth Report 2015 ranking Bali as the third hottest luxury property market in the world, and Jakarta following in 13th position.

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Jobs & Career

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

23

Textile workers, analysts link China to Nigeria’s job crisis Tola Akinmutimi

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ome industry analysts and workers have linked the unbridled importation of goods with short span of life from China to the increasing unemployment crisis in the country.

This is despite the fact that China remained one of the largest investors in the Nigerian economy and whose companies currently control infrastructure projects in the country.

The story was reported of one Emeka Ezelugh,who was excited to open a computer training centre in Lagos where he could teach his countrymen some skills and earn a living.

The centre was razed down by a fire which gutted the house where he rented, burning 30 desktop computers, as well as televisions and air-conditioners.

It was alleged that one of two dozen power strips in the classroom that sparked the inferno was made in China.

Keith Bradsher and Adam Nossiter in their report published weekend titled ‘The China

Labour Minister, Chris Ngige

Factor Part 5 published in the International Business section of the International New York Times reported that Ezelugha claimed that the seller of the faulty equipment tried to convince him that it was manufactured in the UK , saying that “the guy tried to convince me it was from the U.K. — I was surprised when it happened,” The authors wrote: “Across this populous

Minimum Wage: NLC asks parties to call Governors to orders

….warns of imminent industrial crisis nationwide

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he Nigeria Labour Congress has called on the leaders of the two major political parties in the country to call their governors to order over their insistence on reducing the minimum wage.

The President of the Congress, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, in a statement at the weekend noted that the governors’ insistence on either abolishing the N18,000 minimum wage or retrench workers was invitation to crisis.

He stated: “The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) wishes to categorically affirm that the path our governors are heading can only lead to one outcome: a head-on collision with Nigerian workers and Nigerian people!

“In apparent reaction to our statement that the threat by the Nigerian Governors’ Forum to jettison the N18, 000 National Minimum Wage would amount to a declaration of war against the working people of our country, Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State, and chairman of the Governors’ Forum, has restated the determination of himself and his colleagues to go ahead with the reduction of the national

minimum wage or in the alternative embark on massive retrenchment of workers.

“By his reaction, the congress is convinced that Governor Yari is still holding on to his earlier argument that due to the fall in the price of crude oil at the international market, state governments are no longer in the position to pay the legal minimum wage to their workers.

“In case Governor Yari and his colleagues, most of whom are fresh in their positions, might not be aware, the principle behind minimum wage is that it is the minimum salary a worker is envisaged to earn to sustain himself or herself and his or her legal or legitimate dependents, over a daily or monthly period”, Wabba added.

Making further clarification on the issue, the labour leader stated that in organised labour’s context, a worker’s legitimate dependents include the worker’s spouse and four children, poiting out that “in simple arithmetic terms, N18, 000 divided by six (6) persons over 30 days amounts to N100 per day per person, or N600 for the six (6) persons per day. This is the amount that is expected to feed six people daily.

Wabba

African nation, low-cost Chinese goods are everywhere, evidence of Beijing’s growing dominance in global trade. The trade flow has helped keep life affordable for millions of Nigerian families, at a time when the country is struggling with economic stagnation and plunging prices, as well as the deadly costs of the Boko Haram insurgency.

“But shoddy or counterfeit products are a national problem in Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, where impoverished consumers have few alternatives. Some shoddy goods are benign, like the Chinese-made shirts, trousers and dresses with uneven stitching and stray threads that fill street markets. But electrical wiring, outlets and power strips from China, ubiquitous in new homes and offices, are connected to dozens of fires a year in Lagos alone” they added.

Taking a critical appraisal of the bilateral economic relationship between Nigeria and China, Bradsher and Nossiter noted that “in Kano, an-

gry protesters in the streets blame widespread joblessness on China, which is manufacturing African fabric designs in shimmering hues more cheaply than Nigeria. Employment in Nigeria’s textile and apparel sector has plummeted to 20,000 people, from 600,000 two decades ago.

Similarly, they reported that in Lagos, authorities were also trying to stamp out subpar Chinese electric goods as imported power strips and wiring have inadequate copper to handle Nigeria’s 240-volt system.

While noting that Ezelugha borrowed heavily to reopen his computer training center after the fire and that the power strips are still made in China as couldn’t find anything else, the authors noted that employment at the centuries-old Kano dye pits had dropped to 250 people, from nearly 1,500 a decade ago.

Analysts attributed the collapse of the Kano textile industry partly to the unbridled influx of virtually identical patterns of fabrics from China which are cheaper and their sales now dominate in Kano’s open-air market.

One of the workers in the dye pits in Kano, Bala Ibrahim, was quoted as lamenting that the Chinese “are learning our arts and taking them to their country and doing them similarly to us, and bringing the goods back to Nigeria and selling them to our people,” Ibrahim, 45, who has laboured in the pits since his early teens, is said to be spending whole days idle.

Such stories are common across Nigeria’s garment industry. The city’s tanneries, which made Moroccan leather from goatskins for centuries, have laid off most of their staff.

Dozens of modern fabric factories on the outskirts of Kano have closed.

ITF moves to end unemployment Sylva Emeka-Okereke

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ndustrial Training Fund, ITF, has been lauded over its proactive measures to end the growing unemployment rates in the country.

Human Resource Expert and Managing Partner of Soreb Consulting International, Mr Kunle Rotimi said the Fund under the current Director General, has good working relationship with the Nigerian Institute of Building, NIOB, to improve and expand opportunities for young artisans, aimed at reducing the unemployment rate in the country.

Rotimi, in his business concept of “Conceptual Framework in Human Resource Management”, said ITF has reached an understanding with the Cement Technology Institute of Nigeria, CITN, to train builders and young construction sector prospects while linking up with right vacancies.

He therefore noted that the ITF/Shelter Watch initiative has been concluded, as it would reduce unemployment in the country through value addition in building and construction sector.

According to him, the leadership of the ITF deserve accolades for initiating collaborations with the National Board for Technical Education, NBTE, the National Universities Commission, NUC and the National Association of Chambers of Commerce, Mines and Agricul-

ture, NACCIMA in less than a year in office.

Rotimi however pointed out that the National Skills Summit, which we would soon be launched by the ITF is the first by any previous Director General of ITF, saying the summit will successfully chart and formulate skills policy for the country.

“The present leadership of the ITF has already concluded the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, UNIDO-backed skills survey that would successfully raise and place Nigeria at par with other developed nations of the world. This move will provide skills training for employment and job creation, and identify the challenges of mismatches between skills demands and supply, which the country is presently grappling with, and will help provide vocational and technical training for thousands of internally displaced persons in various parts of the country”.

On his part, the President of Global Peace Movement International, a United Kingdom based leadership and development organisation, Dr Mike Uyi said it was not surprising that the International Labour Organization, ILO, is in recognition of the huge quality leadership being provided by the present Director General of the ITF, which has necessitated their visit to the Fund with a promise to collaborate in areas of mutual interests.

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National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Aviation

Mixed reactions trail re-imposition of customs duty on aircraft, spare parts

Operators and analysts in the nation’s aviation industry have faulted the new fiscal policy on the re-introduction of Customs duty on acquired aircraft and imported spare parts by indigenous airline operators in view of its likely negative implications for the sector’s growth. OLUSEGUN KOIKI writes.

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ver the years, one of the major constraints airline operators, especially indigenous ones, have been contending with is the unfavourable fiscal regime which continues to vitiate their efforts to build competitive capacities for sub-regional and global routes.

This problem is characterized largely by multiplicity of taxes and levies being charged by the various tiers of government as well high insurance premiums charged on operators by insurance companies ostensibly because of the poor rating of the nation’s airport environments.

One of the major stakeholders in the sector, Mr. John Adebanjo, at an event last week in Lagos, declared that the sector had produced 140 airlines in the spate of 40 years, which indicated that the carriers have very short life spans.

In what appeared a step to mitigate the operators’ cost burden, the Federal Government in 2013 introduced the customs duty waivers on aircraft acquisition and imported spare parts.

The policy was approved and gazetted after sustained agitations by operators, government agencies and major stakeholders.

The then Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, who fought for the waiver policy said with the removal of the duty, safety would further be assured in the sector while operators could use money saved from the policy to grow their operations and train more technical staff for the industry.

Within the two year period that the policy was in place, airline operators saved about N60 billion from payment of duty and other levies on aircraft and imported spare parts, but its reintroduction recently and current collection by Customs appears to be causing ripples in the airline sub-sector.

Stakeholders believe that this policy change may lead to return of air accidents as operators may result to cutting corners in order to operate profitably.

A source close to Customs told our correspondent that the current management in the Service, claimed that it did not receive any let-

Capt Dele Ore

Dana Air aircraft

The government should have a rethink on this because if the airlines are not

able to sustain their operations, every

aspect of the industry would be affected; the airport authority and even the regulatory authority would be affected ter or directive from the past government on the waiver regime and so, decided to cancel the policy when President Muhammed Buhari came onboard, adding that the re-introduction of the policy would enhance revenue generation for the service.

The source said: “We don’t have powers to grant them waivers in the first instance. So, we cannot cancel what we did not give. So, we couldn’t have cancelled it if we did not give them in the first instance.”

But, a reliable source in one of the airlines who declined to be identified in print, debunked the claim of the customs on the policy.

He insisted that the policy was gazetted and the Ministry of Finance under Dr. Ngozi OknjoIweala specifically wrote to the Customs, notifying them of the approval of the new policy by the Presidency and wondered why the policy was changed barely six months into the new administration.

The source said: “I’ve been hearing that rumour, but we have not been written officially.

The claim by the top hierarchy of customs that they were not informed of the policy was not true. There was a letter to it and I have seen the letter too, but I can’t remember if the letter said it was yearly or not, but I saw it and it was gazette.”

However, the Managing Director of MedView Airline, Alhaji Muneer Bankole, confirmed the re-introduction of the duty on aircraft and imported spare parts by Customs in an interview with journalists recently in London, United Kingdom.

Bankole decried that government over the

years had been inconsistent with its policies, a situation, he said prevented serious private investors to come into the sector, stressing that rather than cancel outrightly a policy that was gazette, what the government ought to have done was to review it.

He lamented that the airline operators are not benefiting anything from government and that the waiver regime had helped the airline to shore up their operations and increase safety in the system.

He said: “The right thing to do is that whenever a new government comes onboard, policies can only be reviewed, but cannot be banned or reversed, but it is unfortunate in Nigeria. We don’t have a single window in Nigeria where a part of an aircraft is manufactured. So, the last government after much deliberation gave us a window.

“We are talking about spare parts that would change the lives of people and it was gazetted, I have a copy, when you gazette something, it becomes a policy and once another government comes in and it’s not comfortable with that policy, they need to sit down again to look into the policy, but somebody from nowhere just said they have not been given a letter on that waiver by the government and just cancelled it. That’s why we are not moving forward.”

The immediate past President of Aviation Round Table, ART, Capt. Dele Ore, described the development as undesirable for sustainable growth of the sector.

He recalled that stakeholders and professionals in the sector agitated massively before the waiver could be granted the airline operators in

2013 by the government, maintaining that the airlines needed the waiver to cushion the effect of multiple taxations by government agencies.

Ore expressed the view that rather than cancel the policy outrightly, what the government ought to do was to check the policy against abuse, noting that the re-introduction of duty on aircraft and the spare parts could force the operators to engage in sharp practices in a bid to remain in business.

He explained :“The government should have a rethink on this because if the airlines are not able to sustain their operations, every aspect of the industry would be affected; the airport authority and even the regulatory authority would be affected. Their revenues would not come in regularly anymore. So, we need to strength the airlines. This is one relief we can give to them.

“If it is eventually removed, the tendency is that the regulatory authority must have to wake up because if they (airlines) cannot bring in spare parts freely, the tendency is that they would say ‘let’s manage this one’ or a part that needs to be changed is in the warehouse, but you cannot collect it because you are waiting for the duties to be established for you to be able to pay for it.

“Meanwhile, aircraft is required for service, one way or the other that aircraft sneaks into service, it portends danger for us.”

But, the Director, Research, Zenith Travels, Mr. Olumide Ohunayo backed the suspension of the waivers for restructuring.

Ohunayo noted that the policy as presently approved was for all kinds of operators like cargo and charter, rather than commercial air operators, insisting that cargo and charter operators must pay the duties.

He however decried policy summersaults and implementation in Nigeria, saying the policy was beneficial to the government, but to the rich in the sector.

“The essence is to help push 18 million Nigerians that represent 10 per cent of the population to start flying. Definitely, I’m in full support of the suspension of the policy. It was an all-comers affair and not restricted to the commercial airlines alone, it was abused. Every aircraft was benefiting from that policy. It should be strictly for commercial aircraft that are registered in Nigeria.”

Also, the President, Airline Operators of Nigeria, Capt. Nogie Meggison who confirmed the development, expressed displeasure about the cancellation.

Meggison said the tariff was affecting the growth of the aviation industry in Nigeria and accused Customs of dumping the already gazette waiver on importation of aircraft spare parts into the country.

He however said that the association had taken up the case with Customs, but said the association was not satisfied with the level of response given to it by the service.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Delta Airlines posts $2.2bn pre-tax profit in Q3 – Sales Manager Stories: Olusegun Koiki

Managing Director, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, Engr. Ibrahim Abdulsalam with Senior Operational Air Traffic Controller, ATC, expert, International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO, Technical Cooperation Bureau, Ben Hallberg (left) and ICAO Safety Management Expert, Anders Ellerstrand (right) during the review of ICAO Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) 2016 Protocol Questions at the agency’s headquarters in Lagos recently.

grow our business in key markets.

“We are the world’s largest airline by passenger numbers.

We fly over 170 million people to and from 316 destinations in 57 countries on six continents. On average three flights – run by Delta or our partners – take off somewhere in the world every minute. For example, you can see the yellow taxis of New York – we have 480 flights to the Big Apple alone each day. We have 80,000 people and a fleet of over 700 aircraft. The fleet is steadily being renewed.”

On its operations in Nigeria, Bryan revealed that so far, it had ferried over 900,000 passengers on

the route, noting that Delta was now the only airline to operate a daily year-round service between the two countries.

On the average, he said the airline carried approximately 10,000 passengers monthly between Nigeria and U.S. He explained that Delta had a strong market share of Nigeria-U.S. traffic and its Lagos to Atlanta flight had an average load factor of over 80 per cent with bookings trending positively.

On cargo transportation, Bryan observed that this had been improving over the years and declared that so far in 2015, Delta had transported 54 tonnes of cargo between the two countries and over 570 tonnes since 2007.

Some of the cargo items according to him included mail, food, clothing, handicraft and aircraft parts among others.

Dana Air among 100 most respected companies in Nigeria

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usinessDay Newspaper has named Dana Air as one of the 100 most respected companies in Nigeria.

The medium in its researched list of top 100 Most Respected Companies Award held in Lagos over the weekend said that according to a survey conducted by its Research and Intelligence Unit, BRIU, the respondents rated companies having the best product packaging, advertising and customer compliant resolution centers.

Media Manager of the airline, Mr. Kingsley Ezenwa quoted the publisher of the paper, Mr. Frank

Sirika

shegzzy4live2000@yahoo.co.uk 08186007273

Senators and statements on accident reports

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he Sales Manager, West and East Africa, Delta Air Lines, Mr. Bobby Bryan, has disclosed that the airline’s pretax profit of Quarter three 2015 rose to $2.2 billion, indicating an increase of $547 million to the previous year.

Bryan also informed that since the airline commenced flight operations into Nigeria in December 2007, it has airlifted over 900, 000 air travellers between the two countries while over 570 tonnes of cargo had been transported on the route.

Speaking with aviation journalists over the weekend in Lagos on the performance of the airline in 2015, Bryan said that the airline’s operational performance had gone hand-in-hand with its financial performance with the continuous growth of clients to its services.

He hinted that the 2015 Q3 results was the 10th record quarter in a row for Delta with $2.2 billion, which allowed it to return $532 million to its owners through $107 million of dividends and $425 million of share repurchases.

He added, “Two weeks ago, we announced an intention to increase our stake in Grupo Aeromexico, up to 49 per cent. This is the latest in a number of strategic investments Delta has made to

Airside

Aigbogun, as saying that the top 100 companies defied all odds and challenges in 2015 to emerge as winners.

Aigbogun noted that 2015 had been a challenging year for businesses, but emphasized that Business Day took this project very seriously.

He explained: “If all the businesses are engaged in baking the cakes as you do, Nigeria will be a better, happier place. We have taken this task painstakingly, going round the country and asking the right questions. We hope that next year will be better.”

Commenting on the award, Dana’s Accountable Manager, Mr. Obi Mbanuzuo, while receiving the plaque on behalf of the airline’s management, expressed appreciation to BusinessDay for the survey and lauded the respondents for their dispassionate contribution to the analysis.

He pointed out that the award was a positive feedback for the airline and added that it was highly honoured to be here among the most respected companies in Nige-

ria.

“This is an indication that the flying public recognises and appreciates our efforts at ensuring efficient customer service and satisfaction.

We will continue the good work to ensure that we remain on the list even beyond next year,” he said.

ecently a Senator on the floor of the Senator accused the Accident Investigation Bureau, AIB, of keeping the reports of investigation into air crashes in the country away from the public.

The Senator, a former governor in one of the South Eastern States, had mentioned that reports on Sosoliso crash of 2005, Bellview crash of 2005, ADC crash of 2006 and Dana Air crash of 2012 as some of the major reports investigated by the Bureau were not yet made public despite the pains caused the nation by this mishaps.

The Senate subsequently mandated its Committee on Aviation to thoroughly investigate the remote and immediate causes of the trend and report its findings to it within

One airport security breach, too many

W

ednesday last week, a middle age man identified as Mr. Alabibu Olusola scaled the perimeter fence of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, MMA, Lagos to gain access to the restricted area of the airport; runway and almost cause a havoc to a Maiduguri bound aircraft via Abuja of Med-View Airline when he attempted to throw a bag inside the engine of the aircraft.

But, the vigilance and professionalism of the pilot-in-command prevented the culprit from achieving his devilish act when he sighted him. The pilot reportedly used a jet blast on the suspect, which destabilised him and resulted in bodily injuries.

Though, some reports later labelled the culprit “a mad man” who got access to the runway through Shasha Village area of the airport.

But, Airside is saddened that despite the obvious security challenges facing the country, our airports

are still very porous and easily accessible to unscrupulous elements and those that have nothing tangible to do at the airport.

What if the so called “mad man” was a terrorist? What were the Aviation Security, AVSEC, and other personnel of security agencies at the airside doing as at the time the young man scaled the perimeter fence? Were the Closed Circuit Television, CCTV, cameras within the vicinity functional as at the time the incident occurred? If they were, what were the monitoring personnel doing to alert security officers at the airside when they sighted a ‘strange object’ at the airside? When will our airport be safe and secure for users?

These and more and the questions begging for answers. Once again, if the ‘mad man’ had been a terrorist whose mission was to blow up the aircraft, what would we be saying now? Time for everyone to do a rethink.

class and Business class offerings were breathtaking and have set a new benchmark in luxury travel.

“In its first 12 years, Etihad Airways has stamped itself not only as a major force in the airline industry, but a trendsetter – an incredible achievement. Etihad Airways has an uncompromising attitude to excellence. For the airline, only the best will do,” he said.

Etihad Airways’ Chief Commercial Officer, Peter Baumgartner, said the prestigious awards were a vote of confidence in the UAE flag carrier’s innovation strategy and guest experience design and delivery.

He declared that to be named

Best First Class and Best Long Haul Airline Middle-East and Africa, two very competitive categories was an honour.

He said, “Over the past 12 months, Etihad Airways has completely reimagined the flying experience with the launch of our next-generation cabins on board the Airbus A380 and Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.

“These awards are further proof that the experience we offer in First Class, as well as in Business and Economy, has set a new global benchmark for air travel and that Etihad Airways is continuing to exceed travellers’ expectations.”

Etihad Airways wins double awards

T

he national airline of United Arab Emirates, Etihad Airways, has emerged Best First Class and Best Long Haul Airline Middle-East and Africa at the recently held AirlineRatings.com 2016 Airline Excellence Awards.

Commenting on the awards, AirlineRatings.com Editor-in-Chief and Publisher, Geoffrey Thomas, said the judging panel had been impressed by Etihad Airways’ industry-leading innovation.

Thomas in a statement issued in Lagos by the airline consultant hinted that Etihad’s commitment to excellence knows no bounds, adding that the airline’s new First

two weeks.

Airside says it is worrisome that our lawmakers and other public officers care less or know what is happening in their environments.

Most of the reports mentioned above had been in the public domain for over a year and it is funny that our lawmakers are not aware of these reports that had been debated and assessed by the United States, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA and other international aviation bodies.

Airside advises our public officers, especially lawmakers, to be conversant with issues before raising question on them in public in order to avoid this kind of embarrassment the lawmakers appear to be causing us all before the international community.

30

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Insurance

I’ll consolidate on my predecessors’ achievements – CIIN President Isaac Asabor

T

he President of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria, CIIN, Lady Isioma Chukwuma, has promised to consolidate on the achievements by her predecessors as a strategic step towards advancing the frontiers of professional insurance practice in the country.

She made this disclosure in her in speech delivered when she led a team of the Institute’s management to National Mirror Newspapers last Thursday in Lagos.

While briefing the newspaper’s management and editors, Chukwuma, who is also the Managing Director of Nigeria Reinsurance Corporation, (Nigeria Re), said the ideals of the Annual Insurance Industry Mega Conference held earlier in the year in Abuja would be sustained and promoted on account of the successes recorded during its maiden edition.

She also promised to reinforce the potentials of the Centre for Insurance and Financial Management Studies through sustained publicity that would be focused on tapping fully into the opportunity for human capital development for the Insurance Industry.

Chukwuma spoke on articulated efforts of the Institute’s Council targeted at the positioning of the CIIN on a global pedestal and make the Institute’s certificate gain global recognition and acceptability, especially by up-scaling the collaboration with the Chartered Insurance Institute (UK) falls into her agendas during her tenure.

Commissiioner for Insurance, Mohammed Kari

Chukwuma

According to her, the efforts towards the full implementation of the agenda would be achieved through the promotion of insurance awareness but more particularly “by increasing the visibility of Insurance in national consciousness through publications in the print media and courtesy visits such as this will be made to key Newspaper houses to garner support for the awareness programme”.

In addition to working towards the global recognition and acceptability of the CIIN certificate, Chukwuma assured that there would be a follow-up at the national level to ensure that the certificate is recognized in the public service.

The industry expert hinted that this aspect of the agendas would be achieved by ensuring that all necessary approvals are obtained to facilitate appropriate placements of holders of the Certificate in the Civil Service structure.

Similarly, she spoke on her plan to ensure that the ongoing presentations and distributions of exercise of books across several states of the federation are sustained.

The CIIN President said: “Publication of the book is a landmark achievement of the Institute and should therefore be given greater prominence in the teaching and study of Insurance as a subject in Secondary Schools in Nigeria. The proposed Launching/Presentation of the Book at the National Level will also be pursued to its logical conclusion.”

Closely related to the institute’s efforts in the distribution of books is her resolve to embark on training of insurance teachers. In this regard, she noted that emphasis would be laid on states within the South-South, South-East and NorthCentral geo-political zones of the country.

According to her, topmost on the agen-

da is also the plan to complete the Examinations Syllabus Review in order to commence its implementation.

She noted that the review of the syllabus, upon completion would widen the scope of the Institute’s examinations to include Insurance Broking and Loss Adjusting routes.

On the Institute’s building project in Victoria Island, she assured that “with this latest development, all encumbrances hindering further development on the project have been removed. The next stage is to determine the funding/ development model to adopt for the project”.

Also highlighted during her speech were her efforts toward the expansion of the Institute’s examinations to countries in West, East and Central Africa sub-regions i.e. Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe etc. in order to extend the frontiers of our professional examinations.

She promised that “During this dispensation, we will also reinforce the success recorded with regards to the existing off-shore examination centre in Banjul, The Gambia and the most recent centre in Kigali, Rwanda.

Speaking on what members stand to gain in the institute, she said in her tenure that they would benefit by getting more value for their membership. She emphatically noted that the institute will ensure that CIIN members benefit from the institute’s continuous education programmes as well as engaging them on knowledge update deliberations on a more regular basis.

FBN Insurance targets low income earners to deepen penetration Isaac Asabor

F

BN Insurance has resolved to focus on micro insurance to enable it serve low income earners in the insurance market, and in the long run increase the rate of insurance penetration.

The foregoing was disclosed by the managing director of the company, Valentine Ojumah, while speaking to journalists during the celebration of the company’s 5th anniversary. He said from the onset that the company has taken cognizance of the need to

use penny insurance products to increase insurance penetration, particularly with low income Nigerians.

He affirmed that FBN belongs to the few insurance companies in the country that have business interest in the retail insurance. Against this background he said, “We are into micro insurance even before the regulator came up with micro insurance policy.

As a company, we recognized the importance of micro insurance to this economy.”

He added by saying that “From day one, we recognized that a large proportion of our population don’t buy insur-

ance. So, we have come up with what we call penny products that enables the ordinary person to buy insurance at just N2,000.”

He said the anniversary offered his company the opportunity to reward its pioneer staff, interact with all stakeholders and in turn use it as a platform of giving back to the society as it has remained the backbone of the company’s business. Given the company’s recognition of the importance of all the stakeholders in its business, he said, “Without our customers, dedicated staff and a solid ownership, we won’t be here. In five years, we have

made giant strides. It’s time to blow our trumpet and let our people know how far we’ve come. We have not arrived; we still have a long way to go.

We will use this opportunity to establish a concrete framework for the next couple of years.”

Recall that the underwriting company recently, as one of its social responsibility activities, donated a Dialysis machine to Gbagada General Hospital, Lagos, and equally embarked on visits to some less privilege members of the society with a view to helping in alleviating their plight.

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Money

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

31

NeFF forges alliances, rev up awareness drive to tackle e- frauds Udo Onyeka

I

n a bid to reduce the menace of electronic fraud to the barest minimum, the Nigeria Forum, NeFF, has entered into strategic partnerships and intensified enlightenment campaigns with support from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN. This initiative aligns with global best practices by which similar groups in other countries are exploring technological and other high-level anti-fraud strategies to effectively monitor, control and abort attacks on their national financial channels and platforms by e-fraudsters.

Speaking at NeFF recent General Meeting in Lagos Deputy Governor, Operations, Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Alhaji Suleiman Barau said that the partnership are yielding the desired fruit and creating the necessary awareness to would ultimately lead to minimising e- fraud.

According to the Deputy Governor who was represented at the meeting by CBN Director, Banking and Payment System and Chairman of NeFF, Dipo Fatokun, NeFF as a platform to proffer solutions towards addressing frauds arising from the increased adoption of electronic payments in the industry has made remarkable progress in the fight against electronic fraud.

He pointed out that the value and volume of fraud globally is on the increase, saying that in Nigeria we would count ourselves to be one of those that have been fortunate somehow.

“Nigeria is not doing badly compared to other countries in the world when it comes to cyber crime and the issue of efraud”, he said.

Fatokun said NeFF has achieved so much in a very short period of its existence. For instance the establishment of functioning fraud desk all banks authorised by the CBN it was gathered was made possible through the efforts of the forum.

According to Fatokun the desk, through the NeFF platform would set up effective mechanisms for receiving and responding promptly to fraud alerts, to help manage and reduce electronic payments fraud in the country’s banking industry.

Members of the desk are to be trained on emerging fraud trends on various electronic payments channels.

The desk would provide, among other services, support to customers on electronic fraud with a minimum of 10 dedicated phone lines, manned and available at all times, to handle calls directed from contact centre for fraud alerts and complaints.

The desk would also log on all customer fraud alerts and complaints and redirect them to the appropriate authorities in line with internally predefined path, while preparing and submitting reports regularly to the Nigeria Inter-bank Settlement

President, Electronic Payment Association of Nigeria (E-PAN), Regha-Onajite

Fatokun

Nigeria is not doing badly compared to other countries in the world when it comes to cyber crime and the issue of e-fraud

System, NIBSS on fraud information.

Under the new arrangement, the NIBSS would be responsible for coordinating the industry as provider of electronic platform for all the fraud desks across all banks, mobile money operators, switches and payments service providers to log frauds.

The NIBSS will also maintain direct and dedicated lines and email contacts of all stakeholders for the purpose of exchanging information and coordinating industry response to fraud attempts and incidents.

NeFF said note that the country has taken a bold step toward fighting e- fraud by thye signing into law May 2015, of the Cyber Crime Prohibition Act, which stakeholders say provides an effective, unified and comprehensive legal, regulatory and institutional framework for the prohibition, prevention, detection, prosecution and punishment of cybercriminals in the country.

Other provisions of the Act include the manipulation of Automated Teller Machine/Point of Sale Terminals, phishing, spamming, spreading of computer virus and electronic cards’ related fraud, prescribing various prison terms and/or penalties for offenders.

In this vein the NeFF has enlisted the support of the Judiciary in its fight against all banking related frauds in the country, especially with the coming of Cybercrimes Act 2015.

To strengthen and consolidate the relationship with the Judiciary the NeFF visited the Chief justice of the Federation, Justice Mahmud Mohammed,

The CJN had told the group that as a matter of principle, the Judiciary gave priority to fraud or criminal cases, especially those brought on appeal to the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal.

The problem associated with adjudication of criminal cases, the CJN noted was not mainly in the courts, but outside. “It is in the investigation, collection of evidence, presentation of the cases and trial.

“The Judiciary is like a builder, and works with materials that are brought to it. As such the materials necessary for construction must measure up to standard, in order to be applied by the courts.

The Court cannot carry out investigation and our security agencies must be encouraged to carry out investigation-led arrest and not arrest-led investigation”.

The CJN further counselled that once suspects were charged to courts, there should not be too many counts of offences (charges) as each count charge requires a witness or more. “In some cases up to 200 count charge are brought before the court, which is a waste of court’s time and makes mockery of the constitution and the laws’’.

Most superior courts in the country, including the Supreme Court, the CJN said, had enacted practice directions on serious crimes including money laundering and fraud, which should see cases being fast- tracked for trial and determination”, he said.

In a similar vein the CBN and NeFF led by Barau visited The Inspector General of Police Solomon Arase.

Barau had said at that event that no one single institution can defeat fraud by

themselves as a significant exposure exists by operating in isolation.

He also noted that Fraud by its nature affects all institutions, and as such it is more effective to work as a group, saying that customers do not perceive fraud as an issue with a specific bank, but with electronic payments overall, which eventually affects the entire industry.

While noting the importance of the forum and the visit, he said, “An effective Fraud Forum will protect the integrity of the banking industry from criminal threat, as well as boost public confidence in the use of electronic payments. Important stakeholders such as Law Enforcement agencies will be more likely to listen and commit resources to fight crime if they know they are dealing with an industry body who expresses a common opinion and requirement.

“The same also applies to other stakeholders such as payment service providers, card schemes, telecommunication companies, etc. Criminals will capitalize if there is disunity amongst the banks (as has been experienced in the past, where the same fraudster attacks multiple banks, and is not caught, due to lack of information sharing” he said.

The Deputy Governor further noted that the activities of the Forum has helped to foster and cement collaboration not just among banks but also other players in the payments industry, law enforcement, consumer protection agencies and of course the judiciary, adding that fraud as a threat to both individuals and corporate bodies leaves a cost implication that impacts on Economic and social activities.

According to him, “The Forum recognises the role of our Law Enforcement agencies as strategic partners in stemming e-fraud; therefore we call for the setting up of a working group comprising of members of NeFF and the Nigerian Police to achieve an investigative capacity of law enforcement agencies like the police and also the establishment of a Dedicated Payment and Card Crime Unit in the Nigerian Police”.

In response, the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase while noting that the CBN has been veritable friends to the security agencies in Nigeria especially the Nigerian Police said that crime will always occur especially if human exist in such society, adding that the strategic response of the security agencies determines how effective the crimes can be curbed.

He further noted that the Nigeria Police will up its game by building technical platforms through database like the Bank Verification Number ,BVN, and the National Identity cards ,NIMC, which he said will be a robust way to check crime, adding that the Force will immediately set up a dedicated Card Crime Unit.

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National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Capital Market Direct cash settlement ‘ll restore investors’ confidence in capital market – Gwarzo The Director General of Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, Mr. Mounir Gwarzo, during an interactive session with journalists last week in Lagos spoke on sundry issues affecting the growth of the nation’s capital market. These range from the commencement of e-dividend, recapitalization of capital market operators to the need for the Commission to strengthen its regulatory capacity, amongst others. JOHNSON OKANLAWON captures his views.

Could you give an update on capital market operators who are yet to meet minimum capital base target?

On the recapitalization, we’ve said it over and over again this year that by the end of September 30, 2015, any operator that did not meet minimum requirement would not fit in. And we’ve kept our word, people thought we were joking. People thought we would change the date but we said we would not change the date. We’re happy that a lot of capital market operators responded and submitted their documents. After that closure of the time, we engaged 16 accounting firms that reviewed the submission.

We’ve reached up to 90 per cent in terms of review of the submission. We have also engaged three solid accounting firms to review the works of these 16 accounting firms and they have started their work. In about two to three weeks, we should have been able to finalise those who are able to make the minimal requirements. Before the end of December, we will come out with the final list. But from what we’ve seen, the compliance level has been good.

How far have you gone with the de-materialisation project?

We also briefed the market on the dematerialisation. You know it’s an issue we’ve been battling with for the last 30 to 40 years in the market. We said the record of the Central Securities Clearing System, CSCS and the market has not been the same. And we say for us to move forward, there must be a ‘handshake’. All the records with the registrar must be transmitted to CSCS data. And with the support of the registrars and the excellent dedication of the CSCS managing director, we’ve been able to do that. He reported to the house that as of today, we’ve reached 90 per cent compliance level and by next week, we will be able to achieve 100 per cent. This is a laudable project and a feat that we’ve achieved for the first time. There’s going to be an handshake between the registrars and the CSCS. So, by next week, we would have achieved 100 per cent of dematerialisation of certificates that are with the registrars. We also brought to the market the issue of e-dividend.

We’re aware of the excellent support and dedication and cooperation we’ve been receiving from the CBN. In terms of the provision of the Bank Verification Number, BVN, platform, work is ongoing. A lot of reconciliation has taken place. Public enlightenment programme are ongoing. We’ve reached about 70 to 75 per cent compliance level. We believe that a lot of public enlightenment will also enhance the initiative. By next week, we’re going to come up with another robust enlightenment programme. We’ve gone to the bank and they supported us that any investor that reaches their office, they’re going to provide them with all the necessary data. So you either go to the bank or the registrar and they will give you an e-dividend form to complete. The moment you

to conclude is the issue of direct cash settlement.

Direct cash settlement is a process whereby a client gives his broker the mandate to sell his or her shares, once those shares are sold, payment are made directly into the client’s account, as against the practice now that the cash will be paid into the stock brokers account and the stock brokers will now take his fees and remit the balance in the client’s account and in the process, in the past, a lot of things went wrong.

But with the direct settlement, the money will be paid into the client’s account. I’m happy to report that at the Capital Market Committees, CMCs, we unanimously agreed that the commencement of the direct cash settlement will be on January 2, 2016. So, we believe this will also build the investors’ confidence in the market.

Gwarzo

I’m happy to report that at the Capital Market Committees, CMCs, we unanimously agreed that the commencement of the direct cash settlement will be on

January 2, 2016.

So, we believe this will

also build the investors’ confidence in the market complete the input in the data, automatically it goes to the CSCS. This is the excellent initiative and we think something we should propagate for investors and they should take advantage of it. We are determined to see that for the first time, the e-dividend issue is not going to be about launching but it’s going to be implemented. And we all know the huge success we will be able achieve. The unclaimed dividend issue would have been sorted out. And investors would have been able to come back to the market because when you’re talking to the investors, they will tell you that I’ve not gotten my dividend for so period of time. This time around you don’t have to waste money to get dividend, rather it would be paid directly into your client’s account.

How would you explain direct cash settlement such that a layman will understand it?

Another excellent initiative that we’ve been able

Could you explain Sukuk instrument?

You’re aware of our initiative in terms of long term finance. We briefed the market on what we’ve achieved during our first outing in Kano where we did a very robust public enlightenment on the need for government, states to come to the market and utilise the window of the non-interest, either by the issuance of sukuk instrument. The public enlightenment programme was very successful. We had in attendance the governor of Kano state and also the Emir of Kano and other key stake holders. We’re able to move to the South West anytime in February or March. The idea is that we move between zones within the country to propagate the gospel of taking advantage of that instrument.. We’ve being reinforcing our tolerance mechanism. We’re happy that our structure in the market has gone down because people have seen that once you cross the deadline, we take you out irrespective of the person you are and we are happy about the cooperation we receive from people. When we receive complaint, we write to the operator and we see immediate result. Our commitment to zero tolerance is still on. We’re also looking in-house in term of strengthening our activities.

Part of our initiative in the capital market master plan and there is the need for SEC to strengthen its capacity. We think at this point SEC should strengthen its human resources so that if you’re looking for knowledge in issues of mergers and acquisition, you need to come to the SEC. If you’re looking on how to structure some of these finances, you come to SEC. If you’re looking for knowledge on investment protection, you come to SEC. We’re upgrading our capacity. We’re bringing a professor of economy to head our economy desk. There are other divisions we are fortifying. The whole idea is that SEC should be the point of knowledge. Any knowledge that you’re looking for within the capital market, when you come to SEC, you should be able to find it. It’s an ongoing thing but we believe we will reach that level.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Intensifying campaigns against measles on infants

A

bout 804, 490 children are said to die in Nigeria on a yearly basis as a result of measles attack on the lives of infants, so said the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF ) report.

This is not to say that there are no children who survive measles attack. There have also been reported cases of infants mortality due to other sicknesses.

In the past, measles alone accounts for the death of infants who fall between 9 and 59 months age bracket, thus putting UNICEF on its toes to begin to do very aggressive vaccination to tackle the menace of the dreaded disease, which experts say was caused by a virus called rubeola which is one of the causes of death among young children and has put lives of infants at risk across the African continent.

The intervention by this United Nation`s agency has put a stop to the death of infants. This is not to say that there are no children who survived without vaccination. Many are said to have survived the scorch of measles even without any form of intervention in the form of vaccination. This is so because such infants were said to have been born with strong immune systerm.

Measles is a disease which normally inflicts rashes on the body of newly born baby in a manner that, if adequate and quick intervention are not given to the baby, the infant would end up dying without any delay. In most cases measles reduces children`s ability to fight other diseases and makes them more likely to die when they are malnourished or suffering from other diseases.

Dr. George Nsan of the General Hospital Calabar said the virus is contagious and can spread very quickly from child to child even from infected children to healthy and well nourished ones, especially in crowded areas like homes, schools and markets places.

Measles usually affects children between the ages of 9 months and 15 years who have not been vaccinated against the disease. But most vulnerable people are children from 9 months to 5 years.

Measles starts with fever which can get very high, it is followed by cough, running nose, sneezing, red eyes and a break out of rashes all over the face and body within three days. The rashes starts from the head and spreads to the rest of the body. The rashes can last for a week, and coughing can last for 10 days. Common complications arising from measles include diarrhea, ear infections, brain infection, pneumonia, blindness and even death.

“Yes, measles kills more children than any other vaccine preventive disease,” said a medical consultant in Ikom Local Government of Cross River State, Dr. Obi Ndifon Obim Snr. In Nigeria, measles has remained a serious problem and also remained one of the leading cause of deaths in children below 5 years. Nigeria still faces a sporadic measles outbreak despite all efforts to reduce it through routine immunisation and special campaigns conducted in 2008, 2011 and 2013, so said medical source.

The highest number of cases was recorded in 2013 with over 33,000. Close to the end of 2014, Nigeria recorded about 14,937 suspected cases in 224 local government area in 32 states while confirmed cases are about 4,392 in 296 local government area.

Most of the children affected were below the ages of 5 years which is constituting about 62%. And 65% were zero dose. Most of these missed children were located at border areas with high proportion of them not vaccinated due to child absence, fixed post

As the United Nation Children Fund (UNICEF) makes preparation to kick-start the second phase of a 5-day awareness campaign against eradication of one of the world’s killer diseases (measles) which is billed for January 28, 2016 across the South East, South West and South South geo-political zones of the country, RICHARD NDOMA in Calabar writes on the dangers measles portends on the lives of infants.

Prof. Isaac Adewole

Measles starts with fever which can

get very high, it is

followed by cough,

running nose, sneezing, red eyes and a break out of rashes all over the face and body within three days

location too far and non compliance.

UNICEF Consultant, Mrs. Lawal , said, World Health Organisation (WHO) has ranked Nigeria third, behind India and Parkistan, as one of the three countries that accounts for majority of the global death due to measles infection.

However, Nigeria is said to be conducting a mea-

sles campaign to rapidly immunise children from 9 to 59 months in the country through supplemental Immunisation Activities (SIAs). It is very important to immunise all children born after the last measles campaign in 2013 who are yet to receive a second measles vaccination or have never been immunised.

According to Glory Odu Oji who spoke at the awareness campaign, if mothers could listen and adhere to the campaign it would reduce the occurrence of measles and deaths which used to occur as a result of measles attack on the lives of infants.

She therefore called for the vaccination of children between 9 to 59 month to avert death.

One may be forced to ask why the campaign is limited to children under 5years old. Data for Nigeria indicate that 8 out of every 10 children affected by measles fall within this age bracket and this is why it has become pertinent to get them vaccinated given that they are most likely to be affected by the scorch of the disease as most of them were born after the two last campaigns of 2008 and 2010.

It is against this backdrop that United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF ), in its bid to eradicate measles began an aggressive campaign in November 2015 across the states of Nigeria including Abuja, Nigeria`s Federal Capital Territory Abuja.

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Global Business

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

and France at loggerheads as ECB lowered stimulus ambitions Renault board clash looms after hitting opposition – Sources R

H

ints by Mario Draghi ahead of last Thursday’s ECB rate meeting that the euro zone may need another big injection of money backfired, stiffening the resolve of more conservative central bankers who criticized him for raising expectations too high, sources familiar with the discussions said.

The European Central Bank President and his chief economist Peter Praet stoked expectations with dovish speeches in the weeks before the meeting but the ECB’s Governing Council concluded that markets needed to be disappointed this time because the economic outlook has improved and new inflation forecasts were not as bad as feared, the sources said.

A pending U.S. Federal Reserve rate hike also factored into the decision, though to a lesser extent, as policymakers were concerned that a big move by the ECB would weaken the euro further and possibly force the Fed to delay its own action on rates to prevent a too rapid divergence of policy between the world’s top two central banks.

The ECB cut its deposit rate on Thursday and extended its monthly asset buys by six months to boost stubbornly low inflation and lift growth. But the moves were consid-

ered by markets to be the bare minimum in the light of the bank’s previous signals.

One source with direct knowledge of the situation interpreted Draghi’s public stance ahead of the meeting as trying to pressure the Governing Council to take bigger action.

“Draghi raised expectations too high, on purpose, and attempted to paint the Governing Council into a corner,” the source said.

“This was problematic and he was criticized for this by several governors in private.”

Unlike last year, when opponents of quantitative easing made their stance public before the decision, the hawks mostly worked behind the scenes.

Opponents worked to curtail proposals coming out of the ECB’s committees that prepared the decisions, ensuring that some of the more radical measures expected by market players never made it onto the table.

Markets also expected a 25 per cent increase in monthly asset purchases and possibly even a deeper rate cut. More radical options under discussion included the purchase of corporate debt or a split deposit rate that would punish banks parking too much

Draghi

cash with the central bank, sources told Reuters earlier.

“What was in the end adopted was the set of options that could gather a comfortable majority. More exotic ones, obviously could not, and were hence not even proposed,” another source said. “Sometimes discussions at the committees provide a clear enough picture.”

In the weeks leading up to Governing Council meetings the ECB’s inner core of executive board members regularly sound out national central banks to gauge their positions and formulates proposals it knows will get a comfortably majority.

China’s budget airlines spread wings, add routes

X

ia Lili, marketing chief at a privately-owned Shanghai software firm switched to flying with Spring Airlines (601021.SS) after China’s first lowcost carrier took off in 2010. Her company has since made it mandatory for staff to use budget airlines when available, and has cut its travel costs by a fifth.

Xia and her colleagues are among an increasing number of Chinese who are fuelling fast growth in what is often called the “last” big market ripe for low-cost carrier penetration.

Since late 2013, the Civil Aviation Administration of China has encouraged budget airlines as Beijing has seen how they have taken off elsewhere. Freeing up

China aircraft

new routes for low-cost carriers also helps develop economic growth in western China.

Low-cost carriers account for seven per cent of China’s domestic air travel market, and that’s expected to more than double by 2020, according to OAG, an aviation data and analytics company.

China, the fastest growing major air travel market, has overall passenger volume of 392 million, rising at more than 10 per cent a year, according to official data, and planemaker Airbus (AIR.PA) predicts it will leapfrog the United States as the world’s largest domestic air traffic market within 10 years.

“Low-cost travel has become a life style. Many of my colleagues

would start chatting about how to get those 9 yuan ($1.41) or 99 yuan ($15.48) special offer tickets,” Xia said.

As Europe’s pioneer no-frills airlines such as Ryanair (RYA.I) and easyJet (EZJ.L) mature and move more upmarket, they are attracting business travelers as a way to stand out in the budget crowd.

China’s four budget airlines offer sharply discounted air fares to full-service carriers.

For example, West Air, a subsidiary of Hainan Airlines’ (600221.

SS) parent HNA Group, offers a round trip from Chongqing to the popular southern resort of Sanya and a 3-night stay in a five-star hotel for just 999 yuan ($156), for bookings made well in advance.

That compares with 770 yuan for the cheapest one-way ticket offered by full-service carriers, according to Ctrip.com.

In Europe, the cheapest budget airline return ticket for a similar flight - from Luton in England to Barcelona - without accommodation, costs 98 pounds ($148) on cheapflights.co.uk.

All of China’s low-cost carriers, except newest entrant 9 Air, are profitable. Much of that is down to severe paring of their costs.

enault is drawing up proposals to relinquish some power over alliance partner Nissan, sources said, and will on Monday begin shoring up boardroom support in the final days before a likely clash with the French government.

Renault remains on collision course with France, its biggest shareholder, in a dispute that erupted in April when Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron raised the government’s stake in the carmaker to secure double voting rights.

With board-level negotiations making little headway, people with knowledge of the matter said Renault is preparing to make good on earlier threats to weaken its grip on Nissan, in which it currently holds a controlling stake of 43.4 percent.

“There’s nothing that comes close to an agreement,” a source close to the alliance said. “It’s as if the government wants to find out whether it’s a bluff.”

At stake may be the future direc-

tion of Renault-Nissan. Under Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn, the alliance ranks as the world’s fourth-largest carmaker on a combined sales basis.

The conflict reflects the disparity between formal structure, in which Renault has nominal control, and operations under Ghosn, who heads both carmakers. Since its 1999 rescue

by Renault, Nissan has far outgrown its French parent and now leads the way in many engineering projects and other areas.

Macron has warned Ghosn against making moves to loosen Renault’s control of Nissan or leadership of the alliance.

“Any unraveling or weakening of the links between the two companies cannot be a solution,” he reiterated in a Sunday newspaper interview.

Renault-Nissan declined to comment.

France is boosting its corporate clout with a law granting long-term shareholders - including the state - double voting rights in any companies that do not opt out.

Renault car

UK manufacturing suffers slump in demand – EEF

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K manufacturing is encountering a poor end to the year amid “gathering gloom” from the global economy, according to industry body the EEF. It has cut its manufacturing forecasts, expecting a 0.1 per cent fall in 2015, with 0.8 per cent growth next year.

Its survey also points to serious concerns about the outlook for the global economy.

Meanwhile, a report from Lloyds Bank shows car manufacturers have also lowered their growth forecasts.

The EEF says that weakening demand from developed and emerging markets have become more prominent, leading to falling exports.

As well as exports, the EEF says job prospects have been hit, particularly with more spare capacity in the oil industry, which has been hit by falling prices.

Meanwhile, recent job losses in steel companies have also hit the sector.

The EEF report follows last week’s Markit Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), which showed UK manufacturing slowing in October.

Manufacturing accounts for about 10 per cent of the output of the UK economy.

The production industries: mining, quarrying, gas, electricity, water and sewage account for another five per cent, and construction makes up six per cent.

EEF chief economist Lee Hopley told the BBC that the findings were a “disappointing end to the year”.

She said the collapse in the oil price, slower world trade growth and weaker-than-expected construction activity had all contributed to weaker manufacturing activity.

David Cameron

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Lagos Assembly calls for measures to reduce articulated vehicles accidents Robert Awokuse

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agos Assembly has called on the Director-General of the State Safety Commission, Mr. Fouad Oki to come up with amendment to the existing laws on “articulated vehicles”, with a view of checkmating unwarranted accidents that often result to loss of lives of innocent citizens.

Hon. Desmond Elliot who represents Surulere Consistuency I under matter of public importance recaptured the unfortunate incident at Ojuelegba involving a petrol tanker that derailed from the over-

head bridge spreading its content to the canal and later engulfing the community in serious inferno that claimed lives and properties worth millions of naira.

He said the tanker which was being towed on the bridge emptied the fuel in its tank when the iron chain towing it cut off suddenly, leading to an inferno in which a house was completely burnt down while the life of Mrs. Abimbola Salu was lost in the incident.

Desmond, while praising and appreciating the effort of the Surulere constituents, the Lagos State Fire Service, Lagos State Emergency Management Author-

ity and the Intensive work of the Nigerian Police Force in stabilizing the chaotic situation, submitted that the DG should come up with suggestions to overhaul activities of the articulated vehicles in a bid to avert any further recurrence.

Hon. Jude Idimogu and Hon. Bayo Oshinowo who contributed suggested that the articulated vehicles should be restricted to under bridge in order to reduce or avert such incidence.

Hon. Sola Giwa added that the restriction of the articulated vehicles to the routes under the bridge will not solve the problem because most of the roads under the bridge are too

narrow.

Hon. Bisi Yusuf who also contributed opined that the carelessness of drivers and their owners towards vehicle maintenance should also be looked into.

In a related development, the House has called for a review of the community Neighborhood Watch to further strengthen security in the state.

The Majority Leader, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade who raised the issue under public importance intimated the House about the discovery of 6 mutilated bodies in a canal on Awolowo way, Ota-Ona axis in Ikorodu which consisted mostly of women.

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2016 will be year of fulfillment for Nigeria –Prophet Henry Iyorkase MAKURDI

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renowned Makurdi based Prophet, Allen Ayua has predicted that the challenges facing the country is temporary and the nation would soon bounce back to its euphoria.

Prophet Ayua who spoke to National Mirror shortly after a congregational prayer meeting yesterday in Makurdi, the Benue state capital noted that the impasse confronting the citizens asa result of scarce resources when the change mantra took over the reins of administration is going to be over soon.

“In a short while the hardship will be a thing of the past as efforts are being geared by the Federal government to revitalize all the ailing sectors and make lives meaningful to every citizens”, he said.

The clergyman who prophesied that the economy will flourish again despite the dwindling

fortunes of crude oil at the international market urged Nigerians to exercise patience with the Buhari- led administration.

“Am optimistic that the country will soon witness a new lease of life because the man at the helm of affairs is pragmatic and a careful administrator who had all it takes to revitalize the battered situation in no distant time”, he said.

Prophet Ayua further intimated that even the manner in which Buhari came to power was by divine intervention and that so shall it be in every aspects as he moves towards improving the lives of Nigerians.

He was optimistic that in the first quarter of 2016 Nigerians will begin to see the relief in their condition and stated that for now people should be ever ready to sacrifice but at long last everyone will have cause to smile based on the conducive environment provided by the Federal government.

UPN accuses FG of intimidating opposition Robert Awokuse

N PDP Supporters calling for cancellation of Southern Ijaw gubernatorial election at the Bayelsa state governor election result collation centre in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Enugu workers back caretaker committees for 17 LGs Emmanuel Ezeh ENUGU

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orkers in Enugu State under the auspices of organized labour comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Trade Union Congress, TUC and the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council, JPSNC have thrown their weights behind the move by the State Government to appoint caretaker committees to run the affairs of the 17 Local Government Councils in the state.

The workers made their decision known through a statement jointly signed by the Enugu State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour

Congress, NLC, Comrade Viginues Nwobodo Chuks; Chairman of the Trade Union Congress, TUC and Chairman Joint Public Service Negotiating Council, JPSNC, Comrade Igbokwe Chukwuma Igbokwe.

The state chapter of the organized labour commended Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi “for the decision to appoint caretaker committees for the local government areas in Enugu State pending the conclusion of the on-going staff audit”.

They pointed out that the local government system in the state had “failed woefully in service delivery and provision of dividends of democracy to the

grassroots”, adding that the Labour Unions support any policy of the government aimed at cleansing the rot in the system before constituting a new local government administration in the state.

The workers urged the governor not to compromise merit in the appointment of the caretaker committee members and charged him to remain resolute in his efforts to “recover any public fund misappropriated by any public officer in the local government system” According to the statement, “the organized labour in Enugu State pledges to support any policy by the present administration

to clean the rot in the system and to provide good governance, sustainable development, economic growth, and healthcare delivery to the good people of the state as encapsulated in the 4-point agenda”.

It would be recalled that Enugu State Stakeholders and the State Chapter of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC - the umbrella organization of all the political parties in the country, had recently endorsed the setting up of caretaker committees due to the on-going local government staff audit and others reforms; and the inadequate budgetary provision for the exercise in the current budget.

ational chairman of the Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN Dr. Frederick Fasehun, has accused the Federal Government of “setting security agencies to haunt and hound politicians in opposition parties.”

Fasehun said this in a press statement issued in Lagos following the arrest of chairman, Daar Communications Plc, High Chief Raymond Dopkesi by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. The elder-statesman said it was obvious that the country’s ruling party “was goading state apparatuses into cowing the opposition, the press and critics. All this smacks of an attempt to stifle the opposition and muzzle press freedom.

“Dokpesi’s arrest, on the excuse that he involved in illicit arms contracts, represents a frontal attack on press freedom and freedom of speech.

It is clear that he is being persecuted for the stand

his television and radio stations took in the last elections.”

“I am sure High Chief Raymond Dokpesi can defend himself against the charges he faces. But these oppressive steps can only overheat the polity.

APC wants to use them to destroy the group psychology of the opposition,” he said.

The UPN chairman notified the government that Nigerians saw the arrest as a high-handed political action.

According to Fasehun, Dokpesi’s detention without being duly charged to a competent court was a dangerous affront on citizens’ rights to life, liberty, association and dignity as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution.

“The government must be aware that Nigerians see this assault on Dokpesi especially as a vendetta –payback time for the audacity his television and radio stations had to broadcast sensational documentaries on chieftains of APC, including General Muhammadu Buhari,” he said.

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Politics

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Group condemns comment on TETFund scribe Ezekiel Titus BAUCHI

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group known as Bauchi Peace Mobilization Group has faulted the recent comment posted through the social media by one Dr. Aliyu Tilde which attempted to rubbish the monumental gains of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund with a specific target at the ex-

ecutive secretary, Professor Suleiman Bogoro thereby linking him to false information that he was invited by the EFCC in connection with the disappearance of N40-140 billion which he allegedly used in sponsoring former President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign in the build up to the last general election Chairman of the Group, Barrister Musa Saleh Shall

who made this known in a chat with journalists in Bauchi said, the statement was not only false, but a total deviation from the truth hence, baseless, groundless and has no leg to stand on.

Shall added that the author of the comment, Dr. Aliyu Tilde is among those that even opposed the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari towards ensuring the rebirth

of the country and also one of the enemy of democracy for attempting to ridicule trusted hands of Buhari in the person of Professor Bogoro who have positively impacted in education development as TETFund boss “ Let me tell you Tilde’s academic qualification stands questionable since he cannot afford to initiate peace and unity in the

current APC administration, but have resorted to attacking leaders and worthy characters like Bogoro whose achievement as TETFund scribe had since been commended “ Shall said.

He urged him to toe a path of honour and desist from envious habit against Bogoro by allow him concentrate in turning around tertiary institutions in Nigeria

Shall regretted that, those carrying lies that Bogoro was invited by the EFCC are doing harm and cautioned against political, ethnic and religious differences.

He assured that the group will not afford to fold its arms watching mischief makers attempting to rubbish Buhari’s effort at improving education through TETFUND.

Appeal Tribunal upholds Bassey’s election Richard Ndoma CALABAR

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L-R: Chief Executive Officer, Nsikan Abasiekong Company, Mr Nsikan Abasiekong; President, Guardians of the Nation International, Mr Linus Okorie and Guest Speaker, Dr Emmanuel Abraham, during the Leadership and Youths Empowerment Forum in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

Group decries Bayelsa election, says it’s a drawback Kemi Olaitan IBADAN

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ith the skirmishes that accompanied the last weekend governorship election in Bayelsa State, a Non-Governmental Organization, NGO, Alliances For Credible Elections, yesterday in Ibadan, said the election was a drawback from the path of electoral sanity the country had embarked upon a couple of years ago.

It will be recalled that the governorship election of the oil-rich state was marred with violence on Saturday leading to alleged death of some people following which the ‎poll could not be concluded as scheduled, but had to be postponed till Sunday.

Speaking with journalists at the Oyo State House of Assembly, the Acting General Secretary of the NGO, Mrs. Mma Odi, said the Bayelsa incident casts a negative impression on the nation’s march towards instituting conduct of free, credible and fair elections.

She recalled that the country’s electoral fortune had greatly improved as far back as 2011, a development that was consolidated during the last general elections in March and April, but lamented that “the last Saturday experience in Bayelsa was a huge disappointment and drawback on the gains already recorded in the conduct of elections in the country”.

Odi had earlier led her group, ‘Alliances for Credible Elections’ on advocacy visit to the Committee of the whole House, Oyo State House of Assembly, during which she made presentation entitled ‘Interrogating the current and emerging issues on the Constitutional and Electoral Reform in Nigeria’.

In the presentation, she said the purpose of the visit was to create an enabling environment for electoral reform as a priority subject among other constitutional issues for amendment and to engage and monitor the legislators on leading electoral

reform issues to further enhance their acceptability of the reform issues.

She explained further that through the visit, there would be increased public knowledge and deeper understanding of key reform issues by both legislators and citizens, increased civic consciousness and readiness to engage the electoral reform process and increased commitment of reform institutions in the process and the acceptance of electoral reform issues.

While acknowledging that gains had been made in improving the credibility of the electoral process since the return to civilian rule in 1999, especially with the 2010 amendment of the Electoral Act, she posited that “it is also important to recognize that a lot remains to be done”.

In interrogating the current and emerging issues on electoral and constitutional reform in Nigeria, ACE-Nigeria, she said would look at issues such as “inclusive framework for the appointment of the Chair of the Independent

National Electoral Commission and Commissioners.

“The establishment of an Electoral Offences Commission and tribunal to take over the prosecution of electoral offences and the conclusion of all electoral matters before the swearing-in of elected officials, expanding political space to accommodate women, Nigerians in Diaspora, prisoners, persons with disabilities and person on election duties”, she added.

Odi, who lauded the members of the Oyo State House of Assembly for their enthusiasm at the project also said “the issue of electronic voting, which will further enhance the credibility of the elections and good governance in Nigeria must be looked into”.

All the lawmakers, who spoke on the agenda being set by ACE-Nigeria, lauded the organization and promised to back it up when the issue of constitution amendment and electoral reform begin at the National Assembly.

Special Election Appeal Tribunal sitting in Calabar at the weekend dismissed the Appeal filled by Labour Party’s senatorial candidate for Cross River Southern Senatorial District, Sen. Prince Bassey Otu. Otu ran for the election into the senate with Mr. Gershom Bassey who was declared winner in the National Assembly election .

According to Justice Mailari Idris, the appellant failed to meet the conditions specified by Section 16 of the Electoral Act which he relied on for the pursuit of the appeal.

“The Appeal failed to meet the time- span for the filing of an appeal in an election matter which must be within the 180 days as

specified by Section 16 of the Electoral Act which the Appellant relied on ”.

Idris who presided over the matter averred that for the appeal to succeed, the lower court must have the legal power to hear the matter and this was lacking in this case .

The judge maintained that the lower court that handled the matter must have jurisdiction to hear the matter which was lacking in the appeal thus making the action of the Election Tribunal null and void.

By this ruling, the contention for the position of Senator for the Senatorial District has been put to rest as Senator Gershom Bassey has crossed all hurdles put before him and can now concentrate on his legislative work in the upper chamber of the National Assembly.

Circle of Diplomats honours Jonathan Ebere Ndukwu

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ormer President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan will on January 21, 2016 engrave his name in Africa’s book of firsts, as he will be honoured at the yearly Dinner Gala Night of Diplomatic Circles in Geneva, Switzerland.

The former president will be the first African leader in and out of office to be so honoured by this revered group for his democratic credentials and upholding human rights in Africa.

Diplomatic Circle is a group of diplomats from all over the world. The former President, who will also be the guest of honour, is to deliver a keynote address during the occasion.

While this could mean a reward for integrity for the

ex-president, it also goes to show that he has become not just a national asset to Nigeria but to Africa and global community.

From the time when Jonathan conceded defeat at the last presidential election and congratulated the winner, President Muhammadu Buhari, his image has continued to soar and is seen as a reference model for other African leaders.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

37

WARDC urges Lagos Assembly to investigate maternal deaths in hospitals Robert Awokuse

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Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong (left) receiving a t-shirt from the United Nations (UN) Women representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Grace Ongile, who paid him courtesy visit in Jos yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Court of Appeal affirms Kashamu’s election Kemi Olaitan IBADAN

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he Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan yesterday upturned the October 9, 2015 judgment of the National and State Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal sitting in Abeokuta and reaffirmed and returned the Senator representing Ogun East in the National Assembly, Buruji Kashamu.

The appellate court in a unanimous decision held that Kashamu’s appeal is meritorious and then set aside the ruling of the elections tribunal and affirmed as well as returned Senator Kashamu as the winner of the March 28, 2015 senatorial election in Ogun East Senatorial district.

Justice M.L Shuaib, while delivering judgement, held that the tribunal erred and was partisan, adding that it descended into the arena and scouted for evidence to nullify Kashamu’s election and truncate his victory.

The judge said it was curious, illogical and perverse of the tribunal to place so much reliance on the evidence of a prosecution witness ( PW 44) and further admit as evidence documents that were clearly inadmissible under the law and also act on such evidence to truncate Kashamu’s victory.

According to the panel, PW 44 who posed as a forensic expert had discredited himself during cross examination when he stat-

ed that anyone with prerequisite knowledge could do what he did and added that he had no degree in statistics.

“PW 44 sold himself out and the tribunal should not have held that he was an expert when he himself had agreed anyone could do what he did. No expert opinion is needed in this case since PW44 stated that anyone, even a layman could do what he did and he has no degree in statistics.

“There is no certification of the admitted print out by the said forensic expert so it is not an exhibit and he also sold himself out when he stated that the Appendix A, B and C which was his report was printed from a computer but the tribunal held that it was PW44’s statement on oath and not a print out,” the appellate court said.

The court further held that the case of Prince Dapo Abiodun and the All Progressive Congress is a non- issue as the material used to nullify the results of elections in some polling units and order re-election is inadmissible in law.

“The case of the first and second respondents (Abiodun and APC) in this appeal collapses like a pack of cards as the respondents fail to lay necessary foundation for the admissibility of the annexes. Exhibits A, B and C are expunged as inadmissible “PW44 was a hatchet man brought to truncate the appellant’s victory and

since his testimony is that he thoroughly analyzed some documents from INEC’s register and used a computer to draw a table and print it out, the annexes are indeed a printout.

“It is wrong of the tribunal to place so much reliance on the evidence of a discredited witness and use an inadmissible document to arrive at its judgment”, Justice Shuaib said.

The three -man panel comprising of Justices A.G Msheila, M.L Shuaib and Ignatius Agube, also adopted the same judgment for the cross petition filed by Prince Adedapo Abiodun.

It will be recalled that Kashamu’s appeal had suffered a setback before the Court of Appeal due to the disbandment of the panel that was originally set up to hear it by the President of the Court of Appeal The panel was disbanded due to a petition written

by Senator Kashamu and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, alleging manipulations of the matter and a compromise of panel members by Prince Abiodun and the APC. Kashamu in his reaction hailed the judgment of the Court of Appeal, describing it as a victory for democracy and the good people of Ogun East Senatorial District.

He said, “I dedicate this victory to the Almighty Allah Sub ana wata’alla. I am happy at today’s verdict of the Court of Appeal. I am happy that justice has been

served. I am particularly elated that the judiciary has once again risen to the occasion as the last hope of the common man. I am happy that despite the ills of our society, the judiciary still boasts of men and women of integrity and great courage who can resist filthy lucre and stand up for the truth and justice.

“I salute the good people of Ogun East Senatorial District who overwhelmingly gave me their mandate.

I thank my party leaders, elders, associates and supporters, for standing by me all through the litigation.

I thank my legal team, the media, clerics, the youths, students, artisans, okada riders, market men and women, for their best wishes, prayers and support.

“I promised them quality representation. We have began the journey and there is no going back. We are committed to making a difference - in and out of politics.

Non-Government Organisation, Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre, WARDC yesterday urged the Lagos State House of Assembly to investigate cases of maternal deaths across the state primary and secondary hospitals.

The group, which made this request during a peaceful protest to the Assembly, said that the high rate of maternal mortality constituted violence against women.

Scores of protesters carried placards with the same inscription ‘Not Again should a woman die at child birth’.

The leader of the protesters, Dr Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi said, “WARDC is compelled to submit a petition to the assembly in view of the continued instances of maternal deaths in Lagos State Primary and Secondary Hospital.

“The World Health Organisation’s 2014 report on maternal mortality states that Nigeria’s MMR is 560 deaths per 100,000 live births.

“And this is as a result of the failure of government to give adequate attention to maternal health, reduction of maternal mortality and morbidity.

“The deaths of women continue to exact a terrible toll on the society making children orphaned and men widowers.

“Our findings have shown that despite the government’s effort towards the reduction of maternal death in the state, women still experience finan-

cial, infrastructural and institutional barriers in accessing adequate maternal health care.

“Reports reaching us from women in Lagos State show that there is an increase in the fees paid by women for antenatal care from N7000 to N18,000 apart from other user fee, which women are subjected to in the hospital.”

Akiyode-Afolabi, the group founding director, complained of weak infrastructure, ineffective health services, the lack of access to skilled health-care providers, inadequate man power.

The group also frowned at the attitudes of health care workers, high user fees and detention for inability to pay bills.

She explained the case of one Mrs Omowunmi Shonuga who died with her baby after giving birth at the Rauf Aregbesola Health Centre in Mosan-Okunola Local Council Development Area, LCDA, Alimosho on October 26.

According to her, late Shonuga arrived at the hospital where she had registered for antenatal care at 5.a.m but met the gates locked and was not given medical attention but referred to Igando General Hospital.

She lamented that the delays over ambulance and bed space later led to the death of the victim and her child.

The leader of the protesters also recounted the death of one Mrs Obinna Nnanna at Gbagada General Hospital onSept. 23 and one Mrs Oduyoye Folake at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).

Niger gov inaugurates 14 commissioners

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overnor Abubakar Bello of Niger State on Monday said the state government would ensure zero tolerance to corruption.

Bello gave the assurance in Minna while inaugurated 14 commissioners, three special advisers and Deputy Chief of staff.

He said the state government would not condone corruption as there would be no place to hide

for any corrupt official in his administration. ``You must see yourselves as positive change agents in your daily activities and not use your office to amass wealth,’’ he said.

The Governor said the task ahead was enormous, assuring that the he was determine to develop the state to meet the aspirations of the people.

The new commis-

sioners are Alhaji Idris Azozo, Malam Mamman Musa, Alhaji Aliyu Abdullahi, Hajiya Fatima Madugu, Dr Mustapha Jibrin, Mallam Ibrahim Balarebi and Mr Aliyu Zakar Jikantoro.

Others include Kabi Musa, Mr Nasara Danmalam, Alhaji Aliyu Tangagi, Alhaji Abdulmalik Cheche, Alhaji Mohammed Nda, Mr Jonathan Vatsa and Hajiya Ramatu Yar’adua.

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Features

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Yoruba culture on display as OPU is launched in Senegal, Gambia

Dignitaries cutting a cake to mark the launching of OPU in Senegal

A pan-Yoruba group, Oodua Progressive Union, OPU, carries its campaign for the resuscitation and sustenance of Yoruba culture abroad as it launches its chapters in Senegal and The Gambia.

AYO ESAN reports.

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pan –Yoruba organisation, Oodua Progressive Union, OPU, which was formed to rejuvenate, resuscitate and sustain Yoruba cultural tourism heritage among Africans in Diaspora is gaining global acceptance.

OPU which has been launched in 62 countries added two other countries - Senegal and The Gambia - to the stock of its influence from November 4 to 8, 2015, when the convener of Oodua Progressive Union, Otunba Gani Adams, led three traditional rulers, the Ajero of Ijero Kingdom, Oba Joseph Adewole, the Zaki of Arigidi Akoko, Oba Yisa Olanipekun and the Onigbaye of Igbaye, Oba Joseph Moronfoye Okunlola and other dignitaries among who are Captain Adetokunbo Adesina, Otunba Olufemi Davies, Olajide Sanni, OPU Europe Secretary – General, M.C. Kirikiri, Alhaji Ibrahim Sokoto, Mr. Babs Oguntade and OPC Deputy National Secretary, Mr. Lasun Ogunfowokan to Senegal and Gambia.

The bright day for the OPU delegates from Nigeria opened up at the Banjul International Airport Gambia on November 4 when the Yoruba in Gambia organised a rousing welcome for the OPU delegation. There was Yoruba cultural display for the guests. This spectacular cultural entertainment displayed by the Yoruba cultural group attracted other airport users and travellers who gathered to share in the excitement of Yoruba culture.

A Gambian national, Maria Tipoteh, who claimed to have studied in Ibadan, Nigeria, and was carried away by the Yoruba songs rendered at the airports remarked that the Yoruba are culturally colourful .

She said Yoruba is a responsible ethnic group in Nigeria. “I used to enjoy first class show of their songs when I

Let the pristine Oodua characteristics, the Omoluabi virtues be your testament and testimonial of behaviour was at the University of Ibadan. They have special words and language for respect, honour and age group. Wonderful set of people,” she said.

The cultural tone set at the airport ruled the wave of activities of OPU delegates in The Gambia and this was exhibited at the Nigerian House, Gambia, where Adams and OPU delegates were hosted and received warmly by the staff of the embassy.

The Charge d’Affaires, Mr. Mansur G. Abdulkarim, was not in the country but the OPU delegates were received by Mrs. H. Nelson – Udu, Head of Chancery and other staff of the Nigeria Embassy; Mrs. M. S. Ekanem, Consular; Mr. Oko David, First secretary, Mr. Mohammed Oladega; Mrs. A. T. Ogunmilua and Mrs. P. N. Ogbu.

Adams, while addressing the diplomats said: “The essence of paying a courtesy call is in line with Yoruba tradition of giving honour to those it is due. It is in the Yoruba culture. You don’t walk into a man’s compound without first intimating him of your vision. This is what we are doing.”

He said, “We are here to stoke the pristine cultural value of our forefathers which we have noticed is on the sliding trend with our people in the Diaspora. We are calling their conscience to re-embrace the ethos, ethics and cultural values of dignity of labour, respect, social interaction with integrity and responsibility. All these will make them worthy citizens of Nigeria in foreign a land. And it will shape them up and earn them respect, shore up Nigeria’s image and ensure stability of relationship between them and host country.

In her response, Mrs. Kane commended Adams for allowing himself to be used by fate and posterity in the revitalisation of core cultural values and norms for the glory of the country.

Her words: “It does not matter whether it is for the Yoruba or the others. Value is contagious. Good behaviour influences others. This is commendable and worthy of emulation for other race or nations in Nigeria too.”

She remarked further: “What you are doing will further add value to the rating of the Yoruba who are the least problematic group in The Gambia. It is a fact that the Yoruba in The Gambia are best behaved. This cultural wakeup call will further up the ante. This is good and laudable.”

The change and improvement of behavioural pattern was emphasised at the prestigious Officers ‘Mess, Kotu South, The Gambia, where Adams inaugurated Oodua Progressive Union, The Gambia Charter, on November 6, 2015.

In the presence of representatives of Igbo, Hausa and Edo communities and at the instance of the consular of Nigeria Embassy, Mrs. Ekanem, attested to by three traditional rulers from Yoruba land, Adams presented the OPU staff of office to Hon. Akeem Babatunde Abdu with a firm instruction of “showcasing with integrity, vigour and strength the pristine Yoruba cultural values which make the Yoruba unique.

The president of Nigerians in the Gambia, Asiwaju Bashorun Ojikutu, lauded Otunba Adams for the inauguration of OPU in The Gambia and assured that “we shall make Yoruba race proud and shore up the image of Nigeria here.”

If the inauguration of OPU in The Gambia was spectacular, that of Senegal chapter which was inaugurated at the Cultural Centre, Blaise Senghor, Dakar, Senegal on Sunday November 8 was more colourful as the Yoruba turned out in large numbers to showcase culture, values and dancing steps.

Apart from the Nigerian cultural groups which dazzled the guests and members, the OPU Senegal brought in a Senegalese dancing cultural group which set heat of excitement on the environment.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 39

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Features

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

39

Translating 1999 Constitution to Nigerian languages: Matters arising Femi Ogunshola

NOA should rather

M

r. Ayanbode Oje, a member of the Change Movement Nigeria, recently translated the 1999 Constitution to Yoruba language. He also decided to make the document available free to empower the perceived disenfranchised, oppressed and the voiceless due to their inability to read and understand English language.

According to him, reading and understanding in one’s language will encourage participatory democracy. ``We are calling for volunteers to help translate the 1999 Constitution to other indigenous languages in Nigeria while we work on an audio version of the constitution,’’ he said in an interview.

In spite of Oje’s initiative, observers note that it is worrisome that most Yoruba speaking Nigerians don’t make use of the translated version of the constitution.

They note that some of the targeted Nigerians in the translation are not even aware of Oje’s effort, which they say can undermine the purpose of the translation.

For instance, Mr. Shola Adeboye, a teacher, said that although the motive behind the translation was to bring the constitution closer and make IT appealing to the targeted ethnic group, the response of the public to the initiative was not encouraging.

But Mr. Chinedu Okechukwu said that he and other Nigerians from his ethnic group would utilise the advantage of a translated constitution to his language (Igbo) to know more about human rights.

The National Orientation Agency (NOA), therefore, said it would soon circulate indigenous language translations of the constitution to promote understanding of human rights among Nigerians.

Mr. Mike Omeri, Director-General of the agency, noted that the translation of the constitution was to motivate Nigerians to be conscious of their rights by reading and understanding it.

He said the agency was working with National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to promote human rights in Nigeria, adding that the agency was training its staff in that regard.

Lending credence to the decision of the agency to promote more translation of the constitution to more Nigerian languages, Mr. Samuel Akanbi, a political scientist, noted that the constitution ought to be in various languages in Nigeria.

According to him, since Nigeria has more than 250 ethnic groups, no effort should be spared to produce the constitution in local languages. ``This will make some people that cannot read in English to have a little knowledge of knowing what the constitution of Nigeria says. ``The constitution contains many civil, political and human rights for the citizens and there are many things that are being done wrongly on daily basis. ``Due to lack of awareness of such fundamental human rights, many human rights are infringed upon. ``Imagine a citizen of this country not knowing he has the right to express his opinion and walk freely. ``That is the reason many policemen arrest the ignorant, torture and collect money to bail a suspect even when it is written that bail is free,’’ he said.

He noted that many Nigerians were not aware of their political rights and that they could even recall their representatives in various state houses of assembly or National Assembly.

He said that most Nigerians exhibited gross ignorance about their civil right, adding that ``they do not know that citizens should be treated like kings by the government because they voted the government into power. ``The governments are supposed to provide social ameni-

intensify teaching of the contents of the constitution and sensitise the citizenry on their right as embedded in the constitution

Senate President, Saraki

The teaching of the constitution in public

places such as church,

mosques and schools, will enable the citizenry to understand its importance ties such as good road, electricity and water supply, among others, to the people. ``Translating the constitution to various Nigerian languages will liberate the citizens from the complete ignorance.’’

However, Prof. Ben Angwe, the Executive Secretary of NHRC, noted that the commission had a target of achieving 80 per cent human rights awareness in the country by the end of 2015.

He urged NOA to speed up the translation of not only the constitution but the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights to Nigerian languages.

Angwe assured Nigerians that NOA and NHRC would spare no effort in promoting the rights of Nigerians and improving respect for their rights.

Corroborating this viewpoint, observers note that every citizen ought to understand the provisions of the constitution.

They insist that the understanding of the constitution will empower the citizenry to demanding for their rights within the ambit of the constitution.

Expressing different opinion, Mr. Innocent Lagi, a lawyer, said the clamour for translation of the constitution might not achieve the intended goal. ``Most Nigerians do not read and the high level of illiteracy in the country will impede the objective. ``NOA should rather intensify teaching of the contents of the constitution and sensitise the citizenry on their right as embedded in the constitution. ``It needs to teach the people what section of the constitution is relevant to their need and the benefit that will accrue to them in knowing such sections. ``The problem is not about the language but how to read and understand its contents and values,’’ he said.

According to him, the teaching of the constitution in public places such as church, mosques and schools, will enable the citizenry to understand its importance.

Ogunshola writes for News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

Yoruba culture on display as OPU is launched in Senegal, Gambia CONTINUED FROM PAGE 38 The group’s performance was not only spectacular but highly exciting with some kids who dazzled all with their stunning gymnastic display and frenetic dance with a calabash.

Adams, while presenting the OPU staff of office to Mr. Oluwasegun Adekunle Ogunpitan, tasked him to always be a leader who should show and lay good examples.

“Let the pristine Oodua characteristics, the Omoluabi virtues be your testament and testimonial of behaviour. The essence of you being the leader is to by words of wisdom, proverbs and deeds whip your members back to the line of virtue that will encourage Oduduwa to smile at you from the ancestral stead.”

Responding, Ogunpitan assured that “this inauguration has placed a moral and physical burden on my conscience as the custodian of the Yoruba virtues and cultural mores. I will live beyond expectation and ensure that OPU Senegal is the cynosure of other chapters in good deeds and acts.

And before the music and dance, OPU Senegal Coordinator, Ogunpitan, presented an award to Otunba Adams for “His firm commitment, perseverance and doggedness in spreading and reviving the Yoruba culture all over the world.”

And capping it all, Oba Joseph Moronfoye Okunlola presented a trophy to the club which won the OPU Senegal Football competition.

Ogunfowokan , OPC Deputy Na-

tional Secretary, described the inauguration of OPU in Senegal and The Gambia as a milestone which he said would go a long way in improving the perception of Nigeria as a country by citizens of these countries and reshape the level of socialisation between OPU members , other Nigerian communities and the citizens of the host countries.

Also speaking, Otunba Davies described the launching of OPU in the two countries thus: “It was two memorable events sandwiched with cultural tourism effects aimed at breeding a set of highly culturally responsible Yoruba people for the perpetuation and salvation of the pristine Yoruba culture from the abyss of forgetfulness.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Capital Market

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

40

Equities up 0.73% as investors target improved earnings Johnson Okanlawon

T

rading in equities continued on a positive note on the Nigerian Stock Exchange yesterday, as more investors took position on companies with good earnings.

Specifically, the All Share Index improved by 202.85 points to close at 27,833.89 points, compared to 27,631.05 points recorded on Friday.

The Market Capitalisation also added N69 billion to close at N9.569

trillion, compared to the increase of N25 billion recorded on Friday to close at N9.500 trillion.

At the close of trading for the day, 30 stocks recorded losses as against 16 others on the gainers table.

Dangote Cement Plc topped the gainers table with additional value of N10.10 or 6.27 percent to close at N171.15 per share.

It was trailed by Guinness Nigeria Plc with N1.13 or 0.93 percent to close at N123.15 per share, while Portland Paints Plc

added 16 kobo or kobo or 4.22 percent to close at N3.95 per share.

Flourmills Plc gained 20 kobo or 1.05 percent to close at N19.30 per share, while Pressco Nigeria Plc was up by 30 kobo or 0.93 percent to close at N32.50 per share.

Conversely, Nestle Nigeria Plc was the only stock that recorded the highest value erosion.

The foods and beverages firm shares price crashed

by N15.00 representing 1.82 percent to close at N810.00 per share.

It was trailed by Nigerian Breweries Plc with N3.50 or 2.94 percent to close at N119.00 per share, while UACN Plc dipped N1.28 or 5.00 per share to close at N23.33 per share.

Zenith Bank Plc was down by 76 kobo or 4.74 percent to close at N15.29 per share, while International Breweries Plc shed 55 kobo or 3.51 percent to close at N15.11 per share In all, investors traded N127.819 million shares valued at N2.446 billion in 2,434 deals.

Naira depreciates to N250 to dollar in parallel market

N

aira traded at N250 to a dollar in the unofficial market yesterday, just up from Friday’s low of N251, as dollar shortages hit bureaux de change operators.

Nearly half of 2,818 bureaux de change operators were denied access to the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN,’s dollar sale last week because

of incomplete documentation, weakening the naira.

On the official market, the naira traded at 197.00 to the dollar, around a rate it has been pegged to since February, according to the CBN website.

Traders expect dollar allocation to bureaux de change agents to in-

crease on Wednesday as companies update their records with the CBN. That should help the naira.

The President of Bureaux de Change Association, Aminu Gwadabe, said, “We expect more dollar supply this week.”

The CBN has asked all bureaux de change operators to submit accounts showing their

dollar usage at the start of each week before they can gain access to future sales, a move traders said was aimed at curbing speculation.

The unofficial market accounts for less than five per cent of total dollar trades in Nigeria.

The bank sells around $30,000 to each operator every week.

Why Oando’s 2014 account is delayed – Tinubu Johnson Okanlawon

T

he Group Chief Executive, Oando Plc, Mr. Adewale Tinubu yesterday said that the presentation of 2014’s financial accounts of the company to the shareholders was delayed in order to comply with proper accounting standards, International Financial Regulation Standards, IFRS. Tinubu, who spoke at the 38th Annual General Meeting of the company in Lagos, noted that with the continued global economic downturn due to depressed oil prices, many oil companies are facing a persistent challenge in generating substantial short-long term value for shareholders.

He said that the company has taken proactive measures such as divestments and suspension of projects to ensure profit-

ability and returns for shareholders in this new reality of low oil prices.

According to him, the company has growth strategy is to adapt to the extended period of lower oil prices via aggressive debt reduction, financing via partial divestments, and further diversification into the higher margin upstream.

Additionally, he added, he will ensure a reduced overhead at the grouplevel and to optimise performance, and drive focused independent subsidiaries which can raise stand-alone capital to exploit clear market opportunities.

He said, “The sale of 60 per cent of our downstream business is in line with our strategic goals of placing our fundamental growth expectations in the Upstream, and the cash proceeds of the divestment will be

utilized towards debt reduction to shore up our balance sheet in these challenging times.

“Our strategic focus is to increase our operational efficacy across our subsidiaries, deleverage our balance sheet, and return the company to profitability, whilst creating the necessary platform to be the partner of choice to the IOCs as they continue their divestment programmes.”

He explained that Nigeria holds Africa’s largest gas reserves of more than 180 trillion cubic feet, and an estimated $55 billion in investments is required to spur its gas infrastructure development.

The President of Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria, Mr. Sunny Nwosu, urged the company’s management to work harder to clean up the provisions

made in the financial statements and return to profitability.

The President of Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria, Mr. Boniface Okezie, advised the company to sell some of its assets, adding that seeking rights issue, at this time, might not be a good option.

Rate (%) Inflation

8.2

MPR

13

Crude oil price

$58.96

Exchange

Rates (N)

WAUA

270

USD

196.95

EURO

214

CFA

0.32

YEN

1.64

SWISS FRANC

202

POUNDS STERLING

293

SDR

273

Source: NSE

Inter-Bank Rate Naira

US Dollar

$1

N196.95 Market indicators All-Share Index 27,833.89 points Market capitalisation 9.57trn

Stock Updates GAINERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

CHANGE

% CHANGE

LAWUNION

0.55

0.59

0.04

7.27

DANGCEM

161.05

171.15

10.10

6.27

LEARNAFRCA

0.66

0.69

0.03

4.55

WEMABANK

0.90

0.94

0.04

4.44

PORTPAINT

3.79

3.95

0.16

4.22

AIICO

0.92

0.95

0.03

3.26

STERLNBANK

1.87

1.93

0.06

3.21

OANDO

5.90

5.99

0.09

1.53

FLOURMILL

19.10

19.30

0.20

1.05

TRANSEXPR

0.98

0.99

0.01

1.02

CHANGE

% CHANGE

LOSERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

TIGERBRANDS

1.27

1.15

-0.12

-9.45

HONYFLOUR

1.81

1.64

-0.17

-9.39

UACN

25.61

24.33

-1.28

-5.00

SKYEBANK

1.61

1.53

-0.08

-4.97

MAYBAKER

1.04

0.99

-0.05

-4.81

CONTINSURE

1.05

1.00

-0.05

-4.76

ZENITHBANK

16.05

15.29

-0.76

-4.74

FIDSON

2.97

2.83

-0.14

-4.71

ETERNA

1.52

1.45

-0.07

-4.61

NAHCO

3.72

3.56

-0.16

-4.30

FGN Bonds

Bid

Description

Offer

Price

Yield

Price

Yield

15.10 27-APR-2017

1.40

109.23

7.96

110.23

7.25

16.00 29-JUN-2019

3.57

114.46

10.98

115.46

10.67

15.54 13-FEB-2020

4.19

113.05

11.51

114.05

11.23

16.39 27-JAN-2022

6.15

120.86

11.55

121.86

11.34

14.20 14-MAR-2024

8.28

114.28

11.47

115.28

11.30

10.00 23-JUL-2030

14.63 88.52

11.65

89.52

11.49

Closing Market Prices of December 4, 2015

Treasury Bills Maturity Date

Bid

Offer

03-Mar-16

4.02

4.06

02-Jun-16

6.03

6.22

01-Dec-16

6.10

6.49

NIBOR Tenor

Rate (%)

O/N

0.9517

1M

9.5198

3M

11.4512

6M

13.3440 CBN Clearing Rates of December 7, 2015

National Mirror National Mirror Tuesday,4,December 8, 2015 47 Tuesday, February 2014 www.nationalmirroronline.net www.nationalmirroronline.net

41

Community Mirror Our responsibility is to ensure we have best operating laws for the telecommunication industry, within the next three to four weeks we shall come up with a master plan for the telecommunication sector.

–MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS, ADEBAYO SHITTU

Dare Akogun

O

peratives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Lagos State Command have apprehended an Assistant Superintendent of Police attached to the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Charles Achidika, during a gun fight between the corps and suspected oil thieves which he was alleged to be a part of.

It was gathered that NSCDC officers had on December 2 at about 2 am shot Achidika alongside two others, yet to be identified, on the Badagry waterways during a gun duel after the suspects attempted to transport 12,400 litres of petrol, believed to have been stolen from a vandalised pipeline, around Seme border..

Achidika was alleged to have first shot at the NSCDC operatives when the boat carrying the fuel was flagged down.

He was however overpowered and arrested along with five other suspects namely, Bendran Isaac, Kobla Fashawo, Jimoh Olusegun, Akapo Joseph, and Amos Bakom.

An AK-47 rifle with the Nigeria Police Force inscribed on it and a pistol were also recovered from the suspects.

Achidika, who denied being involved in the illegal oil business, said the boat operators were only conveying him to where he wanted to apprehend some robbers when he was shot.

NSCDC nabs policeman over oil theft in Lagos

W

omen Advocates Research and Documentation Centre, WARDC, has labeled most maternity hospitals in Lagos State are gradually turning to death centres urging the government to take drastic stand on the issue.

The group which stormed the Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday demanding for a probe into an incident at the Rauf/Aregbesola Health Centre in Mosan Okunola Local Council Development Area, Alimosho that led to the death of a woman who was in labour.

According to the director of the group Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi noted that Mrs. Omowunmi Shonuga, was rushed to the hospital on the said date by her husband around 5:00 am but all efforts by her husband to get the medical officers to open the gate of the hospital proved abortive.

It was after she gave birth in the car that the much-needed medical

Aliuna Godwin, ABAKALIKI

N

L-R: Facilitator/CEO, Danrich Global Heritage Ltd., Mr. Wole Ande; Manager, Training, Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), Mr. Garba Bako; a participant, Mrs. Adesina Oluwafumike Sidikat and Chief Executive Officer, MALE Training Academy & Centre, Engr. Michael Oludare Ale, during the opening of 5-day ICT Train the Trainer Programme under PTDF Technology Enhancement Teaching & Learning Programme, in Lagos, yesterday.

He said, “I am the Officer-inCharge of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad attached to Badagry.

“We went for an anti-robbery operation. During the operation, officers of the NSCDC shot me.

I didn’t go there to steal fuel,” he said.

One of the suspects, Olusegun said while he, Fashawo and Bakom were conveying Achidika to

a point of operation on the sea, they observed that the NSCDC officials had apprehended Isaac and Joseph with a boat carrying fuel.

Olusegun further stated that the gun duel started when Achidika attempted to free them.

Confirming the arrest, NSCDC State Commandant, Gabriel Abafi, said six of the suspects escaped during the gun fight.

“The suspects were caught around Gberefu community in Badagry after a tip-off. On getting there, we saw a fishing boat filled with pirates and arrested them.

They shot at our men. Among them was a police officer. The police officer and two others were wounded. About 496 of 25litres of fuel, an AK-47 rifle and a pistol were recovered. Investigation is on,” Abafi said.

Lagos hospitals, death centre for pregnant women –WARDC Dare Akogun

NEMA distributes relief materials to fire victims in Ebonyi

attention came, but at this stage, she had lost a lot of blood.

“She was later referred to the Igando General Hospital, but encountered delays as no ambulance was available to transfer her and on arrival at Igando no bed space was available to admit her,” she said.

The group also recalled how Mrs. Obinna Nnanna died at the

Lagos State General Hospital, Gbagada, after giving birth to triplets on 23 September, 2015.

The protesters said further that there were several reports of people being denied access to medical attention in hospitals in the state for failure to bring their spouses for compulsory blood donation.

In response, Speaker Obasa, while sympathising with the fam-

ilies of the women who lost their lives during childbirth in the hospitals in the state, said the House would invite the accused hospital in Alimosho, as well as the Executive Secretary of the Mosan Okunola LCDA over the issue.

He commended the protesters for being peaceful despite their grievances and for taking the matter before the state Assembly.

Community leader warns youths against vices

T

rouble makers in all parts of Lagos State have been warned to turn a new leaf or be ready to face the full wrath of the law.

The warning was given yesterday by a community leader in the state, Alhaji Taoridi Faronbi, who stated that the battle against trouble makers in Lagos State would no longer be a business as usual.

Faronbi, who recently met with the Lagos State police commissioner, Fatai Owoseni as part of the moves to fight gang and cult wars in the state also advised

those with unlicensed arms to submit such with the police.

The community leader, who decried the high rate of cult and gang wars in many parts of the state, also warned sponsors of trouble makers to consider the effect of such wars on the lives of innocent people, who have died in clashes.

Alado as he is fondly called also dissociated himself from any group of people, who foment trouble in any part of the state and warned that the police in the state would no longer condone

any break down of law and order.

Alhaji Faronbi, who was recently installed as the Olori Ebi of Alagbeji Family in Isolo also assured the police of his readiness to cooperate with them to fight gangsters and other trouble makers in the state.

Alhaji Faronbi also said that “I am saying it publicly that I am not supporting any trouble maker and I will not seek for the release of any criminal , who is arrested for disturbing the public peace in Lagos State.

ational Emergency Management Agency NEMA has distributed relief materials to victims of fire disasters, flood among others in Ebonyi State.

The beneficiaries include victims of fire incidences at Awolowo Street and Chief Liga’s Compound Abakaliki that destroyed 64 rooms among other valuable properties worth millions of naria.

The Federal Government Girl’s College Ezzamgbo also was among the recipients following a series of flooding in the school.

The South-East Cordinator of NEMA, Mr James Eze while handing over the materials to the state government for onward distribution tasked the stater government, landlords and tenants to ensure observance of safety standards at all times.

“The State Safety Enforcement Officers should ensure that safety standards are me in buildings and that occupants must have serviceable fire extinguishers” “We urge landlords to insure their property against fire to shield themselves from financial ruin because no government would have the resources to assist in every misfortune suffered by citizens” he added.

He also expressed dismay at the inability of the state fire service to react promptly to the fire outbreaks leading to complete decimations of properties.

However, Items distributed include materasses, bags of rice, beans, maize,mattresses, mosquito nets, blankets, cartons of soap,detergents etc.

On his part, the state chairman of NEMA,Ephraime Ononye who received the items on behalf of the state government promised prompt and judicious distribution of the materials to the victims.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

42 47

World News

The threat from terrorism is real, but we will overcome it. We will destroy all terrorist organizations that try to harm us.

–US PRESIDENT, BARACK OBAMA

Germany commits to migrants’ asylum WITH AGENCY REPORT

G

Venezuelan opposition claims polls Asylum seekers queue to register at a reception centre in Hesse, Germany, yesterday

highest shares of asylum-seekers in Europe, resulted in a positive decision.

The rate in Germany was 42 per cent, while in Sweden, which registered the highest number of applications per capita, it was 77 per cent. Across the EU, the success rate about 45 per cent.

Germany’s Interior Ministry said yesterday that the time taken to process applications had been brought down from an average of around seven months

in 2014 to five months this year, in part by speeding applications from Syria and from what it defines as “safe countries of origin”, such as West Balkan states.

Meanwhile, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has said the number of migrants crossing the Mediterranean to Europe fell by more than a third in November, due to poor weather and a Turkish crackdown on people smugglers.

Sankara: Coupist charged with ex-leader’s death

T

he leader of September’s short-lived coup in Burkina Faso, General Gilbert Diendere, has been charged with complicity in the October 15, 1987 murder of former President Thomas Sankara.

Suspect: Gen. Diendere

‘Bernardino shooter supported ISIS’ Southern California gunman Syed Rizwan Farook was fixated on Israel and supported ISIS’ ideology of establishing an Islamic caliphate, his father, also named Syed Farook, said yesterday.

“He said he shared the ideology of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi to create an Islamic State, and he was fixated on Israel,” the elder Farook said, referring to the ISIS leader.

The father also recalled the first time he saw his son with a gun.

“I became angry. In 45 years in the United States, I yelled: ‘I have never had a weapon.’ He shrugged his shoulders and replied: ‘Your loss,’” the father said.

“I cannot forgive myself. Maybe if I had been at home, I would have found out and stopped him,” the elderly man added.

Afolabi Gambari

ermany said yesterday that it has registered 964, 574 new asylum-seekers since January, putting the European country on course for more than a million in the outgoing year.

The number of migrants arriving has not slowed despite the winter cold, with a record high of 206, 101 in November.

German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, had said in August that the country expected 800, 000 asylum-seekers over the year.

Merkel’s decision to welcome Syrian refugees has won her plaudits in some quarters but sparked a backlash in others, with some senior ministers openly questioning the approach.

Documents leaked in October suggested the government was privately anticipating the arrival of up to 1.5m.

Germany has registered more asylum-seekers than any other nation in Europe, although at about 1 per cent of its population, less per capita than several smaller nations.

Registered asylum seekers are not always accepted however, and rates of success vary from country to country. Fewer than 10 per cent of applicants last year in Hungary, which has one of the

AFRICAN BULLETIN

Diendere is the most senior official to be charged.

Sankara was murdered by a group of soldiers, but the exact circumstances of his death have remained a mystery.

An autopsy found that his

body was riddled with bullets, his family’s lawyer said recently.

Sankara was succeeded by Blaise Compaore who stayed in power for 27 years, before being ousted by street protests in 2014.

Investigations have revealed that Diendere, who later became Compaore’s intelligence chief, was a close friend and political ally of Sankara at the time of his death.

The general has however not commented on the charges, but his lawyers said yesterday that they would prepare a response.

Investigations into the murder made little progress during Compaore’s iron-fisted rule.

Diendere is already in detention, facing charges in connection with September’s sevenday coup.

Mystery graves found near border

P

eople living in north-east Kenya said yesterday that they have discovered at least 20 bodies buried in shallow graves.

The identity of the bodies is not clear, but one of the bodies is suspected to be that of a woman who was reported missing a week ago.

The bodies were found by a herder looking for his animals, who noticed signs of wild jackals in the area near the Somali border.

Inspector General of Police, Joseph Boinnet, confirmed the woman’s death, but denied the existence of mass graves.

Area Senator, Billow Kerrow, however suggested the dead were victims of enforced disappearances.

Kenya has thousands of troops fighting al-Shabab in Somalia, with the militant group saying its actions in the area was fueled by the presence of Kenyan forces.

Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta

Venezuela’s opposition party has claimed the majority of seats in the National Assembly in elections held Sunday, the first major shift in power in the legislative branch since the late President Hugo Chavez took office in 1999.

The Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) took 99 seats to just 46 for the United Social Party of Venezuela (PSUV), President of Consejo Nacional Electoral, Tibisay Lucena, announced yesterday.

“Venezuela, we won,” opposition key figure and Governor of the State of Miranda, Henrique Capriles, also said.

“I always told you all, this was the way! Humility, maturity and serenity.

Long live the people of Venezuela,” he added.

The election results are seen as a major setback to the ruling party.

Beijing issues weather ‘red alert’ Beijing’s city government yesterday issued its first red alert for pollution, ordering schools to close, halting outdoor construction and restricting car use due to hazardous air quality.

Beijing’s Municipal Bureau of Environmental Protection warned that severe pollution would cover the Chinese capital, starting today and lasting till Friday.

The alert means extra measures will be enforced, including closing schools, restricting car use by odd-even licensing, halting outdoor construction and other polluting industrial activity, and banning fireworks and outdoor barbecues.

The red alert, the highest level in the system, is due to be in force until noon Thursday local time. The city is currently under an orange alert, the secondhighest level.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

North

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

43

FG begins retraining of graduates in Nasarawa IGBAWASE UKUMBA LAFIA

F

L-R: Emir of Hadejia, Alhaji Adamu Make; Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai and Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Abayomi Olanishakin, at the 2015 Chief of Army Staff Annual Conference In Dutse, Jigawa State, yesterday.

5,996 die, 32,063 injured in 2014 auto crashes –Abubakar

•Six more die in Katsina EZEKIEL TITUS AND JAMES DANJUMA

B

auchi State Governor, Mohammed Abubakar, yesterday said, 5,996 persons died in various auto crashes across the country last year, while 32,063 sustained various injuries.

The governor disclosed this at Government House, Bauchi, during the 2015 Marshals zonal workshop of the Federal Roads Safety Corps, FRSC, comprising Bauchi, Borno and Yobe states.

According to him, Bauch State recorded 269 deaths, while 1,773 were injured in auto crashes within the same period.

He regretted that road crashes were now a ma-

jor source of untimely deaths, especially during the yuletide season.

This, according to the governor, informed African leaders meeting under the auspices of the World Health Organisation, WHO, to find a lasting solution to the menace.

Government, he pointed out, will continue to partner with the FRSC to prevent road crashes in the country in spite of the economic situation.

He said as part of measures to reduce carnage on our roads, government has awarded contracts for the rehabilitation of roads in the state.

Speaking earlier, Zonal Commanding Officer of Bauchi, Borno and Yobe states, Dr Sini Kwambe, said the zone has put in place formidable machin-

ery to curb road crashes.

He called for partnership with government and stakeholders to reduce the alarming indices of road mishaps.

The zonal commanding officer urged government to support the FRSC in its renewed commitment to minimise road crashes.

Meanwhile, FRSC yesterday confirmed the death of six people in an accident that occurred in Katsina State on Sunday.

The crash, which occurred at about 1:45pm at a bend near Yardudu village in Mashi Council Area of Katsina State, also led to 15 others sustaining injuries.

Speaking on the issue, Assistant Corps Commander in charge of Daura Unit Command, Mr. Felix Theman, said the crash involved a J5

bus with licence number ABJ73XA, and an IVECO trailer with KTN 495YD licence plate.

Theman said the trailer was carring cows, with several passengers perched on top and heading for the market.

He said the trailer negotiated the sharp bend with speed, and hit the J5 bus.

He added that the impact led the trailer to crash on its side, crushing and throwing both humans and cows in the process.

Theman said six people died on the spot, alongside three cows, while 15 others sustained varying degrees of injuries.

He said the two passengers in the J5 bus were unharmed, and that the injured were taken to the Mashi General Hospital for treatment.

Money laundering: Ex-Gov Lamido’s son, Aminu, loses appeal

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ourt of Appeal sitting in Kaduna yesterday dismissed the appeal filed by Aminu Sule Lamido, the 34-year-old son of former Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, against decision of the Federal High Court, Kano, which found him guilty of money laundering charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. Aminu was arrested on of December 11, 2012, by operatives of the EFCC at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport on his way to Egypt for failure to

declare the sum of $40,000 after initially declaring the statutory $10,000 to the Nigeria Customs Service.

Aminu, a 2010 graduate of Mass Communication from Bayero University, Kano, was subsequently arraigned on February 4, 2013, on one count charge of false declaration of foreign currency.

The charge reads: “That you, Aminu Sule Lamido, on or about the 11th day of December, 2012, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court,

while transporting in cash, the sum of $50,000 from Nigeria to Cairo, Egypt, falsely declared to the Nigeria Customs Service the sum of $10,000 instead of the said sum of $50,000 as required under Section 12 of the Foreign Exchange (Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act Cap F34 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and Section 2(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 2(5) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011.”

Aminu was tried and consequently convicted on July 12, 2015, by a Federal High Court sitting in Kano and ordered to forfeit 25 per cent of the undeclared sum.

Dissatisfied with the judgment of the trial court, Aminu filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal, Kaduna Division, praying the appellate court to set aside the judgment of the lower court.

The appellate court in its judgment delivered by Justice H.A.O. Abiru upheld the decision of the lower court and resolved all issues raised against the appellant.

ederal Government yesterday commenced a 12 months training of over 100 unemployed graduates under its Graduate Internship Scheme, GIS, in Nasarawa State.

The facilitator for GIS/ Federal Ministry of Finance, Mr. Ogunsanmi Richard, while addressing the trainees at the Investment Conference Hotel in Lafia, the state capital, said the aim of the programme was to train universities and polytechnics graduates on skills acquisition.

He stressed that the Federal Government was committed to empowering the youths in areas of skills acquisition for job creation in the country, adding that the Federal Government viewed that the current unemployment rate in the country was unacceptable, as it recognised that the key to solving unemployment was a concerted effort by all stakeholders.

According to him, “the trainees would be

placed in reputable private and public organisations for a period of 12 months where they will be trained on various skills and would be paid a monthly stipend of N30,000.

But basically, the internship programme was to prepare the graduates for the job market in the quest for job search, or if they would want to establish a business outfit on their own after this orientation and employability skills training.”

He also revealed that other states within the North Central zone have benefitted from the Federal Government programme tremendously as most trainees have been mobilised to start on their own after the exercise.

Ogunsanmi therefore, admonished the trainees to take the exercise very serious in order to get the best out of it by following the instruction and basic rules of the exercise, pointing out that “nobody would give you what you want unless what you wanted for yourself.”

Simply address me as ‘Mr Gov’ –Bello PRISCILLA DENNIS MINNA

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iger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, said with effect from January 2016, he would no longer wish to be addressed as “Executive Governor,” but simply Mr. Governor.

Against this backdrop, he has ordered that all “insignia, seal, emblem, letter heads and complementary cards” bearing the designation of ‘Executive Governor’ be dropped.

The governor made public his new title during the swearing in ceremony of five new judges of Niger State High Court at Government House, Minna, yesterday.

The directive was welcomed with wide ovation from dignitaries at ceremony.

Bello, who was

through with his prepared text, paused to inform the audience of his decision, said: “At this point, I find it necessary to inform everyone that henceforth, starting from 1st of January, 2016, the governor shall be addressed simply as “Governor of Niger State and not as Executive Governor.

“All emblem, seal, letter head and complimentary cards shall bear the Governor of Niger State and not Executive Governor”.

Gov. Bello

44

Teusday, December 8, 2015 CONFIRMATION OF NAME

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PUBLIC NOTICE THE HOPE IN CHRIST PENTECOSTAL REVIVAL MISSION The general public is hereby notified that the above named Ministry has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission abuja for Registration under Part ‘C’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, of 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: Rev Daniel Clement Kaabi Mrs Daniel Motunrayo Aminat Mrs Afeye Stella Yemisi Miss Daniel Ifeoluwa Ifeoma

- General Overseer - Secretary - Treasurer - Member

AIM AND OBJECTIVES To Preach the gospel word of God. To ensure that they abide in christ.

To bring hope to the hopeless.

Any objection to this registration Should be forwarded to Registrar-General Corporate Affairs Commission Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi-Ironsi Street Maitama District Abuja within 28days of this publication.

SIGNED:

TRUSTEES

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National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Klopp: Better to lose a bad game 46

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

45

Sport

I have no doubt that this team would have blended perfectly when we resume AFCON qualifiers in March next year –Super Eagles Coach, Sunday Oliseh

Nigeria U-23 Goalkeeper Emmanuel Daniel in action against Algeria on Saturday, during the 2015 U-23 AFCON last group match. The two teams played out 0-0

Rio Olympics qualifier

As Dream Team tackles hosts Senegal Paul Erewuba

WITH AGENCY REPORTS

N

igeria U23 Coach, Samson Siasia yesterday, recalled his 1992 Africa Cup of Nations exploits with the Super Eagles against Senegal.

The Striker, then 25 -year-old, scored the first of two goals that sunk Senegal 2-1 in the opening game of the competition.

And as the Dream Team VI face Senegal in the semi final of the 2015 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations, Siasia says he’ is ready to inspire the Olympic Games ticket-seeking team to a repeat of that feat.

Once called the Stade de l’Amitié, tomorrow’s game will be hosted by 60,00 capacity Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor. ” At the Africa Cup of Nations in 1992, I scored here (Leopold Sedar Senghor Stadium), and this is why most Senegalese remember me. I will be around my players to repeat it tomorrow.

In the same vein, one of

...Siasia evokes Senegal ’92 memory

Dream Team VI dependable star, Ogenekharo Etebor, believes they have what it takes to cruise to the final of the U-23 Africa Cup of Nations by beating hosts, Senegal in tomorrow’s semi final game.

The Warri Wolves playmaker, has however warned his teammates that the clash will not be an easy one, insisting that if the Samson Siasia – coached team would fly past the Senegalese team to the final of the championship, the team must raise their game.

Nigeria were held to a barren draw by Algeria in the last group match on Saturday, but had Mali to thank for beating Egypt 1-0.

This gave Samson Siasia a clean bill of health to be in a pole position with Algeria who were leading Group B. Nigeria eventually qualified for the semi final stage with a tied five points with Algeria.

Etebor said that what hap-

pened during the group matches would be a lesson for the team, adding that all eyes will be on the team to secure the final ticket and qualify the country to the Rio 2016 Olympics.

“The match against Senegal won’t be easy. We look forward to qualifying for the Olympics at all cosst, because this was our

target when we were coming for this tournament.

“We know what Nigerians want, which is the Olympic ticket and we must get it here. Having reached this stage of the championship, there is nothing stopping us from picking an Olympic ticket and qualify for the final of the Nations Cup,” he said.

Nigeria will battle Senegal tomorrow at Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor, Dakar, while Algeria will battle South Africa in the second semi final game.

The first three teams will win the tickets to represent Africa at the 2016 Olympics, while the fourth team will have to settle for the Olympic playoffs.

South Africa ready for Algeria –Coach

S

outh Africa national Under-23 assistant coach Thabo Senong says the technical team has completed their analysis of U-23 AFCON semi-final opponents Algeria.

South Africa will face the North Africans tomorrow in a match where the winners will qualify for the 2016 Olympics in Brazil as well as the final of the CAF event.

South Africa kicked off the tournament with a 3-1 defeat at the hands of host nation Senegal

before bouncing back with 3-2 and 1-0 wins over Zambia and Tunisia respectively.

Owen da Gama’s assistant says the side knows what to expect going into the game at Léopold Senghor Stadium in Dakar.

“We have done all the technical analysis of Algeria and we are now preparing for the match itself,” Senong said.

“But it will not be an easy match. In all our matches we have yet to score a goal [in open play] in the first half and that is a little bit

of a concern. The most important thing about playing knock out matches is to score early and protect your lead.

“Algeria is a counter attacking team with very quick wingers and they defend with eight men behind the ball. We need to keep things tight at the back and make sure that we keep ball possession.”

“We are playing against a North African team that has similar characteristics like Tunisia.

But their weakness is that their defence is a little bit slow.

46

Sports

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Sacking Mourinho would be foolish –Ferguson C

helsea owner Roman Abramovich would be “foolish” to sack manager Jose Mourinho, says former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.

The reigning champions are 14th in the Premier League having lost eight of their 15 matches this season.

It has been reported that Mourinho could be sacked if the Blues fail to win their next two games.

“There is no point in sacking one of the best coaches of all time,” said Ferguson.

“He has sacked so many coaches in the last 10 years. I am sure he has learned by it.

“He has to trust and have confidence that Jose can turn it round. In every country he has managed, he has won the big trophies.

“It would be foolish to sack him.

It would be bad management.”

Mourinho returned to Chelsea in

the summer of 2013 and won the league a n d Capital One Cup in his second season, a d d ing to the two league titles, FA Cup and two Lea gue Cups he won during his first spell at the club from 2004 to 2007.

“Now is the first time he has been confronted with non-success during his whole career,” said Ferguson, speaking at the TechCrunch Disrupt London event.

Klopp

Galatasaray vs FC Astana Man City vs B. M’bach PSG vs Shakhtar PSV vs CSKA Moscow Real Madrid vs Malmo FF L-R: Mourinho, Ferguson

“For the first time in his life he has had to deal with bad publicity and adversity and that is a challenge.

On Saturday, Chelsea travel to league leaders Leicester, who are two points clear at the top of the table under manager Claudio Ranieri and 17 ahead of the Blues.

that Newcastle is in and the situation we are in, I have to say they deserved the win, maybe we could have deserved a point,” Klopp said.

“I couldn’t see that we should have won three points because we were not good enough, we didn’t do what we could do.”

The German added: “I have to see it again, I have to analyse this game so I know more about it. It’s hard work -- that’s clear, but it shouldn’t be this hard because we could do better and play much more football.

“We played no counter-pressing.

Pressing was not good... we were not compact enough - a lot of things we didn’t do well.

“Better you lose a bad game than a good game.”

Cricket: Sri Lanka player fails doping test

S

ri Lanka wicketkeeper/batsman Kusal Perera has tested positive for a banned substance and has been sent home from their tour of New Zealand.

A statement from Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said Perera failed a random test during the recent tour of Pakistan.

The 25-year-old, who will be replaced by Kaushal Silva in New Zealand, played in five one-day internationals and two Twenty20

matches during the tour.

SLC says it will test his B sample in line with antidoping regulations.

The governing body added it would “make every endeavour” to enable Perera to resume his career “at the earliest opportunity in compliance with the ICC regulations”.

Silva, 29, joins the squad for two Tests, five one-day internationals and two T20 matches in New Zealand from Kusal December 10 to January 10.

UEFA Champions League…

Today’s fixtures Benfica vs Atl. Madrid

Klopp: Better to lose a bad game B etter you lose a bad game than a good game,” said Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp after his side’s 2-0 loss at struggling Newcastle.

The Reds were in fine form before the defeat, registering seven wins in their previous eight matches.

However, the Merseysiders, who thrashed Southampton 6-1 in the FA Cup last week, were humbled by an own goal from Martin Skrtel and strike from Georginio Wijnaldum on Sunday.

“If you see the situation

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sevilla vs Juventus Wolfsburg vs Man Utd

Beckham backs Qatar 2022 World Cup

Beckham

D

avid Beckham believes the 2022 World Cup should be held in Qatar despite uncertainty over its hosting rights.

Swiss and US authorities are looking at claims of corruption in the bidding for both the 2018 (Russia) and 2022 events.

In the Radio Times’ Christmas issue, Beckham said: “Whether it’s corrupt or not, those countries have been chosen. People need to get behind that.

“It’s about bringing football to new countries. They should stick with it. They’ll make it work.”

In June a leading Fifa official said Russia and Qatar could lose the 2018 and 2022 World Cups if evidence emerges of bribery.

Russia and Qatar have denied wrongdoing in their bidding processes and the official, Domenico Scala, said he had not seen evidence of corruption.

Fifa is currently in disarray and has announced plans to reform, but asked whether the governing body was turning a corner, the 40-year-old former England captain said: “No - they are just hitting the bend.

“It’s such a mess that it’s going to take a while to sort out.

“For me to see the game, the way it’s been treated and looked after, is devastating. It’s disgusting.”

Last week Fifa plunged further into crisis when US authorities investigating corruption at the sport’s governing body charged 16 officials.

In May there were seven Fifa arrests, while Fifa president Sepp Blatter and Uefa counterpart Michel Platini - a Fifa vice-president - have been suspended for 90 days after the Swiss attorney general opened criminal proceedings against Blatter.

Former Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder Beckham also revealed that he “loves rugby”.

“I love watching it and I love the whole thing. I have enjoyed going to Twickenham more than I have enjoyed watching football,” he said.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sports

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

47

Mercyjacob_26@yahoo.com Tel: 08063056537

Semenya marries girlfriend in traditional ceremony

C

ape Town - Star South African 800m athlete Caster Semenya held her traditional wedding ceremony over the weekend.

According to the SA Fame Awards Facebook page, which forms part of Limpopo Media, Semenya and her long-time girlfriend, Violet Raseboya, had their traditional wedding ceremony in Ga-Dikgale in the Capricorn District of Limpopo.

According to reports, Semenya and Raseboya got engaged in May last year.

However, Semenya was

quick to dispel those reports, saying, “There is no wedding. Don’t believe the rumours you read in the news,” Semenya said according to the Sowetan website.

However, according to the Daily Sun website, Semenya, 24, sent her parents to Raseboya’s family in Polokwane to negotiate lobola.

An insider revealed at the time that both families were happy to negotiate lobola, with Semenya’s family paying R25 000.

Semenya first shot to stardom in 2009 when she won gold in the women’s 800m at the IAAF’s World Championships in Berlin, before being controversially subjected to gender testing.

She was cleared and won the silver medal at the 2011 World Championship in Daegu.

Semenya’s greatest achievement to date was a silver medal in the 800m at the 2012 London Olympics.

Social media posted numerous pictures of the happy couple on Monday.

Athletics writer Harris dies

T

he IAAF is saddened to hear that New Zealand sports journalist Norman Harris died suddenly and unexpectedly on Friday (20) at the age of 75.

Harris worked as a reporter for the New Zealand Herald, the Sunday Times, the Times and the Observer.

He also wrote more than 20 books, including The Lonely Breed, Lap of Honour, Beyond Cooks’ Gardens and The Legend of Lovelock, a biography of 1936 Olympic 1500m champion Jack Lovelock.

Born in Te Kowhai, New Zealand, Harris had strong interests in both athletics and cricket. Influenced by legendary coach Arthur Lydiard, Harris was a keen runner and finished third in the 1960 Owairaka handicap mara-

thon. He also competed at the 1961 New Zealand Marathon Championships.

He covered the 1962 Perth and the 1966 Jamaica British Empire and Commonwealth Games and the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games for the New Zealand Herald.

As well as producing a Silver Fern publication after each of the Games he attended, he also published a New Zealand Athletics Almanac in 1963.

During his stint at the Sunday Times in the 1970s, he was asked to write about the benefits of jogging. He then worked alongside the paper’s editor, Harry Evans, to establish and organise the Sunday Times National Fun Run in Hyde Park.

Tens of thousands of peo-

Obikwelu

ple took part in the 4km event, which soon after led Chris Brasher to tap into the city’s new-found enthusiasm for running by creating the London Marathon.

Star Quote…

There’s always a point where you get knocked down. But I draw on what I’ve learned on the track: If you work hard, things will work out

Lolo Jones

Semenya

World bits…

IAAF World Indoor Tour launched

T

he 2016 IAAF World Indoor Tour was officially announced on Monday 7 December and will consist of four competitions which have regularly staged IAAF Indoor Permit meetings in previous years.

The four meetings will all be staged in February 2016 and are: - Karlsruhe indoor meeting

(Karlsruhe, GER), Saturday 6 February - New Balance Indoor Grand Prix (Boston, USA), Sunday 14 February - Globen Galan (Stockholm, SWE), Wednesday 17 February - Glasgow Indoor Grand Prix (Glasgow, GBR), Saturday 20 February.

Marshall, Hoey cruise to open titles

L

arry Marshall and RoseAnna Hoey comfortably claimed the men’s and women’s open titles during Saturday’s National Cross Country Championships at the Botanical Gardens.

Both Marshall and Hoey missed the final race of the cross-country series with Hoey having already wrapped up that title, and on the

weekend both returned to winning ways after holding off challenges from the husband-and-wife pair of Jose Miranda and Tamika Miranda.

Marshall finished almost two minutes ahead of the only other competitor in the men’s category, completing the 4.63 mile course in 28min 35.3sec, while Miranda was second in 30:26.3.

Thomas Barr cleans up at National Athletics Awards

W

orld University Games champion Thomas Barr was named Athlete of the Year at the National Athletics Awards that took place on Wednesday in the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Santry.

The Ferrybank, Waterford athlete just edged Robert Heffernan and Letterkenny’s Mark English for the award with his consistency through-

out the season. Heffernan won the Endurance Athlete of the Year award with his return to form, finishing fifth in the 50km race walk at the World Athletics Championships.

English also had an excellent year, with a silver medal over 800m at the European Indoor Athletics Championships and reached the semi-finals of the World Athletics Championships in Beijing.

WORLD RECORD

Highest fall survived without Fastest marathon dribbling twoparachute basketballs

N150

Vol. 05 No. 1259 Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Vesna Vulovic (Yugoslavia) was 23 working as a Jugoslavenski Aerotransport hostess when she survived a fall from 10,160 m (33,333 ft) over Srbsk, Kamenice, Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic), on 26 January 1972

Revisiting the Stephen Davis report T his drama series called Nigeria is never in want of acts and scenes with its peculiar dramatis personae as professional politicians. When one is left to think that one event is at anticlimax, another event within same plot is in ‘raising action’. The question on the minds of the audience is: When will this film come to an end?

Sometimes last year, while Nigerians were still doing their best to cope with how to live in the face of the dreaded Boko Haram, then suddenly came the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) brought into the country by a Liberian diplomat, Patrick Sawyer. Just as we were getting relief of the world’s deadliest virus, came a damning report

Guest Columnist

Olalekan Waheed Adigun

from Dr. Stephen Davis, an Australian hostage negotiator ‘contracted’ for the release of over 200 abducted Chibok girls).

The most intriguing aspect of his report was the inclusion of the ex-Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Azubuike Ihejirika in addition to ex-Governor Ali Modu Sheriff of Borno State and an unnamed senior official of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

We also need to add that Dr. Davis report came at a period when the country’s two leading political parties –APC and PDP - were in verbal warfare over who was the sponsor of Boko Haram; and also at a period when the Jonathan government was always telling us it “knew” the sponsors of the sect.

Expectedly, the Department of State Security (DSS), through its then spokesperson Ms Marilyn Ogar, acting for the FG, categorically denied Lt General Ihiejirika’s involvement or the military high command’s complicity in several Boko Haram massacres, but disclosed ex-Borno Governor Sheriff was under investigation. The FG went ahead to dismiss Mr. Davis a self-appointed negotiator.

The denial by the FG that Mr. Davies was acting on its behalf was just normal.

No government is known to directly negotiate with terrorists. They do so using a third party negotiator like Mr. Davies.

This is not the first time the renowned hostage negotiator was coming to Nigeria on this kind of mission. Secondly, the FG’s querying Mr. Davies for going the media with his information was curious. Wasn’t

LET US LOOK AT THE CONTENT OF MR. DAVIES REVELATIONS AND NOT THE PROCEDURE OF UNVEILING IT he supposed to be an independent, self-appointed negotiator? Why should he report to a government that didn’t appoint him in the first instance?

Let us look at the content of Mr. Davies revelations and not the procedure of unveiling it. Let us assume his report fingered any or all the following people: General Muhammadu Buhari(retd), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola or Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. The then loquacious DSS spokesperson, Ms Marilyn Ogar, would have been in high vindictive mood. She would have been on the pages of newspapers for days speaking on the top of her voice, saying her Department was aware all the while.

She would have used the “revelations” to strengthen her earlier argument that APC was behind all the bomb blasts in the country. At that point there would be no question of Mr. Davies’ “authority to negotiate with Boko Haram.”

Before we forget, at what point did Senator Ali Ndume Senator (Bornu South) stop being the sponsor of Boko Haram? What has become of his case at the courts since he joined the PDP? Were the Boko Haram members who the former President said

were in his government the ones responsible for the sacking of General Andrew Azazi as the National Security Adviser?

What was Senator Ali Modu Sheriff doing on the former President’s delegation to Chad after he was severally linked to the sect and at a time when it was declared that he was under investigations by DSS? Looking at the Davis report particularly his mention of the name of the ex-Chief of Army Staff, which is a remote possibility, but not impossibility, convinces me that there is a direction we are not looking at in our resolve to fight and flush out the seeming ubiquitous sect.

Let us not forget Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd), the then NSA, requested the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to shift the February 14 elections by six weeks to enable the Army confront the terrorists. A dramatic event happened in Gombe State during this period. Boko Haram allegedly attacked some parts of the state before an air raid of fliers (written in Hausa) warning the residents to stay away from the elections hence they would be attacked became visible. The question is: Who was distributing these fliers? At what point did Boko Haram begin to concern itself with elections? Something tells me that the compromised Nigerian Army was at work to scare people away from voting.

The recent trial of the ex-NSA convinces me now who was behind the distribution of the fliers!

This writer is of the considered view that former President Jonathan, at that time, should have taken a harder look at his own administration, his advisors, security agencies and other para-military institutions to smoke out possible sponsors of Boko Haram. As the Yoruba wisdom says: The thief outside cannot devour you unless with the permission of the one inside.

Adigun, a political risk analyst and strategist, wrote via olalekan@olalekanadigun.com

Sport Extra

H

ead Coach of the senior national team, the Super Eagles Sunday Oliseh has invited 26 players, including forward Gbolahan Salami and defender Chima Akas, for the first phase of preparatory camp ahead of next month’s 4th African Nations Champion-

Oliseh invites Salami, 24 others for CHAN camp ship (CHAN) in Rwanda.

The Super Eagles B are drawn in Group C of the competition alongside Niger Republic, Tunisia and Guinea, with matches to be played at the Stade Regional Nyamirambo in

Kigali.

The invited players have been directed to report at the Bolton White Apartments, Wuse Zone 7, Abuja on Monday, 14th December.

Names of the invited players

include Goalkeepers: Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Sunshine Stars); Olufemi Thomas (Enyimba FC); David Obiazor (Heartland FC); Okemute Odah (Warri Wolves) Defenders: Kalu Orji (Enugu

Rangers); Austin Oboroakpo (Warri Wolves); Jamiu Alimi (Shooting Stars); Mathew Etim (Enugu Rangers); Stephen Eze (Sunshine Stars); Chima Akas (Sharks FC); Chris Madaki (Giwa FC)

Oliseh

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