Thursday 23rd March 2017

Four Killed, Dozens Injured in Terror Attack on British Parliament Okechukwu Uwaezuoke with agency reports Four people, including a police officer, have been confirmed dead and at least 20 others were injured in a major terror attack outside

the Houses of Parliament, the London Metropolitan Police stated yesterday.

The attack in the heart of the British capital was first major attack since July 7, 2005, when a coordinated series of bomb blasts targeted

died after being stabbed by a lone attacker attempting to enter the House of Commons. The suspect was shot and killed.

Rowley said: “This is a day we’ve planned for but hoped would never happen.

its public transportation system during rush hour.

The July 7 bombings killed 52 people, injuring more than 700 others.

Mark Rowley, the head of counter-terrorism at the Met, said the police officer

Sadly it’s now a reality.

“The attack started when a car was driven over Westminster Bridge hitting and injuring a number of members of the public, also including three police officers on their way back from a

commendation ceremony.

“The car then crashed near to parliament and at least one man armed with a knife continued the attack and tried to enter parliament.

Continued on page 10

Senate Declares Customs CG Unfit for Public Office, Asks Him to Resign… Page 11 Thursday 23 March, 2017 Vol 22. No 8008. Price: N250

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N’Assembly Approves $500m Eurobond Issue

Senate: We're working to meet March 30 deadline for passage of 2017 budget

Damilola Oyedele and James Emejo in Abuja

The National Assembly yesterday approved the request by the executive for the issuance of a $500 million Eurobond to fund the deficit in the 2016 budget.

A resolution of the National Assembly is a critical condition Continued on page 10

ZENITH MEETS ITS SHAREHOLDERS…

L-R: Group Managing Director, Zenith Bank Plc, Mr. Peter Amangbo; Chairman, Zenith Bank, Mr. Jim Ovia; Executive Director, Zenith Bank, Adaora Umeoji; and Deputy Managing Director, Zenith Bank, Mr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu, at the 26th Annual General Meeting of the bank, held in Lagos… yesterday

Dollar Drops Below N400/$ for First Time in Seven Months Sarah Alade bows out, recalls when CBN had ‘four governors’

Obinna Chima with agency report For the first time in seven months, the dollar fell below the psychological N400 barrier, when the

greenback traded at N399 to the dollar in Lagos and exchanged at N395 in Abuja, lower than N410 at which it traded on Tuesday.

With the gains made by the local currency in the last

five weeks, the naira inched closer to one of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) key foreign exchange policy objectives of an exchange rate convergence.

The naira trades for

N375 to the greenback for invisibles and at N307 to the dollar on the FX interbank market, the official window for manufacturers and importers of raw materials eligible to buy FX from this

segment of the market.

The last time the naira traded at between N395 and N400 to the dollar on the parallel market was in August 2016.

The significant gains made

by the naira on the parallel market, according to market analysts, was a reflection of the improved confidence in the FX market, following the Continued on page 9

Court Sentences Two, Orders Forfeiture of Property over N8bn Currency Scam… Page 52

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T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

STARTERS

Eight Persons Killed, 20 Injured in Suicide Attacks in Maiduguri Michael Olugbode Residents of Maiduguri were given a rude awakening yesterday, when an unofficial camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) and residential quarters were attacked by suicide bombers.

The attacks, which were unleashed by five persons at different locations in the suburb of the troubled Borno State capital, according to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), left three dead and 20 persons injured.

According to the North-east information officer of the agency, AbdulKadir Ibrahim, the attacks were simultaneously executed at about 4 a.m. yesterday.

A statement by NEMA said: “A series of bomb blasts have occurred in three locations around the Muna Garage area of Maiduguri metropolis. The incidents occurred at about 4 a.m.

“The first location was at Muna Kumbori, an unofficial host community camp housing 199 internally displaced persons, which was attacked by three suicide bombers and led to the death of two persons.

“The second location was at Muna Dagalti which was attacked by a suicide bomber, killing another person.

“The third location was at Muna Bulaya attacked by a suicide bomber who was the only casualty.”

Unfit for Public Office, Asks Him to Resign The drama that has followed the summons issued to the Comptroller General of the NCS, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd.) to appear before it in his uniform over…

Page 11

Violence Many students of Benue State University, Makurdi last Saturday poured into the streets to protest the killing by herdsmen of theirj colleagu, a final yearGeography student.

Page 15

POLITICS Obiogbolu: Anambra Will Be Some of the injured being attended to by emergency aid workers Ibrahim added: “A total of five suicide bombers all male adults were involved in the incidents killing three persons. 20 persons with various degrees of injuries were administered with first aid by the emergency response team and transported to the State Specialists Hospital while the

remains of the dead have been deposited at the mortuary.”

Also confirming the suicide bombings at the scene of the attacks, the Borno State Commissioner of Police, Damien Chukwu said three suicide bombers killed four other persons in attacks that left 18 persons injured.

School, Class Two student.

The police, officers of the Nigeria Security Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), teachers and government officials had intervened to calm the angry students.

The governor’s son was reported to have hit the deceased with a car, Channels TV reported.

Addressing the students at the school parade ground, the Nasarawa State Commissioner for Education, Aliyu Tijjani, said that government had taken measures to ensure that the person that perpetrated the killing was brought to book.

He said he had already been arrested.

“I want to express my profound dismay and sadness over what happened here

weeks was not a fluke.

Emefiele said he was happy that the central bank’s intervention was yielding positive results.

“I am happy, indeed very gratified, that the interventions have been positive, we have seen the rates now converging and we are strongly optimistic that the rates will converge further.

“In terms of sustainability, I think it’s important for us to say that the foreign reserves at this time are still trending upwards to almost $31 billion as I speak with you.

“And the fact that we have done this consistently for close to five weeks, should tell everybody or those who doubt the strength of the central bank to sustain this policy,” he had said after the meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee.

But an analyst at Ecobank Nigeria, Mr. Kunle Ezun, who welcomed the development in the FX market, pointed out that achieving a convergence between the official (interbank rate) and parallel market rate would be a more onerous task.

“For us to have a convergence between the interbank and parallel market, it would require the CBN to devalue the official exchange rate to about N350 to the dollar.

“Without that, I don’t see how the official and parallel market rates can converge. Maybe what the CBN governor was talking about is achieving a convergence between the parallel market rate and the rate for invisibles, which is N375 to the dollar.

“But what the CBN has done in the last one month has really helped the parallel market rate.

Safe in My Hands One of the front runners in the Anambra State governorship election slated for November, Dr. Alexander Obiogbolu, in an interview with journalists, said all it takes to make the state …

Page 18

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yesterday. It is unfortunate, very, very unfortunate,” he said on Tuesday.

The school’s head boy, Goodluck Agwu, had explained that Amos was hit by the car driven by Khaleed when he went out to buy batteries for his flashlight at 8 p.m.

The students who were not satisfied with the explanation of the commissioner, continued their protest, but the police were deployed to calm them.

The police explained that they were investigating the case.

The area commander of the Lafia area office, Mr. Maikudi Shehu, assured the students that they would be briefed as events unfold.

DOLLAR DROPS BELOW N400/$ FOR FIRST TIME IN SEVEN MONTHS sustained dollar interventions by the CBN since last month.

One analyst also attributed the gains made by naira to the Bureau de Change (BDC) operators that are awash with dollars and with little or no customers to patronise them.

He said several retail customers who used to resort to the BDCs (which realistically fund the parallel market) to fund invisible transactions now get to buy dollars at a lower rate from the banks.

“The BDCs are awash with cash. Remember that the central bank sold about $200,000 to each BDC at some point and they had also bought dollars at high rates which they hoarded, thinking that the naira would remain in a free fall.

“But with the CBN’s intervention, they are stuck with loads of dollars and little or no customers, so they have stopped buying dollars and are looking for avenues to offload what they bought at ridiculously high rates.

“Essentially, the speculative attacks on the naira has come back to haunt them and they’ve got their fingers burnt,” he said.

In all, the central bank has auctioned a total of $1.895 billion through forward sales, as well as targeted intervention for invisibles.

This amount does not include its daily intervention of $1.5 million on the interbank market.

The CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele on Tuesday expressed optimism about the convergence of the FX rates on the official and parallel markets, stating that the gains made by the naira against the greenback in the last five

NEWS Senate Declares Customs CG

EDITORIAL The Challenge Of herdsmen

Al-Makura’s Son to Face Manslaughter Charge Mr. Khaleel Umar Al-Makura, son of the Nasarawa State governor, Umar AlMakura, is to be prosecuted for alleged manslaughter.

He was arrested on Tuesday for the killing of a student of Government Secondary School, Lafia.

Confirming this, the police said Khaleed would be charged soon, reported the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

The killing of Ovye Amos in a road accident on Monday night sparked a protest in the school.

The students took to the streets on Tuesday carrying placards with various inscriptions demanding justice for the killing of Amos, a Junior Secondary

Two-Minute Briefing

But we need to see improved liquidity on the interbank market,” Ezun said in a phone chat with THISDAY.

Sarah Alade Bows Out In another development, the Deputy Governor of the CBN, Economic Policy, Dr. Sarah Alade, retired yesterday and urged Emefiele to uphold the credibility of the Bank.

Alade, who for four months served as the acting governor of the central bank, following the suspension of the former CBN governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, now the Emir of Kano, also recalled a dark period during her stint when the central bank had “four governors”.

Alade spoke at a send-off held at the CBN headquarters in Abuja that had in attendance Emefiele; the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun; Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma; and officials from International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank, reported the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Sanusi, in February 2014, was suspended by former President Goodluck Jonathan over allegations of financial recklessness and misconduct.

This happened after Sanusi had claimed that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) had not remitted $20 billion from crude oil earnings to the treasury.

Continued on page 10

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SPORTS Heavyweights Nigeria, Senegal

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THURSDAY, march 23, 2017 • T H I S D AY

PAGE TEN DOLLAR DROPS BELOW N400/$ FOR FIRST TIME IN SEVEN MONTHS “Throughout my period at the Bank, I had one slight regret and that’s during the period I was the acting governor. It was the time that the CBN was being investigated. It had never happened before that the activities of the CBN were under investigation.

“We went for the IMF meetings and when we met with investors, they asked us ‘what is happening?

We understand that there was some financial mismanagement in the CBN’. It was humiliating.

“I think for me, that was a low point. The credibility of this institution was eroded.

“For an institution this important to be subjected to that, is bad. At the end of the day, it was not just CBN that suffered for it but the economy as a whole did suffer.

“So I want to encourage us that whatever we need to do, let us do it right. We must not subject this institution to that type of incident again,” she said.

Sharing her experience as acting governor, Alade explained that the investigation had paralysed activities at the bank.

“I remember that during that period, I was reminded every morning that we had four governors.

“The suspended governor, the governor-in-waiting, the acting governor and the investigating governor.

“I remember that the investigating governor told us that there should

be no initiative, no payment, no decision-making, nothing. The only thing we could do was to just maintain the Bank.

“So the Bank was sort of paralysed.

We could not do anything. For me, it was a humiliating experience, but we did the best we could,” she said.

The persons Alade was referring to were Sanusi – suspended governor; Emefiele – governor-in-waiting; Alade – acting governor; and Mr. Jim Obazee – investigating governor, who at the time was the Executive Secretary of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRCN).

Obazee, who was recently fired

by President Muhammadu Buhari, had written a damning report on the Bank’s 2011 and 2012 audited financial accounts under Sanusi’s stewardship.

At the send-off for Alade, Emefiele described her as “a friend, colleague and a woman of extreme virtue”.

He applauded her for her hard work and the 23 years she had served at the central bank.

Similarly, Adeosun described the retiree as one of the brilliant and inspiring Nigerian women in financial sector.

In her capacity as the Deputy Governor, Economic Policy, a post she held for ten years, Alade served on the teams on major economic policy studies and was involved in the preparation of the CBN’s Monetary and Credit Policy proposals over the years.

She was actively involved in the drafting of the Medium Term Economic Programme for Nigeria and the IMF Staff Monitored Programme/ Standby Arrangement.

She was also a member of the Technical Committee on Vision 2010 and is currently a member of the Technical Committee on Vision 2020, as well as the National Economic Management Team.

As deputy governor, Alade superintended over the Economic Policy Directorate, comprising the Research, Monetary Policy, Trade and Exchange, Statistics Departments and the Financial Markets Department.

As chair of the Monetary Policy Implementation Committee, she interfaced with operational departments and coordinated technical inputs for the Monetary Policy Committee of the CBN.

Fitch: Banks Continue to Face Headwinds Meanwhile, Fitch Ratings yesterday said Nigerian banks would continue to face challenges this year, following the extreme difficultly they faced in 2016.

The ratings agency, in a report on Nigerian bank, pointed out that the financial institutions faced multiple threats from the operating environment in 2016, including Nigeria sliding into recession, the economy continuing to suffer from low oil prices, and severe shortages

of foreign currency (FC).

Consequently, banks struggled with declining operating profitability (excluding translation gains), sluggish credit growth, fast asset quality deterioration, tight FC liquidity and weakening capitalisation, putting increasing pressure on their credit profiles.

Fitch stated that the “outlook for the rest of 2017 is not much brighter. We believe that the banks will continue to face extremely tight FC liquidity despite the authorities’ best efforts to normalise the foreign exchange (FX) interbank market and improve the supply of US dollars”.

It added: “Importantly, deliveries under the CBN’s FX forward transactions since first half of 2016 have helped the banks access US dollars and reduce a large backlog of overdue trade finance obligations to international correspondent banks.

“However, given the severity of the FC liquidity issues, refinancing risk remains at the top of our perceived risks for the sector, especially as some banks have large Eurobond maturities in 2017/2018.

“Fast asset quality deterioration is in line with our expectations given the macro challenges and the continuing issues in the oil-sector.

“Oil-related impaired loans (NPLs) are high and this excludes large volumes of restructured loans. Other industry sectors contributing to NPLs include

general commerce and trading, which have been affected by both the naira depreciation and FC shortages.

“For the Fitch-rated banks, we believe the NPL ratio could rise to 10%-12% by end of first half 2017 (this remains lower than the CBN's reported figure for the entire sector).

“As a one-off policy change, the CBN allowed banks to write off all fully reserved NPLs by end-2016.

Together with significant loan restructuring (particularly in the oil sector), this will ease pressure on NPLs for now, in our view.

“Slower economic growth and a lower risk appetite from banks will continue to translate into subdued credit growth and weak core earnings generation in 2017.

“Loan growth averaged 25% in 9M16, but this was due to the currency translation effect post-devaluation as about half of sector loans are in FC.” According to Fitch, loan growth was negligible in constant currency terms, adding that banks’ 2016 profitability was underpinned by large translation gains booked on net long FC positions following the naira devaluation.

“Excluding these, some banks would have reported a significant fall in operating income. Regulatory capital ratios are high from a global perspective, but remain under pressure due to inflated risk-weighted assets (due to the

FC translation effect) and lower core retained earnings.

“In our view, there is a limited margin of safety as some banks could very easily breach minimum regulatory requirements in the event of further naira depreciation and/ or weaker asset quality,” it added.

The agency observed that the Long-Term IDRs of all Nigerian banks are in the ‘B’ range, indicating highly speculative fundamental credit quality.

The low ratings, it noted, reflect the significant influence of the weak operating environment, which overshadows other rating factors.

“The banks’ IDRs are driven by their Viability Ratings, Fitch's assessment of their standalone creditworthiness.

“Following a re-assessment of potential sovereign support available to the banks in 2016, Fitch believes that sovereign support cannot be relied on given Nigeria’s (B+/ Negative) weak ability to do so in FC. “As a consequence, we removed sovereign support from the LongTerm IDRs. Overall, the largest Nigerian banks with stronger and more diverse business models, high revenue-generating capacity and stronger liquidity profiles appear to be coping better than smaller banks on most metrics.

“However, tail risks remain high for all banks due to their sensitivity to concentration risk,” it said.

remove the casualties,” House of Commons Leader David Lidington said.

Witnesses initially reported multiple attacks near parliament.

“We saw a black vehicle at full speed and it ran down a number of people. I could see a lot of people flying,” tourist Babi Nagy told Al Jazeera. “Immediately it came to mind that this was a terrorist attack.”

Polish politician and journalist Radoslaw Sikorski posted a video on Twitter of the aftermath on the bridge, showing several injured people lying on the ground.

Another witness said he saw victims scattered along the street.

“As I was walking up the steps, there was a man who had fallen and medics were taking care of him.

There was a lady who was also stabbed or shot. There was a lot of blood,” Martin Pearce, visibly shaken, told Al Jazeera at the scene.

Security analyst Afzal Ashraf told Al Jazeera that vigilance by the public and authorities was now necessary.

“One of the features of these forms of attacks is a follow-on attack. They like to have publicity.

The potential threat is huge,” Afzal said.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said on Twitter that an urgent investigation had been launched.

“My thoughts are with those affected and their families,” he said.

The British Prime Minister Theresa May, who chaired a meeting of the government’s emergency Cobra Committee to discuss the London attack, ordered flags to be lowered to half-mast over Downing Street as a mark of respect to the innocent people who lost their lives.

The Cobra Committee, which she chairs, brings together government ministers with senior officials of the emergency services and security and intelligence agencies.

Also, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said her thoughts were with everyone caught up in the “dreadful” incident at Westminster, including the emergency services.

She said she supported the decision to suspend the Scottish Parliament.

The Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, said: “There’s been an extremely serious incident in parliament today.

Lives have been lost and people have been seriously injured.”

In a statement, the UK Home Secretary Amber Rudd said: “The British people will be united in working together to defeat those who would harm our shared values.

Values of democracy, tolerance and the rule of law. Values symbolised by the Houses of Parliament. Values that will never be destroyed.”

White House spokesman Sean Spicer later told reporters: “We obviously condemn today’s attack in Westminster which the United Kingdom is treating as an act of terrorism.”

Applauding the quick response of the British police “and their first responders made to the situation”, Spicer added: “The victims in this are in our thoughts and our prayers. The city of London and Her Majesty’s government have the full support of the US government

in responding to the attack and bringing those to justice who are responsible.”

It also emerged that the first doctor on the scene of the Westminster attack was the current chairman of the junior doctors’ committee at the British Medical Association.

The doctor, Jeeves Wijesuriya, was at Westminster being interviewed by a regional BBC team, when the events started unfolding.

He tried to resuscitate both the police officer and the assailant, and worked with paramedics in the ambulance on the way to hospital.

He told the BBC: “I saw the screaming and ran to help.

“The police got me in to help at the scene.

“We gave the officer cardiac massage and spent 52 minutes trying to resuscitate the other man.

“We did everything we could, in terms of basic life support and starting to triage injured people at the scene.”

The wide roads leading in all directions to the Houses of Parliament were reportedly silent and empty, cordoned off by police tape, following the deadly terror attack. The police cordon covered an area of a few square miles and kept being extended.

FOUR KILLED, DOZENS INJURED IN TERROR ATTACK ON BRITISH PARLIAMENT “Sadly, I can confirm that four people have died. That includes the police officer protecting parliament and one man we believe to be the attacker, who was shot by a police firearms officer.

“The officer’s family has been made aware. At least 20 people have been injured.”

A woman believed to have been thrown over the bridge into the River Thames, was later pulled alive from the water by port authorities while another fell on to a hard surface below the bridge.

The car eventually crashed on the pavement, up against railings to the north of New Palace Yard, the green space adjacent to Big Ben, opposite an entrance to Westminster tube station.

Rowley said that three officers were among the 20 people, who were hurt in the attack on the bridge.

Also, a diplomatic source told Reuters three French students were among the injured.

Two people were spotted lying within New Palace Yard, immediately

outside Westminster Hall. The sitting in the House of Commons was suspended while police officers sealed off the area. Staff inside parliament were told to stay inside their offices.

Minutes after the incident, an emergency services helicopter landed in Parliament Square, as sirens wailed outside. Air ambulance medics from a helicopter came to the aid of the casualties.

Immediately before the incident, at about 2.45 p.m., people were seen running from the direction of Westminster Bridge and around the corner into Parliament Square.

The UK Prime Minister Theresa May was in the Commons lobby when the incident occurred, according to the health secretary, Jeremy Hunt. Hunt was with other ministers in a cabinet sub-committee when they were informed about the incident.

May was whisked away to safety by her security detail once the attack occurred.

Commander BJ Harrington, head of the Met’s public order command,

said a full counter-terrorism investigation was under way.

Meanwhile, hundreds of people were evacuated from Parliament to Westminster Abbey, the UK Press Association reported.

Addressing the crowd, which included ministers, MPs, peers and tourists, from the pulpit a Met Police superintendent said it would take around 90 minutes to process everyone.

Police said people would be assessed to see if they had any information. A prayer was then said for the victims of the attack.

The Press Association, quoting an unidentified doctor, also reported at least one woman was among those killed and other victims had “catastrophic” injuries.

Many people were lying on the ground – some bleeding profusely and apparently unconscious – on Westminster Bridge near Britain’s parliament.

“The alleged assailant was shot by armed police, an ambulance is currently attending the scene to

N'ASSEMBLY APPROVES $500M EUROBOND ISSUE that must be met for securities issuance at the international capital market.

The Senate considered the request at the Committee of the Whole yesterday and voted to approve the request, immediately shortening the approval processing time.

The proceeds of the Eurobond are to be used as funding sources to finance the 2016 budget deficit including the capital components of the budget which ends in May 2017, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo had explained last month when he sought the approval of the legislature for the Eurobond.

He had informed the legislature that the issue was planned for between February and March 2017, subject to market conditions.

Similarly, the House of Representatives approved the same request of the executive to float a $500 million Eurobond.

The resolution, which was passed without opposition, however mandated the House Committee on Aids, Loans and Debt Management to monitor the disbursement of the proceeds of the Eurobond as specified in the 2016 Appropriation Act. The House, in approving the Eurobond issue, noted that based on the 2016 Appropriation Act and applying the average exchange rate, there was still headroom to access further international funding.

It also premised its approval on the high over-subscription of the recent $1 billion Eurobond issue which had created favourable market conditions for the issuance of another foreign debt instrument of $500 million to fund the 2016 budget.

The 2016 Appropriation Act provided for a deficit of N2.20 trillion and borrowing of N1.81

trillion.

Although domestic borrowing has been accessed to the tune of N635.87 billion, that of external borrowing was yet to be fully accessed.

In another development, the Senate said it was working hard to ensure that the N7.3 trillion 2017 budget is passed by the March 30, 2017 deadline.

It however clarified that the date was not sacrosanct.

Briefing newsmen after plenary yesterday, Senate spokesman, Senator Sabi Abdullahi (Niger North) said the various standing committees were defending their reports before the Committee on Appropriation.

He added that the reports had already been harmonised with the committees of the House of Representatives, to avoid further delays.

“We have a timetable and we

are working with it. The timetable is a guide. The challenge, as I said two weeks ago, is that several MDAs (ministries, departments and agencies of government) were invited by the committees to come and defend their budget proposals, but they were not forthcoming and this caused delays.

“In the circumstances, even if there is a delay, it will not be long. We are on course to catch up with the time,” Abdullahi said.

Speaking on the approval for the Eurobond, Abdullahi said the Senate had to waive the long process of considering the request in order to reduce the number of abandoned projects from the 2016 budget.

“The 2016 budget was approved for 12 calendar months, it was approved in March 2016, implementation should continue till the end of April,” he added.

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THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017• T H I S D AY

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NEWS

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

Senate Declares Customs CG Unfit for Public Office, Asks Him to Resign Citing separation of powers, condemns AGF’s interference Demands cancellation of contentious car duty policy PINE: SGF, Rholavision head to court, Babachir to shun c’ttee’s invitation Damilola Oyedele in Abuja The drama that has followed the summons issued to the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Col. Hameed Ali (rtd.) to appear before it in his uniform over the retrospective vehicle duty verification policy and his refusal to honour the summons, yesterday culminated in the Senate declaring Ali unfit to occupy public office.

The Senators further called for his resignation as the helmsman of the Customs Service, because he refused to show respect for the Senate despite being an appointee of the government.

The lawmakers also condemned what they described as undue interference and nonadherence to the principle of the separation of powers by the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), whose letter had asked the Senate to stay action on the face-off with Ali. The Senate resolved to write a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari to urge restraint of the AGF. Furthermore, the lawmakers demanded the outright cancellation of the contentious car duty policy, which has been suspended and is being reviewed, by the NCS. They asked the NCS to adopt all measures within its Act to ensure that import duties are properly collected at all borders.

Ali refused to appear before

the Seante yesterday citing a lawsuit instituted by a private person at a Federal High Court in Abuja restraining the Senate from compelling the Customs CG to adorn his uniform.

He failed to appear despite the fact that the case had not been assigned to a judge, nor an injunction or ex parte ruling obtained ordering the Senate to maintain the status quo.

Presiding over plenary yesterday, the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, informed the lawmakers of the letter sent in

by Malami, stating that a case had been filed in court and the matter had become sub judice.

“So he (Malami) advised that every action should stop, including the attendance of the Comptroller General of Customs to this hallowed chamber,” Ekweremadu said, following which he directed the Clerk of the Senate, Mr. Nelson Ayewoh to read the letter.

The senators were however miffed that Malami had advised the Senate to stay action on what is considered the constitutional duty of the legislature.

Reacting, Senator Benjamin Uwajumogu (Imo North) argued that since Nigeria operates as a democracy which is established on the principles of separation of powers, no arm of government can stop another from carrying out its legislative duties.

He cited the 2013 case of the impeached Deputy Governor of Imo State, Mr. Jude Agbaso

by the state House of Assembly.

Agbaso had challenged his removal up to the Supreme Court, which upheld the impeachment on the premise of separation of powers.

Echoing Uwajumogu’s argument, Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West) queried whether a court process can stop any arm of government from carrying out its duties.

“What we have from the AGF is an insult to the National Assembly. Where did the AGF, who we screened on this floor, derive his powers from to tell us how we should carry out our duties?

“It is not a court injunction, it is not a court order but a mere process filed by a third party and you want us, because somebody rushed to court to file a process, to abandon our responsibilities. It is another dark day for democracy” Melaye said.

Describing the position of the Customs CG as that of a public servant, Melaye said Ali has exceeded the stipulated age for public servants and was therefore not qualified for the designation of CG. He cited the Public Service Rules, Guidelines for Appropriation, Promotion and Discipline, and the Pension Reform Act, which all stipulate that 60 years or 35 years of pensionable service (whichever is earlier) as the compulsory retirement age for all grades in the service including the Customs Service.

“We are in a democracy where we have a president who on May 29, 2015, a man of honor and integrity, told Nigerians that the fundamental principle of this government shall be the respect for the rule of law.

“Now there is a test, so the president has a choice to choose

between the rule of law and Hameed Ali. We will see what will happen. There is a provision that forbids Hameed Ali from being CG. “The president may so wish, if he wants, to appoint Hameed Ali as sole administrator,” he added.

Senator Isa Misau (Bauchi Central) said the enemies of the Buhari government were within the presidency, adding that they do not want the government to succeed when considering the kind of advice they are probably giving the president.

Though he did not name the persons, he said they had resumed taking steps that were capable of causing tensions in just two weeks of the president’s resumption in office from a medical vacation in London.

“In the 59 days when the president was away, did you hear about Niger Delta Avengers,

or herdsmen, or media attacks?

In just two weeks, he has been back, they are causing problems.

“The AGF is trying to cause problems between the National Assembly and the presidency. If he writes this kind of letter, then we should imagine the kind of advice he is giving the president,” Misau said.

“They allowed the acting president to work, maybe because he did not allow them to set him against other institutions.

He (Buhari) should remove them from his government,” he added.

Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South) cautioned against relegating the subject matter, which caused the face off between the Senate and the Customs boss.

He lamented that the impression was being created that the Senate was more concerned about whether or not

Cont’d on Pg 50

Buhari Approves Reconstituted NSIA Board Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja Almost two years after he dissolved the governing boards of federal agencies, President Muhammadu Buhari has ratified the reconstituted Board of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), operators of Nigeria Sovereign Wealth Fund (NSWF).

The National Economic Council (NEC) had last month approved a list of six nominees for appointment into the board.

The nominees, representing each of the six geo-political zones in the country include Halima Buba (North-east), Bello Maccido (North–west), Lois Laraba Machunga-Disu (Northcentral), Olajide Zetilin (South-west), Urum Kalu Ekeh (South-east) and Asue Ighodalo (South-south).

NSIA, in a statement yesterday confirmed that President Buhari has approved the nominations for the reconstituted board.

“This mail serves to inform you that the list of nominees

for the reconstituted Board of Directors of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority as approved by the governing council has been ratified by His Excellency, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the statement said.

The new board of NSIA has Mr. Olajide Zeitlin (South-west), a private sector player as Chairman.

Zeitlin is Independent NonExecutive Director at Vascular Biogenics Limited, Non-Executive Chairman at Coach, Inc; Independent Director at Affiliated Managers Group, Inc., Founder at The Keffi Group Limited, and a director at Independent Mobile Infrastructure Pvt Limited.

He was previously employed as Partner by the Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., Partner by Goldman Sachs and Co., and Treasurer and Director by Teach For America, Inc. He bagged his first degree from Amherst College and an MBA from Harvard University.

The NSIA was established by an Act of the National Assembly in May 2011.

SEARCHING FOR PEACE IN PDP

L-R: Governor Bayelsa State/Chairman PDP Reconciliation Committee, Hon. Seriaki Dickson; Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu; and Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, when members of PDP reconciliation committee came to submit their template for reconciliation to the National Assembly PDP Caucus in Abuja....yesterday Julius Atoi

Police Recover Body of Late Doctor from Lagos Lagoon Family confirms identity Police retrieve his phone to aid investigation

Chiemelie Ezeobi After three days underwater, the body of Dr. Allwell Orji , a medical doctor attached to Mount Sinai Hospital, who jumped from the Third Mainland Bridge into lagoon last Sunday, finally floated yesterday evening.

His body was covered at about 4p.m. by the operatives of the Marine Police and his identity was later confirmed by his family at about 5.25p.m.

This discovery came at the heels of the discovery of another corpse last Tuesday, which the police had initially mistaken for the doctor’s body until the family stepped in and said otherwise.

Confirming the incident, the General Manager, LASEMA, Mr. Adesina Tiamiyu, said: “At about 4p.m., the body of Orji was recovered by the Marine Police and was identified by some of his family including his driver in the presence of the Commissioner of Police Lagos State, Mr Fatai Owoseni.

“The body will be handed over to the family while investigation continues. I met with the family members to express condolences on behalf of the Lagos State Government and therefore declared the search closed.”

Meanwhile, the state Police Command has retrieved the late doctor’s mobile phone to aid investigation.

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Owoseni, at a press briefing yesterday said the police are working with the service providers and using their technical platform to investigate who he called and what he discussed before taking the fatal dive.

He said: “I was personally at the scene of the incident and I was also there when the vehicle was searched. The rumours that there was a suicide note in the car was wrong. There was no suicide note.”

The CP who described the action of Orji as criminal, said the police would investigate the matter to a logical conclusion and would leave no stone

unturned.

He said: “In this incident, the police are the leading agency investigating the matter.

It is not as if the police are competing with any agency in this investigation.

“It is purely a criminal case and the police are vested with the powers to investigate it.

You can get authoritative information from the Force.

“The human error yesterday (referring to the body found) occured because as at the time the body was found under the bridge at Onikan, what went into the minds of the police officers from the Marine Police, was that he was the one since

Cont’d on Pg 52

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THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017• T H I S D AY

NEWS

FG Unfolds Power Recovery Plan, Okays N80bn for Road Rehabilitation Approves link roads to Second Niger Bridge, infrastructural programme for FCT

Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja The federal government yesterday unfolded what it described as power sector recovery programme with the aim of creating a more viable and vibrant power sector.

The government also approved N80 billion for the rehabilitation and construction of many roads and bridges in 12 states of the federation.

The beneficiary states are: Oyo, Adamawa, Taraba, Plateau, Zamfara, Kwara, Bauchi, Kano, Enugu, Osun, Sokoto and

Kaduna States.

The government also approved engineering and consultancy designs for the construction of two access roads to the second Niger bridge that is under construction. The two roads are meant to link Asaba in Delta State and Onitsha in Anambra State to the second Niger bridge.

The construction, which is expected to last for six months will cost N150.8 million.

These approvals were made at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by

Fresh Attacks on Nigerians in S’Africa Not Xenophobic, Says FG Alex Enumah in Abuja The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said the latest attack at a motor park in Polokwane in the Limpopo Province of South Africa, in which two Nigerians were involved, was not a xenophobic attack.

The ministry in a statement signed by its spokesperson Clement Aduku, noted that though there was no reported loss of live involving any Nigerians, two Nigerians were said to be injured and properties destroyed in the latest fracas.

The federal government however, called on the South African authorities to live up to expectation in maintaining law and order as well as the protection of lives and properties, particularly of foreign nationals.

The ministry lamented the incident is coming barely few days both Nigerian and South African Governments successfully proffered solution to the issue of xenophobic attacks against foreigners in South Africa.

Part of the statement read: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has received reports of alleged renewed attacks on Nigerians in South Africa. Such reports, coming on the heels of the recently concluded and highly successful dual-layered engagement with top officials and parliamentarians in South Africa, including members of the civil society, give cause for

concern.

“Contrary to media reports, the recent incident was a scuffle that took place on March 14, 2017 in a motor park in Polokwane in the Limpopo Province in which two Nigerians were injured one of who has already been discharged from the hospital and the other receiving treatment.

“The ministry has received no report of casualty or death of any Nigerian in this latest altercation though some properties were reportedly destroyed in the ensuing escalation. From all indications, the recent incident does not constitute xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.”

The statement however assured that Nigeria’s Acting High Commissioner in South Africa, Martin Cobham is working in close partnership with the Consul-General in Johannesburg, Godwin Adama in liaison with the leadership of the Nigerian community and relevant officials of the South African Government, to ensure that the situation does not escalate.

“Meanwhile, the ministry calls on the South African authorities to continue to take firm measures to maintain law and order, including the security of lives and property in the country such that Nigerians and other foreigners in South Africa may continue to go about their normal businesses without let or hindrance,” the statement added.

NCAA Approves Abuja Helicopter Operations The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has cleared all helicopter operators duly certified by the regulatory authority to commence operations in and out of Abuja forthwith.

A letter has since been dispatched to all concerned operators.

The National Security Adviser shortly after the closure of Abuja airport placed a ban on helicopter operations into

Abuja.

However, “the restriction has been rescinded and all operators are hereby enjoined to embark on their regular operations as approved,” NCAA said in a statement signed by its spokesman, Sam Adurogboye.

The NCAA also urged all operators to carry out their operations in line with Standard and Recommended Practices (SARPs).

President Muhammadu Buhari in the Presidential Villa.

Briefing journalists at the end of the meeting, Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, said approval was also made for power projects relating to the extension and management of Katsina Wind Energy Farm project. He said the new recovery power sector plan was meant to enhance the performance of the distribution companies (DISCOS).

According to him, the Katsina wind energy project was awarded to an expatriate in 2010 and was meant to be concluded in 2013 but the project was stalled by the kidnap of the expatriate whom he said left the country after his rescue and never returned. However, he said the project had newly been revived.

Fashola, said the power sector recovery agenda would among others, simplify and reduce cash deficit which has accumulated as a result of reduction in tariffs by the previous administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

He also said the agenda would foster transparency, improve governance in the power sector, address access to renewable energy, guarantee predictable foreign exchange policy for the power sector, among others.

“The last contract on power approved is the power sector recovery programme which we presented to council. It’s a programme that comprises many policy actions, operational and financial interventions that need to be carried out by the government to improve transparency, service delivery, performance of DISCOS, transmission companies, the entire value change in order to create a more viable power sector that is private-sector driven.

“Some of the highlights of the programme are how to simplify and reduce the cash deficits that have accumulated as a result of previous unilateral reductions of tariff by the last administration during the running of the elections; how to make the DISCOS viable, accountable, responsive to customers; ensure stability

of the grid and expansion of the grid and transparency and communication within the sector and also processes for ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) debts and how to improve sector governance; our roles in the buzz, the quality of personnel on the board of the DISCOS. According to him, the engineering design for access link roads to the Second River Niger bridge would be sequel to subsequent award of further works on the bridge. “The design is expected to be completed in six months and we will start procurement, and as the bridge advances, we can then connect the two states. The contract sum is N150,840 million,” Fashola added.

Also briefing the journalists, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Muhammad Bello, said FEC also approved the take-off of Phase II of Abuja Mass Transit; construction of link roads in the FCT as well as the continuation of infrastructural development in Jahi District.

Bello said Jahi District

infrastructure would cost N19.47 billion while another five-kilometre road to link the ring road lll to Wasa junction with Karshi-Ara-Apo Road would cost N2.454 billion.

He also said the phrase II of Abuja Mass Transit Lot 1B (26.77km) which will begin from Ring Road I would pass through Area 10 to Wuse Market, Berger Junction, Jabi Motor Park Life Camp and terminate at Gwagwa.

However, a strange development was witnessed before and after yesterday’s FEC meeting.

Before the meeting took off at 11a.m; the ministers had gathered in the office of Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo for a meeting that lasted for about an hour.

Again, after the meeting which ended before 2p.m., the ministers returned to the vice-president’s office to continue the meeting till some minutes after 3p.m.

Asked what prompted the strange development, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the government reserved the right to decide how it handled its activities.

DISTINGUISHED MEMBER

President of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS), Mrs. Mercy Iyortyer (right), presenting a document to Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, when she led the national executive council of the institute on a courtesy visit to Government House in Kaduna ....yesterday

FG to Establish Niger Delta Development Bank Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt

The federal government is working towards the establishment of a Niger Delta Development Bank to speed up the development of the region, the Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr. Nsima Ekere, has said.

Addressing representatives of youth groups and ex-agitators from the Niger Delta reign at the headquarters of NDDC in Port Harcourt yesterday, Ekere said the proposed bank would also assist people from the region, especially youths, to participate in the establishment of modular refineries in the region.

He said one of the programmes of the federal

government is the establishment of modular refineries in the Niger Delta region to deter youths in the area from involvement in illegal refineries.

“Instead of doing the small illegal refineries, government wants to help us with the technology to do this bigger so that we will be involved in refining in such a way that the environment will not be destroyed,” he said He however noted that people in the region, especially youths, would have challenges getting enough capital to get involved in the modular refineries.

His words: “The challenge will be how the youth of the region will get enough money to buy into these modular refineries. Federal government

has mandated the NDDC to work out the modalities with the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

We want to ensure that whether the youth have money or not, they can key into this. So, we are going to set up a Niger Delta Development Bank to drive the development of the region.

And intet-ministerial committee has also been set up in the presidency to look into all the issues raised during the visit of the vice president to the region.”

He reiterated the commitment of the commission to the economic empowerment and development of youths of the Niger Delta region.

He however called on the youths to assist the federal government and security agencies

in creating an environment that would be conducive to attract investors back to the region.

Ekere stated that part of the economic empowerment and development for the youths of the region is the development of illegal refineries scattered in communities in the region to modular refineries with stateof-the-art technologies.

He said: “The NDDC was set up by the federal government to address the problem of underdevelopment of the Niger Delta region. In addition to developing the physical infrastructure of the region, the NDDC will develop the human capital in the region.

One of the key areas of the development is the young people.

T H I S D AY THURSDAY MARCH 23, 2017

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T H I S D AY THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

COMMENT

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

HAS IT COME TO THIS?

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Abdullahi Yunusa contends that the ongoing face-off between the senate and the controller general of customs service is wasteful

othing hampers, frustrates or delays a nation’s quest for meaningful development than having its affairs presided over by individuals who are in public office for all other reasons, but service to humanity.

We keep running in circles and claim to be making steady progress. No serious nation exerts its precious time, energy and scarce resources on inanities and hopes to become great.

The on-going face-off between the Nigerian Senate and the Controller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Col. Hameed Ali (rtd), is indicative of how the ruling elite are more interested in wasting our precious time and resources on insignificant issues at the expense of more serious and attention-seeking challenges. No sane character chases after rats with his house on fire.

The squabble isn’t about how to solve some fundamental problems bedevilling the Nigeria Customs Service. It is not on concerted efforts to plug leakages in that cesspool of corruption called NCS. Also, it is not about how to reposition the NCS to guarantee efficient service delivery.

Regrettably, all the hoopla, claptrap and drama is on the senate’s insistence that Col. Ali MUST appear before it in full customs uniform, a request the controller general of customs sees as a tall order.

The NCS, like most MDAs, is without doubt sick and in dire need of urgent overhaul. I had expected our lawmakers would exercise their power of oversight on a more productive and development-driven issue like stamping out endemic corruption in the NCS than dwelling on an inconsequential issue as wearing of customs uniform.

In the ongoing clash of ego, the utmost losers will be ordinary Nigerians who have no direct or unfettered access to the nation’s commonwealth. Both the senators and Hameed Ali belong to the same class. They only share same geographical space with us, we live in different worlds.

While our collective survival as a nation is dependent on their actions and inactions, the positions they occupy and the perks of office they enjoy precludes them from the

I HAD EXPECTED OUR LAWMAKERS WOULD EXERCISE THEIR POWER OF OVERSIGHT ON A MORE PRODUCTIVE AND DEVELOPMENTDRIVEN ISSUE LIKE STAMPING OUT ENDEMIC CORRUPTION IN THE NCS THAN DWELLING ON AN INCONSEQUENTIAL ISSUE AS WEARING OF CUSTOMS UNIFORM

existential realities we go through as ordinary citizens.

These elite enjoy all the essential services like electricity, water, security and accommodation that ordinary Nigerians like you and I struggle through our nose to have.

So, the clash is not about how to evolve policies and progammes that would make life a little more comfortable for Nigerians. It is largely a clash of ego.

Even though the senators make haste to tell us that the struggle is how to protect the integrity of the senate as Nigeria’s highest law-making body, we truly know that the entire imbroglio is fuelled more by personal not altruistic reasons. Hameed Ali, an egoistic fellow, on his part sees the entire game as a plot to ridicule him as a retired army officer and former military administrator.

Where is the place of seriousness in our activities when we learnt that the senate asked Hammed Ali, who was originally billed to address it on his controversial but now-suspended duty payment for old vehicles issue as well as provide insights into the activities of the NCS in the last one year, to return to his office simply because he wasn’t clad in customs uniform! Who does that? Are we really serious about putting Nigeria on the path of development? I doubt it.

Our elite are more or less entertainers who see us as willing spectators. They know we all love to watch, analyse and debate over the drama they stage every other day. Little wonder they take us for granted. Expectedly, some of us are already counting down to when Hameed Ali is billed to return to the senate. We are anxious and can’t wait to see who will eventually eat the humble pie.

How does the face-off address the endemic corruption and under-the-table dealings that go unchecked in the Nigerian Customs Service? Instead of endorsing their foolhardiness, let’s challenge them to exchange blows on issues that have direct bearing on our lives as citizens.

A Hameed Ali wearing or not wearing customs uniform is no solution to the soaring prices of food items in the market. meetprofwills@yahoo.com

LIES, DAMNED LIES ‘The face of a fantastically corrupt country’ is laden with errors, argues Tony Eluemunor

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he fantastically rumour – besotted Chris Akor, in “The face of a fantastically corrupt country” (Business Day of Wednesday February 15, 2017) embraced rumour and nothing but his beloved rumour.

To worsen matters, he also lied when he wrote: ….“was demonstrated last week at the N350 million church thanksgiving and reception packaged, according to Sahara reporters, by the Delta State Government to welcome him home. Not only was the entire Delta State Government machinery diverted to Oghara, all politicians of note, the who-is-who in the state, plus massive and tumultuous crowd were on hand to rejoice with and welcome him home”. Which reception was he referring to? And which “government machinery was diverted to Oghara?” No reception held anywhere for Ibori after the church service!

Next paragraph: In the service of another rumour, Akor wrote: “In April 2010, when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission wanted to arrest (Ibori) he escaped to his hometown in Oghara, where youths barricaded the community and successfully prevented the EFCC from having access to the community to arrest the embattled former governor”. That is a lie. The EFCC never attempted to arrest Ibori in Oghara and were turned back.

Never!

In the very next sentence, he lied again; “The same Urhobo people organised his escape (he confessed to being ferried out of the country through a river by Oghara youths) to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates”. Sincerely, Ibori has never made such a confession. Also, he could not have

gone through a river to Dubai because no river runs from the Niger Delta to Dubai!

Chris Akor obviously needs an Atlas map!

Next paragraph; next rumour, next lie!

“Alamieyesiegha jumped or was allowed to jump bail and escaped to Nigeria dressed as a woman”. Is Chris Akor’s mind so simplistic that he actually believes that in 2005, DSP Alamieyesiegha could have passed through a British Airport dressed as a woman or mermaid or goat or Chris Akor and no CCTV camera captured that image? And why has it remained impossible till date to identify the airline that brought him to Lagos and Port Harcourt? I gave up on Chris Akor after encountering so many rumours and outright lies. Here’s my advice to Chis Akor : “please be serious”!

Our columnists could learn from an observant and inquisitive Josef Omorotionmwan (Vanguard of Thursday Feb. 16, 2017). He wrote: “Delta is one of the most enlightened states throughout the Federation. Yet, (the people) love Ibori most passionately – to the extent that many would be willing to go to prison in his stead; and many would be willing to die so that Ibori could live. When Ibori returned to Nigeria recently … he got the type of reception that no Nigerian Head of State has ever received. And this came in spite of the fact that many had written and spoken of the folly in coming out to welcome him. If some former governors … had to quietly return home in total infamy after service; and you have Ibori’s return being celebrated in grand style, then, Ibori must have something going for him. He, therefore, becomes a special research subject. That’s our major point of interest”.

Josef Omorotionmwan’s has originality of thought. He has depth. He does not flow with the flotsam and jetsam in the sea of rumours. But he forgot to EMPHASIZE that the admiration for Ibori cuts across Delta State’s ethnic divide as the Urhobo, Anioma, the Isoko, the Ijaw and the Itsekiri peoples celebrated his return with equal vigour. So where is the “primordial” and “tribal” nonsense some columnists embraced in this case as they misapplied Prof. Peter Ekeh’s postulations to insult the Delta people? Akor actually called the remarkable Achebe just a “story teller” in that article; so he even dismissed Achebe too!

Adherents to their school of politics had spent years demonising Ibori but he returned obviously more popular than his political traducers and their slavish newspaper cheerleaders expected. Please, note that I used the term slavish as Jimmy Cliff used it in his “Poor Slave” reggae music track: “A slave is still a slave/If he can’t think independently” (Fundamental Reggae album: 1973).

Also, the visitors who came to felicitate with Ibori were not all politicians. Gen. David Ejoor (rtd) Mid-West Region’s Military Governor in 1966 when Ibori was eight years old and who was Gen. Yakubu Gowon’s Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters when Ibori was a teenager, was helped to walk from and back to his car when he visited Ibori. The remarkable inventor, Brig-Gen Otu Oviemo Ovadje (rtd) a highly endorsed Nigerian medical doctor who invented the Emergency Auto Transfusion System (EAT-SET) – an affordable, simpler and effective blood auto-transfusion system, also visited him.

They wouldn’t have come for handouts

either!

The genuine love for Ibori in Delta, the South-South and even across the land has endured despite all the slings and arrows Nigerian politicians, British DfID agency and self-serving but ill-informed and out rightly dubious columnists have sent against Ibori – columnists who have refused to acknowledge that Ibori had other sources of income while he was governor (and EFCC knew this all the while as the story in the Financial Times of London of November 16, 2007, “Probe into Chevron and Shell payments” by Michael Peel and Dino Mahtani, showed). It stated that “Anti-corruption investigators are probing payments by ChevronTexaco and Royal Dutch Shell to a company owned

by Ibori”; to find reasons to freeze the account and demonise Ibori. Another item in the charges showed Ibori bought the UK properties with money legitimately earned, e.g., through MER Engineering (an oil service company); that the first confiscation hearing ended in 2013 and no millions of dollars were found anywhere to be seized, and so another confiscation trial was decreed, that till today, no evidence that Ibori stole Delta State’s money exists anywhere.

Above all, the Ibori trial in Nigeria is different from the London trial; while it was beyond every reasonable doubt in Nigeria, it was just on inference alone in Britain, so nothing needed to be proved at all – not even the predicate case of establishing a crime before talking of money laundering. If I’m proved wrong on any point of fact, I pledge to publicly apologise.

Eluemunor is a media aide to James Ibori

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T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

EDITORIAL THE CHALLENGE OF HERDSMEN VIOLENCE

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The security agencies could do more to curb the herdsmen growing menace

any students of Benue State University, Makurdi last Saturday poured into the streets to protest the killing by herdsmen of their colleague, a final year Geography student. It was the second protest within a week in the state as aggrieved youths of Mkovur community in Buruku Local Government Area had earlier blocked the Katsina/Ala-Gboko Road and held up as mirror of the herdsmen violence, the corpses of six persons allegedly slaughtered in their community. While the Mkovur community was still mourning, another set of gunmen invaded a farming community in Zaki Biam and killed 17 others, mostly women and children.

A distraught Governor Samuel Ortom, a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) admitted that the state “has been overwhelmed” while accusing the federal government of indifference. It is understandable. Benue State is indisputably the theatre of herdsmen’s bloodbath.

In February 2016, Ortom was forced to arrange an emergency visit to Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo to seek the federal governTHE STARTING POINT IN ment’s intervention in RESOLVING THE PROBLEM stopping the “escalation IS TO DETERMINE THE of violence” in Agatu SOURCE OF THESE ARMS Local Council of his AND HOW THEY GET state. That was after INTO THE HANDS OF THE some herdsmen had killed about 300 people HERDSMEN and sacked some of the mainly agrarian communities. “We have to do everything possible as a government to arrest this situation and bring the perpetrators to book,” Ortom told Osinbajo. But the cycle of violence has continued as other communities were soon to bear the brunt of the marauding herdsmen attacks in the long running conflict over grazing rights.

Unfortunately, this mindless killing is not restricted to Benue State. What is truly worrying is that despite the bad publicity dogging their activities, the nomadic cattle herders have continued to throw their violent weight around. Last week, the police command in Abia State had

Letters to the Editor

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cause to raise an alarm that several of the herdsmen had infiltrated many communities in the state. Apart from killing men and raping women, some of the herdsmen were also engaged in the booming business of kidnapping.

Indeed, so many prominent men and women, including traditional rulers, had fallen into their net and were only set free after payment of handsome ransom. Named the fourth deadliest “terrorist group” by the Global Terrorism Index in 2015, the herdsmen also indulge in destroying homes and property of farming communities whenever and wherever they strike.

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T H I S DAY

EDITOR IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU DEPUTY EDITORS BOLAJI ADEBIYI, JOSEPH USHIGIALE MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN

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

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, ISRAEL IWEGBU, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU GROUP FINANCE DIRECTOR OLUFEMI ABOROWA DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS PETER IWEGBU, FIDELIS ELEMA, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS HENRY NWACHOKOR, SAHEED ADEYEMO CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI GENERAL MANAGER PATRICK EIMIUHI GROUP HEAD FEMI TOLUFASHE DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com

lthough President Muhammadu Buhari and other stakeholders often make the usual statements condemning these brazen acts of murder with a pledge to investigate, we believe that these violent crimes would not have attained this magnitude if the criminals did not have access to arms.

The authorities, therefore, must curb this growing problem of proliferation of illicit arms. As we repeatedly said on this page, the starting point in resolving the problem is to determine the source of these arms and how they get into the hands of the herdsmen.

Our security agencies need to up their game and find answers to nagging questions with a view to permanently stopping illicit importation of arms into the country. They must find the perpetrators of this gun-running crime and bring them to justice. And there are compelling reasons why the authorities must act fast in the interest of our national peace and cohesion.

Following the inability of the federal government to rein-in these violent herdsmen, there is a growing perception that otherwise law abiding citizens may have to make their own security arrangements to secure their lives and property. The urge for citizens to arrange for their own defence, as Ortom implied when ordering the herdsmen out of his state last week, can only worsen the situation on the ground. Community arrangements for security against gunmen would require private accumulation of arms. In this bid to balance terror, our country runs the risk of becoming home to massive illicit arms with assured disastrous consequences.

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

IFE MAYHEM AND THE NEED FOR CAUTION

t is no longer news that the ancient town of Ile-Ife was recently engulfed in an ethnic clash that made blood to flow like ordinary water. According to unconfirmed reports, by the time the conflict ended, about 50 lives were lost and property worth hundreds of millions of naira lost. Though, there are diverse versions of what triggered the conflict and how it actually happened, what is, however, incontrovertible is that many lives were lost in horrific circumstances during the crisis that pitched the Hausa-Fulani community in the town with some indigenes.

Now, the primary concern of this piece is not actually about what led to the gory incidence but more in relation to the process that would ensure that justice is accurately meted out without any recourse to prejudice. This is quite essential if we are to prevent future episode of such mayhem. Days after the gruesome incidence, the police reportedly swung into action combing the entire Ile-Ife and its environs, as well as other trouble spots in the state apparently in search of possible perpetrators of the heinous incident. By the time the search was over, 38 suspects out of whom 20 were found culpable were detained for further investigation.

But then, there have been insinuations in certain quarters about the impartiality of the process leading to the arrest of perceived perpetrators. It has been alleged that the process favours a particular ethnic group at the expense of the other. It was, for instance, alleged that the bulk of officers involved in investigating the case are from the northern part of the country and they have been accused of indiscriminate arrest of people of Yoruba origin. It has even been alleged that a particular high ranking member of the federal cabinet from the northern part of the country made certain biased remarks while on a fact-finding mission to Ile-Ife in respect of the regrettable event.

In as much as one does not actually have any empirical data to either disprove or endorse these claims, it is, nevertheless, important that authorities concerned, especially security agencies involved in investigating and prosecuting the case, should rise above primordial interests and eschew every form of nepotism and other such unpatriotic considerations. Like the revered monarch of Ile-Ife, His Royal Majesty, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi

rightly affirmed while addressing security officials that paid him a visit in the wake of the distressing event, security agencies should go after the culprits, irrespective of who they are and where they are from, and bring them to book.

This is the least that is expected of law enforcement agencies in such a delicate situation.

Whoever instigated and participated in the deplorable episode are irresponsible and devilish elements who must not be allowed to go scot-free in order to serve as deterrent to others with similar barbaric instinct. Therefore, resorting to ethnic sentiments and tendencies in this affair would amount to a careless display of ignorance and gross incompetence.

Let me stress at this point that whatever happened at Ile-Ife on that fateful day couldn’t have been a manifestation of relations between Hausa-Fulani settlers in the ancient town and their host community. I have a fair knowledge of Ile-Ife. Though I am not an indigene, my formative years were spent there. The memories of my early years in Ile-Ife remain part of the most cherished aspects of my life. I had both my primary and secondary education at Ile-Ife. My first degree thesis partly centered on the primordial town. In fact, I had my primary education right inside of Sabo, where the Hausa-Fulani predominantly live. I had good friends among them. We interfaced like brothers and sisters. They have become part and parcel of the community. I cannot remember the last time that such gory intra-ethnic clash like the recent one occurred in Ile-Ife. The Ifes are particularly accommodating people. I can confidently attest to this. On the other hand, the Hausa-Fulani settlers at Ile-Ife had properly integrated into the community. I know quite a few of their men that had married Ife ladies and vice-versa.

I had taken the pain to go into the details just to drive home my hypothesis that the incidence should not be unduly tribalised. Irresponsible men and women abound in every race or tribe. What happened in Ile-Ife was an act of irresponsibility and the responsibility of law enforcement agencies would be to fish them out and apply the law as desirable. Arresting or going after innocent people under any disguise or pretext would be counterproductive.

Tayo Ogunbiyi, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Lagos

TUITION FOR FEDERAL UNIVERSITIES

I

was really saddened by your recommendation and conclusions in your editorial. There is really no free tuition as students are made to pay so much under spurious sub-heads. It’s rather unfortunate to impose any tuition in public schools in a third world, undeveloped country. The way to go is to make education absolutely free in public schools while private schools should be heavily taxed. The children of the poor should have unassailable access and right to quality education for free like that of the rich.

Dr. Joe Edet, joeyedet@gmail. com

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T H I S D AY THURSDAY MARCH 23, 2017

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POLITICS

Group Politics Editor Tobi Soniyi Email tobi.soniyi@thisdaylive.com 08033146139 SMS ONLY

PERSONALITY INTERVIEW

Obiogbolu: Anambra Will Be Safe in My Hands One of the front runners in theAnambra State governorship election slated for November, Dr.Alexander Obiogbolu, in an interview with journalists, said all it takes to make the state better is at his disposal. He also challenged the Obiano-led administration to provide with clarity some of its so-called achievements.

Excerpts by Anayo Okoli and Olaseni Durojaiye: promised to continue, complete, commission and commence. What I would always say is that I am not others, nor Obiano. I have held public office in my state within a span of 25 years and have held chief executive positions and my records are there for verification. Oganiru Anambra ideology is very clear and we have by the grace and mercy of God consistently advocated this in the past 14 years. It is not about you or I but about taking our state to where we want to be. Corruption can’t affect us if our leaders are not corrupt. Slow development cannot deter us if our leaders have vision, and of course our people can only rejoice when good leaders are in authority.

Former President Goodluck was quoted as saying that there is hope for the PDP to return to power in 2019. Given the plethora of issues the PDP is contending with since 2015, do you share that view?

As long as there is life, there is hope. Every patriotic Nigerian should pray and hope that PDP first remains a strong and united party so as to provide a virile opposition to the ruling APC government. We have learnt how a virile opposition keeps democracy alive and gives the people an option if they are fed up with the party they gave their mandate to.

Our former president and a great leader of our party former President Jonathan Goodluck’s statement of hope of PDP returning to power in 2019 represents our desire and I believe it can be accomplished going by the way the APC has remained clueless on what to do with the mandate it received.

The problems that have bedeviled us since 2015 is not peculiar to us if you look closely at what is happening in the APC. We have quarreled several times and have always shown the capacity to overcome the issues that divide us, but it is left to see if the people in APC can resolve theirs or whether the party will implode.

The people of Anambra State will go to the polls later this year. Given the dwindling popularity of the PDP, and given the reported enormity of work the present governor has done, is there any chance for opposition nay PDP in the coming election?

Anambra State will be going to the polls precisely on Novermber18, 2017 but it is certainly wrong to state that the popularity of the PDP is dwindling. The defection of some leaders in the party to the ruling party is not a clear sign of dwindling popularity but rather the exhibition of lack of character amongst some of the political class in Nigeria. Certainly we have our hands full of problems but these are obviously not insurmountable and you can see the concerted efforts by the leaders to resolve these issues.

If you review the results of the last general elections, you will discover that the PDP did marvelously well in the South-east which is a signal to any observer that the party is popular and generally accepted in this region.

Thus, in Anambra State where the APGA heads the government, our party is still more acceptable to the people. You can see it by the way we have won elections in recent times despite some of the issues that have bedeviled our party. Our loss of the governorship position is more as a result of division over the candidature for the election than peoples’ love for the ruling APGA party.

You alluded to the present governor having done enormous work, I have continued to ask, can someone detail, not generalise, and explain what work has been done so we can quantify the enormity of the work done, which will imply that the claimed work done by the Obiano administration will be stacked and compared against that of his predecessors, Dr Chris Ngige or Mr, Peter Obi of APGA or against some of his current colleagues in other states.

To claim Obiano is working on the pages of newspapers and billboards can never connote work but by the fruits of their labour we shall know them. His Imo State colleague, Owelle Rochas Okorocha recently challenged him to publish his achievements so people could rate who has done better. I am not aware he has published such except to continue to trade unkind words with Okorocha. Take for instance in road rehabilitation and construction, Ngige accomplished an average of 80km of road per annum, whilst Obi averaged an average of 100km

Obiogbolu

of road per annum. Let Obiano list his own roads completed in the last 35 months, so we know the average per annum. Remember Ngige governed for 34 months. Let Obiano show us his claimed success in so called agriculture. Apart from the MOUs signed, show us the progress and accomplishments and not just taunting the number of MOUs signed. MOUs are just understandings and agreements, so show us the results.

He claimed he made five million dollars from exporting vegetables, which a bunch cost N50 in the market, so we calculate the quantity that will amount to five million American dollars and begin to wonder the land acreage where these vegetables were planted and the new millionaires created and where we can find them in Anambra state.

They tell us they produced 210,000 metric tonnes of rice, which translate into 4.2 million bags of 50 kg rice and we look at their bagging of 10 kg rice and it works out million bags of rice. You gave civil servants that are less than 40,000 persons a bag each. Yet we can’t find the rice in the market. We saw the awards and encomiums being poured by CBN, Federal Ministry of Agriculture on Kebbi, Lagos and Jigawa States and our governor tells us he is working.

In the area of security which he flaunts, I agree that indeed he has maintained one of the achievements of Obi who was the one that chased out kidnappers and big time robbers from Anambra state, and as such we commend him for not letting us down like he has done in other sectors.

However, I have continued to caution that we can’t rest on our oars on that aspect of security because that word connotes many other things apart from stopping kidnapping and reducing armed robbery. Are citizens secure when government agents beat and harass them daily? Are they safe when military and other members of the forces kill and maim innocent protesters or people who just happen to be wearing a camouflage? Are we safe when communities begin to kill each other because of land matters as is the case in the state today?

There is still much to be done in securing

our state than toasting champagne, blowing money on television ads and talking about how safe our state is. That won’t stop the new emerging security risks.

You’ve again declared you intention to become governor of Anambra State, what improvements or new things are you offering?

I can tell you that going by the accomplishments of the two governments that preceded Governor Obiano’s administration, certainly he is dragging us back and reducing the speed of development that his predecessor Peter Obi had set in motion.

As such, I continue to state that we can do it better than him. Another four years of Willie Obiano, his profligacy, bad fiscal management and Anambra State will become broke. Our administration will do much better in agriculture which we both agree is the foundation for economic revolution in our state.

We would prefer to support the more than 90,000 registered farmers in the state rather than just wait for investors who are going around searching for loans. We will want to, under the GREAT programme, retrain some of our unemployed graduates and use cluster cooperative societies to empower them to go into mechanised agriculture. We will leverage on our industrious capability of our youth to focus more on agro allied industrialisation and also massive promotion of SMEs. Another thing I have always stated is that we will do differently is to use the local government administration to extend development to the rural areas and build our future leaders. We must democratise the local governments by holding regular elections and support them to bring development to the grassroots. That was what our constitution intended when the local government tier was created and as a product of that system, I understand how it prepares one for the bigger office.

I can assure you that our administration would focus on all sectors, from health to education to effective and functional emergency services to wealth creation and security.

However, I am not unmindful that many would place us in same category with others and say, it is politics, others have said so even Obiano

Why do you think that the Obiano led government will not return to power after the general election?

Only God knows by now who will be the governor by March 18, 2018, and I believe in the maxim that the society deserves the leaders they get. If you don’t want a certain leader, you work hard to change him through the ballot.

Talk to others, sit down and watch your votes counted. Technology has made it such that we have no excuse again. I don’t believe that after what Ndi Anambra have gone through especially the improved governance in the past eleven years preceding 2014, that we deserve this kind of governance Chief Willie and APGA led government offers today. After so much savings and better fiscal management over the years what we now have is a wasteful government that prefers to celebrate every little thing in a big way. They will pop fire crackers that cost hundreds of millions of naira to celebrate Christmas, spend millions over six months to celebrate 25 years of state creation, and spend millions to celebrate an award to the governor; it reminds me of Emperor Nero in our history books, but can’t afford well equipped fire-fighting equipment.

Elections in Anambra State has often been fraught with violence, why is this so? Do you foresee a change of that narrative?

Again, these are assertions that are not founded on empirical facts. Even at the zenith of imposition of a governor on the people of the state in 2007, by the erstwhile Chief Obasanjo-led federal government, our people did not resort to violence. They rallied behind their leaders who came out to declare that they would not give legitimacy to that government which became the shortest government in the history of Nigeria till date.

Ndi Anambra are not a violent prone people and that can be seen from so many situations. Our youth who have continued to advocate restructuring have continued to do so peacefully despite the killings and arrests they have faced, the deportations from Lagos of our brothers, none of these have turned our people away from the belief in God and rule of law. I can tell you that it is certainly frustrating but our people remain comforted that no matter the hardship placed on us, our God has always seen us through, as we always overcome our foes to ensure our survival and progress. What we yearn for today just like the rest of the country are self less and visionary leaders.

So, I can beat my chest as someone who participated in all elections since 1998 that elections in Anambra is not prone to violence, and that is why I have continued to urge the governor to realise he has a lot to do to keep this beautiful tradition of limited friction. He must be very proactive in words and body posturing to ensure that all contestants preach peace and comradeship.

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INTERVIEW

APCHasAbandonedItsPioneers,SaysAkpabio The South-south Women’s Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Rachael Akpabio, met with newsmen recently where she expressed concern that the continued marginalisation of the party’s pioneer members in the scheme of things may affect its chances in 2019. Damilola Oyedele presents the excerpts: As a party leader what would you say is the genesis of the crises in the State chapter?

This issue began in 2015, we had a party that was growing, set up by Senator John James Akpanudoedehe, who was a member of the merger committee, to form the All Progressives Congress (APC), he was in Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). He was also a member of APC constitution drafting committee. After the party was given birth to, he went back to Akwa Ibom to set up the structure and there was a Congress that produced the executives of the party for the state. He registered and did the registration for everybody and the party was set to contest for the general elections in the state. When it got to election time, he decided to go for governorship with few other people showing interest as well, including those that joined two weeks before the State primaries. It should be instructive to wonder how a person that joined just two weeks before the primary election, who has no structure in the party would win at the primaries against someone that installed the party structure and its organs . Anyway, the primaries came up but not well conducted, I was there. It did not start at 9am as scheduled, accreditation began at almost 3pm or so and when it was getting dark, the Senator advised that it should be stopped because the credibility of the primaries might be affected. His reason was that being late, announcement of a wrong candidate might

Rachel Akpabio.... all appointments going to PDP members who joined APC

lead to violence. He asked his supporters to leave. The governorship election came and it was Umana Umana’s name that the party sent to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as our flag bearer but he didn’t win. He went to court and still lost but the seed of discord has been sowed already.

Why are you just trying to resolve it since its been ongoing for a while?

We have been silent all these time, because we believed it was an internal problem but now it is getting out of hand, and we have to speak

up. My position is that the party should not take sides, we are supposed to be umpires so definitely our job is to bring about solutions to whatever problems occur in the State chapters.

If national officers decide to wade into State issues and take sides, that will not augur well for the party eventually. So the need for the people to close ranks is urgent. I have had calls from everywhere asking what we, as national officers are doing about it but the fact is, I have done everything I could. I have gone to all the leaders in the party to inform them of the problems in Akwa Ibom State and, of the need to step in.

But nobody cares to understand that the party is being torn into pieces, we are not being sincere within, we are not looking at the problems because people have decided to make it a personal affair.

What has been the role of your national officers in all of these ?

As nationals officers, what we supposed to have done which we didn’t do invariably allowed the crisis to fester to this point where federal appointments have been made. When Umana came into the party, he was well received because we need more people in the party. He came with some people from PDP and we received them well. He came in, contested for the governorship ticket, put in some money for the election and it was his name that was sent to INEC. If we go down to it, I will tell

you that no primary was held because what happened cannot be said to be primaries.

With all these, the Zonal executive was supposed to have moved in but we did not do so, as a body officially. But when I, for instance heard about the suspension of the Senator, I approached him but he told me that the suspension won’t stand because it was a facade. When we went on a courtesy visit to Port Harcourt, the Chapter Chairman Amadu Atai told me that the Senator’s suspension issue would be solved. One week after, nothing happened. The next thing was the dissolution of the state Exco. I was in Lagos then and I called the Chairman immediately. He told me that it can’t stand, just like the suspension and that he was going to address the press. I agreed with him and asked him to do that fast only for him to tell me there is no money to do it.

Some days later, there was a press release from him condemning the dissolution of the Exco but silent on the suspension of the Senator. I confronted him on why the silence, he replied saying the suspension cannot stand. I responded that the press statement on dissolution of the Exco would have been an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone, that he ought to have addressed the two issues in the press statement to calm the nerves of both factions.

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

Muraina: Sheriff Can’t Conduct Fresh Congresses in Oyo, Lagos, Kwara, Anambra Former Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum (Upstream) and Oyo State Chairman, Interim Management Committee of the Ahmed Makarfi-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, Hon. Ajibola Muraina, in this interview with journalists, spoke on the raging crisis in the party and why the Senator Ali-Modu Sheriff faction cannot conduct congresses in some states.

Ademola Babalola brings the excerpts: You were recently inaugurated as the Interim Management Committee chairman of the Makarfi group of Oyo PDP despite the fact that the Yinka Taiwo-led executive has not been sacked?

The Yinka Taiwo-led state PDP executive has ceased to function since its tenure expired in March 2016. You recall that that executive was elected into the office through a congress of March 2012 for a period of four years. And through the wisdom of our elders like three former Senators; Hosea Ayoola Agboola (Immediate past Senate Deputy-Whip), Ademola Ayoade Adeseun, Gbenga Babalola, a former Minister, Oloye Jumoke Akinjide, Dr. Saka Balogun, Alhaji Kunmi Mustafa, Hon. Mulikat Akande Adeola who was also the immediate past Majority leader of the House of Representatives, Chief Jacob Adetoro, Chief M. F. Adeegbe, Hon. S. A. Olawuwo, Chief Layi Baale, and a number of others across the state, our committee was inaugurated in January this year to chart a meaningful way forward for the consolidation, reconciliation and representative PDP ahead of 2019 election.

Was there a time you all came together and agreed that Taiwo executive should continue to avoid probably a vacuum?

How can you agree on an illegality? You want to extend a tenure of an executive that has lapsed, what kind of agreement is that? We were never part of it and there was nothing like that.

Is it true that there is an existing court case before the Federal High Court in Ibadan concerning the tenure issue?

Muraina

Yes. It is about the tenure of the state PDP executive. Curiously in the course of the court’s proceedings, Taiwo came to court and claimed that there had been a new congress of the party and also brought before the court some documents purportedly procured from the National Secretariat of the party and signed by certain individuals. But the truth is there was nothing like new congress since his tenure expired and we are impressing it on the court that they have perjured.

Moreover, if Sheriff, after the judgment of Appeal Court, whom they professed to belong to his group is now saying he wants to conduct fresh congresses in Oyo, Lagos, Kwara and

Anambra, are we not vindicated that there has never been any such congress in Oyo since 2016? Secondly, is it not a proof now that what their executive deposed to in court amounted to a nullity?

On the national court cases, there are two Federal High Court cases where the court held that Sheriff cannot be constitutionally regarded as the chairman of the PDP abinitio. And these cases have not been appealed against till today by the Sheriff camp.

It now goes to say that they are guilty of contempt of the court to have forcefully took over the national headquarters of our party when in actual fact Makarfi group has filed a motion for stay of execution before the same appeal court. That is also in addition to the fact that we have proceeded to the Supreme Court to challenge the appellate court’s judgment. So, planning fresh congresses in Oyo, Lagos, Kwara and Anambra states will amount to contempt of court and exercise in futility because the earlier two judgments that favoured Makarfi have not been appealed against. And the time to appeal against them has even expired.

Is your faction not worried that you are losing out?

There is nothing to worry about because we are taking appropriate steps on the developments.

Are you suspecting an unseen hands in the party’s problem?

Yes, there is an unseen hand somewhere because when we won and attempted to take over the secretariat, we were denied by the police. And you now wonder why police has given Sheriff group the opportunity to enjoy unfettered access

to the place.

There was an allegation that the Makarfi faction is trying to frustrate the PDP by attempting to register a new political party by using PDP franchise in its bid to register Advanced Peoples Democratic Party, APDP as a new party?

There is nothing like that. Every Nigerian knows we are in PDP as the authentic group. For now, we remain in the Makarfi group and we are not going anywhere.

Obiogbolu: Anambra Will Be Safe in My Hands One of the front runners in the Anambra State governorship election slated for November, Dr. Alexander Obiogbolu, in an interview with journalists, said all it takes to make the state better is at his disposal. He also challenged the Obiano-led administration to provide with clarity some of its so-called achievements. Excerpts by Anayo Okoli and Olaseni Durojaiye: Former President Goodluck was quoted as saying that there is hope for the PDP to return to power in 2019. Given the plethora of issues the PDP is contending with since 2015, do you share that view?

As long as there is life, there is hope. Every patriotic Nigerian should pray and hope that PDP first remains a strong and united party so as to provide a virile opposition to the ruling APC government. We have learnt how a virile opposition keeps democracy alive and gives the people an option if they are fed up with the party they gave their mandate to.

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

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THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017 • T H I S D AY

FEATURES

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

Raising Pace Setters At the Harvesters Entrepreneur Forum recently, business leaders shared lessons on how to become successful in the market place, writes Nume Ekeghe and Solomon Elusoji

L-R: Lagos State Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Mr. Babatunde Durosinmi-Etti, Founder Zinox Group, Mr. Leo Stan Ekeh and Pastor Bolaji Idowu, at the second edition of the Harvesters Entrepreneur Forum held in Gbagada, Lagos...recently

O

n July, 5, 2016, Kenya’s biggest telecoms operator, Safaricom, launched a ride-hailing app called Little Cab to compete with giant taxi services firm, Uber. The move to launch Little Cab, which will be jointly run by Safaricom and Nairobi-based software developer Craft Silicon, was an audacious one, considering Uber’s immense spending power and aggressiveness.

But Little Cab had a strategy. To wrestle market share away from Uber, it leveraged on its connection to Safaricom, which has one of Kenya’s most powerful brands and extensive product networks. On price, it also touted itself as “the most affordable option in the market” at 55 Kenyan Schillings (KES) per kilometre (about 50 cents) compared to Uber’s KES 60. Plus, there was free Wi-Fi for riders while in transit.

In response, Uber had to slash its taxi fares by 35 per cent in August 2016, but since Little Cab currently takes a 15 per cent commission off the taxi fare, while Uber takes 25 per cent commission, the Safaricom led company is currently winning the price war.

Little Cab’s story was the headline content of Dr. Anderson Uvie-Emegbo’s keynote speech at the second edition of the Harvesters Entrepreneur Forum (Crafting a Winning Business Strategy) on February 18 in Gbagada, Lagos. Uvie-Emegbo, a Marketing Communication Specialist who is the CEO of Advantage Project and a Faculty Member at the Lagos Business School, noted that a well thought-out strategy was indispensable to the success of any entrepreneurial journey.

Tracing the evolution of taxi companies, from the traditional yellow cabs to the

contemporary technology-assisted taxi services companies like Easy Taxi and

You have to love this country. All of us made most of our money here. This country is a blessing, despite the challenges. So if you are here, give all your best.

I see a gap between my generation and the coming generation and I see that a lot of young people are discouraged. But if you feel defeated, God cannot help you. You have to realise that where there is crisis, there is huge opportunity.

The number one quality for success in life is to be positive

Uber, he reinforced the place of strategy in the business world.

Uvie-Emegbo’s speech was followed by what turned out to be a bombastic and brilliant talk from the Chief Executive Officer of Zinox Technologies and a pioneer of Information Technology in Nigeria, Mr. Leo Ekeh. Speaking to the audience’s young population, Stan Ekeh advised young people to forget about all the negative talk of the nation’s economy and take a personal decision to change their stories.

“You have to love this country. All of us made most of our money here. This country is a blessing, despite the challenges. So if you are here, give all your best,” he said.

“I see a gap between my generation and the coming generation and I see that a lot of young people are discouraged,” he said. “But if you feel defeated, God cannot help you. You have to realise that where there is crisis, there is huge opportunity.

The number one quality for success in life is to be positive.”

He went on to suggest constant self-audit and an acknowledgement of the supernatural as requirements for those who want to lead a successful life. “You have to be humble and close to God. And when you want to start, look at what people need, look at the timing of incubation, because if you can’t survive in the short term, there is no long term.”

Next to speak was the Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment in Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Durosinmi-Etti, who was involved in a question and answer session with Senior Pastor at Harvesters Church, Bolaji Idowu and THISDAY. Durosinmi-Etti, responding to questions of unemployment in the state, said while

the government is not the employer of labour, the administration is working hard in collaborating with the private sector, small businesses and international organisations to improve job opportunities in the state.

He said: “We have a lot of youths that need to be re-orientated. We keep on talking about recession, but recession is not an excuse for failure. Out of recession, you have new entrepreneurs emerging. Change also drives new political entrepreneurs who bring in much better value.

“So in Lagos State, we are doing a lot of infrastructural reforms going on, right from telecommunication, to transportation to agriculture. By the time these reforms are brought to fruition, there will be more jobs available. We are going into the academia and also into partnerships, to be able to make sure that youths are prepared to be able to harness the opportunities inherent along this line. For example, we have an ongoing training with the West African Vocational Education. And we have lots of those training going on and interested youths can find out about them on the Employment Trust Fund website.”

Durosinmi-Etti also spoke about the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF), which was established by the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund Law 2016 to provide financial support to residents of Lagos State, for jobs, wealth creation and to tackle unemployment. The Fund has the mandate to directly invest N25 billion in helping Lagos residents grow and scale their Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) or acquire skills to get better jobs.

The objective of the Harvesters Entrepreneurs Forum is to reach out to entrepreneurs

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FEATURES

L-R: Pastor Omowunmi Idowu, Pastor Bolaji Idowu and Faculty member Lagos Business School, Dr. Anderson Uvie Emegbo, at the event

and equip them with requisite knowledge that will help them gain advantage in their businesses. With the naira then trading at 517 to one dollar in the parallel market, hardly has the country been hit with so much economic hardship, and it is important that business people in the country are well equipped to confront the challenges ahead.

The first edition of the programme held on January 28 and featured exceptional business professionals and entrepreneurs like the Director General of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, Managing Director of FMDQ OTC Plc, Bola ‘Koko’ Onadele, the CEO of Advantage Project,

The objective of the Harvesters Entrepreneurs Forum is to reach out to entrepreneurs and equip them with requisite knowledge that will help them gain advantage in their businesses. With the naira then trading at 517 to one dollar in the parallel market, hardly has the country been hit with so much economic hardship, and it is important that business people in the country are well equipped to confront the challenges ahead

Faculty member Lagos Business School, Dr. Anderson Uvie Emegbo, presenting his speech at the event

Helen Emore, the Executive Secretary of LSETF, Akin Oyebode, CEO of Flutterwave and co-founder at Andela, Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, and CEO of Philly and Mools Group, Niyi

Founder Zinox Group, Mr. Leo Stan Ekeh, presenting his speech at the event

Oguntoyinbo. The next edition is slated for March.

The Harvesters Entrepreneurs Forum is organised by the Harvesters International

Christian Centre (HICC). Founded on the 13th of December, 2003, HICC is dedicated to the mission of “changing lives and raising pace setters.”

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IMAGES

L-R: Secretary to the State Government, Ogun State, representing the State Governor, Mr. Taiwo Adeoluwa; Deputy Governor, Lagos State, Dr. Oluranti Adebule and Secretary to the State Government and Chief host, Mr. Tunji Bello, during the Inaugural quarterly meeting of All Progressive Congress (APC) Secretaries to governments of states in Lagos.....recently KOLA OLASUPO

L-R: Partner and Chief Operating Officer, KPMG Nigeria, Victor Onyenkpa; Tax Regulatory and People Services, Nike James; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Okechukwu Enelama;; Partner and Head, Audit services, KPMG Nigeria, Tola Adeyemi and Partner/Head, Risk Consulting, Olumide Olayinka, during the KPMG CFO Forum in Lagos......recently ETOP UKUT

T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

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

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu (left) listening to MD, Arco Integrity Solutions Ltd, Mr. Pius Ajabhu while on his visit to Arco Group Plc Exhibition Stand at the Nigeria Oil and Gas 2017 Conference & Exhibition in Abuja...recently

L-R: Director of Accounts, Lagos State Ministry of Establishments, Training and Pensions, Mr. Deji Koko; Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions, Mr. Akintola Benson Oke; Director of Training, Office of Establishments, Mr. Ayodeji Aruna and former Director of Information, Lagos State Ministry of Information, Mr. Sammy Oki, during a 2day training workshop on Leadership success through synergy performance in public sector development, in Lagos...recently KOLA OLASUPO

L-R: Head, Public Sector (Southwest), First Bank PLC, Mr. Timothy Arowoogun; Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi; Special Adviser to the governor on Agriculture, Prof. Segun Adekunle; and Director, Songhai Regional Centre, Porto Novo, Benin Republic, Prof. Godfrey Nzamujo, during the governor’s working visit to the centre,..recently .

GOVERNOR’S OFFICE

L-R; Group Head, Consumer Liability Products, First City Monument Bank Limited (FCMB), Mr. Shamsideen Fashola; Managing Director of the Bank, Mr. Adam Nuru; winner of the star prize of the FCMB Flexx Account Promo, Miss. Precious Samuel; Executive Director/Chief Finance Officer of the Bank, Mrs. Yemisi Edun and Zonal Head, Victoria Island, Mrs. Omowunmi Kalejaiye, during the presentation ceremony of the car to the winner in Lagos....recently

L-R: Head, Commercial Banking, Personal and Business Banking (PBB), Stanbic IBTC Bank, Remmy Osuagwu; CEO, Spendour Communications Ltd, Godfrey Emmanuel; Co-Founder, Co-Creation Hub Nigeria.

Femi Longe; and Executive Director, Personal and Business Banking, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mr. Babatunde Macaulay; at a client engagement session organized by Stanbic IBTC in Lagos... recently

T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

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Quick Takes Firm Unveils Online Payment Innovation

A new online bill payment and mobile top-up platform has been introduced to the Nigerian market, known as the UNIVSA Online Bill Payment. It exposes users to different channels such as webportal, Mobile App, API Webservice, SMS and USSD for easy payment for services.

The innovative service has a variety of features ranging from purchase of airtime, data top-up, cable TV charge, electricity bills payment, toll payment, among others.

The UNIVSA can be consumed by any of the telecommunications network in Nigeria.

It can also be shared among friends across all networks. It is also going to be available with roadside vendors.

The UNIVSA offers six consumption channels including WEB2Recharge, USSD recharge, Flash2Recharge, SMS2Recharge and API2Recharge, offering a variety of services.

The scheme’s takeoff is from April 2017, and BEMAS Technologies Limited, a full service InformationTechnology (IT) solutions provider and consulting firm, is the promoter of the scheme.

TECNO Launches Premium PhonePad 3

A BOOST FOR AGRICULTURE

L-R: Minister for Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh; Managing Director/CEO, First Bank Nigeria Limited, Adesola Adeduntan and Group Managing Director, natnudO Foods, a subsidiary of Amo Farm Sieberer Hatchery Limited and Group Marketing Consultant Amo Group, Lanre Oke, during the First Bank Agric Expo in Lagos …recently

Stakeholders Call for Review of Cybercrime Act Stories by Emma Okonji Two years after Nigeria’s Cybercrime bill was signed into law by former President Goodluck Jonathan, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) stakeholders under the aegis of Information Technology Systems and Security Professionals (ITSSP), has called for a review of the law, citing anomalies in various sections of the Act. They reasoned that the law must be reviewed, to place Nigeria at par with developed countries where such law had existed for ages.

Although the Cybercrime law was passed alongside several

ICT other bills in the twilight of Jonathan’s administration, the stakeholders hailed its passage into law to address the activities of cyber criminals in the country.

However, they picked holes in some sections of the law, which they said, arrogated so much power to the President of Nigeria, and called for immediate amendment.

Aside the issue of power, the stakeholders were of the view that some of the penalties stipulated for most offenses, were either too draconian or not commensurate with the specified offense.

Members of ITSSP who had its first security meeting in Lagos, deliberated extensively on insecurity in the country, and proffered solutions to them.

A lecturer from the Department of Computer Science, Federal College of Education, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Mr. Sunday Agholor, who pointed out some of the anomalies in the cybercrime law during a paper presentation at the ITSSP security forum in Lagos, said imposing vague requirements on internet companies will not help such companies to grow.

He said that some provisions of the law are vague, far-reaching, and too ambigu-

ous. Again there is too much concentration of power to the President of Nigeria and the Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA), which he said, could be abused.

Agholor said the law does not provide privacy for individuals, and explained that the privacy of individuals are threatened by the cybercrime law. He said there was no provision for whistle blowers in the law and suggested the establishment of well-defined regulations that will address critical information infrastructure in the country. He also said provision should be made Continued on page 24

Shittu: ICT Can Boost SME Contribution to GDP The Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu has said that development and deployment of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) can propel the small and medium enterprises (SME) to increase its present contribution of one percent to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

He said despite the fact that 96 per cent of Nigerian businesses are SMEs, compared to 53 per cent in the United States and 65 per cent in Europe, the sector contributes only one per cent of Nigeria’s GDP, a development attributable to several constraints which are not limited to lack of funding, infrastructure and low level of productivity. Shittu, however, was optimistic that the country could leverage ICT to further increase productivity for it to become a critical leader in the fourth industrial revolution as

ECONOMY declared sometimes ago in Kigali, Rwanda.

The Minister in a keynote address delivered at the University of Ibadan, School of Business Lecture Series at the weekend said: “ICT, more than ever, is now a leveler that will help transform and diversify the economy.” He spoke on the theme: Maximising The Potentials of The Telecommunications Industry For Reversing Recession and The Economic Growth of Nigeria.

According to him, the pervasiveness of technology in terms of transforming the way economic activity is organised, suggest that ICT and telecoms have features of general purpose technology, adding that the digital economy holds potential for entrepreneurs and SMEs. According to him, “New

digital tends such as cloud computing, mobile web services, bid data, smart grid and social media, are radically changing the business landscape, reshaping the nature of work, the boundaries of enterprises and the responsibilities of business leaders.”

Given its immense contribution to the growth of the economy and the fact that ICT is an enabler for all the sectors of the economy, the present administration, he said, would continue to explore ways of maximising the potentials of the telecoms and ICT, for reversing the recession and the economic growth of Nigeria.

“Diversification of Nigeria’s economy into various sectors is not enough to take the country out of recession, until the process is done by leveraging on ICT in an effective and efficient manner to be driven by

a digital government strategy that aims to deliver government modernisation, greater value for citizens and businesses as well as transparency and open government,” Shittu said.

“The country is presently in recession, but it is not because we are in it that we are concerned. We are concerned because each time there is a sharp drop in prices, we enter into a recession and we want to make sure that this cycle does not continue and the only way we can do so is to diversify the economy by leveraging on ICT and move the economy from being resource-based, which it has been since independence”, he stressed, promising that, “ the Ministry of Communications is determined to making sure that the country break away Continued on page 24

TECNO has released its premium PhonePad 3 phablet in Nigeria.

Tagged ‘Do business, stay mobile,’ the device was made with the intention of facilitating business communications and productivity for its users on-the-go. As TECNO’s best 7-inch phablet, it has lots of upgrades in performance and design on the PhonePad 7E that was released last year.

Speaking of the device, the Marketing Director of the TECNO Tablet Business Unit, Mr. Steven Huang said: “There is a dilemma for modern business man: phone is too small to deal with some daily work, while laptop is too heavy to carry wherever you go. Here comes the PhonePad 3, a user friendly high-end device carrying the mission of offering an improved and efficient business life.”

Listing some of its features, Huang said the TECNO PhonePad 3 is equipped with a 7-inch HD screen. Itt has a high screen-to-body ratio reaching to 74 per cent.. Everything just becomes bigger and clearer on such a large screen. The HD display delivers a noticeably more brilliant and vibrant effect.

Polo Inaugurates Abuja Store

Polo Limited is unveiling a new retail experience with the planned launch of a flagship store located at the Transcorp Hilton hotel, Abuja. Conceptualised to be first among equal in West Africa, the new shop, according to promoters of the Polo brand will elevate shopping to a whole new dimension at the same time, indulging luxury shoppers with an array of grand services.

The new retail environment, which is said to be strategically located, promises to deliver on elegant style within an understated environment. The management of the company has also stated that the new store would be incorporated with superior customer service and excellent retail sales.

Speaking about the new retail environment, Polo Limited Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. John Obayuwana said the newly designed space is one of the key ways by which Polo communicates its unique brand identity to its valuable clients.

Task System Gets New Certification

AnotherfeatherhasbeenaddedtoInformationandCommunications Technology (ICT) Solutions company, Task Systems Ltd., with the elevation of the company to Platinum status by NetApp. By virtue of the elevation, Task Systems joins an exclusively shortlist of companies who have successfully completed the rigorous processes, testing and validations required for NetApp solution sales, pre-sales and personnel deployment.

NetApp Inc. is an American multinational storage and data management company headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.

It is a member of the NASDAQ-100 and has consistently ranked in the Fortune 500 since 2012. Founded in 1992 with an IPO in 1995, NetApp offers software, systems and services to manage and store data, including its proprietary Data ONTAP operating system.

“Offices run on diesel generators and homes depend on petrol yet the discos still harass them with outrageous bills” Managing Director, Rack Centre, Mr. Ayotunde Coker

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BUSINESSWORLD

NEWS

STAKEHOLDERS CALL FOR REVIEW OF CYBERCRIME ACT

Invest in LED Lighting for Energy Conservation, Expert Tells FG

for early warning signal and for the protection of ethical hackers. He said there was need to compare the country’s cybercrime law with that of some selected countries for possible improvement.

President of ITSSP, Prof.

Adesina Sodiya, who also faulted some sections of the cybercrime law, said the federal government did not consider interest groups like ITSSP to make its valid contribution to the cybercrime bill before it was passed into law.

He therefore joined other stakeholders to call for the review of the law. According to him, government must hold a stakeholders meeting involving all interest groups in information technology (IT) and security matters, to review the law and make amends where necessary.

Some of the punishment enshrined in the law, stipulates that hackers/internet fraudsters, are liable to a fine of up to N10 million or a term of imprisonment of five years.

Emma Okonji

SHITTU: ICT CAN BOOST SME CONTRIBUTION TO GDP from the cycle”.

Revealing that the present administration under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari is convinced that ICT is the bedrock of Nigeria’s change agenda and development, the minister said, having worked assiduously on setting the proper policy and strategic environment for the development of ICT in the country, government is determined to expand its investments in ICT infrastructure and extend connectivity to unserved and underserved areas.

Change, therefore, he said, would mean a specific, deliberate and spirited reconstructive framework, for recalibrating existing policies and institutional configurations, as well as the value that underpins them.

Shittu promised that government would pursue policies that incentivise investment and promote development of digital economies, so as to be able to build an inclusive digital future for the citizenry.

Group Business Editor

Chika Amanze-Nwachuku AgriBusiness/Industry Editor

Crusoe Osagie

Comms/e-Business Editor

Emma Okonji

Capital Market Editor

Goddy Egene

Senior Correspondent

Raheem Akingbolu (Advertising) Correspondents

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

Nume Ekeghe (Money Market) Nosa Alekhuogie (Maritme)

The Chief Executive Officer of Cloud Energy, Mr. Theophilus Nweke, has called on the federal government to invest in LED lighting from solar energy in order to attain efficient energy conservation for the country.

Nweke said the country has the best brains and hands working in the energy sector yet they cannot fix the power problem. “Most baffling is the fact that the capacities of the electricity institutions in the country diminished after privatisation, but in other climes, the reverse has always been the case,” Nweke said.

He expressed regret that homes and offices run on generators, yet the distribution companies still harass them with outrageous bills.

“Public expectations for manageable electricity have not been met. Nigerians have gotten used to groping in the dark because of the sing song systems failure, gas shortage and vandalism.

Should the situation continues to deteriorate, the World Bank projection of 1.5 per cent growth for this economy in 2017 might just be a hoax, Nweke said.

He said renewable energy has seized to be an option, as it is now the only way to dependable electricity in Nigeria and the focus should be on solar energy.

Blaming the situation on inconsistencies in policy implementation, Nweke said: “The law says that solar panels should be imported at zero per cent tariff but at the ports the customs finds another clause to enable them collect as much as 10 per cent. This is for a

product that is nearly out of the reach of the common man. Inverters are supposed to be imported at 4 per cent but generally they are cleared with anything between 10 per cent and 20 per cent.”

He decried a situation where up to five different exchange rates are operational in Nigeria today, thus impacting negatively on the cost of solar panel and

its accessories.

The government does not offer foreign exchange concessions to renewable energy companies when, in truth, we should be on top of the list.

“Often we have to buy foreign exchange at the black market and display our products in a market where everyone has liquidity problem”, he said.

In order to address the situa-

tion, Nweke said government must invest in solar energy and find ways of reducing cost of importation of its equipment.

LED lighting saves over 70 per cent more energy when compared with the existing energy saving bulbs.

Banks, hospitals, restaurants, churches, offices and other large establishments can now

be properly lit up using LED lighting technology.

Cloud energy solar fridges and freezers have become the cynosure of the Nigerian solar landscape. Running on 12V DC power, the solar deep freezers and fridges ensure that people can use the sun to power their household equipment while experiencing zero downtime in their operations, Nweke said.

MEDIA PARLEY

Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Dakuku Peterside flanked by the Agency’s Executive Director, Finance and Administration Mr. Bashir Jamoh (Right) and the Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Mr. Gambo Ahmed during a world Press Conference addressed by the NIMASA DG in Lagos…recently

Vitafoam Unveils New Vono Facility in Ogun State Joshua Odebisi Vono Furniture Products Limited, a subsidiary of Vitafoam Nigeria Plc, last week led top officials of the Ogun State Government on a tour of its factory at Dalemo, Sango-Ota. The entourage included the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru; Commissioner for Health, Dr. Babatunde Ipaye and Special Adviser to Ogun State Governor on Trade and Investment, Mrs. Babi Subair among others.

Speaking at the new Vono Facility, the Managing Director Vitafoam Nigeria Plc, Mr. Taiwo Adeniyi thanked the special guests for coming to see the new facilities, saying Vitafoam, which recently acquired Vono Products Plc, had relocated the company’s operations from Mushin in Lagos to Sango Ota in Ogun.

He said that the relocation of Vono’s operation showed intent by Vitafoam to strengthen the company’s presence in Africa.

He said: For us at Vitafoam Group, what started more as a development experiment has grown and developed over the years from just a foam manufacturing company into complete home solution company with five business

subsidiaries which produce a range of products.”

“It has also spread its tentacles to Ghana and Sierra Leone to service West African Regional Markets. Undoubtedly, Vitafoam Nigeria Plc has left an indelible mark in the polyurethane/foam industry in Nigeria through its wide range of product offerings tailored made to meet the needs of consumers in different segments of the market.

True to the purpose for which it was established; customer satisfaction through production of cutting edge products at a price that represents value remains our focus today.”

The MD disclosed that the company was taking corporate social responsibility very seriously, as they had acquired the property, which was previously abandoned and converted it for their use.

He stressed that the investment in manpower was significant, and that residential areas were created for the workers in the plant to reside, in order to improve work rate.

After inspecting the facilities, Ashiru commended the company saying he “very impressed with the facility and the fact that the company was producing local content in the state.”

“Nigeria is a country of

many natural resources, so our goal should be to become an export-based economy, we have no business being an import based one. I am satisfied that most of the raw materials used in this plant are locally sourced, which has shown that the company is attempting to address the issue of the value chain,” he said.

Ashiru said state would continue to support companies like Vitafoam Nigeria and its subsidiary Vono Furniture Products Limited, which are helping to develop the local value achieve in line with the local content programme of the government.

Also speaking, Ipaye commended Vono Furniture Products for its commitment to enhancing the nation’s economic activities pointing out that the company is filling a critical gap in the socio-economic development of the country.

The Commissioner for Health noted that for a state like Ogun State with health and education, the products of Vono Furniture Products will help government to achieve its objectives without depleting its scarce foreign exchange.

He assured that the government will consider products from the company in its purchase orders, advising the company to also consider

concessionary prices for government’s orders given that

such purchases are for the overall good of the people.

Sokoto to Recruit More Agric Extension Workers Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has given approval for the recruitment of additional extension workers to increase manpower and expertise in the wheat value chain in Sokoto state.

Those to be employed are university graduates and holders of national diploma in agricultural science, agriceconomy, crop science and related disciplines.

Making this known in a statement issued in Sokoto Tuesday, Tambuwal’s spokesman, Malam Imam Imam, said having introduced wheat to farmers in the state, government will continue to show keen concern for its development.

“Eighty persons will be employed in the first phase of the recruitment, with more to follow in due course.

Those to be employed will aid wheat farmers make informed decisions especially as they engage with companies buying their products after harvests.

“The overall objective is to

ensure that we achieved the ratio of one extension worker to 500 farmers. As such, more people will be employed in subsequent phases of the recruitment exercise,” the statement said.

It said the extension officers will also lead consultation with farmers and the various business concerns that have shown interest in partnering with the government to develop agriculture in the state.

According to the state, the extension workers will be trained in latest trends in the business and will play a key role in efforts to modernise the agric sector in Sokoto state, In 2016, the State government trained 115 Local Government workers on modern agricultural extension services.

The workers were drawn from each of the 23 local government areas of the state.

The statement said government will continue to engage farmers with a view to increasing yields and tackling challenges that may arise in the sector.

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BUSINESSWORLD

E-BUSINESS

Can Etisalat Weather the Storm The insistence of 13 local banks to convert Etisalat’s N377 billion debt to equity, despite its plea for refinancing, has raised a lot of uncertainty over the fate of the telecoms company, writes Emma Okonji Etisalat is currently battling to survive following its indebtedness of N377 billion to some banks.

While the telecommunications firm did not deny the indebtedness and has asked for a review of repayment terms, its creditors are insisting on the conversion of the N377 billion to equity.

The implication of the position of the banks is that should Etisalat succumb to conversion of the loan to equity, the banks will automatically become shareholders in Etisalat’s business, a situation that stakeholders in telecoms industry fear could hurt the firm’s business.

Worried about the development, the telecoms industry regulatory body, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), had waded into the matter by asking the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to intervene.

The CBN’s prompt intervention had halted the banks bid to take over the telecoms company penultimate week. The apex regulator thereafter invited the banks to a meeting to discuss the modality for repayment of the debt.

The seven-year syndicated loan has a dollar component of $235million which the telecoms company sought to convert into naira owing to dollar scarcity. However, the banks had turned down the request and instead urged the parent company to settle the loan.

The position of the banks, despite NCC and CBN intervention, has raised fears and uncertainty among telecoms stakeholders, who fear that it could have dire consequences on the telecoms company’s business.

Already, the Etisalat Group has threatened to pull out of the shareholding arrangement, should the banks have their way, since the group generates only 3.7 per cent of its revenues from the Etisalat Nigerian business, and has questioned the rationale of investing more in the business.

According to the shareholding structure, the UAE Etisalat owns 45 per cent of Etisalat Nigeria, while Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala owns 40 per cent of the company, and the remaining 15 per cent of the telecoms company’s shares is owned by Nigerian investors.

The Indebtedness Saga Etisalat had in 2013, approached the banks for a loan of $1.2 billion for network upgrade and expansion. The seven-year syndicated loan was sourced in both dollar and naira.

But penultimate week, the banks had threatened to take over Etisalat’s business in Nigeria, having missed a payment, but for the quick intervention of the CBN and the NCC. The economic downturn, which resulted in drastic reduction in customers’ deposits, the banks’ exposure to sectors that are having challenges, as well as the Treasury Single Account policy of the federal government had taken a huge toll on banks’ income. This, industry watchers said, might have prompted the banks’ to intensify their loan recovery drive.

Speaking on the company’s indebtedness to the banks and their plan to take over the telecoms firm, Vice President, Regulatory Affairs at Etisalat, Mr. Ibrahim Dikko, had assured Etisalat’s subscribers that the issue would be resolved despite pressure from the creditors to take over the operations of the telecoms company.

According to him, “yes we are indebted but we have commenced payment, and we only stopped the flow of repayment few months ago as a result of devaluation of the naira and scarcity of dollar.”

Dikko explained that Etisalat had invested over $2 billion in the telecoms business, which was obtained from its parent company, Mubadala, and its shareholders in UAE and Nigeria, but it needed additional money to expand its business and provide value added services to its growing customers, hence it approached a consortium of 13 local banks to raise additional $1.2 billon as loan.

“In refinancing the loan, Etisalat was meant to pay certain percentage with interest on a quarterly basis, and it has been meeting up with that obligation until recently when it started defaulting due to devaluation of naira, dollar

Danbatta

scarcity, coupled with the economic recession,” Dikko said.

He, however, said Etisalat was still in full control of its operations and has commenced fresh discussions with the banks to negotiate a new mode of refinancing the loan.

“The situation is not affecting our service delivery and we will continue to provide quality services to our customers,” Dikko said.

Some of the banks involved in the loan include: GTBank, Zenith Bank, First Bank, UBA, Fidelity Bank, Access Bank, EcoBank, FCMB, Stanbic IBTC Bank and Union Bank.

Etisalat explained that it had commenced refinancing of the loan since 2014 but failed to continue payment in 2017 for a payment plan that is due in 2020, as a result of devaluation of naira and scarcity of dollar.

Dikko said Etisalat had opened fresh negotia-

The implication of the position of the banks is that should Etisalat succumb to conversion of the loan to equity, the banks will automatically become shareholders in Etisalat’s business, a situation that stakeholders in telecoms industry fear could hurt the firm’s business

Dikko

tions with the banks, noting that part of the new payment model is the request by Etisalat that it converts the dollar component of the loan to naira. But the banks do not want that option, as they rather prefer that the loan be converted to equity to enable them become shareholders of the telecoms company.

Banks Position Despite the intervention by the NCC and the CBN, the banks have opposed the proposal by Etisalat Nigeria to convert part of the $1.2 billion loan from dollars to naira. They rather want the Abu Dhabi telecoms group, Etisalat and its other shareholders to recapitalise it instead, according to a source from among the banks.

It was gathered that most of the 13 lenders involved in the Etisalat Nigeria loan had raised dollars abroad to participate, and they are afraid that further naira weakness would see them receive fewer dollars, should they accept Etisalat’s offer to convert part of the loan from dollar to naira.

“The naira has lost half of its value since the loan, which matures in 2020, was made.

Interest is due monthly and the next principal payment is due in May,” a source said.

All the 13 local banks do not have equal shares in the loan, as Etisalat is owing Fidelity Bank Plc about N17.5 billion ($56 million), it is owing GTBank N42 billion and Access Bank N40 billion, while its exposure to other banks was yet to be disclosed.

NCC, CBN intervention In the wake of crisis, the CBN and NCC have tried to intervene through series of meetings.

First, the NCC met with the CBN in order to find a lasting solution to the situation of indebtedness by Etisalat.

The meeting was attended by the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, the CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, and his team. At that meeting, a decision was reached to intervene in the matter.

The meeting, which held at the CBN’s headquarters in Abuja, was convened by the financial regulator at the instance of NCC, to further deliberate on how best to stave off the attempt by the banks to take over Etisalat. At the end of the meeting, CBN invited Etisalat’s management and the banks to another meeting, towards finding an amicable resolution.

Director, Public Affairs at NCC, Mr. Tony

Ojobo, who confirmed the meeting, said the second meeting was a follow -up to the first meeting. According to him, at the second meeting, CBN ordered the 13 banks to stop the planned takeover move and rescheduled another meeting for March 16, which was later postponed to this week, with no definite date yet.

According to a statement issued by Ojobo, shortly after the second meeting, “the meeting succeeded in halting the attempt by Etisalat’s creditors at bringing it under any form of take over. Receivership was completely taken off the table in a meeting that was very productive and constructive.”

The second meeting, which held at the CBN office in Lagos, had the consortium of banks being owed and Etisalat in attendance. The banks and the mobile network operator agreed to concrete actions that will bring all parties closest to a resolution.

The Implications Industry sources have continued to express worries about the ugly consequences, especially the wrong signals that the Etisalat’s indebtedness to the 13 local banks may send to potential investors in the telecoms industry. Stakeholders have however hailed the timely intervention of NCC and the CBN. One of the stakeholders told THISDAY that the banks would only succeed to grounding the operations of Etisalat if allowed to take over the company. The stakeholder cited the case of some telecoms operators that have gone under in the past and called on government to rise to the responsibility to save Etisalat from total collapse.

In order to address the situation, the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), has requested for priority allocation of foreign exchange to telecommunications industry by the CBN. Chairman of ALTON, Gbenga Adebayo has drawn the attention of Danbatta to the challenges of its members in purchasing foreign exchange (FX) from interbank market to fulfill obligations to equipment suppliers and foreign vendors.

“This situation is adversely impacting our members’ network operations and we would appreciate the Commission’s urgent assistance.

The prevailing scarcity of FX has occasioned a situation where the banks are unable to obtain FX for an upward period of six months despite the submission of pre-requisite documentation for such transactions,” Adebayo said.

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E-BUSINESS

Adeoti: Technology Has Impacted Lives in Rural, Urban Communities The Managing Director/CEO of Inlaks, Mr. Femi Adeoti, spoke with journalists on how technology is impacting lives and businesses in rural and urban communities. Emma Okonji brings the excerpts: have partnerships with indigenous companies?

Yes, we have identified ourselves with few indigenous software and e-payment companies that share same vision with Inlaks.

Your company recently changed its brand identity from Inlaks Computers to Inlaks.

What is the whole idea behind the current rebranding exercise, and what impact will it create on the company?

The only constant thing in life is change. To remain relevant we have to continuously reinvent ourselves. Our rebranding initiative is a repositioning exercise to better serve our clients by proactively creating solutions and services they can leverage for their business growth. We are looking into the future and answering questions that will position us and our clients to take advantage of future business opportunities as they arise.

What more should local companies do to scale up?

Local business should start to think big, big in the context of capturing Africa and not just some little corner of Lagos or Nigeria and be determined to pursue this dream. It takes a lot of guts to run a business in Nigeria so they shouldn’t limit their dreams to just Nigeria alone. They also must consistently work “on” their business, change the paradigms from time to time and not just run the business for running sakes.

How would you describe the past 35 years in the history of Inlaks?

The last 35 years has been an interesting period for Inlaks by transiting from one business portfolio to another and still remaining relevant despite various economic challenges and disruption in information technology (IT) products and services. We remain focused on meeting the needs of our numerous customers in spite of several disruption in the IT space.

We also remain focused on promoting our core values.

You have interests in the banking, energy, oil and gas, telecoms sectors, among others. How has the company fared in these industries?

Inlaks has over the years been flexible and adaptable to the changes in these sectors by providing unique solutions to the needs of our customers towards achieving growth and stability. We have built and maintain Tier-3 data centres for many banks, oil and gas and telecom companies. We have equally witnessed rapid growth in the deployment of our Hyosung ATMs in the last three years.

One of the missions of Inlaks is using ICT as a tool for economic growth in Nigeria.

How far has the company gone in achieving this mission?

We have been in the information technology business in Nigeria for 35 years and this, I would say, is no mean feat in a business climate like Nigeria. We have pioneered different areas in the ICT sector over the years and many of our staff have moved on to establish some successful ICT businesses in Nigeria. This underscores the fact that we place emphasis on manpower development. Recently, we opened our state-of-the-art Technical Resource Center (TRC) where we also established the Inlaks Academy for training and skills acquisition in different areas of the technology business.

I am highlighting this to show that we go the extra mile to reinvest in this economy through trainings and creation of opportunities for the aspiring youths.

Apart from poor broadband penetration, what are some other challenges facing the development of the ICT sector in the country?

ICT represents an enormous opportunity for introducing some significant and lasting positive change across the Nigerian landscape like every other developing world. The rapid penetration of mobile access in particular, has resulted in considerable improvement in the lives of the poor in both rural and urban contexts. The breath-taking pace of penetration and uptake of mobile telephony and broadband internet is supporting many new possibilities, products, and services thus providing breakthrough ideas in many sectors.

However, this new potential and opportunity is accompanied by significant challenges and possible threats such as funding, changing roles and norms, pace of change in technology, gaps in skills and competence among others within the local workforce.

Recently, your company trained some Nigerians in building solar energy. What more

Inlaks recently launched an e-banking solution called Temenos. What is the initiative about and how is it going to impact on banking in Nigeria?

Temenos was not recently launched into the Nigerian banking sector. It has been around for a while now and in fact, Temenos was a pioneering Fintech solution in the Nigerian banking sector. The brand has continuously improved upon itself and today, it is unarguably the number one Fintech solution in the world.

We as a business will continue to push the best in-class solutions into the market and encourage its adoptions.

Adeoti

could companies like yours do to promote entrepreneurship among the youth?

We are expanding the solar training to universities and secondary schools as part of their academic curriculum to train and expose these young students to the opportunities and possibilities that abound in the solar technologies.

Later in the year, we would be launching our maiden edition of Inlakshackathons to bring together innovative strangers to solve problems and improve our country with exceptional technology. The proposed hackathons will combine the expertise of software developers, programmers, entrepreneurs, and digital enthusiasts, who can all create many more ideas by working together than if they worked alone.

How has the economic recession affected the growth of the company?

Just like every other player in the ICT industry, importation of finished goods has been very challenging owing to the scarcity of hard currencies. Also, the buyers are now more cost conscious and are demanding for better pricing of the goods and services.

How will you project the Nigerian ICT market in the next five years?

By 2022, I believe that ICT will be a catalyst contributing the maximum share to the national income in terms of productivity, growth, and performance across all sectors.

What policies do you think the government should be formulating right now for the growth of business in the country?

There are already good policies in place to encourage business growth in Nigeria, the only thing the government need to do is to encourage and enforce the adoption of these policies. The government must have the will and also should be be seen to be interested in putting those policies into action.

It is said that the country spends about $1 billion annually on the purchase of foreign software. As a company which invests in ICT, how could we develop the local software industry?

The indigenous software companies could survive in a very competitive market by concentrating on certain competencies or dimensions of information technology (IT) such as software re-engineering and IT sourcing.

What should be the role of government in encouraging entrepreneurship drive among youth?

They need to encourage patronage. Government must be seen to be the number one customer of local entrepreneurs, by doing this, they would be encouraging the citizenry also to ensure adoption.

Your company is pushing for the growth of mobile money adoption in Nigeria and Africa as a whole. What is the fate of this initiative amid cybercrime?

Africa is celebrated as the birth place of mobile money revolution, piloting the initiative that has seen more people coming into the financial fold in many countries in the region and leading the pace with an advanced form of financial inclusion.

However, the mobile money revolution that the African continent is experiencing comes with unprecedented cyber security challenges.

Unlike some other technological challenges that Africa imports from other developed regions of the world, mobile money challenges are unique and does not seem to be subjected to much copy and paste solutions.

Consequently, when it comes to the issue of security for the end users, Africa has got a number of challenges because we are adopting phones and moving into mobile money. In a typical sense, we usually rely on the developed world to assist us with the protection of our IT systems, but with the challenges of mobile fraud that seems to accompany the mobile money initiative, we would have to build our own routes around that.

In December 2016, the federal government said it would establish science and technology villages and museums in the six geopolitical zones of the country in 2017. Do you think this initiative would help spur the growth of the ICT sector?

Everything that needed to be done to encourage the growth of the ICT sector must be done.

However, as earlier mentioned, the will and the commitment to see these initiatives through is quite important.

The company has strong partnerships with foreign companies such as IBM, Moody’s Analytics, and VMware among others. Do you

As a deplorer of banking solutions, what would you say is the greatest risk facing the banking industry today and how could banks address the problem?

Disruptive innovation is the major risk. The landscape is changing and will continue to change. Organisations that fail to adapt fast will definitely be left behind.

Does the rise in e-commerce portend a danger for brick and mortar stores in the country?

More than 80 part cent of the online population has used the Internet to purchase something in Nigeria. In this same regards, we are also moving our solar energy business to the e-commerce space as our customers and prospects expect us to be available. This e-commerce presence will allow us to keep up with the competition as we expand our business from Business to Business (B2B) to Business to Consumers (B2C).

How can companies equip themselves for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century?

Digital transformation is in full swing, and companies are doing their best either to stay one step ahead, or at least to keep up with the crowd.

IT companies must equip themselves for the challenges ahead by meeting expectations of customers in the digital age and also by being able to gather information and evidence, coupled with some measurements in place to make comparison with other competitors.

IT companies must be able to compare and contrast the value proposition of their various ICT solutions.

In support of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), financial inclusion programme, Inlaks recently introduced Hyosung Finger Print Biometric Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) into the Nigerian market. How far has this initiative progressed?

We are currently engaging the CBN, the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settling System (NIBSS) and all the banks regarding the integration of our ATMs (with fingerprint readers) to fit and adapt into the BVN architecture in order to promote identity management from the ATM channel. We are working with our foreign partners who have deployed biometric ATMs in large scale in other markets such as South America and some parts of Africa.

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NCC Restates Commitment to Telecom Consumers Stories by Emma Okonji The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) last week reiterated its commitment to protect telecoms consumers across the country.

The Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, who made the commitment in Abuja during the celebration of the 2017 Year of the Nigerian Telecom Consumer, said: “In 2015, Nigerian telecom consumers spent $5.6 billion on telecommunications services, and in 2016, they topped it up by another $1billion to make it $6.6 billion.

This, among others, call for celebration and the consumer must be seen as king in every transaction that affects them.”

While addressing the issues with telecoms consumers at the forum, Danbatta dwelt on the preeminence of the consumer, and declared that the consumer would be the focus of NCC in 2017 and beyond. According to him, NCC took a management decision that compelled it to seek to amplify its activities towards ensuring the consumer enjoys a customer experience that is enhanced and content in time and quality.

“The telecom weak link, rightly or wrongly is the consumer, and there are no small consumers as those who scratch N200.00 worth of card and the one who spends N100,000.00 are equal,” Danbatta declared.

Danbatta’s 8-point agenda, which he launched in Lagos on January 27, 2016 and in Kano, February 12, 2016, which aptly

captured the consumer as the key focus of the agenda, dwelt on facilitating broadband penetration, improve service quality, optimising usage and benefits of spectrum, promoting innovation and investment opportunities, facilitating strategic collaboration and partnership, protecting and empowering consumers, promoting fair competition and inclusive growth as well as ensuring regulatory excellence and operational efficiency.

He explained that while the second point agenda captured the consumer as it relates to service quality, the sixth agenda talked about protection of the consumer. The goal is to protect the consumer from unfair practices by providing information and education to them.

“This is being actively pursued by strengthening initiatives, to educate and inform consumers in their use of communications services and act swiftly whenever necessary in the use of enforcement to protect telecom services consumers’ rights and privileges,” Danbatta said.

On the menace of unsolicited telemarketing whereby consumers receive unsolicited text messages and calls, Danbatta said: “NCC has introduced the Do Not Disturb (DND) facility where consumers are expected to activate the same by dialing 2442. Part of the plan to actualise the year of Nigerian Telecom Consumer is the determination of NCC to ensure that the consumer experiences improved service

ZTE Nigeria Decries Disruption of its Activities by Labour Unions ZTE Nigeria Limited, a Chinese company operating in Nigeria, which deals in various kinds of smartphones, broadband and telecommunication equipment, has decried the disruption of its activities by two labour unions, which are laying claims to its check-off dues.

ZTE condemned the harrowing effects of the recent picketing embarked upon by PTECSSAN led by Joe Ajaero, one of the factional leaders of United Labour Congress.

The Country Human Resources Manager, ZTE Nigeria, Brielle Gao said as embarrassing as the action was, PTECSSAN did not follow due process as there was no warning whatsoever to the company.

According to her, ZTE Nigeria, which has been operating since 2002 as the biggest Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) handset provider to operators since 2007 and other network terminal devices, has been remitting appropriate labour dues to NUPTE since local staff of the company belong to the union. She noted that for ZTE Nigeria to embrace the change being sought by PTECSAN, due process must be followed.

Debunking claims that the local staff had notified NUPTE of their intention to switch, Gao said: “The management contacted NUPTE immediately it received the mail regarding the changes, but we were told

that they (NUPTE) were not aware of anyone leaving their union. The law is very clear on the matter. Every individual member has to write to the union and copy the management if anyone desires to opt out of the union.”

In a response to a PTECSSAN mail on the issue, Gao said: “The management, as required by law and practice sought the comments of NUPTE towards the request of the staff of ZTE Nigeria Ltd. This request was made to NUPTE to avoid double payment that may result from NUPTE and they wrote to inform us that no such information has been given to them by any of the staff of ZTE Nigeria Ltd. They further insisted that remission of dues should be made to NUPTE.” She added that “while management does not intend to infringe on the right to freedom of association, it would take steps to protect the rights of others who may be forced to belong to where they do not want to belong.”

Head of Department, Admin/Finance of NUPTE, Mary Nwosu, in a letter to ZTE Nigeria dated 28th of February 2017, noted that “the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment is in a better position to address this issue since it has taken a dimension of your organisation receiving threats from an association on labour related issues.”

quality in the year 2017 and beyond. The commission is also implementing measures to reduce Dropped Call Rate (DCR) to meet its industry benchmark of less than one percent.”

“It will closely monitor, track and review the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) of operators by network integrity and technical standards.

Greater efforts would also be put in compliance, monitoring and enforcement of set

standards.”

Danbatta allayed the fears of other stakeholders in the sector, saying, “Our focus on the consumer this year does not in any way suggest neglect of the other stakeholders in the sector. Rather it suggests a recommitment to consumer satisfaction. NCC is driven by the desire to empower the consumer and it is rolling out new initiatives to achieve this.”

Also at the forum, the Executive Commissioner,

Stakeholder Management at NCC, Mr. Sunday Dare, further gave insight on the significance of the declaration.

Dare said many would want to ask why the need for the NCC 2017 Year of the Nigerian Telecom Consumer?

He, however, explained, using the analogy of the five Ws and H in journalism.

On why the consumer is important, Dare said: “The consumer is important as the oxygen that keeps telcos

alive. The consumer is a major stakeholder whose satisfaction matters. The satisfaction of the consumer will help the telcos increase their revenue base. NCC as a regulator is mandated to protect, inform and educate consumers.”

On the issue of why, he said: “The campaign runs in year 2017 and beyond.

Every time we seek to engage and explore ways to make customer experience better is the when of this campaign.”

LIGHT UP LAGOS

L-R: Executive Director,Engineering/Sales, Gennex Technologies, Eng. Tunji Tayo; and Admin/Sales Manager, Petrocam Trading Nigeria Ltd, Eyo Oghogho; during a media briefing after the opening of Petrocam third solar service station powered by Gennex Technologies along Lekki Expressway in Lagos...recently KUNLE OGUNFUYI

Report on Social Media Exposes Govt’s Weakness The release of a recent research report conducted between October 2016 and February 2017 by Instinct Wave, on the use of social media platform by government agencies, has exposed most government agencies and parastatals that do not maximise the power of the social media in engaging and connecting their citizens meaningfully.

The report equally commended most government agencies that are making better use of the social media platform to engage citizens.

According to the report, most Nigerian government agencies lacked knowledge of engaging and connecting with the right audience, using social media.

Instinct Wave, a media, event and consulting firm, last week released its pioneering report on the performance of Nigerian government agencies and parastatals on the social media. The report titled: “Nigeria Public Sector Social Media Report, drew conclusion on the amount of followers and likes they have on their Twitter accounts, Facebook, Instagram, among others.

The firm, which researched government activities on social media platform like Facebook pages, Instagram followership, YouTube subscribers, existing LinkedIn accounts for staff and

how often they share relevant service information to the Nigerian public, eventually released a shocking report on the weak engagement of most state governments and parastatals, with their citizens, using social media, which has become the in thing globally.

The report, however, commended some state governments and agencies for actively using social media platform in communicating and informing their citizens.

According to the report, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is the most visible government agency in Nigeria on the social media platforms. The agency has 726,000 followers on Twitter; 266 followers on Facebook,151 Likes and Instagram is 37, 000 followers. For engagement, the report said INEC has Facebook – 60 per cent, Twitter – 85 per cent and Instagram – 30 per cent.

Other government agencies that follow closely are Nigeria Police Force (NPF) with Twitter: 406,000 followers; Facebook: 510,661 Likes; Instagram: 2, 836 followers; YouTube: 224 subscribers; LinkedIn: 908 followers. For engagement level and reach-Facebook is 70 per cent; Twitter – 60 per cent; YouTube – 30 per cent; LinkedIn- 5 per cent Instagram – 60 per cent.

NIPOST Restructures to Meet New Demands on e-Commerce The Nigeria Postal Service (NIPOST) has finally been restructured to make its service delivery more efficient and run on learner resources. It has collapsed its 38-territory structure and place put a seven-zone structure in place.

The essence is to meet the growing demand for eCommerce business, NIPOST said.

The new structure, which is with immediate effect, also restructured the postal organisation into six business commercial units including e-commerce department in order to take advantage of emerging business trends.

Under the new arrangement, each of the six geopolitical zones of the country constitutes a zone in NIPOST. Lagos stands as a zone because of the volume of business that is handled in the area which formerly had two territories.

The Postmaster-General of the Federation, Mr. Bisi Adegbuyi, who announced the new development in a circular, appointed the Zonal Manager in charge of Enugu, Mr. Udo Ekong; the Zonal Manager, Ibadan, Mr. A.E Abiyangha, and the Zonal Manager, Lagos, Mr. Iroamachi, to man the new zones.

Others are: Mr. Adebola Ayeni, Zonal Manager, Kaduna; Mr. Stephen Mbaya, Zonal Manager, Abuja; Mr. Egwu I.

Egwu, Zonal Manager, Bauchi and Mr. UsmanDanlami, Zonal Manager Benin.

According to Adegbuyi, “the restructuring is in line with the principle of delegation and devolution of powers to enable NIPOST run in a more efficient manner to engender operational efficiency, better service delivery, diversification and inclusive growth process by all the members of staff of the organisation.”

He added that the zonal structure will make decision making taking easier as the powers to take critical decision for the good of the business.”

To man the new six business commercial units, which were created in line with the reform geared towards operational efficiency and sustained growth are: Mr. Wambai Yahaya, G.M, Mails; Mr. Taiye Ajayi, GM, Counter Services; Mr. RufaiYahaya, GM, EMS/Purcle Services; Mr. George, Ngidi, GM, Properties and Workshops, Mr. Osube Backshaw, GM, e-Commerce and Logistics, and Mohammed Makhtar, GM, Financial Services.

The zonal managers and managers of the business units would be given revenue targets that they are expected to make as well as create new services and seek how to deepen existing ones.

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Fresh Road to Mega City Branding Like a phoenix from the ashes, the Akinwumi Ambode administration in Lagos, appears to have finally found a solution to the endemic environmental crisis threatening the mega city status of the city-state. Raheem Akingbolu reports For years, Lagos residents have craven for a cleaner megacity and a serene environment.

Among other unpleasant hazards, arbitrary collections of refuses and street trading havefor a long time remained a burden on the commercial city. Aside from the nauseating image this is giving the state, daylight robbers, who either pretend to be refuse collectors or traders on the highways, are increasing every passing second.

As a result of this, many organisations and individuals have since been campaigning for a pragmatic measure to transform the state.

Experts in the health sector and other stakeholders, who knew the implication of having heaps of refuses in residential areas, are also crying out loud on the need for a lasting solution to the perennial environmental challenges.Of course, efforts were made and machineries were put in top gear by successive administrations to give the city an appealing look that everybody could be proud of but the garbage is still on the streets. Lately, it was discovered that previous measures could only work in the interim, especially as most of the companies handling the collection of the waste are either not well equipped or lack the required experience to handle the population.

New environmental reforms However, the current administration in the state appears to have finally found solution to the challenge, with the recent unveiling of fundamental environmental reforms, which are expected to take care of all factors that could aid the abnormal situation. This is directly in line with the state’s Cleaner Lagos Initiative, which is concerned with addressing the challenges in the solid waste management system in the State. With the initiative, government is poised to protect the environment, human health and social living standards of Lagos residents by promoting a harmonised and holistic approach to the challenges, thereby improving operational efficiency.

Under the new reform, the state has leveraged its newly established Environmental Management and Protection Law to convert one of its agencies, KAI (Kick Against Indiscipline) into the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps Agency. The new agency will spearhead enforcement of the penalties that will be imposed on violators of its new environmental lawsas well as demolishing all illegal structures on sewage systems.

According to the new law, KAI turned LASECORPS will be tasked with monitoring and maintaining surveillance along the highways, streets and public drainages, canals, markets and parks and will have the primary responsibility of ensuring that citizens fulfil their civic duty by paying the Public Utilities Levy- a property-based charge payable by property occupants for the management of solid & liquid waste, wastewater and environmental intervention for Lagos State.

Another strong highlight of the new law is the prohibition of street trading as it specifically stated that “It is an offence to engage in street trading along the major highways and streets of Lagos and sell in an unapproved market in Lagos while every owner, tenant and occupier of any shop, kiosks, space or stall in any market within the State shall on a regular basis ensure the cleanliness of his space.”

In a similar vein, it is now mandatory for every commercial vehicle in Lagos State to carry a litterbin for the use of the passengers so that passengers will not throw waste onto the road from the vehicle. “If the driver fails to provide the litter bin, the driver will also be penalised alongside the passenger or the occupier of the vehicle who commits the offence”, stated the law.

The government is also planning a clampdown on all illegal structures on sewage systems without approval as such

Akinwumi Ambode

structures will be demolished. Also in the new law, anyone who wants to a sink borehole or any structure connected with the supply of water must obtain permit from the office of drainage services.

Speaking at the signing of the new Environmental Bill recently, Governor AkinwunmiAmbode said; “Compliance is the key. The burden of the cost of providing these services will remain low if everyone does his or her part and pays the Public Utilities Levy”.

In the area of performance evaluations and remunerations, the new reform has indicated that LASECORPS’s performance will be tied directly to the number of actionable fines they issue for non-compliance. For effectiveness, the Environmental Corps will be supported

by PUMAU (Public Utilities Monitoring Assurance Unit) a unit that will have oversight responsibility by using innovative monitoring tools to ensure the new standards are effectively enforced.

The Lagos State Government said defaulters of these laws will face stiff penalties from the government which include heavy fines ranging from N250, 000 to N5, 000,000 and/ or imprisonment.

Involvement of global companies Meanwhile, in place of the existing arrangement with some contractors who have been found wanting in discharging their responsibilities as a result of poor equipment and experience needed to confront Lagos population, government has assembled a consortium of international companies that are reputed to have been involved in the cleaning of major cities of the world. The companies include; Visionscape –CSH Environmental, Wastecare Solutions and Resources Management Limited.

Others are; VS Industries –Coseco/Ships, ABC Sanitation Taylor Bins and Bespoke Management and Maintenance Services –Interwaste.

Visionscape for instance is a globally acclaimed leading waste management company which has pledged its support to help transform Lagos, the 5th largest economy in Africa, to one of Africa’s cleanest megacities. Among the countries where the company has operated successfully are United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, India, Nigeria, South Africa, Malawi, Romania, Pakistan, Phillipines, Mali, Dominican Republic, and Morocco, just to mention but a few. As part of its strategy to collaborate with others to make

Lagos the cleanest city in Africa, Visionscape will use a fully integrated waste management and recycling solutions targeted at achieving Zero Waste through reduction, recycling and reuse of wastes Farewell to dumping of toxic waste, air pollution By signing into law the Environmental Management and Protection Bill, the state governor can be said to have secured the legal instrument it requires to turn into reality his vision of ensuring that every person living in Lagos lives in a decent, clean, safe and healthy environment.

If there is any beautiful thing about the new law, it is the empowerment it gives government to set up the Environmental Trust Fund.

The trust fund, which will be chaired by the Commissioner of Environment, is aimed at promoting the development and sustenance of the state’s performance in managing its environment as it will create a system that can attract funds from persons, organisations and authorities in tackling environmental issues. The trust fund will also promote the creation of job opportunities for the youth in waste management and waste recycling among others.

In the newly promulgated law, no person or group of persons shall dump over any toxic waste capable of causing harm in the state and all emissions from vehicles, plants and equipment including generating plants in residential, commercial and industrial areas within the State must mandatorily meet air emission standard.

Similarly, the new law will ensure that no manufacturing of chemicals, lubricants, petroleum products, gases, quarry and cement, other than those used in construction, takes place in a residential premise. The law prescribed that any manufacturer of such items will procure an insurance policy from an approved insurance company.

A harvest of environmental benefits If things work out as planned, then Lagosians are in for a new day. From any angle one chooses to look at it, the details of how the newly enacted Environmental Management and Protection Bill by the Lagos State Government will transform the lives of everyone working or living in Lagos has started to take shape.

In addition to creating 27,500 new jobs,

the new policy will fast track the process of metamorphosing Lagos State into a cleaner megacity by decisively tackling the problems of air and water pollution, preventing deceases and halting the deterioration of the environment to avert adverse effect on socio-economic activities.

The new policy has also made a very special provision for thousands of Community Sanitation Workers (CSWs) who will be directly employed to work on the scheme by making their salaries tax free.

Additionally, the new environmental regime will provide numerous insurance benefits including Life, Health, Accident& Injury cover to the 27,500 CSWs who will also enjoy a pension scheme. The brains behind this project have been smart enough to turn all the people who will work there into their brand ambassadors. You cannot underestimate the power of a happy work force.

In a carefully articulated strategy to enhance the quality of lives of the sanitation workers who will be saddled with the task of keeping Lagos clean, an arrangement has been made to also ensure that the sanitation workers will only work in their immediate communities, thereby eliminating transportation cost.

Admitting how precarious environmental sanitation issues have become in Lagos State, the state government said: “Lagos is at critical levels of pollution. We must change course because our children’s lives and future depend on it.

The State Governor, AkinwunmiAmbode expressed optimism that the new law would result in historic environmental victories for a state which over the years has struggled with effective management of the 10,000 metric tonnes of waste it generates daily.

The governor commended the Lagos State House of Assembly for shelving their differences in the best overall interest of the state to align and pass the bill. “I know that the process of change may seem daunting at first but ultimately this shows that we can achieve a lot on our own and we can join with others for the common good of Lagos State. We have taken everyone along the value chain into consideration from the existing PSPs, to the cart pushers and the scavengers on the landfills. Everyone will be accommodated under this new environmental scheme,” he said.

Considering the benefits the new reform will bring to Lagos residents, one can conveniently conclude that a new Lagos has finally come.

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Goldberg: Stakeholders Identify Music as Brand Building Tool Stories by Raheem Akingbolu Stakeholders in the music and entertainment industry have highlighted the vital connection between brand building, entertainment and culture.

The stakeholders who convened in Lagos for the first ever Roundtable on Yoruba music, Ariya Repete, also commended Goldberg lager beer for the initiative, which they say, signals a cultural rejuvenation among the Yorubas.

In his keynote address at the roundtable which focused on Juju and Fuji genres of music, Professor TundeBabawaleexplained that the rich cultural heritage of the Yoruba provided the foundation on which the music genres of Juju and Fuji are built.

Babawale,a former Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Center for Black and African Arts and Civilisation, CBAAC,noted that the attachment of the Yoruba people of South West Nigeria to music and celebration has earned them the appellation of “Owambe”, a reference to their love for ceremonies and celebrations.

He traced the origin of Juju music to the old Saro (Olowogbowo) quarter of Lagos where the genre emerged from ‘asiko’ music associated with “area boys” in the quarter and added that the genre also incorporated Brazilian Samba elements and the guitar style of Kru sailors from Liberia.

According to the professor, the music of the culture such as Juju and Fuji has positively impacted every area of life of the Yorubas including the reduction of socio-economic tension and the prevalence of religious tolerance.

A prominent Fuji musician, King WasiuAyinde Marshall (KWAM 1) thanked the organisers and speakers at the event for what he described as an educative initiative meant to preserve Fuji and Juju, vital aspects of the music and culture of the Yorubas.

Sir Shina Peters, a frontline Juju musician also commended Goldberg for providing such a platform to discuss indigenous music and called on other corporate organisations to emulate the effort.

Ambrose Somide, a radio

broadcaster with Faaji FM and a panellist at the roundtable enjoined young musicians of Yoruba extraction to endeavour to sustain the genres for the promotion of the Yoruba culture.

While welcoming guests

to the forum, Mr. Kufre Ekanem, Nigerian Breweries’ Corporate Affairs Adviser, who was represented by Patrick Olowokere, the company’s Corporate Communications and Brand Public Relations Manager, disclosed that the

Ariya Repete initiative was borne out of the company’s respect for tradition and values of the people.

The special guest of honour, His Imperial Majesty, Oba AdeyeyeBabatunde EnitanOgunwusi, (Ojaja II),the Ooni of

Ife, who was represented by Oba AdebiyiAsoya, the Asoya of Ile Asoya Kingdom, reiterated the need to sustain the current cultural revival among Nigerians as championed by Goldberg lager beer in the area of indigenous Yoruba music.

CRC Credit Bureau Introduces ‘CRC Monitor and Alerts’ CRC Credit Bureau Limited in collaboration with Dun & Bradstreet has launched into the market a new device called “CRC Monitors and Alerts Service’; with the sole aim of providing users who key in into it the proactive means of constantly monitoring their credit portfolio.

The service is received as an e-mail notification, with details of changes on loan records and details of searches / inquiries made on the customers.

At a well-attended ceremony to launch the product, it was revealed that the Monitors and Alerts package will provides individual subscribers with daily email notifications on any new loan record submitted to CRC by its members on the subject. And to also changes on critical loan performance components of existing loans.

Meanwhile, at a time most deposit money banks in the country today are still smarting from the losses incurred over the years as a result of toxic debts, experts have suggested useful measures by which the banks can avoid such pitfalls in 2017.

Speaking at a public forum organised by CRC Credit Bureau Limited in association with Dun and Bradstreet Credit Bureau Limited in Lagos, a cross-section of experts drawn from the financial service and related sectors observed that most of the banks were exposed to a lot of risks, especially oil and gas, whose revenue projections have been badly affected by the economic crunch.

According to ‘Tunde Popoola, Managing Director/CEO, CRC Credit Bureau Limited, the challenges confronting most of the banks is how to reduce their risk portfolio given the bad debts they incurred these past years, especially at a time they are have more risk assets.

Thankfully, he said, the CRC Credit Bureau has been able to develop fool-proof measures that can help the banks contain the incidence of bad debts.

At the risk of sounding immodest, Popoola said what banks need to do to reduce the incidence of bad debts is to be more circumspect in the way they spread risks.

“Most of the toxic debts within the banking sector happened because they were done without proper due diligence analysis as it were.

But that can be taken care of with our products and services like I-CON Plus, which can help to build a good credit industry.” Echoing similar sentiment, Mrs. Peggy Chukwuma-Nwosu, Head of Sales and Marketing at CRC Credit Bureau Limited, who gave a presentation on CRC Credit Monitors: Useful Tools to better manage Customer Loans, disclosed that the different products developed by her organisation rsets on the wing of technology.

Specifically, she said, the CRC Prospector, which is one of her company’s offerings, “Provides alternative contact information of customers you can no longer reach.”

The lead speaker, Mr. Miguel Llenas, who sits atop Dun and Bradstreet Credit Bureau Limited, a Dominican Republic-based firm with over 170 years’ experience in credit management, spoke on the theme of the ‘Mitigating Emerging Credit Risks in the Nigeria economy in 2017.’

Nigeria, he noted sadly, was passing through its worst economic woes in years because of her overreliance on a monoculture economy. “The crash in the price of crude globally, things in recent times, have gone terribly bad for the economy,” he said.

CONGRATULATIONS

L-R: Divisional Head, Retail Bank, Fidelity Bank, Richard Madiebo; Wife of the winner, Mrs. Mordi; Children of the winner Peter, Paul and Ebube Mordi; winner of One Million Naira, Fidelity Bank Get Alert In Millions Savings Promo, Oge Modi; Executive Director, Shared Services/ Products, Fidelity Bank, Chijioke Ugochukwu; Head, Savings Group, Fidelity Bank, Janet Nnabuko during the 2nd Quarterly/6th Prize Presentation ceremony of the Fidelity Bank Get Alert in Millions Savings Promo in Lagos …recently

Experts Urge Brand Owners to Explore YouTube for Positioning Nigerian YouTube creators; Sisi Yemmie, Dimma Umeh (ThatIgboChic), Naija’s Craziest, and Ngee Shows, have advised Nigerians, especially business owners to leverage on the opportunity provided by the platform to connect their brands with potential customers.

The creators, who came together at the YouTube Brand Partner Summit, spoke about how the platform is providing a opportunity for members of the public to share their passions and, in some cases, earn money too.

At the event, participants were trained on different strategies for taking advantage of YouTube as a platform for content creation sharing and revenue generation.

SSA YouTube Partnership Manager, Teju Ajani said “YouTube continues to be a top video destination for Nigerians looking to share and watch the most viral local and global videos.

In 2016, YouTube mobile watchtime in Nigeria increased by 150%; proof that Nigerians are spending more time on the platform, and are finding content relevant to them.

“YouTube attracts a global generation that has grown up watching what they want,

whenever they want, on whatever device is closest.

Globally, almost 60% of YouTube’s monthly watch-time comes from mobile devices.

On average, 60% of a channel’s views come from outside the creator’s home country.

“We are also glad to see that mobile is playing an increasingly big role in driving online video consumption.

And as more people get access to low-cost smartphones and data prices continue to drop, online video consumption in Nigeria will continue to rise, ” Ajani concluded.

It is believed that more than 400 hours of video is shared on YouTube every minute globally.

So whether one is a teenager at home, a global media powerhouse or a business brand, his or her videos need to be on YouTube.

YouTube is a social video ecosystem with such critical mass that your videos basically don’t exist on the web if they’re not on YouTube.

For instance, Dimma Umeh, makeup and fashion enthusiast is the creator of the YouTube channel called Thatigbochick, started her channel in January 2012 and has since received almost 3 million views and 78,185 subscribers.

Agency Conceptualises Campaign against Gender Bias In celebration of International Women’s Day held recently, female employees at X3M Ideas, a Lagos based creative agency, unveiled a new campaign that addresses workplace gender bias.

Explaining the rationale for the XX Takeover, Adenike Odutola of X3M Ideas and coordinator of the project, explains that the ‘XX’ in XX takeoverwas inspired by the female sex chromosome.

The initiative itself, aims to address the gender bias women face in the workplace and also show women support by letting them know we believe in their abilities.

As part of the agency’s contribution to ending gender inequality in the workplace, the XX Takeover team went this route because they identified gender bias not only in the advertising industry, but generally in the workplace.

“We wanted to make a bold statement that showed that women are capable of more if given equal opportunities.

So for one day, all the female employees took over management roles and ran the office smoothly.

It was such a huge success and it was realized that it could be so much bigger if other organisations buy into the idea”, the Coordinator

explains.

Beyond the XX takeover activation, X3M also deployed thought provoking communication materials through traditional and digital media platforms in a bid to keep the issue on the front burners of discussions.

One of the materialsaddresses the pregnancy discrimination women face at work, due to assumptions that they are less effective while pregnant.

From afar, the copy boldly announces ‘We Are Downsizing’ but on a closer look, cleverly placed text in a smaller size reveal a different meaning that reads- “WE”are letting you go because you are pregnant, no hard feelings but you“ARE”not going to be able to carry out your duties effectively, so since we are“DOWNSIZING” you are an easy choice for getting the axe’.

Another material tagged “I Like You”also looks ordinary but when one reads between the lines, you come face to face with the ugly but common place incidences of “sex for roles or positions in organizations.

All the materials end with a reality check line claiming, “Workplace discrimination might be subtle but it’s there”.

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Skipper: Africa Has a Key Role to Play Globally Partner and Head of Africa Practice at Hogan Lovells, a global law firm, Mr. Andrew Skipper shares his views and some insights with Abimbola Akosile on business and development in Africa from the last forum in London, as the firm prepares to host its 2017 forum in June disruption leading to potentially less focus on Africa, African countries should themselves encourage and facilitate cross border trade which will ensure a cross pollination of economies and growth.

In this regard, an increase in internet connectivity and the widespread distribution of smartphones has bridged the geographical gaps between far flung territories in Africa and has indeed increased communication.

With an increase in communication comes an increase in commercial activity. With the smartphone being the most common technological platform amongst Africans, entrepreneurs have had to look to technology to grow economic activities as it leapfrogs the traditional challenges that accompany stagnant growth, such as lack of infrastructure.

Africa’s mass adoption of technology is the key to long lasting and sustained growth.

Can you give a bit of background on the Africa Forum and Hogan Lovells’ participatory role therein?

Over the last few months, a lot has been said about Africa’s future, and how change and innovation can be driven to achieve a new industrial revolution in Africa. Our global law firm Hogan Lovells has extensive experience in Africa and we thought it would be beneficial to organise a forum where people could gather together and interact with organisations and individuals who do business in, and live in Africa. We believed that this would give us the most valuable insight into what is really happening in the African continent.

What’s your take on the future of Africa and its global role, and also the Africa rising narrative?

By the end of the forum, we got a lot of enlightening information and revelations that the overall outlook for Africa is challenging but positive. There is a lot of opportunity in Africa, especially for those who pursue a mid-long term play. Africa has a key role to play globally not only because it is very resource-rich and there is high demand for its exports. It also has an improving demographic and increasing demand for products locally, and opportunities to develop innovative ways of doing business.

This inevitably makes it attractive to investors. What has increasingly become clear is that many African governments are focusing on diversification; trying to shift from traditional exports like commodities and oil, towards forging new broad-based investment partnerships in areas like manufacturing and agribusiness. This is partly because of the constantly fluctuating prices of commodities, but equally because of the untapped human and other resource; and demand in the wider economy. In the next couple of years it will therefore be important for African governments to develop strategies that are sustainable and will lead to long term economic stability, in order to become a strategic international force.

And so the answer may not be a revelation of whether Africa is rising, but like most emerging markets it’s about realising where the opportunities are and positioning yourself at the right time.

For your firm Hogan Lovells, what opportunities are you looking at in the immediate future?

Hogan Lovells is a global law firm operating in nearly 50 countries. Africa is very important to our clients and therefore to us, and that is why we are here to build relationships and make sure we are in a position to offer the best legal services to our clients globally across the legal spectrum of business and finance. We are here for the long term and operate on the clear principles that we must understand Africa, operate and invest in it and respect it. This cannot wait and we believe we must do it now; Nigeria is a country where you simply can’t afford to not be working.

We do not have an office in Nigeria but we cultivate close collaborative relationships with a number of top class firms in Lagos and Abuja and we have an extremely high opinion of them. ow do we address issues around inclusion, inequality and jobs, especially for the young in Africa?

Today’s youth will herald tomorrow’s future and government and policy makers must make efforts to engage with them and develop policies which benefit them. Most importantly the young population in Africa should be supported with proper education, training and employment opportunities to help them achieve their potential. It must be stated however that the responsibility does not lie on the government and policy-makers alone.

Private organisations and non-governmental institutions also have a role to play. As Hogan Lovells we recognise this and are committed

Skipper to investing in and respecting Africa.

One of the ways we have been able to do this is by offering secondments. Each year our London office takes on 4-6 African lawyers, who get to spend time with one of the firm’s practice area teams for 2-3 months.

These secondments provide a platform for lawyers to receive training, to develop and to exchange knowledge. We also have a 2 week vacation scheme, for qualified African lawyers who are in the UK studying for a further degree (LLM, PhD, etc.) and want to get some work experience. Five people are taken on the vacation scheme each year and the programme includes on the job training. Following completion of the vacation programme, participants in the scheme may apply for a training contract with Hogan Lovells Providing training and employment support to young people has long-term benefits as it sets them on a productive path.

Why do you think the economic growth in non-resource rich countries is more sustained than in resource-rich countries, and what are your recommendations for a lasting solution?

Resource rich countries have an innate supply of resources, which creates and facilitates a reliance heavily skewed in favor of commercialising such resources, as it is lucrative and usually in demand. By contrast, their African counterparts who do not have the benefit of such resources, of necessity tend to have wider economic interests in order to compensate for the lack of resource availability and the revenue generated therefrom.

This creates space for innovation and disruption. Clearly when there is a decline in commodity prices those reliant on such products will suffer most. It would be difficult to expect a resource rich country to seamlessly begin focusing on other economic activities where it has previously relied for business and tax revenue on a strong market for those resources.

However, to clear this challenge, greater diversification and then integration within Africa is likely to present significant opportunity.

Those African countries on the forefront of technological and disruptive advances could market those advances available to resource rich neighbours for consumption to mutual advantage. In any event, and with global

What are the basic principles and policy responses to global shocks and declining commodities prices to Africa as a whole, based on its reliance on these commodities?

There have been a number of recent global shocks – such as the US Presidential election result and UK Brexit vote, together with economic issues facing China – which have resulted in market uncertainty and dented investor confidence, and a concern that Africa will be overlooked as these countries look inward to address their immediate issues. It is true that it is likely that there will be an inward looking approach in many countries.

But we must not forget though that the African continent is home to seven of the 10 fastest growing economies in the world, and many countries and investors want access to these markets – Africa has a lot in its favour.

So whilst Trump has made it clear that he is committed to “America first”, with respect to investment the Trump administration may seek to challenge China’s growing influence in Africa and compete for greater access for US-based companies to Africa’s rich mineral wealth. At the same time it is clear that in Europe the UK will for example be urgently seeking to explore new trade arrangements, and recent visits by China and Japan have stressed the importance of new business and investment into Africa. So with many countries anxious to consolidate their role in Africa, African governments can see this as an opportunity both to diversify and become less commodity-reliant, and to market to the world the technological advances being made every day on the continent – Africa should stand up and be counted.

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

RANDOM THOTS Alarming Standard More than 35 years ago, when this reporter (then a junior student) and his other schoolmates at the Federal Government College, Warri in Bendel State (now Delta State) were first served boiled yam and stew for breakfast instead of the ever-present loaves of bread, there was a mini-riot that day and many students left the dining hall in disgust without taking any breakfast. However, for those students in government schools who are lucky to eat yam for breakfast nowadays, it is considered a luxury rather than the norm, with some schools serving fried bean cakes and pap for breakfast.

Despite the previous positive statis-

tics reeled out by governments - both federal and states - during the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) era, many believe the standard of education in Nigeria is actually falling rather than improving.

Little wonder that so many studentcitizens in Nigeria prefer to go to secondary schools and higher institutions in places like Ghana and neighbouring countries where some ‘acquire top education’ in mere containers.

And if the reports of a unity school in a South-western state - where students are enjoined by the school authorities to bring plenty of old newspapers or newsprint to school to ‘do their busi-

ness’ before dumping the organic contents in the pit latrines - are to be believed, then Nigeria still has a long way to go.

Thankfully, quality education remains a crucial goal under the current Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The onus is on governments to follow the money and make sure the funds allocated to all schools at all levels are actually utilised in the recommended manner, to bring out well-rounded and truly learned minds among the current youth generation. Nigeria cannot afford to fail this test.....can she?

-Abimbola Akosile

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Borehole project for water provision; a sign of progress in development

Can Nigeria Truly Regain Her Devt Momentum?

Opinions differ on when Nigeria actually derailed from her previously steady development process, especially when the country’s progress is compared to that of some contemporary nations like Brazil, Malaysia, and India, which have all become manufacturing giants with favourable trade balances. As Nigeria battles poverty and economic recession, the fear is that she may never catch up with her contemporaries, rebased economy notwithstanding. To you, can Nigeria truly regain her development momentum, and if yes, what will it take to achieve this goal?

Abimbola Akosile * I truly believe Nigeria can regain her development momentum. What the country requires is properly focusing on the citizenry as the object of development. The constitution recognises the importance of making the citizenry the focus of development in Section 14(2b) and Section 16(1b).

The failure to ‘abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power’ has been largely responsible for the stunted development outcomes of Nigeria. However, it will take a genuinely patriotic and people-oriented government to truly focus development on the people and thereby harness their productive energies for transforming our socio-economic status and ensuring positive development outcomes for the nation.

- Mr. Babatunde Oluajo, Abuja * The problem is there is lacuna in the leadership.

Once we have a good leader who can assemble experts as an economy team to help him to move Nigeria out of the current recession, it is possible for us to regain our development momentum.

- Comrade Frederick Ekekwe, CEO Seasoniss Eve Nigeria Ltd, Trans-Ekulu, Enugu State * Endemic and widespread corruption, the looting of public funds, disregard for the rule of law and the inability to follow the globally accepted best practices in issues of governance have been identified as the core reasons why the country is lagging behind its contemporaries as regards development! So, in tackling these issues, where do we start from?

- Mr. Babatunde Omorodion, Lagos State * Yes, Nigeria can truly regain her development momentum in a little time from now by God’s grace. Before now, many of us were blinded to the ongoing corruption but today our eyes are opened wide. The present regime has brought awareness to us that the rich most worshipped today are thieves so they have less regard than before. Thus, our wealth is not tampered with like before, giving room for greater development.

- Hon. Babale Maiungwa, U/Romi, Kaduna * Yes, we truly can regain our development momentum. Prior to slavery cum independence era, we steadily grew socio-economically through attributes like genuine love, honesty, unity, peace, focus altruism e.t.c. Agriculture thrived and the naira was more valuable than a dollar. The whites came and carted away our farm produce, minerals e.t.c. and imposed their culture on us. It led to a civil war that almost

THE FEEDBACK Yes, Nigeria can:

7

No, she cannot:

1

Others:

7

Radical tip:

Check corruption!

Total no of respondents:

15

Male:

12

Female:

3

Highest location:

Lagos (6)

tore Nigeria. In the seventies, we picked up but by the eighties the system collapsed due to fraud. Nations like Brazil, India, Korea, Malaysia e.t.c. overtook us to our dismay due to high-profile corruption. We must work on our mindset, love made-in-Nigeria goods, be law abiding and focused. Let us go back to the drawing board now.

- Miss Apeji Patience Eneyeme, Badagry, Lagos * Nigeria can truly regain her development if the citizens deviate from illegal smuggling of harmful items into the country. As long as Nigerians believe in what Nigeria produces, then her development momentum is assured.

- Mr. Yusuf Muh’dbashir Omotayo, Nda Aliu, Kwara State * Yes, Nigeria can honestly regain her development momentum compared to Brazil, Malaysia, India e.t.c. Poverty, devastating economic recession, security bashings e.t.c. unfortunately dragged Nigeria down at the wrong time. Solutions include positive change of mindset, genuine honesty, unity, love, unconditional patriotism, focus and above all prioritised food security through modern agriculture involving educated and guided youths now.

- Mr. Apeji Onesi, Lagos State * We cannot, due to corruption, tribal and religious sentiment e.t.c. We celebrate corruption as if it is a thing of joy or pride. We have forgotten that we will one day give account of all our actions. We have to be manufacturers and not just assembly points as the case is right now, if we want to meet contemporary countries in our quest to regain our momentum in development.

- Mr. Dogo Stephen, Kaduna * The atmosphere for change is taking place

gradually as naira is going up while dollar is going down and very soon recession will end. Nigerians should exercise patience with the policies; soon Nigeria will be like Malaysia and China for development.

- Mrs. Ijeoma Nnorom, Lagos State * Until we as individuals change, that may not be possible. Something needs to be done about the way our traders sit down, agree and just increase the prices of their goods on the frivolous excuse of dollar has gone up. This is making the naira even more worthless than it already is. Even if the dollar goes down to N100 it doesn’t appear these traders are ready to bring their prices down. What these traders are doing is economic sabotage and government has to intervene to bring down the prices of goods in the country and check the exploitation.

- Mr. Buga Dunj, Jos, Plateau State * Nigeria has the capacity to rise above all its challenges if we the followers and our leaders look inwards, sincerely and genuinely commit to standing up and fighting for the cause of this nation indeed.

- Miss Nkeiruka Abanna, Lagos State * To regain her development momentum, Nigeria needs to become a nation that adds value to people and things. We urgently must cease doing the opposite. After carefully studying and determining those areas where Nigeria has comparative advantage, we should do all within our power to, as it were, own those sectors, and dictate terms to the rest of the world. Like we say in local parlance, we should do less of follow-follow and development momentum will crest again.

- Mr. E. Iheanyi Chukwudi, Apo, Abuja * With our foreign reserve increasing rapidly it means we are getting out of recession soon.

Nigerians should have patience with this government because they have the vision and mission to accomplish despite the economic challenges they faced when they entered governance. Nigerians travelling out for greener pastures will regret it because what they are looking for outside will be provided by this government as the economy is improving.

God bless Nigeria.

- Mr. Gordon Chika Nnorom, Public Commentator, Umukabia, Abia State * Nigeria can regain her development momentum if both the leaders and the followers are on the same page. All this nation needs is the

political will to check corruption and other things will fall into place. Those contemporary countries have tried to minimise corruption, and their resources are used internally to develop their countries, not siphoned away and stashed in air-conditioned vaults abroad.

Nigeria must develop with her God-given natural and human resources, backed by good leadership and patriotic followers.

- Mr. Olumuyiwa Olorunsomo, Lagos State * Nigeria was on the path of steady development but the country derailed when leaders abandoned real planning and replaced it with mere sloganeering without the political will for programme implementation. To regain her momentum, we need to enthrone real patriots and great thinkers in the mould of Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore and Mahatma Ghandi of India as our leaders at all levels - great men who saw the future before it came.

- Ambassador Rufus Aiyenigba, Director-General, Pro-Nigeria Group (P-NG), Abuja

Next Week: Is the National Assembly Truly Fighting against Corruption?

Against a background of alleged bribery and corruption cases against some former and present members of the National Assembly, the recent stance of the Senate against the confirmation of the acting Chairman of the EFCC has generated mixed reactions.

Although the upper legislative chamber based its action on an indicting report by a sister agency (DSS), some analysts believe there is more to the rejection than meets the eye.

In your own view, do you think the National Assembly is truly fighting against official corruption alongside the Executive or not?

What do you recommend? please make your response direct, short and simple, and state your full name, title, organisation, and location. Responses should be sent between today (March 23 & Monday, March 27) to abimbolayi@yahoo.com, greatbimbo@ gmail.com, AND abimbola.akosile@ thisdaylive.com. Respondents can also send a short text message to 08023117639 and/ or 08188361766 and/or 08114495306.

Collated responses will be published on Thursday, March 30

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Bad road at Berger Suya,off Kirikiri Road, Olodi-Apapa, Lagos

Despite Progress, World’s Most Marginalised Still Left Behind, Devt Report Reveals Abimbola Akosile A new flagship United Nations report has found that although the average human development improved significantly since 1990, progress is uneven, with systemic discrimination against women, indigenous peoples and ethnic minorities.

The latest Human Development Report, released annually by the UN Development Programme (UNDP), found that while many people have greater access to education, health and sanitation, for example, more focus needs to be paid to who has been excluded and why.

“By eliminating deep, persistent, discriminatory social norms and laws, and addressing the unequal access to political participation, which have hindered progress for so many, poverty can be eradicated and a peaceful, just, and sustainable development can be achieved for all,” said UNDP Administrator Helen

Clark, speaking at the report launch Tuesday in Stockholm, alongside Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven and the report’s lead author and Director of the Human Development Report Office, Selim Jahan.

Entitled Human Development for Everyone, the report noted that one in three people worldwide continue to live at a low level of human development, as measured by the Human Development Index (HDI) – essentially a ranking of countries based on strides made with a peace-centric model of progress.

According to the report, women and girls are systematically excluded by economic, political, social and cultural barriers. “Women tend to be poorer, earn less, and have fewer opportunities in most aspects of life than men,” it added.

Authors found that in 100 countries, women were legally excluded from some jobs be-

cause of their gender, and in 18 countries, women needed their husband’s approval to work.

The report also points to “dangerous practices,” such as female genital mutilation and forced marriage, which continue to hamper the development of women and their inclusion in society.

The report calls for far greater attention to empowering the most marginalised in society, and recognizes the importance of giving them greater voice in decision-making processes.

It also warns that key development metrics can overstate progress when they focus on the quantity, rather than the quality, of development. For instance, girls’ enrolment in primary education has increased, but in half of 53 developing countries with data, the majority of adult women who completed four to six years of primary school are illiterate.

Meanwhile, in another report, the UN has found that smarter

and more efficient use of the world’s natural resources today can yield an “environmental win-win’ by injecting $2 trillion into the global economy by 2050 while also offsetting the costs of ambitious climate change action.

Citing new research from the International Resource Panel in a recent news release, Head the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), Erik Solheim, called it “an environmental win-win.”

The global population, which is set to grow by 28 per cent, is predicted to use 71 per cent more resources per capita by 2050. Without urgent steps to increase efficiency, the global use of metals, biomass, minerals – such as sand – and other materials will increase from 85 to 186 billion tonnes per year by 2050.

The report, ‘Resource Efficiency: Potential and Economic Implications,’ which was commissioned in 2015 and released in Berlin at the G20 meeting, found that while investment in

ambitious climate action would cause a 3.7 per cent fall in per capita gross world product by 2050, more sustainable use of materials and energy would not only cover the cost of keeping global warming below 2 degrees Celsius, but also add an extra $2 trillion to the global economy by 2050.

“By making better use of our planet’s natural gifts, we will inject more money into the economy to create jobs and improve livelihoods,” Solheim stressed. “At the same time we will create the necessary funds to finance ambitious climate action,” he added.

The report analysed four paths that countries could take over the next three decades, ranging from ‘business as usual’ to a scenario where they adopt both ambitious climate policies and improve resource efficiency.

For example, between 2005 and 2010, a programme in the United Kingdom recycled or reused seven million tonnes of trash destined for the landfill.

This move saved six million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, close to 10 million tonnes of virgin materials and 10 million tonnes of water. It also increased business sales by £176 million, reduced business costs by £156 million and created 8,700 jobs.

Although other key findings point to uneven economic gains of resource efficiency and slower resource extractions, which would reduce revenues and affect jobs in some industries – such as mining and quarrying – countries still stand to gain more by implementing compensation and transfer policies to ease the transition to more efficient practices, than by continuing to support inefficient activities, according to the report.

In addition to economic benefits, the analysis illustrates that resource efficiency and climate action would reduce global resource use by around 28 per cent in 2050 compared to current trends.

like they say ‘necessity is the mother of all invention’. So, we are looking at a lot of issues on the table to meet up the challenges. And of course, you are aware that there is a bill already before the state house of assembly where they want to bring out a harmonised revenue law where revenue collection will have a human face.”

Eboigbodin noted that despite

the paucity of funds within the council, the administrative team under him has embarked on key developmental projects with clear-cut strategic planning and policies and programmes that have produced positive results in the area of road rehabilitation as well as health, adding that the council under his watch had enjoyed relative peace and security.

Edo LG Councils Exploit IGR to Boost Devt Revenue Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City In order to avoid the pitfall of unpaid salaries, Edo state government has mandated various Heads of Service in the 18 Local Government Areas that owe months of unpaid salary arrears to their workers to exploit fresh strategies to boost their Internally Generated

Revenue (IGR).

The Head of Service of Uhunmwode Local Government Area and a former Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the state, Mr. Kaduna Eboigbodin, disclosed this during a recent interview with journalists at Ehor, headquarters of the council. He however, said with the latest directive and plan by members of the

State Assembly to harmonise revenue of councils in the state, the various local governments can adequately meet up with the welfare of workers and other responsibilities at that level of government.

He stated that, “In Ehor, workers are owed about 13 months, but we are confident that government has assured us that it would pay all outstand-

ing salaries with a warning to councils to look inward, so we are strategising. We are currently looking into areas we believe we can generate more revenue and also have enough to pay workers’ salaries. With the political class we need at least about N36 million monthly.

According to him, “For us, it is a daunting task but we believe it is not impossible

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BUSINESSWORLD

DEVELOPMENT QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“If a whistleblower provides information leading to the recovery of N10 billion, he or she will receive 5 per cent of the first N1 billion, 4 per cent of the next N4 billion and 2.5 per cent of the remaining N5 billion. This is to reassure potential whistleblowers that the plan to reward is real” - MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND CULTURE, ALHAJI LAI MOHAMMED, SPEAKING IN A STATEMENT ATTACHMENTS AREA ADB to Spend Euro 2m to Restore Water Resources in Komadugu-Yobe Basin As CITAD trains 40 unemployed graduates Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

Create Policy Environment that Increases Women’s Productive Capacity, Oxfam Urges FG Empowers over 8,000 rural women Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja Oxfam in Nigeria has called on the government to demonstrate political will to create a macro-economic policy environment that increases women’s productive capacity as full economic agents; and also increase investments in the agricultural sector.

Oxfam Country Director, Jan Rogge made the call in Abuja at the recent 2017 International Women Day (IWD), with the theme ‘Women in the Changing World of Work: Planet 50:50 by 2030’.

Rogge, who was represented by the Associate Country Director, Evelyn Mere equally said there was need for government to create an enabling context with adequate infrastructure that enables women in the informal sector to survive and thrive; as well as continue the reform of the tax system in Nigeria to foster equity and apply tax resources to increase public spending in key sectors such as agriculture, health and education.

Oxfam also urged the National Assembly to incorporate all ratified international treaties on women into domestic laws in order to make the National Gender Policy actionable, stressing that the executive must further work with the legislature to ensure passage of the Gender and Equal Opportunities bills into law.

According to Rogge, “Oxfam calls on the Government of Nigeria to demonstrate political will to create a macro-economic policy environment that increases women’s productive capacity as full economic agents; increase investments in the agricultural sector and create special incentives targeted at women to enhance economic opportunities, productivity and women’s incomes.”

Rogge lamented that Nigeria has been classified as one of the most unequal countries in

Women empowerment process through skills acquisition the world, stressing that the lives of Nigerian women are affected by a myriad of discriminatory traditional and socio-cultural practices, which put them at a disadvantage in a number of areas compared to men.

“As a result of these disadvantages, women are more likely to be poorer than men. In 2016, Nigeria ranked 118 out of 144 countries on the Global Gender Gap Index, having gained seven places from the previous year. Though a marginal gain, a lot still needs to be done to put Nigeria in a better ranking order,” Mere noted.

She said, “Research has revealed that although women represent between 60 and 79 per cent of Nigeria’s rural labour force, men are five times more likely than women to own land.

Some 55 per cent of female headed households are landless and a further 29 per cent own less

than one hectare.”

“Agriculture holds huge potential as the largest economic platform central to the economic empowerment of millions of women, yet public sector investments in agriculture have remained low at less than 4 per cent, inspite of the commitment of the Nigerian government to invest a minimum of 10 per cent of the budget in the agricultural sector in line with the Maputo Declaration. The sector is as a result under developed and at mostly subsistence level,” she stressed Rogge decried that limited access to extension service delivery, inputs, financial resources and assets as well as women’s lack of inheritance rights to land converge to inhibit the productivity of small-scale women farmers, and have perpetually trapped them in a cycle of poverty.

As part of efforts to enhance urban water supply, agriculture water management, aquaculture, rangeland management, the African Development Bank (ADB) is funding the restoration of water resources potentials in the Komadugu-Yobe basin to the tune of about two million Euros.

Over 15 million people depend on the basin and stand to benefit from the Komadugu-Yobe basin project in Northern Nigeria. The economy of the basin is highly dependent on freshwater resources, particularly on the livelihoods generated from the wetland ecosystems.

The Executive Secretary of Hadejia Jamaare Komadugu-Yobe Basin Trust Fund, Dr. Haruna Bdliya, who stated this while interacting with counterpart and Project management staff in Kano, said the Komadugu-Yobe basin would enhance water resources for socio-economic development of the basin, which has been affected by several ecosystems problems.

He said the economy of the basin is highly dependent on freshwater resources, particularly on the livelihoods generated from the wetland ecosystems, stressing that major urban towns and rural settlements in the region have also seen a significant increase in water demand for human consumption and other urban needs.

While anticipating that the development of the Basin, the ecological services and the livelihoods that are dependent on the basin’s river system would be fully regenerated, bringing a much-needed boost to the local and regional economy, Hassan highlighted problems facing the project to include losses in environmental productivity, fish stocks, livestock production and general shortage of water resources in the basin. He said the African water facility of the ADB has provided a grant of about 2 million Euros for the restoration of water resources management system that will address the livelihood issues with respect to food security, water supply and sanitation.

The Executive Secretary enumerated other benefits of the support to include provision of energy availability, ecological services with adequate environmental safeguards across the basin. Hassan further indicated that Bauchi, Borno, Plateau, Yobe, Kano and Jigawa States would benefit from the project for the preparation of Strategic Action Plan for water resources development. Also, as part of efforts to enable unemployed university and polytechnic graduates acquire skills that will make them employable and competitive in a changing world, an NGO, Centre for Information and Technology Development (CITAD) has organised a career development and entrepreneurship opportunities training for unemployed graduates.

The Research Assistant with CITAD Alhaji Hamza Ibrahim Chinade, stated this during a one-day workshop on techniques and employment/entrepreneurship opportunities at CITAD conference hall, Bauchi, recently.

Hamza said the purpose of setting up Job Placement Information Services Unit (JOPIS) was for the unemployed graduates to acquire employable skills, stressing that the unit has demonstrated high prospects to unemployed graduates for job acquiring skills from Foundations, NGOs, Government and wealthy individuals.

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T H I S D AY THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

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

Raising Children with Down Syndrome As Nigeria joins the rest of the world this week to commemorate World Down’s Syndrome Day, Martins Ifijeh writes on ways to manage the ailment and why government and stakeholders should give attention to persons living with the condition

I

t was a beautiful feeling as Ada and her husband, Reuben, were expecting their first child after a year of marriage. They had pictured in their head how raising children together will be in their small but well furnished home. They couldn’t ask for a better gift to seal the love between them than hear the cry of babies and have them run round the house shouting ‘daddy... mummy’.

Two months before delivery they knew it was going to be a boy, while their doctor told them he was kicking fine in the womb with no noticeable health challenge. “The moment we left the antenatal ward that day, we both agreed we were going to name him Collins - a name Reuben had always said he was going to give his first son. It was a dream come true for him to name our unborn child Collins,” says Ada. While the two months before delivery seemed like forever because the couple were eager to have Collins join the family, they were often creating in their heads the kind of clothes he was going to be wearing, type of school he must attend, type of toys they were going to buy for him, and whether he would love to be a medical doctor or lawyer when he grows up. “In fact, Reuben had concluded Collins was going to love watching football just like him,” according to Ada. And then the long wait was over. Collins was born. The couples were finally going to have all their wishes come true. “One of the nurses cleaned him up and placed him in my arms. I just couldn’t take my eyes off him.

His tiny little hands, feet and face were mind blowing. I was star struck as I couldn’t handle seeing him for the very first time.

“But I noticed the medical team was talking in hush tones while looking at Collins in my arms. And then they opened up. Collins has trisomy 21, which remains the most common form of Down’s syndrome; a chromosomal abnormality condition associated with intellectual disability, with a characteristic facial appearance, and poor muscle tone (hypotonia) in infancy.

“The doctor told me he had studied my baby keenly, and that he noticed he has small mouth, slanting eyes, flat face, small ears, etc, which he said were some of the major signs that Collins has a condition known as Down’s syndrome.

“I was too happy to notice all these features.

To me, he was the cutest newborn I have ever seen. I only noticed what the doctor talked about after he had said them.

“Truly, when I looked keenly, I noticed he was different. He wasn’t like the other children we know. We left the hospital a day after knowing that our love for Collins will not die off, but that our new task has just began, which is how to manage his condition throughout his childhood, enhance his life and ultimately make sure he grows up to achieve his life’s dream as an adult,” Ada added.

It’s two years now since Collins was born.

Ada and Reuben have continued to show him love and attention, and hoped to enhance his God-given ability even in disability. “Though it is not easy, but we made a decision not to first stigmatise him. We take him every where we go, because we believe it is only when we love our child that neigbhours and the society will love him,” she said.

Ada and Reuben are perhaps among the very few couples with children with Down’s syndrome who despite the condition try to give the children all the needed attention, while also believing such kids can grow to become that which was initially planned for them.

For many parents, the condition means the child is a half human who must be kept in the house away from prying eyes. They often consider it a shame for their children with such condition to be seen interacting with other children, or even taking him or her along

Children with Down’s syndrome deserve attention

with them to parties. Others even believed the condition means you cannot amount to anything in future, hence there was no need spending money on his or her schooling and other capacity building.

With such neglect, many children living with the condition in Nigeria end up not seeing the four walls of the classroom. In fact, many even die before they reach adulthood if the parents or guardian does not pay attention to their health because persons with such condition are often said to be born with a variety of defects.

Reports suggest about half of all affected children have heart defects, digestive abnormalities, such as a blockage of the intestine, eye and dental diseases. Worse still, many of the children were seen as witches and wizards.

But experts believed the best ways to raising children with Down’s syndrome was to give them all the love and attention they need, while giving priority to their health, social, psychological and mental interaction, as this would go a long way in helping such children.

The President, Down Syndrome Support Group of Nigeria (DSSGN), Dr. Philips Orhue, says best ways to manage children with the condition was to prioritise early medical intervention, education, vocational training and early social integration, adding that if these were not put together, a lot of them might not be able to live, because their condition predisposes them to lots of medical issue which if not corrected could lead to death at very young age.

He said with the medical issue being addressed, such children should be exposed to education and social interaction, adding that for many who were unable to go through the formal education, they can be exposed to skills acquisition. “All these will make them useful to the society. None of them should be written off. They can be nurtured into their full potential,” he said.

He called on parents and the society to stop stigmatisation of their children with the condition, adding that, that was the first thing that must be taken away.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says Down syndrome occurs when an individual has a full or partial extra copy of chromosome 21, referred to as Trisomy 21, which therefore means individuals with the condition have 47 chromosomes instead of the usual 46.

Orhue says this may be caused by an error in cell division called non-disjunction, which leaves a sperm or egg cell with an extra copy of chromosome 21 before or at conception.

He said Trisomy 21 accounts for about 95 per cent of Down syndrome cases, with 88 per cent originating from non-disjunction of the mother’s egg cell, adding that the “additional genetic material alters the course of development and cause the characteristics associated with the disorder. “This makes it somewhat difficult to differentiate people with Down syndrome if a large number of them converge in the same venue due to the physical characteristics they share because of the anomaly.

“The remaining five per cent of Down syndrome cases are due to conditions called mosaicism and Robertsonian translocation.

Mosaic Down syndrome, experts say results when some cells in the body are normal while others have Trisomy 21.

“Robertsonian translocation occurs when part of chromosome 21 breaks off during cell division and attaches to another chromosome (usually chromosome 14). The presence of this extra part of chromosome 21 causes some Down syndrome characteristics. Although a person with a translocation may appear physically normal, he or she has a greater risk of producing a child with an extra 21 chromosome,” he noted.

He emphasised that Down syndrome was not linked to social or economic status, nationality or religion, noting that “in addition to other traits unique to individuals with the disorder, a few of the common traits are low muscle tone, small stature, an upward slant to the eyes, and a single deep crease across the centre of the palm.

These cause delay in physical and intellectual development,” he said.

He said the government and stakeholders should also place attention on persons with the condition. “Just as it applies in most developed countries, the government can support persons with Down’s syndrome in several capacities, including policies that would stop them from being discriminated against both in their homes, place of work, among others,” he said.

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T H I S D AY THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

NEWS Brands with Cola Deprive Sound Sleep, Say Experts

UNICEF Pledges More Support for the Health Sector

Rebecca Ejifoma

Kuni Tyessi in Abuja and Rebecca Ejifoma

With the knowledge that sound sleep is a vital biological function, sleep medicine specialists have spoken against intake of substances containing cola six hours before bedtime, as it could deprive them of healthy sleep.

The experts disclosed this at the flag off of the 2017 World Sleep Day and launch of three sets of new mattresses by Vitafoam in Lagos recently.

Consultant Psychiatrist and Sleep Medicine Specialist, Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Dr. Adeoye Adefemi, said one third of living was spent sleeping, adding that, “most of us have disturbed, restless nights and rely on a cocktail of caffeine and sugar to drag us through the day.”

The expert warned that people should avoid any brand with cola or caffeine six hours before bedtime. Adding, he said although some say alcohol makes them fall asleep, “but you wake in the middle of the night. Alcohol is not helpful when you take it close to bedtime. Also, avoid strong meals and any food with spice four hours before sleep because it has to be broken down.” He enlightened participants on quality sleep - at continuity and depth. “Babies eat and sleep continuously. They are required to sleep for 17 hours,

older adults between nine and 10 hours and adults’ average hours of sleep is eight. “But in Lagos, I doubt if adults can achieve this.”

Adefemi added: “Practice good sleep hygiene. You are supposed to sleep and feel refreshed when you wake up. Sleep with the correct sleeping position also.” He recommended simple steps to achieving sound quality sleep.

They include: firm mattresses should be used, exercise is very helpful too - it can be a treatment for inability to sleep, your bed shouldn’t be your work place, when you are in bed and unable to sleep within 20 and 30 minutes, leave the bed, pick up a book and read.

“The lights should be turned off when sleeping. This is because it shows sun as a stimulant; which means it is day time so you have to be active.

“The hours we spend in bed shape our mood, motivation and decision-making skills defining our performance in work, at home and while keeping fit.”Meanwhile, the Group Managing Director. Viitafoam, Mr. Taiwo Adeniyi says when sleep fails, health declines and then decreased quality of life.

“Mckinsey quarterly report of February 2016, shows that sleep-awareness programmes can produce better leaders.” he said.

Imo Health Sector improves as Indigent Patients access Free Healthcare Amby Uneze in Owerri The health-at-your-door step policy of the Imo State Government has improved tremendously as the health facilities provided by the government has imparted on the lives of the citizens as indigent patients access healthcare at no cost to them, even some minor and major surgeries are conducted free of charge.

Disclosing to Journalists on the milestone the state government has gone in the health sector, the Imo State Commissioner for Health, Women Affairs and Social Development, Barr (Mrs.) Ngozi Njoku explained because of the importance Governor Rochas Okorocha placed on the health sector, patients with complicated medical and surgical conditions like kidney failure, heart problems are also flown abroad at the expense to the government for treatment.

The Commissioner maintained that within the past one year she had paddled the affairs of the health ministry in the state having being inaugurated in January 2016, the moribund Emergency Response Committee was activated with the State Epidemiologist properly charged with appropriate structures were put in place which led to the urgent tackle of a victim of Lassa fever who later survived it as a result of proactive and quick response and treatment.

In line with the vision of the governor, a new initiative under her ministry was

the establishment of Imo Emergency Response Centre built at the former Fire Service Office along Wetheral Road, as the idea was to save lives and eliminate preventable deaths.

According to her, over 15 people have been rescued since its inception about late last year.

“All these are eloquent testimonies of Governor Okorocha’s concern for the health of the people especially the poor and the needy.

The Minister of Health was here with his Minister of State counterpart to commission the centre to the glory of God. This place opens 24 hours a day. We have rescued about 15 people since inception. We also train people who can save lives”, she said.

The Commissioner noted that in furtherance of the effort to protect Imolites from the outbreak of communicable diseases, the Ministry embarked on screening and training of food handlers in the hospitality industry, including setting up a programme tagged “Operation know your HIV status”, as a response to the need to reduce the high prevalence of HIV/ AIDS in the state.

Barr. Njoku added that effort are being made to eliminate quackery and institute best practices by the setting up and the inauguration of a committee “Operation Zero Quackery Project” by the Ministry. She noted also that the state took the first position in the countrywide immunization programme last year.

Urges media to protect rights of children The United Nations International Children Education Fund (UNICEF) has renewed its commitment to support the Nigerian health sector towards improving maternal and child health, strengthening immunisation and revitalisation of Primary Healthcare system in the country.

The Deputy Executive Director, Programme, UNICEF, Mr. Omar Abdi, made this known while meeting with the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, in Abuja.

Abdi said that UNICEF and Federal Ministry of Health have a long history of partnership in improving healthcare system in

Nigerian, however their visit to the minister was to renew their commitment and to ensure that their plans were in line with the minister’s priority.

Speaking further, member of the delegation, Marie Pierre Poipier, UNICEF West and Central Africa Regional Office, Dakar, Republic of Senegal said that UNICEF considered Nigeria as a very important country in West and Central African Region. She said that sharing ideas between the minister and UNICEF may offer solutions to some of the numerous challenges confronting the Nigerian health sector.

She said; “We sought for a conversation with you to hear your vision and strategy so that we can support it, we want to

set specific objectives, which would include immunisation component which may support the fight against polio in the country.’’

“We want your guidance, we are on the process of shaping the next five years programme, so we want to make sure that what we want to do in the health sector in Nigeria is in line with your priority, but also we shall together define it in terms of actual result that we would achieve on children,” she added.

Responding, the Minister of Health, Adewole who appreciated the support of UNICEF in the fight against polio, child survival, prevention of mother to child HIV/AIDS transmission and nutrition said that

investing on Primary Health Care system at the community level was the only way to improve the health indices of Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the UN body has urged media practitioners to protect the rights of children through ethically based reportage in accordance with best global practices for the protection of the child’s right.

At the two-day media workshop on ethical reporting on children held in Ibadan, Oyo State, the UNICEF Communication Officer, Lagos Office, Mrs. Blessing Ejiofor, said that reportage about children without following the ethical guidelines and principles could expose the children to more harm.

FOR HEALTHY KIDNEY

L-R: Chairman, Amuwo-Odofin/Ojo Association of General Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria, AGPMPN, Dr Onyemkpa C. S; Chairman, Lagos State AGPMPN, Dr Tunji Akintade; Director, Cedar Group Hospital, Elizabeth Akpabio; and Chairman emeritus, AGPMPN, Dr Olusegun Akeredolu, during a programme to commemorate World Kidney Day in Lagos recently

NAFDAC Raids Market in Nominations Opens for the 4th Lagos Nigerian Healthcare Excellence declined comments on the use Awards Martins Ifijeh National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control, (NAFDAC) last weekend raided shops in the popular Oke-Arin Market, Balogun and Alaba Suru, Apapa both in Lagos State, where fake liquor were being bottled and registered brands counterfeited.

The agency conducted the raid following a tip-off about some wine and spirits distributors, who had local production sites where the adulteration was going on.

Apart from fake liquor, counterfeited packaging materials such as empty bottles, funnels, filtering clothes, corks of registered brands among others, were discovered in the raid which involved NAFDAC enforcement officers and journalists who monitored the exercise.

A shop at No. 12 Issa Williams, Balogun Market with the business name, Ken-Zubby Emporium Ltd, which belongs to one Kennedy Maduewesi, was among those sealed as large quantities of the fake liquor and counterfeited packaging materials were discovered there.

A sales representative at the shop who simply identified himself as Christopher however

of the fake packaging products.

“I am not the owner of the shop, I am only working here as a sales representative, when the owner comes you ask him what they use them for. I met everything here when I came to this shop. They have been here for a very long time,” Christopher said.

The agency also sealed a Fan Milk outfit, Alaba Suru, along Apapa Road, where some of their products did not have expected labeling information such as: date markings, batch number, manufacturing date and expiry date.

The outfit also came short of a healthy environment as offensive odour was felt around the outfit.

Commenting on the raid operation, Assistant Director, Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, NAFDAC, Lagos, Mr. Uche Chidi Uzoma, said that the operation was actually informed by a kind of international operation that is going on in different parts of the world.

Uzoma said that the raid was part of a global exercise occurring simultaneously in all nations of the world called Operation Olson VI.

Nominations for the 4th edition of the Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Awards (NHEA 2017) has opened, with stakeholders in the health sector advised to visitwww.nigeriahealthawards. com.ng to either make their nominations online or download the nomination form. In a release made available to the media, the NHEA Programme Director, Dr. Wale Alabi, advised the public to “visit the NHEA website to makeyour nominations for deserving individuals and organisations who have demonstrated and provided outstanding services and support to the Nigeria healthcare sector in 2016.

“Winners of the various categories will be honoured on Friday, June 23, 2017 at Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos.

Nominations will close on May 26, 2017 before the commencement of online voting to enable the award jury select the winners of the various categories,” he added. About 23 awards and recognitions will be presented at the ceremony.

It is made up of three main categories: Special Awards, Healthcare Delivery Services and Biomedical Technology.

He said some of the awards up for grabs include; The Lifetime Achievements Award, Outstanding State Government Healthcare Programme of the Year, Outstanding CSR Health Project of the Year, Healthcare Media Excellence (print and electronic), Private Healthcare Provider of the Year, Public Healthcare Provider of the Year, Laboratory service provider of the Year, and Radiology Service Provider of the Year. Others are; Biomedical Engineering Service Company of the Year, IVF Service Provider of the Year, Dialysis Service Provider of the Year, Eyecare Service Provider of the Year, Laboratory Equipment Marketing Company of the Year, Nursing & Midwifery Excellence Award of the Year, and many others.

According to NHEA Director of Strategy, Marketing and Communication, Moses Braimah, the Oscar of the Nigeria healthcare will once again roll the red carpet to celebrate and honour the most outstanding and deserving individuals and organisations who contributed immensely and brought excellence to the Nigerian healthcare sector in 2016.”

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T H I S D AY THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

HEALTH

Oguntona: Benzoic Acid is Harmless in Soft Drinks

While in recent weeks there have been controversy over whether benzoic acid in soft drinks causes health challenges, a scientist and Chairman, Nigerian Beverages Panel, Prof. Babatunde Oguntona, in this interview with THISDAY explains why the preservative is used in foods and drinks. He said the benzene produced from benzoic acid is insignificant to cause health risk, but stressed on the intake of soft drinks in moderation. Martins Ifijeh brings excerpts

W

take vitamin C, rather, the message is that you do not take it with soft drink because it reacts with the benzoic acid in the soft drink.

The advice from Federal Ministry of Health is to take medicines with water. You can have soft drinks later. The function of food is different from the function of medicines.

Beverages come under the classification of food and drinks while medicine is different thing entirely. After all, you take injection and nobody adds soft drink to it. The reason why you add water is to allow it to rapidly enter your system. The message is separate drugs from soft drinks. The negative impact on those who don’t separate depends on the drugs. I got a phone call now from somebody from Ekiti, he says they take drugs with palm wine. Until we do the survey or somebody does it, I cannot say is this or not because I am a scientist.

hat is benzoic acid and why is it recently of concern?

Benzoic acid is a very well known preservative in the food industry and it has been in use for a very long time. It is used not only in beverages but in other processed foods. It is generally regarded as safe. So that brings us to the benefits and the risks. Benefits include the fact that it is a very good antimicrobial agent.

Ordinarily it should not be a problem but a few years ago, there was a research carried out in the United Kingdom that indicated that in the presence of vitamin C, this particular substance can be converted to benzene, which is carcinogenic.

So people were alerted to the danger. When you have a situation whereby it comes in contact with vitamin C, there is the likelihood of production of benzene which is carcinogenic.

Why is benzoic acids used in foods and drinks?

Benzoic acid is a preservative. It is one of the tools used to ensure food security. It helps us to have a regular supply of foods and drinks. Because if we do not preserve the food or drink, it will be difficult to maintain steady supply.

Statistics have shown that more than 50 per cent of fruits produced in Nigeria are wasted. Imagine if we can prevent that? These chemicals help us to achieve that. They also help to keep the foods attractive. Take for instance, an orange flavoured soft drink – it sends a message to your brain that you are taking orange. That is why colourings are added.

The alternative is to eat contaminated foods but with preservatives, that will be avoided. Benzoic acid is used in processed foods and it stops microbes from growing. It prevents infection and is cheaply produced.

Manufacturers love it.

But how will benzoic acid lead to benzene which is carcinogenic?

One of the conditions that affects rate or amount of production of benzene is high temperature, the other is ultraviolet radiation. When you have a combination of these two, the rate of production of benzene is increased and you know these conditions are applicable here because we have very high temperature and also because of sunlight, we have ultra violent radiation. Other conditions that do not support the rapid production of benzene include presence of sugar.

You have the conditions that promote production of benzene in the environment, and you also have the conditions that do not promote and limit the production of benzene in the same product because, there is sugar in the sweeteners used in beverages.

So how does this add up?

Scientifically, the temperature required is in the region of 60 degrees Celsius. I don’t know anywhere in this country where the temperature can get up to 80 degrees Celsius.

I cannot recall anytime we have recorded up to 60 degrees. We can say that the 60 per cent option cannot really be applicable but for the ultraviolet rays, there is possibility especially when you put the product in the sun. If you expose the products to the sun you will promote conditions for its production. If the product is exposed to the sun for two hours or more, benzene is likely to be produced.

Oguntona

At what level can benzene be produced in soft drinks?

We have agreed that benzene is carcinogenic. We have also agreed that given certain conditions, like heat and sunlight, it can be produced from benzoic acid but at what level this happens, I can’t tell.

I don’t have the information for Nigeria and I don’t know if anyone has. This is the type of information NAFDAC, Ministry of Health and Standards Organisation of Nigeria, should be collating.

In fact, it should guide them in determining what level of benzoic acid to be given to manufacturers. In other countries, there have been experiments to determine the levels of benzoic preservatives. Put them in three categories. There are countries that are technologically developed, like Sweden, or Austria,where they consume a lot of processed foods and beverages.

The second group is the developing countries such as Nigeria, Brazil and Malaysia where less than 50 per cent of their daily food come from processed foods and they don’t consume a lot of beverages.

The third group is the one in-between – countries that are not quite developed but are more developed than the second group.

We have information that representatives of these groups have done a survey and found out that the amount of benzene produced in beverages in the world is sometimes not detectable or very minimal.

They found out that the amount produced in the top of the bottle space between the liquid and the cork is too small to be of a health concern. I am not saying that benzene is not produced but the question is how much is produced. It is insignificant to cause a health

problem.

If somebody comes out tomorrow in Nigeria and does his survey, we will quote his figure. It is very easy to be emotional when it concerns a big company but we are not helping our people if we are not providing them the right information.

What about the minimum energy and protein levels?

Again, scientifically, take a broader look at the issue of beverage consumption from perspective of food security in the country.

We have important statistics collated in Nigeria in the context of food security.

We say Nigerians are not well fed and don’t meet the minimum energy and protein levels and from the data, we have suggested that beverages as a group contribute between 19 per cent to 49 per cent energy intake of Nigerians.

That is a lot. In other words, for groups like labourers, it contributes over 50 per cent.

If you remove that, what will you replace it with? That is another deficit in the food balance sheet.

I am not saying you should go ahead and take soft drinks or that you should not take soft drinks. I do not work for any soft drink manufacturer but I am for the interest of Nigerians.

I am basing my thoughts on pure science.

People can base their choices on science.

Wherever they have done these surveys, they have found that the production of this chemical is negligible.

People say taking soft drinks with drugs or vitamin C is dangerous. How true is this?

Don’t take your drugs with soft drinks, take it with water instead. It is not that you cannot

Does benzoic acid affects shelf life of foods and beverages?

Benzoic acid does not determine shelf life of a product. This is debatable. Shelf life depends on the preservative used, the products and storage environment. Besides, those variables can change at any time.

No one knows at what level these preservatives become injurious to health.

The question is what is the minimal level?

No one can answer that question. Even the international agencies use standard for pure water that should not be so. The concern is that no matter what amount of benzoic acid you put, once it is in contact with vitamin C, it will react, it is a chemical reaction. No matter the level.

We don’t have information about how much benzene is produced. Countries that have that information say is at a negligible level. The available data on dietary exposure to benzene is minimal from the viewpoint of public health. Often benzene levels were low as to be considered negligible and not a consumer health risk, but there is still a need for more studies for a better understanding of their effects on human health through the ingestion of contaminated food. In a study by Centre Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, and U.S. Food and Drug Admninistration, it was found that the amount of benzene found in the reformulated beverages ranged from none detected to 1.1 ng/g.

So what is the take home message in this?

The rule is moderation. It is like water, if you sit at a place and continue to take more than six bottles of water within an hour, at the end of the day, you will drown. That is ordinary water. Moderation is the key word. One of the surveys we have done is on limited consumption of beverages to average of two to threebottles per day. It shouldn’t be more than two or three bottles daily.

Are there warnings on products for this?

There is tendency that people may not read it. What is important is grassroots education.

The Federal Ministry of Information and Culture and Ministry of Health should move into the local governments to check these things. NAFDAC should educate Nigerians.

It is education we need not warnings. There should be bill boards to educate Nigerians.

Nigerians are not good at reading the labels on the products. Manufacturers are there to make money. If you allow them they will not do anything. But the ministries have the responsibility to educate Nigerians on the dangers of some of these things.

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T H I S D AY THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

HEALTH

Selective Laws against Nigerian Women Reproductive Rights Odimegwu Onwumere Stephen Luka and Justina Dusu have been locked in a romantic bliss for years. They have always been on top of their affair. Many who have been watching them, felt they were destined for each other. But, that was not to be. The real test of their love affair came when Justina missed her period. That development did not go down well with Stephen. He was not the Romeo watchers thought him to be.

He felt terribly bad since Justina broke the news of her pregnancy to him.

Apparently not ready to father a child yet, he pushed for abortion. But unsafe abortion is outlawed in Nigeria. For Elizabeth Dwyer of Women & Girls Hub, a group concerned about the plight of women, “Nigeria’s abortion law is based on the same 1861 Offences Against Persons Act that governs Northern Ireland’s rules.”

Last February, at a Jos High Court, Stephen’s lover-girl who resides at Foron, in Barkin-Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, literally shocked the world when she alleged that the lover-boy killed her sister for refusing to undergo an unsafe abortion.

That has been the tragedy of many young women across the country. And according to Dwyer, “Each year, Nigerian women undergo 1.25 million abortions, with nearly all performed clandestinely, resulting in 500,000 health complications.

“Restrictive abortion legislation bans the procedure except when prescribed by a doctor to save a woman’s life – in a country that has such low contraceptive access, only 10 per cent of married women use birth control.”

Over the years, connoisseurs have been claiming that unsafe abortion has become one of the major factors that cause maternal deaths in Nigeria. They have, therefore, been agitating for the individualisation of family planning (FP) services in the country that prides itself as the giant of Africa.

Those who know better say unsafe abortion causes irremediable damage to the women.

In Nigeria, many are of the view that it is an act of infringing on women’s reproductive rights since abortion is technically not legal in the country.

In search of a way out of the reproductive gender gap in the country, on August 17, 1991, Campaign Against Unwanted Pregnancy (CAUP) was launched. It is a multi-disciplinary initiative focusing attention on the health problems of women caused by unsafe abortion in Nigeria.

Since then, the political environment in Nigeria has been a complex and volatile one, with

Can Nigerian women take decision on their reproductive health?

strongå religious and ethnic tensions and a very conservative public attitude towards abortion. For instance, Post Abortion Care (PAC), a group concerned with women’s reproductive right in the country, says it’s so bad that reproductive rights of women are not respected in the country. Reproductive rights activists have been warning against what they described as ‘’archaic laws’’ on abortion in Nigeria.

Often, health agencies talking about unsafe abortions, are accused of operating measures to promote unwholesome behaviour in the

country. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) was caught up in a hullabaloo of orchestrating promotional abortion movement for young ladies who were liberated from Boko Haram, some two years ago.

It was reported that Nigeria was not support of abortion. Many sensitisation campaigns have been held in this regard, but the authorities have not deemed it wise and right to make abortion a legal issue. In October 2015, media men were trained on “Women’s Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights” for three days in Abuja, Nigeria’s

capital city.

Hauwa Shekarau, a lawyer, says the training workshop was aimed at enlightening people on sexual and reproductive health and rights of women. “The abortion law in Nigeria is restrictive and it is only permitted to save the life of the woman if she is in a danger.

But those that do not fall under this legal restriction are left to their own devices.

“Also, the cost of carrying out this procedure is high, and those who are not economically empowered resort to quacks, making unsafe abortion the most silent and persistent cause of maternal mortality in Nigeria,’’ she says.

A consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at the University Teaching Hospital, Gwagwlada, Dr. Godwin Akaba said at a public presentation, “lack of family planning tools is one of the leading causes of maternal mortality, as it results into unintended pregnancy, which could lead to unsafe abortion.

“The magnitude of maternal mortality and morbidity represents perhaps the greater social injustice of our time. Our ability to address these preventable causes of maternal mortality is but a symptom, a tragic symptom of a larger social injustice of discrimination.”

Dr. Ejike Orji of Association for Advancement of Family Planning, (AAFP), sufficed to what Dr. Akaba added, “Unsafe abortion is dangerous with such resultant effects like ‘bleeding, infections and infertility’ in most cases.”

Since September 2015, the UN has bared its stance, saying that Nigeria should rescind her abortion laws because it’s part of setbacks in furthering abortion and sexual rights for adolescents in Africa.

“The UNFPA told Nigeria to take back its reservations on “sexual and reproductive health” and “reproductive rights” in a new UN development agreement,” said a UN report. It is hoped by opinion leaders that the authorities should see abortion beyond the scope of religion, politics and culture.

For them, “advocacy efforts need to address not only visible power, i.e. the making and enforcing of formal laws and regulations, structures, authorities, institutions and the procedures of decision-making, but also how and by whom the agenda is set.

“The latter includes the ways in which powerful people and institutions maintain their influence, by controlling access to decisionmaking and excluding and devaluing the concerns and representation of less powerful groups.”

Onwumere is a Poet and Writer based in Rivers State. E-mail: apoet_25@yahoo.com

Akwa Ibom Partners SIDHAS to Conduct AIDS Indicator Survey Omolabake Fashogbon The Akwa Ibom State Government in partnership with FHI 360 under the Strengthening Integrated Delivery of HIV/ AIDS Services (SIDHAS) project is set to conduct the first ever Akwa Ibom State AIDS Indicator Survey (AKAIS).

This survey, which is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), will according generate precise data to describe the HIV epidemic in Akwa Ibom and also estimate the unmet need for HIV interventions in the state.

The findings from this survey will help the government and its stakeholders plan how best to address and find solutions to the problem of HIV & AIDS in communities, LGAs and in the state generally.

Akwa Ibom was chosen by The United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in conjunction with FMOH and Akwa Ibom State authorities as one of its focus states for scaling up HIV prevention and control strategies.

However, data that could be used to guide this scale up hadsignificant gaps and was limited for planning purposes.

The survey is therefore intended to fill these gaps and provide a sound evidence base to guide and inform specific strategies for scaling up HIV prevention and control interventions in Akwa Ibom state.

The survey activities have been scheduled to start on April 1, 2017 and run for a period of about one month in all the 31 LGAs of the state.

The activities of the survey will involve HIVcounselling and testing.

The testing will be conducted under strict confidentiality (the results of one person will not be disclosed to any other person irrespective of who it is).

For the testing, blood samples will be collected from members of households.

This will be done by well trained personnel. A representative sample of 3,257 households and 16,936 individuals (including 7,791 children) will be interviewed across all 31 LGAs. The sampled households have

been previously mapped based on National Population Commission’s enumeration areas in each LGA. To successfully drive this initiative, an effective survey management structure made up of highly competent personnel and experts has been put in place by the government and its stakeholders.

The state survey management committee is led by the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Health (SMOH) and is responsible for providing overall administrative oversight in the process. This committee will receive technical support from the Akwa Ibom State Agency for the Control of AIDS (AKSACA), FHI 360 and relevant civil society organization (CSO) networksincluding the Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria(NEPWHAN) and Civil Society for HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (CISHAN) This survey is a shared responsibility and everyone has a part to play to ensure the success of the process.

It is therefore expected that

everyone in the state actively participates in and encouragesother community members

to accept and participate in the activities of AKAIS.

Hygeia Acquires Gold Cross Hospital to Reduce Medical Tourism has acquired Gold Cross Hospital, a 35 bedded multidisciplinary, tertiary care hospital in Lagos subject to regulatory approval. The acquisition also include Gold Cross MRI Diagnostics also in Lagos; a fully operational diagnostic centre with MRI, CT Scan and other diagnostic facilities. The Founder of Gold Cross Hospital, Dr. Ladi Okuboyejo said this would stem the tide to seek medical treatment abroad considering the exchange of dollar. He said, “this recently concluded integration of GCH, Ikoyi, and the MRI Diagnostic Centre in Ikeja, with the Hygeia Group is set to transform Nigeria into a medical hub for medical tourism in West Africa.

It is a step in the right direction for emergence of private multi specialist hospital.”

The Chairman, Hygeia Nigeria Limited, Mr. Max Coppoolse said the development was part of their rganisation’s ongoing expansion strategy. “We are executing on this growth strategy by adding to our capacity. The development is coming soon after the recent expansion of the Ikeja facility from 22 to 40 beds and upgrading of medical equipments, including addition of state-of-the-art diagnostic equipement. We believe that we will be able to integrate Gold Cross Hospital with our other hospitals fairly quickly to optimize clinical and service standard,” he said.

He said the move was in line with Lagoon Hospital’s ambitious growth and will bring its clinical and management experience in the operation of Gold Cross Hospital.

Lagoon Hospitals, part of Hygeia Group, according to him was planning to develop GCH as a multi specialist centre for tertiary and secondary care across various specialties not limited to maternal and child health, orthopedics and trauma, general and minimal access surgery, emergency medicine and cardiac service.

“Senior clinicians from the lagoon hospital will augment the existing medical resource personnel.”

Established in 1989, Gold Cross Hospital, over the last 25 years has risen to become one of the leading private medical facilities in Nigeria.

Accredited by the National Health Insurance Scheme, the hospital is a well known medical centre offering quality clinical care services.

40

T H I S D AY •THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

TEF Selects 1,000 Successful Applicants for 2017 Entrepreneurship Programme Obinna Chima The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), an African founded philanthropic organisation committed to entrepreneurship development, yesterday unveiled the 1,000 African entrepreneurs selected out of a total of 93,000 applicants for the 2017 class of its $100 million entrepreneurship programme.

Applications were received from entrepreneurs across 55 African countries, which was over 100 per cent increase from 2016, and nearly quadruple of the 2015 application numbers.

Agriculture led the pack with nearly one in three successful applicants active in the agric sector. Further analysis of the other figures showed that the next most popular sector was ICT (11%) and then manufacturing (9%), which was an evidence of a paradigm shift away from extractives to a more sustainable mindset that embraces industrialisation and

diversification. Africa’s largest economy, Nigeria, has 50% of the 2017 cohort, with regional powerhouses Kenya, Ghana, Uganda and Cameroon following respectively.

The successful entrepreneurs will benefit from the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme’s 7 Pillars – a toolkit of support including business training, active mentoring, access to networks and funding of up to $10,000 – as they develop their business concepts to support the transformation of the continent.

The founder of TEF, Mr. Tony Elumelu reiterated that “no one but us Africans will develop Africa.”

The foundation’s long-term investment in empowering African entrepreneurs is emblematic of Elumelu’s philosophy of Africapitalism, which positions Africa’s private sector – and most importantly entrepreneurs – as catalysts for the economic renaissance of the continent.

Despite the foundation’s considerable commitment (its $100m commitment is the largest endowment in Africa focused on entrepreneurship development), Elumelu said: “Standing here today to announce the successful applicants is bittersweet. There are 92,000 aspiring entrepreneurs who have been unsuccessful. These young African men and women have demonstrated passion, innovation and creativity in their applications and we should not relent until we help them all realise their aspirations. I call on other well-endowed Africans and friends of Africa, to support us to do more.”

Speaking on the Foundation’s impact in three years, the CEO, TEF, Parminder Vir, revealed: “We recently sampled 600 of our existing 2,000 entrepreneurs to understand the extent of our Programme’s impact. We discovered that they have turned our investment into real returns with 1,297 jobs created so far.”

FBN Holdings Eyes Improved Contribution from African Subsidiaries Nume Ekeghe With presence in six African countries, FBN Holdings has said that it is targeting to achieve improved contribution to the group from its subsidiaries.

This, the financial institution anticipate would help improve its financial performance.

The media and brand management team of FBN Holdings made the remark during a visit to THISDAY Newspapers Head office in Lagos, yesterday.

The Head, International Market Coordination & Head, Brand Quality Assurance at First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Mrs. Chinwe Bode Akinwande said: “We are in six markets-Ghana, Gambia, Sierra lone, Senegal, Guinea and Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). We acquired the ICB international commercial bank and things are looking up in these markets.

We have launched Finacle 10 in terms of technology across the six markets as well just to ensure that the health and the way we transact with customers can be leveraged with the products we have here.

“For key corporate accounts that type of synergy is also happening for those big conglomerates. If they are based in Senegal for instance, they don’t need to come to Nigeria.

So replication of the products we have from online banking to kids’ products etc are all happening across all these markets.”

On his part, Head, Media and External Communications at First Bank of Nigeria Limited Mr. Babatunde Lasaki said: “We have been working to make sure that those six markets start contributing to the commercial banking of Firstbank. We have started sweating out the investment in those six markets and we hope that by the time we announce our numbers for last year, we would start seeing contribution of these banks in our bottom-line.

“And beyond this, going forward, we want to sweat the investment more and expect all the subsidiaries to improve on their contributions to the bottom-line. This is what we are looking at and we hope that overtime, when their operations

expand we would start seeing significant contributions in terms of bottom-line.”

Responding to questions on the banks non-performing loans (NPL) Lasaki added: “When oil and gas bust, it affected us because a large size of our portfolio was in that area but what the management has put in place now in terms of deepening our risk management department, in two to three years I’m sure we are going to sort that out.

“And with what we have in terms of revenue, last year our revenue was N550 billion, the closest bank to us in the industry was about N100 billion less than us. So this shows that this bank is still attractive to customers and we are still making money. It is just for us to sort out our NPL and once we are done with that, we can start making that profit. And also, in the last two years we have improved in our efficiency, cost to income and other parameter that were seen as leakages to our bottom-line but we are working on that and things are looking up.”

Fidelity Bank Supports Education Centre Fidelity Bank Plc, in its bid to strengthen educational development and enhance the health and well-being of students through physical recreational activities, has donated sporting facilities to the Special (Deaf & Dumb) Education Secondary School in Calabar, Cross Rivers State.

The bank under the auspices of the ‘Fidelity Helping Hands Programme’ (FHHP), its multipurpose vehicle for corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme also donated stationeries and writing materials to the students as part of continuous efforts to improve the standard of education in the country.

According to a statement, the project was initiated by staff members in Calabar whose

personal contributions was supported by the bank, is in fulfillment of the objectives of the CSR philosophy which rests on a tripod: environment, education and health.

Commending staff members in Calabar for their personal contribution and sacrifice, Fidelity Bank CEO, Nnamdi Okonkwo, noted that the decision to embark on the project was borne out of a deep-seated realization that education remains critical to driving socio-economic development in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country.

He pointed out that the absence of modern educational resources in schools disrupts the learning process which consequently undermines the mental development of

students.

According to him, the “bank is making conscious efforts to empower the youths because Fidelity Bank believes that the future belongs to them.”

Wife of the Governor of Cross River State, Mrs. Linda Ayade, who was the special guest of honour at the event, thanked the bank for its kind gesture.

She also commended the Fidelity staff who contributed their personal funds for the project. The Cross Rivers State First Lady expressed confidence that the facilities will encourage students in the School in their mental development and help in raising a new generation of Nigeria youths and called on other corporate organisations to emulate Fidelity Bank and give back to the society.

Elumelu

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

DECEMBER 2016 Broad Money (M2)

23,840,392.42

-- Narrow Money (M1)

11,520,166.67

---- Currency Outside Banks

1,820,415.90

---- Demand Deposits

9,699,750.76

-- Quasi Money

12,320,225.75

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

9,353,504.03

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

14,486,888.39

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

26,774,684.47

---- Credit to Government (Net)

4,595,579.89

---- Memo: Credit to Govt. (Net) less FMA

7,436,917.79

---- Memo: Fed. and Mirror Accounts (FMA)

-2,841,337.90

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

22,374,718.08

--Other Assets Net

-12,483,409.58

Reserve Money (Base Money)

5,837,322.41

--Currency in Circulation

2,179,174.28

--Banks Reserves

3,318,344.71 • Source - CBN

MANAGED FUNDS Initial Price (N) Stanbic Balanced Fund

Buying Price(N)

Selling Price

1,660.29

1,685.29

Stanbic IBTC NEF

1,000.00

11,002.32

11,326.67.11

Stanbic SIBond

20

120.47

120.47

Stanbic IBTC Ethical

1

1.10

1.13

Stanbic IBTC GIF

142.90

143.38

UBA Balanced Fund

1.2563

1.2493

UBA Bond Fund

1.3443

1.3443

UBA Equity Fund

0.8205

0.8074

UBA Money Market Fund

1.1510

1.1510

ARM Aggressive Growth Fund

N13.0544

N13.4480

ARM Discovery Fund

N288.2515

N296.9425

ARM Ethical Fund

N22.5268

N23.2060

ARM Money Market Fund

13.1030 (Yield % ) • Monetary Policy Rate - 14%

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE AS AT TUESDAY 21, MARCH 2017 The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $49.23 a barrel on Tuesday, compared with $49.18 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).

T H I S D AY THURSDAY MARCH 23, 2017

41

42

T H I S D AY •THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

MARKET NEWS

Lafarge Africa’s FullYear Profit Falls by 38% to N16.8bn

Goddy Egene and Nosa Alekhuogie Lafarge Africa Plc, one of the leading cement and building solutions providers in Nigeria, yesterday reported a profit after tax (PAT) of N16.898 billion for the year ended December 31, 2016, showing a decline of 38 per cent compared with N27.163 billion in 2015.

According to the audited

results, Lafarge Africa Plc recorded revenue of N219.714 billion, compared with 267.234 billion in 2015. Loss before tax stood at N22.818 billion, compared with a profit before tax of N29.286 billion. However, a N39.717 billion tax credit, which came mainly from deferred tax assets generated from Unicem operations, lifted the company’s PAT to N16.898 billion.

The board has recommended

a dividend of 105 kobo, which is 65 per cent lower than 300 kobo the company declared in 2015.

Commenting on the performance, the Chief Executive Officer, Lafarge Africa, Michel Puchercos, said: “Our turnaround plan delivered solid results in fourth quarter (Q4) 2016 in spite of the challenging environment in Nigeria and South Africa. Technical

challenges have been resolved with all our plants operating at high reliability. Our energy optimisation plan has proved successful with increased use of alternative fuel (AF) to offset gas shortages. Ewekoro 1 plant migrated from 100 per cent reliance on gas and LPFO to about 40 per cent use of AF at the plant. Logistics and commercial turnaround plans are in place and enabling to

restore market share.”

According to Puchercos, Mfamosing line 2 was delivered ahead of time and above specification, and is now fully operational.

“The new Line contributed 338kt in Q4 2016 to cement production volume and is expected to deliver significant cost savings going forward.

Our immediate objective is to deliver fully on our turn-

around plan by optimizing our processes, developing our alternative fuel strategy, reducing operational costs to deliver strong EBITDA margins returning to historic levels,” he said.

The company explained that in Q4, the third-party syndicated loan of $88.4 million was pre-paid, through a loan refinancing arrangement with LafargeHolcim Group.

T H E N I G E R I A N STO C K E XC H A N G E MAIN BOARD Activity Summary on Board DEBT Federal Bond Name 15.54% FGN FEB 2020 16.00% FGN JUN 2019 Federal Totals DEBT Board Totals Bond Activity Totals Daily Summary (Equities) Activity Summary on Board EQTY AGRICULTURE Crop Production OKOMU OIL PALM PLC. PRESCO PLC Crop Production Totals Livestock/Animal Specialties LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC. Livestock/Animal Specialties Totals AGRICULTURE Totals CONGLOMERATES Diversified Industries A.G. LEVENTIS NIGERIA PLC. JOHN HOLT PLC. S C O A NIG. PLC. TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION OF NIGERIA PLC U A C N PLC. Diversified Industries Totals CONGLOMERATES Totals CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Building Construction ARBICO PLC. Building Construction Totals Infrastructure/Heavy Construction JULIUS BERGER NIG. PLC. Infrastructure/Heavy Construction Totals Real Estate Development UACN PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT CO. LIMITED Real Estate Development Totals CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Totals CONSUMER GOODS Automobiles/Auto Parts DN TYRE & RUBBER PLC Automobiles/Auto Parts Totals Beverages--Brewers/Distillers CHAMPION BREW. PLC. GUINNESS NIG PLC INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC. NIGERIAN BREW. PLC. Beverages--Brewers/Distillers Totals Beverages--Non-Alcoholic 7-UP BOTTLING COMP. PLC. Beverages--Non-Alcoholic Totals Food Products DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC. HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC NASCON ALLIED INDUSTRIES PLC Food Products Totals Food Products--Diversified CADBURY NIGERIA PLC. NESTLE NIGERIA PLC. Food Products--Diversified Totals Household Durables VITAFOAM NIG PLC. Household Durables Totals Personal/Household Products P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC. UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC. Personal/Household Products Totals CONSUMER GOODS Totals FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking ACCESS BANK PLC. DIAMOND BANK PLC ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED FIDELITY BANK PLC GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC. JAIZ BANK PLC STERLING BANK PLC. UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC UNION BANK NIG.PLC. UNITY BANK PLC WEMA BANK PLC. Banking Totals Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services AIICO INSURANCE PLC. CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC CORNERSTONE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC. AXAMANSARD INSURANCE PLC N.E.M INSURANCE CO (NIG) PLC. NIGER INSURANCE CO. PLC. STANDARD TRUST ASSURANCE PLC STANDARD ALLIANCE INSURANCE PLC. UNITY KAPITAL ASSURANCE PLC UNIVERSAL INSURANCE COMPANY PLC WAPIC INSURANCE PLC Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals Micro-Finance Banks FORTIS MICROFINANCE BANK PLC NPF MICROFINANCE BANK PLC Micro-Finance Banks Totals Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services INFINITY TRUST MORTGAGE BANK PLC Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals Other Financial Institutions AFRICA PRUDENTIAL REGISTRARS PLC CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED PLC DEAP CAPITAL MANAGEMENT & TRUST PLC FCMB GROUP PLC. STANBIC IBTC HOLDINGS PLC UNITED CAPITAL PLC

DEALS

MARKET PRICE

No. of Deals 1 1 2 2 2

Current Price 98.7 135

No. of Deals 11 4 15 No. of Deals 5 5 20

Current Price 44.18 46 Current Price 0.78

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

Quantity Traded 105 100 205 205 205

Value Traded 103,815.41 137,197.80 241,013.21 241,013.21 241,013.21

Quantity Traded 41,208 5,201 46,409 Quantity Traded 153,470 153,470 199,879

Value Traded 1,887,024.20 240,161.40 2,127,185.60 Value Traded 119,266.60 119,266.60 2,246,452.20

No. of Deals 1 1 4 56 48 110 110

Current Price 0.78 0.66 3.77 0.78 15.1

Quantity Traded 100 500 10,000 4,840,952 350,363 5,201,915 5,201,915

Value Traded 78 315 35,900.00 3,807,735.66 5,054,510.34 8,898,539.00 8,898,539.00

No. of Deals 1 1 No. of Deals 5 5 No. of Deals 65 65 71

Current Price 4.79

Quantity Traded 200 200 Quantity Traded 10,272 10,272 Quantity Traded 1,656,711 1,656,711 1,667,183

Value Traded 958 958 Value Traded 375,647.04 375,647.04 Value Traded 3,493,667.49 3,493,667.49 3,870,272.53

No. of Deals 1 1 No. of Deals 3 64 7 208 282 No. of Deals 18 18 No. of Deals 33 22 32 15 11 113 No. of Deals 25 98 123 No. of Deals 14 14 No. of Deals 26 17 43 594

Current Price 0.5

Quantity Traded 100,000 100,000 Quantity Traded 5,160 288,915 51,123 1,386,914 1,732,112 Quantity Traded 6,947 6,947 Quantity Traded 616,050 345,909 84,482 1,028,600 117,500 2,192,541 Quantity Traded 136,880 133,592 270,472 Quantity Traded 140,811 140,811 Quantity Traded 203,505 43,451 246,956 4,689,839

Value Traded 50,000.00 50,000.00 Value Traded 11,558.40 17,613,098.61 801,955.76 156,078,414.27 174,505,027.04 Value Traded 675,390.11 675,390.11 Value Traded 2,410,595.00 2,125,832.90 1,491,827.07 1,128,310.00 833,010.00 7,989,574.97 Value Traded 1,172,206.13 79,110,103.35 80,282,309.48 Value Traded 289,850.97 289,850.97 Value Traded 2,596,373.80 1,424,799.57 4,021,173.37 267,813,325.94

No. of Deals 167 26 27 69 219 24 1,530 73 33 1 1 2,170 No. of Deals 9 6 2 2 5 1 2 1 2 1 2 33 No. of Deals 1 2 3 No. of Deals 1 1 No. of Deals 31 16 1 68 6 132

Current Price 6.6 0.86 9.8 0.84 23.8 1.31 0.7 4.8 4.9 0.83 0.5

Quantity Traded 11,476,994 1,149,393 58,189 8,142,068 20,039,315 1,081,695 25,994,229 5,772,233 251,225 350 800 73,966,491 Quantity Traded 214,682 503,100 200 3,000 44,144 900 5,100 1,000 401,000 1,000 384 1,174,510 Quantity Traded 1,000 25,100 26,100 Quantity Traded 1,000 1,000 Quantity Traded 450,576 325,400 1,000 3,530,043 12,830 8,474,959

Value Traded 76,018,367.81 990,711.98 560,377.50 6,806,919.19 477,105,071.95 1,417,729.20 18,222,090.30 27,705,413.04 1,185,050.41 276.5 408 610,012,415.88 Value Traded 126,611.20 530,295.00 100 4,770.00 36,196.64 450 2,550.00 500 200,500.00 500 192 902,664.84 Value Traded 2,700.00 27,111.00 29,811.00 Value Traded 1,440.00 1,440.00 Value Traded 1,399,304.19 1,084,759.00 500 4,689,332.14 211,696.60 31,174,405.94

Current Price 34.83 Current Price 2.12

Current Price 2.35 60.92 16.15 117.5 Current Price 106.5 Current Price 4.1 6.1 18 1.1 7.03 Current Price 9 600 Current Price 2.08 Current Price 12.16 34

Current Price 0.59 1.05 0.5 1.59 0.79 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 Current Price 2.58 1.08 Current Price 1.47 Current Price 3.05 3.32 0.5 1.31 17 3.7

MAIN BOARD Other Financial Institutions Totals FINANCIAL SERVICES Totals HEALTHCARE Healthcare Providers UNION DIAGNOSTIC & CLINICAL SERVICES PLC Healthcare Providers Totals Pharmaceuticals FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC GLAXO SMITHKLINE CONSUMER NIG. PLC. MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. NEIMETH INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC PHARMA-DEKO PLC. Pharmaceuticals Totals HEALTHCARE Totals ICT IT Services TRIPPLE GEE AND COMPANY PLC. IT Services Totals Processing Systems CHAMS PLC Processing Systems Totals ICT Totals INDUSTRIAL GOODS Building Materials ASHAKA CEM PLC BERGER PAINTS PLC CAP PLC CEMENT CO. OF NORTH.NIG. PLC MEYER PLC. LAFARGE AFRICA PLC. Building Materials Totals Electronic and Electrical Products CUTIX PLC. Electronic and Electrical Products Totals Packaging/Containers BETA GLASS PLC. GREIF NIGERIA PLC Packaging/Containers Totals INDUSTRIAL GOODS Totals NATURAL RESOURCES Metals ALUMINIUM EXTRUSION IND. PLC. Metals Totals NATURAL RESOURCES Totals OIL AND GAS Energy Equipment and Services JAPAUL OIL & MARITIME SERVICES PLC Energy Equipment and Services Totals Integrated Oil and Gas Services OANDO PLC Integrated Oil and Gas Services Totals Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors CONOIL PLC ETERNA PLC. FORTE OIL PLC. MOBIL OIL NIG PLC. MRS OIL NIGERIA PLC. TOTAL NIGERIA PLC. Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors Totals Exploration and Production SEPLAT PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LTD Exploration and Production Totals OIL AND GAS Totals SERVICES Advertising AFROMEDIA PLC Advertising Totals Courier/Freight/Delivery RED STAR EXPRESS PLC TRANS-NATIONWIDE EXPRESS PLC. Courier/Freight/Delivery Totals Hotels/Lodging TOURIST COMPANY OF NIGERIA PLC. TRANSCORP HOTELS PLC Hotels/Lodging Totals Printing/Publishing LEARN AFRICA PLC STUDIO PRESS (NIG) PLC. Printing/Publishing Totals Transport-Related Services NEWREST ASL NIGERIA PLC NIGERIAN AVIATION HANDLING COMPANY PLC Transport-Related Services Totals Support and Logistics CAVERTON OFFSHORE SUPPORT GRP PLC C & I LEASING PLC. Support and Logistics Totals SERVICES Totals EQTY Board Totals Daily Summary (Equities) Activity Summary on Board ASeM FINANCIAL SERVICES Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services OMOLUABI MORTGAGE BANK PLC Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals FINANCIAL SERVICES Totals ASeM Board Totals Daily Summary (Equities) Activity Summary on Board PREMIUM FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking ZENITH INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC Banking Totals Other Financial Institutions FBN HOLDINGS PLC Other Financial Institutions Totals FINANCIAL SERVICES Totals INDUSTRIAL GOODS Building Materials DANGOTE CEMENT PLC Building Materials Totals INDUSTRIAL GOODS Totals PREMIUM Board Totals Equity Activity Totals

DEALS

MARKET PRICE

254 2,461 No. of Deals 1 1 No. of Deals 13 12 4 6 2 37 38

Current Price 0.5

No. of Deals 1 1 No. of Deals 1 1 2

Current Price 1.3

No. of Deals 7 2 7 11 1 20 48 No. of Deals 15 15 No. of Deals 3 1 4 67

Current Price 11.25 6.08 29.6 4.28 0.87 42

Current Price 1.01 14.75 1 0.66 1.95

Current Price 0.5

Current Price 1.45 Current Price 36.45 9.69

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

12,794,808 87,962,909

38,559,997.87 649,506,329.59

Quantity Traded 738,000 738,000 Quantity Traded 5,177,490 110,135 5,015 11,000 900 5,304,540 6,042,540

Value Traded 369,000.00 369,000.00 Value Traded 5,178,570.00 1,551,318.88 4,770.10 7,063.20 1,836.00 6,743,558.18 7,112,558.18

Quantity Traded 2,438 2,438 Quantity Traded 100,000 100,000 102,438

Value Traded 3,023.12 3,023.12 Value Traded 50,000.00 50,000.00 53,023.12

Quantity Traded 11,405 2,997 1,215,127 141,429 300 23,390 1,394,648 Quantity Traded 792,168 792,168 Quantity Traded 70,030 100 70,130 2,256,946

Value Traded 130,100.00 17,322.66 35,970,022.30 604,431.24 249 987,177.40 37,709,302.60 Value Traded 1,142,840.30 1,142,840.30 Value Traded 2,552,593.50 1,016.00 2,553,609.50 41,405,752.40

No. of Deals 1 1 1

Current Price 9.75

Quantity Traded 2,000 2,000 2,000

Value Traded 18,540.00 18,540.00 18,540.00

No. of Deals 2 2 No. of Deals 76 76 No. of Deals 16 20 229 20 1 16 302 No. of Deals 2 2 382

Current Price 0.5

Quantity Traded 18,000 18,000 Quantity Traded 1,722,434 1,722,434 Quantity Traded 35,100 284,436 905,220 12,017 100 8,826 1,245,699 Quantity Traded 5,150 5,150 2,991,283

Value Traded 9,000.00 9,000.00 Value Traded 8,234,046.51 8,234,046.51 Value Traded 1,190,988.64 886,497.72 56,399,639.77 3,215,511.70 3,708.00 2,400,901.12 64,097,246.95 Value Traded 2,045,501.50 2,045,501.50 74,385,794.96

No. of Deals 1 1 No. of Deals 2 3 5 No. of Deals 1 3 4 No. of Deals 1 1 2 No. of Deals 7 6 13 No. of Deals 14 1 15 40 3,786

Current Price 0.5

Quantity Traded 55,000 55,000 Quantity Traded 575 29,090 29,665 Quantity Traded 1,000 13,000 14,000 Quantity Traded 500 1,000 1,500 Quantity Traded 101,050 46,801 147,851 Quantity Traded 274,973 1,000 275,973 523,989 111,640,921

Value Traded 27,500.00 27,500.00 Value Traded 2,645.75 26,607.80 29,253.55 Value Traded 3,550.00 61,623.60 65,173.60 Value Traded 355 2,190.00 2,545.00 Value Traded 275,866.50 114,662.45 390,528.95 Value Traded 242,233.86 500 242,733.86 757,734.96 1,056,068,322.88

Current Price 4.71 Current Price 35.49 3.24 62.5 275.99 39.03 270 Current Price 380

Current Price 4.4 0.91 Current Price 3.65 4.98 Current Price 0.68 2.19 Current Price 2.73 2.57 Current Price 0.9 0.5

No. of Deals 1 1 1 1

Current Price 0.9

Quantity Traded 100,000 100,000 100,000 100,000

Value Traded 90,000.00 90,000.00 90,000.00 90,000.00

No. of Deals 279 279 No. of Deals 140 140 419

Current Price 15.01

Quantity Traded 48,467,690 48,467,690 Quantity Traded 1,684,690 1,684,690 50,152,380

Value Traded 727,624,234.12 727,624,234.12 Value Traded 5,345,599.68 5,345,599.68 732,969,833.80

No. of Deals 10 10 10 429 4,216

Current Price 169

Quantity Traded 45,766 45,766 45,766 50,198,146 161,939,067

Value Traded 7,736,239.30 7,736,239.30 7,736,239.30 740,706,073.10 1,796,864,395.98

Current Price 3.2

43

T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

MARKET NEWS

Zenith Bank Shareholders Approve N63.422 Billion Dividend Joshua Odebisi The board and management of Zenith Bank Plc yesterday received commendation from the shareholders for an improved performance for the 2016 despite the challenging operating environment. The shareholders, who gave the commendation at the annual general meeting (AGM) of the bank in Lagos, also approved the N55.573 billion final dividend, bringing the total dividend for the year ended December 31, 2016 to N63.422 billion.

Zenith Bank Plc ended 2016 with a profit before tax (PBT) of N156.748 billion, which showed a significant jump above the N125.616 billion in 2015.Similarly, profit after tax rose from N105.531 billion to N129.65 billion.

Addressing the shareholders at the AGM, Chairman of Zenith Bank Plc, Mr. Jim Ovia said the bank was able to fully exploit the available opportunities to post the impressive results.

He said in line with its

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

commitment to delivering superior returns to its muchvalued shareholders, the bank ensured that a good chunk of the profit was set aside for shareholders.

“In this regard, we have declared and paid you an interim dividend of 25 kobo per share in the course of 2016 financial year.

We hereby propose a final dividend of 177 kobo per share. This brings the total dividend for the year ended December 31, 2016 to 202 kobo per share as against

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 21-Mar-2017, unless otherwise stated.

180 kobo per share paid the previous year,” Ovia said.

According to him, even in the face of a very challenging operating environment, Zenith Bank has maintained its culture of outstanding performance and industry leadership.

He said: “As a bank, we are monitoring developments both in the local and global economy and applying pragmatism and dynamism as appropriate. Our strategy and approach to the pursuit of financial inclusion and sustainability gives us a lot

of competitive advantage to explore even new frontiers in the market.”

Also speaking, Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Zenith Bank, Mr. Peter Amangbo said as an institution of well-primed people, the bank relied on a its pool of exceptional staff to make sound and timely decision and addressed issues in a manner that anticipated developments and demonstrated excellent understanding of the dynamics of the market and economy

in 2016.

According to him, the bank would continue to demonstrate extraordinary commitment to its customers while maintaining focus on all the areas fundamental to adding value to its partnership.

Amangbo noted that although 2017 will be challenging, he expressed confidence that their determination, resolve and rare commitment to customers as well as their adaptive ability will ensure resounding results.

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 128.76 129.23 1.37% Nigeria International Debt Fund 220.96 221.65 2.65% 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 0.70 0.71 -0.06% 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 17.76% 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 12.38 12.75 0.24% ARM Discovery Fund 290.39 299.14 1.12% ARM Ethical Fund 22.04 22.71 -1.33% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 15.90% 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 105.57 106.31 0.46% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 17.34% 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 2.22 2.28 2.27% Paramount Equity Fund 9.38 9.62 0.21% Women's Investment Fund 86.62 88.85 2.40% 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 18.55% 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 1,132.34 1,133.53 3.85% FBN Heritage Fund 112.16 112.91 0.51% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 17.64% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional $107.20 $107.88 3.02% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail $106.92 $107.60 3.45% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 113.47 114.93 0.70% 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 0.95 0.97 2.13% Legacy Short Maturity (NGN) Fund 2.65 2.65 3.28% 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 2,209.26 2,234.91 0.00% Coral Income Fund 2,190.24 2,190.24 4.09% 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 17.21% 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 16.70% Vantage Balanced Fund 1.71 1.72 1.50% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 15.52%

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 1.02 1.03 2.83% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,026.17 1,026.17 2.32% 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 9.74 9.81 0.71% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 14.59% 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 1.08 1.10 2.97% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 10.44 10.48 0.32% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 13.14% 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 110.94 111.76 8.92% 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 1.27 1.27 2.26% 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 1,844.73 1,854.51 0.72% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 155.51 155.51 1.01% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.76 0.77 -0.65% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 192.37 192.37 2.93% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 128.62 130.26 -0.94% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 17.66% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 7,402.97 7,493.16 -2.35% 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 1.15 1.16 7.80% United Capital Bond Fund 1.28 1.28 15.80% United Capital Equity Fund 0.65 0.66 0.89% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.14 1.14 11.37% 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 9.99 10.17 3.69% Zenith Ethical Fund 11.17 11.28 2.38% Zenith Income Fund 17.33 17.33 4.87%

REITS

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

11.41 125.28

1.01% 1.06%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

8.04 72.63

8.14 73.98

-8.38% -4.16%

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

2.82 6.16 11.78 14.72 127.52

2.86 6.24 11.88 14.92 129.52

2.50% -12.31% -1.80% -7.66% -1.80%

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 MARCH 23, 2017

T H I S D AY THURSDAY MARCH 23, 2017

45

46

T H I S D AY THURSDAY MARCH 23, 2017

47

THURSDAY MARCH 23 2017 • T H I S D A 7

INTERNATIONAL

email:foreigndesk@thisdaylive.com

Ghanaian Envoy Charges ECOWAS Citizens on Free Movement Policy Describes relations with Nigeria as healthy

Alex Enumah in Abuja The High Commissioner of Ghana to Nigeria, Ambassador William Awinador-Kanyirige, has urged citizens of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to rise up and drive the ECOWAS Protocol on free movement of goods and persons in line with the dreams and aspirations of the ECOWAS leaders.

Awinador-Kanyirige stated that governments of member states have played their part in putting the policy in place and that what is left is for the people to embrace the vision and begin to run with it.

The High Commissioner who was speaking with newsmen recently on Ghana’s 60th independence and other issues in the region, lamented that the citizens who are supposed to be beneficiaries of the policy find’s it cumbersome to travel from one member state to another, unlike leaders who travel with

maximum comfort on the benefit of their diplomatic passport.

He said, “It is weakened to say we are doing free movement when only the elites benefit from such protocol at the expense of others.

“It is only the public servants who are enjoying ECOWAS, crossing boarder with ease.

But such was not the case with ordinary citizens.

“The majority, market women are subjected to sufferings before crossing borders. This is unacceptable”.

The envoy was of the opinion that the earlier the people know that the ECOWAS belongs to them, the better they would be positioned, to embrace her policies and programmes.

While noting that the media play a crucial role in this regard, Awinador-Kanyirige, charged them to through their reportage demand accountability in the running of the various ECOWAS institutions.

Speaking on the 60th an-

niversary of Ghana, the High Commissioner seized the opportunity to appreciate Nigeria for identifying with their struggles, adding that relations between the two countries have developed and deepened over time that Ghana sees Nigeria as her big brother.

“When we are talking of the heroes of Ghana’s independence, there were Nigerians who were part of that struggle.

“So when we are struggling for independence, Nigerians who were in the country then joined in the struggle.” he said, adding that such was also the case for the struggle of Nigerian independence.

While disclosing that both countries shared a common aspiration, freedom and justice, the envoy, added that there is now a healthy spirit of competition in their cooperation.

He sighted football, music and movie as some of the areas the two countries are competing as well as having cooperation.

48

THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017• T H I S D AY

NEWSXTRA

Benue Killings: Police Deploy Special Force in Zaki Biam DSS nabs top Boko Haram commanders, high profile terrorists, kidnappers Paul Obi in Abuja Following the increase in killings between herdsmen and farmers in Benue State, the Nigerian Police yesterday deployed a Special Force in Zaki-Biam, the area where the crisis is intense.

Police Spokesman, CSP Jimoh Moshood, said the Special Force would work with existing security intelligence that the force has gathered so far.

Moshood said: “Worried by the killing of innocent people by invading gunmen at Zaki Biam in Benue State on March 20, 2017, and destruction of property worth millions of naira, the Inspector General of Police (IG), Ibrahim Idris, has deployed Police Special Tactical Force, comprising Police Mobile Force (PMF specially trained Anti-riot Policemen), Counter Terrorism Units, Conventional Policemen, Special Anti-robbery Squad, SIB, detachment of EOD, Police K9 (Sniffer Dogs Section), Police Air wing (Aerial Surveillance Helicopters) and other undercover operatives with their headquarters in Zaki Biam, Ukum Local Government Area of the state.

“The Police Special Tactical Force is led by the Commissioner of Police in charge of PMF, Force Headquarters, Abuja, under the supervision of Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Department of Operations.”

He explained that “to achieve success in the

operations, the Police Special Tactical Force will be proactive; work on actionable intelligence already at the disposal of the Nigeria Police Force and carry out massive deployment as well as 24 hours surveillance and patrol; continuous raids of identified and other suspected hideouts of the assailants, with a view to arrest promptly the attackers and their sponsors to prevent further loss of lives and also, nip the senseless killings and other criminalities in the general area in the bud.

“The deployment of the Police Special Tactical Force personnel will cover all the communities, towns, villages, vulnerable points, government and private infrastructures and facilities in the area.”

Moshood added that “Police helicopters will embark on guided missions and aerial surveillance of the entire area, especially difficult terrains and will operate in synergy with other police formations on the ground.

“The Joint Investigation Team attached to the tactical force is made up personnel of Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department, FSARS, SIP, Intelligence Response Team, Technical Intelligence Unit and Special Tactical Squad headed by a Commissioner of Police under the supervision of DIG (FCIID with headquarters already in Zaki Biam and are making progress in the investigation into the killings of innocent

Fayose: I Shunned Entreaties to Join APC Because of Disrespect to Tinubu Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, has declared that he will never join the All Progressives Congress (APC), even if he has to leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), describing the ruling party as a group that has no respect for leadership.

Fayose, who spoke at a gathering in Ado-Ekiti yesterday, said the practice of use and dump adopted by the leadership of the APC would not allow him contemplate moving to the party.

According to a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, in Ado Ekiti yesterday, the governor cited the case of the National Leader of the APC, Senator Bola Tinubu, who worked tooth and nail for the victory of the party in the 2015 general election in the country but was subsequently abandoned by those he helped to put in power.

“Some people have been making overtures at me to join the APC, but I cannot join them because of what have they repaid somebody like Tinubu. He worked and helped the party to secure

victory but has been dumped.

That is not a party I would be interested in joining.

“One thing I would not allow is for anybody to rubbish our leaders in the South-west. Our leaders, including Tinubu, must be accorded their due respect, as any attempt to rubbish them will be taken as a slap on the entire Yoruba race,” he added.

The clarification by the governor came on the heel of crisis rocking the PDP at the national level in which Senators Ahmed Makarfi and Ali Modu Sheriff are locked in battle over the national chairmanship seat of the party.

This is just as the governor said his administration would complete the rehabilitation of the federal Ado-Itawure road before the burial of the late Military Governor of the old Western Region, Major-General Adeyinka Adebayo (rtd).

He also promised to rehabilitate the Ifaki-Omuo road, another federal government road, to make access to the state more pleasurable.

On the need to ensure coordinated development for the state, Fayose said a master plan for Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, would be worked out.

people.

“The IG hereby urges traditional rulers, religious leaders, public office holders, politicians, opinion leaders, parents and guardians to prevail on their subjects and the youths to exercise restraint and support the personnel of the Police Special Tactical Force in the discharge of their responsibilities to bring the perpetrators of this gruesome killings to justice.”

Meanwhile, in a swift intervention to arrest, the resurgence of Boko Haram insurgency and other crimes, the Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested Boko Haram top commanders, other high profile terrorists and kidnappers in the country.

DSS Information Officer, Tony Opuiyo, who made the revelation said the arrest would go a long way in taming the

operations of the Boko Haram sect and other kidnapping syndicates across Nigeria.

He said: “Recent operations carried out by the DSS in various parts of the country have significantly degraded capabilities of hoodlums, especially kidnappers and terrorists, whose activities have continually threatened the peace.

“For instance, on March 20, 2017, a suspected Boko Haram kingpin, Adenoyi Abdulasalam, was arrested in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, by a joint military and DSS operation team. An Ak47 rifle was recovered from the suspect who is presently undergoing investigation.

“Abdulasalam was on the final stages of kidnapping some high level targets in Ekiti State, not only to raise funds but to terrorise communities in the state.”

He stated that “prior to this arrest, several other Boko Haram suspects had been apprehended in various parts of northern Nigeria especially in states like Bauchi, Yobe, Gombe, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Kogi.

“Typical cases of arrest include that of 29-year-old Boko Haram member, Usman Ladan Rawa (a.k.a Mr. X), on March 17, 2017, at Lafia, Nasarawa State. Rawa was discovered to have rented accommodation at Lafia for Abdullahi Isa, known for his notorious terrorist actions.

“His plan was to establish an effective base to conduct terrorism, kidnapping and robbery operations in Abuja, Minna, and other adjoining states.

“On March 15, 2017, Nasiru Sani (a.k.a Osama) was arrested at Ahmadu Bello Way, Bauchi.”

The DSS maintains that

“Abdulsalam is a Boko Haram top commander, who was discovered to have escaped from Bauchi Central Prison in October 2010 and hid in Maiduguri, Borno State.

Similarly, Adamu Jibrin, was arrested on March 13, 2017, at Jeka-da-Fari Market, Gombe State.

“He operated under the pseudo name of Dantata Sule and served as a middleman for Boko Haram members and their commanders especially the one simply identified as Kanumbu. Suspect affirmed his membership of the sect.

“On March 1 and 2, 2017, at Ngalda Town of Fika council area of Yobe State and Nagazi area of Adavi in Kogi State, Abdulazeez Umaru and Nuhu Usman a.k.a Okadigbo were respectively arrested.

COURTESY VISIT

L-R: Chief of Staff to the Chairman, THISDAY Group, Mr. Ayo Arowolo: Head, Media and External Communication, Firstbank, Mr. Babatunde Lasaki, Editor, THISDAY Newspaper, Ijeoma Nwogwugwu; and the Head, Brand Management, Firstbank, Mrs. Buki Oluyadi, during a courtesy visit to THISDAY Head Office in Lagos....yesterday

House Mandates NAFDAC to Review Composition of Carbonated Drinks

Constitutes ad-hoc committee to probe Coca-Cola

James Emejo in Abuja

The House of Representatives yesterday mandated the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to embark on a review of the composition of all carbonated drinks in the country.

It further passed a motion allowing for the formation of an ad-hoc committee to urgently investigate the production and distribution of drinks by the Nigerian Bottling Company (Coca-Cola company) and other drinks produced and marketed in Nigeria.

The House resolution followed a motion sponsored

by Hon. Rotimi Agunsoye (APC, Lagos) on the need to protect Nigerians from the harmful effects of Fanta and

Sprite beverages produced by Coca-Cola.

The products in question are said to contain unhealthy concentrations of Benzoic Acid and Sunset Yellow additives which become poisonous when combined with Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C).

It is further established that the consumption of Sprite and Fanta which have high concentrations of Benzoic acid and Sunset Yellow additives with Vitamin C could result in cancer and other diseases.

The House particularly expressed concern that the drinks, which were produced in Nigeria, were tested by the United Kingdom Health authorities (Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council’s Trading Standard Department of Environment

and Economy Directorate) and were discovered to be harmful for human consumption.

The House further expressed shock over the Coca-Cola company’s response that it never intended for the drinks to be taken outside the country, indicating that they were produced for consumption in Nigeria only.

It said although the company has been ordered by a court of law to inscribe a warning on coke, fanta and sprite bottles stating that they must not be taken with Vitamin C, the House is further determined to ensure an environment that produces consumables and products which are healthy for consumption and satisfy international standards and best practices.

House members particularly expressed dissatisfaction that a so-called global brand could

abandon international best practice and produce different content for Nigeria and the UK. Agunsoye had further submitted that the concentration of Benzoic was currently 250 milligrammes in drinks manufactured in the country compared to 150 milligrammes in the UK and other parts of the world.

Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila (APC, Lagos) said: “Life is very sacred,” and called for investigation of all carbonated drinks produced and distributed in the country.

An amendment to the motion, seeking to suspend sale and distribution of the affected drinks was however, turned down by the House pending the outcome of the investigation.

49

THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017• T H I S D AY

NEWSXTRA

PDP Crisis: Makarfi, Dickson Resolve Face-off Warn against fake party officials Sheriff angry with Makarfi’s jabs Dickson’s c’ttee meets N’Assembly caucus, urges resolution of crisis

Onyebuchi Ezigbo and Damilola Oyedele in Abuja The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday inched closer to its quest for a political solution to end the crisis in the party, as the Chairman of the National Caretaker Committee (NCC), Senator Ahmed Makarfi, and the Bayelsa State Governor, who chairs the Reconciliation Committee, Hon. Seirake Dickson, have agreed to set aside their initial friction to work for peace in the party.

As part of fence-mending move, Dickson brushed aside ego to accept to formally submit his committee’s report to the Makarfi-led PDP National Caretaker Committee.

One of the contentious aspects of the reconciliation committee’s report is the proposal for a unity national convention planned for June 30.

Speaking during the presentation of the recommendations of the reconciliation committee, Dickson said it would not be possible for him and his committee to resolve the crisis without the cooperation of feuding parties.

He said the effort to achieve lasting peace in the opposition party would only yield result when the leaders accept to make sacrifices and to cooperate with the committee to implement most of the things set out in the template.

While handing over the report of the reconciliation to Makarfi, the governor said as part of the strategy to ensure that the process was

not hijacked by any one, it has recommended that the convention committee made up of well-known leaders of the party would handle everything about the convention including the zoning of offices.

Having done its bit by making recommendations that would help bring about peace, Dickson said it behoves on the key stakeholders like the caretaker committee to buy into it and make it work.

Against the background of claims and counter claims over the authenticity of those parading themselves as leaders of the state chapters of the PDP, the governor cautioned against any attempt by any of the feuding parties to tamper with the leadership structure of the party at the states and local government levels.

“We are also suggesting that we should take steps to ensure that we do not tamper with the list of authentic leaders of our party. In the first place, let’s make it clear that this party held successful local government congresses, ward congresses except in five or seven states and the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) approved it before the dispute arises.

“Those congresses in those seven states will be suspended.

We want to make it clear that for us, unless anybody has a hidden agenda, any officer of our party must be the officers elected before the May 21 Port Harcourt national convention.

“So we condemn attempts being made by anybody for whatever purpose to tinker with

Unions May Picket Arik Air Today Chinedu Eze There are indications that aviation unions in Nigeria may picket operations of the beleaguered Arik Air over the failure of the airline’s management to reinstate sacked union leaders and several other issues in the airline.

Yesterday, the union executives concluded the plan and except any later development, the airline might not be allowed to operate today.

The unions; National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), threatened to shut down the operations of the airlines nationwide, commencing from today.

This was confirmed by the General Secretary of NUATE, Mr. Olayinka Abioye, who in an interview with journalists at the union’s headquarters at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos, accused the new management of intolerance to unionism in the airline.

He alleged that the new

management through a circular, recently warned the workers not to join the unions in the industry and had refused to address all the pending issues as they affected workers in the airline.

He named the issues to include review of conditions of service, remittance of necessary unions deductions to their respective unions and the non-re-instatement of sacked union leaders in the airline.

Abioye recalled that the unions in December 2016 had issues with the former management of the airline, which led to the shutdown of the operations of the carrier for a day before the intervention of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), which led to the suspension of the strike.

“Certain commitments were extracted from the meeting and we were supposed to have a feedback early this year, but when we got there early this year, Arik Air management was not in sight and we later learnt that Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) management has taken over the airline.”

the list of elected officials of the party. That is an attempt to cripple and destroy the unity we have managed to establish at the lowest levels of the party, because our understanding is that the challenge we have is only at the national level and not at any state or zonal level.

Those ones are being dealt with,” he said.

On his part, Makarfi said though the Dickson’s committee has addressed a lot of issues relating to the crisis, it remains a proposal which would be submitted to the organs of the party for consideration.

“Your committee has

addressed a lot of issues in your report but I will say it is not verses from the Holy Bible or Quran, and we will not hold to our chest like the Holy Bible or Quran; it is not an end product and it is draft and it is for the organs of the party to discuss.

Makarfi said contrary to insinuations being made by the other side in the conflict, the caretaker committee is a creation of the PDP and its organs, and as such, do not have any agenda of its own.

“We are not in this position to sit tight. The organs of the party put us there and if the

same organs see the proposal and accept it, the caretaker committee will also accept it.

We do not have any proposal or agenda of our own other them the decisions of the organs of the party,” he said.

Makarfi used the opportunity to hand over to Dickson, the copy of list of authentic party executives from states, local government to ward level which he said was inherited from Sheriff.

Meanwhile, the National Chairman of the party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, has chided Makarfi for alleging that he (Sheriff) is posturing to contest

for the presidency.

Speaking with party members from Zamfara State, who paid him solidarity visit yesterday, Sheriff asked Makarfi to kindly mind his business and stop linking him with presidential ambition.

Meanwhile, the Dickson Reconciliation Committee yesterday met with the leaders of the party’s caucus in the National Assembly, with the view to solicit their support toward the resolution of the crises bedeviling the party.

Cont’d on Pg 51

NICE TO HAVE YOU WITH US

L-R: Chairman of the workshop and former Cross River State Governor, Mr. Donald Duke (left), and Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, exchanging pleasantries at the ongoing workshop on environment in Benin City...yesterday

CCB Says It Has No Formal Report on Probe of Saraki’s Assets Alex Enumah in Abuja The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) yesterday revealed that it does not have a formal report on its probe of assets of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki because the directive to probe Saraki’s assets in 2015 was made orally by the authorities.

The bureau which noted that the Saraki case was the only probe it conducted without any written report, however, stated that it was the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that was responsible for the probe of the defendant.

Saraki is being prosecuted by the federal government on false assets declaration.

The Head of Intelligence and Investigation Unit of the CCB, Mr. Samuel Madojemu, who made the disclosure during cross-examination by Saraki’s lawyer, Mr. Paul Erokoro (SAN), added that it was the first time in his 20 years on the job that he would not submit a formal report on an investigation.

Also, the bureau in addition, admitted that the Senate

President actually declared his assets as required by law including that of his wife and children.

The bureau admitted this while reading before the tribunal Saraki’s family assets both in Nigeria and abroad as contained in the various assets declaration forms submitted at the CCB. At the resumed trial, Madojemu said the investigation which led to the arraignment of Saraki in 2015 before the tribunal was actually carried out by the operatives of the EFCC. He admitted that his own role and those of CCB were limited to the review of the EFCC report and that he and CCB only compared the asset forms of Saraki with the findings of the EFCC. He maintained that he was invited orally into a team that reviewed the EFCC report and compared the asset forms of Saraki and that the CCB has no written report on the outcome of the revision of the EFCC report.

Answering, questions, he maintained that former Lagos State Governor Senator Bola

Tinubu, who was investigated along with Saraki, was given the privileged of being invited by the CCB to make in writing clarifications on the discrepancies in the asset forms he (Tinubu) submitted to the CCB and that the same gesture was not extended to Saraki when his asset forms were been investigated.

The witness, however, said the CCB cannot be blamed for not inviting Saraki because it saw the need to limit its investigation to the asset forms endorsed by Saraki on oath.

Answering another question on the alleged double salary received by Saraki after he had left office as Kwara State Governor and when he was in the Senate, the witness said that the CCB did not consult with the Kwara State Government to confirm the claim but only based its acceptance of the claim on the report of the EFCC and a bank account of Saraki with the Access Bank.

He said he would not know whether it was pension that was been paid to Saraki by the Kwara

State government because he has no access to the Kwara State law on Pension scheme for former political holders.

When asked to point out in the Access Bank account where double salaries were allegedly paid to Saraki the witness said: “I just sighted a statement of account of the defendant; I did not study it, and so I will not be in position so say more on the salary issue.”

Madojemu also told the tribunal that there was no provision in the CCB Asset Declaration Form for any declarant to declare properties owned by the declarant’s companies and that also there was no provision for cash lodgment in the asset forms.

On his earlier evidence that Saraki did not declare his property in London in respect of any mortgage, the witness said: “I did not consult with Fortis Bank of London to know whether the six bedroom bungalow at South West London was redeemed with the bank loan.”

THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017• T H I S D AY

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Fayose Kicks against Choice of Nnamani as Chairman of Electoral Reform Sheriff Balogun in Abeokuta

Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, yesterday kicked against the choice of Senator Ken Nnamani as the Chairman of the Electoral Reforms Committee.

Fayose said the major problems facing electoral system are not limited to lack of reforms, saying that the major problems facing the electoral system are the composition of reforms committee members, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the attitude of the security agencies which include the police.

Fayose who was represented by the Chairman House

Committee on Information of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Dr. Samuel Omotoso, spoke at the South-west public hearing of the committee, asking Nnamani to resign.

Fayose, however, said the committee was embarking on wild goose chase like in the past.

He faulted the choice of Nnamani as chairman of the committee despite his status as a card-carrying member of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He also queried the choice of Ogun State as the venue for the programme, saying the committee should have chosen Ekiti to ensure inter-party

collaborations.

He said: “There is no gainsaying the fact that this electoral review body is not needed until the panel is equitable, apolitical and devoid of influence from the powers that be. He who comes to equity must come with clean hands.

“If this government is actually serious about electoral reform, then the chairman of this committee should resign and allow an independent person to take over. “ Nnamani is a South-east regional leader of APC and

hence, incapable of rising above primordial and party sentiments to give us anything different from electoral inconclusiveness that we have at the moment.

“The only time this country made an attempt at a reliable electoral reform was during the tenure of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua who appointed retired Chief Justice Muhammad Uwais as the Chairman. This singular move gave the panel credibility, widespread acceptability and massive support from all over the country and across political

divides.

“Such cannot be said of this panel that is overshadowed with massive moral burdens and conflict of interest as a result of the Chairman being a card carrying member of a political party, called APC.” While countering Fayose’s position, Nnamani said his choice as a politician and a former National Assembly member was right.

He contended that electoral reform could be achieved if politicians are made members

of the committee, saying, appointing a judge as chairman of the committee might not be the best as they are not elected, but appointed.

Nnamani said: “It is the members of the National Assembly that will deliberate and craft and deliberate on the matter, each of them belong to a political party. Nnamani chairing this committee belongs to a political party , therefore there is nothing inconsistence about a politician chairing a committee of this nature.”

Plateau People, Lalong Mourn as Commissioner Slumps and Dies Seriki Adinoyi in Jos

also suspended all his public functions in keeping with the The Plateau State Commissioner mourning mood of the state. for Housing and Urban “All citizens of Plateau Development, Mr. Sam Galadima State are enjoined to share in is dead. Galadima reportedly the burden of this loss while slumped during a routine praying to God for the family exercise session yesterday and indeed the entire people of morning at the Rwang Pam the state to have the fortitude Township Stadium in Jos, and to bear this irreparable loss.” was immediately rushed to the Also confirming the tragedy, state specialist hospital, where a director in the Ministry he passed on. of Housing described it as Confirming the incident, “unfortunate and painful.” the Secretary to the State The director, who pleaded Government (SSG), Mr. Rufus anonymity, said he was amazed Bature, in a statement said the at the recent spate of deaths in state Governor, Mr. Simon the state in recent times.

Bako Lalong, was grieved He recalled that in February, with the sudden demise of the Lalong’s Deputy Chief of Staff, commissioner at the age of 64. Alhaji Yusuf Gambo Hawaja The statement explained that died, and six days later, his “Samuel Galadima was part mother, Hajiya Habiba Hawaja of the state executive council also died. A few weeks after members participating in the Hawaja’s death, the Chief regular forth-nightly physical Administrative Officer of exercise at the Jos Township Government House, Rayfield, Stadium when he slumped Jos, Mr. Pius Dashe, also died. and was rushed to the Plateau He therefore called for serious State Specialist Hospital where prayers for the state government. he was confirmed dead.

Galadima was among “The governor has as a result Lalong’s 17 commissioners, who of this tragic loss, declared three were inaugurated on December days of mourning beginning 16, 2015. from today, March 22 to 24, 2017. The governor has

PDP House Member Defects to APC

James Emejo in Abuja

Citing division within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a member of the House of Representatives on the platform of the party from Benue State, Hon. Saleh Hassan Anthony, yesterday defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Hassan’s defection came barely one month after another member of the House, Hon. Emmanuel Ukoete, who was elected on the platform of the PDP from Akwa Ibom State also defected to the APC. Hassan’s defection was announced at the plenary by Speaker of the House, Hon. Yakubu Dogara.

He cited divisions in the PDP as his reason for leaving the PDP. But the Chairman, House Committee on Ethics and

Privileges, Hon. Ossai Nicholas Ossai raised a point of order, urging the speaker to declare Hassan’s seat vacant.

Ossai, further argued that the PDP was not divided as claimed by Hassan.

He said: “The Court of Appeal had onFebruary 17 declared Ali Modu Sheriff the authentic National Chairman of the PDP, therefore there is no faction in the PDP.” Dogara however, ruled Ossai out of order, demanding that a copy of the Court of Appeal judgment be produced at the plenary.

His defection brings the total number of APC members in the House to 226 while the PDP members reduced to 124.

Other parties account for other 10 seats.

RECONSTRUCTION AGENDA IN YOBE

L-R: Director General, NEMA, Alhaji Muhammad Sani Sidi; Senior Special Assistant to the President on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Dr. Maryam Masha; Vice Chairman, Presidential Committee on North-east Initiative (PCNI), Alhaji Tijjani Tumsa; Governor Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe State; and his deputy, Mr. Abubakar D. Ali, during a one-day stakeholders’ retreat on coordination of humanitarian services for Post Insurgency Recovery and Reconstruction in Damaturu ....yesterday

SENATE DECLARES CUSTOMS CG UNFIT FOR PUBLIC OFFICE, ASKS HIM TO RESIGN Ali wears the uniform, instead of the repressive policy of asking end users to pay import duties on their cars.

Deviating from the subject matter, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa (Abia North) urged the AGF to advise the Buhari administration to obey court orders that had ordered the release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, and former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd).

“Since he has remembered that he needs to advise Senate on court processes, then he should be mandated to advise the government to obey court orders on their release,” he said.

Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom North West) however raised a point of order to the effect that the contributions could only be restricted to the subject matter that was being discussed.

Ekweremadu, also contributing to the debate, wondered why Ali was making a mountain out of molehill over the directive on his uniform.

“God forbid a day we stop considering the budget because somebody has gone to court to challenge a section of the budget, or stop consideration of ministers because someone is challenging the certificate of one of them. It is not us versus them, we are the same government,” Ekweremadu said.

The lawmakers also resolved to send their resolutions to the House of Representatives for concurrence.

Earlier, the lawmakers had gone into a closed-door session, which lasted for one hour, ten minutes.

THISDAY gathered that the modalities on how to handle Ali’s slight and the perceived interference of Malami was discussed at the meeting.

Meanwhile, the letter from Malami to the Senate, dated March 21, 2017, read in part: “I wish to formally intimate you that I am in receipt of a letter dated 20th March, 2017, wherein I have been given service with an Originating Summons in respect of the above subject matter (copy attached).

“The originating summons is seeking among other declarations ‘whether the oversight functions of the National Assembly extends to compelling and/or giving directive to the first defendant to wear uniform.’

“In line with the principles of the rule of law, court decisions or most importantly, the declarations sought have been deeply rooted in the constitutional provisions; I hold the view that this matter is sub judice.

“In view of three above, it is the interest of justice and rule of law to stay all actions in this case until the constitutional issues raised in the matters are resolved by the law courts.

“I wish to further intimate you that as a defendant in the said suit, I intend to file processes and pursue it to a logical conclusion.”

But as the Senate fumed over what it considered a slight meted out to it by Ali, the Secretary to

Government of the Federation, Mr. Babachir David Lawal, decided to toe the path of the Customs CG by also heading to court to challenge the summons by the Senate ad hoc committee investigating the mounting humanitarian crisis in the North-east.

The Senate on Tuesday said it was re-opening the probe into the expenditure and other activities of the Presidential Initiative on North East (PINE), which Babachir oversees.

It said it was doing so to give him the right of fair hearing over the allegations that he had mismanaged the funds of PINE and awarded a firm, Rholavision Engineering Company, that he owned a multimillion naira tree cutting contract in the North-east.

The hearing is being conducted to ascertain how much has been released to PINE, ascertain how the funds have been utilised from inception to date, and investigate the diversion of grains and other food items from the Strategic Grain Reserves, National Emergency Management Agency and other sources for the internally displaced persons.

However, Babachir, in a letter to the chairman of the ad hoc committee, Senator Shehu Sani (Kaduna Central) said yesterday that he had gone to court to challenge his invitation.

The fresh hearing is scheduled to hold today.

The Managing Director of Rholavision also wrote to the committee stating that he would not attend the hearing, as he has

also gone to court to challenge the invitation extended to him.

Babachir, in his letter titled, “Re: Invitation to Public hearing”, stated categorically that he would not appear before the committee today.

He said: “Your invitation letter to appear before the above committee refers. I wish to kindly request that you draw the attention of the other members of the committee that I will not be able to appear before the committee primarily because I have gone court to challenge the invitation among others.

Please find attached, the court documents.”

It was gathered that the letters were submitted to the clerk of the committee at 6.30 p.m. yesterday.

THISDAY did not sight the letter from Rholavision, but it was gathered that the contents are almost the same as Babachir’s letter.

Senator Sani confirmed that he was aware of the letter, adding that the committee would go ahead to submit its report at plenary.

Last December, the SGF had shunned the invitation of the committee, resulting in the interim report, which indicted him and the Senate’s resolution that he should be relieved of his post.

President Muhammadu Buhari, in response to the resolution, ordered Malami to carry out an investigation into the allegations against Babachir.

THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017• T H I S D AY

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Ile-Ife Crisis: Afenifere Rejects Report of Police Investigation Asks Osun govt to set up judicial commission of inquiry

Gboyega Akinsanmi The Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) yesterday rejected the outcome of an investigation the Nigeria Police conducted on the Yoruba-Hausa clash that claimed at least 46 lives in Ile-Ife, Osun State.

Consequently, the ARG, a pan-Yoruba socio-political group, asked the Osun State Government to constitute a judicial commission of inquiry to investigate the immediate and remote causes of the clash.

The group canvassed this position in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kunle Famoriyo, describing the report of the Nigeria Police as one-sided, unjust and predetermined.

On March 7, precisely, the clash had erupted between Yoruba and Hausa traders in the Sabo area of Ile-Ife in Osun State, which according to reports, claimed at least five lives on the first day.

The clash, which

subsequently claimed 46 lives with 98 seriously wounded, broke out after a vehicle driven by a Yoruba man hit the wife of a Hausa trader, thus compelling the Nigeria Police to commission an investigation into the clash.

According to reports, some youths attacked the driver with machete. The situation was temporarily resolved. However, members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) chose to fight back the following day.

In its statement yesterday, the ARG said it had been looking forward to the outcome of a thorough police investigation establishing the immediate and remote causes of the crisis.

However, the group said it was shocked at the outcome of a purported police investigation which from all indications would now appear one-sided and tending towards a predetermined outcome.

PDP CRISIS: MAKARFI, DICKSON RESOLVE FACE-OFF At the meeting yesterday, Dickson harped on the need for all warring parties to sheathe their swords ahead of the party’s national convention in June 2017, to present the PDP as a viable option for Nigerians in the next general election.

The position of the committee is that the Chairman of the party, Sheriff should be allowed to conduct the convention in June, following the ruling of the Appeal Court, which upheld him as the Chairman of the party.

In attendance at the meeting were the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, House Minority Leader, Hon. Leo Ogor, and other Minority Principal officers in both chambers.

Dickson said the reconciliation committee has executed its mandate towards proffering a political solution to the crises in the party, with the overall interest of the party and Nigerians at heart.

The proposal which he presented to Ekweremadu, is however subject to amendments and debates, Dickson said, but cautioned that all inputs should be done in good faith.

“We count on your collaboration, to sort out the knotty issues, on the way towards the Unity Convention, where hopefully issues would be resolved amicably through the internal mechanism of the party,” he said.

Dickson disclosed that the closure of the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, caused some difficulties as the committee has been unable to interact with some stakeholders due to travel challenges.

Ekweremadu, responding, gave the assurance that the

PDP would bounce back to power in 2019, despite the crises.

He, however, urged party faithful on the need to work together towards resolution, to provide succour to the Nigerian populace that are groaning under different kinds of hardship.

“But, I think the greater tragedy is that the Nigerian community is also burning.

There is hunger in the land.

There is also anger in the land because a hungry man is an angry man. There is also tension all over the country. People are being killed, from Ile Ife to Benue, to Zamfara, all the way to Borno and Kano,” he said.

“So, we cannot be struggling over leadership when our people are dying of hunger and starvation, and while there is tension all over the place. Nigerians expect all of us, not just the PDP people, but the entire leaders of this country to work together for the peace and progress of Nigeria.

So, the time to come together is now and I am happy that everybody is thinking about it,” Ekweremadu added.

Akpabio, making brief remarks, expressed happiness that steps are being taken towards resolution of the crisis, and promised to study the reconciliation proposal of the Dickson committee.

“We feel privileged that the you have come to consult us.

The National Assembly is the last bastion of the PDP right now, before now it was the villa. We are the ones the people elected to speak for them as representatives, so we speak for the PDP,” he said.

Drawing allusions to the biblical story of how Jonah was thrown into the stormy sea to calm the waves, Akpabio prayed that whatever ‘Jonahs’ are in the party, would be thrown out.

The group cited the case of Samuel Obimakinde, who was among the suspects of the Nigeria Police, noting that Obimakinde’s sin was that he was “found with a fresh cut on his head suspected to have been inflicted on him during the crisis.

“Obimakinde, according to police information, is obviously a victim. In a violent clash that involves deaths, injuries, and arson on all sides, the Nigeria Police are saying that Yoruba people are the only culprits, that Yoruba people attacked their own people and burnt

the houses of their own people.

“Who would believe this?

We contend that the Ife crisis, no matter how much the Police tends to make it an ethnic issue would never stand as one. It disturbingly raised the question of partisanship and cast a doubt on the

police institution,” the group explained.

However, the group said the whole world “can now see the joke that the Nigeria police is in the temple of justice and fairness. What is desired is a thorough and trustworthy investigation.

Yobe Hosts Retreat to Develop Masterplan for Post-insurgency Reconstruction The Yobe State Government is developing an intervention masterplan for post-insurgency recovery and reconstruction as it gradually shifts focus away from the distribution of humanitarian relief to fullscale resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and reconstruction of the areas destroyed by Boko Haram.

The state Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam, disclosed this yesterday at the opening of a one-day stakeholders’ retreat on coordination of humanitarian services for post-conflict recovery and reconstruction in the state.

The retreat brought together partners such as the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Presidential Committee of North-east Initiative (PCNI), the Victims Support Fund (VSF), United Nations agencies and several national and international non-governmental organisations to discuss how to better coordinate the delivery

of humanitarian services to the victims of insurgency in the state, achieve a ‘holistic synergy’ and leverage on the successes recorded to develop a long-term recovery plan.

Gaidam stated that the scale of the humanitarian crises caused by Boko Haram is such that no state institution can handle the issues alone.

“We believe that a streamlined and wellcoordinated intervention in humanitarian support and socio-economic assistance will maximise the desired effect on the victims, reduce wastage and ensure value for money. This therefore informs the need to have an intervention masterplan such that no important need of the victims shall be left out,” the governor said.

The governor added that the through the retreat, participants would know the progress being made in terms of recovery and reconstruction in affected areas as Boko Haram is degraded

and understand what problems currently exists and the way to address them and attain set objectives.

Chairman of the Yobe State Committee on resettlement of IDPs, Mr. Abubakar D. Ali, said as peace returned, many IDPs are flooding back to their communities and that the state government has done a lot to provide them much needed services.

He said the state government has gone beyond providing immediate relief to victims to the task of rebuilding and rehabilitating destroyed infrastructure. “For instance, the state government has embarked on various capital projects as part of the overall developmental agenda of the administration,” he said.

Director General of NEMA, Muhammad Sani Sidi, commended the state government for hosting the retreat.

He said the lessons learnt from the retreat would shine

a light on how communities can rebuild for the long term.

“Disasters allow us to rebuild our communities back with greater level of resilience and stronger capacity for adaptation. We must therefore use the post-disaster reconstruction, rehabilitation and recovery phase to rebuild our communities in a sustainable manner,” he said.

The Vice Chairman of PCNI, Alhaji Tijjani Tumsa and the Executive Director of the Victim Support Fund (VSF), Professor Sunday Ochoche, said the effort of the state government to bring together stakeholders shows the degree to which the state government is providing leadership and ensuring sustainable recovery and rebuilding as peace steadily returns across the state. “The level of destruction is huge and no agency is capable of doing it alone. The efforts must be concerted and all hands must be on deck,” Ochoche said.

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CRIEM&PUNISHMENT

THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017• T H I S D AY

Court Sentences Two, Orders Forfeiture of Property over N8bn Currency Scam Ademola Babalola in Ibadan Weeks after entering into plea bargain with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), a senior clerk with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Togun Kayode Philip and Mrs. Esther Olunike Afolabi of Wema Bank were yesterday sentenced to three years imprisonment each with a Gregorian calendar.

The judge handed down the judgment having found them guilty on the six-count of stealing and conspiracy preferred against them by the anti-graft agency.

The convicts were among other bank staff involved in the infamous N8billion currency mutilation scam

at the Ibadan branch of the CBN. The trial was abridged following the plea bargain agreement entered into by the convicts and the prosecution counsel.

Justice Joyce Abdul Malik before her short judgment had adopted the plea bargain agreement involving the prosecution and defence counsel .

Justice Abdul-Malik said though the defendants have shown remorse, the court hereby convict and sentence them to three years imprisonment of 12 calendar months a year and they are to forfeit properties illegally acquired from the proceeds of the fraud to the federal

government.

The judge said: “The defendant, Toogun Kayode Philip, originally charged with the offences of obtaining by false pretence, conspiracy, inducement, false enteries and forging of documents having shown remorse for his actions hereby changes his plea to guilty through this agreement and shall forfeit the following properties to the federal government , a three bedroom apartment situated at Oganla Area of Omi-Adio, Ibadan.”

The convict will also forfeit the entire sum of funds in Access Bank Account no.

0041991002 in the name of Toogun Kayode Philip.

The judge also said the second convict, Afolabi Esther Olunike, will also forfeit to the federal government certain assets traced to her such as a five Bedroom duplex situated at No 8 , Fatoke Street, Molete area, Ibadan , a filing station -Oba Oil and Gas Limited located at Liberty Academy Area, Ibadan ,and a wrecked borehole machine/rig located at Ibadan.

Justice Abdul-Malik further said under the plea bargain agreement, Afolabi Esther Olunike will have the funds in the following bank accounts connected to her forfeited to the federal government: • A first Bank of Nigeria Plc account no. 3052548786

in the name of Afolabi Esther Olunike with all the acruable interest.

• A First Bank of Nigeria Plc account no. 2022878379 in the name of Afolabi Esther Olunike with all the acruable interest.

• A Zenith Bank account no. 2005307166 in the name of Afolabi Ayobami with all the accruable interest.

• A Zenith Bank account no. 2009360514 in the name of Afolabi Esther Olunike with all the accruable interest.

• A Zenith Bank account no. 1012682804 in the name of Afolabi Esther Olunike with all the accruable interest .

• A GTB account no.

0123240780 in the name of

Afolabi Esther Olunike.

• A GTB account no.

0117895356 in the name of Afolabi Ayobami with all the acruable interest.

The case, FHC/IB/32c/2015 between the Federal Government & Kolawole Babalola and others was later adjourned to May 8,2017 for continuation of trial.

In court 2 of the Federal High Court, where the second matter involving CBN staff in the N8billion mutilated currency notes was heard, the apex bank narrated how the lid was blown open before Justice Ayo Emmanuel.

Justice Ayo Emmanuel later adjourned the matter to today for continuation of the trial.

POLICE RECOVER BODY OF LATE DOCTOR FROM LAGOS LAGOON there was no reported case of any other person jumping into the lagoon.

“The police concluded that the found body was that of Orji until the driver came and said it was not Orji. The body and the clothes have been discoloured by water.

“While the search for Orji’s body is ongoing, forensic analysis will be done on the body recovered by the police.

“We also want to do the sketching of the recovered body and show it to the public so that any person who knows him should come and identify the body.

“We are still hopeful of recovering the doctor’s body because the maxim in such case, traditionally and scientifically is that after three days the body will be floating.

“I believe the members of the public using waterways will assist in informing the police when they see any body floating in the lagoon.”

On the detention of the driver he said, “It is the duty of the police to investigate the any case. The public should give us time to conclude. Whether the drive is in the custody is not the issue but to unravel the mystery.”

Court Jails Pastor for Raping Boys James Sowole in Akure For defiling boys in his neighbourhood, an Akure Chief Magistrate Court in Ondo State has sentenced a pastor with one of the ‘White garment’ churches, Waleola Sunday, to three years imprisonment without an option of fine.

Waleola who has his church in Okearo Street in Akure, the state capital, was said to have the penchant of seducing male students and committing felatio on them.

In his confessional statement tendered before the court, the 32-year-old self-acclaimed prophet said he had defiled more than four male students before the men of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) arrested him.

According to him, he normally went to public schools during break time, approached the male students and seduced them into committing felatio. He said he would allow the student to go once he is done with them.

Waleola who blamed the act on devil told his

interrogators that he did not know what usually came over him when he was committing such act on the male victims.

However, the convict said he normally came to his senses after he must have completed the act.

The one-count charge preferred against him by the NSCDC Prosecutor, Mr. David Ebriku, stated that “you Waleola Sunday, male, aged 32 years, between March 3, and 4, 2017, at Okearo Akure, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did sexually abused and exploited one Akinsola Precious aged 15, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 32(1) to the state Child Right Law, 2007 and punishable under section 32 (2) of the said law.”

The accused who pleaded getting to the charge, asked the court to forgive him that he would not repeat the crime again.

The plea of the accused was however, rejected by Magistrate V.W Bobmanuel, who sentenced him to three years imprisonment without option of fine.

CSR IN ACTION L-R: Commissioner for Education, Ogun State, Mrs. Modupe Mujota; Commissioner of Works and Infrastructure, Ogun State, and Head, Oando Foundation, Adekanla Adegoke, at the official inauguration of a block of classrooms and Early Child Care Unit at Itori Ewekoro Primary School, Ogun State, built by Oando Foundation

FIDA, Groups Want IG to Prosecute Policemen for Brutalising Nursing Mother Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti Human right groups in Ekiti State have called for the prosecution of policemen who allegedly beat up an American returnee, Mrs. Toyin Adeyeye, for refusing to give them bribe at a checkpoint last Friday.

The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) in Ekiti State called on the Inspector General of Police, (IG) Ibrahim Idris, to order a high-powered probe into the alleged brutality meted out to Adeyeye, who is also a nursing mother.

FIDA also called for the prosecution of the policemen who beat the woman and her brother, Adeniyi Dada.

Adeyeye, her baby, Heritage, and her brother were detained at the New Iyin Road Police Station till

last Saturday.

Speaking at a briefing on the alleged police brutality, the state FIDA Chairman, Mrs. Funke Anoma, alleged that the policemen at the station stole $750 found on Mrs. Adeyeye who returned from the United States where she delivered her baby ten days before the incident.

Leaders of other women groups, including National Council of Women Societies (NCWS), Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Women Wing, Market Women Associations, joined in condemning the attack on Adeyeye and her detention with her two-month old baby.

The state Commissioner of Police, Abdullahi Chafe, accused Adeyeye of slapping one of the policemen and shredding his uniform at the checkpoint, an accusation denied by the woman’s

husband, Akanni, and his brother-in-law, Adeniyi.

FIDA boss therefore said: “We observe with disdain the efforts police are making to cover up this lawlessness of its officers and the injustice to a lawabiding Ekiti woman and her child. Ekiti women are saying no to all forms of violence against women and children.

“The state Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has ordered a thorough investigation, however, the state Police Command has flagrantly disobeyed and disregarded this order. The CP has refused to investigate this matter, and that is why we are holding this press briefing to draw the attention of the whole world to this case.

“After stopping Mrs. Adeyeye and her brother

that day, they tendered all vehicle papers which are still valid, and while searching for vehicle documents, dollar notes dropped from the car and the policemen demanded for dollars.

“They started beating Mrs. Adeyeye and her brother, and till now, the policemen are yet to return the $750 taken from the woman. We demand that the $750 in the custody of a police officer, Waheed Adedokun, an officer at New Iyin Road station be returned and all the erring officers brought to justice.”

Chairman, Human Rights Committee, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Ado Ekiti branch, Vincent Adedara, also called on the Force Headquarters to launch an investigation into the incident “because the state police command was allegedly shielding the culprits.”

T H I S D AY THURSDAY MARCH 23, 2017

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thurSDAY, MArCh 23, 2017 • T H I S D AY

THURSDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

I N T E R N AT I O N A L F R I E N D L I E S

Heavyweights Nigeria, Senegal Test Might in London Showdown Femi Solaja After two days of intensive training, West African heavyweights, Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Teranga Lions of Senegal will renew their rivalry tonight in an international friendly match at the Hive Stadium in central London. Kick off is 9pm Nigerian time.

Both teams will be using the match as preparation for group phase qualifiers in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, which get underway with Match-day One fixtures in June.

After missing out in the last edition in Gabon, Eagles have been drawn in Group E and will begin their campaign with a clash at home to South Africa, while the Teranga Lions start their Group A campaign hosting Equatorial Guinea.

Nigeria and Senegal have met in 15 official international matches according to FIFA’s statistical database out which the Super Eagles have claimed eight wins compared to four by the Teranga Lions, while three matches have been drawn.

Although both teams met at a WAFU Nations Cup tournament in 2010 which Super Eagles won, the match was not recognised as an official match because it was mainly for home-based players.

But in their last official match, Nigeria triumphed over the Lions twice in the African Cup of Nations in 2006 in Egypt. First at the group stage which ended 2-1 in Port Said and in the third placed match in Cairo which Nigeria won by a lone

goal at the Military Stadium to claim the third consecutive bronze medal in the tournament.

The Super Eagles’ Hotel Crowne Plaza Ealing in London has been very much alive since Monday following the arrival of 17 of the 25 players invited for two top –drawer friendlies tonight and next Monday against Burkina Faso.

Earliest arrivals were FC Porto of Portugal’s Chidozie Awaziem, England –based Ahmed Musa, Carl Ikeme, Alex Iwobi, Wilfred Ndidi and Isaac Success, Belgium –based Moses Simon, Turkey –based Ogenyi Onazi, Germany –based newcomer Noah Joel Bazee and the versatile Abdullahi Shehu from Cyprus.

Before dinner time on Monday, the list had swelled to 17 with the arrivals of Leon Balogun, William Ekong, Tyronne Ebuehi, John Ogu, Kelechi Iheanacho and Kenneth Omeruo.

However, the withdrawal of Victor Moses from the squad has reportedly left Coach Gernot Rohr said with the Chelsea FC wing back.

According to allnigeriasoccer. com, the coach was visibly angry with the Chelsea player during the talks held between the pair earlier in the week.

Moses reported for duty at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in London, but only in order to prove to Nigeria’s medical staff that he is injured and will be unable to play in the upcoming matches.

His withdrawal has since been confirmed.

European World Cup Qualifiers Live on StarTimes Pay-TV network, StarTimes has concluded plans to broadcast all 25 FIFA World Cup (European) qualifying games live and exclusively this weekend starting from tomorrow, March 24 to delight football fans and its subscribers.

The digital TV platform announced yesterday that both its DTT (antenna) and DTH (dish) platforms are going to broadcast all seven games on Friday, (9 games on Saturday and 9 encounters on Sunday) will be beamed live on its sports channels, especially ST World Football (channel 245 or 254), ST Sports Premium (channel 246 or 252) and ST Sports Focus (channel 250 or 240), and ST Sports Arena (channel 251 or 241).

Head of Public Relations, Israel Bolaji, said “it promises to be another exciting weekend of sporting entertainment for StarTimes viewers as they can catch their football heroes dazzle in World Cup qualifier actions as each team battles for a slot in Russia 2018 finals.

“The World Cup represents the biggest soccer tournament in the world but the journey to the promised land is often fraught with dangerous bends, twists and turns that often snuff life out of the contending gladiators seeking a place in the tournament.

“As the exclusive broadcast rights holder of the European zone, StarTimes will be showing no fewer than 25 live World Cup matches this weekend, starting from Friday, March 24 through Sunday, March 26,” stressed the StarTimes spokesman.

Some of the top games listed for broadcast include former world champions Italy going up in arms against Albania 7.45pm on ST World Football with another former champion, Spain taking on Israel. Both matches are listed for Friday.

On Saturday, Belgium will face Greece by 8.45pm while 1998 World Cup champions, France have a date with Luxembourg.

Reigning European champions, Portugal are at home against Hungary with Real Madrid and current FIFA World Player of the year winner, Cristiano Ronaldo set to lead the pack. Netherlands will also battle Bulgaria same Saturday night.

On Sunday, March 26, England will clash with Lithuania live at 6pm Nigerian time at Wembley Stadium. Four times World champions, Germany will attempt to show their might when they travel to face Azerbaijan on same day even as Romania take on Denmark same day by 5pm.

Super Eagles praying to have good runs in both the AFCON 2019 and Russia 2018 World Cup preliminaries starting in June.

Gov Emmanuel Gives Reasons for Embarking on Youth Sports Festival Okon Bassey in Uyo Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, has said that the poor performance of Nigerian athletes at international sport championships informed his decision to initiate the Akwa Ibom Youth Sports Festival for talent hunt.

The Governor who declared open the maiden edition of the Akwa Ibom Youth Sports Festival 2017 for primary and secondary schools in the state at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo yesterday said the sport festival will engender a new dawn in sport talent discovery in the country.

According to him, what first threw the challenge on him to arrange the youth sports festival in the state stated with the poor performance of the country in the

African Cup of Nations and the last Olympic Games in Brazil.

“We are taking that challenge that as a country never again should Nigeria, the most populous black nation of the entire universe be missing in the Africa Cup of Nations.

“A country of over 170 million people at any point in time should be able to produce over 20 footballers. So we are taking the initiative to catch them young and to represent this country in future sporting events.

“Our second challenge comes from the last Olympic in Brazil.

You will see a country with a population of three million people winning series of gold medals in the last Olympic and we came back with only one bronze medal.

“We are telling the world that Akwa Ibom is taking the initiative

to produce future stars and talents.

If a country with Three million people could win many of the track and field events, that Akwa Ibom with over 6.2 million people can duplicate same in the nearest future”, he said.

The Governor tasked the youths not to see sport as mere entertainment event, saying the business side of sport is indeed a goldmine.

He noted that the secret of world-class athletes and stars are hidden first and foremost in early exposure to world-class facilities especially at the early stage.

This, the Governor said, informed the present state administration to initiate first class sport facilities at every federal constituency in the state to expose the people to what they can see anywhere in the world.

Governor Emmanuel urged

the youths to develop good and right attitude towards sport events saying the state government is ready to give them all the necessary encouragement to realize their dream.

Earlier, the Minister of Sports, Mr. Solomon Dalung, had praised the Akwa Ibom State governor for keying into the Federal Government vision of developing grassroots sport.

The opening ceremony featured invitational relays, march past of the participating teams, calisthenics display, oath taking ceremony and the lighting of the festival torch by national and commonwealth sprints sensation, Miss Aniekeme Alphonsus.

The week-long event featuring competitions in 20 sports at secondary and primary school level will end on Sunday March 26.

G OT V B OX I N G N I G H T 1 1

Best Boxer to Win N2m As Ogunsanya Increases Prize Money Chairman, GOtv Boxing Night, Mr. Adewunmi Ogunsanya, has added N1million to the cash prize for the best boxer at GOtv Boxing Night 11, holding on Sunday at the Liberty Stadium Ibadan. This means that the best boxer at the event will go home with N2million in additional to the Mojisola Ogunsanya Memorial Trophy, donated by Mr. Ogunsanya in memory of his wife.

According to Flykite

Productions, organisers of GOtv Boxing Night, Mr. Ogunsanya is providing additional N1million as a continuation of his support for the sport and in commemoration of the second anniversary of his wife’s death. Mrs. Ogunsanya died on March 22, 2014.

Previous winners of the award went home with N1million each, except the winner of the award at two December editions.

GOtv Boxing Night 11, which

will yield the biggest ever pay day in Nigerian boxing history, is the first edition of the event to hold outside Lagos.

Sponsored by GOtv, the event is supported by MultiChoice, Federal Inland Revenue Service and will be broadcast live by SuperSport in 47 African countries.

The fight line-up comprises seven huge bouts, including the West African Boxing Union lightweight title defence by

Nigeria’s Oto “Joe Boy” against Ghana’s Anma Dotse. Another major fight on the night will see national and West African light welterweight champion, Olaide “Fijaborn” Fijabi, take on Sunday Yao in a challenge encounter.

An equally big-name pairing will see Sule “Tyson” Olagbade, national light middleweight champion, test his mettle against Wahab “Hammer” Adebisi, the man he dethroned.

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T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

THURSDAYSPORTS C E L E B R AT I N G A B A C K B R E A K E R …

Shooting Stars FC waited until the last minute of injury time to fire past old foes, Rangers of Enugu in a rescheduled NPFL match in Ibadan yesterday. Ecstasy enveloped players, fans and officials of the Ibadan side as attacking midfielder, Bode Daniel tucked in the lone goal of the match photos: lmc media

MFM FC Climbs to the Summit of NPFL Odey’s brace keeps him atop scorer’s chart

Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries Football Club (MFM FC) shot to the top of the 14week old Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) yesterday with a 2-1 victory over Rivers United FC at the Agege Stadium.

League’s leading scorer, Stephen Odey increased his goal haul to 12 as his double ensured that the Olukoya Boys ascended the summit of the topflight at the expense of Plateau United who similarly lost their Sunday road trip to the Agege stadium by the same margin. Odey also scored the double in that encounter.

Rivers United’s consolatory goal was also scored in the first half

by Emeka Ogbugh.

The Match-day eight rescheduled clash was full of tense moments but MFM had the first chance of the game in the third minute through Adebayo Waheed but his low kick was parried away to corner by veteran Sunday Rotimi in goal for the Rivers State owned team.

However, the game was halted for some minutes as a player from each side received medical attention. In the 18th minute Stephen Odey went close to opening the score for MFM but his effort went narrowly

Last minute goal secures maximum points for 3SC against Rangers

over the bar.

Lukman Mohammed went close for Rivers United in the 20th minute after good interchange of passes only to see his effort go over the bar.

The game opened up in the 28th minute when Sikiru Olatubosun was upended in the box by captain of Rivers United, Festus Austine. Odey stepped forward to convert the kick with a ferocious shot that beat Rotimi Sunday.

The ovation that greeted that goal had hardly gone down when Rivers United drew level on 32 minutes thanks to Weli who finished off Bernard

Ovoke’s pass off a free-kick.

Immediately after the equaliser MFM goalkeeper Ospino Egbe confronted a Rivers United player and slapped him but the referee, Hadiza Musa from Adamawa, missed the incident and the assistant referee appears not to have drawn the attention of the man at the centre to it.

In the 43rd minute Sunday prevented Rivers from going behind again as he punched away Shola Brossa’s shot from range.

In the 46th minute of the first half Odey grabbed his second goal as he made it 2-1 from the penalty spot again after Brossa

was brought down.

Early in the second half Odey had a chance to extend MFM’s lead but shot narrowly wide off target.

In the 72nd minute Olatunbosun was brought down inside the penalty box after a brilliant run but the referee waved play on.

A minute later MFM won a free-kick in a good area but Rotimi punched Stanley Okorom’s range effort away for a corner.

With less than 20 minutes left the game was stopped as MFM’s keeper Egbe was attended to by the medical team.

Rivers went in search of the equaliser towards the end of the game but MFM held on to earn back to back wins.

In another rescheduled game at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan, a late Bode Daniel’s goal sealed a hard-fought 1-0 win for Shooting Stars against rivals Rangers International FC of Enugu.

Rangers had a golden opportunity to win the game when they were awarded an 89th minute penalty but Godwin Aguda missed.

It is Shooting Stars’ first win after drawing their last seven league games.

TR

Thursday, March 23, 2017

UT H

& RE A S O

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Price: N250

MISSILE Ogundipe to Police

“The crisis in Ife is surprising given the age-long harmonious relationship between the two communities with inter-ethnic marriages and a lot of business relationships. As a lawyer, I will not support any act of violence and illegality; but the security officials posted there (Ile-Ife) did not demonstrate enough professionalism in the way they handled the situation during and after the crisis.’’

Chef Bisi Ogundipe, President of Ife Club 1, on the recent inter-ethnic violence in Ife.

OLUSEGUNADENIYI THE VERDICT

olusegun.adeniyi@thisdaylive.com

The Silent Battles of Life The most important of life’s battles is the one we fight daily in the silent chambers of the soul. – David O. Mckay ven though I had watched the two minute Youtube clip, “Silent Battles” several times on WhatsApp, what the young man was saying offered a whole new meaning last Sunday afternoon.

That was after someone reposted it on a platform, following the newsbreak that a medical doctor whose name was later revealed as Allwell Orji had just jumped headlong into the lagoon off Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos.

My thoughts and prayers go to Mrs Chinyere Orji who, like most mothers would, was hoping against hope for the miraculous return of her beloved son until his dead body was finally recovered yesterday. We may never know the reason why the young man did what he did, unless of course he left a note and the family is ready to divulge the contents.

Even at that, the sad drama surrounding the last hour of the doctor is a clear indication that because not all wounds are visible, we do not always know what people around us are going through or what action they might take when pushed to the edge.

While suicide is not peculiar to Nigeria, the fact that we have not identified it as a problem has ensured that there are no concerted efforts to address what has become a global epidemic. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), more than 300 million people of all ages suffer from depression, which principally accounts for why people take their own lives. About a million die yearly due to suicide, the second leading cause of death in young men and women between age 15 and 29. It is also becoming a huge burden in our country.

From the young to the old, the rich and the poor, married and unmarried, far too many Nigerians are now taking their own lives. The fact that there is no credible data to work with compounds the problem. For instance, in 2013 alone, the United States recorded 41,149 suicides, equivalent to 113 suicides each day or one every 13 minutes.

With 33.4 percent testing positive for alcohol, 20 percent for opiates, including heroin and only 23.8 percent testing positive for anti-depressants when disaggregated, it is unlikely that the majority of suicide cases in the United States would be traced to the kind of socio-economic deprivation that may explain many of the suicides in our country.

However, it is comforting that there is now a general awareness about the issue of mental health in Nigeria. In the past, any report of someone jumping into the lagoon would be attributed to the diabolical acts of some village witches and wizards. In the world in which I grew up, for instance, the instant conclusion for a case such as Orji’s would have been, “Won pee pa ni” (they used spiritual remote control to compel him to take the fatal jump). Many Nigerians now know that otherwise normal people, including

E

Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole successful professionals, could nurse a feeling of emptiness and despair that could ultimately trigger suicide.

Alex Lickerman, an internal medicine physician at the University of Chicago, argues that survivors of suicide attempts “have reported wanting not so much to die as to stop living, a strange dichotomy but a valid one nevertheless. If some in-between state existed, some other alternative to death, I suspect many suicidal people would take it.”

Unfortunately, there is no such state between living and dying once the Rubicon is crossed.

While conceding that depression is a major cause of why people take their own lives, Lickerman distinguishes between several categories of suicides, including those who base their action on a reasoned decision.

For such categories of people, it is usually difficult to know what they are planning or how to help them. “These people aren’t depressed, psychotic, maudlin, or crying out for help. They’re trying to take control of their destiny and alleviate their own suffering, which usually can only be done in death.”

Lickerman cited the example of a 1993 case in Florida, United States when a six-year old girl stepped in front of a moving train after leaving a note saying that she “wanted to be with her mother” who had then just died from a terminal illness. “This is the power of the human mind. A girl in kindergarten thinks of the past and imagines a future that is so bleak, so devoid of meaningful moments without her mom, that she takes her own life.”

In the instant case in Lagos, there are speculations about a medical condition that stood in the way of Orji’s professional career that could have led him into the action he took but in the absence of a suicide note, those are just mere speculations. Besides, in a statement titled, “And The Doctor Died”, posted on his Facebook Wall, Dr Essien Attah who claimed that Orji was his junior at the

University of Lagos extrapolated on several factors that could make a doctor commit suicide. “Doctors see the poverty and the helplessness of the common man every day.

And when you care for another human being, their problems become your problem as well hence you share in their laughter, sorrow or frustrations. This is the lot of a Nigerian doctor.”

This sounds rather simplistic because people don’t just take their own lives on account that they witness the frustrations of others.

Yet, Attah has a point. Dr Robert Brandt, in his piece “Silent Battles that cannot be Won Alone”, wrote that medical practitioners are themselves prone to depression, citing several examples. “Our careers demand near-perfection in high-stress situations. We consistently deal with people on the worst days of their lives. We must inform patients they have cancer, life-changing illnesses, or debilitating injuries. We are the harbingers of bad news. Often our hard work is rewarded with anger, disdain, or advice as to how we could have done it better. Medicine is a field with rare compliments and frequent criticism; it’s not for the faint of heart, and most physicians aren’t surprised by the high level of depression in the field.”

What the foregoing suggests is that some of the people we often look forward to for help may themselves need help without knowing where to turn and that makes them more susceptible to depression which has been described as being surrounded by the noise of a thousand people yet feeling completely alone. That also explains why there are no quick fixes or easy cures. “I know from multiple friends who have been in that dark place that healing often starts with finding a person who will listen to them. Spouting advice and saying ‘just get over it’ cures nothing.

Be kind and listen, truly listen. It can be the start of the healing process” wrote Brandt.

While we can surmise from the background of Orji that the demon that pushed him into taking the fatal plunge on the Third Mainland Bridge was not likely to be that of economic deprivation, that is the major cause of the suicides that have become prevalent in our country today. Of course there are no statistics but from what can be glimpsed from those who left messages for their friends and relations, they took their action based on what an old East German filmmaker, George Drayman

once described as “the death of all hope.”

That is why we must begin to address the challenges that are pushing some of our brothers and sisters into believing they are better off dead than alive.

All said, for the benefit of somebody out there reading this, who may have at different points contemplated taking his/ her own life, let me conclude with an old story of a “wayward” girl which teaches a profound lesson: A father passing by his teenage daughter’s bedroom was astonished to see the bed was nicely made and everything was neat and tidy. Then he saw an envelope propped up prominently on the centre of the pillow. It was addressed “Dad”. With the worst premonition, he opened the envelope and read the letter with trembling hands:Dear Dad, It is with great regret and sorrow that I’m writing you, but I’m leaving home. I had to elope with my new boyfriend, Randy because I wanted to avoid a scene with you and mummy.

I’ve been finding real passion with Randy and he is so nice to me. I know when you meet him you’ll like him too - even with all his piercing, tattoos, and motorcycle clothes. But it’s not only the passion Dad, I’m pregnant and Randy wants me to have the baby and that we can be very happy together. Even though Randy is much older than me (anyway, 42 isn’t so old these days is it?), and has no money, really these things shouldn’t stand in the way of our relationship, don’t you agree? It’s true he has other girlfriends as well but I know he’ll be faithful to me in his own way. He wants to have many more children with me and that’s now one of my dreams too. In the meantime, we’ll pray that science will find a cure for AIDS so that Randy can get better; he sure deserves it!

Don’t worry Dad, I’m 15 years old now and I know how to take care of myself. Someday I’m sure we’ll be back to visit so you can get to know your grandchildren.

At the bottom of the page were the letters “PTO”. Hands still trembling, her father turned the sheet, and read: PS: Dad, none of what you just read is true. I’m over at the neighbour’s house. I just wanted to remind you that there are worse things in life than my school report card that’s in your desk centre drawer. Please call when it is safe for me to come home. I love you!

The message: No matter the challenges you are facing today, it is not the end of the world.

Against The Run of Play

T

his is to remind readers that my coming book, “Against the Run of Play: How an incumbent president was defeated in Nigeria” will be released to the market on 28th April after a public presentation in Lagos. It will also be available online immediately. To chair the Lagos ceremony is former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar while the

unveiling will be done by the former Cross Rover State Governor, Mr Donald Duke.

Interested bookshops and sales outlets should direct all their inquiries by email to info@kachifo.com or call 08077364217.

Meanwhiile, I have also uploaded on my web portal, olusegunadeniyi.com, new materials from the 2002 series of The Verdict for the enjoyment of my readers.

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