Binder1 tuesday april 29, 2014

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Tuesday, April 29, 2014 Vol. 1 No. 70

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Nigeria’s most authoritative newspaper in politics and business

N10bn jets: Alison-Madueke drags Tambuwal to court

National confab

lReps put probe on hold lJudge hears suit today Philip Nyam and Tunde Oyesina The Minister of Petro-

leum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke has dragged the Speaker of the House of Representatives,

Aminu Tambuwal, before a Federal High Court, Abuja to restrain the House C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 3

Alison-Madueke

lDelegates invite INEC Chairman over 2015 elections lPower Devolution Committee rejects State Police lSIECs divide confab delegates }55

Obasanjo shielded oil thieves –Alamieyeseigha

lNaval officers, expatriates neck-deep in bunkering l50 per cent of oil stolen daily Louis Achi Abuja

F

ormer President Olusegun Obasanjo had a list of oil thieves in the country but used his executive powers to protect them during his eight-year tenure while both expatriates and naval officers were neck-deep in oil theft.

These allegations were made yesterday by ex-governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyesiegha to members of the National Conference Committee on Public Finance when officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) appeared before the committee.

Workers picketting Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) in Ado-Ekiti …yesterday

C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 2

Govs blast Clark over emergency rule statement

}5

Procurement infraction: 156 contractors risk jail }4 LAGOS

Sunny

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Sacked PHCN workers, protesting the non-payment of their disengagement entitlements in Ibadan…yesterday

Electricity workers shut down DISCO offices

lProtests paralyse Akure, Ibadan, Benin, Ekiti lNLC pickets ex-PHCN offices over entitlements Adesina Wahab, Sola Adeyemo, Babatope Okeowo and Cajetan Mmuta

A

gale of protests swept through the four states of Ondo, Oyo, Ekiti and Edo yesterday paralyzing activities in

many parts of their state capitals.

The protesters were mainly electricity workers angered by what they vari-

ously described as breach of agreement by new owners of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), exploitation

of consumers, unlawful sack and non-payment of severance allowances.

The electricity workers C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 2

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Sanctity of Truth

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

NLC pickets ex-PHCN offices over entitlements CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

were joined by other sympathetic unions like the Nigeria Labour congress (NLC).

For hours, protests by electricity workers under the auspices of the Nigeria Electricity Workers Union (NEWU) in Ondo State brought social and commercial activities in Akure, the state capital to a halt. The workers were protesting alleged poor working conditions and fixed rates being charged by the new owners of the PHCN. The workers said their action was the beginning of a seven-day protest to press home their various demands, including issues affecting the Nigeria populace.

The workers, who trooped out in their hundreds, chanted various songs and carried placards with inscriptions like “No more fixed charges, pay us our entitlements,” “Funfe Osibodu must go, no to tyranny.”

The workers also barricaded the roads leading to both the federal and state secretariats, causing gridlocks in the area and other parts of the town.

The presence of security men did not deter them.

Speaking with reporters at the main office of the

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Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), at NEPA junction in the state capital, the chairman of NEWU, Samson Adeladun, said the workers were protesting the fixed rates being charged by the various electricity distribution companies across the country, describing it as exploitative.

According to the NEWU chairman, the fixed charges by the companies whether or not there is power is outright robbery.

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companies and the defunct PHCN. When New Telegraph visited the office of BEDC at the NEPA junction, Akure, the whole place was deserted with doors to the offices locked.

In Edo, thousands of sacked workers of the BEDC under the umbrella of NEWU and Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Company (SSAEAC) took to the streets over the nonpayment of outstanding

claims owed by the company. They also accused the management of gross insensitivity to their plights.

The aggrieved workers took the protest to the Edo State House of Assembly, the secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Edo State Council and other relevant government agencies and barricaded the entrance to the administrative headquarters of the BEDC located on Akpakpava Road, in the C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 3

FIRST NATION AIRWAYS LAGOS-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 06.50; 09:30; 11:45; 16:00 (SAT) 06:50; 11:45 (SUN) 11:45; 16:00 ABUJA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 09:00; 11:30; 13:40;18:30 (SAT) 09:00; 13:40 (SUN) 13:40; 18:30 LAGOS-PORT-HARCOURT (MON-FRI) 14:45 (SAT) 16:15 (SUN) 14:45 PORT-HARCOURT-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 16:50 (SAT) 18:20 (SUN) 16:50 AEROCONTRACTORS LAGOS-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 06:50; 13:30; 16:30; 19:45 (SAT/SUN) 12:30; 16:45 ABUJA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 07:30; 13:00; 19:00 (SAT) 12:30 (SUN) 15:30 MEDVIEW AIRLINES LAGOS-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 07:00; 08:50; 12:00; 15:30 (SAT) 10:00; 15:00 (SUN) 17:30; 18:30 ABUJA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 09:00; 14:00, 15:00; 18:30

L-R: Principal Secretary to the President, Alhaji Hassan Tukur; Head of Service of the Federation, Alhaji Bukar Goni Aji and Vice President Namadi Sambo during a condolence visit to the vice president over the death of his brother, Capt Sabo Sambo, at the State House, Abuja…yesterday.

PHOTO: TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN.

Obasanjo shielded oil thieves –Alamieyesiegha CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

ABUJA

His words: “The issue of fixed charges being levied on the people of this country by the various electricity distribution companies are ways to rob the people whether they supply them power or not. So, we are saying such fees should be abolished.”

Adeladun added that among other issues was the non-payment of terminal dues of laid-off workers of the defunct PHCN, which was part of the agreement between the

FLIGHT SCHEDULE

According to Alamieyesiegha, he facilitated the arrest of some oil thieves in Bayelsa State during his tenure but because of high level conspiracy at top executive levels and with the connivance of NNPC officials, the arrested oil thieves were let off the hook.

His words: “I had one experience. Tankers were loaded in Bayelsa. I got the information and laid ambush for them and arrested them. About 14 big tankers and they were handed over to the police. They were charged to court and the judge ordered that the product should be tested to ascertain if they were crude oil.

“NNPC was invited, they came, took the sample and after a week the result came out as agro-chemical and before I know all of them have been released. I went to President Obasanjo. I even accused him that he is the chief bunkerer; that he should not call me again.

“I also accused him that those that are involved are also sitting in this arena and if he pushed me be-

yond that I am going to mention names. It became so hot that I was persuaded to follow him to his office.

He held my hand and we entered. So, there is actually enough intelligence that is open to the Presidency.

He himself, President Obasanjo, started mentioning names. I said ‘oh, you are the chief bunkerer.

I confirm, you know them, don’t call me again’”.

In another damning indictment, Alamieyeseigha also said that expatriates in the oil sectors are also deeply involved in the illegal activities in the industry and even collaborated with militants to kidnap themselves in the heydays of militancy in the Niger Delta region.

According to him, “In fact, expatriates are more involved in the crime than Nigerians. In fact, some of them even offer themselves to be arrested so that when there is compensation they have a share of it. They are also involved in kidnapping.

“They allow themselves to be kidnapped. Oil companies are invited, their home countries will shout that their men are kid-

napped; management of oil companies will now make efforts and pay ransom.

“When the ransom is paid they are released and that money is shared among them. So, it is a high level conspiracy that is going on.”

The former governor also accused retired naval officers of being involved in oil theft and stressed that the local boys that are regularly arrested for oil theft are mere “escorts” as they do not have the international connections to sell stolen crude oil.

“The so-called militants we celebrate that tap oil they are only employed as escorts. If there is no buyer, we will not find a seller.

The post retirement job of a senior naval officer is bunkering.

“None of those boys you see in the Niger Delta have the necessary connections to bring ships to our economic zone to lift.

Those that are making the connections are also part of us.”

Alamieyeseigha, who declared that 50 per cent of Nigerian oil is stolen daily, also accused foreign

embassies of being aware of the illegal purchase of crude oil from Nigeria.

He declared: “In fact, almost 50 per cent of what we produce in this country is being siphoned outside to augment the international market. And where is the oil going?

“It is going to those countries and they know the type of oil that is coming out from Nigeria. It is different from others. The sulphur content here is very low and they know this but everybody is gaining from it.

“Let the Federal Government send warning letter to all the embassies that are in this country and give them three months.

After three months if we see any ship that is not authorized in our economic zone, especially in the Niger Delta, it will be destroyed.

“Involve the Navy, buy few assault helicopters, buy missiles and after the three months any ship you see inside there by the time you destroy one, two ships, no country will allow their ships to enter and so there will be no buyer.”

OVERLAND AIRWAYS LAGOS-ILORIN (MON-FRI) 07:15 LAGOS-IBADAN (MON-FRI) 7:00 IBADAN-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 08:00 IBADAN-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 16:30 ILORIN –ABUJA (MON-FRI) 08:30 ILORIN –LAGOS (MON-FRI) 17:00 ABUJA-ASABA (MON-FRI) 10:00 ASABA-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 14:15 ASABA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 11:30 LAGOS-ASABA (MON-FRI) 13:00 ABUJA-ILORIN 16:00 ABUJA-IBADAN 15:00 ARIK AIR LAGOS-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 07:00; 08:00; 09:00; 11:00 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00 (SAT) 07:00; 09:00; 11:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00 (SUN) 11:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00 ABUJA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 07:00; 09:00; 11:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00; 20:00 (SAT) 07:00; 09:00; 11:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00 (SUN) 09:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00 LAGOS-PORT-HARCOURT (MON-FRI) 07:00; 09:30; 11:00; 13:30; 15:00; 17:30 (SAT) 07:00; 11:00; 15:00 (SUN) 09:30; 11:00; 13:30; 15:00; 17:30 PORT-HARCOURT-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 07:30; 09:00; 11:30; 13:00; 15:30; 17:00 (SAT) 07:30; 11:30; 09:00; 13:00; 17:00 (SUN) 11:30; 13:00; 15:30; 17:00 ABUJA-PORT-HARCOURT (MON-FRI) 06:45; 10:10; 13:30; 16:50 (SAT/SUN) 06:45; 10:10; 13:30 PORT-HARCOURT-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 08:30; 11:50; 15:10; 18:30 (SAT/SUN) 08:30; 11:50; 15:10

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Tuesday, April 29, 2014

N10bn jets: Alison-Madueke drags Speaker to court CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Public Accounts Committee (PAC) from investigating allegations of N10 billion expenditure on private jet charter against her.

Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Zakari Mohammed (APC, Kwara) and his Public Accounts Committee (PAC) counterpart, Adeola Solomon Olamilekan (APC, Lagos) disclosed this at a media briefing yesterday in Abuja while announcing the suspension of the investigation.

They disclosed that both the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the minister got a court order to stop the House from probing the allegations of “financial recklessness” against them.

According to the House spokesman, “we expected that she should be here today. But we have been served with a court order, notifying us that they have gone to court.

“The import of this is that as legislators, we are supposed to fight corruption, but of course this is another demonstration of the frustrations we face from government.

Mohammed declared: “This is a clear case of a matter which is under investigation, or supposedly

will go into investigation, but is being frustrated. We are studying the papers and taking position.

“They choose to wait until the day we said we would start this investigation for them to serve us this matter. So, it tells a lot about what they intend to achieve with this issue.

We don’t need to go into details. But of course, we have come out formally and tell you about the stand of the House,” Mohammed disclosed.

Also speaking on the matter, PAC chairman, Olamilekan said: “So far, so good for all the memos we have written, we got responses. We have received documents from VistaJet in London, and also responses from Executive Jet Hangers about the flight details and all that have also been served to the committee, as we speak. The only correspondence we have not received, which we were expecting to get upon their appearance is that of the NNPC and the honourable Minister of Finance.”

He explained that: “The nature of the court order is simple. They are just restraining us from carrying out our own investigation.

I don’t know what they are afraid of that they have gone to court. We wait and see.”

It will be recalled that the House had on March 21 mandated its committee on Public Accounts to investigate the alleged financial recklessness of Alison-Madueke for allegedly spending N10 billion on Challenger 850 aircraft in two years. The committee was given three weeks for the assignment.

But after series of postponements, the committee finally scheduled the investigation to commence yesterday.

Meanwhile, the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja will today hear the

suit filed by the petroleum minister seeking to stop the National Assembly and especially, the House of Representatives from investigating her.

Alison-Madueke and her ministry had through a motion ex parte on April 11 dragged the National Assembly and the House of Representatives as 1st and 2nd defendants before the court praying it for an order of interim injunction restraining them from summoning or directing her appearance before any committee particularly the Public Accounts Com-

mittee set up by the second defendants.

She also wants the court to stop the defendants from asking her to present papers, notes or documents before any such committee or the giving of any evidence by the relevant public officers.

The applicant also want the court to stop the defendants from issuing warrant compelling her to attend the Public Accounts Committee set up with regard to the investigative public hearing on the lease of aircraft by the NNPC pending the determination of the

suit.

Ruling on the ex parte application, the judge, Justice A.R Mohammed ordered the National Assembly and House of Representatives to appear before him and show cause why the request of the applicant should not be granted by the court.

He, however, ordered the applicant to serve all the court papers on the defendants.

Justice Mohammed made orders pursuant to Order 26 rules 10 and 13 of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2009.

L-R: Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh; Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah; Chairman, Presidential Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapons, Ambassador Emmanuel Imohe and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Martin Uhomoibhi, at a meeting with Diplomatic Corps on Nigeria’s preparedness for 2014 World Economic Summit in Abuja…yesterday

NLC pickets ex-PHCN offices over entitlements CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

capital town.

They accused top management of the electricity firm of defrauding them of several millions of naira which they claimed had been paid into the management account by the defunct PHCN. According to them, the huge sum included accumulated allowances for the 13-month arrears of the claims to be paid them by the present management.

Spokesperson for the protesters and the state chairman of NUEE, Godwin Idahosa, said the management of BEDC had refused to deduct and remit union dues, leave and transport allowances to the over 5000 affected workers in the four states of Edo, Ekiti, Delta and Ondo since November 2013.

The distressed workers, he said, had no choice but to take their destinies in their hands when all efforts by the state governor, Adams Oshiomhle and the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry to broker peace failed.

The workers lamented that several meetings with the management had yielded no positive result.

“We held a meeting with the management in this very building in February. Nothing tangible came out of it. These issues are laid down issues of labour-related matters but they said they do not recognise labour. Their own attitude to workers is that of master-servant.

Workers receive salaries but they don’t know how much they receive. No pay slips and if you talk, they give you disengagement letter.”

Attempts to get the comment of the Public Relation Officer, BEDC, Mr. Curtis Nwadei, on his mobile phone yesterday failed.

And in Ekiti, leaders of the NLC laid siege to offices of the defunct PHCN. The action was in protest against the alleged nonpayment of pensions and other entitlements of disengaged staff of the electricity company.

The two offices of the BEDC along Ajilosun

Road and Ajebandele in Ado-Ekiti were shut down by the protesters.

The protesters included leaders of the NLC and former workers of the defunct PHCN. The protest was led by the state chairman of the NLC, Ayodeji Aluko.

The staff of the BEDC, whose operation spreads across Ekiti, Ondo and Edo states, were prevented from entering their offices, as the protesters, who carried placards of various inscriptions, converged on the gates and danced to the music of a local fuji musician.

Addressing journalists, Aluko accused the BEDC, the new investor, of trampling on the rights of workers and reneging on promises to pay their pensions and allow them to unionise.

The NLC boss threatened that the picketing would last three days, after which the body would review its tactics.

Aluko lambasted BEDC for not allowing the staff to be on its payroll for six

months as agreed last year October before they were laid off. He also condemned the fixed charges being levied consumers by the electricity company.

The NLC chairman said the former PHCN workers were bonafide citizens of Nigeria, who should not be treated like slaves in their fatherland.

Aluko called on the Federal Government to call the management of the BEDC to order and compel it to fulfil all promises made to the former staff.

Administrative activities were also paralysed at the headquarters of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company(IBEDC), Ring Road, Ibadan, when members of the NLC, NUEE, and the Campaign for Democratic and Workers Rights (CDWR) stormed the office.

The protesters, who arrived the Capital Building office as early as 7 a.m., prevented many of the company staff from gaining entrance.

Among their grievances were the unlawful sack of

their members from the defunct PHCN by the new owners, non-payment of severance packages to workers who had worked up to 10 years as casual workers, and the issuance of “crazy” bills without supplying electricity.

Carrying placards with various inscriptions, the protesters, who were guarded by men of the Nigerian Army, mobile policemen and DSS operatives, kept up the protest for over five hours, singing anti-management songs.

Some of the inscriptions read: “Recall sacked workers now”; “Labour says no to casualisation of workers”; “People that worked for 10 years in electricity industry without engagement.

What is our fate”; “No to anti-union stance of the investors”; “No progress can come with Darlington in charge”; “No to crazy bills”.

Speaking during the protest, the chairman of the Oyo State chapter of the NLC, Bashir Olanrewaju, said that the NLC

was joining victimised electricity workers to fight against labour slavery, victimisation, and public extortion by the government and the new power investors.

According to him, the government and “those they sold PHCN to” have not fulfilled many of the agreements reached with the workers before and after the privatisation exercise.

In his speech, the SouthWest Vice President of the NUEE, Comrade Niyi Akinola, lamented that the new investors sacked workers immediately after they took over, an action which he said breached their agreement not to sack any worker within the first six months of taking over.

Should there be no positive response from the government and the investors, the NLC boss said the union would continue with the protest and organise the May Day rally at the same place, “so that the world would see how they are ruining Nigeria.”

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Sanctity of Truth

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Let Appeal Court decide - Mukhtar Tunde Oyesina Abuja

T

he Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mariam Aloma Mukhtar, yesterday said that the remittance of governorship election petitions to the Supreme Court which should ordinarily have terminated at the Court of Appeal is causing distractions.

Justice Mukhtar said this when the National Conference Committee on Judiciary paid her a courtesy visit and also sought her views on areas that need to be amended in the constitution for speedy adjudication of cases.

The 25-member committee was led by Professor Awwalu Yadudu as its chairman; Justice Gabriel Oguntade (former justice of the Supreme Court) was unavoidably absent.

Yadudu, who spoke on behalf of the committee, told the CJN that they resolved last week to seek her views on some provisions they felt ought to be amended in the 1999 Constitution.

But Justice Mukhtar said that the immediate past CJN, Justice Mus-

dapher, had set up stakeholders committee when the National Assembly called for a memorandum for the amendment of the 1999 Constitution.

"Let me seize this opportunity to present to you a copy of that Stakeholders Committee Report which is already before the National Assembly as our own input to the present constitutional debate. That committee brainstormed on some constitutional provisions and came up with some sections we proposed before the National Assembly for amendment.

"Personally, I am particular about Section 233 of the 1999 Constitution that deals with appellate jurisdictions of cases before the courts for adjudication. There are several cases that ought not to come to the Supreme Court and should have terminated at the Court of Appeal.

"I feel all gubernatorial election petitions tribunals matters should terminate at the Court of Appeal because as a result of those political appeals other regular ordinary cases suffer at the Supreme Court."

Rebased Economy: Stop living in illusion - NLC tells FG James Nwabueze Abuja

T

he Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the Federal Government to wake up from its self delusion that Nigeria is Africa's largest economy.

Nigeria allegedly emerged Africa's largest economy, following a public announcement by Yemi Kale, statistician-general of Nigeria, at an event in Abuja on Sunday, April 6 that Nigeria's gross domestic product (GDP) for 2013 totalled N80.3 trillion (£307.6 billion or $509.9 billion).

The last time Nigeria rebased its GDP was in 1990, and that compares with South Africa's GDP of $370.3 billion at the end of 2013.

Speaking ahead of the 2014 Workers Day celebra-

tion, Lucy Offiong, NLC chairperson of the 2014 May Day Committee, reminded the government that the claim does not reflect the reality on ground.

"Coupled with the serious security situation are challenges of deepening poverty, exacerbated by hyperinflation, astronomical increases in cost of basic goods and services and poor infrastructural facilities in the face of low wages and eroding purchasing power of workers and working families.

While government is obsessed with the illusion of a rebased economy, claiming to be the largest economy in Africa, the reality is that given the astounding rate of unemployment, it runs a jobless economy with youth unemployment of 60 percent and about 80 percent of poor Nigerians," she observed.

L-R: Bishop Kayode Williams; Senior Special Assistant to Ekiti State Governor on Religious Matters, Evang. Ade Alofe; Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Prof. Modupe Adelabu; and the Osile of Oke-Ona Egba, Oba Adedapo Tejuosu during the monarch’s led delegation to the Deputy Governor’s Office before a special session in Ekiti…yesterday

47.42

The number of fixed-telephone subscriptions per 100 inhabitants of Australia in 2010.

Source: Itu.int

280,000

The number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) of Sri Lanka in 2009.

Source: Blatantworld.com

16.4%

The percentage of households with internet access at home in developing countries in 2010.

Source: Itu.int

BPP drags 156 contractors to court OFFENDERS

Procurement in fractions pitches contractors against BPP Simeon Ogoegbulem & Abdulwahab Isa Abuja

D

irector General of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Emeka Ezeh, yesterday in Abuja, disclosed that over 156 contractors are being prosecuted for various infractions in the BPP Act. Ezeh said the infractions by the contractors ranged from forgery to tendering of fake documents.

This is even as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Chief Anyim Pius Anyim, threatened to invoke all the sanction provisions of the Public Procurement Act 2007 against any public officer, contractor or consultant who contravenes any provisions of the law.

Both Anyim and Ezeh

spoke at this year's Annual Contracts/Consultants and Service Providers (CCSP) Forum held in Abuja, The BPP director general explained that the essence of the forum was to prevent more contractors from going to jail because the government was spending so much to feed them.

He described the offenders as greedy people, saying that the greed for high-paying contracts in various government organisations was responsible for the frequent fake submissions of documents by contractors.

"A lot of contractors, especially 80 per cent of the local ones, are notorious for submitting fake documents when bidding for contracts. We see all manner of fake documents such as false tax clearance certificates, PenCom certificates of compliance, false claim of personnel, false audited accounts and use of fake addresses and submission of fake bank statements. Currently, there are 156 companies being prosecuted

because of these. There is not enough space in our prisons, to accommodate all these fraudulent … contractors. So, this has to change," he said.

Ezeh expressed surprise that some contractors bid for contracts they are not technically competent, warning that contractors should restrict themselves to their areas of core competence while bidding for jobs.

He disclosed that the Federal Government had started compiling an electronic database of all contractors, consultants and service providers in the country.

"We started the registration of all CCSP in the country as part of BPP’s drive to reform the public procurement system for better monitoring and oversight of public procurement processes in the country. As at April 24, 2014, 1,495 companies have started the registration process. Out of that number, only 158 have completed their registration. By mid-June this year, any company that is

not completely registered on our database cannot do business with any government MDA," he said.

"It might interest you to know that ICPC and EFCC are currently investigating cases of infractions which include, but not limited to, collusion amongst bidders, use of fake documents, false claims by contractors and suppliers and manipulation of the procurement process. I, therefore, urge you to prevail on all your staff involved in the public procurement process to conduct themselves with the highest sense of responsibility, accountability, ethics and integrity" he said.

Anyim, who spoke through the Permanent Secretary, Economic Affairs, Office of the SGF , Abubakar Magaji, said contractors revealed that efforts are being made to develop an in-country debarment procedure that would meet international good practices, including debarring any company that has been debarred

by International Development Agency.

Stop imposing minimum wages in states, Fashola tells FG Muritala Ayinla

T

he Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) yesterday called on Federal Government to stop imposing the national minimum wage on states.

The governor said compelling states to pay a

wage they did not fix was an aberration in a federal arrangement, arguing that the states did not earn the same revenue and that those with less resources might find it difficult to pay such fixed minimum wage.

Speaking when he played host to the par-

ticipants in the 36 course of the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies(NIPSS) at the Government House in Ikeja, Fasola said asking states to pay workers a wage fixed at the centre is synonymous to asking everybody to wear the same shoes even when size var-

ies.

He said:"Asking states to pay workers a wage fixed at the centre is like asking everybody to wear the same shoe even when size varies. States don't generate the same revenue.

"Some states generate a lot while some generate so

little;so the capacity to pay such imposed wage varies.

I think the best is to allow the states to fix and pay wages according to their capacities." he said.

Noting that his administration was committed to the welfare of workers in the state, Fashola advised labour unions

against embarking on frequent strikes as the practice lowered productivity and undermined the national economy.

He urged the unions to always explore the dialogue option to resolve differences with their employers for the sake ofindustrial harmony.

NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

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Chibok: Kinsmen take protest to Fashola SECURITY Group appeals to Federal Government to ensure release of abducted schoolgirls Muritala Ayinla

W

orried by the fate of the 234 schoolgirls that were abducted by members of the Boko Haram insurgents in Chibok, Borno State, indigenes of Kibaki, a community in Chibok yesterday carried out a peaceful protest in Lagos.

The protesters were at the office of the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Baba-

…Group says northern leaders are culpable tunde Fashola.

They appealed to the Federal Government to do everything possible to ensure that the girls were released and returned to their families.

The protesters, who came under the auspices of the Lagos State chapter of Chibok Youth Association, also urged Governor Fashola to pass on their grievances to President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State in order to ensure the safety of the girls.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Mr. Yahaya Chiwar, said the decision to take their grievances to

the Lagos State governor was because of his outstanding track record in the area of securing lives and property of residents of the state, saying they believe that the governor would assist in passing their message to the appropriate authorities.

Chiwar added that what was more alarming was that after the parents of the abducted girls took it upon themselves to conduct a search in the forest; they discovered that the camp where the insurgents were holding the girls and immediately reported to the authorities, but were dismayed when no action was taken.

Responding, Governor Fashola, who described the abduction as a clear act of hostage-taking, which he said was unthinkable and dehumanising, commended the members of the association for their courage and selflessness.

Fashola said: “One can only imagine the kind of horror and grief the parents of these girls must be feeling, I am a parent myself and I understand it. If my children are ill, I know the kind of frustration, fear and anxiety that I go through, not to mention indescribable emotion that the parents of these girls are going through.”

Meanwhile, a sociopolitical group, United Alliance, has accused northern elders of being behind the abduction of the schoolgirls.

He said elders in the northern part of the country should be held accountable for the missing girls.

The group in a statement issued in Abuja and signed by its Northern Coordinator, Mallam Bashir Ado, said those protesting against the abduction should not direct their grievances at President Goodluck Jonathan, who he said has got nothing to do with the disappearance of the girls.

Rather, the group said,

the protesters should direct their grievance at the northern elders and politicians, who they alleged are the mastermind of the girls’ disappearance, to embarrass the Federal Government.

“The disappearance of the girls is part of northern elders’ agenda to embarrass and distract the Goodluck Jonathan government.

“They deliberately took the girls away to create an impression of insecurity and paint the picture that nobody is safe in the country, whereas they are the architect of these selfinflicting wounds aimed at distracting a working government.

Respect other people’s religion – Sultan

T

he Sultan of Sokoto and the President General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has appealed to Nigerians to respect other people’s religions aside from their own.

The Sultan, who spoke at the opening of the biggest mosque in the SouthWest, the New Aiyepe Central Mosque, IjebuAiyepe, Ogun State, also said people’s actions and deeds should be left for God to judge rather than allowing individuals to decide.

“It is important to respect another person’s religion; you do not decide who is right or wrong.

That should be left for Allah,” he said.

Sultan Abubakar said Nigerians have a long history of peaceful co-existence irrespective of tribe and religion.

Also speaking at the event, which was attended by Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, his

Ogun State counterpart, Ibikunle Amosun, the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, prayed to God to bring an end to the insurgency in the country and guide members of the Boko Haram sect to the right path.

“There is no house or family in the South-West that you do not have Muslims and Christians as members of the households and we live in peace; we do not discriminate because we are brothers,” he said.

Oba Adetona, who chaired the event, said religion could not divide the South-West because of inter-marriage between Muslims and Christians, urging other regions to emulate such harmonious relationship.

On his part, Amosun said the presence of nonMuslims at the opening of the mosque attested to the peaceful co-existence among followers of different faiths in the SouthWest.

Church of All Chambers intercedes for Fakeye

T

he World Christian Association, Church of All Chambers, has commenced a seven-day prayers programme for God’s protection and mercy for the General Leader of C & S Church (Ayo Ni O), Prophet Gabriel Fakeye.

The church is praying for Fakeye, who is said to be a righteous and purposeful servant of God, for the value of his anointing and call, divinely designing worship and caution for the work of God. The spiritual revelation noted that no enemy will

overcome him due to the covenant he has with God, as God will not desert him nor allow adversaries to harm him. God revealed this to W.C.C.A group, the intercession was important as to back Fakeye up.

The intercession became necessary as there was a revelation that some people gathered together in an evil covenant to succeed him.

The church further warned all members who are involved to desist from such act as God has a way of dealing with evil.

Lagos State First Lady, Dame Abimbola Emanuella Fashola (left), presenting an award to the representative of Globacom Chairman, Mr. Niyi Adewunmi at the City People's 17th Annual Awards for Excellence 2014, held in Lagos

Emergency rule: Nyako, Gaidam warn Clark against stoking tension Felix Nwaneri

G

overnors Murtala Nyako and Ibrahim Gaidan of Adamawa and Yobe states yesterday berated former Minister of Information and Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark over his call for the suspension of all democratic institutions in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states to allow the military take full control until peace and order is restored in the states.

The governors described the call by the elder statesman as unthoughtful, provocative, diversionary, out of sync with democratic norms and values, and unfortunate, adding that it smacks of fascism, as it is a veiled attempt at sabotaging the nation’s democracy.

Calling on Nigerians to discountenance Clark’s

“unstatesmanlike and unfortunate” comment and to continue to support the broad based effort aimed at addressing the security challenges currently facing the country, Nyako and Gaidam advised the Ijaw leader to make good use of his age and experience by contributing to the peace and unity of the nation rather than stoking tensions and being a voice for division and disunity.

In a statement jointly signed by their media aides, Ahmad Sajoh (Director of Press Affairs to Nyako) and Abdullahi Bego (Special Adviser on Press Affairs to Gaidam), the governors also faulted their Akwa Ibom State counterpart, Godswill Akpabio for making similar comment.

Three of the six states in the North-East geo-political zone – Adamawa, Borno and Yobe are the

hardest hit by the Boko Haram insurgency, and have been under emergency rule since May 14, 2013.

But Clark, who spoke to newsmen in his Asokoro residence, Abuja, last Thursday, charged President Goodluck Jonathan to declare a full scale state of emergency in the three North-East states in accordance with his constitutional powers.

Their statement read in part: “Curiously, both Clark and Akpabio are beneficiaries of constitutionalism and democracy in Nigeria. It is therefore mind boggling that the two would seek to put both constitutionalism and democracy in jeopardy on the altar of their personal interests.

“Mr. Clark made a very serious analytical faux pas when he tried to liken the security situa-

tion in Yobe, Borno and Adamawa states with the situation in Ekiti State when an emergency rule was declared in that state during a previous administration. The situation between now and then could not be more different.

“As a former senator, Mr. Clark would ordinarily be assumed to understand the meaning of the provisions of section 305 of the 1999 Constitution which gives the President the power to declare a state of emergency in all or parts of the country. One would also assume that Mr. Clark would know that a state of emergency is also not exclusively applicable to security situations.”

They added that the Ijaw leader is not wishing the President well and bent on scuttling the country’s democracy.

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NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

EKITI 2014

ALLEGATION PDP and APC trade words as D-Day approaches

Stories by Adesina Wahab Ado-Ekiti

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he Ayo Fayose C a m p a i g n Organisation (AFCO) yesterday accused some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) of trying to infiltrate the rank of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with the intention to manipulate the voters’ register preparatory to rigging the June 21 governorship election

Fayemi wants to bribe INEC, says Fayose lIt is a false alarm –Governor in Ekiti State.

A d d r e s s i n g jour nalists in AdoEkiti, the Director General of the outfit, Chief Ladipo Anisulowo, said some people were already being quizzed over the incident by security agents.

Anisulowo, who was represented by his deputy, Mr. Owoseni Ajayi, tasked security agencies in the state not to allow the matter to be swept under the carpet.

He also raised the alarm over the spate of violence being un-

leashed on Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members by supporters of the APC across the state.

Reacting to the allegation, Head of Media, Kayode Fayemi Campaign Organisation, Mr. Dimeji Daniels, said; “We are tired of all this scare-mongering by the PDP candidate. Let him be a man of honour for once. We challenge him to come out with the so-called incontrovertible evidence that he has.

“Fayose is fond of screaming blue mur-

der, when he is the one guilty of same. We have incontrovertible evidence of how in 2011, he approached INEC and offered one of the officials N10 million.

When the man declined and Senator Babafemi Ojudu walloped him in the election, he turned he made a u-turn," said Daniels he said.

However, Anisulowo recalled the attack on Fayose’s campaign office over which four persons, including some aides of Fayemi, have been charged to court.

Anisulowo also accused Fayemi of trying to block Fayose from campaigning in his hometown, Isan-Ekiti, after security agencies had cleared the PDP to hold its rally there.

“We wanted to campaign in Isan-Ekiti last week and the Onisan called that Fayemi was holding an official meeting in his country home in Isan. That was after security agencies had cleared us to hold our rally.

“Why can’t the governor hold his official meeting in Ado-Ekiti?

They did the same thing to Opeyemi Bamidele, who they prevented from holding his rally in Isan, by telling him that his safety could not be guaranteed.

“Fayemi has campaigned in Irepodun/ Ifelodun Local Government, the council area of Fayose and nobody harassed him. The people of the state should take note of APC’s tactics. Anyway, the people have decided to reject them at the polls and their tactics cannot stop that,” he said.

Expectations high in Ikere-Ekiti over running mate xpectations were high EEkiti yesterday in Ikere over who would be

named the running mate to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the coming governorship election in Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose.

Ikere-Ekiti is one of the towns where candidates for the position are being considered by the party.

Investigation by our correspondent in AdoEkiti, revealed that leaders of the party are eagerly awaiting who will emerge the choice of the party and its candidate.

This was coming as the Chief Yinka Akereleled committee set up by the party to screen candidates for the post has submitted the names of three persons for consideration.

They are Ambassador Dare Bejide from IlaweEkiti, Hon. Femi Bamis-

ile from Omuo-Ekiti and Chief Bisi Aloba from Ikere-Ekiti.

It was learnt that due to the high voting figure of Ikere, the town is being considered to produce the deputy governorship candidate.

The town twice produced the deputy to Fayose when he was the state governor between 2003 and 2006 in the persons of Chief Abiodun Aluko and Chief Bisi Omoyeni.

However, the anxiety by PDP leaders was not unconnected with whether to choose a politician or a technocrat.

It was also gathered that the Labour Party may also pick the deputy to Opeyemi Bamidele from Ikere as well; hence election results from the town could depend on the deputy picked by the PDP and LP.

Labour Party holds mega rally in Ado Ekiti n continuation of its Ivillages campaign across towns, and settlements,

the Labour Party in Ekiti State will today hold a mega rally in Ado Ekiti, the state capital.

Labour Party Chairman in the state, Akin Omole, is the chief host at the rally that will hold on Ajitadidun Grounds in Opopogbooro Adebayo area of Ado Ekiti.

The event, which starts at 900am and promises to be grand, shall have in attendance dignitaries from all over the country, including the National Chairman of the party, Dan Nwanyanwu.

Others expected at

the rally are members of the national working committee of the party, chieftains of the party in the South-West, including Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, Ondo State House of Assembly members, commissioners and special advisers, Afenifere chieftains as well as other stakeholders.

All hands are on deck to make the rally a grand occasion. The Labour Party standard flag bearer in Ekiti State, Hon. Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, will also meet with party stakeholders and present his manifesto to them.

L-R: Labour Party governorship candidate in Ekiti State, Hon. Michael Opeyemi Bamidele; the Oniwa of Iwaji Ekiti, Adewale Ojo and the Olori, during a township rally at Iwaji Ekiti…at the weekend

34.7%

The percentage of male internet users of Turkey in 2012.

Source: Itu.int

25m

The total number of internet users in Indonesia in 2007.

Source: Blatantworld.com

539.5

The number of newspaper journalists per 1m inhabitants of Denmark in 2004.

Source: Blatantworld.com

Bamidele decries monarchs’ involvement in politics

L

abour Party governorship candidate in the June 21 election in Ekiti State, Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele, has called on the state Council of Traditional Rulers to warn its members to refrain from bare-faced political partisanship that could desecrate traditional institutions in the state.

Bamidele also fingered one Segun, a relation of Governor Kayode Fayemi, as the leader of the hoodlums that disrupted his campaign at Itaji-Ekiti on Friday, during his visit to the Onitaji and the leader of the traditional rulers in the state, Oba Adamo Babalola.

In a statement yesterday in Ado-Ekiti by his Media Assistant, Ahmed Salami, Bamidele said the warning given by

the Onisan of Isan-Ekiti, Oba Sunday Ajiboye, that any contestant, other than Fayemi, cannot campaign in Isan-Ekiti, was suffice to erode the respect the people have for the traditional institutions, if such tendency is allowed to fester.

Bamidele said this in his reaction to the banning of his campaign train from entering IsanEkiti on Friday on the order of Oba Ajiboye.

Bamidele, who said he has enormous respect for all the monarchs in the state, regardless of classes, averred that traditional rulers must present a level-playing ground for all the candidates for them to earn the respect of all politicians across party divides.

The House of Representatives member

maintained that "it smacked of partisanship laced with desperation for Oba Ajiboye to have called me and warned me not to campaign in Isan-Ekiti, Fayemi’s hometown."

He said all aspirants, including Fayemi and the Peoples Democratic Party flag bearer, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, had been campaigning in his Iyin-Ekiti town, without any form of molestation or harassment from Oluyin, Oba Ademola Ajakaye.

He said restricting politicians’ movement during campaign did not fall within the purview of any monarch, saying any traditional ruler who portrayed himself in such manner, had put on the garb of partisanship and this he described as very unfortunate.

Bamidele also dis-

pelled the insinuation that one Arije was killed by suspected LP members during a campaign by Labour Party in IlupejuEkiti.

He said rather than directing the allegation at him, that some APC leaders, led by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Ganiyu Owolabi and a Senior Special Assistant on Roads to Fayemi, Hon. Rufus Adunmo, who also hails from Ilupeju-Ekiti, must be held responsible if there is any breakdown of law and order in the area.

“Again, I want to restate that the said Arije, whom the APC claimed had been killed, was arrested that day by the police being part of the hoodlums that unleashed terror on LP members that day,” he said.

NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

VOLTE-FACE

After coming hard on the President, APC spokesman sings a different tune

Yekeen Nurudeen Abuja

T

he All Progressives Congress (APC) has hailed the reported suspension of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rally scheduled to hold today in Adamawa

51%

APC hails Jonathan for suspending PDP rally in Adamawa State in line with the prevailing mood of the nation, especially after the abduction of over 200 schoolgirls in Borno State.

In a statement issued in Lagos yesterday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, APC described the suspension as the right

The percentage of individuals using the internet in Argentina in 2011.

Source: Itu.int

decision to take under the circumstance.

The party said the suspension of the rally has shown that President Goodluck Jonathan is beginning to hearken to the voices of his compatriots on important national issues.

“As we said in a state-

$US506.2bn The nominal GDP of Belgium (IMF) in 2009.

Source: Blatantworld.com

ment we issued on April 24, it smacks of insensitivity, inhumanity and indecency for our President and other leaders to be engaged in any celebratory venture when we do not yet know the fate of the schoolgirls, who were abducted from their school and taken to an unknown

N672.2m

The IGR realized from PAYE (taxes) of Taraba State in 2010.

Source: National Bureau of Statistics

L-R: Principal Secretary to the President, Alhaji Hassan Tukur; Head of Service of the Federation, Alhaji Bukar Goni Aji and Vice-President Namadi Sambo, at a condolence visit to the Vice-President at his residence over the death of his brother, Capt. Sabo Sambo at the State House, Abuja …yesterday PHOTO: TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN

Northern governors lament fresh Nasarawa violence Dan Atori MINNA

T

he Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) has expressed shock and sadness over the reported killing of 59 people in a fresh crisis between Eggon and Gwandara ethnic groups in Nasarawa State, urging the warring groups to immediately stop further attacks.

Chairman of the forum and Governor of Niger State, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, expressed the forum’s deepest condolences to the families of the victims and urged law enforcement agents to find proactive ways of forestalling further crisis.

In a statement signed

by Governor Aliyu’s spokesman, Danladi Ndayebo, the forum called on security agen-

7

cies to ensure that the perpetrators are caught and brought to justice, to prevent a reoccurrence, stressing that a situation where people were killed at will, was unacceptable.

The forum also bemoaned the spate of violence in the region and called on all stakeholders to be part of the process of finding a lasting solution to the problem of insecurity in the north.

The forum said it is working in concert with the Federal Government in the nation’s fight against terrorism, further assuring the citizens of their safety wherever they live.

The governors prayed God to grant the souls of the deceased eternal rest and members of their families the fortitude to bear the loss.

Insecurity: Army warns against peddling falsehood Onwuka Nzeshi ABUJA

he Defence HeadTwar quarters yesterday ned Nigerians

against peddling rumors and falsehood aimed at impugning the integrity of the Nigeria Army and undermining the security forces in the fight against the insurgency in the country.

The military hierarchy also dissociated itself from any speculation of friction between the Minister of Defense, Chief of Defence Staff and the service chiefs in the country.

It said the Armed Forces Act clearly defined their functions and assigned responsibilities with respect to general administration and there was no rivalry in the system.

Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh, gave the warning yesterday when he appeared

before the Committee on National Security at the ongoing national conference.

Badeh, represented by the Assistant Director (Legal Services), Defence Headquarters, Colonel Godwin Anyalemechi, was responding to a memorandum submitted to the conference sub-committee on Defense Infrastructures by one Brigadier-General Mansur Dan-Ali, alleging maladministration and corruption.

Others Dan-Ali said are discriminatory legal reviews, illegal detention, extra-judicial trials and counter-terrorism measures in the armed forces.

Dan-Ali, a delegate from Zamfara State and member of the National Conference Committee on National Security, had in his memoranda claimed that the Nigeria Army was prosecuting the war on terrorism on the wrong path.

destination.

“We also said the President should not repeat the same mistake he made by flying to Kano to dance at a political rally even as the smoke was yet to clear from the scene of the Nyanya bus park bombing. We are delighted that good

sense has prevailed this time,” APC said.

The party said while the President does not have to shut down the government, he must continue to shun all celebratory public outings until all the schoolgirls have been safely reunited with their families.

CPC sanctions Aero Contractors he Consumer Protection Tfound Council (CPC) yesterday Aero Contractors

Airline culpable of gross abuse of the rights of passengers of its November 8, 2013 AbujaLagos flight AJ132 and has ordered the airline to pay N41, 000 each to the affected passengers within 30 days.

The Director-General of the council, Mrs. Dupe Atoki, who disclosed this while briefing editors in Lagos yesterday, said apart from the N41, 000 compensation, Aero Contractors must also refund 25 per cent of the passengers’ ticket value for abandoning them at the airport overnight.

The compensation, according to her, is in lieu of the reliefs that should have been provided during the period of delay, in line with the Passengers’ Bill of Rights (PBR), a regulation enacted by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), which is binding on all airlines operating in Nigeria.

She said; “Each of the passengers of the flight should be paid N5, 000 for snacks and drinks due to them after one hour as well as meals and drinks due after two hours of delay.

“The passengers are also entitled to N1, 000 for two free telephone calls,

SMS or e-mail; N10, 000 for return transportation to and from the airport; N25, 000 for hotel accommodation and 25 per cent of their ticket value for the cancellation of the flight without notice.

“The council also directed the airline to review and submit to it within 90 days, its Disruption/Crises Management Manual in line with the PBR; establish a customer service platform in each airport in Nigeria and its other locations to facilitate on-the-spot resolution of consumer complaints and report to the council within 180 days.”

Atoki added: “They are also to develop and submit to the council within 30 days a prototype statement (which Aero Contractors will be presenting to passengers at check-in) in respect of payment of the relevant refund/compensation when flights are cancelled without notice and in the event of class downgrade.

“Aero Airlines was also directed to present to the council within 30 days written assurances in line with Section 10 of the Consumer Protection Council Act that it would refrain from a continuation of any conduct which is detrimental to the interests of consumers.”

Kalu commiserates with Sambo over death of brother ormer Governor of Abia Fcommiserated State, Dr. Orji Kalu, has with Vice-

President Namadi Sambo over the death of his brother, Captain Yusuf Sabo Sambo.

Kalu, in a condolence message to the family, described the death of the officer as shocking.

Captain Sambo had worked with Kalu in various capacities, including being the captain of his fleet at Slok Airlines.

Kalu said on Captain Sambo’s death: “Nigeria has lost one of its best

pilots.

“The pilot died at a time his intellectual capacity would have been most appreciated in the aviation industry.

“Late Sambo in his life time was a source of inspiration to younger pilots.”

The former governor urged the vice-president to take solace in the fact that the deceased lived a life dedicated to God and humanity.

Kalu also commiserated with the people of Kaduna State and prayed God to grant the deceased eternal rest.

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Sanctity of Truth

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Spends N10bn World Economic Forum: Aregbesola on Road construction Badeh assures on security Adeolu Adeyemo Osogbo

SECURITY

Nigerian officials say the country is save foreveryone Ummal-fadal Babagirei

T

he Nigerian security agencies have assured the diplomatic corps and participants at the forthcoming world economic forum of a safe and secure environment.

The assurance was given yesterday during the briefing of the diplomatic corps at the Minis-

try of Foreign Affairs in Abuja.

The permanent secretary of the ministry, Ambassador Martin Uhomoibhi, said due to the challenges being faced by the country, the ministry had deemed it fit to invite security agencies to address and reassure the diplomatic corps of the security arrangements in place before, during and after the forum.

According to Uhomoibhi ,"The government of Nigeria has put all the necessary arrangement in place. As stated by the president when he re-

ceived letters of credence from China, Malaysia and Thailand, he reaffirmed Nigeria's readiness for the forum saying it is its responsibility to hold a successful economic forum.

"The ministry further reaffirms and reiterates the commitment and readiness of Nigeria to host the forum and host it successfully," he said.

Addressing the diplomatic corps, Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Bade, also assured of safe and secure forum.

"The Nigerian security are making all efforts to

contain insecurity and insurgency and I guarantee safety in Abuja," Bade declared.

The Inspector General of Police, Muhammed Abubakar, said necessary arrangements had been in place for the last six months to ensure safety and.

"We have committed resources and personnel from all sectors of the security agency and for the last three months, where delegates will be accommodated has been under tight security. All that needs to be done is done," Abubakar said.

State Governor, OgOsaidsun beni Rauf Aregbesola, his administration

had spent a total of N10billion on Road construction in the state.

According to the governor,the amount was spent on 21 newly constructed roads in Osogbo township and was commissioned yesterday by the governor.

Speaking at the Oroki Estate, venue of the official commissioning, Aregbesola said "When we started these roads, our traducers scoffed and mocked the project, claiming that we would never have the funds or the presence of mind to see them through. But to the glory of God and their eternal shame, we have delivered on our promise."

"We are not resting on our oars; our greater vision is to tar every road in the state since we cannot conceive of a beautiful environment without good roads.

"We will therefore continue to convert our visionary road map for Osun into concrete and enduring legacy of asphaltic surfaces for the engendering of socio-economic development, progress and prosperity for our people". The governor stated.

The commissioned roads include: Station Road to Ebenezer Hotel Road; Boorepo to Elelede Junction Road; Elelede to Gbemu Road; Gbodofon to Gbemu Junction Road; and Ilobu Road to GRA Road.

Others are: Oja Oba Road to Plantain Area; Balogun Biiro to Oke Baale Road; Alafia Street to Church Street, Awolowo Way; Coca-Cola to Capital Hotel Road; Oke Onitea Road to Anaye Market Junction; Okefia to Ita Olokan Road; the Road from Opposite Capital Hotel to Oroki Road; Oroki Estate to Ilobu Road; Odetoyinbo to Heritage Hotel Road with Spur; and Kola Balogun Road Junction to Fiwasaye Olohunosebi Junction.

Moro harps on loyalty Cephas Iorhemen Makurdi

nterior Minister, Abba Iporters Moro, has charged supof the All Pro-

A cross-section of Kibaku Youth Association Of Nigeria, Lagos Chapter, Protesting, the Abduction Of Borno School Girls In Lagos …yesterday.

PHOTO: GODWIN IREKHE

Omisore'll be caged - Aregbesola Adeolu Adeyemo Osogbo

O

sun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola yesterday said that it was the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Iyiola Omisore and an ex- customs Officer, Are Sogo Agboola who were responsible for the killing of some APC members and their supporters two weeks to the 2011 general election in the state.

Senator Omisore however responded that

Aregbesola was calling for war in the state and called on security agents to call him to order.

Aregbesola who spoke in Osogbo while addressing his affirmed " You should quote me anywhere that they were responsible for the murdering of the innocent people in a church at Isale-Agbara area in Ile-ife."

The governor said that it was the manipulation in the judicial circle that did not allow the case to see the light of the day but assured that "Omi-

sore will soon go to jail."

Aregbesola who said that the contest of the state governorship election in 2014 is among four governors versus impeached deputy governor, Omisore, stated that luck can never be on the side of the PDP candidate.

Aregbesola queried: "How could an ex-convict and a prisoner defeat me in an election when an able retired general in the Army, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola could not match me politically."

In his reaction, Senator Omisore said that Aregbesola was calling for war in the state and called on security agents to call him to order.

Speaking through his Director of Publicity and Strategy, Prince Diran Odeyemi, Omisore said he would not join issues with an insane person, saying he needed psychiatric attention.

"If he is in order , he would not be calling Omisore a murderer but we will address the matter appropriately at the law Court."

FG laments low intake of sure-p applicants Biodun Oyeleye Ilorin

T

he Federal Government yesterday expressed concern that only 10,000 applicants, out of the 100,000 that

applied to participate in the SURE-P, Graduate Internship Scheme (GIS), have so far been placed in industries because most companies are not accepting them.

Operation Officer of

the programme under the Federal Ministry of Finance, in Abuja, Mr Dirisu Ibrahim, who spoke at a three-day seminar in Ilorin, Kwara State for 50 graduates that will be deployed to

industries in the state for internship, called on industries to show more interest in the programme and assist government in reducing graduate unemployment.

gressive Congress party, (APC) in Okpokwu council area of Benue state who defected to the People's Democratic Part (PDP) to remain resolute and loyal to the party in order to reap dividends

of democracy.

Speaking at the ceremony which coincided with a reception organized by Okpoga Central Ward in his honour, Moro who promised never to disappoint the people, reiterated the commitment of the party under President Goodluck Jonathan to providing more gains of democracy to the people at all levels.

Bayelsa , US in partnership Chris Ejim Yenagoa

Bayelsa State GovTedhe ernment has concludplans to collaborate

with the United States of America to explore areas of partnership to further strengthen the socio-economic relationship between Nigeria and that country.

Governor Dickson

spoke when a 29-member delegation of the United States Department’s Bureau of Conflict Stabilization Operations led by its Assistant Secretary, Mr. Rick Barton paid him a visit at Government House, Yenagoa.

He commended the US officials for their efforts at fostering closer ties between the two.

Jonathan’s unity rally coming to Ogun – PDP Kunle Olayeni Abeokuta

he Unity Rally by TJonathan President Goodluck and the nation-

alleadership of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will soon berth in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, some notable chieftains of the party said yesterday.

The PDP chieftains ex-

pressed optimism that the ongoing reconciliation efforts in the state chapter of the party would boost its chances in the 2015 elections.

Briefing reporters shortly after their meeting in Abeokuta, the party chieftains under the aegis of Ogun PDP Mainstream said they remained in the PDP and would not defect to the APC.

NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Group faults SAN selection process FAIR PLAY Lawyers cry over hurdles on the way to the top Steve Uzoechi OWERRI

A

group, Nigerian League of Professionals (NLP) has condemned the current selection process for Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) saying new criteria introduced in the process would encourage corruption, unprofessionalism and victimization.

In a statement signed by the Chairman, Dr. Wilson Madubuko and Secretary, James Obakpolor, the group called on the Chief Justice of Nigeria to beware of a clique of Senior Advocates in the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committees (LPPC) screening applicants for the SAN position.

NLP stated that some of their members bidding for the SAN position allege that the said clique, apparently block chances of enterprising lawyers while promoting the interest and chances

of their cronies.

“The selection process by the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (LPPC) has thus become a game in which referees have preferred candidates and merit is imperilled”, the document alleged.

While condemning the idea of allowing Senior Advocates in the LPPC to process applications for the conferment of SAN, a role hitherto undertaken strictly by the SAN office of the Supreme Court, the group faulted some new criteria for pre-qualification, as ‘unprofessional and objectionable’.

“While acknowledging innovation in the process, some of which tend to elevate the standard of legal practice in Nigeria, some fresh criteria just recently introduced are quite objectionable.

These include the unwritten requirement of applicants owning the building used as their law office”, the group complained.

They argue that Senior Advocates, who go for office inspection hardly pass an applicant, who does not own his own law office complex, and by this, brilliant applicants who otherwise would have met the criteria are edged out.

Aloma Muktar, CJN

They also lamented the new rule in 2014 demanding 10 years NBA branch dues, as having been unfairly given retrospective effect. This, they also claim gives undue advantage to candidates of the said umpires who may enjoy the privilege of fore knowledge.

The statement reads: “We condemn in the strongest terms, this high-handedness, on the ground that being active in Bar politics cannot be synonymous with being a good advocate. A lawyer, who pays his annual Bar Practice Fees (BPF), as and when due and has met other requirements, should not have his ambition shut down at the instance of a

Workers' Day: Don't bring bags to Eagle Square, NLC warns Yekeen Nurudeen Abuja

W

orried by the prevailing insecurity in the country, particularly in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, the leadership of Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has warned its members coming to attend this year's workers' day celebration at Eagle Square, Abuja not to come with bags.

The labour body also warned that vehicles should be parked at least 200 meters away from the venue.

It would be recalled that Abuja recorded first case

of bomb blast in 2010 at the same Eagle Square during the Golden Jubilee celebration of the Nigerian independence.

NLC Vice President, Comrade Lucy Offiong, who gave the warning in Abuja during a pre-May Day press briefing noted that the various attacks being carried out across the country by the Boko Haram sect are unconventional.

He stressed that conventional security forces need community assistance to succeed in combating the attackers.

Comrade Offiong, who

disclosed that the theme for this year's Workers' Day would be : Building Enduring Peace and Unity: Panacea for Sustainable National Development, called on Federal Government and security agencies to work round the clock to locate and rescue all the secondary school girls abducted in Chibok, Borno State.

He said this must be done in record time before any harm is done to the girls, adding that "such harm should be considered as our collective harm and a blister to our collective quest for progress and national greatness."

Uduaghan hails MTN’s social responsibility Dominic Adewole Asaba

elta State Governor, Dr Dyesterday Emmanuel Uduaghan hailed the corpo-

rate – social responsibility of MTN, especially at getting health care services to the rural populace.

While he said the task of getting health care delivery to the interior parts of the county remains “a must achieve in Nigeria”, he explained that there are so many people in the rural areas of the country that cannot reach proper medical healthcare.

The Governor, flanked

by the Executive Secretary, MTN Foundation, Ms Nonny Ugboma explained further that his administration embarked on free rural health scheme and other health programmes to ensure that all Deltans no matter where they are have access to quality healthcare.

Speaking in Asaba at the formal handover of an ultra-modern mobile clinic under the first phase of the MTN Foundation (MTNF) Y’ello Doctor Mobile Medical Intervention Scheme to the state, the Governor stressed that getting qual-

ity medical healthcare to the rural communities, has come on stream.

He said, “one of the challenges people at the rural communities face is quality healthcare and this mobile clinic will give a great boost to our rural healthcare programmes,” adding: “In Delta State, we take rural healthcare and everything that concerns healthcare delivery very seriously, we have a mobile hospital and we want to assure you that the state government will give you all the necessary support for our people to benefit maximally from this initiative.”

clique in the LPPC, especially when non-payment of branch dues and taxes are not part of the Legal Practitioners Rules of Professional Conduct.”

Commenting on the development, Chief Mike Ahamba (SAN) said it would be better for the administration to take over the processing of applicants bidding for the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

Said he: “This complaint of bias in the process of selection of Senior Advocates of Nigeria is becoming very rampant and if unchecked, might create bad blood in the bar itself. I will want the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) office of the Supreme Court to take over and handle the processing of the applications to forestall further distrust in the system.”

To ensure fairness in the selection process, Ahamba, who is also a National Conference delegate suggested that members of the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee should work with assessment reports brought in by neutral persons and not with reports they generated in their own assessments.

9

Governors, Arewa condole with Sambo Dan Atori and Yekeen Nurudeen MINNA /Abuja

he Northern States T(NSGF), Gover nors Forum the All Progres-

sives Congress, APC, and the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, yesterday commiserated with Vice President Namadi Sambo over the death of his brother, Capt Sabo Yusuf Sambo.

NSGF asked Sambo to take heart and be strong, after the death Sunday in a road crash of his younger brother.

Chair man of the NSGF and Gover nor of Niger State, Dr Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, said yesterday that Vice President Sambo should not be discouraged by his brother’s untimely death, but should continue to support P re s i d e n t Goodluck Jonathan in providing good leadership to Nigeria and Nigerians.

The condolence message contained in a press statement signed

by Governor Aliyu’s Chief Press Secretary, Danladi Ndayebo, said

the best tribute Vice President Sambo could pay to the memory of the departed is for him to continue to touch more lives positively.

The forum said although Sabo’s death was untimely, life was not about how long people lived, but how people impacted positively on the environment around them. The forum emphasized that although the late Capt Yusuf lived a relatively short life, he brought change to his immediate family and the aviation industry, where he worked as a pilot for many years.

The APC in a statement issued in Lagos yesterday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, expressed shock and sadness at the death of such a vibrant personality in such a tragic circumstance. ''Death is never easy to accept, and when it is so unexpected it adds to the grief. But the sweet memories and good deeds of the departed will always be a balm to sooth the indescribable pain of death."

10 NEWS Wole Shadare

T

o ensure security of the nation's airports against terrorism, the Federal Government has barred the military and civilian protocol officials from all the restricted areas including the arrival and baggage halls at the five international airports in the country.

Before now, protocol officers who are attached to state governors, top government officials, influential Nigerians among others, are regularly seen in restricted and sterile areas of the airports to fetch their principals.

Most of them even get accredited by the Federal

Sanctity of Truth

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Terrorism: Presidency bars military, civilian protocol officials from airports Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and subsequently issued On Duty Cards (ODCs) to gain easy access to security areas.

It is only in Nigeria unrestricted access to security areas at airports go unpunished.

There are several cases of arrest of people with fake ODCs, a situation that is capable of putting the airports under threat.

The chairman, presidential committee on airport security, Prof. Sylvester Monye, who briefed

18.5m

The total number of internet users in Pakistan in 2008.

Source: Blatantworld.com

newsmen yesterday at the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed, Lagos, said as from May 1, any civilian or military protocol official who flouts the presidential directive would be arrested.

He said personnel drawn from the military and the police would be set up and empowered to enforce the order, which he said would affect aides to governors and other dignitaries as well as military and para-military personnel.

N104.7bn

The IGR realized from PAYE (taxes) of Lagos State in 2010.

Source: National Bureau of Statistics

Monye said the Federal Government was concerned about the security situation at the five international airports, adding that the directive “is aimed at ensuring sanity, security and global best practices at all international airports in Nigeria."

He noted: “Over the years, it was the practice of government protocol officials, aides of dignitaries, protocol officers of private companies, unauthorised and un-

5.4m

The total population of Baghdad, Iraq in 2010.

Source: Blatantworld.com

L-R: US Ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwinstle; Rick Barton; and Governor Chibuike Amaechi, during a courtesy visit by the Ambassadors to Government House, Port Harcourt …yesterday

Yor can't arrest Tinubu, says Igbokwe Temitope Ogunbanke

T

he Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has chided the Lagos chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the latter’s call for the arrest of APC national leader, Bola Tinubu.

The PDP chapter had called for Tinubu’s arrest over his warning that whoever rigs in the forthcoming governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun would get roasted.

In a statement made available to New Telegraph yesterday by its publicity secretary, Joe

PUBLIC NOTICE

X3 CLUB OF NIGERIA

The general public is hereby notified that the above-named club has applied for registration under part “C” of the Company and Allied Matters Act of 1991.

The Trustees are 1. Akhile Lawrence Enahoro 5. Ibhawoh Anthony 2. Arhewoh Ose Jerry 6. Imoisili Emmanuel 3. Ebhodaghe Lawrence 7. Omodiagbe Francis (ACA) 4. Hon. Barr. Anuge Ernest 8. Arabome Felix Objects of the Club are:

1. To foster unity, promote peace and encourage friendship among members.

2. To promote the welfare and general well being of members 3. To create and engender avenue and fora for the betterment of humanity 4. To cooperate with any social - cultural body that promotes similar aims and objectives.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General of the Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 430, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja, within 28 days of this publication.

Signed: Hon. Anuge Ernest Solicitor, (08023078643) Anuge & Anuge, 14, Abiona Close, Surulere, Lagos.

Igbokwe, the APC wondered why the PDP always grows paranoid whenever the issue of punishment for election riggers crops up, stressing that what Lagos PDP is publicizing is the readiness of the party to continue to toe the line of electoral criminality through shamelessly stealing every election and subjecting the country to the scourge of corrupt, unaccountable, unelected leadership.

The statement read in part: “From its childish reaction to Asiwaju’s warning, it is apparent that PDP as professional shameless vote robbers are getting paranoid that any action against election riggers is an action against it. It is apparent that by this impudent way to offer safe ground for election riggers, Lagos PDP and indeed the entire PDP is planning to continue stealing election mandates and employ same to wreck the country

the same way it had been doing for the past fifteen years but we warn them that their days are over.

The party noted that the pallid and prostrate state of the country with wrecked infrastructure, widespread corruption, bloodshed, governmental incompetence are all products of electoral fraud, the type Tinubu is warning against.

“Lagos PDP is trying desperately to criminalize the timely warning of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu so as to protect a more heinous and very criminal act of election rigging, which is the main reason Nigeria has been hobbled today. We warn the party that Nigerians are ever ready to arrest its shameless thirst for stolen and diverted mandates and whoever tries to steal the mandate of the people should be roasted to serve as a deterrent to other electoral cheats,” the chapter added.

uniformed military and security officials to move unhindered in restricted areas of our airports.

"This unwholesome milling around in the immigration and customs areas is a threat to national security. A stop will be put to the practice forthwith.

“The idea is to stop all those not supposed to be within the precincts of

our airport from using such facilities for loitering. It is to stop the impunity of government officials and military officers and personnel not supposed to be at the airports from using their positions to operate in such facilities."

“Henceforth, no protocol officer or aide will be allowed into the arrival/ baggage halls of our international airports. No protocol officer or aide to inbound passengers, including trolley handlers, will be allowed into the baggage halls,” he said.

Etisalat’s global subscribers reach 145m Jonah Iboma

E

tisalat has reported an 11 per cent rise in first quarter net profit as subscribers across the group grew 3 per cent to 145 million.

The firm said that mobile subscribers at its United Arab Emirates, headquarters grew by a fifth to 8.9 million and reported a net income of Dh2 billion ($540million) With subsidiaries in 15 countries in the Middle East, Africa and Asia, the phone company attributed the increase in its subscriber base to gaining customers in UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and Niger.

Africa contributes only 7 per cent of the group’s revenue. Egypt contributes 12 per cent

and Asia’s share is 15 per cent of the overall profits.

Matthew Reed, a principal analyst at Informa Telecoms and Media in Dubai, said: “Etisalat seems to be benefiting from the strengthening UAE economy and the continued growth in demand for data services in the UAE. Revenues in the UAE were up 8 per cent year-on-year. But less happily, revenues from Etisalat’s international consolidated operations were down by 3 per cent year-on-year.”

On Etisalat’s international strategy, the company’s chief executive said that it would continue to expand its geographic footprint to diversify its revenue stream.

Lamorde carpets political godfathers Emmanuel Onani Abuja

C

hairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Lamorde, has identified "outright payment of huge sums of money to political godfathers" and abandonment of contracts by local government administrators, as two of the factors militating against development in councils.

Lamorde made the assertion yesterday in Abuja, at the opening ceremony of the EFCC/ Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) training on anti-corruption, fiscal responsibility and effective leadership for principal officers of all councils in Nigeria.

The EFCC boss, who was represented by the Director of Organisation and Support, Bolaji Salami, lamented the lack of "fiscal transparency" in local government administration, which he said, "remains

one of the hydra-headed factors that account for the inefficiency and retarded growth the local governments continue to experience in Nigeria today."

The anti-graft boss declared, "Evidence available to the commission also shows that economic crimes such as embezzlement, misappropriation of funds, abound in local governments."

Consequently, Lamorde said, the local government system "has virtually become superfluous and redundant."

He however expressed the hope that a renewed collaboration between the commission and ALGON, will save the situation.

change of name

Iyeh

I formally known and address ed as Miss Wofai omini James, now wish to be known and address as Mrs.Wofai Darlington Okechukwu Iyeh. All documents remain valid.General public to please take note.

NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

8, 000 benefit from NDE’s coaching scheme Clement James Calabar

A

t least 8, 000 school certificate holders across the country with deficiencies in their results have benefited from the Graduate Coaching Scheme (GCS) programme of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) in the last three years.

This was made known yesterday by the NDE Director-General, Mr. Abubakar Mohammed, during the flag-off of the 2014 GCS Programme in Calabar.

Mohammed said the programme was established in 2012 with the objective of engaging unemployed youths to teach secondary school leavers, who have deficiencies in

English Language and science-related subjects.

Represented by the Director of Small Scale Enterprise in the directorate, Mr. Jibrin Aye, he said the programme has fully taken off in 20 states of the federation.

According to him, since the commencement of the programme in 2012, it has recorded successes as many school leavers now have the entry qualification to gain admission into higher institutions of learning.

Furthermore, Mohammed said over 300 unemployed youths have, so far, benefitted from the programme as they were being paid monthly stipends of N10, 000 each to teach the students.

11

Don’t give Fulani herdsmen grazing land –Archbishop WARNING

Archbishop laments security risks posed

by Fulani herdsmen armed with AK-47 rifles Leo Sobechi

A

s the nation continues to grapple with security challenges and the menace of some Fulani herdsmen, the new Archbishop of Enugu Anglican Province, His Grace Emmanuel Olisaeloka Chukwuma, has enjoined traditional rulers not to give Fulani

• Calls for probe into governors’ security votes herdsmen access to land in their domains.

Lamenting the security risks posed

by Fulani herdsmen that bear arms, Chukwuma asked: “How did Fulani herdsmen acquire AK-47 rifles that they are using?

“They are also in the South-East and we have warned all the traditional rulers not to give land to these people, because they are security risks to Igbo land.

Even in the North, they don’t give us land

to build churches, so why should we allow them to go into our land?”

The archbishop also called for an urgent probe into the expenditure outlay of state governors, saying that given the spiraling cases of insecurity in the country; the prodigious security votes of state governors may also be fueling insurgency.

The archbishop, whose 25-year anniversary of pastoral ordination was capped with his ele-

vation to the position of archbishop, spoke to journalists in the Bishop’s Court, Enugu yesterday.

He decried the quantum of money allocated to state governors as security votes, insisting that they (the state governors) are not putting same into judicious use.

He said: “I call for an urgent probe into the security votes of state governors. The money do not get to the security operatives, hence they were incapacitated to do their job.

Unijos holds alumni lecture Buhari Bello Jos

T

he University of Jos’ distinguished alumni lecture has been delivered

by Prof. Samuel Zalanga.

He is from Bethel University, Minnesota, United States. The lecture took place at the Faculty of Social Sciences on April 23, 2014.

The Executive Director, Advancement Office of the university said the Distinguished Alumni Lecture series was aimed at bringing the institution’s alumni back to the campus to mentor current students. According to him, the last of such lecture in the faculty was delivered by Air Commodore Zakari.

Chairman of the occa-

sion, the General Manager PRTVC, Jos, Mr. Sunday B. Rogo, said he was delighted to come back to the university to chair the event. He said he saw it as an opportunity to link up with his roots.

The special guest at the event, Alhaji Sani Bala Tanko, said as an alumnus, he was always willing to partner with the university particularly, when the Faculty of Agriculture takes of fully.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof.

Hayward B.Mafuyai,said the distinguished alumni lecture is meant to celebrate Josites who have excelled in life. He said Josites are all over the world and doing well in their various fields and urged the institution’s alumni to always keep the flag of the university flying.

Zone 6 image maker denies confirming report Clement James Calabar

T

he Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of Zone 6 in Calabar, Mr. Tasiu Ibrahim, has denied that he confirmed the investigation of a case involving a Chinese, Mr. Xiao Bo and the Cross River State Government as reported by some national dailies at the weekend.

Ibrahim, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, said

what he said was that; “I, as a person will confirm the matter and get back to you,” a statement he claimed was misinterpreted by the newspapers concerned.

According to him, he neither confirmed nor denied the report, “but I said I was going to find out and give you the true picture later.”

Mr. Ibrahim feels the interpretation did not meet his expectation “as it could be wrongly misunderstood by others.”

L-R: Chairman House Committee on Public Account, Adeola Solomon Olamilekan, Chairman House Committee Media on Publicity, Zakari Mohammed and Member House Committee on Public Account, Babatunde Adejare during the Press briefing by the Public Account Committee (PAC) on the Restriction of Court order Preventing the house from investigating the Chartered Jets of Minister of Petroleum at the National Assembly Abuja yesterday.

PHOTO: ELIJAH OLALUYI

10.98

The number of fixed-telephone subscriptions per 100 inhabitants of Egypt in 2011.

Source: Itu.int

30%

The percentage of individuals using the internet of Bolivia in 2011.

Source: Itu.int

N3.785bn

The internally generated revenue of Niger State in 2011.

Source: National Bureau of Statistics

Appeal Court hears Umeh’s petition today Leo Sobechi

T

he Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, will today commence hearing into the appeal filed by erstwhile National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh, challenging the Federal High Court’s judgement that threw him and the former National Secretary of the party out

of office.

Justice Abubakar Abdul-Kafarati of the Federal High Court, Abuja had, on January 15, 2014, ruled in the suit, Maxi Okwu versus Victor Umeh, that not only had Umeh and the national secretary’s tenure expired as at December 2010, but that Umeh abandoned

his suit challenging his expulsion from the party, while the national secretary had long exceeded the eight-year period stipulated by APGA’s constitution for elected officers.

The judgement also held that attempt

by Umeh to perpetuate himself in office through an affirma-

tive convention was beyond the powers granted by the APGA constitution; that in so far as the Awka High Court and the Court of Appeal okayed the national convention of April 8, 2013, which brought in Maxi Okwu and other members of the NWC, Umeh has ceased to be national chairman of APGA.

metr Abducted girl: Police begin NEW TELEGRAPH

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ABIODUN BELLO

FEATURES Editor

abiodun. bello@newtelegraphonline.com

tuesday, April 29, 2014

0802 393 8212

manhunt for assailant FUGITIVE COP

Police authorities say they will soon apprehend the fleeing mobile policeman who attempts to murder an eight-year-old girl in Lagos Juliana Francis and Taiwo Jimoh

P

olice said they were working round the clock to arrest the fleeing mobile policemen, who kidnapped an eightyear-old girl from her parents’ apartment where she was sleeping and took her into his room.

The Lagos State Police Public relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, disclosed this yesterday in a telephone interview with our correspondent.

The policeman, alleged to be a member of MOPOL 22 Squadron, identified as Gbuchenge Augustine, used an instrument to hit the little girl, Amarachi Abakwan, on the head, attempted to break her neck and then sealed her mouth and tied legs and hands before hiding her under his bed at No. 1, Olufowobi Street, Ikosi Ketu.

“We will get him. His pictures are already in all the papers, whether he is a policeman or not is immaterial,” Braide said.

She added: “Like I said earlier, we have gone to check for him at MOPOL 22 Squadron, but nobody knows him. We have also checked other mobile police squadrons and still nobody knows him. We have sent signals to every police post and division

Augustine

Amarachi

within the command. We are not resting on our oars. If he is in this command, we will get him. If he is not in Lagos Command, we would check other commands.”

Also yesterday, the landlord of the house, Mr Tokunbo Adewale, told our correspondent that he was surprised by the incident.

Although Adewale said he had always been suspicious of the policeman now on the run.

He said: “I was surprised when my little child came to wake me up that Mama Amarachi and the mobile policeman were fighting over the missing girl, because such incident had never happened in my house since I built the house about 27 years ago.

“Before I rushed down the mobile policeman had ran away. That was what surprised me most, because a policeman who is supposed to protect lives and property was the one who committed such a crime.”

Adewale said the policeman came to his house with an agent, saying he wanted to rent the apartment for his pregnant wife.

He said: “The policeman said where he was squatting with a friend in Alapere would not be conducive for him and the wife. I gave the house to him because of the pregnant woman.

“After a while I did not see the pregnant woman in the compound. That was when I became suspicious of the man.

But I can’t challenge him about the woman and his movement.”

Another resident of the house, Mr Ifeanyi Okorie, described Amarachi as an amiable girl.

He said: Amarachi is such a nice girl.

She is the one who washes my car for me.

She once told me she wanted to be a medical doctor so that she could take care of the needy.

“Since that day, even if she did not wash my car I would give her money. The little girl is very intelligent and smart.”

The young girl, who said she saw Augustine while carrying Amarachi into his apartment, according to an elderly woman, has been taken out of the house for safety.

The residents claimed Augustine had three commercial buses. They added that the man, who had a Mazda car, bought Toyota Siena car at Easter about a week before the incident.

But according to them, none of the vehicles was around on the day of the incident and none has been brought home since them.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, confirmed the story.

She said: “I heard of that wicked act and we have started investigation. I have contacted the commander in charge of MOPOL 22, which is where the complainant alleged the suspect to be working.

“The commander said there was no such name or identity in his squadron.”

We’re recruiting, acquiring equipment to detect explosives –DIG Juliana Francis

A

s part of efforts to combat the insurgents, the Nigeria Police Force is now acquiring equipment that will detect explosives.

The Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) Investigation, Mr Peter Gana, disclosed this yesterday during an interactive meeting with security stakeholders at the Police Officers’ Mess, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos State.

He also disclosed that recruitment into the police would commence in a few weeks’ time.

Gana, who is also the DIG in charge

of the Western Zone of Nigeria, said the recruitment was to beef up man power in the force in view of the security challenges in the country.

He said that the shortage of man power in the force was a serious challenge.

The DIG noted that the current security challenges needed more hands and cooperation by all and sundry, adding that the force was acquiring modern equipment which could detect explosives and fire arms anywhere.

Gana said that he was in Lagos to sensitise the people to the need to be security conscious in their areas, urging members of the public to be the eye and

ears of the police in their communities.

The DIG specifically called on transporters to work with the police by providing CCTV at motor parks, while assuring of regular checks on hotels to screen their guests.

He said the meeting would continue with senior officers and other states in the zone.

In their response, the stakeholders, assured the DIG of their cooperation and urged the police authorities to improve on the welfare of the officers by providing protection kits.

The stakeholders also called for the protection of the identity of informants, provision of CCTV at motor parks, intro-

Gana

duction of community police and security education in all categories of schools.

They further called for proper checks of illegal arms into the country.

About 150 people, including AIG Zone 2, Mr Mamman Tsafe, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Umaru Manko, and area commanders were at the meeting.

Sanctity

Tuesday, Ap

Alleg

Juliana Franc

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verything, price Miss pay for he raped by the D (DPO) in char tion, a Superi Adekunle Aw Today, 14 d became public apart from th she is experie According t pretty difficul feed herself. T ing the allega outcome of it She has al ments which of Police, Um This, acco close friend, money to tran lice station fo It appears t trying to out wake of the al on the side of to bed, leavin lick her woun

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Camillus Nnaj

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wo person Ikediuwa raigned ye Magistrates’ C ing 12 carton FrieslandCam Plc. The prosecu Jubril, who is Halogen Secur one Azubike of spired to comm ing contrary t Section 409 of Vol. 44, Laws o He said: “T same date, tim mentioned m steal 12 carton being property thereby comm to and punisha of the Crimina Submitting the defence cou asked the cou bail on most li He said the adding that th its discretion.

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Lagos East’s rat race for APC ticket / PAGE 17 | Primaries: Has PDP reinvented itself? / PAGE 18

POLITICS

NEW TELEGRAPH

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Deputy Editor, politics

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TUESday, April 29, 2014

Ekiti poll far more important than 2015 elections –Fayemi

p-14, 15

Crisis hits Akwa Ibom PDP

POLITICAL NOTES

Tale of two leaders outh Korean Prime MinSSunday ister Chung Hong-won on offered his resig-

Jonathan

Akpabio

Attah

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State is going through a difficult time as stakeholders and elders of the party, in a series of petitions, accused Governor Godswill Akpabio of privatising the state chapter of the party. TONY ANICHEBE reports on the polarisation of the party ahead of the 2015 elections

F

or the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State, the road to 2015 may be a tortuous one as the cord of unity that once binds the party together appears to have been severed by the sharp interests of its stakeholders on who emerges governor in 2015.

Signs that things have fallen apart for the big umbrella in Akwa Ibom State appeared early last month when some party chieftains working on the instruction of some top notches of the party in the state which includes a former governor, former Board of Trustee members of the party, a serving ambassador from the state and other aggrieved bigwigs petitioned the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu calling for the immediate sacking of the state executive committee of the party.

Assault on Akpabio The group under the aegis of Concerned PDP members wrote in a petition obtained by New Telegraph that there was no primaries in Akwa Ibom in 2012 and agreed that Governor Godswill Akpabio illegally con-

stituted and foisted the party executive on the party members.

According to the petitioners, the state and ward congresses that held throughout the country on March 12, 2012 never took place in Akwa Ibom, a situation they said contravened the party’s constitution.

In the petition signed by Obong Mbong Okon Mbong, chairman Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District; Arch. Okon Obot, vice chairman, Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District; Mr. Uko Essien, secretary, Akwa Ibom North East Senatorial District, the party stalwarts alleged that Governor

Akpabio commissioned few loyalists who compiled the names of the present exco members in his younger brother, Emem Akpabio’s residence as there was no ward and state congresses.

According to them, “Section 15 of the PDP constitution provides for the establishment and composition of a ward congress made up of all the registered members where ward delegates to the state party’s congress will be elected amongst other functions.

“What transpired was a complete travesty of the constitutional procedure. Governor Akpabio simply appointed local government coordinators to write names that were submitted to his younger brother, in whose house the entire list of delegates were compiled. No

congress held in any location in the state as provided for by the constitution of the party.”

They further alleged that “even those whose names were compiled by the governor’s younger brother were not given the opportunity of attending the state congress but however contrived on Tuesday March 20, 2012.Governor Akpabio announced the composition of the new state executive of the party made up of his commissioner, Mr. Paul Ekpo as chairman and his younger brother, Mr. Ibanga Akpabio as secretary.”

The petitioners said that the governor personal appointment of various persons into the state exco of the party without holding the ward and state congresses has not only disenfranchised

CROSSFIRE If you mess up in Ekiti and Osun states, you will see our reactions. For every action, there must be reaction... They are planning to rig the elections, but be ready to protect your votes. It is going to be rig and roast -Bola Tinubu

We can understand the frustration of Mr. Tinubu and why he is calling for anachy. It is simply because of a particular judge is no more on the bench to do his bidding and that of his co-travellers, that is why he is calling for anachy -Iyiola Omisore

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nation amid criticisms of government’s handling of a sunk passenger ferry, with 476 people on board – most of them students and teachers. About 186 were confirmed dead.

In a statement, Mr. Chung said the “cries of the families of those missing still keep me up at night....

The right thing for me to do is to take responsibility and resign as a person who is in charge of the cabinet.”

Spin to the other side of the globe: terrorists bomb a motor park in Nyanya, Nigeria, killing scores and injuring over a hundred more. While government is yet to find its bearing on that, the next day, another band of terrorists kidnap more than 200 school girls in Chibok, Borno State.

While citizens are baffled by the audacity of the terrorists, the leader of the nation is seen at a political rally dancing, and telling Nigerians why they need to trust his party to deliver the dividends of democracy.

What makes one leader conscientous enough to recognise he has failed those who trust in him to protect and rescue them in time of travail, and yet makes another seem uncaring and untouched by the callous killings of thousands of his compatriots?

What is the definition of leadership by the Nigerian political class? What will it take for a Nigerian leader to admit failure, and then go a step further to step aside and allow for a more competent person to take over.

Unfortunately, irrespective of glaring failure of leadership in our society, the leaders’ handlers continue to advance what they consider congent reasons, why the leader has to hold on to power, and if possible die in office.

Hong-won

14 POLITICS

Sanctity of Truth

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Ekiti poll far more important than Vice President Namadi Sambo recently declared that the June 21 governorship election in Ekiti will be a war front. Are you not worried by this pronouncement?

Quite frankly, my immediate reaction when I saw the statement from the vice president was disbelief until I eventually read it in about five newspapers and saw that the language was consistent and that the reports are similar in all the papers. The vice president is someone I relate with very well. He and I are on the board of the NDPHC (Niger Delta Power Holding Company), the Nigeria Integrated Power Project (NIPP). He chairs the company and I represent the South-West in the company. And through that we meet fairly regularly. The vice president has every right to push for his party in any election. That is his legitimate right but to have said what the media reported was quite unfortunate because we are not at war in Ekiti. We have enjoyed three and a half years of peace and we are one of the most peaceful states in this country today.

So, for someone who occupies one of the highest offices in the land as our vice president to reduce the importance of his office and promote insecurity; either directly or by subterfuge, is quite unbecoming of the person who occupies the Number two position in our country.

There is a part of me that still wants to treat it with scepticism and I still would like to take it up with the vice president whenever I get the opportunity. I hope he would deny the report. But I do think the underlying implication of the purported statement should worry any decent Nigerian who is interested in credible elections, especially in the light of what recently happened at Ilaje-Ese Odo and the role played by a minister of government which has now been confirmed by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Ondo State. In any decent polity, the minister would have been asked to leave by now. If you do anything that flies flagrantly in the face of the law – then the maximum weight of the law ought to be applied by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The law is very clear on these matters and even the military is empowered to disobey manifestly unlawful orders. What happened in Ilaje-Ese Odo appears to many people as a precursor of the grand plan to steal elections in Ekiti and Osun states. And INEC ought to be sending a very strong signal that the institution would not take kindly to unlawful interference in the electoral process. I can tell you that there is a lot of intelligence available to me about people sewing fake soldiers and policemen uniforms in preparation for Ekiti election and I hope INEC would be reassuring not just Ekiti people but Nigerians because the Ekiti election is even far more important than the 2015 elections because if confidence is lost in INEC’s preparation and eventual implementation of the Ekiti election, that will rub off terribly on the 2015 elections.

I mean INEC is already on the tenterhooks given what happened in Anambra.

To then see Ekiti election going in the wrong direction would totally put paid to any hope on the part of Nigerians that anything good can come out of the 2015 elections and I don’t think President Jonathan needs that. I think he has conveyed an image of himself as a decent politician who is not going to manipulate or resort to extra-legal or illegal ways in election management in Nigeria. So, I think INEC together with Inter Agency Committee on Election Security would need to give Nigerians a lot of reassurance following the vice president’s careless statement. But perhaps out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh. I think it is very unfortunate. I think it is unbecoming of his office. And I think the vice president really ought

Governor Kayode Fayemi strongly believes that the June 21 governorship election will be a referendum on his performance in the past three years in office. He also decries the outburst of Vice President Nnamadi Sambo that the all-important election would be a war front; a statement he describes as unfortunate. In this interview, Fayemi insists that the election will be decided by Ekiti people, not Aso Rock. He also shares his thought on his second term mission. AYODELE OJO reports

Fayemi

to withdraw the statement and reassure Nigerians that the agenda for Ekiti election is not going to be determined in Aso Rock but by Ekiti people because it is a referendum on the performance of the government in Ekiti; it is not a national election. It should not be expanded to a national election. But let me also say – that whatever evil machinations are in place from Abuja, Ekiti people are fully ready.

With the VP Namadi Sambo’s pronouncement coupled with the determination of the PDP in South-West to recapture the zone; are you not nursing any fear for this election?

This is Ekiti and people who are familiar with the history here would know that this is not a very good place to rig election. You can afford to manipulate elections in Anambra because Anambra has a lot of rich people who are even richer than the governor and do not care too much about who governs the state. In Ekiti, you will discover that everybody is interested in what happens here because we have 2.5 million potential governors in this state. Every single indigene believes he has what it takes –that he understands government and that he knows how to govern. So, you can’t say such a person should not have an opinion on who governs.

And every time election was manipulated in Ekiti, the result has not been palatable. Whether you refer to 1964 – 65 wetie crisis which eventually culminated in the 1966 coup detat; Ekiti was even a stronger zone of resistance than Ijebu where Chief Obafemi Awolowo hailed from and of course, when you talk of the 1983 election rigging in Ondo State, we all can remember what happened here. And

to fear. We are ready for the worse but light will overcome darkness.

Ekiti election is even far more important than the 2015 elections because if confidence is lost in INEC’s preparation and eventual implementation of the Ekiti election, that will rub off terribly on the 2015 election of course, my own recent experience has also demonstrated that our people are far too sensitive to allow external interference in their affairs. People will make all sorts of claims - they would do this, they would do that but the truth of the matter is - even the PDP admits that this governor has done well but it is about gaining an in-road to the South-West by hook or crook. Unfortunately for them, the PDP had been in government here for seven and a half years and Ekiti people cannot forget in a hurry what they went through in those years. It was murder, mayhem and crises for the bulk of the period. And don’t forget that for those seven and a half years, there were six governors. So, it was instability galore.

That is what would have to be placed side-by-side what happened in our time in office.

Federal might is always going to be a factor in any election, but I can assure you that the people’s might is bigger than federal might. So, we have nothing

What do you mean by the election being a referendum on your performance and are you sure you have done enough to guarantee a second term?

First, an election is necessarily a referendum of what an incumbent has done or failed to do in the judgement of the electorate. Somebody running for the first time can only make promises and hope that the people will believe his promises. As an incumbent, I am running on the record of the public goods that I’ve delivered in every community and constituency. I have been on the campaign trail for over three weeks now and in every place I get to, the people are the ones who reel out what we have done in their communities. It is a much taller order for me in the sense that I must present tangible, palpable, verifiable evidence of what I have done. That is what I have to sell. And in addition to that, with the record that you know that I have, I now want to do one, two, three and four when I come back. So, it is a referendum on my performance. It may not be a referendum of the performance of my competitors. But even in the case of one of my competitors, the election is a referendum on who he was when he was in office in the state and what he did. Even if he chooses not to talk about that, others would talk about his record in office. The record will be set straight.

To your second question, have I done enough to earn a second term? I ran in 2007 on a platform popularly known as the Roadmap to Ekiti Recovery – My Eight-Point Agenda. At the time, I was very specific about what I was going to do in office – as far back as 2006. When you

Sanctity of Truth

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

2015 elections –Fayemi talk about social security – if you read my inaugural speech, you will find social security benefit to the elderly there.

If you read my inaugural speech, you will see a laptop per child there. There is nothing that we have done in this state that we have not picked up from the Eight-Point Agenda. And everyone who is objective can attest to the fulfilment of what we promised Ekiti State people. And in the various communities that we are going to meet people, they speak to that.

So, I think the answer to your question is yes. My performance has earned me a reason to believe that I would be re-elected. A dimension to this, today a result of one of the polls that we conducted at the various communities came to me – one woman they spoke to basically just said: “We like Fayemi. He has done very well. He has fulfilled all his promises. He has not done anything that we don’t like but the issue is that since he has already done everything he promised, he should allow another person come in.” I found that very interesting. But the thing is that we have not actually done everything. There are areas where I would score myself 70 per cent or even 60 per cent. There are still some things to be done.

Seriously speaking, I think we have done reasonably well. Don’t forget that this state is number 35 on the revenue ladder of the country. People often forget that. And this is a state that gets N3 billion a month against N23 billion in Bayelsa with a smaller population. So, I think it is important to put this in proper perspective. We run a social democratic agenda and it is a progressive government. You will see that in many of the policies that we put in place, we concentrate on how to pull up the weak and the vulnerable in our state. Additionally, we have run a reasonably clean government. So, I think we have done enough to earn a second term. But we are also not unaware that performance itself is not the only factor in an election but it is the most critical success factor for an incumbent.

There are something you said about the disparity in the money you get from the Federation Account. With that being the case, are you comfortable with the federal system being practised in Nigeria?

We don’t operate a federal system in Nigeria, or at best we operate a distorted pseudo-federal system which does not operate coordinate powers among the federating units but a hierarchical, subordinate powers inherited from our military past. If we operate a federal system, then you will not have things like UBEC and TETFUND which give people the impression that states are beholden to the Federal Government, whereas it is the funds jointly owned in the Federation Account that is being shared. If we run a proper federal structure, you will not have us here spending our meagre resources in sustaining the police – whilst we have no authority over its activities in the state unless our views coincide with or reinforce the instructions from Abuja. It’s simply a distortion of federal system.

As for the disparities in earnings between Bayelsa, or Rivers and Ekiti, I do not have any problem with it. I’m an advocate of fiscal federalism. So, I do not necessarily have a problem with Rivers State, for instance, earning what comes from its soil. However, in order for us not to undermine the nation, for any federal system to work well, we often need equilibrating mechanisms so that one side is not overwhelmingly rich and other sides of the federation so despicably poor. We have to find a mechanism to balance this and if you look at the Australian and the Canadian constitutions – even in the American constitution, you have

these mechanisms there. We have them in ours as well but they are exercised in breach rather than in consistency with the law. So, I hope those who are working on this in the National Conference will be able to come up with a federalism that is more cooperative than combative because states are being forced into a combative model. We once heard our President say “if you are not for me then you will be punished. Your purse would be depleted.” That is what is happening.

You have states like Ekiti where we have done several federal roads but are being owed billions of naira. You also have other states that are being owed and have collected all they are being owed. So, you would ask yourself why that happens if there is justice, equity and fairness in our federal system?

One of your programmes that the opposition has not criticised is the digitalisation of your income; could you throw more light into it?

You are talking about the Integrated Payroll Biometric System. I don’t know if the opposition has not criticized it.

When we started it, they called us all manners of names – that the agenda was to get rid of the civil servants but eventually, you are right, they couldn’t criticise it because the civil servants and the teachers became champions of the electronic payment system and it has saved us a lot of money spent on ghost workers. We are now even trying to use the same system for our Citizen Identity Management System and our social security payment, which is still manual payment and there is still a level of inefficiency and waste that we have detected in the social security payment.

But clearly, biometrics is the way to go. If you want to run an efficient government, technology has to play a major role. And that is how we have been able to reduce fraud in the system. We now save an average of N200 million.

Are you likely to pick another running mate?

You know what they say – if it is not broken, why fix it? The deputy governor has done very well. She did exceedingly well managing the state’s Universal Basic Education Board. My party has a position that the deputy must come from Ado-Ekiti and I cannot go against the position of the party on that. My late deputy was also from Ado-Ekiti as you know. So, we just replaced her with another Ado-Ekiti person who happens to be a direct descendant of the monarch here. But that is not what qualifies her for the job. She is more importantly a professor and expert in education administration.

When Governor Olusegun Mimiko was inaugurated for a second term, you were the only APC governor that attended the event.

With this, could that also imply that after

Fayemi

The PDP had been in government here for seven and a half years and Ekiti people cannot forget in a hurry what they went through in those years. It was murder, mayhem and crises for the bulk of the period the election, you may also extend the hand of fellowship to both Bamidele Opeyemi and Ayo Fayose?

If you know my politics, you will know that that is not really exceptional.

I’m very friendly with Peter Obi, but I went to campaign for my party’s candidate - Chris Ngige in Anambra State and I actually called Peter that I was in town to campaign for Ngige. Governor Mimiko is my Egbon in our local parlance here. I would like to think he is still my friend. For me, there is a whole world of difference between ideological affinity and friendship. I have many friends in PDP – one of my closest friends was the PDP gubernatorial aspirant in Edo State before he eventually came back to us and became the Secretary to the State Government and even when he was in PDP and was working with President Olusegun Obasanjo, he didn’t really affect our friendship. For me, my politics is not politics of bitterness. Opeyemi used to be a good friend, I’m sure you know. He chose to distance himself on account of his ambition and he has every right to be ambitious. Every human being should have ambition but that should not turn him into an enemy. He is therefore my opponent but he is not my enemy. Governor Fayose is my acquaintance and I’m sure if you ask him, he would probably tell you the same. I may have my own issues with him, he probably has his own issues with me but he is a former governor of this state and deserves to be respected. For me, I do not think anyone who occupies this seat should do anything to denigrate the office because there is a mystique around the office that we must all protect; whether you are a putative aspirant for the office or you are the occupant, you should not denigrate the position. And you are right, after election is over, governance begins and don’t be surprised if there is any reason for us to come together in the ultimate best interest of Ekiti State and Ekiti people; I’m going to solicit for their assistance and their wise counsel. And

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besides, Ekiti is unique; we are different from any other state. This is the only mono-ethnic place you can point to in Nigeria. Even Bayelsa still has strands but in Ekiti we are one stock. We are the same people and we are probably all related in one form or the other in our various 132 communities. In politics, there are no permanent friends and no permanent opponents.

What would really be the focus of your second term in office?

Three things; agriculture, tourism and the knowledge economy, and let me explain what I mean by that. Clearly, I’m not going to stop my focus on education but it is going to be narrowed into the creation of knowledge economy.

We have a lot of focus on technological education, on vocational education, on ICT and the knowledge park that we are constructing. We have a 3,000 hectare Ekiti Knowledge Zone in the making. It is probably bigger than the Lekki Free Zone; it is going to be the base for education tourism, medical tourism and ICT outsourcing. We feel that is an area that can give us an edge. Agriculture, understandably because of our own ground but it is expanding and developing the food value chain. We would be focusing on cassava, the revival of our cocoa, rice and oil palm. Three, tourism; we feel that Ekiti can still be the best destination of choice – all of us talk about what has happened in Cross Rivers but we still feel we are better placed than Cross Rivers because Cross River is much more difficult to get to, particularly Obudu.

It is much easier to get to Ikogosi than Obudu. And we are building Ikogosi into a tourism hub to serve our grand vision of making poverty history in our state.

So, it is more of consolidation of what we have been doing. But it is going to be driven by how many jobs can be generated from these sectors. It is going to be largely job focused.

A few days back there were reports that the APC governors shunned a security meeting called by the President on ground that they were not properly invited?

(Cuts in) We didn’t say we were not properly invited. My brother, Governor Godswill Akpabio was the one who said we were not invited. I don’t know what he was talking about. We were invited by the President. The usual text message was sent and signals also came as they normally do for such meetings. APC governors were in Abuja actually 14 of us were in Abuja on Tuesday night for our meeting and once we were in Imo State Lodge for the meeting at about 10p.m., we got information that the security council meeting had been stepped down. So, it wasn’t that we were not invited. We were invited and then notified of a postponement. It was a surprise to us that the meeting later held. Indeed, the following morning we were in the hospitals to see victims of the Nyanya bombings; we were in Asokoro, we were also at the National Hospital before we all departed from Abuja since the meeting had been called off. So, I don’t know what Governor Akpabio meant by his statement that we were not invited. In any case, if this was a meeting about security, APC states have been the most affected in the North-East and our interest should necessarily be keener than those by non-APC states.

The state of emergency that was declared in the three APC states is due for a review.

Are you bothered that the Federal Government may be considering an extension of the emergency rule?

Well, the attitude of APC to the current state of emergency is that it has not produced the result that we would have loved to see. I don’t want to pre-judge what might happen. In any case, there is a process for renewal of emergency rule in the Nigerian constitution. I’m sure the President would adhere strictly to the provisions of the law as far as this matter is concerned.

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Sanctity of Truth

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Stakeholders move against Akpabio, party exco CO N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 3

party members and the leadership of the party in the state but this also created tension in the state.

They noted that senior members of the party have been sidelined and disfranchised thus creating the impression that the party is now Akpabio’s personal property.

Some of the excluded senior members of the party include former governor of the state, Obong Victor Attah, Atuekong Don Etiebet, Obong Ufot Ekaete, Senator Effiong Bob, Senator Aloysios Etok, former Deputy Governor Chris Ekpenyong, Ambassador Assam Assam, Umana Okon Umana among other top stakeholders.

They explained: “We decided against raising this issue earlier because we did not want to be seen or blackmailed as trying to stifle the party’s national convention which was to be held to fill certain vacancies to address very vital issues of the party at the centre. Thereafter, of course, was the internal leadership issues which needed to be settled before serious considerations could be given to other sectors of the party structure.”

The petitioners appealed to the national leadership of the PDP to set up a machinery to conduct transparent ward and state congresses in Akwa Ibom State in order to restore peace and reduce the tension that could implode the party in the state, nothing that “we believe that the party does not need to allow this issue to fester into an unmanageable disharmony amongst the membership of the party in the state thereby giving them the fait accompli to look elsewhere.”

Endless petitions While the petition was still generating crisis in the state, another one was filed last week by 60 elders of the party to the National Secretariat of PDP, President Goodluck Jonathan and the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the PDP. The PDP elders who signed the petition include, Otuekong Sunny Jackson, Senator Alloysius Etuk, Ambassador Assam Assam (SAN), Engr. Chris Ekpenyong, former Deputy Governor; Obong Rita Akpan, former Minister and Barrister Peter Linus Umoh, former Speaker, Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly.

Others include Chief Nelson Effiong, former Speaker; former members of the House of Representatives, Bernard Udoh, Ekperikpe Ekpo, Tony Esu, Soni Udom; former Deputy Speaker, Uwem Udoma; and former House Leader, Barrister Uwem Ekanem among others.

The stakeholders declared that the PDP risks losing the state in 2015 if the party fails to resolve the crisis within the Akwa Ibom State chapter.

The petition reads: “The governor personalised the party by withdrawing one of his former Commissioners and friend, Mr. Paul Ekpo from the state executive cabinet and made him the state party chairman.

“Similarly, he hand-picked his junior brother, Barr. Ibanga Akpabio as the state party secretary and also made his Special Assistant on Youth Mobilisation, Mr. Emmanuel Ekpenyong as the state youth leader. The rest of the so-called party officers are either his cronies or relatives.

“Expectedly, the state party exco does only the governor’s bidding and acts only at his whims. Since its inception in 2012, the State Executive Committee or Working Committee of the party has not met as required by the party constitution.

“The hand-picked party chairman features merely as figure head while the party is being run by the Governor’s brothers. Crucial party matters are being handled by either Emem Akpabio or Ibanga Akpabio or Nsetip Akpabio or Prince Akpabio and whenever party meetings are desirable, they are held in the private residences of the said broth-

Umana

Etiebet

Ekpo

Udom

ers of Governor Akpabio.

Government hits back In his reaction to the petition, the state party chairman said that some of those mentioned in the petition as aggrieved members actually participated actively in the congress that produced him as the party chairman.

Ekpo, who said that he will not join issues with the group of petitioners, told New Telegraph that only Governor Akpabio is competent to address some of the issues raised by the petitioners.

However, a top party official who pleaded anonymity told New Telegraph that the petition was an effort in futility because those he said benefited earlier in Akpabio administration and now out of the system are bent on running the governor down.

He said former Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Umana and Ambassador Assam cannot claim to have been short-changed or were not part of electing present exco of the party in the congress they played active role.

According to him, “having discovered that they have lost out in the political equation in the state, they want to foment trouble because of their selfish ambitions. But I can assure you that the petition can only land in trash can as we still have custody of the video clip of the primaries they are complaining about.”

In an interview with New Telegraph, the state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Aniekan Umanah described them as “renegades”. According to him, “the architects of this message thought they will confuse people; they have forgotten that the election was conducted, contested and the result announced in a live television

The mere fact that some of them have been in South-East regional parliament in the 1960s and are over 80 years today do not make them elders of the party. The PDP has a constitution which has guidelines and criteria for the appointment of the party elders and there was an acceptance speech. Some of the people behind the so-called petition spoke at the congress and they are alive. I think their action tantamount to idleness.”

Also reacting to the petition, the Chief Press Secretary and Senior Special Assistant to the Governor, Pastor Anietie Ukpe, told New Telegraph: “I hope you know they are lying because even you covered the primaries; what they are saying is blatant signature lies. It was shown on many cable televisions and several media houses covered and reported the event. It was an open one. So, this will show you the extent people go to spread falsehood.”

Elders, stakeholders move against Akpabio In a related development, another group of PDP stakeholders under the aegis of PDP Elders/Stakeholders Forum including three senators from the state met last week in Uyo, the state capi-

tal, and after exhaustive debate issued a 10-point communiqué made available to New Telegraph.

The event, which had Senators Effiong Bob, Ita Enang and Aloysious Etok, former Speaker Nelson Effiong, Umana among other political bigwigs and over 5,000 participants in attendance, reviewed the PDP in the state. The stakeholders concluded that the PDP in the state has deviated from the highest principle of internal democracy it was once known for, saying this ideal has given way to autocracy, imposition and impunity by a select few.

The party elders said they were concerned about the success of the PDP in the 2015 elections and hence condemned the just-concluded town hall meetings by the state governor.

According to the group, “should the party be allowed to persist on this retrogressive path, certain defeat and wholesale catastrophe awaits the PDP in Akwa Ibom as the nation heads towards general election nine months from now.

“We, the elders and stakeholders, felt compelled, in fact duty-bound to articulate and present specific steps and measure which if urgently taken can serve to avert the danger that looms ahead for the PDP.” The party elders noted that they are supporting the new national chairman of the party on the issues of internal democracy in the PDP. The communique further read: “We advocate and wholly support open primaries at all levels as these will give the members of the party the opportunity to select only the best, most acceptable flag bearers to represent the PDP at the 2015 elections.

“We reject what they called consensus candidate and privatisation of the PDP in Akwa Ibom State.

“We frown at and reject obviously instigated calls from a few misguided elements for a so-called consensus candidate as such would tantamount to direct imposition on the good people of Akwa Ibom State, such a candidate will be roundly rejected at the general election. We urge in the strongest possible terms that the PDP in the state should not be privatised.

“A clear example of such privatisation was the movement of the party’s secretariat from its prime and open location at 149 Ikot Ekpene Road Uyo to a private property at Edet Akpan Avenue without consultation with elders and stakeholders of the party. By this and other similar actions, the generality of members of the party feel excluded from the PDP we all fought for and helped to build.

“We therefore urge the National Executive Council (NEC) and the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party to intervene to retrieve the PDP from the claws of a tiny cabal whose narrow, private interest is at complete variance with that of the party at large.”

The elders also condemned the resurgence of insecurity and threats to life which they alleged resurfaced in the state and appealed to the Inspector General of Police and Director of the State Security Service (SSS) to investigate cases of threat to life, kidnapping and politicallymotivated murders in Akwa Ibom State, adding that threat to security in the state was a threat to security in Nigeria.

The elders/stakeholders called on all aspirants seeking different political offices to carry on their campaign with dignity and respect for others and avoid any action that will cause disunity in the party and state in general.

Party zones governorship to Eket Reacting to the communiqué, the state PDP chairman, Ikpo maintained that the party has zoned the governorship to Eket Senatorial District and equally denied knowledge of the existence of PDP ElCONTINUED ON PAGE 18

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Tuesday, April 29, 2014

F

or many reasons, no one imagines that the lid would be removed too soon. Already, logical and illogical permutations are flying around.

Given the antecedent of the ‘progressives’ in Lagos, the issue of zoning or better still, rotation, mildly counts.

Forthwith, religious dimension to who succeeds Governor Babatunde Fashola was brought to the fore by various interests; the contention whether a Muslim or Christian candidate should be the party’s flag bearer became the subject matter even among clerics.

However, in his dynamic manner, Tinubu, who governed Lagos for eight years, refused to tow the religious sentiment path, but rather chose to streamline aspirants for the plum Lagos House job using the unfamiliar zoning criteria.

Speaking penultimate Wednesday during a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Acme road, Ikeja headquarters of the party, Tinubu announced that Lagos East, the only senatorial district that is yet to produce a governor in the state since 1999, would produce the party’s candidate for the 2015 elections.

According to sources present at the parley, the zoning announcement from Tinubu wasn’t a unilateral decision from the former governor, but the resolution of the party hierarchy across the three senatorial districts of the state after due consultations.

At the advent of the Fourth Republic in 1999, Tinubu governed the state on the dais of Alliance for Democracy (AD) and later Action Congress (AC) from 1999 to 2007, coming out from Lagos West. His successor, Fashola came through Lagos Central in 2007; he has less than a year left on the saddle.

Presently, the Lagos East Senatorial District consist of Ikorodu West, Ikorodu North, Somolu, Kosofe, Agboyi-Ketu, Imota, Igbogbo-Bayeku, Agbowa, Ejinrin, Epe and Ibeju-Lekki as local government areas. However, settlement for indigenous people in the district is mostly in Ikorodu, Epe and Ibeju-Lekki, and the straight fight may be among the trio.

Already, the indigenous inhabitants in the division are spurring for contest among themselves. Ikorodu division which last produced a governor in late Group Capt. Gbolahan Mudasiru during the military era has accused Epe division of trying to usurp its chances in 2015.

Speaking recently during the inauguration of the Liaison Group of Eminent Persons and Residents of Ikorodu Division (EPID), a body constituted by stakeholders’ to shop for a candidate from Ikorodu, Prof. Kunle Ade said Ikorodu is still struggling with others in the division for the governorship position.

He said: “We have information that Epe is poised for action in the struggle to snatch the governorship position in 2015 from Ikorodu despite the fact that in 1992 we conceded governorship position to Epe by outvoting our son, Prince Abiodun Ogunleye, in favour of Sir Michael Otedola. If one good turn deserves another, and if we are to remain politically relevant, we must ask that the governorship race this time be conceded to Ikorodu Division. Epe should therefore refrain from the struggle.”

Prominent politicians from the zone who have been favoured by the new zoning system include: Akin Ambode He is regarded as the dark horse in the race from Lagos East. He was the immediate Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance and Accountant-General of the state. Ambode has a strong affinity with Tinubu. The 51-year-old Epe-born chartered accountant has been widely regarded as the anointed candidate of Tinubu. His sterling professional career and intimidating curriculum vitae are some of the things going for him. Of all the candidates that have so far signified interest in the governorship, there is nobody that can match his credential. At 21,

Lagos East’s rat race for APC ticket When Asiwaju Bola Tinubu sneezes, the political landscape in Lagos can be said to always catch a cold.

His declaration last week that the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate for the 2015 elections will emerge from Lagos East Senatorial District may have brighten the chances of some aspirants, while for some others, it is back to your tents, writes WALE ELEGBEDE

Ambode

Ashafa

Dabiri-Erewa

Solomon

Pitan

Ikuforji

he graduated with honours in Accounting from the University of Lagos. At 24, he was already a qualified chartered accountant a Master’s degree holder in accounting from the same university.

The Fullbright scholar has embarked on aggressive consultation across the state. He is also a Christian and has a deep knowledge of Lagos having been the Auditor General of the Local Governments. As at today, Ambode is the candidate to beat for the position.

most popular politician in Ikorodu. Her relationship with her kinsmen is quite cordial and they are already tipping her to become the first female governor of Lagos State. Political watchers believe that the home support she is enjoying may have been the reason for her affirmative body language for the plum job.

Though many see her as the only sellable option from Ikorodu, some still view her gender as a hard nut to crack for the APC if she eventually emerges. Already, permutations are strong that she may take over the Lagos East senatorial ticket if Ashafa eventually emerges as the party’s candidate.

In the reckoning of APC leaders, Dabiri-Erewa is not a factor in the 2015 governorship. If the governorship has been zoned to another district, she might have been a front runner for the deputy governorship slot.

Gbenga Ashafa He represents Lagos East in the Senate and is the Vice-Chairman, Senate Committee on Lands, Housing and Urban Development. Like Fashola, his wife, Folashade, a retired Assistant Director at the Federal Ministry of Information and Communication, is a Christian while he is a Muslim. He is from Ibeju-Lekki.

Though he has not declared his ambition publicly, he is leaving no event to chance, and his constituency offices are beehives of activities on a daily basis.

Pundits are already tipping him for the APC ticket given his knitted relationship with Tinubu. Also, his usual calmness in the face of crisis and massive goodwill among party members and the public may be his high points.

Abike Dabiri-Erewa The chairman of House Committee on Diaspora Affairs is perhaps the

Ikorodu division which last produced a governor in late Group Capt.

Gbolahan Mudasiru during the military era has accused Epe division of trying to usurp its chances in 2015

Leke Pitan The former Commissioner for Education and later Health under the Tinubu administration seems to have an outside chance of picking the APC ticket. He is from Ikorodu and has the ears of Tinubu.

He is one of the choices that his kinsmen can consider and reports have it that he has started consultations on his ambition.

Adeyemi Ikuforji He is the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is presently pressing a 20-count charge of money laundering against him.

Outside his issue with EFCC, Ikuforiji who hails from Epe is a popular aspirant with grassroots and elite support across the state. The Speaker has indicated interest in the governorship but it is unlikely that Tinubu and Fashola will back his candidacy in 2015. Surely, he will put up a fight.

Ganiyu Solomon Widely known as GOS, the Senate Minority leader is representing Lagos West in the upper legislative chamber.

Solomon, who was said to have traced his mother’s root to Ikorodu, is about to unveil his campaign office on Obafemi Awolowo way, Ikeja. Since last week, his supporters have been telling everyone that cares to listen that their principal’s mother hails from Ebute in Ikorodu. He is one of the most popular politicians in the state after Tinubu. Whether his midas touch would work again is a question of time.

18 POLITICS

Sanctity of Truth

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Primaries: Has PDP reinvented itself?

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seems to be reinventing itself with the successful governorship primaries in Ekiti and Ondo states, writes ONYEKACHI EZE

T

his appears to be a new dawn for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with the successful conduct of the governorship primaries in Ekiti and Osun states. Perhaps, this is the first time since its formation in 1998 that the party which prides itself as the largest party in Africa would be conducting crisis-free party primaries. And coming within a space of two weeks in states considered as hotbeds of Nigerian politics is an indication that the party is about to imbibe democratic virtues.

Since its formation about 16 years ago, the ruling party had avoided primary elections as a means of choosing its leaders like a plague. Even the elections of its national officers were done through consensus arrangement, which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) described as undemocratic.

The reason often given for resorting to a consensus arrangement for choosing its candidates is that party primaries, often times, ended in deadlock, thus resulting in the party going into the main electoral contest divided. Except in the presidential primaries, every other primary election at state level had ended up producing parallel candidates. In most cases, the judiciary had to step in to decide who the authentic candidate of the party is.

But the conduct of the gubernatorial primaries in Ekiti and Osun States are indications that PDP can conduct a crisis-free primary if it determines to do it. Although some feathers were ruffled but they were not such that could lead to protest vote during the main electoral contest or defection of the aggrieved members to other political parties. Happily, the party leadership has quickly deployed machinery in place to heal the wounds and pacify the aggrieved aspirants.

In the case of Ekiti, for instance, after the initial protest by 13 other aspirants and the controversial emergence of a ‘consensus’ candidate, reason later prevailed: some of the aspirants queued up behind the party’s governorship candidate. In fact, one of them even attended the presentation of Certificate of Return to the party’s candidate, Ayo Fayose, at the PDP National Secretariat in Abuja.

The case of Osun was also remarkable, a clear departure from what used to be the case in the past. Two of the aspirants quickly accepted the outcome of the primaries and congratulated the winner while the third withdrew before the primaries, citing fear of attack on his supporters and his person.

Two reasons could be adduced as responsible for this. Number one is the confidence building embarked upon by the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu and his repeated assurance of providing a level playing field for all aspirants of the party. Mu’azu since his assumption of office repeatedly assured that the party’s candidates at every stage of election must emerge through an open, transparent and competitive primary election. He assured that the party has no preferred candidate. “I am here to deepen the dynamics of internal democracy within the party. Every member who has interest to contest the forthcoming elections and indeed the primary elections should go back to their villages and towns and contest… I would ensure that democracy is deepened in the party and the country generally.

Mu’azu

Omisore

I am here to deepen the dynamics of internal democracy within the party. Every member who has interest to contest the forthcoming elections and indeed the primary elections should go back to their villages and towns and contest Fayose

“Go back to the people and appeal to their sense of judgement for them to elect you,” Mu’azu told party members.

Before the sale of nomination forms, there were speculations that former Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade (rtd) was the anointed candidate of President Goodluck Jonathan for Ekiti State governorship. In fact, it was rumoured that his exit from the federal cabinet was to enable him actualise his governorship ambition.

Apart from the Presidency, Bayelsa

State government was also said to be interested in making him governor, and had, last year donated some vehicles for his gubernatorial campaign.

There was every reason to believe this rumour. Olubolade served as Military Administrator in Bayelsa between 1997 and 1998. He was credited to have laid the foundation for the development of the state. This was where he cultivated friendship with President Jonathan.

Making him governor of Ekiti State was therefore seen as a payback time for what he had done both for the President and Bayelsa people when he was MILAD of the state.

After nearly seven years in the federal cabinet, analysts believed his exit was orchestrated by the Presidency to foist him

as governor of Ekiti State. But they were proved wrong. Mu’azu did not only ensure that the candidate of the party emerged through a transparent party primaries but also ensured that the person who will flies the PDP flag is the choice of the people. Again, he had promised that “there would be no imposition of candidates from Abuja. Those claiming that they know the president or know the National Chairman would be disappointed.

“You will certainly not get anywhere, if you believe that because you know the president or the National Chairman and that you will be imposed from Abuja,” he counselled.

The second reason while the primaries did not witness defection of defeated aspirants is the limited political space presently in the polity. Although there are 25 registered political parties in the country, the formation of the mega opposition political party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has narrowed down the availability of viable political parties where aggrieved politicians could seek to actualise their ambitions.

Before now, there were the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). These were the parties that merged into APC. Apart from All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Accord and Labour Party (LP), the other 20 political parties failed to register their presence in either the National Assembly or at any of state Houses of Assembly, not even at local council level, and therefore not attractive to ambitious politicians. And Nigerian politicians being lazy and impatience are not prepared to build or nurture political parties for successful outing at elections.

Apart from this, those who defected to APC from PDP are not finding things easy. The APC is yet to prove to Nigerians that it is a better alternative to PDP. Emerging events in the party since this year are not only disturbing but scaring to politicians who may want to seek refuge under its fold.

After the initial flurry of defections from PDP to APC, the opposition party seemed to have lost its attractions and appeal. The reasons given by some members of the party who left for PDP further exposed APC as a party lacking internal democracy. And there is the fear that the party will soon be ridden by crisis.

As the 2015 general elections approach, one hopes that the new found rhythm of internal democracy in PDP will continue.

Akpabio lambasts petitioners

CO N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 6

ders’ Forum According to Ekpo, “throughout the course of the town hall meetings we took notice of the various sentiments expressed by the good people of Akwa Ibom State. I must confess that Akwa Ibom people made us proud by standing on the side of justice, fairness and equity. We did not expect anything less from a people of faith who subscribe to the righteous laws of the Almighty God. “As a party, whose motto is ‘Power to the people’, we identify with the sentiments and principles embedded in the various conclusions and resolutions of the 10 federal constituencies. They were sentiments and principle, which was consistent with democratic principles, particularly as it related to zoning, and upheld in our party constitution, which we have earlier cited. We are, therefore, obliged to uphold them.”

Ekpo maintained that the zoning principle will be applied and the governorship position be zoned to Eket District come 2015.

“This position is sacrosanct, but would not debar anyone from any other

senatorial district from the exercise of his right to vie for the office. That after Eket Senatorial District, it would be the turn of Uyo Senatorial District to produce the governor,” he added.

The party boss highlighted that the principle of zoning, which is guaranteed in the PDP constitution will be extended to other offices in the state, except where a candidate is selected on the basis of expressed consensus due to outstanding performance.

“The party’s decision is based on the principle of equity, fairness and justice, which are the solid grounds for peace, unity and progress in any democratic dispensation.

“The PDP in the state, therefore, appeals to genuine party elders and all stakeholders to abide by this decision and join hands to ensure victory, in the interest of continuous peace and multiplied progress of Akwa Ibom State.”

Ekpo appealed.

Akpabio fires back But Governor Akpabio described the elders as expired politicians seeking unnecessary relevance.

Akpabio, who spoke at the meeting

of the state working committee of the party held at the Banquet Hall Government House, berated them for ganging up against the government, stressing that the party will soon constitute a genuine party’s elders forum.

According to the governor, “the mere fact that some of them have been in SouthEast regional parliament in the 1960s and are over 80 years today do not make them elders of the party. The PDP has a constitution which has guidelines and criteria for the appointment of the party elders.

And when the time comes for such appointments, the children of the so-called elders may be the one to be considered because they met the requirements.”

He likened their activities to a beer parlour gossips, warning that they should not heat up the peaceful state he tried to build with the cooperation of the people of the state.

“When I held my town hall meeting, I commissioned over 500 projects to show my commitment to the progress of our dear state but when they held theirs recently, they commissioned rumour mill to spread falsehood across the state. We know their antics,” Akpabio said.

EDITORIAL

Sanctity of Truth

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

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19 Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon and the truth – Buddha

TUESday, APRIL 29, 2014

Towards curbing the malaria menace

igeria joined the rest of the world on April 25, to commemorate World Malaria Day (WMD) with the theme “Invest in the future, defeat malaria.” As governments appear to be intensifying efforts aimed at eradicating malaria, available statistics show that the war against the deadly disease is not recording as much success as it should.

Malaria kills an estimated 627, 000 people world-wide, most of them African children under five years of age. Nigeria has the world’s largest malaria burden, containing nearly one-third of the cases in Africa.

Nearly all Nigerians (97 per cent) are at risk of at least one malaria attack per year. The disease causes over 100 million clinical cases and is responsible for nearly 300, 000 deaths in children under five years and 11 per cent of maternal mortality cases annually.

Worse still, a princely N480 billion is expended annually on antimalaria campaigns even when the impact is not altogether appreciable in the fight against the scourge. On the other hand, the financial loss due to malaria annually is estimated to be at least N132 billion in forms of treatment costs, prevention, and loss of man-hours, among others.

Compared to other diseases, malaria is one of the most marketable diseases that shares a large funding pool by international donor agencies. Yet, it remains a major public

health challenge. Thus for it to still remain a major killer disease in the country 14 years after a concerted campaign was launched in 2000 by African leaders, is an indication that perhaps, the various strategies adopted to eradicate the scourge are inadequate. For instance, under the National Malaria Strategic Plan, 2009-2013, supervised by the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP), malaria-related morbidity and mortality was projected to have been reduced by 50 per cent in 2010. This target was not achieved and had since given way to different other strategies and even a name change as it is now known as National Malaria Elimination Programmes.

Several other strategies have been introduced under the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) project. The Federal and State Ministries of Health currently use Integrated Vector Management, including Long-Lasting Insecticide Nets (LLINs), indoor residual spraying, and environment management. So far, about 60 million LLINs have been distributed, representing about 90.2 per cent of national target. Recently, the Federal Government set up a committee to develop a framework for co-implementation of malaria and lymphatic filariasis so that both diseases and their effects are controlled and eliminated, using synergistic tools. Launched in February, this combined nationwide strategy is said to be the first of its kind in Africa and will allow

the Federal and State Ministries of Health to efficiently protect all Nigerians from the two mosquitotransmitted diseases.

Clearly, the problem with malaria is not lack of programmes. It is unclear whether the introduction and execution of these programmes in every sense signify sufficient forward movement or another way of just moving in circles. But given the current poor performance of the NMCP in meeting set targets, it is almost certain that Nigeria will not achieve the global target of zero malaria deaths by 2015, which is also the target date for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

However, we do acknowledge some of the major challenges facing the fight against malaria such as the emergence of strains of the disease that are resistant to common treatment regimes. And it was as a result of this that WHO in 2005, approved the administration of Artemisinin CombinationTherapy (ACT) as the most effective and reliable drug for the treatment of malaria. Nigeria adopted this treatment, replacing the use of monotherapy that consisted chloroquine.

A pact was also signed with the Global Fund to subsidize the ACTs to make them accessible and affordable to Nigerians. But chloroquine is still being widely used because it is cheaper and affordable. The first-line therapy for the disease is widely counterfeited, which negates the fight against the disease and

a huge setback for the RBM campaign. Also, efforts to eradicate the disease are countered by behavioural and structural barriers.

We strongly recommend that governments and corporate bodies take keen interest in research and adequately fund relevant institutions in the country to embark on manufacturing effective anti-malarial drugs. This will, definitely, reduce the present large scale importation of drugs some of which are fake and expensive. The National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) should wake up to its responsibility and curb importation of unwholesome drugs.

It is important to begin to consider other available options in view of the fact that parasite species are becoming resistant to the drugs and insecticides used in treating them. The clamour for the introduction of malaria vaccine may offer the best solution for malaria endemic nations in eradicating the disease. After decades of intense research aimed at finding a vaccine for the complex malaria parasite, the most advanced vaccine candidate, RTS, is now close to being licensed.

Although WHO says the vaccine would not be a replacement for existing preventative, diagnostic and treatment measures, it is a step in the right direction. There is no doubt that this development will be a huge leap in checkmating malaria.

GABRIEL AKINADEWO Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief IKE ABONYI Deputy Managing Director/DEIC FELIX OGUEJIOFOR ABUGU Managing Editor, South SULEIMAN BISALLA Managing Editor, North AYODELE OJO Acting Editor, Daily LAURENCE ANI Editor, Saturday EMEKA MADUNAGU Editor, Sunday LEO CENDROWICZ Bureau Chief, Brussels MARSHALL COMINS Bureau Chief, Washington DC SAM AMSTERDAM Editorial Coordinator, Europe EMMAN SHEHU (PhD) Chairman, Editorial Board GEOFFREY EKENNA News Editor PADE OLAPOJU Production Editor TIMOTHY AKINLEYE Head, Graphics ROBINSON EZEH Head, Admin.

20

Sanctity of Truth

OPINION 2015: Is Igbo president feasible? (1) Ayodeji Ajayi

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he late Biafran warlord and distinguished Igbo leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu – Ojukwu was an unrepentant crusader for the realization of the dream for an Igbo president.

He contested as presidential candidate of APGA but he lost due largely to the fact that his party which then had only two governors – Mr. Peter Obi of Anambra State and Owelle Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, seriously lacked the much-required nationwide coverage and followership to win elections.

However, in spite of his woeful defeat during the presidential poll, he remained undaunted as he did not relent in his advocacy for the South-East to produce the president.

But while pursuing this goal, he also provided leadership for the continuing success and survival of APGA in Anambra and Imo. This is especially judging by the fact that if the Igbo could not get the much-desired presidency, they could still boast of having Anambra and Imo. It is noteworthy that Odumegwu-Ojukwu played a prominent role in the election of Obi as governor. He appealed passionately to the electorate that the debt they owed him was for them to vote massively for Obi. And due to the respect they had for their illustrious leader, the voters gave Obi enough votes that enabled him win the keenly contested election.

When Odumegwu-Ojukwu was still alive, APGA was the party to beat in Anambra and Imo while the demand for the South-East zone to produce the president was intensified.

It is however amazing that since his demise, Igbo leaders are now silent over the all-important issue, especially judg-

ing by the fact that some of them have been compensated with juicy political appointments and other irresistible mouth-watering packages by the president.

In spite of the fact that Obi and President Goodluck Jonathan belong to different political parties, the absurd political romance between them continues to give rightthinking Igbo with discerning minds cause for concern.

This is why many wonder if Obi of APGA could have maintained such dangerously close relationship with the President who is the national leader of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) if Odumegwu-Ojukwu was alive.

When Odumegwu-Ojukwu was alive, Obi was one of the prominent Igbo who demanded it was time for the SouthEast zone to produce the president. But now that their leader is gone, his followers, including Obi, are singing another tune. This is unfortunate!.

There is no doubt that Odumegwu-Ojukwu will be angry in his grave if he learns that those he left behind to continue from where he stopped have abandoned the crusade for Igbo president for their selfish interests. He will certainly feel disturbed and disappointed to learn that his beloved party which he worked very hard to establish has since lost Imo State to All Progressives Congress (APC). If the last gubernatorial poll had been free and fair, the party would probably have also lost Anambra to either PDP or APC. It will shock him if he knows that Owelle Rochas Okorocha who is the Governor of Imo State is now Chairman of APC Governors’ Forum. It will be most devastating for him to learn that his fragile party is currently in disarray with Chief Victor Umeh and Chief Maxi Okwu fighting shamelessly over the national chairmanship thereby bringing the name of the party into disrepute. And if Obi, who was

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

recently made the party’s Grand Patron following completion of his two terms as Governor of Anambra State, is finally appointed Minister by the president as being widely rumoured, the loud agitations for Igbo president are steadily waning.

If Obi becomes minister under the current administration of President Jonathan, he has no moral right to join others in demanding for Igbo president in 2015. It would be recalled that even when he was governor, he mobilized his people to vote for Jonathan in 2011. Incidentally, when Jonathan went to Igboland for his 2011 presidential campaign and the Igbo implored him to assure them of his support for Igbo president in 2015, he cleverly provided them a diplomatic response in order to avoid the delicate question.

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo from the South-West served as president between May 29, 1999-May 29, 2007. The late President Umaru MusaYar’Adua from the North, served as president from May 29, 2007-May 5, 2010 when he died. Following his sudden exit, due to ill-health, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, from the South-South has been serving as president. His first term of four years which commenced on May 29, 2011 ends on May 29, 2015.

If he seeks re-election and wins, his second term will end on May 29, 2019. If the APC fields a candidate from the North in 2015 and he wins, it means the presidency is returning to the North again in order to placate the Northerners who felt aggrieved that another Northerner was not allowed to step into the shoes of Yar’Adua when he died. But in line with what the Constitution stipulates, it was proper for the then Vice-President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, to step in as president.

To be continued

• Ajayi is a journalist and public affairs analyst. 08033068898 (sms only)

Questions Jonathan should ask his National Security Team (1) Abiodun Ladepo

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f President Goodluck Jonathan is not afraid of his national security team, he should summon his Minister of Defense, Chief of Defense Staff and all Service Chiefs, head of the Directorate of Military Intelligence, Inspector-General of the Police and National Security Adviser to his office and demand answers to the following questions: Where were those soldiers stationed on Giwa Barracks, Maiduguri, on March 14, 2014 when the terrorists’ attack began?

How many of the soldiers were on that installation that day? For those who were not on the installation, where were they and what were they doing before and during the attack? Who was the most senior officer on that installation on the day of the attack? What actions did he take to ensure the terrorists were defeated, captured or killed? Why was there only one tank on a military installation located in the heart of an insurgency area? Why did the tank malfunction during the attack as claimed by soldiers? Was it due to improper maintenance or was it lack of proper training for the operators? Why were there so many privately-owned vehicles on the barracks located in an insurgency hotbed? Why were there so many family members – women and children – in a place that is essentially

a battlefront? How did the terrorists make their way, in broad daylight, to the perimeter of the installation undetected?

Were there elevated guard posts covering the installations’ 360 degrees perimeter? If so, how come no one saw the terrorists as they approached the installation?

If there were no elevated guard posts, why not have some on a post that is more or less a camp in the middle of a battlefront?

Were there Observation Posts/Listening Posts (OP/LP)? If not, why not have some in such a volatile area? And if there were, how come they did not see or hear anything? How in the hell could anybody successfully hide 12 Hilux pickup trucks painted in green from security forces? How on earth did the terrorists move nearly 200 fighters in an area under emergency rule?

Why is the country awash in so many sophisticated weapons in the hands of unauthorized people? After the December 2nd, 2013 attack on Composite Group Air Force base, was there a vulnerability assessment? What were the lessons learned from the assessment? What reforms did the national security team put in place to forestall a recurrence? Finally, is it true that senior military officers are embezzling funds appropriated for combat?

I know Nigerian generals reading this piece will feel slighted. It does sound condescending, doesn’t it, for anyone who

graduated from the Nigeria Defense Academy to be reminded about basic security measures required to safeguard troops in combat? These are routine questions that the CDS himself should have asked without being prompted by the president. But since it appears our generals are either too big to be bothered or too afraid to do their job, I am recommending these questions to Jonathan directly. This is because I know he is not a military man and some of the issues therein may not be immediately clear to him. I will repeat here as I have said in previous commentaries on this Boko Haram subject: Jonathan is not a military man and should not be expected to know military tactics. He should also not be blamed for failed military tactics. But he is the Commander-In-Chief to whom the military leaders report. He is the one asking all sorts of questions on issues about which he is not familiar. If he doesn’t get the answers he likes, he should immediately and publicly fire anybody who has been found to be derelict in his duties.

Jonathan does not owe allegiance to these military leaders. His allegiance is to all Nigerians. It should be clear to him that were the Nigerian military a limited liability company, it would have folded up by now due of its string of senior leadership failures. Inviting governors to

a security meeting like Jonathan did recently sends the signal to the enemy that the federal government is at a quandary and is flailing. It will also not yield any fruit as most of the governors know next to nothing about military operations. And even if they did, those of them in the opposition may not readily offer solutions they know would benefit Jonathan politically.

So, Jonathan should stop this governmentby-committees or government-by-consensus practice. This is the time for executive action. He should find someone who can engage Boko Haram in discussions about political solutions to their demands (the carrot). But he should also find that truly professional military officer (no matter his ethnicity) who will embark on a sustained, full-spectrum, intelligence-driven, overwhelming fight designed to break the back of the insurgency.

Jonathan should have led the country in a public expression of outrage, especially after watching some of the videos released by the terrorists who embarrassed our military on December 2nd 2013 and March 14th 2014. These were the days Boko Haram fighters took the Maiduguri-based Composite Group Air Force base and Giwa Barracks respectively.

To be continued • Abiodun Ladepo (Oluyole2@yahoo.com), Los Angeles, California, USA.

OPINION 21

Sanctity of Truth

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Murtala Nyako’s seditious hate songs John Udumebraye

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ooking back into our national history, the last time a top government official engaged in an act of sedition and rebellion against the Nigerian State was in 1967. That was when Lieutenant-Colonel Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, then Military Governor of Eastern Nigeria, proclaimed the region as an independent “Republic of Biafra.” The rest, as they say, is now history. Suffice it to say that the regrettable consequences of that rebellion are still with us, although many would prefer that the lingering pains of that experience should be permanently sealed up in the inner recesses of our collective memory.

It is sad that the governor of Adamawa State, Vice Admiral Murtala Nyako, is bent on dragging us into another bitter experience. That is the obvious conclusion that flows from the governor’s hate letter of April 6, 2014, addressed to the Northern governors. What could have been the intention behind the letter?

Not many Nigerians who have followed the governor’s activities since he ventured into the political scene, would be surprised at the venom and bitterness contained in the letter in which he expressed his disdain, hatred and contempt for the person of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, and disloyalty for his administration.

Personally, I have had, prior to the

letter, reasons to doubt the governor’s emotional stability. His physical appearance hardly recommends him as a model for Nigerian youths and his moods, utterances and idiosyncrasies have always reminded me of Professor Wole Soyinka’s prescription that Nigerian politicians should undergo certain personality tests, before election or appointment into office.

In spite of my reservations about Nyako’s personality mien, I still find it difficult believing the contents of his letter, which I had to read over and again.

His choice of language and level of indecorum are, to say the least, embarrassing to the core. More shocking is the volume of venom he is able to spill out in just one letter. Is this the same man who was once the nation’s Chief of Naval Staff and who retired as Deputy Chief of Defence Staff, the second topmost position in the land? How sad, that a man, who had served this country at such a high level, would suddenly decline to the pitiable situation in which he (Nyako) now finds himself.

Although the governor has never pretended to be a friend of President Jonathan or his administration, nobody expected that he would go as far as trying to cloak him with the devil’s hood. Most of the governor’s accusations against Jonathan are anchored on the on-going military campaign to check the atrocities of Boko Haram insurgents in the North Eastern States of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.

In the crudest language, Nyako accused Jonathan of using the military to wage a war of “genocide” against the North; he claimed that Northerners were being “massacred” by federal forces and that it was Jonathan’s plot to eliminate Northern elite. He was even specific in saying that there had been attempts to eliminate such Northern leaders as Senate President David Mark, two Northern governors, the Shehu of Borno and Emir of Kano. Nyako said that Boko Haram activities – bombings, killings and kidnapping of school children - were parts of a grand design by the Jonathan administration to destroy the North. The most dangerous assertion in the governor’s letter was the connection he made between the campaign against Boko Haram and the Nigerian Civil War of 1967-70, claiming that Jonathan, being from the defunct Eastern Nigeria, was merely continuing the agenda of the Igbo against the Hausa-Fulani, thereby calling him the “Adolf Hitler” of Nigeria. Totally unbelievable!

One is almost tempted to describe the mentality displayed by Nyako in his letter, as infantile, but that would be unfair to infants. What we must not do is to ignore the potential dangers of the letter for what they are. Not many Nigerians would be impressed by the response of the Presidency which merely described the governor’s utterances as “irresponsible”. No. Nyako’s hate songs are inciting and capable of creating uprising among the populace. They are, in fact, an open

invitation to Northerners to attack other Nigerians living among them and a call on people to embark on an insurrection against the state. To that extent, Nyako’s letter is seditious, treasonable and criminal, such that it must be treated, accordingly.

Another reason why Nyako’s letter must not be taken lightly is that the governor is one of those Nigerians acting the script of some international mischief makers who have predicted that Nigeria would break up in 2015. We pray God will not allow that to happen.

It is curious that the letter in question was written by a trained professional soldier who rose to the peak of his career. Military men at such a high level are usually known to speak in measured terms, with respect and decorum. How Nyako derailed is a matter better left for psychiatrists to resolve.

A final reason why Nyako must face the full wrath of the law is that in spite of Government’s commitment and the efforts of the military, it appears obvious that Boko Haram has members/ supporters, not only in the Military but also among top Government officials.

Jonathan said it long time ago that the insurgents had infiltrated all the arms of government. To any discerning mind, therefore, Nyako’s letter amounts to a confession, inadvertently and openly, made before Nigerians. The onus is on him to prove otherwise.

• Mr. Udumebraye sent this piece from Port Harcourt.

Oronsaye Report and quest for true federalism Polycarp Onwubiko

T

he Editorial of This Day newspaper Friday April 25, 2014 tried to highlight the shortcomings of the federal government white paper on the otherwise commendable Oronsaye’s recommendation to restructure government agencies to align with the clarion call for decentralization of government institutions geared towards achieving realistic principle of federal system of government-aka True Federalism. The white paper on the Oronsaye recommendations issued by the federal government is another clear case of debasing a realistic recommendation by an expert on federal system of government. The committee which produced the supposed white paper was apparently the hard core protagonists of the dysfunctional and flawed pseudo federal system which has hobbled the growth and development of the country in real terms. The white paper is a trash and a draw back on the masses clarion call for a pragmatic federal system of government to enable the federating units – states or regions to develop at their respective resources, initiative, yearnings and aspirations. In line with True Federalism.

It is intriguing to observe that the PDP led federal government has no qualms against the skewed and pseudo federal system of government being imposed on Nigeria by the military regime of General Yakubu Gowon buttressed by the northern led ultra conservative forces. In spite of the age long agitation and bitter complaints against the repulsive consequences of quasi federal practice like inequitable structures gross violation of the sacred and sacrosanct principles of the concept of federalism which has occasioned snail speed socio-economic and political growth and development and over centralization of MDAs, the federal government has deftly continued to enunciate policies and programmes as

if all Nigerians are satisfied with the grossly dysfunctional state of affairs. The federal cum unitary contraption mischievously clamped by the military regimes respectively headed by the northern Moslems has been brazenly sustained by the unrepentant and sycophantic apologists in the remotely controlled civilian governments of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

The robust kicks against gross violations of the principles of federalism as obtained and religiously applied in all the countries that embrace federal system of government as a clear cut option ostensibly due to peculiar environmental factors and multi-ethnic cum cultural diversities and realities, the immediate past and present federal government had played lip service to assuage the deep yearnings and aspirations of the southerners and progressive minded ethnic groups. The Olusegun Obasanjo administration in response to the recurrent agitation for restructuring the country constituted National Political Reform Conference (NPRC). Sadly due to covert self serving agenda, it was discovered to be a ruse to emulate his debased counterparts in some African countries who were afflicted with sit-tight megalomania and syndrome. In other words, the NPRC was schemed to enable him perpetuate himself in power via the amoral and earshattering “Third Term Project”.

The Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’ Adua three years presidency never regarded the deep yearnings and the principled agitation for the restructuring of governance in the country to berth true federalism as worthwhile and necessity. In other words, it was anathema to mention true federalism and (sovereign) national conference of ethnic nationalities championed by the Yoruba political elite’ sequel to the murder of Chief MKO Abiola the acclaimed winner of presidential election. The strident clamour was ostensibly to tackle the recurring fundamental problems of socio-political and

economic instability to assuage the persistence marginalization in state and local government creations, appointment into sensitive public position and sundry ill feelings born out of gross injustice and lopsided structures in governance and public service which had originated from the ill advised 1914 Amalgamation of northern and southern protectorates.

The hope of the people for reinventing the agitation for the equitable restructuring of the polity to release the suppressed innatepotentialitiesof theprogressivemindedethnicgroupsin thesouthernpartof thecountryforacceleratedsocio-economic growth and development in real terms was met by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. After initial hesitation due to excessive veneration of the political and traditional leadership establishmentinthenorthernpartof thecountry;thesupposed owners of Nigeria, he mustered the courage due to curious political developments in the country to establish the National Conference/Dialogue to resolve issues that agitate the minds of patriotic Nigerians. The master stroke was like a bolt from thebluefromtheskyandnegativereactionsnaturallycascaded from the northern socio-cultural and political establishments who cynically denounce the national conference in strong terms contending that what the country needed was the so called “good governance” which none of the military and political leaders from the north was able to put in place. The stark reality is that good governance can never be divorced from observing all the principles of Federalism. A situation where the disproportional federating units are prevented by selfishly enacted laws from exploring and exploiting the resource endowments and carry begging bowls to Abuja on monthly basis for capital and recurrent expenditures and welfare of their people, in addition to deficit security infrastructure due to centralization of the security agencies can never make for good governance.

•Mr. Onwubiko is a public affair analyst and author, Awka Anambra State.

22 NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

ARTS TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2014

THEATRE

NEW TELEGRAPH

www.newtelegraphonline.com/arts

TONY OKUYEME 08056367522 tony.okuyeme@newtelegraphonline.com okuyemeogom@yahoo.com

"I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being. ― Oscar Wilde

"

World Dance Day: GOND celebrates, honours Bakare, Oshinaike

MultiChoice launches BoxOffice in Nigeria

I

Nigerian dancers in performance

Tony Okuyeme

T

oday is International Dance Day (also known as World Dance Day), a day set aside to celebrate and attract the attention of the wider public to the art of dance. A yearly event approved by UNESCO, its goal is also to persuade governments all over the world to provide a proper place for dance in all systems of education.

The Dance Guild of Nigeria will join their colleagues worldwide to celebrate the Day. This year, the guild will be celebrating two dance icons in Nigeria as their 50th birthdays falls in April and will be honouring them with World Dance Day Personality of the year and conferment of Fellow Dance Guild of Nigeria (FDGN) on them.

Prof. Rasaki Ojo Bakare is a foremost dancer, choreographer, dance lecturer and Dean of Faculty of Art, University of Ado Ekiti, and Mr Muyiwa Osinaike popularly called Baba nee by friends and colleagues, is the founder of Black Marble Dance Ensemble, a jury at the Maltina Dance Hall.

A statement signed by the Director of Publicity, Dance Guild of Nigeria, Adejumo Emmanuel indicates that the Guild will also be honouring other dance personalities such as Mr. Yemi Remi, Mr Shaibu Husseini, Fredick Orodi, Dr Edward Gondo, Hon. Kate Omni Eche, and Chief Victor Ukanwata with Fellow Dance Guild of Nigeria; and Abel Utuedor, Yeside Lawal Dosumu, Victor Thompson, Tekura Adaa and Isioma Williams with Nigerian Dance Ambassadors (NDA) awards.

The event which will have dance practitioners and notable thespians all over Nigeria in attendance will hold at the Arts Theatre, University of Lagos,

International Dance Day is celebrated on April 29 every year. The main purpose of Dance Day events is to attract the attention of the wider public to the art of dance Akoka. It will start at 4pm. Notable dance companies that will grace the occasion with performance are Society for the Performing Art in Nigeria (SPAN), Corporate World, Crown Troupe of Africa, Ivory Ambassadors, Fuego Latino, Pacessetters, Theatrecentrik, Squad One and many others.

The honorable Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Osun State, Hon. Sunday Akere, is Special guest of Honour.

Introduced in 1982 by the International Dance Council CID (Conseil International de la Danse), a UNESCO partner NGO, the International Dance Day is celebrated on April 29 every year. The main purpose of Dance Day events is to attract the attention of the wider public to the art of dance. Emphasis should be given to addressing a new public, people who do not follow dance events during the course of the year.

Around the world, there are events on World Dance Day, such as open-doorcourses, exhibitions, articles concerning all kinds of dance, dance evenings, street shows, and special performances, etc.

Above this, every year a message from a well-known dance personality is circulated throughout the world.

23

Every year, the president of the CID sends the official message for Dance Day which circulates in every country of the world. The International Dance Council (CID), the umbrella organization for all forms of dance within UNESCO is competent for representing and supporting the art of dance - it promotes Dance Day through its global network of Sections and members. Its president delivers the official message every year.

The CID considers that while dance has been an integral part of human culture throughout its history, it is less prioritized by official establishments in the world. In particular, Prof. Alkis Raftis, President of the International Dance Council, in his 2003 Dance Day Message said: "In more than half of the 200 countries in the world, dance does not appear in legal texts (for better or for worse!).

There are no funds allocated in the state budget to support this art form. There is no such thing as dance education, private or public."

n what is yet another move to provide DStv subscribers with the ultimate in home television entertainment, MultiChoice has officially launched BoxOffice in Nigeria.

BoxOffice is a service that allows subscribers to conveniently rent and watch the latest blockbuster movies in the comfort of their homes, right on their DStv Explora decoders. With BoxOffice, DStv subscribers can now rent and keep movies for up to 48 hours, for N400 per movie, and your first movie is courtesy of DStv Nigeria. Thereafter customers using the service may choose to use any of the flexible payment options to rent and make anytime movie time with BoxOffice.

Box Office will give subscribers access to a wide variety of movies from comedy, drama and family movies, to horror, fantasy and a whole lot more, including a selection of great Nollywood titles such as “Plantain Girl” and “In Her Shoes” to start with.

Announcing this during the launch, the Managing Director of MultiChoice Nigeria, Mr. John Ugbe said that with BoxOffice, DStv Premium subscribers can enjoy the best and latest of Hollywood and Nollywood on their Explora decoders.

“DStv services like BoxOffice form part of a bigger MultiChoice strategy to use cutting-edge technological innovation to help people enjoy some of the best entertainment available at a time that’s convenient to them. And with the all-new Explora decoder, we’re taking on demand video to a whole new level, by offering subscribers an experience that mimics the Internet, but on a decoder, and without the high data bills,” he said, adding that, “With this innovative service, our subscribers can watch the latest blockbusters before they become available on TV, legitimately. “BoxOffice delivers quality, simplicity, choice and convenience at the touch of the GREEN Button.”

With up to 20 movies at any one time, the DStv Explora is packaged with a brand new, stylish HD user interface, which makes finding favourite movies on BoxOffice so much easier. Content is displayed using HD poster-art – just like an Internet video service. In addition, the Explora has powerful search features that help subscribers find movies quicker and easier as it searches across the Electronic Programme Guide. Explora’s remote control further enhances the experience with dedicated shortcut buttons to BoxOffice and other viewing options. You can also watch a trailer of the movie before renting.

Ugbe (second left), and others at the media launch of BoxOffice in Lagos.

24 ARTS

Sanctity of Truth

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Idubor's Rebirth: Synergy between poetry, visual arts

Idubor

Agozino Agozino

T

hose who are familiar with two dimensional art forms, also known as sculpted relief, would agree that it is a no go area for most practicing visual arvtists because of its highly technical nature. When producing a relief piece on a wall or on board, the artist would have to grapple with issues of perspectives, depth measurements and so on. But Roland idubor, one of the rising stars in the visual arts industry in Nigeria has decided to push the limits with different creations in this format. Many of his art pieces would be on display at a week-long exhibition tagged,

Rain

Some outsiders laughed away When I said in my village our Rain Makers can draw the rain.

What a shame they say ‘Cos all we see is draught and hunger everywhere Nature has its ways, there are things that make the rains go away The rain is kind, it doesn’t fall on the rich and strong alone It gives enough for all to use and save Rain, Rain Come again! Hear the Rain Makers drawing rain Upon my head, upon my Huts, upon my grains alone he prays And my neighbors should not enjoy the same.

Since we possess the power to draw the rain, we alone must also reign, they say!

But the rain is kind, it doesn’t fall on the rich and strong alone It gives enough for all to use and save It yearns to rain, but the voices that are calling are not set to share, So the rain must wet the generous somewhere else.

Some outsiders laughed away When I said in my village our Rain Makers can draw the rain What a shame they say, Because all we see is draught and hunger everywhere.

Rebirth which opens at Nike Art Center in Lekki phase 1, from Saturday May 3 to May 10, 2014. The show earlier slated for 28th April was shifted to the new date to accommodate some new arrangements.

Roland, son of the renowned legendary Bini sculptor, Felix idubor, is bringing to bear on his art a complimentary gift of poetry and a rich spiritual experience that is guaranteed to satisfy any curious soul. On display are works like Finding your path, Dreams and attitudes, Vessels of honor, among others. Roland who held his first group exhibition in Lagos in 2000 has moved on to greater things, even holding his first international exhibition at the Shangri-lla Hotel in Accra Ghana in 2004. His works adorn homes and offices in almost every continent. But what he considers as one of his most fulfilling moments was when he was commissioned by the marketing department of Coca Cola Nigeria PLC to produce a dummy replica of the World Cup Trophy during the Trophy tour of Nigeria a few years ago, as there were doubts as to whether perfection could be achieved in Nigeria. This added another feather to his cap when it was approved for use by FIFA international officials.

Poetry has always been one of Roland’s favorite past times and this love has grown as time went by. He has recently just completed a compilation of forty original poems which is due for release

by July 2014. Every art piece he produces is under girded by the influence of poetry. Just as with his art, he addresses social, political and spiritual issues with his poems.

Here is one of Roland Idubor’s poems: titled Rain. With it he speaks against the evil of selfishness in the society and its effect.

One of the untiled works for the exhibition by Idubor

One of the relief sculptures

Frostbite for Ndani Tv short films series N

dani Shorts is a series of short films Ndani TV will be putting out quarterly.

The debut entry titled Frost Bite starring Folu Ogunkeye will be out today April 29, 2014.

According to the organisers, The idea behind Ndani Shorts is to inspire, motivate and show the reality of life in contemporary Africa and this will all be seen in the series of short films that will be

put out. Frost Bite tells a simple story of how the thrills of romance get interrupted by the realities of life.

Ndani is Swahili for ‘inside’ and represents one singular proposition: to take you inside Africa. From Kenya’s own Silicon Valley, the beautiful South African coats, to Nigeria’s vast entertainment landscape, let Ndani take you on a journey into the depths of Africa,

unveiling the beauty inside. Discover the best of Africa from music to business, film and events as well as showcasing features on the continent’s most beautiful destinations and the most exciting sport interviews and analytics, Ndani TV will be the purveyor of Pan African taste and the #1 online destination for premium African business, entertainment and travel content.

BUSINESS TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2014

WHAT'S NEWS FG’s to cut oil contracts to foreigners by 65 % in 2017 The Federal Government has slashed oil-lifting contracts to foreign companies by 60 per cent with plans to do more in the 2017 contracts. The cut is planned to hit 65 per cent by 2017, New Telegraph gathered.

}p-26

2015 elections’ controversy trails $40bn oil contracts Controversy has continued to trail the award of a new $40 billion oil exports by the Federal Government.

}p-27

Pipeline vandalism: $25bn gas investments endangered The target of $25 billion gas investments in Nigeria may be put on hold following the increase in pipeline vandalism in the country, New Telegraph gathered at the weekend.

}p-27

Rise in airports digital, social marketing While most travellers might associate airports with delayed flights and overpriced sandwiches rather than innovative marketing campaigns, certain airports around the world have realised the mutual value created when they engage with travellers online and in real time.

}p-39

BUSINESS CREW AYODELE AMINU, Deputy Editor (Business)

Stories by Adeola Yusuf

N

igeria has lost N81.6 billion ($510 million) as a result of the shutdown of 150,000 barrels per day capacity Forcados line by Shell which entered the 34th day.

Shell, Nigeria’s largest oil producer, had on March 26, told its customers that it would not be able to meet its contractual obligations on lifting of the Forcados blend, where it shut in a cumulative of 5.10 million barrels of oil since March 4, 2014.

Spokesperson for Shell, Precious Okolobo, confirmed to New Telegraph that the facility has not been re-opened.

He said in a telephone chat that the fixing of crude theft points is still on.

Royal Dutch Shell had earlier said that it closed all fields feeding into the Trans Forcado Pipeline, affecting about 150,000 barrels per day.

Shell’s subsidiary in Nigeria, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), said this in an earlier statement by its spokesperson, Okolobo.

The company, which made this known through a force majeure it declared on the

ADEOLA YUSUF, Energy Editor

icrosoft Corporation is targetting the $50 billion affordable handset market following its acquisition of the Nokia Devices and Services business.

One of the world’s top technology firms said that

WOLE SHADARE, Aviation Editor

ABDULWAHAB ISA, Finance Editor CHUKS ONUANYIN, Energy NNAMDI AMADI, Reporter

crude oil lifting, said: “SPDC Joint Venture declared force majeure on lifting of Forcados blend effective 09:00hrs (Nigerian time) Tuesday, March 25, 2014, due to ongoing repairs on the 48-inch crude export line at Forcados Terminal in the Western Niger Delta.”

The subsea line was shut, according to Okolobo, when a leak was discovered on March 4, 2014, leading to the suspension of SPDC and third party crude oil exports through the terminal. “Helicopter over flights showed a slight sheen

around the export line.

The shutdown of Forcardos line affected Nigeria’s May oil production and export schedule, which dropped to 1.59 million barrels per day (bpd), the lowest in five year.

Nigeria, which depends largely on proceeds from crude to service over 85 per cent of its budget, fixed the average crude oil production at 2.4 million barrels per day in the 2014 budget. The Federal Government also settled for $79.5 as the crude oil benchmark for the Medium Term Expendi-

it had completed the deal for Nokia following the approval

by Nokia shareholders and by governmental regulatory agencies around the world, according to details made available to New Telegraph .

With the plan to focus on the affordable mobile devices market, Nokia could be on

course to regain its position as the world's largest handset maker. Before being acquired

by Microsoft, Nokia had lost a considerable part of its market share to Samsung and Apple as it struggled to position itself among the fast-changing CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

ture Framework, (MTEF).

Meanwhile, the country has been stripped of its status as largest oil producer and exporter in Africa by Angola, the May crude loading data of the two countries has shown.

Notwithstanding the $20 profit made based on difference between the $79 benchmark and the $99 average oil price, the country is expected to record a daily average loss of 0.7983 million barrels in May. Benchmark US crude for May delivery was down 2 cents to $99.71 a barrel at 0720 GMT in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract slid $1.84 to $99.74 on Tuesday, dented by soft Chinese manufacturing figures and expectations of another increase in US crude stockpiles.

The data, which showed that Nigeria’s crude export for May fell to their lowest since records since 2009 blamed increase in oil theft in the country Forcados and Ebok grades.

A data by London-based Chatham House revealed that CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

Rates Dashboard

DELE ALAO, Brands/Marketing Editor CHRIS UGWU, Capital Market Editor

L-R: Former Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Ernest Ndukwe; Managing Director, Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, Mr. Uche Orji; Group Chief Operating Officer, Globacom, Mr. Mohammed Jameel and Editor-inChief, Nigeria Communications Week, at the Beacon of Information Communications Technology lecture/awards held at the Eko Hotels and Suite, Victoria Island, Lagos

Microsoft targets $50bn affordable mobile phone market

M

JONAH IBOMA, ICT Editor

ayodele.aminu@newtelegraphonline.com ayodeleaminu@yahoo.com

Shell retains force majeure, yet to re-open 48-inch crude export pipeline

Jonah Iboma

DAYO ADEYEMI, Property Editor

AYODELE AMINU, DEPUTY EDITOR, BUSINESS

REVENUE LOSS

BAYO AKOMOLAFE, Asst. Editor (Maritime) SIAKA MOMOH, Asst. Editor (Industry/Agric)

www.newtelegraphonline.com/business

Nigeria loses N81.6bn as Shell’s pipeline shutdown enters day 34

SIMEON OGOEGBULEM, Dep. Business Editor SUNDAY OJEME, Asst. Editor (Insurance)

NEW TELEGRAPH

‘ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY CALLS FOR CONSCIOUSNESS' }p-29

INFLATION RATE March 2014...........................7.08% February 2014........................7.70% January 2014 ........................8.00%

LENDING RATE InterBank Rate . . . . . . . . . 10.50% Prime Lending Rate. . . . . 16.93% Maximum Lending Rate..25.83%

EXCHANGE RATE

(Parellel As at April 25)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N169.50 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N284 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N236

EXCHANGE RATE

(Official As at April 25)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N155.73 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N261.56 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N215.34 Source: CBN

26 BUSINESS | NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

FG’s to cut oil contracts to foreigners by 65 % in 2017 LOCAL CONTENT Federal Government moves to grow local capacity

crude lifting majorly to indigenous companies as part of the Federal Government’s objective to encourage effective local participation in the oil and gas industry.

“With the level of commitment of government on its local content drive the cut in contracts for foreigners will hit 65 per cent by 2017,” a source at the Ministry of Pe-

troleum Resources told this newspaper.

He maintained that the minister already had the mandate to ensure protection and development of the local content

Adeola Yusuf

T

he Federal Government has slashed oil-lifting contracts to foreign companies by 60 per cent with plans to do more in the 2017 contracts.

The cut is planned to hit 65 per cent by 2017, New Telegraph gathered.

Minister of Petroleum resources, Diezani Alison-madueke, had earlier gave this hint at a press conference at the weekend where she explained that the plan was in favour of the local firms.

Already, these indigenous companies had 60 per cent of the $40 billion 2014 oil lifting contracts and Alison-Madueke who doubled as the Chairman of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) board, described the recent award of term contracts for

EMPOWERMENT FG takes financial literacy to agric sector Jonah Iboma

P

oint of Sale (PoS) terminals have been deployed as additional redemption channel by government under the Growth Enhancement Support (GES) scheme to enable farmers access fetriliisers and other farming subsidies.

Technology Provider of the scheme, Cellulant Nigeria, confirmed this to New Telegraph.

This means that farmers can get their subsidised farm inputs and the details of the transaction stored in the PoS terminals and later transferred to the central database of the scheme managed by Cellulant Nigeria.

L-R: Special Adviser to Ogun State Governor on Commerce, Mrs. Tinu Shopeju; Acting Managing Director, Bank of Industry, Mr. Waheed Olagunju; Ogun State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru, and Chairman, Shongai Group, Mr. Ak Mirchandami, during the commissioning of Shongai Technology Limited and Shongai recycling limited, at Sango Otta, Ogun State

FG deploys PoS terminals for Agric subsidy scheme GES is a special scheme introduced the Federal Government under President Goodluck Jonathan's Agricultural Transformation Agenda to increase farmers' access to subsidies such as fertilisers and other farm inputs through the involvement of the private sector. The scheme is designed for small scale farmers and currently over 10million of them have been captured in the database as being involved in GES. Leader, Nigeria Team GES (Cellulant), Bolaji Akinboro, said that terminals will provide very useful addition to the GES scheme as it will help to quickly capture data that

Nigeria loses N81.6bn as Shell’s pipeline shutdown enters day 34 C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2 5

Nigeria lost between 100, 000 to 250, 000 barrels of crude to theft on daily basis.

“The oil theft looks set to push Nigeria off its spot as top African crude oil exporter in May and exports could fall to their lowest since records began in 2009,” the data had shown.

Nigerian exports in May are set to be at around 1.59 million barrels per day (bpd) excluding the of crude oil, which were shut-in and had still not emerged.

Exports are far below the high above 2.2 million bpd reached in 2011, and the May figure is set to fall beneath the exports of Angola, which is usu-

ally the continent’s second largest exporter.

According to Reuters, Angolan exports in May were set to be 1.67 million bpd, a provisional shipping list indicated.

Production of the Forcados grade has been hit by underwater pipeline leakage due to oil theft, which led operator, Shell, to declare a force majeure on the grade last week.

The problems affecting Forcados are the latest in a string of theft-related outages at major Nigerian grades, with Bonny Light production severely affected for much of last year.

Planned exports in April were initially seen at 1.73 million bpd, but were revised up to 1.86 million bpd after additional Bonny Light cargoes were added.

could have either been lost or that would have taken a lot of time to reconcile.

He said that both banks and dealers would be involved in the use of the terminals.

"These POS terminals work in an off-line mode and evacuate data back to the GES platform on periodic schedules.

The PoS are issued to agrodealers by commercial banks and the agro-dealers via Cellulant, which is responsible for maintenance and safekeeping of the PoS. “These PoS terminals allow us to solve the problem of capturing all categories of redemptions (far mer with phone/farmer without phone/no network) as they are happening from the side of the agro-dealer. The agrodealer himself becomes an additional source of data into the platform via the PoS. This allows us to achieve

faster reconciliation and problem resolution as we can trace/ compare transactions from farmer phone, register, forms and now PoS data.”

Akinboro added that the terminals will also allow operators of the GES to achieve total information symmetry/ equality among the key participants (banks, suppliers, FGN, Agro-dealer) in the GES required for accurate reconciliation.

Bolaji also revealed that government had mapped out plans to commence a pilot scheme in which farmers will be brought into a new payment system in conjunction with the Bank of Agriculture.

He said that Celluant was currently improving redemption tracking, reporting as well as the monitoring of redemption centres across the country.

drive of the federal government.

In a press statement by the corporation, the minister stated that over 60 per cent of the 2014 to 2015 annual term contracts for the lifting of Nigeria’s crude oil was decidedly awarded to local firms after a painstaking pre-qualification process.

She said that the 40 per cent balance was shared among some international trading companies, refineries and to some countries with bilateral trade agreements with Nigeria.

“When we unveiled the Nigerian content law a few years back, the overriding principle was to grow indigenous capacity in an aggressive manner and I am happy to report that today, in the oil and gas sector, Nigerian content has been placed on the path of irreversible progress,” the minister said.

She noted that the award to local players is in line with the aspiration of President Goodluck Jonathan for effective transformation of the petroleum industry.

The minister said the advent of the Nigerian content law has encouraged indigenous investment in critical infrastructure.

“We have seen robust indigenous investments in Marine vessels of various categories and wholly owned Nigerian vessels have increased astronomically through the years.

These vessels are the Category one and Category two types. Investments in reception, storage and distribution facilities such as jetties, depots, trucks, vessels and modern retail outlets have more than doubled over the past few years, and this has helped to increase the nation’s sufficiency level in petrol,” the Minister said.

Mrs. Alison-Madueke remarked that as at the last count, indigenous investments in the sector have created over 40,000 jobs across the hydrocarbon value chain.

“We have witnessed increased local investments in asset, in land, swamp and offshore rigs, which are vital performance indicators in business growth in Nigerian service companies. As we speak, Nigerian companies are forging partnerships for deep water rig ownership and are evolving strategies that will increase rig ownership among local players,’’ she noted.

Microsoft targets $50bn affordable mobile phone market C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2 5

needs of consumers. Nokia had partnered Microsoft in 2011 to bring out the Lumia range of smartphones, based on Windows Phone operating system of the firm.

Windows Phone is already the fastest-growing ecosystem in the smartphone market and according to research firm IDC, it was the third biggest OS in fourth quarter of 2013.

"With the Nokia mobile phone business, Microsoft will target the affordable mobile devices market, a $50 billion

annual opportunity, delivering the first mobile experience to the next billion people while introducing Microsoft services to new customers around the world," it said in a statement.

In February, Nokia introduced the X, X+, and XL, three low-end devices meant to help Microsoft “reach people it has never talked to around the world,” according to Stephen Elop, Executive Vice President of Devices and Services at Nokia. He added that the real philosophy behind these three particular Android-based de-

vices is to take people “to Microsoft’s cloud, not Google’s cloud.”

The software on all the devices is based entirely on the Android Open Source Project, and Nokia has specially tweaked it to look like the Windows Phone interface.

Affordable technology devices, especially low-cost handsets, and smartphones from the stables of Asian handset makers like Huawei, ZTE, Micromax and Karbonn have been driving the growth in emerging markets of Asia and Africa.

BUSINESS 27

Sanctity of Truth

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

CLOUDY? Nigeria’s crude oil sales method has been criticised by NGO’s, who claim that it is opaque and offers no guarantee the oil is sold at fair value

2015 elections’ controversy trails $40bn oil contracts

Stories by Adeola Yusuf

C

ontroversy has continued to trail the award of a new $40 billion oil exports by the Federal Government.

The allocations are said to favour powerful businessmen close to President Goodluck Jonathan's administration ahead of what are likely to be closely fought presidential elections set for February next year, Reuters said quoting industry sources.

Nigeria, Africa’s biggest crude exporter, is one of a small group of major oil producers that allocates its crude directly to trading houses, offering middlemen an opportunity to make margins through reselling the crude.

Although many large trading houses were absent from the list, they may have other ways of accessing the oil.

As in Nigeria's upstream sector, where Glencore recently submitted a bid as part of a consortium of local companies for $3 billion in energy assets, partnerships with domestic firms can help global traders get a share of the business.

Vitol may have indirectly won a share of the Nigerian exports to market via a Bermuda-based firm called Calson, in which it is a minority shareholder.

“It’s not that the Swiss traders are being left out, it's that they're forcing them to share their pie with the indigenous companies,” said an industry

RICKETY Minister of Power insists that insufficient gas supply is the bane of power generation

T

he target of $25 billion gas investments in Nigeria may be put on hold following the increase in pipeline vandalism in the country, New Telegraph gathered at the weekend.

Director, Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Mr. George Osahon, had earlier said that gas projects would yield about N25 billion worth of investments.

Osahon, who predicted this at a seminar organised by the Nigerian-South African Chamber of Commerce in Lagos with the theme: ‘FGN Gas Master Plan: Opportunities for Potential Investor,’ said that those investments would transform the economy.

He said the $25 billion investments for gas was aimed

Engineers repairing a vandalized pipeline

source in Nigeria.

Another way for traders to access oil is to buy the contract off a winning firm at a premium.

A number of other former winners were also absent from the 2014/2015 list, which will take effect from June. China’s Unipec, the trading arm of top Asian refiner Sinopec Corp (600028.SS), as well as Azeri state oil company, Socar, were former contract holders and did not feature on the new list.

Non-governmental organisations, such as Switzerland’s The Berne Declaration, have criticised Nigeria’s sales

method, saying it is opaque and offers no guarantee that the oil is sold at fair value.

Government has repeatedly denied there is lack of transparency in the process.

London-based think-tank, Chatham House, estimated in a report on Nigerian oil last year that local traders could score up to 40 cents a barrel, amounting to around $5 million a year on 12 cargoes, just by “flipping” the contract to a bigger trading company.

A 2012 study commissioned

by Nigeria’s Oil Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, and headed by former head of the anti-corruption agency, Nuhu

Ribadu, criticised the sales system whereby contracts were given to “briefcase traders with little or no commercial or financial capacity.”

Alison-Madueke said that at the time there were no informal contracts and everything was done on official tender, not by any discretionary awards.

A portion of Nigerian oil is also sold via swap deals whereby crude oil is given in exchange for imported fuels.

Producers operating in the West African country such as Italian oil group, Eni (ENI.MI) and oil major Royal Dutch Shell (RDSa.L), also

Pipeline vandalism: $25bn gas investments endangered at strengthening the gas market towards meeting government’s aspirations for achieving the goals of Vision 202020.

“The Nigerian Gas Master Plan (GMP) is a government initiative to grow the nation’s economy by providing the required infrastructure that will enable Nigeria consolidate on the multiplier effect of gas on the economy,” he said. “The policy is designed to assure gas availability for the growing gas demands driven by rising gas prices, power sector reforms and investor confidence in Nigeria,” he said.

Investigations however, showed that these investors are drawn back by the seeming government’s inability to curb the incessant gas pipeline vandalism.

Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo, whose

ministry’s efforts to generate sufficient power has been thwarted by gas pipeline, said recently that vandals now use dynamite to destroy key facilities.

“Gas shortage is the major issue confronting the power generation at the thermal plants. While some of the plants have not been generating power at optimal capacity, many have also not been able to start production due to this same reason,” he said.

Blaming this gas shortage on vandalism of gas pipeline, Nebo maintained that vandals now detonate dynamite on key pipelines.

Meanwhile, prospective investors in gas sector are already afraid of the safety of pipelines in the country.

“They withhold their investments and you cannot

blame them,” an industry source told this newspaper on phone.

“The target of $25billion in the gas sector is not out of place, given the enormous gas resources in Nigeria but the bottom line is that the government must put its house in order by tackling the issue of pipeline vandalism.”

The progress being recorded in the gas sector through the implementation of the Gas Master Plan had opened up vast opportunities for investors in various areas.

Opportunities for investment are available in pipeline construction system, gas gathering and processing.

Nigeria has the world’s seventh largest reserves of gas with a further potential for a further 600 Tcf in undiscovered reserve.

sell some oil directly or refine it themselves.

The Federal Government awarded most of its longterm oil contracts worth an estimated $40 billion (23 billion pounds) a year to local companies, a confidential list of crude export allocation has shown.

Reuters, which reported this, maintained that the allocation showed that global traders need to partner with local firms to access crude from Africa’s top producer.

Global commodity traders, refiners and Nigerian dealers jockey at an annual tender for access to the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) member’s prized crude oil, which is easy to refine and produces more high-value fuels.

The contracts cover around 340 million barrels of oil, worth close to $40 billion annually based on current Brent prices and run for a year, though they can be renewed.

They were allocated to just 28 companies, versus around 50 in 2012, the last time they were awarded.

In a break with tradition, no contracts were given directly to global trading houses, Glencore Xstrata (GLEN.L), Vitol VITOLV.UL, Trafigura TRAFGF.UL or Gunvor, with only Switzerland’s Mercuria winning a contract, according to a list that four industry sources verified as accurate.

The trading companies that missed out on direct oil contracts declined to comment.

The list, released by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), is preliminary and subject to revision. NNPC officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

28 BUSINESS | ENERGY

Sanctity of Truth

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

‘Nigeria’s per capita energy usage down to 25 watts' TECHNICAL COUNSEL Professor Idris M. Bugaje has advocated the decentralisation of energy generation and distribution ’Tunji Ajibade ZARIA

N

igeria’s per capita electrical energy consumption is about 25 Watts, Professor Idris Bugaje, has said.

He described this as “clearly very dismal.”

Bugaje, a lecturer at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, said this while presenting a paper titled “Chemical engineering, beyond oil and gas.”

He maintained that this dismal per capital consumption remains a major stumbling block to any future vision, industrialisation, transformation or development plan.

The national energy mix in Nigeria, he said, must recognise that mini-grid systems, powered by several installations and possibly a range of different sources such as sun, wind, hydro or biomass, can provide clean power to rural communities at a relatively low cost.

He insisted that scattered streetlights using imported and, most of the time, substandard materials, is not the way out to effectively cater for the nation’s energy needs.

Bugaje, who spoke at a seminar organised by the Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineer, ABU chapter, noted that there

had been wrong approaches to meeting the nation’s energy needs over the years.

The former Head of Department of Chemical Engineering, ABU and a visiting lecturer to several foreign universities said: “Nigeria is not also doing better in the liquid fuels sector as most transport fuels consumed in Nigerian (about 40 million litres of PMS and four million litres of AGO per day) are largely imported from overseas though Nigeria is among the top 10 world producers of crude oil and natural gas.”

Defining energy as capacity to do work, he lamented the serious overall effect of the poor state of Nigeria’s energy infrastructure, stating that after 15 years of democratic practice, Nigeria has not seen any significant improvement in its

energy infrastructure.

He said: “Availability of transport fuels and electricity has become a mirage. Yet so much of public funds have been invested in the last 15 years into these sectors without commensurate results.”

The lecturer partly attributed this to the fact that “Nigerian thermal power stations are run at such stumpy efficiencies, as low as 12 per cent, while similar stations elsewhere are operating at 40 per cent with modern generation technologies.”

Furthermore, he noted that substantial electricity is lost during transmission, sometimes over 30 per cent. Besides these, he said that supply of natural gas to some of the power plants has been epileptic while Nigeria exports natural gas to other West African countries (through the West African gas pipeline) and LNG to the rest of the world.

“Nigeria also ranks among nations that flare its natural gas the most. “All these are the contradictions that can only be found in no other country but Nigeria,” he lamented.

To address all these shortcomings and to put Nigeria on the wheel of progress in energy production and power the nation, Bugaje advocated

alternative and renewable energy.

Insisting that Nigeria’s oil and gas will not last forever, he said: “The earlier the better for the nation to begin to exploit solar energy, bio fuel and decentralised power grids, also called mini grids, which can supply electricity to everything from individual buildings up to several small towns.”

Noting that extending grid connection to many diverse communities that have little capacity to pay for significant electrical energy is not economical, he said that “in order to feed the supply into minigrids, the electricity must first be converted into alternating current using an inverter. In order to ensure that electricity is available whenever required…it is advisable that storage module such as deep cycle batteries be integrated into the mini-grid.”

Also speaking at the event, the Vice-President of the ABU chapter of Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers, Nurudeen Olayinka, who is also a student of the Chemical Engineering Department, noted that the seminar, as well as the public presentation of the journal, The Reactor, was the first of its type and was meant to enlighten Nigerians. He also said that the seminar was meant to make people aware that “what we do in Chemical Engineering is beyond oil and gas because people usually think all we do is work in the oil and gas industry. We are process engineers and we do a lot of processing beyond oil and gas.”

How Saipem won $1.1b contracts in North, West Africa

S L-R Engineer Ernest Nwapa, Executive Secretary, National Content Development & Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Colin Oliver, Managing Director, Sub-Saharan Africa Region, MSA Safety Company, Engineer Tony Oguike, MD/CEO Future Concerns Group at the Grand Opening Ceremony Of Future Concerns Safety Centre In Nigeria held in Lagos.

COMMENDATION The Federal Government has lauded FCNL’s partnership with USbased manufacturer of PPE, MSA Adeola Yusuf

F

uture Concerns Nigeria Limited (FCNL), indigenous supplier of safety equipment, has partnered MSA, a United States-based manufacturer, provider and distributor of personal protective equipment (PPE), to build West Africa’s first Safety Service Centre worth N3 billion in Lagos.

Managing Director, FCNL, Mr. Tony Oguike, disclosed this during a facility tour of the centre after the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Mr. Ernest Nwapa, commissioned it.

Fielding questions from

aipem has been awarded new E&C Offshore contracts in North and West Africa for a total value of approximately $1.1 billion.

In Egypt, Saipem has been awarded by Burullus Gas Company a contract for the

FCNL boosts local content with N3bn safety centre newsmen, Oguike disclosed that the centre would provide quality safety service solutions, especially for the oil and gas sector. These solutions, he said, include gas detection maintenance, service and repair of breathing apparatuses and a host of other technicalrelated works.

He said: “The Future Concerns Group focuses on the pursuit of excellence, delivering value, worthwhile partnership and exceeding client’s expectations. Our business model is about satisfying the clients. Those are some of the key factors that influenced the decision of MSA to grant us the rights to build an independent service and maintenance centre in West Africa, the first of its kind.

“MSA has about 100-year

experience in the business of manufacturing and maintenance of safety equipment, with presence in all the continents of the world. Convincing them was not an easy task but we were able to prove to them that we could deliver. We are very pleased that they trust us and the result is the commissioning of this facility today.”

Managing Director, SubSaharan Africa, MSA, Mr. Colin Oliver, commended the enterprising spirit of Oguike and the professionalism and integrity of Future Concerns.

He noted that the relationship between the two companies has been further strengthened by the core values of quality service, integrity and responsiveness that Future Concerns has displayed all through the years of the relationship.

He said: “MSA is, no doubt, the biggest brand globally in safety equipment manufacturing and maintenance. We have provided solutions to various clients across the world. The African market, particularly Nigeria, is very huge and we are excited to be a major player in the industry.

Our partnership with Future Concerns so far has enabled us to provide better tailormade solutions and services to our clients. This new facility is another step in consolidating the existing relationship.

Clients no longer need to take their faulty equipment abroad for maintenance. Future Concerns Service Centre can conveniently handle their needs.

The company’s technicians have been well trained and are all MSA-certified.”

development of the West Delta Deep Marine Phase IXa Project about 56 miles (90 kilometers) off the Mediterranean Coast of Egypt.

The scope of work encompasses engineering, procurement, installation, pre-commissioning and commissioning support of subsea facilities in the West Delta Deep Marine Concession, where Saipem already successfully performed earlier subsea development phases.

New facilities include rigid and flexible flow lines, umbilical and other related subsea structures, to be installed in water depths up to 2,788 feet (850 meters). Marine activities will be carried out between the second and the fourth quarter of 2014.

Furthermore, in Angola, Saipem has been awarded an EPCI (engineering) procurement, construction and installation) contract for subsea facilities. The scope of work includes engineering, procurement, fabrication and installation of production and water injection pipelines and flow lines, rigid jumpers and other related subsea structures.

Offshore activities will be performed between the second quarter of 2014 and the second quarter of 2015, in a water depth ranging from 2,296 feet to 4,757 feet (700 to 1,450 meters).

BUSINESS | ENERGY 29

Sanctity of Truth

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

A source in Shell has insisted that due process was followed in the bidding process for some of its assets by Aiteo and other local companies.

ENERGY EDITOR, Adeola Yusuf, in this report, examines the process for the purchase of the company’s 45 per cent stake in Oil Mining Leases (OMLs)-18, 24, 25 and 29.

Assessing Shell assets’ sale “It’s a portfolio rationalisation,” said Simbi Wabote, a general manager at Shell’s Nigerian subsidiary, SPDC. “You have to ask if it’s profitable to produce those wells rather than focus on the areas that are a priority, so why don’t you give it to smaller companies.”

A Shell parcel known as OML 30 is currently producing 45,000 barrels a day. Two of the other properties are producing an estimated 26,000 barrels a day combined and have potential for significant natural gas production, according to the person familiar with the matter. The remaining property is not currently producing oil.

If a local company buys OML 30, the transaction would thrust a local player into ranks of top Nigerian producers at a time when political turmoil in the Middle East and North Africa has pushed crude prices above $100 a barrel. Nigerian government estimates indicate that Shell's OML 30 boasts 1.4 billion barrels in reserves.

Of course, the Nigerian upstarts face financing and other difficulties.

Oando recently was forced to sell some marketing assets to raise funds to acquire new oil properties. But with Libya in turmoil sending crude prices higher, local oil companies have their best shot to date at capturing significant oil fields.

R

oyal Dutch Shell PLC, as at the time of filling this report, is close to selling four of its onshore oil blocks in Nigeria to local oil producers eager to snap up Western oil majors’ properties.

Shell’s sale of the four blocks, including one valued at over $1 billion, is expected to close within days, according to a person familiar with the matter. The sales are part of a Shell’s plan to reduce its footprint onshore Nigeria, where militant attacks and oil theft have slashed the company’s output since 2006. The Nigerian government is also considering legislation that could make it easier to confiscate non-producing or dormant oil fields from companies.

Due process Meanwhile, the Shell’s N480 billion assets’ sale, according to a source at Shell, followed all the due process and was free and fair. Each of the bidders, including the highest bidders for the facilities, Aiteo, according to the source, got equal opportunity to bid.

The bid, which is already behind schedule, is presently undergoing scrutiny by the foreign security agency, the Economic and financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC).

While many see this probe as a normal requirement for such transaction, others cast aspersion on companies that bided for the assets.

These aspersions against Aiteo and others, the source said, were unfair.

“Each of the bidders was given equal opportunity to bid for the oil blocks, so it is unnecessary, unfair and irresponsible for people to start casting aspersions on the capability and experience of Aiteo,” he said.

Besides, he noted: “Since Aiteo is a Nigerian company, to cast aspersion on its managerial capacity is more or less to say that Nigerians are not competent to compete globally.

“This bid by Aiteo is an opportunity to place another Nigerian integrated energy company on the global scene.”

He said that since every company that is worth its salt strives to diversify and grow, having harnessed and mastered downstream sub-sector of the Nigeria’s multi-billion dollars oil and gas industry, Aiteo is now strategically moving to the upstream to consolidate its hold on the Nigerian energy sector.

The company, which is one of the fastest growing energy companies in Nigeria, has proven its capability in the oil sector given its tract record of over 15 years.

“Being a Nigerian company, Nigerians are going to benefit immensely from the Aiteo’s bid. There will be creation of jobs and capacity building.

The host communities are also going to be at advantage,” the source said.

The four oil wells, in which Shell has a 45 per cent stake, are OML-18, OML24, OML-25 and OML-29.

Successful bidders for the four blocs

Minister of petroleum resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke

are to pay over $5 billion for the stakes held by Shell, in conjunction with two other international oil companies.

Aiteo has actively been participating in the downstream sector since 1999 when it started as Sigmund Company Limited.

Dangote/Dansa, Midwestern/Mart/ Notore and Sahara Consortium are bidding for OML-18 while Sahara Consortium, Pan- Ocean/Newcross, Shoreline and Aiteo/Taleveras are bidding for OML-24.

Lekoil, Crestar, Green- Acres/CCC/ Signet Petroleum, NDPR/SAPETRO and Essar are bidding for OML-25 while Vertex/Seplat/ Maurel&Prom/ VP Global, Glencore/Neconde, Transcorp and Aiteo/Taleveras are also bidding for OML-29.

Sale of OML-18, OML-24, OML-25, OML-29 four weeks behind schedule The bidders A Shell spokesman confirmed that the four blocks were up for sale but de-

Since Aiteo is a Nigerian company, to cast aspersion on its managerial capacity is more or less to say that Nigerians are not competent to compete globally

clined further comment.

Industry executives and analysts said that the sales reflect a shift by Shell to favour offshore fields over land-based projects in Nigeria. Other oil majors also are weighing sales of onshore parcels, said local oil industry executives. Those moves could speed the rise of local energy companies.

“This is the first time in Nigeria’s history that you have a number of small local operators,” says a partner at the Nigerian law firm Aelex, which regularly advises on oil deals, Soji Awogbade. “Six years ago there weren’t any,” he said.

Locally owned companies including Niger Delta Exploration and Production PLC, Chrome Oil Nigeria Ltd. and Seven Energy International Ltd. each are bidding on Shell parcels. Seven Energy has raised close to a $1 billion in its pursuit for new production properties.

Shell has narrowed the preferred bidders for its prized parcel to five from 18 companies. The five include Nigeria’s Oando PLC, backed by AngloFrench company Perenco and Chineseowned Addax Petroleum, and Shoreline Energy International, backed by UK-based Heritage Oil PLC, according to the person familiar with the matter.

The identities of the other three preferred bidders could not be confirmed.

The four blocks Shell is selling are located in the western swamps of the Niger Delta. Shell is the operator of the blocks, with minority partners France’s Total SA and Italy's ENI SpA. Nigeria's national oil company, NNPC, has a controlling stake in the four blocks.

Restiveness in Niger Delta The four oil production areas sit in the heart of the eastern Niger Delta, an area particularly hard hit by crude oil theft this year. Shell is also selling the Nembe Creek Trunk Line, a key oil transport artery, which the company has had to shut repeatedly this year, after attacks by thieves.

Two potential bidders said that the overall package would fetch between $2 billion and $3 billion.

Shell announced a strategic review of its eastern Delta assets last June.

The company declined to confirm which, if any, blocks may be put up for sale, but said: “Nigeria remains an important part of Shell’s portfolio.”

The asset sales represent a dramatic retreat by the international oil and gas majors from the core of Nigeria’s oil industry. All four oil blocks and the NCTL feed the Bonny terminal, Nigeria’s oldest export facility, commissioned by Shell in 1961.

Nigeria’s oil industry is facing its worst crisis since 2009 when an insurgency in the Delta brought many operations to a standstill. Thieves stole at least 100,000 barrels of crude oil a day in the first quarter of this year, according to Chatham House.

Shell has had to repeatedly interrupt exports from the Bonny terminal, because of damage to the pipelines that feed it, most recently last September.

Nigeria’s crude output briefly dipped below 2m barrels a day this summer, compared with capacity of about 2.4m b/d.

The Shell sales are the latest move by one of the oil and gas majors to reduce their commitment to onshore Nigeria, in the face of security concerns, and long delays to a government bill setting out terms for new exploration.

Conclusion With the claim by Shell, which is known for standards globally, that due process was followed in the entire process, the winners of the bid should be duly given the assets while losers should re-strategise for another bid round. This would be a good development for Nigeria as the nation’s content drive stands a chance to benefit immensely from these transactions.

30

BUSINESS | ENERGY

Sanctity of Truth

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

IPMAN constitution has been destroyed –Obasi Lawson Obasi is a factional president of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN. He got a ruling of a Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, to take over the leadership of the association, but the former president, Abdukadir Aminu, has resisted this. In this interview with some journalists, Obasi talks about the crisis that rocked IPMAN. Johnchuks Onuanyim was there. Excerpts What is your take on the report that the Petroleum Pricing and Marketing Corporation (PPMC)’s managing director has recognised the Elder Chinedu Okoronkwo-led IPMAN in acting capacity?

We had a similar meeting with PPMC just as you quoted that they had a meeting with him (Okonkwo) where he advised the faction that they should respect the rule of law. As the MD of PPMC and a lawyer, he knows the effect of rule of law and there is no way he would advice Abdulkadir Aminu to hand over to Elder Chinedu Okoronkwo. There was nothing like that. We have been able to find out and we discovered that he was quoted out of context as far as we are concerned, because we had a similar meeting with him, where he vehemently advised them as a lawyer and as MD of PPMC to abide by the rule of law by obeying judgement of the competent court. So, that is exactly what happened. No lawyer will advice otherwise. If it were an ordinary person it would have been a different issue but before he became the MD of PPMC, he was the Legal Adviser/Secretary and he knows the rule of law.

The former president, Aminu and the people he handed over to claimed that by the constitution of IPMAN, whoever must be president must contest election. What is your take on that?

Aminu as the former president of IPMAN was not as a result of election.

It was as a result of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and the MoU is there to speak for itself. You should know that there was a lingering crisis before 2011. There were two factions - one was led by Musa Falande and l was his deputy and the constitution of IPMAN of 1997 has a succession plan where the deputy takes over at the tenure completion of the president and that constitution was the one that brought me on board and I want to tell you that that constitution had been in use for many years before my own tenure. It was the constitution that brought Eron Baba, who is from the North West as president and Bestman Oparaocha from the East as his deputy. So, when he left office as president, Bestman became the president in 2000 and Jaji from the North East emerged as his deputy. When Bestman left office, Jaji became president. So, you can see that we have succession plans.

Then during Jaji’s presidency, the West now emerged as deputy in the person of Runsewe. When Jaji left, Runsewe emerged as president and Falande from North West became his deputy and some people at this point were trying to scuttle the succession plan. Aminu was not in the system. He was not among those that would succeed the president.

He was a secretary as at that time after being the legal adviser even though he was not a lawyer.

So, if you look at the succession plans there was no way it favored him but he felt that others were nobody so, he went and conducted an election on his own in Yankare against the existing structure. You know you might commit a crime and it will stay for long but one day it will come up and that is why

when you want to embark on a venture, make sure you do the right thing. This law is very effective and somebody should not overlook it. There are two things. But let me keep that apart and say that the succession plan was what brought me as the deputy to Falande.

We were there, the two factions - one led by Aminu who had his deputy and the other led by Falande and l was the deputy. That was where we were until government intervened. So, we came together and had peace. There was an MoU raised as at that time and it recognised the two factions and the same MoU dissolved the two factions after recognising them. What it means was that there was no any other faction and after Aminu was appointed as the president…not in an election… to complete a tenure for a given time.

The MoU has other legs and not only that Aminu would be the president.

There were other things that the MoU said. The MoU recognised me and a few others as members of the NEC. So, if you look at it, there is no NEC other than myself and four other persons and also there were other things that the MoU stated that should be done. But these things were not adhered to and that is where the problem began. So, he (Aminu) went ahead to run the place recognising only the areas that favored him by saying that he is the president.

He registered a constitution without the people he was working with.

He was working with myself as at that time because we had made peace. So, he went ahead and registered the constitution by deceiving the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and nobody knew. He presented wrong documents including making himself a life chairman among the members of the Board of Trustees. So, when we were trying to question him on why he did those things, given the fact that there were laid down procedures on how to change our constitution. Even if it is a constitution of a community, it is not easy to change it. It must involve a process.

There are laid down processes which were not followed. So, because of this, a lot of people are aggrieved because Aminu did not adhere to those things that were in the MoU. I was to succeed Falande immediately after his tenure going by the constitution of IPMAN and succession plan, until that peace we agreed to make. So, we had to challenge some of these things in court.

In all this, where is Falande that you deputised?

Falande is always with us. He just left here now. We are working together.

He is also angry and aggrieved. I didn’t go to court as an individual. All of us went to court with a few of us repre-

We went to court and in that process I saw a paper forged talking about my expulsion. There must be a way to expel somebody

Obasi

senting others at the court. But Falande cannot, as at that time, go to court because his tenure had finished and it was me who was to take over. So, I felt shortchanged and went to court to seek redress for the things l consider not good for the association. I did that because the court is the last hope of the common man to seek redress and that was what we did as law-abiding citizens.

What informed the choice of Aminu as president of IPMAN at that point in time?

We all agreed. It was not PPMC that recognised him during the crisis and the signing of the MoU. The two factions came together and deliberated for days and because this is a country all of us love and we want it to move forward so, the two factions said ‘well, since things are like this let us do it this way.’

Who were the people that drafted the MoU? The MoU was drafted by Chris Uche, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

Was there a time you were expelled by the association because that was a statement we got last week from the Eastern Zonal Chairman, Chief Fred Ezinwa?

Well, those ones can fabricate anything. Prior to my going to court, I didn’t receive any paper. We were working together but I stated the things we want to be addressed. So, how could they have expelled me? Is there any evidence on that or can you just wake up and say ‘I have been expelled?’ If you want to expel someone from a place, there are processes.

After the MoU, was there a time you had any problem with the Aminu-led exco of IPMAN that probably necessitated calling you for a round table discussion?

No, we never had any problem. I come to Abuja when there is meeting as we all worked together. These points are very straightforward because we have been asking that some things done

by Aminu should be amended. What you should understand is that Aminu was in office for five years and there is nowhere in IPMAN constitution that it says somebody can be in office for five years. People should ask what led to five years. It was because of the fac-

tional tenure and Falande’s tenure as a factional president was almost ending and I was to succeed him.

What is your status in IPMAN because the allegation is that you have been expelled?

You have asked this question. We went to court and in that process I saw a paper forged talking about my expulsion. There must be a way to expel somebody, especially a national officer. If before the court case started there was a courier (DHL) sent to me talking about my expulsion that would have been a different thing. I was never served any letter nor queried. There must be a process and since any of these processes have not been mentioned, the claim of my expulsion is a total false.

Were you involved in the closure of NIPCO

by NUPENG to cause more fuel scarcity?

We are all Nigerians and we must be sincere in what we do or say. The court in Port Harcourt decided my case on March 20 and before then there were queues at the filling stations. It affected Abuja and every other place. If somebody is saying that our crisis was responsible for the problem, it is not true. We have over 40 and above farm tank owners, which NIPCO, the commercial arm of IPMAN, is one. Some farm tanks owners have about five farm tanks at different locations. So, if you look at the total farm tanks we have in Nigeria they are close to 100 at different locations. NIPCO has only one and there are farm tank that have more capacity than NIPCO. So, how would the closure of NIPCO be responsible to fuel scarcity? As at today, in Port Harcourt, Warri and Calabar, we have over 15 different names of farm tanks that have capacity more than NIPCO. In Lagos, we have over 66 farm tank owners. So, if NUPENG closes NIPCO just to sort out our problems, that would not affect anything because how many capacities do they have? How many people are they serving? What is the statistics?

IPMAN has over 60,000 marketers and then you should know that some have about 10 petrol stations and some up to 20 and above. Go to NIPCO and check, how many members of IPMAN are buying products from them?

BUSINESS | ENERGY

Sanctity of Truth

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

31

Europe’s demand for Nigeria crude grades surges TRANSACTION Nigeria sold 1.53 million barrels per day in May Stories by Adeola Yusuf

D

emand for Nigeria’s crude grade by refineries in Europe has surged, crude loading data for the month of June has shown.

This development has also raised the daily oil exports from Africa’s biggest crude exporter to 1.8 million barrels.

Nigeria, Africa’s biggest crude exporter, is to sell this volume of product in June, compared with a planned 1.53 million bpd in May. This development showed a surge in crude revenues by Nigeria, Reuters reported, adding that crude cargoes for June loading sold at higher differentials than those for previous months.

This was bolstered by improved demand from Europe.

Nigerian grades, which are light and low in sulphur, are ideally suited to the relatively unsophisticated refineries that predominate in Europe.

Gasoline cracks in Europe are at around their highest since July and there are prospects for more strength as the continent moves into the summer driving season.

The loading data reveals further that for Qua Iboe oil, 12 cargoes will load in June.

“Of these, three had sold in the spot market while two were purchased via tender. Cargoes traded Brent plus at $3, around 50 cents higher than they traded for May loading cargoes,” the data showed.

Two Forcados, one Bonga and three Escravos cargoes had

found buyers, according to the document, while all Usan and all but one Agbami vessels were sold.

“Most Forcados cargoes from April were deferred to May due to a pipeline leak that caused Shell to declare a force majeure.

“The June programme looks to be close to normal, but Shell said at the weekend that it had still not lifted the force majeure.”

For Angola, a trader-source said that heavier grades sold quickly, with Pazflor and Dalia sold out.

Only Girassol had multiple cargoes still for sale. Girassol offered at dated Brent plus $1.90,

but a trader said it would sell at about 50 cents lower.

Close to half of the 59 Nigerian cargoes available have found buyers, but many of these are likely to be resold by trading houses, one trader said.

Nigeria is to export about 1.8 million barrels per day of crude oil in June, compared with a planned 1.53 million bpd in May, data from trade sources showed.

Angolan cargoes for June loading have sold rapidly with only about 10 of 52 cargoes still available for purchase, traders said.

$40bn Worth of oil export contracts by Nigeria for 2014. Source: FG

$350m Assigned financial stock of the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET) Plc, which the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) will manage on behalf of the NBET. Source: Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

$10m Damages that the Federal Government paid to Ghana over its inability to meet gas supply agreement it had with the later. Source: Reuters

Workers at an illegal refinery

ConocoPhillip: Oando pays $25m for asset completion date extension ACQUISITION Oando's acquisition of asset paves the way for other indigenous companies

O

ando Energy Resources Inc., a Canadian-based company focused on oil and gas exploration and production in Nigeria, announced at the weekend that it had paid a previously agreed upon deposit of $25 million.

This payment, according to a statement from CEO of Oando Energy Resources, Pade Durotoye, is for the extension of the outside completion date for the acquisition of the Nigerian Upstream Oil and Gas Business of ConocoPhillips.

The $25 million deposit was to be paid following the inabil-

ity of the parties to obtain the consent of the Minister of Petroleum Resources in Nigeria prior to April 11.

Although the company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking statements and information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements and information because the company can give no assurance that such statements and information will prove to be correct.

The company had earlier expressed confidence in concluding the acquisition of the Nigerian oil and gas business of ConocoPhillips (COP).

OER had paid COP an initial deposit of $435 million.

These assets associated with the COP acquisition are estimated to be approximately US$1.22 billion.

To conclude the deal, OER

has also received commitment letters for up to $815 million of bank credit facilities, with $465 million drawn from Reserve Based Lending Facility, internationally placed and led by BNP Paribas, Standard Bank, and Standard Chartered Bank; and a $350 million Senior Secured Loan, jointly arranged locally in Nigeria, by FBN Capital and FCMB Capital Markets.

“Maximizing value for our shareholders is our ultimate goal, and through optimal financing we remain determined to conclude the COP acquisition as soon as possible and increase our market share and infrastructure within the sector,” said Durotoye.

Once the deal is concluded, OER’s daily production will substantially increase from 4,500 bpd to 45,000 bpd, and will place the company as the largest indigenous producer behind the international oil companies.

The acquisition also paves the way for other indigenous companies to address operational boundaries within Nigeria and position themselves as global players, thus providing unprecedented opportunities for local and international investors to invest in Nigeria.

NNPC committed to economic growth via gas value chain –GMD

T

he Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has expressed its determination to deliver commercial value for the Federal Government Gas Revolution agenda in order to ensure efficient gas–to-power, gas-to-industry and sufficient gas for domestic consumption.

The Group Managing Director of the corporation, Mr. Andrew Yakubu, made this assertion during the combined opening ceremony of the batches 073 to 079 capacity building programme of the NNPC tagged Chief Officers Management Development programme at the NNPC Towers, Abuja.

He noted that NNPC is saddled with the responsibility of ensuring that the abundant gas value chain is explored maximally, stressing that the corporation must do everything possible to make the Gas Revolution agenda succeed in every ramification.

Yakubu admonished participants to come up with creative ways of dealing with the target of fully monetising the gas resource endowment of the nation,

which remains a crucial deliverable of the Federal Government’s Gas Revolution Agenda.

He emphasised that the management was fully committed to supporting the capacity development programme and will continue to provide all resources required to sustain its growth of the programme.

Delivering a lecture on “Gas Commercialisation and Economic Growth,” Professor Pat Utomi of the Lagos Business School posited that NNPC is required to deliver on the mandate of the gas-to-power strategy execution and effectiveness.

He asserted that there was every need for the NNPC to build human capital focused at the gas knowledge economy that will ensure domestic gas utilisation and provision of strong gas infrastructure to protect the environment and bottle the gas for effective consumption.

The Group Executive Director, Corporate Services, Dr. Dan Efebo, assured participants of the preparedness of management to expose them to knowledge that will deliver on the various core mandates of the corporation.

32 BUSINESS | ENERGY

Sanctity of Truth

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Nigeria’s Q1 daily oil production hits 2.5 m MORE REVENUE Marginal operators’ production rose from 1.479 million in November to 1.690 million barrels in December

Stories by Adeola Yusuf

O

il production from Nigeria, Africa’s biggest crude exporter, peaked at 2.5 million barrels per day in the first quarter of 2014, the country’s daily production statistics obtained by New Telegraph has revealed.

The statistics also showed that the production by the marginal operators rose from 1.479 million in November to 1.690 million barrels in December, 2013.

The data, which detailed all crude production from both the international oil companies (IOCs) and the indigenous oil companies showed that the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) led the park of Afren, Seplat, Oando, Conoil, WalterSmiths, Brittania-U and other Nigerian firms to contrib-

ute about 10 per cent of the total production.

“The NPDC produced 140,000 barrels last week, the day that total crude production from Nigeria stood at 2.55 million barrels,” Managing Director, Victor Briggs said, to corroborate the statistic.

He told New Telegraph: “Presently, the NPDC produces 140, 000 barrels per day (bpd) while we deliver 410 million standard cubic feet (scuf) of gas per day (mmscf/d). Our target is to increase this oil production to 160,000bpd by the end of this year and we also plan to raise the daily gas production to 600 million standard cubic feet (mscf/d) by end of the year.

“The production by indigenous companies, according to the daily crude production report of Wednesday, February 5, 2014, is more than eight per cent “contrary to what some want the people to believe, it is about 10 per cent.”

In the same vein, Opuama field operated by NPDC has started production on February 4 following successful testing and commissioning of the field facilities, oil firm, Eland said.

Production has recommenced through the successful re-commissioning of existing infrastructure and the re-open-

Oil barrels

ing of two existing wells, the firm added.

Gross output from the two wells is expected to stabilize at around 2,500 barrels of oil per day. The crude oil produced will be delivered to the Shell Forcados export terminal via the recently re-commissioned flow station and export pipeline, with a capacity to export up to 30,000 barrels per day.

Opuama field, which has estimated gross recoverable 2P

reserves of 54.2 million barrels, was in production between 1975 and 2006 before a controlled shut down of the facilities took place.

Eland CEO Les Blair commented in a company statement: “The commencement of production on OML 40 has been much anticipated by management and investors alike, and indeed by all stakeholders. It is a testament to the dedication and hard work of all stakeholders in OML 40 and is a hugely significant milestone

Tullow puts Mauritania drilling on hold TWICE BEATEN The drilling stoppage came after second disappointing well

B

ritain's Tullow Oil has paused its drilling programme in Mauritania after a second exploration well in the West African country's

Oil rig

offshore waters failed to produce enough oil or gas, the company has said.

The firm is under pressure to regain its reputation for successful exploration after a string of disappointments. It said last February that its first Mauritania well did not find oil in commercial quantities.

Tullow Oil's second well there, Tapendar-1, was plugged and abandoned after drillers found water instead

of hydrocarbons in the well's sands.

"We will now pause to analyse the data gathered from the exploration campaign thus far," Tullow Oil's exploration director, Angus McCoss, said in a statement.

He said Tullow Oil and its partners, which include Britain's Premier Oil and Malaysia's Petronas, would now analyse the data collected before deciding on further

drilling.

Equity analysts called the news a setback, although some said the delays would save drilling costs.

"Mauritania is one of Tullow's high-potential exploration plays in 2014 and after two unsuccessful wells, we believe the market is likely to lower expectations for remaining prospectivity," Deutsche Bank analyst Lucas Herrmann said.

for Eland.

“We look forward enthusiastically to the prospect of building on this pivotal turning point by materially increasing the daily production through the planned development drilling during 2014.”

NPDC holds a 55-per cent interest in OML 40. Eland’s joint venture company, Elcrest Exploration and Production Nigeria Ltd, owns the remaining 45-per cent.

Oil falls as US supplies rise by 3.5m barrels

T

he price of oil has slipped as a government report showed US oil supplies rose more than expected last week.

US crude for May delivery fell 31 cents to close at $101.44 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Last Tuesday, the Nymex contract fell $1.90 a barrel.

Brent crude, an international benchmark for oil, fell 16 cents to $109.11 on the ICE Futures exchange in London.

The US Energy Department's Energy Information Administration said oil supplies rose 3.5 million barrels in the week ended April 18. That exceeded the expectations of analysts surveyed by Platts, who forecast an increase of 3.1 million barrels. At a record 397.7 million barrels, supplies are now 2.3 per cent above year-ago levels.

Lending some support to prices were continued tensions in Ukraine, where the acting president ordered security forces to resume operations in the country's east against pro-Russian insurgents demanding closer ties with Russia, and Libya's inability to normalise its oil exports.

In other energy futures trading in New York: Wholesale gasoline was flat at $3.09 a gallon. Heating oil fell 2 cents to $2.98 a gallon. Natural gas slipped 1 cent to $4.73 per 1,000 cubic feet.

PROPERTY&ENVIRONMENT PAGE 33, Tuesday, APRIL 29, 2014

SHORTAGE Low investment in water infrastructure is making MDGs to halve the rate of access to safe drinking water in 2015 difficult.

Dayo Ayeyemi

L

agos with an estimated population of between 17.5 million and 21.3 million requires about 1.6bld potable water daily.

Out of this estimated population, only about seven million Lagosians currently have access to potable water supply, living over 10 million people to fend for themselves or depend on other sources.

According to the target of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), between 10 million and 14 million Lagosians must have access to potable water by 2015 - less than nine months from now.

Challenges such as paucity of fund, erratic power supply, low compliance to payment of water bill by residents, poor infrastructure, increased population and vandalisation of water equipment have been identified, among others, as major problems.

The posers from stakeholders begging for answers from the Lagos State government and its agency, the Lagos Water Corporation (LWC) are: Will this target be met? What are the challenges of meeting the target? What is the investment gap like? How can government overcome these challenges?

Giving the rundown of water challenges in the state during the high level roundtable discussion on “Resource Mobilisation for Improved Water Supply and Sanitation Service Delivery in Lagos State,” held in Ikeja at the weekend, the Chairman of Water and Sanitation Media Network (WASH), Mr. Babatope Babalobi, said that water demand in Lagos surpassed supply, adding that all efforts to expand services by LWC were hampered by shortage of fund.

According to him, Lagos requires N300 million per month, totaling N3.6 billion annually to achieve 85 per cent capacity utilisation of all infrastructures, and to be able to deliver water effectively to the populace.

Justifying the claims of dearth of fund for low performance of LWC, the Wash Media Network boss disclosed that the state authority allocates between N23 million and N25 million monthly to the corporation, while the latter generates about N100 million monthly, bringing its monthly income to about N125 million, leaving a deficit of N175 million.

The monthly allocation of the corporation, he said, was grossly inadequate to cover the recurrent cost of utility, adding that appropriately, about N75 million is needed for

Tackling Lagos potable water challenges • State needs N3.6bn annually to achieve 85 % capacity utilisation

A resident fetches water from one of the facilities provided by a private homeowner in Lagos .

staff salaries and emoluments monthly.

This huge funding gap of about N175 million monthly, he explained, account for the failure of the corporation to deliver water supply services efficiently and sustainably throughout the state.

He further stated that the cumulative financial inflows to the water supply and sanitation sector in Lagos State has not been sufficient to meet the financial needs for a rehabilitation, expansion of facilities and generation of energy, as well as operation and maintenance of facilities.

Though, he lauded the state government for creating the Wastewater Management Office and Lagos Water Regulation Board, he expressed concern over water task in the state, saying that LWC is in dire need of funds to meet the sanitation challenges of the mega city.

He pointed out that capital investment in the range of N10 billion per year or N300 billion over 25 years will be required in order to reach 80 per cent water supply coverage for the state.

Expressing concern over low budgetary allocation to water sector by government, Chairman, Global Ware Partnership Technical Committee, Professor Lekan Oyebande, said that the large population and high growth rates of Lagos State

have made attainment of sustainable universal access to safe water and sanitation before 2030 a daunting task.

Trying to x-ray some of the challenges confronting Lagos, he stated that in the area of innovative funding sources, cost recovery has posed a great challenge, adding that the state has not done well in this regard and that a serious initiative should be launched to ensure that operation and maintenance cost is contributed in the mega urban region by water users.

To attract donor agencies

The high level of unaccounted water should also be seriously tackled.

If such losses can be recovered or reduced to an acceptable level, the savings will represent a significant source of innovative investment

and private investors to the sector, he pointed out that cost of producing each meter cubic (m3) of potable water should be determined and made known to key stakeholders.

He said: “The high level of unaccounted water should also be seriously tackled. If such losses can be recovered or reduced to an acceptable level, the savings will represent a significant source of innovative investment in the state.”

He added that for Lagos State to meet the MDGs target of halving the rate of access to safe drinking water in 2015, it has to double investment in water finance, infrastructure construction, operation and maintenance, noting that no African country has been able to meet the MGDs goals of increasing access to water and sanitation by 50 per cent.

“Out of a total budgetary allocation of about N50 billion to the sector during the period 2006 to 2011, about N37 billion was used for capital expenses and N13 billion recurrent expenses,” he stated.

Assistant General Manager, Distribution of LWC, Mr. Surajudeen Ijaiya, said that the corporation already has a water supply master plan that would address the challenge of demand gap in-line with the 10-year plan horizon, adding that on the supply side, the agency has embarked on water treatment plant and network

construction to increase production capacity from 210mgd to 745mgd by 2020 in order to attain self-sufficiency at an average of 25 to 30 gallons per day per person.

He said that the thrust of the Lagos State government is on Public-Private Partnership, adding that the on-going rehabilitation of Adiyan Water Works has shot up water supply. He also said that the corporation was working on 70mgd Yewa 1 Water Scheme, while the process of signing agreement with the private sector that will build it is ongoing.

Besides, he said that the agency is working with Lagos State Water Regulation Commission to encourage the private sector to invest in water sector in the state.

On on-going projects, he said that Iju-Adiyan plant is being rehabilitated and has reached 90 per cent completion, while that of Ishasi, Ota-Ikosi water schemes would be commissioned soon.

Ijaiya also disclosed that the state government has commissioned 15 mini water works of 2mgd and also commissioned 12.5megawat power plant in IjuAdiyan, adding that new project coming include Adiyan 11 of 70mgd which its contract has been awarded.

He disclosed that LWC has also designed a network to C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 3 4

34

property & ENVIRONMENT

INTERVENTION Low-income group wants government to speed up access to cheap houses

Stories by Dayo Ayeyemi

T

o say that over 17 million Nigerians are without decent housing is an understatement when considering the increasing growth of slum communities in the urban centres.

So, it was good news to accommodation seekers when the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, disclosed early this month that the Federal Government has set aside N8.3 billion for the provi-

Nigerians task FG on N8.3bn mass housing programme sion of mass housing.

Almost a month since the minister disclosed this in Abuja during the stakeholders implementation summit on enabling broader access to housing finance for all, many Nigerians, especially the low-income earners, say they are yet to see any action pointing to the fact.

A civil servant, Mrs. Oluyinka Ahmed, told New Telegraph that since she could not afford high price of about N12 million on Lagos homes, her hope centres on the promise by the Federal Government to build

Tackling Lagos potable water challenges C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 3 3

supply water to locations such as Ojokoro, Ikotun, Iba and Egbeda, among others.

He stated that the projects under PPP included Odomota, Ibeshe, adding that the corporation is going toward metering to enhance water conservation, stating that if all the leakages were blocked, water will go round and people living in the inner city will have access.

One of the directors of the corporation, Mr. Raphael Oshinaike, corroborated earlier speakers, stating that there was a wide gap between water supply and demand due to huge population, adding that 754mgd

Sanctity of Truth

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

is required in the state and the corporation is only producing 210mdg.

According to him, government is looking for external investor to bridge the gap, saying that the major problem has been power generation.

He said that the corporation has embarked on construction of mini waterworks across the state including Odomola as earmarked in the state Water Master Plan.

Representative of Special Adviser, Ministry of Environment, Mr. Adefemi Afolabi, an engineer, said that the state lacked sanitation infrastructure, canvassing that more fund should be given to the issue of sanitation.

mass houses across the states of the federation.

She said that she was happy when the minister made this known but now worried that after one month of the declaration, there was no step taken for its implementation.

Another person, Mr. Taiwo Abdul, a journalist, said that he was not happy that four months after the expiration of the deadline issued the Primary Mortgage Banks to recapitalised, the Federal Government is yet to announce the names of banks that crossed the hurdle.

He expressed worries that even if government build the

houses, it would be difficult to access them if there is no virile mortgage banks.

He wants government to expedite actions on the promised houses and the announcement of the successful PMBs. Mrs Okonjo-Iweala had also disclosed that $25 million (N4.175billion) had been set aside for the lower income borrowers, even as another $25 million would be used for housing finance, totalling N8.350 billion.

The minister stated that the Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Company was collaborating with the Federal Mortgage Bank (FMB) to work on the

mass housing scheme for low income earners, who find it difficult to access finance.

Mrs Okonjo-Iweala also stated that access to land would not be a hindrance to the implementation of the Mortgage Refinancing scheme of the Federal Government, adding that states' willingness to make Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O) available would be crucial to the success of the policy.

Also speaking at the event, the Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Mrs Akon Eyakenyi, disclosed that the ministry was set to train about 1,000 artisans and craftsmen.

One of the low-income housing units in Abuja

Lekki land: Parties seek interpretation of court judgment TRESPASS Groups want clarification on the ruling of the apex court Dayo Ayeyemi

I

n order to avert what can eventually lead to a total breach of public peace in Lagos State, a firm of Suncity Properties Limited, developer of classic Milverton Flats and friends, Colony Estate, said that parties involved have been seeking judicial interpretation of the court judgment ceding their estates’ land in Ajiran area to another group.

Besides, the firm, through a statement, drew public’s attention to an allegation of obtaining a warrant of possession by the other party over the judgment, which, it said the Lagos Attorney has directed an enquiry into.

The Supreme Court had, on March18, 2014, delivered its second decision in the case between the estates of Gbadamosi Bandele Eletu Vs Ojomu Chieftaincy Family in Ajiran area of Lekki, Lagos.

Perturbed by the ruling of the apex court in which it awarded 216.758 hectares of land to the Eletu family, the firm stated that the judgment has raised more questions than it answered, pointing out that the decision ignored the root of title for everyone, both individuals and estates owning land in the Lekki axis, which is the Lagos State government.

According to the firm, Certificates of Occupancy were issued to different entities by Lagos State government after past revocations and excises did by the state, picking variation in the judgment.

The firm said: “The questions now are: What becomes of the revocation by Lagos State government? What is the status of the Notices of Excision and Certificates of Occupancy issued by Lagos State government? Exactly how does the Supreme Court expect the Ojomus to give land outside their control?

“The conundrum created by the decision is better appreciated when one considers the fact that the land in question, (which was a swamp as recently as 2003) was sand-filled by the different parties who either bought from the Ojomus or

got their grants directly from Lagos State government, these entities have built over 10,000 housing units without any notice of the adverse claims of the inheritors of late Gbadamosi Bandele Eletu.

“The first notice issued by the inheritors of late Gbadamosi Bandele Eletu was in 2007, and by this time, over 5000 houses were already standing on the land, and several billions have been paid to Lagos State government in statutory fees and sundry payments. The Lagos State government was also not a party to Suit No LD/2642/1995 that has now resulted in the current judgment of the Supreme Court."

Going down memory lane, the firm said that the Ojomus, being owners from time immemorial, of the vast area of land in Eti-Osa Local Government, and in exercise of their ownership rights, had sold, by Deed of Conveyance, 254.558 hectares of land to the late Mr. Gbadamosi Bandele Eletu.

In the exercise of their rights of ownership over this vast area of land, the Ojomus alienated 254.558 hectares of land to the late Mr. Gbadamosi Bandele Eletu.

This transaction was docu-

mented in a Deed of Conveyance (“Deed”) in favour of the late Mr. Gbadamosi Bandele Eletu dated 23/8/1977 and registered as No.36 at page 36 in Volume 1648 of the Lands Registry in the office at Lagos.

The Lagos State government, however, in the exercise of its powers under the Land Use Act and extant laws, vide Revocation Notice No 10 published in the Lagos State Official Gazette No 8 Volume 14 of February 19, 1981 and Revocation Notice No 14 published in Lagos State Official Gazette No 9, Volume 14 of February 26, 1981 respectively, revoked all rights and interest in land in Lekki Peninsula and Ibeju Lekki including the 254.558 hectares of land earlier acquired by the late Mr. Gbadamosi Bandele Eletu from the Ojomus.

But the successors of the late Mr. Gbadamosi Bandele Eletu did not challenge the right of revocation exerted by the Lagos State government, while the Ojomus did via Suit No. ID/1883/89 and the High Court decided that they were entitled to the vast expanse of land on which they had exercised acts of ownership from time immemorial.

Furthermore, the Lagos

State government, whilst acknowledging and accepting the validity of the judgment of the court in Suit No. ID/1883/89, went ahead to publish in the Lagos State Official Gazette No 20 Volume 26 (Revocation Notice No 34) of May 13, 1993, the revocation of all rights of occupancy granted to the Ojomu Chieftaincy family by virtue of the suit for overriding public interest. This revocation also affected all other existing rights to land in Lekki Peninsula and Ibeju Lekki. This revocation remains unchallenged till date.

The Lagos State government thereafter entered into negotiations with the Ojomus and in view of the judgment in Suit No. ID/1883/89, a portion of land measuring 604.19 hectares (approximately seven per cent of the total land formerly owned before the acquisition

by Lagos State) was subsequently excised to the family.

Following allegation of trespass committed by the successors of late Mr. Gbadamosi Bandele Eletu, on the excised landed property to the Ojomus, the family decided to institute a court action against the Eletus. Both the trial and appellate court decided in favour of the Ojomus.

property & ENVIRONMENT

Sanctity of Truth

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

35

‘Environmental sustainability calls for consciousness' Prof. Christian Madu is the Director of Centre for Environmental Management and Control (CEMAC) of the University of Nigeria, Enugu campus. In this interview with Leo Sobechi, Madu examines the critical issues in environmental management and the challenges of climate change. Excerpts: How prepared do you think African nations are to grapple with the challenges of climate change?

Indeed, African countries are still not well prepared for the challenges of climate change. There is still complacency and the feeling that it will not get to us. We still have the tendency to think that the industrial nations must bear the brunt of climate change. However, there is no boundary to the climatic problems that we are all facing. The atmosphere is heating up and the weather patterns are changing. We are facing the problems of drought and deforestation in parts of Africa, and in sections of our country Nigeria, we are prone to flooding. Even some of our great lakes like Lake Chad are drying up. Some of these environmental problems can be attributed to climate change. Furthermore, we notice that the temperature is getting hotter as the ozone shield is weakened. All these changes have negatively impacted our food production, the food chain, our health and our quality of life. It is therefore imperative that our leaders take climate change seriously and develop policies that can help them to either mitigate or adapt to these changes.

What are the critical issues in environmental management?

The critical issues in environmental management involve the protection of the environmental media namely land, water and air. We are in a world that we cannot survive without any of these media. We need land to live on and grow the food we eat. Land is a limited resource and we must protect it from pollution, otherwise it will be inhabitable and it will not produce the supply of food we need to survive. Land is also shared by other living organisms and we need to maintain the eco-balance to exist on Earth. Every organism has a role to play in the sustenance of the earth. It could be a role in the food chain where, for example, if we exterminate all the snakes we will be overrun by rodents or in providing the food that we eat. We need to protect forestry and wildlife to maintain the environment. When we look at water too, we know that life can not exist without water. Although about 70 per cent of the earth is made up of water, yet water is a scarce and limited commodity.

Many nations have programmes to conserve water and recycle water. In Nigeria, water is a scarce commodity since many communities cannot boast of potable water.

The problem of scarcity of water is further exacerbated by the indiscriminate pollution of water sources from anthropogenic activities. The body of water is also a major source of food to man. If we pollute our seas and rivers, we end up killing all the animals and fishes that live in water and shortchange ourselves in the food supply. Like water, air is a necessity, but it is increasingly getting scarce. Industrial activities in some areas are generating fumes and toxic substances that are polluting the air. Hence, it is imperative that environmental management focuses on these three environmental media since they are crucial in achieving quality of life.

When most commentators worry about environmental sustainability, what does that entail?

Environmental sustainability or simply sustainability is about meeting our current needs in an eco-friendly way without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. To achieve this would require a lot of sacrifice and discipline from everyone.

Sustainability calls for environmental consciousness.

We need to think before we act in every activity we engage in. There are actions that we can take to ensure sustainability. For example, we can control food waste.

When we are careful not to waste food, we are actually protecting the future generation. Think about it, to generate food, you need a lot of energy to be spent either with the tractors and farm equipment that till the land or harvest it. You need transportation to convey the food from one source to one destination. These

conscious of our activities. We make optimal use of resources and focus more on reuse, recycle, and remanufacture. We try to get lean in all activities and show consciousness in the use of energy, land, water, and air. Also, we seek alternatives or substitutes that are more environmentally friendly. We are now looking at alternative energy such as solar or wind mill which is cleaner. As you know, the use of fossil fuels is common in our house generators and lead to generation of pollutants and greenhouse gases that do in fact harm the environment in several ways including destroying the ozone layer and making it possible for ultra-violet rays to penetrate from the sun. This makes the earth hotter thus affecting the oceans and leading to expansion as the ice melts and potentially causing flooding. If we are sustainable, we may be able to reduce the risk or at least the frequency of natural disasters.

Madu

activities often involve the burning of fossil fuel which is not only polluting the environment but it also is a non-renewable resource that is limited in supply. Also when you produce food, you may be tempted to apply fertilizer. If you do not do organic farming, the fertilizer that is used kill organic matters and microbes that live in the soil and further destroys the land. The production of food also comes with water usage which is a limited resource. So when you think about it carefully, you see that food wastes come at a cost to the society and the cost is revealed in the lost productivity from the food production process.

In what ways could disaster risk reduction help an organisation?

First of all, disaster can be as a result of natural occurrence such as we have witnessed in the cases of flooding, tsunamis, earthquakes, wildfires and hurricanes among others. Nigeria has been fortunate so far to be grappling only with the issue of flooding recently and then drought in some parts of the country. However, we should not take this luck for granted. Some disasters may be as a result of environmental hazards. Take for instance the problem of flooding we are having in the country now. Some of it can be explained by the fact that the water ways are blocked either by waste dumps, debris or that we are building structures on water ways.

Water is very powerful and will always find its way, so when we inadvertently block the waterways; we face the risk of flooding since the water can no longer find its normal path. It is therefore important that organisations understand that they risk losing their resources, lower productivity, incurring higher flood insurance premiums, if they fail to heed to zoning laws or to take actions to unclog the water ways from their dumps. It is also important that businesses understand and cooperate with the work of NESREA, (National Environmental Standards, Regulation and Enforcement Agency) which demands that Environmental Impact Assessment, (EIA) be done before a business is established and to follow it up with Environmental Auditing (EA). The essence of both EIA and EA is to protect the business and the community from potential environmental hazards that may eventually lead to disaster. More importantly, it is better to be proactive and take actions that may help to prevent such hazards and disasters from occurring than trying corrective actions after the disaster has occurred. I had occasion in one of the workshops I participated at government house, Awka, to observe businessmen asking for government compensation for damages done to their businesses, as a result of the 2012 flooding. We could have possibly reduced the intensity of the damages if our businesses have done the right things and followed the zoning laws and guidelines. However, by our not being able to do such, we face the risk of the consequences.

Is there any correlation between sustainability management and risk reduction?

Yes indeed. With sustainable development, we are

You participated in the training of pioneer staff of ENSEPA now Enugu State Waste Management Authority (ESWAMA) on solid waste management; briefly, what were the basic things you wanted them to know?

Yes, it was my first active role on environment at Enugu state more than ten years ago. I trained the staff on solid waste management on what was dubbed then private sector participation program.

This was to be an innovative project that ensures that the Enugu urban is clean and free of refuse. Since the training more than ten years ago, I have not seen much innovation in the activities of ESWAMA. It continues to play its traditional role of just picking up garbage and charging the customers for its services. This role has to change. ESWAMA itself needs to develop eco-friendly practices in the way it collects garbage. It must make sure that it does not contribute in further degradation of the environment by devising eco-friendly means of collecting garbage and also by converting the garbage into useful elements that can be recycled back to the customer. There is nothing to stop ESWAMA from having a recycling plant and urging the separation of wastes especially the recyclable elements and the organic matters. It can effectively turn the organic matters into manures that can be sold at subsidized rate to farmers. This would help to de-emphasize the use of chemical fertilizers which in the long run will destroy the land. ESWAMA can also be innovative and seek foreign partnerships to convert waste into energy. We have a severe problem of lack of power supply and we are continuing to destroy the environment by running the generators for power. Bio fuels however may be generated from these refuse that can be used to provide energy as a better alternative to the burning of fossil fuels.

Most times such trainings get lost through the constant shift in emphasis by governments in Nigeria. How do you think the message could be made to endure?

You are right. There are many competing forces and often times, we do not properly allocate our resources and also fail to articulate our priorities. However, the bigger problem is that our governments are being commercialized. The government should play the role of providing social services to the people, and not necessarily free, but at a reasonable rate to sustain the provision of such services. Recently, government officials emphasize more on revenue generation at the expense of its statutory role to serve the public. With such pressures on them to generate revenues, the bigger picture is lost and that often creates the tension between the citizens and government agencies. We need to re-evaluate our roles and develop futuristic views rather than the short-term focus on high revenues today. It is when we appreciate the responsibility of the government to the people that we can begin to offer the services that will enrich the people’s experience.

Do you subscribe to the prevalent view of development partners concerning the low level of public enlightenment on environmental issues; how can it be addressed?

There is indeed low level of public enlightenment on environmental issues. This is apparent from our behavior. We continue to live without caring about our actions and how such actions ultimately affect our future on Earth. Many of us still dump our wastes in any open space provided we are not caught by ESWAMA or similar organizations. We drop bags of sachet water everywhere and we see it littering all over. We waste water, waste fossil fuel by taking unnecessary leisure trips, buy products without even caring about the content or reading the label.

36 property & ENVIRONMENT

Pros and cons of hardwood flooring Hardwood floors are one of the amenities that home buyers often look for when buying a house. However, the purchase and installation of this type of flooring, according to expert@ www.about.com can be pricey and its care and maintenance can be challenging.

H

ardwood flooring usually comes in three varieties: strip, plank and parquet. The individual segments in wood strip flooring are usually about 1 ½- to 2 ¼-inches wide. Plank flooring strips are wider and parquet floors are composed of individual squares that make up a geometric pattern. Unfinished hardwood floors allow the homeowner to finish the product with a stain that matches the décor.

If you are debating whether to install hardwood flooring in your home, first investigate the pros and cons.

Pros Easy maintenance: Hardwood floors are durable and have stood the test of time. Homes that are more than 100 years old can still have the original flooring if they have been cared for properly. They just need sweeping or vacuuming and an occasional cleaning with a wood floor cleaner.

Value: Buyers are willing to pay top dollar for homes with hardwood floors. In addition, homes with hardwood floors tend to sell faster than homes with wall-to-wall carpeting. Think about it: builders consider hardwood flooring an upgrade. They don’t charge extra for carpet.

Many styles available: Hardwood flooring works with all styles of decorating, from traditional to modern.

It is available in several types of woods, such as oak, cherry and walnut, and can be sanded and stained to suit the home owner’s taste. When your style changes, you also can change the look of your hardwood floors.

Cons Cost: Wood floors are a costly option. Materials can run from $3 per square foot for unfinished oak planks at a big-box retail store, to more than $12 a square foot for more exotic types of wood. The flooring must be installed over sub-flooring and installation is a bigger job than most homeowners can handle. Labor costs will vary.

Needs refinishing occasionally: In addition to installation, scuffed and scratched floors will need to be refinished. The softer the wood, the easier it will scratch and blemish. Hardwood floors in high traffic areas, especially when there are pets or children, will be prone to showing damage. Having hardwood floors refinished professionally costs between $1.25 and $4.00 or more per square foot, depending on the type of floor, room layout, finish and other factors, according to Contractors.com.

Noisy: Hardwood flooring can be noisy when walking across it and can be a nuisance to your downstairs neighbors if you live in an apartment complex. Placing an area rug over the floor can help muffle the sound and provides added warmth to the room. Adding a rug is also a good idea for families with children or adults who are prone to falls, since it acts as a cushion.

Sanctity of Truth

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

After remodeling, decay sets in for Lagos Airport p–38

Sanctity of Truth

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

BUSINESS 37

An airport fire tender

Rescuing Nigerian airports with adequate fire cover Wole Shadare

D

isruption to airport activities is costly to operators, airlines and their customers alike and the on-time movement of passengers, baggage, freight and aircraft are crucial as well, be it a modern or an old airport.

Possibly, the most dangerous and expensive kind of disruption is caused by fire and a tragic example is last week’s inferno that completely razed the control tower of Kaduna Airport, leaving nothing to salvage.

The inferno was so extensive, raising plethora of questions as to why the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) could not rescue the tower.

Not a few wondered what FAAN did with loans provided by the World Bank in 2011 for the provision of firefighting equipment at the nation’s aerodromes.

The World Bank had approved an International Development Association (IDA) credit of N5.87 billion ($46.65 million) for Nigeria under the West and Central Africa Air Transport Safety and Security project.

The World Bank task team leader of the project, Pierre Pozzo di Borgo, said then: “In Nigeria, like in the rest of the West/Central Africa, Civil Aviation Authorities (CAA) is the guardians of aviation safety and security without which the sector cannot achieve sustainable growth.”

A breakdown of the loan facility shows that the FAAN got the highest amount of $13.06 million, followed by the NCAA, which received $9.3 million.

The NCAT received $8.7 million, while the NAMA got $7.99 million.

Estimated implementation period of the projects, according to a source in the aviation industry, was between 2010 and June 2011.

FAAN was expected to spend about $1.3 million on construction of crisis management centres in Abuja, Kano, Lagos and Port-Harcourt airports.

Building of an aircraft remote parking in the event of crisis in the four international airports is to cost $450,000, while $1.10 million is to be spent on buying of five x-ray machines for freight in the four airports.

Also, 10 fire trucks for the four airports at a cost of $4.70 million were part of the equipment to be bought while $1.26 million will be spent on x-ray machines for passenger luggage in Lagos, Port Harcourt and Kano.

There have been so many incidents of fire out break at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos but not to the scale of the one that occurred at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi late last year that burnt half of the huge terminal.

The fire incident of last week was attributed to power surge, which razed the entire

tower, leading to the evacuation of the personnel on duty.

FAAN is responsible for the provision of fire tenders for airports nationwide.

In the event of fire at an airport, it is noteworthy that estimated losses to replace a tower could be in the range of over N2 billion.

Erecting a high tower with state-of-the-art air traffic control equipment could be enormous and one that would have been necessary if assistance had come earlier to save the facilities.

Speaking on the incident, President, Aviation Round Table (ART), Captain Dele Ore, said that the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) was very clear on importance of fire cover for airports, saying that the class of airport depends on its capability to combat fire incident

Erecting a high tower with state-of-theart air traffic control equipment could be enormous and one that would have been necessary if assistance had come earlier to save the facilities

and wondered why none of the country’s airports is certified by the NCAA if it met all the safety requirements.

According to him, “the very sad aspect of our industry is that we do not learn from the mistakes of the past. ‘Issues from the Nigeria Aircraft Accidents’ written by my good self some three years ago, we looked at all these issues and we asked if we have really learnt anything. The answer is no. we have not learnt anything at all.

“We have moved from the era of things to be used manually to the extent that a sensitive place like the tower, you should have auto features whereby in case of fire, the thing discharges itself immediately. You don’t have to wait for a fire tender that is parked somewhere on the runway that will never come and not even serviceable.

“You can tell us you have a 100 fire tenders, but when there is the need for it, the necessary things will not be there. When last were they trained? How current are they? Those are the human factors to issues.

The real cause of our problem is that we are so obsessed with this issue of remodeling of terminals that we forget all the safety issues.

“If we face the airside and the safety issues and spend twice the amount of money we spend on remodeling of the airports, people will be praising us because right now, all the terminals they claimed to have remodelled, water is leaking from everywhere. It’s a

shame because these jobs have sent us back several years.”

Also, a member of the National Association of Aircraft Engineers and Pilots (NAAPE), Sheri Kyari, said that fire tenders are parts of the requirements to have at the airports, which are used to cover the entire airports in case of fire emergencies.

Kyari described as unfortunate the razing down of the control tower even in the presence of firefighters, and wondered the type of materials used for the construction of the terminal.

Reacting, spokesman for FAAN, Mr. Yakubu Dati said that every airport in the country, including Kaduna Airport, now has adequate fire cover in line with the recommendations of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for its prescribed fire cover category.

This, he said, includes the prescribed number of fire tenders, firemen and related safety facilities. The Kaduna Airport has Category 7 fire cover status and meets all the ICAO requirements to operate under that category, including manpower, fire tenders and requisite fire equipment.

He explained that between 2012 and 2013, the number of serviceable fire hydrant systems at our airports has been increased from two to seven, with work in progress at 11 more hydrant systems, while all the airports have received additional modern fire tenders.

BUSINESS | AVIATION

Sanctity of Truth

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

AIR RAGE

WITH

38

Wole Shadare

After remodeling, decay sets in for Lagos airport or many years, Nigerian Fwhat airports remained, at best, many described then a

Travellers' self check-in kiosks

Rise in airports digital, social marketing TECHNOLOGY There is a growing trend in digital and social airports marketing.

Wole Shadare

W

hile most travellers might associate airports with delayed flights and overpriced sandwiches rather than innovative marketing campaigns, certain airports around the world have realised the mutual value created when they engage with travellers online and in real time.

There is a growing trend in digital and social marketing: airports engaging in social media marketing.

Nigerian airlines are also catching the bug, but they have not totally keyed efficiently into the system. Most Nigerians are not so much concerned about all the razzmatazz. All they want is to get to their destinations after so much prayer: Flying on the wings of prayers.

Social media is being used in a variety of ways. Melbourne Airport, for example, helps travellers to plan their trips by providing deals on flights from Melbourne on the airport’s Twitter feed.

Outagamie Airport (ATW) in Wisconsin ran a campaign called ‘Memphis Money’ on Facebook. They printed 10,000 golden tickets and each ticket had an individual lucky number on the back. Each ‘Memphis Money’ ticket had instructions inviting the finder to participate in the activity on the airport’s Facebook page.

The winning number was announced on Facebook and the winner was awarded a $500 Delta Air Lines voucher.

Although this trend of airports going social is relatively new, it is already undergoing

at least one major change: airports worldwide are adding Chinese social media platforms into the marketing mix. It’s no secret that Chinese travellers are going abroad in ever-greater numbers and spending more abroad than their peers in other countries.

As the hospitality and travel industries shift their marketing programs and budgets towards attracting a larger number of these outbound Chinese tourists, airports must adapt as well or risk being alienated from potentially huge new markets. For example, unhappy travellers may post and share negative comments on social media about a lack of amenities or high prices for Wi-Fi, which could lead followers to choose other transport hubs or carriers which serve more traveler-friendly airports.

Chinese citizens tend to stay connected online: as many as 95 per cent of Chinese Internet users from Tier One through Tier Three cities have social media accounts. Smartphone usage is skyrocketing with some estimates putting total smartphone ownership at 420 million countrywide. When these ‘netizens’ go abroad, it is likely that they will bring their gadgets and browsing habits with them. These connected travellers are no strangers to social media marketing. Beijing Airport has over 460,000 followers and the Hangzhou Airport has over 620,000 followers. Every day, Chinese travellers interact and receive information about travel from these airports.

Changi Airport is the best example of a foreign airport leveraging Sina Weibo to reach Chinese tourists. They have attracted over 120,000 followers and they actively engage with Chinese travellers.

They provide information about traveling in Singapore and promote the airport’s features including the ‘Changi

Airport Transit Hotel’. Another great example is Aéroports de Paris, which has attracted over 20,000 followers and actively promotes the shopping experience provided by the 14 different airports they manage in the Île-de-France (Paris) area.

Chinese travellers that pass through these airports are more likely to shop and interact with the airport based on their social media experience.

According to TripAdvisor, travellers are naturally social: “91 per cent of travellers post pictures of vacations, 57 per cent post status updates and 34 per cent check-in with sites like Foursquare while travelling. Additionally, 75 per cent of business travellers and frequent fliers carry smartphones.

Just as many of them logon to airport Wi-Fi when it is free.” Providing incentives for these travellers will help increase awareness about an airport’s features. Providing discounts on merchandise when travellers share pictures of themselves at the airport, providing free coffee for travellers who share airport content on Weibo or providing airport maps on WeChat are just a few examples of how airports can begin engaging with Chinese travellers. The travellers benefit by receiving vital information about the airport and their travel destination.

Foreign airports can attract and connect with these newly mobile Chinese travellers by creating social media marketing plans that utilise platforms such as WeChat and Weibo to deliver relevant and engagement content on a regular basis. Airports that become ‘China-friendly’ can expect to see an increase in traffic from mainland China and in turn see increased revenue from these connected Chinese travellers.

shame of a nation. It was like travelling through hell. But the plan by the Federal Government to give Nigerians befitting airports raised hope that Nigeria was waking up to its slumber.

That the airports might be remodeled emerged late 2010 when then Minister of Aviation, Mrs. Fidelia Njeze, announced plans to embark on the rebuilding of new terminals for the nation’s airports.

“Government has gone ahead to also approve that we remodel our airports, especially the terminals, to meet international standards; what we see when we travel, even in the smallest countries in Africa, they have modern terminals; those terminals are so obsolete and we are trying to go modern and I want to assure you that in less than one year, we will start seeing knock down of some of these old terminals and bring up modern ones that you and I will be happy to have,” she said after a tour of the new facilities installed

by Arik Air. Government got the backing of Nigerians and embarked on a very ambitious airports renovation that many thought would make or Tambo and Cairo International airports an envy of what government was planning for Nigeria’s biggest airport, the Murtala Muhammed International and the Nnamdi Azikiwe airports both in Lagos and Abuja.

The so called premier airport is an insult to any Nigerian that has traveled abroad.

Small cities in the United States and elsewhere have better airports than Nigerian airports. Port Hacourt airport was built in 1978 with no JetBridges. Murtala Airport has FIXED Jet-Bridges. Forget about Kano.

So, instead of building airports at every politician's hometown, demolish and build a few modern airports and let each city or state that wants an airport build it and insist it meets a certain standard. Government recently commenced work on four airports to be built in Abuja, Lagos, Kano and Port-Harcourt.

Let us hope these new airport terminals after completion would take away excruciating pains experienced by travellers who make use of the nation’s airports.

Under the airport remodeling project, 22 airports were said to be refurbished in two phases. Phase one was to take care of 11 airports and another 11 under the second phase.

While commendation must be given to sacked Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah for

deeming it necessary to repair some decrepit airports, there are allegations that many of the materials used for airport remodeling were inferior and one that would not stand the test of time.

Already, some of the materials used for the project are already collapsing and decaying at a very fast rate.

A visit to the MMIA leaves much to be desired. It seems that replacement of old air conditioners was not part of the project. The terminal building can best be described as an oven, the conveyor belts that were purchased newly have collapsed; the old elevators were not removed. It is risky to attempt to use the elevator for fear of being trapped.

The story is almost the same at the newly-constructed General Aviation Terminal (GAT). The facility that was commissioned nearly two years ago is already decaying.

The aluminum claddings were already falling off.

The entire terminal stinks.

The toilets still stink; the same way it oozes stench before it was renovated. Not a few believed that Nigerians have been shortchanged in these entire process as nobody knows how much was spent on the projects.

In saner climes, before such projects are undertaken, the citizens would have been told where the funds would come from and how much it would cost to complete the project.

Nobody, not even the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) is in a position to tell Nigerians how much was expended on the substandard materials used for the Lagos airport remodeling.

The counters are organised in a way that makes check-in not only cumbersome, but one that paints a sorry state of the airport. The floor tiles are not top grade, the glass used to beautify the terminal has faded, making it to add to the embarrassment of a terminal building for Nigeria’s premier airport.

Power outage at the airport is a common occurrence. It has persisted till today even with the promise of new power generating plants.

Power outage in Lagos and Abuja airports adversely affected operations with its attendant security, safety and facilitation implications.

A period of darkness at the airport renders security operatives immobile and ineffective. It creates the opportunity for evildoers to carry out their nefarious activities. It can help a terrorist smuggle dangerous weapon into the aircraft and if the outage affects the lighting at the runway, it can lead to a crash.

BUSINESS | AVIATION

Sanctity of Truth

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

39

Arik strategises on Lagos-Mumbai route PARTNERSHIP The airline qualifies as a serious player for any Indian airline to partner, facilitate seamless flights between the two countries.

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igeria’s flag carrier airline, Arik, has begun exploring the possibility of introducing a direct service to India, following a recent visit from the Indian

High Commissioner to Nigeria, His Excellency, Ajjampur Rangalah Ghanashyam to the airline’s headquarters in Lagos.

The High Commissioner was at the Arik Air Aviation Centre to explore opportunities on how to facilitate direct flights between Nigeria and India. Presently, there are no direct flights between the two countries, with travelers currently forced to board connecting flights through Addis Ababa, South Africa or Dubai.

According to the High

Commissioner, direct flights between Nigeria and India would boost business, tourism, save passengers flight time and reduce the stress of the journey. “Direct flights are also important during medical emergencies, because direct movement of patients during emergencies would save a lot of lives.”

Speaking after inspecting the facilities at Arik Air headquarters, Ghanashyam said he was impressed with the profile of the airline, which appears to him a professionally run

carrier. He stressed that Arik Air’s fleet size, route network and staff strength meant it was an airline that would serve as a strong partner in providing direct flights between India and Nigeria.

He explained: “With over 120 daily flights, 26 aircraft and over 2000 direct employees, Arik Air qualifies as a serious player for any Indian airline to partner with in order to facilitate seamless flights between the two countries.

“This visit to Arik Air is the

first stage in building an initial bridge of understanding.

The airlines will decide the potential and viability of a partnership. I am confident that Arik Air has done well, given the facilities I have seen,” Ghanashyam concluded.

The High Commissioner was received on the visit by the Chairman of Arik Air, Sir J.I.A. Arumemi-Ikhide, President/Group Chief Executive, Dr. Michael Arumemi-Ikhide and Deputy Managing Director, Captain Ado Sanusi.

Dana Air bags Domestic Airline Operator of the Year 2013 Award

Dana Air's MD83 aircraft

he Transport & Logistics Tjudged Nigeria Limited has adDana Air as the “Do-

Arik Air's business class cabin

Etihad Airways offers personalised holiday inspiration E tihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, is offering personalised travel tips to social media users as part of a brand new online initiative, titled #EtihadSuggests.

The global campaign invites members of the public to ask holiday-related questions on Facebook or Twitter using the #EtihadSuggests hashtag. Etihad Airways’ online community team will aim to respond within 10 minutes, offering insider information on must-visit destinations, including suggestions on the best hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions.

Etihad Airways will also

Etihad A340 aircraft

proactively find and respond to general travel-related posts on Facebook and Twitter, surprising users with helpful tips that directly relate to their trip.

The #EtihadSuggests campaign will be operated on a 24x7 basis, with the airline’s online community team offering personalised travel tips in both English and Arabic.

Chief Commercial Officer at Etihad Airways, Peter Baumgartner, said: “Our social media channels have attracted a fast-growing community of followers across the world, who have always responded favourably to thetravel-related hints and tips we

have posted in the past.

“Our #EtihadSuggests campaign presents an exciting opportunity to build on this popularity and tap into the wealth of information within Etihad Airways and Etihad Holidays about interesting destinations to visit, plus the fun activities and tourist attractions that should not be missed during a stay. Unlike our other posts, which were aimed at a wider audience, #EtihadSuggests is focused on personalised and tailored information that relate to the travel needs of individual Susers. And once travel plans come together, Etihad Holidays can help fulfil them.”

mestic Airline Operator of the Year 2013,” organisers of the Transport Stakeholders’ Excellence Awards said. Dana Airline emerged after a thorough and rigorous screening by a team of assessors and the result was subsequently confirmed by a public opinion survey.

The transport and logistics award is an initiative designed to reward, celebrate, encourage and project transport stakeholders who have contributed significantly towards the advancement and development of logistics and transport in all ramifications.

Dana Air was presented with the coveted plaque at the Awards ceremony held at the Lagos Sheraton Hotels & Towers and was attended by numerous high profile guests including Mr. Kayode Opeifa, the Lagos State Commissioner for Transport as special guest of honor as well as representatives of the Osun State governor and the permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Transport.

Commenting on the award, the Chief Operating Officer and Accountable Manager of Dana Air, Mr. Yvan Drewinsky said: “It’s gratifying that the airline has continued to attract positive attention and has again been voted as the airline of the year by stakeholders in the transport and logistics sector. More importantly, Dana Air takes this award as a vote of confidence from our discerning customers and we want to re-assure them that we will intensify our efforts at building a world class airline in Nigeria.”

Drewinsky noted that the vision of Dana Air is to become Nigeria’s most reliable and customer-friendly airline, and also stated that the airline will not rest on its oars but rather strive to continually look at new and exciting ways of exceeding the aspirations of its guests.

Speaking in same vein, the chairman of the awards organising committee, Emeka Ogwara, said that Dana Air merits the award as it has shown commitment to very rigorous certification tests which ascertains the premium that the airline places on safety of the flying public in general and its passengers in particular.

Ogwara further stated that Dana Air was able to recommence air services in record time after the successful conduct of its operational audit.

Since commencing operations in November 2001, Dana Air has been nominated for several awards in Nigeria and was named ‘Best IT-Driven Airline of the Year 2009’ by two renowned Information Technology bodies. The airline also bagged the Aviation Service Excellence Award at the West African Branding Excellence Awards 2010 and was named the Best Airline Operator of the Year at the Lagos Enterprise Awards 2010.

It will be recalled that Dana Air is the only domestic airline to have successfully undergone an operational audit conducted by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), in conjunction with its foreign partners, The Flight Safety Group. The airline is reputed for its world-class customer service, in-flight service and on-time performance.

40

BUSINESS | AVIATION

INVENTION The fleet modifications are Delta’s latest investment in improving the customer experience

D

elta Airlines has completed the installation of full flat-bed seats with direct-aisle access in BusinessElite across its entire international widebody fleet, making it the only US carrier to offer full flat-bed seats and the convenience of direct-aisle access on all overseas flights.

The completed interior fleet modifications include all Delta Airbus A330-200/300, Boeing

Sanctity of Truth

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Delta Air pioneers fully flatbed among US airlines 767-300ER/400ER, 747-400 and 777-200ER/LR aircraft, which represents Delta’s largest interior fleet modification investment in more than a decade.

With these modifications complete, Delta is also the only US domestic carrier to offer personal, on-demand entertainment at every seat on all long-haul international flights.

The fleet modifications are

Delta’s latest investment in improving the customer experience. Since 2010, Delta also has launched international Wi-Fi service and completed the installation of Wi-Fi on all domestic, two-class mainline and regional jets, offering more than 400,000 customers per day access to the Internet above 10,000 feet on more than 870 aircraft.

Delta Airline's flat bed

The carrier has equally transformed the sleep experience in the air by offering Westin Heavenly In-Flight bedding for customers in the BusinessElite cabin, updated BusinessElite amenity kits with stylish cases from Tumi and skincare product brand Malin+Goetz.

It has also built a team of celebrity chefs and James Beard Award winners to offer customers great food and wine selections at 30,000 feet.

The airline has also introduced International Economy Sleep Kits and added new amenities for its Economy customers on transoceanic flights.

“We’re investing in giving our customers the wide range of options they want on long flights -from being fully connected via in-flight Wi-Fi to being fully disconnected and enjoying a great movie or comfortable sleep," said Tim Mapes, senior vice president, Marketing. “Delta has set a new standard for our customers by adding full flat-bed seats with direct-aisle access, improved meals and amenities, and quality in-flight entertainment options.”

Beginning July 1, 2014, Delta also will operate three updated Boeing 757 aircraft with full flat-bed seats on the transcontinental route between New York's John F. Kennedy

International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport. These will be the first 757 aircraft in service to feature Delta's previously announced upgrades including full flatbed seats in BusinessElite on transcon flights between New York-JFK and Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle.

All transcon flights on these routes will feature full flat-bed seats by summer 2015.

Meanwhile, the firm has invested billions of dollars in the customer experience including, updating interiors with more baggage space and access to power throughout 225 domestic narrowbody aircraft through 2016, a new Terminal 4 at New York-JFK and the Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal in Atlanta.

Delta has also spent more than $100 million to expand, renovate and consolidate terminals C and D at New YorkLaGuardia Airport, opened a Sky Deck at Delta Sky Clubs in New York-JFK and Atlanta in 2013.

Additionally, customers have seen Delta's investment in its more than 50 Delta Sky Clubs throughout the system, power recharging stations at dozens of airports, continued updates to the Fly Delta app including features such as integrated baggage tracking and mobile check-in.

Malaysia MH370 search may last for years

T

he search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 is likely to drag on for years, a US military official said at the weekend, as an underwater search for any trace of the plane's wreckage off west Australia appeared to have failed.

The official, who declined to be identified because he is not authorised to comment on the search effort, said two weeks of scouring the Indian Ocean floor with a submersible drone had turned up no wreckage.

He said that the search for the airliner would now enter a much harder phase of scouring broader areas of the ocean near where the plane is believed to have crashed.

"We went all in on this small area and didn't find anything.

Now you've got to go back to the big area," the official told Reuters.

The undersea drone Bluefin-21 is expected on Friday to finish what may be the last of its 16-hour trips to depths of more than 4.5 km (2.8 miles), searching a 10 square km (6.2 square mile) patch of seabed about 3,200 km (2,000 miles) northwest of the Australian city of Perth.

Australian search officials said that despite it having completed 95 percent of its target search are, the remote controlled submarine had failed to

locate any sign of the plane.

Authorities had identified the area as their strongest lead in determining the plane's final resting place after detecting what they suspected was a signal from the plane's black box recorder on April 4.

Although the most promising efforts have been focused underwater, the air and surface search continued on Friday with up to eight military aircraft and 10 ships working on visual searches of an area of about 49,000 square km (19,000 square miles).

But the US official said Malaysia would now have to decide how to proceed, including whether to bring in more underwater drones, even with the understanding that the search could continue for years without a refined search area.

Families increasingly frustrated Malaysia has been under growing international pressure to improve its disclosure about its investigation into the disappearance of the plane, which was on a night flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing when it vanished.

Prime Minister Najib Razak told CNN on Thursday that his government would make public a preliminary report into the plane's disappearance next week.

It was not specified which parties Malaysia intended to give the report to or what information was expected to be contained in it.

Underscoring frustration at the lack of progress, several dozen family members of Chinese passengers on board gathered outside the Malaysian embassy in Beijing in the early hours of Friday, prompting a heavy police presence.

"Whenever we ask questions, the airline people tell us

it is the responsibility of the government, the investigation, the search and everything are taken charge of by the government, so they cannot answer any questions," Steve Wang, a spokesman for the families, told reporters.

"In this way, government just avoids their duties."

Despite the seemingly discouraging news on Friday, no one involved in the search effort would publicly discuss the possibility of calling an end to the

Some family members of victims of MH370 flight

operations.

Australian Navy Chief Ray Griggs, speaking to reporters in Hong Kong, said there were still options available for moving forward.

"If the rest of the search doesn't find anything initially, there might be a further search in the same area with different equipment," he said.

"But that's something the three governments need to work at," he said, referring to Malaysia, China and Australia.

MOM&PARENTING

NEW TELEGRAPH

41

www.newtelegraphonline.com/mum&parenting

OLUWATOSIN OMONIYI oluwatosin.omoniyi@newtelegraphonline.com tosin042001@yahoo.com

TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2014

A couple with their child sleeping

PHOTO: wiznation.com

Privacy: Let your kids sleep in their rooms

F

unny? David Chidozie is eight. When he was six, his father believed he was ripe enough to sleep in a separate room to allow the parents privacy in their room. The dad bought a double deck bed for David and his younger brother, Sam. While Sam would go straight to his room when sleep comes every night, David, the older sibling would look for excuses to sleep in the parents’ room. “That Air conditioner in our room is not working well. Yours is cooler,” he would say or “I don’t sleep well when I am sleeping on the upper deck. The bed is high.” Told to sleep on the lower deck, he would reply, “That one is hot. The fan doesn’t get to me”.

Obviously, David looks for reasons to sleep in his parents’ room every night, a situation, neither the father nor the mother wants. Reason: At eight, they believe David will be interrupting their privacy or even see them making love at night. The mother, particularly does not like it. She says the boy could see some things and start imagining. “He’s growing and getting sensible”, she says.

It is a cause of quarrel between some couples. Others merely tolerate it. But at what time should you allow your children sleep in separate rooms from yours? OLUWATOSIN OMONIYI encountered some parents In most societies around the world, children sleep with their parents, at least, for the first several years of their life. It is a habit that has become a culture for most parents worldwide. To such parents, it enhances bonding between them and the children. And in some cases, it causes disagreement between couples and partners.

Josephine Ewatomi, lost her age- long boyfriend, OIubunmi Aduragbemi because of bed sharing with her son. For every night that Aduragbemi passes at Ewatomi’s place, it ends in heated arguments between them. Her son comes into the room, in between them in bed, an act that irritates Aduragbemi. He felt Ewatomi was using it as a tactic to get rid of him in the relationship. According to Ewatomi, he questioned several times why her son should be creeping in at night to sleep beside them in bed.

She said he complained that he wasn’t free coming to spend nights anymore. Gradually, the 14 year old relationship faded out on the ground of bed sharing with her son. Aduragbemi wanted privacy, which the son did not offer. Ewatomi believed that Aduragbemi, who was not only overbearing, was also not accommodating her son’s fears. She said she didn’t know how to control her six year old son creeping into her room at night since her boyfriend didn’t live with them. “He passes the night whenever he wishes, which doesn’t help the situation,” she said. Ewatomi added that each time her boyfriend complained, she feels he doesn’t love her son because he doesn’t seem to share and appreciate the boy’s fears at night. One evening, he just put a call through to his girlfriend and called the relationship off. She felt

bad, though, she strongly believed that he doesn’t really love her son.

She is not alone in the act of allowing her child sleep in her room. There are many parents “guilty” of this offence.

“My daughter is 5 years old and I am still having issues with getting her to sleep in her bed in her own room instead of with me and her dad every night. She often wakes at night and comes to my room. It is generally due to nightmares and fears.

Rather than be strict about it, I actually ended up setting up a small mattress beside my side of the bed with a pillow, so that anytime she comes in, she curls up beside me without disturbing anyone. She feels comforted just being near me. I know she will outgrow it after a while, but I am quite happy that we did it that way. I don’t want to force her to face her nightmares alone at that age”, said Jumoke Olaorebikan, a full time mother.

“There is no mother in the world that does not experience that my dear. When Winnie, my daughter was little, it was a C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 4 2

42

MOM&PARENTING

Sanctity of Truth

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Why your children should sleep in their rooms C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 4 1

battle between us for her to go sleep in her room. She always slept with me. But once she did get her own room, I let her pick out the decorations and everything and painted the room with colours she selected. She fell in love with them and started sleeping in there. Even at that, Winnie still sneaks in to our room sometimes, claiming that she saw a moving shadow or some funny creatures. I read her a bed time stories and prayed with her before she goes to bed. She just won’t stay in her bed all throughout the night. Throughout her childhood, I can only remember two nights that she didn’t get up to come to my room”, Theresa Ajewole, a guardian counselor with St. Leo Nursery and Primary Private School said.

For Modupe Adeyemi, a film Writer, the story is not different. Her daughter is scared of sleeping in her own room. She said, “I allow my daughter sleep in my room because she is too scared to sleep in her room alone.

Honestly, I don’t know the solution, but I think it will take more time. At times, I leave a dim light on and leave the door open to assure her of my presence. But I can’t figure out what she is scared of. I pray she will get over her fear.”

It is the same storyline with Shaw Ayelugbe, a Physiotherapist. Her seven year old son is scared of his room. According to her, “He said there is scary master lurking in the corners of his room. My husband is not too comfortable with our child coming to sleep in our room. So, I made a deal with him that if he sleeps in his bed from Monday to Friday, he can then sleep in our room on Saturdays and Sundays. Each time he falls asleep in our room, my husband takes him up immediately to his bedroom. Although, I feel pained at heart anytime he does that, it is as if he does not love the boy. So, I employed a tactic; I go to lay with him in his room, read story books to him sometimes, and he talks about his day at school. These are just the little things that make him comfortable in his own bed.”

Jumoke Anuoluwapo, teacher with a private school has a different slant to it.

She got divorced from her husband and the house appears big for her and her son. “I was taken aback when my eight year old boy started coming again to sleep in my room.

He slept last in my room when he was five and that time, I guess it was due to the scary cartoons he used to watch. I had broken him of that habit. There was a night he got me real scared that I almost screamed out.

I thought it was someone trying to sneak into my room. I tried to figure out why he had to start entertaining fears again. I reason that it could be due to the divorce that took place between me and his dad recently. The house suddenly became too big for us. I don’t know what to do either. Sometimes, I don’t even know when he gets into my bed, and when I do know, I don’t have the nerve to chase him back.”

It is not a Nigerian thing alone. Jullian Moore, full time mother in New York has similar problems. Her eight year old son would not sleep in his room. She said, “This worked for me really well. I told my son that story time was happening at 8pm in his room, whether he was in the room or not.

So, I started reading the story with no one in the bed and he got in there so fast. He wanted me to start again from the beginning but I said no and that story time was at 8pm and that he had to be there or he would miss the beginning. So, the next night, he was in there right on time. I occasionally let him sleep in my bed when Dad is away but he considers it a treat.”

For Damilola Pinmiloye, a working class mother in the United Kingdom, the children had to learn the hard way. She locked her doors to enjoy privacy with her husband.

She said, “I lock my bedroom door and so, when the kids get up in the middle of the night, they have to knock on the door and I get up and walk them back to their beds and put them back in their beds. Now, after four months of doing that, my door stays open and they stay in bed unless it’s something serious. It was actually difficult in the beginning to make them stay in their own bed but consistency won. I put them in their bed and if they get up, I had to put them back, even telling them they would lose privileges if they didn’t obey. I know it’s hard now but it pays off later.”

The reasons for children wanting to spend the nights in their parents’ rooms could be as varied as the parents. Although it’s not harmful for children to sleep in their parents’ rooms, it’s unnecessary and it may cause problems for couples. Once begun, it’s rather a hard habit to break.

According to Barton Schmitt, a Pediatric Advisor and author of “My Child Is Sick,” American Academy of Pediatric Books; your child doesn’t need to share your bed to be secure and happy. Children’s fears and insecurities can be dealt with in other ways. Children turn out fine either way. In some countries, families share beds out of necessity, but most children in our country sleep happily in their own beds. She said bed-sharing is not quality time. If your child is asleep in your bed, it is a neutral time. If your child is crying and keeping you awake, it is an aggravating time. Schmitt submitted that several studies have shown that more than half of the children, who sleep with their parents resist going to bed and awaken several times during the night. Most parents who share their beds have to lie down with their child for as long as 30 to 60 minutes to get them to sleep. Since most children are restless sleepers and move around a lot during the night, parents who sleep with their children often don’t get a good night’s sleep and become sleep deprived. Sleeping with your child is a bad choice if you are a light sleeper and you need your sleep to work well during the day.

Guided Rules of putting an end to bedSharing to; •Tell your child the new rule: “You are too old to sleep with me anymore. You have your bed and I have mine. Starting tonight, I want you to stay in your bed during the night.”

•For being a “good sleeper” who sleeps in his bedroom all night, give him a treat with breakfast.

• If your child leaves his bedroom, take him back immediately. If he does it again, close his door until he’s in his bed.

• If your child gets into your bed during the night, order him back to his own bed using a stern voice. If he doesn’t move, take

A mother with her children

him back immediately without talking to him.

Expect some crying. Young children

normally cry when they don’t get their way. But continue to be firm and you will win back the privacy of your bed.

Seven essential home management skills to teach your child

W

e all want our children to be able to care for themselves and their own homes when it’s time for them to flutter their wings. So what skills should we teach our children to prepare them for eventual independence? Top Home Management Mom Bloggers share with us some of the essential home management skills every parent should teach her child.

1. How to Cook and Plan a Menu A family that cooks together and eats together is indirectly teaching their kids that spending time with family is important and there is tremendous value in that.

Adding that learning to cook is not only a home management skill but a life time skill. It could be the single most important factor in teaching skills like budgeting, meal planning, and creating healthy eating habits that last a lifetime. The Domestic Life Stylist 2. Laundry Skills A few lessons in Home can go a long way. By the time the little chickens leave the nest I think each one should be able to do a load of laundry, iron a shirt, and sew a button on a pair of pants. There are some things that mommy can’t do forever!

Alexis Anne of Clean, Smart, and Simple Style 3. Time Management We all have 24 hours in a day but what makes our experiences unique is how we choose to use those 24 hours. Make the kids a schedule, get them involved in planning the day’s activities. These skills will not only be valuable at home management but at school and later in their careers as well. Successful home management is about planning and execution. But first, you have to become masterful with time.

The Domestic Life Stylist 4. Teamwork Team work is another great home management skill to teach because no one is capable of running a household without help. Kids should learn that everyone

needs to pitch in and do their part to keep the house in order and functioning. Assigning a few chores, no matter how basic, to each family member will help everyone out in the long run. Alexis Anne of Clean, Smart and Simple Style 5. Basic Money Management Basic money management skills are a must. Even at a young age, kids can learn that ‘stuff’ costs money, and people need to work hard to earn that money. As they grow up, it becomes even more important to teach about saving and planning ahead for future expenses. Alexis Anne of Clean, Smart and Simple Style 6. Good Cleaning Habits Clean up as you go! We are still really working on this one around our house but I think that it is SO much easier to spend a couple of minutes to clean up as you go instead of spending an hour at the end of a long day cleaning up. I realize that this is not always possible to do but, for the most part, it is just a matter of creating a new habit. Jenn, of Clean & Scentsible Clutter management is important for making sure that personal spaces are enjoyable and contribute to good living, and not places of stress and turmoil. Everything should have a home and if you don’t use it, get rid of it. Angie of Echoes of Laughter.

It is essential to let the child knows that, we regularly clear out things that aren’t needed or that are used and ‘bless’ someone else by giving them away or selling them at a yard sale. Ginny of Organising Home Life 7. How to Let Go of Perfection Children and adults alike can get very discouraged when things are messy.

Teaching children not to give up when things don’t happen the way they are supposed to is an important lesson in life. Ginny of Organising Home Life.

Let go of perfection. Your house doesn’t need to be spotless. It only needs to be good enough for the people that live there. Tsh Oxenreider of Simple Mom

FEATURES

43

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newtelegraphonline.com/entrepreneur

ABIODUN BELLO FEATURES EDITOR

abiodun.bello@newtelegraphonline.com

TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2014

Nigerians resident in the South-West of the country, like their counterparts in the North-East, now live with the fear of terror attacks, writes ABIODUN BELLO

I

t started like a little spark. But within a few minutes the rumour that the dreaded terror sect had invaded or about to invade Lagos, the commercial nerve centre of the country, had spread like a bush fire aided by the harmattan wind.

That was Wednesday last week. Barely a week after the terrorists struck in Nyanya, Abuja, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

In the Abuja bomb blast, as usual, scores of innocent Nigerians were killed while several others were maimed. A few lucky ones survived with scars. But millions of Nigerians, including those who lost loved ones, still carry the psychological scar.

Many people will go to their graves with the memory of the horror of that bloody Monday.

The following day, the group also stormed Borno State and abducted over 100 students at the Girls Secondary School in Chibok; a town on the border between the state and Adamawa state.

The report of invasion of Lagos, which went viral on the social media, said 18 terrorists, armed with AK47 rifles had killed nine policemen and 11 civilians on the Lagos – Ibadan Expressway.

“If you are on the Lagos – Ibadan Expressway going towards Ibadan, please turn back. Eighteen suspected Boko Haram members are on the highway now displaying their skills.

“Nine policemen and 11 civilians had been confirmed dead by these gunmen while trying to stop them from shooting,” the phantom report said.

Expectedly, when the news spread, there was panic and confusion in major cities in the South-West states, particularly in Lagos, Ogun and Oyo. Many people, with hearts in the mouths, started running helter-skelter.

People started calling their relatives not to embark on journey on the Lagos – Ibadan Expressway, while urging those already on the road to return.

In Lagos in particular, everybody became jittery. Those who could afford it ran back home. Many of those who were yet to leave home jettisoned the idea of venturing out.

Mobile policemen, officials of the State Security Services (SSS), Joint Task Force (JTF) and others from Lagos and Ogun States raced to the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

This also created a gridlock on the road for several hours.

People believed the rumour because it had its basis in the reported threat of more attacks from the terror group.

South-West and Boko Haram’s threat

President Jonathan (right) and Senate President, David Mark at scene of the Nyanya blast

Shekau

Gridlock on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway after the rumoured Boko Haram invasion

The leader of the sect, Abubakar Shekau, was quoted in a video released to AFP in the wake of the bloody attack in Nyanya that Boko Haram was going to unleash more terror across the country.

Shekau, who claimed responsibility for the Nyanya attack, dared the Federal Government to catch him.

He said: “We are the ones who carried out the bombing in Abuja in an area called Nyanya. (President Goodluck) Jonathan you are a lame duck. Jonathan, you are too small for us.

“Youshouldknowthatweareworshipping God, that is why we are always victorious in all our attacks; if you are that wise and knowledgeable, why is it still very difficult for you to locate where we are up till date despite the fact that we are within Nigeria?

“Look at us, we are right within your city and you don’t even know how to find us. Let me tell you now; I am here, very close to you; I dare you to get me, if you can.”

Manypeoplehaveinterpretedhisassertion that “we are in your city” variously to mean the sect was in every part of the country.

Following this, many people have also said

the sect had threatened to carry out bomb attacks in different cities, particularly major cities in the South-West.

The threat of Boko Haram invasion of the South-West is not new. It has continued to recur like a recurring decimal.

On January 6, 2011, there was rumour of a bomb planted by Boko Haram members in the Motorways Complex at Old Tollgate, Ojota, Lagos.

The rumour of the bomb in the complex housingover45companies,includingtwobanks, causedastampedeasthoseworkingtherescampered to safety.

Motoristsandcommutersdesertedthearea.

Anti-bomb policemen, (SSS) and others rushed to the complex and evacuated about 1,000 people.

That was the second time in four days that rumours of bomb scare spread in the Lagos metropolis. They also came after bomb blasts in Jos, the Plateau State capital and Abuja.

Wednesday’s rumoured invasion of terrorists also came after days of speculations about the possible bomb attacks in South-West.

Two weeks earlier, the General Officer Com-

manding, 81st Division of the Nigerian Army, Lagos,Major-GeneralTamunomieibiDibi,had warned that Boko Haram insurgency and attacks in Ogun State were possible.

HeurgedtheArmyofficers,thestategovernment and the people not to rule the attacks out.

Dibi gave the warning during his working visittothe35thArtilleryBrigade,Alamala,Abeokuta, on April 3.

Thegeneral,however,gaveanassurancethat the Nigerian Army had what it takes to crush Boko Haram members.

He,therefore,calledonthepersonneltobeextremelyattentiveandreportanysecurity-threateninginformationtotheappropriatequartersfor quick and necessary actions.

According to him, Boko Haram insurgents cannotberuledoutinstates,cities,villagesand communities in any part of country.

The GOC, however, said that everybody must be security conscious and alert.

The warnings and speculations have probably put the people on the precipices.

So when the rumour came on Wednesday, it was difficult not to believe. More so, Boko Haram has proved to be lethal.

44 FEATURES

Sanctity of Truth

Goitre: Tackling the pain in the neck

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

About 50 per cent of the residents of a Badagry community suffer from goitre as government makes effort to trace the cause, reports MURITALA AYINLA

T

he women had succumbed to fate after battling the growing painful swellings on their necks for over two decades without solu-

tion.

Many of them had sold their property in the endless battle to get rid of the disturbing and protruding goitre on their necks.

Majority of them travelled across the country, even to neighbouring countries to remove the goitre but their efforts never yielded anything but the obvious scars on their necks.

They were eating, speaking and sleeping like other residents but they did not enjoy life like others.

Life to them was a bit cruel. Apart from psychological trauma and stigma they went through, they also experienced excruciating pains while swallowing food or attempting to look back and forth. Noisy breathing was also a feature of their lives.

This was the lot of many women of Ajara, a sleepy community in Badagry area of Lagos State.

In the community, goitre was a plague.

The disease was so prevalence in the community that five of in every 10 residents have goitre. Men and women, young and old, wearing goitre on the neck like tags, co-habit.

It was gathered that goitre is not a strange disease in this community; the people had been living with it for several years.

Some of the residents had been suffering from goitre from as young as five years old.

Many now within the age bracket of 40 to 45 years said they had been with the disease for over three decades.

Interestingly, every home in the community has one or more people suffering from this disease.

That was before the Lagos State Government stepped in with the Goitre Control Programme to offer the residents succour.

The many myths Findings showed that the age-long myth about the possible cause of this ailment is responsible for its prevalence in the community.

About 46 women, who went for the government-sponsored surgery at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), blamed the disease on attacks by witches and wizards.

They disregarded medical experts’ opinion that they suffer from goitre as a result of iodine deficiency in their body.

The residents insisted that they are under attack by some unknown forces in the community.

It was gathered that while some residents believed they contacted the dis-

A woman whose goitre has been removed

Fasawe

ease known as “Kojiji” in their language, because they use cup to drink from the stream in their rustic community, others hold the belief that they came in contact with goitre through supernatural powers said to be rampant there.

Speaking with New Telegraph shortly after Governor Babatunde Fashola assured them they would all be operated upon; the women said they had spent all they had in search of cure.

The incisions on their necks also attested to the fact that they had all sought traditional means of curing the disease.

Many of them, who refused to accept the scientific reason for the cause of the diseases, said that goitre was also responsible for their infertility.

One of them, Mrs Victoria Abimbola, said goitre was a spell from evil people in her community which prevented her from having more children as she would have loved to.

She said: “In fact, it was this disease that stopped me from having more children as I had planned before my husband died. I was told it was this disease that prevented me from having children as many as possible.

I want God to remove the disease that has turned me to a subject of ridicule in the village.

“I have used traditional and orthodox medicines. Many have taken advantage on me to dupe me. They have collected all I have, claiming to have solution to the prob-

Some of the women before the operation

lem. My children have been frustrated over the expenses on the treatment.

“In fact, I could not tell them that I was coming for this treatment. My husband tried his best before his death 10 years ago.”

A septuagenarian, Mrs Hanna Apata, who had been battling with goitre for over 30 years, also claimed that she was attacked by evildoers in the community.

She said: “It should be closed to 30 years or more that I have been suffering from goitre. I do not use drugs.

“Goitre is caused by the evil people.

They cast the spell on those they perceive as their enemies. That is all I know. So I believe the best way to deal with it is through spiritual means.”

Fumilayo Adeyemi, another victim, said the spell, which she thought was cast on her, was meant to hinder her kidney from functioning normally.

The woman added that herbalists told her that her goitre was as a result of kidney disorder.

“I have been suffering from the disease for over 10 years. I have spent all my money on it.

“There are many fraudsters who have taken advantage of us; some said my kidney was not functioning well.

“Majority said it was a spell by enemies and witches, everybody has his own reason for the cause of the disease,” she said.

According to Elizebeth Akintunde, another resident, who could not recall the year she started to live with goitre, said she gave birth to four of her five children with the disease.

She said: “I have used drugs especially traditional medicines prescribed for me. Many people have come to us to tell us that if taken, the disease would be cured.

“But we pray the government will remove the swelling, may God assist them in doing so. I have spent a lot of money in a bid to cure it. I struggled to get the money to buy anything prescribed to me.”

Meanwhile, the Coordinator of the Free Health Mission, Dr. Dolapo Fasawe, debunked the myths by the residents, saying government had begun investigation in the community to find the cause of the disease.

She said: “It is unfortunate that these people have refused to go to the hospital over the years and this explains why they all have marks on their necks.

“The truth of the matter is that there are so many things that can cause goitre; it could be from the water they drink or the food they eat.

“Goitre is the swelling of the thyroid gland situated in the neck. When this thyroid gland starts to malfunction when there is deficiency, it can enlarge to 50 times of its original size. It could be lack of iodine in the body. It could be in the environment. But we are investigating it to find a lasting solution to the problem.”

Fasawe said government would carry out massive sensitisation to dispel the rumour and the myth concerning the cause of the disease.

Also, the Consultant Surgeon, Dr Mobolaji Oludara, said most of the residents believed that people contacted the disease when they used cup to drink.

He disclosed that the team of experts the government would send to the community would also take the sample of their water and screen the pupils in the community school with a view to detecting the causes and preventing them from being infected with goitre.

Oludara added that preliminary findings showed that most of the victims had been bathing with the disease from the age of five.

Harping on varieties of goitre and the way to stem its growing tide, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris, said a number of factors could cause the abnormal enlargement of the thyroid glands.

He said: “It could be a result of iodine efficiency, grave diseases, hashimoto diseases (hypothyroidsm) multinodular goitre, solitary thyroid, thyroid cancers, among others.

“Measures are being put in place to stem the root cause of this alarming number in the community. They include iodization of their salt and other processes that the public health professionals of the state may adjudge suitable.’

Idris, however, noted that 24 of the residents had been operated; assuring that all the affected residents would be operated.

According to him, efforts would be made to eradicate goitre not only in Badagry but also in any other known place in the state.

“Sensitisation of the community is key to eradicating the scourge,” he added.

METRO

of Truth

pril 29, 2014

ged rape: Victim now penniless

cis

The friend, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “She is squatting with a friend now. She told me that she was tired of begging and borrowing money to keep police appointments.

“Manko gave her appointments for Thursday and Friday, but she was not able to make it because she didn’t have money. Everyone has now abandoned her.”

The friend explained that the man, Friday, who was at the centre of the trouble that led to Akinwunmi being arrested and detained at Onikan Police

, it seems, has a price. The s Idowu Akinwunmi has to er allegation that she was Divisional Police Officer rge of Onikan Police Staintendent of Police (SP), we, is enormous. days after the allegation c knowledge, Akinwunmi, he psychological trauma encing, has lost her job. to investigation, it is now lt for the mother of two to This is as the panel probation is yet to release the ts findings. lso missed two appointthe state Commissioner mar Manko, gave her. ording to Akinwunmi’s was because she has no nsport herself to the poor the appointments. that all the organisations, twit one another in the llegation, to be seen to be Sola Adeyemo f Akinwunmi, have gone Ibadan ng her in a dark corner to nds. n articulated vehicle yesterday crushed a 35-year-old commercial motorcyclist, Paul Olusola, of Idiose village in the Ona Ara Local Government Area of Ibadan in Oyo State.

Olusola, who left his resiji dence along Akanran Road, ns, Aliu Jubril (30) and Azubike (27), were aresterday before an Ikeja Court for allegedly stealns of milk belonging to mpina WAMCO Nigeria

rraigned aling milk

utor, Mr O. Chinalu, said s a security officer with rity Company, Ogba and f no definite address, conmit an offence to wit stealto and punishable under Criminal Code, Cap 34, of Lagos State, 2011.

The two accused, on the me and place in the aforemagisterial district, did ns of Three Crown Milk y of WAMCO Nig. Ltd and mitted an offence contrary able under Section 285(7) al Code of Lagos State.” his application for bail, unsel, Fidelis O. Izaegba, urt to grant the accused iberal terms. e offenses were bailable, he court should exercise

ing Magistrate, Mrs Magranted the accused bail N50,000 each, one surety t be a taxable adult, a close e address must be verifin adjourned the case till

Akinwunmi

Station by her boss, Mrs Pelumi Idowu, has also been sacked by his com-

pany for absenteeism from work.

“It is Friday who used to assist her with money before for transportation, but Friday too has been sacked. He was sacked for not reporting to duty for three days.

“He was arrested and detained and was later taken to police command to face the panel. Before he went back to office, three days had gone. He worked with a Lebanese company. He explained the situation to the management of his company, but he was still sacked.”

Trailer crushes motorcyclist to death A

and was going towards Amuloko Market, met his untimely death when the vehicle, marked SL 500 KSF, ran into him at Oloya bus stop, close to Ifedapo.

The people in the area apprehended the trailer driver, Olalekan Taofeek, and handed him over to the police at the Akanran station.

The victim’s body was lat-

er deposited at the morgue of the Oyo State General Hospital, Yemetu, Adeoyo, Ibadan.

According to a police source, Taofeek blamed the accident on brake failure, which caused him to lose control of the vehicle.

The source, however, said the driver would soon be charged to court.

8,000 benefit from NDE’s graduate coaching scheme Clement James Calabar

A

bout 8,000 school certificate holders across the country with deficiencies in their results have benefited from the Graduate Coaching Scheme (GCS) programme of the National Directorate of Employment in the past three years.

The Director General, NDE, Mr Abubakar Mohammed, disclosed this yesterday at the launch of the 2014 GCS programme in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.

Mohammed said the programme was established in 2012 with the objective of engaging unemployed youths to teach secondary school leavers with deficiencies in English Language and other science-related subjects.

The DG, who spoke

through the Director of Small Scale Enterprise, NDE, Mr Jibrin Aye, said the programme had fully taken off in 20 states of the federation.

According to him, since the commencement of the programme in 2012, it has recorded successes as many school leavers now have the entry qualifications to gain admission into higher institutions of learning.

Mohammed added that over 300 unemployed youths had so far benefitted from the programme as they were being paid monthly stipends of N10,000 each to teach the students.

He said: “We recruit and coach instructors to teach these school leavers and we pay them a monthly allowance of N10,000 and the programme runs for three months.”

The DG said the GCS was capable of reducing unemployment among graduates and had the potential to curtail early entry into the labour market.

“The effect of unemployment is made manifest in various forms such as youth restiveness, kidnapping, armed robbery, prostitution, etc, which tend to stall our development and progress as a nation.

45

Dangote donates N40m materials to Tiv farmers Cephas Iorhemen Makurdi

T

he President Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Danote, has donated relief materials worth N40 million to the displaced Tiv farmers, who are the victims of Fulani herdsmen.

Items included cartons of spaghetti; noodles; bags of sugar, two trucks of rice, 1,000 pieces of blankets, Dangote 1,000 sets of four-in-one and the commissioner for cooking pots, 1,200 pieces health to explore ways of of mattresses, 1,000 pieces collaborating with the govof ladies’ wrappers and ernment on malaria con1,000 set of sanitary pads. trol and prevention.

The team, according to Dangote, who was represented by his Special Ad- him, is expected back in viser, Joseph Makoju (an the state next month for engineer), said the gesture full implementation of the was part of his group’s programme.

Corporate Social ResponDangote announced sibility (CSR) intervention that he had constructed blocks of classrooms, programme.

According to him, it is boreholes and provided to support on-going efforts electricity in Tse Kucha, by the Benue State Govern- Amua, Andoor, Masaje ment to bring succour to and Gyura communities the victims of the crisis to turn round the lives of which engulfed parts of the people.

He also said that he had the state.

He expressed regrets been granting scholarover the killing of farm- ships to indigent students ers and destruction of in the host community to property. the tune of N10 million Dangote also appealed annually since 2009 and to Governor Gabriel Sus- promised to sustain it in wam not to be discouraged the years ahead. by the temporary setback, Dangote praised Susbut consider it as part of wam for massive upgrade leadership challenge to of infrastructure, empowbring about enduring dem- erment of rural farmers ocratic values to the polity. and funding of the educaThe business mogul tion sector, among others. said he considered it as a Receiving the items, philosophy to give back to Suswam thanked the dothe host community, par- nor for the kind gesture, ticularly where his group saying the people had sufoperates. fered a lot of destruction He added that a team which resulted in the disfrom his group had met placement of thousands with the chairman of Gbo- of people scattered all over ko Local Government Area the state.

Nigeria security profile award holds Saturday

R

ichflavour Communications Limited will on May 3 hold its maiden edition of the Nigeria Security Profile Awards (NISPA).

The theme is: “Security is our Collective Responsibility.”

The award, according to a statement by the Project Director of NISPA, Mr Richard Amuwa, who is also the presenter of Security 247 on Radio and TV, is to appreciate individuals in society, security sector, banking, telecommunications, police, and gov-

ernment institutions for the efforts and good works they have done in the protection of the Nigerian public.

He said: “The award is coming up at this time when insurgency in the country is increasing from one stage to another. It is therefore a total call to everyone who cares to listen that we have come to a point where the death of one person in the society should mean a lot to everyone and the government in general.

“With this in mind, the

organisers want to use the medium to create awareness on the need for change in our country’s security situation.”

Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, is e the Special Guest of Honour at the event scheduled to hold at the De Renaissance Hotel, Ikeja.

The keynote address, according to Amuwa, will be delivered by the President of Society of Security Practitioners of Nigeria (SSPN), Mr Davidson Akhimien.

Daily Summary as of 28/04/2014

Printed 28/04/2014 15:21:33.033

46 BUSINESS | CAPITAL MARKET

Daily Summary as of 28/04/2014 Printed 28/04/2014 15:21:33.033

Daily Summary (Bonds)

No Debt Trading Activity

Sanctity of Truth

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

The Nigerian Stock Market Exchange as at April 28, 2014 Daily Summary (Equities)

Daily Summary (Equities)

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Activity Summary on Board EQTY AGRICULTURE Crop Production OKOMU OIL PALM PLC. PRESCO PLC Crop Production Totals

Livestock/Animal Specialties LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC. Livestock/Animal Specialties Totals

Symbol OKOMUOIL PRESCO Symbol LIVESTOCK

No. of Deals 37 26 63 No. of Deals 3 3

AGRICULTURE Totals

Daily Summary as of 28/04/2014 CONGLOMERATES Printed 28/04/2014 15:21:33.033 Diversified Industries A.G. LEVENTIS NIGERIA PLC. TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION OF NIGERIA PLC U A C N PLC. Diversified Industries Totals

Current Price 3.30

66 Symbol AGLEVENT TRANSCORP UACN Daily Summary

No. of Deals 7 180 42 (Equities) 229

Activity Summary onTotals Board EQTY CONGLOMERATES CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Building Structure/Completion/Other COSTAIN (W A) PLC. PublishedBuilding

by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Structure/Completion/Other Totals

Current Price 35.00 42.00

Current Price 1.49 3.51 58.25

229

Quantity Traded 277,090 425,456 702,546

HEALTHCARE Pharmaceuticals PHARMA-DEKO PLC. Pharmaceuticals Totals

Value Traded 9,704,478.90 17,880,717.00 27,585,195.90

Quantity Traded 9,482 9,482

Value Traded 29,784.04 29,784.04

712,028

27,614,979.94

Quantity Traded 247,480 14,691,721 461,448 15,400,649

Value Traded 369,125.20 52,304,943.27 26,841,581.08 79,515,649.55

15,400,649

79,515,649.55

Quantity Traded 85,257 Page 85,257

Value Traded 116,527.75 1 116,527.75 of 14

Infrastructure/Heavy Construction JULIUS BERGER NIG. PLC. Infrastructure/Heavy Construction Totals

Symbol JBERGER

No. of Deals 38 38

Current Price 68.89

Quantity Traded 1,446,068 1,446,068

Value Traded 96,663,836.18 96,663,836.18

Real Estate Development UACN PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT CO. LIMITED Real Estate Development Totals

Symbol UAC-PROP

No. of Deals 59 59

Current Price 24.95

Quantity Traded 738,209 738,209

Value Traded 18,510,951.10 18,510,951.10

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) UPDC REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) Totals

Symbol UPDCREIT

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 11.02

Quantity Traded 10,000 10,000

Value Traded 104,700.00 104,700.00

2,279,534

115,396,015.03

Current Price 13.79 180.51 26.00 148.02 0.77

Quantity Traded 40,100 174,584 462,998 190,569 300 868,551

Value Traded 525,711.00 31,666,758.89 11,733,543.49 28,181,554.88 240.00 72,107,808.26

No. of Deals 12 12

Current Price 90.00

Quantity Traded Page 12,250

Value Traded 2 1,001,870.00 of 14 1,001,870.00

Symbol DANGFLOUR DANGSUGAR FLOURMILL HONYFLOUR NASCON NNFM UTC

No. of Deals 42 42 52 29 38 1 7 211

Current Price 8.08 9.50 68.43 3.88 11.51 22.01 0.53

Quantity Traded 160,867 976,848 185,756 1,524,530 503,300 500 90,199 3,442,000

Value Traded 1,247,363.53 9,171,519.26 12,614,925.44 5,882,537.50 5,743,698.07 10,455.00 47,805.47 34,718,304.27

Symbol CADBURY NESTLE

No. of Deals 16 55 71

Current Price 79.00 1,076.00

Quantity Traded 61,030 35,813 96,843

Value Traded 4,580,301.50 36,977,527.81 41,557,829.31

Beverages--Non-Alcoholic Totals

Food Products DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC. HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC NATIONAL SALT CO. NIG. PLC N NIG. FLOUR MILLS PLC. U T C NIG. PLC. Food Products Totals Food Products--Diversified CADBURY NIGERIA PLC. NESTLE NIGERIA PLC. Food as Products--Diversified Totals Daily Summary of 28/04/2014 Printed 28/04/2014 15:21:33.033 Household Durables VITAFOAM NIG PLC. Household Durables Totals

Personal/Household Products P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC.

Activity Summary on Board UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC.EQTY CONSUMER GOODS Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Personal/Household Products Personal/Household Products Totals

Symbol No. of Deals CHAMPION 2 GUINNESS 53 Daily Summary (Equities) INTBREW 69 NB 74 PREMBREW 1 199 Symbol 7UP

Symbol VITAFOAM

No. of Deals 8 8

Daily Summary (Equities) Symbol No. of Deals Current Price PZ UNILEVER Symbol

44 70

No. of Deals 114

CONSUMER GOODS Totals FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking ACCESS BANK PLC. DIAMOND BANK PLC ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED FIDELITY BANK PLC GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC. SKYE BANK PLC STERLING BANK PLC. Daily Summary as of 28/04/2014 UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC Printed 28/04/2014 15:21:33.033 UNION BANK NIG.PLC. UNITY BANK PLC WEMA BANK PLC. ZENITH INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC Banking Totals Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services Activity Summary on Board EQTY FINANCIAL SERVICES Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services AIICO INSURANCE PLC. CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC CORNERSTONE Published by The Nigerian StockINSURANCE Exchange © COMPANY PLC. GREAT NIGERIAN INSURANCE PLC GUINEA INSURANCE PLC. CONSOLIDATED HALLMARK INSURANCE PLC INTERNATIONAL ENERGY INSURANCE COMPANY PLC LAW UNION AND ROCK INS. PLC. LINKAGE ASSURANCE PLC MANSARD INSURANCE PLC MUTUAL BENEFITS ASSURANCE PLC. N.E.M INSURANCE CO (NIG) PLC. OASIS INSURANCE PLC PRESTIGE ASSURANCE CO. PLC. SOVEREIGN TRUST INSURANCE PLC STANDARD TRUST ASSURANCE PLC Daily Summary as of 28/04/2014 STANDARD ALLIANCE INSURANCE PLC. Printed 28/04/2014 15:21:33.033 UNIVERSAL INSURANCE COMPANY PLC WAPIC INSURANCE PLC Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals Micro-Finance Banks NPF MICROFINANCE BANK PLC Activity Summary on Board EQTY Micro-Finance Banks Totals

FINANCIAL SERVICES Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © ABBEY MORTGAGE BANK PLC ASO SAVINGS AND LOANS PLC INFINITY TRUST MORTGAGE BANK PLC RESORT SAVINGS & LOANS PLC Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals Other Financial Institutions AFRICA PRUDENTIAL REGISTRARS PLC CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED PLC FBN HOLDINGS PLC FCMB GROUP PLC. ROYAL EXCHANGE PLC. STANBIC IBTC HOLDINGS PLC UBA CAPITAL PLC Daily Summary of 28/04/2014 Otheras Financial Institutions Totals

Symbol ACCESS DIAMONDBNK ETI FIDELITYBK GUARANTY SKYEBANK STERLNBANK UBA UBN UNITYBNK WEMABANK ZENITHBANK

No. of Deals 129 66 67 58 286 314 32 195 80 1 44 260 Daily Summary (Equities) 1,532

Packaging/Containers BETA GLASS CO PLC.

Packaging/Containers Totals Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Daily Summary as of 28/04/2014 Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors Printed 28/04/2014 15:21:33.033 BECO PETROLEUM PRODUCT PLC

CONOIL PLC ETERNA PLC. MOBIL OIL NIG PLC. MRS OIL NIGERIA PLC. TOTAL NIGERIA PLC. Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors Totals

Page Quantity Traded 863,303

3 of 14 Value Traded 37,911,068.82 187,910,975.26

Current Price 0.79 0.99 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.53 0.50 0.50 2.43 0.50 0.77 0.55 0.60 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.69

Quantity Traded 31,333,638 693,868 45,000 Page 10,000 700 2,072 1,015,168 1,000 100 295,000 20,000 4,202,100 615,100 816,557 1,300 160 2,200 3,500 1,656,376 40,713,839

Value Traded 24,755,872.02 681,929.32 22,950.00 4 of 14 5,000.00 350.00 1,036.00 540,962.04 500.00 50.00 682,833.70 10,000.00 3,188,273.60 324,563.00 475,424.20 650.00 80.00 1,100.00 1,750.00 1,152,902.62 31,846,226.50

No. of Deals 5 5

Current Price 0.84

Quantity Traded 193,042 193,042

Value Traded 162,155.28 162,155.28

Symbol ABBEYBDS ASOSAVINGS INFINITY RESORTSAL

No. of Deals 1 1 3 1 6

Current Price 1.35 0.50 1.61 0.50

Quantity Traded Page 1,000 95,000 5,050 3,500 104,550

5Value Traded of 14

Symbol AFRIPRUD CUSTODYINS FBNH FCMB ROYALEX STANBIC UBCAP

No. of Deals 38 22 498 71 4 31 66 730

Current Price 2.95 2.21 12.89 3.53 0.62 23.20 2.27

Quantity Traded 548,711 783,503 11,485,137 1,662,730 1,900 235,534 3,031,805 17,749,320

Value Traded 1,625,467.24 1,734,022.35 149,302,804.75 5,883,991.05 1,178.00 5,445,613.35 6,887,540.35 170,880,617.09

112,603,020

619,388,664.39

Current Price 3.72 0.50

Quantity Traded 500 1,000 1,500

Value Traded 1,770.00 500.00 2,270.00

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 1.91

Quantity Traded 400 400

No. of Deals 7 21 14 11 11 1

Current Price 2.31 2.85 69.50 1.78 1.24 7.36

Symbol MORISON Symbol EVANSMED FIDSON GLAXOSMITH MAYBAKER NEIMETH NIG-GERMAN

1 1 2

Page

Quantity Traded 84,521 2,613,947 520,112 30,110 251,154 50

Value Traded 728.00 728.00

of

Value Traded 191,509.10 7,459,721.40 36,155,259.60 53,151.40 301,583.26 350.00

Value Traded 521,024.99 521,024.99

Symbol OMATEK

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 2,000 2,000

Value Traded 1,000.00 1,000.00

Symbol CWG

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 5.48

Quantity Traded 50 50

Value Traded 260.50 260.50

Symbol CHAMS ETRANZACT

No. of Deals 1 1 2

Current Price 0.50 2.32

Quantity Traded 200 50 250

Value Traded 100.00 110.50 210.50

Symbol MTI

No. of Deals 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 2,000

Value Traded 1,000.00

Symbol

No. of Deals 1

Current Price

Page Quantity Traded 2,000

8 of 14 Value Traded

Daily Summary (Equities)

30

1,000.00

762,169

523,495.99

Symbol ASHAKACEM BERGER CAP CCNN DANGCEM FIRSTALUM IPWA PORTPAINT WAPCO

No. of Deals 27 10 19 15 22 1 1 4 23 122

Current Price 16.41 8.90 40.26 8.81 227.00 0.50 0.58 4.20 110.00

Quantity Traded 184,698 120,518 76,955 71,928 35,394 54,000 1,000 60,000 46,155 650,648

Value Traded 3,038,681.63 1,069,050.12 3,206,623.90 637,182.80 8,020,724.40 27,000.00 580.00 259,900.00 5,085,093.00 21,344,835.85

Symbol CUTIX

No. of Deals 7 7

Current Price 1.90

Quantity Traded 9,232 9,232

Value Traded 16,735.42 16,735.42

Current Price 18.97

Quantity Traded 1,000 1,000

Value Traded 18,110.00 18,110.00

Daily Summary (Equities) Symbol No. of Deals BETAGLAS

1 1

130 Symbol BOCGAS

No. of Deals 1 1

660,880 Page Current Price 6.47

921,379,681.27 of 14

Quantity Traded 476 476

Value Traded 3,208.24 3,208.24

476

3,208.24

1 Symbol JAPAULOIL

No. of Deals 9 9

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 109,320 109,320

Value Traded 54,660.00 54,660.00

Symbol OANDO

No. of Deals 178 178

Current Price 16.00

Quantity Traded 2,764,909 2,764,909

Value Traded 44,182,302.51 44,182,302.51

No. of Deals 1 20 10 25 4 (Equities) 8 68

Current Price 0.50 49.20 3.79 122.10 51.72 161.20

Quantity Traded 1,000 93,638 23,820 14,995 96 6,021 139,570

Value Traded 500.00 4,567,852.72 85,990.20 1,809,191.21 4,717.44 965,113.92 7,433,365.49

No. of Deals 32 32

Current Price 590.00

Quantity Traded 123,420 123,420

Value Traded 72,880,715.11 72,880,715.11

3,137,219

124,551,043.11

Symbol BECOPETRO CONOIL ETERNA MOBIL MRS Daily Summary TOTAL

Page

Symbol SEPLAT

287

10

of

No. of Deals 27 27

Current Price 1.31

Quantity Traded 533,404 533,404

Value Traded 669,555.68 669,555.68

Courier/Freight/Delivery RED STAR EXPRESS PLC TRANS-NATIONWIDE EXPRESS PLC. Courier/Freight/Delivery Totals

Symbol REDSTAREX TRANSEXPR

No. of Deals 4 5 9

Current Price 4.25 2.13

Quantity Traded 37,390 15 37,405

Value Traded 165,350.90 30.45 165,381.35

Employment Solutions C & I LEASING PLC. Employment Solutions Totals

Symbol CILEASING

No. of Deals 3 3

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 23,467 23,467

Value Traded 11,733.50 11,733.50

Hotels/Lodging

Symbol CAPHOTEL IKEJAHOTEL

No. of Deals 5 7 12

Current Price 4.55 0.60

Quantity Traded 600 129,300 129,900

Value Traded 2,862.00 77,580.00 80,442.00

Symbol No. of Deals Daily Summary (Equities) ACADEMY 1

Current Price 1.80

Quantity Traded 200

Value Traded 342.00

IKEJA HOTEL PLC Hotels/Lodging Totals

Printing/Publishing ACADEMY PRESS PLC. Activity Summary on Board EQTY Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © SERVICES Printing/Publishing LEARN AFRICA PLC UNIVERSITY PRESS PLC. Printing/Publishing Totals

Page

11

of

Symbol LEARNAFRCA UPL

No. of Deals 15 13 29

Current Price 1.65 4.15

Quantity Traded 304,185 167,478 471,863

Value Traded 504,359.23 645,697.30 1,150,398.53

Road Transportation ASSOCIATED BUS COMPANY PLC Road Transportation Totals

Symbol ABCTRANS

No. of Deals 15 15

Current Price 0.87

Quantity Traded 391,785 391,785

Value Traded 345,947.95 345,947.95

Transport-Related Services AIRLINE SERVICES AND LOGISTICS PLC NIGERIAN AVIATION HANDLING COMPANY PLC Transport-Related Services Totals

Symbol AIRSERVICE NAHCO

No. of Deals 10 43 53

Current Price 2.25 4.79

Quantity Traded 225,450 679,838 905,288

Value Traded 508,586.50 3,264,509.14 3,773,095.64

148

2,493,112

6,196,554.65

4,108

146,984,926

1,226,645,056.85

Value Traded

SERVICES Totals Daily Summary as of 28/04/2014 EQTY Board Totals Printed 28/04/2014 15:21:33.033

Activity Summary on Board ASeM

1,290.00 47,500.00 7,734.50 1,750.00 58,274.50

6

Quantity Traded 757,869 757,869

Symbol RTBRISCOE

Daily Summary as of 28/04/2014 CAPITAL HOTEL PLC Printed 28/04/2014 15:21:33.033

No. of Deals 14 4 3 1 2 4 15 1 1 8 3 37 10 7 4 3 2 1 35 155

EKOCORP UNIONDAC

Exploration and Production SEPLAT PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LTD Exploration and Production Totals

SERVICES Automobile/Auto Part Retailers R T BRISCOE PLC. Automobile/Auto Part Retailers Totals

Symbol AIICO CONTINSURE CORNERST GNI GUINEAINS HMARKINS INTENEGINS LAWUNION LINKASSURE MANSARD MBENEFIT NEM OASISINS PRESTIGE SOVRENINS STACO STDINSURE UNIVINSURE WAPIC

Daily Summary (Equities) Symbol No. of Deals

44,164,789.42

Current Price 0.71

70

OIL AND GAS Totals

Value Traded

2,428

3,501,932

No. of Deals 25 25

Activity Summary on Board EQTY Published byAND The Nigerian Stock Exchange © OIL GAS

Quantity Traded

Symbol NPFMCRFBK

NATURAL RESOURCES Chemicals B.O.C. GASES PLC. Chemicals Totals

Integrated Oil and Gas Services OANDO PLC Integrated Oil and Gas Services Totals

Current Price

Daily Summary (Equities)

Value Traded 216.66 44,161,791.42

INDUSTRIAL GOODS INDUSTRIAL GOODS Totals Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

OIL AND GAS Energy Equipment and Services JAPAUL OIL & MARITIME SERVICES PLC Energy Equipment and Services Totals

Value Traded 12,227,652.51 25,683,416.31

Value Traded 17,767,317.60 11,708,506.96 14,583,462.86 4,962,669.45 158,683,303.13 38,712,570.54 12,899,653.76 42,212,908.45 5,035,107.95 3,000.00 13,017,480.13 96,855,410.19 416,441,391.02

Quantity Traded 138 3,500,032

NATURAL RESOURCES Totals

Quantity Traded 330,617 532,686

Quantity Traded 2,142,598 1,927,508 1,096,766 2,547,471 5,878,573 10,827,097 5,694,748 6,125,116 504,872 6,000 12,725,883 4,365,637 53,842,269

ICT Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Telecommunications Services

CUTIX PLC. Electronic and Electrical Products Totals

Value Traded 614,094.60 614,094.60

Current Price 8.30 6.09 13.27 1.94 27.20 3.52 2.25 6.83 10.00 0.50 1.03 22.19

Telecommunications Services MASS TELECOMMUNICATION Activity Summary on Board EQTYINNOVATIONS NIGERIA PLC

INDUSTRIAL GOODS Building Materials ASHAKA CEM PLC BERGER PAINTS PLC CAP PLC CEMENT CO. OF NORTH.NIG. PLC DANGOTE CEMENT PLC FIRST ALUMINIUM NIGERIA PLC IPWA PLC PORTLAND PAINTS & PRODUCTS NIGERIA PLC LAFARGE WAPCO PLC. Building Materials Totals Daily Summary as of 28/04/2014 Printed 28/04/2014 15:21:33.033 Electronic and Electrical Products

Quantity Traded 150,960 150,960

5,433,907

Current Price 1.57

ICT Totals

No. of Deals

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Pharmaceuticals EVANS MEDICAL PLC. FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC GLAXO SMITHKLINE CONSUMER NIG. PLC. MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. NEIMETH INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC NIGERIA-GERMAN CHEMICALS PLC.

Current Price

IT Services COMPUTER WAREHOUSE GROUP PLC

Telecommunications Services Totals

Symbol

FINANCIAL SERVICES Totals

HEALTHCARE Medical Supplies MORISON INDUSTRIES PLC. Medical Supplies Totals

37.00 47.04

615

Printed 28/04/2014 15:21:33.033

HEALTHCARE Healthcare Providers EKOCORP PLC. UNION DIAGNOSTIC & CLINICAL Activity Summary on Board EQTY SERVICES PLC Healthcare Providers Totals

Current Price 4.10

12,250

Computers and Peripherals OMATEK VENTURES PLC Computers and Peripherals Totals

IT Services Totals Daily Summary as of 28/04/2014 Printed 28/04/2014 15:21:33.033 Processing Systems CHAMS PLC E-TRANZACT INTERNATIONAL PLC Processing Systems Totals

Current Price 1.37

Beverages--Brewers/Distillers CHAMPION BREW. PLC. GUINNESS NIG PLC INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC. NIGERIAN BREW. PLC. Activity Summary on BoardPLC EQTY PREMIER BREWERIES Beverages--Brewers/Distillers Totals CONSUMER GOODS Beverages--Non-Alcoholic Published by The StockCOMP. Exchange 7-UPNigerian BOTTLING PLC.©

Symbol COURTVILLE

ICT Computer Based Systems COURTEVILLE BUSINESS SOLUTIONS PLC Computer Based Systems Totals

No. of Deals 6 6

104

No. of Deals 2 67

HEALTHCARE Totals

Symbol COSTAIN

CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Totals Daily Summary as of 28/04/2014 Printed 28/04/2014 15:21:33.033 CONSUMER GOODS

Symbol PHARMDEKO

OIL AND GAS Activity Summary on Board Products ASeM Distributors Petroleum and Petroleum OIL AND GAS Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors CAPITAL OIL PLC Published by The Nigerian Exchange © Petroleum andStock Petroleum Products Distributors Totals

Daily Summary (Equities)

14

Daily Summary (Equities) Symbol

No. of Deals

Current Price

Quantity Traded

Symbol CAPOIL

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 2,000 Page 2,000

OIL AND GAS Totals SERVICES Food/Drug Retailers and Wholesalers JULI PLC. Food/Drug Retailers and Wholesalers Totals

14

1 Symbol JULI

No. of Deals 2 2

SERVICES Totals

Current Price 1.84

Value Traded 1,000.00 of 14 1,000.00

12

2,000

1,000.00

Quantity Traded 500 500

Value Traded 875.00 875.00

2

500

875.00

ASeM Board Totals

3

2,500

1,875.00

Equity Activity Totals

4,111

146,987,426

1,226,646,931.85

Daily Summary (ETP) Exchange Traded Fund

Name VETIVA GRIFFIN 30 ETF Exchange Traded Fund Totals

14

Symbol VETGRIF30

Daily Summary as of 28/04/2014 ETF Board Totals Printed 28/04/2014 15:21:33.033

No. of Deals 4 4

4

Current Price 17.45

Quantity Traded 3,380 3,380

Value Traded 58,981.00 58,981.00

3,380

58,981.00

Page

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

13

of

14

Daily Summary (ETP) ETP Activity Totals

4

3,380

58,981.00

BUSINESS | FINANCIAL MARKET NEWS 47

Sanctity of Truth

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

28-Apr-14

The FMDQ Daily Quotations List (DQL) comprises market and model prices/rates of foreign exchange ($/N) products, fixed income securities and instruments in the OTC market. The use of this report is subject to the FMDQ OTC PLC Terms of Use and Disclaimer Statement.

Bonds

Price

FGN Bonds Issuer

Rating/Agency

NA

NA

Description 9.20 29-JUN-2014 9.25 28-SEP-2014 4.00 23-APR-2015 13.05 16-AUG-2016 15.10 27-APR-2017 9.85 27-JUL-2017 9.35 31-AUG-2017 10.70 30-MAY-2018 16.00 29-JUN-2019 7.00 23-OCT-2019 16.39 27-JAN-2022 14.20 14-MAR-2024 15.00 28-NOV-2028 12.49 22-MAY-2029 8.50 20-NOV-2029 10.00 23-JUL-2030

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

29-Jun-07 28-Sep-07 23-Apr-10 16-Aug-13 27-Apr-12 27-Jul-07 31-Aug-07 30-May-08 29-Jun-12 23-Oct-09 27-Jan-12 14-Mar-14 28-Nov-08 22-May-09 20-Nov-09 23-Jul-10

9.20 9.25 4.00 13.05 15.10 9.85 9.35 10.70 16.00 7.00 16.39 14.20 15.00 12.49 8.50 10.00

45.00 100.00 535.00 435.27 452.80 20.00 100.00 300.00 351.30 233.90 600.00 75.00 75.00 150.00 200.00 591.57

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE Rating/Agency

Bid Price

Offer Price

0.17 0.42 0.99 2.30 3.00 3.25 3.34 4.09 5.17 5.49 7.75 9.88 14.59 15.07 15.56 16.24

11.11 11.73 12.80 13.18 13.15 13.04 13.05 13.08 13.20 13.12 13.17 13.22 13.32 13.34 13.35 13.43

10.24 11.35 12.21 13.10 13.03 12.92 12.92 12.98 13.12 13.02 13.11 13.16 13.28 13.29 13.29 13.38

99.62 98.98 92.08 99.70 104.70 91.72 90.21 92.63 110.20 76.59 115.30 105.30 110.65 94.53 68.50 77.50

99.77 99.13 92.58 99.85 105.00 92.02 90.51 92.93 110.50 76.89 115.60 105.60 110.95 94.83 68.80 77.80

Maturity Date

TTM (Yrs)

29-Jun-14 28-Sep-14 23-Apr-15 16-Aug-16 27-Apr-17 27-Jul-17 31-Aug-17 30-May-18 29-Jun-19 23-Oct-19 27-Jan-22 14-Mar-24 28-Nov-28 22-May-29 20-Nov-29 23-Jul-30

4,264.84 Issuer

Agency Bonds AMCON FMBN

NA

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

***LCRM

Description

0.00 AMCON 31-OCT-2014 (SR.5 TR.1) 0.00 FMB 24-MAY-2015 17.25 FMB II 03-APR-2017 0.00/16.00 LCRM 09-DEC-2016 0.00/16.50 LCRM II 20-APR-2017 0.00/16.50 LCRM III 06-JUL-2017

#

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Issue Value (N'bn)

Maturity Date

Avg. Life/TTM (Yrs)

Risk Premium (%)

Valuation Yield (%)

Indicative Price

28-Dec-11 24-May-10 03-Apr-12 09-Dec-11 20-Apr-12 06-Jul-12

0.00 0.00 17.25 0.00/16.00 0.00/16.50 0.00/16.50

978.35 24.56 6.00 112.22 116.70 66.49

31-Oct-14 24-May-15 03-Apr-17 09-Dec-16 20-Apr-17 06-Jul-17

0.51 1.07 1.56 2.62 2.98 3.19

1.00 2.63 2.27 2.00 1.49 1.00

12.84 15.47 15.22 15.03 14.52 14.04

93.90 85.24 102.83 92.94 90.09 88.63

05-Aug-14 15-Oct-14 31-Aug-15 30-Sep-15 30-Jun-16 30-Jun-16 19-Apr-17 30-Jun-17 31-Dec-17 30-Sep-18 04-Oct-18 09-Dec-18 12-Dec-18 14-Feb-19 02-Oct-19 22-Nov-19 12-Dec-19 30-Sep-20 27-Nov-20 31-Dec-20 31-Dec-20 06-Jan-21

0.27 0.47 1.34 0.94 1.24 1.25 2.98 1.81 3.68 2.65 4.44 2.65 2.65 3.23 3.30 5.57 3.27 3.98 6.58 6.68 3.98 4.02

4.88 5.99 4.44 3.23 4.46 3.48 5.59 7.60 1.79 1.80 1.00 1.00 1.21 1.00 2.46 1.94 2.74 2.74 1.00 1.94 1.44 1.95

16.06 17.71 17.34 15.95 17.34 16.36 18.62 20.60 14.85 14.83 14.09 14.03 14.24 14.04 15.50 15.06 15.78 15.81 14.11 15.05 14.51 15.02

99.33 98.37 94.37 97.76 96.51 99.39 80.95 90.12 97.60 98.38 99.68 101.15 110.76 101.19 100.08 97.92 97.54 97.05 97.39 99.71 107.69 107.35

07-Oct-14 18-Dec-14 31-Dec-14 17-Aug-15 09-Dec-15 06-Jan-16 29-Sep-16 25-Oct-16 30-Sep-17 30-Nov-17 09-Apr-18 09-Sep-18 09-Sep-18 22-Sep-18 18-Oct-18 17-Feb-19 14-Nov-20

0.44 0.64 0.68 0.82 0.90 0.98 2.42 2.49 3.43 2.04 2.20 2.36 2.36 4.40 2.47 2.56 6.55

1.00 5.21 8.71 4.88 1.00 2.63 1.00 1.34 4.52 1.88 3.48 5.20 5.06 3.06 2.29 6.11 2.76

12.66 17.31 20.89 17.35 13.63 15.42 14.04 14.37 17.57 14.92 16.52 18.24 18.10 16.15 15.33 19.14 15.87

99.48 97.72 97.57 94.66 98.77 99.09 97.91 99.74 88.57 106.42 99.22 99.84 101.93 93.36 100.87 96.21 97.49

11-Feb-18

3.79

1.00

14.06

88.90

Maturity Date

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

Bid Price

Offer Price

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

1,304.32

Sub-National Bonds A/Agusto A-/GCR A+/Agusto A/Agusto Nil A+/Agusto A+/Agusto; A+/GCR A-/Agusto A/Agusto A+/Agusto; A+/GCR A-/Agusto; A-/GCR A/Agusto; A-/GCR† A-/Agusto A/Agusto; A-/GCR A/Agusto; A-/GCR Aa-/Agusto; AA-/GCR A/Agusto; A-/GCR A/Agusto Aa-/Agusto; AA-/GCR A-/Agusto; BBB+/DataPro A/Agusto A-/GCR

KWARA NIGER KADUNA *EBONYI *BENUE *IMO LAGOS *BAYELSA EDO *DELTA NIGER *EKITI *NIGER *ONDO *GOMBE LAGOS *OSUN *OSUN LAGOS KOGI *EKITI *NASARAWA

14.00 KWARA 5-AUG-2014 14.00 NIGER 15-OCT-2014 12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015 13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015 14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016 15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016 10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017 13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017 14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017 14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018 14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018 14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018 14.00 NIGER III 12-DEC-2018 15.50 ONDO 14-FEB-2019 15.50 GOMBE 02-OCT-2019 14.50 LAGOS 22-NOV-2019 14.75 OSUN 12-DEC-2019 14.75 OSUN II 30-SEP-2020 13.50 LAGOS IV 27-NOV-2020 15.00 KOGI 31-DEC-2020 14.50 EKITI II 31-DEC-2020 15.00 NASARAWA 06-JAN-2021

05-Aug-09 15-Oct-09 31-Aug-10 30-Sep-10 30-Jun-11 30-Jun-09 19-Apr-10 30-Jun-10 30-Dec-10 30-Sep-11 04-Oct-11 09-Dec-11 12-Dec-13 14-Feb-12 02-Oct-12 22-Nov-12 12-Dec-12 30-Sep-13 27-Nov-13 31-Dec-13 31-Dec-13 06-Jan-14

14.00 14.00 12.50 13.00 14.00 15.50 10.00 13.75 14.00 14.00 14.00 14.50 14.00 15.50 15.50 14.50 14.75 14.75 13.50 15.00 14.50 15.00

17.00 6.00 8.50 16.50 13.00 18.50 57.00 50.00 25.00 50.00 9.00 20.00 12.00 27.00 20.00 80.00 30.00 11.40 87.00 5.00 5.00 5.00

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

572.90

Corporate Bonds A+/Agusto; AA/GCR Aa/Agusto Nil Bbb-/Agusto A-/Agusto BB+/GCR A+/Agusto; A-/GCR A-/Agusto A/GCR BBB-/GCR BBB+/DataPro†; BB+/GCR A-/DataPro†; BB-/GCR AAA/DataPro†; A+/GCR A/Agusto; A/GCR Bbb+/Agusto; BBB+/GCR BBB-/DataPro†; BB+/GCR A+/Agusto; A-/GCR

LAFARGE WAPCO GTB µ NGC *UPDC *FLOURMILLS *CHELLARAMS NAHCO FSDH UBA *C & I LEASING *DANA# *TOWER# *TOWER# UBA *LA CASERA *CHELLARAMS# NAHCO

11.50 LAFARGE WAPCO 7-OCT 2014 13.50 GUARANTY TRUST 18-DEC-2014 17.00 NGC 31-DEC-2014 10.00 UPDC 17-AUG-2015 12.00 FLOURMILLS 9-DEC-2015 14.00 CHELLARAMS 06-JAN-2016 13.00 NAHCO 29-SEP-2016 14.25 FSDH 25-OCT-2016 13.00 UBA 30-SEP-2017 18.00 C&I LEASING 30-NOV-2017 MPR+7.00 DANA 9-APR-2018 MPR+7.00 TOWER 9-SEP-2018 MPR+5.25 TOWER 9-SEP-2018 14.00 UBA II 22-SEP-2018 15.75 LA CASERA 18-OCT-2018 MPR+5.00 CHELLARAMS II 17-FEB-2019 15.25 NAHCO II 14-NOV-2020

07-Oct-11 18-Dec-09 01-Apr-10 17-Aug-10 09-Dec-10 06-Jan-11 29-Sep-11 25-Oct-13 30-Sep-10 30-Nov-12 09-Apr-11 09-Sep-11 09-Sep-11 22-Sep-11 18-Oct-13 17-Feb-12 14-Nov-13

11.50 13.50 17.00 10.00 12.00 14.00 13.00 14.25 13.00 18.00 16.00 18.00 16.00 14.00 15.75 17.00 15.25

11.80 13.17 2.00 15.00 37.50 1.50 15.00 5.53 20.00 0.94 8.01 3.63 1.00 35.00 3.00 0.54 2.05

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

175.67

Supranational Bond AAA/S&P

10.20 IFC 11-FEB-2018

IFC

11-Feb-13

10.20

12.00

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE Rating/Agency

12.00 Issuer

Description

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Issue Value ($'mm)

FGN Eurobonds

Prices & Yields

BB-/Fitch; B+/S&P BB-/Fitch; BB-/S&P

FGN

BB-/Fitch; BB-/S&P

6.75 JAN 28, 2021

07-Oct-11

6.75

500.00

28-Jan-21

5.31

5.16

108.07

108.96

5.13 JUL 12, 2018

18-Dec-09

5.13

500.00

12-Jul-18

4.53

4.33

102.24

103.04

6.38 JUL 12, 2023

01-Apr-10

6.38

500.00

12-Jul-23

5.74

5.61

104.51

105.43

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

1,500.00

Corporate Eurobonds AFREN PLC I

11.50 FEB 01, 2016

01-Feb-11

11.50

450.00

01-Feb-16

3.87

3.43

112.79

113.59

GTBANK PLC I

7.50 MAY 19, 2016

19-May-11

7.50

500.00

19-May-16

5.33

4.49

104.15

105.84

GTBANK PLC

6.00 NOV 08, 2018

08-Nov-13

6.00

400.00

08-Nov-18

6.14

5.87

99.44

100.50

7.25 JUL 25, 2017

25-Jul-12

7.25

350.00

25-Jul-17

7.13

6.62

100.32

101.80

6.88 MAY 09, 2018

09-May-13

6.88

300.00

02-May-18

8.24

7.72

95.40

97.14

AFREN PLC

10.25 APR 08, 2019

08-Apr-12

10.25

300.00

08-Apr-19

5.25

4.81

113.73

114.60

ZENITH BANK PLC FIRST BANK PLC

6.25 APR 22, 2019

22-Apr-14

6.25

500.00

22-Apr-19

6.28

6.13

99.86

100.52

B/S&P; B-/Fitch

8.25 AUG 07, 2020

07-Aug-13

8.25

300.00

07-Aug-20

7.16

6.63

103.92

105.92

B+/S&P; B+/Fitch

AFREN PLC

6.63 DEC 09, 2020

09-Dec-13

6.63

360.00

09-Dec-20

6.53

6.22

100.38

101.61

B-/S&P; B/Fitch B+/S&P; B+/Fitch B+/S&P B/S&P; B/Fitch B/Fitch B+/Fitch; BB-/S&P

ACCESS BANK PLC FIDELITY BANK PLC

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

3,460.00

**Treasury Bills DTM 10 17 24 31 38 52 59

FIXINGS Maturity 8-May-14 15-May-14 22-May-14 29-May-14 5-Jun-14 19-Jun-14 26-Jun-14

Bid Discount (%) 10.00 10.40 10.40 10.35 10.65 11.10 11.10

Offer Discount (%) 9.75 10.15 10.15 10.10 10.40 10.85 10.85

Bid Yield (%) 10.03 10.45 10.47 10.44 10.77 11.28 11.30

Money Market

NIBOR Tenor O/N 1M 3M 6M

Rate (%) 10.5167 12.8368 13.8098 14.5402

Foreign Exchange (Spot & Forwards)

Tenor

Rate (%)

OBB

10.25

Tenor

Bid ($/N)

Offer ($/N)

10.50

Spot 7D 14D 1M 2M

160.99 161.18 161.44 162.01 163.21

161.09 161.46 161.81 162.73 164.56

O/N Tenor Call

REPO

Rate (%) 10.25

16.39 27-JAN-2022 14.20 14-MAR-2024 15.00 28-NOV-2028 12.49 22-MAY-2029 8.50 20-NOV-2029 10.00 23-JUL-2030

27-Jan-12 14-Mar-14 28-Nov-08 22-May-09 20-Nov-09 23-Jul-10

16.39 14.20 15.00 12.49 8.50 10.00

600.00 75.00 75.00 150.00 200.00 591.57

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE Rating/Agency

27-Jan-22 14-Mar-24 28-Nov-28 22-May-29 20-Nov-29 23-Jul-30

7.75 9.88 14.59 15.07 15.56 16.24

13.17 13.22 13.32 13.34 13.35 13.43

13.11 13.16 13.28 13.29 13.29 13.38

Coupon (%)

Issue Value (N'bn)

Maturity Date

Avg. Life/TTM (Yrs)

Risk Premium (%)

0.00 0.00 17.25 0.00/16.00 0.00/16.50 0.00/16.50

978.35 24.56 6.00 112.22 116.70 66.49

31-Oct-14 24-May-15 03-Apr-17 09-Dec-16 20-Apr-17 06-Jul-17

0.51 1.07 1.56 2.62 2.98 3.19

1.00 2.63 2.27 2.00 1.49 1.00

115.30 105.30 110.65 94.53 68.50 77.50

115.60 105.60 110.95 94.83 68.80 77.80

Valuation Yield (%)

Indicative Price

4,264.84 Issuer

Agency Bonds

Description

Issue Date

48 BUSINESS | FINANCIAL MARKET NEWS AMCON FMBN

NA

0.00 AMCON 31-OCT-2014 (SR.5 TR.1) 0.00 FMB 24-MAY-2015 17.25 FMB II 03-APR-2017 0.00/16.00 LCRM 09-DEC-2016 0.00/16.50 LCRM II 20-APR-2017 0.00/16.50 LCRM III 06-JUL-2017

28-Dec-11 24-May-10 03-Apr-12 09-Dec-11 20-Apr-12 06-Jul-12

#

12.84

93.90

Sanctity of Truth

15.47 Tuesday, April85.24 29, 2014 15.22 15.03 14.52 14.04

102.83 92.94 90.09 88.63

‘WEF will attract investment’ Skye Bank’s Q1 profit ***LCRM

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

1,304.32

Sub-National Bonds

A/Agusto A-/GCR A+/Agusto A/Agusto Nil A+/Agusto A+/Agusto; A+/GCR A-/Agusto A/Agusto A+/Agusto; A+/GCR A-/Agusto; A-/GCR A/Agusto; A-/GCR† A-/Agusto A/Agusto; A-/GCR A/Agusto; A-/GCR Aa-/Agusto; AA-/GCR A/Agusto; A-/GCR A/Agusto Aa-/Agusto; AA-/GCR A-/Agusto; BBB+/DataPro A/Agusto A-/GCR

PROSPECTS

KWARA NIGER KADUNA *EBONYI *BENUE *IMO LAGOS *BAYELSA EDO *DELTA NIGER *EKITI *NIGER *ONDO *GOMBE LAGOS *OSUN *OSUN LAGOS KOGI *EKITI *NASARAWA

WEF will showcase Nigeria’s endowments to a global audience

Stories by Chris Ugwu

A

head of the World Economic Forum on Africa holding in Abuja, Stanbic IBTC, a member of Standard Bank Group, has said that the forum will attract investment in TOTALforeign OUTSTANDING VALUE the country.

Corporate Bonds Speaking at a press conferA+/Agusto; AA/GCR LAFARGE WAPCO ence in Lagos, ChiefGTB Executive Aa/Agusto Officer, Stanbic IBTC Holdings Nil NGC Bbb-/Agusto *UPDC PLC, Mrs. Sola David-Borha, A-/Agusto *FLOURMILLS said the capital inflow that will BB+/GCR *CHELLARAMS come into many sectors of the A+/Agusto; A-/GCR NAHCO Nigerian economy on the back A-/Agusto FSDH ofA/GCR the forum wouldUBA be signifiBBB-/GCR *C & I LEASING cant.

BBB+/DataPro†; BB+/GCR *DANA David-Borha noted that the A-/DataPro†; BB-/GCR *TOWER forum will A+/GCR give Nigeria a huge AAA/DataPro†; *TOWER publicity that will unlock enorA/Agusto; A/GCR UBA Bbb+/Agusto; BBB+/GCR mous potential for *LA theCASERA growth µ

#

# #

BBB-/DataPro†; BB+/GCR A+/Agusto; A-/GCR

*CHELLARAMS# NAHCO

05-Aug-09 15-Oct-09 31-Aug-10 30-Sep-10 30-Jun-11 30-Jun-09 19-Apr-10 30-Jun-10 30-Dec-10 30-Sep-11 04-Oct-11 09-Dec-11 12-Dec-13 14-Feb-12 02-Oct-12 22-Nov-12 12-Dec-12 30-Sep-13 27-Nov-13 31-Dec-13 31-Dec-13 06-Jan-14

14.00 KWARA 5-AUG-2014 14.00 NIGER 15-OCT-2014 12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015 13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015 14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016 15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016 10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017 13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017 14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017 14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018 14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018 14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018 14.00 NIGER III 12-DEC-2018 15.50 ONDO 14-FEB-2019 15.50 GOMBE 02-OCT-2019 14.50 LAGOS 22-NOV-2019 14.75 OSUN 12-DEC-2019 14.75 OSUN II 30-SEP-2020 13.50 LAGOS IV 27-NOV-2020 15.00 KOGI 31-DEC-2020 14.50 EKITI II 31-DEC-2020 15.00 NASARAWA 06-JAN-2021

11.50 LAFARGE WAPCO 7-OCT 2014

David-Borha 13.50 GUARANTY TRUST 18-DEC-2014 17.00 NGC 31-DEC-2014 17-AUG-2015 of10.00 theUPDC economy .

12.00 FLOURMILLS 9-DEC-2015 She reiterated the financial 14.00 CHELLARAMS 06-JAN-2016 institution’s unwavering com13.00 NAHCO 29-SEP-2016 14.25 FSDH to 25-OCT-2016 mitment Nigeria’s socio-eco13.00 UBA 30-SEP-2017 nomic development.

18.00 C&I LEASING 30-NOV-2017 David-Borha, said the global MPR+7.00 DANA 9-APR-2018 forum’s theme, ‘Forging IncluMPR+7.00 TOWER 9-SEP-2018 sive Growth, Creating Jobs,’ MPR+5.25 TOWER 9-SEP-2018 14.00 UBA II 22-SEP-2018 finds synergy with Stanbic 15.75 LA CASERA 18-OCT-2018 IBTC’s strategic objective of MPR+5.00 CHELLARAMS II 17-FEB-2019 15.25 NAHCO II 14-NOV-2020

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

14.00 14.00 12.50 13.00 14.00 15.50 10.00 13.75 14.00 14.00 14.00 14.50 14.00 15.50 15.50 14.50 14.75 14.75 13.50 15.00 14.50 15.00

building a franchise that will help individuals, organizations and businesses to achieve their goals.

Specifically referring to Nigeria, which is hosting the yearly forum for the first time since its inception 24 years ago, Sola David-Borha said Stanbic IBTC recognizes the huge potentials that exist in the country and enjoined all stakeholders to see the forum as a platform to showcase Nigeria’s endowments to a global audience.

She said the forum will provide a unique platform to scrutinize ongoing reforms in critical sectors economy 07-Oct-11of Nigeria’s 11.50 with18-Dec-09 a view to strengthening 13.50 01-Apr-10 17.00 policies and efforts to engender 17-Aug-10 10.00 sustainable development in Af09-Dec-10 12.00 rica’s06-Jan-11 most populous14.00 nation.

Victor Williams,13.00 Executive 29-Sep-11 Director for Corporate 25-Oct-13 14.25 and In30-Sep-10Banking,13.00 vestment said Stan30-Nov-12 18.00 bic IBTC’s robust support in 09-Apr-11 16.00 financing investments in criti09-Sep-11 18.00 cal infrastructure has a definite 09-Sep-11 16.00 correlation 22-Sep-11 to economic 14.00 growth 18-Oct-13 15.75 and development.

falls 25.5% to N3.45bn

17.00 6.00 8.50 16.50 13.00 18.50 57.00 50.00 25.00 50.00 9.00 20.00 12.00 27.00 20.00 80.00 30.00 11.40 87.00 5.00 5.00 5.00

S

05-Aug-14 15-Oct-14 31-Aug-15 30-Sep-15 30-Jun-16 30-Jun-16 19-Apr-17 30-Jun-17 31-Dec-17 30-Sep-18 04-Oct-18 09-Dec-18 12-Dec-18 14-Feb-19 02-Oct-19 22-Nov-19 12-Dec-19 30-Sep-20 27-Nov-20 31-Dec-20 31-Dec-20 06-Jan-21

0.27 0.47 1.34 0.94 1.24 1.25 2.98 1.81 3.68 2.65 4.44 2.65 2.65 3.23 3.30 5.57 3.27 3.98 6.58 6.68 3.98 4.02

kye Bank Plc said yesterday its first-quarter pretax profit fell to N3.45 billion ($21.5 million), down 25.5 per cent from N4.63 billion in the same period of last year.

Similarly, gross earnings of the mid-tier lender dropped to N34.33 billion during the threemonth period, against N34.69 billion a year earlier, it said in a filing with the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

Also, post tax profit decreased to N2.8 billion as against N3.7 billion the previous year.

572.90 However, the bank posted a net income of N13.6 11.80 interest07-Oct-14 0.44 billion during the period 13.17 18-Dec-14 0.64as 2.00 31-Dec-14billion it 0.68reagainst the N12.1 15.00 17-Aug-15 0.82 ported during the correspond37.50 09-Dec-15 0.90 ing period in 2013.

1.50 06-Jan-16 0.98 According to analysts 15.00 29-Sep-16 2.42 at FBN Capital25-Oct-16 , despite the2.49 fact 5.53 20.00 profit before 30-Sep-17 provisions 3.43 that 0.94 30-Nov-17 grew healthily , by 18 per 2.04 cent 8.01 09-Apr-18 2.20 y/y to N23.4bn.

Loan loss2.36 pro3.63 09-Sep-18 visions of N2.5bn 1.00 09-Sep-18 and operat2.36 ing of N17.5bn4.40 saw 35.00 expenses 22-Sep-18 3.00 marked rises18-Oct-18 to more than2.47off17-Feb-12 17.00 0.54 17-Feb-19 2.56 set the healthy growth in profit 14-Nov-13 15.25 2.05 14-Nov-20 6.55 before provisions.

175.67 “The latter was driven by funding income which grew 31 11-Feb-13 10.20 12.00 cent y/y11-Feb-18 per to N16.2bn on3.79the 12.00 back of a reduction of 27 per mainstream segment of the cent y/y in interest expense.

Date Issue Value ($'mm) Maturity Bid Yield (%) beerIssue market has Coupon come(%)under Skye reduced itsDate deposits balpressure as consumers down- ance by 11 per cent q/q (7 per trade to cheaper products. cent y/y) in Q1 2014. Sequen07-Oct-11 unit volumes 6.75 28-Jan-21 grew by 5.31 34 As such, for 500.00 tially, PBT actually the Guinness Stout and Harp per cent q/q but from an ex18-Dec-09 5.13 500.00 12-Jul-18 4.53 brand, which form the bulk tremely weak Q4 2013 result.

01-Apr-10 6.38 12-Jul-23 5.74by of the company’s output have 500.00 Although opex increased been constrained by consum- 1,500.00 159 per cent q/q, it was offset ers switching to value proposi- by a commensurate reduction tions,” they said. in loan loss provisions.

01-Feb-11 3.87 They noted that 11.50 the value 450.00"We note 01-Feb-16 that the Q4 opex 19-May-11 7.50 19-May-16 5.33 of segment where Guinness was 500.00 was unusually low because 08-Nov-13 6.00 08-Nov-18 under-represented is growing 400.00 over-accuring in the 9M 6.14 2013 25-Jul-12 7.25 25-Jul-17 faster than other segments of 350.00 period. In contrast, loan7.13 loss 09-May-13 6.88 300.00 02-May-18 8.24 the beer market. 10.25 provisions were 69 per 5.25 cent 08-Apr-12 300.00 08-Apr-19

Guinness Nigeria Q1 profit drops 30% Supranational Bond

AAA/S&P

10.20 IFC 11-FEB-2018

IFC

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

G

uinness Nigeria Plc has Rating/Agency Issuer posted a 30 per cent decline in pre-tax profit for the first FGN Eurobonds quarter ended March 31, 2014.

BB-/Fitch; B+/S&P In a financial statement released BB-/Fitch;to the Nigerian Stock FGN BB-/S&P Exchange (NSE), the comBB-/Fitch; pany said its profit before tax BB-/S&P (PBT) the first quarter TOTALfor OUTSTANDING VALUE (Q1) dropped by 30 per cent from Corporate billion Eurobondsin the Q1 of N11.234 B-/S&P; AFREN in PLC the I 2013 toB/Fitch N7.823 billion GTBANK PLC I review period of 2014.

B+/S&P; B+/Fitch Similarly, profitGTBANK afterPLCtax B+/S&P ACCESS PLC (PAT) dropped 22 per centBANK from B/S&P; B/Fitch FIDELITY BANK PLC N7.633 billion to N5.943 billion, B/Fitch AFREN PLC

while revenue also decreased Description 11 per cent from N88.058 billion to N78.018 billion.

Reacting on the results, 6.75 JAN Capital 28, 2021 analysts at FBN said it estimated that unit vol5.13 JUL 12, 2018 umes for Q3 2014 most likely JUL 12, 2023 declined by 6.38 around 7 per cent y/y, that is prices were flattish.

“We note that rival Nigerian Breweries (NB), which 11.50 01, 2014 2016 (endalso released itsFEBQ1 MAY 19, 2016 Mar) results7.50last week saw a 6.00 NOV 08, 2018 marked slow-down in its bot7.25 JUL 25, 2017 tom-line growth.

For several 6.88 MAY 09, 2018 quarters now growth in the 10.25 APR 08, 2019

4.88 5.99 4.44 3.23 4.46 3.48 5.59 7.60 1.79 1.80 1.00 1.00 1.21 1.00 2.46 1.94 2.74 2.74 1.00 1.94 1.44 1.95

16.06 17.71 17.34 15.95 17.34 16.36 18.62 20.60 14.85 14.83 14.09 14.03 14.24 14.04 15.50 15.06 15.78 15.81 14.11 15.05 14.51 15.02

99.33 98.37 94.37 97.76 96.51 99.39 80.95 90.12 97.60 98.38 99.68 101.15 110.76 101.19 100.08 97.92 97.54 97.05 97.39 99.71 107.69 107.35

lower than what Skye reported in Q4 2013. We should point out that the Q4 provisions figure in the last two years have been significantly higher than in the previous three quarters. As such, a q/q decline was expected. PAT fell 37 per cent per cent q/q because Skye had enjoyed a tax credit of N1.8bn in Q4 2013. Relative to our forecasts, both PBT and PAT missed by 41 per cent. The negative surprise stemmed from both loan loss provisions and opex which came in higher than our forecasts by 118 per cent and 24 per cent respectively,” they said..

Explaining the reasons 1.00 12.66 99.48 for the5.21decline 17.31 in its profit, 97.72 the 8.71 attributed 20.89 the develop97.57 bank 4.88 17.35 ment to increase in its 94.66 operat1.00 13.63 98.77 ing2.63expense15.42 of N17.5 99.09 billion compared to14.04 N14.9 billion in 1.00 97.91 2013. bank, 1.34 According 14.37 to the 99.74 4.52 17.57 88.57 provisioning for regulatory 1.88 14.92 payments and other 106.42 operat3.48 16.52 99.22 ing5.20expenses18.24 accounted99.84 for the increase.

5.06 18.10 101.93 “In a year 16.15 beset with various 3.06 93.36 2.29 15.33 100.87 regulatory headwinds on the 6.11 backdrop of 19.14 monetary96.21 policy 2.76 15.87 97.49 tightening with attendant impact on liquidity, cost, fees, and overall earnings, our results for the first 1.00 14.06 88.90 quarter declined.

“Our operating expense increased during the review period Offer (%) cent, Bid Price Offer billion Price

by Yield 17 per from N14.9 the previous year to N17.4 billion as Prices & Yields a result of increased statutory pay5.16 and other 108.07 108.96 ments operating costs.

“We are confident about the 4.33 102.24 103.04 successful implementation of 104.51Tier 2 105.43 5.61Tier 1 and our Capital Raising Project within the year as planned, which would enable us deepen our penetration in ex3.43 markets, 112.79while also 113.59proisting 4.49 104.15 for exploring 105.84 viding the avenue 5.87 99.44 100.50 uncharted segments and other 6.62 100.32 101.80 opportunities”, the bank ex7.72 95.40 97.14 plained.

4.81 113.73 114.60

ZENITH BANK PLC FIRST BANK PLC

6.25 APR 22, 2019

22-Apr-14

6.25

500.00

22-Apr-19

6.28

6.13

99.86

100.52

B/S&P; B-/Fitch

8.25 AUG 07, 2020

07-Aug-13

8.25

300.00

07-Aug-20

7.16

6.63

103.92

105.92

B+/S&P; B+/Fitch

AFREN PLC

6.63 DEC 09, 2020

09-Dec-13

6.63

360.00

09-Dec-20

6.53

6.22

100.38

101.61

B+/Fitch; BB-/S&P

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

3,460.00

28-Apr-14

The FMDQBills Daily Quotations List (DQL) comprises market and model prices/rates of foreign exchange ($/N) products, FIXINGS fixed income securities and instruments in the OTC market. The use of this report is subject **Treasury Money Market Foreign Exchange (Spot & Forwards) to the FMDQ of Use and Disclaimer Statement.

DTM OTC PLC TermsMaturity Bid Discount (%) Offer Discount (%) Bid Yield (%) Tenor Rate (%) NIBOR

10 8-May-14 10.00 17 15-May-14 10.40 24 22-May-14 10.40 FGN Bonds31 29-May-14 10.35 38 5-Jun-14 10.65 52 19-Jun-14 11.10 Issuer Description Rating/Agency 59 26-Jun-14 11.10 66 3-Jul-14 11.00 9.20 29-JUN-2014 73 10-Jul-14 10.90 9.25 28-SEP-2014 80 17-Jul-14 10.50 4.00 23-APR-2015 87 24-Jul-14 11.10 94 31-Jul-14 11.10 13.05 16-AUG-2016 101 7-Aug-14 10.80 15.10 27-APR-2017 108 14-Aug-14 11.40 9.85 27-JUL-2017 115 21-Aug-14 11.40 9.35 31-AUG-2017 122 28-Aug-14 11.70 10.70 30-MAY-2018 129 4-Sep-14 11.10 NA NA 16.00 29-JUN-2019 164 9-Oct-14 11.10 220 4-Dec-14 11.20 7.00 23-OCT-2019 255 8-Jan-15 11.80 16.39 27-JAN-2022 269 22-Jan-15 11.80 14.20 14-MAR-2024 283 5-Feb-15 11.80 15.00 28-NOV-2028 297 19-Feb-15 11.85 12.49 22-MAY-2029 311 5-Mar-15 11.75 8.50 20-NOV-2029 346 9-Apr-15 11.80 360 23-Apr-15 11.70 10.00 23-JUL-2030 *from the Amortising TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE # bonds, the average is Risk Premium is a life combination of credit risk and liquidity risk premiums **Exclusive of non-trading t.bills

Rating/Agency

Issuer

Agency Bonds AMCON FMBN

NA

***LCRM Modified Duration Buckets

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE Sub-National Bonds A/Agusto A-/GCR A+/Agusto A/Agusto Nil A+/Agusto A+/Agusto; A+/GCR A-/Agusto A/Agusto A+/Agusto; A+/GCR A-/Agusto; A-/GCR A/Agusto; A-/GCR† A-/Agusto

<3 3<5 >5

KWARA NIGER Market KADUNA *EBONYI *BENUE *IMO LAGOS *BAYELSA EDO *DELTA NIGER *EKITI *NIGER

9.75 10.15 10.15 10.10 10.40 10.85 Issue Date 10.85 10.75 29-Jun-07 10.65 28-Sep-07 10.25 23-Apr-10 10.85 10.85 16-Aug-13 10.55 27-Apr-12 11.15 27-Jul-07 11.15 31-Aug-07 11.45 30-May-08 10.85 29-Jun-12 10.85 10.95 23-Oct-09 11.55 27-Jan-12 11.55 14-Mar-14 11.55 28-Nov-08 11.60 22-May-09 11.50 20-Nov-09 11.55 11.45 23-Jul-10

Issue Date

0.00 AMCON 31-OCT-2014 (SR.5 TR.1) 0.00 FMB 24-MAY-2015 17.25 FMB II 03-APR-2017 0.00/16.00 LCRM 09-DEC-2016 0.00/16.50 LCRM II 20-APR-2017 Porfolio Market Total Outstanding 0.00/16.50 LCRM III 06-JUL-2017 Volume(Bn) Value(Bn)

2,445.44 14.00 NIGER 15-OCT-2014 12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015 13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015 14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016 15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016 10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017 13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017 14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017 14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018 14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018 14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018 14.00 NIGER III 12-DEC-2018

Bonds

Tenor O/N 1M 3M Outstanding 6M Value

(N'bn)

Rate (%) 10.5167 12.8368 13.8098 14.5402

Maturity Date

45.00 NITTY 100.00 535.00 Tenor 1M 435.27 2M 452.80 3M 20.00 6M 100.00 9M 300.00 12M 351.30 233.90 600.00 NIFEX 75.00 Current Price ($/N) 75.00 BID($/N) OFFER150.00 ($/N) 200.00 591.57

29-Jun-14 28-Sep-14 23-Apr-15 Rate (%) 10.6714 16-Aug-16 11.2816 27-Apr-17 11.4421 27-Jul-17 11.8170 31-Aug-17 12.9300 30-May-18 13.4363 29-Jun-19 23-Oct-19 27-Jan-22 14-Mar-24 28-Nov-28 160.9500 22-May-29 161.0500 20-Nov-29 23-Jul-30

OBB

10.25

O/N

10.50

Tenor TTM (Yrs)

REPO

Call 1M 0.17 3M 0.42 6M

(%) BidRate Yield (%) 10.25 11.87

Tenor

Spot 7D 14D Offer1M Yield 2M (%) 3M 10.24 6M 11.35 1Y

11.11 12.70 11.73 13.46 0.99 12.80 12.21 13.18 13.10 NOTE: 2.30 3.00 13.15 13.03 :Benchmarks 3.25 13.04 12.92 * :Amortising Bond 3.34 Bond 13.05 12.92 µ :Convertible 13.08 AMCON:4.09 Asset Management Corporation of12.98 Nigeria 5.17 Government 13.20 13.12 FGN: Federal of Nigeria FMBN: Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria 5.49 13.12 13.02 IFC: International Finance Corporation 7.75 13.17 13.11 LCRM: Local Contractors Receivables Management 9.88 13.22 13.16 NAHCO: Nigerian Aviation Handling Company 14.59 13.32 13.28 O/N: Overnight 15.07Property Development 13.34 13.29 UPDC: UAC Company 15.56 Africa Portland 13.35 13.29 WAPCO:West Cement Company 16.24 13.43 13.38

Bid ($/N)

160.99 161.18 161.44 Bid162.01 Price 163.21 164.43 99.62 168.05 98.98 175.00

Offer ($/N)

Price

161.09 161.46 161.81 162.73 Offer Price 164.56 166.38 99.77 172.23 99.13 184.02

92.08 92.58 99.70 99.85 104.70 105.00 NA :Not Applicable 91.72 92.02 # :Floating Rate Bond 90.21 coupon bonds 90.51 ***: Deferred 92.63 92.93 110.20 †: Bond rating expired110.50 76.59 76.89 115.30 115.60 105.30 105.60 NGC: Nigeria-German Company UBA:110.65 United Bank for 110.95 Africa 94.53 94.83 68.50 68.80 77.50 77.80

4,264.84

Description

908.05 1,078.93 458.47 14.00 KWARA 5-AUG-2014

10.03 10.45 10.47 10.44 10.77 11.28 Coupon (%) 11.30 11.22 9.20 11.14 9.25 10.75 4.00 11.40 11.43 13.05 11.13 15.10 11.80 9.85 11.82 9.35 12.18 10.70 11.55 16.00 11.68 12.01 7.00 12.86 16.39 12.92 14.20 12.99 15.00 13.11 12.49 13.06 8.50 13.29 13.23 10.00

888.07 951.30 591.57 2,430.94

28-Dec-11 24-May-10 03-Apr-12 09-Dec-11 20-Apr-12by Weighting Outstanding 06-Jul-12 Vol 36.53 39.13 05-Aug-0924.33 15-Oct-09 100.00 31-Aug-10 30-Sep-10 30-Jun-11 30-Jun-09 19-Apr-10 30-Jun-10 30-Dec-10 30-Sep-11 04-Oct-11 09-Dec-11 12-Dec-13

#

Coupon (%)

Issue Value (N'bn)

Maturity Date

Avg. Life/TTM (Yrs)

Risk Premium (%)

Valuation Yield (%)

Indicative Price

0.00

978.35

17.25 0.00/16.00 0.00/16.50 Weighting by Mkt Value 0.00/16.50

6.00 112.22 116.70 Bucket Weighting 66.49

31-Oct-14 24-May-15 03-Apr-17 09-Dec-16 %20-Apr-17 Exposure_ Mod_Duration 06-Jul-17

0.51 1.07 1.56 2.62 2.98 Implied Yield 3.19

1.00 2.63 2.27 2.00 1.49 Implied Portfolio 1.00 Price

12.84 15.47 15.22 15.03 14.52 INDEX 14.04

93.90 85.24 102.83 92.94 90.09 YTD Return (%) 88.63

FMDQ FGN 0.00 BOND INDEX 24.56

37.13 44.12 14.00 18.75 14.00100.00 12.50 13.00 14.00 15.50 10.00 13.75 14.00 14.00 14.00 14.50 14.00

1,304.32 17.00 6.00 8.50 16.50 13.00 18.50 57.00 50.00 25.00 50.00 9.00 20.00 12.00

0.37 0.39 0.24 1.00

19.62 39.71 05-Aug-1440.68 15-Oct-14 100.00 31-Aug-15 30-Sep-15 30-Jun-16 30-Jun-16 19-Apr-17 30-Jun-17 31-Dec-17 30-Sep-18 04-Oct-18 09-Dec-18 12-Dec-18

13.16 13.18 0.2713.43 0.4713.28 1.34 0.94 1.24 1.25 2.98 1.81 3.68 2.65 4.44 2.65 2.65

110.6244 123.2377 4.88 85.2296 5.99 109.3805 4.44 3.23 4.46 3.48 5.59 7.60 1.79 1.80 1.00 1.00 1.21

1,050.71 1,043.53 16.06 1,031.77 17.71 1,037.88 17.34 15.95 17.34 16.36 18.62 20.60 14.85 14.83 14.09 14.03 14.24

5.0706 4.3529 99.33 3.1773 98.37 3.7879 94.37 97.76 96.51 99.39 80.95 90.12 97.60 98.38 99.68 101.15 110.76

BUSINESS | MONEY LINE 49

Sanctity of Truth

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

FG to review civil servants’ Group Life Policy –HOCSF

MORE BENEFITS Civil servants set to extend their Group Life Insurance to accidents and disabilities

life assurance should be a longterm policy. ``Premium is currently based on total estimate of staff emolument in the annual budget rather than actual pay roll of the respective MDAs. ``Other lapses in the present policy are the non-subsequent reconciliation of the estimated and actual premium to determine surplus or shortfall.

T

he Federal Government is set to review the Group Life Assurance Policy for federal civil servants to make it more effective in order to achieve the desired goals.

Mohammed Manga, the Assistant Director, Media Relations in the office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HOCSF), made this known in a statement issued yesterday in Abuja.

Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Alhaji Bukar Aji, stated this during a meeting with the ``Underwriters on Group Life Assurance Scheme’’ for federal civil servants.

The statement said that the current Group Life Assurance Scheme was not beneficial to civil servants as it should be and was not in line with global best practices.

It said that the drawbacks in the current policy included arbitrary allotment of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to insurance companies without consideration for competitiveness or value propositions. ``Funds are not provided to pay premium in advance of cover as required by the insurance law of 'no premium no cover.' ``Current insurance scheme is done annually whereas group

`The share of insurance companies are based on the percentage of estimated budget emolument of allotted MDA and not scheduled emolument of civil servants covered by the insurance.’’

The statement said that the only benefit derivable from the current arrangement was the death benefit whereas Group Life Insurance could be extended to accidents, disabilities,

T

he Kaduna State Government has secured a credit facility from the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) totaling $141.45 million (about N23.339 billion) to tackle critical infrastructure challenges in the state.

The facility would be specifically deployed towards the provision of critical infrastructures in Health, Education and Water Supply sectors.

Kaduna State Governor, Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, said these while speaking at the Start-Up Project launching of the IDB funded projects held at the 300 bed-space Specialist Hospital in Kaduna.

A breakdown of the amount showed that $81 million (about N13.365 billion) would be channeled to the construction of

transmission mains and service reservoirs at the Zaria Regional Water Supply Project.

A total of $43.13 million (about N7.116 billion), according to the governor, would be deployed to the provision of modern equipment at the 300 bed-space Specialist Hospital at the Millennium City - a new developing part of Kaduna city, which is presently at 67 per cent completion.

The balance of $17.32 million (about N 2.857 billion) would expended on the construction of four new science secondary schools to be located in the New Kaduna City, Koreye in Sabon Gari LGA, Rigachikun in Igabi LGA and Manchok in Kaura LGA. The governor reiterated his administration’s commitment

As at N14,737,618.7m N16,509,472.5m 8 0.0000 12 10.899 7.96 17.01 US$109.9 US$42,604,781,796.6

Description

TTM

4.00% 23-Apr-2015 13.05% 16-Aug-2016 15.10% 27-Apr-2017 16.00% 29-Jun-2019 16.39% 27-Jan-2022 10.00% 23-Jul-2030

1.21 2.53 3.22 5.39 7.98 16.47

Tenor (Days) Call 7 30 60 90 180 365

Rate (%) 11.9167 12.3333 12.6667 12.9167 13.2167 13.5000 13.7500

NIBOR

Dec, 2013 Dec, 2013 Dec, 2013 2/5/2014 1/20/2014 11/6/2013 Dec, 2013 Dec, 2013 1/20/2014 2/5/2014 Source:CBN

FGN Bonds Bid Price 90.20 99.25 104.10 109.35 114.15 76.60

Offer Yield 13.01 13.40 13.47 13.49 13.44 13.59

Price 90.35 99.40 104.40 109.65 114.45 76.90

Tenor (Months) 1 2 3 6 9 12

Rate (%) 12.1827 12.2737 12.3744 12.8521 12.8535 13.8443

Treasury Bills Maturity Date 08-May-14 07-Aug-14 22-Jan-15

Bid 12.10 12.10 12.05

FX

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said henceforth, civil servants would directly or indirectly choose their preferred insurance company on the basis of benefits offered by the companies.

It said that the new scheme would afford civil servants the flexibility to include their family members where possible and to extend the cover beyond date of retirement at their expense.

Kaduna gets N23bn from Islamic Development Bank

Economic Indicators M2* CPS* INF IBR MPR 91-day NTB DPR PLR Bonny Light Ext Res**

residual benefits and other ancillary services. ``To address these drawbacks, enhance the benefits derivable from the scheme and bring the policy in line with global best practices, government would review the current Scheme from an annual policy to a long term-policy for effectiveness and efficiency,’’ it said.

The statement according the

Bid Spot ($/N) 163.28 THE FIXINGS –NIBOR,NITTY and NIFEX of February 6,2014

NITTY

Yield 12.86 13.33 13.35 13.42 13.38 13.53

Offer 163.38

Open-Buy-Back (OBB) Overnight (O/N)

Rate (%) 11.33 11.63

NIFEX Spot ($/N)

Bid 163.4000

Offer 163.5000 Source: FMDQ

two are to refinance payment to the IDB, which are the 300 bedspace hospital and the 150 MLD Zaria Regional Water Project.

The only burden are the science schools and I believe if we spend all the money we have as a State on education, it won’t even be sufficient to get us to where we want to be,” the governor added.

‘Access Bank is best firm in corporate citizenship’

A

ccess Bank has been adjudged the best Nigerian company in Corporate Citizenship in the first evercompetitive index on corporate social responsibility in Nigeria by CSR-in-Action.

CSR-in-Action is a registered social enterprise devoted to the advancement of social ethics, social responsibility and corporate governance in Nigeria.

In the Corporate Citizenship Index (3C-index) released yesterday, a statement from Access Bank noted that a total of 117 private sector companies raked in the report were assessed using six ranking pillars: Human Right, AntiCorruption, Community Investment, Economic, Labour and Reporting which reflect how companies are functioning in these areas of development.

On a scale of 100 per cent, Access Bank scored 83.3 per cent on Millennium Devel-

opment Goals focus areas to emerge as the best Nigerian organisation in Corporate Citizenship. Access Bank outperformed Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC), Exxon Mobil, GT Bank and Procter and Gamble (P&G) in the top five category to emerge the best company CSR-in-Action, according to Access Bank, noted :”It is no surprise that Access Bank scored in the highest in targeted community investment, especially on MDG focus areas with a score of 83.3%, a comment which is a tacit acknowledgement of the Bank’s pioneering role in Sustainability on the African continent.”

Speaking on the Bank’s perfor mance, its Group Managing Director, Herbert Wigwe said “At Access Bank, we have set for ourselves the ambitious target of becoming the world’s most respected African Bank.

FirstBank’s ‘FirstMonie’ crosses 1m subscribers’ milestone

T

Money Market Offer 11.85 11.85 11.80

to completing all projects it inherited from his predecessors.

“We have promised the people that we are going to complete all ongoing projects in the state and I want to assure the people that we have not abandoned any project and we remain committed to completing them based on availability of funds,” he said.

“Out of the three projects,

he mobile payment solution from First Bank of Nigeria Limited, FirstMonie, has crossed the 1 million subscribers milestone.

This feat, according to a statement from the bank, has been achieved in less than two years of its operations.

The mobile payment solution was launched in 2012 as part of financial inclusion initiative to drive the provision of banking services to the growing numbers of the unbanked and the underbanked population in Nigeria.

Commenting on the development, the Head, Marketing and Corporate Communica-

tions of FirstBank, Mrs. Folake Ani-Mumuney, said “surpassing the one-million mark on the FirstMonie platform, shows the extent the bank will go to ensure that our customers have more choices of accessing banking services from any location they find themselves.

“We are pleased by this achievement, which signifies the level of FirstMonie’s acceptance amongst subscribers.

We believe that the tremendous growth it has recorded so far illustrates the important role it plays in providing easy access to financial services for customers on the go”.

50 WORLD | NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

1,300 muslims quit Bangui, deepening C. Africa’s religious divide

S

ome 1,300 Muslims fearing attack by mainly Christian militias left the Central African capital Bangui yesterday under heavy guard, deepening the religious divide in the strifetorn country. Piled along with their possessions aboard 18 articulated lorries, the refugees left around midday accompanied by a large contingent of African peacekeepers, headed for the relative safety of the north.

They had been stranded in the PK-12 area on the outskirts of Bangui for five months as transport failed to materialise and amid debate over whether the mass exodus of Muslims from the capital would make peace even more elusive. The rundown PK-12 ghetto is completely surrounded by a hostile mainly Christian community, and the Muslims had come under frequent attack. Residents said 22 people had died since

December, of whom 18 were victims of violence. Countless others have been wounded by bullets, grenade shrapnel and machetes.

Just after the convoy set off, hundreds of youths could be seen pillaging the ghetto for items abandoned by the Muslims. Tens of thousands have already fled northwards, almost emptying the south of the country to join those of their own faith, already strongly represented in the north. Others have crossed borders into Chad and Cameroon. They are escorted by soldiers from France’s Operation Sangaris and troops of the multinational African mission MISCA, who together form a peacekeeping force of more than 7,000 men. The sectarian violence erupted in the former French colony after mainly Muslim rebels of the Seleka alliance seized power for 10 months in March last year and rogue elements carried out terrible atroci-

Fleeing Muslims out of CAR.

ties against civilians. Mostly Christian communities then formed “anti-balaka” vigilante forces to wreak brutal revenge against Muslims, usually targeting innocent people.

Last week, Reconciliation Minister Antoinette Montaigne warned that the exodus would undermine peace efforts.”I decided to join the debate because nobody has shown concern for

the vital stakes of reconciliation,” Montaigne said, warning that uprooting communities on religious and ethnic grounds could cause “cultural and sociological imbalances”.

Egypt sentences 683 to death Air search for missing Malaysian plane called off in another mass trial

A

judge in Egypt yesterday, sentenced to death 683 alleged supporters of the country’s ousted Islamist president, including the Muslim Brotherhood’s spiritual leader, the latest in mass trials that have drawn international condemnation and stunned rights groups.

The same judge also upheld the death penalty for 37 of 529 defendants sentenced in a similar case in March, though he commuted the rest of the sentences to life imprisonment. Still, the 37 death sentences which can be appealed in a higher court remain an extraordinarily high number for Egypt, compared to the dramatic trial in the wake of the 1981 assassination of President Anwar Sadat, when only five people were sentenced to death and executed.

Among those convicted and sentenced to death yesterday was Mohamed Badie, the Brotherhood’s spiritual guide.

If his sentence is confirmed, it would make him the most senior Brotherhood figure sentenced to death since one of the group’s leading ideologues, Sayed Qutb, was sentenced and executed in 1966.

In announcing the 683 death

sentences for violence and the killing of policemen, Judge Said Youssef also said he was referring his ruling to the Grand Mufti, the nation’s top Islamic official, a requirement under Egyptian law, but one that is considered a formality.

It does, however, give a window of opportunity for a judge to reverse an initial sentence. Both yesterday’s and the March trial are linked to deadly riots that erupted in Minya and elsewhere in Egypt after security forces violently disbanded sit-ins held by Brotherhood supporters in Cairo last August. Three policemen and a civilian were killed in those riots.

After yesterday’s ruling, which followed a single session in the case held last month, Sarah Leah Whitson, the executive director of Human Rights Watch’s Middle East and North Africa Division, said the defendants were not given the chance to properly defend themselves. The proceedings went on without the judge even verifying that the defendants were present, she said.

“The fact that the death sentences can be appealed provides little solace to hundreds of families that will go to sleep tonight facing the very real prospect that their loves ones could be executed without having an opportunity to present a case in court,” she said.

T

he aerial search for the missing Malaysia Airlines jet was called off yesterday, and the underwater hunt will be expanded to include a vast swath of ocean floor that may take at least eight months to thoroughly search, Australian officials said.Not a single piece of confirmed debris from Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 has been recovered by a massive multinational hunt that began

after it disappeared March 8 with 239 people on board.

“It is highly unlikely at this stage that we will find any aircraft debris on the ocean surface. By this stage, 52 days into the search, most material would have become waterlogged and sunk,” Prime Minister Tony Abbott said.

“Therefore, we are moving from the current phase to a phase which is focused on

searching the ocean floor over a much larger area,” he said.

The U.S. Navy’s Bluefin 21 robotic submarine has spent weeks scouring the initial search area for the plane in the remote Indian Ocean far off Australia’s west coast, but has found no trace of the missing aircraft. Officials are now looking to bring in new equipment that can search a larger patch of seabed for the plane, Abbott said.

US sanctions seven Russian government officials

T

he United States, yesterday, levied new sanctions on seven Russian government officials, as well as 17 companies with links to Vladimir Putin’s close associates, as the Obama administration seeks to pressure the Russian leader to deescalate the crisis in Ukraine.

The U.S. sanctions were implemented in coordination with the European Union, which moved to slap visa bans and asset freezes on 15 individuals alleged to be involved with stoking instability in eastern Ukraine.

The new penalties were a re-

sponse to what the West says is Russia’s failure to live up to commitments it agreed to under an international accord aimed at ending the dispute.

The White House says Russia’s involvement in the recent violence in eastern Ukraine is indisputable and warned that the U.S. and its partners were prepared to impose deeper penalties if Russia’s provocations continue.

President Barack Obama announced the U.S. sanctions while traveling in the Philippines, the last stop on a weeklong trip to Asia. He said that while his goal

was not to target Putin personally, he was seeking to “change his calculus with respect to how the current actions that he’s engaging in could have an adverse impact on the Russian economy over the long haul.”

Among the targets of the new sanctions is Igor Sechin, the president of state oil company Rosneft, who has worked for Putin since the early 1990s.

Sechin was seen as the mastermind behind the 2003 legal assault on private oil company, Yukos and its founder Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who at the time was Russia’s richest man.

‘Bulgarian experience good for boxers’ Chimaobi Uchendu

S

ecretary General of Nigeria Boxing Federation, Olusola Luke, is taking positives from

the poor outing at the last youth Olympics in Bulgaria.

Luke said coming from Bulgaria without a medal, was not good, but the expe-

SPORT

AUTHORITATIVE VOICE IN GLOBAL SPORT

able to expose the young boxers to the rudiments of the sport at international level. This will definitely help in our efforts to re-

rience gained by the young boxers was a big boost to Nigeria.

He said; “We did not win a medal from the tournament, but we have been

NEW TELEGRAPH

CONTINUED ON PAGE 54

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newtelegraphonline.com/sports

ADEKUNLE SALAMI, DepUTY Editor, SPORTS kunle.salami@newtelegraphonline.com adekunles@yahoo.com

That Nigerian born Chelsea player, Celestine Babayaro, injured his leg while celebrating his debut goal in a preseason match

TUESday, APRIL 29, 2014

Eagles won’t be deceived by messi’s poor form -Ahmed Musa

Ajibade Olusesan

S

51

triker, Ahmed Musa, has said Super Eagles cannot get carried away by the recent poor form of Argentina talisman, Lionel Messi, as 2014 World Cup draws near.

Nigeria are drawn in the same group with the South Americans as well as Bosnia and Iran. Argentina have been described as the biggest opCONTINUED ON PAGE 54

T’Tennis meet: Nigeria wallops Indonesia

Fresh match fixing scandal hits Nigeria

Suarez wins PFA Player of the Year award

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Countdown to Fifa World Cup 44

Days To Go

Let’s believe in Keshi, Eagles -Singabele

Chimaobi Uchendu

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former board member of the Nigeria Football Federation, Dr. Peter Singabele, has urged Nigerians to believe in the ability of the Super Eagles and the Head Coach, Stephen Keshi.

He noted that irrespective of which players Keshi decides to pick for the Mundial, Nigerians should believe that the team can take on any opposition because, believing is also part of support.

“I have never considered failure for any Nigerian teams, even in the face of frustration when I was a board member of NFF, and I will not start now when Keshi is doing well with the team,” singabele said.

“When I was a board member of the NFF, I supported every coach that was employed to manage any of the national teams, because I believe that support has a way of lifting the spirit of the coaches.

“I want to urge every supporter of football to rally round the Super Eagles and support them to make good impact in Brazil.”

Singabele also gave reasons coaches ignore some talented players for major tournaments especially the World Cup. The serving permanent secretary in Bayelsa State civil service, said this scenario would also play out as Eagles prepare for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

“Character and talent complement each another, and any one that is lacking, makes nonsense of the other.

“I h ave watched players destroy themselves and their careers because of bad character. It is not Efe A mb r ose peculiar to . . tr ying to t Nigeria, it is a id y Eag global phenomenon. les’ de f en c “Most Nigerian players e have missed tournaments because of their attitude towards the game and their coaches.

“I don’t want to mention names but some good players that are supposed to showcase their talents to the World in Brazil when the World Cup kicks off, will not be in this party.

“In every endeavour of life, there must be respect for one another for peace to reign and I want to advice Singabele those players who are having problem with Keshi to change their at- life according to him is give and take. titude because it will not help their “I want to also advise Keshi to be careers,” he said. flexible because all the players canSingabele who is also Chairman not be the same.

“As we are from different parents, of South South Football Stakeholders Forum, further counselled Keshi to so also our characters are different, thread with caution as he prepares but the ability of managers to manhis team for the World Cup, because age can make the difference.”

FG set to reward Mexico’83 Flying Eagles –Okoku Chimaobi Uchendu

T

he Vice Captain of Flying Eagles squad to the World Youth Championship, Mexico’83, Paul Okoku, has revealed that the Federal Government has agreed to redeem the pledge made to the team after the tournament.

Okoku said the Minister of Sports, Dr Tamuno Danagogo, has assured that the reward process had started.

“The Minister of Sports, Dr. Danagogo, has a heart

of gold. Immediately we met him on this issue he told us he had already started the consultation from where, Bolaji Abdulahi, the former minister of sports, stopped,” he said The Mexico ’83 squad started agitation for recognition and reward, after President Goodluck Jonathan agreed to redeem the pledge made by the late General Sani Abacha administration to build a house for each of the Super Eagles players that won the African Cup of Nations in

He also urged players not to join issues with Keshi regarding who he takes to Brazil for the World Cup, because he remains the only one accountable for the success and failure of the team.

“All the noise about who makes the provisional list of Keshi ahead of the World Cup is diversionary. I want to urge Nigerians to allow the coach get to work and prepare his team for the task ahead,” he said.

“Players might have exceptional talents, but still find it difficult to break into the national team. I want to educate Nigerians on criteria used in considering players for national team assignment. Players must be of good character and possess the required skills before they are considered by a coach; only in exceptional cases, will a coach shift ground to accommodate an undisciplined player.”

“So I want to urge players that are not lucky to be picked

by Keshi for the World Cup, not to take it personal because Nigeria has good players scattered all over the World begging to be part of the national team. So for them to have tasted National team action is a plus for their careers.”

Singabele, also advised the Nigeria Football Federation to focus on the task of administering football and leave coaching and selection of players to Keshi, since the buck stops on his table.

“The task of building a national team is the duty of the coach, while the NFF’s function is purely administrative.

I want to encourage the NFF board to give Keshi all the support he needs to succeed.

“I have no doubt on my mind that the Eagles will soar in Brazil but we have to give peace a chance for it to manifest.”

Yobo returns to training

S Danagogo

1994. Okoku, who is in Nigeria to promote a foundation for less privileged children, said it would a dream come true when the pledge is fulfilled. Members of the team include: Humphrey Edobor, Yisa Shofoluwe, Dahiru Sadi, Dehinde Akinlotan, the Olukanni brothers (Segun and Femi), Wahab Adesina and Alphonsus Akhahon.

uper Eagles Captain Joseph Yobo is delighted to be back from a calf injury ahead of the last round of English Premier League matches.

Speaking from his base on Monday (yesterday), Yobo said he was eager to join Norwich’s fight to retain their EPL status.

His words; “The injury was never as bad as portrayed in some quarters. It is just that one had to take precautionary measures, otherwise, I could have been playing in the past one week.

“I want to give my all to ensure that Norwich is not relegated.

When I joined the club I vowed to help them stay up, but unfortunately, I missed a few matches due to injury. Now that I’m back, I will do my best in the remaining two

matches and we see how it goes.”

Yobo is also ready to help Super Eagles put up a good outing at the World Cup. “One of the reasons I didn’t want to rush my return to action was that I wanted to be fully fit for the World Cup. Now, I even feel stronger than I had ever felt,” he added.

Yobo (left) tackling Adebayor

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Tuesday, April 29, 2014

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O

binna Aniche, the Vice President, Brands and Marketing, Airtel Nigeria, has said the company is investing in Nigerian youth football development in order for the country to maintain its leadership role in producing talented footballers in Africa.

Aniche revealed this at the send forth party for the six Nigerian footballers who will be participating in a week-long football clinic being conducted by Arsenal FC of England academy coaches led by Tony Adams, in Rwanda.

The players, who travelled over the weekend, were discovered during the 2013 edition of the Airtel Rising Stars U-17 National Championship.

“The Airtel Rising Stars is designed to help in our collective effort to recap-

Why Airtel is investing in Rising Stars Football -Aniche ture those joyous Nigerian football memories of old and provide a credible platform for future successes. That is why we are investing in their talents,’’ Aniche said.

He added that the programme played a key role in the development of grassroots football talents for boys and girls.

“Our partnership with the foremost EPL club, Arsenal, further confirms our determination to empower the Nigerian youth, especially those on the lower rungs for a better future,’’ The six players, who will fly Nigeria’s flag at the one-week soccer clinic in Rwanda, are Rilwan Adeleke (Best Goal Keeper, Male), Olu Gabriel (Highest Goal Scorer, Male) and Wisdom Uforo (Most Valuable Player, Male).

Others are Augustina Boniface (Best Goal Keeper, Female), Falegon Joy (Highest Goal Scorer, Female) and Kafayat Shittu (MVP, Female). The Arsenal Soccer Clinic will run from Monday, April 28 to Friday, May 2nd.

Obinna Aniche and the six ARS 3 best players before their departure last week.

Okpekpe: Alli targets 45mins for Oshiomhole Charles Ogundiya

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head of the second edition of the 10-kilometre Okpekpe Road Race, Yusuf Alli, the administrator, who also doubles as personal trainer of Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, said he was targeting between 45 and 50 minutes for the governor to complete the race.

Alli said in other to beat the challenges of other governors coming to compete in Okpekpe, there was need to work and train harder.

“According to the reports I am getting, the State of Osun governor, Rauf Aregbeshola, is training hard for this event, and there is need for the host governor, who is also my mentor to prepare very well. He is returning 5mins per kilometre currently and my target for him is to end the race in 45mins and maximum 50mins,” the former long jumper said.

On the expected turnout for the event, Alli said; “We have confirmed participation of 14 foreign athletes and more entries are still coming. For the home athletes, they have been training hard and I can assure you that we will have a Nigerian winning the competition in less than three years.”

He confirmed that the community was bubbling

with excitement ahead of the race with athletes training on the road on a daily basis.

“This year’s event promise to be bigger than last edition. We have over 3000 athletes coming to fight for honours. We want our athletes to compete against the best in the world to improve on their world ratings,” he said.

President, Marketing Sub-Saharan Africa, MasterCard, Tarek Abdelnabi; Super Eagles Chief Coach, Stephen Keshi and Vice President, and Area Business Head MasterCard West Africa, Omokehinde Ojomuyide during the MasterCard ‘Priceless Africa’ Win a trip few can win event in Lagos recently.

Fresh match fixing scandal hits Nigeria lSingaporean claims glory for Eagles’ 2010 qualification

Emmanuel Tobi

A

fresh football scandal has hit Nigeria football as Wilson Raj Perumal, Singaporean match-fixer, shockingly claimed that he helped Nigeria qualify for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa through his match fixing activities.

In a mind-blowing revelation pub-

T’Tennis meet: Nigeria wallops Indonesia Charles Ogundiya

N

igeria opened her World Table Tennis Championship campaign on Monday with an emphatic 3-0 win over Indonesia.

Segun Toriola who acted as coach/player due to the late arrival of the national coach, Nosiru Bello, led by example, recording an emphatic 3-0 win in the first game.

In the second game, Ojo Onaolapo, who is making his second appearance in the tournament, added another 3-0 bashing to Indonesia while debutant, Kazeem

Makanjuola, completed the routing of the Asian team in the last game with another 3-0 win.

The women were however unlucky losing 3-1 to India in their first game.

The team will however face their biggest challenge on Tuesday (today) when they square up against division two number one seed, Czech Republic and Belgium.

The Czechs who were relegated to division two druring the last edition in Dortmund, Germany, will be a hard nut for Nigeria to crack as they aim for a quick return to the elite division.

lished in a book that will send shockwaves throughout the football world, Perumal, claimed he influenced results to help the Super Eagles qualify.

The match fixer said that Nigeria football authorities promised him the right to organise their pre-2010 World Cup friendlies as well as part of the money FIFA pays to help teams prepare for the tournament.

The Singaporean was also fingered to have influenced the appointment of the referee that officiated the June 1 friendly match in which Nigeria beat Argentina 4-1 in Abuja. That match was investigated by FIFA although they are yet to come out with their findings. Perumal’s book, written in conjunction with investigative journalists Alessandro Righi and Emanuele Piano, details the huge sums of money he won and lost – up to €3m in a single night – and the huge reach of the match-fixing syndicate.

He details a meeting with a football official in which he promises to help Nigeria qualify for the World

Cup in return for free rein in organising three warm-up matches and a cut of the money FIFA provides for hosting a training camp during the tournament.

First, he claims to have influenced three players on his payroll to help Nigeria to victory in one of their qualifiers.

Then he claims to have promised the Mozambique FA a $100,000 bonus if they could hold Tunisia to a draw and to stop Tunisia leapfrogging Nigeria and seizing automatic qualification. Mozambique secured an unlikely 1-0 victory.

“My plan had worked and I was the unsung hero of Nigeria’s qualification to the final rounds of the 2010 FIFAWorld Cup in South Africa,” writes Perumal.

“Ferrying Nigeria and Honduras to the World Cup was a personal achievement. I got two teams to qualify for the World Cup but I cannot tell anyone.”

Perumal was arrested in Helsinki in 2011 and sentenced to two years in prison.

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Redknapp praises Mikel Ajibade Olusesan

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uper Eagles midfielder, Mikel Obi, has continued to enjoy rave reviews following his recent performances for Chelsea, as Liverpool legend, Jamie Redknapp, joined in the praise for the midfielder.

The Blues claimed a massive 2-0 victory at Anfield to revive their title hopes and Redknapp was impressed by Mikel’s strong defensive display.

“He rarely plays under Jose Mourinho, but Obi Mikel has been involved in some crucial matches for Chelsea,” he wrote in his column for the Daily Mail.

Sanctity of Truth

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Bulgarian experience good for boxers C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 5 1

“He was vital in the 2012 Champions League final, he performed so well against Atletico Madrid last week and he was at it again at Anfield.

“It was not pleasing the eye, but Chelsea’s performance was effective and Mikel was key to that. He dropped into the back line to help deal with crosses. He and Nemanja Matic never left any space between the midfield and the back line.”

However, Mikel will not be available for selection when Chelsea take on Atletico in the second semifinal of the UEFA Champions Legaue at the Stamford Bridge on Wednesday due to suspension.

Mikel

position boxing, which used to be Nigeria’s hope for medals at international events.

“No matter what people think of the performance of these young boxers, it would be wise for us not to discourage them because they are all talented, they just need support of their parents, friends, the Boxing Federation and all Nigerians to bring back their confidence,” he said Eleven boxers; Kazeem Isiaka, Oladimeji Salami, Aliu Ibrahim, Muyideen Oyakojo, Henry Effiong, Oluwaseun Alani, Mutiate Adebayo, Yetunde Dunuga, Okejimi Ayankola and Celina Agwu and team captain Victor Dooga; represented Nigeria at the International Amateur Boxing Federation World Youth Championship and won nothing in various categories Nigeria participated.

Tony Konyegwachi and Adura Olalehin were the two coaches that led the team.

Eagles won’t be deceived by Ronaldo, Bale to start Messi’s poor form -Ahmed Musa against Bayern

Time: 7.45 pm

C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 5 1

ponents in the group and Messi is expected to drive the country’s push for glory at the mundial.

But the Barcelona striker has hit a run of poor form with less than two months to the mundial. His lacklustre performances have seen his Spanish club dumped out of the Champions League and they also lost to Real Madrid in the final of Copa del Rey. Los Blaugrana may not successfully defend their La Liga title as they are trailing both Real and Atletico

Madrid on the table.

The poor run of Messi may be good news to Group F opponents as they will hope that he carries that into the tournament. But in an interview with New Telegraph, Musa said Super Eagles players were not thinking about just individual players in the Argentina squad insisting that looking at the entire team was better.

Musa said; “Messi is an important player for Argentina, but I don’t think they have just only him in the squad; thinking like that could be dangerous. We all know that Argentina have so many big

stars even though Messi is the biggest of them. We are not thinking about Messi or other big stars there, but we are looking at them as a team and what we can also do as a team.

“Messi may be doing badly now, and one may say that is good news for Nigeria but is Argentina only about Messi?

I think the answer is no. We should not concern ourselves with the form of Messi or any other players but we must remain focussed to achieve our aims at the World Cup.” The 2014 FIFA World Cup holds between June 12 and July 13 in Brazil.

C

oach Carlo Ancelotti has claimed the attacking trio will start at the Allianz Arena as los Blancos look to defend a 1-0 lead from the first leg on Tuesday The Spanish side are the most successful team in the history of the competition, winning it nine times, but their quest for

Suarez wins PFA Player of the Year award

L

iverpool striker Luis Suarez has been named as the Professional Footballers’ Association Player of the Year at an awards ceremony in London on Sunday.

The Uruguayan, 27, travelled down to the ceremony after the Reds’ 2-0 defeat at home to Chelsea earlier in the day.

“The Premier League is full of really great players and so it is a great honour when these players recognise your work on the pitch,” Suarez said.

Suarez

Chelsea’s Eden Hazard was voted Young Player of

the Year.

Suarez’s strike partner Daniel Sturridge, 24, and Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard joined him in the Premier League Team of the Year, along with three Chelsea players - goalkeeper Petr Cech, defender Gary Cahill and midfielder Hazard.

The line-up was completed

by Manchester City’s Vincent Kompany and Yaya Toure, Southampton left-back Luke Shaw and midfielder Adam Lallana, plus Everton rightback Seamus Coleman.

Bale (left) and Ronaldo

a 10th has been a story of nearmisses.

Real have fallen at the semi-final stage in each of the last three seasons, twice coming unstuck against German opposition.

Borussia Dortmund beat Real 4-3 on aggregate last year in the semi-finals, while Bayern eliminated them on penalties in the last four of the 2011-12 campaign.

But they approach Tuesday’s semi final second leg at the Allianz Arena with a 1-0 lead, following a strong performance in the opener in the Spanish capital.

Karim Benzema scored the only goal of the game, giving Carlo Ancelotti’s side a precious advantage, but despite that, they will be wary of a Bayern side that has been imperious for much of the campaign under former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola.

Falcons set to feast on Lionesses Mercy Jacob

S

uper Falcons will begin their African Women Championship qualifiers preparation with a crunch match against bitter rivals, the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon, in Abuja on Tuesday (today).

The girls led by Coach Edwin Okon, have declared war on Cameroon despite the encounter being a friendly to avenge their de-

feat in the last edition of AWC, hosted by Equatorial Guinea.

“We are ready for the AWC, and the friendly match against Cameroon. Although the Cameroon match is just a friendly game, I believe it would help the coach to assess the team before the match against Rwanda. I really appreciate the NFF for organising that friendly for us and I want to appeal for more,” Falcons skipper, Evelyn Nwabuoku, said.

Confab: Power Devolution Committee rejects State Police Onwuka Nzeshi

l Suspends decision on mines, minerals

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minerals to the Concurrent List where the states and federal government would share powers and responsibilities.

As the committee resumed sittings on Monday, some northern delegates namely Dr Haruna Usman Sanusi, Dr Bashir Dalhatu, Dr Junaid Moammed, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, General Jerry Useni, Senator Tilley Gyado and Alhaji Buba Galadima mounted pressure on the committee to leave the issue of mines and minerals on the Exclusive Legislative List where only the National Assembly would have the powers to legislate on it.

They appeared to be in a hurry to dispense with the matter as quickly as possible but their counterparts from the South, namely Chief Asara

Abuja

dvocates of a decentralized police force in Nigeria suffered a major setback yesterday as they failed in their bid to transfer police matters to the Concurrent Legislative List. Under the existing Constitution, the Police is on the Exclusive Legislative List which makes it a solely federal matter only the National Assembly could legislate upon.

The defeat of state police at the Committee on Power Devolution came same day the Committee suspended deliberations on the issue of Mines, Minerals and Geological Surveys.

It was the second time the committee would defer taking a decision on the agitation by some delegates to move mines and

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Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Asara, Prof. Godwin Darah, Chief Ayo Adebanjo who canvassed an opposing view were not prepared to let go.

Advancing the position of the South on the matter, Niger Delta activist, Ms Annkio Briggs urged the delegates to look beyond oil and gas and think of the positive difference the participation of the states could make if they were empowered alongside the federal government to participate in the exploitation of the various minerals in their domains.

When both parties could not reach a consensus on the issue, Co-Chairman of the Committee and former Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Ibrahim Coomassie ruled tat the matter be adjourned till today.

In a similar manner, the issue of transferring police to the Concurrent Legislative List generated a heated debate between delegates of the southern block and their counterparts from the northern axis. While Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Chief Gbade Adedeji, Senator Tony Adefuye, Chief Okey Ikedife and Chief Adeniyi Akintola canvassed that the time had come for Nigeria to adopt a decentralized policing structure, Alhaji Dambatta Magaji and Col Usman Farouk kicked against the move.

For those who supported the adoption of state police, it was unthinkable that given the level of criminality and insecurity in the country some persons still wanted to keep the police as purely a federal matter.

2015 elections: Summons INEC Chairman

Lateef Ibrahim Abuja

he Chairman of IndeTtoral pendent National ElecCommission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega has been summoned by the Political Parties and Electoral Matters committee of the on-going National Conference holding in Abuja.

Prof. Jega is expected to appear before the Committee, which has two former Senate Presidents, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu and Chief Ken Nnamani as co-chairmen, today by 10am.

The INEC Chairman will appear at the Nicon Luxury hotels venue of the committee sitting to brief members of the arrangements already put in place by the commission ahead of the 2015 general elections.

Prof Jega, a former President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), will also answer questions from

the delegates on a number of issues relating to elections in the country, particularly the forthcoming governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states.

He will also use the opportunity to acquaint the delegates of some of the challenges facing the commission with a view to proffering solutions to them.

Dr. Ayu confirmed to delegates yesterday that the INEC Chairman has already affirmed his preparedness to appear before the committee and answer what questions that may be agitating or bordering the delegates.

The New Telegraph learnt yesterday that Prof.

Jega has already forwarded some vital documents to the co-Chairmen of the committee ahead of his today’s visit.

The INEC Chairman, it was gathered, may likely come with some of his Commissioners with a view to providing necessary inputs if necessary.

Committee okays Religious Equity Commission Louis Achi Abuja

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R-L, Chairman Federal Charater commission Prof. Oba Abdulrahim, chairman of the committee Arc. Ebele Okeke, Alhaji Adamu Aliyu and Dr. Edet Ekerendu during a meeting of the committee at Nicon Luxury Abuja Abuja …yesterday.

PHOTO:TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN

SIECs divide confab delegates Lateef Ibrahim Abuja

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fter a heated debate, the Political Parties and Electoral Matters committee of the National Conference holding in Abuja has given its support for continued existence of the State Independent Electoral Commissions (SEICs) for the conduct of elections at the Local government level.

However, the committee has set up a five-member sub-committee, headed by former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba, to look into some key areas of the SIECs, with a view to making recommendations on how to make them function better.

The sub-committee, whose other members include; Hon. Musa Elayo, Barrister Sola Ebiseeni,

Mr. Musa Salihu and Mrs Ezinwa Okoroafor, is to look at areas like the composition of SIEC, appointment of its members, funding, administration, tenure of local government and other related matters.

Before the decision to endorse SIEC for the continued conduct of the local government election, tempers had risen among members who were sharply divided on whether to abolish the commission or merge it with the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. The Committee on Political Parties and Electoral Matters further considered the possibility of placing SEICs on first line charge and giving them authority to regulate their own procedures.

The Committee, which

is co-chaired by two former Senate Presidents, Dr Iyorchia Ayu and Chief Ken Nnamani, reasoned that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should not be burdened with Council elections going by the lapses witnessed in previous general elections conducted by by INEC. The delegates have however advocated for the strengthening of the SEICs to make them effective, as well as empower them against being turned to pawns in the hands of State Governors.

Chief Olusola Ebiseeni, one of the delegates representing forum of former Local Government Chairmen, pointed out that there were contradictions inherent in calls for true federalism and the removal of SEICs.

gainst the background of the hazy secularism of the Nigerian state, the National Conference Committee on Religion has unanimously adopted the establishment of a Religious Equity Commission to oversee religious activities in the country.

In a rare show of unanimity, the committee, sitting at the NICON Luxury Hotel, debated religious privileges and also took a position that government

must hands-off sponsorship of religious pilgrimages.

According to Professor Layi Erinosho, a committee member and delegate asponsored by the Academy of Social Sciences, a Religious Equity Commission as an organization will help protect the rights of people so they can practice their religion.

His words: “We are trying to evolve a Nigerian model of religious coexistence in this meeting.

We are now proposing a Religious Equity Commission.

NULGE protests move to delist LGAs from Constitution Onwuka Nzeshi ABUJA

T

h e Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) yesterday stormed the National Judicial Institute (NJI), venue of the National Conference to protest the decision of the Committee on Political Restructuring and Forms of Government to delete the 774 Local Government Areas from the Constitution and make them the business of the individual state governments in the country.

The committee on Political Restructuring and Forms of Government at the ongoing National Conference had last week, recommended that there shall be only

two tiers of government in the federation, the federal and state. The committee said states should be at liberty to create the number of local government councils it could fund and manage within the limits of its resources.

In specific terms, the committee recommended that the list of 774 local government councils contained in the First Schedule, Part 1 of the 1999 Constitution be removed and transferred to the states to be covered by a law of the states Houses of Assembly.

Apparently disturbed by the recommendations, the National Vice President of NULGE, Comrade Lucky Gospel Ewa, led other members of

the union in a protest to the national conference.

The protesters faulted the national conference delegates on their position on the status of the local government system in the country.

Ewa argued that the local government councils being the structure of governance closest to the people deserved to e protected because of its potentials to engender sustainable socioeconomic development, rural transformation in the country.

He said the recommendations of the committee was an effort by those who do not appreciate the roles of the local councils in national development and were therefore out to destroy it.

On Marble

World Record

When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this - you haven’t.

Sanctity of Truth

– Thomas Edison

w w w. new tel eg rap ho nl i ne. co m

Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon and the truth – Buddha TUESday, APRIL 29, 2014

Michael Phelps (USA) won the 200 m individual medley at three consecutive Olympic Games, at Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and London 2012.

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Can cinema ‘threaten’ to refresh, recount Nigerian history?

W

ith great pomp and circumstance and celebrating a diverse array of Academy Award-worthy actors, actresses, directors and producers, a film adaptation of the revered masterpiece by author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie , ‘Half of a Yellow Sun’, was recently released to audiences worldwide.

T he e pic retelling of the 196770 civil war in Nig eria, otherwise refer red to as the ‘Biafran war’, featuring Chiwetel Ejiofor and T handie Newton, has thus f ar been received with acclamat i o n by t h e i n t e r n at i o n a l c i n ema community. However, this landmark film de picting diverse culture, triumphs and tragedies has unfor tunately been received seemingly less war mly closer to its home roots.

I n d e e d a s Ap r i l c o m e s t o a close, Nig eria’s film board has continued to delay the release of ‘Half of a Yellow Sun’, a surefire blockbuster throughout the country which was set to reach domestic cinemas last week.

In light of the controversial delay, film board spokespersons h ave s t at e d t o f o r e i g n m e d i a t h at t h e re a re s i m p ly ‘ re g u l a tory issues’ with the film that have hindered its national distribution and that the undoubted classic, translated to screen by Nig erian-bor n British director Biyi Bandele, has not been ‘officially banned’.

H oweve r, C h i b u n d u O n u z o, a Nigerian writer and distinguished author of ‘T he Spider King’s Daughter’, has another t h e o r y, o n e t h at i s g a r n e r i n g popularity at a fever pitch. Ms. Onuzo argued in the Guardian n ew s p ap e r i n B r i t a i n t h at a n underlying reason that the film continues to remain in backroom consideration in Nigeria is due to the g reatly diverse concer ns of national reflection.

S h e b e l i eve s t h at m u ch l i ke the subject of ‘History’ having been all but removed from the standard secondary school curr i c u l u m i n N i g e r i a at a g ive n juncture, glimpses on-screen at such potentially-debilitating issues such as tribalism and ethnic and re gional fra gmentation at their zenith have been deemed too sensitive and too jeopardiz-

World View SAM AMSTERDAM

Adichie

ing to Nigeria’s continued climb to the 21st century African super power we will see before us.

Ms. Onuzo goes on to cite the director, Mr. Bandele, who stated that “…one of the reasons Nigeria is more divided today than i t w a s b e fo re t h e w a r s t a r t e d , i s b e c a u s e we h ave re f u s e d t o talk about the ele phant[s] in the

room”.

Alter natively, one might side w i t h t h e f i l m b o a rd a n d h ave cause to do so. Perhaps there is justification in the belief that a movie that is seemingly overly s y m p at h e t i c t o a ny s e p a r at i s t cause, occur ring in West Africa, Europe or around the world, could stoke up or reignite tens i o n s u n n e c e s s a r i ly, a l b e i t e specially here and especially in a time when cohesion is of the utmost impor tance.

However, one question stands out and has resonated with fans o f c i n e m a a n d t h e a r t s wo rl dwide - Can Nig eria prioritiz e a singular vision of cohesion and collectiveness over freedom of expression itself ?

T he film’s director, Mr. Ban dele, recently told the BBC’s Focus on Africa pro g ramme that he “…wasn’ t sure why the censorship board had delayed cer tification” and that “the Nigeria film board saw the film seven months ago”.

“What’s fr ustrating,” he cont i n u e d , “ i s t h a t we h ave n o t re c e ive d a fo r m a l l e t t e r f ro m the board telling us we’ve been banned, or that we’ve not been

one question stands out and has resonated with fans of cinema and the arts worldwide - Can Nigeria prioritize a singular vision of cohesion and collectiveness over freedom of expression itself

banned,” he added.

The BBC pro g ramme cited that the Director vehemently denied the film was biased and stressed that he did not see how it could incite violence.

A c o nvo l u t e d , c o n t rove r s i a l moment in film history is certain at play. T here are no clear answers or outright prescription to heal old ‘wounds’ by revisiting them in any f ashion. However, and this applies to every nation i n c o n t e m p o r a r y g e o p o l i t i c s, much like an individual’s behavioral science itself; as Ms. Onuzo eloquently states “…the past is to be feared the most when it is left unconfronted”.

OmoBaba

I ‘LL WIN JUNE ELECTION - Fayemi

- Yes, if there’s no ‘mago-mago’

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