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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER •MARCH 19, 2016
newsXTRA
N780bn Fine: Court Strikes out MTN’s Suit against FG Davidson Iriekpen
Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday formally struck out the suit filed by MTN Nigeria to challenge the imposition of N780 billion fine on it by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). The suit, THISDAY gathered, was struck out following the firm’s notice to discontinue the case. It was further learnt that striking out the suit was to pave the way for continued settlement discus-
sions with the federal government towards an amicable resolution of the matter in the best interests of the telecom company and Nigeria. THISDAY gathered that the decision by the telecommunications giant formally withdraw the suit based on its opinion that it would not be proper to continue negotiation while the suit was pending in court. The NCC had fined MTN Nigeria a record N1.04 trillion last October for failing to deactivate 5.1 million unregistered lines from its network. Following weeks of high-level negotiation between the company
and government officials, the fine was reduced to N780 billion. Dissatisfied with the reduction, MTN dragged the Nigerian government before a Federal High Court in Lagos, seeking to stop the payment of the fine, for which the NCC gave it a December 31, 2015 deadline to pay. But MTN through its team of lawyers; Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), Prof. Fabian Ajogwu (SAN) and seven others, through an originating summons, challenged the powers of NCC to impose such a fine on it.
The telecoms company argued that NCC being a regulator, could not assume all the functions of the state on its own, considering the fact that they made the regulation, prescribed the penalty and imposed the fine, payable to the commission and not the federal government. The firm also alleged that it was not afforded its constitutional right of fair hearing before a court of competent jurisdiction and more importantly, it had not been found guilty of any offence that would warrant it to pay such outrageous fine.
WE CELEBRATE YOU... L-R: Mr. Efe Yugbovwre; Prince Ibrahim Dumuje; Celebrant, Rev Divine Yugbovwre and Mrs. Mariam Dumuje at a 60th birthday reception held in honour of Mrs. Yugbovwre in Lagos...at the weekend
Buhari Leads Encomiums at Ocholi's Burial Yekini Jimoh in Lokoja
It was a sad moment for the people of Abocho community in Dekina Local Government of Kogi State, when the remains of the late Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Chief James Ocholi SAN, his wife, Mrs. Blessing Fatimah Ocholi and his son, Mr. Joshua Ocholi were finally buried at their home town Ogbagidi. The event which took place at the open field of Local Government Area Primary School, Abocho witnessed hundreds of people who came from far and near to pay their last respect to the late Minister, his wife and his son. The Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Professor Yemi
Osinbajo SAN who represent the President, Muhammadu Buhari at the occasion, described the late Chief James Ocholi SAN as one of his right hand men in the quest to reposition the country, and fashion a land of peace and prosperity, where no man was oppressed. President Buhari noted that among many other positive and pleasant things he would always remember Ocholi for his loyalty to our beloved country Nigeria, loyalty to their party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), and loyalty to his administration, in which he had served for just about four months, before death took him. The President added that when APC was being negotiated into existence among the legacy parties,
the late Ocholi did a yeoman' s job, contributing his quota to the legal process. This he did under a junior lawyer, who was not a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) like him then. He said what mattered to Ocholi was the birth of a strong, solid party, which could wrest power at the centre, and bring change to the country. "He was part of the change cabinet resolved to bring our country from out of the woods, and pedestal Nigeria among the greats in the community of nations" he said. Also speaking, the Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello noted that the late Ocholi grabbed life by the jugular and squeezed his due
from its clenched first. "James started succeeding early, and by his achievements drafted an airtight brief on how to live life well-with urgency, making massive impact as one goes. Everyone from the President and Commander-inChief to the lowliest beneficiaries of his greatness in Dekina to many other places known and unknown are mourning him today "His manner, demeanour and way of speaking readily showed his depth of character, intelligence and breeding. He proved himself a brilliant, honest and most respectable legal practitioner" he said. The Governor therefore urged assemblage of the best legal minds in the country to hold that Chief Ocholi was not dead, but sleeping.
NISA Dissociate itself from Ship Owners Forum John Iwori
The war of attrition among indigenous ship owners seemed not have ended with the Nigeria Ship owners Association (NISA) dissociating itself from the newly formed Ship owners Forum. The forum was constituted last week as an umbrella body for indigenous ship owners in the country. NISA in a statement signed by its Coordinator, Lagos Zone, Captain Taiwo Akinpelumi, stated it was not part of the Ship Owners Forum as reported in the media recently. “We (NISA) categorically write
to dissociate Nigeria Ship owners Association (NISA) completely from the purported Ship owners Forum. Firstly, a decision of such magnitude and proportion requires wide consultation with members, if at all interested, and are willing to unite, merge, fuse or partner NISA with any group, union, organisation or association, to be under an umbrella. “Such a decision should be taken at the General Assembly of the members, which was not the case in this instance. Secondly, Mr. Aminu Umar cannot represent NISA. It is against the NISA Constitution for anyone under whatever guise to represent the association in that
capacity. Having not been nominated by the association nor delegated by the President, Captain Olaniyi Labinjo, the elected, authentic and current leader of NISA, who is and still remains in office until the expiration of his tenure,'' the statement said. Giving more insight into why NISA disassociated itself from the forum, Akinpelumi noted that there was a subsisting court order restraining Aminu Umar and his group from parading himself as the acting President of NISA tills the determination of the substantive suit before it. According to him, the report as contained in the newspapers that
Aminu Umar represented the leadership of NISA was a nullity at its best and in contempt of the order of a competent court. Continuing, Akinpelumi said: “It is our humble opinion that the government cannot decree an association for investors, stakeholders or NISA in particular, in the shipping sector by fiat or through pronouncement of its officials. This will amount to the 'Principal dishing out instructions to his Pupils' and our members being investors and major stakeholders in the maritime sector deserve better treatment and respect and should be free to determine if necessary to belong to any forum.
AUN: Climate Change, Environmental Degradation, Behind Insurgency Daji Sani in Yola
The American University of Nigeria ,(AUN) in collaboration with the Yar'adua Foundation has identified climate change, gas flaring, deforestation and other unethical environmental practices as responsible for the Boko Haram insurgency and other forms of violence in Nigeria. Discussing the issue, a team of experts from the two organisations at the AUN in Yola, Adamawa State headed by Professor Charles Reith of the AUN ,the experts observed that the people must change their attitude towards the environment for Nigeria to be able to resolve some of the violent conflicts bedevilling it. The experts who were formed into a team of Panel to analyse a film documentary produced by Yaradua Foundation tagged "No Where to Run: Nigeria's Climate and Environmental Crisis",, a nexus was established between climate change, deforestation, gas flaring, environmental degradation occasioned by oil exploration with violent conflicts in Nigeria. The documentary also showcases every parts of Nigeria showing how climate change has affected the lives of people in every region of the country from deforestation, erosion, gas flaring, environmental degradation occasioned by oil . They observed that change of climate which led to severe drop in rainfall and change in weather patterns has led to monumental shrink of lake Chad leading to loss of employment opportunities for thousands of fishermen, farmers and herders whose livelihood defended on the lake. In addition, the experts said that deforestation occasioned by felling of trees in the North leading to
CONFIRMATION OF NAME This is to confirm that MATAWA HARRY is the same person, but now wish to be known and addressed as MATAWA YINKERE HARRY. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note. This is to confirm that CHI-CHI IKENUA and CHINYERE LIZZY IKENUA are the same. But now wish to be known and addresses as CHINYERE ELIZABETH IKENUA. All former documents bearing these names remain valid. The general public should please take note.
This is to confirm that ONYEMA CHRISTIAN CHIGOZIE and ONYEMA CHRISTIAN WISDOM is the same and one person, but now wish to be known and addressed as ONYEMA CHRISTIAN CHIGOZIE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. This is to confirm that IKEBUNAZU VITALIS CHIGOZIE and IKEBUNAZU ViTALis JOHN is the same and one person, but now wish to be known and addressed as IKEBUNAZU VITALIS CHIGOZIE. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note. I ONWUBUOYA ENDURANE, am the same person as ONwuBuOYA JAmEs. All former documents bearing these names refer to me remain valid. The general public should please take note. I, MR NNAMOCHA OBIOMA JOsEPH am the same person as MR NNAMOCHA OBIOMA CHIAGOZIE. All former documents bearing these names refer to me remain valid. The general public should please take note.
loss of massive territories, drought, competition between herders and farmers and other pestilences had upped job losses and competition for resources between the various people of the area whose combined effect were responsible for the intensity of Boko Haram insurgency in the North East. They also observed that the activities of oil exploration in the South South leading to massive gas flaring resulting in acid rains, environmental pollution, the activities of oil companies and saboteurs have also led to significant job losses as both fishermen and farmers were rendered jobless. However the experts asserted that the overall problem which also lead to the preponderance of poverty accordingly led to the violent militancy that rocked the region for a long time. In addition to the militancy, the scourge has been identified to have negative effect on the health of many residents of the region resulting in the proliferation of cancer, leukemia and other dangerous diseases. It was however suggested that to get a solution to the myriads of adversities besetting Nigeria, deliberate effort must be made by the government in assuaging some of the unethical environmental practices like overcoming gas flaring, sanctioning oil companies who pollute the environment, introduction of renewable energy and a call on the government to embark on rigorous public enlightenment on the need by all to preserve the environment.
CHANGE OF NAME
I formerly known and addressed as MISS OKUSAMI MODUPEOLUWA OLUWATOSIN, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS FAMAKINWA MODUPEOLUWA OLUWATOSIN. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note. I formerly known and addressed as EMEWUSIM CHINWE CAROLINE, now wish to be known and addressed as EmEwusim-JudE CHINWE. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note. I formerly known and addressed as ROSEMARY OMOTAYO OGUNNAIKE, now wish to be known and addressed as ROSEMARY OMOTAYO OLORUNNAIKE. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.
I formerly known and addressed as MISS EVELYN OSHOMESTE ZIBIRI, Now wish to be known and addressed as MRS EVELYN OsHOmEsTE BABAJidE. All former document remain valid. The general public should please take note. I formerly known and addressed as OKOYE AMARA, Now wish to be known and addressed as OBIAKONWA AMARA. All former document remain valid. The general public should please take note. I formerly known and addressed as MISS CHIGOZIE ANOSIKE BERNADETTE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS CHIGOZIE BERNADETTE ANOSIKE MICHAEL. All former document remain valid. The general public should please take note. I formerly known and addressed as MR ROWLAND OLADIPUPO VICTOR, now wish to be known and addressed as MR OLADIPO VICTOR. All former document remain valid. The general public should please take note.