Friday 26th August 2016

Banks’ CEOs Intervene on Ban of Nine Banks from Forex Trading Naira Falls to N408/$1 on parallel market

Obinna Chima The Body of Banks' Chief Executive Officers yesterday met in Lagos to review the current developments in the

industry, especially issues around the ban imposed on nine commercial banks by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), barring them from participating in the foreign

exchange market.

At the end of the meeting, which was presided over by the chairman of the body and CEO of Access Bank Plc, Mr. Herbert Wigwe, the

body agreed to work closely with the CBN to address the issue that led to the ban in a manner that would protect the stability of the industry, as well as to ensure proper

conduct in the optimisation of the foreign exchange market.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Tuesday barred nine banks from participating in the forex market for not remitting

a total of $2.334 billion Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)/Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Continued on page 10

Osinbajo Preaches Hope as Ambode, Kerry Urge FG to Restructure Economy…Page 10 Friday 26 August, 2016 Vol 21. No 7791. Price: N250

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Niger Delta Crisis: Soyinka Tells Buhari to Engage Militants Kachikwu, monarchs reiterate commitment to peace Chineme Okafor in Abuja Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, yesterday urged the federal government to engage the Niger Delta militants and respond positively to their demands in order to engender lasting peace in the region.

The Nobel Laureate, who said he had been contacted to

intervene in the Niger Delta crisis, spoke as the Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, met in Abuja with traditional rulers from the coastal communities of the region and agreed to recommit to a peaceful resolution of all the issues in the oil rich region.

Continued on page 11

Again, Herdsmen Invade Enugu Community, Kill Catholic Seminarian

We'll no longer tolerate this heartless killings, says Ugwuanyi

Christopher Isiguzo and Gideon Arinze in Enugu Suspected Fulani herdsmen in the early hours of yesterday invaded the sleepy Ndiagu Attakwu AkegbeUgwu community in Nkanu

West Local Government Area of Enugu State, killing a Catholic seminarian, Lazarus Okafor, and injuring four others, including a pregnant woman.

Continued on page 10

Chibok Families to Buhari: Bring back our girls or resign… Page 11

ROYAL VISIT

President Muhammadu Buhari (left) welcoming the Alaafin of Oyo, HRM, Kabiyesi, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, to his office at the Presidential Villa Abuja… yesterday

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Osinbajo Preaches Hope as Ambode, Kerry Urge FG to Restructure Economy Chiemelie Ezeobi in Lagos and John Shiklam in Kaduna Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday urged Nigerians not to despair over the prostate state of the economy, saying that with the measures being taken by the federal government, speedy recovery from recession was on the way.

He spoke in Kaduna at the 4th Progressive Governance Lecture Series organised by governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) with the theme, "Building the Economy of States: Challenge of Developing Inclusively Sustainable Growth."

He assured Nigerians that government was on top of the situation, hinting that some policies to be unveiled shortly would reverse the prevailing economic hardship faced by Nigerians.

The vice-president's hope raiser coincided with the United States Secretary of State John Kerry’s and Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s interventions on Nigeria’s dwindling fortunes advocating separately that the nation needed to restructure and diversify its economy in order to realise its great potential.

While Ambode recommended that the federal government should play the lead role in encouraging states to unbundle their potential by concentrating on their areas of comparative economic advantages, Kerry called for an urgent diversification of the economy, particularly at these times of low oil prices.

Ambode spoke in Kaduna at the Progressive Governance Lecture Series, stating that the federal government had a critical role to play in addressing the fundamental structural challenges undermining sustainable and inclusive economic growth in the states of the federation, among which is unbundling the potential of each of the federating units.

He said the federal government should allow states to develop natural resources within their domain and create the necessary infrastructure that would attract investors.

Ambode, who spoke on the Lagos experience of deemphasising reliance on oil, said governors should also be encouraged to tap into multiple streams of income in their respective states.

The governor said it was absurd that governors had power over land but could not exploit the resources, including water that is under it, arguing that the law must be amended to empower states to have control of their resources.

He said: "We need to start looking at some changes that we need to make within and among ourselves as a government irrespective of whether it is federal, state or local government - that will now unbundle the potential of each state, which is the cornerstone of the whole message we are talking about.

"There is a great need for all of us to decide once and for all to unbundle the potential of each state; take the comparative advantages of each state and fuse

them together for the benefits of our people.

"Governors are the owners of the land in their states but underneath the land and even inside the water, the federal government is structured in a way that it controls those potential.”

Ambode said the spoonfeeding of states through the monthly allocation from the Federation Account should stop, contending that it was a disincentive to the unlocking of the potential of the states.

“In a situation where the states are being spoon-fed, because I call the federation account more or less like spoon-feeding. The federal government collects total revenue on Value Added Tax (VAT) and various revenues on behalf of all of us and makes us to come to Abuja and more or less share it to us as peanuts thereby not allowing us to reach our potential as competitive states individually," he said.

While alluding to the fact that the insignia of progressivism in Nigeria should be first seen in the APC states, Ambode said all critical actors must work together in the common interest of the people.

He said: "There is just one economy in this country and so we need to first of all accept the fact that there is nothing like private sector as against public sector; there is nothing like federal government as against state governments. We are collaborating together to drive the economy of this country. So if that describes what Nigeria is

and what it ought to be, we also want to say that government should be seen as an enabler; a platform that more or less creates the enabling environment for the public sector to thrive.”

Also speaking at the event, a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Charles Soludo, said Nigeria was facing unprecedented and tremendous political and economic challenges with global and local dynamics.

He also said for the current war against corruption to be successful and enduring, it must be tackled from the systemic level rather than dealing with the symptoms.

According to him, economic growth in Nigeria would not be inclusive unless poverty is broken and states take advantage of their comparative and competitive edges.

He noted that politicians and elected officials were under pressure to deliver quick short term benefits to the people while in reality what might be needed to address the economy were painful long term solutions.

"There seem to be a potential conflict with what the people want and what the country needs to survive sustainably," he said.

Speaking on the topic "Fragile State with a Failing Economy, Making Progressive Change Work for Nigeria", the former CBN governor maintained that the APC must move from a coalition of political parties that won election to that of a coalition of governance.

He said Nigeria was not secured and made politically

sustainable especially through the de-strangulation of the hold of the federal government over states.

He warned that the global economy was unravelling and the burst might be there for a while, stressing that there was need to look at the long term solution.

According to him, the realities in the Nigerian economy is marked by localised trapped economies plagued by terrorism, kidnapping, militancy and other social vices which also threatened opportunities for attracting investments.

Soludo recommended the restructuring of the economy from consumption driven to production with consistent micro economic policies. He advocated fiscal federalism in ways that allow states to have greater control of their resources as well as the evolution of a master plan for mass export oriented industrialisation that answers the economic questions of today's realities.

In Abuja, the US Secretary of State, Kerry, urged the federal government to, as a matter of urgency, strive to diversify the economy, especially with the global reduction in the price of crude oil.

Kerry said this at a meeting with the staff and families of the US Embassy in Abuja, reiterating the commitment of the US government to curbing forced child marriages and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).

He said the free fall of the price of oil had challenged the

economy, adding that the way forward was for the country to diversify its economy, promising that the US would be a willing ally in that direction.

“We will also do everything in our power to help adjust the economy to a change. No country should be single-resource dominated in its economy, and the lesson is you’ve got to diversify," he said.

Speaking on female genital mutilation and child marriages, he said: "I just came from an amazing meeting with a group of young women, Nigerian women.

We know that there are 6 to 8 million, 10 million girls who aren’t in school in Nigeria.

"And we know the difference that educating young women can make to the capacity to build a future for a country. And I quoted the Egyptian poet, Hafez Ibrahim, who said, 'educate a woman, you build a nation'.

"That is so true. You cannot have a country that works leaving half of your population on the side lines.

"So we are committed, deeply committed, to helping girls to be able to go to school, to helping girls to be able to have opportunity, to trying to change this notion of forced marriage in childhood – 10, 11, 12 years old – and also trying to deal with the problem of female mutilation, which we really need to see stopped.

"So there’s so much on the table here. This is a country that has enormous capacity, enormous potential, and we want to help tap into it.”

also resolved to continue to collaborate with the CBN and other stakeholders to forestall this and other issues that may impact on the growth of the banking industry," the statement signed by the Registrar/CEO, CIBN, Seye Awojobi, added.

Meanwhile, the naira depreciated to N408 to the dollar on the parallel market yesterday, compared with the N402 to the dollar it closed the previous day as customers of the nine banks that were banned from foreign exchange transactions have resorted to the parallel market for dollar purchases to meet their pressing obligations.

Also, on the interbank forex market, the spot rate of the naira fell to N316.84

to the dollar, lower than the N315.93 to the dollar it closed the previous day.

A reliable industry source disclosed to THISDAY yesterday that the situation put further pressure on the parallel market which had been experiencing liquidity squeeze in recent times.

The source said the mismatch between dollar demand and supply in the market had widened, adding that this would continue to hurt the performance of the naira.

"Dollar is now king in the market because of the ban of the eight banks. What that means is that their customers would have to go to the parallel market for dollars. As you are aware, since the ban of 41 items

from the interbank market, the parallel market has been under pressure, and the ban of these banks has further increased the pressure. We hope that the situation is resolved this week," the source said.

On his part, the President, Association of Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), Alhaji Aminu Gwadabe, said most of the BDCs have their accounts with the banks suspended by the central bank.

This, according to him, had affected access to forex to his members, thereby resulting to the depreciation of the nation's currency.

He added: "The suspension of the banks has really increased pressure on the market."

BANKS' CEOS INTERVENE ON BAN OF NINE BANKS FROM FOREX TRADING Company dollar deposits to the federal government’s Treasury Single Account (TSA).

It enforced the sanction by not selling dollars to the financial institutions when it intervened on the interbank foreign exchange market on Wednesday.

The affected banks were: the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc – $530 million, First Bank of Nigeria (FBN) Ltd. – $469 million, Diamond Bank Plc – $287 million, Sterling Bank Plc – $269 million, Skye Bank Plc — $221 million, Fidelity Bank Plc – $209 million, Keystone Bank Ltd. – $139 million, First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Ltd. – $125 million, and Heritage Bank Limited – $85.5 million.

But UBA was re-admitted into the forex market by the CBN yesterday, having complied with its directive.

But the nine banks still face the prospect of further financial fines, which shall be communicated to them by the CBN in the coming days.

The CBN governor met with CEOs of the affected banks in Abuja yesterday, THISDAY gathered. The crucial meeting forced some of the bank executives that were on vacation outside the country to cut short their leave as it was gathered that they all were in attendance.

The body of bank CEO, however, in a statement stressed that as professionals who understood what was

at stake, they would work towards ensuring that the concerned banks complied with the directive of the central bank as soon as possible to avoid negative impact on the economy.

While clarifying that there was no concealment in any form as the banks had always disclosed the fund in their returns, the meeting which held at the Bankers House noted that the situation arose out of the maturity mismatch of funds found in certain strategic sectors to ensure the growth of the economy.

"The consensus in the meeting was that there is no crisis in the industry as it is strong and stable. The bank chief executives have

AGAIN, HERDSMEN INVADE ENUGU COMMUNITY, KILL CATHOLIC SEMINARIAN The suspected herders were said to have invaded the Ogbodo Nwarum family compound in the community at about 2 a.m. and wreaked havoc on the entire household.

While the seminarian had severe machete cuts which led to his death, the four others — the landlord of the house Ogbodo Nwarum, his aged mother, pregnant wife and son — had their bowels ripped open by the herders who left them gasping for life.

The state Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, however, warned that the state would no longer tolerate the mindless killings by the suspected herdsmen, directing the security operatives to ensure that those who were involved in

the dastardly act were fished out and made to face the full weight of the law.

The traditional ruler of the community, Igwe Greg Ugwu, and the council chairman, Afam Okereke, said the attackers gained access into the building through the ceiling from where they jumped into the house and unbolted the panel door.

"We heard that the herdsmen had visited the area on Wednesday with their cows and were destroying the garden within the family compound but the elderly woman had to sound the local gong to alert the neighbourhood which made the herdsmen to flee the area warning however that they would return.

"By 2 a.m, they returned and

made sure they attacked everybody in the house. They had initially left deep cuts on the man of the house and ripped the bowels of the women including the pregnant woman to the point that their intestines gushed out. It was at that point that the seminarian who just graduated from the seminary, Spiritan International School of Theology, Atakwu and returned the previous day from school after graduation came out from his room to find out what was happening and unfortunately, they used their matchete on him and he bled to death," the royal father narrated.

The incident left the entire community in tears as the four injured persons were rushed to the Mother of Christ Hospital and

the ESUT Teaching Hospital as at the time of filing this report.

Speaking when he paid a visit to the community yesterday morning to assess the situation and possibly prevail on the people not to engage in any form of reprisal, the governor condemned the act in its entirety, insisting that the wanton destruction of lives would no longer be tolerated.

The governor, who also led a team of security operatives to the Fulani settlement located at the forest near the community but without sighting any of the herders who obviously had fled the area with their families for fear of a reprisal, immediately summoned an emergency meeting of the Fulani community in the state and security operatives.

While lamenting that the latest attack was coming a few days after the Judicial Panel of Inquiry that looked into the immediate and remote causes of the April 25 attack on Ukpabi Nimbo community in Uzo-Uwani council where about 48 persons were killed had submitted an interim report, the governor said he would not rest until the perpetrators were caught.

The governor, who was accompanied on the visit by the Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Rt. Rev. Calistus Onaga, the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), and other top government functionaries, promised to take care of the hospital bills of those receiving Continued on page 11

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PAGE ELEVEN

Chibok Families to Buhari: Bring Back Our Girls or Resign Relatives of the abducted Chibok girls have accused the federal government of abandoning their daughters to suffer in captivity, and have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to resign if he cannot rescue the girls.

The relatives spoke yesterday in Abuja after they were stopped by security operatives from reaching the Aso Rock presidential villa to see the president.

The protest march, the second in a week, was organised by the BringBackOurGirls group.

The relatives of the missing girls said the president neglected them after repeated unfulfilled promises.

The girls were abducted by the extremist sect, Boko Haram, since April 14, 2014.

Enoch Mark, father of two of

the girls, said Buhari had failed the Chibok people who voted for him in 2015 with the hope that he would ensure the return of the girls.

“Many Chibok parents voted for you because we believed that you would ensure the return of our daughters. You promised us that you were a military man and that you cannot lie. You said the war will not be over until the girls are back,” Mark said.

“Now we hear shouts of victory.

And you turn around and say you do not know how to get our daughters. Former President Sani Abacha told us that no country can fight war for up to 24 hours without its government knowing about it.

If the president lacks intelligence to bring back the girls let him resign.

“We have men who can do the

job. There is nothing that Nigeria does not have. What is stopping the president from giving the orders?” he queried.

The mother of Dorcas Yakubu, the girl who spoke in the recent Boko Haram video, said the federal government should exchange the detained terrorists for her daughter if the government had no better option.

“Because it is obvious that no serious effort has been made to ensure the rescue of our daughters, otherwise we would have heard some good news,” she said.

Yakubu said the security operatives preventing her and the other members of the #BringBackOurGirls group from reaching the president were stopping her from fulfilling the request of

Mark, called on the government to put an end to the silence and return their children.

Mrs. Enoch said her husband suffered a heart attack as a result of the trauma they have been through.

The co-convener of the #BringBackOurGirls group, Oby Ezekwesili, expressed disappointment over the government’s inability to rescue the girls.

She said she was more disappointed that after seven months of the group’s engagement with the president, he was still saying that there was no credible intelligence to lead the government to the whereabouts of the girls.

She said the group would repeat their march to the Villa every 72 working hours until the president

made a decisive decision on the Chibok girls’ rescue.

She said: “Mr President, we are tired of being told that there is no credible intelligence. When Gowon visited, the president said the same thing. Credible intelligence will not fall from the sky. It doesn’t fall from the sky. The president should make decisions. We can’t take it and go home. Nigerians voted for you to solve this problem. Your excuses will not work. We are so disappointed because there is low energy in the issue of our girls. Close your eyes and imagine that any of them are your granddaughters. They would not still be in captivity.

“When you campaigned you said you will bring them back; you would do everything possible. Have you done everything possible?”

grave threat to the peace, security, and economy of the country. He called on the federal government to take decisive steps to put a full stop to the ugly incidents.

He said: “This is another heartbreak, not only for Enugu State, but the nation in general; and whatever evil forces are behind these reprehensible acts certainly do not wish the country well. It must not be condoned.

“The primary objective of government is the welfare and

security of the citizens. The federal government must take decisive steps to put a full stop to this wanton destruction of lives and property; and the security agencies must do everything humanly possible to ensure that the perpetrators of this act of wickedness in Akagbe-Ugwu do not go unpunished.”

The Deputy President of the Senate condoled with the affected community and prayed for the peaceful repose of the dead.

On the thwarted robbery attack on Enugu, Ekweremadu commended Governor Ugwuanyi for his demonstration of courage and concern as the chief security officer of the state by physically rallying security forces to the robbery scene to ensure that it was foiled and the suspects arrested.

“Enugu is a peaceful place, and I salute the gallantry and efforts of Governor Ugwuanyi and the security agencies to ensure that it remains so,” he stressed.

been responding personally to some of these groups just as I did when President Jonathan was in power and MEND was the umbrella group of the insurgents.”

Meanwhile, in an effort to give fillip to the federal government’s quest for peace in the Niger Delta, Kachikwu met with traditional rulers from the region in his office in Abuja yesterday and took the monarchs’ conditions for normalcy to return to the Delta.

In a statement, which was read at the headquarters of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in Abuja by the Bolowei of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Chief Wellington Okirika, the traditional rulers listed six things the federal government should do in order to build confidence and stop the destruction of the country’s oil assets by militants in the region.

They said: “Having acceded to the call for a ceasefire by the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, on August 4, 2016, the buck has now been passed to the table of the federal government as driven by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources – a representative of the federal government.

“For the purposes of building confidence in the system, we wish to state here that as a matter of urgency the federal government should appoint/constitute a federal government dialogue team; release the 10 innocent school children arrested by the Nigerian Army on the 28th of May, 2016 in Oporoza and others in detention on trumped up charges.

“Return the Golden Sword, being the symbol of authority in the Gbaramatu traditional institution; return the three traditional council speed boats in custody of the Nigerian Army; cessation of hostilities perpetrated by the military in the Niger Delta region; and equally important,

the federal government should make a categorical statement about the opening of the Maritime University, Okerenkoko, Delta State for academic activities in the 2016/2017 session.”

Speaking, Kachikwu said about $40 billion was spent in ‘papers’ to develop the environment and infrastructure of the oil-rich Niger Delta region in the last 10 years with no tangible results to show as evidence for such huge financial commitment to the region.

He explained that the $40 billion was part of allocations to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), derivations shares of the states, as well as financial commitments on developments by oil companies operating in the region.

He also said the government was committed to taking advantage of the ceasefire to negotiate a lasting solution to the Niger Delta issues, and that Buhari has not authorised any military action in the region.

“If you look at the amount of money that has been put into the Niger Delta over the last 10 years in paper is over $40 billion.

These have come from the NDDC, derivation, and oil companies’ investments,” Kachikwu said.

He further explained: “But as I go to the creeks, I see no single infrastructure that you can point to as the result of these investments and what it means is that we must now begin to do a soul-searching within ourselves and ask where did all these monies go to, who took them, what were they applied for, what were the roles of our own people and others not necessarily from the region.

“Unless you solve the governance and transparency issues in terms of spending this money, it doesn’t matter how much money you put into this place, you are going to go back to square one and so we must

begin to ask fundamental questions about how these institutions are run and what roles our traditional rulers play in the decision making process on how these projects are run, there is a lot of home truths that must happen.”

Kachikwu noted that there must be accountable developmental projects tied to the Niger Delta and not the old ways of doing things. He added that there are lots of interests in putting money in the region as long as there is peace and good accountability structure.

He stated that while the government begins to set up a dialogue team with formalities, stakeholders in the region must also separate criminality from their genuine agitation for development.

“We must also going forward separate criminality from the genuine demands of Niger Delta because once you throw criminality into it, individuals who are selfserving disrupt the message we are sending and there is a good message you are sending but must be delivered very aggressively on the negotiation tables and not the field of destruction,” he said.

He said Buhari had been patient in following developments in the region, adding that the president has also avoided the call for a military action in the region.

The minister however warned that the government would not resist the temptation of coming against wanton destruction of oil facilities and lives in the region.

According to him, “To the best of my knowledge, President Buhari has shown a lot of patience and calm and has not so far, despite over six months of very intensive militancy activity, asked anybody to go in and engage in a military action. He has always said there is a need to engage the communities and that is his first model and he is consistent with that.”

her daughter.

“My daughter pleaded with me to try and see the president personally and talk to him regarding the rescue of the Chibok girls. They named her Maida. I named my daughter Dorcas, but they changed her name,” she said.

Yakubu called on the first lady, Aisha Buhari, to do her best to assist mothers like her.

Hauwa Abama, another mother of one of the abducted children, said the government was responsible for her ordeal.

“Government is the one that has taken my daughter from me,” she said.

Other relatives, Rhoda Ishaku, whose only sister, Zara, has been with her captors for over two years, and Martha Enoch, wife of Enoch

AGAIN, HERDSMEN INVADE ENUGU COMMUNITY, KILL CATHOLIC SEMINARIAN treatment at the hospitals.

“I have already summoned security meeting this afternoon of Fulani community and the security agencies in Enugu State to review the situation and determine the appropriate actions to be taken.

It is indeed unfortunate that this incident is coming just days after the commission of inquiry into the killings at Nimbo submitted an interim report and is about to complete its assignment,” he said.

While sympathising with the

family of the deceased who hails from Imo State but lived in the community before his gruesome murder and the wounded, the governor said his administration would continue to protect lives and property, noting that anybody found to be undermining the security of the state would be made to face the law.

Meanwhile, the Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, has condemned, in strong terms, the dawn

attack by suspected herdsmen on Attakwu, Akagbe Ugwu community, Enugu State, which left a Catholic seminarian dead and four others injured.

This was even as he commended the state governor and security agencies for their gallantry in busting the robbery attack on Independence Layout, Enugu on Wednesday.

Ekweremadu said the incessant attacks on parts of the country by suspected herdsmen posed a

NIGER DELTA CRISIS: SOYINKA TELLS BUHARI TO ENGAGE MILITANTS Although Soyinka was not forthcoming with details of the intervention in the crisis that had injured the nation’s economy decisively, he lashed out at the Nigerian media, accusing them of extreme invention and distortion of facts that had escalated the dispute.

He said at a press conference in Lagos that he would no longer be speaking to the local media over issues concerning Nigeria’s efforts to end militancy in the Niger Delta.

News reports had quoted him as saying that the services of international mediators would be sought to mediate between the federal government and militants to resolve the Niger Delta crisis.

Soyinka had met with President Muhammadu Buhari on August 11, and when approached by journalists afterwards, he said they had discussed “national and international matters, general matters, that’s all”.

He, however, promised to schedule a press conference later to give further details about the meeting.

Soyinka said yesterday that he would rather discuss a LebaneseNigerian partnership involving his Wole Soyinka Foundation.

He said: “I know that when I was – to use the press expression – ambushed at the Villa the other day, I did say that I would answer questions about my visit to the Villa at a press conference that I‘d already planned, which was this one as a matter of fact.

“But I always fulfil my word, and so I’m going to speak very briefly about that visitation. And what I have to say about it is that today is not the day for talking about that visitation.

“And the real reason is this, let me tell you media, the real reason is that I had a meeting in London in the House of Lords.

The meeting was not about the main subject that took me to Aso

Rock which is the problem with, among other things, the problem we have in the Delta.

“But I used that opportunity to meet a certain number of international figures, parliamentarians, royal heads, etcetera, to pass on a message internationally to prospective interveners to what’s happening in the Delta at the request of some of the militant groups here.”

Soyinka said the meeting in London was reported in the media and was badly distorted.

“Let me make a plea, it is bad enough distorting whatever happens, events, statements on certain subjects, bad enough. But on an issue like the insurgency in Nigeria, the Delta in particular, we are on very, very delicate grounds and the media has a huge role to play in that,” he said.

He added: “And the immediate role people like me must demand of the media is accuracy. There can be no invention in this kind of situation. There can be no adumbration, there can be no extrapolation, not even second guessing. You have got to be accurate. Otherwise, there’s a loss of confidence and therefore a lack of solution. People must be confident that what they say to you is what you translate and transmit to those to whom you are sent.”

It was not the first he would criticise the Nigerian press.

Last May, during events marking Buhari’s one year in office, Soyinka described a media report quoting him as declaring his support for the president as a “disgusting forgery”.

Yesterday, he said media reports that he was part of an international group mediating between the federal government and the Niger Delta militants was an extreme invention.

“You cannot publish a statement to me saying I’m a part of an

international group when the international group is not even in existence, there’s no international intervention group which has been formed,” he said.

According to him, “I think to go further and attribute to me a statement that the international group has already contacted Buhari, what kind of extreme invention is that? How can a group which does not exist meet with the Head of State? And how could I, who just happened to be meeting with the Head of State, say that the two entities have met when one of them does not exist?

“So please I implore you, media, in fact, I’ve taken a decision not to speak about the Delta situation publicly; just to carry on any assignment which I feel I can carry out on behalf of a resolution.

“I will not be talking to the press any longer, because I cannot spend my time correcting falsehood. I’m not responsible for the falsehood, and that burden should not be placed on my head.”

Soyinka, however, appealed to the federal government to hold positive negotiations with the Niger Delta militants in order to solve the crisis in the region.

“I wish to make an appeal publicly to the government, and please report me accurately, to respond positively to the outrage from the militant groups,” he said, adding: “That is the request which has been made by some of the groups who got me into this interventionist role in the first place.”

Soyinka said at the moment the militants felt that Buhari was not seriously responding to their own outrage.

“I wish to make a personal appeal to the government to respond positively and let us see where it ends us,” he said, explaining: “But I’m not part of any international group, I was approached personally and I’ve

FRIDAY AUGUST 26, 2016 • T H I S D AY

12

NEWS

News Editor Davidson Iriekpen Email davidson.iriekpen@thisdaylive.com, 08111813081

Osinbajo: We Have Saved N1.4tn by Not Paying Fuel Subsidy Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano

The Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, has disclosed that the federal government has so far saved the sum of N1.4 trillion for not paying oil subsidy.

He also assured Nigerians that very soon, the foreign exchange market would stabilise going by some radical policies already introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The vice president who spoke in Kano yesterday during the third day of the 15th Joint Planning Board and National Council on Development meeting, urged Nigerians to restore confidence in President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, insisting that soonest, the current economic problems would become a thing of the past.

“With the deregulation of the downstream petroleum sector, there has been a significant increase in the availability of petrol throughout the country for the savings of N1.4 trillion on subsidy payments alone,” he said.

“Also, a more flexible exchange rate regime, we will have to decrease the pressure on the external reserve. In the short run of course, there should be consequences for inflation. We expect that with greater priority we have seen in the implementation of the policy by the CBN, the foreign exchange market will

stabilise and confidence will be restored.

“The adoption of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in September 2015 was intended to place our world on the part of sustainable development by the year 2030. The 17 SDGs, which combined economic, social and environmental objectives, are intended to be universal, unlike the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which were made solely for developing countries.”

“The universal application of the SDGs and their 169 targets show that they are a menu of options, this allows the implementation to take count of different national realities, capacities, policies and priorities.

“In the Nigerian context, some of the issues that must engage our minds will lead to economic diversification, sustained economic growth, eradication of extreme poverty, promoting social inclusion, creating jobs, sparring environmental degradation, including climate change.

“The empirical evidence from across the globe has shown that national strategic planning is very critical for attaining structural transformation and sustainable development. The countries of East Asia have proved this convincingly, even though their development was private-sector driven.

“Strategic plans largely provide direction, coherence

and coordination and they are a veritable framework for guiding the activities of all stakeholders towards achieving a common goal, planning specifics such as goals, target and indicators which embodies the SDGs, also enables tracking, monitoring and evaluation.

“The successful implementation of strategic plans and attainment of the SDGs entails partnership, as encapsulated in the 17 objectives which is about the need to create labour partnership in order to attain sustainable development.

“Accordingly, just as the federal government seeks international partnership at the global level with regards to rules and resources, we also seek partnership at the national level. Such domestic partnerships entails working closely with the states which is one of the main reasons for the establishment of the NCPP. “Other essential partnerships are also built with other sectors of society, especially, the private

sector, which is the indisputable engine for growth in successful economies.

“Let me speak briefly about some of the things that the Buhari administration is doing with regard to strengthening short and medium term planning. We have strengthened the link between budgeting and strategic planning by merging the National Planning Commission with the Budget office of the federation.

“We have adopted zero base budgeting, which compels the interrogation of public expenditure at micro levels and allows effective deployment of limited financial resources to areas and sectors with the greatest need.

“We have used the short term strategic implementation plan to guide the 2016 budget; and just yesterday (Wednesday), the Federal Executive Council approved the medium plan expenditure framework and the fiscal strategy paper which are fully consistent with the SDGs and the African unions agenda 2063. These are the priorities

of the federal government in the areas of tackling insecurity, combating corruption and growing the economy which would undoubtedly find expression in any medium term plan.

“The same is true for the policy interventions in the strategic implementation plan, notably, with regard to the policy, security and governance, diversification of the economy, power, rail and roads, oil and gas performance, ease of doing business, and social investment.

The commitment of the Buhari administration to promote broader micro economic and structural reform; and this is made in our push to mitigate supply-side constraint.”

In his remarks, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, urged the states to complement the federal government’s effort in the area of agriculture and solid minerals development.

He said this was necessary in view of the fact that the country is endowed with arable

land for massive production of food.

“The states may wish to target some selected crops for massive production of such commodities.

“They can boost production through the formation of farmers cooperatives for easy access to loan facilities,” he said.

He said the state could also undertake infrastructural development such as roads to ease evacuation of farm produce.

“This will promote economic growth through the creation of job opportunities for the teeming number of unemployed youths in the country,” he said.

He added that the federal government is committed to restructuring of the Bank of Agriculture (BoA) to enable it land a single digit interest rate.

Also speaking, the Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, represented by his Deputy, Professor Hafiz Abubakar, said the state government would collaborate with all the relevant stakeholders for the implementation of the recommendations of the meetings.

Buhari Seeks Traditional Rulers’ Advice, Says Alaafin Tobi Soniyi in Abuja The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, yesterday in Abuja said President Muhammadu Buhari has asked him to inform traditional rulers in his domain to send him advice.

Adeyemi spoke with State House Correspondents in Abuja after meeting with Buhari behind closed doors.

The monarch said he visited the president to advise him on issues of national importance.

He said: “As a Nigerian and one of the top most traditional rulers in the country, over the time, I sent a memorandum to the president which he acknowledged and he asked me to come and endorse those things I have written.”

He said his visit to the State House was to enable him use proper channel to reach the president for suggestions and advice.

He said: “Where he deserves commendation, I should also do that. Especially as it concerns the multi-dimensional problems Nigeria is facing; the Avengers and the bombing of oil installations, MEND, Boko Haram insurgency in the North-east.”

Adeyemi said Buhari recorded a major diplomatic success by the visit of the United States of America’s

Secretary of State, Mr. John Kerry.

“America does not usually send top officers for such visits if they have not used certain parameters to gauge the country’s performance,” he said.

His royal highness said he met with the president and offered some suggestions.

He said: “We are losing huge resources to the activities of the Niger Delta Avengers. Coming close to that is the infiltration of the militants in Lagos and Ikorodu where in the last three weeks, ten landlords were massacred.

“The federal government has since sent forces there to wipe them out. Normalcy has since returned to Ikorodu and Arepo area. If they had successfully spread their activities to the South-west, there would have been more destruction. Lagos is the economic heartbeat of the nation.”

Adeyemi said the president listened attentively to him and also asked him to pass the information to other traditional rulers in his domain to assist the government by giving advice ‘because he is a good listener but that such advice should be put in writing so that he can then relate it to the problems affecting Nigeria.’

THE PROGRESSIVE GOVERNORS

L-R: Governors Akinwumi Ambode (Lagos); Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun); and Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi) at the fourth Progressive Governance Lecture Series in Kaduna....yesterday IDRIS EGAJI

Lagos to Wait for Crude Export to Enjoy 13% Derivation Monthly allocation drops by N115.369bn Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja In spite of the commencement of production from its newly discovered oil wells, Lagos State may have to wait until crude oil export commences before it joins the league of states benefitting from the 13 per cent derivation principle.

This clarification was made yesterday at Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting.

This emerged just as allocation available for sharing by three tiers of government for the month of July dipped by N115.369 billion to N443.663 billion as against June’s allocation of

N559.032 billion.

The reduction was caused by sustained attacks on oil installations by Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) leading to disruptions both in oil production and sales.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Dr. Mahmoud Dutse-Isa, who spoke with journalists after the FAAC meeting, said Lagos would begin to enjoy 13 per cent derivation when crude export commence from its oil wells.

“Lagos state is yet to start enjoying from derivation principle. When crude oil export commences from the wells, the revenue realised

from such wells will be allocated to them,” he said.

For the month of August, the gross statutory revenue stood at N287.819 billion, an amount lower than N538.788 billion received in previous month by N250.970 billion.

“Crude oil export volume decreased by 2.8 million barrels in April 2016 partly because of a subsisting force manjeur declared at Forcados terminals. Also, shut-in and shut down of pipelines at other terminals due to the activities of vandals and for maintenance impacted negatively on production.

There was a revenue

decrease of $102.17 million in federation export revenue despite the increase in average price of crude oil from $38.64 in March to $42.21 per barrel in April, 2016”, the permanent secretary explained.

From the statutory revenue of N258.151 billion shared, federal government got highest amount N129.212billion, states got N65.538 billion, local government N50.527 billion while oil producing states got N 12.874 billion as 13 per cent derivation.

The balance in Excess Crude Account stood at $3.03 billion

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FRIDAY AUGUST26, 2016 • T H I S D AY

NEWS

CAN Accuses US of Bias over Kerry’s Meeting with Sultan, Northern Governors The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has accused the United States government of stoking ethnic and religious divisions in Nigeria, after the US Secretary of State, John Kerry, visited the Sultan of Sokoto and northern governors.

The group said Christians were excluded from Kerry’s visit between last Monday and Tuesday.

Kerry travelled to Sokoto

where he met the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, who is the head of Nigeria’s Muslim community. He later met President Muhammadu Buhari, before meeting governors of northern states.

In an interview with journalists yesterday, CAN said Kerry’s visit was “discriminatory, personal and divisive”.

The group said Kerry should stop interfering in

Buhari to Attend Tokyo Conference on Africa in Kenya Tobi Soniyi in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari will attend the Sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VI) in Nairobi, Kenya from August 27-28, 2016.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, in a statement said the summit would be jointly organised by the Government of Japan, the United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Africa, the United Nations Development Programme, the African Union and the World Bank.

According to him, the conferene would focus on promoting structural economic transformation through diversification and industrialisation; promoting resilient health system for quality life and promoting social stability for shared

prosperity.

Adesina said during the conference, Buhari would participate in plenary sessions on TICAD in alignment with African Development, the Dialogue with the Private Sector as well as the Global Launch of the Second Africa Human Development Report.

He said the president would also hold a bilateral meeting with the Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe. He said no fewer than 35 African leaders were expected at the two-day high level summit which will also be attended by leading private sector companies from Japan.

This will be the first time TICAD is being held in Africa since its inception in 1993.

Nigeria has played a prominent role at the forum aimed at forging international partnerships for Africa’s transformation and prosperity througheconomic growth,agriculture and social stability.

the internal affairs of the country, alleging that the visit was aimed at furthering the federal government’s plan to continue to persecute the teeming population of Nigerian Christians.

The president of CAN, Rev. Supo Ayokunle, according to Premium Times, said Kerry’s “lack of respect for the heterogeneous nature of Nigeria, amounted to favouring northern Nigeria and Muslims to the detriment of the Christian community.”

He said the disposition of the Secretary of States supported claims that the Barack Obama administration openly supported the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the 2016 general election, which produced the current leadership of the country.

“Why did he meet with 19 states governors, without southern governors, is Nigeria the north alone, why did you go to the North alone?” he

asked.

“There’s a siege on Christians. Kerry, his actions speak volume, his actions, body language were very divisive.

“If US Secretary of States is coming for official visit, it’s understandable, but we demand explanation why he was selective. Has the sultan palace become another state house? Was Kerry invited by the Sultan?

“We have 36 States in Nigeria; he only selected northern governors to meet with them. It was a visit to the north, not to Nigeria. It was surely a very divisive visit.

With the visit to the north, Kerry’s visit has heightened fear and tension among Christians in Nigeria, if they cannot bring us together, they should not interfere in our affairs.”

Speaking against the killing of Christians in northern Nigeria, the CAN

president said based “on the government’s selective persecution of Christians mostly by the Department of State Service (DSS) and the Nigerian Police, it was obvious the administration was anti-Christians”.

“Have the DSS arrested the Muslim youths who burnt down a Catholic Church in Niger State because they were worshiping on Friday? What happened to the ECWA Pastor who was killed in his farm in Obi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State? What have happened with Redeemed Preacher who was murdered in Kubwa, Abuja?

“Look at the recent case in Zamfara State, Christians where burnt alive. What has happened?

They will tell you, they are still investigating. Have they been arrested and charged them to court? If the government cannot sit

up and protect Christians, tolerance is going to break down, they should do the right thing, they should not provoke Christians. Have we ever seen this government bring anybody to book?”

The CAN president tasked President Buhari “to come out clean”, adding that, “a government that doesn’t listen is not for the people.”

The CAN leader called on the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to as a matter of urgency intervene in the case of Joe Chinakwe who was arrested for naming his dog “Buhari.” He argued that, naming an animal with somebody’s name is never a criminal offence.

“The NBA should take up that case and ascertain whether the man has the right to give any name to a dog. They should come and protect the man’s human rights and set the record why the case is not a criminal offence,” Ayokunle said.

NAN Reiterates Commitment to News Gathering Yinka Olatunbosun The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) has reiterated its commitment to delivering quality news gathering both locally and internationally.

This was revealed during a courtesy visit of the management team of the agency to THISDAY Lagos Office, Apapa yesterday.

The Managing Director of NAN, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, expressed his delight at the partnership that the organisation had enjoyed with THISDAY over the years and promised to ensure that it continues under his tenure.

He disclosed that NAN was working on changing the dynamics of news gathering services with the changing trend and the rise of online media.

“News is becoming more democratic and there is no more news monopoly. News format and delivery is really changing. Now we have what is called News Flash. We have just launched a new website for people all over the world to access news. We are going to launch a video and photo portal where we will upload

all our photos and those in the archives. NAN has facilities to do television interviews and run them as it is done in television stations,’’ said Onanuga.

He also observed that although the editing process is a long procedure at NAN, editors work two shifts, some in the morning and others in the afternoon to speed up news dissemination. Onanuga pledged that in spite of the economic challenges that had made it difficult for NAN to retain some international correspondents, the agency still remains committed to delivering ground-breaking stories across the globe and in Nigeria.

He also used the opportunity to commend the Lagos State government on the improved traffic situation in Apapa which he described as “a no-go-area’’ as at the last time of his visit to Apapa.

The NAN team on the brief visit included the Head of Lagos Operation, Mrs. Kate Popoola; the Director of News, Dele Bodunrin, Mrs. Idonije Obakhedo and Mrs. Chinyere Bassey.

YOU ARE WELCOME TO THISDAY

L-R: Mananging Director, THISDAY Newspapers, Mr. Eniola Bello; Mananging Director, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr. Bayo Onanuga; and Head, Lagos Office, NAN, Mrs. Kate Popoola, when a team of the agency visited THISDAY Head Office, Apapa, Lagos... yesterday YOMI AKINYELE

IDPs Protest Poor Feeding in Maiduguri Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri The Borno State Government was yesterday was to scrap its central feeding system at Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in the state as hundreds of women took to the streets to protest their poor feeding.

The women IDPs took to the streets between 9a.m. and 1p.m., barricading the Maiduguri-KanoJos road, the major road leading into the town to protest what they claim was shortage of food supply to the Arabic Teachers College camp in the capital.

The protesters stood firm on the road and made it impassable for vehicles all through the

duration of the protest.

The protest also nearly grounded business activities in the town as commuters could not move to their business centres.

Some of the protesters who spoke to journalists alleged foods have been in short supply as food meant for them were diverted by officials, calling for the removal of the central feeding committee.

The protesters shanted: “We’re hungry and we don’t want any feeding committee again because they aren’t giving us quality food. Give us our foods directly,” The protesters also refused to accept several appeals by the police to disperse from road

until the arrival of the deputy governor, Alhaji Usman Durkwa doused the tension.

Durkwa who was returning from another IDPs camp in the capital to supervise feeding of displaced persons announced immediate suspension of the central feeding committee at the camp and introduction of household feeding.

He said each family would now receive foodstuffs from the state government and cook themselves rather than the central feeding programme.

Speaking with journalists later, the deputy governor said government has already moved trucks of food to the camp to kick off the household feeding.

He noted the introduction

of household feeding in other IDPs camps has been successful.

He said the protesters took the government by surprise with their action but expressed joy that the problem has been resolved.

He however alleged that some politicians in the opposition may be behind the protest. “We are not ruling out the involvement of opposition policians in the matter because the first woman I called to speak among the protesters was not even IDP in the camp. She is from Maduganari (a neighbourhood) and likewise the first youth I invited and the IDPs are Marte people. This means some people may be instigating them,” he said.

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T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016

COMMENT

Editor, Editorial Page PETER ISHAKA Email peter.ishaka@thisdaylive.com

INEC, INCONCLUSIVE POLLS AND 2019

Failure to conform to due process will result in a verdict of inconclusiveness by the electoral umpire, argues Suleiman Uba Gaya

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emocracy would perhaps lose its defining egalitarianism if it foreclosed the free expression of viewpoints by its adherents including often illogical perspectives by forces that seek to misinform, diminish and divide.

Against this backdrop, we should appreciate public communicators who have achieved that delicate, firm balance between researched opinion that informs and leverages society and humdrum commentary that diminishes and stunts.

The unfolding debate over assessment of the performance of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) especially with regard to the so-called ‘inconclusive polls’ represents an arena where a lot of positions that lack rigorous, objective thinking have taken centre stage. Given that perception is reality, this situation is hugely worrying and needs to be dealt with immediately to clear the often contrived fog foisted on public perception.

Curiously, many commentators on elections either do not know, or choose to ignore the key fact that conduct of election is a closely structured exercise. The often contrived failure to conform to due process and rules of engagement will result in a verdict of inconclusiveness by the electoral umpire or in nullification of the poll by the election petitions tribunals down the line.

Currently, two major pieces of legislation guide the conduct of elections in Nigeria. They are the 1999 Constitution as well as the Electoral Act 2010, as amended. In addition, Section 153 of the Electoral Act empowers INEC to also issue regulations, guidelines and manuals for the purpose of giving effect to the provisions of the act. Thus, the commission periodically publishes election guidelines, codes of conduct for political parties, accredited observers, journalists, etc. It also developed political party finance manual and handbook.

The necessity for declaration of inconclusive polls stems from the need to account for results from every polling unit during an election exercise. INEC itself brought more clarity to this issue recently when its Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, visited a Lagos-based newspaper. “The constitution of this country provides condition for making return in an election,” he said. “If that threshold is not met, can INEC make a declaration? We can’t, under the law, and if you do so the court will nullify the election.” When I first saw the headline of this article, however, I didn’t exactly have the clarity.

The headline, “INEC can’t guarantee conclusive elections in 2019 –Chairman”, got my iris dilated. But when I read Yakubu’s direct quotes inside the story, I was relieved. This,

THE RIVERS AND BAYELSA’S EXPERIENCE WOULD LIKELY REINCARNATE IN EDO STATE. THE POLITICIANS ARE ALREADY RAISING THE POLITICAL TEMPERATURE TO FEVERISH PROPORTIONS. I WILL BE SURPRISED IF THE WINNER IS DECIDED AT FIRST BALLOT COUNT

in my humble opinion, brought to the fore the excrescency of interpretative journalism, where interpretation provides the theme and the facts illustrate it; where the theme is primary and the facts are secondary.

I couldn’t agree any less with the INEC boss when he said, “The most difficult election for the commission to conduct are off-season elections, because the attention of everybody focuses on a particular constituency and the political actors and gladiators and their antics have time to mobilise nationwide to descend on a particular constituency, which made the conclusion of such elections very difficult.”

That was manifested in Bayelsa State. That was what we also saw in Rivers State. That was why seven people were killed in Rivers elections last year, including a youth corper and two solders. That accounted for the reported deaths of 14 people in Bayelsa election last year, including three soldiers and four policemen. All political eyes were fixated on the states in their respective election dates. The political parties and their stalwarts had their attention and resources directed to those areas. It was a do or die affair!

Will it be fair, therefore, to compare the outcome of the elections in these states with that of a general election? Just imagine if the death ratio is taken to the general election.

Assuming the spate of deaths is mirrored across the states in a general poll. In arithmetic progression, that would be almost 400 victims, including 108 soldiers. Would you call that an election or a war?

The Rivers and Bayelsa’s experience would likely reincarnate in Edo State. The politicians are already raising the political temperature to feverish proportions. I will be surprised if the winner is decided at first ballot count. I will not bore you with section 26. The spirit and letter of that act suggest that safety and security should not be sacrificed on the altar of conclusive elections.

All said, why does it appear elections are increasingly becoming inconclusive at first count? I want to suspect that there are more off-season polls now than ever before. Annulment of election naturally steers them away from general election. In addition, our polls are now credible and thus more competitive. “What I want Nigerians to understand is that our democracy is maturing,” Yakubu had explained.

“If it matures, it cannot be the way we used to do things before. The mindset would have to change. Days were long gone when politicians do everything they can to be declared winners, knowing that the case would end up in court.”

Gaya is the Vice President (North) of the Nigerian Guild of Editors

TENURED APPOINTMENTS AND THE RULE OF LAW Nats Onoja Agbo contends the arbitrary sacking of public servants is counterproductive

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ass sack of civil servants is no longer strange in Nigeria, thanks to the long years of military rule. Under the military, it was fashionable for ministers, permanent secretaries, senior military officers and top civil servants to learn of their retirements, sometimes few minutes after a cabinet meeting in which they were major participants. The story is often told of a naval officer who gleefully and dutifully compiled a list of other officers for retirement, only to find his name on the list when it was published. In the same manner, many distinguished military officers and civil servants were removed from their various offices with immediate effect and without recourse to due process, even at a time when their services to the country were in great demand. For instance, Jonah Jang and Emeka Omeruah heard of their retirements from the Nigerian Air Force at the airport while returning from their War College course in the US. Mass retirements which characterised the Murtala/Obasanjo regime introduced the culture of retirements – “with immediate effect” and entrenched the era of arbitrariness which played out during the military era.

That regime apparently had good intentions when it set out to purge the civil service of some undesirable elements. To realise its objective in that regard, the government inaugurated the Public Service Commission (Disciplinary Proceedings) and at the end of the exercise, more than 10,000 civil servants were sacked for sundry reasons including

abuse of office, divided loyalty, old age and declining productivity. Subsequent military regimes raised the ante, sacking people from offices without respect for the laws governing such appointments. During the Buhari/ Idiagbon regime for instance, more than 50, 000 civil servants were sacked, sometimes over unverifiable offences. In Benue State, an erstwhile secretary to the state government signed retirement letters, which he kept in his office, awaiting the arrival of civil servants who thronged his office for favours.

While pretending to be discussing with such unfortunate civil servants, he would secretly instruct his secretary to issue them letters of retirement with public interest as the only reason.

President Muhammad Buhari’s actions in recent times appear to be a re-enactment of the old-fashioned way of retiring public servants without allowing them the dignity of either resigning their appointments or serving out their terms into retirement.

Newspapers are today awash with such despicable headlines as “Buhari Sacks Heads of 17 Agencies”; “Nigerian Government Sacks 13 University Vice Chancellors”; “Sacked Agency Heads Working for PDPOyegun”; “Buhari Orders Arrest of Citizen X”. Senior military officers and policemen were not spared. Just as scores of senior military officers were forced out of the service to accommodate newly appointed service chiefs, so were 24 senior police officers “sacked” just to pave way for the appointment of Ibrahim Kpotun Idris as the new Inspector-General of Police.

The resort to arbitrariness in “sacking”

heads of government agencies by the Buhari administration was apparently in response to prodding by the leadership of the All Peoples Congress (APC). Weeks before the gale of sackings commenced, John Odigie-Oyegun, the party’s national chairman told the media that the party wanted its supporters to take over as heads of government agencies. And after the first set of 27 heads of government agencies were sacked through a press release in one day, he glowingly told the press that he was happy with the development. He was quoted as saying: “We should take over and they should be people who believe in the change agenda. We have no apologies for that at all; that is it.”

Apparently spurred by Odigie-Oyegun’s declaration, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu woke up one day and sacked 13 university vice-chancellors even when it was obvious that he had no powers to sack them. In utter display of nepotism, four of the 13 replacements were picked from Bayero University, Kano. In a petition to the president on the matter, the Coalition of Civil Society Groups which was particularly irked by the disengagement of Professor Vincent Tenebe as the Vice-Chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) saw that action as a breach of the provisions of the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act No 11 of 1993 (as amended) by Decree No 25 of 1996 and subsequent amendments in 2003 and 2012. The group added: “The constitution is quite clear on the procedure to be followed in the appointment and

disengagement of vice-chancellors and none of these procedures were followed in the above case. The appointment of vice-chancellors is a tenured appointment which presupposes that every appointee is expected to serve the prescribed number of years as stipulated by the acts governing the institutions”. Although President Buhari later apologised for the action, an acknowledgment that the action of the Minister of Education violated extant laws governing the appointment and retirement of vice-chancellors, the decision was never reversed. It was a matter of time before the sack fever gripped other agencies under the Federal Ministry of Education.

The arbitrary sacking of chief executives of government agencies has since spread to other federal ministries, departments and agencies. The most recent was the removal of five heads of parastatals under the Ministry of Health. It did not matter if some of the former heads of the affected agencies still had more years to serve out their appointments; they were hounded out of their offices as if it was an offence to have served their country in their respective capacities.

For the avoidance of doubt, most of the heads of government agencies sacked by this administration were core professionals who served in their various capacities with total loyalty and commitment. They deserve to be celebrated instead of being treated with disdain. Many public office holders have had cause to regret serving this country because of the shabby treatment they receive in the hands of their successors; it shouldn’t be so. onojagbo@yahoo.com

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T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016

EDITORIAL CURBING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

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Government should enforce the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act

he Sokoto State Police Command last week confirmed the gruesome murder of a 43-year-old woman allegedly by her husband. According to the spokesman of the command, El-mustapha Sani, the suspect also used the same pestle with which he clubbed his wife to death, to murder three other persons.

Unfortunately, as tragic as the news may seem, it is a familiar story. A day hardly passes without a report of one man visiting violence either on his spouse or girl friend in what is fast becoming an epidemic of a new variant of terrorism in our country.

Domestic violence manifests itself in many forms in Nigeria today: from physical and verbal abuse, to rape and even murder. While spousal abuse cuts across both sexes, women are predominantly the victims. Yet abused women rarely report the violence they endure, for fear of being stigmatised by the society. Where incidents are reported or noticed by third parties, the advice is usually reconciliation, while our policemen and women are THE FEAR OF BEING known to actively OSTRACISED, THE LACK OF discourage reports MATERIAL AND FINANCIAL of assault between RESOURCES AND THE spouses, trivialising GENERAL LACK OF such occurrences as SYMPATHY AND SUPPORT “domestic” incidents.

FROM THE PUBLIC, HAVE This is despite the CONTRIBUTED TO THE stringent provisions in GROWTH OF DOMESTIC the Violence Against VIOLENCE Persons (Prohibition) (VAPP) Act 2015.

The law prohibits, among others, abandonment of spouse, children and other dependents without sustenance, battery and harmful traditional practices; provides a legislative and legal framework for the prevention of all forms of violence against vulnerable persons, especially women and girls and also prohibits economic abuse, forced isolation and separation from family and friends,

Letters to the Editor

T H I S DAY

EDITOR IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU DEPUTY EDITORS BOlAJI ADEBIYI, JOSEph UShIGIAlE MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOlAFE CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OlUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN

T H I S DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D

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IMO POLICE AND INSECURITY IN OHAJI The sister oil producing communities of Assa, Obile, Awarra and Ikwerrede in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State have been under serious siege in recent months resulting from the incessant attacks and killings of innocent indigenes by suspected cultists in the area. These incidents were widely reported in some national dailies early this week.

In their respective reports, the Nigeria Police through the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Mr Taiwo Lakanu, claimed to have deployed riot policemen to the troubled area. He also said that the police were working with the military to deploy troops to the area, claiming that the “terrain” of the area was posing a great challenge to fighting the cultists. How long this will take to materialise is unknown to anyone.

However, contrary to Lakanu’s claims, Ohaji generally and the communities in the old Awarra Court Area in particular have a level topography. The terrain is not as swampy as what we have in the Niger Delta area or as mountainous and arid as the Sambisa forest yet military operations are still going on against the Niger Delta Avengers and the notorious Boko Haram respectively.

substance attack, depriving persons of their liberty, incest and indecent exposure. It also intends to eliminate violence in private and public life and provide maximum protection and effective remedies for victims of violence, and punishment of offenders.

However, perhaps because of the patriarchal interpretations within our various faiths which preach endurance as a sure pathway to heaven, our religious leaders most often advise forgiveness, even in the most bizarre of instances. Inevitably, the victim and the abuser (where summoned) are usually advised to go home and find a way to settle their differences, rather than make public the injury or the violence within. Again, most abused women who opt to remain in the most challenging of marriages claim stability for their children as the excuse for their “fortitude”.

The fear of being ostracised, the lack of material and financial resources and the general lack of sympathy and support from the public, have contributed immensely to the growth of domestic violence in many Nigerian homes. Curbing these tragic incidents is therefore a collective responsibility. It is also the duty of government, at all levels, to protect the most vulnerable by supporting the establishment of the necessary infrastructure and wherewithal, including safe houses, wherein abused women can be securely accommodated, counselled and enabled to regain some confidence and self-respect.

While it is possible to institute criminal action against the abuser in our country, the investigative and prosecutorial capacities of our law enforcement agencies are a huge disincentive for taking such action. Civil suits for damages can be filed where a conviction is obtained, but again, the system takes too long, giving sufficient time for interventions by “well-meaning” relations as well as religious and community leaders to dissuade the abused from seeking solace from the law courts. The police need to seek for specialisation in handling cases reported by these unfortunate women, and alerted to the fact that battery and assault remain felonies in our law books, even where inflicted between spouses.

Besides, as we speak, there is no single policeman in any of these communities.

The claim by the state police boss is not only false but misleading. As if that was not enough, he was quoted as saying that the crisis was not as serious as it was being portrayed. More than 10 people have lost their lives in the last one week alone; the communities have been deserted by their inhabitants leaving the apprehensive aged men and women to the mercy of these unrepentant cultists. The people of the area can no longer go to their farms, their source of livelihood, and hunger has set in. Schools, markets, churches in the communities have been closed down yet the police said that the issue was not as “serious as it was portrayed”. One begins to wonder if the police are waiting for the entire indigenes of the communities to be killed before they can know that we have a serious security crisis in these oil rich communities.

From the state capital, Owerri, to these communities is less than 30 minutes’ drive by car. The most recent attacks on these communities have lasted for more than one week and the police are still on the level of “mobilisations” and working out the logistics.

Chamberlin Okechukwu, Ohaji, Imo State

EKITI HOUSE AND EPILEPTIC ELECTRICITY SUPPLY The Ekiti State House of Assembly has again shown that it will not shirk its responsibility of protecting the interest of the constituents who voted its members in. On Tuesday, August 23, the Assembly made a resolution that is worthy of emulation, not only by other Houses of Assembly in the nation, but also by all persons in positions of authority.

The Ekiti House resolved to summon the top management of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) to appear before it to explain why residents of the state live in darkness, despite the exorbitant fees they are charged monthly. The resolution was sequel to a motion of urgent public importance moved by the member representing Ikole Constituency I, who is also the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Chief Olugboyega Aribisogan. The lawmaker observed that houses and businesses in major towns of Ekiti State had been crippled by lack of electricity, despite the recent hike in price of the service.

All members of the Assembly were in unison that it was extortion on the part of the BEDC to throw the state into darkness when its staffers distribute bills of exorbitant fees monthly, disregarding the distribution company’s failure to render the service paid for. Besides, the House frowned at the refusal of the electricity company to provide the customers with pre-paid meters,

citing deliberate intent to continue to defraud consumers as the excuse. They also lamented the situation where electricity damaged transformers are left for consumers to repair, as this is a responsibility of the companies.

There abound many reasons that the position of the Ekiti lawmakers should be considered worthy of emulation by all persons in positions of authority. One, the recent hike in electricity has been revolted against by virtually all important stakeholders in the industry. A competent court of law had also ruled against the hike. Yet, the increase in price is yet to be reversed.

Also, the federal government has not denied that electricity is not in very short supply to the masses of the nation. It only promises improvement that is yet to materialise. Thousands, perhaps, millions of Nigerians have paid for pre-paid metering devices that would ensure that they pay for only what they consume, yet, the meters have remained unavailable. Monthly, staff of BEDC and other distribution companies go out on disconnection exercise, after having supplied about two hours of electricity, usually on the day they plan disconnection. They allegedly receive bribes from consumers who would rather not risk disconnection despite the unavailability of the commodity.

Stephen Gbadamosi, Ado-Ekiti

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POLITICS

Group Politics Editor Olawale Olaleye Email wale.olaleye@thisdaylive.com 08116759819 SMS ONLY

PERSONALITY FOCUS

The Strength in Ikpeazu’s Character Although his prevailing political battle has not completely subsided, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State has shown both character and capacity in the management of affairs of state. Shola Oyeyipo writes

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etween 2011 and 2015, former Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Idris Wada ranked as the most litigated state executive. He was faced with legal challenges from all fronts and many feared that it could affect his performance in office. Whether or not that assumption was true completely lies with posterity.

However, in the current experience, the Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, appears to have taken over this reputation from Wada.

He is definitely waltzing through series of legal adversities and yet, he has been able to exemplify strength of character as a leader dedicated to emancipating the state from the pang of retrogression he picked up as inheritance from the inglorious past.

As is peculiar with politics in this clime, politicians seeking elective offices had better been prepared for series of challenges – from allegations of various sorts to litigations – since most other aspirants are always ready to go the extra mile to undo one another in the bid to clinch the ticket to office. So, as seen in Governor Ikpeazu’s case, his journey to the seat of power has been strewn with legal travails even before he won the election. The case by Dr. Uche Ogah in which Justice Okon Abang sacked him was a pre-election matter.

Ogah had presented some grounds on which he reckoned Ikpeazu was not qualified to pick the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket. But evaluating those grounds and considering his viability as the preferred candidate for the gubernatorial election, the party elected Ikpeazu as its standard bearer and he eventually won the election.

Nonetheless, while the issues raised by Ogah had become a legal tussle between two party men, Dr. Alex Otti of the All Progressives Grand Alliance threw up a very strong legal challenge to Ikpeazu’s emergence as the governor of the state in a matter that went from the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal to the Appeal Court and eventually the Supreme Court, where a seven-man panel of justices of the apex court headed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mahmud Mohammed, on Wednesday, February 3, 2016, voided the verdict of the Owerri division of the Court of Appeal that initially sacked Ikpeazu from office.

The five-member panel of the Court of Appeal headed by Justice Oyebisi Omoleye, had also on December 31, sacked Mr. Ikpeazu as governor of Abia State on the grounds that the APGA candidate, Dr. Otti scored 164, 444 valid votes to defeat Mr. Ikpeazu, who scored 114, 444 votes. The court also declared Otti of APGA as the winner of the April 11 and April 25 supplementary elections in the state.

This was no doubt, a period of anxiety among the Abia people, who had begun to develop affinity with Ikpeazu as a governor committed to improving the state. But in delivering the lead judgment that upturned the Appeal Court judgment, Justice Sulaiman Galadima, said there was merit in the appeal that was lodged by both Ikpeazu and PDP and therefore upheld the verdict of the tribunal.

Even where the governor seemed unruffled by the litigation, fact is that it was indeed a traumatic period for him, his party and teeming supporters, who were already optimistic that by his ability to hit the ground running, with some people-oriented policies already put in place, the future of the state is secure.

From the start, Ikpeazu had said his election was a call to service because the people of Ukwa and Ngwa, where he comes from, had been victims of marginalisation, degradation and frustration since Nigeria came into existence even though it is the most highly populated

Ikpeazu...a better Abia on his mind

sub-ethnic group within the Igbo nation, whose people have never had the opportunity to lead the state as governor of Abia State of the old Aba divisional extraction.

His victory at the Supreme Court was therefore seen as a collective victory for his people, who had been relegated to the background for many years. Yet, Ikpeazu never proclaimed to be governor of Ukwa Ngwa people alone, but of Abia – God’s own state.

Done with the critically engaging courtroom battles, while the Ikpeazu-led administration was looking to move on with its agenda in the areas of security, infrastructure development of Aba and other neglected parts of the state, education, agriculture, holistic structural economic transformation of the state as well as improved power supply, then surfaced another judgment that definitely rattled the government.

Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja, sacked him from office as governor for alleged falsification of tax papers. He not only ordered Ikpeazu to vacate office immediately

In the current experience, the Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, appears to have taken over this reputation from Wada. He is definitely waltzing through series of legal adversities and yet, he has been able to exemplify strength of character as a leader dedicated to emancipating the state from the pang of retrogression he picked up as inheritance from the inglorious past

for contesting the governorship primaries based on false information, he also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately issue a certificate of return to Ogah, which the body did.

But something enviable about Governor Ikpeazu is that in spite of his legal distractions, he has carried on with governance as though he was never perturbed. He has vehemently maintained that he still was the governor of the state and consequently approached the Court of Appeal, where he won his appeal against the Justice Abang June 27 ruling removing him from office.

Justice Philomena Ekpe, who read the judgment held that Justice Abang ought to have transferred the motion to it in line with time-honoured doctrine of stari decisis, noting that the Federal High Court judge erred in interpreting the provisions of order 4 (10) and (11) of the Court of Appeal rules, when he ruled that the said provisions were only applicable to an interlocutory ruling of lower court and when a final judgment in a suit had been delivered. She also held that Mr. Abang did not have jurisdictions to interpret the provisions of the Court of Appeal being the rules of a superior court.

Justice Ogunwumiju also said the judge “deliberately stood the law on its head” by justifying jurisdiction to entertain the motion when appeal had been filed.

While Governor Ikpeazu and those in his inner circles were as usual, optimistic that as in previous cases, the ongoing case would fizzle out, the governor has constantly said “I will not succumb to the antics of the opposition to distract me”. And not only that, he has also indoctrinated his aides to work without distraction because “the main reason we were elected is to meet the needs and aspirations of our people and we should not let the people down because of the distractions”.

As at today, going from Nneato in Umunneochi LGA, Abia North senatorial district to Ibeme in Obingwa LGA, Abia South, which is practically covering the length and breadth of the state, the current administration boasts of projects that are deliberately targeted at improving the lot of the people.

Some of the projects the governor prides in

include the Imo Dimkpa Bridge, Nneato; the Obolo-Eziama-Osisinkita road also in Nneato and an erosion site at Isuochi Model Secondary School, Isuochi, all in Umunneochi LGA. At Ohafia LGA, there is the ongoing Abiriba Ring road and the Okon-Aku Bridge at Okon-Aku Ohafia. At Arochukwu LGA, the Ndi-Oji, NdiOkereke-Ozu-Abam Road and the Bende-Idima Abam Road, which are both alternative roads to Arochukwu being constructed to avoid the perennially impassable Ohafia-Arochukwu federal road.

In Abia South senatorial district, he had inaugurated the Ibeme Electricity Project in what was the first time electricity would get to the community. At old Umuahia-Aba road popularly known as Ururuka road, the failed portions of the road had been reconstructed and there have been series of constructions works at Ukaegbu and Umuola roads, Kamalu road, Udeagbala road, ENUC road, Oomne Drive and Aba-Owerri road.

In Abia Central senatorial district, Ikpeazu had commenced the Umuojima road in Osisioma LGA, inaugurated the Awom-Ukwu, Umusokoro Ikwuano Electricity Project and the electricity project from Ohiya in Umuahia South LGA to Ntigha in Isialangwa North LGA. The summary of all on-going projects in Abia State some of which had been completed include road projects like Ukaegbu, Umuocham, Mcc/ Umuojima, Udeagbala, Ehere, Faulks by Samek, Umuola, Kamalu, Oomne, Umule, Ururuka, Ntigha-Mbawsi to Ururuka (Phase 2), Old Express, Echefu , Enuc, 6no Roads (Jubilee, Ehi, Ube, Hospital, Adazi, Azikiwe from Asa to East), Owerri road, Mosque and the AbaOwerri Road.

In Umuahia, Agbama Housing Estate Ring road, 5 roads at Low-cost Housing Estate, asphalt overlay of Kaduna Street, Abam Street, Awolowo Road, Niger Road, Umuwaya Road, 3 roads at Ogurube Layout (ICC road, JAAC road, Ring road) and Dozie way (IBB layout).

In the Abia North, the projects are Abiriba ring road, Bende-Idima-Abam road, Eke-EziamaObuzo-Ngodo road, Imo Ndimkpa Bridge, Nneato, and Okon-Aku Bridge, Ohafia.

Aside these, the government had rejuvenated the Umuahia Regional Water works, comprehensive drainage and storm-water channel desilting, the Education for Employment (E4E), which seeks to reactivate Technical and Vocational Educational Training (TVET), reactivation of street lights in major cities in Abia State and a directive that every new road being constructed in Abia State must come with street lights and several other projects and policies directly programmed to improve the living standard of the people.

Also, worthy of mention is the bill he recently sent to the Abia State House of Assembly for the setting up of an Abia State Investment Promotion Agency and the appointment of a Special Adviser on Public Private Partnership and Investment Promotion (PPP/IP), whose is to set up a one-stop investment centre (OSIC) in Abia State to facilitate easy processes on investment inflow into Abia State as a way to open up the state for investment, employ more people and end poverty.

With the Office of Aba Urban Renewal set up to transform Aba from its currently neglected condition to a city that will boast of basic modern amenities, Ikpeazu is generally said to have been restoring sanity to the city and as part of the administration’s effort to empower youths through agriculture, the 40 youths selected from across the state have been sent to the Songhai Farm in Porto-Novo, Benin Republic for comprehensive training in agricultural value chain.

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POLITICS

UPDATE&TRENDING

The Options Before Ondo APC For the Ondo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, tomorrow’s governorship primary is obviously a make or mar event ahead of the November 26 election. Gboyega Akinsanmi writes

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nlike the previous election years, the political climate of Ondo State is unnecessarily charged already, at least, for two clear reasons. First, the two leading political parties – the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) – are in the thick of their primaries, which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled for August 22 and 27 respectively. PDP, however, has held its own on the scheduled date with a former Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General of the state, Mr. Eyotayo Jegede, emerging its candidate.

The other factor is that the APC has been the focus of the contest, which some of the party faithful strongly believe, would terminate the reign of the PDP in the state, depending on how its standard bearer eventually emerges.

Aside that the state’s main opposition party is stronger and more cohesive than it was in the pre-2012 era, the rift in the PDP, occasioned by the assumption that a choice candidate had already been picked for the election, among others, appear to give the APC some advantage, however, if only it also manages its primary

Oyegun with Buhari at a function...does APC stand a chance in Ondo

very well.

All is set for tomorrow’s primary election and no fewer than 50 aspirants have indicated interests in the APC nomination. However, only 25 of them eventually collected expression and nomination forms, which showed the level of

interest the contest had generated in the rank of the party. Of the 25 people, who obtained nomination forms, 24 of them appeared before the screening committee at the APC National Secretariat, Abuja last week.

Despite the interest the contest has generated in the state, the APC has started facing tensiongenerated crisis. Two recent developments indeed cast pall on the chances of the party in the election. The first has to do with how the APC standard bearer will finally emerge. In 2012, the defunct ACN, one of the political parties that formed APC, produced its standard bearer, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu through consensus, which stoked disaffection or undue division among other aspirants on the platform.

Apparently, the use of consensus by the defunct ACN to produce its standard bearer then had calamitous effect on the party’s performance. It was evident in the outcome of the election in which the ACN came third, polling 143,512 votes. Also, the PDP, which nominated its former National Adviser, Mr. Olusola Oke polled 155,961 votes, while the Labour Party, which re-presented Governor

Olusegun Mimiko, scored 260,197.

At different times, the party’s post-election report had linked the loss of the defunct ACN to the decision of some of its aggrieved stalwarts to work against its victory in the contest. One of the APC faithful said some people “sold our course in the last election.

They felt they were not concerned about the party’s victory. All they are concerned about is your money. We worked and we will continue to work.”

It was largely agreed that some of the ACN’s aggrieved leaders worked against the party’s interest. But that was sufficient reason to cost the party landslide in the contest. Another reason relates to the divergent position of the PDP National Secretariat and its Ondo State chapter. While the former tactically supported the re-election of Mimiko who contested on the LP platform, the latter went to the poll, not only as an orphan but also divided.

NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

ONTHEWATCH

‘I want to Improve My People’s Living Standards’ In this report, Femi Ogbonikan examines the special interests of Mr. Akinboye Oyewumi as he seeks the APC governorship ticket in Ondo State this weekend

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arring last minute hitches, and going by the resolve of the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to ensure a level playing ground for all its governorship aspirants, it is clear that the character the party would throw up at its Saturday, August 27 primary would be an important factor in determining its success at the November 28 governorship poll in Ondo State.

In the party’s quest for fresh ideas and someone among the new breed to mount the saddle, Mr. Akinboye Taiwo Oyewumi is largely believed to fit the bill. The 52-year-old business mogul is equipped with the magic wand to turn around the fortunes of the Sunshine State for good, if given the opportunity to serve.

Born to the family of Chief Samuel Oyegun Oyewumi, who hails from Oke Igbo town, Ondo South senatorial district, and Mrs. Victoria Oyewumi (nee Rogers), an indigene of Ondo town, in Ondo Central senatorial district, Boye, as he is fondly

Oyewumi

called, is a grassroots person and his interest in politics was first kindled when in 1993, he joined the Presidential Campaign Organisation of one of his lifelong mentors, the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, in what was known

as “The Hope ‘93 campaign”.

Thereafter, Boye’s desire to make a difference in the lives of people around him and the country further inspired him to join the NADECO Consultative Forum, where he was an active member.

Boye holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Maiduguri and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Middlesex University, London, and had a stint at the Asset Management Company, UK Limited and MAPS London, before he went into the private sector.

His foray in the governorship race five months ago, with his political campaign organisation, “Agbajo Owo,” has unsettled the ranks of interest groups within the APC. In a recent interview with THISDAY, he explained what informed his governorship ambition, thus: “It is a platform for me to touch the lives of the common man. There are two

positions that allow you in this country to impact on the welfare of the common man.

“It is either the local government or the governorship that allows you directly, if you have a vision to impact on the quality of life of the common man. So, my vision is to, as much as possible, eradicate abject poverty that our people live in, to increase the quality of education, to maintain and increase the health care delivery system. There has been some progress there, but we can still take it from another level.

“I have always seen government as a continuum. And when you are forward-looking, you will have to be conscious of the temptations to always look back. Whatever that has not been done to satisfaction, we will improve upon them.”

NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

…Abraham Puts His Hat in the Ring One of the governorship aspirants of the APC in Ondo State, Segun Abraham boats better credentials than the others, writes John Iwori

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ollowing the resolve of Mr. Segun Abraham to put his hat in the ring, a lot is expected in order to change the present narrative in the political firmament of Ondo State. The largely agricultural state is presently under the grip of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but the All Progressives Party (APC), which Abraham belongs, is poise to take the state.

The resolve of Abraham to take over the reins of power in a state which prides itself as the “sunshine state” is not unconnected with his determination to meet the yearnings and aspirations of his people, who have not been made to hold the short end of the stick since the advent of democracy 17 years ago.

Not a few may ask pertinent questions on the pedigree of Abraham as the race to the governor-

Abraham

ship election in Ondo State gets underway. For those who care to ask questions, the gubernatorial

aspirant is not an ordinary man. He is a man of great intellect and business acumen. He is happily married. He married the love of his life and they are blessed with children.

Abraham has built formidable businesses in several sectors of the economy. Besides the fact that he is an accomplished technocrat and thorough leader, he is a passionate philanthropist both at home and abroad. This informed why not a few indigenes of the state regard him as the foremost champion of education for the less privileged, particularly in the Northern senatorial district, where he hails from.

An insight into Abraham background shows that he was born in the rustic town of IkareAkoko, on December 24, 1953. As it was the norm in this part of the country in the 50s, his father was a cocoa farmer and his mother was

a cocoa trader. His grandfather migrated from Irun-Akoko to Ikare-Akoko due to the popular demand for his business as a blacksmith. Abraham and his siblings helped out in the farm daily.

In spite of the active involvement in the farm business with his parents, Abraham maintained high grades. He was always on top in his class every academic session. His parents were determined to educate him and his siblings. The difficulties aside, they worked hard, wasted nothing and were very resourceful.

Many strongly believed that Abraham still holds these attributes in his endeavour till this day.

NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

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BUSINESSWORLD NIBOR OVERNIGHT 1-MONTH

R A T E S

A S

NIBOR

17.4417% 16.7724%

3-MONTH 6-MONTH

17.6079% 19.8254%

A T

NITTY 1-MONTH 2-MONTH 3-MONTH

Group Business Editor Chika Amanze-Nwachuku

Email chika.amanzenwachukwu@thisdaylive.com 08033294157

A U G U S T 15.7532% 16.0348% 17.1017%

6-MONTH 9-MONTH 12-MONTH

1 9 , 18.1773% 18.9773 22.40%

2 0 1 6

EXCHANGE RATE N316.55//1US DOLLAR* *AS AT LAST FRIDAY

Quick Takes Facebook to Unveil 10-year Roadmap

Facebookwillbehostingdevelopers’workshopforNigerianengineers, product managers and partners in Lagos at the end of the month, designed to help them build better applications and monetise them more effectively. The session which holds August 31, will feature sessions for practical advice and detailed information about how developers can take advantage of the latest features on Facebook, Bots on Messenger and Open Source development tools.

Speakers at the event will include: Director of Global Product Partnerships at Facebook, Ime Archibong; Developer Advocate on the Open Source team at Facebook, Christine Abernathy; Strategic Products Partnerships Manager at Facebook, Chukwuemeka Afigbo, and Partner Engineer on the Facebook Messenger team, Jon Heaton.

Archibong will share the company’s ten-year roadmap and the important role of Africa in achieving the mission. According to Archibong, “Nigeria is known across the world for having a booming, creative tech scene. It’s always good to get back and interact with the people who are at the forefront of this ecosystem.”

NSC Calls for Devt of TTP

DEAL ON CAPACITY BUILDING

L-R: Public Relations Manager, Huawei Technologies Nigeria Ltd, Panhaiyang Joey; Abuja Managing Director, Huawei Technologies Nigeria Ltd, Tank Liteng and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal, during MoU signing between the federal government and Huawei on capacity building in Abuja...recently

NEPC Accuses Customs of Frustrating FG’s Export Drive Eromosele Abiodun Barely a month after the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, accused the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) of frustrating the National Single Window (NSW), the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has alleged that the NCS of frustrating the federal government effort to boost the nation’s export drive.

Speaking at a stakeholders meeting held at the Apapa Command of the NCS, Assistant Director of Compliance, Monitoring and Enforcement, Mrs. Ifeora Celibe said Apapa customs agent are importing goods and frustrating exporters who have little or nothing to offer. According to her, “the customs do everything to

MARITIME frustrate exporters. They are only interested in imports. The federal government is making effort to diversify the economy. The government is doing everything to encourage export to conserve foreign reserve. But the NCS is only interested in imported goods for obvious reasons.”

She therefore appealed to the federal government to reinstate the Export Expansion Grant (EEG) that was suspended by the previous administration.

The Council’s Director also promised to assist the Customs to ensure that export trade gets priority treatment.

Responding to the allegation, the Customs Area Comptroller of Apapa, Area one Command,

Mr. Willy Egbudin said that the Customs has always done its best to facilitate export trade.

Egbudin said that because of the command’s attachment to export trade, a Deputy Comptroller was put in charge of the export seat in Apapa.

“We are doing our best to encourage export. But we have to do our job effectively. Some of these exporters do a lot of things that smears this country’s name.

Recently, we a container and we found hard drugs under the products they were exporting to South Africa. This is one of the many challenges that we face,” he said.

Amaechi, had during the inauguration of the Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence System, a marine operation and surveillance

centre, at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) in Lagos, accused the NCS of frustrating the National Single Window.

The NSW is a platform meant to integrate all agencies involved in the clearance of cargoes at the ports with view to ease the inspection calculation and payment of all import duties, levies and other charges on line.

Speaking to representatives of the Controller General of the NCS, he said: “Please the Comptroller General of Customs has to agree and the Customs, need to be connected to the NSW to make our ports more effective. All we are doing now is manual; it will not last for long.

“Very soon Nigerians will Continued on page 22

Stakeholders Allege Diversion of $100m BASA Fund Chinedu Eze There are fears that the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) fund, which accruals had risen to over $100 million (N38.1 billion) may have been diverted to fund projects outside the aviation sector, aviation industry sources have said.

THISDAY investigations revealed that the funds, which are paid by foreign airlines operating into Nigeria, stem from the commercial agreement between Nigeria and host countries of the international carriers may have been depleted without definite projects executed with the funds.

The fund is domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) but managed

AVIATION by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), with the Director General as signatory.

In 2014, the then Ministry of Aviation hinted that Nigeria may abolish commercial agreement, an offshoot of BASA, which defines the amount of money an airline should pay for each passenger, but indications show that this was not carried through. So while there was a belief that Nigeria was transiting to slot allocation, which is an alternative to commercial agreement, the fund has continued to accrue.

An NCAA source hinted that since the funds were utilised

for airport remodeling, which was not completed as planned, the fund has continued to accumulate and may have been diverted to fund projects outside the industry.

Industry observers noted government is in dire need of money to fund landing aids, runway lighting, perimeter fencing of most airports and improve facilities and equipment at the Nigeria College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) Zaria, but the BASA fund, which ought to be used to carry out these projects has been left in CBN. They also suggested that the money should also be used to complete some of the perishable terminals now government is

emphasising on export of agroallied produce and as it planned to concession four international airports in the country.

THISDAY also learnt that the Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika travelled to Singapore few days ago with top official of the industry to negotiate BASA for effective resumption of flight by Singapore Airlines to Nigeria.

It is the view of industry stakeholders that BASA fund be accounted for and what it is used for clearly stated projects to ensure that the money is not being diverted for personal use by individuals who have access to the funds.

Continued on page 22

The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has called on state governments in the South East to support the development of Truck Transit Park (TTP) for the growth of the nation’s maritime industry. Chief Executive Officer of the Council, Mr. Hassan Bello made the call during a presentation at the annual lecture series of the Onitsha Chamber of Commerce Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ONICCIMA) titled ‘The Perspective’ held recently in Onitsha Anambra state.

In the presentation with theme: ‘Sustenance of Nigeria’s Economic growth through port reforms: The Case of Onitsha Ports’, Bello said thatTTP was necessary for the development of the nation’s maritime industry, adding that it will help in the creation of employment opportunities and related socio-economic services. Bello who was represented by the Director Inland Trade Services, Mr. Akintunde Makinde added that it will improve Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) for state governments and transit trade with land locked neighbouring countries. Describing TTP as a modern state-of-the art facility situated off the busy highways, he said it was designed to provide temporary rest where truck drivers will conveniently park their vehicles in a healthy environment

Enugu Receives First Cargo Plane

Enugu State on Tuesday received its first cargo plane, an Ethiopian Airline Boeing 757 cargo at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport.

The cargo plane attracted a large crowd, including the State Chief Executive,GovernorIfeanyiUgwuanyi,whodescribedthedevelopment as a historic event.He said the cargo airport will increase business activities in the state, adding that the state was ready for big business.

Accordingtohim,thecargoairportwillboosttheeconomyofthestate and the whole of the South East. He said, “Today we have gathered again to celebrate the first landing of cargo at this same airport, and which once more has happened courtesy of the Ethiopian Airlines.

“It will save costs, enhance convenience and safety in importation of goods.”The Governor who commended the federal government and the operators of the Ethiopian Airline for the arrangement added that it will save costs and make importation easier for those in the South East. He also said that it will promote employment in the area, and called on investors and business to take advantage of the opportunity.

PIL Strengthens Ties with CMPort

Singapore-incorporated shipping company and Pacific International Lines (PIL) has inked two Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with the port operator China Merchant Port Holdings (CMPort) and the engineering and trade company China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC), as part of the One Belt One Road initiative.

The strategic alliance between the three companies is expected to boost business development and overseas projects in shipping, ports and logistics fields, according to PIL. “The MOUs between PIL and CMPort will see both organisations prioritising each other as strategic partners to coordinate resource allocation and developing new markets through joint ventures partnership.

Because of the economic hard times, airlines have become a soft target seen as a cash cow for everyone else to prey on

Chairman, Airline Operators of Nigeria)

Captain Nogie Meggison

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BUSINESSWORLD NEPC ACCUSES CUSTOMS OF FRUSTRATING FG’S EXPORT DRIVE protest against the seaports.

People are already importing through Benin Republic.

Everyone has a single window.

Niger, who used to import things through Nigeria, is doing so through another country.

This is because we are charging both official and unofficial charges. Goods in Nigeria are too expensive,” he said. NSW is a cross-government website for trade facilitation. It offers a single portal for trade actors, both Nigerian and international business community to access a full range of resources and standardised services from different Nigerian government agencies.

Expressing his pleasure at the development of Nigeria’s port operational system, Amaechi noted that the development of the CCCIS facility began in 2013. He said the aim was to provide business intelligence for the movement of vessels and cargoes, as well as providing secured communications within our waterways.

STAKEHOLDERS ALLEGE DIVERSION OF $100M BASA FUND “So much money has accumulated in the BASA fund.

The only time the money from there was used was during the airport remodeling project; since them we don’t know what is happening to the fund.

Government may have taken money from the fund when some parastatals in the industry failed to remit their 25 percent allocation of their revenue to the federation account and their money was drawn at source, but we are not sure that the money is being utilised now,” a source told THISDAY. BASA is a reciprocal agreement between two countries whose airlines ought to fly to both countries but as Nigeria does not have a national carrier, foreign carriers pay government for their frequencies into the country and over time there has been criticisms that Nigeria is being shortchanged because while other airlines fly to Nigeria, most of those destinations are not being reciprocated by Nigerian carriers, which fly to few international routes.

Group Business Editor

Chika Amanze-Nwachuku AgriBusiness/Industry Editor

Crusoe Osagie

Comms/e-Business Editor

Emma Okonji

Capital Market Editor

Goddy Egene

Senior Correspondent

Raheem Akingbolu (Advertising) Correspondents

Chinedu Eze (Aviation) Linda Eroke (Labour) Eromosele Abiodun (Maritime) Ejiofor Alike (Energy) James Emejo (Nation’s Capital) Obinna Chima (Money Mkt) Reporters

Nume Ekeghe (Money Market) Nosa Alekhuogie (Capital Market)

NEWS

N7 Billion Debt Cripples Maritime Academy’s Activities Eromosele Abiodun The Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron, Akwa Ibom State, is facing hard times over the N7.2billion debt incurred during the tenure of its late Rector, Dr. Joshua Okpo, THISDAY’s findings have revealed.

A source in the institution told THISDAY that the debt ranges from staff claims to payments for various contracts of which some have been completed and others ongoing. ‘’Our debt profile has risen, even if we get all the monies we are expecting from Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), it won’t be enough to solve our issues,’’ a lecturer in the institution said.

THISDAY investigations revealed that the campus of the academy in Oron, Akwa Ibom State is littered with unfinished jobs while basic teaching and learning infrastructures are lacking.

Some members of staff of the academy, investigation showed, have interests in many of the contracts as most of them are directly involved in contract racketeering which accounts for the many sub-standard implementation.

Sources at the academy’s account department told THISDAY on condition of anonymity that the school has been failing in meeting the accommodation needs of its cadets.

The late rector and an acting Rector, Anthony Ishiodu, who also died recently in Abuja, came under pressures from many contractors seeking to be paid as they claimed to have executed the jobs with loan facilities obtained from commercial banks, which they claim has accrued outrageous interests.

Findings further revealed that essential facilities like the nautical science building,

survival pool, main auditorium, male cadets hostel, engineering workshop, boatyard and many others are yet to be completed Some students of the academy are forced to either sleep outside or in the classrooms since hostel accommodation meant for only eight students per room are being overstretched with more than 17 students in each hostel room.

This, our source said, is affecting the student’s ability

to learn better as they are open to mosquito bites, cold, poor hygiene and other health related hazards on the campus.

Aside its budgetary allocation and its internally generated revenue from short courses, the academy is also entitled to five per cent of total revenue collected by NIMASA as provided in sub section 2B, under section 16 of the NIMASA Act 2007.

Sources said the last time NIMASA made quarterly remit-

tance to the academy was in November 2015, adding that should the arrears be paid now, it won’t be enough to offset the debts.

THISDAY checks revealed that wrangling for the position of Rector has also affected development as the Registrar, who is a non-academic staff, is holding forte as head of the academy while his wife, a director in the academy is seeking to be rector.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

L-R: Managing Director, H.C Bonum, Mr. Lanre Onasanya; Director General, Institute of Director,Nigeria, Mr.Victor Banjo; Group Head, Human Capital Management & Diamond Bank Academy; Mrs. Isioma Ogodazi; Managing Director, DigitalJewels Ltd, Mrs. Adedoyin Odunfa,; Dean Lagos Business School, Dr. Enase Okonedo; Director, Chairperson Leap Africa, Dr. Nadu Denloye, during the special

Singapore Firm to Invest $100m in Akwa Ibom Okon Bassey in Uyo A Singapore- based investment organisation, Ashdene Associates Nigeria, has signed an agreement with the Akwa Ibom State Government on agricultural development, infrastructural expansion and consolidation worth about $100 million investment.

At the signing of the memoranda of understanding (MoU) at the governor’s office, Uyo, the State Governor, Udom Emmanuel said his administration

was committed to laying a formidable economic foundation to fast-tract all round development of the state.

He explained that the Ashdene Group reputed to have successfully executed business in about twenty-nine countries of the world decided to partner the state in it agricultural, infrastructural and industrialisation drive. The Governor was excited for the Ashdene Group to make Akwa Ibom State its destination of their investment and to collaborate with the

state in the area of investment in addition to infrastructural consolidation and expansion .

Emmanuel lauded the decision of the company to set up a rice farm alongside a processing mill at Ini Local Government Area of the state, establishment of coconut plantation and construction of roads in communities where they would carry out the investment.

He spoke of his administration’s disposition towards investment and assured the investors of a conducive business environment for their venture.

“I want to assure you that this is a government that is investors friendly, our policies, strategies, focus centre on investments. Be rest assured that the responsibilities of government in the agreement signed would be duly executed.

“We are not ignorant of the environment that you need for investment like this to grow and we are determined to create the right opportunity for your investment to thrive”, declared.

The Country Director of Ashdene Associates Nigeria,

Dr Patrick Adiel had said that the company which is faith based none profit organisation is in the state to explore the abundant agricultural resources to help create wealth and open up employment opportunities that would engage the people meaningfully.

He said seven days after the agreement has been signed, the company will swing into action for the rice project covering ten hectares of land in which about one hundred million Dollars would be invested.

departments for a study trip in China.”

Secretary to the Government of the Federation Babachir David Lawal, while commenting on the MoU signing ceremony, said: “The Nigeria government recognises the acquisition and deployment of ICT skills as a major contributor to the success so far achieved in its on-going fight against corruption, insecurity and insurgency. It is also a major employment enabler and wealth generator for the teaming masses of unemployed Nigeria youths. I will therefore wish to assure Huawei of government’s unflinching support for the success of this programme and that the government is indeed

very grateful.”

Chinese embassy’s Chargé d’Affaires in Nigeria, Qin Jian, stated: “Chinese Enterprises have been committed to fulfilling social responsibility by providing skill acquisition courses for local youths, delivering health care service to the local community, helping state governments fight against floods and providing relief for the suffered.”

‘Seeds for the Future’ is Huawei’s global CSR flagship programme through which it selects top college students and government officials working in ICT-related departments for a study trip in China.

FG, Huawei Sign MoU on ICT Capacity Building Emma Okonji Huawei, a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider, and the federal government have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on capacity development.

The deal will enable Nigerian government officials partake in and benefit from Huawei’s flagship corporate social responsibility project, called ‘Seeds for the Future’ programme.

Launched in 2008, Huawei’s ‘Telecom Seeds for the Future’ programme aims at cultivating local ICT talent, promoting knowledge transfer, improving

people’s interest in and understanding of the telecom industry, and encouraging countries and regions to participate in the building of digital communities.

The company is launching the programme for Africa’s most populous country, Nigeria, at a time the government is pushing hard to deepen ICT uptake, penetration and use especially through discovering and training of young talents and government officials in ICT related areas who are viewed as the hope of the country’s future. Nigeria, with a population of over 170 million people shows demographics of young population of around 50 per cent.

Desirous of promoting the ICT industry for the development of Nigeria through innovation and self-reliance for development, the federal government and Huawei are working together via the Huawei’s annual programme “Seeds for the Future” in order to promote and enhance high level talent development on the use of ICT. Managing Director, Huawei in Nigeria, Mr. Liteng, said: “The purpose of the programme is to nurture young promising ICT professionals in every country where Huawei operates.

Through this programme, Huawei selects young government officials working in ICT-related

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BUSINESSWORLD

AVIATION

Europe, Others May Shun Perishable Cargoes from Nigeria Chinedu Eze Perishable cargoes/vegetables exporters have counted their losses over the recent shut down of export sheds at the cargo areas of Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos by the Nigeria Customs Service without considering its effect on delicate exports.

The exporters expressed worry that such interruptions portend grave danger for the economy’s agro-allied produce, adding that as a country that is encouraging exports, Customs and other government agencies at the airport should provide them incentives rather than discourage such efforts.

The exporters said they were concerned that such uncharitable actions could send wrong signals to the comity of international agro-allied supply chain, adding that they were still counting losses from the closure of export warehouses of the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) and the Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCOL).

The Nigeria Customs Service (NSC) last week closed the export shed for days over allegation that prohibited items meant for export were hidden in the sheds.

Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, the CEO of ABX World, a major agro-allied exporter, Captain John Okakpu said that the agro-allied exporters numbering over 100 were hurt by the decision of Customs to shut down the sheds although the facilities were re-opened two days later. Captain Okakpu, who said the exporters lost over N100 million worth of goods within 48-hours the export warehouses were shut, called on the federal government through the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to urgently commence full-scale investigations into the immediate and remote causes of the warehouses closure to avoid future occurrences.

He said that with government’s focus on agriculture as one of the panaceas to the rising inflation, restrictions in capital flows and depleting forex

reserves, agro-allied exporters deserve protection as partners.

“The truth is, we have made fundamental mistakes in the past as a nation by becoming a mono-economy. But, we cannot continue to lick the wounds.

We have to reverse the case and agriculture provides us with a better option to grow. That is why as agro-allied exporters, we are seriously worried over the actions of some government officials, who seem not to underestimate the peculiarities of perishable items for export.

“Shutting down the warehouses was actually an indictment on Customs, as its officials ought to have carried out surveillance before shutting down all export businesses at the Lagos Airport. If such act is not checkmated in future it will compound issues and create a logjam in the system.

Or, do we prefer to ship our cargos to countries like Ghana or Cameroun before they can be shipped to Europe and other markets? Presently, the yam sold in Europe as Ghana yams are actually from Nigeria.”

AON Cautions Service Providers on Debt Collection Drive The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has warned aviation agencies not to jeorpardise the airlines in their bid to collect old debts owed by the operators.

The operators said the debt collection drive may run the airlines out of business as was the case in the past from ridiculous billings that were arbitrarily put together against the operators.

The Chairman of AON, Captain Nogie Meggison, who gave the warning, said: “We strongly decry the on-going action by the various government agencies in the aviation sector whereby they threaten to deny airlines services for their

operations or completely ground them, which is likely to force airlines out of business. Because of the economic hard times of today airlines have become a soft target and are seen as a cash cow for everyone else to prey on easily.

“However, the agencies need to realise that air transport is the engine of the economy. Hence, if they disrupt the services of Nigerian airlines then they will damage the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari to restore the economy.”

He noted that without the airlines, there would be no aviation in the first place; that it is because of the airlines that

airports are built and managed by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

“It is because of the airlines that an agency like the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) exists to provide navigational services. The airlines also are the reason why we have catering companies, ground services providers, fuel marketers and other ancillary service providers in and around the airport”, he added.

Meggison said airlines work tirelessly to airlift Nigerians safely around the country and described them as the bedrock of the oil and gas sector on which Nigeria depends a great deal.

NAAPE, AIB Enmeshed in Controversy over Staff Promotion The National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), NAAPE and Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) have been engaged in brickbat over the secondment and promotion of the President of Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association (ATSSSAN) Benjamin Okewufrom from the College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria to the Bureau.

NAAPE, which frowned on the transfer, condemned it, saying that Okewu was not qualified to be promoted from Level 12 to 15 to head the human resources department of AIB, while there were two AIB officials already on level 14 who they argued were more qualified to head the department.

NAAPE had written petitions to concerned authorities, including the Ministry of Transportation, alleging that Okewu did not have the technical experience to head the department, as an official of NAAPE was alleged

to have physically confronted the Commissioner of the Bureau, Dr. Felix Abali.

But the Bureau had explained that level 12 in the academic system is equivalent to level 14 in the civil service and that Okewu was to be promoted to level 13 last January, which automatically placed him on level 15 in the civil service; therefore he was qualified to head the human resources department of the Bureau.

Not unrelenting, NAAPE was said to have written petitions to Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Department of State Service (DSS) the Nigeria Police, the Ministry of Trannsportation and even to the Presidency, accusing Abali of corrupt practices.

THISDAY learnt that investigations carried out by all the relevant organisations, including

the Presidency exonerated Abali of all the allegations levelled against him.

This crisis has led to frosty relationship between NAAPE and ATSSSAN as animosity has continued to grow over the matter, which has remained unresolved.

Until recently labour unions in the aviation industry work together but this matter has thawed the good relationship, as NAAPE was alleged to be inciting the other labour organisations against ATSSSAN and Okewu. Inside sources told THISDAY that this incident had given rise to old animosity in the industry where petitions and counter petitions seem to erode the good working relationship among aviation agencies.

“The deluge of petitions and current subterfuge are the handiwork of the same cabal that had fought past administrations since the inception of the Bureau.

AIR WATCH Workers’ Opposition to Airport Concessions

O

n Tuesday, workers under the aegis of two unions- National Union of Air Transport Employees, (NUATE) and Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association, (ATSSSAN) staged protests against the planned concession of four international airport terminals by the federal government.

The protesters caused traffic gridlock on the link road between the domestic and international wings of the airport, but police stopped them from reaching the front of the international terminal.

That was the first physical demonstration to convey to government and concerned authorities that the workers are opposed to the planned concession of the terminals in the four major international airports located in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano.

The workers said they would continue to carry out the demonstration against the planned concession.

Speaking at the Freedom Square, where the workers assembled for the protests, on behalf of the unions, the acting General Secretary, NUATE, Olayinka Abioye and General Secretary, ATSSSAN, Francis Akinjole said that the workers would resist any attempt by the government to concession the four airports.

Minister of State on Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika had told Nigerians that the decision to concession the airports was borne out of government’s desire to have effective and efficient management of the airports and adequate utilisation of the abundant skilled manpower in the aviation sector. But the workers are asking, why the government wants to concession the most viable airports first and leaving the less and unviable airports? FAAN said the money generated from the Lagos airport is used to maintain those unviable ones and now if the airport along with the three others is given out in concession, how will the other airports be maintained?

Industry observers have suggested prior to now, the cluster of airport in the concession programme, whereby any organisation, which takes, for example, the Abuja airport will also take the airports in Ilorin, Makurdi, Yola and any other in the middle belt region.

So the workers see the plan to take over the most viable airports as a way to cripple the operations of FAAN and render it insolvent and consequently liquidate it. Then what will be the fate of the workers?

The acting General Secretary of NUATE, Abioye told THISDAY that government was not putting the interest of the workers into consideration and threatened that the workers would resist the plan to concession the airports, recalling that when the defunct Nigeria Airways was liquidated, workers were left to die without their pay off or their pensions which rose to over N72billion.

Abioye noted that the major reason why workers are opposed to the plan besides lack of consideration for the interest of the workers was that all efforts in the past to concession airport facilities failed due to the lack of objectivity or transparency. Besides, he said, the few that could be described as successful were skewed in favour of the investors and against the interest of government which represent the public interest.

“We have very bad examples to give. And one of the few successes of such arrangement is Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL) take over and building of the domestic terminal at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMA2), Lagos. Bi-Courtney also has its own problems that we have been battling since the last 10 years or so. We observed that some of these concession arrangements are written in such a manner that at the end of the day it is skewed in favour of the investor against the

Hadi Sirika

interest of the Nigerian government and the people. That is our worry,” Abioye said.

He also wanted to know why government chose to concession the most lucrative airports, which are the mainstay of FAAN’s revenue and provide the resources that are used to manage the other airports.

“So why would it be Murtala Muhammed Airport, Kano airport and Port Harcourt airport that government wants to sell? What is the reason why the other 16 airports that are underutilised are not considered for this purpose? This is because my understanding is that PPP is very good to bring about quality service and so on and so forth. Having said that; there are other situations that government had to do something before we can get to the table and say this is what we are going to do.

“I can tell you the feelers we have received from our people, the mandate as I speak to you is that we are going to say an emphatic no to concession of these four major airports and the reasons are not far-fetched. However, we are also of the opinion that if the chickens come home to roost, Nigerian workers operating in FAAN have enough money to buy up these four airports and when we get there we shall find a way to cross the river,” he said.

Sirika, in a recent forum, assured Nigerians that their interest would not be jeopardised in the resolve to concession some of the nation’s airports. He said the federal government has resolved to concession Nigerian Airports and explained this was borne out of its desire for effective and efficient management of the airports and adequate utilisation of the abundant skilled manpower in the Aviation sector.

“The best way to go is the Public Private, Partnership and so, we are going that way,’’ he said, adding that giving out the airports to the private sector to manage would make the system grow faster.

He noted that there has been no remarkable growth and development of infrastructure in the industry due to paucity of funds in government, so the most practical thing is to bring in the private sector through concession.

The apprehension of the workers is justified going by past experiences where the interest of the employees was not adequately represented.

It happened during the liquidation of Nigeria Airways; it also happened recently when Skypower Aviation Handling Company Limited (SAHCOL) was sold to a private concern.

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BUSINESSWORLD

AVIATION

As Controversies Trail Airlines’ Indebtedness to Govt Agencies Whereas aviation parastatals are insisting that airlines must pay their outstanding debts for services rendered, the airlines are contending that this is a ploy to force them out of business, writes Chinedu Eze Over the years, there have always been arguments over the debts owed by domestic airlines to aviation agencies, including the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

Imbedded in every ticket fare is a five percent charge that goes to NCAA, which the agency shares with other parastatals like the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), the Nigeria College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria and the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET).

Airlines all over the world, owe debts because their operations are a continuum; so they always pay in arrears. But because in Nigeria, airlines and the aviation agencies are always in dogged fight over the debts, the agencies adopted a pay as you go system to curb the mounting debts of airlines. The total debts the agencies claim the airlines owed them amount to about N40.08 billion and some of these debts are owed by airlines that have seized to exist.

Debts It has become a trend over the years, the cat-mouse relationship between the aviation parastatals and the domestic carriers. There was a time the airlines would owe and when they agencies want to withdraw their service, the operators would call the Presidency or the Minister of Aviation, who would intervene and allow the airlines to continue operation. It was the period the federal government used to give the agencies subvention and fund most of their projects. But these days, agencies like NAMA and FAAN depend on the internally generated revenues to pay their workers and according to the new policy they must remit 25 percent of their earning to the federation account, so the jamboree has inevitably come to an end. The agencies ferociously demand for their pay, but the airlines are seemingly still under the hangover of the past years and still believe that government money is nobody’s money, so some of them try to browbeat the agencies and allow the debts to continue to pile up.

So the agencies complain that the airlines owe them in Nigeria but those that operate the West Coast and long haul, promptly pay their charges in their international operation. Sometimes FAAN use the unions to obstruct the operations of the airlines before they would pay some of their debts; sometimes NAMA would refuse to give the indebted airline startup of their flights.

The Secretary of Aviation Round Table (ART), Group Captain John Ojikutu (retd) told THISDAY he could not understand why Nigerian airlines do not pay their charges to the aviation agencies while they generate revenues everyday.

“Domestic airlines are collecting cash everyday.

They sell tickets not on credit but on cash and carry to passengers everyday. The domestic airlines should pay for the services that are being given to them. Domestic airlines are not paying government tax. They are also in excess of salary arrears. So the question is, what do they do with their money?” Ojikutu asked.

With the pay as you go strategy some of the charges are paid in advance by the airlines like the passenger service charge (PSC) that is paid to FAAN, but there are other charges that cannot be paid that way. Landing and parking charges accrue as airlines carry out their daily services and land and take off from various airports that are not their operational base.

NCAA argues that the monies that the airlines refuse to pay which over time piles up as huge debts are the charges that are built into the tickets for the airlines to collect them on behalf of the agency; that the five percent charge is not part of the airlines fares, so they should not find it difficult separating such charges from their revenues.

For Ojikutu, airlines should increase airfares so that they would be able to pay their charges and make profits. But the airlines know that

Aero Contractors

there is a limit they can increase fares, especially now the average Nigerian’s finances have been eroded by the economic downturn. Ojikutu argues that there should be no ceiling to the price of tickets and that NCAA should not interfere in ticket pricing by airlines.

“If government has liberalised the market there should not be any control to the sale of tickets. Government should not control how much airlines charge for their ticket. Both government and the airlines seem not to understand somehow, because there are certain things that government is doing, which the airlines are not complaining about. How can you be doing business and government is controlling your price for you?” Ojikutu queried.

Contesting the Charges Nigerian operators are obliged to pay their debts and by now they must get used to the fact that time has gone when they can drop names of persons in the Presidency or call on the Minister to intervene on their behalf. Many airlines are really willing to be paying these debts but they contest some of the debts. The airlines say there are too many charges; that if they are to transfer the charges to the passengers the fares would be outrageous and beyond the financial capacity of many Nigerians to pay for air ticket. This will deplete the passenger traffic and invariably force some airlines out of business. It has to be noted also that less than one percent of Nigerians travel by air. With a population of about 180 million, Nigerians that travel by air on domestic destinations are not up to 18 million and even when combined with those that travel overseas is still less than 18 million. So, high fares will further reduce the passenger traffic.

Dana Air Accountable Manager, Obi Mbanuzuo noted: “Many aviation parastatals erroneously believe there is a lot of money in airline business.

There is really high turnover, but I can say it authoritatively that no airline in Nigeria is making any profit. It is because of the high charges. Some of them are double charges. We pay to our regulator (NCAA) twice but in other countries it is only one payment. Airlines pay charges to the regulator and they pay for any other thing they want to do with the agency.

Airlines pay for issuance of pilots’ licences, if the regulator wants to inspect aircraft we pay for it. Then we pay the so-called five percent. It is however true we collect this money on their

behalf but it also adds to the cost of the ticket.

“It is the same thing with air navigation.

The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) collect charges for en-route navigation, terminal navigation charges; yet NAMA still collects from the five percent charge. What we can say is that government should look at these charges with a view of reviewing them downwards; they should also look at other countries to see how they are doing it.”

The airlines also argue that some of the agencies arbitrarily allocate figures to airlines as debts without comprehensive notation of the charges that accrued the debts. Airlines must be shown how they incurred the debts they are asked to pay; for example, when their flight landed at which airport, at which time and day and which destination. Some of the agencies are yet to automate their systems and that explains why they bring in conflicting figures from one airport to another. Besides, the airlines said some of the charges leveled on them do not get NCAA approval.

Old Debts THISDAY learnt that significant part of the N40.08billion debts owed the agencies by domestic airlines accrue from operators that had seized to exist; that currently agencies charge pay as you go and so far the airlines are keeping to the new terms.

Some airlines are however requesting that their old debts should be spread over a period of time so that as they pay the current charges they would also be paying the old ones. Some years ago the then Minister of Aviation, Mrs. Fidelia Njeze reconciled airlines debts with the agencies and spread them over a period of time. Industry observers argue that this would give the airlines a breathing space.

Obsolete Infrastructure While insisting that airlines should pay their debts, the operators argue that the operational environment is very harsh and their aircraft are grossly underutilised. The Chairman of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), Captain Nogie Meggison said airlines do not maximise the use of their airplanes because most of the airports do not have airfield lighting so they cannot operate to such airports after 6:00 pm; that the airlines would generate more money and pay their charges and also make profits if an airline can operate its aircraft for at least

12 hours in a day. But utilisation of aircraft is average of six to seven hours, which is not even good for the health of the equipment that ought to be flogged about 18 hours a day.

In a recent statement issued by AON, Meggison warned aviation agencies not to jeorpardise the airlines in their bid to collect old debts owed by the operators, some of which have seized to exist.

AON said the debt collection drive may run the airlines out of business as they had also run many airlines out of business in the past from ridiculous billings that are arbitrary put together against the operators.

“We strongly decry the on-going action by the various government agencies in the aviation sector whereby they threaten to deny airlines services for their operations or completely ground them, which is likely to force airlines out of business. Because of the economic hard times of today, airlines have become a soft target and are seen as a cash cow for everyone else to prey on easily,” Meggison said.

He noted that without the airlines there would be no aviation in the first place; that it is because of the airlines that airports are built and managed by FAAN. “It is because of the airlines that an agency like NAMA exists to provide navigational services. The airlines also are the reason why we have catering companies; ground services providers, fuel marketers and other ancillary service providers in and around the airport.

“The airlines thereby provide jobs for all and sundry. And this means everybody else in the industry is making profit and surviving out of the airlines that are perpetually being undermined and milked dry on daily basis.

And on top of all this, airlines still have to pay multiple charges and double taxation of all kinds to various government organs and are forced to pay for several inefficiencies and in some cases for services that are not provided without value for money and with no one coming to their aid,” Meggison said.

With the new realities, airlines have to realise that the agencies are there for business; they are no longer pampered by government, which ironically still interfere in their activities.

So the airlines must cue themselves for serious business by not believing that they can forgo paying their debts.

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T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016

BUSINESSWORLD

MARITIME

Bickering over Customs and Management Act Review Eromosele Abiodun writes that the plan to review the Nigeria Customs and Excise Management Act can only materialise if the NCS heeds stakeholders’ advice that the Minister of Finance remains the agency’s board chairman

Adeosun

Last week, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) presented its draft bill for amendment of the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) to maritime industry stakeholders for observation and input before submission to the National Assembly for consideration and passage. The CEMA is the principal law guiding the administration of Customs and Excise in Nigeria. It is divided into 13 parts, spanning 195 Sections and 3 Schedules. Section 37 - 5 deals specifically with duty on imported goods, relief from duty of goods entered for transit or transshipment; Relief from duty of goods temporarily imported, exempt from goods and goods delivered free of duty; valuation of imported goods for purpose of ad valorem duties among others. This is not the first time effort has been made to review CEMA. In 2010, the federal government forwarded a bill to the National Assembly requesting that the lawmakers repeal and re-enact the CEMA 2004 as well as repeal the existing Destination Inspection Act 2003 to allow NCS take over all obligations of the Federal Ministry of Finance and the CBN under the Act. At that time, there were indication that the National Assembly tinkered with the Customs CEMA in order to make it more proactive to meet the challenges of a modern day customs service. This, the lawmakers said, became necessary after it was discovered that some of the conditions adopted by the CEMA to deter crimes especially via fines were no longer relevant or stringent enough to deter such crimes.

Nigeria’s Sovereignty THISDAY gathered that the CEMA, enacted in the 1950, does not reflect the sovereignty of an independent Nigeria.

“The CEMA does not reflect the realities of modern day international trade and it is also silent on Destination Inspection of the present day NCS. Trade practices procedures and sanctions that existed in the 1950 are no longer relevant, fines and penalties prescribed

by CEMA are ludicrous and generally incapable of deterring economic criminals even if fully enforce,” said a player in the maritime industry.

He stated that the National Assembly in the course of its statutory over sight functions had discovered that if the service was to incorporate Customs practice, traditions and obligation,

Ali

then various recommendations and instrument on Customs and trade standard practice must be in consonance with the World Customs Organisation (WCO), the United Nation Trade and Development (UNICTAD) and the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

“For Nigeria to fully exploit the benefits of its strategic placement and its ambition to be the maritime hub of the sub-region, our trade laws, especially as they relate to NCS operations must be made very simple and harmonised, with that of other Customs organisations of the sub region,” he said.

Speaking on the issue of overtime cargo, he highlighted that the national assembly has a duty of transforming over time cargo task into a transparent Public Auction System (PAS); separate the board chairman from the supervising minister as is the case with other parastals under the Ministry of Finance (MOF) as well as make NCS operations to become more proactive. He frowned on what he described as undue emphasis on revenue generation by the Customs service and advised that it was trade liberalisation that should be prioritised.

CEMA did not undergo any major review for over half a century. This attempt represents a collective resolve to update our laws and realign its provisions with modern realities.

Most importantly, we need to take a second look at the provisions for sanctions that are neither punitive nor deterrent enough to promote compliance

“Emphasis all over the world is on trade facilitation, liberalisation, economic integration and globalisation of markets rather than revenue generation which the CEMA stoutly promotes, “he added. He charged the board of customs to carry out a holistic review and update of all customs notices, tariff, codes and books of instructions on imports and exports and harmonise them in line with global best practices.

CEMA Dead on Arrival Meanwhile, the draft bill seeking to amend the CEMA may die a premature death on arrival at the floor of the national assembly as key stakeholders in the maritime industry unanimously kicked against Section 5 of the draft bill which suggests that the Comptroller General of Customs be made Chairman of the Board of Customs.

This, they argued, is against the previous provision which gives the position to the Minister of Finance. Those who kicked against Customs Controller General chairing the board at a stakeholders meeting in Lagos included: the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) led by its president, Mr. Frank Jacobs Udemba, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) represented by Mr. Momoh Alhassan; the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) represented by Mrs. Julie Ogboru and Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) led by Mr. Olayiwola Shittu. Others are: the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMARTO) as well as many private organisations and individuals.

CGC Seeks Stakeholders’ Support Speaking at the stakeholders meeting in Lagos, Comptroller-General of customs, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd.), urged stakeholders to consider national interest in their inputs to the review of the CEMA. The CGC said that the review was necessary and overdue to enable the NCS to meet up with modern Customs administration under a template provided by the world customs organisation. Ali said that consulting stakeholders were strong pillars for any modern Customs administration, adding that, “Customs legal

framework defines who Customs is, what it does and how or who the laws relate with.

Over the years, both Customs and stakeholders have clamoured for a review of our enabling law which was first enacted in 1958.”

He added: “CEMA did not undergo any major review for over half a century. This attempt represents a collective resolve to update our laws and realign its provisions with modern realities. Most importantly, we need to take a second look at the provisions for sanctions that are neither punitive nor deterrent enough to promote compliance.”

He explained that the review of the CEMA was originally initiated by the last administration of Customs, adding that they could not get Presidential assent after undergoing the legislative processes. Ali said that review process by the last administration therefore lapsed, adding that, “the present administration is back at the starting blocks again to review the CEMA law.”

The comptroller-general urged government agencies and stakeholders to always access customs trade hub for any information relating to any consignment coming into the country, without visiting any Customs office.

Customs Modernisation The Legal Adviser to the NCS, Mr. Paul Ikhenoba, who is also the Chairman of the Review Committee, said that the review was fundamental to Customs modernisation efforts, which was a sound legal structure in line with international norms and best practices.

“The CEMA law was enacted in 1958 and the initial gap analysis of the Act was conducted in 2009 which discovered that the law was lacking, with the respect to the WCO Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC). The law does not contain provisions to support the use of modern information technology (IT), such as use of electronic documents, signatures and payments as well as application of risk management, post clearance audit and special, simplified procedures for qualified readers.

“The penalty structure of CEMA is also severely outdated to the point where it may be more affordable for less ethical traders to break the law, “ Ikhenoba stated. He added CONTINUED ON PAGE 39

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016

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BUSINESSWORLD

TRANSPORT

Breathalyzers: Enthroning Safer Road Culture in Nigeria As the countdown to the ember months begin, Chika Amanze-Nwachuku underscores the need for enforcement of the use of Breathalyzers, a transportable hand-held device endorsed by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria and the National Automotive Design and Development Council that detects when a driver exceeds the legal drinking limit

L-R: Lagos Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Commission, Hyginius Omeje; Chief Executive Officer, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Peter Ndegwa; and Corporate Relations Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Sesan Sobowale; during the flag-off of the ember months campaign and donation of Breathalyzers by Guinness Nigeria to the FRSC …recently

The ember months are the last four months in the calendar year. They are the months of September, October, November and December.

The ember months are characterised by high social and economic activities. During this period, there are heavy vehicular movements on the roads due to high market rush for business men and women. This informed why the period records highest incidents of vehicular accidents.

The countdown to the end of 2016 has begun in earnest, heralding the end of another eventful year for Nigeria. For obvious reasons, the economy dominated public discourse as the country battled the aftermath of dipping revenue occasioned by plummeting global oil prices.

Every facet of life was impacted as a result.

Nonetheless, typical of the year-end, activities are expected to heighten, hitting a crescendo in December when the festive season takes full hold. At this time, economic worries seem to become of secondary concern as weddings, parties, child naming, house warming, cultural festivals and other social engagements dominate the scene. In its wake, people will log thousands of kilometers crisscrossing the country to seek well-deserved rest in villages and semi-urban areas, with the attendant reunions and festivities that the season presents.

Whether personnel of the Federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC) get a break during the ‘ember months’, as the months leading to the festive end of the year are popularly called, is debatable. The ember months have a history of recording disproportionately high rate of road traffic accidents in Nigeria, wreaking colossal havoc on individuals and the nation. According to available records, over 1.2 million lives are lost globally on an annual basis due to road traffic injuries, apart from the huge impact on health and economic development. A study jointly conducted by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the World Bank and Harvard University predicted that road crashes would become the third leading cause of death and disability by 2020. Nigeria was credited with having the second highest rate of road accidents among 193 countries, according to another study. The FRSC, in a six-month study, stated that an estimated 1,000 people died in road accidents, with 65 percent of these resulting from over-speeding.

Such dire statistics have consistently given the nation’s road managers sleepless nights over years. With another season just around the corner again, FRSC’s Corps Marshal, Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, and his team are already marshalling strategies to deal with contingencies during the period.

Speed Limiters One initiative that is expected to go into effect very soon is the use of the speed limiter. The device, adopted after a rigorous process that included input by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), the National Automotive Design and Development Council and promulgation into law, determines how fast a vehicle can move. As soon as the preprogrammed speed limit is reached, the in-built computer system curbs the flow of air and fuel into the engine, forcing the vehicle to eventually come to a halt. According to Oyeyemi, enforcement of the speed limiters on commercial vehicles will commence nationwide on October1, 201 6. The approach, he said, would be total and hardnosed, while appealing to all road users to observe all traffic rules while driving.

Breathalyzers to the Rescue Another initiative, which enforcement will be intensified during the ember months is the use of Breathalyzers, a transportable hand-held device that determines the quantity of alcohol in a person. It was launched in Nigeria last year. Because Breathalyzers appraise the Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) through breathing, they help to detect when a driver has exceeded the legal drinking limit, a condition that is inimical to safety on roads. In Nigeria, the legal alcohol limit is 0.05 percent, but hardly do drivers conform to the limit because there is deliberate revulsion at being seen as drunk.

Others also feel that alcohol intake does not affect their mental wellbeing and capacity to drive safely.

Last year, brewing giant, Guinness Nigeria Plc, donated Breathalyzers to FRSC as part of its responsible drinking initiative, a project it had over the years undertook in collaboration with the road safety agency. At the formal donation in Lagos, Peter Ndegwa, Chief Executive Officer, Guinness Nigeria, said the company, a subsidiary of Diageo Plc, takes the issue of responsible alcohol consumption seriously and would do everything necessary to enlighten the public on the imperative of responsible drinking. “At Guinness Nigeria, we believe that our position as a market leader places a significant responsibility on us to raise awareness about the importance of consuming alcohol responsibly,” Ndegwa said.

Referring to the firm’s annual ember months campaign, Ndegwa stated, “We are passionately committed to responsible drinking and enlightening the public about the value of responsible alcohol consumption, especially

during the festive period. We are eager to create increased awareness to ensure that Nigerians have an incident-free experience. Working in tandem with our various stakeholders on our responsible drinking initiatives, we have found a worthy partner in the FRSC, with whom on an annual basis we have carried out this Ember Months campaign.”

In a passionate appeal, Ndegwa reiterated to everyone, be they consumers, motorists and the general public that drinking and driving do not mix: “When you drink, don’t drive. When you go out in a group to have fun, designate someone to drive and that person should not drink. If you are going out alone, arrange for a taxi to take you home after you have had some drink. Whatever you do this season, don’t drink and drive”.

The Guinness chief disclosed that more employees of the company are being encouraged to join the FRSC Special Marshals in order to support efforts aimed at road safety in the country, adding that “these inspiring Guinness Nigeria employees are an embodiment of what the organization and especially this partnership is all about – service for the greater good.”

“Don’t Drink and Drive” Campaign Other initiatives aimed at demonstrating the company’s commitment to the promotion of responsible consumption of alcohol, include the various Responsible Drinking programmes, such as the “Don’t Drink and Drive” campaign; an alcohol education programme targeted at commercial drivers to engender attitudinal and behavioural change; DRINKIQ, an alcohol education platform that engages stakeholders to make responsible choices about drinking and the Age Verification Initiative, which ensures that alcohol is not sold to minors or persons under the legal purchase age thereby reducing the harmful effects of underage drinking.

The Corporate Relations Director, Guinness Nigeria, Sesan Sobowale stated: “We are proud of the approach we have taken, over decades, to promote responsible alcohol consumption and help tackle harmful drinking. As part of our ambition to be leaders in addressing alcohol in society, we have set ourselves goals beyond our industry-wide commitments in our 2020 Sustainability and Responsibility targets for alcohol.”

On his part, the Lagos Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Commission, Mr. Hyginius Omeje, noted that through diligent enforcement, the Breathalyzers have helped in stemming carnage on Nigerian roads. He

urged motorists to avoid driving under the influence of alcohol as well as obey traffic laws and regulations.

“Before now, all we had done in terms of enforcement have been based on sobriety tests which can’t be used to prosecute offenders successfully. However, with the kind donation of Breathalyzers by Guinness Nigeria, we have been able to prosecute some drivers. And when we prosecute, one, two, five, ten drivers successfully, you discover that the news will spread very fast and produce the behavioural change which this awareness campaign is expected to usher in,”Omeje noted.

Besides damage to themselves or others, studies have shown that excessive drinking causes other side effects such as low productivity, absenteeism, anxiety, weakness and accidents at workplaces and roads, factors that make the Breathalyzer a very important tool to keep a safe and productive environment for everyone. An often understated benefit of using Breathalyzers is that it is a non-invasive way of detecting excessive alcohol usage. In essence, because the consumer enjoys the liberty of using Breathalyzers personally, as they are within reach, individuals can preexamine themselves to determine the level of alcohol in their blood. Whether at home, school, workplace and road, Breathalyzers provide an easy, quick, and reliable technology for alcohol testing and keeping the roads safe both as a law enforcement tool and a safety precautionary mechanism.

Guinness Nigeria’s partnership with the FRSC on road safety began about twelve years ago following the declaration of 2004 as the International Road Safety Year by the United Nations. In that year, both organizations jointly carried out the opening event of the International Road Safety Year in Nigeria and conducted various awareness programmes on drink-driving. Since then, the relationship has blossomed and translated to the yearly “Ember Months” campaigns during which motoring members of the public are educated on the dangers of drink-driving, especially during the last four months of the year (the “Ember Months”) when celebrations, festivities and human and vehicular traffic tend to be at their peak.

With the availability of the Breathalyzers and their portability, it is projected that the high death rate on Nigerian roads will be significantly minimized, while curbing the amount of money spent on hospital bills as well as the pain it inflicts on individuals, families and the nation.

WEEKEND WEEKLY PULLOUT

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Acting Features Editor: Charles Ajunwa Email: charles.ajunwa@thisdaylive.com

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TANKOLOWISKA: BACK TO CONQUER THE MUSIC SCENE ACTING EDITOR CHARLES AJUNWA / charles.ajunwa@thisdaylive.com

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26.08.2016

Tankolowiska: Back to Conquer the Music Scene He goes by a peculiar stage name, Tankolowiska, but was born Ishola Olayink. He is a talented artiste from the ancient city of Ibadan, Oyo State. He entered the music scene in 2011. Undeterred by the hard-hitting competition in the music industry, Tankolowiska continued to pursue his passion even while he pursued his studies abroad. He spoke with Mary Ekah about his latest single 'Bolaji' and plans to conquer the music scene in Nigeria and the world Tankolowiska sounds out of this world. How did you come about that name?

Tankolowiska, is name I got from my friends and love ones who believe that I am a strong guy.

These were friends who were always around me and went about with me. So I grew to like it and stick to the name.

Now tell us about your journey into the music scene?

I discovered music in 2011, then I just liked going to the recording studio and mingled with friends and from there I got encouraged by a friend that I could do music and from there I started developing interest in music even though I had this passion for music from my childhood. And before then, I used to drum for a church while my late father was a Muslim but that didn’t stop me from what I liked and that was how I continued pursuing my passion till I dropped my first single, ‘Ibadie Nsoro’.

What kind of music do you play and how many tracks have you done so far?

I play Afro-pop and I also rap but I have not got an album yet because I have been struggling all alone to push myself all this while. So it has been tough coming out with a full album just like that. So I have been doing it bit by bit, releasing one track after the other. But now I am back to Nigeria right now with a determination to conquer the music scene, hoping to produce my first album soon.

Where were you before now?

I have stayed in Malaysia for a while studying at the Nilai University College, Malaysia. I studied Business Administration. After graduation, I continued with my music. Right now, I have a studio in Malaysia where I always produce my music and I also have my record label too. There have been great challenges all along but I am not daunted because I believe I have so much to do in this industry. I have done my single, ‘Titilailai’ and then collaborated with Olamide for my hit track ‘Bass line’ and then ‘Ibadie Nsoro’ and now the latest, ‘Bolaji’ which I just dropped. As the name suggests, Bolaji is my way of preaching humility.

‘Bolaji’ in Yoruba means to ‘wake with wealth’ and trust me, everybody wants to wake up with wealth.

The song basically passes a message about treating people with respect without knowing their status.

Gospel on De Beatz produced it. And very soon, I hope to drop an album for my numerous fans but first; I will wait for the response for the video on Bolaji that I just released. The title I propose for the album should be ‘Believe’ because it has been a very long journey and if I didn’t believe in myself, I couldn’t have gotten to this stage. Right now, I have done like over 10 tracks of songs because I believed I could make it big.

What inspires your songs?

My personal experiences, happenings around, life challenges and love have inspired my music.

How was growing up?

I was born Ishola Olayinka, at the University College Hospital, Ibadan in 1985. I attended my primary and secondary school in Ibadan, Oyo State and later attended Lead City University before I finally moved abroad to study Business Administration at Nilai University College, Malaysia.

Now that you are back and fully into music, what has been your parents’ reaction?

I think I got their full support. I got support from a lot of people who believe in my dreams and who are ready to support me. My mother especially is always there for me because I lost my father when I was still a child. And then my friends gave me so much support too. In fact, a lot of people supported me because they see the passion in me and they believe that I can do it. Music is my passion and they all know that.

If you were not doing music what else would you have done?

I have a lot of talents because I take out time to learn a lot of things and right now, I am a graphic designer. I am always trying to do different things, so I believe that if I didn’t do music nor get into any business, I will do so many other things like being an inspirational speaker and all that. It wasn’t actually on my mind to do music, even though I had a passion for it right from childhood but while going around and around, I got so inspired and so I learned the skills. But being in music, I would say is not a mistake anyway.

Are you single?

I am single and ready to mingle but not in a rush.

I am being careful now because I have learnt my lessons. It’s not easy when you talk about love. Love is a very strong word for me and so I am being very careful with whom I chose to share my love with.

You are a new comer in the music industry and you know quite well that there are lots of good talents out there. How do you hope to survive?

No one intimidates me because I will always be me and I believe the future is bright for me and as long as I don’t stop but keep looking forward, I will make it. I put everything in God’s hand while I do my best and leave the rest to God.

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26.08.2016

Summit to Address Yoruba Unity Approaches Raheem Akingbolu Worried by lack of unity among the Yorubas, a pressure group, Egbe Omo Yoruba in the North America, has concluded arrangement to hold The World Yoruba Summit in Ibadan to sensitise the Yoruba nation on the need to have a united force. The group has also identified the need for economic empowerment of the youths as the leaders of tomorrow and a vital component of the repositioning plan. The summit is slated for University of Ibadan between October 17 and 22 with the theme, ‘Yoruba Renaissance: Understanding Our Past For A Better Future’.

President of the organisation, Agbaakin Bolu Omodele during a press briefing in Lagos said the association, founded as a result of the unexpected annulment of the June 12 election in 1993, decided to organise the summit to promote Yoruba unity and empower the youths.

Omodele, who expressed concern over the lackadaisical attitude of Yoruba leaders toward issues of general interest and their unbridled concern for financial gain, however pointed out that there are some Yoruba leaders, who are equally concerned about lack of unity among the Yorubas and have strived very well to arrest the situation. The president pointed out that Egbe Omo Yoruba is convinced that a big platform like the proposed Ibadan summit will help leaders of thoughts in Yoruba land to reason together and identify challenges facing the people and how to chart a new path for the development of the nation.

Chinedu Eze

Yoruba Summit gets royal blessings of Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi

“Twenty-three years after we established the association with record of involvements in some national discourse, we have decided to move in at this critical period of our country to address issues related to unity. We have not had any meeting in Nigeria since then, that is why we are convening a world summit of all Yorubas in October in Ibadan. I stand to be corrected but the truth is that we have discovered over time that the Yorubas are not as united as our counterpart from the Northern part of the country. It appears that our leaders are more concerned about personal gain in the power

game. We members of Egbe Omo Yoruba in North America now think there is urgent need for us to bring our people together to talk about our unity; our culture and those inherent values deposited in us by almighty God that will help us speak with one voice. We believe the best thing to do is to allow our collective interest to override our individual interest,” he said.

Earlier, a former president of the association, Agbaakin Adeola Odusanya, had appreciated the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, who he said has been campaigning for unity since he

assumed office. He also appreciated former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who during a visit to the U.S. advised members of the association to come to the country and galvanise their people on the need to have a united force.

To make the impact of the summit to cut across, Agbaakin Adeola stated that the group had reached out to the Yorubas in Cuba, Brazil, Republic of Benin and other places to join hands with them and assemble for the summit. He also added that the leadership of the association has been moving round to meet traditional rulers, leaders of thought and top government functionaries in the South-west to impress them on the importance of buying into the summit.

Speaking on measures being put in place to make sure the summit is not hijacked by any politician or political party for selfish interest, the Publicity Secretary of the association, Mrs. Sola Yusuf-Aiwinnilomo, said the funding of the summit is restricted to members’ donation and support from individuals, who share their dream. The Publicity Secretary said the summit would also create a forum for workshop on empowerment, adding, “We want to use the workshop to galvanise the youths to be agents of change. We want our people to support federal government move on job creation and economic diversification.” She also disclosed further that the World Yoruba Summit has received the royal blessings of Ooni of Ife and other traditional rulers in Yoruba land, including the monarch of Ile-Oluji, in Ondo State, who has given the organisation some hectares of land for agricultural purposes.

Firm Provides Travellers Home Away from Home

In recent times there have been security issues concerning travellers who arrive at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos and are robbed on their way to hotels. To curb such incidents, a firm came up with an idea to fill a niche whereby travellers will live in a home with all the appurtenances of living in their own home. So tucked in at the back of the airport is Homes Rez, a facility made up of apartment suites. The facility is reminiscent of the well-known apartment suites in tourism-oriented places like The Gambia, Johannesburg, Cairo, Sharm el sheik and other well-known tourism destinations.

Homes Rez is strategically located few kilometres away from the local and International wings of the Murtala Muhammed Airports in Lagos.

The apartment ranges from three bedrooms, two bedrooms and other facility inclusive to suit all classes of people, including families, friends, associates and relatives amongst others. With its secured environment, the facility is built to reduce pressure on people who have to drive long distances the from Lagos airports to the

Homes Rez,

Island and far areas in Lagos.

The Manager, Homes Rez, Akinfolurin Sanmi explained that most of the facility apartments in Lagos are under one-year or two-year tenancy but what makes Homes Rez different is that

people can pay for one week or one month, depending on how long they are willing to stay.

“Our market centres on the corporate organisations and individuals who come from outside the country and individuals within the country

and people seeking to have holidays or summer outside their house,” Sanmi said. He disclosed that so far the management of Homes Rez has received good responses, and they anticipate the challenge of satisfying numerous customers who would come back after using the facility.

On power generation, the manager said that in a bid to cut cost, each apartment would have its own generating set, which would be powered with gas to avoid pollution.

“In as much as we are profit-oriented, we have taken into consideration all the rationales and all basic things necessary but our first obligation is to provide a satisfactory service at an affordable rate of N30, 000 for each night,” he disclosed.

Homes Rez has the facilities where customers can book online, taxi services to take people wherever they wants to go at an affordable rate. They also have pick up cars to the airport whereby once their client finishes with immigration and comes out of the airport terminal they will pick him to the facility, thus insulating him from the vagaries of uncertainties on the way. “We are in Nigeria and at a strategic location to provide a one-stop facility apartment for all and sundry and will not be exposed to carbon polluted environment or security hazards,” Sanmi said.

Aiki Holds Coding, Entrepreneurship Training for Professionals

Funmi Iyanda to Host #HowToFixNigeria at Africa Utopia Festival

As part of its vision to get one million fingers coding by 2017, Aiki Nigeria stepped up its training on coding and entrepreneurship with a master class which took place last weekend at the Microsoft office in Lagos. Aiki Nigeria and its development partners have, since inception, reached over 60,000 youth in training and mentorship sessions (online and offline) such as entrepreneurship, basic ICT, human resources and more. The online portal, which aggregates opportunities and provides mentorship, maintains high-level partnerships with international e-learning platforms like Allison, Udemy, and Jobberman.

Technology has played a role in raising income and driving employment opportunities in developing countries, and there is a huge demand for IT programmers in a rapidly growing economy.

“In line with Microsoft’s mission to empower every person and every organisation on the planet to achieve more, Microsoft aims to enable entrepreneurs take ideas to market by providing the right tools and mentorship,” said Sola Amusan, Philanthropies Lead, Microsoft Nigeria. “In our journey to create a sustainable ecosystem of cloud driven SMEs, we are making a long-term commitment to seeing youth-owned companies using technology to do business better, scale more quickly, create value,

Nigerian broadcast queen, Funmi Iyanda, will hold a special edition of her panel series tagged #HowToFixNigeria at the Africa Utopia Festival on Wednesday, Augustm 31. The series is organised by the award-winning broadcaster's Oya Media in collaboration with the Royal African Society as part of the Africa Utopia Festival and will hold at The Clore Ballroom, Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London.

The Africa Utopia Festival was conceived by Jude Kelly, artistic director at the Southbank Centre and Senegalese singer Baaba Maal. It was launched in 2012, as part of the Southbank Centre’s cultural and artistic response to the 2012 London Olympics. With a focus on gender inequality in Nigeria, the series features a brilliant set of panelists that includes women's rights and social development advocate, Fatimah Kelleher, Technical Adviser, Women’s Protection and Empowerment- Europe, Asia, Caucaus and Middle East (International Rescue Committee), Dorcas Erskine and Nigerian novelist, satirist, writer and lawyer, Elnathan John.

Moderated by Funmi Iyanda, the event will focus on gender inequality in Nigeria, and look at the ways in which women and men are fighting sexism and patriarchal oppression.

Aiki trainning participants in a group picture with Olusola Amusan of Microsoft Nigeria and Bukonla Adebakin of The Future Project

and grow the economy.”

The 'Code2Earn' workshop has gone across several states in Nigeria up skilling and developing youth.

Sponsored by Microsoft and The Future Project, some of the course participants learnt were: Mobile App Development for Business, Mobile Store Management, Mobile Marketing, Introduction to Microsoft 365 amongst others.

Aiki Nigeria is a national platform for youth in Nigeria to access relevant services for employability and entrepreneurship, including career planning, online courses, support for entrepreneurs, open job vacancies and information about relevant on-the ground activities and youth centres.

Funmi Iyanda

On the focus of the event, Funmi Iyanda who recently signed a management deal with Temple Management Company explains: “It seeks to address the underlying causes patriarchy in Nigeria, the costs to nation building, prosperity and happiness of the populace and ways of dismantling structures of patriarchy in ways true to Nigeria.” The series was conceived to bring together a broad range of speakers to discuss practical solutions to Nigeria’s contemporary challenges – and to definitively explore ‘How to Fix Nigeria’.

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26.08.2016

Enhance Your Lifestyle with LG Signature Mary Ekah Electronics giant, LG Electronics has taken upon itself to ensure that consumers get value for their money by producing life changing innovative technologies that will help consumers live a better life. Not only are tools changing, so are lifestyle processes as a result of new technologies such as mobile phone; sound systems; washing machines; cloud computing and wearable.

The evolution of technology has reached a point where anything is available at the touch of a button. Shopping, learning, working and entertainment can all be accessed from the comfort of our homes. But it comes at a cost; and a relatively crucial one at that is health. Obviously technology changes lifestyle.

Specifically, LG Electronics has focused more attention in designing products that will help consumers solve their basic needs as well as boost their productivity thereby leading to longevity. Even if some consumers claim to have nothing to do with technology, they will still strongly be influenced one way or the other by the trends that emerge from it.

The desire for appliances that will help consumers display their status in the society is what has got many thrilled about the LG Signature collection. This new line of premium appliances brings about advance intuitive technology into the home, with an embellished feel that allows the collection to fuse effortlessly into the environment.

These innovations will no doubt signal a

LG Tv

LG Twin Wash

paradigm s h i f t from the way and manner consumers initially feel about what technology can really do for them in their respective homes.

Head of Corporate Marketing, LG Electronics West Africa operations,

Mr. Rajesh Agnihotri said: “We are making names for ourselves as a frontline maker of lifestyle intuited technological products; LG no doubt has carved a niche for itself as a pacesetter of innovative technologies.”

LG washing machines have overtime proven to be unparalleled when it comes to performance and value. Its expanded washing machine range is specifically designed for simple living. Today, consumers have come to expect more from household appliances in terms of innovation, design and performance; LG continually delivers products that guarantee safety, reliability and durability adding to the credibility of the brand.

There is a new tendency consumers are drifting towards products that not only satisfy them but have reasonable years of warranty just like the Inverter Direct Drive motors in an LG Centum washing machine with a 20-year warranty which by far higher than the industry standard.

Its durability will no doubt draw attention to it at the world's leading trade show for consumer electronics and home appliances, IFA 2016 in Berlin. At IFA 2016, innovation will meet lifestyle as LG Signature designed to offer premium living would be showcased for its consumers to experience the important features developed to meet their tastes and needs.

RCCG Lifts Police with N2.5m Facilities The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Lagos Province 23, Prince of Peace Area 25 has raised its corporate social responsibility initiative in Lagos with its donation of a brand new block of offices, new concrete cell with detainees private toilet, a borehole and repainting the Langbasa Police Station Badore, Ajah, in Eti-Osa Local Government, Lagos.

The renovation of the 57-year-old Police Station, which gulped over N2.5 million, is a follow up to the church’s February 2015 donation of N2.2 million storm-water drainage system in the area as a response to the outcry of the community, which had long suffered uncontrolled flooding with associated health and environmental consequences.

Describing the project as another landmark CSR project of the church, the General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adeboye said the church would continue to use its CSR as a tool of helping mankind.

Adeboye, represented by his Special Assistant (Missions), Pastor Brown Oyitso, listed the CSR objectives of the church to include promoting good corporate governance in the neighborhood of the

L-R: Divisional Police Officer, Langbasa Division, CSP Joy Agulanna; Asst. Pastor, Lagos Province 23 (CSR), The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Ade Omokorede, Pastor, Prince of Peace Area 25, Pastor Folusho Koku; Special Assistant to the General Overseer, Pastor Brown Oyitso, and Area Commander, Area J Elemoro, ACP Kayode Samuel, during the event.

local church, complementing government efforts towards employment generation, evangelism, enhancing church growth especially among the youth, promoting RCCG community relationship and development. The Pastor-In-Charge of Prince of Peace Area 25, Lagos Province

23, Folusho Koku, said the church’s latest efforts entailed the remodeling and reconstruction of the Langbasa Police office project that was initially designed for an office and car park to a modern block of three offices with conveniences in each office.

Blue Ocean Technical Services Showcases Innovative Products Blue Ocean Technical Services recently showcased a wide range of innovative products at its 2016 seminar and exhibition titled, ‘A Smart Technology Partner to Nigeria’. The event, which had in attendance Managing Directors and CEOs of architectural and construction companies, was aimed at ensuring that experts experience the latest line-up of products currently available in the Nigerian market.

Products on display include, hotel TVs, commercial air conditioners, closed circuit camera TVs, network monitors, LED solar panels, commercial displays and water treatment plants.

The exhibition also had partners of Blue Ocean including; LG Electronics, System Air, Armacell, Thermax and Armstrong Group of Companies on ground to showcase and reveal how world class products believed to be only available in foreign countries were now readily available in the country. The ongoing quest for energy-saving products by consumers was further met during the exhibition, as low-energy consuming products were top on the list of display.

L-R: Commercial Air conditioning Sales Manager, LG Electronics Nigeria, Mr. Saheed Adeyemi; Managing Director, Blue Ocean Group, Mr. Anupam Ghosal; Commercial Air conditioning Product Manager, LG Electronics Nigeria,Mr. Se Jin Im and Commercial Air conditioning Technical Manager, LG Electronics

Speaking at the event, the Managing Director, Blue Ocean Nigeria Limited, Mr. Anupam Ghosal, said, “This is the best time to introduce to the Nigerian market world class products with global standards aimed at ensuring success in business is achieved.”

Visitors to the exhibition stand were taken aback with the modern technological products, which they claimed would ensure technological barriers facing most businesses would be solved through the modern technological products both brands have introduced.

93 Days: The Battle, The Struggle, And The Triumph

93 Days Cast, Bimbo Akintola

93 Days has been labeled as one of the strongest movies to come out of the shores of Nigeria. The movie details the true-life story of the Ebola epidemic in Nigeria, which had the entire nation on its knees.

The Ebola Virus found its way to Nigeria when American-Liberian, Patrick Sawyer (played by Keppy Ekpeyong Bassey) collapsed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos and was rushed to First Consultant Hospital for showing symptoms of Malaria.

After careful observation, the team at First Consultant Hospital led by Dr. Ameyo Adadevoh (played by Bimbo Akintola) believed Sawyer’s illness was more serious than just fever and not long enough; he was diagnosed with the Ebola Virus Disease. Then, the fight began on how to control the spread of the life-threatening virus that could result into a major catastrophe.

The movie selected to screen at Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) 2016 was directed by award-winning movie director, Steve Gukas and features Hollywood actor, Danny Glover, Tim Reid including TIFF rising star, Somkele Iyamah Idhalama, Alastair Mackenzie, Bimbo Akintola, Keppy Ekpeyong Bassey, Bimbo Manuel, Charles Okafor, Tina Mba, Gideon Okeke, Paul Adams, Francis Onwochei amongst others. “93 Days is a masterfully crafted incredible story of bravery and sacrifice and is definitely a must see. It showcases the best of Nigeria; it’s powerful, gripping and an emotive piece. I am proud of it,” said Bolanle Austen Peters, Producer, 93 Days.

The movie details defeat, triumph, heroism and a country’s determination to protect its people. With the expertise of talented producers, cast and crew, Nigeria tells its own story through film. Produced by Steve Gukas, Pemon Rami, Bolanle Austen-Peters and Dotun Olakunri, 93 Days will be showing in cinemas nationwide from September 16.

Hallmarks of Labour Foundation Holds Scholarship Exam Peter Uzoho Hallmarks of Labour Foundation will hold its eight annual scholarship examination this weekend. According the management, the examination will hold on Saturday, 27 August at the main hall of Hussey College, in Warri, Delta State, at 11 am prompt. Over two hundred candidates are expected to participate in this years’ examination.

Hallmarks of Labour Foundation is a non-governmental, on-profit Organisation established in the year 1996 to play a positive role in the promotion of honesty, hard work, and integrity through character emulation.

Amongst the Foundation’s activity is the Hallmarks of Labour Foundation Scholarship Scheme (HLFSS), set up in 2008, to assemble, nurture and groom tomorrow’s leaders, as part of its contributions to human capital development, for societal progress.

Over 180 students from Delta and Lagos states have so far benefitted from the Foundation’s secondary and tertiary School scholarship scheme. The scholarship scheme is available to only students duly enrolled in government secondary schools.

Since 2012, the Foundation has further extended its focus to talent discovery among young Nigerians and target group is those within the age bracket of 7 to 26 years, who possess and portray exceptional creative abilities in any field of human endeavour, including academics, arts, science and technology, and sports.

The project is aimed at; mentor the beneficiaries and provide them with platforms to realize their potentials; promote the development of leadership skills; and to nurture confidence in youths and position them well to lead the change for a greater Nigeria.

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NMRC: Creating Possibilities for Affordable Housing Mary Ekah In a bid to tackle the housing problem in Nigeria and Africa at large as well as proffer attainable solutions to issues that have to do with housing in the continent, a blossoming Nigerian mortgage finance house by the name, Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Company (NMRC) is bringing to Nigeria for the first time, the African Union of Housing Finance Conference and Annual General Meeting.

The conference being the 32nd, the Chief Executive Officer, NMRC, Prof. Charles Inyangete said, “will bring together key stakeholders in the whole realm of housing and housing finance in Nigeria and Africa.”

Holding at the PTDF Centre, Abuja from September 14 to 16, the conference will focus on the challenges in the housing sector in the continent as well as come up with solutions to deal with the huge housing deficits the continent is presently struggling with.

Incorporated on June 24, 2013 as a public limited liability company registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and regulated by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as a non-deposit taking financial institution with the core activity of refinancing mortgages, NMRC was set up to bridge the funding cost of residential mortgages and promote the availability as well as the affordability of good housing to Nigerians by providing increased liquidity

Godbless Eduviere In order to develop a generation of sound minds, well-articulated individuals and purposeful leaders towards attainment of socio cultural and economic development through music-theory and practice, Classical Showcase Limited (CSL) recently unveiled its official logo at a Fund Raising Dinner tagged, ‘Campus Classical’.

Campus Classical is an all Nigerian Universities Classical Music Festival aimed at challenging university authorities to enhance the academic development of their students through intensive music training. It’s the first festival of its kind wherein students of all Nigerian universities come together on one platform to showcase musical talent.

However, the objectives of CSL is to harness the talents of students, and bring participants to national and international limelight thereby creating attraction for tourists and at same time, expose students to practical classical music beyond their immediate learning environment as they will interface with their counterparts from other

NMRC … For affordable housing

in the mortgage market through the mortgage and commercial banks.

“The idea is basically to provide money for mortgage banks who in turn provide money at low rate and convenient terms for Nigerians to build houses. The idea basically is to create sustainable housing for Nigerians,” Inyangete noted.

Throwing more light on the forthcoming international conference to be hosted by NMRC, the Executive Director, Corporate Strategy and Partnership of the company, Mrs. Chika Akporji said, “NMRC is hosting a major international

conference come September 14-16 in Abuja. It is the 32nd African Union of Housing Finance Conference and Annual General Meeting (AGM).

This is an event that holds every year in major cities around Africa. African Union of Housing Finance is a member-based organisation of housing and housing finance experts under the framework of the African Union coming together to deliberate on issues on housing as the key sector in any nation’s economy. They deliberate on how the housing sector is performing in their respective economy and how to

unlock the potentials of the sector, so that it can contribute more meaningfully to job creation, wealth creation and to the overall economic growth of these economies.”

Speaking further, she said, “NMRC is very excited and honoured to be given the rare privilege to host this year’s edition of the African Union of Housing Finance conference in Nigeria. We are a relatively young organisation but at least, the little impact we have made so far is enough recognition that this is a serious enough organisation to work with and to ultimately host 32nd edition of the conference in Nigeria. So we are very proud of this particular honour.”

Akporji who revealed that the theme for this year’s conference is, ‘Housing, an African Growth Agenda’, noted that the conference will benefit Nigerians immensely. Experts in housing finance from across the continent are expected to deliver speeches during the conference, one of such keynote speakers will be Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, who will be using the opportunity of the conference to present his blueprint for the housing sector in Nigeria, presenting not only to a national audience but also to an international audience.

“It is also an opportunity for key stakeholders in housing sector in Nigeria to present what they are doing, seek feedback, get input and then are able to plan better for execution of the various housing programmes they have”, Akporji added.

Classical Showcase Unveils Logo

L-R MD/CEO, Campus Classical, Mr. Sylvester Obriko; Chairman, CSL, Sir Stanley Amuchie; Dr. Amos Akingba and

institutions.

The chairman of the occasion, Dr. Amos Akingba, in his opening remark stated that Nigeria is a ‘Nation of Nations’ and the best way of blending us is through general musicals,

including classical musicals.

The chairman of Classical Showcase Limited (CSL), Sir Stanley Amuchie, appreciated guests for creating time to be part of history, saying, “We want to take classical music beyond what

is it in this country, to make sure that people begin to appreciate it and by so doing, we are going to create jobs, and people with very descent mind because you cannot divorce music from intelligent and learning. We are here to raise funds because we are taking it to the campuses. We are already talking it to some schools to participate and that’s the best way to showcase this programme,” he added. The MD and CEO of CSL, Mr. Sylvester Obriko, disclosed that Classical Music is the elevation of the same music of ordinary music to intellectual height not only for entertainment but also for higher purposes which includes character building, moral furtherance, intellectuals sharpening, civic health, entrepreneurship and job creation and other economic values to the society of which contributes to youth development. “It is a noble programme designed to engage Nigerian youths positively. Apart from its educational values, it will also help our young graduates and undergraduates to earn a living engaging in their passion.”

Crystal FC Clinches Abesan Cup Title As Doregos promises more supports Crystal FC of Ijesha-tedo has won this year’s Abesan cup final after a 3-0 victory over Golden Boys of Aboru decided at Keda Field, Abesan Estate, Ipaja. Ifeanyi Isinauzoro brace in each half and Emmanuel Onoja strike gave the debutant their first Abesan cup title in front of a sell out crowd.

They are the third team after Larry FC and Onigando football academy to win the cup in their first attempt. Coach Ifeoluwa Idowu was full of encomium for his opponent despite his team victory. His counterpart, Oluwaseyi Olajide commended the organisers for providing the platform for grassroots players to exhibit their skills. The third place match between last year’s finalist Rozie and Junior United of Ijegun ended 4-2 in favour of Rozie. Alaba Olalere of Junior United clinched the highest goal scorer award with six goals in six matches. The top three got prize money and medals. Grand Patron of

the event, Mrs. Clementina Doregos who was represented by Adebisi Adebulugbe, assured participating teams of her commitment towards youth development through sponsorship of the yearly event. The colourful event also witnessed the investiture of Moruf Bello, Ayo Igbokoyi and Elder Mike Eweje as patrons of the competition. The event was supported by Saint Barnadette Educational services, Viejo industries, CWAY Group, Nigerian Breweries, Nutri- C, First Registrars and investors’ services, Brand Vision, Tastytime and Nestle plc.

Coordinator, Tayo Adeyemo, CEO of Wonderland entertainment revealed that a total of 124 goals were scored in 48 matches, while five red cards were issued during the competition. He also announced that Season 2 of the Tee & Tife inter-schools football competition would begin in October with close to 40 schools expected to participate.

Chief Dare Faneye, coach Ifeoluwa Idowu of Crystal, Tayo Adeyemo Coordinator Abesan cup, Kelechi Udeke Captain of Crystal FC, Adebisi, Adebulugbe of Doregos Private Academy, Pastor Kehinde Ogundimu, President Abesan Estate during the 2016 Abesan Cup Final recently

Confab on Reconstructing African Indigenous Knowledge Systems in Abraka The Faculty of Arts, Delta State University Abraka, will today, August 26, be rounding off a conference tagged ‘The Humanities and the Reconstruction of Indigenous Knowledge Systems in Africa.’

The conference seeks an inward-looking template for the resolution of the continent's problems of underdevelopment. A statement from the organisers enjoined all scholars, “To avail yourselves of the opportunity and come

to Abraka to brainstorm for our dear country and continent.”

To give the keynote is Director, Nigeria French Language Village, Prof. Adebisi Rauf, with Prof. Onyee Nwankpa of Department of Music, University of Port Harcourt and Dr. Nduka Otiono of Institute of African Studies, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada, as Lead paper presenters respectively.

Sub-themes for the conference include the

following: ‘The Visual Arts and Indigenous Knowledge Systems in Africa,’ ‘Indigenous Knowledge Systems and the Performing Arts in Africa,’ ‘English language and Indigenous Knowledge Systems in Africa,’ ‘Literary Representations and Reconstruction of Indigenous Knowledge System,’ ‘Rethinking the Language of African Literature in French,’ ‘Research in Linguistics vis-à-vis Reconstruction of Indigenous Knowledge System’ and ‘Religious Studies

and Reconstruction of Indigenous System in Africa.’

Others are ‘Philosophy and Reconstruction of Indigenous Knowledge System in Africa,’ ‘Musical Arts and Reconstruction of Indigenous Knowledge System in Africa,’ ‘History and Reconstruction of Indigenous Knowledge Systems in Africa’ and ‘The Contemporary Relevance of Indigenous Knowledge Systems in International Studies.’

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eraveonline@gmail.com

ACI Entertainment Berths in Grand Style The Nigerian entertainment industry has witnessed yet another multi-million naira investment with arrival of ACI Entertainment. Patterned after international entertainment and recording companies, the new company has made a lot of investment in establishing two world class digital and analogue recording studios, a dance studio, latest film and broadcasting equipment, sound equipment with latest technologies, different versions of mobile stages for concerts and many more.

While taking a tour of the facilities of the company in Lagos, it readily comes to mind that the new facilities will help raise the bar in the delivery of entertainment services in Nigeria and further inspire the creative industry. In a bid to further train Nigerian producers and sound engineers, the company has partnered with world acclaimed producers and created a training studio with state-of-the-art technologies to further expose our home grown producers to the latest technologies in music production, without a fee.

Speaking with Erave during the assessment of the company, the COO of

Ikechukwu Onuorah, ACI Entertaiment COO

the company, Mr. Ikechukwu Onuorah, said they are only trying to build a world class entertainment company positioned to provide first class services using national spread and global presence in bringing the best experiences and solutions. “What we are doing here is very significant. Part of our intentions is to put Nigeria on the map always for the good reasons. We are replicating in Nigeria what the likes of BMI and Sony Music are doing internationally

and that is why the company has invested this much. These investments and the ones that are yet to come will contribute in no small way to the development of our industry and further inspire our local talents to churn out great contents.

We flew in from America international experts to set up our studios and give it that professional touch you see in other advance countries.”

Aside running a record label, the COO took time to give details of other services of the company. “Here, you will find everything you need to make your entertainment dreams become a reality.

When you take your entertainment journey with us, we translate your ideas—through cutting edge technology, creative talent, experience, and expertise to a finished and unforgettable experience. ACI Entertainment provides event management, audio/ music production, film and television production, live band performances and broadcast solutions. Our mission is to provide first-class indoor and outdoor entertainment services that meet and exceed international standards.”

@eraveng

www.eraveng.com

YCEE

Oludemilade Martin Alejo popularly known by his stage name Ycee is a popular Nigerian rapper. He recently opened up on the most embarrassing moment of his music career. “When I started out, my performances on stage were not good enough. Whenever I was on stage I didn't add charisma to my performance. I just recite the lyrics. That particular day, midway into my performance, the stage manager put off the light.

Somebody came on stage and took the mic from me.

Before I knew what was happening, I found myself backstage...It was quite embarrassing and I just told myself that I would improve on my performance."

Reminisce Fires His Manager Popular Nigerian rapper, Reminisce has terminated his contract with Edge Entertainment and his longtime manager, Ibrahim Okulaja about a week before the release of his fourth studio album titled ‘El-Hadj’. Ibrahim broke the news on his Instagram page.

According to sources, Ibrahim Okulaja said that it came as a disappointment to him as he had put a lot of effort into the creative process of the album. "I was surprised to get the termination letter and decided to put it out because I don't want speculations. I won't say there are no issues, because like in every business, there are disagreements on directions, and some

eventually get solved while some don't."

He also revealed that Reminisce is not signed under Edge Records but is only signed under Edge Entertainment as Reminisce has his own label called LRR Records which Oladips and Sojay are signed onto.

Meanwhile, the rapper’s new album, El-Hadj is scheduled to drop on August 29, 2016 and is made up of 16 tracks plus a bonus track titled 'Feego' featuring Seriki, Oladips and Iceprince. Reminisce features colleauges like Mr Eazi, Solidstar, Olamide, 9ice, 2baba, Oladips, Sojay, Iceprince and Seriki on the hopefully hit packed album.

FLAVOUR reminisce

Reekado Banks Reveals More About His Debut Album Mavin Records acts, Reekado Banks has revealed the title of his debut album as 'Spotlight'. The singer broke the news via his Instagram page in one of his recent posts which he captioned "FEELS LIKE YESTERDAY WHEN THIS WAS A DREAM..THANK YOU ALL. #DearReekaddict #Spotlight #SPOTLIGHTtheALBUM..."

The post was complemented with an emotional video where he wrote a letter to his fans. "Dear #Reekaddict, thank you for always believing in me and for taking time to listen to me and letting my unique music please you. I will not have achieved all this

much SUCCESS without you. I hope you continue to listen to my music, I hope you will continue to enjoy my music as I cannot wait to share my album with you, it’s called spotlight and it’s all I feel about music at the moment. Please remember to believe in your dream and yourself. If you just believe in yourself and in your dream, you can move mountains. I will forever remain your biggest fan.

Yours truly, Reekado Banks."

Recall that the 2016 Headies Next Rated winner recently bragged about his album being the best album to be released in the past decade.

Nigerian singer, Flavour has signed and sealed another endorsement deal with a flat tummy tea company.

The singer announced the news on his Instagram page: "SIGNED and SEALED! Brand ambassador for @flattummytea. #FlavourOfAfrica #BrandAmbassador #flattummytea".

Flat tummy Tea Company is known for its tea detox pack with 100 per cent natural tea ingredients that helps reduce bloating, support up your metabolism and increase energy to help flatten your tummy. The new flat tummy tea ambassador was recently also unveiled as the ambassador for Bullet energy drink on May 18, 2016.

MUMA GEE

Reekado-Banks

Link Auditions for First African Music Reality Show Box Office Movie It was a beehive of talents as upcoming actors, dancers and singers attended the auditioning of the first ever all encompassing African Dance/Singing box office movie organised by the management of New Link Entertainment in Lagos recently.

For a storyline grafted on an entertaining and inspiring narrative aimed at broadening awareness for the need for youths to indulge in shaping their talents into marketable brands, musical crews and singers competed among themselves in the race to feature alongside established actors like Alexx Ekubo, Ik Ogbonna,Koffi Adjorlolo, Belinda Effah, Sani Danja, Mohammed Yakubu and a cast of highly talented singers and

dancers from all over West Africa.

Speaking during the auditioning, the producer of the movie, Aloysius Okeke, said, “our plan to make this movie the most visually stylistic talent film in Africa won't be possible without the right cast. So we are trying to get a cast of real young people, of varied ethnicities with raw dancing, singing and acting talents who have passion for a movie set experience.

With this our team of directors consisting of the popular Director/Cinematography, Okey Oku and the UK-based Nigerian Director, Taiwo Oduala DGN, we can set off on a good ground when we start shooting from the 1st of September, 2016,"

he noted.

According to him, this was not a case of 'man known man', as a huge budget had been invested into it, hence there will not be room for unprofessional approach.

'Since 9am, we have been here in our efforts to fish out the right cast. You can see the calibre of judges we brought in. Within the next twenty four hours, we will start contacting them. " The Talent-base film is a product of New Link Entertainment, an organisation of professionals formed by the need to churn out high caliber box office and high gross movies in Africa. Among those at the panel to select the talents need was Afro pop artist, African China.

Nigerian artiste, Muma Gee and her actor and film director husband, Prince Oluebube Eke and has welcomed their third child.

The actor announced the news on his Instagram account in a picture of himself holding the baby which he captioned "What more can a man receive as a birthday present? God just gave me another daughter by exactly 4:45 pm today on my birthday, mother and child smiling....#GLADIATOR #AwesomeGod." Parental responsibility is not a new thing to the celebrity couple as they have two children already, a boy and girl twins.

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Niger Joins Quest for Hydrocarbon Exploration Laleye Dipo writes that the Niger State governments wants the federal government to commence exploration of crude oil in the Bida Basin

Former Vice Chancellor IBB University, Lapai, Prof. Ibrahim Adamu Kolo, inspecting one of the drilling rigs used during the search for crude oil

Not too long ago the Niger State government made a request to the federal government for the commencement of exploration for crude oil in the Bida Basin. The state government through the Commissioner for Information Mr. Jonathan Tsado Vatsa, argued that since President Muhammadu Buhari administration has decided to begin the search for oil in the Chad Basin, it is only fair that the exercise for Bida Basin should be placed on the front burner by the federal government. It is like a case of what is good for the goose is also good for the gander.

What Vatsa did not say, however, is that the search for crude oil in the Chad Basin had taken a long time and consumed a lot of human and financial resources without the promised land being reached whereas the exercise if commenced in the Bida Basin will require less stress and financial input because of the efforts already put into the project by the Niger State government.

Suffice it to say that the Bida Basin is a NW-SE trending intracratonic structure in North-central Nigeria extending from slightly South of Kontagora in the Niger North senatorial district to slightly beyond Lokoja in Kogi State. The basin is generally divided into two portions: the Northern Bida Basin and the Southern Bida Basin. The Northern Bida Basin comprise what is described as ‘the Bida sand stone’ while the Southern Bida Basin is made up of Lokoja sand stone.

The Niger State government a few years back established a Gubernatorial Technical Committee headed by Professor Adamu Kolo then Vice Chancellor of the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, to carry out feasibility survey into the presence of crude oil in the Bida Basin.

The research team put together for the project was headed by Professor Nuhu Obaje also of the IBB University, Lapai.

Government interest in the project was further ignited by the viability of the Bida Basin and the opinion held that the dredging of the Baro Port will further enhance the exploration of oil in the Basin.

The job was swiftly done because of the interest shown in the project by the state government which was determined to break into the league of oil producing states in the country and by so doing create employment opportunities for its teeming youths not forgetting the huge income that would accrue to the state if a positive report was received from the research.

According to the summary of Technical Report on the Bida Basin Hydrocarbon Exploration, it was discovered that the

Vatsa, briefing journalists on the prospects of crude oil in the Bida Basin

Basin has been highly de-risked meaning that lots of data have been generated and gathered, while geological mappings had been undertaken on the basis of which deep areas with thick sediments piles and hence most prospective defined while shallow wells were drilled for collection of samples for source rock analysis.

As a result of the geochemical analysis carried out and the source rocks made up the Kudu shales was identified. Also geophysical aeromagnetic surveying was carried out on the basis of which the prospective areas were confirmed and expanded.

Interestingly, about a year after the Technical Committee headed by Professor Adamu Kolo and the Gubernatorial Committee chaired by Lieutenant General Muhammad Inuwa Wushishi, were inaugurated by the government these panels turned in their reports which confirmed the presence of oil and gas in the Bida Basin.

The committees said in their reports that exploratory test wells were sunk in Patti –Shaba –Kolo code named Talba-1 well and recommended that government should set out to sink two other wells to confirm the presence in commercial quantity of oil and gas in the basin.

The Gubernatorial Committee specifically asked the Niger State government “to set the pace in the exploration of oil and gas in the northern part of the country before the federal government comes in.”

The committee went ahead to establish two companies Midland Refinery and Petro Chemical Company and Midland Petrogas Resources

Limited, to serve as special purpose vehicles for upstream and downstream activities for the states oil and gas resources development drive. The committee also suggested that the Niger State government should carry out feasibility studies into the possibility of the state establishing a petro chemical refinery plant at Baro.

The Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) were then brought in since the issue of crude oil and other related matters are on the exclusive legislative list. Then Minister Daziani Allison Maduake directed the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to meet with officials of the Niger State government and in particular the Gubernatorial and Technical Committees on how the federal government would take over the prospecting for crude oil and gas in the Bida Basin following a clean bill of health that officials of the ministry gave the findings of the committees.

Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was also said to had shown interest in the project when briefed by the then Niger State government and subsequently directed the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to take action on the matter.

However, until the mandate of the last administration expired and a new administration was installed for the country the directive of the then minister was not carried out.

While waiting for the federal government to show its interest in the project to which the Niger State government had committed several millions of naira the state also began

plans to relocate the people in all the areas where activities for the exploration of oil and gas would take place within the Bida Basin while also searching for local and foreign investors to come into the project in order to reduce the financial stress the government would go through.

Government efforts paid off when a Chinese consortium, Shengkang Oil and Gas company engaged by the government also confirmed the presence in commercial quantity of crude oil in the Bida Basin. The firm also signaled intention to bring in state-of-the-art equipment to commence real exploration of oil and gas in the Bida Basin but the agreement did not come to fruition until the then government left office. Four other Chinese firms also showed interest in the project with one ready to invest close to $200 billion but a crisis that occurred in the country in 2013 stooped the memorandum of understanding from being signed.

The seriousness the state attached to the project was seen in its ability to ensure the formation of the Association of Petroleum Inland Basin States of Northern Nigeria APIBON a body made up of all the 19 Northern state governors to champion and kick start as well as sustain oil and gas exploration in the northern part of the country.

The forum at one of its meetings expressed support for the efforts of the Niger State government and urged the federal government to immediately take up the remaining part of the project in the Bida Basin and also refund all the money that the Niger State government had spent on the feasibility studies.

It is for these and other reasons that the Niger State government made the plea to President Muhammadu Buhari believing that investment in the project would be a safety valve for the country which is now in dire need of other means of income as a result of the activities of militants in the Niger Delta region of the country where all the oil resources of the country are domiciled.

Vatsa believes that Niger State being the most peaceful in the country especially with the state donating its land to the federal government for the establishment of the Federal Capital Abuja without raising any eyebrow and the construction of three hydro electric dams in the state without compensation yet the people had not raised a finger against the government or workers in the companies investing in the state will never be counterproductive.

Also virtually all the traditional rulers in the state especially those in the affected areas have thrown their weight behind the exploration for oil and gas in the Bida Basin.

34/ETIQUETTE

26.08.2016

THE ETIQUETTE FORUM ADEKANMI OLUSANYA

email mretiquetteonline@yahoo.com

tel. 08112661635, 0809285 4855

The Etiquette of Thinking (1) Today, I want to ply a different route and talk about one of the most favorite courses I like to train organisations on.

It’s called ‘the etiquette of thinking’. As a training module, its actually called brain enhancement but since it’s a module on how to think more effectively and since I like to define etiquette as the proper way to do anything anytime anywhere, I pass for the sake of this article to call it - the etiquette of thinking.

First, the objective of this article is to get you to think as effectively as possible.

Thinking is essential because the quality of our thinking determines the quality of our words, feelings, actions and most importantly our habits, success and achievements in life.

Remember Toyota’s motto, Good Thinking, Good Product?

This write up is most necessary because it has been proven that some animals think better than some human beings. A most powerful proverb on thinking goes thus, “Go to the ant oh sluggard (lazy man) consider her ways and be wise.”

For a more fluid grasp of this discourse, I would segment the principles I want to share into bullet points - sort of.

There are three main things we can do

with our brains. We can Remember with our brains, we can Reason with our brains and we can Rrsearch with our brains.

Remembering is Deep, Reasoning is Deeper and Research is Deepest.

Remembering is Good, Reasoning is Better and Research is Best.

The fruit of Reasoning is Common Sense The fruit of Research is Uncommon Sense Common Sense will get you to Common Places Uncommon Sense will get you to Uncommon Places.

Yet another powerful proverb on thinking goes thus; “It is the honor of Kings to research a matter.“ Remembering would not bring out the King in you.

Reasoning would not bring out the King in you.

It is research that would bring out the King in you.

This is why everybody who wants to optimise his or her full potential must spend more time researching that they do,

remembering or reasoning.

This leads me to yet another proverb on the most important point on strengthening your research potential. “Where your treasures (resources) are there will your brain (thoughts) be also.” Now let me explain. We can either channel our resources in two directions.

Sanity or Vanity. A woman who spends more of her resources on Vanity Subjects such as latest clothes to wear, parties to attend for instance than she spends on knowledge building, effective parenting, would naturally think of shallow thoughts of Vanity rather than deep thoughts of Sanity/Empathy.

Vanity issues are Shallow.

Sanity and Empathy issues are Deep.

Vanity issues prevent Research.

Sanity and Empathy issues inspire Research.

A man whose priority is hinged on selfish ends like buying a new posh car and spends more of his resources on such than he spends on thinking of how to be more creative or effective at his job would naturally think thoughts of shallow thoughts of Vanity rather than deep thoughts of Empathy. This explains why one of the most brilliant thinkers of our time Steve Jobs was so engrossed with

cutting edge technology he seldom engaged in any of the material excesses that many CEOs in the corporate world are known for.

A man whose main focus is to increase his salary than he spends on how to better the cause of humanity or make the world a better place naturally think thoughts of shallow thoughts of Vanity rather than deep thoughts of Empathy. This explains why the most effective leaders of today like Bill Gates and Warren Buffet engage in a lot of philanthropy and charitable causes.

This also explains why leaders who in a fit of rapacity and avarice accumulate ill gotten wealth never engineer transformation and positive change like their selfless and less corrupt counterparts.

Next week, I will continue with other principles on enhancing your brain potential or rather thinking with etiquette.

You could purchase a copy of my book on etiquette titled PROPER MANNERS AND ETIQUETTE IN ANYTHING AT ANYTIME AND ANYWHERE at the price of N3,500 at our corporate head office at 340 - 344 Ikorodu Road, by Idi-Iroko Bus Stop, Maryland, Lagos. Or call 0811 266 1635 or 0802 312 6010 to have a copy sent to you.

This write up is most necessary because it has been proven that some animals think better than some human beings. A most powerful proverb on thinking goes thus, “Go to the ant oh sluggard (lazy man) consider her ways and be wise”

A man whose main focus is to increase his salary than he spends on how to better the cause of humanity or make the world a better place naturally think thoughts of shallow thoughts rather than deep thoughts. This explains why the most effective leaders of today like Bill Gates and Warren Buffet engage in a lot of philanthropy and charitable causes

Thinking is essential because the quality of our thinking determines the quality of our words, feelings, actions and most importantly our habits, success and achievements in life. Remember Toyota’s motto, Good Thinking, Good Product

A man whose priority is hinged on how to be more creative or effective at his job would naturally think deep. This explains why one of the most brilliant thinkers of our time Steve Jobs was so engrossed with cutting edge technology he seldom engaged in any of the material excesses that many CEOs in the corporate world are known for.

35/ENTREPRENEUR

26.08.2016

‘At Temple Management, We Change the Game in Talent Management’ Temple Management Company, a relatively new full-service creative talent and event management firm prides itself in its ability to operate on a global scale, ensuring that creative talents in Nigeria maintain sustainable competitive advantage over their foreign counterparts while it continually improve on African content and guarantee processes that are in line with international best practices. The firm’s Director, Legal and General Counsel, Mr. Deji Olomojobi, in this interview with Mary Ekah, tells how the company does it What roles exactly do you play at the Temple Management Company?

I am the Director, Legal and General Counsel for the Temple Management Company and with that I am the lawyer for the firm and also for our clients. I qualified as a lawyer over 12 years ago. I cut my teeth as a lawyer in one of the best law firms in Nigeria and over the years, I have had the opportunity to practice in different areas to make me a well-rounded lawyer; this cut across business advisory, corporate commercial work and litigation. So I tend to provide legal services internally here to protect the firm from possible dispute and also take charge of the advisory role for the company and also the company’s clients like contract drafting, management of contracts and dispute management and resolution as well for the clients that we represent. We do these for both corporate and individual clients. We are a talent agency and management company and we are also into event management and this cut across managing talents across board – entertainment, media, art and corporate.

Talking about talents management, how exactly do you manage artistes?

We try to sign up talents, manage them and also provide agency agreements for them. My own role is to prepare the contract, engage them and bring them on board. So we provide the management services across the board, providing opportunities for them in terms of endorsement and international access whilst trying to bring them on board, my job still goes on so that right after getting them on board and signing them on a contract, we also advise them to get lawyers in case they need independent verifications and advice and even in addition to that, I also take them through the agreements, explaining to them step by step all the terms involved in the agreements until they have some comforts. We endeavour to draft a balance agreement here, so as not to draft onerous terms that will seem like we are trying to come from an undue advantage position and right after the signing, my job still goes on because part of the services we provide to them is legal advisory support in that they can walk in here any day and any time for legal advice from any aspect of the law that has been made and that they may which to seek clarifications on or advice and opinion.

How receptive have people with talents been to what you offer here?

For some of them, the trend has been to walk into transactions without protecting themselves.

They walk into a transaction on a trust basis without having a contract drafting to spell out the terms and obligations of each party for the deal they are entering into. We have seen a couple of people like that who prior to now may be that has been the trend and it has worked for them. While for some, they seek legal advice but for some of the advice they get from some legal practitioners, it is not adequate and so they are not adequately covered and so you find a lot of loopholes here and there. But what we have tried to present here at Temple Management has been well received because they see it as part of education and they see the point in what we are trying to do and they are fully into it.

So what should an artiste look out for

Olomojobi when going into any contract or deal?

The first thing they should be mindful of is that they should not go into it alone.

Rather they should be secured and guided by a professional because really, what we try to do here in terms of talent is that we want to take away the burden of bothering yourself with any other thing than focusing on your creative aspect, so that any other thing outside creativity should be taken care of by professionals. So the first step is for them to be guided by a professional who will see them through all transactions and in that way they would be better informed and protected.

And how what has been the impact of your activities on artiste and the society at large?

What have been trying to do here at Temple Management is to change the game entirely in talent management and so far, it has been well received, so unlike the transactions they would have gone into before now without being protected by a well-drafted contract, we are changing all of that. So we try to ensure that every single thing is well documented and put in a contract form no matter how minute it may be, so that it is just a full protection for them. In providing advisory services, we also point out this to them; from my past experience, we get to see that a lot of creative people don’t even have their rights in certain intellectual property items protected. So those are part of the awareness that we are trying to bring about and to also see to the registration of those intellectual

property items that we need to register on their behalf and we also educate them on breaches and all that. We have a network of firms that we works with, so for things that we cannot do internally, we have network of firms to fall back on. For those that come on board our platform, the legal services we offer here is an added service that they get at no other extra cost. We are involved in every step of the artiste’s progress and in that way we know when to come in at any given point for the artiste’s development and engagement.

What would be your advice to artistes and other corporate people who don’t deem it necessary to protect their intellectual property by getting professionals involved in their business deals?

There is a lot of money involved in intellectual property of individuals or corporate bodies, and this is an issue that needs to be taken seriously by the creatives and authorities concerned. When these things works, we have a lot of creatives and artistes that long after they have stopped recording or performing as artistes, still get big paid cheques. It may be difficult when it comes to piracy but everyone needs to come together and work towards, first of all, protecting your right as a status, before you now even want to fight piracy, which is a long process and another different angle but there are still many other angles that are very commercial like understanding how to track your copyright and your work;

sometimes you have your works being played on a global platform, so you need to ensure that you are engaging with the right collecting society in Nigeria, which will also engage and build relationships with other collecting society globally so that there can be effective collection of royalties for all your copyrights works out there.

When was Temple Management established and how many artistes has it worked with so far?

The Temple Management Company Limited officially began operations in March 2016 and has since carried out management deals with top Nigerian talents including record labels like Don Jazzy’s Mavin Records, Iyanya, renowned disc jockey DJ Jimmy Jatt, broadcaster, Funmi Iyanda, award-winning visual artist and writer Victor Ehikhamenor, media personality Bunmi Davies, Tennis prodigy, Marylove Edwards and artist/jeweler Mode Aderinokun amongst others. Temple Management is a full-service creative talent and event management company incorporated in Nigeria and operating in the Entertainment, Sports, Media and Art sectors.

Using a 360 approach to management, the company oversees the day-to-day business/ affairs of creative talents and ensures that they maintain sustainable competitive advantage over the rest with a mission is to continually improve on African content, bridge the gulf between talents and their foreign counterparts, and guarantee that processes are in line with international best practices.

36/COLLAGE

26.08.2016

L-R:President, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Augustine Alegeh SAN; Mrs. Olushola Adeshina; wife of NBA President, Mrs. Ferishat Alegeh; and Managing Director, 15th Marsh Integrated Services, Mr. Aadegbenga Adeshina, during the 52th birthday celebration of Mr. Alegeh in Lagos.

KOLAWOLE ALLI.

Retired Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Anthony Cardinal Okojie (right) and Rt Reverend. Babatunde Akinpelu Johnson during the enthronment of Rev Johnson as Diocesan Bishop of the Diocese of Lagos Mainland, at the Cathedral Church of St Jude, Lagos...recently ABIODUN AJALA

The Newly Wedded Couples, Mr. Godson Chinedu Uba and his Wife Nkechi (Middle) in a Group Photograph with the Grooms Men and the Bride Maid, during their Wedding ceremony, held at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Jesus House Parish, Ojo Lagos...recenlty

L-R: Dr,Mrs Abosede Iyapo; the Graduand, Miss. Oluwabukunmi Taiwo and her Mother, Mrs. Adenike Taiwo. during the 13th prize giving day and graduation ceremonty of the Faith Academy, Canan Land, Ogun State.....recently

L-R: The immediate past president, lkeja Rotary Club Tosin Kadiri; first female President, Olaitan Ojuroye;and former Minister of Health, Julius Adeluyi Adelusi; at the investiture ceremony of first female President of Ikeja Rotary, District 9110 in Lagos...recently.

THE MARRIAGE BETWEEN MR HENRY OGBE EMONI AND FORMER MISS CLAIR BROOKS TOOK PLACE AT THE SOUTHEND CHRISTIAN'S FELLOWSHIP CHURCH, SOUTHEND-ON-SEA ESSEX, SS1 LONDON...RECENTLY.

L-R: Former Akwa-Ibom State Governor, Sen. Godswill Akpabio; Wife of former President Dame Patience Jonathan; Wife of Abia state Governor,Nkechi Ikpeazu; and Abia State Governor Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, during the funeral service of Late Chief Ojo Maduekwe at All saints Presbyterian Church, Asaga Ohafia., Abia State.. recently

L-R; Otunba J.K. Randle, Celebrant, Pa Adedapo Adeniran and his Wife Dr. (Mrs.) Florence Adeniran, during Pa Adeniran's 92nd Birthday Celebration in Lagos...recently

37/THISLIFE

26.08.2016

Babangida

Babangida: Prince of Minna Clocks 75 The former military president of Nigeria, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida celebrated his 75th birthday anniversary on August 17, 2016.Though, not in showy way, his numerous fans across the nation have continued to felicitate with the ex-General for his valuable contributions towards the peace, unity and growth of the nation, writes Peter Uzoho Call him any name you like. Describe him in anyway suitable for you, but truth be told, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida popularly known as IBB, remains a behemoth that can never be missing in the history book of the Nigerian state.

Every year, IBB is celebrated by his numerous fans and associates as he marks his annual birthday celebrations. On 17 August, 2016, he marked his 75th birthday, though, in no showy way. To celebrate the invaluable elder statesman, eminent personalities poured in their congratulatory messages as they wished him well.

President Muhammadu Buhari who visited him in Minna, a day before his birthday, to felicitate with him, said “There is hardly any major episode in Nigeria’s short history where your name and contribution does not feature.”

The former military head of state, General Abdulsalami Abubakar described Babangida as ‘Nigeria’s one and only Military President.’ “You re-engineered the country’s political economy like no other Nigerian leader”. At 75, you have achieved all there is to achieve. Let’s give thanks to Allah for this great abundance of life and grace,” Abdulsalami noted.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has this to say, “I have personally followed your career in the military spanning three decades and I particularly felicitate with you and your family on this auspicious occasion of your 75th birthday anniversary.

“My prayer is that the remaining years of your life be spent in relative comfort and satisfaction,” Obasanjo added.

For Niger State Governor, Abubakar Bello, he said ”At 75, you continue to symbolise statesmanship, patriotism, professionalism and courage which are some of the excel-

lent leadership virtues that have guided you throughout your active public service life.”

“As you celebrate your 75th birthday, may Allah grant you excellent health, courage and many more years of selfless service to our fatherland and humanity,” Bello noted.

Interestingly, the birthday celebrant, Babangida used the occasion to refute the negative label people give to him, saying “I’m not the evil genius that a lot of people think I am. I have an excellent background and by my training, I am trained to love people. I was bound to be misconstrued and people will take it like that, but I consider it as opinions as long as I am not what you think I am, I feel satisfied.” Babangida was the Chief of Army Staff and a member of the Supreme Military Council (SMC) under the administration of Major General Muhammadu Buhari and would later overthrow Buhari's regime on 27 August 1985, in a bloodless military coup that relied on mid-level officers that Babangida strategically positioned over the years.

He has a number of points which stand in his favour as credits for piloting the affairs of the most populous black nation in the world, for eight uninterrupted years. Even as a military ruler, he was able to give people from all parts of the country, a sense of belonging in the affairs of the nation. Although, he is from the North, he has his friends, allies and supporters from the East, South and Western parts of the country. Being a Muslim military head of state, he welcomed and tolerated Christians and had his fans among them. No wonder today, IBB still has Nigerians who strongly believe in him and would rather remain loyal to him having been convinced of the real worth of their man.

Instead of holding on to power after the annulment of June 12,1993 presidential election, Babangida displayed a rare sense of understanding and acceptance of the will of the people, and resigned. Even when he had all the military apparatuses at his disposal, which could make him defy the wish of the people, he never allowed all that to get into his head to ruin him and the nation. To him, the peace and unity of the nation was far more than his position as the military head.

Born on 17 August, 1941, in Minna, Niger State, to his parents, Muhammad and Aisha Babangida, from Gwari ethnic group, Babangida attended the Provincial Secondary School, Bida from 1957 to 1962.

He later joined the Nigerian Army, on 10 December 1962, when he attended the Nigerian Military Training College (NMTC) in Kaduna. Babangida received his commission as a 2nd Lieutenant as a regular combatant officer in the Royal Nigerian Army, a month before it became the Nigerian Army, with the personal army number N/438 from the Indian Military Academy, on 26 September 1963.

He was among the first batch of Nigerian graduates from the NMTC who attended the Indian Military Academy from April to September 1963. Babangida furthered his armory training from January 1966 until April 1966 by enrolling in Course 38 of the Young Officers' Course in the United Kingdom where he received a four-month course in Saladin and gunnery.

From August 1972 to June 1973, he took the Advanced Armored Officers' course at Armored School. He attended the Senior Officers' Course, Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jali, from January 1977 until July 1977, and the Senior International Defense

Management Course, Naval Postgraduate School, U.S., in 1980.

He was heavily involved in quelling the Nigerian coup of 1976, when he was to ‘liberate’ a radio station from one of the coup plotters, Col Buka Suka Dimka, his close friend, to prevent him making further announcements over the air waves. Although he did prevent further broadcasts, Col Dimka managed to escape.

Before his retirement from the military, Babangida attained the following ranks: Second Lieutenant 1963, Lieutenant 1966, Captain 1968, Major 1970, Lieutenant Colonel 1970, Colonel 1973, Brigadier 1979, Major-General 1983, and General 1987.Babangida also served as a member of the Supreme Military Council from 1 August 1975 to October 1979.

Owing to his bravery, gallantry and excellence in military service, he was honoured with the following awards: Grand Commander of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (GCFR);Defence Service Medal (DSM);The National Service Medal (NSM);The Royal Service Medal (RSM);The Forces Services Star (FSS);General Service Medal (GSM);and the Knight Grand Cross of the Bath (GCB),which was conferred on him in May,1989,by Queen Elizabeth 11 of Britain.

Even as he is ageing, Babangida’s influence and weight in the affairs of the nation has not diminished by any means. During elections, the road to his abode witnesses human traffic occasioned by politicians intending to contest for the position of the President. In such occasions, he plays the role of a typical father, who accommodates all his children and assures all of his unflinching support, not minding who is from the North, East, West or South.

38/OPINION

26.08.2016

ADEOLAAKINREMI HOME TRUTHS

N

Email: adeola.akinremi@thisdaylive.com

Tel 08116759785(sms only)

For Buhari, Where is the Outrage?

igeria is not a racist country.

But we have bigger problem than racism here. It is called tribal war.

We’ve lost more of our countrymen to tit-for-tat ethnic clashes than auto-accident—an avoidable major killer of Nigerians.

That’s how big the problem is.

In most cases the kind of pell-mell manner in which we respond to ethnic issues often bother me to a sore point.

It has been days of agony for Joe Fortemose Chinakwe and his family and no one seems to be outraged by injustice being melted out to citizen Joe for calling his dog a name he feels comfortable with.

For calling his pet Buhari, the police took Joe away from his family and placed him in custody without trial.

He was later charged to court and again remanded in prison custody for his inability to meet bail conditions after he pleaded not guilty to the offence.

It all happened under the nose of a supposed progressive governor who by his political leaning should understand error is being committed in the matter with the arrest of Joe. Interestingly, the police relied on complaint by Joe’s neighbour that the name Buhari belongs to his father.

Of course the police claimed the arrest borders on “breach of peace,” in “Hausa section” of a community market in Sango Otta, Ogun State.

All my life, I have heard of “Hausa section” and Yoruba and Igbo sections probably in many cities around the country but the most common one has been “Hausa community” with a kind of no-go-zone label. Shall we continue like this and say unity should abound in our country?

Buhari

What are we learning from Joe’s story?

There are a few ideas in my head: That a man cannot give his pet name as he desires; that with such a pet he cannot go around freely with the pet’s name attached to its body; that a pet is not free to answer just any name and that there’s always ethnic angle to everything in Nigeria.

Okay, let’s call it a puzzle and let’s try to place the words in the right groups.

First, I disagree with the police that the name given to the dog by Joe is inappropriate.

I grew up in Ogun State—the same state where Joe was arrested for naming his dog Buhari— and I can remember we had a neighbour who named his dog Felix.

Felix is a common name among residents of Ogun State, especially residents of the state who migrated there from the East and those who are Christians.

More than just the name Felix, there were several other pet names shared by human and animals. For instance, I remember of a

cat named Alice.

Let’s go global, President John Kennedy of the United States once had a dog among his pets named Gaullie. Guess where that name came from? Gaullie was a French poodle who belonged to First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy.

In a memoir, Jackie was noted to have had the pet before she married the president. As a growing kid she had special interest in France as a country and followed everything about the country including its leadership.

During World War II, Jackie was very impressed with French President Charles de Gaulle’s resolve not to give up during the trying time. She named her poodle after the president calling the dog De Gaulle “because he was straight and proud and had prominent nose”— attributes she found in President Charles De Gaulle. Did any police arrest Jackie Kennedy for naming her dog after a president?

I have heard of Duke, Baron, Winston, George, Jackson, Winnie and all kinds of names associated with human as dog names and there has been no fury about it.

Really, in a recent conversation I had with someone who works as a house agent, dog was described as a “family member.”

Are you surprised?

That is the difference between us and other nations. We treat dogs as unkind animal only meant for hunting and staying at the corridor.

But Brandie Gonzales, director of corporate communications and PR at Rover.com explained that more people are viewing their dogs as part of the family, and thereby bestowing them human-like names.

Believe me, there’s more to the arrest of Joe than the complaint filed by his neighbour who claimed his father go by the name Buhari so a dog shouldn’t have that name.

My sense is there’s political undertone to

the arrest.

With our commander-in-chief and president, Muhammadu Buhari, bearing the same name, the political sycophants in high places and the police probably feel that it’s a haram to have your pet share same name with a sitting president.

So Joe is probably paying for excising his right and that of the dog.

Of course Joe probably knew what police are not telling him. He has said contrary to the idea in the head of his neigbour that the dog shares same name with his father, his dog was truly named after President Buhari based on his soft spot for a man he described as “anti-corruption warrior.”

“I did not commit any offence. I named my beloved pet dog Buhari, who is my hero. My admiration for Buhari started far back when he was a military Head of State. It continued till date that he is a civilian President,” Joe recently said in an interview.

It is disturbing to understand that an assistant inspector general of police is now a key investigator of an innocent citizen already adjudged a criminal for naming his dog Buhari and for going out with the dog and parading the dog in “Hausa section” of a community market.

Sadly, Nigeria is one country where animal rights movement is almost nonexistent.

The human rights lawyers are tight-lipped on the case and the social media activists around the county are having the posture of a crashing computer programme with only one message of “not responding.”

I wish everyone will speak up against this intolerance and that activists will wear the red colour and go on the streets against oppression for the sake of Joe and Buhari, the pet. Until then, let’s agree that there’s Buhari the president and Buhari the pet.

LEKANFATODU HEADS-UP

T

Email lekantodun@yahoo.com

Tel 07058069255

SunTrust and the Internet of Things

he daily reports about businesses that are shutting down, and others which are taking to their heels are depressing and discouraging.

While a reputable player in the Nigerian economy has painstakingly elucidated and emphasised the ripple effects of such developments on the Nigerian market, the powers-that-be do not seem to be paying attention.

And we are living the reality. The exit of Sun International, a hospitality and gaming company brought the number of major South African companies that have departed Nigeria to four.

Many other local and international investors are groaning under this economic condition.

Will they endure? Will they give up? Only God knows.

Whichever way the government plans to reflate the economy, either by expanding its economic management team and opening its door to crack experts to critically assess its framework for economic development or by accelerating the proposed “Emergency Economy Stabilisation Bill 2016”, a swift and viable response is needed, and soon.

Undoubtedly, Nigeria needs to attract new investments to the country and not to drive existing ones away with stifling economic policies.

Meanwhile, it is quite interesting that despite the state of the economy, a new enterprise is set to launch. And in a big way. Expectedly, many are curious about the source of such uncommon courage and the venture’s unique selling point.

Many had those questions when a new bank, SunTrust, announced its entrance into the Nigerian commercial banking league.

Instructively, SunTrust had run for the past

Jubrin

six years as a mortgage bank until September 2015 when it secured a license to function as a commercial operator. Thus, its management has just decided to commence full operations this year with an official launch days ago. This formal commencement has been followed with some measure of public promotions, although a lot still has to be done to attract the over “100 million unbanked Nigerians” which are the bank’s target.

Nonetheless, I am certain many will still consider the backers of the new bank as uncommon risk-takers for daring to come on stream at a time when financial institutions particularly look more endangered than ever.

Regardless, the SunTrust is set on its goal and is promising unique experiences for millions of Nigerians. Truly, this is the type of entrepreneurial fortitude the Nigerian government needs to grow amongst its people with favourable incentives and regulatory framework that will embolden business expansion, and such should be cleverly cited to guarantee solid and enabling environment

for local enterprises and foreign ones alike.

As part of these special processes, the new bank has stated that innovative technology such that has never been seen in banking operations within the country, will be the major driver of its services. And its CEO, Muhammed Jubrin, has further ascertained this.

“We are determined to use technology to attract more Nigerians into the banking sector. We are very positive that this is possible, and with the success in the telecommunication sector, we are sure that our mobile banking applications will entice millions of able Nigerians into the sector.”

“SunTrust Bank will bring banking to your home rather than make you come to us. We will be everywhere but we will be nowhere.

We will offer telephone, mobile and Internet banking underpinned by the traditional banking ethics of probity and integrity,” he said.

Although it is a known fact that many Nigerian banks are using technology to run their services, this cannot be said to have been sufficiently deployed to improve operations or make life easier for customers.

Really, nothing exposed Nigerian banks’ lack of extensive touch with modern financial technology than the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN’s), directive that the about 30 million Nigerians within the banking sector be captured by the Biometric Verification Number (BVN).

This otherwise simple technology intervention, unfortunately brought untoward disruption and hardship on a lot of Nigerians because of the banks’ inability to efficiently coordinate the process.

Some banks, after having you stay on a queue for lengthy hours to fill the BVN registration form which is done on a paper, still got daily

activities of customers disrupted by blocking any transactions on people’s accounts on the purported basis of not registering for the BVN! Not a few Nigerians complained of being stranded in different parts of the country after being prevented from retrieving money at various Automated Teller Machines (ATM) because of the BVN directive which many actually reported to have completed.

The worst part of the situation was many of the banks were grossly deficient of the technical know-how to solve the crisis at any location where their customers had been stranded. So the affected individuals were sent back to the branch where they originally opened the accounts to get the problems rectified.

Until now, ordinary banking services that should be easily done on the phone with the assistance of a customer service representative, requires customers’ physical presence in the banking hall leading to waste of ample man-hours.

While the world is already advancing the discussion on the Internet of Things (IoT), which simply means that all our everyday devices, I mean anything that you can ever think of will be linked to a giant network and will be made to serve human needs like a “robot”, Nigeria shouldn’t still be struggling to proffer some straightforward technological answers to her development questions.

As such, if SunTrust truly has its eyes on this ambitious targets, its demonstration of commitment and competence by at least helping to tackle some of the ordinary encumbrances in the Nigerian banking system, as stated previously, through effective deployment of technology will certainly secure its place in the banking sector.

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BUSINESSWORLD

MARITIME

Building NIMASA into a Dynamic Institution The Director General of NIMASA, Dakuku Peterside is concentrating efforts on building a great future for the agency, writes Anayo Okolie Even at a time when it feels most reports the world gets about Nigeria are bad, one institution is standing out, and trying to change the ugly narrative. The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency is innovating and rewriting the story of the maritime industry in Nigeria.

Leading this historic effort is the director-general of Nigerian Maritime Authority and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside.

Peterside took over the administration of NIMASA at a time the agency was covered by a cloud of negativism. NIMASA’s name was mud around the country, as Nigerians read and heard lots of adverse stories about the organisation.

And the managers of the agency at the time did not help matters with their outlandish public posturing. The then management of NIMASA, in fact, seemed determined to aggravate the cloud of despair over the agency.

Reform, Restructuring, and Repositioning Upon assumption of duty as director-general of NIMASA in March, Peterside hit the ground running with a three-pronged policy of reform, restructuring, and repositioning of the agency. He had, perhaps, taken time to study the workings of the organisation while he was yet to be tapped for the maritime industry’s top job.

A committee was set up, which he headed, to provide a framework for the intended transformation of NIMASA. Presenting the report of the committee to the Minister of Transport, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, last month in Abuja, the NIMASA director-general said: “The committee was inaugurated in acknowledgement of the fact that NIMASA was not operating in an effective manner and that there was urgent need to restructure it. We need to reform and reposition NIMASA if our dream of making Nigeria a hub of maritime industry in West and Central Africa must be realised.”

Peterside said the committee had within the two months of its assignment held 18 meetings and searched libraries to compare global standards and engage stakeholders. He said the committee was divided into three groups, each of which focused on one of three fundamental areas of activity, namely, governance structure, image and perception, and core functions of NIMASA. Peterside had also thrown light on the objective of the reorganisation plan during a visit to his office in Lagos by the managing director of News Agency of Nigeria, Mr Bayo Onanuga.

He explained that “When NIMASA is painted in bad light, many countries would not have anything to do with us,” the director-general of NIMASA said. “There is nothing wrong with the NIMASA brand; there is nothing wrong with the people in NIMASA, there is nothing wrong with NIMASA’s processes. There might have

suspended, as financial institutions baulk at the funding of such projects due to the uncertainties in the maritime industry. Thus, there is a lot of pressure on operators to cut cost and reduce freight to remain in business.

The realities in the maritime industry have made the issue of reform quite crucial. The changes being pursued by Peterside since he assumed responsibility for the administration of NIMASA are, thus, directly on topic.

Peterside

been a few abuses in the past but I believe the security agencies with the anti-graft agencies are handling that; so we should allow that be.”

He stated, “Going forward, our mandate is to reposition NIMASA, reform and restructure NIMASA.” Ramifications The NIMASA transformation policy has been marked by the promise of good success. It promises well for the future of the maritime regulatory body, and it fits perfectly into the change agenda of the President Muhammadu Buhari government. It has also fitted into the global drop in container volumes to yield strategic adjustments that have ensured unimpeded pursuit of NIMASA’s core goals.

Despite about 49 per cent decrease in the agency’s revenue, the Peterside leadership has ensured that none of its core mandates is stalled.

The leadership has devised imaginative and

effective approaches to maritime regulation. It has also tried to explore new ways of dealing with ever changing challenges in the industry, such as maritime security, environmental issues, implementation of the cabotage regime to the optimal benefit of Nigerians, and increasing the number of seafarers.

The current NIMASA management has also tried to increase collaboration between the agency and key maritime sector security organs, especially, the Nigerian Navy.

Lull in Activities There has been a significant drop in maritime activities in recent times, with most major ports across the world witnessing a significant drop in container volumes over the past six months.

The current harsh economic weather has meant losses and huge reductions in profits for many shipping companies and other maritime sector operators. Many new vessel projects have been

Firm Promise Among key promises the former chairman of House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) has made is that within his first year in office, the operations of NIMASA would be fully automated. With this, vessels can obtain provisional registration within 48 hours and full registration in 30 days, the NIMASA director general has pledged.

He has also assured that he would work to reduce corruption in NIMASA and ensure greater transparency. He has undertaken to reform NIMASA’s vessel survey, inspection and certification programmes with a view to putting NIMASA ahead in all International Maritime Organisation indices.

One of the major fruits of the on-going transformation in NIMASA is a newfound confidence in telling the Nigerian story within the global maritime community. Peterside has tried to build a strategic network of international collaborations and support for the Nigerian maritime industry. In pursuit of his goal of repositioning NIMASA to be the most efficient maritime regulator in Africa, he has considerably succeeded in selling Nigeria as a big destination for maritime investment.

There are strong indications that Nigeria may be elected again into the council of the International Maritime Organisation during the next general assembly of the council. Nigerian was a member of the IMO council until 2011, when it lost its re-election bid.

NIMASA under Peterside has become much more responsive to developments in the industry.

The agency has become more dynamic and attuned to global standards.

The NIMASA director-general has initiated a medium term strategic plan to control and properly monitor the latest reforms in the industry.

There is no doubt that NIMASA is headed in the right direction. The Peterside leadership is changing the unsavoury reputation of the agency and repositioning it for global competitiveness.

Many believe things can only get better and better, as the policy of reform, restructuring, and repositioning embarked upon by the current management of the maritime regulator is bound to have widespread economic and social ramifications.

BICKERING OVER CUSTOMS AND MANAGEMENT ACT REVIEW that the NCS operated within a consolidated legal framework and supporting laws as well as legal notices. According to him, these are meant to complement the existing laws by reflecting current realities. Ikhenoba noted that the replacement of CEMA with modern Customs legislation procedures and a revised enforcement regime would substantially increase collection of revenue by the service.

NIMASA’s Position On his part, the Chief Shipping Development Officer, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr. Momoh Alhassan, pleaded with the customs to grant the agency access to electronic manifest of importers before arrival of the goods.

Alhassan said that most government agencies could not operate without the manifest, adding that if the manifest was available, it would enable other agencies meet their targets. He also urged NCS to standardise information and statistics for oil rigs that come into Nigerian waters to enable NIMASA to obtain statistics

for revenue collections.

“Customs should also fast track the manifest for exports because exports’ manifest can be delayed for 30 days before importers can have access to it, which could also frustrate the efforts of the exporters,’’ Alhassan said.

MAN, LCCI Kicks The President, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Dr. Jacobs Udemba, said that the association recommended that the Minister of Finance should be the Chairman of the Board of Customs and not the Customs boss.

Jacobs said that there is the N1.5million fine proposed to be paid by any person who infringed on imports, exports, transit laws or two years imprisonment.

He said that such a fine should be increased to enable importers desist from such acts of infringement. In the same vein, a member of the LCCI, Ogboru, suggested that the Finance Minister should be the Chairman of the Board, while the Comptroller-General of Customs should be the Deputy Chairman of the Board.

Ogboru said that the inputs of all the stakeholders should be included in the review to enable them have a say in the implementation.

ANLCA, NAGAFF, CRFFN Position In his contribution, the President of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Mr. Olayiwola Shittu, said that all administrations set up for checks and balances should be abrogated. Shittu said that Section 58 (1) of CEMA Law says “examination of goods should be at the examination bay.”

He said that there was no reason for officers to continue taking samples when there was no dispute on a particular consignment.

The Chairman, Murtala Airport Chapter of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr. Segun Musa, said that there was need to review all fees imposed by all government agencies on importation, exportation as well as transit goods. He said that there should be fact of value of any particular consignment, adding that Customs officers should stop using their

discretion to value consignments.

A representative of CRFFN, Mr. Okudili Alagbi, said that the CEMA law should allow the Council to be issuing licenses to all freight forwarding practitioners to fulfill the Council’s Act. Alagbi said that the CRFFN Act 2007 stated the council’s obligations to all freight forwarding practitioners. In his concluding remarks, the Customs comptroller-general said that all the inputs of the stakeholders and other agencies would be looked into. Ali said that the senior officers of Customs and the Review Committee would be having a three-day to review all contributions. He said that about five chapters of the laws related to the stakeholders were the critical aspects of the law.

The comptroller-general said that all the suggestions would go through scrutiny, adding that only those suggestions that would add value to operations would be considered.

Ali said that every suggestion that would be added must be in conformity with the existing laws.

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CITYSTRINGS

Acting Features Editor Charles Ajunwa Email charles.ajunwa@thisdaylive.com

A Mass Housing Estate on the Brink Jessica Odemwingie writes on the unending crisis enveloping one of the largest mass housing estates in Abuja and why the FCT authorities need to intervene urgently

W

inning Clause Estate recently renamed City of David Estate, which is situated at Plot 67 Kafe District, new Gwarinpa, Abuja, is one of largest mass housing estates in Abuja. With over 350 duplexes already developed in the estate and over seven hectares of land yet to be established, the stress-free accessibility of the estate makes it eye-catching to many house subscribers.

From the Life Camp Roundabout, it is about a 15-minute drive to the estate; and if you are accessing it from the Main Gate of Gwarinpa along Kubwa Expressway, it’s about 10 minutes drive at 50 kilometres per hour.

Planned to be a mass housing estate, a group of homes and other buildings, built together as a single development by a single contractor with uniform appearance, the City of David Estate would ordinarily have been the most sought after but for the unending controversy enveloping it, which most residents claimed was created by a “disputable estate developer”, Winning Clause Limited.

Like other housing estates in Abuja, usually the form of residential design in new towns, the estate is designed as self-directed district to minimise through-traffic flows, and to provide a recreational space in the form of parks and greens. But the estate is opposite of what mass housing estate should be.

THISDAY’s findings show that the problem with the estate started sometime between 2009 and 2010, when the current house owners bought their properties, under the mass housing project, from one Alhaji Kabiru Haruna, who was then Chairman/CEO of Saraha Homes Limited, a company well-advertised for estate development in Abuja.

Many of the owners, according to investigations had long completed payment for the properties, built and were in firm possession of their properties without any interference from anybody until 2012.

At the beginning of their business conversation and transaction with Saraha Homes, they were said to have demanded to see the original allocation paper of the said plot issued by the Federal Capital Development Authority. And they were presented with a copy of ‘’Letter of Offer’’ issued in the name of ProForm West Africa Limited. ‘’In fact, our search at the Abuja Geographical Information System (AGIS) actually confirmed that the plot was allocated to ProForm West Africa Limited. We were also made to understand that there was a partnership agreement between ProForm West Africa Limited and Saraha Homes Limited,” the House Owners/Residents Association Chairman, Mr. Mike Oluwasegbe told THISDAY. ‘’Indeed, a copy of the said partnership agreement was also presented to us then by the Chairman of Saraha Homes, Alhaji Haruna empowering him to manage and superintend the business transaction and development of the plot.’’

In addition, he said Saraha Homes also issued the home owners with “Offer Letters”, which gave them access to their landed properties in the plot, saying “through the grace of Almighty God, many of us finished our buildings and moved in since 2010 without any disturbance from anybody or institution, not even from the staff members of the Department of Development Control, who regularly visited us during the process of buildings.”

However, things suddenly changed when a group in the name of Winning Clause Limited, came in 2012 and pasted quit notices on the buildings in the estate claiming new ownership of the said plot. The house owners were later told that the then Minister of FCT, Alhaji Bala Mohammed, had revoked the plot in the name of ProForm West Africa Limited and re-allocated it to Winning Clause Limited.

The demolished parts of the City of David Estate, Abuja, allegedly instigated by Winning Clause Limited

“Imagine revoking a plot of developed land with about 300 duplexes and reallocating it?

As a follow up to their dirty game, Winning Clause Limited later instigated the Department of Development Control (FCDA), under the leadership of Director, Alhaji Yahaya who came to pull down some houses in the estate on December 3, 2012 apparently to send a frightening message to us that a new owner of the estate had come,” Mr. Oluwasegbe further stated.

Before the bulldozers came, the management of Winning Clause had insisted the house owners pay N15 million per plot again, outside N8 million many of them had paid to acquire the land from Saraha Homes to avoid demolition of their properties. The same Winning Clause had also initiated several court cases at the Abuja High Court against ProForm West Africa Limited/Saraha Homes over the true ownership

of the said plot.

THISDAY was also told that before then, the then Director, Mass Housing Department, Engr.

Jibril Gambo Umar, had told the embattled house owners that Winning Clause Limited never applied for mass housing land through his department and had expressed shock on how such huge parcel of land already being occupied by people could be revoked and re-allocated to Winning Clause.

While the legal battle between Saraha Homes and Winning Clause over who owns the plot lasted in court, the MD of Saraha Homes was said to have been “harassed and intimated” by Winning Clause management and a powerful force within the FCDA using police and agents of EFCC, to force him to surrender the title.

Indeed, Saraha Homes eventually surrendered after he was released from two-week detention

in EFCC’s cell through “Out-of-Court-Settlement” by way of “Consent Judgement.”

According to the judgement, issued by Court 24 of the Abuja High Court, paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of the “Consent Judgement” delivered

by Justice D Z Senchi of Abuja High Court, it states that the 1st to 3rd Defendants (Saraha Homes, Proform West Africa and Alhaji Kabiru Haruna) shall refund to the plaintiff (Winning Clause Limited) payments made by each tenant/subscriber of Plot 67, Cadastral Zone, Kafe District. And with the plaintiff and defendants agreeing that they mutually settled the issue of payment and receipt of monies from the tenants/subscriber to the land in dispute as per an agreement.

The court further directed that each tenant/ subscriber of the land in dispute, who had any outstanding balance to be made with respect

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CITYSTRINGS Imagine revoking a plot of developed land with about 300 duplexes and reallocating it? As a follow up to their dirty game, Winning Clause Limited later instigated the Department of Development Control (FCDA), under the leadership of Director, Alhaji Yahaya who came to pull down some houses in the estate on December 3, 2012 apparently to send a frightening message to us that a new owner of the estate had come to the land in dispute, would make such payment to the plaintiff Winning Clause. that the plaintiff shall not demand from each existing home owners as named under this agreement any amount such person had already made to Winning Clause as evidenced in proper receipt accounted by them and presented to Winning Clause except such demand is made to recover monies due to the plaintiff as an outstanding balance.

But Winning Clause was said to have refused to obey the judgement. “In fragrant violation of the court order, Winning Clause started giving each tenant, including those who have finished paying for their land to Saraha Homes, arbitrary bills ranging from N15 million to N35 million,” another resident, Umar Musa told THISDAY “While conversation between the house owners and Winning Clause was ongoing to resolve the arbitrary bills, Winning Clause went to court suing the home owners for contempt of court, and the aggrieved property owners replied by asking the court for proper interpretation of its consent judgement.

“We were on it when on March 25, 2014, Winning Clause engineered bulldozers from the Department of Development Control to level parts of our houses in order to force us to do its bidding.”

The seeming illegal action of Winning Clause and the Development Control later forced the house owners to write an open letter to the former President Goodluck Jonathan requesting him to intervene and save them from untold intimidation from Winning Clause.

The former President, according to investigation, responded to their request by asking the immediate past Minister of FCT, Bala Mohammed, to resolve the issue. A committee headed by the Executive Secretary of FCDA was constituted on the matter. But, the committee never achieved anything.

An insider in the Ministry of FCT told THISDAY that “some powerful forces within the Ministry” who had an indirect huge interest in Winning Clause Limited’s deal frustrated the committee’s assignment.

Since then, it has been one problem or the other. First, the house owners were asked

by Winning Clause to pay N1 million for “regularisation” of their titles, which most of the house owners did.

“At another time, each property owners was asked to pay N350, 000 for hammer test, and we did. We were told the money running into millions of naira was meant for some officials of Development Control to enable them fast-track the building plan approval,” a recent petition by home owners to current Minister of FCT, Alhaji Muhammad Musa Bello stated. ‘’Just few months ago, Winning Clause caused its lawyer to write some house owners demanding for payment of huge bill of N20 million to N35 million from them or face court action. Winning Clause said the payment includes outstanding payments and the interest associated with it.”

Many of the aggrieved house owners who spoke with THISDAY claimed that the current developer, Winning Clause, got the allocation through the “backdoor”, with the help of some dirty staff members of FCDA, insisting that the company lacks the “technical-known-how and financial capacity” to execute a mass housing

Another demolished parts of the City of David Estate

Minister of FCT, Muhammad Musa Bello... should intervene urgently

One of the bulldozers at work

project.

One of the residents who pleaded anonymity added, “Winning Clause is just a mere land speculator. All the facilities in the estate so far were carried out by the house owners; Winning Clause has not added anything to the estate.

“Winning Clause will not be able to develop the estate, including about seven hectares of undeveloped land, in line with dictates of the Department of Mass Housing. And the crisis may linger on unless the FCT authorities intervene urgently.”

The embattled house owners requested the FCT authorities to in line with the change mantra of President Muhammadu Buhari, who abhor corruption, impunity and illegality, investigate the matter and possibly revoke the plot against Winning Clause so that they can deal directly with FCDA in order to urgently develop the estate in line with the Mass Housing Guidelines.

Also in their recent petition to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Bello, Inspector-General of Police and the Department of State Services, over the invasion of the estate by some criminally minded gunmen, the house owners drew the attention of the authorities to the “unwholesome development”, which they said the estate developer had foisted on them in the past few weeks.

The petitioners added that they became

alarmed when the management of the estate relieved the security company they contracted of their assignment and unilaterally employed an “unknown company”, which staff members no one could vouch for.

“Sadly and suddenly, we recall that some high profile and yet unresolved dangerous robbery attacks started taking place, and this includes but not limited to two dangerous attacks on the home of the association’s general secretary”, they added.

“Indeed, we recall that some members of the task force created by the estate developer have been interrogated by the Gwarinpa Police

The minister is aware of the issue. He has received several complaints concerning the Winning Clause Estate and I want to assure you that he will never allow such impunity to go unpunished. He is looking into the matter

Station, while the police was investigating one of the robbery attacks.”

They added that on May 28, a house owner, who owns House A35 at the estate, Mr. Okonkwo, reported that the Managing Director of Winning Clause, Mrs. Oby Okwubanego, caused some gunmen to invade his premises and beat up his private security guard, while her thugs fired in the air severally. The incident, they said, was reported to the Gwarinpa Police Station.

They requested the minister and the security agencies to stop every attempt to endanger the security of lives and property in the estate.

At the Ministry of FCT, a director told THISDAY in confidence that the minister actually received a petition over the lingering issue affecting the estate, assuring that the matter would be looked into.

“The minister is aware of the issue. He has received several complaints concerning the Winning Clause Estate and I want to assure you that he will never allow such impunity to go unpunished. He is looking into the matter,” the director stated.

When THISDAY visited the office of Winning Clause Limited in Kafe District, Abuja, a junior staff member said the Managing Director of the company, Mrs. Oby Okwubanego, was out of the country, saying he was not authorised to speak on the matter.

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INTERNATIONAL

email:foreigndesk@thisdaylive.com

Italy: Earthquake Death Toll Exceeds 240 Rescue efforts continue as Nigeria sympathises over disaster Zacheaus Somorin with agency reports The death toll in the Italian earthquake stands at 240 as rescuers continue efforts to find survivors.

D o z e n s o f p e o p l e a re b e l i ev e d t ra p p e d i n ruined Amatrice, Acc u m o l i a n d Pe s c a ra d e l Tronto, in mountainous c e n t ra l I t a l y.

T h e re h av e been hundreds of aftershocks since the quake struck, hampering relief efforts a n d d a m a g i n g a l re a dy unstable buildings. More than 4,300 rescuers are u s i n g h e av y m a c h i n e ry a n d t h e i r b a re h a n d s .

Rescuers have advised journalists and bystande r s t o l e av e A m a t r i c e u rg e n t l y, a s “ t h e t o w n is crumbling”, according to the BBC. Another powerful aftershock struck the town on Thursday afternoon, sending a huge dust cloud into the air. Many of the earthquake’s victims were children, the health minister said, and there were warnings the t o l l c o u l d r i s e f u r t h e r.

The heaviest death toll wa s i n A m a t r i c e - 1 8 4 , officials said. Another 4 6 d i e d i n A rq u a t a ,

and 11 in Accumoli. A further 264 people have been treated in hospital.

O f f i c i a l s rev i s e d d o w n the number of dead after earlier giving a figure of 247. The 6.2-magnitude quake hit at 03:36 (01:36 G M T ) o n We d n e s d ay 100km (65 miles) northeast of Rome. “ We a re s l e e p i n g i n t h e c a r a n d t h e re w e re shocks all night. When the biggest one came, the car started moving and shaking,” said Monica, a survivor from Amatrice.

Two f i re m e n b u r ro w e d deep into the rubble l o o k i n g f o r a s u rv i v o r.

“It’s a dog,” one of them shouted out. For half an hour the men kept digging. They passed water down to be given to the animal. And eventually they worked it free, then e m e rg e d , c a r ry i n g i t t o the surface. There was a ripple of congratulations t h ro u g h t h e c ro w d . “ I t d o e s n ’t m a t t e r t o us if it’s a person or an animal, we save it,” said Gianni Macerata, the fire officer in charge. So the digging goes on. But so l i t t l e i s l e f t o f Pe s c a ra del Tronto it is unlikely that more survivors will be found here. It seems

unlikely too that this ancient little place, that has stood for centuries, can ever be rebuilt. Hundreds of years of history ended in an instant.

A tented camp has been set up, as so many buildings are now unsafe.

Prime Minister Matt e o R e n z i wa s c h a i r i n g a n e m e rg e n cy c a b i n e t m e e t i n g o n T h u r s d ay.

The agenda included re c o n s t r u c t i o n plans for the devastated area.

R e s c u e r s s a i d t h ey h a d pulled five bodies from the ruins of the Hotel Roma in Amatrice. As many as 70 tourists were staying at the hotel when

the quake struck. Many a re f e a re d t o b e i n t h e r u b b l e , t h o u g h s ev e ra l w e re p u l l e d o u t a n d g i v e n m e d i c a l c a re .

Many of those affected were Italians on holiday i n t h e re g i o n . S o m e w e re i n A m a t r i c e f o r a f e s t i va l t o c e l e b ra t e a famous local speciality - amatriciana bacon and tomato sauce. Late on We d n e s d ay t h e re w e re cheers in the village of Pescara del Tronto when a young girl was pulled a l i v e f ro m t h e r u b b l e a f t e r b e i n g t ra p p e d f o r 17 hours. Almost all the h o u s e s t h e re h a d c o l lapsed, the mayor said.

Among the victims was an 18-month-old toddler, Marisol Piermarini, w h o s e m o t h e r M a rt i n a Tu rc o s u rv i v e d t h e deadly 2009 earthquake i n L’ A q u i l a a n d m ov e d away from there after the experience, Italian news a g e n cy A n s a re p o r t e d .

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed deep grief and sympathy with Italy over the deadly earthquake that has claimed more than two hundred lives in the central parts of the country.

In a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media

and Publicity, Mr. Garba Shehu, the president said: “My heart and prayers go out to the people of Italy at this time of national mourning, caused by the devastating earthquake.”

Buhari told the Italian Prime Minister, Mr. Matteo Renzi, that his family, the government and the people of Nigeria shared the grief of Italian citizens over this deadly natural disaster.

The president prayed to God to comfort the families of the victims and grant them the fortitude to overcome their grief at this emotionally challenging time.

Zimbabwe Opposition Seeks Court Backing for Today’s Protest Zimbabwe opposition leaders are going to court to demand authorities allow and provide security for a planned march today calling for electoral reform after police chiefs suggested they presented a petition instead.

Leaders from 18 political parties, including Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai and former vice president Joice

Mujuru will lead Friday’s demonstration, which they expect to draw thousands of supporters.

Police used teargas and water cannon on Wednesday to break-up a march by MDC youth supporters, who were protesting against economic woes and what they say is brutality by security agents.

Police commander for the Harare Central District, Chief Superintendent Newbert Saunyama, told protest organisers in a letter on Thursday that they could present a petition at the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission without marching, adding that the expected number of participants, 150,000, was too big.

“This office is discouraging the issue of marching in the central business district, considering the number of participants,” Saunyama said.

“The crowd cannot be ac-

commodated in the central business district of Harare as it interrupts with both human and vehicular traffic.”

In the first large scale demonstrations Zimbabwe has seen since 2007, protests inpsired by social media movements such as #ThisFlag led by pastor Evan Mawarire have erupted in the past months.

Protesters want President Robert Mugabe to fire corrupt ministers, scrap plans to introduce local bank notes and end cash shortages that have caused queues at banks. On Friday, opposition groups want the government to ensure the electoral field is fair ahead of presidential and parliamentary votes due in 2018 and does not favour the ruling ZANU-PF party, as well as setting out a roadmap for the ballot.

Mugabe, 92, who plans to contest the vote, has chided the opposition for seeking his downfall

through protests, saying his opponents are afraid of defeat at the ballot box. He denies opposition and Western charges of rigging previous elections.

Under Zimbabwe’s security laws, organisers are required to notify the police of any demostration seven days before the event, but the police routinely ban protests by the opposition.

Douglas Mwonzora, the MDC secretary general and legal secretary for National Electoral Reform Agenda, the organisers of the march, said the opposition would go to court later on Thursday to ensure the police would not disturb Friday’s event and that they provide adequate security.

“The police are not saying in this letter that they are afraid of violence, are afraid of any illegality or that they do not have manpower, they are not saying that. They are simply saying the figure is too much,” Mwonzora told reporters.

Turkey Sends More Tanks to Syria Turkey sent more tanks into northern Syria yesterday and demanded Kurdish militia fighters retreat within a week as it seeks to secure the border region and drive back Islamic State with its first major incursion into its neighbor.

Syrian rebels backed by Turkish special forces, tanks and warplanes on Wednesday entered Jarablus, one of Islamic State’s last strongholds on the Turkish-Syrian border. Gunfire and explosions echoed around hills in the region on Thursday.

Some of the blasts were triggered as Turkish security forces cleared mines and booby traps left by retreating Islamic State militants, according to Nuh Kocaaslan, the mayor of Karkamis, which sits just across the border from Jarablus.

Three Syrian rebels were killed during the operation to take Jarablus, one of them when he opened the door of a house rigged with explosives, Kocaaslan told reporters. There were no casualties among the

Turkish troops.

President Tayyip Erdogan and senior government officials have made clear the aim of“Operation Euphrates Shield” is as much about stopping the Kurdish YPG militia seizing territory and filling the void left by Islamic State as about eliminating the radical Islamist group itself.

Turkey, which has NATO’s second biggest armed forces, demanded that the YPG retreat to the east side of the Euphrates river within a week. The Kurdish militia had moved west of the river earlier this month as part of a U.S.-backed operation, now completed, to capture the city of Manbij from Islamic State.

Ankara views the YPG as a threat because of its close links to Kurdish militants waging a three-decade-old insurgency on its own soil. It has been alarmed by the YPG’s gains in northern Syria since the start of the Syrian civil war in 2011, fearing it could extend Kurdish control along Turkish borders and fuel the ambitions of

Kurdish insurgents in Turkey.

Turkey’s stance has put it at odds with Washington, which sees the YPG as a rare reliable ally on the ground in Syria, where Washington is trying to defeat Islamic State while also opposing President Bashar al-Assad’s government in a complex, multi-sided fiveyear-old civil war.

The Syrian Kurdish force is one of the most powerful militias in Syria and regarded as the backbone of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a U.S.-backed alliance formed last October to fight Islamic State.

Turkish Defence Minister Fikri Isik said preventing the Kurdish PYD party - the political arm of the YPG - from uniting Kurdish cantons east of Jarablus with those further west was a priority.

“Islamic State should be completely cleansed, this is an absolute must. But it’s not enough for us.... The PYD and the YPG militia should not replace Islamic State there,” Isik told Turkish broadcaster NTV.

FRIDAY AUGUST 26, 2016 • T H I S D AY

48

INTERNATIONAL

Russia Backs 48-hour Aleppo Truce Russia has agreed to a 48-hour humanitarian ceasefire in the divided Syrian city of Aleppo to allow aid deliveries, but security guarantees are awaited from other parties on the ground, U.N. officials said yesterday.

The United Nations has pushed for a weekly 48-hour pause in fighting in Aleppo to alleviate suffering for about 2 million people, but major powers back opposing sides in Syria’s five-year-old civil war, complicating its implementation.

“We have ... agreement now from the Russian Federation for the 48-hour pause, we’re waiting (for) it from the other actors on the ground. That has taken more time frankly than I thought was needed,” said Jan Egeland, who chairs the U.N. humanitarian task force,

told reporters.

Egeland’s boss, U.N. Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura, said echoed his comments, saying Russia was on board but they were waiting for others parties to agree: “... we are ready, trucks are ready and they can leave anytime we get that message.”

Russia is the main external supporter of the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Rebel groups opposing Assad are supported

by Western and Gulf powers.

The White House on Thursday said it supported U.N. efforts to bring all sides together to deliver humanitarian relief to Aleppo and would welcome Russia’s constructive engagement.

On Aug. 19, the main

South Sudan Cabinet Wants Big Spending Boost South Sudan’s cabinet wants to almost triple spending in the next budget, as it hopes to stabilise the fledgling country that has flirted with civil war.

However, with earnings from its main asset - oil - heavily disrupted, it was unclear how the government could finance such a level of spending.

The cabinet approved a budget proposal for the 2016/17 fiscal year that caps government spending at 29.6 billion South Sudan pounds ($520 million), a 187 percent rise over the year that ended on June 30.

The world’s newest country has been ravaged by war since December 2013, when soldiers loyal to President Salva Kiir clashed in the capital Juba with troops loyal to his former deputy Riek Machar. A shaky peace deal was agreed a year ago, but it was frequently violated.

Machar returned to Juba as deputy president in April but Kiir appointed a new deputy to replace him in late July, when he left the capital after street battles between rival troops. The fighting has hurt oil production, a major source of revenue, which has also been hit by falling prices. The economy has been battered, driving prices higher. Inflation has surged in July to reach an annual rate of 661.3 percent.

“This (budget) increase, estimated to be 187 percent, comes of course as a result of so many factors including the

implementation of the (peace) agreement,” Michael Makuei, Information Minister and Government spokesman, told a news conference late on Wednesday.

“Objective number one was the consolidation of peace by prioritising the financing of the agreement. Number two, to restore confidence in local markets by improving key economic indicators: economic growth, employment, inflation and exchange rate,”Makuei said.

Makuei said the ceiling was a proposal and the finance ministry and other ministries would work out the final details before the budget is brought to parliament for approval at a date yet to be decided.

He did not say what the sources of funding would be but in the past oil has accounted for most of its revenues. Juba has also taken loans from Chinese companies, offering to pay them back with future oil proceeds.

Earlier this month, Foreign Minister Deng Alor said the country planned to ask China for a $1.9 billion loan - a sum equal to more than a fifth of its national output - to be used for infrastructure projects such as roads and bridges.

umbrella group for the Syrian opposition cautiously welcomed a proposal for a weekly truce in Aleppo, provided this would be monitored by the United Nations. De Mistura has been trying to bring government and opposition representatives back to the negotiating table this month to revive a shattered broader ceasefire.

He said he awaited Friday’s

Nicolas Sarkozy said yesterday that he would impose a nationwide ban on burkinis if elected back to the presidency in 2017, positioning himself as a strong defender of French values and tough on immigration. Hundreds of supporters waving French flags chanted “Nicolas! Nicolas!” and applauded as Sarkozy, a conservative president from 2007 to 2012 before losing an election to Socialist Francois Hollande, promised to protect the French people.

“I will be the president that re-establishes the authority of the state,”Sarkozy told a crowd of more than 2,000 packing a sports hall in Chateaurenard, a Provence town where his Les Republicains beat the far-right Front National (FN) in regional elections last year.

“I want to be the president who guarantees the safety of France and of every French person,” the 61-year-old said, sending a message that he could tackle the Islamist

Until this DNA result is made public and the result confirms that Hyacinth belong to the lineage of Aburime, he (Hyacinth) should stop parading himself as Late Tony Usifo Aburime’s son forthwith.

We demand that he publicly renounce the name “Aburime” as a surname or a means of identification in any national newspaper immediately or face legal action.

CC: The Onogie of Ewu The Elders of Idunwele

Kelly Aburime For: The Family

violence that has killed 230 people in attacks since January 2015.

For months he lagged in opinion polls behind Alain Juppe, a mild-mannered, more centrist former prime minister who is his main rival for the November primaries that will choose a conservative candidate for the election. But his popularity, which had already started improving with party sympathisers in June, rose after Islamist attacks on a Bastille Day crowd in Nice and on a priest in Normandy.

Taking a hard line on a debate that has agitated France over the past weeks, Sarkozy told supporters in Chateaurenard, his first rally for the 2017 election, that the full-body swimwear known as the burkini should be banned throughout the country. Several seaside towns have outlawed it, arguing that it breaks French laws on secularism, but there is no national ban.

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as MISS. OGECHUKWU CHIKA ANOCHIE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OGECHUKWU CHIKA ELSABBAGH. All former documents

remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS OGUNMOLA OLAJUMOKE GLADYS, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS RAJI OLAJUMOKE DEBORAH. All Documents Remain Valid.The Public Should Take Note.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS. OGECHUKWU CHIKA ANOCHIE , now wish to be known and addressed as MRS SAANU,RACHAEL OLUFUNMILAYO. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

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PUBLIC NOTICE

The family therefore view this as a conspiracy and an attempt to cover up the truth from the result of the test and therefore demand that the result be made public.

Aleppo, going cross-border from Turkey. Initially we would be ready in the first 48-hour weekly pause to have two convoys, of 20 trucks each, that would carry enough food for 80,000 people in eastern Aleppo,” he said. Western Aleppo, where needs have “increased dramatically”, would be supplied via Damascus, he said.

There would also be repairs

of the electrical system in the “disputed south” that powers water pumping stations serving 1.8 million people. Civilians in other encircled towns were also malnourished, Egeland said, singling out rebel-besieged Foua and Kefraya in Idlib and government-besieged Madaya near Damascus, which have not had U.N. food deliveries in 116 days.

Sarkozy Tells Comeback Rally He Would Ban Burkini across France

August 23, 2016 The Aburime Family wishes to demand the result of a DNA on Hyacinth to resolve the paternity question surrounding the conception and birth of her son “Hyacinth” 21 years ago, which was carried out secretly by Ms. Betty Okoebor and her son with Two (2) members of Aburime family only. This was done after the death of Mr. Tony Usifo Aburime and without the consent of other members of the Aburime family.

meeting between U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Sergei Lavrov in Geneva before commenting further on his “political initiatives” to relaunch the political process. The U.N. relief plan for Aleppo entails simultaneous deliveries of food to the rebel-held east and government-controlled west, Egeland said.

“First, a lifeline to eastern

“I refuse to let the burkini impose itself in French beaches and swimming pools ... there must be a law to ban it throughout the Republic’s territory,” he said to wide applause. “Our identity is under threat when we accept an immigration policy that makes no sense,” he said.

Sarkozy is seeking to win back votes from the far-right National Front whose rising popularity mirrors that of populist politicians in other countries that have appealed to voter worries over globalisation and immigration, such as U.S. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and the leaders of Britain’s Brexit campaign.

Responding to an accusation

CHANGE OF NAME

by Prime Minister Manuel Valls that his proposals were brutal, Sarkozy said: “The French people are not fascist because they consider there are security problems ... In my speech there is no fear, there is no hatred, there is just common sense.”

While some in the hall said they came out of curiosity, staunch supporters said they had voted twice for him already and would do so again in the late April and early May 2017 election.“We came here to support him, we’ll vote for him because he is dynamic and he has proven during the subprime crisis that he is serious and up to the job,”said 77-year-old pensioner Georges Petit, who came to the rally with his wife.

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49

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016

WORLD OF ISLAM

Edited by: MJO Mustapha Email deji.mustapha@thisdaylive.com

Hajj: Walking the Walk –2 Continued from last week

Ibrahim N. Abusharif/IslamiCity Mt. Mercy The heart of the Hajj, its proving ground and day, is at Mt. Arafat. On its plains, slopes, and peak, millions of people (can’t help but repeat that number) gather from dawn to sunset for supplication and remembrance. The scene is almost supernatural. The importance of the Hereafter is stressed nearly on every page of the Quran and countless statements of the Prophet. Firm belief in the Hereafter is expected of us in the here and now.

Yet nothing in our normal everyday lives compares to the spectacle of all of humanity standing before God for ultimate judgment. The Arafat experience offers something for our imaginations, a glimpse of the inevitable. It helps us to map additional meaning to the words we read in the Quran - helps us to tease out greater sense from the descriptions the Book reveals. There is a glow and ease associated with Arafat, which abruptly alters at sunset when the throngs of humanity board buses, SUV’s, and sandals and head for Muzdalifa, an extensive plain that looks like a large parking lot of gravel and stones. There we wait until dawn before we head to Mina, Tent City, where the population (comparable to Chicago) will cram together in an area the size of a large mall. As citizens of Mina for a few days, we are shown the full range of human character and fallibilities. Each day of our stay at Mina, we take small stones and toss them at large pillars that represent Satan’s guile - small stones doing mighty work.

The Road to Madina It is an integral part of prophecy to migrate.

Abraham’s moves are legendary: from Ur (in present day Iraq) to Palestine, and from Palestine’s sown

fields to the uncultivable hollow of Makkah. We recall Moses’s flight from Egypt to Madyan after striking dead one of Pharaoh’s henchman molesting a Israelite; and then from Madyan to the Valley of Tuwa where he received his calling, then back to Egypt and out again. For the Prophet of Islam, it would be from his beloved city of Makkah to Yathrib, later named Madina. Before entering Yathrib, however, the Prophet stayed for some days in Quba, not far away. He did not rush his entrance into Yathrib whose complications, alliances, and general plan were still not fully clear to him. The Prophet was assiduous in his affairs, and to rush into something was not of his character. But there was more. The Prophet of Mercy would never discount the realities of the people around him nor find them trivial.

What was important to people was something to acknowledge and regard. To forge a firm bond of brotherhood, the ligature that was not to break, had its demands - had parts to be studied and understood, parts to be honored - parts of a new whole. The Prophet met with delegations and learned what he needed to learn before making the short trip between Quba and Yathrib. What a Messenger of God must do in his mission goes between what he receives from God, and also what must be learned through more conventional means. This man who was taken on a Night Journey from his thin straw mattress in Makkah to the Holy House in Jerusalem, then to the magnificent realms of Heaven, to the outermost region itself, had to travel on the back of a camel some 175 miles to Yathrib; this man who learned through Divine Revelation of tidings of the past and secrets of lands far away and of events of things to come, needed to learn the vagaries of new life contexts through more ordinary methods.

We’ve come across this interesting mix between the miraculous and the ordinary. Mary mother of Jesus, for example, conceived of her son through extraordinary means of God’s single command, “Be” and “So it was.” The matter was done: a boy, a human being of flesh and intelligence, of

insight and mission, would grow in her, though no man had ever touched her. Though the conception of her son was miraculous, the normal trials and pains of delivery would not bypass her. In time, the contractions bore down on the young woman, driving her to take shelter beneath a date-palm.

Right there, beneath the withered tree, did she give birth to Jesus. Grief-stricken and depleted, Mary heard a voice calling out to her, telling her not to sorrow or desire annihilation. A streamlet appeared before her with fresh and pure water. She was then told to shake the trunk of the date-palm.

She managed to shake the tree with her trembling arms; she worked with ordinary forces of nature to have dropped upon her a miraculous bunch of ripened dates as if the date-palm had been the most fertile plant on earth.

In Madina People of all races, headdress, and determination converge in Madina to visit the Arabian Prophet, which is not a formal part of the Hajj. These folks are driven to Madina by their love of the Prophet, which they imbibed through the curious method of education. But you sense nothing rote in their visit nor in their emotions. And since when can an emotion be passed down and kept strong enough to drive people to make the journey to the Prophet’s tomb? Love cannot be taught, as they say. And this is true. But when one learns more of the life of the Messenger, love seems to be the crest of the education, where all facts and roads lead. This is the Prophet’s grace. Yes, Makkah is a majestic city.

If you knew nothing and merely opened up your heart and stood on its hallowed ground, you’d sense that this is a sacred center, alive in more than one realm. It is kingly. You feel you’re in the presence of the August, the Wise. Madina, though, is a light. It is friendly. You come with your flaws and feel welcomed nonetheless. Your humanity is accepted. Just come with a willingness to climb.

Greet the host of the house, convey your regards and prayers of peace, and he will respond. Walk up to him, and he will know. Sit anywhere and reflect or read or thumb your beads or raise your hand in sure supplication or simply relax — it’s all accepted. It’s all good. It’s a gracious place. The guests do not feel self-conscious. You are what you are.

Concluding Remarks We each have a body, a fact we’re constantly reminded of, and a body does have needs, organic and sensual, which we cater to day and night.

But to submit to the curriculum of fundamentalist secularists that “body” defines humanity is a dereliction that revealed religion has always warned of. We are created from the clay of the earth but are also infused with a soul that has no material correlate in this world. Religion has recognized this duality, not as a glitch in our creation, but as a trial. Somewhere in the teachings of all the great ones (including Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad), there’s an un-asterisked point: in negotiating the material and spiritual selves, one brushes up against salvation. The choice, they have stressed, comes down to the question: what aspect of our humanity do we devote ourselves to? For the Muslim, the nurturing of the soul is paramount and is guided by what we offhandedly call in pamphlets the “five pillars of Islam,” essential rites of worship that have been passed down through the sound line of prophecy. These pillars start to lose their meaning when we forget a baseline understanding of religion: Islam insists that each of us is born into this world with a pure condition, a state of grace, in fact. While humans may be feeble, sometimes foolish, belligerent, and forgetful, our center was made uncorrupt. This is equally true for men and women. The rites of worship and the way of life they engender are meant to bring us closer to our original state because it is not confused about God nor indifferent to our role in His world.

INTERNATIONAL

Zuma Expresses Confidence in Finance Minister South African President, Jacob Zuma, said yesterday that he has full confidence in Finance Minister, Pravin Gordhan, who is under police investigation over a suspected spy unit at the tax service.

Zuma said he could not intervene in the investigations despite the negative impact the probe has caused on the economy, according to a statement released by the presidency.

The rand, which had tumbled 5 percent since Tuesday in response to the investigation,

extended gains to 1.3 percent after Zuma’s statement after starting a recovery on Thursday.

News of Gordhan’s summons this week compounded investors’ worries about a power struggle between Zuma and Gordhan as Africa’s most industrialised economy teeters near recession and credit rating agencies consider downgrading it to “junk” by year-end.

In his first public comments on the matter since it surfaced late on Tuesday, Zuma said he had noted the concerns

by individuals and various organisations over the investigation. “President Jacob Zuma wishes to express his full support and confidence in the Minister of Finance and emphasises the fact that the minister has not been found guilty of any wrong doing,” the presidency said in a statement.

“The Presidency wishes to also emphasise that President Zuma does not have powers to stop any investigations into any individual/s.”

“The negative effect of these matters on our

Iran Vessels Intercept US Ship Four of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) vessels “harassed” a U.S. warship on Tuesday near the Strait of Hormuz, a U.S. defense official said, amid Washington’s concerns about Iran’s posture in the Gulf and in the Syrian civil war.

The official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said on Wednesday that two of the Iranian vessels came within 300 yards of the USS Nitze in an incident that was“unsafe and unprofessional.”

The vessels harassed the destroyer by“conducting a high

speed intercept and closing within a short distance of Nitze, despite repeated warnings,”the official said.

IRGC, the Islamic Republic’s praetorian guard, is suspicious of U.S. military activity near Iran’s borders and appears to be sticking to a familiar posture in the Gulf that predates last year’s nuclear accord between Iran and six world powers, including the United States.

The United States and other countries are concerned about Iran’s support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, its ballistic missile

program, and its backing for Shiite militias that have abused civilians in Iraq.

The U.S. defense official said that in Tuesday’s incident the USS Nitze tried to communicate with the Iranian vessels 12 times, but received no response. It also fired 10 flares in the direction of two of the Iranian vessels.

“The Iranian high rate of closure... created a dangerous, harassing situation that could have led to further escalation, including additional defensive measures by Nitze,” the official said.

economy, personal pressure on the individuals affected as well as the heads of institutions, however disturbing, cannot be cause for the

President to intervene unconstitutionally.”

Gordhan said on Wednesday he had no legal obligation to obey a police summons linked

to an investigation into whether he used the South African Revenue Service (SARS) to spy on politicians including Zuma.

Al Shabaab Militants Bomb Somali Beach Restaurant Al Shabaab militants attacked a beach restaurant in the capital Mogadishu yesterday, with gunmen raiding the building after setting off a car bomb, police and the insurgent group said. Sporadic shooting could be heard as night fell, Reuters witnesses said.

It was not clear how many casualties there might be.

“A car bomb exploded at Banadir beach restaurant at Lido beach and there is exchange of gunfire. We have no other details so far,” police officer Major Ahmed Ibrahim told Reuters. Al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab’s military operation spokesman Abdiasis Abu Musab said the group was responsible for the attack.

“We attacked the Banadir beach restaurant and now our fighters are fighting

inside it,” he told Reuters.

Al Shabaab, has carried out a series of deadly attacks in Somalia to try to topple the Western-backed government. In January, its militants stormed another restaurant on Lido beach, killing 17 people.

On Sunday, more than 20 people were killed when its suicide bombers detonated two car bombs at a local government headquarters in Somalia’s semi-autonomous Puntland region. On Thursday, Reuters witnesses near the scene of the beach attack said the restaurant had been sealed off by security officers and that the attackers had lobbed grenades at the officers and fired at them.

They said they had also seen two bodies lying on the ground. Internal

Security Minister Abdirizak Omar Mohamed said on his Twitter account: “Warning: People near the blast scene should stay in the hotels and in their houses in which they are inside.

Cars should not enter Lido beach area.”

Al Shabaab was pushed out of Mogadishu by the African Union peacekeeping force AMISOM in 2011 but has remained a potent threat in Somalia, launching frequent attacks aimed at overthrowing the Westernbacked government.

In a separate incident in southern Somalia, a roadside bomb believed to have been planted by al Shabaab militants wounded at three people in Baardheere town in Gedo region, Colonel Hussein Nur, a police officer in the town, told Reuters by phone.

50

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

‘Africa’s Children to Account for 40% of World’s Poorest People by 2030’ Obinna Chima with agency report African children will account for more than 40 per cent of the world’s poorest people in 2030, almost double the current share, unless more is done to improve education and healthcare, a UK-based thinktank said on Thursday.

One in five children in subSaharan Africa, or nearly 148 million, will be living on less than $1.90 a day in 2030, the deadline set by the world leaders to eliminate extreme poverty, Reuters quoted the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) to have said in a report.

“This prospect of 40 percent plus of world poverty in 2030 being African children is one that I think should focus the minds of the international community,” ODI executive director and co-author of the report, Kevin Watkins said.

“We’re talking about getting kids into school (and) tackling the most extreme forms of poverty. This is doable,” he

told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone from Italy.

By 2030, ODI estimates that 88 per cent of all children living on $1.90 a day will be in sub-Saharan Africa, up from some 50 per cent today.

To reduce poverty, extreme inequality and change demographic patterns in sub-Saharan Africa, investment was needed in cash transfers, education and healthcare, ODI said.

Education, in particular, was “absolutely central” to reducing poverty in the region, Watkins said.

“It’s through education (people) gain skills, girls are more likely to go into marriage later and women secure confidence to demand healthcare and reproductive care,” he said.

Nigeria was the “hotspot” for the progress on the continent, Watkins said, noting that Africa’s most populous country with 188 million people has the largest number of children out of school and some of the biggest gender gaps in education.

“Unless the picture improves

in Nigeria, it’s almost guaranteed that sub-Saharan Africa as a region will be pulled off track,” Watkins said.

Despite the challenges, subSaharan Africa has chalked up many economic gains over the past few years and recorded significant progress in child survival, Watkins said.

“This is now a part of the world that is in the fast lane of economic growth. There are more democracies in Africa than have ever been,” he added.

However, African leaders need to invest in the youth and end harmful practices such as child marriage.

“Now is the time for African leaders to step up on the plate on these gender inequalities that are preventing young girls and young women from exercising choice and realising their potential,” Watkins said.

In sub-Saharan Africa, more than a tenth of girls are married by 15, and four in 10 are married by 18, according to the Population Council, a U.S.-based non-profit organisation.

IFAD: Massive Food Importation HarmingAfrica’s Economies The US$35billion a year that Africa spends on importing food should be used to create local jobs in agriculture, according to the President of the UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Kanayo F. Nwanze.

Addressing the sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) in Nairobi today, Nwanze is expected to tell African leaders that the potential for prosperity on the continent is enormous, but investments need to be redirected to developing the agricultural sector.

Although it has a quarter of the world’s arable land, Africa generates only 10 per cent of global agricultural output.

“African leaders are failing their people by their weak investments in agricultural inputs and infrastructure, and their lack of policy support for the sector,” a statement quoted Nwanze to have said on the

eve of his departure.

“If even a portion of the money used for food imports was spent on creating jobs in rural areas, not only would the world’s largest youth population see a viable future on the continent, but Africa would be able to feed itself,” he said.

Convened by Japan, the purpose of TICAD is to promote high-level policy dialogue between African leaders and partners, with a focus on African-led development. This is the first time that TICAD will be held on the African continent. It will run until 28 August.

Although Africa is the world’s second fastest growing economic region, more than 300 million Africans live below the poverty line. Most live in rural areas and depend on agriculture for their livelihoods.

Unemployment rates are close to 40 per cent.

“Economic growth alone

is not enough. If we want a continent with food security and social stability, we have to ensure that development focuses on people. They do not want handouts. They want economic opportunities,” said Nwanze.

“At TICAD this year, I hope we can go beyond talking about Africa’s potential and discuss what is practically needed for Africa’s people to seize that potential,” he added.

While at TICAD, Nwanze will also participate in the launch of Japan’s Initiative for Food and Nutrition Security in Africa which will establish a framework for African countries to collaborate to improve their nutrition status.

Japan is a founding member and a leading contributor to IFAD – a specialized United Nations agency and international financial institution that invests in agriculture and rural development in developing countries around the world.

Heritage Bank Gets Positive Ratings Two foremost rating agencies, Moody’s and Augusto & Co. have affirmed that Heritage Bank’s capitalisation remains sound in relation to its low asset risk model and has capacity to generate income from its core business and settle its obligation as at when due.

According to Moody, under the new methodology, the bank’s credit metrics’ ratings remained consistent with an a3 BCA when measured against Australia’s macro profile.

A statement from Heritage Bank explained that as part of efforts to furnish investors with objective analyses and independent assessments of its securities, bonds and credit assets, it had engaged the services of Moody and Augusto & Co. to provide superior information on credit risk and other investment instruments.

The bank said: “The inter-

national and local ratings investment metrics is a welcome development to the bank and, in light of this sterling achievement, we swiftly need to improve on our performances in order to boost our subsequent ratings.”

According to the rating agency, the a3 BCA takes into account the bank’s low asset risk model that supports its very strong asset quality. Relative to its asset risk profile the bank maintains sound capitalisation.

Moody’s in the new bank methodology added: “The bank’s baseline credit assessment (BCA), which encapsulates its stand-alone financial profile, and its adjusted BCA were also confirmed at a3. The outlook for all ratings is stable.”

The new bank rating methodology includes a number of elements that Moody’s has developed to help accurately

predict bank failures and determine how each creditor class is likely to be treated when a bank fails and enters resolution.

These new elements capture insights gained from the 2008-09 financial crisis and the fundamental shift in the banking industry and its regulation. In light of the new bank rating methodology, Moody’s rating actions reflect the following considerations: (1) the “Very Strong” macro profile of Australia; and (2) the bank’s low asset risk model.

Meanwhile, Agusto & Co, Nigeria’s first Credit Rating Agency and a Pan African leader in credit ratings and credit reports affirmed same rating with Moodys on all rated assets and instruments. Recall that recently, African Export Import Bank provided a $150 million funding support for Heritage Bank.

Broad street

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

MARCH 2016 Broad Money (M2)

20,470,436.00

-- Narrow Money (M1)

9,040,817.68

---- Currency Outside Banks

1,441,365.03

---- Demand Deposits

7,599,452.65

-- Quasi Money

11,429,618.32

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

5,551,714.27

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

14,918,721.73

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

22,664,815.74

---- Credit to Government (Net)

3,782,578.01

---- Memo: Credit to Govt. (Net) less FMA

4,991,246.39

---- Memo: Fed. and Mirror Accounts (FMA)

-1,208,668.38

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

18,882,237.73

--Other Assets Net

-7,746,094.02

Reserve Money (Base Money)

5,758,634.07

--Currency in Circulation

1,811,090.48

--Banks Reserves

3,947,543.59 • Source - CBN

MANAGED FUNDS Initial Price (N) Stanbic Balanced Fund

Buying Price(N)

Selling Price

1,660.29

1,685.29

Stanbic IBTC NEF

1,000.00

11,002.32

11,326.67.11

Stanbic SIBond

20

120.47

120.47

Stanbic IBTC Ethical

1

1.10

1.13

Stanbic IBTC GIF

142.90

143.38

UBA Balanced Fund

1.2563

1.2493

UBA Bond Fund

1.3443

1.3443

UBA Equity Fund

0.8205

0.8074

UBA Money Market Fund

1.1510

1.1510

ARM Aggressive Growth Fund

N13.0544

N13.4480

ARM Discovery Fund

N288.2515

N296.9425

ARM Ethical Fund

N22.5268

N23.2060

ARM Money Market Fund

13.1030 (Yield % ) • Monetary Policy Rate - 13%

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE AS AT TUESDAY 23, AUG 2016 The price of OPEC basket of fourteen crudes stood at $45.34 a barrel on Tuesday, compared with $46.04 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

The new OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Oriente (Ecuador), Rabi Light (Gabon), Minas (Indonesia), Iran Heavy (Islamic Republic of Iran), Basra Light (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Qatar Marine (Qatar), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and Merey (Venezuela).

SOURCE: OPEC headquarters, Vienna

51

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016

Nigeria’s top 50 stocks based on market fundamentals

25-Aug-16

24-Aug-16

% Change

Capitalisation

EPS

P/E

P/S

Div. Yld

Price/ Book Value

01 Dangote Cement Plc

172.00

180.50

-4.71%

2,930,967,273,660.00

9.56

17.99

5.41

4.65%

4.31

02 Nigerian Breweries Plc

140.65

141.75

-0.78%

1,115,228,039,897.20

4.50

31.29

3.72

2.56%

6.85

03 Guaranty Trust Bank Plc

26.25

26.26

-0.04%

772,568,454,630.00

4.20

6.25

2.15

6.74%

1.71

825.00

825.00

0.00%

653,941,407,900.00

19.41

42.50

3.94

3.52%

18.59

05 Zenith Bank Plc

15.30

15.59

-1.86%

480,366,354,925.80

3.10

4.94

1.15

11.76%

0.77

06 Lafarge Africa Plc

58.00

58.00

0.00%

264,184,304,980.00

-6.71

-8.64

1.19

5.17%

1.89

177.00

178.60

-0.90%

230,539,155,231.00

4.22

41.94

1.56

1.95%

5.38

11.35

11.45

-0.87%

208,267,406,290.25

0.23

49.40

0.38

5.46%

0.35

09 Access Bank Plc

5.67

5.65

0.35%

164,021,599,147.77

2.56

2.21

0.48

9.70%

0.38

10 United Bank for Africa Plc

4.45

4.46

-0.22%

161,443,892,132.90

1.65

2.70

0.53

13.48%

0.46

275.00

270.11

1.81%

152,160,336,075.00 -14.43

-19.06

1.63

5.79%

0.40

12 Presco Plc

36.96

36.96

0.00%

146,748,831,583.20

0.54

68.91

2.11

3.52%

3.59

13 Unilever Nigeria Plc

38.58

38.58

0.00%

145,959,569,325.00

0.46

83.43

2.40

0.13%

16.39

14 Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc

14.10

14.10

0.00%

141,000,000,000.00

2.04

6.92

1.19

0.71%

1.26

15 Guinness Nig Plc

93.50

93.50

0.00%

140,800,545,578.00

3.70

25.29

1.25

0.00%

3.17

16 FBN Holdings Plc

3.10

3.16

-1.90%

111,275,407,655.20

0.30

10.17

0.22

4.84%

0.18

241.92

242.00

-0.03%

82,137,122,807.04

31.13

7.77

0.34

5.79%

3.89

6.50

6.80

-4.41%

78,000,000,000.00

1.05

6.19

0.65

7.69%

1.31

113.00

109.17

3.51%

72,386,711,019.00

3.75

30.15

0.81

1.95%

2.81

20 International Breweries Plc

19.76

19.76

0.00%

65,094,365,772.80

0.17

113.27

2.61

1.27%

5.28

21 Julius Berger Nig. Plc

48.39

48.39

0.00%

63,874,800,000.00

0.24

199.88

0.62

3.10%

2.85

5.10

5.12

-0.39%

61,376,556,359.40

-3.46

-1.47

0.33

14.71%

0.44

162.65

162.65

0.00%

58,650,819,364.30

17.69

9.19

0.71

4.43%

3.41

20.00

19.60

2.04%

52,484,743,740.00

6.81

2.94

0.14

10.00%

0.52

1.16

1.18

-1.69%

44,916,357,013.00

-0.37

-3.11

0.99

0.00%

0.59

26 U A C N Plc

19.90

19.90

0.00%

38,225,201,301.30

2.44

8.16

0.53

5.03%

0.52

27 Okomu Oil Palm Plc

36.25

36.25

0.00%

34,579,237,500.00

4.60

7.89

2.81

0.28%

2.22

28 Sterling Bank Plc

1.03

1.00

3.00%

29,654,130,669.78

0.31

3.34

0.28

8.74%

0.35

29 Fidelity Bank Plc

0.97

1.00

-3.00%

28,093,708,121.24

0.39

2.49

0.19

16.49%

0.15

14.00

14.00

0.00%

26,294,828,560.00

0.83

16.95

0.95

9.29%

2.12

31 Wema Bank Plc

0.67

0.70

-4.29%

25,844,892,274.27

0.06

10.62

0.52

0.00%

0.55

32 Diamond Bank Plc

1.11

1.12

-0.89%

25,708,031,754.48

0.11

10.06

0.12

0.00%

0.11

33 Custodian And Allied Insurance Plc

3.85

3.85

0.00%

22,645,177,150.75

0.76

5.07

0.68

3.64%

0.81

34 FCMB Group Plc

1.13

1.14

-0.88%

22,377,063,182.53

0.61

1.84

0.14

8.85%

0.13

18.60

18.50

0.54%

22,243,302,676.80

-2.54

-7.32

0.76

1.61%

2.44

36 National Salt Co. Nig. Plc

8.23

8.23

0.00%

21,804,877,850.94

0.89

9.29

1.20

6.68%

3.16

37 Mansard Insurance Plc

2.00

2.00

0.00%

21,000,000,000.00

0.27

7.36

1.09

2.50%

0.99

38 Cap Plc

28.66

27.30

4.98%

20,062,000,000.00

2.36

12.15

2.89

4.01%

13.74

39 PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc

18.20

18.20

0.00%

18,200,000,000.00

4.14

4.39

1.37

0.55%

0.54

40 Honeywell Flour Mill Plc

1.30

1.34

-2.99%

10,309,256,955.40

-0.40

-3.22

0.21

12.31%

0.63

41 Unity Bank Plc

0.84

0.84

0.00%

9,819,043,871.28

0.54

1.55

0.15

0.00%

0.11

42 Continental Reinsurance Plc

0.94

0.90

4.44%

9,750,379,653.28

0.33

2.86

0.47

12.77%

0.50

43 Skye Bank Plc

0.59

0.64

-7.81%

8,189,377,831.90

-2.93

-0.20

0.05

50.85%

0.08

44 Cement Co. Of North.Nig. Plc

6.00

6.00

0.00%

7,540,066,596.00

0.44

13.54

0.68

1.67%

0.70

45 Wapic Insurance Plc

0.50

0.50

0.00%

6,691,369,126.00

0.11

4.62

0.88

6.00%

0.43

46 UACN Property Development Co. Limited

3.53

3.53

0.00%

6,067,187,482.35

-0.05

-67.70

1.80

19.83%

0.17

47 Resort Savings & Loans Plc

0.50

0.50

0.00%

5,664,866,202.00

4.68

0.11

0.02

0.00%

1.89

48 Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc

3.40

3.40

0.00%

5,522,343,750.00

0.15

22.05

0.69

5.88%

0.89

49 AIICO Insurance Plc

0.64

0.67

-4.48%

4,435,330,867.20

0.26

2.45

0.14

7.81%

0.47

50 Fidson Healthcare Plc

1.70

1.68

1.19%

2,550,000,000.00

0.31

5.55

0.38

2.94%

0.40

04 Nestle Nigeria Plc

07 Forte Oil Plc. 08 Ecobank Transnational Incorporated

11 Seplat Petroleum Dev. Co. Ltd

17 Total Nigeria Plc 18 Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc 19 7-Up Bottling Comp. Plc

22 Oando Plc 23 Mobil Oil Nig Plc 24 Flour Mills Nig. Plc 25 Transnational Corporation Of Nigeria Plc

30 Cadbury Nigeria Plc

35 Glaxo Smithkline Consumer Nig. Plc

TOTAL

8,831,665,728,464.36

TOTAL MARKET CAP

9,403,629,017,199.11

% OF MARKET CAP Annotation - MA* = Simple Moving Average

93.92%

Table 1 Market Statistics Mkt Indicators NSE All Share Index NSE Market Cap (N'Trillion) Thisday BGL 50 Index Thisday BGL 50 Market Cap (N'Trillion)

Open 24-Aug-16

Close Change % 25-Aug-16

27,880.46 9.58

27,379.95 9.40

-1.80% -1.80%

115.59 9.00

113.43 8.83

-1.87% -1.87%

Table 3 Top 5 Gainers Stock

Open Close Change 24-Aug-16 25-Aug-16 %

Cap Plc Continental Reinsurance Plc 7-Up Bottling Comp. Plc Sterling Bank Plc Flour Mills Nig. Plc

27.30 0.90 109.17 1.00 19.60

28.66 0.94 113.00 1.03 20.00

4.98% 4.44% 3.51% 3.00% 2.04%

Table 4 Top 5 Losers Stock

Open Close Change 24-Aug-16 25-Aug-16 %

Skye Bank Plc Dangote Cement Plc AIICO Insurance Plc Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc Wema Bank Plc

0.64 180.50 0.67 6.80 0.70

0.59 172.00 0.64 6.50 0.67

-7.81% -4.71% -4.48% -4.41% -4.29%

Market reverses two-day gain, drops by 1.80% Market pulse on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) today – Thursday, August 25, 2016 was bearish as the market closed red today as investors’ continue to exercise restraint towards bargain hunting. This was further highlighted by negative performances from the NSE sub-sectors: Banking and Consumer Goods (Save Insurance and Oil & Gas). Also, trading activities decreased in volume as 215.34 million shares worth N1.42 billion in 2,939 deals exchanged hands today. This is a decrease from the 230.29 million shares worth N2.96 billion in 3,002 deals exchanged on Wednesday. Topping in volume terms was Diamond Bank Plc, FBN Holdings Plc and United Bank for Africa Plc while Zenith Bank Plc and Guaranty Trust Bank Plc ended trading as the most active stocks in value terms.

The All Share Index (NSEASI) closed negative with a 1.80% (-500.51) decline to close at 27,379.95 from 27,880.46 the previous trading day. Market Capitalization depreciated in tandem to N9.40 trillion from N9.58 trillion of prior trading day. Similarly, the Thisday BGL 50 Index also followed suit with an decrease of 1.87% to close at 113.43 from 115.59 recorded at the end of the previous trading day, while its market capitalization stood at N8.83 trillion from N9.00 trillion of the previous trading day.

A total number of 11 stocks gained on the bourse today while 25 stocks declined, 63 leaving stocks unchanged. Cap Plc emerged the day’s toast of investors as it topped the Thisday BGL 50 Index gainers’ list with a gain of 4.98% to close at N28.66 per share. It was followed by Continental Reinsurance Plc with a gain of 4.44% to close at N0.94 per share.

Others on the gainers list include: 7-Up Bottling Comp.

Plc, Sterling Bank Plc and Flour Mills Nig. Plc, while on the decliners’ list; Skye Bank Plc led with a loss of 7.81% to close at N0.59 per share. It was followed by Dangote Cement Plc with a loss of 4.71% to close at N172.00 per share. Others on the losers list include: AIICO Insurance Plc, Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc and Wema Bank Plc.

REQUIRED DISCLOSURE This report has been prepared by BGL Plc. BGL Plc does and seeks to do business with companies covered in its research reports. As a result, the firm may have a conflict of interest that could affect the objectivity of this report. Investors should use this report as one of many other factors in making their investment decisions.

For more details go to www.thisdaylive.com

52

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016

MARKET NEWS

UBA Records Marginal Profits in Half-year Goddy Egene and Nosa Alekhuogie United Bank for Africa Plc yesterday reported profit before tax of N40.270 billion for the half year ended June 30, 2016, showing a marginal increase of 3.1 per cent from N39.046 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2015. Profit after tax similarly rose from N31.999 billion in

2015 to N32.621 billion, the directors recommended an interim dividend of 20 kobo per share.

An analysis of the results showed the UBA recorded gross earnings of N165.5 billion, indicating a marginal fall from N165.7 billion in 2015.

Net interest income stood at N107 billion, down from N14.9 billion, while net impairment charges rose from N2.211 bil-

T H E MAIN BOARD

DEALS

MARKET PRICE

lion to N6.8 billion. Fees and commission income grew from N30.357 billion to N36.936 billion, just as net trading and foreign exchange income improved from N18.217 billion to N19.637 billion.

The bank also recorded a significant growth in total assets, rising 20 per cent to N3.3 trillion, crossing the three trillion naira mark. Following the sterling performance, the

N I G E R I A N QUANTITY TRADED

STO C K

VALUE TRADED ( N )

Daily Summary as of 22/02/2016 Printed 22/02/2016 14:36:10.010

Daily Summary (Bonds) No Debt Trading Activity Daily Summary (Equities) Activity Summary on Board EQTY AGRICULTURE Crop Production OKOMU OIL PALM PLC. PRESCO PLC Crop Production Totals Livestock/Animal Specialties LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC. Livestock/Animal Specialties Totals AGRICULTURE Totals CONGLOMERATES Diversified Industries A.G. LEVENTIS NIGERIA PLC. TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION OF NIGERIA PLC U A C N PLC. Diversified Industries Totals CONGLOMERATES Totals CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Infrastructure/Heavy Construction JULIUS BERGER NIG. PLC. Infrastructure/Heavy Construction Totals Real Estate Development UACN PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT CO. LIMITED Real Estate Development Totals CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Totals CONSUMER GOODS Beverages--Brewers/Distillers CHAMPION BREW. PLC. GUINNESS NIG PLC INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC. NIGERIAN BREW. PLC. Beverages--Brewers/Distillers Totals Beverages--Non-Alcoholic 7-UP BOTTLING COMP. PLC. Beverages--Non-Alcoholic Totals Food Products DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC. HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC NASCON ALLIED INDUSTRIES PLC N NIG. FLOUR MILLS PLC. TIGER BRANDED CONSUMER GOODS PLC Food Products Totals Food Products--Diversified CADBURY NIGERIA PLC. NESTLE NIGERIA PLC. Food Products--Diversified Totals Household Durables VITAFOAM NIG PLC. Household Durables Totals Personal/Household Products P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC. UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC. Personal/Household Products Totals CONSUMER GOODS Totals FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking ACCESS BANK PLC. DIAMOND BANK PLC ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED FIDELITY BANK PLC GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC. SKYE BANK PLC STERLING BANK PLC. UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC UNION BANK NIG.PLC. UNITY BANK PLC WEMA BANK PLC. Banking Totals Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services AIICO INSURANCE PLC. CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC CONSOLIDATED HALLMARK INSURANCE PLC LASACO ASSURANCE PLC. AXAMANSARD INSURANCE PLC N.E.M INSURANCE CO (NIG) PLC. UNITY KAPITAL ASSURANCE PLC WAPIC INSURANCE PLC Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals Micro-Finance Banks NPF MICROFINANCE BANK PLC Micro-Finance Banks Totals Other Financial Institutions AFRICA PRUDENTIAL REGISTRARS PLC CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED PLC FCMB GROUP PLC. STANBIC IBTC HOLDINGS PLC UNITED CAPITAL PLC Other Financial Institutions Totals FINANCIAL SERVICES Totals HEALTHCARE Pharmaceuticals FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC

bank’s Board recommended the payment of N0.20 interim dividend on every ordinary share of N0.50 each.

Commenting on the results, the Group Managing Director/ CEO, UBA Plc, Mr. Kennedy Uzoka, said; “The results have been achieved amidst waning economic fundamentals. We delivered profit in excess of N40 billion and grew balance sheet by 20 per cent, with our

6 6 12

30.00 34.00

12,629 11,640 24,269

374,530.15 421,345.20 795,875.35

19 19 31

1.25

1,078,511 1,078,511 1,102,780

1,358,964.30 1,358,964.30 2,154,839.65

5 68 13 86 86

0.77 1.13 20.47

33,500 6,740,423 65,995 6,839,918 6,839,918

25,070.00 7,635,453.96 1,344,425.15 9,004,949.11 9,004,949.11

13 13

41.50

31,970 31,970

1,409,214.78 1,409,214.78

5 5 18

5.20

28,901 28,901 60,871

154,716.48 154,716.48 1,563,931.26

6 24 7 98 135

2.85 118.85 20.00 99.00

190,900 53,000 15,200 429,541 688,641

528,079.00 6,201,924.95 293,757.00 42,728,789.84 49,752,550.79

9 9

168.50

166,476 166,476

28,285,937.95 28,285,937.95

54 38 6 12 1 29 140

5.61 19.00 1.37 6.86 6.65 1.27

2,120,306 314,421 40,000 119,863 433 3,285,739,119 3,288,334,142

11,610,520.13 5,953,792.96 55,716.00 842,442.48 2,736.56 4,074,348,894.07 4,092,814,102.20

11 54 65

17.86 700.00

18,825 98,360 117,185

329,518.50 68,567,962.00 68,897,480.50

11 11

4.46

99,050 99,050

420,455.00 420,455.00

13 21 34 394

21.90 28.00

36,887 133,117 170,004 3,289,575,498

820,034.75 3,737,067.92 4,557,102.67 4,244,727,629.11

82 51 21 25 200 41 16 147 11 15 67 676

4.10 1.49 15.60 1.21 16.70 1.07 1.76 2.95 5.30 0.63 0.98

3,962,506 2,163,396 278,470 790,900 4,847,312 1,969,858 1,204,932 8,586,418 39,752 501,617 5,920,564 30,265,725

16,210,255.82 3,314,106.88 4,136,459.40 958,864.34 80,963,793.44 2,115,552.11 2,087,767.85 25,302,954.71 205,645.40 316,018.71 5,813,502.17 141,424,920.83

14 8 2 3 7 10 1 1 46

0.80 0.90 0.50 0.50 2.06 0.76 0.50 0.50

200,107 276,500 5,004,000 1,000,000 351,540 327,285 37,708,135 10 44,867,577

160,838.67 251,350.00 2,502,000.00 500,000.00 720,728.80 245,325.31 18,854,067.50 5.00 23,234,315.28

1 1

1.08

4,760 4,760

4,950.40 4,950.40

31 7 105 7 20 170 893

2.46 4.00 0.85 14.15 1.31

1,149,464 27,041 31,257,120 38,035 708,255 33,179,915 108,317,977

2,830,722.84 104,002.06 26,613,309.20 537,985.34 931,556.31 31,017,575.75 195,681,762.26

27

2.69

614,065

1,572,223.05

on-balance sheet total assets crossing the N3trillion mark.

Even as Naira depreciation and inflationary pressure increased the cost of doing business in Nigeria, we leveraged our economics of scale, enhanced operational efficiency and Group shared service structure to moderate our cost-to-income ratio by 90bps.”

UBA achieved several strong

positives in its performance for the half year.

The bank’s net loan position rose 29 per cent to N1.29 trillion partially boosted by the depreciation in the value of the Naira. UBA also recorded a significant 16 per cent growth in deposits to N2.41 trillion already surpassing the 15 per cent target growth in deposits set at the beginning of the year.

E XC H A N G E

MAIN BOARD GLAXO SMITHKLINE CONSUMER NIG. PLC. MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. NEIMETH INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC Pharmaceuticals Totals HEALTHCARE Totals ICT IT Services TRIPPLE GEE AND COMPANY PLC. IT Services Totals ICT Totals INDUSTRIAL GOODS Building Materials ASHAKA CEM PLC BERGER PAINTS PLC CAP PLC CEMENT CO. OF NORTH.NIG. PLC PORTLAND PAINTS & PRODUCTS NIGERIA PLC LAFARGE AFRICA PLC. Building Materials Totals Electronic and Electrical Products CUTIX PLC. Electronic and Electrical Products Totals Packaging/Containers BETA GLASS CO PLC. Packaging/Containers Totals INDUSTRIAL GOODS Totals OIL AND GAS Energy Equipment and Services JAPAUL OIL & MARITIME SERVICES PLC Energy Equipment and Services Totals Integrated Oil and Gas Services OANDO PLC Integrated Oil and Gas Services Totals Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors CONOIL PLC ETERNA PLC. FORTE OIL PLC. MOBIL OIL NIG PLC. TOTAL NIGERIA PLC. Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors Totals Exploration and Production SEPLAT PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LTD Exploration and Production Totals OIL AND GAS Totals SERVICES Automobile/Auto Part Retailers R T BRISCOE PLC. Automobile/Auto Part Retailers Totals Courier/Freight/Delivery RED STAR EXPRESS PLC Courier/Freight/Delivery Totals Printing/Publishing LEARN AFRICA PLC Printing/Publishing Totals Transport-Related Services AIRLINE SERVICES AND LOGISTICS PLC NIGERIAN AVIATION HANDLING COMPANY PLC Transport-Related Services Totals Support and Logistics CAVERTON OFFSHORE SUPPORT GRP PLC Support and Logistics Totals SERVICES Totals EQTY Board Totals Daily Summary (Equities) Activity Summary on Board ASeM CONSUMER GOODS Food Products MCNICHOLS PLC Food Products Totals CONSUMER GOODS Totals ASeM Board Totals Daily Summary (Equities) Activity Summary on Board PREMIUM FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking ZENITH INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC Banking Totals Other Financial Institutions FBN HOLDINGS PLC Other Financial Institutions Totals FINANCIAL SERVICES Totals INDUSTRIAL GOODS Building Materials DANGOTE CEMENT PLC Building Materials Totals INDUSTRIAL GOODS Totals PREMIUM Board Totals Equity Activity Totals

DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

32 4 6 69 69

25.33 0.94 0.69

551,998 16,020 597,000 1,779,083 1,779,083

13,903,164.18 15,299.40 412,110.00 15,902,796.63 15,902,796.63

1 1 1

1.69

500 500 500

805.00 805.00 805.00

16 9 4 6 10 31 76

24.00 9.30 35.78 8.62 3.36 80.50

110,727 40,229 26,700 142,300 299,900 14,373,223 14,993,079

2,707,053.97 362,501.29 992,680.00 1,227,076.00 966,480.00 1,157,057,077.16 1,163,312,868.42

6 6

1.51

134,500 134,500

204,240.00 204,240.00

5 5 87

50.00

24,529 24,529 15,152,108

1,165,135.50 1,165,135.50 1,164,682,243.92

2 2

0.50

24,262 24,262

12,131.00 12,131.00

90 90

3.47

3,827,573 3,827,573

13,288,632.05 13,288,632.05

21 7 8 21 7 64

18.34 1.84 342.00 150.00 145.00

81,125 100,300 20,300 16,295 13,699 231,719

1,505,034.50 182,832.00 6,595,470.00 2,396,080.60 1,959,692.96 12,639,110.06

33 33 189

318.00

389,934 389,934 4,473,488

124,037,602.56 124,037,602.56 149,977,475.67

1 1

0.50

941 941

470.50 470.50

5 5

3.80

32,870 32,870

127,756.40 127,756.40

13 13

0.89

624,500 624,500

538,430.00 538,430.00

1 22 23

2.29 4.00

4,588 251,094 255,682

10,001.84 1,001,583.80 1,011,585.64

1 1 43 1,811

1.68

10,000 10,000 923,993 3,428,226,216

16,000.00 16,000.00 1,694,242.54 5,785,390,675.15

2 2 2 2

1.21

270,464 270,464 270,464 270,464

327,261.44 327,261.44 327,261.44 327,261.44

306 306

11.45

13,929,679 13,929,679

159,605,439.23 159,605,439.23

278 278 584

3.74

10,438,552 10,438,552 24,368,231

39,515,087.18 39,515,087.18 199,120,526.41

35 35 35 619 2,432

139.83

38,770 38,770 38,770 24,407,001 3,452,903,681

5,304,666.00 5,304,666.00 5,304,666.00 204,425,192.41 5,990,143,129.00

2 2 2 2 2 10 10 10

2,330.00 2.33 6.02 11.09 18.07

3,000 20 20 20 15 3,075 3,075 3,075

6,986,000.00 46.70 120.20 221.80 270.65 6,986,659.35 6,986,659.35 6,986,659.35

Daily Summary (ETP) Exchange Traded Fund Name NEWGOLD EXCHANGE TRADED FUND (ETF) VETIVA BANKING ETF VETIVA CONSUMER GOODS ETF VETIVA GRIFFIN 30 ETF VETIVA INDUSTRIAL ETF Exchange Traded Fund Totals ETF Board Totals ETP Activity Totals

FRIDAY AUGUST26, 2016 • T H I S D AY

53

NEWSEXTRA

Probe Me on Boko Haram, Sheriff Tells FG Jalo: FG should arrest him

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The embattled former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, has offered himself to be investigated by the federal government for his alleged role in the criminal activities of the terrorist group, Boko Haram.

The Attorney General of Borno State, Kaka Shehu, had alleged that the state government has a dossier about Sheriff’s links with Boko Haram.

As the highest law officer in Borno State, his indictment of the former governor has attracted a lot of public attention, including Sheriff’s political opponents.

A former deputy spokesman of the PDP, Abdullahi Jalo, yesterday asked the federal government to immediately arrest Sheriff and try him for allegedly sponsoring Boko

Haram.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja yesterday, the Special Assistant to Sheriff on Media, Inuwa Bwala, described the allegation against his boss as a mischief taken too far.

According to the media aide, Sheriff is urging President Muhammadu Buhari to order a full scale probe of all the alleged sponsors of Boko Haram, adding that he is ready to present himself for such investigation.

“And so from the position of the attorney general of Borno State on the sponsorship of Boko Haram, we challenge the federal government, to as a matter of urgency, investigate, no matter who is involved to expose those whose antecedents show they have links with Boko Haram,” he said.

Bwala who addressed the media shortly after Sheriff inaugurated a panel to organise

Edo Governorship: INEC to Deploy 18,511 Personnel 1,925,105 voters registered Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it will deploy 18,511 personnel to conduct the Edo State governorship election scheduled for September 10.

The state which is made up of 18 local government areas, has a total of 1,925,105 registered voters; 192 Registration Areas (RAs); 2,627 Polling Units (Pus); and 4,011 Voting Points (VPs).

In a statement issued yesterday, the commission also said it would deploy one Returning Officer; 18

LGA Collation Officers; 192 Registration Area Collation Officers; 263 Supervisory Presiding Officers; 2,627 Presiding Officers 12, 036 Assistant Presiding Officers (APOs) I, II and III; 2,530 Assistant Presiding Officers (VP); 728 Reserve APOs (five per cent); 19 LGA Supervisors + 1 HQ Reserve; and 97 RA Cluster Supervisors and Headquarter 1 Reserve (2RAs/Supervisor).

The commission had earlier published names of 19 governorship candidates and their deputies from 19 political parties who are to participate in the election.

the governorship primaries to produce his faction’s candidate for the Ondo State election, threatened to sue the Borno State government if it fails to tender of apology within one week. Among those who bought nomination form, from Sheriff and were being screened yesterday for the governorship ticket were: Jimoh Ibrahim, Prince Bamiduro Dada, Hon. Niran Sule, Hon. Sola Ebiseni and Mrs. Abeye Ademoye While expressing Sheriff’s dismay, Bwala accused the state commissioner of attempting to destroy the image of the former governor who while in office, did everything within his powers to stop the terrorists.

“As you may have noticed, casting aspersions on the person of Sheriff by the Borno State officials is sad. And this is not the first time they will be making such allegation. This one coming from somebody who is supposed to know the law is going to be one allegation too many, because Sheriff has already initiated processes of slamming N10 billion suit against the Attorney General and Borno State government, unless

he proves otherwise that what he said is backed with evidence, they will catch up with him,” he said.

“That is to say, the attorney general may have to face us in court to explain where he got the fact of his statement from.

We are going to join the state government was the suit if they do not apologise within the next seven days.

“Instead of admitting their failures, which is obvious in the face of diversion of relief materials from IDPs in Borno, they decided to embark on this rascally, mischievous adventure and campaign of calumny against the person of Sheriff. We have waited for this opportunity, all those who made similar allegations have link with government.

“The attorney general is not a security expert and we have the best security men in the world, and they are in a good position to tell us whether someone is directly or indirectly linked to Boko Haram.

“By taking it upon himself to inform the world that this noble man is linked with Boko Haram, I think it is the greatest disservice

to the fight against insecurity. I think they are trying to cover up their own culpability in the whole matter. The commissioner is trying to divert attention from the real culprit of Boko Haram Meanwhile, the former PDP deputy spokesman of the state, has asked the federal government to act on the allegation made by the state Attorney General and arrest Senator Sheriff.

“Government of Borno State is talking, stakeholders in Borno State are talking. Buhari who is the president of this country, has said times without number that his administration is going to dig deep into the root of this insurgency, and that there will be no sacred cow,” he said.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja yesterday, Jalo said: “If the statement credited to Attorney General of Borno State, Shehu, is anything to go by, and if the EFCC, ICPC, APC and the Buhari-led administration are serious, they now have enough evidence, without wasting time, to quickly arrest Sheriff.

“I am from the North-east, as soon as you arrest Sheriff, Shekau will surrender, there is no doubt about it. The US Secretary of

State, John Kerry, has said there is no need to use excessive force against Boko Haram but to dialogue with them.

“Last week, Aisha, Bolori and others, went to Defence Headquarters and got serious information from them that led to the killing of 300 Boko Haram members that were holding meeting in Batoli axes, which means that the government of Muhammadu Buhari is getting a upper hand in the fight against Boko Haram, meaning that information is coming out. But what is now left is for Buhari to show that it is a serious government is to quickly arrest Sheriff based on what the Attorney General of Borno State said. He made this statement at NBA meeting. So this statement is not defamatory, it is a statement of fact.”

He said the Attorney General is custodian of the law of Borno State, while the governor is the chief security officer, “they are from the same state with Sheriff, which means they have their own dossier.

What is left is for Sheriff to go to court and argue that they cooked up the allegation against him, which is difficult.

Budget Padding: Justice Abang Declines to Hear Abdulmumin’s Case against Dogara A Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday declined hearing of a case filed by the former Chairman of the House of Representatives Commiittee on Appropriation, JibrinAbdulmumin, seeking to stop his planned suspension by the Speaker of House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara.

The judge, Okon Abang, held that due to the limited time, the court would not be able to hear and deliver ruling in the matter before the expiration of the vacation.

BACK PAGE

Abang said it was proper for the court to return the case file to the Chief Judge of the court to reassign the case to another judge after vacation.

Abdulmumin’s counsel, Abdulhamid Mohammed, had told the court that the case was slated for hearing.

Mohammed, according to Premium Times, said he had served the defendants in the suit as earlier directed by the court at the last sitting.

He said the third defendant filed memoranda of appearance

on behalf of their clients and a notice of preliminary objection to challenge the jurisdiction of the court to hear the case.

He also informed the court that the plaintiff had filed a counter affidavit against their objection.

The defence counsel, Kalu Onuaha, told the court that he filed a notice of preliminary objection challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear the case.

Abang, however, insisted that he could not take arguments and

deliver bench ruling on the matter during vacation.

He said it was better for the matter to be assigned to any judge of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division after vacation.

The Clerk of House, Yusuf Lasun, Alhassan Doguwa, Leo Ogor, Herman Hembe and Umar Bago were also named as defendants in the suit.

The others are Zakari Mohammed, Chike Okafor, Dan Asuquo, Jagaba Adams, Yakubu Jika and Nkem Abonta.

THIS REPUBLIC – SHAKA MOMODU

IT’S ABOUT TIME BUHARI COURTED PRIVATE SECTOR with an installed capacity that surpasses that of the nation’s four refineries put together to come on stream so that the country can finally be able to meet the local demand for fuel and put the ghost of importation behind it thereby conserving foreign reserves. This same Dangote alongside Femi Otedola with their Bluestar company, it should be recalled, acquired the obsolete Port Harcourt and Warri refineries from government in 2007 for about $750 million, but was reversed by the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua administration following public outcry. Today, those refineries are worth far less than that amount. Sadly, they have continued to be a drain on government coffers with hundreds of millions of dollars spent on Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) with absolutely nothing to show for it except further enriching contractors and conniving government officials.

It is a shame that Buhari

thinks including some members of the private sector in his government’s economic team is not a good idea. For the avoidance of doubt, there is nothing wrong with the OPS trying to influence government policy in furtherance of growth of local companies; it is for the ultimate benefit of the economy.

All the government needs to do is to strengthen regulation, weigh and balance the quest for private benefits with the national economic interest to take informed policy decisions.

Interestingly, and perhaps sadly, whenever Buhari travels abroad ostensibly to woo foreign investors, he doesn’t travel with private sector operators.

Instead, his trips are usually packed full with all sorts of strange nomenclature of naive government officials while the entrepreneurs who can network and form business alliances are left out in the cold all because according to the narrative, he doesn’t want businessmen to hijack his government.

Ironically, the investors he is wooing from abroad are not government officials of those countries, or are they? Those investors are private sector operators who have attained global acclaim due to the right policies and enabling environments created by their home governments.

From Buhari’s disdain for capitalism and contempt for entrepreneurs whom since his emergence, he has consciously kept at arm’s length, it is quite easy to second-guess him on the economy had he been in power for eight of the last 16 years. His attitude to businesses and his lack of full appreciation of the fierce urgency required to unsentimentally tackle immediate challenges are responsible for where the economy has found itself today.

Also worrying and baffling is the insensitivity about some rash decisions like the rushed implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) which has led to the loss of thousands

of jobs and put the financial system in a precarious situation.

Just look at the decision to order nine banks to remit over $2 billion to the TSA within 24 hours. How can any sensitive government do that when even the CBN doesn’t have enough dollars to fulfil its financial obligations? Why not allow the banks to gradually remit the money to the TSA within an established timeframe? The immediate result of that decision is the fall in the value of the naira. Without a doubt, such a brash military-style approach only further compounds the economic crisis in the land.

Now, what has happened to all those laudable programmes inherited, expanded and implemented by the Jonathan administration earlier referred to? The truth is that in the mad frenzy to denigrate everything done by Jonathan, Buhari forgot that he would be judged not on Jonathan’s record but on his own performance. Everything done by the last government

no matter how noble or well intentioned became fair game and in the twinkling of an eye was reduced to rubble in a brutal campaign that entertained the mob but unfortunately, has not put food on their table.

Clearly, this government and its crooked supporters including false prophets and clerics have mastered the art of approbation and reprobation.

It’s little wonder that the Bible warns us against such “men of God”, that they will perform miracles in God’s name, and will lead many astray. I think these masters of doublespeak have been going about doing just that in a desperate attempt to exonerate Buhari of blame for the economic crisis in the land. Instead, Jonathan is now the fall guy as if the problems of Nigeria started with his administration.

Even though Buhari is not the root cause of the economic crisis in the country, the blame for the worsening situation most certainly rest squarely

on his shoulders. So far, he has totally mismanaged the economy and the fault lines thereby exacerbating the poverty level and ethnic tensions in the country.

By the way, what does Buhari need emergency powers on the economy for? If he had not been so lethargic in decision-making on the economy, we won’t be where we are now. Where are all those who hailed and urged him on to take his time before constituting a cabinet? They have all kept quiet. He took his time and landed the country in a morass.

Well, all he needs to do is to free the economy from his commandand-control management, shake off lethargy, aggressively court the private sector operators, co-opt experts of great renown into his management team and galvanise them into action. As a corollary to that, he should embrace fresh ideas and new thinking in a globalised economy. Otherwise, no amount of emergency powers will change anything; things are only going to get worse.

54

FRIDAY AUGUST 26, 2016 • T H I S D AY

CRIME&PUNISHMENT

Zamfara Killing: Our Faith on FG, Security Agencies for Protection Waning, Christian Youths Declare Paul Obi in Abuja The youth wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) yesterday said its faith in the federal government and its security agencies to provide protection and security was waning, warning that it portended grave danger for Nigeria.

Speaking against the backdrop of the incessant killings of Christians in northern Nigeria as witnessed on August 21, 2016, at Talata Mafara in Zamfara State, over an alleged blasphemy by a student, the youth group said the killing had again confirmed fears over the insecurity of Christians in Nigeria.

In a statement, President of the CAN Youth Wing, Daniel Kadzai, stated that “the Constant killing of Christians either

by Muslim terrorist, Fulani herdsmen or Muslim groups

under slight provocation is no longer acceptable to Christian Youths and Christians in Nigeria.

Our restrain despite several provocations should not be taken for granted.

“While appreciating the effort of the good Muslim who tried saving one of the victims, we call on all peace loving Muslims to protect Christians as ours is to promote love by loving our neighbours, (Mark 12:31) as well as love those who hate us (Matthew 5:44).”

Kadzai said: “Our faith in the security organisations to protect Nigerians is fast waning. We demand that the federal government directs its security operatives to arrest and prosecute all those involved in the heinous crimes of attacks against Christians.

“Also, we cannot accept the situation where the crime that followed a sequence or well

orchestrated can be termed a mob action simply to cover up perpetrators.”

He observed that “it is obvious that the Federal Government or some security agencies choose to look the other side when it comes to matter of religion when the other side is the victim.

“We cannot accept where Nigeria practicing Federal democracy is operating dual constitution; the Nigerian constitution, and the Sharia Islamic code in some states concurrently. These gives room for persecution and outright killing of Christian in Nigeria.

“We believe that the rule of law and social justice cannot be obtained in a country with duality of Constitution like Nigeria. We categorically demand that no Nigerian should henceforth be persecuted for converting to Christianity or any other religion; this is in

accordance to the Constitution where one has a choice of religion.

“We also demand that no Nigerian, should henceforth be persecuted, attacked or killed for blasphemy. Government must be bold otherwise the widening divide or religious lines and the persecution may have dare consequences in the future,” Kadzai stated.

The group expressed concern over government’s silence over the killings, “it is sad that while the government is publicly claiming success over terrorist, security agents could not arrest and prosecute any of those attacking Christians.

“Government must bring the perpetrators to justice and go beyond calling for a security meeting, imposing curfew, press statement and the usual compensation to family of victims.”

In Brief

One Dead as Truck Falls again in Lagos

An attendant attached to a heavy-duty truck conveying a container with goods was yesterday crushed after the truck with registration number GGE 756 XK fell at Onipanu Bus Stop along Ikorodu Road. Although it wasn’t actually the truck that crushed its attendant, THISDAY gathered that it was a Toyota Camry with registration number BDG 981 DP that was coming behind it that rammed into the truck, killing the motorboy in the process. Confirming the incident, the Public Relations Officer of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Kehinde Adebayo, said both drivers of the Toyota Camry and the truck escaped unhurt. Adebayo, who spoke on behalf of LASEMA General Manager, Michael Akindele, said proper investigation would be conducted on the incident. While advising motorists to adhere to all traffic rules and regulations to avoid incident such as this, he said the agency mobilised to the scene immediately it got the alert.

Police Rescue Kidnapped Wife of Ogun LG Chairmanship Aspirant

The Ogun State Police Command has rescued the kidnapped wife of the chairmanship aspirant of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ewekoro Local Government Area, Mrs. Kudirat Balogun, alongside with one Gbenga Taiwo from the kidnappers’ den.

Balogun was kidnapped last Sunday night by four armed men in her house at Olomore area of Abeokuta while Taiwo was abducted at Atan-Ijebu last Monday. While parading the kidnappers at the state police command headquarters, the Commissioner for Police, Ahmed Iliyasu, stated that the two victims were rescued unhurt on Wednesday night by men of the command.

According to the police, following the kidnap, operatives of FSARS Magbon were deployed to comb every nook and cranny of the state and rescue the victims unhurt. Speaking on how the woman was rescued, Iliyasu, said: “The operation paid off yesterday night when the woman was rescued unhurt. We are still on the trail of the suspects and the long arm of the law will soon catch up with them.” On the other victim, he said he was rescued same night but, at Ogere in Remo North local government area of the state.

12-year-old Girl, Raped, Impregnated by Neigbourhood Guards A 12-year-old-girl has reportedly been impregnated by two

THE PEOPLE’S GOVERNOR

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, and out-going President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), surrounded by lawyers at the ongoing 56th annual general conferenece of the NBA in Port Harcourt....yesterday

HIV/Witchcraft: Foster Parent Quarantine Minor In Ondo

James Sowole in Akure

year following a tip off.

“Mary Mathew and her The police in Ondo State have husband who alleged that the rescued a minor, Precious girl was possessed and thus Michael, who was quarantined decided to lock her inside by his foster parents in a the kiosk. On receipt of the kiosk inside a bush at Imafon information, personnel attached Village in Akure South Local to Juvenile Welfare Centre (JWC) Government Area. of the command, visited the Subsequently, the police have scene and met the girl in the arrested a 28-year-old foster cage as reported. mother, Mrs. Mary Matthew, “She (Precious) was who admitted to have taken immediately rescued and taken the action because she was told to police clinic for medical Precious, who was about four attention while the suspects years old was possessed and are under interrogation and also has HIV. will soon be charged to court,” Matthew was paraded by the the commissioner said.

Ondo State Police Command Harrison further explained along with 17 other suspects, the victim would be taken to who were alleged to have the state welfare home of the committed various offences.

Ondo State Ministry of Woman Speaking on the little girl’s Affairs and Social Welfare. matter at the headquarters of the Also speaking, the police officer command in Akure yesterday, at the JWC of the command, Mrs. the state Commissioner of Police, Olayemi Ojumu, who led the Mrs. Hilda Harrison, said the team that rescued the young girl, girl was rescued in June this told THISDAY that Precious had

been tested negative to HIV. “When we got to the village, we saw the girl with swollen body, holding bread. She had defecated on her body inside the cage she was kept in the bush, they didn’t allow her to come out. they gave her food and water there.

Displaying the humane in her, Ojumu donated blood to the little Precious because she was anaemic when she was admitted at the police clinic.

“When we asked Mary about the condition of the girl, she told us that Precious’ mother died of HIV in Enugu State and she discovered that she (Precious) had been inflicted with HIV by her deceased mother and she did not want her to infect her own children, that was why she kept her inside the cage.”

Ojumu stated.

Speaking with journalists, the suspect, who said she is a farmer and an indigene of Enugu State,

denied the allegation, insisting that the victim was only confined to a corner in her shop, where she put him in the morning and released in the evening whenever she came back from the farm.

Mary, a mother of six, confirmed that Precious is her nephew whose grandmother told her that the parents died of HIV/AIDS. She explained further that she confined her to the shop because it was noticed that the minor had swollen-legs, a symptom which grandma told her killed her parents.

The suspect said she would have taken her to the hospital for treatment but had no money to pay for the medical bills.

The girl who was lively and free with the officers that had been taken care of her, said she had swollen hands and legs because her aunty and the husband always tied her with ropes.

neigbourhood guards, who raped her in the Ruga City Gate community in Abuja. The incident was reported yesterday at the FCT Call Centre by the step father of the said girl, Abdul Rahman Abubakar. Abdul Rahman said he decided to report the matter to the FCT Call Centre to refer it to the appropriate authority for necessary action after the police declined to prosecute the two members of the local vigilante group. He said the matter was brought to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Wuye Division, after the men, Sani Mohammed (Babba) and Mustapha Yusuf, were trying to terminate the pregnancy. He told journalists last night that the victim (name withheld) was a primary two pupil and is about four months pregnant. According to him, the victim named the men as the persons who repeatedly defiled her when she was found to be pregnant. He said the two men raped her in the night when her mother was not around by breaking the door into their one room apartment. But when THISDAY called the DPO Wuye, Mrs. Jim Bel, last night, she confirmed that a complaint was reported to her on Wednesday by Abdul Rahman, She, however, said she failed to act on the allegation brought against the two accused security guards because the complainant, Abdul Rahman, refused to bring the mother and the girl to the police station to actually verify the rape claim.

The DPO said the girl and her mother should be present at the station with a doctor’s report to establish the rape.

Troops Arrest Suspected Kidnappers in Bauchi State

The troops from the 33 Brigade of the Nigerian Army deployed at Forward Operation Base (FOB) Toro, Toro Local Government Area (LGA) of Bauchi State, have arrested suspected kidnappers following a tip-off by well-meaning Nigerians. The Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR), Col. Sani Usman, yesterday said that the troops on Wednesday, arrested two suspected kidnappers; Dayibu Abdullahi and Nasiru Adamu at Badiko village along Gumau road, Toro LGA. Usman said the troops also recovered a bag containing the sum of N439,000 and some personal items from the suspects. According to him, preliminary investigation shows that the amount was their share from a paid ransom from a recent kidnap incident. In the same vein, he said another suspected kidnapper, Jibrin Dakam, was arrested same day at Magama, also in Toro LGA, by the troops. “Preliminary investigation confirmed that he escaped from their den at Jenge following the military Operation Forest Kunama at Lame-Burra Forest recently.

55

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016

FRIDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

A F T E R M AT H O F R I O 2 0 1 6

Senate C’ttee Threatens to Probe Dalung, NOC over Failure in Olympics Thumbs down Under-23 team on Japanese largess Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja The Chairman, Senate Committee on Sports, Senator Obinna Ogba, said the committee might probe the roles of the Minister of Sport, Solomon Dalung and the Nigeria Olympics Committee (NOC) in the abysmal performance of Nigeria’s team at the just concluded Olympics 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Ogba who made who made this disclosure in Abuja, said a lot of factors ranging from

funding to logistics contributed to Nigeria’s woeful failure at the games.

“My committee intends to invite the NOC to come and brief us on the Olympics.

Apart from the late arrival of our athletes’ kits, you can see even our national anthem at the opening ceremony was the wrong one. So, all these, we are going to find out what happened when we resume,” Ogba said.

Ogba also criticised the football team for collecting

$390,000 donation by a Japanese plastic surgeon, Dr. katsuya Takasu, saying the team did not know the source of the money.

“I don’t think it was nice for our country to accept such money given the happenings around world now. Money is good but it’s not every money that comes your way that you collect. So, I associate myself fully with the President of the Nigeria Football Federation,” he noted.

D’Tigers Overtakes Angola, Tunisia as Biggest Climber on FIBA Rankings Femi Solaja The national men’s basketball team, the D’Tigers who performed below par at the just concluded Rio Olympics basketball event but they have emerged better than they were before the Games as figures released by the sport’s world governing body, FIBA show.

According to the monthly ranking just released by FIBA, Nigeria emerged the biggest climbers on the ranking from 25th before the Games to 16th now, just below Venezuela, another country that improved tremendously on the table to 15 from their previous 22.

By this Ranking, Nigeria is now the highest ranked African team, overtaking perpetual rivals Angola who incidentally also fell to the D’Tigers at last year’s Afrobasket in Tunisia while Tunisia who were however, not at the Olympics also gained two steps to now occupy the 21st position from 23rd, ahead of Angola who fell 8 steps from 15th to 23rd.

After Nigeria and Venezuela who were the biggest climbers, Serbia who lost the Olympic gold to the USA also climbed three spots from 6th to 3rd while Brazil gained two steps to now occupy the 7th spot.

Ronaldo Crowned UEFA Best Player Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo won the UEFA Best Player in Europe Award on Thursday after winning both last season’s Champions League and Euro 2016 with Portugal.

Ronaldo, 31, received the accolade for the second time in his career after finishing ahead of Real team-mate Gareth Bale and Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann.

“I’m obviously delighted to receive this award, it’s been an incredible season. But these two other players deserve it as well,” said Ronaldo, who also won the prize in 2013-14.

Ronaldo struck the winning spot-kick as Real claimed a record 11th European Cup title,

beating city rivals Atletico on penalties in May, before leading his country to Euro 2016 glory.

Ronaldo scored three goals en route to the final of the tournament to equal France’s Michel Platini’s record of nine goals in the European Championship finals.

The award was voted for by journalists from each of UEFA’s 55 member associations.

Norway striker Ada Hegerberg won the women’s award, ahead of France’s Amandine Henry and Dzsenifer Marozsan of Germany, after helping Lyon lift the Women’s Champions League trophy in addition to the French league and cup double.

UCL DRAW Group A: Paris St-Germain (France), Arsenal (England), Basel (Switzerland), Ludogorets (Bulgaria).

Group B: Benfica (Portugal), Napoli (Italy), Dynamo Kiev (Ukraine), Besiktas (Turkey).

Group C: Barcelona (Spain), Manchester City (England), Borussia Monchengladbach (Germany), Celtic (Scotland).

Group D: Bayern Munich (Germany), Atletico Madrid (Spain), PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands), Rostov (Russia).

Group E: CSKA Moscow (Russia), Bayer Leverkusen (Germany), Tottenham (England), Monaco (France).

Group F: Real Madrid (Spain), Borussia Dortmund (Germany), Sporting Lisbon (Portugal), Legia Warsaw (Poland).

Group G: Leicester City (England), Porto (Portugal), Club Brugge (Belgium), FC Copenhagen (Denmark).

Group H: Juventus (Italy), Sevilla (Spain), Lyon (France), Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia).

The USA remain top of the Ranking and are followed by Spain, semi final losers at the Olympics.

Serbia, France, Lithuania, Argentina, Brazil, Turkey, Russia and Australia make up the top 10 countries in that order.

Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung (right) with the Nigeria Olympics Committee (NOC) President Habib Gumel, during the tour of Maracana stadium months before the Olympics

M T N / K AT S I N A I N T ’ N A L P O LO

Kano, Port Harcourt, Kaduna in Early Lead The prestigious MTN International Polo Tournament got off to a great start in Katsina last Saturday, with 32 top polo teams vying for honours.

The event that attracted a huge crowd to the Sir Usman Nagogo venue saw an impressive opening ceremony conducted by officials of the Nigerian Polo Federation (NPF), and other top government and private sector dignitaries.

The tournament, which has visiting teams from other cities like Bauchi, Kaduna, Kano, Minna, Port Harcourt, Sokoto, Yola, Zaria among others, was also accorded the royal blessing of the Emir of Katsina and Life Chairman Nigerian Polo, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Abdulmumuni Kabir Usman.

Speaking during the opening

ceremony, General Manager Consumer Marketing, MTN Nigeria, represented by MTN’s Regional Trade Marketing Manager, Abdulhamid Hassan, thanked the Nigerian polo family for patronizing the MTN brand, urging them to make good use of the various innovative products and services offered by the company.

“The Polo family in Nigeria and MTN has become a symbolic one, based on shared values. We are thankful to all Polo enthusiasts for the opportunity to have supported the development of the king’s game in Nigeria thus far,” Hassan said.

Also speaking, the former Governor of Kaduna State and Life President Katsina Polo Club, Alhaji Lawan Kaita, after bowling the first half of

the tournament, acknowledged MTN for its support of polo.

He also urged all participants to always play by the rules.

He described the telecom company’s relationship with Nigerian Polo as an endearing one and assured the cheering crowd of a most memorable time in Katsina.

As one of the most glamorous polo events in Nigeria, the MTN sponsored polo fiesta lived up to its billing with two Coommasie Cup, two Talba Cup and the Opening General Hassan Cup games taking the centre stage on the first day of the event.

In the first game of the event, Katsina Samraj outpaced Katsina Evergreen Land 7-61/2 in the opening game of Coomassie Cup. Port Harcourt Strata Base

overwhelmed local rivals, Port Harcourt Shabbaz 3-2 in a fiercely contested second match.

The race for the Talba Cup got underway with Yola Yelwa and Kaduna Amana clinching impressive wins to set the pace in the intermediate Cup chase.

Kano Bagauda came from behind to secure a morale boosting 5-4 victory in the General Hassan Cup opener to close the day on a high note.

Major prizes at stake in the MTN international polo festival include the much-coveted Nigerian Cup, which is the biggest cup. Other are the MTN Cup, the President’s Cup, the Governor’s Cup, Nagogo Memorial Cup, Maidabino Cup, Dikko Memorial Cup and the Beginners’’ Cup among other individual awards.

NPFL: Ohanachom Sets Next Season Target for El-Kanemi Uchenna Iyoke

El-Kanemi Warriors returned to their traditional home ground in Maiduguri in April to start what may be their longest home run of wins in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), a feat that has prompted their lanky forward, Chinedu Ohanachom to sing the praises of the squad but admitting they are late in challenging for the title.

The Borno Warriors scraped to a 3-2 defeat of Sunshine Stars on Match Day 32 to make it ten wins from ten games on home soil since returning to Maiduguri on April 10 in a Match Day 11 fixture against Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) which they won 2-0. For over a season, El-Kanemi was forced to play its home fixtures in Kano

(2014/15) season and Katsina at the start of the 2015/16 season but following successes by the Nigerian armed forces in the battle to contain the Boko Haram terrorist group, the League Management Company (LMC) granted approval for the team to return to Maiduguri. That seemed to have also marked a return to winning ways that has chalked up ten on the trot.

In the match against Sunshine Stars, Ohanachom’s offensive effort alongside teenage team-mate Hussaini Bata, forced Taye Isiaka of the Akure Gunners to score a heart breaking own goal, which eventually put the Warriors ahead for the second time in the duel. The goal poacher also created the third after rounding goalkeeper David Ariya, who fouled him for a penalty.

Defender Hussaini Mohammed

converted the resultant kick that won the tension soaked tie.

The player, who is fondly called Nedu by mates, regrets that they were late in coming for the title but insists that El-Kanemi Warriors has one of the best squads in the NPFL to win the title.

“I strongly believe that the new season will reveal our true strength and get us to achieve our set target as we will be fighting to win the title or at least grab a continental ticket.

“This is our tenth consecutive home win in Maiduguri. That feat shows the strength of a solid team that can compete for the league title next season. We are now 12th on the log and it is obvious we are not one of title contenders but I am confident of a top ten finish which shows the strength of the squad

in our club”, continued Nedu.

Not surprising though, he points to their displacement in the seasons past and at the start of the on-going campaign as a factor for their earlier indifferent results.

“If you consider our unstable condition and playing on adopted home grounds within the space of two years, you can then attest that not all teams would have survived such predicament. But we kept our focus and courage to save the clubs image”, he offered.

Nedu is not one to mask his hunger and ambition to win the prestigious NPFL title for the Borno landlords by next season and goals and assists from the former FC Taraba marksman has been considered very instrumental to Elkanemi’s retaining their place in the top flight last season.

Friday, August 26, 2016

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MISSILE Wike to FG

“The federal government is simply too overbearing with too much powers and resources at its disposal. We know the recurring rifts between the federal government and the states on development issues, including revenue sharing, resource control, on the excess crude oil account, appointments into federal agencies and the arbitrary location or withdrawal of federally-funded projects.” – Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, accusing the federal government of contributing to the underdevelopment of states across the country, particularly Rivers State, due to its overbearing attitude and its dysfunctional agencies.

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It’s About Time Buhari Courted Private Sector

A

time like this when the country is enmeshed in a myriad of economic and political challenges can transform leaders from mere mortals into extraordinary human beings in the hearts and minds of the people.

Their exploits in the service of their people become idolised in nation-building folklore.

But leaders who when faced with challenges like we have resort to lamentations day and night and consistently blame others even when they are at fault never rise to the level of great men or statesmen. Instead, they earn derision, scorn and the wrath of the people.

It is no longer news that Nigeria’s economy is in a precarious situation - and is growing worse by the day. It is also no longer news that this government is practically clueless on how to manage this unenviable situation and prevent the country from sinking even deeper into recession. Granted, the economy was not in the best of shape when this government took over power 15 months ago but revitalising it was a major campaign plank of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The truth is this government by its actions and inactions has accelerated the slide of the economy into recession and made a not-so-bad situation far worse.

It appears its only strategy for getting the economy back on track was to hope and pray that oil prices would bounce back pretty quickly from months of progressive decline so that the country will once again be awash with the green back. All the talk about diversifying the economy will once again fade from their lips. So far, there is hardly any blueprint in place to achieving the much-talked about diversification of the economy.

Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s first prime minister and by all accounts one of the greatest visionaries who ever walked on this earth, supervised the transformation of his once poor and backward Third-World country to a First-World country. Singapore is today clearly one of the most successful countries on the planet. The once very poor colony has become one of the wealthiest in the commonwealth.

A commentator once said: “Singapore has achieved an astonishing degree of prosperity, social cohesion, and comity. It is almost certainly the most successful welfare state on the planet: able to protect the poor and the middle class while keeping taxes low, all run by one of the world’s most famously efficient technocracies.

While Singapore’s strategic location in the midst of the world’s most important shipping lane clearly aided its success, there is also no one who doubts that most of its prosperity is due to the amazing, difference-making work of Lee and his governing agenda. There are dozens of former colonies with great inherent assets, but only one Singapore.” Now, many forget how poor and backward this country once was.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum became the prime minister and the vicepresident of the United Arab Emirates in 2006, and is responsible for Dubai’s meteoric rise and transformation into a lavish business destination with infrastructure many Western

Buhari

countries are struggling to match. That is what visionary leaders do. Malaysia is another perfect example where leaders with a vision have made the difference and lifted their people out of poverty into prosperity. Firmly and proudly, they repositioned their countries in the global arena for good. Rather than lament and whine endlessly, they rolled up their sleeves and went to work.

Our dear country has not been nearly fortunate to have “men of timber and calibre” at the helm of affairs; men with a pan-Nigerian vision who when faced with challenges, stared them down with grit, guts and gumption to steer new pathways to lift it from adversity to prosperity.

I have watched this government fiddling about with the economy in a manner that has left many in utter bewilderment. Certain economic decisions requiring rigour, thoughtfulness and impact assessment have been taken with brash military alacrity thereby causing more damage than good to the economy.

The recent pronouncement by President Muhammadu Buhari that he is adverse to private sector inclusion in his economic team underscores the narrow premise of the vision of this government on how to revamp the economy.

It is a premise that has been re-echoed by the vice-president, Professor Yemi Osinbanjo, who should be eternally grateful to his godfather for making him the vice-president, no matter how uninfluential he may be (I doubt if he commands any respect within the power circle).

He is always more than happy to align with his boss’ position no matter its futility.

In the face of strong adverse criticism that his administration lacked an economic team, Buhari disdainfully responded: “What do they mean by team? The vice-president heads our Economic Management Team. You have the finance minister, the budget and planning minister; the minister of trade, industry and investment; the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, the national economic adviser and others and yet some people still ask for a team. We will listen to everybody but we are averse to economic teams whose private sector members frequently steer government policy to suit their own narrow interests rather than the overall national interest.” He may have a point but I beg to disagree. The overall national interest is served in terms of job opportunities and contributions to the nation’s GDP by such companies.

Reacting to this development, Chief Dr. Bassey Edem, National President, NACCIMA, noted: “It is a shame that Nigeria is said to have an Economic Management Team with no representative from the Organised Private Sector (OPS). We in NACCIMA sent a memo to President Buhari when the team was being constituted but there was no response. I even raised the issue during the Economic Summit Round Table session with the Vice-President Osinbajo in attendance, yet no action.”

Continuing, he stated thus: “The economic team is for Nigeria as a whole and not just for the public sector. It is still not too late to co-opt the organised private sector into it, especially NACCIMA which is the ‘Voice of Nigerian Businesses to balance it up”. The president of Sapele Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Prince David Iweta, also said that he was surprised that the current economic team of the federal government didn’t encompass the private sector. As for me, I have resolved to no longer attend seminars called by the government because they end up as paper–tigers. Who are the ones to diversify the economy? Is it the ministers in Abuja; is it the directors of CBN or the foreign speakers? The answer is no. It is those who are already involved in agriculture, mining and manufacturing as private sector that will diversify the economy.”

Only recently, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) decried the continued decline in capacity utilisation, warning that the situation posed a major threat to the already ailing real sector of the economy which has resulted in massive job losses. The association explained that the manufacturing sector recorded a 20 per-cent drop in capacity utilisation at the end of the second quarter of 2016, stressing that the sector currently operates below 20 per cent of its capacity. It blamed the decline primarily on the scarcity of foreign exchange for raw materials’ replenishment and the declining purchasing power of consumers in the country.

According to a recent report quoting MAN, 272 companies have shut down in the last one year and 180,000 jobs have been lost to the closures.

In the last 16 years, the country’s economy grew exponentially to become Africa’s biggest economy with a GDP of $574 billion contrary to the narrative out there that has been disingenuously christened “The 16 years of waste” by a crooked party, the APC. In just one year of Buhari in office, that GDP has dropped to $296 billion. Is this progress or retrogression? The truth is this government has practically crippled the private sector which is the engine room of economic growth.

Beginning from the Olusegun Obasanjo administration, the federal government got serious and began to take steps towards import substitution. The managers of the nation’s economy at the time started taking one commodity after the other, with a view to implementing policies that would encourage dealers in such commodities to transform from simply importing and trading in them, into fully integrated local manufacturers.

Obasanjo’s effort resulted in a lot of investments in soft drink manufacturing,

leading to the rise of brands like 5Alive, Funman fruit juices, Chivita, etc. It also resulted in the development of the packaged-water manufacturing industry. But it was when the Goodluck Jonathan administration took office that this policy became the underpinning principle for the transformation of the economy.

What was different in the Jonathan government approach to import substitution was that it was developed into two broad economic programmes with various components called the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP) and the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA)/Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES). While the NIRP was being implemented by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, under the leadership of Olusegun Aganga, an expert poached from Goldman sachs, the ATA/GES was anchored by a first-class agricultural economist and now the president of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, who were then ministers of Industry and Agriculture respectively. These two policy frameworks, which were inextricably linked at many points, were being implemented in an orderly manner with backward integration strategies, leading to massive investments in cement production which invariably transformed Nigeria from a net importer of cement with less than 5 million tonnes per annum capacity, to a substantial net exporter with over 50 million tonnes per annum production capacity, after nearly $20 billion had been injected into the sector by private individuals with strong government support through waivers and tax exemptions. The same programme was being implemented for the fertiliser industry, automobile industry, downstream petroleum industry, petrochemical industry, sugar industry, rice production, cassava flour in place of wheat and aquaculture industry, among others. This plan, although not entirely perfect, provided a clear vision and direction that seemed to lead the nation away from its dangerous dependence on other nations for its essential commodities.

Also, it made progress quite rapidly because of the robust and coordinated economic team which had a coordinator in the person of the then minister of finance, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala, working in conjunction with other ministers and private sector heavyweights to ensure a smooth implementation of the plan.

Entrepreneurs like Aliko Dangote, Abdulsamad Rabiu, Tony Elumelu, and others were given waivers and tax exemptions as incentives to invest massively in cement production and various other sectors of the economy that significantly contributed to lifting the economy to Africa’s premier status.

Wait a moment - imagine that people like Dangote, Samad, and co. didn’t invest massively in cement production, and we were still importing this all-important building material with the present forex problems attendant upon importation of goods into the country. What would have been the fate of the construction industry? Today, the nation is waiting patiently for the Dangote refinery Continued on page 50

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