Monday, august 25, 2014

Why we suspended strike –Doctors …demand reinstatement of sacked doctors T

MARCUS FATUNMOLE AND OTHMAN ISAH Chukwu

Vol. 4 N0. 924

he Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, yesterday attributed the suspension of its two-month-old strike to

the challenges posed by the outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease in the country.

Besides, the association CONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>

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Multiple taxation forces businesses to relocate –NICOBPA P.51

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Monday, August 25, 2014

Boko Haram declares 'Caliphate Republic'

N150

Military says claim empty, launches new offensive

DENNIS NAKU

PORT HARCOURT

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oko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, yesterday declared an “Islamic caliphate” in Gwoza, Borno State, in a video released and obtained by a foreign news agency.

The sect took over Gwoza three weeks ago and sacked the whole community before hoisting their black and white flags at different locations, including the CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

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A Palestinian in Hebron, West Bank, setting a bonfire during a protest against the Israeli military operation in Gaza, at the weekend.

Uncertainty over new revenue allocation formula

Lagos, FERMA may clash over operation of motorcycles P.9

...as Presidency focuses on insurgency, 2015 elections

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Ebola: US donates screening machine to FAAN

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News

Monday, August 25, 2014

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Uncertainty over new revenue allocation formula TOLA AKINMUTIMI ABUJA

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here are strong indications that the report of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC, on the proposed revised revenue allocation formula will not be adopted soon as preparations for the 2015 elections continue to take precedence over other governance considerations at the Presidency and the state levels.

RMFAC had completed work on the proposed new formula since last December after about two years of painstaking surveys carried out nationwide.

Investigations by National Mirror, however, indicated that neither the Presidency nor the state governors were eager to consider the report on the proposed formula and other fiscal recommendations by the RMAFC, which had been submitted to the Federal Executive Council.

Presidency sources told our correspondent at the weekend that the immediate priorities of President Goodluck Jonathan now were how to win the war against Boko Haram insurgents and finalise all political strategies that would ensure his re-election in 2015.

It was reliably gathered that apart from the fact that the proposed formula might not be favourable to the Federal Government, the President was said to be more disposed to sending the report of the National Conference, which he received last Thursday to the National Assembly with a view to making use of some of the recommendations adopted and subsequently get these legislated upon for political reasons.

The plan, if it works out, the source said, would create a stronger platform for the pursuit of the President's political ambition and the electioneering campaigns which may be flagged off next month if pundits' projections come true.

“I can tell you authoritatively that the issue of revenue allocation formula is not one of the items on the front burner in the State House political discourse now. Yes, Nigerians may want a new formula but that will only work in a political system that is stable and

a fiscal environment that supports improved revenue generation capacity.

“Apart from the challenges of dwindling revenue accruals which Nigeria has been contending with, there are other issues of insecurity, which ordinarily makes tax planning and projections highly difficult.

“So, the idea of a new revenue formula is good but adopting it and ensuring its implementation is a much more complex political issue which, given the present political situation in the country, when the issue of funding the military and other security agencies for the war against Boko Haram, amongst other national security needs is critical and the revenues are not coming in, there is no way tinkering with the current formula will not invariably hurt the polity.

“When you analyse it within the context of national security and unity of the country, you will understand why the old formula should be the desired option for the country now. To reduce Federal Government’s allocation in this time of war will be disastrous. If anything, we can only look towards after the 2015 elections before the new formula may be adopted,” the source said.

Attempts to get the Chairman of the Commission, Mr. Elias Mbam, to speak on the matter through phone calls did not yield any result as he did not pick his calls.

However, a member of the commission, who did not want his name mentioned, expressed the hope that the commission would still have the chance of formally presenting its report to the Presidency before the end of the year, adding that whatever happened to the report thereafter would be out of the commission's mandate.

He said that the excuse for not receiving the report after the completion of the RMAFC's assignment was that since some of the issues contained in the report might also be part of what the National Conference discussed, the report should be delayed so that it could be considered along with the conference's report when submitted.

In a tone betraying some feeling of doubt, the member told our correspondent that the plan might have

been altered by the Presidency for now as, in his view, if the Presidency was serious about receiving the report, there should have been feelers from there by now.

“We were told that the commission could not get appointment as earlier planned to present its report because of its relevance to some of the issues to be deliberated upon by the National Conference. The chairman of the conference submitted their report to the President a few days ago and he gave assurance that he would be forwarding it to the National Assembly in view of the importance of the recommendations to national development.

“If he intends to also prioritise the proposed revenue allocation formula because of its implications for fiscal efficiency, one would have thought that the RMAFC should have even presented its report, which has been waiting for over six months now, to the President before the National Conference did.

“As it is now, none of us can say with certainty that the commission' report will be submitted this year. For now, we are yet to secure appointment for that purpose,” he added.

The RMAFC had last December completed the exercise of fashioning a new revenue formula for the country with the adoption

of its report by all members.

Mbam had, after close to two years of stakeholders' consultations and other socio-economic data collection analysis and production that culminated in the finalisation of the report, assured Nigerians that the lapses of the old formula would be fixed as the new revenue sharing regime would offer a promising template for fair, just and equitable distribution of revenues to all tiers of government and revenue generation communities.

Specifically, the RMAFC said its prescription would not only serve the needs of the people but also encourage the three tiers of government to optimise

their internally generated revenue, IGR, potential and promote fairness, justice and transparency in the administration of revenue distributions for sustainable national development.

Prior to the adoption of the report by commission's members, Mbam had at the opening of a three-day multi-agency meeting convened in Abuja to advise the commission on the weight to be assigned to different geographical terrains in the new revenue formula, hinted that in addition to other considerations, the Terrain Principle would be used to determine, which tier of government gets what and why.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah (2nd right) inaugurating quarter guard during his visit to 2 Brigade, Nigeria Army, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, at the weekend.

PHOTO: NAN

Why we suspended strike –Doctors CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

said it had achieved some of the demands that necessitated the strike.

Briefing journalists in Abuja, NMA President, Dr. Kayode Obembe, said a meeting of national delegates of the group resolved to suspend the strike.

The decision to end the strike followed previous failed attempts by the delegates to suspend the industrial action.

Dissents among the delegates had led to the resignation of the group’s president, prompting the intervention of stalwarts of the association.

Similarly, the Federal Government had a fortnight ago sacked resident doctors who were involved in the strike and suspended residency training they had enjoyed.

Reeling out some of the demands conceded to by the Federal Government, Obembe said: “The area that deals with clinical governance, we have been able to discuss with the government. For example, a circular that says that only doctors who are registrable with the Nigerian Medical Council, NMC, can have the title of a consultant.

“We have also been able to ensure that the post of deputy chairman, Medical Advisory Committee, has been reinstated. We can also tell you publicly that the government has assured us that there is no effort to repeal or to redress the bill establishing the position of chief medical directors. Those are the areas of clinical governance.

“In the areas of injustice, where injustices are

being meted to our members, we have been able to extract from the government that the relativity which we have been mentioning, there is far commitment now, the arrears of relativity will be paid, they have started paying; two months of salary arrears have been paid.

“This is the beginning of redress of injustice which we have been encountering for the past 22 years.

“As we know before, the arrears must be calculated for 22 years, we just said they should calculate for six months. That shows how patriotic and magnanimous the doctors are.

“We have also been able to extract from the government that there is need to review the hazard allowance. In the faces of Ebola, hazard allowance was only

N5, 000 for a doctor. Government has realised that this was indeed an injustice and they have realised that they have to do something about it. They have assured us that at least 20 or 30 per cent of salary will now go for hazard allowance.”

The association, however, demanded immediate withdrawal of government’s circular (Reference no. C3132/v/46 of August 13, 2014) suspending the residency training programme “and sacking of over 16,000 residents doctors, who constitute about 70 per cent of doctors’ workforce in Nigeria.”

NMA also urged the government to reciprocate her goodwill in ensuring that resident doctors whose appointments were so terminated were reinstated CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Monday, August 25, 2014

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Photo News

Monday August 25, 2014

Deputy Managing Director, Domestic Bank, UBA Plc, Apollos Ikpobe (left) and Olufemi Adefope of Sky Logistics Ltd, during the annual IATA Conference in Johannesburg, South Africa, recently.

L-R: Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, South Africa, Mr. Mzwandile Masina; Chairman, Nigeria-South Africa Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Foluso Phillips and Head, Corporate Banking Coverage, Stanbic IBTC, Mr. Anton Marais, during the breakfast meeting of the Nigeria-South Africa Chamber of Commerce in Lagos recently.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

L-R: Group MD/CEO, BGL Group Plc and President, Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, Mr. Albert Okumagba; member, Board of Trustees, Old Trafford Squash Club (OTSC), Ikoyi, Mr. Tunji Olaniyi and Group MD/CEO, UAC of Nigeria Plc/President, National Employers Consultative Association, Mr. Larry Ettah, during a reception in honour of OTSC members in Lagos, yesterday.

L-R: President, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) Alhaji Najeem Yasin; General Manager, Skye Bank Plc, Mr. Gbaye Adewuyi and Chief Operating Officer, Globacom, Mr. Steve Stretch, during the formal launch of the NURTW official identity card in Abuja at the weekend.

PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

National News

South East PDP rejects INEC allocation of polling booths …..police promotions GEORGE OPARA ABIA

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he leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the South East has rejected the allocation of polling booths by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in the country saying it is against the spirit of one Nigeria.

Addressing journalists after a meeting at the Abia State Government House, Umuahia, yesterday, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Chief Olisa Metuh said a situation where the southern part of the country is allocated 8,000 booths while the north has 21,000 “is a great disservice to the unity of this country.”

“The people of South East PDP reject entirely the alleged allocation of polling booths by INEC.

We view it as a great disservice to the unity and progress of this country if the entire south will have 8,000 polling booths and the North will have 21,000.

“We demand that this should be suspended forthwith as it is completely against the spirit of one Nigeria, the unity and progress of our dear country.”

The meeting attended by the host Governor, Theodore Orji and his Ebonyi State counterpart, Chief Martin Elechi, the deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, the Ministers of Labour, Health and Aviation, Chief Emeka Wogu, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu and Osita Chidoka and the five state chairmen of the party in the zone also resolved that the Inspector General of Police should revisit the recent appointments and promotions in the police as

it affects the zone.

“We are worried about the announcement of the postings and promotions in the Nigeria Police Force and we request the IG, with the Police Service Commission to revisit these appointments and promotions with the view of properly balancing the positions.

“This country belongs to

all Nigerians and the South East is a great contributor to the progress of this country and we demand our fair of the allocation.

“We request that the registration of voters be extended especially where we are having problem with the registration and the provision of the PVC. “The officers in charge are not adequate, the materials

provided in terms of handling the situation on the ground requires a bit of adjustment with the timing of the INEC. So we are demanding that the INEC extend the timing accordingly,” Metuh said.

The meeting however commended the effort of the Federal Government in tackling the Ebola scourge.

He said: “We commend

the president, especially the Minister of Health, our own Prof. Chukwu for the effort the Federal Government has taken in containing the Ebola scourge.

“The South East PDP identified with all the measures that the Federal Government has resolved to undertake in handling this grave matter of concern to the entire country.”

Community seeks govt intervention to check disruption in oil production

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ommunities hosting operations of Nigerian Agip Oil Company, NAOC, at Biseni, Bayelsa State, have appealed to the state government to ask the company to fulfill its obligations to the people.

It would be recalled that the communities had

shut five oil wells in Idu Oil Fields operated by Agip over the company’s failure to fulfill community development obligations.

The oil wells 3, 6, 8, 11 and 12 earlier shut down and put out of production by youths of the area were re-opened after a

meeting between community representatives and Agip officials on Aug. 5.

The Secretary of Egbebiri II community, Chief Solomon Ogiama, said yesterday that officials of NAOC, who had pledged prompt implementation of agreements reached before the oil wells were

reopened, had reneged.

“We are appealing to the Bayelsa State government to wade into this and ensure that we do not have to resort to disrupting oil production, which has a direct bearing on revenues accruable to the state.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News

Monday, August 25, 2014

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Boko Haram declares 'Caliphate Republic' CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

palace of the Emir’s, Alhaji Mohammed Idrissa Timta, who narrowly escaped being killed.

The insurgents also last week sacked the Police Mobile Training Camp in Limankara village, a short distance from Gwoza town.

“Thanks to Allah who gave victory to our brothers in Gwoza” which is now “part of the Islamic Caliphate,” said Shekau in a video of 52 minutes.

“We will not leave the city. We came to stay,” said

Shekau.

The leader of Boko Haram has been labelled a “global terrorist” by the United States and a price was put on his head for $7m.

He declared that Gwoza now has “nothing to do with Nigeria.”

The United Nations Humanitarian Office (OCHA) earlier this month confirmed reports that Gwoza was under rebel control.

Boko Haram has become the second Islamic group to declare a republic after the ISIS, which controls vast

swathes of eastern Syrian and northern Iraq, which in June declared that territory a caliphate, naming itself Islamic State.

Its leader, Abu Bakr alBaghdadi, is referred to as Caliph Ibrahim. The caliphate, where Shia Muslims, Christians and minority sects have been persecuted, massacred or forced to flee, has no international recognition.

Boko Haram is also believed to be in control of other areas near Gwoza in southern Borno, as well as large swathes of territory

in northern Borno and to a large extent, Buni Yadi in neighbouring Yobe State.

These two states and Adamawa State have been under the state of emergency since May last year.

Buni Yadi fell into the hands of the terrorists last week, with the insurgents ultimately taking over the main government building.

They were reportedly to have raised their flag above the building and have carried out summary executions, including of two people who were caught

L-R: Nasarawa State Governor and bride's father, Alhaji Tanko Al-Makura; his Imo State counterpart and Chairman of the occasion, Owelle Rochas Okorocha; the bride, Maimuna; the groom, Moyi Mai-Dunama; Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal and Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi, during a dinner in honour of the couple in Abuja on Saturday.

Why we suspended strike –Doctors CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

immediately without any punitive measures.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, has been blamed for the purported sack of the 16,000 resident doctors and an indefinite suspension of residency training in all federal health institutions by the Federal Government.

A group, under the aegis of Health Initiative Platform, which condemned the minister’s action, described it as diversionary and political.

It also advised the striking doctors to stick to their demands from government, and not be deterred by the minister’s pronouncement.

In a media briefing in Kano yesterday, the National President of the group, Alhaji Bala Danladi, said that after an emergency meeting, it resolved to condemn the minister’s stance, adding that it was a calculated attempt to rubbish all efforts by the doctors to

save the health sector from collapse.

“The pronouncement by the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, as far as we are concerned is nothing more than betraying his professional origin, as somebody who rose through the ladder of residency training before becoming what he is now,” he said.

According to him, such a stance by the Federal Government will not ameliorate the already worsened condition of the nation’s health sector. “So, the affected medical workers should take the bull by the horn by sticking to their guns."

“It is very disheartening from the part of the government to take such harsh and drastic measure.

This will not do any good to both the government and the health sector.

“We are even forced to start thinking that the stand is highly political.

Government should understand that political treat-

ment should not be applied to health sector,” he said.

Danladi also condemned the uncompromising posture of the minister concerning the striking doctors as pedestrian and unprofessional.

He, therefore, charged President Goodluck Jonathan to tread softly in the health sector and disregard the health minister’s alleged ‘revenge mission’.

“If the Minister of Health has any matter to settle with some of his old colleagues, he should not take his personal face-off on the entire system.

Danladi referred the Federal Government to the history of industrial dispute in the health sector, urging it to reflect on the time when Gen. Muhammadu Buhari was the Head of State, and he had perennial crisis with the Nigerian doctors then.

“Gen. Buhari sacked all doctors thinking that he would bring other doctors from barracks. But what happened? That proved an

impossibility and Buhari though a military ruler had to eat back his cake.

“Of recent, the Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola, threatened to sack all the then striking doctors in the state, but it turned out to be very impracticable,” Danladi said.

He, therefore, advised the Federal Government to have a re-think in the ‘unpopular decision’ as pronounced by the health minister.

Danladi called on wellmeaning Nigerians to take part in finding lasting solutions to the perennial crisis in the nation’s health sector.

“At this juncture, we are therefore calling on all the disagreeing parties to sheathe their swords and come to the rescue of the already battered image of our health sector.

“But we are sure that threats as being enunciated by the health minister will not and cannot augur well for our health sector,” he stressed.

smoking cigarettes.

Also last week, the United Nations said that Boko Haram had seized control of Damboa, which was earlier retaken by the military.

There are few humanitarian workers on the ground in the North-East, travel is dangerous and the region, has poor mobile phone coverage.

Experts have described Boko Haram's gains in recent weeks as unprecedented.

In a quick response, the Defence Headquarters described the Boko Haram claim as empty.

In a tweet on its twitter handle, the Defence Headquarters stated that “the claim is empty. The sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Nigerian state is still intact.

“Any group of terrorists laying claim to any portion of the country will not be allowed to get away with the expression of delusion and crime.

“Appropriate military operation to secure that area from the activities of the bandits is still ongoing.”

Meanwhile, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah, said a massive military offensive would soon be launched to stamp out insurgency in the North-East.

Minimah stated this yesterday while addressing troops of the 2 Amphibious Brigade Port Harcourt, at a two-day operation visit to army formations and units in Rivers State.

He explained that as part of Federal Government's re-

solve to end the activities of Boko Haram, military hardware’s would soon arrive into the country.

“The equipment ordered by the Federal Government will soon be coming into the nation’s shores in a few weeks time.

“As soon as the equipment come in; we will launch a major offensive towards ending this madness of insurgency in the NorthEast of the country,” he said.

Minimah said that the army under President Goodluck Jonathan had witnessed significant improvement in personnel welfare, and institutional capacity to confront the nation’s security challenges.

He said that renewed efforts were also being made to reduce oil theft in the Niger Delta in response to new techniques devised by oil thieves to sabotage the nation’s economy.

According to him, “We cannot say we will completely stamp out oil theft in one day, but then the greater act in pursuing oil thieves is ongoing, and we will see greater result with time.”

Minimah, who also inaugurated six blocks of 28 flats and a block of five flats officers’ quarters built by the 2 Brigade. He said the project would reduce accommodation deficit in the barracks.

He commended the Commanding Officer of the 29 Battalion, Lt.-Col. Olusegun Oladuntoye, for building an ultra-modern state-of-theart Quarter Guard for the brigade.

Uncertainty over new revenue allocation formula CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

The commission had in 2007 requested the Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation to carry out a survey on terrain types of all states and local governments to enable it apply the terrain factor as stipulated in the subsisting Act. National Mirror also reliably gathered that under the proposed formula, the country might have been classified into three different geographical terrains namely, the wetland dominated by rivers and valleys; the highland dominated by hills and mountains, and the plain land for the purpose of the new revenue formula based on the 2007 survey.

Similarly, it was also pro-

posed then that terrain, as a factor for the revenue formula, would carry a weight of five per cent in the horizontal sharing formula, which stipulates the plan for sharing revenue among the states, while the vertical sharing formula stipulates the plan for sharing revenue among the three tiers of government.

The factors that determine what each state gets from the Federation Account include population, principle of equality, IGR, land mass and social development factors.

In the current revenue formula, IGR weighs 10 per cent; population, 30 per cent; principle of equality, 40 per CONTINUED ON PAGE 8>>

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Monday August 25, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

2015: APC alleges plot to ‘hijack’ name

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he All Progressives Congress, APC, has raised an alarm over an alleged plan by unscrupulous hands to relaunch an acronym battle against the party by seeking to register three new parties that bear the acronyms of the same parties which merged to become the APC. In a statement issued in Lagos yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said those behind the phantom parties, had a mortal fear of the APC, and had applied to INEC to register the Allied Council of Nigeria, ACN; Advanced National Patriotic Party, ANPP, and Conservative People’s Congress, CPC. It said the fact that the acronyms of the three entities tallied with those of the APC component parties, ACN, ANPP and CPC, was not accidental, but a grand design by those having sleepless nights since the APC was registered.

“It is worthy of note that the three applications to INEC for the registration of the three organisations as political parties were made on the same day. Apparently, common sense takes flight in the

face of great desperation!

“Their plan is simple: Once the parties are registered, they will then apply to change their logos to those of the original ACN, ANPP and CPC, and then hope to be on the ballot for next year’s general elections.

“Just before the elections, the sponsors of the phantom parties will then send out messages saying the APC has splintered into its component parties for the purpose of the election. Whatever happens, their plan is to confuse the electorate and hamper the electoral fortunes of the APC,’’ the party said.

APC called on INEC not to succumb to the antics of those it alleged were planning to sabotage the 2015 general elections and winning by subterfuge.

“This acronym battle is a part of the larger war against our party to prevent its registration. Nigerians will recollect that the same people, apparently, applied to register a phantom APC the moment it became clear that our merger would succeed and that INEC would register our party, having met all the requirements to consummate the merg-

Confab: Lawyers, dons differ on referendum

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ome lawyers and university lecturers have expressed divergent views on whether or not the recommendations of National Conference should be subjected to a referendum or passed through the National Assembly.

They made their views known in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, over the weekend in Lagos.

President Goodluck Jonathan had on August 21, when he received the conference report, said it would be sent to the National Assembly and Council of State for incorporation into the constitution.

Prof. Taiwo Osipitan, a professor of Public Law at the University of Lagos, told NAN in a telephone interview that the report should pass through the National Assembly.

“The need for a referendum occurs when a new constitution is to be drafted. However, when the constitution wants to be amended, it should go through the National Assembly.

“I feel the president is quite right to go through the National Assembly,’’ Osipitan, who is also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, said.

A former President, Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, also a SAN, corroborated Osipitan’s views.

He said: “If the recommendations of the conference are put to a referendum, it can’t form part of the present constitution of the country.

“For it to be a part of the current constitution, it has to go through the route of the National Assembly.”

Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Dibu Ojerinde (right), presenting a trophy to Senate President David Mark, during the 2014 Late Mrs. Odusola Ojerinde Memorial Pro-Am Golf Tournament at Akpegede in Otukpo, Benue State, yesterday.

Ebola: US donates screening machine to FAAN .Infected Briton flown to London OLUSEGUN KOIKI

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o curb Ebola in Nigeria, the United States Government over the weekend donated screening equipment worth $5,000 to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN. The equipment, aimed to be installed at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, MMIA, Lagos, is expected to curtail the spread of the virus, as well as screening capacity at the terminal.

An online statement by the General Manager, Corporate Communications, FAAN, Mr. Yakubu Dati, said the equipment was delivered to the agency by the US ConsulGeneral in Nigeria, Joff Hawkins.

According to Dati, Hawkins expressed satisfaction with the timely response of the Nigerian Government to the contagious disease since its importation into the country by Patrick Sawyer, a Liberian, a month ago.

He stated that the US Consul-General commended the measures already in place at MMA, pointing out that EVD

was neither a Nigerian nor Wes-African problem, but a problem to humanity as a whole.

He said the donation was a symbol of willingness on the part of the American government to assisting Nigeria in any way possible to combat the scourge.

Known as infrared or non-contact thermometers, the portable handheld, Dati stated, had the ability to measure body temperatures of in- bound and out-bound passengers for possible Ebola symptoms from a distance.

Since the outbreak of the virus in July, the Federal Government had put in measures to curb its spread.

Among the measures put in place was the screening of inbound passengers, especially from the West African countries, while the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, had also sanctioned no fewer than to airlines for allegedly not doing enough to protect their clients.

However, the call in some quarters for all arriving passengers to be screened, irrespective of their departure points, had further increased

delay at major airports, especially at MMIA. The statement added: “The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria was particularly applauded for providing the necessary infrastructure for the Port Health Services and collaborating agencies to effectively discharge their duties in the face of the threat posed by the rampaging virus.”

Present at the occasion were Dr. Alex-Okoh, Head of Port Health, Lagos, Dr. Garry Bronette of Centre for Disease Control, CDC, heads of agencies at MMA, airlines/handling companies’ representatives, health personnel at the airport, and workers, among others.

Dati stated that the US government commended the agencies at the airport for their collaboration since the first reported case of the virus in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, a British healthcare worker who contracted the Ebola virus in Sierra Leone is being flown to London for treatment, the Department of Health said yesterday.

Officials said the patient was currently on a

military plane en route Britain and, while not seriously ill, would be treated at an isolation unit at a London hospital.

“The Department of Health, Public Health England (PHE) and NHS England can confirm that, following clinical advice, a decision has been made to repatriate a British national healthcare worker residing in Sierra Leone, who has been diagnosed with Ebola virus disease,” a statement issued by the Department of Health said.

England’s deputy chief medical officer, Prof. John Watson, insisted the risk of the virus being spread in Britain was ‘very low’.

The Briton is the first person from the country to have contracted the virus in a recent, devastating outbreak.

The Mail on Sunday newspaper reported that the infected person was a male medic working for a charity in Sierra Leone.

Ebola has spread through Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, while Nigeria has also been affected, killing a total of 1,427 people since March.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Monday, August 25, 2013

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NHIS: Poised to beat Presidential target on health coverage

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here is sufficient evidence that the alarming and unacceptable statistics of preventable deaths arising from manageable diseases across Nigeria could be reversed, if citizens are comprehensively covered under a functional health insurance system.

It can also be seen that the nation currently parades an impressive number of health institutions, a good percentage of them tertiary, in addition to many of her medical professionals who flaunt globally-coveted expertise in medical practices. However, Nigeria ranks far too low among its contemporaries in all health indices, today.

The reason for this is not far-fetched: majority of the citizens cannot afford the cost of health care in either public or private health facilities. Many of them therefore live with their illnesses and ultimately die following their inability to get medical attention that could save their lives!

Realizing the strategic role of a social programme that facilitates access to healthcare, the Federal Government launched the National Health Insurance Scheme in June, 2005.

That critical initiative by Government is in recognition of the potentials of health insurance in the attainment of the health components of the Millennium Development Goals, a leaning that is being carried forward by President Goodluck Jonathan, as he seeks to join the rest of the world in the pursuance of universal health coverage, which objective is the elimination of physical and financial barriers to health care for all citizens.

Thus, it became crucial for the President to hire the appropriate caliber of helmsman to realign and reposition NHIS for the enormous but possible task of living up to its corporate slogan of “…easy access to healthcare for all”.

This is framework that led to the appointment in November 2013 of Dr. ‘Femi Thomas, as the Executive Secretary of NHIS. Until his appointment, he was a Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital and Lecturer at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos.

On assumption of office, Thomas promptly pushed for a drastic improvement in the level of enrolment into the scheme, by conceptualizing and jump starting a number of initiatives that are already proving to be game changers!

Such efforts were buoyed by the Presidential Summit on Universal Health Coverage which took place in Abuja in March this year. It was the needed impetus for the desired change, as it created a roadmap to accelerate the achievement of no less than 30 percent of the nation’s population before the end of 2015, as directed by the President.

However, leadership of the NHIS would not stop at this. It took stock of its resources and capacity, and confidently concluded it will go further by achieving, at least, the coverage of 40 percent of the nation’s population by the end of next year.

The new NHIS is working hard on all fronts both to accomplish and excel on its mandate.

Therefore, following the Presidential Summit, a series of special initiative have been developed to make health insurance accessible and affordable to all Nigerians.

For instance, 24 million pupils are targeted for coverage under the Public Primary Schools Social Health Insurance Scheme (PPSHIP), which is expected to take off with the registration of the children upon resumption from the holidays in September 2014.

Comprehensive digital process of registering the primary school children is being finalized by the NHIS. Meanwhile, the Scheme has stated its determination to bear the total cost of the programme for the remaining part of the year, after which the state governments will be required to provide 60 percent of the funding, while NHIS pays the balance.

One of the most successful programmes under the scheme is the NHIS/MDGs Maternal and Child Health project. As one of the Scheme’s top priorities, it is designed to ensure that pregnant women and children under five receive quality healthcare that will defend them against pregnancy and childhood related killer diseases.

Another additional undertaking by NHIS to increase delivery on its mandate is that at the expiration of the NHIS/MDGs special intervention for Maternal and Child Health next year, pregnant women in the benefiting states will continue to enjoy free healthcare nationwide, with the scheme bearing the cost for the first three years. The Scheme is however still appealing to state governments to show greater interest and commitment to the programme , by folding into the programme and appropriating the benefits for their people. .

Besides, the Scheme has designed the Community-Based Social Health Insurance Scheme to cater for the vulnerable groups in the society. The groups comprise persons who do not have the wherewithal to make large contributions into the scheme. Communitybased health insurance is in tandem with the resolve of the Jonathan’s administration to boost human capital development, welfare of the people and economic growth of our nation.

Tomato sellers, fish mongers, carpenters and all other artisans can be covered through this programme.

To make this programme work, NHIS has been appealing to community groups to work with the Scheme to formulate strategies through which they will also explore the opportunities offered by the programme. It is noteworthy that this programme has continued to enjoy rapidly increasing demand across the communities where it has been introduced nationwide.

This is even as the Scheme has set a world record with its novel concept of Mobile Health Insurance for Nigerians. This service, for which a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed with an indigenous mobile financial services aggregator, Salt and Einstein MTS, is the first of its kind, globally.

The pilot run of this strategy by which people can access health insurance through their mobile telephones, is currently going on in Lagos with impressive performance.

The technology was developed to simplify opportunities and processes for Nigerians to register, make payment and choose the healthcare provider of their preference, all at the touch of a button. It takes enrollees only one month to access care after being registered on the service.

On this service, enrollees will be able to pay, depending on their convenience, on a yearly,

monthly or weekly basis, according to their financial strength. The technology eliminates manual operations and bottlenecks associated with referrals between Health Maintenance Organizations, and Health Care Providers.

There have been multilateral engagements with the nation’s Labour organizations to earn their consent for the payment of workers counterpart contributions into the Scheme. NHIS has designed a reward system of extending cover for all public officers under the Scheme to cover the post-retirement season of their lives. They will better understand what it means to be on scheme when they retire from service.

Driven by the need to provide effective health care for the nation’s citizens, the Executive Secretary of the Scheme has relentlessly reached out to several stakeholders, including state Governors, in the past eight months. Some of the Governors that have indicated interest in enrolment of their indigenes are Abia, Kogi, Oyo, Enugu and Ondo. Cross River state has fully rolled into the programme. Similarly, there are plans for enrolment of members of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, into the scheme during their one-year compulsory service. Coverage of ‘corpers’ will further raise their productivity level and dedication to the cause of the nation.

NHIS is concerned about the effectiveness of its services. The User Satisfaction Survey is a mechanism used by the Scheme to get feedback from enrollees on the standard of services rendered to them by providers. It is carried out across states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. This is a regular exercise that the Scheme employs to sustain and improve quality of service.

The Scheme is not unaware of possible abuse of its programmes by some of the Health Maintenance Organizations, HMOs, and the Health Care Providers, HCPs. It checkmates such activities through various sanctions against culprits. As part of the process of ensuring probity in the system, NHIS recently conducted reconciliation of accounts of about six HMOs whose activities are suspect. Those found wanting will be answerable in accordance with the Act establishing the scheme. Recent discovery of 100,000 dubious enrolments into the Scheme’s records underlines the determination to evolve a clean database and ultimately restore the integrity of the Scheme.

Nigeria is in a hurry to achieve universal health coverage, while health insurance is now a multi-billion naira business. Stakeholders, therefore, can no longer claim that receiving return on their investment would be difficult, the reason they should work for the success of the Scheme.

With over 70 HMOs, over 7000 HCPs, several banks, insurance companies and insurance brokers currently working with the Scheme, NHIS continues to evolve and remains the ubiquitous umpire for health insurance that will take Nigeria into the glorious future.

Under the present leadership, NHIS is positioned to address the general poor state of the nation’s health services and the excessive dependence and pressure on government provided health facilities, including dwindling funding of healthcare in the face of rising cost, through increased sensitization of Nigerians and pooling of resources for health insurance.

The Scheme, in line with the Transformation Agenda of the present administration, is committed to live up to its mandate of facilitating fair financing of health care. This will be done through pooling and judicious utilization of financial risk protection and costburden sharing for people against high cost of health care through institution of prepaid mechanism, prior to their falling ill. This will constantly be in addition to the provision of regulatory oversight on Health Maintenance Organizations and other players in health care delivery in the country.

•Dr. Femi Thomas, Executive Secretary/CEO National Health Insurance Scheme

National News

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Monday August 25, 2014

Minister decries corruption in Immigration service OMEIZA AJAYI ABUJA

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inister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro, has lamented the growing cases of corruption in the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, threatening to sanction anyone found culpable.

The service, which celebrated its 50 years of existence in Abuja over the weekend has been blamed for the porous nature of the country’s

borders as well as its inability to guard the fidelity of Nigeria’s international passport.

At the two-day event in Abuja weekend, Moro said NIS must scale up its effort at complying with the directives of President Goodluck Jonathan to deliver timely service to Nigerians.

Only last month, the service paraded three of its senior personnel in relation to employment fraud.

Earlier, the former act-

ing Comptroller General of NIS, Alhaji Rilwanu Bala Musa, had admitted to dismissal of two erring senior immigration officers in charge of passport offices for various fraudulent activities related to passport racketeering, last year.

Moro, who had promised not to fail Nigerians again after the ill-fated immigration recruitment, reminded the NIS that it is the first point of contact of the country with international

UYO

I Moro

communities and should be upright in its dealings.

Uncertainty over new revenue allocation formula cent; land mass, 10 per cent; and social development factors, 10 per cent.

These weights will be revalued in the new formula.

The last time the revenue allocation formula was reviewed was in 1992, after which the current revenue allocation formula arose from the Modification Order issued by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in May 2002, amended in July 2002 and January 2004 respectively.

The order which emanated from the Supreme Court judgement of April 5, 2002 was to bring the relevant sections of the subsisting Allocation of

Revenue(Federation Account, etc) Act, in conformity with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (As Amended) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

It is in furtherance of the need for distributive justice, fairness and equity in the allocation of resources as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution that the RMAFC had guided the last review exercise, taking into cognizance the indivisibility of the country, public opinion and weighted constitutional responsibilities and functions of the three levels of government.

Early this year, a member of the commission told our correspondent: “We are going to get the draft report to the Presidency as soon as

work resumes in the New Year. I may not be able to say exactly the day the report will be submitted but it is certain that it will not be later than the third week of January. In fact, I can’t see why it won’t get to the President within the first two weeks of January as there is nothing delaying it.”

Section 162(2) and Paragraph 32(b) Part 1 of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution empowers the Commission to review and submit a Proposal on the Revenue Allocation Formula to the President who shall table same before the National Assembly for determination.

Eight months after the Commission fulfilled its mandate in respect of the

Community health insurance takes off in Akwa-Ibom MARCUS FATUNMOLE

Former Minister of Internal Affairs, Sen. Mohammed Magoro (left) and Comptroller General of Immigration, Mr. David Parradang, during the 2014 Comptroller-General’s Annual Conference in Abuja recently.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

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proposed formula, there are no signs that the Presidency is ready to receive the Report, raising fears that like other documents that have potential of promoting fiscal federalism and grassroots development but reducing federal Government allocations from the Federation Account, the implementation of the Report may be hard for the Presidency to support seriously.

The Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola, had last week faulted the current revenue allocation formula based on what he termed its structural defects that put the sub-national governments at great disadvantage.

n its determination to meet 2015 Presidential target of 30 percent national health insurance coverage in Nigeria and further make the programme more accessible and available to Nigerians, the National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS, has launched communitybased health insurance in Akwa Ibom State.

While launching the programme, Minister of Health, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu, said the project was designed to make all Nigerians, especially the vulnerable groups, get health insurance cover at an affordable cost.

The Minister, who was represented by the Executive Secretary of the NHIS, Dr Femi Thomas, informed that the community-based health insurance remained a veritable tool for ensuring wider coverage, improved ownership, renewed culture of health insurance in the country.

The programme, a first of its kind in the state, took-off in the community of the state governor, Ukana West Ward 2, Ikana Ikot Ide Local Government Area of the state.

Chukwu said of government’s efforts over health insurance in the country: “Within nine years of official flag-off, the NHIS has covered the proportion of the population that still stands at a digit percentage.

“This is largely made up of 98 percent of federal government employees.

Similarly, over 1.6 million pregnant and children under-five are being covered under the NHIS MDGs/Maternal and Child project in 14 states of the federation presently. Additional states are being engaged for this programme.

“The tertiary health insurance programme which has the potential to cover three million lives is also being repackaged.

As at today, we have been able to cover 900,000 of this 3,000,000 population.

This spreads across 113 institutions in the country. The voluntary contribution programme of the scheme, along with various health plans of the organised private sector have been providing cover for those in the sector with their respective families.

“And this is the position that not less than one million lives are covered in this group,” the Minister maintained.

The NHIS donated the sum of N500,000 towards the launch. It also made available the sum of N3 million for the purchase and installation of a 40KVA generator for the health centre to be used for the programme in the community.

The NHIS boss also promised to fund ICT support for enrolment and data capture for the scheme, with an ambulance for the scheme in the ward.

In his address, Governor Godswill Akpabio said: “At the beginning of our administration, we declared free health care for our children under the age of five years, pregnant women and elderly.

“Today, as we launch this CBSHI in our state, we have thrown open the door to make health care accessible to every person in our society. This scheme, we believe will relieve people of financial burdens in the process of seeking medical care, thus eliminating a major challenge which deprives people from accessing medical care.”

Akpabio

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South West

Monday August 25, 2014

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Lagos, FERMA may clash over operations of Okada OLUSEGUN KOIKI AND FRANCIS SUBERU

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lans by the Federal Government’s Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme, SURE-P, and Federal Road Maintenance Agency, FERMA, to allow Okada riders operate on federal roads in Lagos may soon lead to clash of interest.

While the Lagos State government yesterday debunked the rumour making the round that it would soon allow the Okada riders back on Lagos roads as it plans to reverse the 2012 Lagos Traffic Law that restricted their activities in the state, FERMA said its taskforce, which would soon be on federal roads will not restrict their movement.

The insinuation that the state government may eventually reverse the law gathered momentum after Governor Babatunde Fashola reversed the con-

tentious Lagos State University (LASU) school fees three weeks ago.

In a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Lateef Ibirogba, the government said it does not intend to reverse itself on the decision now or in the nearest future.

According to the statement, there are 9,100 roads in Lagos State of which motorcycles below 200cc are restricted on only 475, which represents 5.6 per cent, saying the results and impacts of the decision have been tremendous.

“Prior to the enactment of the law, we were recording an average of 16 motorcycle-related deaths across the state every month and an average of 646 injured patients from motorcycle related serious accidents at states secondary and tertiary hospitals.

“As at March this year, our statistics show only 1 to 2 motorcycle-related

Oyo govt accuses PDP chieftain over Temidire market conflict

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he Oyo State Government has accused a leading Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart in the state of coordinating renegades elements among Temidire Plank Market sellers against government with the aim of causing disaffection between government and the people.

It disclosed this in a statement issued by the Special Adviser on Media to the governor, Dr. Festus Adedayo, in reaction to allegation of a government agency dispersing some of the renegades from the market.

Government had acquired the market years ago and relocated the traders to the Fashade area of the state capital but this decision had generated bad blood between it and some members of the market who insisted that they would not move out of the market.

“It is apparent that the said PDP stalwart is doing this for ulterior motive. He coordinates dissent against government at the market and is their arrowhead. In fuelling the renegades, he

apparently hopes to score cheap political points and paint government in bad light.

“The market construction has been delayed for too long because of this prolonged, fuelled antagonism against government.

Government considers the interest of the people first and not the narrow interest of politicians who are sponsoring the dissent,” said the statement.

The government said it had done everything humanly possible to advance the cause of building a befitting market for the people of Temidire but its efforts were frustrated by a cabal in the market whose actions were fuelled by political undertone.

According to the government, it had in the last one year or thereabout met with leaders of the market severally and provided an alternative market for the plank sellers at the Fashade village with all conveniences, including transformers, but because of the selfish interest of the said PDP stalwart, he keeps on engaging renegades against government.

deaths and less than 100 motorcycle accident related injuries in a month. No doubt, we have all the reasons to thump our chest that we have been responsive and responsible in the discharge of our duty to the people of Lagos.

But SURE-P and FER-

MA said plans have been finalised for its taskforce personnel to commence work on the federal roads in state, which will also allow for Okada operation.

The National Coordinator, SURE-P/FERMA Federal Task Force, Mr. Abdul Razak Rafiu Otto

in a statement sent to the media men by its National Director of Publicity, Mr. Olawale Oyeboh insisted that the taskforce, which is at the moment situated at the toll gate area of Lagos-Ibadan Expressway had come to stay.

He emphasized that un-

like the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LATSMA, that arrests Okada riders plying on certain roads, the taskforce would not stop them from operating on federal roads, but cautioned them against disobeying traffic rules.

Work on replacement of expansion joints and bearings on Eko Bridge ongoing in Lagos, yesterday. Inset: Expansion joints and bearings missing on the bridge.

PHOTO: SAMUEL ADETIMEHIN

I won’t abandon any project, Fayemi insists ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

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kiti State governor, Kayode Fayemi, said at the weekend that his administration will not abandon any of the ongoing projects as efforts were ongoing to complete all before the handover date.

Fayemi said this was with the exception of those projects which could not be completed between now and when he would leave office.

The governor, who spoke during an inspection tour of some ongoing projects in the state, assured residents

of State Housing Estate in Ado-Ekiti that they would begin to enjoy asphalted motorable roads in a couple of weeks.

He said good internal roads in the estate would add value to the properties.

Fayemi assured that most of the projects embarked upon by his administration including the legacy projects would be commissioned for use before the end of his tenure.

According to him, such projects include the new Oba Adejugbe General Hospital in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti Kete Pavilion as well as oth-

er legacy projects including the Government House and Ire Burnt Bricks billed to be delivered by next month.

While assuring that other five-kilometre roads in local government areas would be delivered in October, the governor appealed to the Federal Government to reimburse the state government the money it had spent in fixing federal roads within the state.

Fayemi said: “We have made promises to the people, we will hold true to our promises and deliver on all the projects. I completed projects that were not even

started by me. So, abandoned projects don’t exist in my dictionary.

“Government is a continuum. Whatever is left to be done, it is my expectation that the succeeding administrations would also be committed to the people and deliver on those projects.

We don’t believe in white elephant projects. We have not started any white elephant projects. All the projects we have embarked upon are those that we have delivered to the people and those that are not yet delivered will be delivered to the people,” he said.

Ilaje communities demand extension of voter registration HAKEEM GBADAMOSI AKURE

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eople of Ilaje/Ese Odo local government area of Ondo State have called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to extend the duration of the registration exercise by five days.

The people made the demand in Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje local government area, alleging that over 60 percent of eligible voters in the area had not registered during the

ongoing exercise.

Speaking on behalf of the people, the Environment commissioner Sola Ebiseni noted that the centralisation of the exercise had made it difficult for many people in the area to register.

Ebiseni stated that most of the machines deployed by the commission for the exercise were malfunctioning, while those allotted to each of the wards were inadequate. He noted that many of the polling units that should accommodate about 500 voters could not

accommodate more than 30 percent of the voters, adding that officials of INEC were unable to arrest the situation.

He, however, said for the exercise to be meaningful and achieve the desired impact, the commission must extend the days for the exercise.

He lamented that with the rate at which the exercise was moving many people from the area would be disenfranchised as they might not be able to register.

The commissioner also

argued that because of the peculiar situation of the area and the conflicting report that the exercise would not take place because of the flood in the areas, the exercise did not start on the scheduled date.

Ebiseni said, “Our peculiar situation did not allow us start the voter registration exercise on time and we have a lot of people that are yet to register because the machines brought were not enough, even as we had inadequate INEC officials and youth corps members to man the machines.”

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Mimiko’s exit’ll not affect us, says APC chairman BOLADALE BAMIGBOLA, OSOGBO AND OJO OYEWAMIDE AKURE

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he All Progressives Congress, APC, Ondo State chapter, yesterday said the defection of the Governor Olusegun Mimiko to the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, will not stop future electoral victory in the state.

The party stated this in a statement issued by its publicity secretary, Abayomi Adesanya, and made available to journalists in Akure, the state capital.

It said Mimiko’s defection did not come as a surprise, adding that “the news of the defection of the Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko to the PDP did not come as a surprise to some of us.

“He has been hobnobbing with the PDP at the national level for a very long time as an annex; he has no good relationship with the state chapter.

“He (Mimiko) has succeeded in using President, Goodluck Jonathan to win his second term in office and a promise to joining PDP three months after be-

ing sworn in. But since he was inaugurated in February, he has been playing hanky-panky with Jonathan and Turko led-PDP. “He has wanted to use and dump the president and PDP who helped him to win his second term in office, because that is what he is known for, but for the steadfastness of the Mu’azu-led PDP, he was able to pin him (Mimiko) down by forcing him to honour his agreement with the PDP. The APC also said Mimiko did not join the PDP to strengthen the party or to win elections, but to

help the president win the presidential primaries later in the year.

The APC spokesman, however, called on members of the LP who do detest joining the governor in the PDP to join it in pursuance of their political careers and to the state.

“To us in Ondo APC, our doors are open for people to join our great party, All Progressives Congress.

“For some credible individuals that are still in the Labour Party, especially the House of Assembly members, some serving commissioners and also many PDP

L-R: Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Prince Gbade Lana; Head of Service, Mr. Adesoji Eniade; his wife, Aderonke; Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Mr. Umar Alao and Chairman, Agency for Youth, Hon. John Ige, during the reception in honour of Eniade in Ibadan at the weekend.

NPHCDA set to enhance maternal, child health –SURE-P ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

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he National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, has set up a steering committee in Ekiti State towards ensuring the successful implementation of its SUREP Maternal and Child Health, MCH, Conditional Cash Transfer, CCT, programme.

Its Executive Director/ CEO, Dr. Ado Muhammad, said the project targeted improvement of maternal and child health through properly equipped facilities with workers capable of providing service delivery.

Muhammad, who spoke during the inauguration of the committee in AdoEkiti at the weekend, said “the CCT project is not only designed to encourage pregnant women to go through the full continuum of maternal, neonatal and child health services, it is also meant to improve the welfare of beneficiaries through cash support in order to reduce the impact of economic barriers to access health services.”

The NPHCDA boss, represented by the Zonal Technical Officer, SURE-P MCH CCT, Mrs. Folakemi Aladenika, disclosed that the SURE-P MCH had added an innovation of employing the services

of village health workers with the support of government workers and Ward Development Committees, WDC. This, he said, was to overcome the challenges of getting and retaining health care workers to live and work in the rural communities.

The agency urged the members of the newlyconstituted steering committee to see the assignment as a call to duty and handle it with responsibility to achieve desired results.

The membership include the state commissioner for health as chairman, permanent secretary of NPHCDA, state

MDG focal person, SUREP, MCH, state programme assistant, as well as representatives of the ministry of local government and chieftaincy affairs, ministry of information, traditional rulers, religious leaders, coordinators of benefiting LGA PHC and the SURE-P MCH CCT Technical Officer.

Health Commissioner, Prof. Olusola Fasubaa, lauded the scheme which he said would better the lot of women and children in the state.

He saidat the reduction of maternal and child mortality had been a challenge until recently when the MCH CCT was introduced.

members that are not comfortable with Mimiko joining PDP just because of his political antecedents, are welcome in our Party, APC, to realise their dreams. To us, animals are equal,” the APC spokesman said.

In another development, the senator representing Ondo South senatorial district in the National Assembly, Boluwaji Kunlere, has defected from the Labour Party, LP, to the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP. Kunlere, who was elected on the LP platform in the 2011 general elections, cited personal reasons for his defection.

He is the second senator to dump the LP after the senator representing Ondo North, Ajayi Boroffice, left the party for the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, in 2012.

He was the PDP state secretary till December 2006 when he joined the LP with the then party’s state chairman, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, who is the current deputy governor.

Confirming his defection to journalists at his residence in Akure, Kunlere said he decided to join the PDP on principle.

He described those displaying LP flag in the state as “a dead politician waiting to be buried.”

Kunlere said his decision to return to the PDP had been received with joy by both the state and national leaders of the party.

“I have met with the state secretary of the party who is from my local government area. I have met with Chief Olusola Oke, Hon. Kingsley Kuku, and so many of them.

“Ajayi was in my house early this year to invite me to the party. The leadership of the senate is not left out of my plan to return to PDP. I have met with Jimoh Ibrahim. Myself and the leadership of the party were in his house. It is not a matter of today.”

“Before I left LP, it came to a situation that people who are close to you can no longer be ward or local government executives. And I said to myself that, as a politician, I have already been given a quit notice, properly served and that I have accepted it.

“Even those we brought into the game were being

sponsored to blackmail me.

I have never being to any department or agency to demand for any money and I have been fair to all manners of people that come my way.”

Kunlere promised to work with PDP members in the state to ensure that President Goodluck Jonathan wins the 2015 presidential election.

This year, LP members like former representative on the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Benson Enikuomehin, have defected from the party to PDP, citing disagreements with Governor Olusegun Mimiko as their reason.

Meanwhile, insinuations persist that the Ondo State helmsman and the only governor elected on the platforn of Labour Party, Dr. Segun Mimiko, had concluded consultation in preparation for his defection back to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Osun state chapter of LP, yesterday declared that the exit of Mimiko would not affect the party.

In a chat with the National Mirror in Osogbo, the chairman of Osun state chapter of the party, Barrister Timothy Olatunji, whose faction, presented candidate that contested the last governorship poll in the state, said though responses got after enquiries from the national headquarters of the party indicated that Mimiko had not informed them of his return to his former party.

He however posited that Osun state chapter of LP would not be affected should Mimiko choose to dump the party,saying since the present executive came on come, it had not got much support for the Ondo state governor.

Speaking further, Olatunji said, had Mimiko played a pivotal role in canvassing votes for Alhaji Fatai Akinbade, in the last governorship poll in the state, his insinuated exit would have been causing stir.

He averred “Osun state chapter of Labour Party during the last governorship election solely bore the burden and whatever we achieved as success was made possible by our resolve to make a mark.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South East

Monday, August 25, 2014

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Stakeholders canvass grazing reserves in S’East DENNIS AGBO ENUGU

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L-R: Director, Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) Graduate School, Prof. Gab Agu; Registrar, Chief Chris Igbokwe and Vice Chancellor, Prof. Cyprain Onyeji, during the inaugural board meeting of the institution in Enugu, yesterday.

Murder: Police vow to track down Uwazuruike CHRIS NJOKU OWERRI

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espite an existing court order restraining it from arresting the embattled leader of Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, the Imo State Police Command yesterday vowed to track him down for interrogation over the death of two of his members.

The police had on Wednesday invited the MASSOB leader to explain

his involvement in the fracas that led to the killing of the two members and injury to several others at the group headquarters at Okwe in Onuimo Local Government of the state.

The MASSOB National Secretary, Comrade Ugwuoke Ugwuoke, had accused Uwazuruike of masterminding the mayhem by “hiring thugs from Onitsha” to try and wrest back control of the group headquarters from dissident commanders who had earlier taken over the premises following alleged financial misappropri-

ation against Uwazuruike.

Reacting later, Uwazuruike had claimed that he had been in Lagos since the incident happened, adding that he had not received any police invitation.

He claimed he had to escape to Lagos because “Victor Umeh of APGA bribed the opposition to kill me, as one of them has confessed that the APGA chieftain gave them N5m” to assassinate him.

However, speaking to National Mirror yesterday in Owerri, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP An-

drew Enwerem, said the police would hunt down Uwazuruike wherever he might be hiding, so he could help the security agency in its investigations.

He wondered why the MASSOB leader would run to the court when the case involved murder.

“What we are talking about is murder, he must come and answer the charges; court cannot stop him from being interrogated,” he said.

According to him, “the police will hunt him down wherever he may run to.”

Enugu schools conducive learning environments —Govt DENNIS AGBO ENUGU

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nugu State government has described the claim in a publication that pupils of the state sat on the floor to study in some schools, as a “false and wicked fabrication of mischief makers.”

The Commissioner for Education, Prof Christopher Okoro, who reacted to the report, said there was no iota of truth in the report, and insisted it was part of a deliberate campaign to embarrass and discredit the state government.

On the contrary, according to Okoro, the government had gone to great lengths to ensure that all the primary and secondary schools in the state were in

standard condition, adding that Governor Sullivan Chime had, through his ministry, initiated 493 projects in schools in the state this year alone.

He said the projects included construction of new model classroom blocks and toilets, renovation of existing classrooms and drilling of boreholes to provide water to the schools.

He pointed out that to fund the projects, the government had already paid counterpart fund amounting to N1.5 billion to enable it access another N1.5 billion World Bank grant, adding that when the projects are completed, every school in the state, no matter how remotely located, would benefit.

The commissioner dis-

closed that in addition to the building and renovation of classroom blocks, the government has also built 7,000 specially designed desks which would be distributed to serve the model classrooms built in the primary schools.

He said: “We are now convinced that there is a deliberate effort by some people to embarrass Enugu State through the planting of false and misleading stories about the state of our schools. We understand that under the present political climate where fanaticism and desperation to achieve certain objectives at all cost is common place, it is not outrightly shocking to come across such ludicrous extremities as the one published in that

reports.”

He added, “Even the picture used in the report was an audacious forgery because it showed a female teacher in trousers standing before pupils. We all know that no female teacher will ever dare dress like that in Enugu State. I am not even sure it happens in any part of the country, how much more Enugu State that maintains a strict dress code for teachers and pupils alike.”

He said upon reading the reports, he immediately set out with a team of officials from the ministry to visit schools in the mentioned community (Ugbene) only to discover that the facts on ground were the “complete opposite” of what was reported.

orried by incessant bloody clashes between some farming communities in Enugu State and Fulani herdsmen, the Catholic Institute for Development, Peace and Justice (CIDJAP) and African Centre for Human Security, Peace and Sustainable Development (AFRISDEV) have supported the call for the establishment of grazing reserves to minimise such conflicts in the state.

The two groups disclosed this during a security seminar which they jointly organised for the Fulani herdsmen and community leaders in the state.

Addressing the gathering, the Director of CIDJAP, Prof. Monsignor Obiora Ike, stated that the seminar was timely given the increasing cases of bloody clashes between herdsmen and farmers in the state and nation in general, that have become a time bomb.

Ike, who was represent-

ed by Rev. Fr. Anthony Ezekwu, stressed that CIDJAP stands to promote the pastoral and social teachings of the Church, giving succour to the downtrodden, including the spirit of work and dignity of labour.

He appealed for peace, dialogue, tolerance and freedom of existence in the communities.

“Era of nomadic practices of roaming villages with cattle and sheep is over and must be approached differently.

“Many lives of humans and cattle have been lost.

Properties have been destroyed and a lot of harm done.

“The Fulani are not Boko Haram. They are humans, friends and brothers. They need us and we need them,” he said.

Chime Enugu State governor

Imo students warn politicians against instigating youths CHRIS NJOKU OWERRI

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mo politicians have been warned against instigating youths especially students to disrupt peace and order during public functions.

The resolution was taken in Owerri, the Imo State capital after a meeting of the National Association of Imo State Students (NAISS).

The NAISS president, Amarachi Erezieofor, while briefing journalists on Saturday, said the union would henceforth resist such development.

He said those perpetrating such ugly development were aspirants particularly those for gubernatorial election.

He expressed dismay over recent happenings in the state where Governor Rochas Okorocha was humiliated at different public functions in the state, adding that as the first citizen of the state he deserves maximum respect especially at public fora.

Ereziofor recalled that during the burial of late Justice Chukwudifu Oputa in Oguta on June 26, politicians instigated the late justice’s son Charles Oputa to deny Okorocha making his speech as the host governor in the requiem mass.

He said during the OruOwerri festival and IrijiMbaise, similar incident happened, adding that any student who indulges in such ugly activity should be arrested and brought to book.

“We are not happy that politicians are hiring students of higher institutions for peanuts to cause unrest in the country especially in Imo State.

“Our students should know that they are leaders of tomorrow who should not destroy their future for selfish politicians,” he said.

The union also condemned the manner aspirants’ posters were flooding public places, which according to the NAISS, have immensely contributed to defacing Owerri city.

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South South

Monday, August 25, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmir-

Foreign partnerships will aid Bayelsa economy —Dickson OSAHON JULIUS YENAGOA

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Akwa Ibom State governor, Godswill Akpabio (right), and others during the thanksgiving service of the State House of Assembly at the Methodist Church in Uyo, yesterday.

Akwa-Ibom, Ijaw youths clash over proposed new state WOLE OLADIMEJI ABUJA

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ndications have emerged that youths under the aegis of Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, and Frontline Akwa Ibom Movement, FAIME, are at loggerheads over certain aspects in the report of the just concluded National Conference.

The youths are at loggerheads following recommendations by delegates that part of Akwa Ibom State, especially the oil-rich areas, be excised to be part of the proposed Oil Rivers state.

Delegates of the Akwa Ibom caucus in the just-concluded National confab had petitioned the chairman, Idris Legbo Kutigi, over the plan to excise part of their state to be merged with Oil Rivers.

The caucus in the letter had warned that any plan to excise any part of Akwa Ibom would be resisted.

The leader of the caucus which included former gov-

ernor of Akwa Ibom, Obong Victor Attah, former Minister of Lands and Housing, Chief Nduese Essien and several others, had stated in their letter that since they were not consulted before the conference took its decision to create the new Oil Rivers state, no part of the present day Akwa Ibom State would therefore be ceded to the Ijaws.

The position of IYC which was published in some newspapers and signed by Eric Omare, slammed Akwa Ibom delegates, claiming that they lacked the right to oppose the creation of the proposed state.

Part of the statement released by IYC reads in part: “The petitioners are not part of the proposed state; hence they lack the locus to oppose the creation of Oil Rivers State. Therefore, we call on the relevant authorities to disregard the protest as the proposed Oil Rivers State deserves to be created

on merit.

“We wish to make it abundantly clear that anybody or group of people opposing the creation of homogenous Ijaw states for the Ijaw people of Akwa Ibom and Rivers State on the one hand, and the Ijaw people of Delta, Edo and Ondo states on the other, are threats to the existence of Ijaw people.”

In a statement released

by FAIME and signed by its president, Mr Ibanga Isine, the group warned that the peaceful disposition of Akwa Ibom people should not be taken for granted.

“We are prepared to defend the lands, the resources and the people of Akwa Ibom State against annexationist groups and interest and nobody should test our will.

“Nigerians and the world have not forgotten the role played by some criminal elements in the killing of thousands of innocent people of the Niger Delta

region under the guise of militancy and Niger Delta struggle.

“Nobody is in any doubt about the genesis of the touted militancy in the once peaceful oil-rich region where the people hitherto engaged both the government and oil majors in constructive dialogue as well as the ignoble roles prominent politicians in the Ijaw areas and IYC members played in the carnage that later engulfed the region.

“Today, Akwa Ibom which is currently the largest oil producing state in the country has not benefited from the Amnesty programme of the Federal Government because our youth refused to be recruited into the notorious gangs and ragtag militia groups that unleashed terror on Niger Delta people and communities and would not also allow them use even an inch of Akwa Ibom soil for their dirty campaigns,” he said.

s part of effort to run a viable economy with little dependence on oil, the Bayelsa State governor, Seriake Dickson, has reiterated his administration’s commitment to partner foreign investors on massive investment in the non-oil and gas sector of the state economy.

According to the governor, the new partnership and investment profile in agriculture is expected to be one of the most viable sources of revenue away from oil and gas.

Dickson, who disclosed this over the weekend while fielding questions from newsmen, said though the state was yet to explore the sector, the new partnership would entail careful planning and execution of its agricultural programmes to sustain the state’s economy.

He said the administration’s vision for agriculture was massive, considering it enjoys comparative advantage in rice production in places like Peremabiri in southern Ijaw, Isampou in Kolokuma/Opokuma, Otuasega in Ogbia and Burma in Nembe local government areas.

The governor maintained that with a very successful pilot programme in rice production, Bayelsa was already set to become a major rice producer for local consumption and export in the nearest future.

According to him, discussions had been held with foreign experts who were expected to be in the state soon to invest in rice production, with about one thousand youths to be engaged in what he called big time plantation of rice.

“We are now selling our

Dickson

rice, called Bayelsa ‘Orosi’.

You saw some of it during the Economic and Investment forum. That is a pilot scheme that has proven to be very successful.

“But the type of investment we are looking for has actually been concluded, with some of the investors to arrive soon.

We want them to come so we can engage about 1,000 young people and do big time plantation.

“That is the direction we are going, not these small ones. It’s got to be massive, whatever we do in agriculture. We need the airport because we want to be in a position to evacuate our farm produce; after we are set, the arrangement is to have a lot of Bayelsa people farming”.

The governor therefore called on Bayelsa people to take to farming, “no matter the scale, the Bayelsa Agricultural Development Company has been mandated to buy off every excess harvest from farmers across the state.”

On the role of the ongoing Cargo Airport project in the new partnership, Dickson said though there is an urgent need to have the airport project completed, “it will serve as a means of evacuating farm produce to their required destinations in Europe, where there are ready markets for the products.”

Youth leaders drum up support for Jonathan, Dickson OSAHON JULIUS YENAGOA

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head of the 2015 presidential and 2016 governorship election in Bayelsa State, the Bayelsa Youth Leaders Forum for Seriake Dickson has urged total support for the re-election of Governor Dickson and President Goodluck Jonathan.

The youth leaders also declared interest in the emancipation of the Ijaw nation in particular and the good governance in the state.

Addressing newsmen in Yenagoa at the weekend, the forum chairman, Oboku Oforji, said the nongovernmental organisation was attracted to the achievements of Dickson

in areas of infrastructural, social and manpower developments across the state.

Oforji said the Dickson ‘Restoration’ government was poised at delivering the dividends of democracy to the people as he had impacted positively on Bayelsans and non-residents in the state.

He highlighted the

building of the state’s first flyover, Airport project, completion of bridges and buildings, construction of NYSC camp and construction of roads as some of the governor’s achievements in office.

Oforji said, “What this group is saying at this time is that we have seen the trajectory of Bayelsa development in the Seriake

government.

“We must as a people appreciate these good things by supporting the governor not just to complete his tenure, but also to ask that he have a second term; after all, one good turn deserves another.”

The group, Oforji said, has structures at the local government and ward levels to ensure the quick

actualisation of their dreams for Dickson.

He further noted that Dickson had shown his unalloyed support to President Jonathan by mobilising home-based, North, South/West and East leaders to support the President as well as reducing the influence of opposition governors come 2015.

Monday, August 25, 2014

You observed the August 9 gubernatorial election in Osun State. What is your assessment of Independent National electoral, INEC’s performance and the conduct of politicians and electorates at the election?

As an observer, one of the areas we need to focus on is majorly the distribution of materials, the availability of materials and the personnel in terms of efficiency in handling these materials.

In the past two, three years, INEC has extremely improved in the distribution of materials, even in some terrains that were not motorable.

In Osun, as in Ekiti, in almost all the polling booths even before 8 o’clock, materials were already in the polling units. It was a wonderful experience that INEC is improving and like I always said before, having a free and fair election goes beyond INEC as an umpire.

The stakeholders are so many, but it is mainly the umpire that we put a lot of pressure on. It was a very wonderful experience, the Osun election was an improvement on what happened in Ekiti, free, credible and acceptable to an extent. It is kudos to INEC and if it can maintain the tempo towards 2015 election it will be better.

The use of soldiers during the election was heavily criticised by the All Progressive Congress, APC. What is your position on the participation of the military in elections in the country?

I was in the USA during the last election as a member of INEC observation team, and we discovered that the American electoral system did not allow what we called total observation of the election by foreign or local observers. However we discovered that nearly all the major airports after the 2001 attack in America were being manned by the National Guards. Without the military, Osun would have caught fire. If PDP had won Osun, they would have given Goodflick Jonathan another name. I think the more the APC tried to destroyed most of Jonathan’s policies, the more they shot themselves on the foot The military’s presence give credibility and it shows that Jonathan is determined, like I said previously, to ensure free and fair election.

Jonathan has not for once been involved in election malpractices. He is a democrat and to rig election today in Nigeria may be the party that is talking of rigging is not on ground. If a party is on ground before the collation of results, your agents would have been able to transmit the results to you. In the last Osun election, APC already knew before 6.00pm that it had won because its agents communicated the results to them. That was exactly what the late M.K.O Abiola did, before Humphrey Nwosu said he wanted to announce the election results, all the SDP party agents had transmitted the results. So these people should not politicise everything.

Another issue that came out of the election was the outrageous expenses incurred by candidates and parties on campaigns, contrary to the provisions of the Electoral Act. How do you see this development?

That is why election has becomes a do-or-die affair, when so many people invested so much money in elections. Democracy is expensive, Obama raised between $800 and 900 million dollars but the money was not given to him by millionaires. It was not given to him by people whose source of wealth was unknown; it was raised by the common people. In the days of the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN, members contributed money. But what we see now is that some individuals who we don’t even know what they do for a living just raise billions and give to a candidate. And this is not encouraging democracy to grow.

INEC should have a mechanism to checkmate this. The Electoral Act stipulated spending limitation for each can-

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13

Politics

Jonathan is qualified to contest in 2015 –Aduwo Mr. Olufemi Aduwo, the National Coordinator of Rights Monitoring Group, RMG, and Country Director, Centre on Convention for Democratic Integrity, CCDI, speaks with AYO ESAN, on the last gubernatorial election in Osun State, the spate of impeachment moves in the country, the monetisation of Nigerian politics and Jonathan’s ambition to contest in 2015. Excerpts: worry has to do with what constitutes gross misconduct. It depends on what the House of Assembly called gross misconducts For example, in Nyako’s case, this was a man that was given a clean bill of health some years ago by the same House of Assembly, but suddenly the same House now made a u-turn that the same allegations that they couldn’t prove against him some years ago now become provable and he was found guilty of those offences, and he was removed within 24 hours. And I think another lesson is that of Nasarawa State. I think those governors who are not in good term with the judiciary, they should learn a lesson.

Because in Nasarawa , the governor had a good rapport with the Chief Justice. And the Chief Justice went ahead to pick people who would not indict the governor. I think we should not make a caricature of this impeachment arrangement, a kangaroo arrangement.

Aduwo

PEOPLE LIKE ME HAVE SAID AT MANY FORA THAT IF

JONATHAN SAID HE WOULD NOT RUN, HE WILL BE THE MOST COWARD PERSON IN THE WORLD didate, but all parties have violated this particular stipulation with impunity, because INEC doesn’t have the mechanism to checkmate it. INEC should have some form of mechanism in collaboration with the anti-graft agencies.

We have some civil societies that can help to monitor right from advert rate on radio and television and so many other means. So I think the excess expenditure which cannot be accounted for is dangerous.

Former governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako has been removed, deputy governor of Enugu State is about to be removed and the botched impeachment of Nasarawa State governor, Umaru Al-Makura is creating crisis, don’t you think this spate of impeachment will truncate democracy?

I don’t think so because if you take Italy for example, there was a time in Italy that we have up to three or four Prime Minister within two years. They keep on removing their Prime Ministers.

If it is true that these governors actually committed those offences, there is nothing wrong in removing them. But my

What do you think of the spate of cross-carpeting that has plagued the Nigerian political scene?

It shows that there is no proper definition of manifestoes of these parties. For example, I am not talking in terms of ideological separation. Nobody is talking about socialism or capitalism again, but all the parties are talking about welfare of the people. That is the concept in the world now. But we can still define what Labour Party, LP, stands for in United Kingdom and you can still define what Conservative Party, CP, stands for. But there is no difference in the political parties in Nigeria. The only difference is that some of them have structure, like the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. But in term of programmes, there is no difference. That is why it is easy for Nuhu Ribadu to condemn PDP yesterday and want to be a candidate of the party today. I think we should go a bit forward and make a law, that before you can cross to a party and contest in that party, you must be a member of that party for at least one year. This idea of political opportunism, that yet I am popular here, then let them buy me will stop. I think the PDP should be very careful, because I don’t know the popularity of Ribadu in Adamawa State. And if this issue of Ribadu is not handled carefully, PDP may lose the state. This is because there are a lot of people who have been preparing for this governorship for years and from nowhere you just came and you want to be a candidate, it should not be done like that.

It will kill the spirit of patriotic members.

What is your view on Jonathan contesting the 2015 presidential election, although he has not indicated interest?

If he declares now, he would overheat the polity. He understands the whole game. He would declare. People like me have said at many fora that if Jonathan said he would not run, he will be the most coward person in the world. He is capable and he is qualified to contest by the provisions of the law. Jonathan has contested only once and he is qualified to contest again. So he has all the right to contest in 2015.

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Politics

Monday, August 25, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Adamawa guber: Stakeholders opt for zoning OBIORA IFOH ABUJA

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ey stakeholders in Adamawa State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have opted for zoning of the governorship seat in the upcoming gubernatorial byelection to the Adamawa Central senatorial zone, as a way of replicating fairness to the zone that has never produced governor in the state.

This position was pushed through after a

marathon of meetings held in the capital, Yola, attended by some of the governorship aspirants and key party stakeholders and leaders drawn from the 21 local government areas of the state.

A highly placed source who was part of the meetings told journalists by phone from Yola that the stakeholders were unanimous in taking the decision which he said was to “placate the politically disadvantaged Central zone that has been politi-

cally excluded, despite its numerical strength,” adding that the zoning consensus was reached in line with the spirit of the PDP constitution, which encourages zoning as a way of revolving offices to accommodate all geopolitical groupings.

The source added that as at the time of the Governor Murtala Nyako’s administration, the Central zone was not occupying any of the top five positions in the state, and this reality did not change

even with the impeachment of Nyako, as the acting governor is from the Northern zone.

He said: “The Northern senatorial zone stands out as the highest beneficiary in terms of occupying prestigious political offices, both elective and appointive, among the zones.

They produced three governors, Saleh Michika, Boni Haruna and Wilberforce Juta as well as two deputy governors; David Barau and James Ngilari.

Three speakers of the

House, Paul Wampana, Ahmed Gulak and Ahmadu Fintiri are all from the Northern zone” Presently, the acting governor of the state as well as two serving ministers; Boni Haruna and Zainab Maina are all from the Northern zone, while the Southern senatorial zone, has produced two governors and a deputy governor. They are Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, Admiral Murtala Nyako and Chief Lynn Nathan.

2015: PDP chieftain urges Elechi to anoint credible candidate ALIUNA GODWIN ABAKALIKI

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People waiting to register for voter cards at Turwun, in Bauchi on Saturday.

PHOTO: NAN

2015: Bauchi women move to participate in politics EZEKIEL TITUS BAUCHI

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ssociation of Christian Women in Politics, ACWP, in Bauchi State has said that there is no going back in its determination to actively participate in politics in an attempt to contribute to the development of the country.

This was just as it added that it has put in place strong structures in all the 20 local government areas of the state to enhance political awareness among its members to sensitise them for the task ahead.

State co-ordination of ACWP, Sarah Yohanna Ryaghan, disclosed at a oneday workshop/conference for women at the weekend at Zaranda Hotel, Bauchi, adding that the event became imperative to stimulate women to participate in politics.

Adding that the workshop, with theme: Dimension of Women Participation in Politics in 21st Century, was deliberately coined to address gender

disparities in politics, Ryaghan lamented that Nigeria women had suffered untold hardship due to lack of freedom to contribute their quota to the development of the country as successful governments did not include them in decision making.

ACWP regretted that women and children are seriously faced with poverty and discrimination in all ramification, despite

government’s promise of action on the 35 per cent affirmative action of the Beinjing conference.

Speaking while presenting his paper titled “Role of Women in Peace and Building our Society,” Rev. Joshua Ray Maina, lamented that the role of women in politics has been negligible in the present democratic dispensation.

He added that the deterioration of family values has

been the bane of placing women at a disadvantage, a development he opined has resulted to crises at homes.

Meanwhile, Bauchi State All progressives Congress, APC, Women Leader, Sa’adatu Mamuda charged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to exhibit high sense of decorum and ensure that women are registered during the voter registration exer-

Ekiti housing estate gets new roads OLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU

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esidents of Ekiti State Housing Estate in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, will in a couple of weeks begin to enjoy asphalted motorable roads as the state governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, disclosed that the estate internal roads will be ready for use by October.

Fayemi, while on inspection of some ongoing projects, including the Oba

...as Fayemi is set to commission legacy projects Adejugbe General Hospital and some other road projects at the weekend, gave the assurance that most of the projects embarked upon by his administration, including the legacy projects, would be commissioned for use before the end of his tenure.

Assuring that the internal road network in the Oke-Ila housing estate would be delivered by

next month, Fayemi said the roads were neither provided for the estate during construction nor did previous administrations consider it a priority, pointing out that the need to give the people living in the estate a new lease of life informed the decision of his administration to effect the construction of the road alongside current road projects.

“In considering the zoning of the position of the governor to the Central zone, it would not be out of place to zone the position of the deputy governor to the Southern zone in particular to the Ganye chiefdom that comprises of Toungo, Jada and Ganye,” the source added.

The meeting had resolved to forward its stance to the national headquarters of the PDP and the party leader, President Goodluck Jonathan.

chieftain in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ebonyi State, Dr Mike Okoro, has called on the state governor, Chief Martin Elechi, to anoint a credible candidate that would succeed him in 2015.

Okoro made this call in Abakaliki while interacting with journalists, adding that he received a prophecy to run for governorship in 2015, just as he added that the Holy Spirit would direct the governor on the person that would succeed him.

Dr Okoro, a business mogul, has according to

investigation assisted the state government with over N60 million to enable it execute its numerous projects it targeted.

Noting that Governor Elechi would be divinely directed to pick his successor from the pool of many aspirants, as this was the reason aspirants for the gubernatorial seat from the Southern zone have not yet shown interest, he said: “The governor has said his successor would come from the South, as it is not the number of contestants from the zone, including myself that would determine who gets the nod, but a man or woman whom the governor would choose with divine guidance.”

Osun guber poll controversial –Group •Channel your grievance to INEC –APC BOLADALE BAMIGBOLA OSOGBO

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n Osun Statebased group, Osun Mandate Initiative, OMI, yesterday said that the August governorship election in the state remains “the most controversial election ever held in the history of Osun.”

In a press statement jointly signed by the protem chairman and secretary of the group in Osogbo, Bimbo Adunola and Femi Odofin respectively, and made available to newsmen, OMI noted that the “electoral fraud that accompanied the election called for concern.”

The statement reads: “We are out to enlighten the general populace of Osun indigenes, both home and abroad, of the manipulation that produced the

second term victory for the All Progressives Congress, APC candidate”.

Alleging that during the poll, members of the opposition parties in the state, particularly the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, were attacked, OMI said: “If APC is confident of its victory, why attack innocent members of the public.

“APC is now compelling both the citizens and the civil servant to participate in an unnecessary celebration of the election that still remains very controversial.”

But APC Director of Publicity, Media and Strategy, Mr. Kunle Oyatomi, simply said any aggrieved party or group in the Osun governorship poll, should channel their grievances to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

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Monday, August 25, 2014

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Ebola: Designing the right communication plan Mirror of the moment ABDUL-WAREES A SOLANKE korewarith@yahoo.com, 08090585723 (SMS only)

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bola Virus Disease (EVD) is bad news that is of serious public health concern. But is the public getting the right information on its outbreak and management? Is the communication plan in the overall strategy of managing the pandemic effective in addressing the myths and realities associated with the disease?

My concern over the Ebola pandemic is the communication component of the containment policy of the Federal Government.

This article is, therefore, about how the FG can respond to the spread of the Ebola disease that is currently causing trepidation in the country. I am relying on some materials, amongst which are copies of the World Health Organization published Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Checklist and the power point presentation of Brunei Darussalam’s Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Plan in response to the Avian Influenza that ravaged most Asian countries in 2004. I got them in my post graduate days at the University of Brunei Darussalam. I am giving closer attention to the communication plan outlined in materials, conscious that even if we get the surveillance and logistic/resource

plans right and there is no good public engagement on the pandemic, we would not achieve the desired result.

Acknowledging that pandemic preparedness is not easy, the documents raised a number of fundamental questions on the recognition of the potential human, social and economic impact of a pandemic at the highest levels of government, the political and bureaucratic commitment to prepare for such an event and how the community is going to be involved in the planning process.

In the WHO Pandemic Preparedness Checklist, it was boldly acknowledged that “communication strategies are an important component in managing any infectious disease outbreak and will be essential in a pandemic.” It was also emphasized that accurate and timely information is critical in order to minimize unwanted and unforeseen social disruption and the economic consequences, and to maximize effective outcome of the response. The following are the essentials of the communication plan as distilled from the WHO document.

First is the need to develop a communication plan that addresses different target groups (press, general public, healthcare workers, parliament, specific risk groups), key messages you want to bring across, possible materials that are needed (web sites, leaflet, information in different languages, etc) and distributions mechanism to reach the target groups. Secondly, as part of the plan, consideration should be given to establishing an official national

IF NIGERIA CAN ACHIEVE COHESION ON THIS PANDEMIC,

I DO

NOT SEE THE REASON WHY WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ADDRESS OTHER EMERGENCIES or regional pandemic website. Link this website with similar ones developed by other countries, after evaluation of the quantity and relevance of the information provided on these other sites.

In addition, it stressed the imperative of ensuring a good relation with technical people who can help to develop accurate and timely messages, before and during a pandemic. Similarly, during the inter-pandemic period, fact sheets or general available information on pandemic preparedness should be developed for distribution to various target groups including, professional and community groups, and that national consistency of locally produced fact sheets is ensured.

It also prescribed the nomination of pandemic spokespersons at the national and regional levels. These persons would be responsible for all media presentation to the wider community, with adequate technical support at the national and regional levels for them. It also recommended that media briefings are held regularly and that daily briefings will be necessary when the pandemic is established locally,

may be also appropriate before then. Finally, the document advised that during a pandemic, the materials are regularly reviewed and updated with new (relevant) knowledge that may become available.

So far, the various agencies of government must be commended for being proactive in the surveillance and management of the pandemic in the country. I also salute the sense of personal responsibility of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in this national emergency precipitated by the Liberian American Patrick Sawyer, whose indiscretion to travel to Nigeria, has become a national burden. In fact, the Ebola awareness is to the extent that family and friends even take precautionary measures among themselves. The Ebola message is not only in the mass media. It is interpersonal. It is no joke. Everybody is serious. Everybody is committed.

If Nigeria can achieve cohesion on this pandemic, I do not see the reason why we will not be able to address other emergencies threatening our existence as a nation.

It is a function of speaking with one voice.

It is a function of acting with sincerity, urgency and decisiveness. In Nigeria today, corruption is a pandemic. Economic hemorrhage is a national emergency. Our education system needs surgery. Our politics is cancerous. Beyond Ebola, therefore, the nation also needs effective machineries to sustain our corporate existence.

Hopefully, the report of the just concluded national conference contains enough antidotes to save our nation from any disintegration.

Power to make things happen is in you SANDRA AKUOMA

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lose your eyes and imagine your dreams and goals. What are they? To open, expand or maintain your own business, climb the corporate ladder, raise your kids to be well rounded adults, be healthier and have a better quality of life and relationship with your God? The list is endless.

How can you make your dreams become a reality, how can you take charge with the part you can control, and how can you make things happen Instead of waiting for an opportunity to present itself ?

For the past two weeks, I have been discussing the differences between proactive and reactive thinking and the detrimental effects of having a reactive personality.

Today, the finale of the series, I will be discussing ways to be more proactive so you can attain your dreams and goals and become a better person.

I stumbled on a book a couple of weeks ago, which I am sure most of us have read, titled “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen Covey. He mentioned proactivity as one of the seven habits and discussed in detail how we as humans are gifted with four qualities called “human endowment”, which is different from animals that just react to stimulus. They are: “Self-awareness” – you can choose not to become angry when someone annoys you.

“Conscience” – you can make decisions

WHEN CHALLENGES APPROACH, TAKE CONTROL AND CONFRONT THEM HEAD ON BEFORE THEY GROW INTO OVERWHELMING PROBLEMS based on your values, regardless of what is socially accepted at the moment. “Creative Imagination”- you can mentally generate and evaluate different options to respond.

“Independent will” – you have the freedom to choose your own unique response.

To be proactive, you must first develop foresight in your goals and dreams. If you are proactive things will rarely catch you by surprise. You will learn to anticipate problems and events; understand how things work; look for patterns; recognize the regular routine, daily practices and natural cycles that exist in your business, careers and personal life.

If you hear rumours your company is downsizing, start looking for another job by sending out your CV and cutting down on your expenses. If you are a proactive person you are always on your toes.

Being proactive makes you foresee potential obstacles in your dreams and goals and exert the power to find ways to overcome them before those obstacles turn into concrete roadblocks.

You will learn to prevent problems that others would simply look back on in hindsight and claim unavoidable. Don’t allow yourself to get swept up in a feeling of powerlessness. When challenges approach, take control and confront them head on before they grow into overwhelming problems.

Looking after your health is a form of preventive medicine, or exercising, or eating right. In terms of your finances learn to cut your coat according to your size to reduce insurmountable debt and financial stress.

I remember this quote: “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”. Being proactive means planning for the future. Look again at your dreams, do you have any long or short term plans? Have you reduced them into small daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly goals? Avoid one-step, “here and now” thinking and instead, look ahead and anticipate long-term consequences. Bring the future into the present; what can you do today to ensure success tomorrow? Don’t make decisions in vacuum; every decision is a link in a chain of events leading to one final conclusion. In order to make the best decision, you have to know where you came from, where you are, and where you want to end up. Remember what you are today is as a result of the choices you made yesterday.

In order to be proactive, you must get involved. You have to take initiative and be a part of the solution. Recognize that you are only a piece of the whole and that you influence and are influenced by the actions of others. Don’t simply react to them. Engage

with them. Exert your influence and make a contribution. Like in your job, don’t wait to be told what to do, take ownership of projects, be an independent thinker, learn your job very well and be an expert in it.

Faith is a verb not a noun, take timely effective action even if you are asking God for something, do the part you can control and let God/higher-self do the part you cannot control. Like looking for a job, send your CV, ask around, be active look at the papers, the job column. I totally believe in one of the old wives’ tales “heaven helps those who help themselves”. Stop waiting for things to happen or for opportunities to come your way, create the doors of opportunities for yourself. You must be decisive and willing to do the work NOW. Procrastination is not an option.

Being proactive means that you not only take action, you also take full responsibility for yourself. This means giving up the blame game for good.

Use these tips; try and make things happen.

Akuoma lives in Lagos and wrote via sanlifepointers@hotmail.com

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

Pseudonyms may be used but must be clearly marked as such.

16

Editorial

Monday, August 25, 2014

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

KAFILAT OGBARA

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KING ODODORU

HEAD, GRAPHICS

Multilateral action against Boko Haram

T

he Federal Government, since May this year, particularly following the April 14 abduction of school girls from Chibok in Borno State, has been sounding very optimistic about concerted efforts by West African states at risk Boko Haram insurgency as Nigeria and some advanced nations, to curb the activities of the violent Islamist sect and possibly rescue the abducted girls. Multilateralism, according to one report, “is a better strategy in the fight against highly organised terror groups, such as the Al Qaeda, the Taliban and their affiliates like the Al Shabaab and Boko Haram. The clandestine strategies of these terrorist organisations and the diffuse nature of their funding have made such cooperation quite imperative”.

This line of thinking, perhaps, informed the security summit held last May in France shortly after the abduction of the girls.

Presidents Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria, Paul Biya of Cameroon, Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger Republic and Idriss Deby of Chad attended the summit which reports said was initiated by the United States, France and United Kingdom. The meeting was meant to encourage the neighbouring countries (Nigeria, Cameroun, Chad and Niger Republic) work closely together and come up with appropriate measures to tame Boko Haram insurgency, rescue the missing girls and prevent Boko

Haram insurgents from penetrating into other countries that share borders with Nigeria. However, next month will make it five months that the girls were abducted. The girls have not been rescued and Boko Haram onslaughts have been relentless; to the point that the group has literally conquered portions of Borno State (Gwoza to be precise) and hoisted their flags, according to reports. Within the period, the US Britain, France, China and Israel had effectively joined FG’s the efforts to contain the Boko Haram sect and rescue the girls being held hostage, all to no avail.

Writing off foreign assistance in the fight against Boko Haram may be tempting. But it contributes little to solving the problem.

When he was invited by the American Senate to give an update on US’ efforts to address the Boko Haram threat in Nigeria last May, Robert P. Jackson, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of African Affairs, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Subcommittee on African Affairs did say much. According, “Since Boko Haram came to the world’s attention with a massive uprising in 2009, we have been working to help Nigeria counter this threat.

We provide Nigeria with security cooperation, which goes toward professionalizing the Nigerian military, investigating bomb sites, improving border security, and carrying out responsible counter-

JACKSON HARPED ON THE NEED FOR THE REDOUBLING OF EFFORTS TO DEFEAT TERRORISTS THAT HAVE BEEN TROUBLING

NIGERIA

FOR MORE THAN A DECADE terrorism operations. As we hear reports of Boko Haram cells in neighbouring countries, we have increasingly placed our response to Boko Haram in a regional context. Through our Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Partnership, the Global Counterterrorism Forum, and our bilateral relationships with Nigeria’s neighbours, we are encouraging greater information sharing and border security efforts”.

The US, he said, had provided commercial imagery and was flying manned and unmanned ISR aircraft over Nigeria to support the search. “We are working closely with international partners on the ground, including the UK and France, and we are pressing for additional multilateral action, including UN Security Council sanctions on Boko Haram”, Jackson reported. Perhaps more impor-

ON THIS DAY August 25, 1961 President Janio Quadros of Brazil resignd after just seven months in power. This led to a political crisis that culminated in a military coup in 1964. He cited foreign and ‘terrible forces’ in his cryptic resignation letter. His resignation is commonly thought to have been a move to increase his power and returning to the presidency by the acclamation of the Brazilian people or by the request of the National Congress of Brazil and the military.

Letters tothe theEditor Editor Letters to

August 25, 1997 Egon Krenz, the former East German leader, was convicted of a shoot-to-kill policy at the Berlin Wall.

‘Order to fire’ was a common term that referred to a standing order that instructed border patrols of the former German Democratic Republic (GDR) to prevent border penetration by all means, including lethal force. Krenz is a retired politician from East Germany and was that country’s last Communist leader.

tantly, he harped on the need for the redoubling of efforts to defeat terrorism in Nigeria; and urged the country to reform its approach to managing Boko Haram insurgency. “From our own difficult experiences in Afghanistan and Iraq, we know that turning the tide of an insurgency requires more than force. The state must demonstrate to its citizens that it can protect them and offer them opportunity.

When soldiers destroy towns, kill civilians and detain innocent people with impunity, mistrust takes root. When governments neglect the economic development of remote areas, confidence can falter.

We share these lessons with our partners in Nigeria, urging them to ensure that security services respect human rights; officials end a culture of impunity”.

It may not be rightly said, therefore, that nothing is happening, except that the country’s security forces lacked the equipment, training and motivation to contain an insurgency of Boko Haram’s scale.

These setbacks the FG must strive as much as possible to overcome soonest. While we do not support the blackmail by some northern elders that not rescuing Chibok girls would mar 2015 general elections, we insist that the FG should not relent in redoubling efforts to rescue the unfortunate abducted victims and rein in insurgency in the land.

x August 25, 2012 Voyager 1 spacecraft entered interstellar space becoming the first man-made object to do so. Voyager 1 is a 722-kilogram (1,592 lb) space probe launched by United States’ National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on September 5, 1977, to study the outer Solar System. Operating for 36 years, 11 months and 14 days as of August 19, 2014, the spacecraft communicates with the Deep Space Network to receive routine commands.

A2 18

Business Courage

Monday, August 25, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Cover

Cashless policy:

Power, ICT infrastructure While the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN is upbeat about its cashless economy project by extending it to all the 36 states of the federation weeks ago, unfortunately, investigation reveals that it is currently being slowed by inadequate power and Information Communication Technology infrastructure

By Udo Onyeka

T

he cashless project, in the country, is no doubt gaining acceptance among Nigerians and bank customers. However, investigations have revealed that apart from the Automated Teller Machines, ATMs, other e- channels such as Point of Sales, PoS, are slowing down its penetration.

Every bank customer desire to receive fast and easy services from banks at the ATMs, PoS , mobile money channel and others but this desire have been hindered due to infrastructure deficit Even though many of the ATMs have been notable for gross malfunctioning, customers patronise them especially because they are available.

But other e-channels such as mobile money, PoS and other channels apart from being in short supply still face power and infrastructure challenges.

Business Courage gathered that the short comings in the supply of PoS machines have contributed in affecting its penetration, but the greater challenge is that of infrastructure. For instance, speaking on plan for additional PTSPs Head, Shared Services Office, CBN, Chidi Umeano, confirmed that PoS are in short supply.

Umeano listed a number of challenges currently confronting the ongoing cashless scheme in the country.

These, according to him, include connectivity and network challenges; inadequate enlightenment; low capacity of Payment Terminal Service Providers, PTSPs, and merchant

apathy.

He, however, noted that to address the low capacity of Payment Terminal Service Providers, PTSPs, the apex bank has been working to ensure that more PoS terminals are deployed.

“Under Phase 1, we had 6 licensed PTSPs to cater for the deployment and maintenance of PoS terminals. This was observed to be inadequate. Upon this observation a request for proposal to licence additional PTSPs was processed, evaluations conducted and approval in principle granted to 10 additional PTSPs. “The increase in registered terminals has always indicated merchant willingness to adopt.

Gaps witnessed in registered and actual deployments show apparent PTSP lack of capacity to accommodate the demand for terminals,” Umeano said.

Data obtained from the Nigerian Interbank Settlement Systems, NIBSS showed that an estimated 148, 431 units of PoS terminals had been registered since the introduction of the cashless economy policy in 2012.

Of the total, it was gathered that 115, 475, representing 72 per cent of the total registered PoS machines have been successfully deployed and connected.

However, only 31, 222, representing30 per cent of the total connected PoS devices are active, while 127, 209, representing 72 per cent of the total deployed PoS machines inactive.

Umeano, while stating measures being taken to tackle connectivity and network challenges disclosed that the CBN, has entered into discussion with Ni-

Godwin Emefiele, CBN Governor

gerian Communication Satellite Limited, with a view to exploring other alternatives to the available General Packet Radio Service, GPRS, network being used for the deployment of PoS. Business Courage gathered the CBN entered into a major partnership that will ensure internet hotspots connectivity in all the 774 local government areas across the country. The connectivity would be powered by the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited, NIGCOMSAT, to boost the cashless initiative.

A statement signed by the Head, Corporate Communications, NIGCOMSAT, Sonny Aragba-Akpore, said the pact, when implemented, would empower primary, secondary schools and the entire banking industry with real time internet connectivity.

The digital initiative contract with NIGCOMSAT will create hotspots in all the 774 Local Government Areas in Nigeria for

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Business Courage

Monday, August 25, 2014

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deficit delaying penetration

seamless Internet connectivity via satellite.

According to the CBN, all financial access points in the country will have dedicated hotspots through dedicated access points for the benefit of the banks and their customers.

It also said this same service will be available in many primary and secondary schools across the 774 council areas in the country will be fitted with Internet hotspots for digital empowerment of this section of youths and future leaders, according the apex bank.

“Although the connections to schools shall be part of the Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR, of the apex bank, the bank said that “Every Nigerian bank will be connected to this platform whether the banks are located here in Nigeria or elsewhere in the global community.

This will enable customers’ access to online real time banking services whether they live in the villages of Bayelsa or desert en-

vironment in Yobe States,” the CBN said in statement.

However, the CBN said that the cashless project has been accepted considering the volume of transaction on all the echannels. It said transactions have increased on the number of Point of Sales deployed and actively being used.

Business Courage gathered the number of PoS terminals in Lagos has increased significantly from about 5,000 when the policy took to over 170,000.

It is also gaining acceptance from the merchant side, as more than 180, 000 merchants have been registered. This indicates that demand for PoS machines had overshot supply according to CBN. Market watchers have said though there are challenges facing the cashless project there is growing awareness on the policy, as transactions recorded by the Nigerian Inter Bank Settlement System ,NIBSS, under its NIBSS Instant Payment ,NIP and Nigerian Electronic Fund Transfer ,NEFT, have increased significantly to about N40bn daily.

NIP and NEFT are products used by corporate organisations to make payment for huge transactions electronically, in line with the cashless policy.

Findings reveal that in addition to PoS, cheques and ATM usage have also continued to record huge volume and value.

For instance, Interswitch says the number of transactions carried out on the over 12, 000 ATMs in the country now exceed 100 million daily.

Analysts have however said the success of cashless economy depends adequate infrastructure especially telecommunications industry.

But the ICT sector is plagued with a number of challenges, which prevent them from having faster rollout of their infrastructures across the country.

It was learnt that even in Lagos, where telecoms operators are believed to have fairly better infrastructures to ensure hitchfree e-payment system, there are reports of poor connectivity to PoS terminals.

President of the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria, ALTON, Gbenga Adebayo, said the extension of the cashless scheme across the country meant that telecoms networks must be effective.

“In spite of the efforts being made by the operators to take

their network across the country for better connectivity, I can tell you that they are facing a lot of challenges ranging from vandalism, theft of their equipment, communal hostility, indiscriminate closure of telecoms base stations by government agencies, insurgencies, multiple taxation and bureaucratic process involved in getting approval for infrastructures deployment in most of the states of the Federation,” he said.

He urged governments at all levels and their agencies to support the cashless policy to succeed by granting prompt approval to the operators to roll out their facilities so as to ensure maximum connectivity during transactions.

Also Chairman, Electronic Payment Providers Association of Nigeria, Onajite Regha, also emphasised the need to have a reliable telecoms network as a sina qua non to a successful cashless scheme.

She said E-PPAN has been working with the CBN in sensitising people in the on the cashless scheme implementation and called for collaboration of all stakeholders towards ensuring that operators build resilient network that guarantee good connectivity in the new areas.

According to a financial analyst, Kenneth Uzor, the payment system in any country is an important national infrastructure, just like infrastructure, electricity and telecommunications.

“Today, the global economy is so complex such that if you don’t put the necessary infrastructure in place, the economy will not move forward. “some of the alternative payment system to include: cheques, the NIBSS- National Electronic Fund Transfer ,NEFT, NIBSS instant payment, internet banking, standing order, direct debit; use of Point of Sale machines ,PoS, ATMs or mobile payment, which is used for micro payments.

“That is why if you go to countries across the world today, there are deliberate projects that had been set up to improve the payment system of their economies,” he said.

Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Bismarck Rewane, has said the policy would result in an increase in the velocity of circulation, which measures the rate at which money changes hands.

“The velocity is expected to increase as transactions are

Adebayo

carried out electronically and therefore have a one-day value date as against three days from the original norm. As money changes hands at a faster rate, its price will also increase”, Rewane said. He however said that adequate infrastructure was a pre requisite for cashless economy.

Meanwhile, against the backdrop of the argument that the recent reintroduction of N65 charge on use of ATM is bound to further discourage the drive for financial inclusion, the apex bank, last week, took a swipe at critics of the new charge explaining that instead, the measure was taken in order to ensure that ATMs across the country continue to function to the satisfaction of all bank customers.

Penultimate week, CBN had issued a new directive for the reintroduction of the charge two years after it abolished the N100 per withdrawal fee, a policy, many critics said might discourage Nigerians from the use of ATMS. According to the apex bank, instead of N100 per withdrawal, customers using other banks’ ATMs will from September 1, pay N65.

In the statement by the apex bank, signed by the Director, Corporate Communications Department, Ibrahim Mu’azu, it said the measure was taken in order to ensure that ATMs across the country continue to function to the satisfaction of all bank customers. Explaining that the N100 was never removed, it noted that it was only

transferred to customer’s bank to pay.

This, it added, was intended to encourage and promote the use of ATMs nationwide, noting that having sufficiently raised customers awareness, the first three “Remote-on-Us” transactions in a month are free.

It said, “The charge is not intended to discourage financial inclusion. The CBN will not endorse any anti-customer policy.

“Charging of fees on interbank networks is a widely acceptable practice globally.”

Mu’azu said the reasons for ATM charges is to ensure customers get better services, increase healthy competition among the banks.

It also said transaction volumes at other banks’ ATM have increased astronomically due to the free Cash withdrawal at other banks’ ATM. The wear and tear as well as the frequency of servicing the ATMs, he added have increased significantly.

“Indeed, some Customers were beginning to abuse the use of ATMs through countless daily withdrawals. This development has led to increase in cash transactions, which negate the Bank’s Cash-less policy.

“Maintaining ATM is expensive and it requires economic incentive for owners to deploy and maintain these machines.

“If a part of this cost goes unabated, the banks may be forced to reject transactions coming from their customers at another bank ATMs, thereby frustrating the interoperability of payment systems.” BC

mhe re , day e nd

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Business Courage

Monday, August 25, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News Agric minister lauds BOI over fund disbursement, HQCF plants upgrade Stories by Emmanuel Ogbonnaya

T

he minister of agriculture and rural development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina has commended the Bank of Industry, BOI, over its management and disbursement of the N3.5billion Cassava Bread Fund to beneficiaries across the country for upgrading existing High Quality Cassava Flour, HQCF plants.

The minister gave the kudos to the development finance institution when he commissioned a new production line at Oamsal HQCF Plant in AyedeEkiti, Ekiti State, which is one of 20 such plants to be upgraded across the country.

“Today, the commissioning of this particular factory will make available 7.5 tonnes per day of HQCF, that will mean that bakers will have more flour and hopefully at a lower cost. The bank of industry is here to support all of this work that will be replicated in 20 locations across the country and the bank has done an excellent work in the management of the fund,” he said.

Specifically, he said that President Goodluck Jonathan generously released N3.5 billion funds to enable work on the project to support SMEs like Oamsal and help them upgrade their equipment while the Master Bakers also got funds to help them acquire rotary ovens among others.

As part of the progress being made towards implementing the 20 per cent cassava substitution of wheat in bread, the minister disclosed that over 36 big bakeries in the country were now making cassava bread and two of the largest supermarkets in the country Shoprite and Park ‘n’ Shop now sell cassava bread in all their outlets across the country.

The minister told the HQCF producers in the country that despite the fact that the facility with BOI did not include infrastructure, he however, promised them that N1million would be provided for the infrastructure completion of each of the 35 selected SME. He stressed that the future of Nigeria depends on agriculture as future millionaires and billionaires are going to make it through agriculture.

He pointed out that agriculture was not a way of life but a business and that the richest people in developed continents like America and Europe were farmers.

“But for that to happen in Nigeria, we need to have mar-

L-R: The Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele; President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and John Japhet, Regional Business Executive, Abuja, Sterling Bank Plc, receiving the Best Performing Bank in Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme in Abuja recently

kets for all that we produce, for example, Nigeria, today is the largest producer of cassava in the world, we produce 40mmt annually, but how much cassava can you eat? Therefore, we need to create markets for that cassava,” he said.

He stated that the President has mandated his ministry to create markets for every farm produce and the mandate is presently being implemented for rice, cassava and also for cocoa as the ministry is working very closely with all state governments.

“In 2011, when the president said that we would replace 20 per cent of all the wheat flour we use in bread with cassava flour, a number of people looked at him at that time and did not take him seriously, but what they did not understand was that by replacing 20 per cent of wheat used in making bread with HQCF, it would enable Nigeria to save upwards of about N200billion that would be put in the hands of our farmers.

CICAN tasks stakeholders on SME growth challenges

W

orried by the challenges facing the country’s Small and Medium Enterprises, SMEs, the Commerce and Industry Correspondents Association of Nigeria CICAN has called on stakeholders to converge and adopt practical solutions that would lift the sector out of the doldrums.

To this end, the association has scheduled a seminar to be held on September 4 at the LCCI Multi-Purpose Hall, Ikeja with the theme “the prospects and challenges of SMES in Nigeria.”

The one-day workshop is expected to focus on the potentials of Small and Medium Enterprises SMEs as a nation’s engine of growth and development.

In a release signed by the CICAN chairman, Oloruntoba Agboola, he said that despite the importance of SMEs, they are constrained by some challenges such as lack of infrastructure, weak operating capacities in terms of skills, knowledge and attitude, inaccessible to finance, poor information technology, lack of safeguards against occupational health and environmental hazards as well as multiple taxation, just to mention a few.

He was optimistic that that the workshop would be able to proffer solutions to the sector’s myriad of problems.

The event would also feature the 4th edition of CICAN Nite of Excellence where those who have made remarkable impact towards the growth and development of the economy would be honoured.

“The Honourable minister of Trade and Investment, Dr Olusegun Aganga, will give the keynote address at Gala/ Award Nite, while lead speaker at the workshop is the Managing Director, Bank of Industry (BOI), Rasheed Olaoluwa,” the statement said.

Other notable speakers expected to grace the event include, Director- General, Industrial Training Fund ITF, Dr. Juliet Chukkas-Onaeko and her counterpart from SMEDAN, Alhaji Masari Bature.

The statement disclosed that the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga would be presented with a Life time Achievement Award for his commitment to enterprise development in Nigeria.

According to Agboola, “Oth-

er awardees include, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Akinwunmi Adesina, Executive Governor of Katsina State, Alhaji Ibrahim Shema and Special Adviser on Media to the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Yemi Kolapo.”

FG kicks off global standards training for shea nuts value chain

I

n order to streamline all development activities in Nigeria’s Shea nut/butter sector to global standards, the Federal Government has flagged off the 2014 Shea Nuts/Butter Season with a training programme for stakeholders across the commodity’s value chain.

The ceremony which was performed by the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Samuel Ortom will cater for all those involved in production, processing, packaging, marketing and export of the Shea nut/butter in the country, in collaboration with the National Shea Products Association of Nigeria (NASPPAN) and Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development at the Ministry’s Headquarters in Abuja.

According to the Minister, the flag off of the National Shea Nuts/Butter season and the International Training programme for the grass root Stakeholders who are primarily involved in picking and processing Shea Nuts signifies the beginning of a new era in value addition, marketing and export of the commodity.

Ortom said that the Federal Government has realised that bringing together all stakeholders in the Shea nut Industry

will no doubt impact positively on the output in the subsector, enhance job and wealth creation, improve employment generation and act as means of fighting poverty and also promote the diversification of the Nigeria’s foreign exchange inflow.

“This is in line with Mr. President’s present Transformation Agenda in the country.

Likewise, it is the mandate of this Ministry therefore, to create policies that will positively drive quality certification of the nation’s agricultural commodities prior to processing and export,” he said.

Ortom stated that FAO’s findings indicated that Nigeria’s Shea trees produced 57 per cent of the entire Shea Nuts across the Shea belt in Africa.

He lamented that it was rather unfortunate that Nigeria hardly processes five per cent of its Shea nuts to butter neither does it pick nor export up to 20 per cent of the entire Shea nuts produced annually in the country.

“The remaining 80 per cent is left to rotten away unutilised; the out-put of the Shea industry in Nigeria has the potential of being equal with other agricultural commodities like Cocoa, Sesame Seeds, Soya and a host of others,” he said.

He pointed out that the activities of malicious middle men who make advance payments to the pickers has had a negative impact on the quality of seeds as it has influenced the mopping up Shea nuts that do not meet the required quality.

“This is because some of them are involved in nefarious activities of “shaking” the Shea tree branches in order to harvest unripe Shea Nuts and therefore collect together both good and bad nuts. This has hitherto resulted in tremendously reducing in the quality Shea products in the Country,” he said.

He said Nigeria’s affiliation with the Global Shea Alliance in the past made the Organisation in January 2014 to conduct training programmes in Shea Cream and Shampoo production in Katsina, Kaduna, Kebbi, Niger and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) respectively adding that Materials for the training programme have already arrived in Nigeria from the Global Shea Alliance Head Quarters Accra, Ghana and would be made available during the training sessions.

In his contribution, the representative of the Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Charles Ezinma, Shea Desk Officer, stated that Nigeria has lost $2.1 billion to activities of smugglers from the expected $3.8 billion per annum from foreign exchange

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Business Courage

Monday, August 25, 2014

adding that his Ministry is addressing the issues of long gestation of the crop, poor storage facilities and smuggling.

Earlier, the Acting President of National Shea Products Association of Nigeria (NASPAN) Nelly Osagie Ndaguba urged federal government to encourage regeneration of Shea Tree Woodland Park across the Shea belt, improve quality control assessment for Shea nut and Shea butter, quality and provision of modern laboratory as well as provision of ware houses.

Elumelu foundation supports African statesmen’s investment

By Adejuwon Osunnuyi

F

our foundations of prominent African leaders have been awarded grants by the Tony Elumelu Foundation to support their work in identifying and developing the next generation of African leaders.

The recipient foundations were the Kofi Annan Foundation, the John A. Kufuor Foundation, the Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation, and the Thabo Mbeki Foundation.

All the foundations share dedication to the development of Africa through a focus on the continent’s young people, an approach that resonates with the Tony Elumelu Foundation’s own emphasis on entrepreneurship as the key catalyst for Africa’s economic transformation.

According to Dr. Wiebe Boer, CEO of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, “There is a critical need in Africa for leadership development. This is a great opportunity for us to support the work of exemplary African political leaders to equip the next generation, so their experience becomes a benefit to us all.”

Through the African Leaders Grant, each organisation will utilise the funds to support initiatives associated with the entrepreneurship and leadership development pillar of the Tony Elumelu Foundation.

Commenting on the grant, former President Obasanjo said, “The Tony Elumelu Foundation has previously partnered with the Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation to support our work in youth employment in Africa . It is a personal passion Tony and I share and something that this grant will allow us to continue doing.

This collaboration to equip the next generation is an example that I hope others will follow.

Africa will be better off for it.”

Former UN Secretary General and Founder of the Kofi An-

L-R: Country Manager, Intel Corporation, Olubunmi Ekundare, Chief Executive Officer, Chips, bits & Bytes Limited, Tunji Ola, Executive Director, Access Bank, Victor Etuokwu, Major General Sunday Adebayo, An Barracks, Executive Director, Access Bank, Roosevelt Ogbonna at a partnership alliance meeting to launch an education solution in support of Yaba Command Children school over the weekend

nan Foundation, Kofi Annan, speaking on how the grant would be used by his foundation submitted, “We very much appreciate this grant from the Tony Elumelu Foundation, which will allow a promising young African graduate to work and gain experience at the Kofi Annan Foundation, on issues of direct relevance to African governance, peace and security”.

The African Leaders Grant aims to support efforts across the continent through the work of the grantee foundations and the Tony Elumelu Foundation that will influence policy reform, promote effective leadership, training, and mentorship of emerging leaders across Africa.

According to President Kufuor, “This grant promises a real opportunity for building longstanding partnerships with similar foundations in Africa striving to empower our youth.”

Speaking on the legacy of the African leaders involved, TEF Founder, Tony Elumelu remarked, “Each of these leaders has taken great pride in fostering the next generation of African business and political leaders, who will be the drivers of Africa’s future growth and prosperity. Africa’s development relies on our ability to nurture a new generation of young leaders, as these African icons are already doing.”

on remote-on-us automated teller machines (ATMs) cash withdrawals, saying that it is a step in the right direction.

Remote-on-us are transactions done by a card holder on another bank’s ATM. The policy, which takes effect from September 1, 2014, had drawn mixed reactions from the public with some saying that the charges were restored for profit.

Commenting on the issue, Bismark Rewane, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Financial Derivatives Company, (FDC), said that the reinstatement of the ATM charge was appropriate.

He said that it was wrong for the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to have removed the charges in the first place.

Rewane insisted that the charge was necessary given that the dynamics of banking is such that banks will continue to invest and re-invest in infrastructure to make sure that they continue to provide quality services for their customers.

He noted that banks are already carrying the burden of paying the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) levies; the Nigeria

Experts commend CBN on reinstatement of ATM charges

By Adejuwon Osunnuyi

S

ome financial experts in the country have expressed support for the restoration of the N65 per transaction charge

Rewane

Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) premium, adding that the commission on turnover (COT), which is also a cash spinner for lenders are also almost being removed by the apex bank.

Corroborating Rewane, another financial expert, Abubaker Suleiman stated that the re-instatement of cost recovery for the use of other banks’ ATM was intended to limit the cost incurred by banks and does not constitute profit.

He said: “Banks are still left with the burden of three free withdrawals a month, which translates to N195 monthly charge. While this cost is less than the income on medium and high value accounts, it is sufficient to render most low value accounts unprofitable, which will force banks to discontinue marketing such accounts.”

Suleiman argued that the last thing the country needs at this time is a rollback of the financial inclusion campaign, which has resulted in a noticeable uptick in customer enrollment by banks and has created access to financial services for more than one million Nigerians in just over a year.

He stressed that the previous policy on limitless withdrawals might have benefitted those who were already financially included in the shortterm but would have harmed mostly poor people with banks scaling back investments for mass market and refocusing on the middle class.

Furthermore, he emphasised that the current burden on Nigerian banks arising from the combined weight of NDIC premiums and AMCON levy as well as the increasing cost of Cash Reserves gave little room for pushing additional cost to banks.

He added that these costs

A5 21

has become a source of concern for investors and could have negative impact on capital flows.

“When it comes to the cost of using ATMs, Nigerian banking customers still have one of the best deals you can find in any jurisdiction” Suleiman averred.

Speaking in an interview in Lagos, Director, Banking and Payment System Department, CBN, Dipo Fatokun, said the policy will not affect the apex bank’s financial inclusion campaign.

He also insisted that the policy was not a re-introduction of charges.

Fatokun explained that prior to the amendments in December 2012, it used to be N100 on any remote-on-us withdrawal.

But he said the N100 was removed then so that people would be encouraged to go to other banks’ ATMs. “But the truth is that, as we said in the circular, that of the N100, N35 goes to the payment bank, which has now been completely waived. But in going to other ATMs to make withdrawals, your bank, which is the acquirer bank, incurs a cost of N65 which they pay to the switches and the owner of the ATM that you are using.

“Between 2012 and recently when the review was done, it was discovered that people have actually turned ATMs into their personally purses because nothing is charged.

Somebody needs N500, N1, 000, he will go to an ATM to withdraw, such that in a day, some people can patronise ATMs up to five times,” he said.

According to him, this had created a huge cost burden for the banks that issued the cards. This, according to him, was the major reason why the central bank decided that even though remote-on-us would still be encouraged, a customer can go to other banks’ ATMs and withdraw up to three times and there would not be any charges. But the customer would be charged N65 when he makes the fourth withdrawal.

“Of course, if you go to the ATM of your bank, you are free to withdraw as much as you like. So, it does not discourage financial inclusion,” Fatokun argued further.

The central bank had explained that it took the latest decision as a result of the unintended consequences on banks.

It had said the earlier arrangement had resulted in substantial cost burden incurred by banks in defraying the cost for the service. According to the CBN, the re-introduction of the fee was also to cover the remuneration of the switches, ATM monitoring and fit-notes processing by acquiring banks.

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Business Courage

Monday, August 25, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News PENCOM grants NPF pensions PFA license

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he National Pension Commission (PenCom) has granted an operating licence to the Nigeria Police Force Pensions (NPF Pensions) as the 21st Pension Fund Administrator (PFA) after fulfilling very stringent licensing requirements.

The NPF Pensions had started the process of obtaining a PenCom’s PFA licence two and a half years ago.

The NPF Pensions which is specially licensed to administer the pension contributions of personnel of the Nigeria Police Force under the Pensions Reform Act 2014, is already taking steps to receive the transfer of the over 300 billion Naira pension contributions of all the personnel of the Nigeria Police from the other 20 Pension Fund Administrators which are currently managing the funds in line with the conditions for the licensing of the Police PFA. The NPF Pensions was set up and licensed to cater for the personnel of Nigeria Police as a compromise to prevent NPF from exiting the Contributory Pension Scheme.

Following the enactment of the Pension Reform (Amendment) Act 2011, which exempted the personnel of the Military and Intelligence Agencies, the Nigeria Police and other agencies brought heavy pressure to bear on the Presidency to also be excluded from the Contributory Pension Scheme.

After careful considerations, following several meetings and consultations, the Federal Government decided that the Nigeria Police personnel should remain under the Contributory Pension Scheme, but with special administrative solutions to address the grievances of their personnel within the framework of the Scheme.

Indeed, with the granting of operating licence to the NPF Pensions, the spirit of the compromise whereby the police remains under the Contributory Pension Scheme, being regulated by PenCom but own their PFA to cater for their specific needs and address their genuine complaints against the PFAs which amongst others include poor service delivery has now been realised.

All police pension contributions are currently being transferred to First Pension Custodian which has custody of the funds whereas NPF pensions manages the funds and its required to publish its account annually like any other PFA. So the safety net that covers contributors fund in other PFAs is also covering police pension funds. There is no doubt that, the members of the Nigerian Police are desirous of owning their PFA in order to

serve their unique needs and also use any profits there from to improve their welfare.

The viability of the NPF Pensions is assured by the performance of other ventures owned by the Nigeria Police Force which are profitable companies that operate under relevant regulatory authorities.

For example, the NPF Micro Finance Bank is one of the best run of its peers. The Police Insurance Company, Health Management Company and Police Cooperative welfare schemes are all doing very well.

Interestingly, it is of note that members of the Nigeria Police force are simply the victims of the police pension scam which seems to reverberate whenever police pensions are mentioned since they were not the managers of the fund, yet their members suffer the non payment of their benefits as at when due.

The company has its operations Headquarters behind Force Headquarters, Abuja, with six regional Offices in Lagos, Portharcourt, Enugu, Abuja, Gusau and Gombe to ensure that pension services are brought nearer to their clients – Police personnel.

There are plans to establish representative pension offices in all Police Formations and Commands in order to provide better services to Police personnel.

The company is expected to operate like other 20 PFAs, within the provisions of the Pension Reform Act 2014 and guidelines issued by PenCom. The pension assets are ringed fence as the contributory funds are kept or in the custody of an appointed Pension Fund Custodian in accordance with the Act. It is expected that the newly licensed NPF Pensions with a good understanding of the unique nature of the job of the police will fashion its operations to provide services that will meet their nomadic nature.

The NPF Pensions is run by tested professionals drawn from within the industry and led by consummate professional, Dr Hamza Sule Bokki. Dr Bokki who holds a PhD, is a Fellow of Chartered Pension Institute of Nigeria, member, Nigeria Institute of Management, former Managing Director, Apt Pension Funds Managers as well as former Commissioner of Trade and Industry, Gombe State.

fidence in the leadership of the Minister of State for Finance, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda, to revitalize the monthly Federation Account Allocation Committee’s (FAAC) meetings through robust discussions of issues and accommodating the diverse interests of its members.

Making this known during the members’ courtesy visit to the Minister, the Chairman of the Finance Commissioners’ Forum, Timothy Odaah, stressed that the last monthly meeting of the Committee attended by all the 36 States Commissioners of Finance and representatives of the nation’s revenue generating agencies became more robust and efficient because of the accommodating nature of and his leadership style.

Odaah said: “As the Chairman of the Finance Commissioners Forum, I personally appreciate the coming of the Honourable Minister of State for Finance, and in our forum meeting yesterday night, we unanimously passed a vote of confidence on him based on the way he conducts the FAAC meetings, starting from the first day on the chair.

“The FAAC meeting has become much more robust since he took over as the chairman.

For instance, take inventory of yesterday (Tuesday)’s attendance of FAAC meeting, it recorded massive attendance, unlike before. At a stage many people were not attending because they thought it was a shoddy affair. But this time if you miss the meeting, it is like missing a good sermon in your place of worship”, he added.

Odaah, who is also Ebonyi State Commissioner for Finance, noted that Yuguda had made significant impact in ensuring that the relevant agencies that had hitherto been staying away from the meeting, now do attend FAAC. For instance, he pointed out that the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulating Agency (PPPRA) which over time, had stayed away from the meeting had started coming since the assumption of office of the new minister.

Describing Yuguda as a team player because of his

Finance commissioners laud Yuguda on revitalised FAAC meetings

By Tola Akinmutimi, Abuja

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he Finance Commissioners’ Forum has expressed con-

Yuguda

humility, listening ear, accommodating mind and objectivity, the Commissioner further said that minister usually “allows you to complete your dance before he comes in, even if there are corrections to be made. He demonstrates a sign of a good administrator based on his competence which informs his well placed comments at every point in time. That is impressive.”

The Commissioner however urged the minister to look into genuine complaints from nonFAAC bodies, especially with regards to those from aggrieved creditors with genuine claims against any of the Government stakeholders in the Federation Account based on legitimate claims from legal commitments.

NEMA bags productivity award, DG vows greater commitment

By Goodness Adaoyiche, Abuja

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he National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, on Friday bagged the National Productivity Order of Merit (NPOM) Award by the National Productivity Centre.

The awards, presented to the NEMA and 18 others, were aimed at institutionalising productivity consciousness and excellence in service among workers and organisations in both the public and private sectors in the country, emphasising on hard work, high performance, efficiency, discipline, dedication, humility and patriotism.

Receiving the award, the Director-General of the Agency, Alhaji Muhammad Sani Sidi, said the award was a recognition of the modest contributions being made by the agency to the overall national development.

The NEMA boss noted that the management considered the honour as a “call on the agency to greater dedication, greater performance and commitments”.

The President, who conferred the awards on the deserving agencies and individuals, urged others to emulate the awardees by rededicating themselves to productive engagements for national development.

Represented by the Vice President, Arch. Namadi Sambo, the President maintained that productivity was key to prosperity of individuals and enterprises globally as it enhances their competitiveness in the global markets.

Noting that development of a high productivity mindset

Sidi

leads to enhanced welfare of the society, President Jonathan urged the citizens and organisations in the country to develop a high productivity mindset with a view to developing and institutionalising a culture that accelerates growth in all sectors of our economy.

The President maintained that peace and security were essential ingredients for accelerated growth and development, adding that his administration remains firm in its resolve to fight terrorism According to him, despite the unprecedented security challenges the country is contending with currently, his administration had resolved to fight the evil forces of insurgency and win the war.

Speaking at the award ceremony, the Minister for Labour and Productivity, Emeka Wogu noted that productivity was the cornerstone for nation building adding that improved productivity at all levels remains the key towards achieving the Transformation Agenda and Vision 20:20:20.

The minister disclosed that a total of 4,300 entries were received out of which 16 Nigerians and three organisations scaled through the stated criteria for the awards.

He therefore urged awardees to give their best towards improving the nation’s economy and as well as the welfare of Nigerians.

The individual awardees are, Alhaji Bukar Goni Aji, Lt. General Chikadibia Obiakor, Prof. Addison Wokocha, Hajia Aishatu Abdulkadir, Geroge Etomi, and Comrade Issa Aremu.

Others include, Osita Benjamin Chidoka, Hadjia Aishatu Abdulkadir, Alhaji Musa Abubakar Kazaure, Ogunleye Oluwaniyi, Dara Joshua Folajimi, Chief Okebulu Jumbo, Florence Chetden, Sir Okechukwu Ofili, Adebiyi Emmanuel Olu, Obiora Edwin Madu and Dr. Nnanna Onuma Kano State Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the Katsina State Primary Health Care Development Agency and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) also bagged awards in the organisations category. BC

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business Courage

Monday, August 25, 2014

A7 23

Brand Watch with Adejuwon Osunnuyi megacrown1@yahoo.com 08025237926

Digitalisation: ADVAN urges stakeholders to prepare for analogue switch-over T

he Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN), through its President, Kolawole Oyeyemi, has urged all stakeholders with the imminent advent of the digitisation of the electronic media, to step up preparations for the much awaited analogue switch-over.

The ADVAN President made this statement while addressing participants at a Breakfast Session with the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), on the digitalisation of the electronic media, held at the WheatBaker Hotels, Ikoyi.

While addressing the fo-

rum, which comprised various stakeholders in the digitalization process, Oyeyemi admonished the participants to begin to look at various opportunities that will emerge as a result of the coming digitalisation, while putting in place all necessary facilities and procedures, to ensure a smooth

L-R; President, Media Independent Practitioners Association of Nigeria(MIPAN); Tolu Ogunkoya; President, Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN),Kola Oyeyemi; Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission(NBC), Chief Emeka Mba; C.E.O, Ultima Limited, Femi Ayeni and the Registrar of Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON); Alhaji Garba Bello Kankarofi, during a breakfast session with the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), on the Digitalisation of the Electronic Media, in Lagos recently

BATN reiterates support for anti-tobacco law

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ritish American Tobacco Nigeria (BATN) Limited has restated its commitment to the successful implementation of the Lagos State Public Place Smoking Law, which came into effect on August 17.

The company said that it would continue to support key stakeholders in the country to drive a fully compliant and well regulated tobacco sector in a transparent and responsible manner.

The statement came against the backdrop of a reaction to BATN’s recent sensitisation of officers of the Lagos State Police Command on the Lagos State Public Place Smoking Law. The company stated that it was surprised that a Lagosbased NGO would fault the sensitisation of enforcement agents on the recently passed Lagos Public Smoking law.

Freddy Messanvi, Area Director, Corporate and Regulatory Affairs, BAT West Africa, said that the company believes that this was a task which such NGOs should spearhead.

Messanvi stated that help

is needed from NGOs and other stakeholders to enhance understanding and appreciation of the law, and not a time to engage in industry de-normalisation tactics.

Other issues requiring the urgent attention of all stakeholders include stemming the increasing tide of illegal trade within the sector and using the funding that the NGOs get from their international partners to build the capacity of agencies who work on tobacco control to ensure that there is compliance with stated laws and regulations.

He said that engagement with stakeholders such as the recent sensitisation event of officers of the Nigeria Police in Lagos was held in accordance with the World Health Organisation’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, FCTC, Article 5.3.

The sensitisation of the Police was done in public and the engagement was transparently conducted.

In a welcome development and quite contrary to the norm, Lagosians have in recent times been empowered to understand

what exactly the law says.

The Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, LASEPA, which is tasked with enforcing the Lagos State Public Place smoking Law, had embarked on sensitising Lagos State residents on the provisions of the law which came into force on August 17, 2014.

Recently, a public hearing was held by the Joint Committee on Health and Justice of the House of Representatives.

Stakeholders at the public hearing welcomed further regulation of the sector but tasked the legislators to ensure that the legislation was balanced and enforceable. Pro-industry stakeholders at the public hearing also asked the legislators to ensure that there is balance in whatever law that is passed.

In recent times, stakeholders have asked NGOs involved in tobacco control to get more involved in consumer education and funding of research of alternative and healthier products for consumers, who insist on smoking as these areas are critically needed in countries like Nigeria.BC

transition to the new era.

Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Chief Emeka Mba, who was the keynote speaker during the breakfast session, spoke on “Transition to Digital Television in Nigeria: An Overview of What Is Coming”.

Mba, in his presentation, sensitised the participants on the implication of the coming digitalisation, its expected benefits and the possible multiplier effect it will have on the country in general.

While taking his time to inform the participants about the various effort the government, through its relevant agencies have put into meeting the analogue switch-over deadline of June 2015, Mba also advised the stakeholders to immediately, begin to consider the robust business opportunities that will come about as a result of the process.

He said that a lot of investment will be required in the area of content development, and stakeholders should begin to think in that direction.

The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) conference at Geneva, Switzerland in 2006 can be said to have kick

started the new age in electronic media broadcasting.

At this conference, 120 countries, including Nigeria, signed a treaty setting 17 June 2015 as the date for migration from analogue to digital television by African, European and Middle Eastern Region countries.

This date is, therefore, viewed as an internationally mandated analogue switch-over date.

The implication of this is that, at the said date, analogue TV receivers will be unable to receive signals because broadcasting stations will be transmitting on digital platforms, except where the receiver has a Set-Top Box. The Breakfast session with the NBC, was therefore convened to ensure that all stakeholders are in tune with development in this regard.

Notable among the other participants at the forum are the President, Media Independent Practitioners Association of Nigeria(MIPAN), Tolu Ogunkoya, C.E.O, Ultima Limited, Femi Ayeni, Executive Secretary of Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN), Ediri Ose Ediale and the Registrar of Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), Alhaji Garba Bello Kankarofi. BC

Intel, Microsoft co-launch tablet with Brian Computers ...launches the BrianTab iw10

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echnology giants, Intel and Microsoft have partnered with Brain Integrated Systems Limited to introduce into the Nigerian market BrainTab iw10.

The tablet is powered by Intel Atom processor and has the windows 8.1 with office 365 in built.

“The BrainTab iw10 is designed to help people experience the power of Intel Atom processor and Windows 8.1 easily with the main objective to being to make work easy and play hard.” Said Chairman of Brain Integrated Systems Limited (BISL), Tunji Balogun.

Country Manager, Intel , Bunmi EKundare stated that the BrainTab 1w10 is a world class device which combines the technology of Microsoft and Intel.

The device boasts of enhanced features including Intel Quad –Core 1.33-i.8 GHz Bay Trial –T processor, Intel HD Gen 7 graphics, 10 point capacitive touch screen, to make switching between favourite apps more fluid. It also has eight hours of battery life.

Information Communication

(ICT) Technology stakeholders at the launch described the device as a novel innovation from an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) in Nigeria.

Also commenting on the BrianTab iw10 General Manager Microsoft, Kabelo Makwane said “The tablet is much more than an ordinary tablet. The Brian Tab iw10 Windows Tablet gives you the power of touch and exciting ways to share, play, create, interact and enjoy. All the great apps you need are in the Windows Store and you can surf the web with the touch-perfect Internet Explorer. The USB Ports lets you connect to external devices while your Microsoft Accounts lets you share your tablet with other users but not your personal information, helping you keep things separate.”

Speaking further Balogun stressed that out of the box, people can enjoy the pre-installed Intel Explore and Learn App which contain various educational content materials that are of great value to students which also comes with Microsoft services like Skype BC

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Business Courage

Monday, August 25, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Global News

Warren

LSE unveils $1.6 billion rights issue for Frank Russell deal

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ondon Stock Exchange Group Plc is raising 938 million pounds ($1.6 billion) in its first rights issue of new stock to part fund the acquisition of U.S. indexes group Frank Russell.

Europe’s oldest independent bourse unveiled plans to buy Frank Russell for $2.7 billion in June to move deeper into the U.S. financial services market, where half of global assets under management are based.

LSE said then it would help fund the purchase by issuing new shares.

The exchange said on Friday it would offer 74,347,813 new shares at 1,295 pence apiece, a 30.1 per cent discount to their Aug. 21 closing price. Shareholders will have the right to buy three new shares for every 11 already held.

The deal gives LSE, owner of indexes business FTSE, third place in the booming market for exchange traded funds ETFs, low-cost funds giving an alternative to active fund management, after market leaders S&P Dow Jones and MSCI. The discount compares with a typical 30 to 40 per cent range seen in similar recent UK deals, such as defence group Babcock’s $1.8 billion rights issue, in which the shares were offered at a 34.5 per cent discount, according to data compiled by Barclays.

David Warren, LSE’s chief financial officer, said the size of the discount showed strong support for the Russell deal.

“We have been in close contact with our major shareholders ... and there has been positive reception to the acquisition.”

LSE shares closed 1.2 per cent higher at 2,029p. The stock has risen more than two per cent since details of the acquisition were given in June.

The deal, which is expected to boost earnings in the first full year after the merger, will create an index compiler with some $9.2 trillion of assets benchmarked against the performance of its market measures, which include the UK’s

FTSE 100.

Russell, founded in 1936 and based in Seattle, owns an index division that operates equity benchmark gauges, such as the Russell 2000 Index, and an investment management arm with assets under management of $279.7 billion.

Its revenue in the first six months was $875.2 million, up almost 12 per cent yearon-year, while profit before tax more than doubled to $124.1 million, according to data released on Friday in the rights issue prospectus.

S&P 500 fluctuates near record on Ukraine tension

after Yellen said in a speech at the Kansas City Federal Reserve’s annual economics conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, that slack remains in the labour market even after gains made during the five years of economic recovery.

“Janet Yellen does not appear to have broken any new ground,” Jim McDonald, chief investment strategist at Chicago-based Northern Trust Corp., said by phone. His firm manages about $924 billion of assets. “The advance to the record has been supported by good U.S. economic data of late. The Fed is also doing a good job at preparing the market for the eventual increase in interest rates. As long as the economy continues to perform well, the market is in good shape.”

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he Standard & Poor’s 500 Index fluctuated near an all-time high as investors gauged the prospects for higher interest rates after comments

by Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen amid escalating tension in Ukraine.

The S&P 500 fell less than 0.1 per cent to 1,992.26 at 1:32 p.m. in New York on Friday. The benchmark gauge is less than 10 points from the 2,000 milestone and poised for its biggest weekly gain since April.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 5.53 points, or less than 0.1 per cent, to 17,033.96. The Nasdaq Composite Index gained 0.3 per cent to the highest level since 2000. Trading in S&P 500 companies was 22 per cent below the 30-day average for this time of the day.

“Yellen didn’t say anything that moved the market dramatically, the news out of Ukraine took a little bit more of the headlines,” Joe Bell, senior equity analyst at Cincinnatibased Schaeffer’s Investment Research Inc., said.

Stocks dropped early in the day after NATO said it has seen large transfers of advanced weapons and an “alarming build-up” of Russian forces near Ukraine. Trucks carrying what Russia says is humanitarian aid crossed the border into Ukraine, whose government said the move amounted to an invasion because the convoy moved without its consent.

Russia is invading under the cover of the aid trucks, Valentyn Nalyvaychenko, the head of Ukraine’s Security Council, said on TV. “The clouds of geopolitical concerns had moved out of the way for a while and the markets were able to bask in the sunshine,” said Mike Franklin, chief investment strategist at Beaufort Securities Ltd in London. “Now that’s come back.”

Equities fluctuated earlier

Son

SoftBank set up for more deals after T-mobile

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illionaire Masayoshi Son, Japan’s most acquisitive executive, is raising a war chest that could be used to buy companies from Yahoo Inc. to Dish Network Corp.

Son’s SoftBank Corp. is selling almost $4 billion in bonds to help finance future investment even after the company scrapped a merger of its Sprint Corp. with T-Mobile US Inc. Targets could include an Internet, music or entertainment company that would help bolster Son’s global technology empire and possibly increase Sprint’s appeal to consumers by widening their choice of content to download.

Yahoo would fit that category, said Atlantis Investment Research Corp. Taking a stake in messaging service Line Corp. is another option for the Tokyobased mobile-phone operator, according to Thornburg Investment Management Inc. Already the biggest shareholder in Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., SoftBank could team up with the e-commerce company, or buy a movie maker or news service, said SMBC Nikko Securities Inc. Abelian Research said the $85 billion company may even

consider tucking Dish into its it owns stakes, Zhou said. fold to better compete with the likes of AT&T Inc. “Japan is not big enough for Son,” said Edwin Merner, president of Atlantis Investment Research in Tokyo. “He’s looking at the world.”

Son, 57, said Aug. 20 he is thinking about his next move he world’s greatest investor after dropping a pursuit of Tcould use some help with Mobile, a $24 billion company. record keeping.

A spokeswoman for SoftBank In the past two weeks, Wardeclined to comment on any ren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaspecific takeover targets. way Inc. said it missed filing Representatives for Sunnyvale, deadlines for investments in California-based Yahoo and Dow Chemical Co. and wallEnglewood, Colorado-based board maker USG Corp. The Dish declined to comment. A latter resulted in an $896,000 representative for Alibaba in penalty. the U.S. declined to comment.

Buffett, 83, has boasted for A Tokyo-based spokeswoman years about running Berkshire for Line didn’t immediately rewith a shoestring staff and turn a call seeking comment. delegating responsibilities to SoftBank, where Son is the heads of operating units chairman and chief executive like Geico and railroad. Yet the officer, has struck $51 bilmistakes raise questions about lion of acquisitions in the past whether his management apfive years, according to data proach is suited to an era of compiled by Bloomberg. That’s increased reporting requirealmost double the amount ments. spent by Japan’s next-biggest “These are some of the buyer, Nippon Steel & Sumigrowing pains that come from tomo Metal Corp. having a trust-based culture in With the T-Mobile deal off a world that requires complithe table, SoftBank said this ance procedures,” Brian Tayan, week it’s selling 400 billion a researcher at Stanford yen ($3.9 billion) of bonds to Graduate School of Business repay debt and finance future who has studied Berkshire’s investment. The proceeds governance, wrote in an e-mail. haven’t been earmarked for “Shareholders have to make a specific deal, the company the assessment of whether said. SoftBank had about $19 these filing violations matter to billion in cash and equivalents them.” at the end of June, Bloomberg There have been other slipdata show. ups. Since 2012, Buffett’s comThe breadth of Web portal pany has had to file overdue Yahoo’s services, which span reports with the U.S. Securities blogging, mobile Internet, eand Exchange Commission mail, technology and beauty, about holdings in DirecTV, helps rank the $37 billion Liberty Media Corp. and Wabco company among SoftBank’s Holdings Inc. Another docupotential targets, said Merner. ment concerning an investment SoftBank is also the largest in M&T Bank Corp. came three shareholder in Yahoo Japan years behind schedule.

Corp.

Buffett’s longtime business Softbank could structure an partner Charles Munger has asset swap with Yahoo to gain had his own challenges comthe U.S. Company’s stakes plying with securities regulain Yahoo Japan and Alibaba tions this year. His Daily Jourwithout paying a big tax bill, nal Corp. missed deadlines said Di Zhou, an analyst at for its annual report and two Santa Fe, New Mexico-based quarterly filings after a dispute Thornburg Investment, which with its former auditor, Ernst oversees about $89 billion & Young LLP. The publisher including SoftBank shares. An caught up this month. Munger all-stock purchase of Yahoo serves as Daily Journal’s chairand a spinoff of the less desirman and helps oversee its able assets, such as the U.S. investments. BC operations, is another possibility, she said.

Zhou said SoftBank could also consider taking a stake in Line, Naver Corp.’s mobile-messaging service, which people familiar with the matter said filed confidentially for a U.S. public offering. SoftBank could link the Japanese messaging company’s platform with Sprint phones, as well as Yahoo Japan e-commerce, and mobile games from GungHo Online Entertainment Inc. and Supercell Oy, the developers in which Buffett

Buffett’s lapses highlight growing pains with compliance

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National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business Courage

Monday, August 25, 2014

A dogged entrepreneur Dr. Chidi Anyaegbu, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Chisco Group, is a man with dogged determination to succeed.

Armed only with a Primary School Leaving Certificate, Chidi plunged into spare parts merchandising after undertaking the required tutelage from his uncle. Today, about 31 years after he started with a seed capital of N120, the spare parts business which he started in Ebute-Metta, Lagos, has grown into a conglomerate of businesses, which include real estate, oil and gas, transportation, logistics, hospitality to mention but a few.

By Adejuwon Osunnuyi

C

hidi Anyaegbu made spirited efforts to be numbered among the teeming University graduates in Nigeria, but twice, his plans did not materialise.

After several years in business, the Saint Andrew’s Primary School leaver, who hails from Amichi in Nnewi South Local Government of Anambra State registered for the Evening Class Programme at the University of Lagos with an eye on LLB in Law. The purpose, he disclosed, was not for him to practice the law profession, but to add value to his life. “What I actually wanted to achieve was to add value to my knowledge and my person, not that I was aiming to practise law,” he said.

However, in the course of pursuing a degree in law, Chidi discovered that his business

was going down seriously. So, faced with the predicament of not finding qualified and dedicated manpower to run his business effectively, he decided to abandon his studies and concentrate on his business. “I had to take a decision. Instead of continuing the course and become a lawyer but lose the business, I stopped the course.

As someone who was used to certain standard of living, I was afraid of getting back to square one. I decided to go back to my business to acquire an alternative higher degree because more years in business means more years of experience,” he recalled.

After passing out from St. Andrew’s Primary School, Amichi, in 1971, Chidi enlisted as an apprentice under his Continue on pg A8

Anyaegbu

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Business Courage

uncle, Daniel Ofodum, who trained him in the business of motor spare parts sales. For four years, Chidi learned the trade under Ofodum’s tutelage and by 1975 when he decided to go solo, he had fully grasped the basic tricks of the business he started his own business with a seed capital of N120 given to him by Ofodum at EbuteMetta in Lagos State.

Today, Chidi said his success story cannot complete without the mention of Daniel Ofodum and one Mama Fasholati. According to him, the N120, 000 seed money from his uncle was instrumental to him being able to rent a shop from Mama Fasholati who she said gave him the opportunity to kick start his business at Ebute Metta, Lagos. “You see, I can’t tell my complete story without mentioning them. I am just being honest. Maybe other people would have done what they did. I am not very sure.

Mama Fasholati was the first person who rented a shop to me. She could have given it to another person who could have paid more money. She had options but she decided to give it to me and for that reason I am eternally grateful because God used her to bless me,” the Chisco boss said.

Chidi started with the spare parts business he learnt from his uncle, later graduated to importation of general goods, thus, enlarging the scale of his business. As businesses continue to grow, he launched into the real estate business, acquiring properties and renting them out. Chidi who is the Grand patron of the Spare Parts Sellers Association owns majority of the shops at the spare parts market in Yaba and Ebute Metta. “Over 5000 people that deal in spare parts in Yaba and Ebute Metta, whether Igbo or Yoruba, I trained majority of them. I am the grand patron of the Spare Parts Sellers Association in Yaba and Ebute Metta. So, if I am not the one who trained you, then you must have been trained by the person I trained,” he boasted.

But in 1981, six years into weathering the storm of entrepreneurship, Chidi decided to add another feather to his cap.

He launched into the transport business, and Chisco Transport Nigeria Limited came into existence. But just like his experience in the spare parts business, transportation equally proved very challenging but being a rugged businessman that he is, he decided to face the challenges head on. “When I went into the business, I discovered that it was very difficult. But I am the type of person that does not run away from challenges. So, when I saw the challenges, I told myself that I would stay around and see how it would end,” he recalled.

Another challenge which

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Monday, August 25, 2014

The Chairman and Chief Executive of Chisco Transport Nigeria Limited has invested N78 million in building the faculty for transport studies at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka christened the Chidi Anyaegbu Endowment for Transport Studies

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Chidi had to battle with in the transport business was perception. “I kept pushing. Then, the business was like it was meant for dropouts and once you are in the business; people refer to you as a tout. Meanwhile, this is a very capital-intensive business for which people go to banks to borrow millions”. He however resolved to find solution to that challenge through various means. First, he was determined to put finesse into the business. He then came up with the initiative to introduce corporate outlook into the business. He stopped his drivers from carrying attachments (extra passengers) on transit.

Besides, he also got corporate offices as terminals for Chisco Transport Limited, instead of loading passengers in the public garage as he also changed the outlook of his workers. He

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transformed the fierce looking and rough workers to a more presentable and civil personnel.

In his pursuit for taking the business to the next level, Chidi was the first person in Nigeria to introduce transport as a course in the University. He built a transport study department for the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka to enable people to go and study transportation in the University and become professionals. “For instance, when banks want to employ workers, they employ professionals like accountants but you cannot see such in the transport sector.

Transport issue is very important in other climes but, here in Nigeria, transporters are not regarded. I felt that something was missing. If you go to the Nigerian labour market today, nobody can come out to say that he has a degree in transportation from any Nigerian university. This was why I built a transport business study and, within the next five years, we would be having graduates in transportation studies from the University. It would be a study in Nigerian transport system and not that of London or New York,” he stressed.

He observed that the few trained manpower available in the transport sector in Nigeria today are not suitable for employment as they lack knowledge of the challenges inherent in the sector in Nigeria. “What you would find in the labour market now are graduates from Britain or American Universities, who read transport and, if you employ them, they would be telling you how transportation is done in America. But there, they don’t teach them that a bus would be coming down from a hill and Customs officers or Police men would put a road block down the hill. They would not be taught about potholes on the road, or highway robbers who block the roads to rob passengers. These things don’t happen there. What they are taught there is what is obtainable in their own environments and, since we have a different transport environment from that of Europe or America, it then means that graduates of transportation from those universities cannot be of any value to our own environment. That was why I decided to build a department that would provide undertake degree in the Nigerian transport system and I know that when students begin to graduate from the department, the Nigerian transport system would be taken to a different level because the major thing they are studying there is the ill in our transport system, and how to correct them”, he enthused.

To achieve that singular but laudable goal of creating a course of study in the Nigerian University, alien to the system of education in the country, the

Chairman and Chief Executive of Chisco Transport Nigeria Limited say he has invested N78 million in building the faculty for transport studies at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka christened the Chidi Anyaegbu Endowment for Transport Studies. “With this, you can employ professionals to run a transport company. Just like the bank, as a Managing Director is old and leaving the bank, you have young people who are experts in banking, economics, accounting and risk management ready to take over.

But you don’t have such in the transport sector,” he said.

Chisco also believes that when there are no professional mechanics, electricians, and you don’t have people who studied Nigerian transport, getting qualified replacement for those running the business now are often problematic. “There is this proverb by my people, that a community populated by only men is at the brink of extinction because there will be no procreation. The only people around are those who studied transport in United Kingdom where things are well planned.

Unfortunately, things are not well planned here. In Nigeria, you will be a transporter, you’ll be Inspector-General of Police, Road Safety authority, local government chairman; you have to build your own park, you have to protect your passengers all around. To make it work, you have to do your own job and that of the government,” he said.

Though Chidi confessed that the transport arm of the Chisco Group is not the cash cow in his business dynasty, he would not also let go of it as he believes that the business is a service to humanity. “Transport business is unique in the sense that it is a means of rendering service.

Therefore, you need people who like to render service, people who are committed. You must have passion and sympathy for people. Some of the staffers in Chisco Transport have been there for the past 25 years.

Transport doesn’t really generate much money but we are still in it because of the service,” he stressed.

Though the transport arm of his business appears to have enjoyed the best of visibility, Chidi says that other subsidiaries have been the mainstay of the group. “I started with importation of spare parts. I still do it big time. I am into real estate, hospitality and oil and gas.

If transport business is that lucrative, how come that the number of operators is reducing? Most state and local governments established transport companies in the past. Where are they today? A lot of people that made cheap money elsewhere veered into transportation business, where are some of them? The true position is

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Monday, August 25, 2014

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Though Chidi Anyaegbu could not earn a degree, his love for knowledge has led him to acquire relevant knowledge, which has helped him to run his business effectively

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Anyaegbu

that, if you don’t have subsidy from elsewhere, you can’t succeed in transport business. All the successful transporters you see – Young Shall Grow, ABC etc, they all have other businesses. Transport is the heart of any economy and that is why we are begging government to fix our infrastructure and see how the economy will boom,” he said.

Notwithstanding the challenge of infrastructure which has made the transport business less lucrative, Chidi Anyaegbu is determined to remain in the business as he hopes to continue to increase its market share in the industry both in Nigeria and in the West African sub-region. According to him, Chisco Transport Limited which now operates between Nigeria and Ghana is seeking to open up new routes as it plans to extend its operations to the whole sub-region in the next 10 years.

At the present, Chisco transport business operates in 28 states in Nigeria, with offices in 104 points. Chidi believes that transport business will boom in Nigeria but insists that would only happen when the government pay serious attention to building and maintaining good roads in the country.

“The most essential ingredient of transportation is road.

We need the roads. Once we have very good road networks, it would help to reduce the suffering of the poor masses because it would reduce the depreciation of the vehicles visa-vis the huge foreign exchange we use in buying the buses and

spare parts. It is our roads that are spoiling the buses, which means damaging our economy, because if our buses are durable, we would channel the money intended for new buses into other areas”, he lamented.

As a long distance runner, Chidi did not rule out the possibility of going into manufacturing of automobiles but that he said would come only when the operating conditions for operators in the transport sector improves. “We can even go into manufacturing and use it to employ a lot of people. I know that one of the major challenges of this government is how to tackle unemployment.

If the roads are maintained, transporters would, instead of spending all their money on maintaining their buses, use the money to build industries that would generate employment. If the roads are good, it would also help people to remain in the business, instead of running away from it, as it is now the case”, he said.

To continue to survive in the difficult terrain where it operates, Chidi says Chisco Transport Nigeria Limited has continued to introduce innovative ideas to make its customers comfortable with its services.

Despite the difficult challenges of wear and tear due to bad roads, Chisco says the company encourages its customers by providing gadgets for security checks among other security measures. Apart from putting security gadgets, the company ascertains that its buses are equipped with tracking equip-

ment to know when they have problem on the highway. “We have also trained our personnel on how to detect explosives.

Another thing is that, we have a structure on the ground as most of the Chisco terminals have hotels where customers can sleep if the bus arrives late. These are some of the reasons why Chisco Transport Company has continued to flourish”, Chidi grinned.

Apart from spare parts sales and transportation, Chidi is also into courier/logistics, hospitality, oil and gas, Bureau de Change, haulage, real estate and investment among others.

He owns CTN Express Limited, which is the courier arm of the business as well as Villa Angelia Guest House and Angel Park Place Hotel, both rendering services to customers, especially passengers of Chisco Transport Nigeria Limited in the hospitality industry. Chidi’s other businesses include Havillah Oil & Gas, Chisco Haulage & Keenline Investment Limited.

Chidi Anyaegbu is an advocate of enduring business. He says business dynasties should outlast their founders and as a result of this believe, he has put in structures that would ensure that the Chisco Group remains a going concern even long after he would have gone. Part of his succession plan is the training of a couple of young men who will take over from him as he says; he would take the back seat in the next three to four years though he is still less than 60.

But topmost of his strategy is to adequately equip some of his children to carry on from where he would stop. His son studied accounting at Cardiff University, London and came out with First Class and has also acquired a Masters degree in Logistics and Transport at Cronwell University, London and he is already deeply involved in the running of his father’s business.

Though Chidi Anyaegbu could not earn a degree, his love for knowledge has led him to acquire relevant knowledge, which has helped him to run his business effectively. In the course of his business, he has attended several short Management and

Entrepreneurial courses in France, USA, Brazil, Germany, and United Kingdom. He was conferred with a Doctorate Degree in Business Administration (Honoris Causa) by Penn State University, USA in 1996.

He is a Fellow, Chattered Institute of Logistics and Transport (International) London and possesses the Business Certificate Award by University of Houston USA. Anyaegbu is a Fellow, Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport Nigeria, and was conferred an honorary Senior Fellowship by the Institute of Internal Auditors of Nigeria.

For his philantrophism and contribution to the growth and development of his immediate community, education and economy of Nigeria, Anyaegbu has been decorated both by the government and different Associations and Organisations in the country. He was awarded the Distinguished Leadership Award by the Police Community Relations Committee, zone 7 of the Nigerian Police. He is a pillar of development in Anambra state Foundation and National Merit Award in Transport at the Institute of International Auditors of Nigeria.

He was also awarded a certificate of Excellence for Exemplary Leadership and Integrity by the Institute of Internal Auditors of Nigeria, Awarded West African beacon of hope by the West African Students’ Union.

He was awarded the Honorary Member of dependable resources of Ecumenical Centre

by President Obasanjo, GCFR and he also received the prestigious Federal Government award of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR).

He was appointed as one of 100 distinguished Nigerians Bid Ambassadors for Abuja 2014 (Common Wealth Games).

After more than 30 years of wheeling and dealing, Chidi is slowing down to give back to society. In 2010, he publicly presented his biography titled “You Too Can Do It” and a Foundation to take care of his philanthropic interests. He believes that success can be achieved by anyone who sets his mind to it. BC

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Business Courage

Monday, August 25, 2014

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ThebuddingEntrepreneurs

Making it big in agri equipment fabri He epitomises the truism that success is the sum of preparation and opportunity. Starting out as a local fabricator, not minding going through the ups and downs of business terrain, he positioned himself strategically for any golden chance that might come his way and when indeed the opportunity came calling on a platter of sacrifice, he was prepared to sell his valuables to attain it. Today, he partners with notable foreign research organisations, government agencies, as well as exporting his products. This is the story of Idowu Adeoya, founder and chief executive office, Nobex Technical company Ltd

By Emmanuel Ogbonnaya

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obex Technical company Ltd, founded and managed by Idowu Adeoya, designs and fabricates agro-allied food processing equipment.

In the cassava processing sector, Nobex is a notable name in many African countries as well as well known by development finance institutions like the Bank of Industry BOI Nigeria, foreign development and research organisations like the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation and the Natural Resources Institute NRI, United Kingdom.

As a matter of fact, Adeoye’s product, which primarily is called flash dryer, has become a star innovation which has continued to enjoy accelerated interests by nations and development institutions due to the need to ensure food security that has occupied the front burner in world discourse where the focus has shifted automatically to Africa the home of the new green revolution and finding indigenous equipment to aid rapid agro-processing in the continent which is being considered as the world’s food basket.

Adeoye’s rise to prominence and success, though meteoric, was attained through a dint of hard work, sacrifice and most importantly his ability to identify the right opportunity when it came his way despite not being an exclusive opportunity. He was persistent enough to have been the only one who went after it and today, the result speaks for itself.

As a result of his distinct innovation and never-say-die spirit, he was recently contracted to fabricate and install flash dryer machines in about 20 locations across the country by the Bank of Industry under the Cassava Bread Fund of the federal gov-

ernment. This is in line with the need to expand the capacity of small and medium enterprises engaged in high quality cassava flour, HQCF production to boost its availability for the 20 per cent Cassava-Wheat flour substitution in bread programme.

Adeoye has installed the first one of the 20 flash dryer machines at Oamsal Nigeria Ltd in Ayede-Ekiti, Ekiti state which was commissioned by the minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina. According to Idowu, the machine installed at Oamsal is actually the second job he is doing for the company, although he disclosed that the new installation was an improved version of the first one installed over three years ago indicating that he constantly seeks to make improvements on his equipment.

“This one is a multipurpose six cyclone flash dryer that can handle up to 300kg per hour output. We have a similar one installed in Malawi, but this is an improved one,” he said.

He also revealed that sometime in 2007 the Bank of Industry financed a similar project in Akure which he also handled although that one was a double cyclone flash dryer .

“The dryer that we started out with that was installed in Akure was a negative design but the improved one which we produce now is called a positive design and consumes a lot less energy, he disclosed.

The Genesis While he was in the secondary school, he went into machine fabrication as a result of the interest he developed in it.

“I just felt like I should engage in fabricating machines that people would make use of in industrial production and that was how this journey began,” he told Business Courage.

Continuing, he noted, “And

Adeoya

when I developed that desire, still in secondary school, I commenced my training to learn fabrication from my uncle in Ibadan and after school, I would go to his welding workshop. He was actually a welder and not a fabricator although he also did a little of fabrication jobs like the fabrication of the soap mixer, grater and a machine that can be used to peel groundnuts.”

“In 1992, I started my own business in Lagos as a vision to enhance mechanical production as a local fabricator and since then, I have been active in

designing and fabricating agricultural equipment, from there I was led to producing flash dryers,” he recounted.

Adeoye moved moved from just being a local fabricator to becoming an international player. A rare opportunity came his way and he didn’t waste time in utilising it. “I was able to pursue the opportunity when it came my way because of my initial interest and vision. You know, if you are someone that has a vision or you are driven by your passion for something, when you see the opportunity,

you will know,” he said.

This opportunity to make it big arrived 13 years after he started out in 2005 during the regime of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. Then, the country was having the integrated cassava project but there was need to look for people who could fabricate flash dryers.

“I applied because I had built a similar machine for producers of detergents but the types I fabricate today are multipurpose and can be used to dry anything that will be processed to cake.

Adeoye took his flash dryer machine for testing by technology experts after which he was told that it was good but that there was still room for improvement.

“So I went back to work on it doing series of research and development, searching for how and where I can get the necessary knowledge on how to improve it and the materials that would be needed and eventually we got it right.”

“Later when CAVA sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation came to Nigeria to take a data of all the flash dryers that we have in Nigeria and Ghana, they found that our dryer was one of the best dryers in Africa having already installed a prototype in Cassava flour plant Akure.

“Our first machine was also tested by some researchers from NRI in UK and they also were of the opinion that there was room for improvement and that I could actually do more to make it better and that if I was ready for collaboration that promised

Management Principles

Four fundamental principles for planning 1. Form follows function ou’d think it would be obvious, but the business plan is supposed to be whatever it needs to be to solve the business purpose. For example, only very few business plans ever have to be documents – well formatted and carefully presented – to back up an investment pitch or loan application. While those uses exist, the vast majority of business plans need to be not pretty documents, but rather specific collections of lists, such as objectives, focus, tactics, specific activities, specific responsibilities, deadlines, performance expectations and so forth. They can exist in different formats and live on a computer, or a network, where multiple people can access, use and contribute to them.

The plan itself is what’s supposed to happen, and why, and how much of this and that and when things are supposed to happen. The document, the pitch, the elevator speech, and the summary memo aren’t the plan; they are outputs, or summaries, of the plan.

So why do we write it down? So we can review it every month, see what went right and what went wrong, and make course corrections. You can’t review the results of your plan if you didn’t write it somewhere. But don’t waste time making it pretty. Business plans are perishable, like food. Their shelf life is just a few weeks.

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2. It’s in the results, not the plan What makes a good plan? Not the writing, editing or formatting. Not even the ideas, the details, the strategy, the analysis or research. What distinguishes a good plan from a bad plan are the re-

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Business Courage

Monday, August 25, 2014

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ThebuddingEntrepreneurs

cation business to assist me.

“So I accepted their collaboration offer and stuck to them and they in turn began to give us some technical support and that collaboration is still ongoing,” he told Business Courage.

Paying the price “When these people came down here to take back with them the data of existing dryers in Nigeria and the whole of Africa I jumped at them realising that this was an opportunity, even most of my friends that were into fabrication even tried to convince me otherwise that the foreign researchers were only here to steal our technology.

“But I told them that it doesn’t bother me because these people were from technologically advanced countries and even if they were here to steal my innovation I believe that at least my name will appear in their paper that so and so machine fabricated by Nobex was examined in Nigeria and that name alone appearing in their report is something to me.

“Thank God, today, my name is there and not only that, they have collaborated with me to improve my innovation and make it more efficient which really makes me happy because I have realised my dream of fabricating efficient machines for industrial production across and outside Nigeria.

“When they told me that I needed to improve on my initial flash dryers and there was no money neither did I have anything to use a collateral in taking a loan from any bank, I had no option but to sell my lathe machine, one of my generators and my car and used the money to improve my fabrications and when I was paid eventu-

Flash drier

ally, I bought back everything.”

Tenacity pays “In my factory today, at least, I have about four graduates including a mechanical engineer and they handle my technical drawings and some other details, but when it comes to practical experience and exposure, I am there to provide leadership.

According to the equipment fabricator, the Cassava: Adding Value for Africa CAVA and Natural Resources Institute NRI have also included him as a partner under their European Union project to travel with them to Thailand, Ghana, Gambia, and Tanzania on the project tour.

“My business has projected me beyond the shores of Nigeria, my machine is in Malawi, there is another one in Rhodesia that is being financed by the World Bank another one has also been taken to Ghana and Benin republic.

“It has also put me on a new platform called G-market under which I just supplied a machine to the federal university of technology

sults.

• A plan is worth the decisions it causes.

• A good plan is nine parts execution for every one part strategy.

3. Accountability = metrics + management In a business landscape changing rapidly because of new technology, the business planning is more needed than ever before because the traditional means of management and accountability are crumbling. It wasn’t that long ago that we could measure productivity by how warm the chair was, meaning how many hours so-and-so spent in the office.

Now, with the world splintering and physical presence not so important, we measure with metrics, numbers – actual performance.

And for that, we need planning to establish the expected measurement numbers and then to review the results and see what comes next.

Planning is the key to accountability.

4. Planning is not accounting The basic numbers included in a business plan – projections of sales, costs, expenses, profits, salaries, assets, liabilities, capital and cash flow – look like the reports we see in bookkeeping and accounting, but they are very different.

Accounting starts today and goes backward in time in ever increasing detail.

Planning, on the other hand, starts today and goes forward in time in ever increasing aggregation. We can’t project the future in detail; it’s a waste of time because the level of uncertainty is too deep. So we project a year in months and then the next two years on an annual basis, and that’s enough. BC

Personal Finance

By Adejuwon Osunnuyi Abeokuta.

“So I can happily say that I have travelled across a lot of African countries, I have been to Vietnam and Thailand twice and some other places that I cannot even remember.

“When you love what you are doing you cannot see anytime as a tough time rather you will see them as normal challenges that you need to face in the course of realising your dream and you never get discouraged,” he enthused.

Lessons in entrepreneurship Idowu noted that in entrepreneurship finance can prove to be a daunting challenge but from his experience he learnt not to spend all his profit rather he ploughs them back into his company.

“I advise anyone that wants to realise his or her entrepreneurial ambition to be financially prudent and learn how to separate their capital from their profit. I have an account for my business and it is completely separated from my personal account and no matter what I ensure that I don’t touch my business account for personal use.

What the future holds Today Nobex is part of the campaign in food preservation by making machines that can efficiently remove moisture content in order to increase the shelf lives of food.

“When I think about the future of Nobex, I believe that the sky is just like the beginning because the whole world now is talking about food security and without preserving the food there will be nothing like food security.

I plan that since I have seen the profitability of the business models where our machines are being used I am also dreaming of delving into food packaging for export and I have already registered a business for that purpose known as Nobex foods which is going to be producing unripe plantain flour because of the iron content for diabetic people and also for export and that one will kick off in the next few months the structure is already on ground and I am going to design the equipment by myself,” he revealed.

Idowu believes that the food processing centre he planning to establish in Lagos will serve as another means of creating jobs for the youths and he expressed his readiness to train anybody that is willing to learn how to fabricate flash dryers.

“Currently we have a programme for four countries that will converge in Nigeria namely Sierra Leone, Ghana, Benin republic and some undergraduates from the federal university of agriculture Nigeria all coming to learn how to fabricate flash dryers.” BC

Five tips for setting your salary as a business owner

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s a business owner, setting your own salary can be a tricky task, especially in markets that see highs and lows. Here are a few tips to help you determine the best way to “pay the boss.”

No magic formula There is no magic formula for setting your salary because so much depends on the development stage of your business and how it’s doing. For example, if your business is still in startup phase, your salary may still be essentially what’s left over after your operating costs and bills have been paid – and this may not be a lot.

But if your business has shown consistent profit, then you should feel free to take a percentage of those profits, or set a salary for yourself in accordance with industry and regional standards.

Above all, be prepared to be flexible and accept that you may need to be flexible during down times or when cash flow is tight. And remember that you’re not an employee; your primary focus should be on the long-term growth of your business, not your paycheck.

How to set a salary as a percentage of profits Of course it’s hard to forecast your profits for an entire year, so if you’ve been in business a few years, review your past performance and use it as a benchmark. Determine what an appropriate percentage of that figure would be, after factoring in your business costs, taxes, and future growth plans, and set that as your tentative salary. Most small businesses limit their salary percentage to 50 per cent of profits.

Check out the competition One standard practice is to know the average income for your industry, field, or peers. Take a look at resources for information on income and earnings across a variety of occupations. Don’t forget to factor in regional variations and remember, you may not be able to pay yourself an equivalent salary yet, but you should know the average.

Factor In employee pay and what you give your business Remember that the time you invest in your business may vary considerably from the hours of your key employees. And while you don’t want to overpay yourself, don’t limit your salary because you feel that your hourly earnings are more than your number two employee. This is your business, after all, and while you may be investing 50 hours one week, you may put in 65 the next. So your salary needs to reflect the elasticity of your time investment. So if you’re using your hourly commitment to help determine your pay, make sure you account for the extra hours when you do your calculations.

Seek advice Even if you don’t have an accountant on retainer, seeking the counsel of an accountant to review your figures will help you factor all the variables that help determine your salary. These may include taxes, employees, operating costs, loans, personal costs, marketing, and growth plans. Accountants, or even lenders, also can help you make related decisions about how to manage your profits. For example, it can be tempting to pay off loan financing as soon as you turn a profit. This, however, will reduce what you take as a salary and could affect your lifestyle. BC

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Business Courage

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Monday, August 25, 2014

ThebuddingEntrepreneurs BUSINESS 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.

Be a specific scope entrepreneur

e-mail: olusegunmamora@gmail.com

dynamic for consistent business result except there is specific goal. As an entrepreneur, you have not made any decision until it is specific. What does it mean to be specific? It simply means definite knowledge. In addition, it means to be free from doubt.

Recently, I looked closely at two Nigerian banks. One has a long known specific brand promise and the other that just rebranded for a new brand promise. Both are very specific with the promise and easy for stakeholders to recognise when they default on the promise. One says, “BIG, STRONG, RELIABLE and the other that just rebranded say “SPEED, SERVICE, and SECURITY. These are their specific promises to customers.

These companies are specific that people can identify them by their brand promises without mentioning names. Entrepreneur can be specific about promise to customers because it helps build confidence of stakeholders.

There are two categories of entrepreneurs. You are either “General scope entrepreneur” or “Specific scope entrepreneur”. Based on my interactions with entrepreneurs and readings, there are more general scope entrepreneurs than specific scope entrepreneurs.

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There are two categories of entrepreneurs.

You are either “General scope entrepreneur” or “Specific scope entrepreneur”. Based on my interactions with entrepreneurs and readings, there are more general scope entrepreneurs than specific scope entrepreneurs

“Specific scope entrepreneur” handles detail very well.

They cannot be confused with figures irrespective of the circumstances. Many entrepreneurs, whose temperaments are phlegmatic and melancholy, are usually specific scope in dealings. They understand sequences of events, procedures, rules, and how each part of complex things works. When interrupted they will continue from the exact spot or they pause go back and do the step by step again. They usually are listener, and communicate clearly to workers, associate and stake holder.

General scope entrepreneur is often the one who doesn’t have time for detail. She can jump from step to step in random order. She is easily confused and bore with details of business transaction. That is where the danger lies. A Gen-

ing the following.

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read the story of a young man who received a message that was both urgent and important for him to respond to. This required that he travelled to another village that would last seven days if he had to traverse the road and the jungles.

However, he only had three days to respond to the call, which meant that horse must transport him. He did not have a horse, but fortunately his friend had one and he was kind enough to lend him the horse. While the horse owner was handing over the horse to his good friend who needed to travel with it, he told him “Carry my horse, it will make the journey faster”.

“Wow, what a mystery unveiled,” the young man who needed the horse to travel spoke quietly. He left the horse ranch with the horse walking and holding the horse. At a point in the journey, he strictly complied with his friend instruction that says “carry my horse; it will make your journey faster.” He lifted the horse on his shoulder and his journey stopped there.

Dear entrepreneurs, is this not the same way we assume that team members understand us when we give instructions without getting feedback?

There is need for specific communication and demand for clarity while giving out responsibilities to associate, team members, and material suppliers. It helps in sustaining business and strengthens relationships. Assumption is the lowest form of knowledge.

If one assumes that the recipient of information understands, then chances that one has actually made decision is very low.

The law of decision sates that nothing is dynamic until it becomes specific. Except one is specific about information, job description or expectation from team members then there cannot be self-motivated responses. Why that? Lack of clarity slow down execution and mislead too.

Corporate body cannot have

eral scope entrepreneur wants execution now and it must be now. Give her a contract agreement of more than five pages to read, then she read the first page, scan through other pages, open to last page and sign the deal straight. Often, this get General scope entrepreneur into trouble after signing bad and unclear deals.

Many years ago, I bought into share of an engineering startup as a minority owner and it turned out bad. This was because the CEO, great guy technically, but was a core General scope entrepreneur made a bad decision for the business. He often did not like detail paper works and we got involved in unclear contract that turned the startup book red. I learnt the lesson there and I think you can avoid that pitfall. You need to improve your specific scope skill by do-

Motivational Business Quotes

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he winners in life think constantly in terms of I can, I will, and I am. Losers, on the other hand, concentrate their waking thoughts on what they should have or would have done, or what they can’t do.

– Dennis Waitley Business opportunities are like buses, there’s always another one coming. – Richard Branson Leadership is doing what is right when no one is watching. – George Van Valkenburg

There is no royal, flower-strewn path to success. And if there is, I have not found it.

For if I have accomplished anything in life, it is because I have been willing to work hard.

– C.J. Walker Business is more exciting than any game. –

Lord Beaverbrook Let every man be respected as an individual and no man idolized. – Albert Einstein We are currently not planning on conquering the world. – Sergey Brin If it really was a no-brainer to make it on your own in business there’d be millions of no-brained, harebrained, and otherwise dubiously brained individuals quitting their day jobs and hanging out their own shingles. Nobody would be left to round out the workforce and execute the business plan. – Bill Rancic It takes more than capital to swing business. You’ve got to have the A. I. D. degree to get by — Advertising, Initiative, and Dynamics. – Ren Mulford Jr. BC

Seek to understand and be understood It is important that you listen, do due diligence and be clear about the information and deals. In addition, get instant feedback from your team about the responsibility you give to them. When you put up this kind of practices, it becomes an attitude with time.

Be deliberate about emphasis Use adverbs and adjectives in communication. Always try to find the exact form of verb or noun (“Deep yellow” bus).

This will requires that you get business communication book, materials, and constant learning from top CEO who is a great communicator.

Get the service of expert There are experts such as lawyers or company secretary who have been educated and trained to be specific and you can get their services from time to time and learn along too. In addition, I must say that you can leverage on your team members who are talented specific scope personalities and take advantage of their skills both for services and to learn.

Dear friend, it is important that you recognise that a lot of conflict and bad business deals are because of misunderstood information, expectation, and contract agreement.

We often overestimate ability of people’s to comprehend our intention and communication.

People will always interpret information to the best of the capability and experiences, and many times, it is far from deliverables one expects in business. This is why specific and deliberate effort to relay information, job description, material supply standard and clarification on contract agreement will help business success and sustain relationship. My specific goal is to write authentic, simple and empowering column for your personal freedom and our city development as your business continue to succeed. I believe you will fulfill your dream. Cheer up! BC

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business Courage

Monday, August 25, 2014

A15 31

Harnessing Nigeria’s internet .ng domain for economic development It is a common phenomenon these days seeing most Nigerians using foreign domain names for their online transactions, but experts say using the country’s domain name, the .ng, can enhance economic growth among others

By Ifeanyi Nwoko

E

xperts in the communications and internet industry say that Nigeria, and indeed many African countries are yet to tap into the potential of the internet for the overall development of their countries.

They say that the United States generates 600 million dollars annually from its domain name industry, which is part of the potential of the internet.

According to Google’s annual income statement, it generated 23.6 billion dollars in 2009, which translated to 1.9 billion dollars a month.

Uduma

Similarly, the .com, .uk, .us, and many other domain names in the western world have made huge profits from their domain names; while some domain names have been sold as high as 13 million dollars.

Omobola Johnson, Nigeria’s Minister of Communication Technology, said African

n g Si

r o f up

countries must harness the potential of the internet in order to fast-track development on the continent.

The minister, who spoke recently in Abuja at a conference, said that ``Internet can contribute up to 300 billion dollars to Africa’s GDP by 2025; and this is from an estimated 18 billion dollars in

Johnson

2013.’’ h the inhat She stressed that p portant for ternet is more important Africa than the restt off th the world, as the continent ``lags behind in almost every economic indicator. ``The internet and the connectivity network present opportunities for improving the social welfare of Africa

and Afr i c a n s , ” she said said.

Aware of the potential of the internet, the Federal Government, in collaboration with UNESCO introduced the first internet link in Nigeria at the Obafemi Awolowo University in 1995, using Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT).

In 1996, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) licensed 38 internet service providers to sell internet services in Nigeria; and Linkserve Limited immediately began commercial operations in the country.

Though advancement was recorded in internet connectivity with the use of mobile networks, fiber optics and even satellites, yet ``Nigeria is yet to tap into the potential of cyberspace,” experts say.

In 2010, Nelson Mattos, Vice President (Technology) of Google said at a briefing in Lagos, that Nigeria had an IT infrastructure problem in terms of availability and accessibility.

He said that the entire African continent could never become market potential for Continued on pg A16

A16 32

Business Courage

internet-broadband access due to poor internet infrastructure and penetration.

Mary Uduma, the President of the Nigerian Internet Registration Association (NIRA), said the nation still loses billions to the internet economy. ``Over $600million was made by the U.S. through the domain name industry, internet businesses have been growing so much and other countries have been taking advantage of it. ``Our internet economy and e-commerce have not started, our Domain Name System (DNS) industry is till at the lowest ebb. ``Internet access is a challenge, so for that reason we are losing a lot of money which we would have retained,” she said.

In spite of achievements recorded in the payroll system on the internet, e-government platforms as well as creating the.ng domain name, Uduma insists that a lot still need to be done.

She said that Nigerians, especially the private sector operators need to connect to the .ng domain to stem capital flight to other countries whose domain names we patronise and pay huge sums.

Uduma defined domain name as a ``unique name that identifies an internet resource, such as a website, it is an identification string that defines a realm of administrative autonomy, authority or control on the internet. ``Let me give you a statistics; if there are 1,000 registered domain names in Nigeria, only 10 will be on .ng, 990 will be on .com and if they all pay N1,000 that is one million naira. ``So while 990,000 naira will go abroad, only 10,000 naira will be in Nigeria, so we are losing money because people are not taking the .ng as their domain name. ``What we are doing is that we are sensitising Nigerians that just as naira is our currency, .ng is our currency on the cyberspace; we should take .ng as our string on the cyberspace instead of using .com or .uk. ``We are working with National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) to make sure there is intervention for people to be online as soon as they take the .ng domain name,” she said.

Uduma said that there

Monday, August 25, 2014

Technotalk

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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

Transforming your online collaboration

T

eamwork is one of the most important aspects of the modern workplace. However, with the widespread of internet availability, members of a team could be anywhere in the world. For teamwork to be effective, it is important for companies to adopt modern work practices and technologies that help co-workers, wherever they are, share their work in a simple and efficient way. This is where a good online collaboration tool comes in. Online collaboration allows a group of people work together in real-time over the Internet. Those engaged in online collaboration can work together on word processor documents, Power-Point presentations and even, brainstorming, all without needing to be in the same room at the same time. There are many great online collaboration tools available, which can help your team accomplish its goals.

However, listed below are benefits of online collaboration that will help you and your organisation make a decision on this useful technology.

Mattos

were 17,000,000 Small and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria that could take advantage of the mutual benefit of the .ng domain to do their businesses online with ease and speed.

Uduma, at a conference organised by NIRA ( a regulating body and mangers of the .ng national resource) to popularise .ng domain name, said that the domain is even safer than other domains, adding ``with .ng, fraud is made more difficult as it is traceable. ``Even to scam with .ng is very difficult because we would be able to know the person that registered the domain name. ``Others do proxy, but we don’t do proxy in Nigeria. We know who is registering what; the registry is here with us. ``We are hoping that by 2020 we would have hit one million users of the .ng domain name,” she said.

Stakeholders want Nigerians to connect to the .ng domain name in order to avoid capital flight as well as promote the nation’s economic development.

They also want the relevant authorities to sustain enlightenment campaigns on the .ng domain.

An ICT expert who wouldn’t want his name in print said that there had been low usage of the .ng domain. He reckoned that aside the domain name earning the country a formal iden-

tification on the web; it also provides the country opportunity to generate more revenue and create jobs.

NiRA is said to have the targets of 250,000 domain names in the .ng registry which would contribute N250 million yearly to the economy, as the body has the potential to create over 50,000 jobs directly and indirectly for Nigerians.

Reports had it that, in 2009, Austrian top-level domain name the .AT contributed over €13.5 million to the Austrian economy, with the contribution growing each year.

All over the world, there have been some tremendous landmarks in the conduct of government businesses by the adoption of e-governance in order to enhance improved service delivery in the Civil Service and also to reduce the amount of paper consumption.

Arguably, these avenues of using the “e-e-e-es”, according to analysts in the ICT industry in Ngeria should be explored to facilitate the country’s journey to its desired destination.

According to them, the ICT sector has been in the front burner of economic development and it has become highly imperative for government to give priority attention to the sector, an industry described as a catalyst for economic boom if well explored. BC

It is easy to keep track of projects: Online collaboration tools have a variety of project tracking capabilities that make it easy for team members to see the evolution of a project from day one. From tracking, to who made the latest changes on a document, to how the document was before the changes, to tagging a colleague to review the document, and so forth.

Team members can be anywhere: As long as they have an Internet connection, team members can be working remotely from anywhere in the world. This means that it’s possible for a team to be completely dispersed, while still working in an organised way.

Co-workers in different states or countries can easily work together on the same project, which helps organisations put together the best possible team for a project. It also means that while employees are away from the office on a business trip, they don’t need to be disconnected from the project, and can contribute to it as if they were on their desks.

Ease of reporting: Nearly all work projects have some kind of reporting associated with them, and report time is usually stressful.

Sometimes, you can lose track of some of the activities that have been done for a certain project, especially when you are working with a large team. However, by using a good online collaboration tool, you can quickly generate detailed reports that include all of the activities associated with a certain project, giving team members more time to work on result-generating activities.

Actions are done quickly: With a good online collaboration tool, you don’t have to arrange a meeting or phone call in order to review documents. Documents can be uploaded into the tool, and reviewers can be automatically notified via email that documents have been uploaded. Reviewers can then annotate the document and make any necessary changes and notify all team members that the document has been reviewed and is ready. This makes it much easier to keep a steady and organised work flow on a project, with team members promptly contributing when necessary.

Documents are all stored in a single place: This makes it easy for all team members to have access to all necessary documents, regardless of their location and any updates to a document are seen immediately.

Finally, online collaboration is good for organisations of any size, as long as there is interest in working together over the internet to achieve same result. Not only is online collaboration great for working with your colleagues, it’s also good when working on documents with a client as it creates a sense of teamwork and transparency and improves client relationships. BC

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Mba

Digital television: NBC keen on meeting June 2014 deadline

By Kunle Azeez

I

n spite of general thinking among Nigerians that the country might not be able to meet the June 2014 deadline of digital switchover from analogue to digital television broadcasting, National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has said the June 2015 deadline is sacrosanct and that the regulatory body is keen on meeting the deadline.

With the next year deadline, this means Nigeria and the countries around the world have 10 months left to meet the deadline as set by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) for television stations to migrate from analogue broadcasting to digital terrestrial television (DTT).

Addressing operators at the Breakfast Session jointly organised by Advertisers’ Association of Nigeria (ADVAN) and Media Independent Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MIRAN) in Lagos recently, the Director General, NBC, Emeka Mba, said after the ITU deadline, there would be no more international support for analogue spectrum as any operator still operating on the platform would be technically hedged out.

The ITU Secretary General, Dr. Hamadoun Toure, recently said that the June 2015 deadline was agreed on by all the 193 members of the organizations, which consists of governments as well as 70 private sector members.

He said, “We knew it was doable when we set the migration deadline in 2005. The benefits of the migration exercise to both consumers as well as broadcasters are also enormous,” stressing that the migration exercise will lead to freeing up of about one-third of frequencies which can then be used for the provision of other services.

On the steps taken by the Federal Government so far to actualise the ITU vision, Mr. Mba disclosed that the government had finalised and harmonised discussions

Business Courage

Monday, August 25, 2014

over the transmission network parameters with all Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) member states.

He said specifications for the Basic Set Top Box and Digital Television Receivers had been finalized with other countries in the sub-region.

Unlike now when there is no separation of functions in the Broadcast Industry, the DG disclosed that the reverse would be the case under the proposed era.

According to him, Broadcasters would be responsible for the content while a Signal Distributor or Carrier would be saddled with Transmission of the Signals to viewers.

Apart from the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), the NBC boss said the Federal Government would licence two other Signal Carriers for optimum benefit for viewers across the country. Meanwhile, the Federal Government has begun the process of licensing the second Signal Distributor.

Mba also disclosed that the focus of the NBC is ensuring more broadcasting services are created such that the current gaps in the industry are effectively addressed. His words: “Our focus at the NBC is promoting more broadcasting services to fill current gaps in content and services such as themed channels, special interest channels, educational and children’s channels, regional channels as well as new HD services.”

According to him, the regulatory body will encourage interoperability through the use of open standards as well as credible audience measurement and advertising.

However, he identified deep collaboration among the existing analogue broadcasters, advertisers, regulators, content producers and government as a necessary yardstick for the success of the ITU initiative.

Speaking at the occasion, President, MIPAN, Tolu Ogunkoya, acknowledged that digitisation of the industry would bring real transformation in the nation’s Broadcast industry in terms of content development, quality service and job creation.

According to him, the ITU initiative would definitely herald a new era when operators will be open to keen competition. His words: “For me, this is the start-off of the relationship.

There is definitely going to be a transformation.”

PPAN) has continued to blaze the trail in towards enhancing institutional frameworks and processes for a robust and effective e-payment system in Nigeria.

As such, E-PPAN has aligned its strategies with the objectives of the Central Bank of Nigeria to continue to mobilise and sensitise the grassroots on the cashless initiative in the country as strategic partner to the apex bank in the area of awareness creation for the cashless economy scheme.

Following the phased introduction of the cashless scheme in some states in the country, the cashless policy introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in 2012, has formally taken effect nation-wide on July 1, 2014.

According to E-PPAN, the import of the nationwide implementation amongst others include development and modernization of the payment system in line with vision 2020, to reduce the cost of banking services and drive financial inclusion and to improve the effectiveness of monetary policy in managing inflation and driving the economic growth.

Besides, the association said there was the need for the country’s monetary system to fall in line with standard practices obtained across the world which the cashless policy exemplifies.

Speaking on the last wave of the last wave of the sensitisation exercise carried out by E-PPAN, the body’s Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, Onajite Regha, said the exercise saw E-PPAN touring through the cities, towns, villages, and communities in Cross River, Edo and Enugu States.

According to her, the tour gave the team the opportunity to experience firsthand the challenges of not being included in the financial mainstream and the opportunities that lie fallow in converting these challenges to solutions that can revolutionarise the payment industry, particularly with the advent of mobile payment which came as an exciting channel for everyone the team came across.

Speaking on the Enugu sensitisation exercise, Regha said, “The grassroots sensitisation in

he E-Payment Providers Association of Nigeria (E-

MTN introduces affordable Android smartphones in Nigeria

O

Cashless: E-PPAN blazes the trail in grassroots sensitisation

T

Enugu State commenced with a visit to all the major media outfits. This was to create awareness and also enlighten the listeners and viewers alike on the cash policy and the activities of the sensitization team in the state.

“After the media sessions the team then moved into the markets for proper sensitization of the grassroots in Enugu state. The first point of call for the team was the Night Mile Market. At the Night Mile Market the team educated the traders on the cash policy and its benefits to their business.

“The traders expressed their appreciation for having the opportunity to hear the message for the first time as they were never aware of the policy or anything of such before the team visited.

“After a very engaging question and answer session and live demonstration on how the Point of Sales (PoS) machine works and the mobile payment , the chairman of the market requested that the team come back again to further enlighten his people, stating that a one off sensitization was not sufficient to totally educate the people on the cashless initiative.”

She said the team also E-PPAN team also visited the one of the biggest market in Nsukka, known as the Ogige Main Market and held meetings with leadership of the market.

In Calabar, Cross River State, Regha said the sensitisation took off in a grand style while similar experience was recorded in Edo State.

“The opportunity to visit the various communities, towns and villages in Nigeria is one experience the E-PPAN team cannot trade for anything because as a body that advocates for the total adoption of electronic payment channels, the sensitisation session has given credence to its advocacy and once again accentuated the need for more collaborative efforts in creating awareness that has no boundaries cutting across all echelons of the people,” she said.

Regha

ne of the telecoms operators, MTN Nigeria has taken another bold step to redefine the smartphone terrain as it launches two affordable high quality android smartphones in the country.

The twin devices including MTN the Sm@rt Mini S620 and MTN Sm@rt S720i, have been introduced as part MTN’s continuous effort to create a bold new digital world and establish

A17 33

Oyeyemi

its leadership position in the ICT and telecommunications sectors.

The General Manager, Consumer Marketing, MTN, Kola Oyeyemi, explained that the strategic focus for the launch of the smartphones retails for as low as N8000, is to afford Nigerians the opportunity to own a high quality android phone at the most affordable price, without breaking a bank nor buying an inferior cloned smartphones.

“We are committed to the total satisfaction of our customers and Nigerians in general, as we continuously bring the bold new digital world closer to them. This we shall continue to do by breaking the barrier of entry to smartphones that deliver internet access and true value to Nigerians,” he said.

The new affordable MTN Sm@rt Mini S620 smartphone has a 3.5” screen and runs on android 4.2 OS with preloaded applications including BBM, Whatsapp, Music+, Facebook, Jumia and so on, plus free MTN SIM card. It has a processor speed of 1GHz, a 4Gig in-built memory up-scalable to 32GB and a dual SIM slot.

He stated further that for more advanced customers seeking wider display screen and higher processing power, the MTN Sm@rt S720i offers a 4.0” display and 1.3GHz processor.

The launch of these smartphones will afford Nigerians the opportunity to chat with friends and family using several instant messaging and communication platforms including BBM, Whatsapp, Skype, LinkedIn, Facebook Messenger, Tango, Badoo, as well as enjoy up to 1 million apps and games.

“There is no doubt that this smartphone is a game changer and a long-awaited revolution in Nigerian market. Most importantly, it is one of the various ways we are keeping to our vision of taking the lead in the delivery of a Bold New Digital World and making our customers lives a whole lot better, while making efforts in eradicating substandard phones in the BC country,” he added. BC

A18 34

Business Courage

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Monday, August 25, 2014

Behind d Wheels This page is open to sponsorship

Autocare Top 10 essential car safety features (2)

By Emmanuel Ogbonnaya

A

H

onda has unveiled without much fanfare the new 2015 Honda Pilot although the SUV sports no major changes, buyers will notice there’s a new trim level to choose from. The Japanese automaker has announced that a new Special Edition trim had been added to the range, which already includes LX, EX, EX-L, and Touring models.

The Japanese automaker has announced a new Special Edition trim had been added to the range, which already includes LX, EX, EXL, and Touring models.

The Special Edition SE model is designed to be placed between the Pilot EX and EX-L models, and is characterized by its special markings and a unique gray alloy wheels.

The model also has an electric sunroof, Sirus XM satellite radio as well as an entertainment system for rear seat passengers. Similar to the standard model, the drive is secured 3.5L V6 engine that develops 250 hp and 253 lb-ft (342 Nm) of torque.

The motor is connected to a fiveautomatic transmission that can be paired with optional drive system on all four wheels. 2015 Honda Pilot Special Edition will go on sale very soon, and its price will be $ 33.950 (including an $830 destination charge).

What’s familiar?

The eight-passenger Pilot returns with a standard 3.5-liter V-6 and five-speed automatic transmission and a choice of front- or all-wheel drive on all models. In addition to the EX, SE and EX-L (leather) price levels, it comes in base LX and top-shelf Touring trim levels.

As per Honda’s usual practice, options are limited, and you may have to move up a price level to get a particular feature. The rear-entertainment system is standard on the SE and Touring, for example, and a $1,600 option only on the EX-L. Navigation is standard on the Touring, a $2,000 option on the EX-L and not available on other models.

If you want the rear entertainment and the navigation systems, Touring models are the only ones that have both.

Standard on all models is a three-year/36,000-mile roadside assistance plan. Previously, roadside assistance was included only with extra-cost extended service contracts.

Price distinctions Front-drive LX models are the ones going for $30,700, while upgrad-

6 Occupant-sensitive/dual-stage 6. airbags a ll humans are not created equal, and airbags are evolving to compensate in the form of lo low-risk, multistage and occupants sensitive deployment. Technology ca can now sense the different sizes and w weights of occupants as well as seatbelt us usage, abnormal seating position (such as rreaching for the radio or bending to something off the floor), rear-facing pick s child seats and even vehicle speed. While driver, passeng passenger ger an and side curtain airbags are nothing new, se sensing nsing airbags are popping up (so to speak) everywh everywhere. here.

ing t o t h e E X hikes h k the h price up to $32,950.

2,950. Slotting in between n the EX and EX-L models dels is the new special al edition (SE) model, which dresses up the Pilot with unique elements such as gray aluminum alloy wheels, SE badges, a power moon-roof, Sirius XM satellite radio, o, and Honda’s DVD rear entertainment system. em SE base prices are $33,120 with front-wheel drive and $34,720 with all-wheel drive, not including the $830 destination charge, or $1,000 more than an EX. That’s the extent of the $33,950 Pilot SE, which means no special treatment was given underneath the hood.

Next in line is the EX-L model, which starts at $37,800 without navigation. Choosing that feature will add another $400 to that price, while the fully loaded Touring Pilot, which includes the rear seat entertainment system and navigation, starts at $40,850.

Those in need of all-weather capability should opt for Honda’s Variable Torque Management fourwheel drive system, which adds an extra $1600 on top of the aforemeng tioned price tags.

All 2015 Honda Pilots come stanemote entry, a rearview dard with remote camera, an integrated trailer hitch, ter V-6 matched to and a 3.5-liter d aua five-speed at tomatic that sends 250 hp and 253 lb-ft of torque to the wheels.

Driving

capa-

7. Emer Emergency brake assist/collision mitigation This brake technology is different from an antilock braking system or electronic brakeforce antilo dist distribution, in that it recognizes when the driver makes a panic stop (a quick shift from dri ga gas to brake pedal) and will apply additional b brake pressure to help shorten the stopping distance. It may also work in conjunction d with the smart cruise control or stability control system in some vehicles if it senses a potential collision. It is often called brake assist, although BMW, for example, refers to it as Dynamic Brake Control.

bilities In drive testing, the Honda Pilot 4WD accelerated from 0-60 mph in 8.1 seconds and hit the quarter-mile in 16.3 seconds going 82.6 mph. As for braking from 60-0 mph, the Pilot needed 133 feet. Front-drive models achieve 18/25 mpg city/highway, while 4WD models drop those numbers down to 17/24 mpg.

After this Special Edition what next?

Once Honda slaps a “Special Edition” label on one of its vehicles, a redesigned model can’t be far behind. Honda historically introduces SE models a year or so before it launches a new generation.

Because the Pilot’s upscale cousin, the Acura MDX, was redesigned for 2014, expect a new version of the Pilot SUV for 2016. BC

8. Adaptive headlights and/or night-vision assist Night vision can be executed in different form forms, such as infrared headlamps or thermalimagin imaging cameras. But no matter the science, the goal is tthe same: to help you see farther down the road an and to spot animals, people or trees in the path — even at nearly 1,000 feet away. An image is generated through a cockpit display, brightening the objects that are hard to see with the naked eye.

Adaptive headlights follow the direction of the vehicle (bending the light as you go around corners).

They may also be speed-sensitive (changing beam length or height), or compensate for ambient light.

9. Rearview camera Rearview cameras not only protect your car, but also protect children and animals from accidental back-overs. Backing up your car has graduated from side mirrors tilting down or causing chirps and beeps to real-time viewing. New-school tech involves a camera that works with the navigation system to provide a wide-open shot of what’s happening behind you to help with parking or hooking up a trailer.

10. Emergency response There are a variety of ways vehicles now and in the future will handle an emergency situation.

For ex example, DaimlerChrysler’s Enhanced Accident Response System (EARS) turns Acci on interior lighting, unlocks doors and sh shuts off fuel when airbags deploy, w while Volkswagen’s also switches on the hazards and disconnects the o b battery terminal from the alternator.

In addition, GM’s OnStar and BMW Assist both alert their respective response centers of the accident and make crash details available to emergency personnel. BC

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business Courage

Monday, August 25, 2014

A19 35

Global Commodities ENERGY AND OIL PRICES CRUDE OIL & NATURAL GAS Commodity Crude Oil (WTI) Crude Oil (Brent) TOCOM Crude Oil NYMEX Natural Gas

Palm oil drops below 2,000 Ringgit first time since 2009 on glut

P

alm oil tumbled below 2,000 ringgit ($633) a metric ton for the first time in more than five years as forecasts for a record U.S. harvest of soybeans used to produce an alternative oil threaten to curb demand.

Futures dropped as much as 2.5 per cent to 1,989 ringgit on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives, the lowest level since March 2009, and closed at 2,000 ringgit in Kuala Lumpur.

Prices are down 25 per cent this year, heading for the third annual decline in four years.

Palm entered a bear market last month as favorable weather boosted the outlook for U.S. soybean crops, estimated to be the largest ever.

Futures also slumped as demand for biofuels missed expectations and forecasts for an El Nino weather, which can disrupt supplies, were scaled back.

The Department of Agriculture may raise its soybean output estimate next month, said Gnanasekar Thiagarajan, head of trading and hedging strategies at Kaleesuwari Intercontinental Singapore.

“This is probably the biggest supply that we have seen for U.S. soybeans and this is weighing on other oilseeds and palm is indirectly affected by this,” said Alvin Tai, an analyst at RHB Investment Bank Bhd. in Kuala Lumpur.

“The weakness probably won’t last beyond September. We have peak production coming up in September, so after that production will start to taper

off,” he said, referring to palm oil.

Production in Malaysia may reach a record 19.7 million tons to 19.9 million tons, while Indonesia’s output may total an all-time high of 30.5 million tons or more this year, according to Dorab Mistry, director at Godrej International Ltd. The two Southeast Asian producers together account for 86 percent of world supplies.

USDA Estimate U.S. farmers will harvest a record 3.816 billion bushels this year, compared with 3.8 billion estimated in July, USDA said Aug. 12.

World inventories before the start of the 2015 Northern Hemisphere harvests will rise 28 percent to a record 85.62 million tons, the agency estimates.

“The last USDA report was a bit conservative, the estimates could be higher in September,” said Gnanasekar. “The USDA was probably worried about possible weather hindering the crop estimates in August.”

Palm oil may drop to 1,700 ringgit in the coming months if the USDA raises soybean estimates, said Gnanasekar.

Soybean oil traded at 33.02 cents a pound on the Chicago Board of Trade, after touching 32.76 cents on Aug. 20, the lowest level since September 2009.

Soybeans slumped to $10.35 a bushel on Aug. 20, the lowest since September 2010. Palm’s discount to soybean oil shrunk to about $95.69 a ton last Friday from an average of $244 in 2013, data compiled by Bloomberg show. BC

Price 97.88 104.84 66,540.00 3.80

Change 0.00 -1.18 -550.00 -0.04

% Change 0.00% -1.11% -0.82% -1.12%

Contract Sep 14 Sep 14 Jan 15 Sep 14

Time(ET) 17:14:59 18:00:00 14:59:41 17:14:49

REFINED PRODUCTS RBOB Gasoline USd/gal.

NYMEX Heating Oil USd/gal.

ICE Gasoil USD/MT TOCOM Kerosene JPY/kl

274.43 286.61 885.75 82,810.00

0.00 0.00 -3.75 -470.00

0.00% 0.00% -0.42% -0.56%

Sep 14 Sep 14 Sep 14 Feb 15

17:14:28 17:14:28 18:00:00 14:59:41

EMISSIONS ICE ECX Emissions

6.29

+0.06

+0.96%

Dec 14

11:59:59

Gold, Silver and GOLD COMEX Gold TOCOM Gold Gold Spot Euro Spot British Pound Spot Japanese Yen Spot Indian Rupee Spot

Units USD/bbl.

USD/bbl.

JPY/kl USD/MMBtu

EUR/MT

Industrial Metals Prices USD/t oz.

JPY/g USD/t oz.

EUR/t oz.

GBP/t oz.

JPY/t oz.

INR/t oz.

1,294.80 4,272.00 1,293.75 963.31 769.12 132,749.13 78,627.69

+12.00 +17.00 +11.16 +5.41 +9.49 +895.09 +492.11

+0.94% +0.40% +0.87% +0.56% +1.25% +0.68% +0.63%

Dec 14 Jun 15 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

17:15:00 14:59:58 16:59:45 16:59:57 16:59:56 16:59:45 16:58:44

USD/t oz.

JPY/g USD/t oz.

EUR/t oz.

GBP/t oz.

JPY/t oz.

INR/t oz.

20.37 67.10 20.33 15.14 12.09 2,085.85 1,236.10

0.00 -0.80 -0.07 -0.09 +0.01 -10.61 -6.26

0.00% -1.18% -0.33% -0.60% +0.05% -0.51% -0.50%

Sep 14 Jun 15 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

17:14:56 14:38:39 16:59:48 16:59:57 16:59:46 16:59:52 16:59:46

OTHER PRECIOUS METALS Platinum Spot USD/t oz.

Palladium Spot USD/t oz.

1,463.69 864.45

+3.06 -8.43

+0.21% -0.97%

N/A N/A

16:58:10 16:56:03

INDUSTRIAL METALS COMEX Copper USd/lb.

LME 3 Month Copper USD/MT LME 3 Month Aluminum USD/MT LME 3 Month Zinc USD/MT LME 3 Month Tin USD/MT

321.45 7,115.00 1,988.00 2,360.00 22,850.00

0.00 -10.00 -34.00 -20.00 -40.00

0.00% -0.14% -1.68% -0.84% -0.17%

Sep 14 2014 10 31 2014 10 31 2014 10 31 2014 10 31

17:15:00 07/31/2014 07/31/2014 07/31/2014 07/31/2014

Agricultural Commodity Prices GRAINS CBOT Corn USd/bu.

362.25 CBOT Wheat USd/bu.

534.25 CBOT Oats USd/bu.

330.75 CBOT Rough Rice USD/cwt 12.79 CBOT Soybeans USd/bu.

1,058.50 CBOT Soybean Meal USD/st 342.40 CBOT Soybean Oil USd/lb.

35.71 ICE Canola CAD/mt 434.30

-4.75 +4.00 +0.25 -0.20 -23.50 -6.40 -0.69 -7.00

-1.29% +0.75% +0.08% -1.50% -2.17% -1.83% -1.90% -1.59%

Dec 14 Sep 14 Dec 14 Sep 14 Nov 14 Dec 14 Dec 14 Nov 14

14:15:00 14:15:00 14:15:00 14:14:58 14:15:00 14:15:00 14:15:00 14:14:59

SOFTS ICE Cocoa ICE Coffee “C” ICE Sugar #11 ICE Orange Juice Conc ICE Cotton #2 SFE Greasy Wool CME Lumber TOCOM Rubber CME Ethanol

USD/mt USd/lb.

USd/lb.

USd/lb.

USd/lb. cents/kg USD/tbf JPY/kg USD/gal.

3,207.00 192.35 16.35 139.35 63.27 324.10 205.80 1.91

-12.00 -2.70 -0.11 -1.35 +0.40 -0.30 -0.10 +0.01

-0.37% -1.38% -0.67% -0.96% +0.64% -% -0.09% -0.05% +0.47%

Dec 14 Sep 14 Oct 14 Sep 14 Dec 14 Aug 14 Sep 14 Jan 15 Oct 14

13:30:00 13:35:10 13:08:34 14:00:00 14:20:35 14:54:40 05:59:55 14:14:11

LIVESTOCK CME Live Cattle CME Feeder Cattle CME Lean Hogs

USd/lb.

USd/lb.

USd/lb.

156.00 220.28 102.83

-1.33 -0.40 -0.35

-0.84% -0.18% -0.34%

Oct 14 Aug 14 Oct 14

17:00:00 14:54:32 14:54:31

SILVER COMEX Silver TOCOM Silver US Dollar Spot Euro Spot British Pound Spot Japanese Yen Spot Indian Rupee Spot

China’s corn consumers hit hard by tough import stance

C

hina’s tough stance on GMOtainted U.S. corn imports is starting to bite the country’s consumers of corn in the wallet, with cash and nearby futures prices both scaling record highs in recent days.

China is the world’s second largest and fastest-growing consumer of corn, recording three times the demand growth of top consumer, the United States, since 2008.

China’s output growth has also outpaced the U.S. in recent years, but has lagged consumption growth by nearly a

third and necessitated a swing in China trade flows from net exporter to net importer roughly six years ago.

Since 2009, China’s actual imported tonnages of corn have remained modest in comparison with top importer Japan and other large buyers, such as Mexico and the European Union.

Yet the fact that the world’s second largest corn producer actually needed to supplement its own supplies with imports proved to be a supportive feature of the U.S. corn market in recent years,

that is until Beijing started banning U.S. supplies because they contained genetically modified strains that were yet to be approved by China’s biosecurity regulators.

Growers in Argentina, Brazil and Ukraine have in theory been able to fill in the supply gap left by the rejected American cargoes, but in reality China’s imports of corn from all origins have declined steadily in recent months and for the latest reporting period were nearly 100,000 tonnes

below the 2009-13 average.

This means that domestic corn prices may retain their firming bias until the top areas get the rains they need, and may only undergo a notable pull back if the other growing areas in the north get some moisture as well.

This in turn may mean that consumers in China may see prices push even higher over the coming weeks before there’s any real chance of an aggressive break. BC

A20 36

Business Courage

Monday, August 25, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sterling Bank bags CBNs best performing bank award

By Adejuwon Osunnuyi

T

he Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN has conferred the Best Performing Bank under Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme (CACS) on the Sterling Bank for its leading role in Agricultural financing.

The Award was presented to the Bank at the CBN’s Annual Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Finance Conference held at the Sheraton Hotel & Towers, Abuja.

The conferment of the Award to the Bank is in recognition of its commitment to the growth of the Agricultural sector.

Sterling Bank has disbursed sizeable funds to its customers under the aforementioned scheme.

Speaking at the event, the CBN Governor, Emefele Godwin commended the Bank for its support to the Agricultural sector adding that with the support of Financial Institutions, activities in the Agricultural sector will increase and in the process take its right of place in the Nation’s economy.

Corroborating the remarks made by the CBN Governor, the Regional Business Executive of Sterling Bank; Japhet John speaking on behalf of the Bank MD assured that the Bank will

continue to provide funding across the value chain to ensure sustainable growth for the sector.

His words: “Agriculture is an important sector of the economy with high potential for employment generation, food security and poverty reduction. The sector played a key role in the economic growth of the country before the discovery of oil. At Sterling Bank, we intend to bring back these glorious days for the sector through adequate funding.”

Japhet further commended the Federal Government for introducing the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) which is aimed at making agriculture a main driver of the economy with adequate support from the Government and the private sector, and the Apex Bank for providing the much needed funding structure under the scheme for on-lending.

“The role of the financial institutions is to support the economy. Today, Agriculture still remains a main stay of the Nigeria Economy as it provides the majority of the populace with employment, income and food. Selfsufficiency in food production must be the top priority of any government, but this cannot happen unless there exists proper financing structures. At

Adeola

Sterling Bank, we provide finance and advisory services to individuals and companies that need funds to finance agriculture and agro allied businesses.

We finance all actors along the value chain from production to processing as well as input, transportation and marketing among others.

He disclosed that the Bank had achieved about 3.5% of the 5% allocated to the sector just as he assured that allocation to the sector will be increased before the end of the year. He also stated that the Bank leverages on the various CBN schemes, in addition to its own pool of funds, for lending to the sector. “We are very much involved

in the Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES) of the Federal Government as Sterling Bank is one of the few banks that supported the scheme when it commenced and have remained so till date”, he added.

The Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme (CACS) was established by the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development as a strategic response to the lingering food crisis worsened by the global financial meltdown.

The fund is sourced from a N200 Billion Federal Government of Nigeria Bond structured into 7- year tenor, with the same status as other Federal Government Bonds, and it is secured against the assets of the Federal Government.

The scheme is aimed at fast tracking the development of the agricultural sector of the Nigerian economy by providing credit facilities to commercial agricultural enterprises at a single digit interest rate; enhancing national food security by increasing food supply and effecting agricultural product prices, thereby promoting low food inflation and reducing the cost of credit for agricultural production to enable farmers exploit the potentials of the sector among others. BC

N220bn bailout: SMEs seek list of financial institutions, beneficiaries

S

ome small scale industrialists have urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to release the list of financial institutions and the class of beneficiaries for N220 billion bailout to SMEs. They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interviews in Lagos that many SMEs could not secure previous loans because some designated banks preferred given loan to established firms.

They also urged the CBN to direct development banks like Bank of Industry (BoI) and Bank of Agriculture (BoA) to simplify the requirements for granting the loan.

The Secretary, National Association of Small Scale Enterprises (NASME), Eke Ubiji, who lauded the Federal Government for the gesture, asked it to closely monitor the loan disbursement.

According to him, the N220 billion lifeline to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Fund (MSMEDF) should go to the targeted audience rather than to already established firms. ``This time around, we hope that the SMEs will benefit from the development fund because in the past only big firms benefited from the N200 billion bailout to the sector. ``The effort of the Federal Government is laudable but we want the CBN to release a comprehensive guideline or list of the financial institutions that

are eligible to disburse the funds,” Ubiji said.

Ubiji said that some of the association members who benefited from the earlier fund encountered herculean task in securing the loan.

He said that although some had repaid the loan, some were yet to meet their obligation due to the various challenges confronting the economy.

Obafunwa Olaleke, who owns Obalok Ventures Ltd, a water packaging outfit, admitted receiving loan from BoI in 201, but did not disclosed the amount.

Olaleke said that the repayment plan was not so favourable because the interest rate was fairly high while the process of obtaining the loan was cumbersome.

He said that although he had managed to pay back the loans, the aim of the loan had been defeated by the challenges of doing business in the country. ``The Bank of Industry is good because at least they gave me the loan I used to start my water packaging business. ``The only thing is that before you get the loan, you will suffer. You have to submit all the papers and documents in this world. ``Anyway, it is better than the commercial banks that have very high interest rates. It will be better if the government monitors the disburse-

ment of the N220 billion to the SMEs,” Olaleke said.

Gbonju Awojuyigbe, Director of Wandy Foods Ltd., a food packaging and processing firm, said that she could not access the earlier loan through the BoI. Awojuyigbe said that she could count her colleagues who got loans from development banks because the requirements were too high and the processes tiring.

She decried the poor electricity supply in the country, adding that poor electricity supply was capable of making any loan obtained meaningless. ``We depend on generating sets to run our businesses and the cost is enormous,” she said.

Lukman Alade, who runs a transport service business, said that he was granted three million naira to start his business in 2010, and he paid back 200,000 as interest.

Alade said that he was able to pay back the loan without any hitch, and he wishes to take another loan soon to expand the business. ``The Federal Government has tried well for small and upcoming businesses by putting a gesture in place. ``Although, I heard that some people find it difficult to access the loan but I got mine easily,” Alade said.

Segun Kuti-George, Chairman, Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI), Lagos Chapter,

said that the launching of the MSMEDF was a laudable idea.

Kuti-George alleged that most commercial, development banks and other financial institutions had paid lip service to granting loans to SMEs. ``The intervention of the Federal Government is excellent. For the first time, I see a fund being released that will be directed to the real people who need it, the micro, small and medium enterprises. ``We are so optimistic that once the disbursement starts and requirements are met by members, it will go in the right channel. ``However, we want the Federal Government to monitor the banks or whoever is responsible to avoid the mistakes of the past. ``The issue is not that the money is unavailable some banks just prefer to give loans to whoever they please. ``This is government loan and we hope it will serve the masses,” KutiGeorge said, and urged that disbursing banks to trust SMEs instead of warding them off.

He, however, asked SMEs operators to imbibe the culture of proper record keeping and good corporate governance to enable them get loan.

NAN reports that the CBN officially commenced the disbursement of the 220 billion MSMEDF on Aug. 20 in Abuja. The fund was launched in 2013. BC

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business Courage

Monday, August 25, 2014

A21 37

Stock market last week

By Adejuwon Osunnuyi Equities turnover of 1.031 billion shares worth N12.284 billion in 22,056 deals were traded last week by investors on the floor of the Exchange in contrast to a total of 1.367 billion shares valued at N13.295 billion that exchanged hands the previous week in 23,973 deals.

The Financial Services Industry (measured by volume) led the activity chart with 790.128 million shares valued at N6.366 billion traded in 11,151 deals; thus contributing 76.67% and 51.82% to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively.

The Conglomerates Industry followed with a turnover of 81.650million shares worth 663.774 million in 1,534 deals. The third place was occupied by Consumer Goods Industry with 54.716 million

A

shares worth N3.154 billion in 3,446 deals.

Trading in The Top Three Equities Namely- Access bank Plc, Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc and Zenith International Bank Plc (measured by volume) accounted for 228.837 million shares worth N2.863 billion in 3,188 deals, contributing 22.20% and 23.31% to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively.

ETPs Also traded during the week were a total of 13,804 units of Exchange Traded Products (ETPs) valued at N541,755.15 million executed in 21 deals compared with a total of 47,946 units valued at N1.008 million transacted last week in 21 deals.

Retail bonds Similarly, 7,700 units of bonds (State and FGN bonds) valued at N8, 663,783.51 were traded this week in 6 deals compared with a total of 300

units of FGN bonds valued at N339, 762.78 million transacted last week in 3 deals.

Index movement The NSE All-Share Index and Market Capitalization appreciated by 0.44 per cent to close on Friday at 41,564.19 and N13.724 trillion respectively.

Similarly, all the indices appreciated during the week with the exception of NSE Banking index (0.18 per cent), NSE Consumer Index (0.06 per cent) and NSE Lotus II (0.15 per cent) while the NSE ASeM index closed flat.

Summary of price changes Thirty-four equities appreciated in prices during the week higher than 30equities of the preceding week. Forty-two equities depreciated in prices lower than 44 equities of the preceding week, while one 124 equities remained unchanged lower than 125 recorded in the preceding week. BC

Ighodalo emerges Sterling Bank new chairman

By Adejuwon Osunnuyi

S

terling Bank Plc has announced the appointment of Asue Ighodalo as the new Chairman, Board of Directors of the Bank.

Ighodalo succeeds Alhaji (Dr.) Sulaiman Adebola Adegunwa, OFR, who retired from the bank after twelve years of exceptional service.

In a statement by the bank’s Chief Executive, Yemi Adeola, he commended the outgoing chairman for contributing immensely to the sustained growth of the Bank.

The statement read in part, “During his tenure, Dr. Adegunwa provided purposeful leadership and demonstrated his undivided commitment to ensuring that Sterling Bank occupies its rightful place in the banking industry, whilst bringing his diverse experi-

ence in international business to bear on the fortunes of the Bank.”

Commenting on the appointment of the new Chairman, Adeola expressed optimism that the bank would benefit immensely from Asue Ighodalo’s wealth of experience.

He further stated that his selection was based on his track record as an accomplished professional and astute businessman – who typifies the Bank’s value system which is hinged on integrity, dynamism, and purposeful leadership.

Ighodalo is the co-Founder of Banwo & Ighodalo, a leading corporate and commercial law firm in Nigeria, founded in partnership in 1991.

His core practice areas are Corporate Finance, Capital Markets, Mergers and Acquisitions, Banking & Securities,

Foreign Investments & Divestments, Energy & Natural Resources, Privatization and Project Finance.

A product of the prestigious Kings College, Lagos, Ighodalo obtained a BSc. in Economics from the University of Ibadan, an LL.B from London School of Economics and a BL from the Nigerian Law School.

A member of several professional associations, he currently sits on the board of notable public and private companies including Dangote Flour Mills Plc, Okomu Oil Palm Company Plc, Boff & Co. Insurance Brokers Ltd, the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, the Christopher Kolade Foundation, the Fate Foundation (an NGO committed to the development of entrepreneurs in Nigeria) and Global Mix Ltd (where he Chairs the Board). BC

Market Indicators for Week Ended 22-08-14 All-Share Index 41,564.19 POINTS Market Capitalization N13,724,390,450,025.12 Stock Updates GAINERS COMPANY

OPENING PRICE

MRS

CLOSING PRICE

CHANGE

54

58.49

8.86

9.2

0.34

ASHAKACEM

33.71

34

0.29

PREMBREW

1.44

1.58

0.14

9.8

9.9

0.1

CLOSING PRICE

CHANGE

BERGER

NASCON

4.49

LOSERS COMPANY

OPENING PRICE

FO

238

231.2

-6.8

NB

178.95

175.54

-3.41 -3.41

MOBIL WAPCO

177

175.54

120.01

118.31

-1.7

60.5

59

-1.5

UACN

Inter-Bank Rates TENOR

RATE%(PREV) 06-Aug-2014

RATE%(CURR) 07-Aug-2014

CALL

14.0000 - 14.5000%

14.0000 - 14.0000%

OBB

14.0000 - 14.5000%

14.0000 - 14.2500%

Primary Market Auction TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

91-Day 182-Day 91-Day

RATE (%)

DATE

40647.81

9.9

20-AUG-14

30000

10.2

20-AUG-14

45177.87

10

06-AUG-14

Open Market Operation TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

136Day

50000

10.8

RATE (%)

11-AUG-14

DATE

134Day

50000

10.8

30-July-14

129Day

70000

10.8

07-July-14

Wholesale Dutch Auction System AMOUNT OFFERED

MARKET DEMAND

AMOUNT SOLD

DATE

$350m

$ 349,679,077.02m

$ 349,679,077.02m

20-August-14

$350m

$ 349,998,348.72m

$ 349,998,348.72m

18-August-14

A22 38

Business Courage

Monday, August 25, 2014

Caverton: Leveraging on group assets

By Johnson Okanlawon

C

averton Plc, an offshore support group that operates in the marine and aviation logistics sectors of the Nigerian oil and Gas Company posted an improved net income for the financial year ended December 31, 2013. Though the company has paid up the restructured Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, AMCON, loan of N4.5bn, the borrowed loan from other banks may affect its financials in future.

Profitability The company recorded a profit after tax of N1.88bn for the financial year ended December 31, 2013 an increase of 37.9 per cent when compared to N1.36bn recorded in the same period of 2012, while its turnover rose 15.7 per cent to N18.7bn, from N16.1bn recorded in the corresponding period of 2012. The increase in both net profit and the gross earnings was attributed to the stability and incremental business from both existing and new contracts signed in the financial year under review.

Further analysis showed that its operating and administration costs however increased 25.8 per cent to N16.9bn in 2013, from N13.4bn in 2012 on the back of more contracts were awarded to the company. The dividend policy of the company remains, as it gave 12.5 kobo for every N1.00 ordinary share held and the payment in the year was equivalent to N418m.

Also, the total operating profit increased to N2.85bn in the review period, from N783.8m recorded in 2012.

Liquidity Analysis of the company’s balance sheet showed that its assets-current and noncurrent- are more than its equity and liabilities, as its inventories, prepayments, properties and plants, including cash in banks recorded improvements. The difference between its total assets and equity stood at N27.9bn. To-

tal non-current assets rose 33.3 per cent to N34.2bn in 2013, from N18.2bn recorded in 2012, while total current assets dropped to N15.1bn, a decline of 23.9 per cent when compared to N19.8bn recorded in 2012.

The company property, plant and equipment stood at N18.2bn in the review period, from N12.1bn recorded in 2012, while intangible assets reduced to N3.33bn, from N1.3bnrecorded the preceding year. Goodwill remained flat at N6.03bn, which is higher than the company profit after tax. However, the company inventories stood at N1.7bn in 2013, from N542m in 2012, while trade and other receivables dipped to N10.7bn, from N11.4bn in 2012. Due from related parties stood at N1.51bn, from N7.08bn in 2012, while prepayments, cash at bank stood at N127m and N1.64bn, from N57.0m and N773.8m respectively.

The total equity as at December 2013 stood at N11.4bn, an increase of 15.9 per cent when compared to N9.82bn recorded in the corresponding period of 2012. Ordinary share capital and share premium remained N1.8bn and N6.61bn respectively. Retained earnings stood at N2.08bn, from N1.44bn in 2012, while noncontrolling interest stood at

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

ment Company (SPDC) for the supply and operation of seven helicopters, on record as the biggest contract ever awarded by the oil multinational to an indigenous company. Carverton’s listing comes barely six weeks after Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc successfully undertook its initial public offer.

Olabode Makanjuola

107.2bn, from N88m in 2012.

Listing on NSE The Nigerian Stock Exchange listed the company on May 20, 2014. The company made history as the first oil services company to be listed on the main board of the Exchange, when the firm’s 3.35 billion shares was listed by way of introduction at N9.50 per share in Logistics and Support Services sub-sector, created to accommodate the listing. With its listing by introduction, it provides shareholders, who bought 13.3 per cent of the company through a private placement in 2008, with the platform to trade in the company’s stock. To meet the minimum float requirement of the NSE, Caverton listed 6.7 per cent of the company for institutional and retail investors to take a position in the company’s stock, bringing the

volume of its traded shares to 20 per cent.

Speaking at the facts behind the listing, Chief Executive Officer of Caverton, Mr. Olabode Makanjuola, explained that the listing on the stock market was to create a legacy business that can outlive its founders and maximise the opportunities created by the federal government’s local content policy.

Incorporated in 2008, Caverton Offshore Support Group (Caverton) is the holding company of Caverton Helicopters and Caverton Marine Limited, two Nigerian companies that have grown dramatically to become industry leaders in the oil and gas, aviation and marine sub-sectors. Caverton Helicopters, after a rigorous competitive bidding process, edged out long-established foreign operators to win a $648 million multi-year contract from Shell Petroleum Develop-

Business outlook The company planned to operate in Ghana, Congo, Mozambique and Angola, as marine vessels, pipeline surveillance and seafarer training would be introduced. “We will soon emerge the preferred offshore support and logistics provider in Sub-Saharan Africa by offering a fleet of modern aircraft and offshore support vessels as we migrate into a global conglomerate that is committed to enhanced value creation to all stakeholders,” the chairman of the company, Mr. Aderemi Makanjuola said at the Annual General Meeting.

Also, the company wishes to promote its AIM 4 ZERO campaign in the current financial year and it has started in May the corporate rebranding exercise with the unification of all operating companies’ logos into a single logo that all the companies under Caverton are now using. The campaign entails paying more attention to communicative media. It has also obtained regulatory approvals to commence the reconstruction of maintenance, repair and overall centre as well as aviation training centre on a 40,000 sq meters facility and NMIA, both of which will house original equipment manufacturers .

The venture partnership of Caverton Marine and RK Offshore Management Limited owners, suppliers and operators of marine equipment based in Singapore is now well positioned to convert opportunities for full participation in the provision of logistics to both national and international oil companies with subSaharah Africa.

Analyst’s opinion The large chunk of company revenue is being used to service debts; the company should consider raising cheaper capital in the stock market in the nearest future. Also, Money spent on goodwill is far higher than the net income of the company, which may discourage some shareholders interests. With the level of new contracts being embarked by the company, it ought to deliver better dividends in the next financial year. BC

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business Courage

Monday, August 25, 2014

A23 39

STOCKWATCH Stock Exchange weekly equities summary as at Friday, Aug 22, 2014 SECURITY

PRICE (=N=)

AGRICULTURE/AGRO-ALLIED Crop Production FTN COCOA PROCESSORS PLC NT OKOMU OIL PALM PLC. 36.47 PRESCO PLC 36.30 Fishing/Hunting/Trapping ELLAH LAKES PLC. NT Livestock/Animal Specialties LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC. 3.21 CONGLOMERATES Diversified Industries A.G. LEVENTIS NIGERIA PLC. 1.40 CHELLARAMS PLC. NT JOHN HOLT PLC. 1.13 SCOA NIG PLC NT TRANSNATIONAL CORP. OF NIG.PLC 5.72 U A C N PLC. 59.00 CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Building Construction ARBICO PLC. NT CAPPA & D’ALBERTO PLC. NT Building Structure/Completion/Other COSTAIN (W A) PLC. 1.13 G CAPPA PLC NT Non--Building/Heavy Construction JULIUS BERGER NIG. PLC. 65.00 ROADS NIG PLC. 8.46 Real Estate Development PINNACLE POINT GROUP PLC NT UACN PROPERTY DEV 16.20 Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) SKYE SHELTER FUND PLC NT UNION HOMES REAL ESTATE INV NT UPDC REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST NT CONSUMER GOODS Automobiles/Auto Parts DN TYRE & RUBBER PLC NT Beverages--Brewers/Distillers CHAMPION BREW. PLC. 8.31 GOLDEN GUINEA BREW. PLC. NT GUINNESS NIG PLC 190.00 INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC. 27.00 JOS INT. BREWERIES PLC. 2.46 NIGERIAN BREW. PLC. 175.54 PREMIER BREWERIES PLC 1.58 Beverages--Non-Alcoholic 7-UP BOTTLING COMP. PLC. 126.78 Food Products BIG TREAT PLC NT DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC 7.50 DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC 8.70 FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC. 68.11 HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC 4.11 MULTI-TREX INTEGRATED FOODS PLC NT N NIG. FLOUR MILLS PLC. 21.00 NATIONAL SALT CO. NIG. PLC 9.90 P S MANDRIDES & CO PLC. NT U T C NIG. PLC. NT UNION DICON SALT PLC. 14.11 Food Products--Diversified CADBURY NIGERIA PLC. 66.70 NESTLE NIGERIA PLC. 1,079.99 Household Durables BETA GLASS CO PLC. NT NIGERIAN ENAMELWARE PLC. NT VITAFOAM NIG PLC. 4.15 VONO PRODUCTS PLC. 1.25 Personal/Household Products P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC. 36.00 UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC. 49.00 Textiles/Apparel UNITED NIG. TEXTILES PLC. NT FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking ACCESS BANK PLC. 9.64 DIAMOND BANK PLC 6.20 ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INC. 16.50 FIDELITY BANK PLC 1.96 FIRST CITY MONUMENT BANK PLC. NT GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC. 28.53 SKYE BANK PLC 2.90 STERLING BANK PLC. 2.28 U B A PLC 7.22 UNION BANK NIG.PLC. 8.17 UNITY BANK PLC 0.50 WEMA BANK PLC. 0.98 ZENITH BANK PLC 24.70 Insurance Carriers, Brokers & Services AFRICAN ALLIANCE INS. COY. PLC 0.50 AIICO INSURANCE PLC. 0.80 CONFIDENCE INSURANCE PLC NT CONSOLIDATED HALLMARK INS. PLC NT CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC 0.98 CORNERSTONE INS. COY. PLC. 0.59 CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED INS. PLC NT EQUITY ASSURANCE PLC. NT GOLDLINK INSURANCE PLC NT GREAT NIGERIAN INSURANCE PLC NT GUINEA INSURANCE PLC. 0.50 INTERCONTINENTAL WAPIC INS. PLC NT INTERNATIONAL ENERGY INS. PLC 0.50 INVESTMENT AND ALLIED ARN. NT LASACO ASSURANCE PLC. NT LAW UNION AND ROCK INS. PLC. 0.50 LINKAGE ASSURANCE PLC 0.50 MANSARD INSURANCE PLC 2.50 MUTUAL BENEFITS ASSURANCE PLC. 0.54 N.E.M INSURANCE CO (NIG) PLC. 0.81 NIGER INSURANCE CO. PLC. NT OASIS INSURANCE PLC NT PRESTIGE ASSURANCE CO. PLC. 0.50 REGENCY ALLIANCE INS. COY PLC NT SOVEREIGN TRUST INSURANCE PLC 0.50 STANDARD TRUSTASSURANCE PLC NT STANDARD ALLIANCE INS. PLC. 0.50 UNIC INSURANCE PLC. NT UNITY KAPITAL ASSURANCE PLC NT UNIVERSAL INS. COMPANY PLC 0.50 WAPIC INSURANCE PLC 0.76 Micro Finance Banks FORTIS MICROFINANCE BANK PLC NT NPF MICROFINANCE BANK PLC 1.05 Mortgage Carriers, Brokers &Services ABBEY MORTGAGE BANK PLC NT ASO SAVINGS AND LOANS PLC NT INFINITY TRUST MORTGAGE BANK PLC 1.52 RESORT SAVINGS & LOANS PLC 0.50 UNION HOMES SAVINGS&LOANS PLC NT Other Financial Institutions AFRICA PRUDENTIAL REGISTRARS 3.24 CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED INS. PLC 3.86 CRUSADER ( NIG) PLC. NT DEAP CAPITAL MGT & TRUST PLC NT FBN HOLDINGS PLC 14.61 FCMB GROUP PLC 4.3 ROYAL EXCHANGE PLC. 0.61 STANBIC IBTC HOLDINGS PLC 30.00 UBA CAPITAL PLC 2.17 HEALTHCARE Healthcare Providers EKOCORP PLC. NT UNION DIAGNOSTIC &CLINICAL PLC NT Medical Supplies

NOTE NT=Not Traded on 22-08-14

QUANTITY

9,140 173,848 10,574

52 WK HIGH

0.64 107.81 41.14

52 WK LOW

0.50 20.92 8.24

SHARES OUTSTANDING

2,200,000,000 476,955,000 1,000,000,000

EPS

0.10 2.29 7.55

MOV. (%)

N/A 0.00 -1.89

Previous

NT 36.47 37.00

70

4.26

4.26

60,000,000

0.00

N/A

NT

536,592

7.18

0.68

1,199,549,736

0.07

-0.31

3.22

70,075 300 10,741 512 13,496,549 814,898

2.08 6.43 5.89

0.71 4.15 1.07

2,191,895,983 963,900,300 389,151,408

0.11 0.16 1.09

0.00 N/A N/A

5.89 71.10

0.50 28.00

821,666,666 1,600,720,323

0.09 4.38

N/A N/A

1.40 NT NT NT 5.63 61.00

375 3

26.00 95.49

5.05 95.49

148,500,000 196,876,000

0.33 4.50

N/A N/A

NT NT

41,600 217

2.66 14.46

0.72 14.46

920,573,765 125,000,000

0.00 0.00

N/A N/A

1.20 NT

31,350 4,000

83.75 10.60

19.86 6.61

1,200,000,000 20,000,000

6.74 1.69

0.00 N/A

65.00 8.46

NT 306,937

7.28 20.90

7.28 8.82

1,375,000,000

0.00 2.20

N/A -1.82

NT 16.50

963 100 6,350

100.00 50.00 10.50

100.00 50.00 0.00

20,000,000 250,019,781

5.82 0.19

N/A N/A

100.00 NT NT

5,016

0.50

0.50

4,772,528,415

0.00

N/A

NT

184,000 8,132 24,417 8,027 500 435,842 50,812

19.48 0.68 297.41 30.00 9.09 179.40 0.97

3.13 0.68 209.10 5.34 0.81 91.10 0.93

900,000,000 272,160,000 1,474,925,519 2,112,914,681 562,000,000 7,562,562,340 126,000,000

0.00 0.00 8.66 0.63 0.00 5.03 0.00

N/A N/A 0.53 N/A N/A 2.48 N/A

8.31 NT 189.00 27.50 NT 171.30 1.10

72,237

75.90

38.12

640,590,362

4.46

N/A

115.00

NT 116,897 3,648,350 162,850 1,718,341 1,971,492 52,000 393,849 2.08124,000 50 100

0.50 10.68 12.85 109.24 4.11 1.21 29.70 14.00 5.94 0.93 13.31

0.50 3.85 3.26 50.00 1.83 0.50 17.51 3.65 5.35 0.50 4.22

2,000,000,000 5,000,000,000 12,000,000,000 1,879,210,666 7,930,197,658 3,722,493,620 178,200,000 40,000,000 1,233,375,004 360,000,000

0.00 0.00 0.81 3.38 0.34 0.00 0.00 1.05 0.08 1.13 0.00

N/A 0.00 -2.68 -15.81 -0.24 N/A N/A 0.30 N/A #VALUE! N/A

NT 7.50 8.94 80.90 4.12 0.50 NT 9.87 NT NT 14.11

158,855 12,776

64.53 1250.00

8.33 400.00

3,129,188,160 792,656,250

1.57 28.34

-0.48 -2.70

67.02 1,110.00

25,333 100 402,418 150

15.58 36.19 5.54 2.88

10.03 32.27 2.91 0.57

63,360,000 819,000,000 300,000,001

3.90 13.92 0.71 0.00

N/A N/A -2.35 N/A

NT NT 4.25 1.37

331,667 137,554

56.00 76.00

21.02 27.60

3,176,381,636 3,783,296,250

1.34 1.42

0.00 0.00

36.00 49.00

NT

0.97

0.57

843,284,027

0.00

N/A

NT

23,474,559 13,305,467 2,199,246 6,624,656 NT 6,108,755 5,140,046 1,165,948 3,492,421 521,720 755,771 1,414,529 3,956,858

12.39 7.85 17.51 3.47 8.30 29.99 7.05 3.05 9.60 15.30 1.16 1.88 27.40

4.70 1.92 9.90 1.13 3.04 13.02 2.65 0.80 1.64 2.34 0.50 0.50 11.96

17,888,251,479 14,475,243,105 9,873,614,567 28,974,797,023 16,271,192,202 29,146,482,209 13,219,334,676 12,563,091,545 32,334,693,693 13,509,726,273 33,675,576,085 12,821,249,880 31,396,493,790

1.61 1.71 3.67 0.68 0.60 3.08 0.97 0.63 1.70 0.44 0.18 0.00 3.30

-1.03 -0.16 -4.18 -3.45 #VALUE! -1.96 -7.05 8.57 0.28 0.74 0.00 0.00 3.35

9.74 6.21 17.22 2.03 NT 29.10 3.12 2.10 7.20 8.11 0.50 0.98 23.90

250 5,343,525 NT 9,140 3,615,000 644,502 9,054,578 4,754 NT 42,003 39,288 NT 267,799 NT 14,710 11,111 500 442,590 419,609 7,789,154 1,661 1,654,611 46,680 800 490 550 2,000 2,000,000 200 3,210 2,296,648

0.50 1.42 0.64 0.52 1.45 0.72 2.44 0.50 0.69 0.60 0.50 2.50 2.50 0.50 0.50 0.61 0.50 2.87 0.63 1.01 1.11 0.50 1.24 0.53 0.59

0.50 0.50 0.61 0.50 0.58 0.50 1.08 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 1.06 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50

20,585,000,000 7,809,391,256 211,626,000 6,000,000,000 10,372,624,157 8,820,010,363 5,100,846,808 8,847,298,420 4,549,947,000 3,827,485,380 720,000,000 5,061,804,000 6,420,427,449 28,000,000,000 7,323,313,227 3,437,330,500 4,083,713,569 10,000,000,000 7,998,705,336 5,332,830,881 5,649,693,923 5,003,506,791 2,508,315,436 6,668,750,000 5,203,757,266

0.00 0.19 0.00 0.05 0.15 0.02 0.24 0.01 0.00 0.03 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.00 0.02 0.25 0.00 0.37 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.04 0.09

N/A 0.00 N/A N/A 0.00 0.00 0.00 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 0.00 N/A N/A N/A 0.00 0.00 N/A 1.25 N/A N/A -3.85 N/A 0.00

0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 1.55

0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50

8,493,173,450 2,581,733,505 13,000,000,000 16,000,000,000

0.00 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.07

N/A N/A N/A N/A

NT 0.81 NT NT NT 0.52 NT NT NT NT 0.50 NT 0.50 NT NT 0.50 0.50 2.50 0.54 0.80 0.50 NT 0.52 0.50 NT 0.50 0.50 0.50 NT NT 0.78

10,000,000 210,822

6.60 1.22

0.00 0.72

500 500 5,000 24,477,384 320 574,186 806,352 500 5,000 6,147,064 823721 125,000 256,595 996,469

170 40,000

N/A=Not Avialable

1.18 0.19

NT 1.00

1.65 0.50

1.37 0.50

4,200,000,000 8,679,148,676

0.03 0.02

N/A N/A

0.50 0.99

0.50 0.50

13,175,732,404 7,812,500,000

0.30 0.00

N/A N/A

2.1

0.5

0.61 2.02 21.50 5.70 1.33 20.72 1.70

0.50 2.02 8.57 2.90 0.50 10.64 0.00

5.05 0.50

4.32 0.50

0.63 3,778,005,975 1,333,333,333 32,632,084,358 3,608,657,661 18,750,000,000

498,600,908 3,553,138,528

0.00 0.15 2.45 1.23 0.13 1.53 0.29

0.13 0.00

N/A N/A -1.62 N/A 2.92

N/A N/A

NT NT NT 0.50 0.5 3.25 3.98 NT NT 14.85 4.25 0.60 29.15 2.16

NT NT

SECURITY

PRICE (=N=)

MORISON INDUSTRIES PLC. NT Pharmaceuticals EVANS MEDICAL PLC. 2.00 FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC 3.33 GLAXO SMITHKLINE CONSUMER PLC 65.99 MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. 1.58 NEIMETH INT PHARM PLC 1.20 NIGERIA-GERMAN CHEMICALS PLC. NT PHARMA-DEKO PLC. 2.38 ICT Computer Based Systems COURTEVILLE BUSINESS SLN PLC 0.57 Computers and Peripherals OMATEK VENTURES PLC NT Electronic Communications Services MTECH COMMUNICATIONS PLC NT IT Services COMPUTER WAREHOUSE GROUP PLC 5 NCR (NIGERIA) PLC. 13.72 TRIPPLE GEE AND COMPANY PLC. NT Processing Systems CHAMS PLC NT E-TRANZACT INTERNATIONAL PLC NT Telecommunications Services MTI PLC NT INDUSTRIAL GOODS Building Materials AFRICAN PAINTS (NIGERIA) PLC. NT ASHAKA CEM PLC 34.00 BERGER PAINTS PLC 9.20 CAP PLC 39.05 CEMENT CO. OF NORTH.NIG. PLC 14.61 DANGOTE CEMENT PLC 229.97 DN MEYER PLC. 1.15 FIRST ALUMINIUM NIGERIA PLC NT IPWA PLC NT LAFARGE WAPCO PLC. 118.31 PAINTS & COATINGS MANFACT.PLC NT PORTLAND PAINTS & PRDT NIG. PLC 5.01 Electronic and Electrical Products AUSTIN LAZ & COMPANY PLC 2.00 CUTIX PLC. 1.90 NIGERIAN WIRE AND CABLE PLC. NT Packaging/Containers ABPLAST PRODUCTS PLC. NT AVON CROWNCAPS & CONTAINERS 1.75 BETA GLASS CO PLC. 17.11 GREIF NIGERIA PLC 12.08 NIG. BAGS MANFACT. COY PLC NT POLY PRODUCTS (NIG) PLC. NT W A GLASS IND. PLC. NT Tools and Machinery NIGERIAN ROPES PLC NT STOKVIS NIG PLC. NT NATURAL RESOURCES Chemicals B.O.C. GASES PLC. NT Metals ALUMACO PLC NT ALUMINIUM EXTRUSION IND. PLC. NT MINING SERVICES MULTIVERSE PLC NT Paper/Forest Products HALLMARK PAPER PRODUCTS PLC. NT THOMAS WYATT NIG. PLC. 0.79 OIL AND GAS Energy Equipment and Services JAPAUL OIL & MARITIME SER. PLC 0.53 Integrated Oil and Gas Services OANDO PLC 26.45 Petroleum &Petroleum Products Distributors BECO PETROLEUM PRODUCT PLC NT CONOIL PLC 68.45 ETERNA PLC. 3.81 FORTE OIL PLC. 231.20 MOBIL OIL NIG PLC. 175.00 MRS OIL NIGERIA PLC. 58.49 TOTAL NIGERIA PLC. 181.02 Exploration and Production SEPLAT PETROLEUM DEVT. CO, LTD. 680.00 SERVICES Advertising AFROMEDIA PLC NT Apparel Retailers LENNARDS (NIG) PLC. NT Automobile/Auto Part Retailers R T BRISCOE PLC. 0.86 Courier/Freight/Delivery RED STAR EXPRESS PLC 4.60 TRANS-NATIONWIDE EXPRESS PLC. NT Employment Solutions C & I LEASING PLC. NT Hospitality TANTALIZERS PLC NT Hotels/Lodging CAPITAL HOTEL NT IKEJA HOTEL PLC 0.78 Media/Entertainment DAAR COMMUNICATIONS PLC NT Printing/Publishing ACADEMY PRESS 1.55 LEARN AFRICA PLC 1.60 STUDIO PRESS (NIG) PLC. 2.40 UNIVERSITY PRESS PLC. 4.37 Road Transportation ABC TRANSPORT PLCPLC 0.70 Specialty INTERLINKED TECHNOLOGIES PLC NT SECURE ELECTRONIC TECH.PLC 0.5 Transport-Related Services AIRLINE SERVICES AND LOGISTICS PLC 2.16 NIG. AVIATION HANDLING COY PLC 5.00 SUPPORT AND LOGISTICS CAVERTON OFFSHORE GROUP PLC 5.6 ASeM CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Property Management SMART PRODUCTS NIGERIA PLC NT CONSUMER GOODS Food Products MCNICHOLS PLC NT OIL AND GAS CAPITAL OIL PLC NT NAVITUS ENERGY PLC NT Petroleum &Petroleum Products Distributors ANINO INTERNATIONAL PLC NT Personal/Household Products ROKANA INDUSTRIES PLC. NT HEALTHCARE Pharmaceuticals AFRIK PHARMACEUTICALS PLC. NT INDUSTRIAL GOODS Electronic and Electrical Products NT ADSWITCH PLC. NT NATURAL RESOURCES Metals W.A. ALUM. PRODUCTS PLC. NT Food/Drug Retailers and Wholesalers NT JULI PLC. NT ETF’s Sector ETF NEWGOLD EXCHANGE TRADED FUND 2,004.00 VETIVA GRIFFIN 30 ETF 18.99

QUANTITY

52 WK HIGH

52 WK LOW

SHARES OUTSTANDING

EPS

MOV. (%)

Previous

100

10.54

7.39

152,178,750

0.00

N/A

NT

63,582 3,569,392 5,144 60,613 740,104 100 79,950

4.80 2.50 69.00 3.38 1.76 8.59 3.50

0.50 0.61 18.97 1.23 0.58 7.36 1.83

486,473,856 1,500,000,000 956,701,192 980,000,000 1,925,717,268 153,786,012 100,000,000

0.58 0.24 3.07 0.09 0.00 0.00 0.00

-11.50 10.63 3.92 -1.25 7.14 N/A N/A

2.26 3.01 63.50 1.60 1.12 NT 2.27

15,000

0.96

0.50

2,960,000,000

0.11

0.00

0.55

100

0.50

0.50

2,941,789,472

0.00

N/A

NT

NT

0.91

0.91

4,966,666,668

0.00

N/A

NT

200 4,747 200

18.70 2.94

13.12 2.07

108,000,000 492,825,600

0.00 0.03

N/A N/A

5 13.72 1.88

100,000 1,080

0.50 4.97

0.50 3.13

4,620,600,000 4,200,000,000

0.04 0.04

N/A N/A

0.50 NT

100

0.50

0.50

4,893,594,400

0.00

N/A

NT

2,000 880,965 226,290 79,113 399,418 20,792 45,352 600 6,000 101,440 129,900 362,000

2.86 29.98 12.20 67.50 12.99 210.01 3.54 0.75 1.34 110.00 2.41 7.22

2.86 8.01 6.82 13.78 4.00 102.00 0.50 0.50 0.50 39.80 0.50 2.27

260,000,000 2,239,453,125 217,367,585 560,000,000 1,241,548,285 15,494,019,668 242,908,200 2,109,928,275 513,696,000 3,001,600,004 792,914,256 400,000,000

0.07 0.80 0.91 1.66 1.12 5.77 0.06 0.00 0.00 6.83 0.36 0.43

N/A 0.00 2.22 -1.19 1.95 1.76 N/A N/A N/A 0.26 N/A N/A

NT 34.00 9.00 39.52 14.33 226.00 NT NT NT 118.00 1.61 5.09

70 69,493 100

2.00 2.39 0.73

2.00 1.20 0.50

510,396,608 2,220,000,000

0.05 0.19 0.00

N/A -2.56 N/A

NT 1.95 NT

NT 7,600 56 200 NT NT NT

3.98 5.94 13.18 13.28 3.60 1.86 0.63

3.98 1.71 9.04 12.68 1.60 1.05 0.63

N/A N/A

42,640,000 6,215,000,000 240,000,000 199,066,550

0.00 0.00 3.23 0.90 0.24 0.22 0.00

N/A #VALUE! N/A N/A

NT 1.69 17.11 NT NT NT NT

100 NT

8.69 0.14

8.26 0.14

265,409,280 2,918,000

0.00 0.00

N/A N/A

NT NT

25,000,000 683,974,528

10,000

9.35

5.68

393,120,000

0.76

#VALUE!

NT

320 100

7.75 12.39

7.75 10.55

75,600,000 100,000,000

0.00 0.24

N/A N/A

NT NT

150

0.50

0.50

4,058,989,226

0.01

N/A

0.50

NT 100

3.22 1.38

3.22 0.67

50,000,000 220,000,000

0.04 0.00

N/A N/A

NT NT

2,558,301

1.02

0.50

6,262,701,716

0.00

0.00

0.53

3,274,196

24.80

9.32

2,262,711,568

1.24

-0.90

26.69

10000 232,867 403,552 225,612 231,028 78,728 19,713

76.00 4.87 115.64 146.00 59.00 190.01

16.96 1.32 7.73 106.00 16.20 118.75

693,952,117 1,249,162,828 1,080,280,628 300,496,051 253,988,672 339,521,837

2.69 0.61 1.43 9.93 1.04 12.91

4.98 -4.51 2.30 0.00 N/A 0.57

NT 65.20 3.99 226.00 175.00 54.00 180.00

17,705

28,677,671

200

0.72

0.50

695.00

4,035,497,307

0.00

N/A

NT

100

3.48

3.48

0

N/A

NT

481,751

2.45

1.00

980,294,400

0.00

-9.47

0.95

412,300 10,500

5.10 3.45

2.19 0.73

589,496,310 198,819,763

0.52 0.00

4.55 N/A

4.40 1.79

125,000

1.64

0.85

865,808,912

0.00

N/A

0.50

1,500

0.75

0.50

3,211,627,907

0.00

N/A

NT

100 1,065,900

1.72

0.64

2,078,796,396

0.00

-1.27

NT 0.79

1,000

0.51

0.50

8,000,000,000

0.43

N/A

NT

96900 377,329 75 301,154

3.09 2.78 5.77

1.39 2.52 3.00

771,450,000 425,641,111

0.00 0.00 0.61

N/A N/A -2.89

NT 1.58 NT 4.50

366,500

1.29

0.50

1,507,000,000

0.21

N/A

0.70

6 1,000

5.15 1.88

4.90 0.80

236,699,511 5,631,539,736

0.00 0.00

N/A N/A

NT NT

44,720 397,229

5.90 8.81

1.27 5.08

634,000,000 1,230,468,750

0.50 0.43

N/A 0.00

2.10 5.00

201750

5.9

60

1.43

1.04

45,000,000

0.12

N/A

NT

100

2.26

1.02

201,885,335

0.00

N/A

NT

100000 1000

NT NT

30000

0.21

NT

0.60

0.60

30,000,000

0.00

N/A

NT

NT

0.50

0.50

24,898,850

0.00

N/A

NT

NT NT

1.88

1.63

125,005,250

0.00

N/A

NT NT

NT NT 1,000

0.50

0.50

6,650,000

0.00

N/A

3.05

2.76

194,700,000

0.00

N/A

2,706

2,003

65 2100

-2.43 49467

NT NT NT

2,054.00 18.79

A24 40

Business Courage

Monday, August 25, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Monday, August 25, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

41

Law & Justice nationalmirrorlaw@yahoo.com

Some of the judges do not understand the underpinning philosophies behind the anti-corruption law –Justice Mustapha Akanbi, retired president, Court of Appeal xx

New wigs should undergo pupilage for five years –Odunaiya 42 Wali, SAN

The new NBA President Mr. Augustine Alegeh, SAN,

Owerri 2014: Ebola rumbles as lawyers converge for NBA conference How Adebajo’s Will split wives, children 45

Woman uses boy as drug mule 46

This year’s Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA which starts today in Owerri, Imo State, will go down in history as one that was nearly put off over the fear of the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). As the Bar leadership eventually braves the challenge by going ahead with the conference, KAYODE KETEFE, Assistant Head, Judiciary Desk, examines the toll of Ebola scare on attendance, and provide views of top lawyers on the issue.

T

oday, lawyers from various parts of the country and other parts of the world will converge on International Conference Centre, Owerri, Imo State, for the commencement of this year’s Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

This year’s conference, which is the 54th edition, has the theme “Nigeria, 100 years after.”

However, the incidence of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) just a couple of weeks before the beginning of this conference has ignited vociferous calls among various stakeholders that the conference should be cancelled or, at least postponed to a more auspicious time.

The reported fecundity of the virus to spread upon mere contact with the severely afflicted victims has made many people to become

jittery. The question on many lawyers’ lips is how can contagion be avoided in such a gathering that would expectedly have thousands of conferees?

Thus, the scare of Ebola seems to have undermined the vaunted slogan of NBA Conference as “the largest gathering of lawyers anywhere.” As many lawyers have decided to stay away from this year gathering.

National Mirror found out that the most notable absentees are foreign lawyers. These consist of

lawyers from African nations, the Commonwealth and other parts of the world who invariably attend the annual conference of the NBA. It was gathered that the leadership of the NBA considered the option of shifting the date of the conference but decided that the better choice would be to go ahead as all the major preparations had been made even before the Ebola virus was imported into Nigeria on July 20, 2014 by a LiberianAmerican, Patrick Sawyer, whose

THE SCARE OF EBOLA SEEMS TO HAVE UNDERMINED THE VAUNTED SLOGAN OF NBA CONFERENCE AS THE LARGEST GATHERING OF LAWYERS ANYWHERE

death of July 25, became the first Ebola death in Nigeria.

As of the time of writing this, no fewer than four Nigerians had died, all contracting the disease from the index case, Sawyer. In addition to this over 215 persons are currently placed under strict surveillance and they are all primary or secondary contacts of the same index case.

It was reliably gathered that the NBA Conference Planning Committee had done a great job to ensure hitch-free conference before the unseen contingency of “Ebola Virus” entered into the equation. President Goodluck Jonathan is expected to declare the conference open.

Reading the writings on the wall concerning the Ebola scare, outgoing President of the NBA, Mr Okey Wali (SAN), had urged its members not to shun its annual conference, Owerri 2014, over Ebola virus. He made a guarantee that reliable precautionary measures had been put in place to protect the conferees.

However, the fear of lawyers over Ebola had been further accentuated by the report that a lady who was down with Ebola had sneaked into Enugu in deCONTINUED ON PAGE 44

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New wigs should undergo pupilage Chief Victor Odunaiya is an astute lawyer and former Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja branch. In this interview with MATTHEW IRINOYE, he speaks on the challenges before the Bar leadership and the declining standard of the legal practice in the country, among others. Excerpts.

How do you access the report of the National Conference?

Well, it is of mixed feelings; it is sad that the Northerners love to lord over the Southern all the times, there was a division when it was said that the report should be submitted to the chairman so as to submit it to the Federal Government to adopt it, though I have no read from the communication to know the exact things the Northerners are complaining about, by and large I must say that both the North and South are not the same, we are diverse in cultures and there is need for them to recognize it.

Do you support that the just- concluded report by the National Conference should be subjected to a referendum or should be adopted by the National Assembly?

It should not be adopted by the National Assembly, the Federal Government had setup a committee and the committee came up with a report, in my opinion there is need for the Federal Government to set up a new committee involving lawyers, retired judges and renounced economists and geographers. When there is combination of geographers, lawyers and economists, their recommendations would assist in some areas. I think that the report should be submitted for a legal review or a special committee first to check the recommendations; it is my wish that it should be sent to the various states House of Assembly for review thereafter they would submit their reports to the either the chairman of the National Conference or to the special committee newly constituted, they would have collated the views of various states then submit it to the President.

In the other way, if we say that we should go for a referendum, it would be a situation of supporting the reports that one does not even know the context, so by and large I would say that the report should be subjected to the states house of assembly and after their recommendations it should be submitted to National Assembly before it could be subjected for a referendum.

How do you appraise the standard of legal education against the backdrop of complaints that there is decline in the standard of legal practice?

Well, I would say that it is a combination of factors especially in a situation that some children were forced to study law because their parents have little change or they feel that one of their children should become a lawyer. Ordinarily, a child who did not want to study law, such a child would not have the zeal for the study

Odunaiya

THE NBA PRESIDENT SHOULD TAKE A JUST STAND ON NATIONAL ISSUES AND DO FOLLOW UP WHEREVER NECESSARY and when he graduates, he opted out for something else because the zeal was not there, he has no passion for becoming a lawyer but the influence of the parents pushed him to study law. Another issue is the accumulation of wealth, many people see lawyers acquiring wealth never minding how long he has been on the job, but looking for immediate wealth. I could remember in those days a young lawyer stays under the experienced lawyer for five years as pupilage to understand the rudiments of the profession; but these days the young lawyers don’t wait for that long especially those who could afford to set up a chamber. They started to fumble and suffer defeat from the experienced ones because what they learned at the university and the Law School would still have to be put into practice before becoming a lawyer, it is not in wig and gown that determines a lawyer.

What is the way out of the lingering delay in hearing and disposal of cases in court?

Well, in Nigeria we are developing nation and we are developing so fast with the advent of the technology, but a lot of frauds are committed on daily basis. I would appreciate the Lagos State Government for doing well, at least in Lagos State there about 80 judges in the state high court adjudicating on criminal matters. By and large, there are more than expected cases in court.

For instance, 25 cases are assigned to a judge who can only sit for eight hours in a day. Among these cases Senior Advocates would call their matters and spend much time, so at the end of the day the judge may not be able to attend to five or about seven cases in a day and other matters would have to go for adjournment.

Apart from that, some lawyers also delay the trial processes through their regular absent in court, or that their witnesses have travelled out of country. In one breath, the judges are really doing their best yet there are bad ones among them but many of

them are really doing their best. In my opinion, the way out of some of these challenges include self- discipline to the judges, some of them are not comfortable, the state and Federal Government should try and make the judges working under them comfortable.

How do you see the quality of judgements being churned out from the country’s courts?

With all sincerity the quality of our judgement is very good, but because this aspect has to do with human being, some of these judges usually give their judgments based on the interpretation of law and the way they understand the matter before them. I cannot deny the fact that some of them are corrupt maybe because of the financial limitations but invariably about 90 percent of them are good and incorrupt.

Some lawyers are agitating that SANs should be scraped or modified, what is your position on this?

Well, I don’t know the kind of modification that would be given to the award of Senior Advocate of Nigeria that would prevent the misappropriation in the process. The Nigeria factor which is bribery and corruption would always come to play; bribery

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for five years –Odunaiya does not necessarily mean giving out and collecting money but when there is more influence on the selection of the awardees.

How do you set agenda for the leadership of the Bar as this year’s Annual General Conference of the NBA begins today in Owerri?

As an elder at the bar, I was consulted but the agenda is set by the national secretariat under the leadership of the President. By and large, I would suggest that the issue regarding whether the just- concluded report of the National Conference be submitted for a referendum or adopted by National Assembly should be discussed at the NBA conference.

Also they can address reasons why such report should be subjected for a referendum or adopted by National Assembly.

THE YOUNG LAWYERS SHOULD BE CAREFUL IN DEALING WITH

CLIENTS’ MONEY.

WE

HAVE HAD SEVERAL COMPLAINTS FROM CLIENTS ABOUT THE MISMANAGEMENT OF THEIR MONEY

You were once chairman of Ikeja NBA, how would you rate the activism of the branch from those days to the present date?

During my own period as a chairman of Ikeja NBA branch, there were a lot of national issues that needed urgent attention, and then we believed that there is need to take our stand. It is not one- man affairs, I always consulted my executives; I must say that maybe what was paramount in our minds those days is not what is paramount now. We fought against federal and other governments for not obeying the court order and we won.

There were several court judgments that were not obeyed by the government, we sent the notices to the government through the then AttorneyGeneral of the Federation, Clement Akpamgbo, the government thought it was a joke. After I have given much notices to the Federal Government, the then NBA President was Chief (Mrs) Priscilla Kuye, the Secretary, Adesuyi Olateru -Olagbegi, myself as the Chairman, Ikeja branch and the Lagos branch Chairman, Mr Adigun Ogunseitan, we were all taken to court but thereafter, the government lost the case. The judgement of Justice Afolabi Adeyinka , now retired really hooked them. In his judgement he said that, the government has failed to honour the judgement of other judges, it could be his own turn tomorrow to dishonour his judgement, he added that government suppose to take the lead in obeying court order.

There are other issues. I think as an individual there in need to take a stand but a time when there is reaction without zeal it would not yield result, so

there is need to have reaction and stand by it to get it done. I could remember when the late Olu Onagoruwa was to be named Attorney-General of the Federation , we protested, myself and one other lawyer were sent to him to tell him that if he becomes the attorneygeneral, the government would pocket him and he would not be able to speak out his mind. We told him that he did not know how things are being operated there, we told him if he has interest he can go but once he get there and he is being asked to do certain things he feels that it is not in the interest of the common man, he should tender his resignation letter and come back to the bar, by and large we concentrated on how the government of that time was being run.

What are the necessary steps the NBA Ikeja branch ought to have taken but that it did not take?

It is like interfering with the administration, because we have had our own time, despite that I usually attend the monthly meeting and raise my suggestions; it all depends on the individual chairman and his ability to see things beyond ordinary.

At the national level, Owerri has now being known for many things, a lot of things happened there in 1990 and 1992.

It was at Owerri that we condemned the then NBA President, Charles Idehen and his associates; including the then general secretary for the role they played during Gen. Ibrahim Babangida regime, particularly some certain money was given to the NBA which could not be accounted for the then Bar leadership. It was so tensed that we concluded that they should be removed before their tenure expired. It took the intervention of the elders of the bar and the likes of Mr. Kehinde Sofola, to

resolve the issue. They called me to a meeting and I explained my view. But these days nobody is ready to condemn anybody simply because of personal interest, not necessarily money but what they can gain and that was not our focus then. Our focus was to make the people happy and ensure people secure their confidence in judiciary which was our primary assignment.

The NBA President should take a just stand on the national issues and do follow up wherever it is necessary.

Today Nigeria is making history to the previous revolution of the bar, those who did well and those who did not perform.

What advice do you have for the new wigs?

My advice to the new wigs is that they should endeavour to go to pupilage for the period of five years before they set up their chambers. I could remember in those days a young lawyer undergoing pupilage does not appear in court alone, he would have to go along with a senior colleague to under study the precedents on how the job is been done, but it is unfortunate that majority of the young lawyers do not want to wait for any reason and that is why they usually suffer defeat from the experienced ones. It is better to stay under the experienced ones for the pupilage for at least five years before setting up their chambers.

Another issue is that, the young lawyers should be careful in dealing with clients’ money, we have had several complaints from clients about the mismanagement of clients’ money. Several allegations have been raised against the majority of the young lawyers who are into the property business concerning the issue, it brings the profession low, it is not expected of a lawyer to be involved in such scandal.

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We’ll insulate participants against contagion of EVD –Bar leadership CONTINUED FROM PAGE 41 fiance of official directives and had had contact with no fewer than 21 persons all of whom the authorities had now placed under surveillance.

But there was a greater hype than this, just few days to the commencement of the conference, a respected human rights lawyer and Chairman of the Governing Council of the National Human Rights Commission, (NHRC) , Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, wrote an open letter to the leadership of the NBA urging it to postpone the conference on the grounds that such a conference might be a breeding ground for the dreaded virus.

Odinkalu revealed the shocking news that he himself was under surveillance as he had patronised the hospital in which the index case died around the time the latter was hospitalised.

Odinkalu said in the statement “As its contribution to the current measures to control and manage the public health emergency caused by the presence of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Nigeria, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has a responsibility to defer its Annual Conference scheduled to take place in Owerri, Imo State, from 24 until 29 August 2014.

“It will be ill-judged to continue with the conference in the circumstances of the present public health emergency prevailing in the country.

“In Nigeria, Government at Federal and State levels have agreed to extend the current school holidays while measures are taken to assess the Ebola threat and bring it under control.

“Section 45(1)(b) of the 1999 Constitution gives government a responsibility to take reasonable measures to manage rights in the interest of public health.

“The NBA Conference is usually a very large gathering. Its venues usually attract well in excess of 20,000 participants, traders and visitors. It’s an excellent market place for a virus in search of vectors.

“I am a scheduled speaker at the Owerri Conference. I have also been a person under observation for Ebola because as an out-patient I was attended to on 21st July by

Bar

Jokes

Free advice at social affairs?

A doctor and a lawyer were attending a cocktail party when the doctor was approached by a man who asked advice on how to handle his ulcer. The doctor mumbled some medical advice, then turned to the lawyer and remarked, “I never know how to handle the situation when I’m asked for medical advice during a social function. Is it acceptable to send a bill for such advice?”

The lawyer replied that it was certainly acceptable to do so.

The next day, the doctor sent the ulcerstricken man a bill. The lawyer also sent one to the doctor.

Leaving money for the dead

A Brooklyn lawyer, a used car salesman

Odinkalu

Abdulrasheed

Jimilehin

SOME OF THE MEASURES TAKEN BY NBA INCLUDE THE PURCHASE OF HAND BACTERIAL

AND VIRAL SANITIZERS, WHICH WILL BE GIVEN TO EVERY CONFERENCE PARTICIPANT FOR USAGE THROUGHOUT THE CONFERENCE one of the doctors in Lagos who managed the index case, i.e., on the day after he was admitted.

“The NBA has no way of knowing this and has made no effort to elicit this kind of information from any of the participants.

“I have decided that I will not go to Owerri. As an act of responsible citizenship, I would also urge as many intending participants as possible to consider withdrawing from the Owerri conference. To address leadership continuity in the association, in the interim, the inauguration of the new leadership of the NBA can take place at a modest ceremony at the NBA Secretariat in Abuja,” This revelation seems to have polarised lawyers into two camps of those who wanted the conference to go and those who wanted it postponed. Such was the growing apathy to the conference among 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 of giving the dead some money, so they’ll have something to spend over there.”

They all agreed that this was appropriate.

The banker dropped a hundred dollar bill into the casket, and the car salesman did the same. The lawyer took out the bills and wrote a check for $300.

Why God Created Lawyers

Satan was complaining bitterly to God, “You made the world so that it was not fair, and you made it so that most people would have to struggle every day, fight against their innate wishes and desires, and deal with all sorts of losses, grief, disasters, and catastrophes. Yet 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.

Culled from Lawyers’ jokes- ahajokes.com

lawyers that Okey Wali had to issue more detailed information on the measures being taking to check viral contagion. In a statement last Tuesday, Wail once again assured that precautionary measures were on ground to prevent spread of the disease. He said some of the measures taken by NBA include “The purchase of hand bacterial and viral sanitizers, which will be given to every conference participant for usage throughout the conference.

“Latex gloves and masks for our service providers deployed to man registration, marshals (if necessary); non-contact laser guns for temperature monitoring and screening of participants; public installed, standing dispensing noncontact hand sanitizers in select public places, with refills.”

Meanwhile, A Lagos -based lawyer, Mr. Emeka Nwadioke, has cautioned NBA on the conference. Nwadioke said “I urge the

NBA leadership not only to put measures in place to safeguard participants at the week-long event, but to critically assess the adequacy of emergency healthcare measures aimed to protect lawyers, exhibitors and visitors.

“This is the least that can be done under this grave national emergency. No effort should be spared to contain this potential pandemic that is already affecting the Socio-economic and religious life of the nation.”

A former Publicity Secretary of the NBA, Mr. Murtala Abdulrasheed, also said “I should seize this opportunity to assure all intending participants that they need not entertain any fear on the reportedly fledgling EVD. I hereby assure all our members and invited guests and resource persons that the NBA has put in place comprehensive and efficient measures to insulate all participants against all kinds of accidental contagion of this dreaded disease”.

In his own view, an elderly lawyer, Chief Oladipo Jimilehin said “It is my humble opinion that the conference should continue because it is an opportunity for the members of the NBA to showcase their opinions towards the challenging issues of the Bar and to determine what happens at the Bar in the next one year.”

LEGAL TIPS Breach of Contract in Employment Law Breach of contract under employment law depends very much on the type of employment that is involved. There is no one standard rule defining breach for every job that exists. Knowing how the different rules work helps in responding to the breach and understanding what options exist for the affected employee and employer.

Contract Employment A contract employee is one who works for an employer under specific conditions laid out in a contract or agreement. *This type of hiring

tends to be for specific purposes and provides in return specific benefits. Since the employer has brought on the employee under such conditions, the business is obligated to honour the contract terms. Failure to do so can be a violation or breach of contract. *The type of violation will determine if the breach is material (serious) or minor. If it is minor, the remedy can simply be to relieve the employee of his obligation in trade for what the employer failed to do. Otherwise, the employee can get some kind

of compensation for the loss if there is one. *If it is a material breach, very likely the issue is so serious that the contract can’t continue. For example, an employer might fail to pay the contract worker on time. The employee would be well within his rights not to do anything more until he is paid for services already provided.

Written by Francis Famoroti, Head, Judiciary. We welcome feedback and reactions from readers via our e-mail: nationalmirrorlaw@yahoo.com

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How Adebajo’s Will split wives, children The late businessman, Chief Israel Adebayo Adebajo, was the founder of the defunct Stationery Stores Football Club of Lagos, otherwise known as ‘Adebajo Babes’ in the 1960s. Shortly after his demise on July 25, 1969, his Will became a subject of controversy in the law courts among his surviving wives and children. FRANCIS FAMOROTI, Head, Judiciary, writes.

FAMOUS CASES

C

hief Israel Adebajo was Chairman and Chief Executive of Nigerian Office Stationery Supplies Stores (NOSS Stores) and by extension the founder of the defunct Stationery Stores Football Club that made waves in the 1960s till the 80s. Due to his passion for the development of sports, Adebajo invested in soccer and made the club the toast of Nigerians of its generation. The renowned sports financier was a polygamist and respectable family man when he was alive. However, he died 45 years ago after a protracted illness.

The deceased was survived by three out of his four wives, and also 14 children: four by Mrs. Olabisi Adebajo, four

by Mrs. (later Justice) Adunni Adebajo, one child by a marriage already dissolved in the deceased’s lifetime and five

by Mrs. Irene Adebajo.

But some months after his death, one of his widows, Irene, contested the validity of his Will at a Lagos High Court.

Under the Will, the deceased left 20 per cent of the shares in his company (The NOSS Stores incorporating the Nigerian Paper Converters Company) to the plaintiff; a similar percentage was also left to the 5th defendant (the 3rd wife), a house at No. 114 Yakubu Gowon Street was left to the first 4 children of the 1st wife, a house at 16, Rotimi Street, Surulere was given to the plaintiff ’s children, a house at No. 14, Rotimi Street, Surulere, was given to the plaintiff, and properties at Nos. 13, 15 and 17, Rotimi Street, Surulere, were left to the plaintiff ’s children and those of the third wife.

The will also provides that the plaintiff should remain in the main house at 20, North Avenue, Apapa for a period of 12 months, after which another house of the maximum value of 7,000 pounds should be purchased for her use. Also left to the plaintiff were all personal effects (other than heavy items) at No. 20 North Avenue Apapa. Also, land at Epe is to be developed for the use and occupation of all the children.

According to the Will, the testator’s residue is to be divided among all the children of the three wives. It is significant that, although the deceased bequeathed No.1, Kofo Abayomi Street, Apapa, to the 3rd wife for life, the house is to revert to the estate if she remarries.

There is no similar condition attached to the plaintiff ’s gift of 14, Rotimi Street, Surulere, nor is there any provision for buying the 3rd wife an alternative house if she ceases to live at No. 1, Kofo Abayomi Street, Apapa.

Barely few months after Adebajo’s

Justice Adunni Adebajo (rtd)

death, the rumpus over his Will raged between one of his widows, Irene, other widows and children for several years until the matter was judicially determined by the Supreme Court on April 18, 1973.

The parties to the suit were Adebajo’s widow, Irene and others, who included the deceased’s children and other wives.

On January 13, 1970, Mrs. Irene Adebajo as the plaintiff issued a writ against the first three defendants namely, Luke Adepeju Adebajo, Obafemi Ayantuga and Mrs. Adeola Adebajo in these terms.

“1. The plaintiff is the widow and one of the persons entitled to share in the estate of Israel Adebayo Ogunyeade Adebajo (deceased) who died on the 25th day of July, 1969 in the event of intestacy and to have as such a grant of letters of administration of the estate of the said intestate.

2. This writ is issued against you as the executors named in a pretended will of the said deceased dated the 21st day of January, 1969 against which the plaintiff asks the court to pronounce in this action.

3. The plaintiff accordingly claims a

NO ARGUMENT HAS BEEN PUT FORWARD NOR ANY EVIDENCE LED TO SHOW THAT THE TERMS OF THE

WILL ARE INCOHER-

ENT, OR STRANGE OR UNNATURAL OR THAT THE WILL WAS NOT DULY EXECUTED

declaration that Israel Adebayo Ogunyeade Adebajo died intestate.”

On February 25, 1970 , the plaintiff filed a statement of claim while on March 12, 1970 the statement of defence was also filed. On April 10, 1970 and on the plaintiff ’s application the court granted an order joining the 4th to the 8th defendants. They are; Mrs. Olabisi Adebajo( for herself and on behalf of her children: Adekunle Adebajo, Adeyanju Adebajo and Aderenle Adebajo) ; Mrs. (later Justice) Adunni Adebajo ( for herself and on behalf of her children: Adetilewa Adebajo, Adekemi Adebajo,Adekeye Adebajo and Adefemi Adebajo); the 6th and the 7th defendants; Mr. Alfred Adebajo, Mrs. Adeyemi Badejo , and Christopher Adelaja.

The 6th and the 7th defendants are the deceased’s brother and sister respectively of the full blood while the 8th defendant is a cousin and a beneficiary under the will.

It was agreed by both sides at the commencement of the hearing that the question whether or not the plaintiff was married to the deceased was not in issue in the present suit.

Among the issues canvassed by the plaintiff was that at the time when the alleged will was executed the testator did not know and approve of its contents.

Besides, the plaintiff contended that the date shown as the date of the alleged will was put there in order to set up a false representation that the deceased executed the will at a date when the state of his health had not deteriorated to what it was around the time when it was in fact executed.

Irene Adebajo also said the deceased at the time when the said alleged will was purported to have been executed was not of sound mind, memory and understanding.

But the defence argued to the contrary that the deceased personally gave instructions to A. Osijo, Barrister-at-Law, to whom

he gave, detailed and sensible instructions about the dispositions contained in the said will.

In the statement of defence, they averred that ‘’ the deceased at the time of giving instructions to the said A. Osijo, and at the time of executing the said will was of sound mind, memory and understanding and knew and approved the contents of the said will and acknowledged his approval thereto, and that the said will was executed with due solemnities by the deceased with a complete understanding and as a free agent without any undue influence or coercion as alleged or at all.”

In its judgment, the Chief Justice accordingly dismissed Irene’s action and pronounced in favour of the will dated the 21st January, 1969 and made and executed on the 25th June, 1969 by the deceased.

The widow eventually appealed against the judgment of the then Chief Justice of Lagos; Justice J.I.C Taylor delivered in the Lagos High Court on November 12, 1971.

In her notice of appeal, she asked the appellate court to quash the verdict of the lower court and also sought a declaration that Adebajo died intestate.”

She also said the ‘’learned Chief Justice misdirected himself on the evidence in holding that the plaintiff did not prove facts showing the state of health of the deceased on the 25th of June, 1969 (the date on which the will was made) .

Two notable lawyers, Chief F.R.A Williams (SAN) and Mr. Kehinde Sofola (SAN) appeared as attorneys on the opposite sides for the parties.

The panel that heard the appeal are, Justices Taslim Olawale Elias, Atanda Fatayi-Williams, and Ayo Gabriel Irikefe.

The apex court in its lead verdict read by Justice Elias said ‘’We think that, considering the circumstances of the making of this will as well as its detailed provisions for all his relations in addition to members of his own immediate family, the will was that of a fairminded man solicitous of their welfare and anxious about their future happiness.’’

According to the Justices ‘’we agree with the learned Chief Justice (Taylor) that “no argument has been put forward nor any evidence led to show that the terms of the will are incoherent, or strange or unnatural or that the will was not duly executed”. As we have said earlier, there is no need in the circumstances of this particular case for the defence to have pleaded a counter-claim in order to be entitled to an order pronouncing in favour of the will. ‘’Therefore, we see no reason to vary the order which the learned Chief Justice did make, namely, an order pronouncing in favour of the will dated 21st January, 1969 and made and executed on 25th June, 1969. The appeal is accordingly dismissed with costs to the respondents assessed at N270.’’

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Limits of varsity powers: Akinola v. Unilorin ANALYSIS

K AYODE KETEFE

A

recent judgment by the Supreme Court of Nigeria has further expanded the jurisprudence on the extent and limits of the administrative powers of the university authorities in the area of disciplinary actions that may be imposed on any putative erring student, adjudged by them to have been guilty of flouting the institutions orders and or law generally.

The said new case, which will most probably transform into a reference point in this area of law, is the case of University of Ilorin Vs Stephen Olanrewaju Akinola Suit No Sc.126/2008 in which apex court, in an unanimous decision, laid down some far-reaching decisions. Of course, there have been many traditional cases in these areas which contained many judicial decisions on the scope and nature of the universities powers. These cases included the locus classicus, Garba v University of Maiduguri (1986) 1 NWLR (Pt.18)550 2 (1986) All N.L.R 149 3 (1986) 2 S.C. 128 (Suit

No: SC.24/1985) others included University Of Ilorin and Anor. Vs Idowu Oluwadare S.C. 165/2003. Akintemi V Onwumechili (1985) 1 NWLR 68.

In all the said above cases, there stand out two major issues, among others, that attracted specific judicial pronouncements.

These are the two tenets, also known as the two pillars or principles of natural justice. Audi alterem patem (meaning hear the other side) and Nemo judex in causa sua (You should not be a judge in your own case).

It is against this background that one must put into perspective the latest Supreme Court pronouncement, in the case of University of Ilorin Vs Stephen Olanrewaju Akinola, which further beamed detailed searchlight on the students/school authorities’ relationship concerning exercise of disciplinary powers. In an unanimous decision delivered on July 11, 2014, in which the lead judgment was read by Justice Mary Peter-Odili, the apex court insisted that once the visitor to the university, (The President of

Federal Republic of Nigeria) either acting by himself or though appointees, had directed that a putative erring student should be reinstated that should be final, irrespective of whether the university gives its own pardon or not, and therefore the student should accordingly be reinstated.

The facts of this case may be briefly given as a follows. The Respondent (Plaintiff at the trial court) is a student of University of Ilorin, who was admitted to study statistics in 1995.

He partook of the student unionism as a result of which he had legal dispute with the university spawning an earlier case of suit no FHC/IL/M.178/98 which ended in his favour. The university refused to obey the judgment after which the appellant initiated contempt proceedings.

The appellant meanwhile lodged an appeal

against the judgment. Both the contempt and appeal cases were still pending when the Visitor to the university, the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria, set up a committee called “Resolution Committee on Politically Victimized and Rusticated Students headed by a Special Adviser to the President on Education, Chief S.K. Babalola, to mediate and conciliate the parties. The parties made representation to the committee and terms of settlement were drawn up which stated that the appellant would pardon the respondent for whatever wrong he might have done subject to his fulfilling certain conditions spelt out in the terms.

The respondent fulfilled the said conditions and withdrew his contempt proceedings while the appellant notified him that he had been pardoned and also

THE CASE OF UNIILORIN VS STEPHEN OLANREWAJU AKINOLA, WILL MOST PROBABLY TRANSFORM INTO A REFERENCE POINT IN THIS AREA OF LAW

announced this fact to the university community.

However despite repeated demands, the appellant/ university continued to withhold the respondent’s result without any official explanation. This made the respondent to sue the appellant to Federal High Court in Ilorin. He won at the court which ordered that all his academic records and degree should be released immediately and also awarded damages of N, 7000,000 in his favour.

The university appealed to the Court of Appeal and lost and eventually brought this appeal to the Supreme Court.

At the Supreme Court, a lot of technical arguments were canvassed by the appellant/university including a submission that the pardon given to the respondent via “Exhibit” B” only operated to restore his studentship and did not automatically graduate the respondent .The appellant further argued that the said document of pardon could not be used to usurp the function of the Senate on the selection of fit and proper candidates for the award of their certificates and degrees.

At the hearing, Mr Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika repre-

sented the respondent while the appellant was not legally represented.

In her lead judgment, Justice Peter-Odili rejected this argument and held inter alia “Indeed, I am at one with the findings and conclusions of the two courts below and so those concurrent findings are upheld. “To put bluntly, and once again, whether the university gave a pardon to the respondent or not, once the Visitor acting by himself or through appointees had held that the respondent be placed back in good standing, that was final.

“I cannot conclude without admonishing those in authority to desist from the insubordination that carries it into disobeying orders of the Head of State and worst still in an educational institution of the highest level, the university. I award N200, 000.00 costs to the respondent to be paid by the appellants.”

There is no doubt that this interesting judgment has further expanded the frontiers of jurisprudence in students/school authorities’ relationship in the country and would henceforth certainly define the legal “dos” and “don’ts” in this inevitable relationship.

Woman uses boy as drug mule AUSTRALIA

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n Australian woman who is alleged to have used a 12-year-old boy as a drug courier was one of 49 people arrested on 160 drugrelated charges across Ipswich and Brisbane.

Operation Lima Quantity, one of the biggest drug operations in recent Ipswich history, has concluded.

Most of those arrested and charged were from Ipswich.

The operation began in November 2013 and culminated with police executing 33 search warrants in 48 hours.

The charges include the trafficking, supply, production and possession of dangerous drugs. Six offenders were in custody yesterday for trafficking

methamphetamines and cannabis.

Investigations are continuing to identify property suspected of being stolen, that was located during the execution of the search warrants.

Acting Detective Inspector Gary Dixon said the operation had put a massive dent in drug trafficking in Ipswich, which included arresting the ringleader.

“We believe our main target is one of the biggest drug traffickers and suppliers in the Ipswich district,” he said.

Insp Dixon was unable to go into the street value of the drugs involved, but he confirmed “amounts of methamphetamine and cannabis have been seized and support the evidence we have in relation to the

trafficking of dangerous drugs”.

Goodna’s Toni Ann Ness, 42, faced charges in Ipswich Magistrates Court yesterday for drug trafficking, drug possession, possessing drug utensils, and possessing anything used in the commission of a crime.

Ness did not apply for bail. The case was adjourned until Friday, August 22, and she will remain in custody until that date.

Ness, of Marie St, alleged to have been ‘the main target’ of the operation, had allegedly been using a 12-year-old boy to deliver the drugs she had been selling to other members of the community.

The 12-year-old boy is not related to her.

The Department of Communities has been briefed in relation to the

child.

Dixon said he thought the community would be “pretty devastated to think that a grown adult could use a child in such a fashion” “He was given a quantity of drugs and took them from one place to numerous times,” he said. … another Police have released vision of the house in Marie St being searched during the operation, and it is alleged that drugs were found.

The QT was told yesterday that activities in the street had long been a concern to residents. The house that was searched has cameras and spotlights at the front.

Police seized a wide selection of what is believed to be stolen property during the operation. The majority of the stolen prop-

Dixon

erty - including bracelets, rings, laptops, phones and cameras - was found in Goodna.

Dixon said all involved in Operation Lima Quantity had done an outstanding job.

“The investigation team has put a lot of long, hard hours into working on this

operation,” he said.

“With the assistance from members of the community, we have been able to… charge people with trafficking in this area.

“If people in our community want to take part in this type of activity, we will do everything in our power to uphold the law.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Law & Justice

Monday August 25, 2014

47

Nature, scope of real property law THE ADVOCATE OLUGBEMI FATULA

08037213732 (sms only) E-mail: afribic@yahoo.com

The Conceptual Framework of Property roperty in general means anything that is capable of being owned. That is to say anything over which ownership can be exercised. It may also mean ownership or title itself or an interest in a thing less than ownership but nevertheless conferring certain rights. Law of Property, therefore, regulates the relationship between persons as it relates to ownership, acquisition, uses and disposition of things.

Property is usually classified into real property (realty) and personal property (personalty).

P

This classification is of English origin. In early law, property was considered to be real if the courts will restore to a dispossessed owner the thing itself, that is the res and not merely compensate him for the loss. Where the courts would give the defendant a choice of either returning the res or paying the value thereof the property was deemed personal.

Thus if A forcibly evicted B from his land, B could bring a ‘real’ action to obtain an order of the court compelling A to return the land to him. But if it is B’s chair that was taken he could bring a personal

SECTION 2 OF THE PROPERTY CONVEYANCING LAW DEFINES LAND TO INCLUDE; THE EARTH SURFACE AND EVERYTHING ATTACHED TO THE EARTH OTHERWISE KNOWN AS FIXTURES AND ALL CHATTELS REAL

action against A, giving A the choice of either returning the chair or paying the value thereof.

A distinction was thus made between real property (realty), which could be specifically recovered, and personal property (personalty), which could not be thus recovered.

Aligning this distinction with the nature’s division of property into immovable (land) and movable, land became real property since only it could be specifically recovered while other things became classified as personality since the defendant had an option of compensating the plaintiff for the loss of the res.

Although all interests in land are in general real property, lease holds are classified as personalty and with the evolvement of the doctrine of estate leaseholds are now recognized as interest in land and not merely contractual rights. They are classified as chattels real.

The three types of property therefore are; realty, that is land, chattels real, that is to say leases and pure personalty. This article is principally concerned with real property and leaseholds. The law

of real property means land law or law relating to land and by Nigerian law of real property or land law we mean that branch of the Nigerian law that defines the rights and liabilities attached to or connected with interests in land. It is concerned with the rights, interests, obligations which exist over land including buildings, how they are created, enforced, used, assigned and extinguished.

The Legal meaning of Land Land is an element of nature inextricably interwoven with man’s institutions. The economic function is but one of many vital functions of land.

It invests man’s life with stability; it is the site of his habitation; it is a condition of his physical safety; it is the landscape and the seasons. Land is a very constitutive part of the capacity of any society to organize itself for growth and development.

From an economic-legal perspective, land in Nigeria encompasses four components over which configurations of land rights may be exercised: the earth surface, things located within the soil, every thing attached to the earth surface and

all inheritable subjects of rights existing on land including right of prescription. This conception of the nature of land rights has been popularized by economists working within the framework of the property rights paradigm. This line of research, dating back to the last 50 years, is characterized by emphasis on certain basic ideas concerning the interconnectedness of ownership rights, incentives and economic behaviour.

Indeed, advances in the economic analysis of the structure of land rights point to an evolutionary pattern of land tenure relations in all societies.

A principal objective of any land reform measures in Nigeria, to be effective and meaningful must be able to avoid the limitations of customary land tenure systems by creating a market to secure land titles as a means of empowering the people in general.

Land can be used in several senses. It could refer to the solid portion of the earth surface as distinguished from water. It may simply mean ground or soil. Land includes the ground, its subsoil and all structures and ob-

jects attached to the land like buildings and trees standing on it. Section 3 of the Interpretation Act defines immovable property or land to include land and everything attached to the earth or permanently fastened to anything, which is attached to the earth excluding minerals. The legal conception of land is wider and includes even abstract incorporeal rights like a right of way and other easements as well as profits enjoyed by one person over the ground and buildings belonging to another. Thus Section 2 of the Property Conveyancing Law defines land to include: The earth surface and everything attached to the earth otherwise known as fixtures and all chattels real. It also includes incorporeal rights like a right of way and other easements as well as profits enjoyed by one person over the ground and buildings belonging to another.

Incorporeal hereditaments are those intangible things which can neither be seen nor handled but can be perceived and exist on land. Incorporeal hereditament is not the subject of the right but the right itself.

Land dispute: Appeal Court nullifies judgment against Gberigbe family MATTHEW IRINOYE

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he Court of Appeal in Lagos has nullified the judgement of a Lagos High Court which vested a disputed property in Gberigbe village , Ikorodu in favour of Laderu/Orelade and Odusanya families about five years ago.

The appellate court in a lead judgment of a unanimous verdict delivered by Justice Joseph Shagbaor Ikyegh, the court quashed the decision of the lower court against the family of Gberigbe/Orelade royal family of Gberigbe village, Ikorodu .

The lower court had on December 14, 2009 entered against the Gberigbe/ Orelade family over the vast hectare of land of Gberigbe village Ikoro-

du.

The three Justices of the Court of Appeal held that the judgment of the lower court was defective as both the writ of summons and the statement of claim were signed by a law firm in violation of provisions of the law that stipulated that a legal practitioner should sign it.

In the lead judgement Justice Ikyegh, said “the originating process that commenced the action at the lower court is incompetent having been signed by a law firm, not a legal practitioner, and the proceedings based on it are incompetent as one cannot place something on nothing and expect it to stand” It would be recalled that, Laderu, Orelade and Odusanya families had gone before Justice

Oke-Lawal of the Lagos High Court in Suit No. ID/179/00, seeking among other things for a declaration that they were entitled to possession of all the piece of land at Gberigbe/Orelade Royal family.

The lower court rejected the plea as well as the traditional evidence of Gberigbe/Orelade family as well as traditional evidence and granted the claims of Laderu/Orelade and Odusanya families in its entirely.

Dissatisfied with the Judgment, the Gberigbe Orelade family approached the Court of Appeal.

The Appellate held: “The originating processed in the action at the lower Court below having been signed by a law firm, not by an identifiable legal practitioner, of

the court below leading to Judgment in the case built on the incompetent and a nullity must be set aside.

“Counsel should save themselves the trouble of putting up arguments to save the suits. It is futile.

It is hope that in the near future, the court will no longer have to grapple with this issue. Counsel should follow the it painstakingly.

Meanwhile, the Gberigbe/ Orelade royal family have appealed to the police to come to their rescue in a bid to recover the disputed land.

In a petition sent to the new Inspector General of Police (IGP) , Mr. . Suleiman Abba written on behalf of Gberigbe/ Orelade royal family by the law firm of Fabunmi and Folarin, it was alleged that their oppo-

nents are taking extraJudicial steps to harass and intimidate them in respect of the land.

The petition read: “This is to inform your new good office as the present IGP, that the judgment was obtained by the Gberigbe/ Orelade Royal family at the court of Appeal Lagos Judicial Division in suit No. CAL /L/360/2011 on 19th may, 2014 against Orelade Ladera families and Odusanya Family of Gberigbe in Ikorodu area of Lagos state.”

“Gberigbe Orelade royal family predecessor’s land earlier obtained judgement in the supreme court of the colony of southern Nigeria in October 1913 in suit NO. 139/1911-Akishe A Odueko .V. Odumeru as Baale of Agbowa against the said Orelade Ladera

Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, President, Court of Appeal

families and Odusanya family”, the Petition stated.

However, the Olotu of Gberigbe Orelade royal family Chief Sunday Ola Oshunkoya and the Secretary of the family, Chief Kayode Shokelu Odubitan, have also appealed to the police to assist them to enforce the judgment.

48 48

National Mirror National Mirror Friday August 1, 2014 Monday August 25, 2014 www.nationalmirroronline.net www.nationalmirroronline.net

Community Mirror As I receive the report of your deliberations, let me assure you that your work is not going to be a waste of time or resources, we shall do all we can to ensure the implementation your recommendations.

PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN

Man commits suicide in Imo CHRIS NJOKU OWERRI

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34-year-old man identified as Chinedu has reportedly committed suicide with his lifeless body found dangling in his apartment at No. 4 Bus Stop Umualum Nekede Old Road in Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State.

Community Mirror

gathered that the deceased’s mother and siblings who were away to the market returned home to discover the body of the deceased hanging in his room.

When our correspondent visited the place, many neighbours were seen discussing the unfortunate incident.

It was learnt that the deceased who was planning to travel overseas

was allegedly duped of N1m by fraudsters.

“He just walked into his room without talking to anyone and the next thing we heard was that he had committed suicide, a resident who did not want his name disclosed said.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Andrew Enwerem, confirmed the incident, saying the de-

ceased did not leave any suicide note to indicate reason for his action.

“They identified him simply as Chinedu. He was 34 years old. We do not yet know the cause of death other than his lifeless body was found dangling in his room”, he said.

He said the police will do a thorough investigation to ascertain the actual cause of death.

Diaspora Yoruba urged to remember roots AYO ESAN

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he National Coordinator of the Oodua Peoples’ Congress, OPC, Otunba Gani Adams has called on the Yoruba in Diaspora to always keep in touch with their roots, saying that in view of the current challenges facing Nigeria, the time has come for them to work for the common interest of their race.

“Let me tell you that time has come for all to make that important decision to clearly identify with your root in order to survive the potential dangers”, he said.

Adams, who was speaking while launching the Austria chapter of the Odua Progressive Union, OPU, said the organsation was established as a platform for the Yoruba to work for the progress of their race all over the world.

The chieftain said the organisation has been launched in 51countries to foster unity among the Yo-

ruba in the Diaspora, even as he said that preparations have been concluded to launch it in Spain, Sweden and France before end of this year.

“The launch of the OPU in Austria is a fulfillment of the determination of some positive-minded fellows to ensure there is a platform for the Yoruba to rekindle those spirits that made us stand out among others in the past.

The launch is coming at a time when Nigeria is facing a lot of challenges, ranging from political, security and economic”, he said.

Adams said the different ethnic nationalities in the country are jostling for better standing in the political arrangements and the Yoruba nation must not be left behind of this attempt to reposition the country.

In a meeting with the Yoruba community in Austria, Adams advised them to provide the necessary leadership that will establish them as a world power.

Indigenes mourn demise of Ikere Ekiti monarch ABIODUN NEJO Kidnappers den at Forupa area of Bayelsa State set on fire after a raid by soldiers of the Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta, recently.

PHOTO: NAN

Siblings murder tenant in Lagos DARE AKOGUN

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wo siblings have been arrested for inflicting severe injuries on the scrotum and causing the death of a tenant in their family house at Ikotun area of Lagos State.

The suspects, Solomon Olowogbemi, 24, and Damilola Olayeye, 22, who were arrested by the police from the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Panti, Yaba, have been charged

for murder and armed robbery before an EbuteMetta Chief Magistrates’ Court .

It was gathered that the victim, late Mr. Olayinka Offahin, suffered the cruel fate after he was given a quit notice.

Offahin’s scrotum was allegedly sliced with a kitchen knife after an argument between them over forceful eviction from his rented apartment.

The police prosecutor, Corporal Onaiwu Iyobosa, told the court that the accused were the landlady’s

stepsons, saying that both the landlady and deceased had a misunderstanding.

Iyobosa said the landlady had told the deceased to pack out of her house, even as the former promised to leave by the end of August.

He said, “On the fateful day, the deceased and his family were sleeping when the accused persons forcibly entered his room, and destroyed his electronic gadgets and other property.

One of the accused held out a knife and stole

his N8, 000. They beat the deceased and cut his scrotum with knife which made him call for help”.

He further stated that the deceased was immediately rushed to the hospital for treatment, while the accused were arrested by the police,even as the victim later died from the injuries.

The police prosecutor told the court that the offences committed by the accused persons contravened Sections 228, 231 and 295 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

ADO EKITI

T

he people of Ikere Ekiti, in Ekiti State, have paid tributes following the passing on of the Ogoga of Ikere Ekiti, Oba Samuel Adegboye.

The first-class monarch who spent 43 years on the throne joined his ancestors last Friday after a brief illness at the age of 85 years.

Those seen at the palace to mourn his demise were high chiefs, prominent indigenes, relations, friends and well-wishers.

One of his children, Chief Magistrate Adesoji Adegboye, described the late monarch as a loving father and great king who contributed immensely to the transformation of the

town.

He said: “My father died after a brief illness.

He died exactly the day he was 43 years on the throne. We will miss him.

The people will never forget his passion for the town’s development”.

The caretaker chairman of Ikere West Local Council Development Area, Mr. Gbenga Omole, described the late monarch as a focused and hardworking man, who loved his community”.

Omole called on the indigenes to ensure the sustenance of the unity which the late monarch left behind.

He praised the Ogogain-Council and the youths for their peaceful conduct during the ongoing traditional rites.

Monday, August 25, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

49

World News

We’ve encouraged constructive military-tomilitary ties with China.

‘Italy finds 19 boat migrants dead, saves over 3,500’

–White House Spokesman, Ben Rhodes

50 PAUL ARHEWE

WITH AGENCY REPORTS

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he Department of Health in London said the patient was currently on a military plane flying home and, while not seriously ill, would be treated at an isolation unit at a London hospital.

A spokesman for Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Health, Yahya Tunis, said the man was a volunteer nurse working in Kenema in eastern Sierra Leone, one of the areas hardest hit by Ebola which has now been quarantined.

“His colleagues are very sad over the development as he is considered as a valued member,” Tunis said, adding that he was involved in “surveillance, contact tracing and the burial of Ebola victims.”

The Briton is the first person from the country to have contracted the virus in an outbreak that has killed at least 1,427 people in West Africa since March.

The Department of Health said the victim was currently being evacuated in a specially equipped C17 Royal Air Force military plane to RAF Northolt outside London.

On arrival, the victim will be taken in a special military ambulance to Britain’s only specialist Ebola isolation unit at the Royal Free Hospital in London.

England’s deputy chief medi-

Briton with Ebola flown home from Sierra Leone

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US, UK eye rapper as British-born militant who beheaded Foley American and British intelligence officials are eyeing a British-born rapper as the militant who beheaded journalist James Foley.

A senior Western intelligence official told Fox News that 23-year-old London rapper Abdel Majed Abdel Bary is the suspect believed to be Foley’s executioner.

U.S. intelligence officials are not commenting publicly on the reports, but a well-placed source told Fox News that Bary’s Egyptian-born father was extradited from London to the United States in 2012 for his alleged connection to Usama bin Laden and the 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings in Africa.

Bary travelled to Syria last year to fight with ISIS, the source said.

A nurse wears protective clothing as he demonstrates the facilities in place at the Royal Free Hospital in north London, recently.

cal officer Professor John Watson insisted that the risk of the virus being spread in Britain remained “very low”.

“UK hospitals have a proven record of dealing with imported infectious diseases and this patient will be isolated and will receive

the best care possible,” he added.

Ebola spreads through direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of an infected person.

The Mail on Sunday newspaper reported that the man was working for a charity in Sierra Leone.

The Ebola epidemic has spread

through Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, while Nigeria has also been affected. It is the worstever outbreak of the killer virus.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned it could take several months to bring the epidemic under control.

Strong quake hits California, 89 injured

he largest earthquake to hit the San Francisco Bay Area in 25 years sent scores of people to hospitals, ignited fires, damaged multiple historic buildings and knocked out power to tens of thousands yesterday.

The 6.0-magnitude earthquake that struck just before 3:30 a.m. miles from Napa in California

WORLD BULLETIN

wine country was felt widely, breaking water mains, causing more than 100 gas leaks, leaving two adults and a child critically injured, damaging some of Napa Valley’s famed wineries, and sending residents running out of their homes in the darkness.

Dazed residents too fearful of aftershocks to go back to bed wandered through Napa’s his-

Bricks from a damaged building sit on a car following a reported 6.0 earthquake , yesterday in Napa, California.

Photo: Getty Images

toric downtown, where the quake had shorn a 10-foot chunk of bricks and concrete from the corner of an old county courthouse.

Bolder-sized pieces of rubble littered the lawn and street in front of the building and the hole left behind allowed a view of the offices inside.

College student Eduardo Rivera, 20, said the home he shares with six relatives shook so violently that he kept getting knocked back into his bed as he tried to flee.

“When I woke up, my mom was screaming and the sounds from the earthquake was greater than my mom’s screams,” Rivera said.

President Barack Obama was briefed on the earthquake, the White House said. Federal officials also have been in touch with state and local emergency responders. Gov. Jerry Brown said in a statement that his emergency services office was

working closely with state and local emergency managers to respond to residents and critical infrastructure that were affected.

The earthquake sent at least 89 people to Queen of the Valley hospital. Most patients had cuts, bumps, bruises, said Vanessa DeGier, spokeswoman for the Napa hospital. She says the facility has treated a hip fracture and heart attack, but it’s unclear if it was related to the quake. The hospital has set up a triage tent and many people are still coming in, DeGier said.

Six significant fires, including at a mobile home park, Napa Division Fire Chief Darren Drake said. Four mobile homes have been destroyed and two others damaged, the city said. Several other smaller fires have been reported and firefighting efforts have been complicated by broken water mains.

‘Iran downs Israeli drone near nuclear site’ Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards said yesterday its forces shot down an Israeli drone as it approached an Iranian nuclear site, without offering further details. Israeli officials could not be immediately reached for comment.

The statement comes as Iran negotiates with world powers over its nuclear program and hard-liners press moderate President Hassan Rouhani to demand more concessions before limiting its atomic capabilities. Israel has not ruled out taking military action against Iran’s nuclear facilities if its capability to build an atomic weapon progresses.

Libyan crisis: Militias challenge parliament Islamist militias in Libya have challenged the legitimacy of the new parliament after announcing their seizure of Tripoli airport.

The militias accused the house of complicity with Egypt and the United Arab Emirates in a deadly air strike on militia positions at the airport.

The elected parliament has branded the militias as “terrorists”.

Egypt’s President Abdul-Fattah al-Sisi has denied any involvement in Saturday’s air strike.

The militia alliance in Libya captured the capital’s international airport after a battle lasting nearly a month.

50

World News

Monday, August 25, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘Italy finds 19 boat migrants dead, saves over 3,500’ I taly’s maritime search and rescue service saved 3,500 migrants and found 19 corpses in the Mediterranean since Friday as thousands attempted to cross to Europe by boat over the weekend, the Italian navy said.

Calmer summer seas have led more people to make the perilous crossing this year from North Africa, where a breakdown of order in Libya has been exploited by human traffickers, pushing the number of arrivals into Italy since January past 100,000.

The Italian ship Sirio recovered 18 corpses and 73 survivors from a raft, the navy said on Twitter on Sunday, after a frigate picked up one corpse along with 1372 survivors on Friday night.

The deaths were reported shortly after a boat carrying migrants sank off the Libyan coast on Friday. The Libyan coast guard originally estimated the boat had held 150-200 people, but an official said CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Miss Funke Bunni Taiwo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Grace Omowunmi Oluwagbemiga.

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ous opposition.

“Either Europe takes responsibility or Italy will have to make its own decisions. Sadly, Salvini’s words show that in Italy an ugly extreme right wing is being born,” Corriere quoted Alfano as saying.

EU Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said in a statement later on Sunday that she

Two people die of Ebola in Congo, says Minister

Some Africa migrants being escorted by an Italian naval boat

on Sunday further checks showed it was bigger than first thought, and more than 250 migrants may have died.

The Mare Nostrum search and rescue mission began after a shipwreck near Italy’s coast killed 366 people last October.

The UN refugee agency said around 500 migrants had died in the Mediterranean between January and July this year.

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SUBEB Ekiti State and general public take note.

AUCTION ! AUCTION

The Nigerian Police Anambra State is calling on the owners of these vehicles,motorcycles parked at Ihiala Police Station .the items include ,One scrap Damaged Mitsubishi L300 with Reg. No XA 900 ACA ,One Scrap Damaged TRF 18-310 Worker trailer head with chasis no X 9533 R 82 T4 BR 148414 without Reg No. One scrap Abandoned trailer with reg. no AA 828 URM Motorcycles parked at Ihiala Police Station are by this publication advised to claim their Vehicles,properties and motorcycles with proof of ownership before it will be auctioned within 21 days of this publication or forfeit it to Auction.

Signed: CSP Christopher Bassey Divisional Police Officer, Ihiala Division

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would meet Alfano in Brussels next Wednesday “to better define priorities and provide assistance”.

At the frontier between Europe and Africa, Italy has long attracted seaborne migrants, but the number of arrivals this year is already above a previous record of just over 60,000 for all of 2011, when the Arab Spring uprisings fuelled migration.

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The mission costs around 9 million euros ($11.92 million) a month and has sparked fierce debate in Italy, which slipped back into recession in the second quarter after years of stagnation.

The flood of migrants has helped revive support for Italy’s anti-immigration Northern League party, whose leader Matteo Salvini is an outspoken critic of Mare Nostrum. Salvini CHANGE OF NAME

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OLA-ISHOLA: Formerly known and addressed as Miss OlaIshola Folahanmi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Balogun Folahanmi. All former documents remain valid. General public take note

wrote “Stop the Invasion” on his Facebook page on Sunday.

Interior minister Angelino Alfano said in an interview with the Corriere della Sera newspaper on Sunday that Mare Nostrum was intended to be a temporary measure which could not continue until the second anniversary of the October shipwreck, and voiced concern over the Northern League’s vociferCHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Mr Chukwuemeka Obiekwe, now wish to be known and addressed as Mr Chukwuemeke Obuekwe.

All former Documents remain valid. UNN and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

OTENAIKE: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Otenaike Seun Deborah, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Akinbolaji Seun Deborah. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known, called and Addressed as Miss Olorunfemi Motunrayo Morounfayo, now wish to be known, called and addrressed as Mrs. Falomo Motunrayo Morounfayo. All former documents bearing my former Surname remain valid, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and General Public Should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

NWEZE: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Nweze Mary Obioma, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ugwoke Mary Obioma. All former documents remain valid. UNN and general public take note.

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EZENWATA: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Ezenwata Nkeiruka Ndidibummeri, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ogbodo Nkeiruka Ndidibummeri.

All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

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AKOREDE: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Akorede Toyin Oluwaranti, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Idowu Toyin Oluwaranti. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note

LOSS OF DOCUMENT

This is to notify the general public that the original documents of House No. 146 situated at Bakin Kwangiri Badawa Quarters, Nassarawa Lga Kano State, belonging to Alhaji Hassan Atai Adamu, with ref. NO. NSLG/ADM/S. 19/VOL I Date 22nd day of July 2008 is missing. Authority concerned to take note

C

ongo’s health minister says two Ebola deaths have been confirmed in the Central African country.

Felix Kabange Numbi said Sunday that two of eight samples from the northwest Equateur province came back positive for the deadly disease.

Numbi said the samples were from the region where the World Health Organization said an outbreak of hemorrhagic gastroenteritis has killed 70 people in CHANGE OF NAME

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LOSS OF DOCUMENT

This is to inform the general public that Bishop John Ogbonna Edeh of Plot No 5 Block 67 No 24 Obosi Street Asata Enugu. Lost Building lease documents registered as No 1/1/96 at Land registry Enugu. If found contact the Ministry of lands and Urban Development Enugu.

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AWUNAH: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Priscilla Terfaeren Awunah, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Priscilla Terfaeren Awunah-Sugh. All former documents remain valid. Mainstreet Bank Limited and general public should please take note.

recent weeks.

The WHO said last week those deaths were not Ebola-related.

Numbi said Congolese officials believed Ebola had killed 13 people in the region, including five health workers. He said 11 people were sick and in isolation and that 80 contacts were being traced.

He said the infections were of a different strain than those in the outbreak in West Africa that has killed more than 1,400 people.

CHANGE OF NAME

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CHANGE OF NAME

NWEJIKE: Formerly known and and addressed as Miss Jennifer Ogochukwu Nwejike, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Jennifer Ogochukwu Aniekwe.

All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

ADEWUNMI: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Adewunmi Ranti Christiana now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Daramola Ranti Christiana. All former document remain valid.NYSC and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

NTA: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Nta Maryjane Chidimma now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ibekwe Maryjane Chidimma. All former documents remains valid. NYSC and general public note.

PUBLIC NOTICE

AMITY CLUB ‘85 OF IJEBU LAND

The general public is hereby notified that the above Club has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under the Companies and Allied Matters Act No. of 1990

THE TRUSTEES ARE:

1. Comrade Onanuga Cornelius Oluwarotimi 2. Comrade Salau Adewale Jimo 3. Comrade Dr. Okunowo Abayomi Victor 4. Comrade Okunowo Olaitan Anthony 5. Comrade Professor Gbadamosi Olasunkanmi Mukaila 6. Comrade Adepoju Sina Omotayo 7. Comrade Onenaiya James Olumide THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. Social- philanthropy organization 2. To foster cooperation within its membership and the society at large 3. To maintain mutual understanding, unity, equity, social justice, Financial and moral support 4. To promote education and social well-being, through charitable and philanthropy gesture and raising funds for such noble and similar activities.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, Off Aguyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja Within 28 days of this Publication.

SIGNED: TRUSTEES

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Monday, August 25, 2014

51

Hajj: 2,000 Gombe pilgrims await airlift DANJUMA WILLIAMS GOMBE

E

xecutive Secretary of the Gombe State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Mallam Usman Gurama, has said that the state has begun preparations for the airlifting of 2,000 intending pilgrims for this year’s hajj.

He told newsmen that the board began the early preparation to ensure a hitch-free pilgrimage as it had also embarked on enlightenment programmes for the pilgrims.

According to him, the enlightenment programme includes how they are expected to conduct themselves and also keep them-

selves safe in the event of an outbreak of any deadly disease.

He said the enlightenment started a few days after the eid-el-fitr celebrations, and would continue on a daily basis until the first flight would depart Gombe International Airport.

The secretary added that the board had been doing everything possible to ensure that pilgrims were well behaved and obey the laws of Saudi Arabia.

“All intending pilgrims have been advised to take all that we have been telling them seriously, because the only way to have a easy and successful pilgrimage,” he stressed.

Yuguda expresses frustration over voter registration EZEKIEL TITUS BAUCHI

B

auchi State governor, Isa Yuguda, yesterday expressed disappointment over the ongoing voter registration exercise in the state.

He was in Toro local government headquarters to inspect the designated registration centres on his way from Abuja.

Many registration centres visited by the governor were marred by infectiveness of computers and power to sustain them.

Other challenges include incompetent manpower and manpower, it was learnt.

National Mirror gathered that the governor was furious on seeing the crowd struggling to register, a development youths attributed to the extension of the registration period.

A youth leader described INEC as incompetent in carrying out the exercise and advised against the use of com-

puter for voter registration by embracing the orthodox.

The caretaker committee chairman of Toro local government, Adamu DanYaro Geji Iga, told Yuguda that there had been challenges in the registration of people in the area.

Adamu attributed the challenges to lack of competent hands to handle the INEC equipment.

He pleaded that INEC should extend the registration period to enable people obtain the cards.

He said only 30 per cent of the population in the local government had obtain the cards, with others stranded.

Isa Yuguda, Bauchi State governor

L-R: Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Organising Committee, Abubakar Mustapha; Kaduna State Deputy Governor Nuhu Bajoga; Governor Mukhtar Yero and State Chairman, PDP, Dr. Abubakar Gaya Haruna, during the party’s stakeholders’ meeting in Kaduna yesterday.

Multiple taxation forces businesses to relocate —NICOBPA PRISCILLA DENNIS MINNA

N

iger State Coalition of Businesses and Professional Association, NICOBPA, has identified multiple taxation as the bane of businesses in the nation.

It said the trend had has forced many businessmen to relocate to other African countries.

NICOBPA also decried the Niger State release of N600m by the state government and counter-funding of another N600m by the Bank of Industry, BoI, to the tune of N1.2bn, while

PRISCILLA DENNIS MINNA

T

he Niger State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has uncovered what it called a plot by the All Progressives Party, APC, to unleash thugs on the electorates to disrupt the Niger East senatorial bye-election on Saturday.

Its deputy chairman, in a signed press statement, said the thugs had already been paid and handed maps of places to attack, with the

yet funds were not accessible to interested businessmen in the state.

The chairman of the association, Alhaji Abdullahi Sadiq, who stated this in Minna at a press conference at the weekend, stated that multiple taxation had forced them to move to countries like Ghana, where the environment seemed to be more conducive to operate.

Against the back drop, business people in the state came together and formed the Coalition in 2009, he added, with 22 associations which later increased to 43 in 2010 to fight the menace

to ensure businesses survival.

He stressed the need to revive local industries, which would in turn, create more jobs for the teaming unemployed youths, as well as reduce crimes and generate revenue for the socioeconomic development of the nation.

Sadiq also advocated for policies on the business and industrial revolution in the state to help increase its revenue base.

In a bid to ensure a secure environment for investors in the state, he said NICOBPA organised the workshop on sustainable

growth through security and a security summit solely to prevent cross border crimes, with the neigbouring states of Kogi, Kwara, Kebbi, Kaduna, as well as the FCT and others.

The chairman stated that in June, NICOBPA engaged a consultant to conduct a survey of four major towns in the state, including Minna, Suleja, Bida and Kontagora.

Bida, he stressed, was uncovered as the most secure town for investments; Suleja; most volatile, due to influx of people, while Minna and Kontagora had little threats to survival.

primary mission of causing confusion to frustrate the process.

Expressing sadness at ‘the way and manner’ the Niger State APC was going about the bye-election, he said the planned action of the opposition only showed that they were far from prepared for the next general election.

According to the statement, “The opposition in Niger State needs to be schooled on the basic values of electoral practices. They

have failed to realise that politics is not all about thuggery, blackmail or laughable propaganda. Niger APC must understand that election is not a do-or-die affair.

“It has been revealed that most of the thugs recruited to cause trouble during the forthcoming bye-election are not from Niger State.

“We have, however, contacted security operatives to be ready to fend off attacks by these hired thugs; if they continue with the plans. We are, however, hopeful that

these misguided youths realise that thuggery only satisfies narrow interest of a few elite.

“Having wasted so much time speaking against the PDP administration, the APC has failed to put its house together. The result of their strange political approach has only made them to lose electoral value. Sadly, instead of finding how best to correct this self-inflected political problem, they have concluded plans to use thugs to cut corners.”

of the group now keeps a closer touch with the 21coordinators appointed in the local government councils, as well as their counterpart coordinators in the zones, to oversee activities.

“We reviewed our campaign structures from ward, council and zonal levels and

necessary improvements have been observed, yet we are not willing to rest on our oars.

“Part of our advantages is that Dr. Ahmed Mohammed Modibbo is already a household name here in Adamawa. His record of achievements and party support is

helping us, but we still need to do more,” he said.

Mosu added: “All the 21 local council co-ordinators and our delegate co-ordinators have been briefed about some of our new strategies, and they have expressed their willingness to take the message to the grassroots.

Adamawa 2015: Modibbo’s group seeks support

A

head of the Peoples’ Democratic Party’s governorship primary slated for September 6, 2014 in Adamawa State, the campaign organisation of Dr. Ahmed Mohammed Modibbo has said it was seeking support of the masses for its aspirant to emerge

victorious.

Speaking in Yola yesterday, the director-general of the group, Fanuel Mosu, said as political events were unfolding,the group was doing everything possible to have more voters on its side.

Mosu said the group had begun engaging core

stakeholders on campaigns to achieve results through massive grassroots mobilisation.

He said despite its past achievements, the group was looking for new strategies to put it ahead of other aspirants in the election.

Mosu said the leadership

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National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Female pilgrims get pregnancy test ultimatum T

he Kano State Pilgrims Welfare Board over the weekend issued a fourday ultimatum to intending female pilgrims who had not undergone pregnancy tests to do so or forfeit their hajj seats.

The Public Relations

Officer, PRO, of the board, Alhaji Nuhu Badamasi, gave the ultimatum in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Kano.

Badamasi said any intending female pilgrim who failed to undergo the test would not perform

the hajj.

“There are about 60 female pilgrims who for one reason or the other did not attend the test at the hajj camp.

“The board has given them four days from August 25 to August 28 to go to the Murtala Mu-

hammed Specialist Hospital for the test.

“They have to pay a token fee of N1,000 now because the one we conducted at the hajj camp was free,’’ he said.

He said the warning became necessary to avoid embarrassment because

the board had taken all measures to stop pregnant women from performing the 2014 hajj.

NAN recalls that the board had directed the intending pilgrims to attend medical and pregnancy

Congress: Kano PDP gets new officials

T

Special Advisers to the Acting Governor of Adamawa State, Alhaji Ahmadu Fintiri, taking the oath of office in Yola at the weekend.

I’m not fighting Jang –Dariye JAMES ABRAHAM JOS

F

ormer governor of Plateau State, Senator Joshua Dariye, has denied plans to fight Governor Jonah Jang when he returns to the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP. After vacating office in 2007, Dariye left the PDP in controversial circumstances, only to later join the

Labour Party, LP, where he contested and won the Plateau Central senatorial election in 2011.

But as the 2015 elections draw near, there have been speculations that the former governor was planning to return to his former party, ostensibly to flex muscles with the incumbent governor, Jang, who has since established himself as the leader of the party in the state.

However, Dariye, who spoke with journalists in Jos at the weekend, denied having such plans.

He said he was returning to ensure victory for President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015.

Dariye said: “I am joining the PDP because I believe in President Goodluck Jonathan and I will work hard to ensure he gets victory if he decides to run.

“After wide consultations with my constituents, we have resolved that we are coming back to the PDP.

ABUJA

K

ey stakeholders in the Adamawa State chapter of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, have opted for a zoning arrangement for the governorship seat in the upcoming gubernatorial bye-election the central senatorial zone.

They said the arrangement would be a way of replicating fairness to the zone that had never produced governor in the state.

Their position was arrived at after a marathon meeting held in Yola, the state capital, which was

attended by some governorship aspirants and key party stakeholders and leaders drawn from the 21 local governments.

A source, who was part of the meetings, told journalists by phone from Yola that the stakeholders were unanimous in the decision which he said was to “placate the politically-disadvantaged central zone, which is politically excluded despite its numerical strength.”

He said the zoning consensus was reached at, in line with the spirit of the PDP constitution which encourages zoning as a way of revolving offices to accommodate all geo-polit-

ical groupings.

According to him, during the Murtala Nyako administration, the central zone was not occupying any of the top five positions in the state, “and this reality did not change with the impeachment of Nyako, as the acting governor is from the northern zone.”

Presently, the acting governor and two serving ministers; Boni Haruna and Zainab Maina, are all from the northern zone.

The Southern senatorial zone, he noted, has only produced two governors and a deputy governor, Bamanga Tukur, Admiral Murtala Nyako and Chief Lynn Nathan.

Speakers at the meeting

he Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Kano State has elected Alhaji Rabi’u Dansharu as its new chairman.

The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that the state congress, which started on Saturday night, ended yesterday.

Announcing the results, former governor of Ebonyi State, Mr. Sam Egwu, who supervised the election, said Dansharu defeated Senator Mas’ud Doguwa with 1,109 votes, as against the 458 votes won by Doguwa.

“By our party constitution and guidelines, we wish to declare Dansharu as the elected chairman of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Kano State,’’ he said.

He commended party members for their cooperation, patience and

peaceful conduct during the congress.

In his acceptance speech, Dansharu thanked members for giving him the mandate to lead the party in the state.

He also commended the party elders and other stakeholders for standing firm to ensure that the congress was hitch-free.

He promised to operate an open door policy to strengthen the party and to give party members a sense of belonging.

Dansharau, however, called on the supporters to give the new leadership constructive advice that would ensure progress and development of the party in the state.

NAN reports that all other elected party officials emerged through consensus arrangement.

Police foil robbery in FCT Senator Joshua Dariye,

Adamawa: Stakeholders opt for zoning OBIORA IFOH

tests at the hajj camp.

While male intending pilgrims were directed to attend medical tests, their female counterparts were directed to undergo both medical and pregnancy tests.

were said to have observed that, at various times, capable and promising aspirants from the central zone were persuaded to shelve their ambitions for aspirants from other zones.

“In considering the zoning of the position of the governor to the central zone, it would not be out of place to zone the position of the deputy governor to the southern zone in particular to the Ganye chiefdom that comprises Toungo, Jada and Ganye,” the source added.

Accordingly, the meeting had resolved to forward its stance to the national headquarters of the PDP and through party leader, President Goodluck Jonathan.

T

he police has said it foiled an armed robbery attempt in Gwagwalada metropolis of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, on Saturday.

The Divisional Police Officer, DPO, Gwagwalada Division, Mr. Patrick Daaor, told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, yesterday that the criminals had attempted to rob the residence of Mr. Ogah Michael of Obama Street, Phase One, Gwagwalada.

He said a three-man gang entered Michael’s house at about 8:30 p.m., each of them brandishing a locally-made pistol and handcuff.

Daaor said as soon as the suspects entered the house, the victim gave a loud shout which attracted the attention of neighbours, one of whom immediately dialed the

police emergency number for help.

The DPO said his men responded instantly to the distress call and went straight to the residence, following the description given by the victim’s ‘good neighbour’.

He said that on hearing the sound of the siren of the police security vehicles, the hoodlums took to their heels, throwing away all their arms and escaped arrest.

Daaor said that his men, however, recovered all the weapons, while investigation had commenced in order to apprehend the criminals.

He advised residents of the area to emulate Michael’s neighbour, whose name he declined to disclose for security reasons, by calling police emergency numbers in the event of any attack.

Monday August 25, 2014

I have no opinion on the tenuree of Stephen Keshi; at least not onn newspaper pagess

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Sport

US Open 2014: Behold! The main contenders 55

–FORMER SUPER EAGLES COACH, ADEGBOYE ONIGBINDEE

AFCON 2015: Lawal warns of

Congo, SA threat

PAUL EREWUBA

F

ormer Super Eagles midfielder, Garba Lawal, has said that minnows Congo and South Africa could give Nigeria a rude awakening in view of the crisis that has seemed to distract the Eagles’ preparation for the double-header AFCON 2015 qualifiers next month.

Nigeria will host Congo in Calabar on September 6 and then proceed to Cape Town to meet South Africa four days after. Although the strife-torn Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) hurriedly released a 23man Eagles list last week but without a coach yet to handle the team as Stephen Keshi continues to stay away over contract dispute.

“I am surprised and dismayed that it appears we are taking the competitive games with unrivalled levity at a time that the continent is witnessing stiff competition among

countries,” Lawal told National Mirror yesterday.

“I believe it is a dangerous situation, taking into consideration the fact that Congo and South Africa have come a long way in football.

“I also think it is about time we realised that we are the reigning African champions and conduct ourselves accordingly.

“Let the NFF be warned that Congo and South Africa are quite capable of shocking Nigeria in this race and of course, we will only have ourselves to blame if this comes to pass.”

According to Lawal, it is dangerous enough that the football federation has not adequately monitored the state of the invited players in the new season.

“This could prove counterproductive, especially as two important games will be played in a space of four days and total fitness will be required,” the former Nigeria international further said.

Amodu, Disu make case for Keshi ADEOLU JOHNSON

F Glo League results

Elderson Echiejile is among the 23 players invited to play against Congo and South Africa

Gombe Utd. FC

2

0

Crown FC

Kano Pillars

1

0

Abia Warriors

Sunshine Stars

2

1

Rangers

Dolphins FC

0

0

Sharks FC

Kaduna United

1

0

Lobi Stars FC

El-Kanemi

2

0

Bayelsa United

Nembe City

0

0

Akwa United

Enyimba

3

0

Taraba FC

Giwa FC

2

0

Warri Wolves

Nasarawa

1

0

Heartland

ormer Super Eagles coach, Shaibu Amodu, and former Flying Eagles coach, Tunde Disu, yesterday joined the bring-back-StephenKeshi chorus as the duo reckoned that it is the only way to stability in the national team ahead of the AFCON qualifiers scheduled for next month.

Amodu, who described the lingering contractual issues between Keshi and Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) as unfortunate and controversial, said it is an ill-wind that will blow no one any good.

“We should not have allowed this issue to drag this long and this is why I am concerned,” the veteran gaffer added, even as he declined to speak further.

Disu said it was in the best interest of Nigeria to retain Keshi as the Eagles look to the future.

“We should consider the fact that Stephen had excelled in

Mali and Togo before working for Nigeria and should respect his patriotic decision to serve Nigeria,” Disu contended, although he admitted that the Eagles boss committed the error of what he called players selection at the recent World Cup finals in Brazil.

“He may have made mistakes, but that is not to say he is a bad coach that should be discarded,” the former NFA Technical Committee chairman further said, stressing, “This time calls for consolidation and Stephen has a big role in it.”

Amodu

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Shekarau for U-20 final PRISCILLA DENNIS MINNA

M

inister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, will

kick off the final of the 3rd National U-20 Football Competition at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna, on September 20, according to the organisers.

The competition will feature about 27 teams across the six geo-political zone in which the Umaru Bahago Football Club, a team owned and sponsored

by Emir of Lapai in

Niger state is expected to meet Rima Academy of Sokoto at the final while third place match will feature teams from Kaduna and Enugu states.

Executive Secretary of Federation of Youth Soccer Clubs, Hon. A.S. Luya, said the competition was organised to honour Shekarau as well as to discover young budding talents for Nigeria.

Di Maria quits Madrid, heads

for Manchester R

NNL: Kogi survives Jigawa scare AFOLABI GAMBARI

A

last gasp header from Abdulkadir Aminu ensured Kogi United emerge 2-1 winner in a Nigeria National League match with 10man Jigawa Golden Stars in Lokoja at the weekend.

With scores at 1-1 in regulation time, the host had to wait until the added time to score the winning goal.

Technical Adviser of the Lokoja-based club and former Nigeria international, Abdul Sule, admitted that his side faced a resolute Jigawa team but the vital points proved valuable.

“I knew it wouldn’t be easy to play against a team like Jigawa who sits back all the time,” Sule said yesterday.

Team Manager, Ameh Henry, also noted that his side lacked the finishing touch, saying it could have proved costly.

“The most important thing is for the supporters to understand

that the team will improve on its quality,” Ameh said.

But the Coach of Jigawa Golden Stars, El-Shama Yunus, admitted his side lost to a better side while commending the display by his players.

“Our plans almost worked for us, but it is unfortunate we lost this match,” Yunus said.

Kogi United has garnered 40 points from 25 games and will make a trip to Minna to meet Niger Tornadoes next weekend.

eal Madrid winger, Angel Di Maria, yesterday bid goodbye to his team-mates ahead of his expected transfer to Manchester United, according to Coach Carlo Ancelotti.

The Argentina international is expected to hold talks with United this week over a transfer that is thought to be worth a British record £56m.

“Di Maria has not trained with us today (yesterday) and he came in to say goodbye to the players and people at the club,” Ancelotti revealed.

“We are thankful for what he has done at this club.

There is nothing official yet but it is being sorted out.”

Despite winning man of the match in Real’s Champions League final triumph over city rival Atletico last season, Di Maria was deemed expendable by club president Florentino Perez following the arrival of World Cup top-scorer James Rodriguez from Monaco.

But Ancelotti said Madrid will look for a replacement before the window closes on August 31.

“The decision is his and the club has done what it could to keep him here but he thought differently and so good luck to him,” the coach said.

“I am very happy with the work that he has done for Madrid but we have the chance to replace him well.”

EPL results Villa

0

0

Newcastle

Chelsea

2

0

Leicester

Palace

1

3

West Ham

Southampton

0

0

West Brom

Swansea

1

0

Burnley

Everton

2

2

Arsenal

Hull

1

1

Stoke

Tottenham

4

0

QPR

Sunderland

1

1

Man United

“Mallam Shekarau has attended this event since its inception in 2009 and we believe the successes recorded in the past tournaments will be replicated in this one,” Luya said.

“The two finalists will represent Nigeria in an international friendly in Dubai and Ghana before the end of the year,” Luya firther said, adding, “Participants will also get trophies, certificates and prize money.”

Shekarau

PFMV Challenge:

Team LETI edges UPDC FRANCIS SUBERU

T

eam LETI came from a goal down to defeat the UPDC Football Team 2-1 at the Campos Mini Stadium, Lagos Island in the ‘Play for Me Sports Challenge’ organised by the Lagos State Law Enforcement Training Institute (LETI).

The novelty match staged as part of the Community Outreach Programme of the Lagos State Law Enforcement Training Institute aimed at stimulating relationship between its law enforcement agents and the various communities where they serve with focal goal of improving voluntary compliance to traffic and environmental laws.

Team LETI, which comprised of officers of LASTMA, KAI and Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS) of the Lagos State Government and captained by the Director of Vehicle Inspection Services, Engineer Abdul-Aziz Toriola, proved as worthy champion.

Senior Special Assistant to the Lagos State Governor on Transport Education, Dr. Mariam Masha, said the friendly aimed to sustain trust and goodwill with the community in which the law enforcement officers operated while education the people on traffic laws.

Manager, Joint Ventures and Strategic Alliances of United Properties Development Company (UPDC), Mr. Olayele Awosika, lauded the initiative which he said would ensure society’s compliance with law and order.

Spectators at the match venue, however, exploited the occasion to register with LASRRA on their vehicle license renewal.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sports

Monday August 25, 2014

55

US Open 2014:

David Ferrer Andy Murray

Novak Djokovic

A

he resilient Novak Djokovic, 27, comes to New York carrying a streak of 13 Grand Slam events dating back to the 2011 French Open in which he has either (a) won the tournament (five times) or (b) lost to the eventual winner.

Djokovic has been a sure bet for at least one thrilling five-setter at every Open in recent years–and with Stanislas Wawrinka, Raonic, Murray, Tsonga and top-ranked American John Isner as potential adversaries before any date with a final, he may be due for a few more in the Open’s second week.

ndy Murray gets the nod over Wawrinka, the reigning Australian Open champion, based on his past success in Flushing Meadows. Murray admitted that a bad back (he underwent surgery following the Open) hindered his performance in New York last year, when he lost Wawrinka in the quarterfinals, and he has been slow to get back to full strength. He’s been showing signs of his 2012-13 form in recent events, though, and if he can win a few matches in the gauntlet that is the top half of this draw, he could build the confidence necessary to punctuate his 2014 Slam season with a second US Open title.

Stanislas Wawrinka

S

tanislas Wawrinka, 29, wrested the designation of number one player out of Switzerland from countryman Federer earlier this year thanks to his triumph in Melbourne, when he became the first non-Big Four player since Juan Martin del Potro in 2009 to take a Grand Slam title.

Federer has since reclaimed top Swiss status but Wawrinka has remained a Top 5 fixture. “Stan the Man” came ohso-close to an Open final last year, with Djokovic outlasting him 2-6, 7-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, in a semifinal which was, to many, the match of the tournament.

T

Milos Raonic

T

he 23-year-old Canadian rose to a careerbest No. 6 in the world in July and has maintained the ranking through the summer with strong play, starting with his first major semifinal appearance at Wimbledon.

In his next tournament, Raonic took the title at the Citi Open in Washington D.C., and he backed that up with a quarterfinal in Toronto and a semifinal in Cincinnati.

A dramatic five-set loss to Richard Gasquet knocked Raonic out in last year’s Open, and he’ll have to prove that he can overcome the competition with tools other than his powerful serve.

Behold!

The main contenders Roger Federer

Grigor Dimitrov

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record-breaking sixth US Open crown has eluded the 33-year-old Swiss since his otherworldly 40-match winning streak at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center was snapped by Juan Martin del Potro in 2009.

Federer has proved increasingly vulnerable at the Open in recent years, as he was bounced in the semis in 2010 and 2011, the quarterfinals in 2012 and the fourth round last year. The optimistic view is that Federer is healthy and arguably the hottest player on tour at the moment, with victories in Cincinnati and Halle and runner-up finishes at Wimbledon and in Toronto in his last four events.

rogor Dimitrov’s early career has been one of considerable hype – not just any rising star is dubbed “Baby Fed”–which the 23-year-old Bulgarian has backed up in 2014. He has won three titles this year – on three surfaces, no less–and at Wimbledon he dethroned Murray and gave Djokovic a test before bowing out in the semis.

He has struggled at the US Open as a pro, but his 2008 boys’ singles title in Flushing and a run to the quarterfinals in Melbourne earlier this year attest to his hard-court ability. Whether he can navigate a potential quarterfinal with Federer, however, is a bigger question.

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efore a second-round exit at Wimbledon this year, David Ferrer, 32, ran a streak of 10 quarterfinal-or-better appearances in majors dating back to the start of 2012. With Nadal out, Ferrer assumes the role of top Spaniard in the draw, competing in the bottom half with Federer, Grigor Dimitrov and Tomas Berdych.

Ferrer is routinely one of the toughest outs in any tournament, but conventional wisdom would dictate that Ferrer should hope hard that Federer falls before a potential semifinal clash: Ferrer is winless in 16 career matches against the 17-time Grand Slam champion.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

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o-Wilfried Tsonga, 29, can be wildly inconsistent, but at his best he is capable of defeating anyone in the draw, as evidenced by a strong run in Canada where he beat Djokovic, Murray, Dimitrov and Federer in succession to take the Rogers Cup. The bad emerged last week in Cincinnati, when Mikhail Youhzny tripped Tsonga in the first round, 6-1, 6-4. He’s beaten the best–and many times on a Grand Slam stage, but he will need to add a touch of consistency if he is to run through a draw that includes potential matches with Murray, Djokovic and Wawrinka.

WORLD RECORD

First flyby of the Sun’s poles Fastest mile fireman’s carry Vol. 04 No. 923 Monday, August 25, 2014

The joint NASA/ESA Ulysses spacecraft was launched from the space shuttle Discovery in 1990. It headed out to Jupiter where it used a gravitational slingshot to send it into a polar orbit around the Sun.

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Ribadu: Neither a saint nor renegade

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he build up to 2015 is becoming increasingly interesting. Nigerians are daily treated to flourishing wheeling and dealing acts that are laced with pretentious upstaging moves that have left some political camps in quandary. These high staked acts demand strategic planning and consume quantum of physical and intrinsic resources; and the level of success in these deals is a function of flexibility.

The All Progressives Party (APC), whose birth was cacophonously celebrated and its entry raised the high expectation of a counterpoise to the hegemonic ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is losing fast its new grounds and helplessly watching as some of its quality resources are either poached or deserting out of frustration. The latest deserter is Nuhu Ribadu, who has

HeartBeat Callistus Oke

Callistusoke@nationalmirroronline.net 08054103275 (SMS ONLY) anthonykila@mail.com confirmed the aphorism that every human being has a price! Before him, Ibrahim Shekarau and Attahiru Bafarawa, former governors of Kano and Sokoto states respectively dumped the party for PDP last January, while last month, Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff, former governor of Borno State, also parted company with his erstwhile allies.

Nuhu Ribadu, a much touted radical politician, exited his old party in style.

The former anti-corruption Czar officially notified his former party of his planned exit. His resignation letter dated August 14, 2014 was addressed to the chairman, Bako Ward (Adamawa State) chapter of APC. That it is an act of political sophistry is underscored by the fact that he wrote the letter after his exit – the letter was dated August 14, 2014 for an exit that took place on July 30, 2014!

One other big surprise is the reason for his exit. He said he was leaving “in pursuit of a good cause and never out of any selfish interests”.

I see nothing unwholesome about the exit of Ribadu from the APC. And my reason is simple: What makes the party different from the PDP? None of the existing political parties has ideological clarity; and so all of them are mere political contraptions for seeking power.

Check the membership of the parties, they are an assemblage of strange bed fellows. This is why inter-party movement is seamless and political harlotry

LET SOMEONE TELL RIBADU THAT BY HIS POLITICAL HARLOTRY ACT, HE MIGHT HAVE BETRAYED A NOBLER NATIONAL CAUSE is a pop culture.

Having said this, the conduct of Ribadu is in line with the general behavioural pattern of politicians worldwide. Three attributes define this pattern: a great love of self; a capacity to lie convincingly, and a phenomenal insight on how to promote self interest.

Have you ever noticed that incremental success in political exploits makes the average politician more obsessed with power?

Let us x-ray Ribadu to test the hypothesis above. The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) invested a lot of confidence in him in 2011 to give him its presidential ticket. It was not a misplaced act because his profile as a clean anti-corruption Czar (former chairman of EFCC) and his youthfulness could have been marketable political USPs in a sane political environment. It was the same gamble the Democratic Party of the United States of America did when it settled for the candidacy of obscure Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election. Ribadu is a

hot contender for the APC presidential ticket in the 2015 general elections; the platform is much bigger that the ACN platform. Why jump a boat that holds the promise of a very high stake? Fear or lack of faith, or is it impatience or shortsightedness?

While contemplating the answer, let me say I caught Ribadu in a lie! Take a proper look at the stated reason for leaving the APC: pursuit of a good cause.

Given that good cause is relative, but between presidential candidacy and governorship candidacy which is a better cause. Could the likely elusiveness of a presidential bid be the reason for coming down the scale for a lesser but more feasible bid, especially one in which success is assured? Isn’t it possible that what is now on offer is a mere decoy to remove a potent threat by the strategists in PDP? Many questions begging for answers.

I cannot say I am comfortable with the politics of Ribadu. In so short a time he has achieved the status of a political icon, which has invested him with expanding national influence. He should have stayed with that, waiting patiently for the right time. What he is doing now is like sacrificing his long term strategic goal for short term narrow interest. He is thus caught in the political web of fidelity with principle and opportunistic craving of the heart.

Let someone tell Ribadu that by his political harlotry act, he might have betrayed a nobler national cause, and this definitely must have affected his scores in the nation’s trust perception index.

But do not blame him. He is a victim of the self interest proclivity that drives our politics.

Mind you, I am not in any way saying that Ribadu is a less noble person.

The point I am making is that he is not different from our average politicians in terms of value judgement, power of perception and prioritization of interests!

Sport Extra

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AFCON 2017: CAF opens calls for hosting bid

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onfederation of African Football (CAF) yesterday confirmed that the body has sent out invitation to all 54 members of the federation to submit bids to

host the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations after the original host Libya withdrew last week.

The continental football body said a Libyan delegation had met with CAF

President Issa Hayatou to disclose the country’s plan to express its decision to surrender the hosting right due to the unstable security situation in the North African nation which had first

hosted the tournament in 1982.

According to Secretary General of CAF, Hicham El Amrani, who re-opened the bid, the designation of the host for this competition

will be made according to the statutory provisions of CAF and in conformity with articles 27 to 47 of the Regulations Governing the Application of CAF Statutes.

Hayatou

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