Binder1 wednesday april 30, 2014

Sanctity of Truth Facebook.com/newtelegraph

Wednesday, April 30, 2014 Vol. 1 No. 71

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Nigeria’s most authoritative newspaper in politics and business

Job loss scare heightens in power sector

Atiku, Nollywood, pay tribute to Amaka Igwe }10

N150

lSix months probation ends today

Adeola Yusuf

The late Amaka Igwe

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he job loss apprehension among 19, 000 workers in the power sector has reached its cre-

scendo as the six-month probation given to new power assets owners to downsize or right-size ends today.

Investigation by New

Telegraph revealed that about 5, 357 of these workers are to be served with their disengagement letters today (Wednesday), just as more senior management staff of the distribution companies turned

in their resignation letters yesterday (Tuesday).

The six-month window was given by the Federal Government on Friday, November 1, 2013 after the physical handover of C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 4

Suspects of Abuja bombing held in ‘protective custody’

lScores killed as gunmen attack churches, houses in Adamawa lAliyu sets up Page }2 committee to probe invasion of Niger by Boko Haram lFG, Finland partner to fight terror Where are our daughters?

Parents of abducted schoolgirls of Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State protesting in Abuja...yesterday

2015: Jonathan fires Gulak Anule Emmanuel

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he battle for the 2015 general elections, yesterday, claimed its

first victim: Alhaji Ahmed Gulak.

President Goodluck Jonathan terminated the appointment of his Spe-

cial Adviser on Political Affairs with immediate effect.

Although, no reason was given for the sack of

the presidential aide, New Telegraph gathered that Gulak’s activities led to his sack.

C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 3

PHOTO ELIJAH OLALUYI

Mantu, Akintola trade words over power devolution Onwuka Nzeshi rose and proTteeempers ceedings at the Commiton Devolution of Pow-

ers were momentarily halted yesterday as some delegates disagreed with the decision of others to C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 4

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Wednesday, April 30, 2014

FLIGHT SCHEDULE 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 L-R: Founder/CEO, Channels Television, Mr. John Momoh; Managing Director/CEO, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya; former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar; founder, The Cable, Mr. Simon Kolawole; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola; Chairman, Senate Committee on Navy, Senator Chris Anyanwu, and Chairman/ Editor-in-Chief, THISDAY, Mr. Nduka Obaigbena, during the formal launch of The Cable Online Newspaper in Lagos…yesterday.

PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

Suspects of Abuja bombing in ‘protective custody’ Emmanuel Onani, Ibrahim Abdul and Dan Atori

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hree suspects have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the bombing of a crowded bus park in Nyanya, Abuja on April 14.

New Telegraph learnt last night that they are being detained at “a highly fortified and secluded security facility” known by

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only top security chiefs.

A security source also revealed that they will not be paraded “until their accomplices and sponsors have all been arrested.”

He said: “Based on intelligence reports, they were arrested a few days after the bombing. This is a very sensitive security matter which is being handled at the very top.

These people, once again, brought the fight to the doorsteps of the Presidency and everything will be applied to apprehend them. This is no longer a joking matter.”

Penultimate Monday, as passengers, most of them workers, were boarding buses at the park, a car laden with Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) went off, killing scores of people. Hundreds were injured.

Seventeen luxury buses belonging to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) transport unit, 26 privately-owned vehicles and motorcycles were damaged.

Some of the vehicles were burnt to ashes.

It was learnt that about four persons were seen driving a car into the park.

They parked the car beside one of the buses and left.

As some people wanted to

call them to remove the vehicle, the bomb went off.

The source added last night that security agents had found out that the bomb used was not locally made but was “a highly sophisticated one.”

He also said the Federal Government had concluded plans with some foreign intelligence agencies to “envelope the North-East electronically” ”The human element in our security network must be reduced if we are to achieve anything.

The government is thinking seriously about this and very soon, the intelligence partnership with other countries will start to manifest to tackle the Boko Haram menace.”

In a related development, scores were feared killed on Monday night as gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram members attacked Kubla Village, Madagali Local Government, Adamawa State, burning churches and houses.

Some residents of the affected village who fled, said that they were attacked in the night. ”They used explosives during the attack on the churches and many people were killed. I cannot actually say how many people

were killed but I saw about six bodies being evacuated,” one of the residents said.

Another resident claimed that some houses were attacked by the gunmen who took some men hostage.

“I saw some people crying, saying that their relations had been taken away as hostages by the gunmen,” the resident said.

The council chairman of Madagali, Mr. James Abawu Watharda, said four people were killed during the attack.

He said soldiers had sealed up the area and were hunting for the fleeing attackers. ”Four people were killed and two churches, including houses, were set ablaze by the attackers. All the villagers have fled,” he said.

Madagali Local Government borders Gwoza Local Government, Borno State.

In Niger State, Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu has set up a twoman committee to investigate the activities of a sect believed to have links with Boko Haram in Bida.

The governor said the decision was sequel to a security report given by

the League of Imams in the state.

Aliyu, who gave members of the committee three days to complete their assignment and report to him “to enable government take a decisive action,” directed them to dialogue with the Etsu Nupe and Chairman of the Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers in whose domain the alleged sect members are based.

Meanwhile, the government of Finland has pledged its assistance to Nigeria in the area of security to boost the war against terror and other crimes.

The partnership agreement, according to a statement by the Assistant Director of Press and Public Relations, Police Affairs Ministry, James Odaudu, was signed at a meeting in Abuja between the Minister of Police Affairs, Abdul Jelili Adesiyan, and the Finnish Ambassador to Nigeria, Ms Riita Korpivaara, who led security experts from Finland.

According to the statement, the bi-lateral talks centred on crime prevention, human trafficking, crime investigation, training as well as capacity building.

Abducted schoolgirls: Women protesters storm NASS Chukwu David and Philip Nyam

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orried by the nonrelease of the abducted female students of the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, a group of women protesters, numbering over 200 yesterday stormed the National Assembly, demanding the intervention of the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives

in securing the release of the teenage girls.

Bearing placards of various sizes, with inscriptions like: “Mr. President, Rescue Our Daughters”, “A Vacuum Has Been Created”, “Nigeria Come to our Rescue”, “Save Our Daughters”, “Our Girls Are in Captivity”, the protesters blocked the entrance to the assembly complex at about noon.

Led by an activist lawyer and human rights crusader, Ahmodu Daniel

Wadai and woman leader, Mrs Naomi Mutah, the group requested to see the President of the Senate, David Mark, the Speaker, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and other principal officers of both chambers of the National Assembly.

They also requested to see the senator, representing the senatorial district as well as the member of the House representing the federal constituency in which the abduction took place.

According to Wadai, there was no federal presence in Chibok town, the location of the Government Secondary School, where the abduction took place.

She said: “I am a lawyer, I’ve already put down my wig and gown to die for this course.”

Also, in her comments, Mutah said since the incident, no government official had reached the community to explain the C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 3

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 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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Senate accuses Cameroun, Niger, Chad of abetting insurgents Decries poor equipment, motivation of security operatives  Alleges sabotage within the military Chukwu David Abuja

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ears and lamentations characterised the Senate plenary session yesterday as the senators deliberated extensively on the abduction of 234 female students of Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State by the Boko Haram insurgents a fortnight ago.

This was as most of the senators, who lamented on

the harrowing experiences of the abducted girls and their parents, accused the neighbouring countries of Cameroun, Niger and Chad of aiding and abetting the insurgency in the country.

The lawmakers made these observations while responding to a motion sponsored by the Leader of the Senate, Victor NomaEgba and 108 other members on the abduction of the girls.

Some of the legislators further alleged sabotage within the security agencies deployed to the North East to fight the Boko Haram terrorists, lamenting that the security operatives had failed to achieve the purpose for which they were deployed.

Following the motion, the Senate urged the Federal Government and all security agencies to intensify efforts to immediately rescue the students.

The Red Chamber also urged the Federal Government and the security agencies to seek the cooperation and aid of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the United Nations Organisation (U.N.O) to deploy advanced technological measures and dialogue towards rescuing the abducted children.

The senators further implored government at all levels to provide ade-

Security operatives preventing polytechnic students during a rally at Federal Secretarial, Abuja…yesterday.

1.56

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

Source: Itu.int

2.55m

The total population of Brasilia, Brazil in 2010.

Source: Blatantworld.com

PHOTO: TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN

45.4m

The total population of Ukraine in 2010.

Source: Blatantworld.com

Jonathan fires Political Adviser CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

The sacked presidential adviser recently fell out with the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum, Godswill Akpabio, over his romance with members of the ruling party who are opposed to the Akwa Ibom State Governor in the state ahead of the 2015 elections.

Last week in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, Gulak inaugurated a Jonathan support group, being promoted by antiAkpabio elements in the state, including the former Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Umana Umana.

New Telegraph learnt that Gulak never had the presidential endorsement for the inauguration of the support group.

It was further learnt that Akpabio personally complained to the president about Gulak’s activities to destabilise his state.

Akpabio is a die-hard

supporter of the President whereas Umana is poised to succeed the governor, who is opposed to his ambition.

A statement yesterday by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Reuben Abati, confirmed the sack.

Abati said President Jonathan thanked the former political adviser for his services to the present administration.

“President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has terminated the appointment of his Special Adviser (Political), Alhaji Ahmed Gulak with immediate effect.

“President Jonathan thanks Alhaji Gulak for his services to the present administration and wishes him success in his future endeavours.

“A replacement for Alhaji Gulak will be announced in due course.”

The political adviser has often been accused of creating enmity between government and the opposition following some

controversial statements which he had made.

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, had had cause in October 2012 to call on the Presidency to caution Gulak over insensitive comments and constant attack on the National Assembly.

“It is advisable for Mr. President to review the stewardship and real inner motives of Mr. Ahmed Gulak whom, either oblivious of his job schedule or lacking the competence to undertake it, is preoccupied with fomenting trouble for his administration,” Ekweremadu has said.

Just last week, the Akwa Ibom Chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) called on President Jonathan to warn some of his aides such as Gulak, against causing disaffection in states of the federation through their comments and actions.

The state chairman of the PDP, Obong Paul Ekpo, particularly condemned Gulak’s recent visit to

Akwa Ibom to campaign for support for the president without due regard to extant authority in the state.

“We condemned the ignoble and contemptuous role of Alhaji Gulak, who visited the state recently and threw all known protocols overboard in purporting to inaugurate a sectional and unknown Support Group in favour of our dear president without bothering to pay any courtesies to the leadership of the party in the state,” Ekpo said.

The party further advised Gulak to “sort out PDP’s problems in Adamawa State and to deliver Adamawa State to the president before rushing to safe territories like South-South Nigeria where President Jonathan requires no campaign and desist from further interference in the affairs of the state, as we do not need the assistance of any outsider to campaign here for Mr. President.”

quate security in schools.

They also collectively prayed for the safe release of all the abducted victims.

Contributing to the motion, Senator Ahmad Zannah, representing Borno Central, informed the Senate that the insurgents had moved the girls to Cameroun and Chad, expressing misgivings on the ability of the security operatives to rescue the girls from their captors.

Zannah, who gave a graphic detail of the movement of the insurgents with the abducted girls, said that it was lack of willingness on the part of the military to combat the insurgency that led to its escalation.

He said he constantly furnished the security agencies with information on the movement of the Boko Haram insurgents to enable the forces track them down, but they never acted on his information.

Also, in his contribution, Senator, Maina Lawan, representing Borno North, said, “We have to face the reality; the truth is that we are not doing enough.”

Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, who represents Borno South however, observed that the security operatives were doing their best, but pointed out that their weapons were inferior to the sophisticated equipment of the insurgents.

He also said that the

military personnel were not motivated enough to prosecute the war against the terrorists in the NorthEast, saying that their allowances were not paid, while their equipment were obsolete.

In his concluding statement, the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, who presided over the session said: “I believe that there are external connections because our local terrorists and insurgents cannot do what they are doing. They hit the heart of the nation. There is no nation that would sit down and fold her arms and watch women and children killed at random by any group of people.

“Unless the local environment is conducive, terrorism and insurgency cannot succeed. But once it takes root, let’s take note it is not going to wind up tomorrow morning.

And my worry is that we should not allow it to get to a level where it becomes a permanent feature in this country.

“Unless we nip it in the bud now, it will get to that level.

“If we need foreign assistance, the nation should not be ashamed to ask, because the world is such a small global village now that getting assistance for one action or the other is not a shameful thing. It is international cooperation, and if we have to, let us go for it,” he said.

Women protest to National Assembly over abduction CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

efforts being made to rescue the girls.

She said: “Our daughters were carried away by the insurgents like cows into the wilderness. If they are dead; we want to see their corpses.

“For the past two weeks that the incident occurred, nobody has talked to us; has the government thrown away the baby with the bath water?”

Mutah, who wandered where all human rights groups, local and international, had disappeared to, said that they came to Abuja to express their dissatisfaction with the way the rescue effort was being handled.

“We have come here to express our dismay, probably if the government sees us like this; it may ginger them to do what they are supposed to do. We want government to rescue our daughters from their abductors,” she pleaded.

Earlier, Senator Barnabas Gemade, who addressed the women on behalf of the Senate President, David Mark, said the National Assembly was saddened by the incident.

“I want to assure you that the Senate is not sleeping, Senate is not reneging in its responsibility but is working very hard that something is done very urgently on this matter.’’

Helen Esuene and Zainab Kure also appealed to them to remain calm, assuring that the matter was being addressed.

Ali Ndume (Borno South), who is currently being prosecuted on charges of sponsoring Boko Haram insurgents, also came to address them.

Ndume, who could not hold back tears while addressing the women, said only God knew what the girls were passing through in the hands of their abductors.

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Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Confab: Mantu, Akintola trade words over power devolution CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

leave the Concurrent Legislative List untouched.

The committee had a mandate to examine the Legislative List as contained in the 1999 Constitution with a view to determining whether some items should be altered in furtherance of the goal of reducing the perceived over-concentration of powers at the centre.

The committee had on Monday concluded deliberations on the Exclusive List during which it retained Police Affairs, contrary to the clamour that it should be moved to the Concurrent List to enable states establish their own police structure.

Trouble started yesterday when the committee screened and retained all the 30 items on the Concurrent List.

They were at the verge of concluding the process when Senator Anthony Adefuye observed that it appeared that the status quo had not changed significantly in spite of all the work the committee had been doing on devolution of powers.

Chief Adeniyi Akintola, a delegate from Oyo State, formally raised a point of order and expressed dissatisfaction with the trend of the proceedings.

Akintola, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), said it was absurd that a committee which was meant to facilitate the devolution of powers had succeeded in making little or no changes.

Apparently frustrated, he recalled how the com-

mittee ended up retaining the Police on the Exclusive List and recommended that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should conduct elections into local governments.

According to Akintola, the decisions of the committee had made a nonsense of the whole idea of power devolution.

He threatened to mobilise his fellow delegates of South-West extraction to stage a walk out of the meeting and to refrain from endorsing the resolutions of the committee.

“Where is the power devolution? We said State Police, you stopped it. We wanted local government to be the business of the state, you stopped it and said INEC should conduct elections for local government and you expect me to append my signature to it. No Yoruba man will append his signature to anything done here. I can tell you that. I think the best option is to walk out,” Akintola said.

This threat provoked an instant angry reaction from another delegate, Senator Ibrahim Mantu, who asked Akintola to go home if he was no longer prepared to participate in the deliberations of the conference committee.

Mantu, former Deputy Senate President, said there was no justification for any delegate to draw the committee back after it had taken a decision on an item.

“Those of us who attach a lot of importance to this exercise, we have not absented ourselves

for even one day. We know that we are here for something very important. I did not miss any of the plenary sessions even for one minute. I was there from the beginning to the end. When we were on the resolution committee, I made sure I was there even though I had other important things to do. The problem we are always having here is that some people will not be around when we take decisions and they will come back later to draw us backwards,” Mantu said.

At this point, it became an open quarrel between Mantu and Akintola as both of them tried to shout on top of their voices to be heard.

Again Mantu said: “When you were talking, I didn’t talk. Excuse me my friend. When you were talking, did I talk? We cannot sit here, come up with some very good decisions and somebody would just want to draw us back by saying he wants to walk out. If you want to walk out, you can walk out. Nobody forced you to come here. You came here on your own volition. You were not brought here in handcuffs and if you feel you can no longer cope and want to walk out, you are free.

In the midst of the confusion, Co-Chairmen of the Committee, Obong Victor Attah and Alhaji Ibrahim Coomassie, tried to calm down frayed

nerves.

Attah reminded the delegates that the committee had done a lot of things but still has many things to do. He said it was unfortunate for any delegate to postulate that the committee has not achieved anything.

Attah allayed the fears of delegates who felt that not much alterations had been made on the Legislative List, arguing that both the state and federal governments could share responsibilities, particularly in areas where the state lacks the manpower or expertise.

There were some attempts to get the committee to discuss the Powers of the Executive, Powers of the Judiciary as con-

tained in the Constitution but some delegates halted the move, insisting that it was not part of the committee’s terms of reference.

Earlier, there were some arguments over the resolution reached on the issue of State Police on Monday.

Elder statesman, Chief Ayo Adebanjo and Akintola faulted the process the committee followed in arriving at the decision. According to them, when the committee deliberated extensively on the matter and could not reach a consensus, the right procedure was for the committee to adjourn the matter three times and, thereafter, put it to vote.

L-R: Director, UBA Capital Plc, Mr. Emmanuel Nnorom; Group Chief Executive Officer, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Sanni and Chairman, Mr. Chika Mordi, during the First Annual General Meeting of UBA Capital in Lagos…yesterday

1.5m

The number of adults and children estimated to be living with HIV in Eastern Europe and Central Asia in 2008.

Source: Blatantworld.com

1.65m

The total area (in sq. km) of Iran.

Source: Worldfactsandfigures.com

100,000

The number of adults and children estimated to be living with HIV in Mali Asia in 2008.

Source: Blatantworld.com

Job loss scare heightens in power sector CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

power assets.

Four district/business managers, a source said yesterday, tendered their letters of resignation, raising the number of managers who resigned in April to 31.

Twenty-seven business district/managers had earlier resigned two weeks ago.

Four business managers have resigned at the Ibadan Electricity Distribution company while five others would also resign from Ikeja Electricity distribution Company.

“Many of these managers tendered their letters of resignation today (Tuesday) because of the fear of the unexpected,” a source told this newspaper.

Yola and Jos Electricity

Distribution Companies also received resignation letters tendered by eight management staff, while the remaining eight distribution companies lost 15 management staff to resignation.

“Some of them were advised to resign after they had been shown their sack letters,” the source said, adding that about 5,357 staff in the senior and junior cadres have been slated for sack by the 11 distribution companies.

The Ibadan and Jos power firms are, according to the source, to lay off 1,580 workers inherited from the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).

These firms needed to downsize to overcome their financial challenges,

it was gathered.

The Jos DISCO is being managed by AURA Nigeria Limited, while the Ibadan DISCO is being managed by Integrated Energy Distribution and Management Company, which also owns the Yola Electricity Distribution Company. It was learnt that the Jos DISCO is also planning to sack 1,000 of its workers, while the Ibadan DISCO had pencilled down 580 names for disengagement.

“The NUEE locked out the management and staff of the Jos DISCO for a whole day last week after the workers got to know that the new owners wanted to sack 1,000 workers at the end of this month (April).

Meanwhile, efforts by

the new owners to cut jobs by disengaging nonproductive staff have been rebuffed by the labour union, which recently threatened to drag the investors to court. The electricity workers’ union had earlier collected N8 billion from the Federal Government as part of condition for allowing last year’s sack of the staff of the defunct PHCN. The investors, who planned to invest $18 billion to boost electricity in Nigeria, are now sceptical following the moves by the staff union to cripple their operations.

“We the electricity staff who are barely 20,000 in number should not hold 160 million Nigerians to ransom,” a staff of one of the distribution com-

panies, who craved anonymity said.

He said: “These investors are businessmen and they should be allowed to give Nigerians the muchawaited power supply. If labour does not allow the new investors to rightsize and inject new blood, the consumers would be worse off as the old order where inefficiency and waste thrived will continue.”

One of the investors also told this newspaper in confidence: “It should be noted that for consumers to have improved electricity supply, we the new owners that have borrowed billions of Naira to purchase these power assets have to be efficient in both our human and material resources.”

The disengaged PHCN staff, it would be recalled, were also paid a whopping N380 billion with some senior staff collecting over N100 million, while junior workers such as security men collected N6 million each.

“Those who will be retained should count themselves lucky to have collected fat pension and gratuity and still have an opportunity to continue their jobs and earn gratuity elsewhere. They should, therefore, work extra hard to prove that they are good materials to turn around the poor electricity sector,” he stressed.

Some workers in the electricity distribution have been accused of corruption, extortion and incompetence.

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Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Nigerians must unite to end insecurity, says Abubakar Temitope Ogunbanke

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orried by state of insecurity in Nigeria especially in some parts of the North, former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar, yesterday charged Nigerians to join hands in solving the problems of insecurity and poverty in Nigeria.

Speaking at the launching of online newspaper, 'The Cable' owned by former Editor of ThisDay Newspaper, Mr. Simon Kolawole, with a discussion on 'Nigeria @ 100: Reflections on the Future' in Lagos, Abubakar said Nigerians have a duty to protect the country since they have no other country to call their own.

His words: "The history of Nigeria has been filled with ups and down including the present security

challenges and poverty affecting everybody. All of us have a duty to work together because we have no other country to go and there is no other country we can call our own. If the country improves significantly, it is to our own benefit. So, there must be sincere efforts and steps to be taken to move forward and get solutions to these problems.

"Nigerians must forget the issues of differences. In the issue of the insecurity at hand, we must forget our differences. It is not when election comes that we say this party or that party. Take America for example, after their election, they forget their political differences and they see themselves as Americans. Nigerians should be like that also."

South Korean PM: Leaders must be of good behaviour - APC Yekeen Nurudeen Abuja

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he All Progressives Congress (APC) has challenged those in charge of the country's affairs, led by President Goodluck Jonathan, to hold themselves to higher standards of conduct as a way of ensuring good governance and winning global respect for the country.

It specifically called on President Jonathan to lead the way in showing that Nigeria is indeed a part of the civilised world, where every human life is considered worthy and sacrosanct.

The APC, in a statement in Lagos yesterday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Al-

haji Lai Mohammed, said the resignation of South Korean Prime Minister Chung Hong-won, over his government's muchcriticized poor handling of the April 16 ferry disaster that left over 300 dead or missing, must jolt the conscience of Nigerian officials, who have been found wanting when they have found themselves in similar situations. ''Until our leaders hold themselves to higher standards, as it is done in other democracies around the world, and take responsibility when necessary, they will continue to perpetuate impunity, celebrate mediocrity and cling to power at all cost, even when it is clear that they are not serving any other interest but theirs,'' it said.

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Court denies granting order stopping Alison-Madueke’s probe GHOST ORDER

Drama as judge denies granting order stopping House of Reps from probing minister Tunde Oyesina and Philip Nyam ABUJA

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he court order that prompted the House of Representatives’ Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to suspend investigations into alleged N10 billion expenditure on private jet charter by the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke may be a “ghost order” after all.

Yesterday, Justice A.R. Mohammed of the Federal High Court denied issuing such an order and has summoned the House to come and show the court the purported order credited to him.

Justice Mohammed said he was embarrassed when he saw headlines claiming that he granted an order restraining the House of Representatives from going ahead with the minister’s probe.

“I am interested in where they got the order from, since it did not emanate from this court,” the judge declared.

Justice Mohammed then demanded an explanation from the counsel to the minister and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Etigwe Uwah, especially on the source of the information that resulted in the misinformation in the media.

Uwah, however, dissociated himself from the reports and told the judge that the House of Representatives was the source of the reports.

He later produced a statement allegedly issued by the Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Publicity, Al-

$US538bn

The nominal GDP of Greece (IMF) in 2009.

Source: Blatantworld.com

haji Zakari Mohammed, purporting to show that the court had restrained the House from going ahead with the probe.

Uwah added that he was equally shocked as he was bombarded with calls and text messages asking him for clarification on the purported court order.

He also defended his clients (the minister and the NNPC) saying that they did not sponsor the misinformation.

Uwah said that he was at a loss as to why the House that has legal adviser and a retinue of lawyers would choose to misinterprete a simple court order.

The House of Representatives, which is the second defendant in the suit, was neither in court nor represented by a counsel. Only the National Assembly, which was listed as the first defendant, was represented by Yakubu Maikyau (SAN).

Maikyau commended the judge for his steadfast-

310,000

The number of adults and children estimated to be living with HIV in Middle East and North America region in 2008.

Source: Blatantworld.com

ness and said he had just been briefed by the National Assembly. He also defended Uwah, whom he said had been forthright in the handling of the case.

The court consequently summoned the House to appear before it on May 5 with the court order purportedly issued by him restraining the lawmakers from carrying out the probe.

According to the judge, “I had thought that Uwah was behind this. But now that it has been shown that he was not behind this, I will summon the House to produce the purported court order.”

Earlier, the judge had cautioned journalists to get their facts right before going to press.

He said that he had instructed his registrars to allow any journalists who wanted clarification to see his manuscript so that the court would not be misrepresented.

1.39m

The number of fixed-telephone subscriptions of Norway in 2012.

Source: Itu.int

Abducted girls: Reps summon service chiefs Philip Nyam Abuja

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he House of Representatives, yesterday, summoned the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh; Chief of Army Staff, Major-General Kenneth Minimah; Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Usman Jibrin, and Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Adesola Amosu over the abduction of female students of Government Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State.

The House made the resolution at its resumed sitting, following a motion of urgent national importance sponsored by Hon. Peter Biye Gumtha.

It also observed a minute silence in honour of vic-

tims of the Nyanya blast two weeks ago.

In his lead motion, Gumtha, who represents Chibok/Damboa/Goza Federal Constituency of Borno State, regretted that besides kidnapping the girls, their assailants torched market stalls and other property in the area, worth millions unchallenged by the military.

He said "During the night of 14th/15th April 2014, Boko Haram terrorists invaded Chibok town in Borno State, destroyed houses, looted market stalls and abducted two hundred and seventy three(273) SSS3 girls at Government Girls Secondary School (GGSS) Chibok writing their Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations(SSCE)".

Founder, AKD Movement, All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Adekunle Disu (middle), and his members during the APC Lagos State Congress at the party secretariat, Ogba, Ikeja, Lagos.

Boko Haram: Mark calls for maximum military force Chukwu David Abuja

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resident of the Senate, David Mark, yesterday advocated for the use of total military force to flush out the Boko Haram insurgents from the country.

This was as he unequivocally declared that Nigeria was already at war, and that the country's enemies had clearly served the nation notice of its vile intentions to subject her citizenry to socio-economic and psy-

chological torments.

Accordingly, he advocated for a decisive military response from the government, beyond the imposition of a state of emergency, which has not yielded the desired result in the North Eastern part of the country, where the terrorists use as their operational base.

Mark, who lamented bitterly in his resumption speech to the Senators over the menace of Boko Haram insurgents in the country, after a three-week Easter recess, observed

that the insurgents were fired by zealotry and extremism.

He drew attention to the fact that the country was indeed contending with insurgents determined to violently trample upon the secularity of the Nigerian state and destroy the country.

His words: "There is no doubt that our nation is at war. The enemy has clearly and unequivocally served the nation notice of its vile intentions.

Therefore, a clear, unambiguous and decisive

military response from the Government, beyond the imposition of a state of emergency, is urgently required in this circumstance. This is an option we must consider now.

"It is obvious that we are dealing with insurgents and well funded nihilists, who are determined to violently trample upon the secularity of the Nigerian State and destroy the country. A modern, vibrant, progressive, multi-ethnic, multireligious Nigeria is an anathema to them. "

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ekiti 2014

NEWS

I will circumcise Fayose, Bamidele with votes -Fayemi Adesina Wahab Ado-Ekiti

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kiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has said he has no doubt about winning the June 21 election in the state going by the track record of his administration in nearly four years that he has been in office.

In fact, the governor, who is the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the poll, said he and his party will circumcise other parties and their candidates with votes during the election by recording a landslide victory.

He stated this in AdoEkiti yesterday while speaking during the formal launch of the Women Wing of the APC tagged 'Obinrinkete'.

While stressing the importance of women to the socio-political and economic development of any society, Fayemi said it was in realisation of this that his administration embarked on some programmes.

He promised that another tenure in office would guarantee a continuation of his laudable programmes, addition of more and passage of laws that would ensure that such programmes would continue after he leaves office.

"We are mindful of the great contributions of our women folk and their importance in the

society. For instance, a breakdown of the voters register in the state

by INEC showed that women constitute nearly 52 per cent of the voters in the state.

"We are not foolish to think a bird can fly with one or no wing. That is why our programmes such as free medical service for pregnant women, a policy that has reduced maternal and infant mortality drastically in the state, was introduced.

"Also, we have women benefiting from our free medical service for the aged, social security scheme for the aged, many of them being given political appointments and many more,"he said.

Gover nor Fayemi urged the people of the state and the women to take the gospel of a continuous APC government across the state and defend their votes on election day.

In her speech, the Wife of Ekiti State Governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, said the best the people of the state and the women especially could do would be to vote massively for her husband on June 21.

She listed a number of programmes embarked upon by her Ekiti Development Foundation (EDF) to assist women to include Multiple Birth Support Fund, women empowerment among others.

My government’ll have human face - Bamidele Adesina Wahab Ado-Ekiti

v he gover norship candidate of Labour Party in the coming Ekiti State election, Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele, has said his administration will be one with human face if elected governor come June 21 this year.

Speaking at the palace of Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe yesterday, he said being from a humble background, he was better placed to know where the shoe pinches the masses.

He also reiterated that he had garnered enough experience in both private and public sectors to lead the state well.

"I thank God that from a humble beginning, God has raised me to sit among princess and princesses and I know how to handle issues to make life more abundant for the masses.

"The state lacks potable water; there is nowhere in the state where people have 24 hours ac-

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cess to water. Our state is agrarian and we will mechanise agriculture and re-position education in our state," he said.

Also speaking, the Governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, said the difference between an LP-led government could be seen in the access people have to public utilities.

"We have university in Ondo State, others build universities in Ekiti and Lagos for example, but the difference is in the quality and access by the people to the facility. In Ondo State, students in our university pay N25, 000, while in Ekiti they pay over N100,000 and in Lagos they pay over N250,000. How many people can send their children to such schools?

"We are coming to make a difference in Ekiti State and I don't support a loser or somebody that will put me to shame and only call on Ekiti people to vote Bamidele in the election," he said.

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Fayemi, Fayose, 16 others contest June 21 election CONTEST

In less than two months, winner of the Ekiti State governorship election will emerge Adesina Wahab Ado-Ekiti

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ighteen persons, including the incumbent, Dr Kayode Fayemi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Governor Ayodele Fayose of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are contesting the June 21 governorship election in Ekiti State.

Disclosing this in Ado-Ekiti yesterday in a statement, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Ekiti State, Alhaji Halilu Pai, said the persons and their parties were the ones that fielded candidates for the poll in accordance with the regulations of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The list also includes those listed as running mates to the candidates.

A scrutiny of the list shows that all the governorship candidates are men and only four listed women as their running mates.

However, it was learnt that some of the parties only listed some people

as running mates to their candidate as a temporary measure to beat INEC deadline, as parties still have until May 13 to change any of their candidates.

The PDP and the Labour Party may still change the running mates of their candidates.

The list gave the names, age, occupation as well as qualifications of all the candidates and their running mates.

A breakdown of the list showed that Fayemi, aged (49), a PhD holder will run along with his deputy, Prof. Modupe Adelabu, aged 63.

The PDP has Fayose(53), an HND holder as candidate, while his

deputy is Mr Joshua Olusola-Ojo, a Grade 11 Certificate holder, aged 80. The LP has Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele,(51), a lawyer as candidate, while his deputy is Mrs Bolanle Bruce-Olatunde,(47), a journalist and holder of Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism.

Accord Party has Mr Kole Ajayi born in 1967, a publisher and lawyer as candidate, while his deputy is Mr Akinyemi Adeola, born 1974 and a B.sc holder.

The Action Alliance (AA) has Mr Opeyemi Akinyemi, (46), a holder of Secondary School Certificate as candidate, while his deputy is Mrs Taiwo Phebe (35).

L-R: Wives of Governors: Mrs. Olufunso Amosun (Ogun); Dame Abimbola Fashola (Lagos); Mrs. Florence Ajimobi (Oyo); Mrs. Sherifat Aregbesola (Osun); Hajia Salamatu Al-Makura (Nasarawa); Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Prof. Modupe Adelabu; Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; his Wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi; and Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, during the inauguration of Ekiti State's Women Wing of the All Progressives Congress and Obinrin Kete, in Ado-Ekiti... yesterday.

Fayose slams Fayemi over Ifaki Institute Adesina Wahab Ado-Ekiti

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he Ayo Fayose Campaign Organisation (AFCO) has described the planned establishment of an Institute of Medical Technology in Ifaki-Ekiti, Ido/Osi Local Government Area of Ekiti State by Governor Kayode Fayemi as a "greek gift" that should be rejected by the people of Ifaki-Ekiti.

In a release issued yesterday in Ado-Ekiti and signed by the Director General of AFCO, Chief Dipo Anisulowo, the planned Medical Technology Institute was described as an insult on the people of Ifaki-Ekiti.

The group said, "It is only a wicked government that will take

away, a university from a community and come back three years after with a plan to replace it with an Institute of Medical Technology. Or isn't it an act of wickedness to take an 18-seater Bus from someone and replace it with Okada?"

AFCO, which reiterated the promise of Mr Ayo Fayose to return the University of Science and Technology, IfakiEkiti (USTI) which was scrapped by the Fayemi administration, added that; "what Ifaki people deserve is a return of USTI and that is exactly what they will get the moment PDP takes over power on October 16, 2014.

"Fayemi, out of his hatred for Segun Oni, closed down USTI after an Education Summit

that was programmed to work towards a predetermined answer.

"As at the time USTI was scrapped, the university already had an arrangement with a South Korean university to run an exchange programme that will give the students the opportunity of earning dual certificates. 36 students of USTI were already billed to travel to South Korea for the programme before the university was scrapped.

"The first question that the All Progressives Congress (APC) retrogressive government in Ekiti State must answer is; why was the full fledged Science and Technology University that the PDP government of Engr. Segun Oni established in Ifaki-Ekiti

scrapped?

"How can a right thinking government close down a thriving university, only to replace it with a School of Science and Laboratory Technology and now Institute of Medical Technology?

"That to us is greek gift, packaged to deceive the people of Ifaki-Ekiti so as to get their votes, but that will not work because the people already have confidence and trust in the ability of the in-coming PDP government to return the university that Fayemi took away from Ifaki-Ekiti.

"Our promise to Ifaki people is that Fayose's government will return USTI, and we advise Fayemi and men to stop insulting Ifaki people," AFCO said.

NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

BATTLE

Party congress pitches former vice president against Adamawa State Governor in battle for the soul of the APC Ibrahim Abdul Yola

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takeholders and supporters of former Vi c e - P r e s i d e n t , Abubakar Atiku and those of the Adamawa State Governor, Murtala Nyako, yesterday continued to woo members of the All Progressives Congress in their bid to win the

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Nyako, Atiku clash over Adamawa APC congress Adamawa State congress of the party.

The congress has pitched the two political camps against each other in a fierce battle of who controls the soul of the party in the state. The congress was billed to hold today in the state.

Reports yesterday said some of the delegates were addressed by principal stakeholders aligned to the camp of Nyako

at Government House, Yola, while those loyal to Atiku were being wooed at Dantsoho Hotel also in the capital.

Similarly, some of the delegates drawn from the 21 local government areas of the state were being wooed by designated campaign power blocs or machineries of the two camps on the need to vote for their candidates.

While Nyako's camp photocopied and gave the lists of its candidates to the delegates and advised them to keep faith with a female tipped as a chairmanship candidate, Atiku’s camp was tipping the former running mate of ACN gubernatorial candidate, Marcus Gundiri, who was also former a correspondent of Daily Times, Mr. Abdul'Aziz Namdas,

in Yola, as its chairmanship candidate.

Nyako’s camp is fielding for the chairmanship position, a three time House of Representatives member, Mrs. Binta Masi Garba, while underground fierce battle persisted on the eve of the congress.

Prior to the defection of Marwa and Gundiri’s camps to the ruling Peo-

ples Democratic Party (PDP), there used to be four camps with each claiming to control the soul of APC in Adamawa State. Most of the former supporters of the two heavyweights have also defected to the PDP. The political battle is apparently between Atiku and Nyako’s camps, their foot soldiers had done their homework on the eve of the congress.

Group slams Alison-Madueke for stalling Reps' probe Temitope Ogunbanke n anti-corruption AAgainst group, the Coalition Corrupt Leaders

L-R: Director, Centre for Research in Leadership and Ethics, Lagos Business School, Dr. Franca Ovadje; Principal, African Capital Alliance (ACA), Mr. Segun Adebanji; President, VIMP Class of 2014, Ojutayo Lanre; Director, Programs and Operations, Junior Achievement Nigeria (JAN), Mrs. Efe Adefulu; and Regional Programs Coordinator, Junior Achievement Nigeria (JAN), Mr. Adegbola Abiodun, during the Closing ceremony of Venture in Management Program (ViMP) seminar, sponsored by ACA foundation, held in Lagos…on Saturday.

Task Force invades illegal naval school in Kogi

Confusion trails APC congress in Plateau

Muhammad Bashir

Raiyegbemi Joseph Kehinde

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he Joint Military Task Force yesterday invaded an illegal naval seafarer training school in Idah, Kogi State and sealed up the school.

The operation, which was made up of the Navy, Army, the SSS, Police and the Civil Defence corps, was led by the Naval Commander, NNS Lugard, Lokoja, Commodore Mohammed Shiwa.

Shiwa said the naval training school was operating illegally and was, therefore, shut-down.

He said in the whole of Nigeria, only the Nigerian Navy seafarer training school located in Oron, Cross State State was recognised and that any other seafarer institution was illegal.

The naval commander said the school was merely cashing in on the unemployment rate in the country to extort money from

innocent Nigerians who are desirous of jobs.

Shiwa said the school was charging about N30, 000 for collection of form while N265, 000 was being charged as school fees.

During the operation, various military hardwares and documents were recovered with a pump-action gun and hundreds of cartridges.

The commander said the school was being operated by a group of armed group, who wants to destroy the peace of the nation.

He said the operator of the illegal school might have hidden some of their weapons when they learnt of their coming, adding that the operator normally mounted road blocks where they rob innocent Nigerians.

About 5, 000 students were said to have so, far, enrolled in the school, which commenced operation last year.

Jos

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onfusion yesterday continued to trail the fresh conduct of the Jos North Local Government congress of the All Progressives Congress (APC) just as the candidates alleged fraud in the voting exercise.

In a petition addressed to the Chairman, APC Congress Committee, which was made available to newsmen in Jos, the Abdulnasir Campaign Organisation, called for the cancellation of the congress.

“The purported Local Government Election was conducted in an atmosphere of rancour and confusion as exhibited during the congress,” the petition alleged.

According to the campaign organisation; “How could 434 delegates

suddenly produce 700 votes at the end of the said exercise.”

The body further alleged that: “A clear case of over voting with 286 votes has beenestablished,” adding that; “The clear case calls for total nullification of the congress.”

The petitioners gave the breakdown of votes scored per chairmanship candidates as Yakubu Hassan, 348 votes; Abdulnasir Saleh, 111 votes; Hon. Shehu Liti, 220 votes and Danladi Kulito, seven votes; while 14 votes were declared invalid, making the total of 700 votes cast.

“This indicates an over voting of 226 votes,” the group alleged.

“The office of the Assistant Secretary has a total number of 458 votes cast as against 434 delegates accredited for the election with also a difference of 24 votes as over voting,” the group said.

(CACOL), yesterday flayed the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani AlisonMadueke, for stalling the investigation by the House of Representatives’ committee into the N10 billion she allegedly spent on a chartered private jet, Challenger 850, in the last two years for her trips.

The House Committee on Public Accounts investigating the expenditure was set to conduct a public hearing on Monday, but it was stalled by an Abuja Federal High Court order.

Alison- Madueke and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) listed the National Assembly and the House of Representatives as the

defendants in the suit with reference number FHC/ ABJ/CS/295/2014 and dated April 11, 2014.

CACOL, in a statement by its Executive Chairman, Debo Adeniran, averred that the minister’s action portrays her guilty as charged.

His words: “It is now clear that Mrs. AlisonMadueke has something to hide and that is why she is desperate to go to any length to halt a public hearing.

“It is incredible that a public office holder could be running away from a public hearing that will only allow her to shed light on entangled issues, which the public do not have upto-date information on.

“That is a way to show that she is guilty as charged, because she doesn’t have any defence against the allegations preferred against her.

Insecurity: Police task Edo residents on alertness Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

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he police in Edo State yesterday urged members of the public and residents of the state to be security conscious and remain alert, following observed security challenges in parts of the country.

The command also harped on the need for the people not to be unconcerned about suspicious movements of persons around them and to ensure that they report same to appropriate authorities immediately.

This advice came as two men, Friday Ayemere and John Asia, were yesterday arrested by the police for defiling four minors in the state.

The two were among the

33 suspected criminals paraded by the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Foluso Adebanjo at the command’s headquarters in Benin city, the state capital.

According to the police boss, Ayemere, aged 33 years, had confessed to the crime after he was nabbed for defiling three sisters of the same parents, a twin aged three years and another five-year-old.

Also Asia, aged 34 years, was said to have carnal knowledge of a 13-year-old girl.

Adebanjo told newsmen that the two suspects with the 31 others arrested for various criminal activities of armed robbery, illegal possession of firearms, stealing of power cables, rape, car theft and others, were being investigated by operatives of the command.

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NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Egypt’s death sentence: Tijjaniya leader calls for review Sani Muh'd Sani Bauchi

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enowned Islamic scholar, Sheikh Dahir u Usman Bauchi, has called for a review of the sentences passed on the Islamic Brother leader, Muhammad Badie, with 683 people during a mass trial in Egypt.

Dahiru Bauchi, who

L-R: Pastor in Charge of Lagos Province 10, of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Joseph Olagbadegun; Pastor-in-Charge of LP 39/ Lagos State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Ben Akabueze, and Pastor in charge of Sunshine zone, Lucky Onyeemeosi, shortly after the Special Super Sunday service in in Mulero, Lagos.

Displaced Tiv refugees seek Suswam’s assistance Cephas Iorhemen Makurdi

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isplaced Tiv refugees, who were still smarting from the attack on their communities, have appealed to Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam and other goodspirited individuals to assist them with funds to facilitate their return to their ancestral homes.

The refugees appreci-

ated the concern of the governor, corporate bodies and well-meaning individuals in catering for their welfare in camp that ensured the eventual return of some persons to their homes.

Speaking to New Telegraph yesterday at the LGEA Primary School, Wurukum camp in Makurdi, some of the displaced persons, Targema Kuza and Miss Joy Wua, recounted their ordeal

in the camp, saying the attack has subjected them to psychological torture as they have lost their loved ones while their houses were destroyed by Fulani insurgents.

They expressed happiness over the return of peace to some of the communities, maintaining that they are still in the camps because of lack of money to convey their families and goods back to their ancestral homes.

NDLEA arrests two over 1.6kg heroin Wole Shadare

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he National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested two men for unlawfully being in possession of 1.6kg of heroin.

The suspects, Ogbonna Paul Obioma, 36, an auto parts dealer and Stanley Chijioke Okpo-

agu, 30, who claimed to be jobless, were apprehended at Festac Town, Lagos.

Lagos State Commander of the NDLEA, Mr. Aliyu Sule, said the suspects were nabbed following a tip-off.

“The Lagos command acting on intelligence report seized 18 wraps of heroin weighing

1.6kg at Festac Town.

Two male suspects found in possession of the drugs have been arrested and will be charged to court,” Aliyu stated.

Okpoagu, who was recently deported from India, told investigators that he wanted to use the profit from the drug sales in setting up a business.

Akpabio, Tinubu, others get awards at Adeyemi College Babatope Okeowo Akure

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uthorities of Adeyemi College of Education (ACE), Ondo in Ondo State have disclosed plans to honour 10 eminent Nigerians during its forthcoming 50th anniversary and 33rd special convocation ceremony slated for May

22.

Those to be honoured with the award tagged; “Recognition of College Benefactors,” include the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio; Senator Oluremi Tinubu; Registrar/ Chief Executive Officer, Joint Admission and Matriculations Board (JAMB), Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, as well as former member, House

of Representatives, Hon. Omotayo Fawehinmi and an Ondo High Chief, Sir. (Dr.) Olabanji Akingbule.

Similarly, five other personalities which include the Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson; legalluminaryand founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti ( ABUAD), Chief Afe Babalola (SAN); are to be honoured.

Lawmaker mocks emergence of his kinsman as APC chairman Babatope Okeowo Akure

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he Minority Leader of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Akpoebi Lubi, yesterday mocked the emergence of the former Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and his kinsman, Hon. Duerimini Isaacs Kekemeke, as the chairman of the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress

(APC). `Lubi, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from EseOdo state constituency described the emergence of Kekemeke as the chairman of the rival APC as the ‘end’ of the party in the state, because he would not be able to garner the needed support to move the party forward.

Also, the only PDP member in the 26-member Assembly said some

members of the ruling Labour Party (LP) in the Assembly are planning to join the party before the end of their tenure.

Lubi in an interview wondered how Kekemeke, who had just nine votes in the polling units in his family compound would want to be the chairman of the party, saying all the APC chairman has to point to in his local government were what the PDP did in the council area.

doubles as the Deputy Chairman, Fatwa Committee of the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs and the African leader of the Tijjaniyya Islamic group, gave the advised during a press briefing with newsmen in Bauchi yesterday.

The death sentence, according to him, contravened Islamic pedagogues and is contrary to Islamic law or any other

law in the world, emphasizing that there was urgent need to review the death penalty in the best interest of justice and fairness.

He said: “You can only pass death sentence on three people according to Islamic law, anybody who killed innocent soul, any believer that renounces Islam or any husband that committed adultery.

6, 900 women benefit from Abe’s scheme in Rivers Charles Onyekwere PORT HARCOURT

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ver 6, 900 women from Rivers SouthEast, comprising of Andoni, Eleme, Gokana, Khana, Opobo/Nkoro, Oyigbo and Tai Local Government areas of Rivers State, have so far benefited from the Senator Magnus Abe’s wife scheme initiative for the senatorial district.

This follows the presentation of wrappers to 1, 900 women drawn from the 19 wards of Khana Local Government of the state, just as the All Progressives Congress (APC) wards’ PROs in the area, got one motorcycle each to assist in the transportation needs of the party at the grassroots.

The wife of Senator Bariyaah Abe, also led a special prayer session for

the rescue of students of the Government Girls’ Secondary School, Chibok in Borno State, recently abducted by members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect.

Speaking at the ceremony held at Bori, headquarters of Khana Local Government Council, the senator decried the rising cases of cult-related killings in Ogoni land and called on mothers to advise their wards properly.

2015: Only Nigerians can stop Jonathan – Accord Party Sola Adeyemo

Ibadan

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ccord Party in Oyo State has said that it is only Nigerian voters that can stop President Goodluck Jonathan from a second term in office in the 2015 election.

The party, through its Publicity Secretary, Dr. Remi Adeniran, said

this in an interview with New Telegraph in Ibadan in response to the hues and cries over the constitutional eligibility of the president to vie for second term.

Adeniran, former Commissioner for Education in Oyo State, and a lawyer by profession, believes that President Jonathan has the constitutional right to seek a second term, and in a

democratic setting that Nigeria is, nobody has the power to stop him, except the voters, through election.

He, however, urged Nigerians to be patient with the president, saying; “If they say that he should go for a second term, it means they have rated him as having performed; but if they say no, it means he has not performed.

Albino foundation makes case for PWAS in rescue operation Yekeen Nurudeen Abuja

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he Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Albino Foundation, Jake Ekpelle, has charged the Federal Capital

Territory Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to include albinos among the vulnerable by putting in place special measures to rescue them during emergency period.

Ekpele, who led

other members of the Foundation on a courtesy visit to the Director of General of FEMA, Alhaji Abbas G. Idriss, said the call became imperative in view of security challenges in the nation.

Dangote joins Bill Gates, others in world’s top 25 businessmen

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arely a week after he was ranked among the 100 most influential personalities in the world by the renowned Time magazine, leading business broadcast organization, CNBC has ranked the foremost entre preneur and Africa’s richest man,

Aliko Dangote, as one of the 25 people which have had most profound impact on business and finance worldwide.

Forbes had earlier named him as the second most powerful black man coming only after the United States President, Barack Obama and the 64th most powerful in the world in

the ranking of the movers and shakers of the world.

CNBC ranked Dangote as 23th among the first 25 people who have impacted the business world most since 1989, the year CNBC went live on air. In the list, Steve Jobs, led the pack followed by world richest, Bill Gates.

Chime orders seizure of corpse bearing helicopter Leo Sobechi n what was seen as another attempt at breaching the security of Enugu State Government House, the State Governor Sullivan Chime, yesterday directed security agents to impound an Aero Contractor helicopter that mistakenly landed at the

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Governor’s Lodge.

The chartered helicopter said to be bearing the corpse of a former member of old Enugu State House of Assembly, Mr. Andy Umeoji, was to take the corpse from the nearby House of Assembly complex to Anambra State for burial.

Having arrived Akanu

Ibiam international airport Enugu from overseas via Murtala Mohammed Airport Lagos, the remains of the late legislator was flown in the chopper to Enugu for a motorcade for a valedictory session before heading to Ezinifite, Aguata local government area of Anambra for burial.

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Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

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Nasarawa deputy governor abandons Ajimobi pays surprise office, operates from home visits to offices A

Cheke Emmanuel LAFIA

I

ndications have emerged that the relationship between Governor Tanko Al-makura of Nasarawa State and his deputy,Damishi Luka has broken down completely.

It was gathered that Al-makura and Luka neither see each other nor speak on the telephone any longer.

The bad blood between the duo started late last year when Luka travelled on pilgrimage to Israel together with President Goodluck Jonathan among other governors, ministers and some Na-

N3.52bn

tional Assembly members.

The relationship between the two, however, worsened in the last three months, when Luka refused to move to the All Progressives Congress from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. The deputy governor had alleged politics of exclusion, lack of internal democracy and lack of vision and corruption in the APC government by Al-makura .

Matters, however, became worse when the deputy governor removed the official flag of APC in front of his office and hoisted that of PDP. New Telegraph learnt

The IGR realized from road taxes in Plateau State in 2011.

Source: National Bureau of Statistics

that ever since, the two stopped seeing each other and stopped conversation even on the telephone.

Investigation revealed that the monthly imprest of the deputy governor of N8million has been slashed to N800,000.

The situation, New Telegraph learnt has forced the deputy governor to now operate from his official quarters because of insufficient funds to service the standby generator and other office equipment.

A visit to the deputy governor’s office showed that staff of the office go to the office at will, while some come late or absent

95.6%

The estimated percentage prevalence of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in girls and women (15 - 49 years) of Guinea in 2005.

Source: Blatantworld.com

themselves as there was no schedule for them to execute.

Some the staff, who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity, said that there was no schedule for them to handle and that there is always no light whenever there is power outage.

Meanwhile, the deputy governor was quoted in some quarters that he has already grabbed nine commissioners in Al-makura's cabinet to officially decamp to the PDP come May 10, 2014 when President Jonathan would visit the state to receive decampees in the state.

28.4%

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

Source: Itu.int

surprise visit to some ministries, departments and parastatals by the Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, yesterday caught many workers unawares.

According to the governor, such visits would be carried out weekly to ensure punctuality and efficiency in the state’s civil service. ``Some of the civil servants came late and some came early, and I have decided now that on weekly basis, I will be paying surprise visits to ministries when I will just go there by 7.30 to 8 am. When they see us coming regularly, they will adjust. ``The beauty of the civil servants in Oyo State is that they are very adaptable; the moment they see

Aborisade condemns anti-labour activities in power sector Temitope Ogunbanke

H

uman rights activist, Comrade Femi Aborisade, has condemned the plight of some former staff of the Power Holding Corporation of Nigeria (PHCN). He said they are being subjected to a miserable plight after the privatisation of the power sector.

Aborisade, in a statement made available to New Telegraph urged Nigerians to support the demands of workers in the electricity sub-sector, who are fighting for the their rights due to their disengagement as a result of transfer of ownership of PHCN to private companies.

"The anti-labour activities in the privatized

L-R: Vice President Namadi Sambo; Kaduna State Governor, Ramalan Yero and Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, during the condolence visit to the Vice President over his brother’s death in Abuja… yesterday.

TRIBUTE

Second republic legislator eulogised by his state assembly Uwakwe Abugu Awka

M

embers of the Anambra State House of Assembly yesterday cut short their recess to hold a valedictory session for late former member of the old Anambra House of Assembly, Hon Andy Umeoji. He passed on recently.

As the remains of the deceased lay in state during the special session in his honour, the legislators took their turns in speaking with nostalgia of the good old

Anambra Assembly calls off recess to honour Umeoji days when the Second Republic lawmakers held sway to catalyze democracy in action, wishing that ennobling ideals upon which politicians of those days operated could be replicated now that the nation is in dire need of ideas to grow the present democratic experiment.

Deputy Speaker, Chukwudi Orizu, presided over the session.

The member representing Aguata state constituency II, Ikechukwu Ozoezie, eulogized Umeoji for the exemplary character and leadership qualities he exhibited in his lifetime.

He described the deceased lawmaker as

an astute politician of whom the entire Aguata people were proud, especially considering his achievements as a lawmaker, teacher and administrator of repute.

He stated that “Umeoji was an astute politician. That made him represent Aguata constituency comprising Orumba North and South today at the old Anambra State House of Assembly during the Second Republic and because of his work, he became local government chairman. He did our people proud”.

Also speaking, Chugbo Enwezor representing Onitsha I state constituency, said late Andy

Umeoji saw life as a duty and loomed large in Anambra State in particular and Nigeria in general, describing the late lawmaker as a colossus, a great mind and achiever, who showed his love for Anambra State and Nigeria.

Son of the deceased and current chairman of Aguata council area of the state, who was a former member of House of Representatives, Chukwuma Umeoji, thanked the House for the honour done his father.

A valedictory session had earlier been held for the deceased by Enugu State House of Assembly.

what we are doing and how we are doing it, they adapt,’’ he said.

The governor, while expressing satisfaction with the improvement in the state civil service, gave assurance that his administration would not relent in its efforts at providing conducive environment for workers to perform, adding that priority would be accorded the renovation of offices within the secretariat. ``In terms of what we do for workers, that is, training and retraining, we have been seeing a lot of value addition in what they are doing. Though the environment generally is not conducive, I assure you that government will change the situation,’’ Ajimobi said.

PHCN entities (the DISCOs and GENCOs) are reprehensible and condemnable on the ground of being unconstitutional.

"All well-meaning Nigerians should therefore support the demands of workers in the electricity subsector who are fighting for the following: The right of trade union membership of staff in the privatized entities, recall of all labour leaders disengaged as a result of transfer of ownership of PHCN assets in accordance with the agreement signed with the Federal Government on January 13, 2014, and payment of full severance benefits to the disengaged former workers of PHCN," Aborisade pleaded.

Ondo State University emerges best in U.S. survey

O

ndo State University, Akungba –Akoko and the state’s Polytechnic, Rufus Giwa in Owo have emerged the best Nigeria State University and Polytechnic for 2013 respectively .

This is the result of the preliminary results of the school ranking survey carried out by a United States of America organisation, US Transparency International Standards (USTIS) The University of Ibadan emerged the best in the Federal category while Covenant University, Ota and The Open University emerged top in the private category.

The Federal Polytechnic Ilaro and Ronik Polytechnic Lagos topped the list of the Federal

and private polytechnics respectively.

According to the organisation’s researcher, Yemi Boaz-Akerele, the result of the school rankings would be published in the 2014 Directory and Year-book of schools.

He said the directory would also feature comprehensive profiles of all the standard schools in Nigeria and the biodata of final year students of the schools.

Reacting to the development, Ondo State’s Commissioner for Information, Kayode Akinmade said the position of the state’s schools in the ranking is a direct effect of the government’s efforts at improving the standard of education in the state.

10 News

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Tributes pour in for Amaka Igwe Tony Okuyeme, Ebere Ameh and Moses Kadiri

l She was a jewel of Nollywood – Atiku

L

country, was reported to have travelled to Enugu in company of her husband to make preparations for a new Igbo soap, when the incident occurred.

In his reaction, former Vice-President of Nigeria and chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC) Atiku Abubakar, described Mrs. Amaka Igwe (nee Eneh) as a jewel of the Nollywood industry.

The former Vice President made the remark yesterday in his tribute.

In a statement by his Media Office in Abuja yesterday, Atiku expressed shock at the demise of Amaka.

ike torrents of rainfall, tributes continue to flow for renowned Nigerian filmmaker, Amaka Igwe, who died in Enugu on Monday at the age of 51. The prolific writer, producer and director, who hailed from Obinagu, Enugu State, suffered an asthma attack and was immediately rushed to the hospital after initial intervention had failed. Sadly, she died before getting to the hospital.

Mrs. Igwe, who was the brain behind some of the popular television drama series and sitcoms in the

Atiku recalled that Mrs. Igwe's first major production, Decrees of Fate won four awards at the National Festival of Television Programmes in 1988.

"Amaka (Igwe) was one of the pioneers of the movie industry. Her presence in Nollywood grew to become quite impressive as she amassed a number of well received movies," Atiku said, adding that the versatile artiste organized the annual BOB TV film festival and was noted for productions which included Rattle Snake and Violated that dwelt heavily

on contemporary family issues.

According to him, Amaka Igwe’s long-running TV drama serial Checkmate and the sitcom Fuji House of Commotion regularly held families spellbound.

He said that it is to the credit of people like the late Amaka Igwe that the movie industry has continued to play crucial role in the economy of the country both in job creation and revenue generation.

The Turaki Adamawa expressed his condolences to the Igwe and Eneh families and friends and associates of the deceased in particu-

lar, and members of the Nollywood.

President of Association of Movie producers (AMP), Zik Zulu-Okafor, described the late Amaka as an ideadriven woman who helped to develop Nollywood.

“She is an amazing woman with robust ideas,” he said. Continuing, the film critic said Amaka Igwe has contributed to the growth of Nollywood.

“She is wonderful when it comes to directing. Her work speaks for her. It is a pity that Nollywood has to lose one of the pioneering members of the industry,” he lamented.

Chairman, Lagos State Chapter of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Don Pedro Aganbi, described her as an important personality.

“Amaka Ene Igwe (MFR) may be the singularly most important woman in the creation and the evolution of Nollywood. Starting out as a young Lecturer Assistant at the then Anambra State University, Amaka dedicated her young adult life to the creation of Checkmate (a Soap-Opera that leveraged on the previous success of Lola Fani-Kayode's Mirror in the Sun). Her star actors were the first stars of Nollywood.”

Go, Mr. Minister SSUCOEN tells Wike Sola Adeyemo Ibadan

T

he Senior Staff Union of Colleges of Education in Nigeria (SSUCOEN), South-West zone, yesterday called for the resignation of the Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike.

The union members alleged gross insensitivity to the plight of college of education lecturers that had been on strike for two months.

Led by Comrade Lere Oladapo, the union lamented that aside many of the Federal Colleges of Education, many states Colleges in the SouthWest were still on strike, with the Tai Solarin College of Education staff in Ogun State being owed 11 months salaries.

The union had on

Monday embarked on a seven-day warning strike to press home demand on sundry issues including the non-implementation of the CONTEDISS salary structure, the 65-year retirement age for nonteaching staff, among others.

According to Oladapo, since April 2014 when the Supervising Minister of Education held a meeting with Provosts of Federal Colleges of Education, offering to pay the arrears of migration in two tranches of 50 per cent each, there had been no implementation, “while students continue groaning at home.”

He requested all public-spirited Nigerians to "appeal to the Federal Government and state governments to put an end to the avoidable strike by doing the needful.”

Al-Makura opts for consensus Muhammad Ahmad Lafia

D

etermined to avoid factions within the ranks of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nasarawa State, Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura has opted for consensus for the state congress.

Although, the governor was not specific on his choice of method to be adopted during the election of the state officers of the party, there were indications that he has rallied round top shots in the party to support his position.

Al-Makura, who was short of enforcing the consensus idea during a stakeholders’ meeting at the Government House, Lafia yesterday, however, said that the meeting will determine the way forward for the congress.

“The aim of the meeting is for members to rationalise on how the state congress would be conducted.

“Most party leaders at the wards and local governments emerged through consensus.”

Governor Al-Makura added that the fact that members did not appeal after the ward and local government congresses was a demonstration of internal democracy in the party.

“The zero-appeal from the congresses is a demonstration of internal democracy and in line with the philosophy of the party,” he said.

However, Chairman of the Congress Committee, Ahmed El-Mansur, said the committee was out to supervise either emerging consensus of the executive of the party or conduct outright elections.

L-R: Executive Commissioner, Corporate Services, Security and Exchange Commission (SEC), Zakawanu Garuba; Chief Executive Officer, Financial Derivatives Company, Bismarck Rewane and the Director General, Arunma Oteh, during SEC Nigeria’s Learning Series in Abuja. …yesterday.

PHOTO: TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN

Delta workers face sack Dominic Adewole Asaba

D

elta State government may have concluded plans to trim down its labour force via a competence test to be conducted by the state government.

Aside the paucity of funds currently bedeviling the oil rich state, making its monthly wage bill to be high, the numerical strength of its workforce was discovered to have become cumbersome.

State Commissioner for Information, Chike Ogeah, yesterday in Asaba said the state governor was worried about the state’s mounting monthly wage bill.

While he said that the state has lost over 40 per cent of its allocation from the federation account since last year, Ogeah hinted that the shortfall is beginning to slow down the prospects of the governor’s administration.

The commissioner, who briefed journalists on the outcome of the State’s Executive Council (SEC) meeting, lamented that projects that have reached their final pushes were all affected.

He said the governor may have no other choice than to declare fitness examination on its workforce to determine the accuracy of the wage bill.

He said: “Almost every state of the federation lost 40 per cent of their allocations from the federal government. Many of the projects in our state here are now being executed at a slow pace.

“That is why the governor called a meeting of his finance managers to ‘look into the wage bill. After all, Edo State is doing it, why not in Delta. The truth is that, there are a lot of people receiving salaries in this state as ghost workers.

Something must be done about it.”

Teachers drop chalk in Kogi Muhammad Bashir Lokoja

P

rimary school teachers in Kogi State yesterday embarked on an indefinite strike over the non-payment of their two months’ salary arrears by the state government.

School pupils, who were enthusiastic about their resumption after several months of staying at home, were yesterday sent back home again.

In a communiqué signed by the state Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Sulaiman Abdulahi and the union’s Secretary, John Agber, the union said the strike will continue until outstanding salaries of teachers are paid.

The union in the communiqué said the unnecessary bureaucratic bottleneck that was created by the SUBEB against the

actualisation of the laudable goals of education in the state will further draw back the state in the education sector.

“The stereotype image of the teachers by the public and the lackadaisical manner and levity with which teachers welfare issues are often handled by the government will no longer be tolerated. How can you kill the hen that lays the golden egg?”

The teachers said all those whose names had been erroneously removed from the salary payment voucher should be cleared and be reabsorbed with all their outstanding salaries paid to them without further delay.

The statement also said that the state government should do everything necessary to expeditiously implement the national minimum wage for primary school teachers in the state.

News

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

11

Eze Igbo Yaba seeks dissolution of marriage DIVORCE

It is no more for better for worse as a chief and his banker wife fall apart Uwakwe Abugu Awka

T

he Eze Igbo in Yaba, Lagos, His Royal Highness, Eze Samuel Ezekwo, has urged an Igbo-Ukwu Customary Court, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, to dissolve his marriage with his banker wife, Chizoba and grant him custody of their children.

Ezekwo told the court that his wife has since

abandoned him while also indulging in extramarital affairs with a man (names withheld).

However, while testifying b e fo re the court, yesterday, Chizoba, Manager, Bank of Agriculture, Lagos Branch, told the court headed by Mrs Chinelo Egini, that her husband abdicated his responsibilities both as husband and father and has rather been keeping concubines in his various rented apartments outside their No. 10 Igbobi-Sabe Street, Jibowu, Yaba, Lagos residence.

But Ezekwo had in his application, explained that he was constrained to apply for the dissolution of the marriage and

for his father-in-law, Mr. Livi Azubuike, to refund him the bride price he paid to marry Chizoba and also to be granted custody of the five children born to him by his estranged wife.

He told the court that Chizoba's alleged amorous relationship with another man and her refusal to end the relationship and comply with the directives of the various persons and groups that mediated in the matter to tender apology as

tradition demands "has broken our marriage irretrievably".

Led by her counsel, Mr. Emeka Umejiaku, Chizoba told the court that her trouble with her husband started sometime in 2010 when he stopped providing for the family's needs, including payment of school fees of their children, electricity bills, and even house rent.

Her words: "Our trouble started in 2010 when my husband stopped

paying the children's school fees, house rent; our house rent is in six years arrears now, he does not provide for the house upkeep, he doesn't stay in the house, he harasses the house-helps sexually, and each time I confronted him, he would beat me up and will go to my office to report me," she told the court.

But under cross-examination by her husband’s lawyer, Mrs Chioma Onyebuchi, Chizoba was

asked to tell the court her relationship with an alleged lover her husband has been naming, and if she had ever been warned by her husband to desist from having any relationship with the said lover.

In response, Chizoba told the court that the alleged lover is her distant cousin and that he stopped coming to their house after her husband warned him not to come again following the suspicion that they were having affairs.

Babangida Aliyu bans okada in Suleija Dan Atori MINNA

W

ith the alarming level of insecurity in the country, Niger State, Dr Babangida Aliyu yesterday said ban of commercial motorcycle popularly called okada is imminent in Suleja town of the State.

The governor, who spoke when he received the League of Imams in the state led by its chairman, Sheikh Ibrahim Isah Fari, on a thank-you visit in Minna, said okada also contributed to the high rate of accidents in the state.

According to him, most of the operators are discovered to be foreigners who had no stake in the state.

He disclosed that Suleja Local

Government has asked the government for a ban to be clamped on the operation of okada in the town, adding that government would give the operators eight weeks from April 29, to find alternative means of livelihood before the ban will take effect.

Aliyu also directed the Commissioner for Transport ,Alhaji Garba Mohammed, to provide 300 tricycles within four weeks to be distributed to those to be disengaged in Suleja town.

Earlier, Sheikh Ibrahim Isa Fari appealed to the governor for the inclusion of a member of the league in the state Amirul Hajj Committee, adding that the Federal Government should also be advised to hands off feeding of pilgrims in the Holy Land.

From left; Chief of Staff to Ondo State Governor, Dr Kola Ademujimi; Labour Party governorship candidate in Ekiti State, Michael Opeyemi Bamidele; Governor Olusegun Mimiko; National Chairman of Labour Party, Chief Dan Nwanyanwu, Secretary of Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin and the Deputy Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly, Hon Dare Emiola, at the Labour Party mega rally, in Ado-Ekiti...yesterday

N4.24bn

591.4

19.45

The IGR realized from other revenue sourc- The number of journalist per 1m inhabitants of The number of fixed-telephone subscripes of Rivers State in 2011.

Estonia in 2005. tions per 100 inhabitants of Chile in 2011.

Source: National Bureau of Statistics Source: Blatantworld.com Source: Itu.int

Amosun takes healthcare Delta group predicts doom for PDP CHANGE to Ogun grassroots Kunle Olayeni Abeokuta

G

overnor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State yesterday reiterated his administration’s commitment to provision of affordable, sustainable and efficient healthcare delivery for the people and residents of the state.

Amosun spoke in Abeokuta during the launch of the pilot phase of Community Based Health Insurance Scheme (CBHIS), otherwise called Araya, and the second phase of Conditional Cash Transfer Scheme (CCTS) called

Gbomoro.

The CBHIS was designed to improve access to quality health services for those who are excluded from the formal insurance while CCTS is aimed at increasing the access of lowincome pregnant women to basic healthcare.

According to the governor, primary healthcare had been weakened by the dearth of skilled health workers, inadequate hospital equipment, dilapidated structures and shortage of drugs before the inception of his administration.

He, however, expressed satisfaction that his administration’s investment

in the health sector has improved health indices such as high antenatal attendance and significantly reduced maternal and infant mortality rate.

Amosun described the CBHIS as a cost effective way of ensuring healthcare coverage for all citizens and offering the best option to cover the large rural, informal sector of thepopulation.

He said, “The widespread participation in CBHIS across Ogun Statewill provide free-healthcare for the vulnerable group --- pregnant mothers, children under five years and the aged (70 years and above).

Group predicts a formidable alternative to PDP in Rivers come 2015

Dominic Adewole ASABA

A

group, Delta Democracy Monitoring Group (DDMG), yesterday predicted an end to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) dominance in Delta State in 2015.

The group was categorical that the party’s arch-rival, the All Progressives Congress

(APC), has gained the needed inroad to come tops not only in the state, but in Nigeria.

The group’s Head of Media and Communication, Solo Oyivwi, told journalists in Asaba, the state capital, that the tentacles of the APC had spread considerably and made it a credible alternative to PDP. Describing the group as non-partisan, but committed to the crusade for good governance and democratic values, Oyivwi said they were strongly in support of the move to have a formidable and credible alternative to PDP. He said, “The blatant abuse of office and total

disregard that the PDP has for the feelings of Deltans, especially in refusing to conduct local government elections despite the peoples’ cries have thrown up the need for a credible alternative more than ever.

“If you carefully look around the state,you will see that the mood of majority of the people, including many of those in the ruling PDP, reflects that of a people deeply desirous of positive change, so we commend the APC leadership and urge them to remain focused and resolute in their determination to provide the needed instrument of political checks and balances in Delta State.”

Exigent issues before Reps wind down / PAGE 41 | Saraki, ex-deputy fall apart / PAGE 42

POLITICS

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ayodele Ojo

I’ll unite Akwa Ibom people as governor –Esuene

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WEDNESday, April 30, 2014

NATIONAL CONFERENCE

T

he National Conference has wobbled through its sixth week and the delegates have settled down to work at the various committees. But looking back, one cannot but recall the drama and how the various actors have been playing their roles.

At some point in the fifth week, the conference had to contend with a lot of distractions occasioned by the growing insecurity in the country.

The week opened on a bloody note with the news of the bomb blast that occurred on a Black Monday at the Nyanya Mass Transit Park on the outskirts of Abuja. Naturally, delegates being human could not help but react to the mass murder of Nigerians in that dawn strike by terrorists.

There was outrage at the commencement of proceedings as delegates expressed concern over the deteriorating security situation in the country and resolved that “urgent, drastic and concrete” actions must be taken to arrest the ugly situation. A minute of silence was observed in honour of the victims of the unfortunate incident and suddenly there was a contest over who among the delegates should seize the moment to demonstrate the collective concern over the damage terrorism was causing in Nigera.

Elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark and Mr. Femi Falana were angling to take the first plunge, but the role was handed over to the much younger Comrade Dan Nwanyanwu, National Chairman of Labour Party (LP). Nwanyanwu, who rose to the occasion, drew the attention of the delegates to the bomb blast and lamented that there seemed to have been a conspiracy against Nigeria and the Nigerian people by some enemies within the country.

He urged the security agencies involved in the fight against terrorism to double their efforts and halt further killing of innocent citizens across the country.

In a contribution to the debate, Clark said the incident called for public condemnation by all well-meaning Nigerians.

Clark said that those who have been criticizing the military operation launched against the insurgents may have a second thought given the level of damage the insurgents had brought on the country.

“We are greatly concerned and believe that something should be done. But I also warn

POLITICAL NOTES

How insecurity nearly stopped confab The National Conference was convened to address some fundamental issues affecting Nigeria. Even at that, it was not meant to assume the powers of the National Assembly. However, ONWUKA NZESHI reports that certain extraneous issues, including the increasing wave of insecurity, have become distractions to the delegates

Nyanya motor park after the bomb explosion.

that those of us who believe that the security forces are either working too hard or driving the Boko Haram too hard, should have a rethink. Let all of us join hands together.

People are dying and I think that we must look back. We should not wait until it comes

to our turn. What is happening in Nigeria is a national issue.

Nigerians are being killed day by day. We have a duty to look into this issue and not to play politics with it. It is a national calamity. We have no other country to go to. So, I am appealing to all of you here that

the time has come for us to act,” he said.

Clark said it was imperative that the Conference sent a message to the Federal Government on the way forward because the country was no

CROSSFIRE From June 2011 till date, the 44 local government areas of Kano State received a total of N255bn but instead of Kwankwaso to allow them use their money, he is spending it anyhow, making the local government chairmen look stupid -Goodluck Jonathan

I challenge anyone, including the president, if he finds anybody who siphoned local or state government’s money to report to me and see what action my administration would take against the offender -Rabiu Kwankwaso

CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

A resort to impeachment recent media report indiADemocratic cates that the 37 Peoples Party (PDP)

House of Representatives members who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) have vowed to initiate impeachment moves against President Goodluck Jonathan.

Their impeachment move is said to be in retaliation of the court judegment, which ordered them to vacate their seats in the hallowed chamber.

As part of their war chest, after gathering the impeachable offences of Jonathan, they intend to drag the President to the International Court of Justice at The Hague for alleged genocide in the North-East and crime against humanity via a petition.

They will also visit past presidents, former heads of state and vice presidents, including putting up a demonstration at the ECOWAS Parliament to present the list of the alleged crimes of the President and the impeachment notice.

The protest would move to the United States, British, Canadian and French embassies, as well as all other European Union (EU) countries, a source said.

Asides wondering if these are parts of the impeachment processes as set up by the Constitution of Nigeria, which they have sworn to uphold and defend, many Nigerians are also at a loss as to why the Reps should decide to only now remember the ‘sins’ of Jonathan, when their case has been decided by a competent court. Or have they lost faith in the system, and the ability of an appeal to deliver sound judgement?

Others are of the opinion that if the lawmakers had expended such energies, dedication, and desperation as being exhibited on the impeachment move earlier in their line of duty, and the quest for a better Nigeria, through the promulgation of decent laws, and performance of their oversight functions responsibly, then there would probably have been no time to tinkle with defection moves, and a consequent impeachment move to hang on to their seats.

14 POLITICS

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

NATIONAL CONFERENCE

Bakare: Parallels, lessons from 1787 Pastor Tunde Bakare, Convener, Save Nigeria Group, is a SouthWest delegate to the ongoing National Conference. In this treatise, he gives insight into how the United States of America came about its 1787 Constitution and the lessons Nigeria can draw from the experience Introduction Following the American Revolution, the 13 states, which then constituted the United States of America, were governed under the provisions of the Articles of Confederation put together by the Second Continental Congress. After wobbling and fumbling under this constitutional arrangement for about 10 years, the American states had to sit at the table of dialogue to renegotiate their destinies.

In the current Nigerian context, since 1999, with the end of military dictatorship, the country has been governed under a constitutional arrangement decreed into existence by the military. Having staggered under this constitutional arrangement for 15 years and with the polity far from being stable, the Nigerian nationalities have an opportunity, courtesy of President Goodluck Jonathan, to sit at the dialogue table.

Parallels can be drawn between the American experience and the Nigerian opportunity. More importantly, lessons can be learnt from the American experience to make the most of the Nigerian opportunity.

Parallels First, as is the Nigerian case, the structure and form of governance were the main issues in the American context. In this regard, although there appears to be a contrast, placed in perspective, the parallels are clear.

Whereas the background to the ongoing Nigerian constitutional conference is a bloated centre with relatively enervated federating units created or maintained by the 1999 Constitution, the background to the American Constitutional Convention was a loosely joined confederacy with a centre so weak that not only was it unable to hold the units together, it was virtually unable to sustain itself. It could not maintain a common currency and had neither taxation powers nor a standing army. The result was that the central government could not manage the conflicts that arose among the states.

Discontent among the populace particularly among the poor, the farmers and debtors against the creditors gave rise to rebellion in Massachusetts, a situation that portrayed the new nation as unable to govern itself. To salvage the situation, a convention was called for, with a view to discussing possible improvements to the Articles of Confederation.

In the Nigerian case, the bloated centre has retarded the growth of the units, in the process fuelling poverty, perpetuating discontent and igniting rebellion across the nation from the insurgency in the North to organised

Jonathan

banditry and kidnapping in the South.

Despite the concentration of powers in the centre, things are falling apart and the centre cannot hold, very much like the American experience.

Prelude to the American convention, although everyone knew that government had to be fixed, the question was, “how?� Much like the current Nigerian national conference, the mandate given to the convention was to merely make recommendations for the amendment of the Articles of Confederation. Consequently, as has been the case with delegates to the Nigerian national conference, most delegates to the American convention came expecting to merely make recommendations for the revision of the pre-existing constitution.

Although the quality of delegates to the American convention was highpowered, some did not realise what they were getting themselves into. Going by the level of dissonance among their respective constituencies and the apparent cluelessness of some of the delegates regarding the possibilities ahead of them, the convention did not seem to hold any much promise.

While Rhode Island refused to send delegates, delegates from Virginia and Maryland sat at the conference fully aware that their respective states were almost at war with each other a few months back.

The delegates from Delaware threatened to leave the convention if they had to give up power to strengthen the centre. The delegates from New York argued among themselves over empowering the centre and, eventually, two of the New York delegates pulled out of the conference.

These are reminiscent of the refusal by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to send delegates to the conference, the initial threat by northern Nigerian delegates to walk out of the conference and the actual non-participation by the Nigerian Bar association (NBA). Again, just like many

Kutigi

In the Nigerian case, the bloated centre has retarded the growth of the units, in the process fuelling poverty, perpetuating discontent and igniting rebellion across the nation from the insurgency in the North to organised banditry and kidnapping in the South delegates to the current Nigerian national conference, the delegates to the American convention came to the conference, not as Americans, but as Virginians, New Yorkers, Pennsylvanians, and so on. They came wanting sovereignty for their respective states.

Doubting conference, sleeping delegates Furthermore, at the beginning of the 2014 Nigerian National Conference, there was much furore over the picture of the now late Hamma Misau sleeping in plenary. It provided grounds for sceptical Nigerians to further question the worth of the national conference and the seriousness of the delegates as well as its chances of producing any meaningful outcome.

The 1787 American constitutional conference that produced the American constitution, which has been much celebrated and emulated over the centuries, had worse than a sleeping delegate! It had a drunken delegate in the person of Luther Martin of New Jersey! Therefore, the American Constitutional Convention, which

held for four months from May 25 to September 17, 1787 and became the reference point for America’s governmental history, did not start out looking like it could produce what it eventually did.

It is important to note also that when the convention delegates changed course towards producing a new constitution for America, they were embarking on what they had no constitutional authorisation to do, as it was not permitted under the Articles of Confederation neither were they mandated so to do. This is reminiscent of the admonition by conservative delegates to the Nigerian National Conference, to fellow delegates who are optimistic about the opportunity provided by the conference, that the confab has not been mandated to write a new constitution for the country.

What made the difference?

At least, two factors may have contributed to the turnaround. These include the few delegates who came to the conference determined to change the status quo and the resolution of the congress to keep their deliberations absolutely secret.

From the onset, a small group of delegates believed that the Articles of Confederation had to be completely scrapped. These delegates, mostly from Virginia, believed that upon them rested the responsibility of millions yet unborn. Of course, this included George Washington who was the only American then known to every American and was easily elected president of the convention.

However, while many delegates came to the convention with short-sighted expectations and without a sense of where America should be going, only one delegate came with a clear blueprint, as he knew what America ought to do. He was James Madison.

James Madison arrived at the convention early with an already developed blueprint. He then began to build

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American Constitutional Convention The 1787 American constitutional conference that produced the American constitution, which has been much celebrated and emulated over the centuries, had worse than a sleeping delegate! It had a drunken delegate in the person of Luther Martin Bakare

a coalition with his fellow Virginian delegates. Another delegate, Charles Pinckney from South Carolina also had a plan but lacked a coalition. With the support of the Virginian coalition, Madison’s plan became the first proposal on the table.

This gave direction to an otherwise directionless convention. Madison’s plan highlighted the fact that the major issue was the question of the degree of authority the central government would have over the states.

Convinced that a strong Federal Government was necessary but aware that the smaller states would particularly resist any plan to surrender part of their sovereignty to the centre (raising fears over minority rights), Madison proposed a system of separation of powers that would guarantee checks and balances and maintained that “only in a large democracy with an extensive system of checks and balances will the rights of minorities be protected from the tyranny of the majority”. Against this backdrop, on the third day of the Convention, Edmund Randolph, a Virginian delegate, announced the Virginia Plan: to do away with the Articles of Confederation and make a new constitution for America.

The Virginia Plan was debated heatedly with opponents raising concerns over such issues as proportion of representation in Congress. While the plan implied representation in both houses of congress in proportion to size, the smaller states demanded equal representation irrespective of size. To resolve this stalemate, Roger Sherman, a Connecticut delegate proposed a bicameral legislation where states would have equal representation in the Senate while representation in the House of Representatives would be size-determined.

Virginia Plan.

Another turnaround factor was the privacy accorded the Convention, as

the first resolution of the Convention was to keep deliberations secret, not in the sense of a conspiracy, but in order to ensure a no-holds-barred and honest discussion among delegates.

Consequently, despite suspicions, reporters were blacked out from proceedings and delegates swore not to reveal the content of their debates.

Four months later, the Convention had created a new constitution for an entirely new government!

Lessons for the Nigerian National Conference First, from the transcripts and reports of debates at the plenary of the confab, there are too many issues being raised and scattered in too many directions. There is the need for a blueprint that will set the agenda for debates. Such a blueprint must be specific in highlighting the main issues and proposing practical solutions. It’s called “keeping the main thing the main thing”.

Second, the blueprint must anticipate the fears and concerns of interest groups and create appropriate frameworks and buffers to deal with genuine concerns. For instance, an unspoken fear of northern Nigeria towards calls for restructuring and true federalism is the expected loss of allocated oil revenue. This was one of the major causes of the failure of the National Political Reform Conference, 2005, as the South-South demanded 50 per cent derivation on oil revenue. Although proponents of true federalism rightly maintain that each region has resources that can guarantee self-sustenance, the neglect of non-oil sectors over the years has ensured a relatively greater infrastructural deficit (human and material) in those sectors than in the oil sector.

Therefore, an acceptable plan would have to take this reality into consideration perhaps by making provision for a transitional period of targeted

resource-specific infrastructural development across regions through some sort of infrastructural development fund side by side a progressive hand-over of control of resources to the federating units. This compromise could forestall a sudden incapacitation of some regions or states and might cause otherwise intransigent regions to reconsider their opposition to restructuring.

Third, from the foregoing, there is no gainsaying the importance of compromise and trustful give and take.

This lesson is obvious in the Connecticut Compromise.

Fourth, the few delegates who, like the Virginian Coalition and much like the Biblical sons of Issachar, know in this context, what Nigeria ought to do, must take up the challenge of providing leadership, such leadership that defies convention. Those few delegates who perceive that this is an opportunity to write a new constitution for the country despite the fact that the national conference has not been mandated to do so must rise up to the task. Like the delegates to the American constitutional convention, they must rise up to the challenge knowing that they have upon their shoulders the responsibility of generations yet unborn.

Fifth, those few delegates must take responsibility for creating the blueprint that will provide direction to the conference. It appears that many of the delegates are content at simply revising aspects of the constitution or even aspects of the documents handed over to delegates such as the Report of the National Political Reform Conference, 2005 and the Report of the Political Bureau, 1987 as they might not have the patience to consider drafting a new constitution for the country.

The “Virginia coalition” and, in particular, the James Madisons among delegates must rise up to do so even if they glean ideas from these past reports. To achieve this, they must build the necessary coalitions and make the necessary compromises. It is noteworthy that unlike the voluminous 1999 Nigerian Constitution, the American constitution produced from the 1787 convention was a five-paged document containing less than four thousand words.

Sixth, although the need for media coverage has been much touted, the conference should seriously consider minimizing media coverage and creating an atmosphere for no holds-barred discussion or plain talk until a thorough document is produced. This may commence once delegates move into committees and it may extend later into plenary. With that, all grandstanding will stop and delegates can focus on the more serious task of nation building with trustful give and take.

Conclusion In the words of Senator Femi Okurounmu (a South-West delegate and the chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee on the National Conference) - during his contribution to the debate on the Presidential address - he said: “Finally, I wish to advise this conference not to clamp itself under constraints that were not imposed by the President. The outcomes of our deliberations need not to go to the National Assembly. To send them there will defeat the goal of building a new, just and equitable society because the National Assembly itself is one of those institutions which, as presently

constituted, is heavily skewed in favour of some sections of the country against others.” This is spot on.

Finally, if the delegates to the 2014 National Conference consider the wisdom of God anything to go by in rebuilding our nation and making it an inclusive society of our dream, the ancient story of reconciliation of two brothers (ultimately two families and nations) at the place called MAHANAIM (Two Camps) should guide us in our present assignment.

(Genesis 32: 1&2) The two brothers were raised in the same home but theirs was a classical case of unhealthy rivalry, cheating, manipulation, deep seated mistrust and spiteful cynicisms. But after some 21 years of doing things in their own different ways, the day of reconciliation came. At first, it appeared that it was a time of revenge and settling old scores. Esau showed up with 400 men a number that naturally overwhelmed the company of Jacob.

Consequently, genuine and palpable fear filled the air as one brother decided to send gifts ahead to appease the seemingly aggrieved brother.

Lesson 1: One brother bowed while the other ran to meet him, embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they both wept. For old wounds to be healed, there must be trustful give and take - not my way or the high way.

Lesson 2: Both brothers said “I have enough”. Truth be told, there is no part of Nigeria that is not endowed.

Before the discovery of oil, there were groundnut and cocoa pyramids as well as palm oil and rubber plantations. If today the Niger Bridge is shut down and tomatoes, potatoes, onions not to mention cows do not come to the South anymore, I wonder how the Southern states will survive. We must embark on cross-country capacity building that will ensure that both sides of River Niger can say again “we indeed have enough”.

Lesson 3: Herein is the spirit of true federalism in action, each part developing at its own pace. Nothing stops Nigeria from developing six Dubais from our present six geo-political zones 20 years down the road. To do this, we must focus on harnessing the resources of each zone for the development of each zone as against the entire nation trying to survive largely on a mono-product economy. This is killing us while creating the filthy rich amongst our elites who have managed to corner the resources of our nation for themselves.

Lesson 4: The final lesson is decentralisation of security apparatus, in our own case, the decentralisation of the police. With our present security challenge, there is no point posting policemen from Kaura-namoda to Calabar or from Port Harcourt to Kafanchan if we are serious about effective policing.

Apart from language barriers, officers who are not familiar with the terrain of their posting can hardly do their jobs effectively and satisfactorily.

The 2014 National Conference provides Nigeria with the opportunity to re-write her constitutional and governmental history. In this regard, lessons can be learnt from the Word of God and from the American Constitutional Convention of 1787. It is said that those who do not learn from history either repeat the blunders of history or become history themselves.

May God Almighty guide us aright.

Amen.

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How insecurity nearly stopped CO N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 3

longer safe.

Double motion As precise and direct as this motion was, it soon emerged that it was not on record as Conference Chairman, Justice Idris Kutigi suddenly fished out a written motion on the issue and flagged off another round of debates.

This second motion, was sponsored

by Malam Is’haq Modibbo Kawu, one of the delegates representing the Nigeria Guild of Editors at the conference.

The motion was supported by 19 other delegates including Prof. Jerry Gana, Ibrahim Coomassie, Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, Dr. Magdalyne Dura, Senator Ibrahim Mantu, Hon. Mohammed U. Kumalia and Senator Adamu Aliero.

Others were Prof. Auwalu Yadudu; Ambassador Ibrahim Mai Sule; Prof.

Iyorcha Ayu, Senator Jack Tilley Gyado, Lt. Gen. Jeremiah Useni, Senator Ibrahim Ida, Hon. Terseer Tsumba, Ibrahim Bunu, Maj. Gen. Ike Nwachukwu, Chief Olu Falae, Chief Edwin Clark and Brig. Gen. Geoffrey Ejiga.

In the motion, Kawu observed that in the last five years, the security situation had deteriorated and most of the security breaches have been in the northern part of the country. He noted that in spite of the state of emergency declared in three states in the North East zone, the situation had escalated in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states in the last two months while there had also been frequent communal crashes in parts of the North Central zone.

According to him, while the insecurity has become widespread with Boko Haram in the North East, armed banditry had become the order of the day in the North West while the North Central was under the grip of ethno-religious conflicts manifesting in the clashes between farmers and herdsmen in Benue, Plateau and Nasarawa states.

He said that though the security forces have been doing a lot to bring the situation under control, it appeared that the crisis was deteriorating by the day.

Kawu urged the Federal Government to immediately commence the process of reconciliation of the various aggrieved parties as well as the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the areas affected by the crisis.

Mutual suspicion In the course of the debate, the blame game, suspicion, innuendos and indirect accusations that usually accompany controversial issues in Nigeria began to emanate. The debate had all the trappings of the Nigerian tragedy of pretentious unity. Each delegate who contributed to the debate gave it a peculiar slant that exposed the undeniable regional, political, ethnic and religious cleavages.

For almost an hour, the debate raged on and at some point one could feel one was in one of the two chambers of the National Assembly. Even the delegates forgot they were not parliamentarians and were moving towards setting up a committee to look into the remote and immediate causes of insecurity when a wise counsel woke them up from their dream.

It was Dr. Kunle Olajide who restrained the delegates by insisting that such a move was beyond the purview of the conference. Olajide said the conference was set up for a specific duty and cannot assume the functions of the National Assembly. The delegates

Clark

Falana

Mrs Anenih

Injustice to one is injustice to all. Fairness should guide our attitude.

I want all of us to think as one family. Did the terrorists discriminate between Christians and Muslims when they spilled the blood of innocent Nigerians in Nyanya?

Ezeife

then retreated from the wrong route they were traveling and returned to the day’s proceedings.

The protest By the next day, an atmosphere of suspicion enveloped the conference when the motion conceived by Clark, presented by Nwanyanwu and seconded by Chief Mike Ozekhome was conspicuously missing from the records. Only the alternate version of the motion by Kawu was captured in the votes and proceedings of the previous day.

A point of order was quickly raised, and then came down a rain of accusations of bias and suspicions of a clandestine move to emasculate some voices. Clark, who led the protest, expressed disappointment over the non-inclusion of his motion and warned that discrimination and suspicions could destroy the whole essence of the National Conference. Emotions were so high that the protest could have triggered another crisis of confidence as to whether some persons in the house were privy to the information that terrorists were going to strike in Nyanya before they actually struck.

“Let us build a nation. A nation whereby we are all the same. No discrimination. We must state that the number of people here today are the Nigerians we should be proud of and if we do not trust ourselves and we suspect one another, there would be no success

Jimeta

in this meeting. We will be pretending.

“A motion was duly moved. My Lord, you knew this thing happened about 8a.m. last Monday and it was not possible for anybody to write a motion and submit to you or give to everybody here.

Nobody informed me that there was a written motion, I saw it in the papers.

After all, when we moved that motion, we all agreed that a motion has been moved. Not the one that was pre-conceived before the action took place. Mr. Chairman, let us do what we can do to build up a united Nigeria,” Clark said.

Repentance It was a protest that pricked the conscience of Justice Kutigi. At this point, a rain of guilt appeared to had fallen on the learned jurist and for the first time Kutigi felt challenged and overwhelmed by the weight of the trouble of handling a crowd of men and women of logic. He soon realised he was no longer presiding over the temple of justice where he was the lord and final arbiter. Then he said: “I think the problem is from my background. Where I come from, normally motions are filed first, before they are moved. I have never seen a chaotic situation where everybody will just be shouting and somebody will just stand up from the chair and say you are moving a motion. No notice. Nobody gave us any notice. Everybody will just stand, about five people will stand up at the same time and without filing a notice, you say you are moving a motion.

“I tell you that from my background if you start moving a motion without filing it and serving everybody, that motion is incompetent and nobody will listen to you.

“But generally and normally one would have thought that when you want to move a motion, you go and file it and distribute to everybody otherwise how would people contribute meaningfully.

For a motion that you are going to argue, you were not served and you know nothing about it at all. Is it when the person has started talking or finished talking that you will start doing research to get the information you need to reply?”

Kutigi explained that the second motion sponsored by Kawu was recorded because it was formally filed before it was moved and debated.

This explanation did not seem to suffice because there was a cloud of suspicion hanging in the air.

Even an attempt by a former Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Gambo Jimeta to exonerate Kutigi from the accusations of bias did not assuage the anger of those who felt short-changed.

It was the proposal by the Deputy Chairman, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi that the two motions on the bomb blast be consolidated and equally reflected in the Votes and Proceedings that saved the day.

Former Governor of Anambra State, Chief Chuwuemeka Ezeife expressed disappointment at the level of suspicion and divisiveness that dominated

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confab

the discussions on insecurity. He said he was worried that some delegates have by their words and actions shown that the country was far from being united.

“I am worried at the kind of cleavages developing again after we had banished it last week. Injustice to one is injustice to all. Fairness should guide our attitude. I want all of us to think as one family. Did the terrorists discriminate between Christians and Muslims when they spilled the blood of innocent Nigerians in Nyanya?

“This North /South division is ignorance because if we destroy this country, that is when we will know its value.

Please let us change and confine our minds to doing something good for posterity because that is the reason we are at this conference,” Ezeife counselled.

Distractions While these arguments lasted, the real business of the conference suffered. Having concluded debates on the President’s inaugural speech, the conference was expected to unveil the list of its 20 committees, name their leaders and settle down to the real business of the conference.

The conference only managed to unveil the committees days after because it had to adjourn abruptly to enable it conclude the composition of the committees.

Even while this was going on, there were various attempts to pan the discussion away from the mandate of the conference. With the abduction of about 200 school girls from the Government Secondary School, Chibok. Borno State, delegates were more interested in raising issues of insecurity in their home states than concentrating on the business of the conference. Little wonder it was even contemplated that the proceedings of the conference be put on hold until the security of lives and property improved across the country.

This suggestion was a tempting proposal that nearly brought the conference to a breaking point. Here was a gathering full of delegates who never believed in it and had been waiting for an excuse to be sent home. Here was a real threat to security of lives and property less than a hundred kilometres away. It was a golden opportunity for these anti-conference elements who had been uncomfortable with the deliberations at the conference.

It took the quick intervention of the former National Woman Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Iyom Josephine Anenih to halt the drift towards a hurried shut down of proceedings. Anenih went a little sarcastic when she said that bomb blasts resulting in heavy casualties have been occurring in different parts of the country without the political elite making much fuss about it. She said that perhaps, the Nyanya incident happened too close to Asokoro, the fortress of the rich, powerful and mighty in society. Anenih promptly dismissed the proposal for the conference to be shut down and reminded delegates that insecurity was one of the reasons President Goodluck Jonathan convened the conference. She said that as delegates, they were expected to brainstorm and solve national problems and not to run away in fear and apparent show of helplessness. It was this message that pulled the conference back from the precipice.

CONFAB VOICES…on insecurity in Nigeria

Briggs: We should raise walls around Nigeria Annkio Briggs is a Niger Delta activist. speak as a mother. I speak as a woman. I speak as a Nigerian who is from the South South region. We must recognise by this time that what is happening today in Nigeria is happening because some people whether inside and/ or outside of Nigeria have decided that its going to happen in Nigeria. We are yet to know the reason this decision has been made, but we can hazard a guess no matter what political lineage we have; no matter what part of Nigeria we come from and no matter the colour of our skin.

What is happening today is happening in one part of Nigeria but we are no longer sure that it will be contained in that part of Nigeria.

To cite some examples very quickly, when we had issues with people like MASSOB in the South East, they did not go around expressing their displeasure with any government no matter

I

what that government was.

They were not killing and looting indiscriminately.

When Niger Delta people were expressing their displeasure, they did not raid schools and kill people at random. There is a level of insecurity in the states we are mentioning and we can no longer pretend, but we do not want to offend certain people by calling a spade a spade. It is not an issue of the present government being incapable of securing any part of Nigeria.

There is insecurity there and if we are to make suggestions ... then we should raise walls around Nigeria to secure Nigeria so that we can be sure that the people who are committing these atrocities are Nigerians and they are not coming from outside. What I am saying is that it is no longer a point of politics. It is a point if securing Nigeria and Nigerians, and it doesn’t matter which Briggs political party you belong.

Bakare: Why we must put confab on hold Mohammed: Tunde Bakare is the Presiding Pastor of Latter Rain Assembly. et it not be said of the National Conference 2014, that when Rome was burning, Nero was fiddling. May I humbly suggest that we send a very strong signal from this conference that we ourselves are not safe for as long as Nigerians are being slaughtered. If need be, we need to bring this conference to a hold until we see change. I didn’t say we must. If we need to bring it to a hold it will help to let them know that we are serious. Every day and every week, we have been standing here for a minute of silence, sending strong words to the government and our security agents but it does not seem to be working. A drastic situation may require a drastic action. Let us take a stand that this conference is about Nigeria and Nigerians and the death of one is the death of all.

L

Mohammed

Sanni: Western forces fighting Nigeria Mrs Felicia Sanni is a delegate of the Market Women Associations hat I saw yesterday before I came here was terrible. We are not fighting anybody in this country. If an owl cries in the night and the baby dies in the morning, who killed the baby? Some Western forces told us that by 2015 there will not be any Nigeria. They are the ones fighting us. Let us call a spade a spade. They are using some of our people and you people know them.

They are using some of our people to fight us; that is the simple truth. But when they call anybody who is their sponsor, sentiment comes in; he is my brother. He cannot do that. Let us catch their sponsors.

If we catch their sponsors, the rest will run away. Are they not the people flying arms to these people in the night? They are flying weapons and heavy equipment to them. Look, cowards die many times before their death. I am as constant as the northern star. Look, everybody must die one day. Why are we afraid? Death is a necessary end. These western people are the ones fighting us to come and steal our oil.

Pure and simple. They bring ammunition to them. What they have is more than what

W

we have. Let us collectively fight them. I will be at the forefront so that we will see ourselves. Let us be our brother’s keeper.

Let us not bring religious sentiments into this matter. They are at war with us, let us war them.

Nigeria is at war

Usman Mohammed is a retired Justice of the Supreme Court here are too few security people to cover the areas where the terrorists are operating. You may find terrorists operating in one area for about 10 hours and nobody would come to the help of the villagers because the commander of the area hasn’t got enough personnel to go round. We are at war and if a country is at war, what it should do is to conscript people to go and join the Army and the Police.

The police are too few. It is a known fact that the number of Policemen in Nigeria are not up to the number of policemen looking after the city of Cairo.

This is unfair. We must recruit more policemen. In this regard, I support 100 per cent state police so that all states would strive to defend themselves. I insist that the Armed Forces must go into recruitment because there are too few members of the Armed Forces to contain this problem facing us.

T

Abubakar: Insecurity growing from strength to strength Abdulmuminu Abubakar is a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police. he level of insecurity in this country has certainly reached a crescendo and it appears to be growing from strength to strength. I know that the prime responsibility of government is the security of its people. We have been having this thing since 2009 and even beyond. But nothing tangible seems to have been done. We have Boko Haram but there are so many facets of people who are operating under the guise of Boko Haram.

The biggest problem is that if there is no security, none of us here will be able to sit here to deliberate on these serious national issues. There is nothing that we in this conference can really do about it.

I believe that we are unsafe.

T

I was a Commissioner of Police in Borno State. Borno has a very large border and no matter whatever you do, you cannot certainly cover the border.

But what baffles me greatly is that we have the Armed Forces, the Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and we have leaders at the local government, we have Emirs, District Heads, Ward Heads and village heads, yet we have not been able to identify this hydra-headed monster. There is something definitely wrong with us. I will support that we move in the suggestion of Pastor Tunde Bakare that there is urgent need for this conference to stop immediately.

More stories on Pages 40-44

ARTS

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 2014

LITERATURE

NEW TELEGRAPH

www.newtelegraphonline.com/arts

TONY OKUYEME

“Without literature, life is hell” ― Charles Bukowski

tony.okuyeme@newtelegraphonline.com okuyemeogom@yahoo.com

Learning from Okpara’s ideas, leadership Book title: Rt. Hon.Dr Michael Iheonukara Okpara Lesson in Leadership and Service Author: Christian Igodo Publisher: Ukaristo Digital Press Limited Page: 170- pages Year of publication: 2013 Prize: Not stated Reviewer: Agozino Agozino

T

he late Premier of old Eastern Region of Nigeria, Rt. Hon. Dr. Michael Iheonukara Okpara saw the future but perhaps was greatly misunderstood by many of his contemporaries and critics. It was only when he passed on that many realised that he was one of the most visionary African leaders.

Driven by enigmatic, dynamic and entrepreneurial spirit for his people in the old Eastern Region, Dr. Okpara was zealous towards the development of not only the Igboland but the entire South Eastern Nigeria as a charismatic leader so endeared to his people.

The book, Rt. Hon.Dr Michael Iheonukara Okpara Lesson in Leadership is a true tribute and biography to Okpara in its re-examination of his revolutionary ideas, which continues to inspire leaders. The new book which was launched recently at Nicon Hilton Abuja is written

by Christian Igodo, founder of Center for General African Development and Studies. The book x-rays the indelible landmark achievements and innovation of this illustrious son of the soil and Premier of old Eastern Region of Nigeria towards greatness. ‘‘Dr. Okpara had inspired a revolution that transformed the entire former Eastern Region from being probably the poorest of the regions, to the most vibrant and buoyant and most peaceful in the Federation, and arguably one of the fastest growing sub-Saharan economies of the world, ’says Professor Pius Okigbo in the book.

In a country where integrity, strength of character and commitment to the people’s whish and aspirations are in short supply, the book attempts to celebrate Okpara who was the Premier of the Eastern Region during the First Republic, from (1959 -1966) and for remaining steadfast in spite of the vicissitudes of life until he passed on, December 17, 1984.

Where others have opted to mortgage their voices for a mess of pottage, the late elder statesman neither departed from his exalt ed vanguard role and effort to constantly steer the pathway nor the resolve to regularly speak for his people and the entire nation.

Okpara

As we drew to the close of this brief exercise on this great son of Africa, it is evident that Okpara paid the prize of greatness, his leadership and service examples will remain beacon of light for generations to come As captured in this new book, one of Okpara’s enduring spirit as a national leader is clearest in his role at Ibadan where Wole Soyinka narrates the role of Okpara during operation ‘Weetie’ (or wet him with petrol and set him ablaze).

When instead of sending thugs from the East to join the orgy of violence in the Wild Wild West, Okpara sent a team of mobile broadcasters from the Eastern Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation to broadcast live election results to the whole world as part of the United Progressives Grand Alliance (UPGA) since Akintola’s faction was in control of the Western Broadcasting House and in alliance with the Fentral government.

In some sense, Okpara, according to the new book, not only became the conscience of his people but the philosopher king. According to the author, the inspiration for the book is to bring into focus the vibrant achievement of the life of a colossus, an icon, ‘‘who in his brief life time, straddled with unforgettable effects, the hilly laterite

environment of his Umuegwu Okpuala, Afugiri home in Ohuhu Clan, now Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State.’’

Lesson in Leadership and Service, showcases a concept of good leadership and selfless service for the people. Okpara ‘‘defied unimaginable difficulties and daunting challenges to carve for himself and posterity an enviable niche in the development of Nigeria from the British Colonial period to the first democracy which was cut short by military intervention,’’ the author noted.

The author further maintained that, the era of democratic dividends that Nigerians enjoy today is part of the struggles of late Dr. M.I. Okpara. ‘‘ M.I. Power’’ as he was fondly called in his political years, has certainly gone in history as one of the greatest statesmen in modern Nigerian political history. He was numbered as one of the founding fathers in the Nigerian political scene and remained in the vanguard of Nigerian struggle for independence and freedom from the British colonial oligarchy.’’

The book is structurally designed, packaged and sub-divided with illustrative colourful pictures of Dr. M.I. Okpara’s legacies, Nigeria’s Map and Coat of arm, map of the old Eastern Region of Nigeria, map of ethnic nationalities of old Eastern Region, (Igbo, Ibibio-Efik, Ijaw and other groups), Michael Okpara statue at Umuahia, including the geographical expression of Ohuhu clan.

From the book content, dedication to prologue, are wealth of information that

the authors uses to convey his message in this biography. For example, the author highlights in the prologue that ‘‘Rt. Dr. M.I.Okpara’s tenure as a Premier of Eastern Nigeria is widely acclaimed to have been the golden age of that region.’’

There are 19 Chapters of detailed analysis that the author uses to drive home his message to the readers including two appendixes (A and B). Some of these chapters are expression of Dr. M.I.Okpara’s contribution to parliamentary debates and participatory democracy. Some of the titles includes, A Child was born, Michael goes to school, Higher College Yaba and Medicine as a career, Journey to politics: A call to serve, Patriotism in politics: The Okpara example, Okpara contribution to parliamentary, Debates and participatory democracy, National conflicts and challenges of statesmanship, Agriculturefuture of Nigeria’s development: The Okpara revolution, Meet the people tour of the nation, Economic and development planning: The Michael Okpara approach, Nigerian civil war: The Doctor Okpara factor, Dr. Okpara; The exile experience, Return from exile and future experience, The Michael Okpara foundation, Abia State creation: A classical example of service to the people, Family and social life, Dr. M.I Okpara bows out and the epilogue.

Chapter 9 talks about the agricultural revolution, as the future of Nigeria’s development. For instance, Agriculture was so robust in the time of Dr. M.I.Okpara. And conclusively the author is of the view that the Eastern Region has never had better period than the era of Dr. M.I.Okpara, based on his rich contribution and indelible legacies.

This is how the author summed his inspiration for writing the book: “As we drew to the close of this brief exercise on this great son of Africa, it is evident that Okpara paid the prize of greatness, his leadership and service examples will remain beacon of light for generations to come. He is one of those men who have undauntedly refused the temptations of public office but rather maximized the meager resources of his office to give the region under his care a robust economy.

He is one of the leaders who have amidst all odds conquered their limitations to keep common hope alive notwithstanding his many years of tutelage under some challenges and general hardship that normally see him tottering on the brinks or extinction and perching precariously on the precipice of failure, he had always survived.’’

Lesson in Leadership and Service looks a very interesting book. It will do students, historians and the general public good to personally study the book and find out more about the life and times of late Dr. M.I. Okpara.

Our VISION To build a newspaper organisation anchored on the sanctity of truth.

Our MISSION To publish a newspaper of superior value, upholding the fundamental ethics of journalism: balanced reporting, fairness, accuracy and objectivity.

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EDITORIAL

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Sanctity of Truth w w w.new telegraphonli ne.com

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

WEDNESday, APRIL 30, 2014

The N76 billion CCTV brouhaha

mbarrassed by the failure of the Federal Government’s N76 billion closed circuit television (CCTV) project, otherwise known as Nigerian Public Security Communications System (NPSCS) to contribute to the fight against terrorism, the Presidency has cancelled a request by the Ministry of Police Affairs to pay additional N3 billion to NigComsat and ZTE, the Chinese firm handling the scheme. The Presidency is apparently peeved against the background of the Nyanya bombing and turned down further payment in lieu of ‘contingency and consultancy fees’ for services rendered over five years.

It has also emerged that the CCTV system has been unable to capture and transmit images because the transmission broadband allocated by the National Communications Commission (NCC) for the project was sold to a private firm.

Although the Chinese firm, which handled the $470 million project, claimed to have completed and handed over the scheme to the Ministry of Police Affairs to manage, the inability of the police establishment to secure a transmission platform has hindered its operations. The contract, which was awarded by the Federal Government and completed in 2012, aimed at providing voice, video and data using the Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) technology to enable security agen-

cies to combat terrorism and other violent crimes in the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos and other cities across Nigeria. Unfortunately, the solar panels and batteries of the CCTV have been stolen while some cameras that were installed along the expressways and major roads in the city of Abuja have been crushed by vehicles involved in accidents.

Spending N76 billion on just 1000 CCTVs is an alarming form of over-inflating contracts. Both the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and other related crimes Commission (ICPC) should immediately unravel all the deals behind the comatose project.

The questions begging for answers on this white elephant project are: How much did each camera circuit cost? Does it mean that a whooping N75 million was paid for each camera? Does it mean that no government agency was saddled with the responsibility of keeping watch on the cameras? What was the arrangement put in place to manage the project after the company that did the installations handed over the system? Why were other companies who bidded for the contract and with established performance records overlooked?

A former FCT Commissioner of Police, Lawrence Alobi, has also raised issues. “The CCTV that they said have been installed why are they not functioning? This is the

question we should ask ourselves but the problem is that because of corruption we don’t care….How many CCTV were supposed to be installed? How many have been installed and the ones that have been installed are they functioning? Has something been achieved? If not something has to be done.”

There is no established case of how the CCTV cameras have helped prevent or resolve any crime in Abuja even though agencies like the Nigeria Police Force whose headquarters was bombed about a year after the contract was awarded, the Department of State Security Services and National Intelligence Agency are supposed to utilize the facility.

It is curious that that the Federal Capital Administration has repeatedly denied any involvement in the project. So who are the people behind the project and why has it become another grandiose and white elephant project, in spite of the apparent security challenge in the country? Also worrisome is the financial plan of the CCTV contract for which Nigeria took a sovereign guarantee loan of $399.5 million about N64.7 billion at an interest rate of 3 per cent from the Exim Bank of China that is due for payment in 2020 which is about 6 years from now. The Presidency, turned down the N3 billion request, which Nigcomsat and the contractors had demanded, as further payment in lieu of ‘contingency and consultancy

fees’ for services rendered over five years, when the project was being financed by the Chinese Exim Bank under an arrangement with the Nigerian government.

It is instructive that in a highly publicised article, “Nigeria: Targetted for Destruction”, security specialist, Gordon Duff, had alluded to scams like that of the CCTV being perpetrated by those benefitting from the security challenges in the country. Although Duff’s article was dismissed as alarmist and delusional when it was published in 2011, unfolding events are proving that something untoward is taking place as part of a wellplanned conspiracy involving foreigners and highly placed Nigerians. Even more alarming is that most of the equipment are in most cases obsolete.

Duff’s observation is poignant: “These same foreign elements are the same who have sold outdated equipment to the government and are going around Abuja installing CCTV and bomb detection equipment around the capital, technology decades old. Huge sums of money have changed hands for second rate equipment. The government pays for a Rolls Royce car but gets a VW.” The CCTV brouhaha offers an opportunity for thorough investigation of all security related contracts.

This could even be a major turning point in the fight against insurgency.

Looking the other way will not be helpful because danger looms as too many compromises have been made.

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.

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Sanctity of Truth

OPINION The scheme against Jonathan Chuks Iloegbunam

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he longsuffering Nigerian moaned in grief: “Although I have borne this burden for many years, I am prepared to forgive and forget. My terror stems from the very absence of a clue regarding how much longer I am expected to groan under this deadweight.” The deadweight crushing Nigeria today is engineered political instability. Two categories of Nigerians are directly responsible for this invidious state of play. They are the fomenters of the instability, and their cheerleaders – those deliberately or unwittingly celebrating while the national homestead is being consumed by a conflagration.

In the eyes of the fomenters of instability, President Jonathan can do no good. He cannot do any good because, in their thinking, he is not supposed to preside over Nigerian affairs, to begin with. That is why they claim he cannot seek re-election for a second term of office. If any of Atiku, Buhari, el-Rufai, or Ribadu were in power, today’s sworn enemies of the second-term would be singing a totally different tune.

A Port Harcourt-bound flight takes off from Katsina.

Unfortunately, the Captain suffers a heart attack and dies in midflight. Meanwhile, the Co-Pilot careers the aircraft to a perfect touchdown at its destination. In countries where reason takes precedence over skullduggery, it was a single flight that went from Katsina to Port Harcourt. But in Nigeria, Jonathan already lost the right to seek reelection because fomenters of instability count among his tenures in Aso Rock the period he served as Vice President of Nigeria. Now, Al Gore was Vice President under President Bill Clinton for two terms, and later contested the United States presidency against George W. Bush, without anyone suggesting, even in their wildest dream, that Gore had already enjoyed two terms.

Those hectoring against Jonathan seeking reelection knew they woefully lost the battle even before it started.

Therefore, they had to devise other means of stopping a man they fear would trounce them for the repeated time at the polls. Terrorism came in handily, despite its sanguinary imprint. Those unaware or unclear of how this insidious poison seeped into Nigeria’s essence are advised to read the telling interview granted by Ambassador Bola Dada, a retired career diplomat, to The Punch of April 12, 2014. Just one excerpt: “As far as I am concerned, Boko Haram is an offshoot of Sharia. Meanwhile, in 2001, I learnt from a Southern Sudanese while I was there that at Khartoum sometime in 1994, some Sudanese officials were lamenting that the then presidents of Nigeria were not radical Muslims; they were lamenting that the golden days of Islam had gone. They were not happy that General Ibrahim Babangida and Muhammadu Buhari did not follow in the footsteps of Ahmadu Bello. So they planned on strategising again. They went to Kano to do that. Whatever the strategy they made that time, there is a link to what is happening now. Meanwhile, Babangida compensated them by dragging Nigeria to the Organisation of Islamic Countries, still they were not satisfied. Also, there was a kind of covenant between Sudan and Libya to destabilise Nigeria to promote Islamisation. So, what is happening to President Goodluck Jonathan now may have something to do with that pact. They call it Afikaya, a doctrine that all African states must be governed by Muslims only.

Gaddafi fought for it rigorously before he died – that all African presidents must be Muslims and in any African country where by error a Christian is there, they should make life difficult for that person until he is deposed. I got wind of it in one document. I read it with my eyes that all African countries must be governed

by Muslims and any country that is mistakenly being ruled by a Christian, they should make life difficult for him.”

The fomenters of national instability are aided by those who interpret and propagate every Boko Haram atrocity as a minus for President Jonathan. No, terrorism in Nigeria is a recurring minus for the opposition to the political status quo who see indiscriminate murder of innocent people and the attendant devastation of property/ infrastructure as a shortcut to national political leadership. Media experts abound today

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

interpreting only their folly and their blinkers, forgetting that once an abomination is allowed to hold sway it automatically becomes a tradition.

They fail to reckon that if Jonathan is bombed out of office, explosives will replace the ballot box as the instrument for attaining political office. These expert journalists/commentators forget that every Boko Haram attack is a stab at the heart of Nigerian democracy. These experts will recoil from examining, for instance, India and Pakistan, neighbours in the Indian sub-continent who both won political independence in 1948. India chose the democratic path. Pakistan opted for coups, bombs and bullets. India is in accent; Pakistan is mired in gore and blood. Why should Pakistan’s dismal scenario be replicated in Nigeria?

The journalist deserves his pay, of course. But all the gold in the world cannot justify writing from an inkpot full of the blood of innocent bomb blast victims. Plainly, terrorists are criminals and murderers. The journalism that valorizes the kidnapers of school children and perpetrators of infanticide is warped. President Jonathan imposed in three troubled states a state of emergency. But the Governors of those states remain in power, each collecting no less than N400 million every month in the name of security vote. The journalism that doesn’t ask these Governors to account for how they blow these vast sums in the guise of fighting terrorism is obscene. Certain politicians and traditional rulers have been making incendiary remarks, trying to pit sections of the country against each other, trying to disunite the military.

Any journalism not in condemnation of these traitorous acts is counterproductive.

The journalism that conspires with fomenters of political instability schemes not against Jonathan as an individual. It schemes not against Jonathan as President of Nigeria. This ruinous journalism is a blunderbuss wielded by a drugged felon and trained at the heart of our collective tomorrow.

• Iloegbunam (iloegbunam@hotmail.com) sent this piece from Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Nigeria’s Oil Minister on the Cross Ejike Anyaduba

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hat the office of the Petroleum Minister is on trial in the media is not in doubt.

What is not clear is how the trial was hijacked by a stag court that has since barred misogynist fangs. Those who allege blatant sexism have evidence to this end. Female ministers, more than others, they claim, have been subjected to unfair media trial and condemnation. The fall of one such minister and the survival of the other – amidst male colleagues who have performed no better – help to intone the sexist perception.

Diezani Allison-Madueke, the Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, is on trial.

Sheisbeingcondemnedoveranissueeventhe House Committee on Public Accounts is yet to complete investigation on. Since assuming office as Nigerian Oil Minister, the NNPC, a parastatal under her watch, has been accused of sundry financial improprieties. One such accusation was that the corporation withheld monies in revenue to the federal government.

However,noneof theaccusershasbeenableto point to the exact figure. Instead, the amount hasbeenvariouslyputat$49billion,$20billion, $10 billion and more recently $1.4 billion.

The inability to point exactly at the sum allegedly missing has literally put paid to any

claim of authenticity in the accusation. The latestallegationof procuringaprivatejetbythe Ministerwasnolesspuerile.Again,theNNPC which is in the eye of the storm has explained again and again that neither the Corporation northeministerownsaprivatejet.Thesaidjet, thecorporationexplained,isonhirefortheuse of itsexecutives.Itwentfurthertostatethatthe practice predates Allison-Madueke, and that the grounding of its 27 year old HS 125 NNPC aircraftongroundsof non-availabilityof parts makes the hire option inevitable.

Unfortunately, this explanation appears to cut no ice with the minister’s traducers. Determined to portray her as a sybarite with no ideas what to do with Nigeria’s oil ministry, they have flooded the media with all manner of trash.If theuseof aircraftdidnotstartwith Allison-Madueke as the NNPC has explained; if ministers of petroleum in OPEC countries alsousecharteredorhiredaircraftforthesame purposes as Nigeria’s Oil Minister, pray, what wrong has the latter done? Except there are otherreasonsincallingforhersack,Nigerians are tired of these media trials and condemnations of some of her best public officials. It takes more than the call of duty to attack with the passion of a surly mastiff as evident in the wayheraccusershavegonetotownwiththeir

allegations. If, however, the use of private jets – which political leeches and their religious acolytes have debased in recent times – is the only problem Nigeria has, then she has no problems at all. There should be caution in the manner in which this condemnation is done until a competent authority makes a pronouncement on the matter.

It is not out of place to infer dirty politics in the whole matter since it is widely expected that President Jonathan may want to contest for reelection next year. Those eager to relieve him of the office may have sought recourse to these attacks so as to weaken him politically.

As things stand, the fall of another minister will only quicken the pace of the administration’s irrelevance in the coming election. Yet, wemayposeapertinentquestionhere:which imperils a country’s progress more – jetliner for a minister’s use or a directive by the leadership of the opposition party to its members in the National Assembly to scuttle the passage of the country’s budget?

To give heed to these unwarranted and unsubstantiated attacks on a public office holder is to approve of political rascality. Why, for example, are those calling for the head of the minister impatient for investigation to be concludedonthematter?Aretheysayingthat

the use of private jet for the running of the ministry of petroleum started with AllisonMadueke? If not, what decibel of noise did they make during the past dispensations that approved of the use of hired airplanes by its functionaries? While the truth of the private or hired aircraft is being ascertained, a definitepatternisevolving.Theprocesstowhittle down the influence of Jonathan’s government has begun in earnest. The attacks have betrayed the trappings of a political war of attrition.AndthePresident’svulnerabilityindexcanonlyheightenif concretestepsarenot taken to reverse the orchestrated campaign of calumny.

If Mrs. Alison-Madueke’s efforts in the Petroleum Ministry which have seen to a great many transformation, are anything to go by, then she does not deserve to be punished for success. Since assuming office in the ministry, Allison-Madueke has created well over 30,000 jobs. The local content in fabrication, engineering, marine transportation, logistics whichisbeingapplaudedtodaywasstartedin the ministry under her watch. This has since shored up indigenous company participation in oil and gas industry.

•Ejike Anyaduba wrote through dumdile@yahoo.com

‘Illiteracy as bane of transformation agenda’ }p-24

Anambra: Corps member recounts ordeal }p-22

CAMPUS

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JCI celebrates World Malaria Day in grand style }p-27

EDUCATION

NEW TELEGRAPH

newtelegraphonline.com/education

KAYODE OLANREWAJU, Editor, EDUCATION

kayode.olanrewaju@ newtelegraphonline.com kayolanre@gmail.com

“Without education, we are in a horrible and deadly danger of taking educated people seriously.”

- G. K. Chesterson

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 2014

RIP OFF

Candidates for this year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) are accusing the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) over the extra N1,000 charged for the results checker cards, alleging a rip off.

JAMB: Mixed feelings trail extra N1,000 charge

Mojeed Alabi

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hile the dust raised by the candidates’ mass failure in the just released Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is yet to settle, mixed feelings have continued to trail the extra N1,000 charged the candidates to check their results.

Stakeholders have continued to express worry over the degree of failure in JAMB placement examination into higher institutions.

Meanwhile, expressing dissatisfaction over the action of the examination body, the candidates especially those who wrote the Paper-Pencil (PPT) and the Dual-Based Test (DBT) modes, described the newly introduced N1,000 charges for the purchase of scratch card to check their results, as a mere rip off.

According to the candidates, the N5,000 JAMB charged on the sales of UTME forms for the examination conducted in one day, when compared to other examinations such as the Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSSCE) conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examination Council (NECO), is pretty expensive.

“JAMB has no valid reason to charge extra N1,000 for checking results,” the candidates argued.

To 17-year-old Olugbenga Pelumi, several candidates could not afford the money to purchase the scratch card to check their results; hence they are yet to know their fate two week after the release of the results by JAMB. Pelumi, who applies to study International Relations at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), however said the economic realities in the country do not favour children from low income background to cope with such “extortions.”

He lamented that while operators of some cyber cafes decided to sell the JAMB result checker cards at the official rate of N1,000, others charge as much as N1,500 depending

Some of the candidates during the CBT exam in Lagos.

Candidates: This is a mere rip off JAMB: We got only N4m as allocation

Wike, Minister

on the volumes of demands or requests they have.

While frowning at the action of the management of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board for allegedly defrauding the candidates, a parent said the N4,000 registration fee earlier paid by the candidates should have enabled them access to take the examination and check their results.

“If JAMB truly wanted to avail all candidates irrespective of their parents’ socio-economic status to have access to UTME, by reducing the registration fee to N4,000, it should have charged extra N1,000 for the result checker card. To me, it seems the board is speaking from both sides of the mouth,” he said.

Meanwhile, Olusegun Ojedeji, who corroborated Pelumi’s position on his Facebook timeline, condemned the development, saying the extra charge is unfounded and unnecessary, and so all concerned stakeholders should rise up against the rationale behind the JAMB’s action.

Ojedeji said: “This is not a false allegation and I know many young people who have not been able to check their results due to this illegal fee. We must equally remember that our various tertiary institutions will also start charging these same candidates for post-UTME screening exercise.”

In a report published by the New Telegraph newspaper last month, it was reported that JAMB would have raked in about N7.5 billion through sales of form of this year’s UTME alone.

The report, which was titled: “UTME registration: JAMB rakes in N7.5bn,” the newspaper arrived at that huge amount based on the number of candidates it claimed registered for the three modes of the examination.

JAMB had published that a total of 1,606,753 candidates

registered for this year’s examination across the country, while about one million candidates sat for the PPT and the DBT modes, with their results already released.

The riddle the candidates want the management of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board-led by its Registrar, Professor Dibu Ojerinde, to provide answers to is why should JAMB, which conducts one day objective examination using fewer staff, should charge higher than other examination bodies such as the West African Examination Council and the National Examination Council which conduct their examinations in several centres and for longer duration.

But in swift reaction over allegation of rip off leveled against JAMB, a source in the examination body, who preferred anonymity, said the combination of the three modes of the examination being deployed had necessitated the increase in its charges, and that the new dual-based and computer based modes had added more to the funds required.

Besides, the source explained that the financial challenges facing the examination body,

Ojerinde

in which a meager N4 million was released to it in this year’s budgetary allocation was a big constraint to the board if it would conduct a hitch-free examination.

While insisting that JAMB spends the money on logistics and conduct of the examination, the source said: “It is easy for people to criticize, but I want to tell you that what JAMB suffers in terms of inadequate funding is better imagined than experienced. How can a whole examination body, saddled with the conduct of qualifying examinations to all tertiary institutions (universities, polytechnics and colleges of education) in the country get only N4 million as allocation from the Federal GovCONTI NUED ON PAGE 23

22 EDUCATION

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Alumni laud VC over varsity’s growth

V

ice-Chancellor of Ekiti State University, Prof. Patrick Oladipo Aina, has called on the alumni of the institution to emulate the 1989 graduates of the Department of Sociology in providing support to the university.

This is as the alumni of the university paid a glowing tribute to the Vice-Chancellor for the loftier heights his administration has taken the university in the last few years.

Aina, who made the call while receiving some graduates of the Sociology Department, led by their President, Mr. Godwin Uzoh in his office, urged other members of the alumni in the Diaspora to support the

Aina, VC

management in its efforts to position the state university into a world class institution.

The Vice-Chancellor noted that with about 55,000 members of the alumni association of the university, the management expects improved support to the institution and adequate contribution towards its development.

Uzoh, the Class Governor of the then 1985/89 Sociology set, said they were impressed by the great development brought into the university by the Vice-Chancellor and pledged their readiness to mobilize other alumni to support the rapid growth.

Other members of the set, who spoke glowingly about the positive development in the university included Mrs. Toyin Niran Onisile, Mr Olorunsola Olorungbenga, Mrs. Bola Olusesan and Chief Peter Adekunle.

As part of their contribution to enhance the operations of their former department, the alumni donated a set of computers to the department.

AAUA alumnus, student represent Nigeria at international events

A

400-Level undergraduate of Human Kinetics and Health Education, Adekunle Ajasin University, AkungbaAkoko, Ondo State, Miss Omolara Omotoso, is among other Nigerian athletes currently representing the country in the RAC relay race holding in California, United States.

RAC relay is part of preparation for the Commonwealth Games, coming up later in the year.

Omotosho, a gold medalist won the medals at the 2011 All Africa Games held in Maputo, Mozambique; 2011 National Sports Festival and at NUGA since 2011 to date.

She represented the country in 4 X 400m Relay Women at the 2012 London Olympics.

Meanwhile, an alumnus of the university, Mr. Louis Adekola, who graduated from Department of Educational Management, is the only Nigeria representative and one of the three Africans to make up the 120 people selected globally to participate in a 12-month Accelerator Programme known as Merit Next, which would take the participants to Liverpool, London, New York, Washington D.C

and respective countries of participants.

“This programme is a 'one-of-its-kind' event that offers the brightest set of young leaders from across the globe with a "once in a lifetime" opportunity of getting the most desired leadership training with a view to bringing out the best in them and producing outstanding leaders worthy of emulation,” the university said.

Merit Next also avails participants the opportunity to learn from the best of hands in the world and allow them to interact with other young leaders from different background and in different fields.

The programme, which is expected to begin in July, this year, with Merit Next Fellows as the participants, will converge on the United Kingdom (London and Liverpool) for two weeks of inspiration, aspiration assessment and team building.

The participants will return to their respective countries where they will be engaged in online training and education, one-on-one mentoring and internship in the remaining 11 months.

Abegunde on hospital bed.

PHOTO. ODOGWU MMADUKA.

Anambra: Corps member recounts ordeal Odogwu Mmaduka Awka

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hen Abegunde Sunday, a Batch ‘A’ corps member, undertaking the mandatory one-year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme, was deployed to Community Secondary School, Urum in Awka-North Local Government Area of Anambra State, little did he know that it was going to be a harvest of pains and sorrows.

For two consecutive times, the Akure, Ondo State-born corps members was said to have missed death by whiskers from the hands of armed bandits prowling the community where he resides.

The New Telegraph gathered that the corps member and some of his colleagues had been attacked twice by robbers, carting away their phones, money, laptops, I-Pads and other valuables.

Recounting their ordeals in the hands of men of underworld, Abegunde, who has just completed his service, recalled how he and his other colleagues suffered harsh treatment, including gunshot wounds.

“Our homes and apartments were ransacked by the criminals, and we had to escape by scaling over the fences to hide in the bush at night,” he recalled.

While the duct raised by the attack was yet to settle, the hoodlums struck the second time. This time, leaving Abegunde half dead in the pool of his own blood.

The armed robbers shot him on the thighs.

He was not lucky as some of his colleagues who fled into the bush.

The attackers, who made away with laptop computers, mobile phones, television set, money and other valuables, according to him, wanted him dead before fleeing the

their residence.

Save for the timely intervention of the principal of the school, Comrade Obi Charles, who intervened to save the vulnerable female corps members`.

Abegunde, on his hospital bed at OdumegwuOjukwu University Teaching Hospital, Awka, told New Telegraph: “The first time we were robbed at our Corpers’ Lodge at Urum, we were all in the living room that night charging our phones. Suddenly, we saw three men armed with cutlasses, axes and guns.

We had to jump through the fence and run for our dear lives. They took all our phones, money and other valuables.”

He added: “The second attack was about 1am. I was even praying then.

The robbers broke the back door. And, before anything, they shot me on the thighs. It is a pity; a helpless and harmless corps member for that matter. Having shot me, they robbed all other corps members in the Lodge, and flee way with our laptops, I-Pads, phones and money. We were only fortunate that one of our phones which we used to call the principal of our school was mistakenly left behind by the robbers.

After shooting me, they pointed torchlight on me to confirm whether I was dead, and it was then I sized my breath, pretending I was already dead. The principal was said to have called the village traditional ruler, who released the security vehicle which was used to rush me to the hospital.”

They shot me at a close range so the bullets shattered my legs

Abegunde, who is also the Corps Liaison Officer of the school, had already undergone the first operation to remove the bullet on one of his thighs as at the time of filing this report.

“They shot me at a close range so the bullets shattered my legs. The doctors had operated the left leg, but they could not operate on the right thigh, assuring that the bullets on the right leg would come out with time,” he added.

He said he lost N112,600 to the robbers during the first attack, while he could not ascertain what he lost on the second attack since he had been in the hospital.

Apparently worried over the attack, Abegunde said the cost of one of his phones the robbers took away is N36,000, apart from his laptop computers and the money.

“Though, we have not made an estimate of what were stolen from us, when you calculate these and what I lost in the first attack, it is over N200,000,” the corps member said.

Contemplating being referred to General Hospital, Akure, Ondo State capital, or Federal Medical Centre, Owo, for further medical attention, Abegunde lamented the excruciating pains he is going through.

When contacted, the Principal of Community Secondary School, Obi confirmed the incidents, saying: “It is a case of armed robbery attack on the corps members staying at one of the lodges around the school compound. It happened around 1:20 am. In fact, the corps member (Abegunde), the Corps Liaison Officer of the school, was shot on the legs. Incidentally, it happened when the vigilante people were not around.

“I was informed on phone and immediately

contacted the people that matters in the town. And the traditional ruler deployed a vehicle with security men around 2 am or there about to rush the corps members who sustained various degrees of injuries to Amaku General Hospital, where the corper (Abegunde) is still receiving treatment.”

Describing Abegunde as a dedicated, gentle, easy going and dutiful corps member, the Principal said the school had since contacted the state Education Commissioner and the state Coordinator of the NYSC, as well as the Chairman of PPSSC about the incident.

The Education Commissioner, Dr. Uju Okeke, who condemned the dastardly act in strong terms, stressed that the Anambra State Government was making effort to support the corps member financially and ensure his quick recovery.

The Commissioner said: “We have been to the hospital to see him and the governor has also visited him in the hospital too. The governor had approved N1million for his treatment and it would soon be released to him. I personally visited him in the hospital and told him about that. He was very happy about that and as soon as the money is released he (Abegunde) will be invited to collect it.”

“We are doing everything possible to make him (Abegunde) feel at home. Members of the community including the teachers and students are visiting regularly and we ensure he lacks nothing,” he stressed.

When contacted the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Emeka Chukwuemeka, on his phone cell, he said: “I am yet to be aware of the incident, but promised to get across the DPO of Mgbakwu Police Station to confirm the incident.

EDUCATION

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

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London varsity offers online enrolment to Nigerians Mojeed Alabi

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s parts of efforts to address the health challenges facing the country in particular, and Africa in general, a Londonbased institution, the University of Roehampton, has offered Nigerians desirous of an international degree in Public Health the opportunity to enroll for an online Masters of Public Health (MPH) programme.

Featuring an interdisciplinary approach that enables students to learn from one another and collaborate across geographic regions and disciplines, the 29-month online based programme is being offered by the university in collaboration with online learning expert, Laureate International Universities.

According to Dr. Raymond Lee, a Professor of Biomechanics at the university and a key personality in the development of the online programme, the programme is designed for professionals and practitioners already working in specific areas relating to public health who are looking to advance their skills and knowledge in the field, as well as those looking to transition to a career in public health.

He said: “Roehampton’s online MPH programme is anchored by a critical awareness that public health challenges are no longer local or national, but global. They are also political, and intimately related to environment and global security. The online format of the programme allows students to connect with public health practitioners in other countries and regions, providing them with a global perspective and access to international expertise from a diverse range of disciplines, which won't be available in a traditional classroom.

Cross section of the matriculating students.

UNIOSUN: Fresh students urged to shun cultism, bad gangs Kayode Olanrewaju

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ith our commitment to academic engagement and collective support of members of staff and students, Osun State University (UNIOSUN), Osogbo will attain its core mandate of achieving stable academic calendar and a crisis-free university, the ViceChancellor has said.

Professor Adekunle Okesina gave the assurance during the seventh matriculation ceremony of the university, where no fewer than 2,192 fresh students took the matriculation oath of the institution.

Giving the breakdown of the matriculating students, he said the matriculating students comprise of 1,042 (males) and 1,150 (females), and hinted that the female enrolment is dominant

in the College of Humanities and Culture, College of Health Sciences and the College of Education.

For the College of Law, the Vice-Chancellor note that the university admitted 27 male students and 22 female students, while of the 707 enrolment figure at the College of Management and Social Sciences, 358 are male and 349 are female.

While recalling that the matriculation would be the first his administration will preside over since assumption of office in April 2, last year, the Vice-Chancellor told the gathering that the ceremony was taking place simultaneously across the six campuses of the institution situated in Osogbo, Okuku, Ejigbo, Ikire, Ipetu-Ijesa and Ifetedo.

Okesina congratulated the

students for scaling the institution’s admission huddles, saying: “Our dear matriculating students, today’s ceremony marked your formal admission into the UNIOSUN family; the endearing name for students and alumni of this great university.

“By your admission into this university, you will be following the footsteps of many great men and women who passed through rigours of learning and culture to become our ambassadors.”

The Vice-Chancellor, who reaffirmed the university’s commitment to its vision and mission statement, said the vision of the university is “to be a centre of excellence providing quality teaching and learning experiences which will engender the production

of entrepreneurial graduate capable of impacting on their environment while globally being competitive.”

While the mission is “to create a unique institution committed to the pursuit of academic innovation, skill based training and a tradition of excellence in teaching, research and community service.”

On the quality of tuition offered in the university, Okesina expressed delight that the products are proving their mettle both locally and globally in the chosen fields, adding that the institution has consistently been given a clean bill of health by various regulatory bodies including the National Universities Commission (NUC) and various professional bodies, which have fully accredited all its academic programmes.

Candidates berate JAMB over charges for checker cards CO N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2 1

ernment for a year?”

The source added: “There are even years the board receives zero allocation from the government. If I may remember, the only year JAMB could be said to have received considerable allocation was in 2008, when the board got N40 million out of N100 million it requested for its operations that year.

“Out of this money charge by the examination body, JAMB ensures that everything it does is accounted for. But, it is quite unfortunately that all our partners including the universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and monothechnics are catered for by JAMB. In fact, there was a time the institutions were requesting JAMB to give them their share of the money accruable to it through the sales of registration forms. I think that was also part of the basis for the introduction of the post-JAMB now post-UTME by the universities in order to make money

from the exercise.”

On why the examination body had to charge for the result checker card separately this year unlike the previous years, the source explained that it was a decision taken after series of consultations by the board with stakeholders, saying if the registration fees had been increased to N5,000, there would have been more cries than currently being witnessed.

“When we reduced the registration fee from N4,600 to N4,000 neither the candidate nor their parents raised eye brow. But there was nothing hidden about the whole process, only that we did not want to discourage or deny the candidates the opportunity of applying for the examination, and what has just been added to the charges is only N400.

Said the source: “We should understand that the CBT and the DBT modes require more funds because owners of the computer test centres the board

When we reduced the registration fee from N4,600 to N4,000 neither the candidate nor their parents raised eye brow is using are being paid for the services rendered, the technical staff too will be paid, unlike in the past when we did not need to pay for using classrooms. Also, our examiners are accommodated in a place for more than one month working on questions where they are not allowed access to their families and even their mobile phones until we finally take the questions to the centres. All these processes require huge amount of money and the government does not

look at our side when it comes to allocation of funds.”

However, investigations by New Telegraph revealed that the Federal Government may have refused to make budgetary allocation to JAMB due to the board’s alleged inability to remit its revenue to government coffer.

Another source in JAMB, who also declined to have his name in print, said the National Assembly at a time had demanded the body to declare its revenue and that without doing that, there would be no allocation to it from the national budget.

The source explained: “Before the new Registrar (Prof.

Ojerinde) assumed office, the former Registrar (Prof. Salim Bello Salim) had run the Board on loan because of the frustrations he suffered from the government over allocation of funds. JAMB cannot deposit the revenue accruing from the sales of registration forms to the

government coffer because the money is not really revenues, but service fees which are specifically meant for service rendered. We have continued to appeal to the Federal Government and other stakeholders for the understanding, but the government has not accorded JAMB any listening ear yet.”

However, in the results released a week ago, barely one week after the conduct of the examination, the Registrar, Prof. Dibu Ojerinde said only 47 candidates scored 250 and above in the Paper Pencil Test (PPT) and Dual Based Test (DBT) modes.

Announcing the results, he said 24 candidates scored 250 and above in the PPT, while 23 candidates scored 250 and above in the DBT. He, however, said that of 1,015,504 candidates that applied for this year’s UTME, 990,179 candidates applied for PPT, while 25,325 candidates registered for DBT modes.

24 EDUCATION | INTERVIEW

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

‘Illiteracy as bane of transformation agenda’ The NMEC board was inaugurated, last year, by the Minister of Education to oversee the activities of the Commission. What have been the efforts of the board to reduce the rising illiteracy rate in the country?

First and foremost, I think it is good to say what we met on ground before we go to what our efforts have been so far. When we came in, we were briefed about what was on ground. As at the time we were inaugurated we were told we had about 40 million adult illiterate in the country, and now we are not talking about the staggering figure of out-of-school children, which is about 10.1 million children.

Given this situation, we are worried because we foresee a situation where if something is not done and urgently too, about the 10.1 million out-of-school children it may swell to 40 million adult illiterates. With this in mind, we decided to do a lot of advocacy and enlightenment campaign about adult literacy education. We really found out that the mass literacy is a function mainly of the Local Government Councils and the state governments. The Commission comes in by going round the local government councils and states to supervise, coordinate and set standards for them in the areas of development and teaching of adult literacy. While doing this, the commission also carries out advocacy to create more awareness.

So, with this on our hands, we strongly believe we should move round the states. And, to surprise, the Commission discovered that some states are trying, while some are not doing anything at all in the area of mass literacy, adults and non-formal education. Hence, the level of illiteracy in most of the states and the country in general is something that is worrisome.

For instance, next week we will be at Delta State. We were in Kano State recently and we must commend that state based on the level of awareness and development of mass literacy and adult education. Kano State is doing a lot in the regard. I wish many states would take a cue from Kano State by doing the state is doing. We will move round the states and we are hoping to create more awareness about the challenges of illiteracy.

It is unfortunate that people don't take this problem seriously, but I want them to know that it is a serious matter and all hands must be on deck to tackle it headlong. Of course, we all have to realise that illiterate person is a danger not to himself a lone, but also to the society. Like I have always said, illiteracy is a disease because as an illiterate person, you are

ignorance of what is going on around you and you don’t know what is happening either. Whatever someone tells an illiterate person, even it is a lie he or she will accept it. That is their level of ignorance.

In order to avoid some of the violence in our society, there is the need for us to make our people literate. Now that the country is talking about cashless policy, an illiterate person knows nothing about cashless policy; all he knows is just to keep his money under his pillow. And when we are changing to cashless policy, how is he going to fit in or how is he going to able to benefit from it. GSM is here and has become very useful in transacting businesses through e-banking, and so on.

But an illiterate man does not know how to dial a number, talkless what e-banking means. So, to fully utilise the system, we need such people to be literate for the policy to be meaningful.

Except we make our people literate, the transformation agenda of the Federal Government cannot not be understood by the people. We are not saying they should be highly educated, what we are talking about is how to read and write, as well as understand basic things about the society so that they will be able to apply such to their daily lives. Election is fast around the corner, precisely in 2015 and if you take a cursory look at the most problems of our election system, you would find out that it has to do with the high level of illiteracy of our people. For instance, most of the votes voided are from illiterates; those who cannot really interpret the signs and symbols on the ballot paper.

I want to re-emphasise that it is very important that governments at all levels - local, state and federal government - should pay more attention to literacy needs of the citizenry.

Of course, we are embarking on this advocacy visit in order to create more awareness, enlighten and to draw the attention of the state governors, local government chairmen, traditional rulers, religious organisations and non-governmental organisations to be more involved in literacy education of the people.

Therefore, all hands must be on deck to make sure we achieve this set goal of eradicating illiteracy from our society.

Since one of the functions of the Commission is advocacy, at what point do the local and state governments come in?

I want to emphasise that the state and local governments, especially the local governments are to fund the facilitators. In the normal classroom we talk of teachers, but in our adult learning centres, we talk of facilitators. We train these facilitators

Dr. Uduehi

The Chairman Governing Board of the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adults and Non-Formal Education (NMEC), Dr. Esther Uduehi, in this interview with YEKEEN NURUDEEN says the high illiteracy level in the country poses a great threat to the realisation of the Federal Government’s Transformation Agenda. She also expresses strongly belief that all hands must be on deck to eradicate illiteracy in the country. and they are readily available, but they are not employed mainly because nobody wants to fund them or responsible for paying their salary.

The local government councils should fund them, while the state government should assist in this direction. That's where they come in. They should build learning centres, fund facilitators and mount enlightenment campaigns to create awareness among the people.

You said we have 40 million illiterate adult in the country, when do you hope the statistics will improve?

I am very anxious to see that the statistics changed, but given the population of the country and the funding challenge the Commission is facing, it might take some time. Even when we say we have 40 million this year, the figure may increase next year, if the out-of-school children should join them. Let us agree that we need about 1million to be literate this year, which means it will take another 40 years. Indeed, the most interesting thing is the facts that the Commission is expected under

It is unfortunate that people don't take this problem seriously, but I want them to know that it is a serious matter

the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) programme that by 2015, which is next year, the country should meet the Education For All (EFA) target, that is there should be no more illiteracy in our society. That is impossible. That is not just possible. I mean not in Nigeria and not in many developing countries of the world, since we cannot wake up over night and wish away 40 million illiterate people in our midst. It is going to take a lot of time. UNESCO has worked with our office, and we are still working together.

There is the revitalisation of the programme. That is why I said earlier that we have trained the facilitators, create more awareness, and educate more people and build capacity. Now, we can say we have been able to build capacity and looking for funding at the local government and state level to really push it.

You earlier said the high illiteracy level of our people poses danger to the realisation of transformation agenda. Can you shed more light on this?

I had earlier mentioned that the high level of illiteracy in the country will surely make it impossible for most Nigerians to benefit from the government’s transformation programme. Unfortunately, it appears as if some state governments do not really realise the effect this has on the national economy. Illiteracy is not just a disease; it is the greatest danger to anybody. If you are living in a country where there are many good things, and you could not benefit from them, that person is not a part of that country. As I said earlier we are

talking of cashless policy, an illiterate man does not know what the ATM is, or what internet banking is. At best, he is going to put his money under his bed or his pillow. This is not what we want. No, it won’t help the economy.

To help our illiterate adults, they should be encouraged to learn. But many of our adults do not take the programme seriously. I met somebody at a function and when I was introduced as Chairman of NMEC Board, the person said "oh, that is supposed to be a very big function".

Unfortunately, Nigerians do not take things seriously. They will tell you they are too old to learn.

You can't be too old to learn. It is when someone is 80 or 90 years old that he can say he is too old to learn.

This is not formal education.

There is no spelt out time for the adult learners to learn. They go the school when it is convenient for them. They choose the time they want go to school. Whether it in the evening, when they are back from their farms, or when they are back from the market.

Is it in the morning before or in the evening? It all depends on when they chose to attend classes. We don’t force anything on them. Some classes are even conducted under trees or in the palaces or village square. We only go there to provide them with primers and other instructional materials, as well as supervise them.

Like I said before and I want to reiterate that it is very important that all hands must be on deck so that we can collectively assist our people to be literate.

EDUCATION

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

25

Ajasin varsity moves against fire outbreak Kayode Olanrewaju

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bold step that will ensure the safety of lives and property of members of the university community as well as that of the institution, has been taken by the management of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), Ondo State.

Towards this end, the university, last week, inaugurated a newly procured fire van for the institution’s Fire and Safety Unit.

The fire truck has 300-litre water tank capacity and a pipe that can reach any floor of the university’s five-storey Senate Building.

Inaugurating then truck on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Femi Mimiko,

who is one of the Ondo State delegates to the ongoing national confab, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Rotimi Ajayi, however declared open a special training for the university fire vanguards.

He enjoined the trainees to apply their minds to the training for effective and efficient service delivery, saying: “I would like to stress the need for proper maintenance of the truck in line with the transportation policy of the university.”

“For the avoidance of doubt, under no circumstances must the truck be used outside the university,” Ajayi warned, and urged members of the university community to cooperate with the Fire and Safety Unit by observing basic fire and safety tips as

may be reeled out by the unit from time to time.

According to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, the initiative of having Fire and Safety Unit was conceived and established by the Prof.

Mimiko-led administration with the major purpose of preventing fire and respond effectively in the event of fire outbreak.

Ajayi noted that the fire and safety initiative was a core component of the programme embarked upon by the present administration to achieve its mantra of building a 21st Century University,

properly called.

He said the university had deployed and trained some security personnel as fire officers and procured some basic fire equipment for the unit, adding that “we are not going to rest on our oars as we are planning to procure more state-of-the-art equipment for the unit.”

While commending the unit for being proactive, he advised it to be more focused, even as Ajayi particularly saluted the unit for swiftly putting out the fire that erupted at the university’s MBA Building recently.

He assured that the administration would continue to do its best to ensure that every section of the university enjoy robust patronage and attention.

Earlier, the Fire Superintendent, Mr. Ibrahim Awodeyi, commended the university management for its commitment to provision of basic facilities not only to the Fire and Safety Unit, but also the entire university.

Awodeyi pleaded with the management to give prompt support to the unit and pledged that the truck would be put to judicious use.

LASU crisis not beyond redemption – Student activist Mojeed Alabi

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hose who believe that the protracted crises rocking the Lagos State University, LASU, Ojo, in past few years is beyond solution, may better have a rethink.

A former member of the university Students’ Union Students’ Representative Council, Comrade Makanjuola Adigun Muhammed, said the challenges were not insurmountable, if the willingness on the part of the state government and the university management is there.

Makanjuola, a 2000/2001 graduate from the Department of History and International Relations, and currently Masters Degree student of History and Diplomatic Studies, described as unfortunate that the Ivory Tower had not been able to overcome the various challenges facing it.

In an exclusive interview with New Telegraph, Makanjuola, who recalled that he worked with late Dr. Beko Ransome Kuti, late Pa Babarinde Oluwide (Baba Omojola), and Dr. Fredrick Faseun, among other renowned activists, urged Lagosians to rise up to challenge the “imposition of the fees increase” is causing stability of LASU. He said the development in the university today greatly negates the dream and aspirations of the founding fathers of the over 30-year-old institution, adding that the consequences of Governor

Makanjuola

Babatunde Fashola-led administration is already “staring the state in the face, as several thousands of candidates are being denied admission into the institution, not because they did not merit admission, but only because their parents cannot afford the new fees regime of the university.

“This is condemnable and we (students) could no longer keep quite in the face of such tyranny, because it is oppressive to deny eligible students access to education basically due to their inability to pay the high fees,” he said.

Makanjuola, however, said despite all these challenges, hope is not lost that LASU will soon regain its lost glory, expressing strong belief in the tenacity of the current leadership of the university’s students’ union in ensuring that the fees is considerably reduced to make the university affordable to the children of the low socio-economic status.

The student advised the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, to desist from making itself an appendage of government by opposing antipeople policies of government at all levels that may further discourage access to education.

Besides, he appealed to the university management to run an all-inclusive administration by carrying along all stakeholders in the university system in its decision-making processes.

L-R: Ajayi cutting the tape to inaugurate the fire van, while the Bursar, Mr. Olayiwola Akinterinwa (4th Right); university Librarian, Mr. William Akifolarin (3rd Right); Deputy Registrar, Mr. Sunday Ayeerun (2nd Right) and other top officers of the university watch. Inset: The fire van.

Parents' Forum hails Elizade varsity over vision Kayode Olanrewaju

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or keeping faith with the vision and mission of training and producing students who will be total men and women, with high moral standard and academic excellence, the management of Elizade University, IlaraMokin in Ondo State, has been praised.

Then parents of the students of university, under the aegis of Elizade University Parents Forum, gave the commendation at the second meeting of their forum.

The parents, who noted that the university has kept faith with its vision, to a large extent, especially in ensuring that the students take their primary assignment seriously, expressed satisfaction over the way the university is handling students’ attendance and punctuality in classrooms.

The forum, however, urged the management to contact parents whose children and wards are not regular in classes from time to time, even as they assured the management of their continued support to ensure the students face their studies very well.

In the area of sports development, the parents’ forum hailed the university, for put-

Chief Ade-Ojo, Proprietor

ting in place a N20 million Gym Centre, apart from the modern football pitch, lawn tennis court, volleyball court, basketball court, badminton, squash and other sporting facilities.

They reiterated the importance of sporting activities in the development of the students.

In his remarks, the Registrar of the university, Mr. Omololu Adegbenro called on the parents to ensure their wards return to the campus from vacations and breaks on the dates announced by the management.

The Registrar, who insisted that late resumption, would put the students at disadvan-

tage, warned that the university would not alter or extend the university calendar because of late-comers.

He said that the university has put in place every facility needed by the students to make their stay on campus worthwhile, maintaining that the provision of the over N20 million Gym facilities and other sporting facilities was necessitated by the desire of the management to harness the students in sporting talents.

On parents’ access to their wards’ academic performance, Adegbenro told the parents that the university’s Information and Communication Technology Unit (ICT) had developed a platform for them to monitor and check their wards’ results, Continuous Assessment (CA) and attendance in classes.

The forum held discussion on probation, warning and withdrawal from department and university, university’s exit policy, cafeteria services, and entrepreneurship programme, among others.

Participants at the forum include the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Valentine Aletor; Dean, Faculty of Basic and Applied Sciences, Prof. Olatunji Oyelana, and Students’ Affairs Officer, Mrs. Sharie Akinmulero.

26 EDUCATION

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

VC restates commitment to staff welfare Kayode Olanrewaju

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ice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), has reiterated the commitment of his administration to the promotion of the welfare of members of staff. Professor Olusola Oyewole, who is also the President, Association of African Universities (AAU), disclosed this during the justconcluded training workshop on: “Capacity Building on Investment of Pension Fund and Returns of Investment Portfolio,” organised for the Pension Board of Trustees of the university, under the old pension scheme, at Badagry, Lagos.

He said the university has continued to pay monthly pension to its pensioners on a regular basis, saying pensions are taken to various banks on or before 21st of each month.

While restating that the university is also up-to-date in the payment of various upward reviews of pension by the Federal Government to all its pensioners, the Vice-chancellor, however, recalled how in the past the university organised series of workshops for would-be retirees of the on how to set up and manage their businesses.

Oyewole, who noted that available statistics have shown that such efforts has continued to yield tremendous results in the life of the retirees, added that the university was committed to preparing its staff members ahead to face the challenges of retirement.

L-R: Ogun State Commissioner for Forestry, Mr. Adebayo Faari, presenting a plaque to one of the inducted fellows of FFPS, Prof. Shadrach Akindele of FUTA during the 4th biennial conference of the society at FUNAAB.

The Vice-Chancellor, who was represented at the occasion by his Deputy in charge of Development, Professor Felix Salako, however, encouraged participants at the workshop to obtain information on opportunities to best invest their funds.

The Chairman of the workshop Planning Committee, Professor Peter Okuneye hinted that the workshop would equip participants to be “better positioned in the art of financial management and fund utilization, stressing that the resource persons were carefully selected based on their experience to address the essential focus of the workshop.

In his presentation entitled:

“Guidelines on Pension Fund Utilisation and Management,” the Head, Research and Policy, National Pension Commission, Abuja, Dr. Babatunde Alayande, described pension fund as the fund set up as joint contribution of both the employees and employers.

He noted that the key players in pension fund management are the Pension Fund Administrators (PFA) and the Pension Fund Custodians (PFCs), adding that the PFAs manage pension fund assets and make investment decisions, while the PFCs keep custody of pension fund assets on trust, among other functions.

Citing Section 72 of the Pension Reform Act (PRA)

2004, Alayande noted that the objectives of the Pension Fund Investment include ensuring that there are adequate, affordable, sustainable and safe benefits accruable to contributors.

Meanwhile, he said the challenges facing pension fund investment comprise limited investment products, ineffective regulatory oversight of the financial system and low financial literacy of the populace.

In another paper on “Financial Management in the Nigerian Business Climate,” the Chief Executive Officer, Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Mr. Bismarck Rewane, emphasised the importance of financial management.

Represented by his associ-

NIBTF says Boko Haram can’t stop fight against illiteracy Mojeed Alabi

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he Nigerian Book Fair Trust (NIBFT), the umbrella body for the major stakeholders in the nation’s book industry, comprising the Nigerian Publishers Association, Nigerian Book Foundation, Association of Nigerian Authors, Booksellers Association of Nigeria, and Association of Nigerian Printers, among others, has vowed that efforts by stakeholders to combat the scourge of illiteracy in the country cannot be stopped by the dreaded Islamic sect- Boko Haram.

The body was reacting to the recent abduction of more than 200 pupils of the Federal Government Girls’ College, Chibok, Borno State, saying the action might not be unconnected with the abhorrence of Western education by the sect, especially girl-child education.

While calling on all stakeholders to rise to secure the release of the abducted students unhurt, the Chairman of the Trust, Mr. Samuel Kolawole, at a press briefing organised ahead of the forthcoming 13th edition of the annual book fair, however insisted that activities to strengthen efforts at eliminating illiteracy and its negative consequences in the country will not be affected in anyway.

This year’s annual international book fair, according to him, is expected to kick-off on May 5, at the Multipurpose Hall

•Rolls out activities for 13th book fair

ates, Messrs Duben Ara and Emmanuel Onoja, he described financial management as the efficient and effective use of an organisation's financial resources in a way that would achieve its business objectives of maximizing value.

He, however, listed some of the lucrative sectors for good investment to include the downstream petroleum sector, real estate, telecoms, hospitality and the power sector.

Mr. Oluwasegun Oye of Alicorn Consulting Limited, in his paper entitled: “Returns on Investment and Risk Analysis: Theory and Practice,” described risk management function as “the provision of objective and independent measurement of risk portfolio within an investment mandate.”

Besides, the Head of Department of Management and Accounting at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Professor Taiwo Asaolu, in his presentation on “Budgeting and Fund Administration in Business Development,” emphasized that part of the fundamental duties of the Pension Board is to administer funds solely in the interest of beneficiaries whose assets are invested in the funds.

He added that the goal of the Board is to generate returns, taking into account, the fund's liabilities, liquidity needs and risk tolerance of members.

Asaolu, who was represented by Dr. John Ayoola, stated that the investment funds include mutual funds, index funds, balanced funds, bond funds, unit investment funds, money markets funds, exchange-traded funds, equity funds and hedge funds.

EKSU gets Acting Registrar

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he Governing Council of Ekiti State University (EKSU) Ado-Ekiti has named the Director, Council Affairs of the institution, Mr. Emmanuel Adebisi Ogunyemi, as the Registrar of the university.

Ogunyeme, whose appointment will take effect from May 1, is to serve in acting capacity.

His appointment is sequel to the approval of a year terminal leave for the incumbent Registrar, Dr. Omojola Awosusi by L-R: Pioneer Chairman, NIBFT, Mr. Dayo Alabi; incumbent Chairman, Mr. Samuel Kolawole and Secretary, Mr. Biodun Omotubi the Council at its 111th meeting held on March 26. of the University of Lagos tary to Oyo State Government, that many traditional particiOgunyemi obtained his (UNILAG), Akoka.

Mr. Akin Olajide. pants from India might not Bachelor’s degree in EconomKolawole, however, said Meanwhile, other activities make it this year due to the ics at the University of Ife, (now that an International Confer- lined up to make this year’s difficulties in processing visa. Obafemi Awolowo University), Kolawole said: “I think Ile-Ife in 1983, and his Post ence, billed to hold on May 6, six-day event worthwhile inhad been lined up as part of clude workshops, seminars, apart from the traditional Graduate Diploma in Computer activities marking the book training of participants, au- buying and selling of books Science from the University of fair. thor’s grooves and series of that will take place during Ado-Ekiti in 1997.

According to the Trust, programmes for children, the books exhibition, stakeHe holds Masters of Busithe theme of the conference which according to the organ- holders will appraise some of ness Administration (MBA), is “Emergence of E-Book and iser are aimed at refocusing the challenges facing the in- which he obtained also at the the Survival of Physical Book the minds of the children on dustry especially the new visa University of Ado-Ekiti in in Africa,” will be delivered by the benefits of reading and regime, which has now made 2000. the Registrar and Chief Ex- writing. it difficult for business visas The new Registrar has held ecutive Officer of the LibrarHowever, NIBFT, which to be processed. It used to take several Administrative posiians’ Registration Council of expressed delight that some just a maximum of four days tions in the university since countries will participate in to process business visa, but he joined the institution on NoNigeria, Dr. Victoria Okojie.

The conference will be this year’s fair for the first now it takes about 35 days in vember 30, 1990 as an Adminischaired by former Managing time, listed the countries to Nigeria and 25 days in India. trative Officer I and Faculty OfDirector of the University include Egypt and Pakistan; This is highly unfavourable to ficer of the Faculty of Science.

Press Plc and former Secre- even as it expressed regret businessmen and women.”

CAMPUS | EDUCATION 27

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Corps member unveils business enterprise

At OAU: Experts advocate preservation of cultural heritage Sikiru Akinola OAU

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Exhibitors and their customers at the event.

Kemi Busari OAU

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business initiative, which aimed at enhancing entrepreneurial skill acquisition and marketing of products, has been developed by Osundare Ifeoluwa, a graduate of Medicine at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), who is currently undergoing the one-year compulsory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.

The launching of the initiative, Middleman Incorporation, was held in Ile-Ife, featured counseling by Mr. Segun Babalola, the Director, Centre for Entrepreneurship Development at the Federal

Polytechnic, Ede in Osun State.

Babalola, who urged Nigerian youth to have a change of orientation, said it was high time they realised the fact that government alone cannot provide them jobs, hence there is need for them to be creative enough to survive.

He said: “There is hardly any family in China who today doesn't produce one thing or the other. Today, China controls the world markets of technology, but Nigeria has on its own assumed the status of a dumping ground."

Stating that his centre has made various achievements and innovations, Babalola

noted that any student that go through the centre will find it easy to cope with life after school because of the knowledge he or she would have acquired.

He, therefore, applauded Ifeoluwa for developing such innovation.

Explaining the goal of his company, Ifeoluwa said it is an advertising company established to stand in-between customers and businesses by connecting people to whatever trade they want to engage in.

She said: "We are here today to do the official unveiling of the Middleman Incorporation, to launch our official website; www.middleman.com.ng and we are

UNIMAID admits 5,332 fresh students amid insurgence Isola Taiwo UNIMAID

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n spite of the rampaging violence enveloping the entire educational landscape of Borno State and its neighbouring states of North-East geo-political zone of the federation, University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) has matriculated no fewer than 5,332 students for the 2013/2014 academic session.

The high enrolment figure

revealed the determination of the students in the zone to acquire university education.

Administering the institution’s matriculation oath on the students at the University Square, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Mala Daura, saluted the courage of the students and their parents.

He said their resolve not to be intimidated by agents of evil has only proven that there is light at the end of the

dark tunnel.

While welcoming the new students to UNIMAID family, the vice-chancellor drew their attention to the oath they took, saying; "The oath is sacrosanct. You must adhere strictly to it as it provides the basis for a civilized university life. You are joining a reputable citadel of learning and you must, therefore, act in a manner consistent with continued maintenance of peace and

here to give out free copies of the middleman directory which has alphabetical and categorical listings of businesses in major cities of the South-West.

"It is an amazing opportunity to network and harness potentials of the growing market for large and small scale industries using the one-on-one networking media."

Speaking on his experience at the event, the outgoing President of the National Association of Ondo Students (NAOS), Fagbemigun Israel, said he is proud of the achievements so far made by the company, even as he charged other students to emulate Ifeoluwa’s feat. stability in the system."

Daura urged the freshmen and women to work hard and shun vices and violent demonstrations, adding that they should make use of the available sporting facilities and join any of the numerous students' associations that could help them achieve their dream of becoming change agents that will reposition and rebuild the country and African continent for better.

One of the new students, Evelyn Ahmadu, who hails from Taraba State, expressed joy over her admission into the institution, saying: "I am happy that I secured admission into this prestigious university and I am determined to strive for excellence and make a mark."

o diversify the nation’s economic landscape and generate employment, Nigerians have been charged to invest in cultural industries.

These were some of the views of the Director-General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), Mallam Yusuf Abdallah Usman, at a maiden annual in honour of Dr. John Odeyemi lecture organised by the Natural History Museum of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife. In his treatise entitled: "The Preservation of Natural and Cultural Heritage for Sustainable Development,” Usman said as part of efforts at preserving the natural and cultural heritage of the people, the Commission is collaborating with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the Nigeria Conservation Foundation, Nigeria National Park Service, OAU Natural History Museum and university departments across the country which offer courses on aspects of natural and cultural heritage.

He urged the government not only to provide the funds and legal protection or framework, but should also educate the people on issues on cultural heritage, even as the lecturer advised communities to take part in policy making in natural and cultural heritage in order to safeguard their cultural heritage and identify what deserves protection and who owns it.

“Heritage professionals are never contacted or consulted before construction projects are carried out and the resultant effects are wanton destruction of sites, illegal trafficking of objects, and destruction of heritage resources which most time lead to total loss of cultural and natural identity of people,” Usman said.

In his welcome address, the Director of the Museum, Dr. Adisa Ogunwokan noted that the museum is in a unique position to provide leadership in a sphere of national life, which he claimed was in need of positive intervention, saying before now, availability of space was the biggest problem for the medium.

The Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Bamitale Omole, who expressed delight over the lecture, described the programme as a welcome initiative in recognition of the contributions of Dr. Odeyemi to the nation and most especially his love for nature, culture and unalloyed support to the university.

Omole recalled how Odeyemi, through the President of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation, Chief Izioma Asiodu, facilitated the museum's link with Leventis Foundation that eventually completed the building that had been abandoned for more than 34 years.

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Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Provost raises concern over abducted school girls •As college graduates 8,500 students Mojeed Alabi

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orried by the abduction of more than 200 female students of Government Girls’ Secondary School, Chibok in Borno State by the Boko Haram Islamic sect, a don has called for sober reflection by all Nigerians, especially over the abduction and other challenges facing the nation's education sector.

The Provost, Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED), Ijanikin, Lagos, Prof. Olalekan Bashorun made the plea at the 32nd, 33rd and 34th joint convocation ceremony of the institution.

He regretted that the college would have rolled out the drums in celebration with "grandeur, excellence and special dances" befitting such ceremony for the completion of three years of rigorous Nigerian Certificate in Education (NCE) training, but the plight and trauma of the abducted school girls informed the low-key celebration.

He said: "We appeal to those holding these innocent young school girls to, in the name of God, release them without further delay.

It is not fair to use these children as pawns in whatever game being played out in the nation."

The Provost charged political leaders to begin a new life of service and commitment to the country, adding that the attacks, killings and destruction of properties in the name of religion was a revelation of the failure of the Nigerian structure and defence capabilities.

The college, which awarded the college certificate to no fewer than 8,500 graduating students who received their scrolls at the ceremony, also conferred the college’s Honorary Fellowship on Senator Oluremi Tinunbu and former Provost of the college, Prof. Oderinde Babatunde, in recognition of their contributions to the development of education in Lagos and the country in general.

In his address, the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Oluranti Adebule, congratulated the 8,500 graduating students and their parents on successful completion of their studies in the college in the face of the various challenges, noting that, "you are leaving the college when the nation is tough regarding the rate of unemployment.

I want to challenge you to see your training in the college as the foundation of your development.”

"The present day reality is that white collar jobs are no longer available. You need to look inward and seek to develop your talents and potentials." he added.

The governor and moderator of the college charged the graduating students to be good ambassadors of the college and the state, by epitomising integrity, creativity and innovations, which according to him, are the basic ingredients for success in today’s world.

Members of JCI with some of the treated mosquito nets.

JCI celebrates World Malaria Day in grand style l Distributes treated mosquito nets to communities Dayo Ojerinde AAUA

A

s part of activities marking this year’s World Malaria Day, Junior Chambers International (JCI), Akure in collaboration with Nothing but Nets Campaign, a non-governmental organisation based in Akure has sensitised and distributed treated mosquito nets to people of Ipinsa and Ilere communities in Ifedore Local Government Area of Ondo State.

The Junior Chambers International, Akure, consists of youths who are graduates and are ready to make impact in their immediate communities.

World Malaria Day is a day set aside internationally by the World Health Organisation to provide education and understanding of malaria, as well as

spread information on year-long intensified implementation of national malaria control strategies including community based activities, malaria prevention and treatment in endemic areas.

While speaking on the rationale behind the gesture, the JCI President, Akure City LOM, Kunle Omowaye said; “It is part of our community based activities for malaria prevention and treatment and in fulfillment of MDG 4 (To reduce child mortality rate), MDG 5 (Improve maternal health) and MDG 6 (To combat HIV/ AIDS, malaria & other diseases)."

The group sensitised residents of the communities on the dangers posed by malaria, actions to prevent malaria and the use of insecticide treated bed nets for malaria prevention.

Members of the Junior Chambers International (JCI) later demonstrated the proper use of the treated bed nets before they were distributed to pregnant women and nursing mothers of children less than five years of age.

While reacting to the enlightenment programme, two of beneficiaries, Mrs Bunmi Ajayi and Mrs. Rachael Babatunde, who spoke on behalf of those that benefited from the gesture thanked JCI Akure for the kind gesture and promised that the nets will be properly used.

As the proverbial Oliver Twist, they, however, pleaded with the group to execute other life transforming projects in their community.

Over 800 long lasting Insecticide treated nets were distributed in the communities.

Club campaigns against drug abuse, rape Sikiru Akinola OAU

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lecturer at the Department of Dentistry, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Dr. M. O Ukpong, has noted that the fear of being stigmatized as part of the reasons why several raped victims are usually unable to report such cases to appropriate authorities, and rather keep their suffering and agonies to themselves.

Ukpong spoke at this year’s annual enlightenment programme organised by the university’s chapter of Drug Free Club.

The Dentist said research on the causes of rape had revealed that some parents are allowing this to continue unabated by allowing children of opposite sex to sleep together in the same room.

Similarly, in his lecture, the Director of Drug Demands and Reduction Unit of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Dr. Ibrahim Baba explained that there was no statistical data to show the number of rape cases that occurred in Nigeria and Africa in general, citing underreportage of rape cases as the reason.

Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos, Prof. Rahman Bello presenting an award plaque to Osun State Gov. Rauf Aregbesola during an award ceremony organised by the Muslim Alumni Association of the university held at Eko Hotel.

He noted that rape is more rampant in rural areas due to ignorance of rural dwellers on the adverse and misuse of drugs.

The lecture, according to the President of the club, Oluseesin Bolaji, was organised to enlighten students on the effects of drug abuse and rape.

The club, which is an affiliate of the NDLEA, organised the lecture as part of its annual programme, and also visited some selected secondary schools within Ile-Ife and its environs to enlighten the students about the effects of dangerous drug, indecent dressing, causes of rape and how to prevent it.

CAMPUS | EDUCATION 29

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

LASU students celebrate arts festival

Adeyemi Moses LASU

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he memories of the Festival of Arts and Culture hosted by the Federal Government in 1977, which was dubbed FESTAC ’77, were again brought to the fore last week, when students of the Faculty of Arts of the Lagos State University, LASU, Ojo, held their annual arts festival.

The event, which was put together by the students under the aegis of the Faculty of Arts Students’ Associa-

tion and held at the Golden Tulip hotel in FESTAC Town in Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area of the state, was supported by the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization (CBAAC), National Troupe of Nigeria (NTN) and the Lagos State Ministry of Home and Culture.

Tagged: “Festival of Arts and Culture,” the event, which featured exhibition of arts and culture, debate and essay writing competitions, as well as beauty pageant and presentation of honorary

awards to deserving members of the public including the Chairman of Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area and a former student leader on the campus, Mr. Ayodele Adewale.

Other high points of the event were special cultural performances, dance, music, poetry and drama presentation.

The topic for the debate was: “LASU Education: What Hope for The Future?” in which the debaters appraised the state of the university in terms of its curriculum, in-

frastructure, students’ creativity and ingenuity, as well as the increased fees and the challenges facing the students in terms of accommodation, among other issues.

The winner of the debate, Rafiat Atanda went home with a cash prize of N75, 000, and Adekunle Awosusu won the prize for the essay competition, while the duo of Ayomipo Eyitayo and Adebusola Balogun were crowned as Mister and Miss FASA for 2014 respectively.

According to the association’s President, a 400 Level

undergraduate of the Department of History and International Relations, David Michael, the event was to celebrate and resuscitate the country’s cultural heritage as exhibited through FESTAC ’77.

“The programme also served as a platform for uniting the student of the faculty,” he said.

In her remarks, Atanda, the winner of the debate, commended the organisers for the initiative, expressing surprise for emerging the overall winner.

2015 election: Centre holds conference on election processes Sikiru Akinola and Kemi Busari OAU

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s part of efforts to address the challenges facing the conduct of credible elections in the country, the Centre for Nigerian Election Studies (CNES), situated at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, has brought together eggheads in various academic disciplines across the nation’s institutions to discuss the possibilities of making the forthcoming 2015 general elections acceptable to the electorate.

The two-day talk-shop held at the university’s Conference Centre attracted scholars, politicians and community leaders, who gathered to brainstorming on various issues relating to the conduct of elections in the country.

Dr. Akubo Osewe, a lecturer at Department of History at the institution, recalled in his presentation that elections in the country were free and fair in the early years of modern governance, saying the introduction of material values to

elected positions of authority led to the violence and massive rigging that have now become the hallmark of the nation’s election system.

While saying that the kind of party formation in the nation today with its emphasis on creating youth wings is an avenue to breed thugs, he said it is painful that the youths find it comfortable to follow suit because of the promises which the politicians fail to fulfill.

He, therefore, proffered that the solution lies with making fundamental changes and not necessarily violent changes in the society.

Another speaker, Dr. Olayode Kayode of International Relations Department of the same university said Nigerians are yet to benefit from democracy as a system of government.

In his paper entitled: “Where are the Dividends of Democracy?” Olayode noted that democracy all over the world promotes peace and social harmony, but wondered that the reverse is the case in

Kids performing dance during the event.

the Nigeria.

Dr. Sulaiman Balarabe of the Usmanu Dan Fodio University, Sokoto, and Mrs. Olaniyan Monisola of the Department of Political Science, Obafemi Awolowo University bemoaned the political situation in the country and enjoined the students to make a better change.

Similarly, the Osun State’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Sunday Akere, who spoke on “Roles of Clientelism in the Nige-

rian Politics,” noted: “Clientelism has eaten deep into our politics. It allows mediocrity in place of meritocracy, inequality and general underdevelopment in the country.”

Akere further said that the country has failed in its bid to deliver dividends of democracy to the people and this, he attributed to the country’s poor leadership style.

“Nigeria is practicing a system of government in which the actions of the people at the helms of affairs is unpredictable even though there is a constitution.”

He charged those in government to invest in the future of the country and its youths,

while he lauded the organisers of the programme for their foresight.

The Executive Director of the Centre, Dr. Afolabi Samuel, in his remarks said the state of the Nigerian nation prompted the conference.

On sustenance of the programme, the Political Science lecturer explained that the level of partnership with the intellectual and the political field will enable them sustain the programme.

He said it is an annual event in which the centre plans to bring the town and gown together in order to create a nexus between theory and practice of politics.

New Provost for UI medical college Hammed Hamzat UI

niversity of Ibadan (UI) Uproved Governing Council, has apthe appointment of an

Ayanyemi Damilola, Alabi Folashade and Ikudaisi Kabirat during their convocation at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH).

acting Provost for the institution’s Medical College She is Professor Ayotunde Oluremi Ogunseyinde.

The appointment of Ogunseyinde came on the heels of the admission of the substantive Provost, Professor Olayinka into the 36th Senior Executive Course (SEC) of the

National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Plateau State.

Ogunseyinde, who was admitted into the University of Ibadan as a Western State Scholar in October 1968, obtained her MBBS degree in June 1973.

She joined the University College Hospital (UCH) in 1975 as a Senior House Officer in the Department of Radiology, and became the first female professor in the university’s Department of Radiology in 2003.

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Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Lead City varsity begins intra-varsity debate Victoria Ewoh

Lead City Varsity

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tudents of Lead City University, Ibadan, Oyo State capital, last week, converged at the university International Conference Centre for this year’s edition of the institution’s intra-varsity debate.

The theme of the debate was: “100 Years after Amalgamation; Nigeria’s Unity is not Negotiable.”

In his key note address presented on his behalf by Mr. Dokun Alabi, Oyo State Education Commissioner, Prof. Solomon Olaniyonu, lauded the students for organising the programme and for the quality of the debaters.

He described them as the useful and needful resources for the development of the country, urging the students to imbibe the salient values and what they learnt in the debate with a view to become better citizens who are relevant to the development of the country.

The debate, organised by a group of students, otherwise referred to as Lead City Voices, a newly established club, with Essien Bill, as its President, dwelt extensively on topical issues affecting the various spectrum of the society.

Participants at the debate were drawn from various departments and schools of the university. The main objective of the debate, according to the organisers, was not for competition purpose, but to provide a platform for students to brainstorm and

generate information, creativity and confidence that will be on display by the representatives of each department.

The President said: “The debate was aimed at fostering creativity, patriotism, socio-economic development and positive change among Nigerian youths.”

Bill, however, encouraged the students to work for the good of the nation so that they can make a positive change.

The debate, he said, provided a platform to proffer solutions to some of the topical issues confronting the country.

Guests at the event include the Chief Executive Officer of BCOS, Mr. Yanju Adegbite; Mr. Isaac Oluyi of the National Centre for Technology Management, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU); Mr. Timi Olagunju of Sync Legal, Lagos; Mrs. Babatunde of LawBreed Foundation, Lagos; Mr. Femi Oribamise of Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos; Publisher of Youth Digest Africa magazine, Ibadan, Mr. Gbenga Omisore; Mr. Ishaya Ibrahim, a media practitioner based in Lagos and Oyo State Commissioner for Industry, Applied Sciences, & Technology, Mr. Dapo Lam-Adesina.

The high point of the debate was the conferment of “Friend of Lead City” to some guests in recognition of their contributions to the society.

At the end of the competition, the Department of Mass Communication and Media Technology emerged the overall winner.

The students during the debate.

LASU appoints new deputy VC

T

he Senate of the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, has named Professor Fidelis Njokanma, as the institution’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Administration.

The election, according to the Public Relations Officer of the university, Mr. Kayode Sutton, was held at the university’s Senate chamber.

Sutton, in a press statement after the election, a copy which was made available to New Telegraph had Njokanma, a Peadiatrician, scoring 33 votes, while his opponent, Prof. Olatunji Abanikannda of the Faculty of Science had

30 votes.

Njokanma, a former Head of Department of Paediatrics, Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM), Ikeja, was a two-term Deputy Provost of the college.

He also served as Dean, Faculty of Clinical Sciences between 2012 and February 2014.

The post of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) of the university had become vacant after the expiration of the tenure of Prof. Omolara Bamgboye, the immediate past Deputy ViceChancellor on December 7, last year.

EDUPEACE with Mahfouz A. Adedimeji (08066372516, sms only)

Bring back Borno girls!

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t a time when their colleagues in other parts of the country and elsewhere are under the protection of their families and governments, some 234 girls (129 science and 105 arts students) abducted by terrorists from their school, Government Girls’ Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, are still languishing in the forests.

For more than two weeks now, the fate of the innocent girls hangs in the balance as the Nigerian state seems to be incapable of rescuing them.

Though the charge of the Security Council, which met last Thursday was that the military must rescue the girls, till now, what we are regaled with is that “the troops are closing in on the insurgents” and that we are kept in the dark only because of the need not to divulge tactical information.

A report by the CNN indicates that “Mass abduction of schoolgirls isn’t shocking” as we are getting increasingly accustomed to what can be called “feelinglessness”.

Despite the billions of naira spent on security and the state of emergency in force, it is curious that gunmen have a free reign wreaking havoc and making life hellish for Nigerians. It beggars belief that we can no longer protect our children and life has become brutish, harsh and short for the majority.

This is why Nigerians are asking questions. Those posed by Mr Adelaja Akinlolu of the University of Ilorin are representative of the worry of the citizens: “Why is it so difficult for President Jonathan to be presidential? One expects specific updates on efforts being made to free our abducted daughters. Why will defenseless and unarmed parents enter the forest to search for their daughters? …Is Sambisa forest impregnable to both land and air? Why were Sambisa forest and other camps on our borders not combed and destroyed before now? To what intelligence use was the information received from our brave daughters who escaped from the devils? Why is this government so corrupt? What happened to the trillions of naira spent on security?”

Anyone who has a girl in his/her family can imagine the crimes that would have been perpetrated on these unlucky girls. Since April 15, they would have been sexually violated, grossly abused and terribly mistreated as slaves by the beasts in human skin that abducted them. Some of them would have been infected with life-threatening diseases like HIV/ AIDS. For some of them, even if they are freed eventually, life will never be the same again.

Thinking about these young girls left on their own by Nigeria makes me cringe in horror. And one can easily connect with the parent who said he preferred seeing his daughter’s corpse to the trauma of having her abducted. The Yoruba, in their proverbial wisdom, say death is better than disgrace.

But for how long are we going to continue like this? It has been lamentations galore for those who care to lament but the agonies of the girls and their families are still ongoing.

One lamentation that is heart-rending is that of Borno State Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima. The evocative force of the words is shattering.

In a region marked by high rate of illiteracy, the Chibok tragedy is a deadly blow to the already fragile girl-child education In his Easter Message, the Governor said, “I am troubled as a father, as a leader and as a politician. First, as a father, anytime my young daughter comes around me in the last one week in the Government House, my heart beats very fast.

“My heart becomes so heavy and I develop a serious headache because when I look into the eyes of my young daughter, I wonder how the parents of these our students feel when faced with the harsh reality that their loving daughters are either in the hands of the abductors in fear and desperation or wandering somewhere looking for safety”.

In a region marked by high rate of illiteracy, the Chibok tragedy is a deadly blow to the already fragile girl-child education. A report by UNICEF shows that “forty per cent of Nigerian children aged 6-11 do not attend any primary school with the Northern region recording the lowest school attendance rate in the country, particularly for the girls.”

With this unpalatable development, the already educationally-disadvantaged states of the Northeast will sink further into darkness. Parents will be very reluctant to send their children, especially the female ones, to school lest they are abducted and the misery of ignorance will continue. Indeed, with the current situation of things, things can only get worse.

As Victor Hugo once said, “He who opens a school door closes a prison”.

The entailment is that by shutting down schools, we are automatically opening prisons because the uneducated lot will later resort to crime.

Yet, the schools cannot remain open when there is no security. We are jinxed.

We cannot afford to dilly-dally any longer. It is urgent that politics be put aside and security be given serious attention. A situation in which several schools are closed and more than 1,500 lives have been lost to the Boko Haram saga in the first three months of this year alone is unacceptable.

The Federal Government must act decisively and bring back the abducted Borno girls NOW!

With this unpalatable development, the already educationallydisadvantaged states of the Northeast will sink further into darkness l Dr Adedimeji is a Senior Lecturer and Acting Director, Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies, Unilorin.

BUSINESS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 2014

WHAT'S NEWS Global investors rank Nigeria best in frontier market Nigeria is among the top frontier markets the global investors recognise as sustainable assets class in the world.

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FG plans penalty for defaulters in 1.85m tons fuel imports The Federal Government has designed means to punish fuel importers who default in the second quarter's importation.

}p-32

Out-Home-Media spends hit N28.7bn –Report TMKG has said media spend in Nigeria for 2013 on Out-HomeMedia (OOH) was N28.75 billion with the telecom category, long reputed for its big bud get, topping ad spend on the medium, followed by the beer, malt, carbonated soft drinks and skin care categories.

}p-36

US, African countries team up to tackle piracy United States-Africa Command and some African countries have agreed to create a regional coordination center for maritime safety and also to arm it to face growing insecurity on the Gulf of Guinea.

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BUSINESS CREW AYODELE AMINU, Deputy Editor (Business) SIMEON OGOEGBULEM, Dep. Business Editor BAYO AKOMOLAFE, Asst. Editor (Maritime) SUNDAY OJEME, Asst. Editor (Insurance) SIAKA MOMOH, Asst. Editor (Industry/Agric) JONAH IBOMA, ICT Editor DAYO ADEYEMI, Property Editor ADEOLA YUSUF, Energy Editor

ANTAGONIST Comrade Ajaero has continued to oppose privatisation of the power assets

CHUKS ONUANYIN, Energy NNAMDI AMADI, Reporter

AYODELE AMINU, DEPUTY EDITOR, BUSINESS

ayodele.aminu@newtelegraphonline.com ayodeleaminu@yahoo.com

• Post-privatisation on the card

Adeola Yusuf

T

he Energy Committee of the National Confab has summoned new owners of the power assets to a meeting in Abuja.

New Telegraph learnt that the meeting billed for next week Monday and Tuesday, is to review the post-privatisation of the power sector.

The committee was said to have earlier arranged a meeting between representatives of the investors and the committee last Thursday at the Nicon Luxury Hotel in Abuja.

In attendance at the meeting, according to a source, were the Vice Chairman of the committee, Mr. Bello Suleiman, a former minister of power and former managing Director of the defunct National Electric power Authority (NEPA), and Comrade Joe Ajaero, who is the Vice President, Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC).

Some members of the committee at the meeting felt that the privatisation was a mistake and that government should not have gone through with it.

At the meeting, which held for about two hours, Ajaero, who doubles as the National Secretary, Nigerian Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), was antagonistic to the privatisation of the power assets.

Some members of the committee, the source at the meeting told New Telegraph, showed clearly a serious lack of the understanding of the premise upon which the power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) transaction took place, the structure of the market and what is envisaged down the line.

“It was at this point that the Chairman rounded off the discussion with a request that the new owners themselves should come for a roundtable meeting where a proper assessment of

L-R: Head, Marketing and Communications, Stanbic IBTC, Mrs. Nkiru Olumide-Ojo; Chief Executive Officer, Mrs. Sola David-Borha, and Head, Corporate and Investment Banking, Mr. Victor Williams, during the bank’s press conference on the forthcoming World Economic Forum held in Lagos.

PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

the post-privatisation would be done,” the sources said.

Amidst tight security provided by soldiers across various formations of PHCN, the Federal Government on Friday, November 1, 2013 completed the 14-year planned hand over of the power assets to the new owners.

The companies handed over

Jonah Iboma

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frica’s leading mobile telecommunications firm, MTN, is in talks with an Asian content provider, with the aim of giving its subscribers access to streaming films and series.

The service is expected to start from South Africa and, according to some sources, the deal could probably be completed this year, although reports have it that the parties involved were yet to decide on a commercial model for the partnership.

MTN, which last Thursday

to their new owners are Ughelli Plant, Geregu I Plant, Kainji Hydro and Shiroro Hydro. The distribution companies are Ikeja, Eko, Ibadan, Jos, Kano, Yola, Abuja, Benin, Enugu and Port Harcourt.

But as the months of probation given to new owner to assess the post-privatisation of the power sector expires today,

the labour unions have threatened to scuttle the process through protests.

The electricity workers were paid N380 billion with some senior staff collecting over N100 million, while junior workers such as security men collected N6 million each.

Reacting to the action of the CONTINUED ON PAGE 32

MTN in talks with Asian firm over streaming services released its group reports on the 22 markets where it operates, is looking at boosting revenue in South Africa where its subscriber-base shrunk by 824,768 to 24.9 million in the first quarter ended March 31.

The deal with the Asian firm will give MTN’s 24.9 million South African subscribers access to streaming content and is consistent with the firm’s new position in the quarterly report of focusing

on services outside voice.

MTN’s Group President and Chief Executive Officer, Sifiso Dabengwa, has said: “Data and Mobile Money remain key areas of focus for the group as traditional voice revenue remains under pressure. We note encouraging growth in data revenues increasing 43.3 per cent CONTINUED ON PAGE 32

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DELE ALAO, Brands/Marketing Editor ABDULWAHAB ISA, Finance Editor

www.newtelegraphonline.com/business

Confab committee summons new power assets investors

WOLE SHADARE, Aviation Editor CHRIS UGWU, Capital Market Editor

NEW TELEGRAPH

NIGERIAN SHIPPERS, OTHERS MOVE TO STOP ILLEGAL SURCHARGES }p-37

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

32 BUSINESS | NEWS INVESTORS' DESTINATION Nigeria tops multi-factor model in both valuation and growth in frontier markets Bayo Akomolafe

N

igeria is among the top frontier markets the global investors recognise as sustainable assets class in the world.

A report by Renaissance Capital revealed that Nigeria was best ranked in frontier low debt/ Gross Domestic Product ratios and high growth in Africa.

The frontier or pre-emerging markets are pursued by investors seeking potentially high returns, who are able to accept

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Global investors rank Nigeria best in frontier market the higher risks these types of markets would be exposed to.

It was revealed that there was a significant change on 2006 when Renaissance Capital opened up across sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

“At that time, frontier was seen as the final bubble to be inflated by Alan Greenspan’s Federal Reserve, and indeed from Estonia to Kazakhstan, Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), many did boom and bust,” it added.

The report noted that demographics in frontier were re-

markable, saying United Nation data has shown that in the next five years, the working age (2064) population of five African countries and Iraq will rise by 15-21per cent. In stark contrast, falls ranging from 1 per cent in China to 6 per cent in Russia are expected.

It said: “We integrate our macro conclusions with screens incorporating valuation, growth, liquidity and analyst upsides in the mix. Nigeria tops our multi-factor model, with both valuation and growth looking supportive, although the

election cycle provides shortterm risks.

“Kazakhstan follows Nigeria. Within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), valuations favour Qatar over the UAE after the latter’s recent run, and our screen favours off-index Saudi Arabia over Kuwait. Oman also screens well, as do Pakistan and Bangladesh in Frontier Asia, and Estonia in Frontier Europe.

“Off-index Georgia and Rwanda screen well in terms of macro, while political developments will drive Iran, Iraq and Egypt; all three are on our watch list.”

Also in its observation, frontier markets had strongly outperformed Emerging Markets (EM) over 2013-2014.

It noted: “Most importantly, 7 billion people now have an education level that can propel percapita GDP higher in the coming decades. While 80 countries were too poorly educated to develop in the 1970s and 1980s, and 46 in the 1990s and 2000s, today just 10 countries are doomed to poverty for the next generation. We believe this ever-bettereducated generation will push political change, except in the oil exports.

Confab committee summons new power assets investors C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 3 1

L-R: Head, Consumer Protection Council, Lagos Office, Mr. Tam Tamunokonbia; Director-General, CPC, Mrs. Dupe Atoki; and Director, Legal, Mr. Emmanuel Ataguba, during a press briefing on the investigation into the abuse of passengers' rights by Aerocontractors, in Lagos.

FG plans penalty for defaulters in 1.85m tons fuel imports Adeola Yusuf

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he Federal Government has designed means to punish fuel importers who default in the second quarter's importation.

The government, which earlier announced the 1.85 million tons second quarter allocation on Monday gave official importation approval to 40 importers.

Findings by New Telegraph showed that the punishment, which takes a form of damages, is to be deducted from a seller's subsequent allocation in the event of any default or slippage into July.

The Petroleum Products' Pricing Regulatory Authority (PPPRA), Nigeria's downstream regulator, has inserted a provision in the allocation document, which paved the way for this deduction.

Some of the winners for the second quarter, according to a document, included MRS Oil Nigeria, Conoil , Total, Oando, Forte Oil , Mobil Oil, Masters Energy, Techno Oil, Folawiyo Oil & Gas and NIPCO. Oando, Total's local unit, and Folawiyo, in which global commodity house Glencore is a minority stakeholder, also won allocations in the first

quarter.

Nigeria is Africa's top oil producer but relies on fuel imports because its refineries work at a fraction of their capacity due to poor maintenance and old age.

Nigeria suffered fuel queues last February and March, prompting state oil firm, NNPC, to release stocks.

"The (oil) minister has approved the allocation of a total volume of 1,854,314 metric tons of premium motor spirit known as petrol as supplementary volumes for first quarters 2014 and second quarter 2014 June only delivery," NNPC said in a statement issued last week and confirmed by importers.

Import allocations, typically done on a quarterly basis, have been delayed due to disputes between government and traders over a backlog of subsidy payments.

Nigeria belatedly issued its first quarter gasoline allocation at the end of February. In an attempt to get the calendar back on track, it has issued its second quarter allocation in two parts.

Some 750,000 tons have been allocated as "supplementary volumes" for the first quarter, whilst another 1.1 million tons have been designated for June-

only delivery, the NNPC statement said.

"The idea of June only is to revert to the normal quarterly sequence, which is July-September and OctoberDecember," said Ohi Alegbe, a spokesman for NNPC. Alegbe said that the first quarter supplement was designed to cover "any underdelivery by marketers due to unforeseen financial challenges."

Traders welcomed the attempt to get the issuance cycle back on track, but noted that the total volumes allocated for the second quarter were significantly down on the 3.1 million tons that were allocated for the first quarter.

"It's good to see us revert to the old sequence of April to June, July to September and October to December and not the February to May, June to August we shifted to two to three years ago," one trader said.

"That helps with simplifying the planning of imports."

He suggested that the lower volumes could reflect the fact that the NNPC still has a lot of fuel in storage but supply chain issues are likely to be restricting adequate supplies into the market.

electricity workers, a top official of one of the distribution companies, who craved anonymity, explained to this newspaper, why fresh blood must be injected into the system.

He said: “These investors are businessmen and they should be allowed to give Nigerians the much-awaited power supply. If labour does not allow the new investors to rightsize and inject new blood, the consumers would be worse off as the old order where inefficiency and waste thrived will continue.”

He said that for consumers to have improved electricity supply, “we the new owners that have borrowed billions of Naira to purchase these power assets have to be efficient in both our human and material resources.

“Those who will be retained should count themselves lucky to have collected fat pension

and gratuity and are also still allowed to continue working.

Besides, he noted that since some of them have been accused of corruption, extortion and incompetence, “it is mandatory for the new owners to continuously disengage such workers and send a signal that the privatised companies are planning to be efficient and customer-oriented.”

Also, he said “if the new owners are not allowed to disengage their non-productive staff, Nigeria’s unemployment rate would continue to rise because these redundant and old staff would not allow the intake of the many fresh, young and energetic graduates, especially engineers, who can make a lot of difference in the sector but are currently unemployed.”

Government, he added, should resist any attempt to force the companies to retain all the old electricity workers.

MTN in talks with Asian firm over streaming services C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 3 1

year-on-year and contributing 17 per cent of total revenue and a 12 per cent increase in Mobile Money subscribers.

“Cost containment and the execution of our infrastructure sharing strategy, particularly in South Africa, continue to make good progress.”

However, the move by MTN appears also to be a response to competition as it was reported in January that part stateowned telecommunications provider, Telkom, was holding talks with Netflix, Comcast and Naspers for a possible launch of a video-on-demand service in South Africa.

Also, in 2013, South Africa’s mass media company, Naspers, was linked to discussions with Vodacom but the company said that it was looking at signing a deal with multiple players as opposed to an exclusive agreement.

Although the current focus

is on South Africa, in December 2013, MTN Nigeria partnered Do Media to launch the MTN DoBox, an application designed to allow subscribers gain access to the latest and most exclusive movies on their mobile phones.

With DoBox, MTN then introduced Mobile Cinema, a first of its kind platform, which will enable its subscribers gain access to latest blockbuster, premier and short movies, by simply subscribing to MTN DoBox app.

With this, a subscriber will invariably be able to rent any movie of choice, for a duration of time, from the well-stocked vault of premium movies, from the Dobox app.

Speaking at the launch of the service then, Senior Manager, Consumer Marketing, MTN, Saidat M’hammed Lawal, said: “The initiative is borne out of the desire to deliver top-of-therange entertainment to MTN’s subscribers at unprecedented and unrivalled speed."

33

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

‘Mining sector can contribute over 5% to national GDP’ per cent by the year 2015. But let me add that the volume of mining sector’s contribution to the national GDP, to a very large extent, depends on how aggressively government wants to intervene in the sector. The recent happenings in the economy revealed that sectors perform exceptionally well when it is properly promoted by government.

Government has been promoting agriculture, textile, entertainment and automobile sectors of the economy and these sectors are positively responding. In fact, the high contribution of Nollywood to the national GDP is directly connected to the aggressive government promotion. So I strongly believe that the solid mineral sector is also capable of performing the same magic if it is well promoted like these other sectors.

National President of Miners Association of Nigeria, ALHAJI SANI SHEHU, in this interview with our correspondent, JAMES NWABUEZE, laments the inability of the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development to effectively police the various mining fields across the country.

To what extent has the setting up of solid minerals development fund market, a major milestone in the determination of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration to diversify the nation’ economy, impacted on the overall growth of the solid minerals sector?

First, let me on behalf of Nigerian miners thank President Goodluck Jonathan for his interest in the development of the solid minerals sector of the Nigerian economy. The president has done well for the solid minerals sector. Remember that he removed import duty on mining equipment and machinery, completed the solid minerals reform initiatives, established the Solid Minerals Development Fund (SMDF) and organised a retreat on solid minerals. All the above are laudable efforts at moving the solid minerals to the next level. Perhaps the establishment of SMDF is most exciting. It rekindled the hope of Nigerian miners in government’s ability to offer funding solution to the mining sector. However, over a year after the fund was established, government bureaucratic procedures made it impossible to take off as fast as the miners and other stakeholders in the sector would have expected. I am therefore appealing to government, as a matter of priority, to give the fund the required support so that it can take off immediately to make the expected impact on the sector. For now, there is none. And the miners and other stakeholders are waiting patiently.

There have been complaints about quarry activities and indiscriminate blasting of rocks in Abuja by construction companies causing noise pollution and environmental degradation which result in great health hazards to the inhabitants of the affected areas. Are these activities part of mining and if it is, what are you doing to check the companies involved in these activities?

Quarry is part and parcel of mining.

In fact, every category of mining needs some sort of blasting at a point. For the noise pollution you are talking about, it is not the fault of the quarry companies. These companies have quarry licenses that permit them to blast. If their activities are considered inimical to environment, they should be relocated and be paid adequate compensation.

We are, on our own part, encouraging them to use the liquid blasting technique that is noiseless. We are doing everything possible to ensure that our members carry out their businesses in line with international best practices

Shehu

The volume of mining sector’s contribution to the national GDP, to a very large extent, depends on how aggressively government wants to intervene in the sector as obtained in other climes.

After the 2010 outbreak of lead poisoning in Zamfara State, it was obvious that regulatory deficienciesand the dangers of illegal and unsupervised mining still plague the Nigerian mining sector. How is your association working to assist government in creating a better, healthier mining environment?

After the unfortunate incident, the Miners Association of Nigeria in collaboration with United States of America (USA) Embassy in Nigeria, organised a nine-day seminar in Ebonyi, Nassarawa, Enugu and Kaduna states including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The seminar was geared towards encouraging miners to always consider their safety, health and the environment while engaging in the business. It is gratifying to note that government has constructed a good road to Badige, one of the flash points in Zamfara State. I will also like to inform you that as we speak, a training programme for the artisanal miners is in progress. In order to prevent a repeat of such incident, there must be a sustained training and sensitisation programme.

Last June, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mohammed Sada, said that Nigeria is aiming “to increase mining’s contribution to the economy to

five per cent by 2015 from its current level of 0.5 per cent.” How realistic is this projection and to what extend has this resolution reawakened consciousness Jamwal among local miners?

Solid minerals sector used to make substantial contribution to national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the 1960s, 1970s and even up to the1980s.

However, government’s total neglect over the years ravaged the sector thus making it contribute less than one per cent to the national GDP at the moment. That notwithstanding, I believe that it is still very possible for the sector to contribute even more than five

There has been an outcry that large deposits of gold found in some parts of the country have been left in the hands of artisanal and small scale miners thereby robbing the national economy of the wealth of one of the world’s most sought natural resource. Is there any proposal put forward by your association for a systematic exploration and development of this mineral?

Yes, informal or illegal miners are ravaging the mine fields in search of gold and anything of value. Most of the mines being ravaged belong to our members. You can see that we are the victims of these illegal activities. We have realised that the ministry saddled with responsibilities of policing the sector does not have the capacity to do so. The ministry is deficient in manpower and the necessary infrastructure that will enable them effectively police the sector. We are therefore appealing to government to support the ministry through capacity building, engagement of more manpower as well as the provision of necessary operational equipment in order to be able to

Centre faults FG’s scrapping of FRC Simeon Ogoegbulem ABUJA

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he Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) has faulted the Federal Government’s decision to scrap the Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC), describing the move as a “step in the wrong direction.”

Government recently announced the scrapping of FRC, transferring its functions to the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).

Government has since announcing the decision to scrap FRC in the white paper on the Orosanye Committee Report, been receiving flaks from stakeholders.

CSJ regretted that government has the penchant to emulate best practices from other jurisdictions without but lacks the political will to make such institutions functional as obtained in other climes.

Citing India, Mexico and Brazil as countries with similar institutions as FRC, the centre noted that while the institutions in other countries are insulated from political interference to enable them make sound fiscal judg-

ments, it has not been the case with Nigeria’s FRC. The centre which campaigned vigorously for the setting up of institutions that will champion fiscal good governance in the country noted that “scrapping FRC and transferring its functions to another agency that has a primary political function not centered on fiscal governance will defeat the aims and objectives of the fiscal responsibility Act.” According to CSJ, the scrapping of FRC will “leave the FRA without a sound body to oversee its implementation on a day to day basis.”

The centre further noted that FRC has done well even in the face of meager budgetary allocations as it has since its establishment with a cumulative budget of about N3.735 billion been able to compel government ministries, agencies and departments to pay their operating surplus of N219.289 billion.

The CSJ further wondered why government was quick to accept the recommendation of the Orosanye report on FRC while keeping quiet on part of the report which recommended the immediate scrapping of over 50 government agencies established without any legal backing.

34 BUSINESS | CAPITAL MARKET

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Infrastructure devt germane to capital market growth Chris Ugwu

I

nvestment in infrastructure services such as transportation (roads), electricity and water are intermediate inputs to production, this is because infrastructure services tend to raise productivity of other factors as it is often described as the “unpaid factor of production.”

In every clime, infrastructure contributes to economic development by increasing productivity and providing amenities which enhance the quality of life. The services generated as a result of an adequate infrastructure base will translate to an increase in aggregate output.

Although, the Nigerian Capital market has suffered monumental losses due to sustainable decline in stock prices that resulted in huge decline in investment value occasioned by the financial crisis, the country’s huge deficit in power, housing, roads, healthcare and port services, among others, have contributed, to a large extent, in retarding the overall growth and development of the sector which is central to capital formation.

Despite the recent rebasing, Nigeria remained significantly underdeveloped in terms of basic infrastructure and faces very high income inequality.

Importance of infrastructure The availability of infrastructure facilities is very critical to the economic, industrial, technological and social development of any country. It is in acknowledgement of this fact that governments would seek to develop infrastructure such as housing, rail, roads, energy, health facilities and telecommunication, among others. Infrastructure is specifically important to improving living standards of citizens, promoting private sector development, country’s business perceptions and competitiveness.

Infrastructure is important in attaining a functional economy. Reliance on government revenues such as taxes and grants are never sufficient to fund these infrastructural developments. Increase in taxes is a disincentive which places more burdens on the citizens and can cripple an economy.

Therefore, rather than relying strictly on internally generated revenue, governments can float bonds at intervals for specific developmental projects.

All tiers of government, their agencies and corporate organisations have opportunities to finance their infrastructural projects through the issuance of bond instrument.

Different shades of bonds can be structured to suit the project peculiarities, investor’s expectations, concerns and issuers requirements. Thus, there is Federal Government (sovereign) Bonds, Government Agency Bonds, State/Local Government (sub-national) Bonds and Corporate Bonds.

Role of capital market There is no gainsaying that capital market is a critical pillar to long term fund mobilisation needed for capital formation to fast-track economic growth and development.

According to the Director General Securities and Exchange Commission, Ms. Arunma Otteh, the short term funding profile of the money market makes it unsuitable for project infrastructure investment hence the capital market which creates an enabling environment for the generation of long-term financing and active private sector participation in infrastructure development.

In addition, the capital market provides variety of financing instruments and investor categories which could lead to larger pool of funds than other financing options.

She noted that the capital market was the market for securities, where companies and governments can raise long term funds. The main function of the capital market is to channel investments from the investors who have surplus funds to the investors who have deficit funds.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Mr. Oscar Onyema, said early this year that the outlook for the Nigerian economy remains promising with the likelihood of higher growth, lower inflation and wealth accumulation.

The projected expansion of Nigeria’s economy con-

Oscar Onyema

Aruma Oteh

tinues to be driven by the non-oil sector (agriculture in particular) and should increasingly be impacted by the newly reformed power sector.

On the brighter side, Onyema said that inflation is expected to remain in the single-digits and the full effects of government - and the CBN-led reforms in the real sector should make a positive impact in 2014.

According to him, there was further need to push for

Infrastructure is important in attaining a functional economy.

Reliance on government revenues such as taxes and grants are never sufficient to fund these infrastructural developments.

Increase in taxes is a disincentive which places more burdens on the citizens and can cripple an economy

reforms that target education, poverty, financial inclusion, capital market development and diversification, if growth is to be realised and sustained.

“Projections for the Nigerian capital market are largely positive for the coming year despite our concerns about Nigeria’s political, currency and interest rate risks. We expect Nigeria to be a key beneficiary of the MSCI 2013 annual market classification review, which will see Qatar and UAE (together accounting for 30 per cent), transition from the MSCI Frontier Markets Index to the MSCI Emerging Markets Index.

Cautiously, we will watch for the effects as Nigeria’s weight in the MSCI Frontier Markets Index shifts from the current 13.8 per cent to 19.7 per cent, making it the second largest market in the index,” he said.

On the flipside, Onyema said that emerging markets were more vulnerable to market sentiment than they were five to 10 years ago and Nigeria is not immune to the negative implications of higher yields, globally.

He noted that the decision by the US Federal Reserve to start cutting its monthly bond purchases, initially to $75 billion from $85 billion, is expected to have a residual effect on the Nigerian equity, bond and currency markets later in 2014, affecting foreign portfolio investment (FPI) and the strength of the naira against the dollar.

He said that a strong banking sector could help in developing the country’s infrastructure through the capital market.

He emphasised the need to effectively utilise the capital market, adding that it was the easiest way for the nation to develop.

He said: “The capital market gives opportunity for funding development and growth through tradable securities, determination of prices of tradable securities, facilitation of buyer and seller interaction, mechanism for issuers and investors to convert securities to cash, risks borne by those willing to bear them and vehicle for generating wealth.”

Operators’ perception Meanwhile, against the backdrop of the comatose state of the industry, market watchers have agreed that the growth of investment business in any nation largely depends on economic development, calling on government to intensify efforts on infrastructural development to enhance citizens’ standard of living.

According to the chairman, Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria, Mr. Boniface Okezie, “unless government begins to tackle the problem of infrastructure, we cannot expect a meaningful growth in the Nigerian capital market and the economy at large.”

Okezie noted that when adequate infrastructure are put in place, the economy would grow, quoted companies would record improved performance, declare profit which would impact positively on the market.

He said: “For the capital market to move forward, the drivers of the economy must put things right. If you do not develop infrastructure, you can not anticipate growth in the economy and this is having a multiplier effect on the market.

According to the Managing Director Crane Securities Limited, Mr. Mike Eze, “when the economy is growing, all other sectors will grow simultaneously, this probably accounts for the slow pace of growth in stock market. It is because the economy is not growing.

It is the function of the growth in the economy that would determine what should be the living wage, how are people being paid, and what level of disposable income they have, from which they can invest on stocks.

“So, we are joining stakeholders like Manufacturers Association Nigeria (MAN), financial services sector, real sector and others to impress on government that it is high time something drastic is done in the development of infrastructure that would propel the growth of our economy.

“More importantly, I am an advocate of improved lifestyle for the working populace of this nation where people could be seen to be earning a living wage that would leave enough disposable income for them to buy insurance.

“When more people are employed, the demand for goods and services would increase. The belief is that Nigeria is one of the countries where people are poorly paid. Look at the extent we went on the minimum wage which translates to N600 a day. What can anyone do with that amount of money?”

BUSINESS | BRANDS & MARKETING 35

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Stakeholders await Etisalat, BAT creative, PR pitches DELAY Results are still being awaited months after Etisalat and BAT creative and public relations pitches were conducted.

M

onths after, stakeholders are still waiting for the outcome of both creative and public relations pitches conducted by Etisalat Nigeria and the British American Tobacco (BAT) Nigeria respectively.

For the Etisalat advertising pitch, said to be worth N4 billion, Insight Communications, 141 Worldwide, X3M Ideas and Noah’s Ark, among others, took part in the pitch while Mediacraft & Associates and others went after the BAT Nigeria PR business.

Findings at the weekend showed that concerned members of the agencies are now worried over the delay in announcing the outcome of the pitches.

A source close to the BAT PR business, for instance, said that there was no news yet on the pitch.

Efforts to speak with BAT

spokesperson, Soromidayo George, did not yield any positive results as at press time as she did not respond to text message enquiries.

Until recently, the BAT PR business was with The Quadrant Company for seven years.

As it were, with growing condemnation against activities of tobacco companies, “the company (BAT) may be buying time to get a suitable agency that will face the challenge headlong.”

For the Etisalat advertising pitch result, it may go down in history as the most-delayed.

Participants at the pitch held

before August last year, are already losing sleeps.

Though, no official reason for the delay was obtained by New Telegraph, it was discovered that “high level intrigues, especially among those in the marketing and corporate affairs departments” of the network might, to some extent, be responsible for the delay.

Only recently, the media was awashed with the sacking of about 2,000 staff of the teleco.

The report said that the telecom operator sought to hire ad-hoc staff to run the operations of the company to save cost.

Goldberg kicks off Fuji t’o bam campaign TALENT Goldberg beers bond with drinkers in another activation. music platform of GoldTbleshe berg lager beer, from the staof Nigerian Breweries Plc,

Fuji T’o Bam, kicks off today.

This is coming on the heels of the successful maiden edition of the activation, which took place last year across five major cities in the South West.

Fuji t’o bam is a music activation focused on traditional Fuji music. This year’s competition will see the winning band go home with N750,000 cash prize.

The competition will take place across six locations within the South West geopolitical zone. Auditions will hold in Ilesha, Ibadan, Oshogbo, AdoEkiti, Akure and Akungba/ Ikare. The quarterfinal is scheduled for Ilesha while the semi-finals will take place in Akure with the grand finale holding in Ibadan.

A statement from the company said: “Fuji t’o bam aims to provide a platform for Goldberg to connect with its consumers and also give talented Fuji music singers/bands the opportunity to showcase their talent and be rewarded. “Goldberg is a quality lager beer that celebrates consumers and their traditional values. Fuji music enjoys huge followership which has led the brand to provide the Fuji t’o bam platform to further engage and connect with our consumers.”

Highlighting the modalities for the competition, the statement said that interested singers/bands are expected to register at audition centers closest to them and participate in the selection process.

Competing bands will have about seven minutes each on stage to impress the judges at the auditions.

L-R: Chief Executive Officer, Ofada Boy Incorporation, Tobi Fletcher, Partners, Ogunupebi Feyisayo and Akinlade Temitayo at the opening of Soup Lounge, a subsidiary of Ofada Boy Incorporation in Lagos.

LG Electronics launches ‘Power Cut Evercool' refrigerators NEW LG Electronics launches first of its kind refrigerators.

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lobal frontrunner in consumer electronics and home appliances, LG Electronics, has launched its new premium range of refrigerators with patented Power Cut Evercool technology into the Nigerian market.

The event, which held at LG showroom in Lekki was aimed at meeting the needs of Nigerian consumers suffering from long power cuts who feel the need to have fresher foods for healthy daily life.

LG Evercool refrigerator retains freshness and keeps food and vegetables fresh for seven hours. Evercool refrigerator is a Triple cooling system with three evaporators.

The main evaporator works with power and the two other evaporators work without power. During power cut, com-

pressor stops compressing refrigerant and instead the two evaporators on the sides take over to keep circulating air cool. This circulation enables longest cooling even in fridge for seven hours, based on third party test by Intertek.

Announcing the launch of the new range of refrigerators, General Manager, Home Appliances division, LG Electronics West Africa operations, Mr. Hyunwoo Jung, said: “LG Evercool refrigerator has come to solve the problem faced by households as a result of the constant power outage that is the reality in Nigeria today. This unique LG patented technology offers cooling retention up to seven hours in the refrigerator and 10 hours in the freezer portion to keep food fresh and healthy.

“We manufacture products that fit the needs of Nigerian consumers and this launch is another benchmark innovation based on customer’s insights. Over one billion tons of food is wasted annually in Africa due to poor storage facilities and limited cold storage.

Owing to the fact that it can optimise and keep temperature lower than 20C to 100C for seven hours in fridge section and -180C to -90C in freezer during power cut, LG Evercool refrigerator is capable of saving users money as it reduces food wastage,” he added.

Also speaking at the occasion, Managing Director, Fouani Nigeria Limited, Mr. Mohammed Fouani, said: “LG Evercool refrigerator retains freshness in the refrigerator section, keeping food and vegetables cool for up to seven hours even during long power cuts. It comes with Tower LED, multi air flow, convertible box for optimal temperature from -10C to 40C which is being controlled by exclusive cold air duct for a suitable condition for food. In addition to these, there is also a moist balance crisper box which controls the humidity level in the box in order for the vegetables and fruits to stay fresh for a long time. It also sports a high gloss finish creating an opulent glow that accentuates the décor of the consumers’ living space.”

New QSR, Soup Lounge opens in Lagos new Quick Service RestauAopened rant (QSR), Soup Lounge, has its outlet in Lagos.

Soup Lounge is a subsidiary of Ofada Boy Incorporation.

The new outlet, according to the Chief Executive Officer, Ofada Boy Food Incorporation, Tobi Fletcher, would enable consumers to relish the delicious goodness of a wide array of Nigerian indigenous soup.

“In view of the fast-paced business environment and the ever changing life style evident today, Nigerians have resorted to patronising fast food restaurants which offer quick fixes for consumers across the country.

Hence, Soup Lounge is poised to re-awaken the availability of Nigerian soup variety to the working class and other lovers of Nigerian indigenous soup delicacies such as Efo riro, Edikaikong, Gbegiri, Ofensala and others,” the CEO said.

He affirmed that Soup Lounge would rekindle the love for Nigerian dishes which has been eroded with meals that are alien to early Nigerian society.

“Ofada Boy is a local content food company which provides local meals from all areas of Nigeria. Also, Soup Lounge is a one-stop soup shop. We provide any type of soup from any part of Nigeria. We have client that we supply all kinds of variety of soup dish. Also, our palm wine is served in the Yoruba keregbe format because we are trying to reactivate golden age when our fore-fathers drank from locally made calabash. We do not serve carbonated drinks and pasties, but fresh and juicy edibles.”

Samsung calls for global advertising, media review

Electronics has isStionamsung sued a request-for-informaas it readies a global agency

review, according to people familiar with the matter.

The requests were sent out for media, creative and digital work in multiple countries.

The RFIs are being distributed at the holding-company level.

Starcom MediaVest Group, a unit of Publicis, supports the bulk of Samsung's global media business. The company's creative partners include Publicis' Leo Burnett, MDC's 72andSunny, Cheil and Cheil-owned McKinney. Interpublic's RGA won a large portion of Samsung's U.S. digital business last summer.

Agencies mentioned either declined to comment or did not immediately reply to requests for comment.

Samsung has become a massive advertiser on a global level.

According to Ad Age DataCenter's Marketer Trees 2013 database, the company reported worldwide advertising expenses of $4.35 billion in 2012, up 60.3% from ad expenses of $2.71 billion in 2011. In its most recent financial statement, from February, Samsung reported $3.83 billion in advertising spending in 2013.

Additionally, the conglomerate listed $7.38 billion in sales promotion, up 37% from 2012.

36 BUSINESS | BRANDS & MARKETING

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Out-Home-Media spends hit N28.7bn –Report BUDGET Total expenditures in the country’s Out-of-Home (OOH) media hit N28.75 billion in 2013.

Dele Alao

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MKG has said media spend in Nigeria for 2013 on Out-Home-Media (OOH) was N28.75 billion with the telecom category, long reputed for its big bud-

get, topping ad spend on the medium, followed by the beer, malt, carbonated soft drinks and skin care categories.

Total category expenditure for the telecom brands was in excess of eight billion naira.

TMKG said this in its 2013 report of Nigeria’s OOH media landscape with data, trends and figures on spend by different product categories, brands, media formats, cities, regions and media owners.

The report captioned ‘Outsight!’ is the product of a rigorous audit of the entire Nigerian OOH landscape covering over 150 cities/towns.

According to the Chief Executive Officer, TMKG, Dan Oshodin, “the report follows our comprehensive census of all displays in the country, numbering over 10,000, excluding indoor panels but covering over 50 OOH formats on road side, rooftops, walls and at the airports, including 120 product categories and 600 brands.”

Among the brands in the Nigerian market, the telecom sector also dominated investment on OOH with MTN emerging the biggest spender. The top five brands also included Glo, Etisalat, Airtel and Guinness Stout.

The report showed a very significant growth in the industry’s investment on electronic and digital displays as many media owners opt for conversion of formerly static sites to electric powered dynamic panels especially in major urban markets of Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Ibadan.

In terms of spend by market, Lagos, the country’s commercial nerve centre, remains the city of choice for outdoor media investment, accounting for more than the investment in all other cities put together.

Lagos along with Ibadan (in

the south west of the country), Abuja (the nation’s political capital), Port Harcourt (the oil rich city by the coastal south) and Aba (the market city in the east) were reported as the top five cities with the most number of outdoor media displays.

With over 120 media owners operating in the sector, New Crystal Communications, Invent Media, Marketing+Media, Optimum Exposures and Rocana are among the top media owners by revenue while there appears to be a glut in the market with almost a quarter of total panels in the audit remaining vacant or unsold.

Reckitt Benckiser leverages on World Malaria Day PLATFORM Reckitt Benckiser restated its commitment to innovative solutions for the consumers. on the platform of Randiding World Malaria Day (WMD) as part of its global mis-

sion and vision of building healthier lives and happier homes, a prominent player in health, home and hygiene brands, Reckitt Benckiser, has restated its commitment to continue to create innovative solutions for the consumers in Nigeria and around the world.

Marketing Director, West Africa, Reckitt Benckiser, Mr. Oguzhan Silivrili, who gave this assurance in Lagos while speaking at a community engagement to commemorate this year’s World Malaria Day, said that in demonstration of the company’s commitment to innovation and consumer satisfaction, its insecticide brand, Mortein, was collaborating in the global fight against malaria.

He said: “The vision and mission of RB (Reckitt Benckiser) globally is actually providing consumers healthier lives and happier homes. That is our vision, and that is why we wake up every day, and go to the office to create innovative solutions for the consumers.

To achieve that vision, we see that malaria is a serious threat to the health of the consumers and that is why we are taking it very seriously and partnering with government to fight against it.”

Silivrili added that the launch of Mortein anti-malaria campaign in Nigeria and some other African countries, two years ago, was also part of the company’s leadership in innovation and responsible corporate citizenship.

During the community engagement, held at Tego Barracks open field, Marine Beach, Apapa, Lagos, hundreds of residents trooped out for malaria screening exercise conducted in partnership with the Lagos State Ministry of Health.

Also as part of the World

Malaria Day, Mortein presented certificates and baby gift items to some new babies at the General Hospital, AjeromiIfelodun and Primary Health Centre, Ijora.

Among the beneficiaries were Mrs. Gift Odia and her baby boy and Mrs. Kafayat Tajudeen and her newborn girl. The children were picked for being born on April 25, the day set aside globally to commemorate the World Malaria Day. Residents at the interactive community engagement also received free cans of Mortein and insecticide treated nets while Silivrili, in a goodwill message, assured Nigerians of Mortein’s unshaken commitment to the fight against malaria in Nigeria.

To this end, he informed that in furtherance of the campaign against Malaria, around 500,000 new mothers in Nigeria as well as children would be engaged through series of awareness and education programmes that would help them to be free from the disease this year.

While revealing that the intervention became necessary due to the alarming death rate among children under the age of five and pregnant women as a result of malaria, Silivrili said that Malaria has become a global health concern as millions of deaths are reported to occur annually due to malaria while in Africa alone, over 3,000 children are said to die daily from malaria.

“As I speak to you, millions of people are suffering from malaria all over the world and 3,000 kids in Africa reportedly die daily from malaria,” he said.

Giving the scorecard of the Mortein anti-malaria campaign, Silivrili said: “We began the anti-malaria campaign two years ago and we have made significant progress, and now we are taking it to the next level this year. So, we are going to 500,000 new moms to educate them because our idea is not just giving the fish, but also educating the people how to fish.”

Silivrili added that combating malaria require a collective action both by government and the private sector.

L-R: Marketing Director, West Africa, Reckitt Benckiser, Oguzhan Silivrili; Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Modele Osunkiyesi; Chairman, Apapa Local Government Area, Ayodeji Joseph and a representative of Arewa Youth Foundation, Umaru Yaro, during the Mortein-sponsored World Malaria Day 2014 held at Tego Barracks open field in Apapa, Lagos.

Malta Guinness partners Pamodzi for Okpekpe road race SPONSORSHIP No fewer than 3000 athletes are expected at the 10-kilometre Okpekpe Road Race in Edo State

F

or the second year running and in a bid to promote healthy living as well as providing a productive platform for Nigeria’s vast youth population, Malta Guinness has finalised plans to participate in the 10-kilometre Okpekpe Road Race in Edo State, with over 3000 athletes and other participants.

The race holds on Saturday May 3, 2014.

With this extended partnership with rights owner of the race, Pamodzi Sports Marketing, Malta Guinness Low Sugar has now become the official Malt drink for the 10-Kilometre competition.

Explaining reasons behind the partnership, Marketing Director, Guinness Nigeria, Austin Ufomba, said that it was in line with the company’s brand purpose, which promotes healthy living and wellbeing of Nigerians as they achieve their dreams of participating in the race.

He said: “We see the Okpekpe Road Race as an ideal

platform to touch the lives of host communities.

Nigeria’s vast youth popula“The management of tion as well as a way to affect Pamodzi is delighted with the the lives of the host communi- extension of the partnership ties of the race. Of course we by Malta Guinness Low Sugar. all know that Malta Guinness The continued partnership is Low sugar promotes healthy bound to impact the hosting of living. We feel that Malta the race year in year out, and Guinness Low Sugar, as the of- will also help to meet some of ficial Malt drink for our boys the objectives of the race inthrough this tournament, will cluding helping the host comcontinue to reinforce its sup- munities. This is the first race port for healthy lifestyle. in Nigeria that takes partici“Malta Guinness Low Sugar pants across the beautiful hills is all about giving the energy in Auchi,” Itamagbor said. that every Nigerian needs to Cash prizes await male and achieve their dreams as well female participants, with $25, as staying fit and healthy. This 000 (about four million naira) is why we have partnered with for the first place winner in Pamodzi. This partnership the male category and $15,000 with Okpekpe Road Race is (over two million naira) for the all about working together to, first woman who reaches the among other things, propel finish line. the growth of road race in the country as well as offer the youths of this country a constructive endeavour to channel their energies,” he added.

On his part, Chief Executive Officer of Pamodzi Sports Marketing, Mr. Mike Itamagbor, expressed delight in the partnership extension.

He stated that the alliance would go a long way in helping his company to achieve the objectives of the race which include ploughing part of the revenues from hosting the race into charitable works in the Seni Adetu, MD, Guinness Nigeria Plc

37

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Idle ships anchored at Lagos wharf

Nigerian shippers and their counterparts in African and Asian countries under the aegis of Global Shippers’ Forum (GSF) have embarked on a new global campaign to tackle the imposition of arbitrary shipping surcharges imposed on them by shipping lines, terminal operators and agents. BAYO AKOMOLAFE reports

T

he problem of unsubstantiated charges and surcharges imposed on consignors and shippers without bargaining power in Africa, Asia and South America has been a concern for shippers for many years.

Miffed by this anti trade practice, shippers have said it would no longer be business as usual.

Already, they have passed a resolution at their annual meeting in Los Angeles to address the issue.

In the past few years, it was revealed that some ocean shipping lines, freight forwarding agencies and others that have indulged in antitrust behaviour, have formed cartels to cheat clients despite the obvious consequences.

In Nigeria, the bid to eradicate arbitrary charges at the ports has been an age-long battle among importers, terminal operators and shipping lines.

There has been a deluge of complaints over the incessant harassment of importers and exporters due to increase in port charges.

Terminal operators and shipping companies, have been accused of introducing several unofficial charges without due consultation with other stakeholders.

The Nigerian Shippers Council in 2010 published a list of some 40 unapproved port charges.

The Executive Secretary of the Council, Mr. Hassan Bello stressed the need for stakeholders to support government policies and the need to promote the port business. Already, the Federal Government has decided to introduce uniform charges and rates at the seaports.

Nigerian shippers, others move to stop illegal surcharges Arbitrary charges Some of the arbitrary surcharges in the country include terminal handling charges, container deposit, container clearing, shipping company charges, demurrage charges and cost-on-turnover. Also included are transfer documentation charges, transfer charges, rent charges, equipment charges, manifest amendment charges and tally clerk charges.

Consequently, importers and exporters in Ghana have made some moves to oppose these charges by dragging shipping lines, their agents, and other players at the Tema and Takoradi ports to court.

In Ghana, it was revealed that illegal charges are being imposed on container cleaning, reefer monitoring, first release, indemnity release charge, evacuation, container maintenance, bill of lading and amendment fees illegally imposed on the importers and exporters.

According to a report by Handy Shipping Guide, shippers want to introduce new shipping regulations and laws to prevent local anti-competitive practices.

The report revealed widespread malpractices, which include imposing non-negotiated charges on consignors and shippers for a range of local charges over which the consignor or shipper has no control or influence in their freight rate negotiations with the shipping line, terminal operator, shipping agent, or third party logistics provider.

The report added: “Shippers gener-

Shippers’ organisations in the region have identified that the additional cost to trade from these anticompetitive practices was in billions of dollars

Umar

ally are not party to the contracts in which these fees are set, yet they have no choice but to pay the fees if they want their cargo to be transported.

Shippers’ perspective Addressing the GSF annual meeting at Los Angelis, Mr Sean Van Dort, vice chairman of the Sri Lankan Shippers’ Council said:“We are already seeing the benefits of new laws in Sri Lanka that specify that all charges for shipping containerised cargo must be quoted so as to cover the entire cost of the carriage of goods from origin to destination or agreed delivery point.

The provision of so-called ‘all in inclusive freight charges’ to be paid by the shipper, including all local add-on charges and surcharges, has resulted in dramatic reductions in the doorto-door freight costs, reductions that benefit both the seller and buyer of the goods.

“In just one real-life case study we have achieved a saving of $1,950 on one forty foot equivalent unit representing a staggering 31% reduction in logistics surcharges and multiple

charges on the bills of lading since the new Sri Lankan regulations came into force on 6 January 2014. They will take effect from April 30 2014 for existing contracts. These new arrangements have increased earnings on sales and the competitiveness of our products in world markets.

“The new arrangements do require close collaboration and cooperation between buyers and sellers, and in particular there will need to be a change in business practices including using the new and more appropriate Incoterm for containerised cargo shipments such as ‘Free Carrier named place’ (FCA).

In a study undertaken in West and Central Africa by GSF member Union of African Shippers’ Councils, shippers’ organisations in the region have identified that the additional cost to trade from these anti-competitive practices was in billions of dollars.

The UASC estimates that the cost to the economies of Ghana, Cameroun and Nigeria alone to be in the region of 437 million euros per annum.

The Secretary General of the Union of African Shippers’ Council Mr Adamou Saley Abdourahamane said: “These unsubstantiated and unjustified local charges and carrier surcharges not only increase the cost of doing business in Africa, but impose unacceptable burdens on the economies of West and Central Africa whose goods and commodities often struggle to compete in the modern global economy.

“Shippers in Africa, Asia and South America have now called time on these unacceptable shipping practices, which long ago disappeared in European, North American and liner shipping trades in other more developed economies. As part of a coordinated global campaign, the GSF will take the matter up with the main political, United Nations and other international agencies such as the African Union, United Nations on Conference Trade And Development, World Trade Organisation, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

38 BUSINESS | MARITIME PIRACY Three blocs of African countries and the United States have agreed to coordinate efforts to fight piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.

U

nited States-Africa Command and some African countries have agreed to create a regional coordination center for maritime safety and also to arm it to face growing insecurity on the Gulf of Guinea.

The resolution taken at a meeting in Yaounde, involved senior military officers from the Economic Community of West African States, the Economic Community of Central African States, and the Gulf of Guinea commission.

Armed gangs in the Gulf of Guinea have attacked 40 vessels this year, according to senior officials of the US military's Africa Command.

The epicenter of West African piracy is Nigeria, with 12 attacks and multiple kidnappings this year.

According to Chief of the Air and Maritime Programme of the US Africa Command, Philip Hey, organized piracy was increasing because West African countries had not make maritime safety a prior-

US, African countries unite to tackle piracy ity.

He said: "The criminals are winning. Criminals act with impunity on African waters.

"They fish illegally, they move illegal drugs, arms, weapons, they attack ships and that has a very negative impact on trade for Africa and for economic development for Africa."

An economist at the University of Yaounde, Fondo Sikot, said trade and movements have been seriously hampered by pirate activities. He gave the example of Nigeria, which produces 2 million barrels of oil per day, but where oil tankers going abroad face the constant threat of hijacking and theft.

He said: "If the countries do not do something to stop that, it will be so difficult to ship or import anything and without the ships being able to move freely, because they are afraid of pirates, you can imagine what it means for the economy, especially small economies like ours that depend a lot on that (maritime trade).

Hey stressed that the cur-

Customs generate N2.1b at Seme Border in Q1 igeria Customs Service, "The seized narcotics were Ngenerated Seme Area Command has handed over to operatives of N2.13 billion rev- the National Drug Law Enenue in the first quarter of 2014.

This is contained in a statement signed by its spokesman, Mr Ernest Olottah, and made available to newsmen in Badagry, Lagos State.

He said the N2.1 billion generated was an improvement on the N1.8 billion make within the same period in 2013.

According to him, most of the revenue was generated from customs duty payment on imported motor vehicles.

He said that the command made 252 seizures valued at N140 million during the period.

"The seizures include motor vehicles, rice, frozen poultry products, vegetable oil, bales of secondhand clothing, narcotics, and cartons of soap, among others.

forcement Agency (NDLEA) for investigation and possible prosecution of suspects," he stated.

He assured that the command would continue to fight smuggling and facilitate legitimate trade.

Olotta stressed that within same period, the command handed over seized artifacts worth $16,870 to the National Council for Museums and Monuments.

He noted that the Area Comptroller of the command had ordered the presence of the command's officers at their duty posts during the Easter period.

He said that the action was to forestall attempts by smugglers who would like to take advantage of the holiday to perpetrate illegalities.

Firm launches express service for W’ African ports SERVICE Container shipping line introduces Africa Express for West African ports he world’s second largest TMediterranean container shipping group, Shipping Company (MSC) is to commence a dedicated service between Tincan Port in Lagos and other ports in West Africa and Asia.

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Christened ‘Africa Express’, the move is to reduce transit times for existing cargo volumes, which currently transship through the Mediterranean.

In its first service, the company’s vessel will sail from Nansha and arrive at Tin Can Island, Lagos in 28 days from Chiwan and 23 days from Singapore with a call at Port Louis when en route to West Africa.

The company explained that the nominal capacity would be 10 ships of 4,000 Twenty Equivalent Units (TEUs).

rent situation was causing harm to the economies of both Africa and developed countries.

"The US is interested in keeping trade going. Cameroon is interested in keeping trade going and that is why we use that expression 'no shipping, no shopping, he noted.

Cameroon Defense Minister Edgard Alain Mebe Ngo said his country already had the facilities to host the center. "It will be an institution to determine all operational and practical strategies against maritime insecurity."

The Gulf of Guinea Commission says countries on the

Gulf supply around 40 per cent of Europe's oil and 29 per cent of petroleum products to the United States. It said without better maritime security, the region could become another Gulf of Aden, where Somali pirates ran wild for several years before international naval patrols shut them down.

L-R: The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Transport, Engr. Nebolisa Emordi and Chairman of the board of Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Lt. Gen. Salisu Ibrahim at the stakeholders breakfast meeting organised by the NSC in Lagos.

Global shipping fleet exposed to hacking threat –Report O

il tankers and container vessels are being exposed to hackers as 90 per cent of goods moved around the planet.

It was revealed that more devices are hooked up online, making it easy to become more vulnerable to attack.

According to a study by security company, Rapid7, industries like maritime and energy connect ships, containers and rigs to computer networks, they expose weaknesses that hackers can exploit.

The study found more than 100,000 devices was connected to the Internet using serial ports with poor security.

"The lines get blurry, and all industries and all technologies need to focus more on security," said Mark Schloesser, one of the authors of the study.

It estimated that globally, cyber attacks against oil and gas infrastructure will cost energy companies close to $1.9 billion by 2018. The British government reckons cyber attacks already cost UK oil and gas companies around 400 million pounds ($672 million) a year.

It was learnt that hackers recently shut down a floating oil rig by tilting it, while another rig was so riddled with computer malware that it took

19 days to make it seaworthy again. Somali pirates help choose their targets by viewing navigational data online, prompting ships to either turn off their navigational devices, or fake the data so it looks like they're somewhere else; and hackers infiltrated computers connected to the Belgian port of Antwerp, located specific containers, made off with their smuggled drugs and deleted the records.

While data on the extent of the maritime industry's exposure to cyber crime is hard to come by, a study of the related energy sector by insurance brokers Willis this month found that the industry "may be sitting on an uninsured time bomb."

In the maritime industry, the number of known cases is low as attacks often remain invisible to the company, or businesses don't want to report them for fear of alarming investors, regulators or insurers, security experts said.

There are few reports that hackers have compromised maritime cyber security. But researchers explained that they have discovered significant holes in the three key technologies sailors use to navigate: GPS, marine Automatic Identification System (AIS),

and a system for viewing digital nautical charts called Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS).

"Increasingly, the maritime domain and energy sector has turned to technology to improve production, cost and reduce delivery schedules," a NATO-accredited thinktank wrote in a recent report.

"These technological changes have opened the door to emerging threats and vulnerabilities as equipment has become accessible to outside entities."

Also, Lars Jensen, founder of CyberKeel, a maritime cyber security firm, said ships often switch off their AIS systems when passing through waters where Somali pirates are known to operate, or fake the data to make it seem they're somewhere else.

Maersk Line, the world's top shipping container group, said it was taking the risk seriously and ensuring that the company is protected against such threats.

The main ship navigation systems - GPS, AIS and ECDIS - are standards supported by bodies such as the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). Indeed, that body has made AIS and ECDIS mandatory on larger commercial and passenger vessels.

BUSINESS | MARITIME

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

In the last three months, trade facilitation in the Nigerian ports has become a problem due to the inability of the Nigerian Customs Service to address the hydra issue in the new Pre-arrival Assessment Report policy, BAYO AKOMOLAFE reports

39

Customs float committee to settle PAAR challenges

M

iffed by the logjam in the cargo clearance procedure and fears about possible congestion at the ports, Nigeria Customs Service(NCS) has set up a committee to tackle the current challenges facing importers and customs agents.

The committee said importers and customs agents whose documents have errors in the bank to come forward and clear their consignments.

Last quarter, there were over 9,000 PAAR documents held up in some commercial banks in Lagos yet to be delivered by the Customs.

To avoid further complication in trade facilitation, the service admitted 114 companies into the Fast Track concession platform created in the enhanced PAAR system.

The beneficiaries are the local manufacturing companies, multinationals, auto mobile companies, telecom operators and super-market retail outlets.

Customs Approval The Comptroller-General of Customs, Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi, explained that the approval was granted in order to encourage compliance among companies in the conduct of international trade in Nigeria.

According to him: “Customs officials have observed that these companies have exhibited high level of diligence in their documentations, honesty in their declarations and integrity in dealing with Customs.

“The list would however, be reviewed periodically, subject to the performance of the importers on the compliance scale.”

Dikko explained that under the Fast Track Scheme, the PAAR system had been configured to accord special recognition to the final documents belonging of the beneficiary

Containers awaiting clearance at Lagos Port, Apapa

companies when they are uploaded by the dealer banks.

“In other words, once the verified documents hit the Customs system, an automatic system check is activated, which on completion generates the PAAR without recourse to the officers of the ruling centre. The declaration is instantly routed to the green lane and the process completed within few minutes. Such importers could, as a result take immediate delivery of their cargo, while Customs would later conduct routine Post Clearance Audit of their books,” he added.

Dikko posited that beneficiary companies would be published in the national dailies to enable Nigerians know those who are doing it right.

Encouragement The customs boss said: “We believe publishing it will challenge those listed not to engage in acts that will compromise their status, while putting pressure on those that are yet to make the list.”

Ships expected this week at the Lagos port Terminal

Ship

GNDL ABTL APMT APMT APMT ENL F/W ENL APMT ENL APMT

Jida Ling Desert Eagle Esperanza N Kota Akbar Kota Gendang Eternity C Sea Progress Pretty Universe Tiger FGS Harburg Westertal

Tonnage Lagos port 75units 58,024 tons 500units 84units 510units 13,493 tons 5,000tons 27,496tons 800units Diplomatic 700 units

cargo Semi trailers Bulk wheat Containers Containers Containers Bulk rice DPK B/Fertilizer Containers Diplomatic Containers

cord showed that there was an improvement in the number of PAARs issued daily.

He added: “Statistics doesn’t lie. When we started, we were doing in the region of 200 and 500 per day. Now, we have done over 1,700 and on March 26, we did 1,900. Our statistics showed that there is an increase in the number of PAARs we are generating.”

The President, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Prince Olayiwola Shittu, said his association was aware of the problems created by PAAR. He said he knew that the Customs had come up with a new platform to tackle the issue.

Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

Dikko, CG of Customs

Meanwhile, there is a pressure on Customs management that it has up till June to get it

right with the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) under, which goods are expected to be cleared in six hours.

Contrary to declaration made the Custom Comptroller General that PAAR would be issued within six hours at a town hall meeting to kick-off the scheme last year, it now takes between three weeks and six weeks to clear consignments.

However, Customs is absolving itself from the crisis, accusing those clamouring for the return of service providers’ that they have something to hide.

Statistics doesn’t lie. When we started, we were doing in the region of 200 and 500 per day. Now, we have done over 1,700 and on March 26, we did 1,900.

Our statistics showed that there is an increase in the number of PAARs we are generating

Accusation Customs spokesman, Mr Wale Adeniyi wondered why the importers who have not utilised thousands of PAARs issued to them between January and March were complaining of not having the documents.

Adeniyi said Customs re-

New Platform He explained: “I know the Comptroller-General of Customs and the Ministry of Finance are working assiduously to clear all the backlog of PAARs. Customs has introduced a new platform to address the challenges but how effective the new platform would be is what I don’t know.”

The Customs Comptroller at the Apapa Area Command, Mr Charles Edike, said that the command would only attend to those who had evidence that they had processed import papers on PAAR from inception to March 15.

Edike said: “They should bring evidence that the PAAR is being processed by the banks.

“We can on the spot, examine the containers and then treat every container on merit.

“We want to actively attend to those containers here and deal with them so that this matter can be resolved once and for all.”

40 POLITICS It is obvious that women are not yet occupying sufficient elective positions in Nigeria. What do you think is responsible for this?

Yes, we don’t have enough women in elective positions in Nigeria, and that is what the women have been clamouring for; that is what we have been agitating for. In the appointive positions, you can say yes a lot of progress has been made.

But in the elective, we are still lagging behind other African countries. And a few issues are responsible which are very apparent: one is the culture; and you will say that all other African countries share common culture with us. But in Nigeria, it is a bit hard changing those norms.

The second issue is the type of government we run. In some of these African countries, their constitution is a little bit relaxed. They have some parliamentarians who are elected and they also have quotas for appointed parliamentarians in their constitution. They even have special quotas for some groups like the physically-challenged, the youth; even in one country, they have quota for the military. These are some of the disparities that give those nations advantage over us in Nigeria. But be that as it may, more focus should be placed on assisting women to more elective positions.

When I say assisting, I don’t mean bend the rule; but I am just saying, give us a level playing ground because politics in Nigeria is very rugged, sometimes very violent, and that discourages many women.

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

I’ve no regrets coming to Senate –Esuene

Senator Helen Esuene represents Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District in the Senate. She is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Women Affairs and Youth Development. In this interview with CHUKWU DAVID in Abuja, she speaks on her governorship ambition in 2015, asserting that she has everything it takes to govern Akwa Ibom well. Esuene also expresses her views on other important national issues including the level of women participation in politics, the on-going National Conference, amongst others. Excerpts: amongst the various ethnic segments in the state both laterally and vertically.

Laterally, the ethnic group; vertically, the age bracket – the elders and the women.

Then, the next is creating job opportunities. I consider it very crucial that people should be encouraged to do something to help themselves. It will bring about a lot of positive reactions, reduction in crime and so on. I will also promote industrialisation and encourage agriculture.

That will be in the front burner of my government.

Having said that election in Nigeria is rugged and sometimes full of violence, why do you want to contest for the governorship of Akwa Ibom State in 2015?

The reason I want to contest for the governorship of Akwa Ibom State is because I am quite familiar with the terrain of that place. I know the place very well and I know the people. I know the strengths and I know the weaknesses in that place. I know the ethnic interplay in that place. And I am very confident that I will be able to build bridges that will usher peaceful co-existence, because whatever the developmental stride the government may make, if you cannot assure people’s co-existence, then it may not be tenable. And when there is peaceful co-existence and people are happy, that is when they will give you their best in terms of contribution, attitude, cooperation and in everything. So, I feel I am the right person for the job.

Godfatherism is still a major factor in Nigerian politics. Is your state governor, Godswill Akpabio your godfather? If not, how are you going to contend with other forces in your state?

Godfatherism is still there but you know that politics is very dynamic. What you see in the morning is not eventually what you see in the evening; it is very dynamic. However, I have very healthy relationship with my governor.

Has he given you the go ahead so that you can enjoy his full support in the race?

Yes, he has given me the go ahead. I discussed with him. Even if he is not carrying me along right now, it is not an issue because as I said, politics is dynamic.

What happens today doesn’t necessarily mean that it will remain so tomorrow.

What is actually your attraction to Akwa Ibom Government House; why don’t you aspire to return to the Senate and entrench yourself in the art of legislation?

When I was campaigning for the Senate, in my senatorial district, the unwritten agreement among the people of my district is that each federal constituency that occupies the senatorial seat should go for two terms and then it will move to the next federal constituency. You know when Senator Udo Udoma was there, he was representing Ikot Abasi federal constituency and he was there for two terms. Thereafter, Mrs Ekaette came on board. And she represented Eket federal constituency. I am from Eket federal con-

Esuene

We all know that during the military interregnum there was no National Assembly. So, people are not used to having the National Assembly as part of the government.

Therefore, you are bound to have these slight misunderstandings stituency as well. So, by next year Eket federal constituency would have done two terms. And it is supposed to move to the third federal constituency which is Oron. And when I was going to contest, it was a deep pushing during my campaign. And the issue was, since you are going for the first time, are you sure that you will not want to go back? That was the fear they had. And I gave them my word that I would do one term and leave. So, I wouldn’t want to go back from my word.

You are from the Eket axis, how are you going to convince the Ibibios to give you their

votes in view of the inherent rivalry between the two ethnic groups?

You seem to be very conversant with the ethnic politics there. Well, the men are rugged and all what not. But it is not about physical ruggedness. I believe in one doing ones home work very well and understanding the terrain and doing the needful. You have to do proper marketing that this is what you are going to do, this is what you intend to do; it is all about showcasing yourself. Democracy has come some distance. People do not want to venture into an area that they do not really know. What I mean is that people are more confident in the people they know, they have tested, they have known their track record in various areas. I feel this will speak strongly for me.

And for the Ibibio aspect, I am Ibibio by birth. I am married in Eket. So, that should give the Ibibios comfort because yes you are married somewhere else, but you are also their daughter. So, this gives me an advantage too.

What will be your agenda for the people of Akwa Ibom if and when you are elected to govern the state?

My first agenda will be creating unity

Since you came to the Senate, how have you impacted on your constituents?

Even before my elective position, I have impacted on the lives of my people very well for many years. Before I came into politics, I enjoy a lot of goodwill within my constituency. They know me, they can speak for me. They know what I can do. And with the positions I have occupied in the last few years, I have impacted on lives. I have been able to do what a representative should do in terms of reaching out to them. I know the issues that are uppermost in their heart.

And one of them is unemployment; creating employment for the youth. And immediately I came on board, I created a job network centre. It is like a one talk shop facility to bring employers of labour and applicants together. It is a database facility which is still on. That facility has enabled many people to get employment.

We even go a step further by organising short interactive sessions, where applicants are taught how to present themselves during interviews.

On the issue of constituency projects, I have carried out many constituency projects. I am going to start commissioning them one after the other; I just commissioned one last month. I am working on another one for next month because I have many constituency projects spanning the whole senatorial district. And mind you, mine is one of the largest senatorial districts in the country, with 12 local governments. But I have been able to do that. I also set up a cooperative for the women to empower them to do certain things for themselves. In a nutshell, that has been my focus.

How would you rate your impact in the Senate; how many bills and motions have you sponsored or co-sponsored since you came on board?

Right now, I have five or six bills; some on gender and some on other important national issues. I have a bill seeking to amend the compulsory Free Universal Basic Education Act. I have the amendment of the Child Rights Act to incorporate certain care of unaccompanied children or abandoned children during strife. We noted that that aspect was missing in the Child Rights Act. And this was seriously emphasised at one of the international conferences. I have a bill on how to preserve and restore the mangrove forest in the country. So far, it is only the upland forest that has been taken care of, but the mangrove is fast depleting. So, I thought it very necessary CONTINUED ON PAGE 44

POLITICS 41

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Exigent issues before Reps wind down

Tambuwal

In less than two months, the House of Representatives will round off activities for the Third Session of the 7th National Assembly. PHILIP NYAM takes a look at the residual issues as the lawmakers inch towards the last legislative year of the 7th National Assembly

T

he House of Representatives resumed plenary yesterday for the last lap of the Third Session of their four year tenure. In fact, in less than two months, the lawmakers would be closing for the end of the legislative year thereby preparing for the last session.

The House, which was inaugurated on June 6, 2011, has gone through a tortuous path beginning with the election of its presiding officers; the probe of the oil subsidy regime as well as the investigation into the allegations of near collapse of the capital market and the attendant bribery allegations. And most recently, the controversial defection of some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers to All Progressives Congress (APC) and the ensuing court cases. These court cases may linger until the end of the year considering the slow nature of the nation’s justice system. These and many more have preoccupied the daily activities of the lower chamber in the past three years.

What are the exigent issues that need to be tackled before the lawmakers embark on their annual recess?

The PIB The Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) is one of the oldest bills in the National Assembly. Its history is synonymous with the current democratic dispensation traversing all the Assemblies till date. At the beginning of the 7th House, the PIB came up again and the leadership not oblivious of the controversy it generated decided to set up a 26-member ad hoc committee to conduct public hearings, collate varied views on the proposed legislation and make appropriate recommendations to the House. Although, the committee headed by the Chief Whip, Hon. Ishaku Mohammed Bawa (PDP,

Okonjo-Iweala

Ihedioha

Taraba) was inaugurated in 2012, the zonal public hearings across the six geopolitical zones held in April 2013.

The zonal public hearings, which held on April 22 and 23, 2013 in the various zones had Ilorin hosting the North-Central public hearing, and Kaduna the North-West, while Gombe hosted the NorthEast. Lagos was the host of the South-West while Port Harcourt the South-South and Enugu played host to the South-East. The final public hearing took place in Abuja shortly after the zonal hearings.

Till today, the report of the ad hoc committee is being expected. Hopefully, the committee may lay the report and it will be debated before the end of the legislative year.

information and invitation to investigative hearing,” the committee said after a detailed analysis of the response provided by the minister, it was discovered that some questions were ignored, misunderstood, partially answered or not answered at all.

In all, the lawmakers said 39 of the 50 questions were not answered satisfactorily. A new request for answers to the 39 questions was forwarded to the minister to be replied not later than the 20th of this month along with an invitation to appear before the committee for a public hearing scheduled to hold from March 3 to 6.

Before the House proceeded on the Easter break, the minister had not made a second attempt at answering the questions. This issue will occupy space when the House resumes and it would have to be sorted out before the House vacates.

Okonjo-Iweala’s 50 questions In December last year, the House Committee on Finance led by Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin (APC, Kano) posed 50 questions on the state of the economy for the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. Although, the minister had addressed the questions early this year, the committee however returned an unsatisfactory verdict on her response and rather reinforced the questions. In a letter addressed to the minister entitled “Re: state of the economy: observations, request for additional

Constitution review The House ad hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) has concluded work on the review of the constitution and it is expected that as soon as the lawmakers reconvene the leadership would constitute a conference committee to meet the Senate for harmonisation.

Deputy Speaker and chairman of the ad hoc committee, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, had given this hint since February. According to Ihedioha, “the House Committee on Constitution Amendment and indeed the entire House of Representatives has carried out its assignment objectively with the interest of the Nigerian people at heart. The House carried out alterations on 71 Sections of the Constitution.

“It has done its best as representatives of the people. Because we operate a bicameral legislature, the House will have to meet with the Senate to harmonise the two versions of the Reports of the two Chambers. To this end, the House will name a Harmonisation Committee as soon as we resume plenary. The harmonised report will be subjected to further legislative action before being forwarded to the 36 States Houses of Assembly for their concurrence,” he disclosed.

If the House and indeed the National Assembly fail to conclude the constitution amendment process before going on

These court cases may linger until the end of the year considering the slow nature of the nation’s justice system. These and many more have preoccupied the daily activities of the lower chamber in the past three years

recess, it may find it difficult to accomplish the task in the current assembly.

The reason being that from September when the House will be reconvening, campaigns for the 2015 elections may be at a boiling point hence making it impossible for members to devote time to this laudable project. In addition, there are some amendments that have to do with the conduct of elections and as such would have to be decided before the general elections.

N10 billion jet probe The much-awaited investigation into the alleged spending of N10 billion on chartered aircraft by the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke is another issue that would have to be completed before the end of the third legislative year.

The House had in March through a resolution directed its Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chaired by Hon. Adeola Solomon Olamilekan (Lagos/APC) to conduct a public hearing on the deal within three weeks following a motion moved by Hon. Babatunde Adejare. However, this investigation has been delayed severally, a development the PAC has attributed to the antics of the minister, the NNPC and other stakeholders bent on frustrating it from carrying out the assignment. The investigation would definitely be done with before the end of the session.

Probe of Service Wide Votes Another critical assignment before the House Public Accounts Committee is the ongoing investigation of the expenditure from the Service Wide Votes between 2010 and 2013. This investigation has been going on since late 2013 and sordid revelations have so far been made. The committee is yet to wind down on this and it may continue until the House adjourns for the long vacation.

Besides these, the House is currently investigating several other areas in different Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). There are also some important bills at various stages of consideration that may have to be dispensed with. It would need to round off such probes before closing for the end of session. All of this would have to be completed in less than two months.

How far the House would go on this, only the quality of commitment from members can decipher.

42 POLITICS BIODUN OYELEYE writes on the no love lost between former governor of Kwara State, Senator Bukola Saraki and his then deputy, Chief Joel Ogundeji over politics in the state

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Saraki, ex-deputy fall apart

F

or Bukola Saraki, the recent attack on his political status by Chief Joel Ogundeji, the man who served as his deputy while he bestrode Kwara State as governor for eight years must have been the deepest cut among the array of attacks by his former friends who have become his foes.

Although he had not spoken personally on the matter, there is little doubt that the former governor, who now chairs the Committee on Environment and Ecology at the Senate, must have felt deeply betrayed by a man who was at his beck and call for eight years. For those familiar with the contemporary political history of the state, the attack by Ogundeji could also be considered as unfair although in politics all is fair.

When the going was good The pairing of Ogundeji, an old man with the young Bukola to lead the government of Kwara State was considered a deft move by the late Waziri of Ilorin, Dr. Olusola Saraki to forestall the possibility of the deputy hijacking the system from the younger boss. This was in the era of several of such upheavals in some states of the federation and it was thought that the elder Saraki had seen far enough to ensure nothing like that took place in his homestead.

And the late Waziri indeed succeeded. For throughout the eight years the pair worked together there was never hint of any disagreement. Indeed, in most of his public and private talks, Ogundeji was known to have always celebrated his boss while the latter was also known to have related with him with a great level of decorum.

A source who was close to the duo claimed that Ogundeji was so trusted by the former governor that he allowed him sign state expenditure without the usual limit and that on many occasions, Bukola almost turned Ogundeji’s personal programme to state functions. “Bukola built a befitting office for him and he had a fleet of cars and deputy governor’s lodge in Abuja whereas others stay in hotels and bring their cars to Abuja,” the source argued.

The former deputy governor had during one of the many valedictory programmes organised to end the Saraki administration commended Saraki for his commitment to a mission of developing the state. Ogundeji said Saraki achieved the mission within the tenure of his administration.

He said: “When you invited me to your residence at Iloffa road (Ilorin), you told me you were coming to develop Kwara State and, true to your words, you have developed the state.

You came to develop Kwara and the state is developing at a fast rate. The state will never forget you, the individuals who work with you will never forget you.”

Ogundeji prayed that: “God will reward you for all those good works you did to move Kwara forward. He will help you to achieve whatever you desire to achieve in future.” At another forum, he recollected how Saraki made him the deputy and acknowledged the former governor as his great benefactor from the day he invited him to his Lagos home and asked for him to be the deputy.

The ‘new’ Ogundeji But all that seems to have become irrelevant given the decision by Sara-

Saraki

ki to dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC). While the decision to join the opposition party took many by surprise given the penchant of many northern politicians to stick with the party at the centre, it was gathered that Ogundeji’s major grouse was the alleged failure of his former boss to carry him along in the process that culminated in the final outcome of the internal struggle in the PDP that led to the formation of the New PDP. Although he had been silent over the matter for a long time, the former deputy governor found an occasion recently in a youth rally organised by the PDP in his local government area to vent his anger. While many said he had the right to choose a platform for his next political career, there were those who expressed concern about his choice of words at the event.

This was how he phrased his decision to the youths, starting with reminiscences of his days in office as deputy to Bukola: “In fact, Kwara State was very good at that time, that makes him to continue from thence to the National Assembly to represent the Kwara Central Senatorial District for more than two years now only to suddenly want to bite the fingers feeding him. I am grateful to God and to the PDP. I cannot leave a party that has done well and so much for us. I cannot be part of ingrates to our mentor party.

“It is only God that mercifully puts

PDP has been good to Kwara in the last 10 years or more now. I do not know what bad thing the PDP had done to Kwara and its people to warrant antagonising the party at this juncture

Ogundeji

one in position and He is the one that ordained Goodluck Jonathan to be the President of Nigeria and de facto leader of the PDP. The lesson I learnt from the act of making Jonathan the President is that whoever God has made the leader or put in position of authority should not only be respected, all others should pay obeisance to him.

“I cannot open my eyes and go whole hog to wage war against President Jonathan for two reasons: First, it is morally wrong to bite the fingers that fed one because PDP has been good to Kwara in the last 10 years or more now. I do not know what bad thing the PDP had done to Kwara and its people to warrant antagonising the party at this juncture.

“We did governance together for eight years and add that to those of them in the National Assembly since 2003 that we have been contesting on the platform of PDP. It makes over 10 years now, but only suddenly waking up not only to leave the party but to pull it down and even destroy it totally.”

Since leaving office in May 2011, the former deputy governor had been silent and avoided any form of controversy. The only instance when his name surfaced was when late last year he dragged five persons, identified as footballers, before an Ilorin Magistrate Court for allegedly defrauding him to the tune of N17 million. But even at that, the incident took place in 2010, when he was still in office and spoke more of his generosity than greed.

According to the police First Information Report (FIR) on the matter, the first accused in the case, Onome Jude Udoma (27) had allegedly approached Ogundeji requesting him to finance his foreign trips and trainings to clubs in Sweden and Turkey to the tune of N17 million and promised to pay back the money.

He is the ingrate, APC fires back As usual, the APC did not allow the matter go without a fight. Prince Yemi Afolayan, Interim Secretary Kwara APC who spoke for the party, lamented that but for Bukola, Ogundeji would have been dropped after their first

term in office. Afolayan, who claimed to have been one of those considered for the post since 2003, described the sudden volt face by the former deputy governor as sad and shocking.

His words: “I am competent to speak on this over 70 year old man because I had known him for well over 40 years. As a result of his ceaseless but unproductive engagements in menial jobs after retirement he had to venture into politics due to the encouragement of Lanre, who was a customs officer.

For Ogundeji to be deputy governor for eight years he owes everything to God and the generosity of Dr. Olusola Saraki’s dynasty.

“Three of us were screened for the position of the Deputy Governor when it was then ceded to Kwara South Senatorial District. The other persons were Chief Bisi Oloruntoba and Ogundeji. But the former governor had to ignore his father’s counsel and picked Ogundeji, because of the need to placate Lanre who himself had wanted to be the governor.

“Ogundeji was asked to come to Lagos and was accompanied during the trip by Dr. Abraham Ashaolu and both of them, lodged in an Ikoyi Hotel.

When the pronouncement was made that he would be the deputy governor, he wept like a baby and was on his knees thanking Saraki for giving him a lifeline which was unimaginable.

“Therefore, for Ogundeji to be referring to Saraki as an ingrate is not only sad but shocking. For him to have said that Saraki did not contact him before joining the APC remains statement from a bad spirit. If one may ask, who did Saraki consult before making him his deputy governor for eight years?

“The low turnout of the rented youth at his rally is a testimony of the fact he never had any electoral value and will never have. Ogundeji should rest his nerves at his age and remain an elder statesman in order for him to save his face,” Afolayan stated.

It is not clear if efforts by some elders to wade into the political dispute would yield much given the hot exchanges that have taken place between the two sides and the political plays now on in the state.

POLITICS 43

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

NATIONAL CONFERENCE How would you assess the National Conference so far?

I believe the atmosphere depicts some level of seriousness that people are beginning to attach to the assignment.

How much of work can the delegates do at the committee level within just two weeks?

I have my reservation, but the organisers of the conference should be able to address that. I don’t believe that much can be done within this short period and the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) had earlier on advised against the timing of the conference because we felt that the time would not be adequate for what ought to be done. That’s what our position at the NSCIA had been. But the President felt otherwise. We hope we will be wrong. But the way I see it, a good job will require more than three months and our fear was that as important as the conference is, it should not interfere with the elections and we were told that we were wrong.

But from what we are seeing now, I am yet to be convinced that a thorough job can be done at the committee level in less than eight or nine days, because we have about six working days for the committee to work and make all their recommendations. I have my strong reservations.

Why did the delegates not collectively push for a longer time for this committee work?

I think the conference should respect itself and respect its terms of reference. The term stipulated three months and whatever is possible within three months should be done and submitted.

I believe that a thorough job requires more than three months. But I do no advocate extension. I am not advocating extension because a more serious issue is the issue of the election and I don’t believe it will be wise for anything to tamper with the arrangement for the elections. Having said that, whichever way we have it, half cake is better than none, that is what they say. I believe that whatever can be put together should be put together within the period allotted.

Considering the duration of the conference, one would have expected that delegates would have spent less time debating the President’s inaugural speech.

I agree totally with you without any reservation, but our agreement does not translate to anything. You know when people are interested in their faces appearing on pages of newspapers, of course, you will have that. I agree with you that we have spent unnecessarily long time on repeating one another about the presidential address. I also believe that the President himself would be amazed because he would be surprised that people were praising him one after the other. This is a President who is a holder of PhD and you are praising him for writing a good speech. Even if he was the one who wrote it, does it mean you were underrating him before. I believe that he had done what he should do. It would take somebody who has a low rating for Mr. President to be praising him for that speech. I believe that giving his qualification, given his background, he has done what is expected of him. But many people had praised him to the high heaven. I believe the President himself knows the purpose of such rating.

At the end of its sitting, what do you expect the conference to come up with?

I expect the conference to come up with concrete and implementable suggestions for the development of this country.

One issue which is likely to

Oloyede

Confab should avoid mistakes of the past –Oloyede Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, is one of the delegates representing Muslim leaders at the on-going National Conference in Abuja. Oloyede, who was a co-Secretary of the 2005 National Political Reforms Conference, organised by the Olusegun Obasanjo administration, in this interview, tells LATEEF IBRAHIM why the last conference failed. He also speaks on the pertinent need for the conference to avoid the mistakes of the past, among other issues. Excerpts: generate a lot of heated debate at this conference is the issue of resource control.

Do you think a consensus can be reached on this?

As far as I am concerned, I am indifferent because whether 10 per cent, 20 per cent, proper management is what should be there. People are asking for what would favour them. I am interested in devolution of powers. There are certain things that the Federal Government does, that it has no business doing. More resources should be given to the states to implement things that would actually positively impact on the lives of the ordinary citizens.

Whether it is 10 per cent or 20 per cent in terms of resource control is not my business. As far as I am concerned, whatever you have, proper management is what is important. Many of those that are agitating, they are agitating because of where they are positioned today. Their position will change, if they are not there again.

Those things are mundane. What I want is a government that will serve the people and serve the people effectively. Resource today may be determined or located somewhere; tomorrow it may be in another place.

You will see that the argument would change.

When the President said that the National Assembly is in place and there was no need for the National Conference, many people believed and supported him that he was right. I was among those

We should not have the impression that we can by-pass the National Assembly... What you can do is to get the National Assembly to either make an enabling law or to consider this matter and legislate on it who believed him that he was right. When he again changed his mind and said national conference is good, many people changed their minds also and said it is also good. And that is why a leader must be reasonable. A leader must know that clapping is not acclamation. People clap for you because you are holding an office and tomorrow, once you are no longer in that office, they will sing another song. A reasonable leader would think twice, would ask question from those who are genuinely interested in his success, not just the market noise.

What, in concrete term, do you expect this national conference to do in order to bring down the tension being generated by the issue of religion in the country?

I do not think that the problem in this

country is being caused by religious differences. I believe that the crisis is being caused for non-religious purposes.

All these things are façade. They are just artificial creation for some selfish and personal reasons. Our people are together, they work together, they intermarry, they eat and commit crimes together across religious lines. If you go to the Corporate Affairs Commission, for instance, you may not be able to know who is a Muslim and who is a Christian because Christians and Muslims come together to establish and register private companies.

The point I am making is that this hype about religion is a creation of the political class, which stands to benefit from the hype. I want to believe that most of these things are just artificial and I pray that God, one day, will expose those behind all these tensions and you will realise that they are just created for a purpose that are not religious. It would be narrow-minded to think that the Muslims are the ones killing Christians and vice versa. Are the Muslims the ones killing people in the South-South? Are they the people killing in the South-West?

Are they the people kidnapping in the South-East? The issue is that we cannot generalise things that are narrow. I believe that those who are more or less incriminating others, who are demonising others, it can only work ephemerally.

People who can think deeply, would disbelief all these things. I believe ordinary Muslims, ordinary Christians don’t have problems working together. But the elite, because of what they stand to gain, are the ones creating these problems and if they continue to create these problems, one day, it would consume them all.

You were the co-Secretary of the 2005 National Political Reforms Conference organised by the Olusegun Obasanjo administration. What actually went wrong with the report of that conference?

We should not have the impression that we can by-pass the National Assembly. I hope this will not be a repeat examination. The 2005 National Political Reform Conference did not recommend extension. It didn’t. The tenure extension was not part of the recommendation. People give the impression that in 2005, one of the recommendations was extension and that was responsible for why the report was dropped. It was not so. And I am saying that assuming you even have problem with that, which is not so, for the purpose of argument, why not drop that and consider other issues?

It failed because the National Assembly was not carried along, pure and simple.

Because the National Assembly that had the powers was not convinced of what we are doing. Therefore, when the President presented it to them, they just dumped it. I hope this will not be a repeat of the 2005 Conference.

What do you think this present conference should do to avoid the mistake of the past ones?

What you can do is to get the National Assembly to either make an enabling law or to consider this matter and legislate on it. If they fail to do any of the two, they would have what we had in 2005. They will just dump it and there is nothing the executive can do.

44 POLITICS

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Public officers: Paving way for foreign account Philip Nyam

O

ur bill for the week is “An Act to amend the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, Cap C15, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to provide for the leave of the Bureau to be obtained for any public officer to maintain or operate a bank account outside Nigeria, and for other matters connected therewith.”

The bill is sponsored by Hon. Bamidele Faparusi representing Gboyin/Emure/Ekiti East Federal Constituency of Ekiti State.

The intendment The bill is hinged on the principle of disclosure and advocates for a process whereby a public office holder can inform and get leave of the Bureau concerning any bank account he wishes to maintain and operate, which leave shall not be “reasonable denied”. The overall objective of the bill is to remove the blanket order prohibiting foreign bank accounts by public office holders, which according to the sponsor “has more or less contributed to the entrenchment of the very mischief that it was originally meant to cure.”

The Code of Conduct for public officers, which the Bureau is constitutionally established to enforce, are some of the set of ethics and rules of behaviour enshrined in the Fifth Schedule of the constitution. It consists of 14 codes including assets declaration, which every public officer is expected to imbibe and be guided by them in the conduct of their official duties.

Codes of conduct are to guide people and any breach should necessarily attract adequate punitive measures to serve as deterrence.

However, Faparusi has argued that “it has been observed that provisions of the extant law, especially as it relates to the prohibition of foreign accounts by public officers in Nigeria as provided in section 7, has only been observed in breach owning to the obvious impracticability of the law as we have experienced in recent times.”

In other words, the purport of the law is to discourage the launder of money and fraud by public officers. But again, the sponsor has insisted that “nobody would use his personal bank account to launder money, instead proxies and cronies have become ready instruments for such purposes.” According to him, the ex-

Faparusi

BILL OF

WEEK

THE

The content This bill comprises of three clauses and primarily seeks to amend section 7 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act Cap, C15 LFN, 2004 so as to make the leave of the Bureau necessary for public officers to maintain or operate bank accounts outside Nigeria. The bill by extension would seek to amend paragraph 3, Part 1 of the Fifth Schedule of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which is impari material with the section which this bill seeks to amend.

Nobody would use his personal bank account to launder money, instead proxies and cronies have become ready instruments for such purposes

tant law does not envisage or contemplate this development and to tackle it, there is need to make for such public officers, who hitherto maintain and operate foreign accounts and has cause to hold same to get leave of the Bureau to continue to use such accounts. The lawmaker insisted that ‘this would be an improvement from the practice of requiring a public office holder to close any foreign account so held by reason of the office now occupied.”

Faparusi also submitted that if this amendment is allowed to sail through, ‘it would give the Bureau some teeth to bite based on the fact that it would be able to prosecute any defaulter and seek the imposition of sanctions in line with section 22 of the Act relying on the said public office holders decline to make proper declaration to the Bureau”

The posers The Code of Conduct for public officers was entrenched in the constitution with the establishment of the Code of Conduct Bureau in Nigeria in the 1979 constitution but it was not until 1989 that it got the much-needed legal mandate following the promulgation of a decree, the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal decree No. 1 of 1989, has since metamorphosed into the Code of Conduct Bureau Act Cap. 15, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. Cap C15 LFN 2004 gives the Code of Conduct Bureau the mandate to “establish and maintain a high standard of morality in the conduct of government business and to ensure that the action and behaviour of public office holders conform to the highest standards of public morality and accountability.”

However, with the argument posited by the sponsor of this bill, he has posed two basic questions to those opposed to this proposed amendment. Would the closure of foreign bank account, which a public servant maintains and operate, and which he uses to defray liabilities across the shores of this country not be a disservice to him? Would the disclosure of existence of such foreign accounts not enhance probity in our public service?

The sponsor Hon. Faparusi came to the House of Representatives in 2011 and is of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He holds a B.Eng from the Federal University of Technology, Akure and an MBA (Project Management) at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife. He is a member of the following committees: Constituency Outreach, Foreign Affairs, Internal Security and National Planning as well as power and rural development.

I’ll unite Akwa Ibom people as governor –Esuene CO N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 4 0

to bring in a bill that will regulate what goes on in the mangrove.

The mangrove is a huge stock for the country in terms of timber, in terms of medicinal products, in terms of aquatic life and so on. And if there is no proper regulation on the activities that go on there, you will wake up one morning and discover that the mangrove has disappeared. There is another bill to regulate the use of weapons of mass destruction.

Right now we have a bill on how to manage nuclear products. But we need a bill on the weapons of mass destruction.

It is a proactive bill because we don’t have that yet in the country; but you don’t wait until you have it before you take action. And the weapons of mass destruction include nuclear weapons, both biological and chemical weapons.

So, we need a legislation on that, and it is being processed.

What are the stages of the bills in the Senate?

Some of them have gone through first reading. But the last one is yet to go through first reading. We are also working on a bill on women equal opportunities. Some of them would have gone through second reading but there are also bills by other senators, but at the appropriate time, they would be scheduled for second reading.

Most members of the National Assembly who spoke on the on-going national confab have said that the exercise is a jamboree. Do you share the same opinion with them?

In 2005 during the national political conference, which I was a delegate, the same sentiment was also expressed, that it was a jamboree. Unfortunately, it was almost that they were right. I feel that it is not a jamboree. But whether some-

Esuene

thing good comes out of it will depend on how we manage the outcome or we manage the recommendations or proposals or resolutions of the conference. I believe that bringing Nigerians together to talk about issues in Nigeria is very important. You know, we cannot claim to be the sole custodians of knowledge about Nigerian’s affairs. And when I say we, I mean the National Assembly. So, I quite believe that a conference such as the one being held is necessary from time to time, for Nigerians to come and talk freely about what they feel about their country because if that is not done, then it is bottled up. And I believe in dialogue; I believe that people should always be given opportunity to air their views because that is what democracy is all about. When they are through; I am not speaking for the National Assembly; this is my own view, the President who has done so; to set up this national dialogue, because it will diffuse a lot of tension in the country, I think whatever recommendations they have, the Presi-

dent will catalogue them into bills and send them to the National Assembly. I will not advise that it should be one bill because if one aspect in that bill doesn’t scale through, it will affect all. So, I think it should be several bills in their different components, seeking to do one thing or another. Then the National Assembly will take them one by one so that whichever one that scales through will now go to the state assemblies; and whichever one doesn’t scale through will be dropped. But if you package everything in one bill, if one aspect fails, it will affect the whole bill. You can remember the last one, because of the third term, everything was thrown out.

have a husband at home. So, my entire focus is on the National Assembly job and politics.

How do you want the constant rift between the executive arm and the National Assembly resolved so that they work in harmony for the good of Nigeria?

I think it is something that has to be because democracy is young. We are just 15 years now. And we all know that during the military interregnum there was no National Assembly. So, people are not used to having the National Assembly as part of the government. Therefore, you are bound to have these slight misunderstandings here and there. For me, it is not an issue. So, I see it as a learning process for both arms of government. We too here, we have things we are also trying to learn because we are the newest arm of government in our democratic experience. The other two existed in the protracted military rule in the country.

So, it is just a learning process. And in time, people will settle down and understand the workings of the various arms.

Since you came to the Senate, what is your greatest regret?

Greatest regret! I don’t think I have any regrets because what I thought I was coming in for is what I am getting. So, I don’t have any regrets.

How do you cope with the business of politics and as a mother?

I think the other side is non-existent now. My children have grown and I don’t

How do you spend your weekend?

Do we really have the weekend? Anyway, I go home. Most weekends I am in Eket, my home town, and I frolic with my constituents; hold meetings with them, attend their weddings, attend their funerals. That is how the weekend goes.

How do you spend your leisure time?

If I can catch two hours, I like to watch films because it helps me to unwind mentally, and I like to hold conversations with friends; we chat.

What is your happiest moment since you came to the Senate?

I really have highs and lows in life, and I take them as they come; and I manage them as they come. I can’t really say, but may be when I was sworn in, I was quite happy because it was the end of a long journey; a long journey that had a lot of efforts.

As a lawmaker, are you fulfilled?

Yes, I am very fulfilled.

Are there things you expected to be done in the Senate that are not being done?

Lawmaking takes a long time. And I would want to see that aspect being looked into. The bicameral arrangement we have now makes lawmaking very cumbersome, and I would have loved if it is less cumbersome.

METRO 45

of Truth

April 30, 2014

lt group ransacks house, ures family members

al bed

ji

mbers of the family of Mr and hnson Osainor retired to bed day night, they were expectrest after the rigours of the

nutes later, they were rudely woeir sleep, as some suspected cult ed their house at No. 5 Nisi Street, mi Owode Local Government Area

mbers, numbering about 30, wieldweapons such as axes, cutlasses, thers, attacked the family. our correspondent that the banhouse about 11:30pm. heard strange loud noise around en we peeped outside, we saw a s numbering about 30 surroundThey forced their way through to d started attacking my children ” ed that the group had invaded his ee months ago when some angry the night but left without attack-

ho pleaded anonymity, said the cult after the man’s eldest son called,

Osainor

Moses, for reasons he did not know.

For this, the family took Moses out of the house.

But annoyed that they could not trace Moses, the cult members decided to attack other members of the family.

According to the witness, the cult members attacked Osainor’s second son, Joel and left him for dead. They also attacked

Blood stained cloths

the third son.

Osainor said they also stole recharge cards worth N10,000, an undisclosed amount of money and handsets.

Joel was rushed to the hospital in Mowe.

When our correspondent visited the hospital, Joel, who was still receiving treatment, said he recognised one of the cult members who wanted to kill him.

Police move to check communal clashes Juliana Francis

P

olice in Cross River State said they had taken steps to curtail clashes between two neighbouring communities Idupani Local Government Area over the killing of a villager’s dog.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Hogan Bassey, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), explained that the Commissioner of Police, Mr Kola Shodipo, had deployed policemen in strategic places in the state.

This effort, according to Bassey, will not only prevent future clashes, but will ensure that cattle breeders and farmers become law-abiding citizens.

He said: “Cattle dealers/farmers clashes are some of the pockets of crimes we have had in recent times.

“Through the efforts of our

Higher Ground church prays, fasts

Man arraigned for H threatening mother’s life

A

middle-aged man, Sunday Adesina, was arraigned yesterday before an Ado-Ekiti Magistrates’ Court for allegedly threatening the life of his mother.

Adesina, charged with threat to life, was alleged to have threatened the life of his mother, Mrs Aina Faluyi, while armed with a cutlass and an axe.

The police prosecutor, Mr David Emmanuel, told the court that the accused committed the offence about 7am on April 26 at Onala area of Ado-Ekiti.

Emmanuel alleged that the accused unlawfully armed himself with a cutlass and axe with intent to harm his mother.

ger walk in public -Victim

endent of Police (SP), Adekunle aping her said she could no longer mple walk through her street. ing with our correspondent yesAkinwunmi, who looked drawn cted, said: “I’m confused. I don’t and what is going on anymore. I’m ular in my street and now anytime people will stop me on the street t asking me questions about the I’m feeling ashamed.” dy added that she had lost her job had become pretty tough. id: “I’m presently searching franr a job. I’m a cook. That was my e bar, where I was sacked. I cook tal dishes.” esterday, the Assistant Inspector of Police (AIG), Mr. Mamma Tsafe, the Lagos State Commissioner of mar Manko, to transfer the case to in at Zone II, Onikan, Lagos State.

The order came just as the DPO was asking to be granted bail.

The dilemma Akinwunmi is going through is due to some Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), which disclosed her full her identity, while trying to help her.

According to End Sexual Violence organisation, although rape and sexual assault occur at an alarming rate in the country, the vast majority of these crimes remain unreported.

“Victims remain silent because they fear being subjected to the intense public scrutiny and blame that often follow being named in the media.

“Our culture continues to condemn the victim for rape and, as a result, an extraordinary amount of shame and silence follow the crime. Publicising the name of a rape complainant under these conditions only deters more victims from coming forward,” it said.

He also alleged that the accused damaged louvre glasses valued at N2,280, property of one Samuel Faluyi, husband to the mother of the accused.

The prosecutor said that the offence contravened sections 80 and 451 of the Criminal Code, Cap C 16 Vol.1, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty.

The Magistrate, Mrs Taiwo Ajibade, granted him bail in the sum of N50,000 and two sureties each in like sum.

Ajibade ordered that one of the sureties must be one of the parents of the accused.

She adjourned the case till May 5.

commissioner, cases of kidnapping and armed robbery have been curtailed.”

The PPRO disclosed that the cooperation of members of the police and sister agencies had contributed immensely in crime reduction in the state.

He appealed to the public to report suspicious persons to the police.

Similarly, the Public Relations Officer of Zone 6, Mr. Ahmed Tasiu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said that the crime level in the zone was now tolerable.

He said: “Our AIG, Alhaji Musa Daura, has placed all officers on their toes. The AIG is not relenting in his effort at getting rid of suspected criminals in the zone.”

Meanwhile, the Director of the Pyramid Hotel, Mr Charles Ogar, has commended the efforts of the police in the state.

igher Ground Calvary Freedom Ministry International today holds its monthly fasting and prayer programme.

The programme comes up between 9am and 3pm in the church auditorium, 1, Agnes Adeniran Close, off Risikat Majaro Road, U-Turn, Abule-Egba, Lagos. Ac-

cording to the Coordinating Minister, Rev Charles Ekanem, the programme is designed to break yoke and deliver people from the power of darkness.

The programme is expected to feature anointed ministers of God from Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN).

Herbert Odoji for burial

T

he rites of passage begin on May 7 for Pa Herbert Okuefuna Odoji with a Christian Wake.

Also the following day, there will be lying-in-state at 9am at the residence of the deceased at Odoji’s Compound, Umuchigbo village, Umudioka, Anambra State. This will be followed by funeral service the same day at the St. Michael’s Anglican Church, Umudioka, by 11am.

According to the family, out-

The late Odoji

ing and thanksgiving service will hold by 9am at St. Michael’s Anglican Church, Umudioka, on Sunday May 11.

Wife battering: Fleeing APC chieftain arrested Taiwo Jimoh

P

olice in Ogun State have arrested a stalwart of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bashorun Bayo Awosanya, who fled after allegedly beating his wife at a social gathering.

On April 20, Awosanya returned from a social party and reportedly pounced on his wife, Victoria Motunrayo Awosanya, and beat her mercilessly for flouting his order and going to a social gathering he asked her not attend.

The woman sustained various degrees of injury as her head was hit against the window glasses at

the gathering in Sagamu area of the state.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Muyiwa Adejobi, said in a statement yesterday that the suspect personally reported himself to Sagamu Divisional Police Officer.

Adejobi quoted the Chief Superintendent of Police in charge of Sagamu Police Division, Lawal Adebowale, as saying that the man reported about 8am due to the threats issued and pressure mounted on him to show up before he would be declared wanted by the police.

He said: “Awosanya confessed

Awosanya

to the police that he injured the woman and the case has since been transferred to the Department of Criminal Investigation for further investigation.”

46 BUSINESS | FINANCIAL MARKET NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

29-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)

Maturity Date

TTM (Yrs)

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

Bid Price

Offer Price

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

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

0.17 0.42 0.98 2.30 3.00 3.24 3.34 4.09 5.17 5.49 7.75 9.87 14.58 15.06 15.56 16.23

10.71 11.52 12.56 13.05 13.03 12.97 12.97 12.98 13.06 12.99 13.11 13.11 13.29 13.32 13.34 13.43

9.83 11.14 11.97 12.97 12.97 12.85 12.85 12.87 12.98 12.90 13.05 13.06 13.25 13.27 13.28 13.38

99.70 99.07 92.30 99.95 105.00 91.90 90.40 92.93 110.75 77.00 115.60 105.90 110.84 94.65 68.56 77.50

99.85 99.22 92.80 100.10 105.15 92.20 90.70 93.23 111.05 77.30 115.90 106.20 111.14 94.95 68.86 77.80

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE Rating/Agency

4,264.84 Issuer

Agency Bonds AMCON FMBN

NA

***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 1.55 2.61 2.98 3.19

1.00 2.63 2.27 2.00 1.49 1.00

12.81 15.24 15.02 14.94 14.46 13.97

93.95 85.47 103.09 93.19 90.28 88.83

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 0.46 1.34 0.94 1.24 1.25 2.97 1.80 3.67 2.64 4.43 2.65 2.65 3.23 3.30 5.57 3.26 3.97 6.58 6.67 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

15.93 17.67 17.13 15.73 17.12 16.14 18.56 20.43 14.76 14.74 13.98 13.94 14.15 13.97 15.43 14.94 15.71 15.72 14.02 14.96 14.42 14.93

99.37 98.39 94.61 97.96 96.75 99.64 81.09 90.35 97.84 98.58 100.04 101.36 111.05 101.37 100.26 98.36 97.71 97.32 97.77 100.09 108.04 107.70

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 0.67 0.82 0.90 0.98 2.42 2.49 3.42 2.04 2.20 2.36 2.36 4.40 2.47 2.55 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

12.61 17.23 20.78 17.19 13.43 15.19 13.92 14.27 17.49 14.77 16.38 18.11 17.97 16.04 15.21 19.04 15.78

99.50 97.78 97.64 94.80 98.96 99.32 98.14 99.96 88.75 106.69 99.46 100.06 101.93 93.70 101.09 96.41 97.86

11-Feb-18

3.79

1.00

13.97

89.14

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

5.15

108.03

108.98

5.13 JUL 12, 2018

18-Dec-09

5.13

500.00

12-Jul-18

4.54

4.32

102.21

103.04

6.38 JUL 12, 2023

01-Apr-10

6.38

500.00

12-Jul-23

5.74

5.61

104.50

105.45

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

3.74

3.26

113.00

113.87

GTBANK PLC I

7.50 MAY 19, 2016

19-May-11

7.50

500.00

19-May-16

5.14

4.51

104.53

105.79

GTBANK PLC

6.00 NOV 08, 2018

08-Nov-13

6.00

400.00

08-Nov-18

6.12

5.88

99.52

100.48

7.25 JUL 25, 2017

25-Jul-12

7.25

350.00

25-Jul-17

7.15

6.62

100.28

101.79

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

5.24

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

6.27

6.12

99.91

100.56

B/S&P; B-/Fitch

8.25 AUG 07, 2020

07-Aug-13

8.25

300.00

07-Aug-20

7.15

6.72

103.97

105.57

B+/S&P; B+/Fitch

AFREN PLC

6.63 DEC 09, 2020

09-Dec-13

6.63

360.00

09-Dec-20

6.52

6.27

100.42

101.39

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 9 16 23 30 37 51 58

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 10.20 10.20 10.15 10.15 10.70 10.60

Offer Discount (%) 9.75 9.95 9.95 9.90 9.90 10.45 10.35

Bid Yield (%) 10.02 10.25 10.27 10.24 10.26 10.86 10.78

Money Market

NIBOR Tenor O/N 1M 3M 6M

Rate (%) 10.5417 12.5662 13.6215 14.3964

Foreign Exchange (Spot & Forwards)

Tenor

Rate (%)

OBB

10.25

Tenor

Bid ($/N)

Offer ($/N)

10.42

Spot 7D 14D 1M 2M

160.50 160.77 161.03 161.60 162.77

160.60 161.04 161.40 162.31 164.11

O/N Tenor Call

REPO

Rate (%) 10.25

A/Agusto KWARA A-/GCR NIGER A+/Agusto KADUNA A/Agusto *EBONYI Nil *BENUE A+/Agusto *IMO A+/Agusto; A+/GCR LAGOS A-/Agusto *BAYELSA A/Agusto EDO A+/Agusto; A+/GCR *DELTA Wednesday, April 30, 2014NIGER A-/Agusto; A-/GCR A/Agusto; A-/GCR† *EKITI A-/Agusto *NIGER A/Agusto; A-/GCR *ONDO A/Agusto; A-/GCR *GOMBE Aa-/Agusto; AA-/GCR LAGOS A/Agusto; A-/GCR *OSUN A/Agusto *OSUN Aa-/Agusto; AA-/GCR LAGOS A-/Agusto; BBB+/DataPro KOGI A/Agusto *EKITI A-/GCR *NASARAWA Sanctity of Truth

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 sectors also contributed to the 14.75 OSUN II 30-SEP-2020 negative trend in the market 13.50 LAGOS IV 27-NOV-2020 yesterday .

15.00 KOGI 31-DEC-2020 In the vein, the market 14.50 EKITIsame II 31-DEC-2020 capitalisation of equities depre15.00 NASARAWA 06-JAN-2021

05-Aug-09 14.00 15-Oct-09 14.00 31-Aug-10 12.50 30-Sep-10 13.00 30-Jun-11 14.00 30-Jun-09 15.50 19-Apr-10 10.00 30-Jun-10 13.75 30-Dec-10 14.00 30-Sep-11 14.00 04-Oct-11 14.00 09-Dec-11 14.50 12-Dec-13 14.00 14-Feb-12 15.50 02-Oct-12 15.50 22-Nov-12 14.50 12-Dec-12 14.75 Insurance price los30-Sep-13led on the14.75 ers’ 27-Nov-13 table, dropping 13.50by 4.94 per cent to close at15.00 N2.31 per 31-Dec-13 share,while Plc 31-Dec-13 Mobil Nigeria 14.50 followed with a loss 06-Jan-14 15.00of 4.91

Stock market sustains bearish trend TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

Corporate Stories byBonds Chris Ugwu A+/Agusto; AA/GCR LAFARGE WAPCO he bears yesterday Aa/Agusto GTB mainµ Nil tained their stronghold NGC on the Nigerian Bbb-/Agusto *UPDC Stock A-/Agusto Exchange (NSE) as major *FLOURMILLS BB+/GCR blue-chip companies joined *CHELLARAMS A+/Agusto; A-/GCR the league of losers, causing NAHCO A-/Agusto both the market capitalisation FSDH A/GCR and the All-Share Index to reUBA BBB-/GCR main on the red zone. *C & I LEASING BBB+/DataPro†; BB+/GCR have Market watchers *DANA# attrib# A-/DataPro†; BB-/GCR uted the resurgence of bears *TOWER # A+/GCR by*TOWER toAAA/DataPro†; profit takings investors A/Agusto; A/GCR UBA whose consequential effect was BBB+/GCR a Bbb+/Agusto; loss of N162 billion*LA orCASERA 1.27 per BBB-/DataPro†; *CHELLARAMS cent withinBB+/GCR the three days of# A+/Agusto;in A-/GCR NAHCO trading the value of equities.

T

TOTAL VALUEindices The OUTSTANDING key benchmark maintained downtrend, taking Supranational Bond Medium CAP hits majorly from AAA/S&Pled by Mansard IFC stocks Insurance and Mobil Nigeria, TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE while continuous bargain activities witnessed in Conglomerates, Rating/Agency Issuer Financial Services, Healthcare, Industrial Goods and Services FGN Eurobonds

ciated by N41 billion during the day.

Specifically, the NSE All11.50 LAFARGE Share IndexWAPCO fell7-OCT by2014117.73 13.50 GUARANTY TRUST per 18-DEC-2014 points or 0.31 cent to 17.00at NGC38,480.60 31-DEC-2014from 38,598.33 close 10.00 UPDCthe 17-AUG-2015 recorded previous day, while FLOURMILLS 9-DEC-2015 the12.00 market capitalisation of eq14.00 CHELLARAMS uities declined06-JAN-2016 to N12.667 tril13.00from NAHCO12.708 29-SEP-2016 lion trillion. This 14.25 FSDH 25-OCT-2016 represented a drop of N41 bil13.00 30-SEP-2017 lion orUBA 0.31 per cent as market 18.00 C&I LEASING 30-NOV-2017 sentiments remained negative.

MPR+7.00 9-APR-2018 At theDANA close of transactions, 9-SEP-2018 in price 18MPR+7.00 stocksTOWER appreciated MPR+5.25 TOWER during the day9-SEP-2018 as against 25 that 14.00 UBA II 22-SEP-2018 depreciated in value.

15.75 LA CASERA 18-OCT-2018 FBNH, riding on the back CHELLARAMS II 17-FEB-2019 itsMPR+5.00 results released to the Ex15.25 NAHCO change, ledII 14-NOV-2020 the gainers’ table with an appreciation of 8.30 per cent to close at N13.96 per share, while Ikeja Hotel Plc followed 10.20aIFC 11-FEB-2018 with gain of 5 per cent to close at 63 kobo per share. Vitafoam added a gain of 4.88 per cent to close at N4.30 among other price Description gainers.

On the other hand, Mansard

BB-/Fitch; BB-/S&P

FGN

F

bank’s audited financial reper cent to close at N116.10 per 572.90 share. Honeywell added 4.90 per sults for the year ended Decent to close at N3.69, among cember 31, 2013 obtained from 11.80 Nigerian 07-Oct-14 0.44 the Stock Exchange other07-Oct-11 price losers. 11.50 18-Dec-09 analysis 13.50of the 13.17 18-Dec-14 0.64 (NSE) yesterday.

Further 01-Apr-10 2.00A cursory31-Dec-14 0.67 look at the numtrading showed that17.00 the Bank17-Aug-10 15.00 17-Aug-15 0.82 showed a 7 per cent ing subsector of the10.00 Financial bers 09-Dec-10 12.00 37.50 09-Dec-15 in gross earnings 0.90 year Services sector remained the growth 1.50 year from06-Jan-16 0.98in N370.2 billion most06-Jan-11 active during14.00 the week on 29-Sep-11 by turnover 13.00 15.00 to N395.9 29-Sep-16 billion in 2.42 2013 (measured vol- 2012 14.25 shares 5.53 25-Oct-16 2.49 while net interest income stood ume);25-Oct-13 with 109.2 million 30-Sep-10 13.00 20.00 30-Sep-17 at N230.1 billion, up by 1.53.42 per worth N1.12 billion exchanged 30-Nov-12 in 1496 deals.

18.00 0.94 30-Nov-17 billion 2.04recent, from N226.6 by investors 09-Apr-11in the Banking 16.00 8.01 09-Apr-18 2.20 in 2012.

Volume sub- corded 09-Sep-11 3.63Non-interest 09-Sep-18 income 2.36 was sector was largely 18.00 driven by 09-Sep-11 1.00 2.36 by 9.309-Sep-18 per cent to N67.0 activity in the shares16.00 of Zenith down 14.00 35.00 22-Sep-18 4.40 billion as against N73.9 billion, Bank22-Sep-11 and Skye Bank.

18-Oct-13 15.75 3.00 18-Oct-18income 2.47 while operating was Other financial institutions 17-Feb-12boosted by 17.00activity 0.54 declined 17-Feb-19 2.55 also by 1.7 per cent, subsector, 2.05 6.55 N301.114-Nov-20 billion to N296.1 in the14-Nov-13 shares of FBN15.25 Holdings from billion.

Plc followed on the day’s activ- 175.67 Impairment charge for credity chart with a subsector turnover of 54 million shares valued it losses of was N20.3 billion as 11-Feb-13 10.20 in 1,126 12.00 3.79 against N12.511-Feb-18 billion. at N494.5 million traded Both the bank’s PBT and deals.

12.00 On the whole, investors ex- PAT declined by 2.8 per cent and($'mm) 8 per cent to Date N91.34billion, changed a total of Coupon 221.9 (%) million Issue Date Issue Value Maturity Bid Yield (%) shares valued at N2.8 billion in from N93.9 billion and N70.63 billion from N76.8 billion re4,783 transactions.

T

6.75 JAN 28, 2021

07-Oct-11

6.75

500.00

28-Jan-21

5.31

5.13 JUL 12, 2018

18-Dec-09

5.13

500.00

12-Jul-18

4.54

he Nigerian BB-/Fitch; BB-/S&P change (NSE)

Stock Ex- and corporate6.38 wellness.

JUL 12, 2023 in partnerThe competition, according ship with key publicly quotto a statement from the Head of TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE ed companies will hold the 1st Corporate Services Division, Corporate Eurobonds NSE Corporate Challenge.

NSE, Mr Bola Adeeko, is open The B/Fitch one-day event, which to the broker11.50 dealer community FEB 01, 2016 B-/S&P; AFREN PLC I is scheduled to take place in Lagos and companies listed on the Ni7.50 MAY 19, 2016 GTBANK PLC I B+/Fitch onB+/S&P; Saturday , May 17, 2014 will be gerian bourse.

6.00 NOV 08, 2018 GTBANK PLC a competitive and fun-filled five He said the idea behind the 7.25 JUL 25, 2017 B+/S&P ACCESS BANK PLC kilometer walk, run or jogging corporate challenge was for 6.88 MAY 09, 2018 B/S&P; B/Fitch FIDELITY competition to promote andBANK sup-PLC responsible organisations and 10.25 APR 08, 2019 B/Fitch AFREN PLC port teamwork, company pride their employees to take part in B+/Fitch; BB-/S&P

6.25 APR 22, 2019

47

FBNH to reward shareholders with N1.10

Corporate challenge: NSE partners listed firms BB-/Fitch; B+/S&P

4.88 15.93 99.37 5.99 17.67 98.39 4.44 17.13 94.61 3.23 15.73 97.96 4.46 17.12 96.75 3.48 16.14 99.64 5.59 18.56 81.09 7.60 20.43 90.35 1.79 14.76 97.84 1.80 14.74 98.58 1.00 13.98 100.04 1.00 13.94 101.36 1.21 14.15 111.05 1.00 13.97 101.37 2.46 15.43 100.26 1.94 14.94 98.36 spectively………

2.74 15.71 97.71 The bank15.72 had during 2.74 97.32 the year acquired 1.00 under review 14.02 97.77 ICB operations 1.94West Africa 14.96 100.09 (Ghana, Gambia, Leone, 1.44 14.42 Sierra108.04 Guinea) and14.93 77 new business 1.95 107.70

BUSINESS | FINANCIAL MARKET NEWS

Investors lose N162b in three days RED

17.00 05-Aug-14 0.27 6.00 15-Oct-14 0.46 8.50 31-Aug-15 1.34 16.50 30-Sep-15 0.94 13.00 30-Jun-16 1.24 18.50 30-Jun-16 1.25 57.00 19-Apr-17 2.97 50.00 30-Jun-17 1.80 25.00 31-Dec-17 3.67 50.00 30-Sep-18 2.64 9.00 04-Oct-18 4.43 20.00 09-Dec-18 2.65 12.00 12-Dec-18 2.65 27.00 14-Feb-19 3.23 20.00 02-Oct-19 3.30 80.00 22-Nov-19 5.57 Plc has 3.26 pro30.00BN Holdings 12-Dec-19 11.40posed dividend 30-Sep-20 pay-out 3.97of share to its share87.00N1.10 per 27-Nov-20 6.58 holders for the financial year 5.00 31-Dec-20 6.67 ended December 31, 2013. 3.98 5.00 31-Dec-20 contained in4.02 the 5.00This was 06-Jan-21

the initiative as a way of en- 500.00 community. 12-Jul-23 01-Apr-10 6.38 5.74 hancing employee-employer “To achieve this aim, we are relations and boost goodwill by 1,500.00 working in close partnership bringing all together for fun, fit- with public and private sector ness and fellowship. organisations such as the Lagos “The inaugural NSE Island Central Business District, 01-Feb-11 11.50 corpo450.00 01-Feb-16 3.74 rate challenge is a professionFirst Bank of19-May-16 Nigeria, Unilever, 19-May-11 7.50 500.00 5.14 ally organised and volunteerUnity Bank, Nestle Nigeria, Mal08-Nov-13 6.00 400.00 08-Nov-18 6.12 driven initiative involving over 350.00 ta Guinness,25-Jul-17 First City Monu25-Jul-12 7.25 7.15 350 companies listed on the ment Bank, Nigeria Info FM, 09-May-13 6.88 300.00 02-May-18 8.24 Exchange and support organ- BusinessDay and CNBC Africa 08-Apr-12 10.25 300.00 08-Apr-19 5.24 isations from the capital market to mention a few,” Adeeko said.

locations (including 31 branches from the recently completed ICB acquisition), bringing the 1.00to 867. 12.61 99.50 total 5.21 bank had 17.23 also acquired 97.78 The 8.71 Insurance 20.78 by FBN 97.64Life Oasis 4.88 17.19 Assurance Limited, 94.80 which 1.00 13.43 98.96 was completed January 2.63 and awarded 15.19 99.32 2014 $12 mil1.00grant from 13.92 the Bill 98.14and lion 1.34 14.27 Foundation 99.96 Melinda Gates 17.49 FirstBank’s 88.75 for4.52 FirstMonie, 1.88 14.77business.

106.69 mobile money 3.48 16.38 on the results, 99.46 Commenting 5.20 18.11 100.06 of Chief Executive officer 5.06Holdings, 17.97 101.93 FBN Bello Maccido, 3.06the prevalent 16.04 93.70 said theme over the2.29 course of15.21 2013 was101.09 one of 6.11 19.04 96.41 moderate economic growth 2.76 15.78 97.86 within the context of significant regulatory changes in the banking sector.

“Our financial perfor1.00 13.97 89.14 mance was impacted largely due to revised banking charges, whilst the increase in the cash reserve (CRR) Offer Yield (%) Bid PriceratioOffer Price impacted our overall performance reflected through Pricesas & Yields FirstBank, our flagship sub5.15 108.03 2013, 108.98 sidiary.

During whilst the Group delivered a year4.32 103.04 on-year rise 102.21 in gross earnings of 7.0 per cent to N395.9 bil104.50 5.61 105.45 lion, profit before tax dipped marginally by 3 per cent to N91.3 billion,” he said.

Maccido noted that the scale bank’s 3.26 and scope 113.00 of the 113.87 business, brand portfolio, 4.51 104.53 105.79 geographic reach coupled 5.88 99.52 100.48 with the diversity of its busi6.62 100.28 101.79 ness portfolio creates highly7.72 95.40 97.14 valuable scale benefits that 4.81 113.73 114.60 are difficult to replicate.

ZENITH BANK PLC FIRST BANK PLC

22-Apr-14

6.25

500.00

22-Apr-19

6.27

6.12

99.91

100.56

B/S&P; B-/Fitch

8.25 AUG 07, 2020

07-Aug-13

8.25

300.00

07-Aug-20

7.15

6.72

103.97

105.57

B+/S&P; B+/Fitch

AFREN PLC

6.63 DEC 09, 2020

09-Dec-13

6.63

360.00

09-Dec-20

6.52

6.27

100.42

101.39

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

3,460.00

29-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 Bills FIXINGS Money Market to**Treasury the FMDQ OTC PLC Terms of Use and Disclaimer Statement.

Foreign Exchange (Spot & Forwards)

DTM Maturity Bid Discount (%) Offer Discount (%) 9 8-May-14 10.00 9.75 15-May-14 10.20 9.95 FGN Bonds 16 23 22-May-14 10.20 9.95 30 29-May-14 10.15 9.90 Issuer Description Rating/Agency Issue Date 37 5-Jun-14 10.15 9.90 51 19-Jun-14 10.70 10.45 9.20 29-JUN-2014 29-Jun-07 58 26-Jun-14 10.60 10.35 9.25 28-SEP-2014 28-Sep-07 65 3-Jul-14 10.25 10.00 4.00 23-APR-2015 23-Apr-10 72 10-Jul-14 10.60 10.35 13.05 16-AUG-2016 16-Aug-13 79 17-Jul-14 10.55 10.30 15.10 27-APR-2017 27-Apr-12 86 24-Jul-14 10.65 10.40 9.85 27-JUL-2017 27-Jul-07 93 31-Jul-14 10.55 10.30 9.35 31-AUG-2017 31-Aug-07 100 7-Aug-14 10.20 9.95 10.70 30-MAY-2018 30-May-08 NA NA 107 14-Aug-14 10.70 10.45 16.00 29-JUN-2019 29-Jun-12 114 21-Aug-14 10.75 10.50 7.00 23-OCT-2019 23-Oct-09 121 28-Aug-14 11.15 10.90 16.39 27-JAN-2022 27-Jan-12 128 4-Sep-14 11.10 10.85 14.20 14-MAR-2024 14-Mar-14 163 9-Oct-14 11.10 10.85 15.00 28-NOV-2028 28-Nov-08 219 4-Dec-14 11.05 10.80 12.49 22-MAY-2029 22-May-09 254 8-Jan-15 11.55 11.30 8.50 20-NOV-2029 20-Nov-09 268 22-Jan-15 11.50 11.25 10.00 23-JUL-2030 23-Jul-10 282 11.50 11.25 TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE 5-Feb-15 296 19-Feb-15 11.45 11.20 310 5-Mar-15 11.50 11.25 345 9-Apr-15 11.45 11.20 Description Rating/Agency Issuer 359 23-Apr-15 11.50 11.25 *from the Amortising Agency Bonds #bonds, the average is Risk Premium is a life combination of credit risk and liquidity risk premiums **Exclusive of non-trading t.bills NA

AMCON FMBN

***LCRM

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

Bid Yield (%) 10.02 10.25 10.27 10.24 Coupon (%) 10.26 10.86 9.20 10.78 9.25 10.44 4.00 10.83 13.05 10.80 15.10 10.92 9.85 10.84 9.35 10.49 10.70 11.05 16.00 11.12 7.00 11.58 16.39 11.55 14.20 11.68 15.00 11.83 12.49 12.56 8.50 12.56 10.00 12.62 12.62 12.74 12.84 Issue Date 12.97 28-Dec-11 24-May-10 03-Apr-12 09-Dec-11 20-Apr-12 06-Jul-12

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

KWARA NIGER Modified Duration KADUNABuckets *EBONYI *BENUE <3 *IMO LAGOS 3<5 *BAYELSA >5 EDO Market *DELTA NIGER *EKITI *NIGER *ONDO *GOMBE LAGOS *OSUN *OSUN LAGOS

Rate (%)

OBB

Tenor O/N Outstanding 1M Value (N'bn) 3M 6M 45.00 100.00 535.00 435.27 452.80 Tenor 20.00 1M 100.00 2M 300.00 3M 351.30 6M 233.90 9M 600.00 12M 75.00 75.00 150.00 200.00 591.57

Rate (%) 10.5417 12.5662 Maturity Date 13.6215 14.3964 29-Jun-14

10.25

Tenor

O/N TTM (Yrs)

10.42 Bid Yield (%)

Spot Offer 7DYield (%) 14D 1M 9.83 2M 11.14 3M 11.97 6M 12.97 1Y 12.97

NITTY

NIFEX

Current Price ($/N) 4,264.84 BID($/N) OFFER ($/N)

Coupon (%)

0.00 0.00 17.25 0.00/16.00 0.00/16.50 0.00/16.50

28-Sep-14 23-Apr-15 16-Aug-16 27-Apr-17 Rate (%) 27-Jul-17 10.3879 31-Aug-17 11.0197 30-May-18 11.2615 29-Jun-19 11.7494 23-Oct-19 12.6802 27-Jan-22 13.0621 14-Mar-24 28-Nov-28 22-May-29 20-Nov-29 23-Jul-30

Tenor 0.17 Call 0.42 1M 0.98 3M 2.30 6M 3.00

REPO

Rate (%) 10.71 10.25 11.52 11.71 12.56 13.36 13.05 14.13 13.03

3.24 12.97 12.85 3.34 12.97 12.85 4.09 12.98 12.87 :Benchmarks 5.17 13.06 12.98 * :Amortising Bond 5.49 12.99 12.90 µ :Convertible Bond 7.75 13.11 13.05 AMCON: Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria 9.87 13.11 13.06 FGN: Federal Nigeria 14.58Government of13.29 13.25 FMBN: Federal of Nigeria 13.27 15.06 Mortgage Bank 13.32 IFC: International Finance Corporation 15.56 13.34 13.28 LCRM: Local Management 16.23Contractors Receivables 13.43 13.38

NOTE:

NAHCO: Nigerian Aviation Handling Company O/N: Overnight UPDC: UAC Property Development Company # Risk WAPCO:West Africa Portland Cement Company Avg. Life/TTM Issue Value (N'bn) Maturity Date Premium (Yrs) (%) 160.6250 160.7250

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 1.55 2.61 2.98 3.19

1.00 2.63 2.27 2.00 1.49 1.00

Bid ($/N)

Offer ($/N) Price 160.50 160.60 160.77 161.04 Offer Price Bid Price 161.03 161.40 161.60 162.31 99.70 99.85 162.77 164.11 99.07 99.22 164.01 165.96 92.30 92.80 167.62 171.79 99.95 100.10 174.55 183.56 105.00 105.15

91.90 92.20 90.40 90.70 92.93 93.23 NA :Not Applicable 110.75 111.05 # :Floating Rate Bond 77.00 77.30 ***: Deferred 115.60 coupon bonds 115.90 105.90 106.20 †: Bond rating expired 111.14 110.84 94.65 94.95 68.56 68.86 77.50 77.80

NGC: Nigeria-German Company UBA: United Bank for Africa

Valuation Yield (%)

Indicative Price

12.81 15.24 15.02 14.94 14.46 13.97

93.95 85.47 103.09 93.19 90.28 88.83

1,304.32

FMDQ FGN BOND INDEX

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

Tenor

NIBOR

Bonds

14.00 KWARA 5-AUG-2014 14.00 NIGER 15-OCT-2014 Porfolio Market Total Outstanding 12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015 Value(Bn) Volume(Bn) 13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015 14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016 910.49 888.07 15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016 10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017 1,082.66 951.30 13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017 458.47 591.57 14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017 2,451.62 2,430.94 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

05-Aug-09 15-Oct-09

Weighting by 31-Aug-10 Outstanding Vol

30-Sep-10 30-Jun-11 30-Jun-09 36.53 19-Apr-10 39.13 30-Jun-10 24.33 30-Dec-10 100.00 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

14.00 14.00

Weighting by Mkt 12.50 Value

13.00 14.00 15.50 37.14 10.00 44.16 13.75 18.70 14.00 14.00100.00 14.00 14.50 14.00 15.50 15.50 14.50 14.75 14.75 13.50

17.00 6.00 Bucket 8.50 Weighting 16.50 13.00 18.50 0.37 57.00 0.39 50.00 0.24 25.00 50.00 1.00 9.00 20.00 12.00 27.00 20.00 80.00 30.00 11.40 87.00

05-Aug-14 15-Oct-14

% Exposure_ 31-Aug-15 Mod_Duration

30-Sep-15 30-Jun-16 30-Jun-16 19.61 19-Apr-17 39.73 30-Jun-17 40.66 31-Dec-17 100.00 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

0.27 0.46 1.34 Implied Yield 0.94 1.24 1.25 13.04 2.97 13.09 1.80 13.43 3.67 13.22 2.64 4.43 2.65 2.65 3.23 3.30 5.57 3.26 3.97 6.58

4.88 5.99

Implied 4.44 Portfolio Price 3.23 4.46 3.48 110.9406 5.59 123.6763 7.60 85.2587 1.79 109.6748 1.80 1.00 1.00 1.21 1.00 2.46 1.94 2.74 2.74 1.00

15.93 17.67 17.13 INDEX 15.73 17.12 16.14 1,053.71 18.56 1,047.24 20.43 1,032.13 14.76 1,040.67 14.74 13.98 13.94 14.15 13.97 15.43 14.94 15.71 15.72 14.02

99.37 98.39

YTD Return 94.61 (%)

97.96 96.75 99.64 5.3710 81.09 4.7244 90.35 3.2125 97.84 4.0671 98.58 100.04 101.36 111.05 101.37 100.26 98.36 97.71 97.32 97.77

48 BUSINESS | MONEY LINE

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Blackouts spur Nigeria bank dollar debt Sterling, Zenith, GTB, Fidelity tap Eurobond market Diversified Financial Sector Blended Yield index.

“Nigerian banks will become regular players in the Eurobond market in coming years,” Samir Gadio, an emerging-market strategist at Standard Bank Group Ltd.’s London unit, said in an e-mailed response to questions April 24. “They will need to refinance existing issues before they mature, but also to raise more funding for the financing of power, oil and gas and infrastructure projects.”

The Federal Government’s disposal of its power assets last year attracted about $2.4 billion, with most of the fi-

FINANCE Nigerian banks are making in-roads into international markets

N

igeria’s drive to overcome a mismatch between demand for electricity and generating capacity is prompting the nation’s lenders to sell dollar bonds to finance power projects.

The Federal Government, which last November sold 15 state-owned power generation and distribution companies, is spending $3.5 billion to boost transmission capacity this year by 50 percent from 4,000 megawatts, less than a 10th of South Africa’s full capacity.

Funds, according to Bloomberg, will come from the sales and borrowing as the Federal Government seeks to alleviate daily blackouts in the country.

Nigeria’s banks are tapping Eurobond markets to be in a position to provide financing for projects including power, with Sterling Bank Plc seeking to raise dollars after Zenith Bank sold $500 million of five-year notes on April 10. The yield on the security was 6.29 per cent on Monday, compared with 5.07 percent in JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s Corporate EMBI

nancing arranged by local banks, Wale Shonibare, the managing director of investment banking at Lagos-based UBA Capital Plc, said in a Bloomberg TV Africa interview broadcast April 25.

Demand for Zenith’s bonds was more than double the amount on sale, the Lagosbased lender said in an emailed statement on April 17, without saying what the money will be used for. The issuance, arranged by Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Citigroup Inc., is part of a $1 billion global medium-term note programme. Zenith declined to comment beyond the

Naira needs to be depreciated, says Rewane Abdulwahab Isa ABUJA

C

hief Executive Officer, Financial Derivatives Company Mr. Bismak Rewane, yesterday painted a prosperous outlook for the economy, but said that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) would be left with no alternative than to adjust upward the exchange rate band.

Currently, the strip is between N155 - N160 to $1, but Rewane said it ought to be raised to between N160 / N165.Speaking yesterday in

Abuja at Security and Exchange Commission(SEC) learning series with a theme: ' The Rebased GDP', Rewane a renowned financial expert noted that, while stability has endured in the money market, the CBN would be compelled by fundamentals of the market to adjust currency exchange band.

Commenting on 'Nigeria's economic outlook' he said: "There is need for an adjustment in the currency value.

We need a depreciation of the currency because anything less than 10 per cent is not

Economic Indicators As at M2* CPS* INF IBR MPR 91-day NTB DPR PLR Bonny Light Ext Res**

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

statement.

Sterling Bank plans to sell a Eurobond in 2015 and will also start talks with investors to raise $200 million this year, Chief Financial Officer Abubakar Suleiman said by phone from Lagos on April 24.

“The amount for the Eurobond has not been determined,” he said. “It is intended to help the bank finance growth.”

Guaranty Trust Plc, which raised $400 million in November for oil and gas investments out of a $1 billion bond programme, has enough shortterm dollar funding, according to Chief Executive Officer

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

Money Market Offer 11.85 11.85 11.80 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

devaluation but depreciation.

“The adjustment we are talking about is moving the band from N150 to N160 to N155 to 165 to a dollar. So, if you have a three per cent movement its not going to destroy the country.”

He noted that commodity prices globally have actually gone down even below the adjustment of the currency.

“Aluminium prices have gone down by about 40 per cent and wheat prices have come down by almost 25 per cent. So, most of the raw materials that they are talking about have come down and would of be affected by the depreciation of the currency,” the expert explained.

Rewane's prediction of CBN action is predicated on next month Monetary Policy Committee(MPC) session, the last preceding the resumption of new CBN governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele.

He said the status quo was expected to remain in the face of stability and calm that has been brought to bear in the market. Rewane, however, insisted "whether they like it or not, the currency will be adjusted sooner or later" He listed beneficiaries of currency adjustment to include, exporters, farmers, states and federal government while likely losers include importers and consumers that would bear the brunt arising from price increase On planned removal of fuel subsidy, he said he doesnt see it materialsing now until after the conduct of general elections. He however, endorsed its removal.

Commenting on new GDP, which ranked Nigeria economy 26th in the world and top in Africa with $510 billion GDP, he said the country was still faced with income inequality, a sad development he said was liable for high crime rate in the country.

Speaking on the topic' Rebased GDP- Understanding the Statistics', Statistician-General of National Bureau of Statistics, Dr. Yemi Kale, whose agency carried out the re-basing exercise, warned people to desist erroneously associating GDP with developing.

Segun Agbaje.

“If we see a long term funding need we’ll have to raise more funds,” he said in an April 9 interview.

Yields on Guaranty’s Eurobonds due November 2018 have dropped 16 basis points to 6.13 per cent since they were sold.

Fidelity Bank Plc’s $300 million of four-year Eurobonds have climbed 122 basis points to 8.36 per cent since being issued last May. “Nigerian banks don’t have significant excess or idle foreign currency funding partly due to regulations so when the lending opportunities come up, they tend to have to go to the market to raise funds,” Bunmi Asaolu, an analyst at FBN Capital Ltd., said by e-mail on April 15. “The risks are there because of foreign-exchange risk and question marks surrounding transmission and gas supply. This is why some banks have chosen not to participate in the ongoing lending spree.”

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) increased cashreserve requirements on deposits made by government ministries and agencies and state-owned companies to 75 per cent from 50 per cent last year and told lenders to lower fees and commissions to reduce costs to customers. The regulator raised requirements on private deposits to 15 per cent from 12 per cent on March 25 to reduce liquidity and support the naira.

“Loan-book growth has become an important objective for domestic banks in their bid to grow earnings,” Adelayo Alabi, an analyst at Lagos-based Greenwich Trust Ltd. said in an e-mailed response to questions, on April 15. “Dollar debt provides a lower-cost of funding than what is obtainable” locally.

Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, which was bailed out by the CBN bank five years ago during a debt crisis, has been selective with the power deals it funds, Chief Financial Officer Oyinkan Adewale said by phone April 25.

“We have to be very, very careful because we know everybody was rushing to finance power, that was the new kid on the block, but a lot of these assets people didn’t really know the quality of,” Adewale said. “While we have quite a bit of demand coming to us to finance power, we only participated in one or two deals.”

Yields on the government’s naira bonds due June 2019 have climbed 24 basis points, or 0.24 percentage point, to 13.25 percent this year. Nigeria’s naira gained 0.1 percent to 160.85 per dollar by 9:56 a.m. in Lagos for a decline this year of 0.3 percent.

“We will see a trickle of other banks coming to the market,” John Bates, a London-based emerging market corporate analyst at PineBridge Investments, which manages $74 billion, said in e-mailed comments on April 16. “One of the challenges for the Nigerian banks is raising long term funds which they can then on-lend to their corporate customers, many of which are hungry for finance.”

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Daily Summary as of 29/04/2014 Printed 29/04/2014 15:50:43.043

Daily Summary as of 29/04/2014

BUSINESS | CAPITAL MARKET 49

The Nigerian Stock Market Exchange as at April 29, 2014

Printed 29/04/2014 15:50:43.043

Daily Summary (Equities)

Daily Summary (Bonds)

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Activity Summary on Board DEBT Federal

Bond Name 10.00% FGN JUL 2030 15.10% FGN APR 2017 16.00% FGN JUN 2019 16.39% FGN JAN 2022 Federal Totals

Symbol FG7B2030S3 FG9B2017S2 FG9B2019S3 FG9B2022S1

DEBT Board Totals

No. of Deals 1 1 1 1 4

Current Price 78.20 105.70 111.10 116.10

4

Bond Activity Totals

Quantity Traded 100 100 100 100 400

Value Traded 80,934.61 105,906.38 116,550.65 120,401.34 423,792.98

400

423,792.98

400

4

HEALTHCARE Medical Supplies MORISON INDUSTRIES PLC. Medical Supplies Totals Pharmaceuticals EVANS MEDICAL PLC. FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC GLAXO SMITHKLINE CONSUMER NIG. PLC. MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. NEIMETH INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC NIGERIA-GERMAN CHEMICALS PLC. PHARMA-DEKO PLC. Pharmaceuticals Totals

423,792.98

Daily Summary (Equities)

HEALTHCARE Totals Daily Summary as of 29/04/2014 ICT Printed 29/04/2014 15:50:43.043 Computer Based Systems COURTEVILLE BUSINESS SOLUTIONS PLC Computer Based Systems Totals

Activity Summary on Board EQTY AGRICULTURE Crop Production OKOMU OIL PALM PLC. PRESCO PLC Crop Production Totals Fishing/Hunting/Trapping Daily Summary as of 29/04/2014 Printed 29/04/2014 15:50:43.043

ELLAH LAKES PLC. Fishing/Hunting/Trapping Totals Livestock/Animal Specialties

FEEDS PLC. ActivityLIVESTOCK Summary on Board EQTY AGRICULTURE PublishedLivestock/Animal

by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Specialties Livestock/Animal Specialties Totals

Symbol OKOMUOIL PRESCO Symbol ELLAHLAKES

No. of Deals 35 24 59

Current Price 35.00 42.00

No. of Deals 1 1

Daily Summary (Equities)

Symbol LIVESTOCK

No. of Deals 9

Symbol

No. of Deals 9

Symbol AGLEVENT TRANSCORP UACN

No. of Deals 14 190 68 272

Symbol COSTAIN

AGRICULTURE Totals CONGLOMERATES Diversified Industries A.G. LEVENTIS NIGERIA PLC. TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION OF NIGERIA PLC U A C N PLC. Diversified Industries Totals

CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE

Building Structure/Completion/Other Totals

Infrastructure/Heavy Construction JULIUS BERGER NIG. PLC. Infrastructure/Heavy Construction Totals Real Estate Development UACN PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT CO. LIMITED RealSummary Estate Development Activity on BoardTotals EQTY

CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) UPDC REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) Totals

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

Beverages--Non-Alcoholic 7-UP BOTTLING COMP. PLC.

Daily Summary as of 29/04/2014 Beverages--Non-Alcoholic Totals Printed 29/04/2014 15:50:43.043

Food Products DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC. HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC NATIONAL SALT CO. NIG. PLC Activity Summary Board EQTY N NIG. FLOURon MILLS PLC.

CONSUMER GOODS Food Products UNION DICON SALT PLC. U T C NIG. PLC. Food Products Totals

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

Current Price 4.26

Quantity Traded 50 50

Value Traded 202.50 202.50

Current Price 3.30

Quantity Traded 67,974

Value Traded 213,438.36

Current Price

Page Quantity Traded 67,974

1 of Value Traded 213,438.36

391,319

12,800,297.36

Current Price 1.56 3.47 58.25

Quantity Traded 308,224 14,478,033 288,772 15,075,029

Value Traded 474,284.44 50,490,300.47 16,498,742.93 67,463,327.84

15,075,029

67,463,327.84

No. of Deals 22 22

Current Price 1.41

Quantity Traded 422,829 422,829

Value Traded 581,664.33 581,664.33

Symbol JBERGER

No. of Deals 22 22

Current Price 68.89

Quantity Traded 40,663 40,663

Value Traded 2,663,955.26 2,663,955.26

Symbol UAC-PROP

No. of Deals 50 50

Current Price 24.50

Quantity Traded 601,843 601,843

Value Traded 14,934,426.00 14,934,426.00

Symbol UPDCREIT

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 11.02

Quantity Traded 1,000 1,000

272

Daily Summary (Equities)

CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Totals CONSUMER GOODS Beverages--Brewers/Distillers CHAMPION BREW. PLC. GUINNESS NIG PLC INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC. JOS INT. BREWERIES PLC. NIGERIAN BREW. PLC. Beverages--Brewers/Distillers Totals

Value Traded 4,421,498.80 8,165,157.70 12,586,656.50

69

CONGLOMERATES Totals

Daily Summary as of 29/04/2014 Building Structure/Completion/Other Printed 29/04/2014 15:50:43.043 COSTAIN (W A) PLC.

Quantity Traded 126,079 197,216 323,295

95

Page

2

of

Value Traded 10,470.00 10,470.00

1,066,335

18,190,515.59

Symbol CHAMPION GUINNESS INTBREW JOSBREW NB

No. of Deals 2 51 39 1 80 173

Current Price 13.79 178.00 26.00 3.59 148.90

Quantity Traded 40,000 85,000 192,150 50 226,159 543,359

Value Traded 524,400.00 15,190,927.15 4,844,208.80 171.00 33,570,754.33 54,130,461.28

Symbol 7UP

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 90.00

Quantity Traded 10 10

Value Traded 855.00 855.00

No. of Deals 47 80 50 (Equities) 32 48 1

Current Price 8.08 9.50 68.43 3.69 11.51 22.01

Quantity Traded 218,698 1,783,859 243,169 1,608,600 748,254 200

Value Traded 1,685,073.72 16,830,414.64 16,305,881.86 5,984,675.88 8,540,698.25 4,182.00

No. of Deals 2 2 262

Current Price 13.44 0.53

Quantity Traded 130 1,943 4,604,853

Symbol DANGFLOUR DANGSUGAR FLOURMILL Daily Summary HONYFLOUR NASCON NNFM

Symbol UNIONDICON UTC

Page

3

of

Value Traded 1,660.10 1,022.36 49,353,608.81

Food Products--Diversified CADBURY NIGERIA PLC. NESTLE NIGERIA PLC. Food Products--Diversified Totals

Symbol CADBURY NESTLE

No. of Deals 23 59 82

Current Price 79.00 1,080.00

Quantity Traded 68,186 102,314 170,500

Value Traded 5,376,723.12 108,293,523.87 113,670,246.99

Household Durables VITAFOAM NIG PLC. Household Durables Totals

Symbol VITAFOAM

No. of Deals 37 37

Current Price 4.30

Quantity Traded 3,289,094 3,289,094

Value Traded 13,783,822.78 13,783,822.78

Personal/Household Products P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC. UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC. Personal/Household Products Totals

Symbol PZ UNILEVER

No. of Deals 57 76 133

Current Price 36.02 47.50

Quantity Traded 369,535 1,195,267 1,564,802

Value Traded 13,432,705.31 56,764,341.93 70,197,047.24

10,172,618

301,136,042.10

Quantity Traded 9,155,943 16,068,448 571,859

Value Traded 75,834,370.17 97,071,605.11 7,520,601.07

CONSUMER GOODS Totals

688

Daily Summary as of 29/04/2014 Printed 29/04/2014 15:50:43.043

FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking ACCESS BANK PLC. DIAMOND BANK PLC Daily Summary as of 29/04/2014 ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Printed 29/04/2014 15:50:43.043

FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © FIDELITY BANK PLC GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC. SKYE BANK PLC STERLING BANK PLC. UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC UNION BANK NIG.PLC. Activity Summary on Board EQTY UNITY BANK PLC

FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking WEMA BANK PLC. ZENITH INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC Banking Totals Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services AIICO INSURANCE PLC. CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC CORNERSTONE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC. GREAT NIGERIAN INSURANCE PLC CONSOLIDATED HALLMARK INSURANCE PLC INTERNATIONAL ENERGY INSURANCE COMPANY PLC Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © MANSARD INSURANCE PLC MUTUAL BENEFITS ASSURANCE PLC. N.E.M INSURANCE CO (NIG) PLC. NIGER INSURANCE CO. PLC. OASIS INSURANCE PLC PRESTIGE ASSURANCE CO. PLC. STANDARD TRUST ASSURANCE PLC Daily Summary as of 29/04/2014 UNITY KAPITAL ASSURANCE PLC Printed 29/04/2014 15:50:43.043 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 Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © FINANCIAL SERVICES Micro-Finance Banks Micro-Finance Banks Totals

Symbol No. of Deals ACCESS 140 Daily Summary (Equities) DIAMONDBNK 156 ETI 86

Current Price 8.10 6.04 13.15

ICT Processing Systems Processing Systems CHAMS PLC Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Processing Systems Totals

14

14

Quantity Traded 568,562 10,000 1,439,834 50 45 6,671,655 Page 101,000 1,500 1,552,500 75,000 100,000 22,678 45 700 6,428 4,291,683 14,841,680

Value Traded 441,573.20 9,660.00 720,028.00 25.00 22.50 3,392,581.05 5 of 14 233,320.00 750.00 1,165,475.00 37,500.00 54,500.00 13,153.24 22.50 350.00 3,214.00 2,971,042.67 9,043,217.16

No. of Deals 3

Current Price 0.84

Quantity Traded 5,600

Value Traded 4,866.00

14

Value Traded 33,016.00 33,016.00

Symbol CWG

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 5.48

Quantity Traded 100 100

Value Traded 521.00 521.00

Symbol Symbol CHAMS

No. of Deals No. of Deals 2 2

Current Price Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded Quantity Traded 20,100 Page 20,100

Value Traded Value Traded 10,050.00 8 of 14 10,050.00

Daily Summary (Equities)

10

14

Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services ASO SAVINGS AND LOANS PLC INFINITY TRUST MORTGAGE BANK PLC UNION HOMES SAVINGS AND LOANS PLC. Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals

Symbol ASOSAVINGS INFINITY UNHOMES

No. of Deals 1 1 2 4

Current Price 0.50 1.61 0.50

Quantity Traded 105,000 100 813 105,913

Value Traded 52,500.00 153.00 406.50 53,059.50

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 Other Financial Institutions Totals

Symbol AFRIPRUD CUSTODYINS FBNH FCMB ROYALEX STANBIC UBCAP

No. of Deals 46 35 829 73 2 42 99 1,126

Current Price 2.90 2.25 13.96 3.48 0.62 23.20 2.25

Quantity Traded 2,053,553 5,446,839 30,815,619 10,935,753 68,428 258,829 4,455,770 54,034,791

Value Traded 6,076,580.94 12,084,552.96 422,708,451.03 38,068,440.80 41,056.80 5,843,750.58 9,761,639.12 494,584,472.23

178,204,754

1,624,443,983.56

Quantity Traded 250 250

Value Traded 885.00 885.00

Symbol ASHAKACEM BERGER CAP CCNN DANGCEM DNMEYER FIRSTALUM PORTPAINT WAPCO

No. of Deals 42 15 31 12 35 3 1 6 61 206

Current Price 16.50 9.00 40.26 9.21 227.00 1.06 0.50 4.20 110.04

Quantity Traded 384,581 149,800 229,003 137,327 28,270 200,049 39,267 168,649 184,776 1,521,722

Value Traded 6,440,697.52 1,341,223.05 9,507,620.14 1,265,223.07 6,404,391.40 212,256.94 19,633.50 743,355.60 20,289,509.49 46,223,910.71

Symbol CUTIX

No. of Deals 17 17

Current Price 1.99

Quantity Traded 288,260 288,260

Value Traded 560,319.63 560,319.63

Symbol No. of Deals Daily Summary (Equities)

Current Price 18.97

Quantity Traded 1,620 1,620

Value Traded 30,780.00 30,780.00

BETAGLAS

1 1

Page

224

9

of

14

1,811,602

46,815,010.34

Quantity Traded 100 100

Value Traded 998.00 998.00

Mining Services MULTIVERSE PLC Mining Services Totals

Symbol MULTIVERSE

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 9,350 9,350

Value Traded 4,675.00 4,675.00

9,720

7,490.10

Integrated Oil and Gas Services OANDO PLC Integrated Oil and Gas Services Totals

4 Symbol JAPAULOIL

No. of Deals 10 10

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 47,941 47,941

Value Traded 23,970.50 23,970.50

Symbol No. of Deals Daily Summary (Equities)

Current Price 16.00

Quantity Traded 3,938,657 3,938,657

Value Traded 62,958,969.16 62,958,969.16

OANDO

224 224

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Symbol CONOIL ETERNA FO MOBIL MRS TOTAL

No. of Deals 28 4 14 36 5 25 112

Current Price 49.20 3.79 148.99 116.10 51.72 161.20

Quantity Traded Page 23,592 22,747 63,534 51,482 330 31,106 192,791

Value Traded 10 of 14 1,116,281.14

Symbol SEPLAT

No. of Deals 76 76

Current Price 596.50

Quantity Traded 1,098,743 1,098,743

Value Traded 651,535,265.18 651,535,265.18

5,278,132

735,340,654.94

422

82,116.67 8,551,122.32 6,180,731.43 16,216.20 4,875,982.34 20,822,450.10

Symbol AFROMEDIA

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 750 750

Value Traded 375.00 375.00

Symbol RTBRISCOE

No. of Deals 2 2

Current Price 1.25

Quantity Traded 97,500 97,500

Value Traded 121,875.00 121,875.00

Symbol REDSTAREX

No. of Deals 6

Current Price 4.19

Quantity Traded 134,837

Value Traded 569,042.28

Symbol TRANSEXPR

No. of Deals 5 11

Current Price 2.13

Page Quantity Traded 50,007 184,844

Employment Solutions C & I LEASING PLC. Employment Solutions Totals

Symbol CILEASING

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 15,500 15,500

Value Traded 7,750.00 7,750.00

Hotels/Lodging CAPITAL HOTEL PLC IKEJA HOTEL PLC Hotels/Lodging Totals

Symbol CAPHOTEL IKEJAHOTEL

No. of Deals 1 6 7

Current Price 4.55 0.63

Quantity Traded 100 251,700 251,800

Value Traded 450.00 158,514.00 158,964.00

Printing/Publishing LEARN AFRICA PLC UNIVERSITY PRESS PLC. Printing/Publishing Totals

Symbol LEARNAFRCA UPL

No. of Deals 15 5 20

Current Price 1.65 4.15

Quantity Traded 117,660 39,451 157,111

Value Traded 190,672.50 150,153.80 340,826.30

Symbol ABCTRANS

No. of Deals 19 19

Current Price 0.86

Quantity Traded 5,254,000 5,254,000

Value Traded 4,518,890.00 4,518,890.00

Symbol

No. of Deals 9 82 91

Current Price 2.25 4.65

Quantity Traded 95,178 2,836,135 2,931,313

Value Traded 203,930.92 13,178,032.82 13,381,963.74

Courier/Freight/Delivery

Roadas Transportation Daily Summary of 29/04/2014 ASSOCIATED BUS COMPANY PLC Printed 29/04/2014 15:50:43.043 Road Transportation Totals

Transport-Related Services AIRLINE SERVICES AND LOGISTICS PLC NIGERIAN AVIATION HANDLING COMPANY PLC Transport-Related Totals Activity Summary onServices Board EQTY

Daily Summary (Equities)

AIRSERVICE Daily Summary (Equities) NAHCO

SERVICES Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © SERVICES Totals

Page 8,892,818

152

Daily Summary (Equities)

11 of 14 Value Traded 101,514.21 670,556.49

12 of 14 19,201,200.53

221,906,533

2,827,902,060.38

Quantity Traded 20 20

Value Traded 25.60 25.60

4,783

Activity Summary on Board ASeM CONSUMER GOODS Food Products MCNICHOLS PLC Food Products Totals

Symbol MCNICHOLS

No. of Deals 1 1

CONSUMER GOODS Totals

Current Price 1.34

1

20

25.60

ASeM Board Totals

1

20

25.60

Equity Activity Totals

4,784

221,906,553

2,827,902,085.98

Daily Summary as of 29/04/2014 Exchange Traded Fund Printed 29/04/2014 15:50:43.043

Name NEWGOLD EXCHANGE TRADED FUND (ETF) VETIVA GRIFFIN 30 ETF

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

Exchange Traded Fund

Name Exchange Traded Fund Totals

14

43,587.00

Current Price 10.50

EQTY Board Totals

Value Traded 4,866.00

67,900

No. of Deals 1 1

SERVICES Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Courier/Freight/Delivery TRANS-NATIONWIDE EXPRESS PLC. Courier/Freight/Delivery Totals

Quantity Traded 5,600

of

Quantity Traded 47,700 47,700

Symbol ALEX

RED STAR EXPRESS PLC Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Current Price

7

Current Price 0.71

70

Metals ALUMINIUM EXTRUSION IND. PLC. Metals Totals

SERVICES Advertising AFROMEDIA PLC Daily Summary as of 29/04/2014 Advertising Totals Printed 29/04/2014 15:50:43.043 Automobile/Auto Part Retailers R T BRISCOE PLC. Automobile/Auto Part Retailers Totals

Value Traded 2,599,817.68 505,883,615.60 1,120,758,368.67

Page

2,459,951.02

No. of Deals 7 7

OIL AND GAS Totals

No. of Deals 3

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

936,306

Symbol COURTVILLE

Value Traded 1,817.10 1,817.10

Exploration and Production SEPLAT PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LTD Exploration and Production Totals

Current Price 0.78 0.99 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.53 2.31 0.50 0.77 0.50 0.55 0.60 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.71

Current Price 3.72

Value Traded 547,321.26 876,439.52 532,469.44 37,682.80 464,601.60 140.00 375.00 2,459,029.62

Quantity Traded 270 270

ETERNA PLC. FORTE OIL PLC. MOBIL OIL NIG PLC. MRS OIL NIGERIA PLC. TOTAL NIGERIA PLC. Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors Totals

No. of Deals 22 3 7 1 2 28 2 1 25 1 3 3 2 2 2 44 148

No. of Deals 1 1

Quantity Traded 226,203 308,578 7,775 21,940 371,270 20 250 936,036

Current Price 6.47

OIL AND GAS

Symbol AIICO CONTINSURE CORNERST GNI HMARKINS INTENEGINS MANSARD MBENEFIT NEM NIGERINS OASISINS PRESTIGE STACO UNITYKAP UNIVINSURE WAPIC

Symbol EKOCORP

Current Price 2.42 2.85 69.50 1.78 1.24 7.36 1.57

No. of Deals 2 2

Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © CONOIL PLC

Symbol

HEALTHCARE Healthcare Providers EKOCORP PLC. Healthcare Providers Totals

No. of Deals 17 13 12 5 16 1 4 68

Symbol BOCGAS

JAPAUL OIL & MARITIME SERVICES PLC Energy Equipment and Services Totals

Quantity Traded 2,642,733 23,153,659 109,216,770

2,777

Symbol EVANSMED FIDSON GLAXOSMITH MAYBAKER NEIMETH NIG-GERMAN PHARMDEKO

NATURAL RESOURCES Totals

Current Price 1.00 21.92

FINANCIAL SERVICES Totals

Packaging/Containers BETA GLASS CO PLC. Packaging/Containers Totals

Daily Summary of 29/04/2014 OIL ANDas GAS Printed 29/04/2014 15:50:43.043and Services Energy Equipment

No. of Deals 49 228 1,496

of

Value Traded 36.40 36.40

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

NATURAL RESOURCES Chemicals B.O.C. GASES PLC. Chemicals Totals

Symbol WEMABANK ZENITHBANK

6

Quantity Traded 20 20

INDUSTRIAL GOODS Totals

Quantity Traded Page 3,162,984 11,122,073 19,494,459 7,794,235 5,546,892 474,485 10,029,000

Page

Current Price 1.91

PublishedINDUSTRIAL

by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © GOODS

Current Price 1.95 26.02 3.43 2.25 6.75 9.99 0.50

Symbol NPFMCRFBK

INDUSTRIAL GOODS Building Materials ASHAKA CEM PLC BERGER PAINTS PLC CAP PLC CEMENT CO. OF NORTH.NIG. PLC DANGOTE CEMENT PLC DN MEYER PLC. FIRST ALUMINIUM NIGERIA PLC PORTLAND PAINTS & PRODUCTS NIGERIA PLC LAFARGE WAPCO PLC. Building Materials Totals Daily Summary as of 29/04/2014

Printed 29/04/2014 15:50:43.043 Electronic and Electrical Products CUTIX PLC. Electronic and Electrical Products Totals

No. of Deals 63 331 145 69 154 72 3

Daily Summary (Equities)

No. of Deals 1 1

ICT Totals

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Symbol FIDELITYBK GUARANTY SKYEBANK STERLNBANK UBA UBN UNITYBNK

Daily Summary (Equities)

4Value Traded of 6,112,775.33 297,677,453.76 63,699,280.62 17,391,045.86 37,259,794.00 4,693,509.47 5,014,500.00

IT Services COMPUTER WAREHOUSE GROUP PLC IT Services Totals

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Symbol MORISON

Daily Summary (ETP) Symbol NEWGOLD VETGRIF30

No. of Deals 1 2

Daily Summary (ETP) Symbol

Current Price 2,008.00 17.35

Quantity Traded 12 4,000

Current Price

Quantity Traded 4,012

Value Traded 94,096.00

Page No. of Deals 3

Value Traded 24,096.00 70,000.00 13

of

ETF Board Totals

3

4,012

94,096.00

ETP Activity Totals

3

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50 WORLD | NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

More deadly tornadoes in southern US

P

owerful storms are barrelling down on the southern US for a second night, raising the death toll above 20.

Six deaths were reported in Alabama and seven in Mississippi after tornadoes struck on Monday evening, although not all these fatalities were confirmed.

Several tornadoes flattened buildings, overturned vehicles and brought down utility lines on a second consecutive night

of devastation. At least 16 people died in Arkansas, Iowa and Oklahoma on Sunday night.

In Limestone County, Alabama, two deaths were confirmed by the coroner’s office and four deaths were reported, although unconfirmed, elsewhere in the county.

In Mississippi, a woman died when driving her car during the storm in Verona, south of Tupelo. Officials said seven people were killed in total across the state but coroners had

yet to confirm that number.

The mayor of Tupelo, Jason Shelton, the damage from the storms was widespread and “devastating”. A 21:00 local time, curfew was in place on Monday.

Power went out in much of the city as lines went down and trees were torn up by the storm, the US National Weather Service reported.

Giles Ward huddled in a bathroom with his wife and four other relatives as a tornado destroyed his brick house

and overturned his son-in-law’s four-wheel-drive parked outside his home in Louisville, Winston County, Mississippi.

“For about 30 seconds, it was unbelievable,’’ said Ward, a Republican senator. “It’s about as awful as anything we’ve gone through.”

Meanwhile, emergency crews are continuing to search through rubble for survivors of the severe storms which struck one day earlier.

Of the 16 people who died on Sunday night, 14 of them were in

the suburbs of Little Rock, Arkansas. A preliminary death toll there was 16, but it was later amended.

But the number may yet rise as crews search the wreckage of destroyed buildings.

“We’re trying to make sure everyone is accounted for,” Brandon Morris, spokesman for the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management, told the Associated Press news agency.

Arkansas Governor, Mike Beebe said the storm “may be one of the strongest we have seen”.

Nigerian community fights Shell in UK court hearing

L

Decimated Gloucester Street in Tupelo

PHOTO: AP

Ann Maguire stabbing: Corpus Christi pupils attend Mass for teacher

T

he fatal stabbing of a teacher in front of her pupils has prompted condolence messages from as far afield as Australia. Ann Maguire, 61, was killed at Corpus Christi Catholic College in Leeds on Monday.

Tributes and flowers were left at the school gates and former pupils earlier attended a Mass for Mrs Maguire. A 15-year-old pupil is being questioned by detectives, while the school is open as normal.

Det Supt Simon Beldon, of West Yorkshire Police, told a press conference the teenager remained in custody. He said: “Given his young age, this is a process which needs to be handled very sensitively and may take some time to complete.

“This is clearly an unprecedented and tragic incident which has left the wider community in a state of shock.” Mrs Maguire had taught at the school for 40 years, after starting her career there as a student teacher.

Those taught by her said she was an inspirational teacher who went out of her way to help

students.

Leading the Mass for Mrs Maguire at Corpus Christi Church, Monsignor Paul Fisher told the congregation: “Yesterday evening, the community gathered here in church as well as outside to light candles and to say a prayer. “By the time the church was closed, the candelabras were full of light.

“Today we pray for the light of hope. Hope for ourselves that we will come to terms, eventually, with what has happened.

“We pray for all those young people at our school next door and their teachers. We pray for Ann’s family and friends.

“Former pupil Stephanie Pemberton spoke after the Mass.

She said: “I’m glad they have done something in memory of her, she gave so much to so many people.”She was an incredible woman she came in on Saturdays to try to get us through our GCSEs. “You just have to mention her name and you can’t help but smile.”I didn’t believe it at first, I was in complete denial, I

didn’t want to believe it. “When someone’s had that much effect on your life, it’s not an easy thing to accept.”

Priest Paul Fisher said: “Messages from those who knew Ann have come from across the country, with at least one from Australia.”

Ch Supt Paul Money, of West Yorkshire Police, said Mrs Maguire received a number of stab wounds and a knife was recovered from the scene. The 61-yearold was taken to hospital after being fatally injured shortly before 12:00 BST on Monday.

egal arguments begin in court yesterday in a compensation claim brought by about 15,000 members of Nigeria’s Bodo community against oil giant, Shell, for the damage caused by two spills in 2008.

Britain’s High Court will consider the key legal issues ahead of a full trial expected in May 2015, according to the community’s London-based law firm, Leigh Day. The two sides failed to reach a compensation deal last year, with Leigh Day calling Shell’s initial offer “insulting”. Sources familiar with the talks said the British-Dutch company proposed a settlement of N7.5 billion ($46 million, 35 million euros).

Lawyers for the villagers say the local environment was devastated by the two spills, depriving thousands of subsistence farmers and fishermen of their livelihoods.

Martyn Day, senior partner at Leigh Day, said each individual would end up with around 275,000 naira (1,300 euros, $1,700) after subtracting a lump sum to be paid to the community. He claims most of the fishermen affected by the spills earn $5,000 to $8,400 per year.

“Our clients know how much their claims are worth and will not be bought off cheaply,” Day

said in a statement.

According to him, experts estimate the spills in the cluster of fishing communities in Rivers state to be between 500,000 and 600,000 barrels. Shell was quick to acknowledge liability for the spills and formally agreed with Leigh Day in 2011, but it disputes the amount of oil involved and the extent of the damage.

The company, the biggest producer of oil in Nigeria, has said that sabotage, illegal refining and theft have slowed the cleanup process. Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) has also blamed lawyers for delaying the payment of compensation, saying the case should have been dealt with in Nigeria. Nigeria is Africa’s biggest crude producer, but much of the Niger Delta oil region remains deeply impoverished.

Decades of spills have caused widespread pollution in the region. Shell says sabotage and oil theft are the main causes, but activists allege the firm has not done enough to prevent such incidents and clean them when they occur.

In a statement ahead of yesterday’s hearings, Mutiu Sunmonu, managing director of SPDC, said: “From the outset, we’ve accepted responsibility for the two operational spills in Bodo in 2008.”

Fleeing Muslim convoy in C. Africa ambushed, two dead

T

wo civilians were killed when gunmen ambushed a convoy of Muslims fleeing violence in the capital of the strife-torn Central African Republic, international peacekeepers said so yesterday.

The convoy, bearing some 1,300 Muslims who feared killer raids by mainly Christian vigilantes, left Bangui on Sunday with a strong escort of troops from the African Union’s MIS-

CA peacekeeping mission. The 18 lorries transporting the refugees and their possessions came under fire around 300 kilometres (185 miles) north of the capital in the region of Dekoa, one of the MISCA soldiers told AFP.” The convoy was attacked late on Monday afternoon by armed men perched in the trees who opened fire on the passengers,” the source said.

TwoMuslimpassengerswerekilled and six others were wounded in the ambush, which the soldier blamed on mainly Christian vigilantes known as “anti-balaka”,whohavetargettedMuslims in Bangui for months, provoking anexodus.

MISCAtroops“returnedfireonthe armed men who were most likely the anti-balaka operating in the region.

We do not know if there were victims among them,” he said.

SPORT

NEW TELEGRAPH

newtelegraphonline.com/sports

ADEKUNLE SALAMI, DepUTY Editor, SPORTS

AUTHORITATIVE VOICE IN GLOBAL SPORT

WEDNESday,APRIL 30, 2014

kunle.salami@newtelegraphonline.com adekunles@yahoo.com

Did you know?

51

That Luigi Riva, Italian international player, broke the arm of a spectator due to his powerful shot

NFF threatens to sue Singaporean match-fixer }p. 54

...writes FIFA, denies match-fixing claim

Maigari

Perumal Super Eagles line-up

Dearth of quality male sprinters worries Aliu Ajibade Olusesan

F

ormer Africa’s fastest man, Deji Aliu, is worried that Nigeria cannot boast of quality male sprinters unlike in the past.

The former All Africa Games gold medalist said that Nigerian male athletes always find themselves at the podium during major inter national competitions and expressed concern that the country was no longer producing such male athletes.

He said the problem was not due to dearth of talents but the administrators have not done enough to encourage developmental programmes and to also support the elite athletes.

Aliu said; “I am worried that some of our male athletes are not dominating in major international competitions like in our days.

It is not that the athletes we have now are not good but because they lack encouragement. They are not get-

ting enough support.

I’ll blame the administrators in the Athletic Federation of Nigeria for this. Secondly, AFN has not been looking at the grassroots to get new athletes for the country.

“It was not like this in my time; the AFN adhered strictly to the developmental programmes and it yielded results.”

Aliu is also skeptical about Nigeria’s chances at the Commonwealth Games. He said with what he saw

at the last IAAF World Athletics Championship in Moscow Nigerian athletes might not do well in Glasgow.

“I am not expect much from the team at the 2014 Commonwealth Games because of what I saw at the last World Championship.

Apart from Okagbare, no one impressed me in Moscow and that calls for concern. But we can actually start to make plans now if we must perfor m well at the 2016 Olympics in Rio,” he said.

Aliu

52 SPORT

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Countdown to Fifa World Cup 43 Adekunle Salami

G

ermany’s number one goalkeeper, Manuel Neuer, is one of the best goalkeepers in the world at the moment.

Officially, he is number one in the world according to the International Federation of Football History and Statistics ranking for 2013. The IFFHS with experts from over 70 countries scored Neuer 211 points at the end of 2013. He has used his superb form to help German and European Champions, Bayern Munich to the semifinal stage of the Champions League, while also helping them retain the Bundesliga title with about seven games to play.

Neuer took over from Iker Casillas of Real Madrid and Spain. For five years, Casillas was voted best keeper in the world and the climax of his career was leading Spain to clinch the World Cup in 2010.

The current form of Neuer is a big boost to Germany and their aspirations to win the World Cup again. A former Manchester United coach, Sir Alex Ferguson, said it was important to have a high quality goalkeeper if a team aspires to win laurels. Ferguson stated this while commending Dutch keeper, Edwin Van Der Saar, for helping Man United clinch the title few years back.

“The goalkeeping department is crucial. If the team is not playing well ,the brilliance of the keeper will ensure the team

Days

Neuer leads top goalies to Brazil

hangs in there until something is done to get a goal or more, “Ferguson said.

At the forthcoming Mundial, the role of goalies will be key in determining the successor otherwise of teams especially the favourites.

Germany’s skipper Philip Lahm, is very optimistic of the country’s chances at the World Cup in Brazil and he is banking on Neuer to make things happen for the Mannschaft.

“He is a great stopper and I believe he will help Germany a great deal at the World Cup. There could be a mix up in the defense or the opponent could display brilliance to beat defenders, you need a good keeper to save the situation. Manuel is fantastic. Very reliable and consistent,” Lahm said.

Germany will need the skills and reflexes of Neuer in a tough group. The Germans have Portugal, Ghana and USA to contend with.

Neuer is only 27 years old and with hard work he could also hold that number one position for four to five years just like Casillas did.

Following Neuer is Italy’s Gianluigi Buffon. With 78 points, the 35 year-old is a distant second to Neuer in the rankings of the IFFRS. Despite his age, Buffon is in excellent form this season for Juventus as the Old Lady are cruising on to win the title in Italy. The Italians are up

against Uruguay, England and Costa Rica in Group D. Buffon deserves some respect.

In the past 14 years, he has been in the top five of the world goalies rankings and has won four times (2003, 2004, 2006, 2007). He won the World Cup with Italy in 2006.

Third best ranked keeper in the world with 64 points is Chelsea and Czech Republic’s Petr Cech but his country is out of the World Cup. Next is Thibaut Courtois of Atletico Madrid and Belgium. He has 54 points and the agile goal tender is in the form of his life. He was key in Atletico’s quarterfinal victory over Barcelona in the Champions League. He is on loan from Chelsea and is set to take Belgium far at the Mundial. Belgium has Algeria, Russia and Korea Republic as foes in Group H. Courtois is a big plus in the star studded Belgian side that has Christian Benteke, Eden Hazard, Vincent Kompany, Romelu Lukaku, Kevin Mirallas, Thomas Vermaelen, Jan Vertonghen, Mousa Dembélé, Marouane Fellaini.

Victor Valdes is 5th with 53 points but he is not going t o the

Manuel Neuer

Vincent Enyeama

Thibaut Courtois

Gianluigi Buffon

To Go

World Cup due to injury and so Casillas with 23 points who is in the sixth position is another keeper to watch at the Mundial.

Casillas, 32, interestingly has seen it all. He won the World Cup with Spain in South Africa, but the outgoing season has been difficult for him at Real Madrid where he has spent the better time on the bench.

Spain will compete with Chile, Holland and Australia in Group B. Super Eagles goalie, Vincent Enyeama, is also one keeper that cannot be underrated even though he was not ranked by IFFHS. He is having a splendid season with Lille of France as he recorded a clean sheet in 11 games. He is getting better with age and has shown so much promise with his consistency. Coach Stephen Keshi said the goal tender is brilliant and will do well in Brazil.

“I have no problem in goalkeeping department because Enyeama is a fantastic goalie and we look up to him to help the team in Brazil,” he said.

Speaking generally on the importance of goalkeeping in major competitions, a former Eagles goalie, Peter Rufai advised the goalkeepers heading to the World Cup to always stay focused.

He said,”The keeper is bound to observe play better than the players. He has to arrange them, tell them what to do almost at all times, but in the process the keeper must not lose focus because just one mistake can wreck the team.

“Enyeama is a very Iker Casillas good goalkeeper; He is very confident and mature. I expect Nigeria to move on the second round because of his brilliance.”

Nigeria, Iran, Bosnia Herzegovina and Argentina will battle for supremacy in Group F of the competition.

Enyeama has to be in good form to boost Nigeria’s chances and also push himself into the top 10 rankings of the IFFHS.

Nigerian League Rendezvous

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Why I am not scoring goals -Mikel

with charles Ogundiya

53

charlesog2001@yahoo.com,

08098042287

lChelsea may lose Omeruo

Emmanuel Tobi

S

uper Eagles and Chelsea of England midfielder, Obi Mikel, has made a startling revelation on why he finds it difficult in venturing upfront to score goals for the London team.

Mikel said it was a fear of making manager Jose Mourinho “really mad” that prevents him from venturing too far forward in the Premier League.

“I wish I could score every time, but the most important thing the manager wants me to do is to keep the shape for the team, the midfielder told The National.

“He gets more upset when we concede a goal on the counter-attack. That is when he gets really, really mad.

“He wants me to be there in front of the back four and I’ve always done that job,” said Mikel.

The Eagles star has been in and out of the Chelsea side since Mourinho splashed out more than 20 million pounds to re-sign Nemanja Matic from Benfica in January.

But the former Lyn Oslo of Norway player is not worried about his future at the club.

“I will just keep doing what I do and help

this team to Mikel be successful and win trophies.”

Meanwhile, Nigeria inter national defender Kenneth Omoruo’s representative, Chika Akujobi has warned that Chelsea could lose the service of the 20-year-old star if they do not offer him a new deal on improved terms.

Omeuro who has been impressive in recent weeks while on loan at Middlesbrough in the Championship has one year left on his contract But Omeuro’s, has cast doubts over any three-year extension deal as being proposed by Chelsea.

He said: “Chelsea have made an offer for Kenneth, but we believe he deserves much more than they are offering.

“He has done well at Middlesbrough and he will be going to the World Cup with Nigeria and all these should count for something.”

NFF plans Egypt friendly for Eaglets

Mercy Jacob

A

s part of preparations to fortify the team ahead of the African qualifiers, the Nigeria Football Federation has concluded arrangement to engage the Egyptian U-17 national team in an international friendly.

NFF’s Director of Competitions, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, said on Tuesday that the Eaglets, who finished third at the WAFU B U-17 Tournament which ended in Togo at the weekend, would host the first two matches in Nigeria on May 28th and 30th.

“The two teams will meet again in two more friendly encounters in

Egypt during July, but we have not set the dates for those matches,” Sanusi said.

Emmanuel Amuneke’s wards also won the Fairplay Award at the West African Championship in Togo, with Goalkeeper Amos Benjaming emerging the best. Nigeria was the only team that did not lose a match in regulation time at the competition, failing to reach the final only after penalty shoot-out defeat by Benin Republic.

The reigning world champions will, in July, take on the winner of a preliminary fixture between Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi, as the race for the 2015 African U-17 Championship in Niger hots up.

Warri Wolves’ ThankGod Ike in action against Enyimba FC

Season of away wins Stories: Charles Ogundiya

N

igeria Premier League has been under criticism in the past. The main issue has been its predictability. Home teams win games no matter the opposition while away team loses even to weaker teams.

But this season has witnessed a sharp departure from this as the league has recorded many away victories.

Away teams are now picking wins virtually every week in the current season.

Abia Warriors were the first team to record a 1-0 away win at Enyimba in Week Four before Bayelsa followed with another 2-0 away victory against neighbours, Nembe City, in Week Six. Newly promoted Giwa defeated Taraba 1-0 in Week Seven while it was the turn of Sharks of Port-Harcourt in Week Eight, defeating Kaduna United

Sharks take continental dream to Nembe

Okpekpe: Injury stops former champion

lAkinsola ready for security challenge Charles Ogundiya

F

ormer International Association of Athletics Federation World Cross Country champion, Joseph Ebuya of Kenya, is out of Saturday’s 2nd Okpekpe 10km Road Race.

Ebuya who won the senior men’s title at the 2010 IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland copped an injury in training and will be unavailable for the race in Okpekpe, Edo State.

‘I am sorry to inform

you that Ebuya has suffered a setback in training and so will not be able to participate in the Okpekpe 10k (race) this weekend,” wrote Michael Skinner, the athlete’s representative in an e-mail message dated Monday April 28,2014 and addressed to Yusuf Ali, the Okpekpe race manager.

Meanwhile, Assistant Commissioner of Police Gideon Akinsola, said he was ready for the security challenges ahead of him at the second edition of the Okpekpe 10 kilometres road race.

Akinsola, who was granted permission by the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, to take charge of security at the event revealed to New Telegraph on Tuesday that he was already on his way to meet with the Edo State commissioner of police to fashion out modalities for a successful event.

“I am grateful to the IG for giving me the opportunity to serve again at the Okpekpe Road Race. I was there last year and I am sure that experience will help this year,” he said.

2-1 at their backyard.

In Week 9, Warri Wolves recorded away win in Aba, defeating home team, Abia Warriors 1-0.

Last season, despite going on relegation, Kwara United recorded the highest number of away wins, picking the maximum points on three different occasions away from home while league champions, Kano Pillars, picked two away wins.

Speaking to League Rendezvous, some fans and officials of the teams believe the league will continue to improve especially with more television coverage of matches.

“I was surprised that my team can earned a point against Kano Pillars in Kano and there was no incident after the game. In fact the fans were applauding my boys after the game which is a sign of good thing in the league,” Sunshine Stars head coach, Henry Abiodun, said.

C

Ogunbote

oach of Sharks of Port Harcourt, Gbenga Ogunbote, has informed League Rendezvous that his side would pick maximum points at

Omoku, Rivers State, home ground of Nembe City on Wednesday (today) in one of the NPL Week 10 matches.

Sharks, currently at the top of the league table, stake their top position against Nembe City and the coach said that the players were battle ready for another away victory.

“We are getting our tactics right, the victory in Kaduna was a well-fought battle and we are looking forward to another fierce battle against a youthful Nembe City in Omoku on Wednesday (today).

“Our target is continental ticket and I am happy we are right on track,” Ogunbote said.

Finally, Heartland record a win

H

eartland Coach, Ramson Madu is relishing the team’s first win in the Glo Nigeria Premier League.

The Naze Millionaires finally recorded their first win on Sunday against Enyimba after a series of draws. The team had gone without a win after eight round of matches The Heartland head coach said that the win will be the turning point for the

team this season.

“I am happy that we finally recorded our first win, we have been unlucky so far with our players failing to find the target in recent games, but with this win, the confidence is back that we can do it,” Madu said.

The team will be away to defending champions, Kano Pillars, in one of the Week 10 matches and the coach says its going to be another three points in the bag.

54 SPORT

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Eagles’ list dispute, good World T/Table Tennis tourney: Mixed fortunes for Nigeria in Tokyo omen -Bazuaye Chimaobi Uchendu

F

ormer Super Eagles player, Baldwin Bazuaye, has said that the disagreement over who makes Eagles provisional list could turn be a blessing in disguise for Nigeria.

The former Bendel Insurance coach said he had followed the twist over the list and concluded that the country would be the greatest beneficiary after all. Some good players that would have been frozen out if Keshi was allowed to draw up the list alone now have the chance to sell themselves.

Bazuaye said; “When things happen as humans, we become worried and read various meanings into it but I want to say here that the scenario that had played out over Eagles list could be a blessing in disguise for both the players and the coaches.

“I could have imagined the heat that it would have generated if Keshi was allowed to draw the list alone. Now that all parties are engaged in the harmonisation of the list, the players that ordinarily would have been frozen out have opportunity to prove they are good enough to represent Nigeria, and in the end the country will present

a good squad in Brazil.”

Bazuaye also predicted success for Nigeria, when hostilities resume in Brazil at the FIFA World Cup. “The team is generally good but I want to counsel the players to respect coach Keshi even if they have misgivings. It is only in this manner that Nigeria can meet her target at the Mundial,” he said.

l NTTF boss, Oshodi, gets ITTF appointment

Ajibade Olusesan

N

igeria men and women teams witnessed contrasting results at the ongoing World Team Table Tennis Championship on Tuesday.

The male team beat highly-rated Belgium in

Quadri

NFF threatens to sue Singaporean match-fixer Emmanuel Tobi and Jude Opara

T

he Nigeria Football Federation is considering a legal action against Singaporean match fixer, Wilson Raj Perumal, who claimed that he helped the Super Eagles qualify for the South Africa 2010 World Cup. Perumal, in his new book published on Monday, claimed he influenced results to help the Super Eagles qualify for South Africa 2010 adding that Nigeria football authorities promised him the rights to organise their pre-2010 World Cup friendly games as well as part of the money FIFA pays to help teams prepare for the tournament.

The publication of Kelong Kings, written by Perumal in conjunction with two Italian journalists, came after he was arrested in Finland last week, when police acted on an international arrest warrant issued by authorities in Singapore.

But NFF General Secretary, Barrister Musa Amadu, on Tuesday said; “Perumal’s statements are hogwash and have no legs to stand on. We have ordered for the book itself to take a

their opening match of the day but capitulated against Czech Republic later in the day.

The Segun Toriola-led team beat Belgian side 3-1 with Aruna Quadri playing a key role in the victory.

Quadri started the onslaught for Nigeria when

critical look at it. If the book impugns on the image of the NFF, our players and the larger image of our dear country, we will take appropriate action.

He maintained that the true heroes of Nigeria’s qualification for the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals were the Federal Government, the NFF, players and coaches of the Super Eagles and the generality of Nigerian football fans.

“From what we have read so far on the fictitious write-up by the Singaporean, the NFF will only say at this moment that there was no truth in the claim and that we had nothing to do with Perumal all through the Super Eagles’ qualifying series for 2010 FIFA World Cup. Similarly, NFF’s Integrity Officer, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, stated that alongside the NFF Match-fixing Investigative Officer, Dr. Christian Emeruwa, he was in communication with FIFA security on match-fixing matters and they would dig deeper into the claim.

Nigeria overhauled Tunisia, Kenya and Mozambique in the final rounds of the qualification series to reach the first FIFA World Cup finals to be staged on African soil, in 2010.

he beats Belgium’s Yannick Vostes 5-11, 2-11, 13-11, 11-7, 11-7 and Cédric Nyutinck 11-8, 2-11, 11-4, 2-11, 11-9; while Onaolapo trounced Florent Lambiet 8-11, 11-4, 6-11, 11-7, 11-3. Cédric Nyutinck, recorded the only success for Belgium in the second match of the fixture, when he overcame Toriola 9-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-2.

However, the unbeaten run of the Nigerian male team came to an end when they were defeated 3-0 by the division two number one seed team, Czech Republic.

Similarly, women team ended their losing streak when Funke Oshonaike-led side defeated Italy 3-1 on Tuesday. The Nigerian ladies had lost their first two matches in the competition.

Meanwhile, President of Nigeria Table Tennis Federation, Wahid Oshodi, has been appointed into the Nomination Committee of the International Table Tennis Federation.

According to a press release from the NTTF, a copy of which was made available to our correspondent, a letter signed by the Director, Operations and Para Table Tennis, Alison Burchell, stated that the appointment would take effect from July 1.

Atletico braced for Chelsea’s bus

A

tletico M a drid will expect another exhibition of ultra-disciplined counter-punching from Chelsea when the teams reconvene for the second leg of their Champions League semi-final at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.

Chelsea emerged from last week’s first leg with a 0-0 draw after a cautious display in which they enjoyed only 38 percent of

possession and mustered five attempts at goal to Atletico’s 26.

Jose Mourinho’s side were at it again on Sunday, relaunching their Premier League title bid with a 2-0 success at leaders Liverpool after again surrendering possession and playing on the counter-attack.

Chelsea’s approach was criticised by Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, who dismissively described their tactics

Time: 7.45 pm as “not difficult to coach”, but it was effective, and Atletico will be braced for more of the same.

Chelsea’s form has oscillated wildly in recent weeks, with performances such as the victory at Liverpool, a 6-0 demolition of Arsenal and the 2-0 defeat of Paris SaintGermain in the Champions League quarter-final second leg interspersed with shock losses to Aston Villa, Crystal Palace and Sunderland.

Heineken House, Lagos welcomes lucky consumers

A

s the Heineken House Lagos activations this season gradually inch towards home stretch, all the five lucky winners that won tickets to watch the final match in Lisbon, Portugal will be in the house tonight when the English Premier League side, Chelsea, host in - form Spanish side, Atletico Madrid, at the Stamford Bridge.

According to the Senior

Brand Manager Heineken, Ngozi Nkwoji, all the five lucky consumers namely, Olufunsho Michael Akintoye, Nonye Christie Chalokwu, Usurhyel Auta, Jayne Nelson Uzuegbu and Sopuluchukwu Benjamin Ezugo have been informed of the media meet and greet during the interval of the Stamford Bridge encounter.

The Lisbon expedition for the five lucky winners had commenced with a winner from the famous UEFA

Trophy Tour in March and followed by the winners in Port Harcourt and Abuja legs of Heineken ‘Match Your Half Ticket’ promotion and rounded up with the two winners from the celebrated draw ceremony held at the Heineken House Lagos which was conducted by the Managing Director CEO of Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mr.Nicolaas A. Vervelde, alongside top management staff of the company in attendance.

NATIONAL CONFERENCE

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

NEWS 55

Power devolution: Talks on resource control deadlocked Onwuka Nzeshi ABUJA

I

t was a stalemate yesterday at the National Conference Committee on Power Devolution as delegates failed to reach a consensus on the vexed issue of resource control. The matter, captured under Section 39 of the Constitution, was suspended last week to enable delegates make consultations and return to the round table for possible consensus. It was also deliberately left in abeyance when the committee sat on Monday But after a two-hour session behind closed doors, the delegates failed to agree on which tier of government should exercise control over mines and minerals. The issue had polarised the conference since it began with the South demanding that the item be placed on the Concurrent List to allow states participation while the North had canvassed that it should remain on the Exclusive List where only the federal government can have control.

Addressing newsmen shortly after the meeting,

Co-Chairman of the Committee, Obong Victor Attah said the issue was discussed but not concluded.

He said the meeting was adjourned to enable the delegates sleep over the issue and return to continue today. He said it was not a stalemate.

Niger Delta activist, Ms Annkio Briggs said the delegates had a heated argument on the matter but no agreement was reached because groups were not ready to concede to the positions of the others. Other delegates who spoke on the matter included Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Prof. Godwin Darah, Dr Junaidu Mohammed, Alhaji Buba Galadima and Senator Ibrahim Mantu . They all confirmed that no agreement has been reached on the matter hence the meeting was adjourned to reconvene today.

Senator Jack Tilley Gyado, a delegate from Benue State disclosed that the matter had reached a boiling point and delegates were cautious in giving their views on the true state of the discourse.

New Telegraph learnt that the issue of who con-

Customs lost 46 personnel to smugglers in 2013, says CG Lateef Ibrahim Abuja

he Nigerian Custom Tyesterday service, NCS, disclosed that it lost no

fewer than 46 officers and men to smugglers in 2013.

Also, the NCS said it seized rice from smugglers valued at N1.35 billion within the same period.

The Comptroller-General of Customs, Abdullahi Dikko said this in Abuja while making a presentation to the National Conference Committee on Finance.

Dikko staed that smuggling activities have risen to an unprecedented level due to the desperation of Nigerians to bring in the heavily taxed imported rice to the country for the purpose of making their profit.

According to him,

“there is need to make our taxes on rice more reasonable, so that there would be no need to smuggle.

Because when taxes are high, people would want to evade it...but when they are reasonable, compliance level would be high and the income would increase” He said last year, with more than 200,000 trailer loads of rice seized by the service valued at N1.35 billion, it implies a huge revenue loss for the nation as these foreign rice is imported by countries bordering Nigeria, through which it is smuggled into Nigeria.

The porous nature of the country’s borders, he noted, contributed to the challenge of controlling the influx of these goods or tracking them to collect the necessary tariffs required.

PENCOM records N4trn assets in 10 years, says DG Lateef Ibrahim Abuja

F

rom the Acting Director-General of the Pension Commission, Barr Mrs Chinelo Anouh-Amazu came yesterday a disclosure that ten years after the commencement of the contributory pension’s scheme, the system has recorded a huge success, moving away from the N2 trillion unpaid pension liability of

the Head of Service to a growing asset of N4 trillion.

Barrister Amazu stated this while briefing the National Conference Committee on Public Service.

She explained that the contributory pension scheme of 15 percent is contributed on the basis of seven and half percent of the monthly earning by the employee and another seven and half by the employer.

trols mines and minerals may be difficult to resolve because of the extreme positions of the delegates from the North and their counterparts from the South South region. It was gathered that the various zones had held series of meetings and formed alliances on the matter. The South West which is allegedly supporting the South South on the issue was said to have given conditions for their support. Sources at

the meeting said the South South had demanded support for an increase in derivation to fifty per cent as against one hundred per cent resource control and the South West said they would support it if Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC), Ministry of Niger Delta and the Amnesty Programe for Niger Delta Ex-Militants were scrapped. On the other hand, the North has remained resolute that the South South cannot have

anything more than thirteen per cent of oil revenue which comes from the Niger Delta.

The three zones of the defunct Northern region yesterday, formally registered their opposition against the agitation by the South South zone for resource control at the on going national conference. The North said that unless the 1999 constitution was amended to take way the ownership of mineral resources from

the federal government, total resource control by any state or region was equivalent to a declaration of secession.

In a position paper circulated to delegates yesterday, the North described the clamor for a hundred per cent resource control as an attempt by the South South to pull out of the federation, insisting that that the mineral resources in the Niger Delta belonged to all Nigerians.

L-R: Members, Committee on Public Finance, Sir. Sergeant Awuse; Senator Azu Agboti and Chairman of the Committee, Alhaji Adamu Aliero, during the committee’s meeting at Nicon Luxury, Abuja… yesterday. PHOTO:TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN

Enron contract destroyed Nigeria’s power sector – Ex-Power Minister Louis Achi Abuja

current power secTeralhe tor quandary the fedgovernment is striv-

ing to defeat is rooted in the highly lop-sided contract it entered in 1998 with the Enron Corporation, a United States energy company based in Houston, Texas, which incidentally was the nation’s first Independent Power Project (IPP).

This submission was made by former Minister of Power and one-time Managing Director of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), Engr.

Bello Suleiman, in an interview with New Telegraph, at the on-going National Conference, in Abuja.

Suleiman who stated that the power sector is broke, revealed that late Minister of Power then, Chief Bola Ige brushed aside his warnings in closing the deal with En-

ron, adding that he was perceived as an arrogant prince from Sokoto.

Meanwhile in its reaction to Suleiman’s allegation that the sector is broke, Power Minister, Prof. Chinedu Nebo told New Telegraph that the power sector is not broke and was generating 6,730 megawatts as at yesterday.

The minister who spoke through his Special Assistant on Media, Kande Daniel, stated that, “The present generation capability is 6,730MW (as at yesterday) while distribution

capacity - about 7,000MW. “The power sector is not broke. The entire system has a lot of losses (both technical and commercial) which government is working hard at reducing. In some DisCos it is as high as 40%; meaning that for every N1 of energy, the DisCo is able to collect about 60k.”

Enron was formed in 1985 by Kenneth Lay after merging Houston Natural Gas and Inter-North.

Several years later, when Jeffrey Skilling was hired, he engaged executives that, by the use of accounting loop-

Committee wants immunity clause removed Onwuka Nzeshi ABUJA

he Committee on PoliTyesterday tics and Governance recommended

the removal of Section 305 which deals with immunity clause from

the Nigerian constitution.

Co-Chairman of the Committee, Prof. Jerry Gana said the decision followed the concerns expressed by delegates on the abuse of the immunity clause by pub-

2015: INEC requires 750, 000 ad hoc staff Lateef Ibrahim Abuja

he Independent NaTmission, tional Electoral ComINEC, yester-

day disclosed that it would require about 750, 000 polling units staff for the successful conduct of the 2015 general elections.

holes, special purpose entities, and poor financial reporting, were able to hide billions of dollars in debt from failed deals and projects.

A scandal involving the corporation, revealed in 2001, eventually led to its bankruptcy.

Suleiman who is the Vice Chairman of the National Conference Committee on Energy further stated that he along with many members of top PHCN management then had warned that the deal was going to destroy the power sector and it did.

The Commission similarly said that it is prohibited by law from using electronic voting system for the conduct of the same elections.

The National Commissioner in charge of operations of INEC, Mr. Nuhu Yakubu, made these disclosures

when he appeared before the committee on Political Parties and Electoral Matters of the National Conference, which is cochaired by Dr. Iyorchia Ayu and Chief Ken Nnamani.

Mr Yakubu came to represent the INEC Chairman, Professor

lic office holders. He said that the concern stemmed from the brazen corruption committed under the cover of immunity, adding that it was time to tell public office holders that no one was above the law.

Attahiru Jega who is out of the country.

The INEC National Commissioner pointed out that 500, 00 polling staff were used for the conduct of the 2011 elections, stressing however that the number has to increase to 750, 000 as a result of the on-going delineation exercise being embarked upon by the commission.

World Record

On Marble If God were not willing to forgive sin, heaven would be empty.

– German proverb

Sanctity of Truth 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 WEDNESday, APRIL 30, 2014

Last November, the Harlem Globetrotter’s Thunder Law broke the world record for longest basketball shot, burying the shot from a distance of 109 feet, nine inches.

N150

School girls captivity: Crossing the red line

T

he recent invasion of Government Girls’ Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State by the Boko Haram terrorists where more than 234 innocent teenage girls were abducted and carried into captivity is another demonstration that these merchants of evil have lost all sense of humanity. It shows how beastial these goblins have become, how morally depraved they are. These are not religious fundamentalists. They are spiritually, materially and ideologically bankrupt. No religion, no God, I dare say, would accept or tolerate this tribe of murderers. This is a new low in terrorism. By its continuous killing and maiming of young defenceless, innocent citizens, by the encampment of the hapless girls into their murderous camps, Boko Haram has indeed crossed the red line. They have murdered sleep.

Wherever they are to be found, even in the remotest and farthest parts of the country, or most inaccessible, or secluded parts of any forest, the security agencies have a historic duty to search them out, smoke them out and bring these blood sucking demons to judgement. But first, the girls must be returned to their parents safely.

Let no body be deceived, the country is at war, not the conventional warfare that the Nigerian military may be used to. I do not know the last time they fought any war.

This is a new kind of warfare, not necessarily guerrilla. Its complex mutation must be clearly understood. We may not have prepared for this but this is the reality on ground today. The country is at great risk of being overwhelmed and defeated by terror, in the light of leadership cluelessness and palpable mediocrity.

I am, totally saddened by the harrowing and agonizing experiences of these youngsters. I can imagine the trauma that the parents, relations and friends of these innocent school girls are going through.

I can also feel their frustration, over the seeming helplessness of the situation, the lack of political will and capacity of those whose primary mandate is to secure their lives. Perhaps in realization of this, the parents of the children, completely bereft of any fear, moved into the evil Sambisa forest in search of their loved ones. The courage they exhibited is very similar to confronting the lion with bare hands. It is instructive that for more than twelve hours inside the forest, no security personnel was seen anywhere yet the security operatives claimed that they were on top of the situation, and on the trail of the terrorists.

Where were the security operatives when these parents out of frustration embarked on this obviously dangerous and suicidal mission into the evil Sambisa forest? What if they have been attacked and killed by

IvoryGlory Nkemdili Nnonyelu

aunnonyelu@yahoo.co.uk - 08122801926 (sms only)

these Boko Haram monsters? That would have been double Jeopardy.

I have said in this column and elsewhere that the tendency to score cheap political points even with more than 200 girls in captivity is not only deplorable, but despicable.

The blame game is irresponsible. Murtala Nyako, Adamawa State Governor’s comments are distasteful. Accusing Jonathan of genocide against the North is unfortunate. This is one terrorist act, first like the Nyanya bombing and other similar ones, that should unite Nigerians, stoke our common humanity and sensibilities.

As has become clearly evident, the victims of these attacks are Nigerians of all ethnic and religious persuasions. Christians, Muslims, Animists, Ibo, Yoruba, Hausa, Tiv, Ijaw, etc. Indeed, anybody could be a victim. Just be in the right place, at the wrong time, the unknown hour that the perpetrators of violence will strike. The current lunacy by Boko Haram calls for bi-partisan, all inclusive approach. It is therefore totally reprehensible for an elder like Murtala Nyako with all his military background to claim that only Northern soldiers are being killed in the struggle to fight Boko Haram. This divisive ethnic ploy and hate propaganda must cease. No doubt, Nyako is as culpable as Goodluck Jonathan. Both are representatives of the failed ruling class that is at the centre of the country’s woes.

Having said this, there must be lessons to take from the carnage and brigandage that we have witnessed so far. The Chibok incident is not an isolated event. Since Boko Haram emerged with its contempt and condemnation for western education schools, teachers, pupils have been targeted and attacked in several states in the North. Did we take; have we taken any pre-emptive or proactive measure(s) to protect our young ones? Do we now have a settled number of the students involved, those released, not captured initially, and those still in captivity, or not yet seen. It is shameful that managers of our society, institutions cannot give accurate statistics of anything. When they try to, it is simply tragic. The Defence Headquarters came up with a faux pas, claiming that all the girls had been released by the military, except 8.

It turned out to be a tragic mistake. Where on earth did the Military Spokesman get the information from? It shows how far removed the military is from the scene of the event. The military has since recanted, shamelessly. This episode has been very poorly managed. The girls that managed to escape immediately should have given the military sufficient tips to work on. Media, particularly electronic are also not helping matters. In other places, similar networks will focus exclusively on the event twenty four hours daily. Every other activity of government would have to wait, and rightly too, until these innocent teenage girls are released.

As much as we want to refrain from apportioning blames, our leaders must be willing to take responsibility. As part of the International Community, our standards must be in synergy with global expectations. To do less will be to attract odium and opprobrium to ourselves. Elsewhere, where tragic events occurred caused by natural forces, public officials in decent societies have taken up responsibilities; the latest is the resignation of South Korean Prime Minister, for a ferry disaster in Seoul. The Malaysian Minister of Aviation had since resigned over the missing MH370 airline. In Nigeria, tragedy after tragedy only leaves the officials emboldened, not sober at all. They become more pugnacious, not in defence of any higher ideal, but their selfish godforsaken gluttonic lifestyle.

Abba Moro is still gallivanting around after the tragedy, his incompetence, and perhaps greed, caused the nation during the ill-fated Immigration tragedy. The abduction of over 230 girls in convoys of vehicles ought to have been tracked, or more precisely, watched with adequate deployment of intelligence hardware and software. It seems to me that it is not necessarily only a lack of gut, among the intelligence chaps, but clear lack of capacity and competence.

The leader of Boko Haram has been designated by American Intelligence as one of the World’s Most Wanted men with a price tag on his head. Our Military High Command should seek the support of International Community, particularly with requisite technology that will help in tracking the whereabouts of the innocent girls

either in Sambisa forest, or anywhere else for that matter. Recourse to national ego and pride in the midst of disaster is sheer tomfoolery. Let us seek help and bring the girls out. This is a national priority.

It may be imperative at this juncture, even though I detest any dialogue with terrorists to seize the opportunity and insights offered by civil society activists like Shehu Sani, and some other respected clerics to engage the leadership of Boko Haram, or their representatives in a final peace effort to resolve once and for all the ongoing madness.

Simultaneously, a comprehensive security strategy must be put in place to ensure that all vulnerable spots throughout the nation are put under strict security surveillance.

The security votes that the governors had been using as funds personal to them, must now be put to good use to attend to the myriad security challenges. With the recent boast of Shekau, the Boko Haram leader as reported in the media, the nation needs not be taken unawares again as in the past. The different units in the police and military formations that are charged with intelligence gathering should begin to do their jobs. The ease with which criminals get away with crimes, undetected is a morale booster to indulge in further more brazen criminal exploits. All said, the reality of the current situation, as terrible as it is, is the culmination of governance failure, made worse by massive corruption, and a callous indifference to the lot of the masses. A pro people investment, massive enlightenment and a comprehensive restructuring of the extant social order remain the only panacea that will check the inexorable drift to the primitive state of nature.

OmoBaba

WE ‘RE WINNING TERRORISM WAR - Namadi Sambo

- With the 234 school girls still missing?

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