Friday 7th April 2017

North Korea Hacking Nigerian Banks, Financial Institutions of 17 Other Countries Obinna Chima with agency report North Korea’s hacking operations are growing and getting bolder and increasingly targeting financial institutions worldwide.

North Korea is now being

linked to attacks on banks in 18 countries, including Nigeria, according to a new report from Russian cyber security firm Kaspersky.

According to a news report by the Cable News Network (CNN), two international security experts believe that

the stolen money is likely being spent advancing North Korea’s development of nuclear weapons.

Banks and security researchers have previously identified four similar cyberheists attempted on financial institutions in Bangladesh,

Ecuador, the Philippines and Vietnam.

But researchers at Kaspersky now say the same hacking operation -- known as "Lazarus" -- also attacked financial institutions in Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Gabon, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Kenya,

Malaysia, Nigeria, Poland, Taiwan, Thailand, and Uruguay.

The hackers can be traced back to North Korea, according to Kaspersky researchers.

To hide their location, hackers typically launch cyber attacks from computer servers

far from home. According to Kaspersky, the Lazarus hackers carefully routed their signal through France, South Korea and Taiwan to setup that attack server.

But there was apparently Continued on page 8

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PDP Crisis Festers as Sheriff Storms Out of Jonathan’s Peace Parley Party sets up yet another reconciliation c’ttee Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja Hopes of a peaceful resolution to the drawn out leadership crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) continued to fester yesterday, when the stakeholders’ peace parley convened by former President Goodluck Jonathan ended without a solution, with one

of the parties in the dispute, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, bolting out midway during the meeting.

However, the peace meeting continued without Sheriff who left with his deputy, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, in protest over not being allowed to address the meeting in his capacity as the Continued on page 8

FG Appeals Justice Ademola’s Acquittal, Files Fresh Charges at CCT Tobi Soniyi In an effort to save the war against corruption, following a streak of losses at the courts, the federal government yesterday filed an appeal against the decision of Justice Jude Okeke to uphold the no case submission in the corruption case against Justice Adeniyi Ademola, his wife, Olabowale, and a legal practitioner, Mr. Joe Agi

(SAN).

The government through the Ministry of Justice has also filed a fresh case at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) against Justice Ademola and wife for living above their means and failure to declare their assets.

On Wednesday, Justice Okeke of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory Continued on page 9

LOCAL CONTENT… THE CORNERSTONE OF TOTAL’S EGINA PROJECT

Cracks in Adamawa APC: Bindow Threatens to Join Opposition... Page 10

L-R: General Manager, Capacity Building Division, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Mr. Ikpomosa Oviasu, who represented the Executive Secretary, NCDMB, Mr. Simbi Wabote; Director, Total Egina Project, Mr. Jean Michael Guy; Group Corporate Affairs Director, Jagal, Joy Okebalama; and Samsung site representative, Nigerdock Yard, Chinchai Chung, during the Nigerdock-Egina loadout ceremony held at the Snake Island Integrated Free Zone (SIIFZ), in Lagos… yesterday

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Nigeria LNG Starts Talks with New Customers on Gas Contracts Expiring by 2022 Ejiofor Alike with agency reports The Nigeria LNG Limited has begun talks with potential buyers of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) that will replace some of the existing customers whose current contracts will expire by 2022.

The company is seeking buyers on new contracts for gas supplies from Trains 1, 2 and 3, which collectively produce nine million tonnes of LNG a year.

The Bonny Island plant of NLNG has six trains – 1,

2,3,4,5 and 6 – producing a total of 22 million tonnes per year.

Reuters quoted a senior official of the company as saying late on Wednesday at the Gastech trade conference in Chiba outside Tokyo, Japan that initial responses from buyers have been positive.

“Trains 1-3 are coming back to the market as they are out of contract by 2022.

We started to remarket today,” he told Reuters at the conference.

“There are some who

are guaranteed to buy,” the official said, though he provided no further details.

Trains are units that freeze natural gas into liquid form for export on ships.

Trains 1 and 2, which are referred to as its base projects were financed by its shareholders with $3.6 billion, while Train 3 referred to as expansion project was financed with $1.8 billion.

THISDAY had reported that the company was on the verge of completing its commercial strategies for re-

marketing LNG volumes for its three trains whose sales and purchase agreements (SPAs) would soon expire.

The company had also initiated activities for the marketing of LNG volumes that would come from its proposed Train-7 project, which is currently awaiting a final investment decision (FID).

Nigeria LNG manages 16 long-term LNG SPAs, executed with 10 buyers on a Delivered Ex-Ship (DES) basis.

Some of the current buyers

of LNG from the Nigerian firm include: Enel of Italy, Gas Natural Fenosa of Spain, BOTAS of Turkey, Engie of France, GALP Gas Natural, Endesa, ENI, Iberdrla, Shell International Trading Middle East Ltd, and Total Gas and Power Ltd. Buyers of volumes in the three trains with expiring SPAs include: Enel, Gas Natural Fenosa, GALP Gas Natural, Engie Global LNG, and Botas.

Through master sale agreements (MSAs) with several companies, LNG

volumes have been delivered to receiving facilities in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, China, India, Brazil, Kuwait, and Argentina, thus retaining its position as a major player in the global LNG industry.

The company has a six-train complex of 22 metric tonnes per annum (mtpa) LNG nameplate production capacity, and 5mtpa Natural Gas Liquids (NGLs) production capacity, and has delivered over 3,000 cargoes of LNG to customers.

use for another agenda,” he added.

When asked if he had respect for the former president who had convened the meeting, Sheriff insisted that he had shown respect for Jonathan by flying from abroad to attend the meeting.

“We have a programme which was initiated by Dickson, anything that is outside that I will not be part of it,” Sheriff said.

Earlier, while declaring the meeting open, Jonathan urged the parties in the crisis to surrender their personal ambitions in order to achieve genuine peace and reconciliation in the party.

He said the meeting had become necessary in order to galvanise the party towards playing a key role in the effort to stem the drift in the country.

As a way to ensure full reconciliation of the warring parties, Jonathan said he had proposed the establishment of a committee of 40 party members to sit and resolve the dispute.

“It is high time we buried the hatchet, suppressed our egos and must be prepared to make sacrifices in the

interest of our party, and indeed the country.

“Our ambitions therefore must come second, otherwise we will only be building castles on quick sand. We must realise that as they say, ‘everybody is nobody without a platform.’ So why destroy the platform?” he asked.

Jonathan reminded the PDP stakeholders that the prolongation of the crisis might have cost the party so much at the polls, adding that the loss of Edo and Ondo gubernatorial elections was still fresh to the memory.

He informed the party faithful that they cannot afford to have a repeat of what happened in Edo and Ondo States in the forthcoming elections in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun States.

In charging the party members to be purposeful, Jonathan said: “There is no doubt that the PDP is a leading light in constitutional democracy and this is why we cannot allow the party to continue to drift. This meeting of today is therefore designed to stem the drift.”

On the details of the

committee he said: “The larger body of stakeholders as we are now, this body will come up with suggestions on the way forward for resolving the differences that we currently face.

“A smaller committee of not more than 40 members will be constituted to fine tune the suggestions of the larger body, to finally resolve all the outstanding issues.”

He said further: “I have to state clearly that today is not a day to blame ourselves. We have blamed ourselves enough in the media. Today is not a day to insult ourselves, we have also done enough of that in the media.

“Today is the day our great party men and women will come up with suggestions and solutions to our problems. We will surely overcome the current challenges.”

The former president also used the opportunity to capture some of the key milestones achieved by the PDP-led government in the last 16 years.

When he briefed

North Korea’s illegal behavior.

This aggressive hacking operation coincides with a global effort to block North Korea from the financial system as punishment for its nuclear programme.

United Nations sanctions block countries from allowing banks to do business with the tightly-controlled regime of Kim Jong Un. But in February, a UN investigation revealed that North Korea was using a network of front companies and secret agents to access global banks.

For example, North Korea used electronics and shipping companies to move millions of dollars, essentially making them financial institutions.

The regime also set up several banks as subsidiaries of Chinese and Malaysian firms, masking their true ownership.

Cyber heists play a role in this illicit scheme, because stolen funds can be used to prop up those front companies, according to Sung-Yoon Lee, a Korea expert who teaches at Tufts University.

“We tend to patronise North Korea and mock them.

But over the past decade, they have shown the world they are... very capable when it comes to cybercrime,” he said.

PDP CRISIS FESTERS AS SHERIFF STORMS OUT OF JONATHAN’S PEACE PARLEY national chairman of the PDP. Sheriff said his reason for walking out on the meeting was because he was not recognised to address the gathering as the chairman of the PDP. THISDAY gathered that as part of what transpired during the meeting, which was held in camera at the Shehu Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja, both the Chairman of the National Caretaker Committee, Senator Ahmed Makarfi and the PDP governors present insisted that no one should be addressed as chairman of the party.

But Sheriff, who arrived for the meeting about 30 minutes after Jonathan had kick-started proceedings, insisted that he would not be part of the meeting except he was recognised as the party’s chairman and allowed to chaired it.

Jonathan, a party source informed THISDAY, however told Sheriff that some of the governors had threatened to leave if he was recognised as the PDP chairman during the meeting.

At this point, THISDAY learnt that Sheriff and

his loyalists protested and wanted to leave but was persuaded to stay by Jonathan and the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu.

A heated argument later ensued with all the party leaders standing with Sheriff insisting that nothing would be discussed unless he was given the opportunity to seat as chairman of the party and meeting.

After attempts to resolve the situation failed, Sheriff finally walked out of the meeting along with his deputy and other loyalists.

A statement by Jonathan’s spokesman, Ikechukwu Eze, further clarified that Sheriff had insisted on being addressed as the PDP chairman despite an earlier consensus that none of the feuding leaders would be so addressed in the interest of peace.

“Many at the meeting interpreted his action as a sign of reluctance on his part for genuine reconciliation.

“He left the meeting after about two hours of negotiations to get things going, leaving many of the supporters behind to

continue with the meeting,” Eze stated.

On his way out, Sheriff said there was no way a meeting of the party could take place without being given the opportunity to make the opening remarks.

“The party as of today has one national chairman, which is Ali Modu Sheriff.

There is no PDP meeting that will take place under any arrangement that I will not make the opening remarks as the national chairman,” he said.

The former governor of Borno State, however, said that he would accept the peace template contained in the report of the Reconciliation Committee headed by the Bayelsa State governor, Hon. Seriaki Dickson.

“I think that Governor Dickson made a proposal and we have accepted it. Other people have a programme to bring an agenda, which is not part of the proposal.

“And as the national chairman of the party, what I told you people in my office is that I will not be a party for anybody to

Continued on page 9

NORTH KOREA HACKING NIGERIAN BANKS, FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS OF 17 OTHER COUNTRIES one mistake spotted by Kaspersky: A connection that briefly came from North Korea.

“North Korea is a very important part of this equation,” said Vitaly Kamluk, who leads Kaspersky’s Asia-Pacific research team.

Researchers disclosed their findings publicly on Monday at Kaspersky’s Security Analyst Summit, a cyber security conference on the Caribbean island of St. Maarten.

Kaspersky is one of the world’s top cyber security firms, providing popular anti-malware protection to computers at homes and companies worldwide.

Its researchers are known for exposing some of the most complex global hacking operations. US law enforcement remains suspicious of the firm’s ties to the Russian government, but Kaspersky strongly denies Kremlin influence on the company’s business.

North Korea’s targets have been shifting in recent years.

In 2013, when South

Korea’s banks and broadcasters were attacked, that government blamed its neighbor to the north. In 2014, the US government blamed North Korea for the hack on Sony Pictures.

Clues in both cases pointed to Lazarus.

By late 2015, the Lazarus hackers shifted their attention to the global financial system, according to researchers at BAE Systems, FireEye and Symantec.

The earliest known victim was a Vietnamese commercial bank. The latest attacks, observed by Kaspersky in March, included operations attacking financial institutions in Gabon and Nigeria in Africa.

Though most of the attacks were not successful in stealing money, several were, according to Symantec.

Researchers said these hackers intend to attack major Western banks using increasingly sophisticated methods.

One recent example was a trap set at the website of Poland’s financial regulator.

Hackers embedded malicious

code onto that Polish website, according to BAE Systems.

And they limited the infections to visitors from particular internet addresses -- employees at banks.

The code showed that Lazarus hackers created a list of 150 internet addresses that served as “a hit list”, said Eric Chien, a researcher at Symantec, which issued its own warning about North Korea hacking earlier this year.

CNN ran those addresses through internet records kept by DomainTools, a cyber security firm. Those IP addresses belong to the World Bank, as well as the central banks of Brazil, Chile, Estonia, Mexico and Venezuela, as well as a wide range of well known global banks.

Kaspersky said its defense software has blocked more than a dozen infections from Lazarus. It’s unclear which banks were ultimately infected.

Researchers at several cyber security firms theorise that North Korea is attempting to build a network of infected

banks to move around stolen money.

For example, millions of dollars were taken from Bangladesh’s account at the New York Federal Reserve last year and moved to Sri Lanka and a casino in the Philippines, according to investigators.

North Korea tried to funnel some of that money through one infected bank in Southeast Asia, according to a researcher at FireEye. But an emergency team at FireEye managed to block it in time.

American prosecutors in Los Angeles are now investigating the Bangladesh bank hack, a federal law enforcement source told CNN. And the money may be going to help develop North Korea’s nuclear programme.

“This is all for their nuclear weapons and missile programmes. They need this money for building and researching more ballistic missiles,” said Anthony Ruggiero, a senior fellow for Foundation for Defence of Democracies who tracks

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˾ FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2017

NEWS

Obasanjo’s Ex-wife Alleges Threat to Life over Son’s Wedding Akinwale Akintunde Following a suit instituted by Mrs. Taiwo Obasanjo, ex-wife of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, to stop her son’s wedding, she has alleged that certain persons have been detailed to assassinate her.

Mrs. Obasanjo, in a petition to the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, dated April 4, 2017, alleged that those contracted to kill her included her twin brother, Chief Kenny Martins, her future daughter-in-law, Tope Adebutu and the bride-tobe’s mother, Ms. Rosemary Dacosta.

She had in an originating motion on notice filed before an Ikeja High Court, asked that her son’s wedding to Mr. Kessington Adebutu’s daughter be postponed to any other date after May 30, 2017.

Obasanjo and father of the bride, Adebutu, better known as Baba Ijebu, a lottery business mogul, are the respondents to the suit filed before Justice Lateefa Okunnu.

Mrs. Obasanjo, who is the twin sister of Martins, the

former coordinator of the Police Equipment Fund, wants the court to the declare that as the mother of the groom, she has parental rights to take part in the deliberations, decisions and activities leading to the wedding.

She stated that the wedding invitations were sent out without her involvement in the preparations for the upcoming nuptials.

According to her, prior to the fixing of wedding date, she had a premonition regarding her son who will turn 34 on June 1.

Mrs. Obasanjo alleged that the trio of her twin brother, her future daughter-in-law and Ms. Adebutu’s mother had perfected plans to get the police to arrest and detain her on trumped up charges between May 10 and May 14, 2017, when the wedding is scheduled to take place.

“I was reliably informed that the three persons mentioned above have perfected plans to assassinate me because I requested the court to shift the wedding date of my son from the month of May to June 2017.

“They also have a plan to start a smear campaign against my person using various media platforms such as newspapers, internet etc.

“Their third plan is to frame me on false charges and get me arrested and detained by the police from the 10th-14th May, 2017 and also to involve the military police to achieve their plans.

“Sir, this issue reported here is neither a small matter nor a figment of my imagination because sometime during the time of late Head of State, Gen. Abacha, when Daddy Obasanjo was in prison, the late Stella Obasanjo got the military through Frank Omenka to detain me at DMI Apapa on false charges.

“Sir, what is unfolding now is not a wedding preparation but a desperate attempt to kill me because I told Rosemary Dacosta and her daughter, Tope Adebutu to allow the wedding to hold after the month of May 2017.

“Chief Kenny Martins is the leader of the planned assassination on my life. Sir, I am reporting this issue so that you can please use your good office to step in because there

Taiwo Obasanjo is a deep strange desperation attached to the wedding of my son which is now a door-die wedding ceremony for them,” she said.

When contacted, her brother declined to comment on the petition, saying he was not aware of any petition by anybody against him.

“I don’t have any petition from the police on my table so I don’t react to what is not before me,” he said.

Mrs. Dacosta also refused to comment on the petition, saying she was not interested in whatever anybody had said or is saying about her “I don’t want to listen to

anybody. I have nothing to say about what is happening because I don’t know anybody. Thank you so much and bye bye,” she said.

Miss Adebutu did not pick her calls when contacted.

Justice Okunnu will hear the suit filed by Mrs. Obasanjo on April 10.

Apapa Marine Beach Bridge to be Closed for 29 Days The Apapa-bound carriageway of the Apapa Marine Beach Bridge will be closed on Friday for 29 days as part of the ongoing rehabilitation of the bridge, the site manager, Mr. Simon Barakat has said.

Barakat, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday, appealed to road users to be patient and use alternative routes.

“We will close the Apapabound carriageway on Friday evening, and it will

remain closed up till May 8. “We appeal to road users to slow down in this area and be more careful to use the diversions and respect traffic signs to check gridlock.

“Truck owners should avoid breakdowns within this period by maintaining their vehicles regularly,” he said.

Barakat, a senior engineer with Buildwell Plants and Equipment Industries Ltd., the contractors handling the project, said two major

diversions had been created to avert gridlock.

The manager said the repair done on the Ijora/ Lagos-bound carriageway was being replicated on the Apapa-bound carriageway, adding that foundation works under the bridge had been completed.

“We are marking, cutting and doing the preparation to start post tensioning of the bridge; this gives strength to the bridge.

“We have to demolish the

bridge to fix the cables and cast concrete on it again to prepare it for the next stage of construction which will be installation of bearings,” he said.

He said after the 29 days, the next stage of repairs would be replacement of bearings on both carriageways, which he added would take 40 days on each side.

Mrs. Bola Suleiman of the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, an

engineer supervising the project, told NAN that all the traffic management agencies had been mobilised to ensure free flow of traffic during the closure.

“The traffic management agencies are all aware; we made the decision together at our stakeholders’ meeting; they will divert traffic coming to Apapa through Ajegunle and Mobil Road,” she said.

Suleiman said that the ministry was filling potholes on Burma Road to ease

traffic.

The Marine Beach Bridge was damaged by fire about 10 years ago.

Contract for repair of the bridge was awarded in 2012, but the contractor abandoned the project due to funds constraint. The contractor moved back to site on March 5 to begin the repair works.

The Ijora/Lagos-bound carriageway was opened to light traffic on March 26 after the first phase of work was done on the carriageway.

Agi’s client to the tune of about US$637 million.

“Prior to this, it was also not disputed that Justice Admola’s son had received a BMW vehicle worth about N8,500,000.00 from Mr. Joe Agi,” argued the sources knowledgeable about the case.

One presidency official further added: “One of the charges dismissed relates to the possession of firearms

by Justice Ademola without a valid licence.

“On this, Honourable Justice Okeke held that the Firearms Act made a provision for a time lag, that is, for Justice Ademola to continue to hold on to his firearms and ammunition even after the expiration of his licence.

“In this case, a new licence was tendered in a situation where Justice Ademola ought

to have tendered a renewal of his old licence.

“Being in possession of two licences in respect of the same firearm ought to have raised some questions for the defendants to resolve.”

Also, sources within the prosecution team revealed that “the ruling suggested that the learned trial judge proceeded to ascribe probative value to the evidence of prosecution witnesses at the stage of the no case submission when he ought only to have considered whether a prima facie case had been made out by the prosecution against the defendants”.

They argued that the learned trial judge had held that there was no link between the gratification received by Justice Ademola and the judgment he delivered in favour of Agi.

“The ruling however failed to address the relevance of Section 53 of the ICPC Act which raised a presumption of corruption in respect of the gratification in question.

“This and other troubling questions must be addressed in an appeal against the ruling,” they said.

When contacted for the official comment of the presidency on this issue, the president’s media aide, Mr. Garba Shehu said there was no rift between the executive and the judiciary over Justice Ademola’s acquittal and other recent judicial decisions posing a challenge to the war against corruption.

“The relationship between the two arms of government has been very cordial.

Nothing has happened to change the nature of the relationship,” he said.

two former governors, two former ministers, two women and two youths would also be appointed to serve on the committee.

He assured that once the committee was formed, it would come up with a roadmap for peace in the party within two weeks.

Ekiti State governor

and chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Ayo Fayose also told journalists at the end of the meeting that Sheriff’s decision to walk out of the meeting was not surprising.

Party leaders who attended the meeting were Senator Mark, two former national chairmen of the

party – Okwesilieze Nwodo and Haliru Bello – and former Deputy National Chairman, Uche Secondus.

Others in attendance were Fayose, Governors Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Darius Ishiaku of Taraba State, and members of the National Assembly, among other party bigwigs.

FG APPEALS JUSTICE ADEMOLA’S ACQUITTAL, FILES FRESH CHARGES AT CCT upheld a no case submission by the defence in the corruption case against Justice Ademola, his wife and Agi. However, sources in the presidency who appeared to be very learned in the nuance of criminal trials and the provisions of the law, said that the learned trial judge struck out the 18-count charge proffered against the defendants after holding that the prosecution failed to prove any of the allegations, despite the provisions of Sections 53 and 60 of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences (ICPC) Act. The sources informed State House correspondents that the government was advised to appeal what it described as “a very strange outcome indeed considering the underlying facts”.

According to the

presidency sources, “It is even more strange that the trial was not allowed to continue considering the applicable statutory provisions.”

Section 53(1) of the ICPC Act raises the presumption that any gratification accepted or obtained by an accused person must have been corruptly accepted or obtained until the contrary is proved. Section 60 of the Act does not apply to the case.

“Of interest is the decision of the learned trial judge that the offence of giving and receiving gratification was not made out by the prosecution against the defendants in the face of the evidence held in court.

“Prosecution witnesses gave testimony of the payment of N30 million in three tranches by Mr.

Joe Agi into the account of Mrs. Olabowale Ademola, the wife of Justice Ademola.

“Mr. Agi was a legal practitioner who actually had cases in the court of Justice Ademola.

“The defendants however claim that the money was a gift from common friends for the benefit of Justice Ademola and Mrs. Ademola to support the wedding of their daughter.

“The evidence of the defence suggesting that the source of the money was not Mr. Joe Agi was unclear at best and ought not to have formed the basis of the learned trial judge’s conclusion at this stage of the proceedings.

“What was clear was that the last tranche was paid shortly before Justice Ademola granted a garnishee order in favour of Mr. Joe

PDP CRISIS FESTERS AS SHERIFF STORMS OUT OF JONATHAN’S PEACE PARLEY journalists on the outcome of the meeting, the former president said they agreed to form a 40-man committee that will come up with a political solution to the party’s crisis.

He said that the committee will either be chaired by himself, former Vice -President Namadi Sambo,

or the former Senate President, Senator David Mark.

According to him, the committee would consist of six nominees of the Board of Trustees (BoT), six nominees of the Sheriff-led National Working Committee (NWC), and six nominees of the National Caretaker

Committee to be drawn from the six geo-political zones.

Other members of the committee include PDP governors, Ekweremadu, Senate Minority leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, and House of Representatives Minority Leader, Hon. Leo Ogor.

Jonathan added that

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FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2017 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

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

Yet-to-be Fulfilled Election Promises Stoking Tension in Nigeria, IMF Warns Says three Nigerian banks undercapitalised

Obinna Chima The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has cautioned that the perception of policy ineffectiveness and yet-to-be fulfilled election promises are stoking social tensions in Nigeria. This according to the fund could complicate policy implementation.

The IMF also pointed out that the challenging economic conditions are diminishing support for “an administration praised by many for its anti-corruption efforts, but accused of not having delivered on the economy, notably for the most vulnerable”.

The fund stated this in its 90-page 2017 staff report and statement by its executive directors on Nigeria, which was released yesterday.

According to the Washingtonbased donor institution, political uncertainty surrounding President Muhammadu Buhari’s health, inadequate coordination among economic policymakers and across tiers of government, more inward policies, and political maneuvering ahead of the 2019 elections could further delay urgent actions on necessary reforms.

The report also pointed out that banking system vulnerabilities had increased in Nigeria, adding that asset quality deteriorated over the past year with non-performing loans (NPLs) doubling to 13 per cent by end-2016 (and could have been higher in the absence of loan restructuring).

This, it stated, contributed to

reducing capital adequacy ratios (CAR) from 17.7 per cent in December 2015 to 14.8 per cent in 2016.

“Various proactive measures were introduced to contain risks to financial stability, including increased provisioning, strict limits on net FX positions, prohibition of dividend payments (for banks with NPLs higher than 5 per cent), and regulatory forbearance on provisioning and breaches of single obligor limits.

“As of December 2016, three banks (about 5 per cent of assets)— including one internationally active one— were undercapitalised (with CARs below 8 per cent).

“Some weak banks have been frequent users of the CBN’s liquidity window,” it added.

The fund restated that economic growth in Nigeria would pick up only slightly to 0.8 per cent in 2017, mostly reflecting recovering oil production, strong performance in agriculture, and favorable base effects.

“Policy uncertainty, crowding out, and FX market distortions would continue to drag on activity, with non-oil non-agricultural output staying relatively flat throughout the medium term.

“This would lead to worsening labour market and poverty outcomes.

“Accommodative monetary policy—assumed to continue to finance a widening fiscal deficit and support priority sectors—would keep inflation in double digits.

Cracks in Adamawa APC: Bindow Threatens to Join Opposition If...

Daji Sani in Yola The Adamawa State Government has threatened to dump the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the opposition party if impunity in the party is not addressed.

The Chief of Staff to the governor, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abba Jimeta, made the threat while addressing a delegation of the APC from its national secretariat to conduct North-east mini convention in the state.

The team headed by Senator Abdul Nadir Alkali Jajere was in Yola to brief the government on plans to fill the vacant positions in the party in the North-east created by appointments.

“We here are loyal, and to tell the leadership of the party that there is limit to loyalty, and that party business is optional. In fact, even in religion, you have the right to change it because of pressure. So tell them we are loyal, but there is limit to that, especially if they are not recognising us since we are the army of the party that is supposed to enjoy the fruits of the party. Otherwise out of frustration, we will join the opposition party.”

Abdulrahman lamented that various appointments were made without consulting them, even as many of the appointees were not known to the state government.

“Unfortunately, there is no difference between an opposition state and APC-led state like Adamawa because even on

appointments at the federal level, we were not consulted.”

We dont know some of them neither were we consulted before their appointments as indigenes of Adamawa State,” he fumed.

The chief of staff maintained that even some of the federal projects that the state was supposed to enjoy are being hijacked by some people in Abuja.

He referred to projects such as that of Universal Basic Education (UBEC) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

“Even our own rights that we are supposed to get through some agencies like UBEC and MDGS were hijacked and we contacted them and were told that somebody somewhere has collected the money and is doing the contract somewhere.”

Addressing the delegation, Governor Muhammadu Umaru Jibrilla appreciated the committee for coming to the state, pledging to co-operate with them in the discharge of their assignment.

He commended the leadership style of the National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, pledging his government’s loyal to the party.

Responding, the leader of the delegation, Senator Jajere said they were in the state to prepare for the mini zonal congress of the party due to the exiting vacancies in the zone.

Jajere added that they were also to interface with the party structure in the state.

“Financing constraints and risk aversion by banks would crowd out private sector credit and increase the federal government’s already high debt service burden,” it added.

But, the report stressed that linkages between the real and financial sectors weigh on the outlook, arguing that lack of foreign exchange (FX) in the economy and policy uncertainty would keep economic growth sluggish and weaken corporate performance and increase the likelihood of NPLs. It stated that this would make banks seek to limit credit risk by tightening lending standards, reducing credit to the private sector, and continuing to invest

in government securities.

Furthermore, the fund noted that Nigeria remains vulnerable to global inward spillovers, “but can itself generate significant regional outward spillovers”.

“The key inward spillover is via oil prices, which has both a direct impact on FX availability and budget financing and an indirect impact through capital inflows. Outward spillovers arise through trade and financial channels,” it explained.

“A tighter monetary policy stance is important for anchoring inflation expectations and supporting external adjustment.

“The signal on the monetary policy stance continues to be clouded

by the CBN’s pursuit of multiple objectives, including efforts to finance the government (N2.3 trillion of overdrafts and converted bonds in 2016) and support growth, which have led to overshooting of the broad money target.

“Market interest rates have moved up towards the upper band of the CBN’s interest rate corridor due to the FX auction-induced liquidity squeeze, but that signal has been mixed.

“Risks are to the downside, but with upside potential from stability in the Niger Delta and a rebound in investor confidence.

“Downside risks include continued disruptions in oil and

gas production arising from militancy activities; further delays in policy implementation; limited capacity to implement the targeted scaling-up of capital expenditure; further deterioration in banking sector soundness indicators; and a higher external market premium for sovereign bonds.

“With Nigeria accounting for an estimated 70 per cent of ECOWAS exports and 17 per cent of imports in Sub-Saharan Africa, the trade and remittance channels are particularly strong to neighboring countries, some of which have raised concerns about Nigeria’s recession and the effect of the naira devaluation and FX restrictions on their exports.

PDP RECONCILIATION MEETING

L-R: Chairman, Caretaker Committee, People Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmed Makarfi; former President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan; and National Chairman, PDP, Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff, during the party reconciliation stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja...yesterday Enock Reuben

15.2m Passengers Travelled through Nigerian Airports in 2016 Aviation sector output declines by 4.9% Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja Latest figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) have indicated that no fewer than 15,232, 597 air travellers went through Nigeria’s airports in 2016.

However, in real terms, the output in the aviation sector declined by 4.9 per cent between 2015 and 2016, with the largest year-on-year fall recorded in the final quarter of 2016 standing at 13.3 per cent.

Of this 15,232,597 air travellers in 2016, 72 per cent were domestic passengers, travelling within Nigeria while the remaining 28 per cent were international, entering or exiting the country.

The NBS’ report captioned: ‘Fourth Quarter 2016 and Full Year 2016 Air Transportation Data,’ noted that between 2015 and 2016, the number of passengers recorded by the Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) increased by 6.3 per cent.

“However, despite the recession which may have been expected to reduce demand for travel, the number of passengers using most airports increased.

“The fall in output was likely to be more of a reflection of increased costs of operations, rather than decreased demand.

“However, since the publication of the last report, FAAN has included data on passengers travelling through more airports, including Bauchi, Eket, Gombe and Uyo. “Together, the newly included airports accounted for 667,877 passengers in 2016, or 4.4 per cent of the total.

“Excluding these from the comparison with 2015, reveals that between these two years, total passenger traffic increased by 1.6 per cent for those airports included in both years,” NBS said.

According to the report, a quarterly decline was recorded in the number of passengers travelling through Nigerian airports in both the third and final quarters of 2016.

Between the second and third quarters, the number also fell by 1.0 per cent, from 3,900,649 to 3,861,25.

However, the report noted that in the final quarter, the fall was more pronounced as the number fell by 5.6 per cent to stand at 3,644,844.

The report noted: This contrasts

with both 2015, in which the number of passengers increased slightly between the third and fourth quarters.

“The number of passengers increased by 0.9 per cent in 2015 and 2014, in which there was growth of 5.9 per cent in the number of passengers between the same two quarters.

“These totals hide differing trends in the total number of domestic and international passengers.

“The number of domestic passengers fell between the second and third quarters by 6.4 per cent, from 2,864,072 to 2,681,693.’’

The number of passengers fell again by 1.6 per cent to reach 2,637,975, in the last quarter, the report stated, adding that there was a large spike in international passengers in the third quarter.

“The number increased by 13.8 per cent, from 1,036,577 to 1,179,559, before falling back by 14.6 per cent in the last quarter to reach 1,006,869,’’ said the report Due to the small number of international passengers relative to domestic passengers, the latter had a larger impact on total

movements in passenger numbers in the third quarter, the NBS’ report observed. “ In the fourth quarter this reversed, with the drop in international passenger numbers contributing 4.5 per cent points of the 5.6 per cent drop in total passengers, or roughly 80 per cent.

“This spike in the third quarter for international travel may be part of a seasonal pattern: 2014 and 2015 also recorded spikes in the number of international travellers in the third quarter.’’

For the whole of 2016, the performance of the different parts of the Nigerian aviation sector varied, the report further stated, noting that there were large increases in the volume of both cargo and mail, especially in the final quarter.

“By contrast, most airports recorded a decline in the number of aircrafts to land and depart.

“Output in the Air Transport Sector, as well as its contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP), declined in 2016.

“During the year, several airlines had operational issues, and either cut back on services provided, or stopped operations entirely.’’

FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2017 ˾ T H I S D AY

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NEWS

Nigeria’s FX Inflow Rose to $33.02bn in Second Half of 2016 Non-oil revenue lifts FG revenue to N2.558tn Obinna Chima The provisional cumulative inflow of foreign exchange (FX) into the Nigerian economy rose to US$33.02 billion as of December 2016, representing a 13.3 per cent increase above the level in the first half of last year.

Of this amount, inflow through autonomous sources accounted for 62.3 per cent, while inflow through the Central Bank of Nigerian (CBN) accounted for 37.7 per cent.

The CBN disclosed this in its Financial Stability Report as of December 2016, obtained on its website yesterday.

According to the report, total FX outflow from the economy rose by 14.8 per cent to US$13.64 billion from the level in the first half of 2016. The rise in outflow was mainly attributed to the increase in the interbank forwards settled in the second half of 2016. The economy recorded a net FX inflow of US$19.38 billion, representing 12.21 per cent rise above the level in the first half of 2016.

The total autonomous inflow rose by 0.7 per cent to US$20.58 billion, compared to the level in the first half of 2016 due mainly to rise in invisibles by 2.5 per cent, of which 62.3 per cent was accounted for by ordinary domiciliary accounts. FX inflow through the CBN rose by 42.9 per cent above the level in the first half of 2016 to US$12.45 billion, due to increases in crude oil and non-oil export earnings. Receipts from crude oil sales rose by 22.7 per cent to US$5.66 billion, in the first half of 2016. This was attributed to the gradual increase in domestic production and international crude oil prices. The non-oil receipts rose by 65.5 per cent to US$6.79 billion in the second half of 2016, due mainly to increase in other official receipts.

“Foreign exchange outflow through the CBN rose by 15.5 per cent to US$12.39 billion, above the level in the first half of 2016. Of this amount, interbank utiliation accounted for US$7.99 billion, of which inter-bank forwards, inter-bank sales and others stood at US$4.17 billion (52.14 per cent), US$0.72 billion (8.92 per cent) and US$3.11 billion (38.9 per cent), respectively.

“Overall, the total foreign exchange transactions through the Bank resulted in a net inflow of US$0.58 billion in the second half of 2016, compared with a net inflow of US$0.96 billion in the corresponding half of 2015. This is, however, in contrast to a net outflow of US$2.03 billion in the first half of 2016,” it added.

Also, the report showed that the federal government retained revenue for the second half of 2016 increased to N2.558 trillion, above the levels of N1.898 trillion recorded in the first half of 2016 and the half- year budget estimate of N2.025 trillion for 2016. The increase in the retained revenue relative to the first half was mainly attributed to increase in non-oil receipts.

The breakdown of the retained revenue showed that the federal government share of the federation account was N1.26 trillion (49.4 per cent); the VAT Pool Account, N90.7 billion (3.5 per cent); the federal government Independent Revenue, N267.8 billion (10.5 per cent); share

of excess crude Account, N141.4 billion (5.5 per cent); Exchange Gain, N316.4 billion (12.4 per cent) while others (including NNPC Refund) accounted for the balance of N479.3 billion (18.7 per cent).

“The fiscal stance of increased spending to address the challenges of the negative growth (recession) led to higher government expenditure in the second half of 2016. Consequently, federal government expenditure grew by 10.3 per cent to N4,024.8 billion, above N3,650.33 billion in the first half of 2016.

“It was, also higher than the budgeted expenditure of N3,127.27 billion for the second half of 2016.

Recurrent expenditure component of the total expenditure accounted for N3,496.5 billion (86.9 per cent) while capital and statutory transfers

components accounted for N264.9 billion (6.6 per cent) and N263.4 billion (6.5 per cent), respectively,” it added.

The fiscal operations of the federal government in the second half of 2016 resulted in an overall deficit of N1.467 trillion, compared

with the N1.752 trillion recorded in the first half of 2016 and the budgeted deficit of N1.102 trillion for the second half of 2016.

Airtel Raises Awareness for Cerebral Palsy In fulfillment of the promises made in its needs-based initiative, Airtel Nigeria has shone a light of hope on a Lagos-based single mother, Banire Omolabake, whose daughter, Pearce, struggles with cerebral palsy, a debilitating movement disorder.

Banire, a final year student, is resolute in her drive to ensure quality care and rehabilitation for Pearce while not losing sight

of her own goals to be educated and empowered. This ninth episode of the third season of Touching Lives, that would be aired next Saturday and Sunday on terrestrial and satellite television networks across Africa, raises the standard for more understanding of the condition and the challenges faced by the undaunted care providers; while also bringing attention to the need for adequately funded facilities

that can provide the much-needed rehabilitation for the children and training support for their care-givers.

Speaking on the general beliefs of Nigerians about the condition, the Airtel Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) team yesterday noted that “many of us have come to believe that only biomedical interventions and doctors’ prescriptions can ‘fix’ a myriad of medical problems. In this

case, however, all of that coupled with love and care as little as a kind word can go a long way in giving the needed support to our brothers and sisters tasked with the care of these children.

Airtel Touching Lives will be broadcast, as usual on Saturday on Africa Magic Urban at 6:30p.m. and on Africa Magic Family at 7p.m. Later, the same episode will be on RaveTV at 9p.m.

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T H I S D AY FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2017

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T H I S D AY FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2017

COMMENT

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

FOR A BETTER GLOBAL HEALTH The World Health Organisation needs a leader to improve its organisational effectiveness, writes Ben Mellor

H

ealth is one of the most precious things to us and our families. Today, on World Health Day, we can reflect on the achievements we’ve made as a global community to tackle big health threats and protect ourselves from killer diseases. And we can reflect on the progress Nigeria has made to improve people’s health and prevent untimely deaths, particularly among children, the most vulnerable in our society.

But it’s also a time to take note of the health challenges that still threaten us and to remind ourselves that we can’t afford to be complacent. It is unacceptable that in Nigeria approximately 800,000 children and 40,000 mothers die each year from avoidable causes, and that disease such as malaria and outbreaks of meningitis, measles and other infectious diseases continue to claim lives.

It is in Nigeria and the entire world’s interests to have the best health security systems and support in place to keep us as safe as possible from disease, epidemic or malnutrition – we must push for improvements in these systems and make sure they work for the people that need them the most. The reality is that it is often the poorest and most vulnerable people who struggle to maintain good health, often blocked from access to quality health care, exposed to disease-prone environments or forced to drink unsafe water. We need a system that works for these people.

There has been huge progress towards making the world a healthier place, and the UK is proud to have played a leading role in achieving this. Global polio cases for example have been reduced from 350,000 in 1988 to 37 in 2016, with only five new cases in 2017. There are only three countries in the world where polio remains endemic: Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria. This means that the end of polio transmission globally in 2017 is a real possibility.

Last year, malaria deaths were halved in six high burden countries. The UK helped save the lives of 103,000 women in pregnancy and childbirth, we helped immunise more than 67 million people against preventable diseases, and we supported more than 64 million people to access clean water, better sanitation or improved hygiene conditions.

The UK has a long and historic relationship with Nigeria, and Nigeria remains one of the priority countries for UK aid support. In Nigeria, UK support since 2010 has helped save the lives of over 105,000 mothers and children, improved nutrition for over six million women and children and provided almost six million people with access to clean water.

Despite progress, Nigeria and the world continue to face many challenges including climate change, widespread poverty and conflict as well as the threat of infections such as

IT IS UNACCEPTABLE THAT IN NIGERIA APPROXIMATELY 800,000 CHILDREN AND 40,000 MOTHERS DIE EACH YEAR FROM AVOIDABLE CAUSES, AND THAT DISEASE SUCH AS MALARIA AND OUTBREAKS OF MENINGITIS, MEASLES AND OTHER INFECTIOUS DISEASES CONTINUE TO CLAIM LIVES

Tuberculosis becoming more resistant to available medicines.

And as the Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2014 recently showed us, the world is not immune to killer diseases, and when national health systems can’t cope and international health systems are not fully prepared, health threats can quickly become full-blown crises.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) is vital to help meet these challenges, as the organisation that helps the global health community and governments better understand, prepare for and respond to the biggest health threats of our time. But it urgently needs an upgrade and must take steps to reform and improve its organisational effectiveness.

There is now a real opportunity to see positive change, with the election of a new Director General of the WHO shortly taking place. At the end of May health ministers of 194 nations will meet for their annual assembly in Geneva, Switzerland. They will elect the person who will – on July 1 - replace Dr Margaret Chan as the next Director-General of the World Health Organisation. This job is about ensuring the health and wellbeing of billions of people, and it needs someone who can meet this challenge.

That is why the UK has given Dr David Nabarro - one of the final three candidates in the running for the position – our full support. Dr Nabarro’s experience is unrivalled – he has spent over 40 years in international public health as a medical doctor, educator, international public servant and diplomat. He has repeatedly and successfully managed complex global challenges and led the world in responding to crises. He has worked on the frontline, in over 50 countries including Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia. He has also spent 15 years getting to grips with the intricacies of the UN and global health systems, working on Ebola, bird flu, cholera and nutrition. David’s breadth of experience makes him uniquely qualified to ensure that the WHO is equipped to face the challenges of the next decade.

He is the right candidate at the right time.

In today’s global and interconnected world, with an increasing population, new diseases, deadly outbreaks and resurging threats from old ones now resistant to antibiotics, health must be a top priority on the international agenda.

The UK will continue to lead global efforts to fight deadly diseases that blight the lives of millions around the world, while helping countries to build stronger health systems.

And we will continue to push for improvements in international organisations so that they can best protect us from health threats. The world deserves nothing less and that is why the WHO needs Dr Nabarro.

Mellor is head, UK Department for International Development, Nigeria

A NEW LEASE OF LIFE Simeon Nwakaudu writes that the Rivers State Government is breathing life into the state university

T

he Rivers State University (RSU) is experiencing a new lease of life as it is being re-positioned to serve the people of Rivers State and humanity.

Through dedicated funding, well-crafted policies and proactive engagement with the university, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has been able to fast- track development at the Rivers State University and stabilise the development process in the institution.

The RSU was one of the first beneficiaries of Governor Wike’s massive intervention in the education sector of the state. In his inauguration address at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium on May 29, 2015, Governor Wike re-instated lecturers of the Rivers State University sacked by the immediate past administration in the state. The governor also paid the outstanding emoluments of the sacked lecturers.

The governor completed the Dr. Nabo Graham Douglas ultra-modern Faculty of Law building which has enhanced the teaching of law in the school. This building was abandoned for close to two decades.

During the 28th convocation ceremony of the university, Governor Wike initiated the College of Medical Sciences of the institution and flagged off the construction of the college building.

The RSU College of Medical Sciences has admitted her first set of students while the

construction work at the College of Medical Sciences building has reached an advanced stage.

Since the last convocation in April, 2016, Governor Wike has ensured the completion of the Faculty of Management Sciences and Faculty of Environmental Sciences buildings at the Rivers State University, making available state-of-the-art facilities for teaching and learning at the institution.

Other facilities that have been developed by the Wike administration include the Faculty of Technical and Science Education complex and the shopping complex.

The conducive environment created by the government has led to improved investments in the university by corporate organisations who believe in the efforts of the administration.

For the Rivers State Governor, his administration will continue to work to improve the quality of education at the state university through the right funding. Speaking at the 29th convocation of the university on Saturday, Governor Wike emphasised that the university will continue to be given priority attention because his administration wants to ensure the accreditation of all courses offered at the institution.

Governor Wike assured that his administration will always make the necessary investments to ensure that no Rivers person is denied access to quality education. He said: “A developing state

such as ours needs the knowledge, skills and dexterity of our people to progress and prosper. Our administration recognises that providing quality education as a tool for development is as important as providing physical infrastructure. “That is why we are giving tremendous attention and resources to revamping the education sector and ensuring that our educational system truly empowers our people to successfully compete in the global environment. Ultimately, our commitment is to ensure that no Rivers person is left behind from the benefits of quality education as a tool for the transformation of our economy.”

He challenged the management of the university to refocus its energy towards fast tracking academic and infrastructural development in the school.

On the Faculty of Management Sciences and Faculty of Environmental Sciences buildings being funded by the Rivers State Government, the governor expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of work done.

He directed the Pro-Chancellor and ViceChancellor of the university to ensure that the building defects he pointed out during his inspection of the facilities are corrected.

The governor also directed the contractor handling the College of Medical Sciences to report to the Government House to explain the slow pace of the work.

Governor Wike charged the graduands of the institution to be worthy ambassadors

of the institution who will contribute their quota to the development of the state.

He said:”I say congratulations, once again to all the graduands for this milestone. You have all one well and deserve not only to celebrate but also to be celebrated.”

The pro-chancellor of the university, Justice Iche Ndu represented by Rev. Dr. Joseph Omaegbu lauded Governor Wike for bringing to fruition the College of Medical Sciences of the Rivers State University, in addition to completing the Faculty of Management Sciences and Faculty of Environmental Sciences building at the university.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Blessing Didia said the school is an extension of the state’s construction activities.

Rivers State Governor Wike has set the Rivers State University on the path of sustained progress, motivating the spirit of excellence among the staff, setting in place the right infrastructure for teaching and learning and positively empowering the management and governing council of the university to remain focused in reviving the institution.

The rise of the Rivers State University is assured as the present government remains focused to place the university on a sound platform.

Nwakaudu is a media aide to Governor Wike

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EDITORIAL THE LAGOS SAFETY CORPS The neighbourhood safety corps will serve a valuable purpose

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ast week, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode formally unveiled the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LSNSC), a community policing institution set up to ensure public safety and order.

The inauguration of the corps was a follow-up to the passage of an executive bill for its establishment in June 2016.

Gov. Ambode assented to the bill in August, 2016.

The state government recently recruited some 2,800 corps to enforce the law, while also providing some facilities for effective operations.

The LSNSC was a response to what the governor described as diverse security challenges demanding the intervention of a supportive safety agency. As indicated in the law, the corps was established to assist the Nigeria Police and other security agencies in the maintenance of law and order across all communities in Lagos State, register all private home guards, provide useful intelligence for crime prevention to the police, facilitate the arrest THE CORPS MUST AT of perpetrators of ALL TIMES SERVE AS AN criminal activities INSTITUTION COMMITTED across all communiTO PROMOTING LAW ties, and the balancAND ORDER WITHOUT ing of communal REGARD TO ETHNICITY, interests in resolving disputes.

RELIGION OR POLITICAL Even though the AFFILIATIONS roles of the police and Neighbourhood Safety Corps are somehow interwoven, Ambode had reiterated that the corps “is not in any way in competition with the regular police force.� Rather, the corps would support and complement the efforts of the police, especially in the area of gathering useful intelligence at the grassroots level.

The safety corps is a testament to the growing inability of the police to secure the state, as in across the nation, despite a support of over N17.2 billion by the Lagos State Security Trust

Letters to the Editor

Fund (LSSTF). It is also a proof that a centrallycontrolled police could no longer guarantee the protection of human lives, private property and public installations as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution.

T T H I S DAY

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˜ ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR

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hree unresolved crime incidents attested to the inability of the State Police Command to tackle the challenge at hand. One, the police command failed to bring to book the masterminds of the clash that erupted on March 2, 2016 between Hausa and Yoruba communities in Mile 12 Market in Lagos State. Two, the police were lukewarm in the arrest and prosecution of the criminal elements that lynched a commander of the Lagos State TrafďŹ c Management Authority (LASTMA), Mr. Bakare Olatunji in December, 2016. Three, the police command was unable to respond strategically to the menace of kidnapping that has compelled thousands of Ikorodu residents to abandon their homes for fear of abduction in June 2016, and has forced many farmers in Epe to quit their farms in January 2017.

Given these instances and many more, the corps is a child of necessity that the police and indeed Lagosians should embrace with a view to ensuring public safety and public order in the state. But for it to be efďŹ cient, the Lagos State Government should build the capacity of its personnel; take care of their welfare beyond what is currently being offered as well as provide them institutional, logistic and strategic support.

The state government must meet these conditions to ensure that the corps does not suffer the same malfeasance for which ofďŹ cers and men of the police are known for. In addition, the state government must ensure that the corps does not become another instrument of oppression by subverting the will of the people. The corps must at all times and in all circumstances serve as an institution dedicated and committed to promoting law and order without regard to ethnicity, religion or political afďŹ liations.

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

HAYATOU’S OUSTER AND THE FUTURE OF CAF

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t is no longer news that long-time President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Issa Hayatou, recently lost his eighth-term re-election bid. If he had succeeded in the bid, the victory would have made Hayatou one of the world’s two longest serving sports administrators ever. But that was not to be for the Camerounian born swimmer turned sports administrator as he lost to Ahmad, the President of the Madagascar Football Association. Ahmad probably won the election on the strength of his campaign for administrative reform, financial transparency and a possible reorganisation of CAF competitions. Perhaps, more important, he possibly won because of the widespread clamour for change in CAF. The campaign for change at CAF is an understandable one because Hayatou has been at the helms of the organisation for 29 years.

Before his dramatic loss to Ahmad, most keen watchers of events at CAF were becoming rather uncomfortable at the seeming stranglehold that Hayatou had over the confederation’s organisational and political structure. It was not clear as to how and why he wielded so much power to have stayed for as long as he as he did as CAF’s numero uno. At the height of his glory at CAF, Hayatou’s words were law. He wined and dined with the high and the mighty across the continent and beyond. He was so powerful that no one dared to contest the CAF presidency with him. His defeat at the last election remains a great shock to many soccer fans across the continent as no one, except perhaps those that were directly involved

in the scheme to oust him, actually saw it coming. Hayatou’s eventual ouster is, therefore, a reflection of the dynamism of life and supremacy of change.

As it is usually the case with such historical transition, soccer pundits have tried to explain Hayatou’s fall from different perspectives. For instance, it has been alleged that Hayatou was lethargic in his approach to the election because he was overconfident that victory was certain. This, according to experts, was his greatest undoing as he grossly underestimated the depth and dexterity of the movement that was bent on ousting him from the exalted seat. By the time it dawned on him that the campaign to get him out of CAF has reached a frenzied height, it was rather too late. His last minute effort to get African Heads of State to stampede their respective delegates to vote for him couldn’t save the day as some of the delegates had their minds made and were ready to damn the consequence of their resolve.

Another school of thought has tried to explain Hayatou’s loss in the light of his perceived frosty relationship with the new leadership at the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA). In football circle, it is a well known fact that Giovanni Vincenzo “Gianni�Infatino, the new FIFA boss doesn’t have a good relationship with Hayatou. Indeed, some reports had suggested that the FIFA President was in Africa for three weeks to campaign against Hayatou.

No matter the extent of growth and development that Hayatou has brought to CAF in his 29 years sojourn at the African

apex football body, his critics believed he has overstayed his welcome and that his re-election is not in any way good for the image of CAF and democracy. Hayatou’s detractors thus wanted nothing but change. Ahmad, no doubt, rode on the wave of a massive clamour for change to clinch CAF top job.

One of the tragedies of leadership in Africa is over personalisation of power which is visible across all sectors. In Zimbabwe, for instance, President Robert Mugabe, 93, has been the country’s ruler since 1980 when the country got independence. The Nigeria Football Supporters Club has equally been enmeshed in leadership crisis for some time. In attempt to work out a leadership structure that will appease all parties, a new power sharing formula was put in place. But then, it is still no longer at ease at the supporters’ club leadership hierarchy. This sit tight syndrome attitude is a huge blight on leaders across Africa.

A good leader should know when to quit. Perhaps, more importantly, either in the public or private sector, a good leader must invest quality time and resources in developing new crop of leaders for the purpose of progress and stability. This is where Hayatou and his likes have failed considerably. That he could not put in place a clear cut succession plan after almost three decades at CAF speaks volume of his perception of leadership. It is quite absurd that he never thought of the future of CAF without him.

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

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T H I S D AY FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2017

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2017

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POLITICS

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

PERSONALITY FOCUS

The Burden of an Umpire Stepping into the shoes left behind by Professor Attahiru Jega as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission was going to be a tough job. Tobi Soniyi examines how Professor Mahmood Yakubu struggles to discharge the enormous burden he inherited from his predecessor.

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ess than two years in the saddle as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, must have come to the realization that he has the toughest job of his life. Being an umpire among immature and desperate politicians means that he will constantly come under heavy criticisms, genuine or frivolous.

Many are quick to compare him with his distinguished predecessor, Professor Attahiru Jega and forgot hat Jega too was not doing well as INEC chair two years into his tenure.

He suddenly became a star due to the way he conducted the 2015 presidential elections.

Even when the statistics show otherwise, some have already labelled him the master of inconclusive elections. Shortly before he left office as the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Augustine Alegeh, SAN at the Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, on Sunday, 21st August 2016 accused him of conducting 136 inconclusive elections. Although, he hardly responds to such allegations, Yakubu caused the commission to issue a reaction.

The commission dismissed the allegation that all elections conducted since Yakubu assumed office as chairman of the commission had been inconclusive.

It said it conducted 139 elections which were concluded. The statement reads: “The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) seldom takes issues with members of the public. But the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) is a highly distinguished and respected and respected person.

“Besides, he represents a knowledgeable and influential constituency. His pronouncements are therefore weighty and could pass for the gospel truth.

“The commission has thus far concluded 139 elections (118 at first ballot and 21 after supplementary) out of a total of 163 scheduled elections and that 22 elections were suspended due to violence while 2 elections are sub-judice.

“This shows that 72.3 percent of the elections were concluded at the first ballot, 21.8 percent of the inconclusive elections were concluded after supplementary; 1.2 percent are pending; while 13.4 percent were suspended in Rivers state due to violence.”

The commission said Alegeh’s pronouncement was “ill informed”, “misplaced and undeserved”.

The commission, while assuring that it remained unwavering and irrevocably committed to delivering elections that are free, fair and credible, said “inconclusive elections are caused by violence and over-voting and that the notion of inconclusive election is not strange to our law (see Section 26 and 53 of Electoral Act 2010 as amended)”.

While the commission’s defence on why some elections were inconclusive remains valid, there had been occasions when the decision to suspend elections was purely political. That was what happened in Kogi State last year when the commission suddenly suspended the governorship election in the state citing violence. The allegation that it did so to avoid violence was never substantiated.

This defence also raises a red flag. If INEC and security agencies are unable to stop violence when election is being conducted in only one state, what will then happen when election is being conducted in the whole country on

Yakubu..... has to creative to succeed

the same day?

The INEC that Yakubu inherited has a reputation for implementing its programmes very late. He will have to find a way to change that.

It should however, be pointed out that there are factors beyond the control of the commission which make it difficult for it to start implementing its programmes quite early.

It should however, be pointed out that there are factors beyond the control of the commission which make it difficult for it to start implementing its programmes quite early. One of such factors, is budgetary allocation.

The commission does not have control over when its allocation will come. The professor will have to come up with innovation to deal with these challenges. That is why the job of INEC chair is not for everyone

One of such factors, is budgetary allocation.

The commission does not have control over when its allocation will come. The professor will have to come up with innovation to deal with these challenges. That is why the job of INEC chair is not for everyone. For instance, the 2019 general election isn’t too far away but the commission has yet to start voters education and registration.

Voters apathy remains a challenge for the commission. Many Nigerians have lost confidence in the electoral system despite efforts

by Jega to make sure this is not so. Yakubu has to defeat voters apathy. He must embark on a rigorous enlightenment programme and must also conduct credible elections.

Last month, Partners for Electoral Reform, a civil society organization called on the commission to commence early voters education and registration to ensure credible elections in 2019. The Chairman of PER, Ezenwa Nwagwu, said: “The commission has few months to the 2019 general elections and has a reputation of late start. To forestall tension, the commission needs to make available to stakeholders its design and implementation plan for 2019 general election voter education activities.

“A lot of Nigerians are ignorant of the electoral processes and act which hinders them from exercising their franchise.

“INEC should carry out intense awareness to the grass roots and also simplify the electoral act for easy understanding.” Yakubu would be well advised to heed this advice.

He will also have to encourage prosecution of INEC staff and any other persons who commit an offence during elections. He appeared to support the establishment of

an electoral offences commission or tribunal citing the success recorded by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. However, what happens before this commission is established? A suggestion is that the INEC chairman should press for such offenders to be prosecuted under the existing laws.

In this regard, the INEC chairman deserves commendation for setting up a special unit to prosecute electoral offenders. He should also insist political parties screen their candidates thoroughly.

The commission appears to be too lenient on its staff who aide in the commission of electoral offences. This also has to change.

The staff of the commission must see him as a mister no nonsense and they will fall in line once he is ready to show erring staff the way out.

A professor of Political History and International Studies, Mahmood Yakubu was born in Bauchi, the capital of Bauchi State North-East Nigeria in 1962. He had his early education at Kobi Primary School and later at the Teachers’ college, Toro and later to the University of Sokoto (now Usmanu Danfodiyo University) where he graduated with a First Class Honours Degree in History. He is reputed to be the only one from the whole of northern Nigeria to have obtained a first class honours degree in history. At the age of 29, he obtained a Doctor of Philosophy Degree from the prestigious University of Oxford with specialization in Nigerian History in 1991. He was a recipient of the Bauchi State Government Scholarship to study at both the Cambridge and Oxford Universities in England and his outstanding intellectual artistry at Cambridge further earned him a scholarship of the Cambridge Commonwealth Trust.

He began his working career in the academia as a Graduate Assistant - Lecturer I, University of Jos, Senior Lecturer, Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, Associate Professor, Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna as well as Professor of History, Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna.

At various times he served as head and dean of some faculties. For example he was head, Department of History, dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, director, academic planning unit, as well as pioneer dean, postgraduate school.

Yakubu was a three time-time winner of the Overseas Research Student (ORS) Award by the London-based Committee of Vice-Chancellors of United Kingdom (UK) Universities. He was also a recipient of the competitive Commonwealth Scholarship of the Association of Commonwealth Universities tenable at the University of Oxford.

In 2007, he was appointed the Executive Secretary of the Education Trust Fund (ETF) now known as Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund). He was a member, Transformation Task Team, Federal Ministry of Education from 2006-2007; chairman, Presidential Technical Committee for the Consolidation of Federal Tertiary Institutions 2006-2007; member, Federal Government Negotiating Team with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) 2006-2009; Chairman, Presidential Committee on Needs Assessment of Nigerian Public Universities 2012; member, Presidential Task Team on Education 2010-2012 as well as a member, Implementation Committee on the Establishment of nine new federal universities 2011-2012. He was also a member of the 2014 National Conference where he headed the finance and administration section at its secretariat.

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2017

18

POLITICS

ANALYSIS

Ebonyi APC in Turmoil A letter by the leadership of the All Progressives Congress appointing Eze Nwachukwu as the acting chairman of the party in Ebonyi, has escalated the leadership crisis rocking the party in the state, writes Benjamin Nworie

Nwobasi..... I remain APC chair in Ebonyi

A

letter purported to have been transmitted by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun to the Ebonyi state deputy chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Pastor Eze Nwachukwu to act as the acting state chairman of the party has further escalated the leadership crisis in the state chapter of the party.

The state chairman of the Party, Ben Nwobasi said that Oyegun’s action was an affront and a breach of the constitution of the party which he swore to protect. He said his deputy was appointed as acting chairman of the party based on a “concocted and unsubstantiated claim” that he has been suspended from the party.

The decision to appoint Nwachukwu as acting chairman of the party is already causing confusion among members as they try to choose who among the two is authentic and recognized by law. The two claimants are also not ready to back down with each insisting that he is the authentic chairman of the party in the state.

The crisis, which started in 2014 after the state congresses conducted by Princess Adeshola Ndu and has now taken several dimensions, only to be exacerbated by Oyegun’s letter.

It was gathered that some members of the party visited Oyegun in a bid to lobbying him for a sectional settlement of the crisis, by appointing the state deputy chairman of the party, as the acting chairman pending amicable resolution of the crisis.

Nwachukwu’s sponsors are believed to be defectors from the Labour Party who felt that they did not stand a chance of getting anything from the party under the Nwobasi leadership because of his closeness to Senator Julius Ucha. The fear is that with Ucha solidly behind Nwobasi, it may be difficult for any person to infiltrate the party for self aggrandizement.

Those uncomfortable with Oyegun’s decision to appoint Nwachukwu as acting chairman accused him of not given Nwobasi fair hearing before taken decision.

Nwachukwu had on May 4, 2015 claimed that there was a meeting of State Executive Committee of APC, where vote of no

Nwachukwu.... appointed Acting APC chairman

confidence was passed on Nwobasi. But, a letter signed by Nwobasi and 13 other State Working Committee members which was addressed to Oyegun stated that no such meeting of SEC recognized by the party’s constitution was held on that day or any day for such.

According to the letter “Article 25B (i) and (v) of the APC constitution, 2014 (as amended) , a meeting of SEC Ebonyi state can only be called by the Chairman or by a written request of at least 2/3 of SEC members within a minimum of 14 days notice.

“The so called SEC meeting of May 4, 2015 was neither called by the Chairman nor by written request of at least 2/3 of SEC members in Ebonyi state and we maintained that no such SEC meeting was called and or attended by SEC members”.

However, a source at the national secretariat of the party revealed that Oyegun’s action has also ignited fresh squabbles among the National Working Committee of the party. The source said members of the committee were

However, the nature of the division in Ebonyi APC is such that both parties will always disagree on any program or policy in the state.

For instance, while Nwobasi insisted that APC would participate in the council election, Nwachukwu had given contrary directive that his party would not take part in the election

not consulted before the national chairman appointed Nwachukwu acting chairman of the party in Ebonyi.

The source noted that Oyegun could not hide his support for Nwachukwu’s group despite the court a court order restraining the National Chairman and the party from dissolving or conducting another ward, Local government or state congresses in the state.

Obviously acting on the bidding of the lobbyists, Oyegun reportedly appointed Nwachukwu as the acting state chairman, citing the overall interest of some leaders of the party for his decision.

Some APC members in the state described Oyegun’s decision as an affront to the law because he chose to appoint Nwachukwu as acting chairman while a matter was pending in court over the issue. Already, he had been served with a Form 48 (notice of disobedience to a court order). The Registrar of Ebonyi State High Court in the form dated March 13, 2017 issued to Oyegun and APC as defendants in the suit noted “take notice that unless you obey the directives(s) contained in this order you will be guilty of contempt of court and will be committed to prison”.

The SEC had on January 13, 2016 in a resolution mandated Nwobasi to go to court to stop Nwachkwu from parading himself as the acting chairman.

Some observers within the party have also tried to link the change in the party leadership in the state to the Minister for Science and technology, Dr. Ogbonnay Onu, whom they said wanted a loyalist as state chairman.

Since the appointment of Nwachukwu as acting chairman, the fortunes of the party have further dimmed compared to what it was when Nwobasi was fully in charge. He embarked on a membership drive which took him to all the council areas and community all in efforts to boost the party membership base.

Not deterred by Oyegun’s letter, Nwobasi has continued with the activities of the party geared towards participating in the forthcoming local government election.

However, the nature of the division in Ebonyi APC is such that both parties will always disagree on any program or policy in the state. For instance, while Nwobasi insisted that APC would participate in the council election, Nwachukwu had given

contrary directive that his party would not take part in the election.

In line with his position that the APC should not boycott the council elections, Nwobasi has embarked on a tour of all the 171 wards in the state canvassing for supports for the party. He enthused that APC would emerge victorious on the polls, urging interested aspirants to pick their nomination forms and await primaries of the party soon.

At Ekpomaka Ward in Ikwo Local government, thousands of APC supporters attended a solidarity rally for President Muhammadu Buhari. The rally was also aimed at preparing the people for the coming council polls and the need to support the party.

The teeming supporters chanted solidarity songs in support of the president and Nwobasi even as they pledged their loyalty to the party.

Nwobasi begged them to continue to pray for the President, noting that the problem in the state was that those appointed by the president had failed woefully to bring democratic dividends to the state.

He said it was most unfortunate that some of the Federal appointees had not contributed anything to the development of the party in the state, adding that the state has no record of impact of Onu’s appointment since he was appointed minister.

Nwobasi maintained that he remained the state party chairman until the national leadership directed otherwise. He said that until the national leadership of the party directed otherwise any other person parading himself as acting chairmanwas an “impostor”.

With the confusion further created by Oyegun’s letter, it has become more difficult to advance the fortunes of the party in the state.

Many in the state believe that the fight over the leadership of the party is has to do with the 2019 governorship election in the state. Some said that those who wanted Nwachukwu to lead the party are trying to whittle down the influence of the former senator of Ebonyi Central zone and 2015 APC governorship candidate, Senator Julius Ali Ucha. Ucha is seen as a political big force in Ebonyi politics that his ambition can shape and reshape the political landscape in the state.

Interestingly, that APC is visible in the state was because of Ucha.

19

T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ ͵˜ 2017

BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S NIBOR OVERNIGHT 1-MONTH

A S

A T

NIBOR 15.3333% 17.0332%

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 Bible Society Holds Board Meeting

The Bible Society of Nigeria (BSN) has announced that it will hold her 50th national board meeting in Akure, Ondo State from 17th – 21st April, 2017. The Board Meeting, which will be declared open by the Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akerodolu, will start with a divine service scheduled to hold at St. David’s Anglican Cathedral, Ijomu, Akure, Ondo State on Wednesday, April 19, 2017. The BSN said in a statement that the meeting, being hosted by the Western Zone of BSN, will be presided over by the National President of the Society, Dr. Aaron Nuhu. Among other things, the Board Meeting will discuss past and future activities of the organization concerning Bible work and as well examine her accounts for the past one year.

The General Secretary of BSN, Dare Ajiboye is expected to present his report for the year under review to the Board at the meeting.

Expected at the Board Meeting are the Patron of BSN, Gen. Dr. Yakubu Gowon,Trustees, National Executive Committee members, Delegates from Areas of the Society across the country and some senior members of the Management Team of the organization.

The Bible Society of Nigeria is a non-profit-making interdenominational Christian organization that translates the Bible into local languages, publishes, distributes and raises funds for Bible work. So far we have the complete Bible in 24 Nigerian Languages. The organization gives Bibles free to Old Peoples’ Homes and Orphanages, the People with Visual Disability, the prisoners, the deaf and other less privileged Nigerians.

A BOOST FOR MINING SECTOR

L-R: Managing Director, kenyang Limited, Miller Xu; Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Hon Abubakar Bawa Bwari; during a tour of the company’s plant in Udegi, Nasarawa State… recently

Airlines Begin Sale of Ticket for Abuja Flights Ahead of the April 19 date for re-opening of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, domestic and international airlines have started selling tickets to Abuja as a destination, preparatory to commencement of flight to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The Minister of State, Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika had expressed optimism that the ongoing work on the airport’s runway would be completed as scheduled. Specifically, the minister offered to resign if the airport was not re-opened on April 19.

AVIATION Repair work on the Abuja airport runway project, according to the minister was already 60 percent completed and the contractors had given firm assurance that the April 19th deadline would be met.

This was said to have given the airlines the confidence that flight operations would resume at the airport as scheduled.

THISDAY learnt that since last week, there has been increasing demand from travellers for Abuja as

a destination. In fact, bookings for the Federal Capital Territory, obtained by THISDAY showed high demand for Abuja flights.

Spokesman of Dana Air, Kingsley Ezenwa told THISDAY on Wednesday that the airline started selling ticket to Abuja after the minister’s declaration that the airport would reopened as scheduled.

“We have started selling tickets for Abuja. We started receiving booking demands for Abuja and we have started selling; starting from April 20, a day after the reopening date.

We are hoping that government

would fulfil their promise and reopen the airport on 19th,” he said.

Checks by THISDAY revealed that some international airlines have also started selling tickets and have notified their Abuja staff currently on leave on their resumption date.

The president of foreign airlines association in Nigeria, Kingsley Nwokoma confirmed that foreign airlines have opened booking for tickets and cargo flights to Abuja have already been booked Continued on page 20

Auctioneers Threaten Showdown over Planned Online Auction of Goods Eromosele Abiodun The Nigeria Association of Auctioneers (NAA) has vowed to resist the plan by the Nigeria Customs Services (NCS) to auction seized and contrabands goods via electronic (e) auction.

The NAA said the NCS’s plan to unilateral conduct sales via e-portal is a violation of the law of the land and may lead to fraud and nepotism.

Secretary General of the association, Isibor Benjamin Abhulimen, who stated this in a chat with THISDAY said the NAA will not hesitate to take legal action against the NCS if it fails to reverse the plan.

He said: “There is need to look into the Customs Act Sec-

MARITIME tion 191, which conflicts with the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Sales by Auction Law, cap 187 and CAP 12, Chapter 12, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, have detailed interpretation of the Act of Sales by Auction. Bureau of Public Procurement Act, Part X –Disposal of Public Properties. Section 54, 55 (5) (d) and section 56 (3)), that defines the role of an Auctioneer especially in the area of disposal.

“Section 191 of the Customs act empowers the C.G customs to go about the business of constituting committees for onward disposal of overtime and contraband cargoes, however there is need to have a clear

cut interpretation whether or not after the committee set up by the C.G of Customs, after they ensure forfeiture and carry out due diligence on identification, classification and valuation, should they still be the ones to sell or not, or if at this point the services of an Auctioneer is required.”

He added: “In the general opinion, allowing the CG Customs to value and also be a sales man is likened to been a judge in your own case which creates a lot of room for blatant corrupt practices and leakages in revenue derivation and this also negates global best practices and the very essence of the establishment of due process which has a motto of transparency and

accountability.

“Hiding under the guise of e-auction as an excuse to improve the mode of disposal still does not give the room for checkmating the excesses of the Customs. The body of auctioneers can pilot e-auction platform if the need arises and when there are proper legislation to carry out such.

The NCS leadership should stretch out their hands to work with other professionals and toe the line of transparency, accountability and equity.”

He stressed that the body of auctioneers in the country will not sit and watch an agency of the federal government take a unilateral decision that does Continued on page 20

Air Cargo Demand Rises in February

The International AirTransport Association (IATA) released demand growth results for global air freight markets for February 2017, showed 8.4% increase in demand measured in freight tonne kilometers (FTKs) compared to the same period last year. After adjusting for the impact of the leap year in 2016, demand increased by 12% -- almost four times better than the five-year average rate of 3.0%. Freight capacity, measured in available freight tonne kilometers (AFTKs), shrank by 0.4% in February 2017.

The continued growth of air freight demand in 2017 is consistent with an uptick in world trade which corresponds with new global export orders remaining at elevated levels in March. Of particular note is the expanded volume of semi-conductor materials typically used in high-value consumer electronics.

“February further added to the cautious optimism building in air cargo markets. Demand grew by 12% in February—about four times the five-year average rate. With demand growing faster than capacity, yields got a boost. While there are signs of stronger world trade, concerns over the current protectionist rhetoric are still very real,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO. The rapid growth of niche markets such as cross-border e-commerce and time and temperature sensitive pharmaceutical are showing robust growth as noted at the World Air Cargo Symposium held in Abu Dhabi last month. “Any optimistic look at the future sees growing demand for specialized value added services. Shippers are telling us that the key to turning the current uptick in the cargo industry’s fortunes into longer-term growth is modernising our antiquated processes. We must use the current momentum to push ahead with the elements of the e-cargo vision—including the e-air waybill which is nearing 50% market penetration,” said de Juniac.

Air Peace Wins Award

Air Peace on Sunday received City People’s Airline of the Year Award for its outstanding performance despite the huge challenges faced by carriers in the country in 2016.Receiving the award during the 20th edition of City People Awards for Excellence, Air Peace said it was further raising the quality of its services to guarantee air travellers the best flight experience in the country and beyond.

Speaking at the award ceremony held in Lagos, Air Peace Corporate Communications Manager, Mr. Chris Iwarah and Cabin Services Manager/Head of Commercial, Florence Opia, said the carrier had maintained an unbeatable record of on-time performance and safety of air travellers since it started commercial flight operations in 2014.

‘“This is to thank the general public, especially our travelling passengers into and out of Kaduna consequent on our closure of Abuja airport”

Minister of State, Aviation

Senator Hadi Sirika.

20

T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ ÍľËœ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍľ

BUSINESSWORLD AIRLINES BEGIN SALE OF TICKET FOR ABUJA FLIGHTS by some carriers. “After the Minister of State, Aviation, Senator Sirika staked his job and seconded by the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, some foreign airlines have started selling tickets to Abuja. Everyone believes that the ministers will keep to their words. Even cargo booking has started for Abuja airport. That one is easier because it is not as sensitive as passenger service.

Let us see how it plays. “In a civilised country, if they give you a date people will work with that date.

But since the minister has put his job on the line, we are confident that flights will start in Abuja after next week,�

Nwokoma said.

Meanwhile, THISDAY also learnt that some of the international airlines, especially the legacy airlines, have stopped selling business class tickets in naira but sell to passenger who are willing to make the payment in dollars.

AUCTIONEERS THREATEN SHOWDOWN OVER PLANNED ONLINE AUCTION OF GOODS

not have any legal basis and no legal frame work. “It is obvious and very clear that the Customs Comptroller General is acting without following due process and the Law, because there is no existing legal frame work that enables the NCS to sell seized and contrabands goods by e-auction. Just recently the Committee on Customs in the National Assembly invited all stake holders on the repeal and re-enactment of certain Laws and Provisions that will enhance the NCS. “Stake holders represented expressed their different views and made useful contributions and notably on the Agenda was the fact that there is a need for the CG Customs power over sales to be properly addressed, even in the SEMA Law it is noted that the CG appoints the committee for disposal and before disposal he has the option of appointing an agent to conduct the sale.

Group Business Editor

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NEWS

Utomi Blames Recession on Poor Budgeting David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka Founder of Centre for Values in Leadership, Prof. Pat Utomi, has said poor budget system in Nigeria was responsible for the current economic recession in the country.

He also said lack of proper planning and foresight on the part of the country’s leaders, were also a part of the problems that have left Nigeria in its current state.

Utomi who was a guest lecturer at Dr. Emmanuel Egbogah Budget Roundtable organised by UNIZIK Business School, Awka, said that a good budget not only shapes the condition of a country, but envisages the implications of future economic changes of such a country.

The roundtable, which was titled: Budget Processes in Nigeria: Challenges and Implications for National Development, witnessed scholars from various parts of the country who all made contributions to help solve problems associated with budget in Nigeria.

Utomi in his lecture said: “Our major problem is that we lack planning and if there is no proper planning, then budgeting is a waste of time. “In beginning a budgeting process, it must be matched with where the people are going. But beyond revenue and expenditure, budget has to do with discipline and execution.

He lamented the prevailing

backwardness in the country, stating that the sad situation was basically thrown up by the events of ‘1966 when a gang of renegades hijacked the leadership of the country’, saying that the same characters have remained in power too.

A former Minister for National Planning, Dr.Olisa Ogbu in his contributions, pointed out that poor implementation

of national budget in Nigeria was as a result of lack of national consciousness.

He called for the enactment of a law to stop the abandonment of National Development Plan by successive administrations.

Earlier in his keynote address, deputy chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, Hon. Chris

Azubuogu listed factors that hinder the actualisation of national budget. These he stated include poor funding of budget, lopsided budgeting, budget deficit and high domestic debt profile, which he said is currently in trillions of Naira.

Other factors he further stated were absence of budget education, lack of budget

engagement, among others.

Director of UNIZIK Business School, Prof Au Nonyelu told journalists in an interview that the event would be an annual one, which would be continually used to espouse problems associated with budgetary system in Nigeria. He said the event would serve as the institution’s modest contribution to solving the nation’s problems.

CONGRATULATIONS

Account Manager of Airfrance KLM, Mr. Lawal Dauda; flanked by in a group photograph with Peacock Travel Consultants (L-R) Ms. Adebimpe Oyewole; Mojisola Ogunrinde, Idowu Daniel, Ms Feyisayo Folabi-Isaacs, Adeola Olutayo-Abioye and Mr. Abiodun Akinyooye, all winners of the airline’s Agent Connect Reward Programme held at Peacock Travel’s corporate headquarters in Lagos...recently

FIRRO Fabricates Stainless Steel Pepper Grinder Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi (FIIRO), has achieved a landmark breakthrough in its drive to enhance capability in the production of processing machineries and equipment to enhance commercialisation of agricultural value chains, when it launched three products at the Technology and Innovation Expo held in Abuja recently.

The products include a Stainless Steel Pepper Grinder, Fruit Washer, Carbonator, De-humidifier, Groundnut Toaster and the FIIRO/NATE Rice De-stoner.

The Director General of FIRRO Dr. Mrs Gloria Elemo said the stainless steel pepper grinder is capable of grounding and producing pepper in commercial quantity without contaminating the product.

The machinery, she added, can be used in the market place and in food processing industry. Aside from pepper, it is also capable of milling corn and other flours.

Elemo said that the production of locally fabricated processing machineries and equipment will conserve foreign exchange and reduce

importation of such machineries and equipment mainly from China and India.

She told THISDAY that the groundnut toaster was designed in a way that it can use gas, electricity and charcoal by urban and rural dwellers. “The effect of recession has prompted people to look inward and realise the need for us to use our own technology for us to grow.

It is alarming that 57 years after independence and with the resources at our disposal, we still don’t have the right classification,� Elemo said at

the expo that also featured a National Fabricators Workshop.

About 50 indigenous fabricators under the umbrella of the Agricultural Machinery and Equipment Fabricators Association of Nigeria (AMEFAN) and the members of the Presidential Implementation Committee on Commercialization of Agricultural Value Chains to address critical issue of agro-processing bordering on local availability of processing machinery and equipment attended the workshop.

The committee was set up on June 9, 2016 by Vice President

Prof. Yemi Osinbajo at the Special Session on Agriculture of the Economic Management Team to identify indigenous technical capability to produce processing machinery and equipment.

The Chairman Senate Committee on Science and Technology, Prof. Ajayi Boroffice, said he supported the need for government to make provision for an intervention fund for local manufacturers, saying it was the missing link in Nigeria’s drive towards economic recovery.

Ugwuanyi HastheMade Enugu business Business-friendly, Says US Envoy In his response, Ugwuanyi education, information community on how to governor.

Christopher Isiguzo in Enugu

The United States Commercial Counselor, Brent Omadahl has applauded the new face of business environment in Enugu State under the administration of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, saying that the state is now a destination for investment.

Speaking during a courtesy visit to the governor at the Government House, Enugu, Omadahl, who led the delegation from the Country’s Mission in Nigeria, appreciated the existing business relationship between the local companies in the state and in the United States, adding that it was possible because of the peace and conducive business atmosphere provided by

Omadahl disclosed that the United States is ready to invest in Enugu State particularly in the area of solar energy under Public Private Partnership (PPP), adding that one of the aims of the visit was to follow up discussion on the proposed solar energy factory in Nachi by a U.S. firm, Dusable Investment.

When completed, the project will boost power generation and provide employment.

The U.S. Commercial Counselor stated that the delegation was also in Enugu for the Network USA Outreach summit for the South East Zone and in furtherance of Ugwuanyi’s conversation with the American ambassador to Nigeria, W. Stuart Symington to speak with the

do business with the U.S. and to dispel misconceptions about the U.S. visa procedure, saying that there are U.S. companies willing to do business in Enugu under the PPP. “We came in the direction of the U.S. ambassador to Nigeria. He came and saw you (governor).

He had a conversation with you on what we can do to drive business to Enugu. With that in mind, we reasoned that the trade fair will be a good time to come and talk about business. Many companies in the U.S. are willing to come to the state to do business because of the friendly environment. My office is actually a network to facilitate these opportunities�, Omdahl said.

expressed delight at the visit, saying that it has offered his administration a rare opportunity to deepen its bond of friendship, to highlight areas of mutual interests and to discuss potential opportunities particularly on trade and investment. The governor equally appreciated the U.S. decision to participate in the on-going 28th Enugu International Trade Fair, to re-engage with the state’s entrepreneurs, business owners, investors and government officials, adding that such underscores the growing bilateral relations between the U.S. and Enugu State. “Enugu State indeed offers a peaceful and viable destination for U.S. firms interested in agriculture, healthcare, transportation,

and communications technology, power generation, and small business development. “At a time like this when Nigeria is battling economic recession and low exchange rates of the Naira against major foreign currency including the U.S. Dollar, I would sincerely urge U.S. firms to follow the footsteps of their peers from other nations to also consider locating their manufacturing facilities in our state. “We are grateful, in this regard, for the kind choice of Enugu as host city for your Network USA Outreach for the South East Zone scheduled to be held tomorrow (today) at the Oaklands Amusement Center�, Ugwuanyi said.

T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ ͵˜ Ͱͮͯ͵

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BUSINESSWORLD

NEWS

House, NEXIM Bank Task Firm on Job Creation, Quality Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja The House of Representatives Committee on Banking and Currency and the Nigerian Export Import Bank (NEXIM) have tasked the management of Albert Products Nigeria Limited to works towards delivering high quality products that are capable of competing favourably across the globe.

They also charged the firm to strive towards expanding its operations with a view to availing more Nigerians gainful employment The Chairman, House Committee on Banking and Currency, Hon. Jones Chukwudi Onyeyiri and the Managing Director of NEXIM, Bashir Wali handed down the admonition when the committee was on an oversight visit to the Abuja office of Albert Products.Albert is a leading furniture manufacturer in Nigeria, with its products designed for offices, schools, hotels and households for domestic and export market.

NEXIM had granted a

medium term facility to the company in July 2013 as well as July 2015 to finance the acquisition of equipment to facilitate the expansion of the firm’s factory in Lagos and the setting up of a furniture factory and showroom in Abuja.

Onyeriri expressed joy that NEXIM’s loan to the company was put into good use.

According to him, it was a refreshing development that the company’s workforce was made up of 90 per cent Nigerians, describing it as a remarkable proof that it operated in strict compliance with the federal government’s local content laws.

“We are here on oversight visit to agencies under our watch. Albert enjoys NEXIM’s facility. It’s huge so we needed to see if was properly used and to ensure Nigerians are getting value. “The production department is made up of Nigerians and most of them came from the immediate environment.

They have been in operations for about 10 months.

“We are here to know their

challenges and to ensure they can pay back the loan. So, we need to know if there are things that can hinder then from paying back the facility from NEXIM”, he said.

The Managing Director of NEXIM Bank, Wali, who also spoke, said the bank funded the company’s equipment acquisition and working capital.

“Albert has a second factory in Lagos. That was actually the first. We are ensuring they stick to the local content laws, build capacity, employ more people, produce more products and ensure they can compete internationally. “Right now, the company is exporting finished products within the West Africa sub-region. But they’re targeting Europe and other regions. It is a way of improving on non-oil earnings”, he said.

In his remarks, the Managing Director of Albert, Mageed Taan said the firm was created 45 years ago, adding that its target was to meet local needs and earn huge foreign exchange via exports.

Report: Terminal Operators’ Earnings Decline by 22.4% Eromosele Abiodun A report by top global accounting and audit firm, Deloitte has revealed that Terminal Handling Charges (THC), which is the main revenue stream of terminal operators, declined by 22.4 per cent between 2006 and 2016 as a result of depreciation of the naira and inflation.

The report revealed that at the beginning of port concession in 2006, THC collected by the operators stood at $232 per TEU but declined to $180 per TEU by 2016.

According to Deloitte, “The THC is the main source of revenue for the terminal operators.

This is the payment received from transferring cargo from ship/quay side to the yard for release to clearing agents/ customers.”

According to the report titled, “Public Private Partnership (PPP) as an anchor for diversifying the Nigeria economy: Lagos Container Terminals Concession as a Case Study,” during the same period between 2006 and 2016, the terminal operators business was adversely impacted by the rise

in Consumer Price Index(CPI)/ Inflation, with the CPI Nigeria rising to over 177 per cent since 2006. It said foreign exchange (fx) fluctuation also impacted the value of the THC with over 224 per cent FX depreciation between 2006 and 2016.”

The report, which was released by Deloitte Nigeria’s Director of Strategy and Operations, Bola Asiru; Senior Manager, Oladotun Bamigbetan and two others, stated that if the terminal operators were to adjust the THC yearly in line with changes in foreign exchange and Nigerian CPI, the rate should have increased to N185,112 per TEU. “In real economic terms, the operators are losing revenue by not adjusting their THC in line with market realities,”Deloitte stated.

The firm said the fx challenges that Nigeria faces as a result of the fall in global oil prices is further pronounced for terminal operators as a large part of their (capital expenditure(capex) and operational costs are in US Dollars. It said the operators’ dollar denominated costs includes equipment acquisition

and maintenance costs and payment of lease fees to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

It said: “83 per cent of Terminal Operators revenues are received in Naira, 17 per cent is received in US dollars.

Terminal Operators have to constantly source for US Dollars through the parallel market at very high rates in order to meet their statutory and operational cost obligations.”

The firm further stated that terminal operators face huge challenges in the area of storage as the terminals are used as “cheap storage warehouse alternatives” by cargo owners.

“The current policy provides for a free three days storage after which a charge of N900 is applied per day and regulated by the NPA. Importers take advantage of the low storage charges offered by the terminal operators to store their imported goods at the terminal as opposed to offsite warehousing facilities that charge as much as N60,000 per day. This leads to congestion at the terminal and hinders the productivity and storage capacity of the terminal,” the report said.

NIPR Endorses Stage Play to Commemorate Lagos @ 50 Raheem Akingbolu The Lagos State chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), has announced its endorsement of Isale Eko, a special satirical stage play designed to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Lagos State.

The stage play, supported by the Lagos State Government,

boast of stellar executive producers including the show business impresario and On-Air-Personality, Olisa Adibua, investment banker and columnist, Joseph Edgar, award winning entertainment journalist, Nse Obong Ekong and Nollywood actor, Ayo Badmus, is a fictional display of 14th Century Lagos in animated play which uses

song and dance to tell the story of Lagos in the throes of slave trade, power struggle and romance.

Isale Eko, which was inspired

by Ayo Badmus, would be told with pizzazz by entertainment greats including Yemi Shodimu, Patrick Doyle and Yinka Davies under the directorial guide of the talented Writer and Stage Director, William Benson.

RISK MANAGEMENT WATCH Robert Mbonu

Enterprise Risk Management – Sowing the Seed

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BUSINESSWORLD

AVIATION

AIR WATCH

Rwand Air Gets Fifth Freedom, Adds Lagos Accra to Route Network Chinedu Eze As part of its consolidation on the African market, East African carrier, Rwand Air has added Lagos - Accra to its route network, as it gets fifth freedom approval from Nigeria.

Rwand Air Country Manager, Nigeria , Ibiyemi Odusi explained in a statement issued in Lagos that the direct flight between the two West African cities was a fall out of the fifth freedom right the carrier secured from the Nigerian government.

She said the airline has been operating the Lagos - Accra

flights since March 23, 2017 and has created more travel options for passengers on the route.

Rwand Air , Odusi said has deployed state - of - the - art equipment including Airbus 330 and Boeing 737 with free wifi and mobile network as part of the aircraft on the route to ensure passengers’ comfort and seamless onboard communication .

Rwand Air, as the fastest growing carrier in East Africa, Odusi said would continue to leverage on its core values of safety, integrity, on- time performance, seamless connectivity, excellent in - flight

entertainment and quality customer service to attract passengers.

The carrier, she said would continue to maintain its safety standards with its operational certification of International Operations Safety Audit (IOSA) and International Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO) by global regulator : International Air Transport Association ( IATA) in passenger and cargo business.

Rwand Air recently announced the commencement of flights to Mumbai and Harare effective April 3, 2017 to consolidate its growth as the 22 route in its network.

Air Cargo Demand Continues Upward Trajectory in February, Says IATA The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released demand growth results for global air freight markets for February 2017, showing an 8.4 percent increase in demand measured in freight tonne kilometers (FTKs) compared to the same period last year.

After adjusting for the impact of the leap year in 2016, demand increased by 12 percent -- almost four times better than the fiveyear average rate of 3.0 percent.

Freight capacity, measured in available freight tonne kilometers (AFTKs), shrank by 0.4 percent in February 2017.

The continued growth of airfreight demand in 2017 is consistent with an uptick in world trade, which corresponds

with new global export orders remaining at elevated levels in March. Of particular note is the expanded volume of semiconductor materials typically used in high-value consumer electronics. “February further added to the cautious optimism building in air cargo markets. Demand grew by 12 percent in February—about four times the fiveyear average rate. With demand growing faster than capacity, yields got a boost. While there are signs of stronger world trade, concerns over the current protectionist rhetoric are still very real,� said IATA’s Director General and CEO, Alexandre de Juniac.

IATA said the rapid growth

of niche markets such as crossborder e-commerce and time and temperature sensitive pharmaceutical are showing robust growth as noted at the World Air Cargo Symposium held in Abu Dhabi last month. “Any optimistic look at the future sees growing demand for specialized value added services. Shippers are telling us that the key to turning the current uptick in the cargo industry’s fortunes into longer-term growth is modernising our antiquated processes. We must use the current momentum to push ahead with the elements of the e-cargo vision—including the e-air waybill which is nearing 50% market penetration,� said de Juniac.

Airbus, SITA Partner to Provide Advanced Cybersecurity in Aviation Sector Airbus and SITA have launched new Security Operations Center Services customised for the specific needs of the air transport industry. These new incident detection services would provide airlines, airports and other air transport industry stakeholders with information about unusual cyber activity that may impact their businesses, as this new offer would allow immediate detection and remedial action.

Airbus said all these services have been developed to specifically meet an ever-increasing demand for cybersecurity in this industry becoming one of its top priorities. Highlighting the importance of proactive cybersecurity, SITA’s Airline IT Trends Survey 2016 showed that 91 percent of airlines plan to invest in cybersecurity programs over the next three years.

By joining forces, SITA and Airbus can provide the most advanced cyber security solution for the air transport industry.

Almost every airline and airport in the world is a customer of SITA and it delivers solutions for the world’s most extensive

communications network.

Airbus works with companies, critical national infrastructures, governments and defence organisations to detect, analyse and counter increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks. Together they will use their expertise to detect cyber activity relevant to airlines and airports. In case, the joint Security Operations Center Services will provide appropriate containment and remedial action ensuring that a company’s digital assets are safe from attack.

CEO of SITA, Barbara Dalibard said: “As an industry we need to move faster in developing new cybersecurity solutions that mitigate the risk of ever-changing threats. This requires constant collaboration and innovation. With SITA and Airbus Cybersecurity uniquely placed at the heart of the air transport industry, we can facilitate innovation and information-sharing through services such as the Security Operations Center Service, providing solutions our customers demand and

need.â€? “Air transport is part of the Airbus DNA, so it was only natural that we joined forces with SITA to adapt our innovative cyber security solutions to this new service area, which is experiencing exponential growth,â€? added Head of Airbus Cybersecurity, François Lavaste, noting, “Our standard solution mainly combines real-time monitoring services for applications and communications dedicated to air transport and incident response services.â€?

The joint Airbus and SITA Security Operations Center Service is the first of a new portfolio of cybersecurity products and services being developed by SITA. The portfolio will help airlines and airports identify, detect and react to cyber threats while protecting their company assets from attack.

In addition to creating a customised portfolio for the industry, SITA in 2016 identified cybersecurity as one of five keys areas where it is exploring new solutions on behalf of its members as well as the wider air transport community.

Matters Arising from Automation of Remittances

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DG NCAA, Muhtar Usman

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practice and as currently applicable to international Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂœĂ“Ă?ĂœĂ? ÙÚĂ?ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă™Ă&#x;Ăž Ă™Ă? Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹Ë› “AON members are currently remitting the 5 percent TSC charges and it is on record that NCAA introduced ďŹ nancial clearance process for services over the last ĂŁĂ?Ă‹ĂœË› Ă&#x;Ăœ ĂŽĂ?Ă?ÚÓÞĂ? Ă™Ă&#x;Ăœ Ă—Ă?Ă—ĂŒĂ?ĂœĂ?ËŞ Ă“Ă—ĂšĂœĂ™Ă Ă?ĂŽ ÚËã×Ă?Ă˜ĂžËœ airport infrastructure and service level continue to deteriorate across all facets of the industry under ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă‹Ă—Ă? Ă&#x;ĂžĂ’Ă™ĂœĂ“ĂžĂŁËœËŹ Ă?Ă‘Ă‘Ă“Ă?Ă™Ă˜ Ă?Ă‹Ă“ĂŽË› He accused the NCAA of playing double standard and adding why the NCAA called for the immediĂ‹ĂžĂ? Ă—Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽĂ‹ĂžĂ™ĂœĂŁ Ă‹Ă&#x;ĂžĂ™Ă—Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ëœ Ă“Ăž Ă’Ă‹Ă? Ă˜Ă™Ăž Ă‹ĂŽĂŽĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă?ĂŽ issues concerning the cost of integration into the ĂšĂœĂ™Ă”Ă?Ă?Ăž Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂĄĂ’Ă“Ă–Ă? Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă“Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÒËÞ Ă–Ă™Ă?Ă‹Ă– Ă‹Ă“ĂœĂ–Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă? Ă—Ă&#x;Ă?Ăž Ă—Ă“Ă‘ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ? ÞÙ ÞÒĂ? Ă˜Ă?ĂĄ Ă?ĂŁĂ?ĂžĂ?Ă—Ëœ Ă“Ăž Ă’Ă‹Ă? Ă˜Ă™Ăž Ă‹Ă–Ă?Ă™ ĂŽĂ“ĂœĂ?Ă?ĂžĂ?ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ?ĂœĂ˜Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă‹Ă– Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂœĂ“Ă?ĂœĂ? ÙÚĂ?ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă“Ă˜ Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹ ÞÙ Ă”Ă™Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă‹Ă—Ă? Ă‹Ă&#x;ĂžĂ™Ă—Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ ÚÖËÞĂ?Ă™ĂœĂ—Ë› He alleged that while domestic airlines are charged Ă™Ă˜ ÞÒĂ?Ă“Ăœ Ùà Ă?ĂœĂ‹Ă–Ă– ÞÓĂ?Ă•Ă?Ăž Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂ?Ëœ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ?Ă“Ă‘Ă˜ Ă‹Ă“ĂœĂ–Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă? Ă‹ĂœĂ? chargedontheirbasefares(NCAAsaidforeignairlines ÚËã ĂžĂ’ĂœĂ™Ă&#x;Ă‘Ă’ Ă“Ă–Ă–Ă“Ă˜Ă‘Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?ʾÖĂ?Ă—Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă–Ă‹Ă˜ Ě™ ̚˛ “This is wrong and discriminatory and also against the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Ă™Ă˜Ě‹ Ă“Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă—Ă“Ă˜Ă‹ĂžĂ™ĂœĂŁ ÚÙÖÓĂ?ĂŁË› Ă? ĂšĂ?Ăœ ĂœĂ?Ă?Ù××Ă?Ă˜ĂŽĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ ËÎÙÚÞĂ?ĂŽ ĂŒĂŁ ÞÒĂ? Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă?Ă“Ă–Ëœ ÞËÞĂ?Ă? Ă‹ĂœĂ? Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ‹Ă‘Ă?ĂŽ to incorporate the four key charging principles of nonĂŽĂ“Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă—Ă“Ă˜Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ëœ Ă?Ă™Ă?ĂžĚ‹ĂœĂ?Ă–Ă‹ĂžĂ?ĂŽĂ˜Ă?Ă?Ă?Ëœ ĂžĂœĂ‹Ă˜Ă?ĂšĂ‹ĂœĂ?Ă˜Ă?ĂŁ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ă&#x;Ă–ĂžĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ åÓÞÒ Ă&#x;Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ? Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ™ ÞÒĂ?Ă“Ăœ Ă˜Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă‹Ă– Ă–Ă?Ă‘Ă“Ă?Ă–Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ëœ ĂœĂ?Ă‘Ă&#x;Ă–Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ăœ ÚÙÖÓĂ?Ă“Ă?Ă?Ëœ Ă‹Ă? ĂĄĂ?Ă–Ă– Ă‹Ă? Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ™ ÞÒĂ?Ă“Ăœ Ă?Ă&#x;ĂžĂ&#x;ĂœĂ? Ă‹Ă“Ăœ Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ Ă“Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ă‘ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă—Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ?Ë› Ě™ Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă?Ë? ͎͜͡Ͱ̚ “It is apparent that NCAA is preying on domestic Ă‹Ă“ĂœĂ–Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ëœ ĂĄĂ’Ă“Ă?Ă’ ÞÒĂ?ĂŁ Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ Ă?Ă‹Ă?ĂŁ ĂžĂ‹ĂœĂ‘Ă?ĂžËœ Ă‹ Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă’ Ă?Ùå Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă?Ă’Ă?Ă‹Ăš ĂšĂ&#x;ĂŒĂ–Ă“Ă?Ă“ĂžĂŁËœ Ùà Ă?Ăœ ĂœĂ?Ă‘Ă&#x;Ă–Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ÎÙ×Ă?Ă?ÞÓĂ? ÙÚĂ?ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ™ĂœĂ?Ëœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂšĂ&#x;Ă?Ă’Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ÎÙ×Ă?Ă?ÞÓĂ? Ă‹Ă“ĂœĂ–Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă? ÞÙ ÞÒĂ? Ă?ĂŽĂ‘Ă? Ă™Ă? Ă“Ă˜Ă?ÙÖà Ă?Ă˜Ă?ĂŁËš ĂŒĂ‹Ă˜Ă•ĂœĂ&#x;ÚÞĂ?ĂŁË› Ăž Ă“Ă? ÞÒÓĂ? Ă•Ă“Ă˜ĂŽ Ă™Ă? ÚÙÖÓĂ?ĂŁ ÞÒËÞ has reduced the lifespan of Nigerian airlines and has Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ă&#x;Ă—Ă?ĂŽ Ùà Ă?Ăœ Í°Íł Ă‹Ă“ĂœĂ–Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă? Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă–Ă‹Ă?Ăž ͹͎ ĂŁĂ?Ă‹ĂœĂ? Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă? ĂŽĂ?ĂœĂ?Ă‘Ă&#x;Ă–Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă“Ă˜ ÍŻÍˇÍśÍ°ËœËŹ Ă?Ă‘Ă‘Ă“Ă?Ă™Ă˜ Ă‹Ă–Ă?Ă™ Ă˜Ă™ĂžĂ?ĂŽË› He said the NCAA is weak and has refused to Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ?Ă? ÙÞÒĂ?Ăœ Ă‹Ă Ă“Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă‹Ă‘Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă“Ă?Ă? Ă–Ă“Ă•Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă?ĂŽĂ?ĂœĂ‹Ă– Ă“ĂœĂšĂ™ĂœĂžĂ? Ă&#x;ĂžĂ’Ă™ĂœĂ“ĂžĂŁ Ă™Ă? Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹ Ě™ Ěš Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹Ă˜ Ă“ĂœĂ?ÚËĂ?Ă? Ă‹Ă˜Ă‹Ă‘Ă?Ă—Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă‘Ă?Ă˜Ă?ĂŁ Ě™ Ěš Ă?ĂœĂ™Ă— eectively carrying out their responsibilities in terms Ă™Ă? Ă“Ă—ĂšĂœĂ™Ă Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‹Ă“ĂœĂšĂ™ĂœĂž Ă?Ă‹Ă?ÓÖÓÞÓĂ?Ă?Ëœ Ă–Ă“Ă•Ă? ÞÒĂ? ĂœĂ&#x;Ă˜ĂĄĂ‹ĂŁ Ă›Ă&#x;Ă‹Ă–Ă“ĂžĂŁËœ Ă‹Ă“ĂœĂšĂ™ĂœĂž Ă?Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă‘Ëœ ĂŒĂ“ĂœĂŽ Ă?ĂžĂœĂ“Ă•Ă?Ëœ Ă˜Ă‹Ă Ă‹Ă“ĂŽĂ?Ëœ Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?Ă– Ă›Ă&#x;ËÖÓÞã Ă?Ă™Ă˜ĂžĂœĂ™Ă– ĂŒĂŁ ÙÓÖ Ă—Ă‹ĂœĂ•Ă?ĂžĂ?ĂœĂ?Ëœ ĂšĂ™Ă™Ăœ Ă›Ă&#x;ËÖÓÞã ĂŽĂ?Ă–Ă“Ă Ă?ĂœĂŁ ĂŒĂŁ Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ Ă“Ă?Ă? ĂšĂœĂ™Ă Ă“ĂŽĂ?ĂœĂ?Ëœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă’Ă?Ă?Ă• ÞÒĂ? Ă?âĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? Ă‹Ă‘Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă“Ă?Ă? inictingunauthorisedandillegalbillingcontrarytothe ĂšĂœĂ™Ă Ă“Ă?Ă“Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Í°ÍŽÍŽÍ´ Ë› Ě™ Ă‹ĂœĂž Ě™ÍŻÍ°ĚšĚ™Í°ĚšĚšËœ Ă“Ăž Ă“Ă? Ă‹Ă–ĂĄĂ‹ĂŁĂ? Ă’Ă‹ĂœĂŽ Ă™Ă˜ ÎÙ×Ă?Ă?ÞÓĂ? Ă‹Ă“ĂœĂ–Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ë› ËŤ Ă“Ă? ĂžĂ“ĂœĂ?ĂŽ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă‹Ă˜Ă˜Ă™Ăž Ă?Ă™Ă˜ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă&#x;Ă? ÞÙ ĂŒĂ? ÞÒĂ? Ă™Ă˜Ă–ĂŁ Ă?Ùʰ ĂžĂ‹ĂœĂ‘Ă?Ăž Ă™Ăœ Ă?Ă‹Ă?ĂŁ ĂšĂœĂ?ĂŁË› Ă? ËÚÚĂ?Ă‹Ă– ÞÙ ÞÒĂ? ÞÙ ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ’Ă?Ăœ focus their energy on being an enabler and to foster growth in the Nigerian aviation industry in line with ÞÒĂ?Ă“Ăœ Ă“Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă™Ă˜ ÞËÞĂ?Ă—Ă?Ă˜ĂžËž ËŤ Ă™ ĂšĂœĂ™Ă Ă“ĂŽĂ? Ă‹Ă Ă“Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă?Þã Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă™Ă—Ă“Ă? ĂœĂ?Ă‘Ă&#x;Ă–Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă—Ă™Ă?Ăž Ă?ĘŠĂ?Ă“Ă?Ă˜ĂžËœ Ă?ĘĽĂ?Ă?ÞÓà Ă?Ëœ Ă›Ă&#x;ËÖÓÞã Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂžĂ?Ă?Ă’Ă˜Ă™Ă–Ă™Ă‘ĂŁ ĂŽĂœĂ“Ă Ă?Ă˜ Ă—Ă‹Ă˜Ă˜Ă?Ăœ ÞÙ ÞÒĂ? Ă?ËÞÓĂ?Ă?Ă‹Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂŒĂ?Ă˜Ă?ʨÞ Ă™Ă? Ă‹Ă–Ă– Ă?ÞËÕĂ?ÒÙÖÎĂ?ĂœĂ?Ëœ Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ă“Ă?ĂžĂ?Ă˜Ăž åÓÞÒ ÞÒĂ? highest international standards and the sustainable ĂŽĂ?Ă Ă?ÖÙÚ×Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă“Ă˜ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?ĂžĂœĂŁ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă˜Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă‹Ă– Ă?Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă™Ă—ĂŁËœËŹ Ă?Ă‘Ă‘Ă“Ă?Ă™Ă˜ Ă‹ĂŽĂŽĂ?ĂŽË› Ă? Ă?Ă˘ĂšĂœĂ?Ă?Ă? ĂœĂ?Ă‘ĂœĂ?Ăž ÞÒËÞ ĂĄĂ’Ă“Ă–Ă? ÙÞÒĂ?Ăœ Ă?Ă?Ăž Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă‹Ă˜ Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂžĂœĂ“Ă?Ă?ËŞ Ă‹Ă“ĂœĂ–Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă? ÙÚĂ?ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ? ͰͲ Ă’Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?Ëœ Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹Ă˜ Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂœĂ“Ă?ĂœĂ? ĂĄĂ?ĂœĂ? Ă?Ă&#x;ĂŒĂ”Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ?ĂŽ ÞÙ ĂŽĂ‹ĂŁĂ–Ă“Ă‘Ă’Ăž ÙÚĂ?ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă™Ă˜Ă–ĂŁ ÞÓÖÖ Í´Ë?͹͎Ú× Ă“Ă˜ Ă—Ă™Ă?Ăž Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă˜Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ËŞĂ? Ă‹Ă“ĂœĂšĂ™ĂœĂžĂ?Ë›

Last week the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) gave ďŹ nal ultimatum to airlines to automate their remittances of the statutory 5 percent Ticket Sales/Cargo Sales Charge Ě™ Ëš Ěš Ă™Ăœ Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă‹Ă˜Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ëœ Ă‹Ă? ÞÒĂ? ĂŽĂ?Ă‹ĂŽĂ–Ă“Ă˜Ă? Ă?Ă˜ĂŽĂ?ĂŽ Ă™Ă˜ ĂœĂ“ĂŽĂ‹ĂŁ Ă‹ĂœĂ?Ă’ ÍąÍŻËœ Ͱ͎ͯ;˛ Thesearecompulsorychargeslevelledonbothlocal and international airlines by NCAA as enshrined Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Í°ÍŽÍŽÍ´ Ă“Ă Ă“Ă– Ă Ă“Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă?Þ˛ Ă’Ă? Ă?Ă‹Ă“ĂŽ Ă™Ă˜ Tuesdaythatthedebtsowedtheagencybydomestic Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂœĂ“Ă?ĂœĂ? Ă’Ă‹ĂŽ ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă?Ă˜ ÞÙ Ă‹ĂŒĂ™Ă&#x;Ăž ÍŻÍł ĂŒĂ“Ă–Ă–Ă“Ă™Ă˜Ë› Ă™ Ă‘Ă&#x;Ă‹ĂœĂ‹Ă˜ĂžĂ?Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă‹Ă&#x;ĂžĂ™Ă˜Ă™Ă—ĂŁ Ă™Ă? Ëœ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ăž stipulated that the Authority should be ďŹ nancially Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?ĂžĂ‹Ă“Ă˜Ă?ĂŽ ĂŒĂŁ ĂœĂ?Ă—Ă“ĘľĂ‹Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă?ĂœĂ™Ă— ÞÒĂ? Ă‹Ă“ĂœĂ–Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ëœ ĂĄĂ’Ă“Ă?Ă’ are known as 5 percent ticket charge instead of ĂŽĂ?ĂšĂ?Ă˜ĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă™Ă˜ ÑÙà Ă?ĂœĂ˜Ă—Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă?Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‘Ëœ ĂĄĂ’Ă“Ă?Ă’ ĂĄĂ™Ă&#x;Ă–ĂŽ obviously make the body kow-tow to the whims Ă™Ă? ÑÙà Ă?ĂœĂ˜Ă—Ă?Ă˜ĂžË› Ă?ĂĄ ĂŁĂ?Ă‹ĂœĂ? Ă‹Ă‘Ă™Ëœ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă?ĂŽĂ?ĂœĂ‹Ă– ÑÙà Ă?ĂœĂ˜Ă—Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă?ĂžĂ‹ĂœĂžĂ?ĂŽ Ă‹ ĂšĂœĂ™Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? Ă‹Ă&#x;ĂžĂ™Ă—Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÒĂ? ÚËã×Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă?ĂŁĂ?ĂžĂ?Ă—Ëœ whereby airlines would have to automatically remit these charges as revenues from tickets and cargo sales are credited to their accounts in order to forestall the continued indebtedness to ÞÒĂ? Ă‹Ă‘Ă?Ă˜Ă?ĂŁ ĂŒĂŁ ÞÒĂ? Ă‹Ă“ĂœĂ–Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ëœ Ă‹Ă? Ă˜Ă™ĂžĂ?ĂŽ ÞÒËÞ ÞÒĂ? money so remitted are actually paid by passengers; Ă˜Ă™Ăž ĂŒĂŁ Ă‹Ă“ĂœĂ–Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ë› Ă’Ă‹Ăž ĂĄĂ‹Ă? ÒÙå ÞÒĂ? Ă Ă“Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă?Ă Ă?Ă˜Ă&#x;Ă? Ă&#x;ĂžĂ™Ă—Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ ĂœĂ™Ă”Ă?Ă?Ăž Ě™ Ěš Ă?Ă™Ăœ ĂœĂ?Ă Ă?Ă˜Ă&#x;Ă? Ă?ÙÖÖĂ?Ă?tion was introduced for domestic airlines and it ĂĄĂ‹Ă? Ă‹Ă“Ă—Ă?ĂŽ Ă‹Ăž Ă‹Ă“ĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ÎËÞË Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ?Ă‘ĂœĂ“ĂžĂŁËœ ĂžĂœĂ‹Ă˜Ă?ĂšĂ‹ĂœĂ?Ă˜Ă?ĂŁËœ ĂžĂœĂ‹Ă˜Ă?Ă‹Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂžĂ‹ĂŒĂ“Ă–Ă“ĂžĂŁËœ Ă?Ă™Ă˜ĂžĂœĂ™Ă–Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂœĂ?Ă Ă?Ă˜Ă&#x;Ă? Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă&#x;ĂœĂ‹Ă˜Ă?Ă? ÞÙ ÞÒĂ? Ă&#x;ĂžĂ’Ă™ĂœĂ“ĂžĂŁË› The initial deadline for the automation was January ÍąÍŻËœ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍľ ĂŒĂ&#x;Ăž Ă“Ăž ĂĄĂ‹Ă? Ă–Ă‹ĂžĂ?Ăœ Ă?Ă’Ă“Ę°Ă?ĂŽ ÞÙ Ă?Ă˜ĂŽ Ă™Ă? Ă‹ĂœĂ?Ă’Ë› The NCAA said in a statement last week that “with ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă˘ĂšĂ“ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă? ÞÒÓĂ? Ę¨Ă˜Ă‹Ă– ĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂ˜Ă“Ă˜Ă‘Ëœ Ă“Ăž Ă“Ă? Ă?âÚĂ?Ă?ĂžĂ?ĂŽ that all airlines that are yet to adhere to the automation and remit collected revenue to NCAA Ă?Ă’Ă™Ă&#x;Ă–ĂŽ Ă?Ù×ÚÖã Ă?Ă™ĂœĂžĂ’ĂĄĂ“ĂžĂ’Ë› Ă‹Ă“Ă–Ă&#x;ĂœĂ? ÞÙ Ă?Ù×ÚÖã ĂĄĂ“Ă–Ă– ĂŒĂ? viewed seriously as the Authority will be forced to invoke the necessary provisions of the law against ĂŽĂ?Ă?Ă‹Ă&#x;Ă–ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‹Ă“ĂœĂ–Ă“Ă˜Ă?˛ˏ

Ă–Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂ˜Ăž ÞÒËÞ ÞÒĂ? ĂĄĂ‹Ă˜ĂžĂ?ĂŽ ÞÙ Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ?Ă? thepenaltyagainstairlinesthathavenotautomated ÞÒĂ?Ă“Ăœ Ă?ĂŁĂ?ĂžĂ?Ă— Ă?Ă™Ăœ ÞÒĂ? ĂœĂ?Ă—Ă“ĘľĂ‹Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă–Ă‹Ă?Ăž ĂœĂ“ĂŽĂ‹ĂŁËœ ĂŒĂ&#x;Ăž ÞÒĂ?

Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) kicked against Ă“Ăž Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? Ă‹Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ ĂĄĂ‹Ă? ĂŽĂ?Ă?Ă?ĂœĂœĂ?ĂŽË› Ă˜Ă?Ă“ĂŽĂ?Ă˜ĂžĂ‹Ă–Ă–ĂŁËœ Ă“Ăž ĂĄĂ‹Ă? only Aero Contractors that has fully complied with ÞÒĂ? Ă‹Ă&#x;ĂžĂ™Ă—Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ë› Ă˜ Ă™Ă˜ĂŽĂ‹ĂŁËœ âĂ?Ă?Ă&#x;ÞÓà Ă? Ă’Ă‹Ă“ĂœĂ—Ă‹Ă˜Ëœ Ă‹ĂšĂžĂ‹Ă“Ă˜ ÙÑÓĂ? Ă?Ă‘Ă‘Ă“Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ëœ Ă‹Ăž Ă‹ Ă—Ă?ĂŽĂ“Ă‹ ĂŒĂœĂ“Ă?Ę¨Ă˜Ă‘Ëœ Ă?Ă‹Ă–Ă–Ă?ĂŽ Ă?Ă™Ăœ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?ĂšĂ?Ă˜Ă?Ă“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? ÚËã×Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă?ĂŁĂ?ĂžĂ?Ă—Ë› Hesaidthattheairlineshaverefusedtocomplywith ÞÒĂ? Ă Ă“Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă?Ă Ă?Ă˜Ă&#x;Ă? Ă&#x;ĂžĂ™Ă—Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ ĂœĂ™Ă”Ă?Ă?Ăž Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? process has to be suspended until the parameters that constitute the 5 percent ticket and cargo sales Ă?Ă’Ă‹ĂœĂ‘Ă? Ă“Ă? Ă?Ă–Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂ–ĂŁ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂšĂœĂ™ĂšĂ?ĂœĂ–ĂŁ ĂŽĂ?Ę¨Ă˜Ă?ĂŽË› “AONhasnoproblemwiththeAuthoritygoingahead to automate the collection and remittance of the Ă?Ă‹Ă“ĂŽ Ă?Ă’Ă‹ĂœĂ‘Ă?Ă?Ëœ ĂŒĂ&#x;Ăž Ă˜Ă?Ă?ĂŽĂ? ÞÙ Ă‘Ă“Ă Ă? Ă?Ă–Ă‹ĂœĂ“Ę¨Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ on what constitutes the 5 per cent ticket and cargo Ă?Ă‹Ă–Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă’Ă‹ĂœĂ‘Ă?Ë› Ă’Ă? Íł ĂšĂ?ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă“Ă? Ă™Ă˜Ă–ĂŁ ËÚÚÖÓĂ?Ă‹ĂŒĂ–Ă? on base fare (that is the fare before other charges are added to the ticket) in compliance with industry

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T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ ÍľËœ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍľ

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Concession as Elixir for Inland Waterways Transportation Eromosele Abiodun writes on the plan by the Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority to concession river ports across Nigeria, positing it will allow for private sector management, trigger improved utilisation of the inland waterways for transportation and ease conveyance of goods Inland waterways are made up of navigable rivers, lakes, coastal creeks, lagoons and canals.

The movement of goods and services along inland waterways is one of the oldest means of transporting goods and services from point to point.

This is largely due to the fact that inland water transport offers the most economical, energy efficient and environmental friendly means of transporting all types of cargo from place to place. It also offers safer and cheaper rates in areas where water exist naturally.

This facilitates commerce, promotes wealth creation, poverty alleviation, and creates job opportunities for youths within such regions.

The ancillary sector of boat building industry also generates employment through active engagement of the youths in welding and fabrication process.

Despite the immense benefits to the economy, inland water transport in Nigeria has had a long history of neglect by both government and the private sector.

Little efforts were made to develop inland water transport facilities prior to the 1980s.

This stems largely from policy inconsistency, limited private sector involvement and conflicts between and among agencies involved in the management of inland water transport in Nigeria.

Since the 1990s, however, the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), has taken a number of initiatives, including capital and infrastructure improvement, channels dredging and maintenance and installation of safety facilities to turn the sector around.

Industry watchers and analysts have argued that with efficient control systems, the Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) could function appropriately to make economic fortunes.

Their arguments, no doubt, may not be unconnected with the efficient operations of the Inland Waterways Transportation of the United States (U.S) with about 25,000 nautical miles, out of which 12,000 miles have been commercialised and maintained by the government.

The American inland, intra-coastal and coastal waterways and channels, available statistics reveal, accommodate about 3,008 businesses and 24,908 employees as well as makes a whopping N8 billion dollars annually.

More than 60 per cent of America’s grain exports, about 22 per cent of domestic petroleum products and 20 per cent of the coal used in electricity generation is ferried via America’s water transportation system.

The Nigerian situation The case is, however, not the same in Nigeria.

For years, the growth of water transport and other ancillary businesses have been impeded by numerous obstacles, chiefly the battle for control.

Virtually all the state governments with this geographical advantage are engaged in subtle regulatory or supremacy battle with the federal government.

The situation thereby flouts the dictates of the law, court rulings and as such cause distraction to major stakeholders in the industry.

Nigeria has 36 states plus the FCT owing a land area of 924000sqkm with an estimated population of about 170 million. The country is blessed with a coastline of about 870km and about 3000kilometer of inland waterways.

Nigeria currently has six major ports (Tincan Island, Apapa, Warri, Port Harcourt, Onne and Calabar) and 10 crude oil terminals (Escarvos, Bonny, Sapele, Forcados, Tuma, Okrika, FOT).

Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) annual account showed that traffic into the major ports, excluding tankers, was estimated at 35, 000 vessels per annum and overall cargo throughout (excluding crude) was 222.23 million tons. The total number of passenger that patronizes the sea ports is estimated at 35000 per annum. Statistics from NPA indicates that 4,070

vessels with 121,350,844GRT visited Nigeria in the year 2000 alone, having an overall cargo throughout at 28,859,274 million tons.

Sequentially, container traffic at major ports was 119,458 (outwards) and 204,299 (inwards).

However, several other ports dotted along the 300km of inland waterways are Onitsha, Oguta, Opobo, Lokoja, Baro, Jebba etc. Nigeria being major oil producing and exporting country records about 2,000 petroleum tanker vessels calling at her ports annually, with an average tanker size of about 95000.

Industry analysts therefore wonder why the federal and states government cannot take advantage of the huge opportunities in the sector to create jobs. “Pause and reflect on the import and export statistics in terms of numerous trade opportunities and the never- ending operations on the Nigerian coastal ways nationwide.

Such transport or activities over waterways is especially effective when the source and/ or destination are a water front location, which is a main infrastructural advantage that regularly needed to be trained, maintained and upgraded, of which Nigeria is specially blessed with such infrastructure as waterways unlike the hinterland states. “The Nigeria inland waterways operations and management has long since time immemorial been in service but are yet to meet with her states expectation seeing the various natural features on ground as tools to facilitate its operations. Nigeria aspires to be amongst the top 20 largest economics by the year 2020 according to the economics policy at vision 2020 and successful operations and management of the inland waterways by the actual implementation at the enacted cabotage laws in Nigeria is critical to the success or otherwise of the plan because of the indispensible role shipping plays in not just the movement of goods and services around the country and the revenues collected as tax from the various

Despite the immense beneďŹ t to the economy, inland water transport in Nigeria has had a long history of neglect by both government and the private sector.

Little efforts were made to develop inland water transport facilities prior to the 1980s

actors in the sector,� an industry watcher who does not want his name in print, said.

Cabotage Act Impact Experts also believe the effective implementation of the cabotage Act will catalyse the growth and development of the transportation sector and reduce the over dependence of the nation on road transportation operations and its consequent damage of the roads since the collapse of the railway system in Nigeria.

Others believe the growth of the sector is expected when the dredging activities on in the nation’s inland waterways are concluded. “However, the initiatives and strategies forecasted for the future still does not move a foot if the problem of enforcement geometrically progresses due to the infallible and unchangeable management governing the corridors of power in this sector, seeing actually that most of them still lack the rudimentary understanding of its existence and likewise its operation,� said the industry analyst.

Privatisation Option Meanwhile, all hope is not lost if the efforts by the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to concession river ports across the country is anything to go by.

Recently, the Managing Director of NIWA, Gida Mustapha announced that the agency is inching closer to the final concessioning of the Onitsha, Lokoja, Baro and Oguta River ports.

Mustapha, who stated this during a tour of the area offices under his jurisdiction, confirmed the receipt of certificate of compliance from the Infrastructure Concession Regulation Commission (ICRC) to go ahead with the concession process.

The concession, he said, will allow for private sector management and trigger improved utilisation of the inland waterways for transportation and easy conveyance of goods.

He said the tour would expose the operations at various points in order to take the necessary action. At the Onitsha River Port, he said he was impressed with the state of the cargo handling equipment and other facilities. He therefore, promised to accelerate the process of completion of the concession of the port.

However, he frowned on the slow pace of work at the Oguta River Port site and promised to get the National Assembly and Imo State government to support the process of completing the port.

Mustapha was also delighted with the asset of NIWA at Warri Dockyard, which he said was enough to sustain the authority financially if properly managed.

He noted that the issue of inadequate manpower and obsolete equipment at the port would be addressed, adding that some operations at the Dockyard may be leased to the private sector.

The NIWA boss also visited two jetties in Yenegoa, Bayelsa State, and promised the people of the state that the two jetties would be put into use very soon.

The LASWA example Similarly, the Lagos State government is making efforts to develop the state’s inland waterways.

Recently, the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) confirmed that about two million people shuttle the Lagos waterways on a monthly basis.

The Managing Director, LASWA, Abisola Kamson made this revelation at a briefing with journalists in Lagos.

According to her, the number of people that ply the state’s waterways has grown rapidly over the years and measures are being put in place to strengthen the authority’s water guards to enforce safety rules.

Kamson also revealed that new safety rules for the growth of water transportation sector in the state is underway as various challenges are being encountered by LASWA on the waterways She also said that they are in partnership with the NIWA, in order to regulate various activities on the state’s waterways and ensure that it is safe. She stated that the new guidelines would focus on the quality of boats, size of the boat, size of the engine, and general safety for commuters. The LASWA boss said operators would be given a period to comply with the new guidelines after which government would begin strict enforcement of the guidelines adding that LASWA would employ more water guards to enhance patrol on waterways.

She said the water guards of the authority provided statistics on daily basis on the number of passengers plying the jetties in the state, saying that many people were now used to commuting on the waterways and that the number still kept on growing. Kamson said: “The core function of LASWA is to act as a regulatory agency for all movements on waterways. We are to provide enabling infrastructure that will promote water transport. According to her, the authority is working closely with the Marine Police in order to beef up the security and also curb illegal access on the waterways, adding that plans were underway to ensure that jetties and boat operators not licensed by the state government were not allowed to operate on the waterways. Kamson said that there would be proper channelling of boat routes to prevent boat users from interference.

This, she said, would enable the authority monitor the number of approved vessels plying certain route, which would make for safety of the waterways. The MD appealed to Lagos residents to desist from dumping refuse and open defecation on water as such practice could impede movement on waterways, adding that efforts were underway for mechanised clearing.

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WEEKLY PULLOUT

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

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‘MY BACKGROUND AS A LAWYER HAS EMPOWERED ME TO TAKE ON CHALLENGES’

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07.04.2017

‘My Background as a Lawyer Has Empowered Me to Take on Challenges’ Young, multifaceted, philanthropic Timipre Wolo is an unabashed dream chaser. Losing her mother at 12 did not stop her from pursuing her goals. Driven by her passion and commitment to youth development, she set out to respond to the high level of illiteracy and poverty amongst women and girls in rural areas across Africa. She tells Adedayo Adejobi why she championed the first ever helicopter pilot training programme for the petroleum industry, her global recognitions and love of gospel music, traveling, and working with vulnerable children in orphanages and refugee camps To be honest I was stunned to learn that I had been selected as one of 90 Nigerians who inspire! I don’t know how that happened, but I’m thankful to God for the privilege to have been considered as one who inspires alongside, personalities like Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Prof. Pat Utomi, Mr. Tonye Cole, Kanu Nwankwo and several other well accomplished Nigerians from diverse fields. Standing on that podium, it felt very surreal and I wish my mother was there to share the moment.

Tell us how your educational background contributed to where you are today?

Growing up, I was one child who wanted to stand up for everyone. I detested injustice and could not stand seeing anyone oppressed. So I wanted to be a lawyer because in my little impressionable mind, that was the only way I could stand up for the oppressed. My background as a lawyer has no doubt empowered me to take on challenges as they come. One thing that the legal profession does is that it broadens your perspectives and prepares you to take on diverse roles in society.

How did you shred shyness, the biggest limiting factor for most women to becoming the bold woman you are today?

I still see myself as a very shy person on a personal level but when it comes to my work, I am far from being shy. We live in a very competitive world today where you have to prove your worth. Unless you’re from a very privileged background, nothing gets handed down to you. Especially as a woman, you have to work twice as hard as the men folk for you to be given as much as a fair chance sometimes.

Don’t forget that even the legal profession does not recognise gender so I try to see myself as an individual striving to make a difference, just like any other person out there, male or female, who wants to leave a mark. I endeavour to stay grounded and focused on the task ahead and go for it.

You were recently honoured with the African Women of Worth Award by the African Women in Leadership Organisation (AWLO), tell us more about that?

I received a letter from the BOT Chairperson of the AWLO, Chief Opral Benson, nominating me for the African Woman of Worth, 2015Award in recognition of my effort at advancing the empowerment and development of youths, not just in my official capacity but also through my Charity the Timipre Wolo Foundation as well as the Women of Faith and Purpose Foundation targeted at mentoring of young people, especially young women and girls. It was indeed a great honour to have been recognised alongside two serving deputy governors at the time. Namely- Hon..

Victoria Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire of Lagos State and Lady Valerie Ebe of Akwa Ibom State.

These are very inspiring and remarkable women of worth who have distinguished themselves.

One of your latest accomplishments is the receipt of a letter of recognition and conferment of the Y-CAEV Ambassador of Nigeria by the Commonwealth Youth Council. What do you think you possess to merit this?

The conferment of the Y-CAEV Ambassador by the Commonwealth Youth Council also came as a surprise. The letter stated that I was being recognised for the valuable work I was doing toward youth development in Nigeria and that my efforts to help empower young people and build their capacities was phenomenon and a great service to humanity. The very kind words contained in the letter was very motivating and almost moved me to tears.

Considering your involvement in many key positions and interests, you must have a lot on your plate. How do you spend your leisure time?

Asides cooking and cleaning, I spend most part of my weekends on my couch catching up on my favourite TV series, movies or reading

You are a very fashionable person with an admirable sense of style, what is the inspiration for your chosen sense of style?

I don’t know if I can actually describe myself as a very fashionable person, but I learnt at a very young age that you dress the way you want to be addressed. My Mom used to tell me that as a little girl I would want to wear my Sunday dress and shoes even on a regular day.

Wolo

a book. And on some special weekends when I want to pamper myself a little, I go to the What do you enjoy doing asides work?

There are quite a number of things I enjoy doing, such as travelling, photography, reading, writing listening to music and worshiping. I am actually not a terrific singer but I love to sing and can get lost in worship for hours.

What day would you call the happiest day of your life?

It’s difficult to say, I read somewhere that we should treat each day as a separate life. Each day comes with its unique opportunities and blessings, although I agree that some days are particularly remarkable. For instance, the day I got on that flight as one of the only two Nigerian delegates to the United Nations Youth Assembly at the UN Headquaters in New York in 2005.

It still resonates clearly in my mind as well as the day my adorable little Nephew was born.

What day would you refer to as the darkest day of your life?

The day I lost my dearly beloved mother.

It felt like the world just ended and that life had lost its flavour. I still remember my Dad saying “my pillar has fallen” She still remains the most remarkable person I’ve ever known.

She was mother to everyone and a very devoted Christian, wife and mother.

You love music. What is your favourite genre of music?

Gospel music.

Could you share one of your fondest childhood memories?

I was four years old when I was chosen as the tiny little flower girl to welcome the then Military Governor of Rivers State (Fidelis Oyakhilome) during an official visit. I remember the excitement of seeing myself on the front page of the Newspaper then, I felt really special. That was how I ended up with the pet name, “Flower girl”.

If you could meet a global figure in the world dead or alive, who would it be and what would you say to them?

Barrack and Michelle Obama and I would say, thanks for re-igniting the fire for black men and women all over the world to keep their dreams alive because like Lupita Nyongo stated, no matter where you’re from, your dreams are valid.

You conduct a programme tagged ‘One Hour with the King every month, what is your inspiration for that and what motivates you to continue?

One Hour with the KING is a vision that God laid in my heart to gather people together and just worship him in spirit and in truth for an hour, under the open skies. It actually started in 2008 while studying for my LLM in Aberdeen, Scotland but when I came back home I kept procrastinating till May 2013 when the instruction came so strong and clear. I don’t know why God chose that time because it was a very challenging period for me.

But we started in June 2013 and since then we have consistently held it at the Millennium Park or Jabi Lake Park one Saturday every month. I have a very wonderful and dedicated team of volunteers who have keyed into the vision and , we would keep going for as long as we have breath.what that motivates me to carry on is the unspeakable joy and peace that we all experience whenever we gather to worship as well as the amazing testimonies that He continually puts in our mouth.

What prompted your charitable acts, especially towards orphans?

Growing up, though my parents were normal average working class people, I saw how giving they were. My mother particularly had so much compassion towards children who had lost a parent or both parents as well as those from less-privileged backgrounds. She would go as far as taking them in to even live with us. So I guess it is a combination of both my mother’s influence and my personal experiences growing up without a mother after she passed on when I was barely 12.

You were selected alongside top personalities like former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Wole Soyinka and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as “Those Who Inspire, Nigeria”?

How and where do you see Nigeria in the next five years?

I want to see a Nigeria where women are given equal opportunities like their male counterparts in every field/sector; a Nigeria where every child can have access to education; a safe and secure Nigeria devoid of tribal and religious discrimination that has so breaded hate and violence against one another. A Nigeria where the environmental devastation of the Niger Delta as well as the complete lack of development of the region that contributes at least 90 per cent to the country’s GDP will be a thing of the past. I want to see a Nigeria where young people can be allowed to not just dream but be given their pride of place. I want to see a Nigeria where our fathers and grandfathers can actually just step down from the stage and let their children and grandchildren take their place in the centre of the stage while they are still alive so they can watch with gratification and play the role of pointing us in the right direction from their wealth of experience.

You championed the first ever helicopter pilot training programme for the petroleum industry in Nigeria. Why? The country needed to build its indigenous capacity to make sure it fills up the available vacancies. Mostly, oil and gas activities in Nigeria are offshore and even those onshore; one has to fly to the locations because of the terrain of the Niger Delta. So helicopters became the major means of transportation.

So under the full scholarship programme of the Petroleum Trust Development Fund (PTDF) as international certified commercial pilots. I championed the first ever helicopter pilot training programme for the petroleum industry, with the training of indigenous youths as internationally certified commercial pilots.

Your word of encouragement to those looking up to you as their role model?

Have faith, believe in yourself, set goals, dream but be determined to succeed, work hard towards actualising your dreams, delay gratification, be disciplined and stay focused.

Challenges would definitely come but they are all part of the process of moulding you to become who God has made you. Always remember that we all matter irrespective of where we come from because we were all created for a purpose. Do not be afraid to stand out, be yourself and most importantly, be that change you want to see.

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07.04.2017

Poet Who Vanished 43 Years Ago Comes Alive One of Nigeria’s revered poets, Soji Simpson will on April 8 at the Agip Recital Hall, Muson Centre, Lagos, at 11am present the collection of his poems titled ‘Meditations’.

Simpson’s Mediations, is a collection of poems across diverse genres (odes, lyrics, ballads, sonnets) that speak to the breadth and depth of his craft.

A thespian, poet, and playwright, Simpson wrote over 70 poems between 1958 and 1961 while he was a student at the Lagos Baptist Academy and King’s College, Lagos. He also wrote five plays (Too much too soon, The Vogue, If I forget thee, His Master's Voice, The Mirage), which were performed by his Neighourhood

Timekeepers Unveils New Store, Brands in Lekki Sunday Okobi

Players, a troupe founded and directed by him.

One evening in August 1974, Soji Simpson mysteriously vanished whilst he was rehearsing Rasheed Gbadamosi’s play, ‘Behold my Redeemer’. He has not been seen since.

Decades after, his younger brother, Femi, has unearthed the manuscript of Meditations and breathed life into it.

Meditations is a living testament to Soji Simpson’s genius; an indication of what was and a glimpse of what could have been.

Meditations as a collection of poems will sit well for individual pleasure. It should also make its way into the classroom as a worthy collection deserving closer scrutiny.

The Messiahs in Tarkwa Bay Peter Uzoho The people of Tarkwa Bay are still relishing the unusual compassion shown to them by their visitors whom they have christened “messiahs”.

Last weekend, the Good Governance Grassroot (3G) Network of the Carrington Youth Fellowship Initiative, a youth outreach of the U.S. Consulate in Lagos, embarked on a two-day capacity building workshop on community development in Tarkwa Bay Island, a riverine settlement in Iru/Victoria Island Local Council Development Area of Lagos State, comprising Tarkwa Bay, Okun Ayo, Agbagbo, Ebute-oko, Store, and Ogogoro villages, also known as Atlas Cove communities.

The workshop carried out by a team of three Carrington Youth Fellows, namely Abayomi Akinbo, Caleb Adebayo, and Team Leader, Francisca Chiedu, was a follow-up of a feasibility study which revealed many hardship experienced by the community, ranging from lack of shelter, lack of drinkable water, absence of electricity, inaccessible roads, poor healthcare system, sub-standard learning condition for children, and lack of market.

Speaking at the event, Chiedu said the Toolkit developed by the team and launched at the workshop, was aimed at solving the major problem of the community which was identified as lack of knowledge and skills.

“They lack the knowledge, skills and resources required to bring about sustainable development in their community,” she said.

“The 3G project team developed this toolkit for Atlas Cove communities to empower them with skills in resource mobilising, and strategies for

Carrington Youth Fellowship Initiative's Good Governance Grassroot Network team, Caleb Adebayo,Abayomi Akinbe,and Francisca Chiedu (2nd, 3rd and 4th left),flanked by leaders and members of Tarkwa Bay community,at the launching of the Community Development Toolkit in Tarkwa Bay Island, Lagos.... recently

effective engagement. It also serves as a practical guide to assist design and deliver community-led development programmes,” she noted.

Explaining further, Chiedu said the workshop was also aimed at educating the community on how to be the change agents in their community; how to work collaboratively to achieve the change they were yearning for; and how to approach government, corporate organisations, non-governmental organisations, and the civil society to assist in alleviating their plight.

Also in the workshop, members of the community were taught the importance of saving and investing especially, for the future of their children.

The residents of the community who turned out in their numbers for the workshop expressed their gratitude to the team for bringing the awareness programme to them, saying they never had such opportunity before.

The Baale of Tarkwa Bay community, Chief Francis Olatunji Maxwell, expressed his happiness over the impact of the visitors on their community, saying they’ve done a lot for the community. “They’ve planned on how to help our women get loans from banks to start up their businesses. They’ve planned with them on how to have cooperatives. Actually, they’ve exposed this community very far. It’s like they are the messiahs of this community,” Maxwell said.

Fidelity Bank, UBA, Osinbajo, Dangote, Others Nominated for Charles O’Tudor Brands to Watch 2017 With a total number of 4,872 nominations received within a period of eight weeks, the Brand Council of the 2017 edition of ‘Charles O’Tudor Brands To Watch Awards’ has released the nominees list in all of the 22 categories of the award. The award is a brand-led movement which recognises that in the 21st century, brands are an asset and a vector of image, reputation and competitiveness of nations.

The ‘Charles O’Tudor Brand To Watch Awards’ has been welcomed by a whole lots of stakeholders to help re-awaken brand awareness and stimulate growth. The share of African brands declined in the newly released 2016-2017 annual ‘Brand Africa 100’, an annual survey and valuation of the Top 100 brands in Africa. African brands’ share among most admired brands dropped from 23 per cent to 16 per cent while non-African brands strengthened their positions in Africa, growing their share of the ‘Top 100 Admired brands’ from 77 per cent in 2014-2015 to 84 per cent in 2016-2017. Here in Nigeria, the tables are also turning. Marketing and advertising budgets are shrinking tremendously thereby affecting most brands' share of voice and visibility.

The 22 categories of the ‘Charles O’Tudor Brand To Watch Awards’ include Best Brands in Banking, Telecommunication, Broadcasting, Oil and Gas, Insurance, Pensions, State Governments, Movie Industry, Construction, Drinks and Beverages, Fashion, Manufacturing, Information Technology, among others. Nominated in the banking sector are UBA, FCMB, Stanbic IBTC Bank, GTB and Fidelity Bank. The top five brands

Osinbajo

Elumelu

nominated in the manufacturing category are Dangote, Golden Penny, Honeywell, Dufil and PZ Cussons Nigeria while the likes of Samsung, Etisalat, Glo, Airtel and MTN will slug it out in Telecommunications category.

Among other categories that will be keenly contested are the Insurance and Pension categories.

Nominated in the Insurance category are African Alliance, AXA Mansard, Leadway Assurance, Nem Insurance and Mutual Benefits while the likes of ARM Pensions, Fidelity Pension Managers, OAK Pensions, Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers and AXA Mansard are the top nominees in the Pension category. The Individual category consists of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Tony Elumelu, Richard Mofe Damijo, Akinwunmi Ambode and Tara Durotoye.

The Oil and Gas, Construction, Schools, Broadcasting and Movie categories are all confirmation of brands that have fared very

Dangote

well in the last few years. The entertainment industry also has the likes of Wizkid, 2Face Idibia, Olamide, Davido and Flavour competing for the best music brand.

Successful brands create and sustain a strong, positive and lasting impression in the mind of consumers. These brands provide external cues to taste, design and performance if developed and managed properly. They also have top of the mind recall, impact, creativity, consistency and are relevant beyond their core sub-sectors.

As part of the maiden edition of the Charles O'Tudor Brands To Watch 2017 project, the organisers would be announcing three lucky indigenous brands that would benefit from the ‘Brand Make Over Give Back’ at the grand awards night. To however ensure a balance, they would be nominated from the three existing categories; government, corporates and Individuals by the Brand Council.

It was a weekend of style, glitz and glamour as Timekeepers launched into the Nigerian market, its newest store and brands at the Novare-Lekki Mall, Lagos, with a display of quality and affordable wristwatches, jewelry among other accessories.

At the event which took place in Lekki at the weekend where GUESS and Gc (Guess collection) brands was prominently featured to the array of Timekeepers’ fashion accessories portfolio, the owners of the brand stated that Gc, a Swiss Precision brand whose signature “Smart Luxury” stands for the brand’s commitment to provide quality timepieces and luxury products at a reachable price point for Nigerians.

According to the Managing Director of Timekeepers, Akinyemi Mobolaji, with a spark of radiance and excellence, the launch event glided from the glamorous red-carpet phase to the magnificent tape-cutting and official opening of the store and product unveiling and funfair.

The event hosted a number of style-conscious personalities including top radio personalities like Folu Storms, Douglas Wokocha-Jekan and a host of existing and new lovers of the Timekeepers brand.

In his remarks, Mobolaji said Timekeepers has through the years positioned itself as a custodian of style and value for both the Nigerian market and the international community.

He said: “Timekeepers is a leading retailer and distributor of quality timepieces, jewelry, sunglasses and other accessories from some of the best-known brands in the world. In its portfolio are watch and jewelry brands that include: Police, Cerruti 1881, French Connection, Sekonda, Roamer of Switzerland, Victorinox Swiss Army, Jacques Farel (Kids) and now GUESS and Gc (Guess Collection).

“The retail brand also parades a fine list of sunglasses from brands such as Rayban, Police, Hugo Boss, Gucci, Armani, D&G, Versace, Escada, Carrera and much more. In its accessories section, it offers the world famous Victorinox Swiss Army Knives as well Police perfumes.

“Timekeepers in addition to the new NovareLekki Mall store, has stores at the Ikeja City Mall, Apapa Mall and Festival Mall in Festac all in Lagos. In Abuja, it has stores at Grand Towers Mall and at the Jabi Lake Mall. It also has at the Polo Park Mall in Enugu as well as The Palms Shopping Mall, in Ibadan, Oyo.

Club Donates to Yaba Home of the Elderly Joshua Odebisi The members of the Cosmopolitan Women’s Club, a social club of prominent Lagos residents and indigenes, on the 29th of March visited the Yaba Home of the Elderly to present their donations of air conditioners and bags of rice and other essentials to the workers as well as visit with some of the residents of the facility.

The President of the Cosmopolitan Women’s Club, Mrs. Bintu Fatima Tinubu, said after the presentation that the gesture was part of the Club’s celebration of International Women’s Day, precipitating a social outreach to the elderly as well as the youths of the community.

The President stated that the women were very impressed with the work that the government was doing in the facility, and called on the Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, to continue to protect the destitutes in the state and uphold the standards that have been shown during his tenure.

She added: ‘He is doing a wonderful job, not only with Old People’s Homes, but all the government agencies in the state. The message we are trying to pass across is that it is important for people to do good wherever they can in their communities, for their institutions, so that we can all be equal and I pray that it will inspire the general public to act as well.”

The former President and Founder of the Cosmopolitan Women’s Club, Mrs. Onikepo Oshodi, spoke also about the intentions of their gesture, saying that it was just one of their programs to look after the youth and old people. “The Cosmopolitan Women’s Club consists of highly disciplined and professional women of Lagos State and has been in existence for 12 years now. We have been clamouring for good governance for the generality of Lagosians, we have been to many places such as this, donating to the people because we are concerned with the welfare of people in the state.

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07.04.2017

Group Walks against Abortion and Related Vices Mary Ekah The Order of the Knights of Saint Mulumba Nigeria, Lagos Metropolitan Council, Region 1, recently staged an anti-abortion action tagged ‘Pro-life Rally and Walk for Life’.

The anti-abortion walk, which commenced from Regina Catholic Church, Sangotedo, Ajah, to Catholic Church of Annunciation, Abraham Adesanya Estate where the Holy Mass was held to round off the exercise, was specifically aimed at creating public awareness on the fact that every unborn child, just like every other living being, has a right to life which must not be tampered with under any circumstance.

Speaking during the rally, a member of the group, Grand Knight (GK) Ajah SubCouncil, Worthy Brother (WB) Samuel. K. llugbekhai, said that the principal theme for this year’s rally was centred on preserving the life of the unborn child - not killing the unborn child through abortion.

He said, “The pro-life rally is an annual event and the objective is to draw the attention of the world to the life of the unborn child, who like any other living being, has rights and privileges, especially the right to life. We are saying that the right of the unborn child should be preserved, protected and implemented.” llugbekhai explained further that the exercise was not just to bring to bare the evil associated with committing abortion but was also to draw attention of the public to other vices committed by humans already in existence which include vices like capital

Women on anti-abortion rally

punishment, contraception, same sex marriage, terrorism, homosexuality, Euthanasia, kidnapping, domestic violence/child abuse amongst others.

Worthy Physician, Ajah Sub-Council, Worthy Brother (WB) Emmanuel Odeyi, who frowned at the high rate of abortion in Nigeria and the world over, noted, “Abortion is illegal in Nigeria, it is a crime actually, because it is one of the countries that abortion is not legalised, so the true picture of abortion in Nigeria is not known but people have done some research and they have come up with the fact that total abortion in Nigeria is about 1.25 million every year and knowing that most population of the nation’s population is in Lagos, we

are thinking that Lagos should have almost 40 per cent of that every year and that is huge.” He noted further that all over the world, there were over 56 million abortions every year, adding, “This is a huge figure and now we are not focusing on the unborn babies only but every life matters and we believe that life begins at conception – from the moment there is fertilisation, a human being exists until natural death. That life has to be respected, so here we are talking about restoring human dignity to each and every human being because every human life is sacred from the moment of conception till when natural death comes and that is why we are going against euthanasia, which they call mercy killing.”

Whose Meal Ticket Premieres April 15 in Lagos Mary Ekah A feature-length movie , “Whose Meal Ticket”, that opens a huge can of warms by way of hidoes secrets, deciets, betrayals, desperations, intrigues, control, trickery, coersion as well as connivances in the most comical way imaginable is set to premiere come Saturday, April 15, at Genesis Cinemas, the Palms Lekki, Lagos. The premiere of the movie will kick off at 4pm and thereafter will be showing in cinemas across the country from April 21, 2017. The movie is also an eye oppener to certain health and wellness issues, that we all, as human beings, do come across or experience as we go along our journey in life.

Produced and directed by award-wining Nollywood actress, Grace Edwin-Okon, who is currently the 2016 City People Producer of the Year, the movie tells the story of a beautiful young lady who does not believe in loving a man but believes that once his pocket is overflowing with money then the

Liza Omorodion and Uti Nwachukwu in Whose Meal Ticket

man becomes her ''Meal ticket". She has always been so successful in this mission of hers until she meets her match and she is stuck with him forever without a penny.

‘Whose Meal Ticket”, which stars Akin Lewis, Lisa Omoriodon, Ngozi Nwosu, Uti

Nwachukwu, Tana Adelana, femi Durojaye, and Shaffy Bello amongst others, further tells the story of the two families: The Disus who are rich unflential and well connected while the Philips were once rich, infletntial and well connected. Lisa Philips (Lisa Omorodion) is hell bent on regaining her family’s lost glory, encouraged by her mother, Mrs. Philips (Ngozi Nwosu), with the advice of devious wiles and strategies of using what she has to get what she wants.

This is just as Mrs. Disu (Shaffy Bello), wife of the rich and influential Lagos socialite, Chief Disu (Akin Lewis) battles diabetes.

Testing her blood sugar level daily is painful, effortful and potentially damaging. However, in ‘Whose Meal Ticket’, she does it with ease that dispels the phobia for diabetes, proving that you can suffer symptoms like frequent thirst, frequent urination, slow healing wounds, mood swings and fatigue associated with diabetes and still grasp life with zest.

World Interior Architects, Designers to Converge in Lagos Mary Ekah Come November this year, renowned, as well as up and coming interior architects and designers, from across the globe will be converging in Lagos for the International Federation of Interior Architects/ Designers (IFI) World Design Congress and its 28th General Assembly (GA). Billed to hold from November 9th – 12th, the Interior Designers Association of Nigeria (IDAN), which is the professional body for Interior Designers and related industry support in Nigeria, won the bid to host this prestigious event at the 2015 GA in Gwangju, South Korea.

Speaking during a press conference jointly addressed by members of IDAN and IFI, the President IFI, Mr. Sebastiano Raneri, said the event would bring together top Interior Designers/Architects from round the globe to Lagos for the congress with relevant stakeholders from the African region to sign the treaty.

The President, IDAN, Ms. Titi Ogufere, said part of the event will be a Festival of African Art and Design, tagged, ‘This Is Africa’ and will be a celebration of 100 years of African Art and Design. “The event will be a celebration of Tradition African Arts, Modern and Contemporary Art and African Design curated by world renowned African curators, Kunle Adeyemi and Bisi

El-Rufai Approves Business Licensing Reforms

Vice President IDAN, Ifeyinwa Ighodalo, Past President, IFI, Shashi Caan, President, IFI, Sebastiano Raneri and President IDAN, Titi Ogufere during the press briefing in Lagos

Silva with Ronke Ashaye, who is the curator at the Nation Museum,” Ogufere added.

The four-day event, she explained further, will celebrate African Art and Design with Nigeria as a focus, providing a platform for artists and designers to redefine the narrative surrounding African creative talents.

The GA which is held biennially, a past president of IFI, Shashi Caan, said was the highest governing authority of IFI, attended

by IFI's Executive Board, IFI Past Presidents, members and external stakeholders from member countries.

The Vice President IDAN, Ifeyinwa Ighodalo, said the event would also provide

opportunity for both IDAN and IFI, to help expand and uplift literacy, awareness, fellowship and cooperation, not just within the discipline of Interior Architecture/Design but also at a societal and cultural level.

“We know that the IFI Congress/GA is a momentous undertaking. As the planning for this global event develops to welcome 110 nations to our country we urge the government to consider also the related and peripheral advancement of facilities and infrastructure, as well as the necessary quality of service required to set this event head and shoulders above any other within our region,” Ighodalo noted.

The Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, has approved new reforms, which will improve business registration procedures in the state. During a weekly Kaduna Executive Council session, representatives from the Growth and Employment in States programme (GEMS3) made a presentation of identified reforms for business licensing and registration in the state. Attended by the deputy governor, Mr. Barnabas Bantex, and the Chairman of Kaduna Investment Promotion Agency (KADIPA), Alhaji Gambo Garba, the meeting led to the unanimous approval and adoption of the reforms. Over the past 11 months, GEMS3’s Business Licensing Reform (BLR) team has worked with KADIPA to instigate changes in business registration procedures in Kaduna State.

Based on the approved reforms, several Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) will drastically shorten business registration durations and some will commence E-registration procedures, namely, the Ministry of Commerce; Kaduna Geographic Information Services (KADGIS); Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Agency (KASUPDA); Kaduna State Traffic and Environmental Law Enforcement Agency (KASTELEA); The Ministry of Justice, and the Kaduna Environmental Protection Agency (KEPA).

The Business Licensing Reform Project is funded by the EU and implemented by DFID through GEMS3.

Red Media Africa Wins Award in Switzerland One of Nigeria’s leading PR and communication agency, Red Media Africa, has been announced winner of the ‘Evangelist of the Future’ category at the Communication for the Future Awards. This award was announced during a gala event in Geneva, Switzerland on 14 March 2017. A press release made available to THISDAY, stated that the prize was given in the name of its chief executive officer, Adebola Williams. The C4F Awards, which was launched in 2011, recognises highly professional and globally remarkable organisations and individuals with a creative approach and unique vision of the future of the communications industry worldwide. Currently in its seventh edition, the 2017 C4F awards had representatives from 30 countries on five continents.

Red Media Africa is the communication outfit under RED, a network of four companies including Generation Y!, a media content outfit with TV and online components; StateCraft Inc., a nation-building company with expertise in elections and policy; and The Future Project, a social enterprise which hosts Africa’s biggest youth social change event, The Future Awards Africa (TFAA).

Red Media Africa is the PR and Empowerment Marketing division under the parent brand, RED. It focuses on using inspiration, empowerment and action to help brands and organisations connect with their audiences, enhance their bottom-lines and lead in their industries. It has six major practice areas: Corporate Practice, Technology Practice, SME Practice, Governance Practice, Faith Practice and the International Practice - with work for brands across Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa. RED owns the continent's largest portfolio of youth media brands. Its Content Division holds brands across TV, radio, online and events including Y! Magazine, YNaija.com, Rubbin' Minds, #YTech100 and the The RED Summit. It also anchors a development firm, The Future Project, which projects include Africa's leading youth platform, The Future Awards Africa, HowCanIGetInvolved.com and Aiki.ng, which is run in conjunction with Microsoft.

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Foundation Flags off ‘Abolish Widows Maltreatment’ Campaign Mary Ekah Following the successful hosting of the 2016 edition of International Widows’ Day in Lagos, the Felix King Foundation (FKF) has taken the initiative a step further with plans to launch ‘Abolish Widows Maltreatment’ campaign in Benin, the Edo State capital. The campaign, which has been endorsed by the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Dr. Justin Okonoboh, will kick off in Benin City on June 23 and it’s heavily supported by community advocacy groups, chiefs, leaders of thought, ambassadors and influencers within and outside the state. Two A-class Nigerian musicians are said to have crafted a soul-lifting theme song for the campaign, which will be debuting on air soon. The campaign is scheduled to start as pilot from Edo State, then move to other states with high cases of widows’ maltreatment in Nigeria. Ostensibly, the motive behind the campaign is to create massive awareness and enlightenment on the unnecessary abuse and maltreatment of widows in the country.

In 2016, Felix King, was at the forefront of hosting the 2016 edition in Lagos with a theme ‘The Right of a Widow’, which underscored the 2014 Supreme Court’s judgment on the right of women to inheritance, care and association, hosted by Frank Edoho, host of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, while ace broadcaster, Adesuwa Onyenekwe, was on hand as moderator.

The Foundation’s President, Felix King Eiremiokhae, believes that widows’ maltreatment could be abolished in Nigeria if the provisions of Chapter 4 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria as amended, which provides for the fundamental human rights of the citizens of Nigeria, are

President, Felix King Foundation, Eiremiokhae

strictly adhered to. Section 34 (1) (a) of Chapter 4 provides thus: “Every individual is entitled to respect of his/her dignity and accordingly, no person shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment.”

King stated that widowhood rites and rituals in most communities in Nigeria are clearly a gross violation of Section 34(1) (a) of Chapter 4 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, noting, “A woman subjected to drinking the water used to bathe her deceased husband, had her head shaved and made to bathe on her

husband’s grave by 12am in the midnight, so as to prove her innocence of the death of her husband, has been made to suffer more inhuman degradation than can be imagined.”

International Widows' Day is a day set aside to recognise widows and their dreadful situations worldwide. But here in Nigeria, little or nothing is done on this day. Government especially stands accused for being taciturn on widows’ plight as they suffer dejection, disinheritance, deprivation and ejection from their homes. The ‘Abolish Widows Maltreatment’ campaign seeks to redefine this, as the Felix King Foundation takes the enlightenment advocacy to the rural communities where these atrocities are prevalent.

According to Eiremiokhae, the community advocacy groups will help the campaign by way of engaging key decision makers such as chiefs, village heads, market women leaders, trade union groups and youth leaders in the communities. He noted further that the theme song for the campaign would be deployed through telecoms operators, so that mobile phone users can download and use as caller ringtone.

Another strategy to be deployed is the use of foundation ambassadors selected from members of National Assembly, state House of Assemblies, social media influencers, and celebrities in music, movie, media and business. They will be given Liberty coins tagged ‘widows Liberty Coin’ and are expected to be advocates of complete eradication of widows’ maltreatment in the society.

A widow, who gave her name as Mrs. Abimbola Kola and affirmed that she has benefitted from the foundation, said Felix

King Foundation must be commended for giving succour to widows. “The initiative by the foundation is a laudable one. We have suffered enough and we are proud to have someone stand up and speak on our behalf,” she said. She said Nigerians should consider it as a clarion call to join the crusade to liberate widows, adding “we are humans with blood running through our veins and I believe to abolish widows maltreatment is a collective responsibility of all Nigerians. We are not happy losing our breadwinners; widowhood is not a crime. Therefore, people should not add to our grief and agony.”

Widows are women whose husbands have died. After their husbands have passed on, they are neglected and forced to fight for their human rights and overcome many obstacles to ensure their social and economic development.

It is estimated that there are over 12 million widows in Nigeria, over half of them live in extreme poverty and are subjected to neglect in the society. In 2011, International Widows' Day was declared by the United Nations and first celebrated on June 23, in an effort to empower widows and help them to regain their rights, which have long been ignored and violated.

Eiremiokhae is a strong believer that “together with the communities we can abolish widows’ maltreatment.” Communication materials such as posters, flyers, radio jingles will be deployed as additional information tools to help create awareness in the communities and an hash tag #abolishwidowsmaltreatment. Other activities scheduled will be the empowerment of 74 disadvantaged widows through skills acquisition and business start-up grant.

Davido to Storm the Splendour Night Club The city of Ado-Ekiti in Ekiti State will be the entertainment Mecca on Saturday April 8 as fun lovers troop to the town this weekend. Pathfinder Hotels, owners of high octane Club, Splendour, which has pulled different artistes to Ado-Ekiti in the past, are set to do it again. This time, they are bringing the city down with the multi-talented and award-winning Davido aka OBO! Yes Davido will be live in Ado-Ekiti to perform his hit songs in a special way. Other special

guests such as Mayorkun, Dremo, Ichaba, and Yonda will join Davido. The show will be hosted by King Spesh, while DJs Loyalty, Dickson and Tony, will thrill the audience with their sound equipment.

The venue for the show is Oluyemi Kayode Stadium and gate fee is #1,000 only. The after party is at Club Splendour at Pathfinder Hotel and entry is strictly by table reservations.

The new Splendour Night Club, located right inside The Pathfinder Hotel premises

Park Inn by Radission Abeokuta Launches Easter Promo Park Inn by Radisson Abeokuta, a vibrant four star hotel, has launched a special Easter promotion that is aimed at rewarding its customers. The package, which include accommodation with complimentary breakfast for two, is set to give existing and new guests value for money as they relax, celebrate and enjoy the Easter holiday at Park Inn by Radisson Abeokuta, Ogun State, the management said in a statement.

In the words of the hotel’s General Manager, Mr. Kayode Aina, “Generally speaking, Nigerians are now more informed about travel and tourism perhaps as a result of the exposure to social media, conventional media and the liberal Visa Policies of the UAE. However, the positive impact of the awareness tilts more towards international travel than domestic travel within Nigeria.With the presence of international brands like Park Inn by Radisson and Radisson Blu in Nigeria, guests can now enjoy that same international luxury experience with an uncomplicated, relaxed homely environment.

"A work life balance with quality holiday time is proven to improve performance. Holidays are our lifeline to sanity, a chance to step away from our daily hustle and reconnect with the

on University Road, Iworoko area of Ado Ekiti, is a luxury night club designed for the upscale youth and to meet the business and leisure needs of the discerning business travelers, and holiday makers seeking exclusive treats in a well-appointed hospitality home where professional service delivery amidst sophisticated and luxurious facilities is a culture. You can follow @clubsplendour in all social media platforms for further information and updates.

Nigerian Doctors Chart New Cause against Medical Tourism Martins Ifijeh

Park Inn by Radisson Abeokuta

people we love. Relaxation through tourism is a great way of creating memorable experiences but regrettably, tourism is not a part of the Nigerian culture. “ "As the Easter holiday approaches, Park Inn by Radisson Abeokuta, a vibrant four star hotel with an uncomplicated elegance of colourful ambience and professional service delivery is set to give all her customers a memorable Easter package themed: ‘Every Moment Matters with Us." he stated

Davido

Addressing the fallout of medical tourism in Nigeria, medical practitioners under the aegis of Doctor’s Forum said lack of world standard medical facilities, lack of trust and low political will has forced Nigerians to seek medical care abroad.

Speaking during the forum, the Chairman of the occasion Dr. Oluyomi Finnih said there exist qualified Nigerian doctors who can do exactly or even more than what foreign doctors do, adding that what was lacking was technical assistance.

Interventional Cardiologist and Medical Director, First Cardiology Consultant, Dr. Yemi Johnson said with the level of healthcare system in the country, it was obvious the government was not living up to expectations, adding that private investors are already coming to the rescue.

Johnson lamented that even government bureaucracy was not helping matters as well.

“I came back to Nigeria because people do come abroad to see mediocre doctors and

treat issues that can easily be done here, like routine health check, hypertension, stroke and Angina. It is not that our doctors are not brilliant. The system has completely broken down. You cannot claim you are a radiologist and you do not have Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computerised Tomography (CT) scan, cardiology surgery in your hospital, we are just fooling ourselves.

The infrastructure is not there. We should not always blame the government, we the doctors should also take up the mantle,” he said.

Consultant Nephrologists and Clinical Director, St. Nicholas Hospital, Dr. Ebun Bamgboye said the issue of medical tourism was because of lack of trust in Nigeria healthcare system. Bamgboye said the challenges were the issue of manpower, literacy, poverty and peculiarities of infections, cancers and late presentation to the hospital. He said the hospital has recorded a great feat in the area of renal transplant with about 700,000 people living with transplant globally.

Lagos International Festival of Animation Holds Oluwafunke Lasisi The Management of USP Brand Communication and producer of Turtle Taido animation, is set to host a maiden edition of the Lagos International Festival of Animation (LIFANIMA). The event aims to provide a platform for the promotion of local animators and the development of quality animation in Nigeria and across the African continent.

The event, which will feature screening of

selected works, award presentations, networking and entertainment, holds between June 30 and July 1, 2017 at Freedom Park in Lagos.

In a press statement issued and signed by the brand, the CEO of the brand and also producer of the animation, Muyiwa Kayode, said the objective of the programme was to expose animators to the latest technologies in animation hardware and software, which will also improve the movie industry through increased inclusion of its contents.

He said animation industry was just beginning to blossom in Nigeria and Africa at large whereby there are a lot of young animators, hugely talented, without a common platform to sell their skills but with LIFANIMA programme, animators will be enabled to interact with otherstakeholders for optimum value creation and rapid growth of the animation industry. He urged interested animators and producers to submit their works in various categories before April 30, 2017 and

selected works will be screened at the festival.

The two-day event will attract animators (local and foreign), filmmakers, investors, financial institutions, advertising agencies, musical video producers, media practitioners, digital marketing professionals, government agencies, information technology companies/ manufacturers and the general public. The Awards are categorised into Best 2D and 3D Animation, Best Animation Commercial and Special Effect.

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T H I S D AY FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2017

T H I S D AY FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2017

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07.04.2017

Lady Ifeoma Atuegwu Bags Margarette Golding Award Peter Uzoho History was made in Enugu on the 30th of March 2017, when the prestigious and one of the most sort after awards - the Margarette Golding Award of the International Inner Wheel Clubs - which affirms the highest form of selfless service and personal sacrifice to humanity, was bestowed on Lady Pharmacist Ifeoma Atuegwu, the initiator and founder of the not for profit organisation Bina Foundation. Her NGO focuses on people with special needs. This award is one of the highest forms of honour given to persons by the International Inner Wheel Clubs, worldwide.

Lady Atuegwu’s certificate was presented to her by President of the International Inner Wheel Clubs, Mrs. Oluyemisi Alatise, who happens to be the first African and a Nigerian to emerge as the president of this global initiative since inception.

In February 2017, the National representative of the clubs in Nigeria Mrs. Uche Agbim played host to Mrs. Alatise, during the club’s 30th National Rally in Enugu. It was during this visit of Mrs. Alatise that the charity works of Bina Founda-

Atuegwu (middle) receiving the Margarette Golding Award from President of the International Inner Wheel Clubs, Mrs. Oluyemisi Alatise

tion towards people with physical challenges and special needs were seen first-hand by the president, which inspired her recommendation for this highest honour. It was after this victorious resolution at the highest decision making body that Lady Atuegwu emerged as the 5th Nigerian

to join the list of 200 distinguished personalities worldwide who have bagged this meritorious Margarette Golding Award.

When rotary was founded in 1905, for many years their wives involved themselves in voluntary and humanitarian services organised by their

husbands until 1923 when a group of ladies encouraged, by their husbands came to a decision to call a meeting for the purpose of setting up a club of their own. On the 10 of January 1924, a club was formed in Manchester named Inner Wheel Club of Manchester with 23 ladies and Mrs. Margarette Golding, a veteran 1st world war nurse and later an industrialist emerged as it's 1st President.

She breathed life into the organisation, nurtured it during its infancy, ironed out its teething troubles, guided it through the formative stages and saw it solidly established. She died in 1939 having seen the 100th Inner Wheel Club formed. Today, there are close to 4,000 clubs with 100,000 members from more than 103 countries across the globe.

It was at the 11 convention in May 2000 in Stockholm (Sweden) that a decision was taken to create an award in the name of Margarette Golding for highly commendable personal service through Inner Wheel or in the Community. This award has been available since 2001 and over 200 people have now received the MGA throughout the World. Nigeria has about 5 recipients to date.

Lalong Unveils Path to Prosperity Yakubu Dati An investigation by the Economic Confidential provides shocking discovery that 15 states of the federation may go bankrupt as their Internally Generated Revenues (IGR), in 2015 were far below 10 per cent of their Federation Account Allocations (FAA), in one year from June 2015 to May 2016.

Even though Plateau State falls amongst this prediction, the body language of Governor Simon Lalong inspires confidence as he stood this fateful day to unveil the Plateau State “SMART Revenue System Process” to the people of Plateau State.

The occasion was the 3rd edition of the Plateau State Stakeholders’ Roundtable Engagement on Taxation that attracted captains of industry and the private sector. The unveiling signals a bold move to aggressively improve the internally generated revenue of the state through strategic thinking.

As Governor Simon Lalong is being taken through the revalidation of his tax identification number (TIN) in a new resolve to revolutionise the economic architecture of the state, Adedayo Bankole of Barnforte explains how the SMART COLLECT platform will launch the state into its prosperity.

As a former Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly and the one-time Chairman of the Conference of Speakers of Nigeria, Lalong is aware that efficient internally generated

Lalong

revenue is not about number of taxes allowed or provided for in law, but it is all about the nature of the system put in place to collect tax revenue. Barnforte Limited, with its array of professional prowess, technical expertise and hands-on approach, therefore fit the bill.

The excitement generated by the payments of backlog of salaries by the Governor Lalong administration of Plateau State is yet to abate. The monthly salary alert civil servants are accustomed to, on or before the 25th of every month has

further endeared the average citizenry to this quiet achiever – Simon Lalong. In his simple and infectious manner, devoid of ecclesiastic exuberance, Lalong connects the payment of taxes to the regularly payments of salary. He strongly makes the point that the benefits of road construction, healthcare facilities and sustenance of peace have a correlation with payments of stipends by shoemakers, vulcanisers and traders.

According to the Governor, the capacity of the government to sustain this momentum is anchored on sustainable streams of income derived from an efficient internally generated revenue.

The time to take the bull by the horns has never been this auspicious.

In a clear departure from armchair governance, he began by putting together a crack team of economic intelligentsia to fine-tune his economic blueprint. The trio of Tamwakat Gofwei Weli, Commissioner for Finance, Cyril Tsenyil, the state's Accountant General and Dashe Arlat Dasogot, Chairman of the Plateau State Internal Revenue Service, went into the conclave to fashion out a road map to economic recovery and sustainable growth.

As the price of crude oil in the global market fluctuates from $115 per barrel in June 2014 to less than $30 per barrel in February 2016, governments across the three tiers are experiencing fiscal crunch. In states like Plateau where the Internally Generated Revenue is low, the situation is particularly acute.

To avert this looming disaster, Governor Simon Lalong gave a marching order to his economic team and within a year, the pendulum shifted positively. The total IGR collection of six billion naira in 2015 jumped to nine billion naira in 2016! These low hanging fruits have apparently prodded the economic team to take bolder steps. According to Dashe Dasogot, the system will not only put the service ahead in terms of ease of collection of taxes and other revenues, it “creates a seamless procedure for tax payer enumeration, registration and generation of Tax Identification Numbers (TIN). “It is a direct improvement on the elements of convenience, flexibility, and promptness for tax payers while enabling better transparency and accountability of revenues collected by the service on behalf of Plateau State Government.”

The system will therefore place Plateau on the same pedestal with other states that are already reaping from the system.

The latest report on IGR reveals that only Lagos State generated more revenue than its allocation from the Federation Account by 150 per cent and no state has up to 100 per cent of IGR to the federal largesse. The IGR of the 36 states of the federation totaled N682.67 billion in 2015 as compared to N707.85 billion in 2014, a drop of N25.18 billion, representing minus 3.56 per cent Dati, was a former Commissioner for Information in Plateau State

Politicians, Core Professionals Gather for Ugwuanyi in Ogbede Ugwu Mmaduabuchi There is no doubt that since 1999, there is no unanimity between politicians and core professionals, especially on the issue of governance and politics. This is despite the fact that some politicians were core professionals before venturing into politics and some professionals are being appointed or voted into government offices.

But this jinx was broken at the headquarters of Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State on March 11, when seasoned academics, leaders of thought, professionals, traditional rulers, politicians, women groups, youths and others gathered en masse to receive and celebrate governor of Enugu State, Mr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for his giant strides in governance.

So surprising is the fact that these calibre of people are not into active party politics, because they have strong means of livelihood and have made their marks in their various fields of human endeavour. But having seen the sterling performance of Governor Ugwuanyi, which has brought peace, unity and massive development in the state, they wholeheartedly come together and decided to support his government.

Arriving at the venue of the event, Governor Ugwuanyi and his entourage were welcomed by mammoth crowd. Renting the air were “Gburugburu, our man”, “Governor of the people” our amiable and performing leader and others.

Setting the ball rolling for the day event was a renowned journalist and chairman, Caretaker

Ugwuanyi

of Igbo-Etiti Council Area, Mr. Malachy Agbo.

In his welcome address, the journalist-turnedpolitician, immensely thanked the governor for his uncommon transformation of the state, despite the paucity of fund. He further thanked him for appointing illustrious sons and daughter of the council area into key positions in his government namely- Commissioner for Finance, Mrs. Eucharia Offor, Special Adviser to the governor on State Assembly Matter, Dr. Martin Oke, Commissioner for Enugu State Capital Development Authority, Mr. Chidi Aroh, Chairman Enugu Urban Renewal Committee, Arch. Chris Offor and others.

Agbo appealed to Governor Ugwuanyi to look into dilapidated roads within the council area. Among them were Ogbede-Aku-

Nkpologu road, Nze-Aku-Lejja-Nsukka road, Opi-Ogbede-Umoka highway and others. He told the governor that the people of the council area from all walks of life gathered under the umbrella of Gburugburu Movement to honour the governor for his good works.

“I know you may be surprised with the crowd you saw here today. But it is a true testimony of your acceptance among our people, because of your good works that is unprecedented in the history of governance in the state.

“Your style of leadership has not only engendered peace and development in the state, it has brought people from all walks of life together today to move the state forward,’ Agbo said.

After Agbo’s speech, first civilian governor of Enugu State and former national chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Okwesilieze Nwodo was called upon to inaugurate the executive members of the Gburugburu Movement in the council area led by Prof. Fred Nwodo.

The chairman of the Movement Chairman and an academic, Nwodo reminded the governor that the movement was first of its kind in the state since its creation in 1991.

Nwodo said: “We are not here to play politics as you know we are not politicians, but core professionals. But being overwhelmed, surprised and pleased with your performance so far we have decided not to sit back and watch any more. We are determined and ready to get involved by supporting and

collaborating with your government to ensure that the development, peace and unity your government has made possible in the state will stand the test of time.

“In you, we saw a leader with a vision.

A leader who believes in the unity, progress and well-being of his people. You have not only provided leadership in the state, you have consistently shown character of a true leader. We are very grateful and proud of you being our own son.”

Also in his remarks, the Senator representing Enugu North, Senator Chuka Utazi who was on governor’s entourage said: “I am overwhelmed with what I saw here today. The people of Igbo-Etiti have set the pace. I want to thank you people for this and I am assuring you that my council area (Uzo-uwani) and other council areas in the state have no option than to join this moving train called Gburugburu Movement. One good thing about it is that it is all encompassing and inclusive. It involves politicians, academics and everybody from the state. What a unique and wonderful integration” Being elated and baffled with the turn-out of people, words of encouragements and the warm reception accorded to him, Governor Ugwuanyi thanked the people of Igbo-Etiti and assured them that his government would look into their requests. The governor enumerated the challenges his government is facing since he assumed office, which major among them is paucity of fund. .Mmaduabuchi, a teacher wrote from Ogbede, Enugu State

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07.04.2017

‘Youths Should be More Involved in Transforming Nigeria’ A staff of Sahara Group, Africa’s leading energy and infrastructure conglomerate, Chinonso Izuka is blessed with a gift that brings melody to the hearts of many. It’s a uniquely textured powerful voice. She’s the voice behind the #NigeriaStartsWithMe theme song and her vocal chords have the potential to propel her to global stardom. The #NigeriaStartsWithMe initiative is one which seeks to rally young people to own major stakes in efforts aimed at transforming Nigeria. In this interview with Peter Uzoho, she speaks passionately about her dream for a new Nigeria and expresses her desire to see the song ignite creativity, innovation and a sense of patriotism in Nigerian youths What is the #NigeriaStartsWithMe initiative about?

The #NigeriaStartsWithMe initiative is a drive geared towards rallying Nigerian youths to develop practical and innovative ideas that would enhance the transformation of our country, Nigeria. It is a movement to instill a desire for innovation, creativity and patriotism. It is an innovative drive to revive the Nigerian dream and place it in the hands of our youths who are Nigeria’s future.

I am passionate about the initiative and see myself as an ambassador of everything great we want to see happen in Nigeria. I am so happy that Sahara Group where I work is championing this cause as it has given me a platform to contribute meaningfully to the initiative. That new Nigeria we all seek is attainable; but to realise the dream, it must start with each one of us; especially the young people who will occupy leadership positions in Nigeria in the coming years and decades.

How did you get the inspiration to write and sing the #NigeriaStartsWithMe theme song?

The actual origin of the theme song is from a song I composed for my organisation, the Sahara Group late last year which I sang at our 20th Anniversary End of Year Party in Abuja.

When we flagged off the #NigeriaStartsWithMe initiative in March 2017, I thought some aspects of the message in the song were appropriate for the campaign. After some tweaking, I came up with theme song. The inspiration came from my experience in Sahara where you’re driven to look inwards to come up with solutions that can change the world, whilst believing that it takes togetherness as well to achieve bigger and more sustainable goals. The song captures the essence of togetherness and deciding to give one’s best to Nigeria in spite of the seemingly insurmountable challenges we have as a nation. We are a creative and resilient people. In fact, each Nigerian has what it takes to come up with that idea or solution to our challenges as a nation. All we need is to see ourselves as agents of positive change. I believe the message of not giving up on Nigeria is one I had to share with every young Nigerian. It is disheartening to see brilliant youths being employed as trolls on the Social Media where they do the bids of people who would rather see Nigeria go under. We can direct our energies to confronting societal ills and contributing our quota to the development of our great nation. That’s the inspiration I hope the song transmits to every Nigerian – that at the end of it all, Nigeria starts with each one of us.

What do you think are the issues that we need to urgently address in Nigeria?

I think the issues that need to be urgently addressed in the country are security issues in which I believe that there should be major investment in ICT, intelligent building management systems, audio-visual processing and transmission systems, network-based control and monitoring functions in order to enhance security in the country. Also, the defective educational system, healthcare, youth unemployment and poverty are critical issues that need to be addressed.

Izuka

What’s your impression of Nigerian music?

Which aspects stand out the most for you and which areas do we need improvement?

I think the Nigerian music industry has evolved as a whole in recent times as diverse music genres are currently being accepted in the country. It’s a true mix of entertainment and culture.

Who are the Nigerian musicians that you look up to for inspiration and why?

Wizkid is number one! He inspires me a lot because, besides his unadulterated talent and zeal for his career, he started from barely nothing years ago, pushed diligently all through the years and as we speak he’s the biggest Nigerian artiste recognised in the world. Another Nigerian artiste that inspires me is Tiwa Savage, I admire her drive and her as a person.

How long have you been singing? What is your genre of music, have you recorded any tracks?

I have been singing since I got to be aware of myself, since I was a kid. I started singing and writing my own songs at an early age.

However, professionally, I released my first

official debut “Sunny Bobo” late 2014. I major in RnB, Afro Pop, and soft RAP music. I have my latest recording, “Escape” which is currently available in the market. It consists of an intro and four tracks on, with all songs written and composed by me. I also released a music video for “Sunny Bobo” which is being played on various platforms till date.

Seeing that you currently work for Sahara Group are you considering going into full time music?

Music is a huge part of my being and I don’t see myself living without it, on the same page I love my career with Sahara Group so I take it a day at a time and observe how it would all unravel with time.

If you were invited to perform at a national event in Aso Rock, which Nigerian artiste’s song will you sing and why?

If invited for a National event in Aso Rock to perform, I would perform TY Bello’s “Green Land” because the song speaks positivity and fruitfulness. Something I believe #NigeriaStartsWithMe drives. I would definitely want to send a message across to the dignitaries that I have the opportunity and pleasure to entertain.

What message do you have for Nigerian youths on how they can transform the nation?

Don’t wait for the government and anybody to set the platform for you. Take a step everyday towards your dreams and towards contributing to your environment positively. Every great movement and success starts with one step, one idea, one song, one meeting, one prayer, one partnership, one experiment, one speech, one invention, I could go on and on. It starts with a desire to stop whining and start seeing ourselves the solutions to challenges. The level of creativity being propelled by young people in Nigeria is amazing. You cannot imagine the impact we would have when we channel our creative energies into realising the #NewNigeria dream – I can’t wait to live in that Nigeria!

Every artiste aspires to make global impact. Do you see yourself gunning for the Grammys someday?

Most definitely! Lol….I will add that to my collection of something sparkly! We never say never at Sahara, so I will give my singing career my best shot. Beyond the Grammys, it is my desire to impact lives with my songs. That’s one achievement that will be invaluable to me.

36/COLLAGE

07.04.2017

Dean of instructors, The Abundant Life College, Agege, Pastor Mike Iheanacho; Rector, Rev. Dr. Jane Onaolapo; and an Instructor, Pastor Dapo Ibitoye, during the graduation ceremony of the College in Lagos... .recently

Chief Executive Officer, Brandzone Consulting,Chizor Malize(left) presents a special Plaque recognizing, MD/ CEO, AVON HMO, Adesimbo Ukiri as one of Nigeria’s 100 Most Inspiring Women during the LLA 100 Women Gala night in Lagos...recently.

L-R; Founder, FCMB Group Plc, Otunba Michael Olasubomi Balogun; President & Chairman of Council, Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS), Mr. Oluwaseyi Abe and the first vice president of the Institute, Mr. Dapo Adekoje, during a courtesy visit by CIS to Otunba Balogun (a Fellow of the Institute), to felicitate with him on his 83rd birthday celebration in Lagos...recently

R-L: Acting Managing Director,Bank of Industry (BoI), Mr Waheed Olagunju; wife of the Celebrant,Alhaja Funmilola Bisiriyu; the celebrant, Alhaji Moshood Rotimi Bisiriyu; Divisional Head,Operations and Technology,B oI, Mr. Akeem Adeshina,and MD/CEO, Caritas PR,Mr. Dayo Ojo,during the 60th birthday celebration for Alhaji Bisiriyu in Lagos,..recently

Governor Umar Ganduje of Kano state (right)presenting prize to best trainee in welding and body works, Saifullahi Sani while DG Peugeot learning Center Mrs Elizabeth Mordi watches at the graduation/induction ceremony in Kano...recently

L-R; National Senior Partner, KPMG, Kunle Elebute; Director, Finance, Cadbury Nigeria Plc, Yinka Adeboye;Managing Director/CEO, First Bank of Nigeria Plc, Adesola Adeduntan; Managing Director/CEO, People Temp/People Prime, Nke De Souza; and Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority, Uche Orji, during KPMG 2017 alumni cocktail in Lagos recently ETOP UKUTT

L-R, Dr Faye Iketunbosi, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, The celebrant, President General, Ohaneze Ndigbo Chief John Nnia Nwodo, Former Governor Anamra State Peter Obi and Afenifere Chieftain Chief Ayo Adebanjo during the dinner in honour of Chief John Nwodo organize by sigma club university of Ibadan held in Lagos...recently

The celebrant, Deaconess Christianah Oluremi Oyebade (middle),being supported by her husband, Pastor. Fola Oyebade, children and ground children in celebrating her 60th birthday in Arepo, Ogun State….recently SUNDAY ADIGUN

37/THISLIFE

07.04.2017

Ebenezer Obey: Philosophy On The Wings of Music Tunji Olaopa writes that Chief Ebenezer Obey at 75 has achieved immortality while still alive through his brand of music that entertains the bodies and agitates the minds The French poet and philosopher, Jean Francois Saint-Lambert, once remarked: “Often I am still listening when the song is over.” He may have had Ebenezer Obey Fabiyi in mind. From the 70s until he joined the Lord’s commission and now back in the wings, every single album Obey waxed leaves a pulsating thought in the memory of those who understand good music. To start, this is perhaps the only opportunity I have to pay my debt of gratitude Chief Ebenezer Obey for the honour he graciously extended to me when he played at my mother's 90th birthday in 2014. A friend of mine had offered to pay for a band and knowing that I am a quiet fan of Obey, he contacted him saying he did on my behalf. Obey not only cancelled his earlier commitment on the day, he instructed that I be told to pay just a token to cover the cost of logistics alone. My mother cannot fathom still what wand we pulled to bring down Obey to perform the way he did on that day. I remain ever grateful Commander.

Today, when the elderly, the reflective minds and the music connoisseurs listen to the fast tracked, hip hop and rap music that categorise the present generation, they only shake their heads in regret and amazement. How do you enjoy any music that lacks meaning but only leaves you either sweating or tear-eyed melodramatic? Sometimes, my children have a good laugh on me and what they have chosen to call “old school”. It would appear to me however that the “old school” has its honour and its senses which, unfortunately, will take some of the children years to catch up with.

One of those senses derive from thoughtful music. And I have musicians like Haruna Ishola, Yusuf Olatunji and Ebenezer Obey in mind. A good music can’t just be summed up by the dance or the sweat. Two elements endeared Obey’s brand of juju music to me.

Obey’s music is philosophical music; it commands your critical attention. You are invited by the guitar and the drums not only to tap your legs but also to bend your mind to philosophical reflection. You get entertainment and deep thought for the price of one album! Unlike the commercial music and the profusion of sweat and aches, it is as if the content of Obey’s music compels you to take it easy on the dance so as not to miss out on the message!

Where do you get that kind of music any longer? Thanks to the Asa - Bukola Elemides of this world, and I had celebrated her for this for giving contemporariness to Obey's genre of music. Our age is an age on the fast track. Make as much money as you can by pandering to the obscene taste and degenerate desires of the people. Modern musicians seem to exploit the people’s uncouth nature for selfish gain. On the contrary, Obey’s music is an evergreen challenge; a corpus of reflective gems and thoughts. One could almost say that an unreflective person will not find Obey’s music fascinating. The music pushes you to the brink of thought.

Second, Obey’s music is an exercise in social experience and national orientation. His songs are not just the regular sycophantic praise singing for the sake of money. What you hear is what you have seen around you. Or what you should be expecting, for good or for ill.

After commencing his music career in the mid-50s, Chief Ebenezer Obey quickly mature over time from the normal dancehall melodies of the 60s and 70s to a richer cadence of a mixture of spiritually invocative themes and philosophically rich social analysis. This metamorphosis of Obey’s music also coincided with his transformation from a mere apprentice under the tutelage of Fatai Rolling Dollar to the formation of the Inter-Reformers band in the early 70s.

The strength of Obey’s music, for me, is its ability to draw you close within the ambit of shared cultural, social and national experiences. The songs weave rich Yoruba sayings into an intricate musical complexity.

The result is a music that speaks wisdom for living. Again, for me, the culmination of this unique style of music is The Horse, the Man and His Son (1973). This song portrays

Obey

the mature and quintessential Obey at the height of his musical prowess. This is an existential song that rehashes the theme of man’s journey through life, and the albatross of ruinous expectations we often carry with us. The moral lesson, Obey counsels, is that no matter what you do, the world still sees you as essentially incapable, weak and foolish: “Kosogbon to’le da, ko si’wa to le wu, ko so’na to le gba, to le fi ta’ye lo’run o!” (No matter the wisdom, or the good behaviour, or the manners and ways you explore, you can never hope to satisfy the world). This lesson cuts to the heart of the African world where the extended family system and the social reciprocity framework conduce often to the impoverishment of a person. Such deep themes can equally be found in Ewa Wo Ohun Oju Ri (1964), Aiye Gba Jeje (1965), Ore Mi Ese Pelepele (1968), Alo Mi Alo (1975), Eda To Mo’se Okunkun (1977), Aimasiko (1987), etc.

Apart from the fascination with philosophically inspiring songs, Obey’s musical corpus is divided between spiritually sensitive songs—which defines his latter efforts—like Orin Adura (1965), Orin Ajinde (1966), Edumare Dari Jiwon (1975), Adam and Eve (1977), What God has Joined Together (1981), Count Your Blessings (1990), etc; and socially tuned songs like Paulina (1967), Pegan Pegan (1969), Esa Ma Miliki (1971), In the Sixties (1979), Je Ka Jo (1983), Womanhood (1991), etc.

Chief Ebenezer Obey Fabiyi also comes from the stock of that generation who were truly patriotic and care about the progress of the Nigerian Project. Again, that is a dying practice in Nigeria. Musicians today have become adept in pandering to the desires of the powerful for gain. Music is, for them, no longer a stentorian tool for generating strong constructive and reconstructive feelings about one’s fatherland. In music history, Peter Wagner did this to a glorious though tainted height. Ebenezer Obey inserted himself into the patriotic circle with Gari Ti Won (1965).

This was followed successively by To Keep

Nigeria One (1967), Isokan Nigeria (1969), Operation Feed the Nation (1976), Current Affairs (1980), The Only Condition to Save Nigeria (1984), Formula 0-1-0 (1989), and so on.

Chief Ebenezer Remilekun Aremu Olasupo Obey-Fabiyi is now 75, and he has achieved immortality while still alive. Johan Wolfgang von Goethe, the German poet, once exclaimed, “Art is long, life short.” Obey has lived a good life, and he no longer need fear death.

He has already outlived himself. He has expended himself for music, for God, for Nigeria, for family, for others. It is now time for music to expend itself for him. It is time for music—and for us—to appreciate this great legend in a protracted applause that will make all his effort a worthwhile one; and all his life a beautifully written sonnet on the wonderful grace of God. At 75, Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey is accomplished in every sense. What characterised a good life more than that a person is able to serve God and humanity in whatever little ways he/she knows? We have had politicians, civil servants, business people, lawyers and clerics in Nigeria who have all contributed their own quota to the advancement of humanity. Ebenezer Obey has done more.

And his success derives chiefly from the fact that he has invaded the homes and minds of Nigerians with music that entertains the bodies and agitates the minds. He did this with music, and this began at a period in our social history when musicians...and other artistes were relegated to the lowest rung of the social ladder. You can’t dare aspire to be a musician!

Obey dared...and he conquered. At 75, he could sit back and hear the reverberation of musical and non-musical accolades.

One could say that his success is a function of a powerful combination of a gentle deportment and a deep experience of the ways of the world. He knew right from the start what he wanted his music to do. He knew what he wanted to say. The persona of Chief

Ebenezer Obey is far from being commercial.

This is not to say that the commercial intent was absent in his career. In the days when he started singing, it was really a hard going.

And only very few made any significant impact on the society, and for that matter on their own pockets. Yet, his music gives you more than you pay for. We could even stretch the claim that in those days, there were serious things to say with music than now. Obey stands out in this regard. And after the album has gone the ways of old albums, your mind takes up the refrain until you can reproduce the entire songs without pause.

Such was the power that Obey commanded through his juju brand.

Every attempt to bring him into ruinous comparison with others failed. He can’t be rushed...just like the music. The musician and his music are the product of a tranquil attitude that is patient without being impassive.

You retain your poise even when dancing!

The Miliki brand of juju is the only kind of musical statement that someone like the Chief Commander could have made. The word “miliki” signals enjoyment that is not boisterous; an enjoyment within the limit of economic and social reason. This is exactly where some other music brands fail. You are constantly cajoled to “spray” the hard earned money budgeted for something else. Your ego is rubbed and your pockets emptied.

And you are not the better for it.

And when it was time, as if the Lord has been whispering into his soul, Ebenezer Obey switched musical content and genre while retaining the Miliki rhythm. This move in favour of the gospel of Christ was a painful but unsurprising move for most admirers and Nigerians. It was painful because people see in it the impoverishment of the Nigerian music scene. The questions started flowing: How do we now get the good kind of music Obey is known for? Who get to replace him? Why did he stop? Is there any viable replacement?

Can the replacement be like the original? The elders of Israel who wept bitterly when a new temple was built to replace the Solomon Temple destroyed by the Babylonians would understand this dilemma of Nigerians. No copy is like the original. If this is so, why then must he abandon what he knows how to do best? What he’s been doing so well that he has ever rendered to glorify the name of the Lord. And in the final analysis, when the pain had subsided for the people, it appears as a move that was really long in coming. Again, this uneasy expectation of the people derives from the kind of music Obey plays and his peculiar manner of playing it. It is tranquil and measured...as if he is being careful not to make the music transgress against God and the people. There must have been spiritual intimations behind the music. It was therefore easy for the man to transit from the secular to the gospel without any problem. It was even easy for him to retain the Miliki tune.

Well, if we can’t always have the man and the entire package of Miliki, we can still collect the entire music corpus that still retains their power to speak after decades of continual playing. That is another test of the genius of Obey’s music. It is still communicating to us. It infuses us with nostalgic longing.

And we will be wise to listen and continue learning. The reason is that much have not changed in the Nigerian society that could make his music irrelevant to us. What he sang about then are still with us—the social rot; personal profligacy; spiritual hypocrisy; political stagnancy; and the likes.

For all his achievements, I dip into my bag of personal awards and honour this illustrious Nigerian with a septuagenarian order of merit (SOM) for a job well done. I hope others will join me in applauding this young old man for a life of service to God and mankind. Life begins at 75. May you live long to reap more fruits from the trees you have spent the past seventy five years of your life watering!

Dr. Olaopa is the Executive Vice-Chairman Ibadan School of Government and Public Policy Email tolaopa@isgpp.com.ng

38/PERSPECTIVE

07.04.2017

Of Suicide and Health Workers’ Call for Mental Health Bill With the recent call by psychiatrists in the country for the setting up of Mental Health Bill into law, Odimegwu Onwumere writes that there is need to pay heed to the call given the concerted and coordinated concern that a sound mental health requires to help curtail suicide The suicide buzz has left healthcare workers in Nigeria in a helter-skelter mood and they are looking for solution to curb the operation in the country.

On March 19 2017, one Dr. Allwell Oji, a 35-year-old medical doctor said to be working with Papa Ajao branch of Mount Sinai Hospital in Lagos, took his life.

Dr. Oji threw himself into the lagoon at the Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos. Nigeria has been awash with all manner of stories surrounding his death ranging from a diabolical call he got to other sinister stories.

But, it is suicide!

The health sector feels devastated if it cannot arrest further situation given that after the incident, some Nigerians apparently have attempted suicide and reports say that many are still promulgating the idea.

Opinion leaders say that the suicide attempters might not know that suicide is restricted in the Nigerian law and this is contained in Section 327 of the Nigerian Criminal Code. And the law states, “Any person who attempts to kill himself is guilty of a misdemeanour and liable to imprisonment for one year.”

According to them, “If the attempters knew that suicide was illegal, one Taiwo Titilayo Momoh, a textile dealer at Balogun Market, and Mrs. Abigail Ogunyinka that wanted to take their lives by jumping into a river, just six days after Dr. Oji took his life, would not have attempted that.”

However, a consultant psychiatrist at Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, Dr. Yewande Oshodi is among the persons that raise awareness on the issue. Dr. Oshodi who was among the professionals that gathered at LUTH to campaign against suicide on March 25 2017, made this known: “Suicide is most unwanted incident anyone could like to experience either by losing a loved one and it is preventable to some degree. The stigma of psychotics and mental health makes it difficult for people to come out when they are going through issues.”

Specialists in the health sector are gearing to map out measures to save Nigerians from depression given an account by the World Health Organisation (WHO) which predicts that sicknesses like cancer, stroke, HIV/ AIDS will be a tap at the back to the pending

Suicide

disaster people will suffer from depression by the year 2020.

This being heralded, health experts say that Nigeria has been showing untoward attitude to mental health. For instance, the Association of Psychiatrist in Nigeria (APN) says that the authorities have shown deaf ears in its harangue that the mental health bill should be passed into law as the number of victims is increasing.

The healthcare workers have however called on the senate to pass the Mental Health Bill into law in order to arrest the psychological problems that might be besetting some citizens. Investigations therefore reveal that since 2003 a new Mental Health Bill was introduced and Nigerians were in high hope that succour had come their way.

But this patronising idea of a Bill ended on the floor of the Senate, without a passage of it into law. In 2008, it was yet expected that the Mental Health Bill had been passed into law. Those who know better say that when the Bill was raised in 2003, “The Bill lacks certain provisions that are now considered de rigeur in mental health law internationally.”

Fourteen years after, opinion leaders in the health industry frown at this, saying that the country is still operating legislation on

mental health which is the Lunacy Act, 1958, following the Lunacy Ordinance, passed in 1916.

From Lagos to Lokoja and sundry, medical professionals like Dr. Moruf Mustapha and Dr. Oluwadamilola Ajayi raise their voice in requesting for a mental health law with the belief that it is not a bad idea to have the law.

Their fear is heightened on a confirmation showing that Nigeria is not working with more than 500 psychiatrists who are practicing in Nigeria: A country with an estimated population of 180 million people.

Worried by this, statisticians crux that what this means is that 360,000 citizens are cared for by just one psychiatrist and this is a far too burden of load. Professionals’ anguish, as they bare their minds on the subject, is that mental disorders are rarely diagnosed in the country and treated.

Consequently, it becomes stealthy that one in half a dozen persons have trait of this disorder in their life time with depression being a major perpetrator. They narrate their tribulation that depression is an ailment that must be cramped before sufferers pull the line of suicide. In their words, “Depression is not profound sadness; it is not just an inability to cope with life experiences; it is not caused by a character or personality flaw; it is not a moral failing, neither is it a spiritual affliction.”

This is even as the WHO states, “Every year more than 800, 000 people take their own life and there are many more people who attempt suicide. Every suicide is a tragedy that affects families, communities and entire countries and has long-lasting effects on the people left behind.”

At a public lecture recently, Consultant Psychiatrist, Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Edo State, Dr. Obagaye Olukunle said that “80 per cent of people who commit suicide have psychiatric diagnosis.”

Olukunle’s voice suggests that where there is a decline in psychiatric handling in the country, tendencies of psychiatric disorders skyrocketing is not farfetched and this might as well lead to suicide.

Dr Oshodi adds, "Over a five-year study period, 7.2 per cent of cases referred to psychiatry consultation – liaison services in LUTH – were cases related to suicide.

Reports had shown that during lifetime, about 3.0 per cent of Nigerians have had thoughts about ending their lives, 1.0 per cent will plan on how to kill themselves, while just under 1.0 per cent will carry out an attempt to kill themselves."

Against this setting, the WHO has made it a necessity in its Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) launched in 2008. This initiative harnesses "evidence-based technical guidance to scale up service provision and care in countries for mental, neurological and substance use disorders.”

As if not done with that, in 2014, the international body launched the first WHO World Suicide Report tagged ‘Preventing suicide: a global imperative’. Those who know better say that the publication was aimed at raising awareness beyond bars in the areas of the importance of public health, and make suicide prevention a topmost issue on the universal health agenda. Developing countries like Nigeria are being supported by the body and given foster mapped out for formidable suicide prevention methodologies.

The WHO is of the view, suggesting that, “Stigma, particularly surrounding mental disorders and suicide, means many people thinking of taking their own life or who have attempted suicide are not seeking help and are therefore not getting the help they need.

“The prevention of suicide has not been adequately addressed due to a lack of awareness of suicide as a major public health problem and the taboo in many societies to openly discuss it. To date, only a few countries have included suicide prevention among their health priorities and only 28 countries report having a national suicide prevention strategy.”

The United Nations body adds, "Suicide does not just occur in high-income countries, but is a global phenomenon in all regions of the world. In fact, 75 per cent of global suicides occurred in low- and middle-income countries in 2012.

“Suicide is a serious public health problem; however, suicides are preventable with timely, evidence-based and often low-cost interventions. For national responses to be effective, a comprehensive multi-sectoral suicide prevention strategy is needed."

Why the Evil Tales against Dr. Nwoye Can’t Stand Peter Ekwueme The propaganda-laden write up by one faceless Anagbaso Igwe against the front line governorship aspirant for the upcoming Anambra State gubernatorial elections, Comrade Dr. Tony Okey Nwoye is laughable.

To every discerning mind, it readily strikes one as a desperate measure by folks who have suddenly come to the realisation that they have nothing to offer the very wise and choosy Anambra electorate.

Clearly, such write up does not deserve serious attention. But the consideration that in this era of social media, misfits sit in the dark corners of their dark rooms and from their disturbed dark minds spew forth unfounded dark lies which the undiscerning and unsuspecting can fall for, hence my decision to put down these clarifications for record purposes, as a concerned citizen of Anambra State who has a duty of patriotism to tell the truth as he knows it.

Firstly, only the uninformed will consider that crap about Tony ever being linked to the horrible murder of Barrister Igwe and his wife. As at that time, young Tony was still far away from Anambra State politics. He was not even remotely involved. For such a high profile case, it is instructive that never had Tony's name ever been linked to that despicable crime. And he has run for the Federal House of Representatives twice and was the

governorship candidate of a major political party. Not once did this come up! The little matter of the confessant not being able to correctly name such a close accomplice as he alleged, consistently writing ‘Nwonye’ instead of 'Nwoye' readily gives the faceless con artist away for what he is - a very cheap scammer. If there is ever an iota of truth in the write-up, will it be asking for too much to request he shows up his real identity? Since this is supposedly the confession of a man who claimed he is dying of cancer, coming out publicly with his condition, reporting himself to law enforcement agents and of course substantiating his wicked fairy tales will be the only way to give those stories some measure of credibility and nail Tony Nwoye forever over the alleged crimes. A repentant man on the throes of death should have nothing to fear, not so? You can tale crap from miles away when you see one.

But the one that takes the cake in that incongruous litany of fables is the allegation that Tony Nwoye belonged to a cult group while in school. Nothing can be further from the truth. Tony Nwoye had his university education in University of Nigeria (both Nsukka and Enugu campuses), and Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki. These are public institutions whose records the public can readily avail themselves of. Not for once was he ever accused from any quarters of belonging to a cult group. Not even the authorities

he severally stood up against could trump up such charges against him. The records of the universities' security departments can readily be referred to and cross checked for this.

Those at the helm of the schools he attended are all still alive and can be reached to get a clarification on Tony's antecedents in school, even a characterisation of his persona. Tony never was a member of any cult group! If anything, he notably deployed his time as a student leader both at the Enugu campus of UNN and much later, at the national level (NANS) to campaign against cultism and campus violence. The records are there for those interested in truth and facts!

The other frivolities of kidnap, arson and their likes do not deserve any serious response. Anyone who knows Tony Nwoye can attest to the fact that his humaneness and innate distaste for any form of oppression, repression and impugning on human dignity will never let him get involved in such acts.

By his very nature, the Tony Nwoye I know so well simply cannot descend that low. I was in College of Medicine, University of Nigeria Enugu Campus (UNEC) with Tony Nwoye at about the same time (I was a class ahead of him). We were active in the politics of University of Nigeria Medical Students Association (UNMSA). We were together in the Students Union Government House of Representatives, UNEC. We even contested against each other for the Speakership of the

SUG House of Representatives.

It is the stock in trade of dirty politics to try to impugn the character of adversaries but there is limit below which any self respecting politician should never descend.

Fabrication of such wicked blatant lies against an opponent this early in the contest will do the fabricator no good.

The candidates should stick to issues, and there are many! We want to hear of their solutions to the myriads of problems confronting our dear state Anambra. We want to hear of their strides in their former or present positions towards improving the lot of the common Anambra man. They may do well to provide us with verifiable accounts of their personal efforts in their personal capacities towards alleviating the suffering of private citizens of Anambra the indigent, the unemployed, the widows, the orphans, downtrodden women and neglected children. We want plans, initiatives, strategies and policy proposals; not poorly-crafted lies, baseless propaganda and cheap blackmails. That crap by the faceless Anagbaso belongs to the latter…It shall be well with Anambra State.

Indeed, it must be well with Anambra State.

Dr. Ekwueme is an Enugu-based medical practitioner and is the current Secretary of Nigerian Medical Association, Enugu State branch

T H I S D AY FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2017

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T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2017

40

CITYSTRINGS

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

Guest lecturer, Prof. Tade Aina (2nd right) with members of staff of Sociology Department,UNILAG, cutting the Golden Jubilee cake

Social Scientists as Transformers The Sociology Department, University of Lagos, recently organised a lecture to mark its golden jubilee. Funke Olaode who covered the event, reports

R

ising youth unemployment and the consequent increase in youth restiveness, ethnoreligious conflicts and other divisive factors remain serious obstacles to nation’s development. And yet critics believe the discipline, Sociology, holds the analytical tools for the understanding of these development issues.

Although studies have shown that the discipline teaches scientific study of how human beings organise themselves in society, relate to each other, build, reinforce and change institutions and relationships and societies. The question remains, is sociology still relevant as a moving vehicle for the development of the nation – Nigeria. Is Sociology alien to Nigeria? Are there innovative or imaginative sociologists in Nigeria? And what are the professional benefits to national development?

These questions were thrown up recently when Sociology Department, University of Lagos rolled out the drum to celebrate its golden jubilee.

Arguably, Sociology Department, University of Lagos is one of the outstanding departments within the institution. Founded in 1967, from an obscure origin, sociology is now visible discipline and one of the most sought after courses in the social sciences family. The vision of the founding fathers was to establish a Sociology Department where young scholars would be trained to accomplish the goals of social transformation of society. Without doubt, the department has lived up to its expectation as within its

five decades of existence, it has churned out scholars who are making waves within and outside the country.

On Thursday March 11, 2017, Afe Babalola Hall was filled to its brim as dignitaries and scholars from academic community converged under the same roof to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the department with a lecture titled ‘Sociology: the Nigerian Condition and Development’.

The dignitaries were led by the Head of Department, Dr. Olufunlayo Bammeke, Vice Chancellor, Prof. Rahaman Bello was represented by Deputy Vice Chancellor,

At a time when our country needs to embark on reforms it is important for us as stakeholders in the Nigerian project to redefine the roles of sociology in national development.

Sociology has a great deal to offer if Nigeria is serious in sustainable economy, political and national development

Academic and Research, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, Dean of Faculty of Social Science, Prof. Iyiola Oni, Prof. Adebayo Ninalowo, Prof. Felicia Oyekanmi and alumni members.

Alumnus of the department who is currently the Executive Director, Partnership for African Social and Governance Research, Nairobi, Kenya, Prof. Tade Akin Aina was the guest lecturer.

In his opening speech, Vice Chancellor, Prof.

Bello who was represented by Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe commended the department for sticking to its guiding philosophy since its creation in 1967 to produce the best students as ambassadors both within and outside the country. Bello noted that without doubt, the department has been contributing to national development particularly in the area of literature.

“Given the historic role of sociology in the modernisation of Western society and the role it is playing around the world in countries such as Japan, United States, Britain, Germany, France, Australia, it is important for the federal government to have a re-think about the professional benefits of sociology in national development.”

Bello stressed that although sociology significance may not be recognised, he pointed out that there are areas where the relevance of democracy and governance to the life of an ordinary man on the street is almost empty without the input of sociology. Such area he said include social effect, development, social policy formulation, crime prevention, security and intelligence gathering; public

service reforms, state civil society relations, immigration issues, cultural and religious affairs, social order, social administration and refuge issues (considering all the settlements scattered all over the place would need assistance of sociologists).

In addressing all these, Bello said the impact of research cannot be over-emphasised just as paying ordinary lip service would not help as the country must be ready to invest in research.

“Countries such as United States of America, China, and Japan are countries that have invested heavily on research have stood out in the area of development as they are often referred to as developed countries. At a time when our country needs to embark on reforms it is important for us as stakeholders in the Nigerian project to redefine the roles of sociology in national development.

Sociology has a great deal to offer if Nigeria is serious in sustainable economy, political and national development,” Bello said.

In his remarks, Prof. Iyiola Oni said indeed there is no better time to discuss the issue of the menace which has been an impediment to national growth. The impediment he said has been stalling the development of the nation which ranges from insecurity, poor governance, mass unemployment, disregard for the rule of law, impunity, poor infrastructure, high inflation, abject poverty etc. These persistent problems have continued to discourage Nigerian youths who believe that the only route to success is to leave the shores of this country and seek greener

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2017

41

CITYSTRINGS

L-R: Prof. Tade Aina and Prof. Felicia Oyesanmi, at the event

A cross section of alumni and undergraduates at the lecture

The Head of Sociology Department, UNILAG, Dr. Olufunlayo Bammeke, delivering her opening address

Guest lecturer, Prof. Tade Aina, delivering his lecture

pasture abroad legally or otherwise. While he wouldn’t want to discourage those “checking out”, Oni said we should all remind ourselves that the future of Nigeria lies in our hands.

Speaking further, he said to achieve development at various times, both past and present administrations have designed different development plans but each of the plans has the challenge of implementation as none yielded its desired result.

And what role does sociology has to play in all this? He said Sociology has moved from the traditional method of analysis to developmental approaches whereby the issues of disaster, insurgency, Boko Haram and internally displaced persons are now being discussed within the realms of developmental study.

Welcoming all the invited guests including the alumni, the Head of Sociology Department, Dr. Olufunlayo Bammeke, thanked both past students and undergraduates for keeping the flag of the department flying. Elated Bammeke said despite obvious challenges, the department has not relented in running with the vision of its founding fathers; with the faculty in seeking to bequeath sound academic legacies to successful generations. Going back memory lane, she said the department which was established in 1967, five years after the enabling act that established the university was promulgated took off under the leadership of Rev. Father J.B. Schuyler, who was also the first head of department. She said she was delighted that over the past five decades, over five thousand students had enrolled in its undergraduate programmes while it has also produced over 1,500 post graduate students and over 4,000 have equally bagged diploma in Social Development and Administration.

Although the 50thanniversary falls at a time when the nation’s development predicament is deepening despite its natural and human resources, she said the celebration would provide an opportunity for the faculty not only to take stock but to strategise on how

to maintain and underscore the department’s relevance in the academic community and the nation at large.

Rounding up her speech, Bammeke seized the opportunity to call on all alumni to rise up to the need to give back to the department and the university at large through endowment of prizes and awards for outstanding students in Sociology and Social Work.

While x-raying the topic, ‘Sociology, the Nigerian Condition and Development’ through his sociological lenses, erudite scholar Prof.

Tade Aina explained that the substance of the lecture reinforced the very nature of the discipline, sociology, its various notions and practices as study and analysis, as profession and the midwife of other professions and sub-disciplines as Social work. Pointing out that though it is a discipline that emerged from the Western Industrial Revolution and was born to explain and interpret it, it is a discipline that carries an immense amount of Western cultural and ethnocentric baggage. It however allows the space for self-reflexivity and auto-critique which is necessary for its continuous renewal.

“The recognition of our own modernity alongside Western modernity is a good place to begin to conceptualise and accept

Although sociologists as individuals have different political positions, beliefs and ideologies but as professionals, they have the analytical skills and tools to contribute to the demystification of our universe

sociology as a vehicle, platform or tool for understanding and interpreting the human and social conditions consisting of building blocks, foundations and elements that all go into making a building but which can be as different as mud, wattle, clay, cement, timber, bamboo, marble, steel and stone as building materials. Yet they all contribute to making a contemporary structure that can equally possess engineering resilience, ecological relevance, architectural elegance and artistic beauty. The point here is that just as it is possible to have across cultures with comparative aesthetics and functions, so it is possible to recognise sociology as a practice wherever it may be located.”

Throwing more light on the lecture theme: ‘Sociology, the Nigerian Condition and Development’, Aina noted that the Nigerian condition means a sociological interpretation of our identity. Though the development element is a key part of the lecture, Aina told his audience that they cannot understand the specific nature of the Nigerian condition and development without first understanding the collapse and disintegration or in certain cases, the perversion of the nation and state building project.

On while development has continued to elude the country despite its enormous resources, Aina said the intense contestations that have characterised Nigerian politics, state and nation building project has led to the decay, deterioration and continuous erosion and degradation of what one can call the Nigerian post-colonial civil public.

“The civic public in Nigeria today as a result of failure of Nigerian elites in nation and state-building has become eroded and degraded. This is core of the Nigerian condition. This degradation is embodied in the systematic decline of notions and practices that constitute public trust. Our common civic public is the site of multiple contestations, looting, plunder by anyone to claim a position either as a guard or steward. The common public sphere has

been privatised for private individual ends.

Public and common resources, are plundered, degraded and neglected. The point is that no society thrives or survives in a perpetual state of anomie because it has implications for social and national stability, economic growth, social justice and democracy.

And reclaiming the national civic public, its ideologies and morality as a common sphere of action is an imperative for any social, economic and national development.”

Adding to Nigeria’s woes, Aina said was not the amalgamation of 1914 but the coup of January 16, 1966, which ushered different values and recreation of values and militarisation of our values.

Rounding up his lectures Aina asked his audience what then must sociology do in Nigeria? According to him, Sociology provides the analytical capacities and methodologies for examining societal and social conditions. He also pointed out that it helps to equip with the ability to see through ideologies, mythologies and various other conditions that determine social dynamics and structure. It also provides with a deep understanding of the contexts of actions and processes.

Although sociologists as individuals have different political positions, beliefs and ideologies but as professionals, they have the analytical skills and tools to contribute to the “demystification of our universe.”

Pointing out on how sociology and sociologist can help shape the country in terms of development, Aina said that the identification of options and scenarios through a rigorous and systematic study of society and the provision of evidence and alternatives is a significant part of duty as sociologists in contemporary society today.

“Sociology will not and does not tell us what to do but it can illuminate our conditions, actions and choices. And when it is well and honestly done, that is a significant and momentous duty to our society and our world,” he concluded.

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BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

CBN, NDIC Warn against Ponzi Schemes Christopher Isiguzo Ă“Ă˜ Ă˜Ă&#x;Ă‘Ă&#x; The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) yesterday in Enugu warned Nigerians against patronising various ponzi schemes and other forms of digital and block-chain currencies currently in vogue in the country. The agencies insisted that the schemes were neither authorised by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) nor insured by the NDIC. The NDIC Managing Director, Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim who spoke at the corporation’s special day at the ongoing 28th Enugu International Trade fair expressed dismay that ponzi schmes have been seen as investment opportunities and platforms for easy money by unsuspecting members of the public.

Umaru who was represented by the Enugu Zonal Controller, Nicholas Ayuba, said the schemes have not only ap-

peared in form of virtual and digital currencies in the nation’s financial landscape, they have also attracted the media and regulatory attention.

As a result of the disturbing developments, Umaru said a study on the virtual and digital currencies for the purpose of consumer protection, financial education and in the overall interest of the nation’s economic development had been commissioned by the regulatory authorities.

The study according to him is expected to come up with legal and regulatory framework for the acceptance of the schemes in currency and banking regulations, adding that it had become important for stakeholders to partner with NDIC in discharging its core mandate of depositor protection.

He also raised alarm at the activities of some cooperative societies which had gone

beyond their primary mandate of accepting contributions from their registered members, noting that the cooperative societies were nit established to mobilise funds from none members. He therefore urged non-members to desist from patronising them as they are neither licensed as deposit taking financial institutions nor insured by the NDIC. He also drew tne attention of the public to the dangers involved in keeping large sums of money either at home, in market shops or other unsafe outlets, adding that utilizing the banks remained the best to avoid the dangers of fire and armed robbery.

Earlier, the president of Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Ugo Chime, said the role of NDIC in the protection of depositors’ funds with banks and other financial institutions had remained noteworthy.

Broad Street

Union Bank to Raise N50bn to Bolster Capital

MARKET INDICATORS

Has N3.9bn exposure to Etisalat Union Bank Plc plans to raise N50 billion ($164 million) by the end of the second quarter via a rights issue to boost its capital adequacy and tap opportunities to lend to agribusinesses, its chief executive said.

Emeka Emuwa said on Thursday that the bank targeted a capital ratio higher than 18 percent after the fund raising, compared to 13.4 percent as of the third quarter of 2016. “We are en route to a capital raising,� Reuters quoted Emuwa to have told an analysts’ call. “We see opportunities to leverage our capital not just to be in regulatory compliance but to be

able to tap opportunities that we see in the medium term.�

Emuwa said the total value of Union Bank’s loans rose 40 percent last year, but that was largely due to Nigeria’s currency devaluation which affected dollar loans to the upstream oil and gas sector.

Without the devaluation loans grew 13 percent, he said.

Nigerian banks have had to change their business models to survive after previously lucrative loans to oil companies turned sour following the slump in crude prices, which pushed Africa’s biggest economy into recession. Union Bank,

which was acquired from the government by a consortium of private equity investors in 2011, is looking for opportunities as Nigeria tries to foster new industries and cut down on imports it can no longer afford. “We see opportunities in agro-business, food processing, fast-moving consumer goods,�

Emuwa told the call. “Anything that is aligned with how the economy is evolving, manufacturing of consumer goods, manufacturing of goods by replacing what is previously being imported are areas where we see opportunities.�

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

Ě‹Ě‹Ě‹Ě‹ Ă?Ă—Ă™Ë? ĂœĂ?ĂŽĂ“Ăž ÞÙ Ùà Þ˛ Ě™ Ă?Þ̚ Ă–Ă?Ă?Ă?

7,436,917.79

Ě‹Ě‹Ě‹Ě‹ Ă?Ă—Ă™Ë? Ă?ĂŽË› Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă“ĂœĂœĂ™Ăœ Ă?Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂžĂ? Ě™ Ěš

FCMB Educates Students on Savings Culture First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Limited said it recently demonstrated its commitment towards the sustainable education and empowerment of youths by organising full interactive training sessions on financial literacy for students of thirty secondary schools in Nigeria. This development was part of the bank’s contributions towards securing the future of young Nigerians by encouraging the adoption of savings and other financial management techniques at an early age to enhance their general well-being, in line with the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) philosophy of the financial institution. According to a statement, the educative sessions were anchored by

top officials of FCMB and simultaneously took place in five secondary schools each in six states, namely, Anambra, Kebbi, Cross River, Ondo, Nasarawa and Taraba states.

This formed part of the Bank’s activities to commemorate the 2017 Global Money Week and Financial Literacy Day celebration, with the theme, ‘’Learn, Earn and Save’’. An initiative of the Bankers Committee in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Financial Literacy programme is focused on educating the youth, especially students, on the economic environment, teaching them the key fundamentals of financial literacy, re-enforcing a savings culture, as well as introducing the basics of entrepreneurial

and livelihood skills with a view to empowering the next generation to be self-reliant.

In his presentation to students of St. John of God Secondary School, Awka in Anambra state FCMB’s Regional Director, South-East/South-South, Mr.Okey Ezeala, stated that imbibing financial principles at an early age will go a long way to help students and the young ones work hard, manage their resources effectively, appreciate how money works and how it can be channeled to productive ventures. While advising them to avoid spending money on frivolities, he also counselled the students on the need to open bank accounts and develop the habit of saving part of their income, no matter how small.

Shoprite Launches Made-in-Nigeria Initiative Shoprite Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to locally manufactured products with the launch of its ‘Made in Nigeria’ initiative.

The initiative is a series of monthly meet-ups for local manufacturers, hosted by Shoprite to strengthen existing relationships with manufacturers of local products and identify new opportunities to showcase their goods both in Nigeria and abroad.

According to a statement, the launch event which took place in Lagos recently, was

attended by local businesses currently supplying into Shoprite’s countrywide store network as well as those businesses looking to get more exposure for their products.

Shoprite Nigeria has grown its local offering over the years, with over 80 per cent of the goods sold in its supermarkets now locally sourced.

The push towards a majority local supply throughout its Nigeria operation comes out of a need to meet the demand from its growing customer base.

With local suppliers being subjected to the same stringent quality standards and demanding targets expected of its international suppliers, Shoprite’s ‘Made in Nigeria’ initiative is very timely, as it seeks to provide additional support to local manufacturers to ensure consistency of supply.

The Co-Founder and CEO of Wilsons Juice Company, a supplier to Shoprite, Seyi Abolaji, urged entrepreneurs and owners of small enterprises to take advantage of the platform to grow their businesses.

(MILLION NAIRA)

DECEMBER 2016

-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 Ëž Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă? Ě‹

MANAGED FUNDS Month

December 2016

Inter-Bank Call Rate

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 Ëž Ă™Ă˜Ă?ĂžĂ‹ĂœĂŁ ÙÖÓĂ?ĂŁ Ă‹ĂžĂ? Ě‹ ͯ͹Ϲ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE AS AT, WED, 5 APRIL 2017 The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $51.95 a barrel on Wednesday, compared with $50.59 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

The OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Oriente (Ecuador), Rabi Light (Gabon), Iran Heavy (Islamic Republic of Iran), Basra Light (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Qatar Marine (Qatar), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and Merey (Venezuela).

SOURCE: OPEC headquarters, Vienna

T H I S D AY ˾

͵˜ Ͱͮͯ͵

43

Nigeria’s top 50 stocks based on market fundamentals

6-Apr-17

5-Apr-17

% Change

Capitalisation

EPS

P/E

P/S

Div. Yld

Price/ Book Value

01 Dangote Cement Plc

164.60

161.10

2.17%

2,804,867,518,863.00

10.95

15.03

4.56

4.86%

3.52

02 Nigerian Breweries Plc

124.63

124.80

-0.14%

988,203,843,671.44

3.58

34.78

3.15

2.89%

5.96

03 Guaranty Trust Bank Plc

25.00

24.50

2.04%

735,779,480,600.00

4.49

5.56

1.77

7.08%

1.46

750.00

750.00

0.00%

594,492,189,000.00

10.00

75.02

3.27

3.87%

19.25

05 Zenith Bank Plc

14.30

14.30

0.00%

448,969,861,139.80

4.13

3.46

0.88

12.59%

0.64

06 Lafarge Africa Plc

50.00

47.62

5.00%

227,745,090,500.00

3.71

13.48

1.04

6.00%

0.91

395.00

395.00

0.00%

218,557,573,635.00 -82.02

-4.82

3.45

4.03%

0.58

5.26

5.18

1.54%

190,830,308,453.72

1.99

2.64

0.50

11.41%

0.43

09 Presco Plc

47.00

47.00

0.00%

186,612,421,115.00

0.03

1,607.40

2.62

2.77%

4.46

10 Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc

18.50

18.50

0.00%

185,000,000,000.00

2.85

6.49

1.18

0.54%

1.31

11 Access Bank Plc

6.28

6.25

0.48%

181,667,661,842.68

13.18

0.48

0.48

8.76%

0.40

12 Ecobank Transnational Incorporated

8.05

8.05

0.00%

147,713,887,280.75

0.68

11.90

0.25

7.70%

0.24

35.00

35.00

0.00%

132,415,368,750.00

0.81

43.11

1.90

0.14%

11.33

14 Mobil Oil Nig Plc

360.00

347.28

3.66%

129,814,294,320.00

22.61

15.92

1.38

2.00%

6.05

15 FBN Holdings Plc

3.09

3.11

-0.64%

110,916,454,727.28

0.21

14.89

0.21

4.85%

0.18

16 Guinness Nig Plc

60.50

60.50

0.00%

91,106,235,374.00

-3.06

-19.78

0.88

5.29%

2.31

17 Total Nigeria Plc

260.00

260.00

0.00%

88,275,677,620.00

43.58

5.97

0.30

5.38%

3.75

18 Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc

6.98

6.99

-0.14%

83,760,000,000.00

1.20

5.82

0.49

7.16%

1.27

19 Oando Plc

6.20

5.78

7.27%

74,614,637,142.80

0.29

21.35

0.16

12.10%

0.39

104.90

95.89

9.40%

67,197,929,078.70

-0.05 -2,296.66

0.72

2.10%

3.03

21 Forte Oil Plc.

45.00

45.00

0.00%

58,611,649,635.00

2.22

20.28

0.39

7.67%

1.35

22 Julius Berger Nig. Plc

41.95

41.95

0.00%

55,374,000,000.00

-2.89

-14.51

0.40

3.58%

0.79

23 International Breweries Plc

15.89

16.00

-0.69%

52,345,621,059.20

0.02

705.22

1.97

1.57%

4.77

24 Okomu Oil Palm Plc

52.51

52.51

0.00%

50,089,814,100.00

4.82

10.89

7.62

0.19%

3.10

25 Flour Mills Nig. Plc

18.00

18.00

0.00%

47,236,269,366.00

-1.19

-15.09

0.11

11.11%

0.47

0.75

0.72

4.17%

29,040,748,068.75

-0.03

-25.77

0.49

0.00%

0.34

15.00

15.01

-0.07%

28,812,965,805.00

3.37

4.45

0.38

6.67%

0.38

28 Fidelity Bank Plc

0.80

0.80

0.00%

23,170,068,553.60

0.39

2.07

0.15

20.00%

0.13

29 FCMB Group Plc

1.17

1.17

0.00%

23,169,171,613.77

0.72

1.62

0.13

8.55%

0.13

30 National Salt Co. Nig. Plc

8.64

8.64

0.00%

22,891,147,585.92

0.91

9.48

1.25

6.37%

2.84

32.64

32.64

0.00%

22,848,000,000.00

2.29

14.25

3.35

3.52%

10.01

32 Sterling Bank Plc

0.72

0.73

-1.37%

20,729,101,050.72

0.18

4.02

0.19

12.50%

0.24

33 Diamond Bank Plc

0.85

0.85

0.00%

19,686,330,622.80

-0.29

-2.90

0.09

0.00%

0.09

34 Wema Bank Plc

0.50

0.50

0.00%

19,287,233,040.50

0.07

7.44

0.36

0.00%

0.40

35 Custodian And Allied Insurance Plc

3.22

3.22

0.00%

18,939,602,707.90

0.91

3.55

0.49

4.35%

0.63

36 Cadbury Nigeria Plc

9.46

9.45

0.11%

17,767,791,298.40

-0.16

-59.94

0.59

13.74%

1.61

14.50

14.50

0.00%

17,340,209,076.00

3.51

4.13

1.21

2.07%

1.02

38 Mansard Insurance Plc

1.59

1.59

0.00%

16,695,000,000.00

0.25

6.34

0.81

3.14%

0.83

39 PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc

14.30

13.87

3.10%

14,300,000,000.00

5.69

2.51

1.00

0.70%

0.38

40 Continental Reinsurance Plc

1.21

1.16

4.31%

12,551,020,617.52

0.42

2.88

0.57

9.92%

0.67

41 Honeywell Flour Mill Plc

1.05

1.00

5.00%

8,326,707,540.90

-0.40

-2.60

0.17

15.24%

0.25

42 Unity Bank Plc

0.64

0.64

0.00%

7,481,176,282.88

0.19

3.43

0.09

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

4.47

0.00%

5,617,349,614.02

0.22

20.42

0.51

2.24%

0.52

47 Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc

2.39

2.31

3.46%

3,881,882,812.50

0.36

6.68

0.49

8.37%

0.60

48 AIICO Insurance Plc

0.54

0.55

-1.82%

3,742,310,419.20

1.48

0.37

0.14

9.26%

0.43

49 UACN Property Development Co. Limited

1.76

1.70

3.53%

3,024,999,991.20

-0.90

-1.95

0.48

39.77%

0.09

50 Fidson Healthcare Plc

0.95

0.95

0.00%

1,425,000,000.00

0.21

4.50

0.19

5.26%

0.22

04 Nestle Nigeria Plc

07 Seplat Petroleum Dev. Co. Ltd 08 United Bank for Africa Plc

13 Unilever Nigeria Plc

20 7-Up Bottling Comp. Plc

26 Transnational Corporation Of Nigeria Plc 27 U A C N Plc

31 Cap Plc

37 Glaxo Smithkline Consumer Nig. Plc

TOTAL

8,312,221,990,008.95

TOTAL MARKET CAP

8,911,597,620,622.21

% OF MARKET CAP Annotation - MA* = Simple Moving Average

93.27%

Table 1 Market Statistics Mkt Indicators

Open 5-Apr-17

NSE All Share Index NSE Market Cap (N'Trillion)

25,471.69 8.81

25,755.18 8.91

1.11 1.11

105.42 8.21

106.76 8.31

1.27 1.27

Close 6-Apr-17

Change %

Thisday BGL 50 Index Thisday BGL 50 Market Cap (N'Trillion)

Close 6-Apr-17

Change %

Table 3 Top 5 Gainers Stock

Open 5-Apr-17

7-Up Bottling Comp. Plc Oando Plc Honeywell Flour Mill Plc Lafarge Africa Plc Continental Reinsurance Plc

95.89 5.78 1.00 47.62 1.16

104.90 6.20 1.05 50.00 1.21

9.40 7.27 5.00 5.00 4.31

Table 4 Top 5 Losers Stock

Open 5-Apr-17

AIICO Insurance Plc Sterling Bank Plc International Breweries Plc FBN Holdings Plc Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc

0.55 0.73 16.00 3.11 6.99

Close 6-Apr-17

Change %

0.54 0.72 15.89 3.09 6.98

-1.82 -1.37 -0.69 -0.64 -0.14

Market gains two consecutive days as confidence builds Market pulse on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) today – Thursday, April 6th, 2017 ended on a positive note as the stock market closed green as more companies release full year financial results and investors’ profit positioning raise risk appetite. This was further highlighted by positive performance from the NSE Subsectors: Banking, Insurance, Consumer Goods and Oil & Gas. Likewise, trading activities increased in volume as 241.62m shares worth of N1.49 billion in 3,339 deals exchanged hands today. This is an increase from 158.71m shares worth of N1.13 billion in 3,048 deals which exchanged hands on Wednesday. Topping in volume terms are: FBN Holdings Plc, Fidelity Bank Plc and United Capital Plc; Guaranty Trust Bank Plc and Zenith Bank Plc ended trading as the most active stocks in value terms. Brent crude oil price today settles at US$54.77 per barrel.

The All Share Index (NSEASI) closed positive with 1.11% (+283.49) increase to close at 25,755.18 from 25,471.69 the previous trading day. Market capitalization appreciated in tandem to N8.91 trillion from N8.81 trillion of prior trading day. Similarly, the Thisday BGL 50 Index closes with an increase of 1.27% to 106.76 from 105.42 recorded at the end of the previous trading day, while its market capitalization stood at N8.31 trillion from N8.21 trillion of the previous trading day.

Market breath closed positive today as 19 stocks gained on the bourse while 18 stocks also declined, leaving 70 stocks unchanged. Topping the Thisday BGL 50 Index gainers’ list 7-Up Bottling Comp. Plc as it emerged as the day’s toast of investors with a gain of 9.40% to close at N104.90 per share. It was followed by Oando Plc with a gain of 7.27% to close at N6.20 per share. Others on the gainers list include: Honeywell Flour Mill Plc, Lafarge Africa Plc and Continental Reinsurance Plc; while on the decliners’ list, AIICO Insurance Plc lead with a loss of 1.82% to close at N0.54 share.

It was followed by Sterling Bank Plc with a loss of 1.37% to close at N0.72 per share. Others on the decliners list include: International Breweries Plc, FBN Holdings Plc and Dangote Sugar Refinery 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

T H I S D AY Ëž , APRIL 7, 2017

44

MARKET NEWS

May & Baker Recommends Dividend Despite Loss Goddy Egene and Nosa Alekhuogie As more companies release their results, May & Baker Nigeria Plc has recommended a dividend of N58.8 million for year ended December 31, 2016, which translates to six kobo per share.

Despite the tough operating environment in 2016, the healthcare group recorded a turnover of N8.47 billion,

showing an increase of 12 per cent as against N7.57 billion in 2015. Distribution and marketing expenses dropped from N1.28 billion to N1.14 billion, administrative expenses increased from N587.3 million to N624.06 million.

The group’s operating profit rose by 25.2 per cent from N655.80 million to N820.87 million, while profit jumped by 142.9 per cent from N142.40 million in 2015 to N345.94

T H E MAIN BOARD

DEALS

MARKET PRICE

million in 2016.

However, taxation surged by 420.5 per cent from N74.36 million in 2015 to N387.03 million in 2016. This displaced the net profit of N68.03 million in 2015 with net loss of N41.09 million.

The huge tax expense resulted from a cumulative of back duty tax of N128 million, deferred tax charge of N208 million and current tax of N51 million.

In spite of the net loss of N41.09 million, the board of

N I G E R I A N QUANTITY TRADED

STO C K

VALUE TRADED ( N )

Daily Summary as of 22/02/2016 Printed 22/02/2016 14:36:10.010

Daily Summary (Bonds) No Debt Trading Activity Daily Summary (Equities) Activity Summary on Board EQTY AGRICULTURE Crop Production OKOMU OIL PALM PLC. PRESCO PLC Crop Production Totals Livestock/Animal Specialties LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC. Livestock/Animal Specialties Totals AGRICULTURE Totals CONGLOMERATES DiversiďŹ ed Industries A.G. LEVENTIS NIGERIA PLC. TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION OF NIGERIA PLC U A C N PLC. DiversiďŹ ed Industries Totals CONGLOMERATES Totals CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Infrastructure/Heavy Construction JULIUS BERGER NIG. PLC. Infrastructure/Heavy Construction Totals Real Estate Development UACN PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT CO. LIMITED Real Estate Development Totals CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Totals CONSUMER GOODS Beverages--Brewers/Distillers CHAMPION BREW. PLC. GUINNESS NIG PLC INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC. NIGERIAN BREW. PLC. Beverages--Brewers/Distillers Totals Beverages--Non-Alcoholic 7-UP BOTTLING COMP. PLC. Beverages--Non-Alcoholic Totals Food Products DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC. HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC NASCON ALLIED INDUSTRIES PLC N NIG. FLOUR MILLS PLC. TIGER BRANDED CONSUMER GOODS PLC Food Products Totals Food Products--DiversiďŹ ed CADBURY NIGERIA PLC. NESTLE NIGERIA PLC. Food Products--DiversiďŹ ed Totals Household Durables VITAFOAM NIG PLC. Household Durables Totals Personal/Household Products P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC. UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC. Personal/Household Products Totals CONSUMER GOODS Totals FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking ACCESS BANK PLC. DIAMOND BANK PLC ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED FIDELITY BANK PLC GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC. SKYE BANK PLC STERLING BANK PLC. UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC UNION BANK NIG.PLC. UNITY BANK PLC WEMA BANK PLC. Banking Totals Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services AIICO INSURANCE PLC. CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC CONSOLIDATED HALLMARK INSURANCE PLC LASACO ASSURANCE PLC. AXAMANSARD INSURANCE PLC N.E.M INSURANCE CO (NIG) PLC. UNITY KAPITAL ASSURANCE PLC WAPIC INSURANCE PLC Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals Micro-Finance Banks NPF MICROFINANCE BANK PLC Micro-Finance Banks Totals Other Financial Institutions AFRICA PRUDENTIAL REGISTRARS PLC CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED PLC FCMB GROUP PLC. STANBIC IBTC HOLDINGS PLC UNITED CAPITAL PLC Other Financial Institutions Totals FINANCIAL SERVICES Totals HEALTHCARE Pharmaceuticals FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC

6 6 12

30.00 34.00

19 19 31

directors has recommended distribution of N58.8 million as cash dividend for the 2016 business year.

According to the Managing Director, May & Baker Nigeria Plc, Mr. Nnamdi Okafor, the group has continued to demonstrate resilience notwithstanding the tough macroeconomic environment that had constrained access to raw and production materials as well as poor purchasing

12,629 11,640 24,269

374,530.15 421,345.20 795,875.35

1.25

1,078,511 1,078,511 1,102,780

1,358,964.30 1,358,964.30 2,154,839.65

5 68 13 86 86

0.77 1.13 20.47

33,500 6,740,423 65,995 6,839,918 6,839,918

25,070.00 7,635,453.96 1,344,425.15 9,004,949.11 9,004,949.11

13 13

41.50

31,970 31,970

1,409,214.78 1,409,214.78

5 5 18

5.20

28,901 28,901 60,871

154,716.48 154,716.48 1,563,931.26

6 24 7 98 135

2.85 118.85 20.00 99.00

190,900 53,000 15,200 429,541 688,641

528,079.00 6,201,924.95 293,757.00 42,728,789.84 49,752,550.79

9 9

168.50

166,476 166,476

28,285,937.95 28,285,937.95

54 38 6 12 1 29 140

5.61 19.00 1.37 6.86 6.65 1.27

2,120,306 314,421 40,000 119,863 433 3,285,739,119 3,288,334,142

11,610,520.13 5,953,792.96 55,716.00 842,442.48 2,736.56 4,074,348,894.07 4,092,814,102.20

11 54 65

17.86 700.00

18,825 98,360 117,185

329,518.50 68,567,962.00 68,897,480.50

11 11

4.46

99,050 99,050

420,455.00 420,455.00

13 21 34 394

21.90 28.00

36,887 133,117 170,004 3,289,575,498

820,034.75 3,737,067.92 4,557,102.67 4,244,727,629.11

82 51 21 25 200 41 16 147 11 15 67 676

4.10 1.49 15.60 1.21 16.70 1.07 1.76 2.95 5.30 0.63 0.98

3,962,506 2,163,396 278,470 790,900 4,847,312 1,969,858 1,204,932 8,586,418 39,752 501,617 5,920,564 30,265,725

16,210,255.82 3,314,106.88 4,136,459.40 958,864.34 80,963,793.44 2,115,552.11 2,087,767.85 25,302,954.71 205,645.40 316,018.71 5,813,502.17 141,424,920.83

14 8 2 3 7 10 1 1 46

0.80 0.90 0.50 0.50 2.06 0.76 0.50 0.50

200,107 276,500 5,004,000 1,000,000 351,540 327,285 37,708,135 10 44,867,577

160,838.67 251,350.00 2,502,000.00 500,000.00 720,728.80 245,325.31 18,854,067.50 5.00 23,234,315.28

1 1

1.08

4,760 4,760

4,950.40 4,950.40

31 7 105 7 20 170 893

2.46 4.00 0.85 14.15 1.31

1,149,464 27,041 31,257,120 38,035 708,255 33,179,915 108,317,977

2,830,722.84 104,002.06 26,613,309.20 537,985.34 931,556.31 31,017,575.75 195,681,762.26

27

2.69

614,065

1,572,223.05

power of consumers.

Okafor said in spite of the macroeconomic challenges, the company’s sales growth has been above industry average while the management has maintained efficient cost control to mitigate the effect of the macroeconomic headwinds on the bottom-line. He said this performance is driven by innovation, creativity and prudence.

He noted that while the com-

pany’s manufacturing facility in Ota, Ogun State , is growing into a hub of pharmaceutical manufacturing in West Africa, the foreign exchange crisis that bedeviled the Nigerian economy in 2016 constrained access to raw materials and forced the group to operate the facility at about 50 per cent of its installed capacity. “We are already looking ahead for better results in 2017 and beyond.

E XC H A N G E

MAIN BOARD GLAXO SMITHKLINE CONSUMER NIG. PLC. MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. NEIMETH INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC Pharmaceuticals Totals HEALTHCARE Totals ICT IT Services TRIPPLE GEE AND COMPANY PLC. IT Services Totals ICT Totals INDUSTRIAL GOODS Building Materials ASHAKA CEM PLC BERGER PAINTS PLC CAP PLC CEMENT CO. OF NORTH.NIG. PLC PORTLAND PAINTS & PRODUCTS NIGERIA PLC LAFARGE AFRICA PLC. Building Materials Totals Electronic and Electrical Products CUTIX PLC. Electronic and Electrical Products Totals Packaging/Containers BETA GLASS CO PLC. Packaging/Containers Totals INDUSTRIAL GOODS Totals OIL AND GAS Energy Equipment and Services JAPAUL OIL & MARITIME SERVICES PLC Energy Equipment and Services Totals Integrated Oil and Gas Services OANDO PLC Integrated Oil and Gas Services Totals Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors CONOIL PLC ETERNA PLC. FORTE OIL PLC. MOBIL OIL NIG PLC. TOTAL NIGERIA PLC. Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors Totals Exploration and Production SEPLAT PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LTD Exploration and Production Totals OIL AND GAS Totals SERVICES Automobile/Auto Part Retailers R T BRISCOE PLC. Automobile/Auto Part Retailers Totals Courier/Freight/Delivery RED STAR EXPRESS PLC Courier/Freight/Delivery Totals Printing/Publishing LEARN AFRICA PLC Printing/Publishing Totals Transport-Related Services AIRLINE SERVICES AND LOGISTICS PLC NIGERIAN AVIATION HANDLING COMPANY PLC Transport-Related Services Totals Support and Logistics CAVERTON OFFSHORE SUPPORT GRP PLC Support and Logistics Totals SERVICES Totals EQTY Board Totals Daily Summary (Equities) Activity Summary on Board ASeM CONSUMER GOODS Food Products MCNICHOLS PLC Food Products Totals CONSUMER GOODS Totals ASeM Board Totals Daily Summary (Equities) Activity Summary on Board PREMIUM FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking ZENITH INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC Banking Totals Other Financial Institutions FBN HOLDINGS PLC Other Financial Institutions Totals FINANCIAL SERVICES Totals INDUSTRIAL GOODS Building Materials DANGOTE CEMENT PLC Building Materials Totals INDUSTRIAL GOODS Totals PREMIUM Board Totals Equity Activity Totals

DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

32 4 6 69 69

25.33 0.94 0.69

551,998 16,020 597,000 1,779,083 1,779,083

13,903,164.18 15,299.40 412,110.00 15,902,796.63 15,902,796.63

1 1 1

1.69

500 500 500

805.00 805.00 805.00

16 9 4 6 10 31 76

24.00 9.30 35.78 8.62 3.36 80.50

110,727 40,229 26,700 142,300 299,900 14,373,223 14,993,079

2,707,053.97 362,501.29 992,680.00 1,227,076.00 966,480.00 1,157,057,077.16 1,163,312,868.42

6 6

1.51

134,500 134,500

204,240.00 204,240.00

5 5 87

50.00

24,529 24,529 15,152,108

1,165,135.50 1,165,135.50 1,164,682,243.92

2 2

0.50

24,262 24,262

12,131.00 12,131.00

90 90

3.47

3,827,573 3,827,573

13,288,632.05 13,288,632.05

21 7 8 21 7 64

18.34 1.84 342.00 150.00 145.00

81,125 100,300 20,300 16,295 13,699 231,719

1,505,034.50 182,832.00 6,595,470.00 2,396,080.60 1,959,692.96 12,639,110.06

33 33 189

318.00

389,934 389,934 4,473,488

124,037,602.56 124,037,602.56 149,977,475.67

1 1

0.50

941 941

470.50 470.50

5 5

3.80

32,870 32,870

127,756.40 127,756.40

13 13

0.89

624,500 624,500

538,430.00 538,430.00

1 22 23

2.29 4.00

4,588 251,094 255,682

10,001.84 1,001,583.80 1,011,585.64

1 1 43 1,811

1.68

10,000 10,000 923,993 3,428,226,216

16,000.00 16,000.00 1,694,242.54 5,785,390,675.15

2 2 2 2

1.21

270,464 270,464 270,464 270,464

327,261.44 327,261.44 327,261.44 327,261.44

306 306

11.45

13,929,679 13,929,679

159,605,439.23 159,605,439.23

278 278 584

3.74

10,438,552 10,438,552 24,368,231

39,515,087.18 39,515,087.18 199,120,526.41

35 35 35 619 2,432

139.83

38,770 38,770 38,770 24,407,001 3,452,903,681

5,304,666.00 5,304,666.00 5,304,666.00 204,425,192.41 5,990,143,129.00

2 2 2 2 2 10 10 10

2,330.00 2.33 6.02 11.09 18.07

3,000 20 20 20 15 3,075 3,075 3,075

6,986,000.00 46.70 120.20 221.80 270.65 6,986,659.35 6,986,659.35 6,986,659.35

Daily Summary (ETP) Exchange Traded Fund Name NEWGOLD EXCHANGE TRADED FUND (ETF) VETIVA BANKING ETF VETIVA CONSUMER GOODS ETF VETIVA GRIFFIN 30 ETF VETIVA INDUSTRIAL ETF Exchange Traded Fund Totals ETF Board Totals ETP Activity Totals

45

˾ FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2017

MARKET NEWS

ASHON Boss, Ezeagu, Bullish on Capital Market Goddy Egene The Chairman of Association of Stockbroking Houses of Nigeria (ASHON), Chief O.P Ezeagu has said the future of the nation’s capital market is bright despite closing the first quarter negatively.

After recording its third consecutive fall in 2016, the market declined further by 5.1 per cent in the first quarter of 2017 due to subsisting macroeconomic uncertainties.

However, speaking on the

market outlook, Ezeagu, who is also the Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of Solid Rock Securities and Investment Plc, said the bulls will gradually return to the given the various initiative the federal government is putting in place.

“Capital market does not exist in isolation of the economy. Therefore, as the initiatives being put in place by government start to impact positively on the economy, the bull will gradually return. No

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.

condition is permanent and in all my years in this profession, no market that went down ever remained down, it always bounces back, so shall it be for the Nigerian capital market.

Patience is all we need and investors shall begin to smile back to their banks on the back of dividends and capital appreciation. I see a positive future for the Nigerian capital market. We should not also lose the fact that our market fundamentals are strong as most stocks are currently

Investors can buy these ‘shares’ on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange A REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) is an investment vehicle that allows both small and large investors to part-own real estate ventures (eg.

Offices, Houses, Hospitals) in proportion to their investments. The assets are divided into shares that are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

GUIDE TO DATA: Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 05-

trading below their intrinsic value. Investors that have strong appetite for value stocks are making kills on daily basis,” he said.

According to him, another way the market can revive faster is for the federal government to also patronise the market by raising funds to finance infrastructure among others.

He stressed that many opportunities abound in the market through which government can get funding

from the market “The government at all levels can utilize the capital market to finance the economy because it provides an alternative source of funding that can complement Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). Capital market fund is relatively cheaper than any other means of funding and has a longer maturity period. There are various investments/windows available to both Federal and States governments in

accessing funding from the market. These include asset sale, bond issuances such as Sovereign, Sub-national, green bonds. These debt instruments are available and governments at various tiers are at liberty to fund infrastructural development using either or a combination of these types of instruments. Through this platform, the capital market contributes meaningfully to the development of the economy,” the ASHON boss said.

Apr-2017, unless otherwise stated Offer price: The price at which units of a trust or ETF are bought by investors.

Bid Price: The price at which Investors redeem (sell) units of a trust or ETF Yield / Total Return: Denotes the total return an investor would have earned on his investment. Money Market Funds report Yield while others report Year- to-date Total Return NAV: is value per share of the real estate assets held by a REIT on a specific date.

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 1 270 1680 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund 130.31 130.86 2.62% Nigeria International Debt Fund 218.51 219.21 1.52% 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 0.73 0.74 4.31% AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 17.24% 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 12.46 12.84 0.96% ARM Discovery Fund 293.02 301.86 2.04% ARM Ethical Fund 22.62 23.31 1.26% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 16.02% 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 106.74 107.49 1.48% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 16.58% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 10.00% Paramount Equity Fund 9.56 9.80 2.11% Women's Investment Fund 87.69 89.94 3.66% 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 18.07% 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 1,141.54 1,142.73 4.69% FBN Heritage Fund 110.06 110.80 -1.37% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 17.17% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional $107.51 $108.10 3.27% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail $107.22 $107.80 3.69% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 117.94 119.48 4.67% 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 0.97 0.99 4.26% Legacy Short Maturity (NGN) Fund 2.68 2.68 4.21% 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 2,241.91 2,269.11 1.50% Coral Income Fund 2,204.72 2,204.72 4.77% 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 13.73% 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 16.90% Vantage Balanced Fund 1.72 1.74 2.51% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 15.91%

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 1.04 3.29% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,031.98 1,031.98 2.89% 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 9.92 10.01 2.70% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 16.40% 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 1.13 1.15 7.78% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 10.47 10.52 0.69% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 16.42% SCM CAPITAL LIMITED info@scmcapitalng.com Web: www.scmcapitalng.com; Tel: +234 1-280 2226,+234 1- 280 2227 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SCM Capital Frontier Fund 110.81 111.71 8.83% 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 1.16 1.16 2.48% 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 1,862.17 1,871.43 1.66% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 156.60 156.60 1.71% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.77 0.78 0.65% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 193.75 193.75 3.67% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 133.59 135.44 2.94% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 17.55% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 7,428.76 7,516.40 -2.03% 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 1.11 1.16 7.55% United Capital Bond Fund 1.28 1.28 15.60% United Capital Equity Fund 0.65 0.66 0.96% 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 10.05 10.23 4.32% Zenith Ethical Fund 11.41 11.53 4.55% Zenith Income Fund 17.45 17.45 5.60%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

11.41 118.15

1.01% 1.99%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

8.26 72.62

8.36 73.97

-5.89% -4.18%

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

2.65 6.23 11.21 15.84 129.08

2.69 6.31 11.31 16.04 131.08

-3.57% -11.32% -6.48% -0.69% -0.61%

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

T H I S D AY FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2017

T H I S D AY FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2017

47

48

T H I S D AY FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2017

FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2017 ˾ T H I S D AY

49

INTERNATIONAL

email:foreigndesk@thisdaylive.com

Nunes Steps Down from US Election Russian Hacking Probe The head of a key US congressional investigation into alleged Russian hacking has temporarily stepped down amid an ethics inquiry into him.

House Intelligence Committee chairman Devin Nunes is now himself under investigation by the House Ethics Committee.

The panel is looking into claims that the Republican disclosed classified intelligence.

Mr Nunes called the charges “entirely false” and “politically motivated”.

Representative Mike Conaway will take control of the Russia investigation.

Mr Nunes said his decision came after “several leftwing activist groups have filed accusations against me with the Office of Congressional Ethics”.

Syria Chemical ‘Attack’: Damascus Attaches Conditions to UN Inquiry

He added he would continue to fulfill his other responsibilities as chairman and has requested to speak to the ethics panel “in order to expedite the dismissal of these false claims”.

Democrats have criticised Mr Nunes for his handling of the inquiry, which is also looking at possible links between the Trump campaign and Moscow.

What did Mr Nunes allegedly do wrong?

The House Ethics Committee said in a statement on Thursday: “The Committee is aware of public allegations that Representative Devin Nunes may have made unauthorised disclosures of classified information, in violation of House rules, laws, regulations, or other standards of conduct.”

Mr Nunes’ political enemies have accused him of helping the White House to divert attention from an FBI announcement that they were investigating alleged links between the Trump team and

CHANGE OF NAME

The Syrian foreign minister has set out conditions for any UN investigation into the deaths of dozens of people from a chemical agent on Tuesday.

Walid Muallem told the BBC it would have to be non-political, involve “many countries” and “start from Damascus” before his government could accept.

He denied Syria had dropped chemical weapons from the air, despite facing widespread scepticism.

The UN’s child agency has confirmed that at least 27 children were killed.

A UK-based monitoring group, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, reported earlier that 86 people had died in the chemical incident in Khan Sheikhoun, Idlib province.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS OJIAVOR CHINONYEREM CECILIA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ELUWA CHINONYEREM CECILIA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MRS TITILOLA OSINOWO MAKINDE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS TITILOLA OLUTOYIN MAKINDE. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS YUNUSA BILIKISU OLAIDE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ISMAIL BALIKIS OLAIDE. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as EDEMANKHOTA AKHIMIEN, now wish to be known and addressed as AKHIMIEN MICHEAL EDEMANKHOTA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS UCHIBIE GESHIE HANNAH, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS EKANGHE GESHIE HANNAH. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS AIWEKHOE OSARIEMEN BEATRICE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS AGBONLAHOR IGBINOSA OSARIEMEN. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

I formerly known and addressed as ZAKARIYYA RABIU, now wish to be known and addressed as ZAKARIYA’U RABIU. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

I formerly known and addressed as IDEHEN RUTH TOBI, now wish to be known and addressed as BASIL RUTH TOBI. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

Russian officials.

Mr Nunes has acknowledged making an after-dark trip to the White House grounds last month that even his own aides were apparently unaware of.

The next day he hastily announced at a news conference that he had learned post-election communications of Mr Trump’s team had been monitored by intelligence agencies as they snooped on foreign officials.

He expressed alarm that information about the thenincoming president’s aides were swept up in US intelligence reports.

Mr Nunes’ Democratic colleagues on the panel were furious that he had not shared such information with them before going public.

In the face of much scepticism, Mr Nunes maintains White House officials were not his original source for the claims.

The California Republican reportedly apologised for the incident.

I formerly known and addressed as OMOTOSHO DAVID is the Same

as OMOTOSHO OLUWASEUN DAVID, henceforth I wish to be known and addressed as OMOTOSHO OLUWASEUN DAVID. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

I formerly known and addressed as DAVIES BURIAMOH ADEYINKA, now wish to be known and addressed as DAVIES IBRAHIM ADEYINKA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

I formerly known and addressed as AGBONLAHOR, ENDURANCE IGBINOSA, now wish to be known and addressed as AGBONLAHOR, IGBINOSA ENOCH. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS IGBALAJOBI FEHINTOLA OLAYEMI, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. FATUKASI FEHINTOLA OLAYEMI. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

I formerly known and addressed as YAHAYA MOMOH HABIBAT, now wish to be known and addressed as ARTHUR EKOKIGHO HABIBAT. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS CHITA BENARD CHUKWU FAVOUR CHIKA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OKORIE FAVOUR CHIKA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS OLUWAKEMI MERCY OLONISHUWA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OLUWAKEMI MERCY OJINIKA. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS ALEX EBERE PATIENCE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS NZELU EBERE PATIENCE. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

I formerly known and addressed as YAYA RAHILA BAKARI, now wish to be known and addressed as RAHILA BAKARI. All former documents remain valid. First Bank and the general public should take note.

50

FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2017 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWSEXTRA

Court Vacates Order Freezing Patience Jonathan’s Account Dasuki’s bail affirmed in amended charges, FG insists on secret trial Davidson IriekpeninLagosand Alex EnumahinAbuja Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday vacated its order freezing the account of the former First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, containing $5,842,316.66 and domiciled with Skye Bank Plc. The order of the court was sequel to an application filed and argued before the court by her lawyer, Mr. Adedayo Adedipe (SAN) leading seven other lawyers.

Adedipe urged the court to unfreeze the account on the grounds that Mrs. Jonathan was not a party in the suit leading to the order made by the court freezing her account.

Her lawyer, while citing a plethora of authorities, contended that the suit was an abuse of court process, as the court did not have the jurisdiction

to make an order against a party that was not a party in a suit filed before the court.

Surprisingly, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which initiated the suit leading to the order freezing the account, did not file any response to the application filed to discharge the order.

In her ruling, the presiding judge, Justice Mojisola Olatoregun upheld the submission ofAdedipe and discharged the order freezing the account.

Last year, based on an application filed by the EFCC, the court had ordered that Mrs. Jonathan’s account containing the said sum should be frozen on the grounds that the money was suspected to be proceeds of crime.

Also affected by the said order were five companies and one Esther Oba who were said to have a total

Buhari, APC Have Abandoned Taraba State, Minister Cries out Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Aisha Alhasan, has lamented the state of neglect of her people in Taraba State by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the President Muhammadu Buhari in the scheme of things.

Alhasan who led other members of APC from the state on a visit to the leadership of the party at the national secretariat yesterday in Abuja, told the leaders that apart from her appointment and Aambassadorial which are statutory and constitutional, “no any other meaningful appointment from the state.”

According to her, the APC members from the state are very worried “because firstly, if

the government back home was that of the APC, I may not have been here in this capacity as a minister.

“I have come as a party member and a leader, together with my brothers from the state to air out our problems.

“The government in the state is controlled by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and we expected that you our parents and this government especially, since you knew that we were muscled out, we should have been helped because we did our best.

“No opposition party performed as good as we did since 1999. But unfortunately, apart from my appointment which is statutory and constitutional, then that of the ambassadorial, we still do not

sum of N7,418,829,290.94.

The order of the court was sequel to an ex-parte order deposed to by Abdulahi Tukur an investigating officer of the EFCC and filed before the court by EFCC prosecutor Rotimi Oyedepo Iseoluwa, Tukur averred that there was urgent need for the court to direct the managers of the bank accounts contained in the schedule filed with the summons FHC/L/CS/1343/16 to, in the interim, forfeit the money contained therein to prevent further tampering with the accounts.

According to the affidavit by Tukur, Mrs. Jonathan’s money in Skye Bank account number 2110001712 with a balance of $5,842,316.66 was presumably suspected to be proceeds of crime.

But Justice Olatoregun, while granting the order freezing the accounts listed in the attached schedule, had ordered the anti-graft agency to file an undertaking as to damages if it turned out that the order was not to have been made.

Meanwhile, another Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday affirmed the bail granted the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (rtd.) in the amended charges of unlawful possession of firearms and money-laundering brought against him by the federal government.

Justice Ahmed Rahmat Mohammed affirmed Dasuki’s bail shortly after taking his plea in the amended seven-count charge.

The judge said that since the prosecution’s counsel Mr. Oladipo Okpeseyi (SAN) did not object to the bail of the ex-NSA, the court had to affirm same and ordered the defendant to continue to enjoy the bail condition granted him in 2015 when he was first arraigned.

Dasuki had in 2015 been admitted to bail by Justice Adeniyi Ademola but the bail order was not obeyed by the federal government, including other bails granted by Justice Peter Affen and Justice Husseini BabaYusuf of the FCT High Court.

The ECOWAS Court too ordered the immediate release Dasuki, describing his detention as illegal and unlawful.

Despite all the court orders, the former NSA has remained in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) without any legal justification.

In the amended charges, Dasuki was accused of being in possession of prohibited firearms without the requisite licences in July 2015, contrary to Section 28 of the Firearm Act Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

He was alleged to have been in possession of Trevor rifles at his

residence in Abuja.

Besides the firearms, Dasuki was accused of money laundering and was said to have been in possession of $40,000, N5 million and £20,000 in his house in July 2015. The monies were alleged to be the proceeds of an unlawful act, contrary to Section 15(3) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011.

The amended charges also indicated that the sum of $150,000 and N37 million, being part of the proceeds of an unlawful act were also said to have been found in the Sokoto residence of former NSA on July 16, 2015.

When the charges were read, Dasuki pleaded not guilty to all of them.

Prosecution counsel thereafter informed the court of his readiness for trial and that he had a motion pending before the court for a secret trial, seeking protection for witnesses billed to testify against the NSA. Opeseyi informed the court that since the amended charges bore the same number with the previous charges, the court should exercise its order on the bail earlier granted the defendant by allowing him to continue to enjoy the bail.

Dasuki’s counsel, Mr. Ahmed Raji (SAN) agreed that the previous bail granted Dasuki be allowed to continue since there was no objection

from the prosecution.

Raji however opposed the motion filed since June 3, 2016 seeking protection for prosecution witnesses on the grounds that the motion was predicated on the old charge.

The senior counsel informed the court that the prosecution had in January 23, 2017, filed an application on the same issue and wondered why the prosecution “chose to dance backwards to the motion of 2016” instead of going ahead with that of 2017.

He urged the court to allow him time to look for the counter-affidavit filed by his client against the 2016 motion so as to enable him respond appropriately as required by law.

Raji appealed to the court that the trial should not be decided immediately by the court until the request for a secret trial in the matter had been resolved.

Justice Mohammed, while affirming the bail granted Dasuki in 2015, adjourned the matter till May 11 for the motion on the secret trial to be determined.

Justice Ademola in 2015 dismissed the application for the secret trial of the former NSA on the grounds that the prosecution had already filed the names and addresses of all the witnesses in respect of the trial and made same available to the general public.

Senate C’ttee Lays PIB Report ahead of Consideration Damilola Oyedele in Abuja The Senate Joint Committees on Petroleum Upstream, Petroleum Downstream and Gas, yesterday laid its report for the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB) before the Senate ahead of its consideration.

The PIGB seeks to establish a framework for the creation of commercially-oriented and profit-driven petroleum entities that ensure 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.

The report was laid by the Chairman of the Joint Commitee, Senator Tayo Alasoadura (Ondo Central) and would be considered by the lawmakers on April 25, 2017 after resumption from easter recess.

Senate President, Bukola Saraki, yesterday lauded the joint committees for their work describing the day as a ‘historic day’.

Efforts to pass the PIB by previous assemblies have suffered setbacks for several reasons.

It is however considered to be one of the most critical economic bills, particularly in the period where the country pursues sustainable

economic development.

Saraki, at various times had promised that the PIB would be passed before the end of the eighth assembly.

At a three day public hearing organised by the joint committees in December 2016, the Senate President had lamented that such an important sector of the economy has for too long performed below efficiency indexes, with government and investors alike losing significant edge in the oil and gas investment trends.

“This situation has undermined our citizens’ standard of living, life expectancy, our national energy security and has resulted to other unforeseen fall-outs like labour unrest, fuel queues, high cost of delivery of products, high cost of delivery of overall services in the overall economy, and unquantifiable wastage of national productivity as a result.

“The state of the industry globally today has heightened and made it imperative that either we comprehensively reform our local industry to have a chance to keep it alive or become extinct. The oil and gas industry is yearning for good governance, competitiveness, transparency, indigenous participation and accountability,” he had said.

TOWARDS PEACE IN THE NIGER DELTA

Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), receiving Chief Wellington Okirika (second left); Chief Bubor Fiyewei and other delegates from Gbaramatu Kingdom during the second Modular Refinery Investors meeting at the State House in Abuja....Wednesday

One Killed, Five Injured in Fresh Xenophobic Attack on Nigerians in S’Africa Alex Enumah in Abuja Renewed attacks on Nigerians in South Africa yesterday claimed the life of one person and left five others injured in Polokwane, Limpopo Province of South Africa.

The attack which was carried out in broad daylight by a mob, was said to be connected to alleged involvement of the victims in drugs deals.

However, the Nigerian Acting High Commissioner to South Africa Martin’s Cobhams, who had since registered Nigeria’s grievances with the South African foreign affairs ministry over the attacks on her citizens, insisted that nobody has a right to take the law into his hands.

Cobhams said he also registered

Nigeria’s displeasure with the police over their inability to curtail the violence.

Speaking with THISDAY on telephone from Pretoria last night, he said: “I can confirm that a Nigerian, Razak Ajao, an auto mechanic, was killed and four others injured during a mob attack against foreigners in Polokwane, Limpopo Province of South Africa today (Thursday).

“The Nigerian mission has formally registered a protest to the South African ministry of foreign affairs on this sad incident.

“The ministry said they would get back to the mission and that is the situation we are now.

“The mission has also reported the attacks to the South African

police.

“Meanwhile, the mission is meeting with officials of Nigeria Union on the incident to decide on next line of action.

“We will continue to monitor the situation and keep you informed.”

Cobham said that two of the injured Nigerians have been treated and discharged while the others are still receiving treatment in the hospital.

Some reports say trouble stated when some South Africans swooped on Nigerians who were having a meeting at the neighborhood. `”They had a meeting on Tuesday and today (Thursday) supposed to be a follow up. It was at the peak of the meeting

that the South African taxi drivers suddenly emerged from nowhere and swooped on them,” the report said.

The report said the mob accused Nigerians of peddling drugs and began to attack them with dangerous weapons which eventually led to the death of a Nigerian while many others were seriously injured.

Another report from Smart Onwubiko, spokesperson of Ohanaeze Indigbo who stated that Nigerians have been under attack for the past two days, added that the angry mob stop taxis along the way in search of Nigerians.

He called on the government to act urgently in order to save their lives.

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Police to Conduct Autopsy on Rear Admiral Ikoli Suicidal textile dealer embraces life WHO tackles depression on World Health Day Chiemelie Ezeobi The Lagos State Police Command yesterday said it had begun a holistic investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Rear Admiral Daniel Teikumo Ikoli, the erstwhile Fleet Commander at Western Naval Command.

Ikoli, a former member of the Presidential Committee on Audit of Defense Equipment Procurement (CADEP), was

on Wednesday morning found in a pool of his own blood in his apartment at No 8B Roycroft Street, Apapa, Lagos.

Although the policemen from Area B Police Command, had first suspected assassination, they had later changed the report to a case of suicide after preliminary investigations, as was shown in their situation report to the command headquarters.

Nonetheless, the police investigation is supposed to entail

50 Nigerians Deported from Eight EU Countries Chinedu Eze Over 50 Nigerians were yesterday deported from eight European countries over immigration and drug related offences.

The countries include Germany, Switzerland, Luxemburg, Austria, Belgium, Spain, Hungary and Sweden.

The latest deportation is coming barely 48 hours after 40 Nigerians were deported for the same reasons from Italy and a week after 23 Nigerians were equally repatriated from United Kingdom.

The latest deportees arrived the country through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos with a chartered aircraft with flight number P6-6991 by 7:40a.m.

A source close to the Department of State Services (DSS) attached to the airport said that the deportees comprised 47 males and three females.

According to informed industry source, three of the deportees were repatriated for drug related issues while 47 others were returned for other immigration offences.

The source hinted that some of the 47 returnees entered the European countries with fake documents, illegal channels while others overstayed in the countries after the expiration of their visiting

visas.

On arrival, the officials of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) at the airport profiled the deportees while those with criminal offences were handed over to Nigeria Police for further prosecution.

“Nigerians are nowadays regularly deported from different countries including some African countries. The rate is very alarming and another batch of Nigerians may be deported next week for same offences,” the source said.

Just in February, 43 Nigerians were returned into the country from three European countries; Germany, Belgium and Italy.

An Immigration official told THISDAY that there have been efforts to prevent those who did not provide convincing document to show that they are travelling overseas for meaningful ventures from travelling.

“But often we are criticised when we stop those people. They only look at the money paid for flight ticket and visa, but they do not consider the disgrace to the country.

Watch videos of how Nigerians are slaughtered in Libya and other Arab countries and you see the reason those Nigerians should not be allowed to travel,” the Immigration official said.

No More Political Patronage in Contract Awards, Says NDDC Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has said it will adhere strictly to due process and not consider political patronage as criteria for awarding contracts.

Speaking while on a project site tour of NDDC projects in Ondo State, the Commission’s Managing Director, Nsima Ekere, expressed dismay at the attitude of the contractor handling the threestorey NDDC hostel complex at the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA), abandoned since 2009.

He declared: “We will take measures to safeguard the funds expended on this project.

When contractors claim to have a capacity they don’t have, they give the NDDC a bad name.

Henceforth, projects will no longer be awarded as political patronage.

With measures being put in place, such incidents will not happen in the New NDDC. We will invite the full weight of the law on erring contractors.”

Ekere directed the NDDC State Director for Ondo State, Mr. Weli Wanoru, to suspend further construction activity on the site and ensure that an integrity test is conducted on the project to verify the current state of the concrete structure.

“It appears the contractor is no longer interested in this project. Let work on this site be suspended.

Going forward, we will get a consultant to conduct an integrity test. If this project is to continue, we don’t want to compromise on the safety of the students.”

He condemned the attitude of the contractor towards the project, noting that he had been paid more than the quantity and quality of work done at the site.

conducting an autopsy to get the concrete cause of death- whether suicide or assassination, especially as there was no suicide note when the body was discovered.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Olarinde Famous-Cole, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, said investigation was yet to be concluded.

He said: “The police is still investigating but I can’t speak for the navy. On our part though, our investigation will involve autopsy.

“Our investigation will be comprehensive and we will look at the last people he spoke to that morning and the last call he made and the context of the calls.

“It will also involve interviewing his neighbours and the person that was living with him at that point. Already he is in police custody and he is cooperating.”

Meanwhile, the news of Ikoli’s

death has raised pertinent issues about ensuring periodic therapy for military personnel who are undergoing depression.

However, THISDAY gathered that the cause of death would not affect the entitlements of the late rear admiral, which would be given to his family.

A naval source who spoke on anonymity said, “For now, his death has thrown up pertinent issues like what the service constitution says about deaths of such manner.

“Since there is nothing in our service book concerning cases like this, I am sure Rear Admiral Ikoli would be given his full rights as due his rank and his entitlements paid to his family.”

In another development, the Lagos Island textile dealer, Mrs. Taiwo Momoh, who was prevented from committing suicide by the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) about weeks ago has embraced life.

Momoh had almost jumped into the Third Mainland Bridge, due to the huge debts she had accumulated after she was duped of thousands of dollar notes.

The RRS Public Relations Officer, Malik Nasir, who confirmed this said Momoh has not just embraced life but has returned to her business.

He said: “She had returned to her business. May God comfort and strengthen her and many others who are silently weathering the storms of life.”

Meanwhile, probably picking up on the suicidal trend, the World Health Organisation (WHO), has mapped today, April 7, 2017, as the Day against Depression.

According to the body, it’s aim is to make people more aware of depression and the fact that it can be prevented and treated, to have people with depression seek help; and family, friends and colleagues of people living with depression able to provide support.

WHO said depression is an illness characterised by persistent sadness and a loss of interest in activities that you normally enjoy, accompanied by an inability to carry out daily activities, for at least two weeks.

In its statement, the body said depression can happen to anybody, adding that it causes mental anguish and impacts on people’s ability to carry out even the simplest everyday tasks, with sometimes devastating consequences for relationships with family and friends and the ability to earn a living.

The statement also noted “At worst, it can lead to suicide, now the second leading cause of death among 15-29-year olds.

A better understanding of what depression is, and how it can be prevented and treated, will help reduce the stigma associated with the condition, and lead to more people seeking help.”

YOU ARE WELCOME

President Muhammadu Buhari (right), welcoming the former Governor of Edo State , Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, to his office at the Presidential Villa , Abuja ...yesterday Godwin Omoigui

Court to Rule April 25 on Application toVacate Order on Nnamdi Kanu’s Secret Trial Alex Enumah in Abuja A Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed April 25 for ruling on an application seeking to vacate an order of court on protection of witnesses, in the trial of leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu and three others.

The trial judge, Justice Binta Nyako, gave the date after listening to submissions of counsel for and against the motion.

Kanu and his co-accuseds, Chidiebere Onwudiwe, Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi, are currently facing an amended five-count charge of treasonable felony slammed against them by the federal government.

The federal government had earlier arraigned the pro-Brifians on an 11-count charge including terrorism, but Justice Nyako in a ruling on a defence’s motion

challenging the competence of the charge, struck out six of the charges including the one bordering on terrorism.

Also, Justice Nyako had on December 13, 2016, ordered that witnesses that would testify for the prosecution against Kanu and three others on trial for conspiracy to broadcast materials tended to secede from the Federal Republic of Nigeria and create a Biafra state be shielded from the public.

At the resumed trial, counsel to the defendants told the court of the need to review an earlier order of the court that upheld a motion on the protection of witnesses on grounds that there is no longer any justification for that order.

Counsel to Kanu, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, argued that since terrorism charge has been struck out, among others, against the defendants there was need to review the ruling which

gave the prosecution the right to shield witnesses.

He averred that terrorism act seeks leave to protect witnesses but now that that charge had been struck out from among the charges the defendants are been tried, it was necessary for court to set aside the order of December 13, 2016.

Counsel to the third defendant, Emmanuel Eseme, cited section 36 (4) of the 1999 Constitution as amended as saying that defendants standing trial on criminal cases should be tried in open court.

Also arguing along the same line, Chukwuma Ozougwu, counsel to the fourth defendant, Urged the court to treat all equally since they are all equal before the court.

However, prosecution counsel, Shuaibu Labaran, urged the court to dismiss the defendants’ applications

on grounds that it was frivolous, lacking in merit and an attempt to delay and frustrate the trial.

He drew the attention of the court to Section 232 (4) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), which gives a judge discretionary powers under which the December 13 order was made.

Responding, Justice Nyako, adjourned till April 25 for ruling on the application, a date she had earlier fixed also for ruling on the bail application of the defendants.

Justice Nyako though refused to take applications from the defendants which bordered on release of some of their personal effects, including cash and cars however, ordered that the wedding rings of the second and fourth defendants and the reading glasses of the second defendant be released to them before the next adjourned date.

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North-west Zone Governors Discuss Economic Integration to Tackle Challenges John Shiklam in Kaduna Governors of the seven states in the North-west zone are set to work together for the economic integration of the zone to address the economic and social problems

facing area.

Speaking during a plenary session at the Kaduna Investment forum yesterday, the governors of Kano, Kaduna, Zamfara and the deputy governor of Jigawa State said economic integration among

CBN Offers $100m for Wholesale Forwards The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday offered the sum of $100 million to authorised dealers at the forex auction in the interbank wholesale window.

The bank’s spokesman, Isaac Okorafor, who confirmed the offer disclosed that no interventions were made in the retail auction window for forex.

He, however, added that the CBN made special intervention of $10,000 to dealers in the Bureau de Change (BDC) segment yesterday.

According to him, the bank’s interventions in the different segments had ensured stability in the market and guaranteed availability to individuals and business concerns.

the seven states - Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Jigawa and Zamfara woud go a long way in addressing the challenges facing the states.

Contributing to the discussions, the Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, said the seven states should identify economic advantages that can move the region forward.

He noted that this is the first time, since the inception of this democracy in 1999, when the seven governors (of the North-west zone ) decided to come together to form a forum.

“We even went to the extent of employing a consultant who is giving us the green light on various issues on economic development,” he said.

He said the zone is the most

populous geopolitical zone, constituting 25 per cent of the population of Nigeria and occupying 23 per cent of the land mass in Nigeria.

Ganduje said: “What is required is the political will to come together and be fully integrated - socio economic integration beyond paper integration, integration that will bring development in terms of institutions and in terms of programmes that will improve the quality of lives of our people.”

He advocated the establishment of an integration commission which will look into the capacity of institutions, noting that if institutions are not developed, it will be impossible to achieve set goals.

Also contributing to the discussions, the Kaduna State

Governor, Mallam Nasir ElRufai, said for the state, regional integration is inevitable.

He said unless the north west zone recognises its problems and come together to address the common challenges, the zone will continue to pull Nigeria backward.

Speaking further, he noted that on Wednesday, the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, made certain observations about the state of northern Nigeria within the larger Nigeria context, stressing that “the truth of the matter is that when you look at human development in the indices of Nigeria, they hide alot of information, they saw us as middle income country, they saw that we are making progress in terms of education and health care.”

El-Rufai said: “When you disaggregate this number and

look at them from zone to zone, from state to state, it is very revealing, it shows for, instance, that some states in Nigeria are as backward as Afghanistan in terms of education, health care and opportunities. And many of the states in the north west are afflicted with these challenges, so unless we recognise that within the larger Nigerian context, we have some common problems in this region.

“We have the largest number of out-of-school children, we have the largest number of girls not completing basic education, we have the lowest levels of women giving birth in hospitals and health clinics, we have the highest infant mortality rate, we have the highest maternity mortality and morbidity rate”

Kyari Expresses Support for e-Voting Obinna Chima The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Defence, Senator Abubakar Kyari, has said electronic voting would be highly beneficial to Nigeria’s electoral process.

Kyari, who spearheaded the Electoral Reforms Act that legalised electoral voting in Nigeria, said this during an interview on Arise Television, a THISDAY sister network, yesterday.

He pointed out that the issue of electronic voting had been around for some time.

“Already our election system is electronically based. Almost 80 or 90 per cent is electronically based. The permanent voter’s card is also registered electronically. The problem that was there was in respect of the electronic smart card readers. But the smart card is now embedded in the new legislation,” he added.

Responding to a question about the likely manipulation of the electronic voting process, Kyari pointed that even when voting was on paper, such a challenge

also was a concern.

“There was ballot manipulation, ballot box snatching, result sheet manipulation,” he said.

“Just take the 2015 general elections. The use of the smart card readers was a bold step.

The smart card readers served its purpose. The smart card readers did not fail to read the cards. But probably the problem it had was that it failed in some instances.

“Look at the banking system today, it is electronically based. All our bank accounts are electronically based. Does that mean you shy away from keeping money in the bank? No, there are steps to secure that data. So, I believe we have looked at the pros and cons and decided when to introduce e-voting. What we are saying is that if it is feasible and if we can tie up the loose ends, we can now introduce it in 2019.

“So, it is up to INEC to look at the whole environment. When you look at the whole system and the whole process, from registration to announcement of results, it is all done electronically,” Kyari said.

Former NTA DG, Patrick Ityohegh Dies at 76

Ortom condoles with family George Okoh in Makurdi A former Director General of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Dr. Patrick Ityohegh, has died.

According to a family source, Ityohegh died in the early hours of yesterday at a private hospital after a protracted illness.

The former director general is credited for the growth of the NTA in the 1990s Reacting to demise of the former director general, the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has urged the media to package Ityohegh for posterity.

Ortom spoke when he paid a condolence visit to the family of the deceased in Makurdi yesterday.

“I think Nigeria will forever miss him but the media, well after his existence on earth will still package him for posterity,” he stated.

“We have lost a genius, we have

lost love, benevolence, kindness, humility; a humorous man.”

According to the governor, when someone was sad and met the deceased he would make such a person happy.

He said the Ityohegh gave support to many Benue indigenes who met him while he served in other places in the country.

The governor also stated that the deceased also left a legacy of beautification of his immediate environment.

“I remember that he anchored beautification within his residence right here where he was living, and then he extended it to Tarka Foundation and other parts of the state,” he stressed.

He pledged that the state government would support the family to give the deceased a befitting funeral.

Ityohegh will be remembered for his role in the Sunny Side of live.

DIPLOMATIC VISIT

British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Paul Arkwright (left), and Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, during envoy’s courtesy visit to the governor in Government House, Lokoja...yesterday

Non-release of Amnesty Funds Threatening Gains Recorded in N’Delta, Senate Warns To probe bid by FRSC to sell speed limiters to motorists Damilola Oyedele in Abuja The Senate yesterday said the non-release of funds to the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) is threatening to erode the gains recorded by restoration of peace to the Niger Delta region, and may cause a resurgence of militant activities.

The non-release of the N15 billion vired in the 2016 budget to complement the N20 billion appropriated for the programme, has resulted in PAP struggling to meet its obligations to its workers and beneficiaries of the amnesty programme, the Senate said.

The Senate therefore urged the Minister of Finance to release the balance sum of N15 billion in the 2016 Appropriation Act for the funding of the amnesty programme.

It also directed its Committee on Niger Delta to investigate the circumstances leading to the funding constraints and to investigate how Abia and Akwa Ibom States were shortchanged in the composition of beneficiaries, by impersonation of some of their indigenes.

The resolutions were sequel to a motion sponsored by Senator Peter Nwaoboshi (Delta North) who noted that the situation is becoming very serious and is capable of truncating the lofty programme, as tensions and threats are already palpable in the Niger Delta region, and among the beneficiaries at home and abroad.

Nwaoboshi added that 30,000 beneficiaries of N65,000 monthly allowance are being owed for five months, while the programme was owing N1.87 billion to local universities in addition to N830,500.00 backlog of unpaid in-training allowance.

“The educational programme (Offshore) is suffering the same fate as unpaid in-training allowances for 750 students between 2016 and 2017 amounted to US$4,200,000. equivalent of N1,332,000,000 and unpaid tuition fee for 350 students amounting to the sum of US$17,500,000 equivalent of N512,500,000.”

“Note also that in 2016, the Vocational Training Unit projected to train 1,770 due to lack of fund

and worst still, many people are pressing to be included in the amnesty programme, failure for which they are threatening to go back into agitation and militancy, which they have earlier renounced,” the senator added.

Nwaoboshi lamented that 70 per cent of the 637 students in various institutions in 27 countries who are expected to graduate at the end of the 2016/2017 academic year may not be able to do so, due to non-payment of tuition fees.

“Currently, more than 80 per cent have been excluded from studies and if the tuition fees are not promptly settled, this may lead to their repeat of the whole academic session, thus compounding the financial burden. Moreover, about 100 graduates are currently stranded in the United States of America, Malaysia, United Kingdom and South Africa, awaiting their October, 2016 to January, 2017 allowances to enable them settle their bills and return to Nigeria,” Nwaoboshi said.

Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South) called for investigation into how indigenes of the Abia State,

were replaced with non-indigenies.

“In the presence of the Vice President, fictitious names were listed for Abia, as indigenes of the state,” he said.

Senator Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom North West) said there were similar instances in his state, when during a visit to some of the schools in London, non-indigenes were discovered occupying the slots of Akwa Ibom state.

In another development, the Senate also directed its Committee on Federal Character to investigate the proposal by the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) to mandate motorists to install speed limiters, which would be purchased from the commission, in their vehicles.

The resolution was sequel to a point of order raised by Senator Dino Melaye the (Kogi West) who noted that policy would cause further hardship for Nigerians.

Melaye added that the policy is a draconian move, and urged the Senate to protect Nigerians from it.

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FG Sets up Committee to Reconcile, Clear Pension Backlog Dogara: No excuse for non-payment of pensions James Emejo in Abuja The Minister of Budget and Planning , Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, yesterday said the federal government would constitute a special committee to reconcile conflicting figures on pensioners claims and evolve creative measures to raise funds towards resolving the huge pension liabilities to workers.

The committee, he added, would be headed by the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun.

Nevertheless,he disclosed that the federal government had concluded plans to mobilise resources to clear part of the outstanding pension entitlements put at over N174 billion.

The federal government indebtedness to pensioners is currently valued at over N300 billion.

Udoma stated this when he appeared alongside Adeosun to brief members of the House of Representatives at the plenary on measures being adopted by government to alleviate the plight of pensioners who earlier petitioned the House over the mounting indebtedness.

Both were summoned last week.

He said the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari attaches priority to payment of pensioners as promised in the president’s campaign promises to Nigerians.

He added that about a half of total revenue generated by government is spent on settlement of pensioners entitlement and payment of salaries.

Adeosun said the release

of N54 billion on Wednesday to clear outstanding pension liabilities further proved government’s commitment towards addressing pensioners’ plight.

She said government’s inability to meet its obligations to pensioners was largely tied to shortfalls in revenue occasioned by recent volatility in the oil sector but assured oensioners that the issue would be resolved when the reconciliation and verification processes are sorted out.

She, therefore, absolved the current administration of blame.

Adeosun noted that though the sum of N191.2 billion was appropriated by the National Assembly, only N99. 5 billion was released, leaving a shortfall of N142.6 billion.

Notwithstanding the ministers’ presentations, the House warned that it would not accept excuses for reneging on pension obligations by the federal government.

The Speaker of the House, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, charged the executive to ensure that all backlog of pension payments are made promptly, adding that “no excuse will be accepted for failure to do so.”

Dogara gave this charge after both ministers made presentations to the House.

However, he said he remained confident of the promise made by Buhari that issues surrounding non-payment of pensions to retired federal civil servants will be addressed.

He recalled that when President Buhari made a promise to provide bailout

Court Nullifies Amended NBA Constitution Ejiofor Alike A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has restrained the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and its officers from conducting the affairs of the association on the basis of the constitution amended and adopted at the association’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Abuja on August 27, 2015.

In the suit Number FHC/ ABJ/CS/545/2016 filed by Olasupo Ojo against the registered trustees of the NBA, the presiding judge, Justice John Tsoho, also granted the plaintiff’s prayers that by the provision of Section 600 of the Companies and Allied Matters Act of 2004, the amended constitution of the NBA purportedly amended and adopted at the said AGM, upon which the administration and affairs of the NBA has been and is being conducted, is void.

Upon the plaintiff’s originating summons, the presiding judge also granted the prayer that the amended constitution of the NBA adopted at the delegates’ conference held in Calabar on August 31, 2001, as registered and approved by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) in compliance with the provisions

of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2004 is the extant and valid constitution of the NBA. The plaintiffs also sought and obtained a declaration that all actions taken by the NBA in the name of the amended constitution, including the conduct of elections in the branches of NBA, as well as the plan and notice for the election into the national offices of the association are null and void on the basis of their inconsistency with the constitution adopted in Calabar in 2001.

The court also voided all decisions, actions and activities carried out by the association’s officers, staff, organs, committees, branches or any person acting on behalf of the association on the basis of the voided constitution.

In line with the prayers of the plaintiffs, the court ordered that the NBA’s constitution adopted at the delegates conference held in Calabar on August 31, 2015, as registered with and approved by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) in compliance with the provisions of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2004 is the valid constitution of NBA.

funds to states for payment of backlog of salaries, he ensured that it was done.

According to him, “We will not accept any excuse that leaves part of this pension funds hanging. When the president made a commitment that he was going to release money for bailout to states so that they can pay backlog of salaries and pensions, it happened, even though we were in the midst of a very biting recession. Now the president has said this issue of pension must be solved.

“I don’t know where you got the money to bail out the states from, wherever you got the money from, that is where we are going to get the money to solve this problem. And for the ministers who are representatives

of the president, I believe you won’t make him (Buhari) break his words because his words are cherished. I want to believe this will be the last intervention we will be having with regards to the issue of pensions in this country. That is my charge.

“The message the House will be sending to the president through the ministers is, when you meet him to brief him about this engagement, just tell him that we have taken his words to the bank and we believe that we will cash it.”

However, barely one hour after the plenary, President of the National Union of Pensioners (NUP), Abel Afolayan, in a statement obtained by THISDAY, disclosed that federal government’s indebtedness to the

Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) was over N280 billion.

Breakdown of the amount showed shortfall of N62,484,887,175 for 2014; N38,453,996,566 deficit for 2015 and N38,453,996,566 deficit for 2016 fiscal year.

“2016 was even worse as N91,914,899,000 was required, but the Budget Office proposed only N50,195,808,918 to the National Assembly, which also approved it, leaving a deficit of N41,719,090,082.

“Worst still, of the N50,195,808,918 approved in the 2016 budget, only the sum N18,823,428,342 or mandates for four months was released and cash-backed, while N31,372,380,576 or mandate for seven and half months was

never cash-backed and released.

He said: “Meanwhile, the truth is that approval of payment is not the same as payment. It will be good for the minister to tell us when the fund was transferred to the National Pension Commission, and when it will hit pensioners’ accounts.

“Importantly, we are saddened that the federal government is claiming to have cleared pension arrears when the minister did not say a word regarding the over N174 billion owed pensioners who retired under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS). Does it mean that pensioners under this scheme have finally been condemned to life of eternal hardship, sickness, and untimely death?”

GIVING BACK TO THE SOCIETY

L-R: Member, Delta State House of Assembly, Emeke Nwaobi; Governor Ifeanyi Okowa; Group Managing Director, Rainoil Limited, Mr. Gabriel Ogbechie; his wife, Godfrey; and Chairman, Aniocha North Local Government Area, Mr. Chucks Oseme, at the inauguration of a two-kilometre road by Rainoil Limited in Idumuje Ugboko, Delta State....recently

Stop Victimising Audu’s Supporters, Faleke Warns FG, Bello The All Progressives Party (APC) deputy governorship candidate in the 2015 election in Kogi State, James Faleke, has raised the alarm over the spate of deliberate victimisation of members of the Audu/Faleke political family within the party by both the federal and state governments respectively.

In a statement issued yesterday, Faleke who is a member of House of Representatives, warned that the cruel lopsidedness in appointments which is deliberately skewed against the Audu/Faleke members may be detrimental to the the political fortunes of the party in the nearest future.

Faleke noted that at a time when the federal government should be looking for ways of assuaging the feelings of members of his group who actually campaigned and won the governorship seat for the APC in the state, all appointments so far have been allotted to the Governor Yahaya Bello’s faction of the party in the state.

On the part of the governor,

Faleke expressed dismay with the level his administration would go on a voyage of self-serving vendetta to annihilate members of the political family of the late Prince Abubakar Audu who actually campaigned and won the governorship seat that he and his hoards of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) appointees are currently enjoying.

“My heart bleeds over the macabre dance of unimaginable treachery and victimisation of patriotic and loyal members of APC who actually campaigned and won the governorship seat for the party in the state that was cruelly gifted Bello. Unfortunately, the most culpable party is the federal government that is supposed to play the role of father- to -all. Till date, not a single federal appointment has been extended to our members, rather the appointments go to cronies of the governor, who knew next to nothing as to the energy and toil we put into the campaigns that won the APC both the presidential and

governorship elections in the state among others.”

According to Faleke, “Most worrisome is the disturbing trend of marginalisation of Kogi West in these federal appointments. I would not be wrong to conclude that the good people of Kogi West where I hail from are being ruthlessly punished by the powers that be as part of a bigger bizarre political script to completely shut me and my supporters out of reckoning.

“How else can one explain the appointments of majority of PDP members into the cabinet of Governor Bello including the recent appointments of Senior

Special Assistants (SSAs) and Special Assistants(SAs) from the Stable of PDP when loyal APC members, the proverbial goose that lay the golden eggs, are left to lick the wounds? How desperate and heartless can some people go in the name of political vendetta?”

According to him, “The APC in the state is now more divided than ever. And can a house divided against itself ever stand? The larger implication of this unfortunate development to the party, if not urgently addressed, is better imagined.

A word, they say, is enough for the wise.”

Former NICE Chair Loses Wife The wife of the former Chairman Nigeria Institution of Civil Engineers (NICE) Mrs. Dorcas Omopeloye, is dead. She died after a brief illness.

According to a statement signed by the family, the wake keep will take place at her residence,

on April 7, by 5p.m, while the burial service would take place at Youth Chapel, Canaanland Interment at Covenant cemetery Canaaland, and the reception would be held at No 20, Johnson Agiri Hall Oko Oba, Agege, Lagos State.

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FG to Save N5bn Annually from Air Fare Discounts Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja The federal government is targeting an estimated savings of about N5 billion annually from air ticket discounts following an arrangement with some airlines under the Efficiency Unit (E-UNIT) of the Ministry of Finance.

The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, made the disclosure in Abuja yesterday at a workshop organised by the E-UNIT in collaboration with Dana Air, for personnel in the protocol units of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government.

The workshop was designed to acquaint them with the contract agreement between some airlines and the government on discounted air fare.

Adeosun, who was represented by a Director in the ministry, Mrs. Laraba Shaibu, stated that the workshop was designed to sensitise the MDAs on the initiatives of the E-Unit which are targeted at moderating the federal governments expenditure on travels.

According to her, the workshop would provide an opportunity for officers in MDAs to be aware of the initiatives and in particular, to be equipped with details of how to access the 50 per cent travel discount offered by Dana Airlines Limited to the MDAs on its local and regional routes.

“It is common knowledge that, if as a country we had invested more in capital projects, the state of our infrastructure would have been better than what it is today,” she said.

“This arrangement with Dana Airlines Limited is the first among several on-going activities of the E-Unit to use the federal government’s large buying power to secure commensurate discounts from providers of goods and services.

From discounts on air travels alone, we expect to have saved N5 billion per annum when the legal documentation of the discounts offered by other

airlines are concluded,” she disclosed.

Travel costs by MDAs (local and international) is saud to have accounted for N353.70 billion among top five overhead expenditure items of federal government’s expenditures between 2012 and 2015.

Other list of expenditure items such as maintenance (all fixed assets) gulped 228.45 billion, training (local and international) N 176.66 billion, Office Stationery and Computer Consumables N166.27 and welfare 129.43 billion totalling N 1,054.51trillion.

Head, E-Unit, Mrs. Patience Oniha in a presentation to the participants at the workshop said the current administration embarked on financial reforms on discovering that its revenue had dropped sharply by about 50 per cent since 2015 when crude oil prices collapsed noting that the drop was compounded by disruptions in local production.

“Government’s expenditure on the other hand has been growing as evidenced by the size of the annual budgets. The shortfalls in revenue have translated to budget deficits funded largely through borrowing. A significant part of the federal government’s expenditure have been on Personnel (over 60 per cent) to the detriment of capital expenditure,” she said.

According to her, one of the financial reform measures introduced by the present administration was the creation of an E-UNIT, to enable the government deploy more resources to capital in order to achieve value for money and savings from the procurement process.

Oniha said E-UNIT, carefully , after discussing with a number of airlines arrived at a mutual agreement that would enable government officials on official assignment travel on discounted 50 per cent rate air tickets.

She warned that the discount is strictly for official assignments while discount cannot be transfered to any siblings or relations.

FG Specifies Acceptable Levels of Sulphur in Petroleum Fuels Bennett Oghifo The federal government has specified the level of sulphur that would henceforth be acceptable in petroleum fuels used in the country.

A statement yesterday by the Director-General/CEO, National Automotive Design and Development Council, Mr. Aminu Jalal, on ‘new Nigerian Standards on Petroleum Fuels,’ said: “The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), after due consultations with relevant stakeholders, have therefore reduced the maximum allowed levels of sulphur in petroleum fuels in Nigeria.

“From July 1, 2017, diesel should have maximum sulphur levels of 50 parts per million (ppm) (Reference NIS 948:2017); from July 1, 2017, petrol should have maximum Sulphur levels of 150 ppm (Reference NIS 116:2017);

and from July 1, 2017, Household Kerosine (HHK) should have maximum Sulphur levels of 150 ppm (Reference NIS 949:2017).

Sulphur in petroleum fuels results in vehicle exhaust emissions that have negative health and environmental impacts. Harmful emission reducing technologies in vehicles also require low sulphur fuels to be effective.

Petroleum fuels that have high sulphur levels generate directly high emission levels in automotive engines. Such vehicle emissions contain high level of toxic pollutants such as benzenes and particulates that have negative impacts on human health and on the environment.

Technically, modern vehicles require fuels that meet high quality standards for a more efficient operation of their engines.

Her words: “19 airlines responded offering discounts of 5 to 50 per cent, some flat

fares. Aero Contractors and Arik were among the 19. For the regional and international

carriers, the discounts vary for different routes,” she added.

Oliha said while agreement

with Dana airlines had been concluded , others were at various stages of completion.

Gowon, Babangida, Atiku, Others to Grace Anya’s Birthday Dinner Ejiofor Alike Former military Heads of State, Generals Yakubu Gowon and Ibrahim Babangida, as well as a former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, are among prominent Nigerians who will grace a high profile birthday dinner to be organised for Professor Anya Oko Anya.

Anya, who recently joined the octogenarian club, will be hosted to a dinner by a group of his young friends led by Mr. Udeme Ufot.

Ufot said in a statement yesterday that the dinner would be held in celebration of an exceptional leader of virtue who has relentlessly served the country.

The event, which is scheduled to hold on April 8, 2017 at the Intercontinental Hotel, Lagos, is also expected to attract the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, present and past governors, National Assembly members, states houses of assembly members, diplomats, captains of industry, members of the Ndigbo community in Lagos,

and Committee of Abiriba youths of Abia State, among other eminent guests.

The statement described Anya as an embodiment of a transcendental quality, adding that his career odyssey in the academic environment was enthralling having spent 37 years in the Ivory Tower; before he retired in 2002.

At the University of Nigeria, he carved a niche for himself as he left indelible landmarks in the citadel. Among other positions and appointments, he is famous for the School of Postgraduate Studies which he founded and became its first Director and Chief Executive. Prof Anya often dubbed as the Professor of Professors, occupied strategic positions in the affairs of Nigeria including being the First Director General of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group.

According to the statement, Anya’s antecedents lend credence to his belief that it takes strong personalities to nurture strong institutions.

“From academics to the corporate world where he is a redoubtable boardroom colossus, Professor

Anya has demonstrated to be an irrepressible alchemist who’s Midas touch has transformed many fledgling outfits to blue chip organizations. Prominent in the roll call of organisations that are beneficiaries of his entrepreneurial acuity include Diamond Bank, where he was founding director for 15 years, Citizens Bank and Technology Distribution Ltd, the conglomerate that gave birth to Zinox Computers and Yudala, amongst others, where he has been Chairman for over ten years. He is also presently the Chairman of Nestoil, a leading player in the Energy sector,” Ufot explained.

The event would also feature the launch of a two volume book titled “Times, Thoughts and Ideas” which explores the interdisciplinary mind of Anya.

The book is said to dwell passionately on how history, socio-cultural, socio-political and socio-economic tendencies overlap as well as complement each other in its existence within the competing blocks in Nigeria.

It also presents a fresh

perspective to what it means to be a Nigerian, within a country full of contradictions as such strongly calls for the reinvention of our society.

Gowon is expected to be the Chairman of the event whilst Professor Chidi Odinkalu, renowned lawyer and advocate will be the book reviewer.

In addition to the book launch, there will be a week long special art exhibition curated by Ugoma Adegoke. The fitting visual tribute to the Professor who is also an extraordinary art patron, collector and advocate for the arts and artists will showcase a selection of important works from his Collection.

Poised to give guests a very rare treat to enjoy works from some of Nigeria’s most influential modern artists, the works which are largely recognized as rare, vintage pieces will be juxtaposed with exciting contemporary works by today’s Nigerian artists whose styles and artistic ethos could be considered inspired by the works and affectation of those modern masters.

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2017

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Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

Eagles Continue Impressive Show in FIFA Ranking Brazil climbs to the summit for the first time in seven years Duro Ikhazuagbe Super Eagles continued their impressive ratings under Gernot Rohr’s watch as Nigeria stepped up one place from 41st to 40th spot in the latest FIFA Rankings released yesterday.

Rohr’s men who have played five games, pulling a draw against Senegal in the FIFA window in London last fortnight, are fifth best in the African ranking. The other game that would have further soared Eagles standing was against Burkina Faso in London but unfortunately didn’t hold due to visa problems for the Stallions.

The Pharaohs of Egypt, are leading the continental ranking with Senegal and Cameroon occupying the second and third places respectively with Burkina Faso in the fourth place.

Congo DR is sixth while Tunisia, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire and Morocco complete the list of Africa’s Top ten football nations.

Of the African lot, the Burkinabes have made the most impressions in recent times. The Stallions who are ranked 36th globally recently defeated Ghana in the Match for Third Place at the 2017 CAF Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon to earn their stripes. The result was viewed as something of a surprise, given that they had been eliminated at the group stage of the continental

fiesta back in 2015.

In the earlier stages of Gabon 2017, Burkina Faso got the better of Guinea-Bissau (2-0), Tunisia (1-0) and Ghana (1-0), and drew with hosts Gabon (1-1) and eventual winners Cameroon (1-1).

At the global level, five-times world champions Brazil have returned to what they will consider their rightful place at the top of the FIFA rankings for the first time in seven years.

The Brazilians have enjoyed an impressive revival since Tite replaced Dunga as their national team coach last year, winning all nine matches they have played under his leadership including eight World Cup qualifiers.

They continued their run in March with a 4-1 win in Uruguay and 3-0 win over Paraguay to become the first side to book their place at next year’s World Cup in Russia with four games to spare.

Brazil, who replaced archrivals Argentina at the top, previously led the rankings going into the 2010 World Cup where they were eliminated by the Netherlands in the quarterfinals.

In second place of the global ranking is Argentina with 2014 World Cup winners Germany in the third place.

Chile is occupying the fourth place with Colombia,

Super Eagles have continued to enjoy good ranking under Gernot Rohr France, Belgium, Portugal, Switzerland and Spain making up the world’s top ten ranking respectively.

AFRICA TOP 10 1. Egypt 2. Senegal

3. Cameroon 4. Burkina Faso 5. Nigeria 6. Congo DR

7. Tunisia 8. Ghana 9. Cote d’Ivoire 10. Morocco

Ahmed Musa Threatens Legal Action over ‘Wife Beating’ Reports

Masters 2017: Injured Dustin Pulls out

Nigeria and Leicester City forward, Ahmed Musa, is considering the possibility of taking legal action after his agent, Tony Harris, described information that he was arrested for beating up his wife Jamila as erroneous.

The forward, who joined Leicester City for a club record fee, was quizzed by Leicestershire police in the early hours of Wednesday morning, after they were called to a commotion at his home in Countesthorpe.

Musa was later released without charge after his own version of the story was backed by the police and his agent has insisted reports of

World number one Dustin Johnson is out of the Masters at Augusta National after suffering a back injury in a fall at his rental home on Wednesday.

The American, 32, looked set to take part after warming up on the range but he then withdrew on the first tee.

The US Open champion fell on the stairs and hurt his lower back on Wednesday.

“I’m playing the best golf of my life and to have a freak accident happen yesterday afternoon, it sucks really bad,” said Johnson.

“I have been worked on all morning and obviously I can take some swings, but

the 24-year-old’s arrest hours after he had wished his wife a happy birthday on Instagram had been exaggerated.

“A row ensued between Musa and Jamila which drew the attention of neighbours and the police were notified,” Harris told UK’s the Guardian.

“The police duly spoke with Musa along with a couple of witnesses in the house and have since closed the matter with no further action whatsoever as there is no case to answer. No charges were brought against Musa or his wife.

“It’s normal for a couple to have a bit of a row now and again, however, Musa did not at any point hit his wife nor

was he attacked by her. ‘’It was a mere domestic issue which has now been resolved and they are now talking again.

“Everyone knows Musa is a jolly good fellow. ‘’He doesn’t drink or smoke, doesn’t party and has never been in trouble with the police all his life. He couldn’t harm a fly.’’

The Nigeria international is understood to be very upset about the way the incident was reported and has been in touch with his legal representatives to discuss potential action.

According to a club statement, Musa would be asked to explain what happened when he back in for training today (Friday).

2017 B’BALL SEASON

Peak Sports Backs Oyedeji’s Hoops and Read Team Ahead of the 2017 Nigeria Professional Basketball League, new entrants into the league, Hoops and Read Basketball Club owned by former national men’s team (D’Tigers’) Captain, Olumide Oyedeji, has secured the sponsorship of Peak Sports.

The former NBA star disclosed yesterday while analysing his expectation from his players in their very first outing in the league that the support given to his team by Peak Sports will go a long way in motivating the players to give their best.

Oyedeji who donned Ebun Comets Basketball colours in

the domestic league before moving to the United States of America to further his professional career, said his players have played series of friendly games during their preparations and are now ready for the commencement of the season.

The sponsorship, according to Oyedeji, includes kits and other logistics that will motivate the players to display the talents in them during the league.

During their preparations for the new season, the players were made to train at the University of Lagos and Rowe Park Complex in Lagos.

“The entire team is very happy that we have a very reliable company in Peak Sports sponsoring us, I will say we are the first to do this even if we are still a new team in the league”, says Oyedeji “This sponsorship will definitely motivate the players to give their best. Our objective is to combine education with sports and I can assure you that we are coming up with something different”, the ex-NBA star added Meanwhile, the men’s league is expected to commence on April 13 with the first game scheduled for Lagos.

I can’t swing full, I can’t make my normal swing and I didn’t think there was any chance I could compete.”

The 15-time PGA Tour winner added: “I was wearing socks and slipped and went down the three stairs. The left side of my lower back took the brunt of it and my left elbow is bruised as well.”

Johnson’s caddie was placing the ball on his tee for him on the range, while coach Butch Harmon said pain hindered Johnson’s rest overnight.

Shortly before his withdrawal, he progressed from hitting wedge shots on the range to fuller swings

and his involvement looked likely as he made his way to the first tee for a scheduled 19:03 BST start alongside playing partners Bubba Watson and Jimmy Walker.

Johnson was a popular pick to win the first major of the year as a result of the fine form he has shown in 2017. He has won the past three tournaments in which he has competed - February’s Genesis Open, and both the WGC Mexico Championship and WGC Dell Match Play in March.

As well as winning last year’s US Open by four shots, he finished ninth at the Open Championship and tied fourth at the Masters.

Lord’s Partners David Mark Birthday Golf Pro-Am Tourney This weekend’s David Mark Birthday Golf ProAm Tournament at Otukpo in Benue State has been boosted with the additional sponsorship from Nigeria’s premium gin, Lord’s Dry Gin. The tournament is also expected to feature over 80 amateur players competing for various prizes in the Ladies, Men and Veteran categories.

Brand Manager of Lord’s Dry Gin, Adebowale Bojuwade, said yesterday that the partnership was an extension of the company’s long term association with the values of the noble game of golf.

“Golf and Lords have

come a long way and we are taking steps to deepen our commitment to the game, especially in helping the players have better enjoy and relax with the game.”

The event in Otukpo is parading the full assembly of the Nigerian Professional Golfers’ Association members who are hoping to pick up rankling points by the time the event is concluded on Sunday.

Boluwade added that, The St. Mark Golf Course is very unique, especially in its investment in the future of the game; “Otukpo has a vibrant golf academy here and most of the people that grace event usually gather

from different parts of the country,” he added.

Amateur player’s would be competing over 36 holes at the event from Saturday April 8 to Sunday 9th while the presentation ceremony is scheduled to hold after Sunday’s game.

Players would savour the taste of the premium drink in different shades at the event, as a way of adding glamour to the weeklong event.

The brand has existing partnerships with different golf clubs across the country and presently sponsors the only golf programme on radio “Teeing-off with Lords” that runs on four different radio stations across the country.

Friday, April 7, 2017

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MISSILE Tinubu to PDP Senate Caucus “Those behind the report know they cannot show themselves for what they truly are. Their tactics are underhanded because their objectives are equally so. They lie because the awful objective they seek cannot be gained by telling the truth” – Former Lagos State governor and prominent leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu berating fifth columnists for trying to stir unnecessary controversy between him and the PDP Senate caucus.

OKEYIKECHUKWU EDIFYING ELUCIDATIONS

okey.ikechukwu@thisdaylive.com

Ecological Issues Around Onitsha Port

T

hree week ago the World Bank signed an agreement with Sokoto State government, to rebuild an old dam across the Niger. Sokoto state probably has the longest stretch of the Niger. It also produces more rice than several states put together. At about the same time that Sokoto was concluding the World Bank arrangement, major stakeholders and South East business community called for quick government action to make the Onitsha River Port operational. They pointed out that all that needs to happen is for government to rebuild the river port built in Onitsha in the 80s and commissioned by former Vice President Alexander Ekwueme.

Such a major economic infrastructure will ease trade, reduce the cost of imported goods in South East markets, create jobs and generally enable the full economic potential of the South East and environs. Papers have been written on it, with Environmental impact assessments (EIAs) and a near-consensus among experts on the economic benefits. There is, however, little discussion about the most important ingredient for a river port, namely water.

Yes, water! You need water for a river port.

The Onitsha end of the river Niger does not have enough. Dredging is a good idea, but it will give you a bigger ditch and not necessarily more water. It will also wipe out the means of livelihood of water dependent local economies. The confirmed practice in Norway, of “gating” and later discharging the water to secure enough depth is a good idea but, all things considered, we may need sachets of pure water to fill up the place to get enough draught for ship. Barges, too, will have their own problems on that route.

The summary of challenges facing the proposed Onitsha River Port are: (1) river dams along the Niger, Benue and their many tributaries, (2) unrealistic projections about the prospects of the project; (3) delusional notions about the credibility of some of the existing Environmental Impact Assessment (AIE) reports; (4) politicization of the economic value of a river port in Onitsha, as against Port Harcourt and Calabar; (5) the game plans of individuals who wish to upgrade their relevance by fighting secure vital “federal project for Ndigbo”, while sometimes knowing that it will either not work or that it will not bring the alleged benefits, and, finally; (6) insecurity along the inland waterways.

The Egbesu Boys, the militants and freelance mischief makers will certainly not form a row of cheerleaders, to applaud and welcome water vessels making their way through the creeks.

The situation is like what we had a few years ago when the Federal Government was then building massive gas turbines for electricity supply. While we were waiting for more mega watts of electricity, no provision was made for gas. As the then then minister confessed at a private forum that there was no “gas plan”. Much of our gas was already mortgaged to foreign customers. When he was pointedly asked: “So if the turbines are ready now, as we speak, they won`t contribute

Minister of Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman Adamu a single megawatt to national power supply, because no arrangements have been made for gas”? The shocking answer was “Yes”!

Those who are looking forward to a vibrant port in Onitsha should therefore think of a “water plan”. The dams built across the rivers Niger and Benue, and their tributaries, over the years have reduced the overall water volume of the lower Niger by nearly 58%. The Federal Government plans to build another 40 this year, to boost dry season farming. There are now tiny islands, and unprecedented siltation, at the Onitsha end of the river. So, the first real enemies of Onitsha River Port are not necessarily the Federal Government

In a world where the World Bank recently suspended financial support for the Inga 3 dam on the River Congo, and where Chile`s largest power generator, Endesa, stopped six hydropower projects, the same World Bank is here to build more dams. Even the Chinese have stopped their plans to construct a series of dams across the country`s last freeflowing rivers, the Nujiang

that deliberately wants to cripple the project, or some Igbo elites who have allegedly been settled to scuttle the fortunes and economic prospects of the South East.

The Ministry of Environment should pay more attention to the activities of the agriculture ministry, bearing in mind the current global response to the devastating impact of dams on people and the environment within the past 60 years. Dams have altered ecosystems, ruined food chains and obliterated local economies for hundreds of thousands of kilometres of waterways all over the world. The confluence of some cold rivers with warmer ones have been permanently altered worlwide, while some flowing waters have been made to stagnate and create saturated water that wiped out fresh water aquatic life. Some rivers are now fragments of their former selves and others have dried up completely, as can be seen when you drive from Enugu, through Anyigba, to Abuja.

It is on record, for instance, that massive fish populations were killed on the Snake River, Idaho, in the US by dam construction; leading to the decimation of salmon species, among others. An Idaho State Senator, Frank Church, who originally supported dam building later rose in defense of natural waterways and spoke against dams. It was the same Frank Church who, after he saw the damage to the environment, eventually wrote the Wild and Scientific Rivers Act, passed in 1968. Yes, we know about the Suez Canal and its economic value, but the general global concern today about the fate of streams, rivers and other natural waterways comes from the realization that ecosystems are going under and that the unsustainable violation of natural habitats by damming has a negative impact on the global food web and even the climate.

One of the main reasons freshwater fish numbers have declined all over the world, leading to a loss of 80% of fresh water wild life since 1970, is the damming of rivers. The verdict of the World Commission on Dams, in 2000 was that dams had displaced between 40 – 80 million people. This makes it the single human activity with the greatest capacity to create Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

Even in the US, the initial excitement that greeted the building of dams in the 1940s and 1950s was followed by fierce and bitter battles between environmentalists and dam builders.

As I write, over 22,000 kilometers of free-flowing rivers in the US are protected

by Frank Church`s Act. What has been the fate of communities displaced by dams all over Nigeria? How much inland waterways do we still have under the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA)? What does NIWA really do today? How many people still take a ride on sections of the River Benue that were once used for water transportation?

Who drank up the water and created empty water channels and dry rivers with massive bridges between Lokoja and Anyigba, and all over Nigeria? I am certainly not the one!

We are warming up to build a port in Onitsha and we are doing this at a time the US

is upfront in a campaign to “decommission” many dams. Recorded successes in this regard, with measurable positive environmental impact, including removal of the dam on the Elwha river in Washington State. One year after the last dam was removed in 2014, the Chinook species of fish, which had not been seen there for more than 100 years reappeared. More than 4,000 Chinook spawners were counted above the former dam site. It is also in the US that people are taking proactive steps to reclaim their lives, by removing dams that interfered with their ecosystems and way of life. The Mohawks, in New York State, recently removed the Hogansburg dam on the St. Regis River, thus becoming the first US sub social group to remove a federal dam. This action of the Mohawks opened up nearly 700 kilometres of stream, liberated the natural habitat of migratory fish and restored many local economies.

After the last dam was removed from the River Elwha, for instance, river fish populations flourished. In a world where Brazil’s environmental agency has suspended the licensing process for the Sao Luiz Tapajos dam, the second largest hydroelectric dam in the country, we are building more. In a world where the World Bank recently suspended financial support for the Inga 3 dam on the River Congo, and where Chile`s largest power generator, Endesa, stopped six hydropower projects, the same World Bank is here to build more dams. Even the Chinese have stopped their plans to construct a series of dams across the country`s last free-flowing rivers, the Nujiang. The Peruvian authorities also suspended the construction of several dams across the Marañón River at about the same time that Geute Conservation Sur, an organization dedicated to the defense of ecosystems with high conservation value, is providing legal analysis to develop a new law for river protection in Chile.

The concern about water and free waterways is such that the world is focusing on transboundary cooperation between nations for conscious and deliberate management of the ecosystem and water volume throughout the length of major rivers. Are we doing the same in our country? The conflict between China and Thailand over development on the Lancang/Mekong River says a lot about what is going on all over the world in connection with waterways today. The government of New Zealand has gone so far as to “recognize” the Whanganui river by giving it the same constitutional rights as a person. This was done as a way of showing that free-flowing rivers have great impact on food security, water access, biodiversity conservation and propagation of the overall global ecology.

To return to the matter at hand, the Onitsha River port can be discussed on the platform of plain and verifiable science. It is a desirable project, but its feasibility and advisability should be confirmed. That is the only way to avoid a White Elephant Project that would be counted as a major investment in the South East.

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