Thursday 9th February 2017

Senate Approves $1bn Eurobond Sale, Investors Fret over Oil Risk Obinna Chima with agency report The National Assembly has approved the federal government’s request to sell a $1 billion Eurobond to help the country finance its budget deficit, the Senate spokesman,

Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi said yesterday.

Nigeria is suffering its first recession in 25 years and needs to find money to make up for the shortfall in its budget. Its revenues have plunged along with global oil prices and militant attacks in

its crude-producing heartland, the Niger Delta.

Finance Minister Kemi Adeosun, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele and other senior government officials have been meeting investors this week in London and the

United States on a roadshow to issue the bond with a 15-year maturity.

Adeosun had in October said Africa’s biggest economy had commitments for half the amount it wanted to raise from the Eurobond, to be issued in dollars.

“The only request for approval from the executive was ... for the issuance of $1 billion Eurobond ... for the funding of the 2016 budget deficit, and we immediately granted the approval,” Reuters quoted Senate spokesman Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi to have said.

Low oil prices have triggered chronic dollar shortages in the economy and battered the naira, which lost a third of its official value last year and is now trading at a 39 per cent discount on the black market.

Continued on page 9

PDP Opens Merger Talks with LP, SDP, Five Other Parties… Page 9 Thursday 9 February, 2017 Vol 22. No 7966. Price: N250

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NJC Re-nominates Onnoghen Acting CJN, Pending Senate Confirmation Presidency confirms THISDAY’s exclusive report on his nomination Ademola dragged before Code of Conduct Tribunal Tobi Soniyi in Abuja The National Judicial Council (NJC) has written to acting President Yemi Osinbajo asking him to re-appoint the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen in an acting capacity, pending his

Justices Ngwuta,

screening and confirmation by the Senate as the substantive CJN. The decision to resend Justice Onnoghen’s name confirmed THISDAY’s exclusive report yesterday that the NJC would Continued on page 9

FG: No Basis Comparing Yar’Adua’s Health Issues with Buhari’s Tobi Soniyi in Abuja The federal government has again launched another spirited attempt to convince increasingly sceptical Nigerians that President Muhammadu Buhari, who is in the United Kingdom on an extended vacation, is “hale and hearty”, adding that

there was no basis comparing the president’s health with what played out during the Umaru Yar’Adua presidency.

Minister of information and Culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed made the spirited defence yesterday when he briefed State House Continued on page 9

FEC Gives Nod to Measures to Bring Down Food Prices… Page 12

PDP RE-STRATEGISES FOR 2019…

L-R: Former Deputy Senate President and Member, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Caretaker Committee, Senator Ibrahim Mantu; former Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido; and Chairman, PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), Alhaji Walid Jubril, during the presentation of the report of the Strategy Review and Inter-party Affairs Committee to the party’s leadership, in Abuja… yesterday genock reuben

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PAGE NINE

PDP Opens Merger Talks with LP, SDP, Five Other Parties Warns IG to stop harassing Wike Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that it has commenced talks with some politicians and the leadership of the Labour Party (LP), Social Democratic Party (SDP) and five other political parties in the country on modalities for aligning forces to wrest power from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2019 general election.

The meeting with friendly political parties and associations, which was at the instance of the PDP, was billed to take place yesterday evening in Abuja.

The Chairman of the PDP Strategy Review and Inter-party Affairs Committee and former Minister of Information, Prof.

Jerry Gana who gave some insight on the merger talks yesterday, when he submitted the report of the committee, said it had nothing to do with the "rumoured mega party".

“We are pleased to report that our initial contacts have yielded positive responses from seven people-focused and social democratic parties. In fact, later this evening, key leaders and selected delegates from the seven parties will be meeting on the invitation of the PDP. “This has nothing to do with the rumoured mega party, but a separate and highly principled initiative of the PDP. Our desire is to have all genuine democrats and friends of the party to flow together and provide a fresh and trustworthy leadership to promote and ensure a peoplefriendly process of national development.” he said.

He said the committee seriously considered how best to put in place a robust mechanism for inter-party relations, so as to encourage the coming together of all genuine and people-oriented democrats on the basis of shared principles and core programmes on national transformation.

Gana, who described the PDP

as a strong sleeping lion that is now rising, explained that one of the key recommendations of the committee was the restoration of the youth and women’s wings of the party.

The committee also recommended new initiatives like the adoption of direct primaries, as well as other means of conducting credible congresses and conventions, and to do away with such practices that encourage impunity, he said.

The committee, Gana added, also recommended the use of direct primaries in the conduct of elections into elective positions.

To this effect, the committee recommended guidelines for direct primaries. It, however, recommended instances where the option of indirect primaries could be adopted when direct primaries are not deemed feasible.

Gana further disclosed that the committee recommended strategies for the proper funding of the party, stating that funding under the rebranded PDP would no longer be left in the hands of a few individuals but should be spread to all members under a funding system that would work.

In a bid to strengthen the party and put it in a position to win elections going forward, the committee said that it analysed the activities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and came up with measures to respond to issues relating to the conduct of elections.

This would include the need for the party to adopt a rapid response mechanism and a situation room where elections are monitored and necessary actions taken to protect the interest of the party.

Also, the committee recommended the convocation of a national conference of democrats to create a powerful network for the defence of democracy in the country, which will place the PDP in a position to act as a strong advocate of

democracy in Africa.

The Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the PDP, Senator Walid Jibril said the report of the committee aptly captured the minds and views of a majority of its members.

He, however, decried what he described as an unprecedented animosity and wicked plot by a few members to destroy the PDP, stressing that there were no factions in the PDP. According to him, the contents of the report provided him relief, as they contained the aspirations of most of the members to revamp the PDP and not to let it die or be “subsumed in the supposed mega party”.

One of the high points of yesterday’s event was the surprise appearance of one of the founding fathers of the PDP, former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and former Minister of Finance, Alhaji Adamu Ciroma.

Going down memory lane on how the PDP was formed, Ciroma said the party was formed in order to cater for the interest of all Nigerians.

He said the party would have stayed longer in power but for some mistakes.

Ciroma said: “I feel very proud of being in the PDP and of being one of the members that played a critical role in its formation. I am proud to say that the party is still alive today.”

Speaking on the difficult position the PDP has found itself as an opposition party, Ciroma advised the leadership and members to join hands in working on ways to rediscover the past glory of the party.

“We must be very proud that we were able to maintain the position we are in now, but if we want to help the ordinary Nigerians, we must give them a government that respects their feelings and one that shares their pains as well as understands what their aspirations are,” he added.

Another founding member

of the PDP, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu described the event as a great milestone.

“Frankly speaking, this is my happiest day, because in the life of every person or organisation there comes a time for change.

This is the stage that the PDP is in now.

“I am telling the PDP members gathered here to trust in God, we are going to recover power in 2019,” he observed.

He said the PDP was a gathering of very illustrious personalities in Nigeria.

Iwuanyanwu, whose speech interrupted by applause from the gathering, counselled that one of the key decisions that should have been taken at yesterday’s meeting was on the reopening of the national secretariat of the party in Abuja.

He said the party’s leadership must start the process of reclaiming its office, which according, to him, was illegally locked up.

He also insisted that he was still in the PDP, describing the suggestion of the governor of Imo State Chief Rochas Okorocha that some of the PDP leading members, including governors, were itching to join the All Progressives Congress (APC), as a fallacy.

He demanded that all the seats of legislators who recently defected to APC be made to vacate and others should be invited to contest for the seats.

The Chairman of the National Caretaker Committee, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, said the party would subject the report of the Gana-led panel to critical analysis by stakeholders before it is adopted.

Makarfi pointed out an area that was apparently being overlooked by the committee, which was the manifesto that the party should be offering the Nigerian people ahead of the 2019 elections.

He said one of the ways the APC has distracted the PDP and

FG: NO BASIS COMPARING YAR'ADUA’S HEALTH ISSUES WITH BUHARI’S correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by acting President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He insisted that Buhari was neither ill, nor was he in any danger that calls for panic.

The minister also reacted to the charge that he had failed to provide hourly briefings on the status of the president’s health, even though he had challenged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led government in 2010 to do the same when the late Yar’Adua was sick and later died in office.

According to him, it was like comparing apple with oranges.

He added that Buhari was not in a hospital in London and was not in any danger relating to his health.

The minister also said there was no cause for alarm.

He explained that the controversy surrounding the health of the president had played out because of the nature of his transparency.

According to him, the president was a victim of transparency.

He said: “I think I can say

without any equivocation that he is well, he is hale and he is hearty, no question about that.

“Mr. President is not ill, he is not in hospital, there will be no need to give anybody hourly bulletins about his health pure and simple,” the minister said.

He added: “Mr. President, like I said elsewhere, is a victim of his own transparency, he was going on leave, he did what the constitution said he should do: he transmitted a letter to the National Assembly and an acting president was put in place and he said ‘while I am on leave, I am going to conduct some medical tests’, which all of us do without announcing it.

“And of course less than six hours after he got there, he was pronounced dead by some people. Even those who saw him climb the aircraft in Abuja said he was flown by air ambulance.

“But I can assure you that Mr. President is well, he is hale and hearty, and there is no cause for concern. The acting president speaks to him everyday and he told you so.”

The information minister

said that he could however not blame Buhari for his rumoured death that has followed his vacation abroad.

“I won’t blame Mr. President, because this is the third time you are declaring him dead.”

Asked why Buhari went on vacation at a time Nigeria is in a recession, the minister said: “Our constitution guarantees that. Did Obama not go on leave, do other presidents not go on leave.

“Mr. President will go on vacation when he has to go on vacation. Do you know how many ministers have gone on vacation this year? To say Mr. President cannot go on vacation that is ridiculous.

“You see, on a lighter note, do you think Mr. President will be ill and we will be here and going about our business like this?

“He (pointing to a colleague) was in Anambra two to three days ago, I was in Ilorin on Monday, all our ministers are busy. But I want to assure you that Mr. President is well and he is in absolutely no danger.

“I think it was one of the newspapers that said when

I was the spokesman of the Action Congress (AC), I demanded for hourly bulletins on Yar’Adua’s health and that I ought to be giving hourly bulletins as Minister of Information on the health of the president. And I said you are comparing apple with oranges.”

Buhari left Nigeria on January 19 on a vacation for 10 working days and was slated to return on February 5 in order to resume work the next day.

However, on the day he was supposed to return to the country, the presidency issued a statement explaining that the president had decided to extend his vacation on the advise of his doctors. No date was given on when he would return.

Since his departure, Buhari has not been seen or heard from, fuelling speculations about his well being.

Some photographs released by the presidency and close associates of the president, showing Buhari vacationing in the UK with his wife, among others, have not helped to douse concerns.

was attempting to prevent it from mobilising to take power back in 2019 was to create a series of crises in the PDP fold and a prolonged legal tussle over its leadership.

Makarfi said that the leadership of the PDP was aware of the antics of the APC and has decided to move ahead with its activities without any hindrance.

The former Kaduna State governor also apologised for some past actions of the party that may not have gone down well with regards to the enforcement of internal democracy, adding jokingly that even he and members of his committee may have been the products of imposition, which must be stopped going forward.

Also commenting on the report of the police investigative panel on the Rivers State rerun polls held last December, Markafi condemned what he described as the attempt by the APC-led government to drag the security agencies into partisan politics.

He said from all indications, there was no credible evidence in the police report indicting anyone

for electoral malpractice.

His condemnation was reiterated by the PDP spokesman, Dayo Adeyeye, who warned the police to stop the unwarranted harassment of the Rivers State governor Nyesom Wike.

Makarfi also used the occasion to call for prayers for the quick recovery of President Muhammadu Buhari, “so that he can return home to continue with his job of addressing the challenges in the country”.

A former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, who anchored the event, described the PDP as the party that brought democracy to Nigeria and sustained it, adding that the party was poised to return power back to ordinary Nigerians in 2019 by defeating the APC. Among the large gathering of PDP stakeholders that thronged the Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja, venue of the meeting, were party leaders, including the party’s founding fathers, governors, lawmakers, former governors and ministers, and chieftains of the party from across the country.

NJC RE-NOMINATES ONNOGHEN ACTING CJN, PENDING SENATE CONFIRMATION at its emergency meeting recommend his re-appointment in an acting capacity, pending his confirmation by the Senate.

THISDAY had also exclusively reported that Osinbajo on Tuesday transmitted Justice Onnoghen’s name to the Senate for confirmation as the substantive CJN. The need for the council’s emergency meeting yesterday in Abuja at which Justice Onnoghen, who chairs the NJC presided, had arisen due to the lack of sufficient time for the Senate to screen and confirm him before his tenure

as the acting CJN elapses on Friday.

An NJC source explained that the recommendation by the council for his reappointment as acting CJN was done to prevent a situation where Onnoghen would have to step down by Friday and create a vacuum.

Onnoghen took over as the acting CJN on November 10, 2016. His tenure in an acting capacity will elapse on Friday.

Also, the presidency yesterday confirmed THISDAY’s exclusive report Continued on page 10

SENATE APPROVES $1BN EUROBOND SALE, INVESTORS FRET OVER OIL RISK A source with knowledge of the investor meetings, organised by Citigroup and Standard Chartered Bank, told Reuters that oil production and currency were the two main issues investors were considering in pricing the bond this week.

Investors also asked about the continuity of government policies in the absence of President Muhammadu Buhari, who is in Britain on medical leave.

“The real concern is oil production and FX. Will there be a further devaluation this year?” the source said, adding that investors queuing for the dollar bond were looking at a potential yield above seven per cent.

Senate spokesman Abdullahi said the government wanted to use part of the Eurobond proceeds to finance two rail projects. The source added that recurrent expenditure would also be funded from the bond.

The government has laid out plans to spend a record N7.28 trillion to help pull Nigeria out of recession in a draft 2017 budget sent to parliament for approval. It

had planned to spend N6.06 trillion last year, but struggled to fund it.

The government has also set out a $30 billion overseas borrowing plan to finance planned infrastructure projects until 2018, but analysts are sceptical whether it would be able to raise the funds.

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THURSDAY, ΁˜ ͺ͸͹Ϳ ˾ T H I S D AY

PAGE TEN

UN: Boko Haram is Broke The destructive Boko Haram

group is currently plagued by financial difficulties, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Jeffrey Feltman, has said.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Feltman stated this Tuesday while briefing the Security Council on the UN SecretaryGeneral’s Fourth Report on the threat the group poses to international peace and security efforts to “check and roll it back”.

The UN envoy also revealed that Boko Haram was under intense military pressure, but warned against undermining its capacity to launch fatal attacks.

“ISIL-affiliate Boko Haram is attempting to spread its influence and commit terrorist acts beyond Nigeria.

“And Boko Haram remains a serious threat, with several thousand fighters at its disposal.

“It is, however, plagued by financial difficulties and an internal power struggle, and has split in two factions,” Feltman said.

While the previous reports on the subject had focused on South East Asia, Yemen and East Africa, Libya and Afghanistan, the fourth report focused on Europe, North Africa and West Africa.

It said ISIL had conducted a range of attacks in Europe since declaring in 2014 its intent to target the region.

Some of these attacks were directed and facilitated by ISIL personnel, while others were

enabled by ISIL providing guidance or assistance or were inspired through its propaganda, it said.

The report stated that while the military offensive in Libya has dislodged ISIL from its stronghold Sirte, the group’s threat to Libya and neighbouring countries persists.

“Its fighters, estimated to range from several hundred to 3,000, have moved to other parts of the country.

“ISIL has increased its presence in West Africa and the Maghreb, though the group does not control significant amounts of territory in the region.

“The reported pledge of loyalty to ISIL by a splinter faction of Al-Mourabitoun led by Lehbib Ould Ali may elevate the level of the threat.”

Following the increased military pressure, Feltman said ISIL was now on the defensive militarily in several regions, but was also adapting to military pressure by resorting to covert communications such as the ‘dark web’.

“Although its income and the territory under its control are shrinking, ISIL still appears to have sufficient funds to continue fighting,” he warned.

Feltman noted that ISIL relies mainly on income from extortion and hydrocarbon exploitation, even though resources from the latter are on the decline.

According to him, UN member states are concerned

Abubakar Shekau, leader of Boko Haram that ISIL will try to expand other sources of income, such as kidnapping for ransom, and increase its reliance on donations.

“ISIL is adapting in several ways to military pressure, resorting to increasingly covert communication and recruitment methods, including by using the ‘dark web,’ encryption and messengers,” he warned.

The report also focused on some some of the measures taken by member states and the UN, stressing the need to develop sustained and coordinated responses to the grave threat posed by ISIL and associated groups and entities.

Feltman said that there were 19 universal counterterrorism conventions and protocols, as well as related

regional instruments on international terrorism, and relevant UN General Assembly and Security Council resolutions.

“But we need to do more, as member states continue to face significant challenges to ensure effective international cooperation,” he said.

He warned that foreign terrorist fighters leaving the conflict could pose a grave

risk to their homeland or to the countries they are travelling to or transiting through, such as Iraq and Syria’s neighbours, as well as countries in the Maghreb.

“Ultimately, it is the spread and consolidation of peace, security, development and human rights that will most effectively deprive terrorism of the oxygen it needs to survive,” he concluded.

Russian Ship Crew Taken Hostage off Nigerian Coast A crew of seven Russians

and a Ukrainian has been taken hostage off the coast of Nigeria after their ship was attacked, diplomats in Moscow and Kiev said yesterday.

“According to the information of the Russian

embassy in Abuja, there has been an armed attack on the cargo ship BBC Caribbean which belongs to German company Briese Schiffahrt,” a Russian foreign ministry statement said.

“Seven Russian citizens who are members of the crew

have been taken hostage,” it said, adding that Russian diplomats were in contact with Nigerian authorities who were searching for the vessel.

A Ukrainian consular official said there was also one Ukrainian national on

the ship, reported AFP. “At this time the kidnappers have not made any demands and we don’t know the location of the kidnapped sailors,” said an official with the consular department of Ukraine’s foreign ministry, Vasyl Kyrylych.

The BBC Caribbean is a multipurpose vessel intended for dry cargo and flies the flag of Antigua and Barbuda, according to the company’s website.

Ship monitoring website Marine Traffic said the BBC Carribean last departed the

port of Douala in Cameroon on February 4, headed for Spain’s Las Palmas.

It reported that the ship was attacked by pirates on a motorboat in the Gulf of Guinea who were repelled in a firefight and later proceeded westward.

The final count said: “Sylvester Nwali Ngwuta between the 2nd June 2011 and 19th July 2016 in Abuja, while serving as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria and within the Jurisdiction of this tribunal did engage in the purchase and sale of rice, palm oil and other related products, while being a Justice of the Supreme Court and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 6 of the Code Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, Cap C15 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and punishable under Section 23(2) of the same Act.” Justice Ademola is charged with two counts.

Count one states that he failed to declare his assets to the CCB and thereby breached Section 15 of the CCB and Tribunal Act, Cap C15 and punishable under Section

23(2) of the same Act, while the second count was that he engaged and participated in private business, contrary to Section 6 of the CCB and Tribunal Act and punishable under Section 23(2) of same Act. He was also accused of engaging in the purchase and sale of foreign exchange currencies, while being a Judge of the Federal High Court and thereby committing an offence contrary to section 6 of the CCB and Tribunal Act. Justices Ngwuta and Ademola are two of seven judges whose residences were raided by the Department of State Security (DSS) last October for alleged corruption.

They were forced to step aside as judges and have since been charged to court by the federal government on the corruption allegations.

NJC RE-NOMINATES ONNOGHEN ACTING CJN, PENDING SENATE CONFIRMATION that the acting president had forwarded Justice Onnoghen’s name to the Senate for confirmation as the substantive CJN. The presidency made this known via its Twitter handle @NGRPresident.

His nomination has now put to rest all controversies surrounding his elevation to the post.

Should the Senate confirm him, Justice Onnoghen, from Cross River State, will become the first person from the southern section of the country to hold the post in 30 years.

Meanwhile, the federal government yesterday filed two separate charges against Justice Sylvester Nwali Ngwuta of the Supreme Court and a judge of the Federal High Court Justice Adeniyi Ademola at the Code

of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) for contravening the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) Act. This was contained in a statement issued by the spokesman of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Salihu Isah.

He said the AGF has filed an application at the CCT requesting it to commence the trial of the two judges.

Isah disclosed that the Principal State Counsel at the Federal Ministry of Justice, Hajara Yusuf filed the charges on behalf of the AGF, pursuant to Section 24 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act. The government is alleging that Justice Ngwuta engaged in private business as a public officer, contrary to Section 6(b) of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act.

He was also alleged to have refused to declare his assets as a public officer, contrary to Section 15 of the Code of Conduct Bureau Act, Cap C15 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and punishable under Section 23(2) of the same Act. Justice Ngwuta is expected to face a ten-count charge.

Part of the charges against him state that “between 2nd June 2011 and 19th July 2016, while serving as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria and within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Tribunal, Justice Sylvester Ngwuta did make a false declaration of assets to the CCB when he failed to declare three duplexes at Chinedu Ogah Avenue, Ntezi, Aba in Abakaliki, while being a Justice of the Supreme Court”.

He was also alleged, in

the second count, to have between the 2nd June 2011 and 19th July 2016, while serving as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria made a false declaration to the CCB when he failed to declare twenty-two plots of land at Chief Igwe Uga Avenue, Abakaliki, while the third count states that he failed to declare six plots of land at Frank Okoroafor Avenue, Abakaliki.

Count nine reads that between the 1st of August 2014 and the 16th of July 2015, he corruptly received from Mr. Ogudu Nwadire, through his personal bank account numbered 0018113021 domiciled at Union Bank of Nigeria PLC, the sum of NGN36,310,00 in the discharge of his official duties as a judge of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2017Ëž T H I S D AY

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NEWS

Ă?ĂĄĂ? ĂŽĂ“ĂžĂ™Ăœ Davidson Iriekpen Ă—Ă‹Ă“Ă– davidson.iriekpen@thisdaylive.com, 08111813081

Free Trade Zones Operators Kick as Senate Moves to Amend OGEFZA Act Say new law will promote anti-trade and competition, entrench monopoly

Joseph Ushigiale Licensed operators of Free Trade Zones in the country are currently kicking against what they perceived as an attempt by the Senate to pass a bill inimical to their business interest.

They said the main target was to stifle trade, scuttle competition and confer dual roles of both operator and regulator on Intels/ Orlean Invest, a rival licensee.

THISDAY investigation revealed that the issue is the current “Bill for an act to amend the Oil and Gas Free Trade Zone Authority (OGEFZA) Act Cap 05 laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with a view to providing for designation and establishment of oil and gas free zones and sub-zones in Nigeria and for related matters� sponsored by Senator Ibrahim Gobir.

According to the Supplement to Official Gazette Extraordinary No. 12, Vol. 63, March 29, 1996Part A obtained by THISDAY, the current Act being amended by the Senate was enacted by the late General Sani Abacha’s regime as the the Oil and Gas Export Free Zone Decree 8 of 1996 with the following provisions: 1.-(1) The Head of State, Commanderin-Chief of the Designation and Armed Forces hereby, designates the Onne/lkpokiri area of Rivers State establishment of the state as an export free zone, (in this Decree referred to as ‘the Oil and Gas Export Export Free Zone’.

Free Zone: (2) The Export Free Zone established pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, shall be operated and managed by the Oil and Gas Export Free Zone Authority established by section 2 of this Decree.

In the new amendment, the Senate is seeking to expand the current operational zone status of OGEFZA from its Onne/

Ikpokiri geographical area of Rivers State to usurp those under the jurisdiction of another sister agency – Nigerian Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA).

According to the sponsors of the Bill, which is also dubbed ‘The Intels bill’ in the Senate, because it is believed to have been authored by Intels chief executives, “The Oil and Gas Export Free Zones Act Cap 05 LFN 20 II Amendment of Cap 05 LrN 2011 (referred to as “the Principal Act�) is amended as set out in this Act. Section I of the Principal Act is amended by substituting a new Amendment of Section 1 section I as follows: “Designation and Establishment of the Oil and Gas free Zones and Sub-zones.�

It is further seeking that “(I) The President, on the recommendation of the Authority, may by order: (a) designate any area within the Federal Republic of Nigeria as an Oil and Gas Free Zone and Sub-Zones (in this Act referred to as Free Zones I I and Sub-Zones); (b) designate any area within the Federal Republic of Nigeria as an Oil and Gas Sub-Zones (in this Act referred to as “Sub-Zones�); (c) amend, vary or add to the limit of any Oil and Gas Free Zones and Sub-Zones as the case may be.�

At the moment, the Onne/ Ikpokiri geographical area of Rivers State has been licenced and is being operated by Intels/ Orleans Invest; but majority of operators duly licenced by NEPZA are alleging that the Senate is unwittingly out to create a law that will be anticompetition, create monopoly and institutionalise a behemoth in a single operator who would now assume the roles of both an operator and regulator.

The free trade zone operators

see the latest move by the Senate to use the bill as a ploy to unilaterally expand OGEFZA’s mandate in furtherance of a desperate plot to entrench the Intels/Orlean Invest monopoly, arguing that it will further the expansionist agenda of Intels/ Orlean Invest in a strategy to capture other Free Zone territories duly licensed and regulated by NEPZA and that the bill, if passed into law will now pave way for Intels/orlean Invest to acquire ownership; exercise jurisdiction over another (NEPZA) agency that manages over 30 separate free zones and to forcefully take over the administration of certain NEPZA licensed free zones.

Some operators accused the sponsors of the bill of over reaching their brief in a very clear matter because “the Act specifically designates the Onne/ Ikpokiriarea of Rivers State as an

Oil and Gas Export Free Zone.

This is the only Oil and Gas Export Free Zone designated by the Act. The Act establishes an administrative body for the oversight and management of the designated known as the Oil & Gas Export Free Zone Authority (OGEFZA).�

They also argued that the Oil and Gas Export Free Zone Authority Act (OGEFZA) was enacted specifically to oversee the export of Oil and Gas in Onne/Ikpokiriarea of Rivers State as designated in Section 1 (1) of the OGEFZA Act. This however, is in direct conflict with the mandate of NEPZA and it usurps the functions of NEPZA as it relates to Onne/Ikpokiri.

There is palpable apprehension in the industry that if the bill is passed into law, “it would subject integrated multi-function free zones to the authority of a

single purpose geographical area free zone; completely destroy investor’s confidence both local and international; effectively remove competition not only in the handling of oil and gas export but provides for limitless empowerment over any business even remotely connected to the oil and gas industry and subjects investors, operators and clients to the mercy and exploitation of a single operator.�

THISDAY investigation revealed that before now, three presidential committees were set up to review the free zone scheme in Nigeria, all of the three had the same exact findings and same exact recommendations which included that the existence of dual authorities is undermining the scheme and thus the broader Nigerian economy; the current environment includes the existence of a “monopoly� which is

undermining competitiveness and the scheme in general; that there should be one unified Free Zone Authority in the country.

Determined to create a unified agency, the then leadership of the senate decided to draft a bill in 2006 to create a unified single authority implementing recommendations of the committees and stakeholders while incorporating the operational needs of both NEPZA and OGEFZA. Which is why operators are questioning that rather than introducing a new bill, industry operators believe the senate would have saved scarce resources by returning to the subsisting 2006 draft Bill which set out to harmonise both NEPZA and OGEFZA following recommendations by several committees set up by previous governments to create a single operational entity to replace the two to remove duplicity.

MTN Expects Annual Loss CONSULTATIVE VISIT Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar (left), and President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, during a Due to Fine on Nigerian courtesy visit by Nwodo to the former vice president in Abuja....Tuesday.

Subsidiary MTN Group expects to report a full-year loss due to a $1billion regulatory fine in Nigeria and for under-performance both in Nigeria and South Africa, the company said yesterday.

MTN had agreed in June to pay Nigeria a N330 billion (1.05 billion dollars at the time) fine for missing a deadline to cut off unregistered SIM cards from its network.

Shares in MTN, which fell more than 4 per cent at market open, were 3.82 per cent lower at 113.25 rand at 07:33 a.m., its lowest level since December.

MTN is the largest mobile phone company in Nigeria, the continent’s biggest economy, and accounts for a third of MTN’s revenue.

It said the net effect of the Nigerian fine for the year ended December was a negative impact of 474 cents per share.

MTN will issue a further

trading statement on the likely range within which its headline loss is expected.

Underlying operational results for full-year 2016 were also affected by fees incurred for a planned listing in Nigeria.

The result also showed MTN under-performance of its units both in Nigeria and in South Africa in the first half of 2016.

MTN, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said it aims to list its Nigerian operations on the local bourse during 2017, subject to market conditions.

However, the unit has been battered by the weak economy, depreciation of the naira and the disconnection of 4.5 million subscribers in February 2016.

The naira lost a third of its official value against the dollar in 2016 after the central bank scrapped its currency peg in a bid to alleviate dollar shortages.

Seven New Cases of Lassa Fever Reported in Edo, Ondo, Bauchi Kuni TyessĂ“ Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË Seven new cases of Lassa fever have been reported in three states namely: Edo, Ondo, and Bauchi, with four, two and one cases respectively in the weekly report collated by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

This was disclosed yesterday in Abuja by Mrs. Elsie Ilori, a staff of the centre during the Lassa fever advocacy meeting under the topic: ‘What is the situation out there on Lassa Fever?’ She said there have so far been 44 confirmed cases since December last year in nine states which include Ogun, Plateau, Bauchi, Taraba, Edo, Nasarawa, Rivers, Ebonyi and

Ondo, with some of the cases reported as probable.

While calling on proper sensitisation at all levels based on the evidence that the fever is seasonal and could be endemic, with the rational that it would occur but should not be the cause of death, Ilori stated that states, as well as local governments are expected to get their own supplies of drugs as the federal government has given them seed supplies already. “The first case last year was reported on December 19 and so far, there have been reported cases in nine states and the states are: Ogun, Plateau, Bauchi, Taraba, Edo, Nasarawa, Rivers, Ebonyi and Ondo. In some of these states,

Lassa fever is endemic. We have had 44 confirmed cases since December last year and seven of them were laboratoryconfirmed while seven were probable. Probable cases are cases that we were not able to collect the laboratory samples and those cases died. “The case fatality rate is high because people are not sensitised enough. We have 54.5 per cent fertility rate. So far, we have reported seven laboratory confirmed cases and they are Edo which reported four, Ondo which reported two and Bauchi which had one,� she stated.

In his speech, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the centre, said to nip the scourge of Lassa

fever in the bud, healthcare workers must always apply universal precautions by insisting that medical personnel and patients alike must do test before the treatment of malaria as Lassa Fever has very similar symptoms with malaria.

While also encouraging patients not to self medicate, the NCDC helmsman said it’s proper that heaps of refuse are properly collected and disposed, hence ending the challenge of Lassa fever would be impossible.

To achieve this, he said individuals and organisations must be held accountable as rodents, the primary vectors for Lassa fever, will always abound in such environments.

12

TTHURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2017˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

FEC Gives Nod to Measures to Bring down Food Prices Approves N21bn for roads, N589m for power projects

Tobi Soniyi iØ ÌßÔË˿ The federal government yesterday said it has adopted some measures to reduce the price of food items.

This was revealed by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu

Ogbeh, yesterday while addressing State House correspondents at the end of the meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

The council had last week set up a task force to advise the government on how best to address the rising cost of

Osinbajo, Sanusi in Closed-door Meeting Tobi Soniyi ÓØ ÌßÔË Acting President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday met behind closed doors with Emir of Kano, Mohammed Sanusi II, in his office at the Presidential Villa,

Abuja.

After the meeting, the royal father was approached for comments but he declined, telling State House reporters that “you can just report that I came to the Villa.”

NBS: N1.03bn Sub-standard Products Impounded in 2016 19,833 vessels berthed at seaports in three years

food items across the country.

Ogbeh said the task force submitted an interim report to the council yesterday. He said the committee had identified that the hike in cost was “not due to shortage but high cost of transportation.”

He explained that food items are generally moved across Nigeria by heavy trucks, adding that the high price of diesel resulted in high prices.

Ogbeh said the government had therefore, decided to “start using railway wagons to transport food items.”

The minister said the use of wagons to transport cattle from the North to Lagos has already greatly helped in reducing cost and would be replicated in food distribution.

“We will also work with state governments to reduce delays experienced by trucks along the roads through all sort of taxes by local governments,” he said.

Ogbeh also stated that the

government would adopt the “Ivory Coast model” in which trucks distributing food items would be given special labels.

To bring down the cost of transportation, Ogbeh said: “We considered the following alternatives: using railway wagons along the current railway network. As we did before when we moved cattle from North-west to Lagos, we brought down the cost and avoided the multiple taxation on transporters by local governments which delay movement.

“We have decided to work with the state governments and the police to reduce delays.

“We are going to adapt what they have in Ivory Coast. Trucks carrying foods are given labels.

In fact, in Ivory Coast, they cannot be stopped for more than 10 minutes anywhere.

“Even if something serious has happened, the security agencies will follow them to their destinations and come

back to investigate whatever happened.

“Finally, we shall be looking into our reserves if in the next few days, the situation persists to see what we can bring out to lower the prices because another bumper harvest will be coming up again at the end of March.

“There is really no starvation in the land. The other factor is what you know already. There is a lot of pressure on Nigerian food from West, North and Central Africa.

“Our food production is very robust and we are doing pretty well.”

Also yesterday, FEC approved a set of measures to boost production and attract investments into the nation’s tomato sub sector.

The Minister of Trade and Investments, Okechukwu Enelamah, said: “These measures will include things we are doing to make sure we plant tomato round the

year. Things like green house equipment; making sure that they can come in without any barriers or duties.

“They also include the use of both tariff and non tariff measures to address the issues Nigerians are most concerned about, which is the issue of dumping, issues around quality and the standards of what we consume.

“We also approved a set of measures that will boost local production in terms of financing seeds and all the other things.

“Let me say that the most important thing about these set of policies is that in our approach we are going to be working with the stakeholders to actually implement the polices. So, we are going to set up an inter-ministerial committee that will work with the private sector and with different stakeholders to make sure that the implementation of

Cont’d on Pg 49

James Emejo ÓØ ÌßÔË

Separately, the NBS stated that between 2013 and 2016, a Fake and sub-standard total of 19,833 vessels berthed products worth N1,035,000,000 at the nation’s seaports. were impounded by the According to the ship National Agency for Food and port activities report Drug Administration and also released yesterday, Control (NAFDAC) in 2016, the 543.84 million tonnage were National Bureau of Statistics registered during the period (NBS) stated yesterday. under review.

It said 4,296 applications A breakdown of the vessels were received for new products and their tonnage for the fourregistration during the period year period showed that 2013 while 7,679 products were recorded 5,369 vessels with presented for registration 130.6 million registered tonnage approval. while 2014, 2015 and 2016 had Out of these, however, 5,346, 5,090 and 4,025 with 7,444 products were granted registered tonnage of 146.8 registration while 235 products million, 144.2 million and registration were rejected.

122.18 million respectively.

No product was withdrawn Tin Can Island Port during the review period. handled the most ships According to the Registered accounting for 33 per cent Products 2016 report which of total number of ships that was released by the statistical berthed in all ports and 32 agency, 3,236 applications were per cent of total tonnage received for new imported registered in all ports. products registration while This was closely followed 2,262 products were presented by the Apapa port which for registration approval out accounted for 28 per cent of which 2,033 products were of ships that berthed and granted registration while 229 25 per cent of total tonnage products registration were registered. rejected.

Onne port accounted for Also, 1,060 applications 15 per cent of ships that were received for new locally berthed and 30 per cent of produced products registration; total tonnage registered.

5,417 products were presented According to the NBS: for registration approval, out “The ship traffic statistics at of which 5,411 products were Nigerian ports has reflected granted that a total number of 19,833 registration and 6 products vessels berthed at the various registration rejected last year. ports between 2013 and 2016.

A further breakdown “Similarly 543,842,425 showed imported human tonnages were registered drugs topped the list of within the period under imported products presented review. Year 2014 recorded for registration approval by the highest number of NAFDAC. vessels berthed as well as Similarly, packaged water tonnages registered while dominated the list of locally- the least were recorded in made products presented for 2016.” registration approval.

Total passenger traffic within While cosmetics topped the period was recorded at the list for new products 52,262. registration locally, human The highest number of drugs also dominated new passenger traffic was recorded registration applications for in 2013, according to the imported products. statistical agency.

SCHOOL INSPECTION

Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima (right), speaking with the state Head of Service, Yakubu Bukar (second left), when the governor paid an unscheduled visit to Lamisula Primary and Junior Secondary School in Maiduguri...yesterday

Malabu Oil: Italian Prosecutors Seek Trial of Eni CEO Ejiofor Alike áÓÞÒ ËÑÏØÍã ÜÏÚÙÜÞÝ Italian prosecutors have recommended the trial of the Chief Executive Officer of Italian energy major, Eni, Mr. Claudio Descalzi, over alleged corruption in the deal involving Nigeria’s Oil Prospecting Lease (OPL) 245, and Malabu Oil and Gas Limited.

Citing judicial sources, Reuters reported that the prosecutors recommended the trial of 10 other people, including former Eni CEO, Paolo Scaroni, along with the Eni and Royal Dutch Shell companies.

The report, however, indicates that Scaroni was not immediately available for comment, while no comment was immediately available from Shell.

The case revolves around the

purchase in 2011 of Nigeria’s OPL 245 offshore oil block by Eni and Shell for about $1.3 billion.

The prosecutors’ recommendation comes amid political uncertainty in Italy and few weeks before the government appoints Eni’s new CEO for the next three years.

Descalzi, who since taking the helm in 2014, has refocused the group on its primary role of finding oil and gas, could be reappointed.

In emailed comments, an Eni spokesperson was quoted as saying that the company had not been informed of any decision and had acted correctly.

Under Italian law, a company can be held responsible if it is deemed to have failed to prevent or attempt to prevent a crime by an employee that benefited the company.

The Italian probe is one of several threads of inquiry under way into the acquisition of OPL 245, including current cases in Holland and Nigeria.

Italian prosecutors closed their investigations into the case in December last year.

A court must now set a date for a hearing at which a judge will decide whether to accept the prosecutors’ request or acquit the accused.

THISDAY had reported that the names of some senior Nigerian businessmen and officials had cropped up in not just one but at least four investigations in Italy.

On December 20, 2016, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) filed fraud charges against a former AttorneyGeneral, Mohammed Adoke; former Minister of Petroleum and alleged owner of Malabu Oil and Gas, Dan Etete, and controversial businessman,

Abubakar Aliyu, for their roles in the contested 2011 sale of offshore block by Malabu Oil. At the same time in Milan, Italian prosecutors posted a notice that they had closed their investigation and “warned” of formal charges upcoming against 11 individuals including Etete; five former and current Eni employees including both the former CEO, Paolo Scaroni, and current CEO, Claudio Descalzi; and five middlemen said to have been involved in the allegedly corrupt transaction.

Also, public prosecutors in Trani and Syracuse as well as Milan have launched investigations into what has been described in the Italian media as a plot to remove Eni’s CEO, Descalzi – and well-known Nigerian public officials and businessmen have been implicated in this as well.

13

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2017˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

Former Finance Minister, Nenadi Usman, Seeks Court’s Permission to Travel Abroad for Treatment

Davidson Iriekpen

A former Minister of State for Finance, Senator Nenadi Usman, has asked Justice Muslim Hassan of the Federal High Court in Lagos to permit her to travel abroad to receive treatment for breast cancer.

Usman said doctors at the National Hospital recommended that she should receive further treatment abroad after suffering a relapse following a surgery.

The application, however, could not be heard because the judge ruled that he would first consider a pending application challenging the court’s jurisdiction.

Usman was arraigned last year alongside former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi FaniKayode, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Also arraigned with them were a former National Chairman of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) and ex-Chairman of Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Mr. Yusuf Danjuma and a company

said to belong to him, Jointrust Dimentions Nigeria Limited.

They were arraigned on a 17-count charge of laundering about N4.6billion. They pleaded not guilty.

Fani-Kayode, in his pending application, is asking the judge to disqualify himself because he was “worried and terrified” that he would not get a fair hearing from Justice Hassan.

He is asking the judge to decline jurisdiction and transfer the case to the court’s Abuja division, adding that Justice Hassan, who worked as a prosecutor at the Federal Ministry of Justice and later seconded to the EFCC, signed the charge against him when he was previously tried and acquitted by Justice Rita OfiliAjumobia for money laundering Usman, in her applications, is praying the court to allow her to be tried separately from Fani-Kayode and for her trial to be transferred from Lagos to Abuja for convenience.

Yesterday, Usman’s lawyer, Mr. Abiodun Owonikowo (SAN) prayed the court to consider the former minister’s

application to travel for medical reasons.

“If she collapses, will this case go on? She has undergone surgery and has a relapse.

Doctors at the National Hospital have recommended that she needs to get urgent medical treatment abroad.

“This is a matter as serious as breast cancer. We are all humans and can fall sick,” he said.

But, EFCC’s lawyer Rotimi Oyedepo, said Usman’s

application for leave to travel cannot be heard when there were applications challenging the court’s jurisdiction.

He said the issue of jurisdiction ought to be determined first before all other applications were heard.

“If they want this application (for leave to travel) to be heard, then they should withdraw the application challenging the court’s jurisdiction,” he said.

Ruling, Justice Hassan

agreed with the prosecution’s submissions. He held that since the defendants have applications on jurisdiction with regards to where they should be tried, as well as on fair hearing, those applications ought to be determined first.

“The law is clear. The court is obliged to determine the issue of jurisdiction first. I am inclined to take the application challenging the competence of this court to entertain the

case,” he said.

The judge then directed the defence to move the pending applications.

But, Fani-Kayode’s lawyer Mr. Norrison Quakers (SAN), said EFCC served him with the with the prosecution’s counter-affidavit three days ago.

He said he needed time to reply on points of law.

Justice Hassan adjourned until March 1 for hearing of all pending applications.

Withdraw Your False, Unguarded Statement Now, Senate Tells Amaechi Omololu Ogunmade ÓØ ÌßÔË The Senate yesterday took on the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, over a statement credited to him that the National Assembly’s refusal to approve federal government’s request for a foreign loan is frustrating the construction of Lagos-Ibadan and IbadanIlorin-Minna -Kano rail lines.

In a statement, Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, Senator Sabi Abdullahi, accused Amaechi of making a false comment and misrepresenting facts, pointing out that the comment only showed that the minister was in the dark over government affairs.

According to Abdullahi, there is currently no executive communication before the National Assembly requesting for foreign loan except a recent letter for $1 billion Euro bond request sent by Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo a week ago.

Osinbajo had last week asked the National Assembly to reconvene its plenary sessions and approved a $1 billion Euro bond request. But the National Assembly drew his attention to an earlier approval of $3 billion Euro bond proposal in 2016 budget, explaining that since a higher proposal had been approved last year, the government should just proceed to secure the bond.

Abdullahi therefore said besides this request, which he said had been approved, there is no other request before the federal parliament.

“As at today, the only request for approval from the executive for loan was the one dated January 27, 2017 and

signed by Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, seeking a ‘resolution of the National Assembly for the issuance of $1 billion EuroBond In the International Capital Market For the funding of the 2016 budget deficit’ and we immediately granted the approval.

“Also, in the letter quoted above, the government mentioned the two rail lines cited by the minister as part of the projects for which the EuroBond will be utilised. So, we cannot understand what the grouse of Amaechi is.

“We view that statement based on false and misinformed premise strongly as a mere attempt to incite the people against the National Assembly.

The minister should therefore withdraw that statement.

Furthermore, the National Assembly will take up the matter with the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.

“As a former Speaker of a state House of Assembly, we believe that a minister like Amaechi should always check his facts and refrain from making unguarded and inciting remarks against the legislature.

“What Nigeria needs at this point is for all arms of government to work together and create the synergy necessary to take Nigeria out of the present economic crisis we have found ourselves. Comments designed to infuriate one arm of government or incite the people against another arm of the government will do no one any good and we do not expect such statements from a minister in the present government,” the statement said.

PUTTING HEADS TOGETHER

R-L: Acting President. Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (right), conferring with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Babachir David Lawal, during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Council Chamber of the State House in Abuja...yesterday

FG Amends Charges against Saraki in CCT Trial Senate president to take fresh plea February 27 Alex Enumah ÓØ ÌßÔË The federal government has filed fresh charges against the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on alleged falsification of declaration of asset between 2003 and 2015.

The fresh charge, which is the third in the series, was filed yesterday and signed

by A.K. Alilu, an Assistant Chief State counsel in the office of the Attorney General of the Federation.

The 18-count amended charge was brought to the attention of the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Umar Danladi Yakubu, by the lead counsel to the Senate President, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), midway into the proceedings on the old charge.

Agabi objected to the continuation of proceedings and why there should be an amended charge against his client.

He disclosed that the lead prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), had just furnished him with a copy of the amended charge.

He claimed the action of the prosecution was in bad faith by calling witnesses to

continue the trial, when a fresh charge had been filed at the tribunal.

The former Minister of Justice therefore demanded the suspension of the trial on the grounds that the fresh amended charge takes precedence over the old charge.

In the alternative, Agabi demanded the withdrawal of the further amended charge by the prosecution if it wants the trial to continue.

The prosecution counsel confirmed filing further amended charge but explained that he allowed the trial on the old charge to continue since the tribunal had already fixed yesterday for continuation of the trial.

At this stage, Agabi applied for an adjournment to enable his client and the legal team time to study the new charge and prepare the defence along the new charge.

He argued that the adjournment had become necessary so as not to allow the prosecution to ambush them.

But Jacobs objecting to the adjournment, said the fresh amendment was in line with evidence already tendered

and is not expected to affect proceedings.

In his ruling, the tribunal chairman agreed with Agabi that the defence needed time to study the fresh charge and adjourned the matter till February 23 for the Senate President to take fresh plea.

Before the adjournment, a new prosecution witness, Samuel Madojemu, had confirmed to the tribunal that the Certified True Copies of the Asset Declaration forms of Saraki tendered by the prosecution where the same with the original.

The witness said that the Code of Conduct Bureau CCB did not investigate the declared asset of Saraki in the Asset Declaration forms from 2003 to 2015, until the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) came into the matter.

The witness, who is the third to be called by the prosecution, is Head of Investigation of the CCB. While been led in evidence by the prosecution witness, Madojemu disclosed that the investigation of Saraki’s declaration form was triggered by a Presidential Investigative Report of 2006, which he said was scanty,

as it was limited to the beginning of Saraki’s first term as Governor of Kwara State.

He said it was based on this initial report that the EFCC went ahead to conduct a full investigation against Saraki.

“We discovered some discrepancies and thereafter we commenced further investigations on the matter,” he said, adding that one of the discoveries had to do with false declaration and non declaration of some assets and liabilities.

The federal government had in the first charge preferred a 13-count charge against Saraki on September 22, 2015 which borders on false and anticipatory asset declaration, as well as operation of foreign accounts, which he allegedly committed while serving as Governor of Kwara State between 2003 and 2011.

The charges were later amended to 16 on April 28, 2016 with the addition of three other charges, which alleged that he failed to declare his interest in a foreign credit card account to which he allegedly transferred huge sums of money while serving as governor.

14

T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ ͷ˜ 2017

COMMENT

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

CENTRAL BANK‘S AVOIDABLE POLICY

Amina Mohamed, Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Minister, stands a better chance of guiding the continent, contends Adama Gaye

T

he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) advises banks to pay at least 30% of the Monetary Policy Rate per annum (i.e. the rate at which the CBN lends to banks) on deposits in basic savings accounts. By implication, the CBN allows banks to make up to 70% of MPR per annum from savings deposits accounts.

On balance, therefore, deposits in savings accounts are a lot cheaper for banks than borrowing from the apex bank. Given that banks are not charities, it is fair to expect them to make some profits from the deposits in savings accounts. Banks also incur some transaction costs in maintaining such accounts for depositors. Such costs might include investment in technology, infrastructure, people, and brand. They also create some value – e.g. ease of transactions and payment of interests – for depositors. To cover the costs incurred and for the value they create, it is only reasonable for banks to profit from deposits in savings accounts. It is also fair to say that the 70% of MPR per annum allowed by the CBN is a reasonable allowance to play with to cover any costs incurred by the banks.

Notwithstanding this generous allowance, the CBN allows banks to penalise depositors if they make more than four withdrawals from their deposits in a single month. In other words, if you have a balance of N20 million in a savings account and you make five transactions of N10,000 each in a single day (i.e. N50,000 in a day), you will forfeit the interest on the remaining N19, 999, 950 for that month. Put it another way, because of spending N50,000 of your money in five different transactions in a day (even if these are just transfers from one account to another of the same bank), you have given your bank the right to use your N19,999,950 for that month free of charge. Although the forfeiture of interests on deposits in savings accounts due to withdrawals more than a certain number is only a non-binding advice from the CBN, some banks have embraced it wantonly and found it an easy source of money.

This is very unfair and unethical. It leaves one wondering how the CBN allowed this unjust policy to be. Did the CBN think this policy through carefully? Was it an innocent mistake in policy or a product of an apex bank captured by the private interests of the banks? These are some of the disturbing questions orchestrated by this draconian but avoidable policy.

The sad truth is that many depositors are not aware of this treacherous policy; or where they are aware of it, they feel powerless to do anything about it. The injustice embedded in the policy is widely recognised, but since it can pass the test of a contract law (i.e. the contract between the bank and her customers), it has become a necessary evil people should live with.

However, should this be the case in an economy where a savings culture should be strongly supported and promoted, instead of penalised?

To make things worse, the market is extremely opaque with already clever hidden charges and huge search costs, which make switching almost impossible. But is there a way out of this quagmire?

The CBN can revisit this policy and address its unintended conse-

ALTHOUGH THE FORFEITURE OF INTERESTS ON DEPOSITS IN SAVINGS ACCOUNTS DUE TO WITHDRAWALS MORE THAN A CERTAIN NUMBER IS ONLY A NON-BINDING ADVICE FROM THE CBN, SOME BANKS HAVE EMBRACED IT WANTONLY AND FOUND IT AN EASY SOURCE OF MONEY

quences (assuming the policy wasn’t a result of the regulated capturing the regulator). It is obviously possible that this could be another way of creating a moneymaking avenue for banks given the fact that they have lost other sources of revenue engraved in hidden charges. Notwithstanding, it is not wise to rob Peter to pay Paul. The banking system should be, at least, fair and responsible.

While waiting for the CBN to reverse this unethical policy, the banks can do better than jump on this loophole in policy and feed fat on it. Most banks now tout their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) credentials and their adherence to the Nigerian Sustainable Banking Principles (NSBPs). These principles, if they mean anything to the banks, should promote responsible and society-aligned banking. CSR in the marketplace, for instance, requires that firms should be fair to their consumers and competition. In this case, it behoves the banks to show more restraint and make the best of the 70% MPR per annum allowance already approved by the CBN. Going forward to penalise depositors for insignificant withdrawals is both excessive and unfair. Things like this give the banking sector a bad name. It perpetuates the perception of the sector as one largely constituted by greedy shylocks, who are only there to prey on the vulnerabilities of their stakeholders. One would like to see this anomaly become part of the CSR discourse in the banking sector. The CSR professionals in the banking industry have significant roles to play here.

Fair and ethical banking should be the norm and not the exception.

Even where a bank is bent on penalising a depositor this way, the bank can leverage technology to enhance transparency. Imagine a situation where your bank alerts you that you are about exceeding your number of withdrawals before you make it, to enable you decide whether to go ahead or not. Advancements in banking and financial technology make this option very possible and easy. The question is why the banks are not willing to explore it instead of exploiting their depositors.

There is also a space for social entrepreneurs and the civil society to fill in the seeming governance void here. It pays for markets to be competitive. Competitive markets are also transparent markets, with the necessary information to enable actors make informed choices. I see an opportunity here for market comparison actors to find ways of minimising the search costs for consumers who are willing to shop around and switch if need be. This will expose the banks and force them to be more responsive. The opacity of the sector and their preying strategies do not help the industry and the Nigerian society, at large.

A sound and fair banking sector is good for every economy. A rogue-banking sector ultimately destroys itself and society. This is where I think the Nigerian banking sector needs to learn a lot from the Global Alliance for Banking on Values.

Amaeshi is professor of business & sustainable development, and director of the Sustainable Business Initiative, at the University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom

FRAUD IN THE MARKET PLACE

Many fresh fruit and vegetable sellers are fraudulent, contends Julius Ingweye

A

korshi loves fruits. He loves them fresh. On his way from work in Port Harcourt, he stopped over by the roadside to buy some for his family, no matter how expensive they might be. “I must choose between paying hospital bills and eating fruits daily,” he whispered to himself. After all, “Let food be your medicine and medicine your food”, Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine had advised. He knew from biology that fruits boost immunity and strong immunity is a bulwark against disease.

He picked a fat pawpaw. It looked green. He wanted to drop it and leave. “Oga buy am. Na ripe pawpaw. No mind as e dey green oo! E ripe well, well”, Atlakor tried to convince him. On a second thought, he bent down and pressed the pawpaw with his fingers. “It is soft and should be ripe.” he counselled himself. He paid and left with his fruit.

At home, his wife took the pawpaw to prepare their dinner. Relaxing in the sitting room, he heard the wife scream from the kitchen. “How much did you pay for this pawpaw”? she asked. “Five hundred naira”, he replied.

“What a waste of money!” she shouted back.

“Why?” he asked.

“Because it is not ripe and there is no possibility of it ripening”, she said in frustration.

Akorshi’s case is not a rare one. Many Nigerians face this frustration daily as they shop for fresh fruits and vegetables. Unripe mango, sour orange without juice, rotten bunch of leafy vegetables wrapped with fresh ones and over-matured okra sold as tender fruits. The list is long!

Fresh food is uncooked, wet and neither processed nor dried. Fresh foods are high in water content, rich in nutrients, and highly perishable-easily subjected to spoilage if not properly preserved.

Examples of fresh foods include fruits like pawpaw, orange, tomatoes, pineapple, mango and banana; vegetables like okra, water leaf, pumpkin leaves,

bitter leaf and; animal proteins like eggs, milk and meat. Preserving fresh foods especially fruits and vegetables in a country without constant electricity is a nightmare, hence, many households prefer buying them daily at higher costs to bypass preservation.

The thing is that we don’t carry test kits to confirm the freshness and quality integrity of fruits and vegetables while shopping. In fact, we are not all post-harvest management experts to spot rotten eggs and vegetables or force-ripened fruits at first sight.

To know a ripe fruit, we assess the colour. If it is red or yellow, as is the case with most fruits, we assume it is ripe. If we are not convinced, we feel them with our fingers to know whether they are soft. A soft fruit, under normal circumstances indicates ripeness, excluding rotten ones though. Unfortunately, many unscrupulous fruit and vegetable sellers use fraudulent means to soften fruits and cover-up rotten vegetables and present them as wholesome to consumers to attract higher prices.

Due to impatience, unscrupulous traders treat fruits with hot water, spread them in the sun, add calcium carbide, apples or fresh chilli pepper, wrap them in airtight containers (e.g. nylon bags) for some days to soften them for sale as ‘ripe’.

Hastening the ripening of fruits give traders a better control and freedom to generate large number of fresh “ripe” fruits to supply consumers when they need it. But are the “ripe” fruits safe for customers’ consumption? The sale and consumption of carbide treated fruits, apart from ripping-off consumers of their hard-earned money, is dangerous to their health because it might cause them cancer. Also, force-ripened fruits lose their natural nutrients, taste and flavour. However, artificially ripened fruits can be spotted by their non-uniform colour. For instance, force-ripened mangoes will have both green and yellow patches on the skin while the flesh inside will be white or grey.

Aside impatience, there other causes for force-ripening of fruits. Fresh fruits and vegetables are highly

perishable but the business is highly profitable to the sellers. However, availability of fruits and vegetables in Nigeria is highly inconsistent. The fruiting of trees and growing of vegetables is seasonal. In Nigeria, we’ve not done much practically to correct this high dependence on nature. We could have bred varieties that fruit all year round and establish favourable agronomic conditions to encourage them do so.

Unfortunately, Nigerians are not too keen on fruit and vegetable agriculture because we believe erroneously that oil money can buy us all the horticulture products we need from any part of the globe. But at what costs? I leave that for you to ponder. Tropical countries like Nigeria ought to be the ocean of fruits and vegetables, yet the only fruits and vegetables we have all year round in Nigeria are the apple, green beans, lettuce and cabbage mostly imported from temperate countries. Since traders are unable to consistently get supplies of quality fruits and vegetables to sell to consumers, in their own way, they ensure availability at all costs in a high demand context by using different means to force-ripe unripe fruits and cover-up rottenness in vegetables.

Markets work because participants pursue their self interest. Atlakor’s inability to offer Akorshi the pawpaw that is worth the full value of his money (which was his self-interest), by tricking him to buy what he would not have bought, if he knew the true status of the pawpaw, will lead to distrust.

The distrust would cause chain of effects together called market failure. Market failure results when a market does not work as it supposed to. It is due to imperfections in market transactions like fraudulent behaviour. Market failure is a symptom of imperfect and underdeveloped market. The buyer and seller need to be on the same page as it concerns quality of the product. This will ensure that what is sold is as close in value/quality as possible to what the buyer intended to get. This is not achievable in failed market situations. If you had seen customers pay much higher for poor quality products (force-

ripened fruits) compared to buyers of the same product of better quality (naturally ripened fruits) or information on product quality/value (e.g. rotten fruit and vegetables, improperly ripened or unripe fruits) not known to customers because they don’t have the means to know what they are buying, at the point of procurement, hence, convinced to buy inferior look alike, then you would have seen market failure in action. The consequences of market failure are far reaching. First it generates low-level equilibrium whereby market failure issues reinforce each other and thus prevent Akorshi and Atlakor from doing business freely with each other. Also, Akorshi might warn all his family, friends and colleagues not to do business with Atlakor. The loss of a customer like Akorshi who buys fruits everyday would reduce Atlakor’s income. A low income will decrease Atlakor’s ability to upgrade and expand her business by acquiring new innovations in fresh food business e.g. cooling rooms.

The outcome is that Atlakor, a roadside seller, will remain a roadside seller, wallowing in poverty.

Second, if Atlakor cannot make enough profit from her business to acquire better innovations, how can she possibly hope to supply large quantities of fruits and vegetables to high value customers like oil companies, who need large quantities of high quality supplies at a time? Your answer is as good as mine. In the end, the people who monopolised the fresh fruits market in Port Harcourt, charging higher prices and rendering poor services will continue to do so and even worse, in the absence of a strong competition. Finally, the atmosphere of distrust will make consumers not to buy fruits and vegetables even from other sellers, on the slightest suspicion of imperfection, further reducing the income of fresh food sellers.

Dr. Ingweye is a consultant on Agrofood Value Chains Development and lectures in the Department of Animal Science, University of Port Harcourt

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T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ ÍˇËœ 2017

EDITORIAL CHALLENGE OF THE CASSAVA INITIATIVE The initiative deserves a second look for its huge economic benefits

I

n September last year, two American companies, Ecotech-rab and Tranfeed Group along with their Nigerian partner, Satco Global Group promised to establish cassava production and processing factories in a Kwara State community. “It will cost us about $100 million,â€? said Mr. Femi Philips, the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive OfďŹ cer (CEO), Satco Global Group. “We intend to complete it in the next 18 months. The project is expected to gulp about 5000 hectares of land.

The ďŹ rst phase will be about two streams of 120 tonnes per day and there will be an upgrade of 48 tonnes per day; giving us about 168 tonnes per day for a stream.â€?

According to Phillips, his company would bring in the requisite expertise for planting cassava in a manner that will allow for optimum yield. “So we are bringing our species from outside Nigeria and blend with the local species in Nigeria. We are looking at working with IITA in this area. We will produce starch powder, ethanol and feeds for livestock and others. It is an agro-business kind of,� Philips said.

While we do not know how serious the investors are or whether IF PROPERLY anything tangible has IMPLEMENTED, THE come of the idea, we CASSAVA INITIATIVE believe that one of the CAN CREATE JOBS low-hanging fruits for AND STIMULATE THE this administration DEVELOPMENT OF THE is in the cassava initiative on which RURAL COMMUNITIES there have been several policy reversals. Indeed, as far back as the early years of the structural adjustment programme, the country’s trade policy was targeted at promoting agricultural exports and curtailing agricultural raw material imports. But after the initial success the policy was more or less abandoned. And in 2002, the federal government launched the Presidential Initiative on Cassava, aimed at creating awareness among farmers on the vast opportunities in the world market.

Measures were put in place for farmers to increase their area of cultivation while the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture came in to sup-

Letters to the Editor

port the initiative by introducing and promoting wide varieties of cassava to the farmers and further facilitated the establishment of processing centres and fabricating enterprises. Much was invested, but not much was reaped because there was no follow-up.

By the calculations of that period, Nigeria should by now producing some 150 million tonnes of cassava annually. Unfortunately, many farmers have been rendered bankrupt by the inconsistency of succeeding governments on the initiative.

M T H I S DAY EDITOR

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ore than a decade ago, President Olusegun Obasanjo approved and pursued the policy of 10 per cent cassava our inclusion in bread baking. Soon, the millers went to work and started lobbying for a reduction of the cassava content of the bread and succeeded as government slashed the percentage by half and even worse, eventually threw out the entire policy. Perhaps the most ambitious of such idea was the one launched by President Goodluck Jonathan who once shared a loaf of unsweetened bread with 40 per cent cassava our input with his vice-president and ministers at a federal executive council meeting.

In launching the commercialisation the policy to encourage the substitution of quality cassava our for wheat our in bread baking, the Jonathan administration also announced some incentives and ďŹ scal measures. Millers were to enjoy a corporate tax rebates, and equipment for processing the cassava our and composite our blending would attract duty free regime. And to discourage and curb Nigerian appetites for 100 per cent wheat bread and other confectioneries (which cost the government a staggering $3.9 billion annually in imports) wheat our were to attract a further levy of 65 per cent to bring the executive duty to 100 per cent.

At the end, it turned out to be one of those failed policies, and there are strings of them on cassava. Yet if properly implemented, the cassava initiative can create jobs and stimulate the development of the rural communities. But is the Buhari government even looking in that direction?

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TO OUR READERS Letters in response to speciďŹ c 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.

MAGU: BUHARI IS DOING THE RIGHT THING

T

he news that President Muhammadu Buhari has resubmitted the name of Ibrahim Magu to the Senate for confirmation as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is indeed a very cheery one. Cheery in the sense that the presidency is not only doing the right thing but also beginning to understand the logic and the doctrines of presidential power in a democracy.

It all started with the forwarding of Magu’s name to the Senate for confirmation in June 2016 by the presidency. The Senate kept the letter and sat on it for as many months and would only consider it in December when they felt good and ready in spite of the pressures coming from all quarters of the Nigerian society calling for Magu’s confirmation. Not even the EFCC Chairman’s spectacular performance in the short period of his acting capacity would spur the Senate into doing the needful over the matter.

And when it finally decided to act, the upper legislative house refused to screen the EFCC Chairman citing a security report from the DSS as an impediment. But in what was clearly a rigging of its own procedures, the Senate through its spokesperson, Abdulahi Sabi, announced that they had rejected a man that never appeared before them and who they never screened!

Perhaps, one can exonerate the Senate from the shenanigans that have become the confirmation politics of Magu given that the DSS that wrote the infamous “report� is under the presiden-

cy. Yet how can one explain the fact that the attempt of Senator Ndume to clarify the Senate position has already cost him his office as Senate Leader? Ndume stepped out to say his afternoon prayers and before God could answer him his colleagues with the speed of light toppled him for daring to canvass for fair play in the Magu matter.

Well, President Buhari knowing full well of the perception that his administration will succeed or fail depending on how successful the anti-corruption war his government is waging turns out, decided to wade in and got his Attorney General to investigate the matter, especially the DSS allegations against Magu and report back to him.

With the re-submisson of the name of Magu to the Senate by the President, it is evidently clear that the AGF has found all the allegations against Magu unfounded and reeking of pettiness, prejudice and vendetta and therefore had rightly advised the President to re-forward the name of the EFCC chairman for confirmation. Was this the right thing to do?

As one of the critics of the Buhari government, I would have reserved the harshest words for Mr. President had he caved in to the intrigues of the Senate in conniving with one of the security agencies under him to abridge the powers freely given to him by the Nigerian people. Of all the elected officials in the country including members of the Senate, Mr. President is the only person who has a nation-wide mandate.

What this means is that it is only Mr. President who has the entire Nigeria as his constituency, whereas others including senators only have limited constituencies. That being the case, Mr. President is the only person who can make a call over and above every other persons’ head, be they senators or governors.

It is only Mr. President who can truly speak in the best interest of all Nigerian citizens; he has the mandate of the Nigerian people to make any decision which in his view is in the best interest of all Nigerians. And this is because, the logic of presidential powers rightly assumes that the president is in a vantage position more than anyone else to know what is right for his country.

The appointment of Magu as the EFCC chairman is one of such decisions.

It must be noted that Mr. President had identified fighting corruption as the centerpiece of the policy of his government.

And in pursuing that policy, he has equally identified Mr. Magu as the officer he needs to head the EFCC, the major arm for the anti-corruption war. By refusing to screen and clear Magu, the Senate is clearly abridging the rights and powers of Mr. President as the chief executive officer and the only one with nationwide mandate to govern, and in the process, will be cheating the Nigerian people of the well-intentioned decision of Mr. President.

This cannot be allowed to stand! It is against the Constitution! It is against the doctrine of presidential power!

Uche Ugboajah, Abuja

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T H I S D AY THURSDAY FEBRUARY 9, 2017

T H I S D AY THURSDAY FEBRUARY 9, 2017

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T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, FEBURARY9, 2017

POLITICS

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

PERSONALITY INTERVIEW

Kanu’s Obsession with Biafra is Scary, Says Wife Mrs Uchechi Nnamdi Kanu, wife of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, who is presently being tried for crimes against the state, says her husband’s obsession with the Biafran struggle is to the point of insanity. She spoke to David-Chyddy Eleke.

Excerpts: I don’t know about that. The world knows that Nigeria is presently a very uncivilised place with all the goings-on in their courts – arbitrary arrests, needless harassment, unconstitutional legal rulings in their court of law, disobedience to court orders, absence of the rule of law and a rogue law enforcement apparatus – anything is possible but we are not perturbed by that. The liberation of Biafra is a just cause. What Nigeria is doing is barbaric, but normal for a Third World country in Africa. That is exactly what we are fighting to get away from.

It’s a year since your husband was detained by the federal government, how has your family been fairing without him?

My husband’s absence is being felt in the family as would any family without the head, but we are holding up alright under the circumstance we find ourselves.

Under this circumstance, would you advise him to dump the struggle and return to you, if you had the opportunity?

No. I will not advise my husband to jettison the struggle come what may. Anybody advising him to jettison the struggle, he will despise.

That is his personality. To him, freedom from oppression is the holy grail. All he thinks about is Biafra and he would always say that he can only be regarded as a complete man when he’s able to rise up in the morning as a free man with Biafran flag flying on top of our house. That is what he always told me.

Do you know how this whole struggle started on his part?

This struggle started on his part in 1996 way before anybody heard anything about Biafra.

In 2009, when a measure of success was being recorded with global awareness, Uwazuruike showcased his treachery, incompetence and fraudulent mind towards the struggle and effectively set it back by 3 years.

Okay, your husband’s insistence on the struggle makes him come across as a stubborn man. Can you tell us about him, how he lived in the house and the fond memories you have of him?

My husband is indomitably obstinate when it comes to fighting a good cause – he abhors oppression. My husband is a kind-hearted and very intelligent man, whose witticism can crack your ribs for a very long time.

When he is at home, you will know. He is a man that is obsessed with Biafra to the point of insanity and many times he has said publicly that he would gladly sacrifice me, the children and the wider family, if that is what it would take for Biafra to be free. That is the type of man Nigeria is facing, and that is the kind of man my husband is.

How did Uwazuruike do this?

I will explain it to you as we proceed.

Uchechi Kanu...we won’t give up the struggle

How did you meet him, and what has marrying him been like?

I met my husband in my hometown but that will be a story for another time.

Why not now?

It won’t be now. I can only tell you that being married to my husband has been ethereal even though as with every marriage it has its ups and downs. This period especially, encapsulates this feeling more than any other period. I feel down because he is not here with us but at the time I feel elated because he is fighting a noble cause - the contradictions of life.

When you first met him, did he come across to you as a freedom fighter?

Not at first, because he probably didn’t want to frighten me with it. As it turned out he kept it very close to his chest. You wouldn’t think he is because he is a softly-spoken gentleman and sometimes very reserved. The one thing that stood out from day one was that he abhors injustice against all peoples and was always complaining about how poor people were treated anytime he visited home from the UK. He would complain about everything that is wrong with the society from poor electricity supply to inadequate housing, bad roads, check points, general poverty and every other social problem plaguing the people. It never occurred to me at the time that he would regard the liberation of Biafra as that all-encompassing solution to effect those improvements in our lives that he talked endlessly about.

What do you tell your kids about their father, do they know what he is passing through?

I tell them “daddy is home making sure our people are set free so we can all go home to Biafra and live because England is not our home”. Though our children are born in England, they are not English or British.

They know they are Biafran and that is their identity and Biafra is our home and their father is making sure that it’s as good a place as England, so they and all kids in Biafraland can have all the things that children have

He is a man that is obsessed with Biafra to the point of insanity and many times he has said publicly that he would gladly sacrifice me, the children and the wider family, if that is what it would take for Biafra to be free.

That is the type of man Nigeria is facing, and that is the kind of man my husband is

where we are now in England when we finally move back to where we come from.

What is your advice to teeming supporters of your husband?

I advise them to continue to stand up for what they believe in which is freedom because it doesn’t come cheap at all. Every advanced society in the world including the great United States of America, France, Russia, Israel and even United Kingdom – all went through a phase in their history when they rose up against oppression and tyranny in order to give a better life to their children and those unborn.

So, what IPOB is doing now will echo throughout history. The sacrifice and effort now can never be in vain. We must remain unwavering and steadfast in the pursuit of our freedom which is life’s most vital purpose. As my husband will say, “We must be without fear before our enemies”, not to be deterred and perturbed by the oppressions we face today because that is exactly what we are seeking to be free from.

Have you visited your husband since his detention?

No, I have not because as you know, I am nursing the latest addition to the family. As soon as he is strong enough to be left with a minder, then I shall be on my way to see my husband. Though I hope he will be out before then.

Talking about coming to Nigeria, we learnt you and other leaders of IPOB were declared wanted sometime in the past, has that subsided?

At this point, what are your demands from the Nigerian government for your husband and the struggle?

My demand is for the Nigerian government to release my husband and other IPOB detainees as they have no case against them. Nigeria is presently situated in the right context of the word “democratic ignorance”, which prompts me once again to call the government of Major-General Buhari a democratic dictatorship, not a government of the people, by the people and for the people.

We Biafrans have the uncontested right to self-determination; the Nigerian government and their terrorised judiciary, who are afraid of honest interpretation of the law, should stop interfering in this case because all they end up doing is foolishly showcasing their unintelligent criminal cheating minds before the whole civilised world. As for the struggle, the Nigeria government and her agents should allow us Biafrans to hold a referendum (with reference to Scotland/UK). If we lose, we will stop agitating for Biafra.

What is your view on Biafra, and do you think his insistence on getting Biafra is right, in view of the fact that many have lost their lives through this?

Let me tell you, Biafra is my hope. I see Biafra as a new beginning, a place where systems are well structured, where there is civility, law and order because as it is, all I see is barbarism in Nigeria. My husband is right for insisting on freedom for all of us Biafrans and beyond because without it, life is meaningless. My family is in England today, a very beautiful country, because the likes of Oliver Cromwell fought and many died that the House of Commons may be established to speak for the common man.

Without justice, equity and fairness, Africa will remain backward.

From your end, what moves have you and other leaders of IPOB made to ensure the release of Kanu, seeing that all hopes of his being released by any Nigerian court has been dashed?

There have been moves made and still on. We are not going to relent. Securing the release of my husband is not all, Biafra must be released too from the death grip of Nigeria and we won’t stop until we achieve both.

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T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, FEBURUARY 9, 2017

TRIBUTE

Fayemi: 52 Garlands for an Innovator Olayinka Oyebode pays a glowing tribute to his principal, the Minister for Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who turns 52 today

J

ust as his most recent lecture “The Successor-Generation: Reflections on Values and Knowledge in Nation Building”, delivered at the 49th Convocation ceremonies of his alma mater, the University of Lagos, has become a subject of diverse interpretations, analyses and appraisals, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Minister of Mines and Steel Development, is seen by many from different perspectives.

While some see him as an ever smiling and easy going man, some see him as one stubborn, ex-NADECO chieftain. Yet, for some, he is simply that tough and principled administrator with very rigid stand on issues of integrity and due process. And while some see him as that deep and diplomatic fellow, others see him as somehow too forthright and unable to hide his feelings. To some, he appears too refined for the murky waters of Nigerian politics, while some see him as a dogged fighter able to play on any turf.

But whichever way one considers his politics and administrative style, Fayemi’s principal concerns centre round effective leadership, integrity, excellence and provable result. He is ever concerned about how transformational leadership can replace transactional politics.

How institutions of state can be strengthened and positioned for effective service delivery.

To him, public service is about trust and a leader must necessarily earn the trust of the people and should never trade it for silver or gold. He believes an activist in government must make a difference.

Needless to say Fayemi’s principled stand on matters of governance and policy has earned him friends and foes alike. Those who know him well would attest to the fact he is not likely to slow down on this, even as he turns 52 today. He believes that a man must stand for something otherwise he falls for everything. As a leader, he believes truth remains a necessary ingredient of justice, and that justice must be done (always) “though the heaven falls”.

Fayemi subscribes to the school of thought that believes leadership is not a popularity contest. He believes that a leader must be courageous enough to tow the path of truth, which he says is the path of honour.

These are some of the philosophies that define JKF, as he is fondly called by his teeming admirers. And these are the principles that sometimes make him a complex book devoid of easy comprehension. But therein lays the strength and courage he brings to bear on every assignment given to him. Consequently, the success he has recorded in his private and public life, so far, can be traced to the effective application of this philosophy.

It is in this context that many have come to see the current growth being experienced in the mining sector since he took over the leadership of the Ministry of Mines and Steel development in November 2015. The National Bureau of Statistics attested to this when it declared recently that there has been a record of consistent and remarkable growth in the mining sector. The NBS, in its last quarterly publication, put the growth in the mining sector at 7 per cent.

What is now known as the “Fayemi magic” in the mining sector started when the Minister ordered the application of the “use or lose” clause in the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act 2007, early last year. The enforcement of the directive increased activities in the sector as many dormant mining licences were revoked while the serious ones got theirs revalidated with payment of appropriate fees.

Also, Fayemi, through collaboration with relevant security agencies and the Ministry of Interior took the issue of security of mines a step further. Today, operatives of the Nigerian Civil Defence Corps are being deployed for better security surveillance of mines. This coupled with the current ease of doing business in the ministry have helped in restoring investors’ confidence in the country’s mining sector.

The strategic manner he got the state

Fayemi...consistently forward-looking

government to embrace mining as a sure way to take advantage of the mineral deposits in their domain is seen as a master stroke – a win-win situation for both the state and the federal government.

Apparently wearing his conflict management cap, Fayemi worked out a strategic partnership arrangement with the states, which encourages state governments to set up special purpose vehicles to invest in mining without violating any of the existing laws.

Needless to say Fayemi’s principled stand on matters of governance and policy has earned him friends and foes alike. Those who know him well would attest to the fact he is not likely to slow down on this, even as he turns 52 today. He believes that a man must stand for something otherwise he falls for everything.

As a leader, he believes truth remains a necessary ingredient of justice, and that justice must be done (always) ‘though the heaven falls’

This has helped in no small way in resolving the age-long acrimony between the two levels of government regarding who owns what and where.

And through constant strategic engagements with various stakeholders in the sector, he has been able to get their support for the several innovations that are being put in place.

Based on demonstrated seriousness and commitment, several doors of funding have been opened for the sector. For the first time in recent years, the ministry got N30 billion intervention fund from the solid mineral component of the National Resource Fund.

It also received a World Bank support for $150 million, which would provide funding for artisanal and small scale miners. Added to this is the technical partnership with some frontline mining nations, including Canada, Australia, China and South Africa, which has been of tremendous boost to the sector.

Getting the work done without any excuse remains the hallmark of Fayemi’s public service right from his days as governor of Ekiti State between 2010 and 2014, where he pioneered a lot of developmental projects including the now famous Social Security Scheme for Elderly citizens; free and compulsory education for children from primary to junior secondary school; the computer-per- child initiatives in secondary schools; free health services for the vulnerable citizens (i,e pregnant women, elderly citizens above 65, physically challenged citizens), among others.

It was during his tenure that investors were attracted to the Ekiti State in view of the state’s rating, then, as “investor friendly”, based on its level of peace and security as well as the relevant laws put in place to protect investments. Many believe that the high level of prosperity recorded in the state during his tenure is in sharp contrast to the crass poverty and economic woes that currently stare the citizens in the face.

Whereas critics of his administration faulted some of his policies then, paradoxically, the results of those policies are now earning the state accolades from many institutions, including the National Examination Council (NECO).

Regarded as a workaholic, by his close associates, JKF has a knack for working

quietly, conscientiously and strategically. His belief is that there is no place for excuses, especially in assignments that would lead to the public good.

To Fayemi, it does not really matter whether the assignment is a community issue in IroporaEkiti or a mining issue in Muye Kafinkoro, Niger State. It does not matter if the task is about leading government delegation in an investment meeting in Johannesburg or coordinating his party’s strategy session in Akure or attending to some developmental matters in Okposi Okwu. In as much as it will be beneficial to the people, it must be done with every jolt of his energy, and with outstanding result.

Born February 9, 1965, Fayemi earned degrees in History, International Relations and War Studies, which adequately equipped him with the intellectual skills needed to proffer solutions to life’s hydra-headed challenges.

But of great significance to him, also, are the trainings he got outside the confines of the classrooms.

As a little lad, he served as an altar boy in the family Catholic Church. As a student activist, he was secretary of the Eni Njoku Hall, at the University of Lagos, which also made him a member of the Student’s Senate. He also served as Secretary of the Youths United in Solidarity for Southern Africa (YUSSA) as well as the Secretary General of UNILAG’s chapter of the All-Nigeria United Nations Students Association (ANUNSA). He was also a volunteer in the Lagos, Nigeria office of ANC/SWAPO liberation movements.

As an activist, he was involved in a number of social causes, notably as a member of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), where he coordinated the Radio Kudirat and Radio Freedom. A detribalised Nigerian, JKF maintains a network of friends that cuts across many strata.

Today, as he clocks 52, this outstanding scholar, public servant, activist, intellectual, politician, innovator, strategist, loving husband and devoted father, can look back and count his many blessings. It is indeed a toast to fifty-two impactful years.

-Oyebode is Special Assistant (Media) to the Minister

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2017 ˾ T H I S D AY

FEATURES

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

Small Businesses Get Some Succour Keeping faith with his electoral promise, Lagos State governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, recently provided a N1 billion intervention fund for 705 small and medium enterprises at a concessionary rate of interest. Gboyega Akinsanmi writes

Ambode (5th left second line), in a group photograph with the LSETF Board members and beneficiaries of the scheme at the cheque presentation ceremony at the LTV Blue Roof, Ikeja…recently

H

e was a pessimist. He never believed any government; neither did he ever trust any political leader. His feelings might have been due to the huge catalogue of promises governments at different levels had failed to honour in the past decades. However, Mr. Tosin Adesanwo got a shock of his life when he emerged one of the entrepreneurs that benefitted from the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF).

Adesanwo, a social entrepreneur, acknowledged that he was compelled to apply when the Lagos State Government rolled out the scheme, sometimes in 2016. His reason is not far-fetched. He said he never believed any government could make good its promise in this country. Aside, he never believed because most governments “are finding it hard to survive at this time of recession.”

But to his amazement, his application was successful. He said he received a support of N5 million from the Lagos State Government, which he said, would be used to boost his business. Until his application sailed through, Adesanwo thought the scheme “was a mere hoax or at best a tool of politics.” For these reasons, he dismissed it initially, but though finally yielded to persuasion from friends and relatives to participate.

Mr. Chike Obi shared a similar story too.

When he heard about the scheme, Obi quickly dismissed it. He said: “I felt it was just one of the gimmicks of political leaders.” After much persuasion, Obi reluctantly applied for the scheme, which he said, did not cost a dime. But that bold step, according to him, has become a reality. He said his emergence “has disproved his impression about the government.

“Most of the beneficiaries did not initially believe that the scheme was real. We just

applied. But Governor Ambode has brought real change to governance. The selection process was fair and transparent. There is no consideration for gender, religion and tribe. Every qualified applicant received some support irrespective of which religion he or she belongs to and where he or she comes from.”

Like Adesanwo and Obi, 703 other entrepreneurs benefitted from a sum of N1 billion the state government doled out last week to boost small and medium enterprises and create more jobs for the residents of the state. The fund was part of N25 billion, which Ambode said, would be provided to support at least 100,000 small businesses and pull out thousands of youths from the realm of uncertainties.

Some of the recipients shared their experiences after the governor presented them cheques recently. For them, the scheme

Most of the beneficiaries did not initially believe that the scheme was real.

We just applied. But Governor Ambode has brought real change to governance. The selection process was fair and transparent

is truly pro-people, even though they did not believe initially something good could come out of it. They said the Ambode's administration “has demonstrated strong will to lift up millions from poverty and passion to create wealth at a time national economy is greatly troubled.”

By this intervention, Ambode truly stands with the masses, says Mrs. Ifueko OmoiguiOkauru, Chairman of LESTF Board of Trustees.

For her, it is a fulfillment of promises the governor made during his campaign. But this intervention preceded the 2015 electioneering. He started with La Roche Leadership Foundation, which he established shortly after he retired from the state public service.

Through La Roche, Ambode annually recognised a number of social entrepreneurs for their intervention. In June 2014, he specifically commended the Executive Director of Street-to-School Initiative, Mrs. Tosin Taiwo, whose initiative still provides essential support for primary schools and pupils in Lagos suburbs. That attests to his passion to touch lives and empower the youths.

So, just after he assumed office in 2015, Ambode initiated a Lagos State Employment Trust Fund Bill, which the State House of Assembly passed into law. Under the law, the state government would annually release a sum N6.25 billion to entrepreneurs for a period of four years. By 2019, the fund is expected to have disbursed a whopping sum of N25 billion to small-scale businesses.

The fund was not established without a clear mandate, says the governor. By 2019, according to him, it is projected that at least 300,000 direct jobs and 600,000 indirect jobs will be created through this intervention.

Likewise, he said, it is expected that wealth will be created. So, unlike commercial banks that charge as high as 25 per cent interest rate, the beneficiaries will only pay 5 per

cent interest rate per annum.

This incentive is unprecedented in this history of Nigeria, says Omoigui-Okauru. At a time like this, she explained that the need “to provide jobs and create wealth shapes the government’s decision to peg the interest rate at 5 per cent.” During his campaign, she said the need “to provide jobs was clearly on the mind of Ambode. He spoke about it. He talked about it. And he made good his promise.”

She said Ambode started with the enactment of the law setting up the fund. By this single decision, Omoigui thus said there “is no better testimony to the passion of a man who has been called to serve than this.” Ambode did not just ensure the enactment of the law.

Also, he followed up with the constitution of the Board of Trustees for the Fund. On the day the board was inaugurated, Omoigui disclosed that a sum of N6.25 billion was transferred to the Fund.

She said the mandate of the board was clear. She said it was to deliver on the promise Ambode “has made to the residents of Lagos. It is to ensure the process is fair and transparent. It is to ensure the scheme covers all local councils in the state. It is to ensure there is no favour as to party, religion or tribe. Women constitute about 50 per cent of Lagos population. Gender is also a factor.”

To realise this mandate requires that a structure is put in place, says Omoigui. She thus said it “is easy to give out money, but it is not easy to get the money back. It is easy to say the process will be fair, but it is not easy to achieve it if we do not have the processes to do it. That is what we spent our time doing. It is not also very easy, whatever we do or whatever we achieve, carrying all members along.

“As they say, a house divided cannot stand. So, we spent time putting our heads

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˾ T H I S D AY THURSDAY˜ ͷ˜ Ͱͮͯ͵

FEATURES together; building our team; getting the staff; ensuring that we have the right processes and guidelines to set the board up and to set up the processes to secure the fund. We also spent a lot of time ensuring that we had a process that we could just define. But guess what the governor was doing while we were doing all of these.

“He was telling us to hurry up. He acknowledged that all these processes were good, but my people needed to be employed.

It is not just that we want to ensure we do the right thing. We also have a passionate governor on our necks, putting pressure that yes, process is good, but please deliver.”

By November, Omoigui said the board was ready to launch out, though exercised some restraint in order to ensure the scheme did not fail because huge fund was entrusted to the board. She thus said a large project like this “requires a pilot scheme first. We reached out to different bodies within the state that had put in place process themselves to generate entrepreneurs, who are looking for funding, whom they had already trained and who would cut across the breadth of the state.”

After the pilot scheme, she said the board “came up with 705 entrepreneurs who had gone through the process and screened by reputable consulting firm, Price Walter Coopers.

The process is still on-going and funds will L-R: Ambode, Chairman of LSETF, Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui-Okauru; Founder of Andy Clarke Confections, Mrs. Adetola Akitoye and LSETF Executive Secretary, Mr. be disbursed in phases. But we have funding Akintunde Oyebode, at the cheque presentation ceremony at the LTV Blue Roof, Ikeja… recently available for people who requested for as low as N30, 000 to small and medium enterprises of the maximum of N5 million.

“The applications cut across the breadth of different kinds of enterprises in the state from those who just want to buy a camera and beans to make akara to those who have left oil firms because of recession and plan to set up logistic firms. In this particular case, there are two women, who just applied, but never believe their application would sail through,” Omoigui explained.

But Ambode formally presented cheques to 705 beneficiaries recently. Under the pilot scheme, a total sum of N1 billion was doled to the beneficiaries. On this ground, he charged them “to use these funds responsibly, grow your businesses, create jobs for our unemployed youths and contribute to the growth of the Lagos State GDP,” which he said, was the basis for establishing the fund.

Before he assumed office, Ambode said he had identified unemployment as a major socio-economic challenge facing Lagos State and Nigeria as a whole in the course of the electoral campaign. On this ground, he said he worked towards setting up the fund as a direct response “to address the challenge of unemployment and support the youths, A cross section of participants at the cheque presentation ceremony at the LTV Blue Roof, Ikeja… recently entrepreneurs, artisans and unemployed residents of the state.

“We have kept our word. We created a dedicated Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment, whose mission is to promote and sustain entrepreneurship and employment. The funds are targeted at small and medium scale businesses and individuals including carpenters, block makers, hairdressers, electricians, bakers, fashion designers, cake makers, food sellers, kerosene retailers, painters, plumbers, photographers and light manufacturers of liquid soaps and water

This is our modest way of reflating the Lagos economy, creating jobs and getting our youths gainfully occupied.

Those of you here today, the first beneficiaries of this initiative, will be the agents through which our country can overcome its current economic challenges

Ambode (middle) with the LSETF Board members, Mrs. Bilkiss Adebiyi-Abiola (1st left); Executive Secretary, Mr. Akintunde Oyebode (2nd left); Chairman, Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui-Okauru (2nd right) and Mr. Dele Martins (1st right), at the cheque presentation ceremony at the LTV Blue Roof, Ikeja…recently

among others.”

Ambode said the beneficiaries had made history as the first set of beneficiaries of this fund. For every N1 million disbursed, he projected, a minimum of five jobs should be created around the business value chain.

This projection explained why he said the fund “has been provided at a very affordable rate of 5 per cent per annum, far cheaper than the prevailing bank interest of 25 per

cent per annum.”

He therefore said “this is our modest way of reflating the Lagos economy, creating jobs and getting our youths gainfully occupied.

Those of you here today, the first beneficiaries of this initiative, will be the agents through which our country can overcome its current economic challenges. I call on market women and female artisans to take advantage of the fund and expand your businesses.”

Ambode also tasked the LSETF “to pay special attention to the Entertainment Industry and the Tech Hubs in Sabo, Yaba area. These are new areas with huge potential for growth and job creation.” Even though it appeared ambitious, he subscribed to the board’s plan “to empower at least 100,000 micro, small and medium enterprises as well as create 300,000 direct jobs and 600,000 indirect jobs by 2019.”

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Photo Editor ÌÓÙÎßØ ÔËÖË Email ËÌÓÙÎßØ˛ËÔËÖË̶ÞÒÓÝÎËãÖÓàÏ˛ÍÙ×

L-R: Chairman, Airtel Networks Limited, Justice Salihu Alfa Belgore,(Rtd); Wife of Ogun State Governor, Dr. Olufunso Amosun and MD/CEO, Airtel Nigeria, Segun Ogunsanya at the Premiere of Airtel Touching Lives Season 3, in Lagos....recently ABIODUN AJALA

L-R. Corps Marshal, FRSC, Boboye Oyeyemi; Deputy Corps Marshal, Administration and Human Resources, Chidi Nwachukwu and Deputy Corps Marshal, Operations, Ojeme Ewhrudjakpor during FRSC’ budget defense to the committee on Federal Character and Inter Governmental Affairs of the Senate inl Abuja... recently

R-L: Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo; President and Chairman of Governing Council, Chartered Institute of Personnel Management, (CIPM) Nigeria, Mr. Anthony Arabome; Vice President CIPM Nigeria, Mr. Udom Inoyo; Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, CIPM Nigeria, Mr. Sunday Adeyemi, and Chairman, Management of National Unemployment Challenge (MNUC) Dr. Musa Rabiu, at the presentation of the MNUC report by CIPM to the Vice President,in Abuja..recently

L-R President/CEO, Integrate Systems, Mr. Dontia White; Director of Admin-Pro-Health Jos. Mr. Emmanuel Udofia; Head of Microbiology department, facaulty of science University of Abuja, Dr. Salamatu Mambula; Chairman, IDP Camp Wassa 2, Mr. Hamman Bukar and CEO/Founder Smile Again African Initiative, Mr. Sunday Wabba, during their assessment visit to IDP returnees from Cameroun to Wassa in Apo Abuja.. recently

L-R; Vice Chairman, International Association of Drilling Contractors Nigeria ( IADC), Chuks Enwereji; Head, Energy Research, Ecobank, Dolapo Oni; Chairman, IADC Nig, Ote Enaibe; Treasurer, IADC Nig, Opeyemi Olarinde ;and the Secretary, IADC Nig. Toks Akinuli, during the (IADC) Technical session business outlooks with Dolapo Oni, of Ecobank Nigeria, in Lagos, recently

L-R: Director, Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Lagos Section, Ernest Mkpasi; Chairman of the Occasion / ExxonMobil’s Operation Technical Manager (Geoscience), Mr Michael Udoh; Presenter, Joshua Osasuwa ;of Shell and Section Chairperson, Ehimhen Agunloye, during the section’s technical meeting in Lagos... recently.

L-R, Managing Director, Linkage Assurance Plc, Pius Apere;, Chairman, John Anderson Eseeimokumoh;abd Company Secretary, Kehinde Ayodele, during the 22nd Annual General Meeting of the company in Lagos... recently

L-R;; Secretary Independent Shareholder Association of Nigeria (lSAN),Mr Clement Opara; Forrmer Welfare Officer,Alhaja Ayodele Kudaisii; National Presiident, Boys Brigade of Nigeria, Sir Sunny Nwosu and National Coordinator, lSAN, Mr Adebisi Araunsi at the Mutuaal Benefits Anniversary thanksgiving servie in Lagos...recently

T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ ÍˇËœ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍľ

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BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S NIBOR OVERNIGHT 1-MONTH

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Group Business Editor ChikaAmanze-Nwachuku Email: chika.amanzenwachukwu@thisdaylive.com 08033294157, 08057161321

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Quick Takes MainOne to Host Technology Conference

TOUCHING LIVES OF THE NEEDY

L-R: Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Lagos State, Steve Ayorinde; Chief Technical OďŹƒcer, Airtel Nigeria, Awadhesh Kalia and Director, Corporate Communications and CSR, Airtel Nigeria, Emeka Oparah at the premiere of Airtel Touching Lives Season 3, held in Lagos...recently

‘Sustained Investment, Reform Critical to Nigeria’s Growth Stories by Emma Okonji The latest PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) report has revealed that Nigeria has potential to rise up the global GDP rankings, if only it can diversify its economy and improve governance standards and infrastructure.

The report also projected that the world economy could double in size by 2042, growing at an annual average real rate of around 2.5 per cent between 2017 and 2050.

According to the report, China has already overtaken the US to be largest economy based on GDP in public private partnership (PPP) terms, and could be the largest valued at market exchange rates before 2030, and that India could overtake the US

ECONOMY by 2050 to go into second place and Indonesia could move into 4th place by 2050, overtaking advanced economies like Japan and Germany. It further said by 2050, six of the seven largest economies in the world could be emerging markets.

This growth, the report added, would be driven largely by emerging market and developing countries, with the E7 economies of Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Russia and Turkey growing at an annual average rate of around 3.5 per cent over the next 34 years, compared to only around 1.6 per cent for the advanced G7 nations of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK

and the US. “We will continue to see the shift in global economic power away from established advanced economies towards emerging economies in Asia and elsewhere. The E7 could comprise almost 50 per cent of world GDP by 2050, while the G7’s share declines to only just over 20 per cent�, said PwC Nigeria’s Chief Economist and co-author of the report, Dr. Andrew Nevin.

When looking at GDP measured at market exchange rates (MER), there is not quite such a radical shift in global economic power. But the spotlight will certainly be on the newer emerging markets as they take centre stage.

The report said Nigeria, which is one of the emerging

markets from Africa, has the potential to move eight places up the GDP rankings to 14th by 2050, but it will only realise this potential if it can diversify its economy away from oil and strengthen its institutions and infrastructure. “Growth in many emerging economies will be supported by relatively fast-growing populations, boosting domestic demand and the size of the workforce. This will need, however, to be complemented with investments in education and improvement in macroeconomic fundamentals to ensure there are sufficient jobs for the growing number of young people in these countries,� Nevin, said

ICT African countries, do not invest in data centre, which she said, remained a key factor to quick digitalisation that would boost economies. “I have come to realise that in Nigeria governments do not invest in data centres and it is only proper for governments at all levels of the federation to invest in data centre projects in order it stimulate digital growth among the citizens. Government should also make funds available for design and construction of data centres, because the data centres, when developed, will drive digital growth in the country,� Severina said.

According to her, “Africans and Nigerians are highly enterprising and they are ready to

explore new and better ways of doing business, but the truth is that they need to do business in a more digitilised way because the globe has gone digital. If Nigerians are equipped with digital tools, they will be able to do their own international trade and bring dollars into the Nigerian economy to improve the economy.�

Nigeria needs to invest in data centres to attract foreign investment and this is one way to boost the Nigerian economy.

Investors in today’s digital era are interested in investing their money, but they are looking for countries with sufficient data centres through which they could track and manage their investments and have better returns on investments. They are slow to invest in countries

BT Wades into Google, Android Tussle

Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă&#x;Ă—ĂŒĂ?Ă˜Ăž ĂœĂ“ĂžĂ“Ă?Ă’ Ă?Ă–Ă?Ă?Ù×Ă? Ě™ Ěš Ă?Ă—Ă?ĂœĂ‘Ă?ĂŽ Ă‹Ă? Ă‹ Ă?Ă&#x;ĂœĂšĂœĂ“Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ă–Ă–ĂŁ ÞÙ ÙÙÑÖĂ? Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹Ă˜ Ă™Ă˜Ă‘Ă™Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ĂœĂ™ĂĄ ĂŒĂ?ÞåĂ?Ă?Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă™Ă—ĂšĂ‹Ă˜ĂŁ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă‹Ă˜ĂžĂ“ĂžĂœĂ&#x;Ă?Ăž ĂœĂ?Ă‘Ă&#x;Ă–Ă‹ĂžĂ™ĂœĂ? ĂœĂ?Ă‘Ă‹ĂœĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÒĂ? Ă˜ĂŽĂœĂ™Ă“ĂŽ ÙÚĂ?ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?ĂŁĂ?ĂžĂ?Ă— Ě™ ̚˛ Ă?Ă™Ă—ĂšĂ‹Ă˜ĂŁ ĂœĂ?ĂšĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă Ă? Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ę¨ĂœĂ—Ă?ĂŽ Ă“ĂžĂ? Ă–Ă‹ĂĄĂŁĂ?ĂœĂ? ĂšĂœĂ™Ă Ă“ĂŽĂ?ĂŽ Ă‹ Ă?Ă&#x;Ă–Ă– Ă?ÞËÞĂ?Ă—Ă?Ă˜Ăž ÞÙ ÞÒĂ? ĂŽĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ÙÙÑÖĂ? Ă‹Ă‘Ă‹Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ăž Ă?Ă’Ă‹ĂœĂ‘Ă?Ă? ĂœĂ?Ă‘Ă‹ĂœĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ù×ÚĂ?ÞÓÞÓà Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? Ă˜ĂŽĂœĂ™Ă“ĂŽË›

Ă˜ Ă“ĂžĂ? Ă?Ă&#x;ĂŒĂ—Ă“Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă™Ă˜ ÞÙ ĂœĂ?Ă‘Ă&#x;Ă–Ă‹ĂžĂ™ĂœĂ?Ëœ Ëœ ĂĄĂ’Ă“Ă?Ă’ Ă™ĂĄĂ˜Ă? Ëœ ÞÒĂ? ËŞĂ? Ă–Ă‹ĂœĂ‘Ă?Ă?Ăž ÙÚĂ?ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ™Ăœ ĂŒĂŁ Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă˜Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ëœ ĂœĂ?Ă”Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ?ĂŽ Ă‹Ă–Ă– Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă—Ă‹ĂŽĂ? Ă‹Ă‘Ă‹Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ăž ÙÙÑÖĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă’Ă“Ă‘Ă’Ă–Ă“Ă‘Ă’ĂžĂ?ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? ÙÚĂ?ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ™ĂœËŞĂ? ÚÙĂ?ÓÞÓà Ă? Ă?âÚĂ?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ă? ĂĄĂ™ĂœĂ•Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ åÓÞÒ ÞÒĂ? Ă˜ĂŽĂœĂ™Ă“ĂŽ ÚÖËÞĂ?Ă™ĂœĂ—Ë› ËŞĂ? Ă?Ă™Ă—ĂšĂ‹Ă˜ĂŁ ĂœĂ?ĂšĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă Ă? Ă?Ă‹Ă“ĂŽË? ËŤ Ă? Ă?Ă‹Ă˜ Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ę¨ĂœĂ— ÞÒËÞ Ă™Ă&#x;Ăœ Ă–Ă?Ă‘Ă‹Ă– ĂžĂ?Ă‹Ă— Ă’Ă‹Ă? ĂĄĂœĂ“ĘľĂ?Ă˜ ÞÙ ÞÒĂ? Ă&#x;ĂœĂ™ĂšĂ?Ă‹Ă˜ Ù××ÓĂ?Ă?Ă“Ă™Ă˜ ĂœĂ?Ă‘Ă‹ĂœĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÒĂ?Ă“Ăœ Ă“Ă˜Ă Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă‘Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ë› Ă? ÞÙÖÎ ÞÒĂ?Ă— Ă“Ă? Ă?ĂœĂ?Ă? ÞÙ ĂšĂœĂ?Ě‹Ă“Ă˜Ă?ÞËÖÖ Ă“ĂžĂ? Ă™ĂĄĂ˜ Ă™Ăœ ĂžĂ’Ă“ĂœĂŽ ĂšĂ‹ĂœĂžĂŁ ËÚÚĂ? Ă™Ă˜ ĂŽĂ?Ă Ă“Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ă–Ă™Ă˜Ă‘Ă?Ă“ĂŽĂ? ĂšĂœĂ?̋ÖÙËÎĂ?ĂŽ ÙÙÑÖĂ? ËÚÚĂ?Ë› Ă? Ă‹Ă–Ă?Ă™ Ă?Ă‹Ă“ĂŽ ĂžĂ’Ă‹ĂžËœ Ă‹Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ ËÚÚ ĂšĂœĂ™Ă Ă“ĂŽĂ?ĂœËœ ĂĄĂ? Ă Ă‹Ă–Ă&#x;Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă™Ă˜Ă‘Ă™Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?ĂžĂ‹ĂŒĂ“Ă–Ă“ĂžĂŁ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă™Ă—ĂšĂ‹ĂžĂ“ĂŒĂ“Ă–Ă“ĂžĂŁ Ă™Ă? ÙÚĂ?ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?ĂŁĂ?ĂžĂ?Ă—Ă?Ëœ ĂĄĂ’Ă?ÞÒĂ?Ăœ ÞÒĂ?ĂŁ Ă‹ĂœĂ? ˊÙÚĂ?Ă˜ Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă?ËŞ Ă™Ăœ ËŠĂ?Ă–Ă™Ă?Ă?ĂŽ Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă?ËŞË› Ă’Ă“Ă? Ă“Ă? ĂĄĂ’ĂŁ ĂĄĂ? ĂĄĂ?Ă–Ă?Ù×Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂžĂ“Ě‹Ă?ĂœĂ‹Ă‘Ă—Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă“Ă˜Ă“ĂžĂ“Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?Ă’ Ă‹Ă? ÙÙÑÖĂ?ËŞĂ?˛ˏ Ă’Ă? ÙÚĂ?Ă˜Ă?ĂŽ Ă‹Ă˜ Ă“Ă˜Ă Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă‘Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ™ Ă˜ĂŽĂœĂ™Ă“ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍł Ă?Ă™Ă–Ă–Ă™ĂĄĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?Ă™Ă—ĂšĂ–Ă‹Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ? ÞÒËÞ ÙÙÑÖĂ? Ă’Ă“Ă˜ĂŽĂ?ĂœĂ?ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? ĂŽĂ?Ă Ă?ÖÙÚ×Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? ĂœĂ“Ă Ă‹Ă– ËÚÚĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ Ă“Ă?Ă?Ă? ĂŒĂŁ ĂœĂ?Ă›Ă&#x;Ă“ĂœĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ÙÚĂ?ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ™ĂœĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂŽĂ?Ă Ă“Ă?Ă? Ă—Ă‹Ă˜Ă&#x;Ă?Ă‹Ă?ĂžĂ&#x;ĂœĂ?ĂœĂ? ÞÙ ĂšĂœĂ?Ě‹Ă“Ă˜Ă?ÞËÖÖ Ă?ĂšĂ?Ă?ÓʨĂ? ÙÙÑÖĂ? ËÚÚĂ?Ëœ Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă–Ă&#x;ĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă™Ă—ĂšĂ‹Ă˜ĂŁËŞĂ? Ă?Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂ?Ă’ Ă?Ă˜Ă‘Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ëœ Ă“Ă˜ Ă™ĂœĂŽĂ?Ăœ ÞÙ Ă&#x;Ă?Ă? ÞÒĂ? ÚÖËã Ă?ĂžĂ™ĂœĂ?Ë›

Ă˜ Ă“ĂžĂ? ĂšĂœĂ?Ă–Ă“Ă—Ă“Ă˜Ă‹ĂœĂŁ Ę¨Ă˜ĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‘Ă?Ëœ ĂšĂ&#x;ĂŒĂ–Ă“Ă?Ă’Ă?ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜ ĂšĂœĂ“Ă– Í°ÍŽÍŻÍ´Ëœ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă‹Ă“ĂŽ ÙÙÑÖĂ? Ă‹ĂŒĂ&#x;Ă?Ă?ĂŽ Ă“ĂžĂ? ËŤĂŽĂ™Ă—Ă“Ă˜Ă‹Ă˜Ăž ÚÙĂ?Ă“ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ËŹ ĂŒĂŁ Ó×ÚÙĂ?Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ĂœĂ?Ă?ĂžĂœĂ“Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă™Ă˜ ĂŽĂ?Ă Ă“Ă?Ă? Ă—Ă‹Ă˜Ă&#x;Ă?Ă‹Ă?ĂžĂ&#x;ĂœĂ?ĂœĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă—Ă™ĂŒĂ“Ă–Ă? ÙÚĂ?ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ™ĂœĂ? ĂĄĂ’Ă“Ă?Ă’ ÞÒĂ?Ă˜ Ă?ÞÓʎĂ? Ă?Ù×ÚĂ?ĂžĂ“ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ëœ ĂŒĂ™ĂžĂ’ Ă“Ă˜ ĂžĂ?ĂœĂ—Ă? Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? ËÚÚ Ă—Ă‹ĂœĂ•Ă?Ăž Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? ĂĄĂ“ĂŽĂ?Ăœ Ă?Ă?Ă™Ă?ĂŁĂ?ĂžĂ?Ă—Ë›

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FG Urged to Invest in Data Centres to Boost Economy Uptime Institute, a US based advisory organisation with focus on efficiency and reliability of business critical infrastructure through innovation, collaboration, and independent certifications, has called on the Nigerian government to consider investing in data centre design, construction and management, if the country must achieve her desire of attracting further foreign investments into the county.

The Director, Business Development for Uptime Institute, Lilia Severina, who made the call in Lagos during her recent visit to Nigeria to organise training for data centre management and certification, expressed her displeasure that the federal and state governments in Nigeria, like other

Ă‹Ă“Ă˜ Ă˜Ă?Ëœ Ă‹ Ă–Ă?Ă‹ĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ĂšĂœĂ™Ă Ă“ĂŽĂ?Ăœ Ă™Ă? ĂžĂ?Ă–Ă?Ă?Ù× Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ Ă“Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă˜Ă?ĂžĂĄĂ™ĂœĂ• Ă?ÙÖĂ&#x;ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă?Ă™Ăœ ĂŒĂ&#x;Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă’Ă‹Ă? Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ă–Ă&#x;ĂŽĂ?ĂŽ ĂšĂ–Ă‹Ă˜Ă? ÞÙ Ă’Ă™Ă?Ăž ÞÒĂ? ĂžĂ’Ă“ĂœĂŽ Ă?ĂŽĂ“ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă? Ă“ĂžĂ? Ă‹Ă˜Ă˜Ă&#x;Ă‹Ă– Ă?ĂœĂŽĂ? Ă˜Ă“ĂžĂ? Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ?Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ëœ Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹ËŞĂ? ĂŒĂ“Ă‘Ă‘Ă?Ă?Ăž Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?ÞÙ×Ă?Ăœ Ă?Ă Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă˜Ă?ĂžĂĄĂ™ĂœĂ•Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÎËÞË Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ?Ăœ ĂšĂœĂ™Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă™Ă˜Ă‹Ă–Ă?Ë› Ă’Ă?Ă—Ă?ĂŽ ËŤ Ă“Ă?ĂœĂ&#x;ÚÞÓà Ă? Ă?Ă?Ă’Ă˜Ă™Ă–Ă™Ă‘ĂŁË? Ă?Ă’Ă“Ă?Ă Ă? Ă—Ă™ĂœĂ? åÓÞÒ Ă–Ă?Ă?Ă?ËŹËœ ÞÒĂ? Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ě‹ĂŽĂ‹ĂŁ ĂšĂœĂ™Ă‘ĂœĂ‹Ă—Ă—Ă? ĂĄĂ“Ă–Ă– ĂŽĂ?Ă–Ă“Ă Ă?Ăœ Ă‹ ĂĄĂ?ËÖÞÒ Ă™Ă? Ă?Ă™Ă˜ĂžĂ?Ă˜Ăž Ă™Ă˜ ĂŒĂ?Ă?Ăž ĂšĂœĂ‹Ă?ÞÓĂ?Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?ÙÖĂ&#x;ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă˜Ă˜Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă Ă“ĂžĂŁËœ Ă–Ă™Ă&#x;ĂŽËœ ËÞË Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂœĂ?Ëœ Ă‹Ă˜Ă‹Ă‘Ă?ĂŽ Ă?Ă?Ă&#x;ĂœĂ“ĂžĂŁËœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă—Ă‹Ă–Ă– Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?ĂŽĂ“Ă&#x;Ă— Ă˜ĂžĂ?ĂœĂšĂœĂ“Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă?ĂœĂ™Ă— Ă‹Ă“Ă˜ Ă˜Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă“ĂžĂ? ĂžĂ?Ă?Ă’Ă˜Ă™Ă–Ă™Ă‘ĂŁ ĂšĂ‹ĂœĂžĂ˜Ă?ĂœĂ?Ë› ĂšĂ?Ă‹Ă•Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‹Ă’Ă?Ă‹ĂŽ Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă Ă?Ă˜ĂžËœ Ă‹Ă“Ă˜ Ă˜Ă?ËŞĂ? Ă?Ă‹ĂŽ Ă™Ă? Ă‹ĂœĂ•Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘Ëœ Ă‹ĂŁĂ™ Ă?Ă’Ă“ĂœĂ&#x;Ëœ Ă?Ă‹Ă“ĂŽË? ËŤ Ă’Ă“Ă? ĂŁĂ?Ă‹ĂœËŞĂ? Ă?Ă Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă“Ă? Ă?ĂšĂ?Ă?Ă“Ă‹Ă–Ëœ Ă‹Ă? Ă?Ù×Ă? Ă™Ă? Ă™Ă&#x;Ăœ ĂšĂ‹ĂœĂžĂ˜Ă?ĂœĂ? ĂĄĂ“Ă–Ă– Ă?ÒÙåĂ?Ă‹Ă?Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă–Ă‹ĂžĂ?Ă?Ăž Ă Ă“ĂœĂžĂ&#x;Ă‹Ă– ĂœĂ?ËÖÓÞã Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă’Ă™Ă–Ă™Ă‘ĂœĂ‹Ă— ĂžĂ?Ă?Ă’Ă˜Ă™Ă–Ă™Ă‘Ă“Ă?Ă?Ë› Ă? ĂĄĂ“Ă–Ă– Ă‹Ă–Ă?Ă™ Ă’Ă‹Ă Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă–Ă‹ĂžĂ?Ă?Ăž Ă?ÙÖĂ&#x;ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă?ĂœĂ™Ă— Ă™Ă&#x;Ăœ ĂšĂ‹ĂœĂžĂ˜Ă?ĂœĂ?Ëœ ÞÒĂ? Ă“Ă˜ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?ĂžĂœĂŁËŞĂ? ÞÙÚ Ă Ă?Ă˜ĂŽĂ™ĂœĂ? Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă–Ă&#x;ĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă“Ă?ĂœĂ™Ă?Ă™Ę°Ëœ Ă“Ă?Ă?Ă™Ëœ Ă‹ĂŽĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂ?Ëœ Ă“Ă‘Ă˜Ă‹Ă– Ă–Ă–Ă“Ă‹Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ëœ Ëœ Ă&#x;Ă‹ĂĄĂ?Ă“Ëœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă‹Ă—Ă?Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‹Ă—Ă™Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?Ă?Ă Ă?ĂœĂ‹Ă– ÙÞÒĂ?ĂœĂ?Ë› Ă?ĂœĂŽĂ? Ă˜Ă“ĂžĂ? Í°ÍŽÍŻÍľ Ă‹Ă–Ă?Ă™ ĂšĂœĂ™Ă Ă“ĂŽĂ?Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ Ă™ĂšĂšĂ™ĂœĂžĂ&#x;Ă˜Ă“ĂžĂŁ ÞÙ Ă˜Ă?ĂžĂĄĂ™ĂœĂ• åÓÞÒ Ă?ÙÖÖĂ?Ă‹Ă‘Ă&#x;Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?âÚĂ?ĂœĂžĂ? Ă‹Ă?ĂœĂ™Ă?Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă“Ă˜ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?ĂžĂœĂŁ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă’Ă‹ĂœĂ? Ă“ĂŽĂ?Ă‹Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă“Ă‘Ă’ĂžĂ?ËŹË› Ùå Ă“Ă˜ Ă“ĂžĂ? ĂžĂ’Ă“ĂœĂŽ ĂŁĂ?Ă‹ĂœËœ Ă‹Ă“Ă˜ Ă˜Ă?ËŞĂ? Ă?ĂœĂŽĂ? Ă˜Ă“ĂžĂ? Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ?Ă˜Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă™Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă˜ Ă?Ă›Ă&#x;Ă“ĂšĂšĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă˜Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ—Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă?Ă?Ă’Ă˜Ă™Ă–Ă™Ă‘ĂŁ Ě™ Ěš Ă‹Ă˜Ă‹Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ? åÓÞÒ Ă•Ă˜Ă™ĂĄĂ–Ă?ĂŽĂ‘Ă? Ă™Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă–Ă‹ĂžĂ?Ă?Ăž ĂžĂ?Ă?Ă’Ă˜Ă™Ă–Ă™Ă‘Ă“Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂžĂœĂ?Ă˜ĂŽĂ? ÞÙ Ă?Ă’Ă‹ĂœĂšĂ?Ă˜ ÞÒĂ?Ă“Ăœ Ă?Ù×ÚĂ?ÞÓÞÓà Ă? Ă‹ĂŽĂ Ă‹Ă˜ĂžĂ‹Ă‘Ă?Ë› Ă˜ Ă‹ĂŽĂŽĂ“ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ëœ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ&#x;Ă— ĂšĂœĂ™Ă Ă“ĂŽĂ?Ă? Ă‹ĘľĂ?Ă˜ĂŽĂ?Ă?Ă? åÓÞÒ Ă‹ ÚÖËÞĂ?Ă™ĂœĂ— ÞÙ Ă?âÞĂ?Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÒĂ?Ă“Ăœ ĂšĂœĂ™Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă™Ă˜Ă‹Ă– Ă˜Ă?ĂžĂĄĂ™ĂœĂ•Ă? ĂŒĂŁ Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ‘Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă˜Ă?ĂĄ Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă˜Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă? åÓÞÒ Ă–Ă“Ă•Ă?Ě‹Ă—Ă“Ă˜ĂŽĂ?ĂŽ Ă?ÙÖÖĂ?Ă‹Ă‘Ă&#x;Ă?Ă?Ë›

with insufficient data centres.

If there are sufficient government controlled data centres in Nigeria, global organisations like Amazon, E-Bay, Google, would like to invest in the country, she told THISDAY in an interview.

Again, it is not enough for government to leave data centre design and development in the hands of the private sector.

Government has to lead the initiative and create the necessary business environment for businesses to thrive. Government needs to create innovation hubs that will be managed by government itself because there are lots of international funds that the county can access, if she invests in government Continued on page 24

FXTM to Use Gold as Collateral Ă™ĂœĂ?â Ă“Ă—Ă? Ă“Ă—Ă“ĂžĂ?ĂŽ Ě™ Ěš Ă’Ă‹Ă? Ă‹Ă˜Ă˜Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă?Ă?ĂŽ ÞÒËÞ Ă“Ăž Ă˜Ă™ĂĄ ÙʼĂ?ĂœĂ? Ă?Ă–Ă“Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ? ÞÒĂ? Ă™ĂšĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ ÞÙ ĂŒĂ&#x;ĂŁËœ Ă?Ă?Ă–Ă– Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?ĂžĂ™ĂœĂ? ÚÒãĂ?Ă“Ă?Ă‹Ă– ÑÙÖβ Ă™ĂœĂ?Ùà Ă?ĂœËœ ÞÒĂ? Ă—Ă™Ă˜Ă?ĂžĂ‹ĂœĂŁ Ă Ă‹Ă–Ă&#x;Ă? Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? ÑÙÖÎ Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹ Ă?Ă–Ă“Ă?Ă˜ĂžËŞĂ? Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜Ăž ̙ËÞ ÞÒĂ? ÞÓ×Ă? Ă™Ă? ĂšĂ&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă’Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ěš Ă?Ă‹Ă˜ ĂŒĂ? Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă Ă?ĂœĂžĂ?ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ™ ĂžĂœĂ‹ĂŽĂ‹ĂŒĂ–Ă? Ă?ĂœĂ?ÎÓÞ˛ ĂŁ Ă?Ă˘ĂšĂ‹Ă˜ĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă“ĂžĂ? Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ Ă“Ă?Ă?Ă? ĂžĂ’ĂœĂ™Ă&#x;Ă‘Ă’ Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? ĂĄĂ™ĂœĂ–ĂŽËŞĂ? Ă–Ă‹ĂœĂ‘Ă?Ă?Ăž Ă™Ă˜Ă–Ă“Ă˜Ă? ÙÖÎ Ă“Ă˜Ă Ă?Ă?Þ×Ă?Ă˜Ăž ĂšĂœĂ™Ă Ă“ĂŽĂ?ĂœĂ?Ëœ Ă&#x;Ă–Ă–Ă“Ă™Ă˜ Ă‹Ă&#x;Ă–ĂžËœ Ă?Ă‹Ă“ĂŽ Ă“Ăž Ă‘Ă&#x;Ă‹ĂœĂ‹Ă˜ĂžĂ?Ă?Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă’Ă“Ă‘Ă’Ă?Ă?Ăž Ă–Ă?Ă Ă?Ă–Ă? Ă™Ă? Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă&#x;ĂœĂ“ĂžĂŁ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă?Ă‹Ă—Ă–Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă&#x;Ă?Ă‹ĂŒĂ“Ă–Ă“ĂžĂŁËœ åÓÞÒ ÞÒĂ? Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă?Ăž ĂŒĂ?Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?ĂžĂ™ĂœĂ?ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă“ĂŽĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?ĂŽËœ Ă’Ă“Ă‘Ă’Ě‹Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă&#x;ĂœĂ“ĂžĂŁ ĂĄĂ“Ă?Ă? Ă Ă‹Ă&#x;Ă–Ăž Ă“Ă˜ Ă&#x;ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă’Ë› Ă–Ă“Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ? Ă?Ă‹Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ĂŁ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă?Ă–Ă– ÙÖÎ Ă Ă“Ă‹ ÞÒĂ?Ă“Ăœ Ă?âÓĂ?ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ĂŁ Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂžËœ Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă&#x;ĂœĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?Ă‹Ă?ĂŁ Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă? ÞÙ ÞÒĂ? Ă˜Ă?ĂĄ Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ Ă“Ă?Ă?Ë› Ă Ă?ĂœĂ‹Ă–Ă–Ëœ ÞÒÓĂ? Ă˜Ă?ĂĄ Ă“Ă˜Ă“ĂžĂ“Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă Ă? ĂœĂ?ĂšĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ? ÞÒĂ? ĂŒĂœĂ™Ă•Ă?ĂœËŞĂ? Ę¨ĂœĂ?Ăž Ă?ĂžĂ?Ăš ĂžĂ™ĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂŽĂ? ĂšĂœĂ™Ă Ă“ĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ĂšĂœĂ™ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?ĂžĂ? ÞÒËÞ Ă‹ĂœĂ? Ă™Ă&#x;ĂžĂ?Ă“ĂŽĂ? Ă™Ă?

I have no doubt that we can raise the living standard of the underprivileged people if CSR is given priority by individuals and companies CEO Airtel, Mr Segun Ogunsanya

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T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ ÍˇËœ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍľ

‘SUSTAINED INVESTMENT, REFORM CRITICAL TO NIGERIA’S GROWTH

Digital Migration: GSMA Calls for Inclusive Policies

while analysing the report.

Focusing on the Nigerian economy, the report said the sharp drop in global market oil price, has lowered Nigeria’s initial ranking in 2015 as the fastest growing economy among countries modeled, to the sixth fastest. This reflects the slowdown of the Nigerian economy over the last two years as a result of a fall in oil prices.

The report however said Nigeria would average around 2 per cent annual growth to 2020, but maintained that to support long-term sustainable growth, Nigeria needs to develop a broader-based economy, diversifying its exports to ensure its growth is not dampened by global price or demand shocks.

The report advised Nigeria to develop its institutions and infrastructure, supporting long-term productivity growth.

The report identified five ways in which Nigeria can support inclusive growth, which include improving tax collection; economic diversification, reducing corruption; removal of business constraints and increasing labour productivity.

Stories by Emma Okonji

FG URGED TO INVEST IN DATA CENTRES TO BOOST ECONOMY controlled data centres. These funds are there and they are not being accessed by African countries because probably they think they will not get good returns on investment from data centre projects.

She however strongly advised that the Nigerian government should give substantial grants to small and medium size enterprises (SMEs), and fresh university graduates that have shown the zeal and commitment to digital business. The money will help them set up digital businesses for themselves, become employers of labour and at the same time, contribute to the Nigerian economy.

Government can also invest in data centre and open them up to small businesses at discounted rates, because the more small businesses are empowered in the country, the better for the government and the economy, Severina said.

Group Business Editor

Ă’Ă“Ă•Ă‹ Ă—Ă‹Ă˜Ă¤Ă?Ě‹ ĂĄĂ‹Ă?Ă’Ă&#x;Ă•Ă&#x; AgriBusiness/Industry Editor

ĂœĂ&#x;Ă?Ă™Ă? Ă?Ă‹Ă‘Ă“Ă?

Comms/e-Business Editor

Ă—Ă—Ă‹ Ă•Ă™Ă˜Ă”Ă“ Capital Market Editor

ÙÎÎã Ă‘Ă?Ă˜Ă?

Senior Correspondent

Ă‹Ă’Ă?Ă?Ă— Ă•Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ĂŒĂ™Ă–Ă&#x; (Advertising) Correspondents

Ă’Ă“Ă˜Ă?ĂŽĂ&#x; äĂ? (Aviation) Ă“Ă˜ĂŽĂ‹ ĂœĂ™Ă•Ă? (Labour) ĂœĂ™Ă—Ă™Ă?Ă?Ă–Ă? ĂŒĂ“Ă™ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă˜ (Cap Mkt) ÔÓÙĂ?Ă™Ăœ Ă–Ă“Ă•Ă? (Energy) Ă‹Ă—Ă?Ă? Ă—Ă?ÔÙ (Nation’s Capital) ĂŒĂ“Ă˜Ă˜Ă‹ Ă’Ă“Ă—Ă‹ (Money Mkt) Reporters

Ă&#x;Ă—Ă? Ă•Ă?Ă‘Ă’Ă? (Money Market) Ă™Ă?Ă‹ Ă–Ă?Ă•Ă’Ă&#x;ÙÑÓĂ? (Maritme)

The GSMA has launched a new report on Digital Migration Process in Kenya, while calling on other African countries that are preparing for digital migration to develop inclusive policies that will support hitch-free migration.

The report highlights the valuable lessons that can be derived from the Kenya’s experience with its digital switchover in the last 10 years.

The report provides useful information and guidance to regulators and policymakers from other countries where similar migration processes are ongoing or being planned.

According to the Chief Regulatory Officer, GSMA, John Giusti, “For countries that want to connect more of their citizens to the enabling power of mobile technology, making the so-called Digital Dividend spectrum (700/800 MHz band) available is key to expanding coverage.�

He added: “As one of the largest and most diverse economies in East Africa, Kenya is a hub for technology and innovation in the region. One thing the country’s digital television migration shows is that, irrespective of the challenges faced, they can be overcome.�

Planning for the analogue to digital television migration in Kenya began in 2006. The government had a powerful vision that the migration would not only be a vehicle to deliver improved audio-visual content to Kenyan consumers, but would also more efficiently and effectively utilise spectrum, freeing up the Digital Dividend spectrum band for mobile.

Nigeria, through the

National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), is working hard to meet up with the June 20, 2017 deadline for its digital switchover.

Speaking on the importance of digital migration, Giusti said Digital Dividend spectrum is ideal for reaching more people with mobile broadband, as these lower-frequency bands can cover wider areas with fewer base stations than higher frequencies. This reduces deployment costs and allows operators to provide broader, more affordable coverage,

especially in rural areas where connectivity can be a challenge.

But it is about more than just rural areas; Digital Dividend spectrum also delivers benefits in urban areas, providing improved indoor coverage as these frequencies can more easily penetrate buildings.

According to the report, in Kenya, as in other African countries, the digital migration process required consideration and implementation of a broad range of issues including policy, the state of the broadcasting market, funding for the migra-

tion, public outreach, consumer equipment availability and the inclusion of stakeholders in the planning process.

The report listed some key lessons from Kenya’s migration experience to include how it all started with a well-planned roadmap, with its governments facilitating a smooth and successful digital migration process by establishing a wellplanned migration roadmap and obtaining buy-in from stakeholders; According to the report, the roadmap should include

as many details as possible regarding the repurposing of the Digital Dividend spectrum, including specific timelines for clearing the band and awarding the spectrum. In addition, the plan should specify the process the government will use to grant the spectrum to new operators.

It also said governments should request and give due consideration to industry input throughout the migration process, including during the planning that precedes any actual technical changes.

PARTNERING FOR PROGRESS

R-L: Head Brand Management of Heritage Bank Plc, Jonathan Adegbite; Team Member, Content Management, Ayo Ajayi; Team Member, Brand Compliance, Ozena Utulu; Host - Bukas & Joints, Olisa Adibua; Managing Partner Biola Alabi Media/ Executive Producer - Bukas & Joints, Biola Alabi and Head of Productions Biola Alabi Media/ Producer - Bukas & Joints, Tolu Olusoga, during the launching of the screening of Season-3 of Bukas & Joint, sponsored by Heritage Bank‌recently

MTN Foundation Background Check, Critical in Curbing Minister, Commended for Heart Surgery Recession, Says Expert Sponsorship Emma Okonji Background check has been identified as a key tool that can assist corporate organisations confront the challenges posed by the current economic recession in the country.

Corporate organisations are therefore advised to see background check as the overall importance and a critical tool for conducting due diligence on all issues confronting the daily procedures in organisations.

The Managing Director, Background Check International (BCI), Mr. Kunle Olugbodi who made the disclosure in Lagos recently, also urged corporate organisations to embrace background check and institute it as a corporate culture to entrench values and due diligence procedures to eliminate fraudulent claims.

Olugbodi also asserted that there is the need to verify the claims people make. There is the need to make a culture of background check and ensure that employees are thoroughly investigated and screened before employment.

Investment in background check provides adequate information that enhances decision making. Organisations

should no longer gamble about background check. Most losses in organisations in terms of deliberate illegal acts, fraud, sharp practices are committed by employees. In these times of recession, organisations should block all sources fraud and wastages in the system. All these fraudulent acts and malpractice should be checkmated. Background check is desirable in all areas of life, Olugbodi advised.

He further charged organisations to focus on background check as a vital corporate governance tool to eliminate fraud.

According to him, “In these times of recession, organisations should block all sources fraud and wastages in the system. Background check is the process of verifying claims and conducting proper checks on people or organisations as the case may be. Background check has become imperative for corporate organisations to adopt a workable action plan to thoroughly evaluate and investigate claims by employees or business investors as the case may be.�

Background check is not limited to employees only but it also cuts across every strata of the society. The significant

role of background check in eliminating fraudulent claims and false information needs to be highlighted and accorded its rightful place by all and sundry. When this is done appropriately, all hands should be on the deck to ensure that background screening is established as not only a culture but also a norm in every facet of our lives, he said.

Olugbodi further charged organisations to ensure proper guidelines are put in place in terms of staff employment. According to him, a major way to guide against growing wave of fraud and related crime in corporate organisations is through screening of the prospective staff ahead of their final engagement. It should also become a matter of policy for corporate organisations to not only audit new staff but also the old staff to forestall the incidences of theft and malpractices among other misdemeanor.

Corporate organisations should not be in haste to employ staff without conducting thorough background screening as such hasty decision exposes the tangible and intangible resources of the organisation to fraud and abuse.

Emma Okonji The Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu and the MTN Foundation have been commended by Nigerians and appreciated by the Abdullateef family for the recommendation and sponsorship of the treatment of their baby girl, Mutmainat Abdullateef, who had a whole in her heart. She was successfully treated in an Indian hospital.

The heart surgery, which cost $21,566 (NI0.6 million), was carried out on Mutmainat, to correct her congenital heart condition at the Apollo Hospital, India.

The baby’s case was recommended to MTN Foundation by the minister and the MTN Foundation took it up to sponsor her treatment.

In a letter informing the minister of the successful treatment of Mutmainat, the Foundation said: (We are pleased to inform you that following successful surgery and recuperation in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in Apollo Hospital, India, baby Mutmainat Abdullateef, who your office referred with congenital heart condition, has returned to Nigeria.�

The Special Assistant on Media to the minister, Victor Oluwadamilare said despite

the higher risk of performing the surgery, which is clinically put between 10 and 20 per cent chance of surviving, the Foundation informed the minister of its ability to “save a life and contribute to the process of restoring the health of baby Mutmainat�. Mutmainat’s father, Abubkar Abdullateef in an appreciation letter, commended the MTN Foundation for the timely intervention in the treatment of the girl. “Sponsoring of such a very expensive surgical operation by MTN Foundation at this time of recession in the country, is an indication that the company is indeed out to assist the less privileged in the country�, he said.

Sometimes last year, the Abdullateef Family of Agoro Ogunmola Compound in Kishi, Oyo State in an hapless situation of inability to foot the medical bill of their daughter had approached the minister for intervention.

The minister, then used his good offices to refer the family to the MTN Foundation and recommended assistance, to which the Foundation acceded and eventually foot the bill for travel, treatment and logistics for the patient and her mother in India.

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T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ ͷ˜ Ͱͮͯ͵

BUSINESSWORLD

E-BUSINESS

Demystifying Mobile Security Attacks There is a global shift from online attacks on immovable devices like desktop computers to mobile phones and tablets, raising security concerns among individuals and organisations, writes Emma Okonji As technology evolves, hackers are also planning new ways of attacks on devices used by techies. The most vulnerable and widely attacked devices, are the mobile devices.

Experts, who confirmed the high frequency of attacks on mobile devices, attributed it to Android Operating System (OS) adopted by mobile devices manufacturers, which they said, is prone to attacks. Others, however, attributed it to the shift in consumer behaviour, from desktop computers to mobile devices, especially now that the demand for mobile phones is on the increase, since majority of people now use mobile phones to browse the internet and also use them to perform a lot of computer-based tasks.

Analysing the risk factors of mobile devices, security solution company, Check Point, has advised organisations to guard against mobile phones used by their employees, raising security concerns that mobile phones could be used to infiltrate organisation’s stronghold, and corrupt vital information.

Attacks on mobile devices Attacks on mobile devices and online traffic are fast evolving. Mobile attackers are gaining unauthorised access to organisation’s data through new tactics that really take advantage of the new pathways mobile devices offer into an organisation’s network, and it becomes important for organisations and individuals to prevent all possible ways that an attacker can use to exploit mobile devices through eavesdropping, enterprise data collection and compromise of secure applications.

While eavesdropping takes over the mobile device microphone and camera and then monitor all sounds and conversations, the attack could distort all emails, texts and call logs of enterprise data. At the end, secured applications are compromised through extraction of application data.

Attacks on Android malware applications These are malicious applications installed on a device using the Android operating system. The malware usually disguises itself as innocent app such a game, conference or PDF viewer and then runs in the background,

doing all its malicious activities. The malicious applications may be downloaded from Google Play store or a third party App store, an email, or an infected website or add network. The malicious applications may also be uploaded by an attacker who gains physical access to the device.

“Attacks on mobile devices and online traffic are fast evolving. Mobile attackers are gaining unauthorised access to organisation’s data through new tactics that really take advantage of the new pathways mobile devices offer into an organisation’s network, and it becomes important for organisations and individuals to prevent all possible ways that an attacker can use to exploit mobile devices”

Potential danger of attacks Malware applications can act as a remote access Trojan, with a surveillance toolkit that can enable the attacker to steal passwords, corporate data and emails, as well as capture all keyboard activities and screen information.

They may also activate the microphone to listen in on conversations and meetings, act as Trojan to steal contacts or text messages, or act as a mobile botnet to send text messages to premium numbers.

Detection and prevention According to security experts from Check Point, organisations need to detect and prevent attacks by combining network and event anomaly detection and behavioural application analysis like sand-boxing and advanced code and traffic analysis to be able to detect the wide variety of malicious applications that are potentially available in the environment.

According to the security experts, organisations need on-device remediation that can enable users to remove malware already on their device, as well as network-based mitigation to block any exfiltration activities.

Other forms of attacks

Another form of attack is the Denial of Service (DoS) attack. Since the first DoS attack was launched in 1974, Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) and other DoS attacks have remained among the most persistent and damaging cyber-attacks. These attacks reflect hackers’ frustrating high levels of tenacity and creativity and create complex and dynamic challenges for those responsible for cyber security.

One of the first large-scale DDoS attacks occurred in August 1999, when a hacker used a tool called ‘Trinoo’ to disable the University of Minnesota’s computer network for more than two days. Trinoo consisted of a network of compromised machines called ‘Masters’ and ‘Daemons’, allowing an attacker to send a DoS instruction to few Masters, which then forwarded the instructions to the hundreds of Daemons to commence flood against the target internet protocol (IP) address. With such instructions, the system gets compromised without the user knowing. As soon as hackers began to focus on DDoS attacks, the DoS attacks attracted public attention. The distributed nature of a DDoS attack, makes it more powerful and difficult to identify and block its source.

Today, many businesses, financial institutions and government agencies globally, have been brought down by DDoS attacks.

Another form of attack is the attack that targets network resources and attempt to consume all the victim’s bandwidth by using a large volume of illegitimate traffic to saturate the company’s internet pipe. This attack, called network flood, is simple, yet very effective and dangerous. In a typical flooding attack,

the offence is distributed among an army of thousands volunteered or compromised computers that simply sends a huge amount of traffic to the targeted site, overwhelming its network.

DDoS attacks According to Radware, a security solution company, emerging threats bring with them and new attack vectors, noting that organisations must consider the kind of vendor they engage and ensure they verify the vendors’ experience and reputation. Organisations must also verify that the solution deployed to address attacks are hybrid solutions that can handle pipe saturation risks with no disturbance to user experience.

Check Point is of the view that its new DDoS protector keeps businesses running with multi-layered, customisable protections and 12Gbps performance that automatically defends against network flood and application later at racks for fast response time against today’s sophisticated denial of service attacks.

According to Check Point, DDoS protector appliances offer flexible deployment options to easily protect any size of business and integrated security management for realtime traffic analysis and threat management intelligence for advanced protection against DDoS attacks.

Since attacks on mobile devices are on the increase, organisations must seek the help of security experts to mitigate attacks. They must also ensure proper screening of all mobile phones of employees that have access to the organisation’s network.

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Chevron Partners Zinox for Computer Rollout Chevron Nigeria, a United States integrated energy multinational corporation, has engaged the services of a local technology company, Zinox Technologies Limited for the implementation of a massive rollout of thousands of high-end personal computers (PCs), desktop units, monitors and other accessories to equip its offices and other establishments in the country.

Chevron is the third-largest oil producer and one of the biggest investors in Nigeria where it operates under a jointventure arrangement with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for the onshore and offshore assets in the Niger Delta region.

Zinox has already commenced the delivery and installation of the first units of the orders, a development confirmed by a senior management staff member of Chevron Nigeria. “Certainly, we are doing business with local Nigerian companies such as Zinox Technologies, among others.

We have ordered thousands of high-end servers and laptops from Zinox. We encourage other Nigerian entrepreneurs and companies to take this as a sign of confidence. A lot of multinationals are ready to patronise made-in-Nigeria products, provided they meet international standards,� the Chevron staff member said. “With respect to the on-going rollout of PCs and other computer accessories, it is worth emphasising that this is not the first time we are doing business with Zinox, which has been a trusted business partner for many years. We have not been disappointed by the level of products and services received from Zinox over the years.�

Head of Corporate Communications at Zinox, Gideon

Ayogu, who confirmed the development, said: “Yes, we have commenced the delivery and deployment of the Chevron orders through one of our partners. Apart from the major infrastructural change and the roll-out of high-end computers, servers and other accessories to Chevron Nigeria who remain one of our most regular customers, we have also enjoyed consistent patronage from other multinationals such as Total and Shell as well as a few government agencies and parastatals.� “As a global company, we move with the forces of demand. Companies like Chevron, Shell, Total have been patronising Zinox for over 14 years and this is based purely on service quality as we all know the high standards these companies aspire to. These local commitments have also gone a long way to helping the management refrain from staff retrenchment or sack in this period of recession, even when the company is facing tough foreign exchange challenges to meet up with orders,� Ayogu said.

Asked about the deployment of other devices, Ayogu disclosed that Zinox has received orders for the deployment of over 65,000 tablet PCs, among other devices. He, however, lamented the difficulty with obtaining forex, which has delayed the delivery of some of the orders. “Sadly, access to forex for companies operating in the ICT sector remains a major challenge. We are not getting enough foreign exchange to meet up with customer’s demands. Nevertheless, we will continue to push. Government’s intervention in this regard will go a long way in helping the ICT sector contribute more to the nation’s GDP,� he added.

Airtel Raises Hope of Families with Touching Lives Season 3 The Airtel Touching Lives initiative, the popular philanthropy programme sponsored by Airtel Nigeria, has been premiered in Lagos for the third season.

The event, which was attended by some of Nigeria’s most prominent public officials, celebrities, and captains of industry, was used to showcase several Nigerian families that have benefitted from the programme since its inception.

Speaking to guests at the event, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Airtel, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya, said Airtel Touching Lives had continued to record tremendous success since it was launched in 2015.

Over the years, these accomplishments, he added, became the encouragement the telecommunication company needed to keep the show coming back every year. “We are inspired to continue to touch the lives of underprivileged Nigerians through this platform and to also motivate other privileged Nigerians to contribute their quota in making our society better,� he said.

Ogunsanya then called on like-minded Nigerians to “join this noble cause of giving back to the society because we believe that there are many kind-hearted, empathetic and selfless Nigerians that are willing to render succor to underprivileged people.�

Airtel Touching Lives has been a reality television show broadcast on satellite and terrestrial networks across the continent. Each season, the programme follows the journey of who are nominated by email, SMS, or letters, and documents Airtel’s process of providing tailor-made assistance to each of them.

In the previous season, beneficiaries included the Centre for Disability, a NonGovernmental Organisation (NGO) whose work was to help physically challenged individuals access life-improving aid.

Other recipients of the Airtel Touching Lives assistance were Mr. Essien Obong, a mathematician and software engineer who had become blind from injuries inflicted on him by armed robbers.

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Ojobo: Technology Innovation Will Boost Digital Economies Stories by Emma Okonji The Director, Public Affairs, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Mr. Tony Ojobo, has said that technological innovation is the bedrock of digital economies.

Ojobo, who made the disclosure in Abuja during the general meeting of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), said technology and innovation are powered by the science of growth, hence they stand the test of time. Ojobo told the audience that technology would always set the pace for human civilisation, boosts development and creates wealth for those who adopt it.According to him, investments in technology and innovations is the reason why the top four most capitalised companies in the world are where they are today, and listed them to include Microsoft,

Apple, Google and Facebook.

Ojobo rolled out statistics to justify his presentation. Narrowing it down to Nigeria, he said telephone subscription stood at 154.5 million as at December 2016 while teledensity is now 110.38 per cent.

Internet subscription was 92 million as at December 2016, while broadband penetration is 21 per cent as estimated by ITU/UNESCO Broadband Commission. Broadband target by 2018 as estimated in the National Broadband Plan is 30 per cent. Africa has an internet penetration of 28.7 per cent of 3.7billion global internet users.

Nigeria is at about 48 over cent penetration and about 92 million internet users. Facebook users stand at 16 million and Facebook is now worth over $348 billion.

It overtook Exxon Mobil as the 4th most capitalised company in the world.

According to him, there has been a forecast that by 2020, 20.8 billion devices would be connected and collating data.

Digital technology is promoting astonishing interaction among citizens and between citizens and the state. “ More political debates are enabled thereby boosting the expression of civil liberties. Politicians increasingly deploy social media to reach their constituents. Only recently the Lagos State government launched a portal to enhance interaction between it and the citizens,� he said.

On the application of digital technology to expansion of democracy, he said the Arab Spring, particularly the events at Tahrir Square in Egypt readily comes to bear. The Nigerian elections of 2015 gave an insight to what technology can do. The Referendum in the United Kingdom to decide the country’s

fate in the EU and the recently concluded American presidential elections were all shaped by the use of social media networks enabled by the internet. Ojobo explained how digital economy and opportunities for business and economic growth come about. He said the internet has accounted for over 10 per cent GDP over a period of 15 years in the G8 countries (China, Brazil, India, Sweden and South Korea), according to Mckinsey global institute.

Practically all brands, CocaCola, Toyota, Cadbury, Exxon Mobil, Adidas, Amazon, Jumia, Konga retail stores are online.

Human brands such presidents, footballers, and other sport icons, Jumia, Konga among others, conduct online sales in millions.

Black Friday sales turnover in 2015 conducted by online stores in Nigeria was in excess of N600 million.

ALL FOR BUSINESS SUPPORT

L-R: The Chief Brand Strategist, Big & Bold Communications Ltd, Mr. Jide Adeyemi; International Business Manager, eLeader, Milena Stachniuk and CEO, AnalyticsRim Technology, Mr. Isreal Aibuedefe, during the launch of eLeader business support solution in Lagos... recently

eLeader, AnalyticsRim Launch Business Support Application eLeader and its Nigerian partner, AnalyticsRim Technology Services, has launched its advanced Field Force Management/Sales Force Automation software in Lagos.

The solution, which uses mobile phones and tablets to help manage and support all actions in point of sale, was recently introduced into the country as part of the eLeader growth strategy.

Highlighting the importance of the applications, International Sales Manager, eLeader, Milena Stachniuk, said: “In recent times, we have seen increased competition in all areas of endeavor from manufacturing to retail and after-sales which has led organisations to going the extra mile to get the advantage in the market place. It is important in today’s business climate for every organisation to have the right speed and information to drive their operations and market executions and this is what eLeader brings to Nigerian brands.� eLeader is a smartphone solution that provides user-friendly interface, daily refreshed data from the field, and customised applica-

tion to make marketing and sales efforts seamless. It helps organisations save time and resources while getting ahead of the competition by providing unique information about facing, product availability, and share of shelf. It also monitors planogram compliance and supplies insightful data based on pictures obtained during in-store visit. “Many organisations have inadvertently adopted the reactive approach marketing and sales because of the inherent limitations that standard analytic tools come with. Over the years eLeader has taken the lead globally to empowering growth, speed, productivity and efficiency in every facet of the business, giving it the right operational intelligence it needs to succeed in the ever changing industry transformation. This is possible due to the high premium place on research and development and innovation. Pleased with the solution, the CEO, AnalyticsRim Technology, Israel Aibuedefe, said “We are pleased to offer Nigerian firms this expertise.� eLeader was established

in 2000 in Poland with its main focus on developing

mobile software for all types of businesses.

CompexAfrica Unveils Free Online Tool CompexAfrica, a business exit company that created the first online platform in Nigeria for buying and selling businesses (www.compexafrica.com) last year, has announced the launch of its free online business valuation tool for business owners and anyone who wants to have an idea of what buyers could pay for their business.

After several months of intensive development and testing, this user-friendly valuation tool very clearly and concisely walks users through every step of the valuation process. This enables the user to work out a decent estimate within a few minutes.

Also, it is designed to create an estimated market value for a company based upon a diverse set of attributes.

The business owners and buyers are offered the opportunity of having an idea of the value of their business

instantly for free by few clicks.

The valuation tool is on www. compexafrica.com.

The Chief Operating Officer of CompexAfrica, Ifeoma Uddoh, said: “It’s important for business owners to have an idea about what their business could be worth while talking to a business broker or prospective buyer. The tool uses the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) method by taking the expected future cash flows and “discounts� them back to the present day, to give a well-argued valuation. Users should ensure they use actual financial data, and they should compare value given with other valuation method.�

CompexAfrica believes that the launching of the business valuation tool is another significant contribution to the business ecosystem in Nigeria.

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Jiang: Our Products Have the Least Failure Rate Globally In this interview, the Managing Director, Devices Huawei Technologies Co. Nigeria Ltd, Leo Jiang, spoke on the brand’s strength and aspirations for Nigeria and its global market.

Raheem Akingbolu brings the excerpts: What is your take on the outlook of the Nigerian economy?

Presently, one of the major attractions of the Nigerian economy to global investors to my mind is the stability that has been bestowed on it by the sustenance of democratic governance.

International businesses and investors want to flow with stable policies. For a country that endured long spell of military intervention in governance from independence in 1960 with civil rule lasting barely six years from that date to find herself under unbroken civil leadership since 1999 is remarkable. Civil rule promises stability and so long as that is guaranteed, global investors would be attracted. And so long as leading investors from across the world are attracted to any economy, it will continue to witness growth.

Tell us a bit about Huawei?

Huawei started in 1987 in Shenzhen, China andwe have 29 years of expertise in the telecom industry. And we are currently the leading ICT equipment, service, and terminal devices provider in the world.

Huawei comprises of various arms and consumer business is an arm of Huawei technologies that focuses on smartphones and mobile devices in general. The society is becoming largely digitized and we wanted to be at the forefront of providing the cutting key, innovative technologies and fashion, premium mobile devices to enrich human lives.

Today the brand is the global top 3 smartphone manufacturer in the world and has for three years running been listed among the 100 most admirable brands in the world.

Our products and services are available in more than 170 countries, and used by over one-third of the world’s population, and more and more people are recognising the company for producing innovative, fashionable and premium smartphones.

What recent achievements has the brand recorded that you are most proud of?

We are currently one of the world’s leading smartphone manufacturers, with revenue soaring over 70%in the past years. We are growing so fast. In 2014, Huawei became the first brand from China to earn a place on Interbrand’s Top 100 Best Global Brands list, ranking number 94. Huawei was once again included on the list in October 2015, with its ranking moving up to 88, and this year, it moved up to number 72. And we have celebrated shipping the 9 millionth P9/ P9 Plus launched globally early 2016 with our historic partnership with Leica. We are extremely proud of these achievements.

In the area of positioning, what would you say separates Huawei smartphones from other competing brands?

The brand focuses on customer-centric innovation, the lifeblood of all technology companies. This explains why we are different from others. Our strategy involves a strong focus on Product, Brand, Channels and Partners. We believe that Solid research and development (R&D) is the foundation of innovation in reliable, premium quality products. In the past 10 years, the company has continuously invested over 10% of its annual income into R&D spending and we have built over 16 R&D centers and 28 Joint Innovation Centers globally.

More than 45% of Huawei’s employees work in R&D, and more than 50% of them come from different parts of the world.

In making our products, we do not compromise on quality. All of our smartphones go through rigorous quality testing processes before they are released into the market, thus giving our customers the assurance that the

Jiang

Huawei smartphone is capable to serve them in different climatic conditions.

Our innovative and uncompromising standards have led us to deliver fantastic products with stylish designs and quality that stands the test of time, and our products

Our products and services are available in more than 170 countries, and used by over onethird of the world’s population, and more and more people are recognising the company for producing innovative, fashionable and premium smartphones

have the least failure rate here in Nigeria and globally.

Who are Huawei smartphones made for?

Let me start by declaring that our products are for everyone. The product range is very diverse and so we have ensured that all our customers will find a product that meets their needs and suits their lifestyle. There should be no misconception about our phones or who they are meant for. Our Research and Development team are constantly thinking of new ways to improve customers’ experiences with our products.

So we cater to everyone. Huawei is a Chinese origin but also a successful global citizen.

Looking at the brand’s smart phone models, how many Huawei phones are currently in the Nigerian market?

Well, we have several of them like the Y series, the G- series, the P –Series, Mate series and the Media pads T.1.

The company recently launched some of its new Y series in the Nigerian market.

What has the consumer responses been like?

Consumer response has been good so far.

Our aim is to pass a message across that no matter the smartphone product, whether it is entry level, mid-range, or high-end, all our smartphones deliver amazing premium experiences to our users.

The newly launched Y series has a good mix of the different ranges.

The Y6II has a Classic 3D crossed stripes design and a distinctive chic body finish. It has classic 5.5 inch high resolution display, provides users with an extremely clear and comfortable experience. The camera caters to the needs of photo lovers and beauty enthusiasts alike as it takes professional-quality photos with its 13-megapixel BSI rear-facing camera and a 2.0 aperture. The Y6II also has a Make-

up mode with beautification technology that allows users to enhance images with various makeup styles and preview the effects in real time with a single touch.

The Y5II comes equipped with a world-class camera with an 81 degree wide angle lens ensuring crystal clear professional images.

The Easy Key function puts an end to endless clicks to get things done.

On the other hand, the Y3II and Y3 Lite will attract young users who carry out activities on their smartphones requiring speed, and also want to curate exciting moments without missing a beat. Both Y3II and Y3 Lite smartphones have Dual Sim functionality and an impressive battery strength that enables longer days of talk and standby time.

The Huawei Y3Lite is supported by one of the world’s fastest 3G networks, the 3G HPSA+ which makes surfing the internet enjoyable and very fast.

Our Y Series range of devices are designed to suit the lifestyle of the young and vibrant, as well as professionals on the move. With the Y series smartphones, we have set a new standard of functionality that every entry level phones will strive to meet.�

Are there plans to launch any other Huawei products soon?

Huawei Mate 9 will be available in Nigeriavery soon and following that the possibilities are endless. We are always looking forward to bringing new innovation to the Nigerian market and delivering a great user experience to our consumers.

What is the end goal for Huawei in terms of the Nigeria and global market?

We have a very clear goal - to become the No. 1 Android Smartphone Brand in Nigeria, the global top 2 smartphone brand by 2018 and the global No. 1 by 2021, and theglobal success of the P9 proves this is a realistic goal.

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Engaging Consumers on Heart Health Resolutions Beyond offering goods and services, there is need for manufacturers of foods and other healthrelated products to raise awareness on public health issues, Raheem Akingbolu reports Educating consumers on sensitive health issues by manufacturers in the health and food sectors is one global practice that is being encouraged by concerned experts in Nigeria. It is believed that if consumers understand their body systems and what is good for their health, they will not be at risk in their food intake.

As Nigerian consumers begin the new year, promoters of Mamador, the premium cooking oil brand from PZ Wilmar, in continuation of their support for a healthy Nigeria, latched on the age long tradition of New Year Resolutions to campaign for healthy heart habits among consumers.

In what looked like an ambassadorial assignment, following the endorsement of the Mamador brand by the Nigerian Heart Foundation, the brand urged consumers to make and keep sound Heart Health resolutions for the year. The campaign, tagged ‘Pledge for Your Heart’ kicked off with activation in Lagos and it was said to be in furtherance of the brand’s Million Hearts Mission initiative which started in 2016 with a plan to actively encourage millions of consumers across Nigeria choose healthy lifestyles.

Meanwhile, in a build up campaign to the initiative, the company had stated that the Mamador brand believes that the secret to a healthy living is closely linked to how healthy the heart is and advocates that consumers make a decision to make adjustments that will favour their heart health.

Speaking at the flag off ceremony in Ikeja, Lagos, the Category Marketing Manager, Chioma Mbanugo explained that the brand intends to strongly continue its advocacy for a nation with a healthy heart which she said is one of the brand’s key objectives. “It is an age-long tradition for people to make resolutions at the start of every year but more often than not, people do not remember their heart while making such resolutions.

The Mamador brand believes that the secret to a healthy living is closely linked to how healthy the heart is and as such our aim is to encourage consumers to make adjustments that will favour their Heart Health even as they make resolutions about their general lifestyle and living� she said.

Within one week that the campaign broke, the promoters of the brand had held a total of 10 activations in Lagos, Port Harcourt and Ibadan and the key message to everyone who participated was to make a pledge to take better care of their heart in 2017. The company has indicated its determination to continue championing and advocate the cause for a healthy heart among Nigerians in the weeks ahead.

Other consumer engagement Educating consumers on new invention, application and global marketing trends, is fast becoming a tool for public engagement.

Because of the sensitivity of the health sector, such campaigns are highly recommended to safeguard human lives. According to BRG Communications, a US-based Public Relations firm that engages mostly in consumer education, involving in consumer awareness campaign promotes mutual relationship between brand owners and the target audience.

For instance, in 2011, Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) launched the third phase of the Licensed Electrical Contractor campaign to increase public awareness of the importance of using Licensed Electrical Contractors. This campaign was said to have reflected input from all stakeholders and had achieved a consumer awareness rating that competed with some of the highest ranking campaigns.

In Nigeria, compared to other sectors, manufacturers in the food and health sectors of Nigerian economy, especially PZ Wilmar has since realised the growing need for indepth consumer knowledge in the consumer health sector. In recent time, Glaxosmithkline

Consumer Nigeria Plc and other companies like Unilever, and Procter & Gamble, have leveraged on the world health and oral day to engage consumers.

In the ongoing campaign, Mamador has deplored, among other means, grassroots and community activation, public service announcement and partnerships and strategic alliances and research to educate consumers on the need for Nigerians to make and keep sound Heart Health resolutions for the year.

The Mamador brand believes that the secret to a healthy living is closely linked to how healthy the heart is and as such our aim is to encourage consumers to make adjustments that will favour their Heart Health even as they make resolutions about their general lifestyle and living� she said

The impact of the campaign has sent strong signal to stakeholders on ‘importance of heart health’, which is close to the brand’s heart. The company has also used it to demonstrate that beyond making profit, it was also keen about hearth health of its patrons by encouraging them to make decisions that would benefit their hearts; the pledge.

Boost for low cholesterol campaign Though unintentional, in making ‘the pledge’ about heart health, consumers will have no choice but pitch their tent with low cholesterol or cholesterol products, either milk or cooking oil. However, considering the fact that Mamador is being positioned by its handlers as healthy cooking oil for heart health and tasty meals, this may be another opportunity to shore up the brand’s profile. Its cholesterol free campaign and presence of Omega 6 & 9 to keep heart healthy could also give the brand an edge in the market place while the campaign lasted.

Since high cholesterol is believed to be one of the leading causes of heart disease today, consumers as a resolution would have no option but to go for cholesterol free intake.

Experts have established that Individuals with clogged arteries may have to undergo dangerous and invasive surgeries to undo the damage from years of poor diet and genetics Indirectly, it may also rub-off on manufacturers of low cholesterol milks in the dairy industry. To avoid controversies that often trail consumption of milk by adults, not a few experts have recommended low cholesterol milk for them. To this end, many dairy food manufacturers have therefore up the ante in the production of low cholesterol milk in the interest of consumers that are willing to avoid cholesterol.

Of all the nutrients in the food supply, fat and cholesterol probably receive the most attention from health professionals and the public alike. Dietary recommendations from health experts advise lowering the total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol in consumers’ diets. The scientific evidence is clear that a

high-fat diet relates to chronic health problems such as heart disease, some types of cancer, diabetes and obesity.

Meanwhile, consumption of low fat dairy products has been linked to a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes. In fact, studies have found that each extra portion of low fat dairy consumed each day is associated with increasingly lower risk.

Experts’ view A Senior Lecturer in the Department of Chemistry at the Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, Dr. Akeem Apempe has described the initiative as a good step towards addressing issues related to heart health.

According to Apempe: By championing advocacy on healthy heart habits among consumers as part of their New Year resolutions, the brand and its owners have thus demonstrated that they are responsible. Health issues require proper understanding and from the popular adage that ‘health is wealth’, it is obvious that having good health is important to good living. A careless consumption habit can lead to sickness or even untimely death.

Many experts have also urged organisations in the consumer health industry to pay proper attention to consumer behaviour and understand their motivations, needs, belief systems and other values they hold dear, which could enhance loyalty.

A leading voice in consumer rights protection advocacy in the country, Sola Salako said: “In-depth customer knowledge for the deliberate development of relevant and compelling propositions to meet identified needs is critical to enhancing consumer loyalty. “Businesses exist to generate profit; hence continuous customer satisfaction is the key to delivering this. Therefore to deliver sustainable success, brand loyalty becomes germane. Brand loyalty cannot happen without a thorough understanding of the consumer and a deliberate decision to satisfy and exceed the customer’s expectations via both core and surprise value,� she stated.

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TVC Partners InfoWARE for Turkish Airlines Launches New Commercial Better Business Coverage Turkish Airlines, the winner Airlines once again made a Committee of Turkish Airlines image and brand awareness.�

Stories by Raheem Akingbolu To enhance robust business content, Television Continental has entered into a strategic partnership with InfoWARE, a business software and technology company.

The collaboration is expected to deepen TVC’s media coverage of the business environment.

According to the broadcasting company, the partnership, which was sealed Thursday, will enable TVC be the first to broadcast live market data with an extensive coverage of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), Alternative Securities Market (ASeM) and other African Markets.

The service will be launched with two programmes; Business Zone and Business Nigeria which are currently running on the broadcast station.

Speaking on the partnership, TVC’s Interim CEO, Lindsey Oliver, said TVC will now use InfoWARE Market Data Terminal (IMDT) to broadcast live market data on TVC News and TVC News Nigeria and will feature real time market

data for commodities such as Gold, Crude oil and others.

She stated that the deal is a testament of TVC’s commitment to broadening its reach and provide the best in terms of business reports on stock market, finance and investment across the Nigerian and the African business market.

According to her, ‘‘This partnership with InfoWARE Limited will afford our viewers the best in terms of business analysis and reports across all markets within Nigeria and Africa. It will provide up to five years price analysis, in depth Naira evaluation against International and other African currencies, visually appealing graphs and charts fit for TV presentation, comparison among different stock performances, in-built instant messaging/chat tool for seamless communication with colleagues and other professionals.’’ CEO, InfoWARE Limited, Uwa Agbonile added that the partnership will further promote transparency, price discovery and integrity of Nigeria’s Capital Market via two business programmes on the broadcast station.

of the “Best Airline in Europe� award for the last six years in a row given by the most respected global airline passenger survey organization, Skytrax, debuted its new commercial starring Oscar winner Morgan Freeman.

The commercial was first aired during the most-watched show in U.S. TV history, Super Bowl, the final game of the National Football Team (NFL) on February 5th.

After meeting the audience with a fantastic ad campaign “Batman v Superman� in last year’s game at Super Bowl 50, which had an estimated audience of over 800 million people worldwide, Turkish

debut with a new commercial starring Morgan Freeman at this year’s game.

The commercial film is directed by the famous director Matthias Zentner, who has also directed commercials for many global brands. Shot in Los Angeles in a period of 10 hours with a crew of 101 people, the commercial will be meeting the audience on 16 TV channels, and the most prestigious media outlets around four continents.

Commenting on the deal made with the Oscar-winner actor, director, voice actor and pilot Morgan Freeman, M. Ilker Ayci, Chairman of the Board and the Executive

said “We not only fly to more countries than any other airline in the world, but also invest in passenger experience at every destination we reach.

In line with our global growth strategy, we will continue at full speed to launch new flight destinations. We are committed to innovation and we always aim for the best.

We are more than satisfied by the feedback on and outcomes of our celebrity ad campaigns with world-famous figures so far. Our new ad campaign with Morgan Freeman has already been a smash hit. We value our deal with Freeman for his contribution to our global

Morgan Freeman said, “As a licensed pilot, I have had a special interest in flying, and I know Turkish Airlines is consistently awarded for its unique offerings and innovative services that continue to score resounding successes. Besides it has amazingly delicious onboard and lounge catering. It’s an honor to work with such a prestigious airline that flies to more countries than any other airline in the world.�

Turkish Airlines had also sponsored “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice�, one of last year’s most popular movies, and broadcasted its commercial video starring.

Peak Ranks Number 1 in Top Quality Survey Research Peak milk, a premium dairy brand on the stable of Friesland Campina WAMCO has emerged Number One in top quality rating by Nigerians in QudalQuality medal survey recently released.

The leading dairy brand emerged winner after a rigorous research survey conducted in Nigeria between October and November, 2016

by ICERTIAS- International Certification Association, a Swiss based organization. Icertias measures the experience and level of satisfaction expressed by surveyed participants with the quality of marketed products and services.

A statement by the Senior Certification Executive of the rating organisation, Mihaela Siamar, revealed that “in the first Icertias Qudal-Quality Medal Survey on top quality products and services in Nigeria, pole position in the milk category has gone to Peak milk�.

It stated further that, “the first Icertias Qudal-Qualify Medal survey in Nigeria shows that most Nigerian consumers consider Peak as a premium milk brand that offers them the highest level of quality�.

During the survey, Icertias Qudal-Quality Medal asked respondents questions on the basis of their personal experience of specified products or service categories in the Nigerian market, and what they felt represented top quality.

Presented with open-ended questions, respondents had free choice of products and service providers when answering their preferences. Specifically, in the milk category, respondents were asked the following questions: “specify the name of the milk that, in your personal experience and opinion, offers absolutely

the highest level of quality in Nigeria�.

The survey report revealed that majority of those surveyed answered Peak milk. This, it explained was a further affirmation that Peak has established a distinctive customer experience resulting in the majority of consumers choosing the brand over other brands.

The statement further disclosed that Qudal research does not measure market share or the power of a brand, but exclusively and only experience, satisfaction with the quality of the service, and the offer on the market as perceived by the examinees.

Using an online survey and the Cawi-Deepma method (Computer Assisted Web Interviewing – Deep Mind Awareness), the survey captured over 1,200 Nigerian internet-using citizens, over the age of 15, who participated in the research. The survey encompassed the entire territory of Nigeria.

In her response to the latest ranking, Marketing Manager, Peak Milk, Mrs. Dolapo Otegbayi stated that the current feat does not come to her as a surprise as Peak milk is a brand built on the culture of top quality and excellent nourishment.

Peak is grateful and appreciative to the Swiss organisation Icertias for this outstanding award that shows that most Nigerian consumers consider Peak as the premium milk brand that offers them the highest level of quality.

Being given this recognition is a great accomplishment on our endeavour to make Peak the best quality dairy brand delivering highest sensorial and brand experience to consumers.

BROKERS’ FORUM

L-R: CEO, Liberty Holdings Nigeria, Mr. Samuel Ogbu; CEO, Total Health Trust Limited, Mr. Nick Zaranyika; Partner – Chief Economist and FS Advisory Leader, PwC Nigeria, Dr. Andrew .S. Nevin; and Mr. Andrew Schwlst, CEO, Liberty Health Holdings at the Total Health Trust Limited’s ďŹ rst exclusive Annual Brokers’ Forum held in Lagos...recently

BEDC to Provide Free Pre-paid Food Crisis: FG, Foreign Partners meters to Electricity Consumers Target 150,000 Poor Farmers in N’Delta Sylvester Idowu in Warri Relief has come the way of electricity consumers in Delta and neighbouring states as Benin Electricity Distribution company (BEDC) is set to distribute pre-paid meters free of charge to consumers in its coverage areas. The company said the decision was in response to the directive of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to DISCOs to make meters available to consumer at no cost.

Head, BEDC, Delta State, Ernest Elgah disclosed this at a Customer Public Forum held at the Mom Civic Centre, Warri. He said that the NERC had issued a directive to all distribution companies in the country to stop collecting money from customers who want to buy meter adding that henceforth, meters will be given to customers free of charge.

Elgar said the distribution of the meters have already started and that BEDC will distribute meters to all its customers within three to four years as the company cannot provide meters to all its customers within one year.

He said BEDC will make sure that the meters gets to all its customers but asked for patience on their part, stressing that they do not have the funds to provide meters for everybody at the same time.

The BEDC Boss said the metering will be done in batches and that by the end of five years, every house would have been metered.

He also disclosed that the Minister of Power has set machineries in motion to ensure that Government Ministries and agencies who are owing BEDC pay up their debt to ensure a smooth running of the BEDC. “BEDC receives nine percent of what is available at the national grid. BEDC covers four states namely, Edo Delta, Ondo and Ekiti states. Once the national grid has challenges the available power to BEDC reduces “Standard practice all over the world is that for every one million population, they should consume 10,000mw. Now that the country is boasting of about 160 million people, then we should be talking about a hundred and something mega watts.

Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa To resolve the food crisis in the country and empower poor farmers in the Niger Delta, the federal government, in collaboration with the Department for International Development (DFID) plan to empower 150,000 farmers in the nine states of the region in the next two years.

The Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri and officials of the United Kingdom (UK) sponsored programme said in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State on Tuesday that the intervention which is being carried out through the Market Development in Niger Delta (MADE) platform would provide the farmers with training and modern agric equipment.

The representative of the Minister, Mrs. Inieye Bakaderemo, noted that the federal government was committed to empowering the people of the Niger Delta whom she boasted had the capacity to feed the entire nation. Specifically, the federal government , which in collaboration with the partners presented some Smoke Kilns,

a more efficient way of drying and preserving fish, to the farmers, said the Technology Adoption Grant, (TAG) would in particular, focus on the palm oil and fisheries value chain. “The reason we are partnering is because of our interest in promoting an inclusive and sustainable economic development in the Niger delta. The responsibility of government is to create the enabling environment so that businesses can thrive. “The Niger Delta has a huge potential in agric production, including aquaculture and palm oil. Bayelsa has the capacity to provide food for the entire Nigeria. The smoking kiln not only makes it easier to preserve fish, but also makes the environment more decent. Our objective is to ensure massive employment, increase wealth of farmers and develop our rural communities. “We are also aligning with the curricula in our institutions.

We are providing modern agric technology. The ministry is determined to provide agric mechanisation at minimal cost. We are tired of talking, it’s time for action. We need to be productive�, the Minister’s rep said.

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EEDC as a Failed Project Azuka Okwesili writes on persistent power failures in communities covered by the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, positing that EEDC is a failed project Many people supported the idea of privatisation of the distribution arm of PHCN because of the belief that it would make power distribution more efficient. However, the contrary appears to be the case.

In my area, we have not had light for two weeks. As it stands, we are not sure when the light will be restored.

Yesterday, I had a meeting with a friend of mine living in Ngozika Estate, Awka. I noticed the light did not blink, I told him that I envy his Estate and that for over two weeks we have not had light in my own place. After a throaty laughter, he said that ours was better and that Ngozika Estate has not had light for almost one month. Many people in the Estate have lost hope in the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) and have resorted to the solar option.

We spent the next 30 Minutes discussing about EEDC and concluded that it was a big failure.

What I saw as pathetic was that while our problem was due to a faulty transformer, Ngozika’s own case was due to a faulty Circuit breaker. So, an Estate as big as Ngozika would be denied light for a month because of simple circuit breaker? Is the management of EEDC aware of this? This is not only embarrassing, but a definite statement on the failure of EEDC. Confronted with this type of situation, a serious company must punish those responsible for bringing the name of the company into disrepute. Circuit breaker is among everyday parts in an electric company that are always in the warehouses.

Just like myself, my friend insisted that the heart-breaking aspect of EEDC is that at the end of the month, they will bring the same bill.

In December, my friend said, the Estate did not have light cumulatively for more than 13 days, yet his bill was N9000. From all deductions, EEDC enjoys estimated billing because it offers them the latitude to bill people what they did not use. He said that a few of those residing in the Estate that use pre-paid meters do not use more than N2000 per month. What a rip off by the EEDC? We

Fashola

know distribution companies only distribute what is generated, but the question here is the appropriateness of their billing.

Why is getting pre-paid meter difficult for distribution companies? Why does Federal Government allow them that liberty to be crucifying the people? Why have the electricity regulation agencies and the Ministry of Power kept silence over this? Does it mean they are not aware of what is happening? Why would

our people insist in making life difficult for the people? These are necessary questions.

Another example of the failure of the EEDC is what my Obe community in Agulu suffers today.

We make use of community meter and our monthly average bill is N200,000 which we paid religiously.

In September 2016, EEDC brought a bill of N800,000 to us. You know as much as I do

that even if EDCC recorded 200% increase in power to us, that bill is not justified. Either the meter is faulty or somebody was trying to be mischievous somewhere. We went quickly to pay our usual N200,000 and pronto to the EEDC office at Ekwulobia for complaint. They insisted they would not listen to us until we paid the last kobo.

As this was going on, our light was already disconnected and a further bill of N400,000 brought to us. We met the then head of Ekwulobi office, one Mr. Ifeanyi and he insisted we must pay the last kobo. Our humble request that they should come and look at the meter at our expense (transport and other logistics) for the possibility of being faulty was rebuffed. Imagine, for over four months, a village did not have light because of the wickedness of EEDC people.

This January, we decided to get in touch with the Enugu office. A man from our town, sympathetic of what we were undergoing refereed us to one Madam Ijeoma Ogudebe as one of the good and dedicated staff of the EEDC. Some people from our village spoke to her on phone and some were delegated to meet her in their office at Enugu. We have done all this. In fact, they said they had referred the letter we wrote to Ekwulobia office for attention. Surprisingly, the last time our people went to Ekwulobia, they said they had not received the letter. This is where we are.

With this, one does not need a soothsayer to tell one that EEDC is a badly run company.

They need to be closer to the people, especially their faithful customers. If my village has faithfully paid their bill over the years and had this bitter experience as narrated, a good company would have since got to the roots of the matter.

A good company, going by our past records, would not even cut our light until investigations are completed. How else would they repay us and people or companies like us for our loyalty over the years? I think EEDC needs more than an overhaul.

- Okwesili wrote this piece from Anambra State University, Uli

Agriculture Production in Borno Liberated Communities Receives Boost Michael Olugbode As internally displaced persons return to their homelands in Borno State, concerted efforts have been put in place to boost agricultural production and clear farmlands of landmines.

The Borno State Fadama Project in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organisation has commenced the distribution of assorted fertilizer and to improved seed varieties to internally displaced persons who recently returned back to their homelands in the troubled state The Communications Officer of Borno State Fadama Project, Bulama Yerima, in a statement, disclosed that the distributions were made in Damboa, Jere and Konduga local government areas with 8,400 households benefiting He said: “This agricultural input support to the peasant farmers was aimed at restoring their livelihood activities as part of post insurgency support to returnees of liberated communities in the twenty four insurgency affected local government areas.

He added: “This followed a Three Day Special Training for the beneficiaries on suitable

irrigation land identification and preparation, manure and fertilizer application, environmental safety, use and maintenance of water pumps, sourcing and application of improved seed varieties and disease surveillance by experts in both Kanuri and Hausa.�

According to him, during the launching of the distribution in Dalori town of Konduga Local Government, the Borno State Fadama Project Coordinator, Bukar Talba said the items were meant to help peasant farmers across the state to restore their livelihood activities and start life afresh as worst hit victims of insurgency.

He revealed that 10,000 farmers in group of fives will be given two and half bags of fertilizers and five packets of assorted seed varieties comprising of Okro, Rossel, sorell Watermelon, Armaranthus, Cabbage, Carrot, Tomatoes, Pepper and Onion.

He also said the project will provide them with boreholes for irrigation, food support and repairs of community infrastructure like market stalls, community well and farm roads to enable them recover socially and economically.

Also, the Borno State Fadama

Project has organized a three day training Programme for traditional and religious leaders, political heads, heads of Agric, Fadama beneficiary group leaders and other major stakeholders and opinion leaders in one thousand six hundred and five village units spread across the twenty four area councils

affected the by insurgency in Borno State.

Speaking at the event, the State Coordinator of the Fadama project Engineer Bukar Talba said it is necessary to create awareness on how to suspect, identify and alert the security whenever they come in contact with objects or persons

suspected to be carrying IEDs, landmines and unexplored ordinance now that the people have started going back to their respective communities.

As people return to this liberated towns and villages, he said they may not find things normal especially in areas where the insurgents

stayed for long or had fierce battle with the army.

Training them on early warning and safety measures he added, is part of the project objectives to fast track their return home to commence their livelihood activities without compromising their lives and property.

ECCIMA Identifies Diversification as Panacea to Recession, Kicks Off 28th Trade Fair Christopher Isiguzo in Enugu The Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA), on Tuesday lamented the debilitating effect of the economic recession in the country, noting however that the best opportunity for the nation to engage in practical diversification had come.

Addressing a news conference in Enugu, the President of ECCIMA, Rev. Ugochukwu Chime also disclosed that the 28th Enugu International Trade Fair with the theme, “Promoting Nigeria’s Industrial Sector and SMEs for Inclusive and Robust Economy� will take

place between March 31st and May 10th 2017 at the permanent Trade Fair Complex, off the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway.

President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to declare the fair open, he said.

He declared that the only way out of the current recession would be for the country to diversify, pointing out that it is only with a thriving economy and free enterprise that democracy would be sustained.

According to him “The current economic challenges in the country as result of the volatility in the mono revenue foreign earner of the country, which is oil, presents the

onerous opportunity to drive and sustain meaningfully the efforts to diversify the nation’s economy. “Diversification of the nation’s economy has been a re-occurring sing song over the years and there is no better time to bring this to fruition, than now.�

To further buttress the commitment to diversification, Chime noted that the agricultural sector will continue to receive attention in the chamber’s specially designated area during the Fair aimed at boosting indulgence in agricultural production and commercial farming, more so at it remains a critical sector towards the nation’s diversi-

fication efforts, so also for the mining and solid mineral sector.

He said a good number of corporate bodies/business organisations as well as government agencies have indicated serious interest to participate in the Fair just as a good number of enquiries were being made concerning participation in the Fair. He noted that the Fair was being packaged in such a way that it will have meaningful and positive effects and outcome for all stakeholders, particularly for exhibitors and participants, adding that the chamber had started enhancing their online platform for registration, exhibition and marketing

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Ëž THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2017

Leveraging on Trade Facilitation to Grow the Economy Hakeem Adebayo reasons that the ratification of the Trade Facilitation Agreement by Nigeria is a major step towards diversifying the economy and taking advantage of global trade opportunities Nigeria took a major step in its commitment to improve ease of doing business through trade facilitation on January 20 2017, when it submitted the instrument of acceptance of World Trade Organisation’s Protocol on Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) on the sideline of World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah submitted Nigeria’s instrument to the Director General of WTO, Roberto Azevêdo at an event to mark the deposit.

With this, Nigeria became the 107th WTO member state to ratify the agreement, while Nepal submitted its own instrument on January 26, 2017, thus needing just two more ratifications to reach the two-third threshold required for the TFA to come into force. Other African countries that have ratified include Botswana, Niger, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Zambia, Lesotho, Mali, Senegal, Swaziland, Gabon, Ghana and Mozambique.

According to Enemalah, “Nigeria’s ratification of the Trade Facilitation Agreement is a reflection of our commitment to the WTO and a rules-based economy. It is evidence of President Muhammadu Buhari’s commitment to rapidly implement his presidential initiative on the creation of an enabling environment for business. Nigeria would like to see a strengthened WTO that reflects the development principles of developing countries like Nigeria.�

We believe that the minister and the Nigerian team worked tirelessly to push through the process, which I believe is another milestone for the country.

This therefore positions the country on the right pedestal to harness expected gains of the TFA when it fully comes into force. TFA aligns with Nigeria’s objective of deepening the ease of doing business in the country through enabling policy environment.

Reactions continue to pour in since Nigeria

The evolving opportunities through FDIs, technology transfer it creates in return would boost the economy. There is consensus among experts that the size of Nigeria’s market makes it the most lucrative investment destinations in subSahara Africa with a high return on investment. Nigeria is an emerging market, which makes it one of the new frontiers for investment considerations

Enelamah

submitted the Instrument to the WTO indicating that we are fully on board to harness immense opportunities offered by the protocol to global economy. Trade experts around the world see the ratification by Nigeria as an impressive step given her position in Africa as the continent’s largest economy.

Ease of Doing Business President Muhammadu Buhari in October last year approved the establishment of the Presidential Council on Ease of -Doing Business to further strengthen the administration’s resolve to enhance ease of doing business.

And in addition to correct the perception that Nigeria is a tough environment to do business.

This will attract the much-needed foreign direct investment and local direct investment in Nigeria. Trade facilitation is a tool for economic development, inclusive growth and job creation. It is also in tandem with the policy of diversifying the economy from oil.

The WTO’s General Council adopted the resolution on protocol on Trade Facilitation Agreement at its summit in November 2014 to address challenges posed by barriers and constrains to trade across the member-states by the customs services. WTO during its 20th anniversary noted thus; “Under current border procedures, the average transaction can involve numerous steps.

The Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) sets forth a series of measures for expeditiously moving goods across borders inspired by the best practices from around the world. The Agreement is ground-breaking in that, for the first time in WTO history, the commitments of developing and least-developed countries are linked to their capacity to implement the TFA. In addition, the Agreement states that assistance and support should be provided to help countries achieve that capacity.� “An amendment protocol for the Trade

Facilitation Agreement was adopted by the General Council in November 2014 to bring the TFA into the WTO’s legal framework.

The Agreement will enter into force when two-thirds of WTO members ratify the TFA and deposit their instruments of acceptance with the WTO Secretariat. Hong Kong, China, became the first member to do so in December 2014.�

Domestication The protocol on TFA was ratified by Nigeria’s National Assembly and subsequently assented to by President Buhari. The process for its domestication by Nigeria began in 2014, when the country submitted its Category A notification to the WTO outlining substantive provisions of the TFA it intends to implement upon entry into force of the Agreement. Observers see this as a good sign that the country is ready to align her economic strategic objectives and goals with results.

The protocol on Trade Facilitation Agreement aims to ease the flow of goods across the borders through removing several barriers that inhibits movement of goods across borders.

Developing and least developed countries are beneficiaries of the TFA as it supports them to overcome seamlessly, several barriers and constraints that affect import and export across their borders.

The immediate impact is that ease of doing business will improve by a wide margin resulting in improved revenue, reduction in customs processes as well as income for producers and traders.

The TFA protocol is expected to usher in an era of ease of doing business by shortening requirements for documentations and number of days required to process them.

A WTO publication, Easing Flow of Goods Across Border: Trade Facilitation Agreement published to mark its 20th anniversary, notes that as at 2014, customs transactions from

country to country records the following requirements for export and import respectively.

For export, there are between two to eleven documentations, which span from six days to eight-six days to be concluded. While for import transactions, two to 17 documentations are required which span from four days to 130 days before finalization. The protocol on Trade Facilitation Agreement aims to ease the flow of goods across the borders through removing several barriers that inhibits movement of goods across borders.

Nigeria will benefit immensely from TFA in terms of inflow of foreign direct investment, job creation, capacity utilization in view of emerging investment friendly policy framework it will usher in.

The evolving opportunities through FDIs, technology transfer it creates in return would boost the economy. There is consensus among experts that the size of Nigeria’s market makes it the most lucrative investment destinations in sub-Sahara Africa with a high return on investment. Nigeria is an emerging market, which makes it one of the new frontiers for investment considerations.

The key thing Nigeria must do now is how to leverage on the TFA to grow her economy.

There is no better time than now to explore the opportunities inherent in the WTO to grow our economy by positioning the country to reap benefits from other global pool of investments.

Additionally, Nigerians still stands to gain from the export of its products to other countries within the WTO framework, which aims to increase opportunities for businesses in Nigeria.

The recognition this brings to Nigeria to the world stage is immense. It could not have come at better time than now that every effort is geared towards increasing Nigeria’s share of non-oil revenue sectors of the economy.

- Adebayo, a trade expert, writes from Abuja

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T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ ÍˇËœ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍľ

BUSINESSWORLD

DEVELOPMENT

W’ Bank: Seeking Improved Governance, Growth Abimbola Akosile examines a newly-released World Bank policy report, which urges developing countries and international development agencies to rethink their approach to governance, as a key to overcoming challenges related to security, growth, and equity The 2017 World Development Report: Governance and the Law explores how unequal distribution of power in a society interferes with policies’ effectiveness.

The report, which was released in Washington, USA on January 30, notes that when policies and technical solutions fail to achieve intended outcomes, institutions often take the blame.

However, it finds that countries and donors need to think more broadly to improve governance so that policies succeed.

It defines better governance as the process through which state and non-state groups interact to design and implement policies, working within a set of formal and informal rules that are shaped by power.

Resource Management According to the World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim “As demand for effective service delivery, good infrastructure, and fair institutions continues to rise, it is vital that governments use scarce resources as efficiently and transparently as possible�. “This means harnessing private sector expertise, working closely with civil society, and redoubling our efforts in the fight against corruption. Without better governance, our goals of ending extreme poverty and boosting shared prosperity will be out of reach,� he added.

Effective Policies The 307-page report looks at country examples, including state building in Somalia, anti-corruption efforts in Nigeria, growth challenges in China, and slums and exclusion in India’s cities. It identifies three winning ingredients of effective policies: commitment, coordination, and cooperation.

As three core functions to produce better governance outcomes, institutions need to bolster commitment to policies in the face of changing circumstances. This would help, for example, in cases where decision makers spend windfall revenues instead of saving them for the future, or when leaders renege on peacebuilding agreements in the absence of binding enforcement.

The report also noted that institutions need to enhance coordination to change expectations and elicit social desirable actions by all. Challenges occur in many contexts, from finance to industrial clusters and urban planning. Financial stability, for example, relies on beliefs about credibility, it added. Institutions were also urged to encourage cooperation, the report noted. Effective policies help promote cooperation by limiting opportunistic behaviour such as tax evasion- often through credible mechanisms of rewards or penalties.

Individuals may have incentives to behave opportunistically, it added.

Promoting Change According to the report, unequal distribution of power can exclude groups and people from the rewards and gains of policy engagement.

Yet meaningful change is possible with the engagement and interaction of citizens, through coalitions to change the incentives of those who make decisions; elites, through agreements among decision makers to restrict their own power; and the international community, through indirect influence to change the relative power of domestic reformers.

Based on extensive research and consultations in many countries over the past two years, the report proposes principles to guide reform and change the dynamics of governance for equitable development.

The report finds that good policies are often difficult to introduce and implement because certain groups in society who gain from the status quo may be powerful enough to resist the reforms that are needed to break the political equilibrium.

Achieving Goals The World Bank report noted that many aspects of governance have intrinsic value, in particular the notion of freedom. In economic terms, freedom can be seen as an opportunity set, and development can be seen as “the removal

Water provision by ALSCON, to help promote good governance

of various types of unfreedoms� (exclusion from opportunities), where these unfreedoms reduce people’s capacity to exercise “their reasoned agency�.

As essential as such an intrinsic value as freedom is, its instrumental value also matters because of the “effectiveness of freedoms of particular kinds to promote freedoms of other kinds�, it added.

The Report acknowledges the intrinsic value of various dimensions of governance, as well as the notion of development as a positive freedom, while also recognising their instrumental value to achieving equitable development.

As noted, the analysis in the Report starts from the normative standpoint that every society cares about freeing its members from the constant threat of violence (security), promoting prosperity (growth), and ensuring that such prosperity is shared (equity). It also assumes that societies aspire to achieving these goals in environmentally sustainable ways.

According to it, the establishment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2000 and the recent ratification of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by member countries of the United Nations are examples of the efforts to set common goals for social and economic advancement. SDG 16 calls for promoting “peace, justice, and strong institutions,� and it is explicitly related to governance.

Nevertheless, beyond its intrinsic value, the SDG 16 goal also has important instrumental value because its attainment will aid in the attainment of all the other SDGs, according

to the World Bank. Indeed, achievement of all the development goals will require a solid understanding of governance to enable more effective policies, the report noted.

Nigeria Scenario In Box 7.3 which focused on pockets of effectiveness in Nigeria, the World Bank report noted that the emergence of “pockets of effectiveness� depends on political support from powerful elite actors. Taking steps to ensure the professionalisation and autonomy of an individual government agency often precedes wholesale reform of the bureaucracy because political elites may seek effective management of a particular sector, it added. According to it, high-level political interest in and commitment to an agency’s success and political insulation from other elites whose interests the autonomous agency may harm are essential for effectiveness. “Agency autonomy is most likely to be supported when the agency provides benefits that are immediate, identifiable, and beneficial to an important group of elite actors who “have a conception of the state as a public good, rather than simply as a target of predation or a tool for gaining advantage over others�, the report also noted.

But, according to the Bank report, autonomy and political support are not enough; bureaucratic pockets of effectiveness require adequate resources as well as managerial factors that support rational decision making, including meritocratic recruitment, internal discipline, and performance-based management.

It considered the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Nigeria as an illustration of one such pocket of effectiveness. The agency was created in 1993. “In 2001 President Olusegun Obasanjo had a personal interest in combating counterfeit and dangerous drugs as a way to improve Nigeria’s international image. He wanted in part to seek debt relief, but also to boost his personal reputation and international prestige.

He selected Dora Akunyili to head NAFDAC because of her reputation for incorruptibility. “NAFDAC was then granted autonomy from the Ministry of Health to recruit staff members and was given an independent budget. It was also allowed to operate free of political control. “Under Akunyili’s leadership and Obasanjo’s direct support and clearance, NAFDAC returned to Nigerian ports, from which it had been banned in 1996, and NAFDAC clearance of imported goods again became compulsory, which broke the clearance monopoly of the Customs Service and plugged a major leak for imported counterfeit products�, the report noted.

According to the World Bank, “Challenging the interests of these powerful elite interests (the Customs Service) would not have been possible without agency autonomy and direct support of the president. In 2007 NAFDAC ranked first in a national poll of agency effectiveness (at 70 per cent, it was 12 percentage points higher than the nearest agency).�

RANDOM THOTS Tolerance Range Nigerians can boast of several atterĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÓÞÖĂ?Ă?Ë? ÞÒĂ? Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă˜ĂŽĂ–Ă“Ă?Ă?ĂžËœ Ă—Ă™Ă?Ăž Ă–Ă™Ă˜Ă‘Ě‹Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă—Ă™Ă?Ăž Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă™Ă—Ă—Ă™ĂŽĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?ÓÞÓäĂ?Ă˜Ă? Ă‹ĂœĂ™Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂŽË› Ù×Ă? Ă’Ă‹Ă Ă? Ă?Ă Ă?Ă˜ ÞËÑÑĂ?ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? Ă?ÓÞÓäĂ?Ă˜Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă—Ă™Ă?Ăž ĂŽĂ™Ă?Ă“Ă–Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă—Ă™Ă?Ăž ÞÙÖĂ?ĂœĂ‹Ă˜Ăž Ă™Ă? ĂŒĂ‹ĂŽ Ă–Ă?Ă‹ĂŽĂ?ĂœĂ?Ă’Ă“ĂšËœ ĂŒĂ&#x;Ăž ÞÒËÞ Ă–Ă‹Ă?Ăž title on tolerance is presently in seriĂ™Ă&#x;Ă? Ă”Ă?Ă™ĂšĂ‹ĂœĂŽĂŁË› Ă Ă?Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? ĂŒĂ“Ă‘Ă‘Ă?Ă?Ăž Ă?ĂŁĂ˜Ă“Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? ÞÒÓĂ? Ă?Ă&#x;ĂœĂœĂ?Ă˜Ăž Ă‹ĂŽĂ—Ă“Ă˜Ă“Ă?ĂžĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;Ă–ĂŽ Ă˜Ă™Ăž have envisaged the level of hardship Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă?ĂŽ ĂŒĂŁ ÞÒĂ? Ă‹Ă Ă?ĂœĂ‹Ă‘Ă? Ă?ÓÞÓäĂ?Ă˜Ëœ ĂŽĂ?Ă?ÚÓÞĂ? ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă‹Ă—ĂšĂ‹Ă“Ă‘Ă˜ Ă—Ă‹Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă?Ă?ÞÙĂ?Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂšĂœĂ™Ă—Ă“Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? ÚÙĂ?ÓÞÓà Ă? Ă?Ă’Ă‹Ă˜Ă‘Ă? Ă—Ă‹ĂŽĂ? ĂŒĂŁ ÞÒĂ? ĂšĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă–Ă?Ă‹ĂŽĂ?ĂœĂ?Ă’Ă“Ăš Ă“Ă˜ ÚÙåĂ?ĂœË› ÖÞÒÙĂ&#x;Ă‘Ă’ Ă?Ù×Ă? ËÚÙÖÙÑÓĂ?ĂžĂ? Ă‹ĂœĂ? Ă›Ă&#x;Ă“Ă?Ă• ÞÙ ĂšĂ™Ă“Ă˜Ăž Ă™Ă&#x;Ăž ÞÒËÞ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă&#x;ĂœĂœĂ?Ă˜Ăž ĂšĂœĂ™ĂŒĂ–Ă?Ă—Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ

Ă’Ă‹ĂœĂ?Ă’ Ă?Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă™Ă—Ă“Ă? ĂšĂ‹Ă“Ă˜Ă? Ă‹ĂœĂ™Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂžĂœĂŁ Ă‹ĂœĂ? ÞÒĂ? Ă—Ă‹Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă™Ă? ĂšĂœĂ?Ă Ă“Ă™Ă&#x;Ă? ĂŒĂ‹ĂŽ Ă–Ă?Ă‹ĂŽĂ?ĂœĂ?Ă’Ă“Ăš Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă&#x;Ă—Ă&#x;Ă–Ă‹ĂžĂ?ĂŽ ĂœĂ™Ăž Ă™Ă? Ă?Ă™ĂœĂœĂ&#x;ĂšĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ëœ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă?Ă‹Ă–Ă? Ă™Ă? ĂĄĂ™Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă’Ă‹ĂœĂŽĂ?Ă’Ă“Ăš ĂŒĂ?Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă?ĂŽ ĂŒĂŁ ÞÒĂ? ÚÙÚĂ&#x;Ă–Ă‹Ă?Ă? Ă“Ă? Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂšĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?ĂŽĂ?Ă˜ĂžĂ?ĂŽ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÙÞËÖÖã Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă?âÚĂ?Ă?ĂžĂ?ĂŽ Ă?ĂœĂ™Ă— Ă‹ Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂœĂ‹Ă– ÑÙà Ă?ĂœĂ˜Ă—Ă?Ă˜Ăž ÞÒËÞ ĂĄĂ‹Ă? à ÙÞĂ?ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ™ ÚÙåĂ?Ăœ Ă™Ă˜ Ă‹ ĂĄĂ‹Ă Ă? Ă™Ă? ÚÙÚĂ&#x;Ă–Ă‹ĂœĂ“ĂžĂŁË› Ùå ĂžĂ?Ă—ĂšĂ?ĂœĂ? Ă‹ĂœĂ? ĘŽĂ‹ĂœĂ“Ă˜Ă‘Ëœ Ă˜Ă?ĂœĂ Ă?Ă? Ă‹ĂœĂ? frayed and there are signs of anger and Ă?ĂœĂ&#x;Ă?ĂžĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă?Ă Ă?ĂœĂŁĂĄĂ’Ă?ĂœĂ?Ëœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă“Ă?Ă?Ăž ĂžĂ‹ĂœĂ‘Ă?Ăž Ă“Ă? ÞÒĂ? ÑÙà Ă?ĂœĂ˜Ă—Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? ĂŽĂ‹ĂŁËœ Ă˜Ă™Ăž ÞÒÙĂ?Ă? ĂĄĂ’Ă™ ĂœĂ?ĂšĂ™ĂœĂžĂ?ĂŽĂ–ĂŁ Ă—Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?ĂŽ ĂžĂ’Ă“Ă˜Ă‘Ă? Ă&#x;Ăš Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?×ÚÞÓĂ?ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? Ă˜Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă‹Ă– ĂžĂœĂ?Ă‹Ă?Ă&#x;ĂœĂŁ Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? ÚËĂ?Þ˛ Ă˜Ă–Ă?Ă?Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă?ĂŽĂ?ĂœĂ‹Ă– ÑÙà Ă?ĂœĂ˜Ă—Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ě™Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă‹ Ă?ĂžĂ‹ĂœĂžĚš Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă‹Ă–Ă‹ĂœĂŁĚ‹Ă™ĂĄĂ“Ă˜Ă‘

Ă?ÞËÞĂ? ÑÙà Ă?ĂœĂ˜Ă—Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ? ×Ùà Ă? Ă›Ă&#x;Ă“Ă?Ă•Ă–ĂŁ ÞÙ Ă?Ă‹Ă–Ă— ÞÒĂ? Ă?ĂœĂ‹ĂŁĂ?ĂŽ Ă˜Ă?ĂœĂ Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? ĂšĂ?ÙÚÖĂ?Ëœ ÞÒĂ?ĂœĂ? Ă“Ă? ĂœĂ?Ă‹Ă– Ă?Ă?Ă‹Ăœ ÞÒËÞ ĂšĂ&#x;ĂŒĂ–Ă“Ă? Ă‹Ă˜Ă‘Ă?Ăœ Ă—Ă‹ĂŁ ĂŒĂ™Ă“Ă– Ùà Ă?Ăœ ĂŒĂ?ĂŁĂ™Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă—Ă?ĂœĂ‘Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ĂšĂœĂ™ĂžĂ?Ă?ĂžĂ? Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă—Ă‹Ă”Ă™Ăœ Ă?ÓÞÓĂ?Ă?Ë› Ă?Ă?Ëœ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă“ĂžĂ&#x;Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă“Ă? Ă Ă?ĂœĂŁ ÑÖÙÙ×ã Ă‹Ă? ĂŒĂ?Ę¨ĘľĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‹ Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂžĂœĂŁ Ă“Ă˜ ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă™Ă˜Ëœ ĂŒĂ&#x;Ăž Ă?Ă™ĂœĂœĂ&#x;ĂšĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă›Ă&#x;ËÖÓÞã Ă?ÞÓÖÖ ĂšĂ?ĂœĂ?Ă“Ă?Ăž Ă“Ă˜ Ă?Ù×Ă? Ă?Ă™ĂœĂœĂ“ĂŽĂ™ĂœĂ? Ă™Ă? ÚÙåĂ?ĂœË› Ă’Ă™Ă&#x;Ă‘Ă’ Ă—Ă‹Ă˜ĂŁ Ă?ÓÞÓäĂ?Ă˜Ă? Ă‹ĂœĂ? ĂĄĂ“Ă–Ă–Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÙ Ă‘Ă“Ă Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă&#x;ĂœĂœĂ?Ă˜Ăž Ă‹ĂŽĂ—Ă“Ă˜Ă“Ă?ĂžĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? ĂŒĂ?Ă˜Ă?ʨÞ Ă™Ă? ĂŽĂ™Ă&#x;ĂŒĂž ÞÙ ĂŽĂ?Ă–Ă“Ă Ă?Ăœ ÑÙÙÎ ÑÙà Ă?ĂœĂ˜Ă‹Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ëœ God forbid that the tolerance range is Ă?âĂ?Ă?Ă?ĂŽĂ?ĂŽ ĂŒĂ?Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ? ÞÒÓĂ? ÑÙà Ă?ĂœĂ˜Ă—Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă‹ĂŽĂŽĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă“ĂžĂ&#x;Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ë›Ë›Ë›Ë›Ă‹ ĂœĂ?Ă‹Ă– ĂĄĂ™ĂœĂœĂŁË&#x; -Abimbola Akosile

33

T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ ÍˇËœ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍľ

Ëš

Local industries like this need protection!

Can Nigeria Afford Economic Protectionism in 2017?

As the United States moves to protect its economy and citizens under a new leadership, many analysts have argued that Nigeria can adopt the same protectionist approach this year to protect local manufacturing and boost indigenous goods and products. Although Japan did this successfully after the Second World War (WWII), others believe Nigeria cannot survive without throwing her borders wide open for all sorts of imports as canvassed by globalisation and lopsided trade agreements.

In your own view, can Nigeria afford protectionism in 2017 to help revive her local industries and overall economy?

Abimbola Akosile * Yes, Nigeria can. The rough road we are traversing now is similar to the current social and economic turbulence in Europe and America in particular. Even Trump is attacking the perceived problems headlong and without fear or favour. Nigeria needs such vigour to actually drive home the proverbial nail of economic freedom. Our porous borders and unrepentant smugglers and their collaborators call for great concern.

The apt time is now. God bless Nigeria.

- Mr. Apeji Onesi, Lagos State * Nigeria can, and we can. The political will is there but the population is not willing.

This is the missing link.

- Mr. Duru Nnamdi, Abuja * We cannot compare ourselves with America on policy making because they have vision and mission to accomplish it. I believe under this government, Nigeria will get there because they have vision and mission, despite some challenges in our economy. This problem didn’t start under this government. Let us give this government time; we must be like America.

After all, many nations pass through these problems. God bless Nigeria.

- Mr. Gordon Chika Nnorom, Public Commentator, Umukabia, Abia State * It is the only way forward for us; we have tried the neo-capitalist model for over 50 years. It’s time to aggressive look inwards.

It is our only hope to true greatness. Yes, we can.

- Mr. Oge Igwe-nnaji, Lagos State * Yes, we can. It will be on selective goods.

The number one of these should be petroleum products. We should also aggressively pursue growing and consumption of local rice beginning with Aso Rock and IDP camps.

When this happens, the government and the people will be serious with agriculture. Let the people in governments take the lead by visible example. Let us look inward. This will free forex for manufacturing companies. Let us revive our paper mills too.

- Mr. Fapojuwo Opeyemi, Lagos State

THE FEEDBACK Yes, Nigeria can:

8

No, it cannot:

2

Others:

3

Radical tip:

No other option!

Total no of respondents:

11

Male:

12

Female:

1

Highest location:

Lagos (7)

* Yes, we can, if all of us key into it; but is that likely? I doubt that.

- Mr. Remi Adelowo, Lagos State * Despite all the talk about globalisation and neo-liberalism, almost all developed nations have one form of protectionism or the other.

Using various monetary and fiscal policies, developed nations protect their economy, currency, jobs, industries etc. It is foolhardy for any nation especially a developing one like Nigeria to think we can open our borders to all manners of imports especially consumer goods. What we need do as a nation is to look at those sectors where we have comparative advantage and those that are providing jobs and see how we can offer them some form of protection from negative competition. In addition, Nigeria needs to be able to secure its borders from the activities of nefarious smugglers who subject local manufacturers to unfair competition.

- Mr. Babatunde Oluajo, Abuja * For now, Nigeria cannot afford it. We do not have substitute local products of commensurate quality with the foreign ones. And more importantly, our industries, especially manufacturing industry, are not developed enough to meet local demand. The problem is attributable mostly to our legendary aversion to planning.

- Mr. John Ogunsemore, Lagos State * There is no developed country in the world that doesn’t practise one form of protectionism

or another. That’s what Donald Trump is doing at the moment by insisting American companies’ production lines be brought back to the USA from countries that have cheaper labour and production costs. Nigeria can consolidate on the gains of banned goods and higher tariffs on imports by going out to court the job-creating companies that have left Nigeria back into the country. Companies such as Dunlop, Michelin e.t.c. and our textile companies ought to be revived because of their capacity to generate thousands of jobs. In fact, higher duties ought to be introduced on imported textiles. The best thing the government can do to protect our economy is to strengthen the value of the naira. Protectionism for us is not even an option.

- Mr. Buga Dunj, Jos, Plateau State * To me, Nigeria can afford economic protectionism, say in some years to come but not in 2017, with what the present government has set up for the country. Sooner or later, we shall be self-sufficient in food production and other items necessary for survival. Then the issue of Nigeria affording economic protectionism can arise and even not in 2017 please.

- Hon. Babale Maiungwa, U/Romi, Kaduna * Yes, Nigeria can and in fact should protect our economy and citizens this year with genuinely concerted efforts. America is doing the same thing now and is already making necessary amends, like on immigration issues, no matter whose ox is gored. Nigeria’s biggest challenge now is our porous borders. A wall fence is out of the question but honesty, unity and genuine love at the leadership level still leaves much to be desired. Financial greed has led Nigeria far away from the Promised Land.

A change of mindset will lead us towards light. Advanced nations rely on truth and right mindset that has evaded us since. 2017 is our year of good hopes; we must take our chances now by working on our mindset with absolute honesty, unity and love. God bless Nigeria.

- Miss Apeji Patience Eneyeme, Badagry, Lagos State * I think economic protectionism should selectively apply. Very crucial sectors in infancy should be shielded until maturity.

One doesn’t release a hunting dog into the wild as a puppy. The textile industry pops into mind as a starting point, but free trade is vital still.

- Mr. E. Iheanyi Chukwudi, B.A.R. Associates, Apo, Abuja * For Nigeria to move forward, some tough decisions must be made, and if economic protectionism is one of them, then the government should go ahead and protect the citizens from selfish countries which are only after our huge local markets. Local industries must be allowed to grow and produce quality products that would compete with and discourage imports. However, those in power must spearhead the patronage of those local products, or else the people will stick with imports. Charity begins at home.

- Mr. Olumuyiwa Olorunsomo, Lagos State

Next Week: What’s the Crucial Missing Link to Nigeria’s Devt? Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹ Ă‹Ă? Ă‹ Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂžĂœĂŁ Ă’Ă‹Ă? Ă—Ă‹Ă˜ĂŁ Ă?Ă’Ă‹Ă–Ă–Ă?Ă˜Ă‘Ă?Ă? ĂŒĂ&#x;Ăž Ă’Ă?Ăœ Ă?Ă“ĂžĂ&#x;Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă“Ă? Ă˜Ă™Ăž Ă?âĂ?Ă–Ă&#x;Ă?Ă“Ă Ă?Ë› ÞÒĂ?Ăœ Ă˜Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă“ĂŽĂ?Ă˜ĂžĂ“Ă?Ă“Ă?ĂŽ ÞÙÚ ĂšĂœĂ“Ă™ĂœĂ“ĂžĂ“Ă?Ă? ÞÙ Ă‹Ă?Ă’Ă“Ă?Ă Ă?ĂŽ ĂŽĂ?Ă?Ă“ĂœĂ?ĂŽ ĂŽĂ?Ă Ă?ÖÙÚ×Ă?Ă˜ĂžËœ Ă–Ă“Ă•Ă? Ă’Ă‹Ă˜Ă‹ ̙ÖĂ?Ă‹ĂŽĂ?ĂœĂ?Ă’Ă“ĂšĚšËœ Ě™ĂšĂœĂ“Ă Ă‹ĂžĂ? Ă?Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ™ĂœĚš Ă‹Ă–Ă‹ĂŁĂ?Ă“Ă‹ ̙ÙÓÖ ĂšĂ‹Ă–Ă—ĚšËœ Ă’Ă“Ă–Ă“ĂšĂšĂ“Ă˜Ă?Ă? Ě™Ă—Ă‹ĂœĂ“Ă˜Ă?ĂœĂ?ĚšËœ Ă‹ĂšĂ‹Ă˜ ̙ÖÓÞĂ?ĂœĂ‹Ă?ĂŁĚšËœ Ă?Ă˜ĂŁĂ‹ Ě™Ă?Ă™Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?ĚšËœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă‹Ă—ĂŒĂ“Ă‹ ̙ÞÙĂ&#x;ĂœĂ“Ă?×̚˛ Ă˜ ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x;Ăœ Ă™ĂĄĂ˜ Ă Ă“Ă?ĂĄËœ ĂĄĂ’Ă‹Ăž Ă“Ă? ÞÒËÞ Ă?ĂœĂ&#x;Ă?Ă“Ă‹Ă– Ă—Ă“Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă–Ă“Ă˜Ă• ÞÒËÞ Ă—Ă&#x;Ă?Ăž ĂŒĂ? ĂšĂœĂ“Ă™ĂœĂ“ĂžĂ“Ă?Ă?ĂŽ ÞÙ Ă’Ă?Ă–Ăš Ă–Ă“Ă?Ăž Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹ ÞÙ Ă’Ă?Ăœ ĂŽĂ?Ă?Ă“ĂœĂ?ĂŽ Ă–Ă?Ă Ă?Ă– Ă™Ă? ĂŽĂ?Ă Ă?ÖÙÚ×Ă?Ă˜ĂžËœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÒÙå Ă?Ă’Ă™Ă&#x;Ă–ĂŽ Ă“Ăž ĂŒĂ? ËÚÚÖÓĂ?ĂŽËŁ Ă–Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă? Ă—Ă‹Ă•Ă? ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x;Ăœ ĂœĂ?Ă?ĂšĂ™Ă˜Ă?Ă? ĂŽĂ“ĂœĂ?Ă?ĂžËœ Ă?Ă’Ă™ĂœĂž Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ó×ÚÖĂ?Ëœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?ÞËÞĂ? ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x;Ăœ Ă?Ă&#x;Ă–Ă– Ă˜Ă‹Ă—Ă?Ëœ ÞÓÞÖĂ?Ëœ Ă™ĂœĂ‘Ă‹Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ëœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă–Ă™Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ë› Ă?Ă?ĂšĂ™Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă’Ă™Ă&#x;Ă–ĂŽ ĂŒĂ? Ă?Ă?Ă˜Ăž ĂŒĂ?ÞåĂ?Ă?Ă˜ ÞÙÎËã Ě™ Ă?ĂŒĂœĂ&#x;Ă‹ĂœĂŁ ͡ Ęś Ă™Ă˜ĂŽĂ‹ĂŁËœ Ă?ĂŒĂœĂ&#x;Ă‹ĂœĂŁ ͯ͹̚ ÞÙ abimbolayi@yahoo.com, greatbimbo@gmail.comËœ Ă‹bimbola. akosile@thisdaylive.comË› Ă?Ă?ĂšĂ™Ă˜ĂŽĂ?Ă˜ĂžĂ? Ă?Ă‹Ă˜ Ă‹Ă–Ă?Ă™ Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂŽ Ă‹ Ă?Ă’Ă™ĂœĂž ĂžĂ?âÞ Ă—Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă‹Ă‘Ă? ÞÙ 08023117639 Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽËšĂ™Ăœ 08188361766 Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽËš Ă™Ăœ 08114495306Ë› ÙÖÖËÞĂ?ĂŽ ĂœĂ?Ă?ĂšĂ™Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ă? ĂĄĂ“Ă–Ă– ĂŒĂ? ĂšĂ&#x;ĂŒĂ–Ă“Ă?Ă’Ă?ĂŽ Ă™Ă˜ Ă’Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?ĂŽĂ‹ĂŁËœ Ă?ĂŒĂœĂ&#x;Ă‹ĂœĂŁ ÍŻÍ´

34

T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ ͷ˜ Ͱͮͯ͵

BUSINESSWORLD

DEVELOPMENT

Clement Danhutor

Going out of reach; fish on display at Asejere market, Makoko, Lagos

FG Launches Nationwide Subsoils Atlas, to Benefit Planners Dele Ogbodo in Abuja The federal government, through the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI), an agency under the Ministry of Science and Technology, has launched the country’s first edition of a nationwide engineering subsoils atlas.

At the unveiling of the soil data document in Abuja recently, the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, said the built industry, agriculturist, urban /regional planners and other stakeholders will immensely benefit from the latest sub soil grading and profiles.

Onu, commended the leadership and management of NBRRI for their vision and deep sense of commitment to national

development in ensuring that the marching order he gave them to ensure that the map was ready by January 2017 was satisfactorily met. According to the minister, “science and technology is set to usher a new dawn through utilising its various researches and innovations to defeat poverty, create jobs, strengthen the country’s currency, re-awaken our national pride and stimulate growth in our national economy, for a better and more prosperous nation for upcoming young ones.

“This will help Nigeria build a modern economy that is knowledge based, thereby helping to restore our national pride as a nation that has the largest concentration of black people in the world”, the minister added.

While commending NBRRI for research foresight, he said the landmark document is an invaluable aid to road planners, designers and even contractors who can obtain prior insights of the types of sub grade soil available across the nation.

Onu stated that the atlas would also aid appropriate response to re-moulding and loading in any location even before they engage in any detailed fieldwork, which would be useful to both public institutions and private concerns.

According to him, “the document will come handy in the areas of decision making for engineering works, including road and earth dams, slope stability analyses, tunnelling, foundation decisions for buildings, communication masts and bridges among others.”

Considering the overall benefit of the document to the country’s development, he directed that copies of the atlas be made available to other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) as well as in their respective offices at zonal and State levels where civil work contractors will also find it useful in planning the execution of their briefs.

In his welcome remarks, the Director General and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NBRRI, Prof. Danladi Matawal, informed the minister that the significance of the atlas will be better appreciated if Nigerians will be aware of the fact that every man-made project, except rocket in space, have their foundation inside the soil.

He informed the Minister that the implication of the

availability of a soil atlas is that decision making for planning; design and construction can be expedited through prior knowledge of the nature and types of soils to be encountered in a chosen location in the country right from the conception stage.

He acknowledged the fact that a soil map is of great significance to engineering as every stake holder, and will have a preliminary guide for decisions and the need for specific detailed spot for exploration works and projects.

Matawal said the compilation of the soils data is very significant to Nigeria’s economic development because every man-made project have their foundation inside the soil.

He stressed: “The general knowledge of the soil types and

their engineering classifications is of paramount significance to the developmental aspirations of the country.

“For every project conception, both the preliminary and detailed knowledge of the ground conditions established through borehole exploratory works, sampling, laboratory testing and analyses are of paramount importance.”

According to him, the implication of the availability of a Soils Atlas is that decision making for planning, design and construction can be expedited through prior knowledge of the nature and types of soils to be encountered in a chosen location in the country right from conception stage.

He revealed that the research that produced the soils atlas started as far back as 1983.

Stop Granting Tax Holidays, Waivers to Power Sector Operators, Govt Urged Abimbola Akosile The Federal Government has been urged to stop further granting of incentive, tax holidays or waivers to the operators of the power sector.

Government was also enjoined to declare a state of emergency in the power sector and prioritise investment in the sector, and that the entire privatisation process should be reviewed and evaluated, both the technical and financial capacities of the operators.

The calls were made by the Tax Justice and Governance

Platform in Nigeria, which expressed its concern over news reports that the federal government is considering granting further tax holiday to investors in the power sector to enable it garner investment in the sector.

The Platform in a release issued recently, said “It is no secret that the federal government has been frantic in its efforts to attract private investors since the Power Sector Reform Act was enacted in 2005, which enabled transfer of public control of the Nigerian Electricity Power Authority

(NEPA) to the Power holding company of Nigeria (PHCN).”

The release was signed by members of the steering committee of the Platform, including Harry Udoh. Support & Training Entrepreneurship Programme (STEP) for the Akwa Ibom state TJ&GP, Chibundu Uchegbu for the Imo state TJ&GP, and James Eustace for the NLC. “The major intent of the Federal Government privatising the power sector was to provide a lasting solution to the problem that bedevilled the sector. Contrary to the

expectations of the Nigerian citizenry, the power sector has degenerated to an even more deplorable state than before it was privatised.

“Add to the fact that Nigerians are not getting value for the services they pay for, rather, the Nigerian public is paying for darkness and the serial increment in electricity tariff has further impoverished Nigerians”, the release noted.

To the group therefore, “the proposed tax holiday is not targeted at making electricity available for Nigerians but to serve the purpose of the elites

who are benefiting from the charade, called privatisation of the power sector.

“The country has lost the revenue that would have accrued from taxes in that sector because of the tax holiday (pioneer status) granted to these investors from inception till date.

It is alarming that there is likely to be a further tax holiday incentive given to these investors, who by right ought to have proven their technical and financial capacity as perquisites for participating in the sector

in the first instance.”

“Our take is that these operators lacked the capacity in the first place to bid for the blocks. They should not have been pre-qualified talk less of bidding for control of blocks in the power sector.

“There has been tariff hike twice already. A hike borne by the ordinary Nigerians paying for services they have not received. Even with the price hike, these ‘investors’ are yet to find their footing and provide Nigerians with the needed power”, the group added.

35

T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ ͷ˜ Ͱͮͯ͵

BUSINESSWORLD

DEVELOPMENT QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Economic recovery and transformative growth cannot be achieved by government alone. It is essential to harness the entrepreneurial nature of Nigerians from the MSMEs to the large domestic and multinational corporations. Government is promoting national cohesion and social inclusion, and the ultimate beneficiary of more inclusive growth is the average Nigerian man and woman” - - MINISTER OF BUDGET AND NATIONAL PLANNING, UDO UDOMA, SPEAKING IN ABUJA

CSR: Corona School Agbara Donates Public Convenience to Community Abimbola Akosile

UN Seeks Renewed Fight to End Female Genital Mutilation As UNICEF, UNFPA advocate faster action

Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has asserted that female genital mutilation denies women and girls their dignity and causes needless pain and suffering, with consequences that endure for a lifetime and can even be fatal, stressing that the UN Sustainable Development Agenda promises an end to this practice by 2030.

In a message on the International Day, marked annually on 6 February, the SecretaryGeneral said “On this Day of Zero Tolerance, let us build on positive momentum and commit to intensifying global action against this heinous human rights violation for the sake of all affected women and girls, their communities and our common future.”

The Day is marked to strengthen momentum towards ending the practice of female genital mutilation, globally recognised as a violation of the human rights of girls and women, according to a UN release.

Despite a significant an overall decline in the prevalence of the practice, widely referred to by the acronym FGM, the United Nations warns that this progress is likely to be offset as the population grows in countries where female genital mutilation is practiced, and without beefed up efforts to eliminate it, more girls will be cut.

In a blog post on the occasion of the Day, the Executive Director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, wrote: “The cutting and sewing of a young child’s private parts so that she is substantially damaged for the rest of her life, has no sensation during sex except probably pain, and may well face further damage when she gives birth, is to many an obvious and horrifying violation of that child’s rights.”

“It is a kind of control that lasts a lifetime,”

Guterres she continued. “It makes a mockery of the idea of any part being truly private and underlines the institutionalised way in which decisions over her own body have been taken from that girl – one of some 200 million currently.”

The main reason that FGM continues – as it does in some 30 countries across three continents – is out of a desire for social ac-

ceptance and to avoid social stigma, according to a 2016 report by the Secretary-General.

“The hidden nature of the support for ending the practice slows down the process of abandonment,” the authors wrote.

Underlining that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted in 2015 and now heading their second year of implementation, recognised the close connection between FGM, gender inequality, and development – and reignited global action to end the practice by 2030, heads of UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and UN Population Fund (UNFPA) have called for faster action to achieve this commitment.

“It means creating greater access to support services for those at risk of undergoing FGM and those who have survived it,” said UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake and UNFPA Executive Director Babatunde Osotimehin, in a joint statement.

“It also means driving greater demand for those services, providing families and communities with information about the harm FGM causes – and the benefits to be gained by ending it,” they added.

Calling on governments to enact and enforce laws and policies that protect the rights of girls and women and prevent FGM, they urged everyone to make this the generation that abolishes FGM once and for all – and in doing so, helps create a healthier, better world for all.

UNFPA, jointly with UNICEF, leads the largest global programme to accelerate the abandonment of FGM. The programme currently focuses on 17 African countries and also supports regional and global initiatives.

The theme of the 2017 edition of the International Day is: ‘Building a solid and interactive bridge between Africa and the world to accelerate ending FGM by 2030.’

Corona Secondary School, Agbara, Ogun State, has donated a public convenience facility to the Agbara Market in Ogun State, as a way of giving back to the community where it operates from.

The convenience, consisting of four toilets, were built through funds raised by the students on behalf of Corona School, and donated to the Agbara Market, courtesy of ‘Unveiling Africa’ and ‘Gavel Club’ of the school, and coordinated by Ms. Mercy Onwunta and Mr. Chidi Nnorom respectively.

The unveiling and handing over of the toilets was held at the venue of the Public Convenience within Agbara Market recently.

The entire community received staff members and students of the school amidst pomp and pageantry, and showered commendations on them. Also in attendance was the Alagbara of Agbara Land, HRM Rotarian Lukman Jayeola Agunbiade, Olute III. In his speech, Oba Agunbiade expressed delight at witnessing the unveiling and handing over of the public convenience: “I am so elated to be here today. The reason is that after my coronation, Corona happened to be the very first corporate organisation that approached me for something so commendable in my domain and this is what we are witnessing here today”.

He added, “Corona School, out of several other industries within this Agbara community, has really shown that they are a good corporate organisation, not minding the fact that organisations are normally out to maximise profit”.

The monarch also showered encomium on the Trustee, Management, Staffers and all the students of the school for their gesture in providing the public convenience.

Chairman of Agbara Local Council Development Area, Hon. Ebenezer Oniyide Olaoluwa, in a chat with the media, said: “Corona Secondary School has done well for us today in this community with the donation of this public convenience, consisting of four toilets”.

“I have heard a lot about the charity work Corona Secondary School has done for many communities in my local government; and for this that they have done today; they deserve to be commended. I am also seizing this opportunity to let them know that I want to see more of their good deeds in the local government”, Olaoluwa added.

Also, the Iya Oja of Agbara Market, Mrs. Rafatu Musiliu, thanked Corona School and the students for rising up to the occasion of providing the public convenience. She said with the provision of the facility, sanity would return to the market henceforth.

Onwunta, one of the club coordinators, reiterated the idea behind the donation of the facility. She affirmed that the members of Unveiling Africa and Gavel Club, as part of their corporate social responsibility, donated toward the project.

She noted that Corona Secondary School has been in existence (in Agbara) for over 20 years and “as such, what we have done today is a way of giving back to the community as a form of corporate social responsibility, for having hosted us for this long. Moreover, it is indeed our great pleasure”.

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T H I S D AY THURSDAY, FEBURARY 9, 2017

HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

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

Cancer: The Killer Disease Ravaging Nigerians As Nigeria joined the rest of the world to mark this year’s World Cancer Day, experts have again warned about this killer disease, calling for all hands to be on deck to overcome the growing challenge. Martins Ifijeh writes

Cancer is preventable

I

t is no longer news that one of the health issues currently ravaging the country is cancer, which unfortunately kills 10 Nigerians per hour or 240 persons per day. What seems to be the news, according to available statistics is that this figure will double in the nearest decade if nothing is done to reduce the disease which the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said was preventable.

While over two million Nigerians are living with one form of cancer or the other, a WHO report shows that well over 100,000 new cases of cancers are diagnosed yearly in Nigeria, out of which 80,000 of those affected die, especially from the commonest cancer types in the country due to lack of proper awareness on prevention or early detection, or lack of facilities for treatment.

For instance, if the data from the 2014 national cancer survey is to go by, it means breast cancer kills over 40 Nigerian women daily, prostate cancer kills at least 26 Nigerian men daily, while cervical cancer kills about 26 Nigerian women every day. Experts also believed these figures must have likely increased by the end of 2016.

Available information suggests that this figure will snowball into an uncontrollable health issue for the country within the next decade because of various identifiable factors which experts say must be looked at if the country must win the war against the disease.

Among the identified factors are; late presentation of cancer cases, lack of adequate facilities to match the diseases, high cost of treatment, among other factors. But chief among these factors, according to some school of thoughts is the late presentation of cases by Nigerians, which has seen treatment and management of the disease difficult for professionals to handle, thereby leading to thousands of deaths yearly.

It is in tackling these issues that experts are advocating for scale up from all stakeholders,

government and the citizens, as cancer cases were becoming an overwhelming burden on the country.

According to the Head of Department, Radiotherapy and Oncology, National Hospital, Abuja, Dr. Rasaq Oyesegun, the disease accounts for more deaths in the country than HIV and tuberculosis put together, adding that the burden of the scourge can be reduced through scaled up efforts.

Oyesegun, who spoke during the commemoration of this year’s World Cancer Day, tagged: I can, We can’, said factors that can predispose one to cancer were genetic, obesity, hormonal, lifestyle changes, smoking, among others.

“Though one third of cancer can be treated when diagnosed earlier, the late presentation of cases by people living with the disease, general attitude of the public, lack of awareness, illiteracy, and lack of organised legislated screening scheme were some of the challenges in addressing the burden of the disease,” he said. The expert said that some patients, after being diagnosed of cancer, tactically run away from the treatment centres out of shame or fear of death. He described cancer treatment as very expensive, saying that the cost of treatment further compounds such problem.

He, however, appealed to the government to prioritise the inclusion of cancer treatment in the National Health Insurance Scheme.

The Oncologist said its inclusion in the scheme would further ameliorate the sufferings of the patients with regard to reduction in the treatment cost.

A Consultant Radiation Clinical Oncologist, Dr. Festus Igbinoba said for the burden of cancer to reduce in the country, government must make it a priority to address it, adding that, “if money budgeted for cancer prevention and treatment by the government is promptly released, it can go a long way in addressing the burden.

“State of cancer treatment is still far from

the desired. Government must rise up to its responsibilities by ensuring that equipment for cancer treatment is of good quality and standard. Government must also sign maintenance agreement with whichever country is supplying such equipment to ensure prompt response in an event of any breakdown, ” he added.

Igbinoba, who is also the President, Association of Radiotherapists and Clinical Oncologists of Nigeria, also called on Nigerians to stop living in denial, noting that the attitude and behaviour of some patients lead to the increased mortality rate. “Some of them reject results of diagnosis and even run away from surgeries or chemotherapy.”

He described as pathetic the agony some patients go through in the course of treatment, saying that many of them travel long distance just to receive treatment, as this was killing more than the cancer itself.

He said that many of such patients might not be able to receive treatment on the appointment day due to the breakdown of chemotherapy machines and other cancer machines.

On her part, an Ocular Oncologist, Dr. Abia Nzelu, while making a presentation during a summit of Journalist Against Cancer in Nigeria (JaCiN) to commemorate the World Cancer Day, called for more awareness programmes with immediate intervention in the fight against the disease.

According to her, cancer was responsible for almost one in six deaths globally, saying that more than 14 million people develop cancer every year. “This figure is projected to rise over 21 million by 2030, and this is why awareness programme with immediate intervention is necessary in the fight against cancer.”

She said efforts must be put on ground to reduce the steady increase of the incidence rate, adding that in 2008, 14 deaths were recorded in prostate cancer yearly, but that by 2012, about 26 deaths were already recorded.

Nzelu said that Nigeria needs Mobile Cancer Centre and comprehensive cancer screening in order to have a significant reduction of cancer cases. Adding that the structure of the Mobile Cancer Centre should include awareness, screening and treatment, through the base centre that would be attached to the mobile centres.

“The big war against cancer is aimed at taking cancer prevention and health promotion to the grassroots. We will be establishing four mobile screening centres in Nigeria, and it will be distributed to four regions in Abuja, Lagos, Asaba and Port Harcourt.

“The equipment has a lifespan of 20 years.

The programme will go from one community to the other to screen people free and this will start operation by the middle of the year,” she said.

She however, called on governments at all levels, philanthropists, stakeholders and the media to contribute toward creating awareness that would help in early diagnosis of cancer.

Meanwhile, WHO has launched a new cancer guideline, tagged: ‘Guide to cancer early diagnosis’ which is aimed at improving the chances of survival for people living with cancer by ensuring that health services can focus on diagnosing and treating the disease early.

Stating this recently, the Director, WHO’s Department for the Management of Non- communicable Diseases, Disability, Violence and Injury Prevention, Dr. Etienne Krug, said, “Diagnosing cancer in late stages, and the inability to provide treatment, condemns many people to unnecessary suffering and early death, adding that, “By taking the steps to implement the new guideline, healthcare planners can improve early diagnosis of cancer and ensure prompt treatment, especially for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancers. ‘’This will result in more people surviving cancer. It will also be less expensive to treat,” he added.

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T H I S D AY THURSDAY, FEBURARY 9, 2017

NEWS

Nigeria Records 12,000 New Cases of Obstetric Fistula Yearly Martins Ifijeh At least, 12,000 new cases of obstetric fistula are recorded among Nigerian women every year, with majority of the victims not knowing there exist free surgical treatment for the health condition, a Clinical Associate,Fistula Care Plus, Dr. Suleiman Zakariya, has said.

He noted that more worrisome was that only about 5,000 cases were being surgically repaired yearly, thereby creating a backlog of 7,000 victims per year, who are either not aware there exist surgical interventions that can correct the health issue or are unaware there were centres for free treatment.

Speaking during a Media Roundtable Discussion on Fistula, organised by the Fistula Care Plus Project recently in Abakaliki, he said overall, about 150,000 women were living with the condition, with its most vulnerable group being the young, poor, illiterate and rural women who are economically disadvantaged.

“A prolonged obstructed labour is the single most causal factor for Obstetric Fistula, but there are other factors, like female genital mutilation, surgeries, among others,” he said. Adding that, “communities should stop associating the problem with witchcraft or other myths.

“Ultimately, the best way out of it is prevention, through attending regular antenatal care, zero practise of FGM, good and proper nutrition during upbringing of a female child as well as during pregnancy, and

through awareness campaigns,” Zakariya noted.

On his part, the Chief Medical Director, National Obstetric Fistula Centre (NOFIC), Abakaliki, Dr. Sunday Adeoye, decried that despite Federal Government’s gesture of providing free surgeries for women living with fistula in the country, there remains apathy among the victims in coming forward for treatment, as majority of them were unaware there exist cures for their ailments.

He called on various state governments, organisations and communities to sensitise Nigerians on the need for women suffering the health condition in silence to come out and access treatment.

“In Abakaliki here, the surgery is totally free. So, women do not need to suffer in silence, as the government has put interventions in place to address it. They should take advantage of this gesture because out there, we hear of fistula tourists (doctors who claim to do fistula repairs) collecting huge amount from victims, when as a matter of fact it is free here with the best experts available in the country.”

Adeoye, whose Centre has done 2,287 fistula repairs with 84 per cent success rate since inception in 2008, said they were growing into a centre of excellence in fistula prevention, treatment and management in the country, adding that the centre was providing ancillary services in prolapse treatment and cancer care as well.

According to the Reproductive Health/Family Planning Advisor, Engender Health, Mrs. Jumoke Adekogba, who spoke on ‘Safe Motherhood, Importance of Hospital Delivery, ANC, Family Planning/Methods’, she said every woman was at risk of complications during pregnancy and delivery, but that principles of safe motherhood

must be imbibed to overcome complications.

She said, “Every minute, a woman dies from pregnancyrelated problems, and for every woman who dies, 30 to 50 of them suffer injury, infection, or disease. Pregnancy-related complications are among the leading causes of death and disability for women aged 15-49

in developing countries.”

She stressed the importance of hospital delivery, antenatal care and uptake of family planning methods as measures that can reverse the trend. She identified the following, among others; lack of skilled birth attendants, inadequate preparation for childbirth and lack of family planning as major factors in

birth complications, including fistula.

The Executive Director, Daughters of Virtue and Empowerment Initiative (DOVENET), Mrs. Ugo Nnachi, during her presentation, showcased the work her organisation had done and was still doing in Ebonyi State to prevent and help treat fistula.

L-R: Mrs Evelyn Okoloh; Mr Olakunle Soriyan; Pastor Gbenga Ademujimi; Eniola Salu Akintunde (Founder); and Mrs Mosunmola Olulade, all members of the Advisory Board of Niola Cancer Care Foundation at the Launching of the NGO and awareness campaign on colorectal cancer in Lagos ...recently

Shaki, Kpomo, Ifun, Smoked Fish Cause Colorectal Cancer As Niola Cancer Care Foundation births in Lagos

NHIS Boss Seeks ICPC Intervention in War against Corruption in Scheme ...solicits support from SGF Kuni Tyessi in Abuja The Executive Secretary, National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Professor Usman Yusuf, has averred to combat corruption, inefficiency and impunity to a standstill in the Scheme.

Yusuf stated this while leading management of NHIS on a courtesy visit to the Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Barrister, Ekpo Nta in Abuja.

He explained that the meeting was geared towards consensus building and support among stakeholders towards repositioning the scheme for effective service delivery. Yusuf further decried the irregularities operated among the HMOs and ill-treatment enrollee’s encounter in receiving services at the hospitals, saying that the institution had not done well in the past, adding that, some Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) and healthcare providers treat enrollees like lepers. He called on the leadership of ICPC to commence the process of probing the activities of NHIS and HMOs, who in one-way-or-another have

defrauded the system and shortchanged enrollees.

Yusuf hinted that HMOs has retuned over 92 per cent of the money owned to NHIS. While responding, Nta, who was represented by Commissions’ Secretary, Dr. Elvis Oglafa, commended the Executive Secretary for his sincerity and doggedness in the fight against corruption in NHIS and repositioning the Scheme for better service delivery.

Similarly, Yusuf has solicited for support from the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Engr. Babachir David Lawal, towards the attainment of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Nigeria.

Yusuf who made the appeal during a courtesy visit, lamented failure of some federal government agencies that are yet to key into the Scheme as stipulated in the NHIS Act, which mandates all Federal Government Agencies to subscribe to the NHIS. He said the appeal became necessary considering the number of agencies that are yet to comply, which to a large extent hinders the success of the Scheme to cover more Nigerians.

Martins Ifijeh A consultant, Laparoscopic General Surgeon, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Dr. Adedapo Osinowo has revealed that the excessive intake of high fat like Shaki, roundabout, ifun, kpomo, as well as smoked fish are high risk factors for the development of colorectal cancer among Nigerians.

He said other risk factors for the relatively unknown cancer were excessive intake of red meat, intake of western diets like processed foods, sedentary lifestyle, diets lacking fruits and vegetables, smoking and alcohol consumption, obesity, sedentary, family history and increase in age. Stating this during the launch of Niola Cancer Care Foundation, a non governmental organisation that targets awareness on colorectal cancer, the consultant said despite the numerous causal factors for the cancer, there exist preventive measures, which he lamented most Nigerians were not putting into consideration.

“These days, most Nigerians prefer to order pepper soups with intestine, towel, and other orishirishi, as it is called in the Yoruba dialect. While some others prefer to eat mostly fast foods and other processed foods, with the thinking that they are eating healthy. The truth is as one eats these delicacies overtime, they are giving room for the development of non communicable diseases, including colorectal cancer,”

he added.

Colorectal cancer is a cancer that starts in the colon or the rectum. These cancers can also be named colon cancer or rectal cancer, depending on where they start. Colon cancer and rectal cancer are often grouped together because they have many features in common.

According to Osinowo, experts used to believe it was a disease of the elderly, but warned that teenagers were now coming down with it, adding that about 50 per cent of cases develop from around the anus.

“On the symptoms, it usually doesn’t present signs during the early phase of development.

However, persistent abdominal discomfort such as cramps, gas and pains could be signs.

On signs that must never be trivialised, he said, “observation of blood in stool, the urge to defecate when in the actual sense nothing is being passed out, change in bowel habit, passage of mucus in stool, and unusual passage of gas must not be taken for granted,” he added.

He said early detection was key to preventing the disease.

On her part, the Chairperson of the Foundation, Eniola Salu Akintunde, whose late husband died as a result of colorectal cancer said there was no need for any Nigerian to die of the cancer as early detection could help in its treatment and total cure unlike other cancers that could only be managed.

“If my husband’s illness was detected on time, he would

not have died, as there exist new technologies to remove the malignant tumor,” she said.

While stating that colorectal cancer was the 7th most common malignancy in Nigeria, she noted that cancer care generally has not been high on the list

of government priorities in Nigeria, as only little was being done to create awareness and prevention of the debilitating disease, adding that there was no logical data in Nigeria that shows the percentage of people affected by colon cancer

Ebonyi First Lady Advocates House to House Sensitisation against FGM Benjamin Nworie in Abakaliki Wife of Ebonyi State Governor, Mrs. Rachel Umahi, has advocated for rapid house to house sensitisation against female genital mutilation (FGM) in the 13 local government areas of the state.

She made the declaration during a one-day symposium commemorating the 2017 zero FGM day sponsored by the United Nations Children’s Fund, Enugu under the UNICEF/UNFPA programme with funding from Department for International Development (DFID).

The governor’s wife noted that the FGM bill was on the state governor’s desk waiting to be signed into law, stressing that such practice would receive the full weight of the law.

Harping on the theme ‘Sustainable Policies and Responsive Services: TwinPillars for FGM Eradication

in Ebonyi State’, the UNICEF Chief of Field Office, Charles Nzuki noted the symposium signifies a shining example of leaders who are committed to a cause to improve quality of life for vulnerable women who undergo excruciating pains of the practice.

He expressed worry that millions of women and girls have continued to undergo the harmful practice of FGM which causes high risk for maternal mortality, Vesico Vaginal Fistula, noting that schools remain a veritable platform to educate and facilitate reorientation of families, duty bearers and communities about the harmful effect of the practice.

He further stressed that health facilities should provide great opportunities to convert the routine contact and clinic attendance including ante/ post-natal and immunisation clinics to disseminate lifesaving messages to prevent the practice

T H I S D AY THURSDAY, FEBURARY 9, 2017

38

HEALTH HEALTH

Nigeria’s Grossly Inadequate 2017 Health Budget While the United States of America will spend about $7 million per prisoner in Guantanamo Bay in 2017, Nigeria will spend N1,688 on the health of each citizen in the year. An unrealistic figure it hoped would magically tackle the numerous health issues in the country. Martins Ifijeh reports

E

ver wondered why Nigeria is yet to find solutions to most of the health challenges in the country, like the incessant outbreaks of Lassa fever, high maternal and child deaths, poor primary health facilities, lack of functioning cancer machines, malnutrition, poor health emergency responses, among others? Wonder no further. The Nigerian government does not allocate enough funds for health interventions.

It is not their priority.

This again has been shown in the 2017 national budget of N7.298 trillion presented to the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari for approval, where only a meagre 4.17 per cent was allocated to the health sector, which is arguably one of the most critical sectors that drive other sectors of a country.

Only a healthy people can plan for security, development or economic advancement.

On specifics, the Federal Government, if the appropriation bill is passed, will spend N304 billion on the health of over 180 million Nigerians, amounting to N1,688 per citizen for the whole year. Meanwhile, a prisoner in Guantanamo Bay in the United States will expend at least $7 million in the same year.

Also, on healthcare alone, the United States this year will spend at least $7,000 per citizen, which is about N3.5 million using a forex rate of N495 to a dollar. Switzerland will this year spend $6000, which is about N3 million.

This, when compared to Nigeria’s N1,688 per head for a whole year, suggests why the country still grapple with poor health indices and the poor mortality rates for a country that prides itself as the giant of Africa.

No wonder various statistics show that Nigeria has one of the worst health records in the world. The country’s average mortality rate is put at 52 years, whereas in some less economically strong nations, even in Africa, their mortality rates rank way better than Nigeria’s.

For instance, while the number of deaths of infants under one year per 1000 live births in Nigeria is about 72.7, according to a 2015 report from World Fact Book, that of Rwanda is 58 deaths per 1000 children under five.

That of Malawi is 42 deaths per 1000. Gabon is 46, Togo is 45, Kenya is 39, while Libya is just 11.

According to the Group Medical Director, Reddington Hospital, Dr. Tunde Lalude, during a presentation in Lagos recently, he said the budget alone for National Insurance Scheme in the United Kingdom for a year was more than Nigeria’s entire annual budget, thereby underscoring the importance the UK government attaches to the health of its citizens; a

Prof. Adewole

direct contrast to what obtains in Nigeria, whose population almost triples that of UK. But the World Health Organisation (WHO) says for Nigeria to be seen to prioritise healthcare, it must at the least spend a minimum of N6,908 per Nigerian in a year, which when multiplied by 180 million people will amount to N1.2 trillion.

Meaning if N1.2 trillion is budgeted and spent on healthcare for a year, as against the current N304 billion being allocated to healthcare for 2017, it will go a long way in solving significant health issues in the country.

The WHO’s analysis therefore shows that with only about 25 per cent of the supposed allocation only given to healthcare for 2017 in Nigeria, it means on the average, about 75 per cent of healthcare services for each Nigerian will be funded from out-of-pocket, with majority of Nigerians obviously unable to afford it.

It is in efforts to close the huge health funding gap by governments to its citizens, especially in developing and underdeveloped countries, that the WHO in its wisdom recommended that countries should allocate at least 13 per

cent of their annual budget to the health sector for effective funding. All member countries, including Nigeria signed towards the recommendation.

Also, an Abuja Declaration, signed in 2001 by all member countries of the African Union, including Nigeria, who in fact was the host of the high powered meeting, recommended that for the continent to be at par with other nations of the world in terms of healthcare provision, 15 per cent of their annual budget, at the least, be allocated to the health sector.

Thankfully, some countries have started raising their health budgetary allocation towards fully keying into the WHO recommendation of 13 per cent or the Abuja Declaration by the African Union of 15 per cent.

For example, Rwanda reportedly devoted 18 per cent of its total 2016 budget to healthcare.

Botswana budgeted 17.8 per cent to health; Malawi, 17.1. per cent, Zambia, 16.4 per cent and Burkina Faso, 15.8 per cent. But Nigeria still lags behind in this regard, which has had direct consequences on the funding capacity of the Health Ministry, thereby making the fight against poor healthcare somewhat unrealistic.

This puts Nigeria as one of the nations of the world with the least healthcare spending per head when compared with other countries, especially in Africa. For instance, it has been reported that South Africa spends about seven times more per head on healthcare than Nigeria does, while Angola spends about three times more per head than Nigeria.

These indices perhaps explain why experts believe the recent allocated amount for the health sector was done in bad faith, hence the need for it to be revisited, while other funding options are looked into, especially with the gradual withdrawal of some donor organisations, due to Nigeria’s recent status as the ‘strongest’ economy in the continent.

Stakeholders under the platform of Partnership for Advocacy in Child and Family Health (PACFAH), the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), and several others have called on President Buhari and the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole to review the allocation to health if they must make successes in the health sector this year.

PACFAH, is of the opinion that the proposed health budget was cumulatively lower than that of 2016 due to foreign exchange challenges in the value of Naira to Dollar.

The President, PSN, Pharm. Ahmed Yakasai says in 2015, the United States allocated 20.7 per cent of its annual budget for health, Germany 19.4 per cent, Iran 17.5 per cent, China 12.6 per cent, and Turkey 10.7 per cent.

A former Director, Federal Ministry of Health, who preferred to remain anonymous, said one of the major challenges the ministry had during her time was the poor budgetary allocation to the sector, hence the need for the government to up its game so that needless deaths can be prevented through adequate funding. She decried a situation in which majority of the amount for health was used for paying health personnel, whereas the public health issues needing tackling were given just a little fraction of the entire amount. “The bulk of the allocation should go to preventive and promotive care,” she added.

She called for expansion of financial options, as well as strengthening the contribution of private sector in the provision of healthcare in the country. She believed Public Private Partnership was a strategic way of gaining financial leverage at all operational levels of healthcare.

She advised well-meaning Nigerians and organisations to donate towards healthcare.

“With these systems in place, out-of-pocket expenditure will gradually face out, as it would reduce the financial burden of most Nigerians, who are known to live on less than $2 per day.”

Obiano: Obi Did Magic in Healthcare Speak Up against FGM, Ambode Tells Delivery in Anambra Lagosians The Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, said nobody would fathom by what magic the former Governor of the state, Mr. Peter Obi achieved all he did in the health sector, especially his contributions to the upgrade of mission hospitals, including Queen of Rosary Hospital, Waterside, Onitsha.

Obiano made the remark through his representative, the Anambra State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Josephat Akabuike, at the Maiden Convocation Ceremony and award of certificates of the Holy Rosary Specialist Hospital and Maternity, Waterside, Onitsha.

The commissioner, who revealed that the present

government was continuing from its predecessor, assured that no project would be abandoned.

In her address, the Principal of the school, Rev. Sr. Mary Florence Ohiagbaji who revealed that the convocation was the first since the school was founded in 1948, said it was the celebration of immense love of God for the school and to say thank you to the benefactors of the school, especially Mr. Peter Obi. Her words:”We wish to acknowledge the support of Anambra State Government, in particular the former Governor Mr. Peter Obi for uplifting the infrastructural situation of our institution.” She said it was

Obi that provided them with a gigantic hostel and classroom blocks of international standards, among others.

The principal said they were still faced with problems of regaining full accreditation, standard library, more infrastructure, among others.

The high point of the event was the presentation of the graduands to the proprietor of school, Archbishop Valerian Okeke and the presentation of the Award of Promoter of Nursing Education to Mr. Peter Obi, who, though travelled to the U.S. with the former president, Goodluck Jonathan, was represented

by Dr. Patrick Obi and Mr. Valentine Obienyem.

Martins Ifijeh Wife of the Governor of Lagos State, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode, has called on mothers, women groups and high-powered government organisations, to step up advocacy towards total eradication of female genital mutilation (FGM).

She made the call in Alausa, Ikeja, while interacting with journalists on the occasion of the 2017 International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM. Bolanle, who noted that FGM constituted an extreme form of discrimination against women and girls, violating their rights to health, security and physical integrity, wondered why women should

continue to suffer such level of dehumanisation, just to get social acceptance or avoid social stigma.

She said, “It is surprising that 45 out of every 100 adult women living in Lagos State have undergone FGM at one time or another as reported in the National Demographic Health Survey 2013. This is largely due to migration from those states where the prevalence in much higher.”

Speaking further, she disclosed that FGM was mostly carried out on young girls, sometimes between infancy and age 15, as this causes much bleeding and health issues which include but not limited to cysts, infections,

infertility, as well as complications and even death in some cases.

The First Lady noted further that it was erroneous and misleading to tie the gruesome procedure to family honour, hygiene, fertility, protection of virginity and prevention of promiscuity.

She called for massive public awareness campaigns and concrete actions against the practice.

She contended that only when mothers began to raise their voices against the act and governments initiated strong legislations, “could we begin to race toward total eradication of the wicked practice in Africa and the world come 2030.”

39

T H I S D AY THURSDAY, FEBURARY 9, 2017

NEWS

UNICEF Calls for Collective Action to End Female Genital Mutilation Martins Ifijeh As Nigeria joined the world to mark the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) earlier in the week, UNICEF has called on governments at all levels, civil society organisations, and traditional and religious leaders to collaborate in ending the practice in the country.

Speaking to mark the day, the UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Mohamed Fall, stressed that “every study and every bit of evidence we have shows there is absolutely no benefit to mutilate or to cut any girl or woman for non-medical reasons. It is a practice that can cause severe physical and psychological harm.”

Five states in Nigeria have rates of FGM that are more than 60 per cent, with Osun and Ebonyi highest at 77 and 74 per cent respectively, according to the 2013 National Demographic and Health Survey. The other states are Ekiti, 72 per cent;

Imo, 68 per cent; and Oyo, 66 per cent.

FGM comprises all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other cutting of or injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.

It is recognised internationally as a violation of the human rights of girls and women.

In February last year, Wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari launched a national campaign to end FGM, calling on all parties to work together to halt the harmful practice.

Her call underlines the need for collective action at every level.

UNICEF is working with federal and state governments, especially in the Southern states where the practice is most prevalent, training partners, creating awareness at all levels and working with communities to convince practitioners and community members to promote an end to the practice.

Ophthalmologists, Pfizer Unite to Check Glaucoma Spread in S’ East Rebecca Ejifoma, Christopher Isiguzo in Enugu The Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria (OSN) and the South East Ophthalmologist’ Forum (SEOF) have raised alarm that unless urgent steps were taken by the policy makers, an appreciable percentage of residents of the five states of the South-east might go blind very soon.

The alarm was sequel to the outcome of a research conducted by the eyecare specialists in the country, which showed that the South-east has the highest prevalence of severe visual impairments of people over 40 years, with two per cent of residents of the zone already down with the disease.

Already, eye specialists from all the specialists hospitals in Abia, Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi and Imo states have converged in Enugu State for a one-day brainstorming session on how to find solution to the problem.

The session would also commence fresh research on why the zone is the worst hit compared to other zones of the country. The session was sponsored by Pfizer Nigeria.

Addressing newsmen in Enugu, the chairperson of SEOF, Prof. Rich Umeh, the National President of the Ophtamological Society of Nigeria, Prof. Sebastine Nwosu and the facilitator of the forum, Dr. Nkiru Akaraiwe said the challenge had become worrisome.

According to the specialists, glaucoma blindness was the commonest eye disease in the zone with prevalence rate of 1.2 per cent compared to other zones with less than 0.3 per cent, adding that the implication was that out of every 100 blind persons, one or two would have glaucoma.

“This is obviously genetic, not because of what we eat or drink. We want to alert people on the need to go through eye checks once or twice every year. If you have a relative that had eye problem, the person is using glasses or the person is blind, it simply means you have to subject your entire family to go through glaucoma check immediately because glaucoma will not give you any signal before it comes,” Umeh noted.

She noted that though the research was conducted 10 years ago, other studies done segmentally have shown that the situation had worsened, adding that it had become imperative for specialists, and policy makers to equally come up with new strategies.

“Forty years is actually the most active year and it will be unthinkable for young men to get to irreversible blindness. We must do something urgently,” she stated.

Meanwhile, the Director Corporate Affairs, Pfizer Nigeria and East Africa region, Margaret Olele said the company was committed to contributing to patient care in the communities, while also exploring more opportunities with relevant stakeholders to reduce the burden of glaucoma.

“Pfizer is committed to contributing positively to patient care in our communities whilst exploring more opportunities with relevant stakeholders to reduce the burden of Glaucoma.

The Glaucoma Symposium is designed to update healthcare professionals on the latest advances in medical and surgical management of Glaucoma. It highlights insights in Glaucoma management, medications, surgical techniques and the burden of Glaucoma in SubSaharan Africa and Nigeria “.

According to Fall, support is growing for the national campaign to end FGM. “With the support of the Wives of the State Governors, Imo and Oyo State Houses of Assembly

are currently working on draft bills that will prohibit the practice of FGM and any custom or tradition promoting it. When the bills are passed, Imo and Oyo will join the

other most affected southern states – Osun, Ebonyi and Ekiti – that already have laws against the practice in place.

“We applaud the progress that has been made in Nigeria,

but there is still a long way to go.Even though this practice has persisted for over a thousand years, our evidence tells us that with collective action, it can end in one generation,” added Fall.

L-R: Chief of Cancer Centre, Karslen Ridwelslin; Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; Team Leader, Professor of Surgery, Prof. Dr. Hans Lippert; and Prof. Dr. Stefanie Wolff, during their visit to the Governor on intention to organise cancer awareness programme in the State, at his Lagos residence ...recently

Ogun Nabs Fake Doctor for Aborting Six Months Pregnancy Martins Ifijeh The Ogun State government in collaboration with the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) has nabbed another fake doctor (named withheld) for aborting a six-month-old pregnancy, which according to professionals was life threatening.

This was revealed during the interrogation of the pregnant woman that he operated upon, by the State Ministry of Health monitoring team and executive members of NANNM, while monitoring the level of compliance of the re-validation / registration exercise of private health facilities at Akute in Ifo Local Government Area of the state. The Chairman, NANNM, Comrade, Roseline Solarin, said the abortion that was carried out by the suspected fake doctor can naturally be managed by a professional doctor or nurses medically, adding that during the course of interrogation, the woman was diagnosed of hypertension during the pregnancy which could easily be managed by a doctor.

Commending the state government for taking bold steps in fighting quackery in the state health sector, Solarin said fake doctors and nurses were gradually taking over the profession, warning that anyone caught practicing without the prerequisite certificate would be shown the way out of the system.

“This particular suspect conducted a graduation ceremony for a fake nurse, an information which was given to us by some good citizen of the state, and NANNM is now

fully ready to cooperate with the state government in the fight against quackery.

Any nurses or doctor found practicing without the prerequisite certificate should be arrested and prosecuted,” Solarin said Speaking earlier the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Babatunde Ipaye, said the services of unqualified nurses, doctors and other health workers in the state have caused a lot of havoc to the unsuspecting good people of the state, saying that the step was made necessary in order to safe guard the professions against quackery and reposition the sector for quality healthcare delivery.

The commissioner who was represented by the Deputy Director, Department of Hospital Services in the Ministry, Dr. Solomon Sokunbi, said the state would not be a comfort zone for quack doctors, nurses and science laboratory operators who have endangered the lives of innocent Nigerians, warning that any health facility caught operating with fake documents or not having the new approved signboards by the state government would be dealt with according to the law.

“I want to urge members of the public to always patronise approved health facilities that have signboards with the new colour and coded number, which can offer them better and qualitative healthcare services.

The governor has mandated officials of the ministry to arrest and prosecute anyone found operating facilities with fake documents,” Ipaye said.

Seven facilities were shut down in addition to the 60 that were shut down last year when the exercise began, the facilities includes Accurate Diagnostic

Centre, The Mantle Clinic and Maternity Home, Bliss Medical Centre, Fibiani Medical Centre, Christian Maternity Home among others.

Osun Secures German Oncologists to Train 30 Medical Personnel on Early Cancer Detection Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo No fewer than 30 medical personnel are to be trained by a team of seasoned German Oncologists on early cancer detection and awareness at Primary Health Centres in Osun State.

The German Oncologists from the Institute for Operative Medicine of the Otto-yon Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany, arrived Osun for a three-day visit to prepare ground for the training.

The state government had written the institute requesting for the services and assistance of its medical experts on Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s resolve to tackle headlong health challenges posed by cancer related diseases, and as well render services on general surgery operation in the state.

Led by a Professor of Surgery, Professor Hans Lippert, the Oncologists are to train 10 medical personnel at the PHCs in each of the senatorial districts in the state on early cancer detection, awareness and management.

Speaking with newsmen at the General Hospital, Iwo, Lip-

pert said his team was ready to share their experience on cancer with medical personnel at the PHCs in the state on early detection of the disease, saying that Aregbesola has shown convincing commitment to promoting healthy living in the state.

Lippert who led other Oncologists stated that they were providing the service on cancer preventing awareness, evaluation of all general surgery operation and primary medical care in the state at 80 per cent rebate.

In his remarks, Senior Special Assistance to Governor Rauf Aregbesola on Electronic Broadcast, Engineer Remi Omowaiye, said the service of the German Oncologists was sought by Aregbesola who wants to tackle cancer headlong in the state.

According to Omowaiye, early detection was key to ridding off the disease from the society, stating that cancer is the third cause of death in Nigeria.

Omowaiye added that the oncologists would obtain data about the cancer disease in the state and take a look at the facilities available at the PHCs in the state.

40

THURSDAY, Î Ëœ ͺ͸͚Ϳ Ëž T H I S D AY

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

RMAFC Okays New Tax Policy James Emejo Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has endorsed the new national tax policy recently announced by the federal government to shore up the country’s dwindling revenue base, occasioned by the shortfall in oil prices as well as activities of militant and vandals in the Niger Delta.

The acting Chairman of the commission, Shettima Umar Abba Gana, had in July 2016, canvassed the upward review of value added tax from 5 per cent to about 7.5 per cent in order to improve the country’s revenue base.

He had observed that VAT

was a high tax revenue yielding instrument that could be used to shore-up revenue required for financing the ever-expanding public expenditure needs of all tiers of government adding that the current VAT rate of five per cent was one of the lowest in the world. In a statement signed

by RMAFC’s spokesman, Mr. Ibrahim Mohammed, the Commission reiterated its support for initiatives including the newly introduced revised tax policy, which would go a long way in boosting the nation’s revenue base for sustainable national development.

Commending the FGN bold and courageous step, the Commission further argued that since globally, taxation

was seen as the most stable source of government revenue for economic development, the upward review of the existing Value Added Tax (VAT) rate on luxury items, as contained in the New Tax Policy has buttressed its position.

Apart from the upward review of the VAT rate on luxury items, RMAFC also urged the Federal Government to support all monitoring Agencies including the RMAFC to enhance collection efficiency, block leakages in revenue collection and strengthen intelligence gathering mechanisms so as to free more funds for governments to expand the economy, ensure rapid economic development and create employment.

Agusto & Co Unveils 2017 Insurance Industry Report Agusto & Co., a Pan-African credit rating agency in Nigeria, has released its 2017 insurance sector outlook.

The “Insurance Industry Report� by the firm unveiled in Lagos recently estimated a gross premium income (GPI) growth of eight per cent for the insurance sector this year.

The firm based its projection on a probable devaluation of the nation’s currency, anticipated increase in infrastructure during the year as well as continued growth in life business in the sector. The firm anticipated that profits in the sector would be upheld by increased investment income due to rising interest rates; but moderated by rising claims payments. It pointed out that the industry’s low penetration rate (GPI as percentage of Gross Domestic Product) of 0.4 per cent, presents huge growth opportunities. The report was in congruent with the opinion of the federal government’s resolution to drive reform in the sector in order to unlock its inherent but untapped potential as expressed recently by the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun who reaffirmed government’s determination in leading the drive to reform the sector and bring about vibrancy that delivers economic growth.

Agusto & Co.’s, focus on the insurance sector is driven by the conviction that a developed and active insurance market would

bring about increase in GDP, accumulation of long-term funds for infrastructural financing, job creation, and an improved standard of living.

Speaking during the unveiling of the report, the firm’s Executive Director, Financial Institutions, Mrs. Yinka Adelekan, noted that the report identified significant threats to the growth of the insurance industry while highlighting the growth opportunities inherent in the sector. “As the largest economy in Africa, the Nigerian insurance industry remains largely underdeveloped. The industry has huge and untapped potentials and the 2017 report highlights some of the opportunities untapped� she enthused.

The report stated that evolving risks such as job losses, cyber risk, among others, offered prospects for the development of new insurance products. It also stated that anticipated government spending in construction could support growth in the industry through bonds, group life, workers’ compensation, among others. According to the report, micro-insurance was also expected to gain traction on the back of a large populace which remains outside the insurance coverage. In carrying out the research, the credit rating firm examined the financial condition of 45 insurance companies (25 non-life insurers, 10 life insurers, eight composite insurers and

two reinsurers), operating in the country, with emphasis on various aspects of their financial performance including; capital adequacy, profitability, investment management, risk retention and exposure, liquidity and cash flow, as well as staff productivity. Agusto & Co. has been tracking the Nigerian insurance industry since 1996.

According to the report, in terms of risk underwriting, the insurance industry underwrote risks of over N300 billion in 2015 through motor, oil and gas, general accidents, fire, marine, aviation, life insurance, among others. The firm estimated a 10 per cent growth in GPI in 2016.

Also, in the area of risk indemnification, the report reflected that at about 28 per cent GPI, over N100 billion generated was estimated to have been paid out as claims. “This has helped businesses and individuals rebuild and recover from losses quickly. In addition, in terms of financial intermediation, it stated that operators in the sector invested over N137 billion of its premium in the banking industry as placements and deposits in 2015 while it estimates about N178 billion has been placed with the banking sector in 2016.

The Insurance sector directly employs 6,400 persons and expended an estimated N29 billion in employee related costs in 2016,� it stated.

Elumelu Retires as AFC Nonexecutive Director The Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) has announced that Mr. Tony Elumelu, a non-executive director of the corporation has decided to retire from its board, after nine years of “meritorious service.�

Elumelu, according to a statement yesterday, was a founding director and the first chairman of the corporation’s risk and investment committee, which he chaired for nine years.

Elumelu, Chairman of Heirs Holdings, represented United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA) on the board. He is succeeded by Mr. Victor Osadolor, who is the Deputy Managing Director of UBA. Commenting on this development, the Chairman of

AFC, Dr. Sarah Alade said: “I am grateful for the notable contribution Mr. Elumelu has made throughout the nine years he has served on the Board of AFC. I would like to thank him for his expertise and judgement, and for pioneering and chairing the Board Risk Investment Committee. Elumelu’s contribution has helped AFC to build our portfolio of investments that are supporting African economies to grow and diversify.�

AFC has a diverse funding base, with a range of funding from sources across different markets. Last year the corporation issued its debut Swiss Franc denominated long three-

year bond, raising CHF 100 million, and accepted a US$150 million 15 year loan facility from KfW Development Bank.

In 2015 AFC’s inaugural 144A/ Reg S, US$750 million 5-year international bondwas more than six times oversubscribed at over US$4.7 billion, attracting institutional investors from across Asia, Europe, Middle East and the United States.

The corporation will celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2017 at the AFC Live Summit this year, which will bring together many of the top international players in African infrastructure investment for high level discussions on the industry’s many challenges, and potential solutions.

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

OCTOBER 2016 Broad Money (M2)

22,275,512.54

-- Narrow Money (M1)

10,023,616.69

---- Currency Outside Banks

1,521,797.77

---- Demand Deposits

8,501,818.92

-- Quasi Money

12,251,895.85

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

7,612,243.68

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

14,654,268.86

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

26,774,684.47

---- Credit to Government (Net)

3,705,049.41

---- Memo: Credit to Govt. (Net) less FMA

6,242,932.95

---- Memo: Fed. and Mirror Accounts (FMA)

2,537,883.55

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

21,424,953.01

--Other Assets Net

-9,738,841.27

Reserve Money (Base Money)

6,580,594.55

--Currency in Circulation

1,825,664.51

--Banks Reserves

4,415,126.62 Ëž Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă? Ě‹

MANAGED FUNDS Initial Price (N)

Buying Price(N) 1,660.29

1,685.29

1,000.00

11,002.32

11,326.67.11

Stanbic Balanced Fund Stanbic IBTC NEF

Selling Price

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 % )

Ëž Ă™Ă˜Ă?ĂžĂ‹ĂœĂŁ ÙÖÓĂ?ĂŁ Ă‹ĂžĂ? Ě‹ ͯͲϹ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE AS AT TUESDAY 7, FEBRUARY 2017 The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $52.78 a barrel on Tuesday, compared with $53.77 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations. The OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Oriente (Ecuador), Rabi Light (Gabon), 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

41

T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ ΁˜ ͺ͸͹͵

Nigeria’s top 50 stocks based on market fundamentals

8-Feb-17

7-Feb-17

% Change

Capitalisation

EPS

P/E

P/S

Div. Yld

Price/ Book Value

Table 1 Market Statistics Mkt Indicators

Open 7-Feb-1

NSE All Share Index NSE Market Cap (N'Trillion)

25,446.66 8.77

25,478.66 8.78

0.13% 0.13%

105.61 8.22

105.70 8.23

0.08% 0.08%

01 Dangote Cement Plc

167.11

166.00

0.67%

2,847,639,192,449.55

9.20

18.16

5.01

4.79%

3.80

02 Nigerian Breweries Plc

130.00

130.90

-0.69%

1,030,783,115,440.00

4.03

32.22

3.42

2.77%

6.29

03 Guaranty Trust Bank Plc

23.82

23.50

1.36%

701,050,689,115.68

4.90

4.86

1.74

7.43%

1.42

646.00

646.00

0.00%

512,055,938,792.00

8.81

73.31

2.96

4.49%

16.23

15.00

15.00

0.00%

470,947,406,790.00

3.91

3.84

0.99

12.00%

0.68

Table 3 Top 5 Gainers

370.00

370.00

0.00%

204,724,815,810.00 -44.58

-8.30

2.64

4.30%

0.52

Stock

07 Access Bank Plc

6.65

6.60

0.76%

192,371,011,346.15

2.59

2.57

0.54

8.27%

0.43

08 Lafarge Africa Plc

41.78

44.40

-5.90%

190,303,797,621.80

-9.39

-4.45

0.89

7.18%

0.94

09 Ecobank Transnational Incorporated

10.00

10.00

0.00%

183,495,512,150.00

0.68

14.78

0.31

6.20%

0.29

10 Presco Plc

46.00

46.30

-0.65%

182,641,944,070.00

0.03 1,573.20

2.56

2.83%

4.37

11 Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc

17.81

18.00

-1.06%

178,100,000,000.00

2.04

8.74

1.27

0.56%

1.51

12 United Bank for Africa Plc

4.84

4.80

0.83%

175,592,907,398.48

1.75

2.77

0.52

12.40%

0.41

04 Nestle Nigeria Plc 05 Zenith Bank Plc 06 Seplat Petroleum Dev. Co. Ltd

13 Unilever Nigeria Plc

34.00

34.00

0.00%

128,632,072,500.00

0.69

49.12

1.94

0.15%

13.71

14 FBN Holdings Plc

3.25

3.33

-2.40%

116,659,701,574.00

0.21

15.66

0.22

4.62%

0.19

15 Mobil Oil Nig Plc

275.99

275.99

0.00%

99,520,686,359.38

19.32

14.28

1.10

2.61%

5.38

16 Guinness Nig Plc

64.98

64.98

0.00%

97,852,614,456.24

-3.06

-21.25

0.95

4.92%

2.48

17 Total Nigeria Plc

270.00

270.00

0.00%

91,670,895,990.00

38.02

7.10

0.34

5.19%

4.02

56.70

56.82

-0.21%

73,850,678,540.10

3.31

17.15

0.48

6.08%

1.71

6.05

6.05

0.00%

72,600,000,000.00

1.03

5.89

0.51

8.26%

1.17

112.10

112.10

0.00%

71,810,179,692.30

-0.05

0.77

1.96%

3.23

4.70

4.67

0.64%

56,562,708,801.80

-3.15

-1.49

0.22

15.96%

0.36

22 International Breweries Plc

16.15

16.15

0.00%

53,202,125,872.00

0.02

716.76

2.00

1.55%

4.85

23 Flour Mills Nig. Plc

18.00

18.00

0.00%

47,236,269,366.00

-1.19

-15.09

0.11

11.11%

0.47

24 Julius Berger Nig. Plc

34.83

34.83

0.00%

45,975,600,000.00

-2.95

-11.82

0.39

4.31%

2.42

25 Okomu Oil Palm Plc

44.18

44.18

0.00%

42,143,743,800.00

4.82

9.16

6.41

0.23%

2.61

0.77

0.77

0.00%

29,815,168,017.25

-0.47

-1.65

0.57

0.00%

0.40

18 Forte Oil Plc. 19 Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc 20 7-Up Bottling Comp. Plc 21 Oando Plc

26 Transnational Corporation Of Nigeria Plc 27 U A C N Plc

14.50

14.50

0.00%

27,852,533,611.50

3.37

4.30

0.37

6.90%

0.37

28 FCMB Group Plc

1.30

1.30

0.00%

25,743,524,015.30

0.61

2.12

0.16

7.69%

0.14

29 Fidelity Bank Plc

0.85

0.86

-1.16%

24,618,197,838.20

0.39

2.20

0.16

18.82%

0.13

32.00

32.00

0.00%

22,400,000,000.00

2.28

14.01

3.36

3.59%

13.09

31 Sterling Bank Plc

0.75

0.75

0.00%

21,592,813,594.50

0.29

2.61

0.20

12.00%

0.26

32 Diamond Bank Plc

0.89

0.86

3.49%

20,612,746,181.52

-0.29

-3.03

0.10

0.00%

0.09

33 National Salt Co. Nig. Plc

7.51

7.51

0.00%

19,897,282,218.78

0.85

8.84

1.06

7.32%

2.69

34 Custodian And Allied Insurance Plc

3.33

3.33

0.00%

19,586,607,769.35

0.76

4.36

0.54

4.20%

0.68

35 Wema Bank Plc

0.50

0.50

0.00%

19,287,233,040.50

0.06

8.39

0.38

0.00%

0.41

36 Cadbury Nigeria Plc

9.20

9.20

0.00%

17,279,458,768.00

0.50

18.43

0.62

14.13%

1.69

14.25

14.25

0.00%

17,041,239,954.00

-2.98

-4.78

0.61

2.11%

1.94

38 Mansard Insurance Plc

1.52

1.52

0.00%

15,960,000,000.00

0.28

5.46

0.80

3.29%

0.76

39 PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc

12.23

12.23

0.00%

12,230,000,000.00

5.69

2.15

0.85

0.82%

0.33

40 Continental Reinsurance Plc

1.10

1.10

0.00%

11,410,018,743.20

0.42

2.62

0.52

10.91%

0.61

41 Unity Bank Plc

0.83

0.83

0.00%

9,702,150,491.86

-0.10

-8.10

0.15

0.00%

0.12

42 Honeywell Flour Mill Plc

1.09

1.10

-0.91%

8,643,915,447.22

-0.40

-2.70

0.18

14.68%

0.26

43 Skye Bank Plc

0.50

0.50

0.00%

6,940,150,705.00

-2.93

-0.17

0.04

60.00%

0.07

44 Wapic Insurance Plc

0.50

0.50

0.00%

6,691,369,126.00

0.18

2.78

0.85

6.00%

0.41

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

4.50

4.50

0.00%

5,655,049,947.00

0.22

20.56

0.51

2.22%

0.53

47 Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc

2.70

2.70

0.00%

4,385,390,625.00

0.15

17.87

0.54

7.41%

0.73

48 AIICO Insurance Plc

0.60

0.58

3.45%

4,158,122,688.00

0.22

2.69

0.14

8.33%

0.41

49 UACN Property Development Co. Limited

2.05

2.14

-4.21%

3,523,437,489.75

0.30

6.85

0.83

34.15%

0.10

50 Fidson Healthcare Plc

1.14

1.14

0.00%

1,710,000,000.00

0.24

4.84

0.26

4.39%

0.27

30 Cap Plc

37 Glaxo Smithkline Consumer Nig. Plc

TOTAL

8,229,824,884,409.41

TOTAL MARKET CAP

8,780,824,050,799.24

% OF MARKET CAP Annotation - MA* = Simple Moving Average

93.72%

Thisday BGL 50 Index Thisday BGL 50 Market Cap (N'Trillion)

Open 7-Feb-1

Diamond Bank Plc AIICO Insurance Plc Guaranty Trust Bank Plc United Bank for Africa Plc Access Bank Plc

0.86 0.58 23.50 4.80 6.60

Close 8-Feb-17

Change %

Close Change % 8-Feb-17 0.89 0.60 23.82 4.84 6.65

3.49% 3.45% 1.36% 0.83% 0.76%

Table 4 Top 5 Losers Stock

Open 7-Feb-1

Lafarge Africa Plc UACN Property Development Co. Limited FBN Holdings Plc Fidelity Bank Plc Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc

Close Change % 8-Feb-17

44.40 2.14

41.78 2.05

-5.90% -4.21%

3.33 0.86 18.00

3.25 0.85 17.81

-2.40% -1.16% -1.06%

NSE All Share Index halts 5-day losing streak with 0.13% gain Market pulse on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) today – Wednesday, February 8th, 2017 ended on a positive note compared to the previous day closing as the stock market closed green. This was further highlighted by positive performance from the NSE Subsectors: Banking, Insurance and Consumer Goods (Save Oil & Gas). However, trading activities decreased in volume as 206.37m shares worth of N887m in 1,748 deals exchanged hands today. This is a decrease from the 207.18m shares worth of N1.58 billion in 2,791 deals which exchanged hands on Tuesday. Topping in volume terms are: AIICO Insurance Plc, Diamond Bank Plc and Standard Trust Assurance Plc, while Zenith Bank Plc and Presco Plc ended trading as the most active stocks in value terms. Sequel to previous day’s sharp drop, Brent crude oil dips further to US$54.77 per barrel.

The All Share Index (NSEASI) closed positive with 0.13% (+32.00) increase to close at 25,478.66 from 25,446.66 the previous trading day. Market capitalization appreciated in tandem to N8.78 trillion from N8.77 trillion of prior trading day. Similarly, the Thisday BGL 50 Index followed suit with parallel increase of 0.08% to close at 105.70 from 105.61 recorded at the end of the previous trading day, while its market capitalization stood at N8.23 trillion from N8.22 trillion of the previous trading day.

Market breath closed positive as 11 stocks gained on the bourse today while 13 stocks declined, leaving 56 stocks unchanged. Diamond Bank Plc topped the Thisday BGL 50 Index gainers’ list as it emerged as the day’s toast of investors with a gain of 3.49% to close at N0.89 per share. It was closely followed by AIICO Insurance Plc with a gain of 3.45% to close at N0.60 per share. Others on the gainers list include: Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, United Bank for Africa Plc and Access Bank Plc; while on the decliners’ list, Lafarge Africa Plc move to lead the pack with a loss of 5.90% to close at N41.78 per share. It was followed closely by UACN Property Development Co. Limited with a loss of 4.21% to close at N2.05 per share. Others on the decliners list include: FBN Holdings Plc, Fidelity Bank Plc and Stanbic IBTC Holdings 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

42

THURSDAY, ΁˜ ͺ͸͹Ϳ ˾ T H I S D AY

MARKET NEWS

Neimeth Leads Gainers as Investors Renew Demand for Shares Goddy Egene and Nosa Alekhuogie Apparently encouraged by the future outlook outlined by the management of Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals Plc on Tuesday, some shareholders of the company increased their demand for the equity at the stock market yesterday.

Consequently, Neimeth led the price gainers, rising by 4.9

per cent to close at N0.64 per share. The management of Neimeth had at the annual general meeting (AGM) held on Tuesday in Lagos unveiled plans to improve the fortunes of the company.

Shareholders had at the AGM expressed confidence on the management of the company led by its first female Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Ebere Igboko-Ekpunobi.

T H E

Neimeth bounced back to profitability for the year ended September 30, 2016, recording a profit after tax of N65 million, compared with a loss of N335.684 million in 2015.

Turnover rose from N1.461 billion in 2015 to N2.002 billion in 2016, showing an increase of 36 per cent. Gross profit grew from N684.6 million to N1.225 billion, while administrative expenses reduced from N600

N I G E R I A N

million to N527 million. The company also reduced finance costs from N92 million to N89.6 million in 2016. The company ended with profit of N95.361 million compared with N315.77 million loss in 2015.

Igboko-Ekpunobi, had attributed the positive performance to the company’s three strategic imperatives anchoring on a short term transformation, cost reduction and optimising

STO C K

efficiency.

According to her, the company employed three strategic imperatives to anchor its transformation in short -term. They are: revitalise sales and generate more revenue, reduce costs and optinmise efficiency and transform the organisational culture towards a new Neimeth.

She said cost of sale was 38 per cent of sales, enabling a 62 per cent production margin,

E XC H A N G E

which exceed the budget expectation of 56 per cent as a proportion of sales and last year’s performance of 47 per cent production margin.

Igboko-Ekpunobi disclosed that significant investments were made to re-engineer manufacturing operations.

“New practices were adopted which contributed to better inventory management, production planning and coordination

43

˾ THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2017

MARKET NEWS

Stock Market Operators Hail Introduction of Cloud Enabled Service Goddy Egene

brokerage firms. The service was launched in Nigeria The Managing Director by Info Tech, a globally of Compass Securities renowned company for wide Limited and immediate past range of software solutions Chairman of the Association for financial markets, at a of Stockbroking Houses of special seminar in Lagos on Nigeria(ASHON), Mr. Emeka Tuesday. Speaking at the end Madubuike has hailed the of a seminar, stockbrokers launch of the cloud enabled and other stakeholders said it service called Marlin into was a welcome development the Nigerian capital market capable of impacting the

by InfoTech Group. market in many positive ways.

Marlin is an innovative According to Madubuike, and feature rich application Marlin will enhance the speed that automate the entire of doing business, transparency process and workflow of all and link the Nigerian brokerage 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. Investors can buy these ‘shares’ on the

community to the outside world.

“The whole market has changed and given where we are in the information communication technology space, the product has come at the right time and the benefits are numerous for us to take advantage of,” he said.

Speaking in the same vein, the General Manager, Operations, Central Securities Clearing System Plc, Dr. Joe Mekiliuwa said the application is a robust one that will afford the brokerage community 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 7-Feb-2017, unless otherwise stated.

straight through process (STP) to interact with the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and other participants.

He said with this system, brokers would be able to relate with CSCS better with more accurate data.

“It means that if the brokers try to communicate with us, it will be in a very organised way and seamlessly, they will be able to relate with us because if they keep good records, one way or other it will impact on us positively,” Mekiluwa said.

Explaining how the service

works, the Chief Executive Officer of InfoTech Financial Technologies Limited, Mr. Amir Raza Khan, said it would enable brokers to concentrate on their on their core business strategies and processes, while leaving it to handle the technological front.

“It offers numerous business advantages such as increased efficiency, better risk management, low cost and ability to manage trade cycle from order to settlement through one system,” he said.

According to Khan,

some of the features of Marlin include: adherence to know-your-customer policy for improved compliance; browser based geographically independent access which is user friendly; support to manage multiple branches and with privileged access capability for respective branch to do local distributed processing; support of multiple asset classes, integration with Central Depositary for quick reconciliation; and multiple settlement types at instrument

level smooth data migration.

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 aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 1 270 1680 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund 126.38 126.47 -0.65% Nigeria International Debt Fund 218.51 218.68 1.39% ALTERNATIVE CAPITAL PARTNERS LTD info@acapng.com Web: www.acapng.com, Tel: +234 1 291 2406, +234 1 291 2868 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ACAP Canary Growth Fund 0.69 0.70 -1.19% AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 17.74% ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ARM Aggressive Growth Fund 12.12 12.49 -1.84% ARM Discovery Fund 284.70 293.28 -0.86% ARM Ethical Fund 21.89 22.55 -2.04% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 17.28% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund 105.22 105.96 0.13% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 17.12% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Nigeria Global Investment Fund 2.16 2.21 -0.68% Paramount Equity Fund 9.31 9.55 -0.53% Women's Investment Fund 84.59 86.76 -0.01% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 18.99% FBN CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD invest@fbnquest.com Web: www.fbnquest.com; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn FBN Fixed Income Fund 1,102.70 1,103.92 1.13% FBN Heritage Fund 109.51 110.24 -1.86% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 15.61% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional $105.32 $105.57 1.01% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail $104.47 $104.71 0.88% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 111.76 113.20 -0.82% FIRST CITY ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD fcamhelpdesk@fcmb.com Web: www.fcamltd.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Legacy Equity Fund 0.94 0.95 0.53% Legacy Short Maturity (NGN) Fund 2.61 2.61 1.49% FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coral Growth Fund 2,175.14 2,199.97 -1.56% Coral Income Fund 2,144.46 2,144.46 1.91% GREENWICH ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gtlgroup.com Web: www.gtlgroup.com ; Tel: +234 1 4619261-2 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Greenwich Plus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 16.64% INVESTMENT ONE FUNDS MANAGEMENT LTD enquiries@investment-one.com Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Abacus Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 16.53% Vantage Balanced Fund 1.69 1.70 0.22% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 15.49%

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 1.00 1.02 0.32% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,013.73 1,013.73 1.09% MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: http://www.meristemwealth.com/funds/ ; Tel: +234 1-4488260 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund 9.59 9.68 -0.72% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 14.70% 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 1.06 1.08 0.74% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 10.40 10.43 -0.05% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 16.19% 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 111.00 111.95 2.59% 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 1.26 1.26 1.05% 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 1,811.04 1,820.81 -1.11% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 151.48 151.48 -1.61% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.75 0.76 -1.95% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 188.52 188.52 0.87% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 128.17 129.88 -1.26% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 17.51% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 7,260.42 7,347.82 -4.24% 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 1.13 1.15 8.00% United Capital Bond Fund 1.25 1.25 16.46% United Capital Equity Fund 0.65 0.66 -0.98% 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 9.70 9.88 0.85% Zenith Ethical Fund 11.12 11.22 1.89% Zenith Income Fund 16.99 16.99 2.82%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

11.41 124.56

1.01% 0.48%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

7.89 71.38

7.99 72.71

-10.08% -5.81%

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

2.40 5.36 11.57 14.44 135.04

2.44 5.44 11.67 14.64 137.04

-12.50% -23.62% -3.52% -9.41% 3.94%

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.

44

T H I S D AY THURSDAY FEBRUARY 9, 2017

T H I S D AY THURSDAY FEBRUARY 9, 2017

45

46

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 9, 2017 ˾ T H I S D AY

INTERNATIONAL

email:foreigndesk@thisdaylive.com

Alexei Navalny: Russian Opposition Leader Found Guilty Russia’s main opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, has been found guilty of embezzlement and handed a five-year suspended sentence.

It bars him from running for president next year against Vladimir Putin.

But Mr Navalny has vowed to take part in the race regardless. He denies the charges and says he will appeal against the verdict.

His conviction came in a retrial after the European Court of Human Rights ruled the first trial to be unfair.

Reacting to the sentence, Mr Navalny said: “We don’t recognise this ruling. I have every right to take part in the election according to the constitution and I will do so.”

The outspoken critic of President Putin also said the sentence in the case, which he claims is politically motivated, was a sign that the Kremlin considered him to be too dangerous.

In addition to the suspended sentence, he and a co-defendant were both

handed a 500,000 rouble ($8,500; £6,700) fine.

Who is he?

Mr Navalny, 40, is known for his anti-corruption campaign, which targeted senior officials close to the Kremlin.

He says the case against him is an effort to keep him out of politics.

He had recently stepped up his political activity after announcing plans last year to run for the presidency in 2018. Mr Putin is allowed by the constitution to run for a second consecutive six-year term, but he has not said yet if he plans to do so.

Mr Navalny’s rise as a force in Russian politics began in 2008 when he started blogging about alleged malpractice and corruption at some of Russia’s big state-controlled corporations.

He described the president’s United Russia as “the party of crooks and thieves”, a phrase that stuck among many in Russia.

He stood for Moscow mayor

in 2013 and got more than a quarter of the vote, a surprise to many.

What are the accusations?

In the first trial, in 2013, Mr Navalny was found guilty of heading a group that embezzled timber worth 16m roubles ($500,000; £330,000) from the Kirovles state timber company while working as an adviser to Kirov’s governor, Nikita Belykh.

He was then given a fiveyear suspended sentence. The verdict was widely condemned by the European Union and the US, with opposition supporters clashing with police in Moscow, St Petersburg and other cities.

But the verdict was overturned by the Russian Supreme Court last year following a judgment by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) that said he was not given a fair hearing at the first trial.

The ECHR also said the original trial had failed to address allegations that it was politically motivated.

And last week, the ECHR ordered Russia to pay him more than €63,000 (£54,000; $67,000) in compensation, saying his right to peaceful protest had been violated multiple times, in cases dating back to 2012.

At the start of the verdict,

judge Alexei Vtyurin said the court had established that Mr Navalny had “organised” the theft.

Under Russian law, he is banned from running for office for 10 years after being convicted of a serious crime.

What has the reaction been?

Mr Navalny is vowing to press ahead with his election campaign despite the conviction.

“I will continue to represent the interests of people who want to see Russia a normal, honest and non-corrupt country,” he told reporters after the judge announced the sentence.

Mr Navalny had earlier said during a break in the judge’s reading that the judgment was a replica of the first trial: “So far the new verdict and old verdict are 100% comparable, including all the commas, spelling mistakes and even the order in which they put out testimonials.

Everything was taken from the old verdict.”

Asked if Mr Navalny’s absence from the presidential race would undermine the legitimacy of the election, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters before the verdict session: “We believe any concerns about this are inappropriate.”

Yemen Conflict: UN Launches $2.1bn Aid Appeal amid Famine Threat The UN has appealed for $2.1bn (£1.7bn) to provide life-saving assistance to 12 million people in war-torn Yemen who it says face the threat of famine.

Humanitarian coordinator Jamie McGoldrick said the situation was catastrophic and rapidly deteriorating.

Almost 3.3 million people, including 2.1 million children, are suffering from acute malnutrition.

Pro-government forces, supported by a Saudi-led coalition, have been battling the rebel Houthi movement since 2015.

The coalition intervened after the rebels seized the capital, Sana’a, and then forced President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi into exile.

Since then, pro-government fighters have driven the rebels out of much of southern Yemen, but the rebels still control Sana’a and large parts of the north-west.

The fighting has left at least 7,470 people dead and 40,000 injured, although the UN says the figure is likely to be higher as it only received reports from the 45% of health facilities that are still functioning.

At the launch of its 2017 humanitarian response plan for Yemen, the UN said two years of war had left an estimated 18.8 million people in need of humanitarian or protection assistance – an increase of almost 20% since late 2014.

An estimated 10.3 million people are acutely affected and need some form of immediate humanitarian assistance to save and sustain their lives, including food, health and medical services, clean water

and sanitation, and protection.

“Two years of war have devastated Yemen and millions of children, women and men desperately need our help,” Stephen O’Brien, under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, said in a statement.

“Without international support, they may face the threat of famine in the course of 2017 and I urge donors to sustain and increase their support to our collective response.”

Some 460,000 children under five are suffering from life-threatening severe acute malnutrition, a 57% increase compared with 2015.

Last week, the UN said an estimated 63,000 children had died in 2016 of preventable causes often linked to malnutrition, such as diarrhoeal diseases, malaria and respiratory infections.

The BBC’s Imogen Foulkes in Geneva says the UN hopes its appeal will be fully funded quickly. But money is not the only hurdle, our correspondent adds.

Yemen’s air and sea ports are regularly blocked by the warring parties, and supplies can often not get in. A UNsponsored peace process also appears stalled.

The aid agency Oxfam has accused countries who could be helping end the war - including the UK, which has supplied arms to Saudi Arabia - of “complicity”.

“Many governments have weighed their narrow national interests in the Middle East against humanity, and humanity has lost,” it said on Wednesday.

Russia’s main opposition leader, Alexei Navalny

Elizabeth Warren Silenced over US Senate Criticism of Sessions Democratic US Senator Elizabeth Warren was silenced by Senate Republicans on Tuesday after reading a letter written by the widow of Martin Luther King Jr. The 30-year-old letter criticised Jeff Sessions, President Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general.

Mitch McConnell, the Republican majority leader, said Ms Warren had broken Senate rules by impugning the conduct of another senator.

She is banned from speaking again in the Senate on Mr Sessions’ nomination.

The vote is expected on Wednesday.

The incident has outraged Democrats, and delighted the Massachusetts senator’s detractors.

So what is the rule that gagged her, and was it fairly applied?

How did this happen?

The incident occurred during a debate in the Senate on the nomination of Mr Sessions to be America’s top prosecutor.

Elizabeth Warren started reading a 1986 letter by Coretta Scott King, written to oppose President Reagan’s nomination

of Mr Sessions as a federal judge.

Ms Scott King’s letter alleged that Mr Sessions was unsuitable for that role because he had “used the awesome powers of his office in a shabby attempt to intimidate and frighten elderly black voters”.

Ms Warren also quoted the late Senator Ted Kennedy, who called Mr Sessions a“throwback to a shameful era”.

Mr Sessions’ nomination process has been dogged by allegations of racism.

The Alabama senator has denied the allegations, and his supporters have pointed to his vote to extend the Voting Rights Act. Media captionJeff Sessions said caricature of him as a ‘Southern racist was painful’ Ms Warren’s reading was interrupted by the Senate’s presiding officer, Republican Senator Steve Daines of Montana, who said she was breaking a rule that stops senators accusing each other of “unbecoming” conduct.

Mr McConnell, the Republican leader of the Senate, agreed.

His objection to Ms Warren’s speech was put to a vote, and

the chamber voted to silence Ms Warren by 49 to 43.

What is this rule?

Under Rule 19, members of the Senate are not allowed to “directly or indirectly, by any form of words impute to another Senator or to other Senators any conduct or motive unworthy or unbecoming a Senator”.

Ms Warren denied breaching it, saying: “I am surprised that the words of Coretta Scott King are not suitable for debate in the United States Senate. I ask leave of the Senate to continue my remarks.”

However, the Republicans disagreed, and voted to silence her.

Is the rule usually enforced?

It depends who you ask.

Democrats have argued that Republicans are selectively enforcing the measure.

In July 2015 Senator Ted Cruz of Texas was not found to have violated it despite accusing Mitch McConnell - a member of his own party - of a “flat-out lie”.

On 1 February, Republican Senator David Perdue tested the waters with a direct attack on Chuck Schumer, the Senate’s top Democrat, who cried at a

press conference on President Trump’s immigration ban.

“The minority leader’s tearjerking performance over the past weekend belongs at the Screen Actors Guild awards, not in a serious discussion of what it takes to keep America safe,” he said.

Mr Schumer said of Ms Warren’s treatment: “If the average American heard someone read a letter from Coretta Scott King... they would not be offended.

It seems to me that we could use Rule 19 almost every day on the floor of the Senate. This is selective enforcement.”

However, Mr McConnell defended the decision after the vote, saying Ms Warren had been given a warning.

“Sen Warren was giving a lengthy speech. She had appeared to violate the rule. She was warned.

She was given an explanation,”he said.“Nevertheless, she persisted.”

What has been the reaction?

Ms Warren subsequently read Coretta Scott King’s letter live on Facebook, outside the Senate.

The letter by Coretta Scott King was widely shared on social media with the hashtag #LetLizSpeak.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2017˾ T H I S D AY

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NEWSXTRA

Collapse of Ibadan Depot Heightens Concern over Fuel Shortages in South-west Ex-depot price of petrol hits N143 per litre Ejiofor Alike The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has raised the alarm that the collapse of the Ibadan Depot has heightened concern over looming fuel scarcity in some states in the South West Zone, which is under NNPC’s System 2B pipeline network.

This development is coming as IPMAN has also alleged that the ex-depot price of petrol has hit N143 per litre in some private depots in Lagos, above the recommended official price of N133.28.

Under System 2B, the most

active petrol supply network, accounting for 60 per cent of fuel distribution in the country, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) pumps petrol from Atlas Cove Depot in Lagos to Ejigbo Depot also in Lagos and then to the various NNPC depots in the zone.

From Ejigbo Depot, the fuel is pumped to Mosimi Depot in Ogun State, as well as Ibadan, Ore and Ilorin Depots, where marketers load product to the various retail outlets in south west and some parts of Northcentral Zone.

But the collapse of Ibadan Depot, as well as the under-

Makoju Seeks Restructuring, Better Funding for Stable Electricity Supply Crusoe Osagie As Nigeria grapples with epileptic power supply, Adviser to the President of Dangote Group, Mr. Joe Makoju, has called for adequate funding and restructuring of the power sector so as to achieve relative stability in electricity generation and distribution.

He said the power sector is currently cash strapped to the point of even threatening the health of financial institutions and the wider national economy.

To restructure the sector for effective services, Makoju advised a reduction in the distribution zones.

Speaking at a two-day Power Sector Stakeholders Interactive Dialogue convened by the National Assembly in Abuja, Makoju who was special adviser to three different Presidents of Nigeria on Power canvassed for a fundamental structural change as against the current path of tariff increases and government bailouts.

He said: “I want to stress that, I do not wish to be alarmist; but if we continue on the current path of tariff increases and government bailouts without fundamental structural changes, we will soon be dealing with a disaster.

What assets are on ground will depreciate, financial positions will deepen, and eventually we will all come back to these same conclusions but after much more harm has been done.”

While revealing that the failure of the Power Sector under government management was not technical and commercial management of the business but the absence of sustained and adequate funding of the sector, he said despite the privatization exercise six years ago, the problem of the sector remains the same.

According to him, “Most of the private sector investors in the power privatization had no specialist knowledge or understanding of the power sector, which has eroded the technical and managerial competence in the industry. And the funding problems have persisted and even

become exacerbated as they now even threaten the stability and health of the nation’s banking system as well as the entire electricity sector. “ While noting that the distribution end of the value chain is the most inefficient and has suffered the greatest neglect, he described it as one whichunderpins the financial viability and sustainability of the entire sector. “To get the sector moving forward we need to improve its liquidity position, and this can only be accomplished through satisfied, paying customers.” he asserted.

Still on the issue of adequate funding for the sector, Makoju said the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED) reports that as at December 2016, the funding gap in the power sector is over N1 trillion and as such, he advised that funding must be looked at from the perspective of new equity and debt financing arrangements and structures, and internally generated revenue maximization.

As a lasting solution, he also canvassed new capable players working in a reconfigured power sector while also considering residual government shares for bringing in long term funding.

While urging the FG to declare a state of emergency in the power sector, he routes for the engagement of industry experts and policymakers to draw up a comprehensive power sector master plan building on past provisions and arrangements to deliver an electricity industry fit for current and future needs.

Makoju said: “The present configuration is not working and will not work even with more money pumped in. The structure of the sector needs to be reconfigured for efficiency, with fewer distribution zones for instance. These can be managed and coordinated by a reputable international operator like EDF, Globeleq, Actis, Reliance, etc. in partnership with financially credible Nigerian entities”Makoju also canvassed for the restructuring of the TCN management for better service delivery.

utilisation of Ejigbo and Ore depots has left marketers with only Mosimi Depot, which is providing skeletal services.

Chairman of Ibadan Depot Branch of IPMAN, Alhaji Raheem Rasaq Tayo told journalists yesterday that the shortage of petroleum products in the south west region has led to a situation where private depots hike prices of products at will.

According to him, the inability of the Ibadan depot to dispense product has led to high cost of product in the private depots in Lagos. ‘‘For now, private depots operators are the only major supplier of petroleum products in the South-West region. As at now now, petrol is sold for 143 per litre; diesel goes for 248 per litre and kerosene is

245 per litre. This price excludes transport and all other ancillary charges,” he said.

He alleged that the private depots price band does not conform with the price template approved by the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) .

Tayo further stated that majority of the marketers have abandoned PPPRA’s pricing template, adding that the situation is more worrisome in Ibadan. ‘‘Unless something is done and urgently too by the federal government, our members might be forced to shut down their outlets. At the moment, many of them are running out of stock and are closing down because they cannot replenish their stock at the current market price. We appeal to the public

for understanding as we can no longer can cope with the economic loss being incurred in carrying out our business, especially in this era electricity supply is poor with our members spending a chunk of of what ought to be their profit on powering generators to energise the fuel pumps,” he explained.

“This is not our making. We also appeal to the government at all levels to exercise their influence and right to ensure that Ibadan depot becomes fully operational as this is the only way through which supply of petroleum product can be guaranteed at affordable prices,’’ he added He urged the NNPC to allow marketers to bridge products from other depots as a means of cushioning the effect and untold hardship marketers are facing.

He also called on the Oyo

State Government to look into the issue of huge taxes and levies, which he said, was impacting negatively on the operations of IPMAN members.

“A situation whereby state approval by Oyo State Government has now risen to over 10million from the initial 1.5million which our members cannot even pay can only mean one thing; that the state government is banning construction of filling stations. Government should realize that many outlet owners are only keeping their stations hoping that things would improve. And until such a time the federal government got grip of the situation, especially the supply of petroleum products, unprofitable business would persist in the downstream sector,’’ he added.

AUGUST VISITOR

L-R: Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos, Prof. Rahamon Bello; Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; and Chairman, Centre of Excellence University of Lagos Radio/TV, Prof. Ralph Akinfeleye, at the dinner of the West African Regional Round of the Price Media Law Moot Court Competition in Lagos ....Tuesday.

EFCC Arraigns Senior Advocate, Belgore, Ex-minister for Money Laundering Davidson Iriekpen The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday arraigned a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mohammed Belgore and a former Minister of National Planning, Prof. Abubakar Suleiman before a Federal High Court in Lagos on charges of money laundering.

The accused are standing trial before Justice Mohammed Aikawa on a five-count charge bordering on the offence.

EFCC accused them of conspiring to directly take possession of N450million, which they reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act.

The money, THISDAY gathered, was meant for Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) campaign in Kwara State.

The commission said they committed the alleged offence

on March 27, 2015.

In the second count, EFCC said they directly took possession of the sum of N450 million, while in the third count, the accused were said to have conspired to make cash payment of the sum without going through a financial institution.

In the fourth and fifth count, the anti-graft commission said the accused persons were accused of making cash payment of N450million to one Sheriff Shagaya without going through financial institution.

The alleged offences were said to have contravened the provisions of Section 15, 15(3), 16, 16(2) 18(a) and 18 (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012.

The accused pleaded not guilty to all the counts.

Counsel to the first accused, Mr. Ebun Shofunde (SAN), prayed the court to grant his client bail

on self-recognition.

“Given his antecedents, I am asking that bail be on selfrecognisance because he has always made himself available while on administrative bail.

“He has being a Senior Advocate of Nigeria since 2001. He is not a threat and not likely to jump bail given his standing. He has also being a lawyer since 1985,” he said.

Counsel to the second accused, Chief Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN), also prayed the court to grant the former minister bail on self-recognition.

“He is a renowned educationist, a professor of political science and international relations at the University of Abuja.

“He has served this country as a minister in 2014. He has been involved in teaching and research for the past 30 years; he has graduated more than 10,000 students for the past 30 years.

“He voluntarily submitted himself to EFCC and never

contravened the terms of his administrative bail. I urge your lordship to grant him bail on self-recognition,” he said.

Counsel to the EFCC, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo did not oppose the bail applications.

“We leave bail at your lordship’s discretion and pray that your lordship should impose conditions that will compel their attendance for trial,” he said.

In his ruling, Justice Aikawa granted the accused bail on self-recognition.

He said since the prosecution did not oppose the application, and considering the accused persons’ standing in the society, “they will not likely jump bail.”

The court however, ordered that their international passports be deposited with the Deputy Chief Registrar of the court and can only be released by the court’s order.

He adjourned till February 23 for trial.

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NEWSXTRA

Senate C’ttee: Nigeria Has Highest Maternal Mortality Rate in the World N’Assembly vows to allocate 15% of 2017 budget to health sector Moves against arbitrary sack of oil workers Omololu Ogunmade Ă“Ă˜ Abuja With 2,300 children below five years of age and 145 childbearing women dying every day, Nigeria has the highest maternal mortality rate in the world, it was learnt yesterday.

Citing the report of the United Nations Children Education Fund (UNICEF), the Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Senator Lanre Tejuosho, at a press briefing in National Assembly, said women and children had become endangered species.

He lamented that despite different kinds of ailments and diseases plaguing the citizens, annual budgetary allocations to the health sector have continued to decrease, a move he said the current National Assembly would reverse.

According to him, only N51 billion (2.78 per cent) of N2.24 trillion total capital vote has been allocated to the health sector while N2.52 billion (8.49) per cent of recurrent expenditure has been allocated to the sector.

He therefore said the

National Assembly would in this year, increased the health sector allocation to the tune of 15 per cent of the total budget in accordance with African Union Abuja Declaration of 2001.

He also said the legislative institution would ensure the implementation of 1 per cent consolidated revenue fund in National Health Act adding that it will support government proposal to build 10,000 primary health care.

Tejuosho also recalled a report in October, 2016, which showed that Nigeria spends over $1 billion (N305.250) on medical treatment abroad every.

Meanwhile, as the passage of Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB), otherwise known as Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), draws nearer, the Senate Joint Committee on Petroleum (Upstream, Downstream) and Gas has put machinery in place to guard against arbitrary sack of oil workers.

Hence, the committee yesterday adopted the report of its technical consultant which recommended that

no worker should be laid off after the unbundling of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) earlier than five years after the formal deregulation of the sector.

The technical consultant, Mr. Osten Olorunsola, in his presentation to the joint committee at the National Assembly yesterday, said: “No present staff should be disengaged until after five years of implementation.�

The joint committee has

consequently scheduled a retreat involving the consultant in Uyo, the capital of Akwa-Ibom state, for further deliberation on the report next week.

Also yesterday, the Senate promised speedy passage of National Building Code and necessary legal frameworks meant to forestall incessant collapse of buildings in the country.

Making this promise, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, while declaring open the

public hearing organised by the Senate Committee on Lands, Housing and Urban Development, said the Senate would employ more aggressive oversight scheme as another panacea.

Saraki who was represented by the Senate Leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan, said the forum would help the legislature to “provide a platform to undertake a detailed and thorough investigation with the engagement of all the relevant

stakeholders with a view of finding possible and lasting solution to these preventable housing disasters.�

He added:“Working together, we shall all rid our country of this menace, if not in its entirety but bring to the barest minimum the occurrence of these disasters and also very importantly, purge the construction industry of all forms of unsafe and negligent acts in the construction processes.�

DHQ: Military to Uphold Human Rights Tenets Arik Air solicits for airlift of soldiers for peace keeping operations Paul Obi Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË

strictly adhered to and observed in all its operations�.

The Defence Headquarters Acting Executive Secretary, yesterday pledged to uphold NHRC, Mrs. Oti Anukpe principles of human rights in all Ovrawah, said the team had its operations and engagements come to seek collaboration with across the country. the Nigerian Military at both The Chief of Defence the national and field command Staff (CDS) General Gabriel levels in Adamawa, Borno and Olonisakin, emphasised that the Yobe States in the project aimed Nigerian military has always at promoting human rights been guided by the principles accountability in the prosecution of human rights protection in of counter insurgency operations the spirit of democracy. in the States.

The CDS made this known Also, the Chairman of Arik when the Project Implementation Airline, Joseph Arumemi, Committee of the National yesterday solicited the Human Rights Commission airlifting of officers and men (NHRC) and its partners visited of the Nigerian armed forces, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) including those on peace keeping in Abuja. operations inside and outside Represented by the Chief of the country.

Defence Policy and Plans, Air He made this call when he Vice Marshal Bashir Saidu, the led a delegation to pay courtesy CDS assured the delegation “that call on General Olonisakin at the the armed forces of Nigeria Defence Headquarters Abuja. would continue to respect Arumemi explained that the right of every individual, the airlines “could contribute not only in its operations in positively to various peace the North East but in every keeping operations by providing other operations it is involved.� affordable air transportation and He said: “The DHQ and the better services to the members of services have Departments of the armed forces.�

Civil Military Relations which therefore solicited support of report directly to the CDS and DHQ to have confidence in Arik the service chiefs respectively. Airline, as an indigenous airline Olonisakin maintained that that put safety as its priority. the military has also established The CDS, who was also Human Rights Desks in all its represented by the Chief of formations, units and operational Policy and Plans, Air Vice Marshal areas across the country.

Saidu, reaffirmed the military’s “This gesture,� he said, “was commitment to continue to do its aimed at ensuring that the best to ensure safety of all Nigerians principles of human rights are around the country.

FOR BETTER ECONOMY

L-R: President, Lagos State Chambers of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Mrs. Nike Akande; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah; and the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Aliyu Bisalla, during the visit of the LCCI team to the minister in Abuja...yesterday

Rivers Elders Condemn Police Report on Rerun Elections Ugo Aliogo Elders under the aegis of Rivers State Elders’ Consultative Council have described the police report on the bribery allegations against the state Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, as a calculated attempt to stop the moving train of the people of the state and vowed to stop it by all legal means.

The elders’ opinion was contained in a statement signed by its Executive Secretary, Chief Granville Abiye Georgewill, wondering where the Inspector General of Police (IG), Ibrahim Idris and his panel got the N1000 denomination and bundles of money they displayed for the world to see on Tuesday. “It even casts more doubt when the IG claimed that all the money are from a particular bank which gives the impression that all the 23 INEC staff (Electoral Officers ) operate one bank, wonders shall not end,� they observed.

Rising from an emergency meeting of the body, the elders recalled that it was becoming unbearable that the All Progressives Congress (APC)

government at the centre has decided to single out their son, Wike and his party to test their weakness and unpreparedness in the fight against crime and criminality in the county.

They were emphatic: “The elders  and the good people of Rivers State will no longer tolerate a situation where some persons or group of persons would be masquerading federal might to avenge what they consider a defeat of their political ambitions. “It is not in doubt that Rivers State is PDP. It is also not in doubt that Wike has earned the respect, loyalty and support of the people of the state following his unprecedented landmark infrastructural developments in the state, in spite of lean resources and distractions. “This should not attract enmity to him nor to the state, rather he should be commended and appreciated by all, borrowing a leaf from both The Sun Newspaper and Daily Independent Newspaper who found him worthy of being conferred with the title of the Best Performing Governor of the Year 2016,� the elders contended.

The elders hinted that a

world press conference would be organised to articulate all the injustices meted by the federal government on the state, to draw the attention of the international community to what is actually happening in the country, particularly in the state.

They advised all Rivers people to remain calm and continue to support the efforts of the governor in his determination to put the state in the international map of progress and prosperity.

Also, a civil society, Network for Transparency, Equity and Fairness, has described the conclusions in the police report as not only hasty but mischievous, malicious and politically-motivated.

In a statement signed by the president, Dr. Kemakolam Steve Nwofor, the group said: “It is unfortunate and embarrassingly disgraceful that the police authority will want Nigerians and  indeed the world to believe them, that in an election day in this country the government of Rivers State gave bribe to INEC or other officials connected with the  election. “It is very obvious that the police or the APC, led federal

government would need to find some other reasons to vent their anger on Wike, who they are out to decimate as they have found him unbeatable.�

The civil society group is worried that the police have so degenerated in the fight against opponents of the PDP, noting however that,   “if they don’t show it in the so-called fight against corruption; they do so in the fight against insecurity.

We thought the injustice will stop as selective fight against corruption but we can now see it in all areas, no more borders. “So the police want us to believe that only PDP gave bribe if any, and the APC did not. This is arrant nonsense, and the earlier the federal government stops chasing shadows the better for them as that report is dead on arrival,� the group emphasised.

They advised the Wike-led state government not to loose sleep as the mistakes of the police in their hasty report has already exonerated and vindicated them, that the APC-led federal government is determined to stifle the opposition to surrender, adding that only time would tell how far they can go.

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Unite for the Task ahead, Nwodo Charges Ndigbo Begins nationwide consultations Says I can’t disown IPOB Ugo Aliogo The new President General of the Igbo umbrella organisation, Ohanaeze Nidigbo, Chief John

Nnia Nwodo, has charged Ndigbo to embrace his plan of uniting the people for the enormous challenge ahead.

Nwodo told various segments

FEC GIVES NOD TO MEASURES TO BRING DOWN FOOD PRICES the policy itself it not only done transparently but also robustly to ensure that we achieve the desired objective which is to make sure that we become self sufficient in tomato within the next one or two years.”

Power, Works and Housing Minister, Babtunde Fashola, said the council approved the construction of Ilorin-Omu Aran-Kabba Road, Section I in order to complement ongoing works on the Kabba-Egbe Road to link Kwara and Kogi States at the cost of N21 billion.

“The justification for the memo and consequent approval is consistent with our promise to continue to reduce travel time, to ease the cost of doing business and the cost of goods and services,” he said.

The council, according to him, also approved “consultancy services for professionals to conduct line route studies, environmental/ social impact assessment and resettlement action plan as well environmental/social management

plan in order for us to access the Japanese International Corporation Agency’s loan to support TCN to continue its transmission grid expansion programme.

“Before we start the construction, we must do an assessment of the routes that some of the transmission lines will pas through.

“The projects for which approval has been obtained from council cover areas like Arigbajo, Abeokuta, Olorunshogo, Ikeja West, Oshogbo, Ogijo, Ikorodu, Shagamu and part of Benin towards Edo State contiguous to Ondo State around Omotosho as well as Agbara and Badagry.

“When completed and construction takes place, it will help us in the evacuation of power from the Olorunshogo Power Plant to supply industrial clusters in Ogun and part of Lagos State.

“The consultant service for the three is for about N589million.”

of Igbo groups based in Abuja last Tuesday that the challenge before Ndigbo in today’s Nigeria is enormous and only a united and focused people can make a difference.

The president general who was on the first phase of his consultations with the people that would take him to Abuja and Lagos, told Ndigbo to bury whatever differences they might have and unite to confront the common enemy.

He said: “The goodwill and enthusiasm of the people on his emergence would only be the catalyst that would fire his determination to serve the people diligently.”

On the IPOB and MASSOB, Nwodo said: “No reasonable father would disown his child publicly because he misbehaved,” pointing out that Nigerians should also ask

themselves question regarding the circumstances that forced these youths to react the way they are doing.

Nwodo said there are apparently double standards in the handling of protesters in Nigeria by security agencies and wondered if there are different laws for different people.

The leader of Ndigbo noted that his leadership tends to harmonise both political and corporate Igbo leaders with a view to having a common front for the development of the regions.

He noted that the persistent marginalisation of Ndigbo in the country would be a thing of the past if the people take their destiny in their hands and take their God-given entrepreneurial skill home by investing in the spirit of ‘Akurue uno’ (the wealth that reaches home).

Nwodo, who was accompanied on the trip by some members of his executive committee, was enthusiastically received by various segments of the people with dancing and singing.

Earlier on arrival in Abuja, he paid courtesy call on the Palace of the Ezeigbo of Abuja, Chief Nwosu Ibe, who prayed for him and charged him to restore the pride of Ndigbo.

Among top Igbo elite who at various times met and discussed with the new Ohanaeze leaders were former Governor of Anambra State, Okwadike Chukwuemeka Ezeife; former Ministers, Tim Menakaya, Ihechukwu Madubuike, Frank Nweke Junior, Mrs. Viola Onwuliri, as well as top business men from the region.

In Lagos yesterday, Nwodo

was scheduled to meet with various segments of Ndigbo including Alaba and ASMDA traders as well as Ndigbo Lagos group, Aka Ikenga and the leadership of apex Yoruba socio-political group, the Afenifere.

Meanwhile, the Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council has congratulated the Ohanaeze leader, promising to have a healthy working relationship with him.

In a letter signed on behalf of the group by the Emir of Gummni who is the Chairman of the coordinating committee, Justice Lawal Hassan, the group said they are convinced that working in harmony with Ohanaeze would open new frontiers of cooperation among the people and engender peace, development and progress for the country.

Kingsley Kuku’s Case, Frivolous, Says Abuja Inquirer Publisher Newspaper opens defence Magu, EFCC boss, to testify The Publisher of The Abuja Inquirer Newspapers, Dan Akpovwa, has said the libel suit instituted against the publication by the former Presidential Adviser on the Amnesty programme, Kingsley Kuku, is frivolous, and aimed at intimidating media.

Akpovwa said at the Abuja High Court when hearing resumed in the case of Kingsley Kuku Vs The Abuja Inquirer (Suit No. CV/263/15).

Justice Jude Okeke of Abuja High Court 12 is the presiding judge.

Kuku ran the Amnesty programme under President Goodluck Jonathan. His tenure had come under serious investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

In mid`2015, he was invited by the EFCC as part of its ongoing investigation, but Kuku failed to show up. His lawyers wrote to the EFCC that he was in America for medical reasons and would honour their invitation

by September 30, 2015, but he has not done that for almost two years now.

Led in evidence by Bassey Offiong, the lead counsel for the Abuja Inquirer Newspapers, Akpovwa said

his newspaper is not guilty in the case.

Also, in his statement under oath, which was admitted in court, Akpovwa said: “The words complained of by the plaintiff were neither libelous nor slanderous, but well considered and made in the public interest.”

Under cross-examination by Kuku’s lawyer, C. Okorie from the Chambers of Karina Tunya (SAN).

Akpovwa insisted that the publication of the story was driven by pure public interest and not for any financial gains, pointing out that that fact that Kingsley Kuku has not returned to Nigeria to answer the EFCC invitation buttresses the story.

Akpovwa was the first defence witness called by Offiong, and was cross examined for nearly two hours.

He urged the court to dismiss the suit “with costs for being frivolous, vexatious” and an abuse of court process.

He also asked for N5,000,000 in “general damages.”

The case was adjourned to March 14 where the Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu is expected to testify for the defence.

WE STAND BY OUR STORY

Publisher of The Abuja Inquirer, Dan Akpovwa, discussing with his lawyer, Bassey Offiong, outside the Abuja High Court in Maitama, Abuja, at the resumed hearing of the Kingsley Kuku Vs The Abuja Inquirer libel case .....yesterday.

NCDMB Pledges to Partner Nigeria Machine Tools Obinna Chima The Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Content Development and Management Board (NCDMB), Mr. Simbi Waobote, has expressed support for the Nigeria Machine Tools Limited (NMTL).

According to a statement, Waobote said this when he led members of the NCDMB delegation on a familiarisation tour of the company’s 110 hectare manufacturing complex.

He pointed out that the manufacturing industry in various countries around the world play a huge role in its economic development, job creations and technological advancement. According to the statement, in a developing economies such as Nigeria, industrialisation had been slowed paced due largely to over-dependence on the oil and gas industry for foreign exchange earnings and over-reliance on foreign machines, to the detriment of the manufacturing

sector.

Furthermore, the statement noted that Nigeria’s manufacturing sector had experienced a positive turn with the privatisation of NMTL. The company founded in 1980, Osogbo, Osun State offers precision engineered products, production and distribution of machine tools and accessories, mechanical spares and after sales support. As a catalyst for industrialisation, NMTL had partnered with several government owned establishments such as the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) to boost machine tools production in the country which would in turn reduce the cost of quality tools to local end users, create more jobs, grow exports and reduce dependency on foreign tools.

The Executive Secretary pledged NCDMB’s support to the company.

He commended Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production

Company (SNPECO) for identifying and partnering with NTML saying, “I am particularly impressed with the facilities I’ve see here today. I commend SNEPCO for identifying and partnering with an indigenous company to manufacture tools useful to the industry. I assure you we will latch on what SNEPCO has done especially on your potentials to manufacture bolts, flanges and other accessories to call on other IOCs and indigenous oil companies to patronise you.”

Wabote further assured the company of patronage in ongoing projects and lauded the standard of the company’s training facilities.

He added: “There is no other place to train machinists in this country like what I have seen here. I urge you to upgrade the trainings to certification standards because this constitutes 80 per cent of your market. If you can do this, the patronage from NCDMB will be limitless.

NCDMB will throw its weight behind you.”

In his welcome address

at the event, the Managing Director of NTML, Mr. Nobert Chukwuma, said the company would continue to play its role to ensure Nigeria meets its industrialisation goals despite the challenges that abound.

He stated that the company’s capacity utilisation stood at 45 per cent, identifying other challenges such as anti-competitive pricing and dependency on imported tools.

The chairman of NTML, Mr. Didi Ndiomu further reiterated the company’s commitment to continually manufacture tools that can compete both locally and internationally, assuring the Executive Secretary his recommendations would be applied and results delivered.

NMTL’s facility consists of four assembly and heavy machine shops, three light machine shops, and a foundry with independent pattern and casting shops and a dedicated training school and the second largest foundry in the country.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2017˾ T H I S D AY

50

NEWSXTRA

Presidency, Senate to Collaborate on Legal Framework for Credit Information Sharing with Credit Bureaus Omololu Ogunmade ÓØ ÌßÔË The Senate in collaboration with the presidency has initiated moves to work on a legal framework meant to facilitate credit information sharing between credit bureaus and lenders.

Speaking at a one-day public hearing in National Assembly organised by Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions, the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo, said repositioning credit facilities through legislation would facilitate credit information sharing between the credit bureaus and lenders such as banks and financial institutions. He added that the development would increase the availability of credit and also reduce its cost.

The acting president who was represented by Dr. Jumoke Wole at the hearing, said to achieve the drive for a favourable business environment, a Presidential and Business Environment Council had been established by President Muhammadu Buhari last year to foster a favourable business environment in Nigeria.

He said the committee was also expected to identify the

constraints and restrictions which serve as obstacles to ease of doing business in Nigeria and for the development of the economy.

The council, he added, is chaired by his office and consist of 10 ministers, the head of service and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

He urged the Senate to send a representation from the National Assembly to the council.

In his remarks, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, said the Eight Senate was committed to reviewing laws affecting Nigerian business environment, adding: “This is in order to give the private sector a lift as the main driver of economic development.”

He also said the Senate had come up with three bills, viz: “The Legal Framework for Credit Bureau Services Bill 2017 (SB 205); The National Payment System Bill, 2017 (SB 005) and “The Foreign Exchange (Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, CAP F34 LFN, 2004 (Amendment) Bill, 2017 (SB181).”

Saraki explained that the purpose of these priority bills was to open the economic space to attract greater private sector investmentw especially those

that enable small business investments to thrive and create more jobs for our people within a friendly business climate.

He said: “The Legal Framework for Credit Bureau Services Bill, 2017 one of the priority bills we have listed here, seeks to promote the use of credit information, access to finance, knowledge of credit bureaus to improve the lending environment in Nigeria.

“This bill adds a very critical scheme that will aid Credit Risk Management and reduce significantly the incidence of Non-performing Loan Portfolio in the system.

“This bill goes beyond being an assessment tool

for financial inclusion, it is a social re-engineering tool that will soon be useful to both the labour market and the education sector in the evaluation of behaviour and performance in such a manner that reduces risks across all baselines.”

The Senate President further noted that the bill especially seeks to remove the clog on the wheel of access to credit, saying “the implication is the expansion of the band of those technically able to access credit through a more scientific, objective, less subjective and neutral review as credit houses will now have the tools to provide credits to Nigerians

for economic activities that have direct positive impact on the national economy more readily and in a cost effective way having reduced to the barest minimum the risk of default through delinquent behaviours” The National Payment System Bill, 2016, he added, is another important bill that the Senate has identified through the report of the technical committee on the review of business laws. This bill is slated as a critical framework necessary to help modernize the Nigerian financial services market.

According to him, “The bill aims at providing the

regulatory oversight of the National Payments System. It will engender a veritable scheme for controlling and monitoring payment institutions, authorities to ensure that at all times they serve the best interest of the consumers’ and ensure the licensing process is transparent and efficient.

Earlier in his address, chairman Senate Committee on Banking Insurance and other Financial Institutions, Senator Rafiu Ibrahim promised that inputs from stakeholders in the banking and other financial institutions would aid the Senate to come out with legislations that could lead the country out of the present economic woes.

FCTA Bans Church Posters from Abuja Metropolis To procure 25 generators to power street lights Olawale Ajimotokan ÓØ ÌßÔË The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) yesterday issued a blanket order warning churches to desist from pasting posters in the nation’s capital.

The order was given by the Acting Coordinator of Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Hajia Safia

Umar.

AMMC is one of the agencies under FCTA which is saddled with the effective administratiom of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Umar lamented that the infiltration of religious posters in public places in Abuja notably by those originating from churches was constituting an eyesore in the city.

She said AMMC had discussed the arbitrary flooding of the church posters in house with the Department of Outdoor Advertising and Signage (DOAS), the body in charge of all matters concerning outdoor advertising and signage in FCT, with a view to tackling and putting in place regulatory strategies by partnering the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Umar lamented that most of the churches in the habit of defacing Abuja with religious

posters, were not affiliated to CAN, a development which made it difficult to moderate their activities. She added that even CAN President Rev. Samson Olasupo Adeniyi Ayokunle at a meeting with AMMC last year, complained against the practice of the churches of defacing the open spaces and Abuja gardens with the posters.

“We have discussed the arbitrary spreading of posters by churches in public domain at our management level. CAN finds it difficult to moderate this excesses because it claimed the perpetrators are not affiliated to it. But government is working towards controlling this practice to a large extent,” Umar vowed.

But shedding more light on the matter, the Director of DOAS, Ibrahim Yusuf, appealed to the churches to remove the posters in compliance with law of the Abuja Environmental Protection

Board (AEPB).

He warned that church operators that violated the order would be arraigned before the mobile court for posting posters in public places.

He said the penalty for an individual is a fine N5,000 or one month imprisonment. Churches found to err against the AEPB law would be fined N50,000 while their sponsors would be sentenced to six months jail term.

Meanwhile, Umar has revealed that the agency has offered to procure 21 generating sets to provide alternative power supply backup for street lights in the case of power outage.

She said the contract to supply the generators that would ensure malfunctioning of lights on major roads becomes a thing of the past as it would be tackled in the next four months as contractors to supply and maintain the generators were being pre-qualified.

WTO: Nigeria Needs Access to Foreign Markets to Boost Exports Says it should also open doors to other countries James Emejo ÓØ ÌßÔË The Counsellor/Head of the African and Management Trade Policies Review Division, of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Mr. Jacques Degbelo, yesterday urged the country to open its doors to other nations for trade because the latter equally needs access to foreign markets to boost its exports as well as diversify the economy.

Specifically, he said Nigeria needed to establish modest conditions for exporting to other nations as well framework for other countries to trade with the country.

He said the WTO, including other multilateral agencies, were keen on helping the country develop appropriate trade regulations to help to significantly diversify its economy away from oil.

The WTO scribe said though there’s need for every country to guard against harmful trade practices that undermine economic development and

kill local industries, adopting outright protectionist strategy was not the right way forward.

Speaking in Abuja during a media briefing on the sidelines of the ongoing workshop on ‘Strengthening Nigeria’s Trade Support Imitative: Making the ECOWAS Common External Tariff (CET) Work for Nigeria’s, he added that the organisation would guide the country to make it competitive and effectively diversify its revenue base.

Nevertheless, Trade Advisor to the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment and Chief Negotiator, Mr. Chiedu Osakwe, said it was disheartening that the country currently has no trade defence mechanism though the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah, is currently leading efforts to correct the anomalies.

He said part of the issues to be considered as the country attempts to rejig it trade laws and treaties would be whether

the current 0.5 per cent levy on exports was productive or otherwise, considering government’s efforts to boost exports.

Osakwe further told THISDAY that though the country needed a safeguard against importation of heavily subsidised goods which undermine economic diversification, such regulations must be carried out in a “nonprotectionist” way.

He further argued that the larger responsibility rested on domestic agents as the government tries to refine its trade programme.

Importantly, he said there must be coherence between monetary and fiscal authorities as well as structural reform policies to help build investorconfidence in the economy.

According to him, the country’s existing trade regulations had become outdated and needed finetuning to align it with modern economic realities.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2017˾ T H I S D AY

51

NEWS

Police Prevent Passengers Seeking Refund from Arik Chinedu Eze The police yesterday allegedly blocked passengers from gaining access to the head office of Arik Air at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos to seek for a refund.

Paucity of aviation fuel and harmattan haze last December forced the airline to cancel many of its flights even till January this year, but reports indicated that it did not want to refund the passengers their fares, according to international practices and as stipulated by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

THISDAY learnt that the aggrieved passengers stormed the airline’s headquarters to demand for the refund of their air ticket but the gates were locked and manned by fierce looking security officials.

Although officials of the airline claimed that police officials were

always at the main entrance of the head office, but a higher number of police officers were seen yesterday and seemed poised to block the passengers who dared to push their way through the gate.

A source close to the airline said that the management might have invited the security operatives to forestall a breakdown of law and order by some of the aggrieved passengers.

Some of the security operatives in police uniform were outside the entrance gate while others were inside the building, as informed source disclosed that the security men arrived the airline gates with a vehicle with registration number Abuja: BWR 641 GA. One of the aggrieved passengers, who refused to disclose her name, alleged that her N800,000 ticket funds have been trapped in the airline since

December 23, 2016 and explained that she bought air tickets for some group of passengers who were supposed to travel to Johannesburg, South Africa with the airline, but the flight was cancelled by the airline, stressing that since then, she has been unable to get refund.

However, inside source told THISDAY that the passengers had to be blocked because of their proclivity to violence, disclosing that passengers who did not travel as scheduled had at different times destroyed their property and beat up their staff and such would not be allowed at the head office of the airline.

The source also said the airline was still counting losses incurred from the violent activities of the passengers who “don’t listen to reason but chose to tale laws into their hands always.”

Army Begins Construction of Infrastructure in Sambisa Forest Paul Obi ÓØ ÌßÔË The Nigerian Army yesterday said it had commenced the construction of infrastructure facilities in the notorious Sambisa forest, formerly a Boko Haram’s enclave.

The Director of Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen Sani Usman, explained that the construction of infrastructure was in line with the resolved of the army top command to keep off remnants of Boko Haram terrorists.

Usman said: “The Nigerian Army Engineers (NAE) Corps in a bid to actualise the directive of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusufu Buratai, of holding this year’s Nigerian Army Small Arms Championship (NASAC 2017) in Sambisa Forest, Borno State, has mobilised to site and commenced access roads clearance and the construction of ranges and other facilities.”

The COAS last month had made known the army’s intention

to build infrastructure in the area by creating more access roads, bridges and amenities.

Many Boko Haram terrorists often used the Sambisa forest as their hideout, where they come out to attack vulnerable neighbouring communities and villages.

The aim of the construction of the facilities, according to the army headquarters, is to purge out all traces of the terrorists who used the area as their strategic base.

Police to Deploy Sniffer Dogs on Kaduna-Abuja Highway,Vulnerable Spots The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Ibrahim Idris, yesterday said the Force is set to deploy sniffer and general purpose dogs to Kaduna-Abuja highway and other vulnerable spots across the country for crime fighting and security.

The Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, yesterday said the Abuja airport would be closed for six weeks to allow for total rehabilitation of the runway, which he said had gone beyond palliatives measures.

The IG while flagging off the K9 dog trailers at the Force headquarters in Abuja, said the trailers which is made up of special compartments for easy

movement of dogs will also be deployed to the North-eastern region to tackle terrorism.

He said: “With the temporary closure of the Abuja airport, the K9 trailers will be deployed to the Abuja-Kaduna highway for crime control. Deployment within Abuja metropolis will include Abuja airport, Force Headquarters, National Assembly, Defence College, Federal Secretariat and other key vulnerable areas and black spots.”

He said the dogs would be deployed for counter terrorism, drug trafficking at the major airports in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Kano and Enugu.

The police chief said: “We have

also concluded plans to deploys the dogs to comb Mosques and strategic places in the North-east, where use of IEDs are threats to peace and safety of the people.

“At the airports. The K9 sniffers will be involved in sniffing IEDs, narcotics, arms and ammunitions and crime prevention and detection.”

In a remark, the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), in charge of Force Animal Branch, Mr. Charles Ugomuoh, said the cutting edge K9 trailers consists of six compartments kernels with factory fitted air conditioners for the deployment of sniffer and general purpose patrol dogs.

National Prayer for Nigeria A clarion call has gone to all Christians in Nigeria as well as in the diaspora for a five-day power-packed prayer for the nation as she is now going through deep recession and many foreseen and unforeseen crises.

March 6 to 10, 2017 have been set aside for the invocation tagged: ‘Bringing Back The Ark of God.’ The special call for prayer is the brain child of the Church of

Nigeria Anglican Communion.

In a statement by the Chairman, Ibadan Province Prayer Convocation Bishop H.B Olumakaiye, said over 5,000 prayer warriors would be housed at the Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo during these prayer sessions.

He admonished every Nigerian of different denominations to prayerfully observe these days to be in tune with the warriors

who would be lifting Nigeria and the Church to God in prayers at this crucial time.

Bishop Olumakaiye also extended invitation to everyone who needs special prayers in one way or the other to join the Chariot “as we travail and prevail in the place of prayer.”

The Primate of the church, Most Rev. Nicholas D. Okoh, is to officially declare open the occasion on March 7, 2017.

52

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2017Ëž T H I S D AY

CRIME&PUNISHMENT

Man Beheaded in Ekiti over Bloody Land Dispute

Victor Ogunje Ă“Ă˜ ĂŽĂ™ ÕÓÞÓ As the bloody land dispute between Ayede and Itaji

Ekiti communities  lingers, a yet-to-be identified man was yesterday beheaded at the  contentious land at

NAFDAC Seizes N 2.5m Drugs, Fruit Juice, Food Seasonings in Sokoto Mohammed Aminu Ă“Ă˜ ÙÕÙÞÙ The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control ( NAFDAC) yesterday said it had seized assorted imported fruit juices, codeine-containing substances and other unwholesome regulated products worth over N2.5 million in Sokoto State.

The state Coordinator of the agency, Mr. Hamisu Yahaya, disclosed this to journalists in Sokoto, yesterday. He said  the items including food seasonings were confiscated during several raids by the officials of the agency in various supermarkets and markets across the state.

He explained that the items

were seized after series of sustained surveillance exercises on the affected retail outlets.

Yahya disclosed that the seized items were goods imported mainly from China. “Most of these items were imported from China through Niger Republic and they were not registered by NAFDAC. “We are therefore calling on supermarket operators in the state to come to the Agency for global listing of their items,� he advised. Yahaya vowed that officials of the Agency would sustain their routine operations and raids to rid the state and Nigeria of all fake and unwholesome products.

Orisunmibare, a farmstead located between the two towns in Oye Local Government Area of Ekiti State.

Violent protest last week rocked Ayede Ekiti over the shooting of one Seyi Oladipo over the control of Orisunmibare settlement.

Confirmed reports revealed yesterday that unknown persons were said to have trailed the victim, who was a farmer from Orisunmibare to his farm where he was decapitated and his hands cut off.

During the fight, the Asiwaju of Orisunmibare, Chief Segun Akanbi, was also said to have been inflicted with machete wounds by suspected  Ayede youths

who accused him of firing the shot that killed Oladipo and had been taken to hospital for medical treatment.

Explaining the situation, the Onitaji, Oba Adamo Babalola, claimed that the perpetrators of the attack are from Ayede who are now launching sporadic attacks on Orisunmibare in a bid to take over the land.

Oba Babalola described the victim’s death as unfortunate, calling on the warring people to embrace peace.

The monarch said: “Orisunmibare is a settlement under Itaji and is more than 10 kilometres from Ayede; Ayede people just went there one morning on rampage and the scuffle led to the death

of somebody from  Ayede. “But yesterday, an Orisunmibare subject was killed inside his farm and he was beheaded. The Asiwaju of Orisunmibare was macheted and beaten  to coma and was declared dead

by Ayede youths. “The Ayede people were singing that they had killed Asiwaju Orisunmibare but he has been taken to the hospital where he is still under observation. But we have been experiencing sporadic attacks from Ayede people and they have been threatening our peace since then. “The police have been trying to maintain peace but we are disturbed by sporadic attacks especially the ones

carried out on the farms.

Orisunmibare has been there for many years and the land is under Itaji.�

Confirming the death, Police spokesman, Mr. Alberto Adeyemi, said  investigation was still ongoing.

He promised to release the name of the victim after he might have received a formal report from the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the area.

Adeyemi said: “It is true that somebody was beheaded and the mutilated body found on the farm.

Since the crisis started, two persons have  been charged to court while Akanbi too will be charged to court  immediately he leaves the hospital.�

Sokoto Chief Judge Pardons 28 Awaiting-trial Inmates Mohammed Aminu Ă“Ă˜ ÙÕÙÞÙ The  Chief Judge of Sokoto State, Justice Bello Abbas, yesterday granted pardon to 28 awaiting -trial inmates at the Sokoto Central Prison.

Speaking with journalists shortly after granting pardon to the inmates,  Abbas said the gesture was aimed at ensuring that suspects do not stay much longer than necessary while awaiting trail. “Our aim is to see to the welfare of the inmates and ensure no one will stay longer than necessary, while awaiting trail before the various courts across the state. “As such, the assignment we are embarking on is to

ensure speedy clearance of all awaiting-trials suspects, while those who have over-stayed are discharged. “This is in order to maintain the law as well as decongest the  prison at the appropriate time of such needs,� he said.

The chief judge also promised that all the remaining awaitingtrial inmates will soon be tried, after liaising with all the courts and other related agencies.

At least  there are 398 awaiting trial inmates in the prison standing trial before various courts across the state.

Most of the offences these inmates were being charged with include rape, sodomy, armed robbery, cattle rustling and homicide, among others.Â

Suspected Vandals Invade Bayelsa Speaker’s Community, Kill One, Raze Houses Emmanuel Addeh Ă“Ă˜ Ă?Ă˜Ă‹Ă‘Ă™Ă‹ Some angry youths suspected to be pipeline vandals yesterday invaded Korokorosei Community, is the village of the Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Mr. Kombowei Benson, in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state, killing one and injuring others.

It was learnt that the attackers were riled by the arrest of three of their members by a combined team of the Joint Task Force (JTF) and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for breaching pipelines and stealing oil.

They were, however said to

have suspected that the residents of the community, acting as informants, gave intelligence reports to the security forces, leading to their arrest.

The rounding up of some members of the group reportedly followed the December, 2016 attack on the Ogbienbiri-Tebidaba trunk line operated by the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) in the area.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Asinim Butswat, said information on the invasion was still sketchy, but during the retaliatory attack, the hoodlums were said to have shot dead a youth identified as Erelayefa, who engaged them.

Also, two school pupils from

ALERTNESS A policeman training a dog during the inauguration of K9 Dog Trailers Deployment at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.. yesterday

Five DSS Personnel Detained over Alleged Brutalisation of FGGC Calabar Staff Bassey Inyang Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹Ă–Ă‹ĂŒĂ‹Ăœ

the perceive unprofessional conduct of its personnel who Five personnel of the participated in the inglorious Department of State Services act, the DSS, it was reliable (DSS) are now cooling their gathered, detained five security heels in the agency’s cell personnel, who allegedly in Calabar, Cross River participated in the invasion State, following their role of the school, and the brutality in the alleged brutalisation meted on the teachers and of teachers and staff of the non-teaching staff of one of Federal Government Girls the foremost institutions in College, Calabar on January the state.

One of the sources said their 2, this year.

Sources who pleaded not to arrest and detention was be quoted, said the affected an indication that the DSS personnel were arrested almost has officially commenced into the immediately after the incident investigations occurred because their conduct matter, in line with its set was against the rules and out standards of arresting regulations of the service, more such issues that involve their so as they acted independent personnel.

However, the source who of any official directive.

THISDAY checks revealed refused to disclose the identity that the affected personnel of the arrested DSS personnel were not yet released from said the action of the service their cells as at press time was taken, irrespective of the yesterday as they have fact that the school authorities been subjected to serious had not lodged any official interrogations since they were complain with the service concerning the incident. detained. “As were speak, five of Apparently embarrassed by

our security personnel are in detention because we have commenced investigation into the incident that happened at the federal girls school. Those who went there did not have official directives to go there.

What happened was that the vice principal came to gate and raised the alarm that hoodlums had invaded the school, and they were beating up teachers and students. So, being our neighbours, and the need to ensure that the entire area was safe, some of our men were dispatched immediately to the school, only for them to find out that it was some of our colleagues that were involved in the misunderstanding. The school has not yet reported what happened to us. The matter is going to be thoroughly investigated, and if any of our colleague is found culpable, the person will the punished according to the laws regulating the conduct of DSS staff. The DSS remain

a law-abiding organisation, and will never condone any act of lawlessness from any of its men and officers, “the source who said he was not mandated to speak on the matter disclosed.

The incident has attracted wide reaction, as teachers of the school in conjunction with the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, FGGC Wing and the Nigeria Union of Teachers stormed the streets of Calabar on Tuesday as they took their protest to the state government where they demanded for justice to be done on the issue.

The school authorities have also threatened to institute a case against the DSS, if the organisation fails to meet the terms on which they are demanding justice.

While commenting on the matter, the state Director of DSS, Mr. Fubara Duke, had described it as a case of mistaken identity.

53

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2017

THURSDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

WORLD CUP 2018

Nwosu Downplays Cameroon’s Threat to Eagles Insists the five-time African champions can be caged in Uyo and Yaounde Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja One of Nigeria’s greats, Henry Nwosu (MON) has sent a message of inspiration to the Super Eagles ahead of the crunchy meeting with the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon in August -September this year when the 2018 World Cup qualifying matches for Africa resume.

Nwosu, who captained the national team in the mid1980s, in exclusive insights he shared with THISDAY last night, said the Eagles should not lose the urge to secure the 2018 World Cup ticket in spite of Cameroon’s triumphant outing at the Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon.

Nigeria currently seats on top of a very tough Group B which has Cameroon, Zambia and Algeria with six points, and will hope to consolidate the position when Eagles rekindle their rivalry with the Lions in Uyo and Yaounde in decisive ties.

Nwosu not only placed a bet on Nigeria to subdue their adversaries in the crucial fixtures, he said he was not impressed by the quality of the Cameroonians despite their exploits in Gabon where they beat Egypt 2-1 to claim their fifth Africa Cup of Nations title.

The former Eagles midfielders said the Lions, coached by Belgian Hugo Broos, were not spectacular and warned that Nigeria would give their eastern flank neighbours the psychological edge if they begin to develop jitters before the real battle.

“There is nothing special about this current Cameroon squad.

Yes, they won the Africa Cup of Nations but they were not spectacular in my opinion. They owed their success in Gabon to determination. I watched when they forced a 1-1 draw with Zambia in Limbe in November 2016.

“I stayed back to watch the match in Cameroon as I was being honoured in the country and what I saw did not impress

me. They were suspect from the right back position that featured Joel Matip. We should pack our midfield, put a player to block their right back and attack from the left,” Nwosu proffered.

According to him, though he

watched a couple of matches involving Cameroon in Gabon, he felt they were outplayed

by Ghana’s Black Stars which should have prevailed in the semi-final tie.

Nwosu admitted that Eagles

have been playing well since the arrival of Franco-German Gernot Rohr as the national coach and added that the group should use the six months break before the matches to get focused rather than pander to panic buttons.

“Look, Nigeria is good enough with the calibre of players Rohr is bringing up. We can beat Cameroon.

In the past, they used to be our nemesis, but not anymore.

We can beat them home and

away and in the worst case scenario, we can secure a draw in Yaounde,” Nwosu concludes Nwosu who was the youngest member of the Green Eagles when Nigeria won the 1980 AFCON at home in Lagos.

President Paul Biya and his wife Chantal (middle), with the Indomitable Lions and their officials at a Presidential Reception in Yaounde, Cameroon… yesterday

President Biya Receives Victorious Lions Cameroon’s Africa Cup of Nations-winning squad has been given a special state reception by the country’s president Paul Biya.

The Indomitable Lions, who lifted the trophy on Sunday after beating Egypt 2-1 in the final in Gabon, attended a ceremony in Yaounde yesterday.

They presented the AFCON 2017 trophy to President Biya at Unity Palace.

Later, they travelled in open-top vehicles through the streets of the capital to parade the trophy to fans.

Cameroon’s players were given medals by the president, who said their victory should be celebrated by Cameroonians as one nation.

At the end of the ceremony Cameroon First Lady Chantal Biya posed for a series of photos with the players - at one point she used Fabrice Ondoa’s phone to take a ‘selfie’ with them.

Cameroon’s success in Gabon ended a 15-year wait to win the tournament again and gave them their fifth title.

The country will host the next

NPFL…

edition of the Nations Cup in 2019.

Meanwhile, after turning down an offer to represent Cameroon at the AFCON 2017, West Brom defender Allan Nyom insists he has no regrets.

Despite the absence of experienced players such as Nyom and Joel Matip, the Indomitable Lions defied all odds and claimed the 31st edition of the biennial tournament.

Speaking to the BBC website yesterday, Nyom revealed that after initially rejecting his country’s call-up he changed his mind, but

NPFL…

coach Hugo Broos told him there was no place for him.

After winning the trophy on Sunday, Broos said those Cameroonian players not at the tournament would rue their decision.

“Let him (Broos) know that I don’t have any regrets,” Nyom told BBC World Football.

“I heard what Broos said. It made me laugh because he knew what happened and he knew why I was not there.

“It’s true, at first I didn’t want to go, but afterwards I changed

my mind. But he knew that and he knows what he told me, so I have no worries, no regrets.

“If before the tournament they had told me ‘Cameroon is going to win and you are not part of the squad’, I don’t mind because I’m happy I’m playing for my club - it’s much more important for me.

“If I had been there, it could stall my club career.”

The 28-year-old was one of seven Cameroon players to decide to miss the tournament, with Liverpool’s Matip another high-profile absentee.

NPFL…

Dope: Former Olympic Plateau Utd Consolidates at the Summit Champion Banned for with Victory over El kanemi Three Months Duro Ikhazuagbe

Former Olympic champion Dawn Harper-Nelson has been banned for three months after testing positive for a banned diuretic.

The American, 32, said she was given hydrochlorothiazide for high blood pressure but failed “to fully understand how its administration was governed by current doping protocols”.

Harper-Nelson won 100m hurdles gold at Beijing 2008 and silver at London 2012.

Diuretics increase urine

production, but are not performance enhancing.

However they can be used to mask the presence of other illegal substances or promote weight loss.

“I have learned a valuable lesson and hope my mistake will serve as a reminder to all athletes to be diligent in thoroughly checking any and all prescribed medications,” Harper-Nelson added.

Her ban has been in place since December 1, 2016.

Two first half goals against El Kanemi

by Benin Republic international, Junior Salomon and Jimmy Ambrose were all Plateau United needed yesterday at the Rwang Pam Stadium in Jos to consolidate its leadership of the seven-week old Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).

With the win, Plateau now leads with 17 points from a possible 21, four points clear from second placed MFM FC who are playing away to ABS FC at the Ilorin Township Stadium today.

The Jos team grabbed the curtain

raiser barely 12 minutes into the game when Salomon headed into the net from a long throw-in With minutes ticking away for the first half break, Jimmy Ambrose ensured safety for the home team when he unleashed a 35-yard cannon into El Kanemi net for the second goal.

In Sagamu, Remo Stars FC succumbed to a 1-0 home defeat to visiting Niger Tornadoes in front of Super Eagles Head Coach, Gernot Rohr who watched from the stand.

It was the second home defeat for the Sky Blue Stars.

Stars had the first chance to

go in front against Tornadoes but Mustapha Aliko in goal post for the Niger state team stopped Daniel Okorie after a good pass from Ekene Awazie.

Awazie was presented another chance to give Remo Stars the lead in the early minutes but his effort went off target. Ebenezer Odeyemi then put the visitors ahead after Ikefe Andrew rounded goalkeeper Walbe David in the 21st minute of the game.

The Sky Blue Stars continued to put pressure on the visitors but goalkeeper Aliko stood firm to deny the home side.

Remo Stars’ Captain, Victor Mbaoma, expressed his disappointment with the second home defeat.

Elsewhere in the Match-day 7 of the NPFL, Gombe United stopped Nasarawa United 1-0 thanks to man-of-the-match Austin Oladapo, while Abia Warriors and Sunshine Stars played out a 1-1 draw in Umuahia.

The other game for this evening is the clash between Enyimba and Akwa United in Calabar, the adopted home of the People’s Elephant.

54

˜ ΁˜ ͺ͸͹Ϳ ˾ T H I S D AY

THURSDAYSPORTS

Oshonaike Plans Clinic for Junior T’ tennis Players Africa’s most successful female table tennis player, Olufunke Oshonaike, has concluded plans to host a clinic for junior ping-pong players in the country in Lagos.

The event scheduled to hold between February 25 and March 5 at the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) Training Centre inside the National Stadium in Lagos is expected to attract over 20 players made up of 11 girls and nine boys.

According to the Hamburg, Germany-based Oshonaike who remains the only female player to have won the All Africa Games women’s singles title back-to-back in 1999 and 2003, the gesture will surely give the players hope that with discipline and hardwork, they can reap from their efforts in the sport.

“I believe when top players like us organise such programmes for the young players, they can be inspired and motivated to take a cue from us. I am hoping to arrive in Lagos, Nigeria on February 24 for the clinic that will begin on February 25 to March 5,” she noted with enthusiasm.

Oshonaike is however not happy that the fortune of female players in the game Nigeria is going down.

According to her, the essence of the 10-day camping exercise is to inspire and motivate the players to passionately be committed to the sport.

“I love table tennis and the sport has given me all what I need in life. Apart from the fame, I have made some fortune from the sport. All these were made possible because I was committed to the sport and this made it possible for me to achieve all what I needed.

“Unfortunately these days, the Nigerian players are frustrated because of lack of exposure and this has discouraged most of them.

“I am hopeful that the clinic will help to re-launch them back to the track and I want to use the opportunity to inspire and also help them with some equipment that will aid them in training.

“I really want to focus on the female players because we have not been producing top female players like before and I hope that after telling them my story, they will be encouraged to aim high in the sport,” she observed further.

In the history of the African Games, Oshonaike is the most successful female table tennis

player having won more medals than any other player. Apart from winning the 1999 and 2003 Games back to back, she was three-time finalist in the women’s singles.

However, with the emergence of players like Dina Meshref, Nadeen El-Dawlatly and Edem Offiong, Oshonaike in her 40s has started playing second fiddle the younger generation. But she never gave up as she continued to show deep passion for the sport with her presence in virtually all the continental competitions.

In most of the competitions, she ensured she made it to the last four but her efforts never fetch her expected laurels.

Beyond bookmakers’ analysis, Oshonaike became the continent champion again and she did it in a surprising fashion in Morocco last October.

As the only female Nigerian player competing at the 2016 ITTF African Championships amidst the array of players from Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria, Oshonaike in her 40s turned the clock back with an emphatic 4-2 win over defending champion, Dina Meshref of Egypt to emerge as the best female player in the competition.

Ugandan, Zimbabwean Players for IBB Ladies Open Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja Lady amateur golfers from Uganda, Zimbabwe and Ghana will add international flavour to the 19th IBB Ladies Open Championship which holds in Abuja this week.

Captain of the IBB Club Lady Section, Mrs Lami Ahmed, told journalists yesterday that 150 players from Nigeria and the international visitors have registered for the tournament.

Various prizes and trophies will be won in different categories at the three days event which begin on Friday through Sunday.

Ahmed said that players from 22 golf clubs nationwide will identify with the host club in ensuring the success of the tournament considered as one

of the majors within the IBB International Golf and Country Club Abuja.

A former Lady Captain of IBB club, Mrs Ngozi Osuhor, expressed delight with the club for consistently hosting of the tournament in the past 19 years and for putting the event together this year in spite of the economic recession.

The different categories for the event include: Category 1 for lady players in Handicap 0-28 flight, Category 2 for those in Handicap 29-36 flight, and veteran ladies in all categories.

However, the tournament is a gross competition where the player with the best aggregate score over 36-hole in the Handicap 0- 28 flight will be crowned as the champion.

The ladies will tee off on Saturday but only the 45 players that make the cut will be eligible for the final round on Sunday, February 12.

The 45 finalists, according to the Competition Secretary, Nanfe Audu, will be presented with medals.

The gentlemen will also play among themselves on Saturday as guests of the lady players.

A former IBB Lady Captain, Dr Joyce Barber, said several NGOs, supporting charity causes, had made several appeals to the lady section to support different causes and give to the less privileged.

Barber, however, said the ladies were considering holding a charity kitty before the end of tenure of the current committee.

Olufunke Oshonaike aiming to raise the bar for female table tennis players

Enyimba Fans to Protest Non-completion of Aba Stadium Fans of Enyimba Football Club under the aegis of Concerned Enyimba Supporters (CES) have concluded plans to march round the commercial city of Aba to protest the non-completion of Enyimba Stadium which has resulted in the People’s Elephants playing their home matches outside their home-base.

Chairman of the group, Donatus Ajujungwa, in a release made available to reporters yesterday pointed out that the decision to protest was borne out of the fact that their darling team that brought laurels to the city, Abia State and the country has been neglected by the state

government.

He noted that the fortune of Enyimba, a team that is a house-hold name in Africa has nose-dived to such an extent that if care is not taken it may be relegated from the elite Nigerian league.

Ajujungwa further stated that the protest would have taken place earlier but for the fact that his group thought the state government would move to complete the Enyimba Stadium project before the commencement of the 2016/2017 NPFL season.

He wondered why the stadium should be abandoned and the club forced to host her home matches

in far-away Calabar, Cross River State where it has since relocated to.

According to the group, fans of Enyimba have been deprived of the opportunities of cheering their darling team, a situation that is most regrettable and unacceptable.

“We have made out time to inspect the level of work done at the stadium and realised that what is holding the use of the stadium is only the re-grassing or laying of the artificial turf,” the group stated, adding: “Our further investigations also revealed that the contractor handling the project, Monimichelle Sports Facility Construction Limited is ready to finish the project if the funds were made available.”

Edo-Osagie Emerges 2017 DOAMF Charity Golf Champion Iwinosa Edo-Osagie emerged the overall winner of the 2017 Daniel Ogechi Memorial Foundation Golf Tournament concluded last weekend at the Golf Section of Ikoyi Club 1938 in Lagos.

Edo-Osagie, an 18-handicapper, returned a 69 nett score at the oneday tournament to beat the rest of the field on a day of scintillating golfing experience. Tokunboh Adebesin finished two strokes behind him to pick the runner-up spot. Kunle Ball, who also finished two strokes behind, was the second runner-up on count-back.

Edo-Osage, with his win, carted away not only the much coveted winner’s trophy but also, an ArikAir business class return ticket to any international destination of his choice flown by the airline.

“It is a great honour to win the event, as one of the most

coveted titles at the Club, I am definitely glad to have achieved this. I give kudos to the team at DOAM Foundation for the quality of organisation and impact they are making with donations from this event.”

In the ladies’ category, Funke Majekodunmi emerged the overall winner with a 68 nett score to beat Lynda Obieze, the runner–up, by four strokes.

Meenakshi Kumar finished as the second runner-up.

Majekodunmi, in addition to the ladies’ champion trophy, was rewarded with an Air France return ticket to any international destination of her choice flown by the airline.

The event, which teed-off at 6:40 am on Saturday, February 4, 2017, featured a record 192 players in a strong show of

support for the tournament.

Other winners at the event included, Tim Ayomike who shot 78 to pick the best gross prize, beating Lanre Tanimowo and Uwem Udoh who finished in second and third places respectively. Sunday Areola scored 69 nett to win the veteran category and to beat Sebastian Owuama, who was the runner-up in that category.

Ayomike was also, rewarded with a KLM return ticket to any international destination of his choice flown by the airline.

Candy Agu and Taddy Dance were the ladies’ best gross players at the event, with Agu’s 89 gross score winning ahead of Dance’s 91. All winners went home with an array of prizes in addition to the high quality trophies.

L-R: Board Chairman, DOAM Foundation, Prof Obinnaya Chukwu; Former Board Chairman, DOAM Foundation, Mr. Sam Ayininuola; Arik Air Ltd. Representative, Ms. Diana Ekpenyong; and the Winner of DOAMF 2017 Charity Golf Tournament, Mr. Iwinosa Edo Osagie at the prize presentation after the charity golf tournament…last weekend

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2017

55

THURSDAYSPORTS SUPER BOWL

Massive Crowd Celebrate Patriots Victory Parade On Sunday, they won. On Monday, they returned, and on Tuesday, they fired up those duck boats.

The snow and rain fell with a mix of confetti as the Patriots rolled through the streets of Boston to celebrate their fifth Super Bowl victory.

Despite the weather, Patriots Nation turned out big time for their team. The Boston Police Department estimated about a million people lined the parade route downtown, and those who braved the elements were not disappointed.

The players smiled, danced and cheered the entire route from Hynes Convention Center to City Hall Plaza. LeGarrette Blount even broke out a Patriots WWE Championship for the occasion.

The parade was led by Robert, Jonathan, Josh and Dan Kraft, followed by Bill Belichick and his coaching staff. Then Tom Brady, Jimmy Garoppolo and Jacoby Brissett came rolling through to kick things off.

The duck boat that carried the running backs and tight ends was, of course, the life of the parade party. With the giant personalities like Rob Gronkowski, Martellus Bennett and LeGarrette leading the charge, things got interesting.

After James White’s incredible performance on Sunday, it’s no surprise that Patriots Nation showed the running back some serious love as he and his crew rolled down Boylston Street. Fresh off a trip to Disney World, he was greeted by signs

New England Patriots’ victory parade in Boston (INSERT: New England Patriots’ players) that read, “Thank you, James White” and “Can’t stop James White.”

Not to be outdone, the receiving corps and special teams put on a show. Though there was no roof for Julian

Edelman to climb on top of this year, he still managed to rile up the crowd by standing up on the side of the flatbed and leading chants counting for each of the team’s Super Bowl championships.

Meanwhile, Joe Cardona and Ryan Allen snapped and punted multiple footballs into the crowd, and Stephen Gostkowski hoisted his son into the air, who clutched a homemade Lombardi trophy thrown onto the boat for a

majority of the parade.

Patriots Nation also had a chance to show off their creative sides with funny and thoughtful signs scattered along the route. From simples ones, like “History Made” to

detailed drawings of playoff beards, fans showed nothing but love for their team. And as the duck boats rolled on to City Hall Plaza, the Patriots returned the love, excitement and gratitude.

…Tom Brady Says I Will Never Feel Great Again, Wife Wants Him Says Tiger Woods to Retire At 39 years old, quarterback Tom Brady is still at the top of his game: On Sunday, he led the New England Patriots to victory over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI, earning the game’s MVP title.

But his wife, Gisele Bündchen, wants the father of her children to hang it all up.

While speaking to Jim Miller on his SiriusXM NFL Radio show Monday, Brady said, “If it was up to my wife, she would have me retire today. She told me that last night three times.”

But Brady isn’t ready to leave football behind just yet.

“I said, ‘Too bad, babe, I’m having too much fun right now.’

You know, I feel like I can still do it and if you love what you do and you’re capable of doing it then --” he added, cutting himself off. “I’d be so bored if I wasn’t going out there, knowing that I could still do it. So, I’m going to work hard to be ready to go and I still plan on playing for a long time.”

Brady spoke to ABC News last year about the lengths he goes to to stay in top shape at his age.

“There’s no other 39-year-olds playing now at quarterback,” he

said. “I don’t go to bed at 1 a.m. and wake up at 5 a.m. and say, ‘Let’s see if I can get this done today.’”

Instead, he said he’s usually in bed by 8:30 p.m.

“Because my career is so important, I think I make a lot of, I wouldn’t call them sacrifices, but just concessions for my job,” he continued. “Sometimes, it’s hard to cut things out, for me where I cut is, like, my friends, they probably don’t get as much time as they used to.”

Brady and Bündchen are also famous for their healthy lifestyle.

“I try to not eat as much sugar, but it’s so hard in our American diet to do that. ... It’s hard to completely avoid. I don’t drink much alcohol,” Brady said last year.

Despite the retirement talk, Bündchen was in Houston for Sunday’s big game and joined her husband on the field with their three children after the win. She later posted, “Wonderful things come to those who work hard with focus, tireless dedication and who never stop believing.

Forever grateful for this moment.

Congratulations my love!!”

Fourteen-time major winner Tiger Woods has said that he will “never feel great” again because of the number of injuries suffered during his career.

Woods, 41, pulled out of the Dubai Desert Classic before the second round this month because of a back spasm.

He only returned to action in December after two back operations.

“There were a lot of times I

didn’t think I was going to make it back. It was tough, it was more than brutal,” Woods told Dubai magazine Vision.

Woods’ first return to competitive action after a 15-month lay-off came in December at the Hero World Challenge - an 18-man tournament in the Bahamas - and he finished 15th at the PGA Tour event.

He hopes to compete in the Masters at Augusta from 6-9 April.

“There have been plenty of times when I thought I would never play the game again at the elite level,” added Woods, who has won 79 titles on the PGA Tour.

“It was tough, it was more than brutal. There were times I needed help just to get out of bed.

“I feel good, not great. I don’t think I will ever feel great because it’s three back

surgeries, four knee operations.

“I’m always going to be a little bit sore. As long as I can function, I’m fine with that.”

Woods has not won a tournament anywhere since 2013, while his title drought in major championships dates back to 2008.

“There is a changing of the guard,” he said. “My generation is getting older but if I’m teeing up then the goal is to win.

Lahm Puts Bayern in the Cold over Retirement Decision Bayern Munich was taken by surprise by the timing of captain Philipp Lahm’s decision to announce his retirement.

Lahm, 33, joined Bayern aged 11 and has spent almost his entire career there, but will exit at the end of the season.

The German World Cup winner was under contract until 2019 and has also turned down a role as sporting director.

Chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said the club was “surprised” by the actions of

Lahm and his agent, adding: “the doors at Bayern will remain open”.

Lahm, one of Germany’s most successful footballers, announced his intention to retire at the end of the season after his 501st game for the club, a German Cup win over Wolfsburg.

Shortly before Lahm made his statement, the club’s President Uli Hoeness had told reporters he knew nothing of Lahm’s retirement and said any announcement would be a joint

one with the club.

Rummenigge added: “Bayern Munich are surprised by the actions of Philipp Lahm and his advisor.

“Until yesterday we were expecting to issue a joint statement from Philipp Lahm and Bayern Munich.

Uli Hoeness and myself had honest, intensive talks in the past months with Philipp about a potential involvement in the management of our club.

“Last week he informed us

he was currently not available for the sports director position and that he wants to end his contract early.”

Lahm made his debut for Bayern in 2002 and has remained with the cub, apart from two seasons on loan at Stuttgart between 2003 and 2005.

He has won seven Bundesliga titles, six German Cups, the Champions League, as well as captaining Germany to the World Cup in 2014.

TR

Thursday, February 9, 2017

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Price: N250

MISSILE Pius Anyim to Herman Hembe “I will not allow you to use the National Assembly platform to pursue personal vendetta. It was after all your efforts to get the MD to come and see you privately failed that you confirmed this date (after several postponements). I want you to know that nobody will see you privately, rather we are ready for the hearing,” — Former SGF, Anyim Pius Anyim, to Hon. Herman Hembe, whose committee is probing the Centenary City project

OLUSEGUNADENIYI The Metaphor of Ibiye’s Goat!

THE VERDICT

olusegun.adeniyi@thisdaylive.com

O

n Sunday, President Muhammadu Buhari extended his vacation in the United Kingdom “in order to complete and receive the results of a series of tests recommended by his doctors”; and despite the fact that I do not work for him, I have received many interview requests from international media organizations. While I keep declining all of them; that they would ask in the first place is a sad reminder not only of perhaps the most traumatic period in my life but also of the famous Yoruba adage that comes as a rebuke: “Amunibuni ewure Ibiye...”

I confess to my inability to properly translate into English the Yoruba word “amunibuni” but the short story behind it is that a man named Ibiye, who happened to be blind on the left eye, kept a goat that was blinded on the right eye. The implication being that any discussion that centres around the one-eyed goat would quite naturally dovetail into that of its owner by virtue of their common affliction. That perhaps explains why the name of my late boss, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua has been trending in the past one week as Nigeria returns to the uncertain days of 2009. That has also put the nation under a needless international spotlight.

It is of course noteworthy that all the “information experts” of yesterday who were prescribing how Nigerians should be briefed every second (both during the day and at night time) about what ailed President Yar’Adua have suddenly gone dumb. Being in opposition and making noise just to score a political point is a different proposition from holding positions of responsibility where you must take decisions on the basis of information available (or not available) to you without betraying the trust of your distressed principal.

While I concede that the health of the president should be a public issue, and the citizens have a right to know (provided the information is available), we must be able to exhibit some compassion and decency even if we don’t like the person involved.

That is also why I will enjoin those who are gloating about President Buhari’s health problem to stop playing God by putting themselves in his position. Since we are all mortals, anybody can fall ill anytime.

Besides, I think it is unfair to attack the President for what he said about my late boss during his own health crisis not only because Buhari has walked his own talk but also because he was right in the position he took at the time. It is recalled that on 9th March 2010, Buhari had called on the Federal Executive Council to declare Yar’Adua incapacitated because, as he argued, the “doctrine of necessity” which vested in Dr Goodluck Jonathan the powers of acting president, did not address the problem. “As you can see, adopting extra-constitutional measures have not addressed the problem. If it had, we would not have been subjected to the raging debates and controversy going on.

Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo So we must go back to the constitution. The exco must do the right thing because once we start moving away from the constitution, then we are inviting anarchy” Buhari said.

In the light of what was happening at the time, President Buhari was correct whereas in the present circumstance, he has demonstrated his faith in the law by formally informing the National Assembly of his absence and duly transmitting the responsibilities of his office to the Vice President. It is because my late boss was manipulated away from taking this simple step that made his hospital sojourn in Saudi Arabia to become a national calamity in 2009/2010. President Buhari has saved us a repeat of that agony by subscribing to the tenets of the law. That is why the vacancy in the office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) that has generated furore in recent weeks could be easily resolved with the acting president, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo finally sending the name of Justice Walter Onnoghen to the Senate for confirmation during the week.

However, we may also need to put the current challenge in its proper context because while the president has fulfilled the Constitutional mandate, which requires handing over power to his deputy, the point must also be made that in terms of governance, not much may change in the polity. Therefore, even when I have become very cynical of the hypocritical prayers that we often offer in the Nigerian public space, I sincerely believe that those who love our country should, in their quiet moments, pray for the full and quick recovery of President Buhari. It is in our collective interest as a nation.

The point we must never gloss over is that all over the world, a presidential system of government revolves around the Number One man and for as long as he/she is alive, the only other persons who can direct the course of events are those to whom he/she bestows powers by virtue of access and trust.

That is why in the United States today, after President Donald Trump, the other names being frequently mentioned are Mr. Steve Bannon and Ms Kellyanne Conway, neither of who is the vice president. The mitigating factor is that the American institutions work such that even an overbearing and Twitter-obsessed president can be upended by some “so-called judges” but can we say the same of our system?

The import of the foregoing is not to belittle the office of the acting president, Prof Yemi Osinbajo or to suggest that he is not currently in charge of the affairs in Nigeria but rather to state why we need President Buhari around, even for him (Osinbajo) to function effectively in the area of the economy to which he was put in charge. At a period we need fresh ideas and a surefooted government, for as long as President Buhari is away, making real progress will be difficult under our peculiar national circumstance.

Already, there is an all pervasive gloom across the land and on Monday there were protests in Lagos and Abuja about the growing hunger and deprivations for majority of our people. The situation has been compounded by the fact that almost two years in office, no one can boldly point to the economic framework of the current administration which, out of desperation, has now resorted to setting up task forces as a solution to practical problems. On top of all these, the man given the mandate to turn around our fortunes is now marooned outside the country battling for his health.

The combination of an ailing president abroad and an acting president holding the forth for him at home may be constitutionally permissible but it is a treacherous route that offers no real comfort in terms of good governance, rule of law and national cohesion.

But since Nigerians are very good at making humour of our tragedies, we will survive this season though we must also learn useful lessons from such experiences. According to one of the latest jokes making the rounds on WhatsApp, Nigeria “is officially a movie full of actors. Acting president, acting CJN, acting EFCC chairman, acting citizens; I can’t wait for the complete movie.”

While we wish President Buhari a speedy

recovery, Nigerians ought to be reassured that Constitutionally speaking, there is no vacuum at the apex of political power in our country. The only sense of vacuum will be created by the decisions that the Acting President fails to take out of political reticence.

As things stand, he has been vested with the powers to hold the forth until President Buhari returns, hopefully very soon. The normal expectation therefore is that the three arms of government will continue to work seamlessly in the coming days or weeks, as the case may be. Any other extraneous computations outside this fairly straightforward and strict compliance with constitutionalism must remain in the realm of speculation founded on our history of silly compromises and unproductive geopolitical arithmetic.

All factors considered, the easiest way to ensure that the business of Nigeria continues to be done in an orderly manner even at this trying moment is to insist that those whom the political process have entrusted with authority must play by no other rule book than the constitution. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo must place this principle above other considerations while applying political common sense in the discharge of his responsibilities as Acting President even if for a few days. It is only when our politicians, whether from the north or the south, learn to obey the constitution they swore to protect that the people can remain law abiding while the nation survives and endures for our common good.

Meanwhile, beyond the intrigues, dividedloyalties and realignment of forces that may likely begin to dominate the political space in the coming weeks, it will be a shame if we can also not take important lessons that will serve our nation well for the future.

Even as we pray for the health and safe return of President Buhari, the message is also very clear: We can no longer afford to leave the presidency of Nigeria to the whims of some political wheeler-dealers or mere elite conspiracy. Our leadership recruitment process must change to reflect, among other considerations, a need for soundness of mind and body on the part of those who seek to be President of Nigeria, beginning from 2019!

Against The Run of Play

I

n a tweet on Monday, Mr. Ryan Cummings, a Director at the Africafocused political risk management consultancy, Signal Risk, posted that Nigeria is currently “polarised between support of past and present governments instead of being united by how both have failed them as a people.” Nothing can be more apt!

Following the mention last week of my coming book, “Against The Run of Play: How an incumbent president was

defeated in Nigeria”, which is due for release in April, considerable interest has been shown by readers who have sent in mails. But for the interested bookshops and sales outlets, I will recommend that they direct all their inquiries by email to info@kachifo. com or call 08077364217. Meanwhile, I have also uploaded on my web portal, olusegunadeniyi.com, materials from the 2004 series of The Verdict for the pleasure of my readers.

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