Thursday 17th Noverber 2016

Moody’s: Dollar Scarcity Remains Key Challenge for Firms in Nigeria Says national growth prospects attractive External reserves record marginal increase Obinna Chima While subdued United States dollar supply in the context of prolonged lower oil prices remains a key challenge for

corporate bodies in Nigeria, especially those companies constrained by foreign exchange (FX) restrictions on certain imports, growth prospects for the country

over the next three years are attractive, Moody’s Investors Service said in a report yesterday.

The report titled: ‘Corporates Nigeria: US Dollar Scarcity

Remains Key Challenge to Improvement in the Corporate Sector,’ was posted on the global rating agency’s website.

This is just as the data on the Central Bank of Nigeria’s

(CBN) website showed that the country’s external reserves recorded an increase of $216 million in two weeks, from the $23.948 billion it was on November 1, to $24.164 billion

as at November14, 2016.

In an effort to meet part of the pent up demand for FX, the CBN recently ramped up Continued on page 8

FG Begins Release of N100bn for Constituency Projects...

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Thursday 17 November, 2016 Vol 21. No 7882. Price: N250

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TODAY'S WEATHER

ABUJA 16°C-33°C

MAIDUGURI 15°C-35°C

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ENUGU 22°C-34°C

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KANO 11°C-33°C

LAGOS 23C-31°C

PORT HARCOURT 20°C-30°C

Again, Osinbajo, APC Governors, N’Assembly Leadership Meet Today Agitation for inclusive governance persists Board, ambassadorial appointments still contentious

Olawale Olaleye Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and some of the party’s leaders in the National Assembly are billed to meet today again at the State House, Abuja, three days after their first meeting, which did not achieve much.

As a follow-up to the Monday meeting, today’s meeting, THISDAY checks at the Presidency suggest, is meant to revisit the pending appointments into boards of parastatals as well as the list of the non-career ambassadors earlier thrown out by the Senate.

Continued on page 9

With Continuing US Embargo, Nigeria Looks to Russia, Pakistan, Others for Arms NAF to add 10 attack aircraft to inventory

Senator Iroegbu in Abuja

The federal government has responded to the arms embargo imposed on Nigeria by the United States of America, turning to countries in the Eastern and Southern

hemisphere, including Russia, Pakistan and Brazil, to acquire arms and military arsenal for the counter-terrorism operations in the North-eastern part of the country.

Continued on page 9

Senate, ASUU Meeting over Strike Ends in Deadlock... Page 8

UI HOLDS CONVOCATION LECTURE...

L R: Convocation Lecturer, Prof Bolaji Akinyemi; Emeritus Prof. Oladipo Akinkugbe and Vice Chancellor University of Ibadan, Prof. Idowu Olayinka, at University of Ibadan 2016 Convocation Lecture in Ibadan... Wednesday felix ademola

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FG Begins Release of N100bn for Constituency Projects N’Assembly finally considers president’s N180bn virement request House summons DG, Budget Office over remittance directives Omololu Ogunmade and Damilola Oyedele in Abuja The presidency may have finally caved in to the demands by members of the National Assembly for the release of N100 billion meant for constituency projects before they consider and approve any request from the executive arm of government.

Several legislative approvals sought by President Muhammadu Buhari have suffered defeats or delays in recent weeks, particularly the request for the $30 billion external borrowing plan, the 2017-2019 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP), and virement of N180 billion in the 2016 budget.

THISDAY gathered that so far, about 50 per cent of the constituency funds have been quietly released through the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, National Commission for Refugees and other ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of government.

Sources told THISDAY that the leadership of the National Assembly secured commitments from the presidency for the release of the funds.

“Recall that the Senate President met with the

president several times last week. So the commencement of the release of the funds would smoothen the path for the approvals being sought by the executive,” a source told THISDAY. The source, however, noted that while the lawmakers may soft pedal on their initial stance, many of them remain sceptical that the funds would be completely released by the finance ministry.

“The sour relations between both arms of government lingers, so both view each other with suspicion and do not trust each other. Many of the lawmakers are however not convinced that all the money will be released, particularly when considering utterances of the executive.

“Maybe only some lawmakers will eventually benefit,” the source explained.

Another source, who confirmed that the constituency funds were being released, however noted that the executive arm of government is currently making efforts to repair its fractured relations with the legislature.

“Before now, only Dogara (Speaker) and Gbajabiamila seemed to be the sort of balancing forces in the legislature, but obviously the Senate carries more weight.

“If the president cannot

have his men there, he has to find a way to work with whoever is there. The House alone cannot pass his requests,” the source said.

Indications that the lawmakers may be somewhat appeased emerged as the leadership of the House of Representatives yesterday passed a motion mandating its Committee on Appropriation to consider the request for the virement of N180 billion.

Other committees to which the virement are related to would also serve as sub-committees of the Appropriation Committee to consider the request. These include the Committees on Nigerian Air Force, Youth Development, Niger Delta and Works, among others.

The motion was sponsored by the Majority Leader, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, who recalled that the communication from the president requesting the virement of the funds was read on the floor of the House on October 25.

Presiding, Deputy Speaker Yussuff Sulaimon Lasun put the question on whether the prayer should be accepted. The motion was not subjected to debate as is normally the practice.

A few lawmakers uttered the “ayes” and Lasun hit the gravel before allowing any dissenting voice to register

a vote.

No protests however followed the action, indicating that some lobbying by the House leadership might have worked.

Gbajabiamila was observed also engaging several members, including key members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in discussions before he read the motion.

The request would however be returned to the floor of the House for consideration of the committee’s report. At this stage, the request could be accepted or rejected.

Presenting the motion, Gbajabiamila stated that N180 billion appropriated for special intervention (recurrent) and special intervention (capital) is to fund some critical recurrent and capital items.

Gbajabiamila added that the request is intended to address shortfalls in the Amnesty Programme in the Niger Delta, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation scheme, and military operations in the North-east, among other projects.

“The Nigerian Air Force needs to cover the foreign exchange differentials in the procurement of its critical equipment and augment the contingency vote, and also to provide for the inadequacy in

the provision for the NYSC programme in the 2016, among others,” he said.

Gbajabiamila further explained that several MDAs presented issues pertaining to salary shortfalls as it affects those that are not listed on the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).

Also, the House resolved to summon the Director General of the Budget Office, Mr. Ben Akabueze, over his directive to heads of agencies of government to remit treasury capital funds already released to them.

The DG allegedly directed the management of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to remit N8 billion to the treasury out of N10.3 billion released for the execution of capital projects, leaving the agency with N2.3 billion only.

He is expected to appear before an ad hoc committee to explain what the House said was a worrisome trend.

The resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Hon. Agbedi Frederick (Bayelsa PDP), who highlighted the compelling need for FERMA to repair and maintain dilapidated roads across the nation.

He recalled that the sum of N21.8 billion was appropriated for the agency in the 2016 budget, of which

N10.3 billion was released in October.

The lawmaker added that the agency had prioritised its capital projects, and contractors who had submitted tenders were bound to lose by the directive of the Budget Office.

“The directive of the DG, Budget Office of the Federation cannot be said to be virement, as virement can only be approved by the National Assembly, which has not done so in this case,” Agbedi said.

He warned that the planned execution of capital projects by agencies would be crippled if the directive is allowed to stand.

Just like the House, the Senate yesterday also commenced legislation on the president’s request for virement of N180.8 billion from the 2016 budget.

Accordingly, the Senate mandated its Committees on Appropriation and Finance to expeditiously treat the president’s request and submit its report within one week for final approval.

Buhari had asked the National Assembly to approve the virement of N180,839,254,439 billion from N500 billion appropriated for the Special Intervention Programme in the 2016 budget to finance other key projects.

Senate, ASUU Meeting over Strike Ends in Deadlock Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja The Senate’s effort to stop a one-week warning strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) fell through yesterday as a closed-door meeting held between the Upper Chamber, ASUU leadership, and officials of the Ministries of Education and Labour, Employment and Productivity was deadlocked.

At the meeting convened

by Senate President Bukola Saraki and attended by the Minister of State for Education Anthony Anwuka and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Productivity in the National Assembly, the varsity dons vowed to continue with the warning strike.

ASUU had on Monday announced a one-week warning strike over the failure of the federal government to implement

the agreement it reached with it in 2009.

But in a swift reaction, the Senate mandated Saraki to intervene in the matter with a view to stopping ASUU from proceeding on the strike.

However, at a press briefing jointly addressed by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Tertiary Institution and Tetfund, Jubril Barau, Anwuka and the ASUU leaders at the end of yesterday's meeting,

the stakeholders said the deliberation was fruitful, adding that a window for solution had been found.

"After the deliberation, we set up a sub-committee that would meet with the Minister of Finance and Minister of Budget and National Planning towards resolving the issues," Barau said.

Also speaking, a participant at the meeting, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, said: "With the attention

of the Minister of Finance and that of Budget and National Planning drawn to the matter, by next week Monday, we should have resolved it amicably and end it with warning strike."

The National President of ASUU, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi, commended Senate's proactive intervention in the face-off between it and the federal government.

The agreement between ASUU and the federal

government in 2009 included the constitution of a renegotiation committee that would ensure that at least 26 per cent of Nigeria’s annual budget was allocated to education and half of that allocation given to universities.

They also agreed, among others, that the 2004 Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Act, and the National University Commission (NUC) Act 2004 should be amended.

purchasing power to remain under pressure over the next 18 months, both domestic and foreign investment is expected to take advantage of Nigeria’s compelling economic fundamentals and are likely to rebound once the economy has fully stabilised.

“Nigeria remains the largest economy in sub-Saharan Africa on a purchasing power parity basis, offering a sizeable market for corporates. A growing middle class - both in percentage and absolute terms - and increasing consumer wealth levels will continue to support higher levels of discretionary income expenditure,” it added.

Meanwhile, the naira depreciated to N465 to the dollar on the parallel market yesterday, lower than the N455 to the dollar it was the previous day. But on the interbank FX market, the spot rate of the naira closed at N305.50 to the dollar yesterday.

TOP GAINERS NGN NGN FIDSON 0.06 1.29 INTERBREW 0.89 19.89 UNIONBANK 0.14 4.30 ETI 0.19 9.71 AFRIPRUD 0.03 2.63 TOP LOSERS NGN NGN SEVEN-UP 13.96 129.36 TRANCORPHOTEL 0.51 4.77 PAINTCOM 0.08 0.76 TRANSCORP 0.06 0.73 FORTEOIL 6.98 87.02 HPE Nestle Nig Plc N800.00 Volume: 145.744 million shares Value: N1.350 billion Deals: 2,421 As at yesterday 16/11/16 See details on Page 46

MOODY’S: DOLLAR SCARCITY REMAINS KEY CHALLENGE FOR FIRMS IN NIGERIA supply to critical sectors of the economy by allocating the greenback to banks for onward sale to their customers through Special Secondary Market Intervention Retail Sales (SMIS). The interventions which commenced last month were done through 60-day forwards sale and was aimed specifically at meeting the FX payment of mature obligations for the importation of agriculture and industrial raw materials, machineries and equipment as well as spare parts and ticket sale remittances for airlines.

Nevertheless, Moody’s Vice-President and local market analyst for the Government of Nigeria, Aurélien Mali, in the report yesterday noted: “Nigeria is still undergoing a severe economic realignment to adjust to lower oil prices and the knock-on effect on its US dollar oil exports, which have led to reduced

US dollar supply and lower GDP growth,” Also, Moody’s Assistant Vice-President and the report’s co-author, Douglas Rowlings, noted: “The naira’s depreciation by nearly 60 per cent in June partially cleared accumulated US dollar demand and stabilised foreign currency reserves. However, access to US dollars through official channels remains challenging for some companies.”

Moody’s analysts held the view that foreign capital inflows into Nigeria were unlikely to rebound strongly as the existence of a “parallel market acts as a deterrent,” saying investors are hesitant to invest capital into Nigeria as long as there is uncertainty around the propensity for a further devaluation of the naira versus the US dollar.

To this end, Moody’s expects foreign investment inflows to continue “to be constrained until the parallel market naira

per US dollar exchange rate moves closer to the official exchange rate”.

It noted that the supply of US dollars in Nigeria would improve over time as real growth rates pick up, which was expected to be supported by investment by multinational corporates wishing to further strengthen their domestic position in Nigeria or establish a presence in the country. This, in turn, should be underpinned by improving Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth.

“The foreign exchange limitation continues to pose challenges for corporates’ day-to-day operations, capital expenditure (capex) and financing activities. Corporates servicing US dollar debt commitments will continue to have priority access to US dollars but will need to issue requests at least three months in advance to be assured of requisite availability, while corporates requiring US dollars

for their purposes, such as capex outside Nigeria, will continue to face difficulties in obtaining sufficient US dollars.

“Another source of US dollars through a rebound in oil production could support the reserves in the future, but it is hypothetical at this stage.

If such development were to occur at the current exchange rate, it could balance supply and demand for US dollars in Nigeria.

“This, in turn, would lead to the eclipsing of the parallel market, which would encourage net portfolio inflows and should ensure that the official US dollar supply meets the total demand from Nigeria’s economy,” it added.

Looking ahead, Moody’s foresaw that growth prospects for Nigeria remains attractive for corporates over the next three years.

“Although Moody’s expects Nigerian consumers’

% 4.8 4.6 3.3 2.0 1.1 % 9.7 9.6 9.5 7.5 7.4

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T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

NEWS

Minister Hails Artefact Rescuers, Assures Them of Cooperation The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has commended members of the Artefacts Rescuers Association of Nigeria for playing a strategic role in the preservation of the nation's cultural heritage, saying the ministry will continue to partner with them to retrieve and preserve stolen artefacts.

The minister stated this in Abuja yesterday when members of the association paid him a courtesy visit in

his office.

"Once again I want to thank you for the role you have played in ensuring that our artefacts are retrieved and I want to say it publicly that we are ready to cooperate and work with you in terms that will be mutually acceptable to all the parties,” he said, adding: "We recognise that we need you to achieve our own mandate and aspirations and at the same time you also need us as the repository

Gbadamosi, PPPRA Ex-Chairman, Dies at 72 Gboyega Akinsanmi A former Chairman of Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi, last night passed away at the age of 72.

Gbadamosi, foremost industrialist and CoChairman, Lagos @50 Planning Committee, died after a year long battle with stroke.

Lagos State Commissioner for Information & Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, announced his passage on his twitter handle @stevoree.

The commissioner said the state government mourned the passing of a leading industrialist, art patron, former minister and CoChairman of Lagos@50, Rasheed Gbadamosi.

“Gbadamosi will be remembered for being a true Lagosian, a nationalist and art aficionado. His remains will

be interred at 2pm tomorrow,” the commissioner said.

Gbadamosi had been suffering from multiple stroke since last year and had recently gone abroad for medical treatment.

He was former chairman, Bank of Industry (BoI), onetime Director, National Sports Lottery Plc and was named co-chairman of Lagos @50 Planning Committee along with Nobel Laureate, Prof.

Wole Soyinka, by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode last year.

A one-time minister, Gbadamosi was an economist and industrialist, who had wanted to be a medical doctor, but his persuasive father chose Economics for him for the purpose of continuity of the old man's company.

Gbadamosi was also the chairman, Ragolis Water Ltd, AIICO Pension Managers, Lucky Fibres Nig. Plc and several other companies.

Gbadamosi

of the cultural heritage of the country."

Mohammed, who said the illegal trafficking of artefacts remains a bane of the nation's quest to leverage on its heritage and drive tourism, lauded the critical role being played by the association to reverse the trend.

"One of the major challenges we face is the illegal exportation, illegal trafficking of our cultural heritage in form of artefacts.

Therefore, when you have an organisation like yours that voluntarily charges itself with the responsibility of ensuring that such artefacts are retrieved and returned, I think you deserve nothing but encouragement and praise for your nationalism and patriotism," he said.

The president of the association, Mr. George Agbo, commended the minister for his commitment to re-positioning the tourism sector in Nigeria.

"I want to tell you that on behalf of our association, we share your dream of re-positioning tourism in Nigeria. We are vendors of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments and our primary aim is to rescue our artefacts and heritage for the museums," he said.

Mr. Agbo said the association, which was registered in 2001, has 321 members across the country.

Also present at the

meeting were the Directors General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Mallam Yusuf Abdallah; National Gallery of Arts Abdullahi Muku; Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation Ferdinand Anikwe; National Council For Arts and Culture Dayo Keshi, and the Executive Secretary of the National Institute For Cultural Orientation, Mr. Barclays Ayakoroma, among others.

AGAIN, OSINBAJO, APC GOVERNORS, N’ASSEMBLY LEADERSHIP MEET TODAY The governors and the National Assembly leadership from the APC are said to be insistent on the need for President Muhammadu Buhari to open up his government and hold wider consultations with stakeholders in the party before making appointments, particularly to political positions.

Besides, they argue, such consultations with critical stakeholders in the party, a source said, would ensure that only people with capacity that can deliver on the promises of the party are put into positions.

Contrary to speculations in the media about the Monday meeting, THISDAY checks revealed the sole issue tabled was the need for a more inclusive government at the federal level. Today’s meeting will also be solely on this, a highly placed source told THISDAY. “I can tell you categorically that the meeting has nothing to do with the loan being sought by the federal government or any other matter at that. It is basically about the appointments into the boards and parastatals and the governors are not taking chances this time,” he said.

According to the source, it is clear to the federal government that those handling these assignments on its behalf before had created more problems than solution and so, the idea of bringing everyone together to decide the fate of the party has become imperative in the light of the ugly challenges that stare the party and government in the face.

Osinbajo, on Monday, had met with Senate President Bukola Saraki, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu

Dogara, and five governors of the APC behind closed doors at the State House, Abuja, to resolve the rising discontent among APC governors and other stakeholders over the failure of the president to consult critical stakeholders, including governors and the party leadership in the appointments he had made so far.

Governors in attendance were Senator Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State, Sanni Bello of Niger State, and Jibril Bindow of Adamawa.

Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola arrived after the meeting had been concluded.

Also in attendance were the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David, and the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

Although there was no official statement from the presidency on the almost two-hour meeting, THISDAY gathered that Buhari, who departed the country for Morocco the night before, had mandated Osinbajo to meet with the National Assembly leadership and the governors to allay concerns and hold talks with them, after mounting complaints that they had not been carried along on several of the federal appointments previously made by the president.

Feelers from the meeting heightened the suspicion that all may not be well among the front line leaders of the ruling party, as the meeting was said to have been very heated. This development is believed to have necessitated today’s follow-up.

Sources hinted that the

meeting essentially involved the governors representing the five geopolitical zones in the country and that Osinbajo had been mandated

by Buhari to broaden the scope of consultations by bringing in the governors and National Assembly leaders, who had been feeling disenchanted since the outset of the administration.

However, since the APC has no governor in the South-south zone, there was no governor to represent the zone at the meeting. But today’s meeting might be attended by the new Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, who assumed office on Saturday to represent the South-south.

During the meeting, presidency sources said the issue of board appointments to federal parastatals and ambassadorial nominees was discussed, and the governors made their feelings clear that they were not happy that they had been shut out in past appointments made by the Buhari administration.

Also, the sources said party unity and the state of the party was emphasised by the vice-president against the backdrop of deepening cracks in the APC. After airing their grievances, it was agreed that a committee headed by the SGF, which had recently drawn up a list of nominees to the boards of federal parastatals, would be reviewed by the governors. This, sources said, is expected to give the governors the opportunity to hold consultations at the state level and decide on whether to retain the nominees on the list or otherwise.

In reviewing the list, the governors were informed that 60 per cent of the slots must be allocated on

political considerations as a way of rewarding those who had helped the party to victory in the 2015 general election, while 40 per cent of the slots will be left to technocrats.

With respect to the ambassadorial nominees, the National Assembly as agreed at the meeting, separated the names of career diplomats, whose names had been sent to the Senate for screening and confirmation, while the list of non-career ambassadorial nominees was withdrawn for review by the governors The source explained that with the withdrawal of the list of non-career ambassadorial nominees, the governors, after consultations, would submit new names to fill the slots for their respective states.

“The president asked Osinbajo to broaden consultations with the state governors and National Assembly leaders on board appointments to federal parastatals and the list of ambassadorial nominees.

This stemmed from previous complaints that the president was locking them out on several federal appointments, sometimes leading to embarrassing rejections by the nominees.

See what happened with the ambassadorial nominees which caused considerable embarrassment, because the presidency failed to consult with the state governors.

“So, the president mandated the vice-president to reach out to the governors and National Assembly to get their input for the outstanding appointments to the boards of various parastatals. As you know, the disenchantment in the party is rising, so the purpose of the meeting was to forge party unity,” the source stated.

Ipetu Ijesha.

Abubakar said the service trained 325 Special Forces in anti-hijacking, counter terrorism and Very Important Personality (VIP) protection with some already deployed in the North-east operation.

The air force chief also used the occasion to induct the newly created NAF K9 Dod Unit into the service.

"I want to say that getting the equipment on the detection of bombs and training of people on their use was quite expensive, which made it less cheap for the acquisition of locally bred dogs that are trained on bomb detection," he said.

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin, who was the guest of honour at the occasion, urged participants at the seminar to think up solutions to the emerging security challenges in the country.

Olonisakin, who was represented by the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, also commended the NAF for the idea that birthed the seminar.

According to him, the theme and topic of discussion for the seminar, were reflection of NAF's growing active roles in the war against terror.

WITH CONTINUING US EMBARGO, NIGERIA LOOKS TO RUSSIA, PAKISTAN, OTHERS FOR ARMS According to the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, who spoke in Abuja yesterday, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has been given approval to acquire and induct at least 10 attack aircraft into its arsenal.

Speaking at the NAF's operations seminar tagged: "Developing Effective Air Power Responses to National Security Challenges in Nigeria," Abubakar gave the breakdown of the expected aircraft to include four Mi35m attack helicopters from Russia, three Super Tucano from Brazil and three JF-17 Thunder from Pakistan.

In addition, he said,

another 10 Super Mus hack primary trainer from Pakistan would also be inducted into the NAF service.

Abubakar said the U.S. arms embargo would not stop the countries Nigeria intends to buy the military hardware from, especially Brazil from selling the A-29 Super Tucano fighter aircraft to it like America did with Israel in 2014.

He added that despite the arms embargo, the U.S. had in recent times shown willingness to assist in the country's counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency efforts in the North-east.

"All I can tell you is that

the U.S. is supporting in the North-east, they are helping us with a lot of intelligence, so I don't see any reason why we should have difficulties," he insisted.

The air force chief, however, said that NAF was not resting on its oars to make the service more self-reliant and had in-line with its leadership vision, reactivated about 13 aircraft that were hitherto grounded for years due to lack of maintenance and questionable flying status.

"These aircraft include three Mi-24V/35P, two EC-135, one Beechcraft, one falcon, one Super Puma, one

DA-42, two DO-228 and two A-109LUHs," he said.

Against this backdrop, Abubakar said the NAF had in response to its expanded role in the ongoing war against terror, trained over 700 personnel comprising of 40 pilots outside and 27 pilots within the country.

In the same vein, he said the service had increased its platforms and increased recruitment into the service from 500 to 2,500, as well as approved the creation of four regiment groups under the newly created Special Operations Command, which would soon take off in Gusau, Owerri, Bauchi and

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THURSDAY NOVEMBER 17, 2016 • T H I S D AY

NEWS

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

FG Files More Charges against Justice Ngwuta of Supreme Court To tender cash recovered in his house as exhibits Tob i Soniyi in Abuja

The federal government has amended the charges filed against

Justice Sylvester Ngwuta of the Supreme Court.

A copy of the amended charge obtained by THISDAY revealed that

FEC to Get Draft National Oil and Gas Policy Next Week Chineme Okafor in Abuja The Ministry of Petroleum Resources has disclosed that the Draft National Oil and Gas Policy it recently developed will be presented to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) next week after ongoing consultations on the two documents have been completed and relevant views factored in them within the next couple of days.

Speaking at the two-day stakeholders’ consultation forum on the draft oil and gas policies yeserday in Abuja, Mr. Gbite Adeniji who is the Senior Technical Adviser to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, disclosed that when ratified and law, the final document would be binding on all, including government, operators, investors and all stakeholders in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

He also stated that a new policy document addressing fiscal issues

in the petroleum industry would soon be drawn up and presented to stakeholders with the aim of addressing the thorny issues surrounding fiscals.

Adeniji explained that the last petroleum policy which was approved in 2006, reflected the fact that Nigeria was in a completely new phase in the global oil industry.

He noted that the policy was due to be reviewed to reflect current trends.

Adeniji also lamented that Nigeria was not prepared for the headwinds brought about by the volatility in the global petroleum industry due to the absence of a clear cut policy and lack of coordination between government and investors.

Stakeholders at the consultative forum included oil and gas companies, communities representatives, government officials, and trade unions and professional organisations.

the offences allegedly committed by the judge have been increased from six to 15.

Government also said it would tender in court the monies allegedly recovered from him when his house was raided on October 9.

In the new charge, Justice Ngwuta is accused of violating various sections of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2012 (as amended) including Section 15 (2) (d).

The federal government had recently filed a six- count criminal charge of money laundering and corruption against the 65-year-

old judge who is currently on suspension.

Following allegations of corruption against him, the Department of State Security (DSS) started investigation into his activities which culminated in the execution of a search warrant in his official residence October 8, 2016.

The defendant, in the information filed before the Federal High Court, Abuja by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) was alleged to have retained in his possession the sum of N35, 358, 000.00 contrary to the Money Laundering ( Prohibition) Act 2011

(as amended).

It was alleged that the defendant also retained in his possession the sum of $319,596.00 and £25,915 all of which according to the prosecutor formed part of the proceeds of unlawful act contrary to the Money Laundering Act. Several sums of cash were allegedly recovered including N35.3 million, $319,596, £25,915 pounds sterling and €280. The search according to the prosecutors also revealed four diplomatic passports, one official and two standard Nigerian passport passports all in the name of the defendant.

The accused Supreme Court judge was alleged to have obtained multiple passports contrary to Section 10 of the Immigration Act, 2015 and punishable under the same Section.

He was alleged to have made false statement to the passport office concerning his date of birth for the purpose of procuring an additional Diplomatic Passport for himself. He was also alleged to have in his possession two valid Diplomatic Passports and thereby committed an offence under Section 10 of the Immigration Act.

Dasuki’s Lawyer Tackles FG on Purported Offer to Attend Dad’s Burial

Trial adjourned to Dec 7 A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Ahmed Raji, and counsel to the detained former National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (rtd), has taken the federal government to task on the purported offer granted Dasuki to allow him travel to Sokoto to attend the burial of his father, the 18th Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki, who was buried on Tuesday.

The counsel who spoke with the judiciary reporters at the FCT High Court in Abuja, said the purported offer was doubtful because none of his lawyers was contacted on the issue.

He said: “As his counsel, we are not aware of that offer. Our client has not told us anything of that nature. We would have expected that if such gesture was going to be made to him, we as his counsel should have been involved so that we can advise him properly. As I am speaking to you, I am hearing of this for the first time.”

Raji said there was no basis for the continued detention of Dasuki by government having being granted bail by three different high courts in Abuja in the charges against him as well as the order of the ECOWAS court for his unconditional release in the case for the enforcement of his fundamental rights to freedom of liberty.

He said: “Dasuki has been granted three bails and one outright judgment for his release by the ECOWAS Court which is binding in honour on Nigeria” The lawyer appealed to the

federal government to set a good example by according respect to the rule of law and the principle of fairness and natural justice by ensuring the immediate release of the ex-NSA in compliance with various court orders.

Meanwhile, the trial of former NSA on the alleged arms deals filed against him by the federal government at the FCT high court has been adjourned to December The trial was cancelled at the instance of lawyers from the prosecution and defence who jointly agreed that the mood was not proper for the trial of the ex-NSA whose father and the 18th Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Dasuki, was just buried on Tuesday in Sokoto.

Dasuki was not brought before the court for undisclosed reasons but his counsel, Raji, told the judiciary reporters that the former NSA was still mourning the sudden passage of his father.

The counsel hinted that although the matter was not officially mentioned before Justice Baba Yusuf who was billed to conduct the trial, all lawyers involved in the matter felt that the period was not good for the trial and hence their joint agreement for an adjournment till December 7 Apart from Dasuki, all other defendants in the matter comprising former Sokoto State Governor, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa; former Minister of State for Finance, Alhaji Bashir Yuguda; Director Finance and Supply in the Office of the NSA Salisu Shuaibu; and Alhaji Aminu Baba Kusa were present in court.

BUMPER HARVEST?

L-R: National Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun; Abia State APC Secretary, Dr. Chidia Maduekwe; APC chieftain, Ambassador Sam Nkire; former Abia State Governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu; and APC chieftain, Chief Olagunsoye Oyinlola, shortly after Kalu’s admittance into the APC at the party’s headquarters in Abuja...yesterday Elijah Olaluyi

Appeal Court Reserves Judgment in Ondo PDP Crisis Tobi Soniyi in Abuja Despite protest from the Ali Modu Sheriff-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Court of Appeal hearing all appeals emanating from the Ondo State PDP disputes over governorship candidate of the party, yesterday heard the appeal of Mr. Eyitayo Jegede and reserved judgment.

The court rejected the arguments of the Sheriff’s faction not to go ahead with the hearing of the appeals.

The faction urged the court not to embark on ‘judicial rascality’ in view of its appeals pending before the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, counsel to Prince Biyi Poroye and others, Beluolisa E. Nwofor (SAN), while reacting to the development, said the implication of the decision of the panel was that his client had been shut out.

According to him, he has not made any contribution to Jegede’s appeal based on the fact that the same court had earlier stayed proceedings in the case of Senator

Ahmed Makarfi against Benson Akingboye and also in the case of PDP v Benson Akingboye.

Nwofor had prayed the court not to go on with the proceedings because of the pending appeals at the Supreme Court challenging the verdict of the panel that granted leave to Jegede to appeal against the nomination of Jimoh Ibrahim as the candidate for the November 26 election in Ondo State.

Nwofor also informed the court that the Supreme Court had sent a letter of transmission of the appeal to the registrar of the Court of Appeal and further pleaded with the court to allow him tender a copy of the letter but the panel refused.

He also informed the court that he had filed a stay of execution on the matter pending the determination of the appeals at the Supreme Court.

However, counsel to Jegede, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), who opposed the application, submitted that the court had no power to remove an appeal from the cause list or hands off as asked

by the applicant.

Olanipekun subsequently adopted his motion seeking to set aside the ruling of the lower court and prayed the court to allow the initial arrangement that recognised his client Jegede as the candidate of the party.

Nwofor had opposed him saying that the appeal that granted Jegede leave to appeal was being challenged at the Supreme Court.

He said the appeal was not ripe for hearing because the time for the respondents to file their briefs would expire 12 midnight today.

He said: “The limitations of time to file does not include Saturday and Sunday under the Interpretation Act of of 2004.

According to him, another reason why the appeal is not ripe for hearing was because by Order 8 Rule 11 of the Supreme Court Rules 1985 as amended, the matter is now before the apex court.

He said: “There is no appeal to hear since the court has lost its jurisdiction. There is an undisputed fact that a motion on notice for stay of all further proceedings and

further hearing of these appeal is pending at the apex court and has been brought to the notice of this court.

“We maintain that by the effect of this notice, the court cannot entertain the appeal pending the determination of all the appeals before the Supreme Court.”

He added that to proceed to hear the appeal would amount to an exercise in futility and would also amount to judicial rascality and judicial impediment.

There were altercation between the bar and the bench as Nwofor announced to the court that proceedings could not go on in view of a pending appeal he filed at the Supreme Court.

This development was objected to by both counsel to Jegede, Olanipekun and the three member panel presided over by Justice Ibrahim Salauwa.

It was at this point that the peace of the court was let loose giving way to free flow of abusive language across the bar to the bench as well as from the bench Cont’d on page 11

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 17, 2016 • T H I S D AY

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NEWS

Three Dead, Scores Injured in Lagos-Ibadan Expressway Multiple Crash Chiemelie Ezeobi Tragedy struck yesterday at the popular Lagos-Ibadan

expressway following a multiple road accidents which claimed three lives, leaving many others injured with varying degree of

Northern Religious Leaders Meet to Protect Holy Sites Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

A high level technical team of northern Nigeria religious leaders yesterday night resolved to protect places of worship in the region as well as domesticate the universal code of conduct as one of the ways to improve inter-faith relations and ease religious tensions in the region.

The advisory panel made up of stakeholders from faith- based organisations and civil society organisations met in Abuja for two days at an interactive conference organised by Search for Common Ground.

The technical committee issued a communiqué containing some of the resolutions at the end of the meeting last night.

Some of the key decisions that were read by a member of the committee, Prof Tukur Mohaammed Baba of Usmanu Dan Fodio University, Sokoto, are that holy sites as places of profound significance and sacred religious attachment must be protected

against all violence and desecration.

The advisory panel also appealed to religious leaders, traditional institution in and other inter- faith bodies in northern Nigeria to in the spirit of the code, consider it a template for confronting the need for protecting holy sites as a socially compelling imperative.

They also suggested the adoption of the code to reflect the local needs and peculiarities of different communities, with the process entailing, education, joint visits and denunciation by religious leaders to attack on holy sites and sacred places.

As part of the strategy to achieve this objective, the committee said it was mulling a regional and national activities on the applicability of the code in the North, including translating the universal code to local languages.

Other four members of the advisory board include Elder Timothy Mshelia, Nurudeen Lemu of Islamic Education Trust, Minna, Mrs. Esther Mbanga of Women Without Initiative and Hajia Rahinat

injuries.

The incident which involved six vehicles occurred at about 3a.m. at Kara bridge, outward Lagos State.

Confirming the incident, the General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Mr. Adesina Tiamiyu, said the agency received a distress call at about 3.08a.m. concerning a tanker fire accident which resulted in multiple accidents with fatalities.

He said investigation carried out at the scene of the incident revealed that a tanker fully loaded with 33,000 litres of diesel ran into a stationary truck carrying brewery products.

Tiamiyu also said investigations revealed that though the driver slammed

on his brake, it still rammed into a stationary truck parked along the Kara Bridge, outward Lagos.

Following the impact of the clash, the petrol tanker eventually burst into flames, while the driver and his conductor were both trapped in the vehicle.

According to him, rescuers from the agency, alongside officials of the Lagos State Fire Service, policemen from the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) as well as those from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and policemen from Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps were on ground to salvage the situation.

Tiamiyu advised road users especially articulated truck

drivers to avoid over-speeding, and henceforth adhere to safety regulations while plying the road to forestall avoidable disasters.

He further said a fullscale investigation into the incident would be carried out by appropriate authorities at the incident scene The spokesperson of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in the South-west zone, Ibrahim Farinloye, who also confirmed the incident, said all the rescuers combated the inferno for hours before it was successfully put out.

He said the NEMA’s coordinator in the South-west zone, Alhaji Suleiman Yakubu, called on motorists to exercise extreme patience or follow

alternative route.

Farinloye said the disaster assessment conducted at the scene revealed that about two containerised trucks, two trailers, one petrol tanker and a Toyota Corolla car were completely burnt.

He said: “Three dead bodies, all adult male, were recovered.

The recovery operations of the accidented truck with the aid of LASEMA heavy duty equipment is ongoing in order to tackle traffic gridlock which has built up on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. “Also, the burnt carcasses have also been cleared off the road to restore normalcy as the traffic affected almost every part of the expressway up to Ikorodu road and even Alapere and Ogudu.”

FEC Approves Bilateral Agreement on Taxation with Singapore Also air service agreements with Qatar, Singapore Tobi Soniyi in Abuja As part of moves to boost trade between Nigeria and Singapore, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a bilateral agreement for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of evasion of taxes on income and capital benefits between the two countries.

Also yesterday, FEC approved bilateral air service agreement with the State of Qatar and Singapore.

The Minister for Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the 22nd FEC meeting which the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, presided.

President Muhammadu Buhari has travelled to Morocco where he is attending a conference on climate change.

Also at the briefing yesterday were Information and Culture Minister, Lai Mohammed and Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika.

Adeosun said the objective of the agreement was to facilitate more trades between Nigeria and Singapore by ensuring that nationals or enterprises from either country were not taxed twice on income or profits derived from each of the countries.

She said: “It will encourage more direct foreign investments into Nigeria, allow investors to know what their tax obligations will be and ensure sustainable tax regime for each country.”

According to her, the basis for choosing to sign the agreement with Singapore is that Singapore is a major trading partner with Nigeria.

She said: “They buy Coil from us. Petroleum export to Singapore for the last five years is about N264 billion and we import about N311billion worth of goods from them. Singapore is a major trading partner and we needed to have this bilateral agreement.

“It is basically to ensure companies are not taxed twice, but it will also ensure companies cannot evade tax when trading between the two countries.”

The Minister of State for Aviation said FEC also approved bilateral air service agreement with the State of Qatar, Singapore and Nigeria.

He said Singapore was fast becoming the most efficient and biggest hub around the far-eastern part of the globe, serving New Zealand, Australia, Japan, China, Singapore, Indonesia and others.

He said: “We thought that in our efforts to also create a hub within Nigeria, the centre of Africa, we can leverage on the opportunity to create air services between the two countries and Qatar being in the Middle East with robust aviation and strong carrier with ability to move goods and services in a very efficient and fast manner and also high value commodities by air.

“We saw the need to sign some agreements so that it will define how we are going to do businesses among Nigeria, Qatar and Singapore.”

Sirika said the president had approved that air services agreement be signed and that FEC had rectified and approved what was signed.

He said the agreements would be sent to the National Assembly for ratification.

CONDOLENCE VISIT

President, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote (left), when he paid a condolence visit to Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal over the demise of the former Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki, in Sokoto....yesterday

RMAFC Cautions on Planned Adoption of IJV Model James Emejo in Abuja The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) yesterday called for caution and wider consultations among stakeholders prior to the proposed conversion of Nigeria’s oil and gas Joint Venture Contract (JVs) to Incorporated Joint Ventures (IJVs) in order to ensure the full protection for all parties.

The commission, which took out time to highlight merits and demerits of the two business models, noted that revenue inflow into the Federation Account and its timing could change significantly “if and when” the government decides to transit from the JVs to the IJVs.” In a statement signed by its Head, Public Relations, Mr. Ibrahim Mohammed, and made available to THISDAY, RMAFC argued that the JVs are currently being managed professionally and profitably.

It said: “Under the JVC arrangement, the Federation receives its share of Equity Crude

which represents 100 per cent revenue and the Federation pays JV Cash Call which represents the cost of production, Equity Crude received less JV cash call is gross profit which is 100 per cent profit, Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) which is presently at 85 per cent will still be paid from the 45 per cent or 40 per cent shares owned by the IOC’s while payment of royalties as required by law is common in both models.”

However, the commission warned: “In the case of IJVs, equity crude will no longer be received. Equity crude which is 100 per cent profit will be lost as the IJVs will only pay taxes at 65 per cent of operating profit since the IJV will be registered in Nigeria. The Federation will only receive dividends at the end of the financial year of the IJV companies commensurate with Federation holding which will be less than 50 per cent.

“Interim dividends may or may not be paid during the financial year. Furthermore, there is no

guarantee that the Federation will be receiving dividends regularly as in the JVC which comes monthly.”

It further argued: “However, in the case of IJVs, the Federation will no longer make Cash Call payments which has always been a burden on the annual federal government budget. The IJV companies will source for funds to finance their programmes.

“In view of the advantages and disadvantages highlighted above and given the sensitive nature of the issue at stake especially its implications on the nation’s

political economy, the commission strongly advised that before a final decision is taken on the matter, wider consultations with critical stakeholders should be made to carefully examine the two options before transiting from the JVC to IJV.” The clarification and caution came in reaction to a newspaper publication titled: ‘Letter to my Countrymen” by Atedo Peterside who advocated for the replication of the successful NLNG model in the divestment of assets in the Joint Venture Contracts (JVC).

APPEAL COURT RESERVES JUDGMENT ONDO PDP CRISIS to the bar.

Nwofor accused the panel of an attempt to deviate from its earlier decision in the matter and some other matters that would naturally lead to stay of proceedings or adjournment.

The panel at this point responded saying, Nwofor is

IN

an audacious counsel that had no respect for the bar.

In similar vain, Nwofor replied and asked the panel whether the justices required a timid lawyer who cannot stand and defend the law.

Other lawyers intervened and appealed for calm.

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THURSDAY NOVEMBER 17, 2016 • T H I S D AY

NEWSEXTRA

Senate Ignores Amaechi, Maritime University Bills Pass Second Reading Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja Despite opposition from the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, two bills seeking to establish Maritime Universities

in Oron, Akwa Ibom State, and Okerenkoko in Delta State passed second reading on the floor of the Senate yesterday.

Sponsored by Senators Nelson Effiong (Akwa Ibom

Arik Alerts on Fresh Aviation Fuel Scarcity Chinedu Eze Nigeria’s major carrier, Arik Air, has alerted passengers of worsening aviation fuel scarcity across the country.

According to the airline, the aviation fuel scarcity started manifesting last week when major oil marketers began to ration supply of the product to airlines.

“One of the marketers issued a notice to Airmen (NOTAM) on Saturday alerting of non-availability of the product in Lagos. Another marketer said it was running out of product in Lagos with limited supplies in Port Harcourt and Abuja, the airline said in a statement signed by its spokesman, Adebanji Ola. Arik said this development has started taking its toll on the airline due to its large scale operations, with flights being delayed across the country and in some cases cancelled especially for airports without airfield lighting.

“With a daily fuel need of about 500,000 litres and an average of over

100 daily flights, Arik Air is mostly affected by this scarcity which is the fourth this year alone. One of the airline’s flights to Johannesburg on Tuesday had to be routed via Port Harcourt to pick up fuel,” Arik said.

As a result of the worsening supply situation of the aviation fuel, Arik Air has announced further reduction in flights from yesterday to cope with the fresh scarcity, and reduce the unpleasant delays and cancellations which passengers have experienced in recent times.

It has also appealed for the understanding of its valued customers whose flights are likely to be affected by the scarcity and scaling down of operations.

“Where flights are to be delayed or cancelled as a result of the scarcity, Arik Air will be sending text or e-mail messages to passengers. Passengers are also advised to call the airline’s call centre on 01 2799999 or 08077791683 for enquiries about their flights,” the airline also said.

South) and James Manager (Delta South) respectively, Effiong’s bill seeks to upgrade the existing Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron to a university while that of Manager seeks to establish a maritime university in Okerenkoko.

By reading the bills for a second time, the Senate defied the earlier opposition to the establishment of maritime universities in the Niger Delta

by Amaechi.

Amaechi and the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, had openly disagreed recently on the agitation for the creation of maritime universities in the region.

While Ameachi had insisted that there was no money to fund such universities, Kachikwu disagreed, saying he would not mind funding them from his ministry’s allocations if Amaechi refused to do so.

Leading the debate on his

bill yesterday, Effiong said what is now known as Maritime Academy in Oron was created in 1977 through an Executive Act by the then federal military government which he said named it Nautical College of Nigeria, Oron, with the intention to build capacity for the growing maritime industry in Nigeria.

According to him, most of the nation’s merchant naval officers before then were trained mainly in the United Kingdom, India and Ghana, among others, at a very high cost to the government.

He further disclosed that following the promulgation of Decree 16 of 1988, the name of the college was changed from Nautical College, Oron to MAN with limited assistance from the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

He added that the mandate of the academy was to provide qualitative education

for merchant Navy, maritime industry and allied industries and as well train them with modern technology in line with national and international standards.

Effiong said the plan to upgrade the institution to a university had been conceived in the past one decade, recalling that “following IMO approval for the transformation of the academy to a university status, the federal government in 2013, ordered NIMASA to release the sum of N2 billion intervention fund to the academy for it to commence arrangements for the actual transformation.”

In his own lead debate, Manager said the bill would not only address “the educational backwardness of the people of the difficult Niger Delta terrain” but would also bring Nigeria into the Ieague of countries operating maritime universities.

The lawmaker listed such universities as the United States, South Korea, India, China,

Britain, Azerbaijan, Panama, Canada, the Netherlands, Brazil, Argentina and Ghana, noting that these countries use maritime universities “as platforms for the training of top class manpower for the maritime industry.” He observed that in the entire West Africa, only Ghana runs a maritime university.

He further said the bill only sought to provide a legal framework for the institution which he said had once commenced operations until January, 2016 when it was closed down.

“The objectives for which the university is established are inter alia to encourage the advancement of learning and to hold out to all persons without distinction of race, creed, sex or political conviction, the opportunity of acquiring a higher education in maritime technology,” Manager added.

Abia Legislature Joins Ekiti to Enact Anti-grazing Law Emmanuel Ugwu in Umuahia With increasing murderous attacks

by Fulani herdsmen and calls on the Abia State Government to take

drastic action to check the menace, the state House of Assembly has commenced the process of enacting anti-grazing law.

Various groups have been mounting pressure on Abia and other states in the southern half of Nigeria to checkmate the herdsmen with appropriate legislation as was done by the Ekiti State Government.

This calls formed part of the communiqués issued by the southern Nigeria leaders at their meeting on October 18, 2016, in Umuahia and at Igbo summit held

a week later at Uturu where a similar demand was also made.

But the Deputy Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly, Hon. Cosmos Ndukwe, yesterday told journalists that the state had now heeded the call and was indeed in the process of having its own law to checkmate the atrocities of herdsmen as a bill cited as HAB 36 has now passed through first reading.

According to him, HAB 36 Control of Normadic Activities Rearing and prohibition of grazing Routes/Reserves in Abia State Bill

2016 was among nine other bills at various stages of consideration in the assembly.

Ndukwe, who was speaking at the monthly press briefing as the Chairman of House Committee on Information, acknowledged that the absence of anti-grazing law in the state was making it nearly impossible to prosecute herdsmen that destroy farm lands and crops.

However, he promised that once HAB 36 was passed into law and assented to by the state governor, the state would be in a good stead to tackle all problems connected with grazing activities.

The deputy speaker said between October and second week of November, the assembly, aside considering the bills, has passed six important resolutions including the one on violation of extant laws and guidelines guiding retirement of magistrates in the state by Mrs. Grace Uzoma Ukeje and the state Judicial Service Commission.

Ukeje, who is a chief magistrate at Osisioma magisterial division, was said to have attained retirement age of 60 as at December 31, 2015, but stayed put hereby violating the extant law and guidelines pertaining to her job as a judicial officer.

After the petition against Ukeje was investigated by the Assembly Committee on Public Petition and was found to have violated the law and guidelines of her service, the legislature recommended to the governor to ask the erring chief magistrate to proceed on retirement immediately.

The State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, acted promptly on the recommendation by the assembly and in a letter signed by the Permanent Secretary, Government House, Mr. Onyi Nwama, the over-aged magistrate was directed to proceed on retirement without further delay.

The governor also dissolved the board of the state Judicial Service Commission with immediate effect following the expiration of its tenure.

T H I S D AY THURSDAY NOVEMBER 17, 2016

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T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

COMMENT

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

THE IMPERATIVE OF OPENNESS AT THE PORTS

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Hadiza Usman is on to a good start at the ports by promoting transparency and accountability, writes Ayodele Patrick

hen Hadiza Bala Usman was appointed the Managing Director at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) in July 2016, I read a number of news reports where she promised to reform the way things are done at the agency. As the regulator and landlord of ports, NPA badly needed reform. For decades, its operations had been shrouded in secrecy. Considered a cash cow, the NPA had been perennially milked by all and sundry.

Any promise of reform at all would easily resonate with those of us in the maritime business.

That is why some of us think something positive and different is happening at NPA. It’s a fundamental shift from how agencies and departments of government in Nigeria have conducted their operations in the country so far; however, it appears no one is yet talking about it.

I am speaking of the signing in Lagos the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between NPA and the BudgIT Information Technology Network. As reported by NAN, the partnership is aimed at developing an open budget system platform and the implementation of a public data dissemination programme which, if implemented to the letter, will go a long way in promoting transparency and accountability at the agency.

The NPA is no doubt a major cash cow for the country. For over 60 years, it has been since it was established as a continuous public corporation by the Ports Act of 1954. Over the last five years, Nigerian ports have seen a gross tonnage of over 140 million. In 2015 alone, Nigeria generated N184 billion from the ports. And despite our country’s economic recession, an annual growth rate of two per cent is expected in the next five years.

But the truth which most stakeholders in Nigeria’s maritime industry know, and would readily admit, is that the NPA can deliver much more for Nigeria. More income can be generated from Nigeria’s 24 port terminals than have so far been generated for the country, a fact which the NPA itself even admits.

Unfortunately, it is the opacity which surrounds the way government business is run in Nigeria, as well as how generated revenues are spent in government institutions like the NPA, which continues to ensure that corruption, bare-faced corruption, festers in the system. The good news with the NPA/BudgIT partnership, however, is that things are set to change for the better at our ports.

Signing the MoU at its Marina head office in Lagos, the managing director of NPA, Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman, noted that the partnership became necessary for the development of an open budget system platform and implementation of a public data dissemination programme.

The partnership, according to her, will provide Nigerians all the necessary information during implementation of the NPA’s budget and would help it to deliver on its mandate and create more wealth for the country.

The NPA boss also made it clear that the MoU would ensure that critical data are generated and made accessible for policy makers, stakeholders in the maritime industry, members of the private sector, the media and the general public. All these, Usman added, were aside the fact that it would help the organisation block loopholes that encourage revenue leakages.

“Since the ascension of the administration of President Muhammadu

THE NPA HAS SHOWN AN INSPIRING EXAMPLE WHICH OTHER REVENUE-GENERATING AGENCIES OF GOVERNMENT LIKE THE CBN, NIMASA, NCC, NITDA, AND NIPOST, AMONG OTHERS, MUST FOLLOW. I BELIEVE NOW IS THE TIME FOR THEM TO ALSO MAKE THEIR BUDGETS AND REVENUES OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Buhari, the government has set out to change how our governance systems run and instill a new culture of integrity, transparency and accountability in public administration. Our institutions have been poorly managed and we are all guilty. Today, we are out to walk our talk and depart from the morally flexible and opaque practices of past administrations by moving towards information democratisation, budgeting transparency and open governance,” Usman remarked at the ceremony to the applause of those in attendance.

While commending the NPA for being the first revenue-generating government agency in Nigeria to make its budget public, the Lead Partner of BudgIT, Mr. Oluseun Onigbinde, also noted that the collaboration, apart from promoting probity, transparency and accountability, would help restore government and public confidence in the management of NPA. There’s surely no disputing this fact. Onigbinde’s BudgIT, an NGO founded in 2011, is a pioneer in the field of social advocacy fused with technology. The organisation has been using an array of technology tools to simplify public budgets and matters of public spending for citizens with the primary aim of raising the standard of transparency and accountability in government to facilitate societal change.

Meanwhile, key stakeholders in Nigeria’s maritime industry, the media and the Nigerian public would be watching and waiting with expectations to see whether the Memorandum of Understanding would be faithfully implemented or not.

However, aside the aforementioned, I believe the MoU would unquestionably assist NPA as a critical organ in the economic artery of the nation in delivering its mandate, creating more wealth for the country, ensuring transparency in public expenditure, instilling a framework for transparent budget provisions for the authority and promoting an effective and efficient management of all its terminals across the country.

Another good point about the MoU which must not be missed is that it would significantly encourage participatory governance by way of feedback from key stakeholders. In essence, the NPA would be able to communicate more effectively with the public aside the fact that an enabling environment that will greatly help attract the much-needed foreign investment into the country would have been created.

Looking back, again, to a few months ago when Usman was appointed by President Buhari, the “activist in public service” had vowed, immediately on assuming office, to flush out corruption from the authority and that anything short of world-class services would not be welcomed at Nigerian port. It’s very gratifying to note that she is making efforts to fulfill her promise. I think in some way, the change Nigerians eagerly want to see in President Buhari’s government is unfolding in bits and pieces.

Without any iota of doubt, the NPA has shown an inspiring example which other revenue-generating agencies of government like the CBN, NIMASA, NCC, NITDA, and NIPOST among others, must follow.

I believe now is the time for them to also make their budgets and revenues open to the public. This would be a right step in the right direction towards promoting budget transparency like the NPA, under Usman’s leadership, is so impressively doing.

Patrick is a Lagos-based shipping agent

WHEN DEMOCRACY CONCEDES TO MACHO INSTINCT Victor C. Ariole argues that with the election of Donald Trump, Americans are back to 18th century when nuclear family mattered most (He) had always told her he was “business”. That he had various “irons in the fire”…Now it was clear why he was so well dressed and could afford such expensive things. He wasn’t actually paying for anything but living on the never-never…

Dreda’s Blood Sister

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ork smart, not hard, is one of Amerca’s way and again, generally in USA, there is a joke they crack–before age 18 a child always tell Daddy and Mummy: “I love you”; above 18 the child turns bold to tell them: “you are stupid”. In order to arrest that, parental struggle to tame the child so as to have children who would continue on the “mind superiority” over their mates, is triggered; and there is a tendency now to have a “mother moderated” macho, mostly a man, or grandparent, man or woman to be present in the home. Today in USA, you hear about all sorts of family– foster family, adopted family, social family, contrived family, family of convenience, etc. For example, one hears that former president, Bill Clinton, was raised in a stepfather environment so as to escape the uncouth attitude of his biological father; Obama was raised under a strict

grandparent’s watch in Hawaï; Steve Jobs was raised in adopted home to avoid breaching the love of extended family, cherished by his biological parents. So, with Donald Trump, a pro-life and unrepentant macho, Americans are back to 18th century when nuclear family mattered most and when the bourgeois class started asserting the perpetuation of a select class, for, as they perceived, a sustainability of the “Natural Selection” heritage, à la Darwin.

Like Obama said before the advent of Tump and like he recanted on Wednesday, as Trump won the election, life is a flux, you cannot stop it. Before the election he was hard on Trump and, in contrast, he vehemently said that Michelle, his wife, would never present herself as presidential candidate, and that Trump can never come near the White House.

However, on Wednesday, after congratulating Trump, Obama told Americans that no one can stop the sun showing itself in the morning and so, life continues.

Thank God, he knows when to retrace his steps.

One of the blogs on the American sites reads: “Kennedy puts man on the moon; Obama puts man in woman’s room”. It seems Americans feel strongly that greatness is eluding them. In effect, the Macho instinct is very much with Americans and Trump must act as a missionary, either to moderate that instinct or to fire it on.

In 18th century, France reflected a great deal; it helped America assert itself over Britain, and upheld the position that ushered in “human rights” (Note

that the French naval power helped Americans to overpower the British assault on the emerging USA). France beheaded its king to declare kingdoms oppressive. With Trump, Americans are about telling the world that they intend to behead hypocrisy or, if you like, retain the status of womanhood as object of love and never to be allowed in the arena of men’s exclusive game–war and the dirty game of politics.

Like the Igbos say, a woman grows to a point of shedding all about womanhood and turns a man, and then may turn up in the gathering of men, and participate as part of the meeting on hard matters.

It is never an easy transgender. However, for a man to turn to a woman, it goes beyond mindset and admits physical reconstruction by surgeons and other medical professions. So, Hillary, a great woman has proved one side of the game and she did it gallantly.

Obama, indeed, wanted her to be in full control as against merely “taking a man into woman’s room”.

Now that Trump is to take over, and the Queen had announced that it was high time the Americans considered returning to the fold of Commonwealth of Nations, a thorough surgical operation is to be expected in the USA. However, are the Americans ready for that and is Trump going to lead unhypocritically towards that? Indeed, with Trump, climate change worries are now coupling with politicohumanist change.

From climate change worries to politico-humanist change. America wonder! The Queen said it: USA should rethink its status and revert as a nation under the Queen like Australia, Canada and some

Caribbean Island nations. Indeed, the world is back to 18th century. Britain after surviving Napoleonic harassment, as it was helped to overcome it by a Germanic kingdom, reneged the alliance. Today, it is Brexit and Brexit happened when the Queen asked: what in effect, is European Union? And the Oxford old boys and girls went into action to assuage the Queen’s worry; the result is BREXIT. And May Theresa is leading the group about to be joined by Donald Trump, another Germanic derivative (note that Trump is of German origin) to renew or remake the world towards positive or negative planetary change. And, indeed, one should think positive about it.

Trump was pre-empting a remote strategy looking for operational trigger; a strategy remotely canvassed

by Oxford boys and girls– “Britain will be great again”–, initiated since Baroness Margret Thatcher.

And Theresa May congratulates Trump by asserting a dual alliance. “We will work hard to assure the prosperity of America and Britain”. Sooner or later, the rest of the world could all say: “We are Hillary Clinton”.

So Nigeria, nay Africa, whither the journey–further enslavement or remake BRICS to BRINCS–Brazil, Russia, India (Nigeria), China and South Africa or “take cover” as the hawks prowl.

We are, All, Hillary and must stand by Hillary as “the NECK” of Trump and remake the world.

Dr Ariole is a Professor of French & Francophone Studies at University of Lagos

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T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

EDITORIAL THE SCARCITY OF DRINKING WATER

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Water is essential to life. The authorities could do more to ensure is availability

he United Nations General Assembly has long recognised drinking water and sanitation as human rights. But it is a shame that majority of Nigerians still do not have access to either, as attested to last week by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo. Available statistics, according to him, revealed that over 66 million Nigerians still cannot get clean water while 110 million lack access to adequate sanitation. As a result of this, about 150,000 children under the age of five die annually from Diarrhea-related diseases that are mostly traceable to unsafe drinking water.

“It is a well-known fact that Nigeria did not achieve the targets of the millennium development goals for water and sanitation. Some of the reasons adduced for these are primarily the lack of effective coordination among the stakeholders and the inability to harness the required funds”, said Osinbajo. Yet without water, sanitation and hygiene, it is difficult, if not impossible, to have sustainable development.

But the question remains: What do we do, beyond lamentation, to WITHOUT WATER, remedy the situaSANITATION AND tion?

HYGIENE, IT IS DIFFICULT, For years, IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE, TO there has been a HAVE SUSTAINABLE steady decline in DEVELOPMENT budgetary allocations to water and sanitation in the country. In 2010, for instance, the federal government allocated N112 billion to the sector. This was slashed by almost 50 per cent in the 2011 budget to N62 billion and further slashed to a mere N39 billion in 2012 and that has been the trend even when water is key to life. As Ban Ki–moon, the immediate past United Nations Secretary General described it, water is “a vital tool for improving the lives of millions of the poorest people.” Indeed, potable water and improved sanitation services are verifiable measures for fighting poverty and diseases.

Unfortunately, in the absence of water from piped

Letters to the Editor

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supplies and protected wells, millions of Nigerians living in both rural and urban areas consume what is available. In many rural communities, the challenge is critical as women and children trek long distances to fetch water from streams and ponds, some of which are contaminated. Even in the so-called modern cities like Lagos and Abuja, the federal capital, a large proportion of people have no access to drinking water and as a recent joint WHO/UNICEF observed, many often resort to using any available space as convenience. For those who can afford it, boreholes are indiscriminately dug. But that too constitutes its own problems as it undermines the water table and threatens future supply of the commodity.

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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

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOlA BEllO, KAYODE KOMOlAfE, ISRAEl IWEGBU, EMMANUEl EfENI, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU GROUP FINANCE DIRECTOR OlUfEMI ABOROWA DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS pETER IWEGBU, fIDElIS ElEMA, MBAYIlAN ANDOAKA, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS HENRY NWACHOKOR, SAHEED ADEYEMO CONTROLLERS ABIMBOlA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI GENERAL MANAGER pATRICK EIMIUHI GROUP HEAD fEMI TOlUfASHE ART DIRECTOR OCHI OGBUAKU II DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com

hen former President Goodluck Jonathan launched the water road map in January 2011, the administration announced some “quick measures to accelerate water coverage” and released some intervention funds for some projects: drilling of motorised borehole in each of the 109 senatorial districts of the country, rehabilitation of 1000 hand pump boreholes in 18 states and installation of some special treatment plants, and completing all abandoned water projects. Sadly, none of those short term measures were met.

The 2012 joint progress report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund on drinking water and sanitation ranked Nigeria third behind China and India in the list of countries with the largest population without access to improved drinking water. The report which covered the decade between 1990 and 2010 noted that about 66 million Nigerians had no access to this most basic of amenities while 20 per cent of our population still indulge in the shameful practice of open defecation.

From the remark last week by the vice-president, it would seem that four years after, nothing has changed. We therefore call on government, at every level, to invest more in this “cheap” commodity in the interest of our people.

TO OUR READERS Letters in response to specific publications in THISDAY should be brief (150-200 words) and straight to the point. Interested readers may send such letters along with their contact details to opinion@thisdaylive.com. We also welcome comments and opinions on topical local, national and international issues provided they are well-written and should also not be longer than (9501000 words). They should be sent to opinion@thisdaylive.com along with the email address and phone numbers of the writer.

THE INERTIA OF PRESIDENT BUHARI

or more than a decade of his political odyssey in the struggle for Nigeria’s presidency, people of various political background stayed the course, not so much for his famed integrity but in the belief that President Muhammadu Buhari has the political will and grit to fundamentally shake up the country’s outlook, liberate it from conventional thinking and decisively transform the dominant mindset, which has sustained a precarious and unproductive trajectories of our post-colonial history.

However, given the inertia that has trapped President Buhari’s government, currently in near atrophy especially in the economic and social fronts, it is easy to forget his breakthrough in a core area of national emergency, especially in substantially degrading the nihilist and extremist insurgents that have for years ravaged the North-east and existentially threatened the rest of the country.

Critics claimed that President Buhari has only recalled his attack dogs, which he has used to undermine the regime of former President Goodluck Jonathan. However, if any one person or group of persons could orchestrate such deadly insurgency and then walk about freely, then, the government under whose watch, it happened does not deserve a day longer in office.

However, while the end of Boko Haram insurgency or its considerable degradation cannot amount to the end of Nigeria’s security woes, curtailing the rebellion of the narcissistic insurgents is a bold step in ensuring national security.

But relinquishing the lives saved from the atavistic Boko Haram and almost at the same time, surrendering it to the pangs and ravages of hunger, poverty and destitution through policy

timidity on economic and social fronts by a government that seemed to be mortally afraid to rigorously exert itself on new ideas.

The ideological fudge and denials which has characterised successive Nigerian governments have constantly denied them the grasp of the fundamental disconnect and the prospect of objectively and scientifically comprehending the contradictions in the country and arriving at the relevant policy instruments to address them.

President Buhari who at earlier times appeared to have had the political will and strength of character to break from the routine, is now boxed in to the inertia engendered by the customary gridlock of elite trade-offs, wedded to the well travelled path of regimented neo-liberalism and the consequent unimaginative policy alternatives. While President Buhari personally indulge himself in the moral outrage of the failures, corruption and inadequacies of the previous governments, his patriotic vision of a resurgent nation is hampered by a compelling deficit of analytical insight to the objective condition of the Nigerian situation and the poverty of scientific and intellectual rigour to define alternative road map.

The President Buhari’s regime prospect to develop a redemptive paradigm is further marginalised by its own trappings to the symbols of state power. Having a soldier stand annoyingly behind him at every public forum, or a protocol personnel drawing a seat for him, seem an eternal obsession to the rituals of power instead of the purposes of power which drive home the image of a political dinosaur, reclining in the comfort zone of

power without responsibility.

The political capital of President Buhari electoral revival seemed to have run its course and the perennial exhortations of a socioeconomic new day that is in the offing by the regime operatives is sounding ever more, hollow.

Because of its self-imposed parochialism, President Buhari’s government has not lent itself adequately to the understanding of the international context of Nigeria’s socio-economic malady. The terminal crises of capitalism at its last stage, is producing lethal socio-economic lethargy in its periphery even as its centres are engulfed in paralysis that is producing the monster of right wing populist movements, whose latest reincarnation is the electoral triumph of Mr. Donald Trump in the United States of America.

The clear lack of comprehension of these key global dynamics and its impacts on policy choices means that policies are critically deficient of its fundamental aggregates and would therefore be unable to resolve issues of public goods and services which is government’s primary domain of responsibility.

The most important challenge to reviving Nigerian economy is to produce an economic map, identifying resource-catchment areas, per region or state and developing the relevant physical and institutional infrastructure conducive to its maximum exploitation. Consequently, a road map of industrial clusters to be fed by the already identified resource zones would result in an unprecedented massive economic activities sucking in, an avalanche of manpower both skilled and unskilled.

Charles Onunaiju, Research director, Centre for China Studies, Abuja

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THURSDAY NOVEMBER 17, 2016 T H I S D AY

T H I S D AY THURSDAY NOVEMBER 17, 2016

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T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

POLITICS

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

T H E G U B E R N AT O R I A L I N T E RV I E W

‘Taraba is No Longer the State You Used to Know’ Notorious for its endemic strife and political violence, relative peace now hovers over Taraba, the state that will host the Mambilla Hydro power project, from which Nigeria hopes to generate 3,050 MW of electricity at its completion. Governor Darius Ishaku spoke to Bolaji Adebiyi on how peace has returned to the state, thus paving the way for huge opportunities for its development. Excerpts:

You came in with a rescue agenda. How far have you gone in implementing that agenda?

The rescue agenda is on course and we thank God for the opportunity to serve our people.

We came up with what I called the green book, which stipulates the rescue agenda we have.

The agenda is to attack all areas of the state.

However, because of the lack of resources, we had to prioritise so that we can concentrate on certain areas like health, agriculture and education. We hope to work on these areas for two years before shifting to other areas, depending on the resources available.

However, that does not mean that we cannot intercede in other areas needing quick attention such as infrastructure, roads, water. We will attack these areas depending on the seriousness of the need. But we have started in the area of health because our health system has seriously decayed. I did not meet any functional hospital except the Specialist Hospital in Jalingo. That Specialist Hospital didn’t even have equipment to diagnose and treat people. We have made it functional.

But in other parts of the state, there was no functional hospital. So, once somebody was sick even for a simple ailment, they had to rush him to Jalingo and I think that was a very bad situation. I decided to fix one hospital per zone; one in Wukari, one in Gembu and the Bambu hospital, which is one of the oldest hospitals in the state. They are all located in the three senatorial districts and we are hoping that by December, work will start on them. By the grace of God, we got two containers of medical supplies given to us free from abroad which we had to clear and pay the custom duties.

In agriculture, we have not made much impact, but we are winning in some areas. One of the areas where we have made impact is revitalization of the tea factory which is running 24 hours right now because we had a small mini dam which was constructed with the help of the United Nations in collaboration with the state government. That dam is working providing 24 hours services.

We refurbished the old tea factory, removed the obsolete machines and replaced them with brand new ones and right now, it is working very well. That has made the people in Kakara village and the surrounding villages busy, producing the tea, which hitherto was not in use before now, sell it to the factory and go there every week to collect their payment. Our tea is said to be the second best in the world.

Are you looking in the direction of comparative advantage in order to better harness your resources?

Taraba is blessed. In agriculture, I can boast of feeding the whole country with rice. We have a very huge rice project in Gashok. As I am talking to you right now, we would have been eating that rice, but for the problem we had with the investor and his America partner. The foreign partner moved out and has refused to come back despite my intervention; and the Nigerian investor is looking for another partner to join hands and continue the project. That is a very huge rice farm lying in the Benue valley.

We are working very hard and I am sure that before the end of this year, we should be able to resolve all the obstacles in that area.

Taraba can also comfortably supply the whole country with sugar. We are working assiduously on that and have given a company about 10,000 hectare of land. But we are yet to agree on the modalities because the perception of the company is different from our thinking. They want 100 per cent mechanised farming with no benefit for our people, but I disagree completely with that. That has stalled the whole project for about nine months now. But we are getting

Ishaku...APC in the state lacks constructive engagement

to the end of the disagreement and they have calmed down and we think that should take off before the end of December. But the problem with sugar is that it has a three-year gestation period. But we are going on with that.

Corn is another area where we have an advantage. If you go to areas like Baisa, you

What I told the people earlier when I came on board was: ‘give me peace and I will give you development.’

That is beginning to manifest. Somebody who had no light in his home before, now has 24 hours supply; somebody who had no means of livelihood could now go to a factory and be depositing his leaves and at the end, get some money; somebody who had no road before to his village now has one. The road that used to take about 45 minutes or more now takes you about five minutes

will plant and harvest corn four times a year and they don’t even need fertilizers there. That is the one we are exploiting now to bring in investors.

All these are giant farms and multinationals are coming to invest in them. I am hoping that by next year, we should be able to produce things like corn and rice and sell them. Sugar may be a little bit delayed.

The other front, which we will aggressively pursue by next year, is coffee. In Taraba State, we have the monopoly of tea and coffee because they are some of the plant that can only be grown on the highland. I want to pursue coffee aggressively and I hope to be in Kenya by the end of November because I understand that they have a very good model. I want to go and copy their model. In October, I was in India and went to virtually all the tea farms in India to see what they are doing correctly that we are not doing. Right now, four of our boys are being trained in India. We want to pursue aggressive nursery for the tea. For coffee, we want to learn the model and from what I have read and heard, the Kenyan and Ethiopian models seem to be best suitable for our climate.

The other huge potential we have now is that we can easily boast that over 70 per cent of the beef you eat in this country comes from Taraba State and we want to better it. We have gotten a German firm that is interested in processing beef. We want them to come and set up a farm where they will grow the cattle for milk and beef and turn the waste to electricity. Without electricity, everything I am saying will not be possible. The tea factory is successful because they have electricity.

The money they were using for fuel is exactly the profit they were making. That model seems to catch my fancy because the waste is used to produce electricity which in turn is used to milk the cow and bag the milk and put the beef in freezers. So, it will be like a circle of production. Three months ago, they came around to see the place; they have gone back and we hope they will soon return.

We also grow cocoa in my state. I have also set up a kind of marketing board that will buy up all the excess, store it and sell at reduced price and if possible, sell them outside and get more money to help our farmers.

Against the background of the current economic recession, how do you intend to source for these projects?

People have asked me this same question over and over again; where do you get the resources to do even what you have done in one year? I do very simple planning and allotment of resources.

We have very lean resources and what that means is that we must manage it well. When I became governor, I discovered that we have a lot of leakages, particularly in salaries. One person could be collecting about 40 people’s salaries. We have been able to reduce these leakages substantially. I wish I could eliminate it completely. That has helped me free money that I am now investing in infrastructure and other areas.

The other thing is I do not believe that government has any business in business because all the companies set up by the state government in the past have all gone under; including the tea factory I am talking to you about. It is my intention to privatize most of it since it is working well now so that the private sector can take over the place while we use the funds we have for other things. What we are doing right now is attracting investors from the private sector as many as possible. Maybe the state government will hold about 20 per cent shares.

My major concern is that I do not want 100 per cent mechanised farming or 100 per cent mechanised industrial set-up, but a set-up that has a trickle-down effect that the people living around the area can have input and benefit from whatever establishment that is located there.

I feel that if the ordinary man is benefiting, the purpose would have been achieved. Every week, the people living there go to the company to collect their money for the tea leaves they have supplied.

They pluck these leaves every day and take them to the factory. With the constant electricity there, they are able to rear chicken, which is an added source of income for them. This is the kind of effect I want for my people and that is why I want to attract private investors because I believe they are the key people to NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

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T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

INTERVIEW

Mimiko: Eyitayo Jegede is Ondo’s Next Governor Ondo State governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko recently addressed the media on the state of the state especially as it concerns the present governorship impasse in his party, the Peoples Democratic Party.

Shola Oyeyipo presents the excerpts:

I

n the last couple of days particularly in the last three weeks, there appeared to be a kind of misunderstanding within the PDP family in Ondo State, people are confused and unsettled. What is the situation like, and the way forward?

It is important to thank my good people of Ondo State. I want you to rest assured that I appreciate you. You have comported yourself in very commendable way. Your peaceful but rugged and persistent resistance in the last three and a half weeks would go down in record as the new Ondo State way. You are all aware of the bizarre development in the politics of Nigeria, in the body politics of this state in the last three weeks. Again, if you will recall, the name of Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) of PDP was elected in an open free primary monitored by INEC and all the security agencies. Suddenly, we woke up on the 27th of October, 2016 to find out that the name has been substituted by somebody who as at that time could not lay claim to being a member of the party whose primary was conducted outside the geographical enclave of Ondo State specifically in Ibadan, neither INEC, SSS nor any of the security agencies was there to witness what happened there.

So, there is no question about the fact that what happened on October 27th was a contrived conspiracy of sort because the decision of INEC cannot find comfort in justice, in principle, in law in morality. Ordinarily, in many climes, there could have been violent uprising, but in this state you people stood up to make it absolutely clear, that that will not stand but you managed to ensure that you have not truncated the peace that we have enjoyed in this state in the last eight years.

It’s been a lot of investment all the way, being able to engender the level of peace that we have put in this state and I’m particularly appreciative of you, the people of this state that in spite of this very provocative conspiracy you have not in any way truncated the peace in the land. After this, I believe the proper thing to do was to seek redress through the normal constitutional channels.

Redress has been sought by the candidate himself, Eyitayo Jegede, by PDP, the party and major stakeholders. We have no doubt in our minds that justice will be done, because like I said, this level of impunity will definitely not stand. I want to assure our people in Ondo State, especially, the PDP, now I am talking as a leader of the party in the state, I want to tell you that we will leave no stone unturned to ensure that you get justice.

Let me again appeal to you that while you demonstrate your resistance to this injustice, we must ensure that we keep the peace. It is the peace that God has enabled us with to emplace in this state that has engendered the development that we have enjoyed in the last eight years. I beg of you that we must remain peaceful. A few days to the election, what is the way forward and what hope for your candidate?

Let me repeat what I have said again, the injustice will not stand. Eyitayo Jegede will contest election on the platform of PDP. I’m talking as a leader of PDP in this state and also with what is on the ground in terms of what Eyitayo is bringing on board. I don’t have any doubt in my mind that Eyitayo Jegede will be the next governor of the state.

Also, a couple of days back, you met with President Buhari and there were insinuations that you had met with him, possibly to cross over to the other side of the divide. Is that true?

You know that in politics, conspiracy theories abound, let me just bring us back to what happened on October 27, like I said.

The substitution of Eyitayo by INEC was a joke from the blues. You live in this state and you saw the spontaneity in the reaction of the people. Like I said, we never saw it coming.

The decision can find no comfort in law or in the guidelines of INEC itself.

This is a situation where somebody without INEC, without security went to Ibadan to conduct

Mimiko...there is a grand conspiracy against PDP

primaries, then brought some very controversial court order and declared the candidate. What this means is that somebody can go to Enugu or Onitsha; he doesn’t even have to be a citizen of Ondo State, bring an order to INEC and you substitute a duly elected person.

It was something bizarre, something abnormal, something without precedent in politics and because of the provocative nature of that decision and because it was not based on any law or guideline, the next person to see is the president, who is the chief law officer, the chief executive and the chief security officer of the country.

And I met with the president and presented the fact to him and he gave his commitment that he would look into it and that he would ensure that justice is done. I have no cause to doubt him. It wasn’t about APC, PDP. It was about the president being the chief security

Eyitayo Jegede will contest as the candidate of PDP. I have no doubt about it and again, like I said earlier on, we’ve been here for some time, we know our people and they know us. They know what we’ve put on the ground, they know our challenges and they know what Eyitayo is capable of doing to advance the cause of development in this state. As for me, I have no doubt in my mind that Eyitayo Jegede will be the next governor; John Ola Mafo will be the next deputy governor of this state

officer of the nation.

If I, as the chief security officer of my state sensed danger ahead in terms of something that can truncate the peace in the state, I thought I have that responsibility and I had a very encouraging response from the president. I have no cause to doubt him. He has said he would look into it and if there is any injustice in this, he would ensure that justice is done at the end of the day.

So, it’s not about crossing over?

No, it’s not about party at all. I’m in PDP. By the way, I also heard a lot of rumours making the rounds about me going to APC or making alliances with other parties. There’s nothing, absolutely nothing like that. I want to assure the people of this state; I want to assure all members, officials of PDP that this gubernatorial election, Eyitayo Jegede will contest as the candidate of PDP. I have no doubt about it and again, like I said earlier on, we’ve been here for some time, we know our people and they know us. They know what we’ve put on the ground, they know our challenges and they know what Eyitayo is capable of doing to advance the cause of development in this state. As for me, I have no doubt in my mind that Eyitayo Jegede will be the next governor; John Ola Mafo will be the next deputy governor of this state.

Talking about governance, what do you have on the table?

One thing is that while politics is going on, we have not in any way stopped governance itself. You all know that in this state, all the signs of good governance are on: the shuttle buses are running, mother & child hospitals are running, our hospitals are running, our cities remain clean, the environmental officers are up and doing, the state is running very well.

There is security, the security agencies – Police, SSS, military – everybody is up running. In fact, governance is on-going.

As I speak with you, some of our capital projects are going on. You will recall that recently, we embarked on the rehabilitation of Owo-Ikare road. That has been completed now. As I speak with you, we have concluded arrangements to bring down the Oke-Alabojuto in Ikare – to expand that road and ensure that at the entrance in Ikare, in terms of the road, is modern and befitting. We are into many other things. The road that will link Irele with Okitipupa, the Ayeka bridge and the extension of the road is ongoing.

Many of these critical capital projects are ongoing. The mega schools being built recently – I was told that the Igbekebo, Arogbo Mega Schools are being completed. Many works are

going on and governance has not stopped. I want to assure the people of this state that we will continue to work until the last day and our prayer is that we will also handover to Eyitayo Jegede, who will also continue and expand and deepen the development paradigm that we have embarked upon in the last eight years.

There’s the need to explain the determinant factors of your policy action because some people feel that it is politics and that’s why you have to go and begin to tackle those areas like Owo/ Ikare Federal road because election is around the corner?

People are just being funny. I got here as governor because of politics. I got elected the second time because I gave a good account of myself. Is that okay? So, everything we do – whatever anybody feels, you may say its politics. I don’t know what they mean. I came in through politics; I have a covenant with my God and with the people. I made it absolutely clear from the first day that I will work for the people.

Second term, at my inauguration, I told them the work has not been completed and that we will continue to work and I have made it absolutely clear that we will work till the last day. Whatever anybody says does not bother me. What is important is that I know that my people are thirsty and yearning for development and if so, as long as God has made it possible for me to direct the affairs of this state, I will continue to put in place all the choices that will engender development in Ondo State.

There are certain things that have become recurring decimal in your administration and these things are issues that touch on the lives of the people. Free shuttle, the Mother & Child Hospital, the Abiye programme, the Mega School, the Urban renewal Initiative and so many. Major ingredients of development and growth reside within the realms of sustainability and continuity, what are you doing to mobilise the people, to ensure that sustainability and continuity are really brought to the front burner in ensuring development and progress?

Let me first of all appreciate you for acknowledging the fact that our programmes are targeted at people, because in the cacophony of political sloganeering, people may actually not know that the import of all of these is about the people. Any policy that does not contribute and add direct value to the people is not worth it and you will look through all our programmes, is it urban renewal, health, education – everything is targeted at how to ensure that we add values to the lives of our people and I keep saying this especially those that need the help of government most are the people at the lower rung of the ladder.

The people who cannot afford decent transportation for children to school, you remember the spectacle a few years ago, where we have between four/five school children on Okada – afternoon and morning – those are the people that need help. Our free shuttle is targeted not only at the poor, of course the whole of the society, but specifically those that need government help are those disabled by the social arrangement in the society. The people who need government are people who will continue to bleed to death from pregnancy because they can’t afford decent hospital care.

The people who need government are people who cannot afford tertiary education for their children, because they are asking them to bring N250,000, N350,000 – these are people who actually need government and I can’t tell you that the most important sustainability factor of any programme is to have the buy-in of the people and if a programme is about the people, you can take the buy-in for granted.

I can’t see any government coming now and say that as a matter of policy I will stop free shuttle bus – the people will be up in arms against them.

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

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016 • T H I S D AY

FEATURES

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

Bayelsa: Remaking of an Urban Jungle Emmanuel Addeh writes that there is a conscious effort to change Bayelsa State's reputation as a backward state to one of the most advanced among its peers

Bayelsa State heliport

B

ayelsa State is peculiar in many respects. But one of the most striking features of the oil-producing state which has over 70 per cent of its total land space under water, is its complex topography.

With an area of about 21,110 square kilometres, picturesque tropical rain forest, low lands stretching from Ekeremor to Nembe, a maze of meandering creeks and mangrove swamps, the state remains one of its kind in the Nigeria’s South-south region.

But added to the thick, swampy forests, the natural terrain has combined with the vicissitudes of oil exploitation to make the entire configuration very difficult, especially for landmark projects.

Every little piece of land for any project is built from scratch, literally. Essentially, what that means is that you build the land first, before thinking of locating any infrastructure on it. Many people have described the state in many ways.

Some have characterised the state, especially the capital in somewhat unflattering terms.

But all that is changing. Bayelsa, tucked in the heartlands of the Niger Delta, is gradually opening up to the world.

It would appear that the current political leadership in the state has realised that without investment in infrastructure, the state would remain in the backwater, stripped of sustainable development and jeopardising the future of generations unborn.

Seemingly slowly but steadily, Bayelsa appears to be taking an integrated approach to infrastructural development, with various parts and aspects closely linked to form a whole. From agriculture to transport, from health to tourism, education to sports, there is a conscious effort, many agree, to lift the state away from the toga of being backward to one of the most advanced among its peers.

Created 20 years ago, the young state is fast catching up with the rest of the world with the renewed effort to give the much needed infrastructure a facelift.

Those who were present when the state

was created by the late Head of State, Gen Sani Abacha, say the entire place was like the biblical universe during its creation; formless and desolate. However, after 17 years of democracy, Bayelsa is taking shape. It is not where many think it should be, but the state is also not where it was on creation.

Projects are springing up and if the momentum is sustained, Bayelsa would soon become a major hub for business and recreation in the next couple of years. On a tour of major projects last week, Governor Seriake Dickson who visited various ongoing works, underscored the need to open up the state to the rest of the world.

The governor inspected the current upgrading

After 17 years of democracy, Bayelsa is taking shape. It is not where many think it should be, but the state is also not where it was on creation.

Projects are springing up and if the momentum is sustained, Bayelsa would soon become a major hub for business and recreation in the next couple of years

of the Samson Siasia Stadium to a world class sports facility, the massive Bayelsa Diagnostics Centre, the ongoing Governor and Deputy Governor's office complex, the Oxbow Lake, the airport project, golf course, heliport, among many others.

At the completed Diagnostics Centre, Dickson bemoaned the incessant cases of wrong diagnoses of ailments in the country, noting that it remained a major challenge to Nigerians. Dickson revealed that the problem motivated him to make a huge investment in the health sector of the state to serve as a heath tourism centre for Bayelsans, Nigerians and indeed the rest of Africa.

He explained that the state’s ultra-modern Diagnostics Centre in Yenagoa, having been fully completed, had already commenced a dry run of the equipment and called on residents to put the hospital to good use.

“What we are addressing now is diagnosis.

Because what is killing our people is wrong and inaccurate diagnosis. So we are addressing that. We are building hospitals and this place will feed most of them,” the governor noted.

Describing the huge project as ‘world class', the governor said the vision of his administration was to make the state a haven for people who need to satisfy their health needs. The centre operated by Trigen-Craton in the heart of Yenagoa offers radiology services with the latest facilities in the industry including MRI- Tesla, CT Scan 160 slice, digital x-ray, 40-sonography, mammography among others.

It also specialises in pathology which includes services like haematology, clinical chemistry, immunology and endocrinology.

Other services rendered by the centre are: DNA testing, Endoscopy, cardiology and general wellness.

During the inspection, the governor noted that the project was built to last, explaining that all Nigerians could access the services of the centre from now.

“From the report, this project has been completed a long time. What they are just doing is to test-run the facilities. All the machines are world class. All the projects

have been painstakingly done.

“This is a project that will stand the test of time and it is of the highest possible quality. We are building a Bayelsa that is for the future and this project is one of its kind in the country and in Africa,” he said He added that the people of the state would be grateful to the administration when they are able to access the level of investment that was made on the project.

“Even if people don’t appreciate it, it doesn’t matter, we are doing it for posterity. With the facilities here, no Bayelsa person needs to go outside this place for diagnosis.

“Just anybody in this country can be attended to here. We are taking an integrated approach to development. People can fly in from the airport that we are building.

“Our philosophy is to bring the world to Bayelsa. This is medical tourism and we will build our economy this way,” he stressed.

The governor posited that when the other 350-bed hospital commences operation, it would complement the diagnostics centre and make the state prominent for medical tourism.

The same enthusiasm is being channelled into building the airport, which the state Commissioner for Works, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo said government was optimistic would welcome the first flights in the next couple of weeks.

Ewhrudjakpo said that the Dickson’s government would construct a temporary terminal building which would later be converted to an executive protocol lounge.

He noted that the government was in a hurry to test-run the airport to prove a point that not one naira of the project was diverted.

“Some people have said that the governor used the money for re-election. If he used it for election, the contractors would have even left site now,” he said.

The state government also seems to be thinking seriously about taking the youths off the streets, with the attention being paid to the upgrading of old sports facilities and building of new ones.

It is also currently fast-tracking the ongoing rehabilitation work at the Samson Siasia

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• T H I S D AY THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

FEATURES

Ongoing work at Samson Siasia Stadium,Yenagoa

Stadium in Yenagoa to keep the youths of the state busy and to ensure the state’s teams play their league games at home.

The government is also dealing with the issue of the poor drainage system outside the stadium complex and is laying organic fibre turf on the football pitch and the tartan tracks of the stadium. “We are doing this to meet the required international standards and this government is trying to open the state to the international community and the sports sector must key in and open up sports tourism,” the governor said.

Added to that, the state is also building its own golf course to be able to draw the huge number of golfing crowds that frequently travel across the country to play the game.

Dickson says the project is more than a golf course, but a golf estate. The governor promises to ensure that golf top shots around the world and youths in the state access the facility.

“The essence of this government building and investing hugely in these projects is to diversify into other areas of the economy, aside from oil and gas,” Dickson said.

He added, “Before we came here, we stopped over at the heliport. People who are coming to play on the golf course and polo field are coming to stay at the estate and enjoy these tourist facilities.

“They can fly in and out and that’s why we also built a heliport here. All the projects have gone really far. The whole idea is to make Bayelsa a tourism hub and lay a foundation for the future economic development of the state.”

The story was the same at the Oxbow Lake project in Swali, very close to the ongoing federal secretariat and the Central Bank of Nigeria, Yenagoa.

Enfolded in a blanket of romantic ambience, the awe-inspiring aura of the beautiful lake is also set to give visitors a memorable experience at the lakeside.

The project has a pavilion, boat club, shop-

Even if people don’t appreciate it, it doesn’t matter, we are doing it for posterity.

With the facilities here, no Bayelsa person needs to go outside this place for diagnosis

Dickson (2nd right), other government officials during an inspection tour of projects

Oxbow Lake Pavilion, Yenagoa

ping mall linking the galleria and teens park, which is also adjacent the Tower Hotel and has been designated the entertainment and leisure zone of the state.

So, it’s not all gloom and doom for the young state. It may have had its own share of political and economic challenges, but Bayelsa is breaking free from all its strangleholds.

And when the current projects become fully functional in the next few months, hopefully, the state may truly live up to its sobriquet: “The glory of all lands.”

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IMAGES

L-R: Human Resources Director, Airtel Nigeria, Gbemiga Owolabi; Country Manager, Human Network International, Harriet Blest; and Vice-President, Digital, Data & VAS, Airtel Nigeria, Nitin Anand, at the launch of Airtel 321 Service at the Airtel Headquarters, Banana Island, Lagos...recently

L-R: Globacom’s Head of Operations, South-south, Mr. Enekwachi Aja; ace comedian, Gordons; Glo Data Diva, Ifediora Chemdindu; Glo Data Dude, Eneoba Valentine; and Enugu State Glo Business Director, Mr. Bidemi Ajagbe, after the crowning of the winners of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) edition of the Glo Data Dude and Glo Data Diva beauty pageant, Nsukka...recently

L-R: Deputy Director, Child Survival, Federal Ministry of Health, Mrs. Tina Taylor; Head, Child Health Division, Ministry of Health, Dr. Bose Adeniran; Deputy Team Leader, Partnership for Advocacy in Child and Family Health (PNCFaH), Miss Ngozika Ogbonna; and Director, PNCFaH, Mr. Ambrose Evhoesor, during the national PSN-PACFaH CSO partners advocacy visit to the Director, Family Health, Federal Ministry of Health in Abuja...recently ENOCK REUBEN

L-R: Sourcing Manager, Commercial, British American Tobacco Nigeria (BATN), Tolulope Ashaolu; BATN Foundation Ajara Badagry beneficiary, Mrs. Basirat Bamgboye; Communications & Event Manager, BATN Foundation, Tajudeen Akinwande; General Manager, BATN Foundation, Abimbola Okoya; BATNF Otu, Oyo State beneficiary, Mrs. Sidikat Adejumobi; and Company Secretary, BATN Foundation, Chiago Akpata, during the award presentation of the Best Company in Eradication of Hunger at the Social Enterprize Reporting Awards (SERA) in Lagos...recently

T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

Photo Editor Abiodun Ajala Email abiodun.ajala@thisdaylive.com

L-R: Executive Director, School Buggie Media & Events, Olalekan .T. Azeez Iginla; Corporate Communications Division, Bank of Industry ( BoI), Mr. Toyin Oyekanmi;Director, Science & Technology,Lagos State, Ministry of Education/Representative of Lagos State Deputy Governor,Mr. Adebayo Ibiteye,and Director, Private Education & Special Programme, Lagos State Ministry of Education,Mrs Ajoke Gbeleyi,during the grand Finale of Lagos state Jam Feast in Lagos,...recently

L-R: Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, Prince Rotimi Ogunleye; Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr (Mrs) Oluranti Idiat Adebule; President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Chief (Mrs) Nike Akande; Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Commerce, Hon. Benjamin Olabinjo; and Chairman, Trade Promotion Board, LCCI, Mr. Sola Oyetayo, at the closing ceremony of 2016 edition of LCCI international trade fair in Lagos...recently ETOP UKUTT

L-R: Vice-President, Nigeria Dental Association, Dr (Mrs) M.O Asiwaju; Brand Manager, Pepsodent, Unilever Nigeria Plc., George Umoh; President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Mr. Ahmed I. Yakasai; and wife of the Niger State governor, Hajia Amina Abubakar Sani Bello, at the 89th Annual National Conference of the PSN in Minna, Niger State...recently

L-R: Managing Director, CMC Connect Burson Marsteller and President, African Public Relations Association (APRA), Yomi Badejo-Okusanya; Managing Director, UBA Foundation, Ijeoma Aso; and General Secretary, NIPR Lagos Chapter, Thelma Okoh, at the SERAS Awards in Lagos...recently

T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

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EXCHANGE RATE N304.75US DOLLAR AS AT LAST FRIDAY

Quick Takes Lafarge Competition Reaches Final Stage

SHOWCASING NIGERIA’S TECHNOLOGY INNOVATORS

L-R: Executive Vice Chairman Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta; Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu, Secretary – General, International Telecommunications Union (ITU), Mr. Houlin Zhao and Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir el- Rufai, at the opening of Nigeria Pavilion at ITU Telecom World 2016, Bangkok, Thailand ...recently

Toure: Nigeria’s Population Can Attract Massive Foreign Investments Stories by Emma Okonji in Bangkok, Thailand The former Secretary-General, International Telecoms Union (ITU), the United Nation agency that coordinates global telecommunications activities, Dr. Hamadoun Toure, has said that with the massive population of Nigeria, the country can attract heavy foreign investments in the areas of telecoms, agriculture and other sectors, if the country’s policies are well tilted towards infrastructural development.

Toure, who was the special guest of honour at the Nigeria’s Investment Forum in Bangkok, Thailand, the host county to this

TELECOMS year’s ITU Telecom World, said Nigeria has a population of over 170 million people, majority of which fall between the age bracket of 25 years and 45 years, and that this group of people are entrepreneurial in nature and tech savvy.

According to him, the large population of Nigeria is a major indices that would attract investors because the market is huge and the people are ready. He however said, government must enact and implement policies that would boost infrastructural development in the country, to enable foreign investors get attracted to the country.

According to him, while he was Secretary-General of ITU, Nigeria played a pivotal role to telecoms development in Africa and it is still playing that role. He explained that Nigeria’s investment in telecommunication in the country, earned it the position of the fastest growing telecommunications in Africa and the entire world, a position, he said, was maintained by Nigeria for five consecutive years.

He told foreign investors present at the investment forum from over 120 countries of the world, to take a close look at the dynamics of telecoms growth in Nigeria and to make efforts to invest in Nigeria where returns

on investment is high, based on the market size, occasioned by the large population of the country.

“Telecoms subscribers’ number in Nigeria is so massive that the country has surpassed the urge to increase its number. What the county needs now is how to effectively manage the massive number of subscribers and ensure that they enjoy quality of service,” Toure said.

The time to invest in Africa, especially in Nigeria is now, and African governments must rise to the challenge of Continued on page 24

NCC: Developing Technology Startups, Key to National Devt The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the telecoms industry regulatory body has stressed the need for Nigeria to identify and develop technology startups, who have great ideas that could effect developmental change in the country.

The Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta who stated government’s commitment to develop technology startups in the country, said the idea to develop technology startups would boost accelerated national development in the country.

Danbatta told THISDAY in Bangkok, Thailand, venue of the ITU Telecoms World 2016, that NCC has a mandate to

IT

drive technology development in the country through the identification of technology innovation and improve on it for the good of the entire country, the reason, he said, prompted NCC to sponsor eight technology startups to this year’s ITU conference, among whom were four Small and Medium Enterprise (SMEs). They were given the opportunity to showcase their technology solutions that cut across social services, health, eCommerce, education, medicine, telecommunications, among others.

According to Danbatta, the startups have exhibited ground breaking innovative

entrepreneurial skills that would go a long way to accelerate the change that we so much desired in Nigeria.

Acceleration of innovation changes the way we do things in a more efficient way. Young Nigerians have come up with new innovation and we need to showcase them to the rest of the world, to enable them experience and invest in locally developed technologies that address specific challenges for organisations and individuals.

According to Danbatta, having identified the talents, we would collaborate with the relevant agencies of government like the National Office for Technology Acquisition and

Promotion (NOTAP) and the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), to provide the relevant funding that would enable them improve on their solutions and make them commercially available within and outside Nigeria.

“We were able to discover young Nigerians with innovative ideas and we will draw collaboration through with the relevant agencies such as NOTAP and SMEDAN to assist in getting investors that will invest in their solutions,” Danbatta said.

The eight technology Continued on page 24

Following the successful completion of the regional competitions in the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria, the third edition of Lafarge Africa National Literacy Competition, organised in partnership with the Ovie Brume Foundation has reached its peak. Twelve pupils from Edo, Enugu, Gombe, Kaduna, Lagos and Plateau States will strive to emerge as winners in a keen competition at the Grand Finale, which will hold in Lagos on November 17th, 2016 The annual Lafarge Africa National Literacy Competition engages male and female pupils from public primary schools across the country in activities that measure and enhance their ability to read, write and spell correctly. It also features literacy tests, essay/ summary writing and spelling bees to evaluate their reading and writing abilities.

The regional competitions for 2016 have progressed quite well, with each participating geo-political zone telling a unique story.

With active involvement of the State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEB), the competition has been keenly contested among the selected schools in the six geo-political zones of South-West, South-South, South-East North-Central, North-East and NorthWest, with emergence of winners from each zone.

Commenting on the success of the competition so far, the Group MD/CEO, Lafarge Africa Plc, Michel Puchercos described the visible excitement of the participating pupils and their schools, as a clear demonstration of motivation to succeed, while expressing the desire to see continued brilliance from the kids at the final stage.

Chi Rewards Consumers in Promo

Chi Limited a leading player in the nation’s fruit juices and beverages market, recently reward consumers that participated in its social media promotion.The company was said to be leveraging on mobile technology by regularly connecting with consumers through various initiatives in the digital social networking space. To this end, it recently activated important consumer touch points in exciting ways that were rewarding to the consumer.

Active across all the leading social media platforms like the Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, CHI Limited recently concluded a series of social media contest such as ‘My 100% Achievement Contest’ and ‘Tea Side of Life Promo’ for Chivita 100% fruit juice and Chi Ice Tea respectively. Other promos included Hollandia Yoghurt’s ‘Colours of Goodness Contest’, Chi Happy Hour ‘Burst of Refreshment Dance Contest’, Chi Exotic ‘My Exotic Weekend Promo’ and Chivita Active ‘Vegetable fruit Mix Promo’ According to the promoters of the initiative, the promotions generated huge interest and tremendous participation. The number and quality of entries from consumers for the promos also ensured that it remained very interactive and competitive.

PRNigeria Gets Global Recognition

The International Public Relations Association (IPRA) has presented Golden World Award (GWA) in Crisis Management to Image Merchants Promotion Limited for its PRNigeria’s counterinsurgency and security consciousness campaigns.

The Golden World Awards (GWAs), often dubbed the ‘Oscars of PR’ are the world’s most prestigious PR awards in various categories.

The IPRA President, Bart de Vries described the PRNigeria’s campaign as one of the most successful crisis communication strategies that entails creative innovation, media relations, social media and event management to win the Golden World Award in Crisis Management. The President added that in determining the winners of various GWA categories, which included Grand Prix and UN Awards among others, the IPRA judges spent the greatest parts of their sessions working in small teams. He said: “This year’s GWA entries saw a marked rise in using cross-media approaches, including innovative and creative use of social media, video or animation. The 2016 IPRA GWA Winners also showed progress in measurement, integrating varied research perspectives, adopting measuring models and applying an evaluation. Receiving the award, the founder of PRNigeria, Mr. Yushau Shuaib, dedicated the GWA to Nigerian Media and security agencies for their collaboration in ensuring a secured and safer society through timely and responsible information dissemination.

“It became necessary to issue the latest ultimatum to redress the menace of incessant unsolicited telemarketing via the various networks” Director, Public Affairs, NCC, Mr. Tony Ojobo

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T H I S D AY •THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

BUSINESSWORLD TOURE: NIGERIA’S POPULATION CAN ATTRACT MASSIVE FOREIGN INVESTMENTS empowering its citizens in order to develop telecoms infrastructure and other sectors infrastructure in the country.

Human brain, he said, is one of the natural resources that God blessed every country with and also distributed it evenly and that Nigeria has over 170 million of such brains that needed to be empowered through ICT development, Toure added.

Speaking on investment growth in Nigeria, Toure said in 2000, before the commercial rollout of Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM), telecoms investments in the county was about $50 million, but that as at July 2016, investments in the telecoms sector rose as high as $68.2 billion, while commending the efforts of the staff of the Nigerian Communications Commission, for its efforts in contributing to the growth of the telecoms sector, through a sound and robust regulatory system.

NCC: DEVELOPING TECHNOLOGY STARTUPS, KEY TO NATIONAL DEVT startups who showcased their solutions before international communities at the attractive Nigeria Pavilion at this year’s ITU Telecoms World in Thailand, included Chinemelum Ezekwesili, the co-Founder of Akana solution that used to access freelance designer; Awodi Friday who developed the Awodi Power Machine; Sanusi Ishmaila, who developed Colab solution used for creativity; Ifediora Ugochukwu who developed Fedironics solution for intelligent metering; Mubarak Ahmed who developed intelligent security an emergency device; Daser Retnan who developed Logical address that addresses challenges associated with locating physical addresses; Muazu Adamu, who developed Power Beta Optimiser, an electric device designed to absorb pressure on Grid and Off Grid power supply, and Bc Akin-Alabi, who developed SchoolRun, a solution that is used to track pupils when going and returning from school.

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 (Cap Mkt) Ejiofor Alike (Energy) James Emejo (Nation’s Capital) Obinna Chima (Money Mkt) Reporters

Nume Ekeghe (Money Market) Nosa Alekhuogie (Maritme)

NEWS

FG: Revocation of PHCN Sale, Adverse to Investment Chineme Okafor in Abuja The federal government has said calls for cancellation of the privatisation of successor companies created from the unbundling of defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) were unhealthy to Nigeria’s efforts to woo more investors into the country.

It thus pledged to uphold all contractual obligations entered into by it with investors in the power sector.

The government also disclosed its plans to spend an estimated $150 million on a revised rural electrification programme in the country using 44 tertiary institutions and the small hydro dams in the rural areas as anchors for the programme.

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola said these remarks in a statement that was made available in Abuja on Tuesday by his senior special adviser on communications, Mr. Hakeem Bello.

According to the statement, Fashola spoke at the 2016 European Union-Nigeria Business Forum in Lagos, where he disagreed with proposals in the public space calling for the cancellation of the power sector privatisation.

He stressed that investors that put their monies in the sector must have the assurance that government would not flip flop and that contracts that fail have consequences.

“This is only an example of what money can do, and where to inject finance, and where opportunities lie,” he said.

He further stated: “I will like to weigh in on some reports where there are calls allegedly being made for us to “revisit the privatisation”.

While I would love to have some more clarification about what is meant by “revisit”, let me be clear that we would probably not be here talking about financing opportunities in power, without privatisation.

“If revisiting means that the operators should allow more

investors into the business I am for it but with the caveat that it has to be done withi n the rules of contract, negotiation and possibly arbitration,” he added.

Fashola said with the privatisation of the sector, government’s role was now restricted to policy-making, through the ministry, in areas like energy mix, safety of energy and governance, regulation through the

Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission(NERC) to license, monitor and sanction the operators as well as setting the tariff and safety through the Nigerian Electricity Management Service Agency (NEMSA) by ensuring quality of installations, certification of equipment and standards and meters, among other responsibilities.

On the revised rural electrification programme,

he explained that 37 out of the 44 tertiary institutions audited for the $150 million programme were universities while seven were teaching hospitals.

He noted that government would deploy 37 independent power plants made up of nine gas plants and 28 solar plants with a combined generation capacity of 120 megawatts (MW) to power all the universities.

BUSINESS COLLABORATION

L-R: Head, Marketing, MainOne, Tayo Ashiru; Chief Operating Officer, SAP West Africa, Olumide Familusi; Vice President, Enterprise Products, Konga, Adeyinka Aderombi, and Product Manager, Cloud Services, MainOne, Adewale Adeyemi, during the MainOne-SAP Business Session in Lagos...recently

Lagos Targets 100,000 MSMEs to Address Recession Gboyega Akinsanmi The Lagos State Government has rolled out some measures to cushion the effects of economic recession, noting that the scheme was designed “to engage at least 100,000 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across the state.”

The state government disclosed that it would free part of the N25 billion Employment Trust Fund (ETF) the administration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode initiated to create a new army of employers and tax payers.

The Executive Secretary of the fund, Mr. Akintunde Oyebode disclosed this at a news conference, saying the state government would deploy the fund to support 100,000 MSMEs and fight economic recession.

He addressed the conference alongside the Commissioner for Wealth Creation & Employment, Babatunde Durosinmi-Etti, Chairman of the House Committee on Wealth Creation & Employment, Hon. Sola Giwa and Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr. Abdul-Ahmed Mustapha among others.

He said the state has set a target to utilize the N25 billion Employment Trust Fund to provide financial support to over 100,000 MSMEs within the next three years.

He explained that the fund

was in line with Ambode’s vision to create employment opportunities, open up fresh entrepreneurship vistas and fight economic recession crippling the country’s domestic economy.

He said the board set up to manage the funds had spent the last few months perfecting strategies and addressing grey areas ahead of the commencement of the disbursement of the funds later this year.

The executive secretary explained that the board embarked on several strategy sessions “to define the mission, vision, core values and strategic framework to guide the Fund’s activities.”

“After the completion of the research exercise, the Board working with its appointed consultants developed a strategic framework articulating its goals, the key interventions designed to enhance job creation, and the supporting infrastructure needed to deliver the set goals.

“This exercise has now been concluded and approved by the Lagos State Executive Council.

The fund would provide loans to MSMEs at a single digit interest rates per annum, while training and capacity building and technical support would be provided to drive growth and job creation,” noted.

Also speaking at the conference, Durosinmi-Etti said the Ambode administration was committed to ensuring the fund impacts on the lives of

Lagos residents, especially at this time of national crisis.”

The commissioner commended the board of the fund for setting up offices in

20 Local Governments in the State, noting that it would go a long way to ensuring that no area is marginalised.

“It is important that this

process has taken considerable time, we need to make it work and also ensure that it is to the benefit of all Lagosians,” Durosinmi-Etti said.

Firm Set to Enhance Students’ Learning with Tech Solution Emma Okonji Chips Bits & Bytes Limited, an e-learning solution company has said its technology solution will not only enhance students’ learning at schools, but will also eradicate failure in examination.

The solution uses electronic interactive boards to actively engage students during leaning, using practical and real examples to further enhance teaching and learning.

Managing Director of the company, Mr. Tunji Ola, who made the remark in Lagos, said the solution came with robust contents that cover school curriculum, such that students who study with it, would have no reason to forget what was thought by the teacher, using the technology solution.

“As a leader in education technology deployment, Chips Bits & Bytes limited is over 30 years in existence, with vast experience that has earned it a reputation of excellent, reliable, scalable and supportive solution delivery,” Ola said.

According to him, no child should ever fail any examination across any level, should the solution be properly deployed and the teaching method followed.

“We bring to schools a solution that automates the entire teaching and learning process, which transforms schools from the regular white boards, marker and notebooks, into electronic interactive boards and studentteacher experience. The most exciting part is the engaging, interactive and impactful e-contents for learners of all ages,” Ola said.

Making live demonstration of the solution, Ola was able to explain that the teacher engages all students with the electronic interactive board, while the students make use of their computers that are connected to the teachers’ electronic interactive board and the teacher is able to have full control of the class since everything, written on the teachers’ interactive board, is automatically displayed on the students computer. While the

lesson is going on, the teacher could give test and assignment and marks same in class, while still engaging the students. With the smart learning system, the students are able to save every lesson though in class and make a replay of such lesson dusting their personal study time.

The engagement between teacher and students at any given lesson is so interactive, such that the students get the true picture of the any topic and will always remember what was thought when writing examination.

He explained that teachers are trained on how to use the electronic interactive board, before selling the solution to schools.

“We believe that technology has a profound effect on every aspect of life and so schools are investing wisely in the acquisition of technology to drive the teaching and learning process, thereby making learning more stimulating, enjoyable, productive and relevant for today’s digital learners,” Ola said.

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BUSINESSWORLD

E-BUSINESS

Protecting Telecoms Investments for Economic Growth

Emma Okonji writes on the need for government to protect telecoms investments in Nigeria in order to boost economic growth, enhance investors’ confidence and encourage would-be investors

Before the advent of Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) in Nigeria in 2001, the telecoms industry in Nigeria was not an industry to reckon with in terms of contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and impact to economic development. Then the total number of telecoms subscribers was less than 400,000, with a teledensity of 0.4 per cent, and its contribution to GDP was less than two per cent.

But in 2003, indications began to emerge that the telecoms sector could turn out to become the sector that will contribute more to GDP, above oil and gas, if special attention was given to it. Then subscriber number was fast growing and teledensity, which is the growth of a country, measured in percentage, was fast rising, which led to the auction of the Second National Operator (SNO) licence that brought Globacom into the telecoms space, after MTN and Econet Wireless (now Airtel Nigeria).

Today telecoms subscribers are well over 150 million across networks, with a teledensity of 107 per cent, contributing N1.58 trillion to GDP as at the second quarter of 2016, which is about 9.8 per cent growth, according to the recent statistics released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The industry has recently become the highest in job creation, employing millions of Nigerians directly and indirectly.

In spite of the appreciable growth and contributions of the telecoms industry, the sector is still faced with challenges that are likely to retard its further growth should government decides not to protect it.

The telecoms industry is faced with serious challenges ranging from willful destruction of telecoms facilities to multiple taxation, regulatory fines, and of recent, the probe by the Senate on matters of alleged repatriation of revenue genuinely generated from Nigeria by MTN. Telecoms contribution to GDP National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), in its latest figures released, said telecommunication sector is contributing so much to GDP. According to NBS, the telecommunications sector contributed N1.58 trillion billion to GDP in the second quarter of 2016, a 9.8 per cent growth, which represents an increase of 1.0 per cent points relative to the previous quarter.

According to the statistics from NBS, this is the largest contribution to GDP made from this sector in the rebased period, which emphasises that growth in telecommunications has remained robust when compared to total GDP. The last time that telecoms contribution to GDP as high as nine per cent, was in the second quarter of 2015, when it recorded 9.46 per cent growth.

MTN, for example, has continued to empower its Nigerian workforce and has employed over 500,000 Nigerians directly and indirectly in the MTN services and distribution chain.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MTN Nigeria, Ferdinard Moolman said the telecoms company has invested so much in Nigeria and has contributed over N1.8 trillion to the Nigeria government by ways of taxes, levies and sundry regulation payments, since it commenced operations in Nigeria in 2001.

According to him, in spite of contributions, the industry is faced with serious challenges from social miscreants, who willfully destroy telecoms facilities in the country, multiple taxation from government agencies, as well as the challenges of the Senate, that is currently investigating it for alleged repatriation of N13.9 billion out of Nigeria from 2006 to 2016, without obtaining Certificate of Capital a Importation (CCI).

The challenges Telecommunication operators have continued to groan under difficult and harsh business environment, which include poor telecoms infrastructure, refusal of right of ways, multiple taxation, willful destruction of telecoms facilities, leading to poor telecom service delivery, among others.

In the area of poor telecoms infrastructure, the

Symbol of authority that could make or mar

operators were forced to re-invest their revenue into telecoms infrastructure rollout and network expansion. The operators were of the opinion that Nigeria would have been fully developed in terms of telecoms infrastructure, and become fully ready to host global Information and Communications Technology (ICT) events if government had started long ago to invest in telecoms infrastructure.

Telecoms operators that participated in the Digital Mobile Licence auction in 2001 in Nigeria, paid $285 million each, when at that time, the exchange rate was N100 to $1. But the proceeds were not used by government to rollout telecoms infrastructure in the country.

Instead, the proceeds were shared among the three tiers of government and telecoms operators were left to rollout out network infrastructure by themselves, a situation they affected the growth and development of telecoms infrastructure in the country till date.

But among all these, the most disturbing challenge that could pull down the telecoms sector and create fears in the minds of wouldbe telecoms investors, is the issue of alleged repatriation of N13.9 billion by MTN, that is currently been investigated by the Senate.

The Senate has accused MTN of an alleged connivance with the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah, and four commercial banks to have taken advantage of the porous Nigerian financial system to move the sum $13.9 billion out of the country without the required authorisation.

The upper legislative chamber, according to a motion moved by Dino Melaye, the senator representing Kogi West in the Senate, alleged that MTN beat the nation’s financial regulatory laws by failing to obtain a CCI as authorised

by Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Financial and Miscellaneous Act within 24 hours between 2006 and 2016 before moving the money out of the country.

Financial experts’ views Despite the allegation by the Senate, some financial experts have absolved MTN of any wrong doing, insisting that institutions like the CBN, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Nigeria Investment Promotion Council (NIPC), should come out to explain better since they are the regulators that control the activities of MTN operations and also regulate cash transfers in Nigeria.

Economist to Lagos Business School, Opeyemi Agbaje, who spoke on the MTN issue, said MTN demonstrated its love for Nigeria by investing in the Nigerian economy since 2001 and that the telecoms company showed respect for the laws of the country guiding repatriation of money.

He said it is worrisome that the same company that has invested so much in the country and has been law abiding by paying its taxes, is being heavily criticised and investigated by the Senate for repatriating its profit.

“In my view, the action of MTN in generating and repatriating its revenue from 2006 to 2016, was legal and acceptable because the money we are talking about is MTN’s profit and the company has legal right to repatriate its profit to its parent company in South Africa,” Agbaje said.

He explained that four banks were legally involved in the transfer of the said money and that the banks must have gotten the approval of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council (NIPC) before the money was repatriated, irrespective of whether the CCI was issued or not.

He said the investigation by Senate is either an act of mischief or ignorance and that the NCC, the NIPC and the CBN must rise to defend MTN and save the telecoms company from total collapse, which he said could affect the Nigerian economy negatively.

Financial Management Consultant, Bisi Ogunwale called on the Senate to be cautious in its investigation in order to save MTN’s business in Nigeria that is benefiting millions of Nigerians and the Nigerian economy. He said the action of the Senate negates the spirit of promoting ease of doing business by the federal government and that such an action is capable of discouraging foreign investors from investing in Nigeria.

MTN’s position Commenting specifically on the point of CCI before the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions in Abuja recently, Moolman said that no dividends were declared or paid until the CCIs were issued and finalised. Moolman added that MTN Nigeria only requested for CCIs for foreign capital that was imported into Nigeria and dividends were externalised on CCIs. “Often for various reasons (such as not having all the required documentation for instance), it is not possible to issue a CCI within 24 hours, and the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Forex Manual contemplates such situations by asking that the banks refer to the CBN for approval. Besides, the requirement to issue a CCI within 24 hours of conversion is an administrative requirement.

As such, the CBN has the authority, and indeed we believe, approved the banks’ applications to issue CCIs outside the recommended time frame,” Moolman said.

According to him, MTN Nigeria has been privileged and honoured to contribute to the development of ICT in Nigeria since 2001 when the right enabling environment was created by

the Nigerian government to attract investment into the ICT industry. MTN Nigeria is proud to have been given the opportunity to play a catalytic and leading role in this important sector.

Globally, foreign direct investments are motivated by the opportunities and enabling environment which the host country provides.

MTN’s success was indeed a catalyst for many other international companies to invest in Nigeria.

“It is instructive to note that according to the latest NBS Telecommunications Report, telecoms contributed approximately 8.83 per cent to Nigeria’s GDP in the first quarter of 2016. On the back of this, it is probably fair to say that MTN alone has contributed 3-4 per cent to Nigeria’s GDP,” Moolman said.

He said MTN Nigeria remains committed to global best practices which include paying dividends to our foreign investors as provided under the Nigerian law.

“The documents requested and submitted speak for themselves and give a clear and transparent account for the records. Once again, be assured that we have Nigeria and Nigerians’ best interest at heart and at the centre of our operations. MTN Nigeria’s commitment to Nigeria is unflinching and has been demonstrated by our investment philosophy,” Moolman added.

About NIPC and FEMMPA laws Another financial expert, Rotimi Fawole, said although the Senate has described what they are doing as a ‘hearing’ or an ‘investigation’, he explained that their words and actions tell Nigerians something else is going on. He said the NIPC Act and the Foreign Exchange Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provisions Act (FEMMPA) are very clear on what the right of an investor is in Nigeria.

According to him, Section 24 of the NIPC Act says “… a foreign investor in an enterprise to which this Act applies shall be guaranteed unconditional transferability of funds through any authorised dealer in freely convertible currency of (a) dividends and profits (net of all taxes) attributable to the investment…”

Section 15 of the FEMMPA says, similarly, in addition to spelling out whose responsibility it is to issue the CCI, “Foreign currency imported into Nigeria and invested in any enterprise pursuant to subsection (1) of this section shall be guaranteed unconditional transferability of funds, through an Authorised Dealer in freely convertible currency, relating to dividends or profits (net of taxes) attributable to the investment…”

Taking a deeper look at the benefits of telecommunications in the Nigerian economy, it will be right for governments across boards to work together in protecting telecoms in Nigeria in order to promote further economic development.

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Of Cloud Technology and Big Data Hosting The recent partnership between Garanntor, a cloud hosting company, and RackCentre, a Tier 111 collocation data hosting company in Nigeria, will no doubt boost investors’ confidence and also address the fears of hosting big data in the cloud, writes Emma Okonji Despite the global trend of hosting big and small data in the cloud, which gives room for huge reduction in the cost of doing businesses, increase in market shares and also help organisations to remain relevant in their various lines of businesses, adoption rate of cloud technology in Nigeria is still low.

Although organisations that handle big data operations have pointed out insecurity around cloud computing, as reason for not investing in cloud technology, the recent collaboration between Garanntor, an Infrastructure-as-aService company that is into cloud hosting, and RackCentre, a Tier 111 collocation data hosting company, operating in Nigeria, will go a long way in addressing organisation’s fears about hosting their big data in the cloud, where they believed that their competitors could have access to their data to launch attack at them.

Since the global introduction of cloud technology, developed countries of the world have taken advantage of the technology to host their data in the cloud, but most developing countries are still afraid of hosting the entire data of their organisations in the cloud for fear of security breaches and online attacks on critical data of organisations sitting in the cloud.

Cloud technology has however showed that the best place to store data is in the cloud and Tier 111 data Centre operators in Nigeria are beginning to collaborate with cloud companies to provide cloud services to their clients, in addition to hosting of organisation’s data.

RackCentre took such advantage, when it announced its partnership deal with Garanntor recently, to provide cloud services for its growing customers, who are mainly enterprise organisations that control big data that are critical or business.

Driving cloud adoption Following the recent partnership agreement, Garanntor, a 100 per cent Nigerian company that works with some foreign technology vendors, said it will promote fast adoption of cloud technology among indigenous companies in Nigeria.

The Chief Executive Officer of Garanntor, Mr. Olalekan Ajayi, told THISDAY that the focus of Garanntor is to promote the adoption of cloud technology among organisations in Nigeria, to enable them take advantage of cloud computing, which he said, would increase work efficiency and productivity.

According to him, Garanntor.ng is an Infrastructure-as-a- Service and cloud hosting company where customers can provision and customise Virtual Servers, Cloud Servers, Web Hosting, Email Hosting, Domain Hosting in real time from its website at affordable price.

“All our infrastructure are managed locally in Lagos, Nigeria and resident in the same datacenter as the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN). This gives customers a wealth of advantages for instance speed and performance advantages for businesses. Website owners should know that a locally hosted website loads approximately three times faster than hosting the website abroad, because the site visitors are physically closer to the website data center. Customers save time and data because they are able to load the website at a faster pace in their browsers.

Speaking on its growing customer base in less than four months of entering into the Nigerian market, Ajayi said the quality of its products and services is at par with global best practice, and that with the current forex challenges, businesses are searching for a local company that can offer the same quality of services as they get abroad, that is reliable and not compromising on quality.

Adoption rate of cloud technology Addressing the issue of low adoption rate of cloud technology in Nigeria, Ajayi said: “We believe that as the awareness of our services grow, more businesses would switch to cloud.

Cloud adoption hosted here in Nigeria is set to increase significantly, now that Garanntor offers capability that is as good as global brands

Access to cloud technology

here in Nigeria, there would be significant up take from corporates and small businesses.”

According to him, the datacentre has world class standard security, it is completely secure, there would be no security issues. As the brand grows, businesses would realise that we do not compromise in any area of our services especially security and this would build their trust in Garanntor.

Government’s role in cloud adoption Speaking on the role of government in driving adoption of cloud solution in Nigeria, Ajayi said government must first mandate that government data of ministries, departments and agencies held outside the country should be hosted in Nigeria. Then, enable the uptake of cloud and shared services through all tiers of the government to deliver quality services such as reliable mail. Officials should not have

Although many organisations see cloud technology as a distributive technology in the 21st century, technology experts have said such disruption is what developed economies are catching up on to develop their economies and that Nigeria cannot be left out in the current technology revolution across the globe, driven by cloud technology

to resort to foreign mail addressed for reliable email services.

The Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, had in the past, stressed the need for organisations, including government agencies to drive data traffic in Nigeria by hosting all data in the country. He said the move would save organisations and government agencies, huge cost of hosting data abroad, especially at a time that dollar has become expensive and scarce.

Cloud as disruptive technology Although many organisations see cloud technology as a distributive technology in the 21st century, technology experts have said such disruption is what developed economies are catching up on to develop their economies and that Nigeria cannot be left out in the current technology revolution across the globe, driven by cloud technology.

For Garanntor, cloud technology is disruptive in a positive way. Cloud technology has the potential to transform uptake of technology industry in the country. We have millions of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that would have access to affordable technology locally where they can pay as they go, and scale as they grow. The efficiency of SMEs will drive Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contribution through Information and Communication Technology (ICT). With respect to larger enterprises, cloud services that are delivered locally and data hosted locally, will bring better agility, functionality and quicker time to market, technology experts said.

Cloud on Ground Describing the new technology called ‘Cloud on Ground’, the Managing Director of Rack Centre, Mr. Tunde Coker said the term ‘Cloud on Ground’ is to bring cloud services closer to the people and make cloud easily accessible by both small and big organisations that operate critical data.

Ajayi however said that Garanntor was pleased to be part of this ground breaking service and channel to the market, as it relates to cloud technology and the partnership between both companies. ‘Cloud on Ground’ will be providing a comprehensive and heterogenous marketplace for cloud services in Nigeria with capability being exported to other African countries to patronise local Nigeria cloud services, Ajayi said, adding that “cloud servers mean virtual servers which run on cloud computing environment. While

it is true that every cloud server can be called a virtual dedicated server, the opposite is not always true. This is because a virtual dedicated server can be placed only on a single hardware server and thus suffer from a single point of failure when any of its hardware fails. Cloud servers run as software-independent units. This means that a cloud server has all the software it requires to run and does not depend on any centrally-installed software.”

Cloud benefits Listing the benefits of cloud technology, Ajayi said it brings about freedom to modify all the server software to organisation’s needs, which includes the operating system kernel, which is not always the case with other virtualisation solutions such as private virtual servers.

Stability and security because a software problem is isolated from and to your environment.

Others’ cloud servers can’t harm you and you can’t harm others. Also, if other users overload their cloud servers this will have no impact because resources are dedicated and stability is guaranteed. In addition to that, cloud servers don’t suffer from hardware problems.

Cloud servers probably hold the best stability and cost ratio performance. They do not suffer from the usual server hardware problems and they have all cloud computing benefits, since they are stable, fast and secure.

On the other hand, Ajayi said cloud servers are economically more efficient than the standard dedicated servers. “For a similar price, with cloud servers you will receive more resources and your server will be faster. In web hosting terms, your site will run faster on a cloud server if you compare it to a traditional server with similar price. In this regard we should also mention that cloud servers scale very well. It is very easy and fast to add upgrades to a cloud server just as it is more affordable,” Ajayi said.

Garanntor’ technical strength in cloud services Garanntor runs on custom built servers for cloud computing, all resident locally at Rack Center, offering 24x7 support to customers via its call centre, via email or online chat. Its team, according to Ajayi, comprised of industry experts with a wealth of industry experience from infrastructure design, hosting, cloud computing, software development and technical support.

Garanntor is a 100 per cent Nigerian company but works with some foreign technology vendors who provide some of its core infrastructure.

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Shittu, Onu for IIM’s MainOne, SAP Collaborate to Provide Enterprise Solutions Information Management Stories by Emma Okonji in-country enterprise cloud required enterprise applications excited about the certification of platforms, across its private, from software manufacturers MainOne’s Data Centre as the Summit In order to address the public and hybrid cloud solu- such as SAP had to purchase first infrastructure operations The Institute of Information Management (IIM) has announced plans to host a national summit on information management with the theme: ‘Information Management For Change: Roles And Responsibilities Of Key Stakeholders.’

The Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu and the Minister for Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, are among the dignitaries expected at the summit.

President/Chairman Governing Council, IIM, Africa, Dr. Oyedokun Oyewole, explained that given the present economic realities, the summit on information management has become a national emergency following the duplicity of data in various government agencies, which in itself is costly and difficult to manage. This, he said, has also negatively impacted on government decisions in moving the Nation forward, as lack of centralised, timely, quality and adequate information has impeded on the economic growth.

“In this era of change, we must recognise that governments alone cannot improve the situation in the country. To achieve our collective goals as a Nation, we need to bring key stakeholders together across the country, from the private sector, to civil society, to government.

If we do not work together, the situation just won’t change.

Various stakeholders need to understand their roles and responsibilities on how we can harness information to better help improve the economy,” Oyewole said. “It is essential to identify the individuals and groups in the society who will contribute to the development of the system, identify those that it will affect from its introduction, and then develop a strategy for dealing with them, which is why a summit of this nature is essential at this very point in time,” he added.

Oyewole described information management as complex and seems overwhelming but as nation, the country need to understand its essence in this day and age for a countless of reasons. He said that there are so many tasks, information sources, questions, critical connections and processes involved.

“There are so many agencies and stakeholders who often use their own systems to store, capture and share important data. There are so many priorities and evolutions.

There are disconnects between the back end and front office.

And, last but not the least, there is just so much information and data, ever more unstructured data, big data, small data, fast data, data everywhere which keeps growing at an astonishing pace without any plan in place for proper management and security,” Oyewole said.

enterprise solutions market that is fast developing in big data usage and management, MainOne, West Africa’s premier connectivity and data centre solutions provider, has announced a partnership deal between its Tier III Data Centre, MDXI, and Software Application (SAP). The partnership agreement will enable MainOne to deliver high-quality cloud and infrastructure operations services for customers running SAP solutions in West Africa.

MDXi, which was recently certified by SAP for infrastructure operations services for SAP solutions, will now be able to host SAP applications for Nigerian enterprise businesses by utilising the company’s

tions, on a pay-as-you-go basis.

Speaking during the joint product launch recently in Lagos, Chief Executive Officer of MainOne, Funke Opeke noted that the ability of MDXi to host and run SAP applications incountry is a game-changer for Nigerian businesses as it would reduce the barriers to leveraging world-class technology during this economic recession, when it is most required.

According to her, this would greatly improve the ease of deployment and ongoing availability of SAP’s suite of enterprise applications to Nigerian companies, with the added advantage of paying in Naira instead of foreign currencies.

“Previously, businesses that

and install their own hardware in their own data centre or run the software in data centres outside the country with the attendant issues of FOREX scarcity and application latency among others. With our partnership with SAP, businesses in Nigeria can now host their SAP applications in the cloud, locally and on our MDXi SAP certified platform. This will speed up time to deploy SAP applications, guarantee a robust operational environment from the beginning and assure cost effective subscription charges, backed by premium customer support,” Opeke said.

Managing Director of SAP West Africa, Kudzai Danha said: “More than ever, SAP Africa is

services partner in Nigeria.

“This means MDXi is now SAP HANA ready and well positioned to support SAP customers who want to innovate and redesign their business processes. The current market demands attractive business applications that are simple and fast and cloud technology presents the market with such great business opportunities,” Danha said.

Speaking on the benefit of the partnership, Opeke said MainOne provides services for the hosting of enterprise data, but that the company needed better business applications to serve customers better on its enterprise platform, hence it has to partner SAP.

FPG Technologies Proffers EMPOWERMENT Solution to Business Agility YOUTH L-R: Deputy Governor, Financial System Stability, CBN, Joseph Nnanna; Director General NYSC, Brig. Gen Sule Kazaure; Deputy FPG Technologies and Solutions Limited, one of Nigeria’s foremost information technology (IT) companies that provide mobile, cloud, infrastructure and IT security solutions to various sectors of the Nigerian economy, recently hosted the annual FPG IT Connect conference, where it discussed the importance of business agility in the 21 century technology driven economies.

This year’s event focused on delivering extreme business agility with confidence.

The event, which took place in Lagos, was organised by FPG Technologies and Solutions Limited with its partners Check Point Software Technologies Ltd, a leader in network cyber security globally and Thales e-Security, a global technology leader for the Aerospace, Transportation, defence and security markets.

In attendance were IT decision makers across various sectors of the economy.

CEO of FPG Technologies and Solutions Limited, Rex Mafiana, said: “In these turbulent times, organisations need to keep their business innovative, flexible, and fast, which requires the right technology. FPG is built on solid principles and unprecedented customer focus.

Our vision is to enable our customers achieve extreme business agility with confidence.

We provide organisations with solutions that help them get to market faster, respond to industry changes faster as well as provide them the additional technology that

gives confidence to do this by ensuring that while these organisations are innovating they stay secure from internal and external threats or criminal activities.”

According to him, research shows a positive connection between the use of cloud computing, increased business agility and competitive advantage. In addition, the enterprise mobility market is growing exponentially; mobility solutions enhance productivity and organisations want their staff and customers to be truly mobile with work and services regardless of the time or their location. This interplay of cloud and mobility and the dependence on the internet and other e-channels, makes IT security a serious priority.

And this is another value that FPG brings to the table.

“As one the foremost indigenous IT Security companies, FPG has the ability to provide end to end IT Security solutions and services for organisations.

Today’s information systems are more globally integrated than ever before—and attacks are increasingly sophisticated.

Organisations with traditionally stringent data protection requirements find that the old method of keeping systems in silos work against the agility that this interconnectivity provides and as such now demand a broader range of high assurance solutions to safeguard complex business processes and applications,” he said.

Governor, Corporate Services, Suleiman Barau; a beneficiary of Youth Innovative Entrepreneurship Development Programme, Priscilla Okeja and the Executive Director, Lagos and South-West Corporate Banking of Heritage Bank, Mrs. Mary Akpobome, at the flag-off ceremony for disbursement of YIEDP loans in Abuja ...recently

Airtel, HNI Partner to Offer Firm Unveils Next Generation Free Public Service Messages Security Software Emma Okonji and Sunday Okobi Airtel Nigeria has partnered Human Network International (HNI), a global development organisation, to unveil the 3-2-1 service, which is a call-in system that provides free, on-demand information, ranging from healthcare to good governance, to Nigerians, including those in rural communities.

The 3-2-1 Service provides public service information, ondemand, to mobile phone users in English as well as in Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo and Pidgin English.

Using recorded messages by indigenous speakers, the 3-2-1 Service is convenient for all Nigerians, regardless of age, education and literacy.

By dialing 321 on their Airtel prepaid lines, users will connect the caller to voice prompts in any of the aforesaid indigenous languages or in English.

Speaking at the launch of the service, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Airtel Nigeria, Segun Ogunsanya, said the telecoms company was committed to creating platforms that would empower Nigerians as well as uplift telecoms consumers in the various communities where

it operates.

“As a major stakeholder, we are excited to partner with HNI to create a huge platform that offers a plethora of opportunities to enable millions of Nigerians across various communities to lead better and healthier lives. We are confident that the 321 initiative will help transform lives in many locations across the country,” Ogunsanya, who was represented by the company’s HR Director,” Gbemiga Owolabi.

The Country Manager HNI Nigeria, Harriet Blest, said: “By turning simple mobile phones into search engines, Human Network International and Airtel are giving Nigerians an entirely new way to access information using technology they already own.”

“Nigerians with little or no literacy can still leverage the service, and that makes it an incredibly powerful tool. We are delighted to have partnered with Airtel on this and look forward to reaching millions of Nigerians,” Blest added.

The 3-2-1 Service provides public service information that are all relevant to both individuals and communities across Nigeria.

Chinazor Megbolu A global player in network and endpoint security, Sophos Intercept X has announced a next-generation endpoint security product that stops zero-day malware, unknown exploit variants and stealth attack. The company, during the launch in Lagos recently, also said the package includes an advanced anti-ransomware feature that could detect previously unknown ransomware within seconds. Sophos Intercept X installs alongside existing endpoint security software from any vendor immediately boosting endpoint protection by stopping malicious code before it executes.

The Senior Vice President, Sophos Intercept X, Mr. Dan Schiappa noted that the company combines four critical security components that information technology (IT) administrators should expect from next-generation endpoint protection.

He hinted that it has a signature less threat and exploit detection anti-malware and anti-hacker defense that blocks zero-day, unknown and memory resident attacks and threat variants without the need for

file scanning. Schiappa further explained that anti-ransomware innovation that identifies and intercepts malicious encryption activity, blocks ransomware before it could lock and cripple systems and could roll back maliciously encrypted files to their pre-attack state.

“The degree visual analysis of attack events that shows where the attack came in, what it affected, where it may have stopped and recommended actions to prevent a similar attack in the future, “he said.

He, however, said that Sophos Clean powerful utility hunts for and removes any trace of spyware and deeply embedded, lingering malware.

“Sophos is a next-generation security company that has stayed at the forefront of the industry by understanding the threat landscape, changing business needs and customer challenges. Using big data analytics along with our deep understanding of threat patterns, attack vectors and criminal motivations, we designed Intercept X from the ground up to recognise malicious behaviors and stop potential attacks much sooner in the kill-chain, without the need for updates or signatures,” he said.

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Obabori: Companies Need to Rejuvenate to Survive the Recession The new Managing Director, Red Star Express, Mr. Olusola Obabori, in this interview with Raheem Akingbolu, spoke about the strength of his company and expressed confidence its management team to withstand the economic downturn in the country You were recently named managing director of Red Star Express Limited, what are your plans to take the brand to the next level?

It is a mixed basket of joy because it comes with serious responsibilities. One can be joyful of clinching a bigger position, but it is important that the occupier is conscious of delivering on the expectations. There are big tasks ahead as I have already put the euphoria of been appointed the GMD behind and have settled to do the work before me. In terms of plans for the future: I have met a very good company on ground that has done very well in the environment.

Red Star has gone through many phases and it is a listed company on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) which puts us in the public domain. Therefore, we must not let down those who have put their investments here. That is why my number one role is to secure what is on ground and build on the foundations that have been laid in the last twenty-four years.

So, we are looking at business expansions in various areas. We are looking at various innovations and technologies to drive our businesses and we are doing serious investments in the company for future stability. One of the things we have found in companies like this is that for your future growth we must consider the strategic investment areas. That is the way we are building a future for those that will later take over.

What are the company’s plans for indigenous business acquisitions?

As a businessman you keep your ears and eyes wide open to opportunities. So, Red Star Express will respond with regards to opportunities. At the global level it is happening in our industry; companies have to ‘swallow’ other companies.

Such acquisitions have happened a lot in the banking sector in the last ten to fifteen years.

Some of them are done voluntarily, while others are through enforcement or policy direction.

When government says you must have certain level of capitalisation, people may have to respond by ‘swallowing’ smaller companies.

In our industry it is usually voluntary. We are open to business opportunities and will keep monitoring situations in the industry.

Considering the current economic situation and the competition in the industry, do you think Red Star would be able to maintain its position?

To address the current situation, I may need to dwell a little on where we are coming from.

Red Star was founded in 1992; a very turbulent economic period also in Nigeria. In 1998, there was global economic meltdown but we weathered the storm and came out stronger. This is eight years after that cycle that saw the collapse of many banks. Therefore, permanent rejuvenation and focus are core areas that companies must emphasis. Because if you dabble into various businesses to stay alive; even diversification can kill your business. I have studied many companies and when you are a master of one trade, you also get yourself into trouble.

For us in Red Star, one of the keys that have taken us thus far is focus. Red Star is a much focused company I met and I have inherited as the CEO to run the affairs. Since 2008 we have had a bit of compartmentalisation of our business leading to- Red Star Fright (RSF); Red Star Express (RSE); Red Star Support Services (RSSS) and Red Star Logistics (RSL). So, we have four companies within Red Star Group.

You just spoke about being focus, why then did the company ‘unbundled’?

The purpose of the compartmentalisation is to ensure that the entities can focus on the area of growth that we consider core for the business segment. For example, freight is a mega area of expansion. Sea freight market is huge, even though in Nigeria we are going through economic recession. In other words, the volumes of goods have gone down substantially.

Obabori

The Customs Service even confirmed that the volume of exports has depreciated by a very wide margin. Also from the airport side, as an import dependent economy, the volume has reduced, which means for us to go up we have to deepen what is on ground. For instance, the RSSS is engaged in outsourcing services for the banking sector. I see companies outsourcing some of their services to enable them focus on core competencies. We have offices nationwide; so, there is a structure already in place to help companies manage services they can’t handle, and definitely, it is cheaper for them. If you run a chemist company, must you run a dispatch session to be able to distribute your goods from company-to-company and homes? It makes a lot of economic sense for you to ‘offload’ that aspect of the business, because by the time you start buying trucks and other machinery, recruit staff, of course you are going to pull yourself down. We have seen that happen to many companies who ended up burning their fingers. So, looking at these opportunities we created those divisions in our business to address the needs in our current economy. And we are responding well to the challenges. In fact, if you want to do well in Nigeria look at the banks; they are deploying technology to equip their businesses and drive down costs. If you do same with your business the results will show you made the right decision.

Can you please assess the postal industry in the country?

The industry is a reflection of total state of the economy. If the economy does very well, it will also benefit from it. If the power sector runs very well, what will happen? Production will improve substantially. To us, there will be more goods to deliver from one location to another.

The industry is not operating in isolation of the rest of the economy; we are part of it. We oil the machine of distribution from the point of production to the level of consumption. That is our job; intermediaries from the time the raw materials are sourced to the end production. As the middlemen, whatever happens at the two ends, we will take a share of it. Whether they do well or not, the impacts rest with us. To a large extent, the industry needs re-organisation, but it does not imply that we are not contributing to the economy. I cannot boast that we have done better; we are reflecting the state of the economy in a larger scale. If you consider the investments in the industry, the workforce, taxes payable to the government-P.A.Y.E, corporate taxes; and structures put in place we have contributed to scaling-up of the economy. We need to put up the figures together to understand what the industry is contributing to the economy in general. There are people who are licensed today to just do

delivery. They operate without belonging to any association, because today if you can acquire a truck or two you have started operation With that, don’t you think the industry would encourage quackery?

No! they have licenses to operate but chose not to belong to any association, because they don’t want the challenges of unionisation. We were in a meeting few days ago and some of them are not willing to participate, because there are pressures they may not be able to face. This is so because many companies have gone down as a result of unionism.

But it is believed in some quarters that it is easier for government to checkmate operators through groups or unions. What is your take?

There is freedom of Association. Government cannot compel people to join associations. In the days of President Obasanjo people choice to join either the Nigeria Labout Congress (NLC) or the Trade Union Congress (TUC). And some people have the third option to remain un-unionised What are the challenges militating against postal sector growth?

There are many of them. I have mentioned the issue of infrastructure. The cost of moving goods, ordinarily, should be cheaper than they are today but the roads are bad. This ought to be a forgotten issue in Nigeria.

There are issues with the airlines canceling flights at will; I do not have an aircraft to move my goods from one part of the country to another, so I rely on the commercial airline.

We all witness daily how some of them shut down operations and ‘resurrected’ the next day.

I was to travel to Kano the other day; I was already at the airport and they announced the flight was canceled. Later that evening it was in the news that the airline was almost going to shut down operations indefinitely, but the next day, they resumed operations. You can see what that does to the economy. A lot of people had meetings and appointments to keep. If there was life and death situation involved, probably, life would have been lost. So, the larger economy feels the impact. The naira-dollar impasses are major issue to all of us. I have international remittances to do; the volatility of the exchange rate does not help matter.

There is a belief that some operators involve in drug-smuggling activity Honestly, the industry is properly organised, a lot of the operators play according to the rules.

The issue about postal companies or individuals aiding drug-pushers to courier their parcel is more of organised crime. No sane courier company will engage in drug-smuggling activity. It is a big

(organised) crime. If you go to Cuba and rest of South American countries, you will see how they use money to mesmerise people to carry drugs to places. It is a mega-business, bigger than the courier industry. There is no money in courier compared to the drug smuggling drug business; if ‘we’ (courier companies) are engaged in such we would have been richer than we are today. We are focused on serious business not organised crimes. However, it is not impossible to find Nigerians and other people who would want to smuggle in banned substances; just like they do through the system.

Even some carrying their own bags, bought tickets and pretend to be ordinary travelers but stack their luggage with drugs and they are caught. How about those that ingest it; that is not even a courier company; how much of that can a courier company carry. I have not seen a courier company that can carry five kilograms of anything, but people do it. There are situation people try to cheat the system and on our own we reported them to the government. Red Star has been given awards for helping government to track or arrest drug smugglers. We welcome (almost on daily basis) officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) or NADFAC to work cordially towards to rid the system of banned substances.

Can you please speak about Red Star’s expansion?

We have about 170 offices and agencies across the country. In terms of growth projection, the four pillars that I mentioned earlier, we are trying to deepen what each of them is doing currently.

Through RSSS we are providing shuttle services for banks and other organizations. We are trying to deepen such operations without having to mingle into what is not our operational area.

People want faster service; technology helps to offer faster services and cut costs.

What is the situation with the industry’s operations in North East where the Boko Haram activities are slowing down business?

Gradually, things are returning to normalcy in major part of the North East. Of course, at the height of the Boko Haram bombing, a lot of people closed shops, we didn’t close down rather scaled down operations. We see it as part of the hazards of our job; sometimes, people do riot but we have to continue on our efforts to serve the public. We are also very security cautious. It is also heartwarming that 21 of the Chibok girls have been released while our security operatives have rescued some. It was so challenging that banks shut down for some days; offices shut down, yet we went there to deliver goods.

24 years after, how can you describe the growth of the company?

It has been a long journey. Twenty-four years is also a length of time in the history of the company; we have seen it together. I have been here for seventeen (17) years; which means I have also witnessed ups and downs in those years.

It is such a journey that has been rewarding to a very large extent, considering the amount of issues Nigeria has dealt with over the same period.

As I said during the anniversary: the owners/ founders of this great company have done a great job, because, naturally, the mortality rate for companies is typically five years. I can mention many companies that came up during the same time Red Star Express was established, they struggle to stay alive for five years and thereafter, they fizzled away; not because the owners didn’t have good intentions.

But, when you confront some issues that are bigger than you at some points, an economic circle that is tougher than you can contend with, sometimes, the best option is to give up and walk away from the fight. So, staying around for this long means we are committed, focused and favoured by God.

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Early Warning: CSOs’ Drive on Conflict Prevention in Africa Abimbola Akosile reports on the vital deliberations and outcomes of a regional meeting of Inter-Governmental Organisations (IGOs) and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) towards the effective implementation of Early Warning systems for conflict prevention across Africa

A

consultative workshop on African Union/Regional Economic Communities-Civil Society Organisations (AU/REC-CSO) engagements towards the effective implementation of continental and regional Early Warning systems (EWS) was held recently in Lagos, Nigeria.

The two-day forum, with a theme ‘Enhancing IGO-CSO engagement towards the effective implementation of Continental & Regional Early Warning systems’, was organised by the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Participants were drawn from WANEP’s Peace Monitoring Centre, ECOWAS PAPS Department, (Early Warning Directorate and Department of Political Affairs including the Commissioner for PAPS), the Continental Early Warning System (CEWS) of the AU, CEWARN of IGAD, Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU) and CSOs from Eastern, Southern, Central and Northern Africa, NPI; PSIA; GIZ; PSIA; WANEP and the media.

Proper Concept The fragility of peace and stability in Africa demands vigilance and close monitoring of the state of security. The various civil wars and violent conflicts on the continent give impetus to the need for an effective multi-stakeholder’s system that can track them and other emerging conflict trends.

In order to achieve this, experts believe a multi-sectorial approach to early warning and early response that is centred on the people is imperative. Also, the need for effective multi-tiered, multi-national and multi sectorial platform that enhances human security, peace and development has been recognised worldwide as the panacea to violent conflicts and humanitarian crises.

Effective people-centered early warning systems are in great demand for several reasons: More intra state conflicts are emerging and replacing the traditional interstate conflicts; ending armed conflict and disasters which has devastating consequences to human security is fostered by the development of preventive mechanisms that respond to climate change, rapidly expanding urbanisation and increasing environmental degradation, all of which contribute to the risks of conflict and disaster threats.

The objective of people-centred early warning systems is to empower individuals and communities exposed to hazards to act in sufficient time and in an appropriate manner to reduce the possibility of personal injury, loss of life and damage to property and the environment.

In this regard, legal frameworks and policies at both state and IGO level have continued to be restructured to shift from the traditional state –centric early warning to a more people approach. This has raised the crucial role and contribution of civil society in the prevention and mitigation of conflict particularly at the community, national, regional and continental levels. Within the African context, various legal and normative frameworks and instruments geared towards the operationalisation of effective Early Warning and Response mechanisms at both the continental and sub-regional levels have been developed.

In line with the critical role of civil society to human security discourse, it is imperative for RECs and the African Union to seek opportunities for collaboration to address the broader goal of peace and security within the continent. The WANEP–ECOWAS collaboration represents a good practice of IGO-CSO partnership.

Through the operationalisation of Early Warning System otherwise known as ECOWARN, a broader preventive approach to peace and security has been achieved in West Africa. The data collected

An avoidable scene of conflict in Nigeria and analysis and policy recommendations made

by WANEP and ECOWAS have been vital in curtailing potential threats to peace and security in various countries across West Africa.

Although much of the challenge of operationalising effective early warning systems between AU and RECs have revolved around funding and obstacles posed by state sovereignty, the seeming absence of an effective framework that would facilitate CSO contribution to IGOs such as the AU and the RECs remains a major challenge.

For instance, the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) recognises the role of CSOs for the attainment of its 2016-2020 roadmap.

The operational limitation of IGO is an obstacle to the effective engagement of CSOs in peace and security at the regional and continental levels. Nevertheless, the impact and expertise of CSOs is in invaluable to the furtherance of effective Early Warning mechanisms in Africa.

It is widely accepted that collaborative effort amongst IGOs, sub-regional groups (RECs) Civil Society Groups and Research Centres is critical to the development of effective strategies for Early Warning and Response.

Famine Alarm As if the highest inflation figures in 11 years were not enough sad news, millions of Nigerians now face a real prospect of famine in the land of plenty as early as January 2017. The Ministry of Agriculture has warned President Muhammadu Buhari that Nigeria, which is Africa’s largest producer of cereals and grains, risks famine from early next year following a huge demand in the global market that is targeting the country’s surplus production.

According to the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, “Over the past year, providence has blessed Nigeria with

While CSOs in most RECs have been engaged on ad hoc basis in Early Warning and conflict prevention, WANEP’s formalised partnership with ECOWAS on the operationalisation of its Early Warning and Response System (ECOWARN) provides justifiable case on the impact a structured CSO–IGO collaboration.

The workshop involved presentations and sharing of experiences of Early Warning mechanisms and operations at the REC and the continental level. This was followed by breakout sessions to deliberate on strengthening legal instruments and frameworks for CSO-REC engagements in Early Warning and improving the functionality of Early Warning and Response Systems at the REC and Continental level through CSO-IGO collaboration.

Vital Remarks In opening remarks by the Executive Director, WANEP, Mr. Chukwuemeka Eze, he appreciated the African Union and ECOWAS for the opportunity given to WANEP to demonstrate CSOs capacity and capability to contribute and accompany the state in its quest for peace and

stability in Africa. Eze noted that the Lagos meeting was a revalidation of the confidence in the WANEP-AU-ECOWAS partnership for peace and security in West Africa and Africa in general. “We are yet to fully tap into the potentials of early warning mechanisms, which that have been availed to us at the level of the African Union and at the Regional Economic Communities. Early warning leads to early action and thereby plays an important role towards conflict prevention.

“We are hoping that the opportunity offered by this workshop strengthens our approach across the regional blocs and at the continental level of learning from one another and brainstorming on best approach to CSO-IGO partnership for early warning and response taking cue from the ECOWAS-WANEP experience. Let us realise that without a bottom up approach created by a people-state collaboration to peace and security, we cannot win the “new war” that threatens our countries and the continent.

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

RANDOM THOTS a bountiful harvest of grains, more than enough to feed the country and to export to other countries. At present, there is a high demand for grains from Nigeria, from African countries as distant as Libya and Algeria, and from places as far away as Brazil. However, a massive rate of exportation could lead to a shortage of grains in Nigeria by January”.

If truth be told, the free market situation that Nigeria currently enjoys, which has resulted in over 500 trucks leaving Nigeria every week for markets beyond the borders from major grain markets in Sokoto, Kebbi, Kano, Jigawa and

Borno states, must be balanced against the moral obligations that farmers and exporters have to make their produce available for the local population first of all before export. Even though the President is not against export of grains, but this should not be at the detriment of the citizens who also need these same grains that are being exported wantonly.

It would be a cruel irony if Nigeria would rather let her citizens starve than ensure local access to export grains. Charity begins at home…

Abimbola Akosile

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Local plant crippled by lack of funds

How Can Nigeria Check Capital Flight?

Analysts have prescribed huge spending - especially on capital projects - as a way out of the current economic recession facing the country. However, most of these vital funds are domiciled in the private sector where ironically companies are folding up daily while others are relocating their operations and funds to more economically stable countries like Ghana, with resultant capital flight out of a cash-starved economy here in Nigeria. To your informed mind, how can the current administration check capital flight and get the economy back on track with injection of cash and capital projects?

Abimbola Akosile * Government must improve the investment climate to encourage investors to not only invest but stay, and offer tax holidays based on volume of investment /proposed investment.

2. Exploit local talent by doing and offering credit facilities to local entrepreneurs. The local entrepreneurs/SMEIs are the bedrock of our economy. Besides a large consumer population, the growth of local enterprise is a key factor in attracting FDI from multinationals. A thriving SMEI scene is a clear sign of a healthy, stable economy which is what attracts FDI e.g. U.S Silicon Valley, Singapore, India, China, our fledging Yaba ICT enclave.

- Mr. Utibe Uko, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State * Huge chunks of public funds have been hidden away in foreign banks by elites. Such open or clandestine, legal or illegal movement of large sums of money from Nigeria to foreign banks due to our poor economy is unpatriotic, murderous and criminal. Huge sums of cash have been corruptly and systematically looted from Nigerian treasuries and illegally stashed away in foreign banks. Over time our economy deteriorated, resulting in inflation and recession. Many investors are withdrawing their monies in chunks and relocating their much-needed services to countries of stable or higher economies. Such tax evaders and asset protectors are criminal violators of the nation’s law for which they must be dispossessed of these wealth which must be duly returned to the right sources in Nigeria. Culprits must all be punished severely. Custodians of such stolen monies, wealth must repatriate same back to the rightful sources please. We must liberalise our economy urgently to leave the woods. Local production and consumption must be encouraged too. Further delay is dangerous please.

- Mr. Apeji Onesi, Lagos State * The government of the day should encourage meritocracy rather than the ‘my brother syndrome’ they are employing today.

- Mr. Mark Clement, Calabar, Cross River State * It is indeed disheartening to hear or see our indigenous companies being folded up over the years. Our textile industries, the greatest employers of labour that were supposed to have been revived since this regime came into power are still abandoned. To check capital

THE FEEDBACK Top tip:

Retrieve stolen funds

Second:

Improve investment environment

Third:

Protect local economy, production

Radical tip:

Hang looters!

Total no of respondents:

11

Male:

8

Female:

3

Highest location:

Lagos (5)

flight, funds that are domiciled in the private companies should be retrieved and pumped into these moribund indigenous companies which can then bounce back to help support our nation’s growth process. The worst thing is that businesses are folding up when imports to the country have been banned. Let us seriously pray for our country.

- Hon. Babale Maiungwa, U/Romi, Kaduna * Government can start by really going after those criminals who had looted the treasuries in their ‘service to the fatherland’ and stashed such funds abroad. You would be amazed at the billions in foreign currencies stashed in numbered accounts in banking enclaves around the world by Nigerian looters, some of which are lost forever once the looter dies. If these funds can be recovered after the necessary procedures and looters hanged publicly, potential looters will desist from toeing the same corrupt path.

Secondly, the federal government should step up bi-lateral or multi-lateral agreements with some of these looters’ destinations, whereby any ‘loot’ coming from Nigerians into their countries can be flagged for Nigerian authorities to track and recover same. Thirdly, government must put in the necessary basic infrastructure, incentives and operating environment for the existing industries and companies to survive and to help revive vital moribund industries like textiles. This will help keep the capital here and also guarantee jobs for unemployed Nigerians. Lastly, government must spend its way out of this recession, through massive investments in capital projects and agriculture; to create a positive ripple effect.

- Mr. Olumuyiwa Olorunsomo, Lagos State * The immigration personnel at all our entry and exit points road, sea, air, should deny capital from emigrating, not so? Good question; have a good laugh.

- Dr. Patrick Ekeji, Abuja * Capital flight is an open or clandestine, legal or illegal movement if large sums of money from an economically or politically unstable country to a stable one (country), causing all the challenges in Nigeria today.

Continual capital projects’ investment and implementation, its monitoring and fixing, in addition to regulation, frequent auditing or checking and balancing e.t.c. will lead Nigeria out of the woods of this recession.

Nationwide small-scale and micro industries especially at the grassroots are vital. Complete loot recovery is paramount. The three arms of government must truly unite to accomplish all these goals and more. Unity is strength and it is all we need to revamp the economy.

- Miss Apeji Patience Eneyeme, Badagry, Lagos State * Capital projects vary e.g. roads construction, building of social infrastructure e.t.c. Borrowing money to fund such projects ends up in private pockets of cabals, as such projects do not generate revenue and end uncompleted, but funding projects such as construction of railway lines, building of industries. And textiles e.t.c. could be accepted. Previous bad experience proved lack of financial control by the three arms of government. Unless we have competent leadership with the love to move the country forward as one entity, devoid of tribal, religious or ethnic sentiments, corruption will continue to becloud us.

- Mr. Dogo Stephen, Kaduna * Capital projects’ execution is not Nigeria’s problem, but did they (all actors and stakeholders) follow due process in the implementation of past projects? The truth of the matter is that we don’t value projects before execution, and at the end this loophole will affect the people and worsen their plight.

- Mrs. Ijeoma Nnorom, Lagos State * Protectionism is the way forward. There is no country in the world that has developed that doesn’t practice one form of protectionism or another. Government must make a deliberate

decision to give domestic industries all they need in terms of support not bailout. For example, tax holidays for troubled companies, protecting home-grown agriculture and processing companies through increasing tariffs on imported food items which will easily meet domestic demands such as tomato paste. Government should start patronising local companies for things like furniture, road construction, and fabric e.t.c. so we know that indeed change begins with the promoter of the concept.

- Mr. Buga Dunj, Jos Plateau State * The diversification of the economy, infrastructure development and security will attract investments and do Nigeria a lot of good both in the short and long-term.

- Miss Nkeiruka Abanna, Lagos State

Next Week: Can Skilled Returnees be Reabsorbed in Nigeria?

With the looming fallouts from the exit of Britain from the European Union (Brexit) and the upset victory of the United States president-elect Donald Trump, many skilled (and unskilled) Nigerians resident abroad especially in the US and UK - are apprehensive about their status, and there are talks of some of them returning home to Nigeria to begin new lives in their fatherland. To you, does Nigeria have the required environment and capacity to re-absorb these skilled returnees, who have the potential to help turn around the economy positively? What can be done to ensure the right setting for the returnees to successfully deploy their valued skills? please make your response direct, short and simple, and state your full name, title, organisation, and location. Responses should be sent between today (November 17 & Monday, November 21) to abimbolayi@yahoo.com, greatbimbo@ gmail.com, AND abimbola.akosile@ thisdaylive.com. Respondents can also send a short text message to 08023117639 and/ or 08188361766 and/or 08114495306.

Collated responses will be published on Thursday, November 24

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Local motorcycle assembly, repair park in Lagos

ABIMBOLA AKOSILE

Ambode: Lagos Key to Economic Reconstruction of Nigeria Says economic diversification should promote MSMEs Gboyega Akinsanmi Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode has noted that the state was critical to the economic reconstruction of Nigeria, a role he said it had started to play as Africa’s fifth largest economy.

Ambode added that Nigeria should channel her diversification efforts to basically promote Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs), which he described as the engine of economic growth.

He made the remark at the 2016 Lagos International Trade Fair held at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Onikan recently, where he said the MSMEs “is a gold mine waiting to be fully explored in the country.”

Ambode, who was represented by the Deputy

Governor, Dr. Oluranti Adebule, addressed the fair alongside President of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Chief Nike Akande, and the Commissioner for Commerce, Industry & Cooperatives, Mr. Rotimi Ogunleye.

He said the state government “will not stop being a pathfinder in the drive for Nigeria’s economic reconstruction. With a population of 22 million, Lagos State has, over the years, amassed great public trust and investors’ confidence as indicated in several world economic reports.”

He described the economic reports as an acknowledgment of the impact of the effort, which he said, had been made in the past to create enabling business environment and standard of living.

He noted that the state government “have channelled our efforts towards the development of such sectors as agriculture, manufacturing, wholesale & retail trade, building & construction and service,” which he said, were largely dominated by the teeming creative MSMEs. He disclosed that his administration “has been promoting the expansion of the MSMEs. The MSMEs are indeed a catalyst of any meaningful sustainable economic development. In this regard, we have been providing market access for MSMEs, especially through sponsorship to trade fairs.

“To achieve meaningful and sustainable growth, our diversification effort must be centred largely around the MSMEs. I see this sector as a gold mine that is yet to be

fully harnessed. In Lagos, We are making effort to encourage business by creating the enabling environment.

“This administration will remain committed to the growth and sustenance of this all-important sector that can catalyse non-oil economic growth in Lagos State and Nigeria at large,” he said.

Aside that, the governor explained that much effort had also been made “to secure the state and further create conducive environment. We have stepped up the security apparatus in our state to deal decisively with those criminal tendencies.

“The protection of all physical, social and economic assets, whether public or private has remained a focal point for the state government. With respect to landed properties, we have

also stemmed the menace of land grabbers through the enactment of Properties Protection Law. “I recently signed a law which has criminalised the activities of land grabbers with prison terms ranging from two to ten years upon conviction.

Efforts are being intensified to deal with the issue of traffic and forestall losses arising from traffic challenge.”

Also at the trade fair, Akande, the President of LCCI, emphasised the need for Lagos State to improve on the environment of doing business, though acknowledged that the state had tried in the past.

She said: “We would always advocate for a conducive business environment where private businesses can thrive.

The private sector has a bigger capacity to create jobs and lift

people out of poverty.

“We look forward to a Lagos State that would be the pride of Africa. Let me use this opportunity to congratulate Governor on proactive and visionary leadership offered by him to the people of Lagos State.”

Ogunleye provided background to the 2016 trade fair, noting that the annual international trade fair had continued to provide a platform for small businesses to showcase their potential over time up till now.

According to him, this is one of the ways in which the state government is promoting and providing network platform for our MSMEs to stimulate demand for their products and services and ultimately facilitate the enhancement of their productivity.

Communities Laud UNICEF over WASH Project Initiatives Chinazor Megbolu Due to the tremendous health benefits being recorded, communities in Kolokuma -Opokuma and Brass Local Government Areas of Bayelsa State have commended the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) over the Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) initiative in the area.

In a chat with THISDAY, during a field trip, a community personality recently commended the WASH Unit an arm of UNICEF for the

great impact the programme has made on the indigenes.

Paramount Ruler and King, Akanranbiri Community under Kolokuma-Opokuma LG, Mr. Malick Tuduowei Pamosai during the chat said UNICEF did a good job with the introduction of Bio Sand Water filter, which led to taking of clean and safe water, and at the same time, saved a huge amount of money.

“I and my family have saved a lot for that purpose because we no longer take sachet or bottled water since this Bio

Sand Water filter was introduced to us,” Pamosai said. He also added that their healthy lifestyle has also improved unlike before when they were prone to all kinds of sicknesses and diseases.

Meanwhile the Chairman, WASH Community GbaranMma town; Mr. Raphael Weris in his appreciation, noted that the area was backward in the area of water sanitation and open defecation until UNICEF came to their rescue.

He pointed out that progress has been made since the

introduction of WASH to the communities because they have been enlightened on how to keep their environment and water clean by constructing toilets for their use.

“Through them, there was enlightenment on how to keep our water clean by making use of toilets instead of defecating and throwing it into the water as was the order of the day before the WASH awareness campaign,” he said.

Weris disclosed that the community in collaboration with UNICEF dug several

boreholes towards improving the community’s clean water consumption for years now and that life has been better ever since. At Sambo-Ama community in Twon-Brass the story was no different as a lot of the inhabitants applauded the WASH projects in the area. One of the community members, Mr. Bennett Inemo said proper hygiene has been brought to them with the introduction of WASH projects.

“Before the initiative, we used to defecate in the open and sometimes in the water

but that’s a thing of the past now because we dig and bury it in the ground anytime we defecate,” he said.

On safe drinking water, Inemo posited the idea has also saved him and his family a lot of money because they no longer buy from sources they do not know how it was produced but now drink from rain water after treatment. On hand washing, he averred that they used to think that washing of hands without soap was okay but found out germs still harboured there.

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DEVELOPMENT QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Nigeria’s transition from malaria control to elimination would provide a compelling opportunity for Nigeria to reflect on its aspirations, take stock on the progress, and inspire bold, innovative approaches with complementary public private partnerships to disrupt poor malaria outcomes. The private sector could play an important role in mobilising domestic resources, and advocacy platforms to catalyse progress in achieving Nigeria’s malaria pre-elimination agenda” - PRESIDENT OF DANGOTE GROUP, ALHAJI ALIKO DANGOTE, SPEAKING AT THE LAUNCHING OF A PRIVATE SECTOR ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY AGAINST MALARIA (PSESM) IN LAGOS Lagos Tasks Stakeholders, Private Sectors to Invest in ICT Devt Abimbola Akosile

FG: 70% of Water Projects Relied on Foreign Exchange for Execution Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The federal government has said it was aware that between 60 and 70 per cent of water scheme projects in the country relied on foreign exchange to be successfully executed.

It added that based on this, it was becoming difficult for state governments, which have responsibility to provide water to semi-urban areas, to do that effectively.

The Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, stated this while speaking at the opening ceremony of 2016 edition of Water Africa and West Africa building and construction exhibition and seminar held in Abuja recently, with the theme ‘Infrastructure Challenges Facing Nigeria in the 21st Century’, organised by M/S ACE Events Management of the United Kingdom.

The minister lamented what he described as huge percentage of failed water projects across the country, and vowed that the ministry would not allow that to continue.

He noted that “the federal government was aware that 60 to 70 per cent of water scheme projects relied on foreign exchange to be successfully executed and that the situation was why it was becoming difficult for state governments which have responsibility to provide water to semi-urban areas to do so.”

Adamu stressed that it was necessary to have a regulatory framework, which would enable the private sector to take part in developing the water sector; especially in the areas of generation and distribution.

He noted that the country’s industrial sector was suffering as things were not properly planned and managed in the sector. The minister also pointed out that most of the efforts at the ministry were geared towards

Water, the elixir of life rejuvenating and redirecting River Basin Authorities (RBAs) to deliver expected goals.

“Plans are on to commercialise the river basins in the country so that they did not depend on government anymore,” he stated.

The minister, who lamented the impact of inefficient power supply, said his ministry was in the process of creating a unit to evaluate

equipment being used for water projects, and said it was already working with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to ensure that the country did not become a dumping ground for all sorts of equipment that are not useful for the water sector.

He said steps were being taken to look for where to get more energy-efficient equipment to power water equipment in the country.

According to him, “There is potential for new equipment and I hope this conference can take up the challenge on ways to deliver affordable water.

There is huge market for this equipment and I hope some of you will take up the responsibility to establish some of the production lines.”

The managing director of ACE Event Management UK, Tracey Nolan-Shaw said the event was organised to proffer solutions to the challenges facing providers of infrastructure for water and sanitation sector as well as the organisations in the building and construction industry.

Earlier, the Minister for Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola who was represented by Chike Anikammadu, said efforts were being made to motivate the deployment of modern technology for mass production of housing in all the states of the federation and Abuja, using the traditional procurement platform and the contractor finance initiative model.

He said the vision of the building and construction sector included a well-informed private sector that was committed in every aspect of the deal, describing the sector as one that cannot exist without sustained participation of the non-government development partners and other relevant stakeholders.

Acknowledging the vital role Information Communication and Technology (ICT) play in economic development, the Lagos State government has charged stakeholders, private sector operators and well-meaning Nigerians to invest massively in ICT development in the country.

The State added that the ICT sector remains a fast-growing area with limitless possibilities for national and international development, stressing that ICT presently is effectively showing new dimensions to old institutional arrangements.

The Commissioner for Science and Technology, Lagos State, Olufemi Odubiyi, made the call during the recent unveiling of a 16-seater ICT learning centre at Lagos State Model Primary School, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos, which was donated

by SAP, West Africa.

He, however stated that the ICT learning centre would serve the needs of no fewer than 3,000 students in the Ikeja environs, noting that the move was in tandem with the Lagos state government’s determination to provide quality education for public and private schools in the State by ensuring that each pupil acquires the necessary computer knowledge in order to compete with their peers globally.

He said as part of efforts to encourage elearning, the State government established a digital village at Alausa, Ikeja as well as an e-learning centre in CMS, Lagos Island, for interested residents, especially youths. He pointed out that the major goal of the village and the e-learning centre is to raise a new generation of youths who are sufficiently versatile with appropriate IT skills to be positioned for personal development and active participation in nation building.

He said with an estimated shortage of some 2 million IT professionals in the world, there is a need to encourage more people to take interest in ICT, through training and skills development, to deal with the deficit.

He called on all stakeholders in the education and ICT sector, private organisations and well-meaning Nigerians to emulate and replicate the wonderful gesture of SAP Nigeria in identifying areas where ICT is needed and support government’s drive to provide the needed infrastructure and facilities which aid e-learning in all tiers of the education sector.

Also speaking at the event, the Executive Chairman, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Ganiyu Spehin, represented by the Director, Special Duties Department, SUBEB, Mrs. Tola Obadofin, said the e-learning centre was in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adding that it would go a long way in bridging the gap between public and private schools in the country.

“The State government cannot do everything all by itself, stakeholders must join hands to ensure that we build a literate society for the benefit of all,” he said. He enjoined the school to come up with ideas to put the e-learning centre into effective use in order to make the children become more useful to the society and the world at large.

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T H I S D AY THURSDAY,NOVEMBER 17, 2016

HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

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

Nigeria at Risk of Zika Virus With the recent alarm raised by the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control that the Zika virus vector is widely circulating in Nigeria, experts are of the opinion that the government must step up measures against the deadly disease. Martins Ifijeh writes

When Brazil, in June last year experienced an outbreak of Zika virus, a relatively unknown pathogen, not many people referred to it as a public health challenge requiring utmost priority, until it took a new turn and was becoming deadly, forcing the World Health Organisation (WHO) in February 1 this year, to declare it an international health emergency, requiring new and urgent tool to eradicate.

But as Nigerians continue to see it as American and Asian health challenge, recent development suggests Nigeria and other malaria endemic nations are at risk of the deadly virus since its transmitter, the Aedes mosquitois a common strain of the mosquito family known to exist in Nigeria and other countries battling with malaria. In fact, in a more direct statement by the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, Zika virus is already widely circulating in the country.

Shockingly, he said there was the absence of continued surveillance or periodic national surveys, with the epidemiology of the virus still poorly understood in the country.

Though an uncommon disease, it is not strange to Nigeria and Africa at large. In 1960, the country experienced the first human case of the virus, according to WHO records; that is 27 years after it was first documented in monkeys in Uganda, an East African country, known to be a breeding region for mosquitoes, just like Nigeria.

But the world did not take the 76 years old virus seriously because its outbreaks were sporadic and tiny, and the disease seemed to do little harm to humans, until recently with its recent manifestation in South America and Asia, starting with birth deformities in newborn, among other clinical features.

The virus is a disease transmitted by the bite of an infected Aedesaegypti mosquito - the same mosquito strain that causes dengue and other tropical diseases. Experts described it as a strain with white markings on its legs and a marking in the form of a lyre on the upper surface of the thorax. The average wing length of female Aedesaegypti mosquitoes varies greatly between 1.67– 3.83 mm in Peruvian habitat.

According to Ihekweazu, “Previous evidence of

detection of Zika virus in man, and antibodies to Zika virus in Nigerian populations, together with the presence of the vectors indicate that the virus is widely circulated in Nigeria, adding that the majority of those infected with the virus remain asymptomatic and for those who develop symptoms, such as, fever, rash, conjunctivitis, headaches, muscle and joint pains, it typically start three to six days after infection.

“The virus might stay in the body for weeks following infection,” he said. He noted that current epidemiology of Zika in Nigeria has not been well documented or understood due to paucity of recent data, adding that the virus shares a similar vector, the Aedes (Steogmyia) mosquitoes, also responsible for other flavivirus infections recorded in the country, such as yellow fever and dengue.

“The environmental and human behavioural risk factors in areas with reported Zika outbreaks were similar to those found in Nigeria and would thus favour the circulation of Zika virus,” Ihekweazu said.

“Possible cross-reaction with other endemic flaviviruses like yellow fever and dengue; genetic host factors protecting against infection or disease; low vector competence and transmission efficiency; lack of diagnostic testing; and the absence of systematic surveillance are potential limitations to detect on-going transmission of Zika in the country.” Concluding the CEO said all countries with presence of Aedes (Steogmyia) albopictus and Aedes (Steogmyia) aegypti mosquitoes are at risk of sustained transmission and human activity aids the spread of the virus to locations far beyond the normal range for the vector.

He explained that in the light of the review, NCDC plans to initiate surveillance to understand and monitor the epidemiology of the virus in the country for appropriate interventions.

Reacting to the revelation that Nigeria was greatly at risk of the scourge, a virologist, Dr. Alabi Shogunle, said the devastation being presently experienced in Brazil and neigbouring countries should be enough to push Nigeria to guide jealously against the virus in the country.

While explaining that prevention was possible, he called on Nigerians to avoid mosquito bites through keeping their environments free from logged waters, adding that since the country

was a tropical region where mosquitoes were common, there was need for the use of insecticide treated nets in all homes. “This will be about a two way benefit; preventing Zika virus, as well as malaria,” which he stressed were products of mosquito bites.

He said Zika virus could be passed through sexual intercourse, hence, “the consequences of unfaithfulness cannot be limited to HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, but also to Zika virus. Those who can’t stick to one faithful partner should always use condon or abstain,” he added. While warning that those going to Zika virus endemic countries should be cautious of activities that could put them at risk of the disease, he said the country should ensure precautionary measures activated during the Ebola virus outbreak in the country were put back in place. On the symptoms, he said even though it is largely assymptomatic, in the rare case of presentation, symptoms include fever, joint pain, rash, conjunctivitis, muscle pain, headache, adding that the amount of time the symptoms last depends on the severity of the infection.

“Traditionally, when symptoms like these are noticed, it is important to see a doctor, who will diagnose and treat appropriately,” he said.

“People usually don’t get sick enough to go to the hospital, and they very rarely die of Zika. For this reason, many people might not realise they have been infected. Symptoms of Zika are similar to other viruses spread through mosquito bites, like dengue and chikungunya.”

Recall that so far, especially in Latin America and other parts of the Americas, the disease has affected over three million people, with Brazil worse hit by the scourge in the latest outbreak, which has taken a more surprising shape; causing thousands of birth defects.

Over one million people have been infected in Brazil with some of them coming down with symptoms, which includes conjunctivitis, low-grade fever between 37.8°C and 38.5°C, arthralgia, notably of small joints of hands and feet, with possible swollen joints, muscle pain, headache, retro-ocular headaches, cutaneous maculopapular rash, post-infection asthenia which seems to be frequent.

In a more drastic twist, experts believed the infection has caused the malformation of

newborns in affected countries, with some born with little or no foreheads. Earlier in February, the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, urged Nigerians to protect themselves against the virus by using mosquito nets, noting that since the virus was spread through a particular type of mosquito, it was necessary for Nigerians to adhere to the various measures put on ground to prevent mosquito bites. He also called on Nigerians to remain calm, be vigilant and report any suspected case of an acute febrile illness in pregnant women, in particular, to any nearest health facility. Adewole who made this disclosure at a press briefing in Abuja, where he explained that the mosquitoes were active and flying, adding that they bite during the day and early morning.

He said: “Nigerian scientists working in Western Nigeria in 1954 discovered Zika virus in Nigeria.

Further studies in the years 1975 to 1979 showed that 40 per cent of Nigeria adults and 25 per cent of Nigerian children have antibodies to Zika virus, meaning they are protected against this virus.

“Despite the fact that some Nigerians are immune to the Zika virus infection as demonstrated by previous studies, it is important and advisable that Nigerians should be careful and protect themselves from mosquito bites. “There is no vaccine for Zika virus, and no cure other than rest, plenty of fluids and perhaps over-the-counter medication to reduce fevers, aches and pains as previously mentioned. “This, therefore, means that prevention is the most effective means of preventing transmission.

I advise all Nigerians, particularly pregnant women, to avoid travelling to countries infected by this virus in these periods. If however, you are to visit any country where Zika virus is now being actively transmitted, you are advised to protect yourselves from mosquito bites.”

He advised pregnant women considering travel to affected areas to consult their healthcare provider prior to travel and after return, adding that they should also practice personal and household steps to prevent mosquito, including putting mosquito repellant on their clothes and skin, wear long sleeves and pants, and sleep underneath mosquito nets at night, where possible.”

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T H I S D AY THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

NEWS

Fight against Mosquito in Nasarawa Community Many families and households in Aso Pada, a suburb in Nasarawa State, North Central, whose original inhabitants were Gbagyis, but now a multi-cultural setting due to its close proximity to the FCT, are still living in denial of the efficacy of the mosquito treated nets, thereby making it difficult to attain the 2030 year of total elimination of the disease, writes Kuni Tyessi The existing trend in the Nigerian economy has nosedived into what analysts have termed to be recession- a period in which the economic activity of a nation reduces thereby leading to high cost of living. This is however not known to the parasite which is responsible for the spread of malaria which is a common disease in the tropics, with Nigeria as one of the leading countries.

The use of mosquito nets have been adjudged to be the safest way of preventing malaria, which the federal government has treated to curb the spread. However, investigations reveal that many families and households in Aso Pada, a suburb in Nasarawa State, North Central, whose original inhabitants were Gbagyis, but now a multi-cultural setting due to its close proximity to the FCT, are still living in denial of the efficacy of the treated nets, thereby making it difficult to attain the 2030 year of total elimination of the disease.

Suleiman Usman is a community health extension worker and is Head, Primary Healthcare Centre, Aso Pada. He explains in semi-formal English that the treated mosquito nets are usually purchased from registered pharmacies and distributed to pregnant women who come for antenatal, as well as others who register at the healthcare centre . Do they use the nets and how often?

“Many of them tear the nets and put them on their windows. Some of them also put the nets close to stagnant waters and use sticks to support them. With this, they believe that the mosquitoes will die at infancy and will not be able to fly into their homes. For those who do not die at the last stage of their formation, death awaits them when they come close to the windows to gain access,” Usman replies.

There must be a reason for the high level of none compliance despite the fact that malaria is a killer disease, especially in children from zero to five years. What could be responsible and is proper enlightenment given in the importance and use of the treated nets? Usman reveals further.

“Yes, we take our time to talk to the recipient’s of the nets even before distribution and they make us believe that they will adhere to the conditions of usage, and one of them is that they will first of all air the nets outside in a cool atmosphere for some time before taking them in for use. ”However to our dismay, when going round, we will discover that they are using them as they please. Already, the nets have been damaged and we will not be able to retrieve them back to give to others in need. ”If you observe this society closely, you will notice that most of the women are not so enlightened and they quickly believe what their peers tell them concerning things regarding to their health. Some of them who collect the nets but don’t put them at their windows and close to stagnant waters end up dumping them somewhere and not using them at all.”

Patricia Tanko is a young petty trader and is experiencing pregnancy for the first time.

She acknowledges that several teachings have

Insecticide treated nets can prevent mosquito bite

been ongoing at the antenatal clinic of the healthcare facility as pregnant women are always reminded that they are prone to malaria, hence the need for prevention with treated mosquito nets, and or treatment after test.

She’s one of those who finds the use of nets difficult. She spoke through an interpreter.

“They encourage us to register for the nets and they tell us that the use of nets reduces our cost of going to hospitals and buying drugs, but when I use the mosquito nets, I find it very difficult to breathe and that causes so much discomfort. I suspect that the quantity of chemicals used in treating the nets are too much and harmful. ”Apart from that, the heat the net generates is usually unbearable. I have weighed the two options of either being sick as a result of malaria due to mosquito bites, or getting a permanent condition due to meningitis as a result of stuffy air. I have decided to go for the latter which has an instant cure and is common.”

When asked about her understanding of malaria and its effects, as well as the alternati ve she has decided to put in place for refusing to use the net, Tanko said, “I know that malaria is a sickness but it is not a serious sickness because with the right kind of medication, within 2 -4 days, one is relieved unlike the inability to breathe which can lead to death.

“My husband likes it when the net is used but because of the lack of sufficient ventilation, he has also kicked against it. What I do is to close the windows when it is evening and use wrapper to beat out the mosquitoes that

might have come in during the day.

“It might not be completely effective and so I use Sheltox in spraying the room (insecticide commonly referred to with an old brand name) and thereafter, I permanently close the door. However, with the present economy, I don’t spray the room so often. I would have preferred the government to give us Sheltox and not treated mosquito nets.”

Rashidat Ramon, a middle-age business woman who trades in new born wears and mother of six throws more light about the general perception on malaria. She believes that like corruption, it has come to stay and even though caused by mosquitoes, if individuals learn how to and cultivate the habit of taking herbs, a strong resistance will be formed within the body system and the parasite will find it difficult to penetrate the immune system.

“Anybody that does not know the importance of Agbo should learn to take it. It is very good.

It is better than oyibo (orthodox) medicine.

It is good for the body and is straight from source unlike orthodox medicine which goes through several processes and loses its originality. “With constant use of agbo, one cannot be prone to malaria because it boosts the immune system. Why do you think our ancestors lasted and lived longer than us?

Are you trying to tell me that there was no malaria during their time? They did not have mosquito nets during their time which for me is a waste of resources as many people do not use them, even though it might be good and that’s for those who care to use them.

“Oyibo medicine has too many chemicals in it. It is some of the chemicals that cause cancer. In the olden days, our parents hardly suffered cancer except if it was sent to them with the use of juju (charms). But what is happening today? So government should try to promote the use of agbo (herbs) in the prevention and treatment of malaria.

Dr. Godwin Ntadom, a specialist in parasitology and Head, Case Management of the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) insists that the use of mosquito nets cannot be under emphasised. At a recent malaria programme in Lagos, Ntadom said while Lagos State has been able to bring down the rate/ percentage of malaria infection, this laudable feat has been difficult for others and emphasised on the need for improved lifestyle and enlightenment.

“When living in Lagos, you might not have to do a treatment on malaria when you have fever and you must do a test to ascertain it. This is because Lagos has been able to bring down the rate of infection. This can be attributed to lifestyle, enlightenment and education.”

With complaints and non compliance on the use of mosquito nets being on the increase , and recession on the other hand which has made treatment of malaria more expensive than its prevention, constant enlightenment and non-stop advocacy about the dangers of the parasite is a task whose ambers must be continuously fanned, if Nigeria, like other nations must sing the song of victory over its total elimination by the year 2030.

40% of Adult Nigerians Have Sleep Problem Martins Ifijeh The Group Managing Director, Reals Pharmaceutical Company, Pastor Israel Ade Popoola, has revealed that about 40 per cent of adult Nigerians were suffering from one form of sleep disorder or the other.

He said there exist a chronic case of about 10 per cent,

adding that women more affected by sleeplessness than men, adding that the current economic recession was adding its toll, as Nigerians daily struggle to make ends meet.

Stating this during the introduction of Real Night Aids, a new non habit forming, over-the-counter sleep aid for the relief of occasional sleeplessness, in

Minna, Niger State recently, he said sleeplessness was a condition of unsatisfactory sleep, either in terms of sleep onset, sleep maintenance or early waking.

This condition, the pharmacist further observed was a disorder that subsequently impairs day-time wellbeing and subjective and functioning of the affected individuals.

“Sleeplessness may be associated with fatigue, mood disturbances, problems with interpersonal relationships, occupational difficulties and a reduced quality of life and has a negative impact on both physical and mental health.”

Describing symptoms of the health concern, Popoola, a former Board of Fellow Chairman, said delayed sleep

onset, early morning wake ups, un-refreshing sleep, trouble maintaining sleep, were all signs of sleeplessness.

According to him, the Real Night Aid drug, which was formally presented to the public at the 89th Annual Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) conference in Minna, enables users to sleep soundly and wake-up fully

refreshed. No hang-over effect.

Stating that the product was introduced as a result of rising incidence of sleeplessness, also known as insomnia, which is the manifestation of inability to get enough sleep despite adequate time, he said it was also recommended for the treatment of allergic conditions, useful in motion sickness and as Anti Parkinsonism.

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T H I S D AY THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

HEALTH ‘One Million Amputations Occur in People with Diabetes Yearly’

Organisations Partner to Provide Affordable Healthcare to Nigerians

Martins Ifijeh

Rebecca Ejiforma

Due to the high consumption of sugar, over one million people fall victim to leg amputation, with one out of every 10 Nigerians likely to be victims of diabetes, a Consultant, Endocrinologist, Dr. AfokeIsiavwe has said.

She said with about 50 per cent of the population unaware they were living with diabetes, there was need for everyone to avoid the risk factors of the scourge, which she said could lead to amputation.

“Worldwide over one million amputations occur with people with diabetes every year and every second, a limb is lost to diabetes. Patients with diabetes are at 15 – 40 folds higher risk of a lower limb amputation than non-diabetic patients,” she said.

While speaking at the World Diabetes Day held recently in Lagos, she stressed that research shows that about half of newly presented patients with type II diabetes already have one or more complications like foot problem, high blood pressure, stroke, kidney and eye problem, at diagnosis due to late presentation.”

She advises that people living with diabetes should take extra care of their health and check their feet everyday for colour changes, red spots, cuts, swelling, blisters, numbness and choose their foot wears appropriately, while also avoiding walking around without shoes.

“I am also advising Nigerians to screen for diabetes and its complication because early detection would help avoid poor outcome and reduce amputation from diabetes,” she added.

Also lending her voice, the Strategic Accounts Manager for Diabetes Care, Roche Diabetes Care, Mrs. Folashade Olufemi-Ajayi appealed to the government to make a policy that would mandate checking of blood glucose any time patients access health facilities just as blood pressure is checked.

“Then we will be able to detect early those people in their pre-diabetes stage or are down with diabetes, as this will reduce further progression into complications.

“Diabetes patients should always do self monitoring of their glucose level so as to enable them achieve appropriate metabolic control and avoid the risk of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia,” she added.

Meanwhile, the chairman Diabetes Association of Nigeria (DAN) Lagos Chapter, Mr. Hameed Abiodun Afinowi, said the challenges people living with diabetes face in the country were enormous, as the prices of their medications like Insulin, gluco-meter and the stripes were way too expensive and exorbitant for patients.

He therefore urged the government to subsidise and reduce the cost of their medications in order to arrest the menace of the disease in the Nigeria.

LifeBlood Nigeria, in collaboration with High Life Church, International Missions Opportunities (IMO) and Bethel Ministries have provided free medical services to over 3,000 residents of Ajah, Lagos in dental treatment, provision of glasses, surgeries and medical counseling, among others.

LifeBlood Nigeria which was launched last June, aims to address the current gap in the quantity of blood being supplied in the country also used the opportunity that the outreach offered to organise a blood drive.

According to Abiola Okubanjo of LifeBlood Nigeria, the medical outreach was embarked on to save the lives of Nigerians, who ordinarily cannot afford the cost of medicare.

“My organisation will continue to explore many more ways to add value to the lives of the less-privileged in the society.”

As a result of lack of affordable medicare, he noted that many people have died or suffered permanent injury in the country.

Hence, LifeBlood Nigeria is saddened by this and has decided to contribute its own quota to help save lives through outreaches.

A Medical Doctor, Ahjoku Amadi Obi, has launched Hudibia, a digital mobile health application to enable patients access medical experts of all specialities for swift access, quality healthcare and better monitoring of patients’ health across the globe.

Amadi-Obi described the app as an innovative health solution provider that uses emerging technologies to ease the challenges of qualitative and easy access to these experts even in remote areas.

“Hudibia means see a doctor in the Igbo language. This app - which is available on Android, Google Play Store and IOS, uses emerging technologies like mHealth, Tele-medicine alongside wearable technology to deliver sustainable high quality and cost effective healthcare to people anywhere in the world.

“More so, Hudibia comprises gynaecologists, paediatricians, oncologists, dentists, optometrists and shrinks of all specialities as well as pharmacists home and abroad,” he noted.

From his words: “Patients can log on to the platform and register under non-doctors category for free. They will choose any doctor of their choice, open the profile of him and read through. We evaluate

these shrinks before we upload them on the platform.”

Accordingly, Amadi-Obi, who is back home for his people’s health needs, said patients can chat and do live stream video chat with their chosen doctors. “You can book a doctor for a family member in a village, make the payment and leave the contact of the person. The doctor will trace and patient and give him or her home service treatment.

And drugs are prescribed for patients, too.”

On the checks his team has put in place to ensure that patients are satisfied with the services, the expert disclosed that they have got Hudibia team that goes from one place to the other to monitor activities of the medical practitioners registered on their app.

Meanwhile, the platform allows interaction in various local languages like Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa alongside international languages like English, French and Arabic.

“We are trying to eliminate barriers. This way, patients can interact suavely with the experts.”

The app, which already has 1000 users, has got 250 doctors of various categories on board. He added, “Although this project has been since 2014, the solution became active last year.”

He said the donated blood from the blood drive would help support the efforts of international aid agency, Médecins Sans Frontières/ Doctors Without Borders (MSF) with lifesaving blood supplies for the 244,000 people in Borno State who are suffering from acute malnutrition as a result of the Boko Haram conflict.

On his part, Co-founder of IMO, Mr. Bola Adebisi, a Pastor, affirmed that medical volunteers from across the nation and the United States teamed up to make IMO’s slogan, providing surgeries to those who need it most, a reality.

L-R; President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Ahmed Yakasai; Fellow, Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy and Conference Keynote Speaker, Olu Akanmu; and Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole at the Annual Conference of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, in Minna,...recently

Hudibia Mobile App to Give EU Lifts another Three Year Quality Healthcare Services Ban on Beans Exportation Rebecca Ejifoma

“We are, therefore, looking for partners who can sponsor blood drives and provide project funding for our objectives to be achieved.

Our current sponsors include: Australian High Commission and High Life Church. We need more partners in order to achieve this objective,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Pastor of High Life Church, Carlton Williams, said the purpose of the blood drive which held at Bethel Church and High Life Church, Lekki, Lagos, was in response to the acute blood supply shortage being witnessed in Nigeria.

...As NAFDAC assures of better development plan for 2017 Martins Ifijeh The Director General, National Agency for Food and Drug Control (NAFDAC), Dr. Yetunde Oni, has stated that the ban placed on exportation of beans by the European Union due to its claim of being substandard and poisonous has been lifted for the next three years by the union. Speaking during the visit of the Senate Health Committee to the agency, she said this was made possible because the agency has put in place strategic attempt to improvise locally made products in other to suit both local and international demand.

“We are putting our best as an institution to ensure that all leakages are blocked, and we are also ensuring that next year will be better than this year because we have put a lot of strategies in place,” she added.

While calling for the circulating of counterfeit drug to be traced to the activities at the country borders, Oni pleaded with the health committee to facilitate NAFDAC’s return to the border to carry out their duties in order to ensure that counterfeit products were seized from entering the country.

“The unwholesome product

coming into the country comes through porous active border post, and NAFDAC is not at the ports. We are not aware of what is entering into the country. Although we have a strong relationship with the customs and we are always invited to perform our roles, but being at the port used to be the case in the past. We want the Ministry of Health to help us look into it,” she said.

On his part, the Senate Health Committee Chairman, Senator OlanrewajuTejuosho said the health facility tour of various institutions, including NAFDAC was to prepare and ensure a better budget preparation against 2017. He said 2016 budget suffered a lot of paddling as a result of impromptu preparation of the budget which was planned within two to three weeks. He lamented that products under exporting ban were negatively affecting the country as income to be generated from exporting were meant to boost the financial situation of the country.

He called on NAFDAC to ensure that products for exporting meet international standard as this would also increase the inflow of foreign exchange into the country.

National Survey Shows Declining Malaria Rates among Children Martins Ifijeh Nigeria has made important strides towards the elimination of malaria, a 2015 national survey results have confirmed.

According to the 2015 Nigeria Malaria Indicator Survey (NMIS), about one in four children under five years tested positive for malaria, representing a 35 per cent decline since the last Malaria Indicator survey in 2010, when more than 40 per cent of children tested positive for the disease.

The 2015 NMIS was implemented by the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) Federal Ministry of Health, National Population Commission (NPopC) and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

According to the survey, there is a marked decrease in prevalence of the disease among children under five and major improvements in prevention and treatment.

Nigeria accounts for 29 per cent of the global burden of malaria and has the highest number of cases of any country, highlighting the need to focus on treatment as well as prevention.

Nationwide, malaria prevalence varies widely,

ranging from 14 per cent in the South-east Zone to 37 per cent in the North-west Zone.

The results show that the decrease in malaria rates correspond with expanded malaria prevention interventions, as ownership of insecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITNs) has increased over eight-fold since 2008, when only eight per cent of households owned an ITN. Now, 69 per cent households own at least one ITN. The study also showed that over one-third of pregnant women took at least two doses of the SP medication to prevent malaria as part of intermittent preventive therapy for malaria in pregnancy (IPTp).

A downward trend according to the study was observed in health seeking behaviours for children with fever between 2010 and 2015, but a higher proportion of children with fever had their blood tested to check for malaria infection before treatment.

Among children who had a fever in the two weeks before the survey and who received an anti malaria, 38 per cent were given artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT), the preferred regime

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T H I S D AY THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

HEALTH

Investcorp Turns Wellness Health to Provide Quality Services Rebecca Ejiforma Investcorp Medicare Limited, a foremost national Health Maintenance Organisation, has announced its decision to change the name of its company to Wellness Health Management Services Limited for better expert health care and quality service delivery.

This was made known at a press briefing held in Lagos, where the Executive Director,

Wellness Health Management Services limited, Mrs. Adetutu Afolabi said the decision was to rebrand, reposition and excel in the role of providing quality healthcare solution that offer superior services as Investcorp Medicare Limited have been known for since its inception.

She further emphasized that the organisation’s new name is accompanied with a wide-range of improved healthcare services designed to meet the needs of

every client. “We work with our corporate partners through the development of innovation and high quality healthcare solution that offer them superior service experience, more convenience and flexible which ensures that they drive maximum value for their money.”

As an innovative Health Insurance organisation, it assures that it offers its customers a world of unique benefits. They are: flexibility

and convenience, which allows a registered client with a membership card stress-free access to our national network of over 1200 best-in-class primary, secondary and specialist hospital even when they are outside their area of residence.

Afolabi added that with their Seamless Referral System, clients can take maximum advantage of the wide range of medical specialist available within and outside their

network of service providers through their end-to-end referral system.

Meanwhile, Wellness Heath Management Service has put in place a structure called Client Engagement Programme.

“This programme enables Continuous Engagement and Interaction with clients can benefit from regular updates about their health plans and have access to general health information. It, also, includes

a monthly e-newsletter, on-site health talks and health checks and short message service of topical health issues.”

With a highly responsive 24-hour call centre personnel, the ED said that clients were assured of round-the-clock solution to enquire about their scheme eligibility, plan benefits and hospital access issues thereby removing all barriers to quality care and service,” she assured.

NACA to Hold Conference on Key HIV/AIDS Findings As part of build up to marking the World Aids Day (WAD) on December 1st, the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) will on the 29th and 30th November in Abuja, hold a national conference to showcase key findings on AIDS prevention in Nigeria.

The conference, which is tagged: ‘Hands on for HIV prevention’ will have participants from relevant government departments and agencies, research institutions, the private sector, development partner agencies and representatives of people living with or affected by HIV. According to the Chairperson, Organising Committee of the conference, Dr. Akudo Ikpeazu, the event will bring together a range of experts to advance knowledge, present new research findings, as well as promote and enhance scientific and community collaborations. “It will also be a platform for discussions on development of new strategies for addressing HIV, especially in the area of HIV prevention.

“We welcome participants from all sectors: government, business, community, civil society, academia and others.

It is my hope that participants will all take advantage of the

conference and the opportunities it presents for networking, forming new collaborations and strengthening old partnerships to strengthen HIV prevention efforts,” she said.

She said keynote speakers from within and outside the country will be invited for the meeting, as presentations at the Conference have been organised under four knowledge areas including behavioural, biomedical, structural, as well as key populations issues.

“Over 250 participants have already concluded the registration process and intending participants are encouraged to register online, as soon as possible, through the Conference’s website: http://www. hivprevention2016.com.ng/,” Ikpeazu adds.

“To facilitate our planning, registration for participation in the Conference is already underway. I am encouraging any interested individual to visit the Conference’s website and register for this important event as soon as possible,” said Dr. Ogungbemi, acting Director General National Agency for the Control of AIDS. For more information, kindly visit: http://www. hivprevention2016.com.ng/ or www.naca.gov.ng

UNICEF: Two Hundred World Renowned Writers to Mark Universal Children’s Day Martins Ifijeh Over 200 prominent writers including novelists, playwrights and poets, have joined a global literary campaign this week, penning ‘tiny stories’ of around seven lines each to highlight Universal Children’s Day and the injustice many of the world’s poorest and most disadvantaged children still face.

The short story series, which kicks off the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) commemoration of its 70th year working to bring help and hope to children around the world.

According to UNICEF’s the short stories will be shared by some of the world’s most celebrated writers with their own social media audiences.

The First Lady of Finland, Jenni Haukio, introduced the concept, which has gained global momentum with writers joining from Asia, Africa, South America, Europe, the Middle East and Australia.

“As writers, we are able to

advocate through the simplicity of storytelling. With this worthy and necessary campaign, we advocate for the protection of the rights of precious children all over the world,” said celebrated Nigerian author Chimamanda Adichie. The group of writers, whose genres range from fairy tales to fiction, include one of the world’s youngest published authors, seven-year-old South African, Michelle Nkamankeng.

Written in over 10 languages and varying in style, all stories illustrate that the rights of many children are still neglected.

The campaign comes at a time when there are increasing threats to child rights. Over 50 million children have been uprooted from their homes due to conflict, poverty and climate change and millions more are facing unspeakable violence in their communities.

Around 263 million children are out of school and last year, nearly six million children under five died from mostly preventable diseases across the globe.

PREVENTING BREAST CANCER

Members of Staff, Deloitte Professional Services, during the Breast Cancer Awareness Walk in Lagos ...recently

ETOP UKUTT

Lagos Rich Women Use Family Boko Haram: Group to Planning More than Lagos Poor Establish First Trauma Centre Women, Survey Says in Maiduguri Offers scholarship to 111 children of fallen soldiers Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja A group under the auspices of the Fallen Heroes Project, said it plans to establish the first trauma centre in the Northeast, starting with Maiduguri.

It also revealed that it has offered scholarship to 111 children of the fallen heroes nationwide as part of its intervention programme aimed at ensuring that the families of the fallen heroes are catered for.

The National Coordinator of the Project, Dr. Kenneth Kalu disclosed this in Abuja during a courtesy call to the Corp Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps, Boboye Oyeyemi.

Kalu noted that the sacrifices of the fallen heroes who died at the battle front protecting this country had further reinvigorated the need for the campaign.

He promised that his team in a matter of days would pay a visit to the families of Col. Abu Ali and the six other soldiers that died some days ago during a Book Haram ambush to commemorate with them.

Kalu stated categorically that, “the money that is generated from the emblem goes to the

Nigerian Legion, both the donations and the sponsorship the organisation is seeking goes to the legion’s account and it would be used to take care of the children of the fallen soldiers, as well as take care of the injured ex-service men,” “I like to announce to you that organisation is in partnership with the Nigerian Legion and as of course approved by the Minister of Defence, we are doing all things possible so that by next year you will be seeing the first trauma centre in the North -East, starting with Maiduguri,” “We have also given out scholarship to 111 children of the fallen heroes, three from each State of the federation, one widow with empowerment equipment and by next year we would be launching the Nigeria legion scholarship, that would be available to all indigent child that cannot take care of themselves across the nation and the children of the fallen heroes,” Kalu stated.

The National Coordinator lamented that as at 2015 armed forces remembrance day celebration only 17,000 out of 170 million Nigerians wear emblem, stressing that it was not good enough.

Martins Ifijeh

A recent survey by the Performance Monitoring and Accountability 2020-Nigeria (PMA2020-NG) has revealed that Lagos rich women are more likely to use family planning methods than Lagos Poor women.

These family planning methods include the modern system, including pills, condoms, injectables, intrauterine devices (IUDs) & implants and the traditional system, which includes withdrawal and periodic abstinence.

The survey results were disseminated on 25 October at the Lagos State Ministry of Health chaired by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, and attended by over 40 family planning stakeholders in the state, showed that 33 per cent of married women in Lagos State aged 15-49 years were using a family planning method. But the poorest women were more than twice as likely as the richest women to report that they were not using a family planning method, even though they wished to postpone their next birth for at least two years.

According to a member of the survey team, Dr. Funmi Olaolorun, the poor women have an unmet need for family planning.

“These disparities between the rich and the poor are of concern, given the state of

the Nigerian economy and the obvious fact that those who can least afford an unplanned pregnancy due to their economic status will be the most likely to have one if they remain sexually active and do nothing to avoid becoming pregnant.

‘The challenge for the Lagos State government and family planning stakeholders is to find a way to financially assist these poor women to access the family planning methods of their choice, so they can decide (along with their partners) if and when to have children. This is essential because despite the widespread information that contraception is free, the survey showed that 1 in 10 public facilities and 7 in 10 private facilities charge for family planning services.

She said the involvement of the government in particular will ensure that the socioeconomic disadvantage of these poorest women does not push them into further poverty following the addition of another child that they cannot afford to properly look after.

PMA2020 is a quick turnaround mobile-assisted survey that collects data on a regular basis to monitor performance towards the Family Planning 2020 (FP2020) goal of reaching 120 million additional women and girls in the poorest countries with life-saving contraceptives.

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T H I S D AY THURSDAY NOVEMBER 17, 2016

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THURSDAY NOVEMBER 17, 2016 T H I S D AY

T H I S D AY THURSDAY NOVEMBER 17, 2016

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T H I S D AY •THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

FMDQ Suspends Publication of Interbank FX Closing Spot Rate Obinna Chima Considering the liquidity challenges and prevalent disequilibrium currently facing the Nigerian Foreign Exchange (FX) market, the FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange yesterday announced the suspension of the FMDQ Spot FX Closing Rate with immediate effect.

The move according to the Exchange was also to ensure transparency as well as to protect the integrity of the FMDQ Spot FX Closing Rate Methodology.

A statement yesterday explained that the Market Review Committee (MRC) of FMDQ charged with the responsibility of governing all FMDQ Markets, Standards and Benchmarks took the decision.

“Consequently, the daily Spot FX closing rate that FMDQ shall publish, will be the rate of the last available executed trade on the Thomson Reuters NGN=D1 module at 2:00 PM. This will be

referenced the “CBN Closing Rate”. “ In line with FMDQ’s mandate to ensure that all FMDQ benchmarks (including closing prices/rates, fixings, indices etc.) are in line with international best practices, the calculation and publication of FMDQ’s Spot FX Closing Rate shall remain suspended until the general market structure promotes a more transparent and credible price formation,” it explained.

The FMDQ said it appreciates the importance of a market’s closing rate and will therefore continue to ensure the methodology remains as credible as possible. “Consequently, the need for all market participants to play their parts in ensuring an FX Market aligned with global best practice is paramount. In line with FMDQ’s mandate to promote price discovery, there is the need to ensure FX trading activities in the market are fully captured to reflect the required

transparency to all stakeholders.

“FMDQ had been concerned with the significance of confirmed trades on the designated FX Trading System which informed the Market Notice (MN-03) issued yesterday.

However, it has received reasonable assurance that Dealing Member (Banks) [DMBs]/Authorised Dealers will promptly update their inter-Member trades and trades with clients on the designated FX Trading Systems accordingly.

“DMBs are also therefore encouraged to advise their clients to expedite action on the CBN FX onboarding directive for corporates to further enhance the transparency of the market.

Based on the foregoing, DMBs are encouraged to confirm all trades and voice report trades done via other mediums (including telephones) during business hours (i.e. by 2:00 PM daily) on the designated FX Trading System,” it added.

Elumelu to African Youth: Your Time for Leadership is Now Peter Uzoho African business leader and philanthropist, Mr. Tony O. Elumelu yesterday stated that the time for leadership for youths in the country as well as the continent in general is now.

Elumelu, who addressed the students of the Lagos State University, faculty members and officials of the Lagos State government, whilst delivering the institution’s first Distinguished Lecture Series in Ojo, Lagos, spoke on leadership and entrepreneurship.

According to Elumelu leadership is demonstrated at all levels of an institution.

“A leader is simply someone who gets results” he said, challenging the students to embrace leadership, even at an early stage in their lives, “whether you are leading a team of people, or just yourself, your responsibility is to generate, secure or deliver results. I believe you can be a leader at any stage in your life

and career, and in any career path you choose.”

Subverting some of the oftenheld notions about leadership, the UBA Group Chairman stated leadership can be learned, adding that it is important to keep learning and honing one’s leadership skills.

“Just as I seek to democratise luck, with the work of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, so equally I believe every soldier carries a general’s baton in his pack.

The key is self-belief – and an environment that enables” he said. Elumelu is the proponent of Africapitalism and he used the opportunity to discuss the economic philosophy that encourages the private sector to invest for the long term, in sectors that advance the economic and social development of our societies. This philosophy underpins his investments and his belief that entrepreneurship is capable of helping to grow and develop the African continent.

It drives his decision to commit $100 million dollars to identify

and grow 10,000 entrepreneurs on the continent over a 10-year period.

“We need to have entrepreneurs. We need you, all of us entrepreneurs to create jobs for ourselves and create jobs for others otherwise we’re going to run into a serious problem”.

He said to become an entrepreneur one needs need to learn what it takes to be a leader, adding that transforming himself to becoming an entrepreneur did not just happen overnight” “And it’s not an easy process but the fact that we succeeded means that you too can even succeed better. “You have to be extremely disciplined if you want be a successful entrepreneur. You have to be able to make sacrifices and make choices. You have to work very hard. As students you are used to working hard but you need to work extremely hard. Working hard is not just being tedious, but working hard realising that making sustainable success is through hardwork.

German Multinational Launches Initiative to Support Artisans German-based multinational, Bosch Group is set to bring the Bosch Power Box (BPB) concept to African artisans, the informal sector, often the driving force of African economies.

This is a revolutionary initiative designed to create, up-skill and grow small businesses and bring them into the formal, mainstream economy. It is a long-term project designed to foster entrepreneurship and ensure a smooth transition for small businesses from the informal to formal sectors.

Each BPB has managers, technical staff and trainers, all of whom have received dedicated training from Bosch.

In essence, Nigerian artisans will now be able to buy, lease or rent the very latest power tools developed by the world’s market leader and to be used at Bosch Power Boxes. This will contribute a significant

improvement in the quality of the products manufactured, while increasing efficiencies. This will also assist Nigerian artisans in growing their businesses.

Bosch Group has ambitions and plans of establishing ten Bosch Power Boxes with Nigeria being next in line.

Since its launch in Kumasi, artisans have been visiting the BPB to purchase products and services offered by Bosch, while 50 have registered for training.

One can only imagine how positively this will impact Nigerian artisans.

The concept is in line with the company’s ethos of not just providing goods and services globally, but actively contributing to the socio-economic upliftment of developing nations. Bosch is motivated by a need to play a meaningful role in Africa, in particular by creating more sustainable jobs following the

company slogan “Invented for life”.

The President of Bosch Africa, Dr. Markus Thill explained in a statement that “each Bosch Power Box will also provide courses on product application and safety. Economic prosperity is about creating opportunities from the ground up to benefit individuals, communities, countries and the global community, and this is what we at Bosch aim to do.”

“We will provide product application services on how they can use the tools correctly, maintain and service them and ensure a prolonged lifespan.

Another exciting feature is that, through our partnership with Equity Bank, these entrepreneurs will receive financial training and budget management assistance,” said Benjamin Ofori, Regional Sales Director of Bosch Power Box.

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

JUNE 2016 Broad Money (M2)

21,684,965.22

-- Narrow Money (M1)

9,125,933.16

---- Currency Outside Banks

1,379,187.93

---- Demand Deposits

7,746,745.22

-- Quasi Money

12,559,032.07

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

7,105,663.47

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

14,579,301.76

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

24,318,143.03

---- Credit to Government (Net)

2,893,190.01

---- Memo: Credit to Govt. (Net) less FMA

2,893,190.01

---- Memo: Fed. and Mirror Accounts (FMA)

-2,111,487.25

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

21,424,953.01

--Other Assets Net

-9,738,841.27

Reserve Money (Base Money)

5,370,199.87

--Currency in Circulation

1,684,725.89

--Banks Reserves

3,685,473.98 • 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 - 14%

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE AS AT TUESDAY, 15 NOVEMBER 2016 Vienna, Austria, 16 November 2016--The price of OPEC basket of fourteen crudes stood at $41.84 a barrel on Tuesday, compared with $40.94 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

45

T H I S D AY • THURSDAY NOVEMBER 17, 2016

Nigeria’s top 50 stocks based on market fundamentals

16-Nov-16

15-Nov-16

% Change

Capitalisation

EPS

P/E

P/S

Div. Yld

Price/ Book Value

01 Dangote Cement Plc

161.50

161.50

0.00%

2,752,041,945,907.50

9.20

17.55

4.84

4.95%

3.68

02 Nigerian Breweries Plc

142.03

142.31

-0.20%

1,126,170,199,122.64

4.03

35.20

3.73

2.53%

6.87

03 Nestle Nigeria Plc

800.00

814.97

-1.84%

634,125,001,600.00

8.81

90.79

3.67

3.63%

20.09

04 Guaranty Trust Bank Plc

21.50

21.90

-1.83%

632,770,353,316.00

4.90

4.39

1.58

8.23%

1.29

05 Zenith Bank Plc

14.18

14.38

-1.39%

445,202,281,885.48

3.91

3.63

0.94

12.69%

0.64

06 Lafarge Africa Plc

44.10

44.00

0.23%

200,871,169,821.00

-9.39

-4.70

0.94

6.80%

0.99

361.00

361.00

0.00%

199,745,022,993.00 -44.58

-8.10

2.57

4.41%

0.51

48.00

48.10

-0.21%

181,598,220,000.00

0.69

69.35

2.74

0.10%

19.36

9.71

9.52

2.00%

178,174,142,297.65

0.68

14.35

0.30

6.39%

0.28

10 Presco Plc

43.85

43.85

0.00%

174,105,418,423.25

0.03

1,499.67

2.44

2.96%

4.16

11 Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc

15.98

16.50

-3.15%

159,800,000,000.00

2.04

7.85

1.14

0.63%

1.36

12 Access Bank Plc

5.40

5.50

-1.82%

156,211,046,807.40

2.59

2.09

0.44

10.19%

0.35

13 United Bank for Africa Plc

4.23

4.30

-1.63%

153,462,396,342.06

1.75

2.42

0.46

14.18%

0.35

14 Guinness Nig Plc

89.00

89.00

0.00%

134,024,048,732.00

-3.06

-29.10

1.30

3.60%

3.40

15 Forte Oil Plc.

87.02

94.00

-7.43%

113,341,905,583.06

3.31

26.32

0.74

3.96%

2.62

3.06

3.07

-0.33%

109,839,595,943.52

0.21

14.75

0.21

4.90%

0.18

17 Total Nigeria Plc

290.00

290.00

0.00%

98,461,332,730.00

38.02

7.63

0.37

4.83%

4.32

18 7-Up Bottling Comp. Plc

129.36

143.32

-9.74%

82,866,769,357.68

-0.05 -2,832.18

0.89

1.70%

3.73

6.30

6.30

0.00%

75,600,000,000.00

1.03

6.14

0.53

7.94%

1.21

195.00

195.00

0.00%

70,316,076,090.00

19.32

10.09

0.77

3.69%

3.80

21 International Breweries Plc

19.89

19.00

4.68%

65,522,618,179.20

0.02

882.74

2.46

1.26%

5.97

22 Julius Berger Nig. Plc

38.00

38.00

0.00%

50,160,000,000.00

-2.95

-12.90

0.43

3.95%

2.64

23 Flour Mills Nig. Plc

17.94

18.88

-4.98%

47,078,815,134.78

-1.19

-15.04

0.11

11.15%

0.47

3.70

3.89

-4.88%

44,528,089,907.80

-3.15

-1.17

0.17

20.27%

0.28

25 Okomu Oil Palm Plc

42.47

42.47

0.00%

40,512,557,700.00

4.82

8.80

6.16

0.24%

2.51

26 U A C N Plc

17.76

17.76

0.00%

34,114,551,513.12

3.37

5.27

0.45

5.63%

0.45

0.73

0.79

-7.59%

28,266,328,120.25

-0.47

-1.56

0.54

0.00%

0.38

33.74

33.74

0.00%

23,618,000,000.00

2.28

14.77

3.54

3.41%

13.80

29 Wema Bank Plc

0.59

0.62

-4.84%

22,758,934,987.79

0.06

9.90

0.44

0.00%

0.48

30 Custodian And Allied Insurance Plc

3.75

3.81

-1.57%

22,056,990,731.25

0.76

4.91

0.60

3.73%

0.77

31 Fidelity Bank Plc

0.76

0.79

-3.80%

22,011,565,125.92

0.39

1.96

0.15

21.05%

0.12

32 FCMB Group Plc

1.08

1.08

0.00%

21,386,927,643.48

0.61

1.76

0.13

9.26%

0.12

33 Diamond Bank Plc

0.90

0.94

-4.26%

20,844,350,071.20

-0.29

-3.07

0.10

0.00%

0.09

34 Sterling Bank Plc

0.72

0.75

-4.00%

20,729,101,050.72

0.29

2.50

0.19

12.50%

0.25

35 National Salt Co. Nig. Plc

7.51

7.53

-0.27%

19,897,282,218.78

0.85

8.84

1.06

7.32%

2.69

10.57

10.57

0.00%

19,852,595,562.80

0.50

21.17

0.71

12.30%

1.94

1.80

1.80

0.00%

18,900,000,000.00

0.28

6.46

0.94

2.78%

0.90

38 Glaxo Smithkline Consumer Nig. Plc

14.25

15.00

-5.00%

17,041,239,954.00

-2.98

-4.78

0.61

2.11%

1.94

39 PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc

15.77

15.77

0.00%

15,770,000,000.00

5.69

2.77

1.10

0.63%

0.42

40 Continental Reinsurance Plc

1.01

1.01

0.00%

10,476,471,755.12

0.42

2.40

0.47

11.88%

0.56

41 Honeywell Flour Mill Plc

1.04

1.09

-4.59%

8,247,405,564.32

-0.40

-2.57

0.17

15.38%

0.25

42 Skye Bank Plc

0.53

0.53

0.00%

7,356,559,747.30

-2.93

-0.18

0.04

56.60%

0.07

43 Wapic Insurance Plc

0.50

0.50

0.00%

6,691,369,126.00

0.18

2.78

0.85

6.00%

0.41

44 Unity Bank Plc

0.54

0.58

-6.90%

6,312,242,488.68

-0.10

-5.27

0.10

0.00%

0.08

45 Resort Savings & Loans Plc

0.50

0.50

0.00%

5,664,866,202.00

0.03

17.71

3.72

0.00%

1.94

46 Cement Co. Of North.Nig. Plc

4.48

4.48

0.00%

5,629,916,391.68

0.22

20.46

0.51

2.23%

0.52

47 UACN Property Development Co. Limited

2.80

2.80

0.00%

4,812,499,986.00

0.30

9.36

1.14

25.00%

0.14

48 AIICO Insurance Plc

0.58

0.60

-3.33%

4,019,518,598.40

0.22

2.60

0.14

8.62%

0.39

49 Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc

2.36

2.36

0.00%

3,833,156,250.00

0.15

15.62

0.48

8.47%

0.64

50 Fidson Healthcare Plc

1.29

1.23

4.88%

1,935,000,000.00

0.24

5.48

0.29

3.88%

0.30

07 Seplat Petroleum Dev. Co. Ltd 08 Unilever Nigeria Plc 09 Ecobank Transnational Incorporated

16 FBN Holdings Plc

19 Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc 20 Mobil Oil Nig Plc

24 Oando Plc

27 Transnational Corporation Of Nigeria Plc 28 Cap Plc

36 Cadbury Nigeria Plc 37 Mansard Insurance Plc

TOTAL

8,298,755,880,962.83

TOTAL MARKET CAP

8,830,867,852,817.80

% OF MARKET CAP Annotation - MA* = Simple Moving Average

93.97%

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 15-Nov-16

Close 16-Nov-16

Change %

25,857.06 8.90

25,653.14 8.83

-0.79 -0.79

107.45 8.37

106.58 8.30

-0.81 -0.81

Table 3 Top 5 Gainers Stock

Open Close Change 15-Nov-16 16-Nov-16 %

Fidson Healthcare Plc International Breweries Plc Ecobank Transnational Incorporated Lafarge Africa Plc Cadbury Nigeria Plc

1.23 19.00 9.52

1.29 19.89 9.71

4.88 4.68 2.00

44.00 10.57

44.10 10.57

0.23 0.00

Table 4 Top 5 Losers Stock

Open Close Change 15-Nov-16 16-Nov-16 %

7-Up Bottling Comp. Plc Transnational Corporation Of Nigeria Plc Forte Oil Plc. Unity Bank Plc Glaxo Smithkline Consumer Nig. Plc

143.32 0.79

129.36 0.73

-9.74 -7.59

94.00 0.58 15.00

87.02 0.54 14.25

-7.43 -6.90 -5.00

Increased sell activity leads to 0.79% Index depreciation Market pulse on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) today – Wednesday, November 16th, 2016 continues its bearish trend as stock market again closed red due to lingering economic uncertainties.

This was further highlighted by negative performances from the NSE Sub sectors: Insurance and Oil & Gas (Save Banking and Consumer Goods).

Trading activities decreased as volume of 146 million shares worth of N1.35 billion in 2,421 deals exchanged hands today. This is a decrease from the 190 million shares worth of N905million in 2,417 deals which exchanged hands on Monday. Topping in volume terms were Zenith Bank Plc, Access Bank Plc and United Bank for Africa Plc, while Zenith Bank Plc and Unilever Nigeria Plc ended trading as the most active stocks in value terms.

The All Share Index (NSEASI) closed negative with 0.79% (-203.92) decrease to close at 25,653.14 from 25,857.06 the previous trading day. Market Capitalization depreciated in tandem to N8.83 trillion from N8.90 trillion of prior trading day.

Similarly, the Thisday BGL 50 Index followed suit with a decrease of 0.81% to close at 106.58 from 107.45 recorded at the end of the previous trading day, while its market capitalization stood at 8.30 trillion from 8.37 trillion of the previous trading day.

A total number of 6 stocks gained on the bourse today while 33 stocks declined, 60 leaving stocks unchanged. Fidson Healthcare Plc merged as the day’s toast of investors as it topped the Thisday BGL 50 Index gainers’ list with a gain of 4.88% to close at N1.29 per share. It was followed by International Breweries Plc with a gain of 4.68% to close at N19.89 per share. Others on the gainers list include: Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, Lafarge Africa Plc and Cadbury Nigeria Plc; while on the decliners’ list, 7-Up Bottling Comp. Plc with a loss of 9.74% to close at N129.36 per share. It was followed by Transnational Corporation Of Nigeria Plc with a loss of 7.59% to close at N0.73 per share.

Others on the decliners list include: Forte Oil Plc, Unity Bank Plc and Glaxo SmithKline Consumer Nig. 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

46

T H I S D AY •TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2016

MARKET NEWS

AshakaCem to Delist from NSE over Free Float Deficiency Goddy Egene and Nosa Alekhuogie The Board of Directors of Ashaka Cement Plc has opted for a voluntarily delisting of the company from the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE). In an explanatory to the NSE, made available yesterday, directors of Ashaka Cement said the voluntary delisting follows the company’s violation of the

exchange’s Free Float Deficiency provision of 20 per cent.

According to the directors, Lafarge Africa Plc currently holds 84.97 per cent of Ashaka Cement, bringing the free float that is tradable on the NSE to 15.03 per cent as against 20 per cent stipulated by the exchange.

The directors explained that is not improbable that given this free float deficiency, the NSE could take enforcement

action and initiate a regulatory delisting, given that the free float deficiency is not likely to be remedied, hence the decision to delist and operate as an unlisted company.

Besides, the free float deficiency, the directors said over the last five years there is little or no trading activity with only 0.20 per cent of the shares held by the minority shareholders being traded.

“Neither the company nor any shareholders are benefiting from the continued listing as shareholders are not getting any exit opportunity and their investments have been locked up and they find it difficult to dispose of their shareholding.

Moreover, the company is bearing unnecessary cost in complying with its listing obligations,” the directors said.

They disclosed that through

the voluntary delisting of AshakaCem, they are exercising a regulatory provision that will shield the company from any enforcement action that the NSE may effect and are also providing an exit consideration to minority shareholders who do not wish to remain in an unlisted company.

The directors said minority shareholders of AshakaCem may exit prior to the delisting

by trading their shares on NSE or receive 57 shares of Lafarge Africa Plc in exchange for 202 AshakaCem shares held as at the date of the special resolution approving the voluntary delisting.

In addition, a cash consideration of N2 per share will be paid to every shareholder exchanging their AshakaCem shares for Lafarge Africa shares.

DAILY STOCK MARKET REPORT T H E

N I G E R I A N

STO C K

E XC H A N G E

THURSDAY, NOVEMbER 17, 2016 • T H I S D AY

47

MARKET NEWS

ASEA and CISI Partner to Promote Professionalism in Capital Markets Goddy Egene The African Securities Exchanges Association (ASEA) and the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to provide an effective framework to develop a common certification programme across the 26 ASEA member exchanges.

ASEA is the association of 26 securities exchanges in Africa and aims to develop

member exchanges, enhance the global competitiveness of member exchanges and provide a platform for networking and exchange of information.

On the other hand, CISI is a not-for-profit educational organisation which emerged from the London Stock Exchange almost 25 years ago. It currently employs 125 professionals and has over 700 industry volunteers to its credit.

In the last 12 months, over 40,000 CISI qualifications have been taken in over 75 countries

A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager. Investors with similar objectives buy units of the Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities that willl generate their desired return.

An ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) is a type of fund which owns the assets (shares of stock, bonds, oil futures, gold bars, foreign currency, etc.) and divides ownership of those assets into shares.

and over 40,000 people are individual members According to the two organisations, the aim of the partnership is to promote professionalism and develop channels for capacity building and knowledge sharing to support the growth of the capital markets industry in Africa. ASEA and CISI will work together to provide a common certification framework for ASEA members enabling practitioners to achieve internationally

Investors can buy these ‘shares’ on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange A REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) is an investment vehicle that allows both small and large investors to part-own real estate ventures (eg.

Offices, Houses, Hospitals) in proportion to their investments. The assets are divided into shares that are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

Guide to Data: Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 15-

recognised qualifications that are relevant to their job.

President of ASEA and CEO of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Oscar Onyema, said: “We are pleased to welcome the CISI as an Associate member of ASEA. One of the focus areas of my presidency of ASEA is human resources development across member exchanges. I believe that trained practitioners and trusted individuals are key to boosting professionalism, and in turn enhancing the

attractiveness of Africa as an investment destination.

We look forward to working with the CISI and benefitting from their international footprint and globally portable qualifications.”

In his comments, Global Business Director at the CISI, Kevin Moore, said: “We are delighted to have become part of the ASEA membership and to be able to offer our experience to introduce internationally recognised qualifications and certification.

The CISI has been working internationally for 10 years and in Africa for three years. During this time we have supported the demand across the region to grow the financial services profession, to standardise the entry requirements by introducing certification and licensing and also realign professional and labour skills.

We look forward to attending the ASEA Annual Conference at the end of November in Kigali and working in partnership with ASEA.”

Nov-2016, unless otherwise stated Offer price: The price at which units of a trust or ETF are bought by investors.

Bid Price: The price at which Investors redeem (sell) units of a trust or ETF Yield / Total Return: Denotes the total return an investor would have earned on his investment.

Money Market Funds report Yield while others report Year- to-date Total Return NAV: is value per share of the real estate assets held by a REIT on a specific date

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 1 270 1680 Fund Name Bid Price Afrinvest Equity Fund 121.81 Nigeria International Debt Fund 219.18 ALTERNATIVE CAPITAL PARTNERS LTD Web: www.acapng.com, Tel: +234 1 291 2406, +234 1 291 2868 Fund Name Bid Price ACAP Canary Growth Fund 0.68 AIICO CAPITAL LTD Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price AIICO Money Market Fund ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name ARM Aggressive Growth Fund ARM Discovery Fund ARM Ethical Fund ARM Money Market Fund AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund AXA Mansard Money Market Fund CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Nigeria Global Investment Fund Paramount Equity Fund Women's Investment Fund FBN CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.fbnquest.com; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name FBN Fixed Income Fund FBN Heritage Fund FBN Money Market Fund FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund FIRST CITY ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.fcamltd.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Legacy Equity Fund Legacy Short Maturity (NGN) Fund FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Coral Growth Fund

100.00

aaml@afrinvest.com Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn 122.64 11.75% 220.29 9.50% info@acapng.com Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn 0.69 10.34% ammf@aiicocapital.com Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

100.00

15.87%

enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com Bid Price 12.11 283. 10 24.34

Offer Price 12.47 291.63 23.01

Yield / T-Rtn -0.63% 1.29% 1.32%

1.00

1.00

15.36%

investmentcare@axamansard.com Bid Price 103.03

Offer Price 104.67

Yield / T-Rtn 3.35%

1.00 1.00 14.42% investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Bid Price 2.13 9.08

Offer Price 2.18 9.31

Yield / T-Rtn 4.61% -7.87%

82.87

85.00

2.17%

invest@fbnquest.com Bid Price 1,076.72 109.74 100.00 $101.16 $100.96 109.26

Offer Price 1,077.80 110.28 100.00 $102.19 $101.99

Yield / T-Rtn 5.06% 4.07% 13.35% 5.12 4.92

110.73

10.00%

fcamhelpdesk@fcmb.com Bid Price 0.92 2.53

Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn 0.93 1.65% 2.53 8.67% coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com

Bid Price 2,173.48

Offer Price 2,198.35

Coral Income Fund 2,068.83 INVESTMENT ONE FUNDS MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price

Yield / T-Rtn 0.09%

2,068.83 9.36% enquiries@investment-one.com Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund

1.00

1.00

15.15%

Vantage Balanced Fund

1.64

1.66

0.68%

LOTUS CAPITAL LTD fincon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund 0.99 1.01 11.53% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 996.23 996.23 -0.38% MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: www.meristemwealth.com ; Tel: +234 1-4488260 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund 9.35 9.43 -4.44% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 13.95% PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund 1.04 1.05 5.17% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 10.30 10.36 3.32% SCM CAPITAL LIMITED info@scmcapitalng.com Web: www.scmcapitalng.com; Tel: +234 1-280 2226,+234 1- 280 2227 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SCM Capital Frontier Fund 107.74 108.47 5.75% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.23 1.23 8.92% STANBIC IBTC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD assetmanagement@stanbicibtc.com Web: www.stanbicibtcassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 280 1266; 0700 MUTUALFUNDS Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Balanced Fund 1,804.24 1,814.47 7.43% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 152.34 152.34 3.58% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.77 0.78 3.33% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 182.77 182.77 7.71% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 133.27 134.93 -1.51% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 16.47% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 7,467.30 7,566.16 3.89% UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD unitedcapitalplcgroup.com Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 803 306 2887 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund 1.14 1.16 8.40% United Capital Bond Fund 1.25 1.25 15.97% United Capital Equity Fund 0.68 0.69 -1.31% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 13.00% ZENITH ASSETS MANAGEMENT LTD info@zenith-funds.com Web: www.zenith-funds.com; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Equity Fund 9.47 9.63 -0.69% Zenith Ethical Fund 11.13 11.23 -2.82% Zenith Income Fund 16.80 16.80 4.72%

REITS

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

11.58 122.85

3.99% 6.04%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

8.63 73.89

8.73 75.29

-9.87% 11.21%

Fund Name FSDH UPDC Real Estate Investment Fund SFS Skye Shelter Fund

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS

Fund Name Lotus Halal Equity Exchange Traded Fund Stanbic IBTC ETF 30 Fund

VETIVA FUND MANAGERS LTD Web: www.vetiva.com; Tel: +234 1 453 0697

Fund Name Vetiva Banking Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Consumer Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Griffin 30 Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

2.52 7.18 11.85 16.33 128.73

2.56 7.26 11.95 16.53 130.73

9.01% 12.29% -5.56% -14.91% -

The value of investments and the income from them may fall as well as rise. Past performance is a guide and not an indication of future returns. Fund prices published in this edition are also available on each fund manager’s website and FMAN’s website at www.fman.com.ng. Fund prices are supplied by the operator of the relevant fund and are published for information purposes only.

48

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 17, 2016 T H I S D AY

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 17, 2016 • T H I S D AY

49

INTERNATIONAL

email:foreigndesk@thisdaylive.com

Turkey Sacks over 100,000 Workers Reports indicate that President Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey has sacked more one hundred thousand civil servants since the July 15 failed coup, in an unprecedented crackdown he said is necessary to root out all supporters of Islamic Cleric Fethular Gulen from the state apparatus.

Over 72,198 civilians have also been arrested, including many Nigerian students. Although

Turkish ambassador to Nigeria have denied the inclusion of Nigerians, many Nigerian parents have confirmed the arrest of their children. Unconfirmed sources put the figure of detained Nigerians at 150.

The crackdown has also left 2099 schools, 1254 NGOs, 180 media houses all shut. Thousands more academics, teachers, health workers, prison guards and forensics experts were among

Almost 500 Migrants Reach Italy Almost 500 migrants arrived at the port of Catania on Wednesday after being rescued earlier this week near the coast of Libya, with the influx of refugees heading to Europe showing no signs of slowing.

Hundreds of migrants, mostly men from sub-Saharan Africa, huddled under grey blankets on the deck of the Italian coast guard vessel Diciotti as they started to disembark in pouring rain.

A second ship, the Aquarius, operated by the non-governmental group SOS Mediterranee, was due to dock at an Italian port in the next two days carrying some 120 migrants and the bodies of nine people who died trying to make the perilous Mediterranean crossing.

Mathilde Auvillain, a spokeswoman for SOS Mediterranee aboard the Aquarius, said that among the migrants were a group

of 23 people who were plucked from the sea on Tuesday by an oil tanker after their rubber boat started to sink. Four bodies were recovered from the scene, but many more were believed to have drowned, with survivors saying that 122 people had been on the boat when it left Libya.

Some 167,000 migrants have reached Italy by boat so far this year, exceeding the total for all of 2015 which stood at 154,000. The death toll in the Mediterranean has surged this year to more than 4,270 compared to 3,777 in 2015, according to the International Organization for Migration. While last year departures dropped off from October as the weather conditions worsened, this year the decline has been less pronounced, Interior Ministry data show.

the latest to be removed from their posts through two new executive decrees published on the Official Gazette recently.

Opposition parties described the move as a coup in itself.

The continued crackdown has also raised concerns over the functioning of state. “What the government and Erdogan are doing right now is a direct

coup against the rule of law and democracy,” Sezgin Tanrikulu, an MP from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), said in a Periscope broadcast posted on Twitter.

The decrees have ordered the closure of 15 more newspapers, wires and magazines, which report from the largely Kurdish southeast, bringing

the total number of media organizations closed since the emergency rule in July to nearly 160. In another move set to anger President Tayyip Erdogan’s opponents, the ability of universities to elect their own rectors was also abolished.

Erdogan will from now on directly appoint the rectors from

the candidates nominated by the High Educational Board (YOK).

The extent of the crackdown has worried rights groups and many of Turkey’s Western allies, who fear Erdogan is using the emergency rule to eradicate dissent.

The government says the actions are justified following the coup attempt on July 15, when more than 240 people died.

Trump Touts Foreign Contacts on Twitter, Lashes Media Report President-elect, Donald Trump, has listed several countries whose leaders he had spoken with since winning the U.S. presidential election and used his Twitter account to attack a media report that he has been hard to reach.

The Republican real estate magnate, who often used Twitter during his presidential campaign to lash out at critics, pounced on a New York Times report that American allies were “scrambling to figure out how and when to contact Mr Trump.”

“I have received and taken calls from many foreign leaders despite what the failing @nytimes said. Russia, U.K., China, Saudi Arabia, Japan,” Trump wrote in a morning Twitter post. “Australia, New Zealand, and more. I am always available to them. @

nytimes is just upset that they looked like fools in their coverage of me,” Trump continued.

On Tuesday night, Trump defended his transition team amid reports the team is in disarray, behind schedule and marked by infighting. “Very organized process taking place as I decide on Cabinet and many other positions,” Trump said on Twitter. “I am the only one who knows who the finalists are!”

Entering Trump Tower in New York on Wednesday morning, Trump’s son, Eric Trump, was asked by reporters if any positions would be named on Wednesday. He responded, “Likely.” During his campaign, Trump has attacked media reports he found unfavourable to him, often targeting the New York Times as a failed newspaper while regularly granting its reporters interviews.

The Times reported that, while

the presidents of Egypt and Israel, got through to Trump quickly, British Prime Minister Theresa May had to wait 24 hours before reaching Trump. Since his upset win over Democrat Hillary Clinton in the Nov. 8 presidential election, Trump has talked with the leaders of a number of countries including Russia, the United Kingdom, China, Saudi Arabia and Australia.

He spoke last week with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who on Thursday will be the first foreign leader Trump meets with as president-elect. Trump, whose aggressive use of Twitter reportedly led to calls for restraint from his inner circle, said in a CBS “60 Minutes” interview broadcast on Sunday that he would be “very restrained” on Twitter as president, if he used it at all.

The president-elect’s decision to post his contacts with foreign leaders on such a public forum

drew immediate criticism. “If a president-elect thinks it advisable to publish the list of leaders who called to congratulate him, fine: comms team releases the list,” conservative political commentator David Frum said on Twitter.

“But to toss names out there in a Twitter rage to answer a perceived media slight?! When does President Trump compromise an important secret?” said Frum, whose tweets also conjured thoughts of world leaders reading Trump’s Twitter feed to determine which countries he had not spoken with. Longtime Trump supporter U.S. Representative Chris Collins, the transition team’s congressional liaison, brushed off the morning Twitter storm, saying Trump was under a lot of pressure and needed to blow off steam. “If this is his way of relaxing, God bless him,” Collins told CNN. “You don’t want this stuff all bottled up.

African Leaders Responsible for Continent’s Underdevelopment, Says Raila Odinga David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka The former Prime Minister of the Republic of Kenya, Raila Odinga, has said that African leaders are partly responsible for the slow rate of development in the continent.

Odinga who was guest lecturer at the 5th Zik Lecture series in honour of Late Benjamin Nnamdi Azikiwe held at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, said African elite use state resources for their personal benefits, but once they lose out of power, they begin to ignite ethnic sentiment, which tends to divide their countries.

“Leaders when in trouble resort to ethnicity in order to protect themselves. They stir up ethnic and religious sentiments to build up pillars of support. Nations fail when the leaders are not accountable to the people. Power devolution is the most effective way to bring government closer to the people.

That is why Africa must ensure that electoral power in one man, be it the president or any other must be reduced’’, he said.

“It ensures to a very large extent transparency in power and helps the economy to grow. Colonialism was not really a problem or setback on Africa because there are countries outside Africa which despite being colonised are today doing very well. What is t that they are doing differently? They understood long ago the importance of building strong institutions that helps the economy to grow.” Odinga said.

The former prime minister in trying to proffer solutions to Africa’a numerous problems said, “Africa must complete the democratic transition, and this requires the putting strong electoral and judicial systems in place.” He added that another way to get Africa out of underdevelooment is for African leaders to fight corruption with

sincerity, saying that doing so requires genuine commitment.

Earlier, the former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar who is also the chairman of the occasion said Nigeria must invest in education as that is the only to develop the country. He said, “Education is too important to be left in the hands of government alone, only education can change a man, and that is why I invest heavily in education.

“I strongly believe that primary and secondary education should be absolutely free and made compulsory too. I am waiting to see a time when they will be effective student exchange programs among universities in Africa.” The event was attended by Anambra State governor, Chief Willie Obiano, who was represented by his deputy, Dr Nkem Okeke, Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Prof Joe Ahaneku and former governor of Anambra state, Mr Peter Obi.

Uganda’s Military Investigates Army Captain Uganda’s military said yesterday that it was investigating an army officer who is an aide to President Yoweri Museveni’s brother on charges that he was involved in securing a payment worth 500,000 euros from a foreign firm using a fake procurement contract.

Businesses often complain about corruption in Uganda as a hindrance to doing business, while the opposition says graft also pervades the army. The

government has vowed to crack down on corruption but top officials are rarely convicted.

Military spokesman Paddy Ankuda told a news conference that Captain Ronald Mutebi Muhoozi, an aide to Museveni’s brother Salim Saleh, had been detained alongside a civilian suspect for questioning over a corruption case. Salim is a retired senior officer who has an unofficial role as an adviser to President Museveni, who came

to power in 1986 after leading a rebel group.

Lawyers for Muhoozi and his civilian accomplice, named as Sam Ssimbwa, could not immediately be reached for comment. Ankunda said last year that the army captain and his civilian accomplice had colluded with others and posed as Defence Ministry representatives over a fake deal to procure body armour and armoured vehicles.

50

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 17, 2016 • T H I S D AY

NEWSEXTRA

Fashola Questions Nigeria’s Economic Growth under Jonathan Chineme Okafor in Abuja The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has said Nigeria’s economic growth recorded during the regime of the last president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, was not accomplished through any act of good economic policies by the administration.

Fashola alleged that the 7.5 to 8 per cent annual economic growth then happened because of high crude oil prices, adding that there was no coherent economic theory adopted by the last government to ensure such growth.

Speaking in Lagos, he said although the Nigerian economy had experienced some growth in the last few years, it was wrong for anyone to claim credit for the growth or for it to be attributed to any overt act or economic policy of government According to him, the growth happened in spite of the lack of coherent economic theory.

“The emerging distortions about how the Nigerian economy grew in the last few years, and some claims of benefits or credit for that growth, let me be clear that nothing can be further from the truth than any person seeking to claim any substantial credit for that period of about 7.5 to 8 per cent growth.

“The globally accepted drivers of growth are infrastructure and sound economic policies. Where are the completed power plants, the completed rails and road

projects and bridges, steel plants and related infrastructure? The evidence that abounded, which was reported at the time, were thousands of uncompleted projects at the best or abandoned projects at the worst,” he said in a statement from his Senior Special Adviser on Communications, Mr. Hakeem Bello, in Abuja.

Fashola further stated: “They are the roads and power projects that were not budgeted for or funded, that resulted in the lack of payment to contractors since 2013 and massive job layoffs. These are not indices of growth; at least not in a sustainable way.”

He added that the growth that was recorded came from income from sale of crude oil and the attendant price hikes.

The minister equally alleged that although all oil producing countries enjoyed the boom while it lasted, some invested in infrastructure and were now coping well with the current harsh global economic situation while those who did not invest wisely were struggling to cope with the harsh situation.

He also took on Jonathan’s government on its local content policy in the oil industry, saying, while it was fair and true to concede the attempt of economic policies to drive local content in the oil industry, the evidence on the ground pointed largely to a foreign

domination in the technological and productive areas of the nation’s oil industry while services had accommodated local content

which, according to him happened in spite of any coherent government policy by sheer entrepreneurship of the operators.

L-R: Vice Chancellor, Lagos State University(LASU), Professor Olanrewaju Adigun Fagbohun; Guest Speaker and Chairman of UBA Group, Mr. Tony Elumelu; Chancellor, LASU and Chairman of the lecture, Justice George Oguntade(rtd); Representative of the state Deputy Governor and Permanent Secretary, Deputy Governor Office, Mrs. Yetunde Odejayi, at the first Distinguished Lecture of the university delivered by Elumelu, at the school in Ojo, Lagos...yesterday

Nigeria Missing, as Seven Largest African Palm Oil Producers Sign Sustainability Pact Obinna Chima

James Sowole in Akure

The governments of seven African palm oil producing countries, representing over 70 per cent of Africa’s tropical forest, will today declare a joint pledge to prioritise sustainable palm oil development with support from some of the world’s largest producers, buyers and traders of palm oil.

The Tropical Forest Alliance 2020 (TFA 2020) Marrakesh Declaration for the Sustainable Development of the oil palm sector in Africa is expected to be signed by the governments of the Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Liberia, the Republic of Congo, and Sierra Leone at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP22) in Morocco.

The Ministers of Agriculture

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Ondo State and the Alliance for Democracy (AD) yesterday differed on the principle of progressivism and the ideologies of their candidates.

While the APC said the governorship candidate of the AD in the state, Chief Olusola Oke, was not progressive-minded but only pretending to be one by being in the party, the AD described the APC as hypocrites who only opened mouths without reasons.

The Chairman, Akeredolu Campaign Platform, Mr. Ade Adetimehin, who slammed Oke in a statement in Akure, warned the people of the state not be carried away by Oke’s alleged antics, alleging that Oke’s mission was resuscitate the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state and Southwest states in general if he wins the governorship election.

Adetimehin further alleged that Oke’s spirit was still with the PDP where had spent 16 years before crossing to the APC and later the AD. He added that Oke wanted to deceive the people of the state in order to get their votes in the forthcoming governorship election.

“Our people have had enough of PDP misrule in our state and they are waiting for the real progressives party to take over the state. Oke cannot be addressed as a progressive He spent all his political years in PDP. “He was a former board member of the Niger Delta Development Commission

to take some of the byproducts of the benefit,” he said, adding that the real area of local growth had been in the entertainment industry

ENTREPRENEURIAL LECTURE

APC, AD Differ on Progressivism (NDDC). He was the chairman of the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) and also held a key position at the PDP National Executive committee as their National Legal Adviser.

“Oke is one of those who allegedly mismanaged the resources of country during the 16 years of PDP misrule and our people must not be deceived. Oke is unfit to rule the state.”

The APC chieftain insisted that the APC’s candidate for the election, Chief Rotimi Akeredolu was the best person to pilot the affairs of the state, assuring that he (Akeredolu) would win the election. He also said the APC’s candidate was more popular than the AD’s candidate in the state.

However, in a reaction, the Chairman of Media and Publicity of the Olusola Oke Campaign Organisation, Mr. Kola Olabisi, said the APC was allegedly full of hypocrites who were not real progressives but were allegedly deceiving Nigerians.

“When Oke was with them some months ago, building the APC, he was a progressives then but now that he has been rigged out of the party, he is no more a progressives person. They are only afraid of their imminent defeat in the election.

“The APC people only believe in propaganda and rigging and now we are waiting for them next week.

Because they know their candidate is not popular that is why they are doing all things possible to tarnish Oke’s image and that can’t work for them because the electorate know their choice.”

participation.

“In effect, foreign content controls the production, and by extension the growth, while allowing local content

and Environment of the respective countries expected to sign the pledge would agree to place sustainability, human rights and collaboration with industry, indigenous peoples and civil society groups at the heart of the expanding palm oil industry in Africa.

A statement explained that large companies, palm oil producers, NGOs and human rights groups who are partners of the TFA 2020 welcomed the move.

The secretariat of the TFA 2020 is hosted at the World Economic Forum.

Collectively, the countries who signed the declaration represent over 250 million hectares – 13 per cent of the world’s tropical forest. However, deforestation from unsustainable palm oil production causes extensive carbon emissions and contributes to global warming.

Palm oil is the most widely used vegetable oil worldwide and about half of all packaged products sold in supermarkets contain palm oil, according to the World Wildlife Fund.

It fuels a $50 billion global industry, which is projected to rise to $88 billion a year by 2022.

As demand grows,Africa is the next growth spot for palm oil production.

The Head of Public-Private Partnerships at the World Economic Forum, Dominic Waughray, said the declaration showed how the commitments made by global businesses to remove deforestation from palm oil supply chains were changing the global market.

“These governments recognise the significant market signal that global businesses are providing through their desire to source sustainable palm oil at scale. Through this unprecedented

agreement, the African Palm Oil Initiative – with support from the private sector and civil society through the platform of the TFA– is now well- positioned to build a multicountry market for sustainable palm oil across West and Central Africa that will improve smallholder incomes and drive greater action on tropical deforestation,” he said.

Unilever, a major buyer of palm oil, also welcomed the move.

“Palm oil, if produced sustainably, can play a key role in poverty alleviation by helping farmers thrive economically while adopting sustainable agricultural and business practices. I am pleased that these countries are demonstrating their commitment to sustainable palm oil by signing the Marrakesh Declaration,” the Chief Executive Officer, Unilever, Paul Polman said.

DG: Buhari Has Ordered NYSC to Mobilise All Prospective Corps Members Ogheneuvwede Ohwovoriole in Abuja The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier-General Sulaiman Zakari Kazaure, has said despite the inadequate budgetary allocation, which has stalled the agency’s operation in the past few months, President Muhammadu Buhari has given a matching order to the agency to mobilise all qualified prospective corps members for the 2016 Batch ‘’B’’ service year.

In all, the NYSC boss said over 170,000 corps members would be mobilised this month, while the remaining 86,000 members would be mobilised in January next year.

Kazaure stated this while

interacting with journalists in Abuja yesterday.

According to him, “In the past few weeks, the NYSC has been in the news over its presumed inability to mobilise all qualified prospective corps members for the 2016 Batch B service years. As much as there is always public interest in the affairs of the scheme, there is the need to put the fact in their right perspective and clear the lingering doubt.

“In summary,the NYSC is prepared as always, to mobilise all qualified graduates for the next service batch.

However, it must be emphasised that as a budget-dependent organisation, the scope of our activities is facing financial constraints like every other government agency in the present

recession.’’

Explaining his constrain, he said in the 2016 budget, provision was made for the mobilisation of a total of 210,000 corps members, saying the figure for both 2016 Batch A and Batch B had more than doubled the original projection.

“Like we did before the 2016 Batch A orientation course, we have appealed to the government for special intervention grant to mop up the excess of this figure.

“So far, we have received the green light from the relevant government agencies to prepare for the mobilisation of all qualified prospective corps members.

However, the limited cumulative capacity of the orientation camps nationwide necessitates a second

stream orientation course for the 2016 Batch B, which is being planned for January 2017,’’ the NYSC boss added.

While thanking President Buhari for his unwavering support for the scheme, Kazaure added that the president has had to personally intervene in the agency most difficult circumstances and approved special grants for the mobilisation of excess numbers of prospective corps members and ordered that all qualified corps members be mobilised The NYSC chief executive also amplified the role of the state and local governments in the sustenance of the NYSC scheme, adding that it had presented the biggest of the challenges faced by the scheme in the past few years.

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You are a Perpetual Betrayer, Frank Tells el-Rufai Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Timi Frank, has condemned the verbal attacks on the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar by Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, describing him as an ingrate and a perpetual betrayer.”

El-Rufai had while reacting to an interview granted by Atiku, raised some issues linking him to acts of corruption.

However, Frank who is a known political foot-soldier of Athe former vice president, wondered where el-Rufai got the guts to challenge Atiku who brought him to limelight through an appointment as the Director General of the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE).

He urged President Muhammadu Buhari to be wary of the governor whom he said would most likely betray him, having done so to other two presidents, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan.

In a statement signed in Abuja yesterday, Frank said Atiku remains the most investigated politician in the history of the country’s politics and has not been found wanting in any of the allegations levelled against him.

Frank said: “El-Rufai latest

outburst is not surprising because of his antecedence of betraying all his known benefactors both in politics and in private life.

“It is on record that the likes of former President Obasanjo will not be surprised. Former President Jonathan, who brought el-Rufai back from exile cannot forget in a hurry how this same man betrayed him. It is a matter of time, el-Rufai will also betray President Buhari once the president is no longer in power.

According to Frank, “the huge task of governance which the Kaduna governor has practically failed woefully to provide in Kaduna is supposed to be paramount to him instead of deploying his power against Atiku, who is far above him at all levels.

“Just two days ago, more than 45 innocent citizens of Kaduna lost their lives immediately elRufai launched a bill board in Southern Kaduna apologising for his maladministration.”

While calling on Nigerians to disregard whatever the governor might have said about the former vice president, Frank also called on the governors’ forum and the leadership of the APC to call the governor to order.

“Even if el-Rufai does not respect Atiku as a person, he should respect the institution

Kalu: How I was Lured into APC Oyegun calls him a positive asset Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The former Governor of Abia State, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, yesterday said he had finally succumbed to persistent pressures from the leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC), some of which came in form of dinner dates to join the party.

Kalu named the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, National Vice Chairman (South-east), Chief Emma Eneukwu, National Organising Secretary Senator Osita Izunaso and National Auditor, Chief George Muoghalu, as among those who plotted his defection to the ruling party.

On his part, Oyegun described Kalu as a positive asset to the APC from the South-east, adding that with his entry, the party has just caught a big masquerade.

“Three of them have hosted me to dinners for more than 20 times while they were trying to discourage me from going back to the PDP because they know that I am very close to Senator Ahmed Makarfi and Senator Ali Modu Sherrif. Both of them are very close friends of mine and colleagues. In eating those dinners, the last of which was five days ago, I was lured to seal the deal,” he said.

Kalu asked the party leadership to try and give the right support to the President Muhammadu Buhari-administration so that together they can improve the lots of the people.

“I know we are going through hard times and there is recession everywhere in the world, bug you have to help the president to formulate policies that will reduce the suffering of the people so that the party can become stronger and

stronger,” he said “Kalu who boasted that no one can pocket him in the politics of Nigeria today, said his joining the APC is to add value and to deliver the South-East come 2019 general elections.

“I am coming in and God will help me to bring value. Between last Sunday when I registered at Igbere and now, there are 4,000 members new members already registered with the APC in Abia.

Without making it open, there are two members of the House of Representatives who are there right now that are joining the APC. “So, it is a work that we must carry to a logical conclusion.

Our upright war is that the South-east will be delivered to the APC. God will help us to do this “When you look at my face, you see the genuine face of an Igbo man and the genuine face of a Nigerian. I understand the country very well and I hope that the party will continue to grow from strength to strength and I hope that the good work that President Buhari is doing, the party will continue to give him the support Speaking while receiving Kalu at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, Oyegun said APC would not stop until it woos all the key stakeholders in the South-east into its fold.

He described the former governor as one of the biggest masquerade from the South-east to have joined the APC. According to him, Kalu would be expected to play a key role in the fresh membership registration exercise scheduled to commence soon.

and the position the former vice president held and holds in this country.”

Frank also cautioned the governor not to drag President Buhari into whatever controversy

he has with the former vice president, saying “Atiku has supported the president and he

will continue to support him to drive the change mantra of APC.”

THANKS FOR COMING

L-R: President/Chairman of Council, Chief Olusola Isaac Dada; Managing Director, Financial Derivatives Limited, Mr. Bismark Rewane; Registrar/CE, Portfolio Management Institute Dr. Chuks Akawo, at the just-concluded PMI Annual Conference/Induction held at NECA House, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos ....recently

FG Declares Ayade’s Green Police Illegal Bassey Inyang in Calabar The federal government has declared the “Green Police” inaugurated by the Cross River State Government as an illegal and criminal outfit that violates the provisions of the 1999 Constitution.

But the state government has disagreed with the declaration made by the police, saying the outfit was backed by a law enacted by the state House of Assembly with the aim of protecting the environment and create jobs for the people.

Yesterday, the Nigerian Police Force, an institution of the federal government declared that the inauguration of the Green Police by the administration of Governor Ben Ayade was an attempt to establish an illegal police organisation, an act forbidden by the Nigerian constitution.

Addressing journalists in his office, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Jimoh Obi-Ozeh, said the

command would stop the Green Police from operating in the state because the Nigerian constitution recognises only one police force.

Quoting a relevant section of the constitution to buttress his position, the police boss said: “According to Section 214 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, with amendment 2011, there shall be a police force for Nigeria, which shall be known as the Nigerian Police Force, and subject to the provisions of this section, no other police force shall be established.”

The commissioner said the police would not sit and watch the violation of any provision of the constitution under any guise.

“I am here to defend the constitution of the federal government and anything stated in the constitution. I need not wait for my Inspector General to carry out my duty if anyone is breaching the criminal aspect of the constitution.

What I can do is to take action and

brief my IG and that is the action I have taken. The constitution says there shall be no other police in Nigeria and I think Cross River State is part of Nigeria and I have taken action and I have briefed my IG. “Green Police is an illegal organisation. It is against the constitution.”

Asked if the state government consulted with the police before inaugurating the Green Police, Ozi-Obeh said: “You can go and ask the state government, before you set up this organisation, didn’t you consult?”

However, speaking during a telephone conference on the development, the State Security Adviser, Mr. Jude Ngaji said: “The Green Police was established first for us to create jobs for our people and also backed up by a law by the state House of Assembly. We are not here to struggle superiority and make statements and counter

statements.

“I have not been told by the commissioner that what we did was an illegality and we have no other intention than to create jobs and expand our government and also look for possible ways of preserving our greenery. We are preserving our forests and creating jobs which is the governor’s focal point when he assumed office and we have done so with all sense of responsibility.

“There is no intention that we are trying to form a parallel government with the federal government, and recognising Green Police instead of the constituted Nigerian Police.

And the state Commissioner of Police is a friend of government and has been part of us. It is really amazing that he would take us to this level and rather address the press instead of having a perfect channel of reaching the government, especially at the level of formation.

I am a bit surprised to hear this. I

Grazing Reserves, Cause of Kaduna Killings, Alleges ECWA John Shiklam in Kaduna The Kaduna State District Church Council (DCC) of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), yesterday alleged that the plans by the state government to recreate grazing reserves in the southern part of the state was responsible for the killings in the area.

Addressing a news conference in Kaduna, the Chairman of DCC, Rev. Zachariah Gado, said renewed violence in Southern Kaduna was motivated by the announcement by the state government to recreate the grazing reserves in the southern Kaduna.

He disclosed that since the latest onslaught on Southern Kaduna began, at least 138 persons have been killed, most of them women and children while about 1,300 homes and churches have been

razed.

“We have come to the unfortunate conclusion that the announced intention of the Kaduna State Government to “re-create existing cattle grazing reserves” in Southern Kaduna serves as a major motivation for the renewed ethno-religious violence and cleansing currently being visited on Southern Kaduna communities” Gado said.

While commenting on the N100 million donation by the state government for the reconstruction of churches and mosques destroyed in Southern Kaduna during the signing of a peace accord in Samaru Kataf last weekend, Gado said the money would have been more useful if it was given to the security agencies to fight the killers as many people have deserted the villages where the churches are located.

“We acknowledge the gesture of the state governor in offering N100 million for the rebuilding of churches and mosques in Southern Kaduna destroyed through violence, we wonder who would be worshiping in these churches, since most of the worshippers have fled for safety or do not even have homes anymore to live in.

“We appeal to the Kaduna State Government, in the interests of justice, peace and security, to respect the wishes of the electorate of Southern Kaduna and their elected representatives and stop the creation of grazing reserves in the area, especially since this is tantamount to rewarding perpetrators of murder, arson and destruction for their crimes.

“As perpetrators continue to evade consequences for their illegal and violent actions, impunity and

lawless are becoming entrenched, to the detriment of the entire state,” Gado said.

He appealed to both the state and federal governments to restore all communities that were taken over by herdsmen to the rightful owners.

Gado said failure to do so would not only encourage further lawlessness; which may eventually compel the owners of the villages to resort to forceful means to recover their ancestral and God given lands.

He further called on the federal government to establish an army barracks near the affected areas in order to deter such killings in the future.

Gado also urged that victims of the attacks whose homes and property were destroyed, should be compensation and provided with relief materials.

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Group Alleges Secret Moves to Hurriedly Amend NLNG Act, Warns Lawmakers A non-governmental organisation, the Committee for the Defence of National Interests (CODNI), has warned against alleged secret

moves by the National Assembly to hurriedly amend Act establishing the Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG) before the end of

Nigeria, Italy Sign Extradition, Prisoners Swap Agreement Tobi Soniyi in Abuja The federal government has signed three Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) bordering on mutual assistance in criminal matters, transfer of sentenced persons and an extradition treaty with the Government of the Republic of Italy.

A statement by Salihu Isah, the Special Adviser to the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice on Media and Publicity, said the AGF signed the pact in Rome, the Italian capital on behalf of the federal government while the Italian Minister of Justice, Mr.Andrea Orlando, signed on behalf of his home country.

The statement said the pact was a demonstration of the determination “to improve the effectiveness of both countries in the prevention, investigation and prosecution of crime, including crimes related to terrorism and tracing.”

Other areas covered by the agreement are: restraint, forfeiture or confiscation of assets for financing of terrorism and also the proceeds and instruments of crime through cooperation and mutual legal assistance in criminal matters.

On the extradition treaty, each of the participating nations, upon a request, is expected to extradite to the other, any person who is in its territory and is wanted by the requesting state for the purpose of carrying out criminal proceedings or executing a final custodial sentence or any other measure restrictive of personal liberty issued against such person.

It added that the two countries also reached another agreement to promote effective cooperation on the transfer of sentenced persons for the purpose of facilitating their rehabilitation and social reintegration.

The AGF had on August 4, 2016 hosted a meeting of an Italian delegation led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mr. Paolo Gentlioni Silveri in Abuja as part of preparatory steps towards enhancing cooperation on justice reforms between the two nations.

Malami who is also the President of the fourth Assembly of State Parties of the International Anti-corruption Academy (IACA) presided over the Assembly of State Parties (AoP) at the Vienna International Conference Center, Vienna, Austria between November 10 to11, 2016.

this week.

The warning was contained in a statement issued yesterday in Lagos and signed by the group’s National Coordinator, Mr. Zach Ezoh.

CODNI said in the statement that information at its disposal indicated that the federal lawmakers had perfected plans to hurriedly amend the NLNG Act possibly today so as to pave the way for the sale of the federal government’s shares in the NLNG. “We wish to alert the general public about this invidious plot and to call on patriotic members of the National Assembly to rise to the occasion and prevent this looming economic catastrophe as it will further compound the country’s woes,” CODNI said.

The group warned the lawmakers not to do anything to tamper with the NLNG Act, describing such as a miscalculation which would effectively kill the goose that lays the golden egg for the country’s economy.

“We wish to appeal to the conscience of our lawmakers not

to allow this economic tragedy to befall our dear nation. It is said that you do not change a winning strategy. The NLNG as it presently is has proved to be a roaring success. There is, therefore, no cogent reason to tamper with the Act establishing this national cash cow,” the statement said.

CODNI noted that NLNG, which was incorporated after over 30 years of unsuccessful efforts by successive Nigerian administrations to attract foreign investors in the LNG sector, has been an outstanding success.

“From the initial investment of US$6.0 billion at its incorporation on May 17, 1989, the NLNG now has an asset base of over $11 billion, generated over $90 billion in revenues and has contributed over $15 billion to the Nigerian government in dividends over the last 12 years,” CODNI noted.

It further noted that the company has also paid a total of over US$5.5billion in taxes comprising Companies Income Tax, Tertiary Education Tax, WHT, VAT and other payments to government

including PAYE, state and local government taxes, as well as regulators’ levies and fees totalling over N51 billion.

CODNI pointed out that the NLNG Act, which has been ratified by the Nigerian Constitution as an Act of the National Assembly, has as its basis, a contract between the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Shareholders of Nigeria LNG Limited (“NLNG”). The group noted that this contract includes Incentives, Concessions, Guarantees and Assurances which were provided for and also reaffirmed in Letters of Assurance to lenders for the Nigeria LNG Trains 4 and 5 expansion by the then Minister of Finance, Minister of Justice and Attorneys-General of the Federation and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

“The main thrust of the guarantees and assurances were to assure the foreign Investors that their investments would be protected by the non-amendment of the NLNG Act. It is instructive to note that the Act has been protected by all administrations

from inception, in recognition of the sanctity thereof,” CODNI said.

It reminded the lawmakers that NLNG’s shareholders have treaty protection under Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) entered into by Nigeria with France, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom. “To amend or change the NLNG Act would portray Nigeria as a promise-breaker and untrustworthy, damaging the country’s reputation and hamstringing its ability to attract foreign investment. It could also mean an immediate loss of foreign investment of $25 billion in respect of Train 7 investment ($15 billion by the upstream and $10 billion for construction).

“In addition, any amendment could result in loss of income of between $53million – $124million being amount attributable to the Nigerian government in form of dividends, and related Withholding tax. Further immediate impact would also be the potential loss of about 18,000 jobs required for the construction activities for Train 7,” the group said.

EU/UNODC/UNDP Supports Not in My Country to Fight Corruption Not In My Country, the PanNigeria campaign against retail corruption and an initiative of the Akin Fadeyi Foundation (AFF), has secured partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) under the Project on Support to Anti-corruption in Nigeria which is fully funded by the European Union.

The overall objective of this initiative is to empower Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Nigeria, enhancing their capacity in the provision of services and participation in Anti- corruption crusade.

According to a statement signed by the Founder/ Executive Director, Akin Fadeyi Foundation, Mr. Akin Fadeyi, “We are extremely proud to announce that the UNDP and UNODC under the Project on Support to Anticorruption in Nigeria which is fully funded by the European Union, have partnered our nationwide campaign against retail and petty corruption - Not In My Country.

This commendable support is coming after a strict shortlisting processes and other global standard measures. We shall be working in concert with other CSOs who also bring on board various advocacy projects aimed at social reordering for a better society.

At the foundation, “Our projects are driven by enterprising, cerebral and young patriotic Nigerians who are selflessly committed

to impacting their environment to shun retail and petty corruption, I believe this support will further accelerate our collective quest to meet the global most valued agenda in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It will reawaken us as a nation, specifically against ingenious acts of citizen-corruption, poverty and environmental unfriendly acts.”

We have such ambition to influence our social space which has suffered social corrosion and a depletion of societal core values with debilitating effects on our collective psyche, Fadeyi said.

“Our quick areas of interest is to strengthen capacity by partnering with some institutions including law enforcement Agencies to combat petty corruption. We shall also work with select Nigerian schools and explore opportunities for instilling the right values and raising Anti-Corruption Ambassadors from that vulnerable sector of the society,” Akin noted.

Since the beginning of the year, Akin Fadeyi Foundation has creatively deployed one minute dramatic infomercial parodies to campaign against corruption in Nigeria through a citizen led initiative. This has been with the inclusion of top-rate thespians in Nigeria. Not In My Country tells the story of the corrupt on the one part, and the campaigner against corruption on the other part - both from the same populace of a nation blessed with culturally adept and valuedriven people but beleaguered by the social dysfunction of endemic corruption.

PHILANTHROPIST PER EXCELLENCE

Former Director-General of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Professor Ndi Okereke-Onyiuke (left), presenting 100 copies of ‘Inside Nigerian Banks’ by Nik Ogbulie to the Director, Lagos Office of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Abdullahi Hamzat, for distribution to Nigerian universities in Lagos...yesterday

NBM Restates Mission for Free Society, Offers Free Legal Services to Prisoners Sunday Okobi The Neo-Black Movement of Africa (NBM) has vowed that it will maintain its fundamental objectives and principles, and strive to eradicate all forms of oppression, intimidation, corruption, injustice, neo-colonialism among other vices from the society.

The group also stated that one of its objectives is to protect inmates in Nigerian Prison especially those awaiting trial.

According to NBM, “The Nigerian criminal justice system is such that in a prison of 2,000 inmates, only about 300 would be convicted. This is totally unacceptable as it is a clear case of injustice. We all know that justice delayed is justice denied.”

With the above vows, the NBM yesterday in Lagos restated its mission to enthrone an egalitarian society where everybody gets his

or her fair deal.

The group’s President worldwide, Chief Felix Kupa, who gave the pledge during a visit to Ikoyi Prisons in Lagos where his association gave free legal services to inmates, added: “The NBM of Africa has resolved to channel its humanitarian services in this direction. My team and I are here today with a view to contributing our own quota towards resolving this problem.” He dispelled stereotypes connecting the association to cultism and related vices, stressing that the movement was lawful and abhors criminality.

“NBM is not synonymous with Black Axe or any secret cult or organisation. We are aware that some imposters and miscreants use the name of our organisation to seek asylum abroad under the pretense that they are being hunted

by NBM. It is unfortunate that the authorities do not investigate these

claims before such disgruntled elements are granted asylum,” he clarified. Kupa threatened legal action against any individual or organisation that tries to tarnish the group’s reputation by way of deeds or actions.

The National Legal Adviser, Chief Hope Aliu, observed that the event was a clear case of advocacy for the less privileged in the society.

He painted a sordid situation in the nation’s prison system where the legal practitioner held that awaiting trial prisoners account for 80 per cent of inmates nationwide.

“At my last visit to Ikoyi Prison, the total number of inmates were 2,362 out of which only 313 were convicted. That means 2,049 are awaiting trial,” he summarised.

The movement picked special interest in 17 year-old mechanic from Niger State, Abdul Saliu, who is being held in custody wrongly

owing to lack of legal representation.

The officer in charge of the Ikoyi Prison, Julius Ezugwu, a Deputy Comptroller of Prison (DCP), while thanking the association for the gesture, reeled out the challenges confronting his establishment and pleaded for more assistance from other public-spirited individuals and organisations.

In his goodwill message, the immediate past president worldwide of the movement, Hon. Bemigho Eyeoyibo, commended the present team for not only consolidating the gains made over the years but for also adding a fresh fillip through visitations to prisons and camps of internally displaced persons (IDPs) Highlight of the event was a tour of the facility led by the DCP where the association saw for itself the true state of things and subsequently pledged to do more for the organisation.

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CRIME&PUNISHMENT Police Parade Suspects Who Plotted to Kidnap Otedola Dele Ogbodo in Abuja The police have said they foiled an attempt by three suspects to kidnap Mr. Femi Otedola, a popular Lagos-based oil magnate.

In a statement made available to journalists yesterday in Abuja by the Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Donald Awunah, he said the three suspects, Ikechwuku Daniel, Adeyemi Kayode and Ayodele Temitayo, planned to demand N1 billion ransom from Otedola.

Parading the suspects at the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) head office in Abuja, the police PRO said the arrest was achieved through the

Inspector General of Police (IG)’s Intelligence Response Team (IRT).

Awunah said one Ikechukwu Daniel, 28, an indigene of Imo State who is the mastermind of the gang, was rusticated from the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, due to cult related activities in 2010.

The statement further stated that Daniel, an ICT guru with mastery of computer applications, made damning revelations of their criminal exploits in the South-west region of the country, the statement added.

“Another member of the gang, 29-year-old Adeyemi Kayode, a serving officer

of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and a native of Ojoo in Ibadan, Oyo State, serves as a Personal Assistant to the Commandant of the corps, Oyo State Command.

“The suspect took undue advantage of his office to obtain the mobile phone number and location of their victim. He hatched the plan on how to kidnap the businessman and make a demand of N1 billion ransom,” the statement revealed.

The third suspect, Ayodele Temitayo, a native of Oyo, in Oyo State, according to the statement, is the marksman and armourer of the gang, who

claimed to have been dismissed from 213 Battalion of Nigeria Army in Maiduguri as a Private in 2015.

The suspects, the Force PRO, stated, made confessional statements revealing that they had successfully carried out several high profile kidnappings, adding that two AK47 rifles loaded with live ammunition were recovered from the gang.

While efforts are currently being intensified to apprehend other members of the gang and extend investigation to their other criminal activities, the IG, Ibrahim Idris, restated the commitment of the Force to clamp down on all criminal activities across the country.

In Brief Again, Suspected Cattle Rustlers Raid Niger Village, Kill Six

Barely two weeks after cattle rustlers invaded Gbada community in Kaure village in the Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State killing five people andrenderingseveralothershomeless,notlessthan50heavilyarmedrustlers haveattackedtheKukokivillageaFulanisettlementinthesamelocalgovernment area, killing six people among them four Fulanis. A woman and several others were said to have been seriously injured in the attack which lasted for about fourhoursevenasseveralhouseswerereportedtohavebeendestroyedbythe rampagingrustlers.Itwaslearntthatnotlessthan700cows,goatsandsheep were rustled by the invaders. An eyewitness told THISDAY that the rustlers cametothesettlementatabout7a.m.andstartedshootingintotheairtoscare awaymembersofthecommunity.Theoperation,accordingtotheeyewitness, did not end until about four hours later without any resistance coming from anywhere. As a result, many of the villagers had to run to nearby communities and into the bush, deserting their ancestral homes. As at the time of filing this report,yesterday,lifehadnotreturnedtotheaffectedvillage.ThestatePolice Public Relations Officer, Bala Elkana, who confirmed the incident, said two of thesuspectedrustlershadbeenarrestedwhileeffortswereongoingtoarrest the others. He said the police was yet to have the figure of cattle rustled but confirmedthecasualtyfigure.Elkanasaidarmedpolicemenhadbeendrafted to the community just as the Police Commissioner, Alhaji Muazu Zubairu, had also relocated to the affected village along with top officers of the command.

One Killed, Others Injured as Political Thugs Clash in Kano

Kano State Police Command has confirmed that one person lost his life when suspectedpoliticalthugsclashedatHotorobyMaiduguriRoadyesterday.The spokesmanofthepoliceinKano, DeputySuperintendentofPolice(DSP), Magaji MusaMajia,toldjournaliststhattheclashederuptedwhenthewarringfactions clashed.Accordingtohim,severalpersonssustainedinjuriesandwindscreenof manyvehiclessmashedbythugsbeforethequickinterventionofthepolicewho quelled the situation. Majia warned that police in the state would not tolerate any political thuggery, while said the normalcy has since returned to the area.

Thepolicealsoarrestedsomeofthesuspectsandinvestigationhassincecommencedovertheincident.However, aneyewitness,AdamuYunusaKwanarMaggi who is a mechanic nearby the scene of the incident said the clashed erupted between thugs hired from three local government areas of Bagwai, Rogo and WarawaLocalGovernmentAreasofthestate. Theincidentoccurredwhenthe party leaders were struggling for recognition from the state acting chairman ofAPCwhopaidhimsolidaritysecretariatsituatedalongsideMaiduguriRoad

by Hotoro. Yunusa said: “I saw two persons killed after thugs used dangerous weaponscomprisingcutlassesandsticks.Wehavetorunawayforourdearlife.”

He added that several road users in the area, not excluding passer-bys were have sustained various degrees of injuries.

FRSC Generates N1.6bn from Fines in 10 Months

OCCUPY TILL WE ARE HEARD

The main entrance to the National Assembly being taken over by members of ‘Occupy NASS Unltd’ group on the seond day of their protest against joint local government account in Abuja. ...yesterday Julius Atoi

Court Admits in Evidence Payments Made by Metuh for Publicity Alex Enumah in Abuja As the trial of former Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, continued yesterday, the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, trying Metuh on alleged money laundering offences has admitted in evidence documents showing payments for advertorials in various media outlets made on the instruction of Metuh.

The document which comprises breakdown of payment of the sum of N31 million to different media outfits for advertorials in the name of PDP were tendered by the fifth defence witness, Richard Ihediwa.

Trial judge, Justice Okon Abang, in a bench ruling yesterday, held that since the documents were relevant to the case, they are admissible.

Abang held that even though no submission was made as to how the witness came across the documents, the fact that it contained relevant evidence makes it admissible.

He also ruled that being a

legal document of account, it did not matter whether the witness was a maker or not, especially as he has knowledge of the inflow of account.

The judge quoting from the evidence-in-chief of the witness recalled the witness said his responsibility was to handle and place advertorial including the payments for such advertorials.

He went further to recall how the witness claimed N31.5million was paid into his account by the 1st defendants which he in turn disbursed to various media outlets covering them.

Stating that the issue was not whether the witness had custody of the document or not but of relevance, Abang said he was satisfied that the witness had personal knowledge of the documents from his evidence-in-chief and consequently admitted the document.

At the last adjournment, following a blow-by-blow account by the DW5 of how money was disbursed on media and publicity, counsel to the 1st

defendant, Emeka Etiaba had sought to tender documents confirming payments to some media houses for advertorials in respect of media campaign for former president Goodluck Jonathan and in PDP towards the 2015 presidential election.

But counsel to the prosecutor, Sylvanus Tahir, opposed the admissibility of the document as exhibit on the grounds that it was a mere computer generated document, adding that no foundation was laid before the document was tendered.

He had also argued that since the witness was not a custodian or maker of the document he cannot tender them.

Tahir also argued that since the witness was not the one who certified the document it should not be admitted.

However, at the resumed hearing yesterday, Etiaba submitted that the prosecution did not seem to apply the word ‘custodian’ correctly.

He said: “This is a witness who seeks to tender his own evidence. We submit that this

document comes from proper custody, but assuming that it did not, it was still not enough reason to reject it.”

On the issue of relevance, Etiaba argued that since the prosecution did not raise the issue of relevance of the document, the defence counsel took it that the document was relevant at the first instance and consequently, should be admitted on that ground.

He therefore urged the court to admit the evidence and to discountenance the objection of the prosecution.

Also admitted in evidence as exhibits D3, D4, D5, D6, D7, D8, D9 and D10 were standing orders and transfer receipts of some of the payments made to some media outfits.

Justice Abang, however adjourned the hearing of the matter till November 24 and 30.

He also ordered the defendant, in line with the rules of the court, to present the list of other witnesses it planned to call at the next adjourned date.

TheCorpsMarshaloftheFederalRoadSafetyCommission(FRSC),Mr.Boboye Oyeyemi,yesterdaysaidthecommissionhasgeneratedN1.6billionfromfines through its patrol activities between January and November 2016. Oyeyemi, who acknowledged that FRSC is not a revenue generating agency, added that the money was remitted directly to the consolidated federation account In a statement made available to journalists in Abuja, the FRSC boss expressed appreciation to members of the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-governmental Affairs for their support in the timely release of its 2016 appropriation. According to him, the timely release of funds has led to enhanced logistic empowerment for the commission as more patrol vehicles, ambulances andtowtruckswerepurchasedtotheoperationalfleetoftheFRSC. Oyeyemialso admittedthattheoverheadcostfor2016budgethasbeenfullyreleased,whilethe capitalreleaseswerebeingeffectedbasedonavailabilityoffundsHepromisedto wouldworkhardtoensureimprovedservicedeliveryinordertorestoresafetyon Nigerianroads. Inhisremark,theChairmanoftheCommittee,SenatorTijaniKaura, admonishedstaffoftheFRSCtoensuretheirpersonalsafetyduringpatroltoavoid beingknockeddownbyrecklessdrivers. Kaura,however,saidthecommitteewas disturbedbyreportsofpatrolmenbeinghitbyrecklessdriverswhileperformingtheir legitimatedutiesonthehighways,warningthatsuchdastardlyactsbythedrivers areunacceptabletomembersoftheNationalAssembly. Thechairmanstatedthat membersofthecommitteewereonoversightfunctionstotheFRSCheadquartersin Abujatoascertainthelevelofimplementationofthe2016budgetaryappropriations tothecommissionandtofamiliarisethemselveswithitsoperationswithaviewto determiningareasoffurtherlegislativesupport

Rivers Re-run: Fake Election Result Sheets Saga Should Not be Swept under Carpet, Says Group

A group, the Independent Service Delivery and Monitoring Group (ISDMG), has called on the Nigerian Police to conduct a thorough investigation on several persons involved in the printing of fake election result sheet, saying such incident should not be swept under the carpet. The Senior Programme Officerofthegroup,Ms.OsundinakinOmoyemi,madethecallwhileaddressing apressconference yesterdayinAbuja. Shenotedthatdespitethewillingness of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct rerun electioninthreesenatorialdistricts,12HouseofRepresentativesand16House ofAssemblyconstituenciesinRiversState,desperateactionsbypoliticiansto cause electoral violence have continued to overwhelm the security agencies andcompromisedtheelections. Theprogrammeofficerstressedthatinorder for INEC to conduct peaceful and violence-free re-run elections in the state, a national stakeholders’ meeting was held on July 30, 2016, in Abuja, lamenting that on July 22, INEC office in Khana Local Government Area was completely razed marking the height of a renewed violence.

54

T H I S D AY •THURSDAY NOVEMBER 17, 2016

THURSDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

F I FA U - 2 0 W O M E N ’ S W O R L D C U P

Falconets Defeat Canada 3-1, Set to Battle Spain Duro Ikhazuagbe Nigeria’s Falconets returned to winning ways yesterday at the ongoing FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Papua New Guinea, defeating Canada 3-1.

Goals by Chinaza Uchendu, Joy Bokiri and Chiwendu Ihezuo steered the Nigerian Under-20 girls to victory.

After the crushing 6-0 defeat the Falconets suffered in their opening game with Japan, handler of the team, Peter Dedevbo, ringed changes in the squad to get Nigeria’s first three points of the tournament and the revival of hope of progressing to the knock out phase.

The Canadians, who similarly received a 5-0 hiding from Spain in their first match, went in front after only 15 minutes as Deanne Rose turned captain Ugochi Emenayo in the box and then teed up Gabrielle Carle to heave past Nigerian goalkeeper Onyinye Okeke.

Rasheedat Ajibade, captain of the Nigeria Under-17 girls, was a constant menace for the Canadians, and nearly got the equaliser in the 37th minute.

Eight minutes later, Uchendu brought Nigeria level when she shot past Rylee Foster from the penalty spot after Bianca St Georges handled the ball in the box.

Dedevbo’s girls came into the second half like a house on fire, and were in front after only 40 seconds as Joy Bokiri rocketed home from close range in a goalmouth scramble.

Chiwendu Ihezuo profited

from a poor clearance by goalkeeper Foster to double the advantage in the 74th minute, meaning that the Falconets can still progress to the quarter –finals, mathematically, if they achieve a win over Spain on Sunday.

Meanwhile, attacking midfielder Rasheedat Ajibade was named the Live Your Goals Player of the Match against Canada.

“I am excited and grateful to God for this award. Ajibade began. I am dedicating this award to my team-mates for their support and especially to Coach Peter Dedevbo for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to be part of the team.”

Beaming with smiles, Ajibade noted that there is a huge difference between playing at the Under-20 World Cup and playing at the Under-17 cadre.

“The difference is very clear, the pressure in the Under-17 is not as strong as what I am experiencing here.

It is more like the higher you go, the hotter it becomes.”

In the other matches played earlier, Spain finally

RESULTS

Group A Korea DPR 4-2 Brazil P’N Guinea 0-6 Sweden Group B Spain 1-0 Japan Nigeria 3-1 Canada

NCC TENNIS LEAGUE

Team Tombim Secures Maximum Points from Group Phase Defending champions Team Tombim secured maximum points from the round robin phase of the NCC Tennis League when they overwhelmed Team Anambra to grab an unassailable 4-0 in the seven match decider taking place at the Abuja National Stadium Tennis Centre.

The tie is the last round robin match for both teams and Tombim will lead the Blue Group with the maximum 12 points. The team would now await the runner-up from the White Group to be decided in a forth night.

Christian Paul, the second singles player for the Abuja based team, got the first point when Chinedu Iwuagwu of Team Anambra scratched trailing 3-6, 0-2. Former national champion Henry Atseye won the second men’s singles beating Michael Chima 6-3, 7-5 and Loveth Donatus defeated Ezinne Maduike 6-3, 6-1 in the women’s singles.

Team Tombim, which had

promised to approach this last tie with all seriousness, brought out their best combination of Moses Michael and Paul in the mixed doubles and they duly delivered - beating Chima and Tochukwu Eze 7-6, 7-5.

Both teams will still have to play today starting 10 am for the three points from two reverse singles and the mixed doubles.

Meanwhile, Team Civil Defence will gun for the leadership of the White Group when they take on Team Kalotari in Kaduna Friday Nov 18 and Saturday Nov. 19. Civil Defence, the runners-up last year will secure the maximum points having won their previous three round robin ties.

The second semi-final spot will be decided after the Team FCT versus CBN Futures match taking place in Lagos between Nov. 29 and 30.

Falconets celebrating the victory over Canada yesterday brought an end to their long winless run against Japan.

Having suffered a string of defeat at the hands of the Japanese at U-17 level at Costa

Rica 2014 and Jordan 2016, La Rojita finally gained revenge courtesy of Maria Caldentey’s late penalty.

Over in Group A, Korea

DPR became the first team to progress to the quarter-finals of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Papua New Guinea 2016 when they beat

Brazil 4-2. Beaten heavily in their opening game, hosts Papua New Guinea showed some encouraging signs in a 6-0 defeat to Sweden.

Russia 2018: Leekens Not Giving up on Algeria Yet Algeria national team head coach, Georges Leekens has insisted that the race to nick the solitary qualifying ticket from Group B for the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals is still far from decided.

Nigeria is the only side with victories in Group B with Cameroun, Zambia and Algeria failing to amass maximum points after their

opening two games in the section.

The combination of results after the first two match days in the group means that the Super Eagles currently have a four point cushion over their nearest challengers, Cameroun but Leekens insists the Super Eagles must not be lulled into a false sense of security.

“As long as it remains mathematically possible (for Algeria to qualify) we will continue to fight.

“I also don’t think Nigeria can start celebrating yet because there are still four more games to play.

“The manner of our defeat against Nigeria fills me with confidence because we created many chances

against them.

“Giving up is not in my nature so there is no way we will give up with so many matches to play,” Leekens said.

Algeria currently props up the rear in Group B with a single point from two matches and Nigeria are top of the standings with six points from two matches.

NPFL 2016/17 Season: LMC Confirms DTMS for Transfers FIFA official commends Nigeria Transfer dealings in the coming 2016/17 season of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) will be transacted on the platform of the newly acquired Domestic Transfer Matching System (DTMS) which the FIFA TMS Project Officer, Bertrand Vinit has commended Nigeria for adopting.

The Chief Operating Officer of the League Management Company (LMC), Salihu Abubakar, confirmed that the DTMS will be used for players’ transfers ahead of the new football season and urged participants at the three-day TMS workshop in Abuja to pay attention to the seminar

teachings so as to acquire relevant knowledge of its operations.

“We have to be ahead, we must blaze the trail and do things right. So we would put the DTMS to use. Nigeria would be the first country in Africa to do this and we have resolved to do it right as part of our innovations to make the league strong, attractive and transparent” Abubakar told www.npfl.ng on the sidelines of the workshop at the Hilton Hotel.

“We urge the participants to be attentive, acquire the knowledge and apply it to their everyday work in their offices so that we can all benefit.

Before I came in yesterday, I was really afraid it was going to be tough going but the four resource persons sent by FIFA have effortlessly broken it down to our comprehension and now I can tell you that we can run it smoothly,” Abubakar concluded.

Vinit, one of the four FIFA Resource persons at the workshop said Nigeria’s adoption of the DTMS is a right step in the right direction for the country’s football.

Speaking on Day-2 of the workshop, he said, “Nigeria is the first African country to adopt the DTMS and it’s a big step for Nigerian football.

One of the benefits is that the

DTMS and ITMS are on the same platform, so domestic and international transfers can be entered in the same place. This is an electronic platform, so it’s online and accessible from anywhere as long as there is an Internet connection”.

“It allows for transparency in the disclosure of information and makes everyone compliant with domestic and international regulations on players’ transfers,” added the FIFA Official who is the leader of the team from Zurich.

More than 25 TMS officials from the NPFL and NNL are attending the workshop in Abuja.

55

T H I S D AY •THURSDAY NOVEMBER 17, 2016

THURSDAYSPORTS

WORLD CUP 2018 QUALIFIER

Messi Puts Argentina Back on Track Lionel Messi opened the scoring with a brilliant free kick and laid on two goals as Argentina put their World Cup qualifying campaign back on track with a resounding 3-0 win over Colombia on Tuesday night.

The three points lifted Messi’s team into fifth place in the South American group with 19 points, one behind Ecuador and Chile.

Brazil, away to Peru in Lima in a later match, top the table with 24 points while Uruguay are second with 23 after a 3-1 loss to Chile in Santiago.

Colombia dropped to sixth on 18 points.

The top four go through to the 2018 finals in Russia with the fifth, at present Argentina, qualifying for an intercontinental playoff for another berth.

Argentina took a ninthminute lead when Messi curled his free kick over the wall and into the top left corner of the leaping David Ospina’s net off the underside of the bar.

Falcao came close for Colombia at the other end when he headed James Rodriguez’s free kick just over Sergio Romero’s bar after 18 minutes.

Five minutes later Messi’s superb ball over the defence

was met on the edge of the six-yard box with a firm header into the bottom far corner by Lucas Pratto.

Colombia pushed Argentina back in the second half though the home side threatened again when Messi fed Angel Di Maria but his shot from a tight angle hit the post.

Di Maria did score seven minutes from time after Messi cheekily stole the ball from a defender on the right wing, raced into the box and laid the ball square where the winger blasted it into the roof of the net.

Rodriguez hit the post with a free kick in stoppage time with Colombia’s last chance of the match.

Meanwhile, Messi has led the Argentina squad in a media boycott following “grave” press reports about the team and their recent form.

The 29-year-old announced the ban after scoring in the side’s 3-0 victory over Colombia.

A radio report alleged that forward Ezequiel Lavezzi smoked marijuana after a training session, which he denies.

“We’ve received many accusations, a lot of lack of respect and we never said anything,” Messi said.

Messi and the 25-man squad walked out of the

Messi... Returns Argentina to winning ways news conference following the Colombia game.

It was also announced that Lavezzi is taking the radio reporter to court over the accusations.

“We know there are lots of you who are not in the game

of not showing us respect, but getting into one’s personal life is very grave,” Messi added.

Argentina were criticised following their 3-0 defeat by Brazil on Friday but their win over Colombia moved them up to fifth place and back

into qualifying contention.

Elsewhere in the group, Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez scored twice as Chile beat Uruguay 3-1 to stay third.

Chile had been warned by Arsene Wenger that it would

be “suicidal” to play Sanchez unless he was fully fit after he injured a muscle in training.

However Sanchez played 85 minutes and looks set to be fit for Arsenal’s Premier League match against Manchester United on Saturday

We Are Committed to the Devt NBA: LeBron Stars as Cavaliers Equal Best Ever Start of Season LeBron James had teams who met in last season’s points for Chicago, who were has put the Lakers (7-5) two of Nigerian Football, Says Okoli Cleveland’s 28 points and 14 assists to Eastern Conference finals and again without Rajon Rondo games above a .500 winning The Founder and CEO of Nigeria’s foremost indigenous pharmaceutical company, Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Limited Dr. Stella Okoli, has restated the company’s commitment to the development of Nigerian Football.

Speaking on the recent appointment of Nigerian Female striker and the African Women Footballer of the Year, Asisat Oshoala as an ambassador of the company, Okoli said the idea is to encourage and associate with the best of the Nigerian Football.

“As part of our unflinching commitment to the development of Nigerian football, it is our belief that by associating with stars who are promoting the image of the country positively by using their God given talent, we are indirectly encouraging others

to always put in their best in their endeavours” She said.

Speaking further, Okoli explained that Asisat Oshoala is a brand synonymous with dogged determination and loyalty with a sense of discipline that is unrivalled as she has never ever been reported to be involved in any scandal whatsoever throughout her short but very illustrious career. Therefore a perfect image for Emzor brand.

Asisat Oshoala who currently plays for one of the biggest clubs in world football, the Arsenal Ladies, has recently signed an endorsement deal with the pharmaceutical company. The company already sponsors the national football teams including Super Eagles and Super Falcons and Emzor Paracetamol a product of the company has been the Official Paracetamol of the national teams for almost three years.

Asisat Oshoala (left), poses with Group Managing Director of Emzor Pharmaceuticals, Dr Stella Okoli, during the unveiling of the Super Falcons forward as the Brand Ambassador of the company in Lagos …recently

lead the Cavaliers to a 121-117 win over Toronto on Tuesday, matching the best start to a season in franchise history.

The Cavaliers have now won nine of their 10 games, losing just once, equalling the record set in 1976-77, and are already two and a half games clear in the Central Division, ahead of Chicago, who won comfortably at Portland.

The Los Angeles Lakers kept up their strong home form with victory over Brooklyn.

Cleveland’s Kyrie Irving scored 24 points in another tense matchup between the

could get there again.

Channing Frye’s threepointer from the top of the key with 59 seconds left put the Cavs up by one.

Cleveland then buckled down on defense, holding the Raptors scoreless until letting in a layup with 2.8 seconds left.

Kyle Lowry scored 28 and DeMar DeRozan added 26 for the Raptors.

Chicago opened a six-game road trip with a 113-88 win at Portland, led by Jimmy Butler’s 27 points and 12 rebounds.

Dwyane Wade had 19

due to a sprained ankle.

The Blazers, who had won five of six, were cold from the start, falling behind by as many as 26 points. Damian Lillard, who made just two shots from the field in the first half, finished with 19 points.

Los Angeles’ D’Angelo Russell scored 32 points as the Lakers defeated Brooklyn 125-118.

Russell hit seven threepointers during the highestscoring performance by any Lakers player in their impressive start to the season.

Los Angeles’ balanced play under new coach Luke Walton

percentage for just the second time since April 2013.

Julius Randle added 17 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists for his second career triple-double.

Brook Lopez had 30 points and 10 rebounds for the Nets.

Atlanta pushed their winning streak to five games with a 93-90 road victory at a Miami team which has dropped six straight.

Charlotte overturned a 12-point half-time deficit with a 36-17 third quarter that lifted the Hornets to a 115-108 win at Minnesota, led by 30 points from Kemba Walker.

FCMB Renews Sponsorship of COPA Lagos Beach Tourney First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Limited has renewed its pledge to continue the sponsorship of the COPA Lagos Beach Soccer tournament by throwing its weight behind the 2016 edition of the sporting fiesta for the sixth consecutive year.

The Bank’s Group Head of Corporate Affairs, Mr. Diran Olojo, announced this in Lagos this year’s edition of the event.

The tournament, organised annually by Kinetic Sports Limited, will hold at the Eko Atlantic City in Victoria Island, Lagos, from December 11 to 18, 2016.

According to Mr. Olojo, FCMB’s renewal of the sponsorship is a re-affirmation of its commitment to sports and youth development in Nigeria.

“We are excited to be the headline sponsor of the

COPA Lagos once again in partnership with Kinetic Sports.

“At FCMB, we believe in supporting initiatives that add value to the well-being of people and the society.

Sports, particularly, the game of soccer is a key passion point for many. Aligning our brand with this prestigious global event is a continuation of our corporate philosophy to always connect with and develop sustainable relationship with people across demographic and socio economic classes’’, he stated.

Mr. Olojo noted that considering the huge opportunities sports offers Nigerians and its national unity cohesion, the tournament gives the right platform to reach out not only to customers of FCMB, but Nigerians across all segments.

“When we got involved in the tournament six years ago, we saw the level of engagement and excitement people, fans, the participating countries and other stakeholders expressed. This year, soccer fans should expect more fun-filled engagements from FCMB during the COPA Lagos. Our participation will be bigger, better and memorable’’.

Also speaking at the press briefing to herald the event, the Managing Director of Kinetic Sports, Mr. Samson Adamu, announced that this year’s COPA Lagos Beach Soccer tournament will dovetail into the CAF Beach Soccer tournament, which Nigeria is hosting from December 13 to 18, 2016.

According to Mr. Adamu, with the two tournaments holding simultaneously at

the Eko Atlantic City, coupled with other side attractions that would be showcased, “soccer fans and indeed Nigerians should expect an action-packed event with a lot of fun”.

The Kinetic Sports CEO expressed delight at the collaboration with FCMB over the years. According to him, “Our partnership with FCMB in the last six years have gone a long way to popularise and ensured the success of this tournament. The Bank has consistently proved that it is truly committed to the advancement of Beach soccer, sports and overall national development’’.

Apart from the excitement FCMB will build around the football matches, it has also lined up a number of activities to make the tournament impactful and rewarding.

Thursday, November 17, 2016

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MISSILE Fayose to Fed Govt

“I am sure those who made sure Justice Onnoghen’s name was not sent to the Senate for confirmation until the tenure of Justice Mahmud Mohammed expired knew what they were doing. They obviously needed a situation where the CJN, being in acting capacity, will be subservient to them, using his appointment as substantive CJN as bait” – Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose, expressing reservations over the non-appointment of Justice Walter Nkanu Onnoghen as the substantive CJN.

JACOB OLUPONA Ajayi: Statesman, Lawyer and Mentor GUEST COLUMNIST

M

any tributes have been given in honor of Baba Olaniwun Ajayi—a statesman, church and community leader, author and public intellectual—whose transition to the world beyond has robbed the Yoruba people in particular, and the Nigerian nation in general of an irreplaceable talent. Today, I write similarly but with heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and well wishers across the country as we reflect on the departure of a true nationalist even as I recall my deep friendship with him.

As an author and public intellectual who cared deeply about Nigeria and the Yoruba people, Baba wrote with passion and insights. His works on various subjects were enlightening and compelling—whether it was his reflections on the history and culture of his home town, Isara; or on the state of the country, the continent and the world at large.

As a regional, national and global citizen, he wrote admirably about his people and he felt close kinship with their aspirations and concerns. Now that he is gone, Baba’s deep knowledge of the world which reflected in his insightful writings will be part of our national memory.

I respected and admired Baba immensely!

He was a modest man who truly believed in the ability of the youth—particularly the learned women and men of my generation—to shape and remake our nation anew. That then explains why many of our cohorts looked up to him for his wisdom in engaging us in serious and difficult deliberations. As a result, he sought our perspectives and respected our opinions—even in instances when they ran counter to his own. Baba believed in the ability of the young to contribute meaningfully to nation-building and that the nation would do well with the benefit from the wisdom of her learned youth. And he was never dismissive of other opinions as most of our leaders do.

Baba Olaniwun was always welcoming; he encouraged my peers to visit him in Isara to talk about matters of Yoruba and national interests. More than any other person I know in his generation, he commanded tremendous respect and love among my peers and colleagues. Indeed, he embodied the spirit of inspiration and hope for the flourishing contributions of our youth to the new Nigeria we are all still hoping for.

That is why Baba will be judged as a leader who contributed richly to the lives of many people.

Although Baba belonged to many associations and groups, he was very effective in civic and political engagement at home and in Southwestern Nigeria. Even when many may think that men and women of his generation lost the battle to influence the new generation of our leaders, his life testified to the fact that the elders saw what many of us could not see. As the Yoruba would say, ‘oro agba bi o se l’owuro; to ba pe, a se l’ojo ale.’ May the wise counsel of the elders never seize in our land! More importantly, Baba’s exemplary commitment and loyalty to his friends and cohorts were unparalleled.

As I recall my association with him and

Late Ajayi the many years of conversations we had together, I remember a few pivotal moments that will remain with me forever. First, Baba was one of the very few elder statesmen who sought out educated young talents for the purpose of engaging them in conversations about the state of the Yoruba people and the Nigerian nation. Such spirit of selfless service, very rare among our people, was based on the confidence he had in himself as well as his versatility and deep knowledge of the world around him. As an educated man with genuine love for his country, Baba was constantly thinking about the present and the future of Nigeria.

The first meeting I had with him at the instance of Professor Wale Adebanwi of the University of California, Davis, USA, was unforgettable. Before the meeting in Isara, he had read my dossier, I guess from the internet, and as soon as I arrived at his home, Baba started a conversation about my academic and professional life. That first meeting led to many more interactions.

There was a time Baba called me from

As I think of Baba Olanihun today, I also remind myself of how a large number of our career diplomats, educationists and successful professionals in several fields of human endeavor (who were well trained at home and abroad) retire and are then left to lonely lives with untapped talents

London and wanted me to contact a number of Yoruba scholars whom he could invite to come home to dialogue with the elders about the state of the Yoruba society and Nigeria. My first response was to ask him why the Yoruba elders would always want to carry the burden of Nigeria state. There was a total silence at the other end of the line and I thought I had lost him. “Baba, are you there?” I asked to which he responded, “Mo n gbo e, professor”. I spent the next few minutes unpacking the deeply troubling but factual statement I made.

The conversation took place around the time Colonel Benjamin Adekunle’s death was reported. Having spent substantial time writing and talking about nation building, civil religion and citizenship, I was uncomfortable at the manner of Adekunle’s post-military life and the treatment the Nigerian nation gave one of their war heroes. My thesis was that people like him who served Nigeria meritoriously deserved to be honored. Baba spent the next few minutes giving me a history lesson of how Yoruba leaders have always been faithful to the Nigerian cause and why we must continue to do so. Since he knew he was talking to a scholar of religion, he drew handsomely from Biblical references to make his point. While I avoided engaging him in a theological debate, it was also evident I had found a conversational partner. “I hear you Baba, you are right”, I concluded!

Second, Baba was one of the few who had the credibility and honesty to speak boldly to kings, governors and state leaders with empathy but firmness. I noticed this on many occasions but particularly during my book launch in Lagos which the late Ooni of Ife Olubuse Sijuade asked him to chair. A gathering of Yoruba and Nigerian dignitaries were invited by our late Father, Oba Okunade Sijuade to the event and the success was majorly due to Baba’s central role. A schedule conflict that would have derailed the entire event was carefully resolved by him.

What was interesting was that Baba kept the details of what happened from me. He and others that Kabiyesi had designated to organize the function, including Chief Odeyemi of Ile Ife, worked tirelessly to make it a success. He used tact and deep wisdom to resolve the problem. “Enia l’aso me” the Yoruba would say. I told a friend after the event that if there is indeed reincarnation after life, I will come back to this world as a Nigerian and a Yoruba man!

Baba’s speech at the book launch that day set the tone for the occasion as he pointed out the need for the Yoruba to think more seriously about regional integration and cultural and political dialogue with each other and the rest of the nation. It is a pity that he died without seeing the outcome of one of his projects, the restructuring of the nation. But then, “ola o tan, ola ku sehin!”

My third significant encounter with Baba was when he called during one of my visits to Nigeria to say that he had a big assignment for me and that I should stop

by Isara on my way to Lagos to discuss it.

Baba’s assignment, as it turned out, was simply that he wanted me to find out where

he could do a doctorate degree. He wanted to cap his long and purposeful career with the title of a doctor as we do in Nigeria!

My quick and gut response was that Baba did not need a doctorate degree and I told him so: “You are more than ten doctorate degrees combined!”

I was very sincere in my remark because there are very few men and women of Baba’s generation and beyond who can beat his publication records. Some of his books in my library here, including such titles as “Let Me Forget”; “The House of Oduduwa Must Not Fall”; “Isara: Afotamodi, My Jerusalem”; “Nigeria: Africa’s Failed State” testify to his uncommon intellect. Though not a conventional scholar, he mastered and excelled in the discipline of scholarship. If Baba had lived in a place like America he would have been asked to hold regular college seminars for young undergraduates in a university or liberal arts college around his vicinity.

As I think of him today, I also remind myself of how a large number of our career diplomats, educationists and successful professionals in several fields of human endeavor (who were well trained at home and abroad) retire and are then left to lonely lives with untapped talents; yet ours is a country calling for talents to train the next generation of our youths.

As we therefore lay Baba to rest, let me recall a few words from the great Preacher in the book of Ecclesiasticus: “Let us now Praise famous Men and Women and our Parents that begat us. The Lord hath wrought great glory by them through his great power from the beginning. Such as did bear rule in their kingdoms, men and women renowned for their power, giving counsel by their understanding, and declaring prophecies: Leaders of the people by their counsels, and by their knowledge of learning meet for the people, wise and eloquent are their instructions: Humbled men and women furnished with ability, living peaceably in their habitations. All these were honored in their generations, and were the glory of their times. There be of them that have left a name behind them, that their praises might be reported. But these were merciful men and women, whose righteousness hath not been forgotten. Their seed shall remain forever, and their glory shall not be blotted out.

Their bodies are buried in peace; but their name liveth for evermore. The people will tell of their wisdom and the congregation will show forth their praise.”

The memory and legacy of the Sir Olaniwun Ajayi is assured of a lasting place of honor in Nigeria. His labors have not been in vain and today we remember with love, admiration and affection the life and works of a wise and eloquent statesman. May the good Lord comfort the family he left behind.

• Olupona is a Professor of African and African American Studies in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University and can be reached on olupona@fas.harvard.edu NOTE: Olusegun Adeniyi will be back next week with The Verdict

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