February 29, 2016

FG removes 23,846 ghost workers from payroll

House Appropriation Committee closes collation of reports on 2016 budget

…saves N2.293bn monthly Chidi Ugwu Abuja

Kachikwu

Vol. 6 N0. 1317

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ollowing the ongoing BVN-based staff audit and enrolment

to the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, IPPIS, the Federal Government has detected and removed 23,846 non-existent work-

ers from its payroll.

A statement by Special Assistant, Media to the Minister of Finance, Festus Akanbi, yesterday Continued on Page 2>>

P. 5

National Mirror Online @NationalMirror Monday, February 29, 2016

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NNPC responsible for current fuel scarcity –PTD President …queues emerge in Lagos, environs

Udeme Akpan, Rotimi Fadeyi and Kemi Olaitan

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ational President, Petroleum Tanker Drivers, PTD, branch of National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, Salimon Akanni Oladiti, has accused Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, of being behind the current fuel scarcity in some parts of the country.

Oladiti, who said this yesterday while speaking with journalists in Ibadan, Oyo State, said fuel marketers are not Continued on Page 2>>

Fuel queue at a filling station on Obafemi Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, yesterday.

PHOTO: ADEMOLA AKINLABI

Electrocution: CPC orders AEDC to pay family of deceased N10mP.5

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Monday, February 29, 2016

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NNPC responsible for current fuel scarcity –PTD President CONTINUED FROM Page 1

hoarding the product.

According to him, the quantity of fuel NNPC is importing into the country is not sufficient.

He said: “We are not conniving with anybody to make Nigerians suffer for fuel. For some time now, we have not been able to load at NNPC depot in Apata, Ibadan and there is no hope of loading in some other NNPC depots in the South West.

“Government is responsible for this problem, because if they bring enough fuel into the country, we as distributors we are ready to sell. It is so sad that we are one of the largest producers of oil but we are still suffering.”

The PTD boss stated further that presently, 75 per cent of the fuel been consumed in the country now is imported by NNPC, while the remaining 25 per cent is by major marketers.

“You cannot say because you want to manage your resources you will continue to suffer, what the government is trying to tackle still exist, corruption is still in the oil industry. There is corruption, bribery at all the oil depots before you can load your truck,” he added.

Oladiti said government needs to find lasting solution to incessant fuel scarcity in the country without further delay, stressing that the common man is suffering.

He also urged government to embark on aggressive rehabilitation of roads and railway networks, insisting that many accidents are caused by bad roads, especially for tankers.

Speaking on the challenges facing his members, he said: “If not because we believe in this government, we just want to wait and see what they can do. Tanker drivers across the country are suffering. Look at Ilorin-Oloru-Jebba road, a distance of less than 60 kilometres, it takes a tanker between five to seven days, to get to their destination, it is a big pity.”

Already, fuel queues have emerged in Lagos and its environs as a result of the inadequate

supply.

The queues started manifesting on Friday, last week. Investigations showed that many marketers did not have the product over the weekend, a development they attributed to inadequate supply.

Although NNPC has the capacity to import the 78 per cent of fuel allocated to it by Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA in the first quarter of 2016, it does not have the logistics and storage backups to ensure the product gets to users.

Investigations showed that most of the depots, especially in the South West were in very bad states, which affect storage and distribution.

It was also gathered that the depots were also crippled by frequent vandalism of pipelines and other facilities.

Our correspondent learnt that oil marketers who were allocated only 22 per cent in the first quarter fuel allocation have very limited impact on the market.

Managing director of one of the companies, who preferred not to be named said: “We have the facilities to store and distribute commercial stocks of imported fuel but we cannot import beyond our allocation.

“We have completed our importation for the first quarter of 2016. If we have more allocation, we can import. But we are not importing at the moment.”

He maintained that it is mainly the NNPC that is involved in fuel importation for now.

But NNPC said it has taken delivery of four more cargoes of fuel over the weekend to keep the country wet.

The deliveries, which amount to about 180 million litres is part of a new arrangement by the corporation to have a cargo of PMS delivered daily as from March.

The corporation, which made the announcement in a statement made available in Abuja yesterday, assured of sufficient supply of fuel across the country.

The statement also quoted Minister of State

L-R: Administrator, National Judicial Institute (NJI),Justice Rosaline Bozimo; Principal Partner, Dikko and Mahmud, Mr Abubakar Balarabe Mahmud; Director-General, Securities and Exchange Commission, Mr Mounir Gwarzo and former Chairman, Investments and Securities Tribunal, Justice Nnena Orji, at the closing ceremony of SEC 2016 annual workshop in Abuja, at the weekend.

PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, as warning depot owners against selling petrol above the approved ex-depot price of N77 per litre.

The warning comes against the background of repeated complaints by marketers of sharp prac-

tices at the depots.

The statement quoted the minister as warning that depot owners found to be involved in selling products above the approved ex-depot prices would be severely sanctioned.

PPPRA had indicated

in a statement that in pursuance of its mandate of regulating the supply and distribution of petroleum products, it has released the Q1 2016 import allocation for the supply of about 3 million metric tonnes of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS.

It had maintained that in allocating the Q1 2016 import quota to the NNPC and other marketers, it took into consideration, retail outlets ownership, marketers’ performance of previous quarterly allocation, as well as the chalContinued on Page 5>>

FG removes 23,846 ghost workers from payroll CONTINUED FROM Page 1

confirmed that following

the audit exercise, the salary bill for this month had reduced by N2.293bn when compared to the wages paid in December 2015 when the BVN audit process commenced.

The ministry stated that the figure represented a percentage of the number of non-existent workers who had hitherto been receiving salary from various ministries, departments and agencies.

It stated that the findings showed that some civil servants’ salaries were not consistent with the names linked to the accounts into which their salaries were paid.

The statement added that some individuals in this category were either receiving salary payments from multiple sources, parastatals or they were non-existent workers.

It was further explained that the investigation of other sus-

pected cases continues in conjunction with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. The ministry also hinted that Federal Government, in collaboration with the concerned banks and the National Pension Commission (Pencom) was also taking actions to pursue recovery of salary balances in bank accounts as well as any pension contributions in respect of the deleted workers.

“The Federal Government is also taking actions to pursue recovery of salary balances in bank accounts as well as any pension contributions in respect of the deleted workers.

“This involves active collaboration with the concerned banks and the National Pension Commission (Pencom),” the statement said.

It reported also that the Military Pension Board had revised the amount payable for its

due pension contributions on a monthly basis

by N575m, following its annual verification exercise for military retirees.

With the development, it stated that this reduced the number of pensioners by 19, 203 as a result of deaths since the last verification exercise in 2012 even as it restated Federal Government’s determination to continue the verification programme on a regular periodic basis in its efforts to reduce personnel cost.

The ministry clarified: “Due to the fact that personnel costs represent over 40 per cent of total government expenditure, the Federal Government would continue to strengthen its payroll controls.

“It plans to undertake periodic checks and to utilise Computer Assisted Audit Techniques under its new Continuous Audit Programme.

“This will ensure that all payments are accu-

rate and valid. Requirements for new entrants joining the federal civil service have also been enhanced to prevent the introduction of fictitious employees in future.

“The ongoing exercise, which is part of the cost-saving and anticorruption agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, is key to funding the deficit in the 2016 budget, as savings made will ultimately reduce the amount to be borrowed.”

On recent call by the leadership of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, that the panel members investigating cases of indicted civil servants be drawn from both government and labour, the ministry explained that the request could not be acceded to, as the investigations were of a criminal nature and would therefore be handled by appropriate investigative agencies.

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Monday, February 29, 2016

Good Health

Yellers beware!

That anger will give you heart attack Franka Osakwe

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f you are one of those that yell and smash things around at every little provocation or get repeatedly furious at your staff during a rushed, stressful day, then it’s time to keep that temper in check.

A new study found people who experience severe anger outbursts more at risk for stroke, heart attack and other cardiovascular disease, after two hours of the outburst, compared to those who remained calm.

The research published recently in the European Heart Journal, analyzed nine studies of anger outbursts where patients who had had heart attacks, stroke and related problems were reported for over two decades. The studies found that in the two hours after an outburst of anger, the relative risk of heart attack and acute coronary syndrome (ACS)- when the heart muscle doesn’t get enough oxygen rich blood, increased by nearly five times, while the risk of ischemic stroke and cardiac arrhythmia increased by more than three times.

According to the study, a person with pre-existing heart disease or cardiovascular disease has greater risk of incurring an attack, than a person without cardiovascular disease or risk factors.

“If we look at somebody at higher risk for having cardiovascular events, and they get angry multiple times a day, this can lead to 650 extra heart attacks per year out of 10, 000 a year,” says Dr. Murray A. Mittleman, senior study author and an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School “When we look at a person who is relatively low risk, but if they do have these episodes of anger fairly frequently, we estimate there would be about 150 extra heart attacks out of 10,000 a year”, he says.

Another compendium of 44 studies published recently in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, also showed that anger and hostility are significantly associated with more heart problems in healthy people, as well as a worse outcome for patients already diagnosed with heart disease.

The study showed that chronically angry or hostile adults with no history of heart trouble were 19 percent more likely than their more calm peers to develop heart disease, while patients with heart disease, who exhibited angry or hostile temperaments, were 24 percent more likely to have a poor prognosis. The researchers also found that anger and hostility seemed to do more harm to men’s hearts than women’s.

So how exactly does anger contribute to heart disease? In Nigeria, it’s fairly common to see a parent shouting out instructions and yelling at the kids at every time,

the boss at the office will get all fired up when things are not moving well. According to experts, this becomes unhealthy when it is done frequently and at high level.

“We are talking about people who seem to experience high levels of anger very frequently,” says Laura Kubzansky, PhD, MPH, an associate professor at the Harvard School of Public Health in Cambridge, Mass., who has studied the role of stress and emotions on cardiovascular disease.

The key here is “high” levels. Moderate anger may not be the problem, according to Kubzansky. In fact, expressing anger in reasonable ways can be healthy. “Being able to tell people that you’re angry can be extremely functional,” she says. But explosive people who hurl objects or scream at others may be at greater risk for heart disease, as well as those who harbor suppressed rage, she says. “Either end of the continuum is problematic.”

According to Jerry Kiffer, MA, a heartbrain researcher at the Cleveland Clinic’s Psychological Testing Center, emotions such as anger and hostility quickly activate the “fight or flight response,” in which stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol speed up your heart rate and breathing and give you a burst of energy.

“While this stress response mobilizes you for emergencies, it might cause harm if activated repeatedly. You get high cortisol and high adrenaline levels and that is the cardio toxic effect of anger expression.

“It causes wear and tear on the heart and cardiovascular system. In fact, frequent anger may speed up the process of atherosclerosis, in which fatty plaques build up in arteries. The heart pumps harder, blood vessels constrict, blood pressure surges, and there are higher levels of glucose in the blood and more fat globules in the blood vessels. All this, scientists believe, can cause damage to artery walls.

And anger might not be the only culprit.

In Kubzansky’s own research, she found that high levels of anxiety and depression may contribute to heart disease risk, too.

“They tend to co-occur,” she says. “People who are angry a lot tend to have other chronic negative emotions as well.”

A cardiologist and associate professor at Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) Dr. Amam Mbakwem has explained that emotional stress such as intense anger or pain is capable of altering the way the heart functions and subsequently increases the risk of heart disease.

“When a heart is under emotional stress, it can set up a state of cardiac hyperactivity which can potentially lead to sudden death or cardiac arrest in a predisposed individual”, she warns.

She therefore suggests that in other to reduce the risk of heart issues people should learn to cope with issues, exercise daily, eat healthy and stay away from smoking.

Did you Know?

Healthy lifestyle can reduce cancer cases

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imple lifestyle changes can reduce the number of cancer cases, according to research.

The findings revealed that 38 per cent of breast cancer cases – 20,300 a year – could be avoided if women led healthier lives.

And experts said small adjustments could prevent 19,800 cases of bowel cancer, 2,200 of kidney cancer and 1,400 of pancreatic cancer.

In men, nine per cent of advanced prostate cancers could be prevented if victims were not overweight.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, accounting for almost one in three new cases.

In men, prostate cancer is the most common at 26 per cent.

According to The Research Fund’s person, Dr. Rachel Thompson, minor adjustments such as 10 to 15 minutes of extra physical activity a day, cutting down on alcohol or limiting high-calorie food and sugary drinks will decrease the risk.

Fund director Amanda McLean added that Prevention must be part of the solution to the epidemic. “There is a no doubt simple change to diet and lifestyle can make a huge difference”, he said.

Professor Kevin Fenton of Public Health England said: “A major factor is that prevention is not in the public consciousness. The link between tobacco and cancer is widely known but many are not yet fully convinced that healthy eating, regular exercise and not drinking alcohol can lower your risk.”

Extra fiber in processed foods could halt type-2 diabetes

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ncreasing the amount of fibre contained in staple foods like bread, pasta, cakes and biscuits could reduce cases of obesity and heart disease, says a new study.

The scientists from King’s College, London, say a change in the way processed food is made could lead to the creation of ‘diabetic friendly’ foods.

Their experiments showed eating porridge made from larger fibre particles produced significantly lower blood sugar levels than a bowl made with traditional smooth wheat flour.

Both were made of the same ingredients and had the same nutrient contents, but starch was digested more slowly in the coarser porridge.

Within two hours of eating coarser particles, blood sugar was 33 per cent lower and insulin 43 per cent lower.

Researchers also found people were less likely to experience an undesirable “sugar low” following the earlier peak in blood sugar than when they ate the smooth por-

ridge.

It means inexpensive tweaks could now pave the way for a host of new versions of starchy foods, meaning it might soon be possible to enjoy favourite snacks guiltfree.

Keeping more dietary fibre in processed foods means “diabetic friendly” or healthier versions could have exactly the same ingredients but with a more natural, enzyme-resistant structure around the starch that enables it to be digested more slowly.

It is relatively easy to improve the way that foods are prepared

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Monday, February 29, 2016

L-R: AITA Area Manager, South West, Africa, Mr. Samson Fatoki; Deputy Managing Director, Arik Air, Capt. Ado Sanusi; AITA Regional Director, Safety and Flight Operations, Africa and Middle East, Mrs. Tanja Gbobotek and AITA Aviation Solutions Manager, South West Africa, Mrs. Atake Ewemade, during the visit of AITA Regional Director to Arik Air at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, at the Weekend.

PHOTO: ADEYANJU OLOWOJOBA

L-R: Public Relations Manager, MultiChoice Nigeria, Efe Obiomah; winner of 2015 DStv Eutelsat Award Easy Category, Joy Ajayi of Lagoon Secondary School, Victoria Island, Lagos and her mother Yetunde Ajayi, during the presentation at the MultiChoice Nigeria Head office at the weekend.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

L-R: Head of Public Relation, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Femi Adeniran; a winner of trip to Dubai, Alhaji Abisu Mamiyo; Deputy Manager, National Lottery Regulatory Commission, Mr. Onyemewam Daniel; another winner, Mrs. Venecia Ette and Deputy Director Enterprise, Airtel, Nigeria, at the final presentation of Airtel RedHot promo and departure to Dubai, in Lagos, at the weekend.

PHOTO:ADEMOLA AKINLABI

L-R; Member, NECA’s Network of Entrepreneurial Women, Mrs. Ngozi Nd-Alichi; President, Mrs Ekaette Umoh; Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment Hajia Aisha Abubakar and member, NECAs Network of Entrepreneurial Women, Mrs. Ibrahim Zanna, during a meeting between Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment and NECAs Network of Entrepreneurial Women on Development of Rural Women Entrepreneurship in Nigeria in Abuja, at the weekend.

PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

National News

NCC wants media to familiarise with Cybercrime Act 2015

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igerian Communications Commission, NCC, has urged the media to familiarise itself with the contents of the Cybercrime Act as it affected practice of the profession.

Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, gave the advice in a statement made available in Lagos yesterday.

Danbatta said familiarising with the contents of the law would ensure that professionals did not fall under its punishment.

The NCC boss said Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, Detection.

Response, Investigation and Prosecution of Cybercrimes and other Related Matters) Act 2015 was an Act of Parliament, which had become law.

He said the Act was assented to by former President Goodluck Jonathan, on May 15, 2015 He said: “It is therefore imperative for those in the

New Media to familiarise themselves with the contents of the law as it affects their practice.

“The Act does not encumber the freedom of expression as enshrined in the constitution; rather, it seeks to protect those whose freedom may be damaged by the freedom freely expressed by others.

“Section 24 of the Act deals with Cyber stalking and also prescribes punishment for ‘Any person who knowingly or intentionally sends a message or other matter by means of computer systems or network’, which, among others, he knows to be false.

“This might be for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience danger, obstruction, insult, injury, criminal intimidation, enmity, hatred, ill will or needless anxiety to another or causes such a message to be sent.

“The person commits an offence under this Act and

shall be liable, on conviction, to a fine of not more than N7m or imprisonment for a term not more than three years or to both such fine and imprisonment.”

Danbatta said the Act shared out responsibilities to the various Information and Communication Technology, ICT, stakeholders, including cybercafé operators, financial institutions and telecom service providers.

“Section 38 (1) expected a

service provider to keep all traffic data and subscriber information as may be prescribed by the relevant authority, for the time being, responsible for the regulation of communication services in Nigeria, for a period of two years.

“Part 11 &111 of the Act deal with designation of certain computer systems or networks as critical national infrastructure and offences and penalties for damaging such critical in-

frastructure, respectively.”

Danbatta said it might be interesting to juxtapose this part of the Act with Section 1 of the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act of 1975.

“The Criminal Justice Act provides stiffer penalties for damages to telephone communication works, electricity transmission lines and oil pipelines and enables armed patrols to arrest any person committing an offence under

this Act. “It will be interesting to juxtapose the two Acts and see how they work together to protect telecommunications infrastructure.

“Therefore, media professionals should help to canvass the position of the Law and bring needed attention to the severity of the offence and how willful destruction of these facilities impact negatively on the country in all ramifications,” the NCC boss said.

True Patriotism’ll encourage more foreign investment —Buhari Rotimi Fadeyi ABUJA

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resident Muhammadu Buhari yesterday charged Nigerians to rekindle the spirit of patriotism and selfless service to encourage more foreign investment in the country.

Speaking at a town hall meeting with members of the Nigerian community in Doha, Qatar, the President

assured that the Federal Government would continue to create the enabling environment for investments in the country, anchored on peace and security.

“We have abundant natural and human resources in the country, including huge oil and gas deposit.

“But the challenge is securing those installations and to persuade some of our countrymen to be more patri-

otic and stop sabotaging the installations.

“When people are being abducted and some are being murdered, when installations are being blown up now and then, the incentives for people to invest in our infrastructure is quite slim,” he said.

Buhari also promised to look into the complaints of alleged blanket denial of visas to families and relatives of Nigerians intending to visit

Qatar.

On the fight against terrorism, the President said the military has made remarkable progress in dislodging Boko Haram from the north eastern part of the country.

He said the military and law enforcement agencies were working very hard to prevent and counter the terrorists’ attacks on soft targets in the country.

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Monday, February 29, 2016

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House Appropriation Committee closes collation of reports on 2016 budget

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ouse of Representatives Committee on Appropriation has formally closed the collation of reports on the 2016 budget from Standing Committees.

This was contained in a statement issued by Chairman of the Committee, Abdulmumini Jibrin and made available to newsmen in Abuja yesterday.

He said the committee would appropriate funds to Ministries Departments and Agencies, MDAs, supervised by substantive committees that failed to present their 2016 budget defence reports.

Jubrin listed the committees to include Public Accounts, Loans, Aids and Debts Committee, Committee on Gas Resources, Public Service Matters Committee, Maritime and Safety Committee, Interior Committee and Committee on National Security.

He said only 60 substantive committees met the February 26 deadline of presenting their budget defence reports and recommendations, covering improvements, shortcomings and actions to be taken in their respective MDAs. “Due to pressure of time we have to tidy up the final report with the

Senate.

“The Committee on Appropriation will have to take over the work of committees that failed to present their reports by appropriating funds for the MDAs that they supervise.

“The committee will also interface with officials of the Ministry of Finance, Budget Office on March 3 to fine tune the reports,” the lawmaker said.

The chairman commended the 60 substantive committees for their cooperation and for heeding the call to submit their reports within the deadline.

“This is for the overall interest of the nation and the commitment of the National Assembly to pass the 2016 budget, latest by the second week of March,” Jibrin said.

Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (4th r) flanked by senior army officers while inspecting weapons recovered from suspected Boko Haram terrorists during his visit to Damboa Lga headquaters at the weekend.

Electrocution: CPC orders AEDC to pay family of deceased N10m compensation

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onsumer Protection Council, CPC, has directed the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, AEDC, to pay the family of a boy that was electrocuted in Abuja N10m compensation.

CPC said the action was due to the AEDC’s technical lapses and gross negligence.

This was contained in a statement signed by Head of Public Relations of CPC,

Mr. Abiodun Obimuyiwa, in Abuja yesterday.

The statement said the directive was issued following a complaint filed by Mr. Tade Ayodele.

Ayodele claimed a live electricity power cable fell from an electric pole at the old Panteker Area of Kabusa, Abuja, on Monday, November 9, 2015, causing the electrocution and subsequent death of his son, Samuel Ayodele.

Ayodele said his son slipped and fell on the live electricity cable, which led to his electrocution and death on the said date.

According to the statement, AEDC, when confronted, dissociated itself from the unfortunate incident through a letter dated December 7, 2015.

The statement said the company claimed that the electricity distribution network in the community,

where the deceased lived, was a substandard selfhelp project.

“AEDC or its authorised agents should not be held responsible for any incident arising from the substandard project.

“Also, the illegal substandard installations were merely tolerated to some extent due to the exigencies of the electricity industry,” AEDC said in the statement.

NNPC responsible for current fuel scarcity –PTD President CONTINUED FROM Page 2

lenges in sourcing foreign exchange.

The agency had maintained that this measure is to guarantee uninterrupted fuel supply nationwide.

It disclosed that consequently, NNPC was granted 78 per cent of the total allocated volume for the quarter, while the balance of 22 per cent was to be supplied by other oil marketing companies.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday in Doha, Qatar, said member states of Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, and non-OPEC members must cooperate and find a common ground to stabilise crude oil prices.

A statement issued by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina said Buhari spoke at a bilateral meeting with

Sheikh Tamim Bin Hammad Al-Thani, the Emir of the State of Qatar.

Buhari described the current market situation, which has seen oil prices plummet by 70 per cent since mid-2014, as totally unacceptable.

“As members of OPEC and Gas Exporting Countries Forum, GECF, our relations in the areas of oil and gas, which our two nations heavily rely on, need to be enhanced and coordinated for the benefit of our people.

“The current market situation in the oil industry is unsustainable and totally unacceptable.

“We must cooperate both within and outside our respective organisations to find a common ground to stabilise the market, which will be beneficial to our nations,’’ the President said on the second day of his state visit

to Qatar.

Buhari commended the existing cordial bilateral relations between both countries and invited prospective Qatari investors to take advantage of the abundant opportunities in Nigeria and invest in key areas of energy, agriculture, real estate development, banking and finance.

He assured prospective investors of government’s protection of their persons and investment, noting that in the course of his visit, the delegations from Nigeria and Qatar would formalise at least two bilateral agreements to boost economic cooperation between both countries.

Buhari also weighedin on the situation in the Middle East, commending the role Qatar is playing in resolving the present Syrian crisis, the Palestinian

cause and efforts in reconstructing Gaza.

The President said: “The conflicts in Yemen and Syria with their attendant humanitarian crisis need genuine international effort to solve. Nigeria as a peace loving country identifies with the State of Qatar in all her peace efforts in the world to end terrorist activities.

“Nigeria is a victim of terrorism. It is with heavy heart that I stand before you and say activities of Boko Haram have led to loss of many lives and displacement of innocent people in our dear nation.

“We, however, take pride to inform you that since our coming to power, Boko Haram has been systematically decimated and are in no position to cause serious threat to our development programs.

“I wish to reiterate that Nigeria rejects violence

and extremism in all their ramifications, and assure your Highness that we are with the State of Qatar in your efforts to fight terrorism and injustice in your region and in the world at large.”

Buhari also called for a lasting solution to the Israeli – Palestinian conflict.

He said: “We in Nigeria, like the State of Qatar, favour a ‘two State’ solution, with the State of Palestine living side by side with the State of Israel.

“I want to assure you that we will stand side by side with you, until our brothers and sisters in Palestine achieve their desired objectives.

“Our support for various Security Council resolutions restoring and respecting 1967 boundaries with Jerusalem as capital of Palestine is firm and unshaken.”

The statement said CPC visited the site, conducted on-the-spot interviews with residents of the community and sought the technical opinion of the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency, NEMSA. NEMSA was set up by the Federal Government to carry out testing and certification of electrical installations, electricity meters, instruments and commercial services on key critical areas of Nigerian electricity supply industry, it said.

According to CPC, the technical opinion of NEMSA concluded that the accident occurred as a result of weak or bad low tension network and technical lapses on the part of AEDC. The statement quoted NEMSA as saying that AEDC allowed such a substandard installation in their network and did not respond promptly to the snap conductor after it was reported to it.

CPC, therefore, concluded that the outcome of all its investigations could not substantiate the disclaimer of AEDC as contained in the company’s letter of December 7, 2015.

The Council, in reaching this conclusion, agreed with and relied on the expert’s opinion of NEMSA, the sector regulator on quality and electricity materials, the statement said.

CPC said it also found AEDC liable for incorporating “this self help project” into its billing system.

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Monday, February 29, 2016

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Lasun decries hijack of Nigeria’s economy by foreigners UBONG UKPONG ABUJA

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L-R: President, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; Ogun State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru and former Ekiti State Governor Niyi Adebayo at the Senator Ben Bruce 60th birthday, recently.

Nigeria, Qatar sign agreements on bilateral air services ROTIMI FADEYI ABUJA

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igeria and the State of Qatar yesterday in Doha signed a Bilateral Air Services Agreement, BASA, to pave way for direct flights between major cities of both countries.

A statement issued by the special adviser to the President on media and publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, said both countries also signed an agreement to avoid double tax-

ation and tax evasion on the sideline of President Muhammadu Buhari’s state visit to Qatar.

Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, representing President Buhari, signed the air services agreement on behalf of the country while Qatar’s Minister of Transportation and Communications, Jassim Bin Saif Alsulaiti, signed on behalf the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hammad Al-Thani.

The agreement which was signed in the presence of both leaders is expected to operate on the principle of reciprocity by the designated airlines on behalf of the countries.

Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, also signed the agreement for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxe incomes with her Qatari counterpart, Ali Shareef Al Emadi.

It is also expected that

the agreement on bilateral air service would promote trade, commerce and tourism between the two countries just as Nigeria has also commenced discussions on partnership towards establishing a national airline for Nigeria.

The agreement on the avoidance of double taxation which had been negotiated since February 2015 would no doubt bring in more investments and businesses between Qatar and Nigeria.

NCC fines Glo, MTN N34m for non-compliance with number portability

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igerian Communications Commission, NCC, has fined MTN Nigeria and Globacom Ltd, Glo, N34 million for breach of the Mobile Number Portability, MNP, business rules and regulations.

The regulatory body made this known in its ‘2015 Q4 Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement Reports,’ obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, yesterday in Lagos.

In the report, NCC noted that of the N34 million sanction, Globacom was fined N22 million, while MTN was fined N12 million.

NAN recalls that in the ‘2015 Q3 Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement Reports,’ NCC had resolved to monitor and sanction violations with

MNP process time obligations said ``to address the increasing cases of port request rejections.”

The commission said series of compliance checks were carried out regarding timer violations by donor operators with respect to ``validation and deactivation responses’’ which had timelines of two hours and one hour respectively.

According to the Q3 report, there is a timer deactivation violation by MTN, regarding a corporate port request of over 109 lines belonging to the Nigerian Breweries Plc. The 2015 Q3 report also showed that there was a timer validation violation by Glo regarding 11 individual and one corporate port requests.

It said Glo had breached the two hours

allowable for validation of six port requests from the NPC as stated in the MNP Business Rules.

Glo validated one of these port requests over nine hours after receipt from the MNP administrator.

The report also said that Glo breached the allowable one hour for the donor to deactivate 147 ported out lines belonging to Reckitt Ltd, consistent with the provisions of the MNP Business Rules.

It, however, said that all the above timer violations are undergoing enforcement actions.

After investigations by the regulatory body, MTN and Globacom were found wanting, hence, sanctioned to the tune of N34 million in the Q4 2015.

The telecoms umpire, in its `2015 Q4 Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement Reports,’ said the two telecoms companies have paid the fines.

According to the commission, its activities are consistent with Section 89 of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003.

The section mandates NCC to ``monitor all significant matters relating to the performance of all licensed telecoms service providers and publish annual reports at the end of each financial year.’’

NCC explained that it has developed compliance monitoring and enforcement strategies to ensure fair competition, ethical market conduct and optimal quality service in the telecom industry.

ouse of Representatives Deputy Speaker, Hon. Sulaimon Lasun, has lamented that foreigners have been allowed to take control over Nigeria’s economy, thereby putting citizens at a disadvantage.

He lamented that less than 10 per cent of Nigerian graduates are given opportunity to be in control of the economic sector in the country.

In a statement yesterday through his chief press secretary, Wole Oladimeji, Lasun reasoned that no nation could develop if its people are not allowed to be in control of its economic sector.

He noted that sectors like oil, constructions and technology have been hijacked and manipulated by foreigners, and therefore demands a reversal.

Lasun was said to have observed this when representatives of the Obafemi Awolowo University Alumni Association visited him in his office.

The Deputy Speaker decried a situation where Nigerian graduates are not given opportunity to prove that they are as competent as the foreigners who are in to-

tal control of the oil and construction sectors in the country.

“Where are our trained engineers, technicians, medical doctors from the nation’s universities?

They are not given opportunity; rather our people believe so much in foreigners who stash away our hard earned money to their countries.

“We need to operate from that level of superiority and believe in the nation’s tertiary institutions if we want the country to develop. Nigerians are not in control of the economic sector. We are in servitude. We claim to have oil but we are not in control,” he lamented.

He expressed concern over the quality of education in the nation’s universities and the way the operators are regulating the institutions.

Lasun said stakeholders are particularly not happy with the level of education in the country and that the government of the All Progressives Congress is working round the clock to revamp the quality of education in the country.

“Structures in the form of building and other amenities are not enough; there is need to focus on the quality of education we are imparting in our tertiary institutions,” he added.

FG to tackle piracy, says Information Minister

M

inister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, yesterday said his ministry would work with the relevant agencies of government to tackle the piracy facing the entertainment industry.

The minister who said this while meeting with some stakeholders in the movie industry in Lagos, also promised that the Federal Government would establish a national endowment fund for the arts sector.

The event, attended by popular Nollywood actors and actresses, was held at the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, Media Centre, Iganmu, Lagos.

“There is no doubt that

piracy has become a monstrous disincentive not only to you, film-makers, but also the entire arts and the entertainment industry.

“With what I have read and seen, it appears that piracy has almost killed the industry,’’ he said, The minister said unauthorised intellectual properties such as films, books and paintings were blatantly hawked in the open.

He said there have been instances when some films and books were even sold a few days before the official release of the original work.

“I am told that a recent study revealed that there are eight pirated works to two original works out of every 10 works you find in the market.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

7

Monday, February 29, 2014

THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT OF NIGERIA 2016 INVITATION FOR PRE-QUALIFICATION FOR TENDER

The Federal High Court of Nigeria wishes to prequalify competent contractors and other service providers who wish to tender for jobs in the various areas specified below and accordingly invites interested parties who are competent, experienced and reputable to apply. These services are required in our offices, Courts and official residences all over the Country’s (36) Judicial divisions, including Abuja. Below are areas to apply for pre-qualification.

(A) THE AREAS OF SERVICES REQUIRED FHC/CAP/MV/001/2016 SUPPLY OF MOTOR VEHICLES: Lot 1: Supply of Motor Vehicles of different Make and models.

FHC/CAP/FRF/002/2016 SUPPLY OF OFFICE AND RESIDENTIAL FURNITURE: Lot 1: Supply of Office and Residential Furniture.

FHC/CAP/FRE/003/2016 SUPPLY OF OFFICE AND RESIDENTIAL EQUIPMENT: Lot 1: Supply of office and Residential Equipment such as Shredding Machines, Security safes (Fire Proof), Adding Machines, Refrigerators, Standing Fans, Ceiling Fans, Steel Filling Cabinets, Photocopying Machines, Electric Kettle, Gas/ Electric Cookers, Deep Freezers, Micro Waves, Air Conditioners (Window/Split Units) etc.

FHC/CAP/CICE/004/2016 COMPUTER, INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT: Lot 1: Supply of complete sets of Computers and Laptops.

FHC/CAP/ME/005/2016 MEDICAL EQUIPMENT: Lot 1: Supply of medical Equipment Lot 2: Supply of Drugs, Reagents, and other related consumables.

FHC/CAP/FFE/006/2016 FIRE FIGHTING EQUIPMENT: Lot 1: Supply of Fire Fighting Equipment FHC/CAP/LBPE/007/2016 LIBRARY BOOKS, PERIODICALS AND EQUIPMENT: Lot 1: Supply of Law Books, Law Reports and other Periodicals.

Lot 2: Supply of Library Equipment.

FHC/CAP/SE/008/2016 SUPPLY OF SPORTING EQUIPMENT: Lot 1: Supply of Sporting equipment such as Boots, Jerseys, Shorts, Stockings, Shin Guards, Hose, Keepers Gloves, Table Tennis, Bats and Balls, Foot Balls, Canvases, Track Suites etc.

FHC/CAP/PGP/009/2016 POWER GENERATING PLANT: Lot 1: Supply of various capacities of Generators FHC/CAP/PJF/010/2016 PRINTING OF JUDICIAL FORMS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS: Lot 1: Printing of Judicial Forms i.e. Bail Forms, Reman Warrants, Attachment Forms, Justification of Surety Forms, Order to Stay Proceeding Forms, Criminal Summons Forms, Civil Summons Forms, Transfer of Case Forms, etc.

Lot 2: Printing of treasury Forms i.e. Confirmation of Cheques (payment Advice), Capital Expenditure payment Voucher, Paying in forms, Bank Schedule Forms, Payroll Summary Voucher (Junior officer) bank Certificates etc.

Lot 3: Printing of other Documents i.e. Complimentary Cards, memo Pads, Letter Headed Papers, Open File Jackets, Confidential File Jackets, Case File Jackets, Clinic Forms/ Dispensing Bags.

FHC/CAP/GCS/011/2016 GENERAL CONTRACT AND SERVICES: FHC/CAP/UJR/012/2016 UNIFORM AND JUDGES ROBES: Lot 1: Supply of Uniforms for Medical Personnel, Drivers, Porters, Craftsmen, Artisans and Judges Robes

FHC/CAP/SSE/013/2016 SUPPLY OF SECURITY EQUIPMENT FHC/CAP/RCBQ/014/2016 RENOVATION OF COURT BUILDINGS AND JUDGES QUARTERS. FHC/CAP/EC/015/2016 EROSION CONTROL FHC/CAP/CON/016/2016 CONSULTANCY: Lot 1: Consultancy of Professional Fields such as Staff Training, Construction Industry, Case Law Management, etc.

BI. PRE-QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS. Prospective contractors shall be required to possess the following qualification documents. (a) Valid Certificate of registration/ incorporation. (b) Current Tax Clearance Certificate for the last (3) years, valid up to December 31st 2015. (c) Value Added Tax Registration Certificate. (d) Company’s resume including details of key staff strength to be deployed for execution of the contract. (e) Name and Address of Bankers(s) including a letter of reference/guarantee from the Bank. (f) Evidence of involvement and experience in similar contracts stating contract sums and showing evidence of award and timely completion. (g) Current Certificate of Compliance issued by the National Pension Commission as Evidence of Compliance with the Pension Reform Act 2004. (h) Current Certificate of Compliance issued by Industrial Training Fund (ITF) in Compliance with Section 6(2) of the ITF Amendment Act 2011.

B2. SUBMISSION OF PRE-QUALIFICATION DOCUMENTS. Pre-qualification document should be enclosed in sealed envelope marked at the top centre “The Group Code” and at the bottom left “Prequalification 2016” to Tenders Board Secretariat, Federal High Court Abuja, not later than 2.00 pm on 14 -3 -2016.

THE SECRETARY, DEPARTMENTAL TENDERS BOARD FEDERAL HIGH COURT HEAD QUARTERS, (2ND FLOOR), SHEHU SHAGARI WAY, CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT, FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA. Opening of the bid will take place at Justice Ukeje Hall, (1st Floor) Federal High Court Headquarters, Abuja on 22 – 3 – 2016 at 11.00 a.m.

PLEASE NOTE: (a) Late submission will be rejected (b) This advertisement for Pre- Qualification to tender shall not be construed to be a commitment on the part of the Federal High Court of Nigeria nor shall it entitle the submitting tender to make any claims whatever and seek any indemnity from Federal High Court by virtue of such tendered having responded to this advert. (c) Pre-qualification bid should be very clear about the bidder’s area and proven competence and interest. (d) Proposal for different procurement/category should be submitted in different envelopes. (e) Subsequent to this pre-qualification exercise, tender for contracts and jobs will be accepted only from pre-qualified contractors, and the Federal High Court of Nigeria shall not enter into any correspondence with unsuccessful applicants. (f) Only regular stockers of goods are advised to apply as minimum period would be allowed between the date of award and final delivery.

SIGNED Secretary Departmental Tenders Board, Federal High Court Abuja

8

South West

Monday, February 29, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NMA to begin solidary strike over Osun doctors M edical Doctors in the South West Zone have threatened to embark on strike, if Osun State Government failed to address the plight of their colleagues within two weeks.

Chairman of the South West caucus of Nigeria

Medical Association, NMA, Dr Adenike Odewabi, stated this at a press conference in Abeokuta yesterday.

According to Odewabi, doctors in the zone will carry out “systematic solidarity action” and public protests in the

Seriki chiefs file contempt against Olubadan-designate Kemi Olaitan Ibadan

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ead of the Seriki Chiefs, Chief Adebayo Oyediji, has filed committed proceedings against the Olubadan-designate and Balogun of Ibadanland, High Chief Saliu Adetunji.

He said for presenting himself for promotion and selection as the 41st Olubadan of Ibadanland, High Chief Adetunji, has committed contempt of an interlocutory injunction ordered on November 21, 2008 by Justice M.O. Ishola in a suit no 1/421/07.

The Olubadan designate is billed to be installed on Friday, March 4 Oyediji, who filed and applied for the Form 48 through his counsel, Mr. A.G. Adeniran, on February 23, 2016, in a letter addressed to the Senior Registrar, High Court of Justice Registry, Iyaganku, Ibadan, dated February 22 and titled: “Re Suit No: 1/421/07, Chief Adebayo Oyediji & ORS vs His Royal Majesty, Oba Samuel Lana & ORS: Application for issuance of Form 48 on Chief Saliu Adetunji, said he has been pushed to the wall, hence his decision to take the last “unfriendly option” available to him.

In the two page letter, which was accompanied with the copy of the motion on notice and form of request, Adeniran said High Chief Adetunji disregarded the other of the court by presenting himself for coronation, this Friday, March 4.

It would be recalled that in the said suit, the plaintiffs were Chiefs Adebayo Oyediji, Oyesola Oyeranmi, Olalekan Adisa Fakunle, Ganiyu Oduola Sagade, Rasidi

Abinupagun, Gabriel Kofoworola Amoo and Yisau Olanrewaju Ajibike (for themselves and on behalf of Seriki Chiefs of Ibadanland).

The nine defendants were the governor and attorney-general of Oyo State, His Royal Majesty, Oba Samuel Lana (added by order of court made on 14 of January, 2008) for himself and on behalf of (1) all chiefs in the Olubadan and Balogun lines and (2) for himself and on behalf of the other members of the Ibadan South-East local government chieftaincy committee).

Others are Chiefs Musa Omowale Kuye, Lati Omotosho, Sule Omiyale, Adeleke Ajani, Saliu Adetunji and Busari Alarape.

Justice Ishola had said: “An order of interlocutory injunction is hereby granted restraining the fourth to ninth defendants from presenting themselves for selection, appointment, promotion or filling of any vacancy now existing or that may later exist in the Ekerin Olubadan; Ashipa Olubadan, Osi Olubadan, Otun Olubadan and the Olubadan of Ibadan chieftaincy pending the hearing and final determination of the originating summons filed by the plaintiffs/ applicants in this suit. ”An order of interlocutory injunction is hereby granted restraining the fourth to the ninth defendants from presenting themselves for selection, appointment, promotion or filling of any vacancy now existing or that may later exist in the Ekerin Balogun, Ashipa Balogun, Osi Balogun, Otun Balogun and the Balogun of Ibadan Chieftaincies pending the hearing and

six states of the zone in solidarity with their colleagues.

He said doctors in the public service in Osun have not been paid salary for six months.

“We, the entire South West Caucus of NMA, have observed the recalcitrant posture of the government of Osun, being supervised by Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.

“We will not hesitate to invoke all that is necessary within the ambit of the law to defend our colleagues in the State of Osun in challenging the affront on our noble profession and innocent citizens of the state,” She said.

She claimed that doctors in Osun were not being paid based on the “correct” salary scale and

made to pay higher taxes than their colleagues elsewhere.

“I wish to bring to your notice that doctors in Osun have not been paid salaries since October, 2015.

“This is an act that is not only viciously wicked but ‘capitally’ condemned,” Odewabi said.

NMA urged the Economic and Financial

Crimes Commission, EFCC, Independent Corrupt Practices and other offences Commission, ICPC and Department of State Services, DSS, to investigate the current situation in the state.

The association appealed to governors of the five other states in the zone to prevail on Aregbesola to give doctors in the state their dues.

L-R: President, UNILAG Accounting Students’ Association Set of 84, Chief Adejare Shobayo; Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and Head of Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita, during a meeting of the Association, yesterday.

South West region tourism friendly - NTDC boss …Noah’s Ark found in Ife-Ooni Boladale Bamigbola Osogbo

D

irector General, Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation, NTDC, Mrs. Sally Nwechue Mbanefo has declared South West region a tourism friendly region.

This is even as Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, said some ancients artifacts have been found in the town.

Mbanefo spoke in Ile Ife, Osun State at the official declaration of the town as Tourist Zone by Ooni Ogunwusi.

Despite having the tendency to challenge Lagos as the capital of tourism in Nigeria, Mbanefo said much of the tourism potentials of Ife have remained untapped.

According to her, making the town a Global Tourist Zone will be of advantage and promised to assist in building an edifice for Yoruba mythical legend, Moremi in the town, describing her as a great heroine that should not be forgotten.

“Much reverence has not been given to Moremi as it has been given to Queen Aminah, another great woman from Northern Nigeria. Ile-Ife has a lot and is rich in culture. Ile-Ife is in South West and South West is a friendly region for tourism. Ile-Ife has done a lot, but it still has much deeper than what it has been offering,” Mbanefo said.

The director general posited that with the present economic realities, if fully explored, the tourism potentials of Ile-Ife

as the origin of mankind will enhance the economic fortunes of Nigeria and her citizens.

In his remarks, Oba Ogunwusi noted that the historical assets of Ile-Ife was enough to empower Nigeria and Africa at large and urged tourists across the world to thrill themselves with old artifacts available in the town.

Listing some of the already discovered tourist attraction sites in the town, Ooni Ogunwusi said: “Ark of Noah which the entire world has been searching for is in Ile-Ife. The Ark of Noah has been in existence and it is in Ife land.

“We want to bring out the mysteries for the whole world to see. God thrives on mystery and every inch of Ile Ife- the

land of expansion-is full of mystery.

“God has blessed us with some mysteries and we need to bless the world with those mysteries.

“For instance, there was a barren twin in Ife, who turned herself into a river in order to bless the town. It remains the first wife of any monarch in this town.

“If you dare the water and fall into it deliberately, as small as it is, you will never return.

But if you fall into it by mistake, it will protect you and drop you at the nearest bank of a river where your relatives can see you.

“This river is Yeyemoolu, there is nothing you ask from her, that Yeyemoolu will not give you. This is another tourist attraction, a mystery river that the world can explore.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Francis Suberu

N

o fewer than 39 new doctors were inducted by the Lagos State government over the weekend.

Speaking at the induction ceremony - the 10th in the series - vice chancellor of Lagos State University, Prof. Olanrewaju

Lagos inducts 39 doctors

Fagbohun, commended the state government for providing the necessary resources - both human and capital - to facilitate the successful training of the new doctors.

According to him, without the unflinching support of the state govern-

Labour denies pact with govt on half salary Boladale Bamigbola Osogbo

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nother round of industrial unrest appears in the horizon in Osun State during the weekend with the denial by the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in the state, that it had not entered into any agreement to the effect that the state government should pay workers half salary in perpetuity.

It said the NLC agreed after details of finances of the state were laid bare before it that workers should be paid half salary for just three months, and subsequently demanded payment of 50 per cent balance to those that were short-paid beyond the agreed period.

The question on payment of modulated salary

has been causing rancor among workers in the state with doctors in the employment of the state government insisting on a written agreement as to when the balance of the modulated salaries government is offering them would be paid.

Addressing newsmen during the weekend in Osogbo on the matter, Osun NLC chairman, Comrade Jacob Adekomi, demanded full payment of the workers’ salaries.

Adekomi who described as “ungodly,” comments that labour leaders in the state entered into agreement that workers should be paid 50 per cent salary in perpetuity, also accused the immediate commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Mr. Kolapo Alimi, of distorting facts about government/labour agreement on the matter.

Poly rector blames failure of govt policies on dearth of researches Abiodun Nejo Ado Ekiti

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ector of Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti, Dr. Theresa Akande, said proper funding and equipping of research laboratories particularly in tertiary institutions are necessary conditions for sustainable government policies at all levels.

The rector advised government to embrace research and factor its result into policies to bring about overall sustainable development of the country.

The submission was made during the 19th edition of the Prof. E.K. Obiakor lecture series titled, ‘Surveying and Geographic Information System: Inevitable Friends of all Professions,’ delivered by a surveyor who is the dean of

South West

Monday, February 29, 2016

the polytechnic’s Continuing Education Centre, Mr. Felix Ajibade.

Ajibade, a chief lecturer in the institution’s Department of Surveying and Geo-Informatics, who described Geography Information System, GIS, as a veritable tool that could be applied to virtually all the sectors of the Nigerian economy, advised governments to properly fund and equip all survey and geo-informatics laboratories in higher institutions across the country.

He said a well-organised GIS could also be an important component that could assist government in population census if deployed as well assist governments to make far-reaching decisions that could be used to visualise spatially referenced population patterns, trends and relationships.

ment, the exercise would not have being accomplished.

He urged the newlygraduated doctors to be of good conduct, adding that the journey outside is very rough and that they should put all they have learnt in the college into practice.

He noted that with the

kind of training they received at the Lagos State College of Medicine LASCOM, the new doctors could compete with any of their peers in the world.

Earlier, the provost of the college, Prof. Gbadebo Awosanya, had charged the students to see their profession as an endowment from God to care

and look after other fellow human beings.

He admonished the doctors to be civic-minded in all situations, adding that civility costs nothing but rather buys everything.

A senior lecturer and consultant in the college and teaching hospital, Dr. Francis Ajose, advised

9

the doctors to be ready to move with time and see their profession as a lifelong learning profession.

The medical college which is now adjudged the best medical school in the country and the only state medical school that runs a dental course has since its inception produced 539 doctors.

L-R: Legal Adviser, Bible Society of Nigeria, Dr Fred Odutola; former Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan Prof, Afolabi Bamigboye; Author, Mr Gbenga Ayeni; his wife Euniceand former Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Dr Akin Onigbinde at the launch of a book, Enjoying the Financial Bliss of the Lord in Ibadan, yesterday. PHOTO:NAN

Nobody arrests us and goes scot-free cultists threaten police

...as RRS nabs 46 members Francis Suberu

S

ome of the suspected members of the Awawa Confraternity arrested over the weekend, have threatened men and officers of the Nigeria Police Force, Lagos State Command, saying no one arrests members of the confraternity and goes scot-free.

At least 46 members of the dreaded cult group, popularly known as Awawa Confraternity have been arrested by the operatives of the Rapid Response Squad, RRS, of the state police command at the Agindigbi and Agege areas of Lagos on Saturday.

The operation which lasted three hours was led by Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP, Timothy Ojetunde, with other policemen after the RRS had received reports from members of the public on the nefarious activities of the cultists in

the areas.

According to the police, the cultists are notorious for snatching bags and other valuables from innocent residents of Agidingbi, Agege and Ogba.

It was gathered that after receiving series of petitions on the nefarious activities of the suspects, the operatives of RRS put surveillance teams in the areas to monitor members of the group at Agege, Ogba, Ifako Ijaiye, Iyana Ipaja and Abule Egba after which they were arrested.

On arriving at the RRS headquarters in Alausa, the suspects resorted to threatening the RRS operatives, saying they would make life unbearable for the policemen. They shouted at the top of their voices saying “no one arrests us and goes scot-free.”

Some of them later confessed to the crime, as they said they were lured into the group through peer

pressure.

“I was forced to join them on the account that I would be very powerful among my peers. They promised me that I would have free access to girls who are members of the group. Once you join them, it becomes difficult to dissociate yourself again and you must also be part of their proceedings and operations anytime they are set to go out.

“We looted, raped and robbed innocent members of the public each and every time we go out for operation.

We don’t fear anybody, even the police, because we are always in hundreds,” Lukmon Arowoseni, one of the arrested suspects said.

Confirming the arrest of the suspects, Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Lagos State Command, Dolapo Badmus, said the Awawa cult group is a violent group which activities are under the close watch of the police, adding that the state

would not condone activities threatening the peace and security of Lagosians.

The suspected cultists were 40 male and 6 female, including Mufutau Boboye, Yekini Oluwatobi, Emmanuel Oluwatosin, Mutaru Watara, Kazeem Bello, Musiliu Adebisi, Semiu Ayedun, Daniel Oliyide, Adeyemi Adekanbi, Bello Ahmed, Owoseni Ahmed, Qudus Lawal, Saheed Badmus, Taofik Saliu and Adeyemo Jamiu.

Others are Anthony Samuel, Femi Olayiwola, Elijah Kingsley, Jamiu Ogungbemi, Otapo Sule, Araba Adekunle, Lukman Arowoseni, Shina Aliu, Livinus Akorbar, Ezekiel Udoh, Shina Rasheed and Ibrahim Adarijo.

Oniyide Samuel, Fatai Kareem, Fatai Ramoni, Kamoru Jimoh, Korede Adisa, Segun Oderinde, Akeem Habeeb, Samson Olufemi, Ayobami Oderinde, Uche Obasi, Tobi Adeni, Toheeb Olayeni and Aransiola Olumide also were among the Awawa cult members arrested.

10

South East

Monday, February 29, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

My support for Buhari shouldn’t be mistaken —Umahi Aliuna Godwin ABAKALIKI

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bonyi State governor, Chief David Umahi, at the weekend urged stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, not

to mistaken his sudden relationship with President Muhammadu Buhari.

Umahi who made this known at the Government College, Afikpo, during a grand reception organised in his honor by the Old Afik-

Fracas over Abuja car hire service …CEO assaulted, wants principal culprits arrested

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hief executive officer of Viko Nigeria, Chief Lucky Kanu, has called on the police and other authorities responsible for the maintenance of security at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, to arrest three executive members of the Abuja Airport Car Hirers Association of Nigeria, AACHAN, who allegedly masterminded the assault on him.

Briefing journalists in Abuja at the weekend, Kanu, while explaining his ordeal, said he narrowly escaped death penultimate Friday from over 50 members of the association, adding that failure to arrest and prosecute the suspects could entrench lawlessness at the nation’s prestigious airport.

Kanu explained that the taxi operators had earlier that day protested alleged loss of their business of car hire services to Viko, saying his company was established to render decent car hire service to passengers and not take any other person’s business.

Noting that any other dignitary or government functionary could be the victim of such a barbaric

act, Kanu said he nearly lost his life in the brutal mob attack at the exit lane of the airport after attending a meeting.

Although he said he was rescued by some Air Force personnel, his assailants had beaten him to a pulp before he escaped by jumping a gully from where he managed to scale a fence while his assailants fiercely pursued him.

While commending the police for the arrest of nine of the suspects, he wondered why the three principal actors in the crime who allegedly masterminded the plot are yet to be picked up by the police.

He said a security personnel and the divisional police officer, DPO, at the airport had related at the meeting how they were also assaulted by the AACHAN protesters for attempting to stop the protest.

According to him, the AACHAN officials told stakeholders comprising the airport manager, the chief security office, representatives of DSS, Air Force officials and other airport stakeholders that while Viko’s businesses boom, theirs drastically declines.

po Union, OAU, said the PDP remains the political party to beat in spite of the challenges facing it.

The governor who advised PDP members in the country not to lose faith in the party, added that their leaders remain committed to repositioning the once biggest political umbrella in Africa.

He stressed that his open support for President Buhari would not make him to join the All Progressives Congress, APC, as being rumoured in the state.

His words: "Let me ask all PDP people not to shake at all. PDP remains the only party in Nigeria; PDP remains our party; PDP remains the party to beat.

"So, my relationship with the President should not be mistaken for support for an-

other party. And I will continue to support Mr. President because he is my only boss.

"We know what we are passing through as governors and I want to tell you that Mr President is doing his best to reposition this country. What we are witnessing is global economic meltdown; it is not peculiar to Nigeria; and so, I ask Nigerians to join hands with Mr. President so that we can lift up this nation.

"The fate of our nation is in our hands and I believe strongly that if we prefer Nigerian made goods, and if we sit with one another, Nigeria is going to be great again."

Umahi further thanked President Buhari for doing so much for Ebonyi State and urged the people to remain grateful and support-

ive to him.

"I want to thank Mr. President; he has done quite a number of things for Ebonyi people and I don't want to mention them here so that other states will not start envying us but before my people, I say, we are grateful to Mr. President for his grace and support to our state," he stated.

He applauded the President for granting the state's request to reconstruct and put a toll gate on the Abakaliki/Afikpo road, adding that "this is the first of its kind in the whole Nigerian. No other governor across the federation has got this type of favour from Mr. President."

Umahi thanked the OAU for also honouring the people of Ekumenyi from the Abakaliki block who stood for equity, fairness and jus-

tice during the battle that saw him emerging as the PDP governorship candidate from Ebonyi South.

The governor vowed to remain committed to the vision and mission of the founding fathers of Ebonyi State by ensuring equity, unity, peace and progress in the state.

Promising to make Abakaliki one of the best capital cities in the country, Governor Umahi also paid glowing tributes to the PDP leadership in the state, headed by Onwe Joseph Onwe for not betraying his political ambition.

The governor who was conferred with a chieftaincy title of ‘Dikedioranma 1’ of Ebonyi South, promised to give adequate attention to the construction of all roads in the state, especially in the state capital.

L-R: Former Chairman, APC Enugu State, Mrs Joy Ebe; Chairman, Dr Ben Nwoye; U.S. Consul General in Nigeria, Mr John Bray and APC Women Leader Enugu-West, Mrs Emmanuela Nkechi, during the visit of the Consul General to APC Enugu yesterday. PHOTO:NAN

NDDC completes 242 roads, hostel projects in Imo —Ag MD

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cting managing director, Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, at the weekend said the agency has completed 242 road, electrification and hostel projects in Imo State.

A statement issued in Port Harcourt by Mr. Chijioke Amu-Nnadi, the commission’s head of corporate affairs unit, disclosed that the projects were executed in the course of the commission’s existence.

The statement quoted Semenitari as having said this during her visit to

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State.

It said the commission is committed to addressing challenges confronting the region by repositioning from physical infrastructure needs to human capacity development. ``Since inception, the commission has tried to meet expectations of the people by completing 242 projects in Imo State. ``The commission has constructed several roads and undertaken rural electrification projects in communities such as Okigwe, Umuenyi in Isiala-Mbano

and Awa/Akabor. ``We have also donated over 400 transformers to many other communities in the state; we donated medical equipment and drugs to hospitals and carried out free medical missions in rural communities. ``Recently, the NDDC also built and donated 522bed space hostels each to the Imo State University and the Federal University of Science and Technology,” Semenitari was quoted as saying.

The statement added that the commission is con-

cerned with the dualisation of the Avu-Etekwuru road to connect six communities in the state.

It said the project, when completed, would increase economic activities around the Amafor market and the general Owerri West and Ohaji/Egbema local government areas of the state.

It noted that the NDDC, as an interventionist agency, is focused to bridge the development gap in the region and improve the livelihoods of the people. ``To this end, the commission will no longer tolerate substandard projects

because we cannot continue to ignore our responsibility to impact positively on the lives of our people. ``I’ve told my engineers that such deliveries cannot be accepted, such that we will put every strategy in place to ensure that our projects become worthier,” Semenitari stated.

According to the statement, Semenitari called on the Imo State government to set up a team to interface with the NDDC to put an end to duplication of projects.

The statement added that Governor Okorocha

also called on the NDDC to focus more on building ``big ticket projects” that would connect the five states that make up the region.

According to the statement, the NDDC should not bother itself with renovation of primary and secondary schools, but rather change its style and go for big ticket projects.

It stated that Okorocha urged the commission to follow the mandate of President Muhammadu Buhari to complete all ongoing projects in the region.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South South

Monday, February 29, 2016

ASUU condemns Oshiomhole over UNIBEN demolition …Wants compensation for affected staff

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cademic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities, ASUU, has called on Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State to pay compensation to members of staff of University of Benin, UNIBEN, over the demolition of property in the school.

Zonal Coordinator, ASUU Abuja, Prof. Suleiman Muhammad, made this known when he briefed newsmen in Abuja yesterday.

Mohammad said Oshiomhole should have waited for the Court of Appeal to decide on UNIBEN’s appeal before embarking on the demoli-

tion.

He said ASUU was surprised that Oshiomhole continued with the demolition after promising to stay action pending the determination of the case.

“Governor Oshiomhole should live up to his promise to compensate the members of staff of UNIBEN who were affected by the demolition.

“Members of the public will recall the uproar generated by his action sometime ago, when he demolished property occupied by staff of the University of Benin.

“This action came on the heels of a court judgment in

the favour of Edo State Government against which the university immediately filed an appeal.

“Rather than allowing the case to run its course in the court of appeal, Mr. Oshiomhole carried on with the demolition,” Muhammad said.

He said the governor had made overtures to the staff of the university, who were affected by the exercise, and promised to make amend by compensating those who suffered some losses.

Muhammad said the governor made several promises to the leadership of ASUU when the union raised objection to the demolition.

“He also promised to allow the ongoing court process to run its course.

“To the surprise of the leadership of ASUU, especially its members at UNIBEN, Oshiomhole has gone back on his words.

“He has directed the complete demolition of the remaining part of the structures that were the properties of UNIBEN while the Court of Appeal is yet to decide on the case,” Muhammad added.

The ASUU zonal coordinator said the action of the governor was condemnable, adding that the union would not take it lightly.

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Census: NPC pledges successful Enumeration Area Demarcation in Bayelsa

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ational Population Commission, NPC, in Bayelsa State has pledged a successful conduct of the ongoing Enumeration Area Demarcation, EAD. The Commissioner, representing the state in NPC, Mr. Austen Pabor, made the pledge in an interview in Yenagoa yesterday.

Pabor said his optimism was premised on the preparations made by the commission and support of Ogbia people where the commencement of the EAD in the state took place on Thursday.

According to him, EAD involves the division of the entire country into smaller units to enable a pair of enumerators to carry out the counting of people and houses during the census scheduled to take place in 2017.

“The EAD constitutes the foundation on which the entire census architecture stands; it forms the basis for the planning and execution of the census project.

“In the pre-census period, the total number of EAD and its distribution is required for census planning, particularly the deployment of personnel, logistics and materials.

“EAD is also required for the pre-test, trial census, the main census and the post enumeration survey,” Pabo said.

He said NPC adopted a robust EAD methodology driven by satellite technology and imagery to deliver accurate, reliable and verifiable evidence-based census to be conducted with biometrics data capture.

Pabo said the EAD period which commenced on February 22 and ended on March 13, would also be used for registration of births of children under the age of five whose births were yet to be registered.

The commissioner noted that NPC requires the support of all tiers of government to deliver accurate and reliable census in 2017.

Power shortage: Hoteliers groan over cost of running generators

S Newly recruited Soldiers displaying their Waterman ship Skills for Special Internal Security Operations Organised by 2 Brigade Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt in Harry’s Town, Degema Local Government Area of Rivers yesterday. PHOTO:NAN

Dennis Naku

PORT HARCOURT

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he 2 Brigade of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt, River State, said it had trained about 200 soldiers to carry out special marine operations and rescue activities in the Niger Delta region.

Commander of the Brigade, Brig. Gen. Stevenson Olabanji stated this at the graduation ceremony of soldiers of 73 Regular Recruit Intake in Harry’s Town, Degema Local Government Area of the state.

Olabanji said the exercise was to equip soldiers with requisite marine skills and boost troop’s readiness at combating oil theft in the region.

Oil theft: Army trains 200 soldiers in marine operations According to him, the army leadership has taken personnel training seriously in view of current security challenges confronting the nation in the north east and other parts of the country.

“To this end, the training began in December 14 with 200 young soldiers fresh from Nigerian Army Depot in Zaria, with aim to familiarise them with their operating environment.

“The soldiers were trained in basic unit regimentation covering field craft and minor tactics, in-

ternal security operations, general service knowledge, range classification and among others.

“The young soldiers also received special training in basic swimming lessons owing to the peculiar nature of our operating environment.

“This swimming exercise aimed to equip the young soldiers with necessary survival skills as they will be operating in coastal areas,” he said.

Olabanji expressed optimism that the training would enhance soldier’s

proficiency to better navigate the creeks, and as such, put an end to oil theft and attacks on installations in the oil and gas rich area.

The commander said current dynamics in the country had required that the army become more professional in the discharge of its responsibilities and operational conduct.

He urged the 200 soldiers to obey military and civil laws, adding that discipline, hard work and commitment must be the watchword in the discharge of their duties.

ome hoteliers in Benin city, Edo State have decried the current power shortage, saying they now spend so much on diesel to power their generators.

The managers of the hotels expressed their concern in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Benin yesterday.

They described the situation as alarming, and called on government to urgently address the problem.

The managers said they only got an average of six hours power supply daily from national grid and ran their generators to provide electricity for the remaining hours.

A manager in Badin Hotels, Benin, Mr. Emmanuel Aiguobasinmwin, said the hotel spent between N800,000 and N900, 000 monthly to keep its generators running regularly.

“The cost is huge and it impacts on our business negatively, the reason being that even when you have few guests, you must power the generators.

“Aside the two genera-

tors that run simultaneously, there is always a standby one. Lots of money is required in this regard.

“But let me say here that another area where we spend a lot of money is on security. Making your guests comfortable also entails ensuring that they are secured,” he said.

Also, the proprietor of Kash Guest Inn, who simply gave his name as Kevin, said he spent about N6,000 daily to power his generating plant.

Kevin said although his was a guest house with only 12 rooms, he spent over N160,000 on a monthly basis on diesel.

He noted that a huge percentage of what would have been profit to him was being spent on diesel to run generators.

“Doing this is a must if you want to remain in business. The first thing a guest asks you is whether there will be electricity supply all through the night.

“It really isn’t funny, but what else can one do. We will continue to plead with those in authority to do the needful for us to have food on our table,” Kelvin said.

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North

Monday, February 29, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tomori accuses govt of interfering in NUC REGINA OTOKPA

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L-R: M.D. Hygeia Community Health Care, Dr. Peju Adenusi; Deputy Ambassador (Neitherland) to Nigeria, Michel Deelen; Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, Country Director, Pharm Access Nig. Mrs. Njide Nididi and Director, Programme, Pharm Access, Nig.Dr. Ayodeji Ajiboye, during a courtesy visit to Government House, Ilorin, at the weekend.

Seasonal rainfall: NEMA, UNICEF, others review flood response profile Gloria Usman Abuja As the nation awaits this year’s seasonal rainfall prediction, SRP, from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NiMET, and the Annual Flood Outlook, AFO, by the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency, NIHSA, stakeholders have gathered to appraise last year’s flood response profile in order to ensure a hitch-free season this year.

According to a statement release by the agency’s senior information officer, Sani Datti, the review of last year’s flood prediction and response is aimed at determining what was done right last year and devising ways to improve on it in the 2016 flooding season.

The three-day forum was held at the weekend in Akwanga, Nasarawa State.

Officials of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, NiMET, NIHSA and the state emergency management agencies, SEMAs, fashioned out a fresh early warning and early action mechanism for the nation.

Both the SRP and AFO are analysed to make forecast for flood early warning, early dissemination and action to flood-prone regions and high risk states in the country.

The SRP, specifically, gives early warnings to reduce the risk associated with the nation’s two extremes of flood and dry spells.

Director general of NEMA, Muhammad Sani Sidi, underscored the need to embark on flood prevention and mitigation measures that would ensure free-flowing drainage systems, operation and maintenance of hydraulic structures such as dams and reservoirs which are being adequately controlled by the various dam management institutions in the country.

Sidi, represented by the deputy director (Planning, Research Forecasting) of NEMA, Kayode Fagbemi, said: “This is yet another occasion for dialogue and indepth deliberation geared towards improving flood early warning and early action mechanism in Nigeria.

“With the backdrop of the 2012 unprecedented flood that caused widespread devastation in several states of the country, we can no longer wait until we witness another catastrophe.”

He described the event as an informed stakeholders’ forum designed to “review our progresses, the challenges we face and come up with a wise decision as a way forward.

“I would like to note that we need to invest

more in disaster risk reduction and gather evidence to enable wellinformed decisions to reduce disaster and climate risk as a central element of sustainable development.

“We also need to recognise the need to work together to achieve the set goals.”

UNICEF country representative in Nigeria, Ms. Jean Gough, recalled that following the 2015 SRP by NiMET, UNICEF was part of the committee and also part of the team that supported the Flood Contingency Plan for 2015 for all flood high risk states in the country.

At the forum, participants made observations on issues bordering on timely and effective forecast/prediction, hydrological data gaps, inadequate meteorological data, inadequate dissemination of information, vandalism of equipment, reduction of instruments’ sensitivity to measurement, inadequate coverage of density of hydro-met network of station and untimely release of operational funds by state governments to SEMAs during response activities.

Consequently, the participants recommended that, amid an enhancement in information dissemination that utilises new and emerging media, stakeholders should improve its strategies in identifying and involving

relevant stakeholders in information dissemination.

While state governments were urged to timely release operational funds to SEMAs, host communities and security agents were, on the other hand, charged to be involved in the protection of equipment.

Apart from a regular review, update and implementation of contingency plan by NEMA and SEMAs, as well as improved capacity building of stakeholders, the gathering recommended that, besides NEMA, NIHSA and NiMET, the existing task team should be expanded to include critical stakeholders like the National Water Research Institute, Federal Ministry of Environment, and the National Space Research and Development Agency.

resident, Nigerian Academy of Science, Prof. Oyewale Tomori, has accused the National Universities Commission, NUC, of allowing government interference in its accreditation activities.

Delivering the pre-convocation lecture of the University of Abuja, titled ‘Building a New Generation University: Problems and Prospects,’ over the weekend in Abuja, he said the NUC has derailed from its mandate as a regulatory body of university education to become a tool of government.

Tomori, while calling on the NUC to engage only people with integrity in carrying out university accreditations, stressed the need for a change of attitude by genuine academicians in Nigeria.

He said: “In the recent past, the NUC has become a tool of the government, not a true commission for university education in Nigeria.

“Our NUC has gone along with the government without a whimper. When there are allegations that some of the people who conduct accreditation exercises in the name of the NUC receive brown envelopes and the NUC asks: ‘are those who give or take the envelopes not your colleagues,’ then the NUC forgets one thing - that the accreditation bears the tag NUC accreditation.

“When it is clear and

glaring is that many lecturers are hirelings, peddling their certificates to the numerous newly-created staff-starved universities, and when universities hire lecturers for accreditation purposes then you wonder what type of accreditation we are getting in our universities and what NUS is doing about it.”

Further lamenting the use of archaic benchmark by the NUC in its accreditation operations, he noted that if not reviewed, Nigerian universities would continue to produce unemployable graduates.

Tomori maintained that the curriculum of courses at the universities should be developed to be current, reflect the needs of society and become relevant and dynamic to ensure effective response to changes in and demands of society by graduates.

Commenting on the recent sack of 13 vice chancellors, the professor said: “The so called sack is a demonstration of the high-handedness of the minister and a lack of respect for the guiding procedures, rules and regulations for the appointment of vice chancellors.

“We read of the minister saying government would not go back on this decision. While we see his remarks as a demonstration of arrogance, we are comforted that our President once presented a budget to the National Assembly which led to the sack of some officials in the department of budget.

Lassa fever: Plateau records 8 deaths, 13 confirmed cases –Commissioner

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ommissioner for Health in Plateau State, Dr. Kunden Deyin, said the state recorded eight deaths, 13 confirmed cases and 50 suspected cases of Lassa fever from December 2015 to date.

Deyin told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Jos yesterday that the state has commenced aggressive sensitisation and awareness campaigns in the Jos-Bukuru metropolis and in the 17 local government areas.

He said the campaigns aim at enlightening the people on how to prevent the disease and ensure that the menace is nipped in the bud.

“Lassa fever is transmitted through the urine and excreta of a rat that serves as a reservoir for the Lassa virus and this rodent is usually attracted to dirty environments.

“The ministry, through its sensitisation campaign, is mak-

ing an effort to educate the populace on the importance of keeping a clean environment and the need to ensure that all foods are stored in rodent-proof containers.

“We are also encouraging them to desist from drying food stuff on the road side since the rats can urinate and defecate in them.

“We embarked on this social mobilisation because we believe that prevention is better than cure,’’ he said.

Monday, February 29, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

13

Politics

ETF will solve youth unemployment in Lagos —Idimogu 14

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he Chairman of the Rivers State Chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Davies Ibiamu Ikanya has urged Rivers people, nay Nigerians to ignore the numerous campaigns by Governor Nyesom Wike under the guise of thanksgiving service to mark his victory at the Nigerian Supreme Court but should ask the governor to provide further explanations to his confessions of how he got his victory at the Supreme Court.

In a statement issued by the party and signed by the State Publicity Secretary, Chris Finebone, the party chairman, Davies Ibiamu Ikanya in reaction to Saturday’s PDP thanksgiving service at the Liberation Stadium, Elekahia, and the now familiar vituperations of Gov. Nyesom Wike, wondered why Wike has refused to address key issues he raised in his confession concerning how he got victory at the Supreme Court.

“For example, Gov. Wike told the world while speaking on live television that he

Wike must tell the truth concerning Supreme Court victory —APC got his victory at the Supreme Court because Dr. Peter Odili directed him on who to meet and what to do. Let Wike also explain to the world who and who Dr. Peter Odili directed him to meet and where and where the former governor directed him to go that brought about victory for him [Wike] at the Supreme Court,” Dr. Ikanya demanded.

The APC State Chairman further wondered the kind of advice that Gov. Wike would have received from former governor Peter Odili, a medical doctor, which resulted to victory for him at the Supreme Court.

“We know that the matter before the Supreme Court was legal and not medical, how come it was Dr. Peter Odili, a medical doctor, who would direct Wike on a purely legal matter? Surely, Nyesom Wike has not disclosed all that

happened” Ikanya stated.

“It has become more curious to most people that Gov. Wike openly acknowledged that his Supreme Court victory was a result of the advice he got from Dr. Peter Odili hence the need for the governor to tell Rivers people and Nigerians the nature of the advice, especially those the former governor

directed him to meet which got him victory at the Supreme Court,” Chief Ikanya stated.

The APC State Chairman condemned Gov Wike’s attempt to politicise the crisis in Ogoniland for his own political benefit.

“It took the State Governor more than two weeks to visit ONELGA where

over 26 persons were killed with most of the victims’ beheaded and their heads taken away. He has neither spoken nor visited Ahoada East where scores were also horrendously killed and still being killed. At his thanksgiving service yesterday, he only asked the audience to observe a minute silence for victims of the Bori crisis

which he engineered with his war cry that the Ogonis must stop Senator Magnus Abe from returning to the Senate. Were those killed in ONELGA and Ahoada East not Rivers people? It clearly shows that he is behind the Ogoni crisis because of the forthcoming rerun elections,” Chief Ikanya charged.

Constituent commends Jarigbe on staff employment Olubunmi Omoogun

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member of the House of Representatives, representing Ogoja/Yala Federal constituency in the National Assembly, Hon. Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe has received commendation from his constituency for employing 21 personal staff.

A constituent member, Odey Ajoma wrote “A brave and commendable action.

It is double success for us here as this has helped these youths off the streets and brought relative peace to the fold. Employing them means providing for the needy through the long reach and contact of those employed”.

It will be recalled that as part of efforts to help create jobs for the teeming youths, Jarigbe employed 21 people and made them his personal support staff which can also be akin to political research

assistants like they have in the United Kingdom, UK, where members of parliament in the House of Commons employ research assistants as back room staff.

This, the Federal legislator believes will address the issue of youth restiveness as well as give Ogoja/Yala real value adding that it is also in line with the Governor of Cross River, Professor Ben Ayade’s policy theme, that people of the state yearn for redemption, which comes from a philosophical change of attitude, re-orientation and restructuring of issues to ensure equity and fair play.

Jarigbe who is also the Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Tertiary Education has always expressed optimism that the country will benefit from the wealth of experience and stability that the speaker, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara have brought to the green chamber.

Social Democratic Party, SDP 2016 Governorship Aspirant in Ondo State, Dr. Olu Agunloye (middle), addressing some new members who joined the party yesterday at Irele in Odigbo Local Government Area of the state.

Sheriff’s emergence‘ll boost PDP repositioning —Legislator Abiodun Nejo ADO EKITI

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ouse of Representatives member, Hon. Segun Adekola, has said that the emergence of Borno State former governor, Ali Modu Sheriff, as Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Acting National Chairman is a necessary tonic for the opposition party’s repositioning drive.

Adekola said it was high time PDP members come together on a collective rescue mission for the country by repositioning to reclaim power in 2019 as according to him, the present All Progressives Congress, APC govern-

ment had derailed.

The PDP lawmaker representing Ekiti South Federal Constituency II said in a statement in Ado Ekiti at the weekend that “It is only through a clean, clear and steadfast spirit of unity and oneness that the task ahead can be successful, hence the need for the new Chairman to work hard in this regard”.

“What is important in PDP now is a collective rescue mission with all hands on deck towards the actualization and rejuvenation of the party to regain its lost glory.

“The onus of the preparations rests mainly on the leadership of the PDP especially the national Chair-

man. Therefore, Alhaji Sheriff must be allowed to swing into action and bring everybody together through holistic and pragmatic reconciliation and mobilisation of party members across the country”.

Adekola, who expressed assurance that the PDP would return to power through the next general elections, said the easiest way is for the party to begin the task of rebuilding now.

According to the lawmaker, the PDP’s loss during the last general elections was as a result of division within the ranks and files of the party which culminated into vast defections of some big-

wigs within the party.

He said politics is a game of numbers and everybody is important, but the moment defections hit any party, if adequate measure is not put in place in time, the fortune of such party is finished.

The lawmaker, however, called on PDP members not yet to be satisfied with the nomination of the new Chairman to sheath their swords in the interest of the nation.

Adekola described as unfortunate, the latest leadership challenge confronting the nation which he said had started affecting all sectors of the economy.

14

Politics

Monday, February 29, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

ETF will solve youth unemployment in Lagos —Idimogu jobs and recruitments are done online, so this one will close by the end of this month. These are the ones that I know are taking place. And remember, the budget was just passed in January and this is the second month and I believe strongly that before the second year of this administration, a lot of our youths will be employed by the government and I also believe that there are some arrangement coming from the private sector in partnership with the government that will create job opportunities for our youths in the state. I think we are on course and we are working.

Hon. Jude Emeka Idimogu is currently representing Oshodi-Isolo State Constituency 11 in the Lagos State House of Assembly. In this interview with VICTOR UDOH , he speaks on the Employment Trust Fund , ETF bill which was recently passed into law by the assembly saying it is going to reduce youths unemployment in the state. He also speaks on how the youths can benefit from the Fund. Excerpts: There is serious unemployment in Nigeria and many of Lagos State youths are on the streets and as one of the lawmakers in Lagos House of Assembly, how is the Assembly tackling the unemployment menace in Lagos State?

Well, you should know that Lagos State is a unique state and in the beginning of this year, when budget of the state was passed or let me say that the present governor, Akinwunmi Ambode made some promises to ensure that most of the youths in Lagos State would be gainfully employed and I must tell you that he has commenced move to fulfil his promise.

First, this year, Employment Trust Fund bill was passed into law for the first time in Lagos State, and the idea is that it is going to be funded by both the private sector and the state government. The state government is going to contribute the sum of N25billion in four years, N6.25billion of that fund would be provided by the state. And as I speak now, that fund has been provided by the state and I must also tell you that few days ago, the chairman and the executive secretary of that ETF; who will form the major player in the board were actually confirmed by the Assembly. So, which means everything is now on course for job employment and it is now left for the board and probably the governor who will now send the names of other board members to the House of Assembly because he has to constitute the board now that the Chairman and Executive Secretary have been confirmed.

The other members will be confirmed and I think the other necessary policy that will take place will commence immediately the entire board is completed.

What is the idea of the ETF? The idea of Employment Trust Fund is to ensure that unemployment is highly reduced to a minimal level in Lagos State. When you considered that in Lagos State, the population is high and you are talking about say 20million to 23million and majority of this number are the youths and they are unemployed, so that is the reason for the formationof ETF, and we believe it will go a long way in reducing unemployment, because it is not just employment trust fund for the elite, its target is for the downtrodden in the state. In fact, the artisans, youths in particular, who can come up with ideas and who are also willing to create employment within themselves. Even some training will be giving to them before the resources will be provided to them.

However, I think the beneficiaries must be residents of Lagos State, not indigene but residents of Lagos State. And that means they must also have the LASSARA, this residence permit that was being done . So I’m advising the young men that have been living in Lagos State for not less than six months and above to make time and go and register and have their own resident’s citizen card because if you don’t have it, you won’t be able to access the fund.

However, we are not talking about indigenes of Lagos State or tribe in this case because we don’t want to raise any sentiment that it is only indigenes that would benefit from it, so that is why in the wisdom of the governor, and the brain behind the trust fund, it is giving to the residents of Lagos State who have spent a minimum of six months and above and who have registered and also have the resident permit with their documents showing that they are residents in Lagos State not just any other person that is living in Lagos State. So, I think that is the major bold step the government of Lagos State has taken to solve the menace of unemploy-

Idimogu

The idea of Employment Trust Fund is to ensure that unemployment is highly reduced to a minimum level in

Lagos State.

ment in the state. And I sincerely commend the governor and his team for that.

Apart from that ETF, are there any other way of absorbing some of them in the ministries and agencies of the state?

Yes, of course as at today and since the commencement of this administration, I’m aware that primary school teachers have been employed in the state schools management board and I think the process is still on and it was advertised. Many have been interviewed and recruitment process is still on. I know that; that one has been done and very soon, some of them will be receiving their employment letters. Again, as I speak to you, Lagos State Transport Management Authority, LASTMA are also employing through the State Civil Service Commission and if you go through their potter you will see it is advertised there. People have also been applying and I know the process is still on. Some have been invited for interview. These are ways of reducing the unemployment in the state and I know that even the Fire Services, under special duties are also recruiting.

Now the vacancy is on and if you go to their website, it’s there and if you are qualified you can apply but all these

How is the state going to monitor the funds so that it will not be abused by the youths who are going to be the beneficiaries of this fund?

Well, that depends on the modalities of the board, that is what the ETF is going to adopt. The chairman for me is a first class material who has done it before, and she has worked in Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS. She is a chartered accountant with pedigree, and from her resume, she is a financial expert. Her record in finance and management is intimidating sincerely within me, I was carried away by her Curriculum Vitae , CV. I think she is a capable hand to manage the fund. Very sharp, articulate and intelligent woman so the idea of abuse may not be there. I believe with her and the Executive Secretary of the board, other board members will key into their vision.

The governor, the House of Assembly, have done everything to make sure that every law guiding it to function is provided but it’s the board that will come out with the details of how it will go according to their guidelines. So on the issue of abuse, they can be able to take care of that because they are the managers of the fund. They are also going to bring the private sector, individuals into it because it’s not only managing the funds but they have to grow the funds. The kind of fund management they are going to do is more of accountability and transparency, because that is the purpose.

Every person that will have the opportunity to draw from it, will know that there will be controls to safeguard anything like embezzlement. Of course, we know that there is no system that is faulty proof, but I also know that through their very best control, they will checkmate those that will look at it as their own ‘national cake’ or largesse from the government. And I believe that any person that has enjoyed the fund will be able to pay back so that it can go round to others.

How are we sure that access the funds is not going to be partisan, for instance they may require that beneficiaries must show their party cards ?

No, no, no! That is why the only condition that I know is through the resident’s permit card, that you must be a resident of Lagos State. What do you mean by being a party member?

A situation where the applicants can be asked to produce their parents’ party card membership?

No, I know that party cards and membership cards have nothing to do with this ETF opportunity. You see we have an amiable governor, whose interest is on Lagos residents, not tribe or party membership. Any person as long as you have your resident’s permit is entitled to the fund. It’s not for any tribe, party, family, clan or state. It’s for those who are living in Lagos State and are contributing their quota; taxes and adding values in Lagos State. The purpose of the fund. is clear and the document about the fund is there, it’s a public document, and it has no hidden agenda. The governor has spoken to the House, and my honourable Speaker, Rt. Hon. Obasa and other stakeholders have given their support to the ETF and everything is going to work out transparently.

What are your words for youths?

They should be calm, not engage in crime and criminalities, exercise patience because there are good things coming their ways from this government. But they must have their LASSARA, let them go and register now and get their resident permit card because you cannot access the employment trust fund if you don’t have their resident permit. The state is not bias by asking for that; what they are saying is that if you have lived in Lagos State for a minimum of six months and above, you are entitled to it, so let them go and get it.

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Monday, February 29, 2016

15

Pressured Naira and the hovering vultures OGAH SIMEON

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ar from being alarmed at the threat that the global economic situation poses to the Nigerian economy, some group of unpatriotic Nigerians is impatiently waiting in the wing to cash in on the nation’s economic challenges.

These are vultures that have smelled the potential for carrion and would not even wait for the animal to be fully dead before feasting. Like vultures waiting out the final moments of a dying animal on boughs, these Nigerians are waiting to see Nigeria’s situation worsen before diving in. But unlike vultures, which are not in the habit of quickening the demise of the animal they want to devour, these saboteurs are doing all they can to quicken the death of the Nigerian economy so that they could feast to their full.

Specifically, they have placed the managers of the Nigeria’s economy under unprecedented pressure to devalue the naira. Their chorus for devaluation has been without thoughts for the impact on the larger population that stands to be negatively affected by such hasty move.

As they grow more impatient to reap windfall from their envisaged destruction of the national currency, desperation has set in.

Newspaper publications are inundated with pseudo analysts competing to outdo one another as to who can be the most

screeching strident in the call to reduce our currency to tissue paper. Television programmes have a full cast of talking heads that market devaluation of the naira to appear like the best thing since the discovery of three minutes noodles – five minutes of listening to them and one realizes that while they may be physically present in a Nigerian studio they do not live in Nigeria. Same as their online and newspaper counterparts these minions for neocons are completely insulated from the reality on the streets.

The crooks who are clamouring for devaluation of the naira have not for one heartbeat been sincere about their true intentions or at least the agenda of those they are fronting for. What they have never mentioned in their many treaties and television appearances is that they desperately want devaluation so that they can ship back the stolen funds stashed abroad to buy up Nigeria at half price.

Fortunately, it appears the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele, is awake to this ploy which could in part explain the staunch refusal to bow in to the fraudulent demands for the currency to be rubbished just to please a clique of cutthroats. Instead of bowing in to the blackmail of these currency speculators, he has taken bold steps to shore up the naira on other fronts.

Despite the low return on crude oil sales, which has been the driver of the pressure on the naira, the CBN governor

WE HAD A RECENT PAST THAT WAS NOT ONLY CORRUPT, BUT WHOSE OFFICIALS ALSO UNABASHEDLY DOLLARIZED OUR ECONOMY has been able to sustain investors’ confidence contrary to the prophesy of charlatans that there will be divestments and panic withdrawal from Nigeria. Those who had tried to use the potential for divestment as a point in their argument for devaluation usually, conveniently, sidestep the fact that what we are witnessing has a fairly global spread and that other countries also have their currency under pressure while manufacturing has slowed down in others.

The other fact the pro-devaluation crowd are happy to hide from Nigerians is the role played in the past by institutional corruption, of which they are beneficiaries. The Armsgate scandal might have exposed how public fund was shared like a local trader giving out alms to beggars, but the other lesson that is not impressed on our collective subconscious is that the much of the stolen funds are in dollars.

So we had a recent past that was not only corrupt, but whose officials also unabashedly dollarized our economy.

Curtailing illegal mining and dredging in Lagos TAYO OGUNBIYI

T

he waterways stretching from Badagry to Epe, (with a peninsular in between, a lagoon at the back and the Atlantic in front), Ikorodu to Marina, Badagry to Marina, among others, are nature’s gifts to Lagos. These are coastlines which many people wish for, being natural habitats yet to be subjected to devastation, global warming, climate change and other environmental hazards.

It is, therefore, shattering that in spite of several warnings by the Lagos State government to illegal sand miners to desist from their ignoble acts or face prosecution, the illegal activities have continued unabated, thereby posing threats to water transportation, gas distribution channels and other buried infrastructure in the state. It is, indeed, depressing that some of these illegal miners dug almost four to five meters to the Atlantic.

Illegal mining and dredging constitute serious environmental threats to the society. In the first instance, the activities could aggravate flood disasters in concerned areas and expose the entire state to severe consequences. The damages done to the waterways, gas and oil pipelines by illegal miners could also bring terrible disasters to those living along the coastlines, if not now but certainly in the future.

On the economic side, illegal miners and dredgers are thieves who disallow government from maximizing the natural resources of the state for the good of all.

ILLEGAL MINERS AND DREDGERS ARE THIEVES WHO DISALLOW GOVERNMENT FROM MAXIMIZING THE NATURAL RESOURCES OF THE STATE FOR THE GOOD OF ALL Not only are they not licensed to engage in what they are doing, they are equally denying those that are lawfully permitted by law the leeway to operate. Illegal sand mining and dredging equally lead to direct cause of erosion, which has destroyed lives and property of law abiding citizens and still threaten lives and property of more citizens.

It also impacts negatively on wildlife, as sea animals that depend on sandy beaches for their nesting, are sent into near extinction. It also destroys fisheries, causing economic problems for people who rely on fishing for their livelihoods. Perhaps, more importantly, illegal sand mining pose a great threat to tourism enterprise in the state, as beaches and other sites people would have visited for relaxation and other social activities, have been devastated.

These acts of illegality , run contrary to the law enacted in 2004 by the fifth Lagos State House of Assembly entitled: “A Law To Provide For The Regulation And Grant of Permit To Any Person Conducting Sand

Dealing And Dredging Operation In Lagos State And For Connected Purposes.” The law stipulates that every person, corporation, partnership or body involved in sand dealing and/or sand dredging operation should obtain an operational permit from the state.

Illegal mining is a very dangerous business that nobody should be involved in and the Lagos state Government is not in any way unmindful of the danger it poses to the socio-economic landscape of the state.

This is partly why the Akinwunmi Ambode administration recently empowered relevant security agencies with diverse professional equipment ranging from surveillance helicopters to speed boats. It is an open secret that the administration has invested billions of naira in the security sector since it came on board about eight months ago. The objective is to ensure that relevant security agencies in the state are sufficiently empowered to protect lives and properties as well as being effectively positioned to apprehend criminals of all sorts.

Administratively, the state government, as always, has been streamlining the activities of sand miners and dredgers in the state in line with international best practices. This is being done through new strategies meant to check and coordinate sand mining and dredging activities and avoid serious and irreparable catastrophe to the landscape. At a recent stakeholders’ forum on the subject, the state government has suspended, for now, all activities relating to sand dredging in the state. This is to ensure that new operational modalities agreed upon by all stakeholders are

Furthermore, most of the dollars that should been in our foreign reserve is sitting pretty in the offshore accounts of the same people who are now campaigning for the crippling or even death of the naira. They are also dubious to admit that devaluation mostly works wonder if the economy is heavy on manufacturing and export. We are low on both, so where is the advantage of devaluation to us? It will take a while for our export and manufacturing, after prolonged neglect, to pick up. If we devalue before we have something to sell then we may not be able to afford the capital to kick-start manufacturing, considering that heavy machines must be necessarily imported.

Mr Emefiele might have been appointed under the previous administration; but today he has to clean up the mess left in the wake of that administration.

This is a task he has largely succeeded in achieving and has thus proved that the stance of the President a CBN governor serves matters. His pursuit of zero tolerance for corruption in so many areas is yielding result and they are in tandem with President Muhammadu Buhari’s change agenda.

For the sake of Nigeria, Mr Emefiele must remain unbowed and unaffected by the ill-conceived calls for him to resign or be sacked. As the vultures continue to hover, the CBN Governor should make the naira, recover and walk away.

Ogah is a Makurdi-based public policy analyst

arrived upon.

Perhaps, more importantly, since the crime is a local one, it is important that community leaders, representatives of the people and traditional rulers within the communities where this dangerous crime occur, collaborate with government to end this illegal activity.

Similarly, law enforcement agencies should cooperate with communities’ leaders and other stakeholders to stem the tide of illegal mining and sand dredging in the state. Law enforcement officers should not connive with these criminals to undermine the security, economy and environmental landscape of the state. To do this would certainly be to allow the billions of naira the state government has invested in empowering security agencies in the state go into the drains.

In order to sustain what is left of the aesthetics of the environment and frustrate a possible disaster arising from the activities of these illegal sand miners, relevant law enforcement agencies should bring the full weight of the law to bear on the illegal activities of these criminals.

Ogunbiyi is of the Features Unit, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja.

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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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 ABUJA BUREAU CHIEF

Osun State Government and doctors’ impasse

M

edical doctors in the South West geopolitical zone threatened last week to embark on solidarity strike in sympathy with their counterparts in Osun State should the state government fail to address the demands of their colleagues within the next two weeks. Chairman of the South West caucus of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Adenike Odewabi, told the media in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, that they would embark on systematic solidarity actions and public protests in six states in the zone, namely Ekiti, Ogun, Ondo, Osun Oyo and Lagos.

It is common knowledge that the Osun State Association of Medical and Dental Officers commenced strike on Monday, September 28, 2015 to protest the state government’s non-payment of all its members’ outstanding salaries, leave bonuses, union and cooperative deductions; as well as the non-remittance of backlogs of contributory pension deductions to the relevant pension funds administrators. The group also requested that the government put machinery in motion for the immediate implementation of the revised Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and relativity payment to doctors in the state as approved by the Federal Government.

Following the state administration’s sabre-rattling to sack them if the failed to resume work

by Friday, December 25, 2015, the doctors stuck to their guns, lamenting that Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s government added salt to injury by withholding a significant percentage of their salaries in exchange of promised ‘special allowances’, without any formal or informal negotiations with the body. Resident doctors in the state were said to have been last paid full salaries in June 2015; and had been receiving stipends that were not up to half of their monthly pay since then.

Neither the sack threat nor the state government’s assumption that the doctors have resigned their appointments has resolved the logjam. The state House of Assembly had also intervened, all to no avail. Latest reports say the NMA now wants President Muhammadu Buhari and leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to prevail on Governor Aregbesola to pay the doctors’ “rightful and legitimate claims - full salary for six months, skipping and relativity - in accordance with established principles of Universal Applicability”.

For his part, Governor Aregbesola views the action of the striking doctors as selfish and uncaring. He says the doctors do

WITH GIVE AND TAKE HERE AND THERE, WHAT THE NMA SEEKS FROM BUHARI AND APC LEADERSHIP IT COULD

AREGBESOLA AND THE OSUN STATE GOVERNMENT

GET FROM

not bother about what happens to other citizens and residents of the state in the face of the biting economic hardship in the country.

Osun State, according to Aregbesola, is facing a serious economic challenge that demands sacrifice on the part of the doctors. He said all moves to resolve the problem amicably were turned down by the doctors, who he claimed were being paid their monthly salaries without them working up to September 2015. The governor blames the doctors for allegedly going against what he called “the accepted modulated salary regulation” that applies to Osun’s over 40,000 workforce.

But while the impasse lingers, patients are suffering. The NMA says, for instance, that it is being inundated on daily basis with reports of deaths and injuries of women and children in Osun, a situation it blamed on the complete collapse of healthcare services in sections of the state as

ON THIS DAY February 29, 1916 Child labour: In South Carolina, United States, the minimum working age for factory, mill, and mine workers was raised from twelve to fourteen-years-old. Child labour refers to the employment of children at regular and sustained labour. This practice is considered exploitative by many international organizations and is illegal in many countries. The US set the minimum age to work without parents’ consent at age 16.

Letters tothe theEditor Editor Letters to

February 29, 1988 South Africa’s Archbishop Desmond Tutu, was arrested along with 100 clergymen during a fiveday anti-apartheid demonstration in Cape Town.

Tutu (born October 7, 1931) is a South African activist and retired Anglican bishop who rose to worldwide fame during the 1980s as an opponent of apartheid. Apartheid was a system of racial segregation enforced by the National Party governments of South Africa between 1948 and 1994.

a result of the strike. Patients that can afford it are forced to embrace alternative medical facilities at prohibitive costs, while the less privileged resort to quacks, with the associated risks; or die in search of medical help. Besides, the state will most probably lose a good number of medical experts, as some of the striking doctors scout for other means of survival.

Therefore, our thinking is that it is high time both the state government and the striking doctors climbed down from their high horses. They should yield grounds sufficiently enough to permit a negotiated settlement and suspension of the strike. It is to the huge discredit of both the state administration and the medical profession for the sick in Osun to keep perishing for no fault of theirs. With give and take here and there, what the NMA seeks from Buhari and APC leadership it could get from Aregbesola and the Osun State Government. Again, notwithstanding the subsisting federalist hypocrisy in the land, Nigeria still remains a federation. As a result, benchmarks set by the federal government, like the National Minimum Wage Act and CONMESS, may be contested by state governments. But they should be sincerely sorted out, based on fair and equitable parameters.

x February 29, 2012 Tokyo Skytree became the tallest tower in the world, 634 meters high, and second tallest (man-made) structure on Earth, next to Burj Khalifa. Tokyo Skytree is a broadcasting, restaurant and observation tower in Sumida, Tokyo, Japan. It became the tallest structure in Japan in 2010 and reached its full height of 634.0 metres (2,080 ft) in March 2011, making it the tallest tower in the world, displacing the Canton Tower.

A2 18

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Cover

CBN head office, Abuja

Banks’ charges may undermine savings, financial inclusion drive The introduction of stamp duty charges on certain categories of transactions in addition to other charges by Deposit Money Banks, BMBs may hinder financial inclusion drive of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and could also negatively affect saving culture of Nigerians, especially the middle and low income earners. Udo Onyeka reports.

P

erhaps to boost the country’s revenue in line with fiscal policies of the Federal Government recently through the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN has ordered the banks on the immediacy of implementing stamp duties charges.

According to this directive bank customers will henceforth pay N50 stamp duty for money received into their accounts via electronic transfer, cash and cheques.

This order was contained in a circular to all Deposit Money Banks and Other Financial institutions titled, “Collection and Remittance of statutory charges on receipts of Nigeria Postal Service under the Stamp Duties Act”.

The circular stated, “As part of efforts to boost its revenue base, the federal government of Nigeria is exploring revenue opportunities in the non-oil sectors especially taxes and rates. It is in recognition of this fact that banks

and other financial institutions are enjoined to support government’s revenue drive through compliance with the provisions of the Stamp Duties Act, LFN 2004 as reinforced by the court judgement in Suit No FHC/L/ CS/1710/2013”, it said.

In this regard, the CBN pursuant to the provisions of its enabling laws, hereby issues this circular to all DMBs other financial institutions: “With immediate effect, all DMBs and other finan-

cial institutions shall commence the charging of N50 per eligible transaction in accordance with the provisions of the Stamp Duties Act and Federal Government Financial Regulations 2009, that is, all receipts given by any bank or other financial institution in acknowledgment of services rendered in respect of electronic transfer and teller deposits from N1, 000 and above; “For all avoidance of doubt the following receipts are however exempted

from imposition of stamp duties: payments of deposits or transfer by self to self whether inter or intra bank; and any form of withdrawals/transfers from saving accounts; It should be noted that these charges are only payable by receiving accounts.

“Each DMB shall open an account designated as NIPOST Stamp Duties Account into which all charges collected shall be paid. The balances in such accounts shall be transferred monthly by the DMBs to CBN NIPOST Stamp Duty Collection Account No. 3000047517; “Other financial institutions shall remit their Stamp Duty collections to any DMB of their choice.”

Apart from the stamp duties charges bank customers are of the view that charges are becoming too many for them to bear.

These deductions come in varied forms. It is either the bank is notifying the customers of N50 stamp duty charge or N100 account maintenance fee had been deducted. A times it could be message alerting the customer of another N100 had been deducted as value added tax on account maintenance.

Financial institutions customers are at a loss over the entire issue, as there are unending text Continued on pg A4 UDO ONYEKA, EDITOR BUSINESS COURAGE udonyeka@gmail.com c

Global Media Mirror Limited

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Cover

Emefiele

and to N78.5bn in 2018.

Emefiele said that the Federal Government was exploring opportunities in the banking sector as part of efforts to boost its revenue base through taxes and rates.

“There are currently various options the government and the economic team are looking at as ways to boost non-oil revenues and stamp duty is one option.

“The numbers are there in the budget about what we expect to generate from stamp duties in 2016.

“We will try as much as possible, working with the banks to ensure that all transactions are captured in a way that ensures that for transactions above N1,000 and above, each of those transactions get debited for N50”, he said.

According an advocacy group, Consumer Advocacy Foundation of Nigeria, CAFON, Bank customers are excessively charged.

The group in a petition signed by its President, Sola Salako, also accused the CBN of not doing enough to stop banks from exploiting customers.

The group’s protest comes as fallout of over 10 identifiable charges associated with banking activities currently raising concerns among customers.

The charges, in no particular order, include the maintenance fees, which some banks are now charging monthly on current accounts and Value Added Tax (VAT) on virtually every transaction by customers, including SMS. There are also charges for transfers both online and over the counter, remote-on-us (charges incurred for using other banks’ ATM in withdrawing money more than three times in a month) as well as the recently introduced stamp duties charge.

‘

Kemi Adeosun, Minister of Finance

Sekibo

Salako bemoaned the high level of exploitation, saying that bank customers, for many years, have been subjected to series of poor and unsatisfactory transaction and relationship terms.

The CAFON boss called on Nigerians to participate in the “No Banking Day” holding on March 1, 2016 when bank customers will shun all banking services to protest excessive bank charges.

The petition stated: “Dear Nigerian bank consumer, for many years now, consumers of banking services have been subjected to series of poor and unsatisfactory transaction and relationship terms.

“We have endured excessive charges, illegal fees and unfair contracts that only protect the bank but do not protect the consumers. Banks debit our accounts at will for charges we never agreed to or were not aware of; they charge us for every little service; we pay for getting our statements; introduction letters; and now, some banks are charging N200 for the use of deposit and transfer forms! “Under the current CBN management, abolished fees are being reintroduced.

“ATM withdrawals that were free now cost N65 on 3rd withdrawals. We pay N1,000 for debit card issuance and renewals; we pay N105 for every online transfer; and they still charge N105 as Annual Debit Card Maintenance and now, a new Stamp Duty charge of N50 on every credit of over N1,000 has just been introduced.

“COT that was supposed to end finally in 2016 is now being reintroduced as 1 per cent of every withdrawal purportedly as Monthly Current Account Maintenance Fees!

“This is unacceptable! The fact is, consumers are being exploit-

We have endured excessive charges, illegal fees and unfair contracts that only protect the bank but do not protect the consumers. Banks debit our accounts at will for charges we never agreed to or were not aware of; they charge us for every little service; we pay for getting our statements

‘

Continued from pg A3 message to customers of which banks deduct for the messages.

Now the new stamp duties charges which is expected to fetch the government about N2.5b daily, would add to the burden of customers who are already groaning under excessive charges. Industry watchers are however worried that these charges may hinder the financial inclusion drive of the CBN, as it is capable of reducing patronage.

As if the stamp duties charge was not enough the CBN in a bid to generate revenue for deposit money banks, has introduced a maintenance fee on current account transactions.

This was revealed in a circular signed by Kevin Amugo, director, financial policy and regulation department of the CBN, dated January 20 and addressed to the commercial banks.

This comes few weeks after the central bank kicked off its Zero COT, commission on turnover, policy for all commercial banks within the country.

“The revised guide to bank charges (RGBC) which came into effect on April 1, 2013 provides for a phased elimination of commission on turnover (COT) charges in the Nigerian banking industry, under the guidelines, a zero COT regime was to come into effect from January 2016,” CBN said in the circular.

The CBN said it noted that while COT was gradually phased out, some banks began charging maintenance fee in addition to COT. The bank said it was also aware of the impact of dwindling oil prices, Treasury Single Account (TSA) and other market turbulence.

Hence, the CBN said “in the interest of stability, of the banking system, a negotiable current account maintenance fee not exceeding N1.00 per mille (1/N1, 000) may be charged in respect to all customer induced debit transaction”.

This means for every N100, 000 leaving a current account in Nigeria, deposit money banks are permitted to take N100 for account maintenance. This policy is coming less than two weeks after the CBN introduced stamp duties of N50 per transaction.

According to CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, the Federal Government is targeting additional N66.1bn revenue in 2016 from stamp duty charges of N50 on bank customers for money received into their accounts.

He said this while speaking with newsmen on the sideline of the Monetary Policy Meeting in Abuja.

NAN reported that the 2016, 2017, and 2018 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper as captured in the 2016 Budget under the nonoil revenue section, shows that the Federal Government projects to make N66.1bn in 2016 from stamp duty alone.

It also projects that the revenue would grow to N71.8bn in 2017

ed by all the banks and CBN is turning a blind eye to these exploitations. We cannot continue to endure these exploitations!,” the group said.

But Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Heritage Bank, Mr. Ifie Sekibo, said bank customers are excessively charged. Speaking recently in an interview with a daily newspaper he said bankers believe that charges on turnover ought not to be the proper way to express service to customers. “ But we must also know that we are in an Information and Communications Technology age, where for every account you hold, the banks incur cost for maintaining the account. It is not a charity.

“The other is the card. You do not have to have a card. Financial services have to be inclusive and everybody must have access to it. For that accessibility, you have to deploy some technology.

All over the world, the cost of technology has come down.

“But here in Nigeria, the cost is still very high. We pay three times what people in other parts of the world pay for data. Every time you use your ATM card, you use data, and in the process, passing a cost to the bank. But the bank does not charge you until the customer’s fourth use.

In other countries, once you insert the card, they charge you”, he said.

Also a former President of Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, CIBN and Managing Director, Maxifund Finance and Securities Limited, Mazi Okechukwu Unegbu said that banks are in business to make profit, but the CBN is also there to make sure they do according to rule and regulations guiding financial institutions in the country.

Also Director General West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management, WAIFEM, Prof Akpan Ekpo, in an interview with National Mirror sometime ago said banks are not charity organisations, but profit making entity that has owners, shareholders that expect to earner return on their investments.

Corroborating Unegbu , he said the CBN however should

monitor and supervise the activities of the banks.

On its own the CBN has urged bank customers to relay information concerning excessive and illegal charges by their respective commercial banks to its Consumer Protection Department .This advice was given in a statement titled: “Alleged Excess, Illegal Charges by Deposit Money Banks,” which was signed by its Director, Corporate Communications, Ibrahim Mu’azu.

Following complaints by commercial and other deposit bank’s customers to the CBN , Muazu pointed out that the Revised Guide to Bank Charges clearly specifies allowable charges for all banking services and the CBN does not in any way condone the fleecing of banking customers under any guise.

“It was in the quest to provide a strong voice to banks’ customers and moderate the arbitrary charges that the CBN in 2012, established its Consumer Protection Department. For the avoidance of doubt, the CBN has investigated over 6000 complaints relating to unauthorised bank charges brought to its notice, following which banks have been compelled to refund the sum of over N6.2bn to affected customers in 2015 alone.

“The CBN wishes to reiterate its resolve to continuously enforce the provision of the Revised Guide to Bank Charges and urges members of the public to report cases of infringement to enable it investigate and apply sanctions on any erring deposit money bank,” he added.

Also to show that it would not tolerate excessive charges by banks, the CBN said it compelled DMBs to refund N6.2bn to customers they over charged as cost of transactions in 2015 alone.

In a recent statement by Mu’azu , the apex bank said it is always ready to checkmate banks and protect customers from illegal, excessive charges.

“The CBN has investigated over 6,000 complaints relating to unauthorised bank charges brought to its notice, following which banks have been compelled to refund N6.2 bn to affected customers in 2015 alone.BC

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A5 21

News CBN tags bank accounts without BVN as dormant Udo Onyeka

T

he Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, last week, said that bank accounts without the Biometrics Verification Number, BVN, would be operated as “No Customer Initiated Debit”.

The apex bank said this in a circular titled: “Classification on Accounts with BVN Related Issues” sent to all commercial banks and posted on its website.

The circular signed by Director, Banking and Payments System Department, Mr Dipo Fatokun, said that such accounts would remain dormant until the account holder obtain and attach the BVN to the account. The circular read, “It has, however, come to our notice, that some customers could not link their BVN to their accounts.

“This is due to discrepancies between the record on the BVN database and the records on the core banking applications of the DMBs. Such customers can approach their bankers for correction, but some of the banks could not effect the corrections. The bank, in the circular, said that in view of this development, it had become imperative for the CBN to issue the clarifications.

It said that such clarifications included corrections of Date of Birth on the BVN record.

This should be allowed once, with supporting documents, evidencing the correct date of birth.

CBN said that change of names due to marriage should be allowed with supporting documents, such as marriage certificate or affidavit, among others.

The apex bank said that minor correction of names, due to misspelling should be allowed, with supporting documents such as international passport, showing the correct name.

According to CBN, change of names that are totally different should only be allowed after customer has produced supporting documents.

LADOL: NAPIMS endorses job quality of $4bn Egina integration project Francis Ezem

T

he National Petroleum Investment Management Services NAPIMS, a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation NNPC,

The Brand Manager, Three Crowns Milk, Ms. Ifunanya Obiakor (Middle) presenting N50,000 Gift Voucher to Mr. and Mrs. Sokenu at the Three Crowns Milk Valentine¹s Day Promo Celebration held at Ibis Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos recently.

has said it is satisfied with the quality of job being done on the $3.8bn Egina Integration project currently going on at the Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics Base LADOL. The project also called the Egina Floating Production Storage and Offload FPSO Integration Platform, believed to be first of its kind in the entire West African sun-region, is being done under the management of Samsung Heavy Industries SHI, with LADOL as its local content partner.

Two General Managers of NAPIMS, Mr. Jock James and Mr. Kanayo Odoe, who led the top management of the company on an inspection of the LADOL facility in Apapa, Lagos said that the quality of job at the site meets global standards.

The duo, who fielded questions from news men shortly after the inspection, also had that the company had always supported the sitting of the Egina project at the LADOL yard.

According to them, today, NAPIMS has been justified because the oil and gas logistics service provider has adequately demonstrated its competence in handling of the project, which has already gulped over $450 million in terms of local content imputs from LADOL. “We are quite delighted that NAPIMS’ support for the integration of the fabrication platform at LADOL Base has been justified by the quality of work currently going on at the base”, James, who is GM, Production Sharing Contract PSC of NAPIMS said.

He also insisted that the fact that promoters of LADOL have adequately demonstrated their ability to undertake the strategic project through their due diligence, informed why NAPIMS stood its ground that Samsung should not take it outside the country.

“It was a battle well fought

and what we are seeing today is a reality and a testimony of the fact that we were right in our supports…considering the quality of work being done here, not to mention the fact that a large number of Nigerians are engaged here to acquire trainings and skills”, he also said.

He disclosed that when the NAPIMS’ team first visited LADOL some years ago, the site which has now been tranformed into a world-class facility was a virgin swamp and all they could say then was, ‘if you agree with Samsung, this is where the fabrication yard will be sited’.

James, who also commended LADOL, however pledged that NAPIMS has a mandate not only to support the indigenous organisations, but also to encourage them and other similar organisations that have demonstrated “the can-do spirit” that is needed for the nation’s economic growth and development.

Meanwhile, Odoe who is General Manager of the Nigerian Petroleum Exchange NIPEX, which is an arm of NAPIMS, said that with the success of the EginaFPSO project so far, said this great feat will open doors for similar jobs in Nigeria.

Micro pension to capture 60 per cent Nigerians

W

hen the National Pension Commission, PenCom, finally unveil the micro pension scheme later in the year, it would capture about 60 per cent Nigerians in the informal sector of the economy.

The Director General, PenCom, Mrs. Chinelo AnohuAmazu, while speaking at a media parley in Lagos over the

weekend, noted that the current guidelines only focused on the formal sector, while neglecting majority of Nigerians in the informal sector.

She stated that the informal sector constitute the bulk of the country’s population and that huge amount of monies were exchanging hands, without little or nothing to save for retirement, a development she said was not good enough.

While stating the commission would have unveiled the micro pension guideline, but has to postpone it, at least for now, channeling the most energy on its awareness before it can be eventually launched.

Currently, she said the commission is meeting with relevant stakeholders, such as the labour leaders, civil societies as well as other participants in the informal sector, in a bid to persuade them on the need to partake in the scheme when it comes on board. This, she stressed, would be followed by road shows, town hall meetings, rallies, and so on, to educate Nigerians on its benefits, after which it would be launched.

While urging operators in the informal sector to learn from the country (Nigeria) that failed to save during oil boom, but now suffering its consequence, Anohu-Amazu noted that “Anybody that couldn’t save a little just because he doesn’t have cannot save when he has millions. There is no amount that is too small to be saved.

Though, there are challenges we encountered while trying to bring the informal sector on board, but we just have to work around those challenges to explore the opportunities in that critical sector.”

“Traders, entrepreneurs, artists, and so on move around a lot of money but did not have Retirement Savings Accounts, RSAs, to save for old age. That is too dangerous. So, for the

past three years or so, we have been working on a scheme known as micro pension for this segment of the market,” she said.

To this end, she stated that the commission has set up a micro pension department to handle any issue regarding micro pension scheme.

Meanwhile, a statement on PenCom website over the weekend, stressed that in implementing the micro-pension initiative, the informal sector has been segmented into three broad categories – the low income earners; high income earners and SMEs and that each of these categories would be targeted with appropriate pension products and sensitisation programmes that meet their peculiarities.

The commission noted that it had already commenced the sensitisation of service providers and relevant regulators as well as the targeted workers in the informal sector with a view of creating the enabling environment and buy-in.

ICSAN chairman promises increased awareness

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he newly elected President, Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria, ICSAN, Mrs. Biola Laseinde, has promised to reposition the institute through increased publicity.

She also promised to utilise available collaborative medium with relevant stakeholders to ensure that body did not only contribute to economic growth and development of the country, but also enrich the knowledge of its members through regular trainings and seminars.

Laseinde, while speaking exclusively to Newswatch Times yesterday after she was elected as the new president of ICSAN, at the 2015 Annual General Meeting, AGM, of the institute in Alausa, Ikeja, noted the association, has for years , being in operation, yet, its image is still largely unknown, promising to project and promote the association to limelight.

She charged her colleagues to embrace and uphold the ethical values of their profession so as to be a good ambassador of the institute.

“We are going to interact more with our members, brainstorm together on how to reposition INSCAN for better. Moreover, I will ensure that there is consistent training of members through seminars and conferences.”

Believing the association has what it takes to compete with the already established bodies, she said the importance of administrators in national growth cannot be over-emphasized.

The immediate past President,

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Monday, February 29, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News INSCAN, Otunba Francis Meshioye, while thanking members for their support during his administration, also congratulated the new chairman and other executives, calling on members to extend the same hand of fellowship he enjoyed to the new president.

At the event, Mr. Tony Okonmoh was elected as the vice chairman; Mrs. Ronke Opajobi becomes the Secretary, while the post of Publicity Secretary went to Mrs. Sophia Abiri-Franklin, even as Mr. Musa Bello becomes the new assistant publicity secretary.

Onyekachi Uko got the post of Financial Secretary, Mrs. Cheta Nwabuike, the Treasurer, with Mrs. Bunmi Adefolu elected as the social secretary.

Ononokpono

PENGASSAN seeks autonomy for PPPRA

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he Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, has made case for the autonomy of the Petroleum products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA, to enable it play its role effectively.

Mr Victor Ononokpono, PPPRA Branch Chairman, who made the call while briefing news men said the union, has protested the deployment of employees of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, as Chief Executive Officer of PPRA over the years.

He said that the practice, which started in 2008, should stop as it has affected the smooth operations of the agency.

From 2008, the independence of the once revered and respected downstream regulator took a continuous slide toward partisanship and collusion.

An agency that had created a niche for thoroughness and professionalism soon became the weakest link in the chain,’’ he said. According to him, the trend has led to the worst moments in the annals of the oil and gas sector beginning from 2011.

He said that PPPRA was created to liberalise the downstream sector, dismantle monopoly and resolve the perennial problem of scarcity of petroleum products.

He added that it was equally created to supervise planned deregulation of the oil and gas downstream sector.

It is important to note that the act establishing PPPRA contemplated an autonomous agency to primarily determine the pricing policy of petroleum products and regulate their supply and distribution,’’ he said Ononokpono said that it was unfortunate that the act had been ignored and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources continued to impose workers of NNPC to head the regulatory agency.

He said that the practice of appointing an operator or someone from marketing company to head a regulator like PPPRA was wrong.

He noted that Section 3, Act 8 of PPPRA Act of 2003, stipulates that the agency should not take direction, control or supervision of any other authority in the performance of its functions except the president.

The persistent deployment of NNPC staff to head PPPRA is a flagrant contravention of the act,’’ he said.

The chairman added that the practice would never allow the agency align with the global best practices.

He said that the union was willing to relax its protest and open vistas for engagement with the anticipation on favorable resolution of the matter.

On dual appointment of Chief Executive in acting capacity, Ononokpono said that the national body of the union had written to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, to make a pronouncement on it.

P plus Measurement Services appoints Lead Consultant

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n a bid to further its capacity in creating authentic and pioneering media measurement standards for brands and agencies in the Nigerian communications sphere, P+ Measurement Services has appointed Public relations measurement expert Philip Odiakose as its lead consultant.

Philip is a specialist in PR

Odiakose

Measurement, Media performance index, Media monitoring and brand health analysis and he brings almost a decade of expertise and experience in brand communications audit, online reputation management and in-depth media analysis.

Speaking about his appointment, Lead consultant, P+Measurement Services, Mr Philip Odiakose said. “I am really excited to have joined P+, I believe it is important for clients and brands to understand that it is unhealthy for PR agencies to measure the story they put out in the media for brands and services. It is important to help organisations implement the new Public Relations measurement standards.

“How can communication agencies be the accused, the judge and the jury for a media campaign, It is important that brands and corporations invest in independent media performance audit agencies as a means of balancing reportage being accrued by their different agencies”, he added.

Prior to joining P+ Measurement services, Philip worked on brands such asSouth African Tourism (SAT), Diamond Bank Plc, MoneyGram, Heritage Bank, Cadbury, RenMoney (Formerly RenCredit), Nigeria Breweries, Campari, Chicken Republic, South African Airways (SAA), Blue Gate, AVON HMO, Tetmosol, Alpha Mead (AM) Facility & Management Services, OSMI (Broadcast Right Owner of World Cup in Nigeria) and Orange Academy through several agencies. He was also responsible for functions ranging from media analysis, media monitoring, media & market research,online reputation management and project management.

Over the years, Philip has been a proponent for the AMEC media measurement techniques and the Barcelona Principle now BP 2.0 that has been globally accepted by majority leading firms operating under the integrated marketing communications space.

P+ is Nigeria’s leadingnews/ press release monitoring and performance audit company, clipping more than 350,000+ online media channels ranging from newspapers, blogs, forums,online-news site, magazines, journals, wire services, TV networks, local TV stations and new online media each day.

P+ isinternationallyrecognisedas a PR measurement services company in Nigeria with activities being governed/regulated

by AMEC(International Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication).

P+ recently got listed on the AMEC membership directory Philip has obtained membership and training from

various professional bodies and accrued a number of certifications ranging from PR Measurement, Media Monitoring, Media Research, Media AuditReporting, Online Crisis management, Market Research and Project Management.

Amaechi

Efficient, cost effective service ll’ attracts business to ports – Amaechi Udo Onyeka

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he Minister of Transportation , Mr Chibuike Amaechi has said that the Federal Government would implement policies that would further encourage private sector participation in the ports to ensure that it contribute significantly to the growth of the nation’s economy.

Speaking in Lagos at the conference on ‘improved Ports efficiency in Nigeria’, organised

by Maritime Correspondents Organisation of Nigeria, MARCON, Amaechi noted that improvement of ports efficiency is one of the priorities of this administration.

“Upon assumption of duty, we discovered that a lot still needed to be done to improve ports administration in the country.

“The federal government is committed to building a virile and efficient platform that will advance the contribution of the maritime sub sector to growth of the Nation’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP, an also serve a an alternative source of government revenue.

According to him the FG would partner with the National Assembly to ensure that the four sectoral Bills namely;, The Nigerian Ports and Harbour Authority Bill 2015, The National Inland Waterways Authority Bill , 2015, The Railways Authority Bill , 2015 and the National Transport Commission Bill , 2015 are passed into law and implemented accordingly.

He said that in the desire of the current government to decongest the over stretched existing Ports in Lagos, a number of Deep Sea Ports are being developed in different locations namely Lekki and Badagry Deep Sea Ports in Lagos, Ibom Deep Sea Port in Akwa Ibom State

among others, adding that the port in Onitsha has been completed and commissioned while the process for its concessioning is in progress.

The minister said the overriding objectives of all these efforts are to ensure cost effective and efficient ports services comparable to what obtains in advanced maritime nations and also make Nigeria the maritime hub for movement of goods and passengers between the West Africa and Cenral African Coastal Regions and the rest of the world.

Four States procure compulsory insurance covers for their workers

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our states, namely; Lagos, Niger, Osun and Rivers States have fully purchased compulsory insurance cover for their workers, while also implementing the Contributory Pension Scheme, CPS, for their workers and fully funding the pension scheme.

This leaves 32 States and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, yet to fully comply with the compulsory insurance cover for their workers.

The National Pension Commission, PenCom, over the weekend, disclosed that majority of states are yet to fully complied with CPS for their workers as of the second quarter of 2015.

PenCom disclosed in its update on the implementation of the scheme by the state governments that the four states made some progress in the level of implementation of the CPS as of the end of the second quarter of last year.

“By the second quarter of 2015; 25 states governments had enacted their pension laws, while 11 states were at the bill stage,” it noted.

The commission noted that nine out of the 36 states had commenced the remittance of contributions into the Retirement Savings Accounts, RSAs, of their employees.

Six states, it added, had commenced the funding of their Retirement Benefit Bond Redemption Fund Accounts.

The Pension Reform Act, 2014 states that employers shall maintain life insurance policy in favour of the employee for a minimum of three times the annual total emolument of the employee.

Compensation is to be paid by the insurance companies to the relatives of workers who die while still in service.

In 2008, the Federal Government commenced the group life insurance scheme for its entire workforce, but premium payment by the government has been haphazard over the years. BC

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business Courage

Monday, February 29, 2016

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Companies & Markets

ABCON tasks CBN on Naira exchange value Stories by Udo Onyeka

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he Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has been charged to review the policy of dollar importation into the economy for the purpose of defending the naira.

The president of Association of Bureaux de Change Nigeria, ABCON, Alhaji Aminu Gwadabe, who made this charge, noted that the apex bank should rather introduce a policy whereby the naira is used to intervene in the real sectors of the economy in order to boost productivity.

Gwadabe speaking in Lagos said that the CBN should explore the option of promoting the use and acceptability of naira for transactions within the West African sub region.

According to him, ABCON have observed that this is already happening at the level of informal trading activities within the

sub-region, and it is the association’s belief that this can be replicated at the level of formal economic activities.

He however, noted that ABCON have aligned itself with the stance of the President that there would be no further devaluation of the naira.”Off course we have always kicked against devaluation of the naira because we believe it creates more problem than it solves”, he added.

“Depreciation of the naira affects the working capital of Bureaux de Change, BDCs, and by extension their turnover.

BDCs are able to do more business when the exchange rate is stable and relatively close to the official exchange rate “, he said.

He said they buy dollars from the public and sell to the public. He stressed that their incomes come from the margin between the selling rate and

Gwadabe

buying rate.

The ABCON boss therefore used the opportunity to dissociate BDCs from the sharp depreciation of the naira in the parallel market in recent times.

He said that there have been allegations that BDCs are behind the depreciation of the naira from N265 per dollar to near N400 per dollar. “This is far

F

Ojumah

towards auto insurance policies.

This has led many to buy fake -and literally worthless- auto insurance policies. However, auto insurance could be the only resort for anyone who ever finds himself involved in a motor ac-

cident.”

Speaking on the other hand, the Managing Director, FBNInsurance, owners of FBN General Insurance, Mr. Val Ojumah stated that, “anyone who drives an automobile should buy original and qualitative auto insurance from FBN General Insurance.

People have had their damaged cars replaced or repaired by us and other 3rd party damages taken care of as well. It is high time we looked beyond auto insurance as something we do because it is mandated by law.”

All through the period of the campaign, various freebies will be given out by FBN General Insurance via a social media engagement. Members of the public are required to take a picture of the damaged car which is displayed in front of the FBN

V

General Insurance office located at 298, Ikorodu Road, Anthony Village, Lagos; give it a catchy caption and post it on FBNInsurance facebook page, or tag @ fbninsurance on twitter, with the hashtag fbngeneralauto.

Participants are then required to get their friends to retweet their picture for a chance to win a cool gift every week. Also, customers that buy any of the selected auto policies from FBN General Insurance during this period will get exciting ‘thank you’ gifts. The campaign will run from now till March 20, 2016.

FBN General Insurance Limited is a subsidiary of FBN Insurance, an FBN Holdings company associated with the Sanlam Group, licensed to transact general insurance business in Nigeria. BC

isa Microfinance Bank Limited has applauded the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, its loyal customers, Fidelity Bank and Stanbic IBTC Bank for the roles each of the parties played in Microfinance growth over the years.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Ossy Nebolisa, singled out the CBN for its support and commitment to the growth of the microfinance sector and for consistently finding Visa Microfinance Bank worthy to access the Micro, Small and Medium scale Enterprises Development Fund (MSMEDF) for business intervention lending programmes in Nigeria.

Nebolisa promised continuous innovation in the bank’s product offerings to the customers especially in the areas of e-channels as Nigeria keeps moving towards the cashless economy.

The bank was licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria in 2009 and has actively engaged with the economically active poor in Nigeria to avail them credit facilities to support their businesses.

In its six years of operations, the bank has grown to be a choice microfinance bank for the Abuja community, a statement explained. In addition, it stated that the financial institution has invested in the local community and has partnered various stakeholders in its quest to develop an indelible positive footprint. As part of the anniversary celebrations, the bank engaged in road shows, thanksgiving service, and customers’ appreciation fora.

It recognised and appreciated its loyal customers who have always remained partners in BC progress.

Jibril Aku, MD, Ecobank Nigeria

based on the bank’s commitment to recognizing and rewarding excellence and exceptional performance. The promoted staff cut across all cadres of the workforce.

He added that the Bank has also commenced a selection process of converting qualified non-core staff to permanent staff, in line with the Bank’s commitment to develop and grow talent by providing them with career paths that give them access to higher responsibilities. BC

from the truth. Let me reiterate what we have stated before, an environment of uncertainty, unstable and sharp depreciation of the naira is bad for BDC business”, he stressed.

On the part of ABCON, he noted that as a way of enhancing transparency in the BDC subsector, the association has decided to introduce weekly foreign exchange rate band.

This will serve as a guide to all BDCs and members of the public on the prevailing exchange rate across the country. The Rate Band will be operated in line with the regulated foreign exchange rate in the economy.

This is to forestall exploitation of foreign exchange end users, and also to ensure that end users are informed enough to avoid falling victims of exploitation. The Rate band will be announced via weekly press release that would be circulated to the media for publication. BC

Firm sensities motorists on auto insurance policy benefits BN General Insurance Limited has embarked on an experiential marketing campaign to sensitise motorists on the benefits of buying original, qualitative auto insurance policy from a trusted insurance firms in the country.

Speaking at the media parley to launch the campaign in Lagos last week, Head of General Business, FBN General Insurance, Mr. Olasupo Sogelola, noted that the lackadaisical attitude of the Nigerian road users towards auto insurance has been the bane of many automobile owners.

According to him, “a lot of our people would rather not buy auto insurance because they do not think it’s necessary. Some even call it ‘police-let-me-go’, an unfortunate confirmation of the wrong perception of the populace

Visa MfB lauds CBN on microfinances policy

Ecobank repositions for improved efficiency

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ndications have emerged that the recent re-alignment that affected some senior staff at Ecobank Nigeria was in furtherance of a market repositioning exercise designed to strengthen the bank’s business across all markets where it operates.

Market feelers indicate that for a banking group that grossed over N315bn in revenue and over N78bn in pretax profit in the third quarter of 2015, the Ecobank Group is on a growth trajectory.

As at today, Ecobank remains one of Nigeria’s strongest financial institutions.

An industry analyst opined that the Bank appears to be putting more focus on cost efficiency and investment in key initiatives in its Transaction banking, Cards, and eBanking businesses, while also continuing to simplify its operations to better serve customers which will put the bank ahead of the competition.

Meanwhile, a source from within the bank says the re-

cent restructuring came after a review of senior staff bench strength and industry standards. The source also revealed that it became necessary for the Bank to realign its work force for better efficiency in line with best practice.

Ecobank is said to have realigned certain roles bank wide and those who were affected by the exercise were adequately compensated.

The bank only recently promoted 300 staff, representing 10 per cent of the employees

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Monday, February 29, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Brand Watch

Functionality, global appeal, the future of smart technology – LG’s new offerings Smart technology has become ubiquitous and tech brands are falling over each other to penetrate consumer consciousness in the quest for market share.

David Audu takes a look at LG Electronic recent exploit in bringing these devices to consumers.

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he boom in smartphone technology has resulted in products that are more advanced but has also gone a long way in producing devices that are cheaper and more accessible to consumers across the globe.

The capabilities and global reach of smartphones have revolutionized society, making it easier than ever to connect with people across the world.

Just few years ago, smartphones were still seen as status symbols, largely limited to consumers in developed markets.

However we now live in a world shaped by the universality of the smartphone. Emerging markets that once lagged behind in smartphone adoptions have embraced the technology.

Consumers across the world have grown accustomed to using smart technology in their daily lives, so they have set higher standards for their next generation devices. The smartphone revolution has also planted the seeds for new types of smart technology to emerge. The ongoing Internet of Things revolution owes a great deal to the inroads made by smartphones. Fans of smart cars, smart homes and advanced wearables all have smartphones to thank for taking the technology mainstream.

China has emerged as the world’s largest smartphone market and the Asia-pacific region alone is home to over 1 billion smartphone users, and Africa undoubtedly is catching up in the smartphone density. Now that smartphones are ubiquitous, competition between leading manufacturers has become more intense.

Admittedly, with Apple phones still rating very high, others such as Samsung, Nokia, Techno, and LG have engaged each other in a technological battle for the pockets of the consumers.

One of the companies making strides in smartphone tech-

Smartphone

nology is LG Electronics with its plethora of forward-thinking smartphones.

LG originally embraced the global growth of smartphones by releasing midtier handsets alongside its more advanced flagship devices.

However, LG has continued to innovate and push boundaries as consumers across the world look to upgrade to the smartphone of the future. The IoT era is indeed a massive leap forward for consumers with its mobilecentric devices and progressive technologies that empower users to achieve their set objectives.

Despite the highest global sales ever, smartphone returns in the developed world have started to falter as many analysts anticipate a seismic shift in the market. A recent report from Ericsson ConsumerLab made headlines across the globe when it predicted that smartphones would disappear by 2021.

The survey of over 100,000 consumes in 40 countries found that many believed that the smartphone as a platform had hit its peak, and that the door was open for artificial intelligence, the next generation of wearables and emerging technologies to take over as the standard bearers of smart technology.

Tablets and PCs are also set to feel the effects of this revolution in smart technology as traditional technology is replaced by unified devices that can quickly scale from a smartphone to a PC. The push for unified devices will remake everything we know about smartphones by forcing radical changes to iOS and An-

droid, the two most popular user interfaces.

While these predictions are far from certain, the trends that inspired them are already influencing innovation in smart technology. With a product lineup that already includes powerful PCs and rapidly-improving wearables.

Expectedly, LG is poised to take advantage of the upcoming changes in the smartphone market. In addition, the nature of smartphone displays is one of the primary reasons consumers have become dissatisfied with the technology as a whole. LG’s roll screen prototypes have the ability to breathe new life into smartphones in the near future.

Since the smartphone was first introduced, the screen has remained essentially the same.

Although the size, quality and durability of smartphone screens have all improved dramatically over the past ten years, the underlying technology that powers the screen remains essentially the same outside of a few niche curved phones.

Consumers have grown tired of the smartphone’s rigid screen and now seek something that is more adaptable and user friendly. The current crop of smartphones, such as the LG V10, represents the height of smartphone display technology. The V10 boasts an innovative second screen in addition to its 5.7-inch QHD main display that can be used for app shortcuts, or instant updates. However, this might not be enough to save the smartphone display as we know it.

Displays have long been the chief consumer of smartphone battery, with more advanced displays proving to be the largest drain on energy. Efficient displays aim to provide a week’s worth of battery on a single charge, a boom for the environment and heavy smartphone users alike.

Commenting on the recently introduced LG G4 smartphone, General Manager, Mobile Communication division, LG Electronics West Africa operations, Mr. Steve Seungeui Lee said: “We are living up to our promise of innovation for a better life with a fashionable, premium smartphone that is more focused on delivering a balanced user experience that can compete with the best of the best.

We wanted to give consumers a truly human-centric device that combined the analog sensibilities with technologies that delivered real world performance.

From the design to the camera to the display to the UX, this is the most ambitious phone we’ve ever created.”

While smartphones only recently began to rival dedicated cameras in their ability to capture images, they replaced compact cameras for all but the most dedicated photographers long ago. Now that equipping smartphones with powerful cameras has become commonplace, manufacturers are working on ways to improve the user experience by making it easier than ever to edit and share their pictures and videos.

As smartphone cameras grow in importance, progress is being

made that will allow the devices to one day dethrone even expensive SLRs. The future of smartphone cameras lies in devices that allow amateurs to quickly capture high quality images and make it easy for users to quickly edit and share their favorite shots.

The proliferation of wearable devices has coincided with a vastly improved product ecosystem. Applications such as Starwood’s keyless entry for homes or the magic ticketing band found at Disney theme parks offer just a small peek at the wide range of uses for wearable technology. Near field communication, NFC, compatibility is typically found in IoT appliances but is also working its way into an increasing number of wearable devices. A number of companies have also pursued medical applications for wearables.

LG’s smart watch portfolio utilizes Google’s Android Wear platform, giving it full compatibility with a wide range of smartphones and access to all IoT related wearable applications. In addition, LG already has a diverse smart home network in place with its SmartThinQ ecosystem. Though the company has not yet released an application that allows users to access the full power of SmartThinQ through their wearables, it is only a matter of time before LG takes the lead in this market segment as well, said Lee. According to Lee, wearables, owing to their adaptability and functionality are poised to go beyond the wristwatch and take new forms in the coming years, with smart glasses likely to emerge as the next key wearable platform. For example, Google Glass will relaunch as an enterprise, and Microsoft’s HoloLens will be as disruptive as it is powerful. When wearables were first announced, the primary focus was on the consumer, but recent months have seen a rising emphasis on B2B applications.

The B2B applications of wearable technology have garnered notable interest from firms in the energy, transportation, and travel industries among others.

Experts also believe that wearables are still a growing category, and growth will be largely dependent on pricing. However, the stylish Urbane LG LTE provided insight into the future of wearables by bridging the gap between wearable technology and high fashion. The more closely wearables are able to mimic the accessories they are modeled after, the more eager consumers will be to purchase them. BC

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business Courage

Monday, February 29, 2016

Airtel unveils Smart Number Service Stories by Isaiah Erhiawarien

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elecommunications services provider, Airtel Nigeria has introduced a new Smart Number service that allows customers to use an additional line or number on their original Airtel SIM card, while maintaining a single mobile phone.

The new package is designed to empower owners of small businesses, entrepreneurs, top executives and professionals who wish to improve productivity as well as separate their professional/social and personal mobile lines while maintaining the use of a single phone and SIM card.

The Smart Number is a virtual number mapped to customer’s primary mobile line so that both lines can be used on a single phone.

With this service, customer can define and determine the period when the Smart number is made active and reachable in order to make or receive calls and send or receive SMS. Enterprise Director, Airtel Nigeria, Tawa Bolarin, said the telco is intensely interested in defining new path and innovative ways of empowering and improving the productivity of profes-

Segun Ogunsanya, Airtel boss

sionals, top executives and business owners.

“The Smart Number service is intended to make life better, simpler and more enjoyable for business professionals. It is an innovative way of boosting productivity and driving business performance. Airtel will continue to pioneer new initiatives that will empower entrepreneurs and business professionals,” she said.

Apart from the user-controlled option, other features of the Smart Number include voice mail, call transfer, and value-added services such as conference call, group SMS, etc.

Also, Airtel customers using Smart Number can conveniently maintain privacy and security by screening unwanted calls.

The Airtel Smart Num-

ber, which comes in two different packages - Basic and Plus - is available on monthly subscription for both pre-paid and post-paid customers on the network.

To subscribe for the package, customers can send ‘SUB’ as text to 619 and reply with either 1 or 2 to choose either the ‘Basic’ or ‘Plus’ package. Customers can also call the IVR on 618 and listens to the menu option to subscribe and manage the service.

The Smart Number can call/send text to all networks except international calls/text. To make calls or send through the Smart number, the subscriber is required to dial/text 66 before dialling the recipient’s number. Inbound call on the Smart Number is identifiable as 66 prefix appears before the eleven digits of the caller’s number.

The Smart Number, however, cannot be directly recharged with airtime so the airtime is drawn from the customer’s primary line.

According to Airtel, customers will also need to register the Smart number to ensure full KYC compliance. To get further information on the service, customers are advised to visit: www.airtelbusiness.com.ng or dial the toll-free 618. BC

Jovago, MTN to discount hotel booking for hoteliers

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otel booking portal, Joavgo.com and mobile telecommunications company, MTN has entered a partnership which will deliver to MTN’s Music+ subscribers’ discounts worth 20 per cent off all hotel booking around the country, as a means to providing affordable, convenient and easy accommodation services anywhere in the world.

The partnership with Jovago will deliver to MTN’s Music+ subscribers’ the opportunity to receive fast, easy and secure hotel booking services around the world at 20 per cent discount on even the best individual rates.

Managing Director of Jovago, Kushal Dutta disclosed that his company is happy to partner with MTN saying that with the initiative, “MTN subscribers ever be stranded again. Now you can go anywhere in the country, find a place to stay on Jovago.com

Dutta

and save 20 per cent when you use the code MUSIC+20.

Nigeria’s mobile penetration is improving each day and this drives Jovago and MTN to provide even better and more affordable services for subscribers.”

With the expansion of its offices to Pakistan, Myanmar and Bangladesh, Jovago now has a large inventory of

25,000 hotels in over 40 African countries and 200,000 hotels worldwide.

With its on-going success, Jovago hope to drive the innovation of its digital services in the hospitality industry in emerging countries at the best prices possible and global presence in more than 41 countries around the world. BC

Technotalk

A9 25

with Esther Ozue (ozueesther@nationalmirroronline.net) 08059234648 (sms only)

How big data can help the sales team

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ith technology playing such a prominent role in businesses today, people in all fields are being impacted in new, exciting ways. Perhaps, one field that is dealing with some particularly big challenges is sales. For decades, sales teams have operated under certain strategies that have proven effective, but with the rise of the internet and social media, the balance of power between salesperson and customer has subtly yet noticeably shifted.

Not only is there more information available to customers, but sales teams now have access to unprecedented amounts of data. With these challenges out there, sales teams need help in establishing relationships with more promising customers and getting more sales opportunities. Big data may, in fact, be the key to reaching these goals.

The way salespeople interact with prospective customers has changed drastically in the past few years. Customers are now able to get all the information they need through internet sites, social media, and other networks. That means they are aware of competitors’ information and company or product weaknesses. That puts salespeople at a disadvantage, but big data can help out of this problem.

Big data describes any voluminous amount of structured and unstructured data that has the potential to be mined for information, and can be characterised by 3Vs: the extreme volume of data, the wide variety of types of data and the velocity at which the data must be processed.

Your organisation can best use “big data” to increase sales’ effectiveness through the following ways: 1.

By creating a process for collecting and consolidating data because salespeople spend an average of 25 per cent of their time searching for information for their sales calls, implementing a process for collecting data relevant to your industry. By developing clear goals and processes around data collection, you can enable sales teams to be proactive and deliberate in gathering and inputting relevant information.

2.

Sales leaders leaning on tools and people that can help transform the data into actionable insights as big data ensures the data that is collected is actually analysed and translated into clear insights to improving sales results.

3.

Transforming data into action, some organisations are hiring analysts that are able to make meaningful interpretations of the data and reports coming out of their analytic tools with more sophisticated software.

4.

Big data helps sales teams identify the prospects that are the most promising. This can be done through predictive analytics by applying big data to better predict which customers are most interested and will respond more positively to a sales pitch. Big data allows businesses to analyse each account they have and correctly pick the right time and method for dealing with them.

5.

By using big data sales apps and tools of which most of them revolve around integrating with a customer relationship management (CRM) platform designed specifically for sales divisions. These sales apps have lots of advantages, including capabilities in predictive lead prioritisation, predictive lead scoring, helps develop and foster sales relationships, identify changes in a buyer’s behaviour and helps sales teams respond in real time to these changes, along with fluctuations in the sales cycle.

In conclusion, big data can determine the most promising customers and how to approach them, evaluate members of the sales team their performance could be analyzed to know who is meeting expectations, who is doing better, and who is not meeting the established standards. It also identifies where salespeople need improvement, managers can create more personalised training programmes because with more effective sales team, businesses will prosper and be more productive, gaining new customers all the time BC while keeping the customers they already have. BC BC

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Monday, February 29, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Gbenga Sesan:

A resilient entrepreneur Once derided as someone who could not understand the complexity of a modern day computer, the proverbial rejected stone has turned around to become the cornerstone of information technology, using his deep knowledge of IT to transform many lives and ultimately making fat money. This is the story of Gbenga Olabisi Sesan, Founder/Executive Director, Paradigm Initiative Nigeria

By Adejuwon Osunnuyi

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he story of his beginning and present status is rather interesting. In his third year at the Federal Government College, Idoani, Akure, Ondo State, Gbenga got an embarrassing rebuke that incidentally became the turning point in his career.

At that time, his school just took delivery of two sets of computers and been too excited to try his hands on the devices, he got a shocker. One of his teachers simply told him, “Sorry, you can’t understand how to use them because they are not for people like you.”

What Gbenga, perhaps, considered most embarrassing about his rebuke was that, two other students whose father was a professor in one of the federal universities were allowed to use the computer sets because they already knew how to use them. No one seemed in anyway ready to show young Gbenga Sesan how to explore the computers.

However, rather than sulk and get discouraged, he decided to do everything within his powers not only to learn how to use computers, but also teach the skill to others. “I saw a computer for the first time during my third year in secondary school and the inability to satisfy my curiosity about the “machine”

was a very big challenge to me.

Instead of getting discouraged, however, I made up my mind that I was not only going to touch a computer but I would teach others how to use it to prevent the kind of embarrassment I faced each time I tried getting closer to the “magic beast,” he said in a recent interview.

With the curiosity already established, immediately after his secondary school in 1994, Gbenga enrolled in a computer training school just before he got admission to study Electronic and Electrical Engineering at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State.

As at the time he got the admission, Gbenga’s understanding of computer had appreciated. However, to perfect his computer skills, in his third year when he was to undergo his industrial attachment, he chose to work with Neural Technology Limited, a Lagosbased firm where he was also able to acquire skills in website designing, amongst other advanced skills.

By the time Gbenga returned to the campus, he had already become more or less a computer guru. “When I returned to campus, I was really excited about teaching others, and I started teaching website designing to students for N2, 000. For the first 12 students that I taught, I was able to pay

Sesan

for my accommodation and a few other needs,” he recalls.

By the time he graduated from the university, Gbenga had become a computer veteran!

Just after graduation in 2001, he participated in a competition, emerged the winner, and was, therefore, appointed the first Information Technology Youth Ambassador for Nigeria. The idea behind the competition was to discover young Nigerians who grew up in Nigeria, understood technology, and could compete with anyone

from anywhere in the world.

“I had completed my first task of helping people use Information and Communication Technologies for development.

I organised a training session on website design with a friend, Ogemdi, and about sixteen young people graduated from the training course with a glow similar to the one I had some five years before then.

“Maybe I’m impacting my generation” came the thought each time I spoke to youth about making use of ICTs. From speaking with young people, I

got the opportunity of moving on to help my nation and continent around the same issues of bridging the digital divide and using ICTs for accelerated development.

“Each time I consider what Nigeria and Africa keep losing as we clamour for wealth from mineral resources while ignoring the potential benefits of investing in the Information Society, I am inspired to take another step towards helping the situation in my own little way. Maybe that explains why the British Broadcasting Corpo-

ration put it this way in 2003: “Nigeria … appointed a youth as an Information Technology ambassador … and while he has no personal computer himself, he holds the dream of helping over 4,000 young people learn new ICT skills within his twoyear tenure”.

“When people ask me why I do what I do, my response is, “I am an angry young man who is worried about the gap between what is and what can be. I am inspired by an increasingly clear picture of the future and motivated to take action because I now know that life becomes easier to live when you move in the direction of your dreams – especially when it helps others achieve theirs too.

“Interesting enough, the journey has now been chronicled in my book, “In My Own Words,” which will be presented to the public on September 9 (09-09-09) and will be available for pre-order on www.BooksNG. com at least 1 month before the release date. So far, it’s been an interesting journey and I can’t wait to apply the lessons I’ve learnt over the years in the next few.” He had explained in an interview.

One of the tasks assigned to him as part of his appointment was to travel around Nigeria, teaching people how to use the computer. As fate would also have it, the Federal Government College, Idoani, his alma mater, the same school he was rebuked for daring to show his enthusiasm of touching a computer was part of his assignments. Interestingly, however, when he was invited to the school after his presentation, the same teacher who had told him he didn’t know how to use computers was actually the one who gave the vote of thanks.

Gbenga had his compulsory one year National Youth Service programme at the Junior Achievements of Nigeria, the body which spearheaded the project called Lagos Digital Village with young people and upon the completion of the NYSC; Gbenga was offered a full employment. He was the pioneer Programme Manager of Lagos Digital Village, the multistakeholder telecentre project that provides training, research and mentorship opportunities for underserved youth in Nigeria. He resigned in 2007 to focus on something he had started online- Paradigm Initiative Nigeria, PIN. Today, Gbenga’s work is built around the use of ICTs in socio-economic transformation such as job creation- focusing on underserved groups, through his organisation known as Paradigm Initiative Nigeria.

Paradigm Initiative Nigeria (PIN) is a social enterprise that connects under-served Nigerian youth with ICT opportunities; with specific concern about the ill effects of unemployment and

Business Courage

Monday, February 29, 2016

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Each time I consider what Nigeria and Africa keep losing as we clamour for wealth from mineral resources while ignoring the potential benefits of investing in the Information Society, I am inspired to take another step towards helping the situation in my own little way

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cybercrime, among other vices that limit the potential contribution of young Nigerians to the nation’s economy.

PIN’s projects are built on years of combined experience and focus on socio-economic development. Its projects include Ajegunle.org, ISSPIN and TENT. Through these projects and its allied services, PIN connects individuals, people-groups, institutions and communities with the socio-economic opportunities that ICTs provide. PIN has consulted for British Council, Freedom House, Harvard University, International Telecommunications Union, Microsoft Nigeria and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, among others.

Paradigm Initiative Nigeria’s (PIN) vision, according to him, is to connect underserved young Nigerians with ICT-enabled opportunities to improve their livelihoods. Solving these twin problems – unemployment and cyber-crime – is at the heart of PIN’s strategy. Its model involves a two-pronged approach of capacity-building/ ICT empowerment and ICT policy interventions. PIN offers income-generating ICT training and social media consultancy to private or non-profit organizations that need them, working with PIN’s graduates as implementing partners. Current partners include the Peery

Foundation, Internews, Microsoft and Google.

Gbenga has often expressed his strong belief in the potential that ICT holds for Nigeria and Africa, the belief which has propelled him into been an active participant at national, regional, and international discussions on the need for Africa’s inclusion in the Information Society.

He was appointed as the youngest member of the Presidential Task Force on the Restructuring of the Nigerian Information Technology, Broadcasting and Telecommunications Sectors in August 2006 and member of the United Nations Committee of eLeaders on Youth and ICT in April 2008. A 2008 Ashoka Fellow, Gbenga was in September 2012 appointed into the membership of the Presidential Committee on Roadmap for the Achievement of Accelerated Universal Broadband Infrastructure and Services Provision.

Early last year, he was listed by the Cable Network News (CNN), as one of the Top 10 Leading African Tech Voices and as one of 40 African Legends Under 40 by Ventures Africa. He has been honoured with the 2012 National Peace Award, 2012 Global Network for Africa’s Prosperity (GNAP) Fellowship. In 2011, he bagged the Cordes Fellowship and in 2010,

he was conferred with the Santa Clara University GSBI Fellowship as well as the Crans Montana Forum of New Leaders for Tomorrow Fellowship award.

With such glory deservedly earned within a short time, many in his mould would have become complacent, but not Gbenga, who sees it all as the beginning of greater things, and has, since then, continued to strive towards excellence.

Over the years, he has received further trainings at the Lagos Business School, New York Group for Technology Transfer, Oxford, Harvard, Stanford and Santa Clara Universities. He also holds a diploma in software application, certificates in venture management and project management from the Lagos Business School.

Born on July 27, 1977, Gbenga’s later day outlook could have been the product of his upbringing. He grew up under the tutelage of a conservative teacher as father and an itinerant mother, whose profession as a nurse ensures that she frequently travels.

Early in life, Gbenga admitted learning about the need to run his own race and only compare himself with the “best possible me”. “I grew up on questions – wondering why what I saw on TV was way different from reality, among others.

Quite curious, I asked questions all the way to the computer laboratory in my secondary school where I was denied access. That, along with many other experiences from my childhood moved me closer to what is now my career direction – helping to connect others with the same opportunities I missed while growing up,” he said.

Besides IT, Gbenga is also into writing and his writing efforts have yielded five books and numerous published works. He is the author of “Wh@t’s Next?

The Future of the Information

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Society - A Youth Perspective” which was edited by Youth for Intergenerational Justice and Sustainability. He was involved in “TakingITGlobal, the book which describes what young people are doing with ICTs today, and attempts to describe the direction of the Information Society.

‘Gbenga also contributed towards the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa’s “Africa Networking: Development Information, ICTs and Governance”. He wrote the chapter titled, “African Youth in the Information Society”.

In November 2005, ‘Gbenga completed editorial work on “Global Process, Local Reality: Nigerian Youth Lead Action in the Information Society”, which was presented at the World Summit on the Information Society in Tunis. Another of his efforts, “ICTs for Development: The Challenges of Meeting the Millennium Development Goals in Africa” was published by Nigerian Communications Commission/Growing Businesses Foundation/Club of Rome in September 2006 and featured a chapter on “Telecentres in Nigeria.

He completed work on his first attempt at an autobiography, In My Own Words, in 2009 and was published by Londonbased Imprimata Publishers.

Some of his published works include Digital Lifestyle of Connected Nigerians, Echoes From Ajegunle: Stories of Transformed Lives, From Small Steps to Giant Leap, ICTs for Development: A Social Entrepreneur’s Perspective, Ajegunle.org: Changing Ajegunle, 25 Youths at a time and Social Enterprise in Africa: An Emerging Concept in an Emerging Economy.

At the just concluded World Economic Forum on Africa held in Abuja, Nigeria, Sesan was named 2014 Africa Social Entrepreneur of the Year along with seven others The awards were conferred by Philipp Rösler, Managing Director, World Economic Forum.

The Head of the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, David Aikman said at the ceremony that social entrepreneurs are an integral community of the World Economic Forum and an increasingly sought-after one.

“A growing number of corporations see income inequality and environmental problems like climate change as fundamental threats to their longterm growth. Many governments are starting to rethink the way they deliver goods and services that improve social outcomes. I am confident this trend will only continue to grow in the future, and the Forum is proud to be at the forefront of catalysing partnerships among these stakeholder groups for social and environmental change.” BC

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Business Courage

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Monday, February 29, 2016

ThebuddingEntrepreneurs KLINIC

With Mamora Victor Mamora is a system thinker and advisor whose belief and activator leadership strengths are directed towards improving workers perspective for city and enterprise development.

e-mail: olusegunmamora@gmail.com

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here is a recognizable pattern for successful business expansion and one of it is the composition of team that works with an entrepreneur and especially inside your business organisation.

The story of Jacob and Laban formed the basis for this work. It is a pattern that was observed with successful corporation and business leaders. People make the difference in any business system. The individual one employ in any organisation has intelligence at three different levels but usually an employer focuses on one which is mental intelligence.

Although there is growing awareness on a second level of intelligence known as emotional intelligence but few human resources personnel could easily recognize this or test for it.

The third intelligence which is a core influence in human life is the spiritual intelligence. Peter Senge, a renowned author of Dance of Change and Fifth Discipline recognised the import of spiritual intelligence.

Spiritual intelligence is not about religion. It is about the space, freedom, and safety to bring our whole being to work.

That is the Jacob Syndrome that made the difference in Mr. Laban business who was one of the wealthiest Syrian business men in ancient time.

The lack of spiritual intelligent workers in your business kills a culture that enables people to bring their whole selves to work. The spirit of organisation is palpable. If you walk into any plantain chips factory, bank, hospital, hotel, or media firm, you can sense the spirit of the organisation.

You can feel if people are depressed or lighted, used or valued.

What informed this con-

clusion? Often one cannot be precise and yet understand what one feel. For me it is a gift to recognise this situation but for others it is emotional intelligence that informs their spiritual intelligence in this regards.

As it was in the ancient story of a wealthy man called Mr. Laban who sensed astronomical increase of his wealth since the employment of a young man called Jacob Isaac.

As written in ancient book of law, Mr. Laban said, “If you please, I have learned through divine inquiry that God has blessed me because of you.” He went on, “So name your wages. I’ll pay you.” Jacob replied, Jacob: “You know well what my work has meant to you and how your livestock has flourished under my care. The little you had when I arrived has increased greatly; everything I did resulted in blessings for you. Isn’t it about time that I do something for my own family?”

Laban: “So, what should I pay you?”

The reality for many entrepreneurs is that business

Jacob syndrome for business expansion

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It does not matter how good a business system is designed without an empowered worker with both mental, emotional, and spiritual intelligence creating wealth is limited

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BUSINESS

struggles and nose diving business result change as soon as some employees are introduces into a business system. The law of L & J business system says it is the owner of business system that owns the wealth not the empowered worker.

It does not matter how good a business system is designed without an empowered worker with both mental, emotional, and spiritual intelligence creating wealth is limited.

Business system is important for successful business functions and expansion. In the previous edition we discussed how you can create a business system at any level and including for startup venture.

Bringing in people is the centre of our discussion in this edition. Recruiting people and developing culture

that support full expression of human intelligence is important to businesses that will thrive in an economic crisis and a very competitive environment. So how can you identify Jacob syndrome in potential employee?

The first thing is to look out for empowered person An empowered person is someone who is clear about her personal identity. The question to a prospective employee is who are you? Or how will you describe yourself? Most empowered people will describe themselves in a way that connects present thoughts with future reality. An empowered person doesn’t describe her life by circumstances in the environment. The import of that to business is that such people operate by foresight and future minded in busi-

Motivational Business Quotes

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n all realms of life it takes courage to stretch your limits, express your power, and fulfill your potential. It’s no different in the financial realm. – Suze Orman The expectations of life depend upon diligence; the mechanic that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools. – Confucius

inefficiency. – Bill Gates Look well to this day. Yesterday is but a dream and tomorrow is only a vision.

But today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness and every tomorrow a vision of hope. Look well therefore to this day. – Francis Gray

The first one gets the oyster the second gets the shell. – Andrew Carnegie

Surviving a failure gives you more selfconfidence. Failures are great learning tools.. but they must be kept to a minimum. – Jeffrey Immelt

Hire character. Train skill. – Peter Schutz The first rule of any technology used in a business is that automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency. The second is that automation applied to an inefficient operation will magnify the

Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.

Thoughts are things! And powerful things at that, when mixed with definiteness of purpose, and burning desire, can be translated into riches. – Napoleon Hill BC

ness decision making.

The second is to look for skillfulness A skillful person is one that is competent and expert in any chosen career.

He is a value creator and excellently does that in such a way that it attracts more customers to the business.

The third is value for intangible asset The greatest store of value is thought. A tangible asset may be eroded in economic crisis but never an intangible asset or thought. The reality is that when intangible asset is lost then your money is lost. A worker who dont value intangible asset will eventually reduces a venture prospect.

The forth is negotiations skill Jacob Isaac had a good negotiation skill not only for the interest of the business but for his person because of the clarity of his value offering and spiritual intelligence that has helped the owner of the business system to create wealth. Look out for prospective employee ability to negotiate for salary. It is a pointer to what will happen when she negotiate for your business interest.

Lastly, Game changing history Has she ever changed bad situation to good situation at any level either as student or in the previous work experience? A person with Jacob syndrome will definitely has game changing experience. If your will experience business expansion then your team must comprised people with mental, emotional, and spiritual intelligence who are game changers. People who can see beyond now and could see trend that will shape tomorrow. BC

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ThebuddingEntrepreneurs

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didi Nwuneli’s acceptance to lead FATE Foundation in 2000 came at a steep cost for her. She had to resign a blossoming career at McKinsey & Company, a leading international management consulting firm, and take out a loan to repay McKinsey for advancing a portion of the fee for her MBA from the Harvard Business School.

Upon graduating from the Harvard Business School in 1999, she had spent the summer of that year serving as a consultant for the Ford Foundation office of West Africa, where she supported two of the Foundation’s microfinance grantees. This experience, as she later admitted, crystallized her desire to establish a nonprofit in Nigeria.

Ford Foundation may have provided the opportunity for the firming up of a desire to execute a career switch, but the seeds of that desire were sown much earlier by ‘a series of miraculous events.’ First, in April 1995, during Ndidi’s final year in the University, she received a DHL package from ARM, one of Nigeria’s leading asset management firms, inviting her to work with them for the summer. “I have not been able to clearly trace how they found out about me because I never submitted a CV and would not have ordinarily contemplated a job in Nigeria during the dark Abacha years,” she recalls.

Venturing out on the ARM Nigeria excursion proved to be a voyage of self discovery. When she returned to the United States to continue her education after the internship in Nigeria, Ndidi volunteered for the Centre for Women & Enterprise in Boston in a deliberate effort to devote a portion of [her] studies to entrepreneurship and non profit management.

In the summer of the same

A serial entrepreneur

Nwuneli

year, she went off to work with the Centre for Middle East Competitive Strategy. It was another insightful experience that proved to be a very defining one. For, in the resilience of Palestinian entrepreneurs who found creative ways to excel despite having to face up to odds greater than what “many face on the African continent,” Ndidi realized that what was crystallizing in her mind as her life mission was more than a downgraded career pathway or mere self-sacrifice, “it was an opportunity to live a fuller life -awakening, empowering, and guiding others to dare to succeed in life.”

Ndidi’s passion for helping people and societies developed at an early age through the influence of home-taught values received from her parents. “I was born the third of five children.

My parents—Prof. Paul Obuekwe Okonkwo, a pharmacologist from Awka, Anambra and Professor Rina Okonkwo, a historian originally from New York City exposed my siblings and I to the concept of patriotism and service from very young ages,” she recalls.

Her parents, who are both Ivy League graduates, chose to devote their lives to teaching in the Nigerian higher education system, fighting against all odds to ensure some level of excellence in their respective departments. According to Ndidi, “during the dark years of the late General Sani Abacha years, when many professors fled outside the country, my parents stuck it out, going for many months without salaries.

Even with these challenges, holidays in our home were devoted to giving to others; trips to orphanages and other charity organizations formed a critical part of our socialization.”

Therefore, when Fola Adeola,

the revered founder of Guaranty Trust Bank, placed a call in early 2000 to invite her to lead the newly established FATE Foundation, she accepted. From its inception, the Foundation was structured with a clear vision to train, mentor and support unemployed youth to become successful entrepreneurs who could eventually employ others. This vision was implemented by a carefully selected team and driven by their passion and capacity for excellence.

The result: by the end of July of the same year, FATE Foundation had launched its school of entrepreneurship, mentoring programmes and a range of support services. After two years of putting in place all the necessary operational and financial structures that would eventually lead the Foundation to become one of the most well-known non profits in Nigeria, Ndidi resigned to accompany her husband to the United States. While abroad, she continued her support for various FATE Foundation initiatives and helped to establish FATE Foundation USA. In FATE Foundation, Ndidi had helped to drive the vision of a great African, Fola Adeola. But when she returned to Nigeria, she founded Leadership, Effectiveness, Accountability and Professionalism, (LEAP) Africa, an organization that gave vent to her personal vision of a lit pathway to Africa’s greatness.

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LEAP’s birth is a narrative better rendered in the founder’s words. “LEAP was born during a family vacation in Guatemala in March 2002. As I toured the country with my husband, I asked myself a question—‘Why is this country, one of the poorest in South America light years ahead of the average African nation?’

Propelled by my anger about the state of affairs of the African continent, and the realization that many of our so called ‘leaders’ were not addressing the challenges confronting the African continent, I felt a clear call from God to establish an organization that would inspire, empower and equip a new cadre of leaders in Africa.”

LEAP, from the very beginning, appeared set not just on advancing its expressed mandates but also on modelling the emerging and sustainable ways of doing business in Africa’s non profit circuit. A dynamic board, a dedicated team, a capacity to evolve and push through innovative programmes that were practical and relevant for the context in which each of them was to be deployed accompanied the LEAP vision statement.

Over the years, LEAP has matched word with action to eke out a niche for itself as a provider of leadership, life skills, ethics, and management training programmes for young persons, social entrepreneurs, business owners and those in the public sector. It also conducts leadership research, organizes the annual Nigeria Youth Leadership Awards and, in collaboration with the African Leadership Institute, remains at the forefront of championing the Nigeria 2025 Scenario.

Young persons and entrepreneurs in nine Nigerian cities— Abuja, Awka, Benin, Enugu, Kano, Ibadan, Lagos, Port Harcourt and Onitsha and three African countries Ghana, Kenya and South Africa have benefitted from the programmes and short courses of LEAP Africa. Of the beneficiaries, about 10,000 have been supported through LEAP’s core programmes while about 30,000 have gone through the leadership and management training workshops across Africa.

The direct result is about 500 life impacting projects instituted by various LEAP programme participants within their various organi-

Leaders’ were not addressing the challenges confronting the African continent, I felt a clear call from God to establish an organization that would inspire, empower and equip a new cadre of leaders in Africa

‘

At just 25, she became the pioneer Executive Director of an indigenous non-governmental organisation - FATE Foundation. Ndidi Nwuneli, has spent the last decade trailblazing a successful career as a social entrepreneur.

Apart from LEAP, a non-profit making organisation which she established in 2002, she also runs AACE Foods, a fast growing food processing company alongside other businesses

zations and the communities.

To reach even a greater number across Africa indirectly, LEAP has delivered some pioneering publications like Defying the Odds: Case Studies of Nigerian Companies that have Survived Generations and Get on Board: a Practical Guide to Building a Board of Directors in Nigeria.

Others publications include: Rage for Change: A Practical Guide for Young Nigerians who want to make a Difference (2008) and Building a Culture of Ethics (2009).

In December, 2007, Ndidi stepped down formally from the day to day management of LEAP, that was at age 32. It was one more precedent demonstrating LEAP’s commitment to the deepening of the credibility of the African social sector circuit which, like other aspects of the public life of the African continent, had been sorely challenged by manifestations of the so-called founder’s syndrome. Ndidi continues, however, to actively support the various initiatives of the organization.

Perhaps, her greatest motivation may be the knowledge that her work in Africa’s social space has been uniquely rewarding to her, but also to the young people in Africa who have been impacted by her work.

Ndidi embodies true characteristics of a social entrepreneur.

She constantly seeks ways to change the status-quo and improve the lives of others. She has co-founded two thriving companies: AACE Foods and AACE Consulting.

AACE Foods is a social enterprise motivated by two facts: the first is that 41 per cent of Nigerian children less than five years old are classified as stunted, 14 per cent are wasted and 23 per cent are underweight according to a Demographic and Health Survey published in 2008. The second discovery which prompted Ndidi to come up with the AACE initiative was that 40-60 per cent of the fruits and vegetables grown and harvested by small holder farmers in Nigeria are wasted annually. This was based on the findings of researchers at the University of Agriculture Abeokuta. Therefore, Ndidi’s food business addresses those two challenges by processing and packaging nutritious and tasty food made from the best of West Africa’s fruits and vegetables. Currently, its product line includes jams and spices.

AACE Food Processing and Distribution Ltd is an agribusiness and agro-processing company. By sourcing, processing and distributing fruits and vegetables within West Africa, the company improves nutrition levels, aids farmers and creates jobs. BC

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Commerce & Industry

Industrialists eye American markets for MSME products

Stories by Abolaji Adebayo

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he Nigerian economic stakeholders have beckoned on the American President to create greater access to American markets for the products of the MSME in Nigeria as another way of helping the Nigeria MSMEs subsector to grow.

For many years, the MSME subsector of the Nigeria’s economy has faced with various challenges, which have been under-developing, the subsector up till the present moment.

One of the major constraints to the development of the Nigerian MSMEs is the poor perception of made-in-Nigeria products at the international market.

The Director General, Association of Enterprise Risk Management, Mr. Oloyinka Odutola, said that the major factor working against the strength of the Nigerian economy, especially the SME sector, amidst the present situation brought about by fall in oil price and devaluation of naira is the government’s insensitivity to the development of informal sector. He declared that negative perception of the country’s products as substandard has added to the economic woes.

Odutola explained that despite many good things that

come out of the country, its image, as projected around the world especially the European countries, has continued presenting the country as the riskiest nation for investment to thrive.

He added that all other things produced in Nigeria were equally presented to the world as substandard and fake, as a result, rendering the country uncompetitive among global economies.

“One of the hurdles Nigeria

needs to sail to achieve economic growth is the poor perception of Nigerian products,” he stated.

This has prompted the Risk Management boss to appeal to the US to give Nigerian products American market access, especially those goods in which Nigeria has comparative advantage, such as agric and agro-allied products.

According to him, if the Nigerian products could be allowed to be exported into the

American market, the SMEs in the production aspect would begin to grow to the desired standard, thereby creating the required employment for the teaming unemployed youths in the country.

The issue of insecurity, especially the Boko Haram insurgency has widely been identified as the key factor militating against the growth of MSMEs in the country.

Since the Boko Haram started its nefarious activities in

Managing Director of LADOL, Dr. Amy Jadesimi (right), while conducting top management team of NAPIMS round the Egina FPSO project site at LADOL base, Apapa , on Thursday. From her right are, Engr Jock James, GM Psc-NAPIMS; Engr Kanayo Odoe, GM NIPEX-NAPIMS and Mr. Jide Jadesimi, Executive Director (Business Development LADOL).

2009, many businesses have been affected.

The Director, Membership Services and Public Relations, Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, NASME, Nerus Ekezie wanted the Nigerian President Mohammadu Buhari to seek help from the US for the immediate termination of the activities of Boko Haram menace, which has stifled the development of MSMEs in virtually all part of the Northern Region.

To Ekezie, if the Boko Haram menace is terminated, the small scale entrepreneurs would manage other challenges at least to thrive within their operational areas.

He also wanted the US to render help in the aspect of manpower training and strengthening of institutions that are providing support services to SMEs in Nigeria through the provision of grants.

As a matter of financial bailout for the SMEs, Ekezie wanted US to use its influence on the World Bank to use its subsidiaries on access to fund to provide intervention funds to the sector with soft conditionality in order to empower the sector for greater stability.

Many analysts have conceded that lack of access to finance is the most important hurdle in the growth of SMEs in Nigeria. BC

Nigeria’s non-oil exports ‘ll boost its foreign earnings - NEPC

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he Executive Director, Nigerian Export Promotion Council, NEPC, Olusegun Awolowo, has declared Nigeria, as a major producer and exporter of commodities such as solid minerals, has tremendous potential in non-oil export that could enhance foreign exchange earning of the country through export of value added products to the global market in view of high demand in Europe, America and Asia.

Speaking on the banning of selected food items from Nigeria by the European Food Safety Authority, EFSA, Awolowo said that the NEPC has embarked on a capacity building exercise for potential exporters in the country on the necessary skills and requirements needed to help push their products into

the global market without fear of rejection.

According to reports from the Rapid Alert System for Foods and Feed, RAFF, of the European Union import regulatory agency, alarming statistics on poor quality food items exported from Nigeria to the European market revealed non-compliance to standards from the country between 2013 and 2015.

He cited the report as stating that 44 Nigerian exporting companies’ products suffered rejections at various EU international markets due to traces of contaminants such as aflatoxin, dichlovos, cyhalothrin among others.

The NEPC boss, who was represented by the Head, Market Development Department, Matthew Iranloye during an export

mentorship recently, said as a result of this debacle, the Council, in partnership with an indigenous export consulting firm, Multimix Academy Limited, organized a workshop to provide a platform to educate and demonstrate to potential exporters the pathway to export business.

He added that the exercise was expected to help position Nigerians in a vantage point to harness the abundant resources available in the country through engagement in export business as a career.

He noted that the recent pronouncement of ban on import of selected items from Nigeria by EFSA strengthens the justification for the initiative.

He stated that the need of a well articulated mentorship programme to hand-hold begin-

ners has become critical and justified, given the growing concern on food safety, health and environmental issues in global exports and the critical issues of stringent import requirements.

He said as a result of this, the Council has carefully selected an array of seasoned exporters, who are successful in non-oil export business to make presentations and nurture prospective exporters through the up-coming export programme in cashew and cashew products, processed food products among others.

He pointed out that the Council was determined to build on the workshop through the proposed coordinated followup mentorship programme to flag-off a new dawn in the export sector that would see the

launching of well-trained mentees to succeed in non-oil export business.

“The council will monitor and evaluate the progress of each mentee to ensure that these symbiotic relationships will metamorphose into export reality,” he added.

Also, the Controller, NEPC, Lagos Zonal Office, George Enyiekpon, said that while the Council recognized the necessity for continued technical support, through capacity building of Nigerian non-oil exporters, the emergence of export mentorship programme on its priority operating strategy reflects the depth of seriousness it attaches to standards and quality issues in packaging non-oil products for the international market. BC

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business Courage

Monday, February 29, 2016

A15 31

Stock market last week Equities A turnover of 4.476 billion shares worth N11.742 bn in 14,124 deals were traded this week by investors on the floor of the Exchange in contrast to a total of 1.202 billion shares valued at N9.641bn that exchanged hands last week in 13,712 deals.

The Consumer Goods Industry (measured by volume) led the activity chart with 3.331 billion shares valued at N5.695bn traded in 2,511 deals; thus contributing 74.42 per cent and 48.50 per cent to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively. The Financial Services Industry followed with 1.008 billion shares worth N3.752bn in 8,730 deals. The third place was occupied by the Oil And Gas Industry with a turnover of 55.332 million shares worth N416.383m in 1,024 deals.

Trading in the Top Three Equities namely – Tiger Branded Consumer Goods Plc, FCMB Group Plc and FBN Holdings Plc.(measured by volume) accounted for 3.736 billion shares worth N4.872bn in 2,443 deals, contributing 83.47 per cent and 41.49 per cent to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively.

ETPs: Also traded during the week were a total of 14,844 units of Exchange Traded Products

NASD OTC REPORT

NSE trading hall

(ETPs) valued at N14.134m executed in 29 deals, compared with a total of 93,518 units valued at N1.158million transacted last week in 48 deals.

Bonds: A total of 4,990 units of Federal Government Bonds valued at N5.799m were traded in 2 deals compared to a total of 150,000 units of Federal Government Bonds valued at N169.326m transacted last week in 2 deals.

Index Movement: The NSE AllShare Index and Market Capitalization depreciated by 0.83 per cent and 0.80 per cent to close the week at 24,228.79 and N8.336trn respectively.

Similarly, all other Indices finished higher during the week, with the exception of NSE Pre-

NASD OTC MARKET REPORT

mium Index, NSE 30 Index, NSE Banking Index, NSE Insurance Index and NSE Pension Index that depreciated by 0.83 per cent, 3.01 per cent, 0.35 per cent, 2.45 per cent, 1.25 per cent and 1.25 per cent respectively.

Summary of Price Changes: Twenty-one (21) equities appreciated in price during the week, lower than Twenty-two (22) equities of the previous week.

Thirty-five (35) equities depreciated in price, lower than Thirtyseven (37) equities of the previous week, while one hundred and thrity four (134) equities remained unchanged, higher than one hundred and thrity one (131) equities recorded in the previous week. BC

WEEK 8

1 OUTSTANDING OFFERS AND BIDS ON NASD OTC Outstanding deals for Febuary, 2016.

Security SD ACORN PETROLEUM PLC SD ARM LIFE PLC SD ARM PROPERTIES PLC SD AFRILAND PROPERTIES PLC SD BGL PLC SD CAPPA AND D'ALBERTO PLC SD CENTRAL SECURITIES CLEARING SYSTEM PLC SD DUFIL PRIMA FOODS PLC SD FRIESLAND CAMPINA WAMCO NIGERIA PLC

Offers Industry Oil & Gas Financials Financials Financials Financials Industrials Financials Consumer Goods Consumer Goods

Nominal value (₦) 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 1.00 1.00 0.50

Offer Date 26-Feb-16 26-Feb-16 26-Feb-16 26-Feb-16 26-Feb-16 26-Feb-16

Bids

Volume offered Last Offer Price 400,600 0.35 983,905 2.16 848,862 2.57 128,149 63.00 100,000 6.10 -

SD FOOD CONCEPTS PLC

Consumer Services

0.50

26-Feb-16

SD FREE RANGE FARMS PLC

Consumer Goods

1.00

-

SD FUMMAN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS INDUSTRIES PLC SD GEO-FLUIDS PLC SD GOLDEN CAPITAL PLC SD INDUSTRIAL & GENERAL INSURANCE PLC SD JAIZ INTERNATIONAL PLC SD NIGER DELTA EXPLORATION & PRODUCTION PLC SD NIGERIA MORTGAGE REFINANCE COMPANY PLC

Consumer Goods Industrials Financials Financials Financials Oil & Gas Financials

26-Feb-16 26-Feb-16 26-Feb-16 26-Feb-16 -

1,294,500 8,014,270 517,217 243,151 -

SD PARTNERSHIP INVESTMENT COMPANY PLC SD RESOURCERY PLC SD RIGGS VENTURES WEST AFRICA PLC SD SPRING MORTGAGE PLC SD SWAP TECHNOLOGIES AND TELECOMMS PLC

Financials Technology Industrials Financials Technology Financials Consumer Goods

0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 1.00 10.00 1.00 0.50

26-Feb-16 26-Feb-16 26-Feb-16

1,140,300 933,000 241,940 -

RUSTRUSTBOND MORTGAGE BANK PLC TP VITAL PRODUCTS PLC

0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 1.00 0.50

1,000,000 -

2 DEMATERIALISATION AND CUMULATIVE TRADE IN OTC SECURITIES 26-Feb-16 Security SD ACORN PETROLEUM PLC SD ARM LIFE PLC SD ARM PROPERTIES PLC SD AFRILAND PROPERTIES PLC SD BGL PLC SD CAPPA AND D'ALBERTO PLC SD CENTRAL SECURITIES CLEARING SYSTEM PLC SD DUFIL PRIMA FOODS PLC SD FRIESLAND CAMPINA WAMCO NIGERIA PLC SD FOOD CONCEPTS PLC SD FREE RANGE FARMS PLC SD FUMMAN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS INDUSTRIES PLC SD GEO-FLUIDS PLC SD GOLDEN CAPITAL PLC SD INDUSTRIAL & GENERAL INSURANCE PLC SD JAIZ INTERNATIONAL PLC SD NIGER DELTA EXPLORATION & PRODUCTION PLC SD NIGERIA MORTGAGE REFINANCE COMPANY PLC SD PARTNERSHIP INVESTMENT COMPANY PLC SD RESOURCERY PLC SD RIGGS VENTURES WEST AFRICA PLC SD SPRING MORTGAGE PLC SD SWAP TECHNOLOGIES AND TELECOMMS PLC RUSTRUSTBOND MORTGAGE BANK PLC TP VITAL PRODUCTS PLC

Market Indicators for Week Ended 26-02-16 All-Share Index 24,228.79 points Market Capitalization 8,344,339,332,248.61

Industry Oil and Gas Financials Financials Financials Financials Industrial Financials Consumer Goods Consumer Goods Consumer Services Consumer Goods Consumer Goods Industrial Financials Financials Financials Oil and Gas Financials Financials Technology Industrial Financials Technology Financials Consumer Goods

Introduced by Meristem Securities Limited APT Securities & Fund Limited Mega Equity Limited APT Securities & Fund Limited Nigerian Int. Securities Ltd UBA Stockbroking Firm Greenwich Securities Limited Anchoria Investment & Securities Limited Capital Bancorp Plc Stanbic IBTC stockbrokers limited CSL Stockbroking Limited Integrated Trust & Investment Limited Icon Stockbrokers Limited Sterling Capital Market Limited Greenwich Securities Limited APT Securities & Fund Limited FCSL Asset Management Co. Limited Cordros Capital Plc APT Securities & Fund Limited APT Securities & Fund Limited APT Securities & Fund Limited Primera Africa Securities Limited Signet Investment and Securities Limited Prominent Securities Limited CSL Stockbroking Limited

Company Registrars CardinalStone Registrars Limited African Prudential Registrars Plc African Prudential Registrars Plc African Prudential Registrars Plc Unity Registrars Limited African Prudential Registrars Plc African Prudential Registrars Plc Nnenna Ejekam Associates First Registrars Limited Meristem Registrars Limited Meristem Registrars Limited PAC Registrars Limited Meristem Registrars Limited African Prudential Registrars Plc GTL Registrars Limited African Prudential Registrars Plc United Securities Limited Meristem Registrars Limited First Registrars Limited EDC Registrars Limited Mainstreet Bank Registrars Limited PAC Registrars Limited PAC Registrars Limited United Securities Limited Centurion Registrars Limited

Year end 31/Dec 31/Dec 31/Dec 31/Dec 31/Dec 31/Mar 31/Dec 31/Dec 31/Dec 31/Dec 31/Dec 31/Dec 31/Dec 31/Dec 31/Dec 31/Dec 31/Dec 31/Dec 31/Dec 31/Dec 31/Dec 31/Dec 31/Dec 31/Dec 31/Dec

0.70 -

Bid Price 0.55 5.70 9.80 113.00 -

Volume Bidded Last Bid Date 600 26-Feb-16 250,000 26-Feb-16 1,000,000 26-Feb-16 45,172 26-Feb-16 -

-

-

-

-

-

-

0.47 0.10 1.41 127.30 0.72

-

-

-

0.48 0.78 -

-

-

-

TRADE INFORMATION (JAN 2016) DEMATERIALISATION INFORMATION Total Share Capital Volume % DEALS VOLUME '000 Dematerialised Dematerialised 66,704,146 2,000,000,000 3.34% 9 38,700 606,000,000 5,785,673,000 10.47% 49,884,038 1,900,000,000 2.63% 6 8,275 66,963,602 1,249,000,000 5.36% 29 25,681,134 9,628,657,533 12,000,000,000 80.24% 2,692,664 196,875,000 1.37% 779,359,719 5,000,000,000 15.59% 121 32,347,119 6,753,333,334 0.00% 185,791,314 976,335,936 19.03% 177 2,061,124 110,811,770 5,650,000,000 1.96% 2 1,100 872,307 519,999,631 0.17% 69,369,303 1,200,000,000 5.78% 568,235,594 4,257,668,000 13.35% 4 93,100 252,655,056 1,170,324,536 21.59% 1,023,194,820 14,231,238,000 7.19% 10 42,370,600 321,247,809 11,829,700,000 2.72% 7 808,783 20,603,435 181,408,000 11.36% 20 534,283 125,000,000 1,762,500,000 7.09% 210,821,244 2,875,595,000 7.33% 1 400 520,000,000 2,576,686,039 20.18% 2 200 1,726,264,230 0.00% 7,138,199,210 0.00% 1,539,242,000 2,705,378,000 56.90% 129,097,505 10,945,334,000 1.18% 4 900 1,823,084,076 0.00% 106,454,595,992 16,277,203,859 15.29% 392 103,945,718

VALUE (₦) 13,920.00 17,874.00 4,373,618.22 185,047,284.29 257,649,389.93 825.00 48,367.00 5,050,765.00 1,252,959.03 56,021,348.60 328.00 96.00 621.00 509,477,396.07

A16 32

Business Courage

Monday, February 29, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Behind d Wheels This page is open to sponsorship

Adejuwon Osunnuyi

T

o boost Forester’s market appeal once again, Subaru has introduced a refreshed Forester range for 2016, bringing a raft of changes to maintain or lift the well-regarded SUV’s position in the market.

The 2.5i-S model tested, like the rest of the range, boasts a ‘reprofiled’ front bumper matched to a revised grille, new tail lights, refined interior, NVH countermeasures, and fettled suspension.

In addition, the volume-selling variant tested gains adaptive cornering lights for optimal safety driving at night.

Between 2008 and 2011, the Subaru Forester enjoyed an unbroken run of success as the leading model in what was the VFACTS compact SUV segment.

But then Mazda introduced its run-away best selling CX-5 – and the rules of the game changed.

Despite the Mazda’s success, the Forester continues to sell steadily, but would pick up added sales with more production capacity available from the factory, says Subaru. The importer anticipates the bottleneck at the manufacturing plant will clear within the next couple of years as American Subaru production ramps up. In the meantime, the Forester has earned itself an update to keep it at the forefront of buyer consideration.

For the launch of the new

model range, which is already officially on sale, Subaru conducted a drive program through the Mount Gambier hinterland in South Australia.

While the drive programme for the Forester was fairly benign, the updated SUV did face drizzly weather and a brief run along muddy and grassy forestry tracks through the local pine plantations. The Forester barely put a foot wrong. Other than a brief case of understeer at low speeds – through one very sloppy corner – the Forester felt sure-footed in the conditions and could be pushed along at speeds and in conditions that would be more testing for many of its rivals.

As a bonus, the Forester’s ride comfort struck the right balance.

It was certainly more compliant than the updated Outback tested the day before, but it remained well damped for unexpected changes of direction (vertical as well as horizontal). Changes to glass and door sealing aimed at reducing NVH also contribute to the amenity of the Forester’s cabin over loose surfaces.

The brake pedal felt firm underfoot, but was progressive and reasonably communicative. Steering was also tactile and responsive by the standards of peers in the Forester’s market segment. Subaru’s work on the suspension has left the Forester a very stable vehicle at the straight-ahead, encouraging drivers to punt it a bit harder on

those friction-compromised sections of forestry track already mentioned.

The 2.5-litre petrol boxer in the Forester is not as leisurely as it feels in the larger and heavier Liberty which was also tested the day before. Unfortunately, despite changes to the Forester’s CVT, it felt much like any other CVT, unlike the Liberty’s CVT. The Liberty definitely emulates a ‘stepped’ automatic transmission in operation. By comparison the SUV quickly fell back to droning once the engine was working at full bore.

But it does provide respectable acceleration, holding near the redline. The engine is a little noisier at higher revs than the Liberty, betraying its market position and design parameters. Over the course of the drive program it posted a fuel consumption figure of 11.2L/100km, which would have been better if the car hadn’t

been constantly flogged from one corner to the next.

Shift paddles were the only means of changing the CVT’s steps sequentially, which was fine. They provided rapid response to driver input, but without the ‘gear changes’ being unnecessarily aggressive or blunt.

The Forester features Subaru’s ‘S/I Drive’ modes, which adjusts power steering assistance and drivetrain operating parameters in two modes – Sport or Intelligent. The differences between the two modes is subtle, but the tacho does give the game away for the drivetrain. At a steady speed, changing from ‘I’ to ‘S’ will see an immediate increase in engine revs (albeit by only a hundred RPM or so). At that point the Forester is ready to deliver its power and torque sooner than when left in boring old ‘I’ mode. Steering is ever so slightly heavier too, but it’s hard to pick at open-road

speeds, where assistance is already at a low level, typically.

A smaller package than the Outback, the Forester was not isolated from road noise to the same degree, but against its similarly priced competitors it’s certain to measure up when we conduct a comparison with the Forester participating.

The Forester’s seats were a mild disappointment when other cars from Subaru’s past have delivered well shaped and cossetting seats. While the Forester’s front-seat cushioning is about right for comfort, they could do with more bolstering to hold the occupants in place better.

Aside from that, the Forester’s driving position is commendable.

The instruments are clear to read and informative, providing an unobstructed view through the rim and spokes of the steering wheel. Graphics for the instrumentation, as well as the separate trip computer display in the centre fascia and the infotainment display below it present in a high resolution format that’s easy on the eye and is compatible with the cohesive style of the Forester’s interior design.

Just like the Liberty, the Forester’s multi-function wheel was blessed with a plethora of switchgear, which detracts from the overall ergonomic strengths of the design. But no doubt owners will quickly make the adjustment.

Fit and finish will meet most prospective buyers’ expectations.

In this level of trim the Forester tested came with two-tone upholstery offering a combination of satin-finish materials, textured plastics, piano-gloss black and chrome plating. The overall look is rich, for the most part, with just some hard plastics letting the whole presentation down slightly.

Considering the smaller footprint of the Forester, rear-seat accommodation is at least commensurate with the larger Outback’s for headroom, even with the sunroof fitted. There’s also real legroom available for adults in the rear of the Forester. The one shortcoming is its lack of adjustable vents to service passengers in the rear.

As with other Subaru models, the Forester comes with a fullsize spare tyre fitted to an alloy wheel that matches the other four wheels. Boot space is large and there are finger-pull levers in each side of the luggage compartment to flip the 60:40 splitfolding rear seats forward for additional luggage-carrying capacity. BC

Monday, February 29, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

33

Law & Justice nationalmirrorlaw@yahoo.com

Every citizen in this country has a right to go to court and present his case and it must be left to the court to decide he is a mere busy body or notJustice Adolphus Karibi-Whyte, retired Justice of the Supreme Court

xx

Presidency should inspire NJC to investigate ‘corrupt’ judges —Ogunye 34

Inspector-General of Police Solomon Arase

CJN, Justice Mahmud Mohammed

Litigants recount how Police frustrate execution of judgment debts Despite the series of court judgments secured against the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) for the impunity of its officers and men in recent years, scores of judgment creditors are being denied the benefit of the fruits of the court decisions. WALE IGBINTADE highlights some of the cases and the issues determined by the judiciary.

Memories of Umuechem massacre 37

Mafia boss bags 35 years jail term in S’Africa 38

T

he NPF has been found guilty of extra-judicial killings, arbitrary arrest, torture, and other human rights violations, actions. An investigation conducted on a number of cases showed that the judgement creditors are yet to enjoy the benefit of the judgment as the Police authorities have refused to obey the court decisions.

For example, a 42-year-old commercial motorcyclist Adewale Isaiah, was detained illegally by the police for two weeks, where he contacted a strange ailment.

When he eventually regained his freedom, he challenged the Police in court and has been waiting for almost 10 years to enjoy the benefit of a judgment of a Lagos High Court which ordered the Police to pay him N10 million for unlawful arrest and violation of his fundamental human rights.

Isaiah had sued the Inspector General of Police, Commissioner of Police, Lagos, CSP Tajudeen Bakare, CPL Bello Amodu and the Attorney General of the Federation for the humiliation, pain, inconvenience, injury, losses and damages

Isaiah challenged the Police in court and has been waiting for almost 10 years to enjoy the benefit of a judgment of a Lagos High Court, which ordered the Police to pay him N10 million for unlawful arrest and violation of his fundamental human rights.

suffered by virtue of his arrest, unlawful arraignment and remand in Kirikiri prison, Lagos.

Despite being aware of the pendency of the suit in court, none of the defendants entered appearance within the time specified by the court neither did they file any defence after being served with all the copies of the processes filed by the applicant.

However, on October 3, 2006 Justice Deborah Oluwayemi of the Lagos High Court in her judgement ordered the Nigerian Police to pay Isaiah N10 million being exemplary and general damages.

In his bid to compel the Police to obey the judgment of the court, Isaiah approached a non-governmental organisation, Know Your

Rights International (KYRI), which wrote several petitions on his behalf to the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Police Service Commission, the Nigerian Bar Association, the National Human Rights Commission, the National Judicial Council yet the police refused to obey the judgement of the court or pay him his money.

Having made numerous efforts without success, Isaiah returned to court asking it to enforce its judgment of October 3, 2006.

Isaiah through his lawyer, the late Bamidele Aturu, urged the court make an order Nisi against 17 banks to come and show cause as to why their accounts which was believed to contain the judgment debtor’s (Police) money should not

be garnished.

The banks listed in garnishee proceedings at the time, include; First Bank, United Bank for Africa, Union Bank, Zenith Bank, Diamond Bank, Guarantee Trust bank, Skye Bank, Spring Bank, FinBank, Fidelity Bank and Access Bank among others.

But, the Nigerian Police in a Motion on Notice brought pursuant to Order 39 Rules (1) (2) and Rule 4 of the High Court of Lagos (Civil Procedure) Rules 2004 as well as Section 84 Sheriffs and Civil Process Act Laws of the Federation 2004 urged the court to set aside the garnishee proceedings.

The judgment debtor further submitted that the judgment crediCONTINUED ON PAGE 36

34

Law & Justice

Monday, February 29, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Presidency should inspire NJC to

Jiti Ogunye, the Executive Director, Lawyers League for Human Rights Lawyers (LLHR) and 1991 graduate of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), has 23 years’ post-call experience. In this interview with WALE IGBINTADE, he speaks on the challenges before the EFCC and how to deal with corruption in the judiciary among others. Excerpts: Recently, about 33 Senior Advocates of Nigeria and over 100 junior lawyers stormed a Lagos High Court in solidarity with one of their own, Mr. Rickey Tarfa, SAN who was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged obstruction of justice and attempting to subvert justice. How do you see this act of solidarity?

Incidentally, one is really amazed that the most garlanded and decorated section of the Bar is playing this kind of role. Clearly, it is very embarrassing because under the Legal Practitioners’ Act, there is a process for disciplining lawyers for ethical infractions. Every lawyer knows that we have a Legal Practitioners’ Disciplinary Committee presided over by no other person than a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr. Joseph Daudu ,SAN. That body periodically sanctions lawyers including sending them out of the profession for various offences including stealing of client’s money and other sorts of infraction. In their judgement and delivery, they usually made the point that lawyers of dubious character have no place in the legal profession.

But, some of your colleagues have argued that it was an aberration to arrest suspects within the premises of a court of law and that it is wrong to arrest a lawyer who was merely plying his trade in court. Do you agree?

Let’s be reasonable and realistic here. Is the court premises so hallowed a ground that people are not supposed to be arrested within the court premises? So, if somebody is committing a crime within the court premises, law enforcement agents should wait and allow crime to be committed first, before they arrest? What laws are our colleagues quoting? Which Rule of Law forbids arrest within the court premises? Today, because of insurgency, there are security checks and people are screened before they are allowed into the court premises, so that they don’t bring bombs or explosives into the court premises.

So, are they saying that if someone should sneak-in and create problem, law enforcers should leave him and let him wreck havoc first and arrest him later? Is that reasonable?

Judges have orderlies and if somebody, a lawyer or even a Senior Advocate wants to assault a judge, are they saying the orderly should leave him because he is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and allow him to attack the judge first and later arrest him? Is that what they are implying? These are just examples and scenarios. There is no law that says people cannot be arrested within the court premises. So, I don’t know why people should be angry in respect of something that is not necessary. The question they should ask them-

Ogunye

Nigerians are angry now and they are even angry against the legal

profession.

Lawyers are being called facilitators of corruption. So, we need to move ahead of what the people think of us and ensure that we live above board like

Caesar’s wife.

selves is, was it right for somebody to prevent a law enforcement agent from carrying out their lawful duties within the court premises? That is why often, we have to break rank with our colleagues because they don’t think outside the box. You pass resolution that you did not even think through. What is the quality of debate that led to that resolution? Lawyers are very rational people. You don’t want to generate a resolution that will be so laughable and condemnable, that people will be wondering what kinds of lawyers are these.

If NBA Lagos has a very solid reason, why someone who is alleged to be committing a crime ought not to be arrested they should say so. If they think that lawyers have professional immunity and they cannot be arrested or detained, they should say so. If they think that judicial officers have immunity from prosecution they should say so. That

is why we will continue to break rank with these kinds of things happening because law practice and integrity of people cannot be sustained by just organising law dinners and NEC meetings without moving ahead of the people. Nigerians are angry now and they are even angry against the legal profession.

Lawyers are being called facilitators of corruption. So, we need to move ahead of what the people think of us and ensure that we live above board like Caesar’s wife.

Many of your colleagues are of the view that lawyers should be shown courtesies?

The point is that, in this jurisdiction, in Nigeria, as well as in other jurisdictions, lawyers are not above the law and judges are not above the law. In other jurisdictions, you see lawyers and judges being sent to prison for

criminal offences. So, in Nigeria, if a lawyer has a brush with the law and he’s being held to account, what any serious body of lawyers should do is to encourage that process to go to conclusion. Remarkably, this is not the first time senior lawyers will be charged to court. Many people have forgotten that in 2007/2008 four Senior Advocates of Nigeria were charged to court by the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) before Justice Mustapha Akanbi eventually left as the Chairman of the Commission.

Messrs. Adetokunbo Kayode (SAN), Damien Dodo (SAN), I. Ikwueto and Tayo Oyetibo were the legal consultants who formed a consortium called KDIO in respect of a contract with INEC and for that they were charged to court. But, eventually the case was withdrawn. The case didn’t go on to conclusion because one Professor Ayua, who was Solicitor- General in the absence of a sitting Attorney-General filed a purported nolle prosequi to ensure that those lawyers were left off the hook. So, the point, I am making is that lawyers have no professional immunity from prosecution. So, if lawyers infract the law, charge them to court, If EFCC officials, in the course of their work, infract the law, charge them to court, if judges infract the law, charge them to court, in vindication of the principle of equality before the law. So, what we are saying simply is that instead of railing and ranting against an

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Law & Justice

Monday, February 29, 2016

35

investigate ‘corrupt’ judges —Ogunye

anti-corruption agency, lawyers ought to look inwards. We have to do a lot of professional soul-searching. Are the things that we do as lawyers the things we ought to do? Are these not the things that would have earned us not only disqualification but prosecution if we were to be in other climes? Are these things in accordance with the professed nobility of our profession? These are the questions we should ask.

The Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN was reported to have said that any judge found to be corrupt will not only be retired but will be prosecuted. Do you find that statement offensive?

We need to ensure there is Rule of Law, and that there is equality before the law. The maxim is that no matter how highly- placed you are, the law is higher than you are. We hope that in the fullness of time, we will go through all the processes. Before now judges who are found wanting are quietly retired or dismissed from the Bench and they go home.

If it was good to sanction them by way of retirement, thereby cutting-short their legal career, it would be better to prosecute such judges if what they have done also constitute criminality. That is the way you ensure there is equality before the law. So, I hope ECCC will continue to do the good work without minding whose horse is gored. We should be happy that we have someone who does not care whether he is acting or has been confirmed as EFCC boss or not, the job has to be done.

There is controversy over the statement credited to President Muhammadu Buhari that Judiciary has been his headache in the fight against corruption.

What is your take on this?

I want to believe that the statement made by the President, that judiciary is a major headache for him was made within a context.

The context is that historically from 1999, each case from the high court up to the Supreme Court has really not being adjudicated upon with dispatch. That is one of the major reasons the Administration of Criminal Justice Act in section 306 and 396 makes provision for not allowing interlocutory appeals to disturb prosecution and adjudication of cases. So, what I understood the President

to be saying was that, regardless of how well anti-corruption cases are well investigated, when it gets to the judiciary, things get slowed-down.

The second issue I think is implied by the President’s statement is the issue of corruption in the judiciary. Every Chief Justice of Nigeria since the period of Justice Muhammadu Uwais, once they are sworn into office, all of them will say they want to fight corruption in the Bench. They acknowledged it; hence, there is no Chief Justice of Nigeria who has said there is no corruption in the judiciary. If the heads of the judiciary by themselves have accepted that there is corruption in the judiciary and that they are doing their best to fight it and that the NJC is dealing with the situation and encouraging people with useful petitions to come forward, is that not a headache? Is it then wrong for the President to identify that headache? What the President said is not something that has not been said before by people at the head of the judiciary.

However, the area I have disagreement with the President is that, the President of a country ought to be number one problem solver. So, I am not so much interested in the President saying ‘the judiciary’ is his headache; I am more interested in the President providing the panacea for that headache.

Even as the head of the executive branch of government, he can lead the way. He has a Vice -President who did a lot of good in Lagos.

When Osinbajo was the Attorney-General in Lagos State, he ensured that corrupt Magistrates were purged from the lower Bench. In that occasion, almost 40 Magistrates were swept off the lower Bench on the ground of corruption. The point I am making is that, yes, the NJC is constitutional assigned to deal with corruption in the judiciary but the President can inspire them.

For example, the executive branch of government supervises the anti-corruption agencies including the EFCC, the Code of Conduct Bureau and the ICPC as well as the Police. So, what is wrong in investigating judges that are perceived to be corrupt? So it is not just a matter of sending petitions to the NJC alone. If a judge has N2 billion in his bank account or his children who are still in school have such money in their accounts, those judges can be called and be questioned.

The executive can then interface with CJN

Ogunye

If a judge has N2 billion in his bank account or his children who are still in school have such money in their accounts, those judges can be called and be questioned.

presenting results of their investigations on a number of judges. The AGF can then send a petition formally to the NJC and if NJC does not act, the government can force them by dragging the affected judge to court.

Yes, the President is voted into office to identify problems, but he is also expected to solve these problems that are identified.

In the recent years, litigants often face difficulty in the execution of court judgements against Nigerian Police. What is the way out?

There are creative ways of enforcing judgements. I am familiar with the provision of the Sheriffs and Civil Process Act. For example, people have interpreted Sections 84 and 87 of the Act to mean that if you want to enforce judgement against government of any of its agents, the Attorney-General must accept that you levy execution before you can go ahead. To me, the Sheriffs and Civil Process Act undermines the doctrine of equality before the law. Those provisions are not meant to render judgement of the court unenforceable. Section 287 of the constitution provides clearly that judgements of court are binding on all authorities and persons. That is a constitutional provision and it overrides the provisions of the Sheriffs and Civil Process Act that says that before a court judgement can be enforced the Attorney-General must approve it.

However, there are creative ways to enforce these judgements. I have told people that I know how to enforce judgement of court either against the Police or any other government agency. I could use garnishee proceedings and attached the account of the Police. There is also a provision of the consti-

tution that all court judgements are binding on government and it agencies. I may also use the provision in the Sheriffs and Civil Process Act and go through the AttorneyGeneral.

Many cases are delayed when they have to start de novo simply because a judge is transferred or has been elevated to a higher bench. What is your view?

That trend is a huge toll on the administration of justice. The justice sector has to creatively engage this phenomenon by coming out with solution that can help. Now, for trial judges before whom cases are pending who are then suddenly elevated to the Court of Appeal, we recommend that in the high court laws and rules of our courts, regardless of the elevation those judges should continue with those cases and finished them.

In Ghana, we are told that is the procedure.

It will not do any harm to the litigants or disrupt justice delivery system. The only caveat is that if those cases should go on appeal those judges will not sit on those appeals when they came for determination. Judges can take what I called case by case leave of absence. For cases that had to start de-novo because the judge is retiring , I think by some directives or practice direction once a judge is retiring the cases that is assigned to him must be expedited in such a way that the judge finishes everything. In other words, the docket of the judge must be moderated in such a way that more cases are not assigned to him until the last day. What we have today is that three weeks before retirement judges are being assigned cases. I think this can be achieved administratively via practice direction.

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Law & Justice

Monday, February 29, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Court judgments binding on all authorities, persons-Lawyers CONTINUED FROM PAGE 33 tor (Isaiah) failed to obtain the prior consent (fiat) of the Attorney General of the Federation as stipulated in Section 84 of the Sheriff and Civil Process Act Laws of the Federation 2004 as a condition precedent for obtaining order of attachment by Garnishee proceedings.

They further submitted that failure to obtain fiat from the Attorney -General constituted a gross disobedience which went to the foundation upon which the Garnishee/ Order Nisi was anchored.

Similar that of Isaiah is the case of Obong Abang. A Federal High Court had ordered the Police to pay N22 million for the killing of a three-year-old girl, Kausarat Saliu in 2008.

In another instance, Justice Mohammed Mustapha, of Borno State High Court had awarded N100 million as damages for the “detention and subsequent execution” on July 31, 2009 of 72-year-old Alhaji Baba Fugu Mohammed, whose death is believed to be connected to his refusal to concede his plots of land located behind Government College, Maiduguri, to the Borno State Government.

After the judgment, the Attorney-General of the Federation filed a motion for stay of execution of the judgment. But on the day the matter came up in court, the government and security agents did not appear and their motion was struck out. But till now, they have refused to pay.

Worthy of note is the case of Modebayo Awosika, a former External Relations Manager with First Bank of Nigeria, who was allegedly killed by armed police officers at the Lekki Express Roundabout on his way back from work.

The coroner, Magistrate Paul Ojo had in his verdict recommended that a “wanted” notice should be placed in search of a police officer, Benjamin Oyeje, whose bullet was re-

NBA President, Augustine Alegeh.

Isaiah

The case of the late Modebayo is still fresh. The deceased’s widow, Mrs. Ebunoluwa Awosika approached a Lagos High Court where she got a N500 million judgement against the Nigerian Police.

However, the Police are yet to comply with the court order. trieved from the brain of the deceased.

The case of the late Modebayo is still fresh.

The deceased widow, Mrs. Ebunoluwa Awosika approached a Lagos High Court where she got a N500 million judgement against the Nigerian Police. However, the Police are yet to comply with the court judgement.

One tendency that runs through all of these instances of culture of impunity is the wanton and reckless misuse of the power by the police against the civil society. And of course, refusal of the Police to the judgment debt.

Having sought redress against these gross human rights violations, it was gathered that the Nigerian society is particularly worried

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by the fact that the Nigeria Police, which is charged by law with the maintenance of law and order in the country, have refused to obey the orders of court.

According to the lead Programme Officer on Accountability, Access to Justice, Mr. Ifeanyi Odom the law provides for the modes of enforcement of its judgment ‎even where a party refuses to abide by same.

He stated that the Nigeria Police could be made to obey court orders based on existing laws and other advocacy means.

He said ‘’where it is a monetary judgment, the Rules of court provides for the garnishee of the account of the judgment debtor, though the Police most times try to frustrate this ef-

people worship and adore you. People fight, get arrested, and cheat each other, and I get blamed, even when it is not my fault. Sure, I’m evil, but give me a break. Can’t you do something to make them stop blaming me?”

And so God created lawyers.

Leaving money for the dead

A lawyer, a used car salesman and a banker were gathered by a coffin containing the body of an old friend. In his grief, one of the three said, “In my family, we have a custom Lawyer Rates A man walks into a lawyer’s office and inquires of giving the dead some money, so they’ll have something to spend over there.” about the rates.

They all agreed that this was appropriate. The banker “Fifty dollars for three questions, “replies the lawyer. dropped a hundred dollar bill into the casket, and the car “Isn’t that awfully steep?” asks the man.

“Yes,” the lawyer replies, “and what’s your third salesman did the same. The lawyer took out the bills and wrote a cheque for $300. question?”

Drowning Lawyer

Pickpocket in court

A pick pocket was up in court for a series of petty crimes.

The judge said “Mr. Banks you are hereby fined $100.” The lawyer stood up and said “Thanks, my lord, however my cliBurglar Case Max was caught red handed by a police officer in the ent only has $75 on him at this time, but if you’d allow him very act of burglarizing a store. He was quickly brought a few minutes in the crowd. . .”

I sentenced accused arm to one year to trial. “How do you plead? asked the judge. “Your honour,” answered Max, “before I plead guilty or not guilty jail term A lawyer defending a man accused of burglary tried I ask that the court kindly appoint a lawyer to defend me.” “Max you were caught in the actual commission this creative defense: “My client merely inserted his of a crime. What could any lawyer possibly say in your arm into the window and removed a few trifling artidefence?” That’s exactly my point, your honour,” said cles. His arm is not himself, and I fail to see how you can Max. “I’m curious also to hear what he could possibly punish the whole individual for an offence committed by his limb.” “Well put,” the judge replied. “Using your say!” logic, I sentence the defendant’s arm to one year’s imWhy God Created Lawyers Satan was complaining bitterly to God, “You made prisonment. He can accompany it or not, as he chooses.” the world so that it was not fair, and you made it so The defendant smiled. With his lawyer’s assistance he that most people would have to struggle every day, fight detached his artificial limb, laid it on the bench, and against their innate wishes and desires, and deal with walked out. all sorts of losses, grief, disasters, and catastrophes. Yet Culled from lawyersjokes.com My daddy’s a lawyer Q: How do you stop a lawyer from drowning?

A: Shoot him before he hits the water.

fort as their bank accounts are shielded from the judgment creditor. The Rules of court also provides for contempt proceedings against a judgment debtor like the Nigeria Police and they would be made to show cause why the court should not mete a punishment to them for not obeying its order’’.

According to him ‘’Judgement creditor through NGOs or CSOs can initiate public interest litigation in form of order of mandamus for an example to cause the Nigeria Police to carry out its obligations under relevant laws.

In his view, Mr. Jiti Ogunye said ‘’There are creative ways of enforcing judgements. I am familiar with the provision of the Sheriffs and Civil Process Act. For example, people have interpreted Sections 84 and 87 of the Act to mean that if you want to enforce judgement against government of any of its agents, the Attorney-General must accept that you levy execution before you can go ahead. To me, the Sheriffs and Civil Process Act undermines the doctrine of equality before the law. Those provisions are not meant to render judgement of the court unenforceable. Section 287 of the 1999 Constitution provides clearly that judgements of court are binding on all authority and persons. That is a constitutional provision and it overrides the provisions of the Sheriffs and Civil Process Act that says that before a court judgement can be enforced the Attorney-General must approve it’’.

“The Police are at liberty to challenge some judgements they find unacceptable. The police can appeal, in which case they will not pay until final determination of the case,” Access to Justice, a non-governmental organisation, in its publication has repeatedly urged the judiciary to ensure that those who kill arbitrarily are brought to justice, and also offer adequate assuagement to families of victims’ of extra-legal executions.

LEGAL TIPS

Service of Court Process under the law

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he service of writ of summons or originating summons is very fundamental to the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the claim. *Where a party is not served he will have no knowledge of the claim against him.

He can therefore bring an application to strike out the action for improper service.

The essence of the service is to enable the defendant become aware of the suit against him in court and be able to put up a defence if he intends to do so. *Service is usually done by the Bailiffs or Sheriffs or other officers of the court. *There are two types of service (a ) Personal Service and (b ) Substituted Service. *Personal service is one that is served personally on the defendant whereas Sub-

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stituted service is one that is effected by other means other than personal service. *For instance, by advert in newspapers or in a gazette or by pasting in the last known address of the defendant.

Time of Service

*Service can be done on any day except Sunday and public holidays between 6.00 am and 6.00 pm. *Note that service outside jurisdiction connotes two things(a) Service outside the state of issue and (b) Service outside Nigeria.

Written by Francis Famoroti, Head, Judiciary. We welcome feedback and reactions from readers via our e-mail: nationamirrorlaw@ yahoo.com

Jokes

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Law & Justice

Monday, February 29, 2016

37

Memories of Umuechem massacre

About twenty six years ago, about 25 persons, including the paramount ruler of the Umuechem community in Rivers State, Eze A.A. Ordu, were killed in the disturbances that rocked the village in October 1990. The Rivers State Government later probed the disturbances. In its report, a Judicial Commission of Inquiry, adjudged the Nigerian Police Force culpable for the massacre. FRANCIS FAMOROTI, Head, Judiciary writes.

FAMOUS CASES

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he people of Umuechem in Etche Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State would not forget the events of October and November 1990 in a hurry. In a war-like attack, the men of the Nigerian Police Force mobile squad invaded the village located in the east of Port Harcourt, and allegedly killed and maimed the inhabitants of the community.

The genesis of the unfortunate development could be traced to sometimes on October 30, 1990, when the villagers of Umuechem demanded social amenities and compensation for oil pollution. To drive home their demand, they embarked on peaceful demonstration which involved a march to the premises of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) where a list of grievances was presented to a top official who promised to convey them to the regional office.

The following day, another peaceful march was organised to press for a response from the oil company.

Reports showed that between October 31 and November 1, 1990, a protest equally took place at Shell’s facility at the village. This culminated into the invitation of the Police to the village.

Specifically, a mobile police force unit from nearby Port Harcourt was invited to disperse the demonstrators, and in the process force was applied on the villagers.

The mobile unit alleged that while dispersing the demonstration, three of its members, Timothy Kingsley, Mohammed Yusufu and Samuel Ojugbeli, were abducted and declared missing.

On November 1, 1990, in a bid to search for their colleagues, the Police unit returned to Umuechem at 4.30 am. They surrounded the village and shot indiscriminately using live ammunition. Hand grenades and explosives were thrown into homes.

Eventually, there was a confrontation between the police and villagers. Scores of unarmed demonstrators including the community monarch, Eze Ordu were killed, about 495 buildings were reportedly destroyed, while a large number of livestock were killed, and crops were ruined.

According to the Human Rights Watch 1999 on-line article titled: ‘’The Price of Oil’’, ‘’this incident was the first to bring the situation in the Niger Delta to international attention, and remains the most serious loss of life directly involving oil company activities.

Youths from the Umuechem community demanded provision of electricity, water, roads, and other compensation for oil pollution of crops and water supplies.

On October 29, 1990, the divisional manager of SPDC’s eastern division had written to the Rivers State Commissioner of Police to request “security protection,” with a preference for the paramilitary Mobile Police, in anticipation of “impending attack” on SPDC’s facilities in Umuechem allegedly

Former military President Ibrahim Babangida

Alhaji Aliyu Atta, then IGP

The Mobile Policemen, attacked Umuechem village, like an invading army that had vowed to take the last drop of the enemy’s blood planned for the following morning.

Following peaceful protests by village youths on SPDC’s premises on October 30, SPDC again made a written report to the Rivers State government, a copy of which was sent to the commissioner of police. On October 31, Mobile Police attacked peaceful demonstrators with teargas and gunfire.

They returned at 5 a.m. the next day, shooting indiscriminately, in a purported attempt to locate three of their members who had not returned the previous evening.

On the same day, after discovering the killing and destruction, and the ensuing public outcry, the Rivers State Government set up a Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the massacre. The Judicial panel was headed

by Justice Opubo Inko-Tariah. At the end of the day, the Judicial Commission found no evidence of a threat by the villagers and concluded that the Mobile Police had displayed “a reckless disregard for lives and property.”

No compensation has been awarded for the attack to those whose relatives were killed or homes destroyed; nor have the perpetrators been brought to justice.

In response to public pressure, the Nigerian Police Force also announced its own inquiry into the incident.

In March 1991, the Rivers State Government under the then Military Administrator, Major. Gen. Godwin Abbe, released its report and blamed the villagers for organising the march to the Shell Oil Company, stating that

the march had been ‘’misconceived and misdirected, considering that the company was answerable only to the Federal Government, and does not owe any legal obligations to provide any socio-economic or social amenities to the communities of its operations.’’

The commission also acknowledged the Police force’s culpability for the massacre.

According to the report, the Mobile Police Force men, who were sent to Umuechem on November 1, 1990, were responsible for all that happened there. They committed acts of homicide, doing grievous harm, malicious damage to property and arson. ‘’The Mobile Policemen, attacked Umuechem village, like an invading army that had vowed to take the last drop of the enemy’s blood. They threw all human reasonings to the wind, shot people and razed down a total of 495 houses in the village with blast grenades, personal effects in all these houses were consumed by the fire that burnt the houses down. The preponderant share of this responsibility rests on the shoulders of the Mobile Police Force men, who forgot that their duty was to protect life and property and not to destroy them.’’ it added.

The report concluded by recommending that reparations should be made by the Federal Military Government for the loss of life and property, and that ‘’appropriate legal action’’ be taken against 120 mobile police whose names were listed in the appendix to the report as having carried out the opera-

tion at Umuechem.

Shortly after the massacre, the FG gave N10m and the Rivers State Government gave N2m to the village as reparations for the loss of life and property. It was however learnt that some villagers had problems when they attempted to cash the compensation cheques issued to the victims at that time.

Despite the recommendation by the Judicial Commission that the responsible police officers be prosecuted for their use of excessive force, the then Rivers State Government refused and failed to prosecute any police officer for the dastardly act.

According to a publication of the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights in May 1992, the police officers responsible for the violence at Umuechem continue to serve on the force .’’

The Gender Coalition Against Genocide in Niger Delta in a letter sent to the office of the Prosecutor in the International Criminal Court (ICC), The Hague, Netherlands also said the perpetrators of these previous massacres have neither been investigated nor prosecuted. It therefore urged the prosecutor, Mr. Moremo Ocampo, to call for the prosecution of those responsible for this inhuman action against the Niger Delta people.

Following the Umuechem massacre, Ken Saro-WIwa and other environmental activists established the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP).

Nine years after, the Federal Government under President Olusegun Obasanjo administration purportedly ordered the invasion of Odi in Bayelsa State. .Following the killing of 12 policemen by armed gangs based in Odi on November 5, 1999, the Obasanjo administration deployed soldiers to the town on November 20, 1999.

Three days later the town was completely left in ruins.

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Law & Justice

Monday, February 29, 2016

A Conviction of opposition leader ‘arbitrary’, European court says

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he European court of human rights has ruled that Russia’s conviction of opposition leader and blogger Alexei Navalny on charges of embezzlement was “prejudicial”, saying he had been deprived of a fair trial.

The court in Strasbourg said the 2013 conviction of Navalny and co-accused Pyotr Ofitserov, a businessman, was based on an “arbitrary application of the law”.

“The trial court convicting the co-accused had worded its judgment in a manner that could only be considered prejudicial as regards alleged involvement in the crime,” it said, noting that the courts involved had found them “guilty of acts indistinguishable from regular commercial activities”.

The court also ordered Moscow to pay damages of €8,000 ($8,800) to Navalny and Ofitserov, and to cover their court expenses.

Russia has three months to ask for another review of the case, but the European court is not obliged to grant it.

Navalny, 39, who has repeatedly denounced the corruption of Russian elites, lauded the decision on his blog.

“The truth is with us and we will win,” he wrote, adding that he wanted to “defend the country from the

RUSSIA

Russian President, Vladimir Putin thieves and villains who seized power in Russia”.

The activist was convicted for embezzling €400,000 during a 2009 timber business deal for which he was acting as a consultant for the Kirovles corporation.

At the time of the deal Ofitserov was head of the trading company that allegedly sold the timber at below market rates.

Investigators initially said there was no case but several months later another investigation was opened into Navalny and Ofitserov’s roles, with the courts convicting them one day after Navalny registered as a candidate for the Moscow mayoral elections.

An appeals court eventually granted the two men suspended prison terms.

Navalny began crusading against corruption in 2007.

His internet-driven projects – Rospil.info and later the Anti-corruption Foundation

Nurse found guilty of dishonesty

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ennifer Anne Reed, 65, old woman has pleaded guilty last December to seven counts of deception, between 2009 and 2014.

In sentencing submission, the court was told Reed had an extensive history of dishonest behaviour.

According to the BBC News, she stole the name and nursing details of a registered nurse and performed tasks including administering potentially lethal drugs and staff supervision.

The court was told Reed had used false names before and previously received merciful court sentences.

It heard she recently pleaded guilty to three more dishonesty charges in the Magistrates Court and intimated guilty pleas to 20 simi-

AUSTRALIA

lar charges.

Prosecutor Kelly Smith said Reed received income of almost $350,000 for work in aged care homes.

She said the offending was a gross breach of both her employer’s and the community’s trust and there had been a potential for grave mistakes given the woman’s inadequate qualifications.

“Had she not been investigated and exposed, no doubt her deception would have continued, possibly with serious consequences for those who put their trust in her for their care,” she said.

An apology from Reed was read to the court: “There’s nothing that can justify what I did.”

South African court has sentenced a Czech businessman to 35 years in jail for attempted murder and kidnapping.

The charges against Radovan Krejcir, seen as the kingpin of Johannesburg’s criminal underworld, date back to a drug deal in 2013.

According to the BBC News, he was accused of ordering the kidnapping a man whose brother had disappeared with 25kg (55lbs) of crystal meth.

The man testified that Krejcir poured boiling water over his head.

Krejcir seems to be synonymous with drama, having tried to escape from custody a number of times.

Months prior his arrest in 2013, he made local and in-

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Mafia boss bags 35 years jail term in S’Africa SOUTH AFRICA

South African President, Jacob Zuma ternational headlines when he survived an attempt to kill him using guns hidden

behind a car number plate operated by remote control.

He was supposed to be sentenced, but the court had to be evacuated following a bomb threat.

Krejcir, who had pleaded not guilty, left the court in shackles but with a smile after his sentencing.

This is not out of character for the man who has seemed cavalier throughout the trial.

One of Krejcir’s coaccused, Desai Luphondo, was also sentenced to 35 years in jail.

Four others, including three who had been mem-

bers of the elite police unit, the Hawks, were given sentences of 15 years each.

Krejcir still faces other criminal charges, including one of murdering a Lebanese national.

BBC News reports that, a number of his associates have been killed in separate incidents over the years but Krejcir has repeatedly denied any involvement with local organised crime syndicates.

The businessman is also wanted in the Czech Republic, where he was convicted in absentia in 2014 on tax fraud charges.

N’ Korea must face criminal court- Religious group

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he North Korean regime must face the International Criminal Court (ICC) for its “egregious human rights abuses”, a Christian religious freedom charity has said.

According to the BBC News, two years ago the UN Commission of Inquiry on human rights published a report detailing “the gravity, scale and nature” of violations in North Korea. It said they “reveal a State that does not have any parallel in the contemporary world”.

However despite recommending criminal action, nothing has been done, according to Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW).

The religious freedom char-

NORTH KOREA

Ms. Fatou Bensouda, ICC Prosecutor ity said action was “long overdue” and called for the “North Korean regime to be brought to justice for the appalling human rights violations underway in the country”.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is responsi-

ble for gross human rights abuses, CSW said, and must face the International Criminal Court.

“It must not be left to gather dust on a shelf but must serve as a plan of action to end the suffering of the North Korean people and hold the perpetrators of crimes against humanity to account,” said CSW’s chief executive Mervyn Thomas.

The charity’s call is the latest in a long line of representatives making the case for international legal action against the country.

The UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in North Korea, Marzuki Darusman, said “In addition

to continuing political pressure to exhort the DPRK to improve human rights, it is also now imperative to pursue criminal responsibility of the DPRK leadership.

His comments follow a UN General Assembly resolution on 17 December 2015 condemning “long-standing and ongoing systematic, widespread and gross violations of human rights” in North Korea and a UN Security Council debate on 10 December 2015, in which several countries voiced support for a debate on referring North Korea to the ICC. “We must ensure that those responsible are held to account in the ICC,” he said.

Belgium tightens border over eviction plan

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elgium has announced it has imposed controls on its border with France amid fears of an influx of migrants.

According to BBC News up to 290 police officers would be deployed along the border, said Interior Minister Jan Jambon.

The move comes as a French court deliberates over the legality of plans imminently to evict thousands of migrants from part of the “Jungle” camp in Calais.

“They’re already on their way here,” Mr Jambon was quoted as saying.

He said the controls, which entail a suspension of the EU’s Schengen ac-

BELGIUM cord allowing passportfree travel, would last “as long as necessary”.

The controls did not mean the border would be closed, he said, but “targeted checks” would be carried out - and those caught immediately deported.

“We are going to guard the border in strategic places, chosen and known by police as potential smuggling routes.”

Borders have been tightened and fences erected across Europe, in response to the arrival of more than one million migrants and refugees arriving on Europe’s shores

in the past year. The majority have fled conflict in Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq.

BBC News report that, French and British officials want to reduce the number of migrants in Calais and deter others from heading there in the hope of reaching the UK. Migrants gathered in the “Jungle” camp in Calais were told by authorities last week that they faced eviction from the southern portion of the camp.

That has triggered fears in Belgium that the camp’s inhabitants will simply move on.

“It’s our express intention to avoid tent camps

like Calais in our country,” Mr Jambon said.

He said 32 people had been arrested in Adinkerke, a Belgian village close to the French border.

In Calais, authorities said they would delay eviction plans until a court in Lille issued a judgement on the legality of the move.

Officials continue to urge camp residents to take up alternative accommodation.

But charities argue the migrants are being evicted in mid-winter with inadequate alternative accommodation.

They joined 238 migrants to challenge the move in the Lille court.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Law & Justice

Monday, February 29, 2016

CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK

Bisi Akodu

Crowdfunding finance in Nigeria (ii)

Equity-based Crowdfunding

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quity Crowdfunding allows people to invest in an early stage unlisted company in exchange for shares in that company.A shareholder has partial ownership of theinvestee company and stands to profit should the company do well. The opposite is also true, so if the company fails investors can lose some, or all of their investment.

The benefits of using an equitycrowdfunding platform for raising capital are (i) access to quick capital (ii) the investee company is able to set its own valuation and (iii) the platform generates good PR for the company. From an investor’s point of view, it creates an opportunity for diverse investments allowing the risk to be spread across a diversified portfolio of assets. Returns on the equity crowdfundingplatform are potentially more than those on the loancrowdfundingplatforms and often the returns are more than those frompublic equity capital markets. Of course, there are latent risks for the company, whichborder onlegal and regulatory risks which are based on the absence of structured legaland regulatory framework to provide investor and consumer safeguards.

Investments in crowdfundingare high risk as levels of due diligence may be unclear and most investors in the crowd may have no experience and are just ‘following the crowd’ to coin a phrase. Again, because these investments are mostly in small private businesses there are no exit strategies for investors within a specified period. In some countries the companies legislations are not flexible enough to accommodate crowdfunding and issues may arise pertaining to minority shareholder protection, pre-emptive rights, management issues, insolvency etc.

Major issues that equity crowdfunding platforms have had to address are structural in nature. How can an investee company control the crowd on the crowdfundingplatform, when the platform is open to numerous investors? This also proposes a challenge in the legal structure of the crowdfunding arrangement. In the UK two major competing platforms namely,CrowdCube and Seedrs have structured their platforms to deal with the legal structure of crowdfunding. In the CrowdCube model the crowd invests directly into the company which in return issues new shares to investors, whereas in the Seedrs model a nominee company collects the funds and issues shares in itself to the investors, the nominee company then invests in the company requesting finance, which in turn issues shares to the nominee company.

Both models have their advantages and disadvantages. The CrowdCube model’s advantages are that the shareholders are not consolidated under a nominee company, each investor is a shareholder but with very little minority protection rights. The potential disadvantages are that the platform could end up with hundreds of shareholders that would entail a lot of administrative work on the part of the company.

Again, shares may lack adequate anti-dilution protection.

The Seedrs model has the advantage that the structure may be more attractive for venture capital participation as the nominee company represents numerous shareholders. The Nominee would therefore take decisions for the investors giving the crowdmore bargaining power;however, this could be a disadvantage to the company.

The innovation of crowdfundinghas alerted venture capitalists to the reality of this alternative finance model, which makes funds readily available before venture capital funds may decide to invest. In the UK venture and growth stage companies are increasingly finding success with equity crowdfunding, perhaps capitalising on the confidence inspired among investors as crowdfunding becomes more mainstream and subject to Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulation and scrutiny.A recent paper by Wilson and Testoni entitled ‘Improving the Role of Equity Crowdfunding in Europe’s capital markets’ suggests equity crowdfunding may be significantly riskier than business angels or venture capital finance, due to a “lack of adequate pre investment screening and due diligence, weaker investment contracts and poorer post investment support and monitoring” .

Loan-based Crowdfunding Loan-based or lending crowdfundingalso called Peer to

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Mrs. Akodu Peer-lending (P2P) is whereindividuals lend money online to a company or project in return for repayment of the loan or interest on their investment. Due to the increase of loanbased crowdfunding in the UK the regulation of the consumer credit market has been transferred to the Financial Conduct Authority that now regulates loan-based crowdfunding platforms. This form of crowdfundinghas developed as an alternative to bank lending. Since the P2P lending companies offering these services operate entirely online, they can run with lower overheads and provide the service more cheaply than traditional financial institutions. As a result, lenders often earn higher returns compared to savings and investment products offered by banks, while borrowers can borrow money at lower interest rates, even after the P2P lending company has taken a fee for providing the matchmaking platform and credit checking the borrower.

Legal & Regulatory Framework for EquityBased Crowdfunding in Nigeria In many countries like Nigeria, soliciting finance from the general public without legal authorization is considered illegal. Crowdfunding arrangements that require people to contribute money to a company in exchange for shares in that company comes under the securities laws in Nigeria, comprised of the Investment and Securities Act, 2007 and Securities and Exchange Commission Rules 2013 (SEC Rules).

However, there is no specific crowdfunding legislation in Nigeria. Only recently, the United States’ Securities and Exchange Commission adopted rules to permit companies offer and sell securities through crowdfunding . The new SEC rules and proposed amendments to the Securities Act are designed to assist small companies with capital formation and provide investors with additional protection.

In the UK the FCAintroduced new rules that apply to the distribution of “non-readily realizable securities”, these are shares or debt securities in new or existing businesses that are not listed on a regulated stock market. Since these securities are termed unlisted they carry significant risks. The 2014 FCA rules contain market restrictions allowing only high net worth investors partake in equity based crowdfunding, such investors are to take regulated advice and those that opt to invest in this type of security must confirm that they will invest no more than 10 percent of their net assets on any platform. These new rules were implemented to protect investors and ensure that consumers have access to clear information, which allows them to assess the risks as well as providing them with consumer protection.

Equity Crowdfunding may prove to be an expedient way to raise capital for our struggling small businesses known as SMEs. These entities find it difficult to raise startup capital because they are perceived as high risk to banks due to the fact that they have little or no track history of borrowing, inadequate or no security for the bank to fall back on in the event that they are unable to liquidate their debts and poor legal framework. If properly legislated and regulated equity crowdfunding could very well serve as a finance option for our teeming small businesses. At the same time, it would provide a new security class and deepen our capital markets,

where such securities are listed on the capital markets.

SEC regulates all securities offered for sale by public companies in Nigeria and as at the time of this article there are no provisions relating to crowdfunding in the SEC rules.

What is interesting is that SEC is partnering with the Ontario Stock Exchange to develop a framework and rules on crowdfunding for Nigerian capital markets.As welcoming as this news may appear it may not be a simple task bearing in mind the fact that Nigeria’s financial sector has not been successfully coordinated to accommodate new innovations such as crowdfunding.

Some issues would need to be consideredin structuring a crowdfunding transaction. Bearing in mind that there are three main parties to the transaction(i) the Company raising funds, (ii) the investors and (iii) the online platform, a suitable legal vehicle would have to be employed as the investee company. The vehicle used for crowdfundingin both the UK and the US is the limited liability company, since it is a legal entity recognized by law and where the liability of its members are limited to the amount unpaid on the authorized share capital. However, in the UK equity crowdfunding platforms operated under a combination of exemptions and exclusions from the regulated activities regime. The Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2004 (“CAMA”) regulates the formation and operation of all types of companies and enterprises in Nigeria. However, to meet the objectives of crowdfunding for small businesses it would be expedient for such small business to register as a private company under CAMA. A review of some of the restrictive provisions of CAMA dealing with transfer of shares, invitations to the public to subscribe for shares etc. for private companies may need to be made more flexible or there may need to be special provisions for public companies applying to register on a crowdfunding platform.

The provision of CAMA restricting the number of members of a private company to 50 could be an advantage in that it would ensure crowd control and may encourage high net worth investors, thereby establishing a class of self-certified sophisticated investors that wouldhave sufficient knowledge to understand the risks associated with such an investment.

In conclusion Crowdfunding may very well be the answer to funding SMEs in Nigeria and there can be no better time than the present to review all legal and regulatory framework required to invigorate our capital markets and financial sector services. It has been recommended that a centralized body akin to the Financial Conduct Authority be created to administer the financial sector. In the UK theFCA protects consumers and financial markets by enhancing the integrity of the UK financial system while also promoting competition. The FCA aims to support and empower a healthy and successful financial system, where firms can thrive and consumers can place their trust in transparent and open markets. It also makes sure that firms stick to the rules and take appropriate measures to prevent them from being used as a channel for financial crime.

The recommended review of the SEC rules should enable investors finance crowdfundingprojects subject to certain thresholds to be determined on a case-by-case basis. Companies seeking to raise funds should also be required to disclose information about their company and the securities on offer. There should also be enabling legal framework for intermediaries that may be involved in facilitating crowdfunding transactions. The new rules should prohibit online portals from offering investment advice, soliciting sales or offers to buy securities and any information that would be considered to mislead or misrepresent prospective investors.

Establishing the legal and regulatory framework for crowdfunding is a pragmatic move for SEC, which should involve a holistic review of our securities laws, company legislation and other related legislation. The ongoing study should not be restricted to the Ontario Stock Exchange but should be broadened to include the UK that has similar laws as Nigeria.The next step will be for SEC to adopt a robust plan to ensure that crowdfunding in Nigeria becomes a reality.

CONCLUDED Bisi Akodu is a Partner at Olisa Agbakoba Legal (OAL) and heads the Corporate/Commercial & Public Sector Group.

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Monday, February 29, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Community Mirror

When thefor come to come It seems to me the time has come us to, come re-examine the everybody will sit up in this Ministry.

Rev. Chris Okotie, speaking legal and constitutional framework for policing in Nigeria. on the state of the nation

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hon minister for petroleum resources,ALIISON MADUEKE – Speaker House of Reps, Hon. Yakubu Dogara

LASTMA sensitises Gbagada residents on traffic management ... As church partners Lagos to construct multi-million naira flyover bridge Francis Suberu

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he campaign and advocacy unit of the Lagos State Transportation Management Authority, LASTMA yesterday held a sensitisation programme for residents of Oduwaye and adjourning communities in Gbagada area of Lagos State; ahead of the construction of a multi-million naira flyover bridge embarked upon by the Deeper Life Bible Church in that area.

The sensitisation programme which took place at the premises of Deeper Life Cathedral, Oduwaye Street, adjacent the flyover site was meant to prepare the residents mind and intimate them of measures that had already being put in place to reduce traffic congestion during the programme.

Speaking during the programme, LASTMA Deputy Controller of Operation, Mr. Philip Femi Ogunwale said the construction work is massive and would likely lead to traffic

build-up in Gbagada area, saying all through the construction period, LASTMA will deploy men and material resources reduce the hardship.

According to him: “This stakeholders’ meeting is to sensitise people in this locality on the proposed bridge to be constructed by the Deeper Life Bible Ministry.

The flyover bridge upon completion will ease traffic gridlock in this area as residents will no longer need to access the underground but move via the flyover bridge.

“The traffic gridlock that they normally experience especially when they have programmes in the Cathedra will no longer be there. Those who have no business in the church will just pass through the bridge and go their way.”

The LASTMA’s Deputy Controller of Operation informed that LASTMA has put measures in place to ease traffic congestion in the area during the construction period; even as he enjoined residents to co-operate with LASTMA and the contractors handling the project until the construction is over.

Also speaking during the campaign, CDA Chairman of Aro-

romi/Sawmill, Gbagada Chief Olukayode Onasanya lauded the project but lamented the poor state of inner routes in the neighbourhood, saying many residents will suffer untold hardship should the construction commence without making the inner route accessible.

Chief Onasanya said: “We are happy about the project because it’s for the development of the area. But, if they want to do it, they have to take care of the access roads too. When it starts and everything is blocked, all motorists going to Araromi, Sawmill, Shoniyi kiniun-Ifa to Ifako will find it difficult to connect their streets.

Community tasks Lagos government on bad roads Dare Akogun

R L-R: Commander, Lagos State Rapid Response Squard (RRS), ACP Olatunji Disu (second left); Head Operations, Primero Transport Services Ltd., Kehinde Adelola; and MD/CEO, Primero Transport Services Ltd, Fola Tinubu, during RRS Commander’s visit to the scene of an accident at Agric BRT Terminal in Ikorodu Lagos, yesterday.

Court grants N5m bail to accused charged with raping minor

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agistrate W. B. Balogun sitting at an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on Wednesday granted a N5 million bail to 32- year-old Abeng Oji charged with defiling a six-year-old minor.

Balogun also ordered the accused horticulturist to produce two sureties who must own properties supported with genuine Certificates of occupancy (C of O).

He said that such properties must be within the jurisdiction of the court.

The magistrate also ordered

that the case file be duplicated and sent to the office of Director of Public Prosecutions (DPPs) for legal advice.

Balogun then adjourned the case to April 13 for mention.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Insp.

Feddy Asu, had told the court that the accused committed the offence on Jan. 30, at 06: 00 a.m, at Ologolo community in EtiOsa Local Government Area of Lagos State.

He said that the accused unlawfully had a carnal knowledge of a six-year-old girl.

Asu said that the accused had

access to the house of his victim because he worked as an apprentice with her father.

“The accused had a carnal knowledge of the girl when he knew that her parents had gone out,” he said.

Asu said the offence contravened Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 137 provides life imprisonment for offenders.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge when he was first arraigned.

esidents of New Life Estate Community Development Association (CDA), Baiyeku, Ikorodu, Lagos have appealed to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, to alleviate their suffering by intensifying effort at looking inwards, especially towards the construction of inner roads that connects adjourning towns and communities in the area.

Speaking with journalists after the grading of major streets within the co mmunity, the Chairman of the CDA, Mr Omolaja Buhari, said it is high time the government look into their plight and come to their assistance by putting a stop to incessant grading of roads by the residents, though admitted that government cannot do everything but expressed optimism the residents of the area have played a great role as far development of the area is concerned.

According to him, “the community, through the CDA, have made it mandatory to grade the road on yearly basis, wrote several letters to the state government, particularly to the Commissioner for Rural Development and Community Affairs, to complain about the state

of our roads here in New Life Estate CDA and our request for more amenities like New Transformer, borehole, public toilet and befitting townhall”.

Continuing, he said “we as a community, each time spend nothing less than N300,000 on grading of roads and I must not fail to thank members of my CDA for their cooperation especially for their unflinching support on anything that has to do with development of this community. But to make things easy and not to be too heavy on the residents,, that is why we are calling on the government to please look into our plight and save us the yearly extra effort of grading the road. We know if we fail to do it, nobody would do for us especially before the advent of rainy season”, Buhari said.

Also in his remark, the 1st Vice-Chairman of the CDA, Mr Agbabule Friday, expressed concern that New Life CDA has no health centre, bore hole and community hall for the use of residents of the area.

He also commended the cooperation of the landlords and residents association that make up the CDA, which according to him, if not for their cooperation and relentlessness, all that they have been able to do would have been impossible.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Monday, February 29, 2016

World News We can succeed in opening a safer and more stable future for all when we put human rights at the centre of our response to violent extremism.

–UN SECRETARY GENERAL, BAN KI-MOON

‘Al-Shabab killed scores of Kenyan troops’ AFOLABI GAMBARI

WITH AGENCY REPORT

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t least 180 Kenyan troops were killed when al-Shabab attacked their base last month, Somalia’s President, Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud, said yesterday.

The Islamist militant group said it had killed about 100 Kenyan troops.

If it is confirmed that 180 troops were killed, it would be alShabab’s deadliest assault since it was formed nearly a decade ago.

Its previous most deadly attack was the killing of 148 people in the day-long assault on Garissa University College in north-eastern Kenya last April.

President Mohamud gave the death toll of 180 in an interview with a Somali television station, while defending his attendance at a memorial for the soldiers in Kenya.

Some Somalis accused him on social media of showing greater concern for the killing of Kenyans than his own nationals.

Mohamud said it was important to pay tribute to the troops killed in el-Ade, which is in Somalia’s south-western region of Gedo.

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud “When 180 or close to 200 soldiers who were sent to us are killed in one day in Somalia, it’s not easy,” he said, stressing, “The soldiers have been sent to Somalia to help us get peace in our country, and their families are convinced that they died while on duty.”

But Kenyan Army spokesman, David Obonyo, said the Somali president’s information was untrue, although refused to give exact casualty figures for the assault in the southern Somali base of

el-Ade. “Ask the source of the information to clarify it. Maybe he knows his sources,” Obonyo said yesterday.

“I think we should stop trivializing the dead. They are not mere statistics. They ought to be treated with honour and respect,” he added.

The el-Ade attack was hugely embarrassing for Kenya, and it is not surprising that it has rejected the Somali president’s

figure without giving its own. Kenya’s government possibly fears that confirming a high death toll would fuel doubts among Kenyans about its military presence in Somalia.

It is unclear where Mohamud got the figure from, and whether he had had intentionally disclosed it, something that could strain diplomatic relations with Kenya.

Kenya’s military is clearly upset with him, but it has previously said that a company-sized battalion, usually made up of 100 to 250 men, was targeted by the militants.

It is also unclear why al-Shabab put the number of killed at about 100, but one possibility is that it excluded ethnic Somalis who were Kenyan soldiers, according to reports.

After the attack, Kenya said the bombs used by al-Shabab were three times more powerful than those used by al-Qaeda in the 1998 US embassy attack in the capital, Nairobi, which left 224 people dead, l to withdraw from el-Ade eleven days after the attack.

Kenya has about 4, 000 troops in the 22, 000-strong African Union force battling al-Shabab, which is part of al-Qaeda, in Somalia.

Migrant crisis: Greece recalls envoy

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reece has recalled its Ambassador to Austria amid sharp divisions among EU states over the migrant crisis.

It came after Austria hosted a meeting with Balkan states on the migrant issue, to which Greece was not invited.

Austria, Serbia and Macedonia have taken their own steps to limit entry to migrants, an-

gering Greece, which fears the controls will cause a bottleneck.

The measures also threaten Europe’s Schengen passport-free travel area that spans 26 countries.

More than one million migrants arrived in the EU last year, many of them fleeing the civil war in Syria. So far this year, 100, 000 migrants have entered the EU illegally, nearly

all of them arriving in Greece.

More than 400 have died on the sea crossing from Turkey.

The surge in migration coupled with the failure to agree an EU-wide response has led to warnings about the bloc’s survival.

Meanwhile, EU and Balkan interior ministers have met in Brussels to try to heal rifts over the migrant issue.

Deadly attack rocks Mogadishu hotel

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Rescuers tending to a victim at the blast site

ilitants yesterday stormed a hotel in the Somali capital Mogadishu, leaving at least nine people dead, in an attack claimed by al-Shabab.

The attackers set off a car bomb outside the heavily fortified Somali Youth League hotel before moving in.

An explosion also targeted a popular park known as the Peace Garden.

But Police said the attack

was quelled after they shot and killed four attackers.

Witnesses said 40 minutes after the first car bomb went off, another explosion of the same magnitude was heard.

“We have attacked the SYL Hotel and we’ve forced our way into the hotel,” Al-Shabab claimed in a statement.

However, one resident at the hotel said the gunmen had not managed to get inside and

WORLD BULLETIN

Ebola ‘devastates’ long-term health Most people who survive an Ebola infection will have long-lasting health problems, doctors from the US National Institutes of Health said yesterday.

Their studies on survivors in Liberia showed large numbers had developed weakness, memory loss and depressive symptoms in the six months after being discharged from an Ebola unit.

Other patients were actively suicidal or still having hallucinations.

More than 17, 000 people in West Africa have survived Ebola infection.

The evidence, being presented at the annual meeting of the Academy of Neurology, is an early glimpse at a much wider study of long-term health problems after Ebola.

The initial analysis, on 82 survivors, showed most had had severe neurological problems at the height of the infection, including meningitis, hallucinations or falling into a coma.

SA economy faces hard times The South African economy is in crisis, according to the country’s Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan.

The comments came ahead of his Budget speech, in which he cut the country’s growth forecast for 2016 to 0.9 per cent, down from 1.7 per cent.

He conceded the economy was struggling with shrinking growth, 25 per cent unemployment, and widespread poverty.

The South African currency, the rand, which has halved over the past five years, fell after the speech, dropping 2.25 per cent to make one rand worth around $0.0639.

“There is no doubt about the fact that we are in crisis,” Gordhan said The measures announced in Parliament were aimed at stopping the country falling into recession and to appease the rating agencies who have threatened to downgrade South Africa to junk status, which would raise borrowing costs for the country.

Reports highlight Libya tortures File copy of migrants arriving in Greece recently had been repelled by security guards.

The hotel, situated near the presidential palace, is popular with government personnel.

“My sister, class mates and I were taking pictures at the peace garden when the car bomb hit the gate of the park,” one eyewitness, Halima Nur, said, adding, “We all rushed through the back gates.”

Al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda affiliate, is waging an armed insurgency in Somalia.

Killings and torture are being committed with impunity by all sides in Libya, according to a United Nations report.

Human rights violations carried out by armed groups battling for control of the country could amount to war crimes, the report said yesterday.

Victims include detainees, journalists and human rights activists. Scores of people have been tortured and killed.

Libya, fragmented since the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, now has rival militia-backed parliaments.

There are hundreds of different armed groups and the chaos has allowed so-called Islamic State to gain a foothold.

The report by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on Libya describes a country descending into violent chaos.

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Features

Marshall Gundu ‘Public money is pubic money. Whether it is from oil, whether it is from scratch card, it must be subject to the same level of discipline and scrutiny’. –Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun hese are tough times for the nation’s financial system and the series of steps taken so far by the Finance Minister; Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, if sustained and improved upon, will help significantly to re-position the nation’s finances in the not too distant future.

However, it will take some time because the challenges are enormous and effects on the national economy are wide ranging. Crude, a resource which accounts for 70 per cent of national revenues has fallen from a high of $116 dollars in June 2014 to barely $30 dollars as at date as a result of increasing Shale oil production in the United States, slowing growth in China and the recent entry of Iran into the international oil market. And it does not look like the situation is going to improve anytime soon. According to the latest International Energy Agency medium-term outlook released on 22nd February, the global glut might stay on till 2021: “It is hard to see oil prices recovering significantly in the short term. The enormous stocks being accumulated will act as a dampener on the pace of recovery in oil prices”.

Sadly, unlike several other oil producing countries like Saudi Arabia that stacked trillions in savings and foreign reserves and are now drawing upon those provisions to ride through the oil price induced challenges, previous governments in Nigeria basically squandered their way through the golden era of high oil prices.

We did not save or use the monies in ways that will prepare us for this crisis.

Besides outright looting, diversion or misapplication of funds, there was no efficiency in the budgeting and procurement processes. Contract and overhead costs were blatantly inflated. Through collusion with dubious elements in the Budget Office and the National Assembly, budgets with outlandish figures were passed and executed with over fifty percent of the money ending up in private pockets. Relatedly, ministries and agencies of government generated and spent monies as they deemed fit.

With the near halving of national revenues and continued tepid nature of oil prices, it is obvious that as a country, our bank account is in the red. Going forward it will be obviously suicidal for any sensible government to allow such massive leakages in public spending to continue unabated. Where we are, the country simply cannot afford to carry such extra strain and burden. The brazen financial rascality has been on for far too long, has cost the country far too much and there can’t be a better time to put a stop to it than now with the austere and anti-corruption stance of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Now, as far as I can see, this is the work that the new Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun is expected and has, with good speed and courage, set out to do - cut waste and expand revenues, especially non-oil revenues and power the capacity of the Buhari administration to deliver on the many campaign promises, amongst which are fixing power, infrastructure, health, education etc. And she is going

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Monday, February 29, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Kemi Adeosun: Building a new culture of fiscal discipline in troubled times

Adeosun about it in a very passionate, no holds barred and committed manner that is evident in the way she speaks about them in public. She appears unfazed by the enormity of the challenges and exudes intense positive energy and optimism about the financial prospects of the country and a measured dose of patriotic anger to change things.

In line with the progressive, “if it isn’t broke, don’t try to fix it” attitude of the Buhari administration, Adeosun has, besides pushing for a renewed drive towards enlarging non-oil revenues, dedicated significant energy towards fine-tuning existing systems like the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS), Treasury Single Account (TSA), Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS), to enable them to better plug systemic leakages in the government’s financial management system.

Speaking recently, when she appeared before the Senate Committee on Finance, Adeosun revealed that about 23,000 ghost workers had been discovered in the federal civil service. This. she attributed to the novel and creative idea to link the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS) and Bank Verification Number (BVN) platforms which helped in exposing the massive fraud being perpetrated by civil servants. Using the BVN alongside the IPPIS database, it was possible to identify multiple accounts that were tied to individual BVNs. She cited an instance where about 20 names were linked to one BVN. Unlike in the past where culprits were overlooked and no one got punished for such acts, Adeosun stated that after in-

vestigations, those found culpable would be prosecuted. Spreading the net of guilt further, she stated that banks that are found to have connived and knowingly facilitated the fraud would be compelled to refund the monies to the federal purse.

“As we speak now, we have about 23,000 that we need to investigate. Those whom either the BVN is linked to multiple payment or the name on the BVN account is not consistent with the name on our own payroll.” She said.

Besides the discovery of ghost workers, the same creative and innovation tweaking of the IPPIS platform and BVN by Adeosun along with her team has led to a record enrollment of 320,000 staff onto the unified salary processing system within just two months. This number far exceeds the 295,000 enrollments which were done within a five year period by the previous administration and discovery of about 60,000 ghost workers. This achievement was possible because unlike in the past where staff were expected to appear for physical capture of their biometrics before enrollment, their BVN are used to call up their biometrics for enrollment onto the IPPIS platform. This has taken off the stress and inconvenience and made things a lot simpler and easy for both government and staff. This is a sign of what smart thinking can do to a process and system.

At this rate, the Minister is set to enroll all civil servants onto the platform

by June this year. This will help to totally eliminate cases of ghost workers on the federal payroll, substantially reduce personnel cost and forever close the billions that unscrupulous people have been bleed-

Public money is pubic money. Whether it is from oil, whether it is from scratch card, it must be subject to the same level of discipline and scrutiny

ing from the federal purse yearly. Another equally important area that the Minister of Finance has laid focus on is the cost of overheads and expenses by the Ministries, Departments, Agencies etc. Overheads constitute a significant proportion of the government’s yearly recurrent budget. Over the years, total budgeted overhead for public expenditure has averaged about N360billion yearly. Investigations show that most of these costs are arbitrarily fixed as there are no clear and uniform benchmarks to establish their integrity. There are instances where the same item is quoted for different amounts by different ministries.

To arrest this development, Adeosun has set up the Efficiency Unit which aims to enforce a new culture of prudence and fiscal discipline in the budgeting, procurement and expenditure processes of all government agencies and parastatals. Anyone remotely familiar with the rot in the financial system would agree that she is clear on what she intends to do and is moving in the right direction to ensure that no revenue is lost and the country gets full and fair value for each naira spent. The Minister has issued guidelines to all government agencies, ministries and parastatals on costing and expenditure to enforce uniformity across board. She has also appointed reputable auditors to investigate the operational accounts of all the MDAs so as to enable the Finance Ministry to not only understand the actual cost of those agencies, but to most importantly also establish what those costs should be.

The auditors have since set to work and have come out with mind boggling revelations which have vindicated the Minister’s initial position that the non-oil revenue potential of the country is huge. For instance the work of the auditors and the implementation of the Treasury Single Account in all government agencies has thrown up worrying discrepancies between the revenues they generate in-house and what they declare. Speaking during a recent budget defense at the Senate, the Minister cited the instance of a fully funded government agency which in addition to drawing 6 billion from the federal government, generated 16 billion through the sale of scratch cards to students. According to the Minister, the agency claimed to have spent the 16billion to conduct exams, declaring a surplus of a mere 3 million to the government.

This is clearly not the way to go and it is a good thing that the Minister is passionately committed to vetting and plugging such arbitrary and unmonitored expenses.

No government agency has the right to generate monies and spend as it wishes.

Any monies generated by any government agency must be captured and all expenses budgeted for, checked and approved accordingly. Government agencies are not independent units of governments but are only individual parts of a system. They cannot be allowed to work alone and do things according to their own set standards as this would amount to encouraging corruption and impunity.

•Gundu is Director (Press), Federal Ministry of Finance

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Monday, February 29, 2016

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Dangote wins outstanding award …sponsors Kaduna Trade Fair

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Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal (left) and former Governor Aliyu Wamakko at the flag up of APC Local Government Election campaign at Tureta, Sokoto State, yesterday.

Measles: Sokoto immunises one million children

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okoto State Government has immunised one million children against measles and other child killer diseases across the state in the last three months.

Also, in efforts to improve quality, efficacy and storage of vaccines, the government said it will provide cold stores in rural areas to ensure children at the grassroots level get vaccinated on time.

Briefing Governor Aminu Tambuwal on progress of the ongoing immunisation efforts in the state, Commissioner ofor Health, Dr. Shehu Kakale, said renewed commitment by the government has resulted in reaching many

remote locations for the administering of vaccines on children.

A statement issued by Tambuwal’s spokesman, Malam Imam Imam, quoted Kakale as saying that stakeholders in the health sector have commended the state government and have now adopted the “Tambuwal Initiative” in enhancing the work of health field officers in their localities.

“The Tambuwal Initiative came about after the governor introduced new measures to boost immunisation and healthcare activities.

“These measures include setting aside two hours of his time every

month to chair the meeting of the steering committee on immunisation in the state, directing top government functionaries, led by the deputy governor, to chair the bi-monthly meeting on polio.

“Also, the initiative ensures that the governor, through the ministry for local government, takes charge of the payment of entitlements of officials for Routine Immunisation (RI) and Immunisation Plus Day (IPDs), personally taking charge of engagement with all non-compliant communities and assigning all local government areas to cabinet members to ensure hands-on approach in dealing with immunisa-

Let’s work for the unity of Nigeria –Bello PRISCILLA DENNIS MINNA

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iger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello has urged Nigerians to work for the unity, peace, prosperity and development of the country.

He also noted the need to avoid unnecessary tribal and religious sentiment that tends to threaten and undermine its peace and progress.

Bello, who stated this during a courtesy visit by the Chairman, SouthEast Traditional Rulers Council, His Royal Majesty, Eze Eberechi Nwannediya Dick in Government House, Minna,

the state capital, said attaining greatness by a country with diverse and immense resources like Nigeria, needs a deliberate and well-coordinated efforts by everyone.

Expressing worries at the level of social and moral societal degeneration, he stated: “It is high time we deliberately and consciously concentrate on how to develop our country and avoid unnecessary tribal and religious sentiment that tends to separate and undermine the peace and progress of our country.

“We should ensure that we continue to bridge the gap and make Nigeria a better place. We want a

nation that you can move and aspire to attain anything anywhere without fear of discrimination.

“We should be thinking of economic integration among the federating states and how to learn from one another so that our country can grow and for our country to return to the path of glory.”

Earlier, Eze Dick, who is also the Chairman, Abia State Traditional Rulers Council and the new Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Minna commended the governor for promoting peacefully coexistence among the people irrespective of tribal or religious inclination.

tion and other health issues,” Kakale added.

The commissioner said even though there are cases of parents skeptical about having their children immunised, the number has reduced drastically, due to enlightenment campaigns and community dialogue embarked upon by the state government in collaboration with religious and traditional leaders.

n recognition of its contribution to the Nigerian economy, Dangote Cement Plc has won the most Outstanding Company of the year award.

Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry, ACCI, which announced the award, said the sement company has distinguished itself above others through its support for the development of the Nigerian economy.

President of ACCI, Mr. Tony Ejinkeonye, said the award was in recognition of the company’s sustained contribution to the growth of the economy.

Regional Director, North Central, Dangote Cement Plc Dolapo Alli, Abuja Representative of the Dangote Group Hashem Ahmed, Manager Dangote Cement Plc, Mustafa Yelwa and Media Relations Specialist, Jibrin Abubakar received the award on behalf of the company.

Speaking, Mr. Ahmed expressed appreciation for the award and said it would further spur the Group to sustain its support for, not only the country’s economy, but

Africa as a whole.

He said already thousands of jobs are being created on the continent.

In another development, Kaduna Chamber of Commerce Industry Mines and Agriculture, KADCCIMA has hailed the Dangote Group for sustaining the economy through continuous job creation.

Dangote Group is one of the major sponsors of the forthcoming Kaduna International Trade Fair.

The Trade Fair, which opens between Friday, 26 February and 6 March, 2016 has as its theme: “Promoting solid Mineral sector for sustainable economic development in Nigeria.”

Director General KADCCIMA, Mr. Usman Saulawa commended the Dangote Group for the sponsorship, adding that the relationship between the two partners is helping businesses in Nigeria and beyond.

In its letter of invitation to the Dangote Group, KADCCIMA described the fair as Africa’s most famous fair and assured that it would help in deepening business relations in Africa.

Stakeholders must address problems in health sector –Ahmed •PDP faults Kwara govt over joint projects account WOLE ADEDEJI ILORIN

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wara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed has called for collaborative efforts by stakeholders to address the deficits in healthcare delivery in the country.

He made the call when the Deputy Ambassador of Netherlands, Mitchel Decleen led a team of PharmAccess and Hygeia on a visit to him at the Government House, Ilorin.

The governor said such collaborative efforts were needed to ameliorate the situation stressing that the Community Health Insurance Scheme, CHIS, of the state government in partnership with the government of Netherlands, PharmAccess and Hygeia was a positive development in that regard.

Governor Ahmed said the scheme would soon

cover all the 16 Local Government Areas of the state as part of his administration’s resolve to give the widest spectrum of the population access to healthcare.

On the sustainable funding of CHIS, the governor said a funding formula that would be self generating would be initiated to ensure that the scheme is sustained after the exit of the present partners.

He, however, expressed the hope that the partnership that has made the State Community Health Insurance Scheme a success would be sustained for sustainable healthcare in the state.

Deleen, in his remarks said in line with the roadmap of t CHIS, the team was in the state to examine the funding strategies.

Meanwhile, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has faulted the continued operation of Joint Proj-

ects Account by the state government, describing it as illegal.

PDP Chairman in the state, Mr Iyiola Oyedepo, told newsmen in Ilorin yesterday that the account, set up to finance joint projects between the state and local councils, was unconstitutional.

According to him, the move is to strip local councils of their autonomy as guaranteed by the constitution.

Oyedepo challenged the state government to declare to the public, the total number of projects executed through the joint account in any of the 16 local councils in the state.

He claimed that the arrangement had denied the people at the grassroots of basic necessities of life.

The PDP chairman further claimed that none of the 16 local government chairmen has access to the account.

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Monday, February 29, 2016

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CORRECTION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I formerly known as Nwaohiri Charles Ugochukwu now to be addressed as Olaoye Charles Adewale. All former documents remain valid, general public take note.

This is to notify the public that BOLA AJOKE SADIQ is the same person as IDIAT AJIKE SADIQ but due to marriage, my name henceforth is BOLA IDIAT AJIKE SULE. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authority concerned should please take note.

This is to inform the general public and authorities concerned that my name was wrongly written as EMEKA REMIJUICE OBI in banking documentation, and the correct name is OBIERIBIE REMIGIUS NNAEMEKA. all former documents remain valid. Banks and General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as RACHEL ADEPOJU, now wish to be known and addressed as RACHEL ITEGBE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Miss Obaji Gloria Caroline now wish to be known and addressed as Miss Obaji Gloria Amuche. All former documents remain valid. General public please take notice

This is to inform the general public that my name was wrongly spelt and stated as ADEYEMO TAIWO QODIRY instead of ADEYEMO QUADRI TAIWO Henceforth I wish to be known and addressed as ADEYEMO QUADRI TAIWO All former documents remain valid. Banks and the general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

EZE : Formerly known as Miss Eze Patricia Ifeoma now wish to be known and address as Mrs Nwachukwu Patricia Ifeoma. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I formerly known and addressed as FELIX DOMINIC now want to be known and addressed as OBIJEKWU DOMINIC CHIMEZIE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I formerly known as Eniola Funmilayo Felicia now want to be addressed as Augustine Funmilayo Felicia. All former documents remain valid.

General public please note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly FELIX OLAFUSI now wish to be known, called and addressed as JIMOH BAKARE. All former documents remain valid. First Bank plc and general public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as BONIFACE AZUBIKE NWANGWA, now wish to be known and addressed as BONIFACE AZUBIKE ALLISON. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note

This is to confirm that ATILOLA AJIBOLA ADEWUYI is the same person bearing ATILOLA . A. JAMES. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly addressed and known as Miss Ilesanmi Abimbola Sandra now wish to be called and addressed as Mrs Oyeyode Abimbola Sandra. All former documents remain valid, general public should please take note.

FORMERLY MRS TAIWO ELIZABETH OLUWASEUN NOW MRS OGUNSEYE ELIZABETH OLUWASEUN FORMER DOCUMENT REMALN VALID GENERAL PUBLIC NOTE

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

Formerly OBALAKIN MONISOLA RUTH now want to be known, called and addressed as SOLOMON MONISOLA RUTH. All former documents remain valid.

First bank Plc, Wema bank plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known as Felicia Nkem Okoye now wish to be addressed as Felicia Nkem Stephen-Okoye.All former documents remain valid,general public take note CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as MISS AUGUSTINA ODUFA AKPENE, now want to be known as Mrs. AUGUSTINA ODUFA BIOSAH. ALL former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

ALFA TAOFIK BABATUNDE and AREMU BABATUNDE is the same person bearing the names now want to be known, called and addressed as AREMU BABATUNDE. All former documents remain valid.

UBA Plc, First Bank Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Miss Oshin Adebukola Oluwabunmi now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Onasanya Adebukola Hameedat. All former documents remain valid. General public take note CORRECTION OF NAME/ DATE OF BIRTH

This is to notify the general public that my name was wrongly written as Gahalib Ahamed instead of my correct name as Ghalib Ahamed and my correct date of birth is 11th day February, 1980. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

formerly known and addressed as SEYOUNG JOHN, now wish to the known and addressed as GADAFI JOHN. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

Formerly known and addressed as Happy John, now wish to be known and addressed as Happy Godday.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, Ogwuche David am the same person as Oche David.

Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as Ogwuche David. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. Banks and general public take note.

ACHINIKE: FORMERLY known and addressed as VICTORIA OLUCHI ACHINIKE NOW wish to be known and addressed as VICTORIA ACHINIKE. All former documents remain valid. FIRST BANK PLC and General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

PUBLIC NOTICE

ONA-ARA DEVELOPMENT FORUM The general public is hereby notified that the above named forum has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act LFN (Cap 20), 1990 The Trustees are : 1. Chief Jacob Olabode Amoo (Chairman) 2. Alhaji Kola Bolomope (Secretary) 3. Chief Mustapha Adebayo Oyero 4. Alhaji Sulaiman Oladiti Oladapo 5. Mrs. Olusike Olaniyan 6. Chief (Mrs.) Adetoun Oladeji (JP) 7. Mrs. Kemi Ojemuyiwa The aims and objectives of the club are as follows : 1. Encouraging strong cordial and active Government/Community beneficial relationship at Local, State and Federal levels.

2. Promotion of intra-Community Co-operative for peaceful co-existence and mutual development.

3. Contributing to the improvement of existing social, economic, culture and environment infrastructure in Ona-Ara. 4. Promoting the development affordable health care delivery and safety complete with sustainable growth and development aspiration of the Ona-Ara Community.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Abuja, within 28 days of this publication.

Signed : Barrister Oliver K. Okeke MFL Chambers (Legal Practice and Consultancy) 08034004730, 07051429020

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as GENEVIEVE AISHAT OKPANACHI, now wish to be known and addressed as GENEVIEVE AISHAT OLAJUBU . All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note

CORRECTION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss SHOTADE OLUWASEUN DAMILOLA now MRS. ADELEYE OLUWASEUN DAMILOLA. ALL former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Sunday Atinuke Shola is the same person known as Miss Jegede Atinuke Shola now wish to be known and addressed as Miss Jegede Atinuke Shola. All former documents remain valid. First bank and General public take note

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Josephat Obi Eze, now wish to be known and addressed as Josephat Ezeyi. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Elom John friday, now wish to be known and addressed as Ituma John Friday. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME This is to certify and confirm that Oladeji Olusola Ademola is one and same person as Oladeji Olusola Joseph.

Henceforth, wish to be addressed as Oladeji Olusola Ademola Joseph.

Born on 23 October, 1981. All former documents remain valid, Eco bank PLC, Union Bank and general public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as SINATU T.I MUSA, now wish to be known and addressed as CARDOSO SINATU AYINKE. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as OMOLOLA ODUMESI, now wish to be known and addressed as OMOLOLA FAFORE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as IHEMEBIRI IJEOMA PERPETUA, now wish to be known and addressed as OLEDIMMA IJEOMA PERPETUA .

All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as FADIORAADEBISOLA STEPHANIA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. SODIA STEPHANIA ADEBUSOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

This is to confirm that AYILARA GANIYAT OPEYEMI and AYILARA GANIYAT TEMITOPE. refer to one and same person. All documents reflecting any of the Stated names remain valid and should be treated as one person. Banks and the general public take note

CONFIRMATION OF NAME This is to certified that Kobaje Sakirat is the same one person as Bolarinwa Sakirat, that henceforth wish to be known and called as Bolarinwa Sakirat(Mrs). All former documents remain valid, United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA)and general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly MISS OWOLABI OLUWASEUN GRACE now wish to be known, called and addressed as MRS APARA OLUWASEUN GRACE. All former documents remain valid. Authority concern and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CORRECTION OF NAME

my name was erroneously written by federal republic of Nigeria National Identity card as AKINYELE FUNKE MARY instead AKOMOLAFE FUNKE MARY now AKOMOLAFE FUNKE MARY. All former documents remain valid. Authority concern and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and called as Miss Fabiyi Oluwakemi Adenike now wish to be addressed and called as Mrs Oguntoye Oluwakemi Adenike. All former documents remain valid, State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and general public should please take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME

my name was erroneously written as JIMOH IDRIS KOLAWOLE instead of JIMOH IDRIS ALOMA. Henceforth, my correct names are JIMOH IDRIS ALOMA. All former documents remain valid.

Authority concern and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known as Abah Joseph now to be addressed as Jamess Anuga.All former documents remain valid,general public take note

Formerly known and addressed as Oseni Bisola Zainab now wish to be known and addressed as Oseni Bisola Zainab Olaitan. All former documents remain valid. General public take note

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly Known and addressed as Miss Ibrahim Mujidat Temilola now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Waheed Mujidat Temilola. All former documents remain valid. General public take note

CONFIRMATION OF NAME This is to confirm that Salisu Shuibu is the same one person as Bala Salisu Uba, that henceforth wish to be known and addressed as Bala Salisu Uba. All former documents remain valid.

First Bank Plc. and general public note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and adddressed as TAIWO SEMIU TAIWO, now wish to be known and addressed as AMODU SEMIU TAIWO. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

formerly known and addressed as LONGINUS CHINONYE AKAMADU, now wish to be known and addressed as LONGINUS CHINONYE OKERE. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Kasumu oluwatoyin Rafiat, Now wiish to be known and addressed Mrs Adeshina Oluwatoyin.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Miss Elizabeth Iyama now wish to be known as Miss Coker Bisi Kate.

All former documents remain valid general public take note

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Miss Banji Funke Esther now wish to be called and known as Mrs Oladejo Funke Esther All former documents remain valid, Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital Osogbo (LAUTECH) and general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

ABAM :Formerly known and addressed as Abam Chibuike now wish to be known and addressed as Israel Nonso Igwe. All former documents remain valid. General public take note

Formerly Kukah Obadiah Autah now wish to be addressed as Obadiah Kaje Kukah.All former documents remain valid,general public take note

CONFIRMATION OF NAME This is to confirm that NWANOSIKE KINGSLEY is the same and one person as NWANOSIKE KINGSLEY CHINONYE.All former documents remain valid.general public take note.

ALIKO: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS ALIKO MODESTER CHINYERE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OKEKE MODESTER CHINYERE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

MUKAILA: :Formerly known and addressed as Mukaila Olalekan Mustapha now wish to be known and addressed as Mukaila Alaba Mustapha Olalekan..All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly Sunday Steve Enugunum and Sunday Enugunum Kelvin now to be addressed as Sunday Steve Enugunum.All former documents remain valid,general public take note

OLA: FORMERLY known and addressed as OLA ALAYO NOW wish to be known and addressed as OLAYINKA AYELAYO. All former documents remain valid. STANBIC IBTC BANK and General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I formerly known as Tijani Biola now to be addressed as Isah Suliat Abiola. All former documents remain valid, general public take note.

DESTINY: FORMERLY known and addressed as MISS IYIAGU DESTINY NDIDIAMAKA NOW wish to be known and addressed as MRS EGEJURU DESTINY NDIDIAMAKA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

EDEH: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS EDEH ONYINYECHI BLESSING, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS THOMAS ONYINYECHI BLESSING. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

CHANGE OF NAME

MADUKAIFE: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS MADUKAIFE STELLA C, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OBINNA STELLA CHIKA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

DURU: I, formerly known and addressed as MRS DURU SUSSANA CHINASAOKWU, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OGBONNA SUSSANA CHINASAOKWU. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MISS OLUFUNMILAYO FRANCISCA OSHO NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MRS. OLUFUNMILAYO FRANCISCA JACINTHO. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID, GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

CHANGE OF NAME

DANLADI: FORMERLY known and addressed as MATHEW DANLADI SARKI NOW wish to be known and addressed as MATHEW DAGAMI DANLADI. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

ABASS:Formerly known and addressed as ABASS MOHAMMED now wish to be known and addressed as ABASS MUHAMMED..All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

ORUAKA: I, formerly known and addressed as ORUAKA FRANCIS ANAYO, now wish to be known and addressed as ORUTA FRANCIS ANAYO. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

UDEENE: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS UDEENE ESTHER AMAKA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS CHIKELU ESTHER AMAKA. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public should please take note.

This is to confirm that MOHAMMED ABDULLAHI BELLO is the same person as MOHAMMED BELLO. All documents bearing the two names remain valid. General public please take note

CHANGE OF NAME

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS ABIOLA KASALI NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS ABIOLA OKUBOTE. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID, GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE

CHANGE OF NAME

DANIEL: FORMERLY known and addressed as RUTH DANIEL KINGSLEY NOW wish to be known and addressed as DORCAS KANYIOK. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

FORMERLY known and addressed as EGWU RUTH NZUBECHUKWU NOW wish to be known and addressed as EDE RUTH NZUBECHUKWU . All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

ODUM: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS ODUM UNOAKU EUNICE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS UFOEZE UNOAKU EUNICE. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

ENEH: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS ENEH HENRIETTA CHIDI, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OGBUANU HENRIETTA CHIDI. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Monday, February 29, 2016

DPR to shut illegal filling stations in four states Dennis Naku

Port Harcourt

D

epartment of Petroleum Resources, DPR, said it would soon begin a clampdown on all illegal filling stations across the Port Harcourt zone.

Port Harcourt zone covers Rivers, Cross Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa states.

Zonal operation controller of the zone, Mrs. Chioma Njoku, disclosed this while speaking to journalists CHANGE OF NAME

ENEH: I, formerly known and addressed as ENEH CHINWE PRECIOUS, now wish to be known and addressed as ENEH MIRABEL OBIANUJU. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHUKWUNWEIKE: I, formerly known and addressed as CHUKWUNWEIKE CHUKWUMA KINGSLEY, now wish to be known and addressed as CHUKWUNWEIKE FORTUNE ENUMA CHUKWUMA. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

in Port Harcourt at the weekend.

She said some operators of filling stations do not bother to inform the regulatory agency of their willingness to set up filling stations because of the rigorous requirements they need to fulfil before being granted licence to dispense petroleum products.

She said: “Our personnel will soon embark on an inspection of filling stations across the zone to ascertain those that are operating withCHANGE OF NAME

NEWMAN: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS NEWMAN CHIEMERIE RUTHMARY, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS SUNDAY CHIEMERIE RUTHMARY. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

EZIEKE: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS EZIEKE PAMELA UJUNWA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OKONKWO PAMELA UJUNWA. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

out the authorisation of the DPR. “Any filling station discovered to be operating without a license will be shut. Each state government has an agency that is responsible for physical planning and as such our department will verify from such an agency if the particular area any prospective operator intends to build his or her filling station has actually being earmarked for that purpose.”

Njoku pointed out that the regulatory CHANGE OF NAME

ONYEGBULE: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS ONYEGBULE IJEOMA MAUREEN, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS AGBO IJEOMA MAUREEN. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

NKUZINNA: I, formerly known and addressed as NKUZINNA IFEANYI KINGSLEY, now wish to be known and addressed as ANIDIUCHE IFEANYI MICHAEL. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

body would not grant an operating license to an operator who intends to locate a filling station in a bush or virgin land that has not been surveyed by a government agency to avoid a situation where a filling station will be set up on an area government has reserved for other developmental projects.

“Before granting a license for a filling station, we also contact the fire service department to be sure the area where the operator intends to locate the fillCHANGE OF NAME

EZEALOR: I, formerly known and addressed as EZEALOR TESSYLONIA OLUCHI, now wish to be known and addressed as EZEALOR TESSY OLUCHI. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

ONU: I, formerly known and addressed as MR ONU CHUKWUKA VINCENT, now wish to be known and addressed as MR. UDEONU VINCENT EJIM. All former documents remain valid. Union Bank of Nigeria PLC and general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Akosile Amina Olaide, now wish to be known and addressed as Sulaimon Amina Olaide. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I FORMERLY MISS FOLORUNSO MOJISOLA ADEMIDUN NOW MRS OLUWASEUN MOJISOLA ADEMIDUN ALL FORMAL DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID, DIAMOND BANK PLC AND GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE.

I formerly known and addressed as Yusuf Abimbola Idowu , now want to be known as Aliasau Abimbola Idowu . ALL former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I am formerly known as Miss Ajibulu Adejumoke Omoyeni, and now to be known as Mrs. Oshojah Adejumoke Omoyeni.

All former documents remains valid. General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I formerly Miss Funmilayo Comfort Lamina now Mrs. Funmilayo Comfort Opeseitan.

All former documents remain valid.

General public to please note.

F ‎ ormerly known and addressed as BOLANLE RASHIDAT AJIBIKE now wish to be known and addressed as ADEBOLA RASHIDAT AJIBIKE. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note.

I FORMERLY ARISEKOLA WALIU, NOW OLAOYE WALIU SEYI, ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID, UNION BANK AND GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

UDEKWE: I, formerly known and addressed as SANDRA OLUWATOSIN UDEKWE, now wish to be known, called and addressed as SANDRA OLUWATOSIN ADEGBITE. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS. AYINLA KUBURAT LYDAY, OLOTO OLAIDE KUBURAT and OLOTO OLAIDE RACHEAL now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OLASENI OLAIDE RACHEAL. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

OLEMAKPADU: I, formerly known and addressed as OLEMAKPADU NELSON WILLIAMS, now wish to be known, called and addressed as OLEMAKPADU NELSON MBEE. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

PUBLIC NOTICE

WORD OF LIBERATION INTERNATIONAL CHURCH The general public is hereby notified that the above CHURCH has Applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission Abuja for Registration Under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Acts, 1990 BOARD OF TRUSTEES ARE: 1 PASTOR IJEOMA ALFRED 2. HON. UMEIZU NZUBE 3. EVAN. HENRY CHIDIEBERE CHUKWUOKO 4 BLESSING EKEEREAMAKA IJOMA 5. USULOR SUNDAY 6 COMFORT SUNDAY

CHAIRMAN MEMBER MEMBER MEMBER MEMBER SECRETARY

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1 To preach the word of God and make converts to christianity 2 To proclaim the Lordship of Jesus Christ and headship over the church 3 To promote the welfare of members.

4 To uphold the tenants of the Christian faith and doctrine.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street Maitama , Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Signed SECRETARY

I formerly known and addressed as WAHAB AYOOLA now wish to be known and addressed as ISA WAHAB AYINLA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as ADENIYI OMOTOLA ADENRELE, now wish to be known, called and addressed as ONI OMOTOLA ADENRELE. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

NNAMANI: I, formerly known and addressed as NNAMANI FESTUS, now wish to be known and addressed as NNAJI STEPHEN UKWU. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

I formerly known as Miss Ann Nkechi Etoh now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ann Nkechi Nwokocha. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

KING: I, formerly known and addressed as CHIBUIKE BENJAMIN KING, now wish to be known, called and addressed as CHINONSO BENJAMIN KING. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

ing station is accessible should there be a fire incident.

“The traffic unit of the police will also be contacted to ensure that trucks off-loading products at the filling station do not cause traffic gridlock in the process of off-loading their content,” Mrs. Njoku said.

The zonal operational controller stressed that the approval of the fire fighting service is significant because the prospective filling station has to be located where it could be ac-

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as LUKMON KUNLE AJALA now wish to be known and addressed as LANRE OLAWALE AJALA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS AGBODIKE GINIKA MILIAN, now wish to be known, called and addressed as MRS NWAOBA GINIKA MILIAN. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

PUBLIC NOTICE

LA PAIX CHRISTIAN MISSION INTERNATIONAL

This is to inform the general public that the above named Organization has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part ‘C’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.Dr. Ngwanma Nkem Dandam 2.Miss Nanbyen Deborah Dandam 3.Mr. Nannim David Dandam 4.Archy Nora AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1.To raise Godly Churches for the kingdom 2. To preach the gospel of the kingdom through books, television, radio, internet and other media.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja, within twentyeight (28) days of this publication.

SIGNED: Secretary

This is to confirm and certify that NJIBIGBO AZUKA ALEX and NJIBIGBO AZUBUIKE ALEX refer to one and the same person, now wish to be known and addressed as NJIBIGBO AZUBUIKE AZUKA ALEX. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note..

CHANGE OF NAME

FASHUWAPE: I, formerly known, and addressed as Miss FASHUWAPE OLUWASHOLA TEMITOPE, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. ARE OLUWASHOLA TEMITOPE. All former documents remains valid. The general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

OGUNTOLA: I, formerly known as OGUNTOLA OLUWATOSIN AYODEJI, now wish to be known, called and addressed as OLUWATOLA OLUWATOSIN AYODEJI. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS OKPALANWA SANDRA CHIDIMMA NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS EZEKANNAGHA SANDRA CHIDIMMA. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. THE GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD TAKE NOTE.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS ADEBUSUYI TOLULOPE TEMITOPE, now wish to be known, called and addressed as MRS OLAJIDE-GIWA TOLULOPE TEMITOPE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

45

cessed by trucks of the service should fire break out at the filling station.

“Most filling stations that cause traffic gridlocks are those built a long time ago when such areas were least developed.

“It is not ideal to locate filling stations where trucks off-loading petroleum products or vehicles parked by their owners to buy fuel or diesel will rather form queues that will cause traffic gridlock,” she said.

CHANGE OF NAME

Adebisi: I formerly Adebisi Funmilayo Alice now wished to be known and addressed as Olajide Funmilayo Ajoke. All former document remain valid, Ekiti state local govt service commission,GTBank and the general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

NWAFOR: I, formerly known and addressed as NWAFOR ROSEMARY UCHE, now wish to be known and addressed as EDEH ROSEMARY UCHE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME

This is to inform the general public that My name OKOYE BARTHOLOMEW C was wrongly written in my Voters Card but now wish to be corrected and addressed as OKOLIE BARTHOLOMEW C. All former documents remain valid. UBA Bank and general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Hannah Lebechi Odo and Lebechi Odo, now wish to be known and addressed as Ann George. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

TINUBU: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS ESTHER OLUWASEUN TINUBU, now wish to be known, called and addressed as MRS. Onyenze ESTHER TINUBU. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note

CHANGE OF NAME

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESS AS MUSA AMUDU, NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN, CALLED AND ADDRESSED AS MOHAMMED MUSA. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. THE GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

PUBLIC NOTICE

KINGDOM REALM GOSPEL CENTER The general public is hereby informed that the above named Ministry has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Abuja for registration under part ‘C’ 590 (1) of Companies and Allied Matters Act. CAP C 20LFN2004.

The Trustees are as follow: 1. CHIMA CHRISTOPHER 2. CHINEDU PAUL MECHIE 3. IBE GODWIN 4. UZO SIBEUDU 5. OKEY MONDAY 6. UBA LASBREY 7. ONYEKACHI KENNETH AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. For the purpose of establishing and maintaining a place for the worship of God. 2. To nurture Christian growth through preaching, teaching and fellowship.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja, within 28 days of this publication.

Signed: CHIMA CHRISTOPHER

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Monday, February 29, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sport

With consistent effort, Zinedine Zidane can push the team all the way to winning the UCL trophy.

City edges Reds to League Cup win

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–Former Real Madrid star, Luis Figo

NOGIG GAMES: Glo calls for fair play, healthy contest

C

ontingents participating in the 2016 Nigeria Oil and Gas Industry Games (NOGIG) have been urged to adhere to the principle of fair play and make healthy rivalry their watchword.

Sponsor of Nigerian national teams and main sponsor of NOGIG games taking place between 28th February and March 5th in Lagos, Globacom made this remark in a press statement on Sunday.

The next generation network said that the essence of the games is to promote bonding, friendship and camaraderie. The company added that like the Olympic Games, NOGIG nurtures the culture of participation and brotherhood rather than the rabid spirit of participating to win at all costs.

Globacom said it was glad to sponsor the event as part of its support for the promotion of sportsmanship in the country in particular and Africa in general.

Celebrating the importance of NOGIG games, Globacom said: “The Games strengthens the bond of unity and friendship amongst the personnel in the Oil and Gas Industry and we urge participants, contingents and supporters to work hard to sustain the value of the Games.”

According to Glo, “As ardent believers in the axiom that a sound mind resides in a sound body, we urge contingents participating in the 2016 Nigeria Oil and Gas Industry Games to give it their best shot and make fair play and healthy rivalry their watchword.”

Battle of Kaduna:

Pharaohs’ ‘blunt attack’ worries coach

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gypt Coach, Hector Cuper, yesterday expressed concerns over his team’s finishing ahead of next month’s crunch AFCON 2017 qualifiers against Nigeria.

The Pharaohs easily saw off a home-based Burkina Faso side 2-0 on Saturday night in Alexandria as part of their build-up for the matches against Nigeria on March 25 and 29.

However, Argentine gaffer Cuper said he had expected his team to be more ruthless in front of goal.

“We need to improve our final touch and to depend more on the wings,” he said yesterday.

“The most important thing was reaching the opponent’s penalty box and that happened today but we missed a lot of chances. Generally we gave a good performance.

“We will need to work to solve some problems and fix these mistakes; that is why the friendly games are so important to us.”

Egypt leads the AFCON 2017 qualifying group with six points from two matches, while Nigeria lies two points behind.

Tanzania and Chad are the other teams in this group with only the group winners advancing automatically to Gabon 2017.

ACL: Enyimba wrecks Vipers, sails to 1st Round

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Mfon

igerian league all-time highest goal scorer, Mfon Udoh, was Enyimba’s hero yesterday after his double propelled the team to the first round of CAF Champions League following a 2-0 home win over Vipers SC in Port Harcourt.

Enyimba thus progressed to next month’s first round fixture on a 2-1 aggregate.

Udoh, who netted a record 23 goals two seasons ago, opened the scoring in the 32nd minute courtesy of a spot kick after Vipers Wada Da Wakino pulled Batholomew Ibenegbu down in the box.

Udoh scored the winner in the 61st minute when he tapped in with a back heel.

Joseph Osadiaye’s free kick in the 13th minute was saved by Vipers goalkeeper James Alitho.

Osadiaye was denied by the goalkeeper in the 36th minute.

Enyimba substitute Ugo Leonard was then denied twice by the goalkeeper from Uganda.

Olise

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sports

Monday, February 29, 2016

City edges Reds T to League Cup win

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Rashford dims Gunners’ title chances

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illy Caballero was Manchester City’s hero yesterday as the Etihad club beat Liverpool on penalties to win the League Cup at Wembley.

The 34-year-old Argentine goalkeeper spectacularly rewarded the faith of Manager Manuel Pellegrini with saves from Lucas, Philippe Coutinho and Adam Lallana in the shoot-out after he was selected ahead of first-choice Joe Hart.

Fernandinho put City ahead just after the break after an error by Liverpool’s otherwise heroic keeper Simon Mignolet.

But two glaring misses from former Liverpool forward Raheem Sterling opened the door for Coutinho’s late leveller.

In the shootout, Fernandinho hit a post with City’s first kick, but Jesus Navas and Sergio Aguero were on target as Caballero made his decisive saves, allowing Yaya Toure to convert the winning penalty.

Pellegrini made a huge call in selecting the veteran Caballero ahead of Hart, particularly in the light of his dreadful display in the

5-1 FA Cup fifth-round defeat by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge a week earlier.

The manager has always trusted the keeper he coached at Malaga before bringing him to Manchester - and it was repaid with interest as Caballero made a magnificent stop from Divock Origi’s header before defying Liverpool in the shootout.

The temptation would have been to reinstate Hart after Caballero’s

struggles last Sunday but Pellegrini kept to his tried and trusted policy in this competition and came out a deserved winner.

It ensured at least one trophy for the Chilean coach in his final season before Pep Guardiola takes over, with success in the Premier League and Champions League still a possibility.

Liverpool keeper Mignolet showed the inconsistency that brings

him as much criticism as praise.

Sterling was guilty of two dreadful misses when City were 1-0 up and seeking the second goal that would have eased their path to victory.

The England international steered wide of an open goal when it seemed so much easier to score, then was off target with another perfect opportunity after being set up by Aguero.

Ideye clinches first league title in style

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Ideye

ut-of-favour Super Eagles’ striker, Brown Ideye, won his first-ever league title in Europe with Olympiacos in style after a 3-0 win over Veria FC yesterday.

Olympiacos set the pace with 67 points from 24 games.

Olympiacos won its 43rd title with six games to spare to record the earliest time a Greek league crown has been won.

The former Ocean Boys forward was delighted with the feat.

“So excited to be part of history today.

Fastest championship win in Greek football history. God is great,” he tweeted.

Ideye has previously played in Switzerland, France and Ukraine.

eenager Marcus Rashford scored twice and set up the third as Manchester United derailed Arsenal’s Premier League title challenge at Old Trafford.

Rashford, who scored twice on his debut against FC Midtjylland on Thursday, steered in a loose ball for the opener then headed in three minutes later.

Danny Welbeck nodded Arsenal back into the game, but Rashford picked out Ander Herrera whose shot was deflected in.

Mesut Ozil’s volley gave third-placed Arsenal hope, but United held on.

Arsenal , who have not won the title since 2004, remains in third place, five points adrift of leaders Leicester having now played the same number

Rashford

of matches.

The Red Devils moved back into fifth position with their first win in three league games.

With leader Leicester snatching a late win on Saturday, and secondplaced Tottenham fighting back against Swansea, Arsene Wenger’s side lost valuable ground on their title rivals.

It ended a miserable week for the Frenchman, who saw his side falter in three competitions.

Wenger watched his team labour to an FA Cup draw against Championship side Hull, then put the Gunners on the brink of a Champions League exit at the hands of Barcelona.

“This is a fight where you keep going even when disappointment is there. Let’s show we are prepared for the fight,” he said.

WORLD RECORD

Shortest useable pogo stick Vol. 05 No. 1317 Monday, February 29, 2016

The shortest usable pogo stick measures 46.15 cm (18.16 in) in height and was created by Udar Robinson (Canada) and Homagni Baptista (Australia).

N150

Is Nigeria safe with Buhari?

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n trying to put today’s Nigeria in perspective, my mind strayed to the admonition of Mrs. Abigail Adams (1774-1818) to his young son, John Quincy Adams, who later became the sixth President of the United States from 1825 to 1829. …It is not in the still calm of life, or the repose of a pacific station, that great characters are formed. The habits of a vigorous mind are formed in contending with difficulties. Great necessities call out great virtues, she had written her son.

Arguably, the most dominant and fascinating theme in our public domain today is Nigeria under President Muhammadu Buhari. In my line of duty, I have access to the innermost thoughts of Nigerians across the social spectrums. I receive volumes of written thoughts on the state of the nation on daily basis. Everyone contributor that shares a thought on the issue claims to be a public

HeartBeat Callistus Oke

Callistusoke@nationalmirroronline.net 08054103275 (SMS ONLY) anthonykila@mail.com affairs analyst. Expectedly, shared opinions on the issue are polarized along the pro- and anti-Buhari divides.

The anti-Buhari bashing is the thrust of this disquisition. My attempt here is to contextualize the growing cynicisms over the promised transformational change and its poor execution, which some attribute to nondiscernible strategic execution framework.

This in itself is anchored on what the cynics call the low intellectual capacity of the leader!

Very interesting.

Buhari has made two interventions in Nigeria’s affairs, both at very trying times.

The first was in December 1983 to sack our misbehaving ruling political class led by Alhaji Shehu Shagari. The second was last year – the circumstances are still very fresh to warrant elucidation. However, I dare say the social conditions of the two periods qualify as great necessities that demand the great virtues of a leader to address.

It is true that nine months into Buhari administration has not brought a radical socioeconomic transformation of Nigeria that could have impacted meaningfully on the objective material position of Nigerians.

On this score, the critics are correct. However, this perception is the product of the hype created on the magic wand supposedly possessed by Buhari. The created expectation is that with Buhari on the saddle, Nigeria would be turned into a pleasureland, where life would become easier. You and I know this expectation is farcical because the socioeconomic base necessary for it to happen does

ALL THINGS CONSIDERED, NIGERIANS CAN DO BUSINESS WITH

BUHARI AND GO TO BED WITH THEIR TWO EYES CLOSED!

not exist, though we can count on the political will of our new leader.

However, we cannot fault the fact that since May 29, 2015, Nigeria has witnessed leadership paradigm shift. There is a moral rebirth in the country. The growing anticorruption war empirically validates this position. Looting of our national commonwealth has been restrained by the fear of detection and the consequences that would follow. Political strongmen have restrained their looting impulses; and some of them have either fled the country or are answering for their crimes.

Nonetheless, the socioeconomic dividends of change are in short supply. Very confounding is the fact that the objective material position of Nigerians has plummeted since Buhari’s ascendancy. Even ‘pure water’ has gone up. A bag of 20 sachets of the product has jumped from N60 to N100. Producers blamed increased cost of nylon for the development. The prices of various sizes of bread, noodles and other consumables have equally gone up. The unfavourable exchange

rate of naira to other foreign currencies is the causative factor. With crude oil price free falling, the worst is not over.

But it will be wrong to blame Buhari for this state of affair. Broad-minded Nigerians would know that the challenges confronting us are not an isolated case; it is a global phenomenon. The global economy is convulsing and the reverberations are felt across its constituents. The Outlook on the Global Agenda 2015 Report illustrates this reality. The identified Top 10 trends in the next 18 months ahead include worsening income inequality; rising unemployment concerns, increasing security concerns; rising geostrategic competition and intensifying nationalism. Our dear Nigeria currently contends with most, if not all, of these.

Let me also admit that the responsibility of navigating Nigeria round her current challenges rests on Buhari. Even as he strives to address these challenges, he should make Nigerians “feel that they’re at the very heart of things, not at the periphery” (apology Warren Bennis). So far, I admit he is performing below par on this score.

However, this does not significantly detract from Buhari’s capacity to set the right tone for Nigeria to emerge stronger from her prevailing adversities if the right support is given to him by all of us. My optimism is founded on the observable finer qualities of the Buhari persona. He has very high trust and integrity capital and passion and sincerity for the job, quality we can leverage on as a nation, which explains why Nigerians opted for him on March 28, 2015. Trust and integrity are not enough, he must work on the cooperative and collaborative quotients of leadership.

More importantly, I do not know how much personal efforts he could put into new knowledge acquisition that could transform him into a modern leader. He needs to broaden his horizon to cope with our ever changing world.

However, all things considered, Nigerians can do business with Buhari and go to bed with their two eyes closed!

Sport Extra

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La Liga loss: Ronaldo blames mates’ attitude

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eal Madrid forward, Cristiano Ronaldo, believes his teammates are not on a good enough level for the club to be top of La Liga.

Following Madrid’s 1-0 defeat to city rival Atletico Madrid on Saturday evening, the Zinedine Zidane-tutored side is now nine points adrift of leader Barcelona who took on

Villareal late yesterday, with 12 games to go.

The Portuguese striker said if his teammates were as good as him then they might have been on the La Liga table at the

moment.

“If everyone was at my level, perhaps we would be first,” the striker was quoted as saying

by Spanish radio station Cope.

Madrid was without a number of regulars in Gareth Bale, Pepe, and Marcelo, while Karim Benzema was forced off due to injury at halftime.

Ronaldo Emenike

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