Thursday, september 1, 2016 binder1

CBN re-admits suspended banks to forex trading ed commercial banks, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has reinstated the eight banks suspended last week from further dealings

Abdulwahab Isa Abuja

S

atisfied with credible re-payment plan submitted by affect-

in foreign exchange transactions.

Their reinstatement was announced yesterday in Abuja at a joint press

briefing by the banking watchdog, representative of banks’ Chief Executives and the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria

Naira drops to N420/$ on parallel market }37

(CIBN).

The apex bank had, last week Tuesday, banned nine Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) from the nation’s foreign exchange market for failing to remit the sum

of $2.3 billion belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to the Treasury Single Account (TSA).

The affected banks are: CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

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Thursday, September 1, 2016

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A herdsman

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It’s official! Nigeria's economy in recession

l79.9m Nigerians jobless l600 pilots roam the streets }2, 4 & 5 l1,200 workers lose jobs as Aero Contractors halts operations lInflation hits 17.1% in July lPDP demands Buhari's resignation lEconomy surpasses IMF's negative prediction – Presidency Aero contractors stops operations

not a laughing matter...

L-R: Ministers Kemi Adeosun (Finance), Zainab Ahmed (State for Budget and National Planning), Aisha Alhassan (Women Affairs), Lai Mohammed (Information) and Amina Mohammed (Environment), during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja…yesterday.

PHOTO: TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN

Army deploys 500 soldiers as Buhari visits Osun }40

Some staff of Aero Contractors sitting behind the empty counter at the Murtala Mohammed Airport II, Lagos after the airline suspended its operations…yesterday

Court orders arrest of FirstBank officials for forgery }10

Folic acid reduces risk of congenital heart defects }6

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2

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

It’s official! Nigeria's economy in recession Onwuka Nzeshi and Isa Abdulwahab ABUJA

F

inally, Nigeria has slipped into recession, with the latest growth figures released yesterday, showing the economy contracted 2.06 percent in the second quarter of 2016.

The country has now seen two consecutive quarters of declining growth, the usual definition of recession.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), which disclosed this in a report, also stated that Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased to 17.1 per cent in July from 16.5 per cent in June.

Besides, it put the value of share capital imported by different sectors of the economy at $202.70 million during the period under review.

Nigeria’s vital oil industry has been hit by weaker global prices, but the government said there has been strong growth in other sectors.

Crude oil sales account for 70 per cent of government’s income. The price of oil has fallen from highs of about $112 a barrel in 2014 to below $50 at the moment.

Similarly, the fall in the Nigerian currency, the naira, has hurt the economy. It was allowed to float freely in June to help kick-start the economy, but critics argued it should have been done earlier.

The report stated that the 2.06 per cent contraction in the nation’s economy was lower by 1.70 per cent points from the negative growth rate of 0.36 per cent recorded in the preceding quarter.

It stated that it was also lower by 4.41 per cent points from the growth rate of 2.35 per cent recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2015.

“Quarter on quarter, real GDP increased by 0.82 per cent during the quarter, nominal GDP was N23, 483,954.78 million (in nominal terms) at basic prices.

“This was 2.73 per cent higher than the second quarter 2015 value of N22, 859,153.01 million. This growth was lower than the rate recorded in the second quarter of 2015 by 2.44 per cent points.

3.74m

The number of fixed-telephone subscriptions in Austria in 2005.

Source: Itu.int

£6.5m

The annual salary of Marouane Fellaini of Manchester United in 2014/2015.

Source: Paywizard.co.uk

“The Nigerian economy can be more clearly understood according to the oil and non-oil sector classifications,” NBS stated.

The report said that during the period under review, oil production was estimated at 1.69 million barrels per day (mbpd), 0.42 million barrels per day lower from production in first quarter of 2016.

It said that oil production was also lower relative to the corresponding quarter in 2015 by 0.36 million barrels per day when output was recorded at 2.05mbp.

The report noted that growth in the non-oil sector was largely driven by the activities in seven areas of the economy.

It listed the seven areas as agriculture, information and communication, water supply, arts entertainment and recreation, professional scientific and technical services, education and other services.

According to the report, the areas have grown positively while the remaining 19 major sectors, many of which are substantially indirectly dependent on the oil sector, have recorded negative growth.

“The non-oil sector accordingly declined by 0.38 per cent in real terms in the second quarter of 2016.

“This growth rate was 0.20 per cent points lower than the first quarter of 2016 (-0.18 per cent), and 3.84 per cent points lower from the corresponding

quarter in 2015 (3.46 per cent).

“In real terms, the nonoil sector contributed 91.74 per cent to the nation’s GDP, higher from shares recorded in the first quarter of 2016 (89.71 per cent) and the second quarter of 2015 (90.20 per cent),” the report stated.

In a related development, the CPI, which measured inflation, was 0.6 per cent points higher from the points recorded in June.

The report noted that increases were recorded in all `COICOP divisions, which contributed to the Headline index reflecting higher prices across the economy.

“The pace of the increase in the headline index was, however, weighed

upon by a slower increase in three divisions; health, transport, and recreation and culture divisions.

“The onset of the harvest season is yet to have a significant impact on food prices. It is yet to have a significant impact as the Food Sub-index increased by 15.8 per cent (year-onyear) in July, 0.5 per cent points lower from rates recorded in June.

“Prices, however, increased at a slower pace across a few groups within the Food sub-index namely milk, cheese and eggs; oils and fats; and fruits,” it said.

The report added that imported foods, as reflected by the Imported Food Sub-index, increased by 0.4 per cent points from June to 20.5 per cent in July.

It stated that energy and energy-related prices continued to be the largest increases reflected in the Core sub-index.

“In July, the Core subindex increased by 16.9 per cent during the month, up by 0.7 per cent points from rates recorded in June (16.2 per cent).

“During the month, the highest increases were seen in the electricity, liquid fuel (kerosene), solid fuels, and fuels and lubricants for personal transport equipment groups.

“Month-on-month, the Headline index increased albeit, at a slower pace for the second consecutive month in July.

“The index increased by 1.3 per cent in July, 0.4 per cent points from 1.7 per

E

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, New Telegraph Newspapers, Mrs. Funke Egbemode (middle) with members of New Telegraph Sharp Shooters Football Team, during the official presentation of Fair Play Award Plaque, won in the SWAN organised football competition, to Egbemode in Lagos…yesterday.

PHOTO: TONY EGUAYE

Experts: Nigeria now in intensive care unit conomists and development experts have decried Nigeria’s economic situation.

They stated that Nigeria is now very sick and in an intensive care unit.

Chief economist, Africa at Standard Chartered bank, Razia Khan, told Reuters, "The Nigerian economy contracted more deeply than we had expected in the second quarter.

"With a wider current account deficit, it remains important for Nigeria to maintain a credible policy response, in order to attract much-needed stabilising inflows.”

An economist, Dr. Boniface Chizea, said: “What we actually have is a stagflation. Stagflation occurs when the economy is not growing, there is high unemployment accompanied by a rise in prices. Well, we have been talking about it for some time and it is here with us.

“When you are in a recession, what you have to do is to spend your way out of it. That is what the 2016 budget was intended

cent recorded in June,” the report stated.

Meanwhile, the population of those within the working age population willing, able and actively looking for work increased from 78.5 million in Q1 2016 to 79.9 million, representing an increase of 1.78 per cent in the labour force.

The report stated that the total number of persons in full-time employment (did any form of work for at least 40 hours) decreased by 351,350 or 0.65 per cent when compared to the previous quarter, and also decreased by 749,414 or 1.38 per cent when compared to Q2 of 2015.

"With an economically active or working age population of 106.69 million and

to address. Unfortunately, that budget is not being implemented. Out of capital expenditure of N1.7 trillion, N400 billion has been released. So, they have to do more to stimulate the economy and increase production.”

Commenting on speculations that the president will seek emergency powers to enable him take measures to stimulate the economy, Chizea said instead of seeking such powers, the president should work with the National Assembly to ensure that the procurement process is speeded up, adding that this will enable the government to implement some of the key projects in the budget.

Head, Nigerian office of the Institute of Certified Forensic Accountants, Dr. Richard Mayungbe, said: “To say that an economy is in recession means that the economy is very sick; it is in intensive care. It means that a pragmatic solution has to be found on how to immediately reflate the economy. So, the issue

is how do you reflate the economy?

“The government should not raise taxes because how do you tell someone who is hungry and unemployed to pay taxes?

The government should introduce measures to stimulate the economy. By stimulating the economy, the government will create jobs.”

Commenting on plans by the president to seek emergency powers to stimulate the economy, Mayungbe said that given the dire straits that the economy is in, there was nothing wrong with the idea so long as the president is granted such powers for no longer than a year.

The Managing Director, Cowry Asset Management Limited, Mr. Johnson Chukwu, said the contraction means that Nigeria has finally entered into recession.

Chukwu noted that with the contraction of 2.06 per cent in Q2, the consumer demand would further shrink, adding that on the corporate side, compa-

nies’ bottom line will also deflate, leading to more retrenchment and economic hardship.

He noted that the government needs to do a lot more of reflationary measures to restore economic growth.

“I expect both the monetary and fiscal authorities to undertake expansionary policies, irrespective of the effect that will have on the economy. When growth resumes, inflation will disappear,” Chukwu noted.

The Managing Director, Crane Securities Limited, Mr. Mike Eze, who blamed the contraction on the fall in oil price and the nonoil sector decline due to a weaker currency, also noted that the delay in policy direction was also a factor that led to the present state of the economy.

“The slump in crude prices, country’s mainstay in economy, has hammered public finances and the naira, causing persistent dollar shortages. This will lead to massive unemployment and squeeze on household income,” Eze

said.

Expressing worry over economic recession in the country, Managing Director of Megamound Investment Limited, developer of Lekki County Homes, Mr. Olumide Osunsina, said it has been tough for real estate developers.

He stated that prices of building materials have increased tremendously due to impacts of forex policy and naira devaluation, adding that many developers have suspended construction activities and that many will soon join if nothing is done to reflate the economy.

"A lot of Nigeria's current predicament could have been avoided," said Kevin Daly from Aberdeen Asset Management.

According to Daly, "The country is so reliant on oil precisely because its leaders haven't diversified the economy.

"More recently, they have tried, and failed, to prop up the naira, which has had a ruinous effect on the country's foreign exchange reserves and any reputation it might have had of being fiscally responsible."

3

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Bank of Industry...

Impacting Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises Viably

By Robustly Supporting MSMEs that: Process and add value to Nigeria’s vast agricultural, solid minerals and petroleum resources Generate considerable employment opportunities across the value chains Impact positively on the living standards of communities where they are located

HIGHLIGHTS OF HALF YEAR PERFORMANCES AS AT JUNE 2016 (N)

AS AT JUNE 2015 (N)

IMPROVEMENTS IN 2016 OVER 2015

LOAN APPROVALS TO MSMEs

10.64bn

2.62bn

306%

LOAN DISBURSEMENTS TO MSMEs

3.36bn

1.46bn

130%

COLLECTIONS FROM MSMEs

2.97bn

2.91bn

2%

PARAMETERS

BANK WIDE HALF YEAR FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE & QUALITY OF RISK ASSETS

PARAMETERS RATIO OF NON PERFORMING LOANS PROFIT BEFORE TAX (UNAUDITED)

IMPROVEMENTS IN 2016 OVER 2015

AS AT JUNE 2016

AS AT JUNE 2015

3.87%

5.75%

< 1.88

N10.36bn

N9.29bn

11.5%

INTERNATIONAL CREDIT RATINGS

DOMESTIC CREDIT RATING

Fitch Ratings: (stand alone) AA+

Agusto & Co. Ltd: A+

Moody's Investors Services: Ba3

The Bank of Industry's Domestic and Foreign Development Partners that are drawn from the Public and Private Sectors include Federal Government Agencies. State Governments, International Institutions, Community Based Organisation, High Net Worth Individuals and Eminent Traditional Rulers.

4

NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Recession: We’re not confused, says Finance Minister lFEC approves 3yr borrowing plan Anule Emmanuel Abuja

T

he Federal Government yesterday said the current economic recession being experienced in the country did not start now.

It dismissed the insinuation that those managing the nation’s economy were running out of ideas and confused.

Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, while briefing State House Correspondents after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the presidential villa, Abuja said the result of it was that more money was spent in the past on recurrent other than capital expenditure.

According to her, rather than perceive the present administration as confused on how to tackle the drift in the economy, deliberate efforts were being taken to reverse the trend.

Adeosun was responding to a question on the report of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) released yesterday, which officially confirmed that Nigeria was in recession, with inflation topping at over 17 per cent.

She stressed that the distressing situation was not a result of the Muham-

£541,666

The monthly salary of Marouane Fellaini of Manchester United in 2014/2015.

Source: Paywizard.co.uk

£12.5m

The total amount received by Swansea City in the whole 201516 season.

Source: 101greatgoals.com

madu Buhari administration's bad or confusing policies, but because of inadequate investments in capital projects over the years.

According to her, even though the country is in difficult times, the government is extremely focused and the country is going to bounce back as Nigeria is in the right hands.

"No, we are not confused, the time is confusing, but we are not confused. We are extremely focused. We know that if we can just bear and get through this difficult period, Nigeria is going to be better for it.

“If we rely on oil and the price of oil remains low and the quantity of oil remains low, we can't grow.

We have to grow our nonoil economy. I think we have a long way to go.

“We're not confused and we are not deceiving ourselves that everything is rosy. It's not. It is a difficult time for Nigeria, but I think Nigeria is in the right hands and if we can stick with our strategy, we still have some adjustments to make. I think we need to make some adjustments in monetary policy.

“It's quite clear we do and we will do that. We're working on that. We need to try and find a way to support the manufacturing sector better and we will do that,” she added.

The Finance Minister, who was joined by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, and Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh, also disclosed that FEC approved an external three-year rolling borrowing plan for the country.

Adeosun said: "Recall when we came in, we said our external borrowings strategy will be focused on confessional debts, low cost loans particularly from the multi-lateral agencies.

"So, this plan we have put forward today, which was approved by FEC and will be transmitted to the National Assembly for the approval, includes; concessional loans with average interest rates of 1.25 per cent, four to seven years moratorium, 20

years to pay.”

Adeosun noted that the loans would come from agencies such as the World Bank, African Development Bank, China Exim Bank, and other development agencies like Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

“Significant amount of money are located to power projects, particularly transmission. This is long term money that will enable us solve some of the problems in that sector.

"There are projects around polio, there are some money that have

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

ter exhaustive interaction among the three parties.

“We just finished a meeting with the body of CEOs of banking industry and Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria. You will recall that a while ago, a number of banks were suspended from participation in the foreign exchange market. Since then, I have received some inquiries. We have had engagements with body of CEOs and they have been interacting among themselves.

“I’m happy to tell you that the ban has been lifted on the banks. And the reason is that all the banks, after their engagement under the auspice of CEOs of banks and CIBN, have submitted credible re-payment plan, which we, the Central

intends to go out for soon.

Meanwhile, FEC also approved a roadmap for the growth and development of the mining industry.

Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who explained the new plan, said it seeks to grow the sector's contribution to the nation's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The document, which is an improvement on the 2012 road map, has been tailored in line with the vision of the president to boost the sector in diversifying the economy.

L-R: Head, Legal & Regulatory Services, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Mrs. Yetunde Akinloye; Head, SIM Registration Project, Mr. Bashir Idris; Director, Project Department, Ms. Ayodeji Sofolahan; Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, Prof. Umar Danbatta; Director-General, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Engr. Aliyu Aziz; General Manager, Legal Services, Hadiza Dagaban and Director Public Affairs, NCC, Mr. Tony Ojobo, during NIMC officials' visit to NCC…yesterday.

PDP to Buhari: Resign if you can't reverse economic decline Onyekachi Eze ABUJA

T

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to resign because he has failed to reverse the nation's economic misfortune more than one year after he was sworn in.

The party observed that the recent Gross Domestic Product (GDP), inflation and unemployment figures released by Nige-

ria Bureau of Statistics (NBS) indicated that the president has displayed absolute ineptitude and incompetence in managing the nation's affairs.

"These figures reveal what we have repeatedly said over the last 15 months – the Nigerian President is destroying the Nigerian economy," PDP recalled.

In a statement by Deji Adeyanju, director, New Media, the opposition party disclosed that the figures released by the

CBN re-admits suspended banks to forex trading United Bank for Africa ($530m); FirstBank of Nigeria ($469m); Diamond Bank Plc. ($287m); Sterling Bank Plc. ($269m); Skye Bank Plc ($221m); Fidelity Bank ($209m); Keystone Bank ($139m); FCMB ($125m) and Heritage Bank ($85m).

Access Bank had escaped the CBN’s hammer by striking a currency swap deal with the CBN, while the United Bank for Africa, which was also banned, also did a currency swap with the apex bank.

Announcing the decision to re-admit them back to the forex market after a closed-door meeting, CBN’s Director of Banking Supervision, Mrs. Tokunbo Martins, said the decision to re-admit the banks to forex dealings was arrived at af-

been allocated for massive immunization, in order to control this recent outbreak. This is being provided by the World Bank.

"There is provision for solid minerals and, of course, I'm very excited about the discovery of nickel. World Bank is supporting the project by the Ministry of Mines and Steel with $150 million to enable them strengthen their capacity in that area," she added.

The balance of the borrowing is expected to come from the Eurobond, which the Federal Government

Bank, found acceptable.

“As a result of that, all those banks have been reinstated into foreign exchange market,” Martins explained.

Corroborating the CBN’s Director of Banking Supervision’s statement, the Managing Director of Access Bank plc, Mr. Herbert Wigwe, who represents banks’ CEOs, said banks will uphold the repayment plan.

“To reiterate what the Director of Banking Supervision just said, the body of banks’ CEOs under the auspices of the CIBN has agreed to get back to work together to ensure that each time there is a serious issue like this, banks’ CEOs can meet to resolve it promptly and quickly,” said the Access Bank MD.

Also speaking, CIBN President, Professor Segun Ajibola, described the body of banks’ CEOs and the CIBN as a formidable platform to resolve issues like the suspension of lenders from the forex market.

“We will protect the interests of all our stakeholders and especially the bigger picture, which is Nigeria and its economy as a whole.

“So it is a happy development and I believe this will further help to strengthen our system and our economy,” Ajibola stated.

The ban on the banks, which barred them from participating in forex dealings, which was globally condemned, is one of the reasons responsible for the current scarcity of forex.

NBS showed that the GDP contracted by -2.06 per cent in the second quarter of 2016 as against 2.35 per cent economy growth in the second quarter of 2015.

"Second quarter was worse than the -0.36 per cent shrinking of the economy in first quarter 2016.

"Headline inflation for July 2016 stands at 17.1 per cent. It was from 16.5 per cent in June 2016.

"Food inflation was 15.5 per cent for July 2016 from 15.3 per cent in June 2016.

"Portfolio investment declined to an estimated $245.3 million in Q2 2016.

This represents a 9.5 per cent from $271.0 million in Q1 2016 and is a far cry from $2.81bn in Q2 2015.

"FDI declined from $211.1 million in Q2 2015 and $174.4 million in Q1 2016 to an estimated $133.0 million in Q2 2016.

"Total value of capital imported in Q2 2016 is estimated at mere $647.1 million. This is the lowest quarterly figure since Nigeria started keeping records of capital importation. It is a decline from $710.9 million in Q1 2016 and a far cry from $2.67 billion in Q2 2015.

"A total of 4,580,602 people have lost their jobs since May 29, 2015.

"The number of persons in full time employment decreased by 351,350 in Q2 2016 compared to Q1 2016," the statement noted.

It added that the result of these indices is that Nigeria is in its worst economic state for 29 years – dating back to 1987 when the nation had to take harsh steps to recover from Buhari’s policies of 1984-85.

"As with 1984-85, companies are fleeing our shores in droves. Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) recently stated that 272 companies have shut down in the past one year.

"Furthermore, like we suffered in 1984-85, we are suffering a brain drain where our best and brightest talents are leaving the country in search of a better life elsewhere.

"It is disheartening that the Buhari administration is destroying the Nigerian economy and our collective future by the implementation of his archaic and incoherent economic policies which failed in 1984-85 and are failing spectacularly now," the statement said.

PDP expressed dismay that every sphere of the Nigerian socio-political space, ranging from the conduct of elections, human rights, respect for the rule of law, security, technology, health etc., is negatively affected by the Buhari administration.

It, therefore, called on Buhari to resign if he is unable to reverse the disastrous economic decline he has brought on Nigerians.

NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

5

1200 workers lose job as Aero halts operations lWhy we are suspending flights –Akinkuotu l600 pilots roam the streets Wole Shadare

S

igns that virtually all Nigerian airlines are insolvent became visible yesterday as Nigeria’s oldest airline, Aero Contractors, suspended all its scheduled operations.

The carrier, however, said it was ‘re-positioning to return to profitability.’

The implication is that over 1,200 workers have been thrown into the labour market as the carrier has about 1,250 workers.

Before now, Aero, which was one of the most stable carriers in Nigeria, had commenced downsizing of its workforce by 50 per cent.

Other airlines are said to be tinkering with the idea

of cutting their workforce by the same number.

There are indications that more airlines may close shop before the end of the year, owing to economic recession, poor business plan, humongous debts and lack of support from banks.

A mild drama ensued at the Murtala Muhammed Airport 2 terminal as passengers, who were oblivious of the plan by the airline to shut operations, besieged the counters of the airline for airfare refund.

A visit to the airline’s help desk at its Lagos headquarters revealed a long queue of passengers, who were being reimbursed.

A source close to the carrier, who spoke to our

correspondent under condition of anonymity, put the airline’s trade debt at N20 billion, adding that the brand had been badly eroded over crisis that has left the 57-year-old airline in pitiable situation.

The source stated that the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) took the best decision to suspend the airline’s operations to avoid a crash, owing to how badly the carrier was run.

The Chief Operating Officer of Aero Contractors, Capt. Fola Akinkuotu, told New Telegraph that the development was part of the strategic business realignment to reposition the airline and return it to profitability.

The decision, which is a result of the current economic situation in the country, he reiterated, had forced some other airlines to suspend operations or outrightly pull out of Nigeria.

In the case of Aero, Akinkuotu said the airline had faced grave challenges in the past six months, which impacted its business and, by extension, the scheduled service operations.

The factors, according to him, are both internal and external factors that have made it difficult for the foremost airline to continue its scheduled services.

He said during the period in review, Aero, which was hitherto revered for its

Passengers on the queue for their ticket refund at the Murtala Mohammed Airport II, Ikeja, Lagos… yesterday

safety, witnessed epileptic operations and services to the public.

As part of its resolve to ensure the airline survived, unlike most other carriers, AMCON appointed Mr. Adeniyi Adegbomire (SAN) as Receiver Manager on February 6, 2016, with the aim of turning the airline around.

Since AMCON's intervention in 2011, it has provided support for the airline to meet working capital requirements and fleet expansion. These were to ensure the airline remained a going concern providing services to various clients and the general public.

Unfortunately, the operating environment within and outside the airline hindered any possible progress, especially in the last six months, when the naira depreciated against the dollar.

With these realities coupled with protracted engagements with all relevant stakeholders, the management strenuously reviewed and assessed options and opportunities on ensuring viability, safety and sustainability of operations.

“The impact of the external environment has been very harsh on our operational performance, hence management’s deci-

sion to suspend scheduled service operations indefinitely, effective September 1, 2016 pending when the external opportunities and a robust sustainable and viable plan is in place for Aero Contractors to recommence its scheduled services.

“The implication of the suspension of scheduled services operations extends to all staff directly and indirectly involved in providing services as they are effectively to proceed on indefinite leave of absence during the period of non-services,” the chief executive officer stated.

Akinkuotu added: “We are aware of the impact this will have on our staff and our highly esteemed customers, hence we have initiated moves to ensure that we are able to return to operations within the shortest possible time, offering reliable, safe and secure operations, which the airline is known for.”

As at today, over 600 commercial pilot certificate holders are without jobs, owing to the fact that the number of airlines in the country has reduced by over 60 per cent of what it was a decade ago.

The airlines passing through financial turbulence are finding it difficult to approach banks to rescue them following huge indebtedness to various financial institutions.

Nigeria's economy surpasses IMF's prediction –Presidency It’s official! Nigeria's economy in recession Anule Emmanuel Abuja

T

he Presidency yesterday said despite predictions by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that the country's economy will drastically shrink in 2016, significant growth has been recorded in the second quarter (Q2) ended.

Special Adviser to the President on Economic Matters, Dr. Adeyemi Dipeolu, stated this yesterday while reacting to the latest figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) for second quarter in 2016.

The country's economy was recently confirmed by the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, as being technically in recession.

IMF Resident President in Nigeria, Gene Leon, had recently said that energy shortages and delayed budget would continue to weigh down on output throughout the year.

"I think there is a high likelihood that the year 2016 as a whole will be a contraction art year,” Leon said recently.

In response to the NBS new figures, however, Dipeolu said: "The picture that emerges, barring unforeseen shocks, is that the areas given priority by the Federal Government are beginning to respond with understandable time lags to policy initiatives. Indeed, as the emphasis on capital expenditure begins to yield results and the investment/ GDP numbers increase, the growth rate of the Nigerian economy is likely to improve further.

"As these trends continue, the outlook for the rest of the year is that the Nigerian economy will beat the International Monetary Fund (IMF) prediction of -1.8 per cent for the full year 2016.

"The IMF had forecasted a growth of -1.8 percent for 2016, however, the economy is performing better than the IMF estimates so far.

For the half year, it stands at -1.23 percent, compared to an average of -1.80 percent expected on average by the IMF. "What is more, it is likely the second half will be better than the first half of 2016. This is because many of the challenges faced in the first half either no lon-

ger exist or have eased," he noted.

He, however, noted that unemployment remains stubbornly high.

"Unemployment remains stubbornly high, which is usually the case during growth slowdowns and for reasons of a structural nature,” the Economic Adviser added.

Dipeolu said despite showing a temporary decline, there is a hopeful expectation in the country's economic trajectory with increment in growth of the agriculture and solid mineral sectors.

"The just recently released data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed that Gross Domestic Product declined by -2.06% in the second quarter of 2016 on a yearon-year basis.

"A close look at the data shows that this outcome was mostly due to a sharp contraction in the oil sector due to huge losses of crude oil production as a result of vandalism and sabotage.

"However, the rest of the Q2 data is beginning to tell a different story. There was growth in the agricultural and solid minerals sectors which are the areas in

which the Federal Government has placed particular priority," Dipeolu said.

According to him, agriculture grew by 4.53 per cent in the second quarter of 2016 as compared with 3.09 per cent in the first quarter.

"The manufacturing sector, though not yet truly out of the woods, is beginning to show signs of recovery while the service sector similarly bears watching.

"Nevertheless, the data already shows a reduction in imports and an increase in locally produced goods and services and this process will be maintained, although it will start off slowly in these initial stages before picking up later.

"The inflation rate remains high, but the good news is that the month-onmonth rate of increase has fallen continuously over the past three months,” Dipeolu said.

3,300

The number of pregnant women living with HIV receiving the most effective antiretroviral regiments (excluding single-dose nevirapine) for preventing mother-to-child transmission of Caribbean in 2010.

Source: Who.int

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

labour force population of 79.9 million, it means 26.8 million persons within the economically active or working age population decided not to work for one reason or the other in Q2 2016, hence were not part of the labour force and cannot be considered unemployed.

"This indicates that more people who previously were not economically engaged are now deciding to look for work.

This may be connected to the decline in economic activity, which is forcing previous housewives, retirees and students to enter the job market to make ends meet. A single income may no longer be enough for a family; prompting previously out-of-work housewives to look for work to support strained household income.

“Also students may be choosing to drop out of school or postpone further studies in order to enter the job market to make ends meet or to raise fees for further education," said the report.

Also, the $202.70 million

share capital imported by different sectors of the economy represents a 16.77 per cent decline against 84.17 per cent recorded in 2015.

“Capital is either imported in the form of shares, or directly imported by different sectors of the economy.

“In the second quarter of 2016, the value of share capital imported was estimated to be $202.70 million, which as for capital importation as a whole, sets the record for the lowest value for the second consecutive quarter.

“The figure represents a decline of 16.77 per cent relative to the previous quarter, and a decline of 84.17 per cent relative to the same quarter of 2015,” the report.

The report noted that this was a smaller yearon-year decline than in the previous quarter, in which it was 87.41 per cent.

The share capital accounted for 31.32 per cent of total capital imported, less than half its share in the second quarter of 2015 of 70.41 per cent and the lowest level in seven years.

6

News|NATIONAL

Hunger is tormenting Nigerians, Fayose tells Buhari

Sulaiman Salawudeen Ado-Ekiti

E

kiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, has pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari to find a solution to the extreme hunger ravaging Nigerians.

Fayose urged the president “to listen to the cries of Nigerians and stop seeing those with opinions different from his own as threats to his hold on to power”.

Fayose said: “The reality our President must face now is that there is too much hunger in the land. Nigerians are hungry. They are suffering and the President should rather listen to those who were more knowledgeable than he was in terms of management of the country’s economy instead of seeing them as threats.

“This style of sending the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), Department of State Services (DSS) and other agencies of the Federal Government against anyone that offers suggestions on how to rescue the country from total collapse is not in the best interest of Nigeria and its suffering masses.”

In a statement issued in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital yesterday, the governor said President Buhari should realize that “a nation of hungry people is a nation of angry people”, advising the president to seek help from economic experts in the country, not minding their political, religious and ethnic affiliations.”

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Folic acid reduces risk of congenital heart defects Appolonia Adeyemi

F

oods fortified with folic acid, B vitamin required in human diets for numerous biological functions have been found to reduce rates of congenital heart defects.

This is the findings of a new research published in the American Heart Association’s journal ‘Circulation’.

Congenital heart defect (CHD), also known as a congenital heart anomaly or congenital heart disease, is a problem in the structure of the heart that is present at birth.

Folic acid is a B vitamin.

Folic acid is made and used in fortified foods and supplements on the theory that it is converted into folate.

However, folic acid is an oxi-

dised form, not significantly found in fresh natural foods.

Canada mandated adding folic acid to all types of flour, enriched pasta and cornmeal, primarily aimed at preventing neural tube defects in 1998.

Reacting to the new study, a senior author and Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, K.S. Joseph, M.D., Ph.D., said: “Our study examined the effect of folic acid food fortification on each specific subtype of congenital heart disease based on the Canadian experience before and after food fortification was made mandatory in 1998.”

The study’s findings are

applicable to the United States population because food fortification with folic acid was implemented at approximately the same time and levels in the U.S. as Canada because of the North American Fair Trade Agreement of 1994,” Joseph added.

Controlling for influences such as maternal age, multiple births (twins, triplets), pregnancy complications, prenatal diagnosis and pregnancy terminations, researchers analysed data from nearly six million Canadian births from 1990 to 2011 and found that folic acid food fortification was associated with an 11 per cent reduction in rates of congenital heart defects overall.

Folic acid is especially important for rapid cell

division and growth, for instance, when blood is being formed and in pregnancy when the foetus is growing rapidly.

Folate deficiency can result in several different complications -- the most important of these are neural tube defects (such as spina bifida, an abnormality of the spine and spinal cord) in babies and anemia (in which the number and function of red blood cells is affected leading to an inability of the blood to carry sufficient oxygen).

Joseph added that women who are likely to get pregnant should start taking folic acid supplements before getting pregnant as they may not necessarily receive adequate folate from diet alone.

Presidency urges NASS to pass NNPC’s budgets, 37 others Chukwu David Abuja

T

he Presidency yesterday urged the National Assembly to expeditiously pass the budgets of the 38 revenue-generating agencies of government forwarded to it by President Muhammadu Buhari in July, for consideration and approval.

The Presidency also disclosed that Buhari has signed into law the 2016 Appropriation Bill of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), which was passed by the National Assembly before proceeding on its annual recess.

The Senior Special As-

sistant (SSA) to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enag, who made these disclosures while briefing journalists in Abuja, stated that passing the budgets of the statutory corporations would help in the current effort of the Federal Government to tackle the economic recession in the country.

The corporations and agencies which budgets are awaiting National Assembly’s approval include: the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), among others.

Wike suspends four commissioners, HoS Emmanuel Masha Port Harcourt

R

ivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has approved the suspension of three commissioners, as well as the Head of Service and his Special Adviser on Land for three months.

The governor announced the suspension through his Special Adviser on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu.

He listed the commissioners for Chieftaincy Affairs, Dr. John Bazia; Culture and Tourism, Hon.

Tonye Briggs-Oniyide; Finance, Dr. Fred Kpakol and Sports, Mr. Boma Iyaye, noting that the suspension took immediate effect.

Also listed is the Head of Service, Mr. Rufus Godwins.

In February, the governor announced the suspension of the finance commissioner, but recalled him a few days later. He also suspended the Commissioner for Works, Mr. Kevin Wachukwu, two months later but equally recalled him.

The reason for the suspension of the four commissioners was not stated

by Nwakaudu.

Prophet T.B. Joshua (left), receiving a gift from the first female Mayor of Bethlehem, Vera Ghattas Baboun in Israel

Flora Onwudiwe

T

he Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, has said that the Nigerian Air force uses 1,900,000 litres to fuel an aircraft monthly. At the going rate of about N230 per litre, that translates to about N437million per month.

The Air Chief made the disclosure yesterday at a two-day Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Logistics Seminar 2016, tagged ‘Repositioning NAF Logistics for Efficient Employment of Air power in response to contemporary National Security Imperatives’ held at the Nigerian Air Force Officers’ Mess, Sam Ethnan Air Force Base Ikeja.

He said that the “main fighter aircraft that we used in an operation use

NAF spends N437m on aviation fuel monthly, says Air Chief 2,500 litres per hour and we fly them in formation that means we don’t fly one aircraft at the same time. We fly at least, two air planes at the same time, so at that consummation rate for every one hour ,they consume 5,000 litres.”

He added: “ We ran at least, a minimum of two missions; that is about 10,000 litres just for one air craft. We have so many other airplanes like Alpha jet, which consumes 2,400

2.41m

The total number of CDMA subscribers as at December 2014.

Source: Ncc.gov.ng

per hour. It also flies in formation. So, we are talking about 4,800 litres. So, there are many other air planes that fly on daily basis.”

Addressing the current challenges, he said, “the NAF must put together a carefully planned strategy not only for the movement of equipment and personnel to the theatre operations but also for the maintenance of its air assets..

“It is only when we get the strategy right that we

2.9%

The percentage of individuals using the internet in Botswana in 2000.

Source: Itu.int

can hope to effectively and efficiently deploy air power necessary for addressing the challenges facing Nigeria, to support air operations in the North East. The NAF must put an excellent plan that will ensure availability of aviation fuel in the operation area, whether the product is locally available or not.”

He also mentioned another challenge the NAF is facing to “be provision of spare parts for routine and non-routine maintenance of our air assets. Airforce is doing everything possible to address gaps in logistic management through robust and result oriented training.”

Chinese firm drags Ogun, NEPZA to court We're not party to suit against Abuja judges – PDP Tunde Oyesina Abuja

A

Chinese company, Zhongfu International Investment Limited, yesterday dragged the Ogun State government and the Nigeria Export Processing Zone

Authority (NEPZA) before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.

The firm is challenging its purported removal as the Manager of the multibillion naira Ogun-Guandong Free Trade Zone.

In its statement of claim, the plaintiff submitted that Ogun State government

had on March 15, 2012, appointed the company as the Manager and Administrator of the trade zone and the appointment was subsequently endorsed by NEPZA on behalf of the Federal Government to enable the firm carry out the day-to-day management of the zone.

Onyekachi Eze ABUJA

T

he National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dissociated itself from the suit filed by some members of the party against Justices

Ibrahim Auta and Okon Abang in connection with the judgements they delivered on the crisis in the party.

The case was filed by some PDP members at an Abuja High Court against the two judges.

But, in a statement yesterday by Dr. Ibrahim

Umar, Special Adviser to the National Chairman, the PDP said it has not instructed anyone or group of persons to file any case on its behalf.

“We wish to state unequivocally that we are not part of the suit at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court.”

national | news

thursday, september 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

7

Budget padding: Jibrin, Sagay committee in long meeting Philip Nyam Abuja

T

he Presidential Advisory Committee on anticorruption led by Prof. Itse Sagay, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria yesterday grilled a former chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin for over four hours on his allegations against Speaker Yakubu Dogara and other members of the House.

Explaining why he appeared before the committee, Jibrin said "as you are aware, I got invitation from the presidential committee against corruption.

I had earlier submitted a petition to them. They graciously granted my requests and we have had a meeting; a very fruitful meeting that lasted about four hours.

"I have taken them through all the allegations against Mr Speaker, the deputy speaker, the whip of the house and of course the minority leader and nine other members" Explaining further, Jibrin said: "It's been a challenging six weeks and some of my colleagues

that we share the same vision within the House of Representatives. We have remained resolute. We have remained focused. We would do all with the laws of our land to ensure that justice is served on these corrupt members of the House of Representatives."

He said his campaign was basically "to ensure that a very comprehensive reform is carried out in the House of Representatives to clean up the budgeting

system and to clean up the activities of the house.

"I keep saying this beyond the house. The country would be the biggest beneficiary and the winner at the end of the day."

That was even as Jibrin insisted that he still stood by his call for Speaker Yakubu Dogara; Deputy Speaker Yussuff Lasun; Chief whip, Alhassan Ado Doguwa and Minority leader, Leo Ogor to resign and submit themselves to

security agencies for further investigation.

Jibrin, who was accompanied by heavy security to the secretariat of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Anti-corruption at Phase one wing of the Federal Secretariat in Abuja, told reporters after the meeting that lasted from 11.00am to 3.12pm that he would not rest until justice was served on the accused person.

The ex-appropriation

How Nigeria can lead ICT revolution, by Zuckerberg Kunle Azeez

F

acebook Founder, Mark Zukerberg, has offered three tips for stakeholders in the Nigerian Information and Communication Technology industry toward putting Nigeria ahead in the area of digital revolution.

Zukerberg, who hosted his first developer conference in Africa in Lagos yesterday, said Nigeria has become a force to be reckoned with in the global space.

He, however, noted that to lead the way in the continent digital revolution, the country must focus on increasing ICT infra-

structure from public and private sides, promote affordability and develop locally-relevant solutions that gravitate people to use the Internet.

He said, with over 18 million facebook users in Nigeria, he and his team were working to provide more access to the Internet through ‘Free Basic’ Initiative.

He said the initiative was already launched in 22 countries across the world including Nigeria, where it was partnering with Airtel.

“We are increasingly focused on connectivity and while people are embracing the Internet, something is critical and that is

the fact that we must create solutions that enhance life and drive businesses for the people,” he said.

Zuckerberg said this while addressing audience of more than 100 Nigeria’s top developers.

He said that Facebook was bent on deepening connectivity across the world.

While explaining how excited he was to make Nigeria his first port of call in Africa, he said he had witnessed first-hand creativity and innovation which was happening in places such as Yaba’s coCreation Hub (cCH), a technology incubation centre and Andela, a Nigerian technology company.

Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi (right), receiving report of the review committee on the Ezillo/EzzaEzillo crises from Deputy Governor Kelechi Igwe, at the Government House in Abakaliki … on Tuesday

chairman reiterated that Dogara had lost the moral standing to continue functioning as speaker and must give away alongside the three other principal officers.

He said: "In the case of Dogara, I am convinced beyond reasonable doubt that he has lost every moral ground to continue to parade himself as the number four citizen of the country because I know pretty well that he is corrupt. He has perpetuated a lot of fraud alongside the three principal officers."

According to Jibrin: "We still stand that given the gravity of the allega-

tions against Speaker Dogara, Deputy Speaker Lasun, Chief whip Ado Doguwa and Leo Ogor for the fact they have not responded to any allegations and these allegations are specific allegations that is hard for anybody to deny, they should resign."

He noted that "the leader of the House (Gbajabiamila) has submitted himself to the police. The most important thing is that position has not changed but I want Nigerians to understand that the fight; the whole thing is not about Speaker Dogara. It's about reforming the system of the House of Representatives"

Umahi: I was not associated with N400m campaign funds Uchenna Inya ABAKALIKI

T

he South East Peoples Democratic Party Chairman, Chief Austin Umahi, yesterday said he was not associated with N400million campaign funds from former President Goodluck Jonathan for his 2015 presidential campaign as being speculated.

He also said he was not arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, contrary to reports yesterday.

In a statement in Abakaliki, Umahi said “My attention has been drawn to the inglorious tissues of lies making the rounds online and print media about my purported arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged N400 million campaign fund of the former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 general election." ‘”While not honouring them with response,

I wish to acknowledge the calls and goodwill messages that thronged my phone when the falsehood of my imagined arrest was dished out to the unsuspecting members of the public.

I want to assure my relations, friends and well wishers that I'm not under arrest.

“Those peddling the misinformation and falsehood that I was invited and detained

by EFCC should have known better. This is because I never had any link directly or indirectly with former President Goodluck Jonathan campaign organizations at state or national level.

“How could I therefore be associated with the campaign funds? It is therefore only mischief makers that could have originated this story to malign my name and unblemished records.

“Once I thank all my well wishers for their concerns. Please be informed that I am clean, free and in the clear,’’ he said.

Biometrics: NCC to release data to NIMC CSOs tackle Buhari over 28 INEC Board vancancies Kunle Azeez

T

he Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta, has agreed to release the commission’s data from the ongoing Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards registration exercise to the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

The telecoms regulator’s decision was in line with President Muhammadu Buahri’s directive on the needs to harmonise biometric data captured by different agencies in the country.

With the NCC move, industry watchers say the

implementation of the presidential directive has received a major boost.

Speaking in a statement made available to New Telegraph yesterday, Danbatta, who made this known while receiving the Director General of NIMC, Engr. Aliyu Aziz, who paid him a courtesy call yesterday in Abuja, said the decision to release the data was in line with similar Federal Government’s instruction to transfer validated data to the sister agency.

It could be recalled that inter-agency and other stakeholders’ collaboration was a key component of the eight-point agenda Danbatta unveiled in February this year, with a view to moving the indus-

try forward.

“I would like to pledge our commitment to this cooperation between the NIMC and the NCC to ensure that we have a secure, reliable database containing biometric information for all Nigerians, which will definitely augur well for the security of the country among other benefits.

“So we are committed to this. We recognize the importance of this cooperation and I would like to stress the need to give it all the seriousness it deserves.

“I am happy that there’s an MoU and there’s also a Federal Government’s directive, which would help in facilitating the data transfer,” Danbatta added.

Caleb Onwe Abuja

C

ivil Society Organizations (CSO) have joined forces to criticize and condemn what they termed as the failure of the present administration to properly constitute the board of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) almost 16 months after ascending the presidency.

The groups in Abuja, yesterday, during a town hall

11m

The number of people in industrialized countries who suffer from undernourishment.

Source: Unesco.org

meeting organized by ACTIONAID Nigeria to present a post-election research report of the 2015 general elections and also address how to strengthen citizens engagement in the electoral process, said that the“body language” of the president in the issue of the INEC board composition was a clear indication that the 2019 elections may not take place.

The groups stated that non- composition of the INEC board has stripped the electoral body the credibility needed to organize credible elections in Edo and Ondo states gubernatorial polls.

Prominent among the speakers was former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu,

who said that 2019 elections were already jeopardized with the attitude of the present administration towards the matters of appointing credible people to fill the 28 vacant positions in the INEC board.

“INEC is having a challenge. By next month, INEC will be having 28 vacancies, and the way we carrying on, there may not be elections in 2019”, he said.

Odinkalu, who also chided INEC for its infamous status of managing an unprecedented inconclusive elections in the history of Nigeria’s democratic journey, also decried what he described as “De-legitimization of the National Assembly” by the executive arm of government.

8

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

METRO 30 girls rescued from Pastor’s sex camp ...CRIME, CITY WATCH, COURTS

Taiwo Jimoh

G

eneral Overseer, Tongue of Fire Restoration Ministry, Chukwuma Nkwocha, is now in the custody of police in Lagos for allegedly camping about 30 young girls as sex slaves.

The 38-year-old Nkwocha, whose church is located at Sogunle area of Lagos metropolis, was accused of sleeping with the young girls, whose ages range from 10 to 15 years.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the arrest of the GO. The PPRO said the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, had ordered investigation into the case.

She said: “The command rescued about 30 young girls from the pastor’s custody. Two of them acknowledged he had canal knowledge of them. However, investigation is ongoing.”

Nkwocha, according to investigation, was addressing the congregation on Tuesday evening when policemen from Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) stormed the church.

The GO stopped the service when the policemen introduced themselves. They whisked away the pastor and the girls.

When our correspondent vis-

The church

ited the church yesterday, some members of the church looked dejected.

They, however, denied that the pastor was sleeping with the girls.

The GO’s younger brother, Mr. Ikechukwu Nkwocha, said he was surprised when someone from the church called him on the phone that the pastor had been arrested for rape.

He said: “We don’t live in the same house; I cannot speak on what I don’t know. It is only God Almighty that knows everything that transpired between my brother and the girls.

“He is such a nice person.

When some of the girls come to the church and complain of accommodation, he always comes to their aid by providing them an apartment in his house.

“The pastor is my blood brother. It was God who called him. Even as part of his efforts to alleviate the suffering of some of his church members, he is paying their school fees.

“He also registered some of them for the General Certificate Examination (GCE) and the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC)-conducted Senior School Certificate Exami-

City Briefs

Pastor remanded for rape, robbery Samuel Ekwueme for burial Saturday n Ogudu Magistrates’ geant Lucky Ihiehie, told the he remains of Chief Autonomous Community, Court in Lagos yester- court that the accused com- TSamuel Onyemaechi Olokoro.

A day ordered a 37-year-old mitted the crime on August Ekwueme will be commitHe is survived by wife, self-acclaimed pastor, Korede Olamide, to be remanded in prison custody for allegedly raping and robbing a woman.

Korede is also accused of unlawfully detaining the victim and putting a hard substance, known as ‘Valium 5’ in her drink, making her to sleep till the next day.

He was arraigned before Mrs. O. Sule-Amzat on a sixcount charge bothering on unlawful detention, maliciously administering poison, rape, causing a person to engage in sexual intercourse, provoking breach of peace and stealing.

The police prosecutor, Ser-

20 at Popoola Guest House, Alapere-Ketu, Lagos.

Ihiehie explained that the victim met the accused some time ago and told her that he was a pastor, giving her some messages about herself.

He said: “The accused told her some of her problems and the barriers she was facing in life, saying that he would help solve her problems with prayers.

“The accused, after their meeting the first time, followed her up with phone calls and asking her the kind of dreams she has been having of late.”

ted to the mother earth on Saturday at his home town, Umudu, Umuajata, Olokoro, Umuahia South Local Government Area of Abia State.

Ekwueme, who died on June 3, was a great community leader and mobiliser.

He served his community in various capacities as General Secretary, Chairman, President, Treasurer, Auditor and Patron.

Until his death, Ekwueme was in the Advisory Council of HRH Eze Obioma Patrick Offor (Ajaogu 1) of Umuajata

children, grandchildren and sisters.

Ekwueme

ABIODUN BELLO abiodun.bello@newtelegraphonline.com 08023938212

nation (SSCE). He is only assisting them; why should they pay him back in this form?”

Ikechukwu alleged that one of the girls, who the GO chased out, wrote a petition to the police.

He added: “It was the petition which led to the arrest of my brother. The girl was brought to the church by a member after complaining of accommodation problem to that person.

After a while, she started misbehaving in the church; that was why my brother sent her away.”

Ikechukwu also said that the policemen had searched Nkwocha’s house and no incriminating thing was found in his apartment.

He said: “I believe it was because she was sent away from the house that made her to write the petition against the man of God.” A resident, who did not want her name in print, alleged that the pastor used the opportunity of providing the girls accommodation to rape them.

She said: “Bobble burst when one of the girls, Evelyn, who was chased away by the pastor for resisting his advances, reported the matter to the police.

“What we normally observe in the community is that, whenever there is a programme in the church, even on Sundays, girls are usually brought to the church in different commercial buses.”

Another resident, Mr. Taoreed Ajao, said they were tired of the “unruly behaviour” of the pastor in the area.

He said: “Whenever they have their vigil in the church, they always increase the volume of their loud speakers which is affecting every resident. Hardly would a day pass that they would not have a programme in the church. Government should come to our rescue and regulate the activities of the church.”

One critically injured in Edo market fire Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

O

ne person is on danger list at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin, Edo State, after sustaining severe burns in a fire outbreak.

The midday fire destroyed property and goods said to worth millions of naira at the popular Mission Road in Benin.

Policemen at the Oba Market Divisional Police Station arrested four persons in connection with the fire outbreak.

It was learnt that the fire, which began from one of the buildings in the market, was caused by an explosion from a generator being used by the victim. Some traders said that they were shocked when the fire spread to their shops, following the explosion from the generator.

Those arrested were said to be working with the man who was rushed to the emergency unit of UBTH.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Divorce court

‘My wife alleges I sleep with my cousin, housemaid’ A

businessman, Remigus Iwuanyawu, yesterday told a Jokwoyi Customary Court in Abuja that his wife, Chioma, accused him of having affairs with his cousin and housemaid.

Iwuanyawu, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), pleaded with the court to dissolve the marriage because he was no longer interested in it.

He said: “I am no longer interested in this marriage, my wife nags about everything.

“She accuses me of having an affair with my cousin’s sister, due to her nag; my cousin packed her things and left the house. After she left, my wife started accusing me again, that I was having an affair with our maid.”

The petitioner also said that he could not continue leaving with a woman who did not care about him.

He added: “My wife does not care about me, when I was admitted in the hospital; she came and went straight to the doctor to enquire the kind of illness I was suffering from.

“She is always asking me if I have HIV and some other strange sicknesses. My wife disrespects me and talks to me anyhow. She calls me Boko Haram, that I am a very irresponsible man. I cannot continue with this marriage, please I want to be separated from her.”

Chioma, in her testimony, begged the court to save her marriage.

She said “I don’t know if my husband is just looking for a way to push me out of the house.

“Honestly, I am not guilty of any of all these things my husband has said about me.

It is just a misunderstanding we had.

“I want to settle with my husband, please save my marriage.”

The presiding judge, Labaran Gusau, advised the petitioner to rediscover his love for his wife and settle with her.

23-year-old marriage dissolved over wife’s battery A

Mapo Customary Court in Ibadan yesterday dissolved a 23-year-old marriage between Rukayat and her husband, Dauda Adebayo, over incessant battery.

President of the court, Mr Ademola Odunade, held that the union between Rukayat and Adebayo was dissolved in the interest of peace.

He awarded custody of the couple’s last three children to Rukayat, and directed Adebayo to pay a monthly feeding allowance of N10,000 for the upkeep of the children.

Rukayat, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), had told the court that her husband usually beats her mother anytime he has the opportunity to do so.

She said: “My lord, for many years now, my husband, Adebayo, beats the hell out of my mother if there is any minor disagreement between Adebayo and I. “In the process of venting his anger on me through regular assault, he also beats my mother, not minding her status.

“In fact, if I manage to escape, he follows me anywhere and even beats those that offer me refuge.

“Worst still, my lord, Adebayo also beats me during pregnancy and does not spare the children either, raining deafening curses on us.

“He has inflicted various degrees of mental and physical injuries on me.

“I also urge this court to help me retrieve my N50,000 from him.

“Adebayo is such an irresponsible husband. He does not cater for the children and I.” Adebayo, however, denied all the allegations levelled against him.

METRO

Six remanded for robbing Vanguard publisher

The suspects

Camillus Nnaji and John Chikezie

I

keja Magistrates’ Court 2 yesterday ordered that six men be remanded in Kirikiri Prison, Lagos, for allegedly robbing and causing bodily harm to the publisher of Vanguard Newspapers, Mr. Sam Amuka Pemu.

The accused are Koyis Usman (22), Umaru Oseni (46), Abdulrazaq Hassan (43), Musa Abubakar (31), Gambo Umar (31) and Abdulramon Kashil (25).

They were arraigned on a fourcount charge bothering on robbery, unlawful possession of arms, inflicting bodily injuries and damage to

9

property.

The accused had on June 5, while armed with guns and dangerous weapons, burgled Amuka’s house at Anthony village, Lagos.

They stole $5,500, a Samsung Galaxy phone valued at N100,000, three gold wristwatches valued at N360,000, two leather wristwatches worth N50,000 each and N500,000 cash, all totalling N2,875,000.

The police prosecutor, Inspector S. Imohonwa, told the court that other items were recovered from the accused.

He listed the items to include military camouflage, a harmer, iron cutter and a car. But according to him, the gun allegedly used for the operation was not recovered.

Imohonwa then filled in application for the remand of the accused, supported with an eight-page affidavit.

The magistrate, Mrs. B. O. Osunsanmi, ordered the remand of the six accused, pending the advice from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).

She then adjourned the case till November 11.

Ortom reunites rescued children with parents Cephas Iorhemen MAKURDI

G

overnor Emmanuel Ortom of Benue State yesterday handed over five of the children rescued from abductors to their parents in Makurdi.

They included Emmanuel Abedi, Favour Oleka, James Adanu and Joseph Abode.

Ortom, who briefed journalists while the Department of State Services (DSS) paraded five suspected kidnappers and child traffickers terrorising the people, said their arrest followed the stick approach his administration adopted as the carrot approach had expired.

The suspects were apprehended following a tip-off by men of the vigilante group service who discovered that they were operating in Makurdi and Otukpo local government areas of Benue State as well as Okigwe in Abia State.

The suspects are Adejo Ogiri (said to be the syndicate’s anchor man in Benue State), Michael Ezekiel, Afonne Nwokocha, Henry Ndukwe and Ifeanyi Isaac.

Ortom said the success being recorded through the stick approach of the amnesty programme was a manifestation of the commitment of his administration to security.

Ortom (second right), Abounu (left) and others during the handing over of the children

He said the state was not a place for criminals.

The governor vowed that those, who refused to embrace peace and were involved in kidnapping, child trafficking, armed robbery and cultism, would be Ortom, who in company with his deputy, Benson Abounu, urged the people to always assist security agencies with timely and useful information to enable them to effectively perform their duties.

He promised to continue to support

the children whose parents were yet to come to identify until they were reunited with their parents.

The governor said the state command of DSS was working with National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and Other related Matters (NAPTIP) in the investigation and prosecution of suspects.

He advised other parents whose children are missing to contact NAPTIP and other security agencies for clarification and assistance.

Herdsmen rob commercial vehicles in Asaba Dominic Adewole ASABA

G

un-wielding robbers suspected to be herdsmen yesterday attacked passengers in eight commercial vehicles at Ossissa axis in Ndokwa West Local Government Area of Delta State.

The 10 robbers, who brandished dangerous weapons, shot at two of the vehicles, a Hilux van belonging to the Aniocha South Local Government and a Toyota Corolla, popularly called ‘Spider’.

Immediately the news of the robbery went round, vehicles swiftly made U-turns to avoid being attacked. Also, vendors in the vicinity scampered to safety.

Over 20 passengers of different Hiace buses and private cars, travelling to Ughelli, Warri, Abakaliki and Port Harcourt, were held hostage by the herdsmen.

It was learnt that the majority of the cars that were trapped by the hoodlums about 5p.m. were going from Asaba to the aforementioned towns as well as neighbouring

states.

The robbers were said to have fled into the bush when they heard the siren of a police patrol van.

Although, no casualty was recorded, an official of Ndokwa West Local Government Area in the Hilux van was beaten to coma when he could not part with any cash.

The passengers lost cash and GSM phones worth thousands of naira to the robbers.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Celestina Kalu, did not pick her calls to confirm the story.

10

NEWS | national

Court orders arrest of First Bank officials for forgery

Tunde Oyesina Abuja

A

n Abuja Magistrate's Court, yesterday ordered the Nigerian Police to arrest four top officials of First Bank Plc. over an alleged forgery.

The police had subsequently arrested the suspects and commenced interrogation.

The suspects are expected to be charged to court after the conclusion of their interrogation.

Trouble started for the suspects when the intelligence department of the police, Zone 10, Abuja embarked on the investi-

gation of alleged forgery while involved some members of staff of the First Bank Plc. The investigation, however, revealed that some documents tendered in court to obtain an injunction to take over a tank farm belonging to Zone 4 Energy Limited for a disputed alleged debt, were fabricated.

The accused staff are Mr. Kunle Awojobi, who is the Managing Director of FBN trustees, Mr Razaq Yusuf, a staff of First Bank, and two others.

The bank had on July 1, through its counsel, Emmanuel Oyebanji, approached the court to obtain an order to take over Zone

4 Energy tank farm located in Calabar free trade Zone and also frozen the account of the company.

The trial judge, Justice Saliu Sahidu of Federal High Court Ikoyi Lagos granted the order when it was argued.

Consequently, the affected company through its lawyer, Lanre Ogunlesi, SAN, filed a motion to discharge the order, alleging that the order was obtained in error and said the day of execution of order had elapsed.

Ogunlesi argued that there was no notice of the said action that had ever been forwarded to his client.

However because of

the annual vacation of the court, Justice AbdullAzees Anka, a vacation judge, discharged the order after listening to the submission of both parties.

Justice Anka ruled in favour of Zone 4 Energy’s that the third party’s goods be evacuated with immediate effect.

He later adjourned ruling of September 8.

On August 26, two of First Bank’s staff, Ayodele Ogunlana and Razak Yussuf, were arrested by the police at the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) premises, Okotiebo, and taken to Area A police station for investigation and questioning.

Borno uncovers 10,000 ghost workers G ov. Kashim Shettima of Borno State said the state government had uncovered more than10,000 ghost workers out of the 25,000 civil servants in the state's work force.

The governor said in a radio and television broadcast in Maiduguri that the workers were uncovered after a verification to de-

termine the actual size of the state's work force. ''You may recall that in December 2015, while presenting the 2016 budget at the House of Assembly, I promised to embark on staff verification to determine the actual size of the state civil service. ``We set up a high powered committee chaired by the Secretary to the State

Government to carry out a verification of the state civil service,'' he said.

Shettima said that the committee verified only 19,763 workers out of the 25,000 workers on the state payroll. ``To finalise the exercise, a consultancy firm was hired for biometric data capture of the workers.

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EFFECTIVE FROM MAY 1, 2016

``As of today, 11, 397 workers have been dully captured as being bonafide staff of the state. ``Others, about 7,392 workers, have yet to be captured, out of which 4,000 workers have issues with their banks. ''There are also about 3,000 workers who failed to comply with the guidelines on the filling the verification forms,'' he explained.

The governor said he had directed the committee to sort out all those issues within one week to enable the state to pay those workers already captured.

P

resident Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of a substantive Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer and two Executive Directors for the Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited (NDPHC).

In a press release yesterday signed by the Director of Press, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Bolaji Adebiyi, Joseph Chiedu Ugbo, who has been working in an acting capacity was confirmed as the new Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, while Mallam Babayo Shehu and Engineer Ife Oyedele were appointed Executive Directors Finance and Administration, and Engineering and Technical Services respectively.

Ugbo is a lawyer and infrastructure regulations specialist with extensive experience in electricity industry reform and privatization.

thursday, september 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Kashamu: PDP's crisis may linger Onyekachi Eze ABUJA

T

he senator representing Ogun East in the National Assembly, Senator Buruji Kashamu, has warned that the leadership crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) might linger despite the recent resolution by the Board of Trustees (BoT) to hold the next convention in Abuja.

Kashamu also faulted the vote of confidence passed on the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee by the BoT. In a statement yesterday, Kashamu noted that merely taking the national convention to Abuja without getting the active participation of the contending parties would be a mere window-dressing.

"The outcome of such a convention will not be different from the botched Port Harcourt conven-

tions where the process was manipulated towards achieving a predetermined end," he predicted.

While describing the initiative of the BoT members as laudable, the lawmaker said what the party elders ought to have done was "to preside over a transparent and unbiased reconciliation process whereby they would have summoned Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and Senator Ahmed Makarfi and get the leaders to talk to each other in a room and come up with their own plans for the resolution of the crisis.

"The BoT could then ask the two leaders to jointly draw up plans and programmes towards the hosting of an all-embracing National Convention.

"Anyone who does not cooperate with such a transparent and unbiased reconciliation process can then be viewed as recalcitrant and not having the interest of the party at heart."

South-East govs' wives in Owerri, support girl-child education Steve Uzoechi OWERRI

I

llustrious women of South-East extraction led by wives of governors of the region stormed Owerri yesterday for a oneday August parley on how to chart a way forward on issues affecting the women and the girl-child in the Igbo nation.

The host and wife of the Imo State Governor, Mrs. Nkechi Okorocha, in her welcome address, explained that the gathering was in demonstration of the yearnings of the women for the emergence of a stronger and prosperous Igbo nation. She said:“We are here because as Igbo women, we have decided and have resolved to go back to the drawing board in appreciation of the fact that once the girl-child is protected and groomed,

the society is always the better for it.”.

Okorocha, whose views were corroborated by her counterparts from Enugu and Abia states, said that the theme of the gathering “looking at the next generation of mothers” was carefully chosen in view of the enormous potentials of women in nation building stressing that the gathering was neither politically nor religiously motivated.

Addressing the assembly, Governor Rochas Okorocha said that Igbo woman had continued to compliment the efforts of their husbands toward making the South-East a centre of excellence in all fields of human endeavour, stressing that it was against that background that he had continued to place a number of them in positions of authority.

13,000 Nigerian students studying in Malaysia –Envoy alaysia’s High Com- studying in the country.

M missioner to Nige“For a relatively meria, Datuk Lim Juay Jin, dium size country like says 13,000 Nigerians are currently studying at various levels in educational institutions in Malaysia.

Datuk Lim made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja yesterday on the sideline of the flag hoisting ceremony to mark the 59th Independence anniversary of Malaysia.

The envoy said that Nigerian students in Malaysia made up most of the number of Africans

Malaysia, we have 13,000 Nigerians studying at various levels in educational institutions in Malaysia and this is significant.

“Malaysian educational process is also a stepping stone for a lot of Nigerians, who want to pursue their education further.

“Malaysia has been so attractive because the cost of studying in Malaysia is affordable and we do not compromise on standards."

11

THURSDAY, September 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Okomiso PDP governors responsible for party’s crisis

Politics

Mokwe Why Anambra Central is yet to have a senator

Extraneous forces plotting to take over PDP – Babatope Chief Ebenezer Babatope is a former Minister of Transport and member, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In this interview with TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE, he speaks on the leadership tussle in the party and its botched national conventions among other issues How do you see the botched August 21 national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State?

It was sad that we couldn’t finish the convention but I want to assure you that it is going to be part of the experience that the PDP will rely upon to move forward. The dislocation of the convention was caused by our people and all of us will pay for it. There were certain people who went to the convention believing that they must pack all old men and women aside, and then propel a collection of people I called ‘mad young men and women’ to lead the PDP. How can that be? We, the old people know that we must surrender leadership to the young people, but they cannot on their whims and caprices decide to flush us out.

What makes them to believe that some people are young and some are old? It is a pity that some governors were involved in this business. Governors Nyesom Wike and Ayo Fayose were heavily involved; and these two young men brought Ali Modu Sheriff to cause problem in the PDP. They were the same people who went to create problem for the PDP in Port Harcourt but God told them that He is superior. I hope everyone will learn lessons from what happened.

FELIX NWANERI

GROUP PoLITICAL EDITOR nwanerif@yahoo.com

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

What are the party leaders doing to pacify Sheriff, who seems not to be yielding any ground?

Who is Sheriff ? He was brought

by Wike and Fayose to become our chairman. I warned against it when I saw it coming. Why did they bring a man who was never a PDP man to be the chairman? He was in All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and they brought him to be our chairman. He became chairman and later a problem to the party.

Don’t you see the need for the party to pacify Sheriff?

We don’t need to pacify anybody.

I agree we need to make peace and I agree that Sheriff has fought in a way that makes us to know that he is a fighter. We will call him for meetings and we see what we can do about him, but if he thinks he can win by the ruggedness he is doing, I wish him the best of luck.

Don’t you think that this crisis if not resolved quickly may affect the PDP

Babatope

in future elections, especially the forthcoming Edo and Ondo governorship elections?

It hasn’t got any effect. In fact, there are many things people don’t know about the convention in Port Harcourt, which we are getting to know now. Some extraneous forces, who are currently in All Progressives Congress (APC) but formally PDP leaders participated in scuttling the convention.

Some extraneous forces, who are currently in APC, but formally PDP leaders, participated in scuttling the convention

14

names now but eventually we are going to come out to mention names and give details of their political perfidy.

What do you think is the consequence of the botched national convention to the PDP? It has plenty of consequences.

Now, we have one year extended service given to the Ahmed Markafiled Caretaker Committee, so for the next one year, we are still going to be involved and embroiled in court business. There are certain judges in the courts that have been bought by Sheriff’s group and they will always give judgement for them. By the grace of God, before the end of 2018, the PDP will come back very forcefully and we would have seen the fact that our party will be better off if we allow age, maturity and experience to dictate the pace.

Don’t you foresee the one year extension to the Markafi committee creating more division in the PDP? It will not because the committee is led by a man who is very sound. Makarfi is a very sound fellow; very nice, humble and with a mature mind. He will lead very well; he will not lead in a manner that will destroy the party.

He will lead in a manner that he will build the party and supported by people. It is a pity that they didn’t allow Chief Olabode George to emerge at the convention. George is a seasoned, experienced and dedicated party man that would have used his experience to bring PDP back to its form as a fighting machine. But we are still going to have it because I have told George that we must not give up; we will fight on until we democratically elect those who are going to the lead the PDP.

13

How? They want to control the PDP. They want to come back and contest the presidential election of the PDP. Some meetings were held in London but we don’t want to come to that now but eventually we will come to it.

What was the meeting about?

The meetings was to perfect the entrance of this people I am talking about into the PDP and pushing ahead to be the presidential candidate of the party but that is wishful thinking.

Who are those people?

I don’t want to mention names now because we are still doing our research. Our research is going to cover all grounds. And when I talk about we; I mean we of the Olabode George Organisation for Chairmanship. We are working very hard because we are convinced and dedicated to the PDP. We can never leave the PDP but we shall stay in the PDP and fight until the PDP is reorganised and refocused to face the challenges coming.

Are you insinuating that some APC leaders were behind the botched PDP national convention?

They were not carrying the mantle of APC; they were carrying the mantle of themselves and their inordinate ambition. I don’t want to mention

What is the chance of the South-West producing the PDP leadership with the botched convention?

South-West will not budge. The PDP was magnanimous in saying that the chairmanship should come from the South-West but some people aided

by Governor Fayose, tried to work against the interest of South-West.

Fayose has right to his own political opinion but he carried those opinions to very ridiculous conclusions. I visited him in May in Ado-Ekiti to talk about the fact that we were soliciting for support for George as national chairman. There was nothing under the sun he didn’t say about George.

And here is George, who was very much instrumental into his becoming governor with the support of God Almighty. He went to Port Harcourt and joined other people to say that South-West must agree to their own chosen candidate – Jimi Agbaje.

I have nothing against Agbaje but talking about national chairmanship of the PDP, he is too far away to mention himself when you compare him to George. Agbaje came to the party in 2014. I have seen some forged documents, where they claimed he joined in 2011 but it is not true. He joined in 2014, barely two years ago and he now wants to be national chairman. He wants to come to the PDP to father his own fathers. You don’t do things that way. So, the South-West is emphatic; we thank the PDP for giving us the chairmanship and we will remain by it until we enthrone whoever we want. George emerged the consensus candidate of the South-West in Akure and some people went as far as ensuring that the wishes of the people of South-West did not materialise but it is going to materialise by the grace of God. Don’t you think that the calculation may change before the convention?

We will get support. George and all of us will be alive and we will go again.

If they pick Agbaje, it is going to be the same story. If the young men wait for their turn, they will have it. They cannot wish us dead now; they cannot say, the older men must die. Only God knows the time when anybody will die.

What they said in Port Harcourt was that they want a generational change.

Honestly speaking, I do not want to put a curse on them. If they said they want a generational change, there is nothing wrong about that but by pronouncing it, are they calling on God to kill us?

Do you see South-West PDP reconciling all major factions in the region before the next convention?

We have no problem with the South-West; it is very few individuals who are singing generational change in the zone. Those who think they have powers of life and death, and all the euros, pounds sterling and dollars in this world know that South-West would have voted heavily for George in Port Harcourt and that was why they decided to murder CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

12

POLITICS

THURSDAY, September 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Police to deploy 22, 603 personnel for poll Onyekachi Eze ABUJA

T

he Edo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chris Ezike, has assured voters in the state of adequate security during the September 10 governorship election.

Mr. Ezike, who spoke in Abuja at an Inter-Agency Consultative Committee meeting on Election Security, disclosed that a total of 22,603 policemen would be deployed to provide security before, during and after the poll.

The meeting was called by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to assess its preparedness as well as

other inter-agency organisations for the conduct of the election.

According to statement

by Rotimi Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, the commissioner of police said: “For the Edo election, we are good to go. We will not give room for ballot snatching and we will enforce the no-movement order to the letter,” he said.

He added: “If there is a way we can mitigate violence, our election will be conclusive. Since September 2015, we have made 870 arrests, while 525 suspects have been charged to court. Over 248 individuals have renounced cultism and some 248 small arms have now been recovered.”

He disclosed that the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) was advised to shelve the conduct of the 2016 November/December Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), scheduled to hold on the election day or relocate the candidates to nearby states.

He noted that since the state would be locked down throughout the day, with movement restricted, it would be impossible for candidates writing the examination to get to their respective centres.

Edo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Sam Olumekun, who was present at the meeting, said a total of 1,925,105 eligible voters have registered for the

well as Marine Police.

The IGP, who made the disclosures yesterday in Abuja, during a meeting with senior police officers at the Force Headquarters, charged personnel, who will be deployed for security purposes during the poll, to be professional in their conducts, and also “ensure that your security plan is water tight and also ensure the safety of materials and officials.”

He added: “In Edo State, we are coming up with a very, very strategic order.

We are going to deploy

the marine police in the waterways; we are going to deploy our helicopters in the air for surveillance.

“We are re-enforcing the state with thousands of policemen. In addition to that, we are now re-enforcing them with vehicles; we are going to deploy over 200 vehicles.

“I want to call on the Commissioner of Police in the state and all other personnel in the state to conduct this election, to use these items meticulously, so that we have a very, very peaceful election.”

…Helicopters, 200 vehicles for monitoring Emmanuel Onani Abuja

T

he Acting InspectorGeneral of Police (IGP), Mr. Ibrahim Idris, has said that helicopters would be deployed in Edo State, for effective policing of the September 10 gubernatorial election.

Apart from the helicopters, which will provide aerial surveillance during the election, the Police will also deploy 200 vehicles for logistics, Police Mobile Force (PMF) personnel, as

Edo DECIDES

Obaseki, PDP trade words over attacks Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

T election.

Olumekun disclosed that a total of 135, 877 persons were newly registered during the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise conducted between June 22 and 26 but regretted that over 400,000 Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) were yet to be collected.

INEC Chairman, Prof.

Yakubu, expressed confidence that “If we can implement what you have on paper and presented to us at this meeting, then we can all look forward to a successful outing in Edo.”

he All Progressives Congress (APC), governorship candidate in the September 10 election in Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, yesterday, alleged that the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has recruited militants to disrupt the governorship election in the state.

Obaseki said the militants targets are riverine communities, adding that evidence abound about their presence in some strategic parts of the state.

“We know that the PDP is working with the guys who created the havoc in Rivers State but we have alerted the security agencies. You know that we are campaigning in riverine areas and those are the areas they are targeting. Places like llusin,

Gegelege, our boarders are the areas they intend to perpetuate violence and there is evidence they have brought in people in Oredo, Egor and Ikpoba Okha.

“They planted at least two militants each from the Niger Delta in each of the units in these metropolitan areas so that they can cause confusion that may lead to inconclusive election but we will not allow them.”

In a swift reaction, the state Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Chris Nehikhare, said: “Obaseki is afraid if his shadow. The areas he claimed the said militants will attack him are the areas the APC-led government abandoned since the past seven and half years of its administration. As a political party, the PDP is not involved in the contracting or hiring of thugs; the APC is the one hiring thugs.”

Chairman of Edo State All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Anselm Ojezua (right), presenting a broom to a former leader in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Tony Alile, who decamped to the APC, in Benin City…yesterday.

Ondo guber poll: APC can’t afford to fail – Tinubu

Felix Nwaneri

N

ational Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has charged the leadership and members of the party in Ondo State not to toy with the opportunity presented by the November 26 governorship election to take control of the state.

Appealing to APC stakeholders in the state to close ranks as the party conducts its governorship primaries on Saturday, Tinubu said there can be no excuses or failure this time.

According to him, despite the squabble that has trailed the exercise, it is incumbent on the party to rally round whoever emerges as candidate to ensure that the party wins the poll.

In a statement entitled: “Ondo, APC and the rest of us,” the former Lagos State governor said: “In Ondo, we must close ranks to achieve victory. The future of the state and of the party in the state should never be held ransom to insignificant personal animosities and perceived slights.

“We all must focus on what is more precious than our personal ambitions and

more durable than our individual wishes. We must dedicate ourselves to uplifting this state and the very lives of the people of this state and nation. All is minor and a distraction in comparison to this sound goal.”

Tinubu noted that the people of Ondo State have a chance to break the shackles of mis-governance and suppression of their immense potential and move towards progress, justice and prosperity, which is their due.

He advised that party members should not allow victory, which is within their grasp, slip away.

He pointed out that the

key to the victory resides in how well party members conduct themselves after the primaries. “Joined in unified and fraternal purpose, there is no gathering or alignment of forces in the state that can best you.

You must choose the history you seek. This cannot and will not be done in Abuja or anywhere else for that matter,” he said.

He added: “Your walk towards destiny takes a momentous step with a successful primaries. After that, all of the party, including its leaders, will join the campaign trail in full support and commitment to the candidate you

‘Extraneous forces plotting to take over PDP’ C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 1

to have the convention and sealed it up.

the list of South-West delegates. For example, Ogun State was given only three delegates, Oyo was given four delegates, Osun was given five delegates, Kwara was given five delegates. All those areas, where they believed people would have voted massively for George, were cut down. That was the reason why God intervened. He stopped them and the police moved to the place, where we were

The governors seem to be having stronghold on the PDP, why is it difficult for the party leaders to caution them?

I was once their victim. I wanted to be secretary of the PDP at the last convention of the party in Abuja but the governors at that time stopped me. They went to Goodluck Jonathan and told him that they also want to have an input into those who are going to manage the party and

they brought in Olagunsoye Oyinlola. It was in Oyinlola’s house in Abuja that Osun State delegation met and chose me as unanimous candidate for the secretaryship. I will always be grateful to Osun people for that decision and I can never forget them. But the governors brought Oyinlola into the race and in fairness to Oyinlola, he didn’t want it but the governors brought him out. So, something must be done by the party to cut the wings of these governors.

select that we may achieve victory over a spent and undesirable Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“The APC must win the coming election and restore democracy and the virtues of public service to the seat of governance in the state. This is what the people desire and deserve. They have waited patiently. Now is the time to answer their call. This is our duty as a party and as people who care about their fellow man.

“The APC must go into the governorship as united in focus and purpose. All else is secondary to this objective. The journey to reestablishing governance for the people and for posterity begins with the primaries this Saturday.

“The process leading up to the primaries has been robust and energetic.

We have the good fortune of having numerous renowned and able party members seek the nomination. This has led to keen competition. During such tight competition, tensions always mount and oftenharsh things are spoken.

But this back and forth, this committed dialogue, is an integral part of the democratic process. And it is this process that we have enshrined and shall cherish in this party.

“Party members have the right to speak their mind. They can levy criticism where they believe it is warranted; yet also give commendation where it is due. They can comment on the quality of the process as well as endorse or oppose any candidate as they see fit. This process may not be neat and tidy because it is not choreographed or scripted in advance. What is important is that it is fair to all who come into it. All those who have entered the contested primaries have a chance to win.

“In the end, as with any political contest, only one person will be chosen.

Yet, that process would have been fair and open, all party members would have won. Democracy would have won and most importantly, the people of Ondo will stand to win come the general election.”

POLITICS \ INTERVIEW

THURSDAY, September 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

What is your take on the PDP crises, which seem to have defied all interventions by the party’s hierarchy?

The crises in PDP are not necessary at all at this critical point of economic recession, when we are supposed to be providing opposition to the Nigerian citizenry. We are supposed to be the shock absorbers of the government or the Nigerian people but unfortunately we are fighting ourselves because of ego.

Nobody wants to listen to the other person; nobody is interested to listen to each other to know the way forward is. It is a mistake that some people believe that impunity is the key word to life.

Most party members believe that the factional chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, is guilty of the ego issue that you raised. Do you agree with that assumption?

Let me say this: Sheriff did not demand to be the national chairman of PDP. He was in his house when a few governors cornered him and said he must be chairman. Indeed, they traced him back to Abuja and forced him to accept the responsibility of becoming the PDP national chairman. When he accepted, he did well. The governors brought him in with impunity but would it be right for them to through him out with impunity? Look, all the national chairmen that we have had in PDP were all thrown out by the governors. So, for this one we should stand by him to throw out the governors.

Sheriff is not the problem of the party, the problem of the party is the governors. One said that Sheriff wants to be president, but he has the right because he is a Nigerian.

Why did you become a governor? It is because you have the right and because you are a Nigerian. The foremost thing that qualifies you to be a governor, senator or a councilor is that you are first and foremost a Nigerian. Sheriff came in when the party was dead and he revived it.

The governors saw the way he was going and they tried to throw him out but some of us said no; there should be rule of law because the party has a constitution.

How did Sheriff revive PDP? Before Sheriff came, when you go to the national secretariat of the party, you will think it was grave yard. The staff were not paid, nothing was done, the National Working Committee (NWC) was just there but he was able to go round the whole states to revive the party. He organised congresses and the party began to move forward, people began to say there is a leader. Then the governors met and said let’s remove him. They should have allowed him to complete what they started and let him back out honourably.

But some persons believe that Sheriff deviated from what the arrangement he had with the governors…

Why should the governors feel unsafe? Does the party belong to them? The party belongs to the Nigerian masses. The era when a governor dictates what happens in a political party is over. Nigeria has had democracy for about 17 years now, why should a governor dictate for a party. Who are these boys and what were they before they became governors for them to dictate what happens. They even go to the extent of dictating who becomes a councillor in another state. Let us call a spade a spade. The worst thing that has happened to Nigeria is the Gov-

13

PDP governors responsible for party’s crisis – Okomiso Chief Patrick Okomiso is a former governorship candidate of the defunct All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) in Cross River State, but now a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He speaks in this interview with Johnchuks Onuanyim on the crisis in PDP, why he is backing the party’s factional national chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and the Muhammadu Buhari administration. Excerpts:

Okomiso

ernors’ Forum. These are people who use public funds the way they like. Go to each of the states and see the money they said they have collected in the past 16 years and see if the works they have been done are commensurate to the money they collected.

These guys had no money when they came into government. During the military era, governors took money from federal purse but those monies were tied into projects. If we have to amend our constitution and monies given to governors are tied into projects, this embezzlement will stop. This is the truth. The reason why people are killing themselves to be governors is to steal money. Because of impunity, they will anoint somebody who has not prepared to govern a local government to succeed them as governors. So, what Sheriff is doing is 100 per cent right.

Right thinking people should back him to destroy the Governors’ Forum, so that every Nigerian child will have the right to become whatever he wants to be.

Does your support for Sheriff have anything to do with both of you being members of the defunct ANPP? No! In fairness, Sheriff was in ANPP with me when l ran for the governorship of my state, Cross River. I didn’t leave ANPP in quarrel and l didn’t leave ANPP because Sheriff left. I left before him but the reason why l am backing him has nothing to do that we were in ANPP together. That is not the truth. Doing our ANPP days, we were not close. I was close to former Sokoto State governor, Attahiru Bafarawa.

APC has no hand in PDP crisis...The crisis is purely caused by the governors of PDP

I was close to other persons in PDP more than ANPP because of my outrage. However, Sheriff met me again in PDP. I am one of the concerned stakeholders in PDP that participated in the parallel convention in Abuja, while the other side had theirs in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Despite that, l was one of those who said the party should be united.

I put a call to Sheriff and l told him l needed to see him and he said fine and we met. We sat down and we talked and his story is quite different from what has been painted by the governors and what the public has painted him to be. At that point, l decided to back him because he has the same ideology with me. So, l was an actor during crisis and we wanted to take over the secretariat from Sheriff and the governors, so that we can have peace in the party but when Sheriff told me his story, I realized that the same thing l was fighting in Concerned Stakeholders of PDP was the same thing he was fighting; the governors are destroying the party.

For instance, a governor will chose somebody from a ward and decide he should be the one to lead in that ward even when he is not from the ward. This is the same impunity that made PDP to lose election. Former President Goodluck Jonathan was a very good leader though he had his weak points. I remember few times l had to see him and told him certain things were wrong but because he felt that he has given you an opportunity, you should do the right thing. Jonathan took some steps that were really necessary but he didn’t know how to monitor his staff and

if you go to tell him that this is what his staff are doing or this is what so and so appointee is doing, he lacked the courage to tell them to order. He also allowed the governors to dictate for him and that was why we lost the elections.

We have had about 16 months in the new administration and you can see the difference between the PDP administrations and now. The truth is that none of the persons before now met oil at a N100 million per barrel. So, the economic situation now is not as a result of past administrations as being painted. Every person who comes into government should not expect that somebody should leave money for him to come and spend, he should generate funds. No leader is working to keep money for another person to come and spend.

Every leader should come with a blueprint and a mindset of what to do and how to generate money to do them.

How much did Obasanjo meet when he came for the first time, but he did something. Jonathan did very well but monies were stolen and that is why l support Buhari in the fight against corruption. People are saying that the fight is one sided but I say no, the fight is not one sided. The question is who has been in government in the last 16 years. It has been PDP, so you should expect more people to answer for their sins in PDP than in APC. It was PDP that was at the centre and that is why they were into corruption and are being investigated. I don’t believe that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is being teleguided.

I know Ibrhim Magu very well and l know he is a very principled person.

What would be your opinion about the judiciary on the PDP crisis?

It is not just the PDP crisis. Lawyers are the problem of Nigeria. By lawyers, l mean those in the Bench and those in the Bar. There are lawyers, who when you give them a case, would take money to go and settle a judge but you will see somebody who stole handset of N3, 000 being sent to 15 years imprisonment and a man who stole a N100 billion is being asked by the court to be allowed to go for medical treatment abroad. Have we ever seen a judge in America who said an American who stole $1 should be allowed to go to hospital in India? He or she will die in America. It is only in Nigeria that such orders would happen. The mistake that President Buhari is doing is that he has not taken the anticorruption war to the judiciary. A man stole money to the extent that he has to put some in his overhead water tank and he went to court, court gave him bail; court gave him three months imprisonment and a fine of N600,000. Is this a country?

It is only in Nigeria that a lawCONTINUED ON PAGE 14

14

POLITICS \ INTERVIEW

THURSDAY, September 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Why Anambra Central is yet to have a senator, by Mokwe Chief Bonaventure Mokwe, a former chieftain of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) is the chairman of ‘Unshackle the Brain Project’ in Anambra State. He speaks on the Muhammadu Buhari administration and Anambra Central senatorial district rerun.

TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE reports

Anambra Central is one of the senatorial districts without representatives at the National Assembly. What is responsible for that?

The issue is that because the contest is between the immediate past governor of the state, Mr. Peter Obi and former National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh. Obi has scores to settle with Umeh, so he joined the fighting ring as a contestant, while Umeh is insisting that Obi ought not to be part of the election. Obi’s position is that it is either he is part of the election or there would be no election.

That explains why Obi’s lawyer keeps filing preliminary objections in order to delay the election. Umeh on the other part is fighting that Obi should not be part of the election but I have repeatedly advised Umeh to take Obi headlong. He should allow the election to decide their political faith but somehow Umeh being a litigant to the core, he is making sure that Obi is not part of the election.

Don’t you think that the people of Anambra Central senatorial district are suffering as a result of this fight?

People are suffering and you must understand that you can never have all as Solomon in a community. Some of them are still singing Victor Umeh while some are singing Peter Obi without knowing that they are the one paying the price. Only a few know that it is their senatorial district that is suffering.

Anambra State governor, Chief Willie Obiano, was recently reported to have reconciled with his predecessor, Obi. What is your take on that?

The projected reconciliation can only turn out to the detriment of the Anambrarians because it has nothing to do with the duo moving Anambra forward. The only thing that can make the two men reconcile is

how to help themselves with the treasury of the state.

Are you saying that the reconciliation is more of a personal agenda?

The reconciliation has nothing to do with the betterment of Anambra State. The only thing it will do is that it will reduce the heat from the governor.

Some people believe that it has to do with the second term aspiration of Governor Obiano...

It is part of it but the summation of the whole thing is the treasury of the poor masses.

You can reconcile with anyone you want to reconcile with; that is a personal decision, but you cannot reconcile to the detriment of our treasury. Two men can quarrel and settle their misunderstanding but not subject to be paying X amount of money on a monthly basis.

How do you mean?

The Director-General of Peter Obi’s senatorial campaign organisation, Barr. Joe Martins, alluded to this when he said on a radio programme that ‘there cannot be reconciliation without restitution, let Willie Obiano start paying the monthly agreement.’

That was what he said But he refused to mention the amount.

Are you saying that the disagreement between Obi and Obiano has to do with the money?

Absolutely, it has nothing to do with continuity in governance; it has everything to do with the money, which Obi presented to Obiano that he spent in bringing him as governor. Unfortunately for Obiano, been a political greenhorn, he did not bother to confirm what he was signing because Obi made sure that he signed those expenses through Nkem Okeke, who is now the deputy governor. The point is that when Obiano ascended to the throne, what he anticipated was not was what he saw. The figure was abstract but he can’t question it because he signed most of it.

How are you sure about this?

I was APGA stakeholder in Aguata Local Government Area and I was an executive member of the party in Anambra South.

So, I was exposed to the matter.

I left the party few months ago because of the system they operate; nothing is done transparently and I don’t want to be part of that.

Why are you turning yourself to a whistle blower? Is it base on personal or public interest?

I am not a whistle blower. In 2013, I advised Obiano to study the handover note Obi gave him, so that he won’t cry later. Two years later Obiano started crying, saying that what was handed over to him was not what he found but it was too late.

Ahead of the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra, how

Mokwe

A lot of people have gone through APGA ticket but ended up in PDP and APC, forgetting the Igbo agenda

united would you say APGA is?

APGA is being sold to Anambrarians as Igbo mouthpiece but t is not true. It is being monopolised by a gang of people who retain and foster their interests. A lot of people have gone through APGA ticket but ended up in PDP and APC, forgetting the Igbo agenda. What Anambrarians are looking for now is individual capability quality and not party affiliation. When you elect people base on party affiliation, you become a victim of godfatherism but when you go by the virtue of individual capability, whoever you elect is responsible for his

actions and inactions.

What is your assessment of the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration?

People have to be alive first in order to enjoy any Eldorado governance. People are suffering and dying. If President Buhari is fighting corruption; well and good but we need him to fight corruption. He has to cushion the effect on the masses in order to give those who were not part of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) obliteration of the treasury, a soft landing. A lot of people are dying as a result of the hardship; businesses are down and some of the governors are taxing people, not taking into consideration that in this type of economy, you don’t use taxation as a tool; you use it as a cushion effect, so that people can still remain in business.

The people you want to govern and build high scrappers for have to be alive to go to the high scrappers; they can’t go there from their grave. Fighting corruption is good, although there is element of one sided approach to it. I voted for Buhari on the strength of the daylight obliteration going on then and as a sign of protest to a lot of things that was going on in government during the PDP era.

Some people are of the view that All Progressives Congress (APC) is gradually making an inroad into South-East with its recent victory in Imo North senatorial rerun. Do you see the party making more impact in the zone in the 2019 general elections?

The only way APC can make an inroad into South-East is through a massive damage control project to change the opinion of the people. Nnamdi Kanu’s issue has to be handled intelligently because he commands a lot of loyalty. The federal projects in South-East have to be started and the region should be given a sense of belonging, politically.

All these things will help the advancement of APC in the SouthEast.

PDP governors responsible C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 3

yer does not advise his client to say this thing is wrong, we should go to court, plead guilty. I remembered when we discussed with Nuhu Ribadu on the issue of plea bargain then and the reason was that the lawyers and the judges were the problem and so for him to get a way out, plea bargain was suggested. Look, who goes to court to file a case that this man should not be tried in this court; a lawyer. Have you ever seen anywhere in the world where a lawyer comes to court and said this man is sick, he can’t stand trial? Here they bring all kinds of injunctions and so on.

Do you see the hands of APC in the PDP crisis as some persons are insinuating?

That is a foolish talk. Anybody who says APC is behind PDP crisis is a foolish man or woman.

APC has no hand in PDP crisis. Impunity must stop. Impunity of the governors must stop. For those who think it is APC, they should do the right thing so that APC would not have a hand in it again. APC and the Presidency don’t have a hand in PDP crisis. The crisis is between the PDP members. The crisis in PDP is purely caused by the governors of PDP. How can the party get out of this crisis and the legal quagmire?

The way out of this is for every person to leave his pride. Let them allow Sheriff for the next four

or five months, so that he can organise a proper convention. All the congresses should be revisited, so that people who want to come into the party can come and then a convention is organised in Abuja to allow the people elect their national officers on zoning but don’t limit it to one person.

Another thing l will like to suggest is that political parties should start thinking on how to be organise congresses for aspirants from the ward level. For instance those who want to be president of Nigeria in a political party should go round 36 states, including Abuja to emerge as candidates of their parties and also anybody who wants to be a governor should do primaries in all the local government area of the state How about the cost implication?

What cost implication? There is no cost implication. It happens in America. Not doing this is the reason people steal. The cost implication should be the materials you use for campaign.

Look at the American campaign, do they go to state capital and stop there, they go from village to village, community to community but in our own, you go to the stadium with a hired crowd.

We should stop being deceived. Go to Ghana, their presidential candidates go from one village to another, so you can see the impact of where you are going and know what you are supposed to do. Not that one man would come to the stadium and tell you to carry go while they should be telling you

POLITICS

THURSDAY, September 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

15

Where are T. A. Orji’s attack dogs?

I Ebere Wabara

n order to shield them from public opprobrium, I crave the indulgence of my avid readers to declare that no name will appear in this reflective article.

The attack dogs used by the former governor of Abia State, Mr. Theodore Ahamefule Orji, know themselves and are also known by discerning followers of Abia politics between 2007 and 2015. So, their anonymity here does not really matter.

Of course, their butt of attacks, demonization, criminalisation, futile demystification and blatancy of spuriousness was Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, who could not be caged by an erstwhile president of this country let alone some spineless blokes whose master and benefactor Dr. Kalu unilaterally enthroned despite unprecedented oppositional forces!

Now that the music is over, it will be interesting to know where the imbecilic fellows have moved on to or have stagnated, awaiting another Kalu for vituperative enterprise that throws up blood money in recompense for impolitic brazenness. We shall anchor this trip down memory lane with just an episode out of the multitudinous case of the rape of Abia

by T. A. Orji. The incident under focus is the damning thesis on the state by billionaire Prince Arthur Eze. One of the attack dogs, a journalistic rolling stone that has never gathered any moss right from his fleeting days in the old Daily Times up to his crashed misadventure in fledgling Hallmark Newspapers (recollect no nomenclatures),, sought to elucidate on Prince Arthur Eze’s unassailable declarations on the systemic rot in Abia State. In the fiasco, the asinine bloke displayed hollowness that confirmed his uncanny instability in the media.

The idiotic futility to reconstruct what was said by the Prince of the

Niger was sheer demonstration of illogicality of the worst order. In the first place, there is no ‘puzzle’ whatsoever with Prince Eze’s re-affirmative avowals on issues already known by one and all in and outside the country. The subject is very clear to enlightened members of the society. Perhaps the only exceptions would be the rascally attack dogs whose desire for stomach infrastructure could make them twist just about anything as long as the economics is right!

Writing in The Nation on Sunday of September 14, 2014, one of the traitorous attack dogs said only Daily Sun carried the dispassionate summation of Prince Eze simply because the newspaper belongs to Dr Orji Kalu, the former governor of Abia State, who is at loggerheads with his successor, Theodore Orji, for reasons that bother on the latter’s legendary incompetency, ingratitude and witch-hunt. Can some of the treacherous attack dogs that I have known for the past 20 years afford to buy a newspaper as to know that only Kalu’s medium carried the damning report? For the bohemians’ civilization and benefit, The Moment, People’s Daily, Daily Champion and copious online portals disseminated the developmental information. In any case, I also read elsewhere that a lot of money was expended by the Abia State government on the day of the incident to ensure that the report did not come out the next day. And to a large extent, there was near-blackout of the critical event! This is confirmatory of the level of media corruption in the country. It is unfortunate that the hangers-on-for-life symbolised by these attack dogs cannot know some of these exclusive details.

The irresponsible attack dogs also talked about Prince Eze’s “Anambra State nativity and sowing the seed of discord among the good people of Abia State.” If the garrulous attack dogs were com-

Orji

The lesson for the attack dogs, henceforth, is that they should not be indecorous in their choice of words

for party’s crisis – Okomiso that we don’t have a road What is your take on the President’s demand for emergency power to reflate the economy? l sympathize with Buhari in so many fronts mostly on the fight against corruption and unfortunately at this point in time when the oil thing became too bad but things just have to happen. Just like Buhari said sometime that in 1983 when he came, there was economic crisis and now he has come back again there is economic crisis. I think we misuse power in Nigeria, so the issue that he should be given more powers on the economy is one we have to be very careful with. It should be a thing that should take time to be studied and know the implications, the advantages and the disadvantages. Buhari as a person, at his age he is not looking for money again. Buhari has been in government at differently times to the level of Head of State yet there was nothing traced to him.

So, l don’t think it would be now that he would be looking for money when he didn’t do that when he was young. So, l sympathize with him in that situation and l can believe him that he means well in reflating the economy but who are the people with him to pilot the affairs, those are the areas l am looking at.

I think we shouldn’t be in a hurry on this power, we should take our time. Meanwhile we should encourage him the more. I was trying to speak to the Minister of Agriculture the other day to tell him

that whoever comes into office should not throw away everything the other minister must have done. Former Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Adesina is sound and some of the policies he took are still being discussed internationally. I was recently in a conference in Germany and a white man quoted him on the study on cassava. I think that the Agric minister should not throw away all he met on ground in the ministry. He should marry them to his own policies. There is no need of coming to government and bringing new ideas every time.

When somebody is doing the right thing, support him. We need to diversify our economy; we need to get into other sectors; we need to see what we can export to increase our foreign reserve.

Another thing is for what reason would a Nigerian take his child to secondary school abroad and pay school fees in dollars when there are secondary schools in Nigeria. The government should go back to its educational plan and stop giving people foreign exchange for secondary and primary schools abroad. Yes, for university you can go abroad depending on what you want to study but for primary, secondary schools, that is unbelievable. On importation, it should not be every product that government should give foreign exchange to importers. Lastly the government should stop medical trips abroad. Is just like a man who built five star hospital but when he was sick, he went to London for treatment. He doesn’t believe in what he built.

fortable with the graveyard accord/silence in Abia State, most Abians were not fooled and would gladly welcome seeds of discord from sympathetic Nigerians irrespective of their states of origin— which is immaterial in the circumstance. Such anaemic distractions in the name of analyses by illogical attack dogs of this world can only appeal to those who cannot see beyond their nasal cavities. So, because someone is from another state he should not intervene in another state? What kind of brainlessness is this?

Do we have to sacrifice our dignity because of a pot of porridge from Government House, Umuahia? The attack dogs said equally that the only reactions to Prince Eze’s “diatribe and outburst” they found after monitoring were from persons and groups known to be critical of the immediate-past administration in the state. Did the loquacious attack dogs expect reactions from praise-singers and worshipers like themselves, ‘Abia elders’ as defined by Government House and members of Abia Patriots all of whom were undergoing a rehabilitative regime of the generous T. A. Orji locust leadership? Let there be some modicum of rationale in public discourse, Handouts should not make attack dogs unthinking animals! And to speciously cap the bovine ignorance, the attack dogs round off this aspect of their weird interjection by saying that only the same newspaper (veiled and cowardly reference to Daily Sun) reported the reactions. I advise the stupid attack dogs to join the free readers’ club present at major newsstands to pay N20 and hurriedly scan as many publications as possible. The former governor’s Chief Press Secretary’s office where the attack dogs hung on in the absence of gainful employment confided in me that they buy mostly “friendly newspapers” and the Sun titles for obvious reasons. Therefore, how can the vicious attack dogs have access to leading publications or other unfriendly media?

At this point that the party is gladly over, I advise the clownish attack dogs, some of them

my good friends, to face pastoral work which seems to be their last port of employment call. Having failed abysmally in journalism on account of their mercantilism and holistic professional irresponsibility as certified hacks, the deviant attack dogs should, as a matter of last resort, concentrate on winning souls for the Lord—and this is hoping that they have the ability and anointing to discharge this onerous evangelical task they may compellingly choose as a last survivalist option. Communication generally and journalism particularly are not their forte. It is possible the depraved minds did not know until May 29, 2015!

The harebrained attack dogs also made allusions to their emptiness and foolishness by saying that drums were not rolled out in celebration of Prince Eze’s comments. When people are shocked to the marrow, there is usually little or nothing to add. What was anyone going to say that had not been said before Prince Eze’s contribution? It was not a revelation.

The matter had been in the public domain since May 29, 2007. Why it was generally rehashed at all in the media was because of the personality of the eminent business mogul and billionaire philanthropist. Otherwise, not even Sun would have given it a mention!

Who, apart from beneficiaries of the stench, does not know that T. A. Orji was a colossal failure and that Abia was under arrested development from 2007 to 2015?

Because of what the moronic attack dogs used to get from T. A. Orji for sustenance, they used gutter language in describing Prince Eze’s comments and rounded off by saying that the Prince made those utterances because of his filial relationship with Dr. Kalu and went ahead to make betrothal linkages which must have informed Prince Eze’s position! It is only in Igbo land that this kind of blatant disrespect is possible. If the venomous attack dogs were from the SouthWest or the North and made this kind of importunate, absurd and stupidly disrespectful vitriolic, they would have been in hot soup by now.

The lesson for the attack dogs, henceforth, is that they should not be indecorous in their choice of words especially when addressing a man of Prince Eze’s standing.

There is life after Ochendoism.

May God help us so that what we shall eat will not kill us. And so shall it be! The face-off between Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu and T. A. Orji cannot be resolved irritants like the attack tomfools who specialize in buffoonery!

Is it not an irony that one of the attack dogs who were inherited by Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu was recently dismissed on grounds of incompetency, incapacity and notoriety among journalists in the state and rudeness to commissioners! Food for thought: with politicians in power, you need to be tactful as a media aide. Relentlessly attacking the governor’s opponents foolishly does not guarantee employment when crises set in!

•Wabara is the Media Adviser to former Abia State governor, Dr. Orji Kalu.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

16

Opinion Obaseki and his credentials Turning Point MIKE ARAYUWA WILKIE pmikky1950@yahoo.com 0802-3097-251 (sms only)

G

odwin Obaseki may not need detailed introduction. It is only fair to add that, he is the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the already slated September 10, 2016 election, in Edo State. According to his profile, he was born in Benin City. It equally revealed that he attended a primary school, and Eghosa Anglican Grammar School, Benin City. He also attended the University of Ibadan, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts (B.A) Degree in classics.

Godwin Obaseki later attended the Columbia and Pace Universities in the United States where he obtained an MBA in Finance and International Business. He is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Stock Brokers, and an alumnus of the Lagos Business School Chief Executive Programme. He served as Chairman of the Edo State Government Economic and strategy Team before his new-found governorship ambition.

It is so glaring, that he is the man of the APC in Edo State, at the moment. It is also clear that he has rich curriculum vitae, and therefore fully qualified to aspire to become the governor of his state. However, his Secondary School Certificate has become intensively controversial within the past few weeks. At the initial stages, his main rival, Pastor Ize Iyamu, also a governorship contestant and his Peoples’ Democratic Party

(PDP), challenged Mr. Obaseki to produce his academic credentials to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the fundamental interest of the Edo people.

Obaseki’s response was to stress without any iota of contradiction, that his credentials were, infact missing. At another date, he claimed that his brother who lives in the United States had found his missing credentials. This meandering round-about appears incredible in the eyes of the Edo State electorate and more questions are being asked in order to get to the root of this burning matter.

In a recent interview, Chief Dan Orbih, the State PDP Chairman, revealed that with the facts available, Obaseki could not have used the school certificate to gain admission into the prestigious University of Ibadan to study a B.A Honours Degree, except if the document was doctored and totally altered. Orbih further claimed that the school certificate result had completely shown that Obaseki failed in Mathematics and Economics, with only a mere pass in English Language.

In response to Chief Orbih’s allegation, one Martins Osakue, a co-ordinator of the Godwin Obaseki campaign organization, described such assertion as “unimaginable”, tasking journalists to verify Obaseki’s qualifications at the University of Ibadan. He further regarded the PDP’s position as “hollow and intellectually deficient”. From all intent of purpose, it appears that Osakue has not thrown any light to explain the circumstances which enabled the said result to be used in securing admission into the University of Ibadan. His response was only aimed at begging the question and only to pour insults on Chief Dan Orbih.

In any case, the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria did not specifically state that a governorship candidate must pass creditably well or perhaps make a distinction

Orbih and his political party should discountenance this certificate controversy

in all the subjects at the Secondary School Certificate level or its direct equivalent. The constitution only made provision for a candidate, who intends to contest an electoral position to be “educated to at least school certificate level or its equivalent”. Chief Dan Orbih ought to have been satisfied with Obaseki’s basic school certificate, afterall, he is not INEC, the electoral umpire, which is constitutionally mandated to conduct elections in Nigeria.

However, the Secondary School Certificate which Obaseki possessed would not have qualified him for admission into the University of Ibadan to study classics, at the time.

The institution is of a class within the context of scholarly circle and would then not make such a costly mistake of admitting the likes of Godwin Obaseki, with such a porous result or certificate. Even, the Polytechnics and Colleges of Education would not condescend so low, as to extend their admission to the level of the Obaseki’s with a result that can best be described as a failed school certificate holder.

What the universities need as entry requirements are five subjects at a sitting or at two sittings, which should include English and Mathematics or its equivalent certificate. Classics, as a discipline, involves the study of the literary works of ancient Greece and Rome and may obviously not include a pass in Mathematics as a requirement. This course must certainly require a credit pass in English language, but for Godwin Obaseki to have studied classics with just a pass in English language, is to my mind, a colossal impossibility.

I am therefore of the candid opinion that Orbih and his political party should discountenance this certificate controversy and let the good people of Edo State determine, who becomes the next governor. I am also optimistic that the truth about his credentials will unveil itself in the nearest future.

Magu: Next anti-corruption president Nduka Uzuakpundu

H

is name is fast gaining currency at the United Nations headquarters in New York, United States of America, amongst some diplomats in Canada, the European Union (EU) headquarters, in Brussels, the United States Department of State, in Washington, D.C. And it’s for good reason: his rare show of industry and devotion to duty, as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC); that top policeman, Mr. Ibrahim Mustafa Magu, is being considered to address a General Assembly of the United Nations, on what strategic approach he had applied to expose so much gargantuan corruption that took place under President Goodluck Jonathan’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration.

Indeed, there’s an ambitious lobby involving a dozen countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) to invite Magu to Brussels for the same mission.

The lobby, headed by a key member of the Department of State, in Washington, D.C., have it that what had endeared Magu to policy-makers in NATO-EU countries

was the fact that he had done more than his sires at the EFCC. “We are immeasurably impressed by the performance of Mr. Ibrahim Magu – the head of the Nigerian anti-graft agency. We’re pleased that he has improved upon the feats of Mr. Nuhu Ribadu”, said Disberg McRailley – a Washington, D.C.-based lobbyist. “He’s a good choice by President Muhammadu Buhari. We’d like to see him here; encourage President Muhammadu Buhari to bring in more Magus into the Nigerian antigraft crusade. With Magu in charge at the EFCC, Nigeria is sure to put corruption behind her as a matter of necessity”.

But, whenever Magu arrives New York to address the United Nation General Assembly (UNGASS), some of the points he’d make are that the Buhari administration is striving, assiduously, to build strong democratic institutions – including the Nigeria Police Force, EFCC, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Judiciary, Legislature, Executive, labour organisations, and an army of peaceful voters. He’s expected to say that two years into the Buhari administration, it’s becoming quite imperative to have Legislatures and Executives that have little quarters

for corruption; that the Legislature should cease, henceforward, to be a haven for crooks; individuals who should be executed publicity. Some of his listeners would, naturally, include a posse of members of the Ways and Means, and Appropriation Committees of the United States House of Representatives and the Senate, Harvard - and Princetontrained psychologists, and dourlooking cops, who are working for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

McRailley is on record to have told a group of North American diplomats and anti-graft specialists – all based in New York – that “for Magu’s unearthing of so much gargantuan corruption, it may interest the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) administration to groom him for the Nigerian presidency in a postBuhari era. The intent, as McRailley told a former public affairs aide at the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria, was “to enforce the concept of sustainability of the war against corruption – the Buhari style, which has, as its leitmotifs, non-compromise and zero tolerance”. McRailley, 76, is visibly delighted that the BuhariMagu, anti-graft duo is gradually setting a standard for the Africa con-

tinent – especially for the genuinely democratic countries that, given the political will, they could fight corruption to a standstill.

One of the most crucial issues involved, he said, was to have an EFCC headed by an unsmiling, serious-minded policeman like Magu; someone who’s versed in gathering intelligence that has to do with money-laundering and unconscionable looting of the country’s till. A close ally of the Carter administration, in the late ’70s, McRailley, said that the Buhari-Magu duo should be applauded by Washington and Brussels, in that the APC government was about the first sign of seriousness, by Abuja, in the fight against corruption. Still, he said that, “for the avoidance of doubt, my suggestion for a post-Buhari era Magu presidency, is to press the continuity of the war against a crime by a tiny – if viciously oppressive – minority, that is bent on killing the Nigerian economy. It would be extremely costly not to make Magu – solely for the continuity of the war against corruption – the next President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.

•Uzuakpundu, a journalist, wrote in from Lagos.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

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Magu and the battle ahead

he renewed war against corruption in the last 15 months of the Buhari administration is heating up the polity in such a way that it will take only saints to survive the intrigues emanating from the push. Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission[EFCC] ,Ibrahim Magu, must be feeling the smoke more than many envisaged.

The heat on Magu is not all about the All Progressives Congress [APC] slogan of Corruption Fighting Back. Those who looted Nigeria’s treasury will not sit aside and allow themselves to be thrown into the stinking jailhouses which are populated majorly by compatriots who were forced into crime by their maladministration.

The EFCC boss is in for a long drawn battle with members of the Nigeria Bar Association [NBA] following a press statement from the agency in response to the Inaugural speech of the new President of the NBA, Abubakar Balarabe Mahmoud.

Mahmoud said: “ I strongly recommend that the EFCC be limited to investigation… while prosecution should be handled by an independent resource prosecution agency.” That was at the end of the 56th Annual Conference of the NBA which took place in Port Harcourt.

The EFCC replied in less than 48 hours. In a statement,

the agency said: “Mahmoud’s suggestions appear perfectly in sync with a cleverly disguised campaign by powerful forces that are uncomfortable with the reinvigorated anti-graft campaign of the EFCC and are hellbent on emasculating the agency by stripping it of powers to prosecute with the lame excuse that an agency that investigates cannot also prosecute.”

The statement went far in ridiculing members of the legal profession. “A Bar populated or directed by people perceived to be rogues and vultures cannot play the role of priests in the temple of justice’’, it added.

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Managing Editor, South n Emeka Madunagu Managing Editor, North & Abuja n Laurence Ani (Leave of Absence) Editor n Ayodele Ojo Editor, Sunday n Juliet Bumah Editor, Saturday n Waheed Bakare Deputy Editor, Group Head, Newsroom n Geoffrey Ekenna

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through financial crimes. We must also be mindful of the fact that an accused is presumed innocent until found guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.

Even criminals are entitled to legal representation. It is therefore constitutional for lawyers to defend their clients.

We believe that such blanket comments should not come from the high office of the EFCC Chairman. He has lawyers working for the Agency and those harsh words also mean that the

Magu should learn from the Ribadu experience

Lawyers across the country have come out in full force against Magu and are demanding an unreserved apology from him.

While the constitution guarantees the right of every citizen to free speech, we believe public officers should not make unguarded statements. Magu as boss of the EFCC is expected to talk less and work more behind the scene.

It is not part of the training he received even as police officer to trade words in the course of investigation or any other assignment.

There is no doubt that some lawyers have entered the bad books of Nigerians for their roles in defending some of those who have sabotaged this country

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

learned men under his nose are “perceived to be rogues and vultures.”

That will tantamount to one poking

fingers in his own eyes.

The EFCC may see the reinvigorated anti-graft campaign from their own perspective.

There are those who feel that it is not a fair war. There are questions about probing the campaign finances of the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] while leaving out the source of fund for the ruling APC during the drive to chase PDP away from the Presidency.

The same script that seems to be playing out today under him remind many of the days of pioneer Chairman, Nuhu Ribadu, whose job was to harass opponents of then President Olusegun Obasanjo. The moment Magu frees himself from the per-

ception that only those who are not in President Muhammadu Buhari’s party are fit for investigation, his perceived detractors will hide their faces in shame.

Nigeria needs strong institutions, not leaders. Magu should learn from the Ribadu experience. While in office, Ribadu had every opportunity to stand tall on the podium of excellence.

That was not to be as the EFCC became Ribadu, personalized, instead of an anti-graft agency.

Magu has a bright future and the accolades are pouring.

One came from an American, Diberg McRailey . According to him: “We are immeasurably impressed by the performance of Mr. Ibrahim Magu- the head of the Nigerian anti-graft agency. We’re pleased that he has improved upon the feats of Mr. Nuhu Ribadu. He is a good choice by President Muhammadu Buhari. We’ll like to see him here, encourage President Muhammadu Buhari to bring in more Magus into the Nigerian anti-graft crusade. With Magu in charge at the EFCC, Nigeria is sure to put corruption behind her as a matter of necessity.”

We urge Magu to do more in the fight against corruption by restricting himself to the job and distancing the agency from the politics of politicians in government. Let his work speak for him, there should be no room for grandstanding.

Magu’s profile is tall enough to keep his head high.

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THURSDAY, September 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Insight For residents of the Ibeshe community of Ikorodu, a Lagos suburb, peace remains elusive as they live in palpable fear. To the community, daytime becomes night time while night time is daytime. Sound sleep for them seems an unending mirage. Even the atmosphere is heavily tensed as suspicion hovers round the residents. OLUWATOSIN OMONIYI writes

Ibeshe: A community’s tale of woes

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hey did not only stop trusting themselves.

Their communal lifestyle is gradually going into extinction as everybody is keeping to him/herself while scampering for shelter. The strength of the spirit of brotherhood binding them in this community has worn out. The women are moving out of this community en masses, leaving goats and chickens to take over as occupiers of houses.

And for those who have the courage to stay back in the community, their husbands no longer enjoy free movements as they have to stay awake to guard the home fronts.

At nights, they cluster. About five families could stay together in a house. A family could accommodate about five different families at night because they believe that in unity, it would be difficult for a predator in human flesh to launch an attack.

The men also act as vigilante.

Long story short, life for them is a permanent nightmare that is better imagined!

The bone of contention in this community is a group of serial rapists called ‘Badoo.’ Badoo has become a fearful household name within Ibeshe community.

Members of the group operate in commando style having women, mostly singles, widows and children as his main target.

Once a Badoo member launches an attack, he leaves on his trail agony and gnashing of teeth. So far, there has been constant crying, wailing and mourning from deep pains and injuries Badoo- incessantly inflicted upon the people of this community.

Right now, most residents of Ibeshe community live in perpetual fear. According to most of those who chatted with New Telegraph, the residents are moving out of Ibeshe en masse. Like a popu-

Residents carrying placard and protesting at the Governor’s office.

lar Yoruba adage which says, ‘to avert evil to the whole body, then the eyes must save itself of the horror looming around,’ hence, the mass movement of the residents out of the community becomes inevitable.

As danger posed by Badoo looms in the air, fear of the group accompanies it. Long story short, the residents no longer know peace as they suspect one another of perhaps aiding the evil Badoo is perpetuating in the community.

According to Fatosin Oluwakemi, a resident and Public Relation Officer, PRO, of the area- CDC Igbogbo Bayekwu LCDA, she no longer sleeps soundly in her house, ever since one of the Badoo guys attacked one of her tenants.

She narrated that after the attack, she slept in her work place (Queens College) for about two weeks but she didn’t feel comfortable.

Oluwakemi, however, opted for her aged mother; still she didn’t feel safe as there was constant outcry of Badoo’s treatment to people around her.

“So, I resolved to be going to my church member’s house with my daughter and aged mother every night. But I discovered that even they were not comfortable at all. In fact, they do not sleep at all. Rath-

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Badoo’s mode of operation Badoo operates only in shanties and desolate places Always half naked and rob engine oil on their bodies They attack houses without burglary They act on information because they attack houses of singles, widows and single mothers They use fetish means to sedate their victims’ environment so that nobody would challenge them when operating After attack, they leave a signature with axe on their victims They operate simultaneously within the community.

After wounding their victims, they drag them to where they could be easily sighted They use alligator pepper and white handkerchief on their victims They are alleged to always sell the white handkerchief on demand for N200,000 er, they kept vigil in turn. At any slightest sound or stub of steps at midnight, we would jump up and start shaking or would start blowing whistle. We blew whistle to the extent that it became less meaningful,” she said.

Indeed, it is really a traumatic experience that the men also no longer move about freely for fear of exposing their wives to the attack of Badoo boys, who specialise in raping only women without their husbands or spouses with them.

But going by the tale of woes and glaring evidences within that

community, the Badoo not only rape women or ladies, he also raped children as young as five, seven and 14 years old.

One of them was little Adesewa Adegbite, five-year-old, who resides with parents in Ibeshe Titun. The unfortunate, however, befell the child while sleeping beside her mother inside the church after vigil. A Badoo member was said to have entered the church around 3.30am, carried the child away to an unknown destination, threw her over the fence and had canal knowledge of her.

Waking up to see her child shaking after the deed had been done, she thought it was mere cold.

Temitope, the girl’s mother, said she got up, still drowsy and robbed the girl’s body with rob but while massaging her legs with rob, Temitope said she noticed that there was a sticky feeling in her palms.

So, she took a flash light to check and discovered that it was blood. “I screamed and everyone around got up and started searching for the culprit,” she said.

Consequently, the girl suffered multiple laceration in her vagina.

She can no longer urinate through the vaginal nor could she pass faeces through her anus. One of her arms also got broken as she was kept in POP to strengthen the

INSIGHT

THURSDAY, September 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Ibese residents

One of the Badoo boys burnt

The damaged palace. INSET: Oba Abayomi

mangled arm. According to the medical report made available to New Telegraph, she is suffering from multiple laceration in her vaginal. As such, the side of her stomach was slit opened to enable her pass urine and faeces.

Explaining to New Telegraph her experience in the hands of Badoo, the little girl said: “I saw one dark man carrying me in his arms to my school compound. On getting there, he threw me over the fence and jumped inside. When I wanted to cry, he threatened me that he would kill me if I did so.

I was shaking, then he raised my dress and ………”

It is indeed a horrible experience for little Adesewa. She couldn’t really describe the terrible moment with Badoo. As she was talking, she trembled at the memory of the night. Right now, Adesewa feels quite uncomfortable with her left hand inside the POP. It itches her uncontrollably and if she had to pass urine or faeces, then part of her intestines got exposed. Adesewa’s father, Olugbenga, alleged that the police officers at Ipakodo Divisional police station were not helpful. Rather, they were busy taking turns to feed their eyes. “In annoyance, we left the station and rushed to a nearby private hospital where we were later referred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH,” he said.

They, however, pleaded with the state government to come to their aid for proper and full treatment of the girl, Adesewa. “We beg Lagos State government to please come to our aid. We want them to take up the full responsibility for my daughter’s treatment, so that she lives a normal life again. We are low income earners,” the parents pleaded.

For Mabel, seven years old and another victim of Badoo, she has become mentally deranged. She was not stable on the bed, shaking and screeching at the sight of strange figure.

She wouldn’t talk to anyone outside her mother or her care givers. She was attacked by Badoo while trying to rape her 86-yearold grandmother. That night, Mabel was sleeping by the side of her grandmother when one of the boys sneaked in through the backdoor. While struggling with the old woman, she woke and the picture that greeted her eyes was too much for her to comprehend, she screamed and made for the door. But she was slow as the Badoo boy aimed at her with a chisel!

The chisel penetrated her mouth from one side to the other, thereby dislocating her jaw totally.

Not done with that havoc, the Badoo boy according to the old woman, put the young girl on the bed with blood all over her and had canal knowledge of her.

The young girl was not only psychologically traumatised, she was also physically battered. Her mouth has been badly damaged, lost half of her teeth and her entire face seriously damaged. She was however referred to Orthopedic Hospital, Igbobi because of the damaged jaw but was rejected and referred to LASUTH. But due to the fact that the parents are low income earners, they couldn’t afford the hospital bill any longer.

They got the girl discharged and resorted to home treatment.

At home, they no longer stay in their house but stay in the church where the little girl is receiving spiritual treatment. Upon sighting a strange face, this girl either goes into coma or starts fretting violently, except there is a known

I saw one dark man carrying me in his arms to my school compound

face, then she stay calm but turns a recluse. Her grandmother, 86, has since recovered physically, but now living dejectedly and in despair for fear of Badoo and the pains he had inflicted on her family.

According to the old woman’s narration, it happened at the early hours of a Sunday at about 2:00am, when a strange figure entered into her apartment, raped her. She said she got battered by the rapist for struggling with him. “He described the struggling arrogant on my part and before I knew what was happening, my face was attacked, cutting off my nose,” she said. The 86-year-old is also with her daughter and grandchild in the church praying for total recovery of the girl. “We plead with the state government to please come to our aid.

They should not just sit there and talk on the pages of newspapers that they have provided security.

The residents of this community are actually fighting war with powerful unknown forces which only the government can conquer,” she pleaded.

Exactly a week after the old woman and grandchild’s attack, another lady, a Ghanaian and a nursing mother was said to be attacked by this same serial rapists.

In her case, she was raped and maimed badly. Her whole 32 teeth were removed and deeply axed at the back. Unfortunately for her, she didn’t live to tell the story. She was rushed to Ikorodu General Hospital but later transferred to LASUTH where she gave up the ghost.

In the same vein, at Oke Ota community of Ibeshe, one Deborah Salau, a nurse was attacked and badly axed at the back and the head. Salau sustained head injury. There is a hole in her skull according to the neurologists

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handling her case at LASUTH. The neurologists said they were not able to gather all the pieces of bones broken from her skull. They added that blood slipped into the brain and ear. “Consequently, it will take about two years for nearfull recovery. Truth be told, she cannot totally recover because it has to do with brain.”

Not only that, some black substances were seen in her private part.

When New Telegraph visited the hospital, she was seen being fed through the pipe connected to her nose. She could not take solid food through her mouth. According to the landlady, who related the story to New Telegraph, she looked out of her window which oversees Deborah’s and discovered that Deborah’s window has been broken. Immediately, she said rushed to the scene and saw Salau in her pool of blood. She said she screamed for help. “Before Salau went to coma, she managed to tell me the story that while struggling with a Badoo boy, he battered her to weaken her and threw an axe at her back and macheted her head at the back. Thereafter, raped her even with blood all over her and cleaned her private part with a white handkerchief and poured alligator pepper inside it.

“And narrating her experience to me, she went into coma. For two weeks, Salau was not stable in the hospital.”

In Ibeshe, another lady simply identified as Yetunde was raped and battered three days after moving into her new apartment in the community. She was lucky; she survived it and moved on with her life in full force of activities.

Another victim, who pleaded anonymity, told New Telegraph that she was able move to on with life because she has accepted her fate. According to her, she was raped, inflicted with injuries while she wrestled with him- Badoo. “He overpowered me, broke my nose, cut my lips and broke some of my teeth.”

Another 14 -year -old girl said she was raped by Badoo. She sustained severe injury in her private part and left eyes.

The above stories were the few cases out of about 20 women that chatted with New Telegraph.

Due to the incessant attacks, brutalisation and rape on the women, all the community women spearheaded a protest to the palace of Olubeshe of Ibeshe, (their king) to press home their demands for security and sanity of the community. On getting to the palace, the king, Oba Richard Abayomi, was alleged to run away, leaving his aides behind.

The crowd then marched forward to the king’s residence where they chanted songs that they were tired of being nicknamed ‘adokun Badoo,’ meaning Badoo’s reminant. As they were chanting the song, they were throwing stones and destroying the king’s property.

This move definitely made the king to come out and address the crowd and assured them that he would tackle the issue on timely.

But three days after the protest, there was alarm within three areas of the community- of three rape incidents with axe marks as the usual signature.

According to the residents, they felt both the king and police were lackadaisical about the issues, CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

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INSIGHT

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19

hence they decided to take laws into their hands. They caught one of the rapists and burnt him to ashes. And by the time the police officers got there, there was little or nothing they could do to salvage the situation. They gave excuse that they took the barbaric action because two of the Badoo boys they caught and handed over to king were handed over to the police, who let them off the hook, making the bad boy to come back to reign more terror on them.

One of such cases was the one they caught recently. He failed in his attempt to rape a lady in Okeota, surburb of the community.

While trying to escape from the alarm the lady raised, he sustained injury from the broken bottles placed on the fence of the building. This became a lead for search among the people.

Luckily, at Ilaje, another surburb of the community, he was apprehended when trying to get treatment from a nearby Chemist. He was taken to the palace and within minutes of his arrival at the palace, Police team came to interrogate him before whisking him away.

At the palace, some women including teenage girls were bold to come and identify him as the one who attacked, raped and maimed them.

Even the 86-year- old grandma identified him as the Badoo who raped her.

A Lagos civil servant discreetly went to Ipakodo police station to identify him as the Badoo, who attacked her. So was the case of another Badoo, who was caught and handed over to the Oba, who in turn handed over to the police.

But the issue of the second one was more dramatic. From Ipakodo Divisional Police Station, he was transferred to Panti in Yaba area of Lagos. According to an officer at the station, the transfer became necessary when the crowd coming to the station to have a look at Badoo was becoming uncontrollable.

But at Panti police station, the Badoo was said to be vomiting blood anytime he was being interrogated. He was said to have confessed before the king at the Panti Police Station that they were four in number perpetuating evil simultaneously in the community.

According to the Chairman, Okeota Joint CDA, Pastor Abayomi Adelakun, the boy mentioned some prominent names in the society whom they sell the white handkerchief they used in cleaning the ladies private parts to, at the sum of N200, 000.

He explained that the anger of the community became aggravated because the community was not carried along in the interrogation processes at the Police station.

They also suspected that there is a conspiracy among the police, Oba and the Badoo gang. Why?!

He explained that the manner the Oba pleaded on behalf of the Badoo boys, handed them over to the police who after few days set them free, was suspicious.

Then, they accused the Oba of being insensitive to their plight.

“We are not carried along with the interrogation process or how far with the issue of the rapists.

We have made several appeal to the Lagos State government. Yet, no succour. Pending the time they will harken unto our voices, we have decided to take laws into our

THURSDAY, September 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

War within a community

Victim: Little Adesewa

hands,” he said the people vowed.

In a joint letter written to the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, tagged “Save Our Soul” made available to New Telegraph, they stated their grievances to the governor and the horror they are currently facing. They also indicated their displeasure with the king’s body disposition to their plight.

“In view of these incessant attacks, brutalities, and sexual abuse of women, people such as widows, single mothers, young ladies and the likes have been moving out en masses from our communities and panic, fears and pandemonium has taken over the land. Therefore sir, the Joint CDA’s of Ibeshe land which is an umbrella body of over 40 community Development Association hereby cry out to kindly save our soul from all these blood sucking ritualists and let justice take its course and we have been put in darkness on this issue for too long and the whole community is in jeopardy,” they pleaded.

Pastor Fred Olanipekun, chairman, Ibeshe land Joint CDA, told New Telegraph that the Badoo issue has been rampart since two years ago but it got to the peak with a recent incessant attacks with several effort to tackle the issue. Unfortunately, all efforts proved abortive.

He alleged for instance that all the reports plus evidences tendered at the police station were discarded.

“And now, the police are claiming that there was no report made at the station and the monarch still feel free to hand over suspects to them.”

He explained that it has now gone so bad that the residents have taken laws into their hands. He described an incident of one Badoo the community people chased into the swamp and made sure he got drowned.

“They made sure he never came out alive. It’s as bad as that now,” he said. Upon their own investigations, he said the community elders discovered the Badoo boys are group of artisans working in the Fashola Housing Estate but took to evil when the project stopped, making them out of job.

He said they reside inside the uncompleted building.

Olanipekun said that all efforts

Mabel, a victim

The police are claiming that there was no report made at the station and the monarch still feels free to hand over suspects to them

to meet with the monarch for conflict resolution dialogue proved abortive. He claimed that the king refused them audience. Rather, he ordered the police to use teargas to disperse them. Also, efforts made to get the attention of the Lagos State government proved abortive.

He said the last attempt at the State Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja to see the governor failed as they waited the whole day but no one attended to them. “And it was after this attempt at seeing the governor that we got more attacks from the Badoo boys in the community,” he alleged.

In providing solution for themselves, Olanipekun said, they supplied themselves with whistles and even ordered every household to own one so that at any suspicious move or noise, they should blow it.

He also said they have resolved to operating vigilante among themselves.

Trouble, according to New Telegraph’s findings began with the refusal of the people to pay double fee for their lands. Majority of the community people accused the monarch of being the brain behind the terror unleashed on them. They claimed that the Oba usually demanded for extra payment on their landed property or on undeveloped lands. The joint CDA chairman alleged that, “we get constantly harassed for each level of development on our lands. The elders in charge of this community including the Oba could sell a land to more than five persons.”

The Badoo, according to most people that spoke to New Telegraph is a way of scaring them out of Ibeshe, a way of them forfeiting their lands.

However Oba Abayomi debunked all allegations levied against him. Rather, he accused the aggrieved community of being unruly and impatient. He accused the people of damaging his palace and personal house. Even at that, he refused to get angry and refused to get anyone arrested. The Oba explained that the Badoo is a group of people terrorizing his community. He said it was not only in his community but all over Ikorodu environs, just that it is becoming more incessant in his community.

He said his offence was that he refused to hand over suspects to the people to carry out jungle justice.

“It is very unlawful to accuse someone of wrong doings and carry out the judgment by yourself. I told them that whatever judgment they wanted to carry out, they would have done that before coming to my palace. But getting to my palace, I won’t let it happen.

Never!”

He said he has taken several steps to forestall all chaos in the community, since the days of the former Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola and till the present.

He said he went further to perform traditional rites to the tune of N700,000. The traditional rites included bringing out the most dreaded masquerades of Ibeshe land and carrying sacrifices at every Tee junction of the community.

“And it yielded result. For one of the Badoo boys was apprehended the following day,” he said.

The Oba refuted the allegations that the women were moving out en masse and the allegation he has personal interest in the lands of the place.

Explaining, he said he, as the Oba, has no quarter or a full plot of land in Ibeshe land: “Even my house, I bought it. I do not have a land in this place and I’m not in charge of sale of lands here. I am never involved even in land disputes, I have my chiefs in charge of that,” he said.

He explained further that the Badoo issue was getting to a ridiculous level to the extent that unfaithful couples use it as excuse to escape being lynched by their spouses.

He narrated the issue of a wife who was caught with her boyfriend, to escape, she started screaming it is Badoo , it is Badoo.

Upon arrest, the guy confessed to have been dating the woman for past six years with about 24 witnesses who know them together.

He said it was at that instance he was let off the hook.

“So, I implore the people too to be truthful and straightforward with the Badoo issue, so that rescue can go to where it should genuinely get to,” he said.

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

SouthEastFocus

GEOFFREY EKENNA coordinaTor

goeekenna@yahoo.co.uk 08068774740

South South Focus NDU struggles for breath

23 News Maritime Varsity of war, confusion

24 Some police vehicles burnt by irate youths

The people of Abagana and Ukpo in Anambra State are at war over a piece of land. The battle has led to an attack on a Police post and subsequent arrest of some suspects. But all is not calm yet as PAMELA EBOH in Awka, reports

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What land has put asunder...

or ages in the history of mankind, land dispute has sent many souls to their untimely grave while some are left with gory tales or injuries that would last a life time.

Such is the tale of the land tussle between the people of Abagana in Njikoka Local Government Area and Ukpo in Dunukofia Local Government Area, both in Anambra State.

The water got tainted last week following the invasion by hundreds of youths suspected to be from Abagana community of a police post located on the border between the two communities. They attacked the police post in the area. The attack claimed the life of one of the security men guarding the large expand of land in question, while the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, for Dunukofia and three other policemen sustained varying degrees of injury.

The imbroglio turned the location of the fracas into a kind of war zone as two patrol vans belonging to the police were trashed and burnt while five buildings under construc-

tion, were destroyed with objects suspected to be dynamites.

Apart from the suspected dynamite, several other dangerous weapons which included live ammunition, three AK47 rifles and some quantity of dynamite were recovered from the suspects by the police. New Telegraph gathered that two prominent indigenes from Abagana and Ukpo are the ones fanning the brawl over the land.

However, as a measure to douse tension at the heart of the dispute, a part of the land was allocated to the police to build a post to serve the area but information has it that the decision to allocate the land to the police failed to provide any succour while Abagana community was pushed to the wall when a gigantic gate with an inscription ‘Welcome to Ukpo” was mounted by the prominent Ukpo billionaire at a place they considered to be their territory.

The first move was topped up with a police security post, with a construction work going on in the disputed land.

But the Ukpo people have insisted that the land belongs to them, adding that they willingly donated it to the Federal Government for the building of the police post and wondered why a group of people should have the temerity to destroy government property.

The attack on the police station

We were overwhelmed by the crowd, a large number of people would have been killed if the police had decided to challenge them

would have been a bigger disaster that it was if not for the wise stance of the police officers on duty who held from a counter attack.

According to the policemen on duty on the day of the dark night, “We were overwhelmed by the crowd, a large number of people would have been killed if the police had decided to challenge them”.

The aftermath of the attack was the arrest of some suspects in connection with the onslaught. The newly appointed State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Sam Okaula, said the command arrested 23 persons in connection with the incident, saying that investigation into the matter was still ongoing.

He said that those who were involved in the dastardly act had murdered sleep and vowed that they would never go free.

In his words: “Hoodlums numbering over 200 from Abagana and fully armed with explosives and other dangerous weapons invaded Ukpo and descended on a police post, while engaging in heavy firing. They overwhelmed the four policemen on duty and instantly shot and killed the security guard, Emmanuel Okafor.

“The assailants went further to bomb the Police Post and 10-room self-contained Police Barracks, having completely burnt down two Police vehicles.

“The DPO Ukpo, who led a patrol

team to the scene was overwhelmed and shot at. Three other Policemen received various degrees of bullet wounds from the assailants. The DPO and the Policemen are presently on admission in the hospital.

“I led a team to the scene and based on intelligence report, arrested 10 of the assailants in Owelle Guest Inn, Abagana. Detectives further arrested 11 other suspects from their various hideouts. It is to be noted that a team of Explosive Ordinance Department (EOD) identified and detonated an Improvised Explosive Device, IED, and recovered another one at the scene.

“Also, four pump action guns, with two live cartridges, three AK 47 riffles, three locally made pistols, cutlasses and other arms were recovered.

“It could be seen from the magnitude of this unwarranted attack that the perpetrators obviously embarked on what appears to be like an act of terrorism. Investigation is currently on top gear and those found culpable will definitely face the full wrath of the law. Those arrested have also made very useful statements to the Police.”

According to Okaula, prior to the attack, a meeting was held in Owelle Inn, a hotel belonging to a prominent indigene of Abagana, where the dastardly plan of attack was allegedly hatched.

Despite their arrest, some of suspects during their parade at the state police command in Amawbia, denied having anything to do with the attack at the police station.

One of the suspects in his late 20s said he was in his house located close to the area when the police came and arrested him. He said amidst tears, “I am innocent. I work somewhere else and I was getting ready to go to work when the police came and dragged me into their vehicle and took me to the station.”

22

south-east

Pamela Eboh Awka

T

he popular saying that some are born with silver spoons while some have fortune smiling on them is a true word that has located the mother of quadruplets, Mrs. Chiamaka Ezedienyi. She had sent waves across the town following the delivery of five children two years ago in the sleepy community of Nnobi in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State. As a result of the good fortune that smiled on her, her home became a Mecca of sort as people thronged from far and near to catch a glimpse of the miracle babies and their mother.

However, the joy was cut short when one of the children died, leaving behind the remaining four.

Though it was good news and quadruple blessings to the family of the new born, there was a huge financial challenge as the parents of the children could not afford the hospital bills, hence the mother and children were forced to remain in the hospital even when they were healthy enough to go home.

Their unfortunate story filtered to many neighbouring communities, including Nnewi and that was how a well known philanthropist and business man, Chief Louis Onwugbenu, chairman of Louis Carter Industries, Nnewi, learnt about them and was touched to intervene.

Onwugbenu paid the bill in full and also gave the mother some money to enable her look after the remaining four babies. That was however the last Mrs. Ezebuenyi saw chairman of Louis Carter and was not able to express gratitude as much as she wanted.

According to her, Onwugbenu was the reason that she remained alive with her children.

She said, “I really wanted to see

To many, blood donation remains the last thing they would do in their lives. The few, who have donated, see it as the best means to remain physically-fit and equally save souls, UCHENNA INYA in Abakaliki reports.

A

ccording to research, excess blood in the body is dangerous to human health while its shortage is also dangerous to the body.

For those who have understand the former, the best thing is to visit health clinics regularly to donate blood to remain physically fit.

But the fact remains that those who have t excess blood might want to donate it to save lives but are handicapped as they have a phobia of injections into their body or afraid of taking their blood for different thing other than the purpose, fear of being noticed as somebody with disease(s) and ignorance.

These reasons have denied lots of people from donating their blood either by voluntary donation or by persuasion as the case may be.

Speaking to New Telegraph during a free blood donation by over 70 members of Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints,

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Blessing in four portions him and thank him for the favour he did me and my family. He is the reason the children and I are still alive”.

While reeling on the loss of not meeting with the chairman of Loius Cater again, fortune smiled on her last week when an opportunity came for her to meet Onwugbenu face to face during the celebration of his 63rd birthday anniversary in Nnewi.

The birthday celebration also co-

incided with the investiture of Onwugbenu as a Knight of St Gregory the Great of the Catholic Church and as the celebrant and his friends and well wishers were at the peak of the event, a woman was sighted with four near-identical children of the same age entering the arena and the children caught the attention of the guests at the event as many people went to carry the babies and giving them some money.

In the process, information got to

Onwugbenu (left) with the quardruplets and their mother

the chairman of Loius Carter that the quadruplets were the children he paid their hospital bill two years ago and immediately Onwugbenu began to praise God for the survival of the babies.

Onwugbenu, who recalled meeting the woman and her children in the hospital two years ago said: “In 2014, I remember someone telling me that a woman gave birth to five babies and that one died immediately.

We were in a very serious function when the information came and we suspended the event to enable me visit the babies and their mother in the hospital to save the lives of the four surviving ones.

“I demanded to know their house and when I was taken there, what I saw was very pathetic. I assisted them then and promised to take care of their education to the highest level. I am therefore happy to see them today looking very healthy.

My prayer is that God will keep them to become what He has destined for them.”

Jubiliation was heightened when Louis Carter boss handed the four children over to members of the board of his scholarship scheme for formal registration of the children into the scheme.

The scheme has over 100 people in tertiary institutions locally and internationally and more at the secondary and primary school levels. The fortunate mother of the quadruplets was moved to tears as Onwugbenu made the pronouncement but expressed gratitude to God for locating her family through the businessman.

She said the greatest problem worrying her was what to do about the children’s education, considering that her husband was unemployed and poor.

Where are the blood donors

Abakaliki to the National Blood Transfusion Service(NBTS) for onward delivery to hospitals for patients, the District President of the Church, Idam Chukwuemeka, explained that since he was born over 50 years ago, a needle has never entered his body, saying that fearing needle has denied him efforts to save life, including that of his in-law who needed it to survive an ailment.

“This has opened my eyes. It has enlightened me because this is my first time of donating blood since I was born and when doctors who were assisting us to donate these bloods checked me, they said my blood volume is high; 18.6 and what the doctor has enumerated here in anyone that has this type of blood level are the symptoms I do feel but now that fear is being taken away from me I can run to any hospital and donate blood.

“My in-law needed blood just last two weeks but I was scared to give him the blood not knowing that I have excess. I couldn’t give it to him. I didn’t know that it was not painful because this is the first time a needle is entering my body.

Initially, I was scared that a needle will be entering my body, I was scared.

“This is the first time of doing this and seeing needle in my body.

But now, I know it is not painful, I will from time to time donate blood to save souls. We were not compelled to donate blood; we only announced that this is what the Lord wants us to do and those obedient to the prophet harkened to this voice and came.

“This is one of the kind of Africa project of the church which is called ‘Mormon helping hands’. The revelation came that we donate blood to save lives and I personally feel happy to be part of this sacrifice’’, he said.

He disclosed that the lecture delivered by officials of the National Blood Transfusion Service(NBTS), Enugu Centre during the free blood donation by members of the church has helped to remove the fear attached with blood donation due to cultural background of the people from the area, describing fear as the greatest enemy of man.

He expressed joy over the turnout of members in the blood donation project and urged those who are still afraid to do so, to emulate the foot steps of Jesus Christ, who first loved the world by sacrificing his life to save mankind.

Another donor, Charles Oleh, said he was happy to reduce the excess blood volume in his body through the donation and promised to be a frequent blood donor to save lives.

Earlier, the Coordinator, National

Blood Transfusion Service, Enugu Centre, Dr. Uche Ozoalor, said blood donation is the most noble thing anybody would engage in but noted that it requires self determination and sacrifice to save the life of another person.

He revealed that across the country, blood supply in some hospitals fall short of demand and millions of people have died as a result of the shortfall.

According to him, those who are qualified after filing questionnaire, undergo normal medical checks to ascertain those that are healthy for the donation. He said the essence is to make sure the donor is safe and frowned at hospitals that sell blood donated to them freely, describing it as ungodly and unethical.

“The first donation is always the most difficult in blood donation.

From time to time, we will be coming for more donations and it is the way we do it to any organization that has partnered with us. Somebodybelow 50kg cannot do it because of quantity in the blood system is directly proportional to your body weight. For the lactating and nursing women, their body is already undergoing much stress for you to subject them into blood donation.

In as much as we encourage people to donate blood, it causes something to the system’’, Ozoalor said.

23

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

SouthSouthFocus

Protesting students

NDU struggles for breath

It was set up as a stateowned university to serve the people of Bayelsa State. But the Niger Delta University, (NDU) is in coma, no thanks to a long strike embarked upon by the academic staff. PAULINE ONYIBE, reports from Yenagoa

Niger Delta University (NDU) located in Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, is a government funded university which was established in 2000 by late Chief DSP Alamieseigha, the then Governor of Bayelsa.

It has two main campuses, one situated in the state capital, Yenagoa, which contains the law faculty and the other in Amassoma.

Niger Delta University, which has come a long way since its establishment, has never had it so bad until this year, when the state government emphatically said it can no longer fund the university.

Of course the university has been in a comatose state because of the non payment of lecturers and other staff salaries.

Even though the university offers a unique opportunity for students to acquire qualitative education, the university is a member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities.

Bayelsa State has been touted by the Federal Government as an educationally less developed.

The main source of revenue of

the university is the Bayelsa State government, which has always been before the second tenure of Henry Seriake Dickson, when he said he can no longer bear the financial burdens of the university.

There is no doubt that Bayelsa State government has been on the front line of sponsoring the university before the coming of the present administration.

Recall that the state government under Dickson had said that the government can no longer fund the university as a result the non payment of staff salaries.

With the introduction of a new public private partnership for the establishment of the University of Africa by the state government, political observers said that may be the reason why the state government said it can no longer fund the state owned university.

The university’s strike, which has lingered for more than four months, may not come to end soon as the state government is vigorously pursuing the fast establishment of the University of Africa which it said will be run by the state government and educational investors.

Not knowing what was amiss, the university lecturers embarked on an indefinite strike, saying that until all outstanding salaries were paid, they would not resume.

The NDU chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had voted unanimously in favour of the strike.

In their resolution they agreed “in recognition of the financial and psychological effects of the non-payment

of salaries since January 2016, the congress hereby resolves to stop work henceforth until all outstanding salaries accruable are paid.”

“We also call on the state government to pay all salaries of staff not paid since 2013. The state government is also called upon to revoke the obnoxious practice of promotion without financial benefits.”

Not seeing any hope of opening of the university, Niger Delta University (NDU) students, took to the streets to protest over the two months unpaid salaries of their lecturers.

They said: “The lecturers are on strike due to the inability of the state government to pay their salaries since January this year.”

The students called on the state government to resolve the issues with the lecturers so that they can go back to their studies.

Dr. Stanley Ogoun, is the Acting Dean, Faculty of Management Sciences and chairman of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at the Niger Delta University.

He said that they decided to embark on ANC (Active Non-Compliance) by way of sit-at-home following the failure of government to pay the salaries of their members from January till date, then also the fact that government has not paid the salaries of some academic staff that were engaged from 2013 for the purpose of accreditation visit from the National Universities Commission (NUC).

He said that the Academic staff are not promoted on the basis of teaching students only. “In fact, you

can teach a million students and you won’t get promoted as long as you do not do research and publish. Now, for you to conduct any research, you spend money, you spend money to also publish. We pay sometimes between $200 and $250 out of our salaries to publish in reputable journals and you are promoted on the basis of the number of publications you have. That’s why there is this adage that says, ‘You either publish or you perish’.”

However, the Bayelsa State Government described the protest as politically motivated.

A statement by the state Commissioner for Information, Jonathan Obuebite, accused the opposition of instigating the protest to cause insecurity and a breakdown of law and order in the state.

The students who marched through the busy Melford Okilo Road, brandished placards with various inscriptions such as: “ Bring back NDU,” “We are tired of staying at home” “Save NDU,” “We want to go back to school” “ASUU, agree with government, government agree with ASUU,” among others.

Dee Miting, a student of Philosophy and Religious Studies, who spoke on behalf of the students said: “We are protesting because we are suffering and we want to go back to school. We are calling on ASUU and the state government to go back to the table and resolve their differences and we are giving them seven days to do that.”

Just last week, the university announced that it would resume on September 5. That was Contained in a press statement signed by the Niger Delta University Acting Registrar, Mrs Effua E .Berepubo and made available to pressmen in Yenagoa.

According to the statement, conCONTINUED ON PAGE 24

24

south-south

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Maritime varsity of war, confusion

Former President Jonathan arriving Delta State on his visit to the university

Dominic Adewole ASABA

T

he philosophical saying that, “Happiness is not a station you arrive at but a manner of travelling” has taught the people of Okerenkoko at Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State a big lesson.

The town’s project of joy – the ‘controversial’ Nigerian Maritime University (NMU) has just been relocated from the locality, which is a riverine area of Delta South Senatorial District to Ibusa, an upland axis of Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta North Senatorial District.

The people of the community received the news with great ecstasy in 2014 when the immediate past government of President Goodluck Jonathan announced that the Federal Government has considered the town to host the institution.

With heartfelt gratitude, the area and its people thanked the Federal Government for remembering them after decades of oil exploration and degradation of the ethnic nationality.

The community’s hope was however dashed some weeks ago after several hectares of land, worth N13 billion was allegedly sold to the Federal Government to execute the project, and another

billions of naira was appropriated in the 2015 budget for the University to begin session before it was allegedly withheld for reasons not made public.

Although, the failure of former President Jonathan and his party – the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP, then at the national level) to win the second term bid for their candidate was listed to have contributed to the dwindling fortune of the project, the dilly-dallying posture of President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to enforce continuity on the project, was one of the reasons why the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) had to take up arms again in the region.

Now, the people are spoiling for a fresh ‘war’ with both the Federal, the Delta State Government and top government functionaries that are directly and indirectly involved in the planned relocation.

Some militia groups, the SouthSouth Focus gathered, were angry to among other reasons, to force commencement of full academic programmes at the University in Okerenkoko.

No wonder the former leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), Government Ekpemupolo, a.k.a Tompolo, in his appeal letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, urged him to urgently address the region’s questions and especially, allow the University to be.

In the letter, Tompolo expressed

You will discover that some of your ministers are not fit to work with you, because such ones are a clog in the wheel of progress as against your change mantra upon which you rode into power

dismay that the only developmental project in the coastal area of the Niger Delta region to meet the yearnings and the aspiration of the people - the Nigerian Maritime University, was yet to take off.

“Your Excellency Sir, as they say, I am still in a great shock as the only developmental project, which is the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko, that was established by the previous administration in 2014, in the coastal area of the Niger Delta region to meet the yearnings and the aspiration of the people is yet to commence academic session, even though all is set for the University to take off.

“For instance, there are over 20 gigantic buildings of various sizes with complete furniture in the temporary site Kurutie Town, which some mischievous people have given different narrations”, the letter read.

The former militant warned the President against sycophants and appealed to him to send his loyalists to the kingdom to evaluate the extent of pollution and devastation of the land.

“Let them come and see things for you, and I bet you, you will discover that some of your ministers are not fit to work with you, because such ones are a clog in the wheel of progress as against your change mantra upon which you rode into power. That is not all.

There is a Governing Council and Senate properly constituted and a Management Council headed by

NDU struggles for breath

C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2 3

sequent upon the agreement reached by the various unions in the Niger Delta University with the Bayelsa State Government and the subsequent suspension of the sit - at - home action embarked upon by the unions, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Humphrey A. Ogoni on behalf of the senate and committee of Provost and Deans officially announced the resumption date as September 5..

The statement which fur-

ther added said, there shall be arrival of students on Friday, September 2, 2016 while lecture and revision for all students would commence on Monday, September 5, 2016 and lectures and revision will end on Friday,9 September 2016.

Besides, Saturday, September, 10 , 2016, will be matriculation date for all new students.

While examination will start from Friday, September , 16 to Friday , October 14 , 2016 and there shall be one week First

Semester break from Friday October 17 to Friday October 21, 2016.

Whereas , there will be arrival of Sandwich Students on Friday ,2, September, 2016 as their lectures would begin from Monday September 5 to Friday September 30, 2016, just as the examination for Sandwich Students has been slated for Christmas Holiday in December, 2016.

The statement concluded that all students owing sessional fees for registration are

advised to pay up on or before the end of October, 2016.

It would be recalled that following a meeting and formal signing of Memorandum of Understanding between the Bayelsa State Government and the Niger Delta University Chapter of Academic Staff Union of Universities ( ASSU ) , the lecturers agreed to suspend the 4 -month old strike embarked upon to press for the demand of elongated salaries owed by the Bayelsa State Government.

a very qualified Professor of Engineering. What is more, even money was duly appropriated in the 2015 budget for the University to take off, but was withheld for no reason.

This is pure injustice of the highest order.”

To the chargrin of the people of the area and the militants’ axis in the state, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ete-Ibas, had on June 29, announced that the budding Navy College at Ibusa, would be converted and upgraded to take the place of the University, initially billed for Okerenkoko.

The Naval Chief, who was on inspection of facilities across the naval formations in the state, maintained that when fully operational, the University would serve both the military and the general public, as well as assist Nigeria from spending exorbitantly on the training of officers abroad.

Ibas did not stop at that. He said that the Nigerian Navy Engineering College, Sapele, would be upgraded to run concurrently with a Greece Foundation. “Once we get the Federal Executive Council’s approval, the University (Maritime) will become operational.”, he emphasized.

What did he say this for? Trouble erupted.

But suspecting a foul play, the people are now set for a showdown with the Federal Government because they are viewing the step as coup-de-tat against the Ijaw ethic nationality of Nigeria. “The move is cruel, bias and unjustifiable”, said Comrade Sheriff Mulade, the chairman of Kokodiagbene community in Gbaramatu Kingdom.

A member of the elders’ forum in Okerenkoko, who spoke under anonymity, wondered why the Federal Government was insensitive to plights of the riverine dwellers.

The source recalled how came with broken tongue before the 2015 general election to site the $16billion gas city factory in Ogidigben, a riverine area of the state to create wealth and over 50,000 jobs but used the same projects to cause disunity among the people of the area when it relocated it.

“The attendant crisis, war of words, intimidation, harassment and threat to life and property, later left some persons dead and properties worth millions of naira destroyed. The President (Jonathan) on two occasion cancelled the planned ground-breaking ceremony of the project because the youths, elders and women wing of the affected towns were threatening fire and brimstone against the Federal Government.

It soon after took the deft strategy deployed by former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan before the rampaging youths sheathe their swords and allow the ceremony to hold. The rest today as become history.

Moreso, the source expressed dismay that the Federal Government was visiting the ‘sin’ of Tompolo, who has refused to appear in court to answer to the corruption charges against him by the Economic and Finacial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The source finally accused the Federal Government of deploying divide and rule tactics to cause disunity among the Niger Deltans and the various ethnic nationalities in the state.

2

sou th-south

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Maritime varsity of war, confusion

Former President Jonathan arriving Delta State on his visit to the university

Dominic Adewole ASABA

T

he philosophical saying that, “Happiness is not a station you arrive at but a manner of travelling” has taught the people of Okerenkoko at Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State a big lesson.

The town’s project of joy – the ‘controversial’ Nigerian Maritime University (NMU) has just been relocated from the locality, which is a riverine area of Delta South Senatorial District to Ibusa, an upland axis of Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta North Senatorial District.

The people of the community received the news with great ecstasy in 2014 when the immediate past government of President Goodluck Jonathan announced that the Federal Government has considered the town to host the institution.

With heartfelt gratitude, the area and its people thanked the Federal Government for remembering them after decades of oil exploration and degradation of the ethnic nationality.

The community’s hope was however dashed some weeks ago after several hectares of land, worth N13 billion was allegedly sold to the Federal Government to execute the project, and another

billions of naira was appropriated in the 2015 budget for the University to begin session before it was allegedly withheld for reasons not made public.

Although, the failure of former President Jonathan and his party – the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP, then at the national level) to win the second term bid for their candidate was listed to have contributed to the dwindling fortune of the project, the dilly-dallying posture of President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to enforce continuity on the project, was one of the reasons why the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) had to take up arms again in the region.

Now, the people are spoiling for a fresh ‘war’ with both the Federal, the Delta State Government and top government functionaries that are directly and indirectly involved in the planned relocation.

Some militia groups, the SouthSouth Focus gathered, were angry to among other reasons, to force commencement of full academic programmes at the University in Okerenkoko.

No wonder the former leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), Government Ekpemupolo, a.k.a Tompolo, in his appeal letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, urged him to urgently address the region’s questions and especially, allow the University to be.

In the letter, Tompolo expressed

You will discover that some of your ministers are not fit to work with you, because such ones are a clog in the wheel of progress as against your change mantra upon which you rode into power

dismay that the only developmental project in the coastal area of the Niger Delta region to meet the yearnings and the aspiration of the people - the Nigerian Maritime University, was yet to take off.

“Your Excellency Sir, as they say, I am still in a great shock as the only developmental project, which is the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko, that was established by the previous administration in 2014, in the coastal area of the Niger Delta region to meet the yearnings and the aspiration of the people is yet to commence academic session, even though all is set for the University to take off.

“For instance, there are over 20 gigantic buildings of various sizes with complete furniture in the temporary site Kurutie Town, which some mischievous people have given different narrations”, the letter read.

The former militant warned the President against sycophants and appealed to him to send his loyalists to the kingdom to evaluate the extent of pollution and devastation of the land.

“Let them come and see things for you, and I bet you, you will discover that some of your ministers are not fit to work with you, because such ones are a clog in the wheel of progress as against your change mantra upon which you rode into power. That is not all.

There is a Governing Council and Senate properly constituted and a Management Council headed by

NDU struggles for breath

C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2 3

sequent upon the agreement reached by the various unions in the Niger Delta University with the Bayelsa State Government and the subsequent suspension of the sit - at - home action embarked upon by the unions, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Humphrey A. Ogoni on behalf of the senate and committee of Provost and Deans officially announced the resumption date as September 5..

The statement which fur-

ther added said, there shall be arrival of students on Friday, September 2, 2016 while lecture and revision for all students would commence on Monday, September 5, 2016 and lectures and revision will end on Friday,9 September 2016.

Besides, Saturday, September, 10 , 2016, will be matriculation date for all new students.

While examination will start from Friday, September , 16 to Friday , October 14 , 2016 and there shall be one week First

Semester break from Friday October 17 to Friday October 21, 2016.

Whereas , there will be arrival of Sandwich Students on Friday ,2, September, 2016 as their lectures would begin from Monday September 5 to Friday September 30, 2016, just as the examination for Sandwich Students has been slated for Christmas Holiday in December, 2016.

The statement concluded that all students owing sessional fees for registration are

advised to pay up on or before the end of October, 2016.

It would be recalled that following a meeting and formal signing of Memorandum of Understanding between the Bayelsa State Government and the Niger Delta University Chapter of Academic Staff Union of Universities ( ASSU ) , the lecturers agreed to suspend the 4 -month old strike embarked upon to press for the demand of elongated salaries owed by the Bayelsa State Government.

a very qualified Professor of Engineering. What is more, even money was duly appropriated in the 2015 budget for the University to take off, but was withheld for no reason.

This is pure injustice of the highest order.”

To the chargrin of the people of the area and the militants’ axis in the state, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ete-Ibas, had on June 29, announced that the budding Navy College at Ibusa, would be converted and upgraded to take the place of the University, initially billed for Okerenkoko.

The Naval Chief, who was on inspection of facilities across the naval formations in the state, maintained that when fully operational, the University would serve both the military and the general public, as well as assist Nigeria from spending exorbitantly on the training of officers abroad.

Ibas did not stop at that. He said that the Nigerian Navy Engineering College, Sapele, would be upgraded to run concurrently with a Greece Foundation. “Once we get the Federal Executive Council’s approval, the University (Maritime) will become operational.”, he emphasized.

What did he say this for? Trouble erupted.

But suspecting a foul play, the people are now set for a showdown with the Federal Government because they are viewing the step as coup-de-tat against the Ijaw ethic nationality of Nigeria. “The move is cruel, bias and unjustifiable”, said Comrade Sheriff Mulade, the chairman of Kokodiagbene community in Gbaramatu Kingdom.

A member of the elders’ forum in Okerenkoko, who spoke under anonymity, wondered why the Federal Government was insensitive to plights of the riverine dwellers.

The source recalled how came with broken tongue before the 2015 general election to site the $16billion gas city factory in Ogidigben, a riverine area of the state to create wealth and over 50,000 jobs but used the same projects to cause disunity among the people of the area when it relocated it.

“The attendant crisis, war of words, intimidation, harassment and threat to life and property, later left some persons dead and properties worth millions of naira destroyed. The President (Jonathan) on two occasion cancelled the planned ground-breaking ceremony of the project because the youths, elders and women wing of the affected towns were threatening fire and brimstone against the Federal Government.

It soon after took the deft strategy deployed by former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan before the rampaging youths sheathe their swords and allow the ceremony to hold. The rest today as become history.

Moreso, the source expressed dismay that the Federal Government was visiting the ‘sin’ of Tompolo, who has refused to appear in court to answer to the corruption charges against him by the Economic and Finacial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The source finally accused the Federal Government of deploying divide and rule tactics to cause disunity among the Niger Deltans and the various ethnic nationalities in the state.

25

THURSDAY, september 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Industry

Business

More pressure on CBN to review ban on 41 items

eWorld Nigeria’s loitering over IPv6 adoption

27 29

What's new Opera Mini saves Nigerians, others N170bn in 10 months p.26

Forex: ‘Pharma industries lost one-third of production’

L-R: Winner, THE NEXT TITAN Season 11, Davies Okeowo; Founder/CEO, THE NEXT TITAN, Mide Kunle-Akinlaja; Divisional Head, Cowry and SMEs Division, Heritage Bank, Ori Ogba and Divisional Head, Corporate Communications, Sola LongeOkenimkpe, during a press conference on the commencement of the Season Three of THE NEXT TITAN in Lagos.

PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

Rates Dashboard INFLATION RATE June 2016 ..............................16.5% May 2016...............................15.6% April 2016............................13.7%

p.26

LENDING RATE Interbank Rate....................12.57% Prime Lending Rate...........17.93% Maximum Lending Rate...26.83%

EXCHANGE RATE

EXCHANGE RATE (Interbank as at August 26)

(Parallel Market as at August 26)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N314.95 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N403 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N345

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N412 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N530 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N454

l Foreign Reserves – $25.600bn as at 24/8/2016

Source: CBN

217m phone lines sold in 15 years –Investigation DIGITAL DIVIDE The Business Desk Ayodele Aminu

Deputy Editor (Business)

Bayo Akomolafe

Asst. Editor (Maritime)

Despite phenomenal uptake in mobile subscriptions, 33.7 million of Nigerian remain underserved and unserved, according to regulator

Sunday Ojeme

Asst. Editor (Insurance)

Tony Chukwunyem

Asst. Editor (Money Market)

Dayo Ayeyemi Property Editor

Adeola Yusuf Energy Editor

Wole Shadare Aviation Editor

Chris Ugwu

Capital Market Editor

Abdulwahab Isa Finance Editor

Taiwo Hassan

Industry, Agric & Brands Editor

Kunle Azeez

Senior Correspondent

Chuks Onuanyin Energy

Nnamdi Amadi Reporter

Johnson Adebayo

Asst Production Editor

Kunle Azeez

L

icensed telecommunications companies in Nigeria have sold a combined 216.6 million subscriber identity module (SIM) lines to Nigeria subscribers in the past 15 years, New Telegraph’s investigations have shown.

Analysts say the phenomenal growth in the subscriber base started following the full liberalisation of the sector embarked upon by the Federal Government through the country’s telecoms regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

According to findings, from a paltry 500,000 sold telephone lines by the existing operators, mostly

the Private telephone operators (PTOs) and the few Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) operators as at 2001, the industry has grown significantly to 216.6 million phone lines till date.

However, of the connected phone lines of 216.6 million on various telecoms networks including GSM, CDMA and fixed networks, only 149 million are active, leaving over 67.6 million dormant.

Also, from teledensity of less than 0.1 per cent, the industry density has grown to over 107 per cent, according to the latest industry status report by the regulator.

Till date, major operators in the industry such as MTN, Glo, Airtel and Etisalat have about 60 million; 32 million, 31 million and 23 million active lines on their networks with varying installed capacity rates.

Meanwhile, industry experts say that the growing rate of inactive lines in the country represents “revenue erosion” for telecoms companies.

As of last February, service providers are estimated to be losing about N78.3 billion monthly to cases of inactive lines in the country.

President, National Association of Telecoms Subscribers (NAT-

216.6 million Total number of telephone lines in the country

COMS), Mr. Deolu Ogunbanjo, said, “If a telecoms operator sells a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) to a customer and gets him connected on its network, the intention is to start generating revenue from the subscriber anytime the subscriber loads its account with airtime to access services.”

Ogunbanjo, however, noted that, in a situation where the subscriber, for one reason of the other, does not load the line for a long time, thereby rendering the telephone line redundant, “the network is definitely losing some potential revenues.”

Meanwhile, a telecoms subscriber, Mr. Adewumi Abiodun, however, maintained that adoption of mobile number portability (MNP), where subscribers are able to switch from networks to another with a single line, may have led to further increase in incidence of increased inactive lines.

“Before now, Nigeria has been known as a multi-SIMing telecoms market but with the introduction of an innovative service like MNP by the regulator in collaboration with the GSM operators, some subscribers have opted for porting CONTINUED ON PAGE 25

26

BUSINESS |news

THURSDAY, september 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Opera Mini saves Nigerians, others N170bn in 10 months GROWTH The number of mobile browser users has risen to 21 million

Kunle Azeez

M

obile Internet users in Nigeria and other countries in Africa have been saved $500 million in the last 10 months while using the Opera

217m phone lines sold in 15 years

Mini mobile browser.

The Product Lead, Andoid at Opera, Mr. Andreas Bovens, disclosed this to New Telegraph during a recent road show in Lagos.

Bovens attributed the gains to the various features Opera constantly brings to its over 350 million users globally with 21 million of the users in Nigeria.

“We continue to bring awesome features like our videcompression technology on Opera Mini for Android to help user save even more,” said Bovens, who described Nigeria as Opera’s largest market in terms of users and third largest in the world.

“Nigeria is a relatively mature market in Africa with regards to smartphone uptake, as 40 per cent of our users are on Android and growing

quickly,” he said. “Top handsets for Opera users in Nigeria include Tecno, Nokia and Infinix devices. Opera has over 350 million unique users per month on all its products, over 21 million of which are from Nigeria.”

Nigeria currently boasts of over 27 million smartphones with majority being Android devices.

As such, Bovens explained that the Norwegian-based technology, Opera, is partnering with Google to further enhance the accessibility and usability of Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) for mobile phone users, combining the best attributes of both apps and mobile sites, resulting in considerable data savings.

“PWAs start out in web browsers, just like normal

website. When a user continuously uses the site, an install banner is shown, allowing users to add the site to their home screens,” Bovens said.

He explained that in Nigerian users are cost-conscious and often do not download apps and are averse to updates – the trend is to ‘sideload’ apps from PCs where they are already installed on to mobile phones.

“PWAs provide the convenience of an app, including push notifications, along with faster speeds and offline support, without the data cost.

PWAs also take up less storage space than traditional applications making them ideal for use on budget smartphones.”

Unlike normal apps that often require access to personal

information before launching, PWAs only request these permissions when needed; allowing users to better control their privacy.

Nigeria’s mobile penetration currently stands at 94 per cent. However, the cost of data continues to be a significant barrier to Internet access.

Bovens said PWAs, which are mobile websites delivering an app-like user experience, could be part of the solution.

“PWAs offer a new way for developers and businesses in Nigeria to reach users right in the web browser, without requiring them to download additional apps, and all that in a very lightweight, user-friendly package. We cannot wait to see how PWA technology will shape Nigeria’s mobile Internet space in the coming years,” he added.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25

such that somebody hitherto using more than one line has limited his or her number to just one.

“This means rather than porting their lines, a lot of subscribers still prefer to dump current line for a new line on another mobile network that offers them better propositions than their current networks,” Abiodun said.

Access to telecoms service has become democratised through the past 15 years, with cost of terminal devices for communication services and service cost for voice and data crashing by the day.

“Though, licensed GSM companies were selling their SIM lines for between N25,000 and N50,000 at the beginning, we have since entered the era, when SIM cards are given almost promo bono, as a result of growing competition and fight for market share among the telcos,” said a telecoms industry analyst, Mr. Akin Akinbo.

According to Akinbo, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of AAA Infotek, “Before the 2001 liberalisation ostensibly characterised the NITEL and other few operators, owning a telephone line was a lot of money in this country but today, the industry has grown impressively.”

President of Association of Telecoms Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Mr. Olusola Teniola, told New Telegraph by phone, “Our telecoms industry has since remained one of the fastest-growing in the world and today, a favourite investment haven for potential investors.”

According to data obtained from the NCC, telecoms investment, consisting of local and foreign direct investments (FDIs) in the sector has grown from $500 million to $38 billion in the past a decade and half.

It is predicted that telecoms industry could surpass $40 billion by the end of this year, with further investment expected from the regulator’s effort to woo more investment into the industry to invest in the broadband sub-sector.

L-R: Executive Director, Finance and Systems, Leadway Assurance Ltd, Tunde HassanOdukale; General Manager/Head of Retail, Tinashe Muyambo; Executive Director, General Business, Ms. Adetola Adegbayi; Territorial Sales Manager (North), Total Nigeria Plc, Muftau Balogun and Retail Marketing Manager, Total Nigeria Plc, Henrietta Isokpan, during the partnership signing of MoU in Lagos.

PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

Forex: ‘Pharma industries lost one-third of production’ UNEMPLOYMENT The pharmaceutical factories will throw close to one million Nigerians into the labour market

Taiwo Hassan and Stanley Ihedigbo

I

n the last 18 months, about one-third of the pharmaceutical industries have shut down their production lines and factories in Nigeria, as capacity utilisation hits an all-time low of 20 per cent, the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers GroupManufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMG-MAN), has said.

This was disclosed by Chairman, PMG-MAN, Okey Akpa, in a chat with New Telegraph in Lagos.

He explained that low capacity utlisation was due to

the Federal Government’s policy summersaults in the foreign exchange market, Consequently, the group he said the scarcity of forex in the country has critically affected the sourcing of raw materials, mainly active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and machinery inputs.

He said that one million Nigerians had lost their jobs in the sector due to government’s policy summersaults and harsh business operating environment in the country.

Akpa noted that the nation’s pharmaceutical industry and the National Healthcare System are declining and need urgent government’s interventions to instill manufacturers’ confidence in the industry.

According to him, accessing forex at the inter-bank market has been very frustrating for his members, adding that if the issue of forex is not resolved soonest, it will result to unprecedented level of scarcity of medicines, exorbitant prices and a repre-

hensible overdependence on drug importation, which may expose the nation again to the menace of faking and counterfeiting.

He said: “Research over the last 18 months indicates that capacity utilisation among pharma manufacturers is at an all-time low of 20 per cent and over a one-third of PMGMAN members have shut down production due to lack of access to forex for critical raw material, mainly active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and machinery inputs.

“The consequences of these challenges include the current increase in cost of healthcare treatment as well as the shortage of medicines being experienced across the country. So, if unchecked, it will result to unprecedented level of medicines’ scarcity, exorbitant prices and a reprehensible overdependence on drug importation, which may expose the nation again to the menace of faking and counterfeiting.”

He noted that with the

highest proportion of publicly listed healthcare companies in the country, PMGMAN is the highest employer of labour in the sector.

“Further closure of PMGMAN members’ factories will throw close to one million Nigerians out of their jobs and into penury. This has started, as many PMG-MAN members have drastically reduced their workforce in response to reduced production capacity necessitated by inadequate access to forex,” he said.

The group’s chairman stressed that access to funding at single digit interest rate was another urgent intervention needed to reverse the catastrophic decline in the sector.

According to him, the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector usually considered the lifeline of the National Healthcare System, has been wracked with the desperate challenges as operations in most factories have almost grounded to a halt.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

INDUSTRY

27

The call for a review of the ban on 41 items by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from assessing forex at the interbank market came to the front burner again last week at a stakeholders’ dialogue in Abuja. TAIWO HASSAN reports the echo of calls to review this policy

N

igeria’s economy is already in technical recession due to plunge in revenue accentuated by fall in the price of crude oil at the international market.

Consequently, the situation has compelled the Federal Government to introduce austerity measures in order to forestall the economy from further sliding.

However, in order to put the economy on the right footing, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) introduced one of its key monetary policies, which included the placement of 41 items on its import prohibition list.

This was targeted at conserving foreign exchange locally and discouraging importation of manufactured goods into Nigeria.

Unfortunately, since the introduction of the restriction last year, the real sector of the economy, especially the manufacturing sector, has been struggling to finding its feet, as the policy has brought untold hardship on operators in that industry.

OPS’ call

The organised private sector (OPS) comprising the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME) and Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), at the confab organised by NOIPolls and the Centre for the Study of Economic of Africa (CSEA) in Abuja jointly demanded that the apex bank review the policy on the ban.

They said that the policy was hurting the manufacturing sector in such a way that could no longer be ignored by investors in the private sector.

The resolve to push for a review of the policy may not be unconnected with recent happenings in the economy, especially in the management of foreign exchange, as the policy is not bringing about the desired results.

Forex scarcity has con-

Agro-allied products

More pressure on CBN to review ban on 41 items tinued to persist at the interbank market, while at the parallel market, the price of dollar has skyrocketed and hit an all-time high, thus having adverse effects on growth and development of the manufacturing sector.

The stakeholders insisted that the restriction had led to the closure of many companies and relocation of others from Nigeria to Ghana and other neighbouring countries, as well as refusal by foreign partners to repatriate over $10 billion held offshore.

They also stated that about 272 manufacturing firms were either ailing or had closed shop over the last couple of months, while thousands of jobs were being cut on a daily basis.

The manufacturers also listed high interest rates, poor patronage of locally manufactured products, poor power supply and policy inconsistency as major challenges confronting the sector in Nigeria.

Reacting to the development, Director, Research and Advocacy, LCCI, Vincent Nwani, alleged that CBN announced the 41 items without consulting the OPS and that the chamber had made several representations to the apex bank without achieving the desired results.

“There must be an urgent review of the policy as about 16 of the total items on the list serve as critical raw materials for intermediate goods produced in Nigeria, especially as the country lacks the capacity for optimal production of the items,” he said.

According to Nwani, the ban on oil palm has led to the loss of about 100,000 jobs over the

It will be expedient for the apex bank to take a second look at the list and review those that will rejuvenate ailing sectors

last couple of months, with major blue chip companies in Nigeria relocating to neighbouring countries; while the ban on glass and glassware has led to the loss of 80,000 jobs mainly in the pharmaceutical industry, as companies in this sector now find it difficult to package their products.

He said: “Some of the items placed on the restriction list by the CBN should be reinstated until the country develops the capacity to produce them locally. Some of the items need a period of between three and seven years for the country to develop self-sufficiency in their production.

“The manufacturing and industrial sectors lost about N1.4 trillion as a result of foreign issues, while about 700 raw materials needed by the sector were affected by the restrictions placed by the CBN.” Executive Secretary of NASME, Eke Ubiji, said that recently, about 222 of its members had either collapsed or are ailing because of the policy.

He blamed their woes on the lack of access to credit, foreign exchange challenges, high interest rate, multiple taxation and poor infrastructure, among others.

On his part, the Director, Economics and Statistics of MAN, Ambrose Oruche, also lamented the unavailability of productive inputs as the major challenge confronting manufacturers in the country.

FG’s verdict

While reacting to the ban during the Presidential Pol-

icy Dialogue organised by the LCCI, the Vice-President, Prof.

Yemi Osinbajo, said that the government was aware of the pains and agonies the restriction had caused to manufacturers in real sector of the economy.

He said that the ban was already being reviewed at the cabinet level and would henceforth be treated as a fiscal policy under the executive arm of government.

His words: “In respect to those 41 items that are not valid to access foreign exchange, I must say that there has been an ongoing debate also in the cabinet whether to review the policy holistically. And I think at this moment what we are looking at is how some of these policies can actually be transferred to the fiscal side as opposed to the way in which the monetary authorities have tended to handle them.

“We think that this policy is really a fiscal matter and should be handled fiscally.

So, that is what we are looking at the moment. Though we think that eventually along the line, things will no longer be at the monetary space and we will deal with this issue as a policy matter at the long run.

Am sure soon we will be seeing some progress in that respect.”

Conclusion

Considering the way things are going and the general concern being expressed by various stakeholders in the nation’s economy, it will be expedient for the apex bank to take a second look at the list and review those that will rejuvenate ailing sectors in order to impact positively on the economy.

28

BUSINESS \ INDUSTRY

DISTRIBUTION Action aimed at improving energy distribution in the country

Taiwo Hassan

T

he Federal Government has reaffirmed its position to phase out high-energy consuming appliances and other substandard electronic gadgets being shipped into the country by fraudulent importers.

Government, through the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), said it would ratify the recommendations of a technical committee, which reviewed the standardisation and labels for air-conditioners and refrigerators in the country.

Acting Director-General of SON, Dr. Paul Angya, disclosed these in a chat with New Telegraph.

He said that it became necessary to phase out these appliances because of the dangers they pose to users and the high level of power consumption.

The SON boss decried the attitude of importers of the sub-standard appliances and insisted on the importation of energy efficient appliances, rather than the importers’ intention of turning Nigeria into a dumping ground for sub-standard products.

He said it had become imperative to have energy performance standard in Nigeria, as this had been implemented in about 84 countries of the world.

Angya stressed that Nigeria was already a signatory to the pact with other countries to ensure that energy efficient appliances and other related electrical appliances are used in many households and sold locally in Nigerian markets.

He said that Nigeria could not afford to lag behind in a critical area where about 84 countries had already implemented energy-efficient standards in terms of air conditioning products and refrigerators.

He said SON was beaming its searchlight to checkmate substandardisation in electrical appliances brought in and sold in the country.

This, according to him, is worrisome to the agency, adding that the government would

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

FG to phase out high energy consuming appliances

continue to roll-out more stringent enforcement exercises and stiffer penalties for recalcitrant companies and individuals caught in importation of substandards goods.

“I believe that these recommendations, once approved, will not be difficult to implement because SON has been part of the committee.

“Already, equipment for the testing of lambs and refrigerators equipment has been installed in SON. Equipment for the testing of air conditioners will soon be installed,”Angya said.

He explained that the agency was awaiting the approval of the recommendations of a technical committee, which reviewed the standardisation and labels for air-conditioners in the country.

Coincidentally, the committee rounded-off its two-day sitting in Lagos last weekend and among its recommendations was the provision of 1-5 star labelling model for air-conditioners in the country.

Not only would this checkmate the dumping of sub-standard electrical and related appliances and equipment in the

T

o consolidate its relationship in Africa, the Japanese government has pledged the sum of $30 billion to promote growth in the continent’s economy.

Nigeria and South Africa, among others, are to benefit from the fund in the next three years, Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe told African leaders at the sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development.

He said this is part of investment testimony of the Asian nation’s “faith in Africa’s future.

“Let us make this stretch that

portance of managing the little energy available in the country partly by shunning high energy consuming appliances.

He said Nigeria could not afford to do otherwise.

“It is extremely important for us to set standards in energy consumption in the country, thereafter enforcement would commence,” he said.

Some of the participants, who welcomed initiatives aimed at safeguarding lives and property and conserving energy consumption, however, raised issues on some dubious elements circumventing the procedures.

L-R: Past Chairmen, Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA), Mr. Godwin Wiggle; Mr. Bolaji Banjo; Mr. Anthony Akintunde and Chairman, Mr. Eddie Efekoha during the investiture ceremony of Efekoha as the Association’s 22nd Chairman in Lagos.

PHOTO: GODWIN IREKHE

Stakeholders to boost local content in dairy production Kunle Azeez

A

renewed collaboration between the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) and Friesland Campina WAMCO (FC WAMCO) is underway to achieve a sustainable 20 per cent local content in all the milk produced in Nigeria.

NOTAP has the primary

mandate of regulating technology transfer into the country and promoting locally motivated technologies while FC WAMCO is the world’s largest dairy corporation with presence in Nigeria.

Speaking on the partnership in a statement made available to New Telegraph, the Director-General of NOTAP, Dr. DanAzumi Ibrahim, said the agency was in part-

Nigeria, others to get Japan’s $30bn investment Taiwo Hassan

country, it would also ensure that only energy-efficient appliances are allowed in the country.

Though some representatives from private companies had argued tactically for a shift in date for the commencement of enforcement against non-compliant equipment, the committee, however, favoured the superior argument of SON that further shift on the matter would mean endangering the lives of Nigerians, the economy as well as the eco-system.

Richard Adewunmi, who presented the technical committee’s position, stressed the im-

is from Asia to Africa a main artery for growth and prosperity.

Let us advance together, Africa and Japan, sharing a common vision,” He said that Japan, which invested $47 billion on the continent over the past 23 years, wanted to connect Africa and Asia through sea lanes.

Leaders from across the continent, including those from South Africa, Nigeria, Ivory Coast and Uganda, attended the high-level summit, held outside Japan for the first time.

At the previous meeting three years ago, Japan promised investment of $32 billion for Africa.

Japan’s increasing support

for Africa is conspicuous of its effort to exercise more influence on the continent, along with the US, China, Britain and France.

China pledged $60 billion for Africa at a summit by President Xi Pinping in South Africa in 2015.

The fund was meant to be spent on interest-free loans, preferential financing and funding to aid development.

In 2014, the US said it would give $14 billion at the US-Africa Leaders Summit.

Abe stressed that nearly $10 billion of Japan’s planned investment was set aside for power-generation projects and modernising urban transport systems and ports.

nership with the company to ensure the domestication of foreign technology through the establishment of dairy development project in Ibadan, Oyo State, where local Fulani cattle farmers are housed in a cluster and trained on dairy global best practices for better yield.

He added that the partnership would move Nigeria from the periphery to the dominant centre of global industrial power structure and make it a major technology player in the comity of nations in dairy farming.

According to the DG, NOTAP is committed to collaborating with other multinational organisations in ensuring a speedy transfer and domestication of foreign technology for an enhanced local content development in the country.

The DG reiterated that his agency’s resolve to work with Friesland Campina Wamco was a follow up on Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiative on dairy development project consummated by the two organisations.

Mana ging Director, Friesland Campina Wamco, Mr. Rahul Colaco, pointed out that the company’s Dairy Develop-

ment Programme (DDP) in Nigeria, which is targeting about 500,000 cattle farmers and started in collaboration with Federal Ministry of Agriculture through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), was a replica of the programme in Vietnam, India and Malaysia.

He explained that the company had built a very successful global dairy programme, saying that Nigeria had the potential to do well in dairy development.

He added that some Vietnamese dairy farmers would be visiting Nigeria to interact with the local farmers on the strategies to move the diary project forward through training.

According to him, “of all the milk produced in Nigeria today, the local content is 10 per cent but the company is working towards a sustainable 20 per cent in the shortest possible time.”

Colaco explained that Friesland Campina WAMCO Nigeria is a multinational manufacturing company, affiliated to the Royal Friesland Campina of the Netherlands, the largest dairy cooperative in the world with 19006 cooperative farmers.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

eWORLD

29

Nigeria’s loitering over IPv6 adoption

T

he current global economy is one that continues to witness new configuration ostensibly by the dynamism and advancement inherent in Information and Communication Technology with the mode of end-to-end connectivity to the Internet getting redefined almost every day.

One of such technological dynamism being witnessed globally today is the need for players in the digital ecosystem to embrace the newer Internet Protocol Version Six dubbed IPv6, requiring a transition from the current and older version of IPv4 platforms.

While developed countries, such as the United States and other proactive nations across the globe, have started transition in earnest, Nigeria and most African nations still appear to be complacent with the use of IPv4-compliant equipment and devices.

While inadequate capacity building among network engineers in the telecoms sector has been fingered as the chief reason for the apparent slow uptake of IPv6 in Nigeria, not adopting the new way of connecting to the Internet has potential dangers for Nigeria and other African nations’ economy.

According to experts, ‘laggards nations’ stand the risk of becoming a dumping ground for older IPv4-compliant equipment and devices from foreign countries that had transmitted to IPv6.

Tackling the obstacles Meanwhile, the need to boost capacity for network engineers on IPV6, was the crux of recent tripartite collaboration among the Nigeria Internet Registration Association, the Association of Telecoms Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) and University of Ibadan of Ibadan in partnership with African Network Information Center (AFRINIC), the organisation that manages IPV6 administration in the African region.

President, NIRA, Mr. Sunday Folayan, speaking at the event last week, said the forum was part of efforts to deepen the penetration and adoption of IPv6 in Nigeria, where engineers were provided with the opportunity to learn IPv6 from the industry experts and to, subsequently, deploy it on their various networks.

Records in the domain/IP address industry show that AsiaPacific Network Information Centre (APNIC) was the first Regional Internet Registry (RIR) to run out of freely allocated IPv4 addresses on April 15, 2011.

Sunday Folayan, president of the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), said, “ this date marked the point where not everyone who needed and IPv4 address could be allocated one. As a consequence of this exhaustion, end-to-end

While the world is racing to achieve compliance with the latest means of ensuring connectivity of devices and Information and Communication Technology equipment to the Internet, experts have, again, expressed worry that Nigeria is lagging behind due to shortage of technical expertise.

KUNLE AZEEZ reports

Teniola

Afolayan

connectivity as required by specific applications will not be universally available on the Internet until IPv6 is fully implemented”.

According to him, IPv6 will open a pool of Internet addresses that is a billion trillion times larger than a total pool of IPv4 addresses, which is about 4.3 billion, “this means that the number of IPv6 addresses is virtually inexhaustible for the foreseeable future.”

He said this will address the need of the ever expanding world population, the growth of the domain name system due to the opening of the new government top level domains (gTLDs) and the immerging Internet of Things (IoTs).”

He noted that while one of the challenges identified for the lack of IPv6 adoption is lack of the required technical skills, the training would expose engineers further to the need for IPv6 and will equip them with the right set of skills to assist various organisations to migrate to IPv6 so that, “Nigeria occupy its rightful position in the

global IPv6 ranking.”

The need to migrate to IPv6 was long overdue... majority of the networks in Nigeria were not IPv6compatble

Migration ‘long overdue’ According to the President of Association of Telecoms Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Mr. Olusola Teniola, the need to migrate to IPv6 was long overdue, stressing that majority of the networks in Nigeria were not IPv6-compatble and that this poses a threat to Nigerian ICT development.

Teniola said ATCON continues to invest heavily in the adoption of IPv6, in collaboration with other stakeholders, to increase the productivity and contribution level of its network engineers in the implementation and deployment of IPv6 for Nigerian ICT/telecoms development; and to enhance the performance of network engineers on network management with the ultimate goal of ensuring the sustainable growth of the Nigerian telecoms industry is second to none globally.

“We also want to provide Nigerian network engineers with the required knowledge to compete

favourably with their counterparts in the global market; provide quality training for those engineers that manage networks, which would help in tackling the problem of quality of service in the telecoms industry; as well as providing impetus for Nigerian network operators to migrate from IPv4 to IPv6 with its attendant advantages,” he said.

Also, Director, Information Technology and Media Services, UI, Dr. Seyi Osunade, maintained that the university was pleased to associate with AFRINIC on the training as it provides a critical resource for IT optimisation within the academic environment.

Some concerns As advocacy for the need to deepen IPv6 usage in Nigeria in public, private and academic cycles, among others continue, New Telegraph gathered that of the five regional Internet registries, AFRNIC has a lot of IPv4 addresses; so, some chief executives query why they should migrate to IPv6 when the region has enough IPv4 resources.

But the Chief Executive Officer of Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN), Mr. Muhammad Rudman, said: “They should know that, in reality, the world is moving and leaving us behind when it comes to IPv6 and the core knowledge.”

Call for action Stakeholders at the event unanimously called for regulatory intervention by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) especially in making sure end-user devices and even the government networks are all IPv6-compliant.

“That was how .ng domain name registration was propagated. Government decided to adopt .ng across board. Now, you see individuals trying to adopt it. NCC intervention may imply providing tax incentive for networks willing to adopt devices and Customers Premise Equipment (CPEs), because at the moment, some of the devices are not IPv6- compliant,” Rudman said.

Robust STI policy key to national devt – Minister Kunle Azeez

M

inister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, has said that for any nation to keep pace with the 21st Century development, it must have a robust and vibrant Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) policy as the bedrock of national development.

Onu said this at the commissioning ceremony of the stateof-the-art laboratory equipment donated by PZ Cussons plc to upgrade the Chemical Engineering Laboratory of Modibbo Adama University of Technology (MAUTECH), Yola, Adamawa State.

The minister said the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari was committed to ensuring that Nigeria does not remain a technology consumer nation, hence the need to implement our STI policy vigorously.

He recalled that the journey towards donation of the equipment to the varsity and two other institutions by PZ started with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), one of the 17 parastatals under the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology.

He, therefore, expressed his

delight that a healthy synergy exists between government, private establishments and academia that has led to this landmark achievement and called on other multinationals operating in Nigeria to emulate the kind gesture of PZ Cussons as a way of giving back to the community.

Director General of NOTAP, Dr. DanAzumi Ibrahim, said PZ Cussons Nigeria plc. is one of the multinational companies operating in Nigeria that has shown sufficient commitment to the technological development of the country through several educational intervention programmes in Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Insti-

tutions.

He said the commissioning of the upgraded Chemical Laboratory of the Modibbo Adama University of Technology is a result of fulfillment of commitment by PZ who is also upgrading chemistry laboratory of University of Calabar and the chemical laboratory of National Research Institute for Chemical Technology (NARICT), Zaria.

While noting that the two laboratories are near completion and may be ready for commissioning in the next two months, Ibrahim pointed out that PZ was committing N115 million for equipment and logistics to upgrade the three laboratories.

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BUSINESS \ eWORLD

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

EMPLOYEMNT The IT firm says with the funding and digital project, it plans to create 500 new jobs

L-R: General Manager, Marketing and Sales, MultiChoice Nigeria, Martin Mabutho; General Manager, GOtv, Akinola Salu and Public Relations Manager, GOtv, Efe Obiomah, during a press conference in Lagos.

Stories: Kunle Azeez

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igeria’s indigenous Information and C o m m u n i c at i o n s Technology (ICT) company, Zinox Technologies, has secured fresh $25 million (about N8.5 billion) counterpart funding to deepen digital access in key locations across Nigeria.

This was revealed by Chairman, Zinox Group, Mr. Leo Stan Ekeh during a recent visit of top management of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) led by its Acting Director General, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, to the Zinox headquarters in Lagos.

Ekeh, in a statement, said the move was in line with the Federal Government’s mandate to deepen digital access among Nigerians.

He said the digital hubs, one of which has commenced construction in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, will, among other things, create employment and empower thousands of digitally-minded Nigerian youths in search of the right platforms to develop their skills.

“Same with the one located

Zinox secures N8.5bn to enhance digital access in Abuja, which is nearing completion and all things being equal will become active by early 2017. With the current improvements raising hopes of stability in public power supply by early 2017, the company plans to install the digital plants and commence production shortly,” he said.

Ekeh said the Nigerian economy is in dire need of an alternative to crude oil a role, which the ICT sector can effortlessly play in boosting the nation’s dwindling earnings.

The Zinox boss noted that Nigeria has millions of young-

Horizons takes NigeriaNigeriab to global IT contest

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igeria’s leading Information Technology training organisaton, New Horizons, is taking Nigeria to a global Information Technology contest by fully sponsoring another Nigerian Secondary School prodigy, Master Oluwatobi Ed Adetula, from Woodland Hills High School to represent Nigeria in the 2016 Certiport Microsoft Competition.

New Horizon is also sponsoring the Chaperon or guidance of Adetula to accompany the award winner to the event holding in Orlando Florida later this month.

New Horizon said the sponsorship is in furtherance of its corporate social responsibility towards youth empowerment and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) penetration in Nigeria.

Adetula emerged top in the final of the Nigerian National Edition of the Microsoft Office Specialist Competition that saw the participation of 200 students from different secondary schools across the Country.

This year Certiport’s competition marks the 14th anniversary of the global competition while New Horizons has consistently sponsored school youths in the last six years.

Adetula, who has emerged Nigerian representative, will be competing against other national champions from other countries to demonstrate their mastery of Microsoft Office products.

stars of digital mindset with the potential to become dollar billionaires, citing e-commerce site, Yudala, which, he said, received little funding from investors and, within one year, has become a leading e-commerce brand in Nigeria employing over 400 graduates.

Ekeh disclosed that their strength is not cash but knowledge of the business backed with strong front and back-end technologies.

He affirmed that thousands of such brilliant kids exist in the country, even as he urged the government to partner with

technologically-minded companies in unearthing such raw digital diamonds in the country.

“A simple app developed by a Nigerian, which achieves global acceptance could usher such an individual into the league of billionaires while putting the country on the world map.

“I had a similar experience when Zinox acquired an Ibadanbased software company Xputer. The young chaps behind Xputer were so talented and had huge capacity to develop amazing content but no individual, corporate or government saw any potential in them.

“Some of the apps developed by these young Nigerians are being used today by e-commerce companies in Nigeria, which they would have paid millions of dollars for, had it been developed by foreign companies,” he said.

He explained that with the digital hubs, “we are looking to generate creative employment for our youth while creating the much-needed enabling environment and platform for more of these youths to develop their capacities and unleash their creative abilities.”

NCC holds ITU forum next week

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s preparations for the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Telecom World 2016 are intensified, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) stakeholders will, next week, hold a forum in Lagos.

The forum, which is open to policy makers, regulatory agencies, network operators, value added service providers, equipment vendors, software specialists, innovators, banks and financial institutions, among others, will be an opportunity for all to rub minds on the benefits of ITU events in general and the yearly ITU Telecom World 2016 in particular.

The forum holds at Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Ikeja on September 5, 2016 and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) is packaging it.

Director, Public Affairs at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Mr. Tony

Ojobo, in a statement, said Nigeria’s theme for this year’s edition of ITU Telecom World is “Smart Communities: the key to a digital Nigeria” and the Country is expected to showcase its achievements and opportunities in its fast growing ICT Sector.

Participants at ITU Telecom World 2016 will have

the opportunity to exhibit, showcase their services, attend ITU fora, host sessions, network and engage international participants across the globe through key visibility platforms presented at the event.

ITU Telecom World 2016 holds in Bangkok, Thailand from November 14 – 17.

GOtv: ‘CPC keeping us on our toes’

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ultiChoice Nigeria has said the investigation launched by Consumer Protection Council into its customer service engagement since last year and which culminated in the issuance of a clean bill of health to the company last June, has made it take its customer service management better.

The company disclosed

at the unveiling of a new package dubbed: GOtv Lite as well as a new look, packaged to offer subscribers one of the cheapest price options in the market even as it celebrates its five years of operation in Nigeria.

“CPC issue where it launched a probe into our activities and subsequently certified us as a customercentric organisation has

MTN marks 15th year of HA partnership

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s Highway Africa (HA), the continent’s most prestigious annual journalism conference, marks its 20th anniversary, MTN Group said it was proud to once again collaborate with Rhodes University on the event.

The event, according to a statement, continues to drive conversation and debate around key issues related to

In the light of multiple benefits derivable by participants, the stakeholders’ forum will be hosted for stronger collaboration towards a common goal to deepen ICT penetration in Nigeria.

The LOC will provide answers to participants at the forum, which is going to be interactive.

the media and ICT on the continent.

Themed: ‘The Internet and Media: Celebrations, Reflections and the Future,’ Highway Africa 2016 will kick off this weekend in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa.

The two-day event is set to explore the impact of the Internet on journalism and media, including film, music and books.

“This year’s theme is one that resonates with MTN. As an organisation that is extending connectivity and providing digital services across Africa, we know that ICT is changing how we consume media. In addition, it is enabling greater access to information and to services in our communities, which is part of the positive narrative around this continent.”

made us take our customers services more seriously and this has informed why we are also launching this product, which provides pocket-friendly service bouquet to Nigerians,” said General Manager, Marketing and Sales, MultiChoice Nigeria, Mr. Martin Mabutho.

CPC had, last June, commended MultiChoice Nigeria for complying with all the council’s orders issued after the conclusion of investigations into the abuse of subscribers rights by the multinational company’s digital satellite television.

Explaining on GOtv Lite package, Mabutho said the new look of the digital terrestrial pay-TV brand is more vibrant and it captures various emotions, which GOtv’s compelling content arouse in its subscribers.

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THURSday, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

News Vaccine shortage: M&B seeks local production

Health

Interview Onajole: Lifestyle, environment trigger disease conditions

32 33

Cigarette smoke poses hazard to non smokers

Cutting down on second-hand smoking The law banning smoking in public places has been on. Yet second-hand smoke continues to pose danger to the public, ELEAZAR NWANTI reports

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cannot bear cigarette smoke.

It is very annoying that one would want to relax one’s nerves somewhere and a smoker puffing out cigarette smoke in that vicinity would be making one uncomfortable. Sadly when you tell the fellow that you are disturbed by the smoke, he looks at you as if you are from a

Appolonia Adeyemi Health Editor

appolonia.adeyemi@newtelegraphonline.com

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

different planet.

These are the words of Mr. Adeyemi Adeleke, a bar attendant, on the discomfort cigarette smoke poses to him as an individual. Many non-smokers experience similar fate in the hands smokers not only in the public areas but some also in private homes.

Adeleke had heaved a sigh of relief when the Lagos State Government, in 2014 signed into law the Ban on Smoking Cigarette or Any Pipe in Public Places with the aim of reducing the exposure of non-smokers to secondhand smoke. Sadly, advocates against cigarette smoking, said the enforcement of that piece of legislation has not been felt today in Lagos state.

Secondhand smoke is a mixture of two forms of smoke that come from burning tobacco. It includes mainstream smoke which is the smoke exhaled by a smoker and side stream smoke which is smoke from the lighted end of a cigarette, pipe, cigar or tobacco burning in a hookah.

Side stream smoke has higher concentrations of cancer-causing agents (carcinogens) and is more toxic than mainstream smoke.

It also has smaller particles than mainstream smoke. These

We have seen an attempt by the tobacco industry to undermine that law

smaller particles make their way into the lungs and the body’s cells more easily.

It is against this background that Lagos State in 2014 came up with the law, which was signed by the former Governor of the state, Babatunde Fashola to regulate smoking in public places. The law also listed areas which it tagged Smoking Area and No-smoking Area.

No-smoking Area includes places like public toilets, restaurants, hotels, markets, cinemas, tertiary institutions, bars, night clubs, public vehicles, work places and lots more, while smoking area includes places like streets, roads highways etc. The smoking area should have good ventilation and should not compromise those in no smoking area.

The law also empowered authorised officers to enter and inspect any public place to ensure compliance with the provision of the law and it is an offense to obstruct any duly authorised officer from carrying out his duties under the law.

According to experts, today in Lagos state, this law is far from being effective. One wonders what could be the reason behind noncompliance of this law in Lagos state, in spite of the penalty the law proposes for offenders.

A Deputy Director in the Envi-

ronmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN), Akinbode Oluwafemi said one major setback against the implementation of this law in Lagos state is the fact that tobacco industries try to create loopholes hindering implementation of this law.

“We have seen an attempt by the tobacco industry to undermine that law through what they call training for law enforcement officer to implement a law that is strictly meant to regulate their product.

“Currently, there is nothing to convince us as public health community that Lagos State is serious with the law.

“We are disappointed that Lagos State is supposed to be showing the way by effectively ensuring that the citizens of this state are well protected.”

According to him, the overbearing influence of Tobacco companies on enforcement officials would impact negatively on the law as the companies will do everything to protect their business interests.

However, Oluwafemi is optimistic over the success he believes the National Law on Tobacco Control will initiate on coming into operation, adding that the National Law is capable of closing the gabs creCONT INU E D ON PAGE 32

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THURSday, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Vaccine shortage: M&B seeks local production Stories by Appolonia Adeyemi

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o enable Nigeria react appropriately to the outbreaks of infectious diseases in the country, the Managing Director of May and Baker Nigeria (M&B) Plc., Mr. Nnamdi Okafor has appealed to the Federal Government to expedite action on the takeoff of local vaccine production.

Making the call in Lagos recently, the managing director said May and Baker has always desired to point the way for Nigeria’s healthcare industry and that desire led to the decision to partner with the Federal Government for local vaccine production in Nigeria through the joint venture company called Biovaccines Nigeria Limited.

His call came on the heels of the new polio outbreak in Borno State and threats posed by Yellow fever amidst global shortage of Yellow fever vaccines.

He spoke at a forum where the Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS) announced that a total of 101,298,992 Nigerians were estimated to be at risk of Yellow fever and called for the mass immunisation of affected persons.

Against the backdrop of the partnership between the Federal Government and May and Baker, the takeoff of which has been delayed, Okafor urged the government to urgently review the project with a view to approve rapid takeoff.

According to him, vaccines were required to keep the nation’s population healthy. “For a country to be virile and strong, it must protect its children and mothers,” he added.

Speaking further, Okafor said that if a country does not have the capacity to produce the vaccines it needs locally; it

has to depend on foreign countries to manufacture them, but noted that such a country cannot guarantee the safety of its citizens. In this wise, the May and Baker boss said the issue of local production of vaccines is a fundamental public health security issue which government needs to take seriously.

Describing the venture as a capital intensive one, Okafor said government currently buys more than 95 per cent of the vaccines used in Nigeria.

Therefore, “No private sector company will invest if there is no guarantee that government will take up these products Vaccines are preventive medicines when they are manufactured and that is what we want the government to do.” He assured that May and Baker, was ready to make investments based on n order to contain the belief that “government the further spread would procure the vaccines of Lassa fever, the that will be produced.”

Nigerian Centre May and Baker has over 70 for Disease Control years’ experience, expertise, (NCDC) have begun knowledge and skills in drug contact tracing of 59 manufacturing and vaccine persons suspected to have been in condistribution. As the agent of the World Number Vaccine tact with the resimanufacturers for over 30 dent doctor that died from Lassa fever at years, May and Baker is one of the best-positioned organisa- the Nnamdi Azikiwe tions in the country to assist University Teaching in the development of local H o s p i t a l ( NAU T H ) , vaccine technology. That is Nnewi, Anambra State why it offered to take up the last month.

In a statement from Federal Vaccine Production Laboratory (FVPL) at Yaba, the NCDC, over 40 conLagos, for vaccine production tacts have been identithrough the investment in the fied in Delta State and Biovaccines Nigeria Limited. 19 in Anambra State.

However, while calling on All contacts are curthe Federal Government’s ur- rently being monitored gent approval for the takeoff of for symptoms of Lassa the partnership, Okafor said it fever. was time that Nigeria began to The Delta and produce vaccines locally. “We Anambra States Minneed to do it ourselves and we istries of Health are want this government which coordinating the rehas shown some tremendous sponses in their reunderstanding to ensure that spective states, while this project takes off without the NCDC provides further delay. support and guidance

Breathe in oxygen, get rid of carbon dioxide

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he need to breathe so much is due to carbon dioxide buildup more than the need for oxygen.

If there was a different way to get rid of carbon dioxide from the blood, we would only need to breathe at a rate of about once per minute.

PHOTO: www.healthytravelblog.com

NCDC traces 59 contacts over Lassa fever

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to limit further spread.

Lassa fever is an endemic disease in some states in Nigeria and thus its sporadic occurrence is not unexpected. It is in this light that Nigerians are advised to remain calm and be supportive of public health authoorities.

The 54 year old doctor was referred from a private hospital in Asaba, Delta State,where he was receiving treatment until his condition deteriorated.

On presentation at the Accident and Emergency of NAUTH, Lassa fever was suspected, blood samples collected andsent to the reference laboratory at Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Edo State, where thediagnosis of Lassa fever was confirmed.

“He died within an hour of admission,” according to the statement.

According to the National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Center for Disease Control, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, “This case again illustrates the importance of following clinical protocols to confirm the cause of febrile illnesses, especially malaria, before treatment.

Regarding the confirmed case of Lassa fever, we are working closely with the relevant state government teams to limit further spread, he added.

We encourage health workers and health facilities across the country to maintain a high index of suspicion for Lassa fever and indeed other viral hemorrhagic fevers. We also encourage State governments and their ministries of health to sustain adequate detection and response capacity.”

Making smoking ban effective CONTINUED FROM PAGE 31

ated by Lagos State law.

He said: “The good thing is that there is a National Law on Tobacco Control now which we all know supersedes the Lagos State Law. The regulation for full implementation for the National Law is yet to be enacted. The Federal Government has inaugurated a National Tobacco Control Committee that is supposed to guide that to make it operational. We believe that the National Law will block all the loopholes that are in the Lagos State Law.” Another factor that has made the Lagos State law ineffective is the ignorance of existence of the law among the populace.

Similarly, the nonchalant attitude on the part of the smokers contribute to the failure in enforcement of this law.

Mrs. Omotunde, popularly known as Iya Ayo, who operates a bar said she was not aware of the existence of any law prohibiting smoking in some areas.

“I never knew such a law exists. I know there are some places like worship centers and offices where one must not smoke. I never knew drinking bars are among such places,” Omotunde said.

Oluwafemi is of the view that there should be public awareness and collaboration with relevant authorities to make this law a household issue in Lagos state. “We expect full implementation of that law; we expect public awareness and we expect collaboration with relevant stakeholders like civil society for proper implementation of the law,” he added.

The law states that it

is the duty of any person who owns, occupies or is in charge of the management of a “No Smoking Area” to ensure that approved “No Smoking” signs were displayed conspicuously at each entrance and in prominent locations throughout the premises.

Any owner, occupier or person in charge of a “No Smoking Area” who fails to put up “No Smoking” signs in conspicuous areas on his property commits an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine of N100, 000 or to imprisonment for a term of six months.

Any person who smokes contrary to the provisions of this Law commits an offense and shall be liable on conviction to a fine of not less than N10, 000 and not exceeding N15, 000 or to imprisonment for a term not less than one month

and not exceeding three months or both. The penalty may include other non-custodial punishment that the judge may deem fit.

Concentration should not be on only places like hotels and drinking bars.

Akinbode said this law is also violated on daily basis in different homes, motor parks and many other places designated as ‘No smoking Areas’.

For instance, the children of smoker parent(s) are always exposed to secondhand smoke at home, he stressed.

It is an offense punishable under the law to obstruct a duly authourised officer from carrying out his duties under the provision of this law.

Reacting to the health hazard cigarette smoke pose to humans, a Consultant Public Health Physician from the Lagos University Teach-

ing Hospital (LUTH), Dr. Oluwakemi Odukoya said, “A lot of research has shown that secondhand smoke is dangerous to health and now we know that similar to active smoking, secondhand smoke consists of some substances that cause cancer and heart disease.

“People who inhale second hand smoke regularly are at risk of cancer and heart disease, upper and lower respiratory tract infections and particularly high in children.

Children that inhale cigarette smoke seem to have poor development and also increased rate of infection.

“Also pregnant women get affected including their unborn baby. Evidence shows that there is no level of second hand smoke that is small, even if it is just little it is not healthy.”

Sensitivity of human fingers Human fingers are so sensitive, that if your fingers were the size of Earth, you could feel the difference between a house and a car.

What love feelings do to the brain When in love, the human brain releases the same cocktail of neurotransmitters and hormones that are released by amphetamines. This leads to increased heart rate, loss of appetite and sleep, and intense feelings of excitement.

Strength of human muscle Our muscles are actually incredibly more powerful than they appear to be. Human strength is limited to protect our tendons and muscles from harming themselves.

This limitation can be removed during an adrenaline rush, during which some people have lifted boulders or even cars off themselves.

Movement of human eyes The focusing muscles in your eyes move around 100,000 times a day. To give your leg muscles the same workout, you would need to walk 50 miles.

Composition of human sperm A single human sperm contains the 37.5mb of male DNA required to create a human child. That means an average ejaculation sees the transfer of 1,500 terabytes of information.

Humans have more 15 other senses Along with the five traditional senses of sound, sight, touch, smell and taste, humans have 15 “other senses.” These include balance, temperature, pain and time as well as internal senses for suffocation, thirst, and fullness.

Usefulness of cry Crying alleviates stress and allows humans to decrease feelings of anger and sadness. It physically does help to let it out.

THURSday, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Health\INTERVIEW

33

Onajole: Lifestyle, environment trigger disease conditions Bayo Onajole is a Professor of Community Medicine and Public Health at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos/Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH). In this interview with APPOLONIA ADEYEMI, Onajole, who is also the Vice Chairman of the Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria (APHPN), discusses the roles lifestyle, absence/poor basic amenities, and environment play in disease prevention, development, among other issues What motivated you to go into community health practice?

After graduating in medicine, I worked in a private hospital in Ondo town and part of the activities were more of community outreach and trying to do health issues a wider population outside facilities. I later learnt in my exposure then that hospitals are serving more as a disease palace where we waited for people to develop the ailment and sometimes they came to us. We were able to safe some and many others we lost and we still beat our chest that we were doing so much for the community and for the population.

After going through the community I discovered that a lot of things would have been done to prevent those disease conditions long before they got to the hospital and that was actually what motivated me into community medicine and public health and why I decided to specialise in community medicine and public health and ever since I went to community medicine and public health I discovered that we could do so much for the populace and not wait until they develop signs and symptoms because by the time they develop signs and symptoms there would have been a lot of changes at cellular and enzymic level which you may not have been able to alter. Some of them you can reverse but a lot are not reversible. That is why I specialise in community medicine and public health.

Tell us about measures that could prevent some disease conditions before they get out of hands You see a lot of things that affect us as human being is as a result of the equilibrium between ourselves and the environment and in trying to modify and modulate the environment you could go a long way in preventing a shift in our state of health.

So many disease conditions that do occur are as a factor of our inability to come into equilibrium with our environment.

People do say that genes are precursors of diseases but I say that lifestyles are the triggers that pull the genes; it is like a loaded gun. If you

have a loaded gun and you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t pull the trigger it will not fire. So what you do â&#x20AC;&#x201C; your lifestyle and your environment may end up pulling the trigger for a lot of disease conditions that occur, though we may be predisposed to this disease conditions. But if we do not pull the trigger we may end up not having any disease. You may have heard of people who have genetic history of diabetes and hypertension but they may not come down with hypertension because they have been able to modulate their lifestyle. So, that is why I say there must be a an equilibrium between the individual and the environment for a lot of disease conditions to start manifesting with signs and symptoms.

Talking about the environment, even globally, there is a reemergency of infectious diseases, which is now a major challenge we are facing in this country.

Why are these happening?

Research has shown that the world health is in transition. In developed countries they have been able to conquer a lot of these communicable or infectious diseases. How did they do it? They did it long before the advent of antibiotics in the 1850s and 1860s and d u r-

We are not making use of our data.

So, we do not have data being properly monitored and evaluated on a regular basis

ing the industrial revolutions in Europe and America. What happened then? There was a lot of improvement in housing; a lot improvement in water supply, a lot of improvement in sanitation and first antibiotics was discovered in 1929. So, that means that it was not really the advent of antibiotics that caused the massive improvement in health in those areas, though, it contributed to it.

What actually is the main point that caused this shift? It is the improvement in the environment.

It is what I call environmental engineering - improvement in portable water supply, improvement in food consumption and improvement in our living conditions. So, part of why we are having resurgence in these issues is as result of the fact that even the gains of the last few years in terms of our economy, in terms of our environment, in terms of our food supply, water supply, power supply, in terms of so many other things are getting worse. And because there is a break in all these issues, it is having a kind of direct or indirect impact on our health.

There are no regulatory measures with regards to the food we consume now. So, we do not know what they are putting in them. That could have impact on our health. The water we drink is getting more polluted than what it used to be and therefore could also impact on our health. How we live and where we live are not as conducive as they were before. So, all these things are adding to it. When they add to it what do they result to? We start seeing disease conditions that were controlled in the past start resurging and the newer ones are having a free day.

Is Nigeria adequately prepared to address these infectious diseases such as Lassa fever, Yellow fever, Dengue that are resurging?

Some of these health condi-

tions have been there but the index of the suspicion of diagnosis has not been as high as it is now?

What does that mean?

What I mean by that is that some of these diseases may have been killing people in the past but people would say that they died of unknown causes but now, we have better awareness and better diagnostic facilities. So, we may be picking diseases up as they break.

More of the population is also more aware to seek help in terms of going to specialised centers where they could make the diagnosis, unlike in the past when people would just die in their village and they would say it was one witch or one remote control that killed them.

However, we still have quite a lot of challenges. We are not making use of our data. So, we do not have data being properly monitored and evaluated on a regular basis. And if we do not do that some of these things should be occurring to us as if they are coming by chance. Whereas, if we have been following some trend of the data that are being collected in our various health facilities, communities and population, we will be able to preempt some of these things, know they are about to occur and put preventive measures in place in other to abort some of them. But whatever we do, we may not be able to stop everything but we could have been able to prevent and preempt some.

Again, for some of them too we need to also have a better way of integrating our health system in terms of having what we call a two way reference system that is efficient. When people go to hospital they are referred from a lower level of hospital to a higher level of hospital, the higher level should be able to give back the feedback to lower level. For instance in getting back to the lower level, saying this is what happened; this is what they have done. So, those people will now know what to do better in the future. That is not in the system.

Secondly, our manpower system, in terms of strengthening our manpower system, we are now trading capacity. We are not discerning. Capacity for what?

What are we trading this capacity for?

What are we trying to address in terms of prioritising our health problems, particularly in training individuals to manage these health problems as they are calling. Some of these issues are not re l at e d .

Those are chalOnajole lenges.

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Health\News

THURSday, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Patent medicine dealers call for dialogue over licence Ebere Ameh ABUJA

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atent medicine dealers in Nigeria, under the auspices of the National Association of Patent Proprietary Medicine Dealers (NAPPMED) have called for a dialogue with the government to iron out issues concerning their regulation and practice.

At the association’s 54th Anniversary celebration and first National Summit, which took place in Abuja, on Monday, its National President, Prince Joel Odoh called on the Federal Government to extend support to their association by dialoguing with them with a view to chart the way forward.

“Given the obvious fact that we have the largest membership strength and spread nationally in the healthcare sector, our request is not out of place. We need to be recognised more than before as the first point of contact by patients especially in the rural areas of the country.”

Odoh who mentioned the issue of licencing as the major challenge facing them, asked for a dialogue with the government and other stakeholders to discuss best practices and the way forward.

“We need to have a round table discussion so that the Federal Ministry of Health would look into the problems facing patent medicine dealers in Nigeria.

Some of the issues we are having pertain to license

for our members because the license the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) is giving to us does not cover all our activities. How can somebody in the rural area treat diarrhoea and headache when his license does not cover it.

So, we need to sit down at a roundtable to upgrade the list and accommodate us for adequate healthcare delivery in the country. Hospitals are in some places, while we the patent medicine dealers are everywhere, and we are talking of saving lives. Even drivers on the street have license. We need a genuine licence, not ordinary paper,” Odoh noted.

“We are over 950,000 members. So, if we are quacks the way they presume us to be, by now we would not have anybody

alive in Nigeria. But we are doing our best and what we want government and PCN to do is to have a dialogue with us on best practices and the way forward.”

In her opening remarks, the chairman of the occasion and MD of Emzor

Pharmaceuticals, Dr. Mrs Stella Okoli, who was represented by her daughter and Director at Emzor Pharmaceuticals, Mrs Uzoma Ezeoke, observed that in the chain of healthcare delivery in Nigeria, the patent medicine deal-

Drugs

Celebrating African traditional medicine day

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ugust 31 is set aside every year by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to celebrate African Traditional Medicine day. Some 17 years ago, the African Union Heads of State and Government declared the year 2000-2010 as the African Decade of African Traditional Medicine. All these show how seriously the African governments and International governments take African Traditional Medicine, at least on paper.

On paper, Nigeria’s health care plan looks impressive and appealing. However, in practice, it has not made much difference in improving the health of the nation. There have always been lots of discussions on how to improve healthcare services in Nigeria and Africa as a whole. Hundreds of conferences and health workshops take place almost daily in different parts of the country to discuss ways and means of improving the health of Nigerians.

Proposals and recommendations from these conferences, workshops and committees litter the offices of the state and federal ministries of health in Nigeria. It is therefore clear that the Nigerian government is not in short supply of ideas and proposals on how to improve the health of Nigerians.

Fifty years after most countries attained independence, Africans remain the world’s least healthy people. As a group, they are at the bottom of every index of social and economic indicators. Surveys of the use of health services show that fewer Africans are seeking care, partly because fewer services are available at affordable price, and partly because they are dissatisfied with modern health care services. The global income from the herbal medicine business is estimated at over 100 billion dollars yearly. Africa, which has over 70 per cent of the world reserve of medicinal plants growing on her soil, has little or no share in this income. We are surrounded by wealth, yet live in poverty. Indeed, poverty is a threat to world peace. According to a modern philosopher: “when the gap between the poor and the rich widens, the poor cannot sleep because they are hungry, and the rich cannot rest because the poor are awake.”

Nature Power

Anselm Adodo

naturepower@paxherbals.net twitter: @anselmadodo

In Africa, public health has been neglected and taken over by bio-health, with its emphasis on high-tech machines, money and profit. Biotech or, Bio-health, is a new modern form of medicine that focuses almost exclusively on using high-tech machines to diagnose diseases, even before they appear in the body.

In Biotech, patients are subjected to endless series of expensive tests, just to detect illnesses that are yet to manifest in the body, or to know the nature of already diagnosed ones. Biotech diverts attention from the question ‘How can people prevent illness?’ to focus on ‘How can they pay for treatment?’

Whereas in the past, people go to the hospital when they feel ill, today everybody is advised to head to the hospital for sicknesses that they may suffer from in five or 10 years’s time.

Modern medicine has abandoned its role as a healthcare provider to become a HEALTH SCARE PROMOTER. Fear is a very effective weapon in the armory of modern medicine. The sick go to the hospital because they are afraid of death and the healthy go to the hospital because they are afraid of falling sick. One way or the other, we have all become prisoners of fear.

Bio-health is not interested in addressing the disparities in wealth, trade imbalance and rich-poor divide in the world communities.

Bio-health turns away from the fact that poverty, unfair trade imbalance, poor sanitation, poor nu-

Fewer Africans are seeking care, partly because fewer services are available at affordable price

trition and unbridled monetisation of public health, is the root cause of health inequality and poor health in the world, especially in Africa.

Bio-health not only treats our diseases, but it often invents diseases and then goes ahead to provide the medication to cure its invention. This medicalisation of human life, from infancy to adolescence, pregnancy, middle age and old age, partly explains the rapid expansion of the medical enterprise in the past 20 years. It is not a health for all, but rather health for the rich, who make up one per cent of world population. Health for all, in the language of modern medical capitalism, means health of the one per cent for the one per cent and by the one per cent.

When we talk about promoting traditional medicine, we are talking about a rediscovery of our traditional African culture of care and concern for one another and for our environment.

As we celebrate another African Traditional day this year 2015, I am calling for a new thinking on healthcare management, policy and reform in Africa. I call for a reawakening of the Traditional African approach to health in which the health of an individual could not

Aloe Vera plant

ers are the direct link to the grassroots. Using the analogy of a plant, Okoli noted that if the root is not well nourished, the plant would die. She therefore called on the government and other stakeholders to support the practitioners.

be separated from the health of a community. Instead of pursuing a ‘healthy lifestyle’ characteristic of modern, individualistic culture, I call for a return to the older wisdom traditions of Africa that corporately valued community-based well-being and harmonious living.

When government wants to make efforts to incorporate traditional medicine into national healthcare services, it forms a committee comprising medical practitioners, health bureaucrats, and civil servants who are not passionate about traditional medicine. The inevitable result is that nothing positive will come out of the committee.

The way forward 1. Form a presidential advisory board made up of sincere and knowledgeable healthcare providers from the private sector to advice the government on health reform and health policy in Nigeria.

2. Government to recognise traditional medicine as a genuine alternative alongside conventional medicine, and devote 20 per cent of health budget to the development of traditional herbal medicine.

3. Form a registration and accreditation agency to register and monitor traditional medicine practice.

4. Encourage cultivation of medicinal plants for exportation.

5. Establish a training school of traditional medicine based on indigenous knowledge, philosophy and African heritage.

PHOTO: www.encyclopediaofukraine.com

‘Limit antibiotics over resistance’

I

n a bid to prevent the rise of untreatable superbugs, global health experts have urged providers of health care to limit prescription of antibiotics to nine doses per person in a year.

Writing in the prestigious journal ‘Science’, they called on world leaders gathering for a special United Nations meeting on the issue next month to take decisive action to reduce antimicrobial resistance.

This threatens to send medicine back to the days before the discovery of the first antibiotic, penicillin, when people could die from a simple scratch in the garden.

A superbug resistant to the antibiotic of “last resort”, colistin, was found in the United Kingdom (UK) in December in human cases and on three farms.

Under David Cameron, the UK led calls for global action to address the problem.

Mr. Cameron warned of potentially “catastrophic consequences” of failing to do so as he announced plans to try to halve the number of drug-resistant infections in Britain by 2020.

It has been estimated that 10 million people could die every year worldwide by 2050 as a result of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

In the paper, experts from the UK, the United States (U.S) and China wrote: “We propose that no country consume more than the current median global level – 8.54 defined daily doses per capita per year. We estimate that this would lower overall use by 17.5 per cent globally.”

35

THURSday, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

MOM’S ALERT

Mom&Parenting

Between child abuse and african values

Parenting The rare gem

36 36

Lagos Deputy Governor, Dr Idiat Oluranti Adebule (5th Right), Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Hon. Lola Akande (4th left), Speaker, Lagos State Children Parliament (4th left) and other members of the parliament with top government functionaries in a group photograph during a visit by members of the children parliament to the deputy governor in her office in Lagos...recently

For the safety of Lagos children Muritala Ayinla

R

ecently, children in Lagos and other parts of the country are faced with arrays of challenges. They are faced with problems ranging from kidnapping to child abuse. Their futures also get constantly threaten by sexual violence, molestation and maltreatment at their tender ages.

Children are either inhumanly treated by their biological parents or

Mom&Parenting

Oluwatosin Omoniyi City Editor

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

guardians or defile by their own father, uncles and other relatives and in most cases, by their neighbours. The current dwindling economy in the country has also increased the number of children engaged in hard labour while a host of them have been forced to become breadwinner in their families.

Hence, the nation’s future blinks with thousands of supposed future leaders being forced out of schools to either become street hawkers or site labourers at various construction sites.

Reiterating Lagos State government’s commitment to Child Right Law, the state Deputy Governor, Dr. Idiat Adebule, assured youths especially children that their safety and security remains the priority of the state government.

Speaking when she played host to the members of the Lagos State Children Parliament at her Round House Office, Alausa Ikeja, the Deputy Governor, who also challenged youths in the State to be more creative and inventive, assured them of the state government’s readiness

The current dwindling economy in the country has also increased number of children engaged in hard labour

to encourage, support and create the enabling environment and platform needed for inventions and innovations. She pointed out to the children that the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode-led administration would continue to ensure that the survival, development and protection of children’s rights remain a priority.

The Deputy Governor, also received a bill passed by the Children’s Parliament. They urged the state government to include compulsory Entrepreneurial and Inventive Learning in the curriculum for Primary and Secondary schools in the state.

Adebule however commended the children for the laudable bill and assured them that the bill would be adequately looked into; noting that making entre preneurial lear ning compulsory in schools will also help deliver support to young ones in securing their future and create new jobs.

Also speaking at the occasion, Mrs. Lola Akande, Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation affirmed that her Ministry had been engaging the Children’s Parliament to ensure their participation in policies that affect them. She assured

the children that the state government will continue to encourage and assist them in the formulation and implementation of various bills by the Parliament, saying that the state government is indeed very proud of their accomplishments.

On his part, Master Oluwatobiloba Daniel, Speaker of the Lagos State Children Parliament, said that learning of entrepreneurial and inventive skills early in primary and secondary schools would help children to imbibe the sense of initiative where they would be able to turn their ideas into action. According to him, “Entrepreneurship education benefits students from all socioeconomic backgrounds because it teaches kids to think outside the box and nurtures unconventional talents and skills. “It will also create opportunity, ensures social justice, instills confidence and stimulates the economy,” he said.

Daniel, however, appealed to the state government to look critically at the bill for the benefit of the nation’s economy. He also urged the government to ensure strict enforcement of the Child Rights Law 2007 for the protection, survival and development of children in the state.

36 MOM&PARENTING

THURSday, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

i-Protect

Childhood Protection & preservation culture

with

Taiwo Akinlami principal@taiwoakinlami.com

All forms of labeling are a crime against humanity of the child

Child labeling: The unconscious pastime of an unskillful primary and secondary caregivers

T

here are three (3) crimes caregivers ignorantly commit against the humanity of the child. I carefully call them crime because they offend the life of the child, alter his/her worldview negatively and displace him/her internally.

These crimes are as follows: Labelling, Tyranny and Silence.

I will spend the next three (3) weeks or more discussing these crimes, which as primary and secondary caregivers commit against the humanity of our children.

Labeling: to label a child is to determine the potential of a child by what you perceive as his/her does wrong, even when your perception is not based on any fact of child development and label him/her according to that myopic perception.

All forms of labeling are a crime against the humanity of the child. We brand children according to all kinds of labels, which have no justification in the informed dictionary of child development.

The practitioners of the doctrine of labeling are always in the habit of labeling according to their ignorance. This has eternal impact on the child’s mind. The child is either trying to proof the label wrong or trying to conform to the label.

Please note that labeling of children has become an unconscious pastime of many caregivers. It is a pastime; I was subjected to in the hands of my primary and secondary caregivers, growing up.

It is wrong for primary and secondary custodians/caregivers of children to label them in any anyway. You cannot say a child is too quiet or talk too much and you cannot say a child is a talkative. These are samples of unjust labeling of children, which have grave and dire impacts on their present and future as children.

Whatever, you perceive as an imbalance

in a child is not a problem. It is an assignment for you. It only becomes a problem when the caregiver, because of his/her lack of knowledge, skill and attitude call it so. Children are supposed to be cultivated and cultivation takes time, skill and longsuffering, which many caregivers do not have or lack the patience to discharge.

A lady registers her five year old child in a primary school. She asks for the opinion of the teacher about the child after one week in the school. The teacher says, well, she is very brilliant child, but she talks too much. I begin to wonder what it means for a child to talk too much. I know that this is general labeling by primary and secondary caregivers. They say a child talks too much, when in actual fact such labeling is a symptom of unprofessionalism.

A child does not talk too much. A child simply talks. It is the responsibility of the caregivers to help the child regulate his/ her talk. If a child talks during the class, for example and the teacher becomes frustrated, it simply means, the teacher does not have control over his/her class.

There are steps; he/she must be able to take to maintain order in his/her classroom, where order is necessary, according to the age and state of development of the children under his/her care.

If a teacher complain that a child talk while he/she is teaching, the teacher should understand that he/she has a responsibility to exercise control over his/ her class.

If he/she is not able to do that, it is an indictment on him/her. A child, depending on his/her age may decide or choose to express himself/herself in a manner that may appear to disturb others; it is the responsibility of the caregivers to cultivate the child.

THE VIRTUOUS MOM with

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THE RARE GEM Truly nothing last forever like words of God Truly time fade as wind goes off the way Truly both sex met at the beginning of life Truly we all arrive by the call of nature in here Truly we live by the length of time with tide Truly we were born for a purpose to live and die

Rare is the care that keeps our home stronger From mum you received, receive and receive From mum you get all for all and all to all Mothers from planet of love in mighty fold Releasing her strength to serve us in stress She gives the love, not minding the distress

Timing the strength behind the stanza up here You will see more of living from a pilot as rare gem Giving hope to life from every aspect of our world Taking the gig from stage up to down ward slide For every birth means the work and stress of one Mothers are simply the world best friend of all

Every friend has a purpose to serve us in life Verily we give to friend, the wise avoid fiends For all we receive means to turn on to be good The light splash appears at all end of the tunnel Finishing the race to feel the space of our quote Mothers are home lord, Daddy’s all time mistress

As healthy as a warrior, as great as the creator As large as the earth, love of mum larger than life No one knows the race lane like the first sprinter As runner raced on like death socking the mourner Just as the wild king cares to defend the jungle Mums love to all with feeds and care that is rare

Nothing can be compared with mum’s motivation Turning our world on for a better things to come She will say, all I prayed for his your success in life When I needed someone in school, she appears When holiday bell rings, mum on tour with us All her life, she gives her time for our comfort

MOM’S ALERT with

Grace Essen

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Between child abuse and African values

O

n TV last week was the children, the failure to provide them story of a little girl about with proper nourishment, warmth, 6 years old, who ran away medical care, education, a safe envifrom the home where she ronment and housing.

Children in Africa tend to suffer lived with her foster mom in Cameroon. She was later found and taken additional risk as a result of many to the welfare office. The little girl cultural and traditional practices said she ran away because her fos- some of which include female genter mom had repeatedly beaten her ital mutilation, using children as with clothes hanger, she had marks domestic servants, widowhood and all over her body, a scar on her eye inheritance rites, child marriages, lid, a blood shot eye to prove her using extreme forms of physical claim. When asked, the foster mom punishments as ways of disciplinclaimed the girl was stubborn and ing children as well as the belief on only two occasions she flogged in and practice of witchcraft and her with a cane and she did so for branding of children as witches or the girl’s good. as possessed by evil spirits. You will This is all too familiar in this part recall that recently a woman was arof the world where it is somewhat rested for putting her niece in a cage difficult to make a clear distinction for five months and treated her like between child discipline and child a dog for being ‘possessed’. abuse. Child abuse is any form of Beyond cultural and religious cruelty or any behaviour that causes practices, which are sustained beharm to a child. It can be physical, cause many believe it is the best for emotional, sexual, or in the form of children, other factors that have neglect. continued to fuel child abuse in the Most forms of child abuse will guise of child discipline are ignofall under one or more of these - in- rance and illiteracy, poverty, vulnertentional physical contact resulting ability of children where the abuser in injury, pain or discomfort, inflict- knows they can easily harm a child ing pain through because there is no one who can protect beating, hitting, him or her, wickedpunching, kicking, putting pepness, personal gain of the abuser, “I per in the eyes don’t care” attitude or private parts, Forcing a naturally of neighbours, the pouring hot oil left-handed child community and the on the body, forcing a child to take society. to use their right a cold shower in Many acts of abuse freezing weather, go unnoticed and unhand are forms of or to dip his hands reported because we emotional abuse in hot water, forcedon’t care enough to feeding a child observe what’s going by holding him on around us, and down and forcing those of us who know food into his mouth, refusing a child what is going on, who are witnesses food as a form of punishment. It also to abuse are not interested in doing includes forcing a child to undertake anything about it. When we see an strenuous and excessive physical abuse going on, we look the other punishment like kneeling down way and fail to act. straight, raising up the arms, bendBased on studies, children who ing over, carrying a heavy object all are abused endure feelings of sadfor long periods of time. ness and worthlessness, difficulties Persistent emotional maltreat- sleeping, suicidal thoughts, bouts of ment of a child leading to severe ef- anxiety, outbursts of aggression, fects on the child’s emotional well diminished concentration, frayed being and development, including relations with peers, and negative verbally abusing or cursing a child, high-risk behavior, they become telling a child they are worthless abusers too. or useless, shouting at, rejecting The aim of discipline is to instill or with-holding love and affection values to children but how easily from a child, humiliating, degrad- disciple becomes abuse. As parents ing or denying a child their worth of today, how can we ensure disciand rights as human beings. pline remains what it is – discipline The deliberate absence of a par- and it does not cross to abuse? How ent in a child’s life or preventing a can we ensure the aim of instilling child from having access to his or values is achieved at such times? her parents, forcing a naturally left“… I have borne the physical and handed child to use their right hand psychic scars of beatings myself. I are forms of emotional abuse. It can’t forget the feeling, as a 16-yearmay also include preventing a child old, of my body being lifted from the from participating in normal social floor in my father’s muscular grip as interaction, like not going out to he cocked back his fist to hammer play, forcing children to study non- me until my mother’s cry called him stop without any form of recreation, off. I loved my father, but his aggresas well as witnessing other people sive brand of reproof left in me a being abused – especially in the case trail of un-cried tears.” of domestic violence. Inappropriate I wonder how many would relate sexual relationships with children, to the experience of this man who and persistent lack of proper care of today is a father.

BUSINESS | Money Line

thursDAY, september 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Naira drops to N420/$ on parallel market months, a development traders attributed to the acute dollar shortage in the system.

The naira closed at N306 to the dollar on the interbank forex market after the Central Bank of Nigeria’ (CBN) dollar sales, reversing losses in early traded, which saw it quoted at N317.09 to the dollar, but fell compared with the N305.50 closed the previous day.

Bureaux De Change (BDC) operators said the scarcity of dollars was getting worse, as no bank seemed to want to sell the

Depreciation Dollar shortage worsens Tony Chukwunyem

T

he naira continued its decline on the parallel market yesterday, falling to a record low of N420 to the dollar.

The local currency traded at N418 to the dollar last Tuesday and has been under pressure on the parallel market for

greenback.

A Lagos-based BDC operator, Mr. Mike Okechukwu, said: “The banks are all saying that they don’t have dollars to sell.

The few that have dollars for sale are requesting for difficult things like three-year tax clearance certificates and evidence of returns to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) before they will agree to sell.”

He, however, said that operators were optimistic of a gradual appreciation of the local currency in the near term following

the CBN’s licensing of 11 new international money transfer operators to address the dollar supply side.

Reuters quoted President of the Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), Aminu Gwadabe, as saying : “Depending on the effective implementation of the central bank’s policy, the appointment of new international money transfer operators will ensure that banks will have more dollars to sell to bureaux de change and provide the needed liquidity

CBAN, CBN, IFC partner to boost access to finance

T

he Credit Bureau Association of Nigeria (CBAN), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and International Finance Corporation (IFC) are working towards improving access to loan facilities using movable assets as collateral.

The institutions held a one-day workshop in Kaduna yesterday, to create the needed awareness on the new financial infrastructure.

Representative of the IFC, Mr Ubong Awah, identified the new infrastructure as Collateral Registry (CR) and Credit

Reporting System (CRS).

Awah explained that the infrastructure would allow Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) to use any movable asset as collateral to access bank loan.

He said that the National Collateral Registry (NCR), an online centralized-database, which commenced operation in May, now allows financial service providers to register security interest in movable assets.

He said that the registry, set up by the Federal Government, is being maintained in line with CBN regulations.

According to him, the innovation would facilitate easy lending by financial institutions to individuals, farmers, micro entrepreneurs and SMEs. “The registry will enable these categories of borrowers to use movable assets such as inventory, livestock, crops equipment, vehicles and accounts receivable as collateral for loans”.

He also described CRS as a document that contains information regarding a consumer’s credit history based on data gathered electronically by financial insti-

tutions and other creditors.

He said that the reports would help financial institutions assess the credit worthiness of a potential client.

The Registrar, NCR, Malam Mohammed Mainasara said that the workshop, with representatives from over 50 business association in Kaduna State, was to enlighten the business public on the new development.

He said that Kaduna was the first state in the North to host the campaign and the second in the country after Lagos.

Economic Indicators As at M2* CPS* INF MPR 91-day NTB Bonny Light Ext Res**

Description 15.10 27-APR-2017 16.00 29-JUN-2019 15.54 13-FEB-2020 16.39 27-JAN-2022 14.20 14-MAR-2024 12.50 22-JAN-2026 10.00 23-JUL-2030 12.1493 18-JUL-2034 Tenor (Days) Call 30 90 180

N19,142,526.05m N18,579,219.49m 17.1

Mar, 2015 Mar, 2015 July, 2016

14 10.77 US$49.17 US$25,456,730,300

26/07/2016 Mar 2015 31/8/2016 29/8/2016 Source:CBN

FGN Bonds

TTM

Price 104.65 114.59 111.96 120.58 109.60 100.54 83.82 97.56

1.07 3.24 3.87 5.82 7.95 9.81 14.31 18.29

NIBOR

Rate (%) 4.4583 9.1071 11.0102 12.3790

Bid Yield 10.38 10.55 11.60 11.44 12.27 12.40 12.44 12.49

Change (%) -2.50 ▼ -0.74 ▼ -0.65 ▼ -0.68 ▼

Change (%) -0.02 ▼ -0.01 ▼ 0.00 ↔ 0.00 ↔ -0.07 ▼ -0.08 ▼ -0.03 ▼ 0.02 ▲

Price 104.80 114.89 112.26 120.88 109.90 100.84 84.12 97.86

Tenor (Months)

Offer Yield 10.24 10.45 11.51 11.38 12.22 12.34 12.39 12.44

Change (%) -0.02 ▼ -0.01 ▼ 0.00 ↔ 0.00 ↔ -0.07 ▼ -0.08 ▼ -0.03 ▼ 0.02 ▲

NITTY

Rate (%) 6.9949 7.2368 8.0819 9.2061 9.5872 10.5042

1 2 3 6 9 12

Treasury Bills

Spot($/N)

FX

Offer 199.24

Change (%) 1.12 ▲ -0.27 ▼ -0.17 ▼ -0.11 ▼ 0.03 ▲ 0.42 ▲

Money Market

Change (%) 0.57 ▲

NIFEX

Spot($/N)

Bid 199.0000

CBN Clearing Rates of January 7, 2016 Spot($/N)

196.00

197.00

that the CBN’s re-admittance of eight lenders into the forex market yesterday will help to boost liquidity in the forex market. The lenders were suspended from the market last week for failing to remit Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’s (NNPC) funds to government coffers in line with the Treasury Single Account (TSA) policy.

WorldRemit lauds CBN on licensing of new IMTOs

W

orldRemit has commended the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for licensing WorldRemit and 10 other International Money Transfer Operators (IMTOs) to operate in the country.

In a statement, the company said it had received a letter of approval from the CBN enabling its services to Nigeria to be resumed.

Founder and CEO of WorldRemit, Ismail Ahmed, said: “We launched our service to Nigeria in 2011 when we pioneered instant deposits to all bank accounts. Our service provided the Nigerian diaspora with an easy, secure and low cost way to send money home as well as bringing much-needed foreign exchange into the local economy. We’re delighted that we can now resume operations.”

“We commend the Central Bank of Nigeria for reaffirming the country’s commitment to building an enabling environment and levelplaying field for international money transfer services to Nigeria.

Increased competition will help to bring the estimated 50 per cent of remittances to Nigeria that currently go through unregulated, informal networks into formal networks channelled through licensed IMTOs.” He pointed out that a competitive remittance market provides Nigerians with greater convenience and better pricing.

He announced that to celebrate the relaunch of its service to Nigeria, WorldRemit was offering promotional pricing of $0.01, 0.01, £0.01 or equivalent on all money transfers to Nigeria until 30 September 2016.

Elumelu seeks stronger business ties between Africa, France

Maturity Date Discount Bid Yield Change (%) Discount Offer Yield Change (%) Rate (%) 7.67 7.82 -0.51 ▼ Open-Buy-Back (OBB) 3.83 30-Jun-16 7.92 8.08 -0.51 ▼ 6-Oct-16 8.59 8.34 8.71 -0.31 ▼ Overnight (O/N) 4.33 8.99 -0.31 ▼ 16-Mar-17 9.36 10.28 -0.07 ▼ 9.11 9.98 -0.07 ▼ Bid 199.14

in the market.”

Gwadabe said the CBN’s directive that commercial lenders should sell dollar inflow through money transfer operators to BDC has boosted daily dollar supply to the currencies agencies to around $10-$20 million and this could further boost supply and help support the naira.

Analysts also believe

37

0.00 ↔

Offer 199.1000

Change (%) -1.75 ▼ -2.08 ▼

Change (%) 0.00 ↔

C

hairman, Heirs Holdings and Founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, Mr.Tony Elumelu, has urged stronger business relationships between France and Africa, calling for a deepening of commercial relationships based on mutual respect and interest.

Elumelu, who is also the Chairman of UBA, stated this at the recent MEDEF Summer University Forum in Paris, the annual meeting of French business and political leaders.

The Forum according to a statement, is one of France’s leading gatherings, bringing together over 7,500 business and opinion leaders, including Heads of State, government officials, political and business leaders, academics and over 450 French and interna-

tional journalists.

As a leading advocate for the African private sector and champion of African entrepreneurship, Elumelu began his speech by thanking France for the cordial business relationship between France and Africa. “When we as Africans look at France, we see a long standing friend of Africa. Looking forward, France and Africa must continue to partner in a manner that brings about positive change.”

He urged France to look beyond its traditional relationships with Francophone countries, important as they are, and to embrace Anglophone and Lusophone Africa. He called on small and large businesses in France and in Africa to seek ways of collaborating in order to deepen economic ties.

38

BUSINESS |Financial Market News

thursDAY, september 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

BUSINESS |FINANCIAL MARKET NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Experts caution FG against Eurobond RECESSION

Drop in foreign portfolio investment linked to volatility in foreign exchange Stories by Chris Ugwu

F

inancial experts yesterday called on the Federal Government to shelve the ideal of borrowing from the international markets due to the devaluation of naira.

The Federal Government had said it would borrow $1billiosn from the international capital market to fund its expansionary budget and stimulate economic growth, as inflation, slow growth and other challenges continue to hit the economy.

Speaking yesterday at NSEBloomberg CEOs Roundtable Event organised for industry leaders held at the Nigerian Stock Exchange, the Director of Investment Banking, Chapel Hill Denham, Mr. Ayo Fashina, noted that there was no need to borrow money when the country had assets to sell.

Recession sends Nigerian bonds to two week low

•FG okays plan to borrow more from abroad

N

igeria’s sovereign dollar bonds fell across the curve to their lowest level in more than two weeks after official data showed the economy contracted by 2.06 per cent in the second quarter, sending Africa’s biggest economy into its first recession for 25 years.

According to Reuters News, the 2023 issue chalked up the biggest losses, down 0.728 cents to trade at 99.417 cents in the dollar - its lowest since August 15, according to Tradeweb data.

The 2021 bond slipped by 0.489 cents to 102.156 cents while the 2018 issue lost 0.603 cents to trade at 101.167 cents.

Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed the non-oil sector declined due to a weaker currency while lower oil prices dragged the oil sector down.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has approved a threeyear plan to borrow more from abroad, Finance Minister Kemi Adeosun said yesterday after the economy slipped into recession for the first time in more than 20 years.

The government has so far disbursed more than N400 billion in capital expenditure this year, part of a record 6.06 trillion naira ($30 billion) budget for 2016, Adeosun said last week.

But with lower oil prices and attacks on oil facilities, it has struggled to fund its budget, aimed at averting the recession.

Data on Wednesday showed Nigeria had slipped into recession and the naira was quoted at a new record low of 420 per dollar on the black market as chronic hard currency shortages continued to hurt businesses. The news sent its dollar bonds down to more than twoweek lows.

Adeosun said the drop in oil prices had accelerated the recession and that Nigeria had to tackle structural problems that had stoked inflation. She said interest rate hikes were not the answer.

“If we rely on oil and the price of oil remains low and the quantity of oil remains low, we can’t grow. We have to grow our non-oil economy,” she said told reporters in Abuja after a cabinet meeting.

He said the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria, AMCON, has over N3 trillion assets with the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, adding that the government, the banks and the regulators have to converge and help the country out of the current recession.

Also, an Economist and Policy Analyst, Dr. Ogho Okiti, said the country had not exited the problem of 2009 when AMCON was created, saying the Non-Performing Loans, NPLs, continue to increase.

He said, “I don’t know the facts from the banks. The stability and profitability of the banks are very weak. I hope we don’t repeat the same mistake of 2009.

“We have seen the symp-

toms and we don’t know how deep it will be. I am not saying the CBN is not going to bail out banks, but banks NPLs continue to increase.”

Fashina attributed the drop in foreign portfolio investment in the country to volatility in foreign exchange.

He said: “unless we fix the exchange rate issues, we cannot expect the foreign investors to come to the country.

“The Nigerian economy is driven by the capital market and if you look at our market, traditionally it is 50/50 per cent for both local and foreign investors. But the market is now copping with only the 50 per cent of local investors while the other 50 per cent of

39

foreign investors have taken flight for safety because of uncertainty of foreign exchange rate,” he said.

Earlier in his address, the Chief Executive Officer, NSE, Mr. Oscar Onyema said since June 2014, the Nigerian economy has experienced strong headwinds resulting from fall in global crude oil and commodity prices; uncertainty around the Nigerian presidential election cycle and resultant policy direction; and high exchange rate volatility.

According to him, the headwinds have necessitated the need for Nigerian businesses to deploy unorthodox strategies to weather the economic storm of the last two years to ensure their survival.

NSE tasks brokers on ethical standards

T

he Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has called on the dealing members of the Exchange especially the new inducted brokers to always imbibe and uphold the Chartered Institute of Brokers (CIS) ethical standards and the NSE code of conduct for Dealing Members.

The Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Oscar Onyema, who gave the advice at the induction of recently qualified Dealing Clerks of the Exchange, said compliance to standards represents a pledge to be tall on integrity and spotless in character.

“It represents a decision to put the interest of the market first. We sincerely hope that each and every one of you will abide by the rules and regulations of NSE and CIS. Please note that due to the level of development in our market, we operate a zero tolerance policy on all infractions,” he said.

Besides, he said: “As an Exchange, we will continue to do our part in ensuring that we provide a competitive platform for you to participate in

the financial market. In addition to the MOS, we have executed several initiatives to strengthen the operations of our Dealing Members and to make them comparable with their foreign counterpart.

“One of these is X-Boss, which automates and enhances the regulatory and oversight function of the NSE over its Dealing Members in the area of rendition of regulatory filings, analysis of financial renditions, capital and liquidity monitoring as well as compliance monitoring and reporting in line with global best practice. We have also provided several platforms to ensure continuous dialogue with our Dealing Members to aid improvement in all areas.”

He said the Exchange was driving a growth strategy based on three strategic objectives, which are to increase listings across five asset classes; increase order-flow across these asset classes; and operate a fair and orderly market based on just and equitable principles.

“Our target really is to work

with a strong ecosystem in a seamless manner to introduce to achieve these objectives.

Therefore, you are an important player in the actualization of these lofty objectives.

You represent a new breed of leaders that will strengthen the brokerage community, the core of the capital market eco system.

“Recall that we recently launched the Minimum Operating Standards (MOS) and carried out a series of inspections of our Dealing Members to ensure that they meet the set requirements and standards.

This was essentially to ensure a stronger, more efficient broker-dealer community that is well suited for doing business in the 21st century. The first of the five Minimum Operating Standards is ‘Manpower’. As an organisation, we recognise the need to ensure that our member firms have the right human capital to execute on their goals sustainably. We are delighted that a lot of our firms share in this vision, and have met the MOS standards,” he said.

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NEWS News|SOUTH-WEST

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Army deploys 500 soldiers as Buhari visits Osun

Adeolu Adeyemo Osogbo

N

igeria Army has deployed no fewer than 500 soldiers to Osun state ahead of President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to the state today.

About 12 trucks of soldiers yesterday arrived in the state to ensure there was adequate security for the President’s state visit.

Also, there were scores of other security operatives in strategic places, readily positioned for any eventuality in the state to ensure a security hitchfree visit.

The Police command said all hands were on deck to receive Mr. President as necessary arrangements had been concluded to ensure that the visit was ‘heroic’ and ‘unique’ in terms of adequate security, saying its men were

£4.97m

The amount of money received by Sunderland as merit payment for the 2015/2016 season.

Source: Goal.com

fully on alert.

Speaking through its Public Relations Officer, ASP Ajibade Egbedele, the police said its men would carry out the assignment with diligence with a view to ensuring adequate security for the august visitor.

Also, sources at the state Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Command revealed that their men were combat ready against any untoward security threats as they had

181.9

The average height of football players of Italy in the 2009-2010 season.

Source: Football-observatory.com

been assigned with different functions during the visit.

However, New Telegraph’s investigation revealed that the state Security Services (SSS) was not left out as it had also beefed up security round the state to ensure that things work out well during the President’s visit to the state.

Speaking on the visit, the state government has urged residents to demonstrate their Omoluabis.

0.39%

The percentage by which the total number of NSE AseM Index of the NSE rose from Jan. 2015 – Dec. 2015.

Source: Nigerian Stock Exchange

L-R: Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Taiwo Adeoluwa; President of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN), Lady Isioma Chukwuma; Ogun State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Yetunde Onanuga; Mr. Emmanuel Kayode Okunoren and Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru, during a courtesy visit to Onanuga in Abeokuta...yesterday

Why Jimoh Ibrahim can’t be our candidate – Ondo PDP Babatope Okeowo Akure

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he People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State yesterday faulted claims by the Chairman of Global Fleet, Mr Jimoh Ibrahim to the factional ticket of the party ahead of the governorship election fixed for November 26 that he was the party’s standard bearer.

The party’s Publicity Secretary, Prince Banji Okunomo said the major albatross of the ticket being paraded by Ibrahim

was his inability to establish delegates of the party who voted at the factional party’s primary held in Ibadan, Oyo State capital.

Okunomo said the ticket given to Mr Eyitayo Jegede, SAN at the August 22 governorship primary held in Akure, the state capital and witnessed by all relevant government agencies had fulfilled all the legal requirements as no other primary election would compete with such requirements.

Apart from the fact that the primary elec-

tion was illegal having been earlier halted by an Akure High Court, Okunomo said more than 99 per cent of those who participated in the primary were hired into Premier Hotels, Ibadan, venue of the Congress, from nearby hubs of hoodlums and touts in the town.

According to him, Section 25 of the PDP constitution clearly stipulated those who were eligible to participate in the State Governorship Primary Election of the PDP, saying all the persons within the various categories

making up the Governorship Primary Election Congress had already participated in the Congress that produced Jegede as the party’s flagbearer.

Okunomo said: “These persons cannot be impersonated and their roles in the electoral college cannot be replicated, duplicated or copied in whatever guise. It is also very important at this juncture, to tell the whole world that Jimoh Ibrahim, the acclaimed candidate of the illegal parallel PDP primary is not a member of the PDP from ward to State level.”

Aregbesola’s second term, a blessing in disguise – Group Muritala Ayinla

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he youth wing of the All Progressives Congress APC in South-West Nigeria, operating under the auspices of National Image has said that President Muhammadu Buhari’s victory amplified on the emergence of Governor Rauf Aregbesola as the winner of the 2014 gubernatorial election in

the state.

According to the group which congratulated Aregbesola and the people of State of Osun on the 25th anniversary of the state, said the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state had perfected plans to rig the elections as they allegedly did in Ekiti State but their plans were thwarted during the election.

The group in their congratulating message yesterday described Aregbesola’s victory election as a plus and blessing for APC. The congratulatory message which was signed by the group’s coordinator, Mr Seyi Bamigbade had it that the APC was lucky to have a seasoned and a highly revered politician in the person of Governor Aregbesola in their midst.

It reads; “We are grateful to God for what he has used Aregbesola to achieve in the APC. The presidential election which the APC won would not have been possible had Aregbesola lost the Osun State gubernatorial election.

His emergence opened the eyes of our members to the various rigging strategies that the PDP has already put in place.”

A statement by the Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy in the Office of the Governor, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon stated that the President will during the visit, commission the newly built 3,000 students capacity Osogbo Government High School.

This, the statement said President Buhari’s visit was another testimony of a landmark achievements in the almost six years of Governor Rauf Aregbesola as well as the good working relationship between Osun state and the federal government.

It reads: “From our own corner of this great country, we are poised to set examples on how to solve many of the national social, economic and political complications confronting us.

The magnificent Osogbo Government High School President Muhammadu Buhari will be commissioning on Thursday is illustrative of the magnitude of our ideas and interventions in the education sector. We remain unrelenting as we continue our assault on delayed infrastructure in our education sector and all other sectors.

“We urge the good peo-

ple of the state to maintain the peace that the state is noted for during and after the President’s visit. We ask them to give a rousing welcome to our amiable President.

“We call on our people particularly the people of Osogbo and its environs to come out in their great numbers and give our President a befitting welcome during his visit to our state.

“Mr. President’s visit is historic because it marks the first official Presidential visit to the state since we assumed office as the Governor of this great state.”

Meanwhile, the Osun state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised the alarm that Governor Aregbesola-led government had earmarked N340million for the President’s visit, describing as a waste for a ‘bedridden’ state which had failed to pay workers’ salary.

Its Director of Publicity, Prince Diran Odeyemi who made this known in Osogbo, said of the said amount, the government had spent N140 million on the state’s 25th anniversary.

APC: 3,000 delegates to vote in Ondo guber primaries Johnchuks Onuanyim Abuja

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bout 3, 000 delegates would on Saturday participate in the Ondo State governorship primaries for the All Progressives Congress for the November governorship election in the state.

The delegates are drawn from the 18 local government areas of the state.

However, the national leadership of the APC

has released the delegates’ list to the 24 aspirants jostling for the governorship ticket of the APC. The ‘hard copy’ which contains the authentic names of all the delegates was given out to the aspirants during the week, at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja.

The decision to release the delegates list was to ensure transparency in the conduct of the primaries, as reliably gathered.

Why insurance business is evil, by Olubadan Sola Adeyemo Ibadan

T

he Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji, Aje Ogungunniso 1, has described insurance business as a necessary evil being shunned by many but difficult to avoid by rightthinking individual.

Oba Adetunji stated this yesterday while welcoming the executives of the Chartered Institute of Insurance, Oyo State chapter, led by its chairman, Mr. Olugbenga Falade who paid him a courtesy visit at his Popoyemoja, Ibadan palace.

According to Oba Ad-

etunji, no one would pray for evil to occur, but accidents may occur from time to time and rather than wallow in abject self-pity and resign to fate, one should ensure that life continues.

This, to him, is where insurance cover on all manner of accidents becomes pertinent.

The Ibadan paramount ruler nevertheless advised insurance practitioners nationwide “to raise the bar of integrity and credibility within the profession, especially when it comes to prompt settlement of customers’ claims for more Nigerians to embrace insurance cover.”

News|SOUTH-EAST

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

41

You’ve no respect for due process, Ohakim tells Okorocha lWe can’t take him serious, says govt

Steve Uzoechi OWERRI

F

ormer governor of Imo State, Dr. Ikedi Ohakim, has called the attention of Governor Rochas Okorocha, to issues surrounding the governor’s alleged disregard for the rule of law and

66.1m

due process.

Ohakim, who was concerned that Imo State under Okorocha was making steady progress towards anarchy, urged the governor to urgently address his ‘penchant for disobeying court rulings and orders’.

This was contained in a letter dated August 22, written and delivered by

The estimated total population of Western Asia in 1960.

Source: Un.org

Ohakim to his successor in office, Governor Rochas Okorocha.

He stated that Okorocha’s disrespect for the pronouncements of court “has turned the state into a lawless enclave as the people, consciously and unconsciously, tend to take a cue from their governor. “There is so much unruliness in the state

187,155

The total number of active fixed wired/wireless lines of Nigeria in December 2015.

with government officials showing the lead. But the truth is that they are like the proverbial young goat which watches the mother while it chews its cord.”

According to the former governor, there was a built-up anger over the way people were being displaced from their business locations, more so as it reminded them

0.54%

The capital importation percentage share of Trading of Nigeria in 2008.

Source: National Bureau of Statistics

of the indiscriminate revocation and reallocation of lands in Owerri, for which several complaints had been made in the last five years.

He said: “Right now, there are over 250 cases in court against the state government by the very citizens you are governing. What an irony. When you assumed office,

Herdsmen attack: CP to re-appear before panel Charles Onyekwere ENUGU

T

he immediate past Commissioner of Police, Enugu State, Mr. Ekechukwu Nwodibo will on September 8, reappear before the commission of inquiry set up by the state government into the killing of people in Nimbo community, in Uzo-Uwani local government of the state by suspected herdsmen.

Chairman of the Commission, Justice Chukwuma Eneh, who disclosed this yesterday in Enugu at an emergency sitting of the tribunal,

L-R: Imo State Gov. Rochas Okorocha; former Governor of the Old Anambra State, Chief Jim Nwobodo and wife of the first Military Head of State, Mrs Victoria Ironsi, during the 2016 South-East Governor’s Wives’ August meeting in Owerri, …yesterday

Igbeaku Orji and Victor Mba

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ovement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has declared a man hunt for those planning to burn and destroy Biafra flag on October 1 in Abuja, describing the statement as sacrilege.

The national leader of MASSOB, Comrade Uche Madu, in an interview, said as far as the movement was concerned it had no grudges against the splinter groups who, he said, had right to freedom of speech. “But they exceed boundaries by

IPOB crisis: We’re on the lookout for splinter group members – MASSOB being credited with the statement that they will on October 1, Nigeria’s independent day celebration, denounce Biafra. As if this is not enough they went further to say they will set ablaze the Biafra flag.

“This is not an overstatement but a sin against humanity and all freedom fighters that laid their lives for the struggle,” he said.

Madu added that MASSOB viewed the statement as an affront on the

PDP group rejects party’s reconciliation committee Steve Uzoechi OWERRI

T

he factional Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo State, Mr. Greg Owuamanam, has accused Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, a PDP BoT member, of bias in his handling of the crisis in the party.

Owuamanam in a chat with newsmen in Owerri, the Imo State capital, said Iwuanyanwu had premeditated intentions in setting up a reconcili-

ation committee for the party.

Owuamanam, who spoke under the auspices of PDP True Democrats, said the committee was null and void, as PDP True Democrats in Imo would only recognize such committee when it was set up by the national leadership of the party.

The PDP recently constituted a reconciliation committee, headed

by Prof. Jude Njoku, to handle internal crisis in the party.

people that were merely fighting to be free. “They have sabotaged the struggle and have been declared as saboteurs; they know the consequences and penalty that is meted to saboteurs in any struggle. If the leaders of the splinter groups are flesh and blood we will fish them out and make them pay for their unguarded statement,” he said.

He also said that the director of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu was a sincere and trust worthy

leader who committed to the struggle, adding that the movement had recognized him as bonafide leader of IPOB because his vision and mission was in conformity with the movement’s ideals and goals.

According to him, the movement will not fold its arms and allow those it described as ‘bystanders in the struggle’ rubbish what Comrade Kanu and other freedom fighters had laboured for in the past.

Group seeks inclusion in treatment of communicable diseases Charles Onyekwere ENUGU

M

embers of the National Complementary and Alternative Medical Association of Nigeria (NACAMA) have appealed to the federal as well as state ministries of health to include their members in the event of an outbreak of communicable diseases like cholera, gastro-enteritis, lassa fever etc., in the country.

President of NACAMA, Prof. Peter Emeka

Katchy, who made the appeal on behalf of the association yesterday in Enugu, in an address at a one-day workshop organised by Enugu State Ministry of Health in conjunction with NACAMA for alternative medical practitioners in Enugu State, titled “Consolidating Alternative Medicine in Enugu State”, said that complementary and alternative medicine is being practised in Europe since 1825 and that Nigeria is no exception.

you adopted, curiously, the policy of awarding contracts without due process, claiming that due process is a waste of time. But at the end, problems have arisen because there are little or no records to enforce agreements even in some cases where the contractors had put in large chunks of their money.”

said that there were grey areas Nwodibo needed to clarify on the alleged involvement of the Nigeria police during the crisis.

Eneh said that Nwodibo, who was the commissioner in-charge of Nigerian Ports Authority in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has been invited to reappear September 8.

Meanwhile, hearing on the recent of invasion of Ndiagu Attakwu Akegbeugwu community in Nkanu West Local Government Area of the state by suspected herdsmen and subsequent killing of two residents had been adjourned to September 8.

Obiano’s N20m project splits Anambra community Pamela Eboh AWKA

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small town of Ifitedunu in Dunukofia local government area of Anambra State is at daggers drawn following the manner in which its town union leadership is handling the N20 million naira expected grant from Governor Willie Obiano’s government.

The grant is the money promised by the governor to all the communities in the state for community development to help give them a sense of belonging.

The governor had on

the day of announcing the scheme directed that each community’s proposal for the project they desire to embark on must be accompanied with signatories of the traditional ruler and that of the PresidentGeneral (PG) of the community, with a clause that any community without a traditional ruler should accord the right of signatory to the President-General with stakeholders also appending their signatures before submission to the office of the Commissioner for Local government, Chieftaincy and Town Union matters.

Imo residents urged to patronise local farmers

Steve Uzoechi OWERRI

G

overnor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has urged operators in the hospitality industry in the state to patronize the produce of the local farmers as a way of encouraging them to boost food production in the state as well as increase their sources of income.

The governor made this remark during an official opening of the King’s Dine Restaurant and Lounge, established by popular Nollywood actor, Chief Kanayo

O. Kanayo and his kinsman, Chief Chime Aliliele in Owerri, the Imo State capital.

Okorocha, who was represented by his deputy, Prince Eze Madumere, commended Kanayo and his partner for investing and adding value to the hospitality and tourism industry of the state. He assured them of government support since the establishment was set to bring in quality service to the hospitality business in the state as well as employ over 30 young graduates.

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NEWS | south-south

thursday, september 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

ASUU to FG: You’re suffocating us with your TSA policy Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

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he Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Benin

CONFIRMATION/ change OF NAME

Funmilayo

I, formerly know and addressed as Isa Ramota Omolara now wishes to be known and addressed as Isa Ramota Funmilayo. All documents bearing my former names remain valid. GTBank and General public please take note.

Okoro

I, formerly know and addressed as Umezurike Rosemary Chizoba now wishes to be known and addressed as Mrs. Rosemary Chizoba Uchenna Okoro. All documents bearing my former names remain valid. General public please take note.

Pere

I, formerly known, called and addressed as Christopher Columbus Tamuno Simeon now wish to be known, called and addressed as Simeon Obiri Christopher Columbus Pere. All former document remain valid fidelity bank and general public take note.

OBIOHA

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Queen Udoh Sunday, now wish to be known and address as Mrs. Queen Victor Obioha. All documents bearing my former name remain valid.

University of UYO, NYSC and General Public should please take note.

Agbesuyi

I, formerly know and addressed as Olaitan Temitope Abimbola now wishes to be known and addressed as Mrs. Olaitan Temitope Agbesuyi.

All documents bearing my former names remain valid. Banks and general public take note.

Effiong

I, formerly known and addressed as Akpan Etim Akpan now wish to be known and addressed as Effiong Etim Akpan. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

Chukwudi

This is to notify the general public that the names Nwankwo Okoro Chukwudi and Chukwudi Okoro refer to one and the same person. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as Nwankwo Okoro Chukwudi. All former documents remain valid. Ecobank Plc, UBA Plc and the general public should please take note.

Nnaemezie

I, formerly known as Nnaemezie Valentine Chidi now wish to be known and addressed as Ebinyuo Valentine Chidi. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

Nwoye

This is to confirm that the names Nonso Nwoye and Chukwunonso Nwoye refer to one and the same person. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as Chukwunonso Nwoye. All former documents remain valid. The general public should note.

Moshood

I formerly known as Miss Oyetunji Opeyemi Sarat now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Moshood Opeyemi Sarat. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note.

Ken

This is to confirm that the names Oroupade Okoloba-Owe Ken and Kennedy Oroupade refer to one and the same person. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as Oroupade Okoloba-Owe Ken. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

Mahe

I, formerly know and addressed as Moh'd Ahmad Bunza now wishes to be known and addressed as Mahe Amadu Bunza. All documents bearing my former names remain valid. Banks and general public take note.

Zone, yesterday kicked against the Federal Government's decision to compel the nation’s universities to key into its Treasury Single Account (TSA) policy. It insisted that “the policy negates the principle of autonomy as contained in the 2009 FGN/ ASUU agreement.”

Coordinator of the association in the zone, Dr. Anthony I. Monye-Emina, who expressed the body's disappointment during a press briefing held in Benin, noted that with the policy, promotions were now at the instance of TSA regulators.

In a paper entitled: "An Ominous Wind Blowing in Nigeria’s Ivory Towers,” Monye-Emina said: “With this TSA, promotions have become national and seemingly subject to approval of TSA regulators in Abuja.”

According to him, "The same applies to sabbaticals and adjunct teaching.

Worst of all is that academics on study leave with pay and outside the country cannot get their salaries

easily while many of them are being humiliated because universities cannot also pay their fees as at when due."

Members of ASUU of the zone also condemned what they described as renewed onslaught on the universities with the shortfall in subvention for salaries and other overheads.

They said: "The result is

Port Harcourt

A

clash between members of two rival cult groups has claimed at least six lives in Ogbakiri community, Emuoha Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Some of the cultists also sustained injuries and were said to be receiving treatment in undisclosed hospitals for fear of being attacked by rivals and arrested by security operatives.

From 1999 to 2011, Ogbakiri community was a near ghost town as residents fled to neighbouring communities and Port Harcourt after a crisis erupted that led to blood-

Yenagoa

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he administrative council of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in Bayelsa State has suspended its Ogbia Local Government Area branch chairman over allegations of embezzlement.

The suspended Chairman, Victor Ebutu, was said to have absconded with two months’ checkoff dues belonging to the state chapter of NULGE. In a statement signed by its President, Akpos Ekiegha, the administrative council, after an emergency meeting on August

£4.41m

The annual salary of Peter Cech of Arsenal in 2014/2015.

Source: Paywizard.co.uk

and states do not mean well for the Nigerian education system generally and the universities in particular.

We therefore want to let you all know that the patience of the union and its membership has been stretched to an unimaginable limit with an obvious threat to industrial harmony in the university system," Monye-Emina said.

PHOTO: NAN

letting and destruction of property.

But in 2014, just three years after the Joint Task Force restored peace in the community, rival cult groups clashed, losing members and reigniting the crisis that took almost a decade to resolve.

Since Sunday, there had been reports of exchange of gunfire by the cultists, who were members of Icelanders and Degban, sources said were battling for supremacy, forcing some residents to run for their lives.

The fighting was said to have started at a peace parley initiated by the community's traditional ruler in order to make them embrace the amnesty offer by the state to cultists and criminals in the state.

NULGE suspends Bayelsa LG chairman over embezzlement Chris Ejim

states’ funded capital projects are non-existent as the universities have been abandoned to the Tertiary Education Trust Fund.

"Having appraised the problems, it’s clear that governments, federal

L-R: Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole; APC Governorship Candidate, Mr Godwin Obaseki and National Chairman, Chief John OdegieOyegun, during the presentation of Obaseki at a rally in Benin … yesterday.

Cult clash claims 6 in Rivers

Emmanuel Masha

that most federal universities have been paying fractions of monthly salaries since the beginning of the year. Payments for essential services, including municipal services are problematic and in arrears. Public universities in states are not faring better with the antics of their own governments. Underfunding remains chronic.

Salaries are in arrears,

26, in Yenagoa, suspended the chairman and directed him to hand over to his Vice-Chairman, Igoniwari Anyam.

Speaking to newsmen in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State NULGE Deputy President, Toruyouyei Gowon, said the chairman was suspended for allegedly diverting money belonging to the union into his private pocket.

He said: “The executive of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the state administrative council of NULGE were all here in the office waiting for him to remit the statutory 10 per cent belonging to the union, but he absconded."

A’Ibom women protest destruction of farmland by herdsmen Tony Anichebe Uyo

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ollowing the incessant destruction of their crops and farmland by Fulani herdsmen and their cattle, women and elders of Ikot Umoessien community in Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, yesterday embarked on a peaceful protest to express their dismay.

The peaceful demonstration, led by the women leader, Deaconess Martha Philip, was to express their grievances and draw gov-

ernment’s attention to their plight as law abiding citizens.

The protesters were carrying different placards, some of which read; “We believe in Udom Dakada spirit, but herdsmen is our bane,” “Ikot Umoessien people are peace lovers, herdsmen leave our farm,” “Our crops are destroyed by Fulani cattle,” “Enough is enough leave us in peace,” “Government please visit our community for redress.”

The women, who marched through the streets of Ikot Umoessien to the military barracks in

the area, were received by the officer-in-charge, Staff Sgt. Isaiah Davies, who thanked them for their peaceful conduct, promised to convey their grievances to his superiors.

Briefing the soldiers, Philip, beaming with emotion, expressed sadness over the activities of the herdsmen, who rendered their farming efforts to nullity.

She said: “Our crops are destroyed on daily basis, especially cassava, how do we survive next year? We do not go to their farms to destroy their rice, yam even tomatoes they sold to us."

Navy offers free medical treatment to Delta community Ola James Warri

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he Nigerian Navy yesterday offered free medical services to Aladja community in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State as part of its determination to assist the needy, especially in the area of health care delivery.

Commanding Officer, Nigerian Navy Hospital, Warri, Commodore Lawal Adams, who spoke at the Central Naval Command Medical Rhapsody Programme held at Aladja, said navy would not shirk from its responsibility of caring for the needy in the society.

According to him, the exercise was designed to promote navy and civilian

relationship with a view to aligning with the sick and the needy.

Adams said: “Besides, we want to establish normal relationship with members of the public and to ensure that we are always there for them,” insisting that sanity must prevail at all times.

Also speaking, Dr. Gabriel Ode, a medical doctor at the Navy Hospital, called on the people to always embark on regular checkup, lamenting that people living with HIV/ AIDS always believe they will die prematurely.

“Some HIV victims often times refuse to marry.

If you are a victim, you can marry, have children because it will not affect your children,” remarked Ode. Besides, Ode advised

that nursing mothers living with HIV can breastfeed their babies, but stressed that they should always come for medication.

President, General Aladja community, Odogene Elias, commended the Nigerian Navy, Central Command, of assisting members of the public and asked that the gesture should continue.

While assuring the navy of support from Aladja community, Odogene said: “We will forever appreciate their laudable and kind gesture because it will go a long way to assist the needy in the society.”

Scores of beneficiaries of the programme commended the Nigerian Navy for their timely intervention.

north | news

thursday, september 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Audu’s family to Kogi gov: Keep your award, pay workers

Muhammad Bashir and Zacchaeus Ozovehe

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he family of the late supposed winner of the November 21, 2015 gubernatorial election in Kogi State, Prince Abubakar Audu, yesterday declined the award bestowed on the former governor by Governor

Yahaya Bello to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the creation of the state.

The family of the recipient urged the governor to pay the state’s workers their outstanding salaries and drop the idea of the award, describing the idea as self-serving and diversionary.

In a statement personally signed by the senior

NASPOLY: We lost three students to protest Cheke Emmanuel LAFIA

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uthorities of the Nasarawa State Polytechnic, Lafia, yesterday said it lost three of its students to a protest that rocked the institution recently contrary to media reports that only two students died in the protest.

The institution said the school clinic and an ambulance were vandalised during the protest.

The Public Relations Officer of the polytechnic, Alhaji Muktar Wakeel, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen yesterday in his office.

He said the institution had put in place measures to forestall a reoccurrence of the incident, as some punitive measures had also been meted out to the students to discourage

them from future protests.

According to him, each student was to come with a letter of undertaking signed by the chairman of his or her local government area or a senior civil servant not below the rank of a director and the payment of N2, 000 upon resumption.

The spokesperson added that the institution had set up a committee to ascertain the number of private vehicles and other property vandalised by the students based on complaints received.

He said the polytechnic was collaborating with security agencies in the state and landlords within the polytechnic community to ensure that only genuine students of the institution were allowed access to the school or stay within the polytechnic community.

son of the late APC candidate, Alhaji Muhammed Audu and made available to journalists, he advised the governor to pay the civil servants and pensioners, who he said were groaning as a ‘result of the hardship inflicted on them by his administration.’

He said: "Rather than concentrating on the challenges of governance by attending to the needs of the masses, particularly civil servants, Bello has resorted to seeking cheap popularity by misleading the people that he has the endorsement of the family of the late Prince Abubakar Audu.

K

ano State government yesterday said it was fine-tuning plans to evacuate power from Tiga and Challawa Independent Power Projects (IPP) for distribution to the public.

Consequently, the government said it would procure transformers for rural electrification and augmentation/distribution network.

Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje made this known during a meeting with the President of the Skipper Group, Mr. Jitender Kumar Sachdeva, in his office in Gurgaon, India.

A subsidiary of the Skipper Group, SkipperSeil Nigeria Limited, is currently executing the multi-billion naira Tiga and Challawa Dams’ Independent Power Projects in Kano.

He said: “All future transformer requirements shall be done from Skipper after seeking necessary

Electricity Distribution Company.”

Governor Ganduje also expressed interest in setting up of a 100 megawatts Green Economic Zone, an eco-friendly initiative, based on hybrid model of sourcing power as well as a proposal for a 150-kilowatt community solar system by the company in Kano.

The governor also discussed with the company’s president, modalities for signing Memoranda of Understanding (MoU), for supply of tractors for agricultural production as well as upgrade of existing eye units in general hospitals in Kano, between the state government and Skipper Eye-Q Nigeria.

Meanwhile, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility, the consortium, through one of its directors, Ms. Poonam Sachdeva, agreed during the meeting, to donate 200 mechanical sugarcane extracting units to the state within the next six months, to facilitate economically viable processing.

$350m

The net worth of Tom Hanks in 2016.

Source: Fropky.com

Information Officer of the Ministry, Mr. Akpata Jordan, which was made available to newsmen in Lokoja yesterday.

The statement said that payment of salaries has commenced in line with the promise made by the state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, during the silver jubilee celebration of the state a few days ago.

According to the statement, workers of Lokoja Local Government in the state were expected to start drawing their salaries, calling on the councils who were yet to submit their payroll to do so to enable government pay as soon as possible.

PHOTO: NAN

Army/villagers’clash: Military, community shun panel’s inaugural sitting Dan Atori MINNA

Kano

his father would be receiving award on the family’s behalf.

Meanwhile, Special Adviser on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Abubakar Sadiku Ohere, has directed council areas in Kogi State who were yet to submit their payroll to do so without further delay in anticipation of the payment of three months’ salaries to the workers.

This was contained in a statement signed by the

Managing Director, Dangote Foundation, Hajiya Zouwaira Yousuffu (middle), with some Internally Displaced Persons (Idps), during the inauguration of the distribution of free clothing materials to Bama Idps in Bama, Borno State…yesterday.

Ganduje: Kano to distribute power he judicial commisfrom IPP plants to communities T sion of inquiry looking clarifications from Kano into the clash between the Muhammad Kabir

"For the record, we have never at any time supported illegality, but rather poised to retrieve the stolen mandate which Bello took from the Audu/ Faleke team. Rather than seeking the endorsement of late Prince Audu’s family, the governor should allow the Supreme Court to do its job," he added.

He said Aisha Emeje, who purportedly received the award on behalf of the family, had since left his father before his demise, and even contested election against him, saying it was laughable that such a woman who had even given birth to a child for another man after leaving

43

military and the civilians in four villages in Bosso Local Government Area of Niger State has decried the absence of parties in the dispute at its inaugural meeting in Minna yesterday.

Chairman of the commission, Justice Mohammed Mohammed, who made the remark at the

Education Resource Centre, venue of the sitting of the commission, was disturbed that only a scanty number of people showed up at the inaugural sittings of the commission.

The principal characters in the dispute, the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Air force and the Gwari community, were conspicuously absent and also not represented by counsel.

However, Justice Mohammed assured all parties to the dispute that the commission would be ‘fair and just to every-

one concerned,’ because ‘we are here to do justice, the public expect us to do justice and we will do just that.’

He, however, said the time at the disposal of the committee was limited, so the commission would not tolerate ‘unnecessary adjournments.’

Secretary of the commission, Alhaji Musa Rogo, said four memoranda, one from the Army, had been received by the commission.

It will be recalled that Governor Abubakar Sani

Bello, set up the judicial commission of inquiry into the army-civilian clash which claimed 24 lives, among them 11 soldiers, while several property were destroyed two weeks ago.

Also on Wednesday the second commission of inquiry into the crisis at Pandogari, Lambatta and Barkuta in Rafi Bosso and Paikoro Local Government Areas of the state headed by Justice Mikail Abdullahi, began sitting at the IBB University, Lapai, Guest House, Minna.

Alleged N107 billion: EFCC arrest nine former Benue officials Cephas Iorhemen MAKURDI

T

he Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in conjunction with Nigeria Police have started the process of the recovery of the N107 billion looted from Benue State treasury by 52 individuals and 10 corporate organisations in the last administration with the arrest of nine persons.

The nine persons who were indicted by the Justice Elizabeth Kpojime Commission of Inquiry were ar-

rested and detained at the State Police headquarters, Makurdi before being taken to the force headquarters Abuja for further investigation and subsequent prosecution.

Those arrested included former Special Adviser to the former Governor, Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prince Solomon Wombo; former permanent secretary of the Bureau, Mr Asen Sambe, and the accountant during their time, Mr. Isaiah Ipevnor.

Others are Janet Aluga, Moses Detso, Peter Ochoga, James Gera, Aorga

Emmanuel and former legal adviser of the Benue Investment and Property Company, BIPC, Mr John Tyokegh.

The State Commissioner of Police, Mr Bashir Makama, who confirmed the arrest, explained that the it was effected by the Police from the force headquarters in Abuja.

Wombo reported himself to the police at the force headquarters in Abuja and is currently being detained there.

A police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said one of those indicted by the Kpojime

Commission, Mr Richard Gbande, escaped when Police went to arrest him but that his two cars were impounded.

He revealed that large amounts of money and ammunition were recovered from the houses of some of those arrested.

Reacting to the development, the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Michael Gusa, who also confirmed the arrests, stated that the Governor Samuel Ortom’s administration would do everything legally possible to recover the looted funds.

44

WORLD \ NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Brazil’s President, Rousseff, impeached over budget padding

B

razil’s Senate has voted to remove President Dilma Rousseff from office for manipulating the budget. It puts an end to 13 years in power of her left-wing Workers’ Party. Ms Rousseff denies the charges.

Sixty-one Senators voted

in favour of her impeachment and 20 against, meeting the two-thirds majority needed to remove her from the presidency.

Acting President Michel Temer will serve out Ms Rousseff ’s term, which ends on 1 January 2019. Mr. Temer, from the centre-right PMDB party,

is expected to be officially sworn in later on yesterday. Ms Rousseff had been suspended in May after the Senate voted to go ahead with the impeachment process.

She was accused of moving funds between government budgets, which is illegal under

Brazilian law.

Her critics said she was trying to plug deficit holes in popular social programmes to boost her chances of being re-elected for a second term in October 2014.

Ms. Rousseff fought the allegations, which she said amounted to a coup d’etat.

Rousseff

US doubts Russia’s claim it killed ISIS spokesman

R

North Korea president, Kim Jong Il, yesterday

North Korea executes vice premier

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orth Korea has executed its vice premier for education and rebuked two high-ranking officials, South Korea said yesterday, which, if true, would mark a new series of measures by leader Kim Jong Un to discipline top aides.

Kim took power in 2011 after the death of his father, Kim Jong Il, and his consolidation of power has included purges and executions of top officials, South Korean officials have said.

South Korea’s Unification Ministry spokesman Jeong Joon-hee said the government had confirmed the execution of the education official, Kim Yong Jin, “through various channels” but declined to provide details. Kim Yong Chol, the influential head of the North’s United Front Department which handles inter-Korean

relations, was made to undergo “revolutionary measures,” Jeong told a briefing.

Another ruling party official in the propaganda department was also reprimanded, Jeong said. It is difficult to independently verify news about top officials in the North or the inner circle around the leader. Some previous reports of executions and purges in the reclusive state have proven inaccurate.

Vice Premier Kim Yong Jin was executed for not keeping his posture upright at a public event, a South Korean government official later told Reuters.

Kim Yong Chol was punished for his overbearing demeanor, the official added, but gave no details.

The execution, by firing squad, took place in July and Kim Yong Chol was re-educated at a rural farm for a month un-

til mid-August, South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency said.

The South’s comments follow a news report two days ago that the North had executed two high ranking officials for disobeying leader Kim Jong Un. Kim Yong Jin was promoted to vice premier in 2012 after serving as education minister, according to a South Korean government database on key officials of the North.

Army general Kim Yong Chol headed the North Korean intelligence agency before taking his current position this year. News of the reclusive state’s new purges comes after the South said North Korea’s deputy ambassador in London had defected and arrived in the South with his family, dealing an embarrassing blow to Kim’s regime.

Gabon: Ali Bongo wins re-election as president

G

abon’s interior ministry has declared incumbent President Ali Bongo as the winner of the country’s closely-fought presidential race. Interior Minister Pacome Moubelet Boubeya said yesterday that Bongo had won 49.80 percent percent of the vote and rival candidate Jean Ping had won 48.23 percent.

Election commission members belonging to the opposition denounced the vote, which one commissioner for Ping’s party, Paul Marie Gondjout, said was “stolen”. Catherine Soi, Al Jazeera’s correspondent in the capital Libreville, said Ping’s camp has rejected the result. “They say they

will not accept this result at all,” Soi said. “Protests have started. Protests are expected to continue,” she said, adding that what appeared to be clouds of tear gas and smoke could be seen over parts of the city. “Jean Ping has been telling his supporters not to accept a vote that is not favourable to him. He is telling his people to defend their vote, to defend their choice.”

Bongo, 57, has now won a second term as head of the tiny oil-rich state previously ruled for 41 years by his father, Omar. In 2009, Bongo was declared winner of the presidential election after his father’s death. The result was disputed and in the ensuing

clashes several people were killed, buildings looted and the French consulate in the economic capital Port-Gentil was torched.

Prior to becoming Bongo’s bitter rival, Ping, a 73-year-old career diplomat well-known on the international scene, worked with Bongo senior for many years. The European Union, which monitored the election, has called for Gabon to publish “detailed results” for every polling station and urged all actors to help keep the peace.

“We invite all stakeholders to exercise restraint, work to maintain civil peace in the postelectoral context and make use of legal channels to resolve any dispute,” the EU said.

ussia said one of its airstrikes in Syria killed ISIS spokesman Mohammad al-Adnani -- a claim that a US official called preposterous.

Yesterday, Russia’s Ministry of Defense announced it killed the terror leader on the ministry’s official Facebook page. It said Adnani was one of up to 40 ISIS militants killed by a Russian bomber in Aleppo province. But a US defense official slammed Russia’s assertion.

“It would be laughable but for the very real humanitarian suffering Russia has inflicted,” the defense official said Wednesday.

“We stand by the statement we made yesterday. We conducted a strike that targeted al-Adnani.

We are assessing the results of

that strike.”

Tuesday, ISIS announced Adnani’s death in a rare public statement. His death marks the highest-profile killing yet of an ISIS member.

A key deputy to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, he was floated to be his successor should anything happen to Baghdadi.

A statement from ISIS’ Amaq news agency on Tuesday said Adnani died while inspecting military operations in the area of Aleppo. ISIS has not revealed his cause of death and said it was “determined to seek revenge” for the killing. “After a journey filled with sacrifice and fight against non-believers, the Syrian Gallant knight, Abu Mohammed al-Adnani, joined the convoy of martyr leaders,” ISIS said.

Cocaine ‘worth €50m’ discovered at Coca-Cola plant

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ocaine with a street value of up to 50 million euros (£42m) has been discovered at a Coca-Cola plant in France. The drug, hidden in bags among a delivery of orange juice concentrate, arrived in a container from South America.

An investigation is under way in Signes, a village in southern France. The seizure of 370kg of cocaine makes it one of the largest finds on French soil. The prosecutor of Toulon, Xavier Tarabeux, said the delivery “has a street value of 50 million euros” and referred to it as “a very bad surprise”. Employees

at the Coca-Cola plant have been ruled out of any involvement as investigators attempt to trace the origin of the drug. “The first elements of the investigation have shown that employees are in no way involved,” Jean-Denis Malgras, the regional president of Coca-Cola, told local news website Var-Matin. In April 2015, French customs officers aided in the arrest of two men caught trying to sail a yacht loaded with 250kg of cocaine to the UK. The SY Hygeia of Halsa was boarded

by French authorities off Martinique and found to be carrying the drug with a street value of some £40m.

50 years after, US commercial flight lands in Cuba

A

US commercial flight has arrived in Cuba for the first time in more than half a century.

JetBlue Flight 387 had 150 passengers, including US transport secretary Anthony Foxx.

The plane took off from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at 09:45 EDT (13:45 GMT) and landed in Santa Clara in central Cuba about an hour later.

The flight marks the latest development between US and Cuba since they restored diplomatic ties in December 2014.

The last time an American airline flew scheduled service to Cuba was more than 50

years ago on a propeller plane, according to Marty St George, the executive vice president of JetBlue. To commemorate the occasion, the plane received a water cannon salute, which traditionally marks a special occasion for a ship or aircraft.

Since the US thawed relations with Cuba, embassies have been re-opened in Washington and Havana, President Barack Obama visited the country and a US cruise ship sailed to the island nation in May. The Obama administration has approved 10 US-based airlines for regular passenger jet service to Cuba, offering as many as 110 daily flights.

45

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Sport Charles Ogundiya

I

t has been revealed to New Telegraph from a reliable source that the Nigeria Professional Football League has been hijacked by the Nigeria Football Federation’s Referee Committee.

Revealing this was a retired FIFA-badge referee who currently serves as Referee Match Assessor but doesn’t want his name in print.

According to him, the referees are not to be blamed for the recent happening in the league especially the spate of bad officiating involving a particular team in the league.

“I am very bitter about what is happening in the league, but we all have to share in the blame,” he said.

“This anomaly started since the beginning of the season but nobody said anything because it never affected us personally, but now teams are coming up to complain because it involved them directly.

“I want to disagree with the notion that the League Management Company is helpless on what is happening, because it has a member on the NFF Referee Committee who is the Chief Operating Officer of the LMC, Salisu Abubakar.

“Last year we had similar issues but there was immediate reaction from the LMC, so why was it different this season? It all points to a grand plan by the NFF and LMC.” During the quarterfinal matches of the Federation Cup, a referee, Henry Ogunyamodi from Ondo State, was accused of bias officiating in the game between IfeanyiUbah FC and Warri Wolves, leading to the fans calling the match officials thief after he was alleged to have cancelled out two goals scored by Warri Wolves.

It was a big surprise when the same referee was listed

Sport News

Did you know?

Team Nigeria storm Rio for Paralympic Games

That Nigeria has completed the medals circle in the Olympic Games footabll event by winning gold at Atlanta ‘96, silver at Beijing 2008 and bronze at Rio 2016

International Sport Nasri joins Sevilla on loan

46 47

Exclusive:

Refs hijack domestic league

Osimhen

Eagles beat Akwa Utd as Ikeme arrives today Ajibade Olusesan

season, what does that points to?

“The referee committee retired an official that handled the game between MFM and Shooting Stars in Lagos but yet to say anything about the Federation Cup match, are you saying that it doesn’t worth its attention?

“What is happening is not good for the game and the development of our referees because nobody will take us seriously.”

for a game involving IfeanyiUbah in Nnewi and nothing was said about the Federation Cup till now.

According to our source, apart from using some referees for their hatchet plan of determining the league winners, the ongoing season might be ‘given’ to the highest bidder.

He added; “Imagine a referee handling the home matches of the same club for up to five or six times in the

Kelvin Njoku of Warri and Wasiu Jimoh of 3SC

N

igeria’s Super Eagles beat Nigeria Football Proffesional League club Akwa United 3-0 in a test game before Saturday’s 2017 African Cup of Nations qualifier against Tanzania also in Uyo. An impressive crowd turned up at the equally impressive Akwa Ibom International Stadium to watch the Eagles in action with youngster Victor Osimhen, goalkeeper Ikechuwu Ezenwa and Shehu Abdullahi seeing action, while the likes of Mikel Obi, Ahmed Musa and Kelechi Iheanacho were rested.

The Eagles under new coach Gernot Rohr won thanks to first half goals by Brown Ideye and Nosa Igiebor with Watford striker Odion Ighalo wrapping up the win after the interval.

Franco-German Rohr insisted on the game to ascertain the match fitness of his call-ups for the AFCON dead rubber which will serve as a dress rehearsal for a 2018 World Cup qualifier on October 3 in Zambia.

Meanwhile, Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper Carl Ikeme will arrive in the Eagles camp today.

According to the media officer of the team Toyin Ibitoye, Ikeme is expected to join up with his mate before the team’s evening session.

Ibitoye also said that as at the time of filing this report, Christian Madu and Simon Moses were yet to arrive in Uyo but the duo were being expected last night.

Dalung regrets scrapping of NSC The Sport Team Adekunle Salami Group Sport Editor

Emmanuel Tobi Assistant Sport Editor

Ajibade Olusesan Sport Correspondent

Charles Ogundiya Sport Correspondent

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

T

he Youth and Sports Minister Solomon Dalung says the National Sports Commission has a role to play in the new sports architecture of Nigeria being proposed to move the sector forward.

The minister made this known on an NTA Network Programme, Tuesday Live while responding to questions on the scrapping of the National Sports Commission.

Dalung explained that a technical committee was set up to streamline the merging of Youth and Sports of which he was not part of.

“The NSC was scrapped when I was appointed minister of Youth and Sports.

The merging of the two ministries to become one led to the establishment of a technical committee to merge the min-

Dalung

istries. What came out of the report of the committee was just a briefing. The committee had already decided to merge the ministry independent of the minis-

ter but the popular opinion was that the minister scrapped the NSC,” he said.

He however opined that for the ministry to get it right, it must go back to the foundation of sports which is the grassroots.

“We have to restructure our sports architecture where government will concentrate on investing grants on talents or grassroots sports development while the elite sports will be left for the federations and professionals,” he added.

The minister stressed that one of the major predicaments of sports administration in Nigeria was the election of people into offices of the federations.

“There, you have the immigration of people from their traditional sports to other federations to assume leadership.”

46

SPORT NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

TeamNigeriastormsRio forParalympicGames Emmanuel Tobi

A

fter several days of uncertainties, Team Nigeria athletes will on Thursday, September 1 depart for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games scheduled for September 7-18, 2016.

According to the Nigeria Paralympic Committee Media Officer, Mr. Patrick Ibeh, the team which is made up of 23 athletes and six coaches plus one athlete’s competition partner would depart the country through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja with an Emirates Airline at 5pm Nigerian time.

Nigeria would compete in only three sports – para-athletics, powerlifting and table-tennis.

Sports Minister Solomon Dalung charged the athletes to go for Gold and be good ambassadors of the country by competing clean at the Games

Yakubu Adesokan, one of Nigeria’s medal prospects

Court suspends NPFL over Giwa FC’s expulsion Musa Pam JOS

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igerian Professional Football League has been suspended indefinitely until the League Management Compnay fully complies with court injunction ordering it order of reinstating Giwa FC to the league.

Justice I I Kunda in his ruling delivered at the Plateau State High Court which sat in Bukuru, near Jos on Wednesday decried the tactics being employed by the counsel to the LMC,Olumide Olujimi,

Thomas Football Tourney ends Saturday

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he two weeks Pastor Vale Odu Thomas Football Championship will end on Saturday at Igando Palace playground, Alimosho, Lagos.

Eight teams are taking part in the tournament beings sponsored by Christ Embassy Ikotun 1.

Match coordinator, Friday Omale, said the competition was put together to honour Pastor Vale Odu Thomas who is in charge of the Christ Embassy Church, Ikotun 1.

Omale said Pastor Thomas was passionate about youth and he loved the round leather game which motivated the organisers to package a football tourney to honour him.

“Our Pastor is passionate about youth and he also loves football. We decided to put this tournament together in his name so that we can win souls for the Christ,” he said.

Aside this, Omale said the tourney was also organized to win souls for Christ and empower the youth in the church through round leather football.

to delay the case knowing ful well that the Nigerian league is time-bound, and the league would have effectively ended before the case is determined.

The judge declared the case adjourned but also told the defendants that they could proceed with their appeal at the appelate court if they so wish.

It would be recalled that sequel to the expulsion of Giwa FC, a State High Court sitting in Bukuru, Jos, Plateau State, had granted the prayers of the club seeking its reinstatement to the domestic league.

Counsel to Giwa FC, SD Ekara, had tabled five prayers before the court which includes, “That the NFF and LMC be restrained from further organising any matches pending the hearing of the motion on notice, Interlocutory injunction compelling the LMC to reschedule all matches Giwa FC did not play as a result of the purported expulsion, injunction recalling all Giwa FC players summarily released and signed by other clubs, restoration of Giwa FC to the league pending the hearing of the motion

Kienka’s reform body to present report Thursday

T Dikko

on notice and such other pronouncements as the court may deem fit”.

Meanwhile, the LMC stated that the body had been inundated with enquirers regarding the decision of the Jos court stopping Nigeria Professional Football League until the reinstatement of Giwa FC to the League.

LMC stated that it had not been served with any such order and was consequently unable to comment on the matter. The league body assured all stakeholders that all steps appropriate in the circumstances would be taken to protect the integrity of the NPLF.

he Sports Reform Committee set up by the Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, will present its report on Thursday September 1 at the National Stadium, Abuja.

The event scheduled for 12.30 pm is expected to attract many stakeholders who have eagerly awaited the report which hold a lot of promise going by the elaborate debates and open house presentations from well-placed resource persons.

The committee inaugurated April 8 was expected to turn-in its report July 14 but asked for a ‘reasonable extension’ to complete the project.

“It has been a lot of hard work and personal sacrifice on the part of the Committee members.”

Godwin Kienka, chairman of

ABUJA

S

ports enthusiast, Alhaji Idi Farouk, has frowned at the engagement of a foreign manager for the Super Eagles noting that Nigeria has quality coaches that could do better the German coach if given the wherewithal to perform.

He criticized the signing of German Gernot Rohr saying Nigeria does not require a foreigner with all the reservoir of coaches in the country.

“Do we really need a foreign coach? And if so who pays is salary, What are his antecedents, what has he done that Nigerian coaches

have not achieved ? How many coaches have taken us to the World Cup? he queried.

Farouk said Nigerian coaches were good and what they require are technical update and exposure adding that the employment of a foreigner is waste of resources.

“I feel pained that Nigeria is going to employ a foreigner, it does not work it. A Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola would have been better if we must go for a foreigner not just a man that is walking around Africa. And the fact is that who is paying the bill when many of the local coaches are owed salaries,” he queried.

Borrowing the words of late Amodu Shaibu’s wife against

the 12 member committee said.

Adding, “We hope Nigerians will find it worth the wait.”

Members of the Committee are, Babatunde Fatayi-Williams, Segun Odegbami, Mary Onyali, Sam Ahmedu, Florence Adeyanju and Laminu Waziri. Others are Yusuf Datti, Demola Are, Despan Kwardem, Kayode Thomas and Ayo Olubato.

Kienka

SWAN sets up committees I

n pursuance of its mandate and commitment to keep tab on the activities of critical stakeholders in the sports sector, the Sports

Farouk faults NFF over Rohr Adeolu Johnson

even as he emphasized on the need for them to be of good behavior and avoid any act capable of tarnishing the good image of the country.

Also, President of Paralympic Committee Nigeria, Monday Emoeghavwe, is optimistic that the Team Nigeria Paralympic athletes would not be of any disgrace in Rio. The athletes are poised to surpass the London 2012 feat where Team Nigeria won 6 gold, 5 silver and 2 bronze medals.

According to a table tennis player Nick Emmanuel, “I’m not going to Rio to see Marcopollo buses but to win gold for Nigeria.”

Similarly, powerlifting head coach, Are Feyisetan, said his athletes would repeat the London 2012 Games feat of six gold medals if the lifters adhere to instructions and no biased officiating.

former Sports Minister, Jim Nwobodo, that Nigeria requires a foreign coach, Farouk said the country also needed the service of a foreign NFF President if she is to succeed.

He said the local coaches such as Adegboye Onigbinde, Christian Chukwu, Amodu Shuaibu and Stephen Keshi had proved that local coaches can deliver.

Farouk

Writers Association of Nigeria has set up a nine-man committee to manage its interactive forum called “The SWAN National Platform.

The committee headed by ace sports journalist and General Manager, Sports, Africa Independent Television (AIT), Mr Tunde Orebiyi; is to coordinate the forum that would afford sports administrators, corporate organisations and other stakeholders to interface with sports writers with a view to engendering development in the sector.

The media interface is also expected to bring to the doorsteps of sports enthusiasts and Nigerians true situations in the sector and efforts of critical stakeholders towards delivering on their mandates.

Other members include Toyin Ibitoye, Abdulrahman ibn Mohammed, Jide Alabi, Mike Mbonye, Tony Ubani, Sina Abimbola and Norbert Okolie, while Abdulraheem Aodu will serve as secretary.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Star partners five European clubs

Real, Juventus, Arsenal, PSG, Man City on the cards

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istory was made on Wednesday as Star Lager Beer announced an unprecedented partnership with not one but FIVE of the biggest European football clubs – Arsenal, Juventus, Real Madrid, PSG and Manchester City.

By virtue of the partnership, Star has become the “Official Beer Partner” of Arsenal; Juventus; Real Madrid; PSG and Manchester City. These five clubs have a combined history of 87 domestic league titles, 13 Champions League titles and numerous European titles.

Marketing Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Franco MariaMaggi, described the partnerships as a commitment from Star, Nigeria’s foremost beer brand to

bring new football experience to consumers and loyal fans of these clubs.

The significance of this new partnership bestows Star lager beer rights to promote the brands’ association with Real Madrid; Arsenal; Juventus; Manchester City and PSG to millions of fans across Nigeria and beyond, supporting its vision to embrace an unrivalled passion of football.

The deal with these clubs poses an exciting bright future for football development and viewing experience in Nigeria as confirmed by the Portfolio Manager, National Premium, Nigerian Breweries, Tokunbo Adodo.

He affirmed that Star’s accession as “Official Beer Partner” to these five clubs, has bought into

important football assets across the biggest leagues in Europe England, Spain, Italy and France.

The established partnership will have Star organise digital amplification of the European clubs in Nigeria, including digital promotions to drive viewership as well as providing outdoor amplification of the clubs and billboards.

Advertising budgets will benefit the domestic media, as radio, television and newspaper houses will participate in Star’s amplification of matches and extended activities with their club partners.

Star’s partnership with Europe’s five greatest clubs may further encourage the clubs to include Nigeria in their summer pre-season tours.

US Open: Serena allays injury fears after win

S

erena Williams insists her shoulder problem is not harming her performance after the American dispatched Ekaterina Makarova in the US Open first round.

Williams wore compression sleeves on both arms in Arthur Ashe Stadium but showed no visible sign of weakness as the world number one cruised to a 6-3 6-3 victory against the Russian.

She shot 12 aces with her faulty right shoulder and Makarova failed to create a single break point as Williams booked a second-round meeting with fellow American Vania King.

“No, I didn’t make too many adjustments,” Williams said.

“I didn’t hit my serves as hard as I normally hit them.

I just went for more placement. I didn’t go for the big 120s, just the regular.”

Williams is bidding to win a 23rd Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows, which would take her above Steffi Graf ’s Open-era record and within one of Margaret Court’s all-time best.

Nasri (left)

Nasri joins Sevilla on loan

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anchester City midfielder Samir Nasri has joined Spanish club Sevilla on a season-long

loan deal.

France international Nasri, 29, has left City despite making his first appearance of the season in Sunday’s 3-1 home win against West Ham. City manager Pep Guardiola did not allow Nasri to train with the main group when he reported back for pre-season as he had returned

LUIZ

returns to Chelsea T

Serena

overweight.

Keeper Joe Hart and striker Wilfried Bony have also left City on loan.

England keeper Hart has joined Italian side Torino and Ivory Coast international Bony has gone to Stoke, both until the end of the season.

“It’s been a pleasure thanks to everyone in the club and the fans for the five amazing years and wish you best of luck for the season,” Nasri posted on social media.

he Brazil international defender has passed his medical in London to return to the Stamford Bridge only two years after leaving the club for French champions, Paris Saint Germain.

Chelsea have completed the signing of David Luiz from PSG for £38m (45m) according to Goal can confirm.

The Brazil international returns to Stamford Bridge just two years after leaving Chelsea, who opened talks with their ex-player only yesterday.

The 29-year-old has signed a

Luiz

contract and completed a medical according to sources close toGoal but details have yet to emerge over the length of the deal.

PSG have decided not to sign a replacement for Luiz despite only having three recognised centre-backs in Thiago Silva, Marquinhos and Presnel Kimpembe, with Serge Aurier capable of deputising.

Chelsea have officially announced the signing of Marcos Alonso from Fiorentina while they also have the option of signing Aymen Abdennour on loan from Valencia.

INTERNATIONAL SPORT

47

The Muyiwa Daniel Column md_muyiwa@yahoo.com 08023525087 (sms only)

Pinnick and his Rohr gambit!

N

ow that the Rio Olympic Games are over and deservedly Nigeria has received the result of its lack of preparedness, sure we ‘will take stock’ but meanwhile, let me address the German, Genort Rohr’s, issue. I don’t have any sympathy for journeymen who decide that the difference between poverty and short cut to a new beginning lies with the Nigerian Football Federation job.

Why? after the forays by Jorge Pena, Joseph Ember, Father Tiko and Otto Gloria, the Nigerian soccer scene had a solid foundation in administration with leadership of Colonel Mike Okwechime, P.O.C. Achebe running from Ogunlana Drive in the twin duplex donated by Stationery Stores Founder-Israel Adebayo Adebajo- in Surulere Area of Lagos.

Visit Ogunlana Drive these times and be shocked at the disgusting nature of the complex with the plaque that had the names of former NFA Chairmen and Secretaries serving as cover for food sellers who battle for space where Sunday Dankaro-a former player from Plateau-that never won the FA Cup despite perennial qualification for the finals at the King George V - later rechristened Onikan Stadium.

Dankaro built on the 1976 squad that had legendary Haruna Ilerika from the “new fresh legs” put together

by Tiko when the “top stars” of Enugu Rangers and IICC “Shooting Stars decided to give the national team a cold shoulder and the new breed saw the chickens from Dire Dawa Bronze medal to the 1980 gold while the nation hosted the African Cup in Lagos and Ibadan.

The Brazilian, Gloria, left the country after that victory and then came Manfred Hoerner who at Maroc ’88 had succeeded Adegboye Onigbinde who guided another fresh team to the Africa Cup at Cote d’Ivoire 84 losing the gold to Cameroon and was subsequently fired. Hoerner who departed from Morocco leaving behind his passport after Nigeria also lost the gold to the same Cameroon was succeeded by Clemens Westerhof.

Westerhof had the big powers as his influence was so “toxic” to the extent that he had direct access to then military Vice-President – Augustus Aikhomu-who made his countryhome -Papendal- the Eagles training camp. Westerhof on record made Nigeria qualify for the World Cup in USA and Rasheed Yekini hit Setubal’s Hall-of-Fame while a nation that quickly forgets its heroes-lack of records and sports information centre inclusive-hit the rot.

Succeeding Westerhof, was a man he hired, Bonfrere Johannes, hired but “turned a backstabber. However, Bonfrere later guided the team to the Olympic Games Gold medal at Atlanta ’96 despite a torrid preparation as Sports Minister-Chief Jim Nwobodo had a running battle with the NFA Chairman Emeka Omeruah over funds that is being replayed here as coach Samson Siasia’s team struggled to the Rio 2016 bronze medal win salvaging whatever is left of the country’s pride after a “One-Chance-event”.

Back home, NFF’s Amaju Pinnick and his Chris Greenled technical Committee, watched on television while settling for German at a time the nation will not be at the 2017 Africa Nations Cup, U-21 and U-17 world title defense and Salisu Yussuf who has the ambition of “cloning”, Dan Anyiam, Achebe, Onigbinde, Christian Chukwu, Ganiyu Salami, Paul Hamilton, Willy Bazuaye and the deceased Musa Abdullahi, Shaibu Amodu and Stephen Kesh is left gaping. Also on that line has been one of the most brilliantJoe Erico-who will NEVER “prostrate” for the national job and the likes of Austin Eguavoen, Sebastian BrodericksImasuen and former NSC Director-General, Patrick Ekeji.

As Pinnick unveiled his Rohr in a fashion Sports Minister-Solomon Dalung-describes as a son getting married without the approval of his father and expects him to pick the bills it will be a waiting game for the honeymoon to last in a non-competitive environment and “reading Dalung’s lips” is a confirmation that Nigeria will not fund this gamble.

I think this Rohr needs to exchange notes with former journeymen -Thijs Libregts, Betty Vogts, Bora Milutinovic for the treatment meted to the “foreign legion” as he plays this gambit as families of Shaibu and Keshi are still angling for payments of dues while Sunday Oliseh demands his while still alive. Like Nwosu, Ile Garba and Siasia, here comes another gambit of a crashing soccer empire. No pity here. Period!

On Marble

Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.

– Victor Hugo

Sanctity of Truth

Mike A. Wilkie Obaseki and his credentials

NIGERIA’S MOST AUTHORITATIVE NEWSPAPER IN POLITICS AND BUSINESS

}16

N150

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016

Buhari’s August Villa visitors “Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or concluded you do not care.

Either case is a failure of leadership.”

—Colin Powell

N

igeria’s seat of power, Aso Rock villa, is irrefutably the most outstanding public place in Nigeria. Obviously it is also the most inaccessible residence in the country due to reasons very familiar to all. The country’s first family resides there and the nation’s political power is also domiciled at the place.

It’s not a place you can amble into no matter how well your intentions might be. All the visitors to the place whether to the first family or those working there get appointments from the person they want to meet.

The whole essence of protocol and security departments in the Presidency is majorly to scrutinize visitors with a view to sifting them.

Two categories of visitors have been foremost lately to Aso Rock. First group are those the Presidency is so glad to welcome because their visit adds some credibility to an embattled government. The Presidency themselves herald their coming and mobilize the press to waylay them knowing that they would say something positive about their host.

Since the ship of state appears to be slithering dangerously, these types of visitors have been on the increase apparently because as the saying goes elders cannot seat and watch the goat die on tree where it is tied. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo is leading the pack of these groups. Obasanjo’s frequent visit is understandable to many political watchers because he was at the forefront of those who certified and sold this Presidency to Nigerians when he was frenziedly looking for anybody but Goodluck Jonathan.

Obasanjo who has a history and opposition antecedents of always criticizing any government that is not his, suddenly finds himself entangled in this APC project that he now sweats daily trying to defend them.

Another regular visitor like Obasanjo is the former military Head of state retired General Abdulslami Abubakar, the man who has become a utility hand to any government in charge since he handed over power to a democratically elected President in 1999. His role in the emergence of this government is also apparent. So like Obasanjo his stake in this regime is also evident.

General Yakubu Gowon another former military Head of state lately joined his colleagues in the visit and like the others he tried doing a fence mending job for the government.

Out of courtesy and probably as protocol requires the President always escorts all these august guests to their vehicles where the journalists bushwhack them.

Nigeria’s only Nobel laureate Prof Wole Soyinka who also helped to give integrity to this administration at inception came calling but unlike the political elder statesmen he refused to be dragged into image repairing for the government instead said he would address the press

Political Musings IKE ABONYI igwebuike2001@yahoo.com 0802-402-4029 (sms only)

UNWANTED GUEST: BBOG frontliner, Oby Ezekwesili barred from the Villa

in Lagos later which he has done and it was not an upbeat for the system.

But there are other groups of visitors to the villa who have not been able to get a hearing; they have not been allowed access. Giving them access would possibly have given more mileage in the image building and public relations sought than dozens of these establishment persons. Such as the parents of the abducted Chibok girls operating under the umbrella body, Bring Back Our Girls Group BBOG. Undoubtedly meeting and gifting suiting words to these emotionally tormented parents would have gone a long way to healing their deep wounds.

When you are in the type of situation these parents are, you would not be weary hearing encouraging words from those in authority no matter how repeatedly or insincere they might seem. The other visitors in this class are the hundreds of Nigerian youths who lost their jobs with Immigration Service because as the authority claimed, the process that brought them was said to have been handled badly by the previous administration, they were prevented from having access to the Villa where they wanted the “papa” of the nation to hear them and intervene. Imagine the mileage the government would have gotten if somebody other than the Police had addressed these jobless aggrieved youths on behalf of the President, and envisage the image erecting opportunity cheaply squandered as a result of these snubs. It’s even more traumatizing that a government that is this impetuous, in disbanding people who already have finished training is the same administration under whose watch some children of the select rich were secretly picked and given appointments in the nation’s apex bank and as Nigerians cry foul nobody showed concerned. It’s astonishing in this country why we are not usually

disposed to imbibing the fair play doctrine of what is good for the goose being good for the gander?

This government from all indications came to power riding the chariot of the down trodden in our land because the elites were clearly apprehensive and never wished this road, but today, the same elites have hijacked the system because the masses beloved and hitherto populist leader appears to have deserted them.

But in all these, the real bothersome 2

truth for all to appreciate in this country today is that these visits both for those who were welcomed and those chased away, is that the gloomy picture coming out from the seat of power is indicating that the nation is really beleaguered.

Nigerians should worry at the frequency of such visits because they are signs that the masquerade is not sitting well. It’s also an indication that things are not going well.

The concern of all watchers should not be unexpected because the failure of the Buhari government would be disastrous to our democracy, national development and stability.

The situation this country finds itself today clearly calls for all hands to be on deck and for the leaders to keep their ears and doors ajar for new ideas to flow in to move this country forward. Such is in line with John F. Kennedy’s assertion that “Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” And John Maxwell crowned it advisedly saying that “Leaders must be close enough to relate to others, but far enough ahead to motivate them” May God help our leaders appreciate the commonness in our common people.

Poor Dog named ‘Buhari’ As young Boy Scouts we were trained to fight for and project animal rights. I recall in the village in those days, we were always stationed along local market roads to untie goats and other animals badly tied by their owner taking them to the market to sell. My concern today as a scout is not Chinakwe the owner of the controversial dog, my pain and concern really is on the dog that was killed by a faceless animal hater when the owner was in detention. I know as one that also keeps dog that it had no way of determining the name to bear so why kill the poor innocent animal? Another show of man’s inhumanity to animals. Anybody who hates animal is not likely to be friendly to human beings.

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(c.) Olulana Kayode

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