Friday 31st March 2017

IMF Welcomes Nigeria’s Easing of ‘Some Exchange Restrictions’ Urges unification of FX rates, increase in capital base of under-capitalised banks CBN raises dollar supply to BDCs to $10,000 weekly

Obinna Chima The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has commended

the recent “easing of some exchange restrictions” in Nigeria, just as it urged the Central Bank of Nigeria

(CBN) to “remove the remaining restrictions and multiple currency practices” to unify the foreign exchange

(FX) market.

This, the fund pointed out, would help in regaining investor confidence in the

Nigerian economy.

The IMF’s executive board stated this in their 2017 Article IV Consultation with

Nigeria, which was released yesterday.

Continued on page 12

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Senate Amends Electoral Act to Legalise Card Readers, E-Voting Results to be transmitted electronically move laudable as APC wades into row Damilola Oyedele in Abuja The Senate has amended the Electoral Act of 2010

to legalise the use of smart card readers for the authentication of accredited voters as was done in the

2015 general election.

The amendment to the Act will also pave the way for electronic voting

Says Executive-Senate reconciliatory

in future elections.

The Senate also empowered the presiding officer at polling units to, in addition to the

smart card reader, use any other technological device that may be prescribed by the Independent National Electoral

Commission (INEC) from time to time for the accreditation Continued on page 10

Access Bank Splashes N18.8bn on Its Shareholders as Dividend

Goddy Egene

The shareholders of Access Bank Plc on Wednesday smiled home from the 28th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the bank in Lagos, having received a total of N18.8 billion in dividends for the year ended December 31, 2016.

The dividend translates to 65 kobo per share, up from 55 kobo per share received in 2015.

The declaration of a better dividend payout for it shareholders was reflective of Access Bank’s better than expected revenue of N381.3 billion, an increase of 13 per

cent from the N337.4 billion reported by the bank in 2015.

Just the same, its net interest income rose by 32 per cent from N105.4 billion to N139.1 billion, while non-interest income grew marginally by 3.5 per cent to N134 billion, from N129 billion in the previous year.

However, like all Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) in the country that had to contend with a harsh operating environment and deteriorating loan books, Access Bank reported an increase in its credit impairment charge by 54.3 per cent from N14.2 Continued on page 10

Group Managing Director/CEO, Access Bank Plc, Mr. Herbert Wigwe (left), and Chairman, Access Bank, Mosun Belo-Olusoga, at the 28th Annual General Meeting of the bank, held in Lagos… Wednesday

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GE Emerges Sole Bidder for $2bn Nigerian Rail Concession Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja with agency report A consortium led by General Electric (GE) has submitted the only bid for a Nigerian railway concession project worth around $2 billion for two lines connecting northern cities to others in

the south, a procurement process adviser said on Wednesday.

The Ministry of Transportation gave Wednesday as the deadline for the submission of bids from prospective concessionaires.

Nigeria has been looking

for partners to overhaul its ageing railway system, built mainly by British colonial rulers before independence in 1960.

Economic growth in Africa’s most populous nation has been hampered for decades by the dilapidated road and rail

network.

The concession will cover about 3,500 km (2,200 miles) of existing narrow-gauge lines from the southwestern commercial capital, Lagos, to Kano in the north, and southeastern oil hub Port Harcourt to Maiduguri in the northeast.

“We received one bid today,” said Fola Fagbule, vice president and co-head of advisory at Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) which ran a procurement process after being appointed lead adviser by the government.

According to Reuters, the only bid, led by GE, was in

partnership with Transnet of South Africa, Dutch-based APM Terminals and China’s Sinohydro Consortium.

The Senate said in November it would investigate the railway concession over possible violations by government officials.

“This initiative is a welcome development. It is a good step in the right direction. The Senate, in particular, and the National Assembly, in general, is ready to co-operate with the group and work with them to resolve all grey areas standing in the way of a smooth working relationship needed to deepen our fledgling democracy and ensure good governance for the benefit of Nigerians,” he said.

Abdullahi said the decision to establish the committee was indicative of the acknowledgement by the executive that the relationship was faulty.

He however declined to speak on the grey areas that would be worked on by the committee, noting that to do so would be to pre-empt the terms of reference of the committee.

Abdullahi admitted the Senate was yet to be informed of the

modalities for the workings of the committee.

Prodded further, the spokesman admitted that the manner in which presidential appointees hurl verbal expletives at the Senate had become a cause of worry.

“We are not happy that the appointees of the president are quick to abuse the Senate.

Someone is saying we are childish, we are irresponsible, that is not healthy.

“If we are able to work around these then it is a welcome development,” he said.

Abdullahi also restated that the Senate decided to defer action on the confirmation of the 27 Resident Electoral Commissioner-nominees of INEC because of the disregard for its earlier resolution on the rejection of the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu.

“All we said is that we passed a resolution, our resolution was rubbished.

Now we are expected to pass another resolution, what if that is rubbished also?

“Then what are we doing here? So we simply said the Senate President should interface with the presidency, and until we get a positive response, we are standing down the confirmation process,” Abdullahi said.

Meanwhile, the APC is set to wade into the row between the executive and the Senate.

THISDAY gathered that the leadership of the party would meet with the APC caucus in the Senate to hold talks on an amicable resolution to the row.

“The party of course is worried, we cannot be seen to be fighting one another when we are working towards the same goal of developing this country. So a meeting would hold on Monday,” a source said.

SENATE AMENDS ELECTORAL ACT TO LEGALISE CARD READERS, E-VOTING of voters to verify, confirm or authenticate the genuineness or otherwise of voters’ card.

The passage of the Bill for an Act to Amend the Electoral Act 2010 and for other related matters followed the consideration and adoption of the report of the Senate Committee on INEC yesterday.

The bill, which passed its third reading, also stipulates that votes and recorded results must be transmitted electronically directly from polling units in an encrypted and secured form.

The amendment provides that if for some reason the encrypted data is compromised, the presiding officer would have to rely on the manual collation, which could however be prone to manipulation.

Where the encrypted data is safe, it completely supersedes the manual results.

The amendment is also offering a solution to the ambiguity that may occur in the event a candidate dies after the commencement of elections and before the declaration of a winner by INEC, as was the case during the Kogi gubernatorial election.

The amendment to Section 6 of the Act saw the insertion of a new Sub-section 3 which provides: “If after the commencement off a poll and before the announcement of the final result and declaration of a winner, a nominated candidate dies, (a) the Commission shall, being satisfied of the fact of death, suspend the election for a period not exceeding 21 days; (b) the political party whose candidate died may, if it intends to continue to participate in the election, conduct a fresh direct primary within 14 days of the death of its candidate and submit a new candidate to the commission to replace the dead candidate; and (c) subject to paragraphs (a) and (b) of this

sub-section, the Commission shall announce the final result and declare a winner.”

The former Chairman of the Committee on INEC, Senator Abba Kari explained further that in the event of the candidate’s death during the election, the votes already accrued to the candidate will belong to the party and INEC would continue the election from where it stopped.

“Some schools of thought have said that the running mate to the candidate should take over, while some said the runner up from the party’s primary.

But all that has been laid aside,” he explained.

The bill also gives political parties the right to adopt direct or indirect primaries in choosing their flag bearers, while qualification or disqualification of candidates for elections will be solely based on the provisions contained in the 1999 Constitution.

Section 8(5) in the bill also prescribes punishment for any staff of the electoral commission discovered to be a registered member of any political party.

Such staff would be liable to a five-year jail term or a N5 million fine.

Section 87 of the bill also stipulates that the monies to be collated as registration fees from aspirants for councillorship elections should not exceed N150,000, local government chairman - N250,000, State House of Assembly member - N500,000, House of Representatives member - N1 million, senatorial aspirant N2 million, governor of a state - N5 million and N10 million for presidential aspirants.

Senate President Bukola Saraki lauded the committee for its painstaking work, which he said would add credibility to Nigeria’s elections and improve democracy and good

Senate President, Bukola Saraki

governance.

“Most importantly, I think are some of the new sections we have added in the area of technology, the smart card reader, and particularly the area of collation which has been an area of great concern.

“Collation of results after the polling units and some of the additions we put on the electronic way by which the compilation of results can be done, I think will go a long way to reduce some of the irregularities we have seen before,” he said.

He added: “My concern has always been that if we don’t do it now, it will get more difficult as we get closer to the 2019 elections.

“I think when signed into law, it will enable INEC to have something to work with early enough.

“I think what we have

done today will really put our electoral law among the best that we have and it will go a long way in improving our electoral process.”

Also yesterday, the Senate welcomed the establishment of the Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo-led Executive-Senate reconciliation committee initiated

by President Muhammadu Buhari to resolve the difference between the two arms of government.

This is as the All Progressives Congress (APC) resolved to meet with its Senate caucus on Monday to seek an amicable resolution to the face off between the executive and the Senate.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee, Media and Publicity, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (Niger North), who spoke with THISDAY, said the initiative was a step in the right direction.

ACCESS BANK SPLASHES N18.8BN ON ITS SHAREHOLDERS AS DIVIDEND billion in 2015 to N22 billion in 2016, while operating expenses rose by 10.1 per cent to N160.35 billion, from N145.6 billion.

Nonetheless, its profit before tax (PBT) grew by 20.4 per cent to N90.3 billion, from N75.0 billion, just as the bank ended the year with a profit after tax of N71.4 billion, up 8.5 per cent from N65.9 billion in 2015.

A further assessment of the results indicated that Access Bank grew its deposits to N2.256 trillion, showing an increase of 28.8 per cent from N1.756 trillion.

Loans and advances rose to N1.855 trillion, from N1.409 trillion while Access Bank’s non-performing loans (NPL) stood at 2.1 per cent which was reflective of the bank’s

prudent risk management.

Similarly, capital adequacy and liquidity ratios stood at 21 per cent and 43.6 per cent in that order.

Speaking on the results, the Group Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank, Herbert Wigwe said: “The full year 2016 results demonstrate the effective execution of our strategy underpinned by a robust risk management framework.

“With strong business fundamentals, our position in the top tier was further consolidated in the industry.”

According to him, “The bank’s robust and proactive risk management practices and focus on high quality corporates ensured that it maintained an NPL ratio of 2.1 per cent, well below

the industry average, whilst retaining a healthy balance sheet growth.”

Addressing the shareholders at the AGM, Wigwe assured them that the bank was now stronger and well positioned to deliver long-term value to all stakeholders.

He explained that although the macroeconomic conditions and corresponding implications on the banking industry remained uncertain, the bank’s diversified banking model, robust balance sheet and solid management team will give it the strength and resilience that will keep the financial institution in good stead.

“By diligently executing our strategy, we will continue to maintain improved profitability and create the

capacity to continue to invest in our key areas of strength.

“As we come to the end of our third five-year transformation journey, our top priority in the coming year will be to cement our position as a dominant corporate bank and establish ourselves as a formidable retail player, leverage digital technology and innovation to create value for our customers whilst unlocking new revenue streams and deliver seamless and superior customer experience across all our service touch points,” he said.

According to him, to secure its strategic aspiration to be a high performing diversified banking leader focusing on global best practices, “we consider it vital to maintain our disciplined capital position

and tightened risk tolerances”.

Wigwe disclosed that despite the challenging economy, 2016 was a year of progress for Access Bank.

“Many of our strategic choices we made over the years were validated when tested by the economic recession. These critical decisions included our business mix. Our risk management culture and our capital and liquidity strategies,” he said.

Speaking in the same vein, the Chairman of Access Bank, Mrs. Mosun Belo-Olusoga said the board will remain focused in its pursuit of shareholder value and continue to provide the stability and strategic direction the bank requires to deliver operational excellence in its bid to become

the world’s most respected African bank.

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Chicago Woman Becomes First Patient to Be Cured of Sickle Cell Disease If you or someone you know suffers from sickle cell disease, hope is on the way.

Iesha Thomas, who suffered from the disease herself, is the first person to be cured.

This is huge!!!

Sickle cell affects 1 in every 500 African Americans in the U.S. But the good news is this disease might be on its way out. Fingers crossed.

Iesha Thomas, 33, was living with the disease that progressively got worse. It really wreaked havoc on her life after she gave birth to her daughter, resulting in her needing repeat blood transfusions and two hip replacements due to bone damage.

The disease can be extremely painful. What happens is a defect that causes the oxygencarrying red blood cells to take on a sickle-like appearance.

The blood cells deliver less oxygen to the body’s tissues, causing severe pain, stroke, and even organ damage.

But a great breakthrough has occurred! Thomas is the first patient in the midwest to be cured of the Sickle Cell Disease.

“I just want to be at home with my daughter every day and every night,” said Thomas.

Physicians at the University of Illinois Hospital & Health Science System performed a procedure using medication

to suppress her immune system and a small dose of total body radiation before doing the stem cell transplant.

The procedure allows for the patient’s own bone marrow to coexist with that of the donor.

The goal of the transplant is for the stem cells to gradually take over the bone marrow’s role in producing normal, and healthy red blood cells.

Congrats Iesha. How amazing! We’re rooting for you and all people suffering from sickle cell for complete health and healing. This procedure could really turn things around.

• Culled from myhealthzz. blogspot.com

Indian Mob Bashes Kenyan Student,Thinking She is Nigerian The racist mob in India is far from being cured of its insanity, as it attacked yet another African from Kenya.

The 24-year-old Kenyan woman was dragged out of a taxi on Wednesday and bashed by the mob, which mistook her for a Nigerian.

Coming just two days after a mob thrashed six Nigerians and a Congolese inside Greater Noida’s Ansal Plaza in Uttar Pradesh on Monday evening, the fresh attack has left most Africans in the area too afraid to step out of their houses, according to Times of India.

Maria Burendi, the Kenyan, said she left her home in Alistonia society at 6.15am to collect an African wig and some food from a friend at DPS Society.

On the way, she said the cab was stopped at 6.30am near the Omicorn roundabout by 10-12 men who then beat her up.

“They stopped the car and asked me to get out,” Maria told TOI over the phone.

“When the cabbie and I stepped out, they started slapping me saying that Nigerians are bad. When I said that I was a Kenyan, one of the guys asked them

to stop and they relented,” she said.

“I was not expecting this.

I wanted to buy some food items but could not. Later I thought I could collect my African hair wig from my friend’s place in Greater Noida. It was then that the attack took place,” she said.

However, police later in the evening said her version was doubtful. They said they nabbed the cab driver and when he was questioned, he denied any such incident happened.

Greater Noida is a town just about 30 kms from the Indian capital of New Delhi.

Iesha Thomas

IMF WELCOMES NIGERIA’S EASING OF ‘SOME EXCHANGE RESTRICTIONS’ The Article IV Consultation came on the heels of the CBN’s decision to increase the amount of dollars to be sold to Bureau de Change (BDC) operators to $10,000 a week, up from $8,000 weekly, in its determination to sustain liquidity in the FX market.

The IMF said: “Directors emphasised that these policies should be supported by tighter monetary policy and fiscal consolidation to anchor inflation expectations and to limit the risk of exchange rate overshooting, as well as structural reforms to improve competitiveness.”

The fund’s directors recognised that the Nigerian economy has been negatively impacted by low oil prices and production and commended efforts already made by the government to reduce vulnerabilities and enhance resilience, including by increasing fuel prices, raising the monetary policy rate, and allowing the exchange rate to depreciate.

“Under unchanged policies, the outlook remains challenging. Growth would pick up only slightly to 0.8 percent in 2017, mostly reflecting some recovery in oil production

and a continuing strong performance in agriculture.

“Policy uncertainty, crowding out, and FX market distortions would be expected to drag activity.

Accommodative monetary policy would keep inflation in double digits. Financing constraints and banks’ risk aversion would crowd out private sector credit and increase the federal government’s already high debt service burden.

“A continued policy of prioritising exchange rate stability would lead to an increasingly overvalued exchange rate, leading to a deterioration in the nonoil trade balance and gross reserves below adequate levels,” the fund cautioned.

In light of the persisting internal and external challenges, it stressed that stronger macroeconomic policies were urgently needed to rebuild confidence and foster an economic recovery.

The IMF welcomed the recently launched Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), which focuses on economic diversification driven by the private sector and government initiatives to strengthen infrastructure—including

the recently adopted power sector recovery plan.

However, it underlined that without stronger policies these objectives may not be achieved.

“Directors generally emphasised the need for a front-loaded, revenuebased fiscal consolidation starting in 2017, to reduce the federal government interest payments-to-revenue ratio to sustainable levels.

“They underscored that priority should be given to increasing non-oil revenue, including through raising VAT and excise rates, strengthening compliance, and closing loopholes and exemptions.

“Administering an independent fuel pricesetting mechanism to eliminate fuel subsidies, strengthening public financial management, and developing a well-targeted social safety net would also support the adjustment.

“Directors stressed the need to contain the fiscal deficit of state and local governments, including through improved transparency and monitoring.

“Directors underscored that external adjustment is necessary to protect foreign

currency buffers and reduce vulnerabilities. Directors welcomed the steps to strengthen banking sector resilience through stronger prudential requirements.

“With asset quality declining, they recommended further intensifying bank monitoring, enhancing contingency planning, and strengthening resolution frameworks.

“Directors encouraged quickly increasing the capital of undercapitalized banks and putting a time limit on regulatory forbearance,” it added.

Furthermore, the IMF emphasised that ambitious structural reforms would be key to achieving a competitive, investmentdriven economy that is less dependent on oil.

It advised that priority should be given to improving infrastructure, enhancing the business environment, improving access to financing for small enterprises, and strengthening governance and anti-corruption efforts.

According to the fund, timely and effective implementation of these measures would promote sustainable and inclusive growth.

It also welcomed the progress in improving the quality and availability of economic statistics and encouraged further efforts to compile sub-national fiscal accounts.

The multilateral institution observed that with oil receipts dominating fiscal revenue and exports, the Nigerian economy had been hit hard by low oil prices and falling oil production.

The country entered into a recession in 2016, with growth contracting by 1.5 per cent. Annual inflation levels doubled to 18.6 per cent, reflecting hikes in electricity and fuel tariffs, a weaker naira and accommodating monetary conditions (broad money expanding at 19 per cent y-o-y).

Even with a significant under-execution in capital spending, the consolidated fiscal deficit increased from 3.5 percent of GDP in 2015 to 4.7 per cent of GDP in 2016, because of significant revenue shortfalls.

This resulted, over the same period, in a doubling of the federal government’s interest payments-to-revenue ratio to 66 per cent.

Meanwhile, the CBN

yesterday increased the amount of dollars to be sold to BDCs to $10,000 weekly, up from $8,000 a week.

In this regard, operators would be entitled to $5,000 per bid at a new rate to be announced on Monday, the CBN said in a statement by its spokesman, Mr. Isaac Okorafor.

Okorafor also explained that the central bank will commence twice weekly FX sales to BDCs from Monday.

“Licensed BDC operators are therefore required to fund their accounts with the CBN on Mondays and Wednesdays, while they receive their purchases on Tuesdays and Thursdays respectively.

“The sale amount to BDCs is hereby increased to $10,000 weekly ($5,000 per bid) and a new rate will be announced on Monday, April 3, 2017,” the statement added.

The CBN yesterday also offered $100 million to authorised dealers through wholesale FX forwards.

Despite its intervention, the naira fell to N383 to the dollar at some parallel market points yesterday, lower than N380 from the previous day.

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COMMENT

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

ALI AND HIS CUSTOMS UNIFORM (2)

The comptroller-general’s claim that no law requires him to wear the service uniform is not correct, argues Bolaji Adebiyi

P

erhaps this uniform palaver would have been avoided if President Muhammadu Buhari had followed the spirit of the law with respect in the appointment of the CG of the service.

Although the Customs and Excise Management Act did not stipulate the mode of appointment of the CG, there is little or no doubt that the intention of the law makers was that the head of the service would be appointed from within its senior ranks.

President Olusegun Obasanjo filled the lacuna in the law when in 2002 he issued a guideline on the appointment of the CG. Section 3.11:1 of the guideline entitled: Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette No 24 Vol. 89 of 25th March 2002 provides that the choice of the comptroller-general of customs shall be by “appointment of a suitable Deputy ComptrollerGeneral of Customs (General Duty).”

But intent on appointing his protégée as the CG, the president preferred to use the nebulous Section 171 of the constitution to appoint Ali even when it was obvious that the exercise of his discretion in that regard would undermine the stability of the service. Meanwhile, there is no nothing exceptional about Ali’s military record to justify a departure from a presidential policy that has been in operation since 2002.

Perhaps this arbitrary departure from policy emboldened Ali to act without regard for established norms and respect for the customs hierarchy and rules. First, he refused to wear the service uniform. Second, he does not discuss but dictates directives to the service management.

The CG’s claim that no law requires him to wear the service uniform is inappropriate because it could be argued too that no law requires any customs officer to wear uniform. But there are service regulations that compel every officer not only to wear uniform, but to also wear it appropriately. The Nigeria Customs Service codes made pursuant to the Customs and Excise Management Act, and revised last in 1998 contains instructions relating to the civil establishment of the service. A section is devoted to the importance of uniform in the service.

Section 54 of Part 1 of the Codes says: (a) “The officers and men of the service should be issued with the standard uniforms. Senior Officers are to pay for their service uniforms while junior officers are issued the uniform free.” (b) “Officers and men are to be issued with complete set of uniforms as to ensure their neatness at all times.” So important is the uniform to the service that the codes states in 54 (C): “This service takes a great pride in the uniform of officers and men and proper wearing of uniform is of such importance to the service that it has placed it in the

THIS SERVICE TAKES A GREAT PRIDE IN THE UNIFORM OF OFFICERS AND MEN AND PROPER WEARING OF UNIFORM IS OF SUCH IMPORTANCE TO THE SERVICE THAT IT HAS PLACED IT IN THE SCHEDULE OF THE INSPECTORATE DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF INSPECTORATE AND INVESTIGATION

schedule of the inspectorate division of the Department of Inspectorate and Investigation.”

The makers of the code for obvious reasons exempted some category of officers from wearing uniform. The CG is not one of them. Section 54 (b) (iv) says: “Officers of the Customs Intelligent Unit and Investigation Divisions of the Inspectorate and Investigation Department need not wear uniforms as prescribed under 56(b) above.”

Meanwhile Section 1 (A) of the Code Part 1, which provides for the structure of the service and line of communication states: “The service is headed by the Comptroller-General and there six Deputy Comptrollers-General, each heading one of the six Departments of the Service…” So anyone who bears the title CG is required by the establishment code to wear the service uniform.

Ali’s supporters have since argued that the uniform issue was trivial and that the Senate should have concerned itself more with his performance. That is a very fine point no doubt. So what is the fellow’s performance since he came into the saddle almost two years ago?

Upon ascendance to office, the retired soldier told the service officers and men that his mission at the customs was to “reform, restructure and increase revenue generation.” Which of this has he done? Officers in the service grumble loudly that Ali’s tenure has been the worst and most disruptive in the entire history of the service. To date the service is yet to appoint DCGs who should form the management team as required by the establishment code. According to officers, the CG preferred to run things with his military aides who know next to nothing about customs work. Ali’s defiance of established procedures has had negative effects on the delivery of other mandates. He has consistently failed to meet his revenue targets since 2015. Meanwhile, corruption, which his sponsors said they sent him to the service to fight, has by many accounts worsened under his watch. The most outstanding testimony to his monumental failure so far comes from no other person than the Buhari administration’s chief advisor on the war on corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN). “Nothing has changed in Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) since May 29, 2015. It still reeks of corruption,” he said during the opening of a two-day national dialogue on corruption organised by the Presidential Advisory Committee on Corruption (PACAC), in collaboration with the Office of the Vice President.

Adebiyi is Deputy Editor, THISDAY Newspapers

FULANI HERSDSMEN AND INTERNATIONAL LAW

F

The state owes each and every one of its citizens the duty of protection, argues Agwu Ukiwe Okali

ew will deny that the spate of deadly raids in recent times on many and diverse Nigerian communities, attributed to “Fulani herdsmen”, has left a trail of physical destruction, as well as morale devastation, through swathes of the land, with many ordinary Nigerians unable to comprehend why in their own country they are so without protection from such atrocities. Few, too, in these circumstances, would dispute the common assessment that the response of the Nigerian authorities to these attacks, even at the level of ordinary verbal condemnation, has been bafflingly tame and muted. Never mind, of course, that from time-to-time one sees a few hapless herdsmen “paraded” by the security authorities as having been arrested for such attacks.

This situation has, not surprisingly, prompted the inquiry whether there is, perhaps, another applicable legal regime to which victims and potential victims of such attacks can look for protection and other relief. “What about international law?” people have asked. What, if anything, does it have to say about such situations? After all, the adage that “No nation is an island unto itself” has never been truer than in today’s “globalised” world.

As far as international law is concerned, one can see two possible avenues of engagement open to it in a situation such as this – engagement at the level of state responsibility and engagement at the level of individual responsibility. Now, as regards state responsibility, it might seem self-evident that the state owes each and every one of its citizens the duty of protection: this, after all, under the “social contract” theory of organised society, is the reason for the existence of the state and for the individual’s submission to it. The reality, however, is that until very recently there was no mechanism or forum to enforce such a duty outside of domestic law, as the classical international law doctrine of “state sovereignty” accorded a sovereign state, more or less, absolute authority and prerogative over matters occurring within its own territory, and, more so, if the matter involved only its own nationals. This is the view of things that, sadly, was illustrated by the 1994 Rwanda genocide, when the rest of the world watched in seeming paralysis while hundreds of thousands of people were slaughtered. Indeed,

even when the UN Security Council finally authorised a French “humanitarian” military intervention under those extreme of circumstances, there were still some notable objections from traditionalists to this derogation from the doctrine of sovereignty and concern as to its precedent-setting impact.

In the Year 2005, however, member states of the United Nations, meeting at the World Summit to Prevent Genocide, War Crimes, Ethnic Cleansing and Crimes against Humanity, decided to change things, and, at that historic gathering adopted two important norms for the protection of people and population groups from atrocities of the above-listed kind. Firstly, it was affirmed that individual states bore primary responsibility for protection of their populations from these atrocities. Secondly, the summit affirmed the collective responsibility of the international community to intervene to protect a population in the last resort, especially where “national authorities manifestly fail” to do so. This dual commitment, popularly referred to as the Responsibility to Protect and, colloquially, as “R2P”, has become a crucial pillar of modern international law, especially its humanitarian law branch. It is an outlook best-encapsulated in the declaration by one Foreign Minister that “Sovereignty is not a licence to kill!”

This assumption of “collective responsibility” by the international community conclusively resolved the previous ambiguity regarding the legal basis for outside intervention in matters of humanitarian concern that the particular state involved has proven unable or unwilling to address. Now, the “responsibility to protect”, being thus a genuine obligation of national governments, becomes, like every other such obligation, “enforceable” by the usual sanctions recognised under international law, which may include diplomatic measures, economic and financial sanctions and, ultimately, military intervention under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter – as was done against the Ghaddafi regime in Libya in 2011. Not to be overlooked, too, in this context, is the emerging refinement of targeted sanctions against specific individuals in the country who are believed either to be behind the complained-of activity or are well-placed to influence action in the direction desired by the sanctions regime. Current

examples of this include European Union and United States sanctions against individual members of President Putin’s inner circle over Russia’s actions in the Ukraine, including the annexation of Crimea.

One can see, therefore, from the foregoing that the seeming inability or unwillingness - it does not matter which - of the Nigerian state to protect the communities affected by the attacks under consideration does, consequently, expose the country to the risk of intervention by the international community under the aforesaid “responsibility to protect” commitment, resulting in a range of sanctions of an indeterminate severity on both the country and individual power brokers within it. Indeed, recent news reports indicate that, based on a petition from a Nigerian civil society organisation, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions has commenced investigations on the series of herdsmen attacks in Southern Kaduna, accounts of which make for really gruesome reading. Decisive steps not only to stop but also punish perpetrators of these attacks must surely commend themselves to the Nigerian authorities as the only viable option now – not only for the sake of rendering justice to the victims, but also to avoid negative international consequences, including further damage to an already not-sofavourable current image. The other possible avenue of international law intervention in this situation is by invoking the operations of the International Criminal Court. The United Nations-backed 1998 Rome Treaty on the International Criminal Court, to which Nigeria is a party, established the court as a permanent international criminal court, with jurisdiction to punish individuals committing crimes of the categories mentioned above in connection with the World Summit, most notably genocide, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. Several important features of the ICC regime make it especially relevant to the situation under consideration of the Fulani herdsmen attacks. Firstly, unlike the situation discussed above of state responsibility, responsibility under the ICC regime is individual. So, for example, when President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya was charged before the court a few years ago in the wake of that country’s 2007/2008 post-election violence,

he was there not as President of the Republic of Kenya, but as Mr. Uhuru Kenyatta, whose political status was, by express provision of the court’s statute, irrelevant. Likewise, the then Kenya Commissioner of Police (equivalent to Nigeria’s Inspector-General of Police), who also was charged, was there for what he was alleged to have done, or not done, personally with respect to the same events.

Secondly, and underscoring this individual responsibility feature, is the express provision in the court’s statute ruling out any kind of exemption or immunity based on official status, which explains why the Sudanese President, a sitting head of state, is under indictment at the court. A third and no-less-important feature of the ICC regime is that there are no time limitations within which charges may be brought or the crimes prosecuted.

This provision is worthy of note, particularly for the official or individual who may be thinking to himself, “Look, I am in government or I am very well connected with people in power, so I will be protected and nothing can happen to me”. True, it might not happen now, but it can 10, 20, or even more, years from now when circumstances are likely to be completely different. Indeed, illustrative of this no-time-limit situation is the fact that people are still being hunted down and prosecuted today for crimes committed during World War II, which, as we all know, ended 71 years ago!

Now, regarding the attacks and related activities of these herdsmen as they relate to the substantive jurisdiction of the court, there is every reason to believe that the premeditated, targeted, and repeated nature of some of these attacks on particular communities and the ferocious and indiscriminate nature of the killings, not to talk of their religious undertones, could easily persuade a judge of their genocidal character, thereby sustaining a charge of the crime of genocide – or the attempt thereof. At the very least one would be looking at a strong case of “crimes against humanity” and possibly of “ethnic cleansing”.

Dr. Okali, a former registrar of the United Nations International criminal Tribunal for Rwanda is FounderChairman of the Okali Seminal Ideas Foundation for Africa

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T H I S D AY • FRIDAY MARCH 31, 2017

EDITORIAL HAMEED ALI VERSUS THE SENATE It is in Ali’s interest to honour the invitation by the Senate

L

ast week, the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) washed its hands off Hameed Ali’s flirtation with anarchy. The party asked the comptroller-general of the Nigeria Customs Service, a retired colonel, to honour the invitation by the upper arms of the legislative body and end the needless controversy over the customs service uniform.

“The party will not support any member, any appointed official of government to disrespect the National Assembly because we recognise that the National Assembly is the very meaning of our democracy,” said Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the APC spokesman.

The party’s intervention was coming in the wake of the long-drawn feud between the Senate and Hameed Ali. The upper chamber of parliament had simply invited the Customs boss to explain a controversial new vehicle duty policy ostensibly to boost the nation’s revenue but which will cause chaos in the streets and inflict untold hardship on many innocent Nigerians. Duties from imports, be it cars or electronics, are collected at the points of entry and not on the WE CONSIDER HAMEED highways or at homes.

ALI’S ACTION AS NOT To make matters SIMPLY AS THE HEIGHT worse, the complicated OF DISRESPECT FOR THE directive would be HIGHEST LAWMAKING applied retroactively ORGAN OF GOVERNMENT as cars bought even IN THE COUNTRY, BUT TO 20 years ago without import duties would be THE NATION AT LARGE affected. The decision by the Senate to question Ali on the policy was therefore in order.

However, after initially turning down the invitation by the Senate, Ali reluctantly honoured it days later, reportedly after prompting by the presidency. But he did so without one of the conditions demanded by the upper arm of the National Assembly: to attend the session with the customs’ appropriate uniform. That ordinarily ought to be an honour. But a recalcitrant Ali told the Senate that “My not wearing uniform does not breach any law.”

Letters to the Editor

T

We consider Hameed Ali’s action as not simply as the height of disrespect for the highest lawmaking organ of government in the country, but to the nation at large. We do not see the point that Ali is trying to make by refusing to wear the uniform of the customs which he leads. It is on record that Major General Anthony Hanniya (rtd), by far Ali’s senior in rank, proudly wore the uniform of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FSRC) as corps marshal of the agency.

T T H I S DAY

EDITOR IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU DEPUTY EDITORS BOlAJI ADEBIYI, JOsEpH UsHIGIAlE MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOlA BEllO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOlAFE CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OlUsEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOsA UWUGIAREN

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

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he pertinent questions are: Why did he not turn down the appointment if he thought the CG uniform is beneath him? How can Ali enforce discipline in the organisation if he cannot subject himself to its simple rules and norms? Why are we inadvertently encouraging strong individuals rather than strong institutions?

There is no doubt that the president has the discretion to appoint any individual to any position of responsibility. But it has become apparent that such discretion should be exercised with caution. There are many competent men and women within the Nigeria Customs Service who could handle, perhaps even better, the services the present comptroller-general is doing with so much arrogance. Ali is not only said to be rigid and uncontrollable, he has no respect for constituted authority. He might have excelled in his military career, but it is increasingly evident that he is yet to wean himself of the autocratic ethos of military regimes, as he does what he likes.

Even more important, the nation is yet to see any appreciable slide in corruption in the customs he supervises or increased turnover in terms of revenue since he took over the saddle. Indeed, Professor Itse Sagay, chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), said recently that nothing had changed in the customs service since the new administration took charge in 2015. And there can be no change when the man who is supposed to provide leadership is more interested in disobeying constituted authority.

It is in Hameed Ali’s interest to do what is right.

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

THE MANY RISKS OF CARBONATED DRINKS

he recent verdict by Justice Adebanjo Oyebanji of the Lagos High Court which awarded a N2 million fine against the National Agency For Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and also ordered the body to order the Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) Plc to put a written warning on Fanta and Sprite bottles, is one judgment that continues to generate furore across the country.

It will be recalled that Dr. Emmanuel Fijabi Adebo, a Lagosbased businessman brought a suit against NBC and NAFDAC, through his company, Fijabi Adebo Holdings Limited.

The story began when Fijabi Adebo Holdings Company bought large quantities of some NBC carbonated drinks for export to and subsequent retail in the United Kingdom. When the consignment arrived in the United Kingdom, the Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council’s Trading Standard, Department of Environment and Economy Directorate, raised fundamental health issues on the contents and composition of Fanta and Sprite, which were in the consignment.

Findings by the United Kingdom health authorities were also supported by other agencies in European Union countries, which found the products to contain extreme levels of sunset yellow and benzoic acid, which are known to be carcinogenic. (Carcinogenic in lay man’s term means something that causes cancer).

On account of the irregularities and carcinogenic substances present in the drinks, Mr. Adebo and his company could not sell the Fanta and Sprite. Expectedly, this caused huge losses for the company, as the products were seized and destroyed by the

United Kingdom health authorities.

The claimants also alleged that NAFDAC did not carry out requisite tests to determine the safety of the drinks for human consumption. They averred that being registered as exporters with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, they could legally export NBC products to any part of the world and that the bottling company was aware that the products purchased were meant for export.

In her judgment, (and I believe her words should be immortalised) Justice Oyebanji said: “It is imperative to state that the knowledge of the Nigeria Bottling Company that the products were to be exported is IMMATERIAL to its being fit for human consumption. The court is in absolute agreement with the learned counsel for the claimants that soft drinks manufactured by Nigeria Bottling Company ought to be fit for human consumption irrespective of colour or creed.

Suffice to say that three years before this landmark verdict, the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) took on the NBC Plc for breach of public hygiene in the then preparations of their products. The CPC went as far as gaining the permission of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice of the federation to use the strength of the law to compel the company to do the right thing by complying with the regulations and standards as it affects its products. Painfully though, the matter died a natural death.

Now, there are many questions begging for answers: How can a product declared unfit for human consumption in a developed world be deemed to be okay for consumption in Nigeria? Is this a

mistake of omission or that of commission? If it is dangerous for a white man, it should equally be dangerous for our compatriots!

Can NBC say in all good conscience that they are not aware that Fanta and Sprite should not be mixed with Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)? Are there other things being covered up by NBC? Is NAFDAC actually conniving with NBC? Generally, the consumption of the average soda drink is fraught with too many dangers: from the perspective of health, sugary soda is “empty” calories. No doubt about that. It contains absolutely no essential nutrients. No vitamins. No minerals.

No antioxidants and zero fiber. It literally adds nothing to the diet except excessive amounts of added sugar and unnecessary calories. Also, sugar-sweetened beverages may be the leading dietary cause of type two diabetes. Type two diabetes is a very common disease, affecting about 300 million people worldwide.

In fact, as little as one can of soda per day has been consistently linked to an increased risk of type two diabetes. Sweetened drinks have also been consistently linked to heart diseases.

Since the 1960’s, it has been established that sugar-sweetened drinks increase some of the main risk factors for cardiovascular disease. The risk of cancer tends to go hand-in-hand with other chronic diseases like obesity, type two diabetes and heart disease.

The public should be sufficiently conscious of the composition and risk factors involved in whatever they eat or drink. It should be stressed that the fact that something is attractive or sweet does not make it nutritious.

Jeddy Omisore, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Lagos

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T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, MARCH 31, 2017

POLITICS

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

PERSONALITY FOCUS

APC’s Convoluted Plot Backfires in Ondo One month after he was sworn in as governor of Ondo State, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu is having difficulty forming his cabinet because of the crisis in the state’s House of Assembly which was orchestrated by his party to frustrate his predecessor, Olusegun Mimiko. James Sowole reports

‘W

hen you dig a pit for your enemy during a disagreement, do not make it too deep for you might fall into it in error’, is a popular saying to caution anyone who is plotting the downfall of his or her perceived enemy during a misunderstanding.

This popular statement of caution is now playing out in Ondo State as shown by the current trend of events in the leadership crisis which rocked the Ondo State House of Assembly in the twilight of the administration of Dr Olusegun Mimiko, whose second term as governor came to an end on February 24, 2017.

The crisis, which was believed to have been orchestrated by some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) bent on preventing Mimiko from perfecting certain activities of his administration, is now affecting the current administration adversely.

As a result of the crisis, the governor could not present his nominees for appointment as commissioners and special advisers for consideration. This initial setback now threatens the governor’s ability to deliver on his promises to the people of the state. The longer it takes to resolve the crisis the more complicated it becomes to find a solution.

Following the outcome of the November 26, 2016 gubernatorial election won by Akeredolu, the political arrangement of the state makes a change in the leadership of the House inevitable.

The reason is because Akeredolu is from Owo in the Ondo North Senatorial District while his deputy, Hon Agboola Ajayi is from Ese-Odo Local Government in the Ondo South Senatorial District. In order to ensure for power balancing, the speaker of the House of Assembly should automatically come from the Central Senatorial District.

Since there is a convention in place, many people are therefore baffled on what could be the cause of the crisis that broke out in the Assembly on January 27 less than one month before Akeredolu was inaugurated as the governor of the state.

On that day, 13 lawmakers, five from APC working with eight of their colleagues from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) announced a change in the leadership of the 26-member Assembly.

The lawmakers announced the impeachment of the Speaker, Jumoke Akindele, her Dputy, Hon Fatai Olotu and the Majority Leader, Hon Dayo Akinsoyinu on a fathom allegation that the speaker conspired with his offcers to illegally approv the withdrawal of a sum of N15 million from the Assembly account with intention to embezzle it.

The faction said a new leadership had emerged with Hon Malachi Coker from Ilaje Constituency II for the position of new speaker, Hon Ayo Arowele of Owo Constituency as the Deputy Speaker and Hon Olamide George of Akure North Constituency as the Majority Leader.

The crisis quickly led to a disruption of legislative activities as each side claimed leadership of the house with each side justifying its position.

While the spokesperson of the Coker-led faction, Hon Ogundeji Iroju said they took the action because of the illegal withdrawal of the N15 million by the Akindele-led leadership,

Akeredolu.......can’t form cabinet as a result of crisis

the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Hon Siji Akindiose representing Ondo East Constituency said the action of the other faction was sponsored by the then opposition party (APC).

“It is a plot hatched, nurtured and executed by some elements in the APC with the conspiracy of some ultra-ambitious and unscrupulous members of the PDP who are desperate to become speaker and deputy speaker”, Akindiose stated.

He said impeachment of the speaker could only be done when at least two third majority of members of the house had endorsed a motion to that effect after processes stipulated by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,1999 and the House Rules had been complied with.

“We submit that it is mischievous, unwarranted, illegal and can therefore not stand. We affirm our confidence in the leadership of the

It is a plot hatched, nurtured and executed by some elements in the APC with the conspiracy of some ultra-ambitious and unscrupulous members of the PDP who are desperate to become speaker and deputy speaker

house and wish to place it on record that we support them and demand that they continue to discharge the duties of their respective offices”, Akindiose said The hard line positions of the two factions worsened the crisis on Monday, January 30, when the Commissioner of Police for the State Command, Mrs Hilda Ibuforo-Harrison acting on order from above directed that the assembly complex be sealed up.

The sealing of the asembly was sequel to a shouting match between the two factions when the two factional speakers openly confronted each other in the hollow chamber of the house with each claiming the leadership of the legislative arm of government.

The commissioner saw the confrontation and altercation between supporters of the two factions as capable of causing a complete breakdown of law and order. To forestall this, she ordered the lawmakers to vacate the assembly.

Temper rose again on Tuesday, January 31 when Mimiko gave a notice to present the 2017 Appropriation Bill of the state.

This notice by the governor rasied another rounds of questions. Which of the factions will the governor address? If the two factions agree to attend the session, who is going to preside, Akindele or Malachi? Why did it take the governor this long before he decided to present the budget?

Mimiko’s notice to present the budget generated another rounds of cat and mouse game between the two camps as they both tried to outwit each other.

THISDAY however, learnt that the main motive for those behind the house of assembly crisis was to make sure that Mimiko did not get a chance to use the lawmakers to

pass some bills that were of interest to him.

Those who were used to create the crisis merely latched on to the allegation of illegal withdrawal of N15 million as a as a plot to hatch their plans.

As if acting a script, suspected thugs and protesters stormed the premises of the Ondo State House of Assembly the day Mimiko was billed to present the Appropriation Bill.

The thugs and protesters who arrived the assembly premises as early as 7:00am carried placards with various inscriptions condemning the governor for trying to present budget few days to his exit from office. They ensured that the budget was not presented.

THISDAY gathered that after his inauguration, Akeredolu held separate meetings with the two factions of the assembly with the aim of resolving the crisis in view of the legislative approval he needed to make appointments into his cabinet.

It was learnt that when the Coker’s faction went to Akeredolu and requested that he should give directive that the Assembly be opened for legislative duties, he rejected the request and insisted on a full reconciliation with the entire members of the legislature so that the matter could be resolved once and for all.

However, Akeredolu made a tactical error of judgment when on Friday, March 17 at the swearing in of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Hon Sunday Abegunde and the Chief of Staff, Mr Olugbenga Ale, when Malachi Coker was recognised and addressed as Speaker by Akeredolu.

Coker, was said to have acted smartly as he sat at the front side of the Cocoa Conference Hall of the governor’s office (venue of the inauguration) before the governor arrived for the event.

The action of the governor did not go down well with the Akindele’s faction, which insisted that Coker was never a speaker stating that it was not possible for 13 lawmakers to impeach a sitting speaker (Akindele).

“The House of Assembly, under the law, remains under the leadership of the Speaker Jumoke Akindele and other principal officers of the House.

“The purported tactical recognition of Malachi Coker as speaker by the protocol of the government is a setback for the ongoing reconciliation efforts of stakeholders in which Mr. Governor is a mediator.

“In line with our resolve to bring to an end the crisis in the Assembly, we have participated actively in the reconciliation process which led to the withdrawal of the case in court in deference to the intervention of the Governor.

“It is therefore strange to us to see that the protocol of the government would recognise a wrong person as speaker of the House while reconciliation is ongoing”, Akindiose said.

However, a major move towards final resolution of the crisis was taken by the Akindele’s group on Monday, March 20 when the speaker (Akindele) and other principal officers announced their resignation as principal officers of the assembly through a letter addressed to the Clerk, Mr Bode Akinyelu.

Other officers that resigned with Akindele are the Deputy Speaker, Hon Fatai Olotu, the majority Leader, Hon Dayo Akinsoyinu, the Chief Whip, Hon Kemisola Adesanya.

CONT’D ON NEXT PAGE

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POLITICS

No More Condemnation for Justice Abang The judgment of the Port Harcourt Division of the Court of Appeal and the clean bill of health given to Justice Okon Abang by the National Judicial Council mean that the vilified judge can now heave a sigh of relief, writes Tobi Soniyi

F

or Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, the clearance given to him by the National Judicial Council (NJC) could not have come at a better time. He was still savouring the victory he recorded when the Port Harcourt Division of the Court of Appeal gave judgment in favour of the Ali Modu Sherrif faction of the Peoples Democratic Party. The Court of Appeal judgment appeared to have vindicated Justice Abang who had earlier came to a similar conclusion.

Prior to the Court of Appeal judgment and the clearance given to him by the NJC, the judge had been disparaged, vilified and called all sorts of names because of his position on controversial cases. Some called him the controversial judge. Others described him as a threat to democracy.

In December last year, the National Coordinator of the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko and the group’s National Director of Media, Miss Zainab Yusuf said that the Nigerian human rights community was “worried by the unconstitutional roles of Justice Abang”.

According to him, Justice Abang’s presence in the bench constitutes grave threat to constitutional democracy.

Onwubiko said that if the NJC refused to ease out Justice Abang from the Justice sector, “the democracy the country is currently trying to build would be irretrievably imperilled”.

Now that the NJC has said the judge did no wrong, those calling for his dismissal from the bench should have a rethink.

NJC had given Abang a clean bill of health with respect to allegations of misconduct levelled against him for given judgment against the Senator Ahmed Makarfi faction of PDP. In a letter dated 15th March, 2017, and signed by its Secretary, Mr. Danladi Halilu, the NJC said it found no merit in the petition against the judge. He said the council considered the petition against Abang at its meeting of February 23, 2017 and found no merit in the petition.

Abang had on July 29, 2016 declared as illegal the Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee of the national leadership of the PDP. He held that the Makarfi-faction was illegal because it was a product of the party’s convention which held on May 21 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, in defiance of an earlier order of Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court, which had stopped the said convention from holding.

But the Makarfi faction not satisfied with the judgement wrote a petition to the NJC dated August 25,2016 accusing Abang of assuming appellate powers to seat over the decision of a court of

Justice Abang......unjustly vilified

coordinate jurisdiction.

However, the NJC in its letter with reference number NJC/ F.3/FHC 44/VII/55 stated, “At the end of deliberations, the council found that your petition has no merit as there was no sufficient material before the NJC to infer that the judge sat on appeal over the decision of his brother judge of coordinate jurisdiction.

The council also cleared Abang of any

The PDP leadership legal tussle is however far from over. The Supreme Court may still find in favour of the Ahmed Makarfi-led PDP. However, which ever interpretation the apex court favours will only validate the fact that, as a trial judge, Justice Abang is entitled to be wrong or right

wrong doing with respect to a petition filed against him by Heritage Bank Plc. The bank had in a petition against the judge accused him of improper judicial conduct and bias against it in judicial proceedings before him.

Apart from the PDP leadership case, another case that had subjected the judge to criticism was the case that sought to remove the governor of Abia State Dr Okezie Ikpeazu from office. Abang had held that the governor lied in the form he submitted to the PDP before he became eligible to participate in the party’s primaries. The judge also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to issue a certificate of return to Uche Ogar, the plaintiff.

But in a unanimous judgment, the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal set aside his judgment and castigated him thoroughly. He was accused of turning the law upside down. Again, the judgment of the Court of Appeal provided critics with another opportunity to disparage the judge. He was called all sorts of names by justices of the Court of Appeal, lawyers and members of the public. However, the case is still on appeal to the Supreme Court. The point is: Justice Abang enjoys the luxury to be wrong or right. It is only the Supreme Court, being the final court,

that can not be wrong.

While some of the criticisms were genuine, others were borne out of ignorance of the law. As a trial judge, Abang is entitled to interpret the law as he deems fit. That is why the appeal court and the Supreme Court are there to either affirm his judgment or overrule him.

Though, there are many who disagree with his interpretation of the laws, Justice Abang equally has an array of supporters who see him as a very bold judge who refused to be swayed by adverse public opinion.

“He is a very courageous judge, who is not easily intimidated,’ said Mr Peter Samuel, a lawyer. Samuel believed that Abang has the qualities of a good judge and called on fellow judges to not allow politicians to intimidate them.

While reacting to the judgment of the Court of Appeal which vindicated Abang An Abuja based lawyer, Lenox Kachina said it would go a long way to put an end to the impunity by politicians who take delight in rubbishing the court.

He said “There is this thing about politicians, once a judgement or ruling is not in their favour, the court is bad but once it is in their favour, the court is good.

“This is a very clear issue, a Federal High Court in Lagos had given a verdict over the leadership of the PDP but instead of appealing the verdict, they chose to go to another court of coordinate jurisdiction in Port Harcourt. The court of appeal should be commended on this one” he added.

Some of the criticisms the judge are also not without basis and the judge would be well advised to learn from them.

A Benue based lawyer, Mr Abba John said the duty of a judge is to do justice to the parties before him. This, he explained, requires a judge to give fair hearing to all the parties within the provisions of rules of court. He said: “Perhaps, Justice Abang would have come to a different conclusions if he had afforded all the parties fair hearing. Take the Abia matter for instance.

Had the judge allowed the Abia tax authorities to explain the discrepancies in the tax clearances issued to the governor, he would probably have reached a different conclusion.”

The lawyer said the judge had the tendency to be overbearing but was quick to add that this should not be a basis for the Court of Appeal justices to castigate him the way they did adding that, they (the justices) ended up playing to the gallery the manner in which they attacked the judge.

The PDP leadership legal tussle is however far from over. The Supreme Court may still find in favour of the Ahmed Makarfi-led PDP. However, which ever interpretation the apex court favours will only validate the fact that, as a trial judge, Justice Abang is entitled to be wrong or right.

APC’S CONVOLUTED PLOT BACKFIRES IN ONDO The resignation THISDAY learnt came on the heels of efforts by leaders of thought to reconcile the warring factions.

It was gathered that the decision for Akindele to resign was taken on the agreement that Coker and his other officers would also resign

by Wednesday, March 22 which means he would have acted as speaker for three days.

It was expected that Coker would resign while the Clerk would preside and call for nomination for the new speaker and other principal officers in line with the existing

political arrangement.

In a twist of fate however,, as at the time of filling this report, Coker and the other principal officers of his group were yet to resign their positions as all moves that were taken to pave the way for the emergence of new leadership remained unsuccessful.

Another obstacle stalling the emergence of new principal officers for the house is that going by the current composition of the Assembly which has 21 PDP members and five APC members, the speaker and his

deputy would no doubt emerge from PDP. The APC-led executive appears uncomfortable with that.

Political watchers believed that recognition of Coker as the speaker was of no use in the true spirit of reconciliation. It is the opinion of the people that Akeredolu should have provided an avenue for Akindele to come to the House plenary, preside and announce her resignation as the speaker.

They said the recognition of Coker and his group amounted to giving approval to

illegality.

“More confusion had been created now.

Akeredolu as a person would have respected the rule of law but professional politicians around him are the one creating more problems.

As it is now, he cannot present nominees for the positions of commissioners and special advisers because the assembly is not sitting.

“An action you take today which works for you due to the prevailing situation, may be counter- productive later, that is what is happening now”, a chieftain of APC lamented.

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BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S NIBOR OVERNIGHT 1-MONTH

A S

NIBOR

15.3333% 17.0332%

A T

3-MONTH 6-MONTH

20.1621% 23.1621%

M A R C H 9 , NITTY 1-MONTH 2-MONTH

Group Business Editor Chika Amanze-Nwachuku Email chika.amanzenwachukwu@thisdaylive.com 08033294157

2 0 1 7

13.0970% 14.0684%

3-MONTH 6-MONTH

15.7898% 19.6644%

EXCHANGE RATE N305.50//1US DOLLAR* *AS AT LAST FRIDAY

Quick Takes Arik Extends N16, 000 Easter Promo

A WARM WELCOME

Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside flanked by the Norwegian Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, Mr. Ronny Berg (R) and the Norwegian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. JensPeter Kjemprud (L) when the Norwegian delegation paid a courtesy visit to the NIMASA Headquarters in Lagos…recently

Abuja Airport Closure: Nigerian Airlines Lose N10bn in Three Weeks Chinedu Eze Nigerian airline operators have put at about N10 billion, the lost they have incurred in the first three weeks the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja was closed for the rehabilitation of its runway.

These losses, according to the airlines, were a result of low passenger traffic, more fuel consumption and increased remuneration due to crew’s

AVIATION extra flight time.

Some of the operators, passengers and airport officials, who spoke to THISDAY on Wednesday, said passenger traffic has significantly reduced because many people, who would not want to go through Kaduna, have suspended their trips to Abuja pending when the airport will be reopened.

Passengers, who have been travelling through the alternative airport, complained of it is cumbersome and long bus ride from the Kaduna airport to Abuja, which takes at least three hours.

An operator of a major airline told THISDAY that due to the losses that would be incurred, his airline decided to cut down its operations and use part of the six weeks period the Abuja airport would remain closed

to send the crew for simulator training.

“Airlines are incurring huge losses now. The N10 billion projected loss in the first three weeks is more like it because the suspension of flights to Abuja cut down the traffic by 40 percent and even the remaining 60 percent is underperforming. Those airlines that were generating Continued on page 20

Customs Agents Want Finance Minister to Constitute Customs Board Eromosele Abiodun The National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun to urgently constitute the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Board to resolve controversies over lack of properly constituted board to direct the fiscal policy implementation as contained in the Customs and Excise Management Act C 45 of 2004.

In a petition to President Muhammadu Buhari, signed

by NCMDLCA’s National President, Lucky Amiwero, the body said it was disturbed by

MARITIME the absence a legally constituted board, as it is a major setback to the Nigerian economy.

According to NCMDLCA, section 1 sub-section (1) of Nigerian Customs Service Board Act Cap.N 100 L.F.N 2004, stipulated that the “Federal Ministry of Finance is to house and control the board” as clearly stated in Section 1-(1).

The Act provided that: “There is hereby established under the control of the Federal Ministry of Finance, a board to be known as the Nigerian Customs Service Board (in this Act referred to as “the Board”) which shall be responsible for the administra-

tion of the Custom and Excise Management Act. “The administration of the Customs and Excise Act is conferred on the board by the provision of Section 1 (1) of the Act, which must be housed and controlled by the Federal Minister of Finance as provided in the Act. This is to make for ease of policy formulation and regulation as conferred on the Minister of Finance under Section 2, 3, of the Nigeria Custom Service board Act and 4, 5 18, 26-(4) 36, 57, 74,81,116,120, 138 and 156, of the Customs and Excise Management act C45 of 2004, which was to regulate the economy through proper fiscal policy direction.”

The customs agents noted that

the provision as contained in the NCS Board Act, requires the board “to administer the Customs and Excise Management Act, rectify any appointment, promotion, dismissal, disciplinary control of staff and policy directive released by the Minister of Finance as Chairman of the Board and the regulatory power on import, Export and Excise under the Customs and Excise Management Act Section 18, 26(4) 36, 57, 74, 76, 81, 105,111,116, 120, 138 and 156.”

They stated that there is an urgent need to give the service a direction through the legally constituted board under the chairman ship of the Minister of Continued on page 20

ArikAirhasextendedthevalidityoftheongoingN16,000promotional fares to cover the Easter celebration period.

The airline said that the special fare, which enables a customer to buy a one-way ticket to any destination in Nigeria from N16, 000 was originally scheduled to end on 31 March, 2017.

It said that with the extension of the promotion, customers still have the opportunity of buying the N16, 000 ticket from now until 17 April, 2017 for travel on or before 30 April, 2017. Tickets can be purchased at any Arik Air City Office, Airport Ticketing Office or through the Call Centre on 01 2799999.

Arik Air’s Chief Executive Officer, Captain Roy Ilegbodu explained, “By extending the validity of the special fare till after the Easter celebration, we believe that our customers will take advantage of the huge savings to spend the Easter holidays with their families and loved ones.”

The airline also said it has significantly improved its on- time performance over what obtained in the last couple of weeks.

According to the airline, flights now depart within the 15 minutes of their published departure time in line with industry standard of On Time Performance (OTP).

Arik Air’s CEO disclosed that in the last one month, the airline has exceeded the customers’ expectations with improved service and on time departures. He said, “our goal in this period and beyond is not only to provide customer friendly services that are safe and reliable, but we also want our customers to have confidence in our schedule knowing that we keep to time.”

Medview Prepares for 2017 Hajj

After celebrating 10 years of robust Hajj operations in Nigeria, a leading domestic carrier, Medview Airline said it had adopted the strategy to offer the best of services to Muslim pilgrims intending to go to the Holy land, the value for their money.

To achieve this, the airline, which commenced Lagos-KanoKaduna routes recently held a stakeholders’ session, including its trade partners, agents, passengers, pilots amongst others, to seek better ways of utilising the newly opened routes in connection to smooth airlifting of the Muslim pilgrims within and outside the country.

The event which was held at Tahir Hotels in Kano created an ample opportunity for stakeholders to ask questions and proffer better ways to get the best of services from the airline.

Opening the session, Managing Director/CEO of Medview Airline, Alhaji Muneer Bankole said Medview was in Kano to service the critical element of aviation business, saying that the airlines are the driving force that keeps the aviation going.

EmphasisingthatMedviewbusinessistobringcomforttocustomers and not to create stress, the CEO said “Today, we mark the Inaugural flight to Kano. Jeddah will start in April. On 19th, May, we will extend our West Coast routes. We are adding Abidjan, Conackry and others.

In Medview, we have a fleet expansion programme, that has made us to bring new aircraft”.

StarTimes to Reward Customers at Easter

StarTimes has stated that it is set to offer series of “Easter gifts” to customers, as it recently announced it would serve a visual feast to subscribers with the launch of an Easter promo from March 20 till May 31. According to the company’s Head of Public Relations, Mr. Israel Bolaji, “StarTimes Easter promo provides an excellent opportunity for viewers to learn more about premium channels on the platforms to fully experience the fantastic content services.

“We will always spare no efforts to offer rich, diverse and high quality television content services to African customers. If viewers subscribe one month Classic Bouquet, they would enjoy one week Unique Bouquet for free while watching over 90 channels.

Usually it is lower or basic bouquet with a few channels included in the first subscription of Satellite TV (DTH), but customers can go premium directly with StarTimes,” said Bolaji.

Customers can also access StarTimes Satellite TV service and directly enjoy premium channels with one month Super Bouquet

‘I will resign if we do not meet the deadline of re-opening the Abuja airport after six weeks.

We are going to meet the deadline”

Minister of State, Aviation

Senator Hadi Sirika.

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BUSINESSWORLD ABUJA AIRPORT CLOSURE: NIGERIAN AIRLINES LOSE about N100 million daily cannot even generate N50 million now and you still have to pay for insurance, consume the same amount of fuel, if not more, carry out the maintenance of the aircraft and pay the crew.

“It is wrong to put pressure on airlines to operate from Kaduna because it is purely a commercial decision by the airlines. As a newspaper company, if your newspaper does not sell in Maidiguri, will you carry two truckloads of your newspapers to that city and what do you expect when you take your goods there? Airlines should have been allowed to take their decision. Some airlines like Ethiopia Airlines decided to play politics. That is a government airline; not every airline has the kind of privilege that they have,” one operator told THISDAY. CUSTOMS AGENTS WANT FINANCE MINISTER TO CONSTITUTE CUSTOMS BOARD

Finance in line with provision of the Nigeria Customs service Board Act and the Customs and Excise Management Act C45 of 2004, by compliance with the provision as contained in the Nigeria Customs service Board Act. (N100 L.F.N 2004 and the customs and excise management act C45 of 2004.

The body added: “The control, authority, direction, management and administrations is directly under the control of the Federal Minster of Finance, who regulate under the provisions of various section of the Act and issues directive as the Chairman of the Board of Nigeria Customs Service Board under section 2 of Nigeria Customs Service Board Act Cap N 100 L.F.N of 1992 “The Customs Service Board by the provision of Section 4-(1) 5-(1) is subject to the general control, authority, management, direction of the Federal Minister of Finance as state here under: 4-(1) The board shall, subject to the general control of the Minister, be charged with the duty of controlling and managing and administration of the Customs and Excise Laws.

Group Business Editor

Chika Amanze-Nwachuku AgriBusiness/Industry Editor

Crusoe Osagie

Comms/e-Business Editor

Emma Okonji

Capital Market Editor

Goddy Egene

Senior Correspondent

Raheem Akingbolu (Advertising) Correspondents

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

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

NEWS

Customs to Partner ANLCA, NAGAFF to Tackle Corruption, Smuggling Eromosele Abiodun The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and licensed customs agents have agreed to form a synergy against smuggling and corruption in the maritime sector.

This was a fall out from a visit of the Controller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd) to the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) and National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) in Lagos recently.

The meetings, which were part of Ali’s renewed strategic engagement with stakeholders culminated in the launching of an anti- smuggling sticker

by ANLCA and assurances of support from NAGAFF. Ali said his office is ready to strengthen a synergy that will prevent smuggling and enhance government revenue while fighting corruption in the sector.

Ali urged all stakeholders to be bold to report vices like corruption while assuring that there will be no hiding place for any customs officer found culpable.

He advised agents and freight forwarders to avoid cutting corners in a bid to make profit as some allegations of corruption against customs officers have agents collaborators, who seek to profit from them. ‘’We must be bold enough to fight corruption. If an officer insists you must give him money, let us know. We must be the one to ensure that all the bad elements among us are exposed. It gladdens my heart that NAGAFF and ANLCA have form a synergy

with us. That will give Nigeria Customs the encouragement to do better,” he said.

President of ANLCA, Olayiwola Shittu condemned the multiplicity of customs functions and interference with other agencies like the police, which according to him, disrupts trade.

ANLCA also requested for a new clearance procedure that will eliminate frequent alerts and blocking of licenses.

Acting President of NAGAFF, Increase Uche called for professionalism, enabling legislation to promote customs function and entrenching

international best practices.

Uche said: ‘’We are also aware that the CG has earlier today visited the headquarters of our sister association, ANLCA. Let me announce to the CG that these two leading associations in the total logistics supply chain are now synergising to bring about sustainability and support that would accelerate the growth of our national economy, which we feel will further help to ease the actualisation of your mandate as directed by Mr. President. ‘’Bearing this in mind and our interest in the success

of your major task of trade facilitation, we have before now, made so many correspondences to your office including our last letter in which we requested that you host a delegation of NAGAFF in your office. The need to sustain the long standing mutual relationship and the strategic partnership which has existed between NAGAFF and the Nigeria Customs Service cannot be over emphasised.

Today that dream is being actualised. This is basically in our efforts at carrying out our public policy advocacy role which we have been known

for since over 18years of the establishment of our great association. ‘’Mr. CGC sir, as part of our contributions to the actualisation of your mandate, we have identified three major steps you need to take to achieve it. In fact, we will suggest that you set up a joint committee involving officials from the Nigeria Customs Service with the DCG Enforcement and Tariff and Trade and NAGAFF as members to, on a continuous basis, rub minds to put to effect, our contributions targeted at actualising a new Customs of our dream.

COURTESY VISIT

R-L: Chief Operating Officer, MTN Nigeria, Muhammad Zia Siddiqui; Vice Chancellor of University of Port Harcourt, Prof Ndowa Lale; Customers Relation Executive, Ugonwa Nwoye and Deputy Vice Chancellor Admin, Uniport, Prof Anthony Ibe, during MTN’s courtesy visit to the Vice Chancellor …recently

FG: Wacott Rice Investment will Boost Food Security, Jobs Crusoe Osagie The food security and youth employment goals of the federal government is receiving major support with the establishment of a rice processing mill with 120,000 metric tonnes capacity in Argungu, Kebbi State

by WACOT Rice Limited, a member of the TGI Group. The rice mill is part of WACOT’s expansion plan, which targets a capacity increase with additional rice plants to overall 500,000 metric tonnes in the next years.

Located in Argungu Local

Government Area, along the Argungu-Sokoto road, the rice processing plant is the first rice mill to be conceptualised, executed and to be commissioned during the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Work started on the Mill in February 2016 and is scheduled to be formally commissioned in May, 2017.

During a pre-commissioning visit to the 120,000 metric tonnes mill on Thursday, the Governor of Kebbi State, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, and the governor

of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, commended the Board and Management of WACOT Rice Limited for keying into the ‘self-sufficiency in rice production’ goal of the federal government.

While conducting the special visitors round the N10 billion state of the art Mill, the Group Managing Director of TGI Group, Mr. Rahul Savara disclosed that the Mill will produce top quality rice, and that it will generate direct and indirect employment for 3,500 people, adding that over 50,000 farmers will have

ready market for their produce.

WACOT’s Managing Director, Mr. Ujwalkanta Senapati, adds that “WACOT views farmers as partners with whom we work hand-in-hand to improve agricultural production.”

Savara further revealed that the Mill is “the first rice plant in Nigeria with captive power co-generation facility and that it will generate 1 MW electricity from rice husks, thereby ensuring that all by-products and waste products are fully consumed and the environment is protected.

While commending the management of WACOT for

locating the mill in his State and for completing it within a short period, the visibly elated Governor Bagudu said, “what WACOT has done shows that Nigeria has friends and a friend in need is a friend indeed”, adding, WACOT is investing in Kebbi because we have created the enabling environment for business to thrive”.

The Governor also declared that once the WACOT Mill starts full operation, a large part of the rice cultivated in the State will be processed within the state, instead of being taken elsewhere for milling.

Stallion Group Bags Special Agric Sector Awards Stallion Group has been awarded the prestigious IBCA-Outstanding Projects and Business Leader of the Year Award.

The award was bestowed on the Popular Farms and Mills Limited, a company under license of the Stallion Group.

The Popular Farms and Mills Limited, said in a statement on Sunday that the Stallion Group “would like to acknowledge the

quintessential and impeccable leadership qualities and magnanimous approach of President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh in the agriculture sector and their pathfinder initiative of the change agenda.”

The statement further thanked the “IBCA for creating this platform to acknowledge the real positive change makers in the agriculture sector and

OPAL nomination committee for nominating and rewarding Stallion Group for the Business Leader of the Year and Outstanding Project awards.”

According to the statement, “these awards are testimonials to our efforts at expanding operations in Nigeria’s fully integrated rice value chain, resulting in a boost of 430,000 metric tonnes of rice production per annum.

“The Group is targeting production of 1.5 million tonnes of rice in Nigeria through the setting up of more milling capacities and structured farming activities.

“Stallion has established fully integrated agricultural operations including world-class rice mills at strategic locations, with the aim of promoting milling and paddy cultivation in the captive areas, thus creating

a catalyst for increased local production of paddy and, ultimately, Nigeria’s self-sufficiency in rice production.

The Group’s Director, Mr. Harpreet Singh commenting on the awards said that “sensing the need for local self-sufficiency and government’s ambitions for food security, Stallion pioneered investments into backward integration, creating a fully integrated value chain.

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BUSINESSWORLD

NEWS

NIPOST to Launch GPS Enabled APP for Nationwide Mail Delivery, Others The Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), has said that it is on the verge of launching the latest digital mode VS2015, which would enable its customers trace and track with ease their mails and parcels anywhere in the world.

The organisation, is also set to launch MEHI- Mail for Every House Initiative. This is a GPS enabled Application system and programme that will allow NIPOST postmen deliver mail, (letters and parcels) to every homes in Nigeria.

MEHI will be powered by the world number one addressing technology service provider, What3words based in London.

This development was disclosed by Nigeria’s Postmaster General, Mr. Bisi Adegbuyi while speaking on BEN TV good morning show.

Adegbuyi, who is the first Postmaster General from the private sector, stated that NIPOST is a cash cow that has

been neglected by successive governments in Nigeria and allowed to decay due to the overbearing financial attention on Nigeria’s oil.

The Postmaster General noted that NIPOST is currently undergoing system restructuring programme that will enable it diversify profitably into financial services, e-commerce and logistics, insurance, shipping and property.

Adegbuyi pledged its committed to a new NIPOST agenda, which he said were designed to transform, innovate, integrate and move the organisation to the process of inclusion as it is done in advanced economies of the world.

He noted that NIPOST Act 2004 empowers the Postmaster General to diversify the services of the organisation to other sectors which are commercially viable, innovative and able to drive in revenue for the organisation and the country. The Postmaster

General however noted that one of the several challenges facing the organisation is the failure of Nigeria’s legislature to pass the Nigeria Postal Service Bill which has been at the National Assembly for 8 years.

Adegbuyi who is seven months in office as the Postmaster General, stated that a fully functional and diversified NIPOST has the potential to take Nigeria out of recession by way of the amount of huge revenue the organisation has the capacity to generate.

He observed that NIPOST facilities scattered all around the nooks and crannies of Nigeria will soon effectively become financial and banking facilities which will be delivered in collaboration with major banks in Nigeria.

Furthermore, he said NIPOST financial and banking services will take banking services to rural areas of the country where millions of Nigerians remained unbanked.

Nolands Commences Operations in Nigeria Raheem Akingbolu In a determined posture towards capturing new markets in the African continent, an integrated audit services firm, Nolands, has launched its services in Nigeria.

The firm which provides services on tax, audit, advisory and forensics, extended its tentacles to Nigeria with a view to making tax environment more vibrant in the country.

The launching of the company in Nigeria came at a time the federal government is beginning to gear the citizens towards tax compliance.

Speaking at the official launch of the company in Lagos on Thursday, Chief Executive Officer Nolands Nigeria, Prof.

Taofeeq Abdulrazaq stated that the company would help entrench tax compliance by providing solutions for the private and public sector.

Abdulrasaq said: “We have our own brand image and that’s what we are going to put out in the market to give people choice and value for their money,” he said.

According to him, the launch of Nolands Nigeria will bring

connection and expatriate skills which will benefit clients across the country and in the continent.

He explained that the central policy of his firm is Pro Africa and it’s good to start from Nigeria.

The professor who has written a book on taxation also suggested moves through which Nigerian government can use tax to galvanise the nation’s economy.

To achieve this, he advised that the government should “reduce corporate tax from 30 percent to 20 percent, lower the rate of personal income tax from 20 percent to 10 percent, concentrate on indirect taxes, reduce the multiplicity of taxes, and reform the tax dispute resolution mechanism.

Abdulrasaq further advised government to create offices for tax simplification, tax law committee and tax ombudsman.

Government should also encourage tax arbitration so that the sum of money that is tied down in dispute can be released to it. “Government should train tax practitioners and build a lot of technology to drive the system.”

Unveiling the company in

Nigeria in Lagos, the Chief Executive Officer Nolands, Darryl Fordham said the firm wants to be part of the growth of Nigerian and Africa economy.

Fordham who believes the size and dynamics of the Nigerian market would be a springboard for Nolands into other West African countries, says the decision to come to Nigeria is a very special milestone for the firm.

“In years to come, we will look at this moment as a pivotal time in the development of Nolands itself.

Speaking also at the event is the Marketing Director, Nolands, South Africa, Errol Denman who said his firm has taken time to find the right people to partner with and hopes for the best to happen.

He said: “With Prof. Taofeeq and his team, we know we’ve partnered with the best. They have a long track record of professionalism and integrity, the two pillars on which we built Nolands”.

Fordham explained that Nolands carries out its functions with distinct working principles hinged on relationship and solutions.

Entrepreneur Launches Multimillion Naira Bakery Kasim Sumaina in Abuja As part of efforts towards creating job opportunities for unemployed youths, an entrepreneur and mother of four, yesterday launched a multi-million naira bakery and confectionaries in the nation’s capital, Abuja Managing Director, Chief Executive Officer, Ugee Bakery and Confectionaries, Mrs. Orya Febronia, during the launching identified strength, wisdom and knowledge as key catalyst to youth entrepreneurial skills development.

Orya disclosed that, being a success-driven female entrepreneur involves more than having sufficient money to start-up business.

The CEO explained that, she was a believer of the woman’s world and her ability to change her environment. According to her, “I got married very early and my husband, challenged me to be independent. I don’t see myself as a woman with the strength and passion that I have. I believe that women need to identify what they want and do it right. Even if her dream is just to be a wife, women need

to understand that men do not want to marry a woman without passion or dreams. “What you have upstairs makes you more attractive, valuable and not the beauty. I always tell girls that, if they are determined, they can it in whatever they choose to do, I tell them that it is not necessarily about hairstyle, hairdos, make-up, dressed up and shaking of their body. The owner of the multi million naira bakery located in Karu, a suburb of the city centre, revealed that in order to ensure success in her business, she has to travelled abroad for three months study on bakery.

RISK MANAGEMENT WATCH Robert Mbonu

Risk Language – “Did You Mean Slow Down?”

L

anguage is defined as a system of communication used by people in a particular country or type of work consisting of sounds, words, and grammar. The key word in this definition is “communication”. For communication to be effective the intended message must be successfully delivered, received and understood. In an organisation (government ministry, department and agency) it enables the employees to deepen their connection with others and improve team work, decision-making, and problem solving capacity.

Organisations in Nigeria are made up of employees from different native languages, backgrounds and education levels.

Since risk management is fundamental to business success and long term sustainability, it implies that the understanding of this management science through a common language and meaning is critical for its successful embedding and implementation.

Effective risk management is not just about having good policies, procedures, risk registers and processes, it needs to involve everyone in the organisation, from the Board Chairman, CEO (Minister, Perm Sec.) down to the clerical officer.

For that to happen, there needs to be a common language that enables everyone to talk about risk, and to be able to understand each other.

Risk management provides us with the discipline and the language to take a step back every now and then and project our thoughts forward, through mutual discussion and conversations, and to discuss the longer term effect of whatever it is that we are doing in the organisation.

Therefore the language and vocabulary have to be common and pervasive. They have to be conveyed into every part of the organisation and to become a part of the common language for the business at every level. This means that it has to be kept simple, straightforward and understandable.

This common language is crucial to establishing a long lasting risk management process that encapsulates and provides structure to all the risk management processes. The risk management policies, frameworks and operating model are normally how this is articulated, but are made real by the consistent use and sharing of the common language throughout the organisation.

The establishment and articulation of the overall direction for integrated enterprise risk management, including vision, objectives, supports this common language. This also ensures the successful integration of the risk management function into the organisation. It also ensures all are speaking the same risk management language and totally understand each other.

Here is an A to Z of do’s and don’ts regarding effectively employing risk language and vocabulary; A – Absolutely no acronyms – there’s nothing more effective at putting people off risk management than a series of letters that no one understands.

B – The benefits of sharing a common language for risk management are vast and must be stressed.

C – Consistent communication is the bedfellow of successful risk management.

D – Define clearly what you are talking about and provide easy to access definitions of the more complex aspects of risk management E – Energy is required to make communicating risk management successful

F – Finishing the causal loop in your mind will help to predict what the outcome might be G – Good Governance keeps the discipline of the common language in place.

H – Making the risk management language part of the organisational habit is important.

I – Incentives are important to ensure that the use of the language is shared and consistent.

J – Joining the risk management language up with the language of the organisation is critical to ensure that there are no inconsistencies.

K – Key terms should be emphasised persistently and consistently.

L – Listening and Learning how the language is used throughout the organisation will help to recognise that the language is being used consistently and is understood.

M – Myths are common if the language is not consistently used.

O – Ownership of the language rests with the whole enterprise. It is a mistake to assume that the risk management practitioners keep the language to themselves.

P – Practice the language and vocabulary at every opportunity.

Q – Qualitative and Quantitative language and vocabulary should be developed.

R – Reports should use the language and vocabulary.

S – Specific terms might need to be explained in a glossary which is easily accessible.

T – The language of threats should be identified separately from the language of opportunity.

U – Uncertainty is the central theme of risk management and the language and vocabulary should reflect this.

V – Value through the use of the language and vocabulary should be measured through the outputs of the risk management processes.

W – Whistle blowing should be widely encouraged as part of the governance process and the language of risk management should speak to this.

In order to implement a consistent approach to the use of the language and vocabulary of risk management, we must consider make a statement that clearly sets out the objectives for integrating the risk management language into the wider use of language in the organisation.

This statement must at the outset set out what is meant by risk, risk management, opportunity, threat, risk analysis, risk evaluation, risk control, risk action.

Once everyone in the organisation is using a consistent language for risk management, from the CEO to the most junior officer, then there can be an open and frank exchange about the opportunities and threats that bear upon the achievement of the organisation’s goals. It is only with that common language that the organisation can predict and respond to opportunities and threats as they present themselves in the day to day activities. Imagine being driven in a fast car by a driver who doesn’t understand what you mean when you say “slow down” – it will be tantamount to an accident waiting to happen!

•Mbonu, FERP, CIRM(UK), HCIB, MsRM (Stern), studied Engineering, is an experienced Banker and Enterprise Risk Management professional. Earned a post graduate degree in Risk Management from New York University Stern School of Business, and is a member of the Institute of Risk Management -UK. Can be reached on 09092092046 (SMS Only); email: rm4riskmgt@gmail.com

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BUSINESSWORLD

AVIATION

IATA Seeks Alternatives to Large Electronic Restrictions on Flights Chinedu Eze The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has called on governments to urgently provide alternatives to recently announced measures by the United States and the United Kingdom to restrict the carryon of large electronic items on certain flights departing the Middle East and North Africa.

“The current measures are not an acceptable long-term solution to whatever threat they are trying to mitigate. Even in the short term it is difficult to understand their effectiveness.

And the commercial distortions

they create are severe. We call on governments to work with the industry to find a way to keep flying secure without separating passengers from their personal electronics,” said IATA’s Director General and CEO, Alexandre de Juniac.

De Juniac made this remark in a speech to the Montreal Council on Foreign Relations in which he highlighted the need to maintain public confidence in the security of the global aviation industry which safely and security operates an average 100,000 flights a day.

“With the measures now

in place, our passengers and member airlines are asking valid questions. Why don’t the US and the UK have a common list of airports? How can laptops be secure in the cabin on some flights and not others, including flights departing from the same airport? And surely there must be a way to screen electronic equipment effectively? The current situation is not acceptable and will not maintain the all-important confidence of the industry or of travelers.

We must find a better way.

And Governments must act quickly,” said de Juniac.

Amadeus Announces Content Agreement with Dana Amadeus, a leading provider of advanced technology solutions for the global travel industry has announced full content agreement with Nigeria’s domestic carrier, Dana Air. The company said that under the agreement, all Amadeus subscribers in Nigeria and worldwide could now access Dana Air’s full product range, schedules and availability under the same terms and conditions as Dana Air’s website, call centres or ticket offices.

Furthermore, to facilitate and simplify the selling, reporting and remitting procedures of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) accredited travel agents in Nigeria when processing Dana Air bookings,

the airline has become a participant in IATA’s Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP).

“We are delighted that Dana Air has selected Amadeus as its global distribution partner.

Our strategy is to provide our travel agencies across West Africa with access to superior and relevant content which can be booked in an efficient and smart way. Moreover Dana Air can be booked and paid for using a credit card as Amadeus is the first Global Distribution System (GDS) to accept credit card payments in Nigeria and Ghana. The implementation of credit cards through Amadeus as a form of payment is a significant milestone for Nigerian travel

agents and travelers alike,” Amadeus General Manager, Nigerian and Ghana, Yann Gilbert, said.

Also speaking on the new partnership, the Chief Operating Officer, Dana Air, Obi Mbanuzuo, said: “The travel agency channel is a critical component to support our distribution strategy as we seek to attract leisure and business travellers from within and outside Nigeria with affordable regional air transport services focused on innovation, quality and service excellence. We are pleased to partner with Amadeus and to give Nigeria’s largest network of travel agencies access to our full range of schedules and fares.”

Ethiopia Airlines Wins Cargo Awards African’s largest cargo operator, Ethiopian Airlines, has won ‘Cargo Airline Award for Network Development’ at the tenth anniversary of the Brussels Airport Aviation Awards held on March 9, 2017.

The airline explained that the Network Development Awards are presented to airlines that have developed new routes or achieved a remarkable growth in passengers or cargo. As a result, the ‘Network Development Award Cargo Airline’ award was awarded to Ethiopian Cargo in recognition to the commitment of the airline to rapidly expand its cargo network and for becoming the largest cargo airline at Brussels Airport in just 6 months period.

Ethiopian Group CEO, Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam remarked, “We are very pleased to be the winner of such a prestigious award.

The award boosts our energy to serve our customers’ air cargo needs better. Ethiopian Cargo Services connects

African Economies with the rest of the world in import of Industrial Goods and Export of commodities which are both the engine of the socio Economic Development in today’s highly globalized world. With six new and modern B-777F and two B-757F all cargo airplanes complemented by the vast network of belly hold capacity on our passenger wide body airplanes, Ethiopian Cargo is currently the largest cargo airline in the continent of Africa.

“We are grateful to our dedicated cargo team, our Global cargo customers and particularly to our Belgian partners who have made our cargo Hub in Europe a resounding success. With the inauguration ofa the largest and the most modern Cargo terminal in Africa, with annual cargo capacity of 600 thousand tons, in the coming couple of months; we will transform Addis Ababa as one of the best Cargo Hubs in the air cargo industry.”

Ethiopian said ever since the first cargo charter

operation was launched to Nairobi in 1946 and the boom of agriculture export products out of Ethiopia, Ethiopian Cargo Services has been steadily growing.

With its six Boeing 777200LRF freighters and two Boeing 757-260 freighters, “we serve 36 cargo destinations in Africa, the Gulf, the Middle East, Asia and Europe with an average daily uplift of 650 tons on top of the belly hold capacity to over 90 destinations in our network with daily average uplift of 150 tons.”

In line with its Vision 2025, Ethiopian Cargo is building one of the largest and most modern cargo terminals in the world with an annual capacity of 1.2 million tons and planning to serve 47 destinations using 18 freighter aircraft. Ethiopian Cargo is also automating its entire cargo business process with one of the best Cargo IT systems (SITA Champ Cargo Spot) with the aim of providing the most efficient air cargo services within, to and from Africa.

AIR WATCH The Bleak Future of Aviation in W’Africa

Bomberdier Global Express

A

frica has the least air connectivity in the world, according to aviation industry experts. It is an indubitable fact that a Nigerian that wants to go to Equatorial Guinea, which is about 30 minutes away from Calabar, would have to go to Dakar or Abidjan first to connect flight to the country that shares shoreline with Nigeria.

The Director General of the Nigerian Civil Avition Authority (NCAA), Captain Muhtar Usman told THISDAY last year that poor air connectivity in Africa, especially in West and Central Africa was retarding the realisation of the economic potential of the sub-regions.That is why government is supporting the Yamoussoukro Declaration (YD), which tends to eliminate regional boundaries for open airspace for airlines from the continent.

“We have very poor connectivity within Africa.

Once we implement the YD I believe that connectivity in Africa will improve. You can imagine somebody going to Brazzaville; you cannot take direct flight. Last time I attempted it I had to go through Lome to Kinshasa and from Kinshasa to Brazzaville. Then coming back I had to fly from Brazzaville to Kinshasa and then overflew Nigeria and went to Abidjan, stayed on ground for nine hours and connected a flight back to Nigeria.

This is a flight that will take not more than two and half hours from Lagos that I spent a whole day and almost a whole night,” Usman said.

But aviation business operators in Nigeria are saying that the lack of connectivity is their niche market, but unfortunately private jet service, including fractional ownership system, is seen as epitomising opulence; even though it is a necessity for business. This was the colouration given it when politicians and highly placed individuals began to acquire private jets as a showcase of their wealth in a country where the poor still drown the middle class. This gave rise to prejudice that has become a stigma. Nevertheless, the Chairman of ANAP Business Jets, Atedo Peterside insists that charter services and unscheduled flight operations are inevitable for the businessman and woman that must traverse African destinations to do business.

“Business aviation is a necessity in Africa because Africa is a large continent geographically and the major urban centres are interspersed.

It is not easy, for instance, to fly efficiently from Abuja to Yaounde on a commercial flight. To get to Yaounde from Abuja, you may have to fly from Abuja to Lagos to Douala and then on to Yaounde. You then have to go back the same way.

The entire journey might take you three or four days - meanwhile, you are going to attend a one or two hour meeting in Yaounde”, Peterside told THISDAY in an interview about two years ago.

In his presentation at the African Business Aviation Association (AFBAA) Regional Symposium/ Nigerian Business Aviation Conference held in Lagos last week, titled; “Perception of Business Aviation in West Africa and How to Affect It”,

Peterside noted: “Business Aviation has a terrible reputation in West Africa. Unfortunately, private jets are still seen in the region as expensive toys for playboy millionaires, insensitive and wasteful Heads of States/senior government officials or politicians and others who acquired their wealth through questionable means. And yet it need not be so.” According to him, private jets could be and are indeed an indispensable and efficient tool for big business in a West Africa region where efficient travel between neighbouring capital cities could still be a nightmare because many of Nigeria’s airlines are seriously challenged.

“Traffic between many of the smaller urban centres is not large enough to support regular scheduled services. For instance, three flights a week between Lagos and Freetown means that, to attend a three- hour Tuesday morning meeting in Freetown, a Nigerian business delegation may have to depart Lagos on Saturday morning and only get back home on Thursday afternoon.

“Even travel between capitals of two neighbouring countries e.g. Abuja and Yaoundé remains a daunting task in 2017. As a general rule, commercial flights are only available to and from major hubs. Pointto-point travel, which bypasses hubs, is therefore only possible in West Africa via business aviation,” Peterside said.

He said ANAP Business Jets Limited is on a mission to correct the narrative surrounding business aviation in West Africa and, so far, “we are succeeding.

Serious business people are surprised when they discover that, by embracing the fundamentals behind a “sharing economy”, a modest financial outlay through the ANAP Jets fractional ownership platform can significantly transform their businesses by giving them access to a private jet “on demand” for a few years.”

According to Peterside, this helps to eradicate their regional travelling headaches in a most efficient manner, noting that the idea of sharing economy in fractional ownership enables one to pay less and fly more.

“The first time I realised that private jets had become an essential or indispensable business tool in our region was when I had a series of meetings with successful mining companies in Western Australia some years ago. I was trying to sell them the West African mining story. Miners typically bring out large maps and when you discuss specific mineral deposits with them, their first question was: ‘Where is the nearest airport or airstrip from that location?’”

Peterside added.

However, THISDAY gathered that there have been a lull in the charter business since the past one and half years because of the economic downturn and because of the anti-corruption fight of the present administration, which makes some highly placed business men and women and politicians to operate low-key. But all these seem to eclipse the importance of business aviation and the critical need of charter services to connect all the destinations that cannot be connected by commercial flights in West and Central Africa.

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Poor Airport Runways and FAAN’s Fiscal Malaise Airport runways under the management of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria are all rundown. Chinedu Eze writes that the poor conditions of the facilities expose flights to security and safety threats

On Monday when the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed and the Minister of State, Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika met with members of Aviation Round Table (ART) in Lagos, Mohammed, who refuted the report that the timeline for the reopening of the Abuja airport was extended, explained that the massive rehabilitation work on the airport’s runway necessitated its closure.

For over 30 years, the runway was built no major maintenance work was done on it before now.

That is also the fate of the 22 airports under the management of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). In fact, Sirika recalled that the runway at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa at the time caved in due to lack of maintenance and the airport had to be closed for two years for a comprehensive repair work.

Poor Maintenance Culture Almost all the runways at the airports under FAAN management are dilapidated and many of them are not fitted with airfield lighting. FAAN sources said that some of the airports that even have airfield lighting when they were built are poorly maintained. Some of the runway lights are not functioning; many with dead bulbs are not replaced and as it is expected that these facilities should be upgraded; “they have to be dysfunctional before concerned authorities will notice,” an official said.

Many of the nation’s airport runways have damaged the landing gears of many aircraft because they are not properly maintained. Some industry stakeholders blamed the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for not mandating FAAN to ensure these runways were properly maintained. But others argue that FAAN needed not be reminded to do its job properly because “it claims that it is an authority, pointing out that the Act that established it gave it autonomy”. An industry stakeholder said that until that Act is amended by the National Assembly and FAAN made to be subordinate to NCAA, there would always be controversy concerning the oversight function of NCAA on the agency.

It is the bad state of the runways that has limited the operation of flights to these airports, especially in the night. This has also led to the underutilisation of these facilities by airlines, including charter operators, who could land at airports at any time in the night if such airports have the facilities for night landing at their runway.

Last December airlines had to pay hugely to be allowed to land at some airports after 6:00 pm. Some of the airlines had to pay as high as N500,000 so that the airport workers

in charge of runway lighting, air traffic control and passenger processing could stay back to facilitate aircraft arrival and take off.

Chairman of Air Peace, Chief Allen Onyema said in an interview with THISDAY that, “Enugu, for example, has runway light but they close it on time. So why can’t they operate 24 hours?

Why do you make me to pay extra for landing there after 6:00 pm? Every day, during the Christmas period I was paying N500, 000. How many passengers was Air Peace carrying? Just to provide service to the people we are being taxed heavily. So you pay for the service for you to be served, you are not even served: even when they now have to provide any service, you have to now pay again.

“Those airports were supposed to have good landing equipment. Over there in Europe, my aircraft was going to Estonia it was zero weather visibility but the pilot landed. This was because the facilities were there at the airport and in the aircraft. All they needed to do was to put it on auto and the aircraft would get itself down quietly.”

Perimeter Fencing During the first inspection of the Kaduna airport, after it was designated as alternative to Abuja airport, shortly before the later was closed for the runway rehabilitation, it was noticed that there were permanent routes on the airside through which the host community pass through to the market and other destinations. The airport was too exposed to runway incursion. Although the airport manager assured then that a new route was given to the host community as alternative, last week there was report that cattle was seen at the airside of the airport.

This is not peculiar to the Kaduna airport.

Some years ago, Air France flight landed on cattle at the Port Harcourt runway and in September last year, Arik Air flight hit antelope on the runway of the same airport. The reason for all these incursions is because the airports do not have perimeter fencing. No airport in Nigeria under FAAN management has comprehensive security and perimeter fencing.

Aviation security experts have posited at different fora that it is Providence rather than proper security architecture that has kept terrorists and other evil minded people from accessing the critical areas of the nation’s airport to carry out obnoxious activities that could do maximum damage to travellers and others. For the fact that in 2013 a young boy accessed the airside of Benin airport and entered the wheel-well of Arik Air aircraft which brought him to Lagos,

says how porous the airports are, and nothing significant has been done since then to improve security at the airside of most airports.

FAAN’s Financial Challenges FAAN officials that spoke to THISDAY said that the major challenge the agency is facing is paucity of funds. According to them, FAAN does not have the funds to deploy and regularly maintain these facilities; yet the federal government insists it pays substantial part of its revenues to its coffers. One of the officials said that the agency would do better without the interferences of the Ministry of Transport, which erodes its prioritsation of projects and programmes for the upgrade and maintenance of the airports.

“Let me safely put it that FAAN generates about N32 billion annually. On monthly basis, the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos generates N2 billion, which is N24 billion per annum. Other airports put together generate about N8 billion and this amounts to N32 billion. How far can this go with the capital intensive projects we have to do?” the official said.

He expressed regret that 60 percent of this revenue goes to overheads and salaries because the agency has over bloated workforce.

“The overhead is so much and with salary they take about 60 percent of the revenues and you know we have very old facilities to maintain.

Then we have this problem of overbearing influence from the Ministry, forcing FAAN to do contracts it does not need or require and after the contract they force FAAN to pay the contractors. We cannot prioritise our expenditure.

The contracts are usually awarded by the Ministry and FAAN cannot even monitor or reprimand them when they do shoddy jobs. That is why sometimes we cannot explain some of these projects at our airports and FAAN is the only agency everybody knows and we are held responsible for everything,” the official said.

The official however argued that concession may not be a panacea to the problem of the airports, noting that if there are no interferences FAAN would effectively modernize and manage the airports. Stakeholders fundamentally disagree with this view. They believe that as long as FAAN is a government agency, it cannot effectively manage the airports so what the airports need is transparent privatisation through due process.

Privatisation as Option Although there is general belief that giving out the airports in concession, would solve the fundamental problem of the decay of the facilities, but some stakeholders, have called for caution

because of the scepticism that it would not be carried out with due process and transparency, looking at past experience.

But if carried out transparently, many industry observers believe that would be the best option and a good escape from FAAN’s monopoly.

At the last International Air Transport Association (IATA) global media day in December, the Director-General and CEO of IATA, Alexander de Juniac expressed the view of IATA over effective management of airports, the idea of concession and privatisation.

He told THISDAY: “What we say is that we want governments to be cautious about privatisation of airports. We say to them, be careful because privatisation of airports has not led to cost efficient, technology efficient infrastructure.

The experience we had from Australia, from Chile, from Europe is not convincing. So we say beware; of course, we understand that to run the airport as operations, privatising or even concession is much better than having civil servants doing the job, that’s for sure.

“Then we come to the process of choosing the concessionaire, which in many countries is based on the man who is buying at the highest price. So it means that the cost increases, at the end of the day the bill is sent to the airlines.

And we say in the choice of the concessionaire they always should look at other criteria.

“We favour privatising the operation through the concessionaire with a process that is not only based on choosing the man who is paying the highest price, we say to government, be cautious about privatising the ownership of the infrastructure, be careful because you may privatise a local monopoly that may go out of control.

If you do that be able to implement a strong regulatory body. And frankly there is nowhere in the world, perhaps, except in the UK that the regulation has been successful,” Juniac said.

He noted that in France it is a nightmare; the state owns 54 percent of privatised airports, “the privatised monopoly of the airports makes very big money 42 percent or 30 percent profit. In many cases we see this type of problem when we privatise the ownership of the infrastructure.

The real point is, if we could phrase that in a synthetic way, the appropriate regulation is to find the right balance between public and private interest.”

FAAN as presently constituted may not solve the problem of airport decay in the country; not when government is breathing heavily on the neck of the agency. So addressing the problem of poor airport facilities requires the government to grant FAAN autonomy or concession the facilities in a transparent manner.

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Tukur: Tax Policy for Aviation Industry Should Be Reviewed The Managing Director of Afrijet Airlines, Alhaji Mohammed Tukur, in this interview, was of the view that government should review its policies in the aviation sector to help it grow and become profitable for operators. He spoke to Chinedu Eze. Excerpts: Recently aviation unions protested against some appointments, saying that the people appointed are not competent, what do you think will be the consequence of appointing somebody that is not qualified as director at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA)?

It is really very unfortunate. This is why it is important for Ministers to listen to those in the industry. But some of them do not take advice. You will call and call but they will not pick your call. But the truth of the matter is that such appointment is totally wrong and unacceptable in the aviation sector. I think the Minister needs to look at what he is doing so that he will not end up destroying the system and walk away. Because I know that if he leaves as Minister today he is not going to stay in the aviation industry. So the truth of the matter is that such appointment is not good at all. If you want to appoint anybody that can contribute meaningfully to the sector, the person needs to be properly profiled, and his documents checked not based on “I know you”. Take for example the appointment of General Manager of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

The Minister removed those that were there because he said they were appointed from outside. So if you want to appoint you should encourage those who are working within the system. We have tried this system before and it has helped. You don’t bring an outsider who does not have any stake in FAAN, NCAA, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) and the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT).

But if you leave people who are serving there and they know those places belongs to them and they walk in obviously they will perform better. And we need to encourage staff to be hard working people in order to achieve greatness.

And I think that is what we should go back to.

Last year the existence of airlines was threatened by high price of aviation fuel and its scarcity, where do you think the industry is headed?

Well, frankly speaking the industry has been threatened by so many things, such as government policies, double taxation and by the time you start an airline there is nothing like tax holiday whereby they can give you some certain months for you to operate without paying any charges. For example, the day you do test flight, you buy fuel, you pay parking charges and every other thing and nobody will look at the investment you brought into the country and the job you have created.

The only thing the government is interested in is just how to collect taxes. For example it is only in aviation industry you are paying what they call VAT. Such taxes are not collected in other means of transportation, including rail, road, maritime. And I don’t know why the government must allow this kind of thing to happen. You pay 5 percent passengers’ service, and the 5 percent is being collected by the airline on behalf of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

Later you add other charges on the ticket, thus giving so much financial burden to the airlines that are struggling to survive under the thriving hostile operational environment.

It is these multiple taxes that have prompted the airlines to protest against NCAA. I suggest that airlines have to come together and talk to the National Assembly and other people who are stakeholders to look at it and address these issues in order to save the domestic carriers.

Once you are doing business and there is no profit in it, it is just a matter of time that the business will go under. That is why we have

is supposed to manage the situation, manage the people but somebody will tell you that we took over because we wanted to revive it. How? You can’t even fly to anywhere, you can’t even fly international, but if you allow the person who knows how to get the money and put it together, he can give you a repayment schedule even if it is going to be in the next 30 or 50 years.

So I don’t know what the government is doing with this industry. Arik is out, it is now with the government, Aero is now with the government and there is nothing, no improvement everything is just going down. This is one of the major problems. In terms of fuel, the federal government has never helped the situation and that is why we are talking about double taxation. An airline operator pays for parking and at the same time he pays for passenger’s service charge to airport authorities. The same airport authority is also charging oil marketers.

The fuel marketer takes that bill up and adds it to the cost of aviation fuel, which the airline pays. So that is where the issue is, how much are they charging per litre? If they are charging you one naira extra, then if you save that one naira on every litre of fuel, do you know how much that will be?

Tukur

average of 10 years survival of Nigerian airlines.

In fact, everything seem to be pitted against the survival of airlines because the little money you collected to run your business, you still have to pay huge interest on it.

The previous attempt to get a bailout by some airlines which got it at the rate of two percent has been commended. But ironically, it was used to favour some airlines that had inclination to the ruling party then. Unfortunately some of the airlines did not utilise the money for what it was meant for, which is developing their airline business and carrying out manpower training. Some of them diverted the money.

This led to heavy loss of jobs as some of the airlines went under. Over 3000 staff both captain and engineers and cabin crew and other agencies like Nigerian Aviation Handling Company PLC

The only thing the government is interested in is just how to collect taxes.

For example it is only in aviation industry you are paying what they call VAT. Such taxes are not collected in other means of transportation, including rail, road, maritime

(NAHCO), everybody lost job. And here we go again; Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) went to take over most of the airlines. What AMCON is doing again from the government circle is just like somebody taking a gun and going to rob a bank or somebody.

They will come and take over your property.

They will not do reconciliation. AMCON already has representatives in the companies they have taken over. When you appoint somebody to represent you in a company you are monitoring their activities, what are you expecting as your feedback? What you do you want him to do for you there? Is the purpose of your sending him there being achieved or not? So why come to take over the company?

At the end of the day they come in and take over your airline for nothing. I will give you a simple example, you can see an airline like Arik, some of the people may not agree with me but the truth of the matter is that you are talking about an airline that has more than 2000 staff. The owner is paying minimum, nothing less than N1 billion monthly as salaries. Now the government comes and says they are taking over, they took over and scattered the market, the industry and the airline. Can Arik under the government pay the salaries of over 2000 staff?

It means almost 1500 staff must be sacked. In the past, Arik was recording about 120 landings and now they are recoding about 30 landings, so where will they generate money to pay about 2000 workers?

AMCON had argued that the airline owed workers before they took over, but the workers had hope that they would get their salaries, but what hope is there now? I thought that if anybody wants to do anything, they should have sat down and looked at it critically and see how they could have managed it. Government

In which ways can government step in now to salvage the industry?

First, what the Minister needs to do frankly speaking is that he needs to sit down with the operators. The Senate has to help because some policies need to be removed and the only way you can achieve that is through the Senate. The Senate has to come in. The operators will have to approach the Senate and demand that VAT b removed as part of the taxes paid by airlines. If we do that, it will help. Then we come back to fuel. The government must make aviation fuel available and ensure it is produced locally. They have to make sure that we produce aviation fuel in this country. The moment we have that then I believe that we are going to get the product cheaper. If there is any product that needs subsidy, it is aviation fuel, so the airlines need to have that.

Today you are buying fuel for over N250 per litre out of Lagos. Lagos is the cheaper, if you go to Abuja it is over N300 so how can you make it? The only option is that air ticket will rise to N40, 000 to N50, 000 and at that price, who is going to fly?

So the industry is dying. That is where the government needs to come in terms of fuel.

Then you look at all those charges from FAAN, passenger’s service charge, landing and parking and so on. We sit down with the government to know which one we are going to pay and which one we are not going to pay. Because frankly speaking some of them cannot afford these charges, I think that was what led to the problem of Arik and the rest. So what do we do to get out of all these mess? What do we do so that airlines do not owe? So let’s tell ourselves the truth, the operators should tell themselves the truth and come out and sit down and agree to look at it totally. It is not a bailout, I am not talking about bailout what I am suggesting is that if the government wants to help they will come and look at your debt, when they look at your debt then they reconcile and agree on what you should pay. And say from today you start paying your current bill. If the government do this it will definitely help. This one has to do with either the airline is operating or the one that is not operating and is ready to come back.

Then the government needs to check some of the official in the parastatal who are corrupt in the system and do away with them and bring in people who are not corrupt in order to move the industry forward.

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Hameed Ali’s Vehicle Duty Misadventure Eromosele Abiodun writes that the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Col Hameed Ibrahim Ali (rtd.) should learn from brouhaha that trailed his logistically callous, ill-timed, ill-conceived and ill-advised directive that vehicle owners in the country should pay the duties on their cars

President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Col Hameed Ibrahim Ali (rtd) as Controller General (CG) of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) on August 27, 2015,. Ali’s appointment caused a stir and mixed reactions from stakeholders who questioned the ex-army officer’s competence to deliver in steering a customs service gravitating to modernisation.

Ali’s appointment came as a surprise and viewed by many watchers as an unpopular move that will leave the NCS better in some sense with fresh problems and setbacks.

The appointment was viewed in some quarters as President Buhari’s vote of no confidence on members of the customs management team.

Though Ali’s appointment did not contravene the Board of Customs & Excise Law, enacted in June, 1972 and amended by decree no. 45 of 1992 and the Customs and Excise Management Act 2004 (as amended), it was widely criticised for fear of sustaining the move for a technology driven customs administration.

From a rich security background with sound academic training as a criminologist, Ali was widely believed to have evolved from the typewriter age and may spend a long time to understudy a system he was expected to lead. While many expressed genuine concerns for the good and growth of the NCS, some fears were predicated on the ‘no business as usual’ turnaround that Ali’s coming may effect.

The Mandate Ali was given three basic tasks: go to customs, reform and restructure it and increase the revenue generation. “I don’t think that is ambiguous, I don’t think that is cumbersome, ”Ali had told journalists on assumption of duty.

Truth be told, Ali started well, touring major customs commands across the country to explain his agenda. But things took a different turn for him when the NCS was failing in its mandate to boost revenue. Instead of advising

the federal government to remove the barriers that drove importers to neighbouring countries, Ali came up with the most ridiculous plan.

He probably underrated Nigerians ability to reject a bad policy.

Customs Duty Directive While Nigerians were struggling to make ends meet owing to the biting recession, they were greeted with news that the CG of the NCS has approved a grace period of one month for

Truth be told, Ali started well, touring major customs commands across the country to explain his agenda.

But things took a different turn for him when the NCS was failing in its mandate to boost revenue.

Instead of advising the federal government to remove the barriers that drove importers to neighbouring countries, Ali came up with the most ridiculous plan.

He probably underrated Nigerians ability to reject a bad policy

owners of all vehicles in the country whose customs duties have not been paid, to do so.

The grace period was Monday, March 13 to Wednesday, April 12, 2017.

Motor dealers and private owners of such vehicles were advised to visit the nearest Customs zonal office to pay the appropriate duty.

The NCS, in a statement signed by its acting Public Relations Officer, Mr. Joseph Attah, said the four zonal offices of the Nigeria Customs Service are: Zone A Headquarters, Yaba, Lagos; Zone B Headquarters, Kabala Doki, Kaduna; Zone C Headquarters, Nigeria Ports Authority, Port Harcourt; and Zone D Headquarters, Bauchi, Bauchi State.

“The CGC therefore calls on all persons in possession of such vehicles to take advantage of the grace period to pay appropriate duties on them, as there will be an aggressive anti-smuggling operation to seize, as well as prosecute owners of such smuggled vehicles after the deadline of Wednesday 12th April, 2017. For the avoidance of doubt, all private car owners who are not sure of the authenticity of their vehicles’ customs documents can also approach the zonal offices to verify their status with a view to complying with the provision of the law,” the statement concluded.

Senate Orders Suspension In a swift reaction, the Senate ordered the NCS to halt the order directing all vehicle owners to verify the payment of their vehicles’ customs duties within one month.

The upper legislative chamber therefore, ordered the agency to suspend the directive until it has duly appeared before the Senate to brief it on the rationale behind the move.

Rising under Order 42 of the Senate Standing Rules, Deputy Majority Leader, Bala Ibn Na’Allah, who described the NCS circular as ridiculous, said the agency failed to present

a clear-cut guidelines on which category of vehicles would be affected by the directive.

According to Na’Allah, the implementation of such ambiguous circular will create a huge discomfort for innocent Nigerians, bearing in mind that it has already caused significant anxiety among citizens.

Against this background, the Senate ordered the NCS to suspend all moves towards implementing the directive and also resolved to engage the Service with a view to ensuring that it comes up with acceptable policies to Nigerians in a typical democratic setting.

“Mr. president, the basis for being here as parliamentarians is to define the rule of engagement between us and those who elected us into this very, very coveted office, to the effect that we would all swear to uphold, protect and defend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the law. We already have an existing law called the Nigerian Customs Service,” he said.

While describing the directive as ridiculous, Na’Allah challenged his colleagues to uphold the oath they swore to by resisting any obnoxious policy meant to further complicate life for the already troubled Nigerians.

Supporting the motion, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu highlighted the excesses and outrageous policies of NCS as he recalled how the Senate had adopted a motion decrying the harassment of traders in Sango-Otta, Ogun State by men of the Customs who violently took away purchased items from the market under the guise of non-payment of appropriate customs duties.

He said it was unfortunate that the Senate was yet considering another outrageous move of the agency which he said was attempting to foist illegality on the citizenry in its drive to generate more revenues.

Continued on page 26

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HAMEED ALI’S VEHICLE DUTY MISADVENTURE

He also said the NCS lacked the power to impose punishment on Nigerians over deeds committed in the past, arguing that even though the constitution vests the National Assembly with the power to make laws for the federation, the legislative institution does not possess the power to impose penalty on anyone over perceived wrongs of the past and much less a mere agency like the NCS. Customs Agents, Shippers Disagree Similarly, the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) and the Shippers’ Association, Lagos State disagreed over the one-month grace period given by the customs concerning payment of duty on vehicles.

Both bodies expressed diverse views in separate interviews with newsmen in Lagos.

The National President of ANLCA, Mr. Olayiwola Shittu, advised the customs to make the deadline for duty payment on vehicles an open-ended operation, saying the policy would check smuggling.

The President, Shippers Association Lagos State, Mr. Jonathan Nicol, described the customs’ policy on vehicle duty as outdated and not in conformity with the current situation in world trade.

Shittu said such a policy should be extended or be an open-ended operation so that the duty on some vehicles that passed through customs and not properly cleared, would be paid.

The customs agent said if customs continued with this policy, vehicles owners would be forced to pay duties on those vehicles that were not cleared but found their ways into the country.

VOAN, NLC Kick In the same vein, the Vehicles Owners Association of Nigerian (VOAN) and Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) expressed their opposition to the NCS directive.

They described the policy as unrealistic, with VOAN threatening to drag the NCS to court if it fails to withdraw the directive within seven days.

VOAN, in a letter to Ali through its counsel, Tolu Babaleye, called on the NCS to consider the interest of 35 million Nigerians who would be adversely affected by the “ill-timed and ill-conceived” policy if enforced.

According to him, “As much as we would love to commend the NCS for this laudable step, we would like to state that this policy is ill-timed, ill-conceived and directed at the

wrong set of people in the country, and same will unleash untold hardship on car owners in Nigeria and pit government against the general public. About 35 million Nigerians would be affected by this policy if same is carried out.”

He stated, without mincing words, that the failure to pay customs duties on imported vehicles should not be laid on the doorsteps of innocent vehicle owners but the car dealers that imported those vehicles and who should be held responsible for circumventing customs checks with the connivance of some Customs officers.

Babaleye was emphatic that innocent Nigerians should not be made to suffer for the acts of car dealers who imported the cars without paying the necessary import duty with the active connivance of men of the NCS. “Towards this end, we give the NCS seven days from the date of receipt of this letter to comply with our demands on behalf of our client, failing which we shall not hesitate to approach the court of law to seek redress on behalf of our client and in the interest of downtrodden and oppressed Nigerians,” Babaleye said.

In addition, the NLC condemned the policy directive. NLC President, Mr. Ayuba Wabba, in a letter dated March 7, 2017 and addressed to the CGC, described the new policy directive as “unrealistic.”

Wabba said that though the labour union fully supports the NSC to carry out its statutory functions of collecting taxes on behalf of the government, often times in the form of duties on vehicles, it however opposes the new policy.

“We strongly hold the view that those who break the law or seek to break the law should be sanctioned to serve as a deterrent to others.

The need to enforce tax laws in our country is all the more necessary because of social justice and other dwindling revenue sources.

“Our support for the NCS is therefore not in doubt. If anything, the Customs should be encouraged to do their work well,” he stated.

Wabba, however, disagreed with Customs on the new policy directive on the basis of it being, “logistically callous and will create unimaginable chaos and suffering for innocent vehicle end-users”.

According to him, the policy was self-serving and will in the end enrich unscrupulous Customs personnel who contributed in no small way to the present situation through acts of commission or omission.

“It would amount to rewarding their complicity,

”Wabba stated.

He said it was common knowledge that duties on imported vehicles are payable at the point of entry, and subjecting vehicle end-users to this kind of trauma, in which they had no hand in the importation of their vehicles was unfair and unacceptable.

The NLC president stressed that, “there is no information on the vehicles to be excluded from this exercise.”

This, he said, presupposes that the owner of a Morris Minor or a Peugeot 404 brought into this country in the 70s is similarly affected.

“Beyond this, a state of mental siege is being created by all manner of endless verification and re-certification exercises in the country.

CMP Petitions Lawmakers Also, a group, the Coalition of Maritime Professionals (CMP) petitioned the National Assembly over the CGC directive to all motorists, describing it as insensitive and misguided.

A statement signed by the Coordinator, Mazi Charles Obi prayed the legislators to call the CGC to order and to halt him from putting Nigerian car owners through the trauma of moving from one Customs zonal office to another in the name of cross-checking their papers.

“Of all the policies that the NCS has come up with, this is the most callous. If Customs could not stop smugglers at the border, must Nigerians be made to pay for that? In the first place, why is the customs paid with the tax payers money? Is it not to collect revenue for the government at the ports and to police the borders? Why would they now make the people to pay for their laziness and incompetence? Why would Nigerians waste their money on the organisation’s remuneration and at the same time be made to suffer for their mistakes,” the statement queried.

According to CMP, the NCS has made Nigerians travelling to their villages pass through harrowing times by making them go through series of customs checks in the name of verifying their papers.

“On most of these occasions, people’s cars they bought with their hard earned money are impounded and converted to personal use by Customs officers in the name of fake papers with nobody asking questions.

“As if that is not enough, the CGC now want his men to move into town, to mount road blocks and begin to impound people’s vehicles under the same guise,” the group

declared.

CMP said that when the CGC set a target of N1.1 trillion for 2017 for the organisation, it was obvious that the Service was going to employ unfair means to strive to get this money to please its masters at Aso Rock when Nigerians are dying of hunger.”

The statement noted that even the so called grace period is designed in such a way that people will not be able to meet up so their cars will be impounded either for auctioning or converted to private use.

Directive Suspended Overwhelmed by the outcry that trailed the insensitive policy, the NCS suspended its planned duty collection drive on motor vehicles suspected to have been smuggled into the country without duty payment.

While not specifying a defined timeline to commence the exercise, the service disclosed in a press statement that it will parley with the committee on customs after Controller General of Customs had met with the leadership of the Senate.

The NCS spokesman, Attah, disclosed that the leadership of the Senate also agreed that the planned duty collection on vehicles was in line with the law.

Attah, an Assistant Comptroller of Customs, added that the intent behind the parley is to broaden the understanding of the lawmakers over the payment of duty which he described as a civic responsibility.

Attah said: ‘’Following the unnecessary tension generated as a result of misconception and misrepresentation of the NCS planned motor duty payment, the leadership of the National Assembly and the CGC Ali met with a view to resolving the impasse. They both agreed that the proposed motor duty payment, though in line with the provision of Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) Cap C.45, LFN 2004 should be put on hold while the Senate Committee on Customs & Excise interfaces with the NCS for further discussions. ‘’ While payment of duty on vehicles or indeed any dutiable imported item remains a civic responsibility of every patriotic Nigerian, NCS Management has directed that the exercise be put on hold while expressing readiness to engage the Senate Committee on further discussions to bring them on board to understand the importance of the exercise to national security and economy’’.

WEEKEND WEEKLY PULLOUT

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

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SUGARBOY: I’M MOVING FROM GHETTO BOY TO WORLD PERSONALITY

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Sugarboy: I’m Moving from Ghetto Boy to World Personality Fast-rising dance hall artiste Umoren Akanimoh Felix, popularly known as Sugarboy, is ready to add his own work to the growing repertoire of Nigerian music available to fans globally. In this interview with Mary Ekah, he speaks on plans to release his debut album ‘Believe’ and how music keeps him going, among others some features with Kiss Daniel, one of which is the song titled, ‘Raba’, which rose to become a street anthem and fans’ favourite, before I finally dropped my first single, ‘Hola, Hola’. That has been the journey. It has not been easy, I would say, but God has been faithful and eventually, we have been able to see the light of the day.

How did you get the name Sugarboy?

My real name is Umoren Akanimoh Felix. I am from Ikono, close to Ikot Ekpene in Akwa Ibom State. A female friend gave the name, Sugarboy, to me back in the days. That was during my university days and when I started my music career professionally, the name stuck on and I decided to run with it.

Have you always wanted to be a musician while growing up?

Well, I have always wanted to be a Pharmacist but when I got to the university, I discovered music was what I really wanted. So it is still about what you do and what makes you happy.

So music makes me happy and music pays my bills.

Tell us about your soon to be released album?

I am going to be dropping an album in April 22, 2017, and I am going to have a concert aside the launch of the album, ‘Believe’, on the day of the launch at the Grand Ballroom of The Oriental Hotel, Lagos. The album, ‘Believe’, features only my label mate, Kiss Daniel. I am releasing 22 tracks but only two of them feature Kiss Daniel. ‘Believe’ is the culmination of hard work and dedication on the part of my team at G-Worldwide to push me till the vision for my own debut body of work becomes a reality.

So what did you study at school?

I studied Anatomy. It’s all about the human body.

That’s far apart from what you do right now.

So do you connect with that?

Yes, music connects with everything; music connects to love, humanity and everything. There is nothing that you want to do that does not have that sound element.

How long did it take for you to put this together?

It took me about three years to put the album together; I started working on it prior to the period I was signed on G-Worldwide label, that was 2014; I have been working, recording and putting different sounds together because I am trying to give people a different kind of vibe, not just dance hall music but Afrobeat music with a different kind of sound. I am trying to bring out a body of work that is superb and strong enough to change the game.

Who are your role models in the music scene?

I look up to 2face and Emperor Geezy. These are the two people I look up to and then I love the works of Fela, he is my number one role model.

What have been the major challenges in trying to meet up with your fans’ expectations and the vision for your music?

For the kind of music I started with, coupled with the fans I have now, there are lots of challenges in the game; my challenge has been to always break every record that I set. And this album I am about to release now speaks a lot of volume for me.

How would you describe your kind of music?

My genre is dance hall-Afrobeat, Afro rhythm, Afro reggae; I have that reggae touch with other genre put together so it’s pretty good music; it is music not just for young minds but for everybody and it is that sound that has not been heard before that I’m coming up with ‘Believe’.

What informed the title, ‘Believe’?

Everything is about the mindset. What you conceptualise in your heart and then pursue and when you work hard and pray, it always comes to pass. So ‘Believe’ is that thing in your heart that you know that is going to come to pass, that thing that you are interested in and you know you are going to get. And I have come to realise in life that if you doubt, you lose but if you believe, you have everything to gain.

Sometimes we hear artistes doing a fusion of certain dialects in their songs. Do we see you doing that too?

Yes, I do that too, whenever I sing, you hear me say, “Eyen kwo ikwo”, which literally means, “child sing songs”. I am representing my Ibibio people and I believe in not talking too much because talk is cheap.

Sugarboy

Do you write music?

Yes, I write. I get more involved in the creative production of my songs.

Before ‘Believe’, have you had an album before?

No, this is my very first album. I have other singles before now. My first single was ‘Hola Hola’, and then followed by ‘Double’, ‘Legalize’, and then ‘Dada Omo’. ‘Believe’ is my first body of works, my first album. My first song, Hola Hola was released in January 2016.

When did you start singing professionally?

I started in 2010 when I was featured in the monster hit ‘Badman’ from veteran Hip-hop MC, Modenine; that was when I officially delved into the game, but I got signed onto G-Worldwide Entertainment in 2016. Prior to that I was on ground but the moment I came into contact with G-Worldwide was when my shine came.

I am grateful to God and I am appreciative to my fans for always supporting the Sugarboy brand. And from this ‘Believe’ album, I just want to tell the world that I am about to export my music internationally, I am moving from that ghetto boy to world personality, that is the journey and that’s my ‘Believe’.

You said that ‘Believe’ is made up of sounds that have never been heard before. So what makes you different from others?

My music makes it different. When you listen to my music, you will know that it is different from others. Of course I am not going to be singing the kind of music that every other

What inspires your songs?

What I see, what I hear, and things I go through, my love for humanity, life generally and all that, inspire me. I want to be a better person and I want to make the world a better place to live in.

Where do you hope to see your music in few years to come?

I want to be a force in the industry; I want to be a mogul in the game.

person is singing. I have a sound that they need to hear. So let them wait for April 22, so that they can get the ‘Believe’ album by Sugarboy.

Can you recall how you started music?

I didn’t really start from church though like most people do but I have always had music in me right from childhood and I used to try my hands on writing songs from my teenage

years. When I got into the university, was when I really got the freedom to do what I have always wanted to do. So music has always been in me but I didn’t start from the church. I started from going to studios, hooking up with other musicians and then I moved to Lagos where Emperor Geezy of the G-Worldwide family spotted me in 2012. I was in the family for three years before I got formally signed in 2015. And then I did

What word do you have for your fans out there?

I would tell my fans that they should not give up on me. Great things are from small beginning. It may look rough at the beginning but there is always light at the end of the tunnel. It might be very dark at night but joy comes in the morning. If you work hard and pray and then put your mind on whatever you are set out to do, your dreams shall surely come to pass.

How would the concert look like?

Other musicians are going to perform and my label mate, Kiss Daniel would be performing too. It is going to be a big day and I am also going to perform live.

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Lakanu: A Policeman With a Heart of Gold Imo State Police Commissioner, Mr. Taiwo Fredrick Lakanu, believes in the efficacy of God Almighty in reducing crimes in the society. As a mark of gratitude to God, he started and completed a new Catholic Police Chaplaincy at the Police Shell Camp Headquarters, Owerri, writes Amby Uneze

The Catholic Archbishop of Owerri Ecclesiastical Province, His Grace, Most Rev. Dr. Anthony J. V. Obinna (2nd right), flanked by Imo CP Lakanu (in white caftan), the VC, FUTO, Prof. Francis Eze, Barr. Chima Anozie and others, during the inauguration of St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Police Chaplaincy built by the Imo CP

"Who says that a policeman will not go to heaven, you will go to heaven considering your generosity and human kindness. That is why you are succeeding in crime fighting in Imo State." This was the outburst of the Chaplain of St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Police Chaplaincy, Rev. Fr. Dr. Innocent Emeam while appreciating the effort of the Imo State Police Commissioner, Mr. Taiwo Fredrick Lakanu, who started and completed a Catholic Church building at the Police Shell Camp Headquarters, Owerri in record time.

The church foundation which was laid sometimes in the last quarter of 2015 came to many as a surprise considering the 'Nigerian' factor which usually are characterised by bottleneck, bureaucracy, lack of will power and fear of the unknown syndrome. It was not in the mood of some chief executive of organisations not to talk of a security agency to look for other ways to assist the lives of those he/she was sent to overlook. But Lakanu has done the unthinkable, an award-winning taught and above all something that tended towards character moulding, strong belief that God-can-do-it for the Command to excel in her main objective of crime fighting.

Taking a deeper look at the old church building which was a 'batcher' that could hardly contain upto 20 worshippers and juxtapose it to the gigantic edifice that is meant to replace it, one would only give thanks to God for bringing the person of Lakanu to the state at the time he came. To many Imolites, there could not have been a better replacement because what he had done is something that overwhelms everybody.

According to the Chaplain, while giving a vote of thanks after the official dedication and inauguration of the church by the Archbishop of Owerri Ecclesiastical Province, His Grace, Most Rev. Dr. Anthony J. V. Obinna, "today will remain my happiest day in my life. I

want to thank God for doing this in our time.

It is not by might, but by the spirit of God." In his homily during the inauguration, Archbishop Obinna charged leaders to use their position to serve God and humanity and not to use it as a means to amass wealth and do injustice to the society. The Archbishop reminded Christians and Nigerians in general to take it easy on issues of money, adding CONT’D ON NEXT PAGE

The motivation to build this church came because I am a Christian. This is not the first time I had constructed a church, when I was in Ekiti State; I joined the Policemen there to build a church like this.

The essence is that I know when Christ is in your life, everything is possible. And I know that if I have this church here I can always come in here and pray and, of course, the prayers will be answered

The Imo CP Lakanu (left) receiving prayers from the Catholic Archbishop of Owerri Ecclesiastical Province, His Grace, Most Rev. Dr. A.J.V. Obinna

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L-R: Wife of Imo State Governor, Nneoma Nkechi Okorocha and Chief of Staff to the Governor, Chief Uche Nwosu, at the church inauguration

that money being the root of evil “we should not allow it to divert our attention to the things of God.” The Imo State CP who has every reason to glorify God for using him to erect the gigantic brand new Catholic Police Chaplaincy, right inside the Shell Camp Police Headquarters in the state, however attributed his successes to his passion for God as well as his openness to issues. He was full of praises to Imo people for giving him the peaceful atmosphere to not only to fight crime in the state but also found time to think about God, whom he said gave him the inspiration to achieve the feat.

“I thank you Imolites. You people are wonderful. I am grateful to God for making this realisable under me. I also thank my friends who came to donate for the building of this church,” he said.

On what motivated him to start the church building, he said, “the motivation to build this church came because I am a Christian.

This is not the first time I had constructed a church, when I was in Ekiti State; I joined the Policemen there to build a church like this.

“The essence is that I know when Christ is in your life, everything is possible. And I know that if I have this church here I can always come in here and pray and, of course, the prayers will be answered. It is also a source of motivation for Policemen to know that the kind of work they do is so difficult that they need Christ in their life.

“I build this church to get closer to God, and I know more Policemen here attend church services. We hold vigil, we pray and God has been answering our prayers. That is why Imo is regarded as one of the safest states in the country. There is nothing to it but prayers. That is the motivating factor.

What I did was that I appealed to my friends to assist me and in appreciation whatever they give we donate to the church and that is why we are able to finish it within one year,” he stated.

Extolling the good work of the Police Commissioner in the state, the Chief of Staff, Government House, Chief Uche Nwosu, said that the CP was a blessing to the state, adding that since he was posted to the state crime reduced tremendously as kidnapping and armed robbery were tackled headlong. Nwosu stated that the secret of the successes the CP recorded in the state were traced to his faith in God and urged him to continue in the service to God and humanity.

The new Catholic Police Chaplaincy at the Police Shell Camp Headquarters, Owerri, built by Imo CP, Mr. Taiwo Fredrick Lakanu

Another stakeholder who also benefitted from the mercy of God, Barr. Chima Anozie from Orji in Owerri North Local Government Area of the state was full of gratitude for the CP and narrated how he was saved from heart surgery. According to him, I'm so happy, you know the best investment is to invest in God, especially in church. I'm so happy with the CP, the Igbos have the notion that the Yorubas don't invest outside Lagos which is more comfortable and best place for them for investment, but to me the Yorubas are the best investors. Having invested in church that is the best investment because other investments your children can

sell it, but church you can't sell it.

"I have paid my dues because God saved my life. I promised God that this money I have to pay for my surgery that if I am healed I will donate the whole money to the church. I travelled to U.S. for the surgery and last year was a year of mercy and the doctor that was treating me was a good Catholic and he told me to go to the "Shrine of Peace", one of the biggest churches in the world at Washington DC, that I should pass through that gate which usually opens every 50 years, so I passed through the gate visited many chapels and within that period I told my in-laws, Leo Njemanze that I have

received healing. My system and my body changed, the next day I went to hospital in preparation for the heart operation and the doctor diagnosed me and said I had no problem with my heart. I jumped up and praised God. That was how I was healed and I decided to fulfill the promise I had with God," he declared.

The inauguration of St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Police Chaplaincy was attended by the wife of the Governor, Nneoma Nkechi Okorocha, former Secretary to the State Government, Jude Ejiogu, Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), Prof. Francis Eze, and a host of other dignitaries.

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‘It Could Have Been Worse for Nigeria But...’

Mary Ekah Despite the harsh economic situation and extremely difficult times Nigerians have gone through in recent times, the situation could have been worse but for fervent prayers of Christians and heavenly intervention upon the nation.

This was the assertion of the General Overseer of The Lord's Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministries, Pastor Lazarus Muoka during a recent two-day international crusade tagged, ‘From Sorrow to Joy’ held at the church headquarters, along Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Ijesha, Lagos.

Muoka, who said that ‘From Sorrow to Joy’ was an annual event that aims at impacting positively on the Nigerian nation and the world over, noted that despite the fact that, in Nigeria, we have been experiencing a lot of difficulties and tough times, it could have been worse if not for persistent prayers by Christians at programmes like the annual, ‘From Sorrow to Joy’, which have had great impacts on individual lives and on the entire nation as a whole. “I just want you to understand that you should be praising God for the Lord Chosen because if not for this church, and its numerous programmes, we would have experienced the worst in this nation. I’m very frank about this because such programmes as this has eradicated a lot of evil that would have occurred in this nation – talk of all the armed robbers that have confessed their sins and also repented, talk of marriages which have been restored and all other vices that people have engaged in the past which they have willingly discarded as a result of being partakers of our church

A cross section of worshippers during a recent Lord's Chosen's From Sorrow to Joy crusade

programmes,” Muoka said.

He stressed further that programmes such as this have impacted greatly on the nation and prayers made for the leaders have made the nation to remain as one united nation while it has brought about the erosion of evil in the nation, adding, “This is a church that God has brought to bless Nigerians and the entire world and that is why the whole nations are coming here.”

While he called on leaders to use their positions to checkmate wrongs happening in the nation, he called on every Nigerian to pray earnestly for God’s intervention in every situation experienced in the nation. He advised that despite the difficult economic

situation in the country and all the evils that have happened in Nigeria and all over the world, they should know that God is the only solution and so they should draw nearer to God. Speaking further on the significance of the annual crusade, Muoka said, “It is titled ‘From Sorrow to Joy’ because that was the purpose Christ came to the world, to rescue us from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of the living God and from the power of darkness to the power of Christ.

So this is a time that we usher people out of the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of the living God and bring about the needed joy in everything we do in life.”

A Night at Champagne Taittinger’s Sleek, Sensual Adventure It was a remarkable moment of rare pleasures and fine dining for many discerning wine connoisseurs and celebrity revellers who witnessed the classic toast celebrating the adventure of champagne Taittinger collection in Nigeria.

After a hot scorching sun with no particular respite in sight as the evening steadily crept in last Thursday, champagne Taittinger’s authorised agent in Nigeria Chief Olatunde Onakoya and his marketing team were setting tables for a bubbly cocktail party to cool off in the tropical hot weather.

With several cases of champagne, colourful ice buckets and showcase of champagne flute glasses, the stage was set for the brand activation and grand tasting experience held at Liquid Hub Café, Ikoyi, Lagos, amidst perfect rendezvous soulful music for both savvy sipper and a novice in celebration of Tiattinger’s arrival.

The cocktail party, hosted by wine connoisseur and CEO, Liquid Hub Café Mrs. Ronke Sobodu, was packaged by TEO Limited to unveil the prestige champagne which is a French legacy and a fixture in champagne

Liquid Hub Cafe CEO, Ronke Sobodu (right), Tobi Olanihun (Left) and Ngozi Omokala (Middle) at the cocktail party.

since 1734. It avails champagne lovers and business icons with rich floral and smooth fruity notes for truly special occasions and hospitality functions. According to Taittinger’s sole agent in Nigeria and CEO, TEO Limited,

Onakoya, the cocktail party was a celebration of Taittinger and provided an opportunity to acquaint champagne lovers and celebrities with the remarkable freshness, finesse and elegance of the brand. “For those who are champagne lovers and many others who reserve wine for special occasions, the Taittinger cocktail party was a unique opportunity and indeed tasting experience for everyone present. The profile of Taittinger is such that can be enjoyed anytime to complement fine dining and also as an ideal choice for everyday drinking and pleasurable moments. A legacy since 1734, Taittinger has seven variants and is among the top six champagne brands worldwide. The list include, Taittinger Brut Reserve, Taittinger Brut Millesime, Taittinger Nocturne Rose, and Tiattinger Demi-Sec. Others are Nocturne City Lights, Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Rose and Comtes de Champagne (Blanc de Blancs). Variety of delicious canapés, chic snack and pattiserie added significant accompaniment to the gastronomic treat while Taittinger exudes a unique brighter moment to enjoy and share over sparkling wine.

Chigul to Star in ‘Banana Island Ghost’ Something big is about to hit the big screen in a few months time as Chioma Omeruah, popularly known as ‘Chigul’, will be staring in the action packed comedy film, ‘Banana Island Ghost (B.I.G)’, a film Biola Alabi Media (BAM) is producing in conjunction with Nemsia Pictures.

B.I.G is said to be a slapstick movie about a ghost that is scared to go to heaven because he doesn’t have a soulmate, so he convinces God to give him three days to fall in love. He is paired with the cantankerous firecracker Ijeoma, played by Chigul who will do anything to save her father’s house in Banana Island from the bank coming to reclaim it in three days.

It is the first from a slate of five films in a co-production partnership between Biola Alabi Media (BAM) and Nemsia Films. They are combining their creative capabilities and wealth of experience to produce a slate of groundbreaking films set to redefine Nollywood.

According to Biola Alabi, the CEO of BAM, “This partnership with Nemsia Films

Chigul, flanked by Biola Alabi (left) and BB Sasore (right)

headed by BB Sasore and Derin Adeyokunnu is part of our mission to work with great talents to tell great African stories for a local and global audience. The Nemsia team brings a fresh perspective and energy to

the Nollywood landscape; Nemsia Films is the company behind the production of ‘Before 30’, the most watched African show.”

Banana Island Ghost (B.I.G) is expected to be an instant classic and pop-culture staple from Nollywood to the rest of the world. It also stars industry heavyweights Ali Nuhu, Bimbo Manuel, Damilola Adegbite, Dorcas Fapson, Patrick Diabuah, Saheed Balogun, Tomiwa Edun, and Uche Jombo.

Scheduled to be released in the summer of 2017, the movie Banana Island Ghost (B.I.G) is set to be a hit. “Embarking on feature film projects has always been on our agenda, and when the opportunity with Mrs. Biola Alabi came up, we were certain it was the right step to take,” said BB Sasore, the Writer/Director.

Biola Alabi Media is a consultancy and production company with expertise in strategic consulting for pay entertainment, digital television, interactive television and emerging entertainment distribution platforms.

Nemsia Films is a full service production house known for visuals and captivating stories.

Entry for 14th Mike Okonkwo Essay Competition Closes May 12 As part of the activities marking the 72nd birthday of Dr. Mike Okonkwo, the Presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM), the 14th Mike Okonkwo National Essay Competition for Secondary School Students in Nigeria has been opened for interested students to participate.

Entries for this competition, which was flagged opened on March 13, 2017, with the topic, ‘Made in Nigeria Products: The Vehicle for Sustainable Development’, will end on May 12, 2017.

The competition is one of Okonkwo’s Corporate Social Responsibility programme aimed at raising the standard in the educational sector in the country and at the same time sensitise the students by making them analytically minded so as to excel in their world by developing their ability to think through issues.

For participation in the 14th Mike Okonkwo National Essay Competition for Secondary School Students, the entry requirements include: Essay of maximum of 2000 words, a passport photograph of the student, full name, address, contact telephone number, class, school and name and telephone contact of the principal. Essay could be submitted through email to essay@trem.org or by post to The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM) International Headquarters, Anthony Lagos.

The Mike Okonkwo National Essay Competition spans over a decade of developing and rewarding the writing skills of Nigerian youths towards national development and the prizes for this year’s competition will be presented to the winners at the 18th Mike Okonkwo Annual Lecture, scheduled for Tuesday, September 5, 2017 at the Muson Centre (Shell Hall) by 10.00 a.m. prompt.

Over the years the competition has been very successful in reshaping the thought pattern of the students to develop problem-solving skills. Like previous years, the star winner’s school gets three sets of desktop computers and a printer, while the student goes home with a trophy, Laptop, N100, 000.00 cash and a plaque. The first runner up’s school gets two sets of desktop computers and a printer and the student goes home with a cash prize of N75, 000.00 with a plaque. The second runner up’s school gets a desktop computer, while the student gets N50, 000.00 cash prize and a plaque.

Duzzi Signs New Deal With 202 Entertainment Primed to chart a new direction for her career, budding singer and one of the new kids on the bloc, Gbemisola Roland, popularly known as Duzzi, has joined the elites by signing a deal with 202 Entertainment, A record label based in Lagos, Cyprus, and Istanbul.

The deal was consummated some days ago at the corporate office of the company in Festac Town, Lagos and witnessed by Duzzi representatives of both parties. While receiving Duzzi, Adewale Omotosho, CEO/Founder, 202 Entertainment noted that Duzzi will revolutionise the place of music in Nigeria, and the industry should watch out for her.

“We recognise the foundation that Duzzi already has in the industry, though she is new but she needs to be watched out for,” Adewale said. “At 202 Entertainment Company, we do not gamble but believe in strategy and pinpoint execution,” he added. He explained further, “With our team and structure, we are here to support Duzzi to actualize her career goals. In Duzzi, we see a brand that has an important and strategic core that we can expand.” Within a year, the management company is now positioned as a powerhouse in the creative sector having amassed artistes from both home and abroad. Some of its artistes include Benger, Duzzi among others from the international environment.

In her remarks, Duzzi said, “For me, this is the right thing to do at this stage in my career and indeed for any forward thinking artiste. I hope and look forward to better development of my creativity and the entire music industry as a whole. I am dropping a single very soon and the song is produced by Young John. This is the time to give experienced professionals the chance to take care of me because I will become the better for it.” On her new release, Duzzi said that with the backing of her new management, she is working assiduously to release a new single that will explore an international fan base. Duzzi is a talented Nigerian musician and songwriter. She is from Kogi State, Nigeria but grew up in Lagos. Her parents found about her singing career when she was a teenager. Before then, Duzzi wrote her own songs, beginning at age 14.

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31.03.2017

Ministry of Water Resources: A Dairy of Service Peter Uzoho The significance of water as an essential resource in the quest for a good healthy living has attracted the attention of both developed and emerging societies in the past few decades.

For a truth, access to potable water is regarded today as a basic necessity of life for citizens and residents of United Nations member countries. Not surprisingly, Clean Water and Sanitation is UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) number six; an indication of efforts at the global stage to eradicate all forms of impediment militating against access to safe and clean water for use.

Nigeria, home to a surface and deep water resources estimated at about 250 billion cubic meters, has been battling not only a plethora of water-borne diseases in the past couple of years but has also been unable to make safe drinking water available to millions of her citizens. From the water resources available in Africa’s most populous nation, there exists no imperative to press the panic button, if successive administrations had demonstrated sufficient leadership to implement the various projects initiated but later abandoned.

Although, river belts in the country have adequate water for industrial, transportation, domestic, agriculture and hydropower needs of the nation; Nigeria is ranked still as Economic Water Scarce country, an indication of years of inadequate investment and management to meet

Adamu

the demand of an ever increasing population.

The above narrative succinctly painted the worry state in the land until the appointment of Engineer Suleiman Adamu as Minister of Water Resources by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015. Before this appointment, Adamu had proved his mettle having earlier served as Principal Consultant with Afri-Projects Consortium and Management Consultant to the Petroleum (Special) Trust Fund, where he was actively involved in the planning and preparation of key national infrastructural projects spanning the agriculture, education, health, energy and

water sectors.

From the get-go, Adamu’s nomination for a ministerial slot elicited massive nods of approval from the vast majority of Nigerians who, aware of his pedigree, only prayed for him to be allocated a ministry befitting his training and expertise.

At the execution stage, Adamu was involved in the North East Rural Water Supply Project, an initiative of the then Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources; Water Supply and Sanitation Baseline Survey in the North West zone (a project funded by the World Bank in Partnership with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources) as well as the Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Reform Programme: Study on Alternative Water Resources of 4 Urban Towns (a project of the European Union in partnership with the Jigawa State government).

Less than two years of altruistic stewardship, the ministry’s mandate of developing and implementing policies, projects and programmes that will enable sustainable access to safe and sufficient water to meet the social, cultural, environmental and economic development needs of all Nigerians, can be said to be focal and purposeful, given the giant strides recorded thus far.

A top-notch professional, Adamu is aware of the increasing call for exploration of alternative sources of funding for projects and he wasted no time in convening a retreat few weeks upon his appointment, to amongst others, deliberate on ways of repositioning the ministry, executing the

ministry’s mandate for maximum service delivery, strengthening the River Basin Operation as well as enhancing the task of projects monitoring and evaluation.

The retreat which held from 11-13 December, 2015 is today a study in commitment, with visible evidence to boot. Less than two years in office, the Ministry of Water Resources has successfully carried out the implementation of the Rural Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion in Nigeria (RUSHPIN) in selected six local government areas in Benue and Cross River States even as the Federal Government has urged the participating states to pay their counterpart funds for the project.

Work has also commenced on the Adada Dam River Site Project, Enugu State, which reportedly possess an estimated 1.4 million cubic meters of water capacity. Added to this is the effort currently on the pipeline to facilitate bilateral engagement in the organisation of an international conference on the Lake Chad to attract global attention to the drying up of the basin. This move, according to the ministry is aimed at saving the lives of the over 47 million people living around the area and who depend on it largely as a means of livelihood.

The ministry has also initiated a Partnership for Expanded Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH) 2016-2030; a national multi-sector collaboration aimed at improving water supply and sanitizing public places with emphasis on eradicating the practice of open defecation.

Adeboye’s Wife Calls for Reflection of True Christianity Mary Ekah The Wife of the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Foluke Adeboye, has called on members of RCCG, and Christians in general, to reflect true Christianity in whatever they do.

Speaking during the 2017 Power Conference of the Firstborn Family, tagged, ‘The Turning Point’’, the G.O’s wife said Christians should make impact on the society in which they live, get involved in Christian social responsibilities, live godly lives and allow their homes to be influenced by God. “Let our Christian lives reflect in whatever we do. You may be a cleaner, it doesn’t matter who you are. At the end of the day, you shall be judged by your work. Every man’s work shall be judged. Whoever you are and whatever you are doing now is not what God is interested in, it is what you do and how you do it and whether your Christianity is reflecting in whatever you are doing or not.”

Speaking further, the G.O’s wife said, “God will not have allowed RCCG to grow for nothing.

We want to see a drastic change to righteousness in this nation. We want this nation to be turned around to a point where Christianity will make a lead, so that the unbelievers will know that we have a living God.” Congratulating the parish for organising an event of such magnitude, Mummy G.O stressed that God does not do anything without a purpose, adding, “If God has planted RCCG as a church in Nigeria, and He is watering it to grow as it is today, it means therefore that God is expecting something from its members.”

West African Pastoral Trainers Meet in Lagos A vision to train two million healthy pastors and one million local churches in 5,000 cities across the continent in five years kicks off from May 9-12 with the West African Pastoral Trainers Congress. Prominent seminarians, general overseers, pastoral trainers and ministry heads will participate in the congress tagged WAPRITCO 2017, organised by International Church Ministries. The venue is Foursquare International Convention Camp, Idimu.

A statement by the host, Dr. Francis Akin-John, said the congress would provide 20 vital resources for raising healthy churches and ministries in the sub-continent. Akin-John added that the congress would also consider crucial strategies to raising healthy pastors for healthy churches and societies.

Pastor Adeboye and wife, Foluke

She enjoined therefore that the RCCG and Christians in general must make impact on the society wherever they find themselves, adding, “Let God be a witness to our Christian living in all our homes - husbands and wives should live in harmony, possessing the spirit of the living God and professing the power of the Almighty God; in all our offices, whether you are the boss or not, wherever God has placed you in the position of influence, our impact must be felt in this nation as true born again Christians. We don’t want to be many without having impacts in our nations and our entire environments. This is very important at this

crucial time for us because we can see what is happening daily. Thousands are going home daily. I pray that when it is our own time, we shall not miss heaven.”

The General Overseer RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, who mounted the podium immediately after his wife’s admonition, also urged Nigerians to return to God, so that the country would overcome its challenges. Daddy G.O, as he is popularly called, stressed that there was hope for a brighter future for the nation if only Nigerians will return to God. He urged citizens to embrace the path of righteousness so that there would be manifestation of God’s

glory.

“The price is simply that you do that which was required of you and that is by returning to Him urgently. If you are up the mountain and you want to keep staying at the mountain top, be holy, be God’s partner, join hands in doing His work, and abide by his words. If you fulfil this part of the bargain, He will surely heal and show you the way upward,’’ he added.

Speaking on the significance of the event, the Regional Pastor, Region 19, the First Born Family and Special Assistant to the General Overseer on Missions, Pastor Brown Oyitso said the programme put together by the First Born Family was an annual event to mark the birth of a model church of the RCCG. “We are the family of the First Born because we are the first model parish that that G.O started when he joined the RCCG. When he joined, he met a vernacular speaking kind of church and he wanted the church to go beyond the confines of western Nigeria because the founder of the church had told him that this church was going to become international and so God gave Daddy Adeboye the vision to set up a model parish made up of young, vibrant and educated people as opposed to the traditional church that he met.” Oyitso noted that the theme for the programme was prophetic as he very much believed that there is going to be a turning point for Nigeria, where things will begin to change for better. An overwhelming number of RCCG members, including Christians from other denominations, attended the special service held at the TBS, Onikan, Lagos.

Jide Kosoko, Mercy Johnson, Others Star in Kondo Game Kondo Game, an intriguing comedy movie, featuring Nollywood A-listers, such as Jide Kosoko, Mercy Johnson, Uche Jombo Rodriguez, Francis Odega, Mercy Aigbe, Cossy Ojiakor and Funny Bone, is set to take cinema lovers by storm.

The comic adventure movie depicts life in the police barracks, with the mischief of two notorious police officers, Austin and Vincent, putting viewers on unending laughter. Played

by Francis Odega and Funnybone, the two police officers would later be faced with controversial tasks. With a sloppy boss, Jide Kosoko, to contend with, Austin and Vincent are locked in between crime busting and bursting a romantic fling with a voluptuous mistress, played by Cossy Ojiakor, who runs a beer parlour in the neighbourhood.

Cossy’s exploit heightens the rib-cracking comic adventure.

Maryam Harris, the producer of the movie, said the need to create a film at par with

Hollywood necessitated the huge investment and quality cast put into the production.

Kondo Game, directed by Charles Uwagbai,

offers a suspense-filled storyline. It will hit cinemas soon.

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31.03.2017

RRS: Rebranding for a Safer Lagos In this piece, Femi Ogbonnikan x-rays how the Lagos State security outfit, Rapid Response Squad (RRS), has fared so far It is no longer news that, in recent times, Lagos has worn a new look in combating crimes of all shades with the commitment of the state government in the provisions of adequate security equipment to the police and other security agencies.

Wearing the status of the fifth fast - growing economy in Africa and indeed, the commercial nerve-centre of Nigeria and by extension, West Africa, Lagos is the quintessential melting pot and a cosmopolitan that accommodates an estimated population conservatively put at well over 20 million, easily makes it a thriving ground for all forms of crimes and criminalities.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, at the inauguration of security equipment valued at N4.765 billion to the Lagos State Police Command on Friday, November 27, 2015, reiterated his government's commitment towards making life safer for the residents of the state.

"With a safer Lagos, we would continue to attract bigger commerce and more local and foreign investment. This would create more job opportunities for our people and generate more taxes for the government to improve on the infrastructure in various sectors.

"With our commitment to light-up Lagos; we are sure we are on our way to creating a 24-7 economy. It is in our best interest.

"We are all aware of the recent trend in terror attacks all over the world. As one of the emerging global city-states, it has become compelling to re-energise the security infrastructure in meeting with present-day realities," Ambode noted.

The governor added that the major thrust of his administration is anchors on a tripod - security, job opportunities and improved infrastructure.

Rapid Response Squad (RRS) came into being in 1999 under the visionary leadership of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the then Governor of Lagos State, as a child of necessity, with a clear mandate to fight violent crimes in making the 'Centre of Excellence' habitable for its residents. The RRS was furthered strengthened during the administration of Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) who set up the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF) in 2007 and created a Public-Private Partnership to fund the huge investment required to support security operations in the state. And in keeping faith in crime-fighting, officers and men have left no one in doubt that they are capable with the requisite capabilities at their disposal to respond swiftly to crimes in all parts of the state.

Consequently, with the re-branding of the squad on Friday, November 27, 2015, and provision of the modern fighting equipment could be described as a fitting shot in the arm, which had not only boosted the morale, professionalism and efficiency of the personnel, but it has also not in a measure enhanced their performance to enable them give their very best at all times in carrying out their constitutional responsibilities in policing the state effectively.

Backed up with 45 Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) vehicles, three helicopters, three gunboats, drones, tracking systems and other technological devices, the RRS, under the leadership of Mr. Olatunji Diss, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), has been able to achieve maximum result, with synergy with other sister security agencies, culminating in the arrests of several suspected armed robbers, kidnappers, bank frauds, mobile phone theft, cultists, cybercrimes, electrical cable vandals and other violent crimes.

Maintenance culture is the foundation upon which the leadership of the RRS is based.

In addition to the 100 four-door saloon cars, 55 Ford Rangers Pick - Up vans, 10 Toyota Landcruiser Pick-up vans 15 BMW Power Bikes, 100 other Power - bikes, Isuzu trucks, bullet-proof vests, helmets, handcuffs, walkie-talkie, kits and other security gadgets to its fleet on November 27, 2015, to the existing ones, RRS personnel have made effective use of them for routine patrols of all black-spots, thus ensuring visibility of

Ambode (2nd left) with his security chiefs, ACP Imohimi Edgal and RRS Commander, ACP Olatunji Disu, pointing to something of importance

RSS operatives

Security cars acquired by the Lagos State Government

Gunboat and helicopter for surveilance in Lagos

the operatives at every nook and cranny in the state.

The birth of RRS, as envisioned by its

founding fathers, is clear and it is premised on the maximum deployment of technology and other scientific approach towards tracking

criminal cases, as well as addressing community relations, communal clashes, without compromising operational efficiency.

Recently, the Lagos State Governor, Ambode, reviewed the life insurance death benefit scheme of an operative of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) serving in the Lagos State Command from N1 million to N10 million, in order to enhance efficiency and professionalism of the personnel. Thus, the capacity building drive emphasises professionalism and diligent investigation of criminal cases in a way that will give policing a human face.

However, it is a year old of rebranding the RRS by Ambode the achievements of the squad which has been extremely dramatic, unique in terms of zeal injected into service delivery by its leadership and personnel and the swift in its response to crimes, as well as emergencies across the state. The squad is designed to be the first responder to crisis and it is living up to expectations by averagely getting to crime scene even before the nearest police formations.

Meanwhile, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, recently warned Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) to desist from giving excuses as lapses for their failure to secure their respective areas of operation. He said each division has been provided with at least two operational patrol vehicles, two power - bikes and generating sets through the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF) to effectively secure their area of jurisdiction.

Thus, the dream of a safer Lagos has come to reality, just as the squad has lived up to its expectation by ensuring that residents of Lagos State can now sleep with their two eyes closed.

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31.03.2017

The Health Minister

Solomon Elusoji writes about how a Computer Engineer built a successful spiritual ministry out of a harrowing health experience In 1997, Rev. Tony Akinyemi’s health started to fail him. He was struck with a condition that looked like a mild stroke – a part of his body became numb. He visited some of the best doctors in the world, sought spiritual help, prayed and fasted. But, for years, recovery seemed to be nowhere in sight. “It got to a point that I knew that if God didn’t intervene, I would likely die,” he recalls 20 years later during an interview with THISDAY at his Ikeja office.

At that point, he cried to God once more and he received a revelation. “He told me that if he healed me and I continued to live the way I was living, I would recreate the disease. He wanted me to understand why I fell sick.” But he was quick to point out that the things God wanted him to change were not “sinful or immoral things” but “things that we do and take for granted as harmless to our health, but which are nevertheless contributing to diseases and breaking us down.”

Gradually, paying obedience to the divine revelations he was receiving, his health started to bounce back. “So my healing was not instant, it was progressive and God was leading me, showing me one thing at a time the things I was doing wrong and that I need to change,” he says.

After his recovery, he looked at all the things God had told him and decided he would be an ingrate if he kept it all to himself. He decided to spread the word. At the time he was a pastor at Foursquare Gospel Church, where he had been for 26 years. So, to give full vent to God’s goodness to him, he decided to start a new ministry with a radical focus on healthy living.

“It was by the leading of God that I stepped out,” he says. “God commissioned me to do something that was novel in this landscape, something that nobody, to the best of my knowledge, had done before. Now I know, from hindsight, that if I had waited in my former denomination to do what I am doing now, I probably would have been misunderstood and maybe prosecuted. Now I see the wisdom of God in asking me to step out and create a completely neutral platform.

“I’m glad that today, quite a number of those who were skeptical in the beginning are now beginning to see value in what we do; and we are well accepted now in the body of Christ and that, to me, is heartwarming.”

Today, Akinyemi is the Senior Pastor at the Shepherd’s Flock International Churches. With branches in Nigeria and the United Kingdom, the ministry stands on three legs: Holiness, Health and High Success. The health leg of the tripod, especially, is key to the ministry’s identity.

“We teach healthy living which focuses more on prevention, even though we also do things for those who are already sick,” Akinyemi says. “We believe that God has made every provision for our well-being.

Before God created man on the sixth day, he had created everything that man would ever need. That meant the table was already set before man was invited to come in. So it is my personal belief and the belief of this ministry that there is nothing we ever need to do well on earth, to thrive, to prosper, to be healthy, that is not already on ground. There is nothing new that’s coming; everything was created before man was created. Now we may not have discovered everything, so we are on our journey of searching and researching to discover everything that God has put in place for our own benefits.

“So far, we have come to the point that we believe we know so much that should benefit us, but unfortunately not too many people are aware of what has been discovered. So many people still live in ignorance; they still carry mindsets and paradigms that are completely a full display of absolute ignorance in the area of healthy living. So we are trying to fill that gap.

“We do not just abdicate our responsibilities to God and expect Him to take care of everything, while we do nothing. We must know that there are things that God expects us to do and if we fail to do them, that will

Rev. Akinyemi teaching a healthy lifestyle

be irresponsible of us, and we cannot blame God at the end of the day when things go wrong. We want to educate people on what they are supposed to be doing by themselves so that they can take advantage of all the things that God has put in place. For example, I don’t see any reason why anybody should be diabetic or hypertensive, with the knowledge available. It is highly preventable and even reversible, from my experience.”

Every week, Akinyemi receives scores of people in his office, who come to get counseling on how to live healthy lives. He has also written several books and has gone on air to spread the idea that it is possible for a

We want to educate people on what they are supposed to be doing by themselves so that they can take advantage of all the things that God has put in place. For example, I don’t see any reason why anybody should be diabetic or hypertensive, with the knowledge available. It is highly preventable and even reversible, from my experience

human to live a disease-free life. In the process, he has developed 21 principles of healthy living which spans the three dimension of man: spirit, soul and body. There have been countless testimonies.

“There was a guy who had kidney problem and was on dialysis,” Akinyemi says, recounting a recent testimony. “He was almost dead.

Somebody suggested this ministry to him.

Being a nutritional consultant, I developed a nutritional programme for him and he followed it. Within two weeks of starting the programme, he didn’t need dialysis again.

And his kidneys have bounced back. There are hundreds of such testimonies that we receive by email.”

Living Out the Divine Akinyemi never wanted to be a spiritual leader. His dream was to be a university lecturer and become a pastor. There were times, he says, when he felt God should have left him with his professor dream. “But today I’m loving it and I’m grateful to God for calling me into the ministry,” he says.

“Like any other human journey, there has been ups and down; but, overall, it’s been exciting and fulfilling. We’ve had our fair share of challenges and troubles, but we’ve also had very wonderful testimonies of the goodness of God.” He graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Engineering from the Obafemi Awolowo University in 1987 and also obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology from the L.I.F.E. Bible College and Theological Seminary, Ikorodu, in 1998. He is also one of the first few Nigerians to be certified as a NOVELL Certified Netware Engineer (CNE) in the United States in 1992. When he decided to build a ministry on healthy living, he went to the United States and took a course to become a Nutritional Consultant.

He attributes his success to God, describing him as “the strategist”. Over the years, he has also refused to be distracted, ensuring that his life revolves around the church and his family. “My work is my relaxation, although I do regular exercise,” he says, “and family time is very important to me.”

On February 1 this year, Shepherd’s Flock turned 13, and looking into the future, Akinyemi says he wants to continue on the path on which he has been directed to tread.

“By the grace of God, we have a mandate and we want to continue to pursue that mandate; that mandate has three area of focus: we preach holiness, we preach health and we preach high success. And it is our vision and passion to see believers living out the Christian life in the public place, the marketplace, the corporate world, wherever we find ourselves, to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth. And to to depict before humanity what Christianity is and who a Christian should be. We want people who live in harmony with their claim. We should not be two-faced and double-tongued.

“We also want to teach people how to live a healthy life to prevent diseases. Most diseases – probably about 80 per cent – are preventable. There are things that we can start doing now that we are healthy never to be victims of those diseases, if only we know what those things are. For those who are already sick, there are things that they too can begin to do to help them recover from their debilitating situations.

“Then we also believe that man was created for a purpose and everybody must discover that purpose and do their utmost to fulfill that purpose before time runs out.

We must understand the principles that guide success and actually make our mark.

We want to help people to succeed at their purpose in life.”

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31.03.2017

‘Ours is a Platform That Gives Life to People’s Ideas’ Damilola Ogunleye, Chief Executive Officer of Lasiko Limited, a promotional products company, in this interview with Mary Ekah talks about the opportunities in merchandising through promotional items and also his company’s aspirations, which include giving life to people’s conceptual ideas through his initiative called Survenia.com What does the name Lasiko denotes?

Lasiko Limited, a promotional products company. We specialise in helping brands create offers that consumers cannot resist.

These are promotional offers that are meant to intensify awareness and sales. Interestingly, the name, Lasiko, did not come out of any ingenuity, just that when we were trying to get registered, we had sent like four batches of names and each time we did we were told we cannot use any of those names. And so I just thought that they should just answer us on time and I said it in my dialect, Yoruba, ‘kan da wa lohun lasiko’, which literally means, ‘let them answer us on time’ and so we presented the name ‘Lasiko, which simply means ‘On Time’ and that was how the name Lasiko came about and luckily it was accepted the moment we sent it. And what has been happening is that we have mopped into living up to delivering on the brand promise of delivering on time. We know that time is one of the most important things that brands consider when they are dealing with people. So ours is ideally a platform that gives life to people’s ideas.

What has been your greatest achievement so far?

Sometimes one needs to be careful so that you don’t end up blowing your trumpet. But I guess that it would be modest to say that we have participated in some of the biggest productions for consumers and brands across different sectors of the economy; these are very successful productions with some of the biggest brands in Nigeria. For me, I think it is a moving target; we have not gotten there.

We have a target to, at least in the next five years, have been able to work with the top industries in Nigeria and the world over.

Ogunleye

Who exactly are your target clients?

Our clients are brands trying to reach consumers, so in trying to reach consumers, the things they use to promote their trades, whether it is a T-shirt for their sales persons or unique pens as gifts for customers and all that, are all we create. In fact, anybody that runs a business that is big or small and wants to identify with the consumers, is our target. Even if is it is an NGO that is trying to create awareness on a particular occasion, we can create unique promotional items to support the awareness efforts.

What opportunities abound in such a trade like yours?

People perceive this business to have a low barrier to entry. They feel that every Tom, Dick and Harry who has a connection or knows someone can do it. So more often you find that there are a lot more people in the trade who are just hustling to keep their presence.

However, the industry has remained a very under tapped sector of the economy. The potential in the industry has not been fully tapped. For example, our entertainment sector is a multi billion-naira sector that one can take advantage of in terms of merchandising the artistes, movie and celebrities. But we find out that artistes are launching albums without any merchandise going with it. You can’t find catchy creative expressions in some of the most important songs out there and even actors who are very influential are not able to leverage on their merchandising opportunities. So what I will say for anybody getting into this space is that you need to understand your strength. Even though it is a low barrier to entry, it can be a very profitable industry, all you need is a product that can stand you out from the crowd and allow you to win.

Now, what are the innovations you have brought into the industry to stand ahead of competitors?

The market place responds to product

presentation. So from late last year, we have been doing more of opportunity mining and because we are basically focused on businesses and brands, we thought of a way to reach out to more individuals and consumers. As a result we launched a platform called “Survenia. com”, a platform that allows people to identify and celebrate passions and interests. We believe that every individual’s life is filled with moments of celebrations – like weddings, childbirth, child’s graduations, housewarming, funeral etc., and we believe that those are opportunities for merchandising. So we created Survenia.com as a platform for individuals to find products that are perfect for such celebrations. We also created it as a platform to empower a lot of people out there who are very creative with words, which is much more important part for us. So we earn and they also earn. This is so because we have always wanted to be a platform that gives life to people’s ideas in the sense that when you think of something we bring it to life either in design or in terms of merchandise.

What challenges do you face in running both Lasiko and Survenia.com?

I don’t think there has been challenge running both because they are somehow similar. One is basically focused on corporate bodies, while other focuses on consumers and individuals.

The difference is that for corporate, you can get bulk order while survenia.com deals with individuals needs, which could range from just one item to as many as possible. So the challenge will be dealing with different customers because every customer is unique.

However we continuously invest in consumer education about our processes to overcome such challenge.

What would be your advice for those who want to start a business like this?

I wouldn’t say there is a hard and fast rule.

I came from a background of advertising, so I had the privilege of understanding a bit of it. So what I tell people is don’t go into anything you do not have knowledge of. The next thing is relationships. Human beings are first emotional even before they become

logical. So you need to invest in building relationships and then develop the habit of being cordial with every one you meet. Then start doing the right thing from day one and take advantage of the opportunities around you. Another thing is building a relationship with your bank and no matter how small you are make sure your cash is not coming to your hands, let your business be flowing so that your bank see how viable you are. Then have some form of legal backing because you don’t want to go into trouble, we want to be able to review every contract and be sure that whatever we do won’t get us into any trouble with our eyes wide opened. Yes, you can start up as a shop, if you have a clear vision of where you are going. If you have a clear vision of where you are going to and continually seek counsel and navigate to where you are going, you would surely get there In summary, four things, like I was taught in business school, will determine, to a large extent, how well whatever you are going to do, as a starter, will succeed. And these are: friends, family, foes and fools. It means that whatever you are going to do, your friends will buy from you even if they do not like what you do because you would have emotionally blackmailed them, it is a trick of trade but when they then get value for whatever they have done, then, they would become your ambassadors. For family, even if I cannot sing but I do an album, my family will buy from me. And then there are also fools and foes. People who just take gamble and invest in what you are doing just to prove you wrong or to prove that you cannot do it well. They are foes because they do not have any connection with what you are doing but they have invested in it and they are also fools because they have taken a big gamble in investing in what you are doing. So in whatever you are doing, you need to determine these four set of people in your life. That in itself gives you some soft landing for whatever you are going to do.

And then knowing the domain expertise is very important to succeed in this particular business. You may not know the exact prices of the materials you are using for a job but you need to have an estimated idea of them and then you need to know how to get things done or at least know people that can get things done for you.

36/NEWS XTRA

31.03.2017

Nestle Raises Awareness on Water Management Peace Obi As part of its commitment to proper water management, Nestle Plc has in commemoration of the 2017 World Water Day organised a one-day awareness campaign in its Agbara factory site to educate Nigerians on the importance of fresh water to nature, and the need for everyone to have access to good water that is safe and of good quality. The programme, tagged ‘Together for Water’ was said to be designed to be an enlightenment campaign on proper usage of water for healthy hydration, good hygiene and disease prevention. And that it is aimed at achieving greater awareness on proper water management.

In his remarks, the Nestle Waters Country Manager, Mr. Jason Lambe, said that the event was part of the company's cooperative approach with its Project Water Education for students, teachers, collaborators and other stakeholders towards creating a broader awareness about water conservation and healthy hydration. And reiterating Nestle's commitment to pursuing rigorous management standards and water-saving programmes throughout its operations, Lambe hinted that the company also embarks on a continuous monitoring of their performance, to ensure that the present day water challenge is met.

Speaking on the 2017 World Water Day theme,

R-L Marketing Manager, (Nestle Waters) Mrs. Gloria Nwabuike, Country Business Manager, (Nestle Waters), Mr. Jason Lambe, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Officer, Mrs. Yinka Makinwa and MD/CEO StarBright Consulting, Mr. Emmanuel Olu-Ayeni, at the World’s Water Day in Agbara…recently

;Wastewater’, Lambe said that Nestle places a lot of importance to wastewater management.

Stating that its factories are equipped with wastewater treatment facilities that treat its wastewater and make it environmentally safe.

Stressing that the company recognised that it could make a significant contribution to addressing the problem of wastewater management, not just in its facilities but also in its supply chains.

Stressing that majority of the activities are educationally-based, and developed by the

Nestle Waters' long term partner, The Project WET Foundation, said, "We use interactive activities at Agbara factory each year to mark the World Water Day. As you can see today, children and teachers participate in ‘Together for Water’ festivals to increase awareness of the importance of fresh water. Nestle Waters efforts on World Water Day are part of Nestle's commitment to water stewardship to guide its actions, starting with continuously improving water efficiency in its operations and extending

to raising awareness about water access and conservation amongst its stakeholders."

Enumerating some of the company's efforts at strengthening its commitment to support the human right to water he ,said, "we recently inaugurated a new community facility for Maderegi village, which will provide access to safe and clean drinking water for over 1,000 community members. While we acknowledge that we have made good progress over the years towards greater water stewardship here at Nestle, we know there is much more to do. We will continue to pursue rigorous management standards and water-saving programmes,” he said.

The Plant Manager, Mr. Alao Olawale, in his opening remarks said that Nestle believes that water is life. Adding that as human beings, "water is our right. We must have access to good water; it must be accessible, acceptable and must be of good quality. This is the reason we have brought everybody together today to educate us about water and how to use water."

Speaking also, the MD, StarBright Consulting, Mr. Emmanuel Olu-Ayeni told THISDAY that World Water Day is an important day that has been earmarked for the sensitisation of the whole world to the issue of fresh water resources.

According to Olu-Ayeni, people erroneously believe that water is available everywhere, without realising that fresh water is actually not available everywhere.

MIPAD Unveils Inaugural 2017 List Solomon Elusoji On March 25, the Most Important People of African Descent (MIPAD) initiative unveiled its 2017 global list of 100 high-achieving persons of African descent under the age of 40, at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos.

The list includes the likes of blogging sensation, Linda Ikeji, Red Media’s Co-Founder, Adebola Williams, Oil and Gas Executive, Awobokun Abayomi, Zimbabwean Business Executive, Busisa Moyo, Motivational Speaker, Dayo Israel, African Development Bank’s Amria Elmissiry, among others.

MIPAD is a civil society global initiative in support of the United Nation’s International Decade for People of African Descent. The Decade, to be observed from 2015 to 2024, was proclaimed by the United Nations (General Assembly Resolution 68/237), with the goal of strengthening national, regional and international action for the protection of human rights for people of African descent worldwide.

R-L Folusho Philips, chairman, Philips Consulting, Abike Dabiri, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, and other dignitaries at the event

“What MIPAD does is to identify and rank high-achievers of African descent in Africa and the Diaspora, with the aim to form a global network with relevant actors to the development, justice and recognition of Africa,” the initiative’s General Manager, Grace Singh, told THISDAY. “Every year we will put out 200 names; a 100

in Africa and a 100 in the Diaspora.”

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, gave the keynote speech at the unveiling. She spoke on the importance of connecting with Nigeria/Africa Diaspora, highlighting the importance of those in the

Matatu to Launch Application-based Transport System in Lagos Peter Uzoho As Lagos State Government moves to revolutionise road transport system in the state, an IT firm, Matatu, has concluded plans to launch an online mobile application for booking of tricycles and minibuses by passengers across the state.

The system which will be launched in April, 2017, is designed specifically to enable passengers book tricycle known among Lagosians as Maruwa, and minibuses at the comfort of their homes using their mobile devices.

Giving highlight on the app, Chief Executive Officer, Matatu, Mr. Samuel Ajiboyede, said the idea of the online transport system was conceived to make life easy for passengers by allowing them to engage the services of tricycle and minibus operators through the app.

Ajiboyede explained that the app would be

available on Android and IOS operating devices, noting that all the passengers needed to do was to download the app on their mobile devices, register their details and begin to use.

“Through the app, you can see available maruwa (tricycle) and minibus closest to you and book its service. Payment can be made through the app or with cash,” he said.

“On the other hand, we have thousands of well-trained tricycle drivers who have subscribed to the service and are equipped with devices to locate a nearby passenger who requires their services. For safety and convenience, all the tricycle owners that signed to our system are duly registered and their tricycles must not be more than two years old. This will also apply to the minibuses which Lagosians are increasing patronizing," he noted.

Ajiboyede disclosed that the firm has held meet-

ings with the Lagos State Ministry of Transport where discussion about giving Matatu operators special access to some restricted areas in the state that are presently out of bound for tricycle and minibus operators. He added that the company is working with Tricycle Owners and Operators Association of Nigeria (TOOAN), and other relevant stakeholders to ensure the app is launched and operated successfully.

Giving more insight into the scheme, Executive Director, Business Efficiency, Matatu, Kemi Ayinde, said the firm has concluded arrangement with a transport company to inject about 12,000 tricycles into the state transportation system which she stressed would provide job to about 12,000 graduates and non-graduates in the country. She also explained that tricycle owners who invest in the system would recoup their money within a period of nine months.

Church Organises Annual Rehoboth Conference Ugo Aliogo The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM) Victory and Integrity Centre shall be organising the 5th annual Rehoboth conference tagged; ‘Overflowing Grace.’ The conference which is billed to take place at the Victory Centre auditorium No, 20 Remi Olowude Street, Lekki 2nd Roundabout, from May 10 to 14 would serve as a unique platform for helping others get blessed through the impartations from the presiding Bishop Mike Okonkwo and other ministers of God. Speaking at a media briefing recently in Lagos at the Victory and Integrity Centre, the Pastor Zone 8, Tony Samson, said previous conferences

have witnessed some intense spiritual experiences with testimonies to go with them, adding that the focus of this year will be multi-faceted as the conference led by deaconess Titi Oshun has included a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) gesture in the agenda.

He also stated that as part of the CSR programmes lined up for the event, the church is renovating the toilets at Badore Primary School, while stressing that they have started building a walkway to link the classroom to the toilets which had been abandoned.

Samson explained that there would be Marwa Lekki Community Outreach which be held before the conference, stating that the conference would

provide an opportunity to touch lives through distribution of food items and other essential materials.

He added that there will be talent hunt which will cover areas such as music, comedy, and drama, while submission of entries for both individuals and group performances will be accepted.

Samson added: “The Church sees the talent hunt as a mechanism to identify special abilities in its teeming, young adults early, while providing a structure within the church system where these young artists can flourish. There will be special audition which hold ahead of the conference on the April 8 and the best finalists will go into the stiff competition for the top prizes.

Diaspora in lifting the continent’s fortunes.

“We have to change Africa’s narrative,” she said, “and Africans in the Diaspora can help us change that narrative, help shape foreign policy and they can also bring their energy, skills and technological know-how to further economic progress in Africa.”

She challenged MIPAD to create a platform that helps Africans and Africans in the Diaspora work together for the greatness and goodness of the African continent. “I look forward to a very successful MIPAD that will change the way we look at Africa, the way we look at ourselves and the way that the world looks at us,” she said.

She also congratulated all the nominees, noting that they are the future of the continent.

“Don’t take this for granted; we are going to be watching out for you and working with you, because amongst you are leaders of the future. So I congratulate and celebrate you and I look forward to a stronger African continent, a continent we will all be proud of.”

Christian Society Tasks Nigerians on Unity, Recession Religious Killings Sunday Okobi A faith-based organisation, Society for Christian Welfare (SCW), has called on Nigerians to unite against the prevailing recession and religious killings in different parts of the country.

At a one-day prayer session held in Abuja in partnership with leaders of different denominations to seek God’s intervention on the myriad of challenges confronting Nigeria, the organisation Executive Director, Michael Ekanem, stated that the event was also to celebrate the successful return of sponsored pilgrims to Israel.

Leading the session, Bishop Ajekson Kayode of Pentecostal Flame of Christ Dominion Church called for God’s abundance grace, mercy and wisdom upon the political leadership to lead the country out of the economic quagmire for the sake of adherents who have been experiencing untold suffering.

According to a statement made available to THISDAY by the group, the forum, attended by over a thousand of believers, described as seeming persecution the killing of Christians in parts of the country. It, therefore, urged prayer to bring the unfortunate scenario to an end.

The beneficiaries were thankful for the gesture.

Besides, a few got awards for exemplary conduct while the pilgrimage lasted.

37/THISLIFE

31.03.2017

From Enugu Prisons, 53 Garlands for Ugwuanyi

Governor Ugwuanyi (2nd left)cutting the birthday cake alongside the Controller of Enugu Prison (1st left), speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Edward Ubosi (in blue t-shirt) and other guests

Laurence Ani The steel band performed a number of ballads and religious tunes to which the members sang and danced enthusiastically in the intense heat.

It was an unusual sight in a prison's courtyard.

Indeed, shorn of the traditional prisoners' garb the band members looked like just any other live band at a music circuit. For that fleeting moment, there was an air of freedom and even camaraderie between prisoners and warders.

An unusual sight it was but understandably so, for it was no typical day as inmates of the Enugu Maximum Prison prepped for the visit of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, who had elected to spend his 53rd birthday at the facility.

It was the first such by a serving governor in the prison's history, a truly humbling act that left the warders and their charges swooning. "Isn't it remarkable? He could have celebrated his birthday at the classiest location. But he chose to spend it here," the master of ceremonies remarked to a resounding applause.

There were even more cheers as the governor rose and swayed as the lead singer, Sam, performed a couple of songs with a reggae twang. "We all have sinned and are pleading for one more chance.We're pleading with the world to give us one more chance," he sang, animating his fellow members, one of whom later shared the stage with him and rendered a rap reprise of his performance.

The performance by female inmates was no less compelling, particularly their "special number" for the governor which drew generous plaudits.

But the male inmates were itching to return to the stage. And what a moment in the sun (literally and figuratively) it was for them as two energetic dancers with rippling and glistening muscles danced to the band's pulsating beats that drew dignitaries once more to their feet, offering a fitting prelude to the cutting of the birthday cake.

Amid the singing of the birthday song, a sculpted miniature lion was presented to Governor Ugwuanyi as a memento commemorating his birthday and visit on behalf of the prison's 1,918 inmates.

Besides the many gifts he presented on his birthday, staff and inmates of the prison have ample reasons to be grateful to the governor.

Established on August 8, 1937, the Enugu Prison has had a storied history from the familiar problem of overcrowding to broken sewage system and attempted jailbreak. No one understands this

Two inmates entertain the governor and his entourage

Female inmates performing at the event

better than Mrs. Ukwuori Ndukwe Kalu, the Enugu State Commands' Controller of Prisons.

"Your choice of the prison yard to celebrate at this point in time is a manifestation of your humility and preparedness to serve the rich, the poor and downtrodden. I have been following with keen interest your assistance to the prison inmates since my arrival in the state," she said.

She goes on to cite examples of the governor's assistance to the command: prompt intervention

during the Nsukka jailbreak in 2016; renovation and tiling of cells at Enugu Prison; ongoing construction of sewage system at Enugu Prison; granting of pardon to seven deserving inmates; release of funds for the procurement of drugs to prison inmates in Enugu State Command; and installation of industrial fans in the cells at Enugu Prison.

Although a federal government-owned institution the interventions by Ugwuanyi flows on

regardless. But "like Oliver Twist" the controller believes the command could do with some more help. "Our prisons are never empty but increase on daily basis," she explained, noting that the growing sophistication of inmates requires certain proactive measures to checkmate ugly incidences like jailbreaks and riots in prisons.

There is also the outrageous fact that the Enugu Prison including those in Oji River and Nsukka sometimes convey awaiting trial inmates and even suspects with capital offences to courts across the state in personnel's cars.

Just as unflattering was Mrs. Kalu's revelation that inmates at Nsukka Prison still defecate in buckets and physically dispose same, a practice long abolished across Nigeria.

For the governor, these are familiar demands to which he has grown accustomed and, in fact, often feels obligated. "It is indeed cardinal responsibility of the government to cater for the well-being of everybody and every segment, group or class in the society. We have in this respect taken full notice of the sewage and allied challenges confronting this prison and have resolved to take necessary measures to address them adequately and satisfactorily," said the governor, who had personally visited and proffered a solution late last year when the Enugu Prison's central sewage system collapsed and its solid waste seeped into public drains.

Of particular interest to the inmates is the issue of clemency which was clearly underlined in the lyrics of their songs pleading for one more chance. It's no surprise then why they gave such a huge cheer when the governor disclosed that his administration had set aside sufficient funds and the necessary logistics to enable lawyers and other stakeholders to facilitate their release from jail. Indeed, it was towards this goal that the Enugu State Executive Council on March 15 approved the release of N10m for the payment of honorarium to lawyers who would be engaged in that regards.

But, by and large, the inmates' enthusiasm was by no means fueled by hopes of an executive pardon as it could not realistically be granted to even a tenth of the prison's population. They were just pleased to celebrate with a dignitary with such disarming simplicity and in whose presence they felt no hint of condescension. * Ani, formerly Editor of THISDAY, The Saturday Newspaper, and later Saturday Telegraph, is Senior Special Assistant on Research and Communication to the Enugu State Governor. He could be followed on Twitter @AniLaurence

38/OPINION

31.03.2017

ADEOLAAKINREMI HOME TRUTHS

Email: adeola.akinremi@thisdaylive.com

Tel 08116759785(sms only)

The Denigration of DSS Won’t Save Our Country Hard as this might seem, Nigerians are their own enemies. I don’t know what to call it: National self-determination or national sycophant service?

We are truly not prepared yet to see institutions replace individual’s might and that will continue to haunt us from one government to another.

The default narrative about our institutions is always in the negative. The critical government departments like the Police, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Department of State Services have been condemned into the rubbish can, just because we have personal interest in who should lead any of the agencies.

Yes, once the person on the seat is not our tribesman, stooge or partner, we are quick to discredit the agency, even in the face of truth.

And now that the traditional media is struggling to catch up with the new wave of social media, this weakness has given way to falsehood, and delicately without ombudsman too.

Increasingly, those who have personal fight have resorted to using the web to peddle bile in the name of freedom and sadly some national news media with ‘lazy editors’ now co-tow with such agenda leaving decency out of reporting and throwing the country into calculated chaos and international infamy.

The moral of the story is this: The DSS report claimed the acting Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, lacks “integrity” to run the organisation with strong evidence provided, and some Nigerians turned the secret police report on its head calling it a

Magu

“witch-hunt.”

And though Magu himself couldn’t defend most part of the report, especially the one to the Attorney General, which is now leaked to the media, he continues to serve with arrogance.

What more, President Muhammadu Buhari, who appointed him looks the other way.

Much of the time, when the EFCC comes out with a report about an investigation we

call it media trial, especially if the person at the centre of the storm is a breadwinner to many associates. Why can’t we see beyond individual for once and respect the institution?

Now, in the midst of the current confusion and fallacies flying around, even those who should be temperate in their responses are gulled into disbelieving the truth. They are misled and bamboozled with fables. That happens too frequently, because we treat our institutions with a closed mind. Nothing good can come out of them.

When it is our National Assembly, everyone inside the green and white building is called a “thief” without fact. The idea that Senator Dino Melaye and the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Saraki were once “heroes,” to many people who wanted the Goodluck Jonathan administration to fall makes it gibberish from sick soul to hear the latest rendition about our institution such as the Senate being a tale of tragedy and den of robbers. It has always been the rhythm once there is political clash. We just can’t see beyond our nose in all matters of judgment.

We are quick to build scandals around any institution once the politics of its leader is at variance with our personal agenda, but the message we are passing to the international community is that we are a nation without decorum, where individual might is placed above institutions.

For those rushing to facebook and twitter without verifying the truth and descending into rubbishing our institutions, such idea will only frustrate our collective desire for a better Nigeria, where institutions are strong

and independent of any interference.

However distressing the behaviour of a single individual might be against national interest, the institution shouldn’t become a target as the case has been recently with the DSS, EFCC and the Senate. There’s a great risk to doing that. The institution is weakened further and that impacts on our democracy.

Even with the America democracy that we now patterned our own democracy, building institution took such a careful, consistent and considerably long time, but once in place they are respected and the country continues to be bigger than one individual.

To heed the world of America’s former president, Barack Obama, that we “don’t need strong men, but strong institutions,” will make us see a better future than the charade that we presently find our country.

The question remaining unanswered is whether Magu, the Director of the DSS, Lawal Daura, Saraki and others in their ilk—all of who by design are from the same political party— are worth sacrificing our institutions for, even in the face of overwhelming evidence that they have undermined processes at those institutions.

Well, a repeat of some lines in John F Kennedy’s famous inaugural address as the 35th American President will serve a notice of caution to the democratic capitalists and political traders across the country that “those who foolishly sought power by riding the back of the tiger ended up inside.”

And for my brothers and sisters across the divide of individualism, country first or party line, in our hands, will rest the final success or failure of Nigeria.

INEC and Anambra Central Rerun Election Michael Jegede The delayed Anambra Central senatorial rerun election has, no doubt, become an issue of great concern to most discerning Nigerians, who believe that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) no longer has reason to continue to put the exercise on hold. After the Supreme Court pronouncement of February 10, 2017, that Court of Appeal decision on National Assembly election matters is final, it is expected that by now INEC would have done the needful and fixed a date for the rerun poll in Anambra Central which has lingered for too long. In the judgement delivered by the apex court, following the appeal brought

by Mrs. Uche Ekwunife whose election as Senator representing Anambra Central Senatorial District was quashed by the Appellate Court, Justice Amina Augie said: “Looking closely at the wordings of Section 246 (3), it is clear that the decision of the Court of Appeal is final. This court is completely bereft of jurisdiction to entertain the appeal. Once the Court of Appeal delivers its judgment on a National Assembly Election Petition appeal, the judgment becomes final. For the umpteenth time, the Constitution does not approve of the apex court to entertain this appeal no matter how cleverly it has been framed.” INEC was about to conduct the Anambra Central rerun poll on March 5, 2016, but suddenly postponed the exercise indefinitely, after a Federal High Court in Abuja presided over by Justice Anwuli Chikere ordered it to include the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The judge was reported to have directed PDP to replace its candidate, Ekwunife, who had at that time defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) following the nullification of her election based on invalid sponsorship by the PDP in the March 28, 2015 poll. The electoral body, knowing full well, that Chikere’s ruling in favour of PDP was against the verdict of the Court of Appeal, which disqualified PDP

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu

candidate and barred the party from participating, suspended the conduct of the rerun and appealed the judgement. The electoral umpire was insistent that fresh candidates are not allowed in a court-ordered rerun poll, anchoring its position on a decided case between Labour Party and INEC by Supreme Court since February 13, 2009. A year after her contentious judgement on the side of PDP that gave rise to the series of litigations responsible for the unnecessary delay in the conduct of Anambra Central rerun, Justice Chikere, recently, dismissed a suit brought

by Sharon Ikeazor seeking to compel INEC to accept her as a substitute to Dr. Chris Ngige. Ngige, the current Minister of Labour and Productivity was the candidate of APC for the annulled election. He had said he was not interested in partaking in the rerun.

Ikeazor was picked by APC to replace him.

Ruling on the Ikeazor’s suit, Justice Chikere held that the time for political parties to

nominate candidates for the 2015 elections had expired. According to her, “The time for the nomination, withdrawal or substitution of candidates for the court-ordered election in Anambra Central senatorial district has elapsed.” Therefore, as it stands, APC can only participate in the rerun if Ngige decides to contest. As for PDP, the party has been completely knocked out of the race by the December 7, 2015 verdict of the Enugu Court of Appeal duly affirmed by the highest court in the land. In his reaction to Chikere’s latest judgement barring Ikeazor as APC candidate, the flag bearer of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh, who is obviously the frontrunner in the Anambra Central rerun contest said: “INEC has nothing holding it anymore from going ahead to conduct the Anambra Central senatorial election going by the judgement by the Federal High Court Abuja which dismissed the suit

by Sharon Ikeazor seeking to compel INEC to accept her as a substitute to Ngige for Anambra Central rerun election which is consistent with the law and the firm position of INEC on the matter all along… So there is no other case that INEC can wait for before fixing the date of the election.

The status of the APC has been defined by the court judgment yesterday as there is no change of candidate permissible in the fresh election. So the position now is that 14 out of 15 political parties that took part in the March 28, 2015 election with their previously nominated candidates are qualified to go for the re-run election. Only PDP is out of the election by the combined effects of the Court of Appeal judgments of December 7, 2015, the Supreme Court judgment of February 10, 2017 on the Anambra Central senatorial poll and the Supreme Court judgement of February 13, 2009 between Labour Party and INEC.” The Anambra Central Senatorial Zone Chapter of Anambra Youths for Progress (AYP), joined their voice to the call on INEC to, immediately, put necessary machinery in place to conduct the much-delayed rerun election, to pave

way for the senatorial district to take part in governance through a representative at the highest legislative body of the country.

Speaking through their General Secretary, Kanayo Mokwugo, the youths said it was unfortunate that it is only Anambra Central that has no representation in the Red Chamber almost half way into the current tenure of the lawmakers. According to the group, with the Supreme Court verdict in favour of Umeh, the electoral commission has no justification for its further delay in kick-starting the process of conducting the long-awaited rerun poll.

AYP said: “We are calling on the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to, as a matter of urgency, pick a date for the conduct of the election into our senatorial district. It is not as if we can’t take laws into our hands but we have chosen to be patient all this while because we want the law to have the final say.” Another group, Anambra Central Grassroots Movement (ACGM) also expressed worry over INEC’s delay to fix date for the election when the February 10 Supreme Court Judgement has laid to rest the legal battle that had denied the people of the district representation at the Senate. ACGM noted that the people of the area are going through so much pain due to neglect occasioned by their lack of representation in the Senate.

The leader and facilitator of the group, Chief Ben Anyaorah told newsmen that the group will embark on protest against INEC if they refused to take a decisive action on the rerun poll. Anyaorah observed that “The people of Anambra Central Senatorial District are not only disturbed but also distressed and deprived because the people have no voice in the Senate. Democracy dividends and projects coming to the senatorial districts from the centre have continued to pass us by because we have nobody to speak for us.

It is high time INEC and the court stopped entertaining unreasonable legal distractions from enemies of the people and enemies of democracy.”

Jegede, a media practitioner writes from Abuja

T H I S D AY FRIDAY MARCH 31, 2017

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CITYSTRINGS

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

Inside one of the 24-hour supermarkets in Abuja

PHOTOS KINGSLEY ADEBOYE

Abuja Residents Revel in 24-hour Supermarkets

Abuja, an emerging megacity, is now awash with supermarkets that open their doors for 24 hours a day and seven days a week. Olawale Ajimotokan reports on this trend that has redefined the shopping experience in the nation’s capital

U

ntil recently, it was puzzling to see a supermarket running for 24 hours of the day in any part of Abuja, the capital of Nigeria. But the game has changed with the sprouting up of many shops, labelled ‘24/7 supermarkets’ in many parts of the metropolis, catering for the needs of buyers of diverse social class and purchasing power.

The supermarkets attract customers with the promise of shopping with comfort as their doors are open throughout the day, including on Sundays and on public holidays.

H-Medix Pharmacy and Stores and Exclusive Stores, both in the upscale Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse 2, are mainly

frequented by high end consumers, but there are several other outlets for budget spenders where the prices are quite competitive and affordable. They include Jethro Pharmacy and Supermarket on Yakubu Gowon Crescent, Asokoro, Ford Mart, Karu and Nadrem Supermarket and Bakangizo Pharmacy and Stores, both in Gwarimpa.

All these shops provide solutions that vary from pharmaceutical to health products, beauty products, grocery, provisions and other home-ware items.

Out of instincts, THISDAY checked out some of these supermarkets, inquiring about the feasibility of the so touted 24/7 supermarkets in a city that is confronted by peculiar challenges like security, irregular

electricity supply and dwindling consumer buying power. In addition THISDAY also sought to know how those challenges could mitigate on the cost of doing business.

But Chimeze Brendan, a manager at Ford Mart, tucked in the Karu Shopping Centre, in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), off the Abuja – Keffi Road, described night market as a unique offering which many Nigerian consumers are already tapping into.

Brendan said that Ford Mart receives more patronage at night from its clientele, who mainly because of work exigencies, find time to shop at the unusual hours of the night.

He listed some of the customers to include non-Nigerian citizens, who reside in the neigbourhood, but usually close from work

late in the night, a situation that restricts them from tending to their shopping needs in the day. ‘’We opened our doors for business on June 3, 2016 and since then, this place has never been locked for one hour. People don’t actually believe the business will thrive but we get more patronage in the night than in the day. Majority of our customers are excited about the 24-hour supermarket, which affords them freedom to shop and plug the gap that is created by their inability to shop in the day when they are at work,’’ declared Brendan.

He stressed that security is no source of worry as many shoppers still patronise the modestly stocked shop sometime as late as

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CITYSTRINGS

Shoppers leaving one of the 24-hour supermarkets

We run for 24 hours of the day and we are here for the public. We realise that there are emergencies that occur in the night as patients are often referred to buy drugs by some hospitals in the locality.

Once such need arises, we are here at any time of the night and residents know where to get their drugs

H-Medix Pharmacy and Stores and Exclusive Stores,Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse 2

2a.m. He said a round the clock security is provided as there is a police station nearby.

“You have to consider security when you go into this type of business. The security of our customers is paramount and is guaranteed because this outlet is in the Karu community that is within the precinct of a police station.

We opened our doors for business on June 3, 2016 and since then, this place has never been locked for one hour. People don’t actually believe the business will thrive but we get more patronage in the night than in the day.

Majority of our customers are excited about the 24hour supermarket, which affords them freedom to shop and plug the gap that is created by their inability to shop in the day when they are at work

Bakangizo Pharmacy and Stores, Gwarimpa

Usually we have a police patrol unit keeping watch.”

It was just a few minutes past six in the morning when THISDAY arrived at H-Medix and encountered Celestine, a member of the diplomatic corps. He had paid for his purchases at the counter and was about approaching the checker at the exit.

A national of one of the West African countries, Celestine said he visited the supermarket early that morning to stockpile provisions needed for personal use before going to work. He said he is a regular patron of other 24-hour supermarkets in the area.

A manager at Bakangizo Pharmacy and Stores, Henry Vincent, explained that the supermarket was set up as a 24-hour model strictly for the needs of the people who needed prescribed drugs. He said that the pharmacy was conceived to cater for any emergency that might arise when hospitals

refer patients for drugs. ‘’We run for 24 hours of the day and we are here for the public. We realise that there are emergencies that occur in the night as patients are often referred to buy drugs by some hospitals in the locality. Once such need arises, we are here at any time of the night and residents know where to get their drugs,’’ Vincent said.

While he admitted that the response has been encouraging for the supermarket which only started business about two months ago, he conceded that electricity is a major drawback as it is only supplied for not more than one hour in a day.

Vincent said that in view of the erratic power supply, the management spends more on diesel to power the generators, adding that it has made running the business challenging. ‘’It is our biggest challenge. We run throughout the day with diesel and it makes the

business too expensive. Electricity as we know is not constant in Abuja,’’ Vincent lamented.

A female manager at H-Medix, who craved anonymity, said generator is their alternative means of electricity. But Brendan, however, disclosed that Ford Mart relies on an inverter as a cheap and reliable source of electricity.

He said when the inverter is fully charged electricity is supplied to the entire store in the night whenever there is a power outage. ‘’We are prepared for this challenge relating to power supply. Between 10pm –11am, we use an inverter which is charged to supply electricity overnight, while the following day we can run for some hours on generator, “noted Brendan.

The H-Medix manager reiterated that the supermarket, a fully indigenous outfit with several years of service delivery experience is involved in marketing of medical equipment, drugs and allied products. She also said the shop is open to all people who might require any consumer item.

Apart from consumer provisions and confectionery, Ford Mart also runs a 24-hour bakery. Brendan said that the supermarket places premium on the welfare of its workers, three of whom are on university scholarship for dedication to work.

For a business struggling to break ground, Vincent said that Bakangizo Stores employs flash prices as a marketing promotion strategy to attract customers and beat competition.

At the end of every month the prices of products are ‘’flashed’’ to consumers to come and buy at promo prizes.

He stressed that despite the high cost of doing business the supermarket prices are reasonable, adding that people compare prices with those that operate during normal business hours. He opined that relatively, it is cheaper to buy at the 24/7 stores than in those that run in the day saying:”It depends on where you get your goods. If you obtain your goods from cheaper sources, your products will definitely be cheaper.”

He also said his organisation is not shying away from competition which is part of business. He added that business owners must ensure that their products are cheaper, of high quality and not adulterated.

42

FRIDAY, MARCH 31, 2017 • T H I S D AY

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

Elumelu Ranked among Top 200 Global Philanthropists, Social Entrepreneurs Obinna Chima The founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF)/ Chairman of the United Bank for Africa Plc, Mr. Tony Elumelu has been named among the top 200 ‘Most Influential Philanthropists and Social Entrepreneurs 2017’ by the Richtopia.com.

Elumelu was the only Nigerian on that list, which had few Africans.

However, Warren Buffet, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Bill Gates, George Soros,Richard Branson, Hilary Clinton, among others, made the list.

Richtopia.com said its list “is an automatic algorithm based on social media influence, Klout scores and a secret recipe. We take into account various metrics from Twitter, Facebook, Wikipedia, Youtube, LinkedIn and Instagram.”

Richtopia.com’s latest release on its website of a list of those it considers the most influential

do-gooders in the world also included sitting and past heads of government, the like of India’s Prime Minister Modi, to sportsmen and women, entertainers, writers, journalist, high net worth business tycoons etc.

Elumelu’s TEF had seeded $100 million through the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme, to champion entrepreneurship across Africa over the next 10 years.

The foundation recently shortlisted 1000 successful candidates for the 2017 programme.

Elumelu is an economist, investor, and philanthropist.

He chairs privately held investment firm Heirs Holdings and Nigeria’s largest quoted conglomerate, Transcorp.

Elumelu invests across Africa, primarily in the oil and gas, financial services, hospitality and power sectors. His investments are informed by his philosophy of Africapitalism: the belief that the private sector can lead Af-

rica’s economic renaissance and that investment should create both economic prosperity and social wealth.

Elumelu sits on several public and social sector boards including the United Nations Sustainable Energy for All Initiative (SE4ALL) and USAID’s Private Capital Group Partners Forum (PCG). He is the Chairman of leading pan-African financial services group, United Bank for Africa, with presence in 19 African countries, and offices in Paris, London and New York.

Among his numerous roles, he serves as Co-Chair of the Aspen Institute Strategy Group on Global Food Security, sits on the Global Advisory Board of the Washington DC based think tank, the Wilson Center, and is a member of the Global Advisory Council of the Harvard Kennedy School’s Center for Public Leadership. He is also a member of the World Economic Forum Community of Chairmen.

Elumelu

MARKET INDICATORS

CBN, Banks Promote Financial Literacy Obinna Chima in Lagos and Bassey Inyang in Calabar As part of its activities to mark the 2017 Global Money Week titled: “Earn, Learn, Save Money for Future Use,” top Central Bank Nigeria officials as well as chief executive officers of banks took out time yesterday to teach students across the country the benefits of financial literacy.

At the Methodist Girls High School, Yaba, Lagos, the Director, Consumer Protection at the CBN, Hajia Kadija Kazeem, who represented the Deputy Governor, Financial System Stability, Dr. Joseph Nnanna, urged the female students to imbibe savings culture.

She said the Global Money Week is to raise awareness of entreprenuerial skills among students. She said the initiative is part of the central bank’s financial inclusion drive.

Also, at the Falomo Junior High School in Lagos, the Managing Director/CEO, ProvidusBank Limited, Mr. Walter Akpani who taught the students, stressed the importance of savings.

Akpani said the mentoring programme would help the students to aspire to become great in life, adding that cultivating savings habit would help produce future entreprenuers.

Also, in Calabar, Cross River State, the Managing Director of First Bank Nigeria, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan, urged Nigerians to imbibe the culture of saving their monies in banks as a means of securing their future financially.

According to Adeduntan, saving in the bank was a better form of protection one’s financial resources from unforeseen incidents that could lead to preventable loss of fiscal cash where home banking is resorted to.

Adeduntan stated this at St. Patrick’s College, Ikot-Ansa, where the bank staged its financial literacy campaign.

Stressing that it was better to save money in the bank, Adeduntan said keeping large sums of money which ordinarily should be within the banking system amounts to hoarding, which is a form of economic sabotage.

“The circulation of cash

promotes business, and a business-driven economy is the bedrock of the nation’s growth and development.

“It is tantamount to economic sabotage when individuals start hoarding money, thereby crippling businesses which depend on cash to strive”, the bank MD said.

Adeduntan pointed out that if individuals and corporate organisations do not save their monies in the bank, such practice was capable of crippling businesses as well as contributing substantially to inflation within the economy.

He said saving and managing of monies for individuals, government, corporate organisations and others was one of the major functions and responsibilities of banks stressing that First Bank has excelled in rendering these services. ``Since its establishment in 1894, First Bank has consistently built relationships with customers, focusing on the fundamentals of good corporate governance, strong liquidity, optimised risk management and leadership’’, he said.

MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS 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)

26,970,297.97

---- 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)

The United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc full year 2016 financials released recently have revealed that its18 African subsidiaries (outside of Nigeria) jointly contributed over 32 percent of the Group’s revenue.

The feat achieved by the subsidiaries was an improvement compared to 2015 financial year, when the businesses cumulatively contributed a quarter of the revenue. The results released showed that of the 18 UBA subsidiaries in Africa, 16 were profitable, whilst the remaining two subsidiaries showed strong prospect for becoming profitable in 2017, as the businesses recorded significant market penetration in 2016.

The Group Managing Director, UBA Plc, Mr. Kennedy Uzoka, who disclosed this expressed delight at the performance of the subsidiaries, particularly as

he had direct responsibility for the subsidiaries whilst he was the Deputy Managing Director, before he was appointed the Group Managing Director in 2016. Notably, Kennedy, who was the CEO, UBA Africa until his appointment, successfully transformed the businesses within three years, raising the contribution of the subsidiaries to almost a third of Group’s revenue, from barely 20 per cent in 2013.

He added that all staff members were fully committed and diligent in executing the bank’s strategies towards improving service quality all its channels and across geographies. Hence, he reiterated his optimism on the positive outlook on the Group, as he believes that UBA has the capacity to sustain the strong growth in Nigeria and across the chosen markets in Africa.

Uzoka said: “We grew

gross earnings by 22 per cent to N384 billion, supported by strong growth in both interest and non-interest income lines.

The local currency weakness in a number of our chosen markets, particularly the Naira devaluation in Nigeria, impacted on our cost of doing business.

Nonetheless, we continued to implement our cost management initiatives, which helped to mitigate the inflationary pressure on our operating expenses.”

Continuing, he said, “We will remain prudent in our risk asset creation, with diligent adherence to our risk management best practices. Whilst we will continue to grow across our operations in Africa, now representing 32% of Group revenue, we will maintain our culture of banking only quality and profitable assets,” Uzoka explained.

-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 Month

December 2016

Inter-Bank Call Rate

UBA African Subsidiaries Contribute 32% to Group’s Revenue

(MILLION NAIRA)

DECEMBER 2016

10.39

Minimum Rediscount Rate (MRR) Monetary Policy Rate (MPR)

14.00

Treasury Bill Rate

13.96

Savings Deposit Rate

4.18

1 Month Deposit Rate

8.53

3 Months Deposit Rate

8.80

6 Months Deposit Rate

10.23

12 Months Deposit Rate

10.76

Prime Lending rate

17.09

Maximum Lending Rate

28.55 • Monetary Policy Rate - 13%

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE AS AT 29 MARCH 2017 The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $49.54 a barrel on Wednesday, compared with $48.84 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations. The new OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Oriente (Ecuador), Rabi Light (Gabon), Minas (Indonesia), Iran Heavy (Islamic Republic of Iran), Basra Light (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Qatar Marine (Qatar), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and Merey (Venezuela).

SOURCE: OPEC headquarters, Vienna

43

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, MARCH 31, 2017

Nigeria’s top 50 stocks based on market fundamentals

30-Mar-17 29-Mar-17

% Change

Capitalisation

EPS

P/E

P/S

Div. Yld

Price/ Book Value

01 Dangote Cement Plc

165.00

162.00

1.85%

2,811,683,721,825.00

10.95

15.07

4.57

4.85%

3.53

02 Nigerian Breweries Plc

131.00

130.00

0.77%

1,038,712,216,328.00

4.03

32.47

3.44

2.75%

6.34

03 Guaranty Trust Bank Plc

25.35

26.95

-5.94%

746,080,393,328.40

4.46

5.68

1.80

6.98%

1.48

750.00

750.00

0.00%

594,492,189,000.00

8.81

85.11

3.44

3.87%

18.84

14.00

13.78

1.60%

439,550,913,004.00

4.13

3.39

0.87

12.86%

0.62

396.10

396.10

0.00%

219,166,214,979.30 -44.58

-8.89

2.82

4.02%

0.56

5.79

5.60

3.39%

210,058,457,404.38

1.99

2.91

0.55

10.36%

0.47

08 Presco Plc

47.00

47.00

0.00%

186,612,421,115.00

0.03

1,607.40

2.62

2.77%

4.46

09 Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc

18.00

17.80

1.12%

180,000,000,000.00

2.85

6.31

1.15

0.56%

1.28

10 Access Bank Plc

6.20

6.19

0.16%

179,353,424,112.20

13.18

0.47

0.47

8.87%

0.39

11 Lafarge Africa Plc

39.00

38.85

0.39%

177,641,170,590.00

3.71

10.51

0.81

7.69%

0.71

8.70

8.56

1.64%

159,641,095,570.50

0.68

12.86

0.27

7.13%

0.25

33.00

32.00

3.13%

124,848,776,250.00

0.81

40.64

1.79

0.15%

10.68

14 FBN Holdings Plc

3.04

3.03

0.33%

109,121,690,087.68

0.21

14.65

0.20

4.93%

0.17

15 Mobil Oil Nig Plc

300.01

295.00

1.70%

108,182,184,552.62

19.32

15.53

1.19

2.40%

5.84

16 Total Nigeria Plc

269.98

269.98

0.00%

91,664,105,553.26

38.02

7.10

0.34

5.19%

4.02

17 Guinness Nig Plc

60.00

60.80

-1.32%

90,353,291,280.00

-3.06

-19.62

0.88

5.33%

2.29

6.21

6.21

0.00%

74,520,000,000.00

1.03

6.05

0.52

8.05%

1.20

47.80

47.00

1.70%

62,258,596,723.40

3.31

14.46

0.40

7.22%

1.44

4.95

4.83

2.48%

59,571,363,525.30

-3.15

-1.57

0.23

15.15%

0.37

21 Julius Berger Nig. Plc

41.95

41.95

0.00%

55,374,000,000.00

-2.95

-14.24

0.47

3.58%

2.92

22 7-Up Bottling Comp. Plc

83.00

83.00

0.00%

53,169,000,129.00

-0.05 -1,817.18

0.57

2.65%

2.40

23 International Breweries Plc

16.00

15.75

1.59%

52,707,988,480.00

0.02

710.10

1.98

1.56%

4.80

24 Flour Mills Nig. Plc

17.80

17.80

0.00%

46,711,421,928.60

-1.19

-14.92

0.11

11.24%

0.47

25 Okomu Oil Palm Plc

48.00

48.00

0.00%

45,787,680,000.00

4.82

9.95

6.96

0.21%

2.84

0.73

0.74

-1.35%

28,266,328,120.25

-0.03

-25.08

0.48

0.00%

0.33

13.00

13.30

-2.26%

24,971,237,031.00

3.37

3.86

0.33

7.69%

0.33

28 FCMB Group Plc

1.17

1.17

0.00%

23,169,171,613.77

0.61

1.91

0.14

8.55%

0.13

29 Fidelity Bank Plc

0.79

0.80

-1.25%

22,880,442,696.68

0.39

2.04

0.15

20.25%

0.12

30 Sterling Bank Plc

0.72

0.70

2.86%

20,729,101,050.72

0.29

2.50

0.19

12.50%

0.25

28.20

28.20

0.00%

19,740,000,000.00

2.28

12.35

2.96

4.08%

11.53

32 Diamond Bank Plc

0.85

0.86

-1.16%

19,686,330,622.80

-0.29

-2.90

0.09

0.00%

0.09

33 Wema Bank Plc

0.50

0.50

0.00%

19,287,233,040.50

0.06

8.39

0.38

0.00%

0.41

34 Custodian And Allied Insurance Plc

3.21

3.21

0.00%

18,880,784,065.95

0.76

4.21

0.52

4.36%

0.66

35 National Salt Co. Nig. Plc

7.10

7.10

0.00%

18,811,012,483.80

0.85

8.36

1.00

7.75%

2.54

14.48

14.48

0.00%

17,316,291,546.24

-2.98

-4.85

0.62

2.07%

1.97

37 Mansard Insurance Plc

1.60

1.60

0.00%

16,800,000,000.00

0.28

5.74

0.84

3.13%

0.80

38 Cadbury Nigeria Plc

7.98

7.60

5.00%

14,988,052,279.20

-0.16

-50.57

0.50

16.29%

1.36

14.00

14.00

0.00%

14,000,000,000.00

5.69

2.46

0.98

0.71%

0.38

40 Continental Reinsurance Plc

1.11

1.06

4.72%

11,513,746,186.32

0.42

2.64

0.52

10.81%

0.62

41 Honeywell Flour Mill Plc

1.00

1.00

0.00%

7,930,197,658.00

-0.40

-2.47

0.16

16.00%

0.24

42 Unity Bank Plc

0.67

0.67

0.00%

7,831,856,421.14

-0.10

-6.54

0.12

0.00%

0.09

43 Skye Bank Plc

0.50

0.50

0.00%

6,940,150,705.00

-2.93

-0.17

0.04

60.00%

0.07

44 Wapic Insurance Plc

0.50

0.50

0.00%

6,691,369,126.00

0.18

2.78

0.85

6.00%

0.41

45 Resort Savings & Loans Plc

0.50

0.50

0.00%

5,664,866,202.00

0.03

17.71

3.72

0.00%

1.94

46 Cement Co. Of North.Nig. Plc

4.47

4.70

-4.89%

5,617,349,614.02

0.22

20.42

0.51

2.24%

0.52

47 AIICO Insurance Plc

0.54

0.56

-3.57%

3,742,310,419.20

0.22

2.42

0.13

9.26%

0.37

48 Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc

2.10

2.10

0.00%

3,410,859,375.00

0.15

13.90

0.42

9.52%

0.57

49 UACN Property Development Co. Limited

1.70

1.66

2.41%

2,921,874,991.50

0.30

5.68

0.69

41.18%

0.08

50 Fidson Healthcare Plc

0.98

1.01

-2.97%

1,470,000,000.00

0.24

4.16

0.22

5.10%

0.23

04 Nestle Nigeria Plc 05 Zenith Bank Plc 06 Seplat Petroleum Dev. Co. Ltd 07 United Bank for Africa Plc

12 Ecobank Transnational Incorporated 13 Unilever Nigeria Plc

18 Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc 19 Forte Oil Plc. 20 Oando Plc

26 Transnational Corporation Of Nigeria Plc 27 U A C N Plc

31 Cap Plc

36 Glaxo Smithkline Consumer Nig. Plc

39 PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc

TOTAL

8,260,522,881,015.73

TOTAL MARKET CAP

8,835,004,369,782.41

% OF MARKET CAP Annotation - MA* = Simple Moving Average

93.50%

Table 1 Market Statistics Mkt Indicators NSE All Share Index NSE Market Cap (N'Trillion) Thisday BGL 50 Index Thisday BGL 50 Market Cap (N'Trillion)

Open 29-Mar-17

Close Change % 30-Mar-17

25,267.68 8.74

25,533.82 8.84

1.05% 1.05%

105.59 8.22

106.09 8.26

0.48% 0.48%

Table 3 Top 5 Gainers Stock

Open Close Change 29-Mar-17 30-Mar-17 %

Cadbury Nigeria Plc Continental Reinsurance Plc United Bank for Africa Plc Unilever Nigeria Plc Sterling Bank Plc

7.98 1.11 5.79 33.00 0.72

7.60 1.06 5.60 32.00 0.70

-4.76% -4.50% -3.28% -3.03% -2.78%

Table 4 Top 5 Losers Stock

Open Close Change 29-Mar-17 30-Mar-17 %

Guaranty Trust Bank Plc Cement Co. Of North.Nig. Plc AIICO Insurance Plc Fidson Healthcare Plc U A C N Plc

26.95 4.70 0.56 1.01 13.30

25.35 4.47 0.54 0.98 13.00

-5.94% -4.89% -3.57% -2.97% -2.26%

Market rose notably by 1.05%, Brent crude price moves north Market pulse on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) today – Thursday, March 30th, 2017 ended on a positive note as the stock market closed green. This was further highlighted by positive performance from the NSE Subsectors: Banking, Insurance, Consumer Goods and Oil & Gas. However, trading activities decreased in volume as 352m shares worth of N2.45 billion in 2,438 deals exchanged hands today. This is a decrease from 771.66m shares worth of N2.62 billion in 2,703 deals which exchanged hands on Wednesday. Topping in volume terms are: Standard Trust Assurance Plc, Zenith Bank Plc and Fidelity Bank Plc; Dangote Cement Plc and Zenith Bank Plc ended trading as the most active stocks in value terms. Amidst production disruption of up to a quarter of Libya’s crude production per day, Brent crude oil price rose unprecedentedly to US$52.93 per barrel.

The All Share Index (NSEASI) closed negative with 1.05% (+266.14) increase to close at 25,533.82 from 25,267.68 the previous trading day. Market capitalization appreciated in tandem to N8.84 trillion from N8.74 trillion of prior trading day. Similarly, the Thisday BGL 50 Index closes with an increase of 0.48% to 106.09 from 105.59 recorded at the end of the previous trading day, while its market capitalization stood at N8.26 trillion from N8.22 trillion of the previous trading day.

Market breath closed positive today as 22 stocks gained on the bourse while 9 stocks also declined, leaving 62 stocks unchanged. Topping the Thisday BGL 50 Index gainers’ list Cadbury Nigeria Plc as it emerged as the day’s toast of investors with a gain of 4.76% to close at N7.60 per share. It was followed by Continental Reinsurance Plc with a gain of 4.50% to close at N1.06 per share. Others on the gainers list include: United Bank for Africa Plc, Unilever Nigeria Plc and Sterling Bank Plc; while on the decliners’ list, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc lead with a loss of 5.94% to close at N25.35 share. It was followed by CCNN Plc with a loss of 4.89% to close at N4.47 per share. Others on the decliners list include: AIICO Insurance Plc, Fidson Healthcare Plc and UACN Plc.

REQUIRED DISCLOSURE This report has been prepared by BGL Plc. BGL Plc does and seeks to do business with companies covered in its research reports. As a result, the firm may have a conflict of interest that could affect the objectivity of this report. Investors should use this report as one of many other factors in making their investment decisions.

For more details go to www.thisdaylive.com

44

FRIDAY, MARCH 31, 2017 • T H I S D AY

MARKET NEWS

Stockbrokers Approve NSE Demutualisation Process Goddy Egene and Nosa Alekhuogie

The dealing members (stockbroking firms) of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) yesterday approved the demutualisation programme of the exchange. The approval was given at the extra-ordinary general meeting (EGM) held in Lagos.

Demutualisation is a process of converting a stock exchange from a non-profit, mutual organisation, into a for-profit entity with the attendant separation of membership rights from trading privileges held by members of the mutual exchange.

While the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had issued rules on demutuali-

T H 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 Other Financial Institutions Totals

DEALS

MARKET PRICE

sation of exchanges, the NSE had appointed Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) and Chapel Hill Denham (CHD) as financial advisers for the exercise since 2015.

However, stockbrokers during annual general meeting (AGM) of the exchange held last year, called for more time to embark on more consultations before

N I G E R I A N QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

No. of Deals 1 1 2 2 2

Current Price 98.7 135

Quantity Traded 105 100 205 205 205

Value Traded 103,815.41 137,197.80 241,013.21 241,013.21 241,013.21

No. of Deals 11 4 15 No. of Deals 5 5 20

Current Price 44.18 46

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

Current Price 0.78

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 6 132 254

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 12,794,808

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 38,559,997.87

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

the demutualisation of the exchange. They had said after the consultations, an EGM should be convened where the council and management of the NSE will be authorised to commence the demutualisation process.

And at the end of the EGM yesterday, the dealing members gave their approval to the demutualisation process.

STO C K

The Chairman of Association of Stockbroking House of Nigeria (ASHON), Chief O.P Ezeagu, moved the motion for all the items on the agenda to be taken as one and he was supported by immediate past Chairman of ASHON, Emeka Madubuike at the EGM. Specifically, the brokers authorised the National

Council and management of the exchange to proceed with the process leading up to the demutualisation of the exchange.

They also approved the engagement of financial advisers, legal advisers, tax advisers and any other adviser that may be required for the demutualisation of the exchange.

E XC H A N G E

MAIN BOARD 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

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)

87,962,909

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

45

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, MARCH 31, 2017

MARKET NEWS

Sterling Bank Records N111bn Earnings, N6bn Profit Sterling Bank Plc yesterday recorded gross earnings of N111.4 billion and profit before tax (PBT) of N6.0 billion for the year ended December 31, 2016. The PBT indicates a decline of 45 per cent compared with N11 billion in 2015. A further breakdown of results showed that net interest income increased by 41.6 per cent to N56 billion, from N39.5 billion in 2015 on account of a 22.5 per cent increase in interest income

and a 4.2 per cent increase in interest expense.

Impairment charges rose from N8.151 billion to N11.714 billion as loans and advances increased by 38.2 per cent to N468.2 billion from N338.7 billion in 2015. The loans were driven primarily by foreign exchange revaluation.

However, customer deposits decreased marginally by 1.0 per cent to N584.7 billion, from N590.9 billion. Total assets (excluding contingent

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

liabilities) increased by 4.3 per cent to N834.2 billion compared with N799.5 billion the previous year.

Commenting on the results, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the bank, Mr. Yemi Adeola said 2016 was a difficult year for the Nigerian economy characterised by high inflation, weak oil prices, lower crude oil output and foreign exchange supply shortages.

According to him, these multiple challenges and the

floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

A REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) is an investment vehicle that allows both small and large investors to part-own real estate ventures (eg.

Offices, Houses, Hospitals) in proportion to their investments. The assets are divided into shares that are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

GUIDE TO DATA: Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 29-Mar-2017, unless otherwise stated.

various regulatory responses put significant downward pressure on the earnings of banks.

Adeola noted that during the year, the bank successfully deployed the “best in class” core banking application Temenos T24; grew its active customer base and launched the disruptive, award winning payments solution, ChatPay, as the bank optimised its traditional electronic channel offerings.

He explained that these initiatives would enable the bank to optimize its operating efficiency and position it to exploit emerging business opportunities.

Speaking on the outlook for Sterling Bank under its 2017- 21 Strategic Plan, the MD/CEO said it is expected that the government’s fiscal intervention schemes alongside supportive economic policies will create pathways for economic recovery.

“Over the next five years, we will be steering our ship differently and aggressively growing the retail business through electronic channels,” he said.

Adeola said in a bid to achieve this, the bank would prioritise efficiency over scale with the goal of achieving steady growth and sustainable returns to all our stakeholders and optimize its cost profile while providing its customers with ‘best in class’ service.

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 129.75 130.26 2.17% Nigeria International Debt Fund 218.05 218.78 1.31% 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 0.70 -0.55% 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 18.18% 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 12.37 12.74 0.19% ARM Discovery Fund 291.39 300.18 1.47% ARM Ethical Fund 22.24 22.91 -0.47% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 15.94% 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 106.99 107.74 1.72% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 16.97% 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 2.15 2.21 -0.91% Paramount Equity Fund 9.42 9.66 0.63% Women's Investment Fund 86.87 89.09 2.68% 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 18.78% 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 1,137.07 1,138.26 4.28% FBN Heritage Fund 112.45 113.19 0.77% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 18.09% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional $107.32 $108.12 3.19% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail $107.03 $107.82 3.61% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 113.76 115.22 0.95% 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 2.66 2.66 3.62% 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 2,215.89 2,242.60 0.32% Coral Income Fund 2,197.77 2,197.77 4.44% GREENWICH ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gtlgroup.com Web: www.gtlgroup.com ; Tel: +234 1 4619261-2 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Greenwich Plus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 16.93% 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 16.65% Vantage Balanced Fund 1.72 1.73 2.09% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 15.60%

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 2.85% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,028.99 1,028.99 2.60% 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 9.58 9.66 -0.85% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 16.56% 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 111.29 112.12 9.27% 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 1.28 1.28 2.51% 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 1,846.48 1,855.55 0.80% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 156.20 156.20 1.45% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.76 0.76 -1.30% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 193.11 193.11 3.33% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 128.77 130.42 -0.82% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 17.60% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 7,367.53 7,446.99 -2.89% UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD unitedcapitalplcgroup.com Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 803 306 2887 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund 1.14 1.15 8.14% United Capital Bond Fund 1.28 1.28 16.01% United Capital Equity Fund 0.65 0.66 -0.50% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.15 1.15 11.35% 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 9.96 10.14 3.46% Zenith Ethical Fund 11.20 11.31 2.62% Zenith Income Fund 17.39 17.39 5.26%

REITS

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

11.41 125.38

1.01% 1.14%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

7.98 71.90

8.08 73.24

-9.06% -5.12%

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

2.70 6.25 11.70 15.04 128.77

2.74 6.33 11.80 15.24 130.77

-1.79% -11.03% -2.46% -5.67% -0.85%

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.

46

friDAY, mArch 31, 2017 • T H I S D AY

WORLD OF ISLAM

Edited by: MJO Mustapha Email deji.mustapha@thisdaylive.com

God as the Only Creator Spahic Omer/IslamiCity

Humans as creators As seen above, creating ex nihilo (from absolute nothingness) is both the right and power of God alone. Such a style of creation cannot be ascribed to humankind. Humans were and will remain forever short of enjoying a power of bringing into being anything without making use of the available raw materials and elements created for them in nature. Indeed, everything that humans invent, conceive, concoct and create, is only possible thanks to the unbounded bounties and munificence from God, which humans only discover, manipulate, process, use, and reuse in different ways most convenient and efficient for them and their terrestrial goals. Consequently, humankind’s civilized and cultural ‘creations’ are a relative thing.

They are not really ‘creations’ but only the temporary possessions of humankind in their temporary custody. As such, humans neither create nor possess anything. The Qur’an declares this emphatic truth time and again, such as in the following verses: “To Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth. Whether you show what is within yourselves or conceal it, Allah will bring you to account for it… ” (al-Baqarah, 2:284).

“Do you not know that Allah’s is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and that besides Allah you have no guardian or helper?” (al-Baqarah, 2:107). “… His verily is all creation and commandment.

Blessed be Allah, the Lord of the Worlds!” (al-A’raf, 7:54) Everything around humans has been loaned to them so that they can carry out their duty of vicegerency in a responsible and unhindered manner. Their duty is no more than that. Even humans’ lives are not their own.

Their lives belong to their Creator and Master, and, if needed, they must sacrifice their lives for their Master and His cause: “Indeed Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties (in exchange) for paradise… ” (al-Tawbah, 9:111).

God explicitly reveals that he is the Creator and thus the Owner of everything including people, their selves and whatever they are able to make or create. People’s creations and all possessions are in fact God’s: “And Allah has created you and what you make.” (al-Saffat, 37:96).

The Prophet (pbuh) also said in a tradition: “Indeed, it is God Who creates every other creator and his creation.”

This tradition is recorded by al-Bukhari in his “Sahih”, a compilation of authentic traditions of the Prophet (pbuh), in a section entitled “Allah’s words: ‘Allah has created you and what you make’ and ‘Verily, all things have We created in proportion and measure.‘” No sooner do humans come to this world than they set out displaying their inherent readiness to take from this world: to breathe, to eat and drink, to wear apparel, albeit without possessing anything, save their own self, to give away in return. Humans therefore, are born as insolvent consumers, as it were. Not only do they own nothing, but also they remain forever short of enjoying the power of bringing into being anything without making use of what is already there created for them in nature. Creating things, conditions and environments from nothingness is the right and authority of God alone and signifies authentic splendor, dominion and power to which God alone is entitled. The upshots of humankind’s myriad civilizational pursuits on earth therefore are never really their own possession and, as such, by no means could be solely utilized for returning the debt of creation and existence to God. Hence, people are given the title of servants or slaves and God alone is the Lord or Master.

There can never be any alterations whatsoever in titles: the servant will remain forever the servant, and the Lord will remain forever the only Lord, irrespective of any human intervention that may transpire on any plane of existence. It goes without saying, therefore, that being prudent, modest and grateful when dealing with God’s gifts, as well as when dealing with one’s own accomplishments, are of the virtues most appreciated in humans. It likewise follows that the legitimacy of

human ‘creations’ is based only on the strengthening of people’s legitimate relationships with their Lord and with the rest of His creation.

Moreover, God created humans as the most beautiful creatures on earth, in the best of moulds, and gave them the power of reasoning and insight. (al-Tin, 95:4) He created humans as His vicegerents on earth, never to be forsaken by God’s words of guidance, lest they lose their way, rebel against the will and plan of their Lord, and gradually become puffed up with egotism, self-exaltation and innumerable superstitions pertaining to their own existence and existence taken as a whole. (al-Baqarah, 30-39) When these exceptional qualities of humans are paired with their submission to the Creator, Lord and Cherisher of the worlds, they confidently set out proving their worth, elevating their status over that of the angels in the process. Conversely, no sooner do they start mishandling and abusing the same qualities and gifts, than they start drifting away from the plane of truth, debasing themselves to a status lower than that of animals.

On that note, in addition, the Prophet (pbuh) declared that God created Adam, the father of humankind, in His own image. (Sahih Muslim) In other words, God bestowed Adam with life, knowledge, and the power of hearing, seeing and understanding, but Adam’s features are different from those of God. God has life, knowledge and power of understanding, which has been bestowed upon Adam as well, but there is no comparison between the Creator and the created thing.

This truth by extension applies to the whole of mankind, the children of Adam.

Hence, God’s names and attributes, including those pertaining to creation, manifest themselves in human beings. People make, build and shape many beautiful and useful objects and things, manifesting thereby certain divine attributes in themselves and in those creative and consequential actions of theirs. However, most people over and over again get carried away and misjudge. The

artist says that he ‘creates’ beauty. The engineer ‘invents’ a flying machine. An architect ‘designs’ and ‘creates’ a building. They think that it is they themselves who do this. They even forget the other people who might claim that they ‘created’ the paint and the brush, building materials and the whole of building technology and engineering, and the sciences of geometry, physics and mathematics, without whose ‘creation’ their ‘creation’ could not have been possible. They forget about the sources that produced the materials for that ‘creation’.

They disregard their vulnerability and complete reliance on other human and physical factors. They sometimes even close the eyes to their humanness. Who created the mind, the eyes and the hands that put all that they deal with together? That which people make depends on many conditions, materials and assistants. Whereas God’s creative act does not depend on any model, material, time, tool, aide or anything else. When He creates, He says Kun ‘Be!’ and a whole universe becomes. (Tosun Bayrak, The Name and the Named) It is thus often asked if it is permissible to say that humans are ‘creators’ on account of them creating things, ideas and objects. The answer is that it is permissible if by creation it is meant working on something, crafting it, giving it shape, processing it, assembling it, using and reusing it, or some other meaning that is suitable for human beings to ascribe to themselves and their creative and meaningful functioning as God’s vicegerents on earth, reflecting their actual existential state with all its strength as well as limitations. Ascribing the terms ‘creation’ and ‘creators’ to human beings should thus always be conditional and metaphorical, not authentic or unqualified. A hint at this restricted authorization is presented via God’s description of His Holy Self as “the best of the creators” (ahsan al-khaliqin). This description appears twice in the Qur’an. Unquestionably, a creation should never claim, or aspire, to be a bona fide creator. Such is an aberrant view and goes against the pure and natural order of things.

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FRIDAY MARCH 31, 2017 • T H I S D AY

INTERNATIONAL

email:foreigndesk@thisdaylive.com

Russia ‘Tried to Hijack US Election’, Says US Senator Russia tried to hijack the US democratic process, says a senator investigating alleged interference in the US election.

A hearing by the Senate Intelligence Committee opened on Thursday morning. Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, is to appear next week.

US intelligence agencies believe Russia tried to help Mr Trump win in November

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as EMMANUEL SYLVESTER OJOSHINIKE, now wish to be known and addressed as EMMANUEL SYLVESTER. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

LOSS OF DOCUMENT

I Mrs, Hauwa Kwena Andeyantso of No: 11 newbound street, Trademore estate, Apo, Abuja.

Hereby inform the general public that the LANDED PROPERTY tittle documents TR 20327 plot 1496 Bwari local government area Abuja.(f02) TR2017 plot 1907, TR 20133 plot 1908. Loss on transit, All efforts to find the said documents proved abortive.

The general public should please take note. If found, kindly return to the above address or the nearest Police Station or call this contact number 08062521582.

by damaging Hillary Clinton.

But Russian President Vladimir Putin has flatly denied the allegations.

In the committee’s opening remarks, Ranking Democrat Mark Warner said “Rus-

sia sought to hijack our democratic process” by employing a disinformation campaign on social media, which he describes as “Russian propaganda on steroids”.

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as MISS OLATUNJI OLUWAKEMI, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS KOMOLAFE OLUWAKEMI MARIA. All former documents remain valid. The general public

should take note.

I formerly known and addressed as AJIBOYE TEJUMADE RUTH, now wish to be known and addressed as ODUFUYE TEJUMADE RUTH. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

I formerly known and addressed as NNEJI CHRISTOPHER CHIKODI, now wish to be known and addressed as CHRISTIAN CHRISTOPHER CHIKODI. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MRS THERESA MCHIVIR ADIGAM, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS THERESA MCHIVIR BER. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as AJEMINA YOUNG KINGSLEY, now wish to be known and addressed as AJEMINA GODKNOWS OBIEKOROMA. All documents remain valid. The general public should please take note .

FRIDAY, MARCH 31, 2017• T H I S D AY

48

NEWS

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

FG Extends Tenure of Capital Component of 2016 Budget to May 5 Unveils management board of DBN

Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja The federal government has extended the tenure of the capital elements of the 2016 Budget to May 5.

The Accountant-General of the Federation, Alhaji Idris Ahmed, who issued a circular to this effect, announced the extension of the tenure of the capital component of the budget until May 5, or the passage of the 2017 budget, whichever comes first.

He urged all federal ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to take note of the content of the circular.

The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, had last week put the total capital releases of the 2016 Budget at N1 trillion.

In another development, the Ministry of Finance yesterday announced details of members of the board and management of the newly licensed Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN).

The unveiling of the management and board came about 24 hours after the operating licence of the wholesale development bank was approved by the Central

Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

A statement released yesterday by the Director of Information on the minidtry, Salisu Na’inna Dambatta, said the management team is led by Mr. Tony Okpanachi, a banker and erstwhile Deputy Managing Director/Deputy CEO, Ecobank Nigeria Limited.

Before his appointment as Managing Director/ CEO of Development Bank of Nigeria, he was the Deputy Managing Director of Ecobank Nigeria Limited.

He was also the Managing Director, Ecobank Kenya and Cluster Managing Director for East Africa (comprising Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan and Ethiopia).

Okpanachi was also at various times Managing Director of Ecobank Malawi and Regional Coordinator for Lagos and South West of Ecobank Nigeria.

A banker with over 26 years’ experience, he holds a Master degree in Business Administration (MBA) from Manchester Business School United Kingdom and a Master of Science degree in Economics

from the University of Lagos.

Okpanachi will be supported by the Chief Financial Officer, Mrs. Ijeoma Ozulumba, and Chief Risk Officer, Mr. Olu Adegbola.

Other board members are Dr. Shehu Yahaya as chairman.

He was the interim Managing Director of DBN and former Executive Director, African Development Bank (AfDB); Managing Director/Chief Executive, Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority

(NSIA), Mr. Uche Orji, and Mohammed Kalif of AfDB. Independent Directors of the DBN are former Group Managing Director/CEO of United Bank for Africa (UBA), Mr. Philips Oduoza; President and CEO, African Finance Corporation, Mr. Andrew Alli; Chairman, FBN Merchant Bank, Alhaji Bello Maccido; Founder/Managing Director, JNC International Limited, Mrs Clare Omatseye, and the Managing Director, CEO Excel

Professional Service Limited, Mr. Oladimeji Alo. The finance ministry last Wednesday received notice from the regulator that it was free to commence operations of the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise (MSME)-focused Development Bank of Nigeria.

Speaking at a recent strategy retreat with the management team, board members and other key stakeholders of DBN in attendance, Adeosun reaffirmed the importance of

DBN’s mandate and assured them of the public sector support needed to ensure the DBN’s success.

According to her, “Despite limited access to financing, MSMEs contribute a significant 45 per cent to the national economy. If these institutions could have reliable access to working and investment capital at low cost, the multiplier effect on economic growth and job creation would be significant.”

MTN Pays N30bn as Part Settlement of Fine MTN has made a payment of N30 billion to the federal government as a part settlement of the N330 billion fine imposed on the telecoms group for not disconnecting unregistered SIM cards, an MTN source told Reuters yesterday.

Africa’s largest telecoms company has already paid N80 billion of the total amount owed, the source said.

The fine is due for payment in six installments over three years, MTN has explained.

MTN Nigeria was originally fined $5.2 billion last October

for failing to deactivate more than five million unregistered SIM cards, but the fine was reduced in a settlement that paved the way for MTN to list its subsidiary on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

Nigeria has been cracking down on unregistered SIM cards, concerned that they are used for criminal activities in a country fighting an insurgency

by Islamist militant group Boko Haram.

MTN, which operates in 20 countries, had set aside $600 million last year to pay the fine.

Nigeria Plans to Cut Trade Deficit With UK, Says NEPC Boss Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mr. Segun Awolowo, has said Nigeria is making serious plans to improve on her trade balance with the United Kingdom.

He said the country currently has a trade deficit of about $30 billion.

Awolowo, whose agency is responsible for promoting the country’s export, said part of the new thinking by the federal government is to take advantage of emerging trade potential as a result of Britain’s move to exit the European Union common market bloc.

Speaking in an interview with THISDAY’s sister media network, the ARISE Television

in Abuja, Awolowo said government had identified 11 potential areas of investment under the recently launched Nigerian Economic Recovery Lifeline to boost export trade.

He said the measures being pursued to achieve the economic targets set by government is to try and improve on our productivity and productive capacity On what his organisation is doing to position the country for a mutually rewarding trade relations with Great Britain, Awolowo said: “We in Nigeria traded only one commodity with the UK over the years, that is oil. In fact we never added value to it and we

Cont’d on Pg 53

R-L: Former Commonwealth Secretary General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku; professor of law and constitutional expert, Prof. Ben Nwabueze; wife of the former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mrs. Abimbola Akinjide; and Prof. Pat Utomi, at the colloquium in held honour of Prof. Nwabueze and Chief Richard Akinjide, in Lagos… yesterday kolawole alli

Kachikwu Plans Roadshow in Houston to Woo Bidders for Marginal Oil Fields DPR gives conditions to formalise illegal refineries in N’Delta Chineme Okafor in Abuja The Minister of States for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, has disclosed that he would in the coming weeks attend the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston, Texas, United States to woo potential bidders for Nigeria’s upcoming marginal oil field bid rounds.

Kachikwu stated this at a networking dinner held last Wednesday night at the the maiden Nigeria Oil and Gas Opportunity Fair (NOGOF) which was initiated and organised in Uyo, capital of Akwa Ibom State by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) to showcase opportunities for advancing local content application in the country’s oil industry.

The minister explained that he would attend the OTC this year in Houston to market Nigeria’s marginal oil fields bid rounds to potential investors. He also noted that the rounds could be completed between 2018

and 2019.

The OTC is an annual oil industry showpiece where energy professionals usually meet in the first week of May to exchange ideas and opinions that could advance scientific and technical knowledge for offshore oil resources and environmental matters.

It is often regarded as the largest event in the world for the oil and gas industry featuring more than 2,300 exhibitors, and attendees representing 100 countries. The conference was founded in 1969.

While Kachikwu did not disclose the number and locations of the marginal oil fields that would be up for bid in the process which is expected to start with his planned Houston roadshow, it is however thought that the fields could be located within the onshore basins and continental shelf.

The government had initially stated that it would conduct a licensing round in 2017 for the allocation of marginal fields, to raise revenue for the country and also grow oil production

to meet its production target of four million barrels per day and 40 billion oil reserves.

Also, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has stated that it would not be in a hurry to grant operational licences that would formalise the operations of illegal oil refineries in the Niger Delta until standard Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) studies have been conducted on the illegal refineries and their locations.

Speaking yesterday at a technical session on opportunities and challenges in the Nigerian oil and gas industry at the NOGOF, the Assistant Director, Planning and Budget at the DPR, Mr. Wole Akinyosoye, said there were differences between modular refineries and illegal refineries, and that both must not be confused to mean the same thing.

Akinyosoye who represented the Director of DPR, Mordecai Ladan, at the conference, explained that the Department would require a comprehensive EIA from operators of the illegal refineries, after which it would

undertake deep studies of them before deciding on operational licenses for them.

He noted that DPR had in the past issued multiple number of licences for modular refineries construction and had also requested for detailed EIA study of the locations of the refineries as provided for in the National Environmental Guidelines and Standards for the Petroleum Industries in Nigeria (EGASPIN).

Akinyesoye added that beyond the EIA report, there were other requirements needed to be fulfilled before licenses for such refinery construction would be granted.

The government had recently stated its intention to formalise the operations of all viable illegal refineries in the Niger Delta as part of its plan to end the menace of militancy and criminality in the region. This plan was subsequently backed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) which stated that it would be an antidote to criminality and vandalism of oil facilities in the region.

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NEWSXTRA

N’Assembly Leadership Meets on 2017 Budget Says c’ttee report deadlines sacrosanct Senate to receive final report on PIGB April 25 Buhari nominates three persons for NDDC board Damilola Oyedele in Abuja The leadership of the Senate and the House of Representatives met Wednesday night to discuss modalities to ensure the smooth passage of the 2017 N7.3 trillion budget, and resolved to commence the next step of the budgetary process.

They also resolved to ensure

that the 2017 budget is passed earlier than the 2016 budget which was passed in May 2016.

This informed the decision of both chambers to insist that yesterday remained the deadline for all committees to submit their reports.

The President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, at plenary yesterday, reiterated that the

FG: New Niger Delta Devt Blueprint Ready in Four Weeks

Dogara cautions Shell against relocating from Port Harcourt Oil firm says no plans to leave city Chineme Okafor in Abuja The federal government yesterday revealed that it was on the verge of concluding work within the next four weeks on the new blueprint designed to develop and end militancy in the Niger Delta region.

The Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Mr. Paul Boroh, stated this while speaking at a meeting between the Inter-Agency Committee on the Niger Delta and the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) in Abuja.

Boroh explained that farreaching consultations were ongoing with the governors of the states in the region and other stakeholders, adding that the consultations would have to be concluded before the blueprint could be released.

“We are here discussing critical issues concerning the Niger Delta region and all we want to achieve is to come up with a working plan like a masterpiece developmental plan for the Niger Delta region.

“This plan would be inclusive of peace, security, stability and development. The plan is ongoing, it is a process that is ongoing and within the next four weeks or thereabout, the blueprint would be out for public consumption,” said Boroh at the meeting held in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, in his remarks, also confirmed that the team working on the blueprint was busy with the task given to them.

He expressed hope that within the next couple of weeks, the team would come out with a clearly defined roadmap to end militancy in the Niger Delta region and usher in the beginning of concerted development of the region.

Kachikwu explained that the blueprint would encompass the feedback garnered more by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo during his tour and consultative meetings with oil producing

states in the region.

The minister who was represented by his Special Adviser on the Niger Delta, Mr. Charles Achodo, stated that changing the narrative of the oil-rich region from militancy to development was a critical challenge.

He noted that the government had taken up the challenge, together with all the heads of the agencies and Ministers of the Niger Delta, Environment, Petroleum Resources, and Power, Works and Housing.

Kachikwu further noted that the focus of the committee was on developmental issues and challenges of the region, such as environmental degradation, infrastructure deficit, unemployment and militancy.

But as the government unfolded the ongoing work on the blueprint for the Niger Delta, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara warned yesterday that the planned relocation of Anglo-Dutch oil multinational, Shell, from the Niger Delta region could lead to violence and insecurity.

Dogara made the remark during the inauguration of the ad hoc committee to investigate the planned relocation of Shell from Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

The House on January 26 had adopted a motion sponsored by Hon. Kingsley Chinda (Rivers PDP) to set up an ad hoc committee to prevail on Shell’s purported relocation from Port Harcourt on account of rising insecurity, among other issues.

Dogara, who was represented at the inauguration by the House Deputy Majority Whip, Pally Iriase (Edo APC), said improved relations between the federal government and the Niger Delta region were crucial to addressing some of the economic challenges confronting the country.

The Chairman of the ad hoc committee, Hon. Ishiaka Ibrahim, (Ogun, APC) said the committee would meet with all the relevant stakeholders to address the issue.

deadline is sacrosanct in order to hasten the legislative work to be done on the budget document.

“The committees should endeavor to submit their reports yesterday (Thursday) or the appropriations committee will be left with no other option but to consider original estimates sent in by the executive,” he said.

Senate spokesperson, Senator Abdullahi Sabi, said the deadline became necessary so that the budgetary process does not become an unending one.

“It is to give us a target to work towards, else it will become an unending process.

The essence of this deadline is to say that the Appropriation committee will get into its next phase, clean the data and harmonise with the House of Representatives. As I have said earlier, most of the committees have already harmonised their report with the House

committees,” he said.

Meanwhile, the report of the Senate Joint Committee on Petroleum (Upstream, Downstream and Gas), will be laid before the Senate for consideration and approval on April 25, 2017.

A statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Senate President, Mr. Sanni Onogu, said members of the committee would hold their final meeting on the final stages of the report next week.

“During the session, the committee members, among others, would receive further input, deliberate on their findings and recommendations, and conclude their report for submission to the Senate,” the statement said.

It should be recalled that the PIGB, according to the Senate President, Saraki, during a three day public hearing organised by the Committee

in December 2016, is meant to create efficient and effective governing institutions with clear and separate roles for the petroleum industry.

Saraki had stated that the PIGB also seeks to establish a framework for the creation of commercially oriented and profit driven petroleum entities that ensures value addition and internationalisation of the petroleum industry, promote transparency in the administration of the petroleum resources of Nigeria, and create a conducive business environment for petroleum industry operations.

In another development, President Muhammadu Buhari has written to the Senate, seeking the confirmation of three nominees as members of the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

In the letter read by Saraki

at the plenary yesterday, said the nominations were to replace three nominees who were rejected because their nominations did not meet the requirements of the NDDC Act. Three nominees was rejected by the Senate on October 2016, because they did not hail from oil producing communities of their states.

The letter addressed to Saraki reads in part: “In the accordance with section 228 of the NDDC Act 2000, I hereby present the following nominees to the board of the NDDC for confirmation by the Senate.

“The distinguished Senate is invited to note that these nominees are replacement of those who were rejected for not representing the oil producing areas of their respective states.”

The nominees are: Lucky Orimiso (Ondo), Chukwa Anwawa (Imo) and Nwogu Nwogu (Abia).”

I AM VINDICATED

L-R: Book Presenter, Chief Remi Ogunmefun; Author of the Book, Lt Gen. Ishaya Bamaiyi (rtd); Chairman of the occasion and former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd); Minister of Defence, Brig. Gen. Mansur Dan Ali (rtd); and former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Ahmadu Ali, during the public presentation of a book: ‘Vindication of a General’ Bamaiyi in Abuja ....yesterday ENOCK REUBEN

Sokoto High Court Orders Stay of Action on Criminal Charge Against Ahmed Dan Baba Ejiofor Alike Justice Malami Umar Dogo Daji of the Sokoto State High Court has ordered that all actions relating to the criminal charge against Hassan Ahmed Dan Baba at the Upper Shariah Court 1 be stayed, pending the determination of the suit brought against the Upper Shariah Court and Inuwa Abdul Kadir by Dan Baba.

The presiding judge adjourned the matter to April 18, 2017, during which all actions against Dan Baba at the Upper Shariah Court must remain pending.

Dan Baba had petitioned the Grand Khadi of Sokoto State against a judge of the Upper Shariah Court 1 Sokoto for

alleged violation of his oath of office by acting in a biased and prejudicial manner against him.

The solicitors in their petition dated March 24, 2017, said their client was wrongfully served in respect of criminal charge between Inuwa Abdulkapir V Hassan Ahmed Dan Baba in case No CR/134/17.

The petitioner said: “We are solicitors to Hassan Ahmed Dan Baba, the accused person in the above charge, and we have his instructions to petition your good office with regards to the above judge having violated his oath of office by acting in a biased and prejudicial manner against our client.

“Sir, our client was wrongfully served a criminal summons

through proxy to appear before the above court to answer to some allegations leveled against him by the complainant. He was served and given two days to appear before the court.

“Upon the receipt of the said summons, we filed a notice of preliminary objection challenging the proprietary of the summons as a gross violation of section 36(6)(b) of the 1999 CFRN as amended which provides that every person who is charged with a criminal offence shall be entitled to adequate time and facilities for the preparation of his defence and that since the accused was not even served personally, the court had no jurisdiction to entertain the matter and that the court should

in that circumstances strike out the case.

“Sir, we were in court on March 16, 2017, to argue our preliminary objection having filed and served the complainant. On that day, neither the complainant nor his solicitor was in court and the senior judge who came in at 10a.m. told us that his colleague who would preside over our case sent words to him that he will not be sitting and as such we should take a date. Upon telling the court that we came in from outside jurisdiction, one of the registrars of the court was called upon to give us date and we took March 30, 2017 as the next adjourned date. This is in the records of the court.”

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NEWSXTRA

Meningitis Outbreak: Death Toll Rises to 270 in Five States, 1,996 Cases Reported Lassa fever kills eight persons in Kano

Martins Ifijeh Since the first case of Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM) was diagnosed in the North in 2016, not less than 1,966 suspected cases have so far been reported as of this week, with the outbreak reaching epidemic proportions in Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina, Zamfara and Niger States.

So far, about 270 people have died from the recent outbreak, with the death of a child in Abuja on Wednesday being the most recent.

The death was confirmed to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) by the Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Primary Health Care Development Board yesterday.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said given the size of the outbreak and the number of states affected, it was in collaboration with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) leading a multiagency CSM Outbreak Control

Team to coordinate the response to the outbreak of the disease.

It said the team included representatives from the NPHCDA, World Health Organisation, United Nations Children’s Education Fund, US Centers for Disease Control, Médecins Sans Frontières and EHealth Africa.

According to the Technical Assistant Communications, NCDC, Lawal Bakare, the Outbreak Control Team was focusing on communicating prevention messages, strengthening surveillance, case detection, verification and management as well as communication and coordination across the affected states.

He said NPHCDA was leading a reactive vaccination in Zamfara State, while a similar response was currently being planned in Kebbi and Sokoto States. Vaccines that provide protection to Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C (NmC) are not commercially available and need to be acquired through a special process managed by

WHO. “NPHCDA is working closely with WHO to ensure that we get access to vaccines needed to respond to the outbreak and prevent further cases. In addition, UNICEF is currently supporting affected states to scale up social mobilisation focusing on grassroots engagement.”

While noting that meningitis can be treated if detected early, the Chief Executive Officer, NCDC, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, said: “We understand meningitis peaks every year in the dry season in certain states and we must work better with these states to prevent the unnecessary loss of lives.

We must work collectively to stop this outbreak and prevent outbreaks of this scale in the future.”

According to the Director of Surveillance, NCDC, Mrs Olubunmi Ojo, “Immunisation is key to the prevention of meningitis. Between 2011 -2014, the MenAfriVac vaccination campaign against the predominantly circulating Neisseria meningitidis serogroup

A in Nigeria then, led to a major reduction in cases recorded from that strain. We now see an outbreak caused predominantly

by Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C (NmC). While reactive vaccination helps to curtail outbreaks, a vaccination campaign against NmC with a long-lasting conjugate vaccine is sorely needed in the region.

“The NCDC and its partner agencies and institutions at the Federal Ministry of Health will continue to work closely with States and we believe that our concerted efforts will bring this outbreak under control, as we also work towards preventing outbreaks of this scale in the future,” the agency stated.

Meanwhile, as part of efforts to tackle the disease in Sokoto State, at least 700,000 persons, comprising children and adults will be vaccinated following the death of 31 persons as a result of the epidemic in Sokoto State.

The state Commissioner of Health, Dr. Balarabe Kakale, disclosed this while addressing journalists at the NUJ Press

Centre, Sokoto yesterday.

He said the exercise would be conducted across the 23 local government areas of the state and expected to last for one week.

According to him, the mass vaccination against meningitis became necessary so as to get a very high community immunity against any outbreak.

The commissioner maintained that the vaccination exercise is free and advised the people to avail themselves of the opportunity to get vaccinated.

“Vaccines provided are free and is targeted at children under five and adults. So, anybody charging any fee to vaccinate people is criminal and will be dealt with,” Kakale said.

Meanwhile, Lassa fever has killed a total of eight persons in a remote village Tudun Wada Local Government Area of Kano State.

The district Head of Tudun Wada, Alhaji Bashir Ibrahim Mohammed, reported the incident to the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sunusi II. According to him, the incident

occurred at Taka Lafiya village in the local government area which is about 90 kilometres away from the Kano metropolis.

Bashir while giving the update on the outbreak of the disease to the Kano emirate, said the incident occurred three weeks ago.

The state Commissioner of Health, Getso, confirmed the incident yesterday but declined to give details on the casualty figure.

He said: “Two cases of Lassa fever were also confirmed in Tudun Wada Local Government Area,” adding that the state has intensified efforts to tame the situation.”

Getso also confirmed that the state government had released the sum of N19 million to maintain aggressive response to combat Lassa fever and meningitis as well as other communicable diseases.

The state government appealed to the residents in the state to report cases of intense headache, fever, nausea, vomiting and neck stiffness to the nearest clinics.

ACF: N’Assembly-Executive Face Off, Threat to Democracy

John Shiklam in Kaduna

development is certainly not the best for Nigeria The Arewa Consultative considering the myriad Forum (ACF) yesterday of challenges facing the said the face-off between the nation. We are faced with executive and the National insecurity, economic recession Assembly on one hand, and socio-political problems and appointees of President that require synergy between Muhammadu Buhari on the the executive and the Senate other hand, is a threat to for good governance and not national cohesion and the show of power.

“The attitudes of some development of Nigerian government officials over democracy.

In a statement issued in simple invitation by the Senate Kaduna, the forum said it to come and clarify certain was worried that instead of policy issues do more damage concentrating on addressing than good to the expected the security and economic cordial working relationship.

“On the other hand, the challenges facing the country, energy is being dissipated Senate resolutions meant over quarrels between the to intimidate or threaten two arms of government, the executive is unnecessary while pressing issues are and portrays the senate as vindictive and antagonistic. left unattended to.

The statement signed by the ACF therefore appeals to the National Publicity Secretary of two arms of government to the forum, Alhaji Muhammad sheath their swords in the Ibrahim Biu, said ACF was interest of Nigerians who worried by the open fights voted them into power and among appointees of the work harmoniously.

“We can only enjoy the president on one hand and the altercation between the dividends of democracy when executive and the National all the three arms work in Assembly, particularly the concert, understanding and respect for one another.

Senate.

“Our constitution provides The statement noted that in the last three weeks, for separation of powers to Nigerians have witnessed facilitate checks and balances open disagreement between in governance, which should officials of government that be upheld. Any distraction are supposed to work in that will threaten our concert with each other, democracy at this material pointing out that such attitude time is uncalled for.

“It is our hope that this threatens national cohesion and the development of the passionate appeal will touch nation’s young democracy. the hearts of our leaders to “The relationship between promptly do the needful. We the executive and the Senate, welcome the courage and to say the least is unhealthy, magnanimity of President with each side flexing muscle Buhari in constituting a to intimidate the other over committee led by Vice President issues that could easily be Yemi Osinbajo to end the rift between the executive and the resolved” the forum said.

It stated further that “this National Assembly.”

WHAT ROLE FOR TRADITIONAL RULERS?

L-R: Chairman, Yoruba Tennis Club, Mr. Ayodele Martins; Guest Speaker, Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe; and Chairman of the occasion, Alhaji Femi Okunnu, at a public lecture titled: ‘The Traditional Institution in the Modern Nigeria Society,” held at the Yoruba Tennis Club in Lagos, yesterday SUNDAY ADIGUN

Ojiakor, Abua Differ on Nigeria’s Political Stability, Restructuring Emma Okonji Former Ambassador to Switzerland, Humphrey Ojiakor and the Head, Youth Development Centre in Abuja, Mr. John Abua, yesterday differed in their opinions on the political stability and structure of the country.

Ojiakor Abua who were guest on ARISE Television, THISDAY sister news network, spoke on the state of the Nigerian economy, but differed in their arguments on how best to reposition the country for national development.

While Ojiakor was of the view that Nigeria needs restructuring

to fast-track development, Abua said what Nigeria needs was beyond political restructuring, but enlightened minds with critical thinking.

He said restructuring without developing the people would do the country no good. He said the greatest challenge of the country is lack of development, arguing that people must be developed beyond tribalism and favoritism.

Abua argued that political restructuring would not address the challenges of the youths and that Nigeria needed leaders with critical thinking that could turn things around fast.

He equally said restructuring

would not bring about unity, while stressing the need for developing the minds of leaders to think fast.

But Ojiakor, in his argument, said if the political structure of the country is addressed, it would lead to development of people, including the youths.

Ojiakor who blamed the country’s woes on corruption and bad leadership, insisted that total restructuring of the country would address every challenge currently facing the country.

According to him, the idea of state governors going to Abuja to get their state allocation (national cake), is a

faulty political structure, that must be addressed through proper restructuring of the political setting of the country.

Abua however, insisted that the development of critical minds was the best solution to address the nation’s challenges.

He faulted a situation where 80 per cent of the country’s revenue goes to recurring expenditure and a situation where the minority interest does not count in a country like Nigeria. He said the best way to address the anomalies was to develop minds and raise leaders with best critical thinking.

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NEWSXTRA

Nigerians Have Not Forgotten Your Misdeeds, APC Tells PDP Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The All Progressives Congress (APC) has asked the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) not to take it for granted that Nigerians have forgotten the bad situation into which it plunged the country during its reign.

Reacting to the poor rating of its administration by the opposition party, APC said the President Muhammadu Buhariled administration has recorded remarkable achievements within its short live span.

In a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary of APC, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ruling party said it finds Wednesday’s statement attributed to the PDP National Caretaker Committee spokesman, Mr. Dayo Adeyeye, quite regrettable.

As a party that was formerly in the opposition, the APC, Abdullahi said, was aware of the role a thriving opposition can play in sustaining democracy.

However, the APC spokesman said the spokesman of the PDP’s faction believed that it was only by attacking the APC that it can find its relevance or gain the upper hand in the PDP’s internecine war.

“We need to remind Adeyeye’s group however that although Nigerians may have forgiven the PDP, two years after the party left the country in ruins, but we have not forgotten.

“Nigerians have not forgotten that it was under the PDP-led administration that the terrorist group, Boko Haram seized a sizable portion of Nigeria’s territory, created a caliphate and hoisted its own flags.

“It took the APC-led government of President Muhammadu Buhari to reclaim our territory and pride. Today,

Adewumi Abe for Burial The remains of Rev Israel Adewumi Abe will be committed to mother earth at his residence in Ekute Quarters,Ado-Ekiti, today, after a funeral service at the Apostolic Faith Church, Ajilosun, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

Abe, a clergy of the AFC, AdoEkiti, died on January 19, 2017, in Ado-Ekiti, during an illness. He was 83 years old.

A Christian wake was held for the deceased devout man of God and Ekute community leader at his residence yesterday.

He is survived by children and grandchildren, among who is the wife of the Senior Special Assistant (Media) to Oyo State Governor, Mrs Oluwaseun Oyedele.

Rev. Adewumi

Boko Haram insurgents are virtually defeated and are on the run, and no millimetre of Nigerian territory is currently held by the insurgents. We have forgiven, but we have not forgotten.”

The statement recalled that under the PDP rule, corruption was not considered as stealing.

It said corruption enjoyed an unprecedented prosperity while Nigeria recorded some of the most unimaginable, shocking and astounding cases of corruption ever experienced in our history, or in the history of any country.

“Funds meant for the procurement of arms and ammunition required to fight the

Boko Haram insurgency were stolen by agents of government and shared among themselves. It was a classic case of kleptocracy.

“The PDP-led administration was sending soldiers to battle without weapons and sharing the money. Worse still, when soldiers protested the lack of weaponry, the PDP-led administration added wickedness to weakness and court-martialled them, sentencing some of them to death, and others to long terms of imprisonment. If Nigerians have graciousness to forgive the PDP for the wanton corruption, we will not forget.

“Nigerians also remember that it was under the nose and

watchful eyes of the PDP that over 250 Nigerian girls were abducted. It took the party more than a month to even make a statement! PDP went about bandying conspiracy theories while innocent Nigerian girls were being held in captivity.

The statement also said that it took the APC-led administration to rescue some of the girls, while efforts are ongoing to free the rest.

“Yet, PDP had the audacity to counter the globally acclaimed hashtag, #BringBackOurGirls with their terribly insensitive #BringBackJonathan. We are willing to forgive even this; but we cannot forget.

“Nigerians will not forget that under the PDP, over 20 Nigerian youths died and thousands were seriously injured while looking for jobs. the PDP-led administration organised a fraudulent Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) recruitment exercise and lured young people desperate for jobs to various stadiums across the country after extorting them. In the end, the exercise ended in tears, sorrows and blood.

“None of those who survived got the job and, worse still; the officials responsible for the calamity were protected by the PDP. We cannot forget.

“Nigerians remember that

under the PDP, whistle-blowing was a crime. When a former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor exposed the stealing of $20 billion from the national treasury, he was suspended and hounded out of the government. We have not forgotten.

“If we have not been talking about this plethora of PDP iniquities, it is not because we have forgotten. Instead, we have chosen to pick up the pieces of the PDP wreckage and move the country forward.

This, we have endeavoured to do in the last two years since Nigerians unanimously rejected the PDP for their wanton profligacy and misrule.”

FRIDAY, MARCH 31, 2017• T H I S D AY

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NEWSXTRA

Report Puts Transnational Crime at $2.2tn per Annum Puts crude oil theft at between $5.2bn and $11.9bn Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja Globally, the business of transnational crime is valued at an average of $1.6 trillion to $2.2 trillion annually, according to a new report released by Global Financial Integrity (GFI), a Washington DC-based research and advisory organisation.

Titled: ‘Transnational Crime and the Developing World,’ the study highlights that the combination of high profits and low risks for perpetrators of transnational crime and the support of a global shadow financial system perpetuate and drive these abuses.

“The international community has paid too little attention to combating the money in transnational crime, instead preferring to focus on the materials or the manifestations of the crimes,” the report noted.

The study evaluates the overall size of criminal markets in 11 categories: the trafficking of drugs, arms, humans, human organs, and cultural property; counterfeiting, illegal wildlife crime, illegal fishing, illegal logging, illegal mining, and crude oil theft.

The study estimates that counterfeiting is the most valuable transnational crime valued at $923 billion to $1.13 trillion on average per year, followed by drug trafficking at $426 billion to $652 billion.

Also on the scale are illegal logging (between $52 billion to $157 billion), human trafficking ($150.2 billion), illegal mining ($12 billion to $48 billion), and illegal fishing ($15.5 billion to $36.4 billion).

Others are illegal wildlife trade ($5 billion to $23 billion), crude oil theft ($5.2 billion to $11.9 billion), small arms & light weapons trafficking ($1.7

billion to $3.5 billion), and organ trafficking ($840 million to $1.7 billion).

The ranges demonstrate the serious magnitude of and threat posed by global transnational crime.

“Transnational crime is a business, and business is very good,” said Ms. Canning May who authored the report, adding that “money is the primary motivation for these illegal activities.

Linking this array of illegal goods are consistent trends in the organised networks involved in the crimes, the role of the global shadow financial system, and the negative consequences for governments, economies, and societies in developing countries.

According to the report, very rarely do the revenues from transnational crime have any long-term benefit to citizens, communities, or economies of developing countries, Instead, the crimes undermine local and national economies, destroy the environment, and jeopardize the health and wellbeing of the public.”

“The systemic nature of transnational crime calls for a broad approach to combating it,” stated GFI Programme Manager, Christine Clough, who contributed to the report.

He added: “Greater financial transparency has the potential to simultaneously curtail every transnational crime in every part of the world. The networks involved in these illicit markets are akin to major global corporations: they need access to finance and banking to be profitable to continue operating.

“They depend on the secrecy and anonymity of the global shadow financial system to launder their money and run their global enterprises successfully.”

The report recommended

several steps governments and other regulatory bodies can take to increase the levels of detection and interdiction of the proceeds of transnational crime.

Among the recommendations is that corporations registering and doing business within a country declare the name(s) of the entity’s true, ultimate beneficial owner(s), flag financial and trade transactions involving individuals and corporations in “secrecy jurisdictions” as high-risk and require extra documentation.

It also recommended that import and export invoices should be scrutinised for signs of misinvoicing, which may indicate technical and/or physical smuggling.

Also recommended is the usage of world market price databases such asGFTradeTM to estimate the risk of misinvoicing for the declared values and investigate suspicious transactions.

The report equally called for the sharing of more information between agencies and departments on the illicit markets and actors that exist within a country’s borders.

The Global Financial Integrity has been in the vanguard of exposing international crimes.

Its recent reports on financial crimes remain instructive.

GFI estimated that in 2013, US$1.1 trillion left developing countries in illicit financial outflows. This estimate is regarded as highly conservative, as it does not pick up movements of bulk cash, the mispricing of services, or many types of money laundering.

The GFI also reported that a total of $530 billion was estimated to have been siphoned from the African region by multinationals bent on engaging in illicit flow of funds, including tax.

FG Installs Aviation Lights on Abuja Airport Runway Says renovation 57.5% done

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja Three weeks after the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja was closed down to effect renovation of its runway, contractors have started installing electrical lighting on the runway.

Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, on assessment visit to the international airport runway A 04 Cat ll, said engineers had begun to cut channels for the laying of electrical wires about the same time the surfacing of the runway was ongoing.

He said the fitting of navigational wirings on the runway which length is approximately 3.6 kilometres began last Monday.

The closure of the Abuja airport prompted the federal government to divert all flights routed to Abuja to Kaduna, which is about two hours drive from the nation’s capital.

Sirika declared that about

57.5 per cent of the total work proposed by engineers had been done on the runway, adding that the April 19, 2017, deadline for the exercise to be completed remains sacrosanct.

“This is like a mid-term report because we have already done three out of six weeks since the Abuja international airport runway was shut down because it had completely failed in several sections. We are encouraged by the progress of renovation and quality of work so far carried out,” Sirika said.

The minister, who was accompanied on the tour by his Information and Culture counterpart, Lai Mohammed, said Abuja would boost of a runway that meets global standard at the end of the renovation exercise by the middle of next month.

He said a new technology, the glass fibre grid, the first of its kind for any of the Nigerian airports, was used to fortify the

Abuja runway from cracks and impact of seeping water.

The imported technology, likened to double concrete on the runway, comprises 50 tonnes of air freighted materials to guarantee its efficiency.

Sirika also added that an improved Terminal D that boosts of a lounge for the physically challenged and the elderly would be handed over when theAbuja airport resumes commercial operations by April 19.

The renovated terminal would be fitted with escalators and lifts at the departure lounge, enabling a seamless flow of international and domestic passengers.

While reeling out statistics, the minister said 50 international flights originated from Kaduna airport, with the airport also handling 4,000 international passengers.

Similarly, 73,000 domestic passengers travelled through the airport which also recorded 1,119 aircraft movements.

FRIDAY, MARCH 31, 2017• T H I S D AY

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NEWSXTRA

We’re Yet to Apprehend the Real Shekau, DHQ Admits Urges FG to regularise illegal refiners’ activities Paul Obi in Abuja The Nigerian Defence Headquarters (DHQ) yesterday said due to several fictitious faces of some Boko Haram terrorists parading themselves as ‘Ibrahim Shekau,” the military was yet to apprehend the real Shekau.

Director of Defence Information, Defence Headquarters, Major General John Enenche, told journalists in Abuja during the monthly press briefing that because of the deceptive nature of the real identity of Shekau, the military has not been able to capture the leader of Boko Haram sects who has often appeared on videos threatening government on various fronts.

Enenche while responding to the revelation by the

Minister of Defence, Col Dan-Ali that the military were yet to get hold of Shekau, said: “The search for Shekau is still on. It (statement) was qualified with the truth that there were so many faces of Shekau, so we get the real Shekau.

“But we are aware, and have come to know that the real Shekau is yet to be apprehended. If you remember, when Osama bin Ladin was killed, they went further to do a DNA test.

“It is because there so many faces of Shekau, that brought the mix up, but the real Shekau is yet to be caught, and we will get him,” Enenche said.

On military operations in the South-east and Southsouth, the DHQ urged the federal government to rather regularise the activities of

illegal refiners.

Enenche told journalists that “the current operation in the South-south and South-east of the country by the Nigerian military is Operation Delta Safe is to stem the activities of oil thieves and other criminalities in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.

“In this regard, several illegal refineries, and other illegal bunkering activities have been curtailed. The operation is on-going. It is

hoped that with the proposal of the federal government to encourage the illegal refiners to regularise and legalise their ventures, there would be a reduction if not eradication of this economic crime among the other criminalities in the Niger Delta region. It will therefore bear positively on Operation Delta Safe.

Speaking on Boko Haram, Enenche added that the military “has been able to decimate and degrade the Boko Haram

terrorists from their terrogensic activity to splinter acts of terrorism here and there mostly within Borno State.

Currently, clearance operation is on going jointly by the force to eliminate both active and passive acts of terrorism in the North-east. It is worthy of note that some countries such as Britain, USA and France among others provided one form of assistance to the military in our effort so far in the North-east. It is hoped that the collaboration

would continue to ensure that; this “evil of terrorism is eliminated from Nigeria and equally degraded globally.

He stated that such efforts are also being replicated in the North central zone with the epicenter in Plateau State.

Enenche further stressed that Operation Awatse in the South-west is aimed at protecting installations and petroleum products related criminality with negative socio-economic consequence for the country.

Ifeanyi Ubah Denies Arrest by DSS Paul Obi in Abuja The Chief Executive Officer of Capital Oil Nigeria Limited, Mr. Ifeanyi Ubah, yesterday denied reports in the media of his arrest by the Department of State Services (DSS).

An online report had yesterday reported that Ubah had been arrested by the DSS over some scam relating to oil deals with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

But speaking with THISDAY,

an aide to Ubah who spoke on condition of anonymity said: “There was no iota of truth in the report that Ubah has been arrested by the DSS.” He added that at no time was Ubah arrested or invited by the DSS for questioning over deals with NNPC. Efforts by THISDAY to reach the DSS to confirm the story proved abortive as official of the agency refused to speak on the issue.

Absence of EFCC Counsel Stalls Ajumogobia, Obla’s Corruption Trial Akinwale Akintunde The ongoing trial of a Federal High Court judge, Justice Rita Ngozi Ofili-Ajumogobia and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (NAN), Mr. Godwin Obla, before an Ikeja High Court over alleged gratification and unlawful enrichment was yesterday stalled due to the absence of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) prosecutor, Rotimi Oyedepo.

Oyedepo was said to be before the Court of Appeal.

The trial judge, Justice Hakeem Oshodi, however adjourned the matter till April 10 further hearing.

The EFCC had charged the duo to court on a 30-count charge, bordering on perversion of the course of justice, graft, unlawful enrichment, providing false information to EFCC and forgery.

At yesterday’s proceedings, Obla’s counsel, Mr. Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), expressed disappointment in the absence of the EFCC prosecutor, adding

that the defence was not served with the letter explaining his absence.

“My Lord, we came her this morning to be confronted with a letter from the prosecution, stating that he could not be present in court because he is presently before the Court of Appeal. I am surprised that the prosecution did not deem it fit to serve the defense with a copy of the letter.

“There are things I would like to say, but I would reserve my comments until the prosecution is present in court at the next adjourned date,”Adedipe said, adding that they had two urgent and pending applications that were ripe for hearing,” Adedipe said.

Mr. Wale Akoni (SAN), counsel to Ajumogobia also aligned himself with the 2nd defendant’s counsel, while also asking for a short adjournment.

Consequently, Justice Oshodi adjourned the matter till April 10 for hearing of the pending applications.

OGUN IS WORKING

Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, and his wife, Olufunso, on the escalator at the Sapon Ultra Modern Shopping Complex, shortly after the inauguration of the complex and allocation of shops to beneficiaries in Abeokuta...yesterday

House Orders Shu’ara to Vacate Office James Emejo in Abuja The House Committee on Basic Education and Services yesterday resolved to put an end to the controversy over the purported extension of service of the former Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Dr. Jamila Shu’ara, ordering her to vacate her office immediately.

The Chairman of the committee, Hon. Zakari Mohammed, who disclosed the committee’s resolution and recommendations on the matter at the resumed hearing yesterday, also maintained

that the president has no power under Section 171 (2) (c) of the Constitution or any other existing law to extend or elongate the tenure of permanent secretary whose tenure has expired by efluxion of time or age whichever comes first.

He said the retirement date for the former permanent secretary ought to be February 2016.

The committee further directed the Head of Service of the Federation (HoS), Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita, to invoke the relevant rules to recover all the emoluments paid to Shu’ara for the period of the extension.

It also directed the HoS to ensure compliance to the subject

matter and report back to the House in four weeks and urged the government to ensure that Civil Service Rules and Procedures are strictly followed.

The committee’s final resolution on the matter followed the failure of Oyo-Ita yesterday to produce the letter which purportedly granted the controversial extension to the former permanent secretary.

Instead, she turned in a letter in which she tried to respond to the request of members requiring her to show some documents.

That letter, which was more if a reinforcement of what she’d told the lawmakers from inception,

didn’t however, address the committee’s concerns.

The letter, dated March 29 and addressed to the committee read in part: “It is instructive to note that, personal files of all Civil Servants employed into the Federal Civil Service through the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) are with the commission. I have requested for the personal file of Mrs. Jamila Shu’ara from the Federal Civil Service through the Federal Civil Service Commission and am expecting the response. A copy of my request to the commission is attached.”

MIGERIA PLANS TO CUT TRADE DEFICIT WITH UK, SAYS NEPC BOSS are just about making a serious attempt to diversify the economy.”

NEPC boss said the federal government had last week released the Nigerian Economic Recovery Lifeline which contains what will be used to get over the recession.

He explained that there would be strong emphasis on export drive, adding that “once we are able to trade on other things, we will have a favorable balance in our trade deficit.

Awolowo also highlighted some of the measures to help

boost the country’s exports, saying: “What we are doing at NEPC is what we call the zero altar.

“We are saying let’s imagine that Nigeria has no oil at all, the plan is all about increased productivity, raising the productive capacity of Nigerians . We gave identified 11 sectors where we will say look these are the areas that Nigeria should go into so that we can earn money,” he said.

Speaking about the country’s recession, the NEPC boss said the main reason we are in

that situation is due to lack of foreign exchange and our inability to generate enough foreign exchange. He said that major cause of our predicament is our propensity for high import as against low export trade.

“Nigeria’s trade figure in 2014 is just $17billion, in 2015 it came down to $15 billion and 2016 the figure was a little over $40 billion. So we have a deficit of over $30 billion, while we have an import bill of about $50 billion.”

Awolowo expressed

the hope that with proper implementation of the economic blue print, especially with the emphasis on diversification of the economy, Nigeria can benefit from the opportunities from the Brexit phenomenon.

“So Britain is very key, they are our largest foreign direct investment partner and this is the time we are keen in getting them to invest in the manufacturing industry in Nigeria. So that market is very big and very attractive,” he added.

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FRIDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

Ex-Nigeria Coach, Paul ‘Wonder Boy’ Hamilton, is Dead

Duro Ikhazuagbe A former Nigeria player and coach, Paul Hamilton, 75, died in a Lagos hospital yesterday. Fondly called Wonder Boy due largely to his wonderful football skills, the former national team handler died from heart and kidney related health issues, according to family sources yesterday.

Hamilton’s wife, Durdy, also confirmed the death of the coach who led Nigeria to a bronze medal at the 1985 FIFA World Youth Championship (now known as FIFA U20 World Cup) in the then Soviet Union.

“Yes my husband is dead. As I speak with you, I am at the Military Hospital in Yaba. I am with some doctors for a meeting,” Hamilton’s Durdy said with a mournful voice early yesterday when the news of Hamilton’s death filtered into the National Stadium in Lagos.

His death yesterday was the anticlimax of the health challenges Hamilton endured since he retired from the national team job. Late last year, the left leg of the ‘Wonder Boy’ was amputated to save his failing health.

He told THISDAY some years back that the injury on the leg was sustained during his days as a national team player.

Though retired, Hamilton was not far from the game. He had an office behind the table tennis knock up hall at the Sports-city, imparting the experiences he garnered over several decades as coach and player to the younger generation. But his failing health limited him from the game in the last couple of years until he breathed his last yesterday.

Hamilton played for the senior national team in the 1960s and early 1970s, including featuring in the football tournament at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City.

He was at a few times head coach of the senior national team, including taking the reins for the 1990 FIFA World Cup qualifying series, before Dutchman Clemens Westerhof took over with only the last match of the campaign (away to Cameroon in Yaounde)

Hamilton left in the series.

‘Wonder Boy’ was also the first head coach of the senior women national team, Super Falcons, and steered the team to the 1991 and 1995 FIFA Women’s World Cup final competitions. He was also at different times Head of Technical Department and Head of Lagos Liaison Office of the Nigeria Football Federation.

In his reaction yesterday, NFF General Secretary, Dr. Sanusi Mohammed, said: “We are in terrible shock. ‘Wonder Boy’ Hamilton was a perfect gentleman in the real sense of the word, despite being a former international player for Nigeria and a Chief Coach of the senior national team.

“He worked very hard and with his whole heart for Nigeria in all spheres, as a player, a coach and as an administrator. The Nigeria football family will miss him dearly.”

Also, former Captain of the Green Eagles who played under Hamilton, Henry Nwosu said the death of the coach came to him as a rude shock.

Nwosu said Nigerians would sorely miss Hamilton’s gentle and jovial nature. “This is sad and unfortunate.

Coach Hamilton’s death is a rude shock to me. Coach Hamilton was my coach in the Green Eagles / Super Eagles.

“He made me Super Eagles captain at one point in time. He was gentle, jovial and never got angry with anyone. I remember vividly telling him that he was the ‘Wonder Man’ as I became the ‘Wonder Boy’. We will miss him dearly.”

He urged the government to assist his family in whatever way possible to give Hamilton a befitting burial.

PSG-IRUKKA Unveils Siasia as Brand Ambassador Former Super Eagles’ Head Coach, Samson Siasia, has been unveiled as the brand ambassador of the Paris Saint Germain-IRUKKA football talent hunt project.

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony in Lagos yesterday, the Managing Director PSG-IRUKKA, Mr. Chinedu Oguike believes Siasia having coached virtually all the age-group national teams in the country represents the ideals of the project.

His words: “Mr Siasia’s dynamism in coaching and youths development speaks volume and we cannot but identify with him to assist us project this initiative.

“You will agree with me that Samson (Siasia) is a role model to so many Nigerian young footballers and we believe they would have something to learn from him.”

The former Dream Team VI handler however commended the organisers of the project for creating a platform for the national team coaches to pick players from.

“With a project such as this our coaches can always visit the data base and pick players as it is always difficult to discover players and teach them how to play,” he said.

The talent hunt, according to the organisers is designed to search and scout for young football talents between the ages of 13 and 17 years in Nigeria for further nurturing and development in France.

The screening is slated between May and July this year in 14 cities, just as entry forms would be available in all UBA branches and accredited agents across the country.

L-R: MD, Irukka Online, Chinedu Oguike; Former Super Eagles Head Coach, Samson Siasia; 1st Vice President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Seyi Akinwunmi; and Chairman, Irukka, Ifeanyi Onwunbiko; at the unveiling of the PSGIrukka Academy Talent Hunt project in Lagos…yesterday

Juve Battles Napoli for Serie A Title Bundesliga Derbies live on StarTimes

The best of European league action comes to the screens of StarTimes subscribers this weekend as Champions League quarterfinalists; Juventus tackles Napoli in a heavyweight Serie A game.

In Germany’s Bundesliga, it’s derby day as Schalke hosts Dortmund while Bayern battles Augsburg in the Bavarian derby.

In an all-action and explosive lineup of top-notch live football games, leading digital television provider, StarTimes plans to transmit one of German football biggest rivalries, the Revierderby, which reaches an important milestone as Schalke will

be out to put a dent in Dortmund’s hopes of finishing in the top three, when they clash on Saturday, April 1st at 2:30pm, Nigerian time.

According to a statement issued

by StarTimes’ Head of Public Relations and Communications, Israel Bolaji, the live telecast of these matches reflect the firm’s commitment to provide the best sporting action to its subscribers at a very affordable cost.

“We hold our customers in high regard and will strive to bring quality sporting and entertaining programs to their television screens. These lives

matches which we plan to show this weekend are just a tip of the vision that we have in the transmission of live football games from the best European league”, said Bolaji.

Also on Saturday, StarTimes will be showing another German derby, as Bayern host Augsburg in the Bavarian derby.

Bayern has scored 15 goals in the last four league matches without conceding and can preserve one of only three unbeaten home records in the league by chalking up a tenth victory of the season in front of

their own supporters Second-placed RB Leipzig will on Saturday hope to snap a two-game losing streak when they battle bottom club, Darmstadt Over in the Italian Serie A, champions and leaders Juventus hit Naples to confront Napoli on Sunday, a game that Pescara Coach, Zdenek Zeman predicts will determine if Juventus will win the title.

With StarTimes showing the game live on Sunday from 7:45pm, fans will see first-hand if Juventus will win a record fifth consecutive Serie A title in Naples.

Qualifiers Emerge for BOA Westbrook Makes Lawyers League Round of 16 NBA History Qualifiers for the Round of 16 of the 2017 Bankole Olumide Aluko (BOA) Lawyers Football Tournament have emerged following the conclusion of the group stage matches last weekend.

Four teams qualified from each of the four groups to make up the 16 teams to battle on home and away basis for the quarter-final tickets.

According to a statement from Astroturf 2000, organisers of the annual football tournament for lawyers based in Lagos, “after the home and away knockout stage, eight teams will automatically qualify and proceed to the quarter finals.

“In the event of draws, penalties will be deployed as a deciders. Each team in the shoot out is entitled to three penalties to decide which team proceeds to the next stage,” stressed the statement from Astroturf 2000.

Teams that qualified from Group A include; BA Law/ Probitas Partners; Lagos State Ministry of Justice; Olaniwun Ajayi and Olajide Oyewole

In Group B, Olisa Agbakoba Legal; Falana & Falana; Fides & Fiducia and Templars made it to the next crucial phase of the tournament.

Group C qualifiers include; Pinheiro LP; Udo-Udoma Belo & Osagie; Tayo Oyetibo/Bayo Osipitan and Adepetun Caxton Martins Agbor & Segun From Group D, Aluko & Oyebode; Banwo & Ighodalo; Streamsower & Kohn/Foundation and Ajumogobia & Okeke are the qualifiers that completed the list of 16 teams to battle in the Round of 16.

The Round of 16 matches are scheduled to begin on Sunday, April 2 at the same venue, The 15th edition of the annual Bankole Olumide Aluko (BOA) Football Tournament for law firms kicked off on Sunday, February 26 at the Astroturf 2000 Facility in Ikoyi, Lagos.

The tournament is held in memory of the late notable lawyer, Mr. Bankole Olumide Aluko, a founding partner in the law firm of Aluko & Oyebode (A & O).

Westbrook Oklahoma City Thunder’s Russell Westbrook made the highest scoring triple-double in NBA history as his side beat Orlando Magic 114-106.

Westbrook scored 57 points as well as notching up 13 rebounds and 11 assists.

It was his 38th triple-double of the season - just three short of the NBA record set by Oscar Robertson - with eight games remaining.

“Overall, it’s just incredible what he’s doing now,” Thunder coach Billy Donovan said.

“That performance was one of the best,” Magic coach Frank Vogel added. “It’s tough to rank those over the years, but it’s right up there with the best. Give him credit.”

A triple-double means a player has recorded a double-digit number in three of five statistical categories: points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks.

“I don’t take this game for granted. I just try to come out each and every night and compete at a high level,” Westbrook said.

T H I S D AY FRIDAY MARCH 31, 2017

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Friday, March 31, 2017

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MISSILE Ashimolowo to Nigerian Leaders

“Till date we have only raised tribal chiefs and not national leaders. Those that came up to leadership position in Nigeria, quickly surround themselves with people from their own side of the geographical location of the country and sideline all others no matter how good they are...”. – Matthew Ashimolowo, Senior Pastor of KICC, in an interview with THISDAY recently on what is wrong with Nigeria.

AYOAROWOLO GUEST COLUMNIST

ayo.arowolo@thisdaylive.com

0906 705 9433 (sms only)

Nigeria Still Has Seed of Greatness

Aliko Dangote

T

Tony Elumelu

he other day, I was in a friend’s office just on a usual casual visit. But without prior warning, he initiated a conversation: “What is your take on the situation of things in Nigeria, oga journalist? I simply told my friend, a Barrister, to expect a miracle soon. My friend: “Which miracle? Sometimes, I find it curious the way you reason. As far as I am concerned, this country is accursed. I believe God deliberately pushed some demon-possessed individuals to inflict punishment on us. So where is the cause for optimism? If you were to be sincere with yourself, the only conclusion you can reach is that our generation has missed it and sadly we cannot hope that our children can change anything.”

When my friend noticed that I was quiet, he asked: “Won’t you say anything, Pastor!” I just simply encouraged my friend not to lose hope. I referred him to some passages in the Bible where some seemingly hopeless situations were reversed.

But truly, what is the problem with Nigeria? Does it mean this country is truly accursed swinging like a circus going nowhere as my friend has suggested.

Something deep inside still convinced me the case is not closed yet.

A couple of days ago, my good friend, Femi Awoyemi, MD of Proshare, forwarded to me some articles which he felt I could interrogate when I shared with him my encounter with my lawyer friend. Reading through two of those articles further convinced me if we are able to connect the missing dots, that Nigeria can still come out of its predicament.

The first article was by Yasser Al-Saleh, a faculty member at the MBRSG (formerly the Dubai School of Government) titled “The secret of Dubai Success’.

In the article the author explained how Dubai used what it dubbed the ABS model consisting of Attraction, Branding and State-led development to turn the country into a center of commerce, investment and high culture within a very short period of time. The other article is by Dr. Temitope Oshikoya, titled: Nigeria and Lessons of Ethiopia’s Development Model. The author was quoting from a recent report by McKinsey titled “Lions on the Move II: Realizing the Potential of Africa’s Economies.”

In the report which he brilliantly summarised and interpreted Dr. Oshikoya explained how the leaders of Ethiopia, a former war-torn country, employed the same model of state-led development to transform the country into a vibrant economy outperforming Nigeria and many other countries in terms of key economic indicators.

Figures quoted by Dr. Oshikoya indicated that while Ethiopia’s GDP’ growth rate averaged 10 percent (2011-2015), Nigeria’s number within the same period stood at 6.5 per cent. Ethiopia’s Gross National saving was put at 19 per cent while that

President Muhammadu Buhari

of Nigeria was put at 12 percent. Ethiopia’s public savings rate is 5% compared to -0.7% for Nigeria, while its tax revenue is 13% of GDP compared to 4% for Nigeria.

So What Is Wrong With Nigeria?

For the past two years or so I have been interviewing highly successful individuals (24 so far) picking their minds on what they think is the issue with Nigeria and what can be done to fix it. Let me share just a few of them. Matthew Ashimolowo, Senior Pastor of KICC believes the greatest problem Nigeria has is that since independence, we have not been blessed with national leaders as stated in the missile above.

Keith Richard, former Chairman of Promasidor thinks “one of the troubles here is everyone wants to be eating the cake before it is baked. Let them grow the size of the economy before they start fighting themselves over who takes what”.

Sunny Ojeagbase, Publisher of Complete Football thinks that Nigeria’s main problem is that our leaders are not able to focus on few critical areas of priorities and pursue them until they achieve results.

Sam Adeyemi, Senior Pastor of Daystar Christian Center says the problem is lack of an embracing and compelling vision that accommodates everybody’s interest.

So what then can be done to make things happen?

The Way Out I would anchor my first suggestion on the story of a young man called Joseph in the Judo-Christian Bible and my key proposition is that the solution to Nigeria’s problem should be inside-out, rather than outside in. Most of the persons I spoke with believe that Nigeria has a seed of greatness inside it and all we need is to activate that seed. I believe if the President can create time to read The Message version of the Bible he would find the necessary wisdom required to fix Nigeria’s problem inside that story. It is about a young man, a Hebrew, who was sold by his brothers (I believe by divine design), as a slave to a top official of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. By a combination of circumstances very difficult to explain, Joseph was thrown into jail by his master. But after spending some two years in the prison, the king of Egypt had a dream that none of his officials and seers could interpret.

Somehow, a fellow prisoner recommended Joseph to Pharaoh and he was able to solve the king’s problem. I want to quote directly from The Message translation to show how events unfolded once Joseph showed up with the solution to the King’s problem.

Pharaoh said to his officials: “Isn’t this the man we need? Are we going to find anyone else who

Aigboje Aig Imoukhuede

has God’s spirit in him like this?” God has given you the inside story-no one is as qualified as you in experience and wisdom. From now, you are in charge of my affairs; all my people would report to you... I am pharaoh, but no one in Egypt will make a single move without your stamp of Approval”.

Lessons for Mr. President One, by divine arrangement, God has blessed Mr. President with his own Joseph in the person of Professor Yemi Osinbajo. During his period of medical vacation, this Joseph demonstrated beyond reasonable doubts that he has the spirit of excellence in him and he can be trusted not to turn the table against his boss. What makes this scenario even more interesting is that if the president can trust his Joseph well enough, there are so many other small Josephs (corporate and individuals) in Nigeria he can recruit on behalf of the president to fix things in the country.

It was obvious that in asking Joseph to take over, King Pharaoh was looking for a person with track record of performance, regardless of academic qualifications. There was no record that Joseph was a professor of economics or administration. To make it interesting, he was not even an Egyptian. But in all the two places he had worked including the prison, Joseph demonstrated beyond reasonable doubts that he was a solution-oriented individual.

His previous bosses simply handed over the affairs of their enterprises to him to take over.

There are many Josephs in the country, many individuals and corporate organisations with results, that the president can recruit to work with his main Joseph. In 2015, on my way to the US I was opportune to be sitting beside one of the pilots to Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote. We started talking and the summary of what he said is that by the time Aliko is through with his projects, the Dangote group would be in a position to lend forex to the Nigerian government. The Dangote group is everywhere. Who says the group cannot become another Samsung which according to recent data was responsible for over 20 per cent of South Korean’s GDP. Dangote is a Joseph.

For more than two decades, my good friend, Tony Elumelu, has proved his mettle as a turn-around manager having successfully resurrected Crystal Bank , turning it into a vibrant bank (STB) that eventually acquired UBA. And now through the Elemelu Foundation, Tony is providing succours for budding entrepreneurs across Africa. He is another Joseph Another small Joseph is Aigboje Aig-Imokhuede.

Aig and his partner Herbert Wigwe could be described as turn-around specialists. They took the banking industry by surprise when they created a complex

Nicolaas Vervelde, MD of Nigerian Breweries transaction which made their bank, Access Bank, acquire a far bigger bank-Intercontinental Bank Plc. But Aig is into something much bigger. Last year he launched his new baby The Africa Initiative for Governance (AIG) which is designed to bridge the knowledge gap in the civil service.

Another Joseph, in corporate mould, is the Nigerian Breweries Plc, the pioneer and largest brewing company in Nigeria, which in recent time has taken the backward integration route and not a few experts have lauded the initiative which they agree will take Nigeria out of the current economic wood. NB Plc has specifically reaffirmed its commitment and in the process, created a total of 250,000 new jobs which has also led to the successful introduction of two innovative hybrid sorghum seeds to Nigerian farmers.

Speaking to Financial Journalists recently, Managing Director of the company, Mr. Nicolaas Vervelde explained that the initiative is part of the company’s “winning with Nigeria” project and in line with the current economic diversification process.

Earlier in his welcome address, Chairman of the company, Chief Kola Jamodu, stated that, “These investments, totalling over N11 billion stand out as a testimony to our corporate philosophy of Winning with Nigeria and they reflect our company’s bold confidence in Nigeria as an investment destination.”

With these Josephs at work, the president could conveniently step into the balcony as a coach where he can watch and motivate his team into performance.

I was not really a fan of the president, until I went in company of my colleagues to interview him in his residence in Abuja during the campaign period. I was won over by his simplicity, humility and see- through honesty. He can stand on this brand while he allows his main Joseph and other Josephs to interpret and execute his plans. It is not a weakness that the president is low on the economy. The key point is that he has men who can make things happen, and the glory goes to him as the president.

Secondly, the president needs to properly empower his ministers and create rooms for them to express themselves. I am close to friends of some of the ministers and the feelers I get all the time is that they feel frustrated and do not feel released to make significant contribution in their areas of passions.

To quote Stephen Covey, the president needs to understand that his main job as the coach and leader of the team is to find his voice and also inspire his ministers to find theirs.

Nigeria is at the threshold of history. Whatever the president decides to do or not to in the next two years would significantly shape the direction of things. We are watching!

• Ayo Arowolo is Editor at Large/Chief of Staff to Chairman, THISDAY & Arise TV

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