October 07, 2015

Newspaper of the Year

Buhari hails UK, others Page for backing 4 loot recovery

•Terrorism suspect Okah attempts suicide in court P5 •No plan to seek political office, says Aliko Dangote P7 •Missing ex-Lagos council chair found dead in Makkah P9 •Reps reject agency’s bid to hike electricity tariff P4 •Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

VOL. 10, NO. 3359 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

•www.thenationonlineng.net

TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH

N150.00

Boko Haram ‘financier’ held

Diezani: I’m vindicated, says Oshiomhole

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From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

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DO State Governor Adams Oshiomhole yesterday spoke on the arrest in London of former Petroleum Resources Minister Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.

Mrs. Alison-Madueke and her brothers, who are directors of Hadley Petroleum Solutions Limited, were arrested for alleged bribery and money laundering. No charges have been preferred against them.

Oshiomhole, who has been outspoken against fraud in former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, has been under attack in the social media for his views. Now, according to him, he is vindicated.

Speaking with State House correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, the governor said Alison-Madueke’s Continued on page 6

•From left: Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, his Deputy, Mrs. Oluranti Adebule, Lagos Central Senator Oluremi Tinubu and Oba Rilwan Akiolu of Lagos , during the maiden edition of the governor’s Quarterly Town Hall meeting to render account of his stewardship at the Abesan Mini Stadium, Abesan Housing Estate, Ipaja, Lagos…yesterday.

STORY ON PAGE 9

PHOTO: OMOSEHIN MOSES

SUSPECTED Boko Haram financier was yesterday arrested by troops in Borno State.

He was caught with cash and goods meant for the sect members, the military said.

Acting Army spokesman Col. Sani Usman said N1million cash and other items were found on the suspect.

“Troops have intercepted and arrested a suspected Boko Haram financier and stimulants dealer … in Bama, Bama Local Government Area of Borno.

“The suspect, who hails from Ngurosoye from Shuari village in Bama, was arrested with the sum of one million naira cash and some Continued on page 6

•INSIDE: BRITISH ECONOMIST TO GOVT: INVEST PENSION ASSETS IN INFRASTRUCTURE P3

Nominees upbeat as PDP, LP condemn Buhari’s list Senate begins screening Oct. 13

TRUCKS OF TRAUMA

From Onyedi Ojiabor, Abuja

S

ENATE President Abubakar Bukola Saraki yesterday unveiled the long-awaited presidential ministerial nominees.

There are 21 nominees from 21 states. Three women are listed.

Some of the nominees expressed optimism about the team and their readiness to deliver the good government desired by the people.

Former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi described his nomination as “a call to service and good governance”.

Another nominee and former Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi said: “It’s about change. We are going to offer real change.”

But the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lampooned the list, saying it was not excited by it.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary Olisa Metuh, the PDP said: "By a mere look at the list, one can tell that there is nothing to be excited about, especially considering the length of time it took the President to come up with it.

"Looking at the list, it is WILL THE hard to put a finger on why CHIBOK GIRLS EVER it should take any seriousRETURN? Continued on page 6

?

•The scene of a trailer accident in Oshodi, Lagos mainland...yesterday.

Two feared dead in Oshodi tanker fire •P AGE 52 •PA

•The scene of another accident, that of a tanker also in Oshodi...yesterday.

PHOTOS: ISAAC JIMOH AYODELE AND RAHMAN SANUSI

•POLITICS P13 •SPORT P20 •MONEY P22 •INVESTORS P24 •PENSION P34 •FOREIGN P53

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

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NEWS

Mixed •Chairman of the Occasion/Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola (second left), Vice Chancellor, Bowen University, Prof. Matthew Ojo (left); Deputy Vice Chancellor Prof. John Akande (second right) and Secretary to the State Government, (SSG), Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, at the First Distinguished Personality Lecture, organised by the Department of Political Science & Diplomatic Studies, Bowen University, Iwo, Osun State...yesterday. Story on page 10.

For four months, the nation was in suspense as it awaited President Muhammadu Buhari's ministerial list. Some people have hailed the list, describing it as befitting of the country at this crucial time; others are of the view that there is no justification for the long wait as the list does not spring any surprise.

Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU examines the politics of nomination, the gaps and how these can be bridged by the supplementary list.

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•From left: Chairman, Afrinvest (West Africa) Limited, Godwin Obaseki; President, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; Managing Director, Afrinvest, Ike Chioke and Chairman, Forte Oil, Mr. Femi Otedola, at the launch of Afrinvest Nigerian Banking Sector Report and 20th anniversary of the firm in Lagos…yesterday.

•From left: Chairman, World Pension Summit, Mr. Harry Smorenberg; Managing Director, Centenary City Ltd, Dr Odenigwe Michaels; Director-General, Nigerian Stock Exchange, Mr. Oscar Onyema; Director-General, National Pension Commission (PenCom), Mrs. Chinelo Anohu-Amazu; Summit co-Chairman, Mr. Eric Eggink and Managing Director, Quantum Global, Mr. Franck Behiblo, at the World Pension Summit Africa Special in Abuja...yesterday.

•Managing Director, NICON Insurance Limited, Mr. Bayode Samuel (left), receiving Africa’s Patriotic Personality & Corporate Mandate Delivery Merit awards of the League of African Development Students (LEADS) from Mr Mbatsav Kennedy in Abuja... yesterday.

ILL there be change across the ailing sectors in the foreseeable future? The answer to this puzzle could be found in the composition of the proposed Federal Executive Council (FEC). The ministerial list, which was submitted to the Senate last week, was read to senators yesterday by Senate President Bukola Saraki. Predictably, opinion is divided on the list. Many stakeholders have hailed the motivation and wisdom of President Muhammadu Buhari in selecting the team of ministers and special advisers. It is his prerogative. But, eyebrows have also been raised in some quarters. Thus, the list has elicited mixed feelings.

To observers, what is most striking is not what has changed, but what has remained the same.

Change, according to the All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders, is on course. But, the ministerial list springs no surprise. To Nigerians who believe that the list is not beyond expectation, the endless suspense and anxiety, ahead of its release, appear unjustifiable after all.

Their argument is that there is nothing to suggest that the proposed FEC will be a cabinet of new blood, bubbling with fresh ideas and perspectives about governance.

Some Nigerians have an axe to grind with the President over his delay. They have pointed out that his go-slow approach to the cabinet composition was borne out of his distrust of ministers. Others said that it is a flashback to his military days, characterised by his undiluted belief in the civil servants as natural allies of the military. Critics have also alluded to his alleged disparaging remarks about the role of ministers, following his description of ministers as noise makers with diminishing utility value. But, the Presidency said such description as one of Buhari’s many jokes. According to the Presidency, the President, who once served as a Petroleum Resources Minister, could not has disparaged ministers as noise makers. “It was a joke to which we all had a very good laugh,” the Presidency explained.

But, those applauding the list point out that it is a mixture of credible old and young veterans in political activism and administration. Since they were not found wanting in their previous assignments as governors, ministers, commissioners and party leaders, their robust past may have a predictive value. There appears to be a consensus of opinion that all the nominees are eminently qualified because they have good antecedents, pedigrees and predictable politicoadministrative dispositions.

Fundamentally, many of them -

Chief Audu Ogbeh, Dr. Chris Ngige, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, Amina Mohammed, Adebayo Shittu, Udo Udoma, Lai Mohammed and Kemi Adeosun - have made their marks as technocrats, although their subsequent political involvement have overshadowed their initial callings as professionals in their fields of endeavours. Therefore, they can be classified as technocrats in politics.

However, critics who have beamed a searchlight on the list said although the selection may have been thorough, it was not wide. For example, they pointed out that the nominee from Ogun State has just been re-nominated as a commissioner. Is there a shortage of manpower in Ogun State that one person is nominated for federal and state appointments? , some have asked.

The list may have doused the tension and fear of marginalisation and seclusion unleashed, as it were, on some regions. Therefore, the cabinet is expected to have a national outlook, contrary to the unfounded fear of ethnic chauvinists, who have berated the President for lack of sensitivity to federal character when he appointed his personal aides.

But, the grouse of analysts is that the list is not a pointer to the economic direction of the APC-led administration, which has remained elusive. Already, stakeholders are boxed into the second phase of political anxiety. Nigerians eagerly looks forward to the second list. The first list has paled into a fractional list. It is made up of 21 nominees, thereby falling short of the constitutional requirement that the President must pick a minister from each of the 36 states. Will the second, and hopefully, the final list, throw up technocrats outside politics, who can rev the national economic engine to prosperity?

Besides, the President has been criticised for a sort of policy confusion. He has hinted that he will retain the Petroleum Resources portfolio, although the Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, may be assigned the minister of state’s portfolio. A precedent was set by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who oversaw the operations of the ministry for the eight years his tenure lasted.

But, are some questions are begging for answers: will President Buhari as a minister-nominee, appear before the Senate for screening and confirmation? Why is the President singling out the Petroleum Ministry? Are other ministries less important? These enquiries represent

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

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NEWS

feelings trail ministerial list ‘Nothing to be excited about’, says PDP

•Mohammed

•Ehanire

•Fashola

•Kachikwu

•Fayemi

•Ogbonnaya

•Mrs. Adeosun •Ngige

•Malami

•Dalung

•Ibeto

•Udo-Udoma

•Alhassan

•Amaechi

‘

•Ogbe

•Mrs. Mohammed •Dambazau

Lai Mohammed Abubakar Malami Adebayo Shittu Suleiman Adamu Ahmed Ibeto Ogbonnaya Onu Solomon Dalong

•Shittu

Chibuike Amaechi Abdurahman Dambazzau Udoma Udo Udoma Chris Ngige Hadi Sirika Ibe Kachikwu Ehanire

one side of a coin. The other side of the argument is that the President takes responsibility for the actions and inactions of the government.

Therefore, those who support the President’s decision on the petroleum ministry believe that it has justification because the President is the Chief Minister and overall chief accounting officer of the federation,

•Sirika

Babatunde Fashola Aisha Alhassan Ibrahim Jubrin Kemi Adeosun Audu Ogbeh Amina Mohammed Kayode Fayemi.

who only delegates responsibilities to members of the FEC. There appears to be a paradigm shift. In the last 16 years, governors nominated ministers. When they parted ways, following irreconcilable political differences, the governors turned the heat on the ministers. Governors often claimed that they were state party leaders, financiers and

•Adamu

custodians of formidable party structures required for winning elections. Governors on the platform of the PDP constituted an influential bloc within the hierarchy of the party before it was dislodged. As power brokers, they often misused the privilege, thereby justifying their characterisation as lords of the manor. Under the PDP, gov-

Nigerians eagerly looks forward to the second list. The first list has paled into a fractional list. It is made up of 21 nominees, thereby falling short of the constitutional requirement that the President must pick a minister from each of the 36 states.

TO the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), there was nothing cheery in the list of 21 names read yesterday on the floors of the Senate as nominees to be screened for ministerial appointments.

PDP’s spokesman Olisa Metuh said President Buhari ought not to have waited for months to assemble what he called a “regular team”.

In a statement, Metuh said the calibre of people on the list has put a question mark on the President’s anti-graft crusade.

The statement reads: “ By a mere look at the list, one can tell that there

is nothing to be excited about, especially considering the length of time it took the President to come up with it.

“Looking at the list, it is hard to put a finger on why it should take any serious-minded and focused government, six months after its election to assemble such a regular team.

“The list and the length of time it took have further confirmed the fact that the APC-led administration is driven by propaganda and deceit, a development that raises doubts on the sincerity of its anti-corruption crusade.”

ernors and ministers were not best of friends. They did not see themselves as partners in progress but rivals battling for the soul of the ruling party in their respective states.

They also competed for the attention of the President. An observed says President’s Buhari may have shut out the governors in the selection of the would-be FEC members to avoid the pitfalls of the immediate past.

One of the consequences of allowing governors to solely nominate ministers is that competence is sacrificed on the altar of loyalty as eminently qualified individuals are often edged out because they are perceived as foes and seen not to be in the good books of the governors. In the past, where ministerial nominees by governors failed to scale through, the governors may not see eye to eye with ministers outside their caucuses or camps. The reason was that many senators have used their ministerial positions as stepping stones to challenge their benefactors, thereby threatening the governors’ second term ambitions and the privilege to anoint successors. Usually, there was a clash of ambitions.

Former ministers have complained that senatorial endorsement on the floor during screening by the three senators from their states may not come handy, despite being from the same party, unless governors gave his nod. This was the genesis of the protracted crisis and friction between the “Abuja forces” and the forces at the home front.

However, in a bid to halt the trend, fresh mistakes may have been made.

The ministerial list may have inadvertently promoted disunity in the ruling party, owing to lack of wide consultation and consensus. Some governors and key party leaders have been complaining about marginalisation and lack of team work. In Oyo State for instance, Governor Abiola Ajimobi and other APC leaders have protested against the inclusion of a chieftain, Shittu, on the list. They claimed that Shittu, a lawyer from Oke-Ogun, is unpopular at home. They also alleged that he is not a team player. But, the former legislator has fired back, reminding his critics about his antecedents as a member of the House of Assembly in the defunct Second Republic, a former Commissioner for Information & Culture and later, the Attorney-General & Commissioner for Justice, and a delegate to the 2005 Abuja Constitutional Conference.

He dismissed the accusations, saying that he has made contributions to the party as a disciplined party leader.

There is a glimpse of hope. The first list is not the end of the matter.

Stakeholders believe that whatever omission or commission that has been made in the first list can be corrected by the supplementary list. The nation eagerly awaits the second list even as the upper chamber of the National Assembly has promised to start the screening of the nominees next Tuesday.

‘ Invest pension assets in infrastructure, British economist urges Fed Govt

PenCom chief: we’ll build investment template for infrastructure development

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PORTION of the more than N6 trillion pension assets should be invested in infrastructure by the Federal Government, a British economist and Chief Economic Adviser to Mayor of London, Mr. Gerard Lyons, has advised.

Gerard gave the counsel yesterday at the ongoing “World Pension Summit Africa Special’’ in Abuja even as the Director-General of the National Pension Commission (PenCom), Mrs. Chinelo Anohu-Amazu, hinted of a plan by the government to develop a sustainable blueprint for the investment of the pension funds by next year.

Stressed the need for the emergence of a stream of infrastructure projects in the country, the Briton said the country should focus on hard, soft and institutional infrastructure, which in turn would help address social infrastructure deficit.

His words: “Hard infrastructure opportunities include broadband and transport such as road and rail as well as housing and energy.”

According to him, soft infrastructure entailed building the needed skills and education, while institutional infrastructure was linked to openness and transparency, adding

By Omobola Tolu-Kusimo

that building of strong institutions would usher in the confidence for greater investment stability and ultimately lead to the entrenchment of rules and regulations.

He said that Nigeria should be proud of the progress made by PenCom since the introduction of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPC) in 2004.

The PenCom chief said the development of an investment template will be the achievement from this year’s summit as the commission gained the development of investment guideline from last year’s edition, which was also held in Nigeria.

She implored participants, especially those from other African countries to take into cognizance the ESG principle for the continent to be able to bridge the infrastructure gap.

Her words: “I want us to take into cognizance the issues that we have talked about at this summit particularly, the mindset that we bring to the issues that are facing not just Nigeria, but the African continent.

“I want us to believe and develop a principle that we can achieve all that we need to achieve if we work towards it and not close

our mind that we cannot do it. I am applying the same principle to the issue concerning investment and infrastructure. We have to do it and our job is to find out how and mitigate all that are associated to it.

“I also want us to note the ESG principles.

It is something we should look into very closely as a continent. Africa has a deficit in infrastructure. There is a huge gap. We haven’t built roads, power, transportation among others and in thinking of how we are going to do all these; we have to look at the ESG principles.

“Presently, we have a clean slate and we must not waste it. The West is redoing things that they have done wrong but we have not done any as a continent and we need to bring it to the front burner. As a takeaway from the last summit, Nigeria, for instance, said it will develop a new investment guideline and this has been done. One thing we are taking away from this summit is that by the time we gather again next time, we would have developed sustainable pension principles for investment.”

Mrs. Anohu-Amazu also urged the participants to look into micro pension plan She said: “I know there is no particular way

•Mrs Amazu

of going about them but it is about doing everything we can and continually trying to make sure we achieve all we set out to do.

“It is not about increasing the size of pension assets but about ensuring that each and every member of the society has a retirement benefit plan whether they have a formal job or are working for themselves. It is about having something to put away for your old age.”

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

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NEWS Buhari hails Britain, Switzerland’s support for stolen funds' recovery

•President Buhari (left), receiving a letter of credence from Ambassador Designate of the State of Palestine to Nigeria, Mr Saleh Fhied Saleh, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja ...yesterday.

From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

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RESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari yesterday applauded the renewed support from Britain and Switzerland towards recovery and repatriation of public funds stolen from Nigeria.

He spoke at separate meetings with the British and Swiss Ambassadors, who were at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, to present their letters of credence.

President Buhari, in a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said British, Swiss and other foreign anti-crime agencies had given his administration much help with relevant information and intelligence on stolen public funds transferred to personal bank accounts by officials of past administrations.

He said: “Switzerland and Britain have been very helpful indeed in the recovery of our assets. But we must build on what we have started.

“It is also important to send a signal to the elite that it is no longer business as usual. I personally appreciate the efforts of Prime Minister David Cameron on this issue,’’ the President told the British High Commissioner, Mr. Paul Arkwright.

Mr. Arkwright assured him of Britain’s preparedness to give Nigeria support and assistance in recovering these funds.

Buhari also welcomed assurances from the Swiss Ambassador, Mr. Eric Mayoraz that his country will expedite action on the repatriation of millions of dollars stolen by Nigerian public officials in Swiss Banks.

Rivers: Wike closes case without testifying •Magnus Abe hopeful of victory as parties adopt final addresses Oct 9

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IVERS State Governor, Nyesom Wike closed his case yesterday before the state's governorship election tribunal in Abuja without his personal testimony.

Wike, who called 24 witnesses within the six days allocated to him by the tribunal, is the 2nd respondent in the petition by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Dakuku Peterside.

APC and Peterside are challenging the outcome of the last governorship election in Rivers State, which produced Wike as the governor. Other respondents in the case are the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Wike's party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Wike's many supporters, who attended yesterday's proceedings and had expected his presence, were disappointed when the governor's lawyer, Emmanuel Ukala (SAN) announced the closure of his client's case.

The governor did not call any witness yesterday, but only tendered documentary evidence, some of which petitioners’ lawyer, Akin Olujinmi (SAN) objected to.

He said he would state the reason for his objection in his final address.

Wike, on Monday called a former INEC's National Commissioner, Christopher Iyimoga, who testified that contrary to the assertion of the petitioners’ witnesses, the governorship election in the state was free, fair and was without any violent incident.

The last respondent, the PDP, will open its case on Thursday. The tribunal, headed by Justice Mohammed Ambrosa adjourned to Thursday following a request to that effect by the party's lawyer, Chris Uche (SAN), who also said he was comfortable with the deduction of today (Wednesday) from the six days allocated to his client to conduct its case.

From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

Meanwhile, the state’s legislative election petition tribunal has Adjourned to October 9 for parties in the petition challenging the election of Olaka Nwogu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the Senator representing Rivers South East senatorial district.

The petition was filed by the APC and its candidate, Senator Magnus Abe. The petitioners want the tribunal to nullify election on the grounds that it was marred by malpractices and non-compliance with the Electoral Act. The tribunal chose the October date after it concluded trial in the case on Monday.

Abe, a former chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), expressed confidence in the ability of the judiciary to do justice in the case.

He said the level of violence and malpractices unleashed on his senatorial district during the election prevented many voters, including himself, from voting.

Abe said: “We have closed our case. We thank God for giving us the opportunity to ensure that the case is heard because there were many interlocutory applications filed by the respondents to ensure that the case was not heard within the stipulated period.

“The judiciary is the last hope of the common man.

There was no other possibility of us getting redress anywhere apart from the courts.

This is where we ought to be and this is where we are.

“We believe in the judiciary Our case is that what happened in Rivers State was that there was no election. We don't believe in the exercise that took place in the last election.

“It was not the basis under which anybody could hold office in Rivers State. There was no election in Rivers State and as a serving Senator, I did not vote in any of the elections conducted in 2015. Contrary to reports, we didn’t withdraw from the election, there were no result sheets,” Abe said.

PHOTO: NAN

Alleged N789.6m subsidy scam: three oil marketers know fate Nov. 17

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LAGOS State High Court sitting in Ikeja will on November 17 rule on the no-case submission filed by three oil marketers charged with an alleged N789.6 million fuel subsidy fraud.

Justice Lateefa Okunnu fixed the date after hearing the submissions of their counsel, Prof.

Alfred Kasumu (SAN), Mr. Abubakar Shamsudeen and Mr. Eubena Ahmedu, as well as that of counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN).

The marketers - Adamu Maula, George Ogbonna and Emmanuel Morah - are being prosecuted with their firms, Downstream Energy Sources Ltd. and

By Robert Egbe

Rocky Energy Ltd. They were re-arraigned on April 1, 2014 on an amended 26count charge of conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretence, forgery, uttering and use of false documents.

The EFCC alleged that the defendants did not import the 10,862 metric tonnes of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) for which they received subsidy payment from the Federal Government.

However, their lawyers in separate no-case submissions, urged the court to dismiss the charge for want of jurisdiction.

“The entire 26 counts against the applicants all relate to matters over which only the Fed-

eral High Court had exclusive jurisdiction as provided in Section 251 (a)(g) (n) and (3) of the 1999 Constitution and Section 19 of the Admiralty Jurisdiction Act, 2004.

“The entire evidence led by the prosecution and contents of the 26 counts amended information together with the extant laws, this honourable court lacks the jurisdiction to adjudicate on the information," they said.

The defence lawyers argued that the evidence adduced so far by the 11 prosecution witnesses did not establish a prima facie case against the defendants.

According to them the evidence of the prosecution witnesses was so manifestly unre-

liable with material contradictions and inconsistency that no court or tribunal could reasonably convict.

They further argued that the charge was an abuse of court processes and not filed in accordance with the due process of the law.

In his reply, Jacobs urged the court to dismiss the applications and order the defendants to enter their defence.

He argued that the 11 witnesses and 48 exhibits tendered by the prosecution sufficiently established a prima facie case against the defendants.

According to him, the defendants colluded to defraud the Federal Government by obtaining subsidy payment without importing any product.

Diezani: Bizman Omokore not arrested by EFCC

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IL investor Chief Jide Omokore was not arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged corruption and money laundering, it was learnt yesterday.

But following the invasion of his business premises, Omokore voluntarily went to the Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde on Monday to ask questions on why the anti-graft agency took such a step.

After a mutual audience with Lamorde, the businessman returned to his residence in Abuja.

None of the officials of the EFCC was willing to speak on what transpired when Omokore visited the agency on Monday.

All relevant officers of the commission, who should speak on the issue, also switched off their mobile phones.

A top source said: “The businessman was in EFCC on Monday on his own to make enquiries on why the commission’s operatives visited his business premises. He also said he is available in the country if there are issues on his business.

“So, Omokore was neither arrested nor detained by the EFCC contrary to what is being bandied about.

“As a matter of fact, Omokore did not make any statement to the EFCC on the ongoing probe of a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.

“He has nothing to do with

•Why he visited Lamorde on Monday

By Our Reporter

the issues for which Madueke is undergoing investigation by the National Crime Agency in the UK A source close to Omokore said: “As I speak with you, the oil tycoon has been at his residence in Abuja to prove that he was neither arrested nor detained.

“Omokore is no doubt a major player in the oil and gas sector but he is not a dirty businessman as being painted.”

Rated by Forbes as one of the

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“10 Nigerian multi-millionaires you’ve never heard of,” Omokore was the founder of Energy Resources Group (ERG).

The ERG was said to be worth $400m per annum.

He is also a co-chairman of Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept Nigeria Limited.

Findings showed that the purported arrest of Omokore has put EFCC under pressure because he is a major stakeholder in the oil and gas sector.

A source in EFCC said: “Every investor at home and

•Alison-Madueke

abroad is interested in why Omokore was at this commission. But only the EFCC chairman can give details.”

The Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, was said to be running a training session at the agency’s academy as at press time.

Reps kick against electricity tariff increment HE House of Representatives has urged •summon NERC boss the management of the National Electric-

ity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to stop electricity Distribution Companies (DISCO) from the planned upward review of electricity tariff.

The management of the electricity regulatory body was also asked to appear before a House panel to explain the justification for the planned review and how Nigerians would not be negatively affected.

Furthermore, to ensure that Nigerians got value for their money, the lawmakers also directed the NERC and DISCOs to begin the provision and installation of prepaid meters to every consumer nationwide.

The decision of the lawmakers followed the adoption of a motion by Solomon Maren (PDP, Plateau), who regretted that as a consequence of the comatose power generation and distribution system in Nigeria, many industries have collapsed.

Besides, the House resolved against further collection of flat maintenance or service fees by the Discos which were termed illegal and not in tandem with best practices.

“It should be of concern that the NERC has

From Victor Oluwasegun and Dele Anofi, Abuja

directed all the Discos to comply with the directive for upward review of tariff because there are attempts by the Discos to devise another way of collecting these monies under another guise.

“The situation has becomes more worrisome because the distribution companies have failed to add value to the power sector since the privatisation and unbundling of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) two years ago.

“These Discos took over the distribution of electricity from PHCN close to two years noe, what have they added to the sector since they took over, that warrants increase in tariff?

“In many parts of the world electricity tariffs are reducing due to falling oil prices as much of electricity is generated by gas which is a component of crude.

“If not checked, these unwholesome practices will also slow down the development of SMEs which spur industrial development,” Maren said.

The motion was unanimously adopted after it was put to voice vote by the presiding officer, Deputy Speaker Yussuff Lasun.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

5

NEWS

Senate fails to respond to The Nation suit

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HE National Assembly is yet to file a defence to a suit against it and the Senate by The Nation Editor Gbenga Omotoso and a correspondent, Imam Bello.

The 45 days within which the National Assembly was to respond to the action have elapsed.

Justice Mohammed Yunusa of the Federal High Court in Lagos on September 4 directed them to respond to the suit within 30 days.

He said the respondents should be given time to file their defence before the plaintiffs' motion for interlocutory injunction is heard.

The judge relied on Section 99 of the Sheriffs and Civil Process Act which says: “...The period within which a defendant is required to answer before the court to the writ of summons shall be not less than 30 days after service of the writ has been effected...”

The plaintiffs’ counsel, Mr Wahab Shittu, told our correspondent yesterday that he had not received any processes from the respondents.

He said the National Assembly and Senate could only be heard by the court if they pay the prescribed fee as penalty for filing their defence out of time.

The respondents must also apply for an extension of time, which Shittu said they were yet to do as there was no application to that effect yet.

By Joseph Jibueze

The lawyer said the plaintiffs would pray the court to enter judgment in their favour should the respondents failed to regularise their processes before the next hearing date.

“The case is ripe for hearing but the respondents have not joined issues with my clients. We have not been served with any processes.

“As it is, they can only be heard if they apply for extension of time after paying the default fees,” Shittu said.

Hearing was, however, stalled in the case yesterday due to Justice Yunusa’s absence.

It was learnt that the judge, who sat during the court’s annual long vacation, was on leave and would resume on October 20.

At the last hearing, Shittu informed the court that the respondents were served with the order of injunction restraining the Senate from compelling the respondents to appear before its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions over a story.

According to the proof of service, the suit was received by the Office of the President of the Senate on September 1.

The National Assembly was served on August 27 through the Office of the Deputy Clerk to the National Assembly.

Vintage Press Limited (publishers of The Nation), Omotoso and Bello are the applicants, while the National As-

sembly and the Senate are the respondents.

The restraining order is to subsist pending the hearing and determination of the plaintiffs’ motion for interlocutory injunction, which was to come up yesterday.

Should the motion for interlocutory injunction be granted, it would subsist pending hearing of the main suit, which sought, among others, an order of perpetual injunction against the respondents.

The Senate had, in an August 4 letter, invited Omotoso and Bello to appear before it unfailingly over the story: Motion: 22 APC northern senators ‘working against Buhari’, published on July 30.

The Senate wrote again on August 11, threatening to invoke Section 89 (1) (D) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to compel the applicants' appearance.

Justice Yunusa granted an order of interim injunction restraining the respondents, whether by themselves, their members, committees or agents from summoning or directing the appearance of the applicants or any of their agents before any Senate Committee.

The court barred the lawmakers from requesting the applicants to produce any papers, notes or other documents in respect of the story.

The judge also restrained the respondents from issuing a warrant to compel the applicants’ attendance before the Senate Committee set up

•Shittu...yesterday.

PHOTO: ABIODUN WILLIAM

to investigate the publication.

Shittu, in a supporting affidavit to the motion ex-parte, said unless the respondents were restrained, there was a great likelihood of the breach or threatened breach of the applicants’ fundamental rights to receive and impart information as guaranteed by the Constitution.

The applicants said the publication’s content had not been disputed, nor had the National Assembly issued a rejoinder to the story.

According to them, the laws of libel and slander were available to anyone who felt aggrieved by any offensive publication, an option that is also available to the Senate.

Shittu said rather than react to the story or deny it, the

Senate wrote to the applicants directing them to compulsorily appear before the committee or risk being arrested.

The lawyer said the applicants were seeking to enforce their fundamental rights to personal liberty and freedom of expression.

He said the story was published in the national interest based on “anonymous but informed sources”, who cannot be named, in line with the ethics of journalism.

Shittu said the Senate was trying to compel the applicants to explain the story’s source, threatening to violate their rights by arresting Omotoso and Bello should they failed to show up before its committee.

The lawyer said the Senate cannot compel the applicants to appear before it under Section 39 because the applicants are not a government agency, but members of the Fourth Estate of the Realm whose functions are guaranteed by the Constitution.

“The invitation is intended to prevent the applicants from discharging their duties in their ordinary course of business,” Shittu said.

After listening to the submissions, Justice Yunusa held: “I have considered the processes filed and the constitutional provisions relied on. I hold the view that the application has merit and is hereby granted.”

In the judge's absence, the court's registrars have fixed November 9 for hearing.

Soni Irabor, others make case for women

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CE broadcaster Soni Irabor and life coach Lanre Olusola have urged the society to accord women a place of pride.

Irabor, Olusola and others, including social media expert, Japheth Omojuwa, spoke at a forum organised by the Women Empowerment and Enlightenment Campaign (WEEC). It was put together by On’y va Communications at the main auditorium of the University of Lagos.

The annual event is designed as advocacy programme to show support for the growth and development of women in Nigeria and Africa.

Irabor, Olusola and Omojuwa spoke how women are treated in their various industries and how men can best correct the illtreatment meted out to women.

The interactive platform also created an avenue for students (male and female) from different disciplines to air their views and share uncommon experiences with top industry players.

Tagged “Men Standing Up for Women”, the Head Coordinator, WEEC, Kayode Odukoya, said the strategy was to bring male role models into the public discussion to show support for women.

He said: “The young men in the society need to be groomed through multi channels and agents of socialisation to respect and support women.”

The WEEC 2015 seminar was moderated by the duo of Tosyn Bucknor and Bolanle Olukanni of Top radio FM and Ebonylife TV.

Expect much-desired change from cabinet, says Fayemi •Amaechi: It’s a call to service

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•From left: former President, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) Anthony Mark; Chairman, Bauchi State Board of Internal Revenue Mr Yakubu Isa; member, Kano State Board of Internal Revenue Mamuda Kwajale and the Senior Programme Officer, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) Mr Kolawole Banwo, at the National Tax Summit organised by CISLAC in conjunction with the Tax PHOTO: NAN Justice and Governance Platform in Abuja...yesterday.

Charles Okah stopped from attempted suicide in court

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ECURITY operatives attached to Justice Gabriel Kolawole at the Federal High Court, Abuja, yesterday prevented Charles Okah, the alleged mastermind of the 2010 Independence Day bombing from committing suicide in court.

Okah, who is standing trial on charges of terrorism, had sought the permission of the judge to speak on what he termed “endless trial”, as his counsel was absent in court.

The judge granted the oral application and permitted Okah to speak for about five minutes.

Okah said: “I have been incarcerated for about five years now and I have a family to cater for.

“My children would grow up without feeling the warmth of their father and I am tired of this endless trial.

“I really do not know what I have done to be treated this way.

“Is it not better to die than to

wait and be messed up this way?”’ he asked.

Immediately after Okah ended his speech, he grabbed a chair in the court and quickly moved toward a window on third floor of the five-storey building and attempted to jump down.

He was immediately pulled back by security operatives, lawyers and other litigants from embarking on the action.

Consequently, Kolawole adjourned the case to Oct. 20

for continuation of trial.

Others charged in the case are Obi Nwabueze and Edmund Ebuware.

The fourth accused, Tiemkemfa Osuvwo, died in Kuje prison, while Ebuwari has been jailed for life as his case was separately decided.

However, Okah and Nwabueze have been facing long trial as a result of the introduction of numerous injunctions from both the prosecution and defence teams.

NE of the ministerial nominees, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, yesterday said the cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari will offer Nigerians the much-desired change.

He said the President was aware of the expectations of Nigerians and will not disappoint them.

Former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi described his ministerial nomination as a “call to service and good governance”.

Fayemi, who spoke exclusively with our correspondent last night, said Buhari would not offer the nation a thoughtless change.

He said: “We campaigned on a manifesto of change, our candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari, promised change; we are going to offer real change.

“It is about Nigeria, it is about change and it is about the President. We are going to offer the much-desired change to Nigerian.

“My advice to Nigerians is just to be patient. I know that Nigerians have been expectant but we do not want to offer thoughtless change, we are not out for uninformed change. The President is being careful and he will live up to the expectations of Nigerians.

I am sure President Buhari will not disappoint.

Asked of his plans as a minister, Fayemi added: “It is the vision of the President that we are going to implement. Fortunately for me, I was closer to the President during the campaign; I am conversant with his vision and plans for this country.

“I thank the President for this opportunity. I have served at

From Yusuf Alli, and Tony Akowe, Abuja

sub-national level before; I will continue to live up to expectations.”

Fayemi also told reporters at the APC National Secretariat that even though he was with the President till about 4.00pm on the day the list of ministers was submitted to the Senate President, President Buhari never mentioned it to him that he was being considered for appointment.

Fayemi who was the Director of Research and Strategy of the APC Presidential Campaign Council is one of the 21 names submitted as nominees so far to the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Asked whether the nomination came to him as a surprised, the former governor said “Well, to the extent that I was not told by the President that I was going to be on his list, yes, it came as a surprise. The president is a surprise master, let me put it that way.

“He did not tell anyone to the best of my knowledge and I would have thought that I was in vantage position to know more than others, I was with him for five days before then, I was with him in New York at the United Nation General Assembly and he never alter a word about his list to me nor to anyone else.

“We came back to Nigeria together, I was with him all till 4pm on the evening he submitted the list to the President of the Senate and I didn’t have any clue of what is going to happen.

“So, to that extent I was pleasantly surprised.”

6

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

NEWS

Nominees upbeat as PDP, LP condemn Buhari’s list Continued from page 1

minded and focused government six months after its election to assemble such a regular team.”

The Labour Party (LP) condemned the list for not representing the youth.

The National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Alhaji Abdulkadir Abdulsalam,said most of the names on the list were analogue people who have nothing to contribute.

He wondered why President Buhari could not fulfill the promise he made to Nigerian youths during the electioneering campaign.

“For us in the Labour Party, we do not see anything that resembles change as far as the ministerial team is concerned.

Imagine bringing someone who served in the government of the late Sarduana of Sokoto to serve as minister in 2015.

“All these people are analogue persons who cannot bring about any change under the current dispensation,” Abdulsalam said.

The Senate gallery was unusually crowded following heightened expectation of probable names of nominees.

The Senate President entered the chamber around 10.37am.

He said the prayer to open the day’s business.

Immediately the votes and proceedings of September 30 were approved, Saraki announced that he received a correspondent from President Muhammadu Buhari by 5.15 pm on October 30.

The Senate President said he decided to put the time he received the correspondent be-

Ministerial nominees: Presidency lobbies PDP senators

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HE Presidency may have begun to lobby opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senators to ensure a hitch-free screening and confirmation of its ministerial nominees..

The Senate has fixed October 13 and 14 for the screening of the nominees.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Ita Enang, told reporters in Abuja yesterday that he had initiated contacts with PDP senators following the unveiling of the nominees list by Senate President Bukola Saraki.

Enang briefed reporters in the presence of Senate Minority Leader Godswill Akpabio.

He said: “Part of our job is to reach out to all the sections. The past is gone, this is a new beginning.”

Enang, who posed for photographs with

cause of the Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, who during the sitting of the Senate on September 30, demanded to know why the list was not read.

Saraki said the correspondent contained a partial list of ministerial nominees which he received from Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari.

Before Saraki unveiled the list, anxiety among those in the gallery showed in the looks on many faces.

The tension suddenly evaporated immediately the first few names were read and they turned out be what had already been published in the newspapers.

Saraki said President Buhari requested the Senate to approve the nominees expeditiously.

The Senate President announced Abubakar Malami

From Onyedi Ojiabor, Abuja

Akpabio, said both of them were at the briefing In Nigeria’s interest.

Akpabio said he was highly impressed with the list.

The former Akwa Ibom governor said President Buhari got “men and women of integrity” to be among the nominees.

Insisting however that the Senate would do its duty, the Minority Leader said his prayer is that more than 70 per cent-to-80 per cent of the nominees would scale the Senate’s hurdle.

Akpabio said: “We will do our best to ensure robust debate, finetune the policies of the APC administration to better the lot of Nigerians and to ensure that Nigeria gets out of the economic doldrums.

“So far, on a personal note, I am impressed with the list that was sent by the President. I believe that he has kept to his

(SAN) (Kebbi), Gen. Abdulrahman Danbazau (Kano), Senator Aisha Jumai Al-hassan (Taraba), Alhaji Lai Mohammed (Kwara), Babatunde Fashola (Lagos), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Adebayo Shittu, a lawyer (Oyo), Solomon Dalong (Plateau), Senator Chris Nwabueze Ngige (Anambra), Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Chief Audu Ogbeh (Benue), Amina Ibrahim (Kaduna)and Osagie Ehanire( Edo) as the ministerial nominees.

Others are Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu (Delta), Kemi Adeosun (Ogun), Ogbonnaya Onu (Ebonyi), Ahmed Isa Ibeto (Niger),Ibrahim Musa Jubrin ( ), Senator Hadi Sirika (Katsina), Senator Udoma Udo Udoma (Akwa Ibom) and Sulaiman Adamu (Jigawa.)

Immediately Saraki concluded reading the list, there was

protest in the chamber.

Some senators shouted that their states were left out.

Minority Leader, Akpabio took to the floor and promptly moved a point of order.

He said since it took President Buhari four months to submit to the Senate what he (Buhari) tagged “partial ministerial nominees list”, it was likely the President would take another four months or more to submit the complete list of nominees.

The former Akwa Ibom State governor prayed the Senate to compel President Buhari to submit the complete list before the screening of the nominees would begin.

He insisted that his fear was that states not accommodated in the list might be forgotten.

Saraki said President Buhari should be given the benefit of the doubt.

arrest was a tip of the iceberg.

He said: “For me, I don’t think anybody should be surprised because the most favorable commentator on the Nigerian condition, both the economy, the polity and society, everybody agree that our economy was badly mismanaged over the past several years.

“I have not seen one commentator that disagrees. Even when they talk about rebasing and so what. Have you rebased the level of poverty?

Have you rebased prosperity?

Have you rebased unemployment? Have you rebased homelessness? Have you rebased hunger?

“So I have not seen anyone that says Nigerian people are doing better. This was never my issue. I was only a spokesman of National Economic Council. But, in this country, when you speak out, all the arrows should be fashioned to attack. But one of the things I learnt in life at the age of 17 when I got into the leadership of labour, is that the truth does not require supporters club. It can stand on its feet anyday.

You can hit it. You can kick it.

You can bomb it, but you can’t destroy it.

“The truth is that a lot of money was stolen and what you are seeing is just a tip of the iceberg, because when you imagine what accrues to Nigeria, consistently from 140 dollars averaging 108 dollars over a long period of time and yet your treasury is empty and you were running a budget deficit, you were devoting 85 percent of your budget for four consecutive years on recurrent,

you were borrowing and you drew the entire pensions fund…yesterday I saw a lot of analysis of how pension funds should be invested on infrastructure.

“You challenge Pencom and Ministry of Finance, you will discover that over N3.5 trillion was drawn down by the previous government from pension funds to support recurrent expenditure, not to support infrastructure. Even the media here, I wonder why you want to hear it from me because some of the issues we parrot flow from what we have read from your electronic media and print media, arising from what you have observed.

“There have been probes, there have been revelations , where whistle blowers have been removed from office; they became guilty for speaking out. I believe time will tell how much was taken and who was involved.

“I think what you are hearing now is like appetizer. Its sickening. It used to come from America, now its Britain.”

On the involvement of the Federal Government in Mrs Alison-Madueke’s arrest in London, Oshiomhole said: “It’s not about who has hand in what. I think it’s about law and order. In other climes, institutions do their work. They are not at the beck and call of political authority. They have their mandate and the law specifies this and it is scrupu-

The Senate President noted that since President Buhari kept his September deadline to submit the list to the Senate, he was sure the President would send the second batch of nominees.

Although the assurances of the Senate President did not quite reassure most of the Senators, Saraki announced that the screening of the nominees would begin on October 13.

He said before the scheduled date, the nominees would have submitted their curriculum vitae to the Senate for circulation to senators.

The Chairman, Senate Adhoc Committee on Media and Publicity, Senator Dino Melaye, said the Senate was expecting nothing less than 36 ministerial nominees, one from each state of the federation.

He said: “Any time from

Boko Haram ‘financier’ held

I’m vindicated, says Oshiomhole Continued from page 1

word by ensuring that we sought out a lot of people of integrity that can salvage the country.

“But, of course, the Senate will still do its work of screening and re-screening and I pray that more than 70 or 80 per cent of those on the list should pass through”.

The former governor, who fought a bitter battle with Enang during the PDP primary election in Akwa Ibom State, a battle that saw Enang out of the senatorial race, said he was “pleasantly impressed” that Enang came to his office yesterday.

Akpabio said he told Enang to take the message back to the nominees that the right thing would be done by the Senate in the interest of the country.

“This is the time to rally round Mr. President, especially with the falling oil price,” he said, adding: “Our belief is that Mr. President will succeed so that the country can move forward.”

now, we are expecting the remaining nominees. Mr. President is a man of his words and a man of integrity. He will send the remaining list of nominees any time from now. We are expecting nothing less than 36 nominees, one from each state of the federation.”

Melaye noted that because of their promise to do a rigorous exercise, the Senate decided to begin the screening on October 13.

He added that while they wanted to expedite the screening, there was equally the need to be diligent.

He said beginning from Thursday, Senators would be furnished with the CVs of the nominees to enable them study the CVs and to prepare themselves to ask questions.

Melaye said the Senate would be glad to have the proposed portfolios of the nominees.

He said the screening would be broadcast live on Tuesday and Thursday.

He reiterated that the screening would not be teleguided by political affiliation “because we want to do it in the best interest of Nigeria and Nigerians will appreciate us”.

Melaye said that it was not true that President Buhari would be invited for screening if he decides to be Minister of Petroleum.

He described the information as unfounded, adding that “the information is the personal view of Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, which he is entitled to”.

The Senate spokesman said any petition against any nominee would be looked into.

Continued from page 1

•Oshiomhole

lously followed.”

Asked how happy he was with the development, he said: “I’m the happiest person because I’ve been in government for seven years without being in power. I was in government, I couldn’t call a commissioner of police and talk as a security officer, I’m haunted by all manner of persons. You kill the snake in Edo, they will put the snake on life support in Abuja and they keep harassing us.

“Now all those venoms are dead and buried, for the first time, I’m excited and happy, not just for personal benefit, but for the changes I’m beginning to see. They’ve not started scrutinising, just blocking the holes, it’s no longer flowing like before and so the propensity to indulge in those conspicuous habit, already curbing themselves.” He said Continuing, he said: “People are regaining sanity; human rationality is returning and the idle class that makes money without office or business address whose only address is an ipad and cell phone with appropriate phone numbers are all lamenting and not sure of tomorrow.”

CORRECTION The photograph of Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Tijjani Yusuf was wrongly used and captioned as Tijjani Baba to illustrate the story tittled: “Bauchi’s mystery plane: Tale of a drain pipe” on pages 2 and 3 on September 28. The error is regretted.

items.

“Investigation revealed that Mohammed supplies the terrorists with Kolanuts and other items, especially stimulants.

“It has also been revealed that kolanuts are in high demand among the terrorists as it keeps them active at night.

“It is apparent also that he plies Maiduguri-Dikwa-Kulli axis where he gathers monetary and other material contributions from Boko Haram sympathisers along that axis and sends same to the terrorists camps,’’ the statement said.

The statement added that troops on a joint patrol on Monday raided a Boko Haram camp at Bulungwa-Naibe in

Dikwa Local Government Area of Borno.

It said some terrorists were killed and items recovered in the operation carried out by troops of 112 Battalion and Special Forces in Mafa and Dikwa.

Also yesterday Boko Haram Islamists attacked Chadian soldiers, killing 11 and injuring 13, a Chadian security source said.

The source said 17 Boko Haram fighters also died in the fighting following the predawn strike near the Nigerian border and Lake Chad.

“Boko Haram members attacked our positions at 4:30 am in Kaiga Ngouboua about two kilometres from the Nigerian border,” the source said.

“This surprise attack claimed

the lives of 11 soldiers and injured 13 (and) 17 Boko Haram fighters were killed.

“The attackers were pushed back and the army is continuing search operations in the zone.”

Three sect members died yesterday when a bomb they were transporting exploded in Niger Republic’s Far East region of Diffa, local sources said.

The bomb exploded when they were about to enter Bosso town, one of the sources said, adding that the militants were planning to carry out an attack.

On Sunday, 10 people, among them one soldier, five civilians and four suicide bombers, were killed in two separate suicide attacks by Boko Haram in Diffa.

Group hails Shittu’s nomination

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HE Oyo Solidarity Group has said the nomination of Adebayo Shittu for the ministerial slot of Oyo State is in order.

The President of the group, Teju Olateju said the nomination would serve the overall interest of Oyo State.

He said it was in display of President Muhammadu Buhari’s fairness in appointments that Shittu was nominated from Oke-Ogun, Oyo State.

He said: ‘’Adebayo Shittu, the ministerial nominee is from Oke-Ogun zone of the state.

Apart from being a practicing lawyer for over three decades, he is an astute politician that has served the state in various capacities.

“The condition under which the Oyo State All Progressives Congress (APC) can be margin-

By Musa Odoshimokhe

alised in this context, is if the speculation that their plot to continually manipulate OkeOgun to the advantage of the zones and keep it in perpetual bondage of underdevelopment, is sustained.”

Olateju expressed disappointment on the stance of some politicians, stressing that they have induced some APC members to engage in politics of mudslinging against loyal members in the past. “It should not be forgotten in a hurry that the same power-mongering APC leaders have also induced some APC leaders May 2015 to allege Chief Michael Koleoso of anti-party activities.”

He added that Shittu’s nomination was not based on sentiment, but attested credibility

which could not be ignored by Nigerians. He called on those fanning the ember of discord to retrace their steps.

“Thank God they cannot impose on the President or the National Assembly and the constitution never limits the selection of federal executive membership to political parties.

“When shall we outgrow pettiness? We believe that Mr. President has his good reasons of choosing Bayo Shittu from Oke-Ogun to represent Oyo State and the National Assembly cannot be deceived by setiments, Shittu can honourably serve the nation as a minister,” he said.

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7

NEWS Durojaiye, others for commissioner

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GUN State Governor Ibikunle Amosun yesterday sent an additional list of three names to the House of Assembly for screening.

They are former Editor of Daily Independent Rotimi Durojaiye, Mrs. Nike Osoba and Adebola Gabriel Adeife.

A letter from the governor containing the names of the nominees was read by the Speaker, Suraj Adekunbi.

He said the approval would enable the governor to appoint commissioners, who would help him in administering the state.

This brings to 19 the number of commissioner-nominees.

They are all to appear before the House for screening tomorrow.

Fix Akoko roads, say residents From Damisi Ojo, Akure

R • Dangote signing the condolence register...yesterday

• Otedola signing the condolence register...yesterday

Dangote: no plan to seek elective office

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ILLIONAIRE Aliko Dangote has said he won’t participate in politics, saying business and politics should never be mixed.

The chairman of Dangote Group spoke yesterday when he visited the Awolowos to condole with the family on the death of their mother, Mrs Hannah Idowu Dideolu (HID) Awolowo in Ikenne-Remo, Ogun State.

The business mogul said the set of skills required to become successful in business differed from those of politics.

“I can’t be in politics because they say when you want to clap you need two hands.

“If all of us in business go

into politics then who is going to create the jobs?

“We are in the private sector so we should be creating jobs. Government should be creating good policies and ensuring that we are not taking advantage of the poor.

“They are doing what they know how to do best and we are also doing what we know how to do best. Each is a master in its own terrain,” Dangote said.

He advised that Nigerians should not worry about falling oil prices, saying that the economy would soon become stable through the austerity measures adopted by the Federal Government.

“During the oil boom, when a barrel of oil sold above $100,

‘

We must begin to explore other avenues to wealth aside from crude oil, especially agriculture, which we were formerly used to. We really should not be complaining

’

there were too many leakages which the Federal Government is now trying to resolve by plugging them.

“When this is effectively achieved, I believe the economy will begin to regain its stability.

“However, we must begin

to explore other avenues to wealth aside from crude oil, especially agriculture, which we were formerly used to.

We really should not be complaining,” he said.

Dangote, however, called on the Federal Government to implement policies to attract investors and enable the manufacturing sector to thrive and fast-track economic growth.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Femi Otedola, another business man, was on Dangote’s entourage.

Both men described the late HID Awolowo as a great woman, whose name would forever remain immortalised in the nation’s history.

Jubilation in Ekiti over Fayemi’s nomination

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HERE was jubilation in Ekiti State yesterday, following the announcement of former Governor Kayode Fayemi as a ministerial nominee.

Some residents of Ado Ekiti and All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters and civil servants stayed glued to their television sets to monitor the reading of the letter conveying the list by Senate President Bukola Saraki.

APC members milled around the party secretariat in Ado-Ekiti singing, dancing and congratulating one another on the nomination of the ex-governor, which they believed would benefit the party and the state.

Some eminent citizens have been congratulating Fayemi on his nomination, urging him to use his position to add value to governance in Nigeria.

State Chairman Olajide Awe urged Fayemi to strengthen the template for modern governance anchored on human development to contribute his quota to national development.

From the Catholic Bishop of Ekiti, Rev Felix Ajakaye, came an advice to Fayemi to use his God-given gifts and talents to “concretely and meaningfully” make a positive impact in the service of the nation.

The cleric enjoined the former governor “to continue to serve God and humanity with humility and to keep using your God-given talents for the common

From Odunayo Ogunmola, Ado Ekiti

good”.

The monarch of Fayemi’s hometown, the Onisan of Isan-Ekiti, Oba Sunday Owolabi Ajiboye, described his subject’s nomination as the “beginning of greater heights in life which affords him another opportunity to advance the course of governance”.

The monarch said: “This is a new beginning of greater heights in your life, which we believe you will exploit to advance the course of representative governance anchored on human development, which you championed over the years in your journey to political governance.”

For former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Director, Samuel Bandele Falegan, Fayemi’s nomination

presented “the second time within five years that my joy is full to the brim”.

The elder statesman said he was convinced that Fayemi’s nomination was a reward by God for dedication to selfless service to humanity and loyalty to his party, even as he said the legacy projects by the former governor had sold him beyond Ekiti frontiers.

The Alare of Are-Ekiti, Oba Boluwade Adebiyi, described Fayemi as “a politician of no mean stature, a complete gentleman, a child of destiny” and asked him to maintain the attributes in the service of the nation.

The Olupole of Ipole-Iloro, Oba Ezekiel Babatola Oladele, said: “God never closes a window without opening a door and God does not take anything from us

without giving another.”

He urged Fayemi to dedicate his life to God in the service to humanity.

President, Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Ekiti State Branch, Yakubu Sanni, said Fayemi’s legacy projects would remain unparalleled.

Sanni praised him for promoting Islam through the approval of hijab for female pupils and appointing Muslims into top positions of government.

Members of the Association of Traders and Market Leaders of Nigeria said they were happy that Fayemi as a proud son of Ekiti State “has never put us to shame”.

In his words, the Alawe of Ilawe-Ekiti, Oba Adebanji Ajibade Alabi, said Fayemi’s nomination was an attestation to his record of excellence.

ESIDENTS of Akoko area of Ondo State, particularly Ikare-Akoko, the commercial centre of Akokoland, have decried the deplorable condition of roads in the

area.

They called for instant communal efforts to make the roads passable, especially the intra-city ones from Semu-Semu to Funmilayo, Okoja to Stadium, Odo to Agolo Grammar School and Jubilee Roundabout to Ugbe-Akoko, among others.

A community leader, Olu Ekundayo, said the only option was communal effort as governments at all levels are short of funds.

He said the pathetic situation of the roads in the community has ruined its economy.

The Caretaker Committee Chairman of the local government, Umar Abdulazeez, assured that roads in the area would receive government attention after the rainy season.

Mimiko warns on NURTW polls

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NDO State Governor Olusegun Mimiko has warned members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) to shun violence during the forthcoming election.

The governor gave the warning yesterday at the inauguration of a secretariat on Ado-Ekiti Road in Akure, the state capital.

Mimiko, who ruled against the “winner takes all” syndrome, urged would-be winners to ac-

Ondo gets new board members, aides

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HE Ondo State Government has announced the appointment of new chairmen and members of boards, parastatals and agencies as well as senior special assistants and special assistants.

They are: State Property Development Corporation (OSPDC) with the former Chairman, Akure South Local Government, Adedayo Omolafe (Expensive) as Chairman and Akindoyeni Folukemi as part-time member.

The State Waste Management Board (OSWMB) Chairman is Sina Fadamitan. Full- time members are Olumide Saporu, Falohun Layo and Ajamah Omimine.

The State Sports Council will be headed by a former commissioner for Information, John Ola Mafo with Mary Bakare, Tope Ogunleye and Tony Adetoye

Tribunal nullifies Ondo PDP Rep’s election

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HE Ondo State National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal, sitting in Akure, the state capital, has nullified the election of the lawmaker representing Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency, Kolade Akinjo.

It ordered a fresh election in the riverine constituency.

Tribunal Chairman Justice Anthony Ogar ruled that Akinjo was not a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as at March 28 and as such not qualified as a candidate of the party.

The All Progressives Con-

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

gress (APC) and its candidate, Lucky Ayedatiwa, had challenged Akinjo’s election for non- compliance with the Electoral Act and his non- qualification to contest the election.

However, the tribunal noted that APC and its candidate did not prove the case of non- compliance and how it affected the outcome of the election.

But the tribunal agreed with the petitioners that Akinjo was not a member of the PDP at the time he con-

tested the election.

The tribunal said the PDP lawmaker did not follow constitutional procedure in joining the PDP. It added that the PDP was different from Labour Party (LP) on whose platform Akinjo contested a byeelection last year.

Besides, the tribunal said Akinjo’s nomination as the PDP’s candidate did not comply with due process as he was still a member of LP when he contested on the PDP platform.

commodate their opponents and work together harmoniously in the interest of peace and development.

He noted that the union under the leadership of its national president, Alhaji Najeem Yasin and the State Chairman, Obayoriade Oladutele, has been rebranded and repositioned to ensure peace in the country and achieve effective service delivery.

The election is expected to hold before December.

Justice Ogar said Akinjo still executed a process on LP’s behalf when he settled the dispute of the 2014 byeelection out of court and signed as the LP’s candidate even when he claimed to have joined the PDP. The tribunal said from the evidence of the membership card tendered before it, the column of the party’s ward chairman and secretary were not signed, which according to the tribunal means that Akinjo was not a PDP member when he contested the election.

From Damisi Ojo,Akure

as full-time members.

Rotimi Olasogba is the Chairman, State Universal Basic Education (SUBEB).Full-time members are Dr. Dapo Iwala, Dapo Filani and Akinwale Ojo. Steve Giwa will head the State Water Corporation with Ronke Akinkuowo and Rev Kola Adeyemi as fulltime members Hospital Management Board (HMB) will be headed

by Dr Niran Okunrinboye.

Full-time members are Dr Femi Ayodele, Tunde Adegbonmire and Margaret Akinsuroju.

The State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) is chaired by Dr. Francis Igbasan with Abdulazeez Momoh, Dr Ikuemelo and John Akindutire as full-time members.

The Chairman of Agricultural Inputs Supply Company (AISC) is Niyi Adebusoye with Femi Adeoye, Boro Eniola and Seye Adegboye as full-time members.

Taiye Akinyele is the Chairman, Local Government Service Commission (LGSC). Alhaja S.O.K Ogunmodede and Bayo Omotoye will serve as fulltime members.

The senior special assistants are Otito Atikase, Ebenezer Alabi and Kunle Agunbiade.

The special assistants are Esther Ebiwonjumi, Lawrence Fagbolagun, Alana Adeyanju, Ife Ifedayo, Ogundele Bola and Ademola Adeyemi.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

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Sylva, Bayelsa APC chair clash over running mate

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AYELSA State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Timipre Sylva, and the party’s State Chairman Tiwe Oruminighe, are quarrelling over who should be Sylva’s running mate ahead of the December 5 governorship poll.

Youths loyal to Oruminighe yesterday protested at the party’s secretariat on the YeniZuegene, Mbiama-Yenagoa Road.

They destroyed billboards, banners, posters and other campaign materials bearing Sylva’s portraits and name.

The angry youths dismantled the billboards and tore other campaign materials.

•Pro-Oruminighe’s youths vandalise billboards at party’s secretariat From Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

They urged Oruminighe to work with Sylva ahead of the December 5 election.

The protest caused tension in the area, leading to the deployment of armed policemen to forestall an escalation of the situation and a breakdown of law and order.

The secretariat temporarily shut down to avoid an invasion of the offices by the aggrieved youth.

The pro-Oruminighe youths, who carried placards bearing various inscriptions, said APC

Police warn as PDP, APC plan protests on Amaechi • Ex-governor’s ministerial nomination hailed From Bisi Olaniyi and Rosemary Nwisi, Port Harcourt

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HE planned protest by supporters of Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike against the ministerial nomination of former Governor Rotimi Amaechi has been shifted from Abuja to Port Harcourt, the state capital.

The leadership of Rivers State All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday kicked against Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members' planned “show of shame” while Police Commissioner Musa Kimo warned both parties.

The protest by Wike's supporters was initially billed for Abuja on Monday, ahead of yesterday's reading of list of President Muhammadu Buhari’s 21 ministerial nominees, but was shelved, when The Nation leaked the information on Sunday, following an exclusive security report.

The Rivers State PDP had allegedly concluded plans to protest Amaechi’s nomination and clearance.

APC leaders and members from the 23 local government areas were holding an emergency meeting last night at the party’s headquarters on Forces Avenue, old Government Reservation Area (GRA), Port Harcourt, on how to support Amaechi’s nomination and clearance.

The party's Publicity Secretary Chris Finebone could not be reached for comments last night.

A chieftain of the party, who attended the strategic meeting but spoke in confidence, said APC's supporters wanted to prove to Wike and the PDP that they did not have the monopoly of protest.

He said APC wanted to show its solidarity with Amaechi, who he described as “the General of Commonsense Revolution and the Lion of Niger Delta”.

But in a statement by police spokesman, Mohammad Ahmad, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Police Commissioner Musa Kimo confirmed the allegation and APC members’ alleged plan to tackle PDP’s protest.

The statement added: “Accordingly, the police commissioner hereby warns these groups to jettison the plan to stage the protests to avoid truncating the existing peaceful co-existence in the state. While the command respects the individuals’ rights to peaceful assembly, it will not tolerate a situation where such protests lead to breach of public peace and breakdown of law and order...”

Also, the Rivers Progressives Front, a body of senior politicians and professionals in Rivers State, has hailed President Buhari for nominating former Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi as a minister.

In a statement by its Administrator, Sotonye Ijuye Dagogo, the group said: “The nomination of former Governor Amaechi among other tested progressive leaders is an eloquent statement

by Mr. President that the change that Nigerians voted for has come to stay. It is a bold and unmistakable statement that Mr. President is very clear about his mission to reposition our great country, Nigeria. It is a statement that puts to shame professional blackmailers and smear campaigners.”

would cease to exist in the state, if Sylva denied the chairman the slot to suggest a running mate.

One of the protesters, who identified himself as the Chairman of the ward chairmen, Mr. Jefta Ikuruel, said the protest was meant to warn the party against sidelining Oruminighe.

He said Oruminighe was the choice of the grassroots, adding that without the chairman as a running mate, Sylva and APC would not win the election.

Also, APC Chairman in Ward 11, Mr. Exodus Ebi, said Sylva was violating a sealed agreement that he would pick Oruminighe as his running

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‘He is my third child, I sell provision while Onyiyechi sells at AP Filling Station now at Mobil road, Ajegunle.

She collected my phone number and started making friend with me not knowing that she had bad intention. I gave her my child to hold for me and she ran away’

By Precious Igbonwelundu and Ebele Boniface

tence that I was going to market. Later her relation re-

indication that Sylva had abandoned Oruminighe to pick a retired head teacher, Mr. Wilberforce Egiri, as his running mate.

Oruminighe hails from Koluama in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area and Egiri is from Foropa, in the same local government.

The party chairman has been a political ally of Sylva and the brain behind his victory as APC’s flag bearer.

But a party source, who pleaded anonymity, said Oruminighe was fighting a lost battle.

The source added that it was

•From left: Senior Special Assistant to the President on Senate Matters, Senator Ita Enang; Senate Minority Leader Godswill Akpabio and Clerk of National Assembly, Alhaji Salihu Maikasuwa, during a visit to Akpabio in his office in Abuja...yesterday

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Our seaports now efficient, says Shippers’ Council boss

HE Nigeria Shippers Council (NSC) has said the seaports have become very efficient and can now compete favourably in handling regional and international transit trade.

Its Executive Secretary Mr. Hassan Bello spoke at the opening of the International Sea Trade and Investment Convention in Lagos.

He said the new port order was being implemented to make the ports more competitive and to improve the ease of doing business.

In a paper, “Imperative of Ports Economic Regulation in Facilitating International Sea Trade and Investment in Nigeria”, Bello said the ports had witnessed radical

Police parade suspected child thief AGOS State Police chief Fatai Owoseni yesterday paraded a sales girl, Onyiyechi Arinze (22), for stealing a nine monthold baby boy in Lagos and taking him to Anambra State.

Miss Onyiyechi took Abiodun Adetola to Okija to deceive her husband that the baby is theirs.

She said: “I carried the child from her mother because I wanted a child of my own. I have been looking for a child since 2005, I carried the child to Okija and my husband was very happy. I went to my friend’s shop at CKC Street and took the child from her under the pre-

mate.

Ebi said: “All the ward chairmen unanimously agreed that Oruminighe will be Sylva’s running mate. Oruminighe is the only man who can reach the grassroots and it is because of him we are making sacrifices; it’s not because of Sylva. He (Sylva) should give us Oruminighe.”

Another ward chairman, Okoro Magbisa, said Sylva should forget about the election, if he would not take Oruminighe as his running mate.

It was gathered that the protest was provoked by a serious

unbecoming of a party chairman to sponsor attacks on his party secretariat because of his selfish ambition.

He said: “Oruminighe is fighting a lost battle. The name of the party’s running mate has already been submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Tiwe is a party chairman and Sylva/ Oruminighe ticket cannot sell. He should make do with being the chairmanship of the party. It is a big position.”

But APC’s State Publicity Secretary Panebi Fortune said it was a party affair which would soon be resolved amicably.

ported to police and came to Okija, Anambra State and arrested me.”

The baby’s mother, Mrs Aina Adetola (42), from Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, said, “He is my third child, I sell provision while Onyiyechi sells at AP Filling Station now at Mobil road, Ajegunle. She collected my phone number and started making friend with me not knowing that she had bad intention. I gave her my child to hold for me and she ran away.”

Her husband, Adetola Adeniyi, said: “I was confident that God will bring back my son. I said if God is still God my child will return.”

transformation since the council was appointed the Ports Economic Regulator.

He said with economic regulation of the ports, the high level of inefficiency, which characterised the activities at the ports for decades, like unnecessary delays in the turnaround time for ships and high cargo dwell time, have become a thing of the past.

“The vacuum that existed in the past made it difficult for the nation to enjoy the gains of the programme the inefficiency in the procedures and operations of agencies and service providers and even users was adversely affecting and

undermining Nigeria’s competitive advantage in international trade. But all that has changed since we took over as economic regulator for the ports. We have been addressing the anti-competition behaviours, which characterised the activities of the ports in the past.”

He said government now enjoys improved revenue generation; improved infrastructural development at the ports; creation of efficient market; reduction in cost of doing business; improvement of the nation’s Global Competitive Index and consequent attraction of Foreign Direct Investment

(FDI), all as a direct benefit of ports regulation.

Bello said shipping companies were also not left out as they now enjoy improved delivery of marine and terminal handling services leading to reduced turnaround time of vessel and reduced cost of vessel operations.

He listed some of the council’s achievements to include the strengthening of complaint and arbitration mechanisms; prompt issuance of Ship Sailing Certificate and the consequent avoidance of demurrage accumulation against shipping companies and other effects.

‘Attempt to blackmail Ikpeazu won’t work’

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HE opposition’s attempt to blackmail Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu will not work, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain Ben Onyechere said yesterday.

He said there was an insinuation by what he called a “one-man opposition” in Abia that the government was victimising members of the opposition by demolishing their houses in the name of road construction.

Onyechere, a former special assistant to former Vice President Alex Ekwueme, said only illegal structures were demolished.

He said the false claim by the opposition “has exposed them as a rudderless

By Joseph Jibueze

gang with only one aim, which is to conspire and concoct falsehood with a view to blackmailing the government in the guise of opposition and in name of politics, not knowing that Abia has passed that stage long ago.”

“The criticism of the reconstruction work in Abia is an indication that the opposition is in a tight corner, holding on to anything to remain relevant.

“Otherwise, it is inexplicable for any well- meaning Abia man to conceive such magnitude of falsehood meant to derail and distract the pace of work.

“The government of lkpeazu is determinedly people-oriented with eyes fixed on the ball and as such, cannot be dissuaded from current actions to jumpstart the rehabilitation of a socio-economic environment which will oil the wheel of commerce and promote better living standards.

“The government will not deny opposition the right of existence but rather watch as they fumble in falsehood.

“Abia, unlike some of its neighbouring states, is the only state with two months’ salary deficits which will be cleared by the end of this month on completion of verification exercise.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

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Ripples over plot to sack Ekiti TUC chief

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HERE is disquiet in the Ekiti State Civil Service, following an alleged plot to dismiss the court-validated Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Kolawole Olaiya.

Olaiya has been calling for the payment of workers’ entitlements from the bailout fund released by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

In an interview with some reporters in Ado-Ekiti on August 30, the TUC Chairman said he was aware that the government had received the bailout cash.

The outstanding entitlements include September 2014 salary, leave bonuses for 2014 and 2015 and arrears of deductions from workers’ salaries.

Olaiya’s comments rattled the government, which set up a disciplinary panel to try him.

Olaiya, a principal legal officer in the Ministry of Jus-

•Govt: it’s a purely civil service matter From Odunayo Ogunmola, Ado-Ekiti

tice, received two queries for alleged involvement in partisan politics and dissemination of false information on the receipt of the bailout fund”.

The Nation gathered that the panel was chaired by the Solicitor-General/ Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, Lawrence Ojo. The sitting was held on October 2. Olaiya appeared to defend himself on the accusation of “spreading false information”.

Other members of the panel were Director of Civil Litigation S.B.J. Bamise; Director of Public Prosecution Gbenga Daramola; Director of Law Review Adeniyi Familoni; Director, Citizens’ Rights A.E. Akpan; Director, Service Matters in the

Office of Establishment Jide Akinleye and representative of the Civil Service Commission Sanmi Adedoja.

Olaiya won a legal battle at the National Industrial Court, Akure Division, on October 21, 2013 in a suit he and three others filed against the TUC national leadership, led by former President Peter Esele and 10 others.

The court, in a ruling delivered by Justice A.N. Ubaka after hearing the submissions of counsel, held that Olaiya and 15 other executive members of Ekiti TUC shall remain in their positions effective from the date of the verdict.

But the government in August organised what a source described as an “illegal” Delegates Conference in which Odunayo Adesoye was elected chairman.

Adesoye, an ex-officio II in the Olaiya-led exco, has been dealing with the government as TUC boss.

Efforts to get the Head of Service to speak on the matter proved abortive as a director in his office referred our reporter to the Office of Establishment and Training.

But the Permanent Secretary, Office of Establishment and Training, Mr Banji Ojo, described the Olaiya saga as a “purely internal civil service affair”.

Ojo said the matter was inconclusive hence he would not want to speak on it.

He denied receipt of the report of the panel, saying “as soon as we receive the report, we are going to work on it and forward same to the Head of Service but at this stage, we can’t comment on it”.

•From left: Oyo State Commisioner of Police Leye Oyebade, Ayangbure of lkorodu Oba Kabil Adewale Adegorusen and ASP Olufunmilayo Akinfewa at the launching of the book: “lmaging the Nigeria Police” at Trenchard Hall, University of lbadan...yesterday PHOTO: FEMI ILESANMI

Ambode saves N12b in four months

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AGOS State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode yesterday said his administration had reduced the cost of governance by saving N3billion monthly.

The reduction, according to the governor, saved the government and the state N12 billion in the first quarter of his administration.

Ambode spoke at the first edition of the quarterly Town Hall Meeting at Abesan Estate, Alimosho, where he rendered the account of his stewardship since he resumed on May 29.

According to him, he reduced the cost of governance through the re-alignment of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and restructuring of government.

The governor, at the meeting, which was attended by participants from Lagos West, said he was determined to be accountable for every revenue and expenditure.

He said one of his administration’s first key tasks was to stabilise the state’s finances, which made it embark on financial re-engineering and review of the revenue and expenditure framework.

“This has provided us with more funds to inject into capital projects and the initial funds to establish the Employment Trust Fund, which we promised our youths.

“Today, a major landmark of our administration is the re-

•’We’ve reduced cost of governance’

By Oziegbe Okoeki

duction in the cost of governance. We want a lean government with quality service delivery.

“The Lagos State government is proud to declare that it has consistently met its obligations, especially prompt payment of salaries without seeking any bailout from the Federal Government,” Ambode said.

The governor explained that in August, his administration approved the release of N11 billion for the payment of arrears of pensions owed since 2010.

He said his administration had been presenting retirees on the Contributory Pension Scheme their bond certificates and also approved the appointment of four additional Pension Fund Administrators.

“We are presently reviewing our loans with our bankers to restructure them in order to free up funds for further infrastructural development.”

Speaking on the health sector, Ambode said his administration provided 20 mobile intensive care unit ambulances at a cost of N145.240 million deployed in all the state’s ambulance points, bringing to 36 the mobile in-

tensive care unit ambulances.

“We have also provided an additional 26 transport ambulances at the cost of N257.4 million deployed across all our general hospitals.

“We have created ambulance points across the state for easy access to our people.

The ambulance service can be reached by calling the TollFree Line 112.

“Our administration, in the last three months, has installed 22 power generating sets ranging from 350 –500 KVA as additional back-up sets across the general hospitals at the cost of N270 million to ensure 24-hour power supply.

“In addition, 26 Mobile XRay machines, costing N519.656 million, are being installed at all our general hospitals.

“Similarly, we have approved the recruitment of more paramedic staff and special medical coordinators to ensure 24 hours service in our health facilities,” he said.

The governor said the abandoned Ayinke House project had been re-awarded and that the contractor would deliver the project within the next three-six months.

He said expressions of interest for a Lagos Medical Park had been received as “we will enter the phase of the project

soon and at the end of this, Lagos State will become a key destination for medical tourism”.

Ambode said what his administration did in the first quarter was to lay down the institutional framework for the smooth running of the government for the next three and half years.

He said: “What we have done can be described as the laying of the foundation on which the service and programmes of this government will be built. You cannot run a four-year marathon at top speed from the onset.

“Like any other well-bred chief executive officer, I have put in place all the ingredients needed to run a successful race.

“We will continue to woo investors to Lagos. We are assisting businesses and creating a conducive environment for these.

Our administration is committed to serve and render good governance.

“However, we need your support and cooperation to enable us deliver on our lofty programmes.

I want to assure you that our programmes are planned and carefully designed to make life easier and better for all our citizens.”

Bank manager remanded for ‘stealing’ N12m From Leke Akeredolu, Akure

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BANK manager in Ido-Ekiti in Ekiti State, Fatai Aguntasolo, was yesterday remanded in Olukuta Prison in Akure, the Ondo State capital, by an Akure Magistrate’s Court for alleged fraud.

Aguntasolo, 43, was accused of diverting N12million meant for the bank’s Automated Teller Machine (ATM) .

He, however, pleaded not guilty.

Police prosecutor Inspector Ajibola Aderemi told the court that Aguntasolo allegedly committed the crime at the bank’s Ido-Ekiti cash centre on July 8.

Aderemi, however, called for an adjournment to assemble his witnesses.

The defence counsel, Ajayi Adeolu, urged the court to grant his client bail but Aderemi kicked.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs. Olayinka Omole, granted the prosecutor’s application and ordered that Aguntasolo be remanded in prison custody.

She adjourned till today.

NURTW urges drivers to be security conscious

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AGOS State Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) Tajudeen Agbede has urged drivers to always be at alert at motor parks.

He spoke against the backdrop of last week’s bombing at Nyanya Motor Park in Abuja by suspected Boko Haram members.

According to Agbede, one of the measures to forestall bombing at motor parks is the removal of abandoned vehicles.

“One way to keep bombers away is to make sure that we don’t allow abandoned vehicles in the parks. Our findings have shown that bombers always use abandoned vehicles to launch their attacks; such vehicles should be removed from the parks “Again, those operating in the parks should be conscious and report suspicious persons and individuals to security agencies,” he said.

Agbede said he would visit the parks to ensure that members comply with the security instructions.

The chairman also directed drivers to always obey traffic regulations.

“They should always obey traffic rules to avoid having issues with law enforcement agencies. We must support and cooperate with government to ensure free flow of traffic in our areas of operation,” he said.

Ex-Rep Adefolabi dies in Hajj stampede ESIDENTS of No 1,

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Prince Adeola Adefolabi Street in Ifako Ijaiye area of Lagos were in a sad mood yesterday, following the confirmation of the death of Prince Morufdeen Adefolabi, a former member of the House of Representatives.

Adefolabi, who

represented Ifako Ijaiye Federal Constituency, between 2007 and 2011, was declared missing after the Sallah Day stampede at Jamrah in Saudi Arabia.

Sources told The Nation yesterday that the news has been confirmed to his family.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

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Kogi West: Adeyemi urges tribunal to nullify Melaye’s election

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FORMER Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Smart Adeyemi, has urged the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal to nullify the election of Senator Dino Melaye.

But Melaye asked the tribunal to dismiss Adeyemi’s petition for gross incompetence, a regrettable waste of time, incurably bad and unmeritorious.

Adeyemi made the submission in the final address presented to the tribunal by his lawyers, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), Dr. Kayode Olatoke(SAN), A.O. Otitoju and T.O. Adeboye.

A copy of the address was obtained by our correspondent from the tribunal.

Citing 53 authorities, Adeyemi said he polled the majority of the lawful votes of 36,100, compared with Melaye’s votes of 33, 146.

•’His petition is baseless’ From Yusuf Alli, Abuja

He said Melaye was not qualified to contest the March 28 election because he was not a product of valid primaries in the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Adeyemi said: “Melaye is not a product of any valid primary election of the second respondent (APC). A careful perusal of Exhibit 32(3), which is the purported report of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to evidence the conduct of APC primaries, is not even on the letterhead of INEC or that of APC and a careful reading of its heading will show its dubious status.

“The document, therefore, constitutes documentary hearsay and has no probative or evidential value.”

Referring to the Supreme Court’s decision in Ojukwu v.

Vehicle owners get ultimatum

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HE Lagos State Police Command have warned ownerS of accidented and abandoned Honda Accord with registration number KSF 544 CV parked at Isokoko Division to remove it within 14 days of this publication or lose it to members of the public.

Also, in ‘J’ Command Headquarters, Elemoro, Lagos are: one scrap ML320 Benz marked BL 369 AKD, Nissan Primera BF 484 FKJ .

Yar’Adua (2009), Adeyemi urged the court to discountenance Melaye’s attempt to adduce fresh facts.

He added: “Having said this, it is respectfully submitted that any evidence adduced, contrary to the pleading, goes to no issue.”

Adeyemi sought the following reliefs: “We urge your lordship to grant all the reliefs sought by the petitioners, based on the following settled points: “The petitioners have proved their case, based on unchallenged oral and documentary evidence adduced by them.

“On the state of the pleadings, the respondents did not join issues with the petitioners on the key and crucial as-

pects of the petitioners’ case.

“The oral and documentary evidence of the petitioners was not challenged by the respondents. In fact, the respondents did not produce counter oral or documentary evidence against same.

“When the unlawful votes are deducted from the votes of the parties, the first petitioner will have the majority of lawful votes as shown in the address.

“Alternatively, to disqualify the first respondent (Senator Melaye), nullify the election and order a fresh election.”

But in his submission, Senator Melaye, through his lead counsel, Mr. Rickey Tarfa (SAN), said he was validly elected by the people of Kogi West.

He said: “Finally on this issue, evidence of the re-

count of the ballot papers in the 21 polling units as given by the petitioners has been shattered and destroyed by the evidence of Mr. Victor Garba and Exhibits 30(1) to 30(5), which he tendered in evidence.

“Mr. Garba was not lightly shaken under cross- examination in his evidence that the ballot papers from the 21 polling units were illegally thumb-printed after the elections with a view to void the votes of the first and second respondents.

“It is quite shameful and preposterous that the petitioners have led evidence and sought to reply on the ballot papers to show that void votes were counted for the first and second respondents.

“We urge your lordship to give due weight to and to fully believe Melaye’s election

the evidence of Mr. Garba, as he is a witness of truth with no interest to serve.

“We urge your lordship to resolve this issue in favour of the first respondent (Melaye) and proceed to dismiss this petition in its entirety.

“We urge your lordship to resolve the issues for the determination raised and argued in this address in favour of the first respondent and against the petitioners.

“We urge your lordship to hold that the petitioners have failed to discharge the onus of proof on them of the allegations and ground of their petition.

“We finally urge your lordship to dismiss this petition for being grossly incompetent, a regrettable waste of time, incurably bad and unmeritorious.”

Mark reaffirms faith in judiciary

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X-Senate President David Mark yesterday reaffirmed his faith in the judiciary and the rule of law.

A statement by his media aide, Paul Mumeh, said Mark was reacting to the National and State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal in Makurdi, Benue State, which upheld his March 28 election victory as a senator representing Benue South.

Mumeh quoted Mark as saying that “the judiciary remains the hope and defender of the rights of the oppressed.”

The statement said Mark thanked the judiciary for standing for truth and reaffirming the mandate given to him by

•Onjeh appeals judgment From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor, Abuja and Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi

the Benue South people.

It said the ex-Senate president promised to do everything constitutionally right to give his constituents the dividends of democracy.

The Justice Mosumola Dipeolu-led tribunal in a unanimous judgment, which lasted two and a half hours, dismissed the petition by the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Daniel Onjeh, challenging the election of Senator Mark of the Peo-

ples Democratic Party (PDP).

The statement quoted Justice Dipeolu as saying that Onjeh “failed woefully to prove allegations of rigging, multiple thumb-printing, overstuffing of ballot boxes, allocation of votes, intimidation, harassment and inducement of voters, among others.”

It said: “The tribunal also held that the petitioner failed to substantiate any of his claims, which she noted was fatal to his case.”

The statement added: “The tribunal therefore discountenanced scanty evidence of PW 18 (Expert witness) called by Onjeh because the witness un-

•Mark

der cross-examination accepted that there was error in his data analysis.”

Mark is the longest serving senator. He was elected in 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015.

He served as Senate president for eight years. Onjeh said he would appeal the judgment.

Addressing reporters, he said he had instructed his lawyer to head for the Appeal Court.

‘Omisore’s popularity claim a ruse’

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HE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has described the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Iyiola Omisore’s, claim of popularity as laughable.

Omisore, in an interview on a private radio station, declared himself the state’s most popular politician.

But APC Chairman Adegboyega Famodun, in a statement, said the PDP candidate’s claim that he had won previous elections based on his popularity “is not only fraudulent, it is shamelessly incorrect”.

From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

Famodun said: “Omisore, as an individual candidate, has never legitimately won an election in the state.

The only time, he was on the side of victorious party, was when he paired with Chief Bisi Akande for the governorship ticket of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in 1999.

“But before 2003, Omisore had not only fallen out of grace, he was facing criminal charges for the alleged murder of Chief Bola Ige, as a result of which he had become odiously unpopular in

Osun State and to top it all, he was in prison.

“The 2003 election which he claimed he won from prison was one of the worst manipulated elections in our political history. Anybody with a memory better than Omisore will laugh at him for referring to that election as a mark of his popularity.

“In 2007, Omisore could not convincingly win the senatorial election. The electoral tribunal annulled the election and ordered a re-run. But sensing defeat, Omisore and his PDP gang resorted to one of the most virulent violence

Osun politics has ever witnessed.

“The Action Congress (AC) quietly withdrew from that election to save lives.

Omisore had no contest. So he did not win in 2007 because he was popular.

“The real test of Omisore’s popularity was in 2011. His best performance was that he won his polling unit by 19 votes and lost his ward. He was defeated by Babajide Omoworare. The victory was so apparent; Omisore could not go to tribunal to contest it. That was how popular he was.

Buhari’s victory rescued Nigeria, say Aregbesola, Ajimobi

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SUN State Governor Rauf Aregbesola has said the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari was the culmination of the progressives struggle since Independence.

His Oyo State counterpart, Abiola Ajimobi, noted that Nigerians faced the greatest challenge to their existence in the 15 years of misrule and maladministration of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He said they opted for Change and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last general elections.

Ajimobi spoke as the Chairman of the first distinguished lecture of the Department of Political Science and Diplomatic Studies, Bowen University, Iwo, Osun State.

Ajimobi observed that Buhari’s election was the second

attempt by Nigerians to call for change.

He added that the first attempt by Nigerians was the June 12, 1993 election won by the late MKO Abiola, which was anulled.

The governor argued that for a people to collectively opt for change, the socio-political situation in such a place must have been totally intolerable.

He said the hopes of Nigerians were very high when the country transited to civilian rule in 1999 but shortly afterwards the PDP-led administration thwarted the hopes and aspiration of the people by its ineptitude.

According to him, “no sooner had the PDP led administration began governance than the trait exhibited by the potentates of the new

government and the ruling party that midwifed the government could be seen as administrative ineptitude, lack of vision, unwarranted aggrandisement cum corruption.

“However, the last straw that broke the camel’s back was the inability of the PDP led government to guarantee security. All these boiled down to bad leadership.”

Aregbesola said most of the sustained attacks against his person and government in the media was because he stopped the PDP’s political machinations in the Southwest.

The governor praised the university for fulfilling its role of idea generation and dissemination, through the interaction between town and gown.

He added that Buhari won despite everything done to distract him before and during the campaigns.

The governor recounted that after the APC lost the Ekiti State governorship election last year, the PDP’s evil machinery working in full tandem with all the security agencies, was moved to Osun.

Aregbesola noted that the calculation then was that if Osun could be seized, the Southwest would have been captured by the PDP. According to him: “After I won the governorship election, it became clear that our party had become unstoppable and President Buhari would become president.

“We thank God that despite everything, we are where we are today.”

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

NEWS Reps kick against electricity tariff increase

Nigeria loses N10b to bird flu

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IGERIA has lost over N10billion to the out break of avian influenza otherwise known as bird flu in poultry farms located in 21 states across the country, the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) has said.

Its Director-General, Mr. Onallo Akpa said the losses were incured between January and September, this year, lamenting that the outbreak of bird flu led to the depopulation of about 1.7million birds.

Mr. Akpa, who spoke to reporters in Abuja yesterday, added that each of the bird had an average economic value of about N7, 000.

He urged the Federal Government to re-consider its decision to suspend payment of compensation to poultry

SEC to grow non-interest market products by 25% • Mulls Sharia Advisory Council From Nduka Chiejina (Asst. Editor)

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HE Securities and Ex change Commission (SEC) said it is planning to grow non-interest capital market products to 25 per cent of the overall market capitalisation.

Its Director-General, Mr Mounir Gwarzo gave the hint in Abuja during a meeting with the Lord Mayor of London, Alderman Alan Yarrow.

Represented by Executive Commissioner, Corporate Services at SEC, Zakawanu Garuba, the DG said the regulatory body was also considering modalities for establishment of a Sharia Advisory Council as a body of experts to advise on non-interest product applications.

He said: “Our goal is to boost non-interest capital market product innovation so that the segment can be at least a quarter (25 per cent) of the overall market capitalisation.”

The SEC he said wants “to build a strong regulatory regime for non-interest products, encourage stakeholders in the non-interest capital market and ensure the emergence of Nigeria as a prominent non-interest capital market hub both at the regional level and globally.”

To boost liquidity of noninterest products, he said SEC is “working with a committee to support the FMDQ platform to enable secondary market trading of the products. We are also engaging the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to obtain liquidity status for non-interest products (especially the sukuk).”

All these efforts, he noted are hinged on the fact that “Nigeria has more than 80 million Muslims compared to Malaysia’s total population of 30 million. In addition, Nigeria has a larger economy than Malaysia’s, being the largest economy in Africa.”

From Frank Ikpefan, Abuja

farmers who lost their investments as a result of the outbreak of the disease.

The Federal Government had last week announced that bird flu was recorded in 491 poultry farms in Nigeria and stated that it would henceforth stop the payment of monetary claims to farmers because the compensation package had made them to relax in complying with stipulated bio-security measures.

He said: “We have about 1.7million laying birds that have been depopulated as a result of this outbreak. So to calculate the direct economic loss, if you take this figure and multiply it at the rate of N5, 000 which is the economic value of one laying

bird, you will realise that Nigeria has lost over N10billion.

“This is the direct loss to the Nigerian economy. It does not include the job losses and other ancillary services that are linked to the business. So if the government is paying a compensation of N1.1billion, is that substantial enough?

“It might interest you to know that the Nigerian poultry industry alone needs two million metric tons of maize and almost one million metric tons of soya beans on an annual basis. Do you know the economic value of these crops to the Nigerian crop farmers?”

On the suspension of compensation to farmers, he said: “If government says there is no compensation,

then the situation is going to be worsened. Because no matter how paltry the compensation is, farmers are encouraged to report suspicious diseases that they don’t know whenever it occurs.

“When you report and government officials come to the farm and find out that it is avian influenza, the whole farm will be taken over and depopulated. So, the chance of spreading the virus to another nearby farms is minimised.”

He added that instead of suspending compensation to poultry farmers and passing blames, the federal government should call for a stakeholders meeting where inputs will be made on how to tackle the problem.

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HE House of Repre sentatives has urged the management of the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to stop electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs) from the planned upward review of electricity tariff.

NERC has also been asked to appear before a House panel to explain the justification for the planned review and how Nigerians would not be negatively affected.

Furthermore, to ensure that Nigerians get value for their money, the lawmakers have also directed NERC and DISCOs to immediately begin the provision and installation of prepaid meters to every consumer nationwide.

The decision of the lawmakers followed the adoption of a motion by Solomon Maren

• NERC boss summoned From Victor Oluwasegun and Dele Anofi, Abuja

(PDP, Plateau), who regretted that as a consequence of the comatose power generation and distribution system, many industries have collapsed.

Besides, the House resolved against further collection of flat maintenance or service fees by the DISCOs which were termed illegal and not in tandem with best practices.

“It should be of concern that the NERC has directed all the DISCOs to comply with the directive for upward review of tariff because there are attempts by the DISCOs to devise another way of collecting these monies under another guise.

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 7, 2015

Even when the issue of Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) came up, it was ‘deliberately suppressed; in spite of the length of time it has spent working on it, the National Assembly has failed so far to pass it into law

POLITICS

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Charles Ambaiowei, an engineer, is the Acting President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC). He spoke with Assistant Editor SINA FADARE on the agitation for restructuring and other challenges before the Buhari administration.

‘Buhari should restructure Nigeria’ ‘

I made bold to say that the confab did not address any fundamental issue. And that has been the position of INC. What that conference had done was to just merely ponder on what we call cosmetics instead of going to the nitty-gritty of issues that could be the solution to the problems of this country

•Ambaiowei

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HAT is your assessment of the nation at 55?

The Ijaw National Congress (INC), which I represent, does not believe that our attempt at nation building is achieving result.

And that is the reason for the agitation by several separatist groups, the soaring level of corruption, unemployment, insecurity, Boko Haram insurgency, as well as the declining economic trend. All these are just a direct consequence of the fact that our path of nation building is not in a positive direction. If at all we had a time when nation building was positive and the trend was right, it was between 1960 and early 70s. For us, the Ijaw, how revenue is being shared is actually the fundamental basis of corruption in this country.

When the Midwestern Region was created in 1963, all the regions had their own constitutions in addition to the federal constitution. Every region

had one particular resource or the other which they exploited for the benefit of their people. You talk of groundnut pyramid in the North, cocoa in the West, palm oil in the East and when the defunct Midwestern region was created, it relied on palm oil. Then, there was a healthy competition. But, through the unification brought about by military decree, the ownership of resources, principally oil and gas, was transferred to the centre. Consequently, the derivation principle, which was 50 per cent up till 1963 Republican Constitution, now came to zero per cent.

Let me give you another example.

When Murtala Muhammed was assassinated and Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo (rtd), who was next in command, became Head of State, the late Gen. Musa Yar’Adua who was far lower in rank compared to other officers from other regions was promoted over and above his peers, so that he could become Chief of Staff.

If that is not institutional corruption, what else is corruption?

What is even more worrisome to the Ijaw National Congress is the preponderance of the North in same grip of positions in the National Assembly and judiciary. We must sound this loud and clear, President Muhammadu Buhari must drive restructuring of Nigeria.

Do you believe that the National Conference organised by former President Goodluck Jonathan was far reaching enough to address the

issue of restructuring you have raised?

I make bold to say that the conference did not address any fundamental issue. And that has been the position of INC. What that conference did was to scratch the surface of the problem, instead of addressing it fundamentally once and for all. Instead of taking a hard look at the state structure as concerns its viability; they ended up creating another 19 states. After the Hausa/Fulani, the Igbo and the Yoruba, the Ijaw are the fourth largest ethnic nationality in Nigeria. But, we are scattered in six states of the country. With our balkanisation, we have only one homogeneous Ijaw state. That apart, the six states in the Southwest are within a particular contiguous area, so they can do regional integration. Similarly, the five state in the Southeast are in a contiguous area and can as well do regional integration. Where will Ijaw, the 4th largest ethnic nationality, do its own integration?

What we are saying is: let’s go back to the drawing board and do fundamental restructuring for the peaceful co-existence of a people. Let’s go back to regionalism. If we have Southsouth as a region, then we know there is strength. When you have the Southwest as a region, there is strength.

When you have the Southeast states as a region, there is strength. From the time immemorial, whether it was civil or military rule, all the Northern states and their governors have

’

always had their meetings. It is only when the South wants to hold meeting that they will accuse them of planning to go out of Nigeria. So, that conference did not address any fundamental issue.

Look at the Petroleum Act, which was promulgated during the Gowon era and later became an Act of Parliament. Since the end of the civil war, they have maintained that Petroleum Act without a single amendment. Even when the issue of Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) came up, it was deliberately suppressed; in spite of the length of time it has spent working on it, the National Assembly has failed so far to pass it into law. Strangely, the Solid Mineral Act passed by the same parliament empowers the host communities, whereas, the formulators of PIB virtually made the people of oil producing areas tenants on their own land to those who are going to exploit oil and gas resources. When we made our recommendations to the National Assembly with respect to the PIB, we printed out sections of solid mineral act and we urged the lawmakers to carry everything wholly without any alteration and put it into the PIB because mineral is mineral whether sold or otherwise.

Are we living in a country where there are two classes of citizens? Until we address the institutional injustice and corruption entrenched in the system, this country is going nowhere

There were lots of hues and cry from your people when former Director-General of NIMASA, Dr Patrick Ziakede Akpobolokemi was removed. Will Nigeria get out of such ethnic quagmire?

When a government comes on board, it is expected that it will spell out its operational code. If you do so openly and transparently, when you are using the code, nobody will raise an eyebrow. Even when the issue of PIB came up, the National Assembly could not pass it into law up till today. In NIMASA, for example, the young man who was removed is from the Niger Delta. On the assumption that he was corrupt, he was summarily removed from office. But, the same President Buhari forgot that Mr. Jahuro was the Director of Finance under Akpobolokemi. Having summarily removed Akpobolokemi and made his second-in-command, Calistus Obi, who is an Igbo man from the Southeast, as Acting DG. Less than two weeks after, he booted him out and told him to handover to Haruna Jauro who is from the North. By what stretch of imagination do you want to believe that if Akpobolokemi was corrupt and mismanaged NIMASA, the Director of Finance of that same organisation would not be a part of it.

Do you think the government has the luxury of time for its anti-corruption war?

The government does not need to have luxury of time. What we are saying is that in as much as the government does not have the luxury of time, they should keep their mouths shut and stop making pronouncement that seems to suggest that it is only people from certain section of the country that are corrupt.

UAD tasks APC on campaign promises

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•From left: Speaker, House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara, Deputy Speaker, Lasun Yusuf and wife, Omowunmi, during a reception in honour of Lasun in Abuja yesterday.

PHOTO: ABAYOMI FAYESE

‘We will create jobs for youths’

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HE All Progressives Congress (APC) deputy governorship candidate in Kogi State, Prince James Faleke, has reiterated the party’s determination and commitment to create job opportunities for the youths, if Prince Abubakar Audu is elected as governor.

The Ekinrin-Adde born-politician disclosed this at the zonal campaign rally in Kabba, the headquarters of Kogi West Senatorial District.

He said the party is on a mission to rescue the state from a clueless Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government.

Faleke lamented that the state has has been stagnant since Audu left power in 2003.

The politician said the APC government will empower the youths to be-

come self-reliant.

He also said the APC administration will pay salaries regularly to civil servants, local government workers and teachers.

Faleke berated the PDP government for not paying monthly salaries regularly, adding that the government lacked the ability to boost the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) for the development of the state.

He lamented that Kogi, which was rated in 2003 as one of the fastest growing states in Nigeria, is now the most backward state.

He attributed the backwardness to poor leadership by the PDP chieftains.

Faleke objected to the request by the state for a N50.8 billion naira bailout funds, saying that the PDP govern-

•Faleke ment may not spend it prudently.

Urging the people to vote for the APC, he promised that the salary arrears will be paid in the first 100 days of Prince Audu in office.

CIVIL society group, the United Action for Democracy (UAD), has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to implement his campaign promises.

It’s National Convener, Comrade Babatunde Ayelabola, said the group will hold the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Buhari to their promises.

Ayelabola said the conditional cash transfers, massive low cost housing scheme and improvement in public healthcare delivery should be implemented. He spoke with reporters in Lagos during the commemoration of the 10 th anniversary of the death of Comrade Chima Ubani, a civil right activist and Mr Tunji Oyeleru, a photo journalist. They died in the course of mobilising against petroleum deregulation.

The NUD leader lamented that those who promised to assist the family of the late Comrade Ubani had failed to fulfil their promises.

Aiyelabola disclosed that Abia State Government, where Ubani hailed from, made an unfulfilled promise. Others, according to him, were Lagos State Government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the immediate constituency of the deceased. According to him, the NLC, under the leadership of Comrade Ayuba Wabba, has taken up a firm commitment in this regard.

He said the family of Ubani depended on monthly stipend from

•Buhari

By Leke Salaudeen

Mr Bamidele Aturu, a lawyer, who died last year. With the death of Aturu, he said Ubani’s wife has turned a widow the second time.

The civil rights activist bemoaned the living condition of Ubani’s parents before their demise. The last time I visited them, their condition was highly pathetic, he said.

Lamenting the neglect of the deceased family, Aiyelabola said: “The Nigerian state is culpable of their deaths by default and should bear responsibility for the upkeep of their families.

“We also have to ensure that the historic roles of these two matyrs of our movement are presented for future generations, to inspire the kind of commitment that drove them into the struggle for system change.

“Chima waged a struggle to change the system, playing leading roles in different ways at different times.”

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

15

COMMENTARY EDITORIALS

LETTER

Curb this menace

•The abduction of Chief Olu Falae, and threats of reprisals, call for prompt security measures nation-wide.

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HE resurgence of kidnapping and other forms of insecurity show that Nigeria still has a long way to go, in making the country safe. In many parts of the country today, people have to keep glancing over their shoulders to keep safe.

Whereas the terror grip of the North East is the worst form of insecurity in the land, others, including kidnapping, armed robbery, cattle rustling and rape, have become so common place that it could be said that life, as Thomas Hobbes contended, has indeed become short, nasty and brutish.

It is unfortunate that the state security agencies have failed to come up with measures and mechanisms to bring the situation under control. That is why we call on the Federal Government to come up with adequate security measures that would reassure the populace.

In the South East, kidnapping, which was once the order of the day, is back, forcing the Anambra State government to embark on demolition of the houses of those believed to be the kingpins, as a deterrence. This is a desperate measure that might offend the sensibility underpinning a modern justice system.

In the South South, too, prominent people are again being abducted as a

‘Nigeria already has enough problems. So, it can ill afford being drawn into an inter-ethnic discord on this score’

means of getting rich quick. The recent abduction of Ms Donu Kogbara, a renowned journalist, called attention to the ever-present danger. Almost always, the distraught relations of the victims are left to seek accommodation with the abductors, with the Police feeling helpless.

The release of Chief Olu Falae, a former secretary to the Federal Government under the Babangida military government, after four days in the kidnappers’ den, calls for concern and reflection. His age, non-flamboyant lifestyle and resort in retirement to farming made his case attract public sympathy. It drove home the fact that all Nigerians could really be walking in the shadow of death.

Falae, snatched at his farm near Akure, the Ondo State capital, made President Muhammadu Buhari to order the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, to secure the release, forthwith, of the elder citizen and leader of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

When, therefore, Chief Falae was released, only after four days in captivity, the police was quick in taking the credit.

But the Afenifere chieftain has contested the police claim that his family paid no ransom. He insisted that his abductors released him after obtaining proof a sanction had been paid, and even threatened to come back for him should he run his mouth!

The release of the 77-year-old’s farmer was enough to open a new phase of danger to national cohesion and unity. Chief Falae alluded to the possibility of Fulani herdsmen, with whom he had been having a running battle, over the grazing of

cattle on his farm, might have been his kidnappers — six in all: four armed and only two barely literate.

But his expose has incensed the Afenifere and the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), both Yoruba ethnic nationality lobby groups, which reflects the anger among the Yoruba.

Reports that Fulani herdsmen constitute the most potent danger to public safety in many parts of the country has pushed both groups to threaten that self-help could become inevitable, if the Federal Government failed to put together holistic plans to ward off the danger.

Still, the herdsmen, too, have legitimate concerns about grazing rights. There are no ranches and land acquired for grazing. Just as farmers like Chief Falae, in the North central, west or East, have the right to protect their crops. It is therefore left for the government to put in place plans that would guarantee the rights of both sides. The situation should be checked before it spins out of control.

Nigeria already has enough problems.

So, it can ill afford being drawn into an inter-ethnic discord on this score. Selfhelp as a security measure is an indication the state has failed in its primary responsibility. Those known to have infringed the law by abducting law-abiding citizens should be apprehended and prosecuted to assure that all are equal under the law, as well as reassure the people of the capacity of the state to guarantee the lives and property of all.

Unless this is done, the future would remain bleak.

See Hongxing and die •Workers’ gory tales of death and slavery in Chinese firm N its sad report on September 28, the Punch gave a vivid picture of what is happening in a Chinese firm, Hongxing Steel Company Ltd, in the Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos State. There were reports of deaths of workers in this firm on a regular basis.

First in the report was the death of a certain Emeka Umoh who lost his life at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital after liquefied iron spilled on his body, on September 23. Another worker, Adebayo, was reportedly squeezed to death by a compressor sometime in February.

From another report, there was almost a face-off between the management of the company and the workers, when the management decided to take the remains of Adebayo, a father of three, to the mortuary in a tipper!

Some workers in the Chinese firm said that Umoh and Ajiboye were just two among many Nigerian workers who had died or sustained permanent disability resulting from accidents on duty. The workers complained that such accidents occur on a regular basis as a result of faulty machines and absence of safety standards.

Yet there are many more of such victims in the firm. Obina Eze, aged 23, saw the compressor chop off his three fingers, while Eze complained of regular accidents from where workers sustain lifelong deformities.

I

When contacted, the spokesman for the Chinese company named Udomson, attributed the deaths and injuries in the company to industrial hazards, which the company “was not immune to”. He said the firm was already negotiating with Emeka Udoh’s family, and that the company had a policy on workers’ welfare.

It is a pity that some companies, especially Indian and Chinese companies, are notorious for discriminating against the workers of their host country, Nigeria.

When we put this side by side with the notorious discrimination of the Chinese against black citizens, like Nigerians, in their home country, we are miffed that they have the temerity to extend such discrimination to Nigerians in their own country.

This nefarious conduct is unacceptable, and should not be allowed if Hongxing Steel Company and its ilks are to be allowed to remain and operate in Nigeria.

The whole situation is a slap in the face of the Federal Government which ought to have warned the Chinese company of discrimination against Nigerians, not to talk of employing its citizens as slaves in their own country.

We also see the whole scene as failure of our Labour Unions who are also in a position to put a stop to this wicked exercise, and unwholesome attitude of a foreign company in Nigeria, like this Chinese firm.

In this connection, there is the element

of corruption, because those who are supposed to monitor the activities of the companies vis a vis their treatment of Nigerian workers, are likely compromised.

They get cozy with the managers and therefore look the other way, even when they see glaring infractions going on in the companies.

The same is true of the law enforcement agencies. These Chinese companies hire too many workers in unhygienic situations and in a factory with faulty machines which make the workplace prone to frequent accidents.

Obviously Indian and Chinese firms in the country take advantage of the acute lack of jobs to cheat Nigerian workers. It is now up to the Ministry of Labour, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC), civil society groups, and others to sit up and make foreign companies operating in Nigeria to respect our laws and appreciate the dignity of labour attached to workers in Nigeria, as they do to workers in their own countries.

‘This nefarious conduct is unacceptable, and should not be allowed if Hongxing Steel Company and its ilks are to be allowed to remain and operate in Nigeria’

Generation of confused youths

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IR: When will the goat be strong enough to kill a leopard? This would remain not just a proverb but a rhetorical question because a generation of confused youths has allowed themselves to be mere pawns on the political chess board in our society.

What I find disheartening is the seeming inexorable rise in demonstrations and protests among the youths, in solidarity with those politicians supposedly tainted with the tar of corruption.

It is becoming very difficult to fathom the bone of contention of some species of humanity in youth forms, whose stock-in-trade is to barricade the streets and institutions to wail in support of our permissive and profligate politicians, regardless of what the person is being accused of. Could such acts of unflattering servility be passed as fool-hardiness or unquantifiable stupidity?

The one that defies not just logic but also philosophy was the inexcusable manner a generation afflicted by the worst side of corruption, last week Tuesday, barricaded the National Assembly complex and queued desperately like pipeline vandals in support of the embattled Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who is facing trial over 13 count charges, including false and improper declaration of assets to CCB when he was governor of Kwara State— 2003-2011.

After watching the show of shame, I wept for those faceless and incapacitated youths of my generation who could best be described as “slaves in love with their chains”. They have without any modicum of shame allowed themselves to be used as an object of public ridicule by desperate politicians who are on their way to public odium.

To those incongruous and venal youths, who have not only sold their conscience but have constituted themselves as crass supporters of impunity— nothing is wrong in such social opprobrium, as long as something will come out of it, no matter how meagre it is.

Stupidity is when we blame our past leaders for dumping us in this hell-hole we found ourselves but when such persons are called to come answer corruption charges against them, we make an abrupt and complete reversal of attitude, opinion or position in support of the accused persons.

It is an unmitigated irony that our political class who widened the inequality gap in the country to a large degree and those who are yet to find us a place in our national polity are the ones we have allowed to always toss us around like the devil’s mail-bag.

To those youths that obstreperously trooped out in support of the embattled Saraki, given their demeanor, it is justifiably stupefied that mentality of wretchedness was at play. With such mentality, will the goat (which has been existing in the same world with the leopard) ever be strong enough to kill the leopard?

• Joe Onwukeme Enugu

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief Victor Ifijeh • Editor Gbenga Omotoso •Chairman, Editorial Board Sam Omatseye •General Editor Adekunle Ade-Adeleye •Editor, Online Lekan Otufodunrin •Managing Editor Northern Operation Yusuf Alli •Managing Editor Waheed Odusile

• Executive Director (Finance & Administration) Ade Odunewu

•Deputy Editor Lawal Ogienagbon

•Advert Manager Robinson Osirike

•Deputy Editor (News) Adeniyi Adesina

• Gen. Manager (Training and Development) Soji Omotunde •General Manager (Abuja Press) Kehinde Olowu •AGM (PH Press) Tunde Olasogba

•IT/Pre-Press Manager Bolarinwa Meekness •Deputy Editor (Nation’s Capital) •Press Manager Yomi Odunuga Udensi Chikaodi •Group Political Editor Emmanuel Oladesu •Legal Counsel John Unachukwu •Group Business Editor Simeon Ebulu • Manager (Admin) Folake Adeoye •Group Sports Editor Ade Ojeikere •Acting Manager (sales) •Editorial Page Editor Olaribigbe Bello Sanya Oni

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

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CARTOON & LETTERS

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IR: That there is a nexus between property development and transportation is a settled phenomenon. People do not just move about! They are always moving from one property to another.

This could be from the residential house to work in an office, market, or a recreational facility. Consequently, estate planners have always put accessibility into great consideration when planning an estate. Failure to do this has always resulted into facility failure. How much this fact has been taken into consideration in the ongoing development along the Lekki axis is my concern in this piece.

The construction of the Lekki/ Epe road by the administration of Alhaji Lateef Jakande has opened up a vast area of land which hitherto had been locked up. Before then Maroko, a slum on the fringe of Victoria Island was the end of the city of Lagos at that end. Beyond that was swampy land with scanty hamlets which were only accessible by sea or footpaths. The story is different today. The Lekki axis is the seat of several luxury estates both government and privately owned which are too numerous to be mentioned. These have attracted movements of people and goods such that the traffic situation as at today is terrible at certain hours of the day.

EDITOR’S MAIL BAG SEND TYPEWRITTEN, DOUBLE SPACED AND SIGNED CONTRIBUTIONS, LETTERS AND REJOINDERS OF NOT MORE THAN 800 WORDS TO THE EDITOR, THE NATION, 27B, FATAI ATERE ROAD, MATORI, LAGOS. E-mail: views@thenationonlineng.net

Lekki axis development, a time bomb!

People living beyond Ajah who want to get to work in Victoria Island or Lagos Island by 8a.m have to always leave home by 5a.m! To get home in the evening is the same story. It can be worse when there is fuel queue!

One can imagine what the situation will be when the several landmark developments that are earmarked for the axis take off. These include a refinery, an airport, a sea port, an export processing zone (EPZ), a Golf course and many housing estates as well as shopping plazas. Imagine several trailers and trucks bringing in and taking goods from the port. Imagine petrol tankers lifting oil from the refinery. It may be worse than what we see along the Apapa /Oshodi road today! We need to know what the Federal and Lagos State governments are doing about this. They do not have to wait until the bubble

On EHORECON registrar

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IR: The recent appointment of new Registrar of Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORECON) is a slap on the rule of law. It could not have been made possible if those that matter do their work accordingly and tells the president nothing but truth. The letter by Oluwafemi Abayomi in Daily Trust, September 25 shed some light about the problem at hand. More so, the new appointee has a petition against him which was not cleared, yet the Office of Head of Service and Permanent Secretary, Ministry Of Environment are aware, but overlooked it.

Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria (EHOAN),

Society for Environmental Health of Nigeria (SEHON), Environmental Health Practitioners Association of Nigeria (EHPAN) and other stakeholders should voice their opposition to this open day flagrant abuse of law by the office of Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment in misleading the President to appoint a new registrar without following due process, so that the profession would not die in the hands of desperadoes that annex their survival and relevance on clinging the position of registrar by force and illegality. A stitch in time saves nine.

• Adebayo Lawal, Lagos.

bursts before they begin to think of solutions.

On my part, the following are plausible solutions I think of which may reduce or solve the traffic problems that will arise as a result of these developments.The Lekki/Epe road should be extended to join the Shagamu/Ore road at Ijebuode as a dual carriage way. This will divert all traffic going to other parts of the country from passing through Lekki and the city of Lagos.

The much talked about coastal road which is to be a continuation of the Ahmadu Bello Way should be constructed to take some traffic

off the Lekki/ Epe road.

A light rail service similar to what is going on, along the Lagos/ Badagry road will serve as a mass transit for people going and coming to these developments, thereby relieving the Lekki/Epe road of some of the traffic.

The initial plan of Lekki phase one had a provision for the extension of the road that takes off from the third round-about (2nd roundabout then) across the lagoon to join the third mainland bridge at the Adeniji Adele interchange. This will divert traffic going to the mainland from passing through Victoria

Island or Ikoyi. It should be given utmost consideration now.

The initial plan for the expansion of the present Lekki road with the toll gates, I am aware, contained the construction of fly-overs at all the points where we have roundabouts now. If this is done, it will go a long way to reduce the build-up of traffic at each of these round-abouts.

These should be done as quickly as possible.

I believe that if these steps are taken the impending traffic jig- saw that is waiting to explode in the Lekki axis can be reduced if not eliminated. And these steps should start right now before the proposed developments are completed. Unless this is done, the Lekki axis is a time bomb only waiting to explode, traffic wise!

• Chief Kola Akomolede Vice President, Africa Chapter of International Real Estate Federation (FIABCI), Lagos

Re: Igbo leadership and the MASSOB madness

S

IR: I read a viewpoint by Dr. Bisi Olawunmi, published on page 16 of The Nation of September 24 with the caption – “Igbo Leadership and the MASSOB Madness”.

In the publication, Olawunmi expressed his worry and confusion on why there is persistent silence among Igbo elites in the face of call for secession by members of secessionist groups called MASSOB and IPOB. The said groups are calling for self determination of Ndi-Igbo outside the Nigerian state, even when the same Igbo men are concurrently seeking a firm foothold in Nigeria’s political space as well as sumptuous portion of the national cake. He summarized his write up in a conclusion which suggested that NdiIgbo are a study in contradiction.

The frightening point on the distraction of both the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Movement for Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) is the disquieting silence emitting from the

Igbo elites. It is frightening in that it could mean a tacit support for the groups or a threatening device to force power unto Ndi-Igbo. While there is no harm and in fact it is even more equitable that power be allowed to rotate unto a person of Igbo extraction, but Ndi-Igbo must be seen by others as believing in Nigerian project so that the other ethnic groups would not see Ndi-Igbo’s quest for power as instrument to secede from Nigeria.

There is an Igbo adage that says that an elder dies by keeping quiet in the face of impunity while the young dies by failure to listen to an elder. While Olawunmi was able to identify General Sam Momah, an Igbo elder who denounced the secessionist idea, there are many more Igbo elites even in the majority including Anayo Rochas Okorocha who have condemned the groups and their idea.

I have always wondered why a man whose fortune has always plummeted when he does not need

visa to move from Aba, Onitsha or Ihitte/Uboma to Abuja, Lagos or Kano will think that his fortune will blossom when he will need visa to cross from Onitsha to Asaba and then several visas to move from Onitsha to Lagos.

I have no doubt that Nnamdi Kalu’s IPOB will collapse the way Uwazuruike’s MASSOB collapsed after the death of MASSOB brain leader, Prince Orjiako (may his soul rest in peace), but I am worried that Igbo leaders are tacitly embracing IPOB irritation by keeping quiet while our security agencies appear to be docile even when IPOB is dangerously recruiting their disciples to unleash mayhem on the rest of us, the way we are now being killed

by Boko Haram.

Nigeria will be greater with the business acumen of the Igbo man, sincerity of the Hausa man and the foresight and exposure of the Yoruba man.

• Victor C. Nwaugo Esq. Aba, Abia State

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

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COMMENTS

Our Girls; Stop the Fulani/Farmers War; ‘Nigeria has Buhari’: Join; Watch ‘THE SUPREME PRICE’

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UR Girls are still missing since April 15,, 2014. In our 55th Independence week, as we pray and the military works, and bombs explode in Abuja, please Tony end another war - The Marinho Fulani herdsmen/ farmers war, causing massacres and murders in all states where cows trek- denying Nigerian ‘rights to life under the 1909 constitution’. The Chief Falae kidnap has forced this ‘ignored’ war to centre stage though it has ‘silently’ claimed over 20,000 lives, and terrorised homes, farms and villages on the NorthSouth Cattle Trek, (NSCT). The Nigerian Human Rights Commission should protect this war’s victims and not the cows.

Proper police and military intelligence debriefing will reveal the Falae kidnappers’ description, identifying marks, walk, talk, dress, weapons, food, mannerisms, names or pseudonyms, relations, contacts, conversations, hometown and laugh/psychological characteristics. The criminality inflicted on Falae is similar to that inflicted on other victims who deserve as much protection and investigation as Falae got. We are all equal before God. President Buhari, Grand Patron of the Fulani Herdsmen Association can stop this ‘dirty’ war. In 1900s Nigerians and cows walked from Kano to Lagos, then ‘someone’ invented roads, buses and cars. We no longer walk, nor should cows.

Are we facing another ‘Northern anti- polio’ argument? It is 2015 and destroying farmers’ fields is not ‘a right under the 1999 constitution’ or acceptable.

The 2015 solution to this ‘mass murder’ is to fatten cows on year-round irrigated Northern reserves. On a daily basis, fattened cattle would be carried on trailers or trains with grass and water for the three day journey countywide with no economic loss or life lost by herdsmen or farmers. As road and power improve, the cattle should be slaughtered in the North -extra jobs. Refrigerated trailers and train wagons would then deliver meat in daily convoys. No long trek, conflict, confrontation or criminality. Aiki, Kudi, Lafia for all.

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AITING for President Muhammadu Buhari’s ministers was like waiting forever. The waiting game lasted the whole of 16 good weeks. Quite a good number of people became either disenchanted or disillusioned. Not only this. The machinery of government was moving at snailspeed, while the economy was almost grinding to a halt. The President’s assurances at many fora that he needed to be meticulous and thorough in picking his cabinet because of the mess that he met on ground, offered little respite.

However, the waiting game ended last week when the president transmitted the first list of his proposed ministers to the Senate.

Since then, the newspapers and other medium of communication have been speculating about who and who, made the list of ministers. This has heightened anxiety as prospective ministers ran from pillar to post trying to authenticate their nomination. While this was going on, some of the senators upped the barometer of anxiety by spitting fire over the proposed screening of the would-be ministers. They said that unlike in the past when some of the nominees were merely asked to take a bow on the floor of the Senate chambers, this time around, they were going to properly scrutinize them and take them through the rigour of digging deep into their background, their moral and social antecedence and all that.

In view of this, it is believed that some of the nominees have been

Shikena!

Otherwise only a ‘Cow Meat Boycott’ will stop the war. IS A COW MORE VALUABLE THAN A NIGERIAN HUMAN? Will you eat ‘blood cow’ knowing it was provided by the massacre of farmers in ‘peaceful’ Plateau, Benue, Nassarawa– ‘Blood cow’ like ‘blood diamonds’? If no one eats cow, the uneaten cattle will force a peace by politicians, chiefs and emirs. Enough of cow murders!

Here is part of my poem to mark October 1 read at Trenchard Hall, UI, Independence Concert: Congrats Nigeria @55 Anticorruption Paparazzi ready steady goooooo / In the Nigerian nightmare many have cried/ and many have died/ Even children’s Polio plus / Has its murdered martyrs - polio minus./ Evil citizens stole the children’s inheritance – wealth/ In power, education and health/ Children without power and books to build the brain/ Because of that pension fraud or corruption pain / They offered us leaders to set us free/ Of them we chose Buhari / Buhari has at once three Wars/ Anti-corruption War/ Boko Haram War/ Fulani herdsmen-farmers War/ The lifestyle and fear of Buhari has saved billions/ Now he needs an Anti-Corruption Army of millions/ To clean up the septic tank/ And the cesspool from NPA to Central Bank/ Boko Haram may be in disarray/ But 3million IDPs and 30,000 dead, a heavy price to pay / We pray the Chibok Girls are found /And returned safe and sound/ Fulani Herdsmen need defeat / Before farmers cause a famine by retreat/ Nigeria may have to boycott cow meat/ To bring the herdsmen to the Peace seat / We must become Buhari’s Anti-Corruption Force/ To keep the war on course/Announce and Start ‘Corruption Watch’ /In your Ministry, Office, Hospital and Hostel/ Put your phone on in zones of corruption/ Upload to public media for Buhari’s attention/ Buhariled, together let us vanquish corruption/ Or we face ridicule and destruction/ Become a soldier in the Buhari Anticorruption War/ Buhari and Nigeria need you.

President Buhari’s October 1 speech calls you to the trenches to stand with him and fight, using forces of change, against real forces of dark corruption. Buhari has called the passive to join the active, and calls ‘you’ and ‘me‘. He calls the army of talkers, watchers, complainers and siddon lookers to ‘come to our aid’.

Never before in the history of Nigeria have all Nigerians, rich and poor, known and unknown, criminal and crimebuster, had the tremendous opportunity to be heard and collectively stand shoulder to shoulder ABC –‘Against Bribery Corruption’ at the ANTICORRUPTION BARRICADES with their President, Buhari, a Distinguished Officer and Fine Gentleman, to join him in creating an formidable 100 million Anti-Corruption Army.

Already we are saner, led by a frugal president, cutting waste and theft and recovering stolen funds. Nigerians are reducing demands on politicians. Politicians and civil servants are in the eye of the storm. YOU AND I MUST SUPERVISE, watch and report them when they fall, demand bribes and corrupt gains. Buhari is great but leading an Army of Buhari-ites, we are greater. England has Churchill, America has Lincoln, South Africa has Mandela and now we boast ‘Nigeria has Buhari’. Embrace Buhari, follow where Buhari leads. You should join up!

But if you are unsure of the ‘Buhari Cure’ for ‘Nigeria’s Corruption Disease’, should watch ‘THE SUPREME PRICE’ a 2013 film by Joanna Lipper, narrated by Hafsat AbiolaCostello of KIND, a history of ‘why we are here’ and Nigeria’s bloodstained journey emphasising MKO’s and Kudirat’s sacrifice. Cry for Nigeria, past and present! What is your sacrifice?

‘President Buhari’s October 1 speech calls you to the trenches to stand with him and fight, using forces of change, against real forces of dark corruption. Buhari has called the passive to join the active, and calls ‘you’ and ‘me‘. He calls the army of talkers, watchers, complainers and siddon lookers to ‘come to our aid’’

Screening Buhari’s Ministers mounting pressure on some of the senators to lend a voice in their support during the screening exercise that may commence in the Senate chambers this morning. I am sure the list of nominees might not totally tally with the names the media have been bandying about all these days. The choice of nominees in some states may not have been as smooth as that for the president who had insisted on doing it alone. The issue of picking the right candidate from various states may have been a tug of war. For instance, feelers from Niger State indicate that if it is true that Musa Ibeto, who until recently was the deputy governor of the State, had actually been penciled down to be made a minister, then a longstanding ethnic, cum tribal arrangement which has subsisted for ages in that state is about to be broken. This is because Abubakar Sani-Bello, the incumbent governor of the state and Ibeto are from the same political zone of the state. His appointment will, therefore, tilt the balance of power in favour of one political zone in the state to the detriment of other zones. This will surely be a recipe for confusion and crisis in the state.

If Rotimi Amaechi, Kayode Fayemi and Babatunde Fashola, former governors of Rivers, Ekiti and Lagos states respectively, make the final list, they might be doing so on merit. But this is not

‘In the circumstance in which the nation has found itself, the president must take the right step to ensure accountability and good governance which is paramount to the progress of this country’

to say that they will have a walkover at the screening exercise in the senate. In actual fact, the trio Amaechi, Fayemi and Fasholawere believed to have been directly picked by Buhari, in recognition of their invaluable contribution and support for him which made it possible for him to emerge as the president. In spite of mounting opposition against them from their own people, Buhari had assured them a long time ago that they were going to work with him.

There are speculations that Fayemi, who had been involved in drafting so many papers for the President, may be appointed Foreign Affairs Minister, while Fashola takes care of either the Federal Capital Territory or the Power Ministry. But with speculations that Bart Nnaji, the former Power Minister, may be on board, Nnaji might be asked to man the Power Ministry for the second time, a position he held before he was yanked off the seat in very controversial circumstances some few years ago by former president Goodluck Jonathan.

No one is yet sure where Amaechi will be heading to. He is considered as having worked tirelessly for the emergence of Buhari as president in “cash and kind”. His problem with Nyesom Wike, the sitting governor of Rivers State notwithstanding, it is believed that Buhari is bent on compensating him for his steadfastness, loyalty and support during and after the election. There are expectations that since Buhari had satisfied himself by picking those to work with him, including Abba Kyari, his Chief of Staff and others, he would allow some of the people around him to nominate at least one or two people for ministerial posts.

The Senate’s screening may be tough on the surface because of the senators’ recent utterances, but one thing is that those guys, I mean the senators, are survivalists. The recent travails of Bukola Saraki, the senate president, at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, is still very fresh in memory. Many of the senators rallied round the Senate President simply to avoid a backlash of probe on members of the National Assembly, who may have equally lied in their assets declaration. A number of the senators are past office holders especially former governors who are believed to have corruption cases hanging on their necks.

Majority of them ran down their states’ treasuries and would not want anything that will give them sleepless nights. They probably fought their ways into the senate, in the first instance, to seek sanctuary from harassment and so, they will do anything and everything to protect their interests.

Besides, there is also the usual tango between the legislative arm of government and the executive, with each holding on tightly to its territory. In fact, they have always behaved as rivals, a situation that was very pronounced under both former president Olusegun Obasanjo and his successor, Goodluck Jonathan. Each time the National Assembly members felt the executive was encroaching on their affairs they usually resorted to subtle blackmail by dangling the impeachment axe against the executive. When this happened, a truce was always reached and the situation ended in a sort of “give-and-take”. Money became a determinant factor. It happened

Dele Agekameh during the Ghali Umar Na’ Aba’s episode in the lower legislature under Obasanjo and Aminu Tambuwal as Speaker under Jonathan.

At any rate, it is heartwarming that the president has removed the privilege of nominating ministers from the state governors because, in the past, most of the governors either succeeded in bringing their surrogates on board or they just brought in people who were incapable of making any significant contribution to governance. In the circumstance in which the nation has found itself, the president must take the right step to ensure accountability and good governance which is paramount to the progress of this country. This can only be guaranteed by putting the right people in the right positions.

To achieve this, the senators should do their job properly with sincerity of purpose, so as not to create unnecessary bottlenecks for the nominees in the guise of being thorough. Let’s get down to business!

For comments Text (only) to : 08058354382

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

COMMENTS ‘Nigerian students are full of wonders.

All because our students are never sober.

According to report, “One of the students had been bitten by a bedbug while he was asleep”. Then the whole UNILAG students were up in arms against the authorities. Bedbug is a small flat insect that lives especially in beds .These bugs were brought in from various homes. Like EBOLA checking; do we need to screen students for BEDBUGS on admission?’

• Fayose For Olatumji Dare Sir, In his inaugural address, Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose also gave the citizens the uncomfortable impression that he would be inept, erratic, bellicose, irrational, ridiculous, brutal and militaristic not only in handling state affairs but towards his political opponents. Should anybody be surprised if the governor is set to build an international airport in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, under a depressed economy? From Adegoke O, Bako, Ibadan, Oyo State.

Re: Ekiti: Your own airport, coming soon.

Ekiti people must be disturbed with the fate of the feigned poultry project. Ekiti is a state amid several hills of various heights and inhabited by educated but poor people.

Unfortunately, this state is being ruled by a bemused Fayose, who was structured in by former clueless President-birds-of-the samefeather. Surrounding Ekiti State conveniently are Ilorin, Akure and Ibadan airports. If this airport project had been conceived by a former governor like Fayose condemned the Governor’s House built before he came in, good thinking and better governance demands that the economic situation of the state should determine its priorities.

Meanwhile, let Fayose’s supporters gather at Afao International Airport to welcome him and his family from Otuoke, Dubai or from South Africa. Prof. Dare, you’re welcome. From Elder L. O. David, Efon Alaaye, Ekiti State.

I almost fell off my chair after reading your piece in The Nation. You deserve an invitation to an Ekiti Bukateria for a pounded yam feast with the governor. I hope he understands. Anonymous The airport sure is more of the GEJIA gift than those superlative purposes you enumerated and this you tactfully highlighted by drawing a muted parallel with the phantom poultry project. Anonymous GEJIA (proposed) Airport made an interesting reading from one of few genuine satirists around. Anyone, I repeat anyone that takes the writing as written should be made to enrol for English 101 in any of the GEJ political universities. From F. T. Fabunmi.

Osun State Re-The economy, the economy: The CBN Governor should give very good economic advice to the President instead of singing discordant tune. Talking of recession publicly means he is not in tune with the executive. We hope he is not playing script of the spoilers. The TSA introduction to consolidate all revenue earnings should be embraced instead of criticising it. The manufacturing industry must be tutored to improve their sector instead of relying on importing all rubbish items to the country. His action falls short of his position. He should be alive to his responsibility if he is on the side of change. He should guard his utterances. From Pastor Odunmbaku.

What you painted is nothing but a picture of utopia but you forgot to tell the restless people of Ekiti: Welcome to utopia!

Abayomi Adeniji Prof, you’re so envious of Fayose’s fertile mind that I guess you’d wish to take credit for his very creative innovation - roasted corn as either snack or dessert. You left it out of the catalogue of the GEJIA windfall.

It’ll also serve the death-knell to popcorn as we know it today. From Mike Aiyemo, Abuja.

No matter how fast the night may run, it can never surpass the daylight. Fayose should not continue to insult the president

in guise of opposition and thinks it’s for the national interest. A child who boasts he will drink palm-wine with the skull of an elderly man will never grow to the age of his elders. From Saheed Yusuf.

You want to fly to Ado Ekiti from Peoria, Illinois and move to Kabba within an hour through which road, sir? From Peter Uzoka, Agbado, Ogun State Re-Ekiti: Your own airport, coming soon. In fact, till I finished reading your piece, it was as if you would ‘finish’ Governor Fayose at the last paragraph. Alas, that was not to be.

It was praise-analysis all through the end.

That is how a society should be irrespective of tribe/ethnicity, culture, ideological or political difference! One hope, with all your analysis and praises, Governor Fayose would not disappoint you after all! From Lanre Oseni.

My dear Ekiti people should monitor the N9.6 billion bailout fund received by their governor. Please, that bailout fund is not meant for GEJIA airport. He’s not going to do anything. Hold him for not utilising that bailout fund for the purposes the money came into the state treasury. From Hon Ifeanyi, Onitsha, Anambra State.

You’ve done it again, Tunji Dare in giving us a thoroughly entertaining sarcasm as you did in 1992 in The Guardian newspaper on the perennial ASUU strike. From WOA Fayose is a man of ephemera, a man with little mind and roving brain that holds nothing tangible. He lacks both the mental and moral capacity needed in a civilised society. I said in one of my responses to one of your columnists’ article last year that Dr Kayode Fayemi a cerebral intelligentsia is not a professional politician but a professional in politics and this is the reason his relevance goes beyond the border of Ekiti, he is a sun that has shone from the hilly Ekiti into the land beyond our imagination.

Fayemi and Fayose may look similar but their similarity does not go beyond the first three letters of their names. In other words Fayose is a negative apotheosis of Fayemi.

While Fayose cannot be projected beyond the hilly land of Ekiti due to his limited mental and moral capacity, Fayemi is a enigma on his own. Fayose is a mind in perpetual wandering in the wilderness of finicky.

Better to allow him to keep mesmerising his little minded coteries at home, while we the Ekiti abroad, will continue to challenge his ludicrous behaviour and his shallow thinking. From Falaye Oreoluwa, Abuja.

Olatunji Dare, I just read your piece; ‘Ekiti: Your own airport, coming soon’. I am shocked at your naivety and reasoning. You were a huge disappointment. Is the airport the most important need of the Ekiti people now? You talked of Niyi Osundare and co. jetting in straight into Ekiti from abroad, very laughable. It takes more than building one to make an airport viable for international or even local routes. And you should know better.

Anonymous I really enjoyed “Saraki: Time to step down”. You spoke nothing but the truth.

However, you haven’t said anything about the emergence of someone as corrupt as Prince Abubakar Audu as APC gubernatorial candidate in Kogi State. He has a case with EFCC over an alleged embezzlement of N11billion. Anonymous I have been expecting you or any other APC journalists to submit the way you have submitted this morning that the much politically hounded Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, be impeached or forced to resign his position. Be rest assured that even your ‘almighty’ political leader will never escape the big hammer of the effects of fascistic rule. Read the life and time, of Adolf Hitler by Robert P. From Ola Ani. Re: Saraki: Time to step down. Thank you Prof. Dare for always hitting the iron when

it’s hot. For the past 16 years, Saraki and his likes have taken refuge under the umbrella of IMPUNITY-aided PDP and its opaque leadership. Now the umbrella has been shredded and JUSTICE is rearing its head, though long veiled. However, instead of egoistic Saraki to humble himself in the new dispensation, he has never been on the same page with his new political party, and even with the President. He is feeling too big and powerful to just appear before formal Tribunal and put a defence; but still digging the hole of impunity. “Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time”(1 Pet.5:6).Our refractory Senate President should step down now, and not wait for our God to humble him. From Elder L. O .David. Efon Alaaye, Ekiti State .

For Gbenga Omotoso Re: UNILAG bedbugs. Students are full of wonders. All because our students are never sober. According to report, “One of the students had been bitten by a bedbug while he was asleep”. Then the whole UNILAG students were up in arms against the authorities. Bedbug is a small flat insect that lives especially in bed .These bugs were brought in from various homes. Like EBOLA checking; do we need to screen students for BEDBUGS on admission? The NANS leadership needs re-thinking in this direction. The amount each student spends per day on re-charge cards is enough to fumigate their individual room/bed. Now, our students may soon be protesting for locating mosquitoes on their campuses. We don’t care if a Nigerian university is not listed among the world leading 7,000 but we easily block the highways over frivolous matters. Let NANS also embrace CHANGE. From Elder L. O. David, Efon Alaaye, Ekiti State.

Having read the UNILAG bedbugs story in The Nation of Octover 1, I hereby recommend that the university authorities should set-up a committee to investigate the saga. And if the students are wrong they should be made to apologise to the school authorities. On the contrary, the school authorities should be made to compensate the students by replacing their mattresses and get rid of the bedbugs. From Darlington.

In response to your piece titled: ‘Saraki, time to step down’, I want to know why the judiciary has become so impotent that it can no longer protect itself based on known ethics. In my growing up years in Nigeria, we so feared judges and courts that no one dared say a word about a matter in court as it amounted to contempt, prejudice to court process and carried severe punishment. All that has changed.

Matters in court are subjected to the courts of public opinion, editorial opinions and public statements by even the parties involved in the cases. Why can’t the judiciary defend its revered institution?

From Okey.

For Segun Gbadegesin Re: Revisiting the labours of our heroes past. What a timely reminder by Gbadegesin. As Nigeria was marking her 55th year of Independence, China was celebrating her 66th. It was stated that, “we have an obligation to revisit the labours of our heroes past”. This is necessary now because those who have selfishly taken the mantle of leadership here have deleted HISTORY as subject from their unpatriotic and blurred vision. Where are the heroes in Nigeria these days? Any evidence of good, corruption-free and disciplined leadership? Instead we have distinguished forgers and counterfeiters of assets declaration in the Third Arm of Government. No more heroes in Nigeria but ethnic champions who ‘LABOUR’ and loot the common-

• Buhari wealth and send their children to Diaspora.

Like the Southwest and the North doing now, let states embark on regional integration or zonal collaboration. From Elder L .O David, Efon Alaaye, Ekiti State ‘’Revisiting the labours of our heroes past’’ or anything about Nigeria’s march towards independence that is devoid of references to the architect and most potent voice in Nigeria’s quest for independence amounts to a misinformation or suppression of facts.

I insist, particularly, that you can’t honestly talk or write on our heroes past and Nigeria’s independence without a generous reference to the Rt.Hon.Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe the one and only Zik of Africa. From Barr Edet Essien, Calabar, Cross River State.

Re: “Revisiting the labours of our heroes past.” We must actually commend the efforts of our founding fathers for what they did politically in the life of this nation during the colonial period that led to our independence in 1960, despite all the differences that we have culturally, traditionally and ethnically. It is true that we had passed through various constitutions looking for a good system of government that suits our purpose and eventually settled for federalism which we operated before suspicion, intolerance, tribal sentiments, ethnicities and political rivalries set in along the line; when a few of our founding fathers were persecuted, prosecuted and jailed before the Army struck in 1966. It was unfortunate that some of our founding fathers lost their lives in the process. The army jettisoned federalism and imposed unitary system which was alien to our upbringing. Today, here we are still grappling with the problems which the army had created and have not been able to evolve a suitable structure which is true federalism.

Have we then appreciated the labours of our heroes past, when all what they laboured for have been condemned to the dustbin of history? From Prince Adewumi Oyeromade Agunloye.

May I also use this auspicious occasion to wish President Buhari and the good people of this great nation of ours Happy Independence Anniversary. Though we may have failed abysmally in some areas of our national life, there are, however, other areas the nation has, indeed, recorded some resounding successes in the journey so far, among which are infrastructural developments, man and material resources, transport, agriculture, commerce and industry etc. from the time of the country’s independence in 1960.We may not have perfected these areas or attained the level of greatness expected of us, which could be responsible for the misconception that there is nothing worthy of celebration in the country. Of course that I disagree with. Awesome though our challenges have been, we, on the whole, have really gone far from where we started and for sure, will definitely reach our Eldorado port of destination in the very near future, with hard work and love for one another. From Emmanuel Egwu.

As we celebrated 55 years of independence, let us all have sober reflection of how Nigeria will move forward. Let Nigerians support the PMB government to move Nigeria to next level of developmental advancement irrespective of party differences. We should know that PMB is president of Nigeria but APC and the President should accord respect to opposition parties and Nigerians criticism should be based on facts. From Gordon Chika Nnorom, Umukabia.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

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BUSINESS THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net

‘Our strategies for surviving recession’

By Oluwatoyin Adeleye

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ROCUREMENT Specialist, Lagos Eko World Bank Project, Kayode Adeleye has called on Nigerians to develop individual survival strategies to cushion the effects of global economic recession plaguing nations, including Nigeria.

He made the call while delivering the keynote address at the second Great Ife Alumni Association meeting held on Independence Day at Springhill Hotel, Oko Oba. ‘Survival Strategies in an Economy in Recession’was the theme of the lecture.

Adeleye cautioned the people against succumbing to fear and anxiety, instead, to take measured risks to help assure their future and that of their children.

He said: “For many, the global recession is a time of anxiety, challenges… The question is: how will we come out? Will we have made the most of our opportunities? In challenging times, we need to balance risk against opportunity, although it is not always easy. We often forget to look for opportunities in tough times because fear makes us focus on risk and danger. But it is in uncertain times that we can find the greatest opportunities, because we get shucked out of our safe pod and are then able to re-think our lives.”

The business specialist offered several strategies to adopt in order to flourish in tough times and survive recession.

He said: “Deal with reality, rather than denial; focus on core skills and hone in on them; improve your productivity by making each hour count; let go of what holds you back and spend time with positive people; have a contingency plan to keep you prepared for any situation; network with others; and develop new skills, preferably entrepreneurial.”

Adeleye also appealed to Nigerians to cooperate and be patient with government as it tries to recover from recession.

He said: “Times like this call for people who can see afar. The people should not protest against a system that is trying to heal itself. We should unite, find what we are good at and capitalise on them.”

The guest speaker advised parents to invest in their children’s future by engaging the in entrepreneurial skills acquisition.

“I advise the nation to tighten its belt. This is a time that is reminding us about the need for us to do a rethink, reorganisation and reorientation of our programmes and lifestyles. Inculcate and invest entrepreneurial skills into your kids. We should not wait until they are graduates before we do this,” he said.

‘It is regrettable that the damaging consequences of the Ecowas CET policy on the local pharmaceutical manufacturing sector in Nigeria were not considered despite our desperate attempts to draw attention to this. This policy undoubtedly spells doom for the local industry as imported medicines will become far cheaper than locally produced ones’ Chairman, Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMG MAN), Mr. Okey Akpa

SEC expels stockbrokers over fraud, market manipulation T HE Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has indicted two stockbroking firms and a stockbroker for fraudulent sales of investors’ shares and manipulation of share price at the stock market.

A circular on the indictment obtained exclusively by The Nation indicated that the stockbrokers were allegedly involved in multi-million Naira shares fraud. The indicted stockbrokers included Fittco Securities Limited, Resort Securities and Trust Limited and Mr Agomuo Chidi Solomon, a trader at the NSE. According to the indictment sheet, Fittco Securities Limited’s dealing member license has been revoked and the firm expelled from the Exchange due to alleged unauthorised sales of clients’ shares. Fittco Securities was also directed to pay a fine of N32.37 million.

Resort Securities & Trust Limited was suspended for one month and directed to

By Taofik Salako

pay a fine of N3. 74 million following indictment on alleged share price manipulation. Agomuo Chidi Solomon, an authorized dealing clerk of the NSE and a broker with Resort Securities, had his dealing certificate withdrawn in relation to the alleged share price manipulation.

The indictment warned capital market operators from dealing with the indicted stockbrokers, citing rules that blacklisted indicted officials from further operation or employment in the market.

Article 144(c) of the Rules and Regulations Governing Dealing Members (Amendments and Additions – Part II) – Specific Actions Requiring Prior Consent of The Exchange states that a dealing member must obtain prior

written consent of the Exchange to employ directors, authorized clerks or other persons including principal officers such as the chief executive officer, chief finance officer, chief compliance officer and chief risk officer, who have been indicted by the Exchange or Securities and Exchange Commission.

Others that required clearance from the Exchange before employment included any person who was an officer or employee of a dealing member expelled from the Exchange , any person expelled as an authorized clerk or its equivalent, from any other exchange; any person refused admission as a member of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers or any person expelled from its membership; any person expelled as a member of any professional asso-

ciation or institute and any person who is insolvent or has been convicted of theft, fraud, forgery, or any other crime involving dishonesty.

The Nation had recently reported exclusively that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was investigating 10 stockbroking firms and 12 individual stockbrokers and officials as part of a large-scale crackdown on shares fraud that has seen 31 stockbroking firms and several stockbrokers internally investigated and sanctioned by the NSE. Two official reports on shares fraud, also known as unauthorised sales of investors’ shares, obtained by The Nation had indicated that the NSE had invited the EFCC to further investigate and prosecute 12 stockbroking firms and 21 stockbrokers and officials, who were primarily indicted by the internal investigations of criminal financial fraud.

• From left: Head, TATA Group (Technical Partner), Mr. Bushan Sachdeva; Chief Executive Officer, Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC), Dr Oladele Amoda; Executive Director, Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED), Sunday Oduntan and Chief Commercial, EKEDC, Mr. Sam Nwaire, during a stakeholders' meeting/consultation in Lagos.

Ikeja Electric proposes 50% cut on fixed charges

I

KEJA Electric said it would reduce by 50 per cent the monthly fixed charges in its electricity bills to customers, as soon as it gets approval from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

Its Managing Director, Abiodun Ajifowobaje, who stated this at the company’s stakeholders’ consultative forum in Lagos, said the proposal has been submitted to the NERC for approval.

He said the reduction is been initiated in view of the planned increase in energy charge per kilowatt/hour (Kw/h).

He said: “Customer number and the percentage growth rate as presently determined is based on the anticipated outcome of the enumeration project currently in progress,”

Lafarge Africa completes N55b Unicem acquisition - P24

By Emeka Ugwuanyi

stating that billed customer numbers would double in the next two-to-three years and would thereafter increase by about 3.5 per cent.

Ajifowobaje urged the consumers to embrace the cost-reflective tariff to enable the company serve them better, saying the company is constrained by the present tariff regime, which is not cost-reflective.

He said the new proposed tariff would address some of the lingering challenges in customers’ billing, adding that residential consumers have been grouped into R1, R2, R3 and R4 respectively, depending on their load consumption.

Ajiwofobaje said customers

will no longer be billed based on uniform categorisation, but based on the electricity consumption in particular locations. “We cannot have zero charges; there is no place in the world that pays zero charges on fixed charges, adding there is inadequate energy accountability due to large scale unmetered customers. Less than 50 per cent of customers are metered adequately,” he said.

He said the company in the next five years plans to install 600,000 new meters, connect 592,000 new customers and reduce losses within the network from 33 per cent to 14 per cent as part of its metering investment plans.

He said that the Advance Metering Infrastructure (AMI) had been fully installed and com-

missioned, while the pilot smart meter installation of 2000 units was also completed successfully. “Energy accounting meter installation at feeders has been completed, mass meter roll out commenced in August and 6,000 units have already been installed. Our target is to achieve monthly meter installation of 15,000 units,” he said.

He said the company has earmarked over N2 billion to N3 billion investment for all ongoing projects. He however, advised customers and community leaders to support the company in canvassing for energy conservation in their respective locations, while appealing to customers to always switch off their appliances to avoid energy wastage.

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Shell praises Buhari on UNEP report implementation

By Emeka Ugwuanyi

S

HELL Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for setting up governance structures for the implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report.

The General Manager, External Relations, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Igo Weli, said at a forum in Lagos that the UNEP report implementation is paramount to Shell, adding, “we are greatly encouraged by the positive and constructive response from representatives of the community, Niger Delta non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and civil society.

This is an important step forward and SPDC is determined to play its part in maintaining the momentum.”

He noted that as the UNEP report stated, treating the problem of environmental contamination within Ogoniland merely as a technical clean-up exercise, will ultimately lead to failure. Ensuring long-term sustainability is a much bigger challenge, one that will require coordinated and collaborative action from all stakeholders. This must include putting an end to the widespread pipeline sabotage, crude oil theft and illegal refining that are the main causes of environmental damage in Ogoniland and the wider Niger Delta today. Shell Companies in Nigeria will continue to be at the forefront engaging interested stakeholders and seeking sustainable innovative ways to resolve the problem, he added.

Weli stated the SPDC championed grassroots environmental campaign in partnership with the Rivers State Ministry of Environment, NOSDRA and NGOs to deepen awareness on the ills of illegal bunkering and oil theft. 12 town-hall sessions were held across the four local government areas yearly, and about 11,000 participants recorded from 2014 to date.

He also drew attention to the need for the people of Ogoni to know that the $1 billion Ogoni Restoration Fund is not for distribution among indigenes of Ogoniland. He said most worrisome aspect of UNEP report implementation, is the belief among some of the community members that every Ogoni person will get $1 million from the planned $1 billion fund after which the remainder will be channeled to spill cleanup and environment remediation.

Nigeria’s CPS gets international recognition

SEC advises investors on choice of stockbrokers, others

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

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THE NATION

BUSINESS MONEY

e-mail: money@thenationonlineng.net

No shaking over Nigeria’s exit from T bond market, says DMO HE Debt Management Office (DMO) has allayed fears that Nigeria’s delistment from the Global Bond Index by JP Morgan will harm the economy.

Its Director-General, Dr. Abraham Nwankwo, said there was no cause for alarm.

He said JP Morgan did not establish Nigeria’s bond market, but only recognised its effectiveness over the years.

At a workshop for online publishers in Lagos last weekend, he said JP Morgan’s delisting did not mean the country’s bond market would die.

“It was existing before JP Morgan observed and recognised it. The Nigerian bond market was built with indigenous Nigerian efforts.

Over 99 per cent of investors in the market are local, Nigerian institutions and individuals,” he said.

Nwankwo said JP Morgan was reacting to the collapse of oil prices, which is an external thing.

• ‘Bond market strong, reliable’ Stories by Collins Nweze

“It is not reacting to any deficiency in the bond market itself.

“So, the bond market remains strong, effective,” he said.

He said Nigeria would work diligently to ensure that, in the next four years, it takes advantage of the shock caused by the collapse of oil prices to diversify the economy and set itself on a path of sustainable growth.

“Nigeria’s economy does not depend on JP Morgan. We have explained to Nigerians that the JP Morgan is recognition of achievement of Nigeria in the bond market,” he said.

‘’Half the Nigerian bonds listed on JP Morgan’s emerging markets bond index (GBI-EM) were removed last month and the rest this month,’’ the United States’ bank said.

The decision, which means investment funds tracking the index, will sell Nigerian bonds, adds to national borrowing costs from a sharp drop in oil revenues.

JP Morgan based its decision on an illiquidity and currency restrictions in the financial market.

In 2012, Nigeria became the second African country after South Africa to be listed in the index with a weight of 1.8 per cent. The estimated yield for Nigeria bonds on

the index was quoted at 14.83 per cent as of September 25, marking the second highest yield after Brazil at 15.75 per cent, the bank said.

Yields on the government bond spiked this month on the news of the index removal with the 10-year benchmark debt rising to as much

as 16.68 percent, prompting the bond market regulator to widen spreads to calm volatility.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), trying to stop the naira’s slide, has pegged its rate against the dollar, turning inter-bank trading into a one-way quote market whose lack of transparency has upset investors. JP Morgan said Nigeria would not be eligible for re-inclusion in the index for a minimum of 12 months.

10 students get N1.2m reward

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IAMOND Bank Plc has reward to undergraduates with N1.2 million for operating customised savings accounts.

The accounts, the bank said, exposed students to the huge benefits that savings and financial prudence offer in competitive adult life.

The winners emerged through an online electronic draw, which was conducted among students and Youth Corps members who have Student-With-A-Goal (SWAG) accounts with the bank since the campaign for PocketMoney4AYear kicked off.

The draws were witnessed by journalists, students and selected Youth Corps members serving in Lagos State.

Each winner will receive N10,000 PocketMoney4AYear monthly which could be drawn at any Diamond Bank branch.

The SWAG proposition is a customised bank account that fits into

and enhances the lifestyle needs, culture of learning and freedom of the student and youth corps member that has a goal for the future.

Product Manager, Diamond S.W.A.G, Chinenye Nwosu, said the initiative is designed to ensure that all account holders have a guaranteed sum deposited in their accounts every month, stressing that PocketMoney4AYear is a lifestylebased savings account targeted at students of tertiary institutions and corps members under the Diamond S.W.A.G proposition.

However, where this is not practicable, customers shall be duly informed by the deployer while the helpdesk contacts are adequately displayed at the ATM terminals.

He said at the minimum, a telephone line should be dedicated for fault reporting and such telephone line shall be functional and manned at all times that the ATM is operational.

Stanbic IBTC plans business leadership series

T •From left: Head, Brand Management, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Mr. Toruka Osadunkwu; Head, Marketing and Brand Communication, Mr. Ikemefuna Mordi; representatives of the National Lottery Commission, Mr. Ogbonaya Onu, and others at the grand draw for UBA Remittance AWOOF Promo to reward customers who received MoneyGram and Western Union money transfer through the bank, in Lagos.

How Nigeria, Kenya are tackling currency instability T HE threat of recession in Nigeria and weaker growth in Kenya may have prompted both countries’ policy makers to keep interest rates unchanged despite pressure on their currencies.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) kept its policy rate at a record 13 per cent last month; its Kenyan counterpart left its benchmark rate at 11.5 per cent, matching the forecasts of most economists surveyed by Bloomberg.

Nigeria and Kenya are among the African nations that have tightened their monetary policies since last year to bolster their currencies, bucking a global trend of lower interest rates. A plunge in commodity prices and weaker global demand, particularly from China, is putting the brakes on Africa’s growth, giving policy makers reason to pause.

Kenya’s rate decision “has the impact of stabilising the market and does not curtail expansion of the economy because banks will not punish borrowers,” Fred Moturi, head of Fixed Income Trading at Sterling Capital Ltd., told Bloomberg. “It also shows that the need for growth won over the need to stabilise the currency.”

Kenya’s shilling has weakened 14 per cent against the dollar, prompting the CBN to raise borrowing costs by 300 basis points since June. Economic growth has come under pressure, following a collapse in tourism and lower tea output, the nation’s biggest foreign-currency earners.

CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele turned to foreign-exchange controls this year to stabilise the naira after the currency fell by almost 10 per cent against the dollar in the first two months of the year. The economy of Africa’s biggest oil producer is struggling after crude prices more than halved since June last year.

Emefiele said the economy may recede next year if “proactive steps” aren’t taken to support key industries. TheGross Domestic Product (GDP) rose at the slowest pace in at least five years in the second quarter, expanding 2.4 per cent from a year earlier.

The governor’s signalling of a recession is “a clear indication that the growth story has got to be a

big focus going forward,” Manji Cheto, vice president of Teneo Intelligence in London, said.

Emefiele has resisted pressure to devalue the naira, a policy stance that has undermined confidence in the Central Bank and may add to growth concerns as foreign-currency restrictions curb liquidity.

“The strategy seems to be to keep controls in place until demand adjusts to meet available foreign-exchange supply,” Razia Khan, head of Africa economic research at Standard Chartered Plc in London, said in an e-mailed note to clients.

“This is a contractionary growth stance. Demand for foreign exchange will only fall to the extent that the economy slows sufficiently.”

The CBN kept borrowing costs unchanged even as inflation accelerated to 9.3 per cent in August, exceeding the Central bank’s six per cent to nine per cent target band for a third month. In Kenya, inflation eased to 5.8 per cent in August, bringing it closer to the middle of the central bank’s goal of 2.5 per cent to 7.5 per cent.

HE stage is set for the second edition of the Stanbic IBTC Business Leadership Series, an annual forum designed to help create deeper connections and build a new cadre of leadership among people and businesses in Nigeria. The event, with the theme Digitising Your Business for Sustainability, will hold in Lagos tomorrow.

Speaking in Lagos, its Chief Executive Officer, Mrs. Sola DavidBorha, said this year’s theme builds from insights from the maiden edition, which had the theme, ‘Leadership in The Digital and e-Commerce Age.’ As Nigeria attempts to diversify her economy, especially by stimulating the growth of the small and medium enterprises sector, Mrs. David-Borha said there is every need to highlight the role of digital technology in economic development. Diversification of the economy has become imperative given the volatile commodities market among other reasons.

With internationally acclaimed rocket scientist, motivational speaker and innovator, Siyabulela Xusa, and CEO and Founder of Interswitch Limited, Mr. Mitchel Elegbe, headlining the event, participants and the Nigerian business community will be availed strategic insights into today’s global digital economy and how to harness it for development of the Nigerian economy.

Strategic indicators into opportunities from which SME operators, budding entrepreneurs and the Nigerian business community can gain valuable knowledge on how to successfully navigate today’s business landscape will be examined. The forum will also provide a platform for key thought leaders to discuss current economic issues.

David-Borha said the initiative, reinforces Stanbic IBTC’s commitment to the attainment of Nigeria’s developmental aspirations, while also benefiting clients, businesses, professionals and the industry at large.

“We will be looking at business leadership from various angles. Key focus will be given to leadership in the digital age and how e-Commerce is changing the face of business globally,” she added Participants, majorly Stanbic IBTC clients, are expected from both the public and private sectors, including experts, investors, regulators, captains of industry and the business community.

Xusa, who won global acclaim for developing a cheaper and safer rocket fuel, is expected to engage stakeholders in discussions on how Africa can chart its own path and create prosperity for the continent. In an interview, he said, “I may not be able to predict what the future holds. But I am excited at how my engineering education will enable me to achieve my aspirations for Africa”. “My mother told me that even if a planet is named after you, you should always remain down-to-earth.”

Mitchel Elegbe, often addressed as Mr. Cashless for his strident quest to modernise Nigeria’s payment system, will provide a scorecard on the journey to a cashless economy, while the story of Interswitch, which he has nurtured into a leading brand in Nigeria’s e-Commerce landscape, will further elucidate on the power of digital technology.

His story was so compelling, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) wrote a book on him titled “Being the Change: Inspiring the Next Generation of Inclusive Business Entrepreneurs Impacting the Base of the Pyramid,” highlighting his accomplishments as an innovator and strategist.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

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MONEY Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are agents of economic growth worldwide. For First City Monument Bank (FCMB), which was appointed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to disburse the N220 billion MSMEs’ fund to small businesses, MSMEs’ financing remains a tool for entrepreneurship development and wealth creation, writes COLLINS NWEZE.

Promoting MSMEs for common good B

EFORE they became big players, multinationals were micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Hence, they remain the building blocks for new businesses and wealth booster for every nation.

Experts say MSMEs have the potential to create jobs, businesses, wealth and empower people across various incomes, adding that they are engines of economic growth.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other stakeholders in the economy said the most serious challenge confronting MSMEs is funding. They insist that while a small business may have a very strong plan, quality product or efficient service, many of them suffer from poor or lack of funding.

Mercifully, the Federal Government, through its agencies, has intervened in the sector with N220 billion funds.

In addition to policies energising the sector, there have been fiscal incentives, grants, bilateral and multilateral agencies’ support aids as well as specialised provisions geared towards empowering the MSMEs’ sub-sector.

The Federal Government, through the CBN, has, therefore, provided additional financing windows to help the MSMEs. First City Monument Bank (FCMB) is one of the banks appointed by the CBN to disburse the fund aimed at supporting the sector.

CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, has relaxed the rules to make the funds more accessible. He said the CBN has also addressed all complaints raised by financial institutions, including the spread of profits to cover their costs.

The President, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Mrs. Debola Osibogun, hailed Federal Government’s decision to launch the MSMEs fund, power sector reforms and establishment of the Nigerian Mortgage Refinancing Company.

She said the government has also created specialised funding for the key sectors of the economy, such as Agriculture, Education, Maritime, Information Communication Technology, and Textiles.

“We are happy to note that the banking industry remains a very dependable ally in promoting these transformations across all sectors of the economy and is also working assiduously towards achieving the nation’s goal to be one of the top 20 economies in year 2020,” she said.

FCMB Managing Director Ladi Balogun said the lender has continued to provide support at various levels, including funding and advisory services, to customers in the MSMEs’ segment to grow their businesses.

For instance, the lender, with Shopping Internet Services Limited, held a capacity building tagged ‘’FCMB capacity building initiative: Empowering the Nigerian SMEs’’, where free training and radio programmes cutting across various topical issues in the MSMEs were discussed.

Balogun said the programme would enhance the financial, marketing and management skills of small and medium firms, and through it, the bank hopes to equip operators with the necessary skills they can readily deploy to effectively operate and grow their businesses and bottom-lines.

He said the pilot phase of the exercise, aptly christened: ‘’Cluster marketing’’, kicked off in Lagos and it has run for five months after which it would be extended to other parts of the country for another 18 months.

“The course content and the resource persons, who are highly experienced, were carefully chosen to ensure participants derived maximum benefits from the training,” he said.

FCMB’s Group Head, Business Banking, Mr. George Ogbonnaya, said the training was to expose participants to modern skills to help realise their business objectives.

• Emefiele

• Mrs Osibogun

• Balogun

Affirming that this was in line with the the bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), he added: “FCMB realises that SMEs play pivotal roles in the growth of the nation’s economy. We also understand that a number of factors combine to determine the success or failure of an SME.’’ According to him, the bank is committed to building a strong SME base in the country and focused on being a strategic partner to such businesses, considering the huge opportunities they offer in job creation, poverty eradication and economic development.

Ogbonnaya said the bank had disbursed about N1.3 billion to 35 small business enterprises at all interest rate of nine per cent under the MSMEs scheme, with many other beneficiaries yet to access their processed funds.

According to analysts, this amount represents the highest so far disbursed by any bank under the MSME scheme. He also said the bank had retooled its lending practice to SMEs with the introduction of a new and separate SME credit policy tailored to suit small and medium size businesses and also appointed dedicated lending officers in the branches to bring relevant skills and free consultant closer to SMEs, among others.

The Group Head revealed that the lender is committed to building a strong SME base. He added that apart from funding MSMEs, the bank developed a product, known as FCMB Business Account, which has been designed to meet the banking needs of customers in the SME space.

These needs vary from collection services, account management flexibility, alternate channels availability, accessibility to funds in account as and when needed,

cost efficient pricing, access to loans, among others. “It comes with a business debit card. This product comes with affordable account opening balance, with minimum opening balance of only N5,000, no limit to frequency of withdrawals as cheques are valid for clearing, apart from other very friendly features,’’ he assured.

The FCMB e-invoicing, introduced by the lender, is a unique electronic invoice payment service that has been targeted primarily at MSMEs, which enables them send invoices and receive payments against invoices tied. The product has been structured to increase productivity in the MSMEs’ sector.

“It is not only an electronic invoicing system, the e-formulae combine basic inventory management and accounting with electronic payment services. The system automatically stimulates the control of cashflow and also puts SMEs’ customers at ease when making payments. It also reduces manual processing of invoices and makes an SME stay competitive in business,” the bank said.

Ogbonnaya said there are over 17 million Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the country. Adding that the bank realises their strategic importance as agents of growth.

While reiterating the commitment of the bank to ensure the successful disbursement and utilisation of the fund, he urged SMEs’ operators to avail themselves of the opportunities being provided by the bank’s free six-month service in the sector.

Also, FCMB is set to support women managed-businesses in line with the MSME fund scheme. To achieve this, the bank is collaborating with women involved in SMEs for the provision of funding, spon-

sorship and advisory services.

These recent interventions are samples of FCMB’s commitment to financial inclusion, and the resolve to deliver mainstream financial services to the various segments of the population. For instance, the bank recently launched a product christened: Personal and Business Account, which guarantees traders, merchants, selfemployed professionals and artisans, who operate businesses in their personal names, security in case of unexpected disasters, such as fire and flood incidents.

Again, the incentives are mouth-watering, and they include zero Commission on Turnover (COT) charge, which is replaced by a small monthly service fee. Customers can also carry out an unlimited volume of debit transaction and withdrawals for a fee as low as N1,500.

According to him, the account reduces the cost of banking for customers with heavy and daily transactions. In addition to reduced banking charges, the bank will support the customer with a free insurance cover of up to N1 million in case of loss of goods/stock due to fire or flood disaster.

Also, the rebasing the economy showed MSMEs’ contributions to the economy as massive. About 10 per cent of total manufacturing output and 70 per cent of industrial employment are from the MSMEs. The sector has not only promoted industrial and economic development through the use of local resources, production of intermediate goods, but has also helped in the transformation of rural technology.

They will provide the best opportunity for job creation and rural development. In most major economies, the critical role of SMEs is recognised. But there are challenges.

Besides, the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) as well as the Small and Medium Enterprises Equity Investment Scheme (SMEEIS) come to ready mention.

Whereas the former is an agency saddled with seeing to the resolution of all problems facing MSMEs, the latter is a financing window, which is supposed to attend to the funding challenges of small businesses. Even where the SMEDAN had tried its best to sensitise small business entrepreneurs, such sensitisations have amounted to little or nothing without requisite funding.

‘We are happy to note that the banking industry remains a very dependable ally in promoting these transformations across all sectors of the economy and is also working assiduously towards achieving the nation’s goal to be one of the top 20 economies in year 2020’

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

THE NATION INVESTORS

Lafarge Africa completes N55b Unicem acquisition L AFARGE Africa Plc has completed the acquisition of 30 per cent equity stake in United Cement Company of Nigeria (Unicem) Limited from Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc. In a regulatory filing at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Lafarge Africa stated that Nigerian Cement Holdings BV (NCH), a 50 per cent affiliate of Large Africa, has completed the acquisition of the second tranche of 15 per cent in Unicem, making the company a wholly-owned subsidiary of NCH. NCH had in March 2015 acquired the first tranche of 15 per cent stake in Unicem from Flour Mills of Nigeria.

With this final acquisition, NCH now owns 100 per cent of Unicem and consequently Lafarge Africa now owns 50 per cent of the equity of Unicem. The completion of this transaction removes any representation or equity interest of Flour Mills on the board of Unicem, according to the initial terms of agreement.

Highly leveraged and facing challenges in the fragmented and highly competitive foods industry, Flour Mills of Nigeria is streamlining its operations and raising new capital to reposition its operations against

• Flour Mills exits cement business

Stories by Taofik Salako Capital Market Editor

headwinds created by Nigeria’s foreign exchange crisis and poor infrastructure. Flour Mills has also started the process to raise additional equity capital of N30.5 billion from its shareholders.

The management of Unicem will continue to be shared between Lafarge and Holcim, technically implying that the cement company is under the same global management with the merger of Lafarge and Holcim to form LafargeHolcim.

Lafarge Africa plans to use Unicem to further deepen its geographical strength in the South-South axis.

Unicem’s operational office is located in Calabar and its manufacturing plant is in Mfamosing, Cross Rivers State.

It currently has a cement production capacity of 2.5 million metric tonnes per annum (Mtpa) and it is developing a second production line of 2.5Mtpa. The second production line is targeted to be commissioned in 2016 to bring Unicem’s total production capacity to 5.0Mtpa.

The board of Lafarge Africa had in

November 2014 approved initial agreement by NCH B.V., to buy out minority stake in Unicem and make the Calabar-based cement company a wholly-owned subsidiary of NCH. The initial agreement indicated that NCH was expected to fully consummate the acquisition on or before February 2016. NCH had earlier in the month entered into an agreement with Flour Mills of Nigeria (FMN), defining a roadmap to purchase Flour Mills of Nigeria’s 30 per cent investment in Unicem.

The board of Lafarge Africa had rationalized the acquisition as part of the cement group’s continued investment in Nigeria to accelerate the growth and development of its business, with a focus on serving its customers and delivering value through provision of innovative products and services with a strong geographical spread.

The acquisition, which comprised sale of shares and the transfer of loans, was then structured in two approximately equal tranches – with first tranche payable during first quarter of 2015 and the second tranche due no

later than February 29, 2016.

The transaction was priced within a range of between N47 and N55 billion, depending primarily on the effective dates of payment and prevailing dollar-Naira exchange rate at the time of payment. Transaction advisers had said the valuation for Unicem was consistent with its fair market value and was in line with the previous valuation of Unicem in the previous transfer to Lafarge Africa.

Lafarge had in July 2014 consolidated its cement businesses in Nigeria and South African to create a leading sub-Saharan building materials giant to be known as Lafarge Africa Plc. The consolidation was done by transferring Lafarge’s assets in South Africa and Nigeria to Lafarge Cement Wapco Nigeria Plc, which was subsequently rebranded as Lafarge Africa.

Under the transaction, Lafarge Group transferred its direct and indirect shareholdings in Lafarge South Africa Holding Limited of 72.4 per cent and its equity stakes in three other cement companies in Nigeria-United Cement Company of Nigeria Limited, 35 per cent; Ashaka Cement Plc, 58.61 per cent and Atlas Cement Company Limited, 100 per cent to Lafarge Wapco for a cash consideration of $200

million and the issuance of some 1.4 billion Lafarge Africa shares to the Lafarge Group.

The new group managing director, Lafarge Africa, Mr. Peter Hoddinott, who resumed in July 2015, wears two caps as group managing director of Lafarge Africa and area manager for the LafargeHolcim business in the West African region. His main mandate included acceleration of the global cement group’s expansion plan in Nigeria and the West African region.

Hoddinott’s appointment was said to be in furtherance of Lafarge’s longterm agenda for Nigeria as the focal point of its business within the region and the continent. The new group managing director is expected to deepen the existing businesses of the Lafarge Africa, introduce new businesses and drive the group’s capital investments.

After it successfully combined its operations in South Africa and Nigeria to create Lafarge Africa, Lafarge had revealed plan to double its production capacity in Nigeria as part of a new expansion programme that would see additional investments by the foreign majority shareholders in its Nigerian subsidiaries.

FXTM launches new forex trading account for institutional traders

F

• From left: Head, Project and Technical Services, Ogoni Restoration Project, SPDC, Prof. Philip Shekwolo; General Manager, External Communication, SPDC, Igo Weli; Manager, Communications, Sola Abulu; and SNEPCo Social Performance Lead, Tunde Adams, at a media parley on UNEP implementation held in Lagos.

Nigerian Breweries launches N100b commercial papers

N

IGERIAN Breweries Plc, Nigeria’s second most capitalised quoted company, has established a N100 billion commercial paper programme to fund its short-term liabilities. The inaugural paper issue under the programme is expected to be launched on or before Thursday this week.

Regulatory filing indicated that

Nigerian Breweries plans to use the new funding programme to complement its other sources of working capital, while diversifying its funding sources to include non-bank investors.

The programme was established pursuant to the Central Bank of Nigeria Guidelines on the Issuance and Treatment of Bankers Acceptances

and Commercial Paper Quotation Rules of the FMDQ. The commercial paper notes, under the programme, will be traded over the counter via the FMDQ OTC Plc platform.

The professional parties to the transaction included Stanbic IBTC Capital Limited and FBN Capital Limited as Transaction Advisors; Banwo & Ighodalo as Legal Coun-

sel; KPMG Professional Services as Auditors and Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc as Issuing, Calculation and Paying Agent.

Commercial papers are tradable short-term unsecured promissory notes issued by companies to supplement working capital with their tenors not usually more than nine months.

Vitafoam Nigeria’s profit drops by 44.5% in Q3

V

ITAFOAM Nigeria Plc continued to struggle with slow top-line and tough operating and financing expenses as third quarter earnings showed significant compression in the bottomline of the foam-manufacturing company.

Key extracts of the interim report and accounts of Vitafoam Nigeria for the nine-month period ended June 30, 2015 showed that group profit before tax dropped by 44.5 per cent to N521.95 million in 2015 as against N754.17 million recorded in the corresponding period of 2014.

Net profit after taxes also declined

from N457.8 million to N335.33 million.

Group turnover had increased marginally from N13.34 billion to N13.84 billion. Gross profit also improved marginally to N4.43 billion in 2015 as against N4.39 billion in 2014. However, operating expenses impinged on the earnings, dropping operating profit from N1.25 billion to N1.08 billion.

The current performance contrasted sharply with 67 per cent increase in post-tax profit in 2014 after a change in accounts software delayed the group’s full-year accounts and the incumbent managing direc-

tor and group finance director retired afterward. The company distributed N246 million in cash and additional 164 million shares as cash dividends for the year ended September 30, 2014. Shareholders received a dividend per share of 30 kobo and bonus share of one share for every five ordinary shares held by shareholders.

Key extracts of the audited report and accounts for the year ended September 30, 2014 showed that profit after tax rose by 67 per cent to N659 million in 2014 as against N395 million recorded in the previous year.

Earnings per share subsequently rose by 69 per cent from 48 kobo in

2013 to 81 kobo per in 2014.

Management report had indicated that the performance was due to increased innovation and improved internal efficiencies. As part of the strategy to strengthen its African operations, Vitafoam had installed modern equipment in its plant in Sierra Leone, which serves all the neighbouring countries including Guinea and Gambia. Only recently, its subsidiary, Vitapur Nigeria Limited acquired modern equipment called SAIT Advanced Polyurathane to boost production of quality pallets and reinforce capacity utilization.

XTM, an international foreign exchange (forex) brokerage firm, has launched a new account, FXTM Pro for professional and institutional forex traders.

FXTM Pro offers enhanced access to some of the best available trading conditions, highly competitive pricing and ultra-fast market execution for high-frequency, high-volume trading that is most often undertaken by hedge funds, financial institutions and professional traders.

Vice President, Corporate Development, FXTM, Jameel Ahmad, said the launch of FXTM Pro reflected the growing demand from professional traders and financial institutions to access top-tier liquidity and professional trading conditions via FXTM’s platforms.

“At FXTM we are in touch with the demands of the market and our institutional traders now have an account that truly services their unique trading requirements. With access to deep liquidity, this new account will meet the needs of even the most demanding institutional trader,” Ahmad said.

He added that FXTM’s strong relationship with top-tier liquidity providers ensures that institutional investors benefit from deep liquidity, fast ECN execution, no commissions and low spreads starting from 0 pips.

According to him, due to the fact that FXTM invests heavily in research and development, institutional traders will now have their trading needs met in full with the highly advanced technological infrastructure which delivers ultra-fast order execution through a secure and responsive trading platform.

He noted that with the FXTM Pro account, institutional traders are now free to focus on maximizing their trading opportunities, secure in the knowledge that they will receive the best price possible, with no re-quotes or last look pricing.

He pointed out that the launch of the Pro Account is an integral part of FXTM’s strategy to continually expand and optimize its services across the board for both retail and institutional clientele adding that as a truly global broker with clients in more than 180 countries, FXTM is committed to catering to the needs of its diverse client base by providing a global trading experience differentiated by a localized approach and services.

Newspaper of the Year

AN EIGHT-PAGE PULLOUT ON THE SOUTHWEST STATES

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

PAGE 25

The rich cultural heritage of the people of Ijebu-Ode was on display penultimate Saturday, as the community marks this year's Ojude Oba Festival. ERNEST NWOKOLO reports

•Mrs Onanuga (at Oba right), Oba Adetona, Senator Danjuma and Olori Adetona (right)

Sumptuous culture at Ojude Oba Festival F

OR several hours penultimate Saturday, Ijebu-Ode, the royal home of the Awujale of Ijebu land, Ogun State was lively. Guests from far and near joined residents to celebrate this year's Ojude Oba Festival.

The town was literally shut down as huge crowd of residents made their way to the palace of Awujale to behold a cultural spectacle and catch some fun usually experienced once in a year.

There was heavy drumming, singing, trumpeting and breathtaking dance steps by cultural

‘Ojude Oba is a symbol of national unity, religious tolerance and harmony. Ojude Oba does not only serve as a showcase for the rich cultural heritage of the Ijebu people, but has also placed Ijebu nation, Ogun State and Nigeria on a global map...Ojude Oba is a social melting pot where diverse issues affecting the lives of the people are discussed and where the sons and daughters of Ijebu land both at home and in the Diaspora regard themselves as active players in the socio-economic development of Ijebu land’ dancers who thrilled guests that had seated before the arrival of the dignitaries.

INSIDE

Lagos tackles noise pollution

PAGE 28

It was all glamour and show of opulence, as an estimated crowd of 45,000 that included residents, friends, well-

wishers and tourists, participated in the celebration of the over 100-yearold Ojude Oba carnival.

The festival provided the opportunity for indigenes to pay homage to the paramount ruler of Ijebu-Ode, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, Ogbagba 11, who is often referred to as Orisha Ijebu (the god or Oracle of the Ijebu nation) by his subjects.

As early as 9:30 a.m. that day, the mini-stadium-like precincts built by Ijebu citizens primarily for the festival started witnessing massive influx of spectators and various age grades (the regberegbes). At noon, more crowd had gathered at the

Community donates patrol van to police

Awujale archway.

As if the areas were not enough to accommodate the surging crowd, the spectators literally took over Folagbade and the adjoining streets as well as the Itoro; the headquarters of Ijebu-Ode Local Government Area.

At one end of the arcade were Oba Adetona, his Special Guest of Honour, Senator Daisy Ehanire Danjuma and the monarch’s wife, Olori Kemi Adetona. Also seated near the monarch was the Acting Governor of Ogun State, Continued on page 26

Council fetes the elderly

PAGE 29

PAGE 32

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

26

SOUTHWEST REPORT

Sumptuous culture at Ojude Oba Festival Continued from page 25 Mrs Yetunde Onanuga.

Local drummers and entertainers in their various groups were available to thrill guests for no fixed price. Within the arcade, different age groups who dressed in various appealing colours competed for attention. Their mode of dressing revealed the rich cultural heritage, success, wealth and enterprising spirit of the Ijebu people.

By 10: 30 a.m., the regberegbes had started paying homage to the Awujale, Oba Adetona, who equally poured immeasurable royal blessings on them.

First to perform the rite with rythmic Ijebu dance step were the Egbe Mafowokun Age Grade to which Senator Biyi Durojaiye belongs and Oba Shafi Agbolade Sule of Odosenlu Kingdom as their head.

The Egbe Mafowokun Age Grade, to which the Awujale belongs, is well known for always adorning thick fabric of ox-blood colour with bold stripes. This year, however, the group wore deep grey colour fabric.

No fewer than 25 age grades paid homage to the paramount ruler, followed by corporate organisations. Globacom that has been the official sponsor of Ojude Oba for a decade running took the lead.

The major signpost of this year's Ojude Oba was the engaging dance steps of the various male and female regberegbes age grades. They danced round the palace arena in healthy competition; as each group tried to outdo the others in dressing, show of affluence, success and entrepreneurial spirit.

There were about 36 regberegbes in Ijebu land and over 25 of them were present to pay homage to their spiritual head, who, in turn gives them his royal blessings.

Some of them included the Egbe Arobayo (female), Egbe Gbobaniyi (Obinrin Olori), Egbe Jagunmolu (Obinrin), Egbe Obafuwaji (male), Egbe Obaleke, Egbe Jagunmolu Akile, Egbe Bobaniyi (male) in which former chairman of Ijebu-Ode Local Government Area, Mufutau Oseni, is the Giwa, among others.

The glamour and carnival in Ojude Oba took an exciting dimension by noon with the gallant parade of the Baloguns and Eleshins of Ijebu land. These are the descendants of Ijebu war heroes who executed wars and gained major victories for them during the wartorn era of Yoruba history.

Among them were Balogun Odunnuga, Balogun Bello Odueyungbo Kuku, Balogun Agboola Alausa, Balogun Alatishe, Balogun Otubu, Balogun Adesoye, Balogun Odejayi, Balogun Adesoye Onasanya, Balogun Towobola, Balogun Aregbesola and Balogun Ajibike Odedina.

Others were Balogun Sarunmi, Balogun Areagba, Eleshin Keregbetu family, Eleshin Oyewole family and Eleshin Josi family. They took their turns to ride triumphantly into the palace on horseback in the fashion of soldiers returning from a successful military campaign.

The colourful parade in succession was accompanied by disorderly and intermittent booming of dane guns as each family of the Baloguns and Eleshins took turns to pay homage to Oba Adetona who, in turn, blessed them in Ijebu dialect.

Ojude Oba, which was a Muslim religious affair in Yoruba land took a firm root in Ijebu with the settlement of the first convert to Islam in Ijebu-Ode during the reign of Awujale Adesimbo Tunwase around 1889. During the period and up to the time of Oba Adeona Fusigboye (1906), horse riding was not an integral part of the festival.

But horse riding became part of it during the reign of the duo of Oba Adenuga Folagbade and Oba Adesanya. The festival took a glamorous dimension when Oba Sikiru Adetona mounted the throne over five decades ago. Since then, the festival has been accorded national and international recognition.

This year, many of the horse riders, particularly those from Keregbetu family of Baloguns displayed their expertise to the excitement of all. Many notable Ijebu sons have suggested that horse riders should be allowed enough time to display their prowess during future celebration of Ojude Oba Festival.

Yearly, the Ojude Oba Festival attracts tourists from within and outside Nigeria. The theme of this year's festival was "Harnessing our Cultural Heritage for Economic Development."

Hospitality industry received a boost as many tourists visited various tourists' sites in the area while the celebration lasted. An estimated N50 million worth of businesses were transacted during the event.

Such businesses included catering services, printing, rentals, artists on display, hoteliers, transporters, tailors and hawkers of souvenirs, among others. Firms such as Globacom and others used the festival as a showcase for their products and services.

In his message, Oba Adetona praised his people for the peaceful celebration of Ojude Oba which draws Ijebu sons and daughters home to discuss issues of development and peace in Ijebu land.

Expectedly, the indigenes used the event to further agitate for the creation of Ijebu State to be carved out from the present Ogun State. Oba Adetona commended the chairman of Globacom, Otunba Mike Adenuga for not only sponsoring the festival for the 10th year running, but also for being change agent that has positively affected all facets of life in Nigeria.

"Globacom's sponsorship of Ojude Oba Festival has raised it to an enviable tourists' delight which attracts people from all walks of life and from other parts of the country.

"Through Adenuga, thousands of jobless people now have means of sustenance. He has greatly enhanced the economy of the country through his business ventures which have grown and extended to other parts of the world.

"Globacom has, through its innovative technological edge, become the leader in the telecoms market in Nigeria and since Globacom undertook to be the main sponsor of the festival 10 years ago, we have been going up and up, better and better," Adetona said.

The Special Guest of Honour and Vice-Chairman, South Atlantic Petroleum, Senator Danjuma, who had her secondary education in Ijebu-Ode, said Ojude Oba is a symbol of national unity, religious tolerance and harmony.

Mrs Danjuma praised Globacom for its support for culture and tradition exhibited through its partnership with organisers of cultural events across the country.

For Deputy Governor, Mrs Onanuga who represented Governor Ibikunle Amosun at the event, Ojude

•One of the Bobakeyes

•Egbe Jagunmolu Obinrin (T-S

•Mrs Onanuga presenting dummy cheque to Egbe Bobakeye (Double T) at the event

•One of the Regberegbes

•The horse riding Baloguns

Oba does not only serve as a showcase for the rich cultural heritage of the Ijebu people, but has also placed Ijebu nation, Ogun State and Nigeria on a global map.

Contributing, Dr Adenuga described Ojude Oba as a social melting pot where all divergent issues affecting the lives of the people are discussed and where sons and daughters of Ijebu land both at home and in the

Diaspora regard themselves as active players in the socio-economic development of Ijebu land.

According to him, Globacom is mindful of the importance of the festival to the cultural and religious well-being of the people of Ijebu land, hence, its commitment to its sponsorship.

In this year's Ojude Oba Festival, Globacom gave cash prizes

to some age groups whose performances impressed Oba Adetona at the fiesta.

While Egbe Bobaejeye (female Double T) won N500,000 as best regberegbe in the female category, Egbe Gbobaniyi Obinrin Olori and Egbe Jagunmolu Obinrin came second and third and went home with N300,000 and N200,000 respectively.

THE maiden edition of the Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation, (ZSF) Business Plan Competitio ADEBANJO reports that the organisation gave out a whopping N20 million to beneficiari

Foundation empowers 20 with N10m

I

N order to encourage youths to strive towards self-reliance, the Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation, (ZSF) has organised its maiden edition of Business Plan Competition during which 20 winners emerged.

The event, which held at Westwood Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos, penultimate Wednesday, was part of the Entrepreneurship Development Project (EDP); a brainchild of ZSF. The ZSF was assisted by Jaiz Bank Plc and Al-Barakah Micro-finance Bank.

The project was divided into two categories; namely growth track and idea track.

According to ZSF, EDP intends to promote entrepreneurship skills among the youth to enable them to be self-reliant and become job creators instead of job seekers.

At the event, 20 out of 128 participants won N10 million.

The lucky 20 participants had earlier

•From right: Imam Shuaib; Director-General Jaiz Foundation, Amb Adamu Babangida; Z Chairman, African Integrated Utilities Ltd, Mallam Samaila Zubairu and Deputy Commi

made physical presentations of their business ideas and models before a panel of experts from which the best four applicants from the idea track and the best four applicants from the growth track categories were shortlisted for final award.

The best four finalists in the growth track were rewarded with N1.5 million, N1 million, N750,000

and N500,000 for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th positions respectively, while the best four finalists in the idea track were rewarded with N1 million, N750,000, N500,000 and N250,000 for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th positions respectively.

The other participants received N100, 000 each as support for their businesses.

ZSF Executive Director, Imam

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

27

SOUTHWEST REPORT

Philanthropist donates lab equipment to schools

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PHILANTHROPIST, Hon. Semiu Ishola Karaole has donated educational materials and science laboratory equipment to schools and study centres in Mushin area of Lagos State. The gesture was borne out of the need to help the students prepare ahead of the General Certificate Examination (GCE).

Commending Hon. Karaole for his benevolence, the Director, Quality Assurance Tutorial Centre, Mushin, Mr Oladunjoye Joshua, said Hon. Karaole has shown his commitment to motivating and uplifting students at t h e grassroots level.

He said the g e s t u r e would impact positively on the lives of the students as well as prepare them to •Karaole be self-reliant in future.

He called on other well-meaning Nigerians to emulate Hon. Karaole in making life meaningful for people at the grassroots . This, he said, would enable them to contribute to nation-building.

Responding, Hon. Karaole said his modest contribution was borne out of his commitment to impact positively on the lives of the students and to enable them to achieve their academic goals.

He also said the initiative aimed at supporting Governor Ambode and All Progressives Congress (APC’s) promises made to the electorate during the electioneering campaigns. The people were promised that the party would provide dividends of democracy for the people.

agunmolu Obinrin (T-Stainless)

Regberegbes

oguns

In the male category, Egbe Obafuwaji came tops winning N500,000 while Egbe Jagunmolu Akile and Egbe Obaleke took the second and third positions; winning N300,000 and N200,000 respectively.

Some dignitaries that attended the event were Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, ex-governor of Bayelsa State, Diepriye

Alamieseigha, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, Prince Suraj Adekumbi, former Ogun State Governor, Gbenga Daniel, Senator Lekan Mustapha, Otunba Subomi Balogun, Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Abdulmajid Ali and Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Olumuyiwa Adejobi, among others.

s Plan Competition has empowered over 20 people. TAJUDEEN on to beneficiaries to enable them become self-reliant.

mb Adamu Babangida; ZSF Board of Directors chairman Prince Sulayman Olagunju; Viceiru and Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Zubairu Muazu.

Abdullahi Shuaib expressed optimism that the scheme would go a long way in tackling the endemic problems of poverty, unemployment and hopelessness confronting Nigerian youths.

According to him, ZSF is committed to tackling problems of poverty and unemployment among Muslim youths through its Entrepreneurship Development Project (EDP).

He enjoined the beneficiaries to utilise the seed capital judiciously for the growth of the businesses.

“We have fulfilled our own part of the contract; it is left for you to fulfil yours. Our monitoring and evaluation officers will keep a tab on you from time to time and we Continued on page 31

By Olalekan Ayeni

He said investing in the education sector is a way of ensuring strong foundation for the country’s future. He noted that any society that neglects the education of the youth risks underdevelopment since the youth are the future of any country.

This, he a d d e d , w o u l d eradicate some social vices which youths often indulge in. Such vices, he said, include thugg e r y , cultism, kidnapping, robbery and internet scam, among others.

He, however, pledged more commitment to sponsoring educational activities in his constituency. He appealed to the students to be serious in their studies and shun all forms of indiscipline that could hinder them from realising their potential.

Among the benefiting study centres were Concept Summer School, Quality Assurance Tutorial Centre and others. No fewer than 300 students benefited from the gesture.

Similarly, the member representing Mushin State Constituency II in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Olayiwola Olawale, urged students in his constituency to shun violence, cultism, thuggery, rape and other social vices. These, he said, would tarnish their image,

ruin their future by hindering them from achieving their academic goals.

Hon. Olayiwola spoke at St Judes’ Primary School, Ilasamaja, Mushin during a workshop on education he organised for secondary school students in his constituency.

He said it was time the youth made a re-think and engage in activities that would impact positively on the society.

According to the lawmaker, the career workshop aimed at preparing students towards securing their future. He said no fewer than 200 students have benefited from the programme during which he distributed free GCE forms and organised free coaching lessons. The gesture, he said, was part of his commitments to empower students and to guide them to realise their future.

Hon. Olayiwola said: “The time has come for students to feel the impact of government in their educational careers. This would help in reducing the level of illiteracy and eradicating ignorance which are the causes of youths’ restiveness.

The lawmaker said the idea of engaging students in such career workshop resulted from his 10year experience as a teacher, which, according to him, will help the students when choosing their educational/professional careers.

According to him, he had been organising free computer/vocational training, donation of books and other study materials for many indigent members of the society. He urged the students to take their studies seriously, insisting that they must strive to be better citizens. This, he said, will enable them to contribute their quota to the development of Mushin community.

He appealed to public office holders to empower students and other youths at the grassroots to enable them to be useful to themselves and the society.

500 ‘PHCN’ casual workers seek justice

O

VER 500 casual workers of the Ibadan zonal headquarters of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) have appealed to the Federal Government to pay them salary arrears owed them. They also expressed their disappointment over alleged comments by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Power, Ambassador Godknows Igali concerning their status.

Ambassador Igali had told the Senate Committee on Power that those claiming to be casual workers of the defunct PHCN “are mere personal staff with no evidence to back up their appointments”.

He reportedly told the committee that there was no way they would be paid by government because their appointments were not regularised.

At a press conference held in Oyo town, Oyo State, the casual workers described Igali’s comment as “far from the truth”.

They described Igali’s position on their plight as “wicked and unreasonable”.

The more than 500 casual workers are from 22 districts of the zone; comprising Oyo, Ogun, Osun and part of Jebba in Kwara State.

The press conference was addressed by their president, Comrade Rasheed Olawunmi.

He urged the Senate Committee to disregard Igali’s position “because it was a lie”.

To him, contrary to Igali’s position, a meeting was held on October 31, 2013 between officials of the Federal Government and representatives of labour unions, including National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) to resolve outstanding labour issues ahead of handover of assets of the PHCN to private owners.

“At the meeting attended by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Power, it was unanimously agreed, among others, that a total of 2,500 were casual workers within the PHCN system nation-wide. This figure was identified by the Presidential Committee set up by the last administration. Not only that, the meeting also resolved that the issue of unclear casuals should be treated on compassionate basis,” he said.

Olawunmi further said that when the list of verified

From Bode Durojaiye, Oyo.

casual workers was eventually released to zonal headquarters for payment and regularisation, Ibadan zone alone had a total of 1,000 casual workers.

“But rather than comply with government’s directive, the then Chief Executive Officer of Ibadan zonal headquarters deliberately hand-picked only 500 names out of the 1,000 sent to him by the government for payment and regularisation of appointments. 500 casual workers are yet to receive their entitlements. All complaints and protests in this regard yielded no result.

“We were employed like every other employee in the company and placed on contract and casual basis.

We were issued with appointment letters backed up with the promise of being regularised some day. We were interviewed in 2009, biometrically captured in 2011 and verified in 2012. Some of us were issued letters of regularisation of employment in April, 2012.

The then management admitted to have omitted several names which it attributed to the delay in the release of the remaining letters. The error, as admitted by the then management, had not been rectified till today.

“What is more worrisome and disturbing is the denial of the Permanent Secretary before the Senate Committee that there were no identified casual workers entitled to any payments or benefits. The Permanent Secretary was a signatory to the communiqué issued at the end of the meeting two years ago.

“We, the concerned casual workers, were at the two chambers of the National Assembly before their expiration sometime last year to ventilate our displeasure over the unjust treatment meted out to us,” he said.

He revealed that since they began the agitation, no fewer than 15 of their members had died of various ailments due to inability to afford costs of treatments.

Olawunmi, therefore, appealed to the Senate Committee to ensure that the casual workers receive their entitlements.

28

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

29

SOUTHWEST REPORT Acoustics experts have warned that unless the government enforces laws that will prevent noise pollution, many individuals may become deaf. CHINAKA OKORO and WALE ADEPOJU write that the government should establish a monitoring team in the Ministry of the Environment to ensure strict compliance with environmental laws.

Lagos tackles noise pollution

B

N

OISE is our enemy. It is not only loud enemy of our ears; it is also an enemy to the environment as it pollutes our surroundings. Constant exposure to loud noise, experts say, affects our auditory system; especially when it is above the normal 85 decibels (dBs). Noise above the normal decibels is capable of perforating our ear membranes which can result in temporary hearing loss.

There are many individuals who suffer from aural disorders caused by noise pollution. This disorder apparently manifests in the damage of the auricle as an initial sign.

Experts contend that noise is one of the most dangerous and silent environmental pollutions as its effects on human body system could lead to death.

Mindful of the health hazards associated with noise, the Lagos State Government has come down hard on some sources of noise pollution.

This it did by closing or sealing off some churches and mosques from which deafening noises emanate.

Such are worship centres that use ahuja speakers to conduct their services.

Officials of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) have been receiving no fewer than 50 telephone calls and 20 text messages daily about noise, mostly emanating from churches that use horn speakers in residential areas.

Recently, the agency shut down some places of worship after series of complaints from residents, whose lives have been affected by ceaseless noise. The state could not have done anything less as the problem has become a recurring issue.

Head, Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Adebola Shabi who said “the environment was critical to the lives of the citizens”, noted that “the need to effect a reduction in the level of noise generated by churches, mosques, music centres and others became necessary because noise could be dangerous to human health as it leads to impaired hearing capability.”

Continuing, he said: “We have sealed off about 55 premises because the last enforcement we carried out, 33 premises were sealed off. “I gave approval for the closure of 22 premises later, making a total of 55 premises so far sealed off.

Noise pollution is a problem many are grappling with in Lagos.

The blaring from record sellers, hooting from commercial bus operators and loud music from hawking vans, especially local herbs sellers as well as loud noise from worship centres are some of the pollutants which have given Lagos the noisy city tag.

“In the next five years, if there is no stringent policy on location of religious houses, there will be so many problems.”

The LASEPA boss said the sealed churches would be allowed to reopen after paying fines ranging from N50, 000 and above.

Director of Clinical Services and Training (DCST), Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Dr Ayoade Adedokun said the state, which is densely populated, is trying hard to ensure that the environment is protected against unwanted noise.

“So, the step taken by the gov-

•Horn speakers used by churches, mosques and music sellers

•The inner and outer human ear

ernment is a laudable one. Reducing noise pollution should be everybody’s responsibility. It should not be left for government alone,” he said.

Dr Adedokun said noise pollution is not limited to the streets alone as many are suffering from hearing loss because of the kind of jobs they do.

Head, Eye, Nose and Throat (ENT) Department Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) Dr Vincent A. Adekoya said noise is the frequency or intensity of sound level when above 80-90 decibels, which is deleterious to the ear.

“Noise pollution is a hallmark of all developing and industrialising countries. It creates a situation where ablebodied men work in industries with heavy-duty machines and are exposed to a noise level above 80-90 decibels for over eight hours a day,” he said.

Dr. Adekoya said the above situation leads to social acusis, which is a condition where the individual has become used to accumulative noise.

This invariably constitutes either temporary noise-induced threshold shift or noise-induced permanent threshold shift.

Noting that the ear is not just for hearing but also for maintaining body balance, Dr Adekoya said temporary noise-induced threshold could be cured while noise-induced permanent threshold shift cannot be cured.

Some people, he said, can come down with hearing loss due to ear trauma, which can occur when people’s ears are exposed to more than 80 or 90 decibels of noise or sound.

“This kind of hearing loss is com-

Community donates patrol van to police

mon among factory workers where obsolete heavy equipment or machines are used. These tools produce loud noises which affect people’s hearing,” Adekoya said.

Related to this, he said, is exposure to acoustic trauma which he said results from sudden noise due to explosion and which causes the perforation of the ear membrane.

“Acute acoustic trauma caused by single intensive sound can perforate the ear membrane; causing either conservative or surgical aural situation,” he said, adding that “ conservative aural impairment is a situation when the perforated or damaged ear membrane does not heal on its own, which is a factor of either small or huge perforation or damage.”

Classifying hearing into normal and abnormal, Dr Adekoya said: “If it is abnormal, it is mild, moderate, moderately severe, severe or profound.

People are not categorised as ‘deaf’ unless the state of their hearing loss has become profound.”

He further explained: “Normal hearing level is 0-25 decibels; mild hearing loss is from 26-40 decibels, moderate hearing loss is from 41-55 decibels and moderately severe hearing loss is from 56-70 decibels. Severe hearing loss starts from 71-90 decibels and profound hearing loss is greater than 90 decibels. This is a situation in which an individual could be referred to as a deaf person.”

Excessive noise above 80 decibels, he said, can cause harm to the ear and as such causes deafness. Noise-induced hearing loss can be caused by outside (e.g. trains) or inside (e.g. music) noise.

Deafness, he said, can be mild, profound or severe, adding that people who come down with the latter can be restored with an amplifier or microphone inserted into their ears. But if this cannot address their problem, they may have a cochlear implantation.

The causes of hearing loss, he said, are congenital. This means that the person was born with it. Others are caused by infections such as mumps and

•Dr Adekoya

•Mrs Olatunbosun

measles as well as drugs.

But how would the loud enemies of our ears be permanently curbed?

Again, how would government sustain the tempo in its quest to curtail noise pollution? We believe that the bold move to reduce noise pollution which the government has started would be sustained through the establishment, in the state’s Ministry of the Environment, of a strong monitoring team to ensure strict compliance to environmental laws.

For Dr Adekoya, the most effective methods of preventing noise pollution and aural damage are through what he called ear conservation programme, hazard identification and engineering control, among others.

The ENT expert also said the problem could be prevented if expectant mothers attend complete ante-natal programmes as well as delivered of their babies at good health facilities.

Advising that audiometric tests should be made compulsory to determine the level of ear damage in an individual, Dr Adekoya urged factory owners to “carry out audiometric tests for their staff once a year in order to check hyper acusis.”

He said high noise levels can contribute to negative cardiovascular effects in man and an increased incidence of coronary artery disease.

He urged the Federal Government to put in place a policy that will help in minimising noise in public places, especially in residential areas.

An undergraduate at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomosho, Oyo State, Mr Aliu Muraina said shutting down of noisy churches and other places of worship was a welcome development.

He said there is too much of noise

pollution not only in Lagos but also in Nigeria as a whole.

“Some people should not be suffering from excessive noise because it would affect their health. Anything that would affect the environment should be controlled,” he said.

Continuing, he said: “Government should not only evolve environmental laws but should also enforce them.

It should ensure that churches and mosques do not make use of loud speakers to transmit their teachings.

Those who sell music should be forced to reduce the volume of their speakers while sampling pieces of music for sale.

“Poor urban planning may also give rise to noise pollution. This is because locating industrial areas and religious buildings in residential zones can result in noise pollution,” he said.

However, Mrs Ijeoma Olatunbosun, a lawyer, said the shutting down of some noisy worship centres was not right.

She said: “This is uncalled for. I have read the papers and I did not see or hear that necessary notices were issued to them on this matter. Besides, I am not aware that there are laws covering where places of worship should be located in Lagos State or Nigeria as a whole.

“Also, before churches are built in any location, approved building plans are usually given before such can be built or set up. The government is also giving the approval for where to locate these churches or places of worship. So, what are we saying?”

Continuing, she said: “Regarding the N50, 000 or more the government is collecting as fine; I would like to know if it is to make the churches noise-proof or to stop them from having their services?”

OTHERED about the rate at which crimes and other social vices increase in their communities, residents of Agbara community have donated a patrol van to the Agbara Division of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Ogun State Command.

The gesture was to help in strengthening its capability towards curbing crimes in the area.

The Managing Director, Ogun State Property and Investment Corporation (OPIC), Babajide Odusolu, who handed the vehicle over to the police said community policing is crucial to effective crime control.

Odusolu, who was represented at the ceremony by the General Manager, Agbara OPIC Estate, Taiwo Aridegbe, said security is a collective responsibility, even as it also necessitates corporate support to the security agency.

He added that the donation was part of OPIC’s corporate social responsibilities (CSR) towards combating security threat which has plagued development in the area in the last decade.

He praised the police for their partnership with the state government to foster peaceful environment, adding that part of the agenda of Senator Ibikunle Amosun’s

•The patrol van donated by OPIC From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

administration was to secure people’s lives and property.

He said: “Government alone cannot face the business of policing in the state, either by way of personnel or equipment. So, if we cannot add to their personnel, we should help them with equipment. One of the cardinal programmes of Governor

Amosun is to ensure safety of lives and property in Ogun State.

“In recognition of our plan to enhance the reach of district police station, the board and management of OPIC decided to donate a patrol vehicle for use by the district police post in patrolling OPIC Estate, Agbara.”

Responding, the Commissioner of Police, AbdulMajid Ali, who was

Hospital gets N30m equipment

T

HE University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan has taken delivery of hospital equipment worth millions of Naira donated to it by Olajumoke- Akinjide Foundation (OAF). The donation aimed at enhancing its health care delivery services to the people.

The medical equipment and supplies that were donated included wheel chairs, electric beds, walking aids, paediatric examination tables, dental examination chairs, operating tables, trolleys, blood donors chair, resuscitation beds, consumables and thermometers, among others.

While receiving the equipment from the chairperson of OAF, Mrs Modupe Akindeko, the Chief Medical Director of UCH, Prof.

Temitope Alonge, said that was the second batch of donation from OAF, adding that it would go a long way in addressing the shortage of medical equipment in the hospital.

“The doctors’ strike that lasted four months in this hospital paralysed our financial activities and we

‘The last four months’ strike by the doctors in this hospital has paralysed our financial activities and we can’t even buy some equipment needed. But with this gesture by the foundation, tremendous health care delivery will be provided for the people...For instance, we were just thinking of raising money to buy the operating table which costs N5 million but OAF has just donated four to us...OAF is meeting the needs of the hospital by divine connection’ From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

can’t even buy some equipment needed. But with this gesture by the foundation, tremendous health care

delivery will be provided for the people.

“For instance, we were just thinking of raising money to buy the operating table which costs N5 million but OAF has just donated four to us.

“OAF is meeting the needs of the hospital by divine connection. Many politicians donate to where they can benefit during their political aspirations but this foundation and its founder, Oloye Jumoke-Akinjide is committed to humanity,” he said.

In her remark, Mrs Akindeko said OAF, which was established in August 2005, is poised towards giving back to the society and meeting people’s needs.

According to her, the foundation has positively impacted on lives in the state in areas of health, agriculture, capacity building, provision of potable water, relief materials to flood victims and construction of classroom blocks.

Akindeko said the foundation was assisting government in the areas of health and education, adding that such gestures will make the country a better place to live in.

‘Lagos to complete more roads’

T

HE Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, Ajibade BadeAdebowale, has promised residents that they will soon begin to feel the impact of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode-led administration. He said government has concluded plans to empower local government areas and local council development areas to enable them to deliver at least 20 roads each.

He said such plan will not only improve the road network but will also impact on the local economy of each area.

Bade-Adebowale, who spoke in Lagos, reiterated that different roads across the state have been completed since Governor Ambode assumed office.

He noted that the hope of completing the Lot 1 of Lagos-Badagry Expressway has increased with the return to site of the main contractor, Messrs Julius Berger Nigeria Plc that is handling major component of the 10-lane highway and light rail project being undertaken by the gov-

By Olatunde Odebiyi

ernment.

According to him, members of staff of Julius Berger Nig Plc were seen cleaning up the road at Alaba-Suru prior to asphalting.

They, he said, were also surveying the outstanding portion between the Mile 2 and Mazamaza before the commencement of final construction work.

Explaining the return of the contractor to site, Bade-Adebowale said it was prelude to delivering on all the various projects being undertaken by the ministry.

The Permanent Secretary added that the contractor handling the multi-agency building at Alausa has also resumed work and is currently fleshing-up the structure.

He assured that, in spite of the need to increase the pace of work on ongoing projects, adequate attention was being given to source of funding as well.

He said a new contractor will soon be appointed for the Ayinke House project. The building is being upgraded to a specialist paediatric hospital, after the former contract

must have been terminated due to inability of the contractor to deliver the project on time.

Bade-Adebowale urged other contractors to return to their project sites as soon as possible in order to increase the tempo of work. He said the government is addressing all issues relating to ongoing projects with a view to ensuring that they are delivered as scheduled.

He reeled off some of the completed roads during the short period of Ambode’s administration to include Oluwadare Street in Somolu and Adekunle Kuye Street in Surulere local government areas where comprehensive rehabilitation and upgrade were undertaken.

Others, he said are Babatunde Bakare Street, Kila Street, Ilara Palace Road, Oligbe, Shrine, Mosque and back of Palace Roads in Epe; Eluku Road, Olakeshin Okeogun Street, Ikorodu; Oriokuta Road Owutu, Bayo Oyelana Street, Adegun/Kike, Adeyemi Roads, Ejigbo in Oshodi-Isolo council area and Ajara-Erekiti, Irangan-Ikoga, MowoIkoga roads, all in Badagry.

•L-R: Bride’s father Mr Segun Oke; groom’s mother Oluyemisi Akiti; the couple Mr and Mrs Ayokunle Akiti: bride’s mother Mrs Oke; groom’s father Chief Olusegun Akiti (the Eleje of Ileje) at the couple’s wedding ceremony in Alausa, Lagos.

represented by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Agbara Oyeniyi John, described OPIC’s effort as timely and commendable.

Also, the Baale of Igere community in Agbara Estate, Apostle John Bamidele, said a robust security network would enhance development and attract industrialists to the state.

Ekiti gets industrial court From Odunayo Ogunmola, Ado-Ekiti

T

HE National Industrial Court of Nigeria will soon commence sitting in Ekiti State. The state has provided temporary site for the court and accommodation for the Judge.

Besides, government is expected to provide land to serve as the court’s permanent site within the next three months.

Before now, those who have cases at the court used to travel to Akure, the Ondo State capital but the latest development is expected to give them relief.

Governor Ayo Fayose has pledged to do everything possible to support the court to function well and bring justice nearer to the people.

He spoke while receiving the President of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Justice Babatunde Adejumo, who visited him.

Fayose said: “When I got the wind of your court coming to Ekiti, I did not waste time to take advantage of the visit.

“Everybody can manage infrastructural development, but not all can manage human resources. We are saving a lot of resources by bringing the court here.

“We will look for land for permanent site for your court within three months and we have shown you the accommodation for the Judge that will be here.”

Responding, Adejumo expressed satisfaction with the temporary site provided for the court and the judge’s residence.

Adejumo said: “Lawyers and litigants having matters relating with us have been going to Akure but that is not tidy and safe enough.

Thank you for the quick approval of our requests.

“We will be asking for a land for us to build our court complex.

Within the next two months, we will start operating. We will do justice to all manner of people. We are to ensure industrial harmony in the country.”

The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Owoseni Ajayi, said the court already had divisions in 26 states of the federation.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

30

SOUTHWEST REPORT

I

T was a gathering of families, friends, well-wishers and members of the Rotary Club of Agege District 9110, Nigeria.

They gathered to raise funds for its various community projects.

The event was also used to install Rotarian Kolawole Ojelabi, President, Christ Ambassador Society of Christ Church, Elere-Agege, as the 32nd president of the club for the Rotary year 2015 to 2016.

The event began with recitation of some lines of rotary anthem. After the recital, Mr Ojelabi, his wife, Olumuyiwa and some other dignitaries, including the outgone President, Rotarian Adeniji Agboola, his wife and Mrs Lydia Ojelabi (mother of the new president) were invited to the top table amid applause.

Rotarian Seyi Martins presented Rotarian Ojelabi to the gathering after which Mr Agboola installed him as President of the club.

He removed the rotary neck tag and hung it on Mr Ojelabi and inducted him as a world-class President of Agege amid ovation by guests. Agboola and Ojelabi hugged each other after.

Mr Agboola described the new President as someone to be proud of anytime.

The club’s past presidents, members’ families and well-wishers embraced and congratulated the new president on his achievement.

In his speech, Mr Ojelabi said he was happy that members of the club are rejoicing with him. He recalled his past challenges as a Rotarian, saying Rotarian Agnes Olatunmi later brought him back to rotary after five years of nonattendance.

Reeling off some projects he intends to execute during his tenure,

•From left: Agboola, Ojelabi, his wife Olumuyiwa and Linus Adaba during the event.

PHOTO: DAYO ADEWUNMI

Rotary raises fund for community projects

By Kehinde Onifade

Ojelabi said: “During my tenure, I will assist children in orphanage homes; provide relief for internallydisplaced persons (IDPs); support post-graduate students; carry out health education programmes; provide six-room toilet facility and water at Central African Primary School, Oniwaya Agege; promote breastfeeding campaigns in selected government hospitals in Agege; renovate dilapidated six-classroom block at Anwar-Ul-Islam Nursery and Primary School, Ogba and provide micro-credit loans to members of the community, among others.”

In his speech, the guest speaker, Mr Sam Omatseye emphasised on

volunteerism in the society. He said volunteerism comprises people who have ambition and passion for the less-privileged people.

Mr Omatseye, who is the Chairman, Editorial Board, The Nation Newspaper, defined the less-privileged as people who are in need of water; skills; academic enlightenment and shelter, among others. He said a group of church members built a library and provided books for inmates of Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison in Apapa.

He recalled how he learnt how to nail a wood to the wall to prevent it from being blown off by windstorm or rainstorm. This, he said, was for members of a family who were living in dilapidated house in the

United Kingdom. He added that there is a bad form of volunteerism that is made up of people who take pleasure in destroying people’s lives through killing, embezzlement of government funds, thereby causing increase in poverty.

Mr Omatseye said: “The club is one of the good forms of volunteerism, as the members are always ready to cater for the poor, eradicate poverty and enhance the well-being of the less-privileged in the society.

Quoting copiously the eight verse of the sixth chapter of Isaiah, he said members of the club had made themselves available towards reaching out to the poor; an assignment he said is quite taxing.

The District Governor, Mr Bolaji Onabadejo congratulated the mother of the president, Mrs Ojelabi for witnessing her son’s investiture, adding that some mothers were not opportune to celebrate with their children when they had attained some enviable heights.

Mr Onabadejo also spoke about development of the club, saying without recruitment of new members, no club would be able to receive a trophy.

He inducted Mr Bayo Oke as a new member of the club.

Highpoint of the event was an award of excellence presented to Mr Omatseye and other special guests by the new president.

would be channelled towards the benefits of the people of the constituency.

He therefore appealed for support, co-operation and understanding so as to succeed in this laudable assignment The Proprietor, JIDAB Computer ICT Centre, Olajide Olaitan said the free computer training was the first of its kind in the Isolo Constituency.

He said it was a good beginning for the students to excel in their academic pursuit and to be relevant in today’s world of computer age He, however, stated that computer was a broad course that requires more to be learnt. He, therefore, urged the students to expand their computer knowledge through fur-

ther trainings He solicited government’s support, noting that computer training was broad and as such needed government’s support for expansion through financing.

The Chairman of the Occasion, Dele Ashiru said the computer programme would impact positively on the lives of the beneficiaries as well as the society.

While commending the initiative, Ashiru said “the lawmaker has humbled himself so much to the extent that he is being loved by everybody in Oshodi/Isolo and beyond”. He added that he has taken steps to educate the youth, empower them and to make them leaders of the future.

341 graduate from free computer training

T

HE first set of students have graduated from the free computer training programme given to them by a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly representing Oshodi/Isolo Constituency 11, Hon. Jude Idimogu.

Over 341 students received their certificates of completion. In all, three students emerged overall best.

They are Odesola Oloruntooni, Alarape Oluwafunke and Udoh Abraham.

Each of them received a cash award of N25,000.

Idimogu said the first phase of training was targeted at the Isolo Local Council Development Area (LCDA), adding that training would commence in Ejigbo very soon for the people living in the area.

“This computer programme is just the first phase. Another phase will start in Ejigbo; in due course we will let you know. For those that have not benefited when that opportunity comes, please avail yourselves of the opportunity byattending,” he said, adding that there is opportunity for anyone who is willing to learn.

Speaking during the opening of the constituency office/graduation ceremony of the poverty alleviation project for students in Lagos, Idimogu said the motive was to make students be abreast of information technology (IT), urging them as well as the elderly ones to avail themselves of the opportunity so as to be relevant on the international scene The project, he said, was the first among the various empowerment projects to be implemented, adding that it is in fulfilment of sincere commitment to bringing the dividends of de-

•Hon. Idimogu with the graduating students at the event

By Ambrose Nnaji

mocracy to the people in the constituency.

He said: “Our goal is to be parliamentarians of distinction representing the people for an effective legislation and grassroots development while our mission is to serve the people of Oshodi/Isolo constituency 11 with almost dedication in the Lagos State House of Assembly for an improved welfare and infrastructure.”

He stated that his goal was to see to the betterment of the people of Oshodi/Isolo Constituency 11 “It is noteworthy that this computer training programme is a personal initiative to give back to the people of my constituency and to support the

less-privileged that may not be able to fund training like this to be able to undertake such.

“To the beneficiaries of this project, I have no doubt that a lot have been learnt and that the instructors/trainers have imparted to you enough knowledge during the training period. My word of advice for you is to build upon this knowledge and subsequently channel it to positive/productive use in your life endeavours.”

He said the present generation cannot do without information technology as all our endeavours solely depend on it, stressing the urgent need to give it all we could.

He said though there were financial constraints, he however said as more resources become available, it

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

31

SOUTHWEST REPORT Free health programme for Lagos community

By Oluoma Omeihe

N

•From right: Rev and Rev (Mrs) Salami; Mrs. Olusola, Pastor Olusola, Chief Bayo and Ogunmodimu at the book launch.

Fayose, others hail cleric at book launch E

NCOMIUMS came the way of Reverend Kunle Salami, the Senior Pastor of Chapel of His Glory with headquarters in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital as he launched three books.

The three books he unveiled were How to Become Wiser, Effective Leadership and How to Manifest Greatness.

Reverend Salami, former chairman of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), had written 10 books before the launch of the three current ones.

Governor Ayo Fayose described Salami as a “man of integrity, humility and a mentor in all ramifications.”

The governor, who was represented by the Government House Chaplain who also doubles as Special Adviser on Religious Matters to the Governor, Pastor Seyi Olusola, also described Salami as “an exceptional minister of the New Testament.”

“Reverend Salami is always available anytime we need his assistance and we pray to God to continue to strengthen him, empower him, energise him, influence him and organise him,” he said.

Other dignitaries who attended the book launch were the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Adeyemo Adejugbe represented by the Odole of Ado-Ekiti, Chief Bayo Ogunmodimu; wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Janet Olusola; Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Ekiti State University, Prof. Ibiyinka Ogunlade; General Secretary of the state chapter of the PFN, Reverend Tunde Afe and other Christian ministers.

Oba Adejugbe described Reverend Salami as a man of substance whose impact has been felt within and outside Ekiti State.

The guest minister, Reverend Sunday Akingbelure, told the congregation that he had known the author

Dr. Salami is a team leader, and under his teaching and prophetic pronouncement, he has imparted greatness to his generation. He is a helper, encourager, a lifter and an apostle of our time...He is worth listening to and his books are worth reading. This presentation is worth celebrating From Odunayo Ogunmola, Ado-Ekiti

since 1982 when they met at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife. He described the author as a diligent man of God who has served in the Lord’s vineyard with enthusiasm.

He urged the younger generation to look up to him as a role model.

Akingbelure urged the congregation to avail themselves of the opportunity the books offered to develop themselves spiritually and help their destiny to fulfil God’s plan in their lives.

The book reviewer, Prof. Bayo Oloyede, who is the Senior Pastor of the Restoration Prayer Ministries, gave glory to God for what he has done in the life and ministry of Reverend Salami.

He narrated how he also came in

contact with the author at OAU, IleIfe, describing him (Salami) as a “dynamic teacher who is passionate about the Word of God and dedicated to building lives”.

Oloyede said Salami excelled in various leadership positions he occupied, including the chairmanship of PFN. “Dr. Salami is a team leader, and, under his teaching and prophetic pronouncements, he has imparted greatness to his generation. He is a helper, encourager, a lifter and an apostle of our time.

“He is worth listening to and his books are worth reading. This presentation is worth celebrating,” Oloyede stated.

The first book, How to Become Wiser has 133 pages and 14 chapters while the second book, Effective Leadership comprises 161 pages divided into 26 chapters. The last one, How to Manifest Greatness has 141 pages and has 12 chapters.

Salami said he was inspired to write the books because of demand from places he had been privileged to minister at home and abroad.

He said he had been involved in leadership training since 1994, saying there was need to document the ministrations so that posterity would have opportunity of being blessed by them.

The ex-PFN boss said he got the draft of his first book when he was the Bible Study Secretary of Evangelical Christian Union in Ado-Ekiti and didn’t publish it until 10 years after.

He also said the books were parts of his contributions toward adding value to the lives of the readers and to make them fulfil their God-given destiny.

O fewer than 500 residents of Sari Iganmu in Apapa-Iganmu Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State benefited from free malaria and HIV screening programme.

The event, organised by Apapa-Iganmu LCDA for members of Olaitan and Ojoafeje Community Development Associations, was attended by the young and elderly who were screened of the diseases by medical personnel.

Besides the free medical screening, the people were also sensitised to the need to keep their surroundings clean by fumigating them.

After conducting the tests on the residents, free drugs were given to the them as well.

Deputy Majority Leader, Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Olumuyiwa Jimoh, represented by Hon. Alabi Fatai, said the programme was organised in order to improve the health of the people.

Executive Secretary of the LCDA, Mrs Olufunmilayo Akande identified malaria as the most common disease in the community.

She said the incidence of malaria increases during the rainy season because mosquitoes find ready breeding ground on stagnant water during the wet season.

Coordinator, Environmental Coppers, Alhaji Shoremekun Safarudeen, who recommended the programme to the council, said the programme would encourage the people to keep their environments clean.

He lamented that the canal in the area had been blocked because of poor sanitation, adding: “during rainy season, the gutters are waterlogged; hence it became a breeding ground for mosquitoes”.

Safarudeen urged the government to intervene in order to get rid of mosquitoes that cause malaria that is usually life-threatening.

The chairman of Olaitan Ojoafeje CDA, Alhaji Alogbo urged the people to always participate in environmental sanitation exercises.

For him, it is vital to engage in sanitation exercises in order to prevent some diseases that are associated with dirty environment.

Court dissolves 26-year-old marriage From Odunayo Ogunmola, Ado-Ekiti

A

N ADO-EKITI Customary Court has dissolved a 26-year-old marriage between a bricklayer, James Kayode Oguntuase and his wife, Felicia.

Oguntuase (75) had dragged Felicia (53), a trader, to court accusing her of adultery, stealing, stubbornness and denying him sex, allegations which the respondent denied.

In his evidence before the court, the petitioner claimed that he had caught the respondent with three different men, adding that she had aborted three pregnancies for her lovers.

Oguntuase also alleged that Felicia stole his N35, 000 meant for the purchase of carpentry materials.

He revealed that he had dragged his wife to court sometime in 2013 on account of her alleged sexual escapades.

He prayed the court for the custody of the children, promising to be responsible for their upkeep.

The union was blessed with six children, namely Caroline (25) who had been married, Peter (23), Akin (18), Ife (15), Rachel (12) and Tolulope (6).

The respondent urged the court not to dissolve the union, even as she denied allegations of adultery and stealing. She told the court that she denied the petitioner sex on grounds of ill-health.

In his judgment, Court President, Joseph Ogunsemi dissolved the union; saying the marriage had broken down irretrievably as the two parties failed to avail themselves of the opportunity given to them to settle the dispute amicably.

The court also awarded custody of the children who are below the age of 18 to the petitioner while Peter and Akin who are above 18 years are free to decide where to live on the grounds that they are adults.

The court also ordered the petitioner to arrange for an alternative accommodation for the respondent; the cost of which should not be more than N60, 000 and not less than N48, 000 per annum.

The court ordered that the petitioner should pay for rent of two years for the new accommodation for the respondent and he is also expected to bear the cost of transporting her luggage to the new place of residence.

The court ordered the respondent to always assist the petitioner in the upkeep of the under-age children while she should be allowed access to them between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on the day she chooses to visit.

Any party aggrieved with the judgment is expected to file an appeal within 30 days the verdict was delivered in line with Ekiti State Customary Court of Appeal Law.

Foundation empowers 20 with N10m Continued from page 26 implore you to furnish us with progress reports regularly. Be reminded that we shall render accounts, so will you on the Day of Judgement,” he said.

Chairman of ZSF Advisory Board, Alhaji Umaru Abdul Mutallab praised the participants for believing in the foundation.

Alhaji Mutallab, who is also the chairman of Jaiz Bank said: “In line with the philosophy of our foundation, we are committed to providing opportunities for the teeming Nigerian youths endowed with various potential but lacking the required seed capital or having difficulty with gaining access to grants to expand their small and medium-size enterprises.

“In addition, Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation is in partnership with Jaiz Bank Plc and Al-Barakah Micro-finance Bank Limited to complement the efforts of government in the area of job

creation and employment opportunities for future leaders of this great country.

“It is against this background that we have gathered here today to reward some of the Nigerian youths that emerged best among their colleagues in the just-concluded competition with various cash prizes, certificates and plagues, among others. I am also very glad to inform you that we have a winwin situation for all the remaining contestants because they will be appreciated by the foundation in another way beyond this gathering.”

Leader of the team that selected the winners, Dr Lukman Raimi, a Senior Lecturer at the Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) enjoined the winners to keep in touch for continuous monitoring.

Ameerah (President) of Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN) Lagos State chapter, Dr Sariyu Ashiru, praised ZSF for the initiative. She said it will play a

•From left: Dr Ashiru assisted by Lagos State University (LASU) lecturer Hajia Muslihah Ajala to present a N500,000 dummy cheque and certificate to Mrs Risqat Olaiwon

major role in achieving one of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of the United Nations.

She expressed her regrets that government has failed to achieve some of its economic targets in 2010 and

2015, while it is currently pursuing the Vision 2020 agenda.

Ashiru, however, urged other stakeholders to emulate ZSF in a bid to eradicate poverty in the country through youth empowerment.

The grand prize winner, Dolapo Taofik Olalekan, on behalf of other beneficiaries, appreciated the foundation for the support, promising to utilise the fund judiciously for the growth of their businesses.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

32

SOUTHWEST REPORT Cleric advises Buhari on economy

Council fetes the elderly

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

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F

OR the elderly people in Shomolu Local Government Area, it was another time to feel nostalgic. Despite ageing gracefully, they proved that they still possess the dance skills that could daze even the younger folks and prompt them into endless applause.

The event was what has come to be termed “welfare package” for patriarchs in the council. The aged, from 60 years and above, looked forward to re-uniting with one another. They were grateful to the council chairman, Abiodun Orekoya for his generosity.

As usual, they sat in a roundtable manner and ate lunch with Orekoya who also ensured the patriarchs did not go home without some food stuffs and other items.

Aside playing various games which formed the preliminary aspect of the event, the dance contest was simply a spectacle. Three elderly females were paired with their male counterparts. In another phase, only the males took the dance floor; and then the females also had their turn, all amid thunderous applause as onlookers cheered the dancers for their dexterous dance steps.

Though the third edition of the event, Orekoya, nonetheless, has promised it would be a monthly exercise in fulfilment of the council’s resolve to assist the working class in taking care of their aged relatives.

“We take care of the aged in order to ensure that they don’t regret coming to life,” Orekoya, an engineer said.

“In developed countries,” he continued, “it is part of government’s social services towards taking care of the aged and the under-age. That’s the only way you can reduce the burden on the working class. At present, there is too much burden on the working class in terms of catering for their parents, grandparents and children. In the circumstances, therefore, the worker may be tempted to steal when he doesn’t have enough to take care of his responsibilities.

“If government at all levels can take care of these responsibilities, the working class will be in much relaxed frame of mind to work. This will help in immensely in achieving our goal of a corrupt-free society. You are afraid of going home because your mother, father or children have not eaten; you will want to go somewhere to do something bad. All those vices can be taken care of if the government takes care of the aged. Therefore, taking care of yourself with your meagre salary will not be a problem.”

He restated the council’s resolve to take care of 500 aged persons currently in its database, pending when

•From left: Apex Leader, All Progressives Congress (APC), Shomolu/Bariga, Alhaji Moshood Oshiyemi; Hon. Orekoya; Mr. Oduguwa and a beneficiary, Mr. Wole Odubiyi at the event

•Some senior citizens playing ludo at the event

By Ajose Sehindemi

the economy would improve and more aged can be accommodated into the programme.

“I’m a grassroots person, and identifying the aged in our communities was not a problem. We have wards and areas where we have a database of the aged, especially those above 60 years.

“But because we are not buoyant enough to take care of everybody, we have started with 500 of them and we will do it monthly,” Orekoya said while responding to the criteria adopted in selecting the 500 beneficiaries.

On what the council intends to achieve with the programme, the council chief added: “We want to get to the level when it becomes a norm for the council to be taking care of the aged. We already have their addresses and names in our databank and we will continue to update it.

“For now, we are managing 500 of them. We want to ensure that every month we give them something. So, we can boldly say that we have been taking care of these people. By God’s

‘We take care of the aged in order to ensure that they don’t regret coming to life. In developed countries, it is part of government’s social services towards taking care of the aged and the under-age. That’s the only way you can reduce the burden on the working class. There is too much burden on the working class in terms of caring for their parents, grandparents and children. If government at all levels can take care of all these responsibilities, the working class will be in relaxed frame of mind to work and we will achieve our goal of a corrupt-free societ’ grace, feeding them will not be a problem.”

Orekoya implored the beneficiaries not to let their age be a hindrance to community policing, adding that the council prioritises security in its scheme of things.

The leader of the Community Development Committees (CDC), Mr Dapo Oduguwa, said he was impressed with the initiative.

Responding to the issue of commu-

nity policing, Oduguwa urged his colleagues to always report any strange movement or objects around them to the police.

One of the elderly persons, Alhaja Sola Abimbolu, noted that the event was unique.

“This edition of the event is different from others we have been attending.

We danced and ate. Our Executive Secretary sat with us to discuss issues bothering the community,” she said.

UTHORITIES of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) have expressed confidence in the ability of President Muhammadu Buhari to transform the country within the shortest possible time.

The Church particularly praised the ongoing war against corruption in all sectors of the economy.

Through its President Worldwide, Pastor Abraham Akinosun, the CAC also pledged to support Buhari’s administration with prayers for his dreams about the country to be realised.

Speaking with reporters shortly after addressing the Pastor’s Conference at Babalola Memorial Miracle Centre, IkejiArakeji Akinosun warned Nigerians against calling President Buhari “Baba Go Slow”, stressing that the President must be thorough in his efforts to sanitise the country.

He noted that but for Buhari’s emergence as the President and his stance against corruption; the nation’s economy would have collapsed as a result of high level corruption in most sectors of the economy.

Akinosun, who expressed confidence in the ability of President Buhari to deliver dividends of democracy, urged him to appoint credible Nigerians as ministers.

He also stressed the need for Buhari to ensure fairness in his administration’s fight against corruption, just as he advised him to avoid sycophants.

The CAC President, who commended the present administration on its resolve to fight insecurity in the country, called on the Federal Government to ensure the release of the abducted girls from Government Secondary School Chibok in Borno State.

Akinosun also called for the declaration of a state of emergency on violent crimes, especially armed robbery, kidnapping and assassination, stressing that “during the declaration, all arms in wrong hands should be mopped up.”

The cleric, however, urged the Buhari-led administration to revive the nation’s manufacturing industry through stable power supply, saying “power generation in sufficient volume is indispensable if we want to revive the nation’s economy.”

Akinosun enjoined all Nigerians to support President Buhari’s administration.

Ooni: Aspirant donates transformers to residents

A

N aspirant to the vacant Ooni stool, Prince Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi from Ojaja Compound in Giesi Ruling House of Ife, has distributed 50 300 and 500 KVA transformers worth N200 million to communities in the town.

Represented at the distribution exercise by Prince Leke Ijiyode, the donor, however, told the beneficiaries that the gesture was not connected with his aspiration to the Ooni stool.

Ogunwusi, who noted that the beneficiaries are not to determine who the next Ooni would be, said he was moved by the challenges which various communities of the town are experiencing as a result of electricity problem.

He said the economy of the ancient town and its environs has been adversely affected because “many residents, particularly those who use electricity to operate their businesses, have suffered a great deal.”

Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

Ogunwusi revealed that the the critical need of the communities informed the donation, saying the gesture was meant to support the government in alleviating the suffering of the people.

According to him, the communities to benefit from the gesture included Parakin, Fasina; NTA area, Fajuyi, Ondo Road Sawmill, Irebami, Oke-Ogbo, Lokore Odin, Lowa Ate, Ife City, Gulf Area, Ikoyi Celestial and Olasode, among others.

Saying his support for the people of Ife, particularly the poor would come in phases; he also disclosed that plans are on to provide succour for the people in the areas of youth empowerment, water supply and education under several initiatives and programmes.

Ogunwusi maintained that he had been supporting the people of Ife before Ooni stool became vacant. He said: “I have been assisting students who are indigenes of

Ife and often donate instructional materials to schools to aid teaching and learning. The distribution of these transformers is not to induce anyone so that they would make me the Ooni. In fact, the beneficiaries of these transformers are not the people that can make me the Ooni because they are just members of the community and not the kingmakers.

“So, this gesture is not because of my aspiration to become Ooni. I am really committed to the development of Ife and I have been doing this even before the former Ooni died. We have challenges of epileptic power supply in Ife and this is a major problem.”

Sawmills operators in Ife and some of the leaders of the communities that benefited from Ogunwusi’s gesture, including Mr. Olalere ýOlanrewaju, Mr. Adedapo Olayode, Mr. Adebisi Adegilye and Mr. Titus Elewude said the socio-economic activities in Ife, no doubt, would improve when the transformers are activated.

•From left: Former Editor, defunct Lagos Horizon, Akin Owolabi, Auditor, Civil Service Pension Office, Nureni Balogun and Permanent Secretary, Civil Service Pension Offcie, Mrs Olabowale Ademola during the presentation Of cheques to former staff of the newspaper held at the Sectratiat, Alausa, Ikeja.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

33

THE NATION INVESTORS

Cappa and D’Alberto to distribute 49.2m bonus shares to shareholders T

HE board of directors Cappa and D’Alberto Plc has recommended distribution of 49.2 million shares of the construction company as bonus shares to shareholders. Shareholders will not pay for the new shares directly but the company will use part of its retained earnings to offset the nominal cost of the shares. The bonus shares would be added proportionately to shareholders’ accounts.

The company plans to capitalise about N24.61 million from its retained earnings and apply this amount in paying up in full for 49.22 million unissued shares of 50 kobo each on behalf of the shareholders.

The new shares would subsequently be credited as fully paid up and distributed among the shareholders in the proportion of one new share of 50 each fully paid for every four shares of 50 kobo each fully paid and registered in such shareholders’ name as at the close of business on September 25, 2015.

Shareholders are expected to approve the creation and distribution of the bonus shares at the yearly general meeting of the construction company later this month. The meeting is also expected to deliberate on the financial statements of the company for the year ended March 31, 2015.

The October meeting will be the first general meeting by shareholders of the construction company after it was delisted from the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and moved on to list for trading at the

Stories by Taofik Salako Capital Market Editor

NASD Plc, the over-the-counter (OTC) platform for trading in unlisted public limited liability companies.

Cappa and D’Alberto was delisted January 2015 after nearly six years of stalemate between the management of the NSE and the company.

Cappa & D’Alberto’s 198.875 million ordinary shares of 50 kobo each valued at N18.8 billion were delisted.

With the delisting, shareholders of Cappa & D’Alberto could not trade their shares on the NSE but the company subsequently opened another trading window with the listing on the NASD. The board of directors of Cappa & D’Alberto had in 2009 decided on the delisting of the company from the NSE pursuant to resolutions passed at an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Company held on 24 March 2009.

The management of the NSE had kicked that Cappa & D’Alberto’s purported delisting violated laiddown procedures as the company failed to comply with the obligations inherent of a listed company with regards to the voluntary delisting process.

According to the Exchange, Cappa & D’Alberto failed to make such provision for paying off dissenting shareholders who opted to exit the

company following the resolution to delist passed by the majority shareholders on March 24, 2009.

In reaching agreement on the delisting from the NSE, Cappa and D’Alberto had undertaken that it would not unduly hinder any shareholder that wants to exit from the company.

New rules A new rule Nigeria’s apex capital market regulator, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), has proscribed underhand trading in the shares and other securities of unlisted public limited liability companies (Plcs).

A document on new rules and regulations approved by SEC obtained at the weekend indicated that there shall be no trading on the shares, bonds and other securities of unlisted public limited liability companies outside the platform of a registered securities exchange established and registered by SEC for the purpose of facilitating over-thecounter (OTC) trading of securities.

The new rules and regulations will have the force of law as they were made pursuant to section 313, subsection one of the Investments and Securities Act (ISA) 2007, which empowers the Commission to, from time to time, make rules and regulations for the purpose of giving effect to the Act as well as to amend and revoke rules and regulations so made. The ISA is the main body of law for Nigerian capital market.

According to the new rules, all securities of unlisted public companies shall be bought, sold or transferred only by means of a system approved by the Commission and under such terms and conditions as the Commission may prescribe from time to time.

“No person shall buy, sell or otherwise transfer securities of an unlisted public company except through the platform of a registered securities exchange established for the purpose of facilitating over-thecounter trading of securities,” the rules stated.

Any unlisted public company, director, company secretary, registrar, broker, dealer or such other persons who facilitate the buying, selling or transfers of the securities of an unlisted public company otherwise than through the platform of a duly registered securities exchange, shall be liable to a penalty of not less than N100, 000 in the first instance and not more than N5, 000 for every day of default.

The Commission stated that the aim of the new rules and regulations is to ensure that all securities of unlisted public companies are traded within securities exchanges that are registered with the Commission.

The new rule effectively cancels ‘black market’ trading on the shares of several unlisted Plcs including companies such as Fan Milk Plc and Cappa & D’Alberto Plc among oth-

ers.

The Nation had earlier exclusively reported that SEC was considering proscribing unregulated trading in shares of public limited liability companies.

The new rules now effectively concentrates trading on the shares and other securities of unlisted Plcs unto the only registered OTC platform, the NASD Plc. Formerly known as the National Association of Securities Dealers, NASD Plc is a registered OTC trading platform for unquoted securities including equities and bonds. NASD is owned by several investment and financial institutions as well as strategic investors. It is registered by SEC as an organized trading platform for unlisted securities.

NASD started trading on unlisted securities in July 2013. All investment instruments approved by SEC could be traded on the NASD including shares of unlisted multinational companies. After the initial formative period, the NASD plans to trade on commercial papers and then other complex instruments like derivatives and options.

As an OTC market, NASD does not have a trading floor like the traditional exchange but trades through the internet and a hosted platform leased from the NSE. To facilitate its trading, the company had developed an integrated market system made up of the Central Securities Clearing System, six settlement banks and some registrars to ensure smooth operations.

New interest-free bank to promote wealth creation, customer service

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•From Left: Mr. Oladipo Aina, Alhaji Umoru Kwairanga, Mr. Oluwole Abegunde, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, President, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE); Mr. Oscar Onyema, Chief Executive Officer, NSE; Mr. Dunama Balami and Engr. Muhammad Daggash, all members of the National Council of the NSE during a commemorative event to celebrate Nigeria's 55th independence anniversary at the NSE in Lagos

SEC advises investors on choice of stockbrokers, others

S

ECURITIES and Exchange Commission (SEC) has advised investors to check the regulatory status of any capital market operator before entering into new business relationships or sustaining existing ones with a view to ensuring that they are dealing with duly authorized and compliant operators.

SEC, through the market-wide Implementation Committee on new minimum capital requirement for capital market operators, said investors should verify the compliance status of capital market firms by checking the list posted on the Commission’s website. To facilitate the smooth implementation of the new minimum capital requirements for operators, the Capital Market Committee-the umbrella body for capital market stakeholders under the coordination of SEC, had set up a market-wide “Implementation Committee on New Minimum Capital Requirement” comprising the SEC, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS), Association of

Stockbroking Houses of Nigeria (ASHON) and all other capital market trade groups.

The advice came on the heels of the expiration of the September 30, 2015 deadline and the publication of the provisional list of capital market firms that have met the new minimum capital requirements for their functions by the apex capital market regulator at the weekend.

As a guide for investors with noncompliant firms and those seeking to change from one firm to another, the Commission outlined the guidelines that should be adhered to by investors, target firms and the Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) where an investor wishes to move his stock account from an under-capitalised broker-dealer to a broker-dealer or broker that has complied with the minimum capital requirement.

The procedure for moving stock accounts include where the brokerdealer has not met the new minimum capital requirement, the investor should approach a capitalised

broker-dealer or broker for engagement. The investor should undergo a Know Your Customer (KYC) process with the new firm. The brokerdealer or broker should open a CSCS account for the investor using the investor’s existing Clearing House Number (CHN) from his former Brokerage Firm. The investor should give a mandate to the target firm to transfer his account from the under-capitalised firm to the new firm.

Also, the investor would be required to submit evidence of purchase of the shares such as contract notes, receipts of purchase, dividend stubs or confirmation of holdings from the registrar’s office, signed by the managing director of the Registrar firm to the target firm. The new target firm would initiate intermember transfer request with the managing director of the firm expected to go to the CSCS to sign off the indemnity form. Then, the CSCS shall process the request and notify the broker-dealer or broker through the CSCS website.

HE newest addition to the Nigerian banking industry- Welfare Microfinance Bank, has promised to build its operations on commitment to wealth creation and excellent customer service with a view to ensuring that Nigerians have access to a banking service that partners with them to realize their goals without compromising their values.

At the opening of the bank in Ilorin, Kwara State, chairman, Welfare Microfinance Bank, Mr. Aliu Badmus, said the bank would usher in a new era in customer-focused financial services noting that the bank represents the beginning of an epoch because this is the first time a financial institution designed to meet the finance needs of the ordinary folks just the way they want and yet within extant laws and regulations is opening shop.

According to him, Welfare Microfinance Bank will not be just a bank but an institution that partners with customers to create wealth while upholding the highest ethical standards.

“Today, we live in a world where overwhelming majority of people believe that it is impossible to be wealthy and yet be ethical. We are here to challenge that view because our vision as a bank is to facilitate an enabling environment for prosperity, integrity and faith to co-exist and be mutually reinforcing. Our mission is to partner with customers to fully utilize their economic opportunities by offering them ethical financial products and services while satisfying the interests of all stakeholders. This implies that as a bank, we shall be interested in making profits but shall not make any profit at the expense of integrity no matter how huge, cheap or attractive the profit may be,” Badmus said.

He said the bank would work assiduously to earn the trust of customers and other stakeholders adding that the bank’s strategy would be to work to succeed together with the customers.

“We shall be honest and transparent in each and every transaction because we know that this is the only

basis for enduring success. Besides, we know we are successful only when our customers succeed. In our bank, customers are our partners.

Our strategy is to work to succeed together with our customers,” Badmus assured.

He pointed out that the bank’s operational framework is built on interest-free banking with a view to providing alternative financing means for all Nigerians that desire such banking service and to demonstrate that non-interest financing is as viable as any other mode of finance or even more.

According to him, the interest-free banking framework would help the Nigerian government to deepen financial inclusion in the banking system by attracting the large segment of the citizenry who will not deal with interest-charging financial institutions, thus helping to achieve the main purpose of micro-financing policies and programmes of the government.

He outlined that the bank has designed various financial products to meet the needs of customers including savings and credit scheme that will enable apprentices to acquire equipment to start their own practice immediately they complete their training to reverse the current trend where trainees are unable to complete apprenticeship completion passage or remain as journeymen several years after their training.

Other banking products included monthly saving and credit scheme for traders which makes available to them working capital on credit and at the same time helps them to build their own capital base so that they will be able to operate without credit sooner than later, a working capital booster scheme for small and medium scale businesses to grow their operations, funding assets and equipment acquisition for customers in various ways as may be convenient for customers and Hajj and Umrah savings scheme that simply requires customers to choose the year they wish to go on pilgrimage and leave the bank to work out the rest.

34

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

THE NATION

BUSINESS PENSION

Nigeria’s CPS gets international recognition Through the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), Nigeria has been able to grow pension funds to over N5trillion. With this feat, experts from Africa and other parts of the world say Nigeria is on the threshold of becoming a regional leader and a major global player in the pension industry, OMOBOLA TOLU-KUSIMO writes.

T

HE Nigeria pension industry has started gaining global recognition and attention with its growing pension fund of over N5 trillion under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).

Experts from the African continent and around the world say with this asset, Nigeria is on her way to becoming both regional and global player.

This has brought leading players and decision makers in the pension industry in Africa, as well as key figures in finance and pensions from across the world together to discuss the way forward for the pension industry in Africa.

Delegates from around the world who participated at the two days event organised by the National Pension Commission (PenCom), Nigeria and the World Pension Summit, the Netherlands held in Abuja, therefore, charted a future for Africa with the theme, “Building Sustainable Pension Systems in Africa.”

According to the Director-General of PenCom, Mrs. Chinelo AnohuAmazu, the theme of this year’s summit is reflective of the emerging consensus on the African continent on the necessity of institutionalising a pension system that is robust enough to tackle the plethora of developmental challenges that plague Africa in the 21st century.

She stated that it is also in line with the multilateral paradigm shift of promoting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within the institutional framework of the United Nations 2030 agenda for sustainable development.

An expert on global economy, financial markets and Policy Adviser to Mayor of London, Dr. Gerard Lyons, examined Nigeria from a global, regional and national perspective and focused on the implications of the huge funds for the economy, infrastructure and pension funds.

Lyons focused on the changing global environment that has resulted in greater uncertainty, more volatility, desire by investors to search for yield and growth opportunities, and the need for markets to price for risk.

He said regionally, Africa is globalising at a fast pace adding that ‘Pan Africanism’ may become a more common future term, capturing the mood of the time. In this context, Nigeria can assume a greater regional role, as it is already doing in West Africa, he said.

To appreciate the domestic challenge, Lyons gave the foreign view of Nigeria, what is being said, and also where he felt it was right and wrong.

He said there is unease about corruption and concern about security. It is good therefore, that the administration is addressing these head on, he said.

He noted that it is also important to remember that in a world of high debts, Nigeria’s debt position is a big advantage and gives it room for fiscal flexibility. Its market size, young sizeable population, entrepreneurial spirit, and the growth of its service sector are also key positives that should not be overlooked.

He advocated investing a portion of the country’s pension fund assets into infrastructure and emphasised the need for a stream of infrastructure projects, stating that the country should focus on hard, soft and institu-

• Anohu-Amazu

tional infrastructure, which in turn would help address social infrastructure.

He said: “Hard infrastructure opportunities include broadband and transport such as road and rail as well as housing and energy.

“Soft infrastructure is building the skills and education needed, while institutional infrastructure is linked to openness and transparency, as strong institutions allow confidence, enable growth and greater investment and create stability.

“Regulations, rules and laws are also vital so Nigeria should be proud of the progress made by PenCom on this so far. However, it is important that the country continues to build on this progress, embracing change and planning for the future.”

Founder & Chairman, World Pension Summit and Founder & Chairman WPS Africa Special, Harry Smorenberg, noted that building sustainable pension systems in Africa will require securing a sustainable pension provision for all should be top-priority.

He said PenCom and other regulators should educate and communicate with the people and leap-frog on key lessons learned, Smorenberg also spoke on how to provide old-age income security to all. He noted that more and efficient social security systems is needed while the pace of ageing and consequences of longevity call for action.

Professor of Risk Management, VU University Amsterdam and Chief Executive Officer, Cardano, Theo Kocken on his part said care should be taken when considering how to sustain the pension scheme and assets.

He warned that there are areas that must not be copied from pension system in Europe and the United States.

Speaking on lessons from investments in pension funds, he said risks are always deeply under-estimated, noting that it equates worldview in

a world that is actually endogenously unstable. “When risk gets higher, perception of risk gets lower, and real diversification is difficult in an interconnected capital market. Risk premium ex post higher than productivity growth: Ex ante low expectations for the future?

Anohu-Amazu said compared with many of its African peers, Nigeria has relatively advanced infrastructure networks that cover extensive areas of the nation’s territory.

“Thanks to its strong economy, it is better placed than many of its neighbours to increase the share of fiscal resources going to infrastructure.

Yet, according to the African Development Bank (AfDB), the nation’s core stock of infrastructure is estimated at only 20-25 per cent of GDP, compared with 70 per cent for other middle income countries of its size, leaving a gaping infrastructure deficit of $300 billion.

“The Summit has already provided a vital platform for pension regulators and operators in Africa to brace up to this challenge and discuss other ways in which pension funds can positively contribute to the socio-economic growth of the continent, whilst also ensuring that retirement benefits are paid as and when due.”

She noted that infrastructure development undoubtedly remains a key enabler of sustainable development in Africa and the current rapid increase in the size of pension funds available in the continent provides a rare opportunity for multi-sectoral collaboration in bridging Africa’s infrastructure deficit.

She said: “By focusing on the longterm sustainability of pension systems in Africa, this summit shall, inter alia, facilitate the setting out of economic pre-conditions and initiatives that are needed for longer-term growth as well as to foster poverty eradication.

“Africa has experienced a reasonably rapid growth of over five per

cent since the turn of the century. But this followed what could be described as a “lost quarter century” during which per capita income in the year 2000 was still below its level 25 years earlier. Along with the economic meltdown of the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe in the transition to market economy, this perhaps ranks among the biggest economic disasters in history since the records of national accounts began.

“While contemporary discourse has focused on the lessons of success centering on the experiences of SouthEast Asia, relatively little attention has been paid to insights to be gleaned from the analysis of economic failures and successes in Africa. We will, hopefully, in the course of this summit, focus on why Africa had to go through such a prolonged period of economic decline during its lost quarter century.

“What are the lessons for policy formulation, especially for sustaining and accelerating Africa’s economic renaissance? In answering these questions the vast majority of political economists have focused on institutional issues, especially governance.”

Anoju-Amazu pointed out that Nigeria’s pension reform’s trajectory for example, highlights the limitations of ad hoc and over generalised institutional explanations that confuse cause and effect as well as ends and means.

She said it is obvious that where States have failed or are at war there is little that economics has to offer as solutions.

She stressed that a key feature of the CPS is the institutionalisation of riskbased regulation as a means of engendering the long-term sustainability of the pension industry.

“Sustainability on this score encapsulates the troika of social, environmental, and economic dimensions of development. Regulatory strategies would thus encompass a painstaking consideration of risks as well as the

rewards that lie behind endogenous opportunities. The impact of poor corporate governance practices on shareholder value, exacerbated by the recent global financial crisis, for instance, has raised issues such as transparency, risk management and business ethics, amongst others, to the front burner of the regulatory agenda.

“Then again, issues of unemployment, diseases, poverty, climate change, and inequality are also pressing needs for Regulators to consider in mapping their regulatory landscape. This novel approach to regulatory oversight – Sustainable Regulation - is one that overtly acknowledges the importance to institutional regulators of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors and the long-term stability of financial markets, especially the Pension Industry.

“It recognises that creation of longlasting return on pension assets is essentially dependent on transparent, predictable and well governed environmental and economic systems; systems that are underpinned by clearly defined prudential regulatory guidelines,” she added.

She said the fact that pension fund managers all over the globe are changing mandates to reflect considerations of sustainable investment and consequently the growth of ESG mandates in overall investment strategy is on the rise.

She said nonetheless, many regulators still require further education on how they should quantify performance and assess the extent to which ESG mandates are delivered upon.

Sustainable regulation precepts thus constrain stakeholders in pension fund administration to critically assess the full spectrum of investment and regulatory risks, opportunities and challenges, so as to adequately allocate capital in a mode that is aligned with the short, medium and long term interests of their clients, beneficiaries and the larger society, she said.

Managing Director, Premium Pension Limited, Wilson Ideva said the summit will not be just about talking but how Nigeria can grow from where it is presently. He said the summit is a measure of growth within the industry and the measure of the next level which is the harmonizing of best practices across the African continent.

“This measure of growth also means that you don’t have to worry about your pension when you retire.

You are sure of what you are going to get at retirement.”

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

35

SMALL BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Essiet_daniel@yahoo.com 08180714151

Muinat Atunnise left a top corporate position to start a boutique. The success she has made of the business has given her joy, DANIEL ESSIET reports.

From corporate world to fashion industry HEN Muinat Atunnise quit her high profile job to launch her fashion business, she knew she’d need to invest a massive chunk of her savings to make the venture work else she would regret leaving certainty to uncertainty.

She has worked at Nigeria Breweries PLC (NBL), BUPA Wellness, UK and Hygeia HMO where she resigned last year to pursue her passion. A graduate of Chemistry from the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Atunnise also holds an MBA from Hult International Business School, London Campus. She is also a scholar of the World Bank sponsored WomenX at Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) at Pan-Atlantic University.

Now the Chief Executive, Creative Director at Atunnise Clothiers, she said beginning the business small and growing it big was something the makes her happy. She started operations in May last year; selffunded with about N500,000 mainly to get the basic standard machines and furniture.

“We also got a dose of my mother’s goodwill with workshop space,“ she said.

Like many designers, she knew she must

W

•Atunnise

be more creative. In other words, breaking into fashion requires a lot more than just dreaming. She burst into the fashion world

with no uncertainty. But today, the story is different. With goal of producing quality outdoor clothing, she’s seen her business grow.

She says her success is a result of hard work, passion for excellence and maintaining high production values so that her team has respect for the product and take pride in the work the team does. With solid relationship with her employees, it ensures customer satisfaction, as they know they can trust the product and the people behind it. She is also good is building business relationships, and being committed to what she is doing. Her strategy is to work from goal to goal, focusing on challenges and finding solutions.

Her clients are happy with what she is doing. She said: “Our clients are our best marketers. When they become our brand champion, then we know we’re up to something good and struck gold.”

She could best be described as a successful entrepreneur. Indeed, she is an inspiration to young women. She is now known for her unique designs. Her collection is breathtaking. Smooth lines play easily along soft folds of fabric as they drape and pucker, bringing

dynamic form to feminine silhouettes. Initially, she sourced for clients. Today, her clothes are worn by a collection of stars and fashion icons. Her clothing line is amazing.

She said she is trying to break-even. “We are still trying to break-even but reception has been great. There was a slow period in the New Year leading to the general elections in the country but we have seen some tremendous sales turnover in the last few months since the elections.

“Our economy has taken some hits but we are a resilient lot and market indications show we are on the right track,” she said.

Success did not come that easy. She faced problems young entrepreneurs usually face when starting. She listed publicity, brand awareness, power and positioning in the market place as the teething challenges she had to face. “Notwithstanding the situation in the economy, Atunnise believes it is a great time to give wings to one’s entrepreneurship dreams,” she said.

She said focus is critical to getting to success fast. The other thing is having a clear strategic intent, which can mean turning down opportunities that aren’t relevant.

His story is that of hard work and perseverance. Having grown up in a family of entrepreneurs, he was able to see that the constant ups and downs of owning a business are completely normal and that new opportunities are always on their way. Step by step, he grew his company and stayed true to his principle of dreaming big while staying grounded in proper planning, DANIEL ESSIET writes.

Think big, dream big

C

HIEF Executive, Sectronics International Ltd,Chukwuma Okoroafor is an entrepreneur with a difference. For someone who can be described as a “technology innovator, angel investor, mentor, idea accelerator and writer,” it’s easy to see why Okoroafor, is well placed to encourage entrepreneurship nationally.

At the helm of a very financially sound business, Okoroafor , embodies the innovative and the entrepreneurial.

He has been associated with a number of startups. A graduate of Bachelor of Engineering (BEng), Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Ambrose Alli University,Edo State, his thirst and passion for entrepreneurship, 15 years after being in business, is an inspiration to the people around him. Proud owner of Access City Computers, Okoroafor, a few years ago launched a fledgling computer repair business at Computer Village, Ikeja, Lagos.

Jobs were flowing because they were pioneer when the Village newly opened. It was a instant success because the business was in the hands of professionals. Computer Village had a culture of innovation

•Okoroafor

and entrepreneurship.

Okoroafor said everyone rallied around technology with an enthusiasm and an attitude of wanting to win.

Along the line, he realised there was a huge market for a professionally organised business to service/ repair IT infrastructure of individuals/home users and small businesses. ”Small businesses and home users were getting completely dependent on IT to get

‘Do what you like passionately’ The journey of an entrepreneur is long, with bumps here and there, but success really depends on which of those paths one chooses, an entrepreneur, Olatunde Samson counsels.

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HIEF Executive, Business Impact Limited, Lagos, Olatunde Samson is a successful digital entrepreneur redefining the Nigerian tech success story.

He hit the million naira mark at 24 while aggressively marketing electronic information products he received from a seminar.

Today, he is the Managing Director/ Chief Executive of a thriving digital marketing company, and author of several books. He has carved out a successful, meaningful venture within a very competitive market. The secret of his success is being able to build self-confidence and stick to what he knows. When you employ people, you should know what you ask them to do. This is because he is able to use digital marketing tools. According to the Chief Executive, Business Impact Limited, small business owners need to use

the digital tools at their disposal to ensure they are able to take advantage of growth opportunities.

With digital tools,he said they can benefit from things such as web design and management, search engine optimisation, basic online skills and using social media. he said small and medium enterprises (SMEs) saved time due to digital automation and communications.

To this end, he is determined to equip them with digital know-how, to improve their digital skillset, which is available to anyone. Samson has started an online marketing institute focused on equipping people with the entrepreneurial knowhow, resources and networks necessary for project success. Candidates receive one-onone sessions to design a business model that is both feasible and attractive to investors. Attendees are treated to a smorgasbord of digital marketing strategies.

things done,” he said.

As his business grew, he had huge challenge. One of these was the challenge of getting geneuine spare parts. Mounting repair orders seeking part replacement put him in a difficult situation.

One area he made money then was helping people to set up cybercafés. It was a money spinner until the telcos came in and started offering data plans to people, it killed cybercafés. Besides, traders and charlatans took over the computer sale and repair value chain. The bustling retail area, known as Computer Village, was now packed with little competitors threatening to change the game completely. Though the place was supposed to be a hub that could possibly result in more innovation and creation of startups, he was concerned that the activities of quacks was impacting negatively on the business. Seeing such disappointment, he later left Nigeria for the United Kingdom to further his studies. On his return, he understudied the entire space and completed his due diligence before starting up.

Okoroafor has over the years founded a number of successful companies. He has created companies because he believes Nigeria is an economic frontier and there is need to build indigenous organisations that will support the growth. Okoroafor started Sectronics International Ltd, in November 2001 in Lagos to offer specialised security products and services specially tailored to individual and cor-

porate needs. A holder of Master of Science (MSc), Housing Management and Policy from University of Greenwich, Okoroafor said he and a group of young entrepreneurs who have excelled in their different businesses decided to establish Buttercup Farms Ltd in 2012 to bridge the gap created by locally produced protein, with specific consideration on quality, availability and price.

The core business at Buttercup Farms include egg production and meat, fish farming, chicken feed production, livestock, battery cages, chicken egg trays and organic manures. The company’s production facility include over 10 acres of agricultural land with an automated poultry facility, feed mill, and food processing and storage units all within a controlled environment. The economic conditions remain challenging for small businesses across the country, he said, adding that as a result, it is vital that the country’s organisations use all the tools at their disposal to ensure they are able to take advantage of any growth opportunities. He said what entrepreneurs need is less intervention of the state and less regulations, so that the entrepreneurial culture can grow and the market can function freely.

He advised the banking sector to increase their credit flow to support small and medium enterprises (SMEs) which have long been seen as vital to economic growth. He said banks should be more enthusiastic in promoting SMEs and entrepreneurship.

Lagos praises GEMS’3 support for SMEs

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HE Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, Mr. Farideen Akodu, has commended the United Kingdom sponspored Growth and Employment in States Support Improved Business Environment (GEMS 3) programme for taking steps to boost online marketing opportunities for Micro Small Medium Scale Enterprise (MSME) in the state.

Speaking at workshop on E-commerce organised by the GEMS 3 in Ikeja, Lagos, Akodu said empowering SMEs to explore opportunities provided by e-commerce will not only create jobs but will encourage economic growth and reduce poverty in the state.

Represented by the Director of Commerce, Mr. Hakeem Adeniyi, Akodu, said GEMS’3 practical intervention ,targeting improved market access, skills acquisition, business support services, will improve income opportunities for the poor.

According to him, e-commerce is spearheading changes in through online buying

By Emmanuel Udodinma

and selling of goods and the way enterprises do businesses.

Speaking further Akodu ,said that the Lagos state governor, Mr. Akinwumni Ambode ,is ready to promote private sector driven economy, adding that this led to the establishment of three different agencies, the office of oversees affairs and investment Lagos Global ,the ministry of wealth creation and employment and the office of civil engagement.

Kaduna State Manager, GEMS3, Aisha Mujaddadi said the organisation is determined to work with private and public stakeholders to build and deliver a systematic framework that will make it easier to do business in Nigeria.

GEMS3 implement interventions to generate change through a Business Environment Improvement Framework. The following results will be achieved in a minimum of 8 states including but not limited to GEMS3’s target states: Cross River, Lagos, Kaduna, Kano, Kogi, Jigawa, Katsina and Zamfara.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

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BUSINESS INTERVIEW The crisis rocking Stanbic IBTC over alleged payment of billions of naira as Management/Franchise and IT fees to its controlling/majority shareholder without regulatory approvals is not over yet. Chairman, Trusted Shareholders Association, Alhaji (Otunba) Mukhtar Mukhtar says the Chairman of the lender, Atedo Peterside should resign while regulatory authorities should sanction the bank. He speaks with Assistant Editor, NDUKA CHIEJINA.

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HAT was your reason for petitioning the FRCN, NOTAP, SEC and CBN? It is my duty as an indigenous minority shareholder and Chairman, Trusted Shareholders Association, to inform the relevant regulators to take decisive action against infraction and misleading of minority shareholders. Why don’t you use the monies you are keeping aside to shore up your capital rather than going to do Rights Issue?

What is the genesis of the crisis between Stanbic IBTC and its shareholders?

This is not a new development.

These illegal deductions have been going on since 2011. That was when they started applying to the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) for approval of the management franchise agreement and NOTAP from 2011 has consistently refused to give them approval because they maintained that we don’t need foreigners to come and teach Nigerians how to run a bank. In the last two decades, Nigerians have mastered the art of banking so how can a bank from South Africa come to Nigeria connive with some Nigerians to say that they want to be charging management and franchise fees at fees running into tens of billions of naira.

How much has so far been repatriated to South Africa from the alleged illegal deductions?

In 2013, N3.129 billion was debited, this is from the gross revenue earning of the bank. It was not even seen by the government. They deducted it from the gross revenue before bringing it to government for taxation. That means they are even short changing the country.

In 2013, it was N3.38 billion, that is N6.5 billion in just two years. This can give some insight into what they have been doing. They said they will charge management, franchise fees of five per cent of the gross earnings of the bank from 2011 to 2013 in 2014 they revised to three per cent this is day light robbery.

How do you react to comments of Stanbic IBTC chairman that NOTAP disallowed certain arranegements of banking subsidiaries because of a sharp drop in oil prices?

Mr. Atedo Peterside offered a false and ridiculous story as a red herring that NOTAP’s refusal to give approval to the Management/ Franchise Agreement to enable Stanbic IBTC pay the tens of billions of naira it has illegally accrued for the sole benefit of its controlling/majority shareholder – Standard Bank of South Africa – since 2011, as related to oil prices and JP Morgan’s emerging market bond index is outlandish. NOTAP has steadfastly not given approval to the Management/Franchise Agreement since 2011. The management of Stanbic IBTC has been applying to NOTAP for approval of its Management/Franchise Agreement since 2011; as at that time, the average global price of oil was $111.26. In year 2012, it went slightly higher to $111.67. Yet, NOTAP did not approve the Management/Franchise Agreement in year 2011 and 2012 when the average global price of oil was at its peak. The issue has nothing to do with the global price of oil, but with the guidelines for registration of these agreements and the forex manual from CBN. NOTAP cannot be said to be changing the rules in 2015 because of a sharp drop in oil prices, when it did not approve the same Management/Franchise Agreement in 2011, 2012 & 2013 when oil sold for an average of $100 per barrel.

‘Standard IBTC acted without recourse to law’

•Mukhtar

Peterside insisted that the bank is not making any payment without NOTAP approval. What is your reaction to this?

That is the position by half.

Stanbic IBTC has since 2011 been debiting and accruing tens of billions of naira, from gross revenue earned, in a suspense account, as payment of Management/Franchise and IT fees to its controlling/ majority shareholder without the approval of NOTAP. In other words, in year 2011, Stanbic IBTC debited and accrued billions of naira from gross revenue earned as payment of Management/Franchise and IT fees without NOTAP’s approval; in 2012 it debited and accrued billions of naira from gross revenue earned as payment of Management/Franchise and IT fees; in 2013, 2014 and 2015, Stanbic IBTC also did the same thing without NOTAP’s approval. It is this infraction, wrongdoing and misleading of indigenous minority shareholders that necessitated our petitions to regulatory authorities.

Did the shareholders or NOTAP ever approve of these deductions?

Never! If NOTAP had approved these deductions, they would have given them the approval to repatriate the money.

What infraction, wrongdoing and misleading of indigenous minority shareholders by Stanbic IBTC do you refer to?

Stanbic IBTC has for the last five years been debiting and accruing tens of billions of naira from gross revenue earned for the payment of Management/Franchise fees to its controlling/majority shareholder – Standard Bank of South Africa without due approval from NOTAP. This is against the law. The NOTAP Act clearly provides that such agreement for transfer of technology must be registered and approved before any payment can be made to the credit of any person outside Nigeria. The Chairman, Mr. Atedo Peterside, is being economical with the truth. Stanbic IBTC has since 2011 been debiting tens of billions of naira from gross revenue earned for payment of

Management fees to Standard Bank of South Africa without NOTAP’s approval.

Mr. Peterside did not mention in his interview that tens of billions of naira have been debited from the gross revenue earned by the bank and this monies were never seen by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), so was never taxed.

Does the absence of these billions of naira affect the true position of the company’s balance sheet?

Most certainly! The illegal yearly debit and accrual of of billions of naira from the gross revenue earned by the bank for payment as Management/Franchise fees to its controlling/majority shareholder has adversely affected the position of the bank’s balance sheet from the year 2011 to date. The balance sheet, as it is, cannot be said to be a true a fair position of the state of account of the company.

What was the role of the Audit Committee of Stanbic IBTIC in all these? Were they not representing the interests of minority shareholders?

The functions of the Audit Committee, whatever they did, was based on what the management presented to them. There are a lot of things that management does not bring to the knowledge of the members of the Audit Committee. Management does some under hand dealings which they don’t bring to the knowledge of the Audit Committee or to some regulators or other bodies, so all their decisions will be based on what the company brought to the members of the Audit Committee. So we cannot suspect the Audit Committee as not doing their job it may that all these information were not clearly stated to them. Nobody knew of this until we made our due diligence secretly; until we arrived at this concrete information that it has been going on for years and nobody is talking, nobody

stopped them.

How about the auditors of the bank?

That’s another problem which appears to show that the auditors have compromised their position. All these years, they certified the accounts of the bank to be alright. We even heard from within the bank that the auditors allegedly took auditing fees and some other consultancy fees amounting to over N1 billion in one single year.

Was this payment approved by the shareholders?

The shareholders give the board a general approval, they didn’t bring the amount to the shareholders; they just tell the board to fix the remuneration. So the auditors took almost N1billion in audit and other consulting fees. Is it because they are helping them to make these illegal deductions or what are they paying them for?.

How much does the biggest bank in Nigeria pays its auditors? Stanbic IBTC that is a small bank is paying over N1 billion to auditors. So that means the auditors have compromised their position which I think the regulatory authorities should look into and possibly sanction them. They should immediately start the process of paying the audit fine. Peterside should be made to resign for being the chairman of Stanbic IBTC when all these illegal deductions were made.

In 2013, a huge sum of N3,129,000,000.00 was debited and accrued in a suspense account as payment of Management and IT fees to the controlling/majority shareholder. In 2014, another huge sum of N3,338,000,000.00 was debited and accrued as payment of Management and IT fees to the controlling majority shareholder. So for the years 2013 and 2014 alone, N6,467,000,000.00 was accrued for payment as Management/ Franchise fees. How is it justifiable that such a huge amount is required for part-time recruitment of experts and advertising for just two years?

How is it justified that such a huge amount, enough to pay the entire civil service of a state, is debited and accrued solely for payment of part-time recruitment of experts and advertising? How is it justified that the management of Stanbic IBTC prefers to pay billions of naira yearly for these foreign experts instead of training and investing in Nigerian professionals so that technology is transferred?

This is in actual sense is the spirit and primary aim of the registration of these types of agreements by NOTAP. How is it justified that the management of Stanbic IBTC prefers to perpetually pay billions of naira for the part-time recruitment of these foreign experts for the business of banking which has been successfully undertaken in Nigeria since 1894? How is it justified that the strongest banks in Nigeria are all indigenously run and managed, but instead of taking a cue from these banks, Stanbic IBTC preferred to perpetually debit and accrue billions of naira each year for the parttime use of experts and technology from the controlling/majority shareholder – Standard Bank of South Africa?

NOTAP has consistently maintained that it abides by its guidelines for registration of agreements and it is also guided by the forex manual from the CBN. Consequently, whatever is not

‘The remuneration so far the auditors so the auditors took almost N1billion in audit and other consulting fees, is it because they are helping them to make these illegal deductions or what are they paying them for’

covered within the forex manual for banking operation will not be approved. This is not to mention that there is no end in sight to the Management/Franchise Agreement, and therefore there will be no transfer of technology from the foreign expert to qualified Nigerians. That is why the management had, at the recent extra ordinary general meeting shamefully sought the passing of a resolution for General Mandate for related party transactions, to shroud the full details of these transactions. However the matter had to be stepped down because it was subjudice.

Is this why you put out several publications in newspapers instead of joining either suits filed Prof A.B. Kasunmu (SAN) and Foco International Investments Limited, who are minority shareholders of Stanbic IBTC? I am not a party to any suit and I have refused to join either suit because of the underhand tactics being used by Stanbic IBTC in the defense of the suits. Mr. Peterside has said the bank knows its rights under the law, and if I may add, Stanbic IBTC knows its wrongs under the law, which is why in one of the suits, Stanbic IBTC is challenging jurisdiction and impeding the suit from being heard and determined on its merit. In that suit, the jurisdiction of the court has been challenged to delay proceedings and negate the suit from being decided on merit.

In the other suit, Stanbic IBTC is asking the court to strike out the matter as it is an abuse of court process.

How can a responsible body refer to the challenge of a resolution to approve General Mandate, which is against the Nigeria Stock Exchange Rules, as an abuse of court process?

This is why I have chosen not to join the suits but to call on relevant regulators to rise up to the challenges of their duties and put a stop to this illegal act.

Do you see your position scaring prospective foreign investors and discouraging the implementation of international business operating models?

I sincerely do not think so. Any foreign investor is required to conduct necessary due diligence to prevent it from entering into agreements which are, ab initio, voidable and unenforceable. Please note that Citigroup USA and Standard Chartered Bank (both foreign banks) do not charge their Nigerian subsidiaries Management fees. It is immoral to pay Management/Franchise fees when Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc is a subsidiary of Standard Bank of Africa. The FRCN, NOTAP and SEC should be commended for rising up to the challenges of their duties, despite undue pressure from certain quarters. It goes without saying that where an international business model stifles the growth of local expertise and discourages the transfer of technology, then it must be wholly rejected by regulators.

Mr. Peterside’s statement that our regulatory bodies will be assessed on this issue by the international investment community clearly speaks against him. No regulatory body in the world will approve an agreement which encourages the perpetual part-time recruitment of experts for billions of naira at the detriment of its own citizens. In the same vein, the CBN recently put out a statement explaining that its decision not to accede to the demand of JP Morgan, which led to the removal of Nigeria from its index, was because it would have been against the economic growth of Nigeria.

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The Midweek Magazine

E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

Odia Ofeimun and the poetics of creative nationalism In this tribute, Dr Tunji Olaopa writes on renowned poet and writer Odia Ofeimun’s love for Nigeria and his forthcoming books exhibition holding today in Lagos.

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NEED to be clear from the beginning what this essay intends. It is a narrative of celebration of someone who has a unique relationship with Nigeria, and from a perspective that is often not recognised even in his own profession. I am talking of Odia Ofeimun the poet of Nigeria. To place this narrative in perspective, I need begin necessarily from a personal angle that details my relationship of envious longing that is devoid of any negativity. Ofeimun is my big brother or if you like my egbon, and so I am permitted to envy him. He has those outstanding sterling qualities that I desire, so I am permitted to covet them. But this is not just some vain covetousness my Bible warned me about; there is a significant context for it.

There are two dimensions to my envious adulation of Odia Ofeimun. The first occurred in 1987. Shortly after I had commenced my doctoral programme at the department of Political Science, University of Ibadan, one of my esteemed teachers and mentor, Professor Femi Otubanjo, invited me to an interview for a job as a research assistant. It was later that I got the startling understanding that the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, was looking for a replacement for his erstwhile personal political secretary, the inimitable Odia Ofeimun.

I got the job but papa Awolowo passed on before I could take on the challenge of serving the sage though I managed with a word from the late Prof. Ojetunji Aboyade to have a pre-resumption seminar session with him before exit. Odia Ofeimun was at the height of his creativity when I replaced him, but with hindsight now, I just wonder what sort of replacement I could have been then. So, who wouldn’t become envious, or even annoyed, that you better occupied a position you weren’t given the opportunity to try out (even if trying it out would have showcased one’s inadequacy)? Of course I am envious: Odia occupied a position I would have given everything to take; and he has some significant qualities that would have ensured that I survived what I am certain would have been the rigorous requirements of Chief Awolowo. Unfortunately, I doubt if I had those qualities then, or even now.

Odia’s book exhibition is the second reason for envy—how I wish I have the books Odia has! How I wish I could collect them all in their rich diversity and deep in their contents. I am a bibliophile, and I collect them as fast as I can, but it is clear to me that I have met more than my match in this person who has made it his lifelong pursuit to make his entire house one huge library. Martin Farquhar Tupper, the British writer, once noted that ‘A good book is the best of friends, the same today and for ever.’ Odia definitely understands this better than I do. When I gave upon the greys on his head and his beards, they seem to inform about the experiences which both life and books have taken him through. That is something to be coveted!

Odia Ofeimun is a rebellious nationalist who comes to the nationalist struggle for

‘

Odia Ofeimun writes politically charged poems.

Of course, this character flows from his belief that a poet is necessarily a citizen; it is vain to attempt divorcing the two roles from each other. But I suspect that rather than being solely hinged to the political, Odia would rather align with Matthew Arnold understanding of poetry as ‘a criticism of life under the conditions fixed for such a criticism by the laws of poetic truth and poetic beauty TRIBUTE

the soul of Nigeria from a unique perspective—poetry. Poetry is not a likeable genre, even for the literary profession. After all, if Brian Patten, the British poet, is to be believed, poetry is ‘the monster hiding in a child’s dark room; it is the scar on a beautiful person’s face.’ Who wants to publish a book of poetry when some other genres guarantee commercial success? And who reads a book of poetry about Nigeria when there are countless political essays and commentaries that we consider can do the job better?

But Odia cannot be subdued; he combines the voluptuous sublimity and leanness of poetry with the critical directness of the political essay. These two become the deadly weapon that Ofeimun wields against those— leaders, politicians and even poets—who manipulate the society for their own selfish purposes. For him, the poet cannot lie; and neither can the politicians or anyone else who aspires to leadership.

Odia Ofeimun writes politically charged poems. Of course, this character flows from his belief that a poet is necessarily a citizen; it is vain to attempt divorcing the two roles from each other. But I suspect that rather than being solely hinged to the political, Odia would rather align with Matthew Arnold understanding of poetry as ‘a criticism of life under the conditions fixed for such a criticism by the laws of poetic truth and poetic beauty.’ I consider it a rather huge achievement to be able to enable a beautiful piece of poetry carry the burden of an engaged sensibility. Odia Ofeimun is such a poet.

Poetry is a responsibility that goes beyond the mere architecture of words. W. B. Yeats, the Irish poet, captures this responsibility: A line will take us hours maybe; Yet if it does not seem a moment’s thought, Our stitching and unstitching has been naught.

Odia has carried Nigeria in the unfolding bowel of poetry for long. Odia’s muse must surely be a militant when confronted with the gross dysfunction that the Nigerian predicament presents. This predicament excites different reaction from all of us. For most people, the most immediate of these reactions is that of cynicism, the terrible pessimistic refusal to see anything good coming

’

out of Nigeria. For some others, it is abject resignation to fate. The trajectory of my own life—personal and professional—has all the ingredients to lead me to profound pessimism. On the contrary, I chose optimism at the personal and institutional levels. And this is an optimism that strives actively to unfold dynamics of reforms and possibilities by which Nigeria can be reformulated.

One recurrent methodological index of my optimism is the critical celebration of national heroes as people, from one generation to another, whose fate have been entwined with Nigeria’s, either by choice or by circumstance. There is no nation that does not need the cantankerous queries and effusive energies of the hero who is always at war with the nation because s/he wants that nation to transcend itself and its achievement. And Nigeria has many of these, dead or alive—Claude Ake, Billy Dudley, Obafemi Awolowo, Olusegun Obasanjo, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Tai Solarin, Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe, Christopher Kolade, Gani Fawehinmi, Bala Usman, Bolanle Awe, and the younger upcoming role models Chimamanda Adiche, Bukola Elemide ‘Asa’, the list is endless.

In a forthcoming book that ties all these heroes to the project of national integration and development in Nigeria, I had no difficulty in inviting Odia Ofeimun to write the

•Ofeimun

foreword. That choice is inevitable: He shared the same heroic characteristics with all those I have celebrated. In his own words—in the foreword to my upcoming book—he said he is ‘an irredeemable partisan on the side of the Nigerian Project’ involved in ‘an almost occult pursuit of Nigeria the Beautiful.’

Odia wields the cudgel of performance poetic that narrates the different dynamics of the Nigerian experience. In the poem ‘National Cakes,’Odia contrasts between the concepts of ‘vultures’ and ‘cakes’ to project a national metaphor that speaks to both the leadership and the followership: Vultures don’t bake their national cakes They just swoop on the ripe carcass of maybe, human cattle We too, hate to be bakers And so, we despoil the sunrise we seek His poetry and his essays speak with thunderous loudness that fears no controversies, and which no government can ever hope to escape. Odia Ofeimun is not just a political poet; I am sure he prefers being known as a revolutionary one; a true poet who, according to Wilfred Own, the British poet, must be truthful. He is a poet whose poetry oscillates between the beautiful and the severe.

He drags our imagination about Nigeria into the very depth of the imaginable. I salute you my egbon!

Two feared dead, another injured in Oshodi tanker fire

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WO persons were feared dead yesterday, one was injured when a petrol-laden tanker with registration number FST 936 SJ fell and caught fire at Oshodi bus-stop.

But Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) said one died.

It was learnt that the tanker laden with 33,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), fell around NAFDAC

By Precious Igbonwelundu, Idayat Bello and Solomon Odeniyi

office in Oshodi at 2am, spilling its contents.

The incident caused a massive gridlock on the busy Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, as another heavy duty vehicle, carrying a 20 foot container, reportedly fell during rescue operations. The tanker was said to have affected a pick-up van loaded with bags of charcoal.

The driver and his motor boy escaped unhurt, but two persons were burnt beyond recognition while attempting to scoop fuel.

An eyewitness, Femi Olusesan, said the fuel tanker was unlatched, adding that the driver was on top speed.

He said: “The fully loaded unlatched fuel tanker fell around the NAFDAC office in Oshodi.

“Some people went to scoop the fuel but unfortunately the tanker exploded and killed two of them.

“Several other trucks nearby also caught fire but the drivers escaped unhurt.”

Jude Amise, a resident, said he and his neighbours saw the fire when it started but

never knew that a tanker fell.

“At first when we saw the fire we thought some people were burning tyres, it was when the smoke thickened we decided to move close to the scene. We saw a fallen tanker. At that time, the fire became uncontrollable. We tried to quench the fire ourselves but we realised it was more than our power so we informed the fire fighters men who eventually put it out.’’

Residents blamed the deplorable road for the incident.

LASEMA said the body has been handed over to the environmental health monitoring unit.

The deceased, LASEMA said, was an adult male, adding that he was severely burnt.

Also, a Volkswagen conveying used wears, caught fire at Airport bus-stop along Lagos-Abeokuta Express Way. The incident occurred around 2:00pm yesterday.

The nation learnt sympathizers helped put out the fire before fire fighters men arrived. But, some of the wears was said to have been partially destroyed by the fire.

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FOREIGN NEWS

Libya’s parliament extends mandate T

HE move could complicate efforts by the UN and Western powers to bring an end to the country's protracted political stalemate.

The parliament's spokesman said it was still supporting UN-sponsored talks that resumed in Morocco this week.

Libya has had two rival parliaments and governments, backed by rival militia groups, since last summer.

A loose alliance of militias, including Islamists, seized the capital, Tripoli, in August 2014 and reinstated the General National Congress (GNC), forcing the existing and internationally recognised government to flee to the eastern city of Tobruk.

The move to extend the parliament’s mandate was passed by 112 out of 131 MPs.

The assembly had acted to “avoid a vacuum in the country”, MP Tarek Juroushi told the Reuters news agency.

Both parties taking part in UN-backed negotiations have been on the fence over the latest draft agreement, which the UN says can no longer be amended, the BBC’s North Africa correspondent Rana Jawad reports.

The country’s politicians are facing increasing pressure from the West to reach an agreement, she adds.

Oscar Pistorius family condemns failure to release him

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HE refusal to free South African Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius from prison on parole “flies in the face” of justice, his family has said.

On Monday, a judge-led panel upheld a decision taken in August to block his

• Pistorius

transfer to house arrest.

The panel also said Pistorius should undergo psychotherapy, but his family said he was already receiving it.

The 28-year-old was sentenced to five years in prison last year for shooting dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

High Court Judge Thokozile Masipa found him guilty of culpable homicide, or manslaughter.

The 28-year-old double amputee had hoped to be freed in August after a parole board ruled that he could serve the rest of his five-year prison sentence under house arrest.

But the panel, led by Judge Lucy Mailula, ruled that Justice Minister Michael Masutha had acted correctly when he prevented the release on the grounds that it

U.S. admits mistake in Afghan hospital strike

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HE US commander of international forces in Afghanistan has said an air strike on a hospital in the northern city of Kunduz was a mistake.

Gen John Campbell said that the US would never intentionally target a protected medical facility.

At least 22 people were killed in the attack as government forces battled to retake the city from the Taliban.

Gen Campbell also said that the US must consider boosting its military presence in Afghanistan after 2016.

He said that such a measure would be necessary if the Taliban upsurge was to be repelled and Afghanistan's military kept up to fighting strength.

Under current plans, the US is to reduce force levels from about 9,800 soldiers in Af-

ghanistan to about 1,000 embassy-based soldiers from the beginning of 2017.

But the “tenuous security situation” might require a rethink of this reduction, the general said.

Medical charity MSF has called for an independent international inquiry into the Kunduz attack.

It has launched a Twitter campaign in support of its demand.

The charity said that statements from the Afghan government implied that the hospital had been deliberately targeted and amounted to an admission of a war crime.

In testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee in Washington, Gen Campbell said: “To be clear, the decision to provide aerial fires was a US decision, made within the US chain of command.”

Guatemala mudslide area not habitable UATEMALAN offi-

G

cials have declared a neighbourhood which was buried in a mudslide uninhabitable.

More than 160 people died when the mudslide tore through homes in Santa Catarina Pinula yesterday.

Emergency workers are still excavating the area but have given up hope of finding any survivors.

It is not yet clear what will happen to the survivors and whether the state will offer them help to relocate to safer ground.

Guatemala's National Di-

saster Reduction Commission (Conred) says it had warned as early as 2009 that the neighbourhood of El Cambray 2, which lies 16km (10 miles) east of Guatemala City, was at risk.

The middle-class neighbourhood was built at the bottom of a steep hillside next to a river.

Conred said its most recent warning came in November 2014, when it alerted local authorities to the fact that the river was eroding the base of the hill, making the hillside very unstable.

had been taken prematurely.

At the time of his intervention, Pistorius had been granted parole only six months into his five-year sentence.

Mr Masutha had argued that the law states that an offender can only be considered for parole after serving one-sixth of his sentence, in this case 10 months.

In a statement, the Pistorius family said it was concerned about the “legality” of delaying his release.

"Time has now cured" Mr Masutha's concerns and it could not understand why the panel had referred the case back to the parole board rather than taking a decision, the statement said.

"The failure to give proper - and consistent - effect to the Correctional Services Act flies in the face of administrative justice," it said.

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

55

TODAY IN THE NATION

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

VOL.10 NO.3359

‘President Buhari’s October 1 speech calls you to the trenches to stand with him and fight, using forces of change, against real forces of dark corruption. Buhari has called the passive to join the active, and calls ‘you’ and ‘me‘. He calls the army of talkers, watchers, complainers and siddon lookers to ‘come to our aid’’ TONY MARINHO

COMMENT & DEB ATE EBA

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AST Monday, the International Sea Trade and Investment Convention 2015, with the theme: “Exploring New Trade Frontiers” and expected to last three days, commenced in Lagos. One of its key participants is the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), the interim regulator of the country’s shipping activities.

The outcome of this convention should attract the close attention of the authorities in Abuja in so far as they want their oft-stated commitment to the diversification of our economy from its overdependence on oil to be taken seriously. However, the status of the NSC as merely an interim regulator of the country’s shipping activities deserves even greater attention.

The reason is pretty obvious; shipping, as a live-wire of the country’s economy, is probably the least regulated sector in Nigeria. Other “lucrative” sectors, such as telecommunications, broadcast, banking, insurance, pension and even the most corruption-riddled of them all, the oil sector, all of them have fairly strong regulators.

True, service delivery to consumers in most of these sectors has been far from satisfactory. But invariably the problem has been that the leaderships of these regulators hardly gave a damn about their private interests conflicting with those of the public they are paid to defend.

Such conflicts of interests, however, do not, and cannot, invalidate the need for strong economic regulators. For, as even the most ardent proponents of free market economies would admit in their moments of self-candour, it is dangerous to allow the market’s so-called invisible hands to operate without restrain, as we have since seen in, for example, the collapse of the free-wheeling global banking sector in 2008.

According to experts, over 80 per cent of Nigeria’s trade in goods is by sea. The key components of this trade are the ports and their infrastructure, the ships and shipping companies, and the goods and cargoes. The auxiliary components include freight forwarding, trucking, insurance, cargo surveying, banking and information and communication technology (ICT).

The activities of the actors in all these areas had remained unregulated since independence until last year when the NSC, which had existed since 1978, was granted the status of “Interim Regulator.” The predictable consequence of the free-forall in this critical sector is that the cost of the shipping business in Nigeria has been among the highest in the world.

Take demurrage for example, as a component of this cost. Whereas in Nigeria the free period for demurrage is three days, in the nearby Benin Republic it is

People and Politics By

MOHAMMED H ARUNA ndajika@yahoo.com

Time to regulate shipping sector

• President Muhammadu Buhari

10, in Ivory Coast, nine, and in Ghana, 7.

Take again the terminal operators’ charg-

RE: HAJIYA BILKISU: SHE WAS TOO GOOD AND TRUE Sir, Thank you for your thoughtful and excellent memorial on the late Hajiya Bilkisu. I am sure there is no other person to extol Bilkisu’s personality than yourself given the little, yet much, that I know about the profile of both of you. I have had the self indulgence of keeping watch over the many highly successful friends - distinguished former students in whom I am very well pleased and lucky and privileged to have been associated with in my early career as a university lecturer at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. The late Bilkisu had been one of these blessed persons.

Occasionally, I had run into Bilkisu at the Lagos and Abuja airports and we would not only exchange pleasantries, but also would get engaged in intellectual discourses. Bilkisu had sent to me two sets of publications of research projects in which she was involved and which I read usually with learning and fulfilment. The last of such publications was on the electoral, party and governance sys-

RIPPLES

NIGERIA POLICE LEADS IN HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLA TION ys De puty Dir ector VIOLATION TION,, sa says Deputy Director ector,, OPD

In fact POLICE IS NUMBER ONE, NUMBER TWO...and even NUMBER THREE

es between Nigeria and Benin Republic.

Whereas the “acconage,” i.e. Terminal Handling, Customs Examination and Delivery Charges, for a 20-foot container in Nigeria is about N63,000, in Benin Republic it is 24,000. The same charge for a 40feet container is nearly N88,000 in Nigeria and 48,000 in Benin Republic.

Little wonder then that many importers into and exporters from the country prefer the ports of our neighbours for their businesses.

The absence of proper regulation in this sector has also contributed in large measure to the gridlock along the Lagos Logistic Ring (LLR) on Apapa-Ijora-OrileMile 2-Tin Can-Apapa corridor becoming worse than a nightmare. A study of this corridor has shown that between 5,000 and 7,000 trucks ply it daily. This is more than three times the actual number of be-

tween 1,500 and 2,050 that the ports and tanks in Lagos can handle.

A strong regulator of shipping activities in the country would, of course, not be enough on its own to solve these problems of, among others, excessive shipping costs and nightmarish ports and roads congestion. For that the regulator will also have to be competent and efficient and, even more importantly, it has to possess integrity.

However, although a strong regulator is never enough in and of itself to make service provision in its sector efficient and cheap, it is an imperative for such service provision. As a regulator of shipping in the country with less than two years experience, the NSC probably possesses insufficient skills and equipment to do its job well. With time and enough resources this can be easily overcome.

More importantly, however, its status as an “Interim Regulator”, i.e. a temporary regulator, gives it insufficient clout to command the respect and cooperation of the actors in the sector it needs to carry out its functions properly. The law making it a regulator may have given it precise functions but in a world where image seems to have become more important than substance, names do matter.

Now that we will soon get a Minister of Transport, the NSC will, hopefully, get the status it needs to properly regulate shipping to and from Nigeria so that the sector can become a net revenue earner for the country rather than the big drain which it has been virtually since independence 55 years ago.

T

tems preparatory to the Fourth Republic, which was supported by a Swedish or Nordic NGO. These intellectual products arguably assisted the INEC in dealing with the complex and difficult Nigerian political process in the last 15 years. Objectively, not spiritually, Bilkisu’s death in the most holy pilgrimage site, location or venue of prayers is a most painful loss to the intellectual and dedicated activist community in Nigeria. She was an embodiment of goodness with a true personality. I express my heartfelt condolence to her children and close family network. May the Good Lord receive Bilkisu’s departed soul in adoration.

Prof Sam Oyovbaire prof.oyovbaire@yahoo.com Sir, I appreciate your article on our late fellow undergraduate in the then Department of Government (now Political Science and International Studies), ABU, Zaria, 72/75.

Given your close association with her as a professional colleague, I am of the considered opinion that you are in the best position to comment on her remarkable life.

I was always excited anytime I met her in her numerous engagements, which was only (for me) as a resource person in training workshops for government functionaries and sometimes as a paper presenter in academic conferences. Hajiya usually came across as intelligent and pungent. She never criticised without offering options.

Although a devout Muslim, she separated her religion from political discourse. As old classmates, we were always exchanging banters. Bilkisu was reserved without being aloof. She always carried herself in words and deed with remarkable decorum. She had influence, but never threw her weight around. As Dr. Hakeem Baba Ahmed commented, Hajiya could not have wished for a better place to meet her Maker than in a place of supreme worship to Allah (SWT).

•For comments, send SMS to 08059100107

•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above HARDBALL Fayose: The cart and the horse

HOSE who think Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose is pursuing a flight of fancy concerning his plan to build a multi-billion naira airport in the land must be having a rethink, following news of activities to realise the project. The site at Aso Ayegunle village in Ado Ekiti is being cleared for commencement of construction.

But Fayose is putting the cart before the horse, which says a lot about his state of mind and the state of his administration. The landowning Iwajo Family is disturbed that Fayose is doing things in the wrong order. A report said the family “is demanding compensation on the economic trees on the land ‘in line with the law of the land’.” According to the report, the family “claimed to have been on the land for over 500 years, saying the land was not suitable because it is a cocoa belt, which spreads to Igbemo-Ekiti in Irepodun/ Ifelodun Local Government Area and never a virgin land.”

A statement issued by the family gives the impression that Fayose is continuing with pre-construction moves with impunity. Of

course, it is no news that the governor enjoys acting with impunity, and continues to promote a culture of impunity.

The statement, signed by the family head, Chief Moses Ojo, the secretary, Osho Olorunfemi and Chief Italohun Fadahunsi, said: “Ekiti is known to be a cocoa-producing state and this site is renowned for cocoa production. To the best of our knowledge, any land being acquired by the government, it is expected that the government should settle the owner of the land and property therein before moving to site.”

It added: “If eventually the government sticks to its decision to site the project on this spot, there should be compensation and adequate notice given to allow those who have repayable crops to harvest their crops before moving to the site.”

The picture speaks of arbitrariness on Fayose’s part, as well as a possible contempt for consultation. It is apt to wonder how

Fayose reached a decision on the use of the particular site for his airport project. Also, if his choice was informed by any thought, did he think about the issues raised by the family?

In a reflection of how Fayose’s government thinks, the Commissioner for Works and Chairman of the Airport Project Implementation Committee, Kayode Osho, reportedly “assured the people that adequate compensation would be paid to the owners of the land and economic trees.”

According to the report, “the commissioner, however, was non-committal on when the compensation will be paid.”

There seems to be confusion about the place of the cart and the place of the horse.

The Fayose administration cannot place the two correctly, in their correct places. It may not be incorrect to say that the government needs concrete correction.

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