Friday August 30-Tuesday September 3, 2019, Edition

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FRIDAY August 30 - TUESDAY September 3, 2019

ISSN: 2545-5869

Today

VOL.4 No.33 N200

Nigeria tops $100bn LNG plans in Africa

•NLNG earns N36tr from flare gas monetization •Delivers $17bn to govt. in dividends

By SOPURUCHI ONWUKA

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IGERIA stands on top of the list of African countries that would form the destination for a princely $103 billion of investments in natural gas liquefaction and export into the global energy market.

According to a projection by organizers of Africa Oil &

Power Conference, which is working to host delegates to the Gas Exporting Countries’ Forum scheduled for Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, six African countries are to play host to projects that would shape energy demand and supply patterns in the imminent future.

The six countries are Nigeria, Egypt, South Africa,

Mozambique, Senegal and Mauritania.

The Oracle Todaycan authoritatively report that the African continent has become an exciting frontier in the global natural gas sector with 7.1 percent of proven global gas reserves and is expected to contribute nearly 10 percent of global production growth through

to 2024.

The continent is also expected to significantly alter global supply and consumption patterns with its fast growing population and urbanized industrial societies calculated by pundits to demand significant volumes of gas for energy generation and sundry industrial application.

The forum calculates that gas harnessing and liquefaction would be the most profitable strategy for realizing Africa’s gas potential.

Consequently, greenfield investments in Nigeria, Egypt, Mozambique and elsewhere are estimated at nearly $103 billion in 2019 alone.

Nigeria accounts for over

50 per cent of current LNG production capacity on the continent, and still plans $12 billion expansion of the country’s liquefaction plant at Bonny Island in Rivers State.

The Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas company (NLNG), described as the most profitable government invest-

Cont’d on page 2

Kanu’s lawyer seeks dialogue, wants IPOB de-listed as terrorist group

By THEO RAYS

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•Frenkie de Jong (Best Midfielder) Alisson Becker of (Best Goalkeeper of the Season) Virgil Van Dijk (UEFA Player’s of the Year Trophy and best defender) UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin and Lionel Messi (Best forward)

Page 13

HE Special Counsel to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Aloy Ejimako has renewed the call for the delisting of IPOB as terrorist organization and a dialogue between IPOB and the Federal Government over the issue of a referendum on Biafra.

Making the call in the wake of the heckling of former deputy president of Senate, Ike Ekweremadu in Nuremberg, Germany by members of IPOB, Ejimako faulted the continued proscription of IPOB as a terrorist organisation lamenting that labelling a world class responsible organisation as a terror group is a stigma on Ndigbo.

The legal practitioner urged Igbo leaders, elder statesmen and stakeholders to rally toward getting IPOB de-proscribed and

• Kanu

delisted as terrorist organization to erase the stigma it has rubbed on Ndigbo.

Speaking exclusively with The Oracle Today, he demanded for a truth and reconciliation commission on the Python Dance military operations of September 2017, a public apology for

Cont’d on page 2

Ferotex, engineering firm, defends its performance in Enugu

The Oracle Today Friday August 30 - Tuesday September 3, 2019

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The Oracle Today Friday August 30 - Tuesday September 3, 2019

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The Oracle Today Tuesday August 20 - 26, 2019

NEWS A PASSIONATE APPEAL FROM A DISTRESSED BROTHER

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ROTHER Maria Emmanuel Okoye, a native of Ozubulu in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State, is a lawyer before he gave his entire life pursuits to the service of Jesus Christ. He is very passionate about service with love. As a result, he has worked extensively in Nigeria and beyond. He has worked in Benin Republic, Togo, Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, South Africa, Malaysia, Ethiopia and Kenya working in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps and refugee camps, empowering the poor in rural and urban slum communities.

Presently, he cannot continue this mission of love and mercy as he is down with End Stage Renal Disease. He is now placed on a twice-a-week maintenance hemodialysis.

He is currently being managed at the University College Hospital, Ibadan but urgently needs to be flown abroad for kidney transplant. (Attestation dated 11/7/2019 from UCH attached) A sum of N10,000,000 (ten million naira) is needed for a successfull treated abroad. This includes cost of treatment, upkeep while undergoing treatment and travel logistics.

Please donate and keep him in your prayers.

Account Name: Prince Akabudu Emmanuel.

Account No: 6161584073 Bank Name: Fidelity Bank Contact : Prince Emmanuel Okoye 08066418502 Mezie Akabudu 08023035749 Lady Doris Anyadoh +1(614)8865455 God bless you and reward you as you respond to this call to save a life!

• Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson (R), congratulates Hon. Ball Oyarede, shortly after being swornin as the Chairman, Bayelsa State Independent Electoral Commission (BYSIEC), at the Governor’s Conference Room, Government House, Yenagoa.

Nigeria tops $100bn...

Cont’d from Pg 1

ment in Nigerian history has, in its 20-year business history, delivered some $17bn to the Federal Government in dividends; paid additional $16bn to government for gas and has committed a whopping N200bn to social responsibility projects across the country, especially in the Niger Delta/gas producing region of the country.

NLNG has also cut gas flares in the oil and gas industry from 60 per cent to 20 per cent in 20 years, according to the Managing Director/CEO of the company, Mr. Tony Attah, who presented a fabulous 20-year report card of the company in May this year.

Final Investment Decision (FID) for the seventh liquefaction train of the NLNG owned and operated

by Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), NNPC, Shell, Total and Eni is envisaged by October 2019.

The Train 7 expansion project would increase Nigerian LNG production capacity by 35 per cent, from 22 million tons per annum (mtpa) to 30 million mtpa.

In North Africa, Egypt has successfully re-established itself as an important investment destination following the downturn in the gas sector in 2014.

In February, the Egyptian Natural

Gas Holding Corporation awarded five new gas exploration concessions to Shell, ExxonMobil, Petronas, DEA and Eni from which it expects to see 20 wells drilled.

In the first half of 2019, the behemoth Zohr offshore gas field produced 11.3 billion cubic meters - 3.6 times more than it did in 1H2018; the success is set to continue with reports earlier this year of a new Eni discovery in the North Sinai Concession.

Evaluation is ongoing but there are hopes that the new field could rival the Zohr, which would open significant opportunities for investment in new liquefaction plants.

In June, Anadarko gave its final approval for a $20 billion gas liquefaction and export terminal in Mozambique. The Area 1 project is the single largest LNG project ever approved in Africa. And, it could be closely followed by Exxon’s $14.7 billion Area 4 development on which FID is expected before the end of the year.

Political stability and access to East Asian markets could see Mozambique become a major global gas market over the next decade.

Eni and partners are considering a $7 billion FLNG for the Coral South field in Mozambique.

Investors are also paying atten-

tion to smaller projects in countries like Mauritania, Senegal and Cameroon.

Operators have successfully deployed floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) technology to realize the value of smaller assets in these markets and this could be a continuing trend in 2020 and beyond.

South Africa, with the most industrialized economy on the continent, is expected to maintain the lead and remain an influential market in terms of African demand for LNG. Heavy coal consumption and unreliable power generation make natural gas an attractive solution to diversify its power generation base.

In 2020, Transnet – a state-owned freight logistics firm – will launch a tender for the development of an LNG import terminal at Richards Bay Port. The World Bank’s International Finance Corporation (IFC) has committed $2 million to fund the project planning.

From top-tier greenfield developments to faster-to-market FLNG operations, massive new discoveries and expanding existing liquefaction facilities, recent developments reflect a growing and diverse African LNG sector.

Kanu’s lawyer seeks dialogue, wants IPOB de-listed as...

Cont’d from Pg 1

the extrajudicial killings of IPOB members and desecration of the palace of an Igbo traditional ruler at Afaraukwu, and discontinuance of the prosecution of IPOB members and forbearance of any future arrests and prosecutions.

He dismissed any threat of violence against Igbo political office holders in foreign countries by Kanu and IPOB, and noted, “I can tell you authoritatively that my clients, particularly Kanu never made any threats of levying violence or to “physically attack” South

East governors or elected officials when they are overseas.

What Kanu said, and it’s verifiable, is that Nigerian elected officials, especially those from South East (including governors), who are not working to the betterment of the people and would rather junket abroad should be ‘prepared to answer tough questions from the Nigerian/South East diaspora’ “Such engagements will be up close and personal. It’s left to conjecture why the Umahi-led South East Governors Forum, more than all others, are the ones getting

too personal with this. In plain terms, the so-called threat is not of violence or battery but of gutsy demonstrations or protests, of tough questions or heckling, of getting really close to the target.

“Therefore, Kanu never threatened or sanctioned any threat of actual physical violence, assault or battery, or anything that is illegal or criminal. And he had also stated that you don’t have to be afraid if you have done nothing wrong.

“So, what I believe that is fueling this misinterpretation of what Kanu said is the fact that Nigerians

at home don’t carry their protests to the face of their elected officials. They complain but they do so quietly and then become cowed once in the or presence of these officials. What has happened is a dramatic departure from the era of Jonathan when Nigerians, including Buhari, were permitted much space to protest as they desired.

“The Nigerians in the diaspora have proved that it is different.

They demonstrate, heckle you, and come very close to express their anger with whatever words

they choose. This is a development these officials are not used to back home. Incidentally, citizens of foreign nations protest or confront their leaders in the public.

“I think Nigerians, particularly Igbo need to see the Senator Ike Ekweremadu saga from the prism of the German law, which, is unarguably receptive of it. So, we just have to accept that, in many countries, citizens are allowed more space to hold their leaders to account.

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The Oracle Today Tuesday August 30 - September 3, 2019

NEWS Dickson appoints new CPS

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overnor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa on Thursday appointed a new Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Mr. Fidelis Soriwei.

Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, Commisioner for Information in the state who announced this in a statement made available to newsmen in Yenagoa, said the appointment took immediate effect.

Iworiso-Markson said that Soriwei would take over from Dr. Francis Ottah-Agbo who had since resigned from the position.

Soriwei, until his new role, was the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media Relations.

The Oracle Today reports that Ottah-Agbo was elected member of the House of Representatives.

He is representing the Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency of Benue, under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Estate agent docked for allegedly defrauding land buyers of N3.6m

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n estate agent, Benson Ojovo, on Thursday, appeared before an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court, Lagos for allegedly defrauding three prospective land buyers of N3.6 million.

Ojovo, 61, whose address was not provided, is facing a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, forgery and stealing, to which he pleaded not guilty.

The Prosecutor, Insp. Ingobo Emby, told the court that the defendant committed the offence, with some others still at large, between 2017 and 2019, at Adron Homes and Properties Ltd., in Omole Estate Phase 1, Ogba, Lagos.

Emby said that the defendant fraudulently obtained a total sum of N3.6 million from three people, with a promise to sell lands to them.

“The defendant forged the receipt of Adron Homes and Properties Ltd. and used it to deceive the complainants.

“Ojovo obtained N1.7 million from one Mr Alex Durodola, N1 million from Mr Adu Tunde and N830,000 from Mrs Rachael Dodo but failed to give them the land he had promised them,” Emby said.

He said that the offences contravened Sections 287, 314 (3), 365 (3) and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 287 stipulates three years imprisonment for stealing, while Section 411 carries two years imprisonment for conspiracy.

The Magistrate, Mr Y.O. Aro-Lambo granted the defendant bail in the sum of N1 million, with two sureties in like sum.

Jega’s membership tears PRP apart •As Balarabe Musa frowns against assigning sensitive role to him

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embers and chieftains of People’s Redemption Party (PRP) have expressed reservations over the former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Attahiru Jega, holding a sensitive position in the party.

They hinged their reservations on the fact that Jega was instrumental to deregistration of the party as the election management board umpire before it was rein-

stated after legal battles.

Reacting to the development, the chairman Board of Trustees, Balarabe Musa, said that although he had resolved not to discuss the issue behind the crisis in the party in the media, he was however not comfortable with the sensitive role assigned to him.

“The rumour that they are planning to muscle me out of the party is really spreading but the truth is that we are taking the matter carefully.

“I don’t want to discuss the issue of his joining the party in the media or with any other person; I can only discuss it with the National Executive Committee of the party and the Board of Trustees of the party.

“Since it is our internal problem, I can feel free to discuss the situation with them before the matter gets out of hand,” he noted in a telephone interview with our correspondent.

When asked if he was

comfortable with his membership of the party, the second Republican governor of Kaduna State said: “Of course, I am comfortable with his membership of our party because he made a call to people before joining the party and many believe that he would help the party to grow stronger.

“Therefore, since we cannot oppose his joining the party, we also called for caution to be taken particularly when we take into consid-

•IOM Nigeria reintegration team with some of the returnees from Libya during a business management skills training facilitated by IOM under the EUTF-IOM.

Airport closure: Enugu govt to provide palliative measures for air travelers

equel to the closure of Snational the Akanu Ibiam InterAirport, Enugu for

repairs, Enugu State government has disclosed its plan to provide palliative measures for air travelers from the state, who now travel through Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri, Imo State and Asaba Airport in Delta State, to get to their various destinations.

A statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Simon Uchenna Ortuanya, stated that the government was deeply concerned about the plight of the air travellers from the state, especially the challenges of transportation and security.

The state government, therefore, disclosed that it will announce its palliative measures and strategies to cushion the effect of the challenges on the air travelers, after the meeting of the South East Governors

Forum this Saturday, where the governors will, among other issues, deliberate on the challenges facing the air passengers and come up with a regional plan to be adopted.

The statement reads: “Following the closure of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu for repairs, Enugu State Government is deeply concerned about the plight of air travelers from

the state, who have to travel through Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri, Imo State and Asaba Airport, Delta State to get to their various destinations.

“The state government is specifically concerned about the challenges of transportation and security the air passengers will face.

“In the light of the above, the South East Governors

Forum will meet on Saturday, August 31, 2019, to among other issues, deliberate on the challenges and come up with a regional plan to be adopted.

“After the meeting, Enugu State Government will announce its palliative measures and strategies to cushion the effect of the challenges on the air travelers.”

FG succumbs to pressure, Slashes visa fees of US citizens

arely 24 hours the UnitBimposed ed State of America, US, a new visa fees on

Nigerians seeking US visa, the federal government has bowed to pressure and reduced visa fee of US citizens seeking Nigerian visa.

Disclosing this on Wednesday, Honourable Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, said that the ministry’s attention was drawn to the introduction of reciproci-

PUBLIC NOTICE

Loss of Title Document This is to inform the general public of the loss of Certificate of Occupancy of 4146 m2 land, dated August 10, 2000 with registration No. 86/2000k on Aro Efolu Family land in Ikorodu, Lagos State, belonging to Mr Jude Oluwafemi Shonibare of No.1 Adeola Odubote str. Ikorodu.

This is to process certificate re-issuance. Ministry of Lands Lagos and general public take note as any transaction done without the express consent of the said owner will be prosecuted.

ty fee for all approved applications for non-immigrant visas in B, F, H1B, I, L, and R visa classifications. In view of that, therefore, the ministry opined, “The attention of the Ministry of Interior has been drawn to the introduction of reciprocity of Visa Fees by the United States of America.

The Ministry acknowledges that there were engagements with the United States Embassy on the issue and in the aftermath, a Committee was set up to conduct due diligence in line with the Ministry’s extant policy on reciprocity of Visa fees,” the statement read.

“The Committee had concluded its assignment and

submitted a Report but the issuance of authorisation for its recommendations was delayed due to transition processes in the Ministry at the policy level. The Honourable Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has approved the decrease of Visa charges payable by US citizens in line with reciprocity policy as recommended by the Committee.

“Accordingly, the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Muhammad Babandede, has been directed to implement the decrease in Nigeria’s Visa charges to US Citizens with effect from Thursday, 29th August, 2019.”

CORRECTION OF NAME

CORRECTION OF NAME

GOODLUCK: I formerly known as GOODLUCK DANIEL, now wish to be known and addressed as GOODLUCK LOUIS. All former Documents remain valid. Ecobank and the general public should please take note

CORDELIA: I formerly known as EWEAMA CORDELIA CHINYERE, now wish to be know and addressed as MRS OJIAKOR CORDELIA CHINYERE. All former documents remains valid, Banks and general public please take note.

eration what he did to the party some time ago.

“Again, he was appointed chairman of a crucial committee of the party and we are not comfortable about that. We feel that care and caution should be exercised,” he quipped.

Imo boils, as Ihedioha’s recovery team, Okorocha’s men clash

was a clash today, Tteamhere between the recovery of Imo state govern-

ment stolen properties and suspected supporters to the former governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo state.

Okorocha, Ihedioha Okorocha-Ihedioha The incident took place at Okorocha’s Spibat residence at Amakohia in Owerri North local government area of Imo state.

According to the leader of the recovery team led by the Senior Special Adviser on Security, to governor Emeka Ihedioha, Jasper Ndubuaku said he was attacked when he went there to submit a court order to Okorocha.

Responding, Okorocha through his Special Adviser on Media, Sam Onwuemeodo, said Ndubuaku, came to the residence of Okorocha with thugs.

According to Ndubuaku, briefly said: “I went to Okorocha’s resident at the Spibat with some members of my Recovery team to give them the Court Order only to be surrendered and beaten to stupor by Armed of armed hoodlums in the presence of some security operatives at Spibat.

“The thugs are with matches and guns stripped me naked and pushed me into the gutter and they started beating me using all kinds of weapons on me. “I suspect that Okorocha’s strength is coming from somewhere, but I can assure you that no threat from anywhere will stop Imo people from recovering their stolen commonwealth from anybody.

“I observed that the former Governor has chosen to dance naked to protect the properties he stole from govt.”

Responding, the Special Adviser to the former governor of Imo state, Rochas Okorocha on media, Sam Onwuemeodo, said: “Our attention has been drawn to the Press Conference held today, August 29, 2019 by the Chairman, Imo State Property Recovery Committee Mr. Jasper Ndubuaku accusing the former governor of the State Owelle Rochas Okorocha recruiting thugs to attack him and his team when they wanted to invade the private residence of the former governor at Sipbat, Owerri.”

CHANGE OF NAME CHIOMA:

I formerly known as CHIKWENDU CHIOMA CLARA CHRISTIANA now wish to be known as MRS. OKONKWO CHIOMA CLARA CHRISTIANA. All former documents remain valid, Banks and General public take note

The Oracle Today Friday August 30 - September 3, 2019

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The Oracle Today FRIday August 30 - September 3, 2019

NEWS ACROSS THE NATION Japan: Buhari warns Nigerians living abroad

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resident Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday said the few Nigerians abroad indulging in criminal activities do not represent the values of majority of the people of the country.

Buhari also warned that his administration will not condone any crime either home or abroad from such Nigerians.

He said this in Yokohama during a meeting with leaders of the Nigerian community living in Japan on the sidelines of the Seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development, TICAD7.

A statement forwarded to media houses by Buhari’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina quoted the president as saying, “Let me also say that there are few Nigerians in the Diaspora that are giving us a bad name by engaging in criminal activities. These Nigerians are a minority, they do not represent the values of our country, and I plead with them to change their ways.

“We will not condone any crime whether at home or abroad, and we will also not allow these Nigerians define us as a people with reputation for criminality.”

Urging Nigerians in Japan to be good ambassadors of their fatherland, the Nigerian leader said, “I am personally very happy that there are millions of Nigerians all over the world, like you here, who are truly making us proud.”

Describing majority of the over 17 million Nigerians in Diaspora as “the face of Nigeria globally and our ambassadors for good,” the President noted that, “Many of our Diasporans, like your good selves here today, have excelled in varying fields of endeavor, both professionally and individually.

“You have also made significant and overwhelmingly positive contributions to your Nigerian and international host communities. You have continually been a positive bridge between Nigeria and the world. It is not an easy feat and we commend you, salute your courage and efforts.”

Noting that “Japan is at the cutting edge of technology and efficiency, two very important attributes that can play a role in Nigeria and improve our capacity for development,” President Buhari urged members of his audience to

continue to contribute their quota by helping to develop their host country and Nigeria as well, adding: “I look forward to your inborn gift, ability, and capacity in taking up this challenge.”

Commending many of them who are already “positively impacting the Nigerian economy through financial home remittances, promoting international trade in Nigerian commodities, our music, culture, tourism, sports, and education, while also helping to establish industries in Nigeria,” the President urged them “to encourage legitimate Japanese entrepreneurs to come and invest in Nigeria.”

According to him, “We are continually working to create the necessary enabling environment for investors to thrive, through improvements in our Ease of Doing Business practices, providing security, diversification of the economy,

infrastructure and fighting corruption.”

He further assured them that, “We have put in place the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERPG) to put the country on a path of sustained recovery and growth.”

Explaining the rationale for his regular meetings with Nigerians abroad and the establishment of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, President Buhari said: “As you are aware, I have regularly held town hall meetings with Nigerians in the Diaspora on all my foreign engagements be they in Europe, Asia, America and Africa.

“At these fora, I have always, appealed to our citizens to be our good ambassadors, observe the laws of your host countries, excel in whatever you do legitimately, and also remember us at home (Nigeria). I have established the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission specifically

`Ember’ months: FRSC counsels motorists on safe driving Federal Road Safety CommisTistshesion (FRSC) has advised motorto guide against reckless driving

especially from September to December usually referred to as `ember’ months.

The Oyo State Sector Commander of the Corps, Mrs Cecilia Alao, gave the advice in a telephone interview with The Oracle Today on Thursday.

She urged motorists to obey traffic regulations to guarantee their safety and that of other road users always.

The commander said that the FRSC would not condone any act of indiscipline during the `ember’ months and beyond.

“I tell you in all honestly; the four months (September, October, November and December) are not different from other months.

“The cause of more accidents during the period is the non-compliance to traffic rules and regulations by motorists.

“If you observe traffic rules and regulations, if you do not speed, and you ensure that your vehicle is in a good condition before setting out, there will be fewer accidents.

“I want to passionately appeal to our motorists both private and commercial, to please obey all traffic rules and regulations, check your vehicles and fix any fault and also attend to fault signals before hitting the road.

“Our men will cover the whole state to ensure that accidents are avoided or reduced to their barest minimum,” she said.

The Sector Commander said that the corps would embark on safety education and sensitisation across parks in the state aimed at promoting safety on the roads

Flood destroys 250 houses in Jigawa

•President Buhari in Business meeting

Doctor cautions public against self-medication friends to resort to self-medication medical expert, Dr Olalekan sis and prescriptions.

He said people must know that than to seek a proper diagnosis.

A Omoniyi, yesterday (Thursday) admonished the public to refrain self-medication was not free of risk, “If the patient’s diagnosis of their from self-medication to avoid complications due to drug misuse and other adverse effects associated with the practice.

Omoniyi, the Secretary, Senior Staff Association of Universities Teaching Hospitals Research Institutes and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI), Federal NeuroPsychiatric Hospital, chapter, Yaba, gave the advice in Lagos.

He told the Oracle Today that when it comes to self-medication, it was potentially an unsafe practice with many risks.

The Oracle Today report that selfmedication is the use of medications without prior medical consultation regarding indication, dosage and duration of treatment.

Omoniyi listed the risks to include: incorrect diagnosis, delays in seeking medical advice, infrequent, but severe adverse reactions, dangerous drug interaction, incorrect dosage, masking of severe disease and risk of abuse.

According to him, doctors use to assess and ask patients several questions based on patients’ reported symptoms, review them holistically before arriving at a diagno-

to engage with you, signifying a coordinated attempt by our administration to increase the involvement of our Diaspora in our national development.

“Collectively, your resources, skills, and talents will be a positive force for our country which can help accelerate our national growth and development.”

President Buhari’s meeting with Nigerians in Diaspora, coordinated

by Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman, Diaspora Commission, who described the President as “the most Diaspora-friendly leader we have had in Nigeria,” witnessed a parade of the brightest and best of our citizens, plying their trade in Japan. They included academics, industrialists, top businessmen, scientists, economists, and many others.

Professor Ejiogu Emenike, President, Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation Asia (NIDOASIA) and an energy expert, commended President Buhari for efficient leadership, and disclosed that his members have “comparative advantages in human capital development, which we are trying to bring back to Nigeria.”

He added: “Any problem that science and technology can solve, we are able to, and we can help Nigeria in areas of need.”

Engineer Ochade Osakwe, Chairman, Nigeria/Japan Chambers of Commerce and Industry, recounted businesses that have been attracted to Nigeria in recent times, promising to do more, as the security and investment climates back home improved further.

Mr Nnaji Fintan, President, Nigerian Union in Japan, asked for more exploits in the areas of education, quality infrastructure and security, which incidentally, are focal points of the current administration.

which could increase the burden and out-of-pocket expenses since it might result in adverse health effects that require medical intervention.

“It is surprising that many people do not see any problem with selfmedication.

“Research shows that self-medication can lead to adverse reactions and should be avoided at all times. It is risky for non-medical personnel to prescribe medication,” he said.

Omoniyi said people take drugs without doctor’s prescription for a number of reasons.

According to him, while some aim for a reduction in the time and cost of clinical consultation, others simply trivialise illnesses and resort to self-medication.

Other factors listed by Omoniyi could be due to personal insecurities and fear of job loss due to diagnosed disease, mental illness, quick relief of pain, depression or even ignorance.

“It has been observed that many people rely on their own previous experiences, or their choices based on the recommendations from

condition is incorrect, their consequential drug selection may aggravate their condition, or even cause additional problems that may make subsequent medical intervention problematic.

“Self-medication may seems right at first, but one needs to consider the potential side effects of such uninformed actions.

“Self-medication can cause allergy, habituation, worsening of ailment, or even disability and premature death,” the expert said.

He expressed concern over the action of some pharmacists who encouraged and promotes selfmedication because of the desire to make sales and profit.

“A point to note is that pharmacists also play a huge role in the issue of self-medication.

“In a haste to make a lot of money, some pharmacists encourage people to buy their drugs without a doctor’s prescription.

“In some cases, they even prescribe drugs for their customers.

This is wrong, because pharmacist is charged with the duty of dispensing drugs. It is the doctor who prescribes these drugs,” he told reporters.

F

looding, caused by days of heavy downpour, has destroyed no fewer than 250 houses in Karanka and Diginsa towns in Birniwa Local Government area of Jigawa.

Alhaji Abdullahi Yakubu, the Information Officer in the area, told The Oracle Today on Thursday that the incident occurred on Aug. 27.

He said that the Birniwa Local Government Council Chairman, Alhaji Mohammad Jaji-Dole, had visited the affected towns for on the spot assessment of the damage.

Yakubu said Jaji-Dole had implored the counsellors representing the areas to forward to him the number of displaced persons for support.

The chairman prayed to God to give the victims the fortitude to bear the loss and called on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to provide relief materials to them.

The information officer said that the village head of Karanka, Alhaji Abdu Bulama, had earlier called on the council to construct drains to prevent future flooding in the area. According to him, Bulama blamed the flooding partly on lack of drains, saying the flooding could have been averted if drains were constructed.

“The chairman said that the plea would be looked into,” he said.

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The Oracle Today Friday August 30 - September3, 2019

NEWS ACROSS THE NATION

Ganduje speaks on APC governors ganging up against Oshiomhole

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ano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Gamduje, has faulted the notion held in certain quarters that his colleagues of Progressives Governors Forum were plotting to oust the National chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole from seat.

Ganduje, who bared his mind on issues of national importance in an interactive session with reporters in Abuja yesterday, declared that he would never be a party to such plot.

According to him: “I am not aware of governors working against the national leadership of the APC. I have not heard of any such thing.

So, I have not heard of any gang up against the national leadership and if it exists, I’m not aware of it and I’m not a party to it.”

On the issue of whether to rely on zoning or merit to determine the choice of President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor in 2023, Gan-

•Reveals what’ll determine Buhari’s successor in 2023

duje argued: “The way I look at it is that it is an issue between idealism and realism. Idealism is a situation whereby things should be done in accordance with the ideals. If things are done like that, then everybody should have equal treatment and

everybody has equal chance to contest and then, what the people decide should be done. Now, the issue of realism.

“Nigeria is a multi-ethnic, multireligious country with several geopolitical zones. In reality, people

500 ex-Nigeria Airways staff to be verified in another exercise

bout 500 ex-Nigeria Airways A staff are to be verified in another round of verification exercise

currently going on simultaneously at Lagos and Kano centres. The national vice chairman of the ex-workers union of the Airways, (north), Mr Mohammed Adamu who disclosed this, said that most of the eligible workers had been audited and paid 50 per cent of their severance package after the earlier exercise conducted in the six geo-political zones in September 2018.

The Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit, PICA, this week commenced a week-long mop-up verification for the ex-workers of Nigeria Airways who were not audited during the previous exercise.

The exercise is meant to ensure that all eligible beneficiaries were audited and paid their entitlements.

Speaking on Wednesday while inspecting the Lagos centre, the permanent secretary in charge of special duties in the ministry of finance, budget and national planning, Mr. Mohammed Dikwa, who was represented by the deputy director of procurement, Mr. Izerebu John, told the ex-workers that the federal government would pay them their entitlements after the audit.

He, however, advised the exworkers to “cooperate with the verification officials by providing all the required documents”.

NUP begs Buhari over airways’ pensioners’ benefits It would be recalled that Nigeria Airways was liquidated in 2004 without the almost 6,000 workers being paid any entitlements.

However, following continued agitation by the workers, President Muhammadu Buhari in 2018 approved 50 per cent severance package for all the audited staff of the airline and about 22.3 billion Naira was approved for the payment.

After much delay after the approval, the money was finally released last September 2018.

Reacting to this latest exercise, the Secretary-General, Nigeria Airways Pensioners Union, Mr Segun Adeleke expressed appreciation to the federal government for taking “this new bold and commendable step”.

•Governor Ganduje

are yearning for participation of different political zones and not the politics of north and south. So, the reality of the situation is that people are crying of marginalisation in the leadership of the country.

“But the idealism is that people should participate and be elected based on their capacity. So, it is not the governor of Kano State that should decide whether it is idealism or realism. It is the party that will determine which should be applied in Nigeria and you know that it is a political strategy. So, the political party will decide which option to follow.”

Faulting the call on herders to leave the southern part of the country, he urged Nigerians to imbibe the culture of cohabiting with one another peaceably.

He said: “I don’t subscribe to calls for Fulani herdsmen in the south to come back to the north because Ruga should not be a national issue.

It should be a state issue. If there are Fulani in a southern state and they want to remain there, the constitution has allowed them to remain there. But they should negotiate with the inhabitants of that state under what terms they should carry out their herdsmanship without harming anybody.

“If you are existing in an environment, then you should not harm the environment and the environment must not harm you. That can only

Nigerians back private ranches

igerians have urged the Federal N and State Governments to fa- •As Oyo rejects open grazing cilitate the establishment of private ranches as part of solutions to frequent clashes and loss of lives and property associated with the open grazing of cattle.

This is as lawmakers in Oyo State are working on a bill that seeks to ban open grazing, RUGA establishments and farm encroachment by herders.

The bill, entitled “Open Rearing and Grazing Regulation Bill, 2019”, which originated from the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin, and is co-sponsored by his deputy, Abiodun Fadeyi, is at the second reading stage in the parliament.

Ogundoyin told The Guardian that the proposed law would make it a punishable offence for anyone to engage in open rearing and grazing outside the permitted ranches. He said the bill, when passed into law, would provide opportunities for private investors to own ranches in the state.Open grazing of cattle, it is argued, has become outdated, dangerous and environmentally hazardous in the 21st century world.

The modern century’s ways of profitably rearing cattle include ranching, feed lots and kraals.

Fadeyi said reports of violent attacks by herdsmen had become a daily occurrence, and the state could not fold its hands while herdsmen continue to wreak havoc on innocent farmers.

“The essence of the bill is to regulate open rearing or open grazing, as the case may be, so that we can have a uniformed method of rearing cattle, goats, sheep and what have you, being mindful of encroachments into farmlands and clashes between herders and farmers, with loss of lives,” he said.

Specifically, Section 16, paragraph (1) says: “Any person who engages in open rearing or herding or grazing of livestock is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to imprisonment for 7 years or a fine of N200,00 or both.”Section 8, paragraph (1) stipulates that “A herdsman shall submit himself for registration to the ministry and shall pay the specified in scheduled 1 to this bill.

“Every registered herdsman shall be issued an identification card and shall wear such a card at all times.

Any herdsman who contravenes subsection (1) of section 8 is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to imprisonment for two (2) years or a fine of N100,000.00 or both.“Any herdsman who contravenes subsection (3) of section 8 is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to imprisonment for 6 months or a fine N50,000.00 or both.”

A 2017 report by SBM Intelligence had indicated that the death toll in the herders-farmers clashes had reached 5000.The Ekiti State House of Assembly, under former Governor Ayo Fayose, had passed an anti-open grazing bill, which was signed into law in 2016. Benue State followed suit and its anti-open grazing law became effective on November 1, 2017.

Reacting to this, a farm empowerment entrepreneur in Eruwa, Oyo State, Mrs. Bola Adeyemo, said: “Private sector-led ranches are the only way to peace. Cattle-rearing is a very lucrative business. I once had cattle on my farm. I constructed a wire fence and did not have issues with my farmer neighbours.”

Also, an agro-allied consultant based in Ilorin, Kwara State, Mr.

David Ayodele, said “the issue of RUGA should not generate any serious national discourse as the concept is apparently ill-conceived, archaic, one-sided, illogical and unsustainable.”He added that comparatively, the concept of RUGA seemed to put Nigeria at the elementary stage of civilisation in view of global technological advancements. “To any unbiased Nigerian, there is no justifiable reason to commit national treasure to building ranches to settle cattle herders.”

Another industry professional, Dr. Akin Oloniruha, a former provost of Ahmadu Bello University College of Agriculture, said open grazing was already causing violent conflicts and it should be discouraged as much as possible.Ruga or cattle colony as currently conceived, he added, would create more problems than those it wanted to solve.

“Private sector-led ranching is the best way to go for now. The Fulani herdsmen can key into this by forming cooperatives through which they can access intervention funds to acquire land, upgrade their cattle breeds and be in good business,” Oloniruha said.As the herdersfarmers crisis escalates in Nigeria, so it is in Ghana. A retired lecturer from the University of Ghana Medical School, Accra, Prof. Frederick Kwaku Addai, told The Guardian that “open grazing is becoming a problem in some parts of Ghana.

“It appears in two forms. One, nomadic Fulani herdsmen move their cattle into Ghana and attempt to claim ‘right to graze’ by indulging in armed conflicts with local farmers whose crops the cattle destroy.”

exist when you negotiate. You cannot build a night club near a church or near a mosque. You have to negotiate with the owners of the church or the mosque. So, if you want to practice herdsmanship which is all right and beneficial, you must have a symbiotic relationship between the herdsmen and the farmers.

“Because of climate change and increase in population and the land is not increasing, grazing areas is scarce.

You don’t have to be a herdsman now to rear cattle because anybody is free to rear cattle. That is my understanding of the situation. You can remain where you are and run your business, but you must negotiate.

“There are three type of herdsmen in Nigeria. The first are those who are coming with thousands of cattle from West African countries and you don’t expect them to carry food for the cattle. Along the way, they have to cut trees and provide food for the cattle and that create some problem. They are attacked by farmers, and along the line, they have learnt to attack farmers as well. They go about with their families on horses and donkeys and also carry arms and have graduated into being bandits.

“That is one category of herdsmen who are coming from West Africa. That is an ECOWAS problem which Nigeria should negotiate. The second is the herdsmen who are from the northern part of Nigeria.

They trek through the North Central zone to the south. They normally don’t have a lot of cattle like the ones coming from West Africa.

Those ones too create problems because of trekking from one place to the other. The third one are those herdsmen who are born in places different from places of their sociocultural and socio-religious origin.”

“I’m sure that in the south you can get some Fulani herdsmen who are born there and are not trekking to come to the north, but are permanently there. They also have problems, because when their young ones cannot go to school, they can also cause problems. This is my own classification and I’m doing it because I’m a Fulani man. So, I know what it feels to be a herdsman and business should not continue as usual. Herders activities should be a socio-economic venture and not a socio-cultural venture as it is right now.”

Ganduje described the recent call for revolution by a section of Nigerian youth as illegal and unconstitutional, noting, “This is unconstitutional and it is the creation of the opposition to some extent and those tribalists, especially when you consider what happened to the former Deputy Senate President in Germany. So, it is in the imagination of all those who want to destabilise Nigeria. It is also the handiwork of those religious extremists like Sheik El-Zakzaky people.

“If you know what happened in Iraq, you will discover that it is all about revolution. But in Nigeria, we have elected a government; we have a constitution; we have a legislature and if you want to change the government, you go through the constitution. That is the most agreed change of government in all countries of the world. So, the call for revolution should not be taken lightly. Those involved should be taken to court and treated according to the rule of law.”

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The Oracle Today Friday August 30 - Tuesday September 3, 2019

NEWS

Ex-soldier arraigned in court for unlawful killing From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia

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ismissed Army Private, Johnson Ajayi, was Wednesday arraigned before an Umuahia Magistrate Court presided over by Magistrate Linda Ugboaja, on a one count charge of unlawfully killing Chimaobi Nwaorgu, a motorcyclist, at Umuokereke Ngwa community in Obingwa local government area of Abia State.

The Kogi-born ex-soldier appeared in court without defense counsel, saying he was not given access to lawyers.

The charge against the suspect contained in charge No. U/587c, reads: “Commissioner of Police Vs Ajayi Johnson (29 years: “That you, Johnson Ajayi, ‘M’ on the 7th day of August, 2019 at Umuokereke Ngwa village Obingwa in the Obingwa Magisterial District, unlawfully killed one Chimaobi Jeremiah Nworgu ‘m’ by shooting him with AK47 Rifle/Firearm and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 319(1) of the Criminal Code, Cap 80, Vol. 3, Laws of Abia State of Nigeria 2005.”

Police Prosecutor, Adeyemi Olukoya said the soldier would answer to the sole offence of murder.

For lack of jurisdiction, Magistrate Linda Ugboaja ruled that Ajayi be remanded in prison while the case file should be refered to the office of the Director of Public Prosecution for onward transmission to the High Court and adjoured the matter to September 16, 2019.

Counsel to wife of the slain Okada rider, Madam Chiamaka Chimaobi, Bar. Adiele Chibuzor, leading Bar. Ugo Amaraizu, said the adjournment was to enable the Ministry of Justice do the necessary things.

Police Public Relations Officer, Geoffrey Ogbonna, concurred, noting that the adjournment was necessary to enable the transfer of the. case to the High Court which has the capacity to try the matter.

Army authorities had arrested Ajayi after the incident, subjected him to orderly room trial, disimissed and demoted him in rank before handing him over to the Police for civil prosecution.

The suspect is alleged to have shot and killed Nwaorgu for refusing to part with N100 “toll” at the Ohanze Military checkpoint also in Obingwa.

Mrs Chiamaka Chimaobi told newsmen at the Court premises that life has been difficult for her and her two children since the sudden, tragic death of their breadwinner and pleaded for assistance, particularly employment, from governments at all levels, while calling for justice for her late husband.

Dickson denies deal with APC ahead of governorship election From CLEM OHAMAEZE, Yenagoa

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overnor of Bayelsa State, Henry Seriake Dickson has said that he has no secret deal with the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the November 16 governorship election in the state.

Speculation is rife in the state that the governor might defect to the opposition APC should he fail to produce a choice successor among the 21 governorship aspirants of the PDP. However, in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media Relations, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, the governor denied having any deal with the opposition and called on the leadership of APC to leave him alone and focus on the forthcoming election.

The statement stressed that the governor was too focused to be distracted by a failed attempt to drag

his name into the internal problems of the opposition APC in the state.

Soriwei said that the governor’s major focus was to produce a credible candidate that would defeat any candidate presented by the APC in the November 16, 2019 gubernatorial contest in the state.

According to him, it was common knowledge that the Governor has worked hard to decimate the APC in Bayelsa State and was getting ready to defeat the party at the polls as usual.

He stressed that the PDP candidate who would run on the Governor’s record of performance and the enthronement of peace and stability would retain the PDP control of political power in Bayelsa with a resounding victory.

The governor’s media aide said that the PDP which has been in control in Bayelsa since the commencement of democratic governance in 1999 did not need any secret deal

with the APC to defeat the opposition party.

He said that there was no such deal contrary to the mischievous rumour about purported meetings.

He stressed that Governor Dickson led the PDP on several occasions including the last general elections to defeat the APC even when the party had become an opposition party at the national level.

He urged the APC to focus on their internal problems and to leave the PDP and its aspirants to plan and execute the next victory against the APC. He stated further that the PDP was only waiting, once again, to confront the APC in the election.

He called on the leadership of the APC to prepare for an election and not a war stressing that the party had a penchant to use federal forces to main and kill during elections as was the case in the last election.

• CP Abang middle flanked by top Police Men in charge of Ogidi Area Command

Ikpeazu, Otti to wait as tribunal reserves ruling on election petition • As parties adopt addresses From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia

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he Governorship and House of Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal sitting in umuahia has reserved judgement in the petition filed by the All Progressives Grand Alliance Governorship candidate, Dr. Alex Otti, challenging the return of Dr Okezie Ikpeazu as the winner of the 2019 governorship election in Abia State.

This follows the adoption of the final written addresses of the petitioner, Dr Alex Otti and that of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by the various parties involved.

Otti is asking the tribunal to cancel the 2019 governorship election, contending that it was marred by malpractices, and order a fresh one.

After hearing the addresses, the Chairman of the panel, Justice Le-

kan Ogumoye, announced that the judgment date for the matter will be communicated to the parties involved.

Both the governor, Ikpeazu and his rival, Otti, were present in court.

This attracted their supporters who swarmed the court premises like locust.

Adopting his address, the petitioner through his Counsel, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), said that there was a totally new regime regarding voting and urged the tribunal to dismiss the objections of the respondents.

However, Counsel to the first respondent and Abia State Governor, Wole Olanipekun (SAN), urged the panel to discountenance the petition, saying that the main document the petitioner was relying upon was procured after the petition was filled.

Also, Counsel to the 2nd respondent and INEC, Mr. Garba, said Local Government evidence were hearsay

evidence that cannot be relied upon while Counsel to the 3rd respondent, the PDP, Onyinyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), argued that the case was erected on a very wrong premise and should be dismissed.

Ikpeazu added that the testimonies of 65 witnesses called by the petitioner from 65 polling units out of the 788 polling units in Abia were incredulous just as he contended that the final address of the petitioner was starved of essential ingredients.

In an interview with newsmen after stepping out of the court room, Otti expressed optimism that he would eventually carry the day.

“We are very positive that we are going to win because we have marshaled out all the points, we have all the evidence and even if you see how it was going today, you should be left in no doubt that we have a very strong case,”

Abia will soon become South East’s agric hub – SSG

From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia

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bia State government says it was working to make the state the agricultural hub of the South East.

Secretary to Abia State Government n(SSG), Barr. Chris Ezem, disclosed this when executive members of Nigeria Union of Journalists NUJ paid him a courtesy in his office Thursday. He said plans were in advanced stages to establish poultry clusters, oil mill, cassava mill and rice mill.

Ezem said the move would not only boost agriculture in the state but create jobs for the youths.

“We are considering going into large farming and to revive farm plantations in Abia. We will bring all of them together at the end of the day, our goal is to make Abia the agricultural hub of the South East where poultry clusters, oil mill, cassava mill, rice mill, all will revolve around boosting agriculture. At the end of the day, it will create jobs for the youths,” the SSG said.

Currently, he said that the government was installing a rice mill at Isuikwuato as part of realizing the Abia Rice project.

“We want to end producing rice in Abia and taking it outside the state to mill and then it will be brought back to be sold to us as rice produced in another state. So, the governor is committed to that rice mill and its installation is going on and that is part of what we will use to mark 100 days in office,” Ezem added.

According to him, Abia’s agricultural blueprint when combined with realization of the Enyimba Economic City project would launch the state into a big economic mix.

“On the other hand, you can see what we are doing in the Enyimba Economic City project. While the Enyimba Economic City project is going to drive commercial materials, from garments to shoes; this way, we would want to increase our focus on agriculture, to put food on the table Abians and then consolidate on exporting food outside the shores of this country. So government would not rest on its oars in making agriculture flourish in the state,” he said.

Ezem commended members of NUJ for their objectivity in their reportage, particularly in the buildup and during the 2019 general elections.

“Nigerian journalists, so far, they have done very well; reportage is good. During the last general elections, it was as if Nigeria was going to sink, but the Press has been doing a very good job, balancing their report at all levels.

“The political reporting was good, not tilted towards any party and then building the minds of the electorate positively and sensitizing them; and today, elections have come and gone.

When we give credit to political parties, the Independent National Electoral Commission, I want to thank the Press for a job well done,” he said, while assuring the Abia State Council of NUJ of cordial relationship between government and the Council.

Earlier, the Abia NUJ Council Chairman, Comrade John Emejor, had congratulated the SSG on his appointment and equally thanked the state Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, for hosting the National Executive Committee of NUJ in Umuahia last June.

He appealed to the SSG to help in getting government to complete the construction of the Abia NUJ’s permanent secretariat where work started in 2014 and stopped soon afterwards.

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The Oracle Today Friday August 30 - Tuesday September 3, 2019

NEWS

Be patient with me, Ikpeazu tells Abians From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia

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bia State governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, has appealed to Abians to be patient with him as he strives to attend to the infrastructural needs of the people.

Ikpeazu said that his approach may be slow in building infrastructure (particularly roads) but explained that the motive was to ensure that every road constructed by his administration would be durable.

Addressing Abians who trooped out to the International Conference Centre at Ogurube Layout, Umuahia, to grace the grand finale of activities

making the 28th anniversary of the creation of Abia State, Ikpeazu also told the people that developing the state should be a collective effort.

The governor said his administration was building roads that would last beyond it. He listed some of the roads his administration built during his first term which were still in good shape, explaining that he was taking his time to build roads such that successive administrations would not come back to spend resources fixing the same roads but would move onto new things. He noted that Faulks Road in Aba and Aba Road in Umuahia have defied pre-

vious efforts at building them, collapsing sooner than they had been fixed; and assured that by the time his administration finishes doing the two roads, they will stand the test of time.

“Our strategy may be slow and I apologize,” he said, adding “I am not interested in palliatives. Be patient with me.”

Taking a cue from the Anniversary Lecturer, Prof. Madu Iwe of the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Ikpeazu observed that developing Abia was like a candle in the wind which all must strive to hold aloft and ensure that it was

not extinguished.

“We have the onerous task of holding the candle aloft,” he said, adding that Abians should celebrate, if nothing else, the unity existing in the state.

He noted that Abia was devoid of politically-motivated killings, while the three arms of government – the Executive, Legislator and Judiciary were working in harmony, even as he highlighted that he has no quarrel with his predecessor as obtained in many states.

The event which witnessed large turnout of Abians was spiced with cultural dances the Abia cultural

troupe, as well as performances by artistes and Comedians from the state.

A major highlight of the event was the award of state honours to nine prominent Abians, including Prof Joshua Chingozi Ogbonnaya, Prof.

Anthony Nwabughuogu, His Royal Higness, Elder Apollos Oji and Sir (Dr) Nduche Achara and Mazi Donatus Okorie who bagged the Enyi Abia award.

Also, Prof. (Mrs) Blessing Chima Ijioma, Lady Mary Otigbuo and Lady Rosemond Ekeke were honoured in the female category with the Odo Abia awards.

Akulueuno 2019-South East Housing Summit holds in Enugu

From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia

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he Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN), South East zone, has concluded arrangements to host a major housing summit and exhibitions next month.

The summit christened Akulueuno 2019-South East Housing Summit and Exhibitions has been scheduled to hold on September 4, 2019 at Kobb Civic Center, (Shoprite), Polo Park Mall, Enugu .

A statement by a Consultant to REDAN, Maxwell Okogbue, explained that issues to be examined at the summit, being packaged in collaboration with Goldspectra Communications Network, include values and sustainable finance for Real Estate development, the role of State and Federal Governments in viable policies of land ownership in support of Real Estate development in Nigeria, among others.

It is also designed to highlight the available incentives of the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria which could be tapped to benefit all classes of the society.

Expected keynote speakers at

the summit include Managing Director of Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, Architect Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, Managing Director, Family Homes Fund, Mr Femi Adewale, Group Managing Director, Copen Group and National President of REDAN, Surveyor Ugochukwu Chime, the BOT Chairman of REDAN and former Managing Director of Shelter Afrique, Nairobi, Prince Seyi Lufadeju.

The summit is equally expected to bring together, various stakeholders, intending off -takers and other interest groups in the Real Estate Industry to brainstorm and proffer solutions to various problems militating against the progressive and sustainable development of the industry.

According to the organizers, the South East region was strategically • Traders in Ebonyi protesting high-handedness by revenue agents in Abakaliki, the State capital. chosen to host the summit to showcase the potentials of the housing industry in the zone and explore the abundant investment opportunities available in the industry as well as to properly guide genuine off -takers on affordable housing schemes From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia sharing political offices and other Appealing that Abia should not choices available to them. common amenities in a fair manner discard this zoning arrangement alhe Abia State Advisory Council and quell the fear of domination by ready in place which is in line with the has renewed its call for Abia other groups in line with the spirit of Abia Charter of Equity, Ezikpe said: Charter of Equity to be made Onye aghala nwanneya, which is the “God has shown us a good example. a law in order to ensure peace and motto of Abia State Movement.

In all good conscience, it will be bad The renowned Medical Doctor, when we derail and start quarrelling development in the state, just as the Catholic Bishop of Umuahia, Most however, lamented that since the over which senatorial zone should Rev. Lucius Ugorji, has called on the creation of Abia, efforts to get the produce the governor for us because government to address infrastruc- Charter become law were yet to suc- God is not a fool.

“I want to say to all Abians that tural deficit in Abia. ceed.

Chairman of the Council, Ezeogo “Abia State was created in 1991 God, having done so well for us, it is the air passengers and come up with a regional plan to be adopted. Anagha Ezeikpe, said the Charter and the proposal to put the Charter now our duty to manage this method was a great gift from God, stressing of Equity into law has been taken to so that there will be no quarrelling.

The statement reads: “So, it is a great gift that God has “Following the closure of the that people would mock the state every session of the Abia State House Akanu Ibiam International Airport, if they abandon the Charter and re- of Assembly except the last two ses- given us and people will laugh at us if Enugu for repairs, Enugu State Gov- sort to quarrelling over which zone sions and we made the request to tomorrow they hear us quarrelling. It ernment is deeply concerned about should produce the governor in fu- put the Abia Charter of Equity into is not necessary.”

Also in his homily during a special law and up till now, it has not been the plight of air travelers from the ture.

Thanksgiving Mass to commemoWhile Ezeikpe made the call while possible to do so. state, who have to travel through “They were also requested to rate 28 years of the creation of Abia Sam Mbakwe International Cargo briefing the Press as part of the acAirport, Owerri, Imo State and tivities marking the 28th anniversary amend it to meet the demands of at Mater Dei Cathedral, Umuahia, Asaba Airport, Delta State to get to for the creation of Abia State, Bishop present condition. All our demands last Sunday, Bishop Ugorji urged Ugorji made his remarks during a for the House to put it into law have Abia state government to urgently their various destinations. address the deplorable state of infra“The state government is specifi- Thanksgiving Mass as part of the cel- not been successful.

“We hereby solemnly request structure throughout the state, parcally concerned about the challeng- ebration activities.

Going down memory lane, Ezeikpe that the governor of Abia State, Dr. ticularly in Aba. es of transportation and security the who was part of the Abia State Crea- Okezie Ikpeazu, the Speaker and The Bishop pointed out that the air passengers will face. tion Movement, said the Movement members of the House of Assembly state of infrastructure in Aba was de“In the light of the above, the came up with the Abia Charter of Eq- should work to put the Charter of plorable and begging for immediate South East Governors Forum will uity to douse fears of domination by Equity, as amended, into law,” the government’s attention to avert its meet on Saturday, August 31, 2019, people who were prepared to leave Adivsory Council chairman said. total collapse and also advised govto among other issues, deliberate the Movement and fight for their He expressed happiness that by ernment to endeavour to pay workon the challenges and come up with own states. divine arrangement, the governor- ers and teachers “promptly. a regional plan to be adopted.

“The good Lord intervened and ship position has rotatd among the Deputy Governor, Ude Oko-Chuk“After the meeting, Enugu State inspired the founding fathers to three senatorial zones of Abia North, wu, read an address on behalf of Government will announce its pal- the devise a document in good con- Abia Central and Abia South, arguing Governor Okezie Ikpeazu at the liative measures and strategies to science named Abia Charter of Eq- that “if Abia South did not win (in Mass, in which the governor promcushion the effect of the challenges uity of August 2nd, 1981, where we 2015/2019), there would have been ised to work to actualize the dreams on the air travelers.” defined methods of managing and great trouble.” of the founding fathers in the state.

Airport Closure: Enugu govt to provide palliative measures for air travelers

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ollowing the closure of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu for repairs, Enugu State Government has disclosed its plan to provide palliative measures for air travelers from the state, who now travel through Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri, Imo State and Asaba Airport in Delta State, to get to their various destinations.

A statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Simon Uchenna Ortuanya, stated that the government was deeply concerned about the plight of the air travelers from the state, especially the challenges of transportation and security.

The state government, therefore, disclosed that it will announce its palliative measures and strategies to cushion the effect of the challenges on the air travelers, after the meeting of the South East Governors Forum this Saturday, where the governors will, among other issues, deliberate on the challenges facing

Abia at 28: Council renews call for making Abia Charter of Equity law

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The Oracle Today Friday August 30 - Tuesday September 3, 2019

NEWS

C’River Model Land Use Bill to address malpractices in land use/allocation From ANIEKAN ANIEKAN, Calabar

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nongovernmental organization, the Environmental Rights Action (Friends of the Earth) is to partner with the Cross River State House of Assembly to eliminate all forms of malpractices associated with Land Use and Allocation in this state.

The partnership which will entail the introduction of a Model Land Use Bill 2019 in the State Assembly will also help in addressing the lapses identified in land use in the state like poor administrative system for lands as well as absence of community participation.

This was disclosed in Calabar by the Executive Director, Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria, Dr. Godwin Uyi Ojo during a briefing on the proposed

bill for the Establishment of Model Land Use and Allocation Management Commission.

Speaking on some salient aspects of the proposed bill alongside members of the State House of Assembly Godwin Ojo said the bill will foster community participation in land allocation and also check incidences of land grabbing and displacement members of the communities.

“The Bill seeks to establish a Land Use and Allocation Management Commission (LUAC) with community representation in the membership which will initiate programmes and policies for land acquisition and promptly determine grievances or disputes arising from land issues.

“Provide for the prohibition/restriction of acquisition of agricultural land by foreigners to check the incidence of land grabbing and commu-

nities dispossession/displacement form their farmlands by establishing a framework of land acquisition.

“Provide for human rights protection and access to justice including freedom of information that should be a part of the land use management system to allow citizens participation and protection of community land rights”, he said.

He added that the environment is the life of the people and the enactment of the bill by the state assembly will go a long way in protecting the environment and also bequeathing enduring legacies for future generations and humanity at large.

In a response, Hon. Godwin Akwaji the House Committee Chairman on Lands said the Bill will go a long way in addressing the present challenges associated with land ad-

ministration particularly community participation in land use.

He said the House will ensure that the right thing is done in land administration in the state and ensure that the rights of the communities are not subjugated.

“A Memorandum of Understanding in land use is not for a lifetime and any of the parties particularly the community can call for its revocation at any point in time.

“If a Memorandum of Understanding for land use has not been sighted by members of a community as is the case in some communities in the state, then the lifetime of such has lapsed.

“We will stop at nothing in ensuring that the right thing is done as there is nowhere in the world where the people’s rights in land use have been subjugated”, he said.

Group writes EFCC on nonpayment of contractors by Amnesty office

Anambra CP calls for synergy among security agencies, others

By THEO RAYS

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he Commissioner for Police (CP), Anambra State, John Abang has called for more cooperation in intelligence sharing among security agencies and from community members to promote security in the state.

The Commissioner made the call during his familiarization tour of some Divisional Police headquarters within Ogidi Area Command in Idemili North Local Government Area.

Abang said although the Police is the mother of security agencies, the agency would not work alone in fighting crime, urging people to collaborate and report suspicious criminal activities around their locality.

He commended the efforts of the vigilant Police Community Relations Committee, Police Assistance Committee, Community Stakeholders and leaders for their continued cooperation with the police in fighting crime and criminality in the society.

He added: “Since my arrival on July 10, 2019, we’ve hit the ground running. I have received immense support from Community policing and neighborhood watch. With your cooperation, we can reduce crime.

No society is perfect in security.

In Europe, retired public servants, farmers always give out information. If you see something suspicious happening around you call the Vigilante or police.”

Earlier in his address, the Area Commander, ACP Danjuma Madugu said that the police had been trying their best to reduce crime within the area to a manageable level, noting that despite challenges, the Ogidi Area Command has lived up to expectations through reinvigorated crime fighting strategies as several armed robbery gangs have been smashed with arms, ammunition and stolen vehicles recovered.

Madugu mentioned lack of serviceable vehicles and absence of Tactical Teams as part of constraints facing Ogidi Area Command, adding that they have resorted to hiring vehicles to patrol flash points.

In his vote of thanks at the occasion witnessed by market leaders, landlords and members of Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Ogidi Divisional Headquarters, Mark Ijeraffu thanked the CP for finding time to visit them to assess their efforts and determine where to help them.

Also speaking the House Leader, Hon. Fred Osim said the legal department of the house will review the bill and ensure that the bill sees the light of the day in the overall interest of the state.

On his part Charles Egbe representing Akamkpa State Constituency said a number of communities in the state are have no knowledge about land use and allocation in their localities emphasizing that the Model legislation will go a long way in addressing present day challenges.

He said the absence of a clear legislation on land use/allocation in the state has led to the subjugation of some communities particularly in Awi where Chinese nationals bring in low level workforce and called for an end to such practices.

From CLEM ONYEMAECHI, Yenagoa

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• Enugu State Governor, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (middle) with the Prelate, Methodist Church Nigeria, His Eminence, Dr. Samuel ‘Emeka Kanu Uche (right), and the Enugu Archbishop, His Grace, Most Rev. Barr.

Christopher Ede, when leaders and members of the Church paid a courtesy visit to the governor at the Government House, Enugu, yesterday.

Uzo-Uwani may boil over choice of commissionership

From CHINAZOMU OKENWA, Nsukka boli zone.

Reliable sources disclosed Ogboli HE people of Uzo-Uwani zone was asked to produce the Local Government Area of candidate based on equity, justice Enugu State are ready to pro- and fairness and to balance power test if their unanimous choice for among the four zones in the counthe office commissioner, Mr. Vitals cil area.

It was learnt that Ugwuanyi after Oknonkwo, is discarded.

The people are angry, and the visiting the people at venue of their political atmosphere is charged meeting, advised that they must as they discuss what one of them send a political heavyweight from described as “political rape of the the area as their nominee.

During the deliberations, Senator masses.”

In line with the directive of the Chukwuka, Chief Maximus Ukuta state Governor ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, and Chief Mike Ajogwu, the chairthat all local government areas man of the State Electoral Comshould forward to him a candidate mission, supported Hon. Cornel to be made a commissioner, Uzo- Onwubuya, a former executive Uwani people, after a meeting at chairman of the area for a second Filbon Hotel, New Haven, Enugu tenure as commissioner.

Hon. Paul .O. Eze, a former mempicked Okonkwo as their candiber of the House of Representadate.

Okonkwo, a former Administra- tives and the chairman of the countor of Ogboli Development Centre, cil advised that there should be a is from Ogboli Ward in Adani, Og- balance of power to accommodate

T

the politically less advantaged area.

After the emergence of Okonkwo, there were speculations that his name was dropped in favour of Onwubuya.

An aggrieved person from the area who prefers anonymity, said, “there are strong insinuations that the name of the candidate who was picked at the general house is tampered with and that the whole thing has being hijacked. This is the greatest insult on our people as the wishes of the masses is being thwarted.

“We know that knife and bare hand can never fight for meat because the knife would always win.

We are just appealing to Governor Ugwuanyi to use his good offices to accommodate the interest of the people and assuage the yearnings and aspirations of the marginalised and politically disadvantaged groups,” he concluded.

he South-South Peoples Assembly, (SSPA), has petitioned against the Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, (PAP) Professor Charles Dokubo to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), over alleged non payment of contractors.

The group alleged that the present leadership of the PAP, “has created an omnious signs of derailment that is threatening the fragile peace and order in the Niger Delta region.

“This is on account of alleged mismanagement, unbridled greed and corruption.

Addressing newsmen on Thursday in Yenagoa, the National Secretary of SSPA, Dr Ayakeme Whiskey, said that the group was not just making frivolous allegations but substantiated claims.

Whiskey noted that the allegations were based on innumerable reports received by vendors and contractors who were awarded contracts since 2018 but remained unpaid.

“As a responsible organistaion, our concern is the future of the Amnesty Programme and the relative peace presently pervading the Niger Delta region with the attendant effects on the economy.

“When potential trainee-delegates are frustrated consistently due to the non-mobilization of contractors and vendors who should sign them on for training, and stipends of those already enlisted are not regularly paid on account of grave financial malfeasance.

“This is putting the peace in the region at risk.

“Our opinion is premised on the innumerable reports we have been receiving from most vendors and contractors who were awarded contracts since May 2018 but have remained unpaid after committing these vendors and contractors to supply insurance bonds at cost. ” And later Advance Payment Gurantees, APG, from banks at even higher costs.” Ayakeme said.

Mr Murphy Agagaga, Head of Media at the PAP declined to comment on the allegations.

12

The Oracle Today Friday August 30 - Tuesday September 3, 2019

NEWS ACROSS THE NATION Jonathan’s ex-aide, Dudafa floors EFCC in court

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ollowing the allegation of N1.6bn fraud, a Lagos Federal High Court on Thursday discharged and acquitted former President, Goodluck Jonathan’s ex-aide, Dr Waripamo Owei-Dudafa of an alleged involvement.

Justice Mohammed Idris in his judgment held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, failed to prove any of the 22-count charges levelled against Owei-Dudafa beyond reasonable doubt.

In the 190-page judgment, Justice Mohammed said EFCC’s case was “based on suspicions” and suspicions “cannot take the place of legal evidence”.

The judge also observed that the anti-graft agency failed to call vital witnesses, including Jonathan and former NSA Sambo Dasuki, who could have helped its case.

“Why did the prosecution fail to call Sompre Omiebi to testify?” the judge queried.

The court also dismissed the EFCC’s claim that the bags delivered

by Dudafa to Jonathan contained dollars.

Justice Idris held that there was no proof for that.

“How did the prosecution know that the bags contained dollars?” the judge wondered again.

Japan: Buhari warns Nigerians living abroad

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resident Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday said the few Nigerians abroad indulging in criminal activities do not represent the values of majority of the people of the country.

Buhari also warned that his administration will not condone any crime either home or abroad from such Nigerians.

He said this in Yokohama during a meeting with leaders of the Nigerian community living in Japan on the sidelines of the Seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development, TICAD7.

A statement forwarded to media houses by Buhari’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina quoted the president as saying, “Let me also say that there are few Nigerians in the Diaspora that are giving us a bad name by engaging

in criminal activities. These Nigerians are a minority, they do not represent the values of our country, and I plead with them to change their ways.

“We will not condone any crime whether at home or abroad, and we will also not allow these Nigerians define us as a people with reputation for criminality.”

Urging Nigerians in Japan to be good ambassadors of their fatherland, the Nigerian leader said, “I am personally very happy that there are millions of Nigerians all over the world, like you here, who are truly making us proud.”

Describing majority of the over 17 million Nigerians in Diaspora as “the face of Nigeria globally and our ambassadors for good,” the President noted that, “Many of our Diasporans, like your good selves

here today, have excelled in varying fields of endeavor, both professionally and individually.

“You have also made significant and overwhelmingly positive contributions to your Nigerian and international host communities. You have continually been a positive bridge between Nigeria and the world. It is not an easy feat and we commend you, salute your courage and efforts.”

Noting that “Japan is at the cutting edge of technology and efficiency, two very important attributes that can play a role in Nigeria and improve our capacity for development,” President Buhari urged members of his audience to continue to contribute their quota by helping to develop their host country and Nigeria as well, adding: “I look forward to your inborn gift,

Flood destroys 250 houses in Jigawa

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looding, caused by days of heavy downpour, has destroyed no fewer than 250 houses in Karanka and Diginsa towns in Birniwa Local Government area of Jigawa.

Alhaji Abdullahi Yakubu, the Information Officer in the area, told The Oracle Today on Thursday that the incident occurred on Aug. 27.

He said that the Birniwa Local Government Council Chairman, Alhaji Mohammad Jaji-Dole, had visited the affected towns for on the spot assessment of the damage.

Yakubu said Jaji-Dole had implored the counsellors representing the areas to forward to him the number of displaced persons for support.

The chairman prayed to God to give the victims the fortitude to bear the loss and called on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to provide relief materials to them.

The information officer said that the village head of Karanka, Alhaji Abdu Bulama, had earlier called on the council to construct drains to prevent future flooding in the area. According to him, Bulama blamed the flooding partly on lack of drains, saying the flooding could have been averted if drains were constructed.

“The chairman said that the plea would be looked into,” he said.

• The traditional ruler of Uke, in Idemili North Igwe Surv. Charles Agbala cuts a roast yam tuber to declare the New Yam festival in his community open.

Doctor cautions public against self-medication

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medical expert, Dr Olalekan Omoniyi, yesterday (Thursday) admonished the public to refrain from self-medication to avoid complications due to drug misuse and other adverse effects associated with the practice.

Omoniyi, the Secretary, Senior Staff Association of Universities Teaching Hospitals Research Institutes and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI), Federal NeuroPsychiatric Hospital, chapter, Yaba, gave the advice in Lagos.

He told the Oracle Today that when it comes to self-medication, it was potentially an unsafe practice with many risks.

The Oracle Today report that selfmedication is the use of medications without prior medical consultation regarding indication, dosage and duration of treatment.

Omoniyi listed the risks to include: incorrect diagnosis, delays in seeking medical advice, infrequent, but severe adverse reactions, dangerous drug interaction, incorrect dosage, masking of severe disease and risk of abuse.

According to him, doctors use to assess and ask patients several questions based on patients’ reported symptoms, review them holistically before arriving at a diagno-

sis and prescriptions.

He said people must know that self-medication was not free of risk, which could increase the burden and out-of-pocket expenses since it might result in adverse health effects that require medical intervention.

“It is surprising that many people do not see any problem with selfmedication.

“Research shows that self-medication can lead to adverse reactions and should be avoided at all times. It is risky for non-medical personnel to prescribe medication,” he said.

Omoniyi said people take drugs without doctor’s prescription for a number of reasons.

According to him, while some aim for a reduction in the time and cost of clinical consultation, others simply trivialise illnesses and resort to self-medication.

Other factors listed by Omoniyi could be due to personal insecurities and fear of job loss due to diagnosed disease, mental illness, quick relief of pain, depression or even ignorance.

“It has been observed that many people rely on their own previous experiences, or their choices based on the recommendations from friends to resort to self-medication

than to seek a proper diagnosis.

“If the patient’s diagnosis of their condition is incorrect, their consequential drug selection may aggravate their condition, or even cause additional problems that may make subsequent medical intervention problematic.

“Self-medication may seems right at first, but one needs to consider the potential side effects of such uninformed actions.

“Self-medication can cause allergy, habituation, worsening of ailment, or even disability and premature death,” the expert said.

He expressed concern over the action of some pharmacists who encouraged and promotes selfmedication because of the desire to make sales and profit.

“A point to note is that pharmacists also play a huge role in the issue of self-medication.

“In a haste to make a lot of money, some pharmacists encourage people to buy their drugs without a doctor’s prescription.

“In some cases, they even prescribe drugs for their customers.

This is wrong, because pharmacist is charged with the duty of dispensing drugs. It is the doctor who prescribes these drugs,” he told reporters.

ability, and capacity in taking up this challenge.”

Commending many of them who are already “positively impacting the Nigerian economy through financial home remittances, promoting international trade in Nigerian commodities, our music, culture, tourism, sports, and education, while also helping to establish industries in Nigeria,” the President urged them “to encourage legitimate Japanese entrepreneurs to come and invest in Nigeria.”

According to him, “We are continually working to create the necessary enabling environment for investors to thrive, through improvements in our Ease of Doing Business practices, providing security, diversification of the economy, infrastructure and fighting corruption.”

He further assured them that, “We have put in place the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERPG) to put the country on a path of sustained recovery and growth.”

Explaining the rationale for his regular meetings with Nigerians abroad and the establishment of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, President Buhari said: “As you are aware, I have regularly held town hall meetings with Nigerians in the Diaspora on all my foreign engagements be they in Europe, Asia, America and Africa.

“At these fora, I have always, appealed to our citizens to be our good ambassadors, observe the laws of your host countries, excel in whatever you do legitimately, and also remember us at home (Nigeria). I have established the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission specifically to engage with you, signifying a coordinated attempt by our administration to increase the involvement of our Diaspora in our national development.

“Collectively, your resources, skills, and talents will be a positive force for our country which can help accelerate our national growth and development.”

President Buhari’s meeting with Nigerians in Diaspora, coordinated

by Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman, Diaspora Commission, who described the President as “the most Diaspora-friendly leader we have had in Nigeria,” witnessed a parade of the brightest and best of our citizens, plying their trade in Japan. They included academics, industrialists, top businessmen, scientists, economists, and many others.

Professor Ejiogu Emenike, President, Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation Asia (NIDOASIA) and an energy expert, commended President Buhari for efficient leadership, and disclosed that his members have “comparative advantages in human capital development, which we are trying to bring back to Nigeria.”

He added: “Any problem that science and technology can solve, we are able to, and we can help Nigeria in areas of need.”

Engineer Ochade Osakwe, Chairman, Nigeria/Japan Chambers of Commerce and Industry, recounted businesses that have been attracted to Nigeria in recent times, promising to do more, as the security and investment climates back home improved further.

Mr Nnaji Fintan, President, Nigerian Union in Japan, asked for more exploits in the areas of education, quality infrastructure and security, which incidentally, are focal points of the current administration.

POLITICS The Oracle Today Friday August 30 - September 3, 2019

Why we lost: Women ‘ISOPADEC isn’t a candidates from Edo charity organisation’ State speak Pg 16

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Pg 17

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s Governor Seriake Dickson afraid of Chief Ndutimi Alaibe, a governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)? Why is it that, of the 21 aspirants of the PDP, only Alaibe’s aspiration appears to be generating so much fuss in the state ?

Those are the questions political pundits are pondering over at the moment in Bayelsa as the PDP heads into its governorship primary election on Tuesday, September 3, 2019.

It is common knowledge however that Governor Dickson has been saying that aspirants who do not belong to his political family, the Restoration Caucus within the PDP in the state would not get his backing for the governorship contest.

Of all the 21 aspirants seeking the PDP ticket, only about six could be counted as those not belonging to the Restoration Caucus.

They are, Chief Timi Alaibe, Keniebi Okoko, Chief Benson Agadaga, Amb. Godknows Igali, Dr. Franklyn Osaisai and Senator Emmanuel Paulker.

Yet of all, it is only Alaibe that the governor appears to be fretting over his aspiration.

Since the former managing director of NDDC indicated interest in the governorship contest, some groups allegedly being sponsored by the state government have been springing up attacking him and urging him to shut down his interest in the race.

Part of the issues some of the groups are raising is that Alaibe has not been stable in PDP, that he is fond of switching parties and camps; hence he is not worthy of PDP ticket having not been a faithful and loyal party man.

Those who hold this view easily point to 2015 when Alaibe joined forces with the APC in an attempt to snatch the state from the PDP. They are therefore demanding that Alaibe should first apologize to the PDP family and wait for those who have remained faithful and loyal to the PDP to take a shot at the governorship seat before seeking the position.

That is the case the governor’s loyalists are building against Alaibe. But that would be rather uncharitable given the fact that the governor at the elaborate reception he organized to welcome Alaibe and his followers back to the PDP had given directive that all the returnees should be returned to the positions they occupied in the party prior to their defection to the opposition.

“We are here to formally receive and welcome you back home to your party and I have told the chairman and the political desk working with your team that we will organize a formal reception to receive you because you are a big fish. You cannot come into the PDP and people will not know you have come. So what is happening today is a prelude to your formal reception.

“We were pained when you left at a time we needed you most but all of that is history.

What is important is what is ahead of us and I want to assure you that you are all valued leaders in the party once again”, Dickson had told Alaibe and his followers who visited him in Government House prior to their public reception back to PDP. True to his promise, the governor had organized a more elaborate reception to celebrate the return of Alaibe to the PDP where all PDP chapters in the wards and local government areas in the state featured amidst drumming, dancing and merry making.

So what has gone amiss such that the governor now does not want to see eye to eye with Alaibe? Some say it is the quest for self preservation by the governor who is apparently afraid that Alaibe who many are tipping to pick the ticket of PDP would not be easily bent to cover his (Dickson’s) tracks if he wins the governorship election. Hence the Alaibe must be stopped campaign!

In one of such campaigns, Dickson had accused Alaibe of doctoring his recorded speeches with a view to blackmail him and called on well-meaning Nigerians to disregard such “sinister blackmail”.

The Governor said that Alaibe has been circulating a cynically manipulated version of

Bayelsa guber: Can Dickson cage Alaibe?

•Gov-Seriake-Dickson

•Goodluck Johnathan

•Ndutimi Alaibe

Is Seriake Dickson, outgoing governor of Bayelsa State afraid of Chief Ndutimi Alaibe, one of the 21 governorship aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party in the November 16 governorship election in the state?

From Yenagoa, CLEM ONYEMAECHI reports... addresses he delivered during political meetings and other fora with the intent to blackmail him for assumed political benefits.

A statement by the Special Adviser, Media Relations, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei quoted the governor as saying that the former NDDC was resorting to blackmail out of desperation to win the gubernatorial primaries of the PDP at all costs.

The Governor said that it was absurd that Alaibe would go to the extent of manipulating audio recordings of his speeches for distribution to respected Nigerians with the intent to blackmail him.

He maintained that he regards all the aspirants including Alaibe as his brothers and friends and would not do anything to destroy any one of them.

However, Gov Dickson noted that Alaibe was at liberty to play the same game that he has been playing against all the governors of the state.

He said that Nigerians and leaders of the PDP should expect more of such blackmail as the state moved closer to the September 3, 2019 party primaries.

He enjoined Alaibe to focus his attention on the Bayelsa people especially the delegates who are empowered by law to decide who should be the gubernatorial candidate of the PDP. Gov Dickson said acceptability and popularity rather than political desperation and manipulative action would make one of the 21 gubernatorial aspirants under the PDP to emerge winner at the forthcoming primaries.

The Governor said that the surreptitious bid to mudsling was unnecessary as only one

“

Gov Dickson said acceptability and popularity rather than political desperation and manipulative action would make one of the 21 gubernatorial aspirants under the PDP to emerge winner at the forthcoming primaries.

The Governor said that the surreptitious bid to mudsling was unnecessary as only one of the 21 aspirants most of who are qualified to govern the state would fly the party’s flag.

“

spreading manipulated audio recordings of Governor Dickson’s public utterance during meetings.

“It is curious that Alaibe would rather dissipate energy to the propagation of mischief rather than focusing attention on his gubernatorial campaigns.

“We wish to reiterate for the umpteenth time that the Governor as a major stakeholder in the issue of the governorship primaries is entitled to his own political views and decisions. That does not preclude any politician with genuine interest from testing his popularity with the delegates.

“It is important to stress also that the Governor’s decision not to reward disloyalty with the candidacy of the party is an informed decision of conviction.

“Alaibe would do well to focus on the campaigns to actualize his aspiration rather than the spreading of a campaign of calumny against a man whose name is not on the ballot. “ “Nigerians and leaders of the PDP should expect more of this blackmail as we move closer to the primaries.”

But in a subtle reply to this allegation titled “We are too focused to be distracted”, Alaibe denied the allegation and pointed out that in spite of the campaign of calumny by governor’s aides and other groups against him, he has chosen to ignore such tantrums.

Alaibe’s reply which was contained in a statement issued by Prof. Seiyefa Brisibe, Administrative Secretary, Timi Alaibe Organization read in part: “The attention of Timi Alaibe

of the 21 aspirants most of who are qualified to govern the state would fly the party’s flag.

The Governor maintained that while he remained a major stakeholder in the gubernatorial contest in Bayelsa as the leader of the party, it was his own right to decide who to support and vote for.

He said, “It has come to the attention of the government that the former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Chief Timi Alaibe, has been Continued on Page 17

The Oracle Today Friday August 30 - September 3, 2019019

POLITICS

Will Bayelsa airport become another ‘monument of disgrace’?

Just as in Anambra, the Bayelsa airport project tht was launched with fanfare doesn’t appear to be making much progress. So, will it, like its Anambra counterpart, that has virtually been abandoned, be another monument of disgrace, asks CLEM ONYEMAECHI, in Yenagoa

•Bayelsa Cargo Airpo hen the opposition All Progressive Congress, APC, in Bayelsa State raised some concerns over the airport project being undertaken by the Seriake Dickson led administration, the state government called the opposition party many names.

The APC had described the Bayelsa airport as “a cesspit of fraud and a ruse” in a statement issued by the State Publicity Secretary of the party, Doifie Buokoribo, The statement stressed that the airport project is “a fraudulent scheme put up by Governor Seriake Dickson to facilitate the siphoning of state funds”, insisting that Dickson must be prepared to stand trial for the “crimes” against the people of Bayelsa State.

The statement alleged that “the N80 billion plus Bayelsa airport project was built at vastly inflated costs, making it clearly the most expensive airport project in Nigeria”.

Besides, APC said the airport was economically unenviable as it lacked vital intermodal network for easy accessibility, adding that it is “symptomatic of a vision that is not only deficient but also diseased.”

Rattled by the foregoing allegations, the PDP led state government accused the •Timipre Sylva APC of plotting to frustrate the commis- •Gov-Seriake-Dickson sioning of the project by President MuhamThe Governor’s Aide regretted that Soriwei said nothing could be more madu Buhari. members of the APC who according to him pathetic and evil than what he described The Special Adviser to the Governor on have become suddenly obsessed with ma- as the “subversion of the general interest Media and Public Relations, Mr. Fidelis Sori- licious allegations and nonexistent contro- of Bayelsa and indeed the Ijaw nation by a wei, in a statement said that the “remnants versy over the “crucial” airport project are group of malevolent individuals motivated of APC are clinging onto a pernicious plot working to prevent its inauguration with by greed and selfishness”. to demonize the airport for unimaginable, the sinister intent to make it an abandoned The governor’s aide said that it was rathpathetic political considerations”. airport for campaign purposes. er curious that the APC members would de-

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14 monize a star project of immense value to the state, the Ijaw nation, the South South and indeed the country.

He described APC members who are attacking the “historic” airport projects as enemies of the general good and who should be discountenanced by all men of good conscience.

He insisted that the airport was the critical answer to years of prayers and lamentations of Bayelsans many whom he said had died along the East West Road after flying within and outside the country to the Airports in Port Harcourt and Benin.

He urged President Buhari and his handlers to be wary of the “unpatriotic and destructive intent of a few disgruntled characters masquerading as critics of government”.

The state government is claiming that the airport has been completed, awaiting commissioning and had recently launched an inaugural flight. But that was all since then.

The airport which was executed partly with the N40 billion borrowed from Zenith bank is still lying fallow, fueling speculations that the project might suffer similar fate like the abandoned 18 floor tower hotel in the state capital. Several dates had been fixed for official commissioning of the airport, with none seeing the light of the day.

The governor, officials of the state government and indeed all air travelers from the state are still making use of the Port Harcourt International Airport for their flights, yet the government is insisting that the airport has been completed!

It was Dr. Goodluck Jonathan who introduced the term, ‘monument of disgrace’ into the political lexicon of Bayelsa. He had used the term to describe the abandoned 18 floor five star, tower hotel of the state government initiated during the tenure of the late DSP Alamieyeseigha.

The fate of the abandoned hotel was one of the reasons Jonathan, then as president denied the then governor of the state, Timipre Sylva a return PDP ticket for the office of governor. Jonathan had expressed sadness that Sylva who succeeded him as governor abandoned the hotel project which according to him was an edifice aimed at lifting the profile of the state in the tourism world, describing the state of the hotel as a monument of disgrace!

Interestingly the hotel project has become like a conduit pipe by successive governments as none has been able to complete the project even after committing hundreds of millions of naira into the project. The fear in many quarters is that the airport may end up like the tower hotel.

The airport according to some analysts is one of the “ego projects” of Gov. Dickson without much economic value to the state.

They insisted that the airport even when completed and commissioned will not be viable, giving the geographical location of Bayelsa.

Many have argued that many air lines will not be inclined to deploy their aircraft to ply Yenagoa route for the fact that it would not be cost effective for them. Bayelsa they argue is like a dead end, unlike Port Harcourt, Asaba and Owerri where we have airports around that are more open. Except for chartered flights the Bayelsa airport will suffer terrible low traffic according to experts.

“Bayelsa does not offer any exit route to any other state where air travelers can proceed to on landing. It is like a dead end because of the high sea surrounding the state. Except for chartered flights, airliners may not be easily persuaded to deploy their aircrafts to the state unlike the airports at Asaba, Owerri and Port Harcourt”.

At the moment, all ongoing government projects in Bayelsa have stopped. Emphasis is now on politics as Gov. Dickson battles to install a successor. This means that the airport might not eventually be completed before he vacates office in February 2020.

And given the many shortcomings associated with the airport, the next governor may not be easily persuaded to venture into the project. After all the airport project started by Timipre Sylva was abandoned by Dickson for the current one he is doing.

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The Oracle Today Friday August 30 - September 3, 2019

BOLD & BLUNT

•Pilgrims in Saudi Arabia

Climate Change will endanger the hajj, new study warns Extreme weather – including intolerable heat and unexpected cold snaps –could pose extreme dangers for pilgrims visiting Saudi Arabia, cautions MIT study. By RUTH SCHUSTER

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he Middle East and North Africa will become uninhabitable at some point in the future, according to climate change models. The weather doesn’t have to become intolerable all the time, but any number of days too hot to survive is too many. Now a new paper from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, published in Geophysical Review Letters, warns that even before we reach that stage global warming could pose true peril for Muslim pilgrims performing their religious duty of hajj.

At least once in their lifetimes, observant Muslims who can afford the trip and are in adequate health are supposed to make hajj, visiting Medina and Mecca in Saudi Arabia. During the five to six day trip, many of the duties are performed outside, in the open air.

“When the hajj comes in summertime, in some years it may not be safe for participants to remain outdoors,” point out MIT professor Elfatih Eltahir and others.

The Muslim calendar, like the Jewish one, is governed by lunar cycles, not the sun. While the hajj is always scheduled for the 12th Muslim month, the timing of that month changes by the Gregorian calendar. Each year the hajj occurs about 11 days earlier.

In 2019 the hajj fell in August, when temperatures in Mecca averaged about 43 degrees Celsius, which is already uncomfortably hot for many people.

Saudi officials warned visitors to expect the temperature to hit 50 degrees on some days.

The good news is that the next time the hajj falls in summer will be in 2047, says the MIT paper. So Saudi Arabia has some time to prepare. The bad news is that the problem with climate change isn’t just rising average temperatures – it’s the extremes: extreme heat waves, extreme cold and extreme weather.

The forecasts of climate change and global warming remain hazy because of the enormous number of parameters involved. One thing that isn’t a forecast but a fact is that average global temperature is correlated to atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations.

Atmospheric CO2 has shot up into uncharted territory in recent few years.

Never before in the planet’s history has the level of carbon dioxide changed so fast, or gone so high, say geologists.

Also, temperature change follows change in the level of carbon dioxide at a lag. The world has already been experiencing record-breaking heat from the United States to Europe to the Indian subcontinent to the Middle East, and we are apparently heading for much worse.

A study by Umm Al-Qura University that was published in Atmospheric and Climate Sciences in 2014 looked at the average temperature in Mecca from

1985 to 2013, and found a significant increase in the number of hot days and a smaller increase in hot nights.

(July is the hottest month, January the coolest.) The conclusion by author Abdellatif Abdou is that Mecca is suffering from a “considerable warming temperature trend.” And that was five years ago. Abdou back then counseled the authorities to consider the energy demands for extra cooling, water resources, medical preparedness and more in order to minimize the risks to locals and hajj visitors.

Saudi Arabia in general has been experiencing warming: 0.72 degrees per decade from 1979, Eltahir says. But the maximum temperature has been rising and with it, the peril to pilgrims who could face extreme danger, the MIT paper warns.

Trouble has already happened, like stampedes that killed 1,462 people in 1990 and 769 in 2015, Eltahir points out. Both riots coincided with peak temperature and humidity, a deadly combination. (Heat stress measures the discomfort involved in sweat being unable to evaporate and cool the body because of humidity.)

In general, numerous studies have pointed to hotter weather leading to shorter tempers. In 2014 Scientific American ran a meta-study explaining the correlation between the weather and violence and the differences in

temperature don’t have to be huge.

Crowding is also stressful.

The bottom line is that more and more days are expected to be too hot to survive without countermeasures, and the sooner countermeasures are put into place the better. Even with mitigation measures in place, Eltahir says, “it will still be severe. There will still be problems, but not as bad” as would occur without those measures.

He says that some cooling measures have already been installed, including misting in some outdoor locations. But the Saudi authorities may have no choice in the future but to cap the number of pilgrims, so it can cope with keeping them safely cool in weather extremes.

It bears adding that weather extremes in Saudi Arabia aren’t confined to the heat. The winter of 2016 brought snow to the desert kingdom. The fall of 2018 brought extreme rain and flooding – it is the rainy season, insofar as that exists, but the amount of precipitation was unexpected. Come April this year, the Saudi desert found itself coated in more snow, hailstones and slammed by more floods too. Extreme heat may not be the only danger the hajj pilgrims face in the future.

•SCHUSTER is a correspondent of Haaretz, the Israeli English language newspaper. Report was originally published in Haaretz.

16

The Oracle Today Friday August 30 - September 3, 2019

POLITICS

Why we lost: Women candidates from Edo State speak M onths after, the sting from the dismal results of the 2019 Federal and State Houses of Assembly elections on female candidates from Edo State is still smarting. This may be especially so for stakeholders who are of the opinion that despite all efforts being made, no state in Nigeria has come close to achieving the objectives of the 2009 National Gender Policy, which has provisions to ‘Increase women elected and appointed positions to 35%’, according to the UNwomen.org report.

For female candidates in Edo state, the zero percent score sheet pending the outcome of the suit that has been filed by the PDP Ovia Constituency female candidate, Omosede Igbenedion (Esq) has made the gender gap much wider.

On the surface, everything appears balanced, as the two major political parties in Edo State and a host of others have Women Leaders as an integral part of the party structure.

For the People’s Democratic Party which is the main opposition party, Lindsay Sorae holds this position. In the ruling party, Betty Okoebor has held this position for a little over a year but she is not by any means new to the political terrain ‘I have been a politician for over 42 years’ she reveals ‘Based on the influence of my father and his close friend Anthony Enahoro, I started with the NPN as a teenager. At 18, I became a presiding officer’.

She is extending this influence to other women and encouraging them to fill the gender gap by seeking elective positions.

This gap is glaring even in the numbers that seek for positions. A February INEC report indicates that 1668 men as against 232 women vied for 109 senatorial seats while 4,139 men and 560 women jostled for the 360 seats in the House of Representatives.

Inumundu Ereku of the APC who sought an Owan West Constituency State House of Assembly position in 2019 gives a reason for the reluctance of females vis-à-vis the small number who seek political positions ‘I have suffered humiliation both physically and spiritually. I was almost assassinated during my first attempt in the then Action Congress of Nigeria but by the next day, I was back on the field’.

Chris Arire, state chairman of the National Democratic Liberty Party whose party did not field any female candidate in the 2019 elections in Edo State infers that not all women are as brave as Inumundu ‘Women seem to be scared because of the dirty political terrain’ he states.

How dirty is the terrain? A 2019 research tracking election violence in Nigeria

by Arch Harwood, the creator of the Nigerian Security Tracker puts a number to incidences that led to the term ‘dirty political terrain’. ‘In the 2015 cycle, the NST documented 106 election-related deaths.

These deaths were largely concentrated in the South-West and in the Delta’.

Vivian Eweka a 2019, NPC State House of Assembly candidate has a more recent update on violence ‘I witnessed violence in this year’s (2019) election but fortunately I was not attacked’ she recalls but what directly affected her were the results at her polling unit where she lost.

However, Uwa Usonbor of the People’s Democratic Party who contested for the Urionwon/Uhionwode has a different story connected to her electoral loss ‘I won at the polls but another candidate won at INEC Office’ she alleged.

For the female political aspirants in Accord, a similar narration of a seamless pre-election process was given by the state secretary Harcourt Eboh ‘the two female candidates that were chosen from the

Women candidates from Edo State are recounting their losses in the 2019 general election in Nigeria, writes OMORDIA EFE ALEXANDRA

•Uwa Osunbor total number of both males and females were selected by the committee through a transparent process and they got selected on the basis of their antecedents, their plans etc. The successful candidates were said to be the most eloquent and the most confident.’ however despite all the aforementioned qualities, Josephine Uzoya from Esan Constituency and Edith Usokpan were still defeated at the polls.

Tina Clark, a legal practitioner and the founder of Tina Love Foundation an NGO which provides a socio-cultural impediment that may be one of the causes of the challenges that women candidates face at the polls.

“Women have never been restricted in Nigeria. Funmilayo Ransome- Kuti is an example of a woman who has not allowed cultural, religious or even threats of violence and intimidation to stop her from running for elective office. He continued to say that “Women have their freedom under the law however in the Nigerian context the problem remains the social chains. Women enjoy the same rights as men and can run for elective office.

However, cultural, religious and societal constraints present unique hurdles that they have to overcome. For instance a married woman to be described as strong, her husband is assumed to be weak. People also think that submission is general, that a woman ought to be submissive to every man but a woman is only supposed to be submissive to her husband” One wonders if this trend of seeing women as not good enough has been extended to voting patterns even amongst women.

Golda Oribhabor-Onwuka who ran for elective office narrated how she was

•Vera Sadoh

“ Women enjoy the same rights as men and can run for elective office. However, cultural, religious and societal constraints present unique hurdles that they have to overcome. For instance a married woman to be described as strong, her husband is assumed to be weak.

“

forced to quit the race even before she had started. “I was interested in contesting for a position in the PDP. One of the chieftains known as ‘Leader’ who passed away recently, heard me talking with confidence on issues during a meeting where he participated through a conference call.

Next thing I heard was ‘tell that woman to keep quiet’ and just like that, that was the end of my ambition. I had to leave the party,” she said.

Vera Sadoh, a former councilor who was appointed to the position in a transition

arrangement by the Prof Oserheimen Osunbor’s Administration (Governor of Edo State of Nigeria from 29 May 2007 to 11 November 2008, He was Removed by Court Judgment invalidating his election), also shared a similar experience that put an end to her 2011 and 2015 state assembly political aspirations ‘I had the full support of my people. From the age of 6, I have been politically conscious, listening in as my father organized NPN meetings but when people like the current state chairman of one of the main opposition parties had their own candidates, they used the party apparatus to intimidate delegates during the primaries so I ended up not getting a nomination ticket’.

However, in most of the ‘minor’ parties which did not field female candidates, the party chairmen claimed to have done their best to encourage women to participate.

One chairman who wanted his identity kept anonymous said ‘We threw it open to everybody but the women were not forthcoming. One of the women even had her form filled by a male relative who was also contesting but she never showed up.

However, the women of a youth-focused party i.e. the Democratic Alternative did quite the contrary and as a result, showed up in large numbers. The party ended up fielding five female candidates who lost in the 2019 federal and state assembly elections.

From all indications, it seems like female politicians in Edo State may have to do much more than show up. Golda Orhibabor-Onwuka puts it thus ‘In politics, you need to prove yourself. You should not wait for special recognition. Work hard and get relevant’

17

The Oracle Today Friday August 30 - September 3, 2019

POLITICS

‘ISOPADEC isn’t a charity organisation’ Those who think that the Imo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (ISOPADEC) is a charity oraganisation set up to play Father Christmas to all and sundry, are wrong, says the commission’s MD, Engr. Anthony Okwuosha. In this report by COLLINS UGHALAA from Owerri, Okwuosha also tasks the academia on the need to partner with the Commission in the development of the communities.

T

he Managing Director of the Imo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (ISOPADEC), Engr. Anthony Okwuosha, on has called on the academia in the oil producing communities in Ohaji/Egbema/Oguta Local Government Areas of the State to partner with the Commission to effectively address the challenges in the area in line with the state government’s policy of developing the oil producing communities.

Okwuosha made the call while addressing a delegation of the Ohaji/Egbema/Oguta LGAs Academia Forum (OEOAF) in his office early in the week. He called on the Forum to assist in changing the thinking of some people in the oil producing communities, stressing that the Commission is not a charity organization.

He said: “People come for all kinds of support from the Commission and someone had told me that this place was set up for charity. Maybe that was the thinking of the people about the Commission and this thinking might be the reason that for the past 12 years of the existence of this Commission you cannot see any landmark project in any of the communities, neither can you find anyone who had benefitted from any skill acquisition or the so-called empowerment from the Commission that is running his own business today. We will change this thinking because ISOPADEC is not a charity organization. We are here to serve the people and better their condition, but we are not here to do charity work.

The Managing Director said that the Commission is planning on the best way to get more of the youths into school and encourage those who are already in school to study more. He called on the members of the academia to come up action-

able programmes that could assist the Commission in rendering services to the people.

According to him: “You are in the system and you are the custodians of our educational system. If you insist that we will get it right, we will.

That is why you are there, to make sure that we develop the system.

It is important you insist on not accepting half measures, because when you insist on the right things, the students would comply.

“We need people in the academia to be involved in politics and in governance because it is only people that understand the sociopolitical and economic needs of the people that can help develop the society. We need the OEOAF to partner with ISOPADEC to serve our people. I challenge your association to partner with the Commission and come up actionable demands that can impact on the lives of the people. This Commission belongs to all of us and you must own it. Look at the bursary programme and see how best we can help our students to succeed and get more of our people into school”.

He added: “The challenge in the rural communities is huge and for us to address the issue of unemployment we must start from where we have the comparative advantage. We have to develop the agricultural sector and create the value chain for our farmers. If we don’t develop the value chain for agriculture in such a way that our farmers would be making some money, the youths cannot get involved in agriculture. If in the next two harvesting seasons we have not developed the value chain for our farmers it means we have not achieved anything.

“We will also train our youths in skills acquisition and empower them in such a way that they

would be running on their own and not see it as free money. We are also going to engage our youths in sports and create value chain in the sports sector, so that our youths will not only play football but also produce football. There is no country in the whole of West Africa that produces football. This means that the market for football is huge. We are also planning on engaging our youths in wood works and footwear making. We have a lot to do for our people, and that is why we need your partnership.”

He called on the academia in the oil producing areas to support the Governor, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, and the Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Gerald Irona, and to play whatever roles that would be required of them towards the success of the government.

Earlier, the leader of the delegation and leader of the Ohaji.Egbema/Oguta LGAs Academia Forum, Mr. Ikegwuruka John Donald, said they visited the MD “to discuss the collective interest of the people” of the oil producing areas. He noted that ISOPADEC had not got it right since its creation, adding that “For the past 8 years of ISOPADEC, if you didn’t know anybody nothing worked for you. ISOPADEC had not worked, but we are optimistic it will work now. We are not interested in what we will gain as individuals but for the collective interest of the people.”

Mr. Ikegwuruka assured that the group would partner with the Commission to improve on the lives of the people. He said that his group is interested in the bursary programme of the Commission and urged the MD to ensure that the Commission would not give cash to any of the beneficiaries and that they would be properly identified.

• MD, Engr. Anthony Okwuosha

The group also requested the Commission to consider purchasing GCE, JAMB and WAEC forms for the youths and setting up lesson centers in the communities as ways of encouraging them to get into school.

Also speaking during the meeting, Prof. Innocent Madufor urged the Commission to consider sponsoring graduates from the oil producing areas for post graduate programmes, noting that the standard in some universities is that someone must possess a PhD to be able to be employed as a lecturer.

“The system in some schools such as FUTO requires a PhD for someone to be meaningfully employed. The little earnings of some of our graduates cannot carry the burden of such programme. They need the support of the Commission”, he said.

On the OEOAF delegation were Prof Innocent Madufor (FUTO), Mr. Ikegwuruka John Doanld (ALVAN), Engr. Stanley Nwadike (Fedderal Polytechnic Nekede), Mr. Ihenacho Uchechukwu (ALVAN), Mrs. Ogochukwu Adizua (ALVAN) and Mr. Ferdinand Uzoigwe (IMOPOLY).

Bayelsa guber: Can Dickson cage Alaibe?

Cont’d from page 13 Campaign Organisation has been drawn to a statement by Fidelis Soriwei, the Special Adviser, Media Relations to Governor Henry Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, accusing our Principal of what he calls “sinister blackmail” against the person of the governor by circulating “a cynically manipulated” speech by the governor with the intent to blackmail him (the governor).

“For the records, let it be stated that we as a campaign organization, take serious exception to

the wrong use of tar-brush loaded words and gutter language to describe the person of our Principal with the intent to incite the public against him; particularly over an issue he knows absolutely nothing about. This is unacceptable.

“Neither Alaibe nor any member of his Campaign Organisation was at the meetings referred to in the public statement issued on Wednesday. If any of us has access to the recorded discussion mentioned in the public statement, such access can only be traced to the originators of the statement. Our

focus is to conduct our campaign on issues that will lead to the development of Bayelsa State through a shred economic prosperity and not waste energy and time on commonplace matters.

“Since the beginning of the search for a successor to Dickson, and in spite of provocative and insulting statements by certain individuals and groups, including serving commissioners in the state, this is the first time we have decided to say enough is enough.

Our silence should not be misconstrued to mean timidity, fear or any

such thing. It was basically and still a measure of the respect we and our Principal have for the person and office of the Governor. Unfortunately, that respect has not been reciprocated.

“At the point of expressing interest in this race, we were enjoined by the party leadership to run a clean campaign. We have been faithful to that directive and will continue to be. This is an internal contest in which the eventual choice of the party would need the support of other contestants to win the governorship election. It would therefore

be unhelpful to take up issues with anyone as though winning the party ticket is a matter of life and death; certainly not with the governor who is neither a contestant in the race nor expected to sponsor any of the aspirants.

“Let it be known that we are not desperate but determined to win this race, by the grace of God. We will not allow ourselves to be distracted neither shall we engage in any indecent act or sinister strategies for the sake of this race. We are too focused to be distracted”.

18

The Oracle Today Friday August 30 - September 3, 2019

POLITICS

•IPOB Members

Ekweremadu: Lawyer wants IPOB de-proscribed, de-listed as a terrorist organisation •Says continued proscription of IPOB a stigma on Ndigbo •Seeks dialogue on IPOB’s demand for referendum

By THEO RAYS

A

s part of the fallout of the heckling of former Senate President Senator Ike Ekweremadu in Nuremberg, Germany by members of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Special Counsel to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB Barr Aloy Ejimako has made a fresh case for IPOB to be de proscribed and de-listed as a terrorist organisation.

Barr Ejimako among other things also demanded a dialogue between IPOB and Nigerian government over the issue of conducting a referendum on Biafra.

He condemned the continued proscription of IPOB as a terrorist organisation lamenting that labelling a world class responsible organisation as a terror group is a stigma on Ndigbo.

The Abuja-based lawyer, however, urged relevant Igbo leaders, elder statesmen and stakeholders to rally round the clock toward getting IPOB de-proscribed and de-listed as terrorist organisation to extinguish the stigma it has meted on Ndigbo.

The lawyer who spoke exclusively to The Oracle Today also demanded a truth and reconciliation commission on the Python Dance lethal military operations of September 2017, a public apology for the extrajudicial killings of IPOB members and desecration of the palace of an Igbo traditional ruler at Afaraukwu, Abia State and discontinuance of the ongoing prosecution of IPOB members and forbearance of any future arrests and prosecutions.

According to the lawyer who dismissed any threat of violence against Igbo po-

•Ekweremadu litical office holder in foreign countries

by Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB, the above demands are what the IPOB asked for in recent past as regards reconciliation with Igbo elected political leaders noting that IPOB had, in the recent past, made public

their basic conditions for reconciliation.

He added: “I can tell you authoritatively that my clients, particularly Nnamdi Kanu never made any threats of levying violence or to “physically attack” Southeast Governors or elected officials when sight-

ed overseas. What Kanu had said, and it’s verifiable, is that Nigerian elected officials, especially those from Southeast (including governors), who derelicted and still derelict in their duties to the people and prefer to junket and gallivant abroad should be ‘prepared to answer tough questions from the Nigerian/SE diaspora’ or, as the Americans would say, “in your face.”

It’s left to conjecture why the Umahiled Southeast Governors, more than all others, are the ones getting too personal with this. In plain terms, the so-called threat is not of violence or battery but of gutsy demonstrations or protests, of tough questions or heckling, of getting really close to the target. Therefore, Kanu never threatened or sanctioned any threat of actual physical violence, assault or battery, or anything that is illegal or criminal. And he had also stated that you don’t have to be afraid if you have done nothing wrong.

“So, what I believe that is fueling this misconstruction of the true import of what Kanu had said is this: Nigerians at home hardly carry their protests to the face of their elected officials. They do complain but they do so ever so quietly and then become cowed once in the immediate vicinity or presence of these officials. Still, this is a dramatic departure from the era of Jonathan when Nigerians, including Buhari, were permitted much space to protest as they desired.

“The Nigerian diaspora is different.

They demonstrate to your face, they heckle you, they come very close and express their discontent in uncomfortable words and actions that these officials are not used to back home but which, however, comport with how citizens of those foreign nations protest or confront their leaders in the public. That IPOB now appears to be leading it is a direct consequence of its international reach, coupled with the repressive environment for protests in Nigeria.

“I think Nigerians, particularly Igbos need to see the Ekweremadu incident in Germany from the prism of the pertinent German law, which, as we now know, is unarguably permissive of it. So, even as it might implicate a cultural conflict, we just have to accept that - in many countries citizens are allowed more space to hold their leaders to account.

19

BU$IN£SS The Oracle Today Friday August 30 - Tuesday September 3, 2019

•Energy

•Finance

•Stock

•Insurance

•Aviation

•e-Platform

TICAD7: Struggle to save Africa takes global stage

By SOPURUCHI ONWUKA

K

ey stakeholders and business interests are in agreement that funding and technology have become imperative components of the crucial measures that must be deployed to rescue the African continent from penury and hunger.

Technology developers, international finance facilitators, aid agencies and rich industrialized nations with thirst for global influence gathered in Japan for a three day confab that began on August 28 to explore the role of technology and Agriculture in lifting Africa out of poverty.

In a keynote address, African Development Bank Group President, Akinwumi Adesina, called for urgent and concerted efforts to “end hunger”.

“In spite of all the gains made in agriculture, we are not winning the global war against hunger. We must all arise collectively and end global hunger. To do that, we must end hunger in Africa. Hunger diminishes our humanity,” he cried.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO’)s 2019 State of Food and Security, the number of hungry people globally stands at a disconcerting 821 million; and Africa alone accounts for 31% or 251 million of the global number of hungry people.

In response, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who hosted the confab was the first to declare assistance, saying his country would help double Africa’s rice production by 2030.

All global economic indices show that the African continent has become a scourge to developed economies, despite huge resources and other growth potentials that have been squandered by prodigal rulers that emerged after European colonialism.

From East to West, North, Central and South, no African country has been able to grow into an industrialized state. And none has indeed escaped poverty, crime social unrest and political instability.

The key propellant of social, political and economic disorder, according to the Initiative for Policy Dialogue (IPD) is the scramble for resource wealth, a scourge that has created huge gap between few

Energy

Nigeria’s oil production defies sabotage to stabilize at 2.2 mbd P23

• Finance, technology in front row • Japan pledges to grow rice production to 50 mtpa

e-Platform

LG’S instaview refrigerators promote sustainable lifestyle with just two knocks P27

AVIATION

opulent individuals and vast masses of the extremely poor.

Consequently, very few African countries are on course to the global sustainable development goals.

Thus discussions at the Seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD7) have focused on “Digital Agriculture: Next Frontier for Economic Development in Africa.” And panelists at several conference sessions agree that prioritizing the digital space will help shift the development focus for Africa’s agribusiness sector and overcome its many hurdles.

During the event captured the audience of investors, agriculturists and government representatives in a wide range of subjects pertinent to Africa’s digital economy such as finance for farmers, bottlenecks, digital literacy, and payment systems and investment opportunities.

Director of the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) at African Development Bank, Michael Hailu, declared at a seminar on Wednesday that digital technology has become a prerequisite to advancing agriculture on the continent, adding: “Without transforming agriculture you cannot envisage development.”

His comments were echoed by

CBN Exchange Rates As At Thursday, August 29, 2019 Currency Buying(₦) US DOLLAR 306 POUNDS STERLING 373.779 EURO 338.8032 SWISS FRANC 311.4187 YEN 2.8773 CFA 0.4979 WAUA 418.8244 YUAN/RENMINBI 42.8412 RIYAL 81.5913 SOUTH AFRICAN RAND 20.0144 DANISH KRONA 45.4316 SDR 419.4954

•Tourism

Central (₦) 306.5 374.3898 339.3568 311.9275 2.882 0.5079 419.5087 42.9117 81.7246 20.0471 45.5058 420.1809

Selling(₦) 307 375.0005 339.9104 312.4364 2.8867 0.5179 420.1931 42.9821 81.8579 20.0798 45.5801 420.8663

Regional Vice President for Middle East Africa for International Finance Corporation (IFC), Sergio Pimenta, who said the digital revolution would help unlock the vast potential of agriculture value chains.

Rwandan Minister Ingabire declared at the event time has come for farmers to be seen as valid stakeholders and not beneficiaries. She pointed out that Rwanda is a proof of concept for reforms in the agriculture sector and one of Africa’s success stories but added that fast-changing industry requires regulations that respond to the changing environment.

In a segment on Japanese investor interest in Africa, Atsuko Toda, Bank Director invited investors to begin with African countries which already offer promising investment opportunities.

Vice-President, Agriculture, Human, and Social Development at AfDB, Jennifer Blanke, described the task of harnessing digital technologies for agriculture as exciting and urged participants to see agriculture as a business.

“There’s a risk, yes, but there are juicy returns, now is the time for all of us to run in that direction…don’t wait too long…we all have our running shoes on,” she said.

In a separate Sasakawa Africa

Association (SAA) symposium, which focused on Africa’s youth bulge, unemployment rates, agricultural innovations and technologies, solutions and job creation opportunities in the agricultural sector, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe offered that the Sasakawa Association would work with the Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA), to help double rice production to 50 million tonnes by 2030.

“Japanese technology can play a key role in innovation which is key to agriculture,” Abe told delegates.

Chairman of the Nippon foundation, Yohei Sasakawa, stated that his organization always believed in the agriculture potential of Africa, adding: “We are paying more attention to income-generating activities. We want to help shift the mindset of smallholder farmers from producing-to-eat to producing-to-sell. We are hopeful that Africa’s youth can take agriculture to a new era, and that they can see a career path in agriculture,” he added.

Between 1986 and 2003, Sasakawa Association in Africa, operated in a total of 15 countries including - Ghana, Sudan, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Benin, Togo, Mali, Guinea, Zambia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi and Mozambique.

NCAA: Air Peace tops chart of delayed, cancelled flights P26

Equity & Capital Market

SEC says Investors reduce unclaimed dividends volume P29 Money Market

BDCs Prepare for FATF Team Assessment visit to Nigeria P30

STOCK MARKET HIGHLIGHTS AS AT THURSDAY, August 29, 2019

Summary

ASI DEALS VOLUME VALUE EQUITY CAP BOND CAP ETF CAP

27,425.57 3,129.00 116,069,148.00 N1,651,601,135.21 N13,342,242,200,287.13 N12,727,737,667,147.90 N6,242,275,646.11

Top 5 Trades S/N 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Coy ZENITHBANK WAPCO ACCESS NEIMETH GUARANTY

5 Top Gainers

Symbols NESTLE FO TOTAL AFRIPRUD FBNH

Last Close N1240 N15.4 96.5 N3.5 N4.8

Current Change N1245 5 N16.45 1.05 N97.1 0.6 N3.8 0.3 N4.95 0.15

%Change 0.40% 6.82% 0.62% 8.57% 3.13%

5 Top Losers (By Volume) Value(N) 19,091,549 N353,453,871.10 17,657,136 N250,707,013.50 15,011,507 N96,898,964.35 6,984,372 N3,264,465.82 5,765,579 N155,830,356.95

DANGCEM MTNN UNILEVER FLOURMILL UACN

N165.5 N162.5 N140.95 N138.85 N29 N28 N14.3 N13.5 N5 N4.55

-3 -1.81% -2.1 -1.49% -1 -3.45% -0.8 -5.59% -0.45 -9.00%

The Oracle Today Friday August 30 - Tuesday September 3, 2019

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20

VOX POPULI SACRUM

EDITORIAL

On Buhari’s directive on forex for food import

R

ecently, President Muhammadu Buhari diIf the answers to these questions are in the posiInevitably, the cost of poultry feed as well as rected the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to tive, then, President Buhari may well have the cost of maize as a staple food will increase. stop forex grants to importers of sundry taken the necessary bold step that many beAs for cassava, it is estimated that we consume food items in the country. fore him had failed to take to free us from the nearly everything we produce. Even industries The directive has been interpreted as the Presibondage of foreign food. If in the negative, that make use of cassava for starch, for high dency’s way of saving foreign exchange so then an already overburdened population is in quality cassava flour, and for fufu production it could be deployed to the nation’s more urfor another bout of untold hardship. are all producing below their capacity utilisagent economic needs instead of being used Now, let’s consider a few statistics. We are not tion so the industries are competing seriously to finance food importation. When impleyet self-sufficient in milk, rice, maize, yam, caswith local consumption needs of the people for mented, the policy or, better still, directive, is sava and other staple productions. Although cassava. expected to reduce food importation and aswe are the biggest producer of yam, the What all this means, in essence, is that this policy sist the local industry to increase production second largest producer of cassava and one of or presidential pronouncement is coming at a with a view to exporting in the near future. the largest producers of maize in the world, wrong time. This is because the necessary faciliOn the face of it, this seems like a courageous we are not yet self-sufficient in any of them. ties to midwife this drive towards self-sufficienmove, which is long over due. As they say, a Besides, even the ones we produce, we don’t cy in food production are not yet in place. And nation, which cannot feed its population can have enough storage facilities to safely store they have to be in place for the directive and never lay any claim to greatness. So, any efthem so we could access them on a year-round the implementation thereof to be effective. fort towards making Nigeria self-sufficient in basis. Which is to say that while the policy is We are of the opinion that the President should food production is welcome. good because its implementation would reinwithdraw that directive for now and work toBut the question remains, is this a clearly vigorate the local industries, the timing isn’t wards first putting in place the necessary facilithought-out plan of action that will take us exactly very good. ties to drive this process. Our fear is that if the to the Promised Land of food self-sufficienright things are not done now, it will be difficult cy? Can Nigerians cope with the likely spike Were we the President of Nigeria, for example, to implement this directive efficiently and we in the cost of food prices in the wake of a we would, before enacting that policy or makwould simply have created, in the end, another foreign exchange policy that makes food ing that pronouncement, have seen that with level of corrupt bureaucracy from which only importation an entirely private business afthis season’s production, farmers would have corrupt civil servants and politicians would fair, with importers having to source foreign the opportunity to store their produce and be benefit to the detriment of the masses whom exchange at black market to import food? able to access efficient facilities to preserve the President set to empower by making the their produce in terms of pronation self-sufficient in food production. We cessing so that food would be must sit back to think through this otherwise available on a year-round basis. good policy that could regenerate our failing As it is now, that isn’t yet the economy if well implemented. case here.

What is, thus, likely to hapOur Vision pen is that the prices of local TO BE among the top five newspapers in Nistaples such as rice, maize, casgeria and, in due course, the Numero Uno; sava and milk will skyrocket. to be a newspaper of records that effectiveAs is well known, our local ly caters to the information needs of all segrice has been adjudged by ments and sections of the Nigerian society dieticians as richer in protein as well as all social classes and cultures. Esand fibre than foreign rice sentially, we want to be a responsible corpoand, as such, is good for diarate citizen, a commercially viable, properly betic patients. The result is the organised media business, which meets its price of local rice like Ofada, obligations to society, government and the Ada Rice and Abakaliki has workforce. increased. And because of the circumstances under which the Mission polished foreign ones will now WE INTEND to contribute to the developbe imported, they will also ment of an inclusive Nigerian society, with a be as costly as the local ones, view to getting rid of the dark sides of our so there will be no easy way national life (slothfulness, greed, corruption, out for the common man. As already pointed out, we expect nepotism, totalitarianism, etc); to continually engender and sustain national debates that that the price of local rice will would ultimately lead to the enthronement increase because the farmers of healthy national values--hard-work, justice, will also want to maximise equity and fairplay, transparency, good govtheir profit now that they know that it is only the produc- ernance, resulting, in themselves, the egalitarian Nigerian society of our dream. We will tion of their rice that is being give voice to the voiceless and at all times, encouraged. strive to be balanced, objective, honest, truthThe other product that will suffer is milk solid or milk pow- ful and fair to all sides; so that through The Oracle Today, our people, the Nigerian peoder whose consumption will definitely be affected. Ditto for ple can see a bright light at the end of what has been a very dark tunnel. And we shall do maize, a common ingredient all this in absolute trust in God who blesses in livestock feed, which constigood intentions. tutes about 70 per cent of the energy content of poultry feed.

21

The Oracle Today Tuesday August 30 - September 3, 2019

OPINION The unmasking of Obiora Okonkwo (2)

By ACHILLEUS-CHUD UCHEGBU

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very senior journalist, Kanayo Esinulo, commenting on Dr. Okonkwo’s profile as published on his Facebook page, said: “One thing strikes me about Ogidi and its people. They always give Ndigbo and the world the best human beings -Prof. Chinualumogu Achebe, Dr. Obiora Okonkwo etc.

They make us proud and hopeful that all will be well, in spite! No one can deny us what God has always blessed us with: hard work”.

Like Esinulo, Ezeani Chidubem Mayor wrote: “Having read your citation Sir, I came to the conclusion that you are an Iroko and an epitome of excellence. I never knew that Anambra state has such a man and we are still here suffering from poor policy and leadership. There is need for your type to take the mantle of leadership in Anambra state as its governor so as to practically transform Anambra state”.

Dr. Dike Chukwuemeka, an official of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), describes Dr. Okonkwo as ‘coming from the future’. In a short narrative on him, Dr. Chukwuemeka wrote: “An observation from a distance may give most people a skewed impression of Obi(ora) as difficult, unfriendly, but when you get closer you will be amazed at the simplicity of Dr. Obiora Okonkwo. He is simply a model and a special sample of man. Obi(ora) is a perfect gentleman who keeps his words and his promises. He is a man of vision and mission, he sets out achievable targets with

timelines. In business, he transacts clean and neat making all concerned winners. He ensures that targets and objectives are met to the benefit of all participants. Here, he brings in the soviet socialist principle of production; “to each according to his ability and to each according to his contribution”.”

Dr. Chukwuemeka also sees in Okonkwo a global citizen who has traveled to so many countries of the world and “has decided to domiciliate his ingenuity and creativity in his country, Nigeria. As a self starter he was able to transform an abandoned dumping ditch to one of the finest tourist attraction currently called The Dome. His humility is disarming. In my opinion his ancestral parental training, upbringing must have a maximum contribution to this trait. I could pride in saying that Obiora has been my friend overtime. In this process I have discovered obiora as a workaholic. The masculine tendencies in Obiora is not only in physique but also in thought, mind and action. He has a penchant to properly identify problems, obstacles and challenges; tackles them head on and comes out with the finest solution to the benefit of the human family at large. He dreams of a near perfect society devoid of crime, corruption, hate, inequality, injustice and other negative societal vices.

Whether that happens in Nigeria in his life time or not is a discussion for another day.”

Dr. Chukwuemeka concludes saying that Dr. Okonkwo is “coming from the future with a clear understanding of why governance has failed in the past, he is equipped with the pre-

requisite training and experience at local and international levels, he has the capacity to midwife our current leadership challenges to solutions that will serve as a developmental launchpad for the next generation.”

Also, Nonso Atamo, an airline executive, who encountered Dr. Okonkwo by chance wrote: “I first met High Chief Obiora Okonkwo in 2014 but before then, I have heard so much about him. I can describe him as a philanthropist, a charismatic leader, an astute politician and an enviable scholar. All these and many more fit into his personality. One can only imagine the excitement when I finally met him in person in 2014. It was a privilege to meet a man with such estimable pedigree.

“Like Shakespeare will opine, some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrusted on them, Dikeora Idemili is a man who achieved greatness through hard work, dedication and an excellent spirit. He is a man of few words but loads of action. He leaves you in no doubt on his tenets and vision. He will always leave an admirable impression”.

Chief Stephen Ibegbu (Omelora), calls him “the man with a heart of gold’, adding that “Dr. Okonkwo is a man who goes out of his way to put smile on people’s face regardless of age, sex, race, tribe or religion. He is an affable man, very nice and friendly. Never have I seen a man who is so gregarious in nature.

At all time he shows that he understands and cares about other people’s problems. He is one of the sincerest persons I know; so direct

and honest. I can go on and on but words can’t describe a man that is not just a friend but a brother. Dr. Okonkwo is very patient, self-disciplined, resourceful, hardworking and versatile. He is very dependable and a great leader, teacher and, a devout Christian”.

For Chief Pius Nnoli, a very senior member of the Nigerian bar, Dr. Okonkwo is filled with progressive ideas. He says of him: “Dr. Okonkwo came into political limelight as a torch bearer. He came with zeal, energy, filled with progressive ideas, and ready to give his best. With his erudition and global exposure, he naturally fell into the Ndigbo First Eleven.

But Nigerian politics is a huge joke. It is not about the best, but clearly a murky water where only the wily, and the street smart alec hold the sway! As polluted as the water is, it is also shark infested. Dr. Okonkwo would decide whether to swim along or to concentrate his shining dignity to other worthy causes. As Igbos would say, a smooth face does not deserve the savage pinch”.

However, Dr. Okonkwo is not willing to “concentrate his shining dignity to other worthy causes” because for him, there is no cause greater than offering oneself in the selfless service of others. That, to him, is why humanity must be recreated through the reordering of values that would help the human being achieve goals.

Dr. Okonkwo remains a star that shines from Anambra state.

•Uchegbu, a journalist wrote this from

Between IPOB and Igbo leaders

By EHICHIOYA EZOMON

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revious videos uploaded to the Internet on the horrific attacks on former Senate Deputy President, Ike Ekweremadu, on Saturday, August 17, 2019, were such that cast doubts on the authenticity of the assault.

The amateurish pictures were unsteady, with limited apertural viewing, and dominated by background noise that it’s difficult to discern physical attacks from mere heckling by members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

But late on Monday, August 19, a more viewer-friendly video was played on an 11 p.m. repeat current affairs programme, “Journalists Hangout,” on TV Continental.

Watching the video, I was moved to tears seeing Professor Ekweremadu running, frighteningly, like a rodent (apologies) escaping from hunting children. His countenance was that of fear and alarm. It’s an unbelievable spectacle!

Initially, he managed to escape from his attackers at the middle of the foreground of the venue for the Igbo New Yam Festival in Nuremberg, Germany. But they were unrelenting.

Thinking he had spotted a possible sanctuary, he slid from them, turned right, and dashed, as his legs could carry him, into the foyer of the building. But he miscalculated!

Some person(s), ostensibly an accomplice(s), slammed the door against him, or pushed him into the waiting hands of his assailants.

And behold! All imaginable missiles, including eggs, walking sticks and plastic water bottles were used on him, while his traditional Igbo regalia was ripped off his shoulders.

Without a few sympathizers that saved his neck, Ekweremadu could have been lynched by the crowd of angry members of the IPOB who, obviously baying for blood, were shouting, “beat him, hit him, don’t let him get away.”

It’s hectic “freeing,” and bundling him into a car that sped off amidst pelting and cursing by the maddening crowd, while some German security operatives watched as if it’s a picnic.

Ekweremadu’s humiliation in a “strange land” has elicited strong and robust condem-

nation across Nigeria. Criticisms came in torrents from the Presidency; the leadership of the National Assembly; South-East governors and their counterparts elsewhere; the Ohanaeze Ndigbo and other nationality bodies; the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); and concerned groups and individuals.

Sadly, the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, and his members are un-remorseful and unapologetic. They gloried in their action, and promised similar treatment on targets they had drawn up.

They include: President General of Ohanaeze, Chief Nnia Nwodo, Governors Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), and Willie Obiano (Anambra), and prominent Igbo in government.

Utterly disconcerting was watching or reading our so-called elite, including Journalists, joining the average Igbo, who seem to have swallowed the Kanu and IPOB “bait,” to hail the attacks, and egged the malevolent on to “more action.”

What’s IPOB’s grouse? Its spokesman, Emma Powerful, either for himself or Mr. Kanu, labeled those targeted as having “connived with Nigerian government to instigate, finance and defend a full-scale bloody military invasion of Biafraland, during ‘Operation Python Dance’ by the military in the South-East.”

Mr. Powerful said the IPOB, “not in the habit of excusing intolerable evil and wickedness,” would ensure that, “every perpetrator of evil, every purveyor of iniquity, every merchant of misery and every defender of injustice must and will be held to account. We will not relent until justice is served.”

Most people would wonder the kind of justice the IPOB mouthpiece talked about. Is it the justice of “mob action” or justice of intellectual discourse, in which leaders, perceived to have failed the people, are persuaded to join and even lead the cause?

It appears the IPOB members are ambivalent in rationalizing their position. They’ve changed from Ekweremadu’s alleged backing for the military “invasion” of the SouthEast, to his being selfish, and a “Nigerian,” as the reason(s) for attacking him.

As they observed: “Igbo politicians, like Ekweremadu, loved Nigeria (more) than the

owners of Nigeria; a case of being more Catholic than the Pope. For a mere slave role, they love their prison and zealously promote a system that puts their people down.”

Well, this is the crux of the matter: Ekweremadu (and others), as a representative, reportedly failed to “gauge the anger and fury in their land,” and instead, tried to exhort “angry” IPOB members with “patriotic rhetoric” about Nigeria that they deride as a “Zoo.” And he made the “unpardonable” mistake of appearing at the Nuremberg “festival” dressed in an Igbo regalia ornamented with the Nigerian “Coat of Arms.”

One could imagine the “revulsion” in the IPOB members, who had evidently planned to humiliate Ekweremadu, seeing him bedecked in a material embossed with Nigeria’s “insignia.” They might have felt his “audacity” and “insensibility” to their agitation!

Yet, they could have handled the matter differently, by engaging, and letting him know the “folly” of coming to such a gathering with a tell-tale sign he wasn’t “on their side” of the struggle for Biafra.

But attacking Ekweremadu, and threatening other Igbo leaders not only detracts from IPOB’s preachment of “non-violence,” but also unwittingly plays into government’s narrative for labeling it as a “terrorist organization,” and appropriately proscribing it.

I haven’t met Senator Ekweremadu in flesh and blood (our paths have crossed due to my writings), but I have followed his journey in the public sphere. Nigerian “dirty” politics apart, I think he’s a gentleman, who loves his people, Ndigbo, first, and even more than the country in general.

That’s true for all politicians, and political officeholders, the world over. They “pretend” to love the country more, whereas they only scavenge for what to maximize to advance sectional interests.

Without being rabid and confrontational about it, Ekweremadu has pursued, and represented the interest of Ndigbo, especially during his tenure as the Deputy President of the Senate.

For many citizens, particularly IPOB members, who didn’t know about it, the Nuremberg attacks have prompted prominent Ndigbo, and other Nigerians, to reveal the actual “surety” for Kanu’s bail.

He’s Senator Ekweremadu, who, as the Number Four in the hierarchy of governmental power, deployed his influence to see that Kanu enjoyed the bail that the courts had granted to him.

It would have looked odd for Ekweremadu to volunteer as the “guarantor” for Kanu.

Hence, he and major stakeholders voted for Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe to lead the “sureties” for him.

So, it’s ironic that Kanu has listed, as targets for IPOB attacks, the very persons that ensured he’s breathing an air of “freedom.” And they began with Ekweremadu, who, forgiving his assaulters, went biblical: “They know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34) Aptly said!

• Mr. Ezomon, Journalist and Media Consultant, writes from Lagos, Nigeria.

THE GROUP Managing Editor/COO Felix Oguejiofor Abugu Deputy Managing Editor/COO Sopuruchi Onwuka Chairman Editorial Board Igwebike Mbanefo Political/Production Editor Kodilinye Obiagwu SE/SS Editor Odogwu Emeka Odogwu Acting BDM Kelechi Nze Head, Graphics & Designs Nnamdi Alex Chukwu Circulation Manager Felix Oti

22

The Oracle Today Friday August 30 - Tuesday September 3, 2019

BUSINESS

Ignite Investments set to acquire 500,000 shares of Forte Oil Plc Stories By JEROME USHAKANG

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gnite Investments and Commodities Limited is ready in a take-over offer to acquire up to 500,000 Ordinary Shares of Forte Oil Plc representing 0.04 percent of the total issued and fully paid up share capital of the company.

Ignite Investments and Commodities Limited in an offer document statement sent to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) said it intends to acquire Forte Oil Plc from its qualifying Shareholders at the price of N66.25 for each Ordinary Share deposited or tendered pursuant to the offer.

According to Ignite Investments and Commodities Limited, the Purpose of the offer is to enable Ignite Investments comply with the obligations under Part XII of the ISA and Rules 445 - 448 of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC ) Rules and Regulations, which arose by its acquisition of 74.02 percent of the total issued and fully paid up share capital of Forte Oil. However, it advised that for the offer to be accepted, Shareholders of Forte Oil Plc who hold their Ordinary Shares in certificated form must dematerialize their Shares through their stockbroker in order to be eligible to participate in the takeover offer.

It added that Shareholders who hold Ordinary Shares in uncertificated / dematerialised / electronic form who wish to accept the Offer should comply with those procedures set out on page 14 of the Offer document in respect of transferring uncertificated

Ordinary Shares.

Meanwhile, the Offer has been approved by the Board of Directors of Ignite Investments via a resolution dated June 19, 2019 and by the SEC. At the moment, the Offeror’s existing shareholding in Forte Oil, stands at 970,166,694 Ordinary Shares, representing 74.02 percent of the total issued and paid up share capital of Forte Oil. For the time being, eligible shareholders may accept the take-over offer in respect of their shares or part thereof by depositing or tendering their shares and completing the ‘Acceptance Form’ attached to the offer document.

According to the statement Ignite Investments shall not be obliged to take up, purchase or pay for any Forte Oil shares tendered pursuant to the offer, unless all of the following conditions are satisfied or waived

by Ignite Investments at or prior to the Offer Closure time: The Offer shall have been validly accepted or deemed to be validly accepted in accordance with Clause 5.10 Shareholder(s) shall not have exercised their right of withdrawal in respect of one or more Ordinary Shares as at the Offer Closure time; the absence of pending or threatened material litigation, investigations or other matters in respect of the Ordinary Shares tendered by such qualifying Shareholder; the representations and warranties made by such qualifying Shareholder as set out in the Acceptance Form on pages 23 to 24 being true and accurate in all respects; and the Ordinary Shares tendered are not subject to any charge, lien or other encumbrances.

GTBank targets investment in East Africa

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uaranty Trust Bank Plc, (GTBank) is making plans to expand its branch network to the East African region.

Although specific country that GTBank intends to invest in is not known, the company is in search of more growth opportunities in the Eastern part of the continent.

The intention is to increase the bank’s base to 10 countries in the Sub-Saharan Africa.

Speaking on the expansion plan of GTBank, the Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Segun Agbaje, said the management was still deliberating on the type of investment that would be done as well as weighing and discussing the acquisition.

He said, “We’ll start to look at other things, probably outside of what you are seeing us doing

... Seeks to engage Experts to implement 10-year Master Plan

now, some of it might be to look at making acquisitions outside of Nigeria.In East Africa, we have to do one of two things: We either have to bring in capital or we have to think of acquisitions.

In the Eastern region of Africa, GTBank already has operations in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda.

The expansion move is coming on the back of a 3.7 percent increase in Profit After Tax which hit N99.1 billion in June 2019 as against N95.6 in June 2018.

Its Earnings Per Share (EPS) grew to N3.50 in June 2019, up from N3.38 in the comparable period in June 2018.The company also declared an interim dividend of 30 kobo per ordinary share of 50 kobo for the second quarter ended June 30, 2019.

T

he Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC is to engage relevant stakeholders for the implementation of some initiatives of its 10 year Capital Market Master Plan Specifically, the engagements would be on E-Dividend registration and Multiple Accounts regularisation in a bid to reduce the unclaimed

L-R, Research Department, National Pension Commission Mr Lasbery Lot, Representative of the Acting Director General Securities and Exchange Commission, Mr. Abdul Bello and Data Analyst Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr. Gazali Mohammed during the Financial Inclusion Sensitisation Programme held in Abuja at the weekend.

Settlement If all the conditions of the Take-Over Offer have been satisfied, Ignite Investments will take up and pay for all the Ordinary Shares validly tendered (and not withdrawn) as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than seven ‘Business Days’ after the Offer Closure time.

It also advised Shareholders to note that this may have timing implications and the settlement period may be subject to change or adjustment by the SEC. On Rights of Withdrawal.

It stated that Shares tendered under the take-over Offer may be

withdrawn by the Shareholder, in whole or in part, within the first ten days of the ‘Acceptance Period’ by writing a notice of withdrawal to Veritas Registrars.

“If the Take-Over Offer is oversubscribed i.e. the total number of Ordinary Shares comprised of acceptances exceeds 500,000, Ignite Investments will acquire the shares deposited pro-rata, taking cognisance of the number of shares tendered by the qualifying Shareholders as at the Offer Closure Time.

In the event that the pro-rata acceptance results in fractional shares, such shares would be

rounded down to the nearest whole number.” It stressed.

Meantime, costs or expenses Shareholders who accept the Offer will not be obligated to pay brokerage fees or commissions to Ignite Investments or the Registrar.

However, Shareholders are cautioned to consult with their own brokers or other intermediaries to determine whether any fees or commissions are payable to their brokers or other intermediaries in connection with the sale of their Ordinary Shares pursuant to the Offer.T

SEC to implement Roadmap for Fintech industry

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he Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said it is contact with Fintech and has requested them to come forth with a roadmap as the Commission intends to work with them.

This was announced by the Acting Director-General of the Commission, Ms Mary Uduk, while briefing capital market correspondents in Lagos after the second , quarter 2019 Capital Market Committee meeting.

Uduk said the Working Group to drive the implementation of the Fintech Roadmap will be chaired by Mr. Adeolu Bajomo, the Vice-President of the Fintech Association of Nigeria.

She reiterated the support of SEC Nigeria to the development of a robust Fintech Industry will be beneficial to the finance

ecosystem.

Speaking further she encouraged Capital Market Operators to embrace Fintech as an enabler and not competitor to their business.

Uduk also said that SEC is building capacity as a Commission to effectively interact with the Fintech sector.

According to her SEC will continue to engage the Fintech Association of Nigeria and all key stakeholders to get their inputs, as the roadmap implementation phase takes effect.

She also stated that considerable progress has been made by SEC in the implementation of its consolidation of multiple shareholder accounts and electronic Dividend Mandate Management System (e-DMMS)

as so far about 3.4bn shares have been consolidated.

Both measures were introduced as part of checking the growth and possibly eliminating the unclaimed dividend menace in the nation’s capital market.

Giving an update on the activities of the Capital Market Masterplan Implementation Committee, CAMIC the Acting Director-General said there has been increased momentum in the area of driving the 10-year plan that is designed to reposition the Nigerian capital market.

At the moment she noted that SEC Nigeria and CAMIC has been engaging the Office of the Vice President and the Federal Ministry of Finance, on the prospects of exempting equities transactions from VAT payments.

dividends profile in the Capital Market.

This was stated by Acting Director General of the SEC, Ms. Mary Uduk at the end of the Second Quarter Capital Market Committee Meeting in Lagos.

As part of the engagement, Brokers and registrars are required to make available to the Committee on Multiple

Subscription Account, on a periodic basis, the number of regularized accounts.

Uduk said specific areas of engagement are Ensuring that complete investor data are transferred among operators such as Brokers, Registrars and CSCS, Discouraging unclaimed dividends from building up from securities of newly-listed companies.

According to Uduk, “ Another thing we need to do is developing the modalities for validating register of members, where the registrars are furnished with incomplete information such as missing account numbers.

Following the expiration of free e-dividend mandate registration period offered to investors, the Securities and Exchange.

23

The Oracle Today Friday August 30 - Tuesday September 3, 2019

ENERGY Nigeria’s oil production defies sabotage to stabilize at 2.2 mbd

N

igeria’s petroleum liquids production estimates continue form guess works that put figures between 2.1 million barrels per day (mbd) and 2.3 mbd respectively. And latest report by Platts has it at 2.2 mbd despite downtimes inflicted by industry saboteurs.

Platts stated in a report that Nigeria’s oil output including condensates remained on an upward swing despite an increase in sabotage attacks on production facilities.

The report quoted Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) as the source of the figures; but the former Group Managing Director of the corporation, Dr. Maikanti Baru had stated in June that Nigeria’s production exceeded 2.3 mbd.

The nation’s production hovered around 2.2 mbd in the first week of August, an NNPC spokesman told S&P Global Platts, compared with around 1.92 million b/d a year ago.

The country’s crude and condensate production has risen sharply in the past six months due to the start up of the 205,000 b/d deepwater Egina field which came online December 29.

Nigeria pumped 2.1 million b/d and 2.05 million b/d of crude and condensate in June and July respectively, based on Platts estimates.

The NNPC spokesman said however that the steady growth in production was being

Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari, and the Country Chair/Managing Director of Total Nigeria, Mr. Mike Sangster, in a heart-to-heart talk on how to grow crude oil production and reserves during a visit of the Total Nigeria top management team to the NNPC Towers, Abuja, on Tuesday.

threatened by a corresponding rise in cases of attacks on its network of oil pipelines.

“NNPC recorded a 77% increase in cases of oil pipeline vandalism in its network of pipeline infrastructure in June 2019,” he said, adding that the company was collaborating with government security agencies

Hilcorp stakes $5.6 bn in BP’s Alaska business

B

P announced that it has agreed to sell its entire business in Alaska to Hilcorp Alaska, based in Anchorage, Alaska, according to industry magazine Worldoils.

Under the terms of the agreement, Hilcorp will purchase all of BP’s interests in the state for a total consideration of $5.6 billion.

The sale will include BP’s entire upstream and midstream business in the state, including BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc., that owns all of BP’s upstream oil and gas interests in Alaska, and BP Pipelines (Alaska) Inc.’s interest in the Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS).

Bob Dudley, BP group chief executive, said “Alaska has been instrumental in BP’s growth and success for well over half a century and our work there has helped shape the careers of many throughout the company. We are extraordinarily proud of the world-class business we have built, working alongside our partners and the State of Alaska, and the significant contributions it has made to Alaska’s economy and America’s energy security.

“Alaska has been instrumental in BP’s growth and success for well over half a century and our work there has helped shape the careers of many throughout the company. We are extraordinarily proud of the worldclass business we have built, working alongside our partners and the State of Alaska, and the significant contributions it has made to Alaska’s economy and America’s energy security.”

“However, we are steadily reshaping BP and today we have other opportunities, both in the US and around the world, that are more closely

aligned with our long-term strategy and more competitive for our investment.

This transaction also underpins our twoyear $10 billion divestment programme, further strengthening our balance sheet and enabling us to pursue new advantaged opportunities for BP’s portfolio within our disciplined financial framework.

“As a highly-capable operator with extensive Alaskan experience, Hilcorp is ideally-placed to take this important business on into the future, continuing to optimize its performance and maximize its value for the State of Alaska. We are committed to a safe and smooth transition of operations so that our employees, partners and local, state and federal government officials all feel that we have handed over these important assets in the right way.”

Under the terms of the agreement, Hilcorp will pay BP a total consideration of $5.6 billion, comprising $4.0 billion payable near-term and $1.6 billion through an earnout thereafter.

Subject to state and federal regulatory approval, the transaction is expected to be completed in 2020. The deal forms a significant part of BP’s plan to divest $10 billion of assets over 2019 and 2020.

Janet Weiss, regional president, BP Alaska, added: “Today’s announcement marks the start of an exciting new chapter for Prudhoe Bay. Alaska has been a core part of BP for 60 years and saying goodbye will not be easy.

Our people have achieved incredible success over the decades developing and maintaining these hugely important assets, but we are confident this sale is in BP’s and the state’s best interests and the business will be best positioned for the future with Hilcorp. We will do all we can to ensure they are able to

to secure the pipelines and other production facilities.

Oil companies warned last week that escalating production costs due in part to security issues posed a serious challenge to Nigeria’s bid to boost its oil output and reserves.

The companies, under the umbrella body of the Oil

Producers’ Trade Group of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce of Commerce and Industry, said high costs were a major disincentive to investing in new projects.

“Nigeria ranks amongst the top 10 countries with the highest cost of producing oil and gas equivalents per barrel.

Security costs are escalating as peculiarities of the business environment require additional resources be deployed to secure our people and assets,” chairman of the group Paul McGrath said at a conference hosted by the National Association of Energy Correspondents (NAEC) in Lagos August 22.

Eni bursts deep seated gas cap onshore N. Delta

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ocal affiliate of Italy’s Eni, Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) has announced huge gas find onshore Niger Delta, confirming that the terrain popularly described as mature might still be underexplored.

NAOC operated the NNPC/ NAOC/Oando petroleum exploration and production joint venture in partnership with indigenous Oando Energy Resources (OER) and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

Parent Eni announced in Italy that its affiliate NAOCwhich operates the JV made a significant gas and condensate find in the deeper sequences of the Obiafu-Obrikom fields, in Oil Mining Lease (OML) 61 area, onshore Niger Delta.

“The Obiafu-41 Deep well has reached a total depth of 4,374 m encountering an important gas and condensate accumulation within the

deltaic sequence of Oligocene age comprising more than 130m of high quality hydrocarbon-bearing sands.

“The find amounts to about 1 Tcf gas and 60 MMbbl of associated condensate in the deep drilled sequences. The discovery has further potential that will be assessed with the next appraisal campaign,” the company stated.

It added that the well can deliver in excess of 100 million standard cubic feet of gas per day (MMscfd) and 3,000 barrels per day (bpd) of associated condensates.

It said the reserves would be immediately put on-stream to increase NAOC’s gas production.

The discovery is part of a drilling campaign planned by NAOC JV and aimed at exploring near-field and deep pool opportunities as immediate time to market opportunities.

Eni has been present in Nigeria

since 1962, with operated and nonoperated production, development and exploration activities on a total of 30,049 square kilometers in the onshore and offshore areas of the Niger Delta.

In 2018, Eni’s equity hydrocarbon production amounted to 100,000 barrels of oil equivalents per day (boepd).

The Oracle Today reports that the new gas production plan might form part of the new feedstock basis for the seventh train of the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited the final investment decision on which has become imminent.

Eni, along with Shell and Total, controls 51 percent equity in the NLNG while NNPC holds the overriding 49 percent interest. It is not yet clear whether Onado’s equity gas would also flow to NLNG since it is not a partner in the liquefaction project.

quickly build on the strong foundation that we and others have built here.”

BP began working in Alaska in 1959, drilling the confirmation well for the Prudhoe Bay oilfield in 1968 and in the mid-1970s helped build the 800mile Trans Alaska Pipeline. BP began producing oil from Prudhoe Bay in 1977.

The giant oilfield – the most prolific in US history – has to date produced over 13 billion barrels of oil and is estimated to have the potential to produce more than one billion further barrels.

BP’s net oil production from Alaska in 2019 is expected to average almost 74,000 barrels a day. BP operates Prudhoe Bay, with a working interest of 26%, and holds non-operating interests in the producing Milne Point and Point Thomson fields. It also holds

non-operating interests in the Liberty project and exploration lease interests in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). In addition to shares in TAPS and its operator the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company, BP is divesting its midstream interests in the Milne Point Pipeline and the Point Thomson Pipeline.

Approximately 1,600 employees are currently associated with BP’s Alaska business and BP is committed to providing clarity about their future as soon as possible as part of the transition process with Hilcorp.

Hilcorp has been operating in Alaska since 2012 and is today the largest private oil and gas operator in the state, currently operating more than 75,000 boepd gross production. In

2014 Hilcorp purchased interests from BP in four operated Alaska North Slope oilfields.

BP continues to develop its business in the US, where between 2005 and 2018 it invested over $115 billion, more than any other energy investor. In the second quarter of 2019, BP’s net oil and gas production from the US averaged over 921,000 boepd, from major interests in Alaska, onshore Lower 48 and deepwater Gulf of Mexico.

In late 2018, BP acquired a portfolio of high-quality onshore US oil and gas interests from BHP for $10.5 billion, adding 190,000 boepd net production.

BP also continues to develop its business in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, bringing on a series of new projects on its major producing assets.

24

The Oracle Today Friday August 30 - Tuesday September 3, 2019

ENERGY

Kenya commissions Africa’s largest wind power project

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enya has officially deployed its 310 megawatt wind power project, making it host to the largest such facility in the African continent, according to a Quartz online report.

The Lake Turkana Wind Power farm consists of 365 turbines with a capacity to dispense 310 megawatts of reliable, low-cost energy to Kenya’s national grid..

The wind farm is located in the Turkana Wind Corridor, where strong winds traveling between Mount Kulal to the north and Mount Nyiru to the south create ideal wind conditions to generate power from wind turbines.

The Turkana plant was funded by a consortium of African and European companies, with Kenya expected to buy power at a fixed price over a 20year period.

The project is aimed at boosting Kenya’s electricity supply, moving the country away from the dependence on fossil fuels, and meeting its ambitious goal of 100% green energy use by 2020.

Officials also hope scaling renewable investment will reduce manufacturing production costs and in turn, create much-needed jobs.

During the inauguration, President Uhuru Kenyatta called the wind plant a “monumental feat” and said it showcased Kenya’s commitment to pursue clean sources of energy and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Kenya generates about 70% of its electricity from renewable sources, and the country is among the world’s leading countries in the geothermal sector. Renewable projects like the

Garissa solar power and the Ngong wind plant have also increased Kenya’s installed electricity capacity in recent years.

Increasingly, off-grid renewable energy companies like M-Kopa, Azuri, and Mobisol have stepped up with services that can reach rural and urban dwellers where traditional grids have not been extended. These companies mostly offer pay-as-you-go solar power that users can buy and manage through their mobile phones.

Since the Turkana project was connected to the national grid last September, Kenyatta said the plant injected more than 1.2 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity and saved taxpayers up to 8 billion shillings ($77.5 million) from reduced usage of dieselgenerated thermal power.

Despite these improvements, just 6.7 million Kenyan customers were connected to the grid as of 2018. These customers continue to receive inflated bills because of corrupt syndicates within the national electric utility company Kenya Power. Renewable energy projects like the Turkana wind farm have also faced challenges including securing funding and dealing with land compensation problems.

Activists have also accused the government of betraying its own green energy commitments with plans to establish a coal-powered plant in the idyllic, UNESCO-protected Lamu archipelago. In late June, a court halted the plan for the coal plant and ordered the developer to undertake a new environmental assessment.

Savannah secures approval for Seven Energy acquisition

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ritish independent explorer, Savannah Petroleum, has declared full grip of Seven Energy assets in Nigeria following an acquisition deal that has secured presidential approval.

Under the deals which has lingered since last year, Savannah committed to acquisition of assets and interests held by Seven Energy; and also restructure Seven Energy’s existing indebtedness associated with gas for oil swap with Frontier Oil Limited, the buy-out of minority shareholders in Universal Energy Resources Limited, the acquisition of an additional 55-60% interest in Accugas.

The deal also involves sale of about 25 percent interest in Seven Uquo Gas Limited SUGL and Accugas to African Infrastructure Investment Managers AIIM. Savannah built its industry reputation in Niger Republic where it announced series of related discoveries that for debates among industry experts whether the claims deserve the volume of applause they have received.

The company ventured into Nigeria with the acquisition of

assets and equities respectively operated and held by Seven Energy in mainly midstream sector of the industry. However, such acquisitions that affect petroleum resources necessarily require approval of the Minister of Petroleum Resources, a portfolio that resides with the president.

According to the company, President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the deal, transferring interests Seven Energy International Limited (SEIL) Uquo Gas Limited, Universal Energy Resources Limited and Accugas Limitedto Savannah Petroleum.

Savannah had in an earlier statement declared readiness to take effective acquisition as soon as it secured the necessary government approvals which come with financial requirements that include immediate payment of taxes and levies.

However, Savannah says it has to first address issues of debts hanging on the acquired assets and other trade commitments with third parties including Accugas and Frontier Oil Limited respectively before it would proceed to transaction closure.

NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, welcoming the Executive Director, Services, Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC), Dr. Idris Abdulahi, to the NNPC Group Public Affairs Division Quarterly Interactive Session (GQIS), which held at the NNPC Towers, Abuja.

Ughamadu tasks practitioners on relationship management

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minent industry reputation management expert, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, has charged practitioners in business and corporate relations adopt strategies that cement trust and stakeholder inclusion in the operations of their businesses.

Mr. Ughamadu who is the Group General Manager in the Group Public Affairs Division of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) told the audience at public relations confab hosted by the corporation that stakeholder inclusion was necessary for accountability in the extractive industry operations.

He told participants at the first Quarterly Interactive Session (GQIS to be dutiful and address concerns

of all stakeholders with sincerity of purpose.

The confab was organized to form a knowledge sharing event that would enable reputation managers to discharge their duties efficiently and in alignment with transparency, accountability and performance excellence.

Mr Ughamadu urged the participants to be passionate, courageous and professional in the discharge of their functions.

He implored them to efficiently negotiate and manage the expectations of internal and external stakeholders, emphasizing the need for them to collaborate and cooperate with one another to boost the reputation of players in the nation’s petroleum sector.

Also speaking at the event, Executive Director in charge of Services at the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC), Dr. Abdullahi Idris, stated that Public Affairs is a strategic management function to the resolution of crises emanating from the various stakeholders in the industry.

Dr. Idris charged public affairs officers with solution roles that must at all times employ proactive and predictive strategies, adding that their ability to dominate their environment would enable them function effectively in their various roles.

He tasked them to imbibe the virtues of confidence, courage and passion in their image management functions.

Pipeline Vandalism up by 77 % in June

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ases of pipeline vandalism across the country ballooned by 77 percent by middle of the year, according to official figures released by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

The corporation’s Monthly Financial and Operations Report (MFOR) for the month said 106 pipeline points were breached, representing an increase from the 60 points vandalized in May 2019.

A press release by the NNPC’s Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ndu Ughamdu, explained that the Aba-Enugu axis in the system 2E pipeline corridor accounted for 25 per cent of the total break points.

He also said that the Lagos Atlas Cove-Mosimi axis of the system 2B had 23 percent of the pipeline break points.

The release said the IbadanIlorin leg of the System 2B pipeline accounted for 18 per cent of affected lines, followed by the PHC-Aba section of the system 2E which was responsible for 13 per cent of the affected pipeline, adding that other areas accounted for the remaining 21 per cent of cumulative line breaks.

The monthly report, which is part of the corporation’s strategies to open its operations, activities and finances to the public, stated that in spite of the wanton breaches of it critical pipeline network during the period, the corporation ensured continuous

fuel supply and effective distribution across the country, saying that during the month under review, 1.76 billion litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), translating to 58.65 million liters per day were supplied and effectively distributed.

It noted that to sustain the adequate products supply and distribution in the downstream sector, the NNPC had continued to monitor the daily stock of PMS across the nation.

In the gas sub-sector, the June report stated that 223.98 billion cubic feet (BCF) of natural gas was produced in the month under review, translating to an average daily production of 7,466.09 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd).

Total gets government’s appreciation

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rench multinational oil major, Total, has received compliments and appreciation from the federal government for its continuous investments in exploration and development in the nation’s deepwater oil play.

Country Chairman/Managing Director of Total Exploration and Production Nigeria (TEPN) Limited, Mr. Mike Sangster, led a his management

team on a courtesy visit to the new Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mallam Mele Kyari, where he promised that the company would build on its performance in the Nigerian petroleum industry.

“Total Nigeria will build on recent progress in many areas such as cashcall arrears and our long-standing partnership. In partnership with NNPC,

the company has developed the last three Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels in Nigeria and wants to build on this,” he stated.

Mr. Sangster congratulated the GMD on his appointment and expressed Total’s firm belief in the Nigerian oil and gas industry and its readiness to deploy solutions to the challenges facing the industry.

Mallam Kyari who welcomed the

delegation team stated that Total Nigeria was one of the government’s most important partners with visible results in the deepwater operations, adding that the partnership would further grow national production and reserves going forward.

“Total Nigeria in the last five years has very visible outcomes that we have seen and I assure you that we will work together to progress all efforts

to grow production and national reserves. I also want to put on record that your downstream company has been very supportive in the supply of gasoline into our country,” Mallam Kyari remarked.

He assured the MD of Total Nigeria of more days of very transparent and accountable relationship with frameworks that would be appreciated by all.

25

The Oracle Today Friday August 30 - Tuesday September 3, 2019

FEATURE

BDCs take compliance to new heights as FATF Mutual Evaluation Team’s visit beckons B ureaux De Change (BDC) operators are conversant with the threats and dangers posed by Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (ML/TF) in Nigeria, Africa and globally.

The operators have therefore adopted concerted strategy to tackle the menace.

The current level of awareness on the ills of ML/TF followed long years of training and capacity building provided by the Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON) under the leadership of Alhaji (Dr.) Aminu Gwadabe.

In many other times, the trainings are done by ABCON in collaboration with regulatory agencies and key government parastatals.

With over $30.4 billion being ferried out of Africa annually, ABCON is intensifying its commitment to fighting money laundering and terrorist financing by ensuring that its members comply with regulations in doing their business.

Gwadabe said the group is already equipingover 4,500 BDCs with the right technology and skills to tackle illicit financial flows within the country.

He said the BDCs meet regularly with regulators, government agencies/officials and experts to analyze, monitor and identify strategies for the effective implementation of AntiMoney Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/ CFT) measures.

The ABCON boss said the BDCs will next month, welcome the FATF Mutual Evaluation team to Nigeria. The FATF assessment, he explained, was designed to evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of the laws, regulations or other measures required to ascertain the effectiveness of the AML/CFT regime.

The Mutual Evaluation will equally provide information on the progress made by Nigeria in meeting its obligations towards the FATF Recommendations.

ABCON has over the years established itself as a key player in the bureau de change (BDC) industry, and has also made several commitments and sacrifices to ensure that the sector continues to thrive and its members follow global best practices in the retail of foreign exchange to end users.

FATF Mutual Evaluation and BDCs’Preparations Gwadabe disclosed that ahead of the FATF Team visit in September, the ABCON, in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is organising a sensitisation workshop for over 4,500 licenced BDCs in Nigeria.

The workshop will hold in the six geopolitical zones.

He said that as the global body that sets standard for AML/ CFT efforts, the FATF team will assess banks and other financial institutions compliance with the AML/CFT measures.

Like other previous evaluations for Nigeria, the FATF team will carry out checks at the branches of selected banks and

The Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON) is taking the issue of compliance to regulations locally and globally seriously. The ABCON has through long years of training and guidance, strengthened the Bureaux de Change (BDCs) sector and helped operators understand the gains of compliance to the AntiMoney Laundering and Counter Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) rules. As the the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) prepares to visit Nigeria in September, Nigerian BDCs are willing and ready to receive and assist the team make success of the exercise.

KAYODE OGUNWALE reports.

He acknowledged the InterGovernmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA’s) 2016 – 2020 Strategic Plan, which showed that the Global Financial Integrity (GFI), the World Bank, the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Africa Progress Panel and the African Union’s High Level Panel on Illicit Financial Flows from Africa all paint a grim profile of the problem.

A joint study conducted by the GFI and the AfDB showed that between 2000 and 2009, about $30.4 billion was illicitly transferred out of Africa each year. Over a longer period of 30 years, calculated from 1980, the resource drain was between $1.2 and $1.3 trillion. Outflows from West and Central Africa stood at (37 per cent), followed by North Africa (31 per cent) and Southern Africa (27 per cent). The IFFs are derived from various predicate offences of money laundering.

ABCON Foreign Exchange Retailers Institute

BDCs across the country, adding that compliance at the airports and land borders may also come under their scrutiny.

Gwadabe said Nigeria, which has been one of the regional champions mentoring other member states in the development of their AML/CFT systems, has largely addressed itsaction plan by enacting legislation to criminalise money laundering and terrorist financing.

The country is also implementing procedures to identify and freeze terrorist assets and ensuring that customer due diligence requirements apply to all financial instructions.

BDCs’ Case of Compliance/ Digitisation of Operations Gwadabe said BDCs have met a number of compliance requirements specified by FATF and local regulators. The BDCs have conductedenhanced due diligence, a major compliance requirement on some high-risk customers. Thecollation and reporting of foreign currency transactions and suspicious transactions by BDCs are now fully automated.

The ABCON had in February, launched its Live Run Automation Portal in Lagos. The technology automates all BDC Operations withthose of Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS), Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to improve the level of compliance of the BDCs with set regulations.

The platform allows BDCs send their reports online real time, thereby removing the challenge of manual rendition of reports that has been confronting operators for decades. The project is also boosting the perception towards BDCs in Nigeria especially in the eyes of international investors.

Gwadabe said the world is going digital, and BDC operators

under his leadership are committed to staying ahead of the competition by deploying time-tested technology to deliver effective services to customers and ensure compliance.

He said the Live Run portal has enhanced BDCs compliance with set regulations and promoted market integrity.

According to him, the portal has sustained transparent transactions in the BDC corridor, boost the morale of its members and ensure their continuous operations.

The ABCON chief said the group had fully upgraded its Information Communication Technology (ICT) platforms, to achieve full digitisation of BDCs operations in line with its goal of sustaining transparent operation and prompt rendition of weekly returns to regulatory agencies.

He added that the ABCON fully aligns with the statutory provisions of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 (as amended), the CBN’s AML/CFT Regulations, 2013 and recommendations of the FATF. Why Anti-Money Laundering War Must Go On Gwadabe said that the sorry state of public institutions within the ECOWAS region is disturbing.

In many public schools, students learn sitting on the floors, the hospitals lack basic drugs, while the road networks are death traps. These societal ills thrive where corruption and illicit financial flows are rampant.

He said that public institutions in ECOWAS region have suffered immensely from the corruption going on in public and private sectors.

He said that ABCON was aware of the growing concerns over illicit financial flows (IFFs) from West African economies, and the need to tackle them by key stakeholders within the region.

The ABCON Foreign Exchange Retailers Institute has also been proposed and will soon be floated by the leadership of the association. The institute falls within the constitutional mandate of ABCON and will be focused on bridging the knowledge gap among operators and promoting capacity building for global competitiveness.

“We therefore urge the Federal Government to mandate relevant authorities such as the Central Bank of Nigeria (can), Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Federal Ministry of Education and Federal Ministry of Justice to grant the institute the necessary approval to enable commence operation,” Gwadabe said.

Partnerships/ Capacity Building for BDCs ABCON, severally, organised trainings for its members, and at other times, partnered NFIUand the EFCC to build capacity for operators.

They have educated BDC operators on how they can help in tackling money laundering, terrorist financing and the benefits of keeping records of their transactions.

The anti-money laundering training that ABCON organized with NFIU and EFCC in Lagos was meant to familiarize BDCs with the process of money laundering — the criminal business used to disguise the true origin and ownership of illegal cash — and the laws that make it a crime.

Speaking during the sensitisation programme against money laundering and terrorism financing campaign at MM2, Lagos, which was attended by many BDC operators, the Acting Chairman, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, called for continuous sensitisation on issues around AML/CFT reporting to improve transparency in BDCs operations.

He said the EFCC would continue to campaign for financial integrity and transparency in BDCs’ operations. Other stakeholders at the event also

spoke on the use of BDCs for illicit political transactions, illegal border cash evacuation, reporting of suspicious transactions, fraud accounts transactions and cash dollar deposits on domiciliary accounts.

The NFIU/EFCC/ABCON goal is to ensure that BDCs are not used to launder funds by Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs). Their target was also to upscale BDCs’ compliance with the AML/CFT for Banks and Other Financial Institutions in Nigeria, Regulations 2013.

These capacity building workshops have helped BDCS to understand how to raise and submit both the Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs) and Currency Transaction Reports (CTRs) to regulators.

Report Filling by BDCs ABCON has continued to ensure that BDCs file their reports as and at when due. They file reports on all transactions from N10 million for companies and N5 million for individuals. The reports are sent on weekly basis NFIU, CBN and EFCC. The BDCs also do customers Know Your Customer (KYC) and due diligence reports.

Daily Transaction Returns (DTR) gives details of the total sales made for the day by the BDC and comes in as DTR 202, DTR 217, DTR 305 and DTR 315.

The DTR 217 return gives the information of the customers of whom the forex was sold to.

Information like, the name, the international Passport number, Bank Verification Number, address, TIN number, email address among others while DTR 305 provides details of the customers as well their destination and reason for the purchase of forex. The total amount of forex sold to them is also mention with the transaction date.

The DTR 315 tells BDCs’ opening balance, amount purchased in forex, the equivalent in naira and the rate of purchase, amount sold in forex, the equivalent in naira and the selling rate as well as the closing balance.

The Monthly Transaction Returns (MTR) also known as the MTR returns is a compilation of the daily and is sent to the CBN Trade and Exchange Department.

It also comes in four parts MTR202, MTR217, MTR 305 and MTR 315. It is pertinent to note that these returns as described above are rendered in soft copies (electronically) and hardcopies to the CBN. Gwadabe said ABCON’s primary goal is to ensure that its members comply with all regulations and this will be sustained. We equally have internal mechanisms that is always deployed to punish erring operators.

We want to continually ensure that BDCs provide liquidity at the retail end of the market and also share intelligent information with government, whenever we have such information. We have also come to realize that knowledge of compliance makes the job of security operative easier.

26

The Oracle Today Friday August 30 - Tuesday September 3, 2019

EQUITY & Capital Market

SEC says Investors reduce unclaimed dividends volume • Consolidates 3.4bn shares Stories By JEROME USHAKANG

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he Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), has announced that a total of 3.4 billion shares have been consolidated by Investors in the Nigerian capital market following the implementation of its consolidation of multiple shareholder accounts and electronic Dividend Mandate Management System (e-DMMS).

Acting Director General of the SEC, Ms. Mary Uduk has disclosed while addressing Capital Market correspondents at the end of the third Quarter Capital Market Committee Meeting, (CMC) in Lagos last weekend.

Uduk who rated the development as considerable progress stressed that both measures were introduced as part of checking the growth and possibly eliminating the unclaimed dividend menace in the nation’s capital market.

The SEC Acting DirectorGeneral also revealed that a total of 2.7 million share accounts have so far been captured under the e-DMMS.She expressed satisfaction with the regularization of multiple shareholders accounts since it was launched last year, describing investor response as very impressive.

She emphasised that with the help of the Multiple Subscription Committee, 3.4 billion shares

have so far been effectively consolidated.

According to her, the committee informed the meeting that the Committee of Heads of Banking Operations had agreed to collaborate with the commission to display banners in (their) banking halls all over the country, aimed at sensitising the public on the regularisation of multiple subscriptions of shares.”

She said that in the same vein, stockbrokers and registrars are requested to make available to the Committee on Multiple Subscription Account, on a periodic basis, the number of regularized accounts. Similarly, Company Secretaries of listed companies, she added, have also agreed to display similar information on their website and offices.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the CMC passed a resolution that the SEC should engage relevant stakeholders on the e-Dividend and Multiple Subscription Accounts so as to ensure that complete investor data are transferred among operators such as Brokers, registrars and the Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS).

At the moment, SEC also has plans to help discourage unclaimed dividends from building up from securities of newly-listed companies, just as modalities should be developed for validating shareholders’ registers, such that Registrars are furnished with incomplete information such as missing account numbers.”

Giving more explanation, the

Acting DG said that the issue of unclaimed dividend is dynamic, given that as the old heap is being cleared by the Registrars, new ones are mounting by the day.

Uduk said the CMC’s Identity Management Committee gave updates of its meeting with National Information Technology

Development Agency (NITDA) on the implications of the Nigerian Data Protection Regulation on capital market operations.

Meanwhile, the committee has announced, plans to develop a standardized data form, which seeks to consolidate registration and access to processes in the

•Acting Director General, SEC, Mary Uduk

capital market by investors.

After discussions on the issue, the CMC resolved that the SEC invites NITDA to make a presentation on the impact of the Nigerian Data Protection Regulation on the capital market at the 2019 third quarter CMC meeting.

The Commission was also mandated to urge the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to include e-DMMS charges in its Guideline for Bank Charges.This, she explained, is because “the CBN has published charges for the banks, this means that any transactions carried out by any bank, there is an established charge.

On the other hand, the e-dividend charge is not part of the charges from the CBN and so because of that, investors are having issues with banks where for instance, they are charged for some transactions that are not listed as bank charges which they do not know.

They also complained to us and so we decided that we will engage CBN to actually make this part of their charges and so any e-dividend carried out will be charged by the CBN. This came up as a result of us stopping the payment of the e-dividend mandate as we were underwriting the cost for the initiative before we mandated investors to pay a token of N150 per mandate.“We believe the capital market of our dreams can only be achieved through the collaboration of all stakeholders,” Uduk said.

NSE opens 19th Edition of Essay Competition 2019

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he Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has announced the commencement of the 2019 edition of the ‘NSE Essay Competition’ with call for entries from students in Senior Secondary Schools in Nigeria.

This year’s topic is aimed at tasking students on their understanding of the role of the capital market in achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Therefore, each student will write on the topic, “How can the capital market create a better future for all”.

A statement from the NSE said that to enter for the competition, participants are required to

submit their typewritten entries, which should not be more than 1,000 words via email to essay@ nse.com.ng.

In addition, an online submission form is available on www.nse.com.ng and The Nigerian Stock Exchange’s Facebook page.

Students can also submit to any NSE office across the country. The entry submission is expected to close on October 18, 2019.

The NSE Essay Competition is one of The Exchange’s financial literacy and inclusion initiatives aimed at bridging the gap in classroom learning with practical knowledge required for long-term personal financial planning.

The competition’s overall goal

is to develop a culture of wealth creation amongst our youth towards “Building a Financially Savvy Generation”.

Commenting on the 19th edition of the Essay, Head of Corporate Communications, Mr. Olumide Orojimi, said, “The success of the NSE Essay Competition over the years continues to be encouraging and thus inspiring the Exchange to strengthen the initiative.

This year, we are positioning this flagship financial literacy programme as a platform to educate the younger generation about innovative financial instruments such as green bonds which contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals

(SDGs) and other related global commitments”.

The top three winners of the competition will receive a combination of equity investments, scholarships towards their university education and laptop computers at the ceremony which is scheduled to hold on November 15, 2019.

The winners will also be honoured with a Closing Gong Ceremony at the NSE and the schools of the top three winners will be recognised and presented with various prizes including trophies, desktop computers and printers.

Entries for the competition undergo three rigorous stages

of review to ensure the best candidates emerge at the finals.

At the first level, entries are graded by a team of examiners from the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS).

Successful writers will proceed to the second stage by writing an in-person follow up essay on a related topic at any of the NSE branches closest to them to select the top ten finalists.

At the NSE Headquarters in Lagos, the to ten finalists will be interviewed to select the top three winners. Now in its 19th year, the annual NSE Essay Competition has inspired over 67,000 young people in more than 12,000 schools across Nigeria.

…To host 4th edition of market Data workshop

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he Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has scheduled to host the 4th edition of its Market Data Workshop on Wednesday, September 11, 2019, at the Harbour Point, 4 Wilmot Close, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The workshop with a theme, “Partnerships, Products and the Customer”, the 2019 NSE Market Data Workshop will bring together investors, market data aggregators, exchanges, market regulators, government agencies,

broker dealers, media and other capital market stakeholders to discuss market data products and partnerships opportunities available to launch customercentric products, while leveraging on strategic synergies and technologies to drive market participation The one-day event which is an exhibition-styled workshop will feature presentations and panel discussions from thought leaders within the industry.

Commenting on the event, Mr. Jude Chiemeka, Divisional Head, Trading Business, NSE, stated that “we launched this event four years ago to create awareness on the critical application of market data in making sound investment decisions whilst highlighting the various data products available in the Nigerian marketplace. As technology evolves, what can be considered useful data is changing.

It is for this reason we instituted the NSE Market Data Workshop to

inspire market participants and the wider ecosystem to become more innovative in the use of market data as they strive to leapfrog performance through the use of the many market data solutions offered by NSE”.

“This event which presents a high-profile business networking opportunity for market stakeholders has become a signature industry event due to the quality of its content, speakers, participants and publicity received

since its maiden edition in 2016.

“For this year, we have received sponsorship boost from Infoware Limited and HP Nigeria. Sponsorship of the event provides an excellent opportunity to increase your company’s presence and take advantage of networking opportunities.

Our standard sponsorship packages can be found on the event registration page and we welcome potential sponsors/ partners”, added Chiemeka”.

The Oracle Today Friday August 30 - Tuesday September 3, 2019

INSURANCE & PENSION

27

Nigeria loses billions of Naira annually to foreign insurance policies –SOAN Stories by MADUABUCHI KALU

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igeria is losing billions of naira annually to foreign insurance policies by shipowners in the country following failure by indigenous insurance firms to pay claims whenever cases arise.

Ship Owners Disclosing this in Lagos yesterday, First Vice President of Ship Owners Association of Nigeria, SOAN, Eno Williams, lamented that one of his

vessels that was gutted by fire about five years ago was still at the dockyard following the instalment payment of claims by the local insurance firm. He said: “We lose non-refundable billions of Naira on a yearly basis. So, you can imagine if we had a P&I club here, the government is going to make a lot of money, we the ship owners are also going to benefit.

Also, it is going to create lots of jobs. We have started

it at the Ship Owners Association of Nigeria, but we need the government to partner with us in that direction.”

Williams explained that as a result of delay tactics or inability to pay claims as at when due, ship owners had resorted to taking up insurance policies with the foreign insurance outfits, which they pay billions annually.

The first vice president who spoke at the pre-

event briefing for group’s forthcoming event with the theme “Ocean Blue Economy for National Development,” said they had commenced plans to establish a local P& I Club to take care of the insurance needs of its members.

He said “The Nigerian Insurance Industry has not lived up to the billing in the shipping industry. I give you an example, this ship you are seeing here (pointing it) got burnt while delivering a

service at Chevron.

As we speak, next month would make it five years this ship is still at the shipyard. The insurance would pay today x amount and tomorrow they would pay one little one here and so on, whereas if I had done it in London, they would simply issue a credit note to the shipyard.

“A job that would normally have taken six to eight months, we are now spending five years in fixing

that problem. So, that is the problem with our insurance companies.”

“They need to come to the game they have not come to the game yet. They may be trying but they have not been able to come to the game to be able to kick off all of these things. It would not be nice for us to talk about local content and when it comes to an insurance policy, we go outside then it means we are not encouraging the local industries.

budget for the $1 million but our core focus would be on building a team to execute the Curacel vision, after which we will dedicate more hours and manpower to refining the product to provide more value for our clients.

Currently, we have some insurers in Nigeria as well as hundreds of hospitals on our platform. But our goal is market dominance. Hence, we would keep investing in building a robust structure and product to deliver world-

class value for our clients.

I think the biggest risk our business faces is losing focus.

In Africa, execution is king.

We are solving a problem in a vertical where they are so many intersecting problems to tackle and each investor has priorities they think should be the path.

So I’m always working on a course correction, to ruthlessly stay on the path and just execute.

We are an enterprise software business. So far our

best form of marketing has been referrals. Our current clients are so delighted by the value we create for them that they talk about us with their friends.

Our local market is a close-knit one, and almost everybody knows everybody.

We have a strong sales process as well, so in addition to these referrals, we knock on doors.

And we have seen that in as much as you provide value,

you have to consistently show up. Especially as a startup, value is not enough.

People want to know you and trust you before they give you business.

I am very passionate about technology entrepreneurship. I love my work every single day.

A moment I would love to share was several years ago, in the first venture I started with my cofounder back then, during my final year at university.

Nigerian AI-driven platform helps reduce health insurance fraud

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igeria-based Curacel is an AI-driven platform that fast tracks claim processing and detects fraudulent claims for health insurance companies. The company was recently selected for the StartupbootcampAfriTech accelerator programme. CEO and founder Henry Mascot answers our questions.

We provide a web application to health insurance companies for collecting, processing and paying health claims. We help them reduce claims padding and claims vetting errors, flag suspicious claims, validate claims, and (cut down) other forms of health insurancerelated fraudulent activities.

Claim intelligence and clinical audits within a number of national health insurance schemes in Africa reveal that 15 to 20% of healthcare spending is lost through fraud.

Curacel is positioned to reduce (eliminate) this widespread, growing problem that has cost billions of insurers’ dollars while depriving patients of the affordable, quality medical care they need.

We have an interesting fundraising story. For a greater part of our early years as a business, we bootstrapped from our savings. We did get an angel fund two years ago but largely we focused on reducing our risk portfolio as a startup, in order to position ourselves for larger investments. So, we rolled back on the investment.

The startup business in our home country is not without its many hurdles. So, running out of our savings was inevitable. As a team, we took up other side jobs and personal projects (largely on project management and web applications) to raise more funds for Curacel.

Basically, we ran a part-time operation, dedicating 3-4 days a week for Curacel and the rest on other jobs. Weekends were almost non-existent.

This gave us the runway to get our business functional and in operation.

Our vision is to drive insurance inclusion [throughout the] continent, starting with our health claims switch for Nigeria and then sub-Saharan Africa.

Of course we’ll have a

NIA seeks support of Nigerian Capital Market for 2020 recapitalization

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review of major developments that shaped the Insurance Industry penultimate week shows that the Nigeria Insurers Association solicited the support of the Nigerian Capital Market, in respect of the industry recapitalization drive expected to commence in 2020.

The Nigerian Insurers Association on Tuesday, August 20th, 2019 visited the Nigeria stock exchange to meet the management, interact with the securities dealing members and also perform the ceremonial closing gong.

The NIA team was led by its President Mr. Tope Smart who used the occasion to solicit the support of the dealing members and the market to partner and

develop a vibrant insurance industry in the country.

He believed that the capital market could play a key role in supporting the growth and development of the insurance sector.

Mr. Tope Smart speaking with capital market correspondents at the Stock Exchange, said the NIA would engage further with the regulatory body, the National Insurance Commission, NAICOM to push for an extension of the recapitalization plan for insurance companies in the country.

He said that the NIA is seeking to push for an extension of the recapitalization plan of the insurance industry in the country beyond the stipulated deadline of June 30, 2020.

Insurers seek NSE’s support for recapitalisation

By MADUABUCHI KALU with agency report

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r. Tope Smart, the Chairman of Nigerian Insurers Association, has asked the Nigerian Stock Exchange to assist the insurance companies in its bid to meet the new capital base prescribed by the National Insurance Commission.

The commission had increased the capital requirements for insurance and reinsurance companies from N2bn to N8bn for life insurance companies, N3bn to N10bn for general business underwriters, N18bn for composite insurers and N20bn for reinsurance companies with a one- year timeline for compliance.

Addressing the

Director-General of the NSE, Mr Oscar Onyema, and the management during a courtesy visit to the exchange,on Tuesday, Smart solicited the support of the exchange and other players in the capital market as well as palliatives for insurance companies in their capital raising efforts.

Giving a breakdown of the insurance companies in Nigeria, the NIA chairman noted that out of 59 insurance companies, comprising 14 specialist life insurance companies, 28 general insurance companies, 13 composite insurance companies, two takaful insurance companies and two reinsurance companies, 32 insurance companies were listed on

the exchange.

He declared the association’s support for the exchange and welcomed the initiatives aimed at strengthening the cordial relationship existing between the association and the exchange.

Onyema commended the association for increasing its advocacy efforts and expressed joy at the increasing participation of the insurance companies on the floor of the exchange.

He described the insurance sector as an important sector of the economy that was too critical to be ignored, while promising to assist them in their bid to meet the new capital requirement.

Onyema stated that the exchange would soon introduce some derivatives to take care of takaful insurance products.

He urged the insurance companies to make use of NSE’s knowledge sharing platform in its capacity building and corporate governance training.

Director-General, NIA, MrsYetundeIlori, while thanking the NSE boss and his team for the opportunity to visit and exchange ideas on how to collaborate for the benefit of insurance companies, appreciated them for their support in releasing longer- tenured fixed income instruments which insurance companies could leverage for greater value for their long- term products.

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The Oracle Today Friday August 30 - Tuesday September 3, 2019

AVIATION NCAA: Air Peace tops chart of delayed, cancelled flights Stories by MADUABUCHI KALU

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ir Peace, a domestic airline, topped the chart of delayed and cancelled flights between January and June, a report by the Consumer Protection Department of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) says.

A document issued by the department and obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday in Lagos showed that 30,043 flights were operated by

nine airlines during the period under review.

It said domestic airlines operating in Nigeria recorded 16, 429 cases of delayed flights between January and June 2019.

According to the document, 241 flights were cancelled for various reasons by the airlines.

It said the airlines in operation are Aero Contractors, Arik Air, Air Peace, Azman Air, Dana Air, MedView, Overland, Max Air and Ibom Air. The document said Air Peace, which operated 11,889 flights,

Arik resumes flights to Asaba Airport

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rik Air, Nigeria’s leading airline, said it would resume flight services into Asaba Airport in Delta state from Thursday, August 29, 2019. The airline will be operating daily flights from MurtalaMuhammedAirport Domestic Terminal 1, Ikeja, Lagos to Asaba Airport with the outbound flight departing Lagos at 1:00 pm while the inbound flight departs Asaba at 2:30 pm.

Arik Air’s resumption of services to Asaba airport is at the behest of passengers from Delta and Anambra states, who have been yearning for the return of the airline to the route.

Arik Air had last year suspended services to Asaba due to operational reasons. The Lagos-Asaba route will be serviced by a Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft, it said. Similarly, Arik Air is introducing new services

on the Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt routes to cater for the needs of the travelling public.

On the Lagos-Abuja route, Arik Air has introduced two additional flights which will depart Lagos at 9:00 am and 1:00 pm daily.

For the Abuja-Lagos sector, two additional flights have also been introduced to operate daily at 11:00 am and 6:25 pm.

An additional frequency has also been introduced on the Lagos-Port Harcourt route with the outbound flight departing Lagos daily at 9:00 am and the inbound flight departing Port Harcourt daily at 11:00 am.

Passengers flying between Abuja and Port Harcourt, have an additional flight which operates at 3:00 pm daily out of Abuja and at 4:40 pm daily out of Port Harcourt.

The new services will be operated using a Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft.

US increases tourism visa cost to N99,900 for Nigerians, blames FG

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he United States Embassy in Nigeria says effective from Thursday, August 29, 2019, Nigerians applying for tourism, student and business visas will not only pay the N59, 200 fee but will have to pay an extra $110 (N40, 700) after the visa has been issued to them bringing the total cost to N99, 900.

However, applicants who are denied visas would not need to pay the extra N40, 700.

Applicants seeking the L1 Visa (work permit) will pay an extra N112, 100 if given visas while those applying for H4 Visa (dependency/ spousal) will pay an extra N66, 600.

The US Embassy adopts the rate of N370/$1 for Nigerians which is higher than both the official rate and the black market rate.

The increment also comes amid complaints from hundreds of Nigerian visa applicants that they had not been able to secure US visa appointment dates despite making payments for visas.

The embassy said in a statement that the increment was done based on reciprocity.

It lamented that Americans were paying too much to secure Nigerian visas and thus the US government decided to retaliate.

The US embassy said it had been holding talks with the Nigerian government to reduce the fee but the Federal Government refused to

accede to its requests.

The directive comes less than four months after the US cancelled the drop box system for Nigerian visa applicants which used to allow Nigerians who have a travel history to the US to apply for visas without going for interviews at the embassy.

The statement read in part, “Effective worldwide on August 29, Nigerian citizens will be required to pay a visa issuance fee, or reciprocity fee, for all approved applications for non-immigrant visas in B, F, H1B, I, L, and R visa classifications.

“The reciprocity fee will be charged in addition to the nonimmigrant visa application fee, also known as the MRV fee, which all applicants pay at the time of application.

Nigerian citizens whose applications for a nonimmigrant visa are denied will not be charged the new reciprocity fee.

Both reciprocity and MRV fees are non-refundable, and their amounts vary based on visa classification.

“US law requires US visa fees and validity periods to be based on the treatment afforded to US citizens by foreign governments, insofar as possible. Visa issuance fees are implemented under the principle of reciprocity: when a foreign government imposes additional visa fees on US citizens, the United States will impose reciprocal fees on citizens of that country for similar types of visas.

topped the chart of delayed flights with 6,359 and 91 cancelled flights.

It added that Arik Air followed with 2,306 delayed flights and 41 cancellations out of its 5,378 flight operations.

According to the document, Aero operated 3,293 flights with 2,181 delayed and 36 cancelled flights while Azman Air recorded 1,312 delayed and 12 cancellations out of the 2,711 flights operated by the airline.

Also, Dana Air operated 2,278 flights with 1,477 delayed and 25

cancellations while Overland had 1,248 flights with 894 delayed and eight cancellations.

Max Air recorded 2,652 flights with 1,538 delayed and 19 cancellations; Medview, 374 flights with 219 delayed and eight cancelled flights and new entrant, Ibom Air had 220 flights with 143 delayed and no cancelled flight.

However, the delays according to the airlines, were due to operational reasons, scarcity of aviation fuel as well as adverse weather conditions leading to low visibility at most of the airports.

•Air Peace CEO, Allen-Onyema

Aviation Professionals reject concession

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•Avaition Minister, Hon. Hadi Sirika

he Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP) said it will rally other unions in the industry to kick against plans by the reappointed Minister of Aviation, CaptHadiSirika to concession some airports.

The association said the airports’ concession proposal was ill-timed, unfavourable and dangerous because of insecurity in the country.

Its General Secretary, Comrade AbdulrasakSaidu spoke in an interview in Lagos.

The association also raised the alarm over the proliferation of airstrips in the country. It warned that safety and security could not

be guaranteed in some of them.

He also noted that if government scaled through with the proposal, several direct staff of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) would lose their jobs, while thousands of indirect staff would also be affected, stressing that this negated the policy of the government to create more jobs for qualified Nigerians.

Recalled that concession of four airports- Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano in the first phase of the exercise were parts of the six point agenda of Sirika in 2016, but it the industry unions severely kicked against the plan, fearing loss of jobs for its members.

Nigeria’s airlines record whopping 16,429 delayed flights in 6 months –NCAA

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omestic airlines operating in Nigeria recorded 16,429 cases of delayed flights between January and June 2019 according to figures released by the Consumer Protection Department of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

A document issued by the department and obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos, showed that 30,043 flights were operated by nine airlines during the period under review.

According to the document, 241 flights were cancelled for various reasons by the airlines.

It said the airlines in operation

were Aero Contractors, Arik Air, Air Peace, Azman Air, Dana Air, Med-View, Overland, Max Air and Ibom Air. The document said Air Peace, which operated 11,889 flights, topped the chart of delayed flights with 6,359 and 91 cancelled flights.

It added that Arik Air followed with 2,306 delayed flights and 41 cancellations out of its 5,378 flight operations.

According to the document, Aero operated 3,293 flights with 2,181 delayed and 36 cancelled flights while Azman Air recorded 1,312 delayed and 12 cancellations out of the 2,711 flights operated by

the airline.

Also, Dana Air operated 2,278 flights with 1,477 delayed and 25 cancellations while Overland had 1,248 flights with 894 delayed and eight cancellations.

Max Air recorded 2,652 flights with 1,538 delayed and 19 cancellations ;Medview, 374 flights with 219 delayed and eight cancelled flights and new entrant, Ibom Air had 220 flights with 143 delayed and no cancelled flight.

However, the delays according to the airlines, were due to operational reasons, scarcity of aviation fuel as well as adverse weather conditions leading to low visibility at most of the airports.

Risk concerns push Airlines’ Insurance to N13 Billion annually in Nigeria

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he cost of insurance in the Nigerian aviation sector has risen from N11 billion annually in 2017 to about N13 billion annually, figures released yesterday by the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) have shown.

According to the association, Nigeria pays the highest premium among African countries that are not at war, just as it attributed the development to the increased level of risks associated with the country’s operating environment.

However, AON attributed the increase in insurance premium globally to the Boeing 737 Max

accidents.

It also said the insurance premium paid in Nigeria was about 10 per cent of the total value of each aircraft in operators’ fleet.

The Chief Executive Officer of West Link Airline, which is based both in Ghana and Nigeria, Captain Ibrahim Mshelia, told The Oracle Today Wwednesday that the cost of aircraft insurance premium in Nigeria might be the highest “all over,” noting that Nigeria pays higher insurance premium for aircraft than Ghana because Ghana insurance companies do not go through many brokers; so,

the premium is relatively lower.

He said: “Actually we are higher all over. You pay lesser premium in Ghana than in Nigeria because of the greed of our people. But in the United States I once paid insurance premium of $60,000; but in Nigeria, they can charge you as high as $200,000.

“Ghana pays less because they don’t go through many brokers but Nigerian insurance companies are becoming more competitive so things are changing. Everything is about how you negotiate with the company.”

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The Oracle Today Friday August 30 - Tuesday September 3, 2019

e-Platform

MTN unveils mobile financial services subsidiary

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TN Nigeria yesterday (Thursday) unveiled its new subsidiary, Y’ello Digital Financial Service Limited and mobile.

The telco registered the new subsidiary with the Corporate Affairs Commission in 2018 and obtained a super-agent licence from the Central Bank of Nigeria in July.

It was gathered that the super-agent licence would enable the telco to facilitate domestic payments for over 65 million subscribers in Nigeria

Mobile money in Nigeria, a boost for Airtel

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irtel Africa has upped up its subscriber base on the continent by 9% to 99.7 million, with growth in overall revenue and average revenue per user for mobile money, translating to a post-tax profit of US$132.2-million.

The company operates in Nigeria, Zambia, the DRC and Malawi among others under clusters Rest of Africa and East Africa. It raised US$750-million after a successful IPO offering in June this year.

“Constant currency revenue growth was largely driven by a 9% increase in the customer base, to 99.7 million, and a broadly stable ARPU at $ 2.7,” the company said in a trading update for the June 2019 quarter on Wednesday.

This was underpinned by

using phone numbers.

The licence issued on Thursday, July 25, 2019, according to the company, would enable it to join the league of financial technology companies that are accelerating financial inclusion in the country through an agent network.

It was learnt that MTN MoMo agents would offer cash to cash transfer for customers, which could be redeemed using the token generated at another agent location.

The telco had promised to

deploy its airtime agents as mobile money agents that would offer financial services to Nigerians, especially the unbanked in remote areas.

“We are pleased with obtaining a super-agent licence from the Central Bank of Nigeria, which will enable us to build an agent network and accelerate the growth of our fintech business,” the Chief Executive Officer, MTN Nigeria, FerdiMoolman, said in the financial report.

However, the company said it would continue to work towards

obtaining a Payment Service Banking licence it applied for in 2018.

MTN said it invested N50m in Y’ello Digital Financial Services Limited in the first half of the year, with respect to the minimum shareholding requirement stipulated by the CBN for a superagent licence.

MTN, together with Airtel, Globacom, 9mobile and Ntel, had pledged to deepen financial inclusion in 30 months by collectively reaching 90 million Nigerians through the

deployment of over one million airtime agents as mobile money agents.

Some of the telecom operators are already offering mobile money services in collaboration with the Deposit Money Banks but they are now seeking to offer financial services independently.

The Payment Service Banks are expected to provide access to additional financial services such as deposits and savings, peer-to-peer payments, merchant payments and utility payments to the Nigerian population.

“double digit revenue growth in Nigeria and East Africa (which) more than offset a revenue decrease in Rest of Africa” region.

“Across products, revenue growth in constant currency was widespread with mobile Voice (+3.2%), Data (+35.9%), and Mobile Money (+41.8%), all delivering growth.”

This translated to an operating profit increase of 9.7%. As a result of this, basic earnings per share in the group was US$4.1 cents which is 62.2% weaker, mainly because of an increase in the number of shares issued to pre-IPO investors.

Nigeria was the hotbed for the company’s revenue increase after income quickened 22.2% in line with constant currency growth as a result of a stable foreign exchange environment in the country. Voice revenue for Nigeria was 12.7% stronger, driven by double digit increase in customer growth.

“Data revenue was up 73.1% and it was the largest contributor to revenue growth ... driven by a 21% increase in customer base and growth in ARPU as a result of the increased penetration of 4G data customers.”

Airtel Africa’s revenue in the East Africa cluster was a modest 4% stronger as “constant currency growth of 9.6% was partially

compensated by currency devaluation in Zambia and Malawi” markets.

The revenue growth in the cluster was fuelled by growth in all three products of voice, data and mobile money which appears to be taking root under the group’s Airtel Money offering.

RaghunathMandava, chief executive officer for Airtel Africa described the company’s mobile money offering on the continent as

“the fastest growing business” unit.

Revenue for the voice category in East Africa region strengthened, attributed to customer growth and increased usage despite slowing down ARPUs as a result of a decline in “interconnect usage rates in Tanzania, Malawi, Uganda, Zambia”.

Capital expenditure during the quarter increased by 41.3% to US$29.8-million, driven into network investment resulting in

the number of 4G sites doubling and covering 47% of total sites.

“We continued to invest in our 4G network, adding nearly 1,500 sites; now more than half of our sites are 4G. We also continue to prepare for the launch of our mobile money business in Nigeria, securing approval of the brand name, an important step as we await approval for our payment service bank license,” said Mandava.

AFC approves $230 million loan for 9mobile

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fforts by the new Board and Management of Emerging Markets Telecommunication Services Limited (EMTS), trading as 9mobile, to reposition the company have started yielding positive results as the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), has approved a $230 million loan facility to help it attain its longterm growth plans.

The AFC is a pan-African multilateral development financial institution established to bridge Africa’s infrastructure investment gap through the provision of debt and equity finance, project development, technical and financial advisory services.

Convinced by the initiatives so far taken by the Nasiru Ado Bayero-led board and management headed by Acting Managing Director, Stephane Beuvelet, to return the multiaward-winning company to the path of growth and profitability through cost efficiency, innovative product development and network efficiency, the AFC

announced the approval of the loan on Friday, August 23.

In a letter addressed to both MessrsBayero and Beuvelet, the financial institution said, “Africa Finance Corporation is pleased to inform Emerging Markets Telecommunication Services that it has received full Board approval to support the turnaround strategy of EMTS through a US$230 million super senior debt investment.”

The facility divided into two tranches would, among others, be used to repay historic vendor obligations, finance costs and an interest reserve account and payment towards quick win capex initiatives.

Commenting on the approval, the Board Chair, MrBayero, expressed happiness that EMTS’ effort to recover previously ceded ground through an innovative growth plan is being supported by a prestigious Pan-African financial institution as the AFC. “We can only express gratitude to the AFC for

approving this loan facility that would not only help our business sustainability but also grow it to serve our teeming and loyal customers in Nigeria better. We have completely reviewed our operational, regulatory, financial and technical architecture to ensure we deliver quality services

and this facility would go a long way in giving best in class services to Nigerians,” he said.

Ado Bayero further assured of the company’s resolve to continue its aggressive enhancement of network capacity and innovative features to guarantee optimum value to customers. He added

that “our turnaround efforts are well and truly underway. We had promised when we took over that we would justify the confidence in our brand by making significant investments that will improve the value Nigerians get for using 9mobile. This is part of fulfilling our promise.”

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The Oracle Today Friday August 30 - Tuesday September 3, 2019

e-Platform About Pixel Digital Photography Pixels as an organization came into existence at a time when Digital Photography was barely introduced or even acknowledged.

The need for instant pictures with excellent quality needed to be satisfied. Thus being a pioneer in the industry, the company has been dedicated to providing superior photography services.The company was founded in 2003 in Ile-Ife, Osun State.

LG’S instaview refrigerators promote sustainable lifestyle with just two knocks …Advanced refrigerators designed to minimize cold air loss and food wastage

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•CEO, Pixels Photography, Ms Omolaraeni Olaosebikan

Pixels Photography launches customer loyalty scheme

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owards actualizing its vision of satisfying the needs of people in the photography industry by providing quality products in good time while bringing a new dimension to the way business is conducted in this part of the world, digital photography powerhouse, Pixels has announced the launch of its customer loyalty scheme aimed at rewarding all its teeming customers in the country.

In a press release issued to journalists at the company’s office in Ibadan, the Chief Executive Officer of Pixels Photography, Ms Omolaraeni Olaosebikan, said the company is committed to providing value for money to every of its customers and would be offering a unique loyalty card for patronage which offers customers discount on business.

“For us at Pixels Digital Photography, it’s about creating value for our customers. We are very passionate about what we do. Every customer that has walked through our door can attest to this. We deliver photographs that would not only keep the memory of the events but will also capture the savor, beauty and royalty of the activities, environment and

guests.

“With the customer loyalty card, when customer transact a business to the tune to NGN10,000, he or she is entitled to the card. The more the shoot, the more the point. You earn yourself a point which is 5% of your spend. This accumulate and when it reaches the worth of NGN20,000 we announce to you and you take a decision on what you want to enjoy with your bonus”, she said.

Pixels during its recently commemorated 16th anniversary launched a Wifi value add facility for customers to enjoy unlimited Internet experience while at the company’s premises.

Many customers also won lots of freebies as part of the celebration.

Pixels is a photography company with diverse product and service offerings events coverage, photo-documentary, studio photography, color lab services, home services, photographic factory and photography training.

To benefit from the loyalty programme, customers can visit Pixels’ website www.pixelsng. com for update and other offerings of the company.

ood wastage in homes can now be reduced with smart home appliances, such as LG’s InstaView Door-in-Door refrigerators.

Once opened, the conventional refrigerator can take 1-2 hours to regain maximum cooling level, affecting food located inside. As part of LG’s range of smart kitchen solutions, the InstaView Doorin-Door is equipped with a sleek mirrored glass panel that lights up with two knocks, allowing users to check inside the easy access compartment without opening the door preventing cold air loss by up to 41 percent.

With less frequent temperature fluctuations, items such as fruit, vegetables and dairy products can remain fresher for longer. The refrigerator also features the Hygiene Fresh+ technology, which automatically cleans and purifies its internal air.

Its five-stage filtering system is certified by Intertek, removing up to 99.999 percent of bacteria and with it, minimizing odours.

Whilst traditional refrigerator compressors adopt a circular movement with 4 friction points, they can result in consuming excess energy and parts are more prone to wear. LG’s Inverter Linear Compressor has revolutionized the core of the InstaView refrigerator, with just 1 friction point, resulting in added durability, the ability to cool faster, using less energy and emitting 25 percent less noise.

Providing the ultimate convenience to for homeowners, the Smart Storage System makes it easy to group certain types of food together. Consumers can also control their refrigerator with their smartphones via LG’s Smart ThinQ app.

The dedicated application enables users to control the temperature of their refrigerator and enjoy a range of added benefits, such as deploying express freezing. The express freezing function helps cool items faster, keeping items such as ice cream, fish and meat in their best condition. Smart ThinQ can also be used to operate the Hygiene Fresh+’s power mode refreshing air at an accelerated rate, every

hour.

Over the years, LG’s forwardthinking smart technology has helped families overcome challenges of food wastage and spoilage promoting a healthy and sustainable lifestyle.

With the technological innovations found in the InstaView Door-in-Door, consumers can now confidently buy fresh ingredients for healthy meals without having to worry about preservation and storage.

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The Oracle Today Friday August 30 - Tuesday September 3, 2019

MONEY Market

BDCs Prepare for FATF Team Assessment visit to Nigeria B Stories By Kayode Ogunwale

ureaux de Change (BDC) operators under the Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON) are preparing for the annual evaluation of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) team visiting the country soon.

Speaking to financial journalists ahead of the FATF visit to Nigeria, ABCON President, Alhaji (Dr.) Aminu Gwadabe, said BDCs are getting ready to receive the FATF team. He said that ABCON, in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is organizing a sensitization workshop for over 4,500 licenced

BDCs in the country.

He said the workshop, which will hold in the six geopolitical zones across the country, will take off in the next one week.

He added that the BDCs will be trained on the obligation of registering and filling reports on the NFIU goAML -Anti-Money Laundering portal.

Gwadabe, said the anti-money laundering training is intended to familiarize BDC operators with the process of money laundering the criminal business used to disguise the true origin and ownership of illegal cash and the laws that make it a crime.

He said that money laundering and terrorist financing pose not

only a threat, but are enormous threats and challenges to the economy, security, and social life in Nigeria, the region and globally.

Gwadabe said that the training was also meant to help BDCs maintain minimum standard of record keeping and increasing level of investors confidence for the economy.

The training, the ABCON boss added, will create awareness on the need to check money laundering and terrorist financing; ensure that BDCs are not used to launder funds by Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs). It will also upscale BDCs’ compliance with the Anti-Money Laundering

and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) for Banks and Other Financial Institutions in Nigeria Regulations.

Gwadabe said the visit became necessary after the FATF team in February, named Nigeria in a proposed European Union blacklist of nations seen as posing a threat because of lax controls on terrorism financing and money laundering.

The criteria used to blacklist countries include low sanctions against money laundering and terrorism financing, insufficient cooperation with the EU on the matter and lack of transparency over the beneficial owners of companies and trusts.

Nigeria, US partnership vital for development –Osinbajo

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he partnership between Nigeria and the United States is one that would continue to produce mutually desirable results for both countries, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

Prof. Osinbajo stated this I’ve the weekend when he received the Administrator of the US Agency on International Development (USAID), Mr Mark Green who is currently on a visit to Nigeria.

Noting that the US is one of Nigeria’s most dependable development partners, the Vice President said the Nigerian government was grateful for the interventions in the areas of health, humanitarian issues and education.

While stating the commitment of the Buhari administration to improve the country’s education sector, and the President’s resolve to enforce free and compulsory basic education for every child of primary and junior secondary school age; Prof. Osinbajo noted that a lot more can be done with cooperation between both countries.

He said, “This is an area where Mr. President particularly has a personal commitment. On June 20th, in a meeting with State Governors, he made the point that we are going to enforce a nine-year free and compulsory basic education for children. He felt that this was

Biodun Omoleye, Chief of Staff, Ekiti State Government; with Biodun Oyebanji, Secretary to Ekiti State Government; Anders Einarsson, Managing Director, Promasidor Nigeria Limited; Hon. Olusoga David, Ekiti State Commissioner for Investment, Trade & Industries, and Mr Sean Webster, Zimbabwe Farmer / Consultant to Promasidor; during the visit of Promasidor’s management to Ekiti State Governor’s office at Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday, August 20, 2019, as part of efforts at resuscitating the Ikun Dairy Farm in Ikun-Ekiti. not just a moral obligation, but, of course, to educate and develop future generations, especially female children.

The Vice President said there could be more cooperation in the area of teacher training, skills development, child education, especially girl-child education, among other interventions in the education sector.

Prof. Osinbajo also highlighted the need for more development partnerships in the areas of improving the country’s power sector and security, noting that the Federal Government has been putting a significant amount of work in

developing renewable energy and providing solar power in rural areas and other parts of the country.

According to him, “In the power sector, we find that renewable energy is an area we want to do more in. And in many parts of the country, we find that solar power would be advantageous for us, and we’re trying to do a lot in that area. The Power grid itself has had various challenges. We think the fastest growth, especially in rural areas is solar power. In that respect, we’ve done a fair amount of work.”

While acknowledging US military assistance, the VP noted that the

Federal Government would also welcome more cooperation in tackling humanitarian challenges in the North East of the country.

In his remarks, Green; who was accompanied by the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Stuart Symington, said the US and Nigeria have a deep friendship based on shared values and shared priorities. He described as admirable President Muhammadu Buhari’s personal commitment to ensuring compulsory free education for Nigerian children, stating the US looks forward to working with the Nigerian government on developing its education sector, tackling security

CBN commenced ban on food import

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he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has disclosed that the policy to stop Foreign Exchange (Forex) for the importation of food into the country has commenced. This is contrary to widespread speculation in the public domain that the CBN is yet to work out modalities and timeline for the implementation of the new policy regime on the food import restriction.

Director, Corporate Communications of the CBN, Isaac Okoroafor, who made this new development known, reiterated that the government took the drastic measure in the interest of national economic growth and development.

“The implementation started since 2015. We started by excluding 41 items; subsequently, we included others, now we have eliminated all sorts of food import which we know that can easily be produced in Nigeria. The country cannot be food sufficient if we continue like this.

“If you recall, we started with about 41 items (food and non-food items), because we believe that those items can be produced in the country.

As we stand today, there are about 43 items on that list and I will say substantially most of them are food items,” Okoroafor was quoted.

challenges and improving economic indices.

He said, “We have particular interest in continuing our very strong partnership in providing humanitarian assistance, particularly in areas in the North; working together on economic opportunities, particularly in rural areas; creating strong sustainable futures for farmers and herders; and looking for ways to tackle some of the challenges that we both see in building lives and communities.”

Earlier in the day, the Vice President also received a delegation from the Andrew J. Young Foundation, led by civil rights activist and former US Ambassador to the United Nations, Andrew J. Young.

The Vice President described Young as one of the major icons in the US civil rights movement.

Zenith Bank appoints two directors

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he Board of Directors of Zenith Bank Plc has approved the appointment of Mr. Henry Oroh as Executive Director of the bank. The appointment is consistent with the bank’s tradition and succession strategy of grooming leaders from within.

Also, the Board has approved the appointment of Dr. Al-Mujtaba Abubakar, FCA, as an Independent Non-Executive Director.

Both appointments are effective September 1, 2019, and have been approved by the Central Bank of

Nigeria.

Henry Oroh holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from the University of Benin, Edo State and an MBA from the Lagos State University as well as an LLB Degree from the University of Lagos.

He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and an honorary member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIBN), Nigeria.

He has over two decades of banking experience. He began his banking career in 1992 at Citibank

where he served for seven (7) years in Operations, Treasury and Marketing.

He joined Zenith Bank in February 1999 and has worked in various Groups and Departments within the Zenith Group Office. His expertise spans Operations, Information Technology, Treasury, Marketing, including the Manufacturing, Food and Beverages, Pharmaceuticals, Oil and Gas, Public Sector, Consumer, as well as Corporate Banking and Business Development.

In April 2012, he was seconded to Zenith Bank Ghana Limited as

an Executive Director and became the Managing Director/ Chief Executive in February 2016, where he successfully spearheaded the phenomenal growth of the Zenith Brand both within the Ghana market and the West African sub-region.

Henry has attended several Leadership Programmes and Executive Management Courses at the Harvard Business School, Columbia Business School, New York, University of Chicago, University of Pennsylvania, HEC Paris, JP Morgan Chase, UK and the

Lagos Business School.

He comes to the Board of Zenith Bank Plc with strong competencies in Credit & Marketing, Operations, Information Technology, Treasury and impressive Leadership skills.

Dr. Al-Mujtaba Abubakar is currently the Managing Director of Apt Pensions Funds Managers Limited.

He is a graduate of the Leeds Polytechnic, UK. He is a renowned Chartered Accountant and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria.

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The Oracle Today Friday August 30 - Tuesday September 3, 2019

news

Sanwo-Olu urges lawyers to key into technology for transformation Stories by KAYODE OGUNWALE

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agos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has advised lawyers to use technology to improve the legal profession with a view to enhancing justice delivery in the country.

Sanwo-Olu made the call in Lagos at the 59th Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) 2019 Annual General Conference with the theme ‘Facing The Future’.

Sanwo-Olu was represented by his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat.

He said that a major driving force behind the phenomenal change across all professions was technology and urged the legal profession to rise up to this challenge.

“There is no profession either medical, legal, civil engineering that has not felt the impact of technology into its practice.

“Any profession that does not incorporate technology into its practice will lose its relevance and

miss a place in the future which is fast unfolding.

“Every profession must therefore understand the language of technology and adopt it effectively for greater output and efficiency,” Sanwo-Olu said.

The governor said that it was heartwarming that the conference theme demonstrated NBA’s readiness to reposition the practice of legal profession in line with the envisaged future environment in which it would operate.

“A whole lot of work need to be done to adapt effectively to the fast changing environment characterised by technology and innovation.

“A key step in this regard will be the integration of ICT skill acquisition into the training of lawyers,” he said.

The governor said that a number of technology innovations, tools and soft wares were being developed and deployed to perform tasks that were normally carried out by human beings.

He noted that ‘Ross’ the first

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu known robot lawyer had been developed and already being hired by notable international law firms across the globe.

He said that the need for legal profession to rise up to the challenge faced by the use of technology was also expressed by the Chief Justice of Singapore, Sunadesh Menon, at the 29th Inter-Pacific Bar Association Annual meeting.

“Menon said if we all start thinking deeply now about the impact that technology is having

and will have on the law and if we do not shirk from taking the necessary and painful steps to adapt to the changes this will bring, we might give ourselves a chance of safeguarding the future,’’ he said.

Sanwo-Olu restated his administration’s commitment to the improvement of justice dispensation and maintenance of law and order in ensuring that Lagos works for all.

“Our success as a government lies more in our continuous collaboration with stakeholders

in the administration of justice to achieve our goals and the realities of an efficient justice delivery system,” Sanwo-Olu said.

Newsmen report that the four-day NBA conference will feature plenary sessions on Code of Tribunal, Clash of Judicial and Executive Powers, The Rule of Law and Future of Human Rights, Sexual Harassment in the Legal Community and Implementing Sustainable Development Goals.

Zinox chief pledges N1.5bn supports for Imo SMEs

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hairman, Zinox Group, Leo Stan Ekeh has declared a three-year interest free loan of N1b to petty traders and small and medium businesses in Imo State.

Ekeh, a native of Imo State, disclosed the intervention is to reduce hardship, stimulate business activities and give hope to majority of the people in the state.

Further, Ekeh launched an educational support project for indigent but intelligent students of the state to enable them acquire proper university education. For this, Ekeh set up a non-interest revolving loan scheme of N500 million.

He made this disclosure at the flag-off/groundbreaking of the construction/rehabilitation of rural roads by the Imo State Government.

He said, indigent students will benefit from the revolving loan scheme to further and complete their education. Graduates from the scheme will also be exposed to employment opportunities.

Subsequently, the graduatebeneficiaries will be expected to refund the loan once they are gainfully employed at zero interest. This will ensure the sustenance of the scheme and allow others benefit from it.

First Class graduates will be exempted from repayment of the loans as reward for their sterling performance. Conversely, students whose grades drop to third class will be ejected from the scheme.

Ekeh believes that in the next 10 years, the interventions and the government’s commitment in these respects will reposition Imo state as the envy of all.

Additionally, the serial digital entrepreneur revealed that Imo State is being used as a model. He disclosed that if it works, the efforts will be replicated in more states in Nigeria.

The Zinox boss equally donated 20 laptops and a set of printers to the Imo

State Government.

“I am very sure other well-meaning Nigerians will borrow same strategies to replicate in their communities.

“This is not the age of free money and bad wastages. The 21st century is the age of privileges and opportunities.

“Nigerians must imbibe the culture of earning a living and paying back so that others can benefit. Cash is not inexhaustible.

“What I have done is use myself as a personal collateral in addition to putting up some of my assets to a Nigerian bank to take a loan and try and bail out a percentage of my people.

“Indeed, if it works, the multiplier effects shall be far-reaching. If they fail me, it is a disaster but that is life.

“I have done same in the ICT sector in the last 15 years with over N10 billion and it is still working. Most successful people in the world did not receive cash from their families so how did they become globally successful?”

Ekeh, a global advisor to Microsoft, revealed that he has not slept in his mansion in Owerri in the past six years.

“Each time I visit home, I often leave depressed. This is because of the state of things and the money I have to spend to help out those in dire conditions. With these interventions, I am confident that things will take a positive turn soon,” he affirmed.

Ekeh has been responsible for a number of charitable works in Imo State and beyond.

Notably, he donated the sum of N50m to assuage the pains of victims when the Eke -Ukwu market was demolished by the administration of Rochas Okorocha.

Ekeh has also been involved in providing scholarships to needy students, medicare to the indigenes and regularly supporting religious institutions in the state.

In his speech at the event, Gov. Ihedioha expressed appreciation to

Ekeh for the humanitarian and noble gesture, even as he expressed pride in the Zinox Boss.

“Imo State is proud to have a son like Leo Stan Ekeh. I am aware he put up some of his assets in order to raise the funds for the projects he has announced today.

“May God continually bless him for all that he does for humanity. I am hopeful that other well-meaning Imo indigenes will join us to rebuild the state.”

Speaking at the event, Chief Victor Emeto heaped encomiums on the Zinox boss.

“Leo Stan Ekeh is the next to God not just in Imo State and our town Ubomiri in particular.

“He carries all our responsibilities from school and church building and maintenance to raising nursery schools in every church.

“He has an annual budget for every church in the community and does not limit it to Catholics only. Same with the education of our children and electricity. What is more disarming is his humility and quietness with which he does these things.

“In fact, he picks every phone call from anybody from this town, no matter how small. Any time he is home, he sits on the floor with us to discuss our problems.”

Also lending his voice was the oldest man in the Ubomiri community, Nze Moses Duru.

“Chief Leo Stan Ekeh is God-sent to Imo State. When the Eke-Ukwu market was demolished by the previous administration, he came to the rescue of the people with a huge donation.

“He also paid the sum of N1m to the family of the boy who lost his life.

That singular action calmed tensions, otherwise Imo State may have burned.

“We are aware he supports other states in Nigeria. That is why we continue to pray for him and he does things without making noise.”

Chairman, Zinox Group, Leo Stan Ekeh

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The Oracle Today Friday August 30 - Tuesday September 3, 2019

NEWS ACROSS THE NATION Man in court, for allegedly stealing employer’s N1.9m property

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40-year-old man, Ope Tomori, who allegedly stole his employer’s property worth N1.9 million, was on Thursday brought before a Surulere Chief Magistrates’ Court, Lagos.

The defendant, of no fixed address, is charged with stealing, to which he pleaded not guilty.

The Police Prosecutor, Anthonia Osayande, told the court that the defendant committed the offence sometime in July, at No. 10, Adetayo Shode St., Aguda, Surulere, Lagos.

Osayande alleged that the defendant stole three laptops, a cutting machine, bouquet chairs, Ipad, wedding gowns, three gold rings, Bluetooth stereo and ATM cards worth N1.9 million.

She told the court that Tomori carted away the valuables of his employer, one Mrs Winifred Okafor.

According to the prosecutor, the offence violates Section 287 (7) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Oluyemisi Adelaja, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N300, 000, with two responsible sureties in like sum.

She said that the sureties must be gainfully employed, and must show evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government. Adelaja adjourned the case until Sept. 16, for trial.

Nigerians back private ranches

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igerians have urged the Federal and State Governments to facilitate the establishment of private ranches as part of solutions to frequent clashes and loss of lives and property associated with the open grazing of cattle.

This is as lawmakers in Oyo State are working on a bill that seeks to ban open grazing, RUGA establishments and farm encroachment by herders.

The bill, entitled “Open Rearing and Grazing Regulation Bill, 2019”, which originated from the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin, and is co-sponsored by his deputy, Abiodun Fadeyi, is at the second reading stage in the parliament.

Ogundoyin told The Guardian that the proposed law would make it a punishable offence for anyone to engage in open rearing and grazing outside the permitted ranches. He said the bill, when passed into law, would provide opportunities for private investors to own ranches in the state.Open grazing of cattle, it is argued, has become outdated, dangerous and environmentally hazardous in the 21st century world. The modern century’s ways of profitably rearing cattle include ranching, feed lots and kraals.

Fadeyi said reports of violent attacks by herdsmen had become a daily occurrence, and the state could not fold its hands while herdsmen

continue to wreak havoc on innocent farmers.

“The essence of the bill is to regulate open rearing or open grazing, as the case may be, so that we can have a uniformed method of rearing cattle, goats, sheep and what have you, being mindful of encroachments into farmlands and clashes between herders and farmers, with loss of lives,” he said.

Specifically, Section 16, paragraph (1) says: “Any person who engages in open rearing or herding or grazing of livestock is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to imprisonment for 7 years or a fine of N200,00 or both.”Section 8, paragraph (1) stipulates that “A herdsman shall

Estate agent docked for allegedly defrauding land buyers of N3.6m

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n estate agent, Benson Ojovo, on Thursday, appeared before an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court, Lagos for allegedly defrauding three prospective land buyers of N3.6 million.

Ojovo, 61, whose address was not provided, is facing a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, forgery and stealing, to which he pleaded not guilty.

The Prosecutor, Insp. Ingobo Emby, told the court that the defendant committed the offence, with some others still at large, between 2017 and 2019, at Adron Homes and Properties Ltd., in Omole Estate Phase 1, Ogba, Lagos.

Emby said that the defendant fraudulently obtained a total sum of N3.6 million from three people, with a promise to sell lands to them.

“The defendant forged the receipt of Adron Homes and Properties Ltd. and used it to deceive the complainants.

“Ojovo obtained N1.7 million from one Mr Alex Durodola, N1 million from Mr Adu Tunde and N830,000 from Mrs Rachael Dodo but failed to give them the land he had promised them,” Emby said.

He said that the offences contravened Sections 287, 314 (3), 365 (3) and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 287 stipulates three years imprisonment for stealing, while Section 411 carries two years imprisonment for conspiracy.

The Magistrate, Mr Y.O. Aro-Lambo granted the defendant bail in the sum of N1 million, with two sureties in like sum.

Aro-Lambo said that one of the sureties must be blood relation of the defendant and must be gainfully employed.

He added that the sureties must also show evidence of tax payments to the Lagos State Government.

The magistrate thereafter adjourned the case until Oct. 24 for mention.

• Bags of rice seized by the Navy during a raid on smugglers in Cross River.

$16b power probe: EFCC detains 4 over N50b cash payment

…Cash suspected to have been diverted after payment approval

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s the Buhari administration intensifies the probe of $16billion spent by the Obasanjo administration on power projects, the EFCC is beaming its searchlight on what happened to the $8.5 billion released by the Obasanjo government for the payment of compensation to host communities on which the ambitious multi-million power projects were to be sited.

Most of the benefiting communities where the power lines were to be laid, have vehemently denied receiving any payment despite clear and documented evidence that the money was withdrawn from the Excess Crude Oil Account and paid to the Niger Delta Power Holding Company, NDPHC for onward payment of compensation to the land owners.

At the same time, records at the NDPHC have also confirmed that the payment had ‘since been made to the benefiting communities’. But in a bid to unravel the true position regarding the alleged payment, operatives of the EFCC, on Wednesday detained two key officials of the NDPHC over their alleged involvement in the payment of N84 billion to the host communities.

A top source in EFCC confirmed that Marvel Emefiele, Head Finance, and Eze Odigbo, Head Compensation of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), were detained in connection with how the huge public cash meant for the payment of compensation to many

communities, was handled.

“The two key officials of NDPHC are being detained by the EFCC following their alleged involvement in bogus payment and diversion of about N850 million compensation to communities where the components of the power project were sited,” an EFCC source said last night.

“Investigation revealed that approval was granted for the payment of N84 billion to the communities where transmission lines of the power project are meant to be laid.

“Our team of investigators discovered that the money was not paid to the benefiting communities after the huge sum was officially signed off from the books.

“It was also discovered that though about N50 billion compensation was reportedly ‘paid’ to the communities, the contractors were driven away by the irate communities over non- payment of the same compensation which the NPDHC claimed to have paid.

“While Mr. Emefiele reportedly approved the payment of N850 million, Mr. Odigbo is said to have effected the payment of the compensation to the communities. The duo are being quizzed over the propriety of the matter.

Taken into detention by the EFCC with the two men, were the managing directors of two leading Nigerian engineering firms.

One of them is Richard Ayibiowu while the other is Christian Imoka.

Mr. Richard Ayibiowu is being de-

tained in connection with the payment of N350 million to the communities.

Part of LOT 8 of the power project , Iheala Olu Transmission Line, was not executed by the firm due to the alleged claim of hostility by the communities while the sum of N350 million is recorded on government book as having been paid as compensation to the complaining community.

Similarly, another Chief Executive of an engineering firm, Christian Ejik Imoka, is being detained with the other three men over a controversial payment for N500 million contract.

He was detained in connection with LOT 14 of the controversial power project, which ought to include Lekki Ajah Transmission Line, which was not executed while money was paid to that effect.

According to the EFCC top official, the detained officials were said to have failed to honour previous invitations from the commission.

The operatives went into action over the $16 b power project following lingering allegation that Nigeria did not get value for the huge sum expended by the Obasanjo administration.

It was further gathered that about $8.5 billion cash was taken from Excess Crude Account and made available to the NPDHC for the power project in 2006 but not much has come out of the cash payment, prompting Nigerians to call for probe.

submit himself for registration to the ministry and shall pay the specified in scheduled 1 to this bill.

“Every registered herdsman shall be issued an identification card and shall wear such a card at all times.

Any herdsman who contravenes subsection (1) of section 8 is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to imprisonment for two (2) years or a fine of N100,000.00 or both.“Any herdsman who contravenes subsection (3) of section 8 is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to imprisonment for 6 months or a fine N50,000.00 or both.”

A 2017 report by SBM Intelligence had indicated that the death toll in the herders-farmers clashes had reached 5000.The Ekiti State House of Assembly, under former Governor Ayo Fayose, had passed an anti-open grazing bill, which was signed into law in 2016. Benue State followed suit and its anti-open grazing law became effective on November 1, 2017.

Reacting to this, a farm empowerment entrepreneur in Eruwa, Oyo State, Mrs. Bola Adeyemo, said: “Private sector-led ranches are the only way to peace. Cattle-rearing is a very lucrative business. I once had cattle on my farm. I constructed a wire fence and did not have issues with my farmer neighbours.”

Also, an agro-allied consultant based in Ilorin, Kwara State, Mr. David Ayodele, said “the issue of RUGA should not generate any serious national discourse as the concept is apparently ill-conceived, archaic, onesided, illogical and unsustainable.”He added that comparatively, the concept of RUGA seemed to put Nigeria at the elementary stage of civilisation in view of global technological advancements. “To any unbiased Nigerian, there is no justifiable reason to commit national treasure to building ranches to settle cattle herders.”

Another industry professional, Dr. Akin Oloniruha, a former provost of Ahmadu Bello University College of Agriculture, said open grazing was already causing violent conflicts and it should be discouraged as much as possible.Ruga or cattle colony as currently conceived, he added, would create more problems than those it wanted to solve.

“Private sector-led ranching is the best way to go for now. The Fulani herdsmen can key into this by forming cooperatives through which they can access intervention funds to acquire land, upgrade their cattle breeds and be in good business,” Oloniruha said.As the herders-farmers crisis escalates in Nigeria, so it is in Ghana. A retired lecturer from the University of Ghana Medical School, Accra, Prof. Frederick Kwaku Addai, told The Guardian that “open grazing is becoming a problem in some parts of Ghana. “It appears in two forms. One, nomadic Fulani herdsmen move their cattle into Ghana and attempt to claim ‘right to graze’ by indulging in armed conflicts with local farmers whose crops the cattle destroy. Two, local cattle owners hire herdsmen to graze their cattle which often destroy food crops.“I have a very strong view that open grazing should be banned because currently, open (uncultivated) land is now available only in small parcels.

Hence, cattle will always stray into food crops and destroy them. The time has come for those who raise cattle to invest in cultivating fodder and/or buying hay for their cattle which must be confined to kraals. I do not accept that it is possible to encourage open grazing with presentday pressure on land for cultivation and habitation.”

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The Oracle Today Friday August 30 - Tuesday September 3, 2019

NEWS Extra Teachers in Anambra, commend State Govt for ICT training

By UZO UGWUNZE, Ojoto

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EACHERS in Idemili South Education Authority, have commended the state government for engaging staff in the ongoing Information and Communication Technology (ICT) training in the state.

The Education Secretary Idemili South Education Authority, Mrs. Anthonia Enemuo applauded the timeliness of the program, designed for tutorial and non tutorial staff to update their knowledge on ICT saying.

It would be recalled that the Anambra State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Kate Omenugha has directed that all the staff under the ministry must undergo ICT training program during the long vacation.

The program was billed for August 19, to September 6.

The ministry engaged ICT professionals who started the program at designated schools in the state.

According to Enemuo, “the program has been so far successful. My teachers have been testifying about their experiences at the training centers. They confirm that it is a beautiful program.

“The training comes in two sessions with one person to a computer.

Apart from the Center manager, there are standby tutors to guide every learner. We have not seen it so beautiful.”

At Anglian Girls Grammer School (AGGS), Alor, the Principal, Mrs. Dike Ifeoma said they were not lacking any logistics adding that the teachers attached to the center have been enjoying the program.

“This training is very good, teachers should be ICT compliant. This is the 21st century, we are no longer in the analog system kudos to Prof. Omenugha and her team,” she said.

Meanwhile, Patience Omemgboji, a teacher from AGGS, Alor described the training as “enriching and worth every kobo paid before enrolling in the program.”

While Nwudo Ngozi from St. Pauls Nursery & Primary School, Alor urged the state government to continue with such human developmental programs, the ICT center manager, Chilee Ugochukwu expressed satisfaction with the response of the teachers.

Ugochukwu, who said that the teachers were exposed to Computer appreciation; MS Word, Windows, Excel and Google search, noted that they needed more than three weeks to exhaust some of the packages.

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known as EWEAMA CORDELIA CHINYERE, now wish to be know and addressed as MRS OJIAKOR CORDELIA CHINYERE. All former documents remains valid, Banks and general public please take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME

I formerly known as GOODLUCK DANIEL, now wish to be known and addressed as GOODLUCK LOUIS. All former Documents remain valid.

Ecobank and the general public should please take note

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known as CHIKWENDU CHIOMA CLARA CHRISTIANA now wish to be known as MRS. OKONKWO CHIOMA CLARA CHRISTIANA. All former documents remain valid, Banks and General public take note

Company defends its performance, work ethics in Enugu

• Commends Governor Ugwuanyi for his infrastructure rescue measures in Nsukka

By THEO RAYS

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Port Harcourt/Enugu-based construction giant, FEROTEX Engineering Company Ltd has deplored what it described as “a series of misinformation with respect to our work with Enugu State Government at New Anglican Road, Nsukka.”

In a release made available to the The Oracle Today and signed by its management, FEROTEX enjoined “purveyors of such misinformation” to first “thank the Government of Enugu State for having the courage to attempt to fix the New Anglican

Road, abandoned and impassable for over a decade,” before criticising the ongoing engineering works on that project, which, it said, the Ugwuanyi Administration “has designated as a priority project.”

“The truth is that the topography of the New Anglican Road is flat.

This makes water drain impossible without engineering adjustment to reasonable road elevation thereby enabling free flow of water,” the company stated in the release, pointing out that without such elevation “as currently ongoing, the road will remain water-logged, thus defeating the purpose for which Enugu State

Government is determined to reconstruct that road.”

The statement explained that doing the elevation “is the best professional solution to the challenge of flooding on that road and this we must employ in the interest of the general good.”

The statement read, in part: “We understand the concern of persons who live along the road that the elevation of the height of the road may make discharge of rain water from their homes more difficult. However, when we are faced with a situation where the public good outweighs any other consideration, public good

• Caption: New Anglican Road, Nsukka, under construction by FEROTEX Engineering Company Ltd.

must prevail, especially where there is remedy for the inconvenience to the few.

“The remedy for those whose buildings are affected is an embankment that channels water back to the drain through a culvert that we are constructing. We shall also support them in professionally helping them to redirect water from their homes into the culvert “We want to categorically state that the Bill of Engineering Measurement and Evaluation (BEME) for the road is as designed and has not been reduced or tampered with in any form by our company. We challenge anyone with a contrary finding to a public on-site verification in the presence of the media and officials of Enugu State Ministry of works.

“Finally, we thank Enugu State Government for the massive infrastructure regeneration it has embarked on in the whole of Enugu State, particularly in Nsukka where we are deeply engaged.

“The Nsukka zone, (Enugu North) is witnessing, in her history, the first comprehensive and sustainable road and other infrastructure revolution.

Nsukka people with their level of education must resist the effort of people who are determined to distract the State government from her focus in Nsukka by using the new social media in our palms to cause disaffection and distraction.

“Our offices are open and available for clarification by any citizen who wishes to make inquiry but we caution that people with motives other than the good of Nsukka people should not drag the government of Enugu state and our company into their destructive, jealous and hate-laced vituperation.

“We thank all citizens who have shown support to the government of Enugu State, which has continued to push forward its good works in the State in the face of dwindling national income.”

CP calls for synergy among security agencies, intelligence from community members too

By UZO UGWUNZE, Ojoto

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he Commissioner for Police (CP), Anambra state, John Abang has called for more cooperation in intelligence sharing among security agencies and from community members to promote security in the state.

The Commissioner made the call during his familiarization tour of some Divisional Police headquarters within Ogidi Area Command in Idemili North Local Government Area.

Abang said that although the Police was the mother of security they would not be able to work alone in fighting crime urging people to report suspicious criminal activities around their locality.

He commended the efforts of the vigilant Police Community relations Committee, Police Assistance committee, Community Stakeholders and leaders urging them to continue cooperating with the police.

“Since my arrival on July 10, 2019, we’ve hit the ground running. I have received immense support from

Community policing and neighborhood watch. With your cooperation, we can reduce crime.

“No society is perfect in security.

In Europe, retired public servants, farmers always give out information. If you see something suspicious happening around you call the Vigilante or police.

“The Inspector General has emphasized on intelligence led policing. You don’t need to fire a bullet to apprehend a criminal. Please, we appeal to women, youths, neighbors to communicate us.

The CP further advised his men to shun bullying, corruption, insolence urging them to be professional while discharging their duties. He also tasked them to dress neatly and fear God. Earlier in his address, the Area Commander, ACP Danjuma Madugu said that the police has been trying their best to reduce crime situation within the Area to a manageable level.

“Despite challenges the Ogidi Area Command has lived up to expecta-

tions through reinvigorated crime fighting strategies. Several armed robbery gangs have been smashed with arms, ammunition and stolen vehicles recovered.

He appreciated Igwe Pharm. Alex Onyiudo and his community for providing and renovating a building to house the Area command.

Madugu mentioned lack of Serviceable vehicles and Absence of Tactical Teams as part of constraints facing Ogidi Area Command saying they have resorted to hiring to patrol flashpoints.

Meanwhile, President New Auto Spare parts, Nkpor, Chief Elisius Umeozokwelu commended the visit of the CP saying that it would send signals to criminals to leave town or be arrested.

“I can see the CP as a competent hand that will make positive impact.

He is someone who goes around ensuring the job is done. This awareness will scare criminals away”,s aid Umeozokwelu Also,Chairman Bakery International Market, Chief Ben Ezeneme, Ogidi

said he was confident the visit of the CP will ensure safety of their goods, properties and customers.

Moreover, the President general, Obosi Urban, Chief Emeka Esimione thanked the CP for seeing the need to work more closely with the Vigilante and the people in combatting crime in the state.

At Isiowlu, the PCRC Chairman, Chief Gozie Nwakuche said they were delighted to host the CP who came to inspect the efforts of the Divisional Headquaters headed by Amadi Jackson.

Nwakuche said that with the gallantry of their DPO in combating crime made Igwe Dubem Iweka to assist them in procuring a land for the permanent site of Isiowulu Station. He requested for a patrol van.

In his vote of thanks DPO, Ogidi, Mark Ijeraffu thanked the CP for finding time to visit them to assess their efforts and determine where to help them. He further thanked every stakeholder for their assistance to the police.

35

The Oracle Today Friday August 30 - Tuesday September 3, 2019

ENTERTAINMENT

With Douglas Omoyooma

How I became grandpa at age 40

Uncle Show juju musician

By Douglas Omoyooma

A

t just the age of 40, juju music star, Uncle Show, who started his music career 20 years ago is now a grandfather! In this chat with Oracle Today, he opens up on the state of juju music today, meeting his wife, why juju music is not dead and of course, how he became a grandfather at the young age of 40.

The venue of the interview was his mobile studio located in Sango Ota Lagos. The proud grandfather who grew up in a broken home after his mum and dad parted ways when he was still a tot smiled broadly as he began to speak going down memory lane.

“We were colleagues at Lagos City Secondary School, Sabo, Yaba. She was in the commercial class while I was in the arts class. We were 19 years old in SSS3. That was how we started. It was love at first sight. when I met her she was a reserved and shy girl. She had just been transferred to our school and I instantly fell in love with her so I asked her out and she agreed and that was how we started dating. She went to Yabatek which I also did.

Eventually she got pregnant and that was how we had our first child some 20 years ago. Today I am a grand father at just 40!”

Really! How did that happen? “Immediately we passed out of school she suddenly disappeared and I did not hear from her again so I was apprehensive. One day she came back and told me that she was pregnant.

Pregnant? I was terrified but thank God for his mercies!

My wife and I eventually got married in October 2003.

I told my wife that I don’t want my kids to go through what my parents went through when they broke up. So, no matter what happens we must stick together through thick and thin; that is the covenant we have.”

Recalling his initial sections when he found out his future wife was pregnant he continued: “I was afraid of being a father but because I loved her so much I decided to take responsibility. Abortion was not an alternative.

Her parents already knew me because we all belonged to the Methodist Church community. While we were dating, I was always at their home.

“Our daughter is 20 now and guess what, she has a baby. She is not yet married but she met this guy at Tai Solarin University and they fell in love and now she has baby. I guess it is history repeating itself all over again because it was exactly what her mum and I did (laughter).

As soon as I noticed that she did not cone back home for like a month, we started looking for her only to find out that she was pregnant.”

In retrospect he says: “Life has since moved on. We are in the 21st century and I have always told her that if you ant to do this, you have to protect yourself and if you don’t, that means you are ready for responsibility. So, when it happened I strongly believed that she actually wanted it. I am so happy that God has elevated me. I am alive young and strong and seeing my next generation.

That is just awesome! I named her Oluwafunmilayo after my mum. It is awesome being a grand dad at 40!”

State of juju music In the 70s and 80s, juju music was mainstream but today, the case is the reverse. What happened? “The meaning of juju music comes from Yoruba language which means throw it to me and I will throw it back to you,” Uncle Show explains tracing the antecedents of how fuji music eventually overshadowed juju music. “But the founders were so disciplined that after doing their live shows they refused to give out tapes of the shows. What I learnt back then was that there were not many recording studios

aside Deca and Afrodsia so even before you could get into the studio, you must have booked like two months earlier. And whenever they had shows, they kept the tapes in their libraries and did not release them. So if you wanted a copy, there was so much protocol which was cumbersome; they made it exclusive.

“On the flip side, the fuji musicians were giving out cassettes of their shows for free or selling them.

Meanwhile, the belief was that fuji musicians were illiterates but they were so humble. When they played shows, before you could say Jackie Robinson, the videos was playing at all the bus tops in Lagos and people were buying them up like candy and before we knew it, fuji music took over. Juju music was for the elite. If you don’t have money to go to the Island club or high class places or if you don’t belong to a special caucus, you couldn’t get those things. That was what killed juju music.”

As a pioneer of juju music for this generation, what is he doing to correct this? “To God be the glory I have

been able to set up a state-of-the-art recoding studio and I have lots of people in the Association of Juju Musicians.

We have realised that if we must restore juju music we have to be united and focussed. We need to let the elite know that juju music is not dead. We are now playing in popular bars, hotels and shows to spread the news.

We have state chapter and zonal chapters. and we have a national body and a Board of Trustees with the likes of Shina Peters and Ebenezer Obey. Shina Peters is the creator of Afro juju while Dele Taiwo created Funky Juju and Dayo Ikujonre created soko juju. I am the co-ordinator for Alagbado Eke Odo and a lot of juju musicians are under my jurisdiction.

“Juju music is growing and we can testify to that with Goldberg’s Arirya Repete. We have the likes of Champion Kunle Opio and they have an academy training the young ones on playing juju music and teaching them discipline.

We have relationship with the French Cultural Centre and we can travel out of the country to spread the juju message. In the next five years, juju music is taking over.”

36

The Oracle Today Friday August 30 - September 3, 2019

Crime

$16b power probe: EFCC detains 4 over N50b cash payment

A

s the Buhari administration intensifies the probe of $16billion spent by the Obasanjo administration on power projects, the EFCC is beaming its searchlight on what happened to the $8.5 billion released by the Obasanjo government for the payment of compensation to host communities on which the ambitious multi-million power projects were to be sited.

Most of the benefiting communities where the power lines were to be laid, have vehemently denied receiving any payment despite clear and documented evidence that the money was withdrawn from the Excess Crude Oil Account and paid to the Niger Delta Power Holding Company, NDPHC for onward payment of compensation to the land owners.

At the same time, records at the NDPHC have also confirmed that the payment had ‘since been made to the benefiting communities’. But in a bid to unravel the true position regarding the alleged payment, operatives of the EFCC, on Wednesday detained two key officials of the NDPHC over their alleged involvement in the payment of N84 billion to the host communities.

A top source in EFCC confirmed that Marvel Emefiele, Head Finance, and Eze Odigbo, Head Compensation of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), were detained in connection with how the huge public cash meant for the

…Cash suspected to have been diverted after payment approval payment of compensation to many communities, was handled.

“The two key officials of NDPHC are being detained by the EFCC following their alleged involvement in bogus payment and diversion of about N850 million compensation to communities where the components of the power project were sited,” an EFCC source said last night.

“Investigation revealed that approval was granted for the payment of N84 billion to the communities where transmission lines of the power project are meant to be laid.

“Our team of investigators discovered that the money was not paid to the benefiting communities after the huge sum was officially signed off from the books.

“It was also discovered that though about N50 billion compensation was reportedly ‘paid’ to the communities, the contractors were driven away by the irate communities over non- payment of the same compensation which the NPDHC claimed to have paid.

“While Mr. Emefiele reportedly approved the payment of N850 million, Mr. Odigbo is said to have effected the payment of the compensation to the communities. The duo are being quizzed over the propriety of the matter.

Taken into detention by the EFCC with the two men, were the manag-

ing directors of two leading Nigerian engineering firms.

One of them is Richard Ayibiowu while the other is Christian Imoka.

Mr. Richard Ayibiowu is being detained in connection with the payment of N350 million to the communities.

Part of LOT 8 of the power project , Iheala Olu Transmission Line, was not executed by the firm due to the alleged claim of hostility by the communities while the sum of N350 million is recorded on government book as having been paid as compensation to the complaining community.

Similarly, another Chief Executive of an engineering firm, Christian Ejik Imoka, is being detained with the other three men over a controversial payment for N500 million contract.

He was detained in connection

with LOT 14 of the controversial power project, which ought to include Lekki Ajah Transmission Line, which was not executed while money was paid to that effect.

According to the EFCC top official, the detained officials were said to have failed to honour previous invitations from the commission.

The operatives went into action over the $16 b power project following lingering allegation that Nigeria did not get value for the huge sum expended by the Obasanjo administration.

It was further gathered that about $8.5 billion cash was taken from Excess Crude Account and made available to the NPDHC for the power project in 2006 but not much has come out of the cash payment, prompting Nigerians to call for probe.

his failure to provide concrete evidence to back his allegations that the election was marred with corrupt practices, rigging, irregularities and over voting.

The Tribunal similarly dismissed the petition filed by Muktar Kabiru of the PDP, challenging the victory of Abdulrazak Namdas of the APC. The petition filed by Olvadi Bema Madayi of the APC challenging the victory of the PDP’s Kwamoti Laori was also squashed by the Tribunal.

Reacting to the ruling, counsel to Adamawa State PDP Leonard Nzadon said: “The judgment is a victory for democracy and the rule of law, and parties that did not get a favourable hearing today can attest that it was fair to all parties.”

The Adamawa State legal adviser for the APC, Shagna Pwamaddi •Suspects; Adama Michael, driver and Michael Okonkwo, a local vigilante who alsaid, “The party would proceed to legedly stole materials valued at N200,000 belonging to one Ifeanyi Jideobi from appeal the cases they have lost.” his building site at Ntuku Ngbagu area of Ifite Awka

Jonathan’s ex-aide, Dudafa floors EFCC in court

F

ollowing the allegation of N1.6bn fraud, a Lagos Federal High Court on Thursday discharged and acquitted former President, Goodluck Jonathan’s ex-aide, Dr Waripamo Owei-Dudafa of an alleged involvement.

Justice Mohammed Idris in his judgment held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, failed to prove any of the 22-count charges levelled against

A Zimbabwean man, 42, on Tuesday, jumped to his death in the Lake Kariba, after thinking that his wife, who he beat up, had died.

Lake Kariba is the world’s largest man-made lake and reservoir by volume, reports Wikipedia.

The man, whose name was not revealed by police had reportedly thought that he had killed his wife following the assault, yet she had only lost consciousness.

National police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner, Paul Nyathi, confirmed that the man’s body was later recovered on the shores of Lake Kariba.

Nyathi said, “On August 27, 2019, around 12:00 p.m., a 42-year-old male adult in Kariba had a misunderstanding with his spouse at their residence.

“The male adult struck his wife with an unknown object and she lost consciousness.

“The man fled from the scene and his body was later found on the shores of Lake Kariba.

The woman was taken to hospital where she was treated and later discharged.

We reiterate that members of the public should not resort to violence when embroiled in domestic disputes.”

Man in court, for allegedly stealing employer’s N1.9m property

Tribunal confirms elections of senators Abbo, Yaroe T he Adamawa State Election Petition Tribunal has thrown out a petition filed by Binta Masi Garba and Mohammed Mo-Allahyidi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) seeking to upturn the victory of Ishaku Elisha Cliff Abbo and Binos Dauda Yaroe of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 2019 senatorial elections for both northern and southern Adamawa senatorial districts.

The Tribunal seating in Yola threw out both cases for lack of merit One of the petitioners, Masi Garba, had approached the Tribunal challenging the victory of Senator Abbo in the election over claims of irregularities.

Delivering the ruling Thursday, the lead Judge, Justice Suleiman Akanbi, said the petitioner failed to produce sufficient evidence to prove her case beyond a reasonable doubt, prompting him to dismiss the case for lack of merit.

The petitioner had earlier alleged that the respondent was not duly elected, alleging that the election was marred by widespread irregularities.

Similarly, the Tribunal upheld the election of the Senator Yaroe representing southern Adamawa, after it dismissed the petition filed by the former senator representing southern Adamawa, Mohammed Mo-Allahyidi.

The Justice Akambi led Election Tribunal dismissed the petition of APC candidate Mo-Allahyidi over

Man commits suicide, thinking wife he assaulted was dead

Owei-Dudafa beyond reasonable doubt.

In the 190-page judgment, Justice Mohammed said EFCC’s case was “based on suspicions” and suspicions “cannot take the place of legal evidence”.

The judge also observed that the anti-graft agency failed to call vital witnesses, including Jonathan and former NSA Sambo Dasuki, who could have helped its case.

“Why did the prosecution fail to call Sompre Omiebi to testify?” the judge queried.

The court also dismissed the EFCC’s claim that the bags delivered

by Dudafa to Jonathan contained dollars.

Justice Idris held that there was no proof for that.

“How did the prosecution know that the bags contained dollars?” the judge wondered again.

A

40-year-old man, Ope Tomori, who allegedly stole his employer’s property worth N1.9 million, was on Thursday brought before a Surulere Chief Magistrates’ Court, Lagos.

The defendant, of no fixed address, is charged with stealing, to which he pleaded not guilty.

The Police Prosecutor, Anthonia Osayande, told the court that the defendant committed the offence sometime in July, at No. 10, Adetayo Shode St., Aguda, Surulere, Lagos.

Osayande alleged that the defendant stole three laptops, a cutting machine, bouquet chairs, Ipad, wedding gowns, three gold rings, Bluetooth stereo and ATM cards worth N1.9 million.

She told the court that Tomori carted away the valuables of his employer, one Mrs Winifred Okafor.

According to the prosecutor, the offence violates Section 287 (7) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Oluyemisi Adelaja, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N300, 000, with two responsible sureties in like sum.

She said that the sureties must be gainfully employed, and must show evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government. Adelaja adjourned the case until Sept.

16, for trial.

37

The Oracle Today Friday August 30 - Tuesday September 3, 2019

SPORTS

Prince Oduah joins his ancestors, passed on Sunday

...As Chukwu, Ogufere, Paul Bassey others mourn him former national team captain and coach, Christian Chukwu, expressed shock on the demise of former member of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) Prince he Nigerian Football fraternity was thrown in mourning IsidoreOgujioforOduah, who passed on early hours of on Sunday when news filtered in that former member Sunday. of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) and Anambra According to Chukwu, the late Ochuche Prince in Ogbaru State Sports Council; Prince IsidoreOguejioforOduah, has Local Government Area of Anambra State was his boss joined his ancestors. both at Enugu Rangers and at National team. He described The news of Prince Oduah’s death hit those who know him as his father saying that Oduah was a member of the the man who is the founder of Red Carpet Advertising like thunderbolt as it was unexpected since nobody heard that he management of the Flying Antelope and Executive Board member of the then Nigeria Football Association (NFA) led was sick only to hear that he has passed on. by the late Sunny Dankaro.

The Anambra State born football administrator was once In the words: “Are you talking of my former boss, Prince the chairman of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club during IsidoreOduah? The former member of Anambra State Sports the early stage and played a key role in ensuring that Nigeria Council?The former board member of the then Nigeria football was taken to greater heights.

The news of Prince Oduah’s was broke by no other person Football Association? You have ruined my day with this sad than his daughter, Princess Gigi Ola (Nee Oduah), an engineer news,” Chukwu declared.

“This is not the type of news that I expect to hear today. I by profession when she called one of Prince Oduah’s bosom never heard he was sick. Was he sick? What really happened? friend, Sir Victor Enyinnaya, a veteran sports journalist.

He queried.

The late Prince Oduah, who had the privilege and honour “What killed the founder of the Red Carpet Advertising? I of presenting the then NFA’s gift item to the greatest am saddened with this bad news. He was so handsome that footballer to have bestrolled the planet earth, Edson Arantes we used to describe him as a beautiful man. He had the best do Nascimento alias Pele, when he first visited the country of dress sense. We used to admire him because he used to in 1967, was the first Advert Manager of Punch and Concord be at home with us both at the club level and at the national newspapers. team level. He believed so much in Enugu Rangers. His The Oracle Today Sports gathered that Prince Oduah’s service was selfless. corpse has been deposited in the mortuary pending when his “He contributed a lot to the development of Nigerian family will make public the burial arrangement in his native Ochuche, in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State. football in particular and Nigerian sports in general as he was first and foremost a sports administrator with very strong It is recalled that Oduah lost his half younger brother, bias in football administration. He was a part of the golden Prince Frank Oduah on the 15th of September, 2017 just few days after paying him a visit at his residence in Ikeja. The death era of Enugu Rangers. He was in the management team of the late Nze BCN Nzenwa that made Enough Rangers a of his younger brother was a devastating blow to the elder household name not only in Nigeria but on the continent. statesman as according to him, both of them were so close, He used to be very friendly with us (players) both at the club hence the effect of the sad news of his demise. It is equally and at national team level. recalled that prince Oduah had earlier suffered the loss of his “Nigeria Football has lost one of the best administrators. younger daughter, the wife of the former Nigerian Military It is my prayer that God will give his wife and the entire Attaché to Asia, Maj. Gen Aliyu (rted). family members the fortitude to bear the Irreparable lost.

Meanwhile, those who know or worked with the late And may his gentle soul rest in peace in Jesus name...Amen, Prince Oduah have expressed their shock over the death Chukwu prayed. of the veteran football administrator. Reacting to the sad While reacting to his death, the publisher of Vanguard, a news of the demise of the former Punch Advert Manager,

By MADUABUCHI KALU

T

Prince Oduah veteran journalist and personal friend of the late Prince Oduah, Sam AmukaPemu, could not believe that his friend has gone and started asking what he was still doing here on earth when most of his friends and mates have gone to the other side to be with their maker.

“Victor don’t say that. I hope this is not true. Don’t say this on the street of Ashkelon. What happened?

Was he sick? What am I still doing here? when my contemporaries and friend have gone to the other side to go and meet with their makers.

“I was Prince Oduah’s friend. Our friendship does not stem from the fact that we were mates but because he was one person who calls a spade by its name.”

Van Dijk, Bronze’re UEFA Men’s, women Players of Year

L

iverpool centre-back, Virgil van Dijk was on Thursday declared the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year, edging out Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, while Lucy Bronze took the women’s prize.

Dutchman Van Dijk starred as Liverpool won their sixth European Cup last season with a 2-0 Champions League final victory over Tottenham in Madrid.

“I need to thank my teammates, without them I would not have achieved what I have achieved,” Van Dijk told BT Sport.

“It’s been a long road and it’s part of my journey. I’m very proud to get this trophy. It’s a credit to everyone who has helped me.”

The 28-year-old is the first defender to win the award since the inaugural edition in 2010-11.

He moved to Liverpool from Southampton in January 2018 for a then-world record fee for a defender of £75 million ($91.4 million), immediately helping them reach that season’s Champions League final where they lost to Real Madrid.

But Van Dijk was a key figure as Liverpool won their first major trophy since 2012 last term, while also setting a club-record points tally in finishing second by a point behind Manchester City in the Premier League.

“I wasn’t 18 and went straight to the top.

Lyles breaks Bolt’s 200-metre Paris Diamond League meet record

N

oah Lyles of the United States set a meeting record for the 200 meters by clocking 19.65 seconds at the Diamond League in Paris on Saturday. The 22-year-old Lyles eclipsed Usain Bolt’s previous best meet time of 19.73 from 2013.

Noah Lyles’s time of 19.50 seconds in July makes him the fourth fastest man ever at the distance.

The world championship favourite Noah Lyles stormed to the year’s second fastest 200 metres, 19.65 seconds, as he returned to competition at the Paris Diamond League meeting on Saturday.

Reigning world champion RamilGuliyev of Turkey was more than three-tenths of a second adrift in 20.01 and Canadian Aaron Brown finished third in 20.13.

“When I was coming off the turn it felt like such a fast track, the fastest I’ve ever felt coming off

the turn,” said 22-year-old American Lyles who was running for the first time since winning the 200 at July’s U.S. championships.

“I’m coming off a loaded week in training so that gives me a lot of confidence,” Lyles said.

“I blinked and all of a sudden the race was over.”

Only Lyles has run faster this year, his time of 19.50 seconds in July makes him the fourth fastest man ever at the distance.

Lyles was asked whether he was thinking about Jamaican Usain Bolt’s 2009 world record of 19.19 seconds as he heads into next month’s world championships.

“It’s not about going after Bolt’s record or anything like that,” Lyles said. “But when we get there, we’re willing to go after any record.”

I had to work every step of the way,” added Van Dijk, who was also part of the Netherlands side who lost the inaugural Nations League final to Ronaldo’s Portugal.

Messi and Ronaldo had claimed five of the previous eight awards between them, with Andres Iniesta (2012), Franck Ribery (2013) and Luka Modric (2018) completing the winners’ list.

Full-back Bronze won the Women’s Champions League title with Lyon before helping England reach the women’s World Cup semi-finals.

The 27-year-old Bronze is the first English player to win either of the UEFA player of the year titles.

38

The Oracle Today Friday August 30 - Tuesday September 3, 2019

SPORTS

CAF Champions League: Enyimba taught Rahimo bitter soccer lesson

By MADUABUCHI KALU

D

espite playing inside empty stadium, two time African champions, Enyimba International Football Club of Aba Sunday taught visiting Rahimo Football Club of Benin Republic a bitter soccer lesson as the Aba elephant pummeled them to a 5-0 defeat to bring the aggregate score line to 5-1 having handed a slim 1-0 to the people’s elephant in the first leg encounter.

With this result the Abia State financed two-time continental champions have qualified for the next round of the CAF Champions League after a 5-0 win over Rahimo FC on Sunday.

The match was played inside an empty Enyimba International Stadium league for any Super Eagles’ as the Nigerian club was serving a CAF manager to tap from. sanction but a brace each from Reuben “I was blessed to work with Bala and Stanley Dimgba was enough the late AmoduShuaibu, Austin for fans and supporters Eguavoen and late Stephen Keshi, consolation of the most successful club side in the and I know their enthusiasm country. when it comes to the homeThe entertaining game saw Rahimo

Amokachi blames administrators on lack of home-base in Eagles ...Says “they give foreign coaches instructions on what to do”

By MADUABUCHI KALU with Agency Report

T

here is no gain saying that many Nigerians are not happy that Super Eagles’ Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr, does not make home-based players a part of the national team set-up as only unused former Enyimba, IfeanyiUbah goalkeeper, IkechukwuEzenwa is the only home based player that was a part of the squad that represented the country in the 2018 Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) World Cup in Russia.

The Imo-State born goal tender was also the only home based player that made the cut for the June/July Africa Cup of Nations that held in Egypt. And one of those who are not happy with the way things are is former captain and assistant coach, Daniel Amokachi.

The Benue State-born former striker instead of blaming the foreign coaches that have shown their disdain for home based players has come out to heap the blame on the administrator for the inability of stars in the local league to make the

transition into the mainstream Super Eagles being managed by foreigners.

It is recalled that the Gernot Rohr managed Super Eagles competed at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, where they claimed the tournament’s bronze medal at the end of the tournament, but Amokachi said the decision to give room for only one home-based star – goalkeeper IkechukwuEzenwa – in the squad of 23 was the handiwork of the football administrators.

“It has to do with the administrators because they are the ones that give the coaches coming to the country instructions on what to do, and conditions to work with,” Amokachi began.

It is recalled that the late Stephen Keshi who managed Nigeria to her last AFCON triumph in 2013 prosecuted that championship with six players from the Nigeria league: goalkeeper ChigozieAgbim, defenders AzubuikeEgwueke, Godfrey Oboabona, midfielder Reuben Gabriel and forwards EjikeUzoenyi and Sunday Mba. Amokachi insists there is enough quality in the local

based players because they all came through the ranks.

“That’s the difference between them and those coming from outside. Most people coming from outside are not Nigerians, they are not passionate about the players playing at home, they are just here to do their job and get paid, not like our own who are passionate on developing the players back home.

“They know the talents that Nigerians possess, especially if you go deep; we have the quality that can help.

“In 2013, we practically won the AFCON with home-based players. They qualified us for the championship and won it for us.

“Four or five players from the Nigerian league were starting games and that says a lot about the coach. “But everyone knows how these foreign coaches go about their job and you can’t blame them.

Ronaldo hints on retirement next year

By MADUABUCHI KALU with Agency Report

P

ortuguese and Juventus superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo, who has continued to play at the highest level at even the age of 34, when many other players in that age called it quit, has hinted on the possibility of his retiring from the sport that has given him fame and wealth.

The five time World Footballer of the year, last week opened up about when the world should expect to see him hang up his boots, and it might be earlier than expected.

Ronaldo hinted at retiring after this season while also opening up to the possibility of playing for several more years in an interview with Portuguese channel TVI. “I’ve already broken so many records, but there are other priorities in life. I have

FC reduced to 10-man as ZononIssouf got a red card before Reuben Bala scored the opener in the 32nd minute to take a 1-0 lead into half time.

Enyimba increased the tally two minutes after the restart through Stanley Okoro. Stanley Dimgba made it 3-0 for Enyimba in the 79th minute but they were not done yet, as Bala completed his brace six minutes from time.

That also was not the last but Dimgba scored the fifth to ensure the Peoples Elephant advance to the next round of the CAF Champions League with a 5-0 win.

Meanwhile, just Enyimba qualified for the next stage of the championship, Nigeria’s other representatives, Kano Pillars Kano Pillars crashed out of the competition 4-3 on aggregate, after losing 2-0 to Asante Kotoko away on Sunday.

The former NPFL champions won the first leg 3-2 in Kano two weeks ago but could not score a goal that would have seen them through to the next stage of the competition like their Enyimba compatriots.

Re-match: Don’t be distracted Oboh admonishes Joshua

By MADUABUCHI KALU with agency report

F

ormer British Commonwealth and WBO Light Heavyweight Boxing Champion, Peter Oboh, has advised Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz over the rematch that is guaranteed to remain a boxing history for life.

Andy Ruiz Jr’s trainer, Manny Robles has revealed frustrations over a delay in the start of camp for their rematch with Anthony Joshua.

After knocking out Britain’s unified heavy weight champion and taking his titles in June, the Mexican-American must now defend against him again later this year in Saudi Arabia.

Speaking against this backdrop, Oboh who dropped boxing gloves for the Bible believes the distraction that led to Joshua losing to Ruiz in their first encounter is beginning to rear its ugly head again.

a big family, with a wife and children involved. Is it worth sacrificing it all? God only knows. I don’t know, maybe I could end my career next year but I could also play until I’m 40 or 41. What I always tell myself: ‘enjoy the moment.’”

Ronaldo, who turns 35 in February, has shown no signs of slowing down. After scoring 450 goals in 438 matches at Real Madrid, he moved to Juventus last year and had a fine first season with 28 goals in 43 games after a slow start. In superior shape, he’s much like ZlatanIbrahimovic in that he could continue to deliver for several more years. Whether that is in Europe or somewhere else remains to be seen, but there’s no doubt he has more left in the tank than just a year.

“I know I’m already in the history of football,” Ronaldo said. “I know that I’m

“Joshua should not be distracted, whether Ruiz fights him or not because before he lost to Ruiz in their last match, similar thing transpired which led to Ruiz being the preferred opponent.

It is believed that such situation which played itself out is manifesting again.

“The issue of who should fight Joshua at that time affected his concentration in his fight preparation which later spelled doom for him. This time, I advise Joshua should be wiser, believe that his fight against Ruiz has been concluded and make up his mind that it is Ruiz he is fighting and nobody else.

Let his concentration be so deep.

Joshua should prepare himself very well and be ready at all times as if the fight will happen any time soon and be 100 per cent focused. Again I admonish Joshua to handle the latest feud between him and Lenox Lewis with high wisdom and stay away from arguments with him or any one for that matter.

one of the best in my field but that is not by chance ... It’s about the challenge. I still feel motivated to win individual and collective trophies, and if I wasn’t, I would end it.”

The former Manchester United man has seen his role change at the club level, playing more centrally in attack than on the wing. He hasn’t lost his pace but is certainly a little bit past his prime. It’s not unreasonable to think he can hit the 40-goal mark this season, even when playing against defensive-minded clubs in Italy. Retiring next year seems unlikely, even if he manages to play Euro 2020 and lead Portugal to victory. If he continues playing, the 2022 World Cup would almost certainly be his last, but for a player that is always in fifth gear, whose to say he can’t play into his 40 and still put the ball in the back of the net?

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The Oracle Today Friday August 30 - Tuesday September 3, 2019

SPORTS Bradley almost took his Life after fight with Pacquiao

By MADUABUCHI KALU with Agency Report

F

Sports Minister vows to make MKO Abiola National Stadium Eagles’ fortress

By MADUABUCHI KALU

S

unday Dare, the newly inaugurated Sports and Youth Development Minister, has vowed to turn around the fortunes of the MKO Abiola Stadium Abuja soon to enable it host matches involving the Super Eagles.

The Hon. Minister of Sports and Youth Development made the Dare, made the vow during his inspection tour of the facility, even as he promised to renovate the stadium’s pitch and other facilities to enable it host Super Eagles’ and other international matches.

“I think what I have seen here is impressive. This facility is first class and Nigerians should be proud of it. What we intend to do is to bring it up to a 100 percent usage and capacity. There have been funding challenges, and I have just been sworn in as minister. I have been briefed, and we are going to be innovative in trying to see how we can get extra

funding.

“We are going to prioritise the football pitch. I don’t want to put a time frame to it, but it will be sufficient to say that it is right at the top of my agenda because we know it will take some time. Nigerians are interested and want Super Eagles matches to be played in Abuja, and the stadium will be ready soon,” Dare stated.

Speaking further, Minister Dare said: “I am looking at the pitch with a sense of revenue generating possibility, through advertising in line with other stadia all over the world, where different companies advertise. A lot of revenues can come from there. We are thinking outside the box.”

The Honourable Minister stated categorically that the football pitch of the stadium would receive priority attention saying, “I’m going to be a minister for youth development and minister for sports development. I understand that soccer is loved by most Nigerians.”

2020 Olympic Qualifiers: Dennerby reveals squad for Nigeria trip to Algeria

By MADUABUCHI KALU

S

uper Falcons coach, Thomas Dennerby, Saturday, named the country’s 18-player squad on for the 2019 Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games qualifiers against Algeria this week.

The Nigeria delegation of 18 players and seven officials departed the country from the NnamdiAzikwe International Airport, Abuja on Saturday night to Algiers via Istanbul.

The 18-woman list,who made the trip to Algeria are composed of two goalkeepers, six defenders, five midfielders and five strikers.

The home-based dominated squad includes TochukwuOluehi, Cecilia Nku, OsasIgbinovia, Glory Ogbonna, Alice Ogebe, Philip Lola and AmarachiOkoronkwo.

Others who made coach Dennerby’s list include Christy Ohiaeraku, Blessing Edoho, RafiatSule, and EmenayoUgochi.

The Super Falcons will play the second round, first leg against Algeria at the Stade Mustapha Tchaker, Blida on August 28.

On a return from the first leg, they will be joined by six foreign-based players - AsisatOshoala, NgoziOkobi, NgoziEbere, RasheedatAjibade, Francisca Ordega and OshinachiOhale in Lagos.

The return leg will be played at the Agege Stadium on September 3.

Tunisia can host T/Tennis Africa Olympic qualifiers –TTTF President

T

he President of Tunisia Table Tennis Federation (TTTF), LotfiGuerfel, has declared that Tunisia has the capacity to host the African Olympic qualifying tournament in table tennis for Tokyo 2020.

Guerfel made the assertion while speaking on the Africa Table Tennis Federation (ATTF) decision on Sunday to hand over the hosting right to the country.

“We have the required experience to stage a world-class tournament and the Olympic qualifying tournament will not be an exception.

“We will be hosting the Africa Top 16 Cup as well and we are ready to welcome the whole continent,’’ he said.

Madagascar is expected to host the 2020 Africa Cadet and Junior Championships, while Cameroun will stage the African Senior Championships Tunisia was chosen ahead of Algeria during the 33rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) of ATTF held in Rabat, Morocco on Sunday.

The Oracle Today Sports reports that eight of the 13 delegates voted for Tunisia, while five voted for Algeria.

The Oracle Today Sports reports that Egypt that has

secured the sole slot for the team event for Africa for the Tokyo 2020.

Two Egyptian players are expected to compete in the singles and doubles event of the Tokyo Olympic Games.

The qualifying tournament in Tunisia will produce another four males and four females to complete the African slots for the Olympic Games in Japan.

Nigeria lost the team events slot to Egypt in the men and women’s categories at the final of the 12th African Games with Egypt winning the two gold medals.

Nigeria lost to Egypt 3-2 in the male and female events respectively.

Africa’s highest ranked player, Nigeria’s ArunaQuadri will be joined by players from Tunisia, Congo Brazzaville and others at the qualifying tournament in Tunisia.

ormer world boxing champion, Timothy Bradley, has just admitted he almost took his own life after his first fight with Manny Pacquiao.

Bradley and Pacquiao have had three epic battles inside the boxing ring. While all three fights were remarkable, the first bout was the most notable one for Bradley. And despite defeating the Filipino legend in the said fight, Bradley revealed that the criticisms that came after it made him to almost take his own life.

In an exclusive interview with “Fair Game,” Bradley recalled clearly how horrifying the first fight with Pacquiao was.

According to the former champion, Pacquiao was a “beast” and at the same a legend in the sport. He even described the feeling of fighting the boxing icon similar to fighting King Kong because the hype of the fight was so nerve-racking. But nevertheless, Bradley admitted that the fight with Pacquiao was the turning point of his career.

“It was like the moment that I’ve been waiting on my whole career ,” Bradley said.

AG: Nigeria storm to 6th on medals table

By MADUABUCHI KALU with agency report igeria’s representatives to the ongoing 12th All Africa Games otherwise known as ‘Team Nigeria’on Sundaywon additional threegold medals to move from 11th position to sixth on the medals table.

On day 10 of the event, Team Nigeria won gold in badminton mixed double, basketball 3×3 women and weightlifting.

While the team scored 21-20 against Mali in basketball, they won 3-0 in badminton – 2-1, 2-0 and 2-0 in three sets.

The country now have 13 medals, consisting of four gold, three silver and six bronze.

Egypt maintain their lead with 77 medals, followed

by South Africa (second) with 50 medals, and Morocco (third) with 40 medals.

Nigeria’s previous gold medal came from taekwondo.

In the 11th edition held in 2015 and hosted by Congo Brazzaville, Nigeria clinched 47 gold, 55 silver and 42 bronze medals to finish second on the medals table.

It is expected that before the end of the tournament, Team Nigeria will breach the gap by winning additional medal particularly in athletics where Blessing Okagbare and Divine Oborodudu are expected to win more medals in the tracks and field which begun on Monday.

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Iwuala faults Ihedioha’s plan to build 27 stadia

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n Owerri-based lawyer, Mr. Emperor Iwuala, has faulted plans by Gov. EmekaIhedioha of Imo to build 27 stadiums across the state.

Iwuala said in statement made available to newsmen in Owerri on Monday that the plan would was unproductive.

He said that the plan to build stadium in every local government area would be a misplaced priority.

The lawyer advised the governor to rather channel the state’s funds toward upgrading the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri.

He said that though sports development was good, ideas geared toward the direction should be well thought out to avoid misplacement of priorities.

“The governor should analyse well before embarking on such a project; if he thinks it is a priority, he should upgrade the Dan Anyiam Stadium.

“He should equip the stadium and install both floodlights and colorful scoreboards,” he said.

Iwuala urged the governor to build training pitches and renovate the Grasshoppers International Handball Stadium, Owerri.

“Imo lacks maintenance culture, building such stadiums in all the local government will not be meaningful to the state.

“The priority issues in the state for now should be payment of pensions, salaries and rehabilitation of road for easy movement,” he said.

He also urged the governor to invest in security, healthcare deliver and power supply to boost investment.

WEDNESDAY August 30 - September 3, 2019

The

www.oraclenews.ng

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PORTS is war. An international war at that! But, a war without shooting. Have you seen youngies arguing a sporting event, hundreds of miles away from them?

In the pitch of soccer, wrestling or table tennis, there is no fairness, each person or group wants to carry the Trophy, right? You can see the jealousy, boastfulness and what have you, all targeted to win laurels.

While winning, countrymen forgot their sorrows, faiths, creeds and races in solidarity, but when losing, then, bitterness, ethnicity, creed, hatred and the sorts would be played up. Was the popular ‘sporting spirit or spirit of sportsmanship’ without envy and jealousy to win? Is there anything like patriotism, and nationalism in sports or is it farce?

At the international stage, countries support their sports stars men and women alike all through, hence, Serena Williams resolute outing at Toronto to strip Japanese born Naomi Osaka her World ranking title as number one in Tennis. Osaka disgraced Serena for three times and most painful was US Open final where she was docked a point and a game. Osaka’s victory was for Japanese, while that of Serena was for America.

America supported Serena in and out in solidarity to win back her world title as number one in the world.

Is same scene obtainable in Nigeria? Are our sports men and women proud of adorning our colours? Where are our retired former sports men and women with international laurels today after years of toil for the nation? Are people in sports administration in Nigeria capable? Are families of late sports heroes treated fairly in Nigeria?

Nigeria’s mercurial midfielder, Samuel Sochukwuma Okwaraji slumped and died 30 years ago, precisely August 12, 1989. He marks his 55th posthumous birthday. He died on the pitch of the National Stadium, Surulere Lagos on August 12, 1989, FIFA World Cup qualifying match between Nigeria’s Green Eagles and the Palancas Negras of Angola. He was to Nigeria what Pele is to Brazil. He was gone, but not forgotten. He lives on. He was one of Nigeria’s finest in the pitch of soccer. He died at 25 years of what doctors said was congestive heart failure in the 77th minute. An autopsy showed that he had an enlarged heart and high blood pressure from possible complications of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Whatever that means!

Okwaraji was an international professional footballer. He was a qualified lawyer with a masters in international law from the Pontifical Lateran University of Rome. He was on his Doctorate Degree before his demise.

He was the highest educated footballer for all times in Nigeria. He played in Europe for AS Roma (1984-1985), NK Dinamo Zagreb (1985-1986), Austria Klagenfurt (1986-1987), VfB Stuttgart (1987-1989) and SSV Ulm 1846 (loan) (1987-1988) to mention but a few. The Coordinator, Sam Okwaraji Remembrance, Oko Emmanuel, lamented that Okwaraji’s mother was living in a shameful abode, even as the tomb of the late footballer in Umudioka, Orlu, Imo State had been abandoned.

Sam’s over 90 years old mother has opened a school in Enugu in memory of his late son.

Can’t that school be taken to the next level?

His mother, Madam Janet Nkechi Okwaraji, and brethren including community and country lost Okwaraji forever. All the efforts by the mom to enjoy from her son went down the drains. All his certificates and feats died with him, yet no one was concerned, not even Senator David Mark who represented the then Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida. Babangida himself with

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racle Today

VOX POPULI SACRUM

ISSN: 2545-5869

Sam Okwaraji: Mark’s unkind oversight, Ekweremadu’s silence (1) CORNUCOPIA

By ODOGWU EMEKA ODOGWU Telephone number: 08060750240 E-mail : odogwuchampionawka@yahoo.co.uk

•Ike Ekweremadu

•Sam Okwaraji

all his wealth stood aloof 30 years counting, despite the media attention yearly. He did nothing to the Okwaraji’s. What an irony!

Igbo people in Babangida’s cabinet like Kalu.

I. Kalu; Major General Ike Nwachukwu and Senator Uche Chukwumerije to mention but a few failed Okwaraji’s family.

Mark who was already a full blown star Brigadier General of the Nigerian Army in 1989, later became the Senate President and one of the longest serving Senators in Nigeria. He was in Nigeria’s senate from 1999 until 2019, yet his conscience allowed him to answer David and Mark, even Bonaventure, Christian names? Where is your conscience David Mark? How could you be so insensitive? Was it because Okwaraji was an Igbo born star footballer? Would same treatment be meted on someone not from Igbo race, same measure?

I was shocked recently that Senator Mark was the man who made such promises we were told during our vacation class in 1989 when I was in Primary 6 at New Layout Primary School 2, Abakaliki by our Master, Mr Vincent Nwufo, from Enugu-Ukwu. I am 42 years today, yet Mark was still in power enjoying everything and a little crumbs could not get to Okwaraji’s family. What has he done with all these money accumulated in

the Nigerian Army and the Senate where he was Senate President for 8 years from 2007 to 2015? Remember, he was the military Governor of Niger State from 1984 to 1986 and later, the Minister of Communications with NIPOST and NITEL under him in 1989.

What is money if not for service to humanity? He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in 1970 and became a Captain in 1971 and before 1989, already a General.

David Alechenu Bonaventure Mark, GCON, made some promises on behalf of the Supreme Ruling Council as Minister for Communications. Mark promised that Okwaraji’s national team jersey shall retire. His jersey was with inscription of Number 6.

That never happened, as other footballers wore that after. He said Federal Government would build a stadium in Okwaraji’s community in Umudioka, Orlu, Imo State.

That was an empty promise too. They promised Sam’s brothers and sisters scholarships to complete their education and jobs on completion of their studies. But nothing like that happened whereas Hundreds of thousands have gotten Federal scholarships and jobs unmerited. Babangida and Mark were the key players and still call some shots in Nigeria of today, why can’t they remedy this sore thumb?

Federal Government reneged even with Mark in the Senate for 20 years as a senator and later Senate President. Why would it be so? Was it because Okwaraji was an Igbo man? Okwaraji’s mother lived in penury thereafter and Mark still parades himself as a Christian from Idoma, though a polygamous with about five wives despite that Mrs. Kate Mark is the official woman. He has also Omale, Helen and Randa as well as Priye. In year 2000, his divorce case was high profile.

Unfortunately, he had no moral burden a true Christian would have if he was part of such high profile promises that gone awry from Federal Government to Okwaraji’s aged mother who continued to live in abject poverty, misery and deprivation till recently, when an Anglican Priest, Reverend Canon Frankline Mmor from Anambra state and his Crusader for Justice and Peace through Non Violent means and Fellow International Human Rights remembered the poor stricken woman. They mobilized fund, went to market and refurbished her home in what he tagged ‘Project Sam’. Fada Frank as he is popularly called mobilized his Facebook friends and Compassionate Hearts to wipe the 30 years tears of Late Sam’s mother for the first time. They painted the house, changed doors, tiled the floor and bought food stuff for the woman because the home was in ruins, dilapidated, decrepit and abandoned. He described the fate of Okwaraji’s mother as height of hypocrisy with Nigerian leaders.

Mark wasn’t the President or Head of State, but, what did he do on a personal note having been the messenger of such Federal Government delegation to Imo State in 1989? Did he brief Babangida known for his large heart on this properly? Was there a memo to that effect after his delegation to the burial? Did he use his good offices in the ruling body then, or later in the senate to rally round the Federal Government of Major General Ibrahim Babangida as Head of State and others after him like Ernest Shonekan, Sani Abacha etc? And as a Senate President, did he present it to Chief Olusegun Obasanjo; Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua ; Dr Goodluck Ebere Jonathan and General Muhammadu Buhari? Was he able on a personal note to remember the family with employment then? That would have been as easy as ABC for him. He failed Okwaraji and his family at that critical time. At his death, he left behind aged mother and five brothers and two Sisters, having lost his father at a tender age of 6, shortly after the Civil war. Sam was fourth in their family.

Mr Patrick Okwaraji, elder brother of the late Super Eagles’ midfielder succinctly put what happened to them after Sam’s death thus: ‘’…all our dreams and aspirations were buried with my brother, Sam. We were heartbroken”. His labours for his country could be said to be in vain unless David Mark changes the equation today. Will he?

I was told Late Sam was happy to adorn Nigeria’s colour and not money. I was told too, he was given a state burial. I was told none of the promises made at his grave side were fulfilled.

The Oracle Today is published by The Oracle Newspapers Limited. Head Office: 116 Awka Road, Onitsha. Lagos Office: 25 Remi Fani-Kayode Street, GRA Ikeja. Abuja Office: 1st Floor, Plateau House, Central Business District, Abuja, FCT. ISSN: 2545-5869 Email: oracletoday2016@yahoo.com, Twitter: @oraclenews.ng Facebook: oraclenews.ng@facebook.com Website: www.oraclenews.ng Advert hot lines: 09078310060, 09061836916. Editor: FELIX OGUEJIOFOR ABUGU.