12th May 2016

NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER NO 16,499

THURSDAY, 12 MAY, 2016

Amnesty International wants Giwa Barracks shut

•Says 11 children, 138 others killed in military barracks

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Nigerian Tribune

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Unfulfilled campaign promises

Angry youths set Senator, Rep's houses ablaze in Kano —P3

Nigerian Tribune

TribuneOnline

N150

$115m Diezanigate

EFCC quizzes Imoke, Yuguda •Detains Imasuen, Ize-Iyamu, Adeseun —P37

Labour rejects N145 new petrol price —P6

—P2

•As FG removes fuel subsidy •Marketers hail decision

Oyo places 16,532 workers on watch list •Suspends salary payment till end of verification exercise —P31

PDP elders, BoT members meet in Abuja today

Former Chief of Air Staff, Muhammed Umar (middle), at the Federal High Court, Abuja, during his arraignment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Wednesday. PHOTO: SUNDAY OSUNRAYI

•Plan parallel national convention —P34

I need return of stolen money not Cameron's apology —Buhari •Admits Nigeria is 'fantastically corrupt'

—P4

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Thursday, 12 May, 2016

Labour rejects N145 new petrol price As FG removes fuel subsidy •Marketers laud decision From Leon Usigbe, Soji-Eze Fagbemi, Ademola Adegbite and Olatunde Dodondawa

T

HE organised labour, led by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congres (TUC), on Wednesday, rejected the planned increase in petrol price, saying it will vehemently resist the increment.

This came as the Federal Government announced that a new maximum pump price of petrol of N145 per litre came into effect from Wednesday.

The decision to jack up the price from N86.50 was reached after a meeting of stakeholders, presided over

by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday.

Also in attendance at the meeting were the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr Ibe Kachikwu; leadership of the Senate and House of Representatives, leadership of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas workers (NUPENG) and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).

At the end of the meeting, Kachikwu briefed State House corespondents, explaining the rationale behind the increase.

He said the meeting reviewed the current fuel scarcity and supply difficulties in the country and the exorbitant prices being paid by Nigerians for the product, with prices ranging on the average from N150 to N250 per litre currently.

According to him, the meeting also noted that the main reason for the current problem was the inability of importers of petroleum products to source foreign exchange at the official rate, due to the massive decline of foreign exchange earnings of the Federal Government.

As a result, he said, private marketers had been unable to meet their approximate 50 per cent portion of total national supply of petrol.

The minister said following a detailed presentation by himself, it became obvious that the only option and course of action now open to the government was to take certain decisions.

According to him, in order to increase and stabilise the supply of the product, any Nigerian entity is now free to import petrol, subject to existing quality specifications and

other guidelines issued by regulatory agencies, adding that all oil marketers would be allowed to import petrol on the basis of forex procured from secondary sources.

He said the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) template would reflect this in the pricing of the product.

“We expect that this new policy will lead to improved supply and competition and eventually drive down pump prices, as we have experienced with diesel.

“In addition, this will also lead to increased product availability and encourage investments in refineries and other parts of the downstream sector,” Kachikwu said.

Confirming the new price, PPPRA, on Wednesday, officially announced the new price band for petrol at N145 per litre.

It also advised the NNPC retail stations on the outskirts of major cities to sell at price lower than N145 per litre.

Executive Secretary of the agency, Sotonye Iyoyo, in a press statement, a copy of which was made available to the Nigerian Tribune in Abuja, on Wednesday, said the review became imperative in the face of extreme difficulties faced by petroleum product importers in sourcing foreign exchange.

Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune on Wednesday evening, however, both the NLC president, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, and the TUC president, Comrade Bobboi Kaigama, in separate interviews, said they had called the emergency meeting of their relevant organs to take a prompt decision on the issue.

In his response, Wabba said: “we reject it. We are going to convey emergency meeting of our National Executive Council (NEC).

Look at the economic situation, workers and Nigerians cannot afford it.

“The workers have not been receiving their salaries regularly. We have not even resolved the issue of electricity tariff.

Nigerians cannot afford foods on their table and now, we are talking about another increase in fuel price,” he said.

Also, the TUC president, Kaigama, said the Federal Government caught them unawares with the sudden increase, adding that labour rejected it in totality.

“They caught us unawares. We are going to summon emergency

organs meeting of the TUC to address the matter. We will come out with our position. I believe and hope the NLC will hold same. We will then come together to make a force and present our position and plans to workers and Nigerians,” he said.

Comrade Joe Ajaero, factional president of NLC, told the Nigerian Tribune on Wednesday that removing subsidy without fulfilling the agreement reached with the unions was betrayal.

“We shall be mobilising Nigerian workers and masses to resist this.

Government must keep its promises to Nigerian people and end this increasing angst and deprivation in the country.

“We do not see in this budget any attempt to immediately boost local refining capacity either by ensuring a quick turn around maintenance (TAM) on the existing refineries or by establishing new refineries as promised during last year’s elections,” he said.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, had earlier said on Wednesday that the Federal Government was to engage the organised labour over the planned implementation of the deregulation policy in the

downstream oil sector of the Nigerian economy.

Ngige, who spoke with journalists at a strategic planning workshop organised by the Organisation of Trade Union of West Africa (OTUWA) in Abuja, assured Nigerians that implementation of the policy would not resort to labour crisis and unrest.

Executive Secretary, Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), Mr Obafemi Olawore, however, supported the decision to remove subsidy, calling it the right step in liberating the downstream sector.

“It is a step towards deregulation.

At MOMAN, we support full deregulation,” he said.

Increment insensitive to Nigerians' plight —Fayose Ekiti State governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, condemned the increment of petrol price from N86.50 to N145, describing it as insensitive and demonstration of the level of hatred the Mohammadu Buhari-led government had for Nigerians.

The governor, who said the over 70 per cent increment was another vindication of his predictions on what to expect in 2016, added

that it was now clear that the scarcity of petrol being experienced in the last three months was deliberately orchestrated by the Federal Government to pave way for the already conceived increment.

According to his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Governor Fayose said “Nigerians are now left at the mercy of political liars who took over power by deception and are governing by deceit.”

He said he was waiting for the reaction of those who took to the streets to protest when fuel subsidy was removed by the Dr Goodluck Jonathanled administration in 2012, urging labour unions in the country to stand by their members always, not minding the political party in government.

“When they were seeking for votes from Nigerians, they promised to reduce petrol pump price to from N87 to N45 per litre, they promised to create three million jobs per year, they said $1 will be equal to N1 and above all, they promised to pay unemployed youths N5,000 stipend and provide one meal a day to pupils nationwide.

“Instead of fulfilling their promises, they have increased petrol pump price to N145 per litre,

increased electricity tariffs, retrenched thousands of workers and imposed untold hardships on Nigerians.

“As they did in 2012, if labour leaders do not also stand up for the people at this time, posterity will not forgive them,” he said.

Agoro expresses disgust Also, former presidential candidate of National Action Council (NAC), Dr Olapade Agoro, expressed disgust at the decision of the Federal Government to remove fuel subsidy and its attendant increase in the pump price of fuel.

He described the recent development as a defiance of the promised change of the Buhari-led administration, which had made lives of common masses more difficult.

Agoro bemoaned that state governments had also added to the misery of Nigerians by not paying salaries.

“It is unexpected for President Buhari, who promised change, to continue to make life difficult for the common masses. The rich may afford the increased pump price but this development is so bad for many Nigerians.

State governments also add to the pain of Nigerians,” he said.

Assets declaration: Ambiguity over houses

Saraki bought from FG Sunday Ejike -Abuja

THE trial of Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, continued on Wednesday at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), with ambiguity over the ownership of properties alleged to have been bought by the Senate President from the Federal Government.

The prosecution witness, Michael Wetkas, told the Mr Danladi Yakubu Umar-led tribunal, under cross-examination, that the properties sold to the Senate President was privately owned, as against the earlier claim that the properties were bought from the Presidential Implementation Committee for the Sales of Government Houses.

Paul Usoro, representing the Senate President at the proceedings, asked the witness to read to the tribunal, a letter from one of the bidders of the said properties to the committee, indicating

of the properties were ambiguous.

According to the letter, the properties were labelled 15a, MacDonald Street, Ikoyi; 15b, MacDonald Street, Ikoyi and Block 15, McDonald Street, Ikoyi, behind another plot of land labelled No.15, MacDonald Street, Ikoyi, all in Lagos State.

When the witness was asked whether the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) invited the writer of the letter, Energy

Marine Limited, to explain the content, he said no and also added that he did not visit the properties in question to ascertain the discrepancies in their numbering, but that other members of the investigating team did and reported back to him.

When a member of CCT panel asked the witness how he came to the conclusion that 15a and 15b are same as No. 15 and Block 15, MacDonald Street, Ikoyi Lagos, Wetkas said he was not conversant

with how properties are numbered but as an investigator, he often relied on the replies from the Lagos State Land Registry and the presidential committee on the sale of Federal Government houses, which he said wrote to say that 15a, 15b and the one behind the No. 15 were the same.

The matter was adjourned till next week Tuesday for continuation of cross examination by the defence.

Suicide bomber kills self, scores injured in failed Borno mosque attack A male suicide bomber struck at a mosque in Maiduguri, capital of Borno state, on Wednesday morning.

The incident was said to have occurred while worshipers were observing the morning prayers.

According to Channels Television, the attacker retreated and later detonated the explosives,

targeting those filing out of the mosque after prayers.

Only the suicide bomber was said to have died in the attack and four persons injured.

Soldiers and bomb experts, who re-enforced to the scene, dispersed the gathering crowd and fired at remains of the assailant, detonating two other

explosives in the process.

A resident of Sulimanti, Mallam Ali Aji, who also was in the mosque when the explosion occurred, said “immediately after the blast, worshippers had to desert the mosque before men of the Civilian JTF and military arrived the scene and cordon off the whole area.”

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Thursday, 12 May, 2016

Failed promises: Youths set ablaze Senator Gaya’s residence in Kano

•Torch poultry farm of Reps member •Police command arrests 18 suspects Kola Oyelere - Kano with Agency Report

eering campaigns in 2015.

It was gathered that se-

OME youths suspected to be political thugs, on Wednesday, set ablaze the residence of Senator Kabiru Gaya, in Gaya Local Government Area of Kano State.

The youths also set ablaze the campaign office and poultry farm of the House of Representatives member from the area, Alhaji Abdullahi Mahmoud.

An eyewitness told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano that the incident occurred around 11.00 a.m. on Wednesday.

According to the witness, the youths were protesting the alleged failure of the two politicians to fulfil the promises they made to them during the election-

From right, Kastina State governor, Aminu Masari; acting Managing Director, Bank of Industry (BoI), Waheed Olagunju and the Executive Director (Corporate Services), BoI, Mr Tobin Jonathan, after the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Katsina State government and BoI on N2 billion matching fund for MSME development in Katsina State, on Tuesday.

S

curity agents had initially dispersed the protesting

youths, who later regrouped and burnt the senator’s

house before heading for the campaign office and poultry

Nigeria not a great country —Senate Chief Whip

Says many criminals will escape Buhari’s anti-corruption war Ademola Adegbite - Abuja THE Senate Chief Whip, Professor Sola Adeyeye, on Wednesday, said Nigeria is far from being a great nation, going by the reactions of its leaders and citizens towards corruption, saying many criminals would still escape President Muhammadu Buhari`s anticorruption crusade.

He stressed that corruption was pandemic and part of Nigerian system, which could be found in every sector, be it government agencies or private organisations, pointing out that many criminals would still evade arrest during the onslaught against corruption in Nigeria.

Senator Adeyeye made this known at the 2016 Annual Appreciation Luncheon for Science Journalists and Presentation of Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS) Science Media Awards of the NAS, held at Reiz Continental Hotel, Abuja.

According to him, “corruption is pandemic in Nigeria. It is in every sector of the economy. Politicians alone are not guilty of these claims. You found it among the legislature and the executive arms of government. You find it among the businessmen, you find it among nonpoliticians, you find it in the civil service and other sectors of economy.

“I hardly know a business-

man who tries to go through only due process to get his contract. Most of them cut corners. What we are saying is that if this persists for so long, it is not because one person is doing it, but because so many people are doing it,” he added.

On the claim by the British Prime Minister, David Cameron that Nigeria is fantastically corrupt, he said: “It takes many great democracy of the world to terminate a Mafia. What we have in Nigeria is a Mafia. They have held this country hostage for decades. When you want to fight a mafia, don’t pretend as if they will not fight back. Don’t pretend that they won’t resist change.

Change is not easy in any democracy.”

On the ongoing trial of Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, the Senate Chief Whip declared that nobody could impeach the Senate President unless a competent court pronounced him guilty.

“In the case of Saraki, when he still has a case in

court and the law of the land says the man is presumed innocent until he is found guilty by competent court, should we now say

go? Look, if I were in Saraki’s shoes, I know what I would have done based on my own conscience. Each of us lives based on our con-

science. However, this is not a country where you live by individual`s conscience alone, but you live by the law.”

farm of the House of Representatives member.

NAN gathered that the hoodlums had also attempted to burn the residence of the chairman, Gaya Local Government Area, but were overpowered by the security personnel deployed to quell the violence.

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of Kano State Police Command, Magaji Majiya, confirmed the incident.

Meanwhile, the police have arrested 18 suspects in connection with the vandalism of both houses of Senator Kabir Gaya and that of his counterpart in the House of Representatives, Honourable Abdullahi Mahmoud.

Speaking on the issue, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Magaji Majia, confirmed that the irate youths, numbering hundreds, attacked the house of Senator Gaya.

The PPRO added that the town is now calm, as normalcy has been returned to the town, saying all those arrested had been moved to the state Criminal Investigation Department, for further investigation.

My trial, persecution by EFCC —Adegboruwa

By Yejide GbengaOgundare EMBATTLED Lagos based lawyer and rights activist, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, on Wednesday denied all allegations leveled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday linking him to a fraudulent business transaction on a property in Lagos.

The prominent lawyer who spoke through his firm, Adegboruwa and Company stated that he has no case bordering on fraud, adding that his arrest is simply a case of persecution for his stance against the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

“He is being persecuted for speaking against the Buhari regime. There is no way a criminal case can

be maintained against Mr. Adegboruwa as the criminal case upon which the case is based has been dismissed. Mr Adegboruwa did not collect money for any property but acted as a mediator for settlement and he acted upon the lawful instructions of his client,” the release from his firm stated.

Adegboruwa and company explained that the transaction in question took place before the Gen. Buhari administration came on board, adding that Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa Esq. has been receiving unofficial complaints from the EFCC about his opposition to the Buhari administration and has even been threatened with the said dead case.

“But the threats became more rampant upon his

brief in the case of Chief Government Ekpemupolo (Tompolo) and especially Mr Azibaola Robert, cousin of former President Goodluck Jonathan.”

On May 4, 2016, our firm appeared in Tompolo’s case at the Federal High Court, Lagos and May 4, 2016, our firm filed a suit in court, for the release of Jonathan’s cousin. On May 5, 2016, EFCC filed a case against Mr Adegboruwa.

So, there is no fraud case against Mr Adegboruwa,” the statement said.

The firm further explained that around May 2013, the firm was approached by one Mrs. Sylvia Udeagbala, to represent her husband in a criminal case and in the firm’s first appearance in court; it transpired that the complainant in the

case, Chief Leonard Okafor and the Defendant, Mr Jonathan Udeagbala, discovered they were from the same town and decided to settle the case amicably out of court, adding that the court and the prosecutor were informed of this decision.

“Mr. Jonathan Udeagbala owns a 5 bedroom duplex in Nicon Town Estate in the Lekki area of Lagos. He had a business agreement with Chief Leonard Okafor, for telecommunications. The business didn’t go as planned, so Chief Okafor demanded a refund of his investments which caused Mr. Udeagbala to issue several cheques, which were alleged to have bounced, hence a criminal charge was filed against him in court in Charge No. LCD/129/2012.”

We don’t recruit on behalf of MDAs, FCC tells Nigerians Saliu Gbadamosi - Abuja THE Federal Character Commission (FCC), on Tuesday, warned Nigerians, particularly job seekers, against falling victims of some faceless employment racketeers claiming to be acting for the commission, saying it does not

recruit on behalf of Federal Government’s ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).

According to a statement made available to the Nigerian Tribune

by Head/SA Media, FCC, Abdullahi Adamu Idris, stated that the commission had been inundated

recently with inquiries by members of the public, claiming they were informed either by social media networks, telephone conversation or text messages that the FCC was recruiting or they could be assisted with civil service employment.

The statement noted the

unsuspecting applicants claimed that they were requested to forward their curriculum vitae and other personal documents to the commission for the purpose of employment into any government establishments.

It added that in the process, many unsuspecting

individuals had fallen victims and parted with substantial sums of money.

The statement added that the commission only gave guidelines and procedure for recruitment, declaring that it would not rely on social media to disseminate information to the general public.

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Thursday, 12 May, 2016

Yes, Nigeria is ‘fantastically corrupt’, Buhari admits Says ‘I don’t need Cameron’s apology but return of stolen money stashed in UK’ From Leon Usigbe and Kate Ani

F

OLLOWING the remark by British Prime Minister, David Cameron, in which he described President Muhammadu Buhari as a leader of “fantastically corrupt” country, the president, who is scheduled to meet with Cameron on Thursday, has said the country is corrupt, but that he will not be demanding an apology from the Prime Minister over the comment.

He responded “yes” when asked by the British media if Nigeria was corrupt.

British media, on Tuesday, published a video clip of the Prime Minister, in which he was caught on camera, describing Nigeria and Afghanistan as “fantastically corrupt countries.”

Cameron was speaking with Queen Elizabeth II at an event to mark her 90th birthday.

Buhari, who left for London on Tuesday, is one of the foreign leaders to be hosted by the Prime Minister on Thursday.

In the video, Cameron could be heard singling out the two states as “possibly the two most corrupt countries in the world,” in footage on ITV News showing him chatting in a group, including the Archbishop of Canterbury and Commons Speaker John Bercow.

But the president, who delivered a keynote address on Wednesday, at a Commonwealth event in London, said he would not be asking for an apology from the Prime Minister, saying instead, he would be demanding the return of Nigerian stolen assets stashed away in Britain.

Answering questions after delivering his address, he said: “I am not going to be demanding any apology from anybody. What I will be demanding is the return of assets.

“I have already mentioned in Britain how they led and how disgraceful one of Nigeria’s executives was. He had to dress like a woman to leave Britain and left behind his bank account and fixed assets which Britain is prepared to hand over to us.

“This is what I am asking for. What will I do with apology? I need something tangible.”

In the keynote address entitled: “Tackling corruption together: A conference for civil society, business and government leaders,” he said despite the challenges of fighting corruption in a

democracy, his administration would observe the rule of law.

He conceded that excessive force had been applied in certain cases and expressed his willingness to provide necessary support for corrupt Nigerians to be prosecuted in their countries of refuge.

Buhari noted: “I am not unaware of the challenges of fighting corruption in a manner consistent with respect for human rights and the rule of law.

“As a country that came out of prolonged military rule only 16 years ago, it will clearly take time to change the mentality and psychology of law enforcement officers.

“I am committed to applying the rule of law and to respecting human rights.

I also require our security

agencies to do the same.

“I admit that there are a few cases where apparently stringent rules had been applied as a result of threats to national security and the likelihood that certain persons may escape from the country or seek to undermine the stability of Nigeria.

“It is for this reason that we are seeking the support of many countries for the prosecution of certain individuals residing in their jurisdictions.

“Of course, we will provide the necessary legal documents and whatever mutual assistance is required to secure conviction of such individuals, as well as facilitate the repatriation of our stolen assets.”

The president observed that fighting corruption was not easy, but his adminis-

tration was determined to wrestle down the menace even if it has to step on toes.

He expressed frustration that repatriation of looted proceeds had not been easy, as he advised nations to apply the provisions of the United Nations convention to return proven stolen assets to their countries of origin.

Fayose blames Buhari for Cameron’s insult on Nigeria

The Ekiti State governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, has said President Buhari’s utterances outside Nigeria was the reason the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, described Nigeria as “fantastically corrupt,” saying: “What do you expect from the international community when the president of a nation keeps going abroad

to say that his people are corrupt?”

He said it was annoying that President Buhari said he was embarrassed and shocked by Cameron’s comment, adding that instead of telling Nigerians that he was shocked, the president should apologise to Nigerians for demarketing the country and his people.

The governor, who spoke through his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said it was on record that in February this year, President Buhari said in the United Kingdom that “Nigerians’ reputation for crime had made them unwelcome in Britain” and went on to warn Nigerians to stop trying to make asylum claims in Britain, saying that their reputation

From right: Secretary-General of Commonwealth, Honourable Patricia Scotland QC; President Muhammadu Buhari; Secretary of State, United Kingdom Department for International Development, Mr Jusne Greening MP and MO Ibrahim of MO Ibrahim Foundation, shortly after President Buhari delivered his keynote address at the Commonwealth Anti-Corruption Conference for Civil Society, Business and Government Leaders, at the Commonwealth Secretariat, Marlborough House, London, on Wednesday.

SERAP wants UK govt to extradite Alison-Madueke Ayomide Owonibi Odekanyin - Lagos A civil society group, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), on Wednesday, requested the British authorities to extradite former Petroleum Minister, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, to face trial in Nigeria.

SERAP’s call came against the backdrop of the hosting of International Anti-corruption Summit in London, scheduled to commence on May 12.

The group said in a statement in Lagos, that the United Kingdom (UK) should not provide “sanctuary” for Nigerian corrupt public officials or condone

their impunity.

“The anti-corruption summit in London provides an important opportunity for the UK government to support the ongoing fight against corruption in Nigeria.

“It is also to send a powerful message that the UK will not provide sanctuary for corrupt public officials or condone impunity.

“As a party to the United Nations (UN) convention against corruption, the UK government can use the convention as a basis for the extradition of Mrs AlisonMadueke to Nigeria.

“We urge the Nigerian authorities to without delay submit a request to the UK authorities for the extradi-

tion of Alison-Madueke, explicitly making the point that Nigeria will guarantee her a due process-trial.

“The Nigerian authorities should also consider filing a civil action against Alison-Madueke in the UK courts.

“The allegations of corruption against her are strong enough for Prime Minister David Cameron to facilitate an extradition proceeding,” the statement signed by the Executive Director of SERAP, Mr Adetokunbo Mumuni, said.

SERAP also called on the UK Prime Minister to crackdown on the country’s financial institutions that continued to provide “safe havens for corrupt funds”

from Nigeria.

The group noted:“It is also important for Mr Cameron to work towards improving judicial cooperation between Nigeria and the UK if stolen assets stashed in the UK are to be fully repatriated.”

The Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said in a statement that the Prime Minister “must be looking at the country’s past” and not the present.

“It is certainly not reflective of the good work that the president is doing. The eyes of the world are on what is happening here,” he said.

for criminality had made it hard for them to be accepted abroad.

Governor Fayose, who said he was not against the anti-corruption efforts of the Federal Government, added that all he was saying was that it should be done in accordance with the laws of the country and that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) must stop behaving as if it was above the law.

Cameron’s comment unguarded, unfortunate –Kalu

Former governor of Abia State, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, has described the statement credited to the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, describing Nigeria as a “fantastically corrupt country” as unguarded and unfortunate.

Cameron was reported to have made the statement in London, during his briefing to Queen Elizabeth, just before the anti-corruption summit, which was attended by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Dr Kalu, in a statement, a copy of which was made available to the Nigerian Tribune, said: “It is unfortunate, given the relationship between Nigeria and Britain, two countries who share very long and deep heritage; and especially as the Prime Minister did not state the basis on which he made such assertion which had now become public.

“It is also a gross disrespect and a most uncharitable disposition to the Nigerian people, who work hard to earn their living and who have made very positive impacts on the lives of British people and their economy.

“Also, such statements coming from the convener of the summit himself, just before the commencement, suggest that either he doesn’t take the summit seriously or he is deceptive in terms of his commitment to the Nigerian government in the fight against corruption.

“In the light of this, the British Prime Minister should tender an immediate and unreserved apology to the Nigerian people and to President Buhari for those embarrassing comments.

As a responsible government and former colonialists of Nigeria, my advice is that Britain should handle this matter with the required level of responsibility and prudence, so as to avoid a possible breakdown of diplomatic relations between the two countries,” Dr Kalu stated.

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Thursday, 12 May, 2016

6 news

Thursday, 12 May, 2016

Amnesty International wants Giwa Barracks shut Says 11 children, 138 others killed in military barracks

F

ROM a constellation of insider information, global humanity advocacy group, Amnesty International, said it could now put a figure to systematic killings inside the dungeon of the controversial Giwa barracks detention centre in Maiduguri.

In a statement released to the media on Wednesday, it alleged that about 11 children under six years and about 138 adults, detained at the facility, had been exterminated through a combination of deliberate inhuman handling by their jailers.

Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, has been at the heart of Boko Haram insurgency, with most of the detainees at the facility said to be insurgency suspects.

Out of the affected children, four were said to be babies, with the alleged killings reportedly taking place this year.

The 149 victims were said to have been detained in horrendous conditions.

The statement claimed that “evidence gathered through interviews with former detainees and eyewitnesses, supported by video and photos, shows many detainees may have died from disease, hunger, dehydration, and gunshots wounds.”

The testimonies captured under the headline: “If you see it, you will cry: Life and death in Giwa barracks,” were said to also contain satellite imagery which corroborated testimonies by witness.

“The discovery that babies and young children have died in appalling conditions in military detention is both harrowing and horrifying. We have repeatedly sounded the alarm over the high death rate of detainees in Giwa barracks but these findings show that, for both adults and children, it remains a place of death.

“There can be no excuses and no delay. The detention facilities in Giwa barracks must be immediately closed and all detainees released or transferred to civilian authorities. The government must urgently introduce systems to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children released from detention,” the statement quoted Netsanet Belay, Amnesty International’s Research and Advocacy Director for Africa, to have said.

Amnesty International

said it believed that around 1,200 people are currently detained at Giwa barracks in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions, adding that “many were arbitrarily rounded up during mass arrests, often with no evidence against them. Once inside the barracks, they are incarcerated without access to the outside world or trial. At least 120 of those detained are children.”

Making claims on the detention and alleged deaths of children, the body stated that “at least 12 children have died in Giwa barracks since February. Children under five years old, including babies, have been held in three overcrowded women’s cells.

“In the last year, there has been a ten-fold increase in the number of detainees in these cells rising from 25 in 2015 to 250 in early 2016.

Unsanitary conditions mean that disease is rife.

Amnesty International understands that there were around 20 babies and children under five in each of the three cells.

“One witness told Amnesty International that they saw the bodies of eight dead children, including a five-month-old, two oneyear-olds, a two-year-old, a three-year-old, a four-yearold and two five-year-olds.

“Two former detainees reported that two boys and a girl, aged between one and two years old, died in February 2016. “One of the detainees, a 20-year-

old woman, who had been held in a women’s cell for more than two months in 2016, told Amnesty International: “three died while we were there. When the children died, the reaction was too much sadness.

“The other witness, a 40-year-old woman detained in Giwa barracks for more than four months, told Amnesty International that soldiers ignored pleas for medical attention.

“Measles started when hot season started. In the morning, two or three [were ill], by the evening five babies [were ill]. You will see the fever, the [baby’s] body is very hot and they will cry day and night.

The eyes were red and the skin will have some rashes.

Later some medical personnel came and confirmed that this is measles.

“After the deaths of these children, she says that more regular medical checks began. Every two days the medical personnel will come to the yard and say ‘bring out the children who are sick’. The doctor will see them at the door and give them medicine through the door.

“Despite these measures, it appears that children have continued to die. Between April 22 and 25, a one-year-old boy, a fiveyear-old boy and a fiveyear-old girl died.”

Amnesty International added that “boys over five, arrested alone or with their parents, were held in a sin-

gle cell. As with all detainees at the barracks, they were denied access to their families and held incommunicado.

“Two boys who were detained in this cell told Amnesty International that they got no family visits and they were not allowed out of the cell except to be counted by soldiers.

“One of the boys described how families arrested together were separated on arrival at Giwa.Their father was in a cell and mother inside the women’s cell and the girls stayed with the mothers.”

Describing conditions of detention, he told Amnesty International that “it is hunger and thirst and the heat – these are the main problems.”

The other boy detained in the same cell confirmed: “The food was not enough.

There was very little food.”

“Mass public releases of detainees, including young children and babies, earlier this year, have demonstrated that the detention of children in Giwa barracks is no secret.

“On February 12, 2016, at a release ceremony for 275 Giwa detainees who had been wrongly held on ‘suspicion of being involved in terrorist or insurgent activities,’ Major General Hassan Umaru stated that among the 275 detainees released were ‘142 males, 49 females, 22 underaged, 50 children of cleared females.’

“According to military statements, media reports and witness statements, the military has released at least 162 children since July 2015.

“At least 136 men have died in detention in Giwa in 2016, including 28 men who appeared to have gunshot wounds.

“Photographic and video evidence of emaciated corpses of 11 men and the body of child under two years old has been forensically analysed by an independent expert.” the report added.

A former detainee told Amnesty International: “In the morning they open the cell and take the urine and stool [buckets] outside.

Next the coffin [corpses] will be taken outside.

“Bodies were brought to a mortuary in Maiduguri and from there, Borno State Environmental Protection Agency (BOSEPA) personnel took them in rubbish trucks for burial in unmarked mass graves in the Gwange cemetery.”

One witness told Amnesty International that since November 2015, a BOSEPA rubbish truck had visited the cemetery two or three times a week, where staff buried the bodies separate from the public area of the cemetery.

“Photos taken inside the cemetery show recently dug graves in the area visited by the BOSEPA workers.

Satellite images taken on November 2015 and March

Zero Oil Plan: NEPC, EU lists path to diversification THE European Union (EU) has implored the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) to build capacity for Small and Medium Entrepreneurs (SMEs), by enlisting technical assistance from multi-lateral institutions, if it hopes to actualise the goal of the Zero Oil Plan (ZOP).

Besides, the EU pointed out that for the ZOP to achieve its objectives of replacing oil as the major revenue earner, there was the need for massive investment in technology and infrastructure, enhanced trade facilitation, consistent engagements with commercial attaches as well as syndication of the plan around Africa to stimulate and increase inter-African trade.

These were some of the issues raised at the presentation of the ZOP by the

Executive Director/CEO of NEPC, Mr Olusegun Awolowo, to a cross-section of representatives of the EU, at the its Headquarters in Abuja, on Wednesday.

The Deputy Head of Delegation, Richard Young, noted that for the ZOP to achieve its objectives, with a view to making an impact on the economy, there

was the need for coordination and buy-in at all levels of government through memorandum of understanding (MoU) with state governments and relevant agencies, including the orgainised private sector and international organisations.

Responding, Mr Awolowo said while it was important

to trade within the African region, the ZOP sought to partner with the EU towards adopting Nigeria as a “Pilot Project” for export diversification in Africa, as well as sectorial enhancement in terms of availing Nigeria with facilities engagement of foreign and local consultancy services - project directors/managers.

2016 show disturbed earth in this location,” the report added.

Speaking on detention condition, the body claimed that “according to witness testimony, conditions were worst in the men’s cells.

One 38 year-old man who spent four months in Giwa in 2016 told Amnesty International that inmates received about half a litre of water per day. There is a small plastic bowl for food.

People use it for small children. It is just that for each meal.

“Another man recently released after five months detention in the barracks told Amnesty International that there is no mat inside so you sleep on the floor. It is very congested.

You can lie down, but only on your side and you cannot turn from one side to the other.”

While providing background to its new set of allegations, Amnesty International stated that “At least 149 detainees have died in the detention facility in Giwa barracks, Maiduguri between January and April 28, 2016. The deadliest month was March with 65 deaths. April saw 39 deaths, including eight babies and children.”

There had been concerns over conditions in Giwa barracks and other military detention facilities since 2013.

In June 2015, an Amnesty International report revealed that 7,000 detainees had died in military detention in Nigeria since 2011 as a result of starvation, thirst, disease, torture and a lack of medical attention.

The report revealed that in 2013, more than 4,700 bodies were brought to a mortuary from Giwa barracks.

In February 2016, the Chief of Army Staff told Amnesty International that conditions in military detention were significantly better than documented in Amnesty’s report.

2 Nigerians, 8 other foreigners among 15 convicts to be executed in Indonesia A media report on Wednesday said in Jakarta, Indonesia, 10 foreigners, including two Nigerians, were among 15 convicts on death row.

Liliek Darmanto, Central Java police spokesman, confirmed that authorities were preparing a new round of executions.

He said one Pakistani, two Nigerians, two Sen-

egalese, one Zimbabwean and four Chinese nationals were among those to be executed.

“There are five Indonesians, one woman and four men and there are 10 foreign citizens,” he said.

Darmanto said among other foreigners on death row for drug trafficking were Mary-Jane Veloso

from the Philippines, Lindsay Sandiford from Britain and Frenchman Serge Atlaoui, but did not clear if they were among those scheduled to be put to death.

He said no date for the execution had been set, but that 150 police shooters had been appointed to carry out the task.

“They have practised for days, so that the execution can be conducted any time,” he added.

Under Indonesian law, each convict would face a squad of 10 shooters.

Last year Indonesia executed 14 convicts, all but two of them foreigners, in a move that drew international condemnation.

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Thursday, 12 May, 2016

Lagosmetro

Nigerian Tribune

Edited by

Lanre Adewole

olanreade@yahoo.com

0811 695 4647

Govt releases N10bn to complete 114 roads Bola Badmus

Island workers waiting to board BRT buses at Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), on Wednesday. PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA

Alleged wife-killer goes on hunger strike

•Police yet to decide on deceased’s alleged lover Olalekan Olabulo

A

LLEGED wifekiller, Lekan Shonde, has commenced a hunger strike while at the homicide section of the Lagos State Police Command, Panti, Yaba, where he is being detained, Lagos Metro has reliably gathered.

The Police, also on Wednesday, disclosed that decision had not been taken on whether the alleged lover of the deceased wife of Lekan, Ronke, should be summoned for questioning.

The police stated that once there was a reason to do so, his reported disappearance from public view and absence from his Ikeja publishing office, would not deter them from questioning him. The police also maintained that there had not been any plan as of Wednesday afternoon to invite or arrest Oluokun for the alleged offence.

Lekan has consistently alleged that Kayode Oluokun was illicitly engaged with his wife, culminating in turbulent marital life.

Investigations by Lagos Metro also revealed that Oluokun had not only gone underground in Lagos but also remained silent on the allegation against him.

It was also gathered that, since Monday, when his

name was mentioned as the alleged lover of the deceased, he has failed to show up at the Ikeja office of the publishing company, where he is a District Manager.

Members of staff of the Lagos based publishing company could, however, not ascertain if Oluokun had been reporting at the Abuja office of the publish-

ing company.

News of Ronke’s death was blown open over the weekend, after the Shondes’ nanny raised the alarm, following the discovery of her corpse at their Egbeda home.

The image maker in charge of the Lagos State police command, Dolapo Badmos, while reacting to the claims that police

in the state were planning to arrest the alleged lover, said that it was not so .

Police sources at the State CID, Panti told Lagos Metro that Lekan Shonde, who has been on hunger strike, since he was transferred there, had insisted that his deceased wife was having an affair with Oluokun and that he did not kill his wife.

Fake policemen arrested with police walkie-talkie Kemi Adebayo and Funmi Iseotan TWO men have been arrested for forcefully extorting money from unsuspecting members of the public and also pretending to be policemen.

John Abu, 38 and Abayomi Awe, 41 were both accused by the police of constituting themselves into public nuisance and also assembling themselves in public places without authorisation and also conspiring together to extort motorists and unsuspecting members of the public.

The Police also accused them of mounting an illegal road check under the presumption of being police officers while it was also verified that they did not be-

long to the Nigerian Police Force.

They were found to be in possession of a police walkie talkie, when arrested.

Both men however pleaded not guilty when arraigned before an Ikeja

Magistrate’s Court.

The presiding Magistrate, Aje Afunwa granted them bail in the sum of N250 000 bail with two sureties in like sum, with verifiable addresses.

The case was adjourned till June 27, 2016.

LAGOS State government has released the sum of N10.8 billion to date to ensure completion of the ongoing construction of 114 roads across the 20 Local Governments (LGs) and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LGAs) in the state, by the end of June, 2016.

Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, Mr Muslim Olohuntele Folami, said this in a statement made available on Wednesday, pointing out that the construction of the roads was made possible through tax payers’ money.

Folami said the second stage payment of N5.5 billon released on Monday represented 61 per cent of the total cost of the 114 roads at N17.85 billion.

“The government again reiterates that as long as Lagosians continue to fulfil their civic responsibility and obligation, the government will continue to spend its resources wisely and Lagosians will continue to enjoy

Driver caught on CCTV illegally using employer’s ATM card Ayomide Owonibi Odekanyin A 40-year-old driver, Mutiu Adekunle, has been remanded in prison for stealing his employer’s N180, 000, using his Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card.

Adekunle who, resides at 3 Temidire Street, Okedayo Ijoko, Ogun State is facing a two-count charge bordering on stealing. He admitted stealing the money when he was arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court.

The prosecutor, Inspector

Female clearing agent remanded over N13.5m fraud Ayomide Owonibi Odekanyin ONE Bunmi Dare Ikuolayole has been arrested by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged N13.5 million fraud.

Bunmi, who is a clearing and forwarding agent, was alleged to have collected the sum of N13.5 million from the complainant, Oredola Olatunbosun, for the shipping and clearing of a Rolls

Royce Ghost vehicle from the United States sometime in November, 2013.

She was also accused of converting to her personal use the sum of N10, 000,000 belonging to Oredola and was also accused of forging a Bill of Loading dated December 24, 2013 for a used Honda Pilot vehicle in container No. 1252801.

When she was arraigned before an Igbosere High Court, she pleaded not guilty.

the dividends of democracy.

We are using this medium to urge Lagosians to continue to pay their taxes, so as to be able to enjoy the dividends of democracy. The monies they are paying are what the government is using to construct these roads across the length and breadth of the State,” the commissioner said.

The commissioner said that aside completed and ongoing road projects across the metropolis, the state government had also embarked on the Light Up Lagos Project, adding that this was fast spreading across major highways and streets, even as he listed other projects to include construction of bridges, flyovers as well as equipping the police and other security agencies.

“This government wants people to know that the money they are paying is being well spent and so far as they continue to fulfill their part, the government will not relent in making the state safer and more habitable for the people,” Folami said.

The prosecution counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, sought a trial date and asked the court to remand the defendant in prison custody.

The defence counsel, O. C. Aibangbee, however, asked the court to allow the accused person remain in the EFCC custody on the grounds of her ill health.

Justice R. I. B. Adebiyi adjourned the case till May 24, 2016 for mention and May 30, 2016 for trial.

Racheal Williams told the court that the offences were committed between March 30 and April 15 2016 at 315, Iju Road, Ishaga, adding that the accused was the driver of the complainant, Mr Victor Olaleye.

According to her, the complainant gave the accused his Zenith bank ATM card and gave him his pin number to withdraw money for him.

“The accused later stole the ATM card and was withdrawing money from the account until the complainant wanted to use the card and did not find it,” she said.

The prosecutor said that the accused later saw a debit alert from his account through a text message and went to the bank to complain.

“It was at the bank that the accused was discovered through a CCTV camera and was apprehended,” she said.

The Magistrate, Mrs L.Y. Balogun remanded Adekunle in Kirikiri prison and adjourned the case till May 16 for sentencing.

8 news

Thursday, 12 May, 2016

Don’t impose your personal values on society, African leaders told

By Tunde Ogunesan

A

FRICAN leaders have been urged to stop imposing their personal traits and values on the society, as this has been the cause of crises and conflicts in major countries on the continent.

This advice was given by former vice chancellor, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Professor Vincent Ado Tenebe, in his keynote address at a one-day colloquium in honour of Emeritus Professor of Philosophy, Godwin Sogolo, held at the Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, on Tuesday.

In his paper titled: “Ethics, governance and social order in Africa”, Professor Tenebe, who was represented by Dr Eric Omazu, said it was high time African leaders stopped imposing their personal values as a policy on the entire citizens of their countries.

According to him, “When leaders in Africa and elsewhere are known to have imposed their wealth on their subjects, it has often resulted in crisis and con-

flict in Africa.

“The argument presented so far is that the ethical values, cultural practices and a vision of the world are never to be imposed on any people by leadership, even when they have the capacity to do so. They always represent a perspective to the proverbial grand elephant.

“When people are born and have the authority to make the world better, the moral expectation is to help operate and negotiate values and not to impose them.”

Professor Sogolo said “he is satisfied that Philosophy, as a discipline,

has continued to thrive in its role of refining ideas, thoughts as well as bringing greater clarity to knowledge. Philosophy is the mother of all disciplines, from which various disciplines branched off to create their own identities.

“As long as human beings are confronted with competing paradigms, philosophy will continue to thrive. I am happy that it is thriving at the University of Ibadan where students in the Faculties of Arts, Law and the social sciences are obliged to go through one philosophy course or the other.”

Gbolarumi condoles with Bode George over mother’s death FORMER deputy governor of Oyo State, Alhaji Azeem Gbolarumi, has condoled with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Chief Olabode George, over the death of his mother, Madam Violet Philips-George.

In a statement, Alhaji Gbolarumi described Madam Philips-George’s death as a great loss.

The former deputy governor urged the George family to take solace in the fact that their matriarch lived a long, fulfilled life and asked them to honour her memory by sustaining her legacies.

He prayed God to grant the departed eternal rest and give the family the fortitude to bear the loss.

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY INVITATION TO TENDER

The National Assembly wishes to notify the General Public of its intention to solicit Tender from competent and reputable companies for the underlisted contracts being contemplated under 2016 projects: 2. List of Projects/Contracts Senate LOT 1S. Supply and Installation of Generator; LOT 2S. Reprogramming of Surveillance Cameras; LOT 3S. Reprogramming and Upgrade of Digital Security Finger Print Reader Micro Access; LOT 4S. Supply of Diffusers; LOT 5. Supply of Laws of the Federation and Act Dictionaries; LOT 6S. Supply of Digital Copiers; LOT 7S. Supply of office equipment; LOT 8S. Supply of Riders Kits; and.

LOT 9S. Supply and Installation of Equipment.

House of Representatives Lot 1H. Supply of additional Utility Vehicles.

3. Tender Requirements Prospective Bidders are required to submit the following documents along with the completed Tender Document(s):\ I. Evidence of Certificate of Incorporation with CAC; ii. Evidence of tax Clearance Certificate for the past 3 years (2013 – 2015); iii. Evidence of VAT Registration and Remittance; iv. Evidence of Audited Account for the last 3years (2013 – 2015); v. Evidence of Financial and Technical capability; vi. Evidence of Execution of Recent Similar projects; vii. Evidence of PENCOM Registration and Remittance; viii. Evidence of Registration with ITF; ix. Evidence of NSITF; and. x. Sworn Affidavit to confirm authenticity of documents submitted.

4. Tender Instructions I. Interested companies are to collect Bid Documents/required details from the National Assembly Tenders Board (Room 1.279, Annex I, NASS Complex) upon evidence of payment a non-refundable fee of N50,000.00 (in Bank draft in favour of National Assembly); ii. All Bids submissions in excess of N50,000,000.00 will attract bid Security of 2% of the Bid Sum - Bank Guarantee; iii. Tender will be conducted through the National Competitive Bidding (NCB)Procedures as specified in the Public Procurement Act, 2007; iv. All Bids shall be assessed in full compliance with the instructions in the Tender Documents, which shall form the basis of Eligibility of Contractors for final consideration; and v. Tender Document submitted late shall be rejected.

5. Submission of Bids I. A copy of Financial and Technical Bids shall be submitted (in addition to soft copies on Flash Disc). The documents must be marked appropriately at the left hand corner “Technical Bid” and “Financial Bid”.

Both documents must be paginated and initialed on each page.

Both Bids (Envelopes) will be enclosed in a bigger envelope (properly sealed) and addressed to The Secretary, National Assembly Tenders Board, Three Arms Zone, Abuja. ii. The submissions are to be dropped in the Tender Box in the office of the Secretary Tenders th Board not later than 1pm on Monday 6 June, 2016.

6. Bid Opening th i.

Bids will be opened at 1:30pm on Monday 6 June, 2016 at the Department of Procurement and Supplies Conference Room (Room 1.271) Annex I, NASS Complex; ii. All prospective Bidders or their accredited representatives should endeavor to be present at the Bid Opening with originals of documents submitted for verification, please; iii. Any further clarification required on the above instructions, can be obtained at the office of the Secretary Tenders Board.

NOTE iv. National Assembly reserve the right to reject any bid documents; v. This invitation should not be construed to be as a commitment on the part of the National Assembly to enter into any form of contract with any company, enter into any communication with any company not found suitable nor shall it entitle any company to make any claim whatsoever from the National Assembly; vi. All costs incurred as result of this Tender Invitation and any subsequent requests for information shall be borne by the bidding companies; vii. National Assembly is not bound to accept the lowest Bid or any type of Tender; viii. The National Assembly also reserves the right to annul the bidding process at any time without incurring any liabilities and assigning reason thereof; and. ix. Technical Bids submitted will be assessed and only Tenders of those found responsive will be subjected for detailed evaluation.

SIGNED MANAGEMENT nasstendersboard@yahoo.com

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businessnews

Thursday, 12 May, 2016

FG to redefine spending for maximum impact

By Sulaimon Olanrewaju

T

HE Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, on Tuesday, reiterated the resolve of the Federal Government to redefine its spending in order to get maximum impact.

The minister, who was a guest at the Ogun State Investors’ Forum, holding in the state capital, said during a panel discussion on the economy that the current administration is determined to ensure that going forward, government spending in Nigeria will achieve maximum impact.

Noting that government spending in previous years had been ineffective and not directed in the right areas, the Minister reiterated the focus of the government on investing in critical infrastructure to enable growth.

During her remarks, she highlighted the fact that Nigeria is not an oil economy. Although oil accounts for 70 per cent of revenue, it constitutes only 13 per cent of our gross domestic product.

“By fully harnessing the potential of our non-oil sectors, we can create a more diversified and resilient revenue base which would provide the necessary fiscal buffers to insulate the economy against the impact of external shocks in the future,” the minister stated.

Adeosun also spoke on the need for the Federal Government to play its role so that states can focus on their core functions. Ac-

cording to her, the Federal Government will level the playing field by removing rent-seeking opportunity to unleash entrepreneurial activity and job creation, adding “We must engage

in economic patriotism to support local job growth.”

She commended the Ogun State government for patronising local entrepreneurs in producing its conference bags.

resetting the economy on the path towards achieving sustainable growth. She added that better days are ahead with President Buhari’s resolve to check corruption and wastage.

From left: Mrs Peju Adebajo, MD, Lafarge Africa Plc; Chief Audu Ogbeh, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development; Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Ogun State Governor and Mr Folusho Philips, Executive Chairman of the Phillips Consulting Group, at the 2016 Ogun State Investors’ Forum, on Wednesday, held at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta.

CBN rolls out N220bn empowerment fund in Ekiti Sam Nwaoko-Ado Ekiti

THE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has rolled out its N220 billion loan scheme for the Ekiti State public and announced that 60 per cent of Nigerian women are to benefit from the facility targetted at strengthening Micro-Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSME) in the country.

The CBN at a public forum in Ado Ekiti, in which various categories of stakeholders, including traders, farmers, cooperatives, youths,

community leaders, government officials and the general public participated, charged Nigerians to take advantage if the scheme, saying it was meant for Nigerians in various businesses and upstarts with bankable proposals.

Addressing the large crowd that turned out for the CBN public enlightenment for prospective beneficiaries, in Ado Ekiti, an official of the CBN, Mr Babatunde Ogunlaja, explained that already, N63 billion had since been disbursed since March,

Nigerian oil output falls towards 22-year low as violence spreads A series of attacks on Nigeria’s oil infrastructure has pushed its output of crude close to a 22-year low, Reuters data shows, putting intense pressure on the country’s finances.

Shell workers at Nigeria’s Bonga oilfield in the southern Niger Delta were evacuated following a militant threat, a senior labour union official said on Monday, while attacks late last week forced Chevron to shut its Okan offshore facility, taking out 35,000 barrels per day (bpd).

While Shell said the latest unrest had not yet impacted production, its Forcados field is still closed and under force majeure following a February subsea pipeline attack, taking out 250,000 bpd.

The violence has depressed production in what is typically Africa’s largest

The minister concluded by assuring that the government is fully aware of the current economic challenges facing individuals and businesses and is working very hard on

producer to roughly 1.69 million bpd in May, the lowest since at least June 2007, when production fell to 1.68 million bpd, International Energy Agency data shows.

A small reduction from any field would quickly send output to the next low, seen in August 1994, when it hit 1.46 million bpd, according to the IEA data.

“It’s really not a good situation,” said Eugene Lindell, senior energy analyst with JBC Energy in Vienna, noting that the global excess of crude was keeping Brent prices from moving significantly higher on the back of the outages. “They have less production, and they’re getting less bang for their buck.”

The country’s 2016 budget, signed into law just last week, assumes 2.2 million bpd of oil production at $38 a barrel. In a country anal-

ysis released late last week, the United States Energy Information Administration noted that pipeline sabotage and oil supply disruptions had increased in 2016, putting direct pressure on the country’s finances.

“Because Nigeria heavily depends on oil revenue, its economy is noticeably affected by changes to its oil production and/or to global crude oil prices,” the report said.

President Muhammadu Buhari has said there would be a crackdown on “vandals and saboteurs” in the country’s oil-producing Delta region, analysts said the violence could scare investment away from the country.

“If it continues like this, there are companies who will probably not consider Nigeria for upstream investments,” Lindell said.

2016.

According to Ogunlaja, N5 billion out of the said sum was given to 80,000 farmers in Kebbi State “to shore up rice production in the country so that Nigeria can stop relying on importation of food.”

He said about 60 per cent of the fund had been earmarked for the womenfolk and pointed out that such high percentage was allotted to the women because available data lent credence to the fact that “they are better loan repayers than men.”

He maintained that the interest rate of the facility had been pegged at 9 per cent for easy repayment of the loan.

“Over one trillion naira has been expended by CBN for various intervention programmes in the areas of MSME, infrastructure, and agriculture, but it pains us

that most of our agriculture products have not reached the processing unit let alone storage.

“Having found that out people don’t want to pay back loans, the loans shall be disbursed through registered cooperative societies and commercial banks, who have been given the mandate to pay into individual accounts within five days,” he said.

Ogunlaja said the CBN has also earmarked a sum of N4.4 billion for physically challenged to make them economically relevant and reduce destitution in the system.

Under the youth Entrepreneurship scheme, he said a special programme has been designed for graduate under the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Scheme to boost agro-business, manufacturing and craft.

FAAN to invite successful aviation security candidates for interview Shola Adekola-Lagos

SUCCESSFUL Aviation Security candidates who participated in the recruitment exercise conducted by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) last year will soon be invited for interview and other pre-employment procedures.

This was disclosed by the Managing Director of FAAN, Engineer Saleh Dunoma while playing host to some of the candidates in his office.

The FAAN boss expressed

appreciation for the patience and understanding showed by the applicants even as he attributed the seeming delay in inviting them for interview to what he described as the need to observe due diligence in the employment procedure.

Dunoma also added that successful candidates would be formally notified and invited in batches, for training and documentation, in line with international best practices for the employment of aviation security officers.

Nigerian Tribune

Naira depreciates further at parallel market The naira on Wednesday depreciated further at the parallel market, exchanging for N322 to the dollar.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the naira lost N1 from the N321 it traded on Monday.

Also the naira traded at N465 and N365 against the Pound Sterling and the Euro respectively from the N467 and N365 it exchanged on Monday.

Meanwhile, the naira continued to exchange at N197 to the dollar at the official Central Bank of Nigeria rate.

Traders at the market said that they were still awaiting the impact of the passage of the 2016 budget at the market.

They, however, decried the scarcity of the greenback as they were finding it difficult to meet the demands of their customers.

StarTimes wins Copa America special centenario broadcast rights Akin Adewakun-Lagos

THE profile of digital television platform, StarTimes, received a boost, recently, as it signed a fresh deal to beam the much- anticipated Copa America Special Centenario edition live to its teeming subscribers all over Africa.

The development, according to the digital tv platform, is a way of further stepping up its game of exciting subscribers with competitive sporting programs, especially with the acquisition of the broadcast rights of the landmark edition, which commemorates 100 years of Copa America existence.

The competition, slated for June 3 through 26 of the same month in the United States of America, the digital tv platform believes, will glue viewers to their seats and have them thrilled all the way as most of the superstars playing in European clubs will be in live action at the championship that will see 32 countries compete in games across 10 cities.

Besides this, it argues, viewers will also stand the chance to predict and win prizes such as cash, LED Digital Television with inbuilt decoders, Projector Television sets, telcom recharge cards, among others.

Expressing his delight at the development, Marketing Director, StarTimes Nigeria, Oludare Kafar, noted that bringing the Copa America Special Centenario edition onto the platform would go a long way in enhancing the viewing pleasure of its subscribers.

businessnews Power: TCN, NDPHC to sign agreement on 265MW spinning reserves

12

Olatunde Dodondawa -Lagos

F

OLLOWING incessant attacks on gas pipeline and recent grid instability as experienced by millions of power consumers nationwide, the management of Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) are currently working on a contractual agreement by which NIPP plants would provide about 265MW of Spinning Reserves.

The reason for the agreement, according to the General Manager, Communication and Public Relations, NDPHC, Mr Yakubu Lawal, is to facilitate grid responsiveness during swings and disturbances on the transmission network.

In a telephone chat with the Nigerian Tribune on Wednesday on the relevance of the NIPPs, after 10 years of conception, Mr. Lawal stated that the provision of spinning reserve and other ancillary services are being practised all over the world and Nigeria now largely relies on NIPP plants to provide the service.

“Contrary to allegation of non-relevance, the NIPP is definitely not a failed project. The NPDHC has over 2,000MW of generation capacity readily available for deployment as soon as vandalised gas processing projects are completed by the associated nominated gas suppliers thus presenting the best opportunity for

Thursday, 12 May, 2016

the rapid improvement of power supply.

“In the area of power generation, eight of the 10 power plants in the NIPP portfolio, along with associated gas transmission metering/receiving infrastructure projects to support commercial operation, have been com-

missioned and connected to the national grid contributing over 2000MW of energy daily. While it is a fact that power generation is often disrupted by acts of vandalism on gas pipelines and transmission lines, the NDPHC does not offer such incidences as excuses.

EXPORT-IMPORT Bank of the United States (EXIM) and United Bank of Africa have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the gola of expanding trade between the United States and sub- Africa.

Expectedly, the MoU, signed at the sideline of the World Economic Forum on Africa, which began in Kigali, Rwanda on Wednesday, could provide up to $100 million to finance the expansion of trade between United States and Africa.

The MoU was signed by the Chairman and President of the EXIM Bank, Fred Hochberg, and Phillips Oduoza, CEO and Group Managing Director of United Bank for Africa (UBA).

The MoU “signals to American exporters and African businesses alike that there are many more promising opportunities to work

nation’s supply of electricity,” he stated.

He stated further that many of the NIPP power plants on the national grid also provide ancillary services in support of system operations, a contribution critical for stabilising the national grid.

From left: Executive Director, Commercial and Institutional Banking, Sterling Bank Plc, Mr Lanre Adesanya; winner of Sterling Bank Meet the Executive competition/CEO, Keexs Sneakers, Mr Jide Ipaye; Managing Director/CEO, Sterling Bank Plc, Mr Yemi Adeola and the bank’s Executive Director, Operations and Services, Mr Yemi Odubiyi, at the presentation of cheques to the winners of Sterling Bank Meet the Executive competition held in Lagos, on Tuesday.

Forex rally set to reduce unemployment in Nigeria Chima Nwokojji-Lagos

FOREX Rally, an international online Forex brokerage firm has set a target to inspire interested Nigerians to take opportunities offered by trading on foreign exchange and shares of global brands in order to enrich their lives and re-

duce unemployment.

Razvan Maihai, Educational Partner, Forex Rally at the contest award ceremony held in Lagos where the company gave away a brand new Toyota Hilux to the winner, said that huge population of youths are online, and Forex Rally aims to engage as many

WEFA: NEXIM Bank, UBA sign $100m MoU to foster trade between US, Africa

By Ruth Olurounbi

“The NDPHC has continued to operate these power plants in the interest of the Nigerian economy, despite undesirable security challenges and an accumulated debt of over N94bn owed it by the electricity market, that’s definitely more than a tangible contribution to the

together, and EXIM stands ready to provide the financing needed to turn more of those opportunities into realities,” Hochberg said, The MOU is a statement of general intent between EXIM Bank and UBA to promote the availability of EXIM financing of up to $100 million in the region, as the two banks work together to share information and develop export-financing opportunities in key sectors including commodities, agriculture and food products, spare parts, and large and small equipment purchases.

Under the MoU, EXIM Bank and UBA will explore options for offering a range of financing solutions for American exporters and African buyers, including short and medium-term financing programs that allow for flexible repayment terms and competitive insurance policies guaran-

teed by EXIM. It will be recalled that since 2009, EXIM has provided more than $6 billion in financing for transactions across sub-Saharan Africa.

of them as possible where they are.

According to him, “anyone interested in trading in the international market just needs to open a new account and they will get N5000 bonus available immediately for foreign exchange trading.

“We at Forex Rally believe that competition is the core of trading. In light of this we organised the biggest Forex Championship in Nigeria where we awarded a brand new Toyota Hilux and more other prizes,” Mihai said.

Similarly, Michael Akinwale, General Manager Forex Rally, said the firm is paving the way in Lagos by

making forex and its training accessible through free seminars, books, webinars and much more.

Apart from offering an array of free educational resources to empower traders with access to global forex industry expertise, Forex Rally also rewards traders based on the volume and value of their trading.

Forex Rally will teach you the right way to benefit from price fluctuations and increase your monthly incomes and attending the seminar according to Akinwale will give potential traders the opportunity to receive all the tools needed to start a trading experience.

Customs impounds N669m worth of goods in 4 months Tola Adenubi-lagos

THE Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has impounded goods worth N668,392,940 between the months of January to April, 2016. The unit also apprehended 42 suspects in connection with the seizures.

According to a statement signed by the spokesman of the unit, Uche Ejesieme, the FOU Zone A of the NCS during the period under reference effected 481 different seizures of offending/ prohibited items valued at N527,830,350 with a pay-

able duty of N140,562,590 and a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N668,392,940.

Giving a breakdown of the seized goods, the Controller, FOU Zone ‘A’, Comptroller Umar Mohammed Dahiru, explained that, “the seized goods include 141 different seizures of rice, totalling 8,148 bags of 50 kilogrammes parboiled rice and 50 bags of 25 kilogrammes parboiled rice with Duty Paid Value of N53,124,500.

“112 different seizures of imported frozen poultry products, totalling 20,742 cartons with Duty Paid Value of N112,006,800 only.

“50 different seizures of vegetable oil, totalling 2,519 kegs of 25 litres, 24 kegs of 10 litres, 140 cartons of kings oil,120 pieces, 1,250 empty kegs with Duty Paid Value of N18,788,400.

“32 units of vehicles, 12 cut buses with Duty Paid Value of N87,210,000.

“148 different seizures of general merchandise comprising new and used textile materials, new and used foot wears, mosquito insecticide, spaghetti noodles, various soap & detergent, used tyres, narcotics, compressors, hard drugs, Indian hemp etc with Duty Paid Value of N397,263,240.”

Nigerian Tribune

Evans Publishers appoints new MD/CEO THE Board of Directors, Evans Brothers (Nigeria Publishers) Limited at its recent meeting confirmed the appointment of Mr Lukman Dauda as the new Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the company.

The New Managing Director is a seasoned accountant and administrator who had acquired diverse experience spanning over two decades in the book and publishing industry.

He had served as the Head of Internal Audit, the Chief Accountant and Company Secretary at one time or the other before his appointment into the board as an executive director in 2013.

He has attended various seminars and workshops on publishing matters both within and outside Nigeria.

Mr Dauda is a 1989 graduate of Accountancy from The Polytechnic, Ibadan, he is a fellow of both the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN).

He holds a Masters of Business Administration, MBA from the then Ondo State University, Ado-Ekiti, now University of AdoEkiti (UNAD).

First Bank debuts with debit card overdraft to boost services FIRST Bank of Nigeria Limited has introduced another service to the Nigerian financial market, the Debit Card Overdraft Service, to avail customers of instant cash to meet urgent transaction needs.

With this service, card users can now enjoy a higher level of banking convenience as they are enabled to complete card transactions seamlessly. The overdraft service can be accessed on POS, Web and ATMs worldwide with naira and dollar denominated debit cards.

This is another avenue through which the bank is supporting the lifestyle of its customers.

According to the bank’s E-Business Group Head, Mr Chuma Ezirim, card usage is fast becoming a lifestyle for the average customer in Nigeria and in order to improve the customer’s banking experience, First Bank has continuously offered innovative and differentiated products to their customers.

“The Debit Card Overdraft Service will assist in providing our customers the highest level of service when they consummate card transactions,” he said.

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editorial

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Thursday, 12 May, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Still on Nigeria’s porous borders

HE resurgence of carnage and arson being carried out by herdsmen in many parts of the country is yet symptomatic of the precarious state of security in Nigeria. Hundreds have been dispatched to their early graves by the herdsmen who, for decades, had never been known to possess lethal weapons while plying their trade. It becomes imperative now to question the procedure for arms acquisition by individuals and corporate bodies, as well as the proliferation of small arms and ammunition. In this connection, a most critical and worrisome issue is Nigeria’s porous land borders.

Given its huge economic potentials, Nigeria unarguably remains the commercial hub of the West African subregion. The ECOWAS treaty on free trade encourages cross-border movements with some attendant high risks. Today, it is estimated that more than 70 per cent of the estimated eight million illegal weapons in the sub-region are in circulation in Nigeria, a quantum of the figure smuggled through the land borders. Another source of such illegal arms are said to be gunsmiths who, according to the Presidential Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapons (PRESCOM), contribute about 60 per cent of the illegal arms in circulation in the SouthEast zone of the country.

No doubt, the challenges of guaranteeing security at the land borders today are enormous and may appear daunting, especially because of the ruptures in strategic sectors of the economy. However, saddling the about 22,000 personnel of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) with policing 770 km of land border with the Benin Republic, around 1,500 km with the Republic of the Niger, about 1,700 km with Cameroon, 90 km with Chad and 850 km of maritime border in the Atlantic Ocean, is arduous, and deserves scrutiny.

That only 500 border posts are legitimate and manned, while more than 4,000 illegal routes exist is ominous.

The illegal routes allow criminals to smuggle arms, ammunition and drugs into the country, and to engage in human trafficking since those routes are hardly ever captured by the radar of the Nigerian Army, Police Highway Anti-crime Patrol, Nigerian Drug

Law Enforcement Agency, Nigeria Customs Service, International Joint Border Patrol, Nigeria Immigration Service and Port Health Services. The porous borders allow all manner of immigrants into Nigeria without let and these individuals mingle freely with Nigerians, thereby making it difficult to identify their true nationalities and ethnic backgrounds, as evident in the insinuations that the blood-sucking herdsmen are largely aliens.

We stress for the umpteenth time that the improper conduct at the offices of the various agencies relating to the movement in and out of the country also accounts for the overall challenges. Quite a number them are averse to the due process and delight in unethical practices.

Rather than doing the needful as required by law, they run after the hare after it has escaped. An unnecessarily large number of personnel also idle away their time at the Immigration offices while criminals enter the country at will.

We note the call by Comptroller-General of Customs, Colonel Hameed Ali, for collaborative efforts by all agencies to check the influx of small firearms into the country. Reports indeed suggested that much of the firearms used in the Libyan war and the Arab Spring found their way into Nigeria through the porous borders.

While the Nigeria Police steps up its mop-up operations of illegal arms, all the relevant authorities should prioritise the deployment of more sophisticated technology to the borders for surveillance, and to curb sharp practices.

The officers and men of the agencies must undergo regular training on the dynamic nature of their jobs and their roles in guaranteeing national security. Issues concerning their welfare should never be compromised because their proper conduct and comportment as the first point of contact with visitors to Nigeria rub off on the image of the nation.

In conclusion, the job of securing the borders demands a new thinking and approach, an admixture of development initiatives for border communities and improved sensitisation agenda. Government officials found to have compromised in their professional duties should not be spared from appropriate sanctions.

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Contact: editornigeriantribune@yahoo.com or call:08055069471, 08116954630

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Thursday, 12 May, 2016

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SEND YOUR SHORT MESSAGES TO: 08054005323, 08055001746

•Skillful!. PHOTO: TOMMY ADEGBITE

Dr Mimiko, come to our aid in Ile-Oluji Ile-Oluji in Ondo State has not really enjoyed much from government, and I am tempted to ask if the town is not part of Ondo State.

We are lacking many developmental infrastructure in the town. For example, the stadium complex which the government of Dr Olusegun Mimiko began almost seven years ago is yet to be completed, in fact, construction work has been stopped, and I think it is an abandoned project now.

Again, the township road, which was awarded to a construction firm, has also been abandoned because the government failed to pay the contractor. I, therefore, want to implore Dr Mimiko to release funds so that all the abandoned projects in Ile-Oluji can be completed before the expiration of his tenure.

•Bamidele Akindele, 08022982373

Towards achieving a greater Nigeria POLITICAL office holders must justify people’s confidence in them by striving to fulfill their promises, especially the ones they made during electioneering campaigns. This is because this is the only way that the change of government can make meaning to them.

Fundamental issues affecting the country such as insecurity, corruption, unemployment and poor power supply should be given prompt attention.

Also the political consciousness of the people is now high and they will no longer vote for those who cannot add value to their lives.

Nigerian political leaders should also turn from their wicked ways and evils, so as not to incur the wrath of God as the foolishness of the nation’s rulers will attract divine punishment.

Clearly, Nigerian politicians do a lot of things which God hates. They tell lies under oath, trust in deceitful works and so on.

They make promises and break them and worship gods. Hence, they should turn a new leaf, to avoid

God’s punishment.

The leaders and the followers should go back to the scriptures for God to reveal His glory in all of us,

with a divine comfort. Also, the clerics should speak and preach the true messages of God to the church and the nation and open the ears

of the people to God’s approved ways of life.

Also, Nigerians should re-dedicate themselves to the service of God and hu-

manity.

Prophet Oladipupo Funmilade-Joel, 08033733470.

Kudos to Ambode on Berger pedestrian bridge I want to thank the Lagos State governor, Mr Akinwumi Ambode, for approving the construction of a pedestrian bridge at Berger. This will go a long way in preventing accidents on the expressway, while making it easier for pedestrians to cross.

As a senior citizen, there was a time I spent over 30 minutes while waiting to cross the expressway, but with the pedestrian bridge, it will now be easier to cross.

I also want to commend the order against crossing highways in the state. It is so funny the way in which residents cross highways, particularly the Ikorodu Road Expressway.

This new order will definitely reduce accidents in the state.

I am, therefore, using

this opportunity to thank Governor Ambode, as well as the Nigerian Tribune, which had on several occasions published my short

messages calling on the governor to approve the contract for the bridge. I, therefore, hope that the bridge will be completed

in record time so that the people can begin to enjoy it.

•Isola Tayo, 08062086668.

On Ambode’s good performance PERMIT me to use your popular medium to commend and appreciate Governor Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos State for the wonderful job he is doing in the state.

Governor Ambode’s unique rural-urban development efforts have shown his quality as a visionary leader. The governor’s intervention in Ajasa community is making all residents happy, and for this, we are grateful.

The reconstruction projects going on in Ajasa community have opened up our

community to other parts of the state. We, therefore, want him to continue to work harder for the development of the state, as

residents are appreciative of his efforts.

•Biodun Adelabu, 08034711261

Youths need jobs ONE of the biggest problems facing this country today is the lack of employment opportunities for youths. It is so unfortunate that youths will graduate and find themselves unemployed. This is the reason crime is on the rise.

It is, therefore, important that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari should focus on getting unemployed youths off the streets, and put them into jobs.

•Sanmi Adekunle, 08191143941.

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opinion

Thursday, 12 May, 2016

The last chance to deregulate

By Sunday Attah

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The deregulation of the downstream sector will open up the sector to private investors who hitherto developed cold feet to investing in the sector due to heavy government interference. Those who have had refining licenses approved several years ago will now go ahead to build the refineries — this will tackle the incessant scarcity of petrol due to importation. Petrochemical industries will spring up alongside local refining; these will create several jobs unlike what we have now where jobs are being exported to countries where we refine our petroleum products.

We will save the economy the unnecessary pressure put on the Naira due to the heavy demand for forex to fund the importation of petroleum products, rather we will be exporting refined petroleum products thereby earning foreign currencies to shore up our reserves.

The bone of contention for those against deregulation is the fuel subsidy regime that the government runs. This group has argued that the masses hardly benefit anything from the government hence their insistence on the government keeping the subsidy.

Whilst I am not against subsidies in general, I however have a problem with a blanket subsidy that cannot be measured or directed at a particular target group.

Different revelations have emerged of massive fraud in the fuel subsidy process, trillions of naira are alleged to have been fraudulently stolen from the government purse in the

•

HE discussion on the deregulation of the downstream sector of the Nigerian petroleum industry has been on for decades without any visible decision in sight. The sorest point around the issue is the debate for the removal or sustenance of subsidies for refined products.

You would want to think that Nigeria being the largest producer of oil in Africa and the fifth largest exporter of the product in the world would have a clear stand on the way forward for such a crucial industry, but alas the country is neither here nor there on the issues of deregulation.

In one breath the government says it has deregulated the market partially, yet same government does not want to rule out the continued payment of subsidies. This to me is a sign of indecision on a critical issue such as this.

Since deregulation was a major point of discussion during the last election campaigns, I would have thought the Buhari-led APC government would have taken time out to debate the issues surrounding deregulation deeply within its ranks and take a decision once and for all.

The inability of previous governments to be decisive on this issue is part of the reason why growth in the sector in Nigeria is stunted. We cannot afford another round of policy uncertainties. The Buhari government has to come out clear, if his government will fully deregulate the downstream sector of the oil industry or not.

Nigeria in the last five years has consistently spent over 1 trillion naira that is about $5 billion annually on petrol subsidies. The same country that spent less than 20 billion naira on roads in the year 2015, but spent over 1 trillion naira on petrol subsidies in same year is unacceptable.

The major reasons given by those who resist the deregulation of the downstream sector of the oil industry is that subsidy on petrol will be removed and pump price of petrol will go up. Whilst that may be true initially, the side of the story they, however, don’t talk about is the benefits of deregulating.

name of fuel subsidy payments. It is heart wrenching to discover that the country is being bled on the side despite its already anemic financial status.

For a country that is deficient in almost all critical infrastructures, paying over a trillion naira annually on petrol subsidies does not make sense. Such monies if spent on critical sectors such as health, education, policing, roads, railways etc. will impart the lives of the citizenry more than whatever impart the Petrol subsidy is having on their lives at the moment.

Let’s imagine for a moment, that we spent the over one trillion naira which is about $5b dollars we were handing out to subsidy contractors annually in the last five years on our health sector, I can bet we would by now probably have a better health sector than any country in Africa and probably be competing with some European countries in quality healthcare.

If we consistently spent $5 billion on our health care in the last five years as we have done on petrol subsidies, we would have created more than 500,000 quality jobs: from those building the new hospitals, to those who will work as medical staff, administrative staff, support staff, contractors, suppliers and others. We would have saved lives; we would have reduced the demand for foreign currency to go on medical tourism, thereby reducing the pressure on the Naira.

What of our ailing education sector, with oor road networks that continue to kill thousands of citizens yearly? Just imagine for a second that each of these sectors got a trillion naira each to spend in a calendar year , can we imagine the transformation that would happened in this sectors?

We simply cannot continue to shy away from the realities that stare us in the face. We not only need to deregulate, we need to do it fast. Nigeria has wasted too much time on this road of indecision. We now have to take the bull by the horn.

Though deregulation may not be that one single silver bullet that solves all of our problems, one sure thing is that it will grow the oil industry like we have never experienced since the discovery of oil.

•Attah lives from Abuja.

Of doctors’ death and FETHI crisis

By Banji Kalejaiye

IN view of the recent tragic event which culminated in the demise of six Ekiti doctors and a driver who were on their way to the 56th Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) Annual General Meeting/Annual Delegates Conference in Sokoto, and the protests by some workers at the Federal Teaching Hospital Ido- Ekiti (FETHI), it is very imperative to put the records straight in the public domain.

The tragic event which happened on April 24, in which two of the doctors — Alex Akinyele and Tunde Aladesanmi — from Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido-Ekiti (FETHI), died was, indeed, a sad one. Unfortunately, this accident has sparked a crisis from which the hospital is yet to recover from. As alarming as road traffic accidents’ statistics in the country show, a group of workers in the hospital, under the aegis of Senior Staff Association, were less concerned as they threw caution to the wind, few hours after the accident, alleging that the death of the FETHI doctors was remotely-controlled by the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the hospital, Dr Lawrence Majekodunmi Ayodele. The irate workers, while protesting, drove away patients on admission in the hospital, barricaded the IdoOtun highway, thus preventing vehicular movement and carried placards.

From the messages on the placards carried by the workers, it was glaring that they wanted the removal of the CMD on the allegation that he was responsible, not only for the death of the doctors, but of several others before them, using diabolical means. To drive home their point, one of the protesters said the workers were angry because they were convinced that the CMD had been carrying out diabolical killings. The protesters also believe, albeit wrongly, that during the administration of the former CMD, who spent eight years and three months, only four people died. It was also their wrong opinion that the current CMD was yet to spend four years and almost 50 workers had died.

It is on record that the initial response of the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the hospital, Mr.Adeboyejo Adekunle, was that “all these allegations are baseless. You

cannot attribute somebody’s death to the CMD. He is not a killer, people die in work places all over the world. Anybody can say anything, but I want to assure you that he is not the one who has been killing the people. The protests and allegations are the works of disgruntled elements in the hospital who feel that if anything happens in the hospital, the CMD must be the culprit. You know that some doctors from the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti also died in the accident, but nobody accused the CMD.” It is very sad that while workers were mourning the sudden loss of their colleagues, some disgruntled elements could turn such moment of sober reflection into an opportunity to fight the system.

There is no doubt that the CMD’s second term in office has been the main issue behind the acrimony and campaign of calumny that had been raging in the hospital before the unfortunate incident. It is certain that those protesting against the CMD are enemies of progress who believe they can thwart his reappointment for a second term because of the reform programme that has plugged many loopholes for corruption.

It is clear that the protesters were only using the death of the two doctors as a cover to achieve their aim of making the hospital ungovernable, with the aim of preventing the CMD’s reappointment for a second term. It is on record that the deceased doctors did not obtain permission from the authority before embarking on the ill-fated trip.

As soon as the CMD was informed of the accident at about 9:00 p.m that Sunday evening in Sokoto, he con-

tacted all hospital heads around the area that could offer help in treating the victims. His efforts led to the mobilisation of personnel and materials that rescued the survivors.

In addition, he made a presentation on the accident to the minister, permanent secretaries and other top government and professional officials the following day, after which he excused himself from the meeting and the conference to enable him return to Ekiti to attend to the situation. It should be stated categorically again that seven doctors from the Ekiti State Hospital Management Board, Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital and FETHI agreed to undertake the journey using a bus belonging to the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Ekiti State branch for the Sokoto NMA conference. The seven doctors came together to take an NMA bus and driver. They did not involve the hospital’s administrators. And the three of them from FETHI did not take permission for the conference. So, it is surprising when a group of people gathered in front of the hospital, accusing the CMD of their death. On the allegation that 42 people had died in 42 months in the hospital, nothing could be farther from the truth because only five members of staff had died since the inception of the CMD’s administration. A medical doctor died of neurological disease, a nurse died of HIV/ AIDS, a man collapsed due to diabetic coma, while a young man died for his alleged involvement in diabolical activities and another young man died in an accident in Owo while returning from a meeting. These had nothing to do with the CMD. So, the protesters are not protesting because of the accident, they are only using it as a cover.

Closing down the hospital and sending out patients from the wards were acts of terrorism. The protesting workers had beaten up a number of staff, vandalised the Oba’s palace and stopped people from carrying out their duties. Security agencies must not allow these to continue because a few people cannot hijack a federal institution.

•Kalejaiye lives in Ido-Ekiti.

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Thursday, 12 May, 2016 Femi Olukunle Coordinating Editor 08158610216

FCT administration to rehabilitate Kubwa NYSC camp Christian Okeke -Abuja

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HE Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration is to embark on urgent rehabilitation of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp in Kubwa.

Already, a committee led by the FCT Permanent Secretary, Dr Babatope Ajakaiye, has been constituted to visit the camp and ensure that the hostels, toilets, medical centre and the entire surroundings are rehabilitated in order to make the corps members there more comfortable.

Equally, as soon as the present batch of the NYSC members are through with the orientation exercise, FCT officials will

move in fully to identify more areas that need attention at the camp in order to give it a befitting look.

Minister of FCT, Muhammadu Bello, who confirmed this in Abuja, stated that the administration remained the only Federal Government institution that absorbs the highest number of corps members in the country.

He told chairman and members of the House of Representatives Committee on Youth Development that paid him a courtesy visit in his office that there were presently over two thousand NYSC members serving in the FCT administration.

Bello said the whole idea of engaging the youth corps members in the clean

and green initiative of the administration was to promote re-orientation of citizens towards making them own the initiative and raise a beautiful city as the nation’s capital.

The minister noted that as part of efforts to empower youths in the territory, the administration was working on a plan to develop and equip vocational centres in the territory that would train the youths in various vocational skills to make them self reliant and useful to the society.

He promised that one of such centres would be established at the NYSC camp.

Earlier in his address, the chairman of the committee, Segun Adekola, said the

committee undertook a tour of the NYSC orientation camp as part of its oversight activities.

He said the committee observed that many of the facilities at the camp were overstretched due to the large number of corps members and appealed to the minister to urgently intervene to save the situation.

Federal Mortgage Bank, FCTA to partner on workers’ housing Christian Okeke -Abuja

Youth corps members giving a salute at one of their orientation programmes.

Power supply: How metering challenge can be solved —Fashola Christian Okeke -Abuja MINISTER of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has suggested that power distribution companies in the country which, he said, own 60 per cent of the undertaking could raise capital to buy and supply meters and replace their aging assets as a way to overcome the challenges of metering and replacing of aging assets in the sector.

He wondered why the companies could not divest some of their shares in order to raise funds to finance the business.

Fashola spoke at an African Capital Alliance’s 2016 Investor Day Dinner where he also suggested that the companies could have strategic shares arrangement in exchange for goods like meters and cables with companies who made those products which the distribution companies needed to service their customers.

He observed that the Companies and Allied Matters Act clearly allowed shares to be sold for cash and for kind and noted that the existing gap of meter supply in the distribution segment of the power chain had created enormous opportunities for local production.

The minister stated that local producers or investors were expected to at least meet a significant local content participation that would help small and medium enterprises especially participate in supplying the meters and developing capacity and jobs.

He disclosed that there were still estimated three million consumers who needed to be metered.

According to Fashola, “apart from metering, the distribution companies have aging assets: transformers, ring main units, poles, cables, breakers and so on, some of which are 20 to 30 years old. It is a problem on one hand and enormous opportunity on the other hand.”

Noting that the major problem in the area of transmission was that the transmission capacity was not developed to cope with the generation capacity, Fashola said apart from the plans to identify about 47 transmission projects that could be completed this year to deliver 1000 MW more carrying capacity, the ministry had resolved and started working on exactly how many transmission towers would take the nation to 7,000, 10,000,

13,000, 16,000 and 20,000MW in each growth plan.

The minister said that the roadmap to sustainable transmission required that the five-year 20,000 MW plan must have an implementation programme.

He said: “Beyond that of course, we will secure the right of way, the way leave issues, compensation claims and build a programme that takes care of these issues to ensure that implementation is not frustrated by court cases or outright destruction of transmission towers as we have experienced before.

This seems to me to be the road to sustainability.”

The minister noted that as the plan was progressing, the ministry was constantly receiving expression of interests from people who wanted to invest in transmission grid expansion on a Public Private Partnership basis.

Noting that the current grid was hundred per cent owned by government, Fashola said he had challenged the experts to come up with proposals about how expansions could be done modularly while still being interconnected to the main grid.

THE Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) is to go into partnership with the Federal Mortgage Bank to develop houses for low-income workers in the territory.

This came as the FCT minister, Muhammadu Bello, lamented what he described as big houses built in Abuja that were unoccupied because of the exorbitant rent charged by landlords.

He told a delegation of the bank led by its Acting Managing Director, Mr Richard Esien, that paid him a working visit in his office that, “What we need today in Abuja are low income houses which low income earners can afford and that is what my Administration believes would further take care of the less privileged people in the society.”

The minister emphasized that his administration was prepared to enhance the relationship between it and the Bank for mutual benefits.

He directed that henceforth, all new estates to be built in the territory must make provision for essential facilities like recreational centres and play grounds.

The minister directed that a green area be made available for the bank to develop a befitting public park for usage at weekends by the residents free of charge.

Rep faults lack of cooperation among humanitarian agencies at IDPs Christian Okeke -Abuja THE Chairman, House Committee on Internally-Dispalced Persons, Refugees and North East Initiative, Muhammed Zorro, has said that lack of cooperation among humanitarian agencies in the country has further slowed the response of government towards the displaced persons.

Zorro made this known at the second migration roundtable series on education campaign organized by the Migration Study Center (MSC) in Abuja.

He lamented that the response of government towards issues of IDPs had been very slow and inadequate due to lack of communication between relevant agencies.

The House committee chairman noted that when the team committee met the international donors, they told them to stop releasing funds to the nation’s humanitarian agencies until they fulfilled certain conditions.

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Thursday, 12 May, 2016 With Adewale Oshodi tribunearts@yahoo.com 08054005323

•A band from South America

•Olaiwola Sakara Band performing at the concert

Melody, sparks as Africa meets South America at New Worlds Concert

The second New Horizons: New Worlds concert provided an interesting meeting point between different music worlds and traditions.

A

FRICA and South America share a lot of things in common, not least music. It was a memorable meeting between both worlds at the ‘New Horizons: New Worlds’ concert held recently at the MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos.

Featuring international and Nigerian artists, the show curated by Tunde Jegede, Artistic Director of the MUSON, began tamely before exploding into life.

It was as if Jegede had saved the best for the last as the audience happily joined in the clapping and singing that characterised the latter part of the concert. Francebased South American pair, Dianna Baroni and Rafael Guel, French contrabasse player, Simon Drappier, Nigerian drummer Wura Samba, the MUSON Ensemble and Jegede were the stars of the segment, drawing appreciative applause from the audience.

A traditional piece by the MUSON African Music Group was the evening’s first offering before Baroni, Drappier and the MUSON Ensemble treated the audience to some classical numbers by J.S. Bach.

“That was the MUSON African Music Group,” began Jegede by way of introduction after the group had rendered the song ‘E wa Gbo’. “They put the piece together themselves and that was to show you some of the works we are doing at MUSON,” he added.

Up next was Nigeria’s foremost sopra-

no, Ranti Ihimoyan who was backed by the MUSON Ensemble. The opera and crossover singer performed Handel’s ‘I know that my Redeemer liveth’ from ‘The Messiah’ and Mozart’s ‘Alleluia’ from ‘Exultate, Jubilate’. Enthralled by the young lady’s performance, Nigeria’s first female federal permanent secretary and outstanding soprano back in her youth, Mrs. Francesca Emanuel, had a big smile on her face for the duration of Ihimoyan’s rendition. She joined others in loudly applauding the ‘Iwe Kiko’ crooner as she took a bow and exited the stage.

The fusion of different music traditions continued...

A fusion of classical music string instruments with African music.

Most appropriately, it wasn’t just classical music that was served at the concert series which will end on May 28 with ‘An African Ballet’ featuring Qudus Onikeku, Renu Hossain, Devon Carpenter, Jegede and MUSON Ensemble. Lovers of Yoruba traditional music had fun with the Olaiwola Sakara Ensemble comprising Sakara and his partner, Nureni Sunmola.

The duo backed by Wura Samba on the drums, took the audience back in time with their goje (African Violin) and sakara drum. Sadly, the musical instruments somewhat drowned out their voices.

The fusion of different music traditions continued with Kate Aluko, Wura Samba, Imoleayo Balogun, Olaiwola Sakara and MUSON Ensemble taking the next set of songs, a fusion of classical music string instruments with African music. While Aluko sang ‘Surulere’ and ‘E s’aiye re’ a commentary on Nigerian politics and the need for public officers to be accountable with much feeling and emotion, the instrumentalists also seized the opportunity to showcase their skills by taking extensive solos in turns.

‘Hill of Solitude’/ Valley of Festivity’ composed by Jegede and ‘Heat Haze’ were the last two songs of part one of the concert. Baroni, who featured alongside Wura Samba and MUSON Ensemble, expressed her delight at being part of the show. “It’s a big pleasure for me to be part of this incredible experience; this

wonderful project Tunde Jegede is working on.”

After the interval, the floor was yielded to Baroni, Guel, Drappier, Jegede, Wura Samba and MUSON Ensemble. While Baroni played her flute and was the lead singer for the South American songs they did, Guel, Drappier and Samba were the backing vocalists. And what didn’t they do with their respective instruments? At a point, Jegede and Samba appeared to be having a conversation with their konga and cajon respectively.

Impressed by the love from the audience, Baroni who is rooted in the classical, folk and music of the New World, as South America is also referred to, explained in a short remark before the show ended, “South American folk music is rooted in African tradition as you could feel it. It is very touching for our group to be in Africa to meet you who have been so present in our music.”

Though they had performed ‘Montilla’ the last piece on the programme, the artistes gave the audience a bonus track.

It was the unforgettable ‘Owereke’ a collaboration between the foreign artistes and Wura Samba that guests continued humming as they exited the hall. Though known to some Yoruba in the audience, the flavour the group added to the song with their musical instruments; contrabass, goje, konga, and drums plus Wura Samba’s voice made it unique.

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arts&review

Thursday, 12 May, 2016

Towards decolonising African studies

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OR whom do we research Africa and for what purpose? How do our institutions- be they universities, professional networks or publishing forums reinforce unequal access to power, opportunities and knowledge? What are our responsibilities as researchers and also as teachers to decolonize our work; and how do we do it? How do we connect critical theoretical debates around decolonization with applied best practices or new practices? What future for African Studies does this envisage?’’

These posers informed the convening of an international conference on ‘Decolonizing the Academy’ by the Centre of African Studies, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, and Global Development Academy. The conference which held at the Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation (ECCI), High School Yards, from 20-22, April 2016, drew participants from universities and Centres of African Studies in Europe, Africa as well as scholars and enthusiasts of African affairs from other parts of the world.

In her welcome address, Director, Centre of African Studies, University of Edinburgh, Dr. Barbara Bompani, said the conference was not convened to condemn the current state of African Studies or academic curriculum in any part of Africa, but “to provide an interdisciplinary space for interrogating the power and politics of knowledge creation in African Studies and to examine various issues as they relate to inequality and legacies of (neo) colonialism in our world, as we investigate how we can transform them in our work”.

The decolonizing discourse was handled by eight panels including Pedagogies and Curriculum; Research: Method, Voice, and Power; African Studies; The City; The State; Art and Media; History; Activism and the Academy. It also included a roundtable on the State of African Studies in Europe, which interrogated the presence and purpose of Centres of African Studies in Europe. Discussions at the roundtable was led by Dr. Akinyinka Akinyoade of the African Studies Centre, Leiden. To enhance the relevance of such Centres and Institutes, the roundtable emphasized the imperative of making their work and resources more accessible to the African populace and African scholars.

The conference also discussed how voices and peoples are being marginalized from the academic marketplace and ways of making African academic institutions, students and the faculty that constitute them, leaders in dismantling unjust and unequal legacies of power. Among the major attractions at the conference was the Keynote Dialogue on Africa and its Global Audience: Information and Representation between Dr. Sean Jacobs of The New School, New York, and Ms Zainab Usman, a Nigerian doctoral student at the University of Oxford.

Panel presenters also included Dr. Samaila Suleiman of the Department of History, Bayero University, Kano whose discussion was on ‘Seeing Africanist Historiography as a Colonial Legacy: The Nigerian Case’, and Dr. Taiwo Oladokun of Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC) and Visiting Lecturer,Plateau State University, who delivered his paper on ‘Indigenising Media and Communication

•From left, Dr Taiwo Oladokun, Dr Akinyinka Akinyoade of the African Studies Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands and a Nigerian PhD student at the University of Edinburgh, at the event.

Studies in Nigerian Academia’.

There was a general consensus at the conference that indigenous languages have a central role to play in decolonising the academia for and in Africa. Other recommendations include the need to make changes within academia to im-

prove individuals’ and groups’ equitable access to knowledge; the use of postcolonial narratives to enhance a better understanding of contemporary issues in and beyond Africa’s urban areas; the imperative of new methodological approaches to research in order to make

findings more rigorous, more true, and perhaps more emancipatory; the need to learn more from artistic expressionswhether visual, literary, or performing- about how to better understand or represent political, economic, and social issues and use these expressions to dismantle barriers to representation; and how to shake off historical colonial epistemologies and constructs which continue to define our understanding of public and private life in African societies.

Perhaps, to demonstrate that the decolonisation process has commenced, the organisers invited participants to dinner at the 2016 edition of ‘African Food Battle’, a mini competition for African Restaurants in Edinburgh. The event, which held at Earthy Café, 33 Ratcliffe Terrace, featured chefs from Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa and Libya. After a ‘heavy’ four-course treat and a combination of assorted drinks including Nigerian brands, and bottled palm wine, participants from Africa may have left, filled not only with the ever-tasty continental cuisines, but also with the hope that concrete action will henceforth be taken to really decolonize the academy by authorities and academics in Africa as well as those with interests in the study and development of Africa around the world.

Understanding andropausal and menopausal challenges A review of Professor E.O Ojofeitimi’s book, Understanding Andropausal and Menopausal Challenges.

THE two key components in Professor E.O Ojofeitimi’s new book are andropausal and menopausal. While many people are conversant with menopause, only a few people know what andropause, and this is what the community health nutrition don explains in the book.

As it is generally known, menopause is the cessation of a woman’s monthly occurence of menses for a whole 12 months. According to science, a woman who has reached menopause can no longer get pregnant.

However, andropause, which is also known as androgen decline in ageing males (ADAM), is sparingly recognised, understood and accepted as reality among men and even among healthcare providers.

Both andropause and menopause are truly inevitable stages of the ageing process among men and women.

In women, the cause of menopause is as a result of the decline in the level of the sex hormone, estrogen to be produced by the ovaries, while andropause in men is majorly due to the reduction of circulatory testosterone, the male hormone.

Having said this, Professor Ojofeitimi’s book, Understanding Andropausal and Menopausal Challenges explains what everyone needs to know about this ageing process.

The 14-chapter book starts with the concept of andropause and menopause, which Professor Ojofeitimi explains in detail. He, thereafter, highlights some

basic about these two health issues, particularly explaining the key terms relating to andropause and menopause.

The need for one to take stock of one’s health and parental background is also explained in details, since there is the likelihood of transfer of health issues along a genetic line.

The author also discusses the myths and facts about menopause and andropause, such as, menopause is a disease, menopause happens suddenly, menopause signifies that the woman is getting old, menopause begins at the age of 50, menopause causes weight gain, among others. While for andropause, the myths include: ageing male syndrome is not real, andropause is as a result of high sexual activity, andropause is an

inevitable consequence of passage of time. Andropause is also referred to as ‘male menopause’ since men go through similar process as women as they grow old. Professor Ojofeitimi, however, takes his time to explain the reality about each myth in the book, while also explaining about hormones and their importance in humans.

One important aspect of the book is when the author discusses about the signs and symptoms of andropausal and menopausal phases.

In women, there are hot flashes and weight gains, while in men, there is erectile dysfunction. However, there are other signs and symptoms, but these are the most common complaints among men and women.

While many may see these two challenges as not posing any threat to their health, the don highlights the risks after long exposure to them.

When one is seeing the signs that these two health challenges are coming, then it is not all negative news, as Professor Ojofeitimi explains that there are keys to enjoying active and healthy andropausal and menopausal lives.

He, therefore, explains the need to maintain the right testosterone and estrogen ration, as well as the dietary strategies to beat these challenges.

Exercises are also important to rejuvenate this second half of life.

This book is, therefore, recommended for everybody who wishes to age gracefully, and the author, Professor Ojofeitimi, who is a nutrition consultant par excellence, at the College of Medicine, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) has done a great work in sensitising the public about andropause, as well as building knowledge on menopause.

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Thursday, 12 May, 2016

education

Editor: Laolu Harolds 08111845016 tribune.education@yahoo.com

Varsity rankings shouldn’t distract from national priorities —World confab Laolu Harolds

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HE value of university rankings in helping nations develop their higher education systems was debated in a passionate session last week at ‘Going Global’, the British Council’s annual conference for leaders of international education, held in Africa for the first time.

According to a statement by Mr Desmond Omovie, British Council’s Head of Communication (Lagos), Nigeria’s Minister of State for Education, Professor Anthony Anwuka; and the executive secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Julius Okojie, were among hundreds of leaders from around the world that converged on Cape Town, South Africa, last week for the conference.

Dr Blade Nzimande, MP, Minister for Higher Education and Training, South Africa, told a packed room that rankings were a reality and impossible to ignore. But he expressed concerns that there was a danger to view and use rankings in isolation of the context in which individual universities operate.

“We must aim to achieve excellence in South African universities. But we must achieve excellence in a way that is good for the developmental priorities of our country. We achieve excellence by seeking solutions to the challenges that face a developing country,” he said.

Phil Baty, Editor of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, said that rankings provide the tools to help universities act and compete on the world stage, and this in turn enables the long-term development of a continental-wide infrastructure for learning and research.

Baty said: “Africa has many pressing priorities that current global, research-focused university rankings do not address; but acting on these challenges while also nurturing a necessarily select group of world-class, globally-focused universities needs not be mutually exclusive.

“I’m a great believer in the importance of diversity in higher education systems. Put simply, there is no one single correct model of excellence; and the existing world university rankings are, I would argue, in harmony with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 programme.”

Dr Gerald Ouma, Director, Centre for Higher Education Transformation (CHET), University of Pretoria, South Africa, agreed that rankings try to develop excellence. “But the big question is what kind of excellence?

Do we have a one-size-fits-all definition of excellence?

Excellence cannot be understood in isolation, it has to be understood in the context of the countries where the university operates.”

Professor Ellen Hazelkorn, Policy Advisor, Higher Education Authority and Director, Higher Education Policy Research Unit, Ireland, told delegates that there was no doubt that in a globalised world, rankings matter.

But she stressed to the audience, “The focus needs to be on the overall system – what are you trying to achieve?

Why would you use indicators set by someone else to determine your national priorities? You must focus on what is meaningful, rather than just focus on counting what is accessible.”

As a policy driver, [rankings are] a bad idea. We should be looking at building world class systems of higher education, not world class universities

From left, Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, Professor Julius Okojie; Country Director, British Council Nigeria, Mrs Connie Price, and Nigeria’s acting High Commissioner to South Africa, Mr. Martins Cobham, during the World Education Conference tagged ‘Going Global 2016’ held in Cape Town, South Africa, last week. Photo: British Council.

The big concern with rankings, she noted, “is when they become a policy driver, from what is essentially a report card on disparities of wealth…As a benchmarking tool, rankings are fine. As a policy driver, [rankings are] a bad idea. We should be looking at building world class systems of higher education, not world class universities.”

Professor Julius Okojie in an interview at the conference said the consistent low ranking of Nigerian universities globally is not that Nigerian universities are doing badly but that the parameters that form the basis of those rankings are just unfriendly not only to Nigeria but all the universities in Africa.

However, he expressed the hope that Nigerian universities would continue to strive to get better so as to stem brain drain and attract both foreign lecturers and students as well as produce graduates who would not only be economically relevant but employable.

Okojie also said it was time Nigerian universities doubled their efforts and effectively met their tripartile mandates of teaching, research and community services.

He said Nigerian universities would now intensify drive in the areas of collaboration and exchange programmes with their peers in both developed and developing economies.

AAUA reopens Monday May 16 Says criminals will not get certificates THE Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, will reopen on Monday 16th May, 2016 weeks after being shut down following a violent protest involving students of the institution and members of the host community.

This was disclosed on Thursday by the vice chancellor, Professor Igbekele Amos Ajibefun, when he hosted the Ondo State Commissioner of Police, Mrs. Hilda Ibifuro-Harrison, and her team who were on a courtesy visit to his office.

Tribune Education recalls that the protest was sparked off when a student from the university was knocked down and killed by a speeding motorist outside the campus.

While announcing the reopening, the vice chancellor, Professor Igbekele Amos Ajibefun, however, vowed that criminal elements masquerading as students would not be awarded the university’s certificate; just as he said that the management of the institution is committed to positioning the university among the best globally, In the same vein, Mrs. Ibifuro-Harrison promised that the police command would continue to work with the university to ensure safety of lives and property.

The vice chancellor thanked the police for their promptness, professional advice and guidance in quelling the students’ protest.

He said, “We are aware of what happened in other towns and places where some students lost their lives while protesting; but with your experience and counsel, such was avoided here. We assure you that the university will continue to collaborate with the police to ensure that peace reigns.

“We’ve been able to forge partnership with other universities across the globe to ensure we take AAUA to higher levels and ensure we make our students globally competitive. We will continue to do that, but the university will not allow criminals to take our certificate so that the name of the university is not tarnished.

“The Senate met and decided that our students will be called back by May 16, because we don’t want the innocent among them to suffer unnecessarily.”

In her remark, Ibifuro-Harisson assured returning students of adequate security, but advised them to be law-abiding and to resume with the mind of facing their primary reason for being in school.

“Returning students must learn to be law-abiding. The law-abiding students should rest assured that they will be safe as men of the Nigeria Police and the university security will work together to ensure their safety,” she said.

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interview

Thursday, 12 May, 2016

How every Baptist can help fund Bowen —Bursar The Bursar, Bowen University Iwo, a private tertiary institution founded by the Nigeria Baptist Convention 12 years ago, Mr Amos Okunade, in this interview with KEHINDE ADIO speaks on the funding challenges facing university education in Nigeria. Excerpts: How do you see university education funding in Nigeria?

Generally speaking, funding is a serious challenge in education management in Nigeria. In fact, one can conclude that funding is a major bane of university education development in this country. If Nigerian government would make education sector a priority with sufficient funding to be used appropriately for research, teaching and physical development, there would be an improvement in the quality output of graduates. Also, the Nigerian public university system would begin to experience sanity and smooth academic calendar.

Proprietors of schools alone cannot cope with the funding of the institutions. Every stakeholder in the system must contribute immensely to the development process of those institutions.

How does Bowen University source for fund?

Fund is generated through tuition fee paid by the students. Secondly, funds are also generated from Baptist Convention, the founder of the institution, through members of the church. We also have some individual philanthropists who contribute to the infrastructural development of the institution.

With the amount you charge as fee, why do you still have problems in funding the university?

Bowen University is a faith-based tertiary institution, run as a mission school and not for profitability purposes.

Bowen Bursar

In view of this, the fee is moderate and cannot cover the cost of running the university. I have said it earlier on that university education is capital-intensive. Even where they run free university education, somebody somewhere is subsidising the fees.

For instance, in the government-owned universities, it is the government that carries the responsibility of staff salary. Government is also responsible for the physical development of the institution. These universities enjoy Tertiary Education Trust Fund(TETFund) which is generated from the tax being paid by the general public and companies. Do you know that Bowen University uses the

same benchmark with other existing federal and stateowned universities for the payment of workers’ salary?

We also comply with the National Universities Commission’s laid down standard as regard the number of professors and senior lecturers that must be in each faculty. We generate water and electricity for the campus.

As a matter of fact, we consume between 30,000 and 40,000 litres of diesel in two weeks. Do you know how much that amounts to? We spend nothing less than N5 million on diesel within two weeks. All our students are residential and we must provide light. Despite that, we do not compromise quality education.

How do you think Bowen University can be assisted in the areas of funding?

I would want government to review its policy on TETFund allocation formula. There is nothing wrong if government extends TETFund financial support to Bowen University and other private institutions in the country.

If the federal government could consider private universities in the distribution of TETFund, it would go a long way to boost learning, teaching and research.

Secondly, I would want every Baptist Church member, home and in the diaspora, to see themselves as stakeholders in the Bowen University development process by contributing generously to it. If every Baptist member can volunteer to be donating N1,000 to the university’s coffer annually, it will reduce the tuition fee drastically and the university will start witnessing a drastic development in the areas of research, teaching and physical advancement.

Moreover, I want Nigerian Baptist members to know that if their children cannot come to Bowen University now, they may become a staff tomorrow. So, let us come together to build the institution with N1,000 contributions annually. We should not put sentiment in this donation scheme. It is going to be a mutually beneficial for all and sundry in the system.

Ortom orders withdrawal of BSU conditional charges GOVERNOR Samuel Ortom, of Benue State has directed immediate withdrawal of conditional charges introduced by the management of the Benue State University and urged the institution to revert to the old regime of charges.

A statement by the Special Adviser to the Governor of Media and ICT, Tahav Agerzua, quoted Ortom as directing the management to sort out those who already paid the new charges amicably.

Governor Ortom stated that he took the action following concerted appeals from major stakeholders in the university, including prominent citizens, parents, students as well as the general populace.

He said as a democratically elected governor, he has a responsibility to be sensitive to the views of the people and their plight, hence the decision.

He assured that the state government would explore other avenues to raise internally generated revenue to address the concerns that led the university to introduce the charges.

“We are also verifying the sources of income of the university and if we see that there is need for a review of

the conditional charges we shall seek inputs from all major stakeholders including members of the State

House of Assembly,” Governor Ortom stressed.

He regretted the discomfort and pains which the

development might have caused and commended the management of the institution and the students

for not allowing the issue to degenerate further.

Ortom also expressed appreciation to all those who

were concerned and took the time to raise the matter with him personally or at other appropriate fora.

Microsoft, Dynamiss unveil learning solution

By Laolu Harolds LEARNING can be fun and interactive, even when the teacher is not physically present. Creating a whole new way to learn, leading technology giant, Microsoft, is partnering with Dynamiss Digital Learning Solutions Limited, a teaching and learning digital solutions company, to unveil the LP+365 Classroom Solution.

The LP+365 Classroom Solution is a cloud-based learning platform which transforms the Microsoft Office365 into a school’s virtual learning environment, enabling teachers to design and plan the curriculum, deliver subject material, manage coursework and communicate with learners using simple drag and drop technology.

The application, which will be unveiled soon at ‘The Future of Learning’ conference, will offer those who attend a chance to gain exclusive access to free Microsoft Teaching, with technology training

hosted by the Microsoft Nigeria Education team.

Participants will also get a chance to win the latest tablets, phones and more from Microsoft on Wednesday, May 18, 2016 at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos during the event.

Commenting on the initiative, Education Programs Manager, Microsoft Nigeria, Jordan Belmote, said digital literacy is neither an option nor a luxury; rather, it is an essential part of studying, working and living in the 21st century.

Belmote said, “This is the real deal for every educator. The Dynamiss LP+365 solution provides the students with an “Always-On” learning experience anytime, anywhere. Students can access the platform through mobile devices using Microsoft productivity tools to do everything from taking notes, submitting coursework to collaborating with their classmates on projects.

The Chief Executive Officer, Dynamiss Digital

Learning Solutions Limited, Roland Sodeinde, also explained the motive of the solution.

“The idea is to enhance digital literacy in Nigerian

Schools, from Primary to tertiary level. Nigeria has made significant progress over the last decade in preparing students for the digital world that we now

live in, but there is a need to put more in place, to become competitive and play at the same level as their counterparts in developed countries.”

NOUN will soon become ODL hub in Africa — ­ VC Clement idoko-abuja THE Vice-Chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria, Professor Abdalla Adamu, has pledged to work assiduously towards ensuring that in no distant future, NOUN will take its pride of place as the hub of Open and Distance Education in Africa.

He added that arrangements have been concluded for the institution to make in-roads to other parts of Africa to strengthen collaboration and partnership.

Adamu, who spoke when he received members of the Bayero University Kano Alumni Association, FCT chapter, on courtesy call in Abuja, commended the federal government for its commitment to the development of ODL in Nigeria.

He particularly noted that the recent special intervention fund approved by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration for the construction of a befitting permanent site of the University in Abuja has opened a new vista in the operations of the institution.

The vice chancellor also explained that plans were underway to unveil a comprehensive advocacy programme that would involve people from the lowest rung of the social ladder to lead a campaign highlighting the intrinsic values of taking education to the doorstep of Nigerians.

Earlier, the chairman of the association, Mohammed Alhassan Gumel, praised the university for being at the forefront of

providing access to education to Nigerians irrespective of their circumstances.

Meanwhile, in recognition of its dedication to openness, access, high quality and innovation, the National Open University of Nigeria has been awarded the Organizational Leadership Award for Excellence in Open Education.

A statement by the director, media and publicity of the university, Mr Ibrahim Sheme, said the award, presented at the Open Education Global Conference in Krakow, Poland, was received on behalf of the institution by the Head, National Open University of Nigeria’s Open Educational Resource (NOUNOER), Dr. Jane-Frances Agbu.

education US firm, UNILORIN set to establish N600b solar power project 21

Biola Azeez - Ilorin

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HE University of Ilorin and a USbased company, Arrow Capital, have signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) to establish a N600 billion solar power project designed to generate and distribute

Thursday, 12 May, 2016

500 megawatts of electricity for commercial consumption.

Speaking during the signing of documents on the project in Ilorin at the weekend, the vice chancellor of the university, Professor AbdulGaniyu Ambali, said the generated electricity power would be sold to the

Federal Government for onward distribution to such distances as Lagos and Kano states, among other parts of the country.

He said that work on the power project would start next week, and that it is expected to be inaugurated in October this year.

The vice chancellor also

said that the project would provide UNILORIN the opportunity to contribute to power generating efforts of the Federal Government, as well as contribute to scientific research purposes, manpower training, employment generation, and constant power supply to the institution.

Professor Ambali, who said the agreement on solar power project included establishment of solar panel assembly plant, added that the plant would provide opportunity on skill manpower for engineering students and entrepreneurship centre for manpower training.

He said further: “We are also looking at it from the benefits the university would derive which include most importantly, constant power supply to our university. We cannot overemphasize the need for that because we have a lot of departments that depend on constant power supply,

more especially, our biomedical research.

“We have recently commissioned our central research lab and we have quite a number of research groups being encouraged to go into research. We all know we cannot carry out scientific research appropriately without constant power supply.

“This will also go a long way in encouraging our postgraduate students in their research as to be able to finish as at when due and be able to generate data that will be acceptable and comparable to other people around the world.”

ASUP decries undue interference in union activities Clement Idoko - Abuja

Coordinator, Digital Press International, Miss Alice Lawrence, addressing selected secondary school students from the FCT during the 2016 Girls ICT Quiz competition in Abuja. PHOTO: SUNDAY OSUNRAYI

THE Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics has lamented what it describes as undue interference of governing councils and rectors of some polytechnics in their institutions’

UNILAG alumni elect new officials Naza Okoli - Lagos THE University of Lagos Alumni Association (Lagos State chapter) recently elected new officials, shortly after a general meeting held at the Afe Babalola Hall of the institution.

A senior lecturer from the Department of Geophysics at the university emerged chairman, after polling 210 votes, defeating his closest opponent who garnered 58 votes.

Also elected are Mr Samuel Anyamele, vice chairman; Mr Olusegun Alimson, secretary; Mr Olayinka Shonubi, Assistant Secretary, and Mr Oluranti Ebun (treasurer).

Earlier in his speech, the outgoing chairman, Dr Ayodele Ogunleye, urged members of university alumni associations to participate more actively in matters concerning their institutions.

He described as unfair the situation in the University of Lagos where only one member of the council represents the alumni out of 17 persons, demanding that the number be increased to at least 10.

Teachers and pupils of King’s Seed Academy, Queen Elizabeth Road, Ibadan, Oyo State, during their excursion to Tribune House, Oke-Ado, Ibadan.

EKSU holds prayer session for deceased doctors EKITI State University (EKSU) has organised a solemn prayer session in honour of the six medical doctors who died recently in a road accident on a trip to Kaduna. One of them, Dr. Olufemi Joshua Taiwo, was a lecturer at the College of Medicine of EKSU.

Leading the prayer, the vice chancellor, Professor Samuel Oye Bandele, noted that the university and Ekiti State in general were in mourning mood over the incident.

Professor Bandele, who is a Senior Pastor with the Deeper Life Bible Church,

led prayers against untimely deaths through witchcraft or agents of darkness.

He described the deceased doctors as rising stars in their profession.

The special prayer, which was attended by all principal officers of the university, staff and students, took

place at the Main Auditorium of the university.

The vice chancellor also led prayers for the outgoing registrar, Mr Emmanuel Ogunyemi, and the incoming registrar, Mr. Akin Arogundade, as well as for principal officers, students and staff.

union matters.

It has also called on the Federal Government to, without further delay, release the White Paper on visitation panels set up to federal polytechnics in 2011.

President of the union, Comrade Usman Dutse, while addressing newsmen in Abuja, said these panels made very far-reaching recommendations to revamp the instruments of administration of the institutions and to make them more functional.

He said since 2011, however, the Federal Government has continued to prevaricate on the release of the White Paper to kickstart the implementation of the report and to bring about the desired changes in the sector.

The ASUP president said this trend has weakened the belief of the lecturers in recent years that government has any plan, even in the future, to correct the ills bedevilling polytechnic education in Nigeria and to reposition it to face modern challenges.

Comrade Dutse said the union is particularly disturbed with the undue interference of councils and rectors of some polytechnics in union matters of their institutions with the sole purpose of causing confusion among their members.

He said: “The peculiar cases of Federal Polytechnic, Mubi; Federal Polytechnic Oko; Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashiukwu, and Adamawa State Polytechnic, Yola, can easily be cited to buttress this point.”

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education

Thursday, 12 May, 2016

FUTA students win 2016 national mathematics competition To represent Nigeria in Bulgaria

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OUR students of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), will represent Nigeria at the International Mathematics Competition (IMC),organised by the University College, London and holding in America University, Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria, between 25 and 29 July, 2016.

The FUTA students emerged winners at the 8th National Mathematics

Competition for University Students (NAMCUS 2016) in Nigeria, which took place in Abuja under the aegis of the National Mathematical Centre (NMC).

They came first from a

pool of 24 competing universities with 96 students and earned a place in the international competition. The FUTA team consisted of Michael Omolaja, a 500 level student, who

won a Gold Medal and the title of Best Student Mathematician across Nigerian universities; Mary Akinade and Segun Ofe, both 500 level students, who won Silver Medals;

and Desmond Dike, a 300 level student, who picked a bronze medal.

Dr Babatope Omolofe and Mr Ayodeji Afolabi, who are lecturers in the Department of Mathemat-

Umahi to institute endowment fund for FUNAI Clement Okon Nnachi, Abakaliki

EBONYI State Governor, David Umahi, has pledged to institute an endowment fund for the Faculty of Engineering of the Federal University Ndufu Alike, Ikwo, to accelerate the technological/scientific development of the country.

Governor Umahi made the declaration in Abakaliki on Wednesday, while receiving members of the governing council of the university, who paid him a courtesy visit at the government house.

“I make this promise because technology remains the fulcrum for the development of any nation,” he emphasised.

He said the state government would partner with FUNAI in the provision of water and electricity, and that efforts were on to ensure the completion of the 15-kilometre road from the capital city to the university.

“Government will ensure speedy relocation of the pre-degree programme centre of the institution to the CASS campus of the university in Abakaliki, if the government succeeds in moving all the campuses of the state university to its permanent site at Ezzamgbo.

The leader of the team, the pro-chancellor and chairman of the council, Professor Mba Uzoukwu, said the essence of the visit was to intimate the state government with the challenges confronting the growth of the institution in recent times.

FUTA NAMCUS 2016 winning team: Michael Omolaja, Mary Akinade, Segun Ofe and Desmond Dike, with their lecturers —Dr Babatope Omolafe and Mr Ayodeji Afolabi.

ics, supervised the team.

The international competition will consist of two sessions of five hours each with problems from the field of Algebra, Real and Complex Analysis, Geometry and Combinatorics, with about 80 countries participating.

Omolaja, the gold medalist, attributed the team’sfeat to God and team work.

Omolaja, who has a record of tutoring students at Masters and Ph.D levels, is a Fluid Numerical and Complex Analysis major in the making with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.69 and several published journal papers to his credit.

Mary Akinade, the female on the team and one of the silver medalists, explained that Mathematics is not as difficult as people think, saying that the study of Mathematics only demands interest, support, persistent practice and confidence. She has a CGPA of 4.68.

IBBU VC advises youths on good behaviour Adelowo Oladipo-Minna

Teachers and pupils of Sanyaolu Memorial School, No 21, Anfani street, off Rng -Road and 18, Satola street, off Ajeigbe Ibadan, during their excursion to Tribune House, Imalefalafia, Oke-Ado, Ibadan, recently.

Ganduje inaugurates new board of Kano Poly Kola Oyelere-Kano

GOVERNOR Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State has inaugurated a 12-man governing council of the state polytechnic, led by a past commissioner for education and former deputy governor of the state, Professor Ahmad Abdullahi.

Performing the inauguration, the governor recalled that the process of re-organising the institution started recently with the appointment of a new rector and other key of-

ficials “as part of efforts to address the persistent leadership crisis that has rocked the institution for a very long time.”

He said his administration’s expectation from the newly constituted council is predicated on four major objectives, including restoring the main mandate of the institution in terms of teaching, learning, research and effective discharge of its responsibilities to the community.

The governor stated further that the new council

is alsoexpected to re-appraise the polytechnic’s programmes/courses and streamline them in order to focus on production of graduates who can create jobs and stand on their own, rather than wait for a white collar jobs.

Ganduje then charged the council to restore probity, transparency and accountability regarding charges and fees requested from parents, and to ensure that all monies collected are lodged and utilised in accordance with due diligence and es-

tablished public sector accounting principles.

While restating his administration’s commitment to revamp education in the state, Governor Ganduje warned that his administration “would not hesitate to take corrective action against any institution that derails from its statutory functions and responsibilities.”

The chairman of the governing council, Professor A. T. Abdullahi, promised to justify the confidence reposed in them by working selflessly.

THE Vice Chancellor, Ibrahim Babangida University (IBBU), Lapai, Niger State, Professor Muhammad Nasir Maiturare, has advised members of the Arewa Trusted Youth Initiative Forum (ATYIF) and other youths in parts of the country to shun every act that could jeopardise peaceful co-existence among all the ethnic groups in Nigeria.

He gave the charge while receiving members of the ATYIF, who paid him a courtesy called in his office recently.

While appreciating the award bestowed on him by the association, the vice chancellor enjoined the executives of the ATYIF to learn from the legacies of the late former Premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto, by not engaging in acts that would be detrimental to the image and growth of the region.

He pledged to support every youthful association that will promote peace and harmony not only in Nigeria, but Africa in general.

23

Thursday, 12 May, 2016 Editor:

health

Sade Oguntola sadeboguntola@yahoo.com 0805 506 9260

more toxic form.”

Health effects of dietary arsenic Dr Ayo-Omogie highlighted the health risks of arsenic saying “high doses of arsenic are acutely toxic and can cause various adverse health symptoms, even death. Although dietary arsenic is generally present in low amounts and doesn’t cause any immediate symptoms of poisoning, long term ingestion of inorganic arsenic may cause various degenerative diseases such as cancer, diabetes, gastrointestinal problems, depression, developmental problems in children, heart disease, nervous system damage, lung and bladder cancers and increase the risk of other chronic diseases.”

She added that “people who are particularly susceptible are those who eat rice every day in considerable amounts.”

Rice may be killing you softly The constant consumption of rice in large quantities may just be the beginning of several arsenic-related health problems VERA ONANA writes

H

OW much do you love rice? Better still, how many times in a week do you consume rice? For many Nigerians, the answers to these questions will be almost absolute.

Take a look at this -via a poll conducted on the Tribune website, Nigerians were asked the following question- “based on three meals per day which amounts to 21 meals in a week, do you eat rice at least 15 times in a week?” 40 per cent of the poll was affirmative. According to agro charts, the estimated consumption of rice in Nigeria for 2015/2016 is about six million tons.

Rice is the seed of the grass species Oryza sativa (Asian rice) or Oryza glaberrima (African rice). Though, the African rice never developed far from its original region and its cultivation even declined in favour of the Asian species, rice, is a major staple food in Asia and Africa. According to Food and Agriculture Corporate Statistical Database (FAOSTAT), rice is the agricultural commodity with the third-highest worldwide production.

Rice, everyone’s best friend?

In Nigeria, rice is a major staple and is eaten routinely in quantities that constitute a dominant portion of a standard diet. For many Nigerians, rice supplies a huge fraction of the needs for energy-rich materials like carbohydrates, sugars and dietary fibre while also providing a significant proportion of the intake of other vitamins and minerals.

“My best food is rice in any form. I can eat anything rice three times a day and not get tired,” were the animated words of a middle aged Nigerian and mother of three. But this love for rice may predispose her and her family to imminent danger, she had not the faintest idea as she exclaimed, utterly astonished “when did rice become a slow poison?”

Expert food microbiologist/toxicologist, Dr Helen Ayo-Omogie of the department of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Technology, Akure, answers this question and several others.

How arsenic enters rice According to Dr Ayo-Omogie, arsenic, a toxic trace element, denoted by the symbol As is made up of two types: Organic arsenic, mainly found in plant and animal tissues and the inorganic arsenic, found in rocks and soil or dissolved in water. However, the inorganic arsenic is the more toxic form.

“Both forms are naturally present in the environment, but their levels have been increasing due to pollution. Arsenic often drains into groundwater and from there, finds its way into wells and other water supplies that may be used for crop irrigation.”

She explained that though arsenic is found in nearly all foods and drinks, it occurs in small amounts. In contrast, she stated that “relatively high levels of arsenic are found in rice and rice-based foods because as the rice plant grows, the plant and grain tend to absorb arsenic more readily than other food crops. The rice accumulates the toxin.

In fact, rice is considered the single biggest food source of inorganic arsenic, which is its

SEX, SEXUALITY&YOUR HEALTH

NATURAL HEALTH

Oranges, potatoes may protect against cataracts Page 26

Reasons the vagina smells…

Page 26

Most vulnerable people to arsenicrelated health problems While stating that arsenic contamination is a serious concern for the millions of people who rely on rice as their staple food, the expert stressed that young children are especially vulnerable because of their small body size since they generally eat a lot of rice-based foods. Therefore, feeding them rice cereals and rice every day may not be such a good idea.

“That being said, we can’t totally stop the consumption of rice since it is the long-term and very frequent consumption of rice that brings about these health problems. However, it is important to reduce the frequency of rice consumption by avoiding eating rice on a daily basis and reducing the amount consumed. So if you eat rice in moderation as part of a varied diet, you should be totally fine. In particular, we should reduce feeding children and infants with rice and ricebased diets,” she added.

Arsenic content of rice types Brown rice contains higher amounts of arsenic than white rice because brown rice goes through less processing during rice polishing. “Therefore if you eat large amounts of rice, the white variety may be a better choice. Also, choose aromatic rice such as basmati or jasmine. In addition, rice from the Himalayan region including North India, North Pakistan and Nepal should be preferably chosen.”

She went further by saying “since arsenic is not an additive or ingredient in rice, it cannot be completely eliminated from it.

However, its amount can be considerably reduced by washing and cooking the rice with clean water that is low in arsenic. This is effective for both white and brown rice, potentially reducing the arsenic content by up to 57 per cent. Plenty of water should also be used when cooking and the excess water can then be drained. This reduces arsenic content of rice by 40 to 60 per cent.

However, if the cooking water is high in arsenic, it may have the opposite effect and raise the arsenic content significantly.”

Alternative grains to reduce rice consumption “It is advisable to replace some of our rice diets with other grains such as oat, barley and millet (jero). Most importantly children and infants should be fed a variety of fortified infant cereals, rather than rice cereal.

Also, there are other local cereal alternatives like fonio (acha or hungry rice), sorghum, maize, amaranth and wheat,” she said.

24

Thursday, 12 May, 2016

Dr. Ben Ajayi 0805 400 5447

you-and-eye@gmail.com

‘What did the doctor say was wrong with you?’

M

R Daniel, an 80-year-old man, travelled a long distance to see a doctor. He had been blind for over 10 years.

He could not recount how many eye clinics and hospitals he had visited before. He had come to this particular clinic on the advice of a friend, with great expectations and full of hope that at last he would get his sight restored.

“Papa, your eyes are very bad. You have glaucoma and you’ve come too late. I wished I had seen you 10 years earlier but now there is nothing I can do,” the doctor told him. Devastated, Mr Daniel went away speechless. However, about two weeks later, he came back to express his displeasure to the doctor. “You are heartless,” he said. “I came with great expectations and you just shattered my hope! Did you expect me to go and commit suicide?”

I remember my first visit to a teaching hospital very many years ago. I had arrived at 6.00am and at about 12.00-noon hunger had set in. I was feeling faint and considering giving up seeing the doctor.

Just then, the doctor came in with a note pad in his hands. Before I finished narrating my complaints, he had completed

writing his prescription. Without a word, he thrust it into my hand and moved on to the next patient.

I looked at the prescription and it looked to me like Chinese letters. I couldn’t decipher the names of the drugs or understand the medical jargon. I asked one of the hospital attendants to explain it all to me. She told me I should wait until I got to the pharmacy. “Have I come here to waste the whole day?” I muttered to myself.

Reluctantly, I went to the pharmacy and after another agonising wait of over two hours, had my drugs dispensed. The

You spent over a whole day in the hospital seeing the doctor and he didn’t tell you what was wrong with you.

dispenser was clearly too busy and asking questions would have elicited no response. In any case, the pangs of hunger were taking their toll on me so I decided I would just follow the instructions on the labels.

Back to school, the house master asked me, “what did the doctor say was wrong with you?” I said, I did not know and that he didn’t tell me.

“You spent over a whole day in the hospital seeing the doctor and he didn’t tell you what was wrong with you. Okay what drugs did he give you?” I showed him the packages and the bottles.

All medicines have names and there are no names on yours! Do you realise what would happen if you were to become ill suddenly after taking one of these and you were rushed to another hospital? The first thing the doctor there would ask you is the names of the medicines you had taken.

He might also want to give you some other medicines which may interact with the ones you have been given. You would make it difficult for him to help you. Imagine if your life depended on it, you should consider yourself dead! I thought you were smarter than that! You must be an

idiot of some sort!,” he exclaimed.

Not finished with me yet, he continued, “Young man, when next you go to a hospital you must ask the doctor the nature of your illness (diagnosis). You should ask for the possible outcome (prognosis) of the illness and the names and the probable side effects of the drugs you have been given. If possible get the doctor to write the information on a piece of paper for you. Your life may depend on it.”

Sometimes given the type of environment in which we live and the ease with which ANY medicine can be purchased without a prescription, many medical doctors would tarry a little before giving out the names of some medications in the best interest of the patient.

Now back to Mr. Daniel. His reaction was right. In giving me the prognosis, I would expect consideration for my feelings. Noone goes to his friend and tells him “your darling wife had an accident and has died!”

Truth must be told, but with consideration for feelings and if possible at the appropriate place and time. The medical doctor is NOT God. Once in a while the “impossible” happens. The door to “hope” must never be shut in anyone’s face.

Dr Abayomi Ajayi

ivf &you

info@nordicalagos.org

0700 6673422

Fertility tales: A problem shared is a problem solved GBEMISOLA was 33 years old when she and Omotayo first met. They were employed as professional client executives in a Lagos branch of a frontline Nigerian Insurance company. They worked in the same office, and had worked side-by-side for about a year, but they were not exactly best friends and hardly ever spoke to each other about their personal lives.

They enjoyed working together; talking about this and that, but never had all that much in common. They were just so busy with their own lives, and since their lives were so different, they never coincided.

At 35, Omotayo was older but the more charming and physically attractive woman. She was glamorous and clearly more “classy”. A workaholic that was very good at what she did, she and Gbemisola were never really all that close as friends in the real sense, because they didn’t belong in the same circles.

Omotayo’s world seemed to revolve around her work, whereas Gbemisola’s career was her husband and two adorable children, with the office just a small part of her life. No one could blame Gbemisola for thinking Omotayo was happy, and that everything in her life was going just as she’d planned.

The belief was that she (Omotayo) loved her job and was advancing up the corporate ladder, with a caring and successful husband, and they had just bought a

beautiful home. Everything was going right and so perfect. Or so Gbemisola thought.

One day, out of the blue, they were alone in the office during break, Omotayo suddenly burst into tears. Startled, Gbemisola tried to calm her and when she got control of herself, she poured her heart out.

Everything was going right in Omotayo’s life alright... except for one thing. She was not getting pregnant. She confessed that she and her husband had been trying to conceive, never expecting any problems, but after trying for over two years - nothing had happened.

At first they’d attributed it to ‘workinduced stress’, but after a while they realised it was a more serious problem.

And so, while everything else was going so well, this one was certainly not. And this one thing was what they desired more than anything else.

“I thought of nothing else,” Omotayo

said tearfully. “I would be sitting in a meeting with a client and would be thinking about having babies. I remember once one of our co-workers made an innocent remark about going away for the weekend with her husband and leaving the kids with her mother.

She was nervous about the kids missing her, and about her mother’s ability to cope with three little ones. She smiled at me and said, ‘You are so lucky you don’t have these problems.’ I gritted my teeth, smiled at her, and then went to the ladies and cried for two hours.”

Gbemisola felt so terrible listening to Omotayo pour out her heart. She was embarrassed by the unexpected show of emotion, and then suddenly realised how easily she could have been the one to have spoken so insensitively.

She tried to recall some of the things she had said in the past and wondered if she had also been insensitive. It never occurred to her that this was such a pain-

I would be sitting in a meeting with a client and would be thinking about having babies.

ful topic. She never had an inkling that Omotayo was struggling with fertility problems. In truth, she never realised that anyone struggled with fertility problems.

Gbemisola was not aware of what painful issue infertility was in so many lives.

She was really taken aback. Here she was, working next to this woman for a year.

They’d chatted casually about all kinds of things, and she had had the feeling that the other person’s life was proceeding just as she’d planned.

But she was wrong. All along, the other woman had been feeling deep-down miserable, and was just hiding it well. And then, one day, over coffee, she could keep it in no longer - out it poured... and to someone she barely knew!

At first, Gbemisola didn’t know how to react. She was genuinely shocked to learn her colleague had been living with such burden. Ironically, Gbemisola had always been a bit intimidated by Omotayo.

Subconsciously, she had wished to measure up to her colleague’s looks, intelligence and confidence on the job.

Omotayo had an ambience of success around her and seemed to do virtually everything faultlessly.

To be continued

25

healthnews

Thursday, 12 May, 2016

Health Ministry, PwC discuss National Healthcare reform MOVED by the need to develop and implement policies that would reform and strengthen the national health system for effective, efficient, accessible and affordable delivery of health services across the country, the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) recently held a meeting with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), a professional services firm.

Dr Bert Odiaka, Partner and Head of PwC’s public sector advisory service said that the two organisations had fruitful discussions at the meeting and assured of PwC’s readiness to partner with the FMoH by providing the expertise needed to help the ministry achieve its objectives in the area of universal healthcare coverage, building capacity for healthcare delivery and increasing efficiency in the healthcare sector.

In his words: “With engagements in every sector of the healthcare industry, PwC has earned the trust and confidence of governments and healthcare organisations worldwide. We have helped governments with major health reforms and public health policy initiatives. PwC is committed to partnering with the FMoH to help them achieve their objectives.

Dr Odiaka also mentioned that delegates to the meeting discussed strate-

gies for assessing the existing access to public sector facilities across the country; leveraging the capacity of the existing private sector providers through strategic commissioning; motivating private sector participation in expanding coverage through incentives and building and maintaining facilities where alternative solutions do not exist.

Professor Isaac Folorunso Adewole, the Federal Minister of Health thanked PwC for their support and said the discussions had touched on some of the key issues they are grappling with and welcomed PwC’s commitment to the development of the health sector in Nigeria.

From left, Guest Lecturer, Dr Femi Olowookere[left]; President, Asthmatic Society of Nigeria, Dr Soji Ige; representative of The Breathe Easy Foundation, Liverpool, Mrs Aderonke Akinwumi and Representative of royal father of the day,Olugbo of Ugboland, Otunba Kunle Obisanya at 2016 World Asthma Day at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, recently.

Breastfeeding protects children from asthma —Expert

By Sade Oguntola

A

GAINST the backdrop of increasing cases of asthma globally, Nigerian mothers have been urged to feed their babies only breast milk to reduce their risk of developing asthma-related symptoms in early childhood.

Dr Olufemi Olowookere, a consultant Family Physician gave the charge at a programme to celebrate the World Asthma Day 2016 by

the Nigeria Society for the Asthmatics, University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan branch.

Olowookere, who remarked that breastfeeding provide numerous health benefits both to the mother and her baby, said most children breastfed for longer period, say three years, end up not developing asthma.

The medical expert also discouraged early introduction of solid and “at risk” foods that trigger allergy

such as milk, eggs and sea foods as allergic prevention strategies.

According to him, children from parents that have allergies or asthma stand a higher chance of developing the problem.

He declared: “if a child has one parent with allergies, such stand a 30 per cent chance of also having it and this increases to between 50 and 70 per cent if both parents have the problem.

“Patients with a history of

‘24 million Nigerians will suffer from mental disorder in their lifetime’ A medical expert, Dr Jibril Abdulmalik, has said that mental disorders are common, indicating that 24 million of Nigerians stand the chance of suffering from one form of mental disorder or another at some point in their life time.

Dr Abdulmalik said this at a Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, Ibadan, lecture entitled “The Curse of Mental Illness and Improving Access to Quality Care” in Ibadan.

Abdulmalik, a consultant psychiatrist, who remarked that one in every four persons at some point in their lifetime will suffer from a mental disorder, declared that the accruable mortality and morbidity from mental disorders was at par with that from all cancers combined.

According to him, “utilising mortality indices, mental disorders account for 8.1 per cent of all avoidable years of life lost;

compared with 9 per cent from respiratory diseases, 6 per cent from all forms of cancer, and 4.4 per cent from heart diseases.

“When the burden of non communicable diseases is isolated from communicable conditions, the attributable burden for mental, neurological and substance abuse (MNS) disorders increases to nearly a quarter (22 per cent) of the NCDs.” The psychiatrist, remarking that mental disorders are an increasing public health challenge, named depression as the commonest and most burdensome MNS disorders, which is projected to become the second most burdensome disorder by 2020.

Abdulmalik said the impart of mental illness on quality of life, reduced economic productivity, and increased burden of care for caregivers ultimately results in economic decline and poverty.

The expert decried

widely held perception of mental disorders as an affliction or a curse that has spiritual rather than medical origins, saying this had influenced where and how people seek treatment for the condition in Nigeria.

In addition, he said the wrong perception about mental illnesses as a curse or spiritual affliction and the associated widespread stigma and discrimination were important contributors to high treatment gaps for mental illnesses in Nigeria.

He declared, “eight out of every 10 persons with depression had experienced discrimination, usually from close contacts such as family members, colleagues at work, friends and spouses.

“The treatment gap for mental disorders in Nigeria is about 80 per cent, implying that only two out of every 10 persons with mental disorders were able to access care in the preceding 12 months prior to the survey.”

infantile eczema have a 70 per cent chance of having allergic rhinitis, asthma or both. Also, patients with a history of asthma also have higher incidence of allergic rhinitis.”

The medical expert said many persons are unaware of having allergic rhinitis, whose symptoms include blocked or runny nose, sneezing and itching in the nose and back of throat.

Allergic rhinitis can also make the eyes itchy, red and teary.

Olowookere, who declared that some people have both allergic rhinitis and asthma, said there are 300million asthmatic globally and causing one million unnecessary deaths each decade.

Although asthma is caused by multiple factors, he said proper treatment of rhinitis and reduction of allergen exposure was important to ensure good asthma control.

The expert stressed the need for avoidance of triggers of allergic rhinitis and asthma such as pollens, molds, smoke, house dust mites, debris of cockroaches, pets such as cat

and chemical irritants such as tobacco smoke and perfume.

President, Nigeria Society for the Asthmatics, University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan branch, Dr. Olusoji Ige, earlier enumerated lack of political will, lack of simple tools for diagnosis, poor access to effective asthma drugs and organisation of services as some of the challenges facing asthma patients in the country.

Ige, noting that about 1.5 million Nigerians suffer from asthma and that too many people still die from the condition, said, “attack is really what makes patients to know that asthma is a disease to talk about and that it can kill.”

The chest physician then urges Nigerian government to avail itself the asthma drug facility (ADF) that provides affordable access to quality assured essential asthma drugs for Nigerians.

According to him, “ADF is the only way the nation can help us source for quality assured and affordable drugs for asthmatics as well as monitor its outcomes.”

Lagos distributes over 100,000 condoms, trains 20 family planning providers Newton-Ray Ukwuoma Lagos THE Commissioner for Health, Lagos State, Dr Jide Idris had said that the ministry has distributed over 100,000 male and female condoms and trained 20 family planning providers as part of the ministry’s adolescent youth health, development and birth control initiative in the past one year.

The commissioner made this known in Ikeja while giving account of the activities of the health sector for the first year of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s administration.

He said that the ministry had inaugurated the Adolescent Youth Health and Development plan on August, 18, 2015 to salvage heightened cases of sex addiction, child abuse, HCT, rape, post abortion complications and Puerperal Psychosis preva-

lent in the state.

“Within the referenced time frame”, he said, “the ministry had distributed over 15,000 pieces of female condoms, 98,926 pieces of male condoms, 1,850 vials of Depo Provera, 5,119 cycles of Excluton, 1,250 pieces of Copper-T, 6,480 cycles of Microgynon, 5,000 amples of Noristerat , 656 pieces of Implanol, 900 pieces of Jadelle , 6,850 pieces of Needles/Syringes and 313 Cycle Beads.”

Dr. Idris said that the ministry had also trained over “20 Family Planning Providers from the 20 Secondary Health Facilities on RH/ HIV Integration as well as 24 CHEWS from 20 LGAs on Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses”.

As part of its plans to decongest the tertiary health facility, Idris disclosed that the ministry will be renovating its primary and secondary health care centres in the coming year.

26

Thursday, 12 May, 2016

Oranges, potatoes may protect against cataracts

By Sade Oguntola

H

OW much of vitamin C rich foods do you take every day?

Experts say that vitamin C may protect against cataract, a common cause of preventable blindness.

Experts found that simple dietary changes such as increased intake of fruit and vegetables such as strawberries, potatoes and oranges as part of a healthier diet could help protect from cataract.

Researchers looking at the progression of cataracts in 324 pairs of female twins over 10 years found that increasing vitamin C intake may have a protective effect against the progression of cataract.

Cataracts, which are a clouding of the clear lens part of the eye that helps focus light on the retina, are a common cause of blindness, especially in older people. It occurs in 45 per cent of people older than 75 years, and their removal is the most commonly performed surgical procedure among older people.

While sunlight is the major source of the lens damage that causes cataract, there is growing evidence that poor overall nutrition and chronic inflammation in other parts of the body damage the eyes.

In carrying out the study, photographs of the participant’s lenses showing the opacity of the lens in detail were examined. Participants intake of vitamin C was also measured using a food questionnaire.

They found that participants with high levels of dietary vitamin C had a 33 per

cent reduction in their risk of cataract progression and ‘clearer’ lenses after 10 years than those who had consumed less dietary vitamin C. The study’s authors in the journal, 2016 edition of Ophthalmology, believed that eye fluid that bathed the lens is high in vitamin C. This helps to stop the lens becoming cloudy.

They suggested that increased vitamin C intake exerted a preventative effect on cataract progression by increasing the vitamin C available in this fluid.

Professor Chris Hammond, consultant eye surgeon and lead author of the study from the Division of Diabetes and Nutritional Sciences at the university, said: “The findings of this study could have significant impact, particularly for the age-

natural

health

ing population globally by suggesting that simple dietary changes such as increased intake of fruit and vegetables as part of a healthier diet could help protect them from cataracts.

“While we cannot avoid getting older, diabetes and smoking are also risk factors for this type of cataract, and so a healthy balanced diet and lifestyle generally should reduce the risk of needing a cataract operation.”

Previous studies such as the Age-Related Eye Disease Study and the Blue Mountains Eye Study had also shown vitamin C intake, through both diet and supplements, as protective against cataracts.

Similarly, a large-scale placebo-controlled trial, published in Ophthalmology also suggested that long-term supplementation with a multivitamin may reduce the risk of developing cataract by around nine per cent.

Results of the February, 2014 trial in nearly 15,000 men, published in the Ophthalmology, suggested that long-term supplementation with a multivitamin may also reduce the risk of developing nuclear cataract by 13 per cent.

Nuclear cataract, which occurs at the centre of the lens, is the most common variety of cataract associated with the ageing process.

Equally, a research published back in 2005 in Archives of Ophthalmology suggested that vitamin supplementation, in particular vitamin E, for a period of five

years lowered women’s chances of developing this visual condition.

So, what other food items helps to lower risk of cataract?

• Salmon. Salmon is rich in astaxanthin, a carotenoid that gives salmon and lobster their reddish colour. One study found that women who ate fish three times a week reduced their risk of cataracts by 11 per cent when compared to women who only ate fish once a month.

• Green tea. Researchers from the University of Scranton found that tea, both black and green, reduced glucose levels in the eye lens of rats and cut their risk of cataracts in half.

• Carrots. Carrots are good for the eyes.

One of the powerful nutrients in carrots is lutein, which is a major component of many yellow and orange fruits and vegetables.

• Eggs. Egg yolks contain generous amounts of both leutein and zeanxanthin that protect against the sun’s harmful rays.

• Avocados. Avocados are dense in nutrients. They contain lutein, beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and vitamin E that are all helpful in preventing cataracts.

• Broccoli. Broccoli is loaded with both lutein and zeaxanthin, powerful nutrients that lower inflammation and prevent free radicals from damaging sight. Broccoli also contains sulforaphane, an antioxidant that protects eyes from the sun’s damaging rays.

keep it clean and safe. However, others complain about bad vaginal odour after its usage. It has been discovered that women who use medical grade stainless steel douches had reduced vaginal odour than those who used over-the-counter plastic douche. To prevent vaginal odour, avoid the use of plastic douche.

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs): In this case, vaginal odour is not the only reason. There might be an unusual discharge like white, grey or yellowish in colour with painful urination and intercourse. These are classic signs of Sexually Transmitted Diseaese (STD), which needs medical attention.

Bacterial vaginosis: This infection causes a fishy odour along with redness, itching and a burning sensation in the vagina. However, not all women who suffer from this condition complain about the odour so other symptoms have to be taken into account Heavy discharge: A little amount of vaginal discharge is normal. However, if you notice itching, wetting your pants more often, painful urination with a real foul smell, this is a worrisome situation as it could mean an onset of STDs or even other health conditions.

Sweat: Too much sweat down there will definitely not help fight vaginal odour unless you are trying your best to keep it clean.

Food: Certain foods with a strong odour like chillies, pepper or even onion and garlic can give rise to vaginal odour. However, there aren’t enough studies to prove this fact. Usually, women who consume too much spicy food complain about vaginal odour.

Menstruation: Using a tampon or sanitary napkin for too long can lead to bacterial growth and disrupt the pH balance in the area, leading to bad vaginal odour.

Other diseases: Though not always but at times foul smelling odour could also be a sign of cancers like cervical cancer.

Usually, the symptoms are silent and the odour could be the only reason that can give you a clue to visit your gynaecologist.

Hormonal changes: Pregnancy, breastfeeding and menopause are times in a woman’s life which leads to various hormonal changes. This could lead to fluctuations in the pH balance of the vaginal area and lead to a host of infections, with a bad odour. Sometimes, the problems settle on their own. At other times, it might need a medical intervention.

sex,sexuality

&your health With Monica Taiwo

strictly adult teenagers, adult & geriatric sexual well being

08187754992 (sms only) taiwomonica@gmail.com

Reasons the vagina smells…

VAGINAL odour is awful and at times it can put you off, and of course, your partner too. At times bad odour from the vagina could be very strong.

There are ways to keep your vagina clean and odour free. However, you need to

know the cause so you can take the right steps to prevent it. Here are a few reasons for vaginal odour.

Vaginal douching: Now this is a debatable issue. Many believe that douching can help to prevent vaginal infections,

27

Thursday, 12 May, 2016 Taiwo Adisa - 08072000046 Group Politics Editor tai_adis@yahoo.com

Why diversification should begin from Plateau — Dalung Governor Simon Bako Lalong of Plateau State had an interactive session with journalists in the state as part of activities marking his 53rd birthday. ISAAC SHOBAYO was at there:

T

HERE is the allegation that your administration has refused to run an all inclusive government by involving the opposition in your government in term of appointment, how true is this assertion?

For me, I started with an all inclusive government. When I was the Speaker, Plateau State House of Assembly, we practised that. After that, the last regime came and stopped that. When the last regime was constituting executives, I never saw them reaching out to any of the opposition because I was in the opposition for eight years. But under this tenure, when we were constituting executive, for local governments, we gave opportunity to the opposition. They are in council today.

We asked House of Assembly members to nominate councilors and, in some local governments, most of the nominations were done by the lawmakers because we don’t have APC councilors in those local governments. When you are talking of inclusive government, you are talking of something of this nature. When it came to the issue of appointment of executives, not all of them are members of the APC. Recently, in our execution of the bail out for infrastructure, I told you that about seventy per cent of the contracts we are doing are contracts that were initiated by my predecessor. That was something again that was not seen in the last administration. When we were in government from 1999 to 2007 all the contracts that were initiated were all abandoned, including all those that were important to the people. They would say “no, this contract was initiated by the Joshua Dariye regime.”

But we came in with the APC manifesto, in line with what Mr President is doing that “don’t leave abandoned projects, continue with the projects that are important to the people before you embark on new ones.” You know, that approach might not be palatable to our party members but we take it with pain. Mr President acknowledged that Plateau is one of the states in the country working with the party manifesto, especially by continuing with abandoned projects.

All the contractors are contractors that came from the former Governor Jang. I know that if I pay them, I am paying the

opposition. What is more inclusive than that? We are taken the risk but in the interest of the state, we are carrying everybody along in line with the manifestos of our party.

From all indications, Plateau is no longer playing an active role in the politics of Middle Belt, what is responsible for this?

Based on the situation of things in the country today, we are beginning to get segmented, even to the level of what we have as a country from North and South. In the North, you have the North-Central, NorthEast—we are trying to get ourselves settled within the North-Central, especially those of us who are in the Middle Belt. After the last economic summit, there was a meeting of the North-Central with the Chinese because the approach of the Federal Government now is that we need to embark on comparative advantage.

So, it no longer the issue of Middle Belt; it is the issue of what you have in the North-Central. How are we going to harness our mineral resources? If, on the Plateau, we are known for solid minerals, the rest of the states in the North-Central will cooperate with Plateau and enhance these solid minerals, so that we project the solid minerals for the people of the state. And if

The whole world is now focusing on China, even the Americans are running to China. When we got to China, even the Americans were there looking for opportunities for their country.

Gov Lalong Benue is know for agriculture, we would project Benue, all of us will rally round the state. That is the spirit now. I know the Middle Belt politics is still there, it is an agitation and it is not only restricted to APC. It is a thing that all of us are involved.

It should be seen in the light of current development. We are presently engaging in comparative advantage; that is why you see me talking about mineral resources.

My presentation before the National Executive Council is that if the President is talking about solid minerals, where is the home of solid minerals? The home of solid minerals is Plateau State, the history of solid mineral started from Plateau and went to Enugu and other places. Now, if solid minerals is very important, the focus of the Federal Government should be in Jos. If we get enough solid minerals from Jos, that would now be our resource control.

How fruitful was your trip to China?

It is not only my trip to China, I don’t hate criticism. I like criticism, it makes me work harder. When I saw a publication that I was one of the governors that travel a lot, I laughed. I am not criticising any governor but there are governors that don’t spend up to one week in a month in their states. They said I have so far travelled for six times. I have so far travelled eight times, not six. That is to say that their research was wrong. There is the

need for professionalism in journalism, I am a professional. For instance, if there is a seminar for lawyers, like the International Bar Association—in the Governors Forum, we are only three lawyers and they said it was compulsory I went to Vienna.

The Minister of Works was also there, it was for us to also project our state and Nigeria.

There are places you go and take the opportunity to sell your country to the outside world because the calibre of the people that made presentations are expecting you to tell them about your state and the country as a whole. Mr President has been traveling, sometime people criticise the trips. It is because they don’t know what the old man is going through and I also know that it is not healthy for the president to be traveling too much, but for the interest of the country.

Imagine somebody at over 70 traveling almost every week to every corner of the world. It is to open up opportunity for people to come and invest in the country; the trip might not be for immediate benefit. The last one was when he travelled to China. The whole world is now focusing on China, even the Americans are running to China. When we got to China, even the Americans were there looking for opportunities for their country. Plateau too was there, we signed bilateral agreement with the Chinese and, believe me, everybody was going for Plateau.

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politics&policy

Thursday, 12 May, 2016

NASS Clerk: Who is afraid of Omolori

National Assembly

By Audu Mohammed

T

HE bureaucracy of the National Assembly has recently been thrown into an undue controversy over who occupies the office of the Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA), after the retiring Clerk, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa. On April 20, the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) moved to arrest the controversy by announcing Mr Mohammed Sani-Omolori as successor to Maikasuwa. To all well-meaning watchers of the Assembly, that should put paid to insinuations around that office.

But what did we see? Commotion erupted and it appeared all hell was being let loose on an obviously simple matter. For starters, it is on record that at least five top officers in the National Assembly bureaucracy, who are designated as permanent secretary are on the line for the highest management position in the Nigerian legislature. Even at that, there is the well-known hierarchy that places everyone in his place. The laws of the land also gives the NASC the powers of discipline and promotion over all staff of the legislature, meaning that the commission is well placed to determine the line of promotion at each juncture.

Following the announcement of SaniOmolori as Acting Clerk to the National Assembly by the Dr Adamu Fika-led NASC on April 20, a letter surprisingly, emanated from the Office of the Senate President on April 21, ordering the commission to reverse the appointment. It was an unusual communication and Dr Fika, after due consultations, replied the letter on April 26.

The NASC chairman clarified that the decision to appoint Sani-Omolori as Acting Clerk to the National Assembly was taken at the commission’s 440th meet-

ing held on the April 20, 2016. He said the decision was taken because Mr Benedict Efeturi, who is DCNA is set to proceed on pre-retirement leave on August 2, that is, 12 days before the incumbent Clerk, Salisu Maikasuwa will be due to hand over to a successor on August 13.

His explanation was deep and factual, as he added that Efeturi could not be considered because he was “time barred,” hence the decision to name Sani-Omolori to act as CNA and ensure continuity in the system.

The chairman’s explanation, in his reply dated April 26, to the Senate President’s letter of April 21, left no one in doubt as to the sound judgment that informed the choice of Omolori. The letter read in part: “In arriving at the Commission’s decision, the Chairman did not use his casting vote, because eleven Commissioners were in support with only one who voted no.

“I wish to kindly invite your attention to the reason alleged in your letter to have been used to deny Mr. Benefit Efeturi from being appointed as the Acting Clerk being that he was not duly appointed as Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly.

“It is necessary to place on record the ca-

reer progression of the two officers in the hierarchy of the National Assembly as follows: “Deputy Director: Mr Efeturi 1st January 2004, Mr Sani-Omolori 1st January 2003. Director Mr Efeturi 1st January 2008; Sani-Omolori 1st January 2007.

“Acting Clerk Mr Efeturi 4th February 2010; Sani-Omolori 4th February 2010.

Substantive Clerk Mr Efeturi 25th March 2010; Mr Sani-Omolori 25th March 2010.

“It should be noted that in the Nigerian Public Service, seniority is determined at the time of consideration for promotion and career progression chart leading to it.

“Seniority has never and is never decided by the date of appointment to the service or date of retirement from service or indeed the number of years spent in the service.

“From that above analysis, denying Mr Mohammed A. Sani-Omolori appointment as Deputy Clerk to the National Assembly in 2014 was improper being that he was senior to Mr. Benedict Efeturi.”

However, the desperadoes in the system will not allow matters to rest. They opened another warfront by causing seven com-

In my view, the sensible thing to do is for the NASC to preserve the system by ensuring continuity and addressing this matter once and for all by naming SaniOmolori.

missioners to announce in a letter dated April 26 that they were not part of the announcement of Sani-Omolori as Ag, CNA. Having read the letter by the commissioners, which has since been denounced by the Commissioner for North-East, Idi Ningi, which reduced the number of those in opposition to six out of 13, it is obvious that some forces are trying to play on our collective intelligence on this matter. The commissioners claimed to have attended a meeting, where Dr Fika presented a memo on the issue of Sani-Omolori as Ag Clerk.

They said that five of them kept quiet, while only one person said yes and that the chairman announced the matter was carried.

We all know that in the legislature, silence does not amount to ‘No’ and that where there are no ‘Nays’, the ‘Ayes’ automatically have it. Apart from that, why did it take the said commissioner six days to denounce a meeting they attended? The meeting was held on April 20, but their letter was dated April 26. Why wait for six days for such an important development?

The relevant questions on this matter include: Is it true that Mr Ben Efeturi is due to proceed on retirement 12 days before the final exit of the retiring Maikasuwa? What happens to stability in the system, if Efeturi is announced in May only to go in less than three months? What would happen if he is announced as CNA and he has to retire in less than three months?

In my view, the sensible thing to do is for the NASC to preserve the system by ensuring continuity and addressing this matter once and for all by naming Sani-Omolori.

After all, the announcement of his name does not amount to demotion for Efeturi in any way, since he was already confirmed a permanent secretary by virtue of his position as DCNA. If I one may ask, why the desperation to upturn the sensible decision made by the NASC? Investigations have confirmed that there are classified and unclassified reasons behind the decision by the commission. There are claims that some forces are opposed to the choice of Sani-Omolori because of the need to pay back their ally over the saga surrounding the alleged alterations of the Senate Rule Book 2015, which is already being investigated by the Police. One is aware that some forces are already silently working to ensure their preferred choice gets an extension of tenure if they succeed in putting him on the top seat.

It was also confirmed the NASC took the decision to announce Sani-Omolori as a way of staving off the NASS bureaucracy from a calamity foretold. Those with insights into the workings of the commission said that the commissioners had reasoned that it would be calamitous for the Clerk to the National Assembly and the Senate President (Chairman of National Assembly) to be allegedly dragged into the dock simultaneously.

Already, we are all aware that Senate President Bukola Saraki is facing charges at the Code of Conduct Tribunal. Insiders in the NASC said that there are indications that a main contender to the CNA seat could also face trial over allegations of age falsification and alleged doctoring of the Rule Book. Should the Head of NASS Bureaucracy, as signified by the CNA go into the dock just as the political head of the institution (the Senate President) is trying to wriggle out of it? Certainly not a few Nigerians would mount the campaign train for the dissolution of the legislature. God forbid this should happen, because only the legislature distinguishes democracy from autocratic rule.

Mohammed writes from FCT, Abuja.

29

Thursday, 12 May, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

with Shola Adekola

m:0803 365 4818 e:sholanig@yahoo.com

crucial moment 0803 365 4818

With Shola Adekola

Clash of the titans in Nigeria’s Aviation sector From left; The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Med-view Airline, Alhaji Muneer Bankole; Chairman, Dana Air, Mr Jacky Hathiramani and former General Secretary, Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON),Captain Mohammed Joji at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority’s (NCAA) meeting with the AON on debt reconciliation and payment held at the NCAA headquarters in Lagos, recently.

Nigerian airspace recorded increase in aircraft movement in Q4 of 2015 —NBS Stories By Shola Adekola - Lagos

T

HE total number of aircraft movement either arriving or departing the Nigerian airports increased to 61,692, representing 6.9 per cent increase in the fourth quarter of 2015.

This is a contrast to what was obtained in the third quarter of 2015, which had 57,704 of aircraft movement.

The third quarter aircraft movement however decreased by 1.1 per cent in relative to second quarter of the same year under review.

These data which were recently released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) attributed the increase in aircraft movement in the fourth quarter to the festive period; Christmas and New Year celebrations within the period.

This is just as the bureau declared that the statistics of both third and fourth quarter of 2015 represented a notable decline relative to the same quarters of the previous year.

The bureau in its statistics emphasised that aircraft movement in the third quarter of 2015 reduced by 10.3 per cent when compared with third quarter of 2014 while the fourth quarter represented 13.6 per cent reduction in the same pe-

riod of 2014.

According to the bureau; “These declines were both larger than the corresponding year-on-year declines in passenger numbers, indicating that passengers per flight increased over this period.

In contrast with the number of passengers, the year-on-year fall in the number of domestic flights was larger than the fall in the number of international flights.

“In the third and fourth quarters of 2015, there were 11.3 per cent and 14.3 per cent fewer domestic flights than in the same quarter of 2014 respectively, which resulted in a total of 46,157 and 50,686 flights in the third and fourth quar-

Present hostile environment, bane of domestic carriers —ART President THE President of Aviation Round Table (ART) who also doubles as President of the Sabre Network West Africa, Mr Gbenga Olowo has declared that with the current prevailing environment in the Nigeria’s aviation sector, none of the existing carriers could change the face of aviation.

This is just as he pointed out that mortality rate among airlines in Africa and Nigeria in particular was between 10 and 15 years, which could even be lesser in some

MD FAAN charges Kaduna airport staff on safety STAFF of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) have been asked to adhere strictly to safety standards and procedure in line with Standard and Recommended Practices (SARPs) as recommended by the international Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

Charging the workers while addressing staff of the department of Aerodrome Rescue and Fire Fighting Services at the Kaduna Airport recently, the managing director of FAAN, Mr Saleh Dunoma encouraged them to put into practice the knowledge acquired at the recent training conducted by the authority in order to justify its huge invest-

ter.”

NBS added that the year-on-year declines in the number of international flights were 3.3 per cent and 10.5 per cent in the third and fourth quarter of 2015 respectively, which resulted in a total of 11,547 international flights in third quarter of 2015 and 11,006 in the fourth.

Besides, the bureau explained that there was a large quarterly increase in domestic flights in the fourth quarter of 2015 (of 9.8 per cent) international flights saw a decline of 541 flights, or 4.7 per cent, reversing the increase of 344 flights (3.1 per cent) recorded in the third quarter.

ments to enhance service delivery at airport.

The Managing Director who was received by the acting Airport Manager, Amina Salami, further charged the workers to imbibe the habit of maintenance culture so as to derive maximum benefits from heavy duty vehicles and equipment.

While conducting the MD and his team round, Mr Nuru Jatau of the department of Aerodrome Rescue and Fire Fighting Services (ARFFS) enumerated some of their challenges and assured the Mr Salami of their commitment and dedication to duty.

cases.

Speaking with aviation journalists recently in Lagos, Olowo hinted that the early years of any new carrier may be glamorous, but such glamour would fade away after five years.

According to him, the necessary and sufficient condition for strong carriers in Nigeria was through collaboration and cooperation that should be midwifed through policy by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) which would result to the emergence of just three to four mega operators through pooling of resources.

Olowo decried that most of the country’s airlines are operating under very difficult operating environment resulting from government hostile policy, inconsistency lack of direction focus and lack of support from the government.

“The airlines are faced with so many operational issues without government attention. That is not all. There is no corporate governance in most of the airlines. One man owner calls all the shots and takes a lot of unwholesome decisions. The airlines are relatively small, weak and vulnerable to competition.”

THERE is this adage that says; ‘when two elephants fight, its the grass that suffers’; this can be likened to the ongoing face off between the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and Arik Air on one hand and Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), manager of the private terminal, MMA2 at the local airport.

Initially the dirty fight over the whereabouts of N12.5 billion was between the authority and the airline until Bi-Courtney voluntarily joined in the drama last week.

While the confrontation which started a year ago over the actual debt FAAN claimed it is being owed by Arik, the airline on the other side is insisting that it is even FAAN that is indebted to it.

The money being laid claim to by FAAN is for the services it rendered to Arik in all the airports the airline operates across the country.

From the record presented by the workers through aviation unions recently, FAAN insisted that it is being owed N12.5 billion while Arik Air said it had remitted N18.9 billion to the authority since its entry into airline business in 2007 to date hence, it is not owing FAAN a dime.

While the game of cat and mouse relationship between the two continued with government’s lack of interest in asking questions coupled with the failure on the part of the judiciary to mediate, the whereabouts of the whopping sum belonging to the general public is hanging in the wind.

The entire sector is obviously not comfortable with the reckless manner people toy with public funds in the face of infrastructural challenges confronting the sector.

Even as key players in the sector continued to wonder the insensitive attitude of the government to issues affecting one of the most critical sectors governments of other nations dare not handle with kids gloves, the embarrassment became more complicated when a different interest, Bi-Courtney lately joined in the naked dance by claiming the money in contention belonged to it and not FAAN. In other words now, this is no more a case of two elephants but three elephants fighting for the soul of the sector.

According to the Chief Operating Officer of the first private airport terminal in the country, Ms Adebisi Awoniyi, “Bi-Courtney, operator of Murtala Muhammed Airport Two has come out categorically to affirm that Arik Air’s alleged N12.5 billion indebtedness, which led to the disruption of its operations in Lagos and Abuja by aviation workers last week was part of Bi-Courtney’s legitimate revenue that the FAAN continues to appropriate despite several legal pronouncements.

“We want the public, particularly relevant stakeholders, to note that the country’s law recognises Bi-Courtney as the genuine owner of GAT, thus, making FAAN’s continuous operation of the terminal illegal and a clear violation of the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. FAAN however, continues to defy the laws of the land. It has openly and recklessly denied our company 60 per cent of its revenue by its continuous illegal operation of the GAT as a competing terminal to MMA2 even after an Arbitration Panel, a Court of Law and an Appeal Court had ruled in our favour.

“Consequently, all revenues, such as Passenger Processing Charge, space rental, fuel surcharge and others, which FAAN had been collecting and continues to collect from its unlawful operation of the GAT, including the N12.5 billion in contention between FAAN and Arik Air, belong to Bi-Courtney.

In essence, what Bi-Courtney is saying is that FAAN and Arik Air are fighting over monies belonging to it.

The show is becoming more nauseating as it goes to show the level of moral decadence that has eaten deep into the fabric of the entire system particularly when finance issues play up.

It is sad that people see public funds in the country as a ‘national cake’ which should be grabbed even if the whole country crumbles afterwards.

At present, the number of the elephants have increased to three and who knows those who are gearing up to join in the scrambling and partition of the public legacy, the FAAN in the coming weeks.

Amidst all these, while government has not deemed it fit to ask questions on the actual status of the money in question, it is the entire sector that will continue to suffer even as private individuals smile home with ill-gotten public funds courtesy of the various lapses readily made available by government’s bad policies.

30

Thursday, 12 May, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

with Tola Adenubi

m:07068476673 e:adenubiadetola@yahoo.com

much on diesel to power our generators. I cannot be specific on the amount we spend on diesel every day, but we spend millions on diesel monthly to power our generators. In the last one week, we have not had power supply for five minutes. We have had to rely heavily on alternative power supply. Aside our generators, most of our tractors, cranes use diesel. So, monthly we spend millions on diesel to run this facility.

‘Port reform:

Best govt policy in 10 years’

We understand terminal operators are struggling to meet up with payment of cargo throughput fees and lease fees to the NPA due to the economic recession in the country. What’s your take on this?

Yes, the economic recession has hit everybody and P&CHS is not an exception. Issue of payment of Lease fee and Cargo throughput fee has been something that we are discussing with the NPA because the money comes from vessel berth. But when the vessels are not coming, how do you get the money to pay? Despite the odds anyway, we have been keeping to our concession agreement. We might have one issue with the NPA, notwithstanding we don’t default in our payments..

Ports & Cargo Handling Services (P&CHS), operator of Terminal C at the Tin-Can Island Port in Lagos is the port operation arm of the Sifax Group conglomerate. In this interview with TOLA ADENUBI, the Managing Director of P&CHS, Mohammed Danaro Bulango bared his mind on port concession in Nigeria a decade after.

I

T’S been 10 years after the ports were concessioned by the Federal Government. How would you evaluate the impact of the port reform in Nigeria?

Port concession has been good for the maritime industry and the Nigerian economy at large. If there is one thing the Federal Government has done in the last few years for the maritime sector, it is the port concession. Business in the maritime industry is enormous; therefore there is need for huge investment to tap the benefit of the sector. I don’t think government has the funds to invest in the maritime industry at the moment considering the enormity of what is needed to be done by the government. The port reform of 2003 which culminated into the port concession of 2006 is a major step in the right direction.

This is because the port concession allowed public funds to be spent on other areas of need of the country. The port reform has impacted positively on the nation’s economy and also opened up other areas of business within the seaports. If you look at the volume of investment of the various concessionaires at the ports, you will see that it has been huge in nature.

Before being appointed as MD of P&CHS, you were in public service for more than 30 years as a staff of the Nige-

rian Ports Authority (NPA).

How would you evaluate your experience as having served in both the public and private sectors of port operations in Nigeria?

Working in both the public and private sector of the nation’s maritime sector are two different experiences entirely. In the public sector, there is a lot of what is called chain of command which is not all that available in the private sector. Like in the public sector, if any equipment is needed at the ports, you propose from the port to the head office of the port authority and then to the Federal Ministry of Transport and finally to the Presidency. It is not like that in the private sector. In the private sector, time is money. If you look at private port operations since 2006, a lot are being invested within a short period of time. Most of the terminals acquired equipments that took government years to acquire in a spate of few months after taking over. Take for example, P&CHS, the equipments that we have procured within 3 years of port operation is much more than what the government procured over a decade of port operation. I know all this because I was a Port Manager at a point in my career as a civil servant. In the private sector, decisions are taken with fiat.

10 years of port operations, how much has P&CHS in-

vested at the ports?

Port operations can be divided into 3 aspects; the shipside operations, the yard operations and the facility maintenance operations. For the shipside operations, we have invested massively in 7 mobile harbour cranes. Because most of the container vessels don’t have cranes, the onus falls on the terminal operator to provide cranes that aids vessels discharge at the ports. We also have the terminal tractors which are used in evacuating cargoes from the shipside down to the yard.

For the yard operations, that is where the need for Rubber Tyred Gantry (RTG) or Reach Stackers arises. In the yard, we have a terminal operating system which tells us the location of every container offloaded in the yard either by the RTG or the Reach Stackers. This makes it easy for identification or presentation for Customs examination. For the terminal maintenance, we ensure that all the facilities within the terminal are maintained in line with best practise. P&CHS have invested massively in all the mentioned categories of port operations.

Many port terminals have declared redundancy and laid off some of their workforce due to the economic recession that is currently plaguing the nation’s economy. How has P&CHS weathered the storm

thus far?

What we have done at P&CHS is that we always cut out coat according to our size. We know what the industry want and what the clients need, and we work towards that direction. Yes, it has not been business as usual. Here we used to have over 30 vessels in a month ,but now vessel call has reduced.

However, our attitude to work has not changed because we are an indigenous terminal, so whatever we want to do, we have to consider the nation first. The money might not be coming as it used to in the past, but we cannot because of that lay off workers because, as a fully owned Nigerian company, one of our prime concerns is the Nigerian economy. Others might look at reducing staff as a way of balancing their books in this hard time, but we are a wholly Nigerian company and cannot toe that line. We have a fantastic relationship with the labour unions. We pay the salaries and other entitlements of our workers as at when due. That is why you will not hear anything happening between us and the labour unions.

Due to the situation of power in the country, how much does P&CHS spend daily to run this facility on generators?

We are connected to the national grid, but anytime there is power failure, we switch over to our generators. Overtime, we spend so

Would you say the port concession has been a success story?

I have said that long time ago when I was still on the public service side and will repeat it again now that I am now in the private sector side. Let’s ask ourselves, when was the last time the government invested in port infrastructure? In the Lagos area, the last infrastructural investment at the ports was done in 1975/1976.

That was when Tin-Can port was constructed. That is the last investment by government in port infrastructure in Lagos. For the port of Onne, it was abandoned and only picked up when Intels took over its operation and started developing that place in phases. The PTML that was developed in 2003 was done on a Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) basis. If you look at the Sapele port that was commissioned in 1982, that was a white elephant project. Sapele port has never brought any revenue to the Federal Government.

It was a political port. So if you look at the amount invested by the private sector in the last 10 years, you will know that the port concession has been a success story.

Prior to the concession, what was the cargo throughput and what is it today. Aside some factors which are outside the control of the terminal operators like the state of the roads, connection of the rail to the ports, I can categorically say that the port concession has been a success story.

31

news

Thursday, 12 May, 2016

Teacher slumps while teaching in Ibadan

By Tunde Ogunesan

A

secondary school teacher, Mr Lukuman Nasiru, at Saint Luke’s Grammar School, Molete, Ibadan, on Tuesday, slumped and sustained injury on his head while teaching one of the Senior Secondary School classes in the school.

Mr Lukuman Nasiru, 37, an Accounting Teacher in the school, was said to have collapsed and rushed to Molete Health Care Centre around 10.00a.m.

The teacher, according to sources, was said to have been bleeding since Tuesday morning when he was admitted. Although, first aid treatment had been applied on him, his colleagues and family members felt that Nasiru would need a better medical treatment.

It was also gathered that some of his colleagues made frantic efforts at raising some amount of money for his treatment.

When Nigerian Tribune visited the hospital, Nasiru was seen lying on the bed with his head bandaged, placed on drip and urinary bag because he could not move around.

His wife, Modupe, in tears, appealed to well meaning individuals and government to come to their aid in order to transfer her husband to a standard hospital for adequate treatment as his condition currently, was critical.

According to her, “my husband has been vomiting blood since morning when he collapsed. This situation has made him unconscious since then.

There is no money to take him to a standard hospital for proper medical attention for now and we don’t have anybody to run to for assistance.

“Our two children are even staying with my mother when we could not afford to take care of them as a result of my husband’s salaries that have not been paid. I appeal to well meaning people to come to our aid and help save the life of my husband,” Mrs Nasiru said.

However, Honourable Ademola Akeem Ige, representing Ibadan South East Local Government, on information sent a representative to Mr Nasiru to check on his status at the hospital and donated the sum of N10,000 to the family.

Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Honourable Micheal Adeyemo, also sent N20,000 to Mr Nasiru.

According to information, the Speaker, who initially wanted to visit Mr Nasiru at the hospital,

could not make it due to an appointment he had with Governor Ajimobi on the issue of 2016 budget.

Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State council, Comrade Gbenga Opadotun, also donated the sum of N50,000 and some beverages to the sick teacher on Wednesday.

Mr Nasiru, sources in-

formed, trekked to school on that fateful day from Amuloko, a situation, some of his close associates attributed to the incident.

While speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, Comrade Opadotun appealed to Governor Ajimobi to speed up whatever arrangement the government is putting up in the payment of staff

salaries in the state.

He said “a situation where a teacher treks to school to discharge his duty, even on empty stomach and hunger is terrible.

Chairman, Parent Teachers Association (PTA), Ibadan South East Local Government, Mr Toki Moshood informed the Nigerian Tribune that the teaching profession in the

area had been badly hit by the non-payment of salaries.

He said within the last one month, two other teachers- a vice principal at St Luke’s Grammar a School Molete, Mr Olajide Emmanuel died last week while Mr Adewuyi of Community Grammar School, Kudeti, had earlier been reported dead.

From right, Chief Ayo Adebanjo; Ondo State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko; Afenifere leader, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, former governor of Ogun State, Chief Gbenga Daniel, and the Deji of Akure, Oba Aladelusi Aladetoyinbo, cutting the 90th birthday cake of Pa Fasoranti, in Akure, on Wednesday.

Oyo suspends salaries of 16,532 suspected ghost workers, pensioners

By Wale Akinselure

The Oyo State government has said the payment of outstanding workers’ salaries would commence once it concludes the ongoing investigation of 16,532 government employees who have been identified as being guilty of financial illegalities cum irregularities.

These irregularities range from employees and pensioners found getting multiple salaries, multiple

salaries paid into single account, bank accounts with no Bank Verification Number (BVN), employees that have passed retirement age and employees with mismatched names.

Secretary to Oyo State government, Mr Olalekan Alli, who made this known on Thursday, said the 16,532 employees were discovered from a total 100,259 analysed, in a verification exercise that commenced in 2015.

Some of those discovered

were seven corps members who were found to be receiving multiple salaries, 1,665 employees that had exceeded the retirement age limit were discovered, 4,371 employees who had bank accounts without BVN, 3,635 who were discovered to have invalid bank account/name details.

The list also includes 119 single accounts who get multiple salary, 196 MDA pensioners that drew multiple salaries from govern-

Bishop Oke cautions FG against religious crisis

By Dare Adekanmbi

Presiding Bishop of Sword of the Spirit Ministries, Dr Francis Wale Oke, has cautioned the Federal Government and its agencies against promoting policies that may erode the peace and progress of the country.

Oke gave the advice in Ibadan, on Tuesday, while reacting to controversies trailing the new revised basic education curriculum seeking the merger of Christian Religious Studies (CRS) and Islamic Religious Studies (IRS) with other subjects as

proposed by the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council.

The cleric, who is the proprietor of the proposed Precious Cornerstone University, described the new school curriculum by NERDC as “suspect,” saying there was already a wide speculation that the current administration had an Islamic agenda.

He said, “There is a wide speculation that the current administration has an Islamic agenda and we shouldn’t be doing anything to strengthen that speculation.

“The merger of Christian Religious Studies, Islamic Religious Studies with Civic Education, Social Studies and Security Education is very curious and suspect of a hidden agenda.”

The cleric described as puerile and unconvincing, the argument of the Executive Secretary of NERDC, Professor Ismail Junaid, in support of the policy.

He stressed that: “Religion cuts across the lives of most Nigerians and it has been a volatile subject. The best thing is to leave it as it is.

ment, and 5,795 employees with mismatched names.

Alli hinted that the 16,632 employees being investigated will have salaries suspended forthwith, while their employment status would be ascertained when they appear before a panel which would sit for two weeks.

Especially, he said the government would ensure that all illegally paid salaries were refunded and all monies credited but not accessed would be recovered.

In the same vein, he said the state government would sack such workers and institute the process of prosecution, once culpable employees were ascertained.

“The latest salary that has been approved to pay would have been paid but government decided not to pay until this abnormality is regularised. So, as soon as the names of the 16,532 are expunged from the latest payroll, salaries will be paid immediately.”

“We have listed the measures to take. We are not only going to recover the money from them, but we will also prosecute them.

There are procedures that will be taken as government is not a one-man show.”

Family officially announces Aiyegbeni’s demise

By Nurudeen Alimi

THE family of late hotelier, boxing promoter and instrumentalist, Chief Francis Aiyegbeni, has officially announced his passage.

Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune on Wednesday, on behalf of the family, his first son, Ayoola Aiyegbeni, stated that Chief Aiyegbeni died on Saturday morning, May 7, 2016 at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, during a brief illness.

He said that a condolence register has been opened at his hotel, Wallan Hotel, formarly known as D’Rovans, MKO Abiola Way, RingRoad, Ibadan as well as at his Residence, Iyaganku GRA, Ibadan, while thanking well wishers who have come to commiserate with the family at their moment of grief. “We appreciate the prayers of friends and other well wishers particularly the hoteliers association and the Oyo State Boxing Association who took their time to pay us visit to sympathise with us and also send us consolatory messages. We pray that the Almighty God will continue to be with them.”

Ayoola, who said his father will be greatly missed, however, hinted that late Aiyegbeni was survived by children, wives and many grandchildren, adding that burial arrangements will be announced by the family soon.

Fajebe dies at 57 A former FirstBank manager and businessman, Mr Michael Kolawole Fajebe, 57, is dead.

Fajebe died during a brief illness at a private hospital in Ibadan. He was survived by his wife, three children, elder brothers and sisters.

Fajebe’s final journey begins today, Thursday, May 12, with a Christian wake at his residence in Oluyole Estate, Ibadan while the final burial service will hold at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Adeyemo Layout, Oluyole Estate on Friday, May 13.

Fajebe will be buried at his residence, Oluyole Estate, Ibadan.

Fajebe

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south-westnews

Thursday, 12 May, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

We need to revive agric sector —Ogbeh Olayinka Olukoya - Abeokuta

From left, wife of former president, Mrs Bola Obasanjo; wife of Ogun State governor, Mrs Foluso Amosun; Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh and the chief host, Governor Ibikunle Amosun, at the second day of 2016 Ogun State Investors’ Forum, in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Wednesday.

THE Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh, has said that growing the nation’s economy through agricultural development remains the only solution to the current economic realities in the country, saying the era of oil and gas has gone.

He said this during his presentation at the Investors Forum organised by the Ogun State government, on Wednesday, in Abeokuta.

The minister noted that the country failed to invest the gains realised through oil into agriculture as it

Protesting FETHI workers shut out Fayose, monarchs, insist on removal of CMD

O

NE day after Governor Ayo Fayose waded into the crisis rocking the hospital, workers of the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido-Ekiti (FETHI), again, on Wednesday went on rampage and insisted that their Chief Medical Director, Dr Lawrence Majekodunmi Ayodele, must be removed.

The angry workers had trooped out en masse, carrying placards and had created various forms of barricades, including a bus they had parked at the entrance to the hospital.

They had also locked the main gates and prevented Governor Fayose and his entourage, who had gone to the community to appeal to the workers, from gaining entry to the hospital.

Governor Fayose and his entourage, which included traditional rulers, was held at the gate for about an hour, by the protesting workers without being allowed entry while they insisted that he prevailed on Dr Ayodele not to return to the hospital as the CMD. The protesters refused every entreaty by the leadership of the various unions that had joined the protest to allow the governor to enter the premises to address them and claimed that the governor had rather come to beg them on behalf of the CMD. They also kept three mock coffins at the main gate with the inscription “R.I.P. Dr Majekodunmi Ayodele,’’ with a photograph of the CMD affixed to each of the wooden coffins.

Following the action of the workers, traditional rulers, including the Elekole of Ikole, the Oore of Moba

and the Obalufon Alayemoore of Efon, left the scene disappointed after spending about one hour in the sun.

Leaders of the various associations, including Dr Austin Ibikunle of the Association of Resident Doctors, and Mr Efe Asagba of

Osun legislature passes 2016 budget Oluwole Ige - Osogbo

OSUN State House of Assembly, on Wednesday, passed the 2016 budget estimate of N141,276,122,240.

In a statement by the chairman, House Committee on Information and Strategy, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, the budget was passed following a motion by the chairman, House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Hon Kamil Oyedele for its final passage at the plenary yesterday.

Governor Rauf Aregbesola had on December 14, 2015 presented a budget estimate of N150.7 billion before the Assembly, but in another letter dated April 6, 2016, he wrote again to inform the Assembly on the need to readjust the budget to N137.978 billion.

The passed budget has N79.183 billion representing 56.06 per cent as recurrent expenditure and N62.093 billion representing 43.95 as capital expenditure.

Also, the recurrent revenue covers N99.468 billion representing 70.41 per cent, while the capital revenue covers N41.808 billion representing 29.59 per cent.

The Speaker, Honourable Najeem Salaam, maintained that on no account should the executive spend beyond the approved budget without supplementary budget to the house.

Describing the budget as the budget of hope, he expressed optimism that the 2016 would be a better year in terms of capacity build-

ing, provision of infrastructure for the people and welfare of workers.

Salaam urged the workers to assist in the quest for revenue generation, saying the government needed to look inward for improved revenue without putting unnecessary burden on the people.

the Nigerian Union of Allied Health Workers, tried to pacify the workers before the governor was allowed to address them.

Fayose, who called on the Federal Government through the instrumentality of the Ministry of Health to wade into the matter and act on the CMD, said he had earlier told Dr Ayodele that he had not been fair and just in the management of the hospital, particularly on issues bothering on workers’ welfare.

He said: “I want to thank you for your patience, but

we have to remember that we have no other place than Ekiti State and we should ensure that hooligans don’t hijack this protest from us.

What you are doing today goes to show that the people’s power is greater than those in power.

“The death of our six doctors is still fresh in our memories, so we cannot afford to lose other lives. It is so unfortunate that the actions and inactions of Dr Ayodele has led us to this level and deprive many Ekiti indigenes the needed medical services.”

For copies of

Dipo: 08078892049 Bisi: 08078892199 Musa: 08078892268 Morisson: 08076690014

call

Sam Nwaoko - Ado Ekiti

was done in Malaysia.

He submitted that the country could no longer afford the luxury of food import bill which he put at $22 billion annually, due to fall in oil price at the global market.

He described agriculture as a source of livelihood with the objective of improving the quality of lives of the people towards enhancing human dignity and human security.

He said agriculture is a source of livelihood and engine of growth, of wealth creation, of employment generation of the overarching objective of improving the quality of lives of the citizenry towards enhancing human dignity and human security.

“The food import bill of this country is $22billion per annum; a luxury that we can no longer afford because oil price has simply fallen.

“So, a nation suddenly discovers her nakedness, her inability to feed herself and discovers that she is in very grave danger of collapse.

“The agriculture sector, which we neglected is actually the first industry given to man by God. It is a source of blessing to humanity from the Divine as long as it is collectively harnessed for the collective good of all.”

www.tribuneonlineng.com

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news

Wednesday, 11 May, 2016 Thursday, 12 May, 2016

4 students escape death while working as labourers for teacher Biola Azeez - Ilorin

F

our secondary school students in Ilorin metropolis narrowly escaped death on Wednesday when

Why elections are inconclusive —Lawmaker

a two-storey building suddenly collapsed on them.

The Nigerian Tribune gathered that one of the teachers of the students, Mr Muritala Obalowu, had brought them to the building site on Wednesday, to carry concrete blocks when the building located at

Opeyemi Street, Saw Mill area of the metropolis, collapsed at about 9.00 a.m.

Sources said that students were usually brought to the building site as a form of punishment, while school uniforms of the students, yellow stripped shirt and aqua green short, were

seen under the rubbles.

It was also gathered from reliable sources in the area that the teacher of the students, learnt to be a son of the owner of the house, was in the habit of taking the students to the building site for menial jobs.

Ayodele Adesanmi - Abuja Worried by the recent incessant incident of inconclusiveness in the rerun elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), a member of House of Representatives, Honourable Sunday Karimi, has said that lack of adequate preparation was responsible for it.

Karimi, who is representing Yagba federal constituency of Kogi State, at the National Assembly, called on the INEC to always ensure that all relevant materials and other logistics are ready before conducting election.

To avoid any re-run, which according to him, would require another huge financial resources to conduct, Karimi said, he had sponsored a “Bill for an act to amend the Electoral Act 2010 “which would empower the election petition tribunals and courts to declare candidates, who scored the second highest votes as the winner when the initial winner is declared unqualified.

Scene of a collapsed building at Opeyemi Street, Saw Mill area, Ilorin, Kwara State, where four students escaped death, on Wednesday.

We will ensure peace in troubled Agatu communities —Ortom Johnson Babajide - Makurdi GOVERNOR Samuel Ortom of Benue State has expressed the readiness of his administration to ensure peace in the troubled Agatu communities.

According to a statement issued by his media aide, Godwin Akor, the governor

also debunked the report that Agatu people of Benue State recently killed some herdsmen and 83 cows in Nasarawa State, adding that the information at his disposal, indicated that it was the Agatu of Nasarawa State that attacked some herdsmen, who had displaced them from their villages.

Nigeria inaugurates LOC for Gitex 2016

By Bode Adewumi The Gulf Information Technology Exhibition (GITEX), 2016 Local Organising Committee (LOC), has been inaugurated in Nigeria by the acting Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Dr Vincent Olatunji, even as the country officially kicked off plans to select the country’s startup champions to pitch at the Gitex StartUp Movement. Gitex is an annual Information and Communications Technology (ICT), gathering of more 144 countries in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

About $1 million is up for grabs for the winning startups.

Nigeria, through NITDA, plans to promote a minimum of 10 startups to pitch for business at this global startup gatherings expected to have over 400 startups.

The Gitex Week 2016 features the Innovation Hub around which the Gitex StartUp Movement, has been designed to house competing startups in the showcase pods.

The global startup ecosys-

The sources also said that the students, who were petrified due to the incidents, were quickly taken to the building next to the collapsed building where water was poured on them for calmness.

It was also gathered that the teacher was also said to have sneaked the four male students through the back door of the building where they were allegedly kept from enraged members of the public, who had gathered.

It will be recalled that the Kwara State government had given stern warning to school teachers in the state against sending school children on errands, particularly, during school hours.

It will also be recalled that three female school children were killed by a water tanker which had brake failure at Ipata area of the metropolis last week, when one of their teachers sent them on an errand.

tem will be convening at GITEX 2016 with more than 2,000 entrepreneurs, investors and mentors from over 30 countries expected to provide the fillip to do deals on technology innovation.

“NITDA will theme its 2016 Gitex participation on the promotion of ICT startups as the country aggressively pursues foreign earnings in non-oil sectors,” said Dr Olatunji, in Abuja, during the Gitex 2016 LOC inauguration,

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Taiwo Amusa Asanat now MRS. TAIWO OGUNDARE ASANAT. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

even as he tasked the LOC members to commit time and wits to ensuring that Nigeria achieves its objectives for being part of the Gitex event, now touted as the biggest technology event in the Middle East, South East Asia and Africa.

The governor said over 10 Agatu communities in Nasarawa State bear the same name with Agatu communities in Benue State.

He said it was discovered at a security meeting that some Agatu youths tried to offend the soldiers sent to the area to secure lives and property after herdsmen had invaded some communities and warned that any of them caught formenting trouble would be handed over to security agents.

He advised youths from Agatu and other parts of Benue South senatorial district to surrender their arms or be ready to face the wrath of the law, add-

ing that kidnapping was becoming rampant in that part of the state.

On when the meeting between him and his Nasarawa State counterpart, Alhaji Tanko Al-Makura and other stakeholders from both states would hold, Ortom said the date and time would be disclosed after consultations with relevant stakeholders.

The security meeting that was held with Agatu people yesterday (Wednesday), was to enable the governor to discuss ways of restoring peace and preventing any act that could bring about hostilities between them and herdsmen.

Steer clear of farmlands, Imo cp tells Fulani herdsmen Joe Nwachukwu - Owerri In attempt to prevent bloody clash and destruction of property in the South-East by the Fulani herdsmen, the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Mr Fredrick Taiwo Lakanu, has warned cattle rearers in the state, to desist from entering farmlands with their cows.

The commissioner gave the warning at Okigwe, Imo State, where he met with Fulani herdsmen and some other stakeholders in the area.

He advised the Fulani herdsmen to restrict their movement, especially, at night so as to prevent strangers and the people living in the community to clash.

According to him, Imo State allocated a place called “Sabo” to Hausa people so as to promote unity and peaceful coexistence among the two ethnic groups, adding that there have been inter-ethnic marriages among the two groups.

“I want to remind us that we are all Nigerians. For the past few days, there has been a rumour in Okigwe that there was a face-off between the indigenes and herdsmen.

The commissioner urged them to always report any illegal action to the traditional ruler of the community or the nearest police station, adding that the police is ready to ensure security of lives and property in the state.

The Nigerian Tribune learnt that officers and men of the police, has already been deployed to the various communities to check-mate the activities of herdsmen.

Thursday, 12 May, 2016 34 pdpcongresses Elders, BoT members meet today in Abuja, plan parallel national convention •Party sends Shekarau to mediate in Lagos crisis

By Kunle Oderemi

T

he crisis tearing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) apart has worsened, as some founding fathers of the party are to meet in Abuja on their plans to hold a parallel national convention.

The leaders will be meeting to fine-tune part of the strategies for the parallel convention so as to stave off a looming calamity for the PDP. The leaders comprise key members of PDP Board of Trustees, former ministers and state governors elected on the plat form of PDP, as well as major stakeholders from different zones in the country.

The current leadership at Wadata Plaza, the PDP national headquarters in Abuja, under acting national chairman, Ahaji Modu Ali Sheriff, has fixed the national convention of the party for May 21, 2016 in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

But, political intrigues that culminated in the zoning of the position of national chairman to the North-East, where he hails from, has exacerbated the battle for supremacy

among the major stakeholders within the PDP. The zoning formula is believed to favour Modu Sheriff, because of his backing for the post of national chairman by some influential members, including PDP governors.

Checks by the Nigerian Tribune, on Wednesday, showed that stalwarts of the PDP from the North were the arrow heads of the

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta State, on Tuesday, held its congress where it elected officials through affirmation.

The new executive will run the party for the next four years.

The positions of chairman, deputy chairman, state secretary and vice chairmen for the three senatorial zones were affirmed through the ballot, as there were no opposing candidates while 21 positions were rectified by voice votes.

Among the elected executive were Mr

to the zoning of the position of the national chairman to the North-East, as the party had unequivocally declared its intention to produce its candidate for the 2019 presidential poll from the North.

In Lagos State, attempts by a team from the PDP national headquarters, led by a former governor of Kano State, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, to resolve

Duke, Imoke, others absent at C’River congress Anthony Ubong -Calabar

Immediate past governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyel Imoke and his predecessor, Donald Duke, were conspicuously absent at the just-concluded state congress of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

Also absent were former deputy governor, Efiok Cobham, Senator representing Northern senatorial district, Rose Oko; member representing Akamkpa/ Biase federal constituency, Daniel Asuquo; member representing Calabar

Affirmative election produces new PDP executive in Delta Alphonsus Agborh -Asaba

meeting coming up today in Abuja for the purpose of stepping up arrangements for the planned parallel convention.

It was gathered that most of the party leaders invited for the meeting started arriving early on Wednesday for preliminary consultations on the agenda for the meeting.

The sources said the leaders were strongly opposed

Kingsley Esiso, chairman; Mr Val Areyinka, deputy chairman; Mr Moses Iduh, vice chairman (North); Emmanuel Agbadugbo, vice chairman (South); Chief A.P. Fovie, vice chairman (Central) and the state secretary, Mr Gody Nzete.

Also returned unopposed were Ifeanyi Osuoza, a former commissioner, publicity secretary, Deingha Marculay, treasurer and John Okokoloko, assistant secretary, among others.

Chairman of the national electoral team, Dame Uzor Nwandu, commended the orderly electoral process that produced the new executive.

South/Akpabuyo/Bakassi federal constituency, Essien Ayi; former chairman of PDP in the state, Ntufam Ekpo Okon, among others.

The congress, which was, however, peaceful was held at the U.J.Esuene Stadium in Calabar.

It was gathered that the PDP big wigs boycotted the congress because they were allegedly shoved out of the selection process by the leadership of the party in the state.

Meanwhile, the party elected Ntufam Edim Inok Edim as its new chairman of the party while Patrick

Ebam, an indigene of Etung Local Government of Cross River emerged the vice chairman for the party.

Chairman for the Cross River State Congress Committee, Chief Olorogun Talib Tabite, described the congress as most peaceful, and urged the newlyelected executive to work in harmony to take the party to greater heights.

Also speaking, the governor of the state, Professor Ben Ayade, urged the newly-elected party executives to imbibe the spirit of continuity and harmony.

Sports minister, Sango, emerges chairman in Plateau After several hours of voting and counting, the former Minster of Sports and Youth Development, Honourable Damishi Sango, emerged the Plateau State chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in state congress election conducted on Tuesday, which snowballed into the early hours of Wednesday.

In the election, Sango polled 758 votes to defeat former member the House of Representatives (Jos South/Jos East constituency) Honourable Bitrus Kaze, who got 222 votes.

The chairman of congress committee, Honourable Mustapha Zanna, commended the candi-

dates and delegates for the maturity exhibited by all and changed other states to emulate plateau state.

Nine persons were arrested and charged to court by the Kwara State police command over alleged public disturbance during the Peoples Democratic Party's (PDP) state congress, in Ilorin.

The Nigerian Tribune gathered that the arrested persons, armed with dangerous weapons, ammunition and charms, fired sporadic shots at the venue of the congress.

It was also gathered that the reason for the pan-

demonium at the venue of the congress, Stella Obasanjo Multipurpose Hall, Ilorin, on Tuesday night, was over allegation and counter allegation of electoral malpractices by factions in the party, while law enforcement agents fired tear gas severally to disperse people.

Reports also gathered that occupants of shops and residential buildings around the venue of the congress suffered the effect of the tear gas, as people ran helter-skelter.

Sources at the venue also

said the arrested men were Odua Peoples Congress (OPC) members, allegedly hired by some politicians to disrupt the congress.

It was gathered that

Ogun chairman sues for reconciliation, unity Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)in Ogun State, Chief Adebayo Dayo, urged every member of the party to join hands with his executive to move the party forward.

In his acceptance speech delivered immediately after being sworn-in for a second term, he pleaded with members of the party, who felt aggrieved, to join hands with him to forge a united and prosperous

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) congress in Zamfara State was stalled and suspended till further notice, following the leadership crisis that rocked the party in the state.

The delegates that con-

party.

The chairman recognised the onerous task ahead and called on all leaders of the party to contribute to it.

He praised the efforts of certain leaders, saying "we are today humbled in victory but it would have been better if all our leaders were on the same page.

He urged them to sheathe their swords and allow for unity.

Dickson asks party to close ranks ahead 2019 Austin Ebipade-Yenagoa

Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State called on members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) nationwide to work assiduously to return to power at the national level in the 2019 general election.

The governor threw the challenge during the state congress of the party in Yenagoa, where he urged them to sustain the existing unity of purpose that enabled the party to win the last governorship election in the state.

While congratulating the

By Tunde Oguensan

THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will today commence registration of members, both old and new ones across the 33 local government areas of the state.

This was made known by the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the party, Honourable Kehinde Salawu, in an interview with the Nigerian Tribune at the Molete party office, on Wednesday.

Honourable Salawu noted that the party, in its bid

to reposition it, especially for the next general election, was putting its house in order, with proper documentation of members of

electoral panel for the successful conduct of the congresses from the ward to the state level, as well as the new state executive members of the party on their election, Dickson said, in the last four years, the government had worked hard to reposition the state and its political culture.

He said the task ahead of the party's leadership was enormous and, therefore, urged them to collaborate with other stakeholders in the South-South geopolitical zone and across the country towards winning the 2019 general election.

the party. He added that the registration would take place at recognised INEC collation centres and wards throughout the state.

'Edo 2016: PDP may cease to exist in Edo if ...'

Banji Aluko-Benin City

three of the suspects, allegedly dressed in MOPOL trousers and round neck shirts, confessed to have been brought from places outside Ilorin to disrupt the congress.

A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Edo State, Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, has warned that except the party chooses the right candidate to fly its flag in the September 10, 2016, governorship election, the party may cease to exist in the state.

Iduoriyekemwen, a onetime state lawmaker and

vened at the party secretariat had left without casting their votes after it was learnt that double lists of the delegates were smuggled into the venue of the congress.

The chairman of the congress, Honourable Akinlade Abiodun, told news-

men that double lists of the delegates were brought into the venue and could not ascertain which of the lists was the authentic one.

Allegations and counter allegations ensued at the venue and the congress was suspended till further notice.

Crisis stalls Zamfara congress Muhammad Sabiu-Kaduna

edly insisted on each of the camps testing its popularity on the field, as against any mere allocation of positions.

Oyo begins registration of members

9 arrested in Kwara Biola Azeez-Ilorin

the dispute in the state chapter of the party was unsuccessful.

One of the camps report-

commissioner representing the state at the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), said it was about time the party decided if it wanted to remain in opposition or take over government from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Iduoriyekemwen, who said this when addressing party leaders and delegates in Benin, on Wednesday, urged party members to eschew sentiment in the selection of its standardbearer amongst the four of them contesting the party's ticket.

He said: "We have been in the opposition for the past eight years. We must make sure we put our best man forward for the job.

If we field the wrong candidate, may God forbid, there may be no PDP after September 10.''

35

Thursday, 12 May, 2016

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Thursday, 12 May, 2016

Thursday, 12 May, 2016 37 news Nigeria to stop importation of rice, cotton, sugar by 2018 —Minister

H

AJIYA Aisha Abubakar, the Minister of State for Trade and Industry, on Wednesday, disclosed that the Federal Government would stop the importation of six commodities by 2018.

Abubakar disclosed this at an interactive session with entrepreneurs and prospective investors participating in Katsina State Economic and Investment Summit in Katsina.

The minister said the commodities were rice, wheat, sugar, cotton, tomato paste and processed meat.

She said Nigeria would stop the importation of cotton and other commodities to ensure self sufficiency for textiles and garment manufacturers in the country.

The minister stressed that the present administration was committed to the production of those commodities in Nigeria.

Abubakar said the country had no business importing the six commodities, as they were abundant in Nigeria.

In his remarks, Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State called on prospective investors to come up with workable plans that could simplify the state’s investment process and eliminate its bottlenecks.

Masari assured welders and fabricators of his administration’s readiness to provide land for the establishment of business clusters for them.

He added that his government would continue to patronise made-in-Katsina goods, services and

local contractors.

The governor said he had directed local contractors

to purchase roofing sheets and paints from markets within Katsina State.

Members of WAEC delegation, led by Dr Uwadiae, in a group photograph with the Crown Prince of Benin, Edaiken N’Uselu, during the condolence visit.

N23bn poll bribery scandal: Ex-Katsina gov, Shema, got N700m —EFCC From Lanre Adewole and saliu gbadamosi

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Wednesday, claimed that two former ministers had confessed their involvement in the alleged N23 billion set aside by the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan to rig the 2015 polls.

The immediate past Katsina State governor, Ibrahim Shema, was also said to have been indicted by one of the former minis-

ters.

A statement signed by the commission's spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, read: "A former Minister of Mines and Steel, Musa Muhammad Sada, has told the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, his involvement in the alleged N23.29billion poll bribery scandal.

"Sada is one of the former ministers in the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan who are being investigated by the antigraft agency.

•Detains Imasuen, Ize-Iyamu, Adeseun, Yuguda THE immediate past governor of Cross River State, Liyel Imoke, was, on Wednesday, quizzed by operatives of the the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged involvement in the $115 million campaign fund saga, routed through Fidelity Bank by the immediate past Minister of Petroleum, Mrs Diezani Allison-Madueke.

A former deputy governor of Edo State and former Secretary to the State Government, Chief Lucky Imasuen and Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu respectively, were also detained on Wednesday, in connection with the alleged fraud.

A statement from the commission's spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, stated that "Operatives of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, May 11, 2016 quizzed a former governor of Cross Rivers State, Senator Liyel Imoke, for his alleged involvement in

Ministry of Communication for the establishment of a National Incubation Centre.

He disclosed further that eight vocational training centres were being rehabilitated to empower youths to become self reliant.

WAEC condoles with Oba Erediauwa's family

$115m Diezanigate: EFCC quizzes Imoke Lanre Adewole-Lagos

Masari said a large portion of land in Katsina had been allocated to the Federal

the N500 million collected by the Cross Rivers State chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, Mr Ntufam John Okon.

"The N500 million was part of the $115million allegedly lodged in Fidelity Bank Plc, in controversial circumstances, during the 2015 electioneering campaign period by the immediate past Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Allison- Madueke.

"Also, a former deputy governor of Edo State, Chief Lucky Imasuen, and a former Secretary to the State Government of Edo State, Pastor Osagie Ize Iyamu, have been interrogated by operatives of the EFCC for collecting the sum of N700 million from the $115million fraud.

"The money was reportedly collected from Fidelity Bank Plc, Mission Road, Benin City branch, in March, 2015.

"Iyamu, a PDP presidential campaign coordinator in the 2015 presidential election, admitted to have collected the money from the bank.

The EFCC has also arrested another chieftain of the PDP, Senator Ayo Adeseun, at his Ikolaba home, Ibadan.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that the Ogbomosoborn politician was arrested on Tuesday evening in relation with the party's campaign fund for 2015 general election.

It was further gathered that Senator Adeseun passed the night at the state office of the commission before he was taken to Lagos, on Wednesday morning.

Also, the immediate past Minister of Finance (State), Ambassador Bashir Yuguda, was reportedly talking to the EFCC over his alleged involvement in the N23 billion scam.

A statement by the commission's spokesperson, said Yuguda had been taken in by its Kano operational base.

“Yuguda, in his statement on Wednesday, admitted to have collected a total of N450 million in his capacity as a chieftain of the PDP in his state,” the statement said.

"During investigation, Sada disclosed that he was authorised by former governor of Katsina State, Ibrahim Shema, to collect the sum of N700 million on behalf of Katsina State and remit it to the former state’s Commissioner for Finance for keep for him (Shema).

"In a related development, a former Minister of

State for Agriculture, Asabe Asmau Ahmed, from Niger State, revealed how she personally signed and collected the sum of N450 million (Four Hundred and Fifty Million Naira).

"Ahmed also stated that she kept the sum of N105million (One Hundred and Five Million) for herself.

N9.7bn fraud: Court grants former Air Force chief bail Sunday Ejike-Abuja

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Wednesday, arraigned a former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Dikko Umar (retd) before a Federal High Court in Abuja, over alleged N9.7 billion fraud.

Umar was arraigned before Justice Binta Nyako on a seven-count charge bordering on money laundering to a tune of over N9.7 billion during his time as the head of the Nigerian Air Force.

The former Air Force boss pleaded not guilty to the charges and the trial judge admitted him to bail on self recognition as the prosecution counsel, Mr Sylvanus Tahir, did not raise objection to his bail application.

Ruling on his bail application, Justice Nyako held that, 'the defendant, having been granted administrative bail by the EFCC, is hereby admitted to bail on self-recognisance and shall deposit his international passport with the Chief Registrar of the court."

The judge also added

that Umar shall not travel out of the court's jurisdiction without the permission of the court.

The court adjourned the matter till June 7, 8 and 9, 2016 for trial.

Counsel representing the former Air Force boss, Hassan Liman, told the court earlier that he filed and served the defendant's bail application on May 9 and urged the court to grant his client bail on liberal terms owing to the fact that he (Umar) had been granted administrative bail by the EFCC. Liman said the application was supported by a 23 paragraph affidavit and three exhibits and accompanied with a written address, in line with the rules of the court.

The prosecution counsel, who did not oppose the defendant's bail application, however, urged the court to grant Umar bail on such terms and conditions that would compel the defendant to attend his trial.

Umar headed the Nigerian Air Force from September 9, 2010 to October 4, 2012.

THE management of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has commiserated with the royal family, chiefs, elders and people of the Benin Kingdom on the passage of Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolor, Oba Erediauwa, Oba of Benin, who joined his ancestors recently at the age of 92.

The council’s delegation, led by its Registrar, Dr Iyi Uwadiae, paid a condolence visit to Benin, on Tuesday, and was received on behalf of the royal family by the Edaiken N’Uselu, at the Edaiken Palace, Benin City.

Speaking on behalf of the WAEC delegation, Dr Uwadiae extolled the virtues of Oba Erediauwa and recounted some of his numerous contributions to the education of the youth at all levels.

The Registrar noted with a deep sense of loss the close relationship that the revered monarch maintained with WAEC during his reign, saying "for us in WAEC, His Royal Majesty’s love and passion for education was legendary.

"He instituted numerous prizes and made generous donations. In his youthful days in particular, he delivered countless inspiring talks at various educational fora. He stimulated engaging discussions on issues affecting the Nigerian university system, assisted institutions in the areas of discipline, funding and provision of infrastructure.

"His Royal Majesty will be missed. It is our prayer that the Almighty God would grant his gentle soul eternal rest."

The Registrar also prayed God to grant Edaiken N’Uselu the wisdom to confidently take over the reins of government in the Benin Kingdom, and expressed the hope that the existing cordial relationship between WAEC and the royal palace of Benin would not only be maintained, but enhanced in his time.

In his brief response on the occasion, Edaiken welcomed the WAEC delegation to Benin Kingdom and expressed appreciation for the Council’s warm remarks about the late monarch. He assured the Council that he would make efforts in the years ahead to sustain and build upon his father’s relationship with the Council.

38

Thursday, 12 May, 2016 Editor: Ganiyu Salman tribunesporteditor@yahoo.com 08053789060

NPFL: 3SC beaten in Ibadan again

Stephen Keshi (right) with Ahmed Musa during his reign as Nigeria’s coach.

By Olawale Olaniyan

FIFA suspends Benin Rep

B

enin’s hopes of qualifying for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) have been dashed after

FIFA suspended the countries Football Federation (FBF) from global football.

The decision follows after a court ruling in the country

blocked upcoming elections.

A statement from football’s world governing body read:”the Benin Football Association (FBF) was sus-

pended with immediate effect due to a recent injunction by a local judicial court which impeded the holding of the due election.”

As a result, Benin is set to miss its upcoming 2017 AFCON qualifier against Equatorial Guinea, scheduled for

Keshi bags job in South Africa Former Nigeria coach, Stephen Keshi could soon be leading a club in the South African Premier Soccer League (PSL) after he agreed to work with an agency in that country.

Keshi has signed a deal with top South African sports talent agency, Quality Talent Sports.

Keshi, 54, was fired from the Super Eagles post last July, and has been out of work since.

AfricanFootball.com can confirm that he has now agreed a deal with the Johannesburg-based agency to secure a deal forhim with a PSL club ahead of the 2016/17 season.

“Stephen Keshi has signed with Quality Talent Sports, one of the

biggest agencies in South Africa and they will work towards getting him a club in the PSL as soon as possible,” a source confirmed.

Keshi, a former Nigeria captain, has coached the

senior national teams of Togo and Mali and qualified the former to the 2006 FIFA World Cup. His last job was with Nigeria, where he won the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations as well as reaching the

Round of 16 at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

Nigerian coaches Shuaibu Amodu, Okey Emordi, Austin Eguavoen and the late Musa Abdullahi have previously worked in South Africa.

the weekend of 3-5 June in Cotonou.

The decision was made at the inaugural FIFA Council meeting in Mexico.

According to the BBC, a court ruling in Benin on May 4 prevented the FBF from holing presidential elections. Furthermore, the suspension will be lifted once a new executive committee has been installed.

The Squirrels currently occupy second spot in group C, two point behind groupleaders Mali. Benin face Mali in September. Only the group winners are guaranteed a place at Gabon 2017.

Eto’o to be honoured at Yobo Testimonial Africa’s most decorated football star, Samuel Eto’o will be honoured at the Joseph Yobo testimonial on May 27 in Port Harcourt, organisers have disclosed.

After an illustrious career with top clubs like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Chelsea, Everton, Eto’o currently plays for Turkish club Antalyaspor.

He won the African Player of the Year award a record

four times - in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2010. He was third in the FIFA World Player of the Year award in 2005.

Eto’o scored over 100 goals in five seasons with Barcelona, and is also the record holder in number of appearances by an African player in La Liga.

Yobo, who met with Eto’o at his Turkish club at the weekend, confirmed that

Eto’o along with outgoing Chelsea captain, John Terry, will be honoured for their contributions to the game.

“Joseph Yobo met with Samuel Eto’o over the weekend in Europe and the Cameroonian reconfirmed he is coming to Port Harcourt to be part of Yobo’s testimonial as well as personally receive the award planned for him,” the co-ordinator of the Yobo

Centenary Game, Waidi Akanni said.

Meanwhile, former Nigeria captain, Yobo is pleased to have secured the services of major international players to take part in his testimonial game in the Garden City.

“It has been amazing. Almost everybody wants to come and play,” Yobo said.

“My only regret is that I can’t invite everybody.”

Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC), again lost before its teeming fans in Ibadan, on Wednesday as Warri Wolves left the Lekan Salami Stadium with a 2-1 victory in a match day 16 fixture of the Nigeria Premier League.

The Oluyole Warriors, it will be recalled, were first beaten at home this season by visiting Lobi Stars 1-0 in the league opener.

Interestingly, recuperating 3SC technical adviser, Kadiri Ikhana, who was absent in the last home game against Plateau United which ended in a draw, this time was in charge, when the Seasiders had a field day.

Former 3SC forward, Osanga King put the visitors ahead in the 27th minute as the homers struggled in vain while the half lasted.

The Seasiders on resumption doubled the lead through John Odumegwu in 64th minute to compound the woes of 3SC now swimming in the relegation waters.

Egbeta Michael would have made it 3-0 in the 74th minute, but the goal was overruled.

Najeem Olukokun restored hope for the embattled Ikhana-piloted side as he scored in the 79th minute.

Fans after the goal continued to charge the homers for the leveller and their prayer was almost answered on the dot of time as 3SC was awarded a penalty.

However, Olukokun on the day despite his goal became a villain of sorts, as his spot kick was saved interestingly, by former 3SC goalkeeper, Dele Ajiboye.

Speaking after the match, Osanga told Tribunesport that he was excited by the victory over his former team.

“Yes, scoring against a former team is a great experience and I am happy that we have been able to make up for the home defeat we suffered last Sunday against Rivers United,” said the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup winner.

Meanwhile, Ikhana while speaking after the match expressed surprise at the second home defeat, saying his wards deserved to win, but the inability to utilise their scoring chances cost them victory.

39

tribunepools

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Thursday, 12 - 18 May, 2016

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE POOLS PAGE

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SIDELINES

no 16,499

n150

THURSDAY, 12 may, 2016

“Congratulations sir, for being a beacon of hope for generation of Nigerian parents who desperately desire a great future for their children without sending them to study abroad.”

I

N this edition, I will examine the criticism levied by Mr. Laolu Harolds against NUC and Private Universities on the use of adjunct lecturers. He specifically stated as follows: “One thing that seems to be common to these universities is the heavy reliance on adjunct academic staff. Actually, a certain level of adjunct staff is allowed by the NUC to augment universities’ academic staffing; but for many of these universities, such adjunct arrangement is the norm, rather than being complementary.

Requisite post-professorial experience is also often sacrificed. In most of these institutions, at any given time, the category of staff that can be readily found on the ground are the Assistant Lecturers and Lecturer IIs. The Senior Lecturers are usually adjunct lecturers from other universities.

A story is told of a professor that was appointed as Vice Chancellor for a private university but had to resign almost immediately when he could not flow with the level of stage-management he was expected to do.

When it was time for the NUC to pay one of its usual accreditation visits, people from outside were usually brought in to front as the university’s regular lecturers, just to make up the number.

In this same university, which relies heavily on adjunct lecturers, salaries are not paid regularly. Some lecturers who can no longer cope have been leaving in frustration.

“The problem is that even the NUC men are complicit in some of these things.

They know one another. The irony is that many of these ‘NUC officials’ are usually members of other universities. So, they work together (with their hosts).”

I see in the above an unfortunate generalisation of the alleged virus among all private universities. Also notable is the fact that the source of the information was not disclosed. Information from an unnamed informant ought not to have been used

OFR, CON, SAN, LL.D, D.Litt

An African, Ricky Jackson, who spent nearly 40 years behind bars in the US for a murder he did not commit will receive $2million (about N640million) as compensation for his wrongful imprisonment. Already, Jackson, 59, has been awarded $1million as a down payment. Good fortune, but will Jackson not also pay for rehabilitation to enjoy a new life?

afeonthursday

aareafe@gmail.com

Private universities: The hope of Nigeria’s tertiary education (5)

to cast aspersion on all private universities particularly as Mr Ibrahim Yakassai, the Director of Information and Public Relation of NUC whom Mr Harolds’ interviewed, gave strong reasons why the process of accreditation can hardly be compromised in the manner suggested by Mr Harolds and his unnamed informant.

Therefore, having been armed with the explanation of NUC representatives, it is illmotivated to have gone ahead to pose the question as done by Mr Harolds’ whether “Academic Staff and NUC Complicit”?

Though stated in the form of a question, there is no doubt that Mr Harolds was indeed making an assertion or claim that academic staff and NUC are indeed complicit. It is up to NUC or any member of the accreditation team to vindicate their rights under the law of defamation on civil and criminal liability.

ADJUNCT TEACHERS NOT UNKNOWN TO NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES The NUC Regulations permit the use of adjunct teachers. Both public and private universities make use of adjunct teachers. Most if not all private universities do comply with the law on number of adjunct lecturers. For one thing, the practice allows good cross-fertilization of ideas as it broadens knowledge. It is indeed not peculiar to Nigeria. Exchange of teachers and students is an international practice.

Furthermore, the claim that Senior Lecturers are usually Adjunct Lecturers shows lack of understanding of the working of university system. The Assistant Lecturers and Lecturer II are however not employed as Adjunct Lecturers because they are still under tutelage and they are

expected to learn from experienced teachers. It is mandatory that every university must provide for staff development for such Lecturer. There is staff development policy which the NUC enforces for all universities.

QUALITY CONTROL AND CHARGE OF NUC COMPLICITY? Contrary to the assertions of Mr Harolds, accreditation by NUC is in consonance with international practice which is designed to ensure high standard by all universities. The NUC is not expected to employ and maintain an army of professors who would go round over 150 universities for accreditation. This is the reason why they have to look for highly qualified professors from other universities for accreditation. This is the practice all over the world and Nigeria cannot be an exception.

The accusation or the charge of complicity by NUC is uncharitable as it is based merely on the grounds that the assessors appointed by the NUC know themselves prior to the assessment or accreditation exercises. This is highly uncharitable. The NUC is not expected to manufacture Professors for accreditation or import them from the space. The NUC is a creation of law and specifically owes its existence to the provisions of the National Universities Commission Act Cap N81 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2010.One of its major functions is contained in Section 4(1)(b).

As the academic community is a close knit one in which members know themselves due to their academic interactions, it borders on absurdity to impeach the NUC accreditation process on account of these close interactions. If anything, the fact that the academics knows themselves

will even strengthen the process as they would easily ascertain from the staff employed by a university which program it can actually run.

PAYMENT OF SALARIES The charge that salaries are not paid regularly again is an untrue generalisation. The proper evaluation of the universities in this country shows that most public universities do owe salaries for many months whereas there are many private universities where salaries and allowances are paid regularly before the end of the month.

COMMENTS BY READERS: Sir, I have followed with very keen interest your views and analysis on the above subject matter published in recent editions of “The Tribune”. Your views are pungent and down to earth while the analysis of school fees payable in Nigerian private universities vis-a-vis fees payable in foreign private universities are unassailable. Private Universities are providing the necessary antidotes to the rot in public universities in Nigeria and should be actively supported by the public and government. Congratulations sir, for being a beacon of hope for generation of Nigerian parents who desperately desire a great future for their children without sending them to study abroad.

My highest regards sir, Prof Ifedayo Akomolede Your contribution is appreciated.

....to be continued AARE AFE BABALOLA, OFR, CON, SAN, FCIArb.

Rashford comparison inspired me — Iheanacho Manchester City starlet, Kelechi Iheanacho has said his comparison with Manchester United’s youthful striker, Marcus Rashford, greatly inspired him in the English Premier League this season.

The 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup Most Valuable Player, it will be recalled, emerged Europe’s most prolific scorer with 81.3 minutes per goal, as revealed by the statistics released late last month.

He told The Daily Mail that the comparison with Rashford also gave him more confidence to excel.

“I love a challenge so when people compare me and Rashford, it gives me more confidence and motivation. It also makes me to work even harder.

“I hope people keep comparing us because if we can keep challenging each other in the coming years, it could be great for Manchester. If we both keep doing well, improving and scoring lots of goals for the team it could be interesting,” said Iheanacho who netted 13 goals in 34 games for the Citizens this season.

The Imo State-born player acknowledged that he is learning a few tricks from Rashford, who had seven goals in 16 games for the Red Devils.

“Rashford is a great young talent. He is big and strong and makes good decisions so, I think he’s going to be a really good player for United in the coming years.

“You can learn from every player so I’ve learned from Rashford as

well this season and I wish him all the best in his career.

“Like all young players coming through for their clubs in this country, I hope they do well and continue to do well. Nobody knows what will happen in the future though.

“I don’t know anyone who is playing who doesn’t want to keep improving and be at the top level. I don’t know if I’ll end up being a top player or not.”

“But I’ll be working hard to achieve that and I wouldn’t complain if it happened. I just have to keep going and see where it takes me,” Iheanacho who also featured for the Flying Eagles at the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand, told The Daily Mail.

Iheanacho (left) celebrates after scoring.

NPFL results: MFM, Lagos 0 Ikorodu Utd 0 3SC

1 Wolves

2

Sunshine

2 Rangers

1

Ikorodu Utd 2 Plateau Utd 2 Rivers Utd 1 Wikki

0

Nasarawa 3 Abia

2

IfeanyiUbah 1 Lobi Stars

0

Tornadoes 2 Heartland

1

Printed and Published by the African Newspapers of Nigeria PLC, Imalefalafia Street, Oke-Ado, Ibadan. E mail: editornigeriantribune@yahoo.com Website: www.tribuneonlineng.com MANAGING DIRECTOR / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: EDWARD DICKSON. EDITOR: DEBO ABDULAI. All Correspondence to P.O. Box 78, Ibadan. ISSN 2712. ABC Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation. 12/05/2016.