Tuesday, february 2, 2016

FG has not applied for World Bank loan, says Adeosun

Buhari off to France, UK for antiterrorism talk

…confirms discussions with multi-lateral institutions, credit agencies

Tola Akinmutimi

Adeosun

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inister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, has refuted a report pub-

lished by Financial Times on Sunday suggesting that Nigeria, has applied for emergency loans from World Bank and African Development Bank, AfDB.

In a statement issued by her Special Adviser on Media Matters, Mr. Festus Akanbi, the minister emphatically said that NigeContinued on Page 2>>

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Buhari

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National Mirror Online @NationalMirror Tuesday, February 2, 2016

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2016 budget

Senate uncovers N10bn extra allocation in education George Oji, Abuja

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enate Committee on Education yesterday uncovered N9.982,258,479 extra allocation in the budget appropriation of the Education Ministry.

The amount was tucked inside the budget of the agencies in the ministry as personnel costs.

The lawmakers, who began the budget defence of the education sector yesterday, found out that the personnel costs of the agencies under the Education Ministry was unjustifiably too high in the 2016 Continued on Page 2>>

L-R: APC national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; President Muhammadu Buhari; Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun and Chief Bisi Akande, during the arrival of President Buhari at the presidential wing of Muritala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, yesterday, for Ogun State celebration of 40 Projects at 40.

Governors live like emperors –Obasanjo …accuses them of running councils like fiefdom N34bn fraud: Tompolo asks court to vacate arrest order

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Anambra senatorial seat: Uba, Oduah to remain in Senate

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Mass murder: Amnesty condemns reinstatement of army general

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Senate uncovers N10bn extra allocation in education CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

budget appropriation bill, prompting the members to take closer look at the figures.

It was discovered that personnel cost of the agencies rose from N88.1bn in 2015 to as high as N98.1bn in the 2016 estimate proposals.

The rise in the total personnel costs of the agencies incidentally happened at a time a breakdown of their figures showed that individual personnel costs were declining.

For instance, a breakdown of the figures showed that personnel budget of universities reduced by as much as N16.245bn, declining from N227.2bn in 2015 to N211bn in 2016.

In the same vein, colleges of education budget slide downward from N40.2bn in 2015 to N37.6bn, while polytechnics’ personnel cost, which was N61.44bn in 2015 was reduced to N58.23bn.

However, while the ministry itself has its own budget reduced by N244.9m from N3.768bn in 2015 to N3.523bn in 2016, UNESCO Paris is the worst hit with the drastic reduction of its budget from N288.3bn in 2015 to N7.588bn in 2016.

At the budget defence, which was conducted by the Senate Committee on Secondary School Education, Minister of State for Education, Prof. Anthony Anwuka, appeared in company of the Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Folasade Yemi-Esan.

Anwuka made a presentation on the ministry’s budget performance last year.

He said, of the N483.183bn budgeted for education in 2015, only N13.279bn was released.

He added that only 50 per cent of the N23.5bn, amounting to N11.9bn was released as capital budget.

After the minister’s submissions, a member of the committee and Senate Chief Whip, Senator Olusola Adeyeye, queried the rationale behind the increase in only the budget of agencies by N10bn, while appropriation for universities reduced by as much N16bn.

L-R: Chief Justice of Bahamas, Hartman Longlmy; Chief Judge of Borno State, Kashim Zannah; Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mamoud Mohammed and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, during a courtesy visit to vice president by the Chief Justices from Caribean countries at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO: STATE HOUSE Adeyeye wondered why agencies, which were meant to support the institutions, should have their personnel budget increased by such a huge volume.

He therefore demanded for explanation.

“If you look at personnel cost on page 28, almost every sub-sector of the ministry lost some money except parastatals that got increase.

“What is special about the parastatals that they gained more than univer-

sities, colleges, polytechnics and unity schools?

“Why should the parastatals that are meant to serve them keep growing in personnel cost?” Adeyeye queried.

The minister pushed the question to the permanent secretary who, for want of expression, said they would go back to look into it.

She said: “We will go back and find the aggregate of the parastatals put together so that we can look into the details

and find out those that are increasing and the difference between them.”

Dissatisfied by that response, Adeyeye insisted that the ministry must explain how N10bn was added to the parastatals’ personnel budget at the expense of institutions which actually need budget increase.

He said: “The budget of the parastatals have N9bn extra, while others lose money. We can’t have a situation where schools are losing money and para-

statals are gaining. How did parastatals have such a quantum leap?”

Responding again, Yemi-Esan said the reduction in personnel budgets of schools and colleges was not imposed on them.

Rather, she said it was what they submitted that the ministry collated and submitted as their personnel costs.

“They were the ones that submitted their own personnel costs. It was not imposition,” she submitted.

But both Adeyeye and the entire committee were not convinced by the claim that a typical Nigerian institution would deliberately cut its budget by as much as N16bn.

Following this, the committee chairman, Senator Aliyu Wamakko, ruled that the permanent secretary and the ministry should go back to the drawing board and come up with a more sensible overhead cost.

The budget defence continues today.

FG has not applied for World Bank loan, says Adeosun CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

ria did not apply for any emergency loan.

Akanbi quoted the minister as saying: “The truth is that Nigeria, as part of the plans to fund the 2016 budget currently undergoing the approval process of the National Assembly, has indicated an intention to borrow N1.8trn principally for investment in capital projects to stimulate the economy.”

She said the option of the World Bank was to ensure an optimum financing structure, noting that the 2016 budget is part of the Medium-term Economic Framework (MTEF) of the Federal Government, which the World Bank is aware of.

According to her, the proposed budget deficit will be funded equally

through external and domestic sources.

Adeosun, however, confirmed that Nigeria was exploring the options of multi-lateral agencies like the World Bank and AfDB and export credit agencies such as China Exim Bank due to their concessionary rates of interest.

She said the need to invest in infrastructure to stimulate the economy and the long-term pay back of capital project demand that lowest cost of fund be made, adding that “in that regard, we are discussing with multilateral agencies like the World Bank with concessionary loans and banks like China Exim Bank with concessionary rates.

“Nigeria, as a member of World Bank group is entitled to access available funds like every

member-country.”

Adeosun said no application for loans had been made to any of the multilateral agencies, saying that Nigeria is simply discussing options for funding 2016 budget.

Giving further clarifications on the strategy being explored for foreign loans to fund the budget, she explained that the overall objective was to provide the lowest possible cost of funds to finance capital projects to stimulate the economy through in such areas as power, transport, road and housing sectors, among others.

In addition, she explained that the strategy of pursuing increased foreign borrowing was designed to ensure that the Federal Government does not “crowd out” the

private sector in the domestic market.

The minister, who harped on the need to invest in key infrastructure to stimulate the economy and the long-term payback period of capital projects, pointed out that the nature of the projects required that the lowest cost of funds be obtained.

She explained that since the loans and credit from the multilateral institutions and credit agencies would not totally close the deficit gap in the budget, the balance of foreign borrowing would be raised in the Eurobond market at commercial rates of interest.

The minister explained that by blending these different sources of funding, the overall cost of funds will be maintained at the lowest possible level.

“As far as possible, our foreign borrowing will be tied to specific capital projects. A number of these projects are revenue generating, which will be used to fund the loan repayments,” she added.

It would be recalled that as part of its Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy, the Federal Government had indicated its plan to stimulate the economy and achieve a real GDP growth rate of 4.2 per cent in 2017.

The government also hinted of its plans to reduce cost of governance, extracts efficiencies in public service and enhancing revenue collections; increase government expenditure on infrastructure namely, Transport, Roads, Housing and Power.

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Tuesday, February 2, 2016

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Tuesday, February 2, 2016

NEWS

Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing, Mr Mustapha Baba-Shehuri; Deputy Governor, Ebonyi State, Dr Kelechi Igwe and Commissioner for works in Ebonyi State, Mr Fidelis Nweze, at ongoing inspection and verification of completed Federal Road and Bridge projects delivered by states in the South-East, at the weekend

L-R: Rivers State Deputy Governor, Mrs Ipalibo Harry-Banigo; wife of Rivers State Governor, Justice Eberechi Wike and Rivers Commissioner for Women Affairs, at a workshop on Women Empowerment and sustainable Development In Port Harcourt, at the weekend.

National News

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ederal Government yesterday accused the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan of procuring substandard military hardware to prosecute the war against Boko Haram.

The government said such substandard weapons could not have been responsible for the string of successes recorded by the military in recent times.

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who disclosed this in a statement issued in Abeokuta, Ogun State, yesterday, disagreed with Jonathan’s submission that weapons bought by his government and delivered after he left office were responsible for the recent successes against the terrorists.

He said the present Muhammadu Buhari-Administration owes it a duty to put the record straight, especially because the issues raised by the former President are of public interest and borders on national security.

He said: “‘The weapons, munitions and equipment which the former President said he bought were refurbished and lacked the basic components and spare parts.

“Additionally, the ammunition bought for both high calibre and small weapons have mostly expired, incompatible with weapons and grossly inadequate. ‘”It is pertinent to state that the ammunition he was referring to were back loaded because they explode within the barrel when fired, thus leading to deaths and injuries among soldiers.”

He explained that the troops also lacked the much-needed lift and operational vehicles and other equipment which they needed for an effective prosecution of the

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L-R: Executive President, African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW), Mr Amadou Faye; Minister of Water Resources, Mr Suleiman Adamu, and Executive Secretary of AMCOW, Mr Bai Mass Taal, during their courtesy visit to the Minister of Water Resources in Abuja, yesterday.

L-R: Wife of celebrant, Mrs Ifeoma Utomi; Founder/CEO of Centre for Values in Leadership/ Celebrant, Prof. Pat Utomi; Shade Okoya and her father, Alhaji Akanni Okoya, at an Evening of Culture and Entertainment, as part of activities marking the 60th birthday of Prof. Pat Utomi in Lagos on Sunday. PHOTO:NAN

FG to Jonathan: You procured substandard weapons to prosecute war against terror war, until the present administration ameliorated the situation.

“The situation was so pathetic that soldiers were often transported in Civilian JTF vehicles, civilian vehicles, trailers and water tankers when going to the theatres of operation.

“The revelations on the sorry state of things in the past, which have emanated from the investigative panel so far, point clearly to the kind of legacy bequeathed to this administration by the past government.

“That explains why troops remained largely static and were unable to effectively deploy to completely rout the Boko Haram

terrorists in all their known enclaves.

“The high level of casualties sustained by our gallant soldiers was most unprecedented and cannot be compared to any known military operations in recent times, all because of the terrible state of affairs suffered by the military under the Jonathan administration,” the minister said.

He said apparently because former President Jonathan could not understand how credible and dedicated leadership could impact positively on the morale and performance of troops, he has chosen to denigrate the system for the unprecedented feat that was achieved within the first six months of the Buhari administration - something that

he could not achieve in all of six years!

“It is also clear, as has been shown so far by the outcome of the panel probing past arms deals, that the purchase of substandard weapons apparently resulted from the massive corruption that enveloped the deals, the kind of horrifying graft that saw the purchase of refurbished choppers that lacked rotors, or fighter jets that could not be deployed to the theatre of war because they were not up to par.

“The needless loss of lives of many of our gallant troops, resulting from the lack of standard weaponry and low morale in the past, is not a matter to be trivialized under any circumstance,” the minister added.

N34bn fraud: Tompolo asks court to vacate arrest order Wale Igbintade

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ormer Niger Delta militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo, yesterday asked a Federal High Court in Lagos to vacate the order of arrest issued against him.

Justice Ibrahim Buba had on January 14 ordered Tompolo’s arrest following his refusal to honour a court summons in respect of a 40-count of alleged N34bn fraud filed against him and nine others by the

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. EFCC prosecutor, Festus Keyamo, had then applied under Section 131 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 for an order to arrest Tompolo and bring him to court to answer the charges against him.

While granting the order, Justice Buba had said there was a proof that EFCC had served the summons and the charge sheet on the accused by pasting them on the wall of his residence at No. 1, Chief Agbanu

DDPA Extension, Warri, Delta State.

But Tompolo in his application filed through his lawyers, Mr. Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, and Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa is seeking an order of the court to set aside the warrant of arrest, on the grounds that he was never served with the originating summons as directed by the court.

He described as fictitious the address known as No.1, Chief Agbanu DDPA Extention, Warri, Delta State, where the EFCC said it pasted the summons and the charge sheet.

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Tuesday, February 2, 2016

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Governors live like emperors –Obasanjo Kemi Olaitan, Ibadan

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ormer President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday came hard on governors, accusing them of living like emperors in the midst of poverty.

He also accused them of diverting funds meant for councils, while the third tier of government has in some cases become personal estate of the state chief executives.

Obasanjo, who spoke while chairing the inaugural conference organised by the Ibadan School of Government and Public Policy, ISGPP, warned that the current fight against corruption may not achieve much unless those in the position of authority are ready to open themselves to public scrutiny.

He spoke on the theme “Getting Government To Work For Development And Democracy In Nigeria: Agenda for Change.”

The former President had last week sent a strong worded letter to the National Assembly, accusing the lawmakers of profligacy.

He said: “It is indeed proper for us in Nigeria to ask the question: Is the government working? Is government positioned to deal with challenges arising from these new developments?

“Is there good governance in the 36 states of the federation where some governors have become sole administrators, acting like emperors? These governors have rendered public institutions irrelevant and useless.

“Is there development work going on in the 774 constitutionally recognised local government councils which are known to have been appropriated as private estates of the governors?

“And of course, when governors take their money, the chairmen of the councils take the balance of the money, put it on the table and share it out among council members.

“In some local governments, has the governors not hijacked most of the resources in them and expended them to serve their whims and caprices instead of using the resources to galvanise growth and development?

“Have we embraced the principles and values of the presidential system of government such as to enable us to realise our vision of a great country? “Instead of the waste that we experience, has the National Assembly been able to live up to its role as an agent of oversight and public accountability?

“When are we going to be able to practise federalism in a way that promotes healthy competition among the states for the benefit of the citizens? When are we going to subordinate partisanship to collective goals and deploy the full potentials of our diversity to advance public causes that serve the aspirations of the teeming masses of our people crying under the cringe of poverty, disease, unemployment and neglect? When shall we all unite around the Nigerian dreaming our quest to be the giant which God has graciously endowed us to be?

“Why is it that every model that has worked elsewhere never seems to work sustainably in Nigeria?”

Obasanjo urged members of the National Assembly to live with what they preach, adding that the change the country needed will only be possible when the leadership at all facets are really committed.

He said: “Today, corruption drains billions of dollars from our economy that cannot afford to lose even a million dollars.

“It seems we are just beginning the fight against corruption afresh. Until recently, it seems corruption had returned with a vengeance, taking seat at the very heart of government.

“I reiterate my statement in October last

L-R: Regional Coordinator, United Kingdom National Crime Agency (Uknca), Mr. James Collins; I-G Solomon Arase and leader of Uknca delegation, Mr. John Branney, during a training for Nigeria Police on anti-kidnap, in Abuja, yesterday.

year during the 55th anniversary of Nigeria’s independence that corruption must not have resting place within our society; we must kick corruption out because it destroys almost everything and I am not talking about corruption of money; corruption of attitude, nepotism, favouritism, they are corruption in different forms and all aspects of corruption must be kicked out of our society.

“Now, given these governance challenges and our experience with reform, it is clear that change don’t just happen, there must be a basis for change.

“Leadership has to be committed to change.

Beginning with the reality of the budget, there is need for sober reflection.

“Rebuilding the foundations of governance involved paying attention to values, principles and practices that promote hard work, innovation and sacrifice. Leaders who call for sacrifice from the citizenry cannot be living in obscene opulence.

“We must address these foundational issues to make the economy work, to strengthen our institutions, build public confidence in gov-

ernment and deal with our peace and security challenges.”

Former SecretaryGeneral of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, while delivering a keynote address, called for total restructuring of the system of governance to meet the present challenges.

He said the high cost of governance in the country has continued to have negative effects on the system which has make many states of the federation financially handicapped.

While given a practical example, he said many states are owing workers, with many of them finding it difficult to pay even the agreed N18,000 minimum wage.

The former Commonwealth scribe, expressed the need for the country to return to regionalism and true federalism, even as he described the present constitution and the ones before as unitary-federal.

He said: “Instead of the present structure of 36 economically unviable states with concentrated political power at the centre, the National Assembly should convert the existing six geopolitical zones, which have been recognised

and are being used for a number of political decisions and actions, into the more viable federating units of a truly Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The 36 states can be retained as development zones within the region’s but without full administrative paraphernalia.

And it would be up to the six federating regions to consider and meet any demands for the creation of new development zones within them.

“As more viable units for planning and attracting investments in larger development projects, the six regions will facilitate the necessary shift from the present philosophy and reliance by the 36 states on ‘sharing national cake,’ to focusing on production and internally generated revenue within the regions.

“In addition, internal security and crime control can be more effectively managed by the people in the regions who know and are more familiar with the local environment.”

Guest Speaker, Prof.

Richard Joseph, who is John Evans Professor of International History and Politics, while speaking on the topic “State and Democratic Development in Africa: The Ni-

gerian Challenge”, urged Nigerian leaders to ensure the provision of basic amenities for the citizens in a bid to promote good governance.

The Chairman, Board of Governors, ISGPP, Prof. Akin Mabogunje, said the school was formed to serve as a network for debate among governments, NGOs, academia, business and individuals and also aimed to provide research, training and consultancy services for those in need.

Present at the event which will end today include Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State represented by his deputy, Otunba Moses Adeyemo; Minister for Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; former Minister for Communications Technology, Dr. Omobola Johnson; former Head of Service, Prof. Oladapo Afolabi; former Executive Secretary of NUC, Prof. Peter Okebukola.

Others are Prof. Pat Utomi; Dr. Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosumu; Prof.

Tunde Adeniran; Bishop Ayo Ladigbolu, Emeritus Prof. Jide Osuntokun; Prof. Wale Are-Olaitan and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof.

Abel Olayinka among other dignitaries.

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Tuesday, February 27, 2016

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Anti-terror talks: Buhari off to France, Britain Rotimi Fadeyi ABUJA

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resident Muhammadu Buhari begins an official visit to France and Britain today.

A statement issued yesterday by Special Adviser to the President on Media

and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, said his first stop would be Strasbourg, France.

Buhari would tomorrow address a special session of the European Union Parliament to be attended by members of the executive and legislative arms of the union.

The president’s address is expected to focus on terrorism, violent extremism, corruption, Nigeria and Africa’s current security, economic and developmental challenges, as well as the need for greater support from the European Union and advanced nations for the rapid resolution of the

challenges.

Buhari would also hold talks with the President of the European Parliament, Mr. Martin Schulz, and President of the European Commission, Mr. JeanClaude Juncker, on the same issues before leaving Strasbourg for London to join other world leaders at

the Supporting Syria and Region Conference scheduled to open in the British capital.

The president would use the opportunity of his participation in the conference, which is being co-hosted by Britain, Germany, Norway, Kuwait and the United Nations, to

continue his push for more global understanding, collaboration and support for Nigeria and other countries in the frontlines of the war against terrorism, who are striving to overcome its very adverse effects on their populations.

He is due back in the country at the weekend.

NCC urges legislation on ‘Critical Infrastructure Protection Bill’

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L-R: Chairman, Senate Committee on National Planning and Economic Affairs, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso; Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma and Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Hajia Zainab Ahmed, during an oversight visit of the Senate Committee on National Planning and Economic Affairs to the Ministry of Budget and National Planning in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

Mass murder: AI condemns reinstatement of army general Dare Akogun

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mnesty International has described the reinstatement by the Nigerian Army of Major General Ahmadu Mohammed, who was implicated in the mass murder of hundreds of detainees, as a mockery of the country’s commitment to end war crimes.

It would be recalled that in June 2015, Amnesty International named Major General Ahmadu Mohammed, along with eight other senior commanders, calling for an investigation into their possible criminal responsibility for war crimes, including the deaths of more than 8,000 detainees.

Major General Ahmadu was in charge of 7 Division and was in command of operations when the military executed more than 640 detainees following a Boko Haram attack on the detention centre in Giwa Barracks on March 14, 2014.

He was retired in 2014 for

unrelated reasons, but reinstated this month.

According to the organisation, an in-depth report exposed a range of war crimes and possible crimes against humanity committed by the military in the course of operations against Boko Haram.

It found that since March 2011, more than 7,000 detainees were starved, suffocated and tortured to death in military detention camps.

A further 1,200 persons were rounded up and unlawfully killed.

“Major General Mohammed must be investigated for participating in, sanctioning or failing to prevent the deaths of hundreds of people,” said Salil Shetty, secretary general of Amnesty International.

“Young men and boys rounded up by the military were either shot, starved, suffocated or tortured to death and no one has yet been held to account for the crime. It is unthinkable that Major General Muhammed could resume command of

troops before an investigation has even begun,” it added.

The report titled ‘Stars on their shoulders, blood on their hands: War crimes committed by the Nigerian military,’ was based on years of research and analysis of evidence, including leaked military reports and correspondence as well as interviews with more than 400 victims, eyewitnesses and senior members of the Nigerian security forces.

It exposed a range of war crimes and possible crimes against humanity committed by the military in the course of operations against Boko Haram.

It found that, since March 2011, more than 7,000 were starved, suffocated and tortured to death in military detention camps.

It named nine senior Nigerian military figures along the chain of command that should be investigated for potential command and individual responsibility for the crimes committed.

Hours after the publica-

tion of the report on June 3, President Buhari responded personally on Twitter, saying: “I assure you that your report will be looked into…This administration will leave no stone unturned to promote the rule of law, and deal with all cases of human rights abuses.”

Likewise, the President announced on June 12, 2015, that investigating criminal responsibility for the violations documented in Amnesty International’s report would be the first task of the Attorney General. This investigation is yet to begin.

Since the publication of the report, four of the named military commanders have retired. Two others had already retired prior to the publication of the report. The current status of two brigadier generals is unknown. Major General Mohammed was removed from his post on May 16, 2014, two days after a reported mutiny by his own men. News of his reinstatement reached Amnesty International on January 17.

igerian Communications Commission, NCC, yesterday urged the National Assembly to give urgent consideration to passing the ‘Critical Infrastructure Protection Bill’ into law.

Executive vice chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, gave the advice in a statement issued in Lagos.

It said passing the bill into law would offer more legal teeth in the prosecution of telecoms infrastructure vandals.

The statement added that the Critical Infrastructure Protection Bill, when passed into law would enable the protection of telecoms infrastructure for the benefit of consumers.

It said under existing laws of the country, vandalism of telecoms infrastructure carry heavy penalties, including a jail term, if found culpable.

According to the statement, the commission is currently consulting with the lawmakers to finalise issues on the bill, which seeks to treat all telecoms infrastructure as public properties that should be protected.

It said the benefits and all useful services being enjoyed through the telecoms industry are now threatened by the spate of vandalism of the infrastructure across the country.

The statement added that the regulatory body is worried that vandalism of telecoms infrastructure is slowing the pace of growth, and contributing to poor quality of services. ‘’Fellow citizens should be part of the war against vandalism of telecoms infrastructure. We need to be more vigilant. We need to report any form of vandalism to security agencies.

SMEs key to unemployment –DG

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irector-General, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, SMEDAN, Alhaji Bature Masari, said the development of small and medium enterprises, SMEs, is key to tackling unemployment in the country.

Masari said this during a news conference with Senator Enyi Abaribe in Abuja yesterday to herald the third Made-in-Aba Trade Fair slated for Abuja from February 8 to 15.

Masari promised that the agency would achieve the objective it was set up for, especially now that the present administration has promised to tackle unemployment.

Consequently, he said the agency would con-

tinue its capacity building programmes after every trade fair to ensure improvement in the next fair.

The director-general identified lack of access to finance as one of the reasons local products have not measured up to foreign standards.

Masari said the agency would partner with Abaribe to replicate such trade fair in other states.

On his part, Abaribe said the fair, which is his constituency project, is to showcase Nigeria-made goods and encourage people to believe in things produced in the country.

He said boots, sandals and shoes made in Aba would be donated to the military, police and internally displaced persons.

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Tuesday, February 27, 2016

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Nigeria, Italy sign agreement •OBJ, others visit Oba-designate on training, intel sharing ‘Olubadan’ll not be buried secretly’ Kemi Olaitan IBADAN

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emains of the late Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Samuel Odulana, Odugade I, will not be buried in secret as the body would be laid in state to prove it is intact.

Chairman of the burial committee set up by Oyo State government, Alhaji Olalekan Alli, made this disclosure while addressing journalists at the ancient Mapo Hall, Ibadan, on activities for the burial of the late monarch.

He said Oba Odulana was a devoted Christian who lived all his life to serve God and humanity, adding that he would be laid in state in three different locations before the final burial.

Members of the burial committee include the state’s Head of Service, special advisers, permanent secretaries, representative of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes, representatives of the Olubadan-in-Council and government officials from 11 local government areas in Ibadanland.

Alli, a former Secretary to the State Government, SSG, said the committee met severally and consulted all stakeholders widely before coming up with a nine-day activities starting from February 5 to 14, 2016.

Reading out the burial programmes, he said:”On Feburay 5, there would be Jumat prayer at Oja’ba Central Mosque, on Sunday, February 7, service of songs at Cathedral Church of St’ Peters, Aremo, on Febuary 8, lying in state at Igbo-Elerin Grammar School, February 9, symposium at University of Ibadan, on February 10, lying in state and tribute at Mapo hall, on February 11, lying in state by Oyo State Government at House of Chiefs, Secretariat.

“On February 12, funeral service and reception for guest at Recreation Centre, Ibadan and on February 14, thanksgiving at Cathedral of St Peters, Aremo.”

He then appealed to all Ibadan residents to be peaceful and ensure responsible attendance dur-

ing the burial ceremony.

“It is the wish of the government that our departed monarch deserves our honour and celebration, is given a befitting burial in line with our positive pace-setting cognomen,” he stated.

Meanwhile, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday led the pack of dignitaries that paid homage to the Olubadandesignate and Balogun of Ibadanland, High Chief Saliu Akanmu Adetunji, at his Popoyemoja, Ibadan residence.

The former president who arrived in company of Alhaji Lateef Gbadamosi, a Federal Commissioner for National Population Commission, NPC, at about 2.10pm congratulated the royal father.

He then went into a closed door meeting with High Chief Adetunji, which lasted only for about five minutes.

Obasanjo, who was dressed in butter coloured guinea brocade with brown cap and shoe, emerged from the meeting beaming with smiles, and entered into his waiting black Prado Jeep without entertaining questions from journalists present.

Also, the immediate past Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, was at the palace to pay visit High Chief Adetunji.

Rotimi Fadeyi ABUJA

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igeria and government of Italy yesterday in Abuja signed an agreement on intelligence sharing, capacity building and provision of logistics that would enhance operations of the Nigeria Police Force.

The signing of agreement, which was witnessed by President Muhammadu Buhari and Italian Prime Minister, Mr. Matteo Renzi, at the Presidential Villa was

part of a bilateral meeting between the two countries, which covered issues on energy, security, agriculture, immigration, human and drug trafficking, infrastructure and education.

According to a statement signed by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, the agreement on enhancing cooperation between the Nigerian and Italian Police was signed by the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, and the Italian National

Police Chief, Alessandro Pansa.

Speaking at the bilateral meeting, Buhari said he was impressed with the relationship between Nigeria and Italy over the years, especially in the areas of security, construction, oil and gas and exploration of solid minerals.

“I am impressed by the resilience and commitment of the Italian business to Nigeria’s development shown by Italian construction companies and companies in the oil sector.

‘‘I am happy to hear that an Italian oil company, Eni Limited, is investing $4 billion in the next three years in the economy in spite of the downward spiral of oil prices,’’ the president said.

In his remarks, the Italian Prime Minister said his country would support Nigeria in the ongoing fight against corruption, terrorism and also encourage Italian companies to invest more in sectors that would enable growth and create jobs for Nigerians like power, agriculture and solid minerals.

A procession of Muslim Women during the World Hijab day celebration in Lagos, yesterday.

PHOTO:NAN

Senate c’ttee directs Aero to reinstate union leaders

S

enate Committee on Aviation has directed management of Aero Contractors to immediately reinstate some union members, who were recently suspended by the airline for allegedly divulging company’s secrets.

Mr Olayinka Abioye, General Secretary, National Union of Air Transport Employees, NUATE, disclosed this on Monday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Lagos.

It would be recalled that the Aero branch chairmen of NUATE and the Air Transport Senior Staff Services Association of Nigeria, ATSSSAN, were placed on suspension by the airline’s management

on January 11.

Both unions had in a protest held on December 14, 2015, asked the Asset Management Company of Nigeria, AMCON, to dissolve the airline’s board over alleged mismanagement and insensitivity to staff welfare.

Abioye told NAN that the Senate committee had summoned the parties to find an amicable solution to the dispute. ``The Senate Committee on Aviation met with the union leaders, AMCON, representatives of the aviation parastatal, agencies and management of Aero Contractors. ``Parties were asked to table their grievances before the committee. ``One of the first things

they decided was that the management should immediately reinstate our chairmen who were placed on suspension. ``They also asked the management to furnish before the committee, a written report of all the monies they have collected from AMCON by February 3,’’

he said.

Abioye said the management was also asked to list the number of serviceable and unserviceable aircraft in the airline’s fleet as well as the company’s organogram.

According to him, at the meeting, AMCON which controls 60 per

cent of Aero Contractors shares commended the unions for not disrupting the airline’s operations as a result of the dispute. ``Unfortunately, as we speak, one lawyer, claiming to be working for the board chairman and Aero Contractors, has already sued the unions,’’ he said.

Police detain officer over alleged defiling of minor

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bonyi State Police Command says it has detained an officer, Ndubuisi Ewerem, for allegedly defiling a seven-yearold girl.

Commissioner of Police, Peace Ibekwe-Abdallah, announced this on Monday in Abakaliki while briefing journalists.

Abdallah said the officer

was detained at the Central Police Station, Abakaliki, on Sunday for allegedly committing the crime.

“The act is punishable under the law, as the suspect would definitely be punished to serve as a deterrent to others.

“We are committed towards sanitising the force as acts contrary to ‘our modus

operandi’ would not be condoned,” she said.

She said the girl’s parents reported the matter to the police and their statement indicated that she was ‘fingered’.

“Result of the medical test conducted on the victim would ascertain whether she was raped or not, as investigation into the matter is ongoing,” she said.

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South West

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Osun APC constitutes LG stakeholders' councils Boladale Bamigbola OSOGBO

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L-R: Eldest Son of Olubadan, Prof Femi Lana, Secretary to Oyo State Government, Mr Olalekan Alli and former Commissioner for Information, Mr Gbade Lana, during a news conference to unveil the funeral arrangement of the late Olubadan of Ibadanland in Ibadan, yesterday.

APC seeks review of alleged Ekiti election scam

Abiodun Nejo ADO EKITI

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ll Progressives Congress, APC, in Ekiti State insisted yesterday that it would not accept anything short of a comprehensive review of the alleged rigging of the June 21, 2014, governorship election in the state.

The party said now is the time to wave the immunity the state governor had always talked about and face prosecution for electoral fraud.

APC spoke against the backdrop of revelations contained in a confessional statement by former secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ekiti State, Dr. Tope Aluko, on how the election was allegedly rigged.

The party, in a statement by its state publicity secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, urged the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, to prosecute all indicted persons in the election rigging scandal.

APC said it had on two occasions petitioned the Attorney General and Minister of Justice on the matter, stressing that the latest revelations by former PDP scribe has made it imperative that the nation's chief law officer acts now.

The party said, "The election fraud crisis has refused to go despite all alleged cover-up attempts of the governor,” who he said was "the biggest beneficiary of the election fraud that has created blight on Nigeria's international image."

Olatunbosun said with

the former PDP scribe's revelations it has become pertinent to prosecute the suspects as the revelations were again emanating from an insider who participated fully in what is now known as Ekitigate.

This is as the state Governor Ayodele Fayose accused President Muhammadu Buhari of persecuting the opposition to weaken its ranks.

The governor, in a statement by his special assistant, public communications, Lere Olayinka, said: “The President and his men should stop media trial and playing with bogus figures.

This is because as it is today, President Buhari is not fighting any corruption.

"Rather, he is engaging in political persecution in his bid to weaken the opposition both in the PDP and within

his own party, the APC.” The governor advised the President "to purge himself of the blood of military dictatorship, stop using his fight against corruption to persecute those opposed to his government and begin to structure his government programmes and policies, including the fight against corruption in line with the laws of the country.

“When your own men are corrupting an institution like the judiciary just because they needed to win back states like Rivers, Akwa-Ibom, Taraba and others that they lost at the polls, thereby causing the courts to give conflicting judgments, it is morally wrong for you to go outside the country and complain about such a judiciary," the governor stated.

Ogun at 40: Amosun commends past administrations Femi Oyeweso ABEOKUTA

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gun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, yesterday commended past military administrators as well as civilian governors of the state for their selfless services, which he said laid solid foundation for its development.

Amosun, who made the commendation during a special state executive council meeting held in Abeokuta, the state capital, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of creation of the state, also pledged that his administra-

tion would not renege on its commitment to ensure continued progress of the state.

The governor, who lauded his predecessors for honouring his invitation to attend the anniversary, however, assured that his administration would continue to work for the progress of the state in order to ensure that the foundation laid by past leaders is not destroyed.

National Mirror recalls that the state was among the seven created out of the old Western Region on February 3, 1976. It has experienced 22 years of military administration and 18 years of civilian administration.

Speaking further at the event, where past administrators of the state were decorated with state crest and plaque, Amosun admonished the special state executive council members to observe a minute’s silence in honour of other former governor and military administrators of the state, Brig. Gen. Harris Eghagha, the first executive governor of the state, Chief Olabisi Onabanjo and Navy Captain Mohammed Lawal, who have passed on.

The special state executive council members’ meeting, however, provided an opportunity for past mili-

tary administrators of the state present to interact and share their experiences while in office.

Among the past administrators who attended the occasion are Major General Oladayo Popoola (rtd), Lt. Col. Siedu Balogun (rtd), Col. Oladipo Diya (rtd), Navy Capt. Oladehinde Joseph (rtd), Lt. Col. Daniel Akintonde (rtd), Group Capt. Sam Ewang (rtd) and Navy Capt. Kayode Olofinmoyin (rtd); while Aremo Olusegun Osoba, Otunba Gbenga Daniel as well as Brigadier-General Raji Rasaki (rtd) were absent.

s part of efforts to further strengthen the base of the party, Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, yesterday constituted what it called stakeholders’ councils across the 30 local government areas and the Modakeke Area Office.

Inaugurating the council at the party's state secretariat in Osogbo, Governor Rauf Aregbesola charged members of the councils to be good ambassadors of the party.

The governor charged the council of elders to checkmate any anti-party policy that might dent the image of the progressives at the grassroots, promising to create an enabling environment for harmonious relationship with the stakeholders’ council.

"Government will continue to work harmoniously with party stakeholders’ council by creating a good enabling environment," Aregbesola said.

He called on party faithful to support government by paying taxes for the growth of the

state, urging them to pray for the APC-led federal and state government across the country, especially now that the country's economy is having issues.

Speaking earlier, the state chairman of the party, Mr. Gboyega Famodun, said the stakeholders’ councils was constituted to allow stakeholders in the party contribute their quota to the growth of the party and the state.

Famodun said: "The party will work harmoniously with the newlyconstituted stakeholders’ councils to paddle the affairs of the party and avoid any anti-party activities."

He said the council members are expected to meet once in a month do discuses matters relating to the party's affair.

“They are to meet once in a month at their respective local governments to brainstorm on issues affecting the party, except otherwise.

“Also, the party stakeholders’ council meeting would be held once in every three months at the party secretariat," Famodun said.

Methodist Church to partner Osun on economy Boladale Bamigbola OSOGBO

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ethodist Church of Nigeria yesterday disclosed its readiness to partner with Osun State government to strengthen the state’s economy through agriculture by going into mechanised farming.

This was even as the Governor Rauf Aregbesola stated that successful nations in the world are those that cultivate their land for agriculture and not those that dig into the land for oil and other mineral resources.

Prelate of the Methodist Church Nigeria, His Eminence, Dr. Samuel Emeka Kanu Uche, during a courtesy visit to the governor’s office in Osogbo, noted that the church was strategising on how to improve the economy of the state through commercial farming that would provide

jobs for the youth.

The clergy pointed out that the state and the nation at large would overcome the present economic hardship as it overcame insurgency in the northern part of Nigeria.

The prelate commended the government of Aregbesola for looking inward on how to move the state forward in the face of dwindling oil revenue. He suggested to governments at all levels the need for proper taxation for the growth of the economy.

He advised the governor not to be deterred by critics, saying there is little or nothing that any government could do without funds.

Governor Aregbesola, while responding, commended the Methodist Church for choosing to strengthen the economy of the country and that of Osun State through agriculture.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South West

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

9

Lassa fever: FETHI treats, discharges patient …seeks status as diagnosis, treatment centre Abiodun Nejo ADO EKITI

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19-year-old student nurse that tested positive to Lassa fever in Ekiti State has been treated and discharged from the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti, FETHI, upon recovery from the virus.

FETHI’s Chief Medical Director, CMD, Dr Lawrence Ayodele, said that following

effective management of the case, result of the second test conducted on her at Federal Teaching Hospital, Irua, Edo State, was negative and "the girl, who is now doing well, has returned to her routines upon discharge".

Ayodele told journalists at Ido Ekiti yesterday that no member of the institution’s team that attended to the patient at the Isolation Centre tested positive to the fever.

He attributed the success to "the determination, courage, boldness and teamwork among the different health sector workers, doctors, nurses and environmental health workers."

He took pride in the staff of the teaching hospital, saying: "We are unique in the area of coming together to solve problems. That was why everybody came together, not minding the logistic

deficiency."

Ayodele said the ability of the teaching hospital to manage the virus despite the limited logistics at its disposal "is a statement that if we can rise together in the country, we will surmount the insurmountable".

The student-nurse, who was on admission at FETHI last month, tested positive to Lassa Fever and was consequently isolated for treat-

ment to prevent spread of the viral disease which has killed over 40 Nigerians.

The CMD, who disclosed plans of the teaching hospital to upgrade its newly-constructed Infectious Diseases Control Centre to make it all-encompassing, appealed to the Federal Government and the Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, to give necessary assistance to the facility in the interest of effective management of infectious diseases.

He said: "We are also planning to train more health workers on the management of infectious diseases. All these need the support of the Federal Government".

The FETHI Head of Internal Medicine Department, Dr Yussuf Musah, who corroborated the statement of the CMD, appealed to the Federal Government and the Minister of Health to assist the so that FETHI should be a centre for diagnosis and

treatment of Lassa fever to complement that of Federal Teaching Hospital, Irua. ‘’Support in the area of logistics is crucial," he said.

Musah lauded Ayodele for giving the medical team the template to manage the patient.

Also speaking, an infectious disease control expert at FETHI, Mrs. Adejoke Awotona, expressed determination and commitment to handle any assignment of such nature with zeal.

Awotona, however, appealed to the Committee of CMDs to impress on the Federal Government on the need to pay commensurate hazard allowance to encourage health workers to risk their lives handling infectious diseases.

The expert also urged the Federal Government to revisit the issue of the scrapped rural allowance of FETHI staff.

Lagos reads riot act to illegal abattoirs L-R: FRSC Operations, Abuja DCM Adei Abu; Chief Femi Adekanmbi; donor of FRSC Building Complex, Prince Rotimi Ibidapo and Zonal Commander, FRSC Ondo, Osun and Ekiti, ACM S.G Maitizumahs,during the commissioning of FRSC building complex, Owo Unit, yesterday.

Ojo Oyewamide AKURE

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chieftain of All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ondo State, Olusola Oke, has allayed the fear that emergence of the party's candidate in the forthcoming gubernatorial election would lead to crisis.

Oke said the large number of governorship aspirants in the party was a blessing rather than a curse.

The Peoples Democratic

Guber aspirants number won't affect Ondo APC —Oke Party, PDP, standard bearer in the 2012 governorship election in the state spoke on Sunday night in Akure while receiving an award.

No fewer than 25 people are jostling for APC ticket in Ondo State, raising fear that the process of choosing the party's candidate may lead to

crisis.

But Oke, who declared his gubernatorial ambition on the occasion, disclosed that APC leaders had assured all aspirants that there would be no zoning and imposition.

He said: "Our leaders have assured us that there will be free and fair primaries and

this must encourage anybody that thinks he is competent and possess the capacity to be joyous.

"All the aspirants in the party are brothers. They will prove the doom prophets who think the party would collapse due to a large number of aspirants wrong."

Cleric warns against taxing religious organisations Kemi Olaitan IBADAN

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yo State Chairman of the Bible Society of Nigeria, BSN, Pastor Olumide Makinwa, has berated any attempt to tax churches and mosques in the country, stating that doing so will be counter-productive.

Makinwa, who said this in Ibadan, the state capital, while addressing a press

conference to mark the 50th anniversary of the society, also lauded the Federal Government on its war against corruption.

He said taxing churches and mosques would amount to double taxation since adherents of the two religions are already paying taxes.

He explained that instead of taxing religious organisations, the war declared on corruption should be fought with more vigour in order to recover all stolen money to

develop the country.

He also disclosed that the society has been praying unceasingly for the success of this administration, which was put on ground to redeem the image of the country that has been dented by corruption.

Makinwa lamented that many ministers of God are ignorant of what the society stands for, stressing that those who are genuinely called by God must share the dream of the society.

He disclosed that the missions of the society include carrying bibles to prisons and orphanages as well as translating the bible into local languages.

He said, "We are using this forum to plead with all ministers of God to be members of BSN and cooperate with us in order to effectively spread the gospel to all nooks and crannies of the country. Membership, which is easy, should be a necessity for all Christians.

Francis Suberu

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agos State government has read the riot act to illegal abattoirs and slaughter slabs in the state, saying the government will continue to closedown unhygienic abattoirs and slaughter slabs.

Commissioner for Agriculture, Toyin Suarau, who made the disclosure yesterday in his office at the Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, said it was necessary to monitor the whole process of meat handling right from the animal markets to the abattoir so as to eliminate unwholesomeness in the process of meat production.

According to the commissioner, government has handled significantly the distribution aspect by introducing the Eko Refrigerated Meat Van, which is now used to transport meat rather than the former obnoxious meat transportation.

He said the matter of animal slaughtering is still a big issue because a lot of animals must be inspected before and after slaughtering, according to the meat inspection law.

“The danger with unrecognised abattoirs is that the animals slaughtered there are not inspected by veterinary professionals to detect those that have disease or pregnant ones because it is illegal to slaughter a pregnant animal,” he revealed.

The commissioner stressed that government was giving all operators of unauthorised abattoir within the state two weeks to close down operations.

He, however, disclosed that the two weeks ultimatum has been given to the operators of illegal abattoirs located within military cantonments and barracks in the state, where veterinary officers are denied access, stressing that government can no longer tolerate such illegal practice.

The commissioner further disclosed that the authorised abattoirs in the state are Abattoir and Lairage Complex Agege, Achakpo Mechanised Abattoir, Ajegunle, Ologe Mechanised Abattoir Badagry (Under construction), Matori Slaughter Slab, Itire Slaughter Slab, Ilaje Slaughter Slab, Ikorodu Slaughter Slab, Badagry Slaughter Slab and Epe Slaughter Slab.

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South East

Olusegun Koiki

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ormer governor of Abia State, who is also senator representing Abia Central in the state, Chief Theodore Orji, has cautioned the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, against dragging his name into the ongoing tussle over the last governorship election.

Orji specifically debunked claims by the governorship candidate of APGA in the election, Dr. Alex Otti that he helped rig the election in favour of incumbent governor, Mr. Okezie Ikpeazu.

Reacting to a documentary allegedly aired by Abia State APGA governorship candidate on the 2015 election, Orji stated that Otti and his allies concertedly dragged his name into his misadventure.

Speaking in a statement issued in Lagos by his media adviser, Mr. Don Norman Obinna, Orji said he would have disregarded the documentary meant to manipulate the psyche of some Nigerians to accept as factual Otti’s fictitious and contemptible allegation of

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Don’t drag me into Abia governorship poll crisis, Orji cautions APGA

intimidation and massive rigging in favour of the governor, as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, but had to react because APGA has refused to desist from a campaign of calumny against his person.

Orji explained that as a former governor of the state, he was with Chief Olisa Metuh in his residence when he got wind of an imminent breakdown of law and order as a result of the announced cancellation of Obingwa Osisioma and Isialangwa North local government areas by INEC’s returning officer, RO, Prof.

Benjamin Ozumba.

He added: “As the chief security officer of the state, Chief Orji moved to the INEC office, which was the scene of the event and went straight to the resident electoral commissioner, REC, Celina Okoh, and not the RO, to be acquainted with the reason for the cancellation since they were not consti-

tutionally empowered to do so.”

He emphasised that on arrival at the INEC office, Orji made enquiry on the cause of the crisis, which ended with the INEC REC, stress-

ing that his alleged compromise of the integrity of the RO only existed in the imaginations of peddlers of such a claim.

He insisted that he was only committed to actions

that would engender peace, unity and most especially the political stability of Abia State in order to ensure that the state attains its divine status.

He advised Otti and his al-

lies to desist from their wicked lies against him in their desperate effort to climb to power through sponsored propaganda, adding that his monumental achievements are there to speak for him.

Director-General, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Alhaji Bature Umar-Masari (left) and Chairman, Senate Committee on Information and National Orientation, Sen. Enyinanya Abaribe, at a news conference on the forth-coming 3rd Made-in-Aba Trade Fair, in Abuja, yesterday

Anambra senatorial seat: Uba, Oduah to remain in Senate ...Certified true copy released, silent on lawmakers status Obiora Ifoh ABUJA

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ontroversies over Supreme Court’s ruling on the authentic executive of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Anambra State chapter, and the implied consequences on elected lawmakers was over the weekend laid to rest as the Certified True Copy, CTC, of the judgment cleared the embattled lawmakers.

According to a copy of the judgement, the court in its ruling by Justice John Inyang Okoro held that the Appeal Court erred in law by recognising the Ken Emeakanyi faction as against the Oguebego group.

A section of the media had erroneously reported that Senators Andy Uba and Stella Odua may have lost their seats in the red chamber, but with the CTC obtained by National Mirror, the coast is now clear for the senators and all other lawmakers from the state to remain in the National As-

sembly.

Part of the judgement reads: “I hold that view that the court below misconceived the real issue,” said the judge, adding that “there was no controversy as to which organ of the 1st respondent (PDP) has power to conduct primaries. I can say it for the umpteenth time that the main issue was that stated by the learned trial judge. That is, whether the 1st respondent can ignore the subsisting order of court and set up a caretaker committee for the Anambra State PDP in brazen contempt of the court. Other issues that were thrown up were just to garnish the issue. Therefore, the court below, having left the main issue of the controversy …dwelled on the issue as to which organ of the PDP ...”

The judge continued: “Accordingly, I hold that there was no feature in the court below to apply the cases of Okadigbo vs. Emeka & Ors (supra) and Emenike vs. PDP (supra). The two authorities decided on which organ of a

political party has power to conduct primaries. This is not the issue in this case.”

Another aspect of the Supreme Court ruling which states the current position of Uba was indicated when the court stated that ”with due respect, the court below came to the above conclusion because it misconceived the claim of the appellants before it. It is trite that in determining whether the facts in support of an originating summons are contentious, it is the nature of the claim and the facts deposed to in the affidavit in support of the claims that will be examined to see if they disclose disputed facts and the hostile nature of the proceedings.

“I may ask: is there any dispute that the Federal High Court made an order directing the 1st and 2nd respondents to recognise the appellants as executive members of the PDP in Anambra State? The answer is No. “Secondly, is there any dispute that the 2nd respondent wrote Exhibit E, recog-

nising the 1st appellant and his executive committee members, as ordered by the court? Again, the answer is No. “Thirdly, is there any dispute the fact that the 1st respondent reacted negatively by setting up a caretaker committee in spite of the order of the Federal High Court? The answer is No. So, what are we talking about?

“The issue before the trial court was whether the 1st respondent can rubbish the judgment/order of the court for whatever reason and set up a caretaker committee, other claims notwithstanding. For me, I strongly hold the view that there is no dispute on the relevant/essential facts granting the claims of the appellants which relate to the determination/interpretation of the action of the 1st respondent in setting up a caretaker committee of the PDP Anambra State chapter during the pendency of the judgment/order of the Federal High Court recognising

the appellants as persons duly elected to that position.

“The 1st and 3rd respondents have tried to raise issues which tend to show that there are conflicts as to facts.

I do not see any. Those facts which seem to cause disputes are not relevant to the determination of the main issue before the court.”

Meanwhile, Senators Uba, Oduah and their colleagues in the House of Representatives from Anambra State have clarified the INEC that the Supreme Court judgment delivered on Friday has not invalidated their election.

They insisted that the primary election that produced them as candidates for the 2015 general elections was conducted by the national secretariat of the PDP as required by law and not the Anambra State chapter of the PDP as being insinuated.

The affected lawmakers are Senators Stella Oduah and Andy Uba. Others are members of House of Representatives and they

include Lynda Chuba Ikpeazu, Anayo Nnebe, Tony Nwoye Okechukwu, Chris Azubogu, Chukwuka Onyema, Obinna Chidoka and Eucharia Azodo.

Their lawyer, Chief Arthur Okafor, SAN, told National Mirror that the judgement did not in any way affect the validity of their election.

He said: “The Supreme Court did not order the withdrawal of the Certificates of Return issued by the commission to our clients. They did not hold that the faction of the PDP had the right to sponsor candidates for the PDP." He said further that the court did not equally authorise the commission to substitute the lawmakers with the individuals whose names were on the list improperly allowed by INEC in obvious disregard of the series of judgements of the Supreme Court of Nigeria to the effect that it was only the national executive of the party that has the right to sponsor candidates.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

11

I'm Ojukwu’s only legal wife —Bianca Wale Igbintade

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ianca Ojukwu, widow of the late Ikemba of Nnewi, Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu, yesterday told a Lagos High Court that she’s the only legal wife of her late husband.

Bianca stated this while testifying in a suit she filed on behalf of her two underaged children, Afamefuna and Nwachukwu (claimants) against Ojukwu Transport Limited, OTL, and seven others over an alleged move by the family to eject her sons from the company’s properties located in Lagos.

She had sought a declaration that her children are entitled to the possession and occupation of one of the properties known as 29, Oyinkan Abayomi Street, Ikoyi, Lagos, until the harmonisation of the management and administration of assets of the first defendant (OTL).

The defendants in the suit

are Prof. Joseph Ojukwu, Engr. Emmanuel Ojukwu, Lotanna Putalora Ojukwu, Dr. Patrick Ojukwu, Arc. Edward Ojukwu, Lota Akajiora Ojukwu and Mrs Massey Udegbe (doing business under Massey Udegbe & Company).

Bianca, in her evidencein-chief before Justice Ab-

L-R: Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Usani Uguru Usani; Permanent Secretary, Wakama Belema; Paramount Ruler of Eneka, Port Harcourt, Prof. Rowland Woko; former PDP National Publicity Secretary, Emmanuel Ibeshi and National Chairman, National Association of Community Leaders of Nine Oil Producing States, Mr Ishmael Oputu, during the visit of members of the association to the Minister in Abuja, yesterday.

Police arrest 11 armed robbery suspects, recover 18 vehicles in Ibadan Kemi Olaitan IBADAN

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yo State police command yesterday paraded 11 armed robbery suspects currently terrorising residents of Ibadan and environs, as well as 18 assorted vehicles recovered from different parts of the state.

The suspects, who were paraded at the state Police Headquarters, Eleyele, Ibadan, included two exconvicts, who were released from prison few weeks ago.

Police Commissioner, Mr. Leye Oyebade, while speaking with journalists, said all the suspects have given confessional statements and they would soon be arraigned in a court of law.

While warning criminally-minded persons to stay away from the state, he said the command would continue to improve on its crime-

bursting strategies to ensure the state was crime-free, adding that the command has re-engineered and re-invigorated its swift anti-robbery squad for effective crime bursting It would be recalled that two weeks ago, the state police command recovered 20 vehicles and arrested 15 suspected armed robbers.

Various items recovered from the suspects paraded yesterday include one locallymade double barrel pistol, seven live cartridges, one Honda Accord car with registration number JJJ 691AX, one Toyota Camry car with registration number AKD 226 DN, a Toyota Camry car with registration number AAA 593 DL, one LG Plasma TV, one Toshiba Plasma TV, one unregistered Toyota Highlander, one green Toyota Highlander with registration number ABJ 42 KU and one ash coloured unregistered

Toyota Camry, among others.

Speaking on the armed robbery suspects and serial burglars that have been terrorising the inhabitants of Ibadan and its environs, the police boss said the four gang of robbers (Olusola Adenle, 37; Rasaq Femi, 23; Paul Olaitan, 20; and Sani Abdulahi, 26) had successfully broken into a home at the Egbeda area of Ibadan and carted away various household items.

He said: “The armed robbers who were armed to the teeth during the operation had planned to attack their victims who might want to put up resistance. Investigations revealed that the hoodlums who usually come from Ikire, Osun State, are responsible for series of burglary and robbery operations in Ibadan and many parts of the state, including Osun State."

One of the arrested robbery suspects, who was released from prison some

weeks ago, Olaitan, said he used to be a mass communication student of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, before he was rusticated and expelled from the school due to bad behaviour.

Another suspect, also an ex-convict, Rasaq, said he went into crime because he was fond of it, adding that he is a trained barber but refused to practice the trade.

On his part, Oladele who was arrested while trying to sell a Nissan Jeep in Ekiti State, explained that he was forced into car-snatching because he wanted to make a living.

The state police boss however enjoined members of the public to continue to give useful information that could lead to the arrest of criminal elements in the state, adding that his command is determined to fight crime and make the state safe for all.

dulfattah Lawal‎, admitted that neither she nor her children are shareholders or directors in OTL. Besides, Bianca admitted that Ojukwu has eight children, which include the claimant’s Afamefuna and Nwachukwu, adding that she’s the only one that was legally married among Ojukwu's wives, as she did court, church and traditional marriages.

She, however, explained that the suit was instituted to enforce the rights of her two children and not for other children of Ojukwu.

Bianca stated that some of the properties in contention had been in possession of her late husband before his demise, adding that the rent of those properties was being collected by him.

In her statement of claim, Bianca and her two children had prayed the court to declare that the threat of forceful ejection from 29, Oyinkan Abayomi Street by the defendants is illegal.

She is also asking the court for a declaration that her children are entitled to possess the following properties, namely: 13, Hawksworth Road, Ikoyi (now known as 13, Ojora road); 32A, Commercial

Bianca Avenue, Yaba, Lagos; 30, Gerard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos; 30, McPherson Avenue, Ikoyi.

According to her, the properties were under the possession of the late Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu - father of the claimants from the time the properties were released from government acquisition till date.

The claimants stated that throughout the period their father was struggling to retrieve the properties from the government, the second to seventh defendants “never played any role in the struggle nor contributed financially or otherwise to the realisation of the struggle.”

However, the judge adjourned the matter till today for continuation of cross-examination of Bianca.

Osun Assembly to strengthen oversight functions

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sun State House of Assembly said it would give priority to its oversight function by strengthening its monitoring mechanisms in 2016.

It said this paradigm shift was necessary to ensure the state government increased its internally generated revenue and judiciously use the same for the completion of ongoing projects and execution of new ones.

Chairman, House Committee on Information and Strategy, Hon. Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, dropped the hint during an interview with journalists after a meeting with officials of the Ministry of Information and Strategy.

According to him, the resolution of the Assembly was borne out of the fact that what the state needs in this critical period of economic downturn was the strengthening of monitoring mechanisms, especially towards the completion of

ongoing projects and pending programmes in line with the policy of the state government.

Oyintiloye also said the Assembly would from time to time ensure effective review, monitoring and supervision of government programmes, activities, and policy implementation.

In the process of these, he said any policy of any ministries, departments and agencies not in tandem with the present economic reality would be reviewed by the House.

He, however, stressed that legislative business of the House would not be compromised and expressed hope that the measures would go a long way to better the lots of the people.

The lawmaker urged the people of the state to support the government by paying their dues to enable it to perform its obligations.

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North

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Council workers in FCT suspend 3 days warning strike Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, FCT chapter, has suspended its three-day warning strike, which began on Monday in the six area councils.

Mr Terry Isaac, NULGE Secretary, disclosed this in an inter-

view with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, on Monday in Abuja.

Isaac said the union decided to suspend the strike after a meeting with FCT Permanent Secretary.

He said the FCT administration agreed to pay the three months

salary arrears it owed the area councils’ workers before the end of next week. ``The management promised to pay one month salary within the week.

“But we are of the opinion that they pay the three months together

before end of next week, which they agreed. ``We have endured for three months and we did not die and I believe we will not die before end of next week. ``My advice to the workers is that we should give them the benefit of doubt and resume work

Sen. Abdulaziz Nyako (middle) of Central Senatorial District of Adamawa, sympathising with one of the victims of Gombi Market Bomb blast at the Federal Medical Centre, Yola, where he was receiving treatment on Sunday.

Judiciary to adopt electronic system –Zanna

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ustice Kashim Zanna, Chairman of Judicial Information Technology Policy Committee of the National Judicial Council, says the judiciary will soon begin electronic communication between courts and lawyers in the country.

According to him, the adoption of electronic mode of communication will replace manual service and is expected to cut out a lot of delays that people are concerned with in an effort to reorganise case management system in the country.

Zanna, who is also Chief Justice of Borno State, gave the indication while speaking with State House correspondents in Abuja on Monday after a delegation headed by Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmoud Mohammed, led four chief justices representing the judiciaries of the Caribbean community on a courtesy visit to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

“From this year onwards, communication

between lawyers and courts, particularly starting with the Supreme Court will have to be electronic and that cuts out a lot of delays that people are concerned with. ``Basically, the judiciary is trying to serve the people. We are now seeing ourselves as a service institution. ``And in this day and age where enlightenment is exploding, expectations for fast service are rising; the judiciary cannot afford to be slow. ``So, we are getting up to speed.’’

Zanna said before now there was the legal email system that was being deployed. ``In the cause of this year the Supreme Court of Nigeria will stop serving paper notices and sending notices to lawyers or receiving notices. ``They will have to do it electronically by that special e-mail that lawyers must now subscribe to.’’

The Borno Chief Justice said right now, the Nigeria judiciary was operating the paper-based

system, adding that the case management system in particular was the engine room that would shift court operations from paper to the electronic format. ``This is going to be a complete revolutionary change; but that is just one the components of the project.’’

Zanna said the Caribbean nations were desirous of copying the Nigerian system in other to improve and modernise their legal system.

He said the visit of the judges was part of the exchange process. ``The interest of cause, being commonwealth countries, is to further deepen our fraternal relationships. ``But of particular interest is the Nigerian case management system developed by the NJC with its technical and several assistance from the National Centre for State Courts. ``It has already proven to be a paradigm shift as the Chief Justice of Trinidad and Tobago said, from the conventional off-the-shelf system. ``Ab-initio, we decid-

ed that it was working for the first world, so to speak, but we needed to do things differently. ``And so we came up with this system, they saw it; they realised the potentials and they are here to cooperate with us to seek our assistance in first also moving away from off the shelf system. ``But then, subsequently, also use their talent and we pull our resources together and develop it further.’’

on Tuesday,” he said.

The secretary also said that failure to honour the agreement would lead to the union going on an indefinite strike.

FRSC Act amendment: NASS to provide framework for road safety Speaker, House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, on Monday said the National Assembly was determined to provide institutional framework for safety on roads in the country.

Dogara disclosed this at a public hearing on Federal Road Safety Commission Act Amendment in Abuja.

According to him, the framework will also cover the provision of roads, vehicles and post-crash care as well as increased budgetary allocation to the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC. The Speaker, who was represented by Hon Yunusa Abubakar (GombeAPC), Chairman, House Committee on FRSC, said the framework would cover organisations involved in construction and maintenance of roads.

He said the document would also cover those administering proper utilisation and overall safety of road users.

Dogara said further that the issue of safety measures was already contained in the laws of the green chamber and was a matter of adopting the appropriate strategies for implementation.

He added that the amendment to the FRSC Act was to establish some offenses that were

not included in the document, adding that until recently, Nigeria had one of the highest fatalities rates in Africa, with no fewer than 33 deaths per 100,000 people every year.

According to him, this has reduced considerably as a result of the measures taken by stakeholders. ``These offenses are common traffic violations that have resulted in deaths, injuries, loss of property and have caused monumental hardship and trauma to many families. ``I am pleased to state here that as legislature of change, we have put in place deliberate measures to achieve a vision of becoming one of the 20th safest countries. ``This is in terms of road transportation and mobility by 2020 and meeting the UN Decade of Action of reducing 2009 crash record by at least half by 2020. ``I wish to assure all that your views and opinions will count in evolving the legal framework and implementation strategies for ensuring safety on our roads,’’ Dogara said.

On his part, Honourable Yunusa Abubakar, Chairman, House Committee on FRSC, said there was the need for Nigerians to change their attitude towards road safety administration.

Abubakar, who was represented by his deputy, Honourable Solomon Maren (Plateau-PDP), said that some penalties for traffic violation would be strengthened.

Lassa fever: Jigawa denies doctor’s death

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igawa State government on Monday denied that no medical doctor died as a result of treating Lassa fever in the state.

Dr Abba Zakari, Jigawa State Commissioner for Health, dismissed the speculation that a medical doctor that treated a victim of Lassa fever at Dutse General Hospital was infected with the disease.

Zakari told newsmen in Dutse that the result of the blood sample of the doctor sent to Lagos for test showed negative.

It would be recalled that the commissioner for health on Wednesday last week announced that a suspected victim of Lassa fever from Port-Harcourt died in the state, while 26 people were quarantined.

He explained that the doctor, who was among the health team that managed the victim, was only apprehensive when he had catarrh and requested his blood sample to be taken for test.

According to him, the blood sample of one of the 26 persons under surveillance, who complained of

feeling feverish, which was taken for a test, also turned negative. ``No doctor was infected

by Lassa fever in Dutse General Hospital and the doctor in question was afraid when he had just mere catarrh. ``And another person that was among persons that had contact with the victim that died of the disease was equally apprehensive and wanted to go for a test. ``The two samples were taken to Abuja and when there is no reagent, they were taken to Lagos and the two turned out negative,” said the commissioner.

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

SUPER TUESDAY Emmanuel has boosted incentives for investors —James 14

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

13

Politics

Supreme Court Judgment: Fear grips PDP, APC in A’Ibom Julius Onwuma UYO

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he political atmosphere in Akwa Ibom has been overtaken by ostensible tension and anxiety that has enveloped the camps of the ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP and the All Progressives Congress, APC ahead of the ruling of the Supreme Court on the April 11 governorship elections in the state.

Though the PDP has been emboldened by the ruling of the Apex Court in the case of Rivers State which gave judgement in favour of Governor Nyesom Wike, there is, however, growing resentment against the party, evidenced in the defection of some of its key members to the APC. But the Eket Branch Chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association, Akpadiaha Ebitu expressed optimism that the Supreme Court would revalidate Governor Emmanuel Udom’s victory, adding that the Appeal

Court ruling that cancelled the election was ‘’faulty’’.

Ebitu assured that even if elections were conducted hundred times, the PDP would still win..

Some PDP Chieftains, who declined to be mentioned in print, said they are preparing for the ‘’worst case scenario’’ as there are concrete evidences to prove that the APC-led federal government is bent on capturing Akwa Ibom by all means.

On the other hand, the opposition APC are unsure of where the pendulum of justice would swing following last week’s landmark judgement by the Supreme Court which affirmed the governorship mandate of the Rivers state Governor, Nyesom Wike.

The APC state publicity secretary, Ita Awak, told our correspondent that the party is confident and sure of victory at the Supreme Court because of clear evidences that the April 11 governorship election was marred by massive irregularities.

According to Awak, it would be ‘’unfair and un-

Osun APC constitutes LG stakeholders’ councils Boladale Bamigbola OSOGBO.

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s part of efforts to further strengthen the base of the All Progressive Congress, APC in Osun state, the state chapter of the party yesterday constituted what it called Stakeholders Councils across the 30 local government areas and Modakeke Area Officer Inaugurating the council at the party’s state secretariat in Osogbo, Governor Rauf Aregbesola charged members of the councils to be good ambassadors of the party.

The governor charged the council of elders to checkmate any anti party policies that might dent the image of the progressive at the grassroots, promising to create an enabling environment to-

wards harmonious relationship with the stakeholders council.

“The government will continue to work harmoniously with the party stakeholders council by creating a good enabling environment,” Aregbesola said.

He then called on party faithful to support government by paying taxes for the growth of the state, urging them to pray for the APCled federal and state government across the country, especially now that the country’s economy is having issues.

Speaking earlier, the state chairman of the party, Mr. Gboyega Famodun, said the stakeholders councils were constituted, to allow stakeholders in the party , contribute their quota to the growth of the party and the state.

informed’’ for anybody to conclude that APC does not stand any chance of emerging victorious at the Supreme Court because the court has decided otherwise in the case of the Rivers state.

He said the APC has proved beyond reasonable doubts that there were widespread malpractices in the April 11 governorship polls relying on not only the card reader but the discrepancies on the voter registers.

According to him it was left for the PDP to prove to the court how it arrived at the over 7million differentials in the voter registers which it used to calculate the result of the election.

In his remarks, the state

commissioner of justice, Uwemedimo Nwoko, said he cannot comment because the matter is still in court but added that the party is relying on God for victory at the Supreme Court.

L-R: Members, House of Representatives Committee on Road Safety Commission, Hon. Jerry Alagboso; Deputy Chairman, Hon. Solomon Maren and Chairman, Hon. Abubakar Yunus, at a public hearing on a Bill for an Act to amend Federal Road Safety Commission Act, in Abuja yesterday.

Robert Awokuse

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ormer Ambassador and Deputy Representative of Nigeria at the United Nations, UN, Chief Oladapo Fafowora has charged President Muhammadu Buhari to further deepen the searchlight on corruption in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC and the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, saying it was not an exaggeration that virtually all public institutions in the country have been gripped by the scourge hence harped on the need for the country to eliminate corruption in all its forms, just as he called for a holistic approach to fight the scourge.

Fafowora, who spoke in Lagos at the 11th Annual Surveyor Adekunle Kukoyi Memorial Lecture organised by the Lagos State Branch of Nigerian Institution of Surveyors, NIS, said those who have corruptly enriched themselves are enemies of the state and must be treated as such, stressing that there

Anti-Corruption: Probe NNPC, CBN, ex-UN Ambassador tells Buhari …Says there shouldn’t be sacred cows should be no sacred cows in the fight against corruption.

Speaking on the theme “Landscape: Challenges and Responsibilities for African Future,” Fafowora said there were many challenges confronting the African states, principal of which was corruption, and that African states, especially Nigeria, must pursue the anti-corruption war with all seriousness required.

Some of the challenges according to him which include mass poverty and ignorance, unemployment, poor health services, ineffective public institutions, constant threat to constitutional government and the rule of law among others, would be surmounted if corruption is tackled.

He said: “It is time to end public corruption in our country because there is

strong and widespread public demand to the effect that those against whom allegations of public corruption have been made should be brought to justice as speedily as possible.

“If found guilty, then they should be punished accordingly. There should be no sacred cows and such people are morally unfit for positions of leadership and high state responsibilities in our country. They are enemies of the state and should be treated as such,” the ex-UN chief said.

While alluding to a comment by the United States Republican Presidential candidate, Donald Trump calling for the repatriation of all Nigerians from the US, including those who are not corrupt and gainfully employed there, Fafowora said such was the result of the negative reputation which corruption had

given to Nigeria.

As a way out, Fafowora pointed that strong measures such as rebuilding of public institutions should urgently be introduced to address the grave challenge posed by corruption to Nigeria’s future prosperity, stability and security.

Guest lecturer at the event and Chancellor of Lead City University, Ibadan, Professor Gabriel Ogunmola, on his part, noted that the humongous amount so far discovered in the arms purchase scandal involving the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki and other prominent Nigerians was a national shame.

Ogunmola said “Just imagine what that amount could have done to health care delivery, provision of infrastructure and so and so forth.”

14

Politics

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Emmanuel has boosted incentives for investors —James Bassey James, President, Southern Youth Development Forum and Chancellor, Akpabio Centre for Leadership Development is a businessman and a leading social commentator in Akwa Ibom State. In this report, James, who was also a member of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s presidential campaign committee, speaks with VICTOR UDOH on the political intrigues rocking Akwa Ibom State among other sundry issues. Excerpts: another if they are not given the opportunity they wanted. What they did to PDP they can also do to APC. And APC should look out for all these marriages which can eventually become a bad marriage.

You have always called on investors to come to Akwa-Ibom state and take advantage of investment opportunities.

What incentive has Governor Udom Emmanuel provides for investors?

Governor Udom Emmanuel is seriously on course. He is striving on the experience he has gathered as an investment banker.

He is transforming and repositioning the state and he is also building new club of investors. He is trying to deviate from politics of today where politics and politicking discourage investment. Udom Emmanuel is building industries, empowering the people and letting so much happen in Akwa Ibom.

When we talk about agricultural development, major industries are beginning to exist in Akwa Ibom state. This governor is doing everything possible with the availability of the natural resources in each local government and we need to praise him for seven months of entrepreneurship development, seven months of natural resources maintenance, and seven months of physical development. This is what Nigerians are looking for, and we people of Akwa Ibom state are already happy with him. I think with the infrastructure we have on ground, with the level of development that my governor has done across the state, there is need for people to tap the untapped resources in terms of agricultural development, the land is wonderful. In terms of human capital development, the people are ready. In terms of sustainability, it is perfect. Everything that an investor needs is already in Akwa Ibom State because the state is strategically positioned by God to service the needs of the entire South-South, South East and the Gulf of Guinea. We have done several seminars in Lagos, Abuja and some other parts of Nigeria.

How is an average Akwabomite fare under this regime ?

I will implore the media not to castigate, abuse or speak ill of anybody. Akwa Ibom is a player in the economy game of our country today and not a push over in the political spectrum of Nigeria. I challenge the writer to go to the streets of Lagos or Kano and see if he or she would find an Akwa Ibom indigene begging for food .Akwa Ibom people are not beggars and we will never be beggars. In fact, gone are those days when Akwa Ibomites are used as domestic servants. We have nothing of such again.

The judgement of the Appeal court did not favour the Udom Emmanuel camp, what is your view on the ruling?

I feel sad and pained but the judgement cannot be questioned. We have three arms of government; executive, legislature and the judiciary. And each arm is free to do their job independently. And the judiciary has done theirs. But whatever may happen, there is still an avenue, the Supreme Court, through which the governor can appeal. As we all know, he has appealed and we await the outcome of the Supreme Court decision.

However the Akwa Ibom people believe in

James

I think with the infrastructure we have on ground, with the level of development that my governor has done across the state, there is need for people to tap the untapped resources in terms of agricultural development fairness and equal justice and that is what we are emphasizing on. If Udom Emmanuel is allowed to finish his term, power would return to Uyo again. Of course, the senatorial arrangement didn’t start now.

Some people believe Udom Emmanuel came to power through fraudulent mechanisms, what is your say on this?

These are allegations that are not true. I was there during the election and I can au-

thoritatively tell you that that is not the case.

Udom Emanuel was well supported and massively voted for in the last election.

Politicians are now moving en mass to the ruling party, APC, what is your take on this?

We all know many PDP members today who lost primaries and defected from PDP to APC. I would like to appeal to the president to be watchful because people who destroyed a particular house can also destroy

The budget proposal has been submitted to the National Assembly, what is your view concerning the budget?

As an average Nigerian, I am happy the budget is big yet worried that the Ministry of Power, Ministry of Housing and Ministry of Works is given to one individual. But I know President Muhammad Buhari is an experienced person, being a former Head of state .

Emphasis on budget should be on entrepreneurship development and any other thing would not work. The president should sit with the banking sector and give the Nigerian banking sector a direction because if Nigerians can attain loans in the bank for entrepreneurship ventures, 20% of the problem is solved. The governors attempting another 20% in their state, making 40% will go a long way to solving most of our problems. Nigerians are not lazy people, they are hard working in terms of business enterprise development. President Muhammadu Buhari should work on the middle class, the power sector should be made efficient, and road infrastructure available to the people, railway line and all other forms of transportation should be developed.

We should not base everything on politics.

People should not do things that will demoralise the government in power. We should all put our hand on deck and we should ensure mistakes are corrected for the benefit of our beloved country. It is painful that everything has been politicised in the country. This is the time to speak more on national building, national reconciliation and anything that will add value to the country. I wish to call on the president to ensure that Nigerians enjoy the dividends of democracy irrespective of party affiliation because Nigeria is either APC or PDP. Nigeria is Nigeria. So the topic should always be Nigeria.

Niger - Delta militants are back in the creeks, being a leader from the SouthSouth region, what is your view on this?

As a South-South man, I condemn it in totality. The oil is a gift to the Niger- Delta and also to Nigeria. I want to appeal to our brothers and sisters in the Niger- Delta to allow peace to reign. Everything we have here should be used for the betterment of all. It is not just about the Niger Delta, there are so many issues coming up at the same time, and we must do everything for peace to reign because we are brothers.

People should desist from making inflammatory statement. I want to however call on the president to initiate national youth conference, where Nigerians youths can come together to brainstorm on the progress of the nation. In the face of all the agitation going on in the country today, it is imperative that the president take this step.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

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A PUBLICATION OF NATIONAL MIRROR NEWSPAPERS

Nigeria can generate N8.5trn annually from cassava –Farmers Richard Ndoma, Calabar

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he Nigeria Cassava Growers Association has charged the Federal Government to re-double its effort in cassava, stressing that Nigeria stands the chance of generating about N8.5trn annually from the product.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of a two-day community business enhancement initiative tagged, “Cassava Cluster Scheme”, organised by the United Cement Company of Nigeria Limited, an associate of Lafarge Africa Plc., Chairman of NCGA in Cross River State, Mr. Augustine Oqua, said cassava had the potential of generating between N5 trillion to N8.5 trillion annually for Nigeria if its production was maximised.

He called for a concrete step towards diversifying the nation’s economy from the monolithic dependence on oil revenue, Oqua stated that as the largest producer of cassava globally, Nigeria had over 1.25 million cassava farmers that could be redirected to help generate the revenue adding that apart from the cassava flour, ethanol could be extracted from cassava for the production of electricity.

L-R: Chairman, Sub-Committee on Media and Publicity, Mr. Garbel Nwanitaya; representative of Bro. Felix Obuha, the Sponsor, Mr. Ike Chukwu and Chairman of Go Round/SWAN Athletics Championship, Mr. Honour Sirawoo, at the inauguration of the championship’ new buses, in Port Harcourt.

“Cassava is more available than any other crop in Nigeria. It can generate between N5 trillion and N8.5 trillion annually which is far above the budget of the country. Cassava alone can transform Nigeria and even Cross River State which is the largest pro-

ducer in the country. We can use it to replace crude oil.

“Today, UniCem is spending millions of naira to buy gas to run electricity, but ethanol, could be got from cassava as a bi-product and used to generate electricity.

Our major problem is the acquisi-

tion of land for the production of cassava and that is why we need government intervention.”

While harping on the need to diversify the nation’s economy, the Head, Public Affairs, Lafarge Africa Plc., Mr. Ayi Ita-Ayi, averred that it had become im-

smooth relationship between the Speaker and members. ``We work as a team; the legislator, the judiciary and the executive. We have not seen any impeachment document against the Speaker. ``People think that when you fight it means you are working; that assertion is very wrong because we are not fighting but rather, working

for the growth of the state. ``When we engage in fighting, you will observe that a lot of things will get lost. Instead of fighting, we make laws that will benefit the people of Cross River,’’ Bassey added.

The Deputy Speaker attributed the increase in the crime rate within the Calabar South Local government of the state to the high level of unemploy-

ment among youths.

Bassey urged President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to re-direct his administrative policy towards creating new jobs for youths so as to kick unemployment out of the country.

The lawmaker said that though Buhari`s fight against corruption was good, it shouldn’t be in a manner that

perative to look at other areas as means of livelihood.

“The essence of this workshop is to ensure that we have alternative means of livelihood.

At the moment, we are having issues with the economy because of dwindling oil revenue. Our economy is oil-based and we are thinking that globally and locally there is a threat.

“That is why we have put together this stakeholder’s workshop involving UniCem, host communities in three local government areas of Cross River State, to draw support from government on agriculture intervention schemes. This way, we are providing alternative for government and the people,” Ita-Ayi said.

While declaring the workshop open, the state Commissioner for Information, Mrs. Rosemary Archibong, called for a deliberate move to shift focus from oil to the agricultural sector as a viable alternative to revenue generation.

Archibong, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr. Freedom Ajom, said the workshop could not have come at a better time than now when the change mantra of President Muhammadu Buhari was to shift focus to the agricultural sector.

C’River: No impeachment threat against Speaker –Deputy Speaker Richard Ndoma, Calabar

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he Deputy Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Joseph Bassey, yesterday debunked rumour making the rounds in Calabar and its environs that the House members had completed its process of impeaching the Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. John Gaul Lebo.

Bassey debunked the allegation while fielding questions from an interactive session with journalists in Calabar saying it was false.

According to him, the reports in the media to the effect that the Speaker would be impeached was the handiwork or mischief makers.

Bassey who represent Calabar South II state constituency in the assembly stressed that there was no impeachment threat, pointing out that the assembly had enjoyed a

VGN seeks to boost its operations Richard Ndoma, Calabar

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he Commander General of Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN), Alhaji Ali Sokoto, yesterday advocated for the enactment of enabling laws to make it easy for private security firms to complement efforts of the Nigeria Police in the task of combating rising wave of crime in the country.

Sokoto made the advocacy

at the inauguration of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria at the Cultural Centre Complex, Calabar.

The Vigilante Group also appealed to the Cross River State and Federal Government to assist the Command with the provision of funds to enable the command procure a piece of land to erect their office building, acquire office accommodation and working equipment for the Command to enable it func-

tion effectively.

“The Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) came into being in 1983 and it was registered by the Corporate Affairs Commission under the Allied Matters Decree 1 of 1990 (Part C) with registration number RC 11834); there is an urgent need for the National Assembly to enact enabling law for the smooth operation of VGN if we are to function effectively,” the VGN boss said.

the government would have to lose focus.

He added that channeling all government’s strength on fighting corruption without fighting hunger was bad.

The Deputy Speaker maintained that a time had come whereby food had to be put on the table as it had become obvious that there was hunger in the land.

While harping on the evolution of the vigilance group, Sokoto averred that though the security formation started in Tudun Wada, Kaduna State, as community policing outfit with the sole aim of check-mating criminal activities in the area, it later spread across the 36 states of the country, including Abuja.

He commended public spirited Nigerians and the Continued on Page 33>>

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Lassa fever: Oshiomhole fights rats with insecticide …Task force charges 125 environmental sanitation offenders Sebastine Ebhuomhan

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do State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, is determined to reduce any further spread of Lassa fever in the state.

One of the plans of the governor aimed at bringing Lassa fever under total control, according to the Executive Director of Media and Public Affairs in the Governor’s Office, Mr. John Mayaki, is the fumigation of public places, especially markets, through fumigation.

Mayaki, spoke to Niger Delta Mirror in Benin, the state capital, after an inspection of the sanitary conditions of some major markets by a team of media professionals working with Edo State government under his leadership at the weekend as part of the first environmental exercise of 2016 in the state.

The team began its work at Oba Market on Ring Road, from where it extended to New Benin Market and Uselu Market.

The team also visited Iyaro, Ugbowo, Sakponba Road; Dumex Market and rounded off work at Ramat Park and its adjoining market.

Lassa fever, a viral infection caused by rats, assumed a deadlier menace in the state and some other parts of the country, resulting in the death of many citizens.

The government’s plan came against the background, however, of a growing global fear over the possible outbreak in Nigeria of Zika, another viral infection that has brought Brazil and some other countries to their knees, and for which reason the Federal Government issued a travelling warning last week to Nigerians going and coming from infected countries.

Mayaki explained that part of the measures taken by the state government to prevent outbreak or spread of diseases was the ongoing fumigation of markets in the state.

Mayaki particularly decried the attitude and behaviour of some residents, who deliberately leave their environments unkempt.

“When we talk of cleanliness being next to godliness, our people have not kept to faith.

You don’t need Oshiomhole to come around your house or environment to remove dirt. We expect that at least on a day dedicated for cleanliness, everybody should participate. It is regrettable that participation is

L-R: Operations Manager, South-South, MultiChoice Nigeria, Segun Olisa; Public Relations Manager, MultiChoice Nigeria, Caroline Oghuma and MultiChoice super dealer, Nnamdi Okere, during the DStv Customer Forum in Port Harcourt, recently.

low even as you can see that the government is doing its part by evacuating the dirt. Many people are sitting at home while some are out there playing football on the streets,” he lamented.

Mayaki called on all stakeholders, including community and religious leaders to continually sensitise the people on importance of playing their role to-

wards making the environment clean for the wellbeing and good health of residents of the state.

While a good level of compliance was observed in terms of the no-movement directive during Saturday’s sanitation (perhaps owing to environmental taskforce arrest and prosecution), it was observed, regrettably, that a high number of resi-

dents did not participate in the monthly clean-up exercise even when their homes and environments were littered.

At the Oba Market, Urhokpota Hall and New Benin Markey and area, a low level of compliance was observed as residents carried on with normal activities as though oblivious of the warning signs of Lassa and other diseas-

es from surrounding filths.

The situation at the New Benin market was particularly shocking as motorists converged on the Oando Filling Station at the junction, picking fellow rebellious residents.

An attempt by the monitoring crew to interview the motorists drew their anger as they quickly mobilised to attack the media team.

According to the team that expressed dissatisfaction with the environmental sanitation compliance, effort by the state government to secure healthy living for the people may not yield result if residents do not key into important government programmes.

Speaking on the environmental clean-up, the Manager of Edo State Waste Management Board, Miss Gillian Ochugbue, however lauded the compliance on restriction of movement, which she said, made it easy for the board staff to carry out their duties.

Meanwhile, a total of 125 persons were arrested for different environmental offences within the city metropolis.

They were charged before mobile courts in Uselu and Ukpoba Hills respectively, convicted and fined appropriately.

C’River heads Conference of Speakers Committee on Criminal Justice, Law Reform Richard Ndoma

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he Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon John Gaul Lebo, is to chair the Conference of Speakers of Nigeria’s Committee on Criminal Justice Law Administration reform in Nigeria.

A release issued and signed

by Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, Mr. Azogor Idaba, and made available to National Mirror, the committee is going to help in providing for a common bill for the enactment of Criminal Justice Administration Law for the 36 states of the country.

The release also maintained that the committee’s scope of work will include carrying out a review of the current administration of criminal justice law in the 36 states of the federation, stressing that other areas which the committee would have to deal with would be in the area of identifying other areas of reforms.

The release also enumerates the purpose of the conference to include proposing a legal regulatory framework for the administration of criminal justice law in the country and draft a consen-

sus bill that will be applicable to all the states in Nigeria.

In an brief interview with the Speaker Rt. Hon John Gaul Lebo, said he had accepted to chair the committee which would be inaugurated in a fortnight.

It would be recalled that Rt. Hon John Gaul Lebo was recently appointed member of the Committee on the Harmonisation of the Standing Rules of State Assemblies in Nigeria.

Similarly, the Speaker also assured the Cross River State Sports Commission of the State House of Assembly’s support to enable it achieve its mandate.

The Speaker gave the assurance in Calabar today, when a delegation of the commission led by its chairman, Rt. Hon Orok Duke, visited his office.

Rt. Hon Lebo maintained that the assembly was willing to assist the commission to enable it achieve its mandate of reviving and revitalising sports in Cross River, adding that the commission must systematically help to discover and harvest sports talents across the 18 local government areas of the state.

The Speaker, who, on behalf of the House of Assembly urged

the Sports commission to evolve more creative ways of administering sports in the state, said the commission must be reinvented to meet with the changing dynamics of sports administration and inculcating best acceptable practices.

He said the House of Assembly as a whole was committed to ensuring that every institution established by the laws enacted by the House were activated and funded to deliver on their mandates, reiterating that the Sports commission would receive adequate attention in that respect.

According to the Speaker, the House of Assembly would be willing to amend any section of the law establishing the commission no longer in tandem with present times as well as source for additional funding in view of the dwindling revenue of the state.

Earlier, the chairman of the Cross River State Sports Commission, Rt. Hon Orok Duke, had intimated the Speaker and members of the state of facilities under the commission which he lamented had suffered neglect for eight years.

Rt. Hon Duke, who decried the

abandonment of site by contractors handling projects which included sports facilities and office accommodation, also expressed optimism that the new commission as constituted would not rest on its oars in a bid to take sports to greater heights in the state.

He assured the Speaker and members of the commission’s preparedness to regenerate the commission, submitting that a developmental programme targeting Sports talents at the grassroots would be pursued.

Rt. Hon Orok Duke hinted that the state would be ready to host the National Sports Festival by the last quarter of the year, observing that the commission was working assiduously to ensure that every facility for the event was ready before for the fiesta.

Speaking, the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Hon. Nelson Ofem, expressed optimism that the Commission headed by Duke would deliver on its mandate despite challenges, given its composition.

Hon. Ofem charged the commission on the development of sports at the grassroots which according to him was a ‘reservoir of raw talents’.

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Tuesday, February 2, 2016

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Lamorde: The task before EFCC ABUBAKAR DUNIYA

T

he bilateral agreement recently signed between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is definitely beginning to yield results earlier than one would have expected. When President Muhammadu Buhari signed that deal, the expectation was that some more weeks would go by before the anticorruption war will see benefits from the agreement.

The publication of the list of Nigerians with properties in the Gulf states has, however, signaled that era of politically exposed persons from Nigeria stashing stolen funds in the property market in that destination is over. Gone is that sense of security that made the United Arab Emirates (UAE) a destination of choice. The absence of such treaty has in the past made it a location of choice when exporting proceeds of corruption. For those who are eager to see corruption tamed in Nigeria, the publication of that list should naturally lead to questions being asked. The responses to those questions should lead to demands for specific actions.

For instance, the former supremo of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ibrahim Lamorde, has his name on that list. The outrage of it! Even the controversies around the allegations that he might have diverted as

much as N1 trillion in recovered money and assets for his personal use could not have prepared one for the fact that Lamorde would be brazen enough to openly hold assets in his own name in that nation with impunity. Lamorde is alleged to have over a $60 billion investment in Dubai and neighboring Islamic countries.

Any lingering doubts as to whether he appropriated over N1 trillion in recovered funds to himself have now been cleared with this discovery. How can Lamorde explain being worth that much on his police and later EFCC salary?

On the contrary, Abdulrasheed Maina, the former chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, whom Lamorde spent his entire tenure at the EFCC demonizing was nowhere to be found on the list of persons who own property in UAE. That is another jaw dropping one there.

The impression that Lamorde and his hordes of jobbers had created was such that the good work that Maina did with pension reforms was almost rubbished.

Fortunately, pensioners, who know better, have come out severally to commend the changes that Maina engendered in pension administration.

With this development in Dubai, there is the instinctive reaction for one to begin mentally revisiting earlier assertions by Maina that the accusations against him were the direct consequences of not succumbing to extortion and blackmail. Many of those demanding for

LAMORDE IS ALLEGED TO HAVE OVER A $60 BILLION INVESTMENT

DUBAI AND NEIGHBORING ISLAMIC IN

COUNTRIES him to be crucified turned out to have demanded bribes that he refused to give. Instinct will also make one to begin to ask questions about the veracity of claims, not just by Maina, but several others, that Lamorde ran an extortion racket while at the EFCC directly and through proxies. How much of these can be true?

One must further probe to know why Lamorde is not just keen but is making spirited efforts to see that Maina’s name make the list of property owners when he never succeeded in trying him in a competent court in Nigeria for the entire duration of his tenure as the EFCC helmsman. To expose the bad faith in Lamorde’s latest antics, he totally failed to explore the option of using Maina as state witness even after he has made revelations about those that the then Lamorde led EFFC should be going after.

Fortunately, while Lamorde deals with his baggage and Maina continues with efforts to clear his name, it is noteworthy that part of the job of the present EFCC’s leadership has been made easier.

As the incumbent EFCC Chairman, Ibra-

him Magu step up the attack on graft, he must realize that Nigerians deserve to see the authentic list from Abu Dhabi.

When Nigerians know for a certainty that the list in the public domain is the authentic one, there is the increased likelihood that more whistleblowers will step forward to assist investigations.

Lamorde’s presence on that list should also prompt the EFCC to quickly act on his case. The commission must act fast not because of personal sentiments, but to send a clear message to Nigerians that what the former EFCC boss did is not in the character of the agency.

In the meantime, the EFCC can take a leaf from what went down in Abu Dhabi.

For the authorities to come up with a list within the shortest time possible in the wake of signing the treaty with Nigeria spoke of database put to good use.

We are not without database in Nigeria.

What has to be done is to activate the usage in the existing fragmented state, even though there are extant directives to harmonize them. The commission should use Abuja as a start, since the Abuja Geographical Information System (AGIS) can significantly yield information to identify property ownership. The list of property owned by politically exposed persons in Abuja will definitely trounce that released from UAE, and should create the basis for more thieves to go on trial.

Abubakar, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Abuja.

Before Metuh becomes Methuselah OGUNDANA MICHAEL ROTIMI

C

orruption attacks the foundations of democratic institutions by distorting electoral processes and conducts, perverting the rule of law and creating bureaucratic quagmires whose only reason for existing is for soliciting bribes. Economic progress is stunted because foreign direct investment is discouraged and small businesses within the country often find it impossible to overcome the “start-up costs” required because of corruption.

Corruption threatens our national security and gives rise to a safe haven for terrorists.

This is the scenario we find ourselves as a nation.

It was on the ground of ridding the country of corruption that President Muhammadu Buhari came into power.

And since his ascension to the highest position in the land, his greatest efforts and strength have been channeled to defeating the Boko Haram insurgency and fighting against corruption. Both efforts seem to be yielding results, as to some extent, one can say that the Boko Haram insurgency has been incapacitated even though not completely defeated, while the fight against corruption is just but taking shape.

The fight against corruption will be effective, when measures against it address the underlying causes and not just the symptoms. President Buhari must move beyond the fighting against corruption to building lasting institutions

that will live on after he is out of office.

Emphasis must not just be placed on fighting corruption, but also be placed on preventing corruption by tackling the root causes that give rise to it through undertaking economic, political and institutional reforms. The Treasure Single Account (TSA) is a valuable initiative, but it is just one of the many initiatives needed to prevent corruption.

Anti-corruption enforcement measures such as oversight bodies, a strengthened police force, more efficient laws and reliable law courts amongst others, are needed to genuinely curb and prevent corruption. This is because corruption and institutional weaknesses are linked together and they feed on each other. So, getting rid of corruption helps a country to overcome other institutional weaknesses, just as reducing other institutional weaknesses helps to curb corruption.

One of the fights against corruption since the inception of this administration has been the thorough investigation into how the funds meant for arms procurement were spent and those involved in the spending. Quite a number of people have been arrested in connection to the illegal spending of the arms procurement fund. The “latest man” on the roll is the spokesman of the opposition PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh. As the current spokesman of the onetime biggest political party in Africa, Chief Metuh was not so vocal a spokesman; he was not even vocal enough as his then parallel number in the ruling APC, Lai Moham-

THE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION WILL BE EFFECTIVE, WHEN

MEASURES AGAINST IT ADDRESS THE UNDERLYING CAUSES AND NOT JUST THE SYMPTOMS med. Nonetheless, he defended his party to the last and spoke always positively about his party. And to him, there was no time his party was wrong.

Unfortunately for him, officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday, January 5, 2016, stormed his Abuja home, took him away to their custody and since then, his life has never remained the same.

He was remanded in Kuje Prison by an order of a Federal High Court in Abuja with respect to charges of money laundering involving N400 million, part of money meant for procurement of arms, which he collected from the Office of the National Security Adviser in November 2014. He was later produced in court by prison officials and was granted bail to the sum of N400 million as bail bond.

Not too bad of a bail condition!

But you see, you need not have to run when nothing and no one is pursuing you, and fear no guilt if your hands are clean. But for Metuh, while in the custody of the EFCC, he was alleged to have destroyed the evidence against him

and again, re-arraigned before a Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja, which ordered that he be remanded over two counts of destruction of evidence and mischief preferred against him by the EFCC. And on Friday, 22nd January, 2016, for the second time in just two days, he was granted bail in the sum of N300 million with two sureties in like sum.

The total bail sum now N600 million.

Putting the two bail conditions together, the spokesperson of the PDP, Chief Metuh, will need a total of N1 billion to secure his bail from Kuje prison, while his case continues. Pathetically, now that the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of his party, Alhaji Abdullahi Jalo, had said that it would be wrong for anyone to expect the party to provide sureties for Metuh when the party did not benefit from the money he allegedly collected from the former NSA, Col. Sabo Dasuki.

It means Olisa Metuh is on his own.

Less than a month in Nigerian prison, Olisa has grown older than what he`d be in five years time. Those that are standing with Metuh should better stand right with him with all their might. Else, he becomes Methuselah in Nigerian prison.

Ogundana can be followed on Twitter @MickeySunny 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.

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Editorial

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Tuesday, February 2, 2016

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

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

Obasanjo’s letter to NASS

F

ormer President Olusegun Obasanjo turned the heat on the National Assembly lately in a January 13, 2016 letter he addressed to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, in which, in his characteristic no holds barred tradition, lampooned members of the two chambers of NASS for their seeming entrenched predilection for living extravagant lives, their alleged unpatriotic acts, gluttony, corruption and impunity.

The letter broached what the ex-President saw as the lack of faith, inconsideration for the nation and citizens, as well as the absence of transparency in NASS’ handling of its fiduciary matters vis-à-vis the current downturn and cheerlessness of the nation’s economy.

Obasanjo’s words: “… A situation where our national budget was predicated on $38 per barrel of oil, with estimated 2 million barrels per day; and before the budget was presented, the price of oil had gone down to $34 per barrel; and now hovering around $30 and we have no assurance of producing 2 million barrels; and if we can, we have no assurance of finding market for it, definitely calls for caution. If production and price projected in the

budget stand, we would have to borrow almost one third of the (over) 6 trillion naira budget.

Now, beginning with the reality of the budget, there is need for sober reflection and sacrifice with innovation at the level of executive and legislative arms of government. The soberness, the sacrifice and seriousness must be patient and apparent.

It must not be seen and said that those who, as leaders, call for sacrifice from the citizenry, are living in obscene opulence.

It will not only be insensitive but callously so. It would seem that it is becoming a culture that election into the legislative arm of government at the national level in particular is a licence for financial misconduct… ”.

The former President berated plans by NASS to purchase 469 cars worth N4.7 billion. He described funds spent on cars, furniture and housing renovation in the past as wasteful, unnecessary, insensitive and inimical to the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians. Obasanjo also took NASS members up on their emoluments and constituency allowances even when, according to him, many of them have no constituency offices which the allowance is partly meant to cater for. He said federal lawmakers now have a unique opportunity of presenting a new

February 2, 1971 Idi Amin replaced President Milton Obote as leader of Uganda. Amin’s rule was characterized by human rights abuses, political repression, ethnic persecution, extra-judicial killings, nepotism, corruption and gross economic mismanagement. The number of people killed as a result of his regime is estimated by international observers and human rights groups to range from 100,000 to 500,000.

THE MESSAGE SHOULD BE SEPARATED FROM THE MESSENGER AND THE SUPERFLUOUS DISCARDED IN REVERENCE FOR THE ESSENTIAL image of NASS to help strengthen, deepen, widen and sustain Nigeria’s democracy.

In response, however, the House of Representatives dismissed the letter as misdirected. They argued it was probably meant for the 4th or 5th NASS; and that they would not be distracted from performing their constitutional duties. Perhaps, speaking in his personal capacity, Senator Dino Melaye also described the letter as misplaced, accusing Obasanjo’s of introducing corruption into the federal parliament. “There was the case of bribery introduced by the Obasanjo regime in the desperate attempt to remove (former) Speaker Ghali Umar Na’Abba from office then”, he said. Melaye also made reference to lawmakers who allegedly collected money from the former leader and refused to implement his widely criticised third term agenda.

The Obasanjo Presidency must have had its low mo-

ON THIS DAY February 2, 1990 Apartheid: F. W. de Klerk announced the unbanning of the African National Congress (ANC) and promised to release Nelson Mandela. Apartheid was a system of racial segregation in South Africa enforced through legislation by the National Party (NP) governments, the ruling party from 1948 to 1994, under which the rights, associations and movements of the majority black inhabitants were curtailed.

ments; and the ex-President himself his foibles, while straddling power. But not a few Nigerians would adjudge most, if not all of the issues he raised in the said letter as having been posited with all candour. Indeed, we will not be surprised if Obasanjo coasts home with a princely ‘Best Letter of the Year’ award at the end of 2016.

Severally, we have had reasons to point out that whenever calamity strikes the nation, the leadership forces ‘making sacrifices’ on hapless citizens, but its own sacrifices are scant.

If Obasanjo made any mistake under the circumstance at hand, it is, perhaps, his failure to equally and publicly point such scathing criticisms at the executive arm of government against which critics have also accused of some degree of profligacy in its 2016 budget proposals. Our candid opinion, therefore, is that Obasanjo’s letter to NASS likewise interrogates similar needless and extravagant expenditure heads in this year’s Presidency’s budget. But overall, the NASS should resist the temptation of throwing the baby away with the bathwater.

The message should be separated from the messenger and the superfluous discarded in reverence for the essential. For, as the saying goes, a word is enough for the wise.

February 2, 2007 Indonesia witnessed the worst flooding in 300 years. It was a major flood in Jakarta, the nation’s capital, affecting several areas around the city, such as West Java and Banten. The flood which began on February 2, 2007 resulted from heavy rain, deforestation in areas south of the city and waterways clogged with debris. Considered the worst in the last three centuries, it killed 80 people and caused heavy damage to property.

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Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Foreign investors see bright outlook in Nigeria’s property business 24

Banks: Exploring out-sourcing, casualisation of workers as cost-cutting options 31

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Ogun at 40: Govt issues Certificates of Occupancy to 1,000 beneficiaries 26

Assessing foreign operators’ control of Nigeria’s cargo clearing business Experts in the maritime business sector have described the seeming unregulated incursion of foreign nationals and companies into the nation’s cargo clearing business as a development for serious concern.

Apart from the negative implications for indigenous players’ operational capacity, industry analysts say the trend should be a major cause for concern among industry regulators and maritime stakeholders given the insecurity and capital flight effects on the country.

FRANCIS EZEM reports.

E

ven with the hues and cries about the concept of globalisation and free market economy, many developed countries including those in Europe and America still retain some protectionist policies. It is probably in line with this that the United States of America enacted the Jones Act of 1920, which restricts the carriage of goods within its coastal region only to citizens.

It was in line with this that the Federal Government enacted the Coastal and Inland Shipping Cabotage, Act 2003, which also restricts the carriage of goods, especially wet bulk with the nation’s inland and coastal regions to vessels built and owned by Nigerians, registered and crewed by Nigerians.

This protectionist policy was replicated in the oil and gas sector with the enactment of the Nigerian Content Act 2010, which also led to the creation of Nigerian Content Develop-

ment and Monitoring Board NCDMB to ensure effective implementation of the policy.

Regrettably, the Cabotage regime did not cover services such as freight forwarding and customs brokerage businesses.

Many foreigners are therefore currently taking undue advantage of this loophole in the Cabotage Act, leading to a massive influx of Lebanese, Indians, Chinese and even South Africans, among others into cargo clearing business at the nation’s airports, seaports and land borders. It has therefore become a normal occurrence to see these foreign nationals with clearing documents entering the Customs Processing Centre CPC, which houses the Automated System For Customs Data ASYCUDA, the hub of cargo clearing system in the country. Elsewhere, the CPC is a security area, which unauthorised per-

For instance, security experts have argued that as a bonafide Licensed Customs Agent, whether a Nigerian or a foreigner, the service issues you with a password with which you access the ASYCUDA and which allows the dealer to make his or her

entry online real time, the security of the place might easily be compromised by a foreigner who has nothing to lose

19

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Lagos-PHC (Sat): 17.00. PHC-Lagos (Sat): 19.00. Lagos-Yola (Sat): 08.50. Yola-Lagos (Sat): 13.00

sons, not even citizens are not allowed access, given the security implications in the event of any breach.

For instance, in neighbouring Cotonou, the Republic of Benin, through where a very large chunk of vehicles driven in Nigeria are imported, Nigerians are not allowed access into the CPC of that country. Investigations show that though many of the vehicles are cleared by Nigerians operating at the Seme Border, they are not allowed access beyond certain points, at which indigenes are hired at a fee to undertake that aspect of the clearing process.

This is the direct opposite of what happens in Nigeria. The situation is even more painful because these foreign nationals are given preferential treatments over and above their Nigerian counterparts. Thus, it is common for a senior officer of the Nigeria Customs Service with the aid of the Close Circuit Television CCTV in his office to see all the visitors waiting to see him and would naturally invite the ‘whites’ first before the blacks.

President of Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria ARFFN, Dr. Frank

Ukor, while speaking in an interview, expressed worries that the seeming uncontrolled influx of foreigners into the business of cargo clearing portends a lot of dangers both economically and security wise.

According to him, economically this development would worsen the increasing unemployment situation in the country, thereby negating Federal Government’s job creation initiatives.

He argued that this development would lead to massive loss of jobs, as the indigenous companies cannot meet their financial obligations to members of staff and would be forced to cut operational cost by reducing the work force to remain in business.

This is primarily because these foreigners have now taken over the jobs meant for Nigerians.

Apart from worsening the unemployment situation, he also noted that most of these foreigners, who operate skeletally in rented offices, usually repatriate all their profits back home, thus inducing capital flight.

He said: “I practised freight forwarding or customs brokerage business at the Seme Border for over 25 years and for one day I was not allowed into the CPC of the CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

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Aero Contractors Lag-Abj: 06.50, 13.30, 16.30, 19.45 (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun), 12.30 (Sun) 16.45 (Sat) Abj-Los: 07.30, 13.00, 19.00 (Mon-Fri/Sat, 10.30, 14.30, 19.30 (Sun, 18.30 Sat) Lag-Benin: 07.45, 11.00, 15.30 (Mon-Fri/Sat/ Sun) 12.30 (Sun 15.30 (Sat) Ben-Lag: 09.15, 12.30, 17.00 (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun) 17.00 (Sat) 14.00 (Sun)Lag-Owe: 7.45am, 2pm daily

20

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Tuesday, February 2, 2016

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Assessing foreign operators’ control of Nigeria’s cargo clearing business

Amaechi CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19 Cotonou Port and as a matter of policy, no foreigner is allowed into the place”.

Ukor also disclosed that what happens is that when one gets a clearing jobs, usually from fellow Nigerians, he does all the necessary documentations but when it comes to the point where one needs to access the CPC area, he would hire the services of an indigene, who does it for you for a fee, which is also a way of creating jobs for them.

In terms of security, he also argued that given the global security situation, Nigeria might be sitting on a keg of gunpowder by allowing foreigners unfettered access to a sensitive place like the CPC. For instance, security experts have argued that as a bonafide Licensed Customs Agent, whether a Nigerian or a foreigner, the service issues you with a password with which you access the ASYCUDA and which allows the dealer to make his or her entry online real time, the security of the place might easily be compromised by a foreigner who has nothing to lose.

The full automation of the clearing process in Nigeria with the coming on stream of the Nigerian Trade Hub, also called the Ruling Centre facilitated by Customs, makes this risk even more grave.

Little wonder there have been rampant cases of hacking and stealing of the ASYCUDA password, which has happened severally even at the Tin Can Island Port Complex and releasing of containers from the CPC through which the government has lost huge sums of import revenue.

Investigations showed that part of this problem was caused by the mode of licensing of customs brokerage agents.

For instance, under the Customs and Excise Management Act, a Customs Licensed Agent is licensed as a corporate body not an individual. In this sense, the service also licenses firms owned by Lebanese, Indians, Chinese and South Africans.

An impeccable source also hinted that many Customs officers have warehoused many licenses and release them their Chinese and Lebanese friends to do joint business, a development that also accounts for why many of these foreigners are given red carpet treatment when they come to the

Adeosun ports to clear cargo.

It was in the light of these developments that founder of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders NAGAFF, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam in a recent chat with newsmen made a strong case for the review of relevant sections of the CEMA, especially as it concerns the licensing of customs brokerage agents.

He cited sections 153, 154, 155 and 156 which regulate the licensing of corporate organizations as customs agents, a development he argued breeds corruption and lead to massive loss of revenue to the government.

He said: “It is these loopholes in some sections of the CEMA that have made it easy and possible for Lebanese, Chinese, Indians and even South Africans to take over the business of cargo clearing in Nigeria, which is not the case in other jurisdictions” According to him, this practice of granting of licenses to corporate bodies as against individuals, which is the practice in most other jurisdictions seems to hide the true identity of the people using the licenses.

While taking a swipe at some officers of the Nigeria Customs Service, who connive with these foreigners to hijack jobs meant for Nigerians, insisted that the only solution to the problem was to review the relevant sections of the CEMA that would allow the service to issues licenses to individuals not firms.

He also argued that this loophole in the CEMA was partly corrected in the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria CRFFN Act, 2007, which issues freight forwarding licenses to individuals, who would also be held accountable in the event of any breach associated with such

Shittu license.

It was however gathered that as part of permanent solution to these problems, the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents ANLCA, is currently concluding plans to present a draft bill to the National Assembly, which seeks to indigenise customs brokerage business in the country.

National Publicity Secretary of ANLCA, Mr,. Kayode Farinto, who spoke at a forum in Lagos last week, said that the proposed legislation seeks to prohibit foreigners from practising customs brokerage business in the country. “ It is not possible for a Nigerian customs brokers to the profession in Ghana or United States of America or Indian but in Nigeria, Lebanese and other foreign nationals are seen clearing goods at our ports.”, he lamented.

He however urged the National Assembly rise to the occasion and pass laws that will protect the interest of Nigerians including clearing agents and by so doing provide jobs for the youths and bridge the unemployment gap.

It was gathered that when passed into law, the new legislation will also not in any way conflict with the provisions of the CRFFN Act 16 of 2007, which established the CRFFN. He however insisted that though the CRFFN Act needs to be reviewed in order to address the many inherent loopholes in it, the proposed law is not designed to achieve that.

But some stakeholders have wondered why it has taken members of ANLCA, which was established since 1954 this length of time to realise this loophole in the CEMA, which has paved the way for foreigners to take over their businesses.

These stakeholders expressed reservations that these foreigners, most of whom are very wealthy might connive with Nigerians to truncate the passage of the bill, just like what happened in the case of the Petroleum Industry Bill PIB, which has remained at the National Assembly for nearly five years now

According to the stakeholders, this major loophole in the CEMA should have been better addressed when the Cabotage Act, 2003, which restricted the carriage of goods within the nation’s inland and coastal region to vessels built in Nigeria, owned and registered in Nigeria and also owned by Nigerians was passed.

These stakeholders expressed reservations that these foreigners, most of whom are very wealthy might connive with Nigerians to truncate the passage of the bill, just like what happened in the case of the Petroleum Industry Bill PIB, which has remained at the National Assembly for nearly five years now.

National President of ANLCA, Alhaji Olayiwola Shittu, who spoke in an interview, hinted that moves by the association to checkmate this rather ugly development by sponsoring a bill that would make the business of cargo clearing an exclusive preserve for Nigerians met a brick wall, as he alleged that members of the National Assembly asked for N600 million as a precondition for the sponsorship of the bill.

He insisted that it was a proven fact that foreigners have takeover cargo clearing business in Nigeria, a development that has thrown many Nigerian freight forwarders and customs brokerage agents out of business due to the influx of these foreigners.

“We are going through tough times because foreigners now get the juiciest jobs while the Nigerian operators scramble for the crumbs and we approached the National Assembly for a bill to check this ugly development”, Shittu said.

He noted that it was a great mistake on the part of the government to have left out the business of freight forwarding and customs brokerage while working on the Cabotage Act 2003 and the Nigerian Content Act, 2010 both of which are protectionist in nature.

Shittu therefore called on the Federal Government to take urgent steps to curtail the influx of foreigners into the clearing and forwarding jobs, a development that has made Nigerian operators uncompetitive, given that the foreigners are better funded.

Many operators in the maritime industry have also been speaking on the urgent need to control foreigners’ access to the CPC in the name of clearing imported cargo.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business News

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

21

Oil Swap: Trafigura, Duke Oil has no tax records, says FIRS GEORGE OPARA ABUJA

T

he Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has declared that some companies involved in the crude oil exchange agreement with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) namely Duke Oil and Trafigura have no tax returns with the agency.

FIRS Coordinating Director (Domestic Taxes Group), Mr. Babatunde Ajayi, who disclosed this while briefing the House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee investigating the oil swap agreement said Trafigura Nigeria Limited has not filed any tax returns with the agency despite engaging in oil transactions in Nigeria.

Trafigura has lifted about 12 million metric tons, in the swap programme.

Ajayi also told the committee that Duke Oil Global Investment refused to furnish it with requested tax inquiries.

It was also revealed that a subsidiary of the NNPC, Duke Oil Incorporated, registered in Panama in 1989, has also not filed any tax returns having received $39m from oil transactions in Nigeria through other companies

it sub-contracted its contracts to.

Speaking about other companies involved in the oil swap, the coordinating director disclosed that while Taleveras is owning the federal government $859.943 million in taxes having paid only $290.87 million out of the $1.150 billion it was owning, Aiteo has an outstanding tax liability of $256.073 million having paid only $262 out of the $518.872 million due to it.

He said Ontario was owning only $11.254 million having paid off $513.334 million out of its $524.578 million liability.

All companies operating with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) are to be subjected to tax examination

by FIRS it emerged yesterday.

When asked to explain why the company did not send any tax returns to FIRS, Duke Oil’s Managing Director, Mr. Abdulkadir Seidu said the letter written to his office was not addressed to his company.

On his part, representative of Trafigura, Mr. James Juslin told the committee that the company has no tax obligations to Nigeria being an international company.

However, Ajayi countered his claims saying any company op-

erating in the country and engaging in transactions must pay relevant taxes, irrespective of where it was registered.

“From all the information gathered here today, income, that is the commission, was derived from Nige-

T

he Federal Government has called for more foreign investment into the water, agriculture and solid mineral sectors to boost the nation’s economy.

Minister of Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman Adamu, made the call in Abuja while receiving a. draft copy of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) from the Ambassador of Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to Nigeria.

In a statement released by the ministry’s Director of information, Mrs Margaret Umoh, the minister had disclosed that the federal government was ready and willing to work with more foreign investors provided they were interested in investing in the water sector in particular and the economy in general.

The minister noted the long standing relationship between Nigeria and Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and expressed delight in advancing the long standing relationship of the two countries who share similarity, especially in rural development policies.

He siad: “We are a developing country and we are ready to bor-

row from your experiences in advancing our irrigation facilities and farms infrastructures in meeting with the present government thrust for agricultural revolution. Water is very crucial in meeting with the country’s agricultural policy of the present administration.

Lamenting the challenges the ministry was facing in the areas of irrigation facilities, maintenance of dams and capacity building, Adamu stressed that these areas were in critical need for attention and would form the focal point to be discussed in the Memorandum of Understanding.

The Minister expressed his appreciation to the envoy for showing interest in the sector saying “Thank You for coming at the time we need assistance from investors to turn the fortunes of the country, so we are open to more investors in the country especially in agriculture, solid minerals and water as no one can talk about agriculture without water.

We are doing everything possible to support the agriculture policy of the Federal Government”, he added.

Duke oil.

The committee also mandated the FIRS to set to work by interacting with all the affected companies with a view of ensuring that all the taxes were recovered from them.

L-R: Uyi Akpata, Country and Regional Senior Partner West Market Area, PwC presenting a report titled ‘Impact of Corruption on Nigeria’s Economy’ to the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Friday.

Sage launches Foundation in Africa Tola Akinmutimi

FG seeks improved FDIs in water, S agric, solid minerals sectors Regina Otokpa

ria, so it is taxable,” Bamidele said.

Following these revelations, the Hon. Zakari Mohammed led ad hoc committee asked for verification of names and location of all companies in the name of

age, the market leader for integrated accounting, payroll and payment systems, on Tuesday launched the Sage Foundation at the 2016 Sage Business Partner Conference, currently underway at the Sandton Convention Centre in South Africa.

The accounting solutions providing company stated that it launched the global foundation to set a new benchmark for corporate partnerships through its 2+2+2 model for working with the community.

Under this unique model, Sage is committed to giving two per cent of employee time (5 days paid volunteering per year), two per cent of free cash flow and 2 donated software licences to eligible registered charities, social enterprises and non-profit organisations. Throughout the year, the Foundation will go live in all of the 23 countries Sage operates in.

The Chairman of Sage Foundation and President for Sage International, Ivan Epstein said: “By consolidating our work to support charities, social enterprises and non-profit organisations under the banner of the Foundation, we can achieve the scale to make a difference in the lives of millions of people around Africa.

“The Sage Foundation is committed to transforming lives by investing our time, money and expertise and technology to create

sustainable social and economic opportunity in our local communities around the world. We are passionate about people and helping those who live along side us, it’s our privilege and honour to serve them.

Epstein and Stephen Kelly CEO of Sage subsequently visited the Little Rose Children’s Centre in Kliptown, Soweto to inaugurate the Sage Foundation Library.

The project is the first major initiative for the Sage Foundation in Africa and sees the Sage Foundation create a safe study facility for the Centre’s children and community members.

Epstein clarified further: “Lots of Sage employees are already in-

volved in volunteering and grant programmes – we’re extending and building on this. Our team is excited to be part of the Little Rose project, which strives to build a better future for children excluded from good educational opportunities. We hope that the Sage Foundation Library will give the Kliptown children a safe facility where they can study.”

In his remarks, Kelly said that the company’s Board management “believe in a socially-responsible world and Sage playing a positive role in communities. For us this is the right way to do business. I am proud to see our colleagues in Africa embrace the spirit of Sage Foundation so enthusiastically by supporting this important project.”

GIC Re to open China branch in 2-3 months

N

ational reinsurer GIC Re will start operations in China within the next two-three months as it eyes a place among the top 10 global reinsurers.

“We will be opening our branch office in China within the next 2-3 months,” Alice Vaidyan , the newly appointed chairperson and managing director of GIC Re, told reporters on the sidelines of an insurance summit here today.

India’s sole reinsurer is currently placed 14th in global rankings.

Earlier, Vaidyan had told PTI she wants to make GIC Re figure among the top 10 global reinsurers.

The company is also planning to

set up a Protection and Indemnity (P&I) Club in association with all the four state-run general insurers in the country.

“We have plans to set up a P&I Club here in association with all the four state-run non-life insurance companies. The idea is to provide insurance cover to shipping companies in the country,” she said.

P&I Clubs are formed globally to protect their members against large marine insurance claims which would be difficult to handle individually.

GIC Re has dropped its plan to acquire a company in UK, Vaidyan said.

22

Business News

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

FG may endorse collection of practising Emirates unveils new payment option for Nigerian customers fees from port agents FRANCIS EZEM

S

trong indications have emerged that the Federal Government may have given its nod to the commencement of the collection of the controversial Practitioners Operating Fee, POF, thus ending two years of feud over the collection and sharing formula for the fee meant for the funding of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria CRFFN. The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents ANLCA, one of the five practitioners associations, had earlier secured a court order restraining the Federal Ministry of Transport, CRFFN or any other government agency from collecting the fee pending the determination of a suit challenging the legality of the fee.

An industry source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that the Minister of Transport, Mr. Rotimi Ameachi, was favourably disposed to the commencement of the collection of the fee in order to raise generate revenue for the CRFFN.

According to the source, the Minister who has been inundated with complaints and petitions since he took over about two months ago had summoned the Registrar of the Council, Mr. Mike Jukwe, to further brief him on the circumstances surrounding the fee.

It was gathered that having been properly briefed, the Minister was said to have consented to the collection of the fee in order to relieve the government of the burden of funding the council.

The source also disclosed that the Minister had argued that the government might not have the resources at the moment to fund such council, especially given the financial state of the economy occasioned by the sharp decline in the price of crude oil, which is currently posing a major threat to the funding of the 2016 budget.

“The Minister is quite receptive to the idea of collecting fee, which he believes would go a long in enhancing capacity building and regulatory framework for the freight forwarding segment of the maritime industry”, he said.

It was further gathered that part of the plans of the Minister is to bring all the feuding parties on a table, which all the issues would be discussed and amicably settled.

Investigations also showed that the Minister would convince ANLCA to withdraw the suit to pave way for an out of court settlement where the interest of all parties would be taken care of.

Meanwhile when contacted, the Registrar of the Council, Mr. Jukwe declined to comment on the issue, saying it was already in court.

According to him, as soon as all the issues were settled, the stakeholders would be briefed properly.

The Nigerian Shippers Council, the nation’s economic regulator for the port industry had following the controversy generated by the POF banned the various associations from collecting any form of practicing fee.

Executive Secretary/CEO of the council, Mr. Hassan Bello, who handed the directive, spoke at at a town hall meeting with stakeholders at Eastern Ports, Port Harcourt recently.

L-R: Jude Chiemeka, MD, United Capital Asset Management; Dr. Biodun Adedipe, CEO, B. Adedipe Associates; Oluwatoyin Sanni, Group CEO, United Capital Plc; Dr. Temitope Oshikoya, CEO Nextnomics; and Kayode Tinuoye, Team Lead, United Capital Research at the launch of United Capital’s Nigeria 2016 Outlook Report ‘A Slippery Path to Recovery…Finding the New Equilibrium’

FAO donates Bird Flu disease control materials to FG Abolaji Adebayo

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he Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), has supported Federal Government’s on-going response to control and curtail the spread of Bird Flu by donating some disease surveillance and containment materials to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Receiving the materials on behalf of the ministry on Thursday in Abuja, the Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, thanked FAO

and other development partners for the kind gesture and assured them that the items would be put into use judiciously to combat the spread of the virus.

A statement by the Ministry’s Director, Information, Tony Ohaeri, quoted the minister as also appealing for more and sustained support from FAO and other development agencies even as he assured that government would do everything possible to achieve self-sufficiency in the livestock sector.

Senator Lokpobiri expressed his sympathy to poultry farmers affected by Avian Influenza, say-

ing they must have lost huge resources as a result of the bird flu.

Earlier in her remarks at the handing over ceremony, the FAO Representative in Nigeria, Dr. Louise Setshwaelo, explained that the risk factors that favoured the spread of Avian Influenza included poor bio-security in poultry farms, movement of poultry and poultry products from infected farms.

She emphasized the need to deploy sufficient resources to fight the current infection, saying more efforts are needed particularly by state Governments to fight the outbreak.

Olusegun Koiki

E

mirates’ customers in Nigeria can now enjoy multiple payment options when booking flights across various sales points in the country.

The new payment options, powered by Interswitch were launched recently and would offer customers greater convenience and choice as well as make the payment process more efficient.

The airline’s media agent stated that the airline’s customers now have the ability to book on the airline’s website, obtain a payment reference and pay using any of these channels: Paydirect platform at any bank branch across the country and at any ATM machines.

By introducing these new payment options, Emirates would enable its customers in Nigeria to pay for their tickets using all types of local and international credit, debit and prepaid cards.

Regional Manager West Africa, Manoj Nair, was quoted as saying that “by integrating to the Interswitch network and adopting their payment solutions & channels, Emirates is adopting a multiple payment platform,”Emirates’ This new feature will make it much easier for travellers to book their itinerary and pay for their flights. whether through Emirates website or at any Emirates offices.

“Choice has always been, and remains, an important part of the Emirates proposition. We are committed to providing our customers with the greatest level of customer service, and introducing multiple payment channels via the Interswitch network is yet another aspect of our service

offering,” Manoj added.

The Divisional Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Industry Vertical Markets, Interswitch, Mrs Chinyere Don-Okhuofu, pointed out that her company was happy “in deploying world class solutions taking into consideration global standards whilst applying local market knowledge and realities.

“This has propelled our relationship with Emirates and has now successfully facilitated the processing of Emirates’ transactions on the Interswitch network. We have worked diligently to ensure Emirates’ customers benefit from the array of payment channels and solutions Interswitch offers”, she added.

In addition to providing multiple payment options, the newly implemented system features a host of added value including short online transaction cycles as the tickets are auto generated as soon as the payment is made and wider reach as payments can be made at any bank in Nigeria.

Emirates website and online booking system offers a host of pre-travel features starting from online check-in, the ability to pre-select the seat, UAE visa application (for eligible nationalities), special meal requests for specific dietary requirements.

Customers are also able to book hotels, rent a car and even subscribe for mobile flight status alerts and view content of Emirates’ inflight ice entertainment system.

Customers also have the ability to check their baggage allowance, including the estimated cost calculator for excess baggage and search for low cost airline connections.

China moves to replace business tax with VAT

C

hina will complete the implementation of the nation’s value-added tax regime, in place of business tax, this year, a recent meeting of China’s State Council, presided over by Premier Li Keqiang, confirmed.

The meeting featured discussion on further implementing the change from business tax to VAT for a broader range of services. That change is seen as “a crucially important part for deepening fiscal and tax reforms. … This will exert great and positive influence on developing the country’s service industry, especially hi-tech enterprises, and on industrial up-

grading.”

Railway transportation services, postal services, and telecom services sectors were added to the VAT base in 2014. In 2016, China is expected to introduce VAT on financial services; construction and real estate; and consumer services such as food, catering, and accommodation.

The existing business tax, which VAT is replacing, is charged at every stage of the supply chain on the gross amount, rather than the net value added.

VAT will therefore eliminate the double tax issues encountered by businesses and remove distortions to supply chains.

(Source – tax-news.com)

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National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Real Estate & Environment

Foreign investors see bright outlook in Nigeria’s property business

Despite the insecurity challenges in the country, analysts and foreign investors believe that Nigeria’s property business outlook still looks bright if fiscal policy and other investment mechanisms are adopted by the governments to promote the potential of the sector locally and internationally. SYLVA EMEKA-OKEREKE reports.

M

ore foreign firms are still investing in the nation’s property industry, despite the growing insurgence in the country, according to investigation by National Mirror.

Investigation shows that the insurgence has not had much impact on the real estate business, as local and foreign firms are still investing in the sector.

For instance, Resilient Africa, a firm established by Resilient Properties and Standard Bank, is building its malls in Delta state.

Despite its existing malls, it is also building four other malls in the state.

Insider threat requires interagency panacea in aviation sector –Security agencies30

According to the company, they are building more on the ground that the Federal Government has implemented high level of security measures at building

sites.

Analysts feel that Nigeria, as large and growing economy would bring dollar denominated returns on investments.

Investec Analyst, Peter Clark said, “South Africa property groups are not really in Africa, especially not in Nigeria, but Resilient has committed to doing so and their track record of success in South Africa bodes well for Nigeria. They will get dollar-denominated returns from the properties in Nigeria, something which works for them’’, Head of Listed Property Funds of Stanlib, Keillen Ndlovu said ‘’Africa has a long term investment frontier. We like the Africa story. It is a long term play, but now

The Federal Government has assured local and foreign investors of conducive investment climate, despite the insurgence, saying the war has been technically won

is the best time to buy assets in Africa.

The rest of Africa story is now starting to gather some pace within the listed space joining. Look at Growth point Properties launching its Africa arm, then there is SA Corporate in Zambia now, Hyprop in Ghana and Zambia and now Resilient in Nigeria. It’s great to see deals being done by listed property funds. We like that companies are investing carefully on the continent”.

Also, some companies that are not property-related have noted that Nigeria being Africa’s largest economy would withstand the test of time.

Already, there are growing concerns that security needs to be beefed up to prevent future damage to the real estate industry.

According to them, their fears stemmed from the fact that some public and private buildings worth several billions of Naira had been attacked by Boko Haram in the country, thus causing serious loss to governments.

This has also affected some firms that CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

FG unveils plans to mitigate climate change impact 26

LCCI SME Group elects Kachikwu as chairman 23

Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

25

Foreign investors see bright outlook in Nigeria’s property business

Fashola

Buhari CONTINUED FROM 25 had developed offices for government institutions in the country.

Both governments and private companies have been redeveloping the damaged building to avoid outright destruction of such buildings.

Though, they noted that the attacks had been severe and has been on regular basis, however, they are not over-panicked yet.

While some investors appreciate the fact that Nigeria is a large country with massive landmass, despite insurgence, others say the attacks are limited to some areas, far from some commercial cities, where they have their investments In the midst of these fears, the Federal Government had assured local and foreign investors of conducive investment climate, despite the insurgence, saying the

war has been technically won.

President Muhammadu Buhari had said, “We have technically won the war.

We set the deadline to do, so by December 31 we had achieved our goal,” he stated.

However, the bigger concern is that oil price has been under pressure globally for a few months and as a major exporter of oil, Nigeria needs funds from the sector to develop its real estate industry more aggressively.

A number of Nigerian run businesses have said they feel threatened by offshore companies coming into the country, especially those from Asia.

While Nigeria’s manufacturing sector has been taunted by global investment firm Renaissance Capital as the leading economic driver, local investors such as Umeofia are having a difficult time growing their business while foreign manufac-

Yes, doing business in Nigeria is a challenge. But if you can offer middle class Nigerians the right price, product, service, quality and choice, the sky is the limit

Kumo tures from China and other Asian countries are taking advantage of tax breaks to get a foothold into the market. The idea is that property companies should build more industrial property in Nigeria.

Some analysts listed three main structural reasons for Nigeria’s high property market: to include expensive registration, high cost of housing construction and lack of access to mortgage finance.

However, they say Nigeria has great potential in the real estate sector, noting that Lagos as a commercial centre has the most-highly-priced real estate in Africa, put at $1,200 per square metre.

Prior to now, Woolworths Holdings Limited, WHL, had canned out its threestore pilot project in Nigeria as high rental costs, duties and complex supply chain processes make trading in the West African highly challenging.

The South African retailer made its first Nigerian investment with two stores launched in Lagos in March 2012, followed by an additional store in Enugu in October of the same year.

Despite several attempts to improve performance, the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Ian Moir said Nigerian outlets were “unable to sustain a compelling product and value proposition, which meets the needs of the Nigerian customer

in a climate that is hot throughout the year.

“When an investment no longer generates viable returns, difficult decisions have to be made to contain costs,” Moir stated.

Meanwhile Broll Nigeria says Woolworths pulling out of Nigeria need not deter South African retailers from profiting in the country.

Broll expects more South African retailers, especially value retailers, to seek opportunities in the Nigerian market in coming years.

“Yes, doing business in Nigeria is a challenge. But if you can offer middle class Nigerians the right price, product, service, quality and choice, the sky is the limit,” Norman Sander of Broll Nigeria stated.

South African retailer Shoprite is notching up exceptionally strong trading at Ikeja City Mall, according to Sander.

“Mall rentals are high because of infrastructure and development costs, which, in turn, demands high turnovers. Infrastructure is poor, red-tape is plenty and officials often interfere. The supply chain also takes far greater focus with a host of potential obstacles to be navigated,” Sander further noted.

Sander explains that retailers will need excellent warehousing to overcome shipping issues in Nigeria, where goods don’t move as fast as they do in South Africa According to Mr Isaacs, because of price points, a retailer like Mr Price was probably better placed to move further out into Africa. “In the African countries where you have a much lower gross domestic product, GDP, per capita, affordability is a huge concern, and you can’t, at least not for a long time, institute the same credit services you have here.

“It will be more interesting to see where the other relatively higher-priced guys like Foschini and Truworths stand and what moves they now make in terms of Nigeria,” he said.

Woolworths said its Africa strategy remains unaffected. Its remaining 59 stores in 11 African countries will continue operating normally.

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Tuesday, February 2, 2016

FG unveils plans to mitigate climate change impact

MORTGAGE NOTES with Adenike Fasanya-Osilaja

Olufemi Adeosun,

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

Abuja

The Women Have Arrived at the Table

F

irst let me inform you that I am now on twitter, with the handle @NikeFinancePro. Please follow me for industry updates, news, and my analyses on various topics. So, I was privileged to present a paper on the issues facing the African woman in the real estate industry today, before a gathering of distinguished, intelligent and accomplished women, at a real estate conference held very recently, in Lagos, Nigeria.

To say that I was absolutely blown away by the quality of participants at this session would be putting it very mildly.

It was the most gratifying feeling to be sitting in the midst of my industry colleagues of the same sex and heritage, and I left the session rejuvenated and empowered beyond my expectations. I therefore wanted to share some of the issues discussed, and will do so in the next couple of column articles.

Let us start with some statistics: • Women CONTROL less than 2% of the Real Estate market in Africa, by some estimates.

• According to the global entrepreneurship monitor, 21.5% of female run businesses operate within the real estate services sector.

• Other than South Africa where there is an equal ratio of men to women in the real estate industry, there are far more men dominating the real estate market in other parts of Africa.

• In the US, the ratio of real estate entrepreneurs is 11:1 men to women, according to some research studies.

This huge divide can be a result of several factors: Societal Norms: It has always been assumed in Africa, that the job of the woman is to take the name of a man as a validation of her integrity. She is expected to have a career (or more accurately, a job), that ensures she is at home by the time the husband returns, and has his food ready, the children bathed, fed and ready for bed, the house spotless etc. etc. This is entrenched in our consciousness from childhood, and every societal signal outside the home

also reinforced the notion, and any woman who bucked the trend would usually be seen as “forward”.

Business Terrain: Wo m en are held accountable to different standards, leading to a greater challenge in the market place. I call this the “Little Woman” concept, where the woman is supposed to play a support role in the industry, while the men are the real players.

Absent from such reasoning is the fact that women have proven over and over their ability to complete the same tasks, apply the same level of intellect, and achieve similar results to our male counterparts, many times with better focus and far less fuss.

As a result, while women face a glass ceiling in most industries, I say that in the African real estate industry, a woman is actually facing a “rock ceiling” or a “reinforced steel ceiling”. The first look, the first interview and the first call have traditionally gone to the man, leading to an almost discriminatory investor “profiling” with the woman having to settle for a less challenging or fulfilling position than she would have wished for.

The real estate industry, far more than others, still operates in a “Good old boy” environment.

Three main advantages were identified at the session, as the catalysts for the women who decided to take on this ultra-masculine industry. The first advantage was having parents who believed in equal opportunities for their children regardless of gender, and who supported and encouraged their daughters to be comfortable in their career choices, whatever it may be. The second was the development and nurturing of self-confidence through a mastery of their craft, keeping themselves at least 2 steps ahead of their male counterparts. The final advantage was self-motivation and the constant desire and effort to excel in their chosen field.

The good news from the industry however gives one a lot of optimism for the continued ascension

Real Estate & Environment

of the female real estate professional. Women are not content to be showing agents, secretaries and interior decorators any more (NOT that these are not wonderful careers), but we want to hammer in the nails, work on the architecture, develop estates, and own large commercial complexes now too. Is this overambitious, or a logical progression of the emancipation of the human mind to ensure the selffulfilment every human being so craves?

Women are increasingly becoming Fortune 500 CEOs in all areas of the economic sector.

Forbes listed 26 female Fortune 500 CEOs in 2014, versus only 2 in 2000. We must learn to celebrate and mourn at the same time, I guess. We celebrate the big leap, but we mourn the still lamentable numbers in the above statistic. If nothing else drives home the need for us women to be much more visible in the industry, I don’t know what will.

The ability to be a wife, mother, cook, cleaner (you get the drift), while surviving in the unfamiliar terrain of real estate construction, finance, sales and support, is a true testament to thexxxxx intelligence and talent of womanhood, and a source of continuous pride to me as a practitioner in the industry. I always say us women not only break barriers and achieve great feats; we do so in full make up and high heels!!

In my next piece, I will therefore be discussing a few female trailblazers in the global industry, as well as a few from the Nigerian sector, who have made a positive impression on me.

Until then, please feel free to share, comment, ask questions or add to the conversation. Have a great week, and remember to be gracious to all around you.

Adenike Fasanya-Osilaja https://www.linkedin.com/ in/adenikenikefasanyaosilaja

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

P

lans are underway by the Federal Government to green Nigeria and mitigate the environmental impact caused by global warming and desertification.

The Minister of Environment, Mrs. Amina Mohammed, disclosed this in Abuja at a meeting with the Republic of Korea Ambassador, Mr. Noh Kyu-duk.

She noted that in setting the path to the green economy, the Federal Government intends to create an enabling environment for more inclusive growth while protecting the environmental harzards.

She stated “The transition to a green economy will benefit the country through increased sustainable development, poverty reduction, job creation and environmental conservation amongst other benefits”.

According to her, greening Nigeria will also give rise to increased renewable energy in line with the nation’s Renewable Energy Master Plan (REMP) which seeks to account for 10% of Nigerian total energy consumption by 2025.

“Investing in renewable energy will promote infrastructural development as energy will become readily available and more

efficient’ she added She further noted that all over the world, countries were making greener efforts and Nigeria as the giant of Africa and blessed with a practical President as Mohammadu Buhari could not afford to be indifferent.

To achieve this, she added that the ministry would readily collaborate with countries such as the Republic of Korea who has vast experience and operate a green economy.

She also said that the Federal Government was willing to partner with other foreign investors in environmental sustainability.

Earlier in his remarks, His Excellency Noh Kyu-duk had said he was in the Environment Ministry to seek areas of collaboration between the Federal Government and the government of his country.

The Ambassador noted that going green had enormously helped his country’s economy, stressing that with the Republic of Korea’s experience in greening, the country was in good standing to support Nigeria in that area.

He further noted that since establishing bilateral relations with Nigeria both countries had continued to foster strong political and economic ties.

Ogun at 40: Govt issues Certificates of Occupancy to 1,000 beneficiaries

T

he Ogun State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Arch. Olamilekan Adegbite, has issued 1,000 Certificates of Occupancy to the 11th batch of Homeowners’ Charter Programme beneficiaries to mark the 40th anniversary of the State.

Presenting the title documents to the beneficiaries at the Arcade Ground, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, the Commissioner, who was represented by the Director of Administration and Supply in the Ministry, Mr. Dolapo Adewunmi, said that thousands of people had become ‘’Real Landlords’’ during the present administration, thereby demonstrating that government was sincere on its promises.

He said the process of obtaining the documents was convenient and affordable for the citizens, noting that due process was followed in order for the exercise to be a success.

“In celebrating Ogun at 40, the present administration has

worked hard to change the face of the State through Homeowners’ Charter programme and other notable projects such as the construction of Ogun Standard roads and flyover bridges, model schools, agriculture and rural development, youth empowerment, amongst others’’, he said.

Adegbite further gave the assurance that other qualified applicants under the scheme would soon receive their title documents.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Urban and Physical Planning, Alh. Mufutau Adetimilehin, said the benefits of Homeowners’ Charter Programme include, elimination of ownership disputes and problems of land speculators and promotion of an orderly and planned environment to mention but a few.

One of the beneficiaries, who spoke on behalf of others, Mr. Babatunde Soyombo from IjokoLemode, said that the title documents are genuine, affordable and had made them authentic property owners.

Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

27

Nigerian firm bags $4m Zayes Future Energy Prize Olufemi Adeosun,

Abuja

T

he World Future Energy Summit that began in Abu Dhabi with a call for the world to turn the words of the COP21 Paris Agreement into tangible action has announced the nominees for the $4 million Zayed

Future Energy Prize.

The social enterprise organisation, Green Energy & Biofuels was awarded prize for building Africa’s foremost Waste to Energy Enterprise.

Since the historic Paris Agreement last December, UAE Minister of State Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber talked of how the world is

convening at a time of complex geopolitical circumstances, but also “unprecedented unity”.

The Paris talks, he said, highlighted how “market forces are now closely aligned with political choices” when it comes to clean energy.

Al Jaber’s comments set the tone for Mexican president En-

President Buhari receiving US delegates with the Vice President, Osibanjo, in Abuja recently.

Plastic to outweigh fish in oceans by 2050

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lastic rubbish will outweigh fish in the oceans by 2050 unless the world takes drastic action to recycle the material, a report has warned.

An overwhelming 95 percent of plastic packaging worth $80-120 billion (73-110 billion euros) a year is lost to the economy after a single use, said a global study by a foundation fronted by yachtswoman Ellen MacArthur, which promotes recycling in the economy.

The study, which drew on multiple sources, proposed setting up a new system to slash the leaking of plastics into nature, especially the oceans, and to find alternatives to crude oil and natural gas as the raw material of plastic production.

At least eight million tonnes of plastics find their way into the ocean every year -- equal to one garbage truckful every minute, said the report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, which included analysis by the McKinsey Centre for Business and Environment.

“If no action is taken, this is expected to increase to two per minute by 2030 and four per minute by 2050,” it said, with packaging estimated to

represent the largest share of the pollution.

Available research estimates that there are more than 150 million tonnes of plastics in the ocean today.

“In a business-as-usual scenario, the ocean is expected to contain one tonne of plastic for every three tonnes of fish by 2025, and by 2050, more plastics than fish,” it said.

“This report demonstrates the importance of triggering a revolution in the plastics industrial ecosystem and is a first step to showing how to transform the way plastics move through our economy,” said Dominic Waughray of the World Economic Forum, the hosts of the annual talks in Davos who jointly released the report.

“To move from insight to large-scale action, it is clear that no one actor can work on this alone. The public, private sector and civil society all need to mobilize to capture the opportunity of the new circular plastics economy,” he said.

A sweeping change in the use of plastic packaging would require cooperation worldwide between consumer goods companies, plastic packaging producers, businesses

involved in collection, cities, policymakers and other organisations, said the report.

It proposed creating an independent coordinating body for the initiative.

“Plastics are the workhorse material of the modern economy with unbeaten properties. However, they are also the ultimate single-use material,” said Martin Stuchtey of the McKinsey Center for Business and Environment.

(Source – worldbulleting.net)

rique Peña Nieto to outline his government’s bold commitments to transforming Mexico’s energy landscape, before UN secretarygeneral Ban Ki-Moon once again took to the stage to urge the world to take those vital first post-Paris steps.

“Adoption of clean technology is vital for reducing emissions,” he said. “We have made a good start. Cutting the number of deaths from dangerous and hazardous cooking will save millions of lives with the introduction of Clean Cookstoves for the world’s poor,” he noted.

Ki-moon stressed that “counterproductive” subsidies in renewable energy must come to an end sooner rather than later in order to usher in greater publicprivate collaboration.

While receiving the award as Finalist in the 2016 Zayed Future Energy Prize, Femi Oye, CEO, Green Energy & Biofuels stated; ‘We are excited to be the 2016 Prize Finalist for building Africa’s foremost Waste to Energy Enterprise with the gut to challenge the status quo and redefine why Clean Energy must be Accessible, Available and Free’’.

According to a release in Abuja, innovation in financing and technology proved pivotal in the panel’s decision in selecting the year’s Zayed Future Energy Prize

Europe’s recent summers ‘warmest in 2,000 years’

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he past 30 years in Europe have likely been the warmest in more than two millennia, according to new research.

The study used tree ring records and historical documents to reconstruct yearly temperatures going back 2,100 years.

Scientists say that past natural

Singapore’s real estate agents number drops by 50% in 2015

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ith housing prices continuing to fall and transaction volumes still low, only 1,299 new property agents entered the industry last year - less than half of the 3,006 who joined in 2014.

As at Jan 1 this year, after the latest annual licence renewal exercise, there are 29,262 “registered salespersons” or property agents in the industry, according to latest figures from the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA) on Thursday (Jan 21).

This is down from 30,830 at the start of last year, and 31,783 in 2014.

Commenting on the fall, the Council’s director of policy and li-

winners.

Oye pointed out that Green Energy & Biofuels was Top Finalist in the Small and Medium Enterprise category for advancing disruptive Low Cost Cellulosic Biofuels for the BoP Clean Cookstoves customers and delivering innovative business model that empowers more than 45,000 Women serving over 3,000,000 beneficiaries across Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Benin, Togo and Senegal.”

In his remarks, the company’s Chief Operating Officer, Myke Ologunoye also added, ‘’Our Women deserve Clean, Safe and Affordable Cooking Energy too.

Green Energy & Biofuels displaces harmful, dangerous, expensive and dirty Solid fuels by engaging Women-Mentor Led Entrepreneurship Program that delivers Sustainable Cooking fuels to more than 3 million beneficiaries in West Africa.

“Currently the company employs Network Marketing business model to empower and distribute incentives to its 25,000 women led entrepreneurship network with an average income of $750-$1,250 per month.

In 3-years, over 350,000 Kike Clean Cookstoves with 5 million liters of BioEthanol Gel fuel has been sold through this unique model with plan to reach 17 African countries by 2018.”

censing, Mr Heng Whoo Kiat, said: “This could be a reflection of the property market sentiments.”

Property agents are probably mindful of the cost of being in the industry, he added.

Under the CEA’s regulatory framework, agents need to have at least six credit hours of continuing professional development training each year in order to renew their registration.

New entrants have to complete a course and pass an examination to qualify.

Nonetheless, slightly fewer people decided to let their registration lapse in the latest renewal exercise.

variability in temperatures was greater than previously thought.

As a result, climate models may be underestimating the frequency and severity of heat waves in the future.

According to the study, Europe has seen an increase in summer warming of 1.3C between 1986 and 2015.

In this period there has also been an increase in severe heat waves, most notably in 2003, 2010 and 2015.

The 2003 event was linked to the extra deaths of thousands of elderly people due to heat stroke, dehydration and increased air pollution.

In 2014, researchers from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change found that the period between 1983 and 2012 was likely the warmest 30 years of the last 1,400 in the Northern Hemisphere.

But this new, large-scale study, involving 45 researchers from 13 different countries, attempts to put the European temperatures experienced in the past three decades into an even broader context.

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Jobs & Career

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

23

LCCI SME Group elects Kachikwu as Chairman

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he Small and Medium Enterprise Group of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), one of the leading voices in the organised private sector (OPS) in Nigeria, has elected Mr. John Kachikwu, as its Chairman for the next two years.

A statement by the Manager, Corporate Communications Department of the Chamber, Mr Segun Alabi, indicated that Kachikwu’s election was sequel to the completion of the term of office of the previous executives of the group.

The new Chairman, who is described as energetic and highly resourceful entrepreneur, is the Managing Director of Jon TudyInterbiz Nigeria Limited.

He attended St. Joseph Primary School, OnichaUgbo; and had his tertiary education at Federal Technical College Yaba, where he obtained City and Guilds Certification in Building Technology. He also earned a B.A de-

NNPC GMD, Kachukwu

gree in Philosophy from the University of Lagos.

Kachikwu has contributed immensely to the reversal of importation of agricultural products and has assisted in

United Kingdom joins renewed fight to end forced labour

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he UK has ratified the 2014 Protocol to the Forced Labour Convention, 1930, adding its support to Norway and Niger in the campaign to end modern slavery.

The Protocol of 2014 to the Forced Labour Convention, 1930,aims to prevent forced labour and provide support for its victims. The UK now joins Niger and Norway as one of the first nations to sign the Protocol.

“This is a significant and welcome development in the fight against forced labour,” said ILO Director-General Guy Ryder, “The United Kingdom’s ratification is a clear sign that global momentum is building in the fight against these abhorrent practices that demean and enslave millions around the world.”

ILO research has shown that profits from the forced labour industry are highest in developed economies and the European Union. The Organisation estimates that 21 million people are victims of forced labour around the world, producing approximately US$150 billion a year in illicit profits.

The practice takes many forms, from domestic work to agriculture, fishing and construction. Women and girls, in particular, are subjected to commercial sexual exploitation.

UK Minister for Preventing Abuse and Exploitation Karen Bradley said: “Sadly, forced labour can take place in any industry, but the UK Government will not stand by while criminals profit from this trade in human misery.

“That’s why we have committed to working with the International Labour Organization and other countries to make sure we are providing the strongest possible protection for victims and bringing perpetrators to

Yusuf

justice.

“Through our landmark Modern Slavery Act we are already ensuring that those who are guilty of forced labour offences can face life behind bars, and our Immigration Bill, will ensure that the Gangmasters Licensing Authority has new powers to investigate those workers being exploited.”

The Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA), the public body set up by the UK Government to fight forced labour, is a partner of the 50 for Freedom campaign against modern slavery. The campaign, led by the ILO, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the International Organisation of Employers (IOE), was launched in London in October 2015.

Other UK partners of the 50 for Freedom campaign include the Ethical Trading Initiative and the Institute for Human Rights and Business.

The United Kingdom has a strong record in combatting forced labour. It was among the first countries to ratify the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29), in 1931, and the Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105), in 1957. In March 2015, the “UK Modern Slavery Act” was adopted, as a critical step forwards in strengthening the legal framework for combatting all forms of forced labour.

The Protocol and Recommendation , adopted at the International Labour Conference in 2014, added new measures to the Forced Labour Convention of 1930. It requires member States to take steps to prevent forced labour, as well as to provide victims with protection and access to effective remedies. It also requires due diligence in both the public and private sectors to prevent and respond to risks of forced labour.

local content drive and sustainability.

The LCCI SMEG Chairman expresses optimism on the role of Small and Medium Scale Enterprise in reviving the increasingly plummeting state of the Ni-

PWC Nigeria Graduate Recruitment 2016 Reference Number: 125NIG00100 Location: Lagos Department: Assurance Job type: Permanent Roles & Responsibilities •Your learning with us begins with a structured 6 - 8 weeks induction course. This is the first element of a development framework that will help you build business awareness, technical, personal and management skills throughout your career.

•Self-directed, career-long training is a key feature of life here at PwC. The entire working environment is designed to empower you to learn.

•You will have access to a wealth of critical knowledge, such as best practices documentation and methodology tools. We will provide you with continuous on- the-job guidance, and you will acquire key knowledge about industries, business strategy and practical business issues faced by our clients through your daily experiences.

Requirements •Fresh Graduate •Completed NYSC •Minimum of 2nd Upper Class Honours Additional Information •This position is for our Assurance and Tax Regulatory Services.

Application Closing Date 5th February, 2016.

Graduate Medical Officers at the Nigerian Law School Job Title: Medical Officer CONMESS 02 Locations: Enugu and Yola Campuses

gerian Economy.

He points out factors such as: unfavourable loan interest rate, unrealistic collateral requirements, onerous application procedure for loans, insufficient loan size and maturity date, poor infrastructure, multiple taxation and charges, amongst others, as issues that should be mitigated, if the diversification goal of the government is to be achieved. the Director General, LCCI, Mr. Muda Yusuf, was quoted as expressing the Chamber’s delight on the election of Kachikwu as Chairman, SME Group.

According to him, his election will ensure and enhance the Chamber’s role as leading advocate of best business policy and practice, with the view to promoting and protecting Small and Medium Enterprises, which in turn will impact positively on the economy.

Job vacancies Requirements •Applicants must possess the MBBS degree with full registration with the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), as well as a valid practising license.

•Additional post-qualification experience in standard medical facility or General Hospital will be an added advantage.

Conditions of Service •Appointment will be full-time and pensionable; and subject to a probationary period of two years, after which, upon satisfactory performance, the appointment may be confirmed.

•Other conditions of Service are similar to those existing in Nigerian Universities and as may be prescribed from time to time by the Council of Legal Education.

•Successful applicants may be posted to any Campus of the Nigerian Law School as indicated for each post.

Application Closing Date 8th March, 2016.

Method of Application Interested and qualified candidates should submit their applications and supporting documents as stated below to: The Secretary to the Council and Director of Administration, Nigerian Law School, Bwari, P.M.B. 170, Garki - Abuja.

Graduate Zonal Sales Executive at May & Baker Nigeria Plc May & Baker Nigeria Plc - We are committed to applying our resources and science to improve the quality of life. We provide quality and affordable medicines, food and beverages to those who need them.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Zonal Sales Executive Location: Lagos Job Descriptions •Reporting to the Field Sales Manager, the incumbent will be expected to promote, sell and redistribute the company’s products to distributors and retailers to achieve agreed sales targets.

Job Requirements •Candidates must possess an HND/B.Sc in any discipline with at least one (1) year field sales experience.

•Experience in the FMCG industry and certification from a Sales and Marketing programme will be an added advantage.

•The incumbent must also possess excellent interpersonal and persuasive skills..

Application Closing Date 4th February, 2016.

African Development Bank (AfDB) Position: Senior Legal Counsel - GECL.0 Reference: ADB/16/006 Location: Nigeria Grade: PL5 Position N°: 50068964 Objectives •The principal objective of the General Counsel and Legal Services Department (GECL) is to protect the interests of the Bank.

•In this connection, the Department provides the legal services required by the entities constituting the Bank Group, and ensures that the Bank Group’s activities and operations are consistent with the respective constitutive and other legal instruments, as well as applicable law.

Application Closing Date 8th February, 2016.

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National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Aviation

Insider threat requires inter-agency panacea in aviation sector – Security agencies

Nigerian security officials have expressed concerns about the insider threat to airplanes, equipment and passengers at the nation’s airports. They however called for full cooperation among security agents to combat the rising crime. OLUSEGUN KOIKI writes.

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n airport employee goes between secure and insecure areas to smuggle drugs onboard an airplane. A contract worker with airside access places explosives on an airplane. A former worker provides detailed intelligence to a terrorist organszation about the inner-workings of a major airport.

The thought of an insider threat brings considerable concern to organisations operating in the global aviation industry, including Nigeria. It’s not a new concept, but it’s receiving rising attention today because of recent security breaches.

The insider threat is generally a former employee, current employee, contracted worker, or partner who misuses access to the organisation’s information or network systems. They pose immense risk to aviation security and are very unpredictable.

There have been incidents all around the world that have forced airports to tighten security protocols. From Lagos to Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt and other airports across the country, threats are regularly recorded.

Often times, unauthorised persons have gained access to the most restricted areas of airports in the country with the active connivance of an insider. Also, most criminal activities such as terrorist acts, pilfering, surveillance and disclosure of confidential information of sensitive areas among others have direct or indirect involvement of insider who discloses confidential information of sensitive areas to unscrupulous persons.

Though, air travellers are checked and screened fully on their way to board a flight, but airport workers and employees are not totally screened by the security operatives due to their familiarity with security personnel.

However, in order to prevent the menace of insider threat, several industry analysts have called for adoption of full employee screening especially whenever they want to gain access to restricted areas of the nation’s airports. Analysts argued that with full screening of employees, passengers would feel more secure.

Besides, in a bid to curb breach of safety in Nigeria, the Federal Government has over the years been working with the International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO, Transportation Security Administration, TSA of the United States, European Civil Commission, ECC, and the International Community.

At a one-day workshop organised by the Aviation Security, AVSEC, a department under the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, recently at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Lagos, participants once again raised the alarm of growing threats in the country due to involvement of insiders.

Insider threat in aviation

The insiders’ threat is a more dangerous dimension that involves profiling of staff on regular basis by those involved. It is

Department of State Security, DSS, and Police. Internot a job to be left for

agency cooperation in terms of prompt sharing of information and intelligence as no agency can do it alone is good for the system The Commissioner of Police, Airport Command, Mrs. Victory Menta in her speech, raised the alarm on the consequences of insider threat to aviation security, not just in Nigeria, but in the globe.

She emphasised that insider threat remained the greatest challenge to safety and a source of worry to the world and stressed the need for aviation security personnel to be more vigilant at all times, adding that terrorists are regularly evolving ways of beating security.

Speaking on the theme; ‘Terrorism and insider threats in and around the Nigerian airports; Insight, challenges and recommendations,’ Menta declared that aviation security was facing insider threat, a trend she described as unfortunate in the sector.

Menta who was represented at the occasion by the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Operations, Mr. Chuks Enwonwu noted that at the nation’s airports, the chances of success or failure for a terrorist to launch a successful strike in the air are greatly predetermined by what takes place on land.

She posited that airport security, to a great extent, formed the greatest hurdle for a successful terrorist attack and therefore remained the best and often times last option for a terrorist attack to be easily identified and thwarted.

She explained that if a tout could infiltrate sensitive and restricted areas of the airport without being thwarted, a terrorist could equally do the same and cause havoc to the users and equipment, adding that an insider’s cruel act was therefore more challenging to detect and thwart.

She however assured that the Nigerian police at all the nation’s airports were ready to combat terrorism, but called for collaboration of all security agencies in the system.

She urged all stakeholders and the public at large to be extra vigilant and suspicious of strange elements and called for continuous public awareness to all airport users on dangers of terror.

She added, “Training and retraining of both the security agencies and all other stakeholders on the need for security consciousness is also important. Also, the respective authorities should ensure that all the Close Circuit Television, CCTV, Cameras are working and more to be deployed to remote areas and perimeter fence.

“There should also be improved lighting, search lights installation at the airside as well as increased visibility at all the land side at nights. Reinforcement and continuous checks on both inner and outer perimeter fences is also important.

“The insiders’ threat is a more dangerous

dimension that involves profiling of staff on regular basis by those involved. It is not a job to be left for Department of State Security, DSS, and Police. Inter-agency cooperation in terms of prompt sharing of information and intelligence as no agency can do it alone is good for the system.”

Also commenting at the occasion, the Airport Chief of Security, Mr. Adeboye Oluyinka described 2015 as a remarkable one for the industry in terms of threats.

Oluyinka noted that it was a year the country had the International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO, 2015 AVSEC Certification where the country recorded 92.3 per cent success, noting that the previous grade was 63 per cent.

He emphasised that few months after the unprecedented success by Nigeria, the United States’ Transport System Administration, TSA, and yet AVSEC performed creditably well in the security audit.

He added, “Since then, the TSA of USA has been visiting the country every two months and concluded that Murtala Muhammed Airport, MMA, has a safe and secured environment. They have also recommended that their citizens could visit the country especially the airport at any time.

Oluyinka however cautioned against complacency by all the security agencies in the system, saying that sustainability of the current system was very important for the continuous safety of the nation’s airports.

Also, the Regional Manager, South West, Mr. Solomon Odugbemi observed that security issues across the globe required more sophistication.

He said terrorists worldwide had gone haywire and urged all stakeholders not to relent on their efforts in securing the airport environment.

“It is important for us to know that airport is about the movement of people and goods.

People will like to fly in an environment that is safe. Based on this, it is important to improve on what we have because we can’t just remain stagnant yet,” he said.

Also, the Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of Centurion and Safety Consult, Grp. Capt.

John Ojikutu (rtd) said that there would always be threat to civil aviation from terrorist organisations because civil aviation had always been in progression of their targets.

Ojikutu noted that states and operators had obligation and responsibility to perform preventive measures to safeguard civil aviation against any act of unlawful interference.

These preventive measures, he said, are generally in six layers of defence, which included intelligence, prescreening of booked passengers, airport access control security perimeter fence, checkpoint screening for passenger carry-on bags and staff screening, checked-in baggage and on-board security.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Airside Med-View partners travel agents, offers complimentary tickets on sales When EFCC came calling

shegzzy4live2000@yahoo.co.uk 08186007273

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Stories: Olusegun Koiki

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n a bid to further improve its shares in the nation’s airline business market, the management of Med-View Airline has partnered with travel agents with the introduction of improved incentives.

As one of the key features of the partnership, the airline in Abuja recently offered the travel agents doing business with it complimentary tickets for various sales of its tickets on its local and international routes.

The Managing Director of Med-View Airline, Alhaji Muneer Bankole, at a forum with the travel agents announced a complimentary ticket for every five or six tickets of the airline sold to passengers, depending on the route.

Bankole, who was represented at the occasion by the Head of Business Development, Med-View Airline, Mr. Isiaq Na’allah, also revealed that the agents would get a complimentary ticket from the airline when they sell at least nine of the airline’s tickets to London Gatwick International Airport.

Hemaintained that the essence of the incentives to the agents was to encourage the airline by making the sales of its tickets a priority at all times.

Bankole also commended agents for identifying with the air-

From L-R: Group Head of Operations, Greater Washington Logistics, Mr. Oludele Babatunde; Co-founder Emfrica, Mr. Babajide Akin-Thomas; Managing Director, Greater Washington Logistics, Mrs. Adenike Brown; Assistant General Manager, Corporate Services and Admin, Mr. Bright Aghogban at the conference hall of the Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited during the empowerment of 600 youths on cargo business, recently.

line, stressing that since it commenced flight operations, the airline had been living up to its slogan of ‘Airline for Nigeria.’

He further promised the best of relationships with the travel agents, noting that the relationship could only get better and promised to resolve any arising issues with the agents.

On the aspect of remission of finances as indicated by the travel agents, the airline explained that they were two processes involving the International Air Transport Association Billing Settlement Plan (IATA-BSP) and the nonIATA compliant agents explaining to them how money is deducted.

On interlining with other air-

lines, Med-View said that by March this year, the airline would be through with its IATA safety Operational Audit, IOSA, stating that once that was achieved, it would open the window for interlining with other airlines.

Bankole disclosed the plans of the airline to commence Lagos-Dubai operations in the coming months while Dakar and other West Coast regions would also begin soon.

He said, “Med-View has been designated on many international routes and would soon commence Dubai four times a week, as well as Dakar (Senegal) and Monrovia (Liberia) three times and four times a week respectively. Other routes on the table of the airline include Abidjan, Bamako, Conakry, Cotonou, Doula, Kinshasa and Libreville.”

FG should review all BASA with foreign countries – AON

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irline Operators of Nigeria, AON, has called on the Federal Government to review all existing Bilateral Air Service Agreements, BASAs, and policies with foreign countries.

Speaking at the operators’ office at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Two, MMA2, Lagos, the President of the group, Capt. Nogie Meggison said that the government should as a matter of urgency address all the BASAs with foreign countries, lamenting that about N1.7 billion leaves the country yearly through ticket sales.

He explained that it had become expedient for the government at this time of dwindling crude oil prices in the international market to address the situation, stressing that some unscrupulous persons in govern-

Capt. Meggison

ment had signed “out our future generations for peanuts at the expense of about 80 million Nigerian youths.

Meggison insisted that rather than protect Nigerian carriers, the government had been favouring foreign carriers who had continually repatriated resources generated into their own countries without any tangible project in the country.

He said, “It’s obvious that we as Nigerians need to sit down and start to look inward. You can’t feed other people’s children when your own children are suffering from kwashiorkor. The Nigerian government must review all BASAs. “The BASAs must be mutually beneficial between two sovereign countries and not as a big brother approach. With our geographical location, there is no reason for our aviation industry not to contribute 12 per cent to our Gross Domestic Product, GDP, with a target of 20 per cent. Emirates is contributing 27 per cent to its GDP. Nigeria needs to look at aviation as something that can contribute to our economy.”

On the airfares, Meggison noted that the airlines were yet to increase fares and called on the government to intervene in the dwindling exchange rate of the naira for major currencies.

He noted that over 80 per cent of

transactions in the country’s aviation industry are directly affected by foreign exchange, urging the government to create a window of negotiation with the operators in order to cushion the effect of the current economy on the operators.

Currently, the Federal Government has about 80 BASAs with other countries, but only 29 of these BASAs are active while 16 of them are based in Africa, seven in Europe while the other five are in the Middle East/Asia and the United States of America, USA.

he Federal Government has taken anti-corruption war as one of its major activities in the past few months. Within the period, several earthshaking revelations have been unearthed to the chagrin of local and international publics.

Till date, several former public officials with active connivance of their private investors are going through the grills of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and even the courts.

Stakeholders in the Nigerian aviation industry since the fight against corruption began by the government have charged the government to beam its searchlight on the activities in the sector.

It seems the government is hearkening to the voice of the people if the information at the disposal of Airside is anything to go by. Airside learnt that just recently,

EFCC, visited one of the major orginsations in the sector (names withheld), checked its books and discovered several unholy practices in the company.

Information gathered by Airside revealed that a whopping N800 million was found in the account of one public servant in the company! When probed, it was gathered that the public servant with a vocal voice in the system could not give a convincing explanation on how the huge sum of money crept into his account having being a public servant all his life.

Airside says this is just one of the many revelations in the industry. Airside and other concerned minds implore the anti-graft agency to beam its light more in the aviation industry as financial crimes much more than Dasukigate can be unearthed. Airside is watching developments.

The unending lamentation over landing equipment

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irline operators in the Nigerian aviation industry have over the years been complaining about the Instrument Landing Systems, ILS, at the various airports across the country.

But, the Federal Government through its agencies especially the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, has equally drummed it loud to the ears of the public the several billions of naira committed to acquisition and installation of different equipment and communication gadgets over the years.

However, it seems the problem still persists. Just last Thursday, the President of Airline Operators of Nigeria, AON, Capt. Nogie Meggision lamented the inability of the airline operators to carry out flight operations as a result of an ordinary harmattan haze.

Meggision explained that

while the nation’s aircraft have Category 3 equipment installed in them to land even under zero visibility, the navigational equipment at our airports make it impossible for aircraft to land at 2,000 metres.

Airside says it is high time Nigeria woke up from its slumber and play active role in aviation development and stop propaganda.

Airside insists that if countries like Ethiopia, South Africa, Kenya and even the former war ravaged country, Rwanda can take aviation industry seriously, Nigeria, which claimed to be the giant of Africa, should stop paying lip services to happenings in the sector. If Nigerian airlines can’t operate as a result of harmattan haze now, what happens when the country is confronted with more adverse weather condition as we have in Europe and America?

Firm unveils plans to build new catering facility at Lagos Airport

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he Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of Things Remembered Mrs. Adeola Omikunle has unveiled plans by her company -Things Remembered - to construct catering facility worth several millions of dollars.

Omikunle, who disclosed this during the launch of Hennessey bar at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, MMA, Lagos, at the weekend, said that the essence of the construction was to take care of foreign airlines plying Nigeria’s routes.

She explained that 60 to 70 per cent of foreign airlines operating into Nigeria would be adequately

taken care of when it begins operations, adding that Things Remembered agreed to partner Hennessey by opening the Hennessey bar as a result of the high consumption of the product by Nigerians.

The caterer, who has eateries at the General Aviation Terminal, GAT, Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two, MMA2, Lagos, Abuja terminals and the international wing of Lagos Airport, also supplies domestic airlines with inflight catering services.

She explained that it was also part of the company’s quota to rebranding Nigeria, maintaining that the growing traffic at the air-

port had attracted lots of investors hence the need to harness.

She said: “Our motivation is to add a value to the airport. We are trying to rebrand Nigeria and this is the way that I am contributing my own quota in rebranding the country. We are in Abuja airport, GAT, MMA2, and then the MMIA. And for your information, we are also doing air flight schedules.

“We are trying to build a big facility, at GAT worth millions of dollars that will cater for airlines coming into Nigeria. You know Nigeria is a hub for Africa, and we want build a facility that will take 60 to 70 per cent of the market in Nigeria.

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Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Insurance

Only 21 delisted brokers are members of NCRIB – Okunoren Isaac Asabor

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resident of the Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB), Mr. Kayode Okunoren, has said that of the 108 insurance brokers recently delisted by the National Insurance Commission, NAICOM, only 21 were registered members of the Council.

Okunoren, who made the disclosure at the Council’s Secretariat in Lagos, also urged the Federal Government to place greater premium on insurance industry growth as it is one of the strategies needed for reviving the nation’s economy.

He expressed optimism over the plight of the 108 delisted insurance brokers as he affirmed that the Council’s efforts to re-register them would yield positive result. He noted that NCRIB has continued to engage the commission on the issue.

He said: “Suffice it to say that the NCRIB is not happy that any Operator in the market will continue to flout regulatory requirements as enshrined in the law. However, the Council on my assumption of office, made a

representation to NAICOM on this and sundry issues for which, as usual, we got assurance of support from the Commission.

“Whilst we are still looking at opportunity to assist those with minor infractions by interceding for them in NAICOM, we have equally made this clear to our members

Okunoren

NIA expresses concern over fire outbreaks in markets Isaac Asabor

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irector-General of Nigeria Insurers Association (NIA), Mr Sunday Thomas, has expressed serious concern over frequent fire incidents in markets nationwide and stressed the need for government to enforce compulsory insurance policy in major markets nationwide..

The insurer, who spoke passionately on the need for Nigerians to have insurance cover for their assets, said that properties worth millions of naira had been lost to fire outbreaks across the country in recent times.

He said the lost properties in about 30 major markets where fire outbreaks were experienced between last year and now, would have been recovered if they were insured.

He said: “It is worthy of note that the ugly incidents coupled with lack of penchant for mitigation through insurance

have continued to deplete the nation’s wealth. Most of the victims are in the entrepreneurial class who are great contributors to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

“So, it would be wrong to continue to watch without mitigation in terms of insurance cover for property within the major markets. The federal and state governments should enforce compulsory insurance for major markets and public buildings across the country as enshrined in the legal provision under Insurance Act 2003.

“We use this medium to again call on government to embark on aggressive assets protection through public enlightenment about risk prevention and control in major markets in Nigeria”, the NIA boss added.

Thomas expressed insurance industry operators’ sympathy with the fire victims and called on governments to find ways of mitigating the effects of such incidents on poor traders by encouraging them to take insurance cover to protect their assets.

that the regulatory environment of today requires more discipline than hitherto and that compliance issues must no longer be treated with levity.

“On the other hand, we are appealing to NAICOM to always ensure sustenance of effective communication channels with the NCRIB in such a way that our members are notified in good times on any aspect of compliance in which they are on the path of erring and this could even be done through the Council in the spirit of the existing cordial relationship”.

Okunoren, who also spoke on the indispensability of driving the nation’s economy through the development of the insurance sector, reiterated the Council’s desire to partner government in building formidable economy through the instrumentality of insurance. He stressed that NCRIB would be creative and proactive in maximising the seemingly gloomy economic situation to the advantage of Insurance Brokers.

According to him, aside from providing investible funds, insurance is one of the financial management strategies that must be factored into genuine economic revival development initiatives of government.

He applauded the various economic revival initiatives of the present administration and lamented that inadequate attention had been paid to insurance which had prov-

en to be the linchpin of economic growth in advance climes.

The President who reiterated the Council’s desire to partner government in building formidable economy through the instrumentality of insurance, stressed that NCRIB would be creative and proactive in maximising the seemingly gloomy economic situation to the advantage of Insurance Brokers.

He said, ‘As you are aware, this is a challenging time for the insurance industry in Nigeria, in view of the recession being witnessed in the economy, which is taking its toll on insurance like any other sectors of the economy’.

He further assured that the commitment of the Council to ensure that all necessary strategic engagements are done to further enhance the growth of insurance in Nigeria, as well as increase the relevance of Insurance Brokers.

In line with this decision, the President disclosed that the 2016 annual Management Retreat of the Council holding Lagos would focus on “Dissecting 2016 Budget and the Economy, Opportunities for Brokers”.

A seasoned economist as well as the Director General of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Muda Yusuf, had been invited to analyse the implication of the 2016 budget on economy.

Patriot National buys Mid Atlantic Insurance Services

U

S-based Patriot National has acquired wholesale brokerage firm Mid Atlantic Insurance Services, for an undisclosed sum.

Mid Atlantic, which is a premier insurance brokerage and also a program administrator, provides commercial property and casualty insurance products to its customers as well as services to independent insurance agencies in 38 states of the US. The deal enables Patriot National to establish 12 new carrier relationships, as well as to add 1,100 new retail agencies.

The acquired business operates under Patriot Underwriters, while its president Steve Love reports to Patriot National field operations executive vice-president and Patriot Underwriters CEO Paul Halter.

Steve Love said: “We are pleased to join the

Patriot National team and look forward to extending our distribution reach and expanding our production volume as part of Patriot’s nationwide platform.”

Patriot National CEO Steven Mariano said: “The addition of Mid Atlantic provides over 4,000 insurance agencies access to many workers’ compensation insurance quotes simultaneously from our Patriot regional offices.

“The insurance carrier choices that are now available to our employer clients have increased fivefold since our IPO last January.”

Last August, Patriot National acquired R.C.A. Insurance Group, which provides preferred insurance programs developed specifically for restaurants, bars and taverns in the US. (Source - commerciallines.insurancebusiness-review.com)

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Money

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

31

Banks: Exploring out-sourcing, casualisation of workers as cost-cutting options As the cost of doing business in the country continues to rise, some banks have resorted to engaging causal and out- sourced workers to reduce over personnel and overhead costs. UDO ONYEKA reports.

E

ven though many have condemned causalisation in places of work, especially in banks, yet financial institutions operating in the country have continued to engage large number of casual workers in their organizations as a cost-cutting option.

Investigations by National Mirror showed that in the face of operational challenges, including the recent Treasury Single Account, TSA, policy which make holding back revenue collected by banks on behalf of government impossible given the remittance deadlines set for them by government as well as deepening poverty level which makes savings difficult for Nigerians, most of the banks are finding it difficult to sustain huge personnel payroll as they used to do in this past.

To reduce the personnel cost, many are disengaging junior and middle level management staff and replacing them with casual workers whose remunerations and other welfare packages are little when compared with those of the disengaged employees.

According to stakeholders, banks are encouraged to explore this option of hiring their workforce to cut cost and at the end reduce over head cost to reasonable level, an argument many have said was inhuman against labour laws.

President of the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions, ASSBIFI, Comrade Sunday Salako, said outsourcing and casualisation are satanic influences.

“They are like ill winds that blow us no good. I have always said it. They are alien to this country. Anybody that encourages casualisation and outsourcing in Africa is satanic. The person should be examined, because in Africa, for instance, for every man that works, there are 10 or 12 or thereabout to feed”, he said.

He said that casualisation can work in Europe, because of the type of life they live, “it is me and my immediate family, nobody else. You do not have extended families. You can even decide not to greet your brother, adding that in Africa because of our communal way of living, for every one that works, no fewer than 10 persons feed from that person”.

He said that it discriminatory, demoralising and does not even benefit the institution at the long run.

“So, if you casualise people and do it the way we do it here, it is satanic.

“Here, you have two people working in an environment; they have gone to the same school probably, they have the same qualification, and so on because he/she is a permanent staff and the other unfortunate to be a casual staff, the disparity in their salary is so wide. That is bad”, Salako said.

Part of the pains casual workers go

Labour, Chris Ngige

Sunday Salako

Part of the pains casual workers go through is that they never benefit

from special packages like others.

They

don’t have the full entitlements on the job allowances, transportation, leave allowances, medicals, amongst other things through is that they never benefit from special packages like others. They don’t have the full entitlements on the job allowances, transportation, leave allowances, medicals, amongst other things.

A Lagos based legal practitioner, Kenneth Igwe, said the county’s constitution and the International Labour Organisation, ILO, rules frowns at causualisation.

He said Section 7 (1) of the Labour Act, Cap 198, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990, provides that, “Not later than three months after the beginning of a worker’s period of employment with an employer, the employer shall give to the worker a written statement specifying the terms and conditions of employment, which include the nature of the employment and if the contract is for a fixed term, the date when the contract expires.” According to him causualisation contravenes Seven 7 of the Labour Act, adding that the section is against an employer not fully and adequately communicating employees’ terms of employment.

Many Nigerians especially labour unions and victims of this ugly initiative agree that it is modern day slavery just as it devalues human dignity.

Casualisation in the country’s labour market has become a subject of concern as many bank workers continue to groan under this ugly initiative mainly aimed at

cutting employees wages and maximising profit at the end of the day.

Findings for Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, show that many workers in the banking, telecommunications, oil and gas sectors are casual labourers. Other sectors with large percentage of casual labourers include mining, steel, insurance.

In all these sectors, staff outsourcing and casualisation have become the order of the day as workers in these sectors no longer have regularised employment terms.

A report by the Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights in Nigeria, an NGO dealing with labour issues, had said that 45 per cent of Nigeria’s labour force was made up of casual workers. The report expressed the fear that the situation would only worsen as employers seek out ways to reduce cost of doing business in an environment such as Nigeria where the cost of doing is very high due lack of basic infrastructure.

Also, a report by the US Solidarity Centre detailed the Nigerian oil industry’s shift from permanent and direct employment towards outsourced and temporary labour.

The report which, argues that the casualisation of labour is industry-wide however revealed that the desire to reduce the cost of doing business and also break workers’ strength have continued to lure many employers and companies to this mode of

contracting their work force.

While the country’s government have remained little concerned about this ugly trend, labour unions who have engage in so many battles to halt causualisation have made little progress.

But salako said banks are gradually doing away with Casualisation, an argue manywould hardly support.

“It should be noted that the practice of casualisation is gradually abating in the banking sector, but oil and gas companies have remained adamant despite all previous conferences and dialogues between the organised labour and the management of the companies. In times past, what we had in our country is that you work for a period of two years in the oil and gas industry and then you become a staff, once you are found to be able to discharge your duties very well, you start enjoying the benefits of being a staff,” Salako said.

He said casualisation is condemnable because “once you are a casual or contract staff, it means you can wake up in the morning and by four o’ clock, you are out of job.

In this country now, there are people who have been casuals and contract workers for up to 15 years and they don’t have any benefits attached to their contract of employment. All these, we must put an end to through policy formulation and adequate engagement with those involved, alongside invoking relevant laws when necessary.”

In spite of what it entails many young Nigerians, who have no other option, are still willing to take up jobs as causual workers.

Many stakeholders believe that employers that engage part- time or casual workers are just avoiding cost, nothing more and nothing less.

But many experts have linked casualisation to the falling quality of bank services.

Since this crop of staff is not well catered for they are equally not effectively trained.

Often times this class of employees does not benefit from regular capacity building bank staff should be having.

Former President Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, CIBN and Managing Director, Maxifund Finance and Securities Limited, Mazi Okechukwu Unegbu, in an exclusive interview with National Mirror agreed that the falling quality of services customers receive from banks these days are a fall out of quality of employees in the banks.

Also many whether rightly or wrongly have linked the increasing rate of fraud to the banks to casualisation among other causes.

Many bank spokespersons however denied having the knowledge of casualisation in their institutions, yet it exists in many.

32

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Capital Market Equities record first weekly gain in 2016 Johnson Okanlawon

T

he fluctuating performance of the capital market recorded the first weekly rebound on the Nigerian Stock Exchange last week, as more investors took advantage of lower prices of stocks for future gains.

The benchmark index of equities appreciated by 0.38 per cent to close the week at 23,916.15 points, from 23,826.50 points it closed the preceding week.

Similarly, market capitalization gained N31 billion to close at N8.225 trillion, from N8.194 trillion it closed last week.

Trading in the top three equities namely – Zenith International Bank Plc, United Bank for Africa Plc and Guaranty Trust Bank Plc(measured by volume) accounted for 429.024 million shares worth N4.278 billion in 4,658 deals, contributing 37.87 per cent and 45.21 per cent to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively All other indices finished higher during the week, with the exception of the NSE Insurance Index, NSE Consumer Goods Index and NSE Industrial Goods Index that declined by 1.60 per cent, 0.44 per cent and 1.47 per cent respectively, while NSE ASeM Index closed flat.

The Premium Index appreciated 0.08 per cent to close at 1,230.11 points, while the Main Board Index rose 0.53 per cent to close at 1,160.92 points.

The ASeM Index remained unchanged, while the NSE 30Index added 0.38 per cent to close at 1,074.47 points.

The Banking Index increased by 5.11 per cent to close at 238.89 points.

However, the Insurance Index declined 1.60 per cent to close at 132.72 points, while the Consumer Goods Index depreciated 0.44 per cent to close at 620.75 points.

The Oil and Gas Index was up 0.44 per cent to close at 320.58 points, while

Nigerian Stock Exchange trading floor

One thing is certain; the banks will record higher NPL in their 2015 financial year results. This will further weaken their asset quality going forward the Lotus Islamic Index surged 0.73 per cent to close at 1,700.88 points.

The Pension Index added 1.39 per cent to close at 709.30 points, but the Industrial Goods Index fell 1.47 per cent to close at 1,737.29 points.

On the whole, a turnover of 1.133 billion shares worth N9.463 billion were exchanged in 16,680 deals in contrast to a total of 2.177 billion shares valued at N10.753 billion that exchanged hands last week in 21,471 deals.

The Financial Services Industry (measured by volume) led the activity chart with 954.328 million shares valued at N5.533 billion traded in 9,797 deals, contributing 84.23 per cent and 58.47 per cent to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively.

The Conglomerates Industry followed with 71.954 million shares worth N248.280 million in 926 deals. The third place was occupied by the Consumer Goods Industry with a turnover of 41.964 million shares worth N2.180 billion in 2,999 deals.

In all, 38 equities appreciated in price during the week, higher than 33 equities of the previous week, while 29 equities depreciated in price, lower than 32 equities of the previous week.

Meanwhile, investment analysts have said that some value and growth stocks are fundamentally cheap, noting that, in 2016, fundamentals will be the signpost for the market, with no significant economic improvement expected till the second half of the year when

some recovery is anticipated.

According to the firm, the total market capitalization of all the listed Nigerian banks is less than the combined market capitalization of JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo & Company based on data for 26th January, 2016 trade.

“The entire sector stocks are a strong buy fundamentally but we would err on the side of caution for now as we remain doubts about the loan book of the banks especially oil and gas related transactions.

“One thing is certain; the banks will record higher NPL in their 2015 financial year results. This will further weaken their asset quality going forward. Furthermore, a reduction in Monetary Policy Rate to somewhere nine per cent will further squeeze yields on interest earnings assets,” the firm added.

Though, the firm explained, the banks have become a dividend yield play offering above 10 per cent at current price levels.

“Hence, we conclude that selected tickers on the sector are cheap enough.

Some of the banks are expected to raise fresh funds to bolster their capital adequacy ratios that are currently under pressure,” the firm added.

Also, United Capital analysts said that the market is expected to ride the roller coaster of oil price and Foreign Portfolio Investment funds flows in 2016.

The firm said, “What’s more, the outlook for company performance in 2016 remains feeble on account of challenging operating environment. We have modelled quarterly equity market returns on probability weighted oil price scenarios to arrive at a forecast negative return of 9.2 per cent for the year.”

Stanbic IBTC urges investors on benefits of mutual funds Johnson Okanlawon

A

s investors streamline their investment portfolios to take advantage of expected opportunities in the market in 2016 and enhance their returns, Chief Executive Officer of Stanbic IBTC Asset Management Limited, Mrs Bunmi Dayo-Olagunju, has called on investors to take advantage of mutual funds to hedge their risks.

Dayo-Olagunju, who spoke in Lagos noted that considering the volatility in the equities and commodity markets, it is imperative for investors to diversify their portfolios by investing in mutual funds and other investment vehicles.

According to her, the attractiveness of mutual funds or collective schemes is the number of advantages it offers

over other investment vehicles, such as flexibility, which makes it possible to either invest a lump sum or make regular instalments every month.

She explained that the funds can be accessed at any time by the investor who may require money for a variety of purposes such as healthcare, education, vacation and housing.

Others, she added, include steady returns, professional management, and risk reduction, among others.

She stressed that mutual funds offer investors the advantages of portfolio diversification and professional management at low cost.

“These advantages are particularly important because diversification and professional management ensure steady returns when compared to other investment instru-

ments. Mutual funds offer an opportunity for steady growth in assets while reducing the attendant risk associated with investing in individual securities,” said Dayo-Olagunju.

She said Stanbic IBTC Asset Management Limited is particularly committed to ensuring that investors are availed the opportunity of viable investment vehicles so that they can spread their risks, which is why the company continues to develop an array of products targeted at the needs of Nigerians.

“Stanbic IBTC Asset

Management Limited remains totally committed to helping Nigerians build a portfolio of financial instruments from which they can meet their unique investment objectives. We must reiterate that there are numerous benefits in investing in mutual funds, especially the expertise that is brought to bear in maximizing returns to investors without compromising safety.”

Prominent mutual funds under management

by Stanbic IBTC Asset Management Limited include the Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund,

Nigeria’s largest equity mutual fund; the Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund, Nigeria’s first and largest socially responsible mutual fund and Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund, currently one of the fastest growing mutual fund in the country, which offers investors better bargaining power in the money market.

In 2013, the Stanbic IBTC Imaan Fund, a mutual fund tailored to the needs of those seeking investments compliant with their religious principles and beliefs, was registered.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

33

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Ogbe-Ijoh market gutted by fire

P

roperty worth millions of naira were destroyed at the Ogbe-Ijoh market in Warri, Delta State when it was gutted by fire on Sunday.

This is not the first time the market would be experiencing fire disaster.

Six months ago, traders in the market witnessed a similar disaster.

Speaking on the incident which caught many of the shop owners at the market unawares started when many of them were in church.

Although some believe that the incident was a product of sabotage, the chairman of the traders association, OgbeIjoh, Alex Kimaki, said it was as a result of a spark caused by electricity supply.

While calling on government to help equip the market with fire facilities, he also implored the government to assist traders whose property were destroyed by the inferno.

The market which is a major one is noted for general sales of wares which include clothing materials, foodstuff and auto spare parts among others.

Director-General, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig Gen Johnson Olawumi (centre), interacting with corps members serving in Command Secondary School, Mbiri, Delta State, during his visit to the school, recently.

43 days after, Dickson’s sister remains in kidnappers’ den

T

here is a brewing tension in Bayelsa State as a result of the prolonged stay of Nancy Keme Dickson, the younger sister to Governor Seriake Dickson in kidnapper’s den.

Nancy Keme Dickson was kidnapped on December 19, last year, by gunmen who seized her at her shop on Okaka Road in Yenagoa, the state capital.

According to an online report, it marks the 43 days without any news of Nancy’s whereabout and this has triggered disbelief amongst many people of Bayelsa who think Governor Dickson appeared calm about his sister’s plight.

It was gathered that many have criticized Dickson for his alleged indifference to his sister’s where about and expressed fears that her captors might subject her to various assaults.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a source close to the governor said Dickson was not disposed to paying any ransom to free his sister.

He recalled that the governor took a similar action when gunmen abducted the mother of a commissioner in his ad-

ministration.

The source added: “The governor does not believe in paying ransom to kidnappers. When his mother was kidnapped, the abductors demanded ransom but the gov-

ernor turned down their request. They kept the woman until they became tired and set her free.”

Nancy Keme Dickson, 26, who is said to be the last child of the Dicksons, was abducted

on December 19, last year, by gunmen.

An eyewitness said Nancy Dicksons, was kidnapped at her shop located in Okaka Road, Yenagoa, the state capital, at about 2.50pm by the

VGN seeks to boost its operations CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15

Inspector General of Police for ensuring the success of the organisation.

The Commander General charged the government of Cross River to assist in the provision of office accommodation, operational vehicles, monthly subvention among several other necessary incentives that would help the Command carry out its function effectively.

On his part, the Cross River State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Henry Fadairo, who was represented by the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr. Igwe Hillary, said that security issue had become everyone’s business and urged VGN and members of the public to report suspected cases of criminal activity to the police instead

of taking laws into their hands.

Fadairo further called on the Vigilante Group of Nigeria to partner with the Nigeria Police to combat crime in the state.

In his remarks, the chairman of the occasion, Etinyin Bassey Esu Bassey Duke, while describing the event as a welcome development, said that the inauguration of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria in the state marked the beginning of the fight against all sorts of criminality.

Earlier in her address, the State Commandant, Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN), Rev. (Dr.) Mercy Felix Effiom, thanked the state government for giving the organisation the enabling environment to operate and lauded the Inspector General of Po-

lice for organising a training workshop for members of VGN on security matters.

Effiom stated that despite the absence of operational vehicles and other equipment and motivation for members of the organisation in the state, VGN had recorded tremendous success by reporting the encroachment on Cross River territorial boundary at Awom in Akamkpa Local Government area by persons believed to come from Cameroon, a case of fighting between Fulani herdsmen and Ntan Obu community in Odukpani Local Government area which claimed two lives and maimed several persons.

Speaking on the achievement of the group, Dr. Effiom further stated that her men had once foiled an attempt by a five-man gang of kid-

abductors who drove a Lexus SUV. The kidnappers might have carried out surveillance on her movements before they struck.

nappers to abduct a ten-year old boy at Ikang Central in Bakassi Local Government area, arrested a man suspected to be child trafficker and rescued two boys at Abana also in Bakassi as well as the arrest of three suspects believed to be specialists in vandalising electricity installations in Obudu Local Government among others.

The state commandant, however, appealed to Cross River Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, to assist the Command with operational vehicles to effectively cover the 18 local government areas, office accommodation, and integration of VGN into the state security scheme as well as monthly subvention to further spur the men of the command to perform their duty creditably.

Daily Summary as of 01/02/2016 Printed 01/02/2016 14:33:02.002

Capital Market

34

National Mirror Tuesday, FebruaryDaily 2, 2016 Summary (Equities) www.nationalmirroronline.net Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Stock exchange daily equities summary FINANCIAL SERVICES Other Financial Institutions Other Financial Institutions Totals

Daily Summary as of 01/02/2016

Printed 01/02/2016 14:33:02.002

Symbol

No. of Deals 233

Quantity Traded 22,535,407

Value Traded 26,681,943.96

156,303,146

618,981,655.21

Quantity Traded 179,676 112,435 457,145 20,177 272 769,705

Value Traded 467,610.64 2,883,957.75 457,282.50 16,545.14 1,270.24 3,826,666.27

41

769,705

3,826,666.27

No. of Deals

Current Price Quantity Traded 0.50 Quantity Traded357 357

FINANCIAL SERVICES Totals

HEALTHCARE Pharmaceuticals FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC GLAXO SMITHKLINE CONSUMER NIG. PLC. MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. NEIMETH INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC NIGERIA-GERMAN CHEMICALS PLC. Pharmaceuticals Totals

Daily Summary (Bonds)

Activity Summary on Board DEBT Federal Bond Name 15.10% FGN APR 2017 Federal Totals

Symbol FG9B2017S2

DEBT Board Totals

Equities as at February 1, 2016 No. of Deals 1 1

Bond Activity Totals

1st Tier Securities Sector

Company name

Daily Summary (Equities)

No Of Deals

Quantity Traded 100 100

Value Traded 110,584.53 110,584.53

1

100

110,584.53

1

100

110,584.53

Quotation(N)

Current Price 106.50

Quantity Traded

1st Tier Securities

Value of Shares(N)

Activity Summary on Board EQTY AGRICULTURE Crop Production OKOMU OIL PALM PLC. PRESCO PLC Crop Production Totals

Daily Summary as of 01/02/2016 Livestock/Animal Specialties

Printed 01/02/2016 14:33:02.002 LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC.

Symbol OKOMUOIL PRESCO

Symbol LIVESTOCK

Livestock/Animal Specialties Totals AGRICULTURE Totals CONGLOMERATES Diversified Industries Activity Summary on Board EQTY A.G. LEVENTIS NIGERIA PLC. CONGLOMERATES Diversified Industries Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION OF NIGERIA PLC U A C N PLC. Diversified Industries Totals

No. of Deals 11 11 22 No. of Deals 12 12

Daily Summary (Equities)

Real Estate Development UACN PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT CO. LIMITED Real Estate Development Totals Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) Daily Summary as of 01/02/2016 UPDC14:33:02.002 REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST Printed 01/02/2016 Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) Totals

Beverages--Non-Alcoholic 7-UP BOTTLING COMP. PLC. Beverages--Non-Alcoholic Totals Food Products DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC. HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC Daily Summary as of 01/02/2016 NASCON ALLIED INDUSTRIES PLC Printed 01/02/2016 N NIG.14:33:02.002 FLOUR MILLS PLC. TIGER BRANDED CONSUMER GOODS PLC Food Products Totals Food Products--Diversified CADBURY NIGERIA PLC. Activity Summary on Board NESTLE NIGERIA PLC. EQTY Food Products--Diversified Totals CONSUMER GOODS Household Durables VITAFOAM NIG PLC. Household Durables Totals Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Personal/Household Products P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC. UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC. Personal/Household Products Totals

Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services Daily Summary as of 01/02/2016 UNION HOMES SAVINGS AND LOANS PLC. Printed 01/02/2016 14:33:02.002 Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals Other Financial Institutions AFRICA PRUDENTIAL REGISTRARS PLC CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED PLC FCMB GROUP PLC. Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Activity Summary Board EQTY STANBIC IBTConHOLDINGS PLC UNITED CAPITAL PLC FINANCIAL SERVICES Other Financial Institutions Other Institutions Totals Published by The Financial Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

IT Services NCR (NIGERIA) PLC. TRIPPLE GEE AND COMPANY PLC. IT Services Totals

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

4,368,233.68

Symbol TRANSCORP UACN

No. of Deals 111 40 153

Current Price 1.20 20.00

Quantity Traded Page 14,837,772 148,946 15,079,318

1Value Traded of 13 18,640,373.66 2,964,927.50 21,671,973.16

153

15,079,318

21,671,973.16

Symbol JBERGER

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 43.50

Quantity Traded 118 118

Value Traded 5,075.18 5,075.18

Symbol UAC-PROP

No. of Deals 16 16

Current Price 5.46

Quantity Traded 208,743 208,743

Value Traded 1,132,376.74 1,132,376.74

Symbol UPDCREIT

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 10.00

Quantity Traded 15,000 15,000

Value Traded 150,000.00 150,000.00

223,861

1,287,451.92

Value Traded 2,000.00 2,000.00

18

Symbol DUNLOP

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 4,000 4,000

Symbol CHAMPION GUINNESS INTBREW NB

No. of Deals 10 121 18 132 281

Current Price 3.15 111.20 16.80 100.00

Quantity Traded 739,087 Page 330,968 459,397 1,165,830 2,695,282

Symbol 7UP

No. of Deals 6 6

Current Price 186.20

Quantity Traded 16,976 16,976

Value Traded 3,160,931.20 3,160,931.20

Symbol DANGSUGAR FLOURMILL HONYFLOUR NASCON NNFM TIGERBRANDS

No. of Deals 29 59 31 14 3 26 162

Current Price 6.05 18.18 1.54 7.02 7.35 1.20

Quantity Traded 412,379 354,361 390,112 106,533 101,285 843,870 2,208,540

Value Traded 2,509,276.68 6,514,227.94 597,789.90 767,207.60 744,444.75 1,048,267.42 12,181,214.29

Quantity Traded 200,071 40,991 241,062

Value Traded 3,800,101.32 29,868,667.45 33,668,768.77

Daily Summary (Equities) Symbol No. of Deals Current Price

ALUMINIUM EXTRUSION IND. PLC. NATURAL RESOURCES Metals Metals Totals Stock Exchange © Published by The Nigerian

OIL AND GAS Integrated Oil and Gas Services OANDO PLC Integrated Oil and Gas Services Totals

Symbol VITAFOAM

No. of Deals 32 32

Current Price 4.56

Quantity Traded 501,732 501,732 Page

Value Traded 2,207,407.22 13 3 2,207,407.22 of

Symbol PZ UNILEVER

No. of Deals 17 16 33

Current Price 21.00 33.48

Quantity Traded 89,371 154,669 244,040

Value Traded 1,830,637.55 5,178,460.12 7,009,097.67

5,911,632

221,840,330.10

Quantity Traded 7,921,964 5,668,494 17,478 1,511,261 15,520,728 1,627,628 139,420 96,546,278 59,702 2,545,341 25,800 131,584,094

Value Traded 33,010,668.27 10,206,723.28 262,451.74 2,012,258.96 262,216,599.59 1,878,056.02 242,267.60 278,267,546.13 321,208.23 1,880,720.57 25,727.00 590,324,227.39

4 5 1

0.86 0.96 0.50

No. of Deals 1 1 2 11 1 12 1 2 41

Current Price 0.50 0.50 0.50 2.24 0.50 0.67 0.50 0.50

Quantity Traded 2,000 4,432 31,682 291,808 1,000 1,435,885 125,000 6,240 2,110,645

Value Traded 1,000.00 2,216.00 15,841.00 656,583.18 500.00 967,104.16 62,500.00 3,120.00 1,900,363.86

Symbol NPFMCRFBK

No. of Deals 5 5

Current Price 0.99

Quantity Traded 72,000 72,000

Value Traded 70,840.00 70,840.00

Symbol UNHOMES

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 4.50

Quantity Traded 1,000 1,000

Value Traded 4,280.00 4,280.00

No. of Deals 36 (Equities) 8 132 18 39

Current Price 2.36 4.09 0.99 13.60 1.37

Quantity Traded 1,260,185 208,300 Page 18,824,741

No. of Deals 233

Current Price

Quantity Traded 22,535,407 Page

Symbol AFRIPRUD Daily Summary CUSTODYINS FCMB STANBIC UCAP Symbol

(Equities) No. of Deals Current Price

1,551

Quantity Traded 11,250 Page 171,348

156,303,146

Support and Logistics CAVERTON OFFSHORE SUPPORT GRP PLC Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Support and Logistics Totals

EQTY Board Daily Summary as ofTotals 01/02/2016 Printed 01/02/2016 14:33:02.002

Food Products MCNICHOLS Activity Summary PLC on Board PREMIUM Food Products Totals FINANCIAL SERVICES CONSUMER Banking GOODS Totals ZENITH INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC Activity Summary on Board PREMIUM Banking ASeM BoardTotals Totals FINANCIAL SERVICES Other Financial Institutions Banking FBN HOLDINGS PLC ZENITH INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC Other Financial Banking Totals Institutions Totals

Value Traded 3,131,154.44 853,163.30 13 518,466,964.40 of 1,335,281.98 2,895,379.84 Value Traded 13 626,681,943.96 of 618,981,655.21

FINANCIAL SERVICES Totals Other Financial Institutions FBN HOLDINGS PLC INDUSTRIAL GOODS Other Financial Institutions Totals Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Building Materials DANGOTE CEMENT PLC FINANCIAL SERVICES Totals Building Materials Totals INDUSTRIAL GOODS INDUSTRIAL GOODS Totals Building Materials DANGOTE CEMENT PLC BuildingBoard Materials Totals PREMIUM Totals

Current Price 2.59 25.65 1.00 0.86 4.91

41

Quantity Traded 179,676 112,435 457,145 20,177 272 769,705

Value Traded 467,610.64 2,883,957.75 457,282.50 16,545.14 1,270.24 3,826,666.27

769,705

3,826,666.27

Symbol COURTVILLE

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 357 357

Value Traded 178.50 178.50

Symbol NCR TRIPPLEG

No. of Deals 1 2 3

Current Price 11.02 1.69

Quantity Traded 100 610 710

Value Traded 1,047.00 982.10 2,029.10

Page

7

of

Symbol No. of Deals Current Price Daily Summary (Equities) NCR TRIPPLEG

1 2 3

Value Traded

11.02 1.69

178.50 Value of Shares(N) 178.50

Quantity Traded 100 610 710

4

Value Traded 1,047.00 982.10 2,029.10

1,067

2,207.60

Page

7

of

Symbol ASHAKACEM BERGER CAP CCNN PAINTCOM PORTPAINT WAPCO

No. of Deals 22 7 29 13 1 1 30 103

Current Price 24.80 9.01 37.20 10.08 1.04 3.80 80.00

Quantity Traded 108,994 16,583 246,009 104,383 200 50,000 202,352 728,521

Value Traded 2,810,512.00 149,514.26 9,106,494.55 1,033,989.14 200.00 190,000.00 16,241,877.36 29,532,587.31

Symbol CUTIX

No. of Deals 5 5

Current Price 1.38

Quantity Traded 164,070 164,070

Value Traded 226,499.10 226,499.10

Symbol VANLEER

No. of Deals 2 2

Current Price 9.83

Quantity Traded 1,270 1,270

Value Traded 11,861.80 11,861.80

893,861

29,770,948.21

Daily Summary (Equities)

110

13

Symbol ALEX

No. of Deals 1

Current Price 9.84

Quantity Traded 10,055

Value Traded 94,014.25

Symbol

No. of Deals 1

Current Price

Quantity Traded Page 10,055

Value Traded 13 8 of 94,014.25

1

10,055

94,014.25

Symbol OANDO

No. of Deals 175 175

Current Price 4.01

Quantity Traded 6,181,443 6,181,443

Value Traded 25,190,188.82 25,190,188.82

Symbol CONOIL ETERNA FO MOBIL TOTAL

No. of Deals 17 3 94 10 8 132

Current Price 22.34 1.80 282.94 140.60 142.50

Quantity Traded 174,145 17,400 444,556 19,257 19,056 674,414

Value Traded 3,891,569.30 31,176.00 125,801,849.64 2,706,296.88 2,735,624.15 135,166,515.97

Symbol No. of Deals Current Price Daily Summary (Equities)

Quantity Traded 18,450 18,450

Value Traded 3,763,062.00 3,763,062.00

SEPLAT

8 8

203.96

6,874,307

164,119,766.79

Symbol RTBRISCOE Symbol

No. of Deals 3 No. of Deals (Equities) 3

315 Current Price 0.50 Current Price

Quantity Traded 48,150 Quantity Traded 48,150

Value Traded 24,075.00 Value Traded 24,075.00

Symbol REDSTAREX

No. of Deals 3 3 No. of Deals No. of Deals 3 1 3 1 No. of Deals No. of Deals 3 3 3 1 No. of Deals 4 1 No. of Deals 1 4 No. of Deals 8 3 12 1 No. of Deals 4 2 No. of Deals 17 4 19 8 12

Current Price 3.80

Page Quantity Traded 41,187 41,187 Quantity Traded Quantity Traded 48,150 3,000 48,150 3,000 Quantity Traded Quantity Traded 41,187 924 41,187 113 Quantity Traded 1,037 3,000 Quantity Traded 3,000 6,730 Quantity192,000 Traded 924 198,730 113 Quantity Traded 1,037 11,000 Quantity Traded 55,468 6,730 66,468 192,000 198,730 Page

Daily Summary

Symbol Symbol RTBRISCOE CILEASING Symbol Symbol REDSTAREX IKEJAHOTEL TRANSCOHOT Symbol CILEASING Symbol ACADEMY Symbol LEARNAFRCA IKEJAHOTEL TRANSCOHOT Symbol AIRSERVICE Symbol NAHCO ACADEMY LEARNAFRCA

Daily Summary (Equities)

Current Price Current Price 0.50 0.50 Current Price Current Price 3.80 2.81 5.51 Current Price 0.50 Current Price 0.55 Current Price 0.82 2.81 5.51 Current Price 2.09 Current Price 3.75 0.55 0.82

Symbol AIRSERVICE NAHCO

No. of Deals 2 17 19

Current Price 2.09 3.75

Quantity Traded 11,000 55,468 66,468

Symbol CAVERTON

No. of Deals 2 2

Current Price 1.86

Quantity Traded 800 Page 800

9Value Traded of 13 156,998.04 156,998.04 Value Traded Value Traded 24,075.00 1,500.00 24,075.00 1,500.00 Value Traded Value Traded 156,998.04 2,543.28 156,998.04 592.12 Value3,135.40 Traded 1,500.00 Value1,500.00 Traded 3,768.34 Value Traded 160,480.00 2,543.28 164,248.34 592.12 Value3,135.40 Traded 23,990.00 Value Traded 210,597.24 3,768.34 234,587.24 160,480.00 164,248.34 10 of 13 Value Traded 23,990.00 210,597.24 234,587.24 Value Traded 1,493.00 of 13 1,493.00

10

44

359,372

586,037.02

2,865

186,771,635

1,066,549,284.21

Daily Summary (Equities)

PREMIUM Board Totals

Name LOTUS HALAL EQUITY ETF Exchange Traded Fund Name PublishedExchange

by The Nigerian Stock Fund Exchange © NEWGOLDTraded EXCHANGE TRADED FUND (ETF) Name VETIVA BANKING ETF LOTUS EQUITY ETF ETF VETIVAHALAL CONSUMER GOODS GRIFFIN 30 Exchange ETF Published byVETIVA The Nigerian Stock © VETIVA INDUSTRIAL ETF Exchange Traded Fund Totals

13

Daily Summary (Equities) Symbol MCNICHOLS

No. of Deals 5 5

Current Price 1.18

Quantity Traded 173,768 173,768

Value Traded 205,069.28 205,069.28

Symbol ZENITHBANK

5 No. of Deals 595 595

Current Price 13.69

Quantity173,768 Traded 21,971,420 21,971,420 173,768

205,069.28 Value Traded 297,229,102.33 297,229,102.33

Symbol FBNH ZENITHBANK

No. of Deals 325 595 325 595

Current Price 4.01 13.69

Quantity Traded 23,153,966 21,971,420 23,153,966 21,971,420

Value Traded 93,208,154.50 297,229,102.33 93,208,154.50 297,229,102.33

Symbol FBNH

920 No. of Deals 325 325 No. of Deals 97 920 97

Current Price 4.01

45,125,386 Quantity Traded 23,153,966 23,153,966 Page Quantity Traded 30,295,500 45,125,386 30,295,500

Daily Summary (Equities)

5

Symbol DANGCEM

Symbol DANGCEM

97 No. of Deals 97 97 1,017

INDUSTRIAL GOODS Totals Equity Activity Daily Summary as ofTotals 01/02/2016 Printed 01/02/2016 14:33:02.002

Exchange Traded Fund

No. of Deals 8 20 8 4 1 41

1

Activity Summary on Board ASeM

Daily Summary as of 01/02/2016 Printed 01/02/2016 14:33:02.002 CONSUMER GOODS

Equity Activity Totals Symbol FIDSON GLAXOSMITH MAYBAKER NEIMETH NIG-GERMAN

Current Price 2.59 25.65 1.00 0.86 4.91

1 Quotation(N)

SERVICES Totals

15,000.00

98,169 2,144,012

Courier/Freight/Delivery Published by TheSummary Nigerian Stock Exchange © Activity on Board EQTY RED STAR EXPRESS PLC SERVICES Courier/Freight/Delivery Totals Automobile/Auto Part Retailers Employment Solutions R T BRISCOE PLC. C & I LEASING PLC. Automobile/Auto Part Retailers Totals Employment Solutions Totals Courier/Freight/Delivery Hotels/Lodging RED STAR EXPRESS PLC IKEJA HOTEL PLC Courier/Freight/Delivery Totals TRANSCORP HOTELS PLC Employment Solutions Hotels/Lodging Totals C & I LEASING PLC. Printing/Publishing Employment Solutions Totals ACADEMY PRESS PLC. Hotels/Lodging LEARN AFRICA PLC IKEJA HOTEL PLCTotals Printing/Publishing TRANSCORP HOTELS PLC Transport-Related Services Hotels/Lodging Totals Daily Summary as of 01/02/2016 AIRLINE SERVICES AND LOGISTICS PLC Printing/Publishing Printed 01/02/2016 14:33:02.002 NIGERIAN AVIATION HANDLING COMPANY PLC ACADEMY PRESS PLC. Totals Transport-Related Services LEARN AFRICA PLC Printing/Publishing Totals Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Transport-Related Services AIRLINE SERVICES AND LOGISTICS PLC Activity Summary on Board EQTY NIGERIAN AVIATION HANDLING COMPANY PLC Transport-Related Services Totals SERVICES

Value Traded 9,855.00 13 4 166,644.52 of

30,000

Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors CONOIL PLC ETERNA PLC. FORTE PLC. Daily Summary as ofOIL 01/02/2016 MOBIL OIL NIG PLC. Printed 01/02/2016 14:33:02.002 TOTAL NIGERIA PLC. Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors Totals Exploration and Production SEPLAT PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LTD Exploration and Production Totals Daily Summary as of 01/02/2016 Activity Summary on Board EQTY Printed 01/02/2016 14:33:02.002 OIL AND GAS Totals SERVICES SERVICES Automobile/Auto Part Retailers R T BRISCOE PLC. Automobile/Auto Part Retailers Automobile/Auto Part Retailers Totals

19.00 739.99

Current Price 4.12 1.86 14.76 1.34 16.78 1.13 1.78 2.85 5.49 0.72 1.02

Symbol COURTVILLE No Of Deals

NATURAL RESOURCES Totals

Value Traded 13 22,206,022.16 of 36,955,780.56 7,407,780.75 117,041,327.48 163,610,910.95

No. of Deals 136 59 9 33 370 30 8 591 (Equities) 14 15 6 1,271

No. of Deals 8 20 8 4 1 41

NATURAL RESOURCES

34 45 79

Symbol ACCESS DIAMONDBNK ETI FIDELITYBK GUARANTY SKYEBANK STERLNBANK UBA Daily Summary UBN UNITYBNK WEMABANK

Electronic and Electrical Products CUTIX PLC. Electronic and Electrical Products Totals Daily Summary as of 01/02/2016 Printed 01/02/2016 14:33:02.002 Packaging/Containers GREIF NIGERIA PLC Packaging/Containers Totals INDUSTRIAL GOODS Totals

CADBURY NESTLE

594

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © INDUSTRIAL GOODS Building Materials ASHAKA CEM PLC BERGER PAINTS PLC CAP PLC CEMENT CO. OF NORTH.NIG. PLC PAINTS AND COATINGS MANUFACTURES PLC PORTLAND PAINTS & PRODUCTS NIGERIA PLC LAFARGE AFRICA PLC. Building Materials Totals

Activity Summary on Board EQTY Metals

Daily Summary (Equities)

HEALTHCARE Totals ICT Computer Based Systems COURTEVILLE BUSINESS SOLUTIONS PLC Computer Based Systems Totals

345,311

Value Traded 66,672.00

FINANCIAL SERVICES Totals HEALTHCARE Pharmaceuticals FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC GLAXO SMITHKLINE CONSUMER NIG. PLC. MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. NEIMETH INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC NIGERIA-GERMAN CHEMICALS PLC. Pharmaceuticals Totals

Value Traded 284,300.28 284,300.28

Quantity Traded 92,600

Daily Summary Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services Symbol AIICO INSURANCE PLC. AIICO Published

by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © PLC CONTINENTAL CONTINSURE Activity Summary onREINSURANCE Board EQTY CORNERSTONE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC. CORNERST FINANCIAL SERVICES Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services Symbol CONSOLIDATED HALLMARK INSURANCE PLC HMARKINS INTERNATIONAL ENERGY INSURANCE COMPANY PLC INTENEGINS LASACO ASSURANCE PLC. LASACO AXAMANSARD INSURANCE PLC MANSARD MUTUAL BENEFITS ASSURANCE PLC. MBENEFIT N.E.M INSURANCE CO (NIG) PLC. NEM REGENCY ALLIANCE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC REGALINS WAPIC INSURANCE PLC WAPIC Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals Micro-Finance Banks NPF MICROFINANCE BANK PLC Micro-Finance Banks Totals

Quantity Traded 217,621 217,621

Symbol FIDSON GLAXOSMITH MAYBAKER NEIMETH NIG-GERMAN

ICT ICT Totals

Current Price 0.72

CONSUMER GOODS Totals FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking ACCESS BANK PLC. DIAMOND BANK PLC ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED Daily Summary as of 01/02/2016 FIDELITY BANK PLC Printed 01/02/2016 14:33:02.002 GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC. SKYE BANK PLC STERLING BANK PLC. UNITED FOR AFRICA PLC Daily Summary as of BANK 01/02/2016 UNION14:33:02.002 BANK NIG.PLC. Printed 01/02/2016 UNITY BANK PLC Activity Summary on Board EQTY WEMA BANK PLC. Banking Totals FINANCIAL SERVICES

34

Value Traded 2,749,785.90 1,334,147.50 4,083,933.40

No. of Deals 2

CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Totals CONSUMER GOODS Automobiles/Auto Parts Activity on Board EQTY DNSummary TYRE & RUBBER PLC Automobiles/Auto Parts Totals CONSUMER GOODS Beverages--Brewers/Distillers CHAMPION PLC. Published by The NigerianBREW. Stock Exchange © GUINNESS NIG PLC INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC. NIGERIAN BREW. PLC. Beverages--Brewers/Distillers Totals

Current Price 1.31

Quantity Traded 89,140 38,550 127,690

IT Services NCR (NIGERIA) PLC. TRIPPLE GEE AND COMPANY PLC. Activity Summary on Board EQTY IT Services Totals

Symbol AGLEVENT

CONGLOMERATES Totals CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Infrastructure/Heavy Construction JULIUS BERGER NIG. PLC. Infrastructure/Heavy Construction Totals

Current Price 30.50 33.25

1,551

HEALTHCARE Totals ICT Daily Summary as of 01/02/2016 Computer Based Systems Printed 01/02/2016 14:33:02.002 COURTEVILLE BUSINESS Sector Company name SOLUTIONS PLC Computer Based Systems Totals

Current Price

Current Price 127.06

3,637,884,416.13 Value Traded 3,637,884,416.13 3,637,884,416.13 4,028,321,672.96

262,366,289

30,295,500

5,095,076,026.45

1,017

75,420,886

4,028,321,672.96

3,887

262,366,289

5,095,076,026.45

97

Daily Summary (ETP) No. of Deals Current Price Symbol LOTUSHAL15 Daily Summary (ETP) Symbol NEWGOLD Symbol VETBANK LOTUSHAL15 VETGOODS VETGRIF30 VETINDETF

390,437,256.83 Value Traded 93,208,154.50 93,208,154.50 13 11 of Value Traded 3,637,884,416.13 390,437,256.83 3,637,884,416.13

30,295,500 Quantity Traded 30,295,500 30,295,500 75,420,886

Current Price 127.06

3,887

Daily Summary (ETP)

205,069.28

1

8.06

No. of Deals Current Price 1 2,125.00 No. of Deals1 Current Price 2.42 11 8.06 6.14 1 10.93 1 17.25 6

Quantity Traded 10 Quantity Traded Page 55 Quantity Traded 10 10 10 10 Page 10 105

3,637,884,416.13

Value Traded 80.60 Traded13 12Value of 116,875.00 Value Traded 24.20 80.60 61.40 12 of109.3013 172.50 117,323.00

ETF Board Totals

6

105

117,323.00

ETP Activity Totals

6

105

117,323.00

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

35

CNPP urges transparency transactions in NNPC

T

he Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, CNPP has urged the Federal Government to ensure transparency and probity in the on-going probe of the past financial transactions of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.

The CNPP in a statement by its Secretary General, Chief Willy Ezugwu in Abuja said the reforms being introduced by the Minister of State/Group Managing Director of the corporation, Dr Ibe Kachikwu has exposed the activities of the cabals who had held the oil sector hostage.

According to the statement, Ezugwu said the best gift the President has brought to the table in recent times was the appointment of a non-partisan professional and technocrat, Ibe Kachikwu as the Minister of State/Group Managing Director of the corporation.

The organisation warned that it is aware of moves by the cabal to blackmail the minister of state and continue business as usual, but warned that Nigerians are ready to defend the minister

in his attempt to sanitize the sector The CNPP maintained that Nigerians now have hope in the leadership of the oil sector that has seen some positive and masses oriented reforms in the last few days and thereby warned that the upcoming probe by the government should not be politicized for any reason.

“CNPP is aware that the worst set of dangerous black marketers in the world exist within the NNPC as oil cabal and this is to sound a warning to them that Nigerians will not tolerate any unwarranted attack under any guise by these agents of darkness to either bring the corporation down or pull the government down on it people oriented leadership.

He said the new helmsman has proven to be interested in probity and transparency of every single Kobo that the country earns from crude oil, adding that we would encourage him to keep his books open and allow Nigerians to face the cabal while himself and the President are allowed to concentrate.

C’River to head Conference of Speakers Committee Richard Ndoma

T

he Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon John Gaul Lebo, is to chair the Conference of Speakers of Nigeria’s Committee on Criminal Justice Law Administration Reform in Nigeria.

A release issued and signed by Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, Mr.Azogor Idaba and made available to National Mirror, the Committee is going to help in providing for a common bill for the enactment of Criminal Justice Administration Law for the 36 states of the country stressing that after duly considering the extant Criminal Justice Laws in the states and their administration as it were.

The release also maintained that the Committee’s scope of work will includes carrying out a review of the current administration of criminal justice law in the 36 states of the federation stressing

that other areas which the committee would have to deal with would be in the area of identifying other areas of reforms.

The release also enumerates purpose of the conference to include propose a legal regulatory framework for the administration of criminal justice law in the country and draft a consensus bill that will be applicable to all the states in Nigeria.

In a brief interview with the Speaker, Rt. Hon John Gaul Lebo, he said he has accepted to chair the auspicious committee which would be inaugurated in a fortnight.

It would be recalled that Rt. Hon John Gaul Lebo was recently appointed member of the Committee on the Harmonization of the Standing Rules of State Assemblies in Nigeria.

Similarly,the speaker also assured the Cross River State Sports Commission of the State House of Assembly’s support to enable it achieve its mandate.

L-R: Acting Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Mr. Haruna Jauro; Chairman, Senate Committee on Marine Transport, Senator Ahmed Sani; members Senators Isiaka Adeleke and Kabiru Gaya during an oversight visit by the committee to the agency in Lagos, yesterday.

Bamidele tasks APC national leadership on reconciliation in Ekiti Abiodun Nejo ADO EKITI

F

ormer member of the House of Representatives, Hon Opeyemi Bamidele has urged the All Progressives Congress, APC national leaders to begin a process of genuine reconciliation of all groups in the party in Ekiti State.

Bamidele said that with genuine reconciliation and unity in APC, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in the state would not be able to retain its ruling in the 2018 governorship election.

The APC chieftain spoke at Iyin Ekiti at the weekend during a unity meeting held

by APC members in the two wards in the town.

In a statement by his media aide, Ahmed Salami, in Ado Ekiti Bamidele said the crisis that engulfed the party, leading to his defection to Labour Party, where he contested against former Governor Kayode Fayemi in the June 21, 2014 governorship poll was over.

He said that his reunion with the party was a natural thing that should not be a surprise to anybody.

The former National Assembly member particularly praised his kinsman and former governor, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, for his leadership role, promising that

he would continue to rally support for his leadership in Ekiti APC, for the party to rise to reckoning in the coming elections.

“I have always been a progressive all my life. My defection to LP was a product of destiny and constitutional rights which gives every Nigerian unfettered rights to contest election without anybody putting a ceiling on how far another citizen could go in his political journey.

“I want to say with all sense of responsibility that my group, Bibire Coalition, is entirely subsumed into APC and our loyalty is total.

“I will continue to help the party to the best of my

capacity for us to reclaim Ekiti in 2018. I am a known political team player and I have not departed from that ethos.

“It is quite gladdening that the spirit of peace, reconciliation and progress has once again taken roots in Ekiti APC and I believe this will further reinforce our bonds and spirits to go all hogs as an indivisible family in our journey to reclaiming Ekiti in future elections”, Bamidele stated.

The APC chieftain thanked the Oluyin of iyin Ekiti, Oba Ademola Ajakaye and all those who ensured meaningful reconciliation between him and former governor Adebayo.

Taraba stakeholders advocate electronic voting Justin Tyopuusu JALINGO

S

takeholders in Taraba State have advocated electronic voting as a solution to the too many litigations recorded after the 2015 general elections in the country.

Alhaji Ardo Jika, state Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC in the state told journalists in Jalingo that though the massive annulments indicated a drift towards end of impunity in the country, electronic voting would be a solution to the problem.

Ardo urged the Independent National Electoral

Commission, INEC to subsequently conduct accreditation and voting simultaneously to avoid issues of hijacking of voting materials by hoodlums after accreditation to go and thumbprint at different locations.

“Based on my experience with the country’s electoral process over the years, I believe only electronic voting can help improve on the process.

“The card readers that were used in the 2015 general elections were of immense help and should be improve upon to make them work effectively in all locations across the country,” he said.

Also speaking, Alhaji

Abubakar Bawa, a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP who also harped on the need for electronic voting advised INEC to always give political parties and security agents comprehensive lists of agents and supervisors to void crowd at voting points.

Bawa called on the electoral body to ensure a level playing field for all political parties to enhance the credibility of the electoral process so as to forestall too many litigations.

“If there is credibility in the electoral process, nobody will just want to go and spent time and money at the tribunal after elections,” he noted.

Barr. Boniface Iorkumbur a legal practitioner who said electronic voting would help improve on the electoral process however, said the literacy level of Nigerians was not yet ripe for electronic voting.

He advised politicians to change their attitudes towards elections, saying the situation where people lost elections clearly, but still go to court was a clear indications that Nigerian politicians were not yet matured.

“Nigerian politicians are not yet matured. No matter how credible elections are, politicians will still go to court unless they changed their attitude toward elections,” he said.

Mail Mirror

36

Politics

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

The House of Reps.

With

UBONG UKPONG

08036017966, email: ubongpong@yahoo.com

T

he alarm raised on the floor of the House of Representatives last Thursday by Deputy Minority Whip, Hon Yakubu Barde, over alleged sharing of N50million and 150 motor cycles to each member excluding him, by the leadership, is raising concern, as it is not only scandalous but regrettably a bad way for this 8th House to progress in just about its 34th week, after the good works in the week.

Barde is not to blame over the scandal, but believe it, it is the man who ignited the fire, who has been said, that the same fire will consume, if the allegation is proven to be false.

Believe it too, that the complainant would not escape Reps’ hammer, if the alarm is found to be false.

The week started on a very good note on Monday, but became very sour on Thursday, when Hon. Barde, PDP, brought a point of order to the plenary shouting that his privilege has been breached.

The Principal officer was very equivocal in his complaint that Hon. Mohammad Abubakar, representing Igabi Federal Constituency of Kaduna state, had gone on air in a local radio station (Liberty Radio) in the state, to say that the said money and motorcycles were given.

Barde told the House that he had been under immense pressure from his constituents, who have been demanding for their share of the money and motorcyles.

Apparently, he would not want to be seen to believe this in a haste, so he demanded that the issue be thoroughly investigated because he did not collect such money or motorcycles.

“This is an allegation, considering the present economic situation of Nigeria. As lawmakers, we have to be very careful to make sure our image is not tarnished. Nigerians need to know what really happened, “Barde told the House.

Conscious of its sensitive nature, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, who refused to open debate on the matter, in his ruling referred it to the House committee on ethics and privileges, which is to report back to the Green Chamber in four weeks.

Given the posture of the All Progressives Congress, APC-led federal government and that of the 8th House of Representatives on anti- corruption, one would be tempted to swear that this is not true, but there is also need to look before you leap.

Dogara had made it clear in Reps’ legislative agenda that they would fight corruption.

He also threatened to remove any committee Chairman or Deputy found corrupt or taking bribe.

Also, this 8th House has been very religious in probing the rots in the system since its commencement as noticed in several of its motions.

Given the weight of this allegation coming from within, one would ask if the claims of fighting corruption are a mere camouflage, or someone somewhere just wants to tarnish the image of Dogara and the 8th House.

It is actually unbelievable that a fellow Honourable Member could just say what he is not sure of because it is said that there is no smoke without fire.

Yes, the issue is being investigated, but it is already causing harm to the House and the House would never let Abubakar go unpunished if this is found to be a lie, not even

Barde should go free, if it is proven that the alarm was false.

The House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, being the mouth piece of the House had already indicated on Thursday during its weekly press briefing that the House would not take it lightly if allegation is found to be untrue.

The complaint came to the floor just as the Speaker had received a letter on Wednesday from former President Olusegun Obasanjo saying that the National Assembly is corrupt.

Again, Dogara would not allow debate on the letter, but the House was categorical that the letter is a distraction and misdirected.

As the week began, a number of committees carried out series of assignments before and after the plenary sessions.

Chief among these was the continuation of investigative hearing on the crude oil for refined products exchange (oil swap) arrangement, where its Ad-hoc committee investigating the corruption issues in the agreement threatened a warrant of arrest against some companies that failed to honour their invitation.

On that Tuesday, at the plenary, debate concluded on a bill for an Act to authorize the issue from the consolidated revenue fund of the federation, the total sum of N6, 077, 680,000, 000 only of which, N351, 370, 000, 000, is the statutory transfer, N1, 475, 320, 000, 000 only, is for debt service, N2, 648, 600, 000, is for recurrent (non-debt) expenditure, while the sum of N1, 845, 540, 000, 000, inclusive of N157, 250, 000, 000, is for statutory transfer and N86, 000, 000, 000, as interest on capitalized loans, is for contribution to the development fund for capital expenditure for the year ending on the 31st day of December, 2016, which also passed second reading and was referred to Committee on Appropriation, Finance and other relevant committees.

A bill for an Act to amend the Federal Highways Act, Cap. F13, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, LFN, 2014, to make further provisions for the safety of Nigerian Highways and for other matters related thereto, and a bill for Act to amend the Federal Highways Act, Cap. F13 FLN, 2004, to make driving against traffic or one way an offence, and for other matters connected therewith passed second reading.

Tuesday was actually a stressful day both in the Chamber and at the gallery, following the debate on budget, as the Speaker made sure that he gave all members who indicated to speak that opportunity to exercise their privileges and constitutional duty.

Therefore, before putting the question that enjoyed a popular voice vote in favour of the budget, in spite of the punches it got during debate, Dogara expressed satisfaction that he would not be accused by any member of being sidelined during budget debate. This consequently led to plenary closing very late as the business of the day almost ran into evening hours, leaving everyone very tired.

Coming back on Wednesday, strengths were renewed for further business, and there came the 22 bills that were read for first time.

Notable among them were two bills conveyed in a letter by President Buhari, which would strengthen the anti-corruption war in the country.

The bills are the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Bill 2016 and the

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Who’s with Barde’s N50m, 150 motorcycles in this House?

Dogara Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Bill 2016.

Speaker Yakubu Dogara, while reading the introductory letter from the President, said that the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Bill 2016 provides for the re-

peal of Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012.

Dogara said that the new bill intends to make comprehensive provisions to prohibit money laundering criminal activities in the country.

He further said that the bill also seeks to expand the scope of money laundering offences as well as provides protection for employees of various institutions, bodies and professions who may discover money laundering.

Over five motions were also passed and petitions laid and referred to committee on public petitions.

For Thursday, in spite of the allegations of sharing of N50million and 150 motorcycles, Reps were undeterred as business went on, with no fewer than eight bills that passed second reading and over eight motions too were passed amongst other things.

On that note, the House adjourned plenary for two weeks, to return on February 16, to enable members carry on with committee works especially the 2016 budget, which has been proposed for passage by February 25.

Therefore, as the week has resumed, one would see a lot of fireworks in committees, as various agencies of government would also be seen around the National Assembly complex, which expects to be a beehive of activities.

The Rep’s Score Card

Bench-warmers’ race on course

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or a House of 360 members, in spite of the fact that it is a matter of privilege, having the opportunities to be recognised to contribute or have motions and bills scheduled for debate may not be an easy task.

Consequently, this had made non-persistent lawmakers to become dormant and if not checked, would join the bench-warmers race, which some are already victims.

The worst is that some of such lawmakers are also failing in their constituency activities and projects.

Accordingly, while we intend to keep you abreast of the level of engagement, participation and contributions of your Representatives,, as well as also get your feedbacks on their acclaimed constituency projects and activities, we make bold to say that the race for “bench-warmer Reps” is on, and some are already qualifying for the title, and would soon be exposed in the Reps’ score card.

It is about the 35th.week running since the 8th House was inaugurated on June 9, 2015, and some members have not been heard or seen to be active.

As well, there are others, whose names are already ringing bell in the House, in view of their popular views, consistency in sponsoring motions and bills, quality of debates at plenary that throw up issues in the polity, their approaches to issues and display of intelligence at committee levels amongst others.

As it stands today, some of the Representatives command so much respect and authority in terms of their contributions to debate, such that everyone often look out for them to spice up debates.

For us in the fourth estate of the realm, you

cannot afford to be careless about their contributions as you might run into trouble with your organisation over missed stories.

You may think that those involved are ranking members, those who are not first timers, yes, you may not be wrong. However, it is true that some old timers are sustaining their bench warmers’ record, while some new comers are also measuring up to ranking members.

Again, you may say that it depends on their committee headship assignment, no there are some heads of committees who are performing abysmally, while some members who don’t head committees are doing better.

I have vowed not to mention names today, otherwise, I would have told you about a Rep, whom everyone now adopt his styles and language to have their motions passed “with the speed of light.”

Just like a few others, this Rep member could sponsor up to two and more motions and bills on a day and shine like a star, while others, who also, perhaps, contested and won election to come to the House of Reps like him sit back, watch and clap always, as their own contributions.

I say perhaps they contested and won election to come to Reps, because some are being proven by tribunals and the courts not to have been the rightful representative.

However, we covet your patience as we will start mentioning their names one after the other, with their level of participation both at the National Assembly and constituencies to you, from our subsequent editions, so that you could appreciate those you call your Representatives.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Buhari and renewed commitment to clean up Ogoniland

ASO ROCK FILE with Rotimi FADEYI

When devaluation of the naira is not an option F or those who think there would be further devaluation of the naira, they had better take a hint from the comment of President Muhammadu Buhari last week that he had no intention of bringing hardship to Nigerians by further devaluation of the nation’s currency The Federal Government through the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN had last year devalued the naira but the falling oil price in the international market had further affected the value of the currency which now exchanged for over N300 to a dollar at the parallel market.

Buhari, during his three-day state visit to Kenya had declared in Nairobi that he was yet to be convinced that Nigeria and its people would derive any tangible benefit from an official devaluation of the naira.

The President, who was speaking at an interactive meeting with Nigerians living in Kenya, maintained that while export-driven economies could benefit from devaluation of their currencies, devaluation would only result in further inflation and hardship for the poor and middle classes in Nigeria’s importdependent economy.

The President added that he had no intention of bringing further hardship on the

37

country’s poor who, he said, have suffered enough already.

Likening devaluing the Naira to having it “killed”, Buhari said that proponents of devaluation will have to work much harder to convince him that ordinary Nigerians will gain anything from it.

The President also rejected suggestions that the Central Bank of Nigeria should resume the sale of foreign exchange to Bureaux de Change, BDCs, saying that the Bureau de Change business had become a scam and a drain on the economy.

“We had just 74 of the bureaux in 2005, now they have grown to about 2,800,” Buhari noted.

He alleged that some banks and government officials used surrogates to run the BDCs and prosper at public expense by obtaining foreign exchange from government at official rates and selling it at much higher rates.

“We will use our foreign exchange for industry, spare parts and the development of needed infrastructure.

“We don’t have the Dollars to give to the BDCs. Let them go and get it from wherever they can, other than the Central Bank,” Buhari told the gathering.

F

or those living in the Niger Delta area of the country, the devastation caused by oil spillage has destroyed many lives and livelihoods and it was clearly one of the reasons why many people in that region lost faith in Government and resorted to the many criminal activities.

However, with the renewed commitment by President Muhammadu Buhari to the implementation of the United Nations Environmental Programme’s recommendations for the clean-up of Ogoniland and other parts of the Niger Delta, the people of the region now have hope for a better living condition.

Speaking in Nairobi during a visit to the United Nations Office in the Kenyan capital, Buhari reaffirmed his administration’s steadfast commitment to the implementation of the implementation of the recommendations.

Buhari who was on three-day visit to Kenya urged the United Nations to give more support for his administration’s efforts to clean up the region.

“When I came into office on 29th May 2015, one of the first tasks I carried out was

to authorise the implementation of the recommendations of the United Nations Environmental Programme, UNEP for the cleanup of Ogoni land.

“The devastation caused by oil spillage has destroyed many lives and livelihoods and is clearly one of the reasons why many people in that region lost faith in Government and resorted to the many criminal activities we are seeing in the region today.

“The action our government took to implement UNEP’s recommendations has given the indigenes of the region hope that there are better days ahead.

“Let me, therefore, express appreciation on behalf of the Government of Nigeria to UNEP and other development partners for their cooperation and support on this very delicate matter and also request for their continued support as we implement the recommendations and transform the fortunes of the region,” Buhari said.

The President applauded the outcome of the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, UNFCCC that held in Paris in December last year.

The visit of US business delegation to Nigeria

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resident Muhammadu Buhari was on a four-day visit to the United States last July on the invitation of President Barack Obama.

During the period of the visit, a lot of bilateral issues were discussed and Obama pledged that the United States would assist Nigeria particularly in the area of security, trade and investment in order to boost the economy of the country.

The trip to the United States and the meeting with Obama may have started to yield fruits as the United States Secretary of Commerce; Ms Penny Pritzker led a delegation to Nigeria last week on investment and trade mission Pritzker, who was at the Presidential Villa told Buhari that she was in Nigeria with 10 leading American business men and women, at the prompting of Obama.

“The purpose is to better understand the opportunities and challenges of doing business in Nigeria. Our team is very optimistic about your government’s commitment to security, good governance, fighting corruption, having reliable and regular regulatory policies.

“All these make us optimistic about working together. We are not here to sell policies, but to partner with you,” she said.

While receiving the delegation, Buhari applauded ongoing American collaboration

with his administration on security and developmental issues.

According to him, his administration would continue to welcome the support and understanding of the United States as it strives to achieve greater internal security and socio-economic progress in Nigeria.

“I remain grateful for the reception accorded me and my team when we visited the United States at the invitation of President Obama.

“We discussed security, corruption, infrastructure, and many other issues.

“We thank America for sending experts to train our troops and providing hardware for our military because we must first stabilize the country before we can move it forward,” the President told the delegation which included the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle, and three others.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who was at the meeting, said that although Nigeria currently faces serious challenges, it is also a time of great opportunities for the country.

“It’s time to diversify our economy from oil. We’ve always talked about it, but never got round to doing it. The opportunity has come now. We have all it takes to be an agricultural nation. We also have solid minerals and we must develop our infrastructure in order to aid business.”

US Ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle; US Secretary of Commerce, Ms Penny Pritzker and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, during a meeting at the Presidential Villa.

Buhari tasks world leaders to tackle extremism strategies

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errorism has become a global problem as the violent and deadly activities of terrorists have claimed the lives of many people around the world while it has also led to the destruction of valuable property and general insecurity.

World leaders had met on several occasions and at different conferences to discuss areas of collaboration with the sole purpose of defeating terrorism which now poses great threat to human existence.

As world leaders are working hard to tackle the problem, President Muhammadu Buhari has said that for peace to reign in the world, the global community must develop and implement comprehensive and coordinated counter-extremism strategies at subregional, regional and continental levels.

Speaking at the opening of bilateral talks between Nigeria and Kenya, Buhari warned that radicalization and violent extremism were increasingly taking root across Africa

and must be tackled head-on and with brand new strategies.

“The threat posed to national, regional and global peace and security by terrorists has taken an alarming dimension in recent times.

Last week Presidential Villa’s visitors 1. United States Secretary of Commerce, Ms Penny Pritzker 2. Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi 3. Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel 4. Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello 5. Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano 6. Jigawa State Governor, Mohammed Abubakar 7. Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko 8. Women Affairs Minister, Aisha Alhassan 9. United States Ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle 10. Budget and National Planning Minister, Udoma Udo Udoma 11. Health Minister, Isaac Folorunso Adewole 12. INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu

38

Features

Tuesday, February 12, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Kidney transplant: LASUTH rekindles patients’ hope of survival Akojede Olarenwaju

W

hen doctors from the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) successfully conducted the first kidney transplantation in the institution in November last year, it further raised the hope of survival for patients living with kidney conditions.

The surgery carried out on a 56-year-old man on Nov. 11, 2015 by a team of nine doctors, involved the patient’s 26-year-old nephew who donated one of his kidneys.

From statistics, it is known that no fewer than 37 million Nigerians, representing 23 per cent of the population are suffering from various stages of kidney diseases.

Simply put, one in every seven Nigerians is suffering from one form of kidney disorder, according to Dr Ebun Bamgboye, the President, Nigeria Association of Nephrology and Chief Medical Director, St. Nicholas Hospital, Lagos.

The virulent nature of the diseases has left Nigerian patients with many challenges in treating kidney problems, leading to many who are indigent dying untimely.

The few who are wealthy travel overseas for treatment on regular basis leading to capital flight of several millions of Naira from the country.

The burden and the belief in the old dictum that ``health is wealth’’ led the former governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Fashola-led administration to move to alleviate the plights of those suffering from kidney disease.

The administration then conceived a modern Cardiac and Renal Centre (CNC) in the state.

To realise the feat, the government upgraded the Ikeja General Hospital to a University Teaching Hospital, the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), affiliated to the Lagos State University (LASU).

And subsequently, it upgraded the Gbagada General Hospital to an annex of LASUTH. Sooner than later, it started the N5 billion CNC project in 2008 and completed it in 2013 at the Gbagda Annex of LASUTH. The centre today offers hope of survival to the many Nigerians suffering from kidney disease.

Patients can now heave a sigh of relief as they will not have to source for millions of Naira to travel for treatment overseas before they can find solutions to their ailments.

It is in the public domain that between 2008 and 2014, the Lagos State Government under Fashola, sponsored very sick people overseas at tax payers’ expense.

There were 28 renal cases that benefited from the state’s gesture.

Also there were 11 renal cases that were sponsored for kidney transplant, dialysis and post-transplant immunosuppressant at St. Nicholas Hospital in Lagos.

It is pertinent to state that prior

Doctors during a kidney transplant session to the LASUTH, Ikeja, achieving the breakthrough, St. Nicholas Hospital was the only institution offering the service in the country.

But with the realisation of the dream by LASUTH, the pains of raising so much money to go for treatment overseas will be reduced.

The CNC operation has begun to attract the best medical personnel in the treatment of renal treatments to return to Nigeria to render their services.

Thus, brain gain is beginning to garner momentum as against the brain drain syndrome the country suffered from some years ago.

Fashola at the inauguration of the centre described it as the best in Africa, built and equipped with the best modern facilities obtainable in the developed countries of the world.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, says the idea of establishing the CNC was to lessen the burden of communicable disease in the state.

Before the successful transplantation, barely seven months after the CNC was opened, the centre, arguably a pacesetter in Nigeria’s health industry, was already offering services to renal patients.

The giant strides of Mr. Babatunde Fashola’s administration, in the health sector of Lagos State, has today opened a new vista for saving the lives of people with kidney conditions.

The team of LASUTH doctors who performed the unique feat are Dr. Jacob Awobusuyi, who led them, Dr. Oduanyo Ikuero, Dr. Funmilade Omisanjo, Dr. Kayode Abolarin, all Neophrologists.

Others are Dr. Theophilus Umeizudike, Dr. Mumuni Amisu, Dr. Tunde Akinola, Dr. Biyi Majekodunmi, Dr. Adebanjo and

Matron Adamson and LASUTH pharmacists among others.

They were unambiguous in telling the world that they were set to conduct more of such surgeries; so, it is for Nigerians to take advantage of that and help to save people dying of kidney diseases.

In doing that, they also believed that it would, to an extent, save the country the huge capital flight and attract medical tourism to Nigeria.

Some members of the team spoke about their experiences, future of transplantation in Nigeria and other sundry issues on kidney disease.

The Head of the transplant team, Dr. Jacob Awobusuyi, a Consultant Nephrologist and Associate Professor of Medicine, said the experience was quite educative, satisfying and rewarding.

Awobusuyi, who obtained his Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery at University of Ilorin in 1983, said: ``I never thought I could enjoy the cooperation of the entire hospital and this made me appreciative of a fully motivated staff, who contributed immensely to the success of the first kidney transplant.”

Dr. Theophilus Umeizudike, Consultant Nephrologist, LASUTH, said it was meant to be the flagship of his career and a way of contributing to the society by giving life to people.

Umeizudike also said that carrying out the transplant here could put a check on medical tourism associated with kidney transplant in Nigeria. ``If people can be honest with themselves, they should appreciate that kidney transplant is available locally at a cheaper cost. We are confident about our capability

Symptoms the public should watch out for

are frequent vomiting, nausea, hiccups, facial swelling and when urine begins to foam, this shows the absence of protein in the urine

when it comes to the operation. ``Before we had the operation, we were confident that the operation would be successful and we are happy to see that the patient who had been on dialysis is now normal. ``It is a success story and we are happy that the patient is recuperating well. ``It is not easy to do a transplant because things may go wrong but we thank God we are able to overcome and the complication rate at low level,’’ he said.

On the future of transplant and the risk factors of kidney disease, he said that ``in most transplant centres abroad like Cambridge in England, they do one live transplant donation every week which is usually on Tuesdays and that is about 50 to 52 in a year. ``Apart from that, there is deceased donation where someone dead can have the kidney harvested and given to people on waiting list, which happens anytime. ``Here, we may look at having at least one in every month and when we are more stable and have the capacity we will look at having two in a month. ``As time goes on, we can then have one every week which is what we are aiming at ultimately,’’ he said.

Umeizudike said the prevalence of kidney disease in Nigeria was largely due to the lifestyle of the people and dietary habits. ``Studies done in Nigeria showed that about 15 to 25 per cent of the Nigerian population may likely have kidney problem because of their style of living. ``In Nigeria, the major cause of renal failure is hypertension followed by diabetes, and also a condition of infectious disease and inflammation affecting the kidney function and structure. ``Also our diets are beginning to move away from what it used to be, we now consume complex carbohydrates and simple sugar.

Other causes are HIV and urinary tract infections.

``The age susceptible to renal failure is usually, in developed world, about 60 years and above but in Nigeria it is between 30 and 40 years,’’ he said.

Comparing the cost between dialysis and transplant, Umeizudike said transplant is cost-effective and manageable compared to dialysis. ``Dialysis is initiated in people with renal failure. It is a process whereby the patient’s blood is passed through blood filter which removes nitrogenous waste from the kidney. ``A dialysis for the first time costs about N60, 000 to N70, 000 because of various tests that will accompany it but after the first session, it drops to N20, 000 and N25, 000. ``Renal failure is not a death sentence, but very expensive to manage and treat. After treatment, we look at the survival rate of the graft between 95 and 98 per cent. ``After five years it drops to 80 per cent and by 10 years between 60 and 70 per cent and if the first one failed there is option to have a second transplant,’’ he said.

Umeizudike said that transplant allowed the patient to recover from erectile dysfunction and for the females they would be able to conceive again. ``Having qualified as a Nephrologist, I want to use my profession to help people with renal failure and to get the best-locally having been exposed to the best care.’’

Another member of the team, Dr. Mumuni Amisu, also a Consultant Physician and Nephrologist, said there were two types of renal diseases. ``The cause of renal failure is largely due to lifestyle, while there are few cases of inheritance,” he said. ``Symptoms the public should watch out for are frequent vomiting, nausea, hiccups, facial swelling and when urine begins to foam, this shows the absence of protein in the urine,’’ he said.

In all, their efforts collectively have opened up vistas for kidney patients to get care at a cost cheaper than going overseas for treatment.

The implications are that the patients who could afford the cost of treatment are saved the cost of flight for both the patient and donor and other sundry expenses while abroad.

The Lagos State Government has proactively, ensured that residents can access care for morbidities because if it is not adequately managed, it will increase morbidity and mortality indices.

From all indications, it is far better quality of life to have transplant than dialysis and not spending on dialysis and drugs. Transplant helps the patients to go back to normal life.

•Culled from News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Features

Tuesday, February 12, 2016

39

Improving teachers’ professionalism via open distance education Philip Yatai

P

articipants at the fourth convocation lecture of the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI) Kaduna, recently called on various stakeholders in education sector to exploit the potential of the institute in developing teachers’ professionalism.

According to them, providing quality education in an equitable and accessible manner to Nigerians remained one of the country’s major concerns.

They observed that the dearth of quality teachers, among other factors, had continued to undermine the efforts of the stakeholders to provide good education for its citizens.

They argued that not much could be achieved in education sector without availability of reasonable number of professional teachers.

They, therefore, noted that NTI’s Open and Distance Education (ODE) ``is a veritable programme for promoting professionalism in teaching.’’

At the ceremony, Prof. Vincent Tenebe, Vice-Chancellor, National Open University (NOUN), said that ODE would promote capacity building training for in-service teachers, especially when large number of teachers were involved with limited funds available for conventional training.

He said that the strategy was already yielding the desired result by eliminating illiteracy and breeding professional teachers.

He stressed the need for states and local governments in the country to take advantage of the various programmes being offered by NTI through its ODE programmes and invest in the quality of their teachers.

Similarly, Dr. Ladan Sharehu, the Director-General of the institute, said that the institute, established in 1976, had been positioned over the years to deliver quality teacher trainings through ODE. According to him, ODE presents a viable option that guarantees continuous teacher professional development in the country.

He described ODE as a learning option that allowed learners to learn at a distance from their tutors and institutions.

He insisted that ODE remained the best strategy in addressing the challenge of access to higher education in the country.

Sharehu disclosed that a total of 17, 610 students completed their programmes for the 2014 academic session out of which 9, 455 students’ had the institute’s Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) while 8,033 students graduated with National Certificate of Education (NCE).

He said that another 122 students also graduated with Advanced Diploma in Education. ``We are planning to expand our academic activities to the construction of microteaching laboratories in the country’s six geo-political zones for use by the institute’s teacher trainees. ``Necessary structures and mechanism are being put in place to give Nigerian teachers the best in terms of professional training and retraining,’’ Sharehu said.

Mr. Adanna Iwuanyanwu, the institute’s PGDE 2014 best graduating student described the NTI ODE programme as the best experience of her educational life.

In her valedictory speech she said: ``My experiences while a PGDE student in this unique institution are worth recounting

A teacher at work. (Inset) is the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu for the benefit of my fellow Nigerians. ``Once you are qualified, the institute will give you admission and ensure that all necessary assistance is given to you for effective tutorial contact including receiving course manual upon registration. ``The computer tablets which contain all course manual have more than anything else to make learning much easier and the course manual are useful. ``The facilitators are there to assist you but the onus is on you, the learners, to drive the process by putting more hours of self study.’’

Irrespective of the institute’s capacity however, stakeholders in education sector call on its management to live up to the expectations of the public.

They observe that while the world is currently characterised by digital learners in the 21st century, significant numbers of Nigerian teachers belong basically to the analogue age.

They, therefore, stressed that for teachers to remain relevant in the digital age, NTI must do a lot in the area of training teachers on Information Technology (IT) skills to enable them to join the train.

Prof. Ganiyu Oke, Director, Distance Learning Institute, University of Lagos, noted that in the new information age, most of the pupils and students seemed to be more proficient in the use of IT tools than their teachers.

Oke stressed that the institute must take up the challenge of producing IT compliant teachers in large quantity.

According to him, teachers who have yet to adopt IT in their profession are on the brink of becoming irrelevant in the current digital age.

The stakeholders at the ceremony also solicited quality assurance mechanism to ensure quality teaching and learning for

the nation to achieve overall productivity and increased competitiveness in the global market.

Oke said NTI and other ODE institutions had both the social and moral responsibilities to ensure that people had access to quality education.

He said that NTI must work with established benchmarks for quality assurance in the conventional schools systems to ensure parity of esteem for ODE graduates. ``In addition, a vibrant system of learner support services is equally needed to enhance the chances of learners succeeding in ODE. ``This is because students who get support are the students who eventually succeed and we cannot afford to enrol huge numbers only to find that only a small percentage succeeds,’’ he said.

Oke charged NTI to bring in innovations in programme development, admission procedures learner support services, evaluation benchmarking and application of ICT in ODE processes, including feedback mechanism.

This, according to him, will decisively address sustainability challenges inherent in ODE and maximise the promise of ODE in Nigeria.

In his reaction, Sharehu said the institute had strengthened its quality assurance mechanism in all its programmes in various ways to ensure standard and conformity to global best practices. ``We have implemented the National Commission for Colleges of Education’s minimum standard for NCE programmes. ``NTI adheres strictly to admission criteria and carries out regular consultation with relevant stakeholders. ``The institute also affiliated its Post Graduate Diploma in Education with

In addition, a vibrant system of learner support services is equally needed to enhance the chances of learners succeeding in

ODE.

Usman Danfodio University Sokoto and with National Open University. ``We equally constituted states programme monitoring teams and engaged academic quality assurance assessors for continuous monitoring of all academic programmes of the institute nationwide,’’ he said.

However, Sharehu noted that NTI must be well funded and equipped to effectively carry out its mandates of improving teachers’ professionalism.

In his comments, Mr. Joseph Aguiyi, the National Coordinator of the institute’s centre for Strengthening Mathematics and Science Education (SMASE), said that improving teachers’ capacity was very critical in the development of the country’s education sector.

He appealed to states, local governments and other relevant stakeholders to support the efforts of the Federal Government to sustain NTI’s ODE training programme.

Similarly, Prof. Emmanuel Odunbunmi, NTI consultant on SMASE, said that government and stakeholders must invest in improving the capacity of teachers through training and retraining to check students’ consistent failure.

He said that NTI must be supported so that the desired teachers’ development, particularly in science and mathematics would be realised.

In response, the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, reiterated Federal Government’s commitment to strengthened ODE as a viable alternative for teachers’ professional development.

He said that the Federal Government would also develop a policy framework to guide the operations of all distance learning institutions in the country.

According to him, distance learning has become the only viable alternative to be explored which must be regulated and effectively guided for quality assurance.

All in all, participants at the ceremony opined that well funded ODE programmes remained viable options for teachers’ professional development.

•Culled from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

40

Capital Market

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Market cap dips N31bn on market’s sluggish opening Johnson Okanlawon

T

rading in equities closed on a negative note on the Nigerian Stock Exchange yesterday, halting a last Friday’s positive trend despite low prices of stocks.

Specifically, the All Share Index depreciated 0.3 per cent to close at 23,826.76 points, compared to the decline of 1.34 per cent recorded on Friday to close at 23,916.15 points.

Market capitalisation shed N31 billion to close at N8.19 trillion as against the de-

crease of N30 billion recorded on Friday to close at N8.22 trillion.

An analysis of the price movement table indicated that Forte Oil Plc led the losers’ pack with a loss of N14.89 to close at N282.94 per share.

Seven Up Plc trailed with N9.80 to close at N186.20 per share, while Total Nigeria Plc shed N7.50 to close at N142.50 per share.

Guinness Nigeria Plc declined N4.30 to close at N111.20, while Conoil Plc dipped N2.40 to close at N22.34 per share.

Conversely, Seplat Plc led

the gainers’ table, increasing

by N9.71 to close at N203.96 per share.

Zenith Bank Plc added N1.08 to close at N13.69 per share, while International Breweries Plc increased by 80 kobo to close at N16.80 per share.

Cement Company of Northern Nigeria Plc added 48 kobo to close at N10.08 per share, while UAC-Property Plc was up by 26 kobo to close at N5.46 per share.

Further analysis showed that United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA) recorded the high-

est volume, exchanging 96.5-4 million shares worth N278.26 million.

Dangote Cement Plc followed with 30.29 million shares valued at N3.63 million, while FBN Holdings sold 23.15 million shares worth N93.20 million.

Zenith Bank Plc exchanged 21.97 million shares valued at N297.22 million, while FCMB Plc sold 18.82 million shares worth N18.46 million.

In all, investors spent N5.95 billion on 262.36 units of shares in 3,887 deals.

Guinness reports N50bn half-year turnover Johnson Okanlawon

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uinness Nigeria has released its provisional and unaudited financial results for the half year ended December 31, 2015.

The results showed a midyear turnover of N50 billion with administrative, advertising and promotions cost remaining flat year on year, affirming the brewer’s commitment to driving out cost to invest in growth.

A statement by the company quoted its Managing Director, Mr. Peter Ndegwa, as saying that sales revenue came under pressure, declining by 9.8 per cent, as the operating environment weakened further.

According to him, the contraction in economic activities during the period negatively affected the company’s business.

He explained that a significant erosion of consumer disposable income and consequent down-trading by price sensitive consumers took its toll on the industry and affected top line growth. “ In spite of the deterioration in the economy, our premium core brands showed recovery and resilience during the period with Guinness Foreign Extra Stout and Malta Guinness recording double digit shipment growth reflecting momentum against a weak period.

“Satzenbrau also performed strongly during the

period with half year net sales growth of 54 per cent as the brand builds its position in the growing value beer segment,” he said.

However, he added that the performance was not sufficient to impact the operating profit which declined 51.6 per cent during the period under review.

Peter, who said the company maintained marketing investments despite these headwinds as it launched the first Guinness stout innovation in ten years with Guinness Africa Special just before Christmas and leveraged every minute made of black National Consumer Promotion campaign to drive consumer affinity for the brand.

“In the second half, we expect to see some improvement in sales with innovation and the distribution of Diageo’s international premium and mainstream spirits brands which have been integrated into our business, although the set up costs mean that the operating margin is not expected to benefit until the next financial year “However, this is subject to an improvement in the trading environment which remains volatile with speculation of possible currency devaluation, non-availability of foreign exchange even for eligible transactions and inflationary pressure,” he added.

M

ity chasing too little demand.

Economists were expecting a similar picture from the U.S. “My main question is will the U.S. economy be able to continue to grow just through the services sector when the manufacturing sector is having such a tough time,” said Rabobank U.S. focused economist Philip Marey.

“The fourth quarter GDP data was really weak ... Today we get the ISM manufacturing figures, which we are expecting to be soft and so that will leave us just waiting forFriday and the payrolls.”

Friday’s surprise move

by Japan to cut interest rates to negative levels continued to provide support. Japanese government bond yields hit record lows, and bets the European Central Bank will cut its rates again next month also sent German five-year bond yields to all-time lows.

In currency markets, the yen had steady at around 121.20 to the dollar JPY= and 131.40 to the euro Friday’s BoJ move set off its biggest one-day fall - roughly two per cent- in over a year.

Elsewhere, oil-rich Canada’s dollar fell half a percent against its U.S. counterpart after the weak economic data dragged oil prices down from overnight highs as high as $36 a barrel. Fellow oil exporter Norway’s currency slipped 0.3 per cent versus the euro.

“The broader macro focus is on the back of the BOJ and whether that’s going to pull the other key central banks with it,” said Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ strategist Derek Halpenny in London.

“In that sense, the data

Market indicators All-Share Index 23,826.76points Market capitalisation 8.19trn

Stock Updates GAINERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

CHANGE

% CHANGE

ZENITHBANK

12.61

13.69

1.08

8.56

HONYFLOUR

1.46

1.54

0.08

5.48

INTBREW

16.00

16.80

0.80

5.00

CCNN

9.60

10.08

0.48

5.00

UAC-PROP

5.20

5.46

0.26

5.00

SEPLAT

194.25

203.96

9.71

5.00

STERLNBANK

1.70

1.78

0.08

4.71

AGLEVENT

0.69

0.72

0.03

4.35

NPFMCRFBK

0.95

0.99

0.04

4.21

LIVESTOCK

1.26

1.31

0.05

3.97

LOSERS COMPANY CONOIL

OPENING 24.74

CLOSING 22.34

CHANGE

% CHANGE

-2.40

-9.70

7UP

196.00

186.20

-9.80

-5.00

FO

297.83

282.94

-14.89

-5.00

PORTPAINT

4.00

3.80

-0.20

-5.00

TOTAL

150.00

142.50

-7.50

-5.00

UNILEVER

35.24

33.48

-1.76

-4.99

GLAXOSMITH

26.99

25.65

-1.34

-4.96

NNFM

7.73

7.35

-0.38

-4.92

LEARNAFRCA

0.86

0.82

-0.04

-4.65

FIDSON

2.70

2.59

-0.11

-4.07

FGN Bonds Offer

Bid

Stocks exhibit cautious start after rocky China data

arkets got February off to a cautious start on Monday after a rocky January, as expectations of more cheap money from some of the world’s top central banks were validated by fresh signs of weak global growth.

European stocks extended losses before the US open, after disappointing euro zone manufacturing data dovetailed with the fastest contraction in China’s giant factory sector in over three years.

Wall Street was expected to open 0.3 to 0.4 per cent lower, with all eyes on soon-to-bereleased manufacturing data there ECONG7 and oil prices wobbling again after a rally over the last two weeks.

January manufacturing surveys from Asia and Europe showed the new year began much as the old one ended - too much capac-

Source: NSE

over the week ahead is going to be pretty crucial, and that’s where we are going to get our direction ... That’s why we’re sitting where we are with not too much price action.”

Description

8.2

MPR

13

Crude oil price

$58.96

Yield

Price

Yield

15.10 27-APR-2017

1.24

105.80

9.99

106.80

9.15

16.00 29-JUN-2019

3.41

114.66

10.75

115.66

10.42

15.54 13-FEB-2020

4.04

111.08

12.00

112.08

11.70

16.39 27-JAN-2022

6.00

118.82

11.91

119.82

11.70

14.20 14-MAR-2024

8.12

110.88

12.06

111.88

11.87

10.00 23-JUL-2030

14.48 85.97

12.07

86.97

11.91

Rate (%) Inflation

Price

Closing Market Prices of January 29, 2016

Treasury Bills Maturity Date

Bid

Offer

28-Apr-16

4.53

4.58

28-Jul-16

7.01

7.27

19-Jan-17

8.31

8.31

Exchange

Rates (N)

WAUA

270

USD

196.95

EURO

214

CFA

0.32

YEN

1.64

Tenor

Rate (%)

SWISS FRANC

202

O/N

0.9800

1M

7.6319

POUNDS STERLING

293

3M

9.0312

SDR

273

6M

10.4720

NIBOR

CBN Clearing Rates of January 7, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

41

Tuesday, February 2, 216

Community Mirror I am calling on all APC members to accept this judgement and join me, so that we can work together for the socio-economic development of our dear state.

– Governor of Taraba State, Darius Ishaku

Technician electrocuted in Osun Boladale Bamigbola, Osogbo

A

middle-aged artisan, Kareem Teslim, has been electrocuted at a substation of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, IBEDC, located behind Ataoja’s palace, Osogbo, Osun State capital, over the weekend.

The incident came barely two months after a similar one was recorded behind Ilesa Motor Park, Osogbo, when a middleaged refrigerator technician and father of five, identified as Moshood Majoko, was electrocuted while trying to fix a faulty electricity cable.

Eye witnesses told Community Mirror that the deceased, who owns a shop around Iso Isu Area of Osogbo, was burnt by electricity after falling on a transformer.

Sources added that the deceased was in his shop when some yet to be identified people reported a faulty line in the substation a few metres away from his workplace and he was said to have immediately proceeded to the place where the fault was noticed.

One of those living near the scene of the incident, who preferred anonymity, told newsmen that the late Kareem did not know initially that the fault

A

as the issue of Obaship is concerned in Ikere is in tandem with the tradition of the town.”

The chiefs said the reaction of Oba Obasoyin to the pronouncement of the Ekiti State government through the deputy governor of the state, Dr Kolapo Olusola, who is an indigene of the town, was out of place because, according to them, “the respect past holders of that priesthood position enjoyed is derived from the spirituality Ikere attaches to Olosunta and approval of the Ogoga, the prescribed authority.”

bout 100 suspected criminals, including commercial sex workers, have been arrested following raids on hotels and other criminal black spots by Lagos State government.

It would be recalled that Bariga in recent months had become notorious due to activities of cultists. Only recently, a 65-yearold woman was burnt to death when hoodlums suspected to be cult members invaded Oshinfolarin Street on a reprisal attack and razed the building where she resided.

The state government made strong its vow to come down heavily on cult members and other criminal elements in the state, as a special task force established by the state government raided some of the brothels in the area.

The suspects, who has since been arraigned in batches, at various courtrooms in the Lagos Magistrate’s Court sitting in Ogba, on charges bothering on prostitution, criminal activities and wandering.

At Court 15, 30 suspected sex workers arraigned before Magistrate A.S. Odusanya, reportedly pleaded guilty to the onecount charge slammed against them. They were, however, sentenced to hours of community service with an option of fine.

Taskforce Chairman, Bayo Sulaiman, confirming the incident, said it was going to be a sustained exercise.

“I don’t see the exercise ending until the area is rid of unwanted elements, which are bent on turning Bariga into another flash point of crime in the state,” the chairman noted.

Law of Lagos State, 2011.

Persecutor, Inspector Idowu Onime, while testifying in court said the accused committed the offence on Jan 23 at 36, Adebisi Awosoga St, Dopemu.

Idris was said to have taken one bottle of beer while it was being offloaded from a carton into a shop.

“It was someone who saw

him drinking the beer that alerted one of the staff and he was apprehended,’’ said Onime.

The accused pleaded guilty to the charge.

The Magistrate, Miss A. R. Onilogbo, however, ordered that the suspect be remanded in Kirikiri prison while adjourning the case till February 10 for sentencing.

An offender being led to a Black Maria van, for not using the pedestrian bridge at Oshodi, Lagos.

PHOTO: SAMUEL ADETIMEHIN

would involve his climbing the pole before it could be rectified and was a bit reluctant when the realisation that he would have to climb the pole dawned on him.

“He was barely three minutes on the pole when electric voltage took off his dress and he shouted. He lost balance and fell on the transformer. Unfortunately, there was electricity supply at the time.

“His body was badly burnt and was barely recognisable.

Those standing nearby ran in different directions and he was left there for several hours,” another resident of Iso Ewe, who does not want his name in the press, said.

When contacted, Manager, branding and communication of IBEDC, Kike Owoeye, confirmed the incident and expressed concern over increasing rate of elec-

trocution caused by unauthorised access to facilities of the company.

She, however, warned people against unauthorised access to IBEDC facilities, saying henceforth, the company, with the help of law enforcement agencies, would deal decisively with any unauthorised persons caught working on facilities of the company.

Kingship feud: Ikere chiefs back Ogoga, caution Olukere Abiodun Nejo, Ado Ekiti

T

raditional chiefs in the ancient Ikere Ekiti community in Ekiti State have thrown their weight behind the Ogoga of Ikere Ekiti, Oba Samuel Adu, as the recognised authority in the kingdom.

The chiefs said the lineage of the Olukere of Ikere Ekiti, Oba Ganiyu Obasoyin, had no history or pedigree in the monarchical structure in the ancient town.

They spoke in a reaction to the Olukere, who addressed the press recently in reaction to a statement by the state government that there was only one monarch in the community.

The Olukere had alleged that he was already in Ikere before the arrival of the Ogoga and that as the aborigine, the government was wrong to have declared that there was only one monarch in Ikere.

But in a statement by the Sao of Ikere, Chief J.K.M. Omotosho, the chiefs insisted that “there’s only

Criminals, sex workers nabbed as task force raids community

one monarch in Ikere-Ekiti, Oba Samuel Adejimi Adu Alagbado, the Ogoga of Ikere, paramount ruler and prescribed authority in Ikere kingdom.

“All chiefs in Ikere owe their allegiance to the Ogoga of Ikere without exception. Our loyalty to the Ogoga is total.”

They cautioned the Olukere on his utterances and actions, saying such action as “arrogating to himself a non-existent obaship title without the approval of the state executive council is contrary to our law.”

The chiefs charged the general public to ignore what they described as “a call for war” by the Olukere, saying that law enforcement agents and the government have to do the needful in order “to sustain the peace we currently enjoyed in Ikere.

They stated, “The Olukere lineage has no history or pedigree in Ikere monarchical heritage since the foundation of the world.

“No government or constituted authority has accorded the Olukere lineage such respect or

recognition as pertains to a king in the history of Yoruba race,” the traditional chiefs said.

They also claimed that in the community, the “Olukere as a priest from time past to now has no single chief,” adding that “he does not confer any title on any one and no single Ikere chief responds to him.”

The chiefs aligned with the state government in its recent pronouncement that triggered the controversy, saying “the state government pronouncement that Ogoga is the only monarch as far

Man remanded for theft

O

ne Abdullah Idrish was on Monday arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court for allegedly stealing a bottle of beer valued at N250.

The 25-year-old tiler, who resides at No. 24, Ogunbambi Street, Dopemu, Lagos, was charged with stealing, contrary to section 285 of the Criminal

42

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

World News Amnesties are not permissible where there are allegations that reach the threshold of war crimes or crimes against humanity.

–UN’S HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, ZEID RA’AD AL HUSSEIN

Myanmar opens new parliament session

says anyone whose children are foreign cannot be president. Her sons are British not Burmese.

She has been very clear,

however, that she intends to run Myanmar, saying she would be above the president.

Suu Kyi, who has not named a possible candidate, did not speak to reporters as she entered the building.

But NLD MP Nyein Thit said: “We will work to get human rights and democracy as well as peace.”

The identity of the c o u n t r y ’s n e x t p re s i d e n t i s s t i l l a cl o s e ly g u a rd e d s e c re t .

For Suu Kyi to emerge, there would have to be an incredible last-minute deal and constitutional change.

Most likely it will be one of her most trusted confidantes, possibly her doctor.

The transition from military-only rule will go on until the NLD government officially starts its term in April.

The army overthrew the last democratically elected parliament in 1962.

tin, who encouraged him to stamp out a separatist insurgency in Chechnya. Thousands of civilians died in the North Caucasus republic when Russian troops fought the rebels there in the 1990s.

Reports said Kadyrov had become a dangerous loose cannon, a regional leader who believes he is untouchable.

The phrase “Whoever doesn’t get it will get it!” is the title of a thriller that Kadyrov said he had filmed, starring himself as a machine gun-toting all-action hero.

Russian opposition politician Mikhail Kasyanov

AFOLABI GAMBARI

WITH AGENCY REPORT

T

he first freely elected parliament in Myanmar for 50 years held its opening session yesterday.

Hundreds of new MPs, mostly from the National League for Democracy (NLD) but also some smaller parties, were also sworn-in and taken their seats.

The NLD, led by Aung San Suu Kyi, won 80 per cent of contested seats in November’s historic election.

But a quarter of all seats are reserved for the military, which also retains control of key ministries.

One of the new parliament’s first jobs will be to choose a new president when outgoing leader Thein Sein steps down at the end of March.

Suu Kyi, who spent 15 years under house arrest un-

Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi (centre) arriving at the Parliament yesterday der the former military government, cannot take the top job as a clause in the constitution which was widely seen as specifically targeting her

Russian contra in danger

C

hechnya’s leader, Ramzan Kadyrov, yesterday posted an Instagram video showing Russian opposition politician Mikhail Kasyanov in a sniper’s crosshairs.

Kasyanov, a former prime minister, is a high-profile critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, in the opposition RPR-Parnas party.

Russian opposition politicians have described the posting as a murder threat.

The Chechen leader said Kasyanov was seeking cash in Strasbourg for the opposi-

tion.

Last March, Kadyrov spoke out on Instagram about the assassination of opposition leader Boris Nemtsov in Moscow. That message defended one of the Chechens charged over the shooting.

A day later, however, Putin gave Kadyrov a top award.

Kadyrov runs Chechnya with an iron fist-his private militia has been accused of widespread human rights abuses, including torture and assassination.

He has close ties to Pu-

Tanzania makes killed pilot arrests

P

Tanzanian President John Magufuli

olice in Tanzanian have arrested three suspects over the death of a UK pilot Roger Gower working for a conservation fund whose helicopter was shot down by poachers on Sunday.

Natural Resources and Tourism Minister, Jumanne Maghembe, said yesterday that those arrested and detained were co-operating.

“Soon more people making up the poaching gang will be netted and brought to justice,” Maghambe said.

Gower, 37, had been flying

near an elephant killed by poachers when his helicopter came under fire.

The incident happened in Maswa Game Reserve, which borders the Serengeti National Park in norther n Tanzania.

Gower managed to land his helicopter, but died before he could be rescued, a Tanzanian MP and former minister for natural resources and tourism, Lazaro Nyalandu, said in a tweet.

A spokesman for Tanza-

nia’s national parks, Pascal Shelutete, said three elephant carcasses had been found in the area.

“This indicated that whoever shot the chopper down was on a serious illegal hunting spree,” Shelutete said.

“As I understand it, Roger knew they were around but came across them by accident. He didn’t really have enough time to evaluate the situation before they opened fire on him,” Roger’s brother, Max, said.

WORLD BULLETIN

AU shelves Burundi plan The African Union has abandoned its plan to send 5, 000 peacekeepers to help restore stability to troubled Burundi.

Officials said they would instead encourage political dialogue between Burundi’s opposing sides.

Burundi’s President Pierre Nkurunziza had fiercely opposed the AU plan’s to send peacekeepers.

His decision last April to seek a third term in office has led to ongoing violence and fears that Burundi is sliding into ethnic conflict.

At least 439 people have died and 240, 000 have fled abroad since last April.

The AU could have deployed troops without Burundi’s consent-a clause in its charter allows it to intervene in a member state because of grave circumstances, which include war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity-but it would have been the first time it had done so.

‘CAR kids abused by UN troops’ The United Nations said yesterday that it has new allegations of child sex abuse by European troops in the Central African Republic (CAR).

A number of girls aged between 14 and 16 have alleged they were raped by Georgian members of the EU’s operation EUFOR, according to the UN. Meanwhile a seven-year-old girl and a nine-year-old boy said they were abused by French troops.

The troops were sent to stem violence between Christian militias and largely Muslim rebels.

The rebels seized power in March 2013 - in response, the militias took up arms against them.

The abuse is alleged to have taken place near a camp for displaced people near Bangui Airport in 2014 but only came to light in recent weeks during interviews with a UN team.

Lions found in Ethiopia park A previously unknown population of at least 100 lions has been discovered by a wildlife charity in a remote park in north-western Ethiopia.

Born Free Foundation said it had obtained camera trap images and identified lion tracks in the Alatash area close to the border with Sudan.

The area is thought to have lost all its lions in the 20th Century because of hunting and habitat destruction.

“The lions are thought to be of the Central African subspecies, of which only about 900 were thought to survive,” Born Free Foundation’s Programmes Manager, Mark Jones, said yesterday.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

North

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

43

Borno village attack: NEMA confirms 65 dead, 136 injured GLORIA USMAN ABUJA

A

total of 65 persons were killed and 136 injured, following the weekend attacks on Dalori village by insurgents.

This is contained in a statement made available by the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, and signed by its Senior Information Officer, Sani Datti.

Dalori, which is less than 10km from Maiduguri, came under attacks

from Boko Haram Saturday evening. NEMA’s Emergency Response Team immediately mobilised for rescue along with others, which included the Police Anti-bomb Squad, NSCDC, Nigerian Army, and Federal Road Safety Corps and the Nigerian Red Cross.

Victims were evacuated to Umaru Shehu University Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri, and Borno General Hospital for medical attention, where 40 persons were confirmed dead.

However, the community buried 25 beside those that were taken to hospitals. 136 persons were injured in the attacks.

The insurgents came into the village and start-

ed shooting sporadically.

This put the villagers and the neighborhood into pandemonium and started running helter-skelter.

Some of the villagers that succeeded in moving

wo Divisional Police Officers, DPOs, on either side of the warring Share and Tsaragi communities yesterday disagreed while giving evidence before the Judicial Commission of Inquiry looking into the bloody clashes between the communities.

The communities had on December 19, 2015, engaged in a bloody communal clash leading to the death of about a dozen persons and properties running into hundreds of millions of naira destroyed.

Share and Tsaragi, two very close communities, had for decades been engaging in bloody clashes.

DPO for Share, Simon Ayinoko, told the commission that youths from Share were only cutting down trees surrounding LGEA

Primary School in the area contrary to general belief that they went to attack Tsaragi community.

However, his counterpart from Tsaragi, Isaac Baba, said that men from Share actually destroyed some economic trees on a disputed portion of land between the two communities.

Baba, who was the third witness taken by the commission at its resumed sitting yesterday, presented photographs indicating an alleged attack on him

by Share youths whom he claimed refused to yield to plea by the DPO of Share to stop cutting the trees in the interest of peace.

The police officer also tendered his trousers which were torn into shreds by a man from Share as he tried to stop the said man from going ahead with the cutting.

He also tendered two pictures of the unit com-

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as AREO ADEBAYO, now wish to be known and addressed as JOHN ADESOJI ADEYI. All former documents remain valid.

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ILORIN

T

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OLUWAROTIMI: Formerly known and addressed as OLUWAROTIMI JOSHUA SHEDRACK now wish to be known and addressed as ROTIMI JOSHUA SHEHINDEMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note CONFIRMATION OF NAME SALIU 7KLV LV WR FRQ¿UP WKDW SALIU RILIWON AKANBI and SALIU RIDWAN OLAWALE AKANBI refer to one and same person.Henceforth wish to be known and addressed as SALIU RIDWAN OLAWALE AKANBI. All former documents remain valid. general public take not

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Formerly known and addressed as ADIJAT YINKA MUSTAPHA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. AFOLABI MUSTAPHA ADIJAT ADEYINKA. All former documents remain valid. DIAMOND, FIRST BANK NIG PLC and general public please take note.

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Banks and general public please take note.

Unknown to them one of the suicide bombers sneaked into the midst of the gathering and detonated explosive devices killing scores of people and injuring many.

Adamawa decries injustice in federal appointments LIVINUS MENEDI YOLA

A

damawa State Governor, Mohammed Jibrilla Bindow, has decried the lopsided allocation of appointments into the Federal Civil Service,

which he said has shortchanged the state.

Bindow, who expressed concern about the lopsidedness in the federal civil service when he met yesterday with a Committee on Investment and Inter-Governmental Affairs empan-

DPOs disagree over Share/Tsaragi bloody clash WOLE ADEDEJI

out including those in the nearby IDPs camp (Dalori Camp II) converged under a big three where people normally gathered in the evening to do menial trading activities.

mander, Police Mobile Force 15, Ilorin, Mr. Umar Sandah, as well as those of three other mobile policemen who were shot during the crisis.

Although counsel to Ifelodun Local Government Area, Mr. Kamaldeen Gambari, objected to admitting the photographs and trousers in evidence, the commission under Justice Suleiman Akanbi, dismissed the objection on grounds that the commission was out to do substantial justice and would not allow itself to be bogged down by legal technicalities.

He also told the commission that people suspected to be from Share attacked the convoy of the Emir of Tsaragi on December 19, 2015 at the frontage of the palace of Olupako of Share and that the development further worsened the situation.

He added that the two CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as MISS ARATUNDE TOYIN ROSELINE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS FABUNMI OLUWATOYIN ROSELINE. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME SUNDAY: This is to inform the general public that my name was wrongly spelt as SUNDAY NDELI OBALIM instesd OKECHUKWU OBALIM CHRIS . Henceforth I wish to be known and addressed as OKECHUKWU OBALIM CHRIS. All former documents remain valid.

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communities engaged in cross-fire throughout the crisis, but that there was an order directing them not to shoot anyone.

Earlier, the DPO of Share, Simon Ayinoko, had told the commission that the best way to stop further crisis between the two communities is for government to take over the disputed area.

Area Commander of Bode Saadu, Mr Abdulazeez Obasa, overseeing four local governments including Ifelodun while testifying, said six policemen were seriously injured while attempting to stop the exchange of gunfire between the two communities.

He said the police had to withdraw tactically from the scene because they had been given orders not to shoot. “I wouldn’t know whether the firing came from Share or Tsaragi, but the two were armed,” he said.

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elled in the state to set it on the path of growth, vowed to take up the injustice with President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

The governor, who was reacting to the disclosure

by Senator Silas Zwingina, leader of the 50-member committee, that the state was only occupying 1.5 per cent of its statutory vacancies in the federal bureaucracy, promised to redress the anomaly.

He expressed confidence that the new administration led by All Progressives Congress, APC, will be fair to the state because it is unlike the previous Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, government that presided over a lopsided appointment to the detriment of the state.

“I will pursue this injustice meted to our state in the past, especially in the area of allocation of appointment slots in the federal civil service.

Shettima sets up monitors on food distribution to IDPs

F

ollowing recent outburst over alleged lopsidedness in the sharing of food and other items to Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, in their camps, Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, has constituted an Independent Task Force with the mandate to monitor feeding in the camps.

The Task Force will also evaluate feeding, supply and distribution of food items in all internally displaced persons camps numbering about 30 in the state.

Spokesman to Governor Kashim Shettima, Malam Isa Gusau, in a statement issued yesterday, said the Task Force was also to reassess the exact number of IDPs being fed, keep track of quality, reasonable quantity and regularity of CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as AJALA KAZEEM ADIO, now wish to be known and addressed as ABDULMALIQ KAZEEM BOLAJOKO ADIO. All former documents remain valid. WEMA Bank and general public please take note.

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meals; strengthen stock keeping and transparency in all supplies, distribution and utilisation of food items meant for IDPs. The Task Force is to take any other lawful step relevant to their terms of reference with a view to guarantee the welfare of internally displaced persons under the custody of government.

The Task Force which is to be immediately inaugurated by the Deputy Governor of Borno, Alhaji Usman Mamman Durkwa, is to be in place until May 29 2016.

The Task Force is to regularly report to the Deputy Governor who has been assigned by Shettima to directly supervise all affairs bothering on Internal Displaced persons in Borno State.

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Formerly known and addressed as OLABODE GRACE AARIOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as ADEBUNMITI GRACE AARIOLA. All former documents remain valid. Airport Police Command, Ikeja and general public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

ETIM: Formerly known and addressed as ETIM ELIZABETH PATRICK now wish to be known and addressed as AGORO ELIZABETH PATRICK . All former documents remain valid.

General public take note

CHANGE OF NAME

OSINAIKE: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Osinaike Oluwadamilola Blessing now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Opawoye Oluwadamilola Blessing All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

44

Tuesday, February 2, 2016 CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MISS ROFIAH ADEOLA ONIKOYI, HENCEFORTH, WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MRS. ROFIAH ADEOLA ONIKOYI-ABDULMALIK. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC, PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

Babalola: I formerly Miss Babalola Funmilola Margret wished to be known and addressed as mrs Adebisi Funmilola Margret. all former document remain valid,the general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME This is to inform and confirm to the general public that I Peter Moses Ime’s date of birth is 30th day of October,1995 and not 30th or 9th day of September, 1995 as was wrongly stated in my documents.

YABATECH and general public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Adeyeye: I formerly Miss Adeyeye Temilade Adefunke wished to be known and addressed as mrs Olaojo Temilade Adefunke.all former document remain valid,Ekiti state teaching service commission and the general public take note..

CHANGE OF NAME

AMAKA: Formerly known as Amaka Mathilda Okpalaji wish to be known and addressed as Amaka Mathilda Anakwe.All former documents remain valid .General public should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I FORMERLY MISS AKINGBADE ADESADE BISOLA NOW WISH TO BE ADDRESSED AS MRS TAIWOAFOLABI ADESADE BISOLA ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID.NYSC AUTHORITY AND GENERAL PUBLIC TO TAKE NOTE.

Formerly known as Sarumi Tawakalitu Toyosi wish to be known and addressed as Adesina Tawakalitu Toyosi.All former documents remain valid .General public should take note.

Formerly known as MISS FUNMILAYO NIKE wish to be known and addressed as MRS ADENUGA FUNMILAYO NIKE .All former documents remain valid First bank take note.General public should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I formerly known and addressed as Awode Hassan Dirisu, Now wish to be known and addressed as Awode Favour Dirisu. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Adeola Adesina Yakubu,= now wish to be known and addressed as Adeola Adesina Glory. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

OMORUYI: I, formerly known and addressed as OREYE FRANK OMORUYI, now wish to be known, called and addressed as EILOJIE SAMUEL EROMOSELE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Tona Bose Dayome, now wish to be known and addressed as Tona Bose Cynthia. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

This is to inform the general public that my was wrongly written as EBERE UMEH, instead of my correct name NCHEDO CHIDIEBERE EPUNEM, born on 10/02/1984. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Olubukola Dotun-Olabiyi, now wish to be known and addressed as Olubukola Opawumi. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

, formerly known and addressed as ADENUGA, ABDULWAHID OLUWASEUN, now wish to be known, called and addressed as AYANGA, ABDULWAHID OLUWASEUN. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Emmanuel Racheal, now wish to be known and addressed as Adebayo Olayinka Racheal.All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Ajayi Kolawole Olanrewaju, now wish to be known and addressed as Ajayi kolawole Eyitayo. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Akinwunmi Ajoke Omorinsola, now wish known and addressed as Giwa Ajoke Omorinsola.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as CHINYERE BRIDGET NGONADI, now wish known and addressed as CHINYERE BRIDGET OKPALA. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I FORMERLY KNOWN AS AMALA JOY ERIOBUNA NOW WISH TO BE ADDRESSED AS AMARA JOY NZELU. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE.

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I formerly known as BISI SALAMI BELLO now wish to be known and addressed as OLABISI BILIKIS BELLO. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

ORISAKWE: I, formerly known and addressed as ORISAKWE CHUKWUEMEKA, now wish to be known, called and addressed as ECHE EMEKA GEORGE. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

ANYADIKE AGU HEPHZIBAHBEULAH is one and same person known and addressed as SPENCER PROSPER GODDEBEST. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as MILA FIDELE BOB, now wish to be known and addressed as BONGESE BOTOLO MILA FIDELE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as ROBERTS OLAMIPOSI OLUBUSOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as AJIBOLA OLAMIPOSI. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note

PAUL: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS PAUL BOSEDE, now wish to be known, called and addressed as MRS. RASHIDAT IBRAHIM ISMAIL. All former document remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as MISS LINDA NGOZI IKEH, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ONYEMOBI NGOZI. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note

CHANGE OF NAME

OGBODO: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OGBODO QUEEN-MAUREEN, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS NWANKWO OSONDU QUEENMAUREEN. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

OTOBOH : I, formerly known and addressed as OTOBOH OSAGIE KENNETH now wish to be known and addressed as AIGBE KENNETH OSAGIE .All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

ECHINA: I, formerly known and addressed as PAULINUS ECHINA now wish to be known and addressed as IBRU EGEDE. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

OBIESIE: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OBIESIE NKIRU AGATHA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OKONKWO NKIRU AGATHA. All former documents remain valid.

IMT, General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

MICHEAL :I, formerly known and addressed as MICHEAL OBIAGELI JUDITH, now wish to be known and addressed as NDUBUISI OBIAGELI JUDITH . All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

ONOH: I, formerly known and addressed as BENARD NNADI ONOH now wish to be known and addressed as ONOH FELICIA ADA. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

NWEKE : I, formerly known and addressed as MISS NWEKE EVELYN UCHENNA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS EZEAMA EVELYN UCHENNA. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Kolawole Tunrayo, now wish to be known and addressed as Olopade Tunrayo Fatimo.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Ganiyu Aminat Oluwakemi, now wish known and addressed as Kolade Aminat Oluwakemi.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as JEGEDE FUNMILAYO TOYIN now wish to be known and addressed as ADESOKAN FATIMOH OLAWUNMI all former documents remain valid, general public to take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

FORMERLY KNOWN AS,MISS ASADU CHINONYE NOW WISH TO BE ADDRRESSED AS,MRS AMUJI CHINONYE RITA. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN V ALID,GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as OKANLAWON ISLAMIYAT TEMITOPE, now wish to be known and addressed as BELLO OMOLARA ISLAMIYAT. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note

CHANGE OF NAME

ANOSIKE: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS ANOSIKE OGECHUKWU JOY, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ORJI OGECHUKWU JOY. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

OZOR:I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OZOR CHINWENDU FRANCISCA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS NNAMANI CHINWENDU FRANCISCA. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

OKOLOANI: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OKOLOANI NNENNA ELIZABETH, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS UDOKWU NNENNA ELIZABETH. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public should please take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME

This is to inform the general public and authorities concerned that my name was wrongly written as CHUKU DESMOND in I.D card and correct is CHUKWU DESMOND. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known an addressed as Miss Bosede Theresa now wish to be known an addressed as Mrs. Abosede Theresa Akinsemoyin.All former documents remain valid .General public should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

FAMUDITIMI: I formerly Miss Famuditimi Falilat Oluwaseun wished to be known and addressed as Mrs Irinyemi Falilat Oluwaseun, all former document remain valid,the general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

IBRAHIM: I, formerly known and addressed as ABASS IBN IBRAHIM, now wish to be known, called and addressed as ABASS BEN IBRAHIM. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

IGIRI: I, formerly known and addressed as IDAKA IDO IGIRI, now wish to be known, called and addressed as STEPHEN IDO IGIRI. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Felix Meke now wish to be known and addressed as Felix Meke Mofe. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Rotimi Olamide Olalekan, now wish known and addressed as Akinsanya Olalekan. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Isokpehi Andy, now wish to be known and addressed as Isokpehi Andy Adamson Ohis. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME/DATE OF BIRTH CORRECTION

Formerly known and addressed as COLE ARCHIE, now wish known and addressed as COLE ARCHIE WALTON and my correct date of Birth is 16th October, 1983. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly known and addressed as GRACE ONWUEMENE, now wish to be known and addressed as GRACE NWAOJEI. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as John Enoch Feranmi, Now wish to be known and addressed as John Enoch Oluwaferanmi.

All former documents remain valid. USA Embassy and General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

ITORO: I, formerly known and addresed as PATRICK INOCENT ITORO, now wish to be known, called and addressed as ARCHIBONG INNOCENT PATRICK. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as ABDULMULTALIB, ABILE MUTANEBI MALIK, now wish to be known and addressed as MALIK ABDULMULTALIB ABILE. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Mrs. Alabi Faidat Tanwa now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Mande Faidat Tanwa. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known as BEN MARTINS now wish to be known and addressed as DEMION SUNDAY MARTINS. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME This is to confirm that ODEROWHO DAVID OJO, ODEROWHO ELOH and OPONE ODEROWHO OJO are one and the same person. All documents bearing these names are mine and remain valid.

General public and Authorities Concerned should take note.

AHMED: I, formerly known and addressed as AHMED UMAR TAKUCHI now wish to be known and addressed as UMARU AHMAD TAKUCHI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly Miss Jummai Juliet Omale now to be known as Mrs Jummai Juliet Ebiwari.

All former documents remain valid. General public to please note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

OGWIYI: I, formerly known and addressed as ONDOMA SAMUEL OGWIYI, now wish to be known and addressed as ALECHENU ENENCHE MARK. All former documents remain valid. General public take note

OBENDE: I, formerly known and addressed as CYNTHIA OBENDE, now wish to be known, called and addressed as CYNTHIA SOLOMON. All former document remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as IFEOMA ESTHER CHUKWU, now wish to be known and addressed as FIDELIS ESTHER CHUKWU. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note

CHANGE OF NAME

EZEME:I, formerly known and addressed as MISS EZEME CAROLINE NONYE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OKWOR CAROLINE NONYEI. All former documents remain valid. Enugu State Universal Base Education Board (ESUBEB) and general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

UBANDIRE: I, formerly known and addressed as FLORENCE A UBANDIRE, now wish to be known and addressed as FLORENCE ADAUGO AGU. All former documents remain valid .General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as MISS SHOLANKE BALKIS OMOLARA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS SHOLANKEJINAD BALKIS OMOLARA. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note

CHANGE OF NAME ARUM:I, formerly known and addressed as MISS ARUM CHINENYE BENEDICT, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS AJAH CHINENYE PRISCA. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public should please take note

CHANGE OF NAME

EGBUJIE: I, formerly now and addressed as MISS EGBUJIE OLUCHUKWU NKEMDILIM, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS IJENWAGU OLUCHUKWU NKEMDILIM. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

UDEH: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS UDEH CHIAMAKA AUGUSTINA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OMUGO CHIAMAKA AUGUSTINA. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

NWOYE :I, formerly known and addressed as NWOYE EMMANUEL CHISOM, now wish to be known and addressed as NGWUTA EMMANUEL CHISOM .

All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

This is to inform the general public and authorities concerned that my name was wrongly written as OKWUNEA IFEANYI in banking documentation and correct is OKWUNWE IFEANYI. All former documents remain valid.

Banks and general public should please take note.

This is to confirm that EZE BARBARA OBIAGELI,EZE CLARA OBIAGELI and EZE CLARA BARBARA OBIAGELI refer as one and same person . Henceforth wish to be known and addressed as EZE CLARA BARBARA OBIAGELI. My date of birth is 12th August 1985. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

KUBURAT AJIJA FUNSHO AROYEWU and FUNSHO KUBURAT AROYE is the same and one person. Now she wishes to be called and addressed as KUBURAT AJIJA FUNSHO AROYEWU. All former documents remain valid and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as NWADOZIE UDOKA PEACE, now wish to be known and addressed as UWAGA PEACE UDOKA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note

CHANGE OF NAME

GINIKANWA:I, formerly known and addressed as MISS GINIKANWA AMAKA .C., now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OKONKWO AMAKA CLARA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

ANI: I, formerly known and addressed as MICHAEL AJA ANI, now wish to be known and addressed as MICHEAL ONYEAMAUWA ANI. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

NWAFOR: I, formerly known and addressed as BLESSING IFEOMA NWAFOR, now wish to be known and addressed as CHIKA MODESTA NWAFOR . All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public please take note.

ADDITION OF NAME

That I was formerly known and addressed as EMMANUEL CHINWETALU that I now wish to add CHUKWUEMEKA to my former name that I now wish to be known, called and addressed as EMMANUEL CHIWETALU CHUKWUEMEKA. All former documents remain valid.

Banks and general public should please take note.

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Aliu tasks AFN opn drug education

Iheanacho in for UEFA Champions League N

Sport

Iheanacho celebrating a goal

“I have decided that. I told Samir Nasri I will take him out from the Champions League list because he needs two more months to be fit.

“We need Kelechi, because with Wilfried Bony injured, we cannot afford any risks if Kun (Sergio Aguero) is injured.

“So, we need Kelechi in the squad.

“It was not a difficult decision, but it’s always difficult to tell a player he will not continue in the selections.

“But I think Samir understood. He has already been injured for three months and he understands.”

Nasri has been out of action with a hamstring injury for three months.

Iheanacho, however, does not believe he is a long term replacement yet for Aguero.

The Argentine was an unused substitute at Villa Park when Iheanacho netted his treble against Aston Villa.

“I am happy to play together with Sergio and hope I can do it for many years more at City,” the Nigerian youngster said.

...Guardiola takes over his coaching at City

O

utgoing Bayern Munich Coach, Pep Guardiola, will take over from Manuel Pellegrini at Manchester City on a three-year deal from the end of the season, admitting it was a “risk” but also an opportunity he could not turn down.

“If I were 55 or 60 years old, I’d stay (at Bayern) until Karl-Heinz Rummenigge or Matthias Sammer said ‘enough’,” Guardiola said yesterday.

The Spaniard said he thought himself “young enough. I need a new challenge.”

He added that he couldn’t finish his career “without experiencing England.”

“I love getting to know new restaurants, new cities.

I want to sample the atmosphere, the emotions. I know it’s a risk, but it’s exactly what I love.”

45

I never went in for aerial challenges at Liverpool.

You lose 150 brain cells every time you head a ball; I used to make Mark Lawrenson do all the heading.

–Alan Hansen (1938)

47

igeria youth prodigy, Kelechi Iheanacho, has been rewarded with a place in the UEFA Champions League squad by Manchester City, following his impressive performances for the EPL club.

According to africanfootball.com, Iheanacho, who scored a hat-trick last weekend in a cup game against Aston Villa at the Villa Park, has replaced recuperating Samir Nasri in a 25-man squad submitted by Coach Manuel Pellegrini.

“Yes, he (Iheanacho) will be in the squad,” said Pellegrini on Kelechi’s inclusion in the Champions League squad.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Manchester City, bankrolled by the Abu Dhabi United Group headed by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed alNahyan, earlier released a statement saying they could “confirm that in recent weeks it has commenced and finalised contractual negotiations with Pep Guardiola to become MCFC head coach for the 2016/17 EPL season onwards.”

The 45-year-old Guardiola notched up the treble of Champions League, German Cup and Bundesliga titles in 2013, but in the last two seasons, Bayern have exited the Champions League at the semi-final stage.

He previously coached Barcelona from 2008-12, leading the Catalan giants to domestic and Champions League glory in a remarkable run of success.

Guardiola

46

Sports

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Stoke stop Osaze’s Marseille move

E

nglish Premier League side, Stoke City, have turned down Olympique Marseille’s offer to sign their Nigerian forward, Peter Odemwingie, on loan, till the end of the season.

According to the latest reports in England, Stoke City manager, Mark Hughes, refused to sanction the deal and it means the 34-year-old will remain at the Britannia Stadium until the end of the

Odemwingie

CHAN: Katongo rues penalty miss

Z

ambia captain, Christopher Katongo, says he is not going to get sleepless nights over his missed penalty last Sunday night.

Katongo missed Zambia’s opening post-match penalty in their 5-4 shoot-out loss to Guinea in the 2016 African Nations Championship (CHAN) quarterfinals following a scoreless draw at the end of extra-time.

The Zambia captain said it was his duty to lead from the front whatever the consequences on the night in Rubavu.

“I am disappointed but as a leader you need be up in front and give players confidence,” Katongo said.

“I am bound to make mistakes; if Cristiano Ronaldo can make a mistake, who am I? “This is part of football and the challenges we face as players.”

Katongo, though, had played an instrumental

role in inspiring Zambia to the last eight scoring the winner in Chipolopolo’s 1-0 victory over Uganda on January 27 in their penultimate Group D match to see them advance with a match to spare.

Katongo, who was not part of the Chan qualifiers, was also making his first return to the team since October 2014 when he was axed by former Coach Honour Janza in a major cull of the old guard that has now been reserved under his successor George Lwandamina.

I

Mancini

Shooting Stars name Ikhana as TA

T

Katongo

Mancini fined, banned! nter Milan coach, Roberto Mancini, has been handed a fine and a one-match ban by Serie A officials following a series of incidents at last Sunday’s 3-0 derby defeat to AC Milan.

Mancini was sent from the touchlines in the second half after arguing with the fourth official when the referee failed to award a penalty after Milan goalkeeper, Gianluigi Donnarumma, clashed with striker Eder.

As Mancini was enter-

campaign.

There were reports that Odemwingie was due to fly out of England to France to finalise personal terms with Marseille before the deal fell through.

The Nigerian has six months left in his current contract with The Potters and also an option of another year.

He has made just seven appearances for Stoke City this season.

ing the players’ tunnel, he offered a one-fingered gesture to AC Milan supporters and then afterwards was involved in a foul-mouthed rant on live television.

A Serie A statement yesterday said Mancini “was disrespectful towards the referee in the sixth minute of the second half.

“When he was faced with expulsion from the touchlines he insulted the fourth official and then directed an insult-

ing gesture towards fans, an infringement that was caught on camera afterwards.”

As well as paying a 5 000-euro fine, Mancini will now watch from the stands when Inter host Chievo tomorrow looking to secure their first win in five games.

Last Sunday’s defeat was the first time Inter had lost by three clear goals to Milan since April 2011 and left the Nerazzurri nine points behind leaders Napoli.

he management of Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) side, 3SC yesterday appointed Kadiri Ikhana as the side new technical adviser for the upcoming season.

Ikhana guided Enyimba to win their seventh league title on a record 70 points in the out gone 2014/15 NPFL season.

An official of the side, Jubril Arowolo said the former Kwara United handler has already been introduced to the players as he expressed satisfaction with the new challenge at the Ibadan landlords.

“The management has finally appointed Kadiri Ikhana as technical adviser for the coming NPFL season.

“Ikhana has been introduced to the players after Monday’s afternoon training where he expressed his joy to work with 3SC. “Ikhana told the players that his is happy with the new challenge and said together they will lift 3SC to a higher height,” said Arowolo to supersport.com.

Ikhana

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sports

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

47

World bits…

Coe apologises for ‘clumsy’ responses

S

Mercyjacob_26@yahoo.com Tel: 08063056537

abastian Coe has received crucial backing to remain as IAAF president, despite another damning report on athletics’ doping scandal and admitting that he leads a “failed organisation”.

Coe also apologised for some “clumsy” responses to the crisis which has engulfed athletics after a new report by the World Anti-Doping Agency’s independent commission identified serious failures in the IAAF. The commission said the IAAF Council - which included Coe - “could not have been unaware of the extent of doping in athletics”. It stated Coe’s right-hand man Nick Davies, who stepped aside from his position as IAAF chief of staff last month, was “well aware of Russian ‘skeletons’ in the cupboard”.

Despite those findings, com-

mission chairman Dick Pound said double Olympic 1,500m champion Coe remains the best man to reform the IAAF after years of corruption and nepotism under his Senegalese predecessor Lamine Diack, who orchestrated a conspiracy to secure bribes from athletes to cover up positive drugs tests and used his two sons to collect the money.

Speaking in Munich after the publication of the report, Coe said: “The moment I became president [in August], the IAAF was being criticised for all sorts of things.

“If, on occasions, my language has been clumsy, I apologise. It’s never meant to be. I know how serious this is. The overall issue about whether or not we are in an organisation that has failed, I tell you we have. I know that. We are a failed organisation.”

Jackson promotes IAAF World half marathon Championships

I

Aliu

Aliu tasks AFN on drug education

F

ormer Nigerian sprinter, Deji Aliu, has charged the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) on the need to educate athletes always on the danger of performance enhancing drugs insisting that it is the only way to keep athletes away from drug.

Aliu told National Mirror in an interview that AFN needs to learn from Russian experience and make it a duty to educate its athletes on what to take and what not to take to avoid the IAAF hammer .

Russia was banned indefinitely by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) recently after a commission by the World Anti-Doping Agency uncovered widespread doping among its athletes. The report also claimed the Russian

government was complicit in a well-organized program to give its competitors a chemical edge in competitions.

“With my observation right from when I was an athlete Nigerian government did not always take it as a priority to sanitise the sporting family and that neglect has caused some of our athletes to retire untimely.

“With recent happenings in the athletics world there is need for AFN to increase the education awareness of the performance enhancing drugs if they want our athletes to be free from drug.

“If you go close to these athletes you will discover that some of them don’t even know there are certain drugs they are not suppose to take and tell me how would they know if nobody edu-

cate them,” Aliu said.

There have been some circumstances that an athlete who tested positively claims ignorant at times some point accusing fingers at their coach or the federation. To avoid all these occurrences AFN need to awake from their duties It would be recalled that Russia was suspended in November after a World Anti-Doping Agency commission, led by Dick Pound, exposed widespread, systematic and allegedly state-sanctioned doping.

The move bars Russia from all international track and field competition for an indefinite period, including the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, until the country is judged to have fixed its problems and fallen into line with global anti-doping rules.

Star Quote…

To give anything less than your best, is to sacrifice the gift.

–Steve Prefontaine

AAF Ambassador Colin Jackson has urged new and ‘fun’ runners to take advantage of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take part in the IAAF/ Cardiff University World Half Marathon Championships Cardiff 2016 on Saturday 26 March.

The former 110m hurdles world record holder visited Cardiff University’s Sports Village on Saturday (30) to meet 500 runners that have given free places to take part in the race, as part of the IAAF’s Athletics for a Better World initiative.

The ABW500 scheme is aimed at helping people who have never run before, or are very inexperienced to experience the championships, the biggest athletics event to have come to Wales.

Jackson, who grew up in Cardiff, commented: “I grew up on a council estate and sport changed my life. Athletics is a very important tool in promoting social

change.

“The great thing about the IAAF/Cardiff University World Half Marathon Championships is anyone can take part. It doesn’t matter if you are a complete beginner taking your first steps into running, if you commit to it and dedicate yourself to the training then you will be able to finish.

“Cardiff 2016 is going to be a fantastic event and might be the only time the World Half Marathon Championships comes to Wales, so I’d urge everyone to make the most of the opportunity because I guarantee they won’t regret it.

“It’s important elite athletes like Mo Farah are ambassadors for this event, because they make the goal real and achievable. Seeing athletes at events like this shows people that really they are just like you - everyday people who worked hard at something and got good at it.”

Russian officials appeal doping bans

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hree senior athletics officials who were handed life bans by the IAAF Ethics Commission have filed appeals to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against their sanctions.

Papa Massata Diack, the former marketing consultant to the IAAF and son of ex-IAAF president Lamine Diack, plus former president of the AllRussia Athletic Federation (ARAF) and honorary treasurer of the IAAF Valentin Balakhnichev and former senior ARAF coach Alexei Melnikov were all issued bans for their part in the cover-up of Russian athlete Liliya Shobukhova’s positive drugs tests identified by her Athlete Biological Passport data, while former IAAF anti-doping head Gabriel Dollé was handed a five-year ban for his involvement.

Since the bans were announced on January 7, French police have also issued an international arrest warrant via

Interpol for Diack Jr. He is currently in his home country of Senegal, and the prime minister Mohammed Dionne stated that the wanted man would not be extradited.

A CAS statement read: “Three appeals have been filed at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) Ethics Commission decision dated 7 January 2016.

“Valentin Balakhnichev, former president of the AllRussia Athletic Federation (ARAF), Alexei Melnikov, former chief ARAF coach for long distance walkers and runners, and Papa Massata Diack, former marketing consultant to the IAAF, all seek to have their life bans from involvement in the sport of track and field annulled.

“CAS arbitration procedures are in progress. The CAS will not comment any further at this time.”

WORLD RECORD

Largestdribbling hockey stick Fastest marathon two basketballs The largest hockey stick is 62.48 m (205 ft) long, weighs 28.12 tonnes (62,000 lb) and was commissioned by Canada’s Federal Government for the Canadian Pavilion at the Expo 1986, in Vancouver, Canada.

N150

Vol. 05 No. 1298 Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Rule of law and the fight against corruption

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resident Muhammadu Buhari, it was during presidential campaigns, who said: “If we don’t kill corruption, corruption will kill us”. That, of course, underscores the institutionalized nature of corruption in our nation. From independence till date, corruption has been bad news for our country. It has been recently estimated that over $300 billion have either been out rightly stolen or misappropriated by government officials and their collaborators since the advent of the current political dispensation.

For Buhari, corruption must die for Nigeria to live. True to his promise and, perhaps, true to type, Mr. President has begun to tackle corruption headlong as evident in

Guest Columnist

Tayo Ogunbiyi

the various ongoing corruption trials and investigations in the country. Revelations from such investigations, as usual, have been mindboggling. Weird disclosures concerning the $2.1 billion arms deal scandal, in particular, are quite nauseating. That a group of Nigerians could unconscionably divert money meant for such vital national needs is a reflection of how low we have sunk as a people. It is, therefore, a welcome development that legitimate means are being used to bring perceived culprits in the saga to book. The only thing that evil needs to thrive in any given society is for evil to constantly go unpunished.

But then, for the president to actually succeed in his war against corruption, he has a big hurdle to cross: the rule of law.

Universally, the principle operates on the legal theory that law should govern a nation and not capricious verdicts of ‘powerful’ individuals. The rule of law underlines the power and weight of law within society, principally as a restraint upon behavior, including that of public officials.

Democracy and the rule of law are mutually interwoven. For democracy to thrive, the supremacy of the rule of law must be jealously guarded.

From the foregoing, it could be affirmed, at least in theory, that the rule of law provides a legal framework for Buhari to wage his war against corruption.

Since supposed looters of the treasury have actually acted in defiance of the law, the law must take its toll on them. But it is not really that simple as the rule of the law equally protects alleged looters of

THERE IS ENOUGH IN THE LAW TO ANNIHILATE CORRUPTION FROM THE LAND the nation’s economy from arbitrariness.

Since offence allegedly committed by the perceived looters is yet to be substantially proven before a competent court of law, they are presumed innocent until proven otherwise.

This, however, is the dilemma of Buhari in his war against corruption. Over the years, corruption has found comfort in the provision of the rule of law to strengthen its evil hold on the nation. So, all it takes for an alleged corrupt individual to escape from or frustrate the wheel of justice is to hire a brilliant lawyer, who understands the strength and weakness of the law and uses same to the full advantage of his client. Since corruption has given the alleged looter enormous access to ill gotten wealth, money is not likely to be a problem in the scheme to subvert justice. On the long run, rather than the law taking care of corruption, corruption takes care of the law. Ultimately, corrupt public officials and individuals become atrociously arrogant as they revel in their above-the-law status.

Confronted by the enormous wealth and the smart legal backing of corrupt public officials and ‘powerful’ individuals, the law simply becomes a mere paper tiger and a toothless bulldog. Of what use is a properly crafted law that cannot be enforced? This is

exactly the reason why many of the high profile corruption cases that have been in court for years remain mostly inconclusive. Majority of the former governors and other prominent politically exposed figures, whose corruption cases were once widely celebrated in the media are now walking free in the society. This has made many Nigerians to become dispirited about the likely outcome of the current onslaught against corruption. Many believe that, characteristically, corruption would have its way, irrespective of what the law says.

Does it now follow that the law aids corruption? Has corruption become so deeply entrenched in our system that the law has become helpless to hack it down? Though, past experiences point to the fact that the law might no longer be sufficient in the war against corruption, the truth, however, is that corruption is not bigger than the law.

There is enough in the law to annihilate corruption from the land. We only need to take decisive steps to reform the administration of justice in the country.

The judiciary is, unfortunately, as corrupt as other institutions in the country.

Allegations of fraudulent deals and gross misuse of office by judicial officers have continued to increase. Not a few judges have been accused of collaborating with criminals to undermine the judicial process. At every stage in the judicial system, one is confronted with unbelievable monumental acts of corruption. From the Investigating Police Officers (IPOs) to other judicial officers involved, at one stage or the other, in a corruption case, one is bound to come face to face with the awesome ingenuity of corruption machinery in the country.

Justice cannot be said to be served in a system that allows ‘small’ thieves to rot in prison, while ‘big’ ones walk in absolute freedom.

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

Sport Extra

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otal costs for this summer’s Olympics and Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro have risen by BRL400 million (£69m/$98.6m/91m) in the last six months, despite the introduction of well-publicised budget cuts, it has been revealed.

Rio 2016 Olympics budget rises to $9.6bn Report says the figure is mainly due to the rising costs of supplying temporary power as well as seating at venues, according to Marcelo Pedroso, President of the Public Olympic Authority (APO) respon-

sible for monitoring Gamesrelated spending.

When spending budgets from Municipal, State and National Governments are combined, in addition to private sectorcontributions,totalspending

now stands at BRL39.1bn (£6.8bn/$9.6bn/8.8bn).

This marks an increase of approximately one per cent since the APO’s last cost review in August.

It is also a rise of al-

most 27 per cent from the original target of BRL28.8bn (£5bn/$7.1bn/6.5bn) which was forecast for organising costs and wider-infrastructural spending when Rio de Janeiro was awarded the Games in 2009.

President Rousseff

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