BusinessDay 13 Oct 2019

Gbajabiamila to recommend creation of special fund for women in politics to APC JAMES KWEN, Abuja

S L-R: Viola Onwuliri, commissioner for education Imo State; Gerald Irona, deputy governor Imo State; Emeka Ihedioha, governor Imo State; Emeka Nwajiuba, minister of state for education; Emeka John Ofem, pro-chancellor and chairman governing council FUTO; Francis Eze, vice chancellor FUTO, during the visit of the minister and top officials of FUTO at the Government House in Imo.

peaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila said he would recommend to the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the creation of a special fund for women to sponsor their political activities.

Gbajabiamila observed that with the right candidates with good ideas, funding and organisation, more Nigerian women would get elected into political offices.

The Speaker said, as a politician, he

believes that Nigerian women could also engage in more advocacy, lobby, peaceful protests, among others to drive home their point to get into more elective positions.

Gbajabiamila in a keynote address at Women in Politics Dialogue organised by the Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WimBiz) on Saturday in Abuja, said he believes Nigerian women have a lot to offer in politics and governance.

He noted that elections are generally won on four things which are Continues on page 4

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Delta turns teachers into millionaires as 12 get cash, car rewards p. 18

inside

When Okorocha struck the right chord in the Senate

p. 19

Odole Oodua: Yoruba heritage goes to another deserving son

p. 23

Toll gate to purgatory

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CHUKA UROKO

he Federal Government of Nigeria is broke or so it seems. But the government has to run and, to do so, the government needs money.

Since the managers of government cannot or are not ready to think of ways to make money, the citizens have to fund the government. Tax is the word and only way out.

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Vol 1, No. 284 N300

?? problem is the major hindrance Equities shed N534bn in eight days as Dangote ‘Environmental to Nigeria achieving its local content target’ Flour, Global Spectrum postpone AGMs p.39

pp.41 41.

Mired in controversy

2020: Mega needs, meagre budget It is a fraud – Ononuju We can’t have an anemic budget of N10trn for 200m Nigerians – Agbakoba It will be funded through sweat and blood of Nigerians – Galadima Total amount does not inspire any significant hope – Analysts ‘President should have allowed the new EAC tinker with the budget’ History will be kind to Buhari – BMO ZEBULON AGOMUO, OBINNA EMELIKE, INNOCENT ODOH AND INIOBONG IWOK

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or those who have the eyes to see into the future, 2020 is likely going to be more challenging for hapless Nigerians than the current year, no thanks to the proposed budget rolled out by the Federal Government for that year.

Although the total figure appears bigger than that of 2019, the budget for 2020 flies in the face of daunting needs that demand financial outlay for solutions.

Some ministries are already lamenting that allocation to them is paltry and does not reflect the size of their needs.

Key sectors that should prepare Nigeria for a secure future, particularly education, were given little consideration and meagre allocation in the budget. Despite the criticisms that have trailed the budget proposal, plaudits have however, attended to the presentation by President Muhammadu Buhari. Hence, the

L-R: Daniel Amokachi, Ex-Nigeria International; Siju Iluyomade, founder/CEO, Arise Women; Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, senior special adviser to the president on Sustainable Development Goals; Idowu Iluyomade, pastor-in-charge, RCCG City of David/special assistant to the general overseer, RCCG, and Dakuku Peterside, director-general, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), at the 2019 Arise ‘Walk for Life’ in Lagos, yesterday. Pic by Olawale Amoo

2020 Appropriation Bill has been mired in deep controversy.

Some Nigerian analysts have argued that the budget, which

will run on deficit, is doomed to fail because of the alleged heavy taxation it will impose on the people and urged Nigerians to

prepare for more suffering ahead.

President Muhammadu Buhari last Tuesday, presented the 2020 ApContinues on page 2

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Cover Mired in controversy...

Continued from page 1 propriation Bill, which has aggregate expenditure proposed for the Federal Government at N10.33 trillion.

The budget also has the sum of N8.155 trillion estimated as the total Federal Government revenue in 2020 and comprises oil revenue N2.64 trillion, non-oil tax revenues of N1.81 trillion and other revenues of N3.7 trillion, which according to President Buhari, is seven percent higher than the 2019 comparative estimate of N7.594 trillion inclusive of the government-owned enterprises.

However, about a quarter of the budget, the sum of N2.45 trillion will be used for debt servicing, while capital expenditure is expected to gulp N2.14 trillion, which excludes the capital component of statutory transfers.

The expenditure estimate includes statutory transfers of N556.7 billion, non-debt recurrent expenditure of N4.88 trillion and provision for Sinking Fund to retire maturing bonds issued to local contractors is N296 billion.The budget was based on the assumption of $57 per barrel with crude oil production of 2.18 million barrels per day and the exchange rate assumed at N305 to $1.

Real GDP growth of 2.93 percent was another assumption of the budget while “inflation is expected to remain slightly above single digits in 2020.”

The budget is a fraud- Ononuju A Public Affairs Analyst, Katch Ononuju (PhD Economics), told BDSUNDAY on Friday that the budget is a fraud because it is based on taxation of Nigerians.

“A budget based on taxation; have you ever heard about that before? It is a scam. For us, the budget is not acceptable. You want to jack up everything, it is just a general consumption tax; it is not going to work.

“What that means is that they have not been able to grow the economy. The people are suffering why are you taxing them? You are taxing a population that has a very low per capita income, this is not proper. This is unsustainable,” he said.

Speaking about the communications tax for instance, Ononuju said “My mother calls me from the village you tax her, my sister calls me you tax her. Somebody is sick and tries to call the doctor you tax that call, a child calls from school to tell his daddy that he is not well, you tax him.

“So, who will gain from this? Don’t you see that something is wrong with this government? Buhari has failed and there is no need for us to pretend about it, Buhari’s government is a calamitous mistake,” he said.

He also condemned debt servicing of the budget with 2.45 trillion, saying that using about a quarter of the budget to service the loans, not repaying back the loan, shows that Buhari does not know what he is doing, wondering what government is doing with all the money it claims it has saved in the Treasury Single Account (TSA). He said that government has not been sincere.

He opined that President Buhari should have allowed the new Economic Advisory Committee (EAC) to tinker with the budget, provide advice and provide guidance instead of preparing it in a hurried form.

“Buhari has admitted for the first time that his economic policies have indeed failed. He is telling the people that he does not have plans to grow

the economy, what he has is a plan to tax the people,” Ononuju added.

He called for restructuring of the country to allow the federating units to grow themselves instead of the current unitary arrangement.

Nigerians will suffer more for choosing Buhari -Buba Galadima Buba Galadima, a prominent politician, who also spoke with BDSUNDAY on Friday on the budget, said Nigerians would pay dearly for choosing Buhari as President, warning that more suffering will be imposed on Nigerians. He stressed that Buhari is not perturbed by the people’s pain even as he chided the National Assembly for clapping instead of booing the President for “taxing everybody.”

“Look at the budget; it will be funded through sweat and blood of Nigerians through taxation. He will tax Nigerians then his boys in government will steal the money and nothing will be on ground. Buhari has taken loans more than any other government in Nigeria from Lord Lugard to Jonathan, yet there is nothing on ground and some people are clapping for him,” he said.

Galadima alleged that Buhari’s government is the most corrupt in the world. “Is there any government in the world that is half as corrupt as the Buhari government? Who does not know that we are going to fund the budget for his people to steal?

They are only converting our common wealth for their own use. Buhari is not perturbed by the suffering in the land. This is the crisis we are in.

This man has no respect for human feeling,” he said.

“Nigerians should pray and stand up,” he said, even as he alleged that the president does not even know what is happening around him as an unelected cabal has hijacked power and ruling Nigeria.

Going by an army of jobless people, unemployable youths and the consequent increase in crime rate, concerned citizens thought that government should have budgeted more for education, including technical education and skills acquisition, with the hope of engaging many idle hands and impacting the economy.

Unraveling how unserious Nigeria is in developing its education sector to a level that is good enough to impart needed skills for job creation, Gabriel Eluma, an education consultant/school proprietor, called the proposed budget for education paltry and unrealistic for job creation.

For him, it is sad that South Africa is proposing to spend about N10.7 trillion (an amount larger than the 2020 Budget) on education alone for a population of about 60 million people, while Nigeria with over 200 million people, is proposing N160 billion for education.

“The result will not be the same.

Despite its improved educational infrastructure, South Africa is boosting its education sector; hence, we will keep sending our children to universities in South Africa and other countries that are making sustained commitments to boost their education sector”, Eluma said.

On job creation, Bode Ake, an oil and gas business executive, said that high interest rates charged by banks do not encourage entrepreneurs to easily access credit facilities to set up businessesor expandexistingones to employ more people.

“At 25 percent interest rate, most

L-R: Ibrahim Shema, former governor of Katsina State; Bukola Saraki, former Senate president, and Seyi Makinde, Oyo State governor and chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Campaign Council for Kogi State, at the inauguration of the PDP Campaign Committees for the Bayelsa and Kogi states’ elections, held at the PDP National Secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Abuja. entrepreneurs are shying away from bank loans because the economy is not vibrant enough to assure prompt repay of the loans. Even the Central Bank has recently sanctioned commercial banks for not giving out loans, but business owners are not borrowing from banks again, they rather look for equity or private lenders”, Ake said.

The oil and gas guru decried the commendations to the president on the proposed budget, asking, “What is there to rejoice about when the 2020 proposed budget is not big enough to stimulate the needed economic growth”?

For Ake, the budget does not give hope for the alleviation of the sufferings of the poor who the government should even protect more when there is no assurance that the border is going to open soon, rice is going to peak N50,000 by December, and prices of every other thing going up daily.

“The average person on the street is still waiting for the dividends of democracy. But instead of that, the votes during the elections seem not to be yielding the promised welfare, better economy, jobs, security, among others. Instead there is increase in taxes, toll gates coming up, cuts on deposits and withdrawals, food price rising, which further impoverishthemasses.Government should cut down on its expenditure, cost of running democracy and curb corruption within and use the saved money to boost the economy and not making the poor poorer”, he said.

For those who appreciate the plan by the National Assembly for hasty passage of the budget, Jerry Ikhile, an economist, noted that there is no need to hasten the passage if the country is going to be in a circle of doom with the budget.

He noted that while the president said that he adopted a conservative oil price benchmark of US$57 per barrel, daily production estimate of 2.18 million barrels of oil per day and an exchange rate of N305 per US dollar for 2020, but when oil sells beyond the benchmark nobody tells Nigeria how the excess revenue is spent.

“I rather advise the National Assembly leadership to send the budget back to the president for proper scrutiny and boosting because the masses are not finding it easy now and what they need are things that

will lift them from the present predicament and not adding to it”, he said.

Ikhile insisted that the paltry N262 and N127 billion for Works and Housing and Power sectors respectively are not enough in closing the gap in infrastructure deficit in the country, which has resulted in the closure and relocation of many companies, especially to Ghana and other West African countries where electricity supply is stable and taxation policy is favourable.

He also thinks that if successive governments had given industrialisation, education and job creation the needed attention, there would have been a robust economy, good jobs and security in the country by now.

But the failure of government to do these, according to Ikhile, gave rise to insecurity now requiring huge budget as evident in the N100 billion andN81billionproposedforDefence and Niger Delta respectively.

Most people think that Agriculture, which has potential of employing millions of people should have be given more than the N83 billion in the proposed budget; a pointer to the fact that government is not going to do much in boosting food production, while it is closing borders against imported food items.

They insisted that the 2020 budget does not inspire any significant hope, and are foreseeing more sufferings for the average Nigerian.

We can’t have an anemic budget of N10trn for 200m Nigerians - Agbakoba In an open letter written to the President, titled: ‘Kudos for on time budget presentation but missing fundamentals remain’, a copy of which was sent to BDSUNDAY, Olisa Agbakoba, a former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), said: “I applaud the unusual departure of the Government of Nigeria by laying the budget estimates in good time and the reciprocity of the National Assembly to pass the estimates in 2019!

This is record-breaking, but alas, this is only as good as can be said of the budget estimates.”

The senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN) however, noted that: “In a country of 200 million and 50percent living in poverty, the budget reflects many missing fundamentals. The starting point with this budget is a diagnosis of our condition. I would diagnose that Nigeria is afflicted

with malignant metabolic economic syndrome complicated by high inflation, high interest rates, mass unemployment, weak infrastructure, slow growth, unclear borrowing policy, unaccountable subsidy, etc.”

According to him, “To turn things around, I like to assume that you have charged the new Economic Advisory Council to give us short and immediate solutions. Working from my diagnosis of Nigeria’s economic disease, we need to work out a macro-economic development framework that lays out a harmonised fiscal, monetary, investment, legal, institutional and regulatory agenda.

Fiscal policy or rate at which government spends, must be dramatically expansionary. We cannot have an anemic budget of N10trillion for 200 million Nigerians, which is equivalent to N50,000 per person, per annum.

This will keep us in poverty abysmal when we need double digit growth!

“On the basis of a GDP of 400 billion Dollars, the baseline annual budget should be 20percent which approximates 20-30 trillion annual spend rather than the miserly 10 trillion budget. Our annual spend is anemic and we have to infuse large money. For monetary policy, we need urgent quantitative easing, which is easing of all interest rates in particular to slack the heavy burden of high interest rates on lending afflicting long suffering Nigerians. We must be very proactive to look for new funds.”

Agbakoba told Buhari that “Traditionally, public revenue has depended on tax and oil receipts but there are far too many other sources- the Maritime sector is laden with cash, agriculture and the blue ocean, trade, the real sector, and controversial as it may appear, revenue that can be derived from new legislation on immunity from criminal prosecution.

Government must consider legislation on criminal immunity to those who have plundered us, and we will likely see massive inflows of our money in foreign banks back to us. At present, the money is out of our reach anyway! I estimate 100 billion Dollars will flow back if we grant immunity from criminal prosecutions but with civil sanctions.”

He is of the belief that: “Engagement of the private sector in partnerships will yield a massive stock of revenue. We need our Dangotes,

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Gbajabiamila to recommend creation...

Continued from page 1 candidates, ideas, funding and organisation, stressing that if more inspired candidates are recruited, funded and provided with organisational support to effectively manage their political operations, more women would participate in electoral politics.

“I have heard it said that we can achieve increased gender participationinpoliticsbyimposingquotasand allocating elective political office. We cannot on the one hand advocate for a new kind of politics dependent on respect for the basic human right of all people to choose their leaders in free and fair elections without interference and imposition, and on the other hand, argue for the imposition of quotas in elective office.

“This is a fundamentally antidemocraticidea,andtheproposition collapsesundertheweightofitscontradictions.TheconstitutionofNigeria, imperfect as it may be, does not imposeanyrestrictionsonwomen’s participation in politics. In fact, the constitution expressly prohibits any gender-based discrimination.

“Therefore, any conversations around gender quotas in political office cannot occur outside of a constitutional amendment. I worry that the peculiar history of our country is such that we are unlikely to achieve a more equitable society by amending the constitution to accommodate discriminatory practices no matter how well-meaning our motivations may be. The fault lines in our society are too deep, our unresolved conflicts are so great that the worst consequences of such attempts will arrive sooner than our best aspirations no matter how deeply held they might be.”

According to him, “The bulk of the work of getting more women to

participate in politics and ensuring that more of them can win electoral officewillhappenwithinthepolitical parties in the country.” He encouraged women to register and belong to political parties and participate fully for their voices to be heard.

Gbajabiamila, who said he owes his participation and success in politics to his mother who stood doggedly for him, added that Nigerian women should also strive towards addressing the issue of cultural impediments that tend to discriminate against them.

He disclosed that the 9th House has made gender equality a cardinal point of its legislative agenda, which was unveiled on Friday, adding that he would personally champion the course of women in the House, including spearheading constitutional amendment.

“I will at the next National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the political party to which I belong, theAllProgressivesCongress(APC), propose the creation of a special Women’sVictoryFundtosupporteffortstorecruitmorewomenwhowill contest elections on the platform of the party. The Victory Fund will allow theparty,independentofitsotheractivities, to engage with organisations such as WIMBIZ to identify willing andcapablewomenfromallworksof lifetocontestforelectionsatalllevels of governance.

“Throughthisfund,wewillprovide them with training, support services and assistance with the enormous funding requirements of electoral contests. This fund will be credited fromapercentageoftheincomefrom thesaleofnominationandexpression of interest forms by the party. I encourage leaders of the other national politicalpartiestoconsiderandimplement similar proposals.

Diaspora non-profit group, Step Forward, donates shoes to needy children in Abuja

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collaborative effort between Sarah Ogundare and Abree Peterson, founders of the Step Forward Club and Bimbo Shittu’s Token of Love Foundation is delivering much needed shoes to needy children in the suburbs of Abuja.

It started in 2017, Abree Peterson and Sarah Ogundare, who were both Sophomores at ACS Cobham (in England) discussed ways to improve their school’s humanitarian outreach programme and impact underprivileged people.

Both, Sarah and Abree are avid runners, collaborated in forming the non-profit Step Forward Club: a service club centered on running, and improving the path

to education, good health and healthy feet. They collaborated with Token of Love Foundation, Nigeria ran by Bimbo Shittu who has dedicated her life to providing educational support, welfare assistance and health care for the underprivileged, orphans and children rescued from the menace of wars.

“Sarah and Abree saw an opportunity to support the goal of Token of Love foundation, but more importantly, bring direct awareness of the plight of children in unreached societies,” says Shittu.

The group decided to collect as many running shoes as possible. They sent out emails to the divisions of their school, put up posters, created videos and indi-

vidually spoke to different classes about the shoes they wanted to donate and how people could get involved. This message gradually spread and people began donating.

By the end of May 2019, Step Forward had collected a grand total of 299 pairs of running shoes!

But shipping into Nigeria presented challenges as airlines were unwilling to support the cause. So Shittu raided her savings.

In June 2019, the shoes were finally shipped and received by Token of Love Foundation in Abuja.

“Choosing the locations for distribution was not an easy task based on demand,” says Shittu.

“We had to find out where we could really make an impact.”

The shoes were distributed to three high need orphanages in Abuja. The distribution also extended to Bassa village, a rural community in the environs of the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja.

“Despite the difficulty we had initiating Step Forward, we realised that our hard work had paid off. We were amazed by how much of an impact this had on the community and are appreciative of the opportunity we’ve had to connect with them,” say Abree and Sarah.

To Token of Love, despite over 10 years of working to educate and cater to vulnerable children living within and around Abuja, Shittu said that providing education and improving quality of life plays a big role in the life of children. “The timing of the partnership with Step Forward couldn’t have come at a better time.”

In a statement signed by its Chairman, Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary, Cassidy Madueke, a copy of which was sent to BDSUNDAY, it said that the move was in line with the Buhari administration’s goal of leaving the country better than it met it.

“For far too long, Nigeria has had a budget cycle that runs contrary to what is obtainable in developed economies and other countries on a growth trajectory.

“And that is partly due to the fact that annual appropriation bills have almost always, since 1999, been presented to the National Assembly in December, with a May to June budget cycle the norm rather than the exception”, BMO said.

The group also faulted the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)’s criticism of the budget, saying the main opposition party lacked the understanding of basic budgeting process.

BMO said this could also be part of the reasons the PDP allegedly failed to make a real impact in spite of the billions of dollars that accrued to the country from oil receipts alone, between 1999 and 2015.

“Like many Nigerians, we were really not surprised to see the opposition party’s hasty reaction to President Muhammadu Buhari’s presentation of the 2020 Budget proposal tagged ‘Budget of Sustaining Growth and Job Creation.’

“But what came as a surprise is that the party again got its assess-

ment wrong, not only on the general principles of the budget but also on the figures it mischievously claimed were allocated to certain sectors.

“How could a party that was at the helm of affairs at the centre for 16 years, during which the country realised $963 billion from oil alone, and left no real footprint on the infrastructural landscape, claim that the administration that has done more, with just a little over $100bn in four years, is impoverishing Nigerians?”, it said.

On PDP’s claim that the budget would further impoverish the populace, the group insisted that it is farther from the truth.

According to BMO, “Facts that can easily be gleaned from the appropriation bill show clearly that the country will continue to look like a giant construction site, with massive allocations to infrastructure development.

“We make bold to say that if PDP had done half of what the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration has done in four years, Nigeria would not be budgeting and spending a large chunk of its resources on power, road and rail projects in 2020. Of course, with the President’s directive that all on-going projects be concluded, there would be more money in circulation and a lot more direct and indirect jobs would be created all over the country where project sites are located. And contrary to the

opposition party’s assertion, these projects, when completed, would have a direct and positive bearing on the masses.”

Recall that the PDP had poohpoohed the 2020 Appropriation Bill, saying it was skewed to serve the rich, among other alleged shortcomings.

“The core of the budget remains hazy, showing streaks of padding, duplication, replete with false performance indices, deceptive projections and inexplicable expenditure assertions,”KolaOlogbondiyan,PDP national publicity secretary, said.

These, according to him, would create openings for diversion of public funds.

“The budget is skewed to serve the interest of the opulent, as projects that have direct bearing on the well being of the masses were not substantially accommodated in the overall expenditure profile,” he said.

Ologbondiyan also criticised what he termed allocations for “alleged vague projects,” particularly the Ministries of Works and Housing as well as Transportation, where, according to him, there were allegations of diversion of public funds in the last budget.

“Standing with millions of Nigerian youths and women, our party rejects the paltry budgets of N48bn for education and N46bn for health; and urges the National Assembly to review the allocations in the interest of Nigerians,” he said.

Mired in controversy...

Continued from page 2 Jim Ovias, Mike Adenugas, Innosons to be involved, just like the Chaebols of South Korea. I know that the Onitsha-Nnewi-Ogidi market axis can generate up to N10trillion if the proper incentives are offered.”

He is convinced that: “Foreign and domestic investments in infrastructure is possible if the proper legal institutional and regulatory environment is established. Public revenue will be enhanced by at least N3trillion if we rebase foreign exchange rates from N305 to N360 and remove fuel subsidy at once.

“Additionally, we must review public expenditure. Far too much money is consumed by recurrent receipts. Downsizing government is a task that needs immediate attention by implementation of the Oronsaye report. Our public sector borrowing requirement needs review so that our revenue to debt ratio is less than 30percent. Banks must focus on their primary function of lending not trading as we have seen in purchase of Treasury Bills in excess of N400 billion. Tax collection efficiency and not increase should be the policy and Chairman Babatunde Fowler of FIRS and Governor Godwin Emefiele of CBN are two public servants deserving special mention for their innovation.”

Speaking from the wealth of his experience, the Maritime lawyer said: “As an expert in Shipping and hydrocarbons, I query why govern-

ment only sees dollars from a barrel of crude when the value chain has at least 34 soft and hard by-products other than crude oil. In my field, there is banking, shipping, legal and insurance, but very little of the cash from this value chain from crude oil stays in our economy. We need to reset the clock. I will assume that the budget estimates is just the start of a turnaround process of economic transformation.”

Making a request from the President, Agbakoba said: “Having held their meeting with you, can the Economic Advisory Council give us a short turnaround plan to create jobs, opportunities and double digit growth? A good plan can create 10 million jobs annually, open the economy, expand local production and put the economy into double digits and pull millions out of poverty in addition to good education and healthcare.”

History will be kind to Buhari - BMO The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) has said that history would be kind to President Muhammadu Buhari for his bold step to re-calibrate Nigeria’s budget cycle by presenting the 2020 appropriation bill before a joint session of the National Assembly in October. The group also has harsh words for the PDP for its criticism of the budget proposal.

BMO said that re-calibration would go a long way in ensuring that the country finally begins implementing its national budget from the first day of the fiscal year.

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Amuwo Games to empower youths of Amuwo Odofin Local Government VICTORIA NNAKAIKE, Lokoja

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fter the maiden edition held in 2017,organizers of Amuwo Games in conjunction with Amuwo Odofin Local Government are set to host the 2nd edition of Amuwo Games from the 2nd of November to 24th of November 2019.

Speaking on what to expect at the games, Seun Ayeni, founder of the sports festival revealed that the games would run every

weekend in November for residents of the community and that cycling and video games were added to further engage the youth.

“Amuwo Games is a festival that will run throughout the month of November and we carefully selected weekends so that we will have people from all walks of life participating, so long as you a resident,” Ayeni said.

According to him, “Amuwo Games is for residents of Amuwo Odofin LGA. The games we will be having are the common ones like football, volleyball,

basketball, tennis and table tennis. For athletics, we have 100m men and women and the marathon.

For the board games, we have chess and scrabble.

Draft was brought in this year so that the aged can participate.”

“Another sports we introduced this year is cycling because we were approached last year by the Cyclofest team who promised to help us organise it. We will also have video games as part of the games this year. The overall objective is to empower the youth,” he said.

L-R: Freddy Messanvi, director, British American Tobacco Nigeria (BATN) Foundation; Wasiu Gbolahan Lawal, Lagos State commissioner for Agriculture; Olayiwola Onasanya, permanent secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture, and a guest, during the World Food Day 2019 Awareness Walk, themed, ‘Walk for a Healthy Diet’, held in Lagos.

Moghalu assumes duty as NIWA boss, pledges to abide by rule of law, fair play

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VICTORIA NNAKAIKE, Lokoja

he newly appointed Managing Director of National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), George Moghalu, has pledged that he would be guided by the rule of law, established processes, procedures, equity and fair play.

Moghalu, who made the pledge shortly after taking over from Danladi Ibrahim, acting managing director, at the NIWA headquarters in Lokoja, said justice, fair play, transparency and the rule of law would be the guideposts of his administration.

“I am convinced that together we will achieve the ‘Next Level’ inspired by the timelesswisdompopularised by our President. I came here to serve Nigeria and success is my priority. We will continue with all on-going viable and justifiable projects of the Authority,” he said.

He also hinted that the country needed diversification and development of its critical infrastructures in the area of waterways transportation to enhance its economic growth, adding that the overall policy objective of NIWA was to transform the inland waterways to make them not just economically viable but also

to provide safe, reliable and alternate transport system to ease the problem of transportation and movement of goods across the country.

The new MD equally emphasised that inland water transportation system remained a critical component of the national freight system particularly for movement of bulk goods adding that its development was imperative in view of the growing transportation needs, as he solicited for the cooperation of management and staff of the Authority to enable him succeed.

“I regard you all as my treasured colleagues and I’m here to work with you as a team. I need your prayers, advice, cooperation and support in order to actualise the mission and vision of this Authority.”

Speaking also in his handing over speech, the Acting MD, Danladi Ibrahim told Moghalu that the Authority, under his leadership in acting capacity did not deviate from the initiatives of past managing directors towards repositioning the authority for effective performance of its statutory roles.

Ibrahim noted that the authority within the period commenced the process of procuring self-propelled

Enyo celebrates Customer Service Week with customers

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badge with the capacity of carrying 60 four-off containers for bulk cargo movement from Nigerian seaport to the hinterlands.

The acting MD also hinted that the Authority also procured additional dredgers for in-house maintenance dredging and was at advanced stage of procuring cargo handling equipment for Lokoja port and buoys as navigational aids from Lokoja to Onitsha to ensure safety on the waterways.

He urged the new Managing Director to help secure approval for the Authority to undertake study of waterways in Europe and America and pledged continued support, and loyalty of management and staff of the Authority to the new Managing Director.

The appointment of Moghalu by President Muhammadu Buhari followed the promotion and appointment of the immediate past MD of NIWA, Olorunimbe Mamora as minister of state, Health.

It could also be recalled that Moghalu will be the 7th substantivemanagingdirector of NIWA since its inception in 1998 to provide regulatory, economical and operational leadership in the nation’s inland waterways system.

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EFCC hands over N111m recovered Kwara loot to governor SIKIRAT SHEHU, Ilorin

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he Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in Ilorin, Kwara State on Friday presented to Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq a sum of N111,428,891,00 being the cash said to have been recovered from the looted fund belonging to the state.

The money, according to the anti-graft agency, was retrieved from former political office holders, a traditional ruler and top civil servants.

Isyaku Sharu, the EFCC Zonal head in Ilorin, who handed over the looted cash to the governor, revealed that the commission, which began its operation in the state in February this year, had secured 29 convictions and recovered over N500million in both assets and cash.

Sharu disclosed that the recovery was made from suspected state treasury looters, who allegedly misappropriated landed properties of Harmony Holdings while others diverted funds meant for micro small and medium credit scheme.

He, however, expressed

Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq

the readiness of the antigraft agency to support the state government in profiling and keeping track on political office holders and key officers, warning that it would no longer be business as usual.

Abdulrazaq, who lauded the EFCC for the recovery, said the fund would be reinvested in the social investment programmes of his administration, a bill of which is before the state House of

Assembly.

The governor pledged that government would not use the money to award contracts, pointing out that it could help lift thousands of people out of poverty if well utilised.

Abdulrazaq equally said his administration was replicating the Federal Government social investment programme in fulfillment of his promise to reduce the menace of poverty in the

state.

While urging the people of the state to join hands with the anti-graft agency, he said: “When I told people I was coming, they said I was going into the lion’s den, and I said no, EFCC belongs to us.

We don’t need to be afraid of them unless we have something to hide. The Federal Government acted very well by supporting the EFCC. “We are replicating many of the Federal Government programmes in Kwara, especially one of those is Social Investment Programmes.

Some people know it as Tradermoni, Money Market, NPower, School Feeding, etc.

“People will now realise that the seed money for the programme was part of the money EFCC recovered, that the Federal Government used as seed money for the Social Investment Programmes. Our Social Investment Bill is in the State House of Assembly. It is about to be passed. We are also emulating the Federal Government in that.

“This money is going to help thousands of people to lift them out of poverty.

We are not going to award contracts with this money. It is just going to help the poor people.”

‘Celebrating teachers as catalyst for societal re-engineering’ SEYI JOHN SALAU

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he persistent neglect of the educational sector coupled with the low budgetary allocation by successive governments has contributed immensely to the decay in the Nigerian society that has affected the standard of education, values and moral character formation. However, the United Nations world teachers’ day 2019 presented another opportunity of celebrating teachers as catalyst for societal reen-

gineering with the theme, ‘Young Teachers: The Future of the Profession.’

“As an Indian, I believe they are the creators; teachers are not just in that profession, they are next to God because in India those called teachers are next to God – because they can create and destroy, and while they are creating lives by making them to be what they want to be in the future,” Violet Ubah, the head of schools, Caleb International, Surulere, said, stating that teachers are catalysts for social change and should be celebrated as such.

Acco r din g t o Ub ah , teachers are builders and it is right to celebrate them, as a means of getting the best out of the teaching-learning process.

“If everybody neglects that sector where we train the young ones, then the future will not be there.

So, I appeal to everyone to commit to building the foundation of the children and what they are experiencing,” Ubah said.

According to her, “it is in our hand to train the future leaders so that the future will be brighter. The mindset is changing and once

L-R: Violet Ubah, the head of schools, Caleb International, Surulere; Philomena Igweze, the head of schools, Magodo, and Rebecca Olumeru, MD, Caleb Group of Schools receiving a merit award on behalf of Ola Adebogun, founder of the school, for his contributions to the development of teachers in Nigeria at the recent commemoration of World Teachers’ Day 2019.

the teachers can succeed in changing the mindset of the children, then the future is really assured.”

Esther Pedro, the educational administrator of the Caleb Group of Schools, said the essence of having the teachers together to celebrate the 2019 world teachers’ day was to give them a sense of belonging in the scheme of things.

Initially, the school used to celebrate the teachers separately, but decided to bring all teachers under the Caleb group of schools together to give them a sense of belonging, while the director and owner of the school was around to celebrate with the teachers. “When the teachers give their best, the first beneficiaries are the students,” Pedro said.

According to Pedro, the future of the teaching profession in Nigeria is very bright. “Seeing more and more young people are taking to the teaching profession. That gives me joy because before now many teachers were discouraged due to the maltreatment from the society,” she said.

She opined that the trend is changing with vibrant and intelligent young people coming into the profession by making the difference in the sector. “Even people from other professions are switching to the teaching profession,” she stated.

Stakeholders task NUT, TRCN on technology, quality assurance in education ESEROGHENE AYOMAH

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s the nation marked the world teacher’s day across the country, stakeholders in the profession have chargedtheNigerianUnion of Teachers (NUT) and Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) to embrace technology to improve quality assurance in view of the various challenges posed by knowledge explosion in the millennium age.

This was the submission of the Vice Chancellor of the Lagos State University, Professor Olarenwaju Fagbohun, at an event to mark the 2019 UNESCO World Teachers Day, with the theme, ‘Young Teachers: The future of the Profession’, organised in collaboration with Youth Orientation for Development in Lagos, recently.

Fagbohun,whowasrepresented by Olumuyiwa Noah, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (DVC), Academy, said that the teaching profession in the country needed to utilise the trends in internet to improve the quality of teachers in the country.

“Today, our society lives in delusion; they believe that teachers of old were better trained than teachers of today, but teachers of today are challenged by greater responsibility because of a lot of issues like poor infrastructures, enumeration and socio-economic factors.

“Most importantly, explosion of knowledge in this millennial age makes it pos-

sible for students to know more than teachers, because a lot them are technological savvy and so teachers must utilise their resources to adjust to the economic trends in acquiring tools that would enable them cope with the demand of the profession, technologically.

“We need better training structures to manage the teaching profession in the country,becausetheteachers themselves are not interested in quality establishment and delivery in terms of what they do. The Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) must come up with mechanism for employing quality assurance and cannot leave it only to the government alone,” he said.

Solarin Titilayo, representative of the Lagos State Commissioner of Education, Tutor-General/ Permanent Secretary, Education District 1, said: “With the THEMES agenda of the administration of the state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the state is committed to ensuring education is given the best attention it requires to accelerate the quality of education across its schools.”

Emmanuel Ejiogu, United Nation Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) ambassador and president, Youth Orientation for Development, said the agreement with Microsoft to establish digital classroom has made it possible to integrate schools to tap into the initiative to have teachers trained as the world is now driven by artificial intelligence.

Heineken backs 2019 Lagos Open as official sponsors ESEROGHENE AYOMAH

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lobal premium beer brand, He i n e k e n , h a s shown support for the development of sports in Nigeria becoming official sponsors for the 2019 Lagos Open which brings tennis enthusiasts across the globe to the metropolitan city.

The beer maker wants to use the sponsorship to continue to drive distinctiveness by giving its consumers unique and unconventional brand experiences, it said.

“Everyone knows that Heineken has a commitment to sharing the passion of sports, and this move is no different from that goal,’’ said Emmanuel Oriahki, Marketing Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc. “The brand has sponsored tennis competitions in many other parts of the world, and is now set to bring some of that spark and magic to Nigeria, where we know the

people love sports a lot,” he said.

The Lagos Open is an International Tennis Federation (ITF) approved tournament which holds annually in Lagos. The premier tennis event started in 2000 and is majorly funded by the state government but gives room for sponsorship from the private sector.

For over 17 years, the International Tennis Federation- accredited tournament had been played under the name, Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis, and for the second time this year, will bear a name similar to that of other major tennis competitions such as the US Open.

According to organisers, over 240 players from about 57 countries have registered to participate in the tournament.

Given Heineken’s pedigree at hosting sporting events, a lot of fans have shared their excitement and hopes of a brilliant tournament.

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Sunday 13 October 2019

News Group urges FG to move against drug abuse ... Holds sensitisation programme for youths, children Iniobong Iwok

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he Federal Government has been urged to take measures to tackle the rising cases of drug abuse among young Nigerians.

The Nigerian youths and children, on the other hand have been warned against the dangers of illicit drug and the need for them to avoid such dangerous habit in order to safeguard their future.

This was disclosed by Afam Paulkinson Umeano, Africa regional coordinator, Mass Initiative for Non-illicit Drug Society (MINDS), while speaking during a sensitisation programme organised by the organisation for children at the Catholic Church of the Holy Spirit, Omole, Ikeja.

Umeano said the organisation decided to focus on young Nigerians so that

L-R: Ogochukwu Ogini, Titilope Ogunluyi of NDLEA, Afam Paulkinson Umeano, African regional coordinator, MINDS, and some team members of the project.

such dangerous habit could be checked, discouraged and stamped out in their mind-set at an early age.

He lamented that successive administrations in the country had not done enough to check the alarming rate of drug abuse among young Nigerians, stressing that it had aided

the surge in crime in the country.

Umeano added that the goal was to change the narrative in the information and entertainment content towards the adoption of healthier and sober lifestyle, stressing that it also aimed at presenting sobriety and decency as more

appealing lifestyle options for the young generation of Nigerians and Africans.

According to him, “Our society is rife with illicit drugs and substances of abuse, and new ones are daily being locally discovered or manufactured just as more and more vulnerable youngsters are entering

the world of illicit drugs and mind-bending substances.

“Some years ago, we said let’s rescue Nigeria from drug abuse; it is a big problem in Nigeria, and other countries are doing enough but here we are taking a back-seat.

“We want to catch them young, stop the act, and educate them so they can be informed about it. We want to stop the children first, that is the reason for the focus on them. You would be surprised that in many primary schools, pupils from seven years are abusing drugs,” Afam said.

Ogunluyi Titilope, head of Drug Demand Reduction Unit of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), lamented that drug abuse had become prevalent among young Nigerians in recent years, while charging parents and guardians to redouble their efforts in monitoring and taking care of their children.

She advised Nigerian children and the youth against taking drugs that are not prescribed for them by medical personnel, adding that several Nigerians had lost their lives to the act.

According to her, “I want to advise you to avoid abusing drugs; don’t take any drug that is not prescribed by medical personnel. Drug abuse can damage your future and end your dreams.

“It has a long time effect on you; take enough water, read your books and avoid bad friends. Also, obey your parents,” she said.

Parish Priest of Catholic Church of Holy Spirit, Michael Ogunniyi, said the church decided to embrace the programme because it was necessary the children are educated on the dangers of the act.

Ogunniyi advised young Nigerians to shun any act that would jeopardise their future and academics.

NB, Access Bank commit over N150m to develop new music talents in ‘Access The Stars’ SEYI JOHN SALAU & ESEROGHENE AYOMAH

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w o o f Ni g e r i a ’s biggest brands, Nigerian Breweries (NB) and Access Bank have unveiled a recent collaboration for mega opportunity to discover new music talents across Nigeria.

The two brands are committing over N150 million in a new talent hunt tagged ‘Access The Stars’ that will give exceptional Nigerians the chance to be refined, and empowered to reach superstar status in the music industry.

‘Access The Stars’ is expected to connect both brands to its consumers leveraging music as a common platform. Access Bank and Star Lager Beer share a long history of creating music experiences for not just their consumers, but for

the wider Nigerian audience, and in addition to the fame of winning the reality music show, the sponsors will give monetary rewards totaling N150 million, to the winners of the hunt expected to start in October.

Herbert Wigwe, the MD/ CEO of Access Bank said the initiative behind ‘Access The Stars’ was borne out of the desire of both brands to continue to connect with people through the one platform they both have in common which is music. “Both our brands share a long history of creating excellent musical experiences for not just our own customers, but the wider Nigerian audience, and this is us expanding on that,’’ he said.

Jordi Borrut Bel, the managing director/CEO of Nigerian Breweries, said the initiative between both brands will deepen industry col-

laboration. “We have done this before, but this time, we want to bring something new and more entertaining to our consumers, where they not only enjoy good music, but get the opportunity to have their own voices and music showcased to the rest of the world. We are really excited about this,” Jordi stated.

Star Lager Beer is a wellknown name in the Nigerian music scene, with hit concerts like Star Music: The Trek, Star Mega Jam, and famous talent show, Star Quest which was a launch pad for the likes of Kcee, DJ Switch and many more.

With their concerts, the brand took stars around the country and gave them the platform to entertain fans in different cities.

Access Bank on the other hand recently made its foray fully into music with

the Born in Africa Festival (BAFEST). The much talked about concert had a long list of top-rated stars in Nigeria’s music scene performing at a brilliantly produced event

by Livespot360. Before this time, the bank has been a major sponsor of other concerts around the country and is now putting its full weight behind what would most likely be the biggest event in 2019.

Alongside the hunt for new talents, ‘Access The Stars’ will also reward fans with music performances from A-list artistes in each city the discovery train hits.

Much like the now-defunct Star Music - The Trek, acts such as Tiwa Savage, Burna Boy, Flavour, Phyno, Olamide, Kcee, and more will perform in different cities as Access Bank and Star Lager Beer tour Nigeria in search of new talents.

Consulting). Others are Chris Itsede, former DG, WAIFEM, Baba Yusuf former MD NEFZA and Yomi Adebanjo.

The theme of the conference is ‘The Evolving Economy: The role of management consulting in the Public and Private sector’.

According to the organizers, the theme will address among other things, the standards and yardsticks to be put in place to manage the practice of management consulting.

The event will further engage the questions of how better to professionalise the prac-

ticeofmanagementconsulting across board, and the strategy and innovation that will be appropriate in benchmarking against international best practice and global demands.

In a press statement, Jacqueline Odiadi, publicist of the Conference, gave insight into the reason behind the event: “The current state of the Management Consulting sector in Nigeria calls for deep introspection; the understanding of the profession and practice of management consultancy portrays a lack of depth and skewed understanding of the subject matter.

Management Consulting holds confab Anthonia Obokoh

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he Management Consulting Conference is scheduled to hold on the 16th &17th of October 2019 at the Sheraton Hotel, Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Ikeja, Lagos.

The conference is being convened by Lewis Partners Consulting (LPC) in collaboration with the Institute of Management Consultants of Nigeria (IMCON) established in 1979 by the Centre for Management Develop-

ment (CMD), the agency of government with the oversight function to regulate the practice and development of Management Consulting Practice in Nigeria.

Epiphany Azinge will be chairman of the occasion, while the Speakers include Tunde Adekola (World Bank specialist), Nosike Agokei (Governance professional), Kemi Ogunmefun (Member of the Board of Access Bank), Ayo Olojede (Group Head Emerging Business, Access Bank; Benson Uwheru (Partner, Business Advisory, Ernst n Young) and Paul Ayim (Phillip

Group donates books to public primary schools Iniobong Iwok

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n a bid to aid learning in the country, Hon. Teezee Studios has donated exercise books to public primary schools in four states across the country.

The books were donated to primary schools in Lagos, Edo, Delta and Anambra States. This is a continuation of the yearly books donation programme to public schools by the group.

The 2019 project is themed: ‘Service to humanity: An investment into our future’.

To b i Og u n s e m o w o, who is the convener, said the group has a national vision and that by the year 2029, it would have donat-

ed exercise books to public primary schools in the 36 states of the federation, including the FCT. “We initiated this gesture in order to put smiles on the faces of school children and their parents. An HT studio has risen to the challenge; we would continuously show love by giving to the younger generation, encouraging the need for education in awakening the treasures in the future of our great nation,” Ogunsemowo said.

He added that the group planned to extend the programme to public primary schools in other states from next year, stressing that from 2030, it plans to provide exercise books for each public primary school pupils in Nigeria every session.

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News

APP venture scouts for best students with business idea’s in Nigerian varsities

…splashes N1.8m MIKE ABANG, Calabar

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he largest facilities managers, Alfamead management services in Nigeria and Africa Plus Partner (APP), has launched the maiden edition of the APP student’s venture prize for

the best students with business idea’s in entrepreneurship model in the Country.

Ad d r e s s i n g a p r e s s conference on Thursday at Windsworth hotels in Calabar, the managing director of Africa Plus Partners Nigeria Ltd, Adeniran Ajakaiye disclosed that the students venture

prize is designed to empower the most advanced entrepreneur ventures by Nigerian undergraduate students.

Adeniran, who is also the chief investment officer’s (CIO) Africa Plus Ltd further said the venture prize seeks to support individual students who have identi-

Approval for N7.6 bn loan by state lawmakers is victory for Oyo people — Makinde REMI FEYISIPO, Ibadan

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overnor Seyi Makinde, on Friday, clarified that the N7.6 billion loan approved by the House of Assembly for the upgrading of two farm settlements in Akufo and Eruwa, to Farm Estates, was a victory for the people of Oyo State in their pursuit for agricultural sustainability and economic emancipation.

The governor also made it clear that the loan was not a fresh one being sought by his government.

Makinde, who described the decision of the state House of Assembly to grant immediate access to the loan facility, said the loan was borrowed from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for “agricultural equipment” by the immediate past administration of Governor Abiola Ajimobi.

Governor Makinde had, in May 2019 when he was still governor-elect, moved to

prevent the misappropriation of the funds by approaching the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan to get an injunction restraining the Ajimobi-led administration from accessing and spending the loan few days to the end of the tenure.

He maintained that contrary to insinuations that he was obtaining an additional N7.6 billion loan after an initial approval for N10 billion loan facility for infrastructure development, the N7.6 billion loan had already been approved by the CBN before he got to office.

He added that the apex bank had begun to deduct money from Oyo State’s Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) allocations from source to repay the loan.

He further said that his administration had only approached the House of Assembly to seek approval to change the purpose of the loan facility, so that it could be put to better use in developing farm estates in Eruwa and

Akufo farm settlements in the state in a pilot scheme that would be used as a model for the state-wide farm estate initiative of the administration.

A statement signed by Taiwo Adisa, his Chief Press Secretary, further explained that limiting the scope of the project to Akufo and Eruwa Farm Settlements, which were in the same federal constituency, was to allow for effective planning, monitoring, evaluation and coordination for the pilot scheme, adding that the project would extend to other settlements across the state, as his administration will remain fair to all zones in the state.

According to Makinde, “The farm estates will serve as pilot schemes for our Private Public Development Partnership (PPDP) Farm Estates and will eventually generate funds to develop the other seven farm settlements in Oyo State. This is a deliberate plan aimed at creating sustainable development in the state.”

I was never indicted of $5m fraud - Ex-Army general IDRIS UMAR MOMOH & CHURCHILL OKORO, Benin

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harles Airhiavbere, an aspirant in the 2016 governorship election on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC), has denied alleged diversion of $5million Defence Equipment Procurement in the Nigerian Armed Forces from 2007 to 2015 to suspicious offshore accounts.

The retired Major-General in the Nigerian Army made the disclosure while reacting to allegation in a press statement by Paul Ohonbamu, Edo State commissioner for Information and Orientation.

According to the commissioner’s statement, “Charles Airhavbere was fingered in the fourth interim report of the Committee on Audit of Defence Equipment Procurement in the Nigerian

Armed Forces from 2007 to 2015, which reported that the account Airhiavbere operated while in service in the Nigerian Army had a balance of $0.00, after over $5million was transferred from it to suspicious offshore accounts.

“For more revelations, the details of this are in the public domain, as can be seen in reports in national dailies.

“There are some salient questions still begging for answers from Gen. Aihiavbere arising from the 2012 governorship debate between the then Governor Adams Oshiomhole and Airhiavbere which bordered on some antecedent moral deficits of the General when he was in the Nigerian Army.

“I hope he can give adequate answers to those questions now. Considering the makeup of Gen. Airhiavbere, Nigeria is puzzled to determine whether he is an apostate or an impostor, whether he has abandoned

fied a significant opportunity and whose venture have the potential to create impact and scale “The prize is agnostic with respect to what sectors or industries are working in, or even whether they are commercial, social, or have blended approaches.

A student/group of students (max team no. 4) that have been able to identify an opportunity or challenge and are thinking big about how to solve it will be given opportunity to showcase their ideas for a prize.

“APP Students Venture Prize is intended to help these students accelerate

business education; understanding the business environment, defining customer cluster, business plan/proposal that convert, building a team, leveraging digital, scaling and even more.

He further disclosed that the Bootcamp will climax in a Lion’s Den/Grand Finale where the finalists will pitch their big idea.

The Grand winner(s) will win N1,000,000 in prize money that is designed to help them launch their high-impact ventures into the world. Two first runner up will share N500,000 consolation prize.

Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, First Lady of Lagos State and chairman, Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO), addressing journalists during a pre-event press briefing for the 2019 National Women’s Conference tagged: ‘Unlearn, Learn and Relearn: 21st Century Women’s T.H.E.M.E.S Perspectives/Approach’ at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, the Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja. With her from the right: Oluremi Hamzat, wife of the deputy governor; Ibiyemi Bello, a professor and chairman, COWLSO’s 2019 NWC; Falilat Obasa, wife of the speaker, Lagos House of Assembly, and Adeyinka Abiru, 2019 NWC publicity secretary.

Bassey Andah Foundation launches new book ‘A Call to Service’ IFEOMA OKEKE

good principles or whether he ever had any,” he said.

Ohonbamu’s statement stemmed from Airhiavbere’s criticism of the Best Performing Governor Award bestowed on the governor by the national leadership of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in Abuja during the world teachers day celebration.

While refuting the allegation, Airhiavbere, who said he served meritoriously as well as retired voluntarily in 2011 from the army, noted that he was never indicted by anybody.

“Let us not trivialise the issues on ground. I have passed through two political parties and presented myself for governorship and I have been screened and cleared. When you are in the army, you are meant to do the jobs you are supposed to do. I took the oath of allegiance in army and I will not join issues with him,” he added.

and scale those solutions.

Winners will receive prize money, critical mentorship, and access to top business leaders in Nigeria and beyond. The Venture Prize starts with a call for online application from students of tertiary institutions across the country over a 6-week period,” Adeniran said.

Edugist Elvis Boniface, chief consultant and managing director, said at the close of application deadline, ten (10) finalists will be shortlisted and camped at a one-week Bootcamp for intense training on different aspects of practical

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n a bid to contribute immensely to the emergence of a world class research and teaching institute, merged with deliverables that will add value to the productive activities of people in Nigeria and Africa as a whole, Bassey Andah Foundation has launched a book titled: ‘A Call to Service’ Donald Duke, a former governor of Cross River State and chairman of the occasion, said the Research chair was to be endowed to the tune of N250,000 million, and be self-sustaining so as to carry out its productive activities effectively and efficiently.

“Professor Bassey Andah chair endowment will contribute immensely to the emergence of a world class research and teaching institute geared towards adding value to the productive activities of people in Nigeria and Africa and beyond by focusing research on African and Asian cultures, history, languages, indigenous tech-

nology, medicine and music.”

Donald Duke said.

Emele Uka, senior professor, University of Calabar, who was also present at the occasion, said the book centred on many aspects and phases of Bassey Andah’s life and services: A researcher, scholar, convicted Christian, faithful servant, father, humanitarian, teacher, mentor, among other things.

“The book further gives a vivid account of the unfolding and diverse nature of Bassey Andah’s huge successful research and teaching career as a pioneering African scholar in his field, and his impact on a whole generation of practitioners that emulated and followed after him.”

According to Ogbogbo in his contribution to the book, emphasized his high reference on Bassey Andah’s tireless work, as he reintroduced Africa to the world, because Andah’s Africa was different from the colonialists Africa.

“His research on Africa brings us some hard truth. For instance, Africa had technology and could document their history before colonisation.”

Speaking at the event, Tokunbo Wahab, SSA on Education to Lagos State governor, representing the governor and deputy governor, said that the Bassey Andah Foundation was established about 21 years ago in his honour. The Foundation subsequently collaborated with the University of Calaber to establish the Bassey Andah Centre for Cultural Studies in the university. The centre was conceived to carry out research within the field of cultural studies.

“The institute aims at harnessing the best of African and Asian cultures through research, teaching, cultural exchange, staff exchanges, all geared towards developing workable synergies for growth,” he said.

The Bassey Andah Institute for African and Asian Studies is an international programme conceived and modelled after the Institute of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London, while following similar curricula used in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Ibadan and Lagos.

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Sunday 13 October 2019

PhotoSplash

L-R: Femi Osobajo, senior marketing manager, Bet9ja; Wangi Mba-Nzoukwu, channel director, Africa Magic; John Ugbe, CEO, MultiChoice Nigeria presenting the SUV key to Mercy Eke, winner of BBNaija Season 4, and Donatus Okeke, MD, Innoson Motors, at the press conference and presentation of SUV to the winner in Lagos.

Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, Agbogidi, salutes the the royal traditional egwu ota drummers as he takes the traditional royal dancing steps at the Ime Obi Onitsha during the 2019 Onitsha Ofala Festival, sponsored by Globacom on Friday.

L-R: Akin Ogunbiyi, group chairman, Mutual Benefits Group/founder, Akin Ogunbiyi Foundation; Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ooni of Ife, royal father of the day; Adedotun Ogunbiyi, and Olagunsoye Oyinlola, former governor, Osun State at the unveiling of the Akin Ogunbiyi Foundation and the maiden Lecture Series in Osogbo.

A cross section of Ekobits students present at the graduation ceremony held recently

L-R: Emeka Ihedioha, Imo State governor; Chimdi Ejiogu, chairman, Imo State Football Association; Amanze Uchegbulam; Fan Ndubuoke, executive chairman, Imo State Sports Commission, when they presented a FIFA membership badge to the governor, at the reception of Imo State contingent in the 5th National Youth Games, in the Government House, Owerri.

L-R: Tee-Y Mix, Access The Stars judge and Nigerian Music Producer; Jordi Borrut Bel, MD/CEO, Nigerian Breweries plc; Olive Emodi, Access The Stars co-host/TV personality; Herbert Wigwe, GMD, Access Bank Plc; Seyi Shay, Access The Stars judge/Nigerian Music Star, and Dare Art Alade, Access The Stars host and Music superstar, at the media unveil of the ‘Access The Stars’ music platform.

Pic by Pius Okeosisi

L-R: front row; Patrick Ifeanyi Orumbie, member, IIM Africa advisory board; Shehu Kabir of NNPC; Oyedokun Ayodeji Oyewole, president/chairman, IIM Africa; Yemisi Oyebo, member IIM Africa board; Ezebube Yemi, director, constitution IIM Africa, and Jummy Adetoyese Olagunju, director, awards, with other new and old fellows of the Institute, during the 2019 IIM Africa Ghana annual convention, Induction and Investiture at the University of Ghana, Legon Accra, Ghana.

L-R: Emmanuel Agu, group marketing director, The La Casera Company (TLCC); Susie Onwuka, head, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission Lagos Office; Chinedum Okereke, MD, TLCC, and Onyeka Okoli, group portfolio marketing manager TLCC, at the media launch of La Casera Refresh and Connect Promo in Lagos.

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11 Inside Lagos

Need to tackle challenge of potable water supply in Lagos

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JOSHUA BASSEY

agos is said to be currently operating with a shortfall of 330 million gallons of potable water per day. The production capacity of the Lagos State Water Corporation (LSWC) is put at over 210 million gallons, whereas over 540 million gallons are needed daily.

Industry sources say a huge investment of about $ 3.5 billion is required to build additional water schemes. According to the water master plan being executed by the LSWC, a level of stable supply could be achieved by 2020 if the investment $3.5 billion is made.

With a population estimate of about 22 million people, supply from the water corporation has been everything but reliable.

It is believed that over 70 percent of the population relies on boreholes and other sources. Although successive administration have invested billions of naira in water production in major water works- Iju and Adiyan, as well as several other mini water works scattered across the state, supply has remained largely intermittent. More homes and offices are turning to boreholes and water vendors, as the LSWC lacks the capacity to make the required investment.

Shayo Holloway, one of the longest serving former managing directors of LSWC, believed that private capital was critical to turn the situation around. According to Holloway, to meet the water demand, the LSWC had developed a master plan to construct additional large water schemes by 2020. Holloway said that the plan would involve taking raw water from rivers and lagoons for treatment into potable water.

“This plan will take the state from its current 210 million to 745 million gallons per day. The corporation will need $3.5 billion to execute the water master plan. This is an investment which the state cannot solely undertake.

“That is why partnership with the private sector to accelerate the development of water infrastructure is necessary. This will make water available,” said Holloway.

In 2013, state government under the administration of former Babatunde Fashola, undertook the construction of Adiyan II as part of the implementation of the master plan, to add 70 million gallons to the existing 210 million gallons per day. The water project was said to have, however, suffered a setback after Fashola left government, as funding became a challenge during the administration of his successor in office, Akinwunmi Ambode.

In 2016, as a way of addressing the challenge of funding, the LSWC proposed to the government appropriate pricing of water in the state due to rising cost of production and supply. According to an official of the corporation, with the tariff little over five kobo per litre, an equivalent of N50 for five drums of 250 litres, charged by the LSWC, Lagos ranks among cities with the lowest water tariffs and this is a disincentive to any private investment. “This is certainly not sustainable,” said the official The inevitability of the right pricing, according to the official, is premised against the rise in the population of Lagos and the need for the government to pump potable water to homes as a way of protecting the

R-L: Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos State governor (3rd r) with other officials, during an inspection tour to the Iju water works

residents against water borne diseases.

The official said although a minor review of the water tariffs was carried out in 2016, it still never translated to appropriate pricing given the huge investment required in that sector, hence there is still the need for the government to go into Public Private Partnership (PPP).

“There is no running away from the reality. Truth is that the current tariff is not sustainable. If we’re going to have stable water supply to homes in Lagos, the pricing must be right. I agree that the LSWC was not established for profit making but as a service organisation. But the point that must be stressed is that in rendering that service, the corporation should at least recover cost of production and treatment of water to keep the service running while the government can pay the staff salaries and allowances. What we have currently is a situation where the tariff paid by the customers of LSWC cannot meet production cost. This is not sustainable anywhere in the world.

“The laws should be amended to allow for full private sector involvement in a regulated manner. This is not privatisation as some groups would say, but private collaboration with the government to meet up the water need of the rising population of Lagos,” said the official.

Corroborating this view, Holloway said

there was the need for public-private partnership to accelerate the development of water infrastructure with private capital.

“Such investments are recoverable over a negotiated concession period of 20 to 30 years, depending on the size of investment and financial model,” he said, stressing the need, however, to complete the Adiyan II as the starting point.

Interesting, during a visit to the Adiyan II site on Thursday, the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu pledged to complete the project. Sanwo-Olu led members of the state’s executive council to the project following the re-mobilisation of the contractor handling the construction back on site.

It was started in 2013 by the Fashola’s government to provide safe drinking water to more than five million Lagos residents, but abandoned in the last three years at 70 per cent completion level.

Sanwo-Olu said his administration decided to complete the abandoned water project because of its strategic importance to the wellbeing of the people. According to him, the revival of the project would aid government’s effort at addressing the causes of poverty and fight diseases.

“When this water works project is fully completed, it will be the biggest of its type around Nigeria and we will be raising the capacity of our potable water supply by

330,000 cubic metric tons per day, which is more than 70 million gallons.

“The commitment from our side is for us to see how we are going to finish this project on time and as much as possible within the budget. The contractor has said they are committed to completing it in the next 18 months. Our government will work with the contractor and the project consultant to deliver this project on agreed time.

“If we achieve this within the next two years, we would be achieving one of the key items of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which is also a strategic pillar of our development agenda in the area of provision of safe drinking water to over five million citizens of Lagos.”

Sanwo-Olu hoped that his administration would be able to award contract for the commencement of the second and third phases of the water project, which are reticulation works and construction of 8-kilometre water intake conduits from Akute to Adiyan.

According to him, some of the impediments encountered in the project, including compensations and right of way, would be addressed to allow the contractor finish the project on record time.

“We will award contracts for the second phase of this project, which is reticulation that will take the water to some parts of the state, including Ikeja, Alimosho, Surulere and Yaba.

“The third part of the project is construction of an intake mechanism, which is about 8 kilometres from Akute Water Intake site. Some parts of the construction work were suspended because of issues around the right of way with the residents and Ogun State. We are also going to finalise on that. We would pay all the compensation to ensure that they can lay the pipes.”

The Adiyan II water works is sited on 210 hectares of land in a borderline community between Lagos and Ogun states.

Piero Capitanio, managing director of Salini Nigeria Limited, the contractor handling the project, assured that the waterworks would be delivered in 18 months.

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Sunday Magazine

CHUKA UROKO

Toll gate to purgatory T

CHUKA UROKO

he belief by the Federal Government controlled by the All Progressives Congress (APC) that all Nigerians were responsible for the poor economic state of the country may have been the reason for the reintroduction of the tollgates on the federal highways. Not unmindful of the pain the tollgates will bring on commuters, government wants Nigerians to first taste the hardship before reaping hugely. The reintroduction of the tollgate has been likened to going to the purgatory where indescribable pain is said to exist before the individual is allowed to go on to enjoy the bliss.

According to Wikipedia, purgatory, in line with the belief of some Christians, is an intermediate state after physical death for expiatory purification.

The Federal Government of Nigeria is broke or so it seems.

But the government has to run and, to do so, the government needs money. Since the managers of government cannot or are not ready to think of ways to make money, the citizens have to fund the government. Tax is the word and only way out.

In recent time, the government has been behaving like a drowning man who clutches on just anything around him, including empty straw, to enable him swim else he sinks. It appears restless in its quest to get all the money it can get to augment dwindling oil revenue.

Having squandered its enor-

mous wealth, and borrowed itself blind, the government, like a dog on heat, is now looking for all the easiest means of generating more revenue to maintain its over-bloated civil service, and to continue to massage the flamboyant lifestyle of the big masters in the executive and legislative arms of government.

Until lately, government’s style had been to beam its searchlight on suspected treasury looters on the enemy camp and set its rampaging antigraft dog, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after such ‘criminals’ and, pronto, phantom charges are heaped on them. Such criminals get instant ‘justice’ the moment they return part of their loots to government coffers.

Now, in addition to the 50 percent increase in Value Added Tax (VAT) from 5 percent to 7.5 percent which will take effect from January 2020, Nigerians will also be paying for using Federal Government’s roads nationwide as toll gates, which gave way about 15 years ago, are returning to those roads.

When President Muhammadu Buhari, in his acceptance speech after winning the presidential election in March 2019, told Nigerians to prepare for tough times ahead, many did not take him seriously. Again, many did not understand what the president meant when he said he was taking Nigerians to the ‘Next Level’.

Apologists of the president interpreted that to mean taking the good people of Nigeria to the next level of El-Dorado. But

to the discerning minds, it was clear to them that it was time to gird their loins and wait for the worst, because in Buhari’s first coming, the country never had it good.

Evidently, Buhari’s Next Level is here and Nigerians had better braced up for it. The announcement by the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, that government was considering returning the tollgates on Nigerian highways, came like a thunderbolt. Government’s explanation is that it is time to build a ‘better’ nation and people should suffer the

Babatunde Fashola

pain to make that happen.

The meaning of pain is not lost on Nigerians who have the ‘privilege’ of moving from one point in the country to another. The roads are simply a metaphor for pain and suffocation. And those who use them get a good dose of same, no matter how short the distance covered.

“It is not yet clear what government really means by reintroducing toll gates on roads that have totally collapsed,” Femi Abaoba, a civil engineer, said in a telephone interview.

Available record shows that

Nigeria has the largest road network in West Africa and second largest in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The total road network in the country is estimated at between 195,000 kilometres and 198,000 kilometres. About 2,627 kilometres of the roads are dualised.

In Nigeria, roads are owned by the three tiers of government. Approximately 18 percent is owned by the Federal Government, 16 percent by the state while 66 percent is owned by local governments.

Abaoba noted that the condition of these roads is so poor that only about 35 percent of the network is motorable.

“This means that over 60 percent of Nigerian roads are impassable and because in the last five years no major rehabilitation, not to talk of constructing new ones, has been done, the situation should be worse,” Abaoba said.

The interpretation many Nigerians have given to government planned reintroduction of toll gates on these roads is that government wants to send the citizens to purgatory.

In other words, by the time Nigerians must have suffered intense pain, even on the roads, they would come out better citizens and government would have realised its Next Level agenda. This, indeed, is a purgatory or expiatory experience which Nigerians shouldn’t and would rather not have.

In 2003, former President Olusegun Obasanjo had ordered the demolition of tollgates. His reason was that

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President Buhari

roads should be maintained through revenue from the increase in fuel pump price. The former president explained further that the N63 million collected daily from tolling was insignificant and that the facilities constituted inconvenience to motorists and encouraged corruption.

But Buhari government, six years after, sees justification to return the toll gates, not minding that over 90 percent of these roads are in worse conditions than when Obasanjo removed the tolls on them.

The works minister was quick to offer explanations.

He told reporters after a Federal Executive Council meeting where the decision to reintroduce the tolls was taken that “there is no reason we can’t toll.

There was a policy of the government to abolish tolls or, as it were, dismantle toll plazas. But there is no law that prohibits tolling in Nigeria today.”

Continuing, Fashola said, “We expect to return toll plazas. We have concluded the designs of what they will look like, what materials they will be rebuilt with, and what new considerations must go into them. What we are looking at now and trying to conclude is how the bank end runs.”

The minister’s explanation leaves no one in doubt that the reintroduction of the toll gates has gone beyond consideration to practical action. “I want to let you know that what we are doing is not accidental, we are being deliberate and methodical; we are collecting information to know what to do, which place and what,” he said.

What is holding back the return of the toll gates, from the minister’s explanation, is that

the government is faced with the need to acquire more land to establish the width of the toll plazas because they are looking at 10-lane plazas in order to have more outlets.

From all the explanation given by the minister, it was stated or even implied that the government was going to reconstruct the roads before tolling them which is the normal thing to do.

“What we are going to do is a situation where government will be putting the cart before the horse. If government is going to collect tolls from users of its roads, the natural thing to do is to make the roads motorable so that people who will pay the tolls will see value for their money,” said William Idoko, a transport operator whose fleet of buses plies Lagos to the Eastern parts of the country.

Idoko said that the government should rethink this move.

He explained that the situation of the roads coupled with the present insecurity on the highways make the return of toll gates in Nigeria of today both ill-advised and ill-conceived.

“The next best thing to do at the moment is to put the roads in perfect order and fight the insecurity on them,” he counseled.

Though the minister does not agree completely that the tolls would fund the repair of the roads, a critical look at the federal government’s 2020 Budget Appropriation which it present to a joint section of the National Assembly last Tuesday shows that not much will be done on the roads in that fiscal year.

From an aggregate expenditure of N10.33 trillion budget proposal, N262 billion was appropriated for the Works and

Housing Ministry. Though that is the highest sectoral allocation in the budget appropriation, experts say it is clearly a drop of water in the ocean, given the deep rot in the road infrastructure and the housing deficit in the country.

Works and Housing are two big and strategic ministries rolled into one. Until August this year when President Buhari inaugurated his cabinet and unbundled the ministry, Power was part of it. In the current 2019 fiscal year, the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing has budget allocation of N428.4 billion. This is higher than the N127 billion appropriated for Power and the N262 billion for works and housing put together by about N39 billion.

“This means that Nigerians will still have more days and years to endure collapsed road infrastructure in the country.

It also means that those who are hoping that, through government’s policies and programmes in the housing sector, they will be able to own homes will have to endure more days before their dreams are realised,” said Yemi Madamidola, as estate manager.

This means that government is really banking on money to be collected from the toll gates for road maintenance and reconstruction of those that have collapsed. “It makes no sense and the government is not being considerate given the level of hardship in the land,” he lamented.

Like Madamidola , many other Nigerians kick against the reintroduction of tolls on Nigerian highways which, to them, is part of executive bullying in the country. Besides the punitive intent and political considerations that go into it, Nigerians don’t always see the benefits of paying tolls.

National chairman, Nigerian Institution of Highway and Transportation Engineers, Olu-

Adams Oshiomhole

dayo Oluyemi, was reported to have faulted the move, saying: “You can’t tell me there is a good road in the federation except within the Federal Capital Territory. No interstate highway in this country is good. So, how many of them do they think they would get tolls from?”

Oluyemi therefore, canvassed road sector reform because, according to him, “that is the most appropriate thing for us as a nation. The introduction of tolls will not solve any problem.”

To Kunle Mokuolu, president of Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), a permanent solution to road problems in the country would be to engage the private sector with the government acting as the regulator. According to him, it is better for the government to regulate the private sector than regulate itself.

But Wale Babalakin, chairman/CEO of Bi-Courtney Limited, has his reservation in this respect. He says public private partnership (PPP) initiative is under threat in Nigeria because government officials do not respect terms of contracts and agreements, but see private investors in public infrastructure as either competitors or inferior partners.

A major disturbing dimension to toll gates in Nigeria is the politics that is brought into its consideration and implementation. Often times it is used as a political tool against some regions of the country or to get at the camp of a perceived political enemy.

It is said that there can be no smoke without fire. Be that as it may, if an unconfirmed report obtained by BDSUNDAY is anything to go by, it means that the planned reintroduction of toll gates will hit some sections of the country more than others.

According to the report, a glance into what it called ‘Toll Gate Designate’ shows that of the six geopolitical zones of the

country, the South Eastern zone is leading with 56 toll gates, followed by South West zone which will have 22 toll gates.

Th e S o u t h - S o u t h z o n e comes next with 21 toll gates; North Central, 14 toll gates; North West, 12 toll gates, while North East has 9 toll gates.

If this happens, it means that the South East, arguably, Nigeria’s weeping child, will have to contend with more punitive ‘federal presence’ in addition to the numerous police checkpoints which are no different from extortion centres on all the collapsed federal highways in the zone.

Whichever way the government wants to achieve this, Nigerians would want to see justification for its implementation. It is not enough to erect gates on roads and start collecting tolls. The road user should see why he has to pay the tolls. The roads have to be user-friendly and to make the roads user-friendly is to make them motorable.

What government means is that “if you commute across Nigeria in the next couple of weeks, you would have to pay an amount as you make the journey from one state to another. The amount is yet to be stated, however. A ‘toll’ is essentially defined as a charge to use a bridge or road. You can also call it a tax on roads.”

Fashola’s love for toll gates is legendary. In November of 2017, Fashola was said to have told lawmakers that if Nigerians craved smooth federal roads, they should be ready to pay for it. He advocated that monies accrued from tolling would be used to maintain federal highways all year round.

Critics say that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), which presided over the affairs of the country for 16 years, though had its downsides, but that such did not include the kind of hardship Nigerians have been subjected to in the last five years and “which is being taken to the next level”.

“Nigerians could recall that the PDP administration, in keeping with our determination to ensure the wellbeing and economic prosperity of our citizens, dismantled toll gates, cut tax profiles and applied our energies towards wealth creation,” said Kola Ologbondiyan, the party’s national publicity secretary.

Ologbondiyan described the planned return of the toll gates as an “executive bullying which cannot be justified under any guise as it will lead to more increase in costs of goods and services across the country.

He recalled that recently, President Buhari approved the increase of Value Added Tax (VAT) from 5 percent to 7.2 percent despite outcry by Nigerians who are also being made to pay exorbitant tariffs for electricity and other essential services.

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Politics

How NASS’ inactivity to legislation heightens fears on budget delay SOLOMON AYADO, Abuja

P

lans by the National Assembly to deliver a timely budget and particularly retu rn the country to a January-December budget cycle is possibly being threatened by delays by the lawmakers to enact the much-required legislation to drive that process.

Senate President Ahmad Lawan had, two weeks ago, stated that there was urgent need for NASS to put in place a law that would reform the budget and revert it to the JanuaryDecember cycle.

According to Lawan, if the budget cycle is reverted, all delays in budget passage would be put off. Also, he said it will eradicate all challenges that are encountered during budget defense.

“We can reform our budget cycle if there is a law on timeliness for budget passing. We have resolved to be reform minded in the ninth National Assembly and improving the budget cycle is one area of focus,” he stated.

Lawan further insisted that ensuring the timeliness of budget passage will foster leadership focus and enhance governance, as well as service delivery.

Specifically, Lawan had given example of countries like the United States of America, Canada, Austria, Brazil, France and India who have more definite budget cycles through legislation.

There have been several efforts in the past by the legislature to make a law to eradicate budget delays and set time limit for budget passage.

The 8th National Assembly, chaired

by Senate President Bukola Saraki had proposed to enact a legislation to end budget delays but it was never realised. The proposal never came to fruition.

At the moment, the 9th National Assembly has approved the 20202022 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) submitted by President Muhammadu Buhari on the 2020 Appropriation Bill.

The NASS increased the total expenditure of the Federal Government in the 2020 Budget from N10.002 trillion to N10,729.4 trillion.

Meanwhile, a law is expected to constitutionally put a permanent end to delays on passage of the budget by setting a time frame to limit all budget processes.

However, it seems NASS is not readily disposed to actualising the legislative agenda as, since it announced the proposal, weeks after, nothing practically has commenced on it.

The hope of the people appears dashed because of the grave conse-

Ahmed Gbaja

National Assembly

quences budget delays have on the economy.

BDSUNDAY recalls that the budget for 2000 fiscal year, which was presented in December 1999, was not signed into law until May 6th, 2000.

In the year 2008, the budget was passed in April 15, 2008, and in 2009, it was signed on March 10 while in 2010, the budget was passed on April 22.

Also, in the year 2011, the budget was signed into law by May 27; in 2012, the appropriation bill was passed on April 13. For 2013, it was signed on February 26 while in 2014, it was assented on May 24 and in the year 2015, it was May 19; and in 2016, the budget was passed into law on May, as well as by April in 2018 while in the year 2019, the budget was signed on May 27th, respectively.

In Nigeria, delay in passage of the budget has become an annual recurrence. Some African countries that look up to Nigeria have even eradicated this ugly trend.

For instance in Ghana, the budget for the 2019 fiscal year was approved in November 2018. In Ethiopia, the budget for the 2018-2019 fiscal years was approved few days before the commencement of the fiscal year in July 2018 while in Egypt, the budget for their 2018-2019 fiscal years was approved about a month to the commencement of the fiscal year.

By budget process, according to information available from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, “In Nigeria the fiscal year begins on January 1st

and ends December 31st.”

However, the Nigerian law has no time limit specified for the National Assembly to consider and okay the budget submitted before it by the President.

The CBN explained the budget process thus: “This process starts in June with the issuance of a Call Circular from the FMOF to MDAs to submit their expenditure proposals, which are set within the spending limits.

A draft Bill is prepared by October by the FMOF and sent to the NASS through the Presidency.

“Technically, before the legislature’s December recess, the Bill could be passed with any agreed amendments. The President could then be able to authorise the Bill to become law in January. A clause also allows the President to spend from the previous year’s budget, which has to be within the time limit of six months, although there has to be an awaiting appropriation act for the current fiscal year.”

Of course, the delay in the passage of the budget is somewhat a yearly ritual and only time shall tell when it will be corrected.

But before any budget is passed by the National Assembly, the defence processes are seriously delayed because MDAs often fail to tender proper information while interfacing with NASS committees. Sometimes, Heads of government agencies blatantly refuse to appear for the defense.

After the budget is finally approved by NASS, the bill is required

to be signed by the President before it becomes law.

Again, what elongates the delay is that the President will insist on a clause by clause examination and comparison of the appropriation bill passed by the legislature, with the proposal submitted to the legislature by the executive before assenting to it.

All these processes can be quickened if a law permitting time limit is set for both the legislature, executive and by extension the MDAs. It is empirical in other countries around the world.

For example, the Chilean constitution mandates that the executive provide the legislature its budget 60 days before the end of the fiscal year. This time- frame can be comparable with a number of countries in the world.

By Chilean legislation, “if the legislature does not approve the budget within 60 days, it automatically becomes law in its entirety, thus under-cutting the leverage of the parliament.”

As it is, weeks after the 9th National Assembly announced that it would enact a bill to eradicate budget delays, nothing meaningfully has been achieved.

The Senate spokesman, Senator Adedayo Adedeye, in an interview, explained that the National Assembly was yet to present the bill. He said the pronouncement by NASS was a proposal and that it will be considered very soon.

Sunday 13 October 2019

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BDSUNDAY 15

Politics

‘Good governance can only be achieved by voting good candidates’ Wunmi Bewaji, pro-democracy activist, is the executive director of Coalition of Democrats for Electoral Reforms (CODER). In this exclusive interview with INIOBONG IWOK, he spoke on 20 yearsofdemocracyinthecountry,2019generalelection,amongotherissuesinthepolity.ExcerptS:

N

How would you describe 20 years of unbroken civil rule in Nigeria? igerian democracy is sophisticated, it should be celebrated, Nigerians should be happy. This year, 2019 we celebrated twenty years of uninterrupted democracy; that is why in our organisation, we told the government to celebrate it in a big way. Now, there is everything to celebrate. Since 1999, we have had six presidential elections, in many states there have been change of government from the ruling party to the opposition party in recent years; if you ask me that is a success.

The process may not be perfect, we may not be there yet, or in a position that we can sit down and relax.

But if you look at it no democracy ever sits down and relax; even in America now you have a right wing racist as the President. You have in UK a Prime Minister that wants to suspend parliament; in Nigeria that has not happened. We had Obasanjo and his plot for life presidency, which was presented like a third term agenda. If we had not aborted that Obasanjo would still have been ruling now. We should celebrate our democracy.

What does your organisation set out to achieve?

What we do is similar to what NDI; the American National Democratic Institute or RII, or the American Republican Institute does. We are committed to free and fair elections in Nigeria. We work in any way that we can contribute to achieving free and fair elections in Nigeria.

We are always willing to assist the system having come to the conclusion that there is no alternative to democracy.

Democracy requires creativity on the part of the citizens; it also requires cooperation; you find a situation where a lot of people say elections are rigged in the country.

We have development partners assisting us since 1999 that is what we brought to the system. But our democracy is growing even other African countries are looking up to us now for leadership in the continent; so we should also do it by ourselves now. In 1999, the NDI was just ten years old, but NDI is thirty years this year; that means that Nigerians should be in a different position now. Our organisation has benefited from these foreign organisations. We have benefited in terms of training from the National Democratic Institute. We understand the terrain; the way things are done. We can understand the Nigerian factor; observing elections, nobody can do better than us.

But an average Nigerian on the street still thinks there is nothing

Wunmi Bewaji to celebrate, because their condition of living has not improved?

There is a difference between democracy and good governance; what you are talking about is good governance. Democracy is the right of the people to have a say on how they are been governed.

The privilege of every citizen to elect the person they think can do the job; may be, by doing so, it could be on tribal reasons, religion, ethnicity or all that. If you say this individual is a Christian, but is not competent but you vote him into public office and then you turn around and blame democracy, I am sorry. It does not work that way; democracy gives you the liberty to choose your leader, even if he is the wrong person. Like in the United States where people knew that the man was a racist and they still went ahead and voted for him; that is democracy. I would say it again that democracy is a freedom and it allows you to choose your leader.

So, what you discover is that voting is done based on what I called primordial sentiment; ethnicity plays a huge role in how Nigerians vote, religion plays a key role too on how Nigerians vote. That is a back-way of looking at things; so, the moment

we decide to embrace merit that is to say; this individual is not from my tribe, but he is competent I would vote for him. That is why I say we should de-emphasise certificate; the focus should be on integrity, but these days the average Nigerian is taking money before voting. People say, poverty is the reason for bad choice, but I would say bad choice is the reason for poverty. Look at the voter turnout in the last general election, it was 16 percent. We saw a national average of 23 percent.

Some people think they are too big or too rich to vote.

Is this not a sign that Nigerians have lost confidence in the system?

No. This is an area that we have done extensive study; there are four elements of democracy in Nigeria.

Firstly, we have the strong men; secondly, the demigod; thirdly the political illiterate and fourthly, the sinister. That is those who would say; they have already chosen who would rule, your vote would not count. There is no country where you have this kind of people and there would be good governance.

In most cases, it is the minority people that are not good enough that often end up ruling them.

What kind of electoral reform is your organisation advocating for?

What we are saying is mass participation, we must boost participation, not really to force people, but we should increase Nigerians’ participation in the electoral process. We had advocated for voters’ participation certificate; when you vote you are given a certificate. So, another area is use of technology, we have to embrace it and make voting easy. We have BVN, driver’s licence and the rest. There should be a way we can link all of them together. Nigeria has the largest pool of data, what are we using it for? We have almost 100 million of biometric data, what are we using it for? We have political illiteracy, go to UNILAG a lot of our professors don’t have PVC. In our research, we discovered that it is the market women who are registering and taking part in the electoral process.

The so-called elite and educated Nigerians often shy away from voting; they prefer to stay at home and be watching the turnout on television.

Based on your group monitoring, how would you describe the conduct of 2019 general election?

The 2019 election was credible, free and fair. It was not a perfect election, it was bedeviled by the same Nigerian problems, but by and large, the election was free and fair.

Do you think President Buhari’s refusal to sign the amended Electoral Act into law affected the credibility of the election?

No, that even saved the election; because we have been trying to use technology since 2004. In 2004, I met with some technology companies that were trying to come to Nigeria. The stakes are high now, you can’t go to a national election and at the end something goes wrong. Even in the U.S where technology is being deployed to conduct elections, they still use hand-voting. You remember the incident in Florida, where people alleged manipulation of their votes and demanded paper-voting should be used alongside technology. If we have to do technology, we must test it for some time, all the political parties must be brought in.

But the opposition parties alleged that there was wide-spread rigging and discrepancies in the election result?

No. That argument does not hold water; that is why we have said you must remove the judicialisation of our electoral process.

We said in our report; that there is no country in Africa where two, three, four, five months, after election, candidates are still going to court to challenge the result. The need to challenge the results of elections must be limited. Are you

saying that violence affected only your voters? If you say there were vote-buying did you identify those buying the votes? The violence did not affect only one party; even when you have several parties in the ballot. If you have lost election you should be discipline enough to accept the result.

You agree with the Court of Appeal judgment affirming Buhari’s victory?

That was a sound judgment.

If you say there was violent in Ibadan, it cannot be targeted at only the opposition; it would affect all the voters of the other parties. If at the end of it someone emerged, so be it. We have to focus on governance now. I think Nigerians should learn to accept election result, rather than raising issues like he is not a Nigerian and so on.

Do you support the clamour for restructuring of the country?

It is an idea, a project of monumental proportion that we must do; there is no way we can run away from it. If you look at the history of the country and other countries that have the same structure that we have, a multi-ethnic nation, the only way is true federalism which respects the component units. There are component units in the federation; what we are trying to do is to work together in harmony, but it does not mean we should lose our identity. If am a Yoruba; I am a member of a Yoruba nation and through that I acquired my citizenship of Nigeria. That led to the constitutional conference that give birth to Nigeria; where our founding fathers decided that a federal constitution is best for Nigeria, to take care of our diversity. What they advocated for was unity in diversity.

But because of the long years of the military rule and because of the mistake of the military; where by the federal constitution we took from our founding fathers was jettisoned. Also, the local government reforms by Obasanjo further destroyed federalism in Nigeria. People would say they don’t know the meaning of true federalism; it respects the diversity of our nation. But that diversity has not been respected; that is why we have the balkanisation of the nation. We have states that cannot take care of themselves; then we have a constitution that talks about creating more states, rather than two states coming together to create a mega state.

What is your view on zoning of political offices in Nigeria?

Zoning is good, in view of our diversity and in view that we operate a very fragile federalism. We have diversity; nobody can deny that; so, everybody must have a sense of belonging. So, zoning take care of that. Why do you have the federal character commission? It is written in the law and allows people to have fair share of public office; that is where zoning comes from.

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Unilag ‘Cold Room’ as a metaphor

EDITOR Zebulon Agomuo

to “touch students’ breasts”.

The burgeoning ‘Nollywood actor’ also stated that “nothing good comes free” and the ‘cold room’ experience is the price some female students have to pay to have good grades. Hence, it could be rightly affirmed that the ‘cold room’ is where ‘sexually transmitted degrees’ are clinically arranged and procured.

Discomfited at this revelation, which obviously cast a serious dent on the image of the nation’s self acclaimed ‘university of first choice’; the institution’s authorities have announced the closing down of the infamous ‘cold room’.

A statement released by the Principal Assistant Registrar (Communication Unit) of the university, Taiwo Oloyede reveals the shutdown of the ‘cold room’ as well as the suspension of ‘actor’ Boniface Igbeneghu.

The statement further explains that “the so-called “cold room” is a Functions Room that may have been abused because this is a deviation from the purpose for which it was created (meetings, seminars, events, etc.).”

Meanwhile, the institution’s Pro-Chancellor, Dr. Wale Babalakin, has disclosed that the university council will investigate the matter and ensure that that the relevant law takes its full course.

In a related development, ‘actor’ Boniface Igbeneghu has been suspended by the Foursquare Church, where he is a part-time pastor.

Frank Aigbogun

DEPUTY EDITOR John Osadolor, Abuja EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, OPERATIONS Fabian Akagha EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, STRATEGY, INNOVATION & PARTNERSHIPS Oghenevwoke Ighure ADVERT MANAGER Ijeoma Ude FINANCE MANAGER Emeka Ifeanyi MANAGER, CONFERENCES & EVENTS Obiora Onyeaso BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER (South East, South South) Patrick Ijegbai COPY SALES MANAGER Florence Kadiri DIGITAL SALES MANAGER Linda Ochugbua GM, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT (North)

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GM, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT (South) Ignatius Chukwu HEAD, HUMAN RESOURCES Adeola Obisesan

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TAYO OGUNBIYI Ogunbiyi is of the Lagos State Ministry of Information & Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja

B

efore now, the common perception of a cold room in our country is that of a storage facility for frozen food and drinks such as fish, turkey, chicken, yogurt, ice cream and many others. However, recent revelation from a virile video which shows the ‘inside’ of the ‘cold room’ where lecturers ‘sexually harass’ students at the University of Lagos has changed all that.

In the video, produced and directed by a BBC undercover reporter, Kiki Mordi, the main actor, a certain Boniface Igbeneghu, a lecturer at the University of Lagos (Unilag), disclosed that there is a ‘cold room’ at the university where randy lecturers freely fondle with any part of the body of female students they so desire.

The ‘cold room’, where the despicable act takes place, is reportedly strategically located at the upper angle of the Unilag’s staff club. According to ‘actor’ Boniface Igbeneghu, in the now popular ‘home’ video, at the ‘cold room’ lecturers frequently meet

Naturally, the social and traditional media are flooded with various comments castigating ‘actor’ Boniface Igbeneghu and his fellow ‘cold room’ actors for their appalling acts. However, while it is true that the Unilag ‘cold room’ is a dent on our national image, it is vital to stress that a ‘cold room’ exists in almost every public and private organization in the country.

It is at the ‘cold room’ that justice is perverted. It is where promotion and opportunities are dispensed based on other factors aside merit and equity.

It is a place where miscarriage of justice occurs. It is the place where what is right is wrong and what is wrong becomes right. It is the place where the righteous are persecuted and the wicked celebrated. Yes, in our nation, the cold room is where merit is slaughtered on the altar of mediocrity.

Metaphorical representations of the ‘cold room’ abound in every facet of our national life.

Sadly, most ‘cold room’ actors occupy high places in diverse sectors of the country. They hold high offices in religious circles.

They occupy strategic positions in the education sector. They even operate within the various national security outfits.

They are men who don’t act what they preach. They are men of two parallel worlds. In the inside, they are snakes. On the outside, they are doves. Hypocrisy is their stock in trade. Deception is their trademark. They sing

the national anthem with pride; recite the national pledge with relish, but stab the nation in the back at the slightest prospect.

As a nation, we have not made much progress partly because of our penchant for ‘cold room’ like inclinations. Upon inaugurations, our leaders swear by the holy books to uphold the constitution and operate in the fear of God. With several stories of several billions of naira either missing or being misappropriated, over the years, one begins to wonder if they actually believe in the sacredness of their oath of office.

It is amazing how we play fools with God. Whom do we actually take God for? A dumb deity who sees and hears nothing?

Unfortunately, the hypocritical bug has gotten to hitherto revered religious institutions where, naturally, one expects a reasonable measure of godliness and piousness. Today, we have prophets, seers and clerics who desecrate the altar of God, like the biblical Esau, for a pot of porridge.

How does one explain the double standard of a ‘man of God’ who preaches faithfulness to marital vows, but secretly keeps several concubines? Regrettably, some of them boast of a passionate and highly fanatical followership. Talk of the blind leading the blind. What a pity!

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News Feature Fear of unsafe structures in Imo proves real as new varsity building collapses Ignatius Chukwu & Sabi Elemba

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he collapse of a major building at the Imo State University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences located between Aboh Mbaise Local Council and Ngor-Okpala Local Council may have justified speculations that most structures erected by the immediate past Rochas Okorocha-led administration in Imo State would need to be demolished.

BusinessDay Correspondent who visited the site on Thursday, September 19, 2019, gathered from villagers that the building collapsed in the first week of September after a heavy downpour. This is as herds of cow have taken over the lonely location where the University is situated at a spot off Aba-Owerri Road at Okpala junction.

BDSUNDAY gathered that the new

…Cows take over University of Agriculture built by Okorocha administration in the state plans to demolish most of the structures erected by Okorocha. Already, some of such structures along Emmanuel College leading to back of Assumpta Cathedral have been removed for public safety.

Attempt to demolish one of the structures (Aka Ikenga), created uproar, forcing the administration that was then less than 48 hours in existence to deny authorising the demolition. It was gathered that the ‘owner’ of the land may have been behind the attempt to remove the structure. The Emeka Ihedioha administration has however, withdrawn from demolitions.

A top official of the administration who visited Port Harcourt early in August 2019 said in a private conversation at Golden Tulip Hotel that the administration was bent on demolishing the structures because

Collapsed main hall they were found to have no approved structural design.

He said it was compulsory to demolish them because of the danger they posed to society.

Analysts pointed to the Cathedral in Uyo that some time ago crashed in the presence of the state governor who survived by the whiskers. The belief in Imo State is that if the Okorocha structures were not demolished,

blocks erected by the administration led by Okorocha.

Our Correspondent reports that the affected building was the main hall of the University.

At the time of visiting the campus, the University gate was wide opened but there was nobody seen around from the gate to the end. The only residents of the university area were herds of cows, lizards, snakes and other carnivores, forcing many community members to refer to the place as ‘Cow Republic’.

Also, we can report that the entire University has been overgrown with weeds. The drainages are covered by sands and debris.

The location was by law meant to be the permanent site of the Imo State University (IMSU). At a point, a signpost to that effect was erected there for years. When pressure mounted on Okorocha in his second term bid, he began to build an Agric department there even as he built the Teaching Hospital in his hometown in Orlu instead of at the permanent site. In the twilight of his administration, a signpost appeared, claiming it was now Imo State University of Agriculture, one of the many universities he said he established on his way out of power.

Now, buildings are collapsing, raising fears that if students were there, it would have been a serious disaster.

The location has been lonely as a boundary place. However, we the sitting governor would be the encountered an able-bodied man one to bear the blame from a gullible outside the gate. The young man public when they would crash. informed that a native of Uvuru was Few weeks later, the building the owner of the herd of cows and disaster struck at the yet-to-takeoff not the Fulanis. On why the owner Imo University of Agriculture and En- chose to convert the University to a vironmental Sciences. The proposal grazing ground, the young man said to build a university there was made that the location had good pasture during the reign of the government of for cows. late Samuel Mbakwe (1979 to 1983); Efforts made to get reactions from but the building which collapsed was the government were futile.

How Delta State, PharmAccess, others collaborate on healthcare delivery SEYI JOHN SALAU

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elta State government health intervention called ‘Access to Finance Scheme’ is said to have taken off on a good note.

This scheme, designed by the PharmAccess Foundation, in partnership with the Bank of Industry (BoI), is championed by the Delta State Contributory Health Commission aimed at handing over defunct and abandoned health facilities in the rural areas of the state to capable private sector players to manage, to provide qualitative healthcare services to indigenes in often neglected areas of the state.

In addition, the Access to Finance Scheme which is currently facilitating access to health services to over 30, 000 enrollees in the State Health Insurance Scheme, also includes the adoption of the SafeCare methodology, a quality standard developed by the PharmAccess Foundation, together with COHSASA and JCI and is the only ISQUA accredited standard for resource constrained areas, by all facilities and providers to guarantee a high level of quality standard in the

provision of services.

The scheme also provides the opportunity for the providers to access funds at concessionary rates through a global fund supported by contributions from the State Government and the Bank of Industry, partially guaranteed by the Medical Credit Fund (MCF) of the PharmAccess Foundation. The expectation is that the low interest loans would enable the private providers offer services which would be affordable to the Delta State Contributory Health Commission.

To commence a pilot, the state offered 25 facilities that have been previously abandoned to 11 providers to revitalise and manage for a period of 5 years in a PPP arrangement. One of such providers is Toronto Hospital in Anambra State which is managing the facilities in Polobubo Kingdom, which is now being attended by indigenes in need of health care.

Emeka Eze, the MD/CEO of Toronto Hospital, a 100-bed hospital in Anambra State, said: “Without this intervention, many women whose lives have been saved would have been dead from hemorrhaging. We must give kudos to the consortium of the Delta State Government, PharmAccess Foundation and the Bank

of Industry for coming up with this wonderful innovation that could be replicated as a means of revitalising healthcare services in Nigeria”.

The consortium under the initiative has recently approved and disbursed a loan of over N350 million at an interest rate of 10.5percent to revitalise health facilities across Delta State, which was done through a competitive process by placing adverts in the papers and facilitated by MCF through a thorough screening process.

The loan is expected to be repaid through the capitation and fee for service payments received from the Delta State Contributory Health Commission.

Njide Ndili, the country director of the PharmAccess Foundation, said the foundation primary purpose of initiating the scheme is to make healthcare services available to all.

“We are very proud to be partners with the Delta State Government and the Bank of Industry on this laudable scheme which would see many people in the rural areas who have been otherwise undeserved, begin to have access to the same quality of care as seen in the urban areas. This is the very reason the PharmAccess

Foundation was set up; to make health markets work”.

While speaking at the recently concluded 62nd National Council on Health, Ben Nkechika, the director general of the Delta State Contributory Health Commission said, “We are very happy to showcase the Access to Finance Scheme as one of the innovations the government has used to increase the penetration of health services delivery in Delta State.

The government recognises the role of the private sector in this regard, understanding that they cannot do it alone. This is why we are considering expanding the number of facilities under this scheme”.

According to Nkechika, the state government has increased the number of primary healthcare centers it is renovating to over 300 fully funded by the state; however, the government still appreciates and acknowledges the role of the private sector in revitalising more health facilities in response to the growing need of facilities to deliver care as a result of the expanding health insurance coverage of the state’s health commission, Olamide Okulaja, the director of

advocacy and communications of PharmAccess Foundation, said, “It is very important to continue to explore new innovations that would facilitate quality care to all Nigerians. The government’s resources are dwindling at a very fast rate and the private sector can be a veritable source of revenue to fill the gap whilst the government looks for alternative ways of increasing its revenues”.

However, the business development director of the Medical Credit Fund, Olufisayo Okunsanya, said the foundation work with the providers to develop business plans to ensure sustainable business models. “Our role in this arrangement is not to loan monies directly to the private sector, but to create cushion and comfort to the PFIs and DFIs. “Most of the providers under the scheme have also attended our Health Management Program which we are facilitating together with the Enterprise Development Center of the Lagos Business School to enable them to understand the business of healthcare. This is why we are able to put our money where our mouth is and provide partial guarantee for the loan these providers access,” Olufisayo said.

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NewsFeature Delta turns teachers into millionaires as 12 get cash, car rewards

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Mercy Enoch, Asaba

he narrative that portrays teaching as a profession which its practitioners would only get their rewards in heaven is gradually changing in the country as Delta teachers can now boast of having millionaires among them while they are still alive.

This is courtesy of 2019 Teachers Award for Excellence organised by the state’s Basic and Secondary Education in conjunction with the state’s branch of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), to reward teachers for their performance while on duty.

Ifeanyi Okowa, Delta State Governor and Patrick Weight, Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education during the Award winning teachers in a group photograph.

Best performed school principal in Delta State, Okolafor Fidelis celebrating his award.

At the award dinner held at the Unity Hall, Government House, Asaba, 12 teachers from the three senatorial districts of the state were rewarded. Ist, 2nd and 3rd placed teachers in primary schools got N1.5million, N1million and N500,000, respectively. 1st, 2nd and 3rd placed teachers in secondary schools got N1.5million, N1million and N500,000 respectively.

1st, 2nd and 3rd placed best head teachers got N2million, N1.5million and N1million respectively. 1st, 2nd and 3rd placed best principals got N2million, N1.5million and N1mil-

lion respectively. To crown it all, the best head teacher and principal got a saloon car each.

The awardees are Asanuvwe Elizabeth, Owumi Onome, Omotie Phoebe (Best Primary School Teachers); Oyemike Andrew, Ogwara Gabriel, Esiedafe Doris (Best Head Teachers), Imarah Georgina, Eseimokumoh Charles, Ikeh Bridget (Best Secondary school Teachers) and Ominiabohs Adeline, Adiri Jonathan, Okolafor Fidelis (Best Principals).

Presenting the awards, the state Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa charged

teachers not to only teach but develop the attitude and moral traits of their pupils. “I want to congratulate the awardees and to let them know that the reward of teachers is not only in heaven,” he said.

An elated Okowa expressed that this type of recognition would touch the hearts of the teachers and make them to work harder in the development of the children, adding that the teachers, just like parents, play important role in the development and upbringing of the child.

“We need to continue to give care to our children and guide them

aright because it is at this foundational level that we can mould their character. We need to get the moral development of the children aright at this level, so that it will be well with our nation,” he said.

The governor urged the awardees to redouble their commitment to the upbringing of the pupils and reminded them that “teaching is a passion that genuinely flows from the heart”.

He commended Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education for organising the event and NUT for its tremendous support and partnership in improving the education sector in the state.

Patrick Ukah, commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, had in his speech, said that the awardees were selected from a process that involved over 49,000 teachers and students in 470 public secondary schools and 1,126 primary schools in the state.

He congratulated the awardees and said that the assessment was done and vetted by a team of academics drawn from various tertiary institutions in the country.

With the gestures done these teachers, many believe that it would not just motivate them into hard work but also attract younger generations into the teaching profession in line with the theme of this year’s celebration, “Young Teachers, the future of the profession”.

Ex-Enugu chief judge, Umezulike, honoured with memorial lecture, book launch IFEOMA OKEKE

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minent lawyers, jurists and politicians gathered in Enugu on Friday, 27th of September at a oneday memorial lecture and book presentation in honour of the longest serving Enugu State Chief Judge, the late Innocent Azubuike Umezulike.

Umezulike, who died last year at the age of 64, was the longest serving Chief Judge in the southeast and South-South. He served as Chief Judge for 13 years and had 23 books that deal especially on land and property laws to his credit.

Speaking on the theme ‘The Overriding role of the Judiciary in Contemporary democracy’, Emeka Chianu, a professor of law and former Dean of Law, University of Benin, observed that the courts was one of the chief objects in modern democracies to ensure that principles and philosophies that underlie governance are upheld.

He said that in the 59 years of the country’s independence, the people were currently enjoying 20 straight years of interrupted democracy, stressing that the judiciary had continued to support the move in line with laid down rules.

Citing various case laws, he demonstrated how Nigerian courts have grappled with the call for the gains of democracy to percolate beyond the sphere of public law to private transactional level.

He also examined the applica-

tion of rights to dissociate, to practise one’s religion without undue interference, to own and enjoy real property and fair hearing, adding that any rule that tends to subjugate the child was not aimed at achieving democracy.

Explaining that there was need for mutuality between the bench and bar, he said that democracy would thrive better when good advice was given, adding that Nigerian courts deserved plaudits.

Although he agreed that much was expected of Nigerian judges, he however, said that Nigerians should learn to respect court judgments to “ensure the fledgling democracy does not decline into pseudo democracy”.

Onyechi Ikpeazu, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), while contributing to the subject matter, explained that subduing justice on the guise of technicalities by the courts cannot advance democracy.

Ikpeazu stated that the country’s democracy had suffered various forms of abuse, adding that it was more disheartening when judges were subjected to arrests and prosecution as well as being hounded to write statements on issues they knew nothing about.

“It is not democracy when the homes of judges are invaded in the night by security forces. It is not democracy when judge write judgments under duress. It is not democracy when judges are being monitored as if they were common criminals. These and more are the

many excesses, which the judiciary has been subjected to. If the judiciary must protect democracy, it must also be protected against executive recklessness,” he said.

Uche Jack Osimiri, a former dean of law, Rivers State University, emphasised the need for tolerance among the various religions, stressing that his findings and experience had shown that they worshipped same God. Stressing that one major challenge the country had faced since the inception of her democracy was religious intolerance, he advocated the inclusion of comparative religion in the school curricular, saying it would go a long way in diluting tension among the various religious beliefs in the country.

Francis Ojeih, director of the Ni-

gerian Law School, Enugu campus, suggested a synergy among the judges, saying “If united, they can handle any attempt by any arm of government to undermine their constitutional role.”

A Federal High Court Judge in Delta State, said the judiciary must continue as a defender of democracy, saying it must not succumb in the fight against autocracy.

Peter Obi, former Anambra State governor and PDP vice presidential candidate, who was chairman of the occasion, praised the judiciary for holding the country together. Describing the nation’s judiciary as one of the best in the world, he said the judges have resisted attempts that ordinarily could have derailed democracy, even at the threat of their jobs.

Obi said that if a percentage of the judiciary was in the nation’s politics, the situation of the country would have been better, adding however, that democracy had throttled because “politicians are trying to infect the judiciary with their characters.”

Obi, who related his experiences while in courts in an attempt to recover his electoral mandate, stated that he never gave a kobo to any judge to write judgment in his favour nor visited any at home.

He described Umezulike as one of the finest judges the country had produced, calling him a man of ideas and great intelligence. He said his contributions to the bench would remain evergreen.

Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed, Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), said Umezulike showed panache for not strictly adhering to precedent and ensured that his inclusive judgments foreshadowed the move towards molding the law to suit changing times and circumstances.

He said the book; ‘A Chronicle of leading judgment’ was a three-part volume offering “in-depth analysis of the landmark judgments of an intellectual giant and one of Africa’s most prolific writers on land and property law”.

He continued: “This is a must read and highly beneficial to judges, legal practitioners, law students and the public too. Honourable Justice Innocent Umezulike’s versatility in law will be helpful to all and sundry in resolving or understanding the matters at hand.”

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Person in the News

When Okorocha struck the right chord in the Senate Zebulon Agomuo

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hen penultimate Thursday, on the hallowed chamber of the Senate, Rochas Owelle Okorocha, immediate past governor of Imo State, and now senator of the Federal Republic, threw down the gauntlet on the overbloated number of federal lawmakers, he drew enemies and friends in equal measure.

He suggested that the number of lawmakers should be reduced. Perhaps, the reaction that trailed his innocent suggestion could have been different if it were from another legislator. But not from a legislator who rose to the Red Chamber on the platform of the ruling party.

Okorocha said the country could not afford its expenditure anymore, saying that there was no sacrosanct thing being done by senators and House of Representatives members that only few senators could not do.

“Mr. President of the Senate, distinguished colleagues, let’s tell ourselves the truth.

Look at the number of House of Representatives members and Senators; to me, what is too important that a House member is doing that a Senator from the same state is not doing?”

“It is time for us to sacrifice and I want to say that a Senator is enough to represent a state in order to cut cost.

We must do sacrifice for the nation.”

Lauretta Onochie, President Muhammadu Buhari Social Media aide, in her reaction on her Twitter page, praised the former governor, adding that he had spoken the mind of Nigerians.

Onochie wrote: “I never thought that we would hear this on the floor of our National Assembly. In Nigeria, Wow! “I must applaud Sen. Okorocha for his bravery. I hope he spoke the mind of the majority of our Assembly men and women because he spoke the mind of most Nigerians.

God bless Nigeria.”

But in Nigeria, politicians are not people to be trusted.

Whatever they do or say, almost always, is meant to serve personal interest or political expediency. It is only in Nigeria that, as politicians, people say what they don’t mean or meant what they don’t say. It has been taken to a bizarre

Rochas Okorocha

and ridiculous level where it is being accepted as a lifestyle.

When somebody makes a statement in which he is serious, he would urge you to believe him because “this is not a political statement.”

It means that statements made by politicians are “…a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury and signifying nothing”(William Shakespeare).

Rochas Okorocha whether an ordinary man or a politician, lives and thrives big in controversy. His life is as controversial as his trajectory in politics. Like Aristophanes, a Greek playwright, would have said if Okorocha lived in his days, “You have all the characteristics of a popular politician…”

Like every other popular politician, the former governor perfectly understands his calling into politics, that “politics is a strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles; the conduct of public affairs for private advantage.” So, like every other politician also, Okorocha knows exactly when to say what.

Okorocha also understands that in Nigeria, political contestation is not done in the

market place of ideas but on the platform of deceit and diatribes that generate controversy, intrigues and disagreements.

Depending on who is describing him, the senator representing Imo West senatorial district in the National Assembly, could be likened to the proverbial elephant about which 10 blind men gave suiting but variegated descriptions depending on the part of the body they touched.

In the eyes of his beholders, the senator is a good, b ad , an d u g ly p olitician !

Sometimes, when you hear him speak, you could be tempted to see him as a saint losing himself in politics, but the truth is that Owelle is a politician trying his hardest to become a saint.

If Okorocha were a saint, he would have yielded to the advice of Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States of America, that “Politics is such a torment that I would advise everyone that I love not to mix with it.”

But he appears not one. The former is willing and ready for a macabre dance, if only to stir controversy to serve selfish interest.

What transpired in Imo

in recent times, during the 2019 general election were enough to define Okorocha persona that could attempt the improbable to achieve the impossible in an impregnable state.

He had insisted that his then Chief of Staff and sonin-law, Uche Nwosu, would succeed him as governor. His stand was at variance with the wish of his party and most indigenes of the state, but he stuck to his guns.

He went ahead to work for Nwosu who contested the gubernatorial election on another political platform.

He worked against his party for private advantage. While he was supporting his sonin-law in Action Alliance (AA), he himself was contesting for senatorial seat on the APC platform. Despite all the legal acrobatics that attended his victory, he is today in the Senate.

But this can only happen in a depraved society like Nigeria where electoral process has no guiding principles and seeking elective position is a cash and carry venture. Nigeria is also a country where democracy thrives on leaders deceiving and short-changing the people. Here, political

leaning or persuasion does not depend on party ideology because there is none anywhere.

As a man that cherishes public adulation, Okorocha has located a populist issue to worm his way into the hearts of the over-traumatised citizens. Today, he has picked up a gauntlet to lead the battle against waste in government and how to reduce the cost of governance.

But he is the same man that the current administration in Imo is criminalising and crying foul against his alleged profligacy while in office. Many indigenes of the state are pointing fingers at him, accusing him of wasting their resources on useless projects, particularly the statues that had nothing to contribute to the economy of the state.

According to his political foes, Okorocha established m a n y u n v i a b l e v e n t u re s , schools, colleges and universities for the sake of using them to further his personal estate. While he is at the Senate championing the cause for a reduction in the number of federal lawmakers, those schools remain playgrounds for snakes and rodents.

When he made the call on the floor of the Senate, he received immediate applause and his rating soared. But a commentator wondered why the Senator fought tooth and nail to be at the upper legislative chamber despite obvious oppositions to his parliamentary dream, even from within his party fold.

But a case could be made for him in this regard that he wanted to be there in order to pursue this agenda. It could be a life dream which he wants to realise and thereafter yield his position to Nigeria.

Another observer said that “it was his right as a citizen to fight to be at the Senate because since the constitution allows for three senators to represent a state, it would have been naïve on his part if he decided not to be there simply because he thought there were too many people and too much waste.

“Being inside would help him to fight the cause better and it would also carry more weight since he is one of them. People would say, if one of them is saying it, he knows what he is talking about,” the observer said on condition of anonymity.

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Focus

FCE Okene witnesses harvest of infrastructure despite challenges Victoria Nnakaike, Lokoja

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arely two years in office as the provost of the Federal College of Education, Umar Hassan says that the institution has witnessed a serious turn around in infrastructural development.

Addressing journalists at the school complex in Okene, Hassan gave his score card, reeling out unprecedented achievements the institution has witnessed since he took over the mantle of leadership precisely on 26 September 2017, when President Muhammadu Buhari approved his appointment.

“I met a College with great potentialities and with the burning desires to move to the next level of growth and development.

As it is often said, government is a continuum, therefore, we set in motion necessary machinery to address all the lingering challenges we met on ground which are mainly financial and of course, academic-related. We inherited huge liabilities of promotion arrears for 2015 and 2016 which were as a result of short falls in personnel cost,” Hassan said.

Academic growth and development Hassan also stated that the meagre resources the college had when he came on board did not dwarf his decision to take the college to the next level, adding that programmes were introduced and at the same time accredited.

He said that the determination to attain the set noble vision and mission of the College and to key into NCCE Reforms and in consonance with societal demands were his driving force.

“In spite of the lean resources at the disposal of the College, critical policy decisions have been taken to stabilise the system with quick interventions in academic programmes. These include the organising of resource visit for the newly introduced programmes of History, Geography, Economics and Adult and Non-Formal Education, which consequently led to the accreditation of the latter. We also created the Political Science Department as part of our determination to attain the set noble vision and mission of the College and to key into NCCE Reforms and in consonance with societal demands,” he said.

According to him, “The establishment of two new Schools:The School of Adult and Non-Formal Education and the School of Early Childhood Care and Primary Education, Adult Education and Special Education is going to be added to this programme. Presently,Adult Education has 252 students and we have to limit it due to some constraints.I take this very precious to my heart.

“Furthermore, we created additional academic directorates and restructured the existing ones for greater efficiency and service delivery.Similarly, our genuine efforts to moving the College to the next

…As provost clocks two in office

Hassan, provost level of growth and development in research and academic development has continued to yield fruits, with growing opportunities, such as in manuscript development intervention, which hitherto could not be accessed since 2012. This has been however, made possible by our tenacity in imbibing due process, ensuring transparency and accountability in our engagements with Tetfund. We have also been able to access interventions in the following areas: Academic Manuscripts/book publication 2012/2016, Research projects Intervention 2012/2016 and, Academic Manuscripts/book Publication 2016/2018.”

Efforts at maintaining peace Hassan said that the administration has in the last two years driven its policy trust on honesty, transparency, accountability and in compliance with the rule of law. “We have also ensured opendoor policy, staff inclusiveness and regular consultation with all stakeholders and unions on policy formulation and implementation processes. Our administrative machinery is driven by the Committee system, as most staff are opportune to serve on one Committee or the other,” he said.

Infrastructural development The administration, he said, met some ongoing Tetfund projects and knowing full well that new projects cannot be accessed without the completion of the ongoing ones; it became expedient to mobilise the contractors to site to ensure immediate completion of the projects. These projects were the ICT complex met at 60percent completion, but now completed; School of Vocational Education lecturers’ building at 70percent

completion also now completed and the Gymnasium at 60percent completion then, now completed.

Consequently, despite the critical conditions attached, the new administration has been able to attract the following Tetfund projects to the College: Construction of one storey building complex for Early Childhood Care, Primary, Adult and Non-Formal Education, with external works – ongoing 70percent completion; Construction of Twin-200 Seater Auditorium with external works – ongoing 70percent completion Construction of one storey building block of 8 (eight) classroom complex – ongoing 70percent completion.

Construction of one storey building for School of Languages Lecturer’s Office complex – ongoing 70percent completion; construction of 2 VIP toilets with borehole facilities (students’ integrity project) completed.

“Remarkably too, we have attracted two major Capital Projects to the College, which are currently on going. These are: Construction of Administrative building; This project when completed is expected to bring to an end the lingering problem of acute office accommodation confronting our non-teaching staff, especially, the Administrative Officers and also enhance their productive capacities in service delivery.

“Construction of Hostel block for female students.

It may interest you to know that this administration had also taken some bold initiatives to attract other projects to the College through other organisations of government, corporate agencies and individuals, rather than the usual Tetfund interventions

“These project interventions include: erection of 45 (forty-five) solar-powered street lights.

Drilling of 2 (two) solar-powered boreholes and accessories, one each in male and female hostels. Drilling of one motorised borehole in the Staff Quarters.

Asphalt overlay on about 1.2km stretch of road network. Donation of 3 (three) tricycle motor bike; two for transport and one for carrying loads.

“In addition, we have carried out the following rehabilitation projects: Rehabilitation of the Main Campus and Staff Quarters’overhead tanks, for the first time since installation several years back. Before now, both were in such dilapidated states that over 60percent water pumped and stored before discharge and distribution were lost,” he explained.

According to the provost, “Desilting of the College main drainage network has been done, which again was the first time since construction years ago.

This has helped in the control of surface water run-off, which previously has caused the wasting off of the road network and erosion in some places. “Installation of solar panels/submersibles that supply water to surface reservoirs in the Main Campus and Staff Quarters.

This has allowed for continues pumping to the reservoirs and also reduced tremendously the use of diesel fuel to power the boreholes.

“These initiatives have no doubt made considerable impact on the wellbeing of our students on campus and of course, our staff. Interestingly too, discussions are at advanced stage to benefit from Dangote Foundation for hostel construction and rehabilitation.”

Staff development One of the cardinal focuses of the administration, he said, was staff development. He explained that “It is our conviction that our policy trust can only be efficiently and effectively delivered with a well trained and highly motivated work force. This explained why we attach utmost attention to the issue of staff welfare.

“As earlier highlighted, I assumed office at a critical period with growing demands but scarce resources. We inherited huge promotion arrears for 2015/2016 respectively. I am delighted to inform you that so far we have been able to clear 19 months of 2015 and 9 months from 2016 arrears. Remarkably too, 2018 promotion was effected and financially implemented. Similarly, as at December 2017, all salary arrears were cleared. It is also worthy of note that the contentious issues surrounding the payment of arrears of Peculiar Academic and Non-teaching allowances have been put to rest, as we have commenced implementation.

Furthermore, this administration has continued to give opportunities to staff to attend workshops and conferences for optimum productivity and selfrealisation. Similarly, we have embarked on aggressive staff development programme, which gives adequate room and opportunities to more qualified members of staff to be sponsored for higher degrees, especially for Master’s and Doctorate degrees. Many of our staff have also continued to benefit for first degrees, and Higher National Diplomas. It is worthy of note that while the sponsorship of academic Staff is driven by Tetfund, the non-teaching staff are locally sponsored. Since the inception of this administration, a total of 123 staff have been sponsored for further studies. Forty-five (45) academic and 78 non-teaching staff. Furthermore, a total of 174 staff members have also enjoyed Tetfund-sponsored conferences and workshops.

“Other laudable initiatives are being explored to boost the morale and productive level of staff.

As a responsive administration, our disposition to staff welfare issues shall continue to receive top priority. That is why issues of salaries and allowances of staff are given prompt attention as and when due.”

Students’ welfare Hassan said: “Students’ welfare has remained a critical part of our development agenda. We have continued to ensure that the College environment is made conducive and well secured for teaching and learning. Provision of basic amenities such as water and electricity are never compromised.

In addition, drugs and other medical facilities are provided to cater for health challenges of our students and staff.

The student-friendly policy of this administration has made it a matter of priority to open up the College and make education easily accessible to the students and prospective students alike by charging low fees. I wish to state here that Federal College of Education, Okene remains the cheapest in terms of fees, when compared to other sister Colleges in Nigeria.”

College-community relations The administration has given special attention to College-Community Relation by enhancing programmes and priorities on Corporate Social Responsibility. The effort, according to the provost, has continued to yield positive results for the sustenance of peace and mutual co-existence with the College’s immediate community.

Challenges “As earlier highlighted, our major constraint is funding, which of course is not limited to only our College. However, we have been very prudent with the available resources in running the College,” he said.

Sunday 13 October 2019

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News

Feature Counting the gains of Federal University Wukari

The Federal University Wukari in Taraba State is one of the fastest growing new universities established by President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011. In this piece, our correspondent, Nathaniel Gbaoron takes a look at the gains of the institution since its establishment.

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he Federal University Wukari in Taraba State located about 200 kilometres from Jalingo, the state capital, was established in 2011 by President Goodluck

Jonathan.

Sitting on a land mass area of 199.25 hectares, the University at take-off acquired the facilities of the Wukari Campus of the Taraba State Polytechnic.

Professor Abubakar Musa Kundiri, who was appointed the second Vice Chancellor of the University in March 2016, has transformed the University in terms of academics and infrastructural development.

The University, which boasts of three key faculties of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Humanities, Management and Social Sciences as well as Pure & Applied Sciences, has 25 academic departments offering 27 undergraduate Degree Programmes.

Tanko Yusuf, a 300-level student in the Department of Chemistry, told our correspondent that the smooth running of academic programmes in the University has attracted students’ population into the University.

“In terms of infrastructure, the Vice Chancellor has turnED the University into a construction site as massive infrastructural projects are currently ongoing in the school. We are lucky to have someone like him as the Vice Chancellor. If we had him from the beginning to lay the foundation, the University would have been far from where it is currently,” he said.

Kundiri on assumption of office came out with a Medium-Term Strategic Plan to Guide the Growth of the University, and this led to the full accreditation of all 27 undergraduate programmes of the University He has since completed all abandoned projects including Faculty buildings, lecture theatres, classrooms, halls, cafeterias, medical centre, students’ hostels, perimeter fencing, entrepreneurial centre, among others.

Other projects include, construction of senior academic staff housing to attract quality academic staff; construction of principal officers’ housing units, construction of world-class Central Laboratory; development of security infrastructure to ensure safety of people and property in the university and its immediate environment.

The university has also provided industrial boreholes and reticulation, solar street lighting, waste management system and construction of over 10 kilometres of roads within the campus.

A lecturer in the Department of Economics, Stephen Nev, said the construction of new Faculty buildings to house the establishment of new Faculties of Education; Engineering and Technology; Law and Medicine as well as other infrastructure to address ecological challenges on the campus has made the university stand out among its peers.

“The Vice Chancellor has established the School of Postgraduate Studies which will soon commence Postgraduate diploma, Master’s and Doctoral programmes in all departments of the University.

BDSUNDAY 21

Abubakar Musa Kundiri “There is also deployment of ICT infrastructure including campus-wide wireless services backed by fire optic infrastructure,” Nev said.

He also said that the “Development of UniversityWebsiteandPortalAutomationof Council, Senate and other meetings through the installation of computing facilities in the Council/Senate Chamber has made Communication easier in the University.”

Other gains of the University include appointment of over 20 professors and associate professors in order to meet the quality requirements of programmes of the University; partnership agreements with diverse organisations including the French Government for the sponsorship of academic staff for postgraduate studies. Prof. Kundiri in an interview with our correspondent also added that the University has gone into partnership with the International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in research on agriculture and crop development.

He added that the university has developed new varieties of finger millet for farmers, electrification of all parts of the university and initiation of the construction of an Independent Power Project on campus.

“We have established a full-fledged university Fire Service, upgraded the University Medical Centre to integrate the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS); we have ensured the maintenance of cordial relations between Town and Gown so as to ensure mutual benefit and support,” he said.

According to the Vice Chancellor, “This has led to the community continually relying on the university to support their educational and related socioeconomic aspirations.”

He added that the university has developed linkages and partnerships between the university and national and international organisations which he said had brought immense benefits in the infrastructural, educational resource and human capacity developments.

Sapio Club seeks to ignite love for country in young Nigerian intellectuals FRANK ELEANYA

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apio Club Nigeria , a group that brings together young people with love for intellectually stimulating activities is championing a campaign to get more of its members to become involved and better informed in the governance of the country.

In a recent meet up where it also awarded some political leaders, the group said to build Nigeria as a nation, young people who are well educated will have to get actively involved. The meetup therefore, served as a platform for members of the club to network, share ideas and engage productively in civic activities aimed at charting the course for a new Nigeria and place the country on a pedestal for sustainable growth and development.

The Sapio - derived from the Latin word “sapien”, meaning wise - is the first Nigerian formed social group created for intellectuals.

“It is a formidable force for diverse intellectual African citizens, proposing

and implementing home grown solutions for our development,” a statement from the group to BDSUNDAY said.

The theme for this year’s meetup was Unity and patriotism which is a perquisite for national development. The night was particularly engaging with a panel of discussants which included Joyce Akpata, DG Nigerian American Chamber of commerce; Babajide Obanikoro, Federal House of Representative member, representing Eti Osa constituency; Henry Esiaba, Lead, creative marketing Airtel; Moremi Ojomu, Youth Inclusion in Government; and Sonia Agu, Founder, Sapio Club. The discussions were centered around proposing result driven solutions to issues everyday Nigerians are faced with and how Nigeria’s unity can be strengthened by utilising its diversity.

The Senior Special Assistant to the Executive Governor of Lagos State on Diaspora and Foreign Relations, Jermaine Sanwo-Olu received an excellence award for his service to the Diaspora; while Ibrahim Obanikoro, was presented with the Youth in Leadership Award; and Seyi Tinubu, CEO and Founder of Loatsad Promomedia Ltd received the Excellence Award for his outstanding achievements in Media Enterprise amongst others.

Court stops Panadave Inv. Ltd owner from importing, selling of abrasives in local market

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Federal High Court sitting in Umuahia, Abia State has granted an injunction restraining Chima Nsudum from the use of his company Panadave Investment Limited or Jubis Ltd to import or sell any Davebenlin registered products, or pass-off the latter’s brand or its Sandpaper product by the name KMCA Abrasives. The injunction was made sequel upon the Motion on Notice dated May 14, 2019 brought before the court by the Respondents in suit No FHC/UM/PET/02/18 between Chima Nsudum, Petitioner and Davebenlin Nigeria Ltd, Respondent.

Davebenlin Ltd through its Directors have sought for an injunction restraining the Petitioner/Respondent either by himself or from the use of his company Panadave Investment Ltd, Jubis Investment Ltd or any other company whatsoever, to import, distribute and sell in the Nigerian market any Davebenlin registered brand or passoff Davebenlin brand or its sandpaper product by the name KMCA Abrasives produced in South Korea.

Also, the respondents sought for Anton Piller Order against the Petitioner/Respondent to surrender for inspection by the applicant all transaction records, invoices, vouchers, proforma invoice, bill of lading of KMCA Abrasives sandpaper.

Another relief sought by Davebenlin Directors against Chima Nsudum and his companies is an order of the court directing the court bailiffs to confiscate, impound and retrieve all KMCA sandpaper in the market all over Nigeria and bring same to the custody of the court, or in the alternative an order directing the new managers of the Applicant to enforce clause No. 7 of the Interim Agreement dated November 15, 2018.

The directors also asked for an Order restraining the Respondent, Chima Nsudum, from further breach of the

sole agency agreement entered into by the Applicant and the South Korean firm, himself being a signatory to the Agreement, or to use the business opportunities or trade secrets obtained by his position as the Director and Managing Director of the Applicants brand or infringe on her registered brand.

Davebenlin also asked for an order to account and render to the Applicant all proceeds realised by the importation, sale an distribution of the KMCA Abrasives Sandpaper in Nigeria.

However, while delivering judgment on the application on October 11, 2019, the presiding judge, Hon. Justice D. E. Osiagor granted reliefs one and five, while he refused reliefs 2, 3, 4 and 6. He ruled that the Petitioner/Respondent is “hereby restrained from further breach of the sole agency agreement entered into by the Applicant and the overseas company or to use the business opportunities or trade secrets of Davebenlin or infringe on her registered brand.

The judge also ruled that Chima Nsudum, who is the Petitioner/Respondent “is hereby restrained either by himself or through the use of his company from importing and selling in our local market in Nigeria any Davebenlin registered brand or pass-off Davebenlin brand or its sandpaper product by the name KMCA Abrasives.

Directors of Davebenlin Ltd, who are siblings started fight over the control of the business following the demise of the founder of the company, and the alleged move by Chima, who is the third son of the founder to take advantage of his former position as the Managing Director to import the company’s brand and also another brand called KNCA abrasives without the knowledge of the board of directors.

In a bid to continue with his business activities, the former MD filed a petition to wind up Davebenlin Ltd, this the Respondents who are the directors refused. They accused the former MD of secret plot to take over the trading name and brand and package of the company.

The court adjourned till November 4, for hearing on the substantive suit.

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Sunday 13 October 2019

Arts ‘We have to make art accessible to the first time buyer, the seasoned collectors’ About 12 years ago, Lasmara Art Consultancy, an independent art consultancy specialising in contemporary African art, was launched in London. Since then, it has expanded to Nigeria and has been promoting Nigerian and African art and connecting artists to the global art market. In this interview, HANA OMILANI, founder and director, Lasmara, who cut her teeth at Christie’s, famous British art auction house, speaks to OBINNA EMELIKE on the upcoming Impart Artists Fair, a new initiative of the art consultancy firm among other related issues.

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hat is Lasmara all about?

Lasmara Art Consultancy has been on for 12 years now. We started in London but launched in Nigeria three years ago.

We are an independent African art consultancy, promoting contemporary African art. We have been working with different institutions, galleries, museums, collectors and artists.

But in the past one year and half, we have been concentrating on our new initiative called Impart. Impart is a platform designed to promote African art, and the artists, as well as, to raise the value of African art. It is an umbrella with different arms. We are launching the new initiative with Impart Artists Fair, which is one of the different initiatives under this platform. It is an art fair and a veritable platform to promote African artists within and outside the continent.

What are the details of the fair?

It is going to be a three-day event, and the maiden edition will hold from October 25-27, 2019, at Eko Atlantic, Victoria Island, Lagos.

So, from Friday to Sunday, we want people from everywhere, be it seasoned collectors, first time buyers, or the general public to come and experience an interactive and immersive world.

When you come, you will get to see paintings, sculptors, or your very well-known media. You will be thrilled with what technology can do at the fair, especially with your phone.

We are going to have a live streaming of the fair so that people outside the country can join us. If you cannot make it to the fair physically, you can connect through the live stream.

The fair has many interesting activities. In the post event, we have workshops planed, key sessions planed with the artists and the sessions are meant to work with the artists to raised their portfolio and promote them.

Why the art fair?

Having observed this market for a while now, we felt that artists in Africa, especially in Nigeria, really take care of all the three pillars of the artist’s career, which are the production, the marketing and the sales. The reality is that

What are other activities at the fair?

We have virtual reality, workshops and panels, which are dedicated to art and technology. In the workshops and panels, we will have people from the tech sector who will be talking about the influence of art and the creative side and how it merges with technology.

We have tech hubs that will add to the experience. So, you will find some women who are in these fields, women in art and technology that will talk about their experiences. So, it is not all about the high level topic such as investment in art. We are bringing it down a bit; what are the challenges of women who are trying to pursue careers in the arts? The very realistic topics for us are those that affect women in the creative industry.

Hana Omilani

most African artists will produce themselves; they market using social media and then sell directly to buyers. So, collectors in Africa buy most of their works directly from the artists, it is a smaller number that buy through galleries. So, we thought of creating an open platform where these two can connect without having to do business individually. Usually, every artist sends out a message or nice images on their social media and when you see the images, you contact them to find out more.

So, we thought of a platform where artists can exhibit themselves, and where they will not be paying for the exhibition boots because we cannot be talking about promoting African art if you are going to have fees that artists cannot afford. At Impart Artists Fair, all that the artists need is to commit themselves to participation at the fair; no boot cost, bring your artworks, and we will do our best to promote the works and bring the audience (buyers) the artists need for sales, which is one aspect, and for exposure, which is another aspect.

For exposure, we want people to come, especially those that have never seen artwork live. We want people to come and experience art the way they have never done before; in a more relaxed atmosphere. At the fair, we want

visitors to feel free to talk to the artists, while the artists share with the viewers more on what the works mean, their inspirations, among others. Hopefully, there will be sales for the artists because this is what they live off.

The interactions at the fair will help the artists, as well as, both feedback and inspiration for more works.

How many artists are you expecting at the fair?

Over 300 artists are exhibiting, but there will be more from many countries. We may even leave out some. The countries include; Cameroon, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, among others.

There will be hundreds of artworks and even more artworks after the fair. All works will be available for sale and the prices are affordable because we cannot be talking about democratizing artworks, and be talking about only the highest price tags. We have to make art accessible to all. We have to have a price range that is accessible for the first time buyer, as well as, the high net worth individuals that are ready to spend big money on art.

So, you will not be intimidated by the price when you come to the fair. This is why we have emerging artists.

Why the theme, ‘Art Meet Technology’?

We believe that to really put African art on the global scale, we have to use the tools we have as Africans here and now. Also, to be part of the global picture, the tool we have now is technology. We are a country that has bypassed landlines. People are connected here no matter what social background; you are online, you are connected and you do no longer have to be physically present in a place to be part of somewhere. To be part of the African art, we have to use technology to make everybody feel part of it and that is the way to promote it. The more we show people African artists and art, the more we will get the exposure that we need.

Are the artworks insured?

Thanks to Axa Mansard for this particular exhibition. All our works are insured by Axa Mansard. It would have been impossible for us to cover the cost of hundreds of works at such high value put together. It would not be possible without an insurance cover in that sense of support.

Insurance cover has been one of the few questions the artists have asked us before sending their works. It shows that they are aware of trends.

Is the fair not a threat to galleries?

Local galleries may not be happy,

but I do not see the reason for not being happy because this platform is open to professionals, to buyers and to first time visitors.

We are saying to people that in order to promote African art we have to put them on global scale.

We are doing so through technology. Apart from that, we are inviting galleries from everywhere, especially outside the country to come and see what African artists have to offer because we are here to assist them and to sign them up to other galleries.

If you are a gallery that is doing your job, you should be happy.

We are doing all the actual sourcing, the field work and you can come and we can help the artist be on that platform and ready for you.

Again, as a gallery, you should visit the fair because it is a scouting ground for you. What else does a gallery want? If you are a gallerist based somewhere in Sweden, but hears about African art boom and want a piece of that, yet you do not know where to start, which country to go, and how to get to the artists, Impart Artists Fair is where you need to be. Part of our artists’ promotion is to help artists who do not have online presence to get onboard, bring them out of the wood, assist them, make sure that the contract is in their best interest and that is what the fair is all about.

If a gallery wants to sign an artist, that is fine. All they need do is to talk to us. We have more than hundreds of artists we can give you and then you are helping us to promote African art and raising value of it and the artists.

It is not just the galleries, it is also for institutions and museums to come and see what we have.

In your view, what are the reasons to visit the fair?

There are many reasons to be at the fair. If you have never seen any artwork live, come for the experience, you will be able to do interactive immersive experiences, you can use your phone to look at art in a relaxed manner. If you are a collector, come and see fresh works, you will see works that you have never seen before.

If you are a gallery or an institution, come and see what we have to offer in Africa. You can come for many reasons but at the end of the day, come for nice experience.

Sunday 13 October 2019

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Arts

Odole Oodua: Yoruba heritage goes to another deserving son always present. Before I was announced as the recipient of this sacred position, which had only been occupied by Oranmiyan, Awolowo and GOK Ajayi, I have been taking steps to ensure there is unity among the Yoruba monarchs not even knowing I was being watched.

“For instance, when the issue of our son happened, (Vice President Yemi Osibanjo), I have to call the Ooni of Ife, Alake, Akarigbo among others and they all swung to actions in their different capacities.

OBINNA EMELIKE

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f you are a lover of heritage and culture, there is an event you need to follow. It is a unique and rare event because of its significance in Yoruba heritage in the South West of Nigeria.

It is the conferment of the Odole Oodua chieftaincy title to an illustrious Yoruba son.

Well, the title is not an easy one; it is a special office, which works closely with the Ooni of Ife in rallying the descendants of Oduduwa wherever they are in the world for unity, peace and progress of the race.

To attest to how significant the title is, it was once occupied by the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and subsequently

by Chief G.O.K Ajayi. Having been vacant for some years now, it is time to fill the position as Adeyeye Ogunwusi, the Ooni of Ife, has found a worthy son to occupy it now.

The worthy son is no other person than Sir Keshington Adebutu, founder and chairman of Premier Lotto Limited (PLL) also known as Baba Ijebu.

Having found Adebutu worthy of the title, the Ooni of Ife will on October 19, 2019, at the Ile-Oodua, the Ooni’s palace, at Ile-Ife, confer the Odole Oodua title on Adebutu, who is popularly known as Baba Ijebu, as well as, Dodondawa.

The event will be the first of such conferments by Oba Ogunwusi since ascending the throne as the 51st Ooni of Ife in the third dynasty of Ife about four years ago.

However, Adebutu, the gaming magnate, expressed his joy over such honour. But he hinted that he may not accept

any other traditional title after his coronation as the Odole Oodua by the Ooni.

The soon-to-be Odole Oodua expressed the view during a media interactive session in Ikoyi, Lagos, which was attended by some members of the planning committee for the title installation, including; Aare Kola Oyefeso, who is also the Ooni’s cultural ambassador, Morounrati Asabi, and Moses Olafare, Ooni’s director of media and public affairs.

According to the businesses mogul, the importance of the exalted Odole Oodua title is beyond taking another chieftaincy title in order of things in Yoruba land.

The excited Adebutu said he was prepared for his new traditional title, saying the importance of it transcends other chieftaincy tittles.

“I know the importance of the new title and will not take any other chieftaincy title after my coronation as Odole Oodua”, he said.

For the business mogul, who will clock 84 years on October 24,2019, the revered title would strengthen his crusade for a united Yoruba race, amid his cordial relationship with Yoruba monarchs.

“I am humble to say that a lot of the Kabiyesis are my friends. If you notice any of my occasions, all the Kabiyesis are

“In Lagos, I am the Asoju Oba and mind you, I am not a Lagosian. So, that is to explain to you that if there is no good rapport between me and the Oba of Lagos, I cannot be conferred the title of Asoju Oba in Lagos.

So, all these are signs that I have good rapport with the Yoruba monarchs.” Adebutu said.

But why is the title so significant in Yoruba land?

The Odole Oodua, a position once occupied by the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and subsequently by Chief G.O.K Ajayi, is a highly revered chieftaincy title in Yorubaland pioneered by the great Oranmiyan while he was still a Prince of Ife. Oranmiyan served as a rallying point and stabilizing force among the powerful empires within the expansive Oduduwa territory before becoming the Ooni in Ife after his exploits, which cut across Benin and Oyo kingdoms where he established his royal dynasties, which have been in existence till date.

Historically, the office has its roots in the remarkable roles played by Oranmiyan, the great ruler of old Oyo and Benin kingdoms. Oranmiyan was virile, bold, adventurous, circum-

spect, dutiful and at the service of his other siblings. He stood as an effective link between them. It was his commitment to a united Oduduwa family that is referenced in the fragment of his panegyric “akantunkansi or as’otuns’osi, akinn’ile akinl’ogun” (the great link to both sides, the brave both at home and at war). Even though both Benin and Oyo kingdoms were at a point most powerful domains within the expansive Oduduwa territory, Oranmiyan ensured that they never overran each other.

Etymologically, “Odole” is derived from the expression “odo ile Oodua” (the youth in the house of Oduduwa). It is a contraction of the expression adopted as a title to perpetuate the ideal of internal cohesion for which Oranmiyan stood in the Oodua family of the ancient days.

The traditional title of the Odole of Ife has been retained as part of Ife’s social and political system and specially conferred on distinguished Oodua descendants who in present times can replicate the roles played by Oranmiyan.

In the contemporary history of the Oodua people, the late sage, Chief Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo, who later held the title of Asiwaju Ile-Oodua, which has since been left unfilled till date, was the first to be honoured with the title after Oranmiyan. The second holder of the title was the late Chief G.O.K. Ajayi (SAN) who was once the Attorney General of the Western Region while Sir Adebutu Adebukunola Kensington is the third in the line.

Like his predecessor, Sir Adebutu’s exemplary life achievements and awesome

Bald Is Beautiful opens at Alexis Galleries October 12th

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ald Is Beautiful, a group exhibition of paintings and mixed media, is opening at Alexis Galleries in Victoria Island, Lagos, on Saturday October 12, 2019.

The exhibition is featuring works by young and contemporary artists including; Joseph Bidemi, Oluwole Omofemi, Olasunkanmi Oyelusi, Darlington Chukwumezie, Akeem Dada, David Olatunde, Kesa Babatunde, Samuel Olayombo and Akinbanji Osanyemi.

Bald Is Beautiful, according to Alexis Galleries, the organisers, is special because it is dedicated to those who have survived cancer, those battling with cancer, as well as, to create awareness of the scourge.

“We are hoping to do this show every year. Bald is Beautiful is our way of saying your hair does not define you”, Patty Chidiac Mastrogiannis, founder & director, Alexis Galleries, explained.

In the tradition of Alexis Galleries, part of the proceeds will be donated to BRICON Foundation, which supports patients and their families battling with cancer through counselling, education and advocacy, and assistance with sourcing funds for treatment.

“Our two founders, Abigail Simon-Hart and Niyi Adekeye lost a parent each to cancer and Abigail, is a breast cancer survivor herself; the cancer being detected during a routine mammogram

whilst on vacation in the UK. Fortunately, the cancer was caught early and after a double mastectomy she is now cancer free. On her return we looked into what was actually available within Nigeria for cancer patients and were alarmed by the lack of sufficient support structures (counselling and advice), equipment, financial assistance and trained medical personnel to cope with the ever-increasing numbers of cancer patients.

“Whilst screening and advocacy continues to bring cancer patients to the fore, the treatment centres and support structures cannot cope with these rising volumes. There is therefore a need to address the different

Stronger Together (wood panels) by David Olatunde

potentials for positive social transformation were a crucial factor in his consideration for the prestigious position.

From a very humble background to a life of a successful businessman of national and international repute, a philanthropist of rare breed and a social reformer of distinction, Sir Adebutu emerged as the most suitable candidate for the position. He hails from Iperu Remo in Ikene Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria.

The choice of Adebutu as the Odole Oodua is also in recognition of his philanthropy, positive contributions to human development, and promotion of our prestigious cultural values and traditions as descendants of Oduduwa. The Kensington Adebukunola Adebutu Foundation (KAAF) and the Medical Laboratory and Maternity Centre established in 2005 among other commitments to the service of the poor and other vulnerable people in the society attest to this.

In line with the established process of filling such an important position, both the political and spiritual wings of Ile-Oodua have sought Sir Adebutu’s consent in this regard on behalf of the Ooni and he has presented his acceptance of the offer to the Arole Oodua’Olofin Adimula, the Ooni of Ife for final ratification.

All the necessary rites attached to the installation are being observed ahead of the installation ceremony slated soon. The kings, the high chiefs (Agbia Ife) and chief priests (The Isoros) are atop of the coronation rites, which will reach the climax on the eve of the event in October 19, 2019.

areas of cancer care to ensure that patients’ who are found to have cancer, have where to go to receive care, and more importantly can afford to have this care at all. This led to the birth of The BRICON Foundation”, the foundation said.

Bald is Beautifulis sponsored by Tiger, Pepsi, Indomie, Mikano, Delta Airline, Amarula, Nederburg, Cobranet Internet Service Provider, Cool FM, Wazobia TV, The Guardian, Art Café and The Homestores Limited.

Explaining further, the Alexis Galleries founder and director said that in nine years, the gallery has engaged in the presentation and dissemination of contemporary art in the media of painting, drawing, mixed media and sculpture. “We have established ourselves rapidly as one of the best galleries in Nigeria, a meeting place for artists, collectors and enthusiasts of art”, she concluded.

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Sunday 13 October 2019

ExecutiveBookshelf With Chido Nwakanma • Reviews • News • Interview • List

My book world

I am a major advocate for audiobooks My Book World Patrick Okigbo 111 Patrick O. Okigbo III is the Founder and Principal Partner at Nextier, a multi-competency advisory firm with a focus on governance and public sector reforms. Hegained recognition for work in the electricity sector, public service reforms, investment promotion, and security and conflict resolution. He is one of the movers of the Igbo village square forum, Nkata Umu Ibe, that holds every first Friday of the month at the Enugu Sports Club.

Patrick O. Okigbo III

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1. What are you reading currently? am reading “Masters of the Universe: Hayek, Friedman, and the Birth of Neoliberal Politics”

by David Stedman Jones.

2. What informs your choice of a book to read?

My choice of book is mainly influenced by the key issues I am most concerned about at the time. I choose books based on recommendations either from “best seller lists” or from friends.

My next book could be “Political Tribes: Group Instinct and the Fate of Nations” by Amy Chua.

Sometimes my choice of book is either because someone I have discussed books with decides to gift me a book. Earlier today, Chinedu Anarado sent me a copy of “The Prosperity Paradox: How Innovations Can Lift Nations Out of Poverty”.

It is written by Clayton M. Christensen (author of the bestselling, “The Innovator’s Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail”). I am fascinated by the fact that he co-authored the book with a Nigerian, Efosa Ojomo. I look forward to reading this book soon.

3. Which books would you rate as the Top Ten in your reading experience? i. The first book that comes to mind is Hemingway’s “The Old Man and the Sea”. I read this book back in secondary school, but it left a lasting impression in my mind. ii. In the early 2000s, I read “The Commanding Heights: The Battle for the World Economy” by Daniel Yergin and it helped me make sense of the various economic philosophies that have shaped our world. iii. I have enjoyed everything written by Malcolm Gladwell including his 2019 book, “Talking to Strangers”.

The only book that didn’t quite do it for me was “What the Dog Saw”. I have also found his podcast, “Revisionist History” to feel so much like his writings. I quite enjoy

listening to the podcast. iv. I am quite fascinated

by American politics and have read a few biographies on my favourite politicians.

Abe Lincoln is on top of that pantheon so it is no surprise that I thoroughly enjoyed reading Doris Kearns Goodwins’ “Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln”. There are a few other biographies that have held my interest: Ron Chernow’s “Washington: A Life”, Robert Caro’s series on Lyndon Johnson, Edmund Morris’ “Theodore Rex”, etc. I have also enjoyed the getting into the minds of big thinkers like Patrick Daniel Moynihan. v. It was at Lola Shoneyin’s Ake Arts and Book Festival that I met the author, Marlon James. I had driven with the author, Eghosa Imasuen, from Lagos to Abeokuta to attend the festival and he couldn’t stop talking about Marlon and his book, “The Book of Night Women”. The language and imagery of the book are so bewitching that they have stayed with me for a while. vi. “Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption”

by Laura Hillenbrand is one of those books you need tucked away in your head for those dark days when one is overwhelmed with despair. vii. “Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail” by Cheryl Strayed was a joy to read. I felt like I walked every inch of that road with her. Having enjoyed “Wild”, I had to read “Grandma Gatewood’s Walk: The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail“ by Ben Montgomery. viii. “Juo Obinna” by Tony Ubesie was one of the recommended texts from my secondary school days.

Ubesie brought out the essence of Igbo language with his excellent ability to weave a story beautiful in its flow but imbued with moral instructions. ix. “Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress” by Steven Pinker. Really, any works by Steven Pinker. x. “The Beautiful Tree: A personal journey into how

Another advantage is the ease of travelling with my entire library of books on a small devise. I don’t have to lug around a bag of books.

The most important advantage, in my view, is the ease of purchasing books on the iPad. It takes seconds to browse and purchase any book of interest. I don’t have to wait until I travel to buy a book I am interested in.

8. Any preference between Nigerian or foreign authors in your choice of books?

Which ones predominate in your library and why?

I am not sure it is a preference based on the origins of the author. For me, it is more about who has written on a subject of interest.

Most of the authors who are writing in my areas of interest are foreign, but we have Nigerian authors who have written very important public policy books, such as Olaopa, Adegoroye, Falola, etc. Other commentators have accounts of their observation of politics in Nigeria: Max Siollum, Ayisha Osori, Chido Onumah, Nasir El Rufai, Chudi Offodile, etc.

the world’s poorest people are educating themselves”

by James Tooley. This book changed my understanding of the challenges with fixing education and governance. I have also enjoyed reading “The Bee Eater: Michelle Rhee Takes On the Nation’s Worst School District” by Richard Whitmire, Paul Costanzo, et al. This is another interesting read on how to use performance metrics to fix education.

4. Which 10 books would you consider essential or critical in your profession or line of business?

As a public policy consultant, I read most social science books on subjects of interest. However, I find that I read more essays and journals.

5.Do you do audiobooks?

What are your thoughts on audiobooks?

I am a major advocate for audiobooks. Life has gotten so busy that there is less time to zone out and read. Yet, there are so many books I want to read. I have taken to listening to audiobooks: on my early morning workouts (on the days I get to do this)/.

I listen in the shower and as I get ready for work. I listen on my drive to work and in between meetings.

6. Do you prefer hard copy or digital texts?

Digital texts 7. What are the significant differences and appeal of each in your view?

My iPad has fully replaced paper for me, and I am lov-

ing it. I hardly write with pen and paper; rather, I use my favourite writing apps (Nebo and Noteability).

They are much more versatile than paper can ever be. It is easy to convert my handwritten work to a shareable format by clicking on a button.

The same disruption has happened with books. I used to enjoy flipping hard copy pages, but I don’t miss that now. My reading app, Kindle, gives me the feeling of flipping pages but is way more versatile than hard copy books. I can check meanings of word by simply placing my finger on the word. I can annotate the book as I read. It is easier to find sections in the book in the event that I need to reference a thought.

9. Do you share the notion that Nigerians do not read? What informs your response either way?

I am not sure it is a “Nigerian” thing. A 2019 Pew Research Centre report shows that a quarter of Americans have not read in the last year. The same report showed that Americans over the age of 15 spend about 17 minutes reading for personal interest each day; and this is down from 21 minutes in 2007.

The predictors of this situation were income and education levels. These may be similar reasons why Nigerians don’t read as much as they should. We are a nation of day-pay workers. Many of us do not have the “leisure” time to spend reading.

10. Any preference between fiction and non-fiction?

Non-fiction 11. Any thoughts on reading generally and what it contributes to readers?

If I didn’t have to work, I would probably spend all my time reading.

Sunday 13 October 2019

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@Businessdayng

Life&Living Why more women are opting for surgical body enhancements: Pros and Cons JUMOKE AKIYODE-LAWANSON

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he importance of being sexy and shapely has been taken a notch higher, as some women who feel the need to have ‘banging’ bodies have opted for plastic surgery to enhance certain parts of their bodies to look nicer and boost their self confidence.

Believe it or not, some people look up to popular celebrities on television and on social media (especially instagram) to get inspired on fashion trends, looks, character and general being and way of life.

These top celebrities set the trend for what’s cool and what’s not.

A random survey conducted amongst 15 young ladies based in Lagos, Abuja, Port-Hacourt and Enugu showed that the majority of young ladies had fashion icons on Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook. In fact, Nine out of 15 of them mentioned Toke Makinwa, an on air personality as their social media style icon while four of them had Mercy Aigbe, a Nollywood actress and a couple of them had Laura Ikeji, Tonto Dike and Ini Edo as their go-to icons.

What then happens if I want to be like these top celebs but I don’t have their ‘banging bodies’?

Of recent, a lot of Nigerian celebrities have come out owning to the fact that their somewhat perfect bodies are as a result of cosmetic surgery. This trend is fast becoming a thing in Nigeria’s entertainment industry, such

that cosmetic surgeons offering but implants, liposuction, fat transplant, breast lifts and waist sculpting are springing up in many parts of the country, especially Lagos and Abuja, and have become more popular and sort after than ever before.

In fact, since Tonto Dikeh came out publicly with a video to show her surgical experience to enhance her body, it is rumored that many other celebrities have opted for the option to get the much anticipated perfect figure

eight body. Destinations like Dominican Republic, Istanbul Turkey and Atlanta USA which have top notch, experienced cosmetic surgeons have become more popular than ever.

In Nigeria, places like Grandville Medical and Laser center in Lekki, Abuja Plastics, Laserdem clinics and others are making millions of Naira from performing cosmetic surgeries such as liposuction, brazillian butt lift surgery (BBL), breast augmentation and Abdominoplasty (tummy

tuck) for several Nigerians, with a tummy tuck or waist reduction costing not less than N2million for each surgery.

Although it is popularly preached to love yourself as God has created you, we cannot ignore the fact that not everybody will like every single thing about her body, and as women, we may get the urge to change a few things especially after childbirth when the body of a woman goes through several changes and never really returns to the way it used to be.

However, it is very important to research thoroughly to help you make more informed decisions, weigh in your options and consider your health history and a few things before opting for plastic surgery. As there are two sides to every coin, here are the true pros and cons of plastic surgery procedures; Cons The Financial Cost: Cosmetic surgery is definitely not cheap.

Figures range from about $4,000 for the simplest of procedures to as high as $100, 000 or more for major body enhancements. Cosmetic surgery really isn’t something that should be bargained for. These are serious medical procedures that can end up being a lot more costly if patients rely on

doctors who cut corners or use unconventional tactics in order to skimp out on costs. Revision rates and patient dissatisfaction are extremely high in these types of circumstances. Regrettably, many patients operate under the incorrect assumption that ‘surgery is surgery’ and that it’s okay to visit less-than-pristine practices in order to save few bucks. It’s important to understand that these are life-changing, permanent decisions being made and as with any type of medical procedure, quality should always be the top priority.

Recovery time: The extent of downtime or recovery time is one of the most important factors in every patient’s plastic surgery decisions. This is one of the primary reasons why newer, non-surgical approaches that require no downtime are so easily popularized.

It can be tough for patients with families, careers, and typical life events to dedicate days, even weeks and months to healing after a surgical procedure. While this recovery process can be minimized with the proper precautions and techniques, it’s not altogether avoidable.

The possibility of being botched up: Like every surgical procedure, there is a possibility that things could go wrong, more so, when foreign components are being implanted in your body.

Pros Instantaneous body change: Unlike other approaches to bodily improvement, cosmetic surgery offers a wide, yet precise spectrum of change that can be instantly recognizable. When it comes to aesthetic enhancements, plastic surgery is truly unparalleled in this regard.

- Reconstruction, Rejuvenation, and Repair: Plastic surgery has the ability to reconstruct and repair damage caused by injury, hereditary issues, aging and other harmful factors.

Look good, feel good effect: The trickledown effect is something often talked about in the realm of health and beauty.

According to Cosmeticare.com, “when people make a positive change involving their health or aesthetics, it typically trickles down and the betterment is felt in several other areas of their life.

This is one of the most common benefits of plastic surgery procedures.”

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Sunday 13 October 2019

Travel Interview

‘Gambia tourism has all it takes to carter to the Nigerian market’ Consolidating on the air arrival from Nigeria, which increased by 39 percent this year when compared with previous years, The Gambia was at Akwaaba African Travel Market in Lagos last September to further woo more Nigerians to visit.

In this interview at the foremost West African travel fair in Lagos, Ida Jeng Njie, director of Tourism International, Gambia Tourism Board, speaks to Obinna Emelike on why the country, which is aptly tagged ‘The Smiling Coast of West Africa’ is a must-visit for Africans, especially Nigerians. we attended the travel fair in Nigeria this year is to tell Nigerians and other people who are not aware of our potential, what Gambia has to offer, how to get there and that it is value for money experience whether vacations, corporate events, adventure trips, business travel, among others.

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Ida Jeng Njie, director of Tourism International, Gambia Tourism Board

hat is the rationale for your participation in Akwaaba African Travel Market this year?

Well, The Gambia was at the fair last year, and I was here too last year. What we try to do with our participation is to intensify our efforts into the sub region and Nigeria in particular, because we Gambians feel that we need the Nigerian market because we have all that it takes to carter for the Nigerian market.

Also, Nigerians are high spenders, and who do not want to attract high spenders in their country. That is top among the reasons we have re-strategized and said we need to intensify our efforts at attracting visitors within the sub region and Nigeria in particular.

Why visit The Gambia?

There are many good reasons to visit. First, you need to visit The Gambia because we have all that it takes to make holiday successful and wonderful experience for everyone.

Of course, we are very tolerant, very hospitable and nice people. Nobody wants to go

to a country where there is no tolerance or where he will not be welcomed?

The Gambia is the most peaceful country in Africa. We have the products for Nigerians, Africans, Europeans and the global tourists.

However, Gambia has restrategized to ensure that we attract not only Nigerians, but Africans as a whole. But why would you not come to Gambia where you will have peace, stability, the product is right and the weather is beautiful.

How affordability and accessible is the country?

Accessibility is not an issue because there is a daily flight from Nigeria to The Gambia by Air Peace. Gambia stands out in the sense that it is value for money as compared to other West African destinations. Yes, we are all Africans, but we are unique in the sense that it is affordable. Price is affordable and that is why we are in Akwaaba African Travel Market to tell Nigerians and the world here that good things are happening in The Gambia and the offerings are pocket-friendly.

As well, part of the reasons

Recently the Gambian Tourism Board revealed that air arrival from Nigeria increased by 39 percent compared with previous years, are you working to sustain the feat?

We are trying to exceed that figure, hence the reason we are intensifying our efforts in the Nigerian market. We are not only here in Akwaaba, we will be doing other activities, especially familiarisation trips to The Gambia. We had one this year and we will be having another one in March. We are working with Akwaaba to do Banataba, which means let’s dialogue. So, we plan to get Nigerians to visit Gambia for them to come and we dialogue.

We need people like the media to come to see and showcase to the world their experience.

We believe that the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

We are increasing the number of awareness campaigns and familiarisation trips to encourage more people to experience our country and tell their experiences to others who will visit to also experience even more of our numerous attractions and offerings.

Beyond tourism, what are the business opportunities in The Gambia?

There are lots of business opportunities in The Gambia to the extent that we have some incentives for people that want to invest and our investment portfolio is so good that you do not have to be a Gambian to invest.

We are open to investments as long as you follow the guidelines; you can invest without a Gambian partner, and that is so unique for The Gambia within the West African region.

Olota of Otta, Akinboboye, Olowo, others task Nigeria government on tourism

L-R: Bankole Bernard, president, National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA); Wanle Akinboboye, president, La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort; Oba Adeyemi Obalanlege, the Olota of Otta Kingdom, Ogun State; John Faoseke, author, Cultural Travel Guild of Nigeria; Olanrewaju Bashorun, Seriki of Otta Awori Kingdom, and Tope Ogbeni Awe, former president, ANJET, at the annual tourism seminar 2019 “Tourism and Jobs: Better future for all” in Lagos recently.

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takeholders and operators of Nigerian tourism sector have charged government at all levels in the country to focus more the tourism in order to achieve accelerated development of the country as the oil wealth is fast dwindling.

The call was made by them recently in Lagos during tourism seminar organised by the Association of Nigerian Journalists and Writers of Tourism (ANJET). Oba Adeyemi Obalanlege, the Olota of Otta, Ogun State, who was the royal father of the, took the lead in making the call when he urged the government and Nigerians to explore tourism potential for job creation.

Speaking further at the seminar, which was themed: “Tourism and Jobs: Better future for all”, Obalanlege said that Nigerians must stop depending on the government for job creation but get creative to groom most of the enormous tourism potential the country is endowed with.

He said that festivals in each community could be developed by members of such communities to generate revenue while ensuring that the festivals were developed over the years to attract local and international tourists.

He identified the Egungun Masquerade festival as one of the tourism potential to latch upon, likewise the monumental buildings across communities, which could be converted to tourist sites.

“With the huge tourism potential we are blessed with in the country, we should not be complaining about lack of jobs, individuals must be creative and tap into these tourism potential. The Egungun festival is an opportunity to latch on by the unemployed, different communities have their masquerades, which should be developed and showcased to the world.

“Nigerians need not look up to the government for job creation, government is only meant to create an enabling environment for businesses to thrive.

“The second oldest story building in Nigeria is in Otta, it should be better developed to attract international tourists; a lot more monumental buildings across communities can also be converted to tourist sites,” he said.

Earlier, Gbenga Olowo, managing director, Sabre Network, West Africa, urged government to take the tourism industry seriously by

deploying sufficient budgetary allocation to the sector.

Olowo, who was represented

by Mayowa Badewa, deputy zonal director, Western Zone, Sabre Travel Network, said that the tourism industry must be prioritised as huge employment opportunities could be derived from the sector.

He said other African countries like: Ethiopia, Kenya, Gambia were doing well in tourism because they had been able to work on improved connectivity, good infrastructures, visa relaxation policy and more.

He, however, urged the Nigerian government to collaborate with the private sector, intensify efforts in fighting security and terrorism, create policy for ease of doing business, good and safe roads for tourism businesses to thrive in Nigeria.

“We are known to be the giant of Africa, and Nigeria is not recorded in the list of the top 10 visited countries in Africa because we are not doing things correctly. Government should try to allocate huge revenue for the tourism industry annually because the returns will be in multiples at the end of the day.

“There are only two hanging lakes in the world, the one at Colorado, United States of America and the Ado Awaye hanging lake in Oyo, which is not well marketed for international recognition.

“The one in Colorado generates over a million visitors annually, we must let the world know what we have and encourage them to visit,” he said.

Also speaking, Wanle Akinboboye, president of La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort in Lagos, declared that the power of tourism sector in transforming a community, people and the country, is such that it cannot be neglected and doing so over the years has not augur well for Nigeria and the people.

He gave example with how he, through La Campagne, has succeeded in transforming Ikegun community where his resort is sited to one of the richest and fast developing localities in Nigeria, describing how he has economically empowered the people and transformed their lives and the community.

He recommended such a model to the Nigeria government and Nigerians, urging everyone to look inwards and see where they have comparative advantage and latch on to it for the development of the people.

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Travel Starting flights in Lagos Nigeria is a very significant milestone for us – Bjarnason Cabo Verde airlines is an international airline whose hub operates on the Island of Sal, making plans to include Nigeria on its route. Jens Bjarnason, Chief Executive Officer of Cabo Verde in a chat with BusinessDay explains the airline’s plans and prospects.

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Please tell us about Cabo Verde airline? abo Verde is an international airline which began operations in in 1958 as TACV, a public enterprise but became privatized in 2018 while it also acquired the necessary certifications over the years. A part of our rebranding is expansion which has brought us to Africa, Nigeria precisely where we will begin operations on the 9th of December.

Why have you decided to commence flight into Nigeria?

Starting flights in Lagos Nigeria is a very significant milestone for us. It is a part of our strategy to connect four continents together which are Africa, Europe North America, South America and Lagos with its huge population and activity makes it a natural choice. We are excited to add the most populous country in Africa as one of our destinations. Nigeria has a vibrant travel sector and we look forward to servicing our customers and connecting them to Cape Verde and beyond, seamlessly.

What kind of services should passengers expect from you?

Passengers can look forward to comfort, quality and a memorable travel experience on their aircrafts which have 161 Economy class seats and 22 Executive Morabeza Premium Class seats.

What kind of aircraft are you starting operations with and what will be the frequencies into Lagos?

Normally for new routes we fly two times a week but for Lagos it is a huge market so will be flying five flights per week on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The Boeing 757 is the aircraft for us in terms of size and capability. It can fly from Cape Verde to North America to Brazil and

ernment can do a lot to help. I think one of the important things is that the African States need to harmonize their standard in terms of regulation, safety, aviation security following international standard. In Africa each state has its own system regulation and license which makes it difficult to run an airline especially in getting authorization or to hire a pilot from one country to another. There should also be an open market in Nigeria so that each airline is free to fly within the African continent that would make business a lot easier and less bureaucratic.

Having conducted feasibility study in the Nigerian market, what are the major attractions for you in the market?

The mission is to connect four major continents together especially Africa where Nigeria and Lagos is a big part of especially in terms of population, economic activity and expansion dynamics so to be a big player in Africa you need to be present here.

Jens Bjarnason

deep into Africa. We did a rebranding of the airline to reflect in our image the vibrancy and the colour of Cape Verde and for this reason all the aircraft are painted different colours with different names reflecting the local uniqueness and colour of Cape Verde.

Beyond Lagos are you looking at operating from other domestic routes such as Abuja, Kano, in the near future?

We are trying to partner with domestic airline for inter-line agreement and partnerships, so Lagos will not be the only area. It is very important when building the market. It is not big enough for you to fly direct but you fly to cities and have partnership with local airline to attract passengers to your flight.

Apart from Nigeria what other destinations do you operate from and into?

People from Lagos will be able to connect to Washington DC, Boston, and Lisbon. We have four destinations in Brazil, we fly to Europe so we are connecting different countries from Nigeria to Cape Verde Who are your target customers and passengers in Nigeria?

We are targeting Africans in diaspora, African entrepreneurs, African explorers and business and leisure travellers.

What policies would you like the government of the country to implement to ensure you operate in a conducive environment?

Africa is not always an easy place to do business so I think the gov-

digenous cabin crew, engineers, pilot etc?

We will have services at the airport which could be handled by indigenes just like we normally do but the crew flying will be our own crew which are Cape Verdean people With the island of Sal being your hub, are you looking at an end-to-end passenger traffic or you are looking to help passengers connect flights to other destinations?

We have three basic types of passengers we are trying to reach out to, the local market in Cape Verde visiting Africa, although it is small, it is still important. The larger part of the market is connecting the person flying from Brazil or to Europe and the Nigerian going for vacation which is important.

Do you have plans to employ in-

The airline industry is a very competitive market, what are you doing to stand out from competitors?

There are several ways we can separate ourselves firstly, because of the limited number of international flights, we can offer a travel time that is a lot surer than many people today.

We can also highlight good service on board which includes seat comfort, good food and we can tie the beauty, culture and uniqueness of Cape Verde which we can achieve with the interior and exterior of the aircraft.

As an international operator, Cabo Verde Airlines has been implementing regularly the ever more demanding requirements in the area of aeronautical security, imposed not only by the European Union but also by the United States of America. In February of 2009, the company acquired its registry in the IOSA program of IATA. In May 2018, TACV changed its name to Cabo Verde Airlines. It is certified as IOSA Operator, the IATA Operational Safety Audit Program.

2019 customer service week which we have themed, ‘Service like Magic’, is to demonstrate our commitment to delivering quality service. We celebrate all our loyal customers for standing by us through every stage of our growth and maturity. We could not have done it without you.

“As a business, we strive to exceed your expectations.

However, we acknowledge this has not been without hiccups.

On the occasion of Customer Service Week, we restate our commitment to rendering ontime performance and memorable experience at all our service points.”

What do you envisage as your greatest challenge on this new route and how do you hope to tackle it?

Just like in all new markets, it is mainly about creating awareness, connecting with local people, local travel agents and the local market and each market has different method of operation but we are working very hard and building relationships with travel agents and basically convincing them of this new opportunity and if we are successful with that, that is a key part of being successful in the market.

Are you also looking to airlift cargoes alongside passengers on your flight?

This is primarily a passenger operation there might be opportunities for cargo later.

Arik Air celebrates customer service week in style

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rik Air, Nigeria’s leading carrier is celebrating this year’s customer service week in grand style with on- board gifts and musical performance at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja Domestic Terminal 1 otherwise known as General Aviation Terminal (GAT).

The objective is to celebrate the customer and thank them for keeping faith in the airline even during its turbulent periods.

Since Monday, October 7 when the customer service week started, Arik Air has been serenading passengers at GAT with piano and violin thus mak-

ing check-in procedure a pleasurable one. Passengers have also been winning branded gift items like lunch bags, water bottles and mugs on board flights. The icing on the cake is the flight tickets that are raffled on board.

Roy Ilegbodu, Arik Air Chief Executive Officer, said: “The

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Sunday 13 October 2019

Ogun Watch Abiodun rallies investors to fight insecurity as Ogun raises N1bn trust fund

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Stories by Razaq Ayinla aving rejigged the security architecture of the state within the 100 days of his administration as the fifth executive governor of Ogun state, Governor Dapo Abiodun has received plaudits and urged not to relent in his good work, The governor is a first timer, who has spent slightly above 100 days in the saddle.

This comes on the heels of relaunch of Ogun State Trust Security Fund for which Governor Abiodun had earlier secured 100 security patrol vehicles, 200 crime-fighting motor bikes and other weapons needed to fight insecurity that initially confronted administration.

The relaunch of State Security Trust Fund saw Bolaji Balogun, chairman of Lafarge Africa PLC emerging as the chairman and Opeyemi Agbaje as secretary, with a view to collaborating with investors and organised private sector on the need to jointly tackle insecurity in any form.

This later cascaded to raising of security fund and governor’s hosting of investors, including Lafarge Africa, Dangote Group of Industries, Tulip Cocoa Processing Limited, JOF Nigeria Limited, Elizade Motors, New Hope Agric and Technology Nigeria Limited, FAE Limited, Leadway Assurance, Great Nigeria Assurance, ARM Group, Chapelhill Denham Limited, commercial banks and financial houses which donated N1billion in the first instance, to the security fund.

Speaking at the fund raising

Dapo Abiodun

dinner held last week Sunday, Governor Abiodun noted that the state is vulnerable to criminal attacks as a result of its location and proximity to three other states, including Lagos and Republic of Benin, a neighbouring country.

He stated that the state is fast becoming an industrial hub with an increase in the economic and commercial activities, adding that cross border migration as well as the state harbouring the busiest highway in the country as major attractions to criminality.

The governor, who stressed the need for all stakeholders to

be involved in security issues, said the procurement of 100 patrol vehicles and 200 motorbikes was a demonstration of his government’s determination to fighting crime and reducing it to the barest minimum, just as he lamented that security agencies in the state were operating without the needed tools.

The governor decried the lack of communication system for security agencies in the state, noting that it was bad that the lack of a proper communication system had stalled proper communication between security chiefs in the state.

“We need more equipment, we do not have any telecommunication equipment, we need monitoring and tracking devices because it is these monitoring and tracking devices that we can monitor and track these criminals.

“It is shameful that our security agencies do not have a communication system or equipment within the state, meaning that the commissioner of police cannot speak with his counterpart in the military, Department of State Services or even worse still, he cannot speak with his Area commander, Divisional Police Officers of police stations across the state. Their vehicles were not functioning very well; no tracking devices, no enough finance; so, we are looking at correcting those anomalies with our security trust fund.

“The vehicles need to be maintained. The officers need to be looked after. To these, we have come to you to assist us so that we can ensure that not only do we have the funding, but that this is also sustained,” Abiodun said.

He reiterated that his administration has put in place initiatives to stimulate local economy and empower the youth to be useful to themselves and the society, maintaining that there was a nexus between economic development, unemployment, illiteracy and insecurity.

While pleading with the corporate bodies and other stakeholders to join hands with government in addressing challenges posed by insecurity, the governor said security matters should be the responsibility of all, as government could not do it alone.

He assured investors that fund realised through the security trust fund would be judiciously used, saying that the board has “people with integrity and a name to protect.”

He disclosed that the state government would soon start a resident registration exercise, which is aimed at having a proper laid down plan for the provision of necessary amenities for the people of the state.

The registration exercise, he said, was important as it would help the state government have a database of its residents and help in providing the necessary amenities for the use of the people of the state.

Go v e r n o r Ab i o d u n a l s o delved into the joint security outfit established by the six Southwest states, namely, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Ondo, Ekiti and Lagos states which was code-named ‘Amotekun - Leopard’, saying the decision to launch ‘Amotekun’ by the six Southwest states, is meant to ensure the security of the entire region.

According to him, each state in the region is to donate 20 patrol vehicles and communication equipment for the take-off of the joint security patrol team, adding that the states are also to provide personnel for the taskforce to operate effectively.

He said: “In conjunction with the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission, the six Southwest states have agreed to set up a joint patrol team that will be called ‘Amotekun’.

“Each of the states is required to donate at least 20 patrol vehicles, communication equipment and personnel to the task force.

Ogun East demands good roads, healthcare, OGSG commends World Bank for selecting Ogun as pilot state in sanitation, water hygiene project employment, others in 2020 Budget

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he people of Ogun East Senatorial District have urged the State government to place more emphasis on the provision of good roads, rural healthcare, education, agriculture and employment generation in the 2020 Budget of the state.

The people gave the advice at a town hall meeting to generate inputs into the state’s 2020 Budget, held at the Bisi Rodipe Centre, Ijebu-Ode on Thursday.

In their separate contributions, various stakeholders stressed the need for Governor Dapo Abiodun-led administration to focus on providing free and qualitative education, health care, good roads, employment for the youth and support to farmers to produce more food.

Speaking at the meeting, Oba

Sikiru Adetona, the paramount ruler of Ijebuland, represented by the Dagburewe of Idowa, Oba Yinusa Adekoya, called for the rehabilitation of Ijebu-Ode-Epe, Ijebu-Ode-Alagboun-Ketu-Epe and Ijebu-Ode-Idowa-IbefunItokin roads, while Chief Rodipe, called on the government to declare a State of Emergency on roads in the state, particularly in Ijebuland, as most roads were in a deplorable condition.

A former commissioner in the state, Falilu Sabitu, called for the reinforcement of security in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area to arrest the spate of kidnapping and other crimes, while efforts should be geared towards reviving the Olokola Deep Sea Port and rehabilitation of schools as well as provision of adequate teaching staff in the area to bolster the quality of education in

the area.

Also contributing, another former Commissioner for Finance, Samuel Durojaiye, called for the resuscitation of old farm settlements in Ijebu North and the establishment of new ones.

He also called for the electrification of rural communities in the council area to make life meaningful to the people.

Representative of Physically Challenged People, Keshinro Olaitan, called for the establishment of a ministry to oversee the affairs of the disabled, while representatives of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, the League of Imams and Alfas and Foundation of Muslim Women, FONWAN, called for the reintroduction of adult education and the need to inculcate morals in school children to address decadent in the society.

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gun State Government has lauded World Bank for selecting the State as a beneficiary of its first phase developmental project in rural areas through its Partnership for Expanded Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH).

Consultant to the State Governor on Budget and Planning, Olaolu Olabimtangavethecommendation while addressing representatives of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources (FMRW) and World Bank Team in Abeokuta.

He said the initiative would go a long way in addressing water scarcity and epidemic, assuring of State government’s readiness to partner with World Bank to achieve the aims and objectives of the scheme.

“We are taking the initiative seriously and we are interested in partnership. We appreciate the Federal government and the World Bank for the gesture because there is nothing we can do without them”,

he said.

Th e Na t i o n a l C o o r d i n a tor PEWASH FMWR, Jummai Wakaso, said the purpose of the programme was to ensure proper hygiene and availability of water supply, saying out of 24 states that showed interest in the programme, Ogun and Kano would serve as pilot states.

Wakaso stated that the programme started with Obafemi Owode and Odeda Local Governments, with 52 solar power boreholes installed at the first phase, while the construction of 44 facilities and five rehabilitations are ongoing for the second phase.

Director of Rural Electrification, Ministry of Rural Development, Rasak Ojetola appreciated the teams for their kind gestures, saying the Ministry had been partnering with other donor agencies towards achieving hygienic environment in the State.

Sunday 13 October 2019

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Interview

‘Our pan-African approach has enabled us to deal with wide range of security issues’

Niagale Bagayoko is the chair of the African Security Sector Reform (ASSN), an internationally renowned political scientist with extensive field research on security systems in African Francophone countries, Western security policies (France, United States, European Union) in Africa and African conflict-management mechanisms, focusing on the interface between security and development. In this interview with INIOBONG IWOK, she spoke on the activities of ASSN and the import of its existence. Excerpts: May we know what ASSN is all about and the need for it?

SSN is an important security initiative driving peace building and security development agenda in Africa. Since the adoption of the AU Policy Framework on Security Sector Reform, in January 2013, and the Security Council resolution 2151 adopted in 2014, as well as the ECOWAS Policy Framework for Security Sector Reform and Governance, it has been seen that organising the security sector in Africa in alignment with democratic governance may be the most effective way of addressing African security challenges. The current state of the continent’s security presents many opportunities as many of the region’s political advances such as presidential and legislative elections or civil society actors engaging security establishments have security management requirements, and it is through initiatives such as those being pushed forward that are impacting positively on the governance of the security sector in the region.

From a policy standpoint, how does the ASSN differ from other organisations of its kind?

Our decade-and-a-half experience and leadership in promoting democratic security sector governance (SSG) and security sector reform (SSR) across Africa, with a wide and diverse membership of recognised professionals and academicians has long distinguished the ASSN as a reputable network on the African continent and internationally.

ASSN’s pan-African approach has made us to pool expertise, enabling the network to deal with a wide range of security sector issues. Currently, our membership cuts across researchers, analysts, civil society activists, parliamentarians and active and retired security practitio-

A

ners. And it is this kind of membership that makes it possible for us to create a security convergence for the Anglophone, Francophone and Lusophone divides, whilst fostering African security expertise and best practices Representing the conscience of the African Security Sector for the benefit of the continent is your major objective. To what extent has this purpose been achieved?

In pursuit of our aims and objectives, the ASSN has been able to establish partnership with the African Union (AU) as well with the ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) to which the ASSN has provided key inputs for the design of their respective SSR Frameworks (respectively adopted in 2013 and 2016 as mentioned above). The ASSN has also collaborated with several other international partners including the United Nations; the British government agencies, OXFAM, CORDAID and many others. So far, we have been able to set up a roster of more than 50 senior experts; initiate innovative research programs such as the HSG (Hybrid Security Governance in Africa) funded by the Canadian IDRC (International Development research centre). During this period, we also supported governments often in very challenging (and often post-conflict) environments.

What are some of the ASSN top priorities for the current year and beyond?

In addition to the high profile partnerships that we’ve built, we will continue to provide all the required support towards the implementation of the AU SSR Policy Framework at the continental and national level in collaboration with Regional Economic Communities (RECs) as well as to support (upon request) Member States initiating or implementing national and regional Security Sector Reform (SSR) initiatives. Our

Niagale Bagayoko

hubs across the continent will be at the core of this kind of activities.

How are the various governments in the region assisting the ASSN? The ASSN has worked with the authorities of South Sudan; DRC, Liberia, Madagascar, Ghana, Mali, Burkina Faso; the Central African Republic.

Developing strong relationships with Africa’s top government officials is one of our top priorities. These kind of direct contacts with high-level African decisionmakers both in the government, the Parliaments and private sector are needed to further validate our work in region.

To this end, the ASSN is particularly willing to collaborate with African States eager to promote and champion SSR/G and countries such as Senegal, Ghana, South Africa; Mada-

gascar, Sierra Leone; Liberia; Burkina Faso; Gambia; Nigeria are all great reference points for some of the work we have done so far.

How have you been getting funding to drive your work at the ASSN? The ASSN is mainly funded on a project basis and initial major support came from the British Government via the DFID (Department for International Development) which enabled the ASSN to institutionalise itself, thus leading to the setting up a permanent Secretariat in Accra (Ghana). The United Nations provided the support we needed to help develop SSR capacities at the African Union level. Till date, our most important programme which comprises training and capacitybuilding projects in security and Justice Sector Reform (SJSR) for Civil Society Or-

ganizations from 5 conflictaffected African countries (South Sudan, the Central African Republic, Niger, Somalia and the DRC), is presently being funded by OXFAM and CORDAID. We are also working with the G5/Sahel on insecurity and community-based conflicts.

In what ways has the work done so far advanced the peace-building agenda?

The SSR agenda has essentially been driven by a conflict and post-conflict perspective. Yet, an increasingly essential challenge today is to support the SSR agenda in non-conflict settings with a much longerterm approach, particularly in post-authoritarian environments as well as stable countries. Just as traditional security frameworks seem to be losing their relevance, they appear to have also

failed to respond to current challenges in both security delivery and governance in Africa. And for this reason, there is a need to rethink the whole concept of security sector reform (SSR) in the region and to root it deeply in democratised processes throughout the region. Another challenge is that SSR has yet to be fully recognised and has more often than not been isolated from other political and technical processes aimed at promoting peace, security and democracy.

This is anomaly that needs to be corrected to enable a framework that will enhance security delivery and accountability in areas of critical weakness in Africa.

What are the biggest challenges in implementing security reform?

The security environment in Africa is currently characterised by ‘asymmetric’ threats, emerging security risks and conflicts.

These include transnational organised crime, maritime insecurity, terrorism, unregulated migration, cyber insecurity and increasing identity and community disputes which place new demands on traditional SSRG (Security Sector reform and Governance).

Amid this fast-changing environment, those challenges are evident and SSR has to take them more seriously into account.

What has been the impact of the African Security Sector Network (ASSN) since it was established?

The central feature of the ASSN vision is to promote an African-centred approach, which involves drawing primarily from indigenous knowledge, expertise and resources to support democratic security sector governance and design pragamtic and sustainable SSR programmes.

Our impact has been felt by the various African governments, security institutions, legislatures, civil society and multinational organisations all of whom have undertaken SSR programmes.

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I’ll say if my backside is real at the right time – Mercy

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urrent Big Brother Naija winner, Mercy Eke, not only garnered more fans because of her entertaining role in the house, a whole lot of people fell in love with her curvy figure. The young lady is blessed with a backside that would make most men drool and some women green with envy.

But even as not just a few wondered if her backside is real or artificial, the young lady, in a recent chat with Bliss, said she didn’t care what people thought about her butt.

Mercy said, “Anyway, people are entitled to their own opinions. I don’t think I have to talk about that now. When the right time comes, I will talk about it. People can say whatever they want concerning my backside; the most important thing is that I am confident when it comes to my body.”

Having auditioned for the BBN show four times, Mercy said she got lucky the fifth time and was accepted to be a part of the show. However, it didn’t come easy as she said she had to travel down to Warri, Delta State, to be auditioned.

“Travelling all the way from Lagos to Warri to go and audition was my biggest sacrifice concerning this show. I haven’t t been to Warri before then but I just had to find my way there and go for the audition. I think God already ordained

this year for me. I just wanted to be a part of the reality show after watching it the first time ever.

Since then, I just wanted to be a housemate. Even after being said no to, four times, I still didn’t give

up, I wanted to be a part of it, I was still going for the auditions till I was eventually taken.”

Mercy got into the house eventually and ended up falling in love with a fellow housemate, Ike. But then, she said that wasn’t a strategy and it wasn’t part of her plan.

“I don’t think falling in love played a role in my winning the show. In the first place, I just had wanted to play this game alone but love happened. I fell in love!”

And now that she is N30m richer than Ike, Mercy said her winnings would not affect her relationship with Ike. “I am not going to dump Ike because I won the show. My love for him doesn’t have anything to do with money. He will always be there,” she said.

And still on relationships, Mercy claimed she still has a “very good” relationship with Tacha, who was disqualified from the show because of the squabbles both of them had.

“I and Tacha are still friends.

Friends fight, families fight.

Things happen and you just show your side. We are humans.

Whatever happened between us doesn’t change the fact that we are still friends. You guys will be seeing us real soon together.”

When asked if she would likely share her winnings with her fellow housemates, Mercy said, “The game is a winner takes it all.”

Darey, Tee-Y Mix ready to Access the Stars

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ward winning Nigerian artiste, Darey Art- Alade and popular producer, Tee Y Mix, will join other stars to scout for new talents in a show titled Access The Stars.

The show, sponsored by multinational brands, Star Lager Beer and Access Bank, is aimed at discovering new music talents across the country, giving them the chance to be refined, and empowered to reach superstar status in the music industry. In addition to the fame of winning the

hunt, the sponsors will give monetary awards of up to N150m, to the winners of the hunt which will kick off this October.

Speaking on the initiative, Herbert Wigwe, Access Bank MD/CEO stated that Access the Stars is borne out of the desire of both brands to continue to connect with people through the one platform they both have in common which is music. “Both our brands share a long history of creating excellent musical experiences for not just own cus-

tomers, but the wider Nigerian audience, and this is us expanding on that,’’ he said.

According to the organisers, Access The Stars will also reward fans with music performances from A-list artistes in each city the discovery train hits. Much like the now-defunct Star Music - The Trek, acts such as Tiwa Savage, Burna Boy, Flavour, Phyno, Olamide, Kcee, and more will perform in different cities as Access Bank and Star Lager Beer tour Nigeria in search of new talents.

Also, speaking at a press conference to announce the talent hunt show, Mr. Jordi Borrut Bel, Managing Director/CEO, Nigerian Breweries, said; “We have done this before, but this time, we want to bring something new and more entertaining to our consumers, where they not only enjoy good music, but get the opportunity to have their own voices and music showcased to the rest of the world. We are really excited about this.”

Dare Art Alade will host the show with television host and radio personality, Olive Emodi as co-host. Choreographer and CEO Imagneto Dance Company, Kaffy, Nigerian Music Producer, Tee-Y Mix and Nigerian Music Star, Seyi Shay will judge the talents to be found across Nigeria.

Stars join Sound Sultan on Jungle Story 2

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ans trooped into Terra Kulture en masse recently for the second Edition of Sound Sultan’s Satirical Musical titled, ‘Jungle Story’.

The highly anticipated show, which featured many of Nigeria’s most prominent actors and musicians, was just as entertaining as it was enlightening. The show told the story of a land that became a jungle due the corrupt practices indulged in by its citizens. It went further to highlight the ills in the society as well as proffer solutions on how they can be tackled.

Joining Sound Sultan in the musicalwere,2Baba,RMD,JohnnyDrille, Femi Kuti, Odunlade Adekola, Osas Ajibade, Femi Branch, Peruzzi, Dare Art-Alade, HarrySongz, Seyi Shay,

Helen Paul, Ninja Band, Jumabee, Crown Troupe, Basketmouth, Kate Henshaw, Wale Ojo, Jimi Solande, Waje, Praiz, Niniola, Vector, Segun Adefila, Pocco Lee, Lasisi Elenu, and a host of other celebrities.

Speaking on the sponsorship of SoundSultan’s‘JungleStory’andthe donation of the Box Office, Brand Manager, Amstel Malta, Akinola Josiah, said, “As a brand, we take pleasure in helping our consumers live their best lives. We do this by creating opportunities where they can enjoy themselves while engaging in activities that they love. The sponsorshipof‘JungleStory’andthe donation of the Amstel Malta box office is our way of showing commitment to giving our consumers the best of experiences”.

Sarkodie beats Falz to win BET Best International Flow

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hanaian superstar, Sarkodie, has beaten Nigerian artiste, Falz, South Africa’s Nasty C, UK’s Ghetts and Little Simz, French artiste Kalash and Canada’s Tory Lanez to win the Best International Flow category for the 2019 BET Hip Hop awards.

The award is a new category in BET hip hop awards aimed to honour artistes from around the world.

Alex Okosi, Executive Vice President and Managing Director, BET International and Viacom International Media Networks Africa said; “On behalf of BET International, we couldn’t be more proud of Sarkodie for making history as the winner of our first-ever “Best International Flow” honour.

Now more than ever, music from around the world is gaining popularity in mainstream culture, and by launching this category we’re honoured to give talented artistes like Sarkodie a platform to achieve global success.”

Furthermore, J.Cole snagged three wins for ‘Lyricist of the Year,’ ‘Sweet 16: Best Featured Verse’ for his verse on 21 Savage’s “A Lot,” and ‘Impact Track’ for his single “Middle Child.” Cardi B took home two wins for ‘MadeYou-Look Award (Best Hip-Hop Style)’ and the visuals for “Money” took home ‘Best Hip-Hop Video.’ Travis Scott took home his

first win in the ‘Video Director of the Year’ and ‘Album of the Year’ categories. Newcomer Lil Nas X also takes two wins for ‘Single of the Year’ and ‘Best Collabo, Duo or Group’ for “Old Town Road.”

The “Houston Hottie” Megan Thee Stallion, kicked off the night live from the boat performing a medley of “Hot Girl Summer” featuring Juicy J, and “Cash **it” featuring the night’s “Best New Hip-Hop Artist” winner, DaBaby; before taking home two wins of her own for ‘Hot Ticket Performer’ and ‘Best Mixtape.’

Continuing to be the hottest night in hip-hop, performances included Saweetie performing “My Type,” and bringing out surprise guest Petey Pablo and Lil Jon who performed “Freek-A-Leek” and “Get Low.” Rick Ross hit the stage performing a medley that include a special appearance by T-Pain. DaBaby performed “Intro” from his debut album Kirk before bringing out Offset for “Babysitter;” later he joined Lil Baby for a performance of “Baby.” Chance The Rapper, did a powerful performance of “Sun Come Down.” Rapsody, put on for the queens with an inspiring performance of “Nina” and “Serena.” YBN Cordae got the crowd woke along with Anderson .Paak performing “RNP.” Presenters for the evening included R&B superstar, Teyana Taylor, and Academy Award-nominated actor and star of “Queen & Slim,” Daniel Kaluuya, “Rap City” host Tigger, and Rick Ross.

For the first time ever, the BET “Hip Hop Awards” also included a live battle rap hosted by Ultimate Rap League founder Smack featuring noted battle rappers DNA, Geechi Gotti, T-Top, and Shotgun Suge. DNA reigned supreme and won a $25,000 cash prize.

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BDSUNDAY 31

Consumer Watch LASCOPA charges retailers to avoid stocking expired goods

…Recovers N18.9m as refund, compensation for consumers

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Ngozi Okapalakunne he Lagos State Cons u m e r Pr o t e c t i o n Agency (LASCOPA) has called on retailers of products, especially consumables, to always ensure proper examination of the details of various commodities in order to avoid stockpiling unwholesome or expired goods.

Kemi Olugbode, general manager of the Agency, who gave the warning recently while speaking on the activities of LASCOPA towards ensuring food safety in the state, disclosed that some suppliers of products have been discovered to be in the habit of altering the details of their products before delivering them to retailers.

She noted that details of products are altered by unscrupulous suppliers, and sometimes the retailers themselves, to deceive their clients and portray their stock as genuine and unexpired.

Continuing, she said that the Monitoring and Enforcement Team of LASCOPA recently discovered that a supermarket displayed a brand of Listerine mouth wash which had expired in July 2019 but doctored the date to read July 2020 in order to deceive unsuspecting consumers.

While maintaining that any form of deception and unfair trade practice will not be acceptable or tolerated in Lagos State, Olugbode said that her Agency is determined to get to the root of the matter by carrying out further investigations.

She, therefore, called on suppliers, retailers and all those involved

(L-r ) Stella Akigwe, president Anambra State Women Association Lagos (ASWAL) branch Dr. Nkeiru Ifekwem, and Prof. Virgy Ebelechukwu Onyene of the University of Lagos during a medical outreach organised by ASWAL recently in Lagos.

in the production and supply chain of consumable products to be alive to their responsibilities by ensuring that only safe and wholesome products are displayed for sale.

The General Manager also warned that LASCOPA would not hesitate to invoke the necessary law, to ensure that defaulters are brought to book in order to adequately protect consumers’ rights in the state Meanwhile, the agency said it has recovered a total sum of N18,886,754 as refund and com-

pensation for consumers.

The money was recovered for consumers who sought the support of the Agency to get redress from infringements on their rights by retailers and traders of various consumables.

According to Olugbode, LASCOPA receives complaints daily from aggrieved consumers seeking redress from various unfair trade practices in the state.

She noted that 87.1 percent of the total complaints received by the Agency from consumers have been amicably resolved; 9.4 per-

cent are receiving attention; 1.5 percent awaiting court judgment and two percent were dropped for lack of merit.

Olugbode revealed that complaints were received from various sectors of the economy including Transportation, Banking and Finance, Food and Beverages, Insurance, E-Commerce, Telecommunications and Property.

Other areas are Electricity Distribution Companies, Confectioneries, Manufacturing, Automobiles, Pharmaceuticals, Chemical and Agro-Allied Companies etc.

New hotel opens in Ikeja, pledges robust service delivery

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aturday 28th, September 2019 witnessed the formal opening of Dover Hotels Exclusive tugged somewhere in Ikeja, Lagos.

The opening of the new 104room hotel extension indeed attracted men and women from different walks of life.

Speaking during the commissioning of the four storey building plus basement and ground floor, the Archbishop of Aba Diocese, Bishop Johnson Onuoha commended the Group chairman of Dover Hotels, Jackson Agbai Abbah for raising such an edifice within a short period of time.

According to him, the new hotel will create more jobs for the unemployed in the country.

However, he urged the staff and management of the hotel to put God first in anything they do, adding that such effort will enable them become more successful in life.

President Aba Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Andy Uba congratulated the chairman of the newly opened hotel for the

role he had played in the development of hospitality industry in the country.

He said: “What we are commissioning today is the third in its series in Lagos metropolis. Jackson has shown over the years that he has passion for the hospitality business. He has been able to raise and commission this hotel after 12 months of ground breaking with all the challenges of government in Lagos.”

Describing the new hotel as one of the largest hotels in Lagos, he appealed to the staff and management to ensure proper maintenance of the structure so as to ensure patronage.

“There is market for the product because of the location, but the critical thing is to keep the edifice clean and that will bring customers. The management should also constantly train their staff in order to uphold the best standard of service,” he noted.

On his part, Group chairman Dover Hotels, Jackson Agbai Abbah affirmed that his going into hospitality business since over

fifteen years ago was because of his recognition that the primacy of man’s basic needs which essentially remains food, clothing and shelter were been taken care of by hospitality business.

“In all these years, the centre of our business has remained the customers. We strive to improve our processes in order to provide prompt, efficient service. Staff welfare has been at what we do.

We believe that happy workers easily transfer and transmute their happiness and enthusiasm towards quality service delivery.

The consequences have been an inner core of loyal guests who do not only repeatedly purchase our services, but have taken it upon themselves to be our main marketers”, he affirmed.

However, he revealed that the Dover Exclusive is serviced by three elevators with 100 standard rooms.

According to him, world class hotels are built with fortunes, adding, “Dover did not spare the cost either. All the building materials are imported. This is a notch

because we want to cater to a higher class in the society that is the reason we have expanded so much in terms of aesthetics,’’ Abbah noted.

He expressed worries over situation where customers who lodged in a hotel and because of the high cost of the meals, they go out to nearby eateries to get their meals.

“We want a hotel that is oneshop offering, so generally in all Dover Hotels, guests don’t have to bother about meals, we take care of that, so we offer free breakfast and dinner in all Dover hotels,” Abbah noted.

On the other hand, he applauded Bank of Industry and Wema Bank for their enormous support and added that without them the project would not have been successful within one year.

Driving his point home, he said: “Without the commitment and believe of these banks on the strength of our ideals. Bank of Industry provided the funding gap that was necessary to catalyse this dream.

Indomie celebrates uniqueness in BBNaija

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ndomie Big Brother Naija brand ambassador & music producer, Don Jazzy, along with Mavin artiste & fellow entertainer, Dr Sid, visited the Big Brother Naija (BBN) house recently, spending some quality time with the housemates courtesy Indomie noodles.

The visit was for the duo of music heavyweights to serve as the task masters and superintend the Indomie cooking challenge – ‘My Indomie My Style Task’, carried out by the BBN housemates.

The first challenge saw the housemates trying to piece together jigsaw puzzles made out of Indomie packs which include: Indomie chicken hungry man, onion bellefull flavour, oriental fried noodles, chicken pepper soup &giant pack). Puzzle boards were set up in the games arena and housemates were all in a race against time to complete their puzzles. Ike, Khafi and Frodd were the first three to conclude the task.

On completion of the puzzle challenge, each housemate was then handed a customised by fans Indomie basket with various ingredients for them to prepare their unique style of Indomie. This task had to be carried out with only two housemates allowed in the kitchen at a time, each with 15 minutes to prepare their individual Indomie delight. Khafi and Ike went first, setting the ball rolling for an epic culinary battle.

As the housemates presented their meals to Don Jazzy for tasting, he welcomed them with a warm smile. Each housemate not only presented their own unique meal, but also accompanied it with a fancy rap, dance and other creative additives.

Announcing the winners, Don Jazzy declared to the amazement of housemates and audiences alike that, “There is no one style that is the most unique. Everyone’s style is unique to them and so is their Indomie, so all the housemates will share five million naira.’’

According to the Indomie team, “It was a very difficult task for us because we don’t want any of the housemates to ‘chop alone’.” This announcement was well-received as the ‘Pepper Dem Gang’ burst into different dance steps in jubilation.

Ike, Frodd and Khafi who were the top three in the Indomie packs Jigsaw puzzle challenge also walked away with a year’s supply of Indomie and the opportunity to send customised ingredient baskets to their family members.

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Sunday 13 October 2019

TheWorshippers

Nigeria needs God-fearing leaders – Bishop Olumakaiye Rt. Rev. Humphrey Olumakaiye, the bishop of the Diocese of Lagos and Missioner, Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion spoke on the state of the nation during the recently organised prayer walk on the centenary city of the diocese at Ibeju-Lekki to mark Nigeria’s 59th independence in Lagos. Excerpts by SEYI JOHN SALAU

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What is the significance of this prayer walk to the church? e bless God for today; we embarked on a prayer walk at the centenary city which is the permanent site for our convention ground. The significance of the walk is for us to take possession of the land spiritually and also to pray. One thing about the centenary city is that we are giving back to the community; we are giving back to humanity what we have been contributing to the church. It’s high time we gave back to the development of our society most especially we believe that the government cannot do it alone; we need to collaborate with the government in providing necessary infrastructures. For the centenary city, our plan is to have the convention ground, convention center, youth rehabilitation center, women empowerment center, low income housing estate and we are also planning to have amusement park and an international hospital. At the centenary

city we also believe God that it will be a place for everybody, where people can come in to pray and to worship. This is our belief which is why we decided to match prayerfully there. It is opened to everybody - both the believers and the unbelievers and it is a center where many people will have an encounter with our Lord Jesus Christ. Spiritual programmes will be going on there and also empowerment programmes as well as rehabilitation programmes will also be there. As I have earlier said we have an international and specialist hospital there for everybody.

What counsel do you have for our leaders at this 59th independence of Nigeria?

I believe that we are moving on and we are not stagnant. I want to believe that to the glory of God we are making progress, even if that progress is not appreciated or not enough but I want to believe that we are not where we were 59 years ago.

The country is moving forward; our only prayer is that our leaders can get it right and the only way

Humphrey Olumakaiye

Foursquare distances self from UNILAG lecturer in Sex-for-grade scandal SEYI JOHN SALAU

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ollowing the recent British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Africa Eye investigative viral video, the Foursquare Gospel Church has dissociated itself from the University of Lagos lecturer, Boniface Igbeneghu over the alleged sexual misconduct.

A statement signed by the church’s national secretary, Ikechukwu Ugbaja said the attention of the leadership of the Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria has been drawn to a video clip trending on social media platforms titled “Sex for grade: undercover in West Africa Universities – BBC News”, wherein a lecturer in University of Lagos named Dr. Boniface Igheneghu also described as a pastor in Foursquare Gospel Church was allegedly involved in sexual misconduct with some female students of the university.

“The general public is hereby informed that as a holiness and bible-believing Church, we do not condone such heinous and unscriptural act among our ministers.

We totally dissociate ourselves from the purported conduct of Dr. Igheneghu and promise to take appropriate measure as soon as the ongoing investigation is concluded.

“Meanwhile, the pastor in question has been asked to step down from all ministerial assignments,” the statement reads.

According to the viral video, a BBC undercover reporter posed as a 17 year old girl seeking admission into the university. While, Igbeneghu, who is a lecturer in the Faculty of Arts of the university had told the lady in the video that there is a “cold room” in the staff club of UNILAG where lecturers fondle with female students.

Igbeneghu also tried to show the lady in the viral video how the act is conducted urging her to put

off the light in the office, close the door and “come closer” if she wanted a kiss. The video also revealed that the lecturer did not hide the fact that some ladies are given marks in exchange for sex and actually did not see anything wrong with it.

However, Igbeneghu revealed to the lady in the video that he was a pastor and had a short prayer session with the undercover reporter. He allegedly led the lady to Christ before asking about her sex life and before taking advantage of her vulnerability to present the “cold room” experience to her.

Another lady in the video also alleged that Igbeneghu once tried to grope her while preparing for a Bible study session in the church.

Though the lady said she never for once gave in to his sexual advances, and claims to have attempted suicide about four times because of the psychological trauma experienced as a result of the lecturer’s molestation.

Group to hold prayer summit in Lagos

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he convener of the monthly communion and prayer summit (CAPS), Vincent Inwezerua has stated that the October edition of the prayer summit will hold on Saturday 26 October, by 1 pm at Centre for Management Development (CMD), Magodo.

According to Inwezerua who is a gospel preacher, teacher and singer, the monthly prayer conven-

tion is a rare prayer summit aimed at building the body of Christ into a stronger force. Inwezerua opined that the prayer summit provides an avenue for Christians to develop their faith in Christ.

Speaking further on the summit, Inwezerua said the meeting was inspired by a passion and divine direction to lead humanity to rise and begin to shine in their God given glory.

they can get it right is for them to be godly – well, I mean God fearing, more prayerful and also to live out their faith because all the religion are preaching godliness and if we can abide to that spirit of godliness. I believe that we will be well and we will get to the promise land, it’s not yet over because at the end of the tunnel there will be light but I want to say that we are making progress though it’s not enough but we want to commend the government for that.

What is your message to the church in Nigeria, especially Anglican Communion?

My message is for us to remain faithful, to be committed, to remain dutiful and to hold on tenaciously to God, we should keep our hope alive that tomorrow will be better and the light is coming. Also, we should live honestly, righteously in obedience to the word of God. Once we do that, it will be well with us. Additionally, we should live a rapturable life because we know it will not end here, we still have a place we are going and I believe that God will take us there.

The October edition tagged, ‘The Exchange Encounter’, focuses on how the Holy Communion can serve as a means of exchange to redeem believers’ from evil, dangers and spells according to the convener.

The programme, which will have insightful teachings and vibrant prayer sessions, will also feature music sessions by gospel singers, Victor Praiz and Rionbee.

‘Understanding the stand of white garment churches on the mystery of his blood’ SEYI JOHN SALAU

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ed by the spirit to deepen knowledge and help develop Christian faithful on the interdenominational understanding of the church and body of Christ in Lagos State, The Dr. Emmanuel Adegoke annual lecture will hold between 17 and 19 October with the theme, “The Mystery of his Blood: the Stand of the White Garment Churches”.

The annual lecture, which seeks to deepen the understanding among faithful on the stand of the white garment churches on the mystery surrounding the blood of Christ, will hold at the Celestial Church of Christ (CCC), Way of Peace Parish,

Ikorodu.

Emmanuel Adegoke, the rector and founder of Rainbow International College of Theological Studies and Research said there is a need to deepen the knowledge of Christian faithful on the fundamentals of their faith.

According to him, the annual event which will start on Wednesday 17 October with a free seminar and lecture, will also feature a book launch by the convener and would be rounded off with the former inauguration of the Dr. Emmanuel Adegoke Foundation.

Adegoke, who is also the CAN coordinator in Ikorodu Central and chairman CAN coordinators in Ikorodu division, said the church in Nigeria should break all the walls of barriers and make sure it become one. According to him, it is not based on meeting denominational requirements; it is based on results from the field.

According to Adegoke, the church in Nigeria is being treated as second-class religion, however, he believes the church would make more progress if the ministers unite in faith. “Nigeria should see Christianity not as a secondclass religion but as a super body of Christ, and that is the way I expect our leaders in the state and federal to come out boldly to stand for the church”.

Sunday 13 October 2019

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BDSUNDAY 33

TheWorshippers Inspiration With Rev. Yomi Kasali

info@yomikasali.com

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he subject of Power is something that has caught my attention lately due to my observations of its use and abuse in Nigeria specifically and Africa generally.

I am shocked and awed at how church people fight over Power in church and also how those outside the church seem to easily forget the finger of God in that realm.

Power drunk The bible tells us of an experience of the Apostles with respect to being ‘great’ or to be more precise, their ‘succession ambitions’ after the death of Christ. They were reasoning and possibly debating who should be the greatest carnally, then the Lord had to step in to rebuke those thoughts because they were not spiritual but rather carnal and of human nature.

‘And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way? But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest. And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, if any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all. (Mark 9 v 33-35) The response of the Lord on the subject of ambition in the above verses is deeply humbling; He expects us to embrace ‘servant attitude’ if we want to be the greatest. Those outside church may have different approach to Power but I honestly expect those who carry the grace of God and walk with Him daily to view Power as a sacred tool

Kolade chairs as Anya delivers TheNiche annual lecture

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ngredients for successful business and accountable governance will be digested by industry bosses, governors, opinion leaders, and civil society on October 15 when Anya O. Anya, a professor, delivers TheNiche Newspaper second annual lecture.

Anya, a former chief executive officer of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG) and scholar of international repute, will speak on ‘Business and Accountable Governance: The Obligation of Leadership’.

Christopher Kolade, a former diplomat, boardroom giant and academic, will chair the event, which holds at the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Victoria Island, Lagos at 10am.

According to a statement signed by Oguwike Nwachuku, executive editor, Kolade’s analytical mind will gel with Anya’s erudition to create an environment for a healthy debate by professionals who are also scholars, experts, and stakeholders in the Nigeria Project.

The lecture series is the contribution of TheNiche to a Nigeria of everyone’s dream, an avenue for thinkers and experts to rub minds on the best way to grow the

polity and economy.

TheNiche, published by Acclaim Communications Limited, started the series last year, which also marked the fourth anniversary of the newspaper.

Last year’s lecture was delivered by Kingsley Moghalu, a professor and presidential candidate of the Young Progressive Party (YPP) in the 2019 election; and chaired

by Professor Remi Sonaiya, presidential candidate of KOWA party in 2015.

The statement, which described the lecture as “an intellectual feast”, said that this year, Anya, a professor of biology and one of Nigeria’s finest intellectuals, will stir minds in the debate, “in line with our pledge last year to do so.”

Others who have accepted invitation to the lecture include governors, traditional rulers, public servants, captains of industry, the media, and key members of civil society organisations.

“At the event, TheNiche will also recognise some individuals and corporate bodies who have shown commitment to industry, good governance, and accountability in their activities that are in public interest,” Nwachuku said.

that God Gives and Takes from men at His Own will.

Let me remind what God did with power in the life of some famous Nigerians; He took Power from Abacha, He handed Power to Jonathan Goodluck, He gave power to Tunde Fashola and some very privileged Governors. I am sure you have heard of some strange stories of how some people ascended and how some descended; the stories are endless and amazing, yet people still fight tooth and nail for power forgetting the God factor in the equation.

I will love to Inspire you Today on some age long Truths about Power especially to those who want to hold political Power and financial Positions in life, as you read the points below, remember what Daniel said about God and Power in Daniel 2 v 20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:

5 Truths about Power Power belongs to God not man (Psalm 62 V 11): Man does not own power but is given power. Many dictators forget this truth and try to hold on to power until the Owner (God) removes them from power. It is also important to note that if

God wants you in Power, no scheme of man can remove you until your time.

Power is transient in nature and not permanent (Dan 2 V 21-23): Daniel taught this truth very well and he experienced the same because he served 3 kings during his lifetime as a Prince.

Power brings honor: on those who possess it, even if it is a dog, they shall be honored when in power.

Honor comes with Power; it is one of the things that follow those in Power and they should not forget it.

Once they leave Power, their phones stop ringing and the visits stop leaving their hours empty and homes deserted because it is the office that carries honor most times not the person except the person uses the office well.

Power attracts sychophants: most especially in Africa and some other places where the people are immature and hungry (1 kings 12 v 12).

Rehoboam the son of Solomon attracted so many Sycophants to him and made the wrong decisions when he got Power. The Lord removed him and his kingdom was divided.

Power can be abused, misused and used well: so those in Power are to note this and be careful what they do when in Power.

I hope you have been Inspired today and I look forward to hearing from you. Drop me a note of acknowledgment and encouragement.

Be Inspired!

Youth empowerment takes centre stage as 50 graduates from Lagos slum areas …Poise Nigeria, Ekobits Trust, Oxfam build skills in creative technology AMAKA ANAGOR-EWUZIE

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oise Nigeria and EkoBits Academy in partnership with Oxfam have helped in transforming lives of the underprivileged by graduating 50 youths from the slum areas of Lagos, who completed a 12-month trainingprogrammeorganised

by Ekobits Trust Foundation.

Speaking in an interview, Innih Ikhide, project lead, stated that the programme has helped in creating jobs for underprivileged youths.

He said the foundation is also working with many state governments to set up similar project in their states, using

the Edo State model as a reference platform.

“Our goal at Ekobits is to give youths in Nigeria an opportunity by training and empowering them to realise their full potentials in their careers. This is in line with our company’s mission,” he said.

Halimah Layeni, founder, Life After Abuse Foundation and Nwite Joseph, managing director, Sanjos Communications were the guest speakers at the final graduation ceremony.

Layeni, who shared her personal story, encouraged the students to not give up on their dreams. She urged the graduates to always seek constant improvement that

would enable them to remain relevant in life.

On the other hand, Nwite advised the graduates to seek for an internship positions that would help them to understand how things work in the workplace.

He spoke extensively on importance of youths projecting good character always regardless of their skills and competence.

Awards and recognition were given in different categories to outstanding students; Seniga was given an award as the best graduating male student; Angel Osuji, the best graduating female student; Okonkwo Ifeanyi, best Graphic designer; Ogunbanjo David,

best Web developer; Innocent Chikodi, most distinguished student, and Quadri Emmanuel, best Photographer.

EkoBits ICT Trust Foundation is part of the network of Bits Schools that offer demand aligned training in creative technology targeted at youths from the less privileged community.

EkoBits Academy is an initiative of the Work in Progress Alliance, Oxfam Novib and Butterfly Works, a social and design innovations studio in the Netherlands, which partnered and set up Nairobits in Nairobi, Kenya in 1999 and has since been involved in springing up Bits Schools around the world.

Hollandia Evap Milk unveils Mercy Johnson-Okojie as brand ambassador Anthony Nlebem

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ollandia Evap Milk, Nigeria’s leading evaporated milk brand, has announced Mercy JohnsonOkojie as its new brand ambassador. As an accomplished actress, wife and mother, Mercy Johnson-

Okojie perfectly embodies Hollandia Evap Milk’s allrounder brand proposition.

With this partnership, she will be able to share how the brand has enabled her achieve goals on multiple fronts, while inspiring consumers who aspire to do same.

Mercy’s success is a testament to her multiple talents

and skills. In parallel, Hollandia Evap Milk is creamy, tasty and nourishing, and is an all-rounder evaporated milk and ideal as the perfect accompaniment for a variety of meals, foods and drinks.

Through her versatility, Mercy Johnson-Okojie would bring her lifestyle choices and influence to bear to fully relate the nutritious

benefits of this wholesome all-rounder Hollandia Evap Milk to every member of the family.

Chi Limited’s Managing Director, Mr. Deepanjan Roy, stated that Mercy JohnsonOkojie’s passion is evident in everything she does, and she truly embodies the ideal qualities that the brand wants to be associated with.

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Sunday 13 October 2019

SundayBusiness

Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation partners Vicar Hope for 500 free surgeries, others UDOKA AGWU, Umuahia

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teamfromOlusegun Obasano Foundation (Living Life to the Fullest) has met with Vicar Hope Foundation (Pet Project of Nkechi Ikpeazu, wife of Abia Governor in Umuahia with a view to discussing areas of collaboration between the two organisations.

Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation (living life to the fullest) led by Olalekan James Makinde was received by Edith Nwosu, vice president and administrator of Vicar Hope; Kate Ndukauba, BoT member and other Board members and programme staff of the Foundation.

Issues discussed by both parties centred on an upcoming project called ‘Sights and Sounds’ which would target visual and hearing impaired persons in Abia State for one week.

According to Makinde, the programmme, which was coined ‘Sight and Sound’ by the founder, former Nigerian presidentOlusegunObasanjo, would feature free eye screening, free ear screening, free medicated glasses and electronic hearing aid and 500 free surgeries and other partnership programmes.

The team further explained some of the successes they have recorded in other states and disclosed that Abia was the only state from the SouthEast, which would benefit from the upcoming round of intervention.

They also recapped success recorded when the Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation carried out an intervention for deaf people in 2017.

Makinde further said: “Owing to the progress that Vicar Hope Foundation has made in the fight against sickle cell disease, the group extended an invitation to Vicar Hope Foundation for the First African Congress on Sickle Cell Disease (ACSCD) organised by the Centre for Sickle Cell Disease in association with Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation in Nigeria”.

The congress put together with the support from a host of sickle cell organisations across Africa and the world would hold from October 31 to November 2 at Landmark Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Chika Ojiegbe, assistant secretary of the Board of Trustees of Vicar Hope Foundation, informed the visitors of the numerous achievements of Vicar Hope Foundation, ranging from the fight against sickle cell disease, building of over 58 houses for indigent women, fight against genderbased violence, skills acquisition and empowerment of women, and so many life touching accomplishments.

MTN subsidiary, Y’ello Digital Financial Services, launches MoMo agent service in Ibadan REMI FEYISIPO, Ibadan

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o support the Central Bank of Nigeria’s drive for financial inclusion in Nigeria, by providing safe and accessible money transfer service to millions of unbanked Nigerians, Y’ello Digital Financial Services (YDFS) Ltd., a subsidiary of MTN Nigeria has launched MoMo Agent service in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The regional launch and sensitisation event introducing MoMo Agent service was carried out by officials of Y’ello Digital Financial Services (YDFS) Ltd., a subsidiary of MTN Nigeria at the Bodija Market.

Recall that MoMo Agent was officially launched in Abuja on August 29, 2019.

Describing the complementary function of the MoMo Agent to traditional banks, Tajudeen Omokhide, the senior manager, Mobile Financial Services, MTN Nigeria, said the concern has always been on how to serve

L-R: Joseph Ogbuka, manager, Go to Market, MTN Nigeria; Tajudeen Omokhide, senior manager, Mobile Financial Services, MTN Nigeria; Lamidi Musedeeq Adebukola, chairman, Bodija Market, Ibadan; Temitope Akarah, manager, Mobile Financial Services, MTN Nigeria; Abiodun Odelola, manager, Segment, Mobile Financial Services, MTN Nigeria, and Daniel Orobiyi, Field manager, Mobile Financial Services, MTN Nigeria, at the regional launch and sensitisation event introducing the MoMo Agent service in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Nigeria’s unbanked and bring them into the financial system.

According to him, “The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has its financial inclusion agenda. Nigeria is estimated to be about 200 million people; we have 36 million people enrolled on BVN and about 60 million bankable adults not enrolled on BVN.

Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce chapter for inauguration in Enugu

“The concern has been how do we reach these people and get them included in the financial ecosystem? It is for this reason I believe that the CBN is licensing companies like ours to assist in delivering financial services,” Omokhide said.

Abiodun Odelola, who is the segment manager, Mobile Financial Services, MTN

MindBody & Soul

with Chioma Nwosu

…Businesses urged to register with chapter regis anukworji, Enugu

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he NigerianAmerican Chamber of commerce (NACC) Enugu State chapter will be officially inaugurated on 17th October 2019.

Ni g e r i a n - Am e r i c a n Chamber of Commerce was established in 1960 to foster relations between United States of American and Nigeria and that Enugu would be the 9 chapter of the Chamber in Nigeria.

Chairman of the Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce, Enugu chapter, Ifenayi Chukwu Ugochukwu announced this in a press conference organised in Enugu at the weekend, saying that Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi would deliver the keynote address at the event.

He noted that every arrangement and logistics for a successful event had been properly taken care of.

Ugochukwu said that those expected at the inauguration/Induction include the National President of NACC, some members of the national executive

committee, along with esteemed guests from Enugu State government and other special guests.

He urged Nigerian Business men and women, especially those with business links with the United States to use the opportunity to register with the chamber to enable them benefit fully from the various business openings in the chamber.

Ugochukwu added that about 32 members have already registered with Enugu chapter, stressing that the chapter had fulfilled all requirements for inauguration.

Ac c o r d i n g t o h i m , “Among the objectives are to promote business, trade, commerce and industry between our business community and American Businesses, to promote opportunities for bilateral trade and investment in our zone and America”.

The chairman further said that the chapter would liaise with other chambers to protect the interest of members and also create bills to the state lawmakers that would support investment growth in the state among others.

Nigeria, said the unavailability of bank branches and Automated Teller Machine (ATM) spread across the country, has made it increasingly difficult for total financial inclusion. He said it was for this reason that the YDFS introduced the MoMo Agent service.

“With the introduction of the MoMo Agent service, life

becomes easier for the customers. The interesting fact is that our MoMo Agents are all over Nigeria. The MoMo Agents are people next door; it could be the shop owner close to you selling provisions, or the hairdresser across the street making hair, and it could be the pharmacist shop near you. So, they are people in your neighbourhood that you can easily approach to send or receive money,” Odelola said.

In his remarks, Lamidi Musedeeq Adebukola, chairman of Bodija Market, thanked the YDFS for launching the MoMo Agent in the market.

According to him, “I am of the belief that the financial service would make life and business transactions easier for the hundreds of traders and customers that daily patronise the booming market.”

At the launch, interested traders in the market were signed up as MoMo Agents.

The idea behind the regional launch and sensitisation event is part of the YDFS’s mission to put financial services within easy reach of every bankable Nigerian.

Suicide prevention is everybody’s business

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id you know that for each adult who died by suicide, there may have been more than 20 others attempting suicide?

Did you know that close to 800,000 people die due to suicide every year, which is one person every 40 seconds? Did you know that suicide is the second leading cause of death among 15-29-year-olds globally?

Yeah. Neither did I. October 10th was World’s Mental Health Day with the theme being Suicide Prevention. The statistics for suicide is very staggering.

WHO states that suicide is a global phenomenon; in fact, 79percent of suicides occurred in low- and middleincome countries. Suicide is a no-go topic, silently swept under the rug and not to be brought to light. With all these, you may ask, what good is it continually talking about this topic which sends cold shivers down people’s spine? Good news is suicide can be prevented.

I’m not here to preach but guide you in many ways we can help someone who may be thinking of or planning to commit suicide. Before we begin, what are the signs

to look out for to know if someone may be planning to attempt suicide?

Talking about or making plans for suicide, expressing hopelessness about the future, displaying severe or overwhelming emotional pain or distress, showing worrisome changes in behaviour, withdrawal from or changing social connections, changes in sleep habits, anger and hostility that seem out of character, recent increased agitation and irritability and so many more.

Why should we help?

Because suicide should no longer be ignored, it’s everyone’s business, as far as I’m concerned. You might be the one person that saves a single life without even knowing it.

Be Kind!

Let’s start with being kind. Literally to every single person you meet. No one’s life is worth rudeness, lack of attention, or a careless gesture just because you’re in a hurry, or you’ve had a hard day, or you’re frustrated. Being kind first and foremost, and having genuine consideration is not hard. It doesn’t take extra time. It only takes extra energy. That extra exerted energy could make

the difference between a life lost, or a life saved.

The reason that people typically attempt suicide is because they feel there is no other solution to their pain, to their hurt, to their problems. When things are so bad, they think they have no other option. This information could be the small difference between saving a life and letting someone slip by you undetected.

Let’s start with what QPR stands for.

If you think someone is exhibiting signs of suicidal ideations, ask them; with compassion and empathy if I may add.

Persuade: Work on persuading the individual that you are a resource, you care, and that there are other resources out there too. Listen and give your undivided attention. Make that crucially important connection; find something to talk about that is mutual. Establish rapport.

Refer: Take the individual personally to receive assistance with a professional.

Yes. It’s as simple as three steps, three actions. Take action today and continue the conversation. Lastly, When you ask, How are you?

Mean it.

Sunday 13 October 2019

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SundayBusiness NMRC’s push for legislative reform towards model mortgage

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o mortgage sector stakeholders in Nigeria, the need for a functional mortgage system cannot be over-emphasised. This is why the drive towards a model mortgage is receiving all the attention that it requires.

At the fore-front of this drive is the Nigerian Mortgage fews of years of its establishment and pushing for the adoption of a model mortgage and foreclosure law by the states.

As part of efforts at growing a mortgage system that will drive affordability, the company is presently driving a legislative reform in the mortgage sector by proposing a model mortgage and foreclosure law by key pilot states including Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Enugu, Kano and Ogun states.

What the company is driving at, according to one its directors whose primary mortgage bank is a major shareholder in the company, is to get various states houses of assembly to pass foreclosure laws as a prelude to mortgage-backed affordable housing delivery.

This is good news for home seekers who may need mortgage facility becauseforeclosurelaw,uponadoption, aimstofasttracttheprocessforcreating legal mortgages, ensuring timely resolution of disputes and creating an efficient foreclosure process.

According to the authorities of the mortgage refinancing company, the model mortgage and foreclosure law is in its final form for engagement with 21 pilot states committing to the implementation of an enabling environment for the development of the mortgage market.

The company hinted that it would be focusing on building capacity and completing outstanding operational activities. “We will be embarking on an aggressive drive towards the procurement of an ICT infrastructure for the mortgage industry, the completion of our second tranche equity capital raise, and most importantly the completion of our first round of mortgage refinancing; we will work hard to meet our mandate to revolutionise the Nigerian mortgage landscape”, an official of the company hinted.

The company has demonstrated uncommon resolve to live out its

Procurement and Supply Chain

with Gob-Agundu Uche Branch chair (CIPS), Nigeria

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naperformancereviewmeeting with an internal customer, the issue was raised as to why tenders were late, the bidders’ list was not robust enough and company estimates were far too low compared to the lowest quotes.

All fingers pointed at Procurement department being the cause.

Other departmental heads present accused them of working in silo and not interacting enough with them.

I am also aware of a survey carried out in another company on the service delivery of the Procurement department. The respondents were the User departments (internal stakeholders). All respondents scored procurement poor in service delivery. So the question is why do the user departments always see procurement department as poor in delivering services to them? Is it strictly a matter of poor performance or poor relationships between Procurement department and its internal stakeholders?

Various strategies have been developed in procurement geared towards improving service delivery to our stakeholders.

Stakeholders of Procurement department are the people or departments who stand to benefit or lose from Procurement department’s direct actions.

CIPS has identified three types of stakeholders namely: Internal Stakeholders, External stakeholders and Concerned

stakeholders. We shall focus on the internal stakeholders in this paper.

Internal stakeholders of Procurement department represent the internal customers who are serviced by the Procurement department for actioning their requisitions, responding to enquiries, and approving the transactions. The internal stakeholders have different interests and contributions to the business. For example, the interests of the directors are organization’s profitability, survival, and growth while their contribution is in formal authority over planning. On the hand, the interests of the Production department are accurate fulfillment of specifications, timely, relevant expertadviceonpriceandavailability issues while the contribution of the Production department to the Procurement process will be to provide detailed specifications which the buyer will have to process into a purchase order. Some of the internal stakeholders are Production, Corporate Affairs, HR, Engineering, IT, Marketing, Finance, Legal, Internal Control, Tender Board etc. They are main customers of the procurement department.

They are often demanding and their requests many times all carry the same level of urgency. Therefore, Procurement department is usually pummeled left, right and center and often blamed for delays. Let us at this juncture discuss how procurement departments can

mandate with refinancing of some mortgage banks. Mortgage operators have described this refinancing as a milestone.

Ben Akaneme, Imperial Mortgage’s managing director, says “this is an outstanding achievement in the march towards the realisation of affordable and single-digit interest rates for mortgages in Nigeria. He assured that his bank would continue to strive to achieve its mission of enabling easily accessible and affordable mortgages to Nigerians in order to ensure housing for all.

NMRC seems to be conscious of the demands and obligations inherent in the Nigerian business environment as it assures that it will continue to anchor all its services on global best practices, good corporate governance and strict risk management practices.

By now, the company might have got from its shareholders the approval to, among other things, increase their capital base for three main reasons including capital adequacy, mortgage refinancing and procurement of necessary infrastructure.

As at the time when this request

Talking Mortgage with CHUKA UROKO (08037156969, chukuroko@yahoo.com) was made, the shareholders who saw the need for capital adequacy for the company, especially for its mortgage refinancing function, could not, however, come to terms with the management‘s explanation on the issue of infrastructure and, therefore, insisted that the capital raise be put on hold until the management was able to spell out those items of infrastructure that made the capital raise necessary.

NMRC came into the Nigerian mortgage market on a very high pedestal, promising a major shift in the interest rate regime in the market. But the authorities of the company have said that, though it is a partnership between the government and the private sector, the company operates as a private sector-led institution, relying on the

market to determine interest rate on mortgage loans, meaning that the rate that applies to commercial loans also applies to its mortgage.

“The desire of NMRC, the Primary Mortgage Banks (PMBs) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is to achieve single digit interest rate, but we are not there yet because the market does not allow single digit interest rate”, the official said, adding, “as it is today, we cannot meet the single digit interest rate until we are able to reach that point where the market allows it”.

Right now, the company is working under market conditions hoping that, over time, as the market deepens and grows, the issue of single digit interest rate will be expected.

Whatever the rate is today, the desire is to drive it down to single digit.

Managing the internal stakeholders of procurement department effectively manage their respective internal stakeholders to achieve the organization’s goals.

The Procurement department staff should consider themselves a Guide and Adviser to the internal stakeholders. They ought to relate with the stakeholders like the person who accompanies and looks after another or group of people in matters of procurement. Be like their tour guide in procurement matters with the intention to look after them and help them achieve their own goals. They must teach them the procurement processes and guide them on how to apply them correctly. As the expert and a chaperone for your stakeholders, you oversee them, guide them, and direct them where they need to go. This can be challenging but achievable. In more specific terms, I wish to suggest the following ways of dealing with internal stakeholders: Develop interpersonal relationship with your Internal Stakeholders: A good relationship often works to forget about faults and focus on what is achievable. This is as true with personal relationships as with business relationships. As a Procurement Officer, make yourself accessible to these teams, and build relationships to understand their business needs and drivers and try to get ahead of their requests and learn to anticipate their needs. When you do so, the customers will consider you a partner in progress and therefore, easily co-operate with you in the procurement process.

Establish Clear Roles and responsibilities: This has to do with segmenting the procurement department functionally and creating teams which will focus on serving respective customers. It is important that the customers are aware of the officers and teams

assigned to serve them. It will do the relationship a world of good if roles are clearly established and the status occupants are clearly communicated to the stakeholders.

The roles and responsibilities of both Procurement Officer and the Internal Customer should also be well defined to avoid ambiguity or duplication of roles. This could be done by developing a RACI chart showing who is: Responsible for the task, Accountable, to be consulted and Informed of the task.

Make the Procurement Process very Clear: Nothing hurts a relationship like ambiguities of ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’.

It is very necessary to clarify all procurement processes with the stakeholders. They need to know whatisacceptableandwhatisnot.For instance, if your approved processes have no room for ‘emergency procurement’, everybody needs to be in the know. This will immediately guide the stakeholders never to entertainsuchasuggestionwhenever it is made. Procurement departments should therefore regularly engage their stakeholders on the processes and update them when there are changes.

Develop A system to Prioritize requests It is true that many times, the resources available to Procurement department are insufficient to handle the myriad of requests that come at the same time. Therefore, it is essential for some prioritization.

When requests come, the Team Leads and Managers must prioritize using their helicopter knowledge of the goals of the organization.

They must be able to identify urgent requests, not too urgent requests and routine requests. The danger in saying that ‘I can’t action your request now because I have a lot to do’ is that Procurement staff may become relaxed, considered as not supporting operations

and the internal customers may become suspicious that they are not attended to like their other counterparts. This could create distrust.Oneofthewaystoeliminate this problem is to develop a Service Level Agreement, SLA between the Procurement department and its internal stakeholders. The SLA will recognize the pressure of requests and generate number of days within which requests are expected to be executed as well as a mechanism for escalating delays. It is agreed between Procurement department and their customers. Another way to eliminate the problem is to develop your annual contracting plan with the User departments very early in the year and monitor its application judiciously.

Despite the above measures, you must recognize that some internal customers can be difficult no matter how hard you try to satisfy them. Therefore, you may apply the following strategies for dealing with such customers: Identify them and watch them closely to find out what motivates them in order to go the extra mile in satisfying them; Empathetically Listen to what they say and do not close communication channels because you don’t like what you hear; Meet them one on one because without other stakeholders in the room it makes the atmosphere more comfortable leading to clearer and calmer conversations; Determine the causes of their resistance and show them that you are committed to deal with those issues.

In conclusion, it is important to always realize that the internal stakeholders are critical to the existence of the Procurement department. Though they have the tendency not to appreciate our efforts, we must necessarily find ways of managing them to achieve our procurement goals and the goals of the organization at large.

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Sunday 13 October 2019

SundayBusiness Food & Lessons from Cadbury Nigeria’s CSR Beverages With Ayo Oyoze Baje

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orporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes and projects embarked upon by several companies have over the years had positive and profound effects on the quality of life of the recipients and residents concerned. These are means of reaching out to the needs of the immediate business communities and the general public. By forging a symbiotic relationship with them, such have often led to the improved profit margin for the companies’ products and popular services.

While some embark on direct building of physical structures such as road construction or repairs, provision of bore holes, refurbishing of dilapidated classrooms and health centres, others go into public enlightenment on issues of national, educational importance or healthcare delivery.

So far, there is ample empirical evidenceon ground to show

that amongst the multinational food and beverage companies, Cadbury Nigeria Plc. stands out as one of the best, when it comes to its CSR programmes. This has expectedly earned it a groundswell of encomiums from not only the teeming customers but the public in general.

Perhaps, there are lessons to learn from such projects, their concept, execution and the direct impact they have on the intended beneficiaries. In specific terms, some of its well-known CSR activities are the annual reward for the best teachers in the country, termed Bournvita Teachers Award (BTA). It used to come with honour plaque, a GSM phone with line, N100, 000 and one-year supply of Bournvita. Another Bournvita Veteran Teachers Award was introduced in 2004to recognise the contribution of retired teachers aged 55 years and above.

Other CSRs include Lagos Television (LTV) Christmas funfair, Bournvita Cos Fun Park in Ibadan, Calabar children carnivaland Ramadan seasonal reward for Muslim consumers. There is also thebreast cancer awareness campaign for mothers, as well as children to support breast cancer awareness campaign undertaken by children.Chief amongst its brands are Cadbury Bournvita, TomTom, Trebor, Buttermint, Cadbury Hot Chocolate, Cosy, Solite.andTang.

Months ago, Cadbury Nigeria launched a healthy lifestyle programme to bring nutrition education, active play and fresh foods to at-risk children and their respective families. The company joins nine other countries in the Mondelez International family in this initiative, which will involve a

$50 million multi-year commitment to promote healthy lifestyles and address obesity.

The programme, which is expected to run over a three-year initial period, is targeted at children and families in nine schools. It will operate in schools beginning with Cadbury Nigeria’s host community in Agidingbi and Ikeja, Lagos. The foundation would partner Helen Keller International to teach children the importance of proper nutrition, physical activity and gardening through in-school and after-school activities. It should be noted that the Foundation is the community partnership arm of Cadbury. It owns 74.99 per cent of its shareshere in Nigeria, while the remaining 25.01percent of shares are held by a diverse group of indigenous, individual and institutional investors.

According to the Director, Cooperate and Government Affairs, Cadbury Nigeria Plc, BalaYesufu the project is the first Mondelez International Foundation-funded effort in Nigeria, which complements their corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. With this move, Cadbury Nigeria has joined nine other countries in the Mondelez International family in this initiative to promote healthy lifestyles and address obesity.

In his words: “The Foundation is focused on three pillars namely: investing in community pr o gr amme s th at pr o mo te active, healthy lifestyles to help improve the lives of children and their families around the world; providing humanitarian aid through cash and product when disaster strikes; and inspiring our colleagues to contribute their time and talent to charitable causes.

These community partnerships are transforming the lives of more than a million children in 14 nations spanning five continents.

“It is expected that if children imbibethesehealthyhabits,theywill grow up to become healthy adults that can contribute meaningfully to our national development. We are happy to partner with Helen Keller International, a reputable international NGO, in this initiative,” he added.

Furthermore, it has been revealed that Helen Keller International,apartnerintheproject has trained 130 stakeholders, including teachers, nutritionists and agriculturists that will ensure its success, which will run over a three-year period with a target of reaching about 6,000 children and families in nine schools within Ikeja Lagos, Cadbury’s host community.

President, Mondelēz International Foundation, Sarah Delea noted that making a positive impact on the people and the planet is a driving motive for the foundation.

Still on its CSR programmes, it would be recalled that Cadbury Nigeria Plc announced the donation of 100 cartons of Bournvita to assist victims of flood disaster that ravaged several rural communities in Etsako, Edo State. That was back in December, 2018.

Yesufu had explained that the management of the company approved the donation to provide some relief to those affected, after Etsako Club ’81, a socio-cultural group that represents the interests of the affected communities, had approached the company for assistance following the natural disaster.

The President of the Club, Barrister Asamah Kadiri, who led the team on a visit to the company

expressed gratitude to Cadbury’s management for the prompt response and magnanimity. “The generous and invaluable support of organisations like yours make the society a great place to live in,” Kadiri said.

In fact, years of researches have shown that CSR programmes do have positive effects on methods of production, competitiveness, community development, customer retention and performance by organisations.

It is however, hoped that before food and beverage companies engage in CSRs they carry our researches to identify the most critical needs of the host communities. Their input is necessary as they know exactly where the shoe pinches them most.

Another important aspect of such projects is the need to let the local or state governments know exactly what the companies intend to do for the people concerned.

This may sometimes bring in the professional competence of related civil servants by way of advice. It could also reduce the cost implications.

By and large, Cadbury Nigeria has shown its relevance in Nigeria’s effervescent and competitive business environment. Being the first to recognise and reward the long-neglected teachers is a noble initiative that commends it to the customers and the public at large. So is the healthy move by bringing nutrition awareness to the doorstep of several families through the children and of course the home makers. Well done!

Baje is Nigerian first Food Technologist in the media ayobaje@yahoo.co.uk; 08057971776

La Casera pledges commitment to customers’ satisfaction, flags off promo

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he La Casera Company (TLCC), manufacturers of La Casera Apple Drink, has announced the launch of a new consumer promo, tagged ‘Refresh & Connect’. The consumer promotion was flagged off recently in Lagos. The promo is aimed at rewarding the brand’s esteemed consumers and to further strengthen the existing bond with the consumers.

Flagging off the consumer promotion, Chinedum Okereke, managing director of TLCC, in his keynote address explained that the La Casera Refresh and Connect consumer promo was an expression of appreciation to consumers who have remained loyal and committed to the brand over the years.

“We are in business because our teeming consumers have chosen to remain loyal and committed to our brand, the La Casera apple drink, which has been in the market for almost two decades.

Consumer loyalty is a prerequisite for success in the highly competitive CSD segment in Nigeria, and one of the ways to appreciate that loyalty is by giving back to the consumers in a creative and

exciting way,” Okereke said.

While explaining the idea behind the consumer promotion, Emmanuel Agu, the marketing

director, TLCC, expressed optimism at the excitement the promo will generate among consumers across the country. He said: “With

the La Casera Refresh and Connect Consumer promo, the brand is set to further connect with consumers by encouraging them to

L-R: Onyeka Okoli, group portfolio marketing manager, The La Casera Company (TLCC); Ruth Ode, senior brand manager, La Casera; Chinedum Okereke, managing director TLCC, and Emmanuel Agu, group marketing director TLCC, at the media launch of La Casera Refresh and Connect Promo in Lagos.

partake in the promo and win big.

Various prizes to be won include Smart TVs, Smart Watches, Laptops, Mobile phones, Bluetooth Headsets, La Casera products and airtime worth millions of naira are all up for grabs.

Speaking on the mechanics of the promo, Onyeka Okoli, the Group Portfolio Marketing manager of the company, said: “Consumers are required to look under the bottle cap and text the 8 digit unique code under the cap via SMS to 20055 or via WhatsApp to 09034509330 to win airtime and also qualify to participate in the monthly draws to win other fantastic prizes. He reiterated that consumers who participate up to 10 times each month will qualify and be entered into the monthly grand draw where various prizes will be won.”

According to him, “Six grand draws would be held throughout the duration of promo at different locations. The promo which will run from 1st of October to the 31st of December 2019 is an avenue for every consumer to enjoy a refreshing bottle of La Casera Apple drink with natural apple taste and also win big.”

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BDSUNDAY 37

BrandsOnSunday SPOTLIGHTING BRAND VALUE

Tourists are eager to visit Nigeria, despite poor infrastructure – Wole Shenbanjo Wole Shenbanjo is the Chief Executive Officer of ShenbeeTravels, a travel and tourism agency, based in Lagos. With experience in investment banking, enterprise risk management, mergers & acquisitions, PFAs, across AXA Mansard and GTB, he brings a shrewd knowledge of financing and management to the travel and tourism industry. In this interview, Shenbanjo who sponsored the last Pan Atlantic University’s EDC Small and Medium Enterprise Week speaks about the challenges and opportunities in the travel and tourism industry locally and globally.

The travel and tourism industry in Rwanda is said to contribute 4.5% to the country’s GDP while Nigeria only sees 1.7% from the same sector. Why is Nigeria lagging? he poor state of airport infrastructure and stringent visa policies in Nigeria are some of the major constraints affecting the travel and tourism sector. However, this is being addressed as the government recently announced ease of obtaining visa on arrival in Nigeria.

What roles do the government and bodies such as the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and businesses play to stimulate any meaningful advantage?

The government has a huge role in terms of policies, regulation and support. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism needs to live up to expectations as to why they were set up. I travel around the world attending travel exhibitions and I meet people who are eager to come to Nigeria. What’s not to love about Nigeria? 923,768sq km of land area with 200 million population with amazing attractions. There is a huge potential for inbound tourism. Travel and tour companies in Nigerian have the capacity to create packages but the government needs to fix certain things for inbound tourism to thrive.

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Obviously, the world has seen constant changes, but more than ever new trends are emerging to challenge pre-existing traditions across industries; what are the trends that will dictate the pace in the travel and tourism industry within the next decade?

In terms of trends, the world is constantly evolving and the effect is being felt in virtually every industry. As a matter of fact, some of the businesses we have today did not exist a couple of years ago and the ones that will change the world haven’t even yet been formed. In the travel and tourism industry, technology has come in to play a major role in how we conduct our businesses. Currently travel industry market research reveals that 41% of the business and 60% of leisure travel arrangements are nowadays made online. This sta-

Wole Shenbanjo

tistics is bound to grow. Any business that is not leveraging technology is at a great disadvantage.

Another trend now is more people are looking to explore what we refer to as the less conventional or less popular destinations and want these tour packages personalized.

So over the next decade, we would see a lot more online bookings, a lot more tour interests to diverse destinations around the world and heavy reliance.

How can Nigeria, itself to take

advantage of the trends?

What we need to do is to position ourselves to capture this new emergence. Let’s take a look at the global travel giant Thomas Cook who recently slipped into liquidation and filed bankruptcy, one of the challenges it faced was that the firm refused to go with the trend. The firm was still investing in Brick and mortar while the world had moved online. So we as Nigerians need to develop our own progressive digital strategy to make the most in the market.

As a business and active player in the industry, kindly tell us what is Shenbee Travels currently doing to ensure local and foreign tourists get the best experience?

Shenbee Travels is at the fore front of promoting tourism in Nigeria.

The honest truth is that outbound tourism is what we can push for now. There is the issue of insecurity, bad road network which serve as a great disadvantage to local tourism. We are a registered and active member of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) which is our

pressure group in Nigeria and we lend our voice where necessary to the progress of the travel and tourism industry. We also participate in travel exhibitions around the world. We were at the Arabian Travel market earlier in the year and are already scheduled to attend the World Travel market exhibition in London next month.

At these exhibitions, strategic partnerships are established with various travel suppliers from all over the world to bring very amazing yet affordable packages to our dynamic clientele in Nigeria.

Basically then, what differentiates Shenbee Travels from the competition?

Shenbee Travels is a full service travel company. We offer services in area of business travels, retail travel services, tour packages, cruises, visa advisory services and tickets to numerous destinations in the world. Our vision is clear, to demystify the myth around travels and bring it closer to home so that everyone can afford it. We have very strong social media presence and a fully functional website where clients can book their trips end to end and are assured of a 24hr active customer service. With as low as N300,000N350,000 people can actually get tickets, hotel accommodation, airport transfers and tours with payment plans that enables them to “travel now and pay later”.

Lagos formal retail market expands with FoodCo entry

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oodCo Nigeria Limited, a diversified consumer goods company with interests in retail, quick service restaurants, manufacturing and entertainment, has formally opened a retail shop in Lekki, Lagos.

According to the owners of the brand, FoodCo which has been in existence since1982 has come to Lagos to complement other retail shops but it is offering consumers quality products at affordable prices.

FoodCo currently operates the largest supermarket chain in South-West Nigeria, outside Lagos and it is ranked among the Top 10 supermarket brands in the country

by National Consumer Brands.

Speaking on the new store, Ade Sun-Basorun, Chief Executive Officer Designate of the company, stated that the decision

to extend to Lagos was taken in response to the yearnings of Lagos consumers for convenient, premium, shopping and entertainment experience at affordable price.

While revealing the theme of the Lagos outlet launch as “Lagos Life, Ibadan Price, he stated that the Lekki outlet will continue Food’s rich tradition of providing a modern shopping experience combining excellent customer service, top quality products, continuous innovation and affordable pricing to meet the lifestyle needs of the contemporary shopper. According to him, the Lekki outlet will provide an opportunity for Lagosians to savour FoodCo’s unique proposition which thrives on affordability for premium experience.

He said: “The new FoodCo Lekki outlet marks the next phase in our evolution as we bring our model lifestyle malls incorporat-

ing a modern shopping centre, restaurant and premium entertainment to customers in Lekki, Lagos.

In over 37 years of existence, our customers have come to trust the FoodCo brand as a reliable neighbourhood partner whether it is in satisfying their grocery and other consumer retail needs or as a responsible stakeholder invested

in the growth of our host communities as well as forging meaningful relationships with suppliers and other business partners.

During the opening ceremony last weekend, the firm gave out free shopping vouchers.

He continued:“ThenewFoodCo Lekki outlet is a one-stop-shop where customers can get a wide

variety of top-quality products at competitive prices, freshly prepared intercontinental and traditional dishes as well as enjoy premium gaming all under one roof.

Additionally, the outlet will stock our award winning Sunfresh Bread alongside other tasty pastries and delicious cakes produced under the strictest hygienic standards in our ultramodern bakery. There’ll also be our delicious Sunfresh Ice Cream and a butchery to cater to various category of consumer needs.

“In over three decades, FoodCo has built a strong legacy as a family-friendly brand which has made it the preferred brand in the consumer goods space in SouthWest Nigeria. We are excited at the prospect of bringing our unique proposition to Lagos and look forward to exciting times ahead with our Lagos stakeholder groups,” he added.

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Motoring Causes of vehicle engine overheating

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MIKE OCHONMA MOTORING EDITOR

magine you driving your car to catch up with an urgent meeting but suddenly steam starts spewing from under the hood, and you have to pull over somewhere.

What is more terrifying is the possibility of an expensive fix because overheating could be extremely damaging for various parts in your car. Let’s find out some causes of the engine overheating: A leak in the cooling system: The air that enters the system through the leak is one of the possible causes of engine overheating. The coolant drips through the puncture, creating space for air to get sucked in. The air takes the shape of a big bubble, known as an airlock, and occupies the top part of the system.

It’s an annoying problem in cold weather, especially in those

places where temperature drops below the freezing point. If the coolant is not of high-quality, it can get concentrated and cause a blockage. Such a condition will result in engine overheating and damage the radiator.

There are three common

signals for car overheating to check out. Dashboard caveats.

The dashboard can alert you when your car overheats as the dashboard temperature indicator will start to increase. Most drivers often ignore the warning signals given by the dashboard;

Motorists gradually shifting focus to diesel-powered vehicles

Some facts worth knowing about diesel 1. Diesel fuel is not only used to create combustion inside the engine, but it is also used to lubricate the moving components inside the fuel injection system. It is therefore vital, that only clean diesel is used to fill your vehicle’s fuel tank.

2. Building on this fact, it is advisable that tanks should preferably be filled at busy garages where diesel is regularly pumped. This is because diesel is ‘hydroscopic’ and

MIKE OCHONMA

over time, will naturally absorb moisture from the atmosphere and thus, negatively impact the lubricating properties of the fuel.

3. It is also no surprise that some of the world’s most prestigious sports car events, such as the 24 hours at Le Mans, were dominated by diesel powered vehicles in recent years. They are more fuel-efficient than their petrol-powered cousins.

4. Don’t settle for inferior quality - Diesel fuel-injection, much like an electrician, motor mechanic and diesel mechanic, is a specialist trade all on its own, and requires highly-specialised and expensive equipment to calibrate and install.

5. A petrol engine uses a spark plug to ignite fuel inside the cylinder and is called a spark ignition engine. Diesel engines are compres-

sion ignition engines, which mean that a diesel engine uses a much higher compression ratio within the cylinder to heat the air inside.

When the fuel is injected at high pressures into the compressed air, it ignites without a spark plug.

Motorists get a much more complete combustion as a lot more of the injected fuel is burnt in this manner, therefore creating a greater efficiency from the fuel.”

6. Reduction in air pollution or Sulphur, one of the polluting ingredients in diesel engines, has been much reduced from about 500 parts per million (ppm) to 50ppm. In Europe, this level is only 10ppm.

7. Diesel is also the choice of 4x4 drivers as diesel delivers torque (pulling power) far lower in the engine rev range enabling large vehicles to power over obstacles at low speeds.

is likely that, the car overheating will happen soon. Putting coolant in your car is what you can do to tackle this problem.

Among the causes of engine over-heating include a condensed coolant, blockage to coolant circulation, low level of oil and broken-down water pump. Engine oil itself helps with the cooling process and prevents the buildup of excessive heat. In fact, the fuel removes 75 percent to 80 percent of the unused heat in the engine. It also keeps various parts properly lubricated, reducing friction and the subsequent overheating.

Broken down water pump is one of the most frequent reasons for engine overheating. It is a component that actively takes part in maintaining coolant circulation. It can wear out or break over time, leading to the damage of the impeller that does not turn anymore.

FRSC clamps down on tricycles, motorcycles over registration

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MIKE OCHONMA

he periodically increasing pump price of petrol during the last few years in Nigeria has seen many motorists especially in the commercial segment seek ways to decrease their transport budgets however they can. One of these solutions has been a switch to diesel-powered vehicles in which some industry watchers say has seen a growing interest among motorists turning away from petrol cars in favour of diesel power.

In the local auto market today, the efficiency of diesel as a fuel and the smooth delivery of power through turbochargers in sophisticated power plants have created thousands of diesel fans and growing sales of diesel vehicles.

Despite these growing interest though, many motorists are, however, not aware of the other benefits that diesel will offer for years to come because of their many years of attachment to the use of petrol.

however, they are very crucial.

The dashboard will not alert you only when the thermostat of the car is broken, in all other cases, it will. Addition to it, in recent car models, if the car begins to overheat, a malfunction light will turn on to notify its driver.

Steam or smoke: Whenever you notice steam or smoke billowing from under the hood of your car, the first thing you have to do is to stop your car right away.

Steam or smoke appearing under the hood is not a good signal in any case. It can illustrate other things as well, such as leaking oil burning in the engine or harmless or an overheated car. In this case, you should get your car engine inspected by a skillful mechanic in order to prevent further damage.

Hot air coming out of the air conditioner: Even though hot air from the air conditioner of the car does not demonstrate that the car is overheating instantly, it

h e F RS C h a s c o m menced full enforcement, recording massive arrest of over 1750 violators, for non-compliance nationwide. The special clampdown intervention patrol recorded massive arrests of offenders in 18 states namely; Kaduna, Nasarawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Delta, Benue, Oyo, Niger, Kwara, Adamawa, Kogi, Zamfara, Anambra, Sokoto, Osun, Rivers , Kano and Ondo state.

Given the breakdown of the arrests, the Corps Public Education Officer said; “The highest number of arrests was recorded in Kaduna state with a total of 430 arrests. Nasarawa state followed suit with a total of 219 arrests comprising of 15 tricycles and 204 motorcycles.

In Benue state alone, a total of 147 arrests have been made, comprising of 140 motorcycles and 7 tricycles. Other are; Ondo 61, Anambra 41, Kebbi 51, Katsina 110, Delta 92, Zamfara 76, Oyo 178, Kogi 16, Mubi 10, Rivers 11, Kano 132, Niger 28, Osun 66 and Sokoto 10.

The move is pursuant to the earlier public statement by the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Joint Tax Board (JTB) to begin clampdown on tricycles and motorcycles without number plates and riders without class ‘A’ license on October 2, 2019.

This was achieved in friendly collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security

and Civil Defence Corps and other law enforcement agencies.

It would be recalled that Boboye Oyeyemi , Corps Marshal of the FRSC, following the series of consultations with the JTB, agreed to shift the commencement of enforcement from the earlier date of August 1, 2019 to allow for more sensitisation and awareness, and further consultations with critical stakeholders on the imperatives of the clampdown.

Oyeyemi said, “This shift of date was agreed upon to give riders adequate time to comply with the laws and acquire both the class ‘A’ license and the number plates’’. ‘’We expected that by now, due to the adequate publicity we gave the commencement of enforcement and the consultations that followed, all affected riders would have complied to this demand of the law”. He said.

He stated that, the essence of the operation is to enhance the security of lives and properties of road users. There have been series of reports of pervasive use of these categories of vehicles to perpetuate all manners of crime and we are saying enough is enough. All Tricycles and motorcycles must have an identity so that they can be easily traced”.

Oyeyemi therefore called on all motorists who operate within these categories to endeavour to procure their licenses and also have their tricycles and motorcycles duly registered to avoid arrest.

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EquityMarket Equities shed N534bn in eight days as Dangote Flour, Global Spectrum postpone AGMs ...Only 16 stocks have gained year to date

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TELIAT SULE

h e Ni g e r i a n s t o c k market sustained its downward trend last week as the market capitalisation of listed equities further closed lower at N12.92 trillion last Friday. This compares with market capitalisation of N13.45 trillion on September 30,2019, implying that in just eight trading days in October, listed stocks have shed N533.9 billion, representing an average of N66.7 billion daily.

The All Share Index (NSE) of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) ended the week at 26,533.78 points as against 26,987.45 points on October 4 and 27,630.56 points on the last trading day in September.

The last time the ASI fell as low as 26,000 basis points was between May 3 to May 9, 2017 when it hovered from 26,116.79 points to 26,756.21 points.

Further analysis showed that 59 percent of the losses or N313.06 billion was recorded between October 2 and 4, 2019 while 41 percent of the October market losses or N220.85 billion was recorded between October 7 and 11,2019.

At present, only 16 stocks have their prices closed in the positive territory. Topping the list of advancers is C & I Leasing which closed last Friday at N7.30 per share, representing 310.1 percent price appreciation year to date. Dangote Flour gained 224.1 percent year to date, as it closed last Friday at N22.20 per share. Cornerstone Insurance which closed at N0.39 per share is third on the table and has gained 95 percent year to date.

ABC Transport closed at N0.44 per share, and that amounted to 51.7 percent price appreciation

Market Returns Jan 31, 2019

Index

All Share Index(ASI) NSE Premium Index NSE Main Board Index NSE ASeM Index NSE 30 Index NSE Banking Index NSE Insurance Index NSE Consumer Goods Index NSE Oil/Gas Index NSE Lotus Islamic Index NSE Industrial Index NSE Pension Index

Market Returns Mar 29, 2019/Q1

Market Returns June 28, 2019(H)

Market Returns July 31, 2019

Market Returns Aug 30, 2019

Market Returns Sept 30, 2019/Q3

-­‐2.78%

-­‐1.24%

-­‐4.66%

-­‐11.81%

-­‐12.42%

-­‐12.09%

-­‐3.05%

0.40%

9.17%

4.17%

5.40%

-­‐2.57%

-­‐1.37%

-­‐13.11%

-­‐22.55%

-­‐0.60% -­‐4.04%

1.69% -­‐1.73%

-­‐1.45% -­‐11.39%

-­‐2.49%

1.26%

-­‐3.26%

Market Returns Oct. 11, 2019

A Year Ago: Market Returns Oct. 12, 2018

-­‐15.58%

-­‐15.13%

3.49%

0.52%

-­‐9.19%

-­‐23.88%

-­‐21.45%

-­‐25.53%

-­‐15.35%

-­‐1.80% -­‐19.60%

-­‐1.87% -­‐23.25%

-­‐2.46% -­‐19.06%

-­‐2.46% -­‐23.93%

-­‐27.56% -­‐16.30%

-­‐8.04%

-­‐16.49%

-­‐19.49%

-­‐18.44%

-­‐18.33%

-­‐13.36%

-­‐0.40%

-­‐2.16%

-­‐8.49%

-­‐15.52%

-­‐4.81%

-­‐6.34%

-­‐12.54%

6.91%

-­‐5.15%

-­‐16.89%

-­‐26.74%

-­‐29.74%

-­‐28.85%

-­‐31.67%

-­‐23.11%

-­‐7.27%

-­‐3.87%

-­‐16.21%

-­‐25.26%

-­‐34.35%

-­‐22.86%

-­‐25.31%

-­‐12.80%

0.72%

1.51%

-­‐12.03%

-­‐20.11%

-­‐22.25%

-­‐23.35%

-­‐24.81%

-­‐12.17%

5.77%

0.14%

-­‐12.12%

-­‐13.26%

-­‐11.85%

-­‐13.16%

-­‐14.69%

-­‐22.64%

-­‐3.12%

-­‐1.16%

-­‐12.35%

-­‐19.85%

-­‐23.34%

-­‐19.93%

-­‐20.94%

-­‐11.09%

Market -­‐2.78% -­‐0.41% 12.67% 15.25% 14.25% 14.76% 10.20% -­‐12.93% Capitalisation Computed by BusinessDay Research and Intelligence Unit (BRIU). For enquiries, please call 08098710024 or teliat.sule@businessday.ng ; biodunteliat24@gmail.com

year to date.

Bank, 2.6 percent and Abbey Corporate Affairs Commission therefore sought and obtained MTN NigeriaEquities has so farshed added Buildings, percent.

The move

by Dangote the approval N534bn in e1ight days as Dangote (CAC).

Flour, G lobal Spectrum postpone AGMs of the CAC to hold 44.4 percent increase to its listing On the flip side, we have Nei- Flour to postpone its AGM fol- the AGM no later than December ..Only 16 itsclosed tocks have gained ear to date price which explains why meth, -48.7 ypercent; GlaxoS- lowed its earlier announcement 21, 2019. In view of the fact that

at N130 per share last Friday. mithKline, -51.0 percent; Interna- to the effect that it had received the outcome of the court ordered Other stocks on the gainers’ TELIAT SULE list tional Breweries, -58.7 percent; a binding offer on April 23,2019 meeting is unknown, the board and the extent of appreciation Guinness, -59.2 percent, and from Olam International Limited is unable to propose a specific in their prices include Chams, 30stock Thomas Wyattsustained , -91.1 percent for the acquisition the issued datethe for the AGM at this time”, The Nigerian market its downward trend oflast week as market percent; WAPCO, 28.5 percent; as the worst performing stocks shares of the company. a notice signed by Aisha Ladi Isa, capitalisation equities further closed “Based lower on at the N12.92 trillion last Friday.

This stated.

Caverton, 28.5 percent; Johnof listed year to date. forthcoming company’s secretary, Holt, 25 percent; Union Bank, 25 Meanwhile, Dangote Flour court ordered meeting, the board Global Spectrum compares with market capitalisation of N13.45 trillion on September 30,2019, implying that Energy Servicpercent; Continental Insurance, and Global Spectrum Energy is of the considered opinion that it es attributed its inability to hold in just eight trading days in October, listed stocks have shed N533.9 billion, representing an 18.3 percent; AIICO, 9.5 percent; Services have postponed their will not be practical nor effective its AGM to logistics issues. The Access Bank, 8.1 percent; average of Africa N66.7 bannual illion general daily. meetings having to convene an AGM before the company has promised to hold it Prudential , 3.4 percent; Sterling received authorisation from the court ordered meeting and has on or before December 31, 2019.

The All Share Index (NSE) of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) ended the week at 26,533.78 points as against 26,987.45 points on October 4 and 27,630.56 points on the last trading day in September.

Skye Shelter Fund posts 10% increase in net income TELIAT SULE

S

kye Shelter Fund has announced a 10 percent rise in net income for the period ended September 30 2019, the analysis of its third quarter unaudited financial statement has shown. The double digit growth in bottom line indicates aggressive efforts made by the fund during the period.

Total income for the period rose by 3 percent from N166.50 million in September 2018 to N172.14 million in September 2019. The income

came from three sources which are fixed interest income, rental income and profit on investment property disposal.

Skye Shelter Fund generated N96.8 million as income from fixed interest income in the first nine months of 2019 as against N96.02 million same period in 2018. It made N72.5 million as rental income compared with N70.5 million in September 2018. Meanwhile, profit on investment property disposal amounted N2.83 million in the period ended September 2019 whereas no amount was earned during the same period

in 2018.

Distribution, admin and other expenses declined by 14.5 percent during the period. This followed a noticeable decline in manager’s fees which stood at N22.5 million in September 2019 in contrast to N25.7 million in September 2018. Other administrative expenses were cut down to N6.98 million in the third quarter of 2019 as against N7.17 million same period last year.

Skye Shelter Fund sold part of Maccido Estate in Abuja during the period as the new cost of the property now put

at N160 million whereas it was worth N192 million in September 2018, which means as at the end of the period, the total investment in properties was put at N1.85 billion in September 2019 as against N1.88 billion in September 2018.

“We sold some assets. All our properties are stated at cost. On the average, the last revaluation is about 20 percent above all our carrying cost prices. So, any time we sell, we get good profit.

“Unlike other REITs in the market, we never included revaluation profit unless it is

actually realised via a sale. In spite of that, we still pay the highest dividend yield”, Patrick Ilodianya, managing director, Skye Shelter Fund, said.

Following the payment of dividend which saw its unclaimed dividend decline to N262.67 million in September 2019 as against N302.33 million in 2018, the total net assets of the period ended at N2.349 billion in September 2019 as against N2.35 billion same period last year. Basic earnings per share stood at 6.75 kobo for the period compared with 6.15 kobo a year ago.

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LifestyleHomes&Suites

Sunday 13 October 2019

Paul Ojenagbon pauloje2000@yahoo.com

Milano Court ups Ante in Lekki

M

ilano Court is an ongoing highend mixed residential development located behind Enyo Filling Station at the 4th Roundabout along the Lekki-Epe Expressway. It is conceived as a fully serviced gated estate consisting of 48 dwelling units. The breakdown is 22 units of 4-bedroom terraces with two living rooms, 18 units of 3-bedroom apartments and 8 units of 3-bedroom maisonette with two living rooms. The terraces and maisonettes have been sold out, leaving behind a few units of the 3-bedroom flats-a testimony to the immense appeal this campaign has elucidated over time.

The developer of the project is Beachway Homes. The project is slated for completion in April 2020. Each of the 4- bedroom terraces covers a built area of approximately 214 square metres while a unit of the 3-bedroom apartments covers 156 square metres and they are all ensuite. To service the court and ensuring the comfort and convenience of the residents is an array of facilities.

There are central standby generators for common use of residents and potable water from dedicated borehole is available,made good in treatment plant. Recreational facilities in place include swimming pool, gym with some forms of recreation arranged

around the pool to the delight of residents. Besides these are

exciting play areas for children and delightful landscaping that

enhance the quality of the environment. Sewage treatment is

centrally managed.

There are flexible payment plans in place including outright payment, installment payment and mortgage which has been made possible through an arrangement with a primary mortgage institution. The 3-bedroom apartments carry price tags that range between N39-41million per unit depending on the floor, as the upper floors are often more preferred and so attract higher prices. Simillarly,the terraces carry price tags that range between N50-54million per unit.

What is more, to erase any iota of doubt pertaining ownership,the title on the land is governor’s consent which is the highest in the state.

Troy Court: Uptown living in down town Lagos

T

roy Court is like having the best of accommodation in a district often derided as downtown of metropolitan Lagos, no wonder the title of this piece has been adapted after the marketing slogan of the project developer.

Troy Court is a unique 36-unit apartment block development located in the heart of a densely populated surburb in Lagos. This standout development is set to redefine the standard within that neighborhood. It is precisely located off the popular Adetola Street at Aguda, Surulere,Lagos.

It covers a land area of 4240.82 square metres with a built up space of 1165 metres that works out at about 27 percent of the land size.

The development is in 3 elevator -driven blocks of 6 floors each

consisting of 12 flats.The fully completed development is on the stable of Troy Estates, a division of Trojan Estates which built the Royal Garden Estate located at Ajah,-Lekki,Lagos.

Troy Court has been described “ as an exclusive development in the oldest neighborhood of a vibrant business and urban district,made up of predominantly traditional houses. The area is equally well known for its popular high street music studios among other prominent features and also provides easy access to Western Avenue.

Troy Court offers apartments that are spacious,modern, stylish and classy,well appointed with balconies and amazing views.

It is a well lit enclave assured of electricity round the clock. Potable water is available from borehole

with treatment plant. The superb finishes in Troy Court apartments include quality polished porcelain

floor tiles, MDF hallow core wooden doors with hallow core metal panel security doors at the entranc-

es . Others are contemporaryd light fittings,switches and sockets, quality stainless handrail sets and MDF moveable wardrobes. There are two parking spaces for each apartment. Well constructed drainage eliminates flooding in the estate. Uh The title on the land is Certificate of Occupancy issued by the Lagos State government.The payment plans are flexible comprising off plan payment,structured and milestone lump sum outright payment for a unit attracts a discounted price of N31million for a unit while structured payment of 6,12 and 18 months attracts upwards of N33million each depending on the plan elected.

There is a structure in place for the management of the estate.

Sunday 13 October 2019

C002D5556

BDSUNDAY 41

Business Interview

‘Environmental problem is the major hindrance to Nigeria achieving its local content target’ Ernest Azudialu-Obiejesi is the founder and executive chairman of Nestoil Group. In a recent interview on CNBC Africa, Azudialu-Obiejesi spoke about talent in the sector, attracting private capital, the Nigerian local content target and the impact on indigenous oil and gas firms. JOSEPHINE OKOJIE monitored the interview. Excerpts:

T

here has been a conversation for several years within the Oil and Gas sector about the need for a transfer of skills to local players to help them have a bigger stake in the industry. And we have actually seen that happening under the auspices of the Nigerian Content Development &Monitoring Board (NCDMB), showing that the Local Content Act is being adhered to. But let us hear your perspective in terms of the journey so far as a player. What are those major changes you have seen that stick out for you?

For me and for us in Nestoil, it’s been quite a long journey. We have been actually in the industry 20 years before the law actually came into effect. However, we cannot deny the fact that this law has helped more Nigerians to participate in the Oil and Gas industry. Before NCDMB and the Local Content Law, the attitude of Nigerians towards projects in the industry was completely different from what it is today. I remember those days there were a lot of expatriates in the Oil and Gas industry. It was almost as if the industry was the exclusive preserve of expatriates.

But those of us who were then in the industry, we were also trying to convince the expatriate companies that we can do some of these jobs if given the opportunity. Now you can see the difference when it became a law to allow Nigerians bid for jobs and execute some of the projects. Nestoil played a key role in influencing the perception that Nigerian companies can actually execute jobs in this industry. For some of the pipeline projects that Nestoil executed, we were the first indigenous company to deliver such projects in terms of project scopes.

Eventually, companies now looked up to us to say if Nestoil can do it, then we can do it also.

Would you say local companies have the human capacity and skills to deliver on all the projects in the Oil and Gas industry if given the opportunity?

Yes. But you know, as they say, the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. You need to give people opportunity first for them to even start growing capacity. When Nigerians were given the opportunity, they started growing capacity.

And it was now easy for Nigerians in certain levels of technical jobs in the industry. The real thing that has also happened is that Nigerians are now, at least able to deliver on some jobs without expatriate support.

We still have a long way to go but we can only improve with more opportunity.

The NCDMB targets 70per-

cent participation of local companies in the Oil and gas sector. Is this realistic?

Yes, it is achievable. I can assure you that 70percent is achievable.

Let me give you a good example of a company like EWT, which is a Nestoil sister company. EWT is able to build pressure vessels that have never been done anywhere in Africa. We have been able to do them in Nigeria. For the Egina project that just finished, we participated in it because we were given the opportunity just to build those vessels and they now found out that because we have built some in the past, we’re able to have the necessary machinery required to build what Egina needs for Total. Nigerian companies acquired these skills and we’ll keep growing the capacity.

Let’s talk about the role of the NCDMB. How have they fared so far in terms of enforcement and what is the room for improvement?

Talking from the point of a man who was there before they came into being, I can tell you that they have done quite well. Today are penalties that are actually enforced if you go against any of the laws. International Oil Companies (IOCs) are now required to demonstrate local content event in the number of contracts that are awarded. Most IOCs don’t want to be penalised. That fact that there is a watchdog monitoring compliance and enforcing penalties has been a blessing for local players in the Oil and gas industry.

Would you say that right now, compliance across board is high?

Yes. We feel it every day. It will interest you to know that as indigenous players, we are not immune from the radar of the NCDMB. We are strictly monitored. We have an expatriate quota as well. We cannot just employ expatriates for any kind of job. I believe that this is the way to go and I am glad that for the Oil and Gas industry, complying with the local content law is becoming a way of life.

Between Nestoil and its sister company Neconde, we learnt that about 95 percent of your employees are Nigerians. Let’s talk about the talent and the quality of talent in the industry. Was it easy for you to attract the right kind of talents for the jobs that are needed?

Yes. Initially, it was not easy because we needed to do a lot of convincing. We needed to do a lot of talking to Nigerians to stay and do some of these projects especially Nigerians who were trained overseas in the Oil and Gas industry.

However, with our track record of performance and competitive remuneration and benefits, the mindset is beginning to shift. These

Ernest Azudialu-Obiejesi

talented Nigerians are beginning to realise that this is their own country and it is an opportunity for them to grow the industry while advancing their careers. Today, most of our engineers and technical staff are Nigerians.

What’s your overall capacity for training and building capacity in your employees?

Training is the bedrock of our operations. A number of our engineers and technical staff were trained abroad. A lot more were trained here. What we have going for us in this organisation is on-the-job training. A number of our employees have built capacity over the years through mentorship and hands-on experience over the years. Some of the expatriate personnel that we hire are specifically briefed to train and transfer knowledge to local talents. I would say it is a combination of formal classroom training as well as on-the-job training. Our biggest assets are our employees. They are committed and dedicated to growing the company for the future.

Now, in the industry, we always talk about investments.

The Oil & Gas industry is capital

intensive. Government is overburdened. How do you think local players can address this issue?

First, one thing that we have been looking forward to is the passage of the PIB - the Petroleum Industry Bill. Passing it and creating the environment that is required for investors to do and grow their businesses. The PIB amongst other things provides that policy and governance framework that will guaranty the safety of people’s investments. Investors need assurance that when they put in their money, the legal and policy framework guarantees the safety of those investments. This is the only time you will see huge capital flowing into this industry. This is what has not been done and I think that it should be a priority for the government to ensure that this bill is passed.

Now for the NCDMB, there’s a target of 70 percent participation by the year 2027. We are currently at 40 percent. I mean, share your thoughts with us in terms of how you see us achieving this target and what 70 percent participation would mean for the industry and what kind

of changes will be visible if we indeed achieve that?

Yes. I mean, if we achieve 70 percent, by the target date there’s going to be a lot of impacts especially in job creation which it itself reduces restiveness, insecurity and crime. It also means that the country will expend less foreign exchange in hiring and paying for expatriate labour. It would also mean that a number of the machinery that we currently import will be manufactured here thus growing a supply chain pipeline that creates ancillary industries and indirect jobs. I can go on and on. The benefits are so much.

The Nigerian economy would be better for it. I must add that the issue of local content is a journey, not a destination. Even when we achieve this target by 2017 there will still be room for improvement.

What is important is that we are making the right steps in the right direction.

But what do we do? What are the specific things that we need to do to take us from this 40 percent to 70 percent?

We need to first of all make sure that some of the issues that actually prevent NCDMB from implementing some of these policies to the letter are all looked at.

For example, we have issues of insecurity in the Oil & Gas industry, how and why some of the companies managing onshore assets are not doing any of the projects now. We need to look at the financial capacity of most of the banks or at least a policy that directs banks to provide financial support Nigerian companies that are participating in this industry. It is a capital-intensive industry so if there are no special funds dedicated to it, it will affect it. I would also recommend a lot of training centres where Nigerians can be trained. Schools like the Petroleum Training Institute (PTl) need to be revived as the hub for producing talents for the Oil & Gas industry.

For you, what would you say could be that one thing, the biggest problem that could be a major hindrance in achieving the local content target?

The biggest problem that I can see now is actually what I will call an environmental problem. By environmental I mean, the environment where these businesses are which also underbelly the security issue. The environment for doing business can be better. We can certainly do with less insecurity and community disturbances. This is why you see the IOC’s divesting from onshore assets. You know, many times when we hear about these community disturbances, they present themselves like there is not any solution. I mean, these communities are people. And I’m just wondering, isn’t it possible for expanded discussions, dialogue with this community members? Is this a problem that doesn’t have a solution?

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Sunday 13 October 2019

Health&Science What you need to know about Psychosis

P

ANTHONIA OBOKOH

sychosis means a loss of contact with reality and a symptom of mentalillnesses.Some estimatessuggestthat 14.7 to 18.5 percent of people with major depression may experience psychotic features and that the prevalence rates may rise with age.

This form of depression is an under diagnosed and undertreated condition.

People must remember that psychosis is a symptom of particular mental health conditions, not a disorder in itself.

Experiencing psychosis can be frightening and confusing, and psychosis can present in a variety of ways.

Symptoms of psychosis include delusions, also known as false beliefs or false perceptions, halluci-

nations, or seeing or hearing things that are not present paranoia.

Healthcare professionals can misdiagnose depression with psychotic features as other disorders.

These other illnesses may include major depressive disorder without psychotic features, schizoaffective disorder; depression not otherwise specified mood disorder.

A misdiagnosis is often due to a lack of recognition of the psychotic features of major depression.

A mental health professional who is licensed to diagnose must decide if someone has psychotic depression.

These specialists will conduct a physical examination and may perform blood or urine tests to rule out other possible medical problems.

The mental health professional will also ask about an individual’s symptoms and medical history.

If the person has a family history

of bipolar disorder, the doctor may screen for manic episodes.

Steps to recovery Psychosis can lead a person to hold a distorted view of what others perceive to be reality. The delusions or hallucinations associated with psychotic depression can lead to a medical emergency, which needs immediate medical attention.

A person may need to spend some time in the hospital, followed by an inpatient or outpatient treatment program.

Doctors are still trying to establish the most effective treatment for depression with psychosis.

Treatments focus on reducing or managing symptoms. Currently, no treatments can entirely cure psychotic depression. This means that people will usually need ongoing treatment.

•Culled from Medical News Today

OAU students boost hygienics at prisons, distribute menstrual pads to inmates RAZAQ AYINLA

A

non-governmental organization - Reaching Minds Foundation, recently launched by Abass Oyeyemi,PartIVLawstudentofObafemi AwolowoUniversity(OAU),Ile-Ife, has vowed to worked towards ensuring a better and healthy living for Nigerians, especially the less privileged and inmates at various prisons across the country.

BusinessDay reports that the ReachingMindsFoundationwhichis populatedbymainlystudentsofLaw oftheObafemiAwolowoUniversity (OAU),Ile-Ife,Osunstatehasbegun an advocacy outreach to some prisons in Southwest Nigeria as part of effort to deepen hygienics and healthy lifestyle of female inmates.

Speaking during an advocacy outreach to Abeokuta and IjebuOde prisons, both in Ogun state, as part of events marking Nigeria’s 59th Independence Celebration, Abass Oyeyemi, founder of the NGO, Abass Oyeyemi said that scores of menstrual pads had been distributed to female inmates in both the prisons to ensure hygienic menstrual cycle.

Oyeyemi, who explained that menstrual hygiene pads given to female inmates would last them some months, added, “the Nigeria Prisons as well as other prisons in Africa are characterized by poor funding, congestion, among many

Ban on harmful products will reduce suicide cases in Nigeria – expert IDRIS UMAR MOMOH & CHURCHILL OKORO, Benin

A

Psychiatric expert says the banned on harmful products like snipers will reduce the rate of suicide incidence in Nigeria.

Sunday Olotu, medical director, Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital (FNPH) Benin made the remark during the World Mental Health Day in Benin, organised by the hospital in collaboration with Association of Psychiatric Nurses of Nigeria, Friend of Uselu Clinic Club among others.

Olotu said in the past four decades death occurred as a result of suicidewas0.1percentbuthasnow soaredto12-15deathsper100,000 persons noted that the federal governmenthasidentifiedthemeansof committingsuicidelikesnippersand other harmful products.

He however, raised the alarm that suicide cases continue to rise in the country despite the prevention strategies put in place by the government.

“In the past 30-40 years, it used to be 0.1 percent of suicide in every 100,000 but at the moment in the Nigerian it is about 12 to 15 percent or 12-15 deaths per 100,00 of persons and that is the number we have in Nigeria but generally there is an upward trend of suicide globally,” he said.

While urging Nigerians to shun

suicide and talk to the nearest mental health expert, he said urgent attention should be given to mental health and exponential increase in suicidal deaths.

In his lecture titled, “suicide prevention global challenges and future direction”, the Consultant Psychiatrist, University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Israel Aina, called on governments to increase funding for suicide research and public health measure.

Aina who also called for a greater collaboration of all stakeholders to reduce incidence of suicide in Nigeria and the world said the research and public health measure will improve prevention through helplines.

He noted that about 800,000 suicides are recorded globally every year while 79 percent of suicide occurred in low and middleincome countries which Nigeria is one of them.

Israel identified drugs and substance use, peer victimisation, sleep disturbance, sexual abuse, family history, economic condition among others as predisposing factors of suicide.

“Most of the people that commit suicide have clinically diagnosable mental illness but have no access to metal health expert. All hands must be on deck to ensure that everybody has access to expert for treatment to commence early,” he said.

Oyo to revamp primary healthcare centers

A

REMI FEYISIPO, Ibadan

Abass Oyeyemi (m) making some point while speaking with Prison officers led

by Awesu AbdulHakeem, welfare officer at Ibara prison in Abeokuta and students of OAU in attendance shortly before the distribution of menstrual pads to female inmates.

Pic by Razaq Ayinla

others anomalies which have resulted in the poor health status of many inmates.

“There are a lot of challenges inmates at Nigerian Prisons are faced with. But there is none that engages our interest like that of Menstrual Health. Of course, there have been cries for criminal justice reforms all over the world, and developing countries are not left out.

“Such cries have given birth to First Step Act Bill in the USA, where it was signed to law that female inmates be provided with free menstrual products to pro-

tect their rights of dignity. Looking at this bill, one will wonder how a nation as developed as the United States of America is just recognizing the need for female inmates to be given free menstrual products in 2019.”

Also, the Project Director of the Prison Project, Salawu Faizah said, “It is safe to say we have invested some impact in their lives and we won’t stop doing it until the world is refined and everybody has access to equal opportunities. That they are in prison does not mean that they don’t have dignity”.

s part of Oyo state government’s commitment to delivering quality healthcare to its indigenes and residents, the Primary Healthcare centres at each local government wouldsoonbegivenattentioninthe areasofprovisionofbasicfacilities.

Olufunmilayo Orisadeyi , commissioner for Local Government and chieftaincy matters, said during an inspection tour to Ona-Ara Local GovernmentandInukanLocalCouncil Development Areas in Ibadan.

Accordingtoher“Oyostategovernment is committed to delivering quality health service to the people of Oyo state because the healthier the people the wealthier the state.

Each Primary Healthcare center will soon receive improved government attention which will facilitate good working condition for workers and promote service delivery.

“Only those with sound health and mind can contribute their quota tothedevelopmentoftheState,and in the effort to improve healthcare delivery in Oyo State, all hands must beondeck,thosethatfailedtocome to work will be duly sanctioned, the period when workers would be absent at work at will has gone.

“The State administration has been keeping its promise of paying salaries as at when due and other conditions of service are being met, so for anybody to be absent from work, especially those in the critical sector like the primary healthcare, stringent measures will be taken to forestall future re-occurrence of such,” she said.

During an unannounced, inspection tour, the commissioner said the number of workers that were at work when she arrived at about half past ten in the morning, charging them to stay faithful to their work and satisfy their conscience.

Sterling Bank, Informa partner to host biggest health expo in West Africa

S

ANTHONIA OBOKOH

terling Bank Plc in partnership with Informa Markets, a multinational events and publishing company recently hosted the 8th edition of the biggest health exhibition in the West African sub-region.

The three-day exhibition, known as Medic West Africa exhibition, held in Lagos attracted more than 200 exhibitors from more than 32 countries and featured mini conferences on the healthcare industry as well as multiple workshops that exposed delegates to

the latest innovative solutions in healthcare across the globe.

Speaking on “How to Finance Your Start-up, Expansionor Dream” during a panel discussion, Adewale Adebowale, head of Health Sector Finance, Health Sector Strategy and Innovation of Sterling Bank, remarked that it was no longer non-availability of capital that is hindering entrepreneurs but lack of viable projects or businesses that can attract potential investors.

“SterlingBankhasstoppeddoing bankingintheusualwayfollowingits decision to specialise in five sectors of the economy in a bid to make an

impact.Basedonthenewapproach, the bank now engages its customers to understand their businesses better before designing bankable solutions for them,” he said.

According to him, the five sectors of the economy in which the bank decided to specialise in are known as the HEART of Sterling.

They are Health, Education, Agriculture, Renewable Energy and Transportation.

In addition to providing finance, Adebowale said the bank was also concerned about advocacy as well as the need to support the health sector to improve with digitisation

and infrastructure. He disclosed that the bank has successfully provided medical equipment to major healthcare institutions in the country.

One of such interventions was the provision of equipment to the Radiology Department of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH). The bank also financed the acquisition of pharmaceutical equipment by pharmacies as well as aiding the process of creating products and propositions that would help to grow the health sector.

He said, “We at Sterling Bank

are no longer doing banking in the conventional way. We have structured our operations around digitalisation and specialisation in order to make impact.”

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos State, who declared the exhibition open, called on residents in the state to register for the health insurance scheme introduced by the government as part of the effort to improve healthcare delivery in the state. He said the scheme would enable the state government to prioritise its healthcare programmes, enhance quality and make them affordable for the residents.

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BDSUNDAY 43

Sports

NFF denies owing Rohr 3-month salary

S

T

Anthony Nlebem

he Nigerian Football Fe d e r a t i o n ( N F F ) have denied rumours making rounds that the federation is owing Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr three months salary.

The NFF in a series of tweets on Friday, October 11 denied media reports that the nation’s football governing body is owing the German tactician, but accepted that the federation is yet to pay him for September which is currently being processed.

“The NFF wishes to put records straight with regards to a claim in the social media on Friday, 11th October 2019 that the football house is owing Super Eagles’ Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr, three months’ salary.

“As we speak, Rohr is only being owed salary for the month of September 2019, which is being processed,” the tweets said.

The Federation also revealed that Super Falcons coach, Thomas Dennerby resigned because the board was unable to accept his demand to bring in more expatriate coaches.

“As for Thomas Dennerby, we have received his resignation letter and of course, he has his right

to resign from a job.

“We want to put it on record that no Head Coach in the history of the Super Falcons has been afforded the level and readiness of support that has been pro-

vided Dennerby by this Board.

“Perhaps, one of the reasons he left was because we did not accede to his request to bring in more expatriate coaches and an indigenous coach who does not

have the required license.

“If we had agreed to his request for more expatriate coaches, that would have left our indigenous coaches presently with the team in the lurch.”

HiFL 2019: UAM Tillers, UNICAL Malabites re-enact 2018 finals ANTHONY NLEBEM

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018 defending champions, UAM Tillers, and runners up, UNICAL MALABITES are set to face off in the HiFL 2019 finals, after they both cruised past, OAU Giants and UNILORIN warriors respectively, to book their place yet again in the highly anticipated finals of the 2019 Super Four.

Toraza Terungwa, was the hero for the resurgent Tillers as he saved three straight penalties, to give his side a 3:0 shootout win in front of a roaring home crowd.

OAU Tillers were the first to score in the 46th minute as tough defender Faleti Ayo brilliantly headed home a cross, to put the Tillers under pressure. However, Tony Eliagwu rescued the home team with a 57th minute leveler,

to send them through to level the scores on the day and also on aggregates. Then it was onto penalties as both teams could not be seperated. It is the second time, the Tillers will qualify ahead of OAU Giants, after the Giants

suffered similar fate in the 2018 semifinal stage.

Elsewhere in Rumuolumeni, Rivers State, UNICAL Malabite’s Odey Santos scored twice in the 45th and 90th minute to send the Malabite’s

Nigeria and Brazil tangle in a friendly cracker ANTHONY NLEBEM

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he Super Eagles of Nigeria will face five-time world champions Brazil in an international friendly to prepare the team ahead of November’s African Cup of Nations qualifiers againstBeninRepublicandLesotho.

In the last meeting between these two sides in Abuja, the Brazil beat the Super Eagles by 3-0 The Super Eagles will be looking to prove their mettle this time around.

Gernot Rohr’s men are yet to lose any of their last four friendly

African athletes set to shine at Chicago Marathon

matches.

Brazil had earlier played Senegal in an international friendly in Singapore on Thursday in the build-up to the match against the Super Eagles but were held to a 1-1 draw by Aliou Cisse’s men.

A Roberto Firnino goal in the ninth minute gave Brazil the lead but was cancelled when Senegal’s Famara Diedhiou scored from the penalty spot.

Neymar collected his 100th cap but could not find the net for the five times champions as Africa’s highest ranked team matched the star-studded Brazil.

Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr and his players were spotted at the stadium watching both sides play on Thursday.

Nigeria will be parading a completely in-form set of players against Brazil on Sunday that include currently hot forwards like Everton’s Alex Iwobi, Lille’s Victor Osimhen and Emmanuel Bonaventure.

SuperSports is the official broadcast partners of the Nigerian Football Federation and has ensured in the past that sports fan across Nigeria do not miss the chance to watch Nigeria play.

into the finals after a 2:0 defeat against Unilorin Warriors in their Super Four decider.

UNILORIN Warriors will now play OAU Giants in the third place match while the Tillers and Malabites will lock horns in the finals to complete the 2019 Higher Institutions Football League Super Four. The games are scheduled for the 26th of October at the Agege township stadium in Lagos.

The league is organised by PACE Sports and Entertainment Marketing in partnership with the Nigerian Universities Games Association (NUGA).

The league is sponsored by Stanbic IBTC, Indomie Nigeria and Premier Cool. The top 32 Universities from NUGAmember institutions will play over a period of 21 weeks, with the final four billed for the Agege Stadium, Lagos.

ports lovers have been enjoying beautiful actions from 2019 IAAF World Championship and can look forward to more great Athletics action.

The next major running event on the calendar is the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, which will be held on Sunday 13 October 2019 in ‘Chi-Town’ and will be broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 8/ SuperSport 9/SuperSport 10, Maximo 2 and Select 1.

While the event will not feature Kenyan running star Eliud Kipchoge (a former champion of the Chicago Marathon, who will be participating in the INEOS 1:59 Challenge in Vienna this week), there will nonetheless be major African participation.

The men’s elite field includes 2015 Chicago Marathon champion, Dickson Chumba (Kenya), 2019 Boston Marathon champion Lawrence Cherono (Kenya) and the fastest man to ever debut in the marathon in 2:03:34, Getaneh Molla (Ethiopia).

This trio will look to get the better of defending Chicago Marathon champion Mo Farah of Britain (also a four-time Olympic gold medalist) and United States favourite Galen Rupp, the 2016 Olympic marathon bronze medalist and 2017

Chicago Marathon champion.

In the women’s elite field, 2018 Chicago Marathon champion Brigid Kosgei (Kenya) will look to defend her title.

The main threats to her ambition will come from American marathon debut record holder Jordan Hasay and 2018 Paris Marathon champion Betsy Saina, as well as 2018 US marathon champion Emma Bates, Mexican national record holder Madai Perez and three-time Olympian Lisa Weightman.

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Lagos example on poverty alleviation

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oing by the latest Oxfam Report on the World Poverty Clock (August, 2019) focused on Nigeria, some 94.47 million hapless citizens are currently caught in the terrifying trap of extreme poverty. Infact, according to Constant Tchona, the Country director of the organisation in Nigeria, the figure stood at 91.5 million back in April of this same year but within four months an additional 2.969 million have found themselves slushed into the ignoble pit of extreme poverty.“By comparison, this number is more than the population of Gambia and Cape Verde combined,” he stated.

This indeed, is a worrisome development. No effort should therefore, be spared towards reducing its excruciating effects on the voiceless victims. That is where the role of states comes in. And out of the lot, the Lagos State government shoulders much of the burden for more reasons than one.

For instance, Lagos, the former nation’s capital, is seen as the juicy apple of the country called Nigeria. It is the melting pot for people of different ethnic, religious, socio-political and economic colouration.

Apart from being seen as an industrial and entertainment/tourism hub, its compelling appeal of the partly aquatic landscape oozes not only to Nigerians but foreign nationals from the West African sub-region and the world at large.

Conflicting figures are bandied on the population of poor Lagosians. According to Justice and Empowerment Initiatives Nigeria, 65 percent of the people living in Lagos are urban poor who live in slums and settlements.But the online borgenproject. org, states that available statistics indicate that 1.7 million out of some 21million people in Lagos(8.5percent) are considered poor.The growing homeless population of 300,000 people continues to fuel poverty in Lagos State. The increasing socio-economic pressure is therefore, on the acclaimed Centre of Excellence.

Worsening the daily influx of people into the city is the spate of terrorism, banditry and kidnapping ravaging the

Northern geo-political axis. Different citizens whose states are bedeviled by such sundry crimes load themselves into trucks with the hope that they would become ‘okada’ riders, shoe shiners or security men. Yet, the city has long been denied its much deserved special status, even in terms of budgetary allocation.

It is against this backdrop that one must appreciate the state government for setting up the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Women Affairs (WaPa). To walk the talk on reducing the scourge of the twin evils of poverty and youth unemployment, it has in place 17 well equipped and manned Skills Acquisition Centres spread across the three senatorial districts. They are located in places such as Ayobo, Badagry, Egan, Ejigbo, Ibeju-Lekki, Ikorodu, Kosofe, Mushin, Shibiri, Isheri, Agege Pen Cinema and Surulere.

With the virile vision: “To sustainably reduce poverty to minimal level in Lagos State”, it goes with a Mission Statement, that acts as its moving mantra. And that is. “Women development and poverty reduction are means to attaining sustainable economic growth through efficient and prompt service delivery”. Lucky recipients are trained in sundry skills and trades for self sustenance. These include catering and hotel management, textile design/ tie-and-dye, Ankara craft, fabrics stoning, branded throw pillows, tying of gele, aluminium fabrication, computer studies, barbing and cosmetology. Others include photography, shoe and leatherworks, making of soaps, insecticides and wicks, refrigerator and air conditioner repairs, welding and fabrication, wood and furniture making. Some unique features stand these ventures and their participants in good stead.

According to the new Commissioner of the Ministry of WaPa, Mrs. Cecelia Bolaji-Dada, issues that have to do with poverty alleviation and women affairs in Lagos State are being taken to the next level through initiatives that would make the beneficiaries self-dependent. To her, it goes beyond buying and doling out sewing machines, grinding machines and pop-

corn-making machines to job-seeking youth and women.

The emphasis this time around is on thorough skills acquisition and ensuring that participants are provided with loans by the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund. This would enable the beneficiaries to start up small scale businesses. This is in line with the Governor Sanwo-Olu-led Greater Lagos Vision. For instance, it is on record that back in 2017, some 315 unemployed youths and women were financially empowered with N2.5 million each, as start-up for their trades. Interestingly, some have grown their businesses in poultry and fish farming to the tune of N9million.

From assessing their performances so far they have upped their ventures to an average of N5million (100percent) within two years. Three of those who got 50 crates of eggs as start-up in 2015 have expanded theirs to egg depots. Others, who ventured into poultry processing got 5kV generator with blast freezer each and have shown value for money invested. This is commendable.

Also, through the Ministry of Agriculture, there is the Agro-Processing, Produce Enhancement and Livelihood Support (APPEALS) as a World Bankassisted project. All the 80 fish farmers who benefitted got two moveable fish ponds each, drilled bore holes, generators and 132 bags of feed, smoking kilns and 40kg table size fish. Each of those who are into poultry farming got 1,000 crates of eggs, rented shops for two years, six months salaries payment to their support staff and one tricycle.

Also, some others who went into rice marketing were given rice destoners, mini packs like Uncle Ben’s rice, of between 500g and 1kg. In addition, their processing sheds and salary of one attendant were paid for. Many of the farmers enjoyed intensive two-week training at the Institute of Oceanography, Lagos. The good

AYO OYOZE BAJE Baje is Nigerian first food technologist in the media and author of ‘DRUMBEATS OF DEMOCRACY’ 07068638066

news about these projects is the process of continuity.

Recently, Mrs. Bolaji-Dada kicked off the Skills Acquisition Programme which is targeted at women, the acclaimed home makers, drawn from faith-based cultural organisations. Those which participated in the scheme included the women association of the Ansar ud Deen Islamic group, the Federation of Muslim Women (FOWOM), Anglican Women from 1,004 Estate, V.I. and the Imo State Town Development Union. The event, which was flagged off simultaneously at Ebute-Meta, Victoria Island, Ojo and Apapa, has the noble objective of galvanising the beneficiaries to dig deep and bring out the best in them to hone their latent talents and skills.

As recently attested to by those who have benefitted from the scheme, it has created some tremendous effect on their standard of living. For instance, Mrs. Olabisi Badmus from Iba LGA, who is into hair dressing, said: “The programme has had a positive impact, as it has kept me busy and that has enhanced my productivity.” She has appealed to the Lagos State government to continue with the programme so as to benefit others.

As one commends these life-changing poverty alleviation schemes, we urge that the training should be sustained and the scope be expanded to reach more vulnerable members of society. This would not only make them self-dependent but become useful members of Lagos State in particular and of the larger Nigerian society.

Quick Takes

Off the Cuff

Of President’s ‘new wife’ and rumour mongers

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hile many Nigerians were recovering from the shock of the trending pictures and videos of the alleged wedding plans between President Muhammadu Buhari and Sadiya Umar Farouq, ministerofHumanitarianAffairs,DisasterManagement and Social Development; a development, which the minister refuted as rumour, they were once again hit by the news that top government functionaries of Islamic faith were moved to observe their regular Juma’at prayers at the Presidential Villa, the same Friday the purported marriage was to hold.

In a very rare occurrence and probably to confirm the authenticity of the reports, the Senate President Ahmed Lawan; Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, and top government officials were said to have observed prayers at the Villa, Friday.

But they neither confirmed nor denied the prayer session had anything to do with the marriage.

They prayed at the Presidential Villa open ground behind the President’s office, where they were also joined by the President.

Even Lai Mohammed, minister of Information, did not help matters as he jocularly remarked after the prayers that “only those with the right cap colours were part of the reception”, in apparent reference to speculations in the social media.

Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, was also not helpful. He also jocularly told State House corre-

spondents that “only those who attended the Juma’at prayers will be invited to the reception.”

The rumor over the purported marriage was however, freely discussed amongst staff of the Presidential Villa, many expressing mixed feelings of disappointments, as well as, the “unbelievable level” Nigerians have taken rumors in the social media.

For several days, Nigeria’s social media space was awash with several pictures, invitation cards of various designs and even purported pre-wedding engagement of President Buhari and the newly sworn-in minister, invented by social media players to justify the phantom wedding plans.

The report trended so freely that many Nigerians bought into it, especially when nothing was heard from a government that is particularly averse to such “senior jokes” with the President’s name.

Even when the woman denied the existence of such plans, many Nigerians still felt the wedding would still take place, and it did?

The Minister had in a tweet, denied the existence of such plan, adding that her relationship with the first family dates back many years, adding that “l will like to maintain this good relationship.”

The message contained in her twitter handle reads: “There have been several speculations in the media regarding marriage between myself and Baba Buhari. I will like to clarify this, that me and Baba Buhari have been old time friends and Her Excellency, Aisha, is my good friend and a sister. I will like to maintain this good relationship.”

Earlier, a Presidency source who also spoke to BDSUNDAY on the issue, had described the postings on the social media as the “handiwork of idle Nigerians.”

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, wondered why those videos, which were indeed recordings of previous events in Daura, during one of the President’s visits to his home town “could now be used to justify their imaginary plans.”

BDSUNDAY gathered from other sources that many are taking advantage of the absence of the outspoken First Lady, Aisha Buhari to create imaginary scenarios about purported plans by the President to marry new wife.

Observers are of the opinion that the current administration has so much encouraged lies, innuendos, hate speech and propaganda; which according to them, have been elevated to state craft. Every day, people manufacture lies and concoct damaging stories about others. Many citizens say the current government should be blamed for the ugly trend as it has almost, allegedly, made lies and propaganda parts of its policy.

Although the minister has distanced herself from the rumour and said she was not in any way in dalliance with the President, observers insist that there must be no smoke without fire just as the saying that something must have made the cocoyam stem to make uncertain noise.

N1.86 trn

The budget deficit is projected to decrease to N1.86 trillion (or 1.3% of GDP) in 2019 from N1.95 trillion projected for 2018. This reduction is in line with Federal Government plans to progressively reduce deficit and borrowings.

From the horse’s mouth “When leaders are not checked and are not held accountable by the people, the natural thing for them is to please themselves. This translates to expropriation of the commonwealth and a tendency for some leaders to see their personal interest as the interest of the people they govern”.

-Ovie Omo-Agege deputy Senate president, speaking at the 10th annual independence lecture in Abuja.

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