Thursday 1st June 2017

Heirs Holdings Board Appoints Nnorom Group CEO Obinna Chima The Board of Heirs Holdings yesterday announced the appointment of Mr. Emmanuel Nnorom as Group Chief Executive Officer.

Nnorom previously served

as the chief executive of Heirs Holdings’ affiliate Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc and will join the Heirs Holdings’ Board, reporting directly to the Group Chairman, Mr. Tony O. Elumelu. The appointment

will take effect from today.

According to a statement issued by Heirs Holdings, as Group CEO, Nnorom will provide day-to-day leadership at the company and will be responsible for execution of the group strategy for the

proprietary investment firm, whose portfolio of investments includes power, oil and gas, financial services, hospitality, real estate and medical services, with a pan-African footprint of 20 countries.

On the new appointment,

Elumelu, stated: “Emmanuel is a highly respected member of the Heirs Holdings executive management team and his success at Transcorp, with its multi-sector portfolio and his Continued on page 12

Kidnapped Kano House Member Regains Freedom... Page 10

Nnorom

Thursday 1 June, 2017 Vol 22. No 8077. Price: N250

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Ovia’s Quantum Petrochemicals Will Transform Nigeria, Says Group...

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With N49tn Import Bill, FG Looks Inwards for Goods and Services

Partners M&B to produce local vaccines Says no cause for worry over Buhari’s health

Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja The federal government yesterday said Nigeria had spent a whopping N49 trillion on imports in 17 years, adding that it has resolved to chart a new course for the country by saving N3.6 trillion in five years through the take off of a new innovation plan targeted

at Nigeria’s industrialisation.

It also said that there was no cause to worry over President Muhammadu Buhari’s health, adding that he was in safe hands in London where he is receiving treatment for an undisclosed illness.

Rising from its weekly Continued on page 10

Equities Market Gains N1.3tn in May on Sustained Investor Confidence

Oil prices at three-week low on increased Nigeria, Libyan output Goddy Egene and Ejiofor Alike with agency reports The Nigerian equities market posted record gains in the month of May, growing N1.285 trillion or 14.4 per cent by market capitalisation on sustained investor demand for Nigerian stocks.

This came as oil prices fell to a three-week low yesterday

on news that Libyan output was recovering from an oilfield technical issue, while sustained rise in Nigeria’s output was posing a challenge to efforts by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to curb output.

The Nigerian stock market shrugged off its losses last year Continued on page 10

MATERIALS FOR DISPLACED PERSONS… Gencos: Days of Unruly Antics RELIEF Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki (centre), presenting bags of rice and other food items to internally displaced (IDPs), on his right is Senate Leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan, when Saraki led a Senate delegation on a visit to the IDP

by Discos are Over... Page 13 persons camp at Kuchigoro, near the Games Village, Abuja … yesterday

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T H I S D AY THURSDAY JUNE 1, 2017

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CALL FOR BOOK DONATION Donate new or used books in good condition to the Herbert Macaulay Library at 338 Herbert Macaulay Way, Yaba, Lagos.or drop them off at any GTBank branch close to you.

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Kidnapped Kano House Member Regains Freedom Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano A House of Representatives member, Garba Durbunde, who was abducted on Tuesday, has regained his freedom.

The spokesperson of the House, Abdulrazak Namdas, confirmed this development yesterday evening.

He said the lawmaker, who represents the Takai/Sumaila Federal

Constituency in Kano State, had been released and since reunited with his family, reported the online news site, Premium Times yesterday.

“He has been released unhurt and is with his family,” Namdas said.

When asked if any ransom was paid before he was released, Mr. Namdas said: “I learnt he wasn’t the actual target so he

was released without any ransom.”

Following the lawmaker’s abduction, the Kano State governor, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje express shock over the incident.

The governor had called on the police and other security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue the House of Representatives member.

Durbunde was kidnapped by unknown men at Jere,

along the Kaduna-Abuja Road at about 5 p.m. on Tuesday, as he was driving alone in his personal car back to Abuja.

Durbunde, a close ally of former Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, had served as the Commissioner for Rural Development under Ganduje’s predecessor.

Prior to his release, an aide to the lawmaker had

confirmed the kidnapping of his principal yesterday.

Preferring not to be named, he said: “I can confirm to you that Hon. Durbunde is nowhere to be found, we believe it’s kidnappers that abducted him.

“We are yet to establish his whereabouts and have no clue who his abductors are, but we have informed all the relevant security agencies about the incident.”

the direction that Nigeria has passed through. In the past 56 years, we have been over-dependent on foreign commodities.

“We have relied on massive imports, we have sacrificed jobs. But we now want to move our economy away from that direction into an innovation-driven economy.

“So the Raw Materials Processing and Development Council, one of the agencies under the supervision of the Ministry of Science and Technology, had to undertake a very important study.

“Before the study was done, there were extensive consultations with research institutes, countries and universities, businesses, industries, governments at all levels, to determine our level of dependence on outside products and to find a way we can stop this.

“We looked at what other countries such as Canada, China, India, Japan and South Korea did. It was now very clear to us that if we moved in the direction that approval was given for today, Nigeria will attain its industrialisation

plan in the next five years and this will be very helpful because what it means is that the abundance of natural resources can now be utilised for industrial production in the country.

“Then, we will be able to create jobs for Nigerians. The major thrust of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration is that we should be producing madein-Nigeria goods so that those who want to work will be able to do so and this is the way to go “Above all, as a great nation, we must work for self-reliance. We must be a self-reliant nation. Other countries have achieved it.

We must be able to achieve it,” he said.

In his own briefing, the Minister of Niger Delta, Mr. Usani Uguru, said the council received the report of a Project Technical Audit Committee from his ministry, which had hitherto been saddled with the responsibility of investigating all contracts and projects executed by the ministry since its creation in 2009 up to 2015.

According to him, the committee found that out of the N700 billion appropriated for the ministry within the period, N423 billion had been spent with little or nothing to show for it.

According to him, the figure, representing 60 per cent of total appropriated funds within the period, showed that the rate of execution of 427 projects awarded stood at only 12 per cent, while the impact of such projects on the region was put at a mere eight per cent.

“So, today, we sought approval from council to have the recommendations of this report conveyed to the legitimate agencies charged with the statutory responsibility of recovering government assets that are either misappropriated, misused or found to be idling in some quarters.

“With this, it means all those who have accessed government resources for one purpose or another must be compelled to

giving them the ability to acquire more financial assets.

“As highlighted by the CBN, activity level at the window has been impressive as over $1 billion in transactions have been carried out, with the CBN supplying only about 30 per cent of FX at the window.

“The impact of the success recorded at the window has been evident in the performance of the NSE, as a number of stocks have rallied on the back of bullish sentiments and I believe there is further room for upside in some stocks,” he stated.

Meanwhile, higher supply from Nigeria and Libya, which are exempt from a production-cutting deal, has fuelled concerns that the OPEC-led output cuts to reduce global inventories were being undermined by producers outside the deal.

Global benchmark, Brent was down $1.63, or 3.1 per cent, at $50.21 per barrel, after touching $50.12 per barrel earlier yesterday, the weakest since May 10, while U.S. light crude traded at $48.31, down $1.35, or 2.7 per cent.

Reuters reported that both contracts were on track for their third straight monthly loss.

OPEC and other producers, including Russia, agreed last week to extend a deal to cut production by about 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) until the end of March 2018.

But OPEC members – Libya and Nigeria – are exempt from the cuts, while U.S. shale oil producers that are not part of the agreement have been ramping up production.

Libya’s oil production has risen to 827,000 bpd, climbing above a three-year peak of 800,000 bpd reached earlier in May, the National Oil Corporation said, after a technical issue that hit the country’s Sharara oilfield was resolved.

Nigeria and Libya were exempted because their output had been curbed by conflict.

However, supplies from both nations staged a partial recovery in May, lifting overall OPEC output by 250,000 bpd to 32.22 million bpd.

The biggest increase came from Nigeria, where the Forcados production stream began loading cargoes for export.

The Forcados pipeline had been mostly shut, after it was bombed by militants in February 2016.

In Libya, the state oil firm said output had reached 827,000 bpd yesterday, around levels last seen in 2014.

But production is still half the 1.60 million bpd Libya pumped before the 2011 civil war.

While the exempt nations pumped more, those bound by output targets boosted compliance. Adherence by

OPEC with the deal has been higher than in the past, reaching a record, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Saudi Arabia and Russia said yesterday that cooperation between OPEC and non-OPEC producers would last beyond March.

“We want to institutionalise cooperation between OPEC and non-OPEC producers,” Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said.

Durbunde

WITH N49TN IMPORT BILL, FG LOOKS INWARDS FOR GOODS AND SERVICES Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in the State House, Abuja, the government said the degree of dependence on foreign products for survival was no longer sustainable in view of the fall in oil prices and the availability of natural resources in different parts of the country.

Briefing journalists at the end of the meeting, the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonaya Onu, said FEC approved a memorandum to alter the status quo and re-direct the country’s priority towards the production and consumption of locally made goods and services.

“We will be saving N3.6 trillion to achieve this in five years. It will require that ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) should work together. All they need will be put in the budget.

“We will be asking for 30 per cent of the amount which will be about N1 trillion over five years. If you take about one-fifth of the N1 trillion which will be N200 billion every year by all the MDAs

for five years, we can do it,” he said.

According to Onu, in accordance with the approval of the council memo, the next five years will witness the exploration of existing abundant natural resources in the country for the nation’s industrialisation.

Onu, who said the byproduct of the move would be the creation of jobs for the teeming population, disclosed that the Raw Materials Research and Development Council, an agency under his ministry, had conducted extensive research in consultation with other countries, research institutes, tertiary institutions, governments and industries.

He said the research was meant to determine the degree of Nigeria’s dependence on foreign products and also decipher how to put paid to the imports.

“For too long, our nation has been dependent on importation of raw materials and products and this has had very adverse effects on our economy, particularly as

it concerns job creation and the search for self-reliance.

“Nigeria is a great nation and we have an abundance of natural resources in our country. It doesn’t make sense that we leave what we have and are importing from outside.

“For example, between 2000 and 2016, Nigeria spent as much as N49 trillion importing raw materials and products. At that time, not that it was sustainable, but our economy could manage such level of imports because crude oil sold most of the time at above $100 per barrel.

“But definitely, such level of importation is unsustainable and we are paying the price right now because if we had depended on our own raw materials, we would have been better off.

“With the sharp drop in the price of crude oil, Nigeria would have been able to withstand such a shock and we would not have had the problem that we are passing through now.

“So the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology is determined to change

Continued on page 12

EQUITIES MARKET GAINS N1.3TN IN MAY ON SUSTAINED INVESTOR CONFIDENCE by posting the biggest gains in over three years last month on sustained investor demand, following improved foreign exchange management by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The stock market, which lost 6.17 per cent in 2016, was still in negative territory at the end of April 2017, but witnessed a massive surge in May that also saw the Nigerian Stock Exchange All-Share Index (ASI) jump by 14.5 per cent.

Trading data for May showed that market capitalisation improved from N8.913 trillion at the end of April to N10.198 trillion yesterday, the last trading day of the month. Also, the ASI rose from 25,758.51 to 29,498.31.

Between January and the third week of April 2017, the market had shed N343 billion before the unprecedented rally that started in the last week of April and was sustained throughout the month of May. Consequently, the market soared by 14.5 per cent in May, compared with a marginal growth of 0.9 per cent in April, 0.7 per cent in March and declines of 2.7 per cent in February and 3.1 per cent in January.

The road to the rally was triggered by the introduction of the new forex window for investors and exporters (I&E) by the CBN. Apart from the new FX window, analysts

had also said investors were also responding to more favourable economic conditions, all signalling that Nigeria was likely to exit its biting recession by the third quarter of this year.

Before now, market analysts had linked the poor performance of the equities market in the last three years to weak macroeconomic conditions, inconsistent policies, weak corporate earnings, and portfolio realignment from equities to fixed income securities.

At the beginning of the year, they however raised hopes that the market would recover this year.

“Looking at the strong growth in the unaudited results that quoted companies released for the first quarter of 2017 and the improvement in the macroeconomic environment, we believe the market is ready for a recovery in 2017,” analysts at FSDH Research had said.

According to them, the increase in the supply of forex to meet the input requirements of manufacturing companies should increase production and revenue in the current financial year.

“The stability in the macroeconomic environment and strong earnings of quoted companies should attract the needed liquidity into the market.

Consequently, the equities market should record a

strong recovery in the year 2017,” they stated.

Commenting on the market rally, acting Managing Director, Afrinvest West, Mr. Ayodeji Ebo said Nigerian stocks were still trading at record lows, despite the significant rally in the past month.

According to him, a review of banks’ price to book (P/ BV) and earnings multiples revealed that banks’ earnings remained upbeat in the past three years, notwithstanding the decline in share prices.

Ebo said: “In the past, foreign investors looked beyond cheap valuations and focused on FX illiquidity and economic challenges, as they had damped investors’ confidence.

“For instance, in 2014, GTBank traded around 2.6x and 9.4x P/BV and P/E respectively. Average P/BV and P/E for Tier-1 Banks at the time were 1.3x and 8.0x respectively.

“However, in 2016, GTBank’s P/BV and P/E dipped to 1.3x and 5.4x apiece on the aforementioned factors.

“Now, with the improvement in FX supply as well as the creation of the I&E window, I have observed improved mandates from FPIs (foreign portfolio investors).

“The market determined rates at the I&E window has translated into the FPIs receiving more naira value for every dollar inflow,

TOP GAINERS NGN NGN % UPDC 0.22 2.46 9.8 AXAMANSARD 0.17 2.25 8.1 LAWUNION 0.07 0.98 7.6 CHAMPBREW 0.14 2.29 6.5 CUSTODIAN 0.18 3.33 5.3 TOP LOSERS NGN NGN % GTBANK 1.79 34.01 5.0 N.E.M 0.05 0.95 5.0 SEPLAT 18.51 351.99 5.0 SEVEN-UP 4.98 94.77 4.9 OANDO 0.44 8.45 4.9 HPE Nestle Nig Plc N875.01 Volume: 83343.192 million shares Value: N3.338 billion Deals: 4,905 As at yesterday 31/05/17 See details on Page 42

T H I S D AY THURSDAY JUNE 1, 2017

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NEWS

DSS Recaptures Kannywood Actress, Rabi Kannywood actress, Rabi Ismail who escaped from prison about six years ago after being sentenced to death, has been recaptured.

The actress, now 46 years old, escaped mysteriously from custody in Hadejia Prisons, Jigawa State, on December 16, 2011 without breaking walls or digging tunnels. Prison officials believed then she was aided by insiders.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Francis Enobore, spokesperson for the prisons authorities, confirmed that Ismail was re-arrested through collaboration between the Nigerian Prisons Service (NPS) and Department of State Service (DSS).

Ismail, also known as Rabi Cecilia, in 2005 was found guilty of culpable homicide and sentenced to death by a High Court in Kano. Her case went all the way to the Supreme Court, where the sentence was affirmed in 2011.

She was alleged to have murdered her boyfriend, Ibrahim Auwalu, in 2002.

The actress was said to have lured Ibrahim to a picnic at Tiga Dam, where she poisoned him with chocolate and pushed him into the dam.

She was initially held at the Kaduna Central Prison from where she was transferred to Hadejia prison before she escaped.

In July 2011, the Supreme Court upheld the sentence of the lower and appeal courts that sentenced her to death by hanging.

The actress was initially arraigned in 2002 before a Kano High Court for culpable homicide, contrary to Section 221(b) of the Penal Code.

The case dragged on till January 5, 2005, when Justice Haliru Mohammed Abdullahi pronounced her guilty of the charge.

While delivering the lead judgment, Justice Haliru said the court was convinced beyond reasonable doubt that Rabi committed the act.

Quoting Rabi’s confessional statement, the judge noted that before pushing Auwalu into the

dam, Rabi had removed the sum of N10,000 from his pocket.

“Circumstantial evidence before the court also adduced that the convict was guilty…” the judge stated, while averring that all evidence in possession of the court pointed convincingly to the fact that Rabi had committed the offence, on which basis she was sentenced to death.

Justice Haliru noted that the evidence of each of the nine witnesses that testified in the court corroborated the others.

After the judgment, Rabi’s lawyer went to the Appeal Court sitting in Kaduna.

The court upheld the High Court judgment. Not satisfied, Rabi again headed to the Supreme Court.

In the judgment delivered

by Justice Francis Fedode Tabai in July 2011, the seven-man panel did not see any reason to interfere with the decisions of the High Court and Court of Appeal.

The court consequently affirmed and upheld the

Rabi death sentence.

Justice Francis Fedode Tabai noted that the

accused person failed to place sufficient evidence capable of convincing it

that she did not murder her deceased boyfriend on December 25, 2002.

Ailing African Presidents Leave Nations in Leadership Limbo Nigeria, Angola and Zimbabwe are being left in leadership limbo as their ailing rulers spend weeks abroad seeking medical attention.

The presidents of the three African nations all wield considerable power, and their absence has stoked investor uncertainty and stirred talk about succession. The situation hasn’t been helped by their governments’ failure to disclose what’s wrong with them.

“Despite an average population age of around 17 to 19, many sub-Saharan African countries have elderly leaders in their 70s or above,” said Charles Robertson, Renaissance Capital’s London-based chief economist. “The benefit of experience can be offset when illness incapacitates elderly leaders. A healthy democracy

like Nigeria now has institutions which function well when the president is ill.

In less transparent countries like Angola or Zimbabwe, leadership changes can prove so unpredictable that some investors are deterred from investing at all.”

Here’s a summary of the three leaders’ medical problems and what’s likely to happen if they go:

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari A former military ruler, Buhari, 74, took power in elections two years ago. He spent seven weeks in the U.K. between January and March receiving medical care for an undisclosed ailment, and returned there earlier this month for further treatment. Vice President

VIEW FROM ABROAD Yemi Osinbajo, 60, has been running the country in his absence. The prospect of Osinbajo, a Christian, serving out the remaining two years of Muslim Buhari’s term should he be unable to continue in office may stoke sectarian tension due to an unwritten agreement among the nation’s political elite to rotate the presidency between the mostly Muslim north and a predominantly Christian south. The country, which vies with Angola as Africa’s largest oil producer, is experiencing its worst economic downturn in more than two decades due to a drop in crude revenue. The economy is likely to grow just 0.8 percent this year, after shrinking 1.5 percent last year, according to International

Monetary Fund projections.

The country’s northeast, the scene of an Islamist insurgency, is also faced with the threat of famine.

Angolan President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos Dos Santos, 74, has held power since 1979, making him Africa’s second-longest serving leader after Equatorial Guinea’s Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. He’s spent most of this month in Spain on a private visit that Foreign Minister Georges Chikoti confirmed was taken for medical reasons, before returning to Angola on Monday. Dos Santos is due to step down after Aug. 23 elections, and the ruling

Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola has named Defense Minister Joao Manuel Goncalves Lourenco as its candidate to replace him. Angola’s economy stagnated last year as a result of low oil prices and the IMF projects growth of just 1.3 percent this year.

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe Mugabe, 93, has held power since 1980 and is the world’s oldest serving ruler. Mugabe and his aides have said he’s as “fit as a fiddle,” but he’s visibly frail and has traveled frequently to Singapore to undergo medical treatment.

The ruling Zimbabwe African National UnionPatriotic Front, or Zanu-PF, insists Mugabe will be its presidential candidate in next

year’s elections. Two ruling party factions are vying for power once Mugabe goes, with one coalescing around his wife Grace and the other around Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, a former spy chief. There’s a chance that Zanu-PF may lose power to a united opposition headed by former labor union leader Morgan Tsvangirai. Zimbabwe, which abandoned its own currency eight years ago and adopted mainly the dollar in a bid to halt hyperinflation, is contending with a shortage of cash, with banks limiting customer withdrawals. The economy is half the size it was in 2000 when a land reform program began to redistribute white-owned commercial farms to black subsistence farmers.

• Culled from Bloomberg

WITH N49TN IMPORT BILL, FG LOOKS INWARDS FOR GOODS AND SERVICES make adequate use of same, otherwise, they would face the recommendations that go with such violations, and that is our position concerning that report. And we have got the council’s approval for that,” he said.

Also, the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, said FEC approved a joint venture agreement between the federal government and May & Baker Plc to produce local vaccines for the country between 2017 and 2021.

The minister further explained that under the joint venture agreement May & Baker would hold 51 per cent in the company to be established under the arrangement, while the federal government would own 49 per cent.

He recalled that between 1940 and 1991, Nigeria was producing smallpox, yellow fever and anti-rabbis vaccines

and was quite successful at it, and had exported such vaccines to Cameroon, Central African Republic and other countries.

However, he said in 1991, the vaccine production laboratory stopped producing, following the federal government’s attempt to reactivate and upgrade the facility, a move he said never took place and ended the country’s vaccine production programme.

“What council did today was to put life into this joint venture agreement that proposes to establish a company called Bio-vaccines Ltd., which will be jointly owned by the federal government and May & Baker Plc. “The board of the company will comprise seven people – four from May & Baker and three from the federal government. The equity

participation will be 51 per cent May & Baker, 49 percent federal government.

“The company, between 2017 and 2021, will produce basic vaccines that we need.

We have considered vaccines as a security issue. It is not only a health issue, as we need to consider the security of all Nigerians, particularly our children.

“So, with this agreement, we will be able to produce those command vaccines and from 2021 and beyond, every other vaccine that is necessary will also be out for administration to Nigerians.

“We are quite happy that today it has taken place and we believe that Nigeria has started the journey to vaccines security,” Adewole said.

Adewole who said the take off funding for the project would be N100 million, added that the federal government would

make its equity contribution through its existing Institute of Vaccines Research valued at N1.2 billion, while May & Baker would contribute N1.3 billion.

The minister, who also said the country had almost put the meningitis outbreak behind it, disclosed that Kenya Airways which recently flew the corpse of a Nigerian from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) into the country, in violation of standard procedures, had been reported to the International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO), with a view to getting the airline sanctioned.

The DRC is currently battling an Ebola outbreak, which has already led to four deaths in the Central African country.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, while responding to a

question on Buhari’s health, said there was no cause for alarm, as the president was in safe hands in London.

The president returned to London three weeks

ago to get treatment for an undisclosed ailment. Prior to his trip, he had spent 50 days in the British capital between January and March for the same reason.

HEIRS HOLDINGS BOARD APPOINTS NNOROM GROUP CEO broader knowledge of Africa and commitment to our panAfrican vision gained at United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, make him uniquely qualified for the position.

“Equally important, the creation of a CEO role at Heirs Holdings, demonstrates our continuing commitment to institutionalising effective corporate governance and ensuring that our investment in human capacity matches our ambitious growth strategy.”

At Transcorp, Nnorom was responsible for the success of the conglomerate’s businesses, including Transcorp Power,

Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Transcorp Hotel Plc and Transcorp Energy.

Prior to Transcorp, he had held senior positions at Heirs Holdings and served as an Executive Director at UBA and Managing Director of UBA Africa, overseeing the group’s African subsidiaries.

He has also held the position of UBA Group Chief Operating Officer, with responsibilities for information technology, operations, corporate services, marketing and corporate communications, customer service, UBA Properties, human resources and regulatory affairs.

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THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017• T H I S D AY

NEWS

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

Saraki: Why I Did Not Contest against Buhari in APC Primary Damilola Oyedele in Abuja The Senate Dr. President Bukola Saraki, has stated that he did not throw his hat into the ring to contest in the presidential primary of the All Progressives Congress against the then presidential aspirant, Maj.-Gen. Muhammumadu Buhari and other aspirants in December 2014

because he needed to make a sacrifice and be “part of the solution, rather than be part of the problem of the party.”

Saraki, who made this revelation yesterday on his facebook page, was responding to a publication by Africa Confidential, which said he was one of those who contested against Buhari in 2014 during

Ovia’s Quantum Petrochemicals will Transform Nigeria, Says Group The plans to set up a petrochemical and gas company, Quantum Petrochemicals, in Akwa Ibom State by the Chairman of Zenith Bank Plc, Mr. Jim Ovia, has been described as a giant stride that will reduce the level of unemployment and bring about a better life in the state and beyond.

Speaking with journalists on the occasion of the second anniversary of the Governor Udom Emmanuel-led government at the Uyo Township Stadium, on Monday, the Chairman of Akwa Ibom State Integrity Group, Mr. Robert Okon Jim, commended the promoters, saying it would help in the current industrialisation policy of the state government.

Okon who was full of praises for Ovia, said the $1.5 billion initiative, which groundbreaking ceremony was carried out in 2014 by former President Goodluck Jonathan, would not only engender the industrial development plan of the state, but create employment and alleviate poverty in the state.

His words: “Ovia is passionately dedicated to poverty alleviation through investments in life-touching enterprises and we want to thank him for that. He is a man of impeccable character and a corporate titan.

“The people of Akwa Ibom State see this investment as representing our hopes and dream and we want to sincerely thank Ovia for his faith and belief in our state and our people,” Okon added.

The Akwa Ibom State Integrity Group, also commended Emmanuel, stressing that he has “done exceedingly well in all aspects

of his campaign promises which was predicated on five-point agenda of Wealth Creation, Economic and Political Inclusion, Poverty Alleviation, Infrastructural Consolidation and Expansion and Job Creation.”

According to Okon, the governor has been able to achieve all the goals in spite of the paucity of funds.

“We are particularly pleased with his industrialisation programme, which includes the Jubilee syringes makingfactory which, when it goes into operations, will be the largest of such manufacturing firms in the whole of Africa; the metre manufacturing company and the toothpick and pencil making factory, among other companies that will soon spring up in the state.”

Already, the ground appears to have been prepared for the take-off of the project as the state government has, among other things, carried out the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), issued a Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O) to the company as well as cleared and prepared the site for commencement of work.

According to government source, these steps were taken by the government to enable the quick setting up of the company.

Speaking at the groundbreaking about three years ago, former President Goodluck Jonathan underscored the importance of the company, saying it would impact generally on the lives of the people of the country.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria lends its support wholeheartedly to ensuring

Cont’d on Pg 17

Enang: Assent to 2017 Budget Bill Yet to be Scheduled Damilola Oyedele in Abuja The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, has said the signing of the 2017 N7.44trillion budget spending bill is yet to be scheduled for presidential assent.

Enang said this in reaction to reports that the 2017 budget, which was passed by the National Assembly about three

weeks ago, would be signed into law by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo today.

In an emailed statement, Enang said consultations are still on going on the budget.

“Further to several enquiries regarding action on the 2017 Appropriation Bill by the Executive, be informed that assent to same is not yet scheduled as consultations and engagements are on going. Be please informed,” the email read.

the APC primary.

The publication had also alleged that Saraki had retained the services of a London-based PR firm, Aequitas, to burnish his image.

But Saraki in the facebook post signed by his media aide, Mr. Yusuf Olaniyonu, reminded the publication that he had announced in Ilorin, Kwara State on October 12, 2014, that he would not contest against Buhari because “some of us need to make sacrifice and be part of the solution rather than part of the problem of the party.”

He had further declared at the time that he would support the candidacy of the retired general and he was one of the people who worked tirelessly to ensure Buhari won the APC ticket and the general election three months later.

According to the post, “This letter comes to directly refute the information reported in your most recent publication whereby in an article titled: ‘Ambitious Men’ you wrote that the President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Bukola Saraki, was one of ‘those who stood against Buhari for the APC nomination in 2014’.

“The story also mentioned erroneously that Saraki has ‘retained London communications consultants Aequitas, which helped Labour Party to remake its image under Tony Blair in the mid-1990s’.

“First, please note that your claims above are not correct.

Saraki did not contest the last presidential primary of the APC. “Saraki publicly announced in a statement in Ilorin on October 12, 2014 that he would not contest against Major General

Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) who was then an aspirant because ‘some of us need to make sacrifice and be part of the solution rather than part of the problem of the party’.

“He then declared that he would support the candidacy of the retired General. Saraki was one of the people who worked tirelessly to ensure General Buhari won the APC ticket and the general election.

“Again, contrary to the claim in your article, Saraki does not retain the services of Aequitas.

He formerly engaged Aequitas for strategic policy services while he was Governor of Kwara State, and chair of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, and at the initial stage of his period as Senate President.

“He no longer retains the services of Aequitas effective from January 1, 2017.

“The Senate President has repeatedly stated that his interest now is to reform the Senate and make it an institution whose impact and relevance is felt and appreciated by the generality of the people.

“He has equally pledged his full support for and commitment to the success of the administration of President Buhari.

“Saraki has long admired the important contributions Africa Confidential has made to increasing global understanding about African affairs and policy.

“It is his hope that your publication can continue this fine tradition, while also paying attention to the sensitivity of the information it disseminates on current affairs in the countries of Africa.”

CAPITAL MARKET CAPTAINS

L-R: First Vice President, National Council of The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Abimbola Ogunbanjo; Chairperson and CEO, Moroccan Capital Market Authority (AMMC), Ms. Nezha Hayat; President, African Securities Exchanges Association (ASEA) and Chief Executive Officer, NSE, Oscar N. Onyema; and CEO, Casablanca Stock Exchange, Karim Hajji, at the ‘Building African Financial Markets’, a capacity building seminar held at Casablanca, Morocco... recently.

Gencos: Days of Unruly Antics by Discos are Over Over N200bn gas debt forces generation firms to operate fewer plants

Chineme Okafor in Abuja Electricity generation companies (Gencos) in Nigeria’s power sector have lauded the federal government recent declaration of the eligible customers’ regime in the sector, stating that it would eventually become a lifesaver for them.

They specifically stated that its implementation would put an end to unhealthy market practices among the sector’s 11 electricity distribution companies (Discos).

Speaking yesterday in Abuja, the Gencos disclosed that they were extremely happy with the declaration which they said would boost competition and the financial fortunes of the sector which is troubled by heavy revenue shortfalls.

Speaking under the aegis

of the Association of Power Generation Companies (APGC), the generation firms said the decision of the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, to declare the eligibility regime was taken in good faith.

APGC also claimed that the declaration was made after the government consulted with operators in the sector, and it was clear the Discos would not be able to take as much power as the Gencos would generate in a very long time.

Frequently, the Discos have been accused by the sector of being dishonest in their management of the market’s monthly revenue collected by them. This has reportedly contributed significantly to the market’s financial troubles wherein the Gencos are unable

to pay their gas debts to gas suppliers as well as meet other operational obligations.

However, APGC Executive Secretary, Dr. Joy Ogaji, told journalists at a briefing that with the declaration, bulk electricity consumers who are willing and have the capacity to procure power directly from the Gencos would now deal with them without the Discos.

Ogaji, explained that this would in addition to boosting the revenue of the Gencos, put to an end the reported recalcitrant behaviours of Discos wherein they allegedly fail to honestly declare to the market their monthly receipts.

She also stated that the trading agreements to be adopted in the new provision would be without the usual loopholes which operators in the sector

often capitalise on to shirk their responsibilities.

According to her, this would include, “water-tight contractual agreements because this is not going to be about any national cake.”

Ogaji, equally informed journalists that the Discos would be allowed to register as eligible customers and take extra power above their daily Multi Year Tariff Order (MYTO) allocations, to satisfy their customers without being fined but under the strict provisions of the regime.

“Discos are actually able to get power through this arrangement on the grid. Those Discos which are willing to get additional power qualify as eligible customers as well.

“If they have more customers

Cont’d on Pg 50

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COMMENT

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

LAGOS: A NO MAN’S LAND?

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Davies Njoku argues that those who hold the view are mischievous

or me, one of the major highlights of events lined up to mark the Golden Jubilee celebration of Lagos State, was the Lagos History Lecture with the theme: “Lagos: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow”. The lecture which took place At Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos had in attendance Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode; Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Idiat Oluranti Adebule; Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwanu Akiolu; former governors of the state, former deputy governors of the state, eminent statesmen, traditional rulers, university dons, among others.

A major issue that was roundly dealt with at the lecture is the subject of Lagos being a no man’s land. Before now, a few individuals and groups have claimed that Lagos doesn’t belong to any particular people or group of people. Those who hold this view, perhaps, based their judgment on the cosmopolitan nature of Lagos which makes it a melting point of people from all across the country and, indeed, the world. Lagos is often referred to as a microcopy of Nigeria as almost every tribe and ethnic group in the country is represented in Lagos. In view of this, some mistakenly suppose that Lagos doesn’t have indigenous people.

The Lagos History Lecture, however, afforded those who know better the opportunity to finally settle to the ‘no man’s land’ argument. Legal icon and elder statesman, Alhaji Femi Okunnu, SAN, who was among discussants at the Lagos History Lecture, was the first to really address the subject. According to Okunnu, those behind the claim that Lagos was no man’s land were ignorant, as they did not know the real history of the state. He revealed that Lagos has its indigenous people who were early settlers in the land. Those who belong to this category are the Idejos Chiefs who are land owners, Aworis who are original inhabitants of Eko (Lagos Island), Eguns who reside in Badagry, Ibinis who invaded Lagos and settled in Iga Idungaran, Idun Itafa, Idumota, Idumagbo, etc., Nupes/ Tapas who settled in Lagos Island, returnees who settled at the Brazilian Quarters, Ijebus who settled in Epe and Ikorodu axis, Egbas who settled in Abule Egba, Agodo Egba, etc., and Ekitis and Ijeshas who settled in a part of the Mainland.

The Oba of Lagos, Rilwanu Akiolu spoke in the same vein when he said it was wrong for anyone to refer to Lagos as a no man’s land as there were settlers in Lagos before others came. “Lagos should not be referred to as no man’s land because our forefathers were the founding fathers of the state. And it was after several years that the Europeans and others came in to settle in the land,” he said. According to the royal father, he and some eminent Lagosians are in custody of relevant colonial documents and facts that show that Lagos had early settlers before the advent of colonial masters. He argued that a traditional monarchical system of administration was already in place in Lagos years before the advent of Europeans.

In his discourse at the event, elder statesman and first Town Clerk of the Lagos City Council, 98 years old Senator Habib Fasinro also laid to rest the controversial issue of Lagos being a no man’s land. He said Lagos has an indigenous population and that their hospitable disposition must not be taken for granted. Fasinro said such claim that Lagos was no man’s land was not only misleading but confrontational, as it abuses the history of the indigenous people of Lagos such as the Aworis, Egbas, Binis, Ijeshas, Nupes, Brazilian returnees, among others. He posits that indigenous Lagosians must not be made to be endangered species in their own state.

He affirmed that in-spite of the cosmopolitan nature of Lagos opportunities

THE LAGOS HISTORY LECTURE AFFORDED THOSE WHO KNOW BETTER THE OPPORTUNITY TO FINALLY SETTLE TO THE ‘NO MAN’S LAND’ ARGUMENT. LEGAL ICON, ALHAJI FEMI OKUNNU, SAID THOSE BEHIND THE CLAIM WERE IGNORANT. HE REVEALED THAT LAGOS HAS ITS INDIGENOUS PEOPLE WHO WERE EARLY SETTLERS IN THE LAND. THOSE WHO BELONG TO THIS CATEGORY ARE THE IDEJOS CHIEFS WHO ARE LAND OWNERS, AWORIS WHO ARE ORIGINAL INHABITANTS OF EKO (LAGOS ISLAND), EGUNS WHO RESIDE IN BADAGRY, IBINIS WHO INVADED LAGOS AND SETTLED IN IGA IDUNGARAN, IDUN ITAFA, IDUMOTA, IDUMAGBO, ETC

that are meant for indigenous Lagosians shouldn’t be made to elude them. He claimed that there are places in the country where non indigenes are not allowed to buy or own land.

Also, speaking at the Lecture, former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba disputed the claim that Lagos was no man’s land as being championed in some quarters.“We need to understand that there were early settlers in Lagos. So whenever some people say that Lagos is no man’s land, I laughed because I know that there were true land owners in Lagos,” he said.

In his keynote lecture, Guest Speaker, Professor Hakeem Danmole argued that the first settlers in the state were the Aworis, the Eguns and others. Professor Danmole, who is the Dean, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, said Lagos Island to the indigenous population was called Eko, a name whose origin was told in two well-known traditional but controversial accounts.

“Nevertheless, it is important to note that one version of the name relates to the advent of Aworis, while the other is connected to Benin adventures in Lagos.” Despite this controversy, Danmole maintained that what was fairly certain was that the Awori settlement in Lagos was earlier than that of the Benin, which eventually subjugated the emergent settlement.

“Written records insist that Olofin, the leader of the Awori at Iddo divided Lagos among his children. Although many versions exist with regards to the number of children of Olofin. These children established various settlements within the Island and beyond,” he said.

Danmole further affirms that Aromire, as a son of Olofin left Iddo for Isale Eko, while his brothers settled in other areas of Lagos Island while the sons of Olofin, who settled in different parts of Lagos, became the class of chiefs known till this day as Idejo.

According to Danmole, unlike, the Awori, the accounts of Benin relations with Lagos were fundamental to the evolution and eventual administration of the emergent settlement. A perusal of the various accounts suggests what could be described as hostility and accommodation. After several failed attacks of the Island and later conquest, the Benin first encamped at Enu Owa but eventually moved to Idungaran, not far from their original settlement.

Danmole further posited that the Benin/Edo connection with Lagos had indelible implications for the governance of the emergent city state.

He claimed that Benin undoubtedly established a monarchical system which borrowed considerably from the Yoruba system of kingship. Thus, the Obaship in Lagos became a centralised one akin to the system in Benin and Idungaran as the seat of government.

On the whole, it is important to appreciate the essence of the Lagos History Lecture and the opportunity it afforded to really set the record straight in respect of the evolution of Lagos, thereby finally debunking the erroneous claim that Lagos is a no man’s land. The truth of the matter is that in-spite of being a cosmopolitan city; Lagos has its indigenous population. Every cosmopolitan city in the world has its indigenous people and Lagos cannot be an exemption.

Like the revered Senator Fasinro had said, the hospitable nature of indigenous Lagosians should not be taken for granted. Lagos belongs to some people and that fact must be acknowledged and respected by all.

Njoku is Editor, Newsburnerng.com

EL-RUFAI’S TRIPLE ANTECEDENTS

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hen Malam Nasir el-Rufa’i became the Governor of Kaduna State in April 2015,there were mixed feelings in expectation of what will become of his tenure: will it be dogged by controversies as his media image portended; or will the man rise above his political tenderfoot and deploy his technocratic and results-focused antecedents from PIMCO, BPE and FCT, Abuja?

Even he would admit that, as far as the politics of the Northern establishment goes, he was a green horn on the turf of what remains of the once regional political powerbase of Northern Nigeria. The turf once dominated by the colossus, Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto. How would the self-styled “accidental public servant” fair in comparison to politicians of the late Sardauna’s ilk at the helm of affairs of a state that has, of recent, acquired ill fame for religious-cum-ethnic conflagration?

Two years down the line, it is now clearer what the tenure of El-Rufai would bequeath to the people of Kaduna State. Well, that he wrested power from an incumbent administration signaled readiness for the challenge, although it must be conceded that he leveraged on the Buhari domino effect.

Kaduna has since sprung to national attention, evidence that El-Rufai had pulled the state from the brink of socio-political oblivion. That he has restored confidence in the people of the state in their yearnings for competent leadership is not in doubt. He certainly represents the anti-thesis of the old order—the era of cronyism. From the results that are beginning to emerge, he has brought the competence of a thorough-bred technocrat to the business of governing Kaduna State.

Kaduna State is back on the path of progress, writes Bashir Ibrahim Hassan Evidence of the man’s capability emerged early in his life when he graduated with a first class in Quantity Surveying from Ahmadu Bello University.

It was also reflected in his decision, shortly after his national service, to go into private practice—when his mates were racing for positions in the civil service and juicy private companies. He was driven by one of his conspicuous traits—self-assurance.

A consummate activist, Malam El-Rufai has combined his professional commitment with activism.

When he eventually appeared in public service—accidental or not—he made a good job of it, similar to the grounds he broke in private business.

In El-Rufai, all the three shades of experiences from private business, activism and public service are interwoven into complex mosaic of reform-laden art of governance. What could have demonstrated his businessman approach than his jettisoning of sentiments, when he decided to shut down Kaduna State Board of Internal Revenue; redeployed all the staff and start a new IT-compliant institution from scratch—the Kaduna Internal Revenue Service (KIRS)? The result was fantastic as the governor acknowledged in a recent interview: “Within a year we saw a jump in our revenues by more than 60 per cent without any new tax being introduced. We just blocked leakages -- no cash collections; only one agency collecting taxes; new people with a new attitude.’’

He applied the same tactics when he, in an unprecedented move, abolished the ministry of land and supplanted it with Kaduna Geographic Information Service, which is now the custodian of the records of all lands in the state.

If you want to see his civil society instincts at work, look no further than his appreciation and

adoption of the Millennium Village project, which his current Commissioner of Rural and Community Development was implementing independent of the state government at a time. He told the story of how she was brought on board. “I did not know the Commissioner for Rural Development until after the election. We went to a project they were handling for the millennium project and met her and a colleague of hers. They made a presentation to us on what they were doing. The deputy governor and I immediately said we will hire these people if they will come and work for us”.

The Millennium Village concept is a rural community empowerment project started in Pampaida, a rural community in Kaduna under the guidance of UNDP with the aim of achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Today every village selected for the project is given five basic amenities that will enable them to become fully empowered to realise their full potential. The El-Rufai government has infused into the project components to improve education, healthcare, rural roads and the farming activities.

Malam El-Rufai’s approach to governance exemplifies the belief that the best preparation for tomorrow is by doing your best today. He is ever conscious of his place in history. He knew Kaduna has lost leadership of Northern Nigeria. He knew Kaduna, the capital, was a divided city with concentration of Muslims on the northern side of River Kaduna and the Christians on the southern side. He wants to change this situation. To assume its leadership status in Northern Nigeria, Kaduna needs to project itself as model state worthy of emulation in all ramifications—statecraft, defence of our shared values and regional interests, building a common regional agenda within a united

Nigeria, etc. His starting point and indeed supreme test will be his ability to integrate the city of Kaduna to restore its cosmopolitan nature.

Without appreciating the finer nuances of Malam El-Rufai one is bound to miss the substance of his approach to governance. When he broke the tradition of appointing one commissioner from every local government of the state —23 in total—has that negatively affected the smooth running of the government? In contrast that has only saved the government unnecessary overhead costs and freed much needed funds for development work.

When he applied what may amount to shock therapy to the Board of Internal Revenue and Ministry of Land, he was convinced that any attempt at reforming the rot in the system will only lead to dismal change. But uprooting the problem tree and supplanting it with a fresh one will do the magic.

And it actually did.

Because a sense of history is ingrained in his sub-consciousness, he always goes for what is best for Kaduna. Therefore, he always looks for the best practice and the best people or consultants in whatever endeavour he is pursuing. He went out of his way to hire General Electric (GE) to equip 255 primary health centres. He hired Bain & Co. to train the state’s finance officers in the best practice in public finance and budgeting. The former head of Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS), Ifueko Omoigui, was contracted to help in setting up the state Inland Revenue Service. She is one of the best consultants in the field. He doesn’t shy from seeking support wherever he can find one—IMF, DFID, EU, etc., have all found in Kaduna under El-Rufai a willing partner who understands their language.

Hassan wrote from Abuja

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EDITORIAL RECOGNITION FOR THE VIGILANTE GROUPS

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If they must be recognised, their right to bear arms should be reviewed

n the course of a public hearing by the House of Representatives Committee on Police Affairs last January, the Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara raised some serious issues about the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) that is seeking official recognition from the federal government: “Is this a branch of the police force or yet another security service being established by law? It is also pertinent for the committee to find out whether the legal framework sought to be established merely gives authority to an existing organisation by licensing them or whether a general framework is being legislated upon for government to operationalise at its discretion,” said Dogara.

Apparently uncomfortable with the whole concept, Dogara added that if community policing was the main reason for the bill, could that not be operationalised within the purview of the police? “Is vigilante services not part of the social activities by various towns and communities in Nigeria and a residual matter within the authority of state governments? In view of the existence of new security organisations such as Nigeria Security and Civil ARE THERE CLEAR Defence Corps and DELINEATIONS OF even the Peace Corps RESPONSIBILITIES of Nigeria that is being BETWEEN THEM proposed, do we still AND THE POLICE AS need another at the WELL AS WITH OTHER national level? Do we INTELLIGENCE, DEFENCE have the resources AND LAW ENFORCEMENT to set up yet another security organisation AGENCIES? instead of properly funding the existing ones and increasing mandate where necessary?”

There are even more pertinent questions that the speaker did not pose yet need to be addressed: Have the men and officers of the VGN been given adequate training in weapons handling along with the psychological preparation necessary for such responsibilities? Does the organisation have a serious command and control

Letters to the Editor

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T H I S DAY

EDITOR IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU DEPUTY EDITORS BOlAJI ADEBIYI, JOSEpH USHIGIAlE MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOlA BEllO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOlAfE CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OlUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN

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

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structure that is based on proper processes? Are there clear rules of engagement for these people who bear all sorts of arms? And most importantly, are there clear delineations of responsibilities between them and the police as well as with other intelligence, defence and law enforcement agencies?

According to its mission statement, the Vigilante Group of Nigeria “is to protect and serve the citizens of Nigeria in an effective and efficient manner through the wise use and management of all resources and to ensure the safety and security for each person in our community.” That ordinarily is the duty of the police and other law enforcement agencies. But given the growing challenge of insecurity in our country, Nigerians have come to imbibe the concept of community help by way of “vigilante”, an untrained security outfit of able-bodied men with no defined code of ethics.

If the idea is to improve on security, we can borrow a leaf from other climes where the existence of neighbourhood watch is basically to serve as the third eye which gives information to the police on unusual activities and suspicious faces in their neighbourhoods.

In those societies, there is a close synergy between the neighbourhood watch and the security agencies, with the former helping to gather intelligence in areas where the latter lack the required manpower and resources.

And on occasions when they assist in nabbing suspected criminals, such suspects are promptly handed over to the police for proper investigation and possible prosecution.

While we are not in any way opposed to efforts by communities to protect themselves against violent hoodlums and night marauders, or for the existence of vigilante groups as part of efforts to tackle the challenging security situation in the country, we do not believe it should become another government-funded security outfit. Also, their right to bear arms, even if such arms are locally made, must be critically reviewed. A situation where known touts and confirmed drug addicts bear arms at night as members of vigilante groups is unacceptable.

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

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR OF OGUN STATE

our Excellency sir, I write to you today as a concerned citizen of Ogun State, a tax payer, an electorate whose vote contributed to your victory at both the 2011 and 2015 governorship polls.

I am writing to remind you of how you convinced us about Gbenga Daniel administration and the “surrogate” during 2011 electioneering campaign. Specifically you said that they had mismanaged public funds using certain people as “conduit pipes”. You told us of your resolve to rebuild Ogun State through your five cardinal points programmes. You promised to offset the backlog of salaries and allowances of workers, pay hazard, peculiar and excess workload allowances to deserving workers and an immediate reversal of the seemingly “corrupt” contributory pension scheme for workers. Your promises were so mouthwatering that we were already feeling the breath of fresh air even before you were elected. We queued behind you and voted your party, the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) to send OGD and Obasanjo’s protégés away.

No sooner than you emerged, the whole state was engulfed in controversies over the debt profile of the state under your predecessor. Some probe panel were set up to look into what your administration termed “financial recklessness and abuse of power” under Gbenga Daniel administration. In a nutshell, you made us realised your predecessor plunged the state into huge financial debt and you will need some time to put the state on a sound footing again. Your aides used that to justify the reason why no project was inaugurated in your first 100 days in office and the 10,000 jobs promised our youths did not materialise. Instead

of fulfilling the promised 10,000 jobs, workers employed in the twilight of the Gbenga Daniel administration were sacked.

The same excuse was put forward to start borrowing money endlessly from that time till now. It was the intention of the administration before yours to go for a bond for capital projects.

During the campaign preceding the election that brought you into power you tagged the bond a bond of bondage” and you incited the people of Ogun State to reject the bond idea of your predecessor. Surprisingly you came into power and went for bond that you once condemned. You have on several occasion justified what you once condemned, even our lawmakers are now accomplices, given all manner of approval to all your very dark loan proposals.

Permit me to say that our expectations from your government that promised much but has delivered very little were dashed in your first term but you manoeuvered your way with some projects in the later part to convince us on why we should give you a second term. We gave you benefit of the doubt with the believe you will consolidate where you have done well and correct your errors made in the first term since we are all human being.

Your Excellency sir, you have made several mistakes in the last six years but for the purpose of this letter, let me dwell only on your failure to pay workers salary, pension, gratuity and severance allowances of past political office holders.

Some are saying your government is not owing anyone, groups or institutions a dime as salary but I insist you are owing sir. You are owing workers deductions which is their savings to cooperative societies. This money is deducted from workers’ salaries from the source base on instructions given to cooperatives

by cooperators on savings and loan repayments. Non-remittance of such money is tantamount to salary default. This was part of what led to the ongoing no love lost situation between your government and the leadership of Ogun NLC leading to industrial actions.

Regrettably, you considered the demand by workers for their rights as effrontery; their leadership was visited with sack letters.

Your government recently announced its readiness to pay severance allowances to past political office holders. It turned out to be another deceit from your government to Ogun State people as many of the past political office holders from 2007 to 2015 went back home disappointed from a payment event your government announced on both the electronic and print media. Today, it is clear that the arrangement was to cover some tracks in the Paris Club refunds since the bulk of beneficiaries are yet to get a dime despite all the noise.

Having said all this, one will expect that you should now be finding a way to settle all debts as your administration clocked two years now. This your government has received several monthly allocations, IGR, bailout funds, Paris Club refunds. Why is your government yet to settle the state debts including what you owe all the government-owned tertiary institutions?

What baffles me is the fact that your government is now completely losing focus in an attempt to install your successor and remain relevant beyond 2019. A source in your cabinet told me recently that you will begin to roll out as many political appointments as possible to prevent people from leaving your disintegrating political camp in order to save you from losing in 2019.

Oluwo A. Lateef, Obada Oko, Ogun State

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THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017• T H I S D AY

NEWSXTRA

Masari Speaks on How Buhari Saved Nigeria Says five years of Jonathan still stinks Iyobosa Uwugiaren in Abuja The Governor of Kastina State, Alhaji Aminu Masari, yesterday said Nigeria would have been plagued into serious socio-political and economic crisis going by “the huge mess created by the former President Goodluck Jonathan-led government for five years,” if President Muhammadu Buhari had not been elected in the 2015 presidential election.

Assessing the two-year of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government in an exclusive interview with THISDAY in Abuja, the governor who hails from the same state with Buhari, said he is very proud of the achievements of the president.

“Of course, I am very proud of him and proud of what he has done in the past two years.

When we came in 2015, 27 states were not paying salaries, and President Buhari came up with different bailouts,” Masari stated when asked if he was proud of two years of Buhari-led administration.

He added: “States were given money to be able to pay salaries; those who owed pensions and gratuities were given money to pay, and my state benefited from that gesture. Each state was also given N10 billion from the excess crude account for infrastructure development. ‘’When the oil price went down and many states could not pay salaries, Buhari introduced what he called budget support.

For the first four months, each state was given N1.4 billion and there were many other interventions from the federal government in order to help stabilise the states.”

The former Speaker of the

OVIA’S QUANTUM PETROCHEMICALS WILL TRANSFORM NIGERIA... the success of the project. I would like to encourage Ovia and his board not to relent in their efforts to support the growth of entrepreneurship in the Nigerian economy,” the former president said.

Also speaking at the occasion, the Chairman of Quantum Petrochemical, Ovia, gave the assurance that the company would encourage some local industries to grow upon completion.

“The importance of developing capacity within the petrochemicals industry should not be underestimated. Petrochemicals provide the foundation for manufacturing industries; for example, construction, packaging, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, textiles, etc.”

The plant, when completed, would generate employment opportunities for thousands of people and help in the industrialisation drive of the current administration.

House of Representatives wondered what would have happened if there were no interventions from the Buhariled federal government to help stabilise the system at the time the APC took over power at the federal level.

According to him, “If we did not have Buhari as president, we would have been in serious crisis with the way President Jonathan and his people messed up the economy, politics and the entire country. ‘’Today, there is relative peace and calm in the politics of our

country. We are able to meet the minimum obligation of paying salaries, gratuity/pension and other developmental projects.’’

Responding to the view by some leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that APC was not prepared for governance, Masari stated that people who destroyed the entire country have no moral right to accuse APC of not non-performance. ‘’It is like somebody who destroyed this house, and suddenly people realise that you need to rebuild it. And you realise that there is shortage of

cement, water, sand, roofing materials and others. And all the shortages were caused by the people who destroyed the house “It is unfortunate that we have short memory. Members of PDP know the damage they have done to our country economically, socially, politically and otherwise. They know the damage they did to our country.

So, people should not expect us to correct the damage they did in 16 years in less than two.’’

Accusing PDP of playing dirty politics as an opposition

party, he urged Nigerians to ask PDP leaders what they did with huge financial resources they got when crude oil was selling between 100 and 150 dollars per barrel.

“When PDP was in power, the country was producing 2.2 million barrels per day-that was the time the country was getting huge revenue; it was more than enough. Instead of even leaving the revenue for the excess crude account, they finished it; wherever there was money, they finished it,’’ Masari further stated.

Talking about the mess APC

inherited from the Jonathan-led government, he said when the present government came in, there were insurgents in the entire North-east geo-political zone, accusing PDP of promoting insurgency for its political interest.

In spite of the fact that there were not enough resources, Masari said APC was able to bring peace, security and stability to the region, saying people can now travel from Borno State to Badagry, from South to Sokoto, without fear of being attacked.

18

T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017

POLITICS

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

PERSONALITY INTERVIEW

Akpabio: PDP Would Have Handled Recession Better Senate Minority Leader and a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio reviewed the two years of the All Progressives Congress-led federal government and concluded his party, the Peoples Democratic Party would have done a better job. He also discussed the crisis rocking his party. Iyobosa Uwugiaren presents the excerpts:

W

hat is your assessment of President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC federal government in the last two years?

There is a lot of emotions being expressed here and there; a lot of expectations that have not been met. So, these are the various reasons why those who wear the shoes should know where it pinches. But I will say that part of the reason could be this economic recession that hits Nigeria and many part of the world that I would say started in Greece.

Now, I think it is in Venezuela---where people are on the streets breaking things. I wonder, you only have recession and you are breaking things down; how would you rebuild those things.

Some have gone scattering things and looting of shops. But, Nigerians have been patient. But for the economics recession, it could have been very easy for one to pass judgment. However, if I were to assess the two years, I would say there is still a lot to be done because l know ‘if it is not panadol. it can’t be the same as panadol’.

I believe that if it were PDP, between 2015 and 2017, we would have made more significant progress. A lot of plans have been outlined but not much had actually been seen in terms of progress and delivering of campaign promises.

Most of the campaign promises have actually not been met. There is no one to be blamed for the recession currently ravaging many countries.

But from a politician point of views, I am just imagining that probably, we could have handled the recession better, if it were PDP and that is how I looked at it.

So, what went wrong?

I have spoken to some of APC leaders and they keep on blaming what they called the mess created by the PDP, the mess the party left behind; that they underestimated the problem left behind by the PDP, and that is why they have not been able to perform. No! They can’t say that.

You know before you go into government. You must do a critical analysis of what you intend to do. You can’t go and promise free education when you are not sure you are ready. Before you make promises to the people, you must have done not just the details analysis of the economic situation of the government, but, you must have also done a review of the economic policies of the government. So, if they say they underestimated the mess left behind by the PDP that means they on their own part were not prepared for government. I take a good example of Barack Obama, they refused to give him credit but he met America in almost comatose.

General Motors, for instance, was retrenching and was about to fold up and a lot of industries in America were in the same precarious situation and government brought out economic stimulus and went even to inject money into private sectors. That was not government’s concerns but the government was out to save the jobs of the average Americans; to make sure that those companies survived, and by the third year, General Motors started making profits.

I don’t think Obama spent almost two years talking about the previous administration. We should stop passing the bucks. We should stop blaming the previous administration. It’s almost like saying the PDP came into office in 1999 and keeps blaming the entire years of the military rule, and keeps saying because of the military we cannot do anything. Let’s forget what happened, let’s take the country the way we met it and try to turn things around and stop blaming the past administrations. There is no need for blame games. We must accept that we have not been able to get the policies right. It is one thing to have the policies and

Akpabio...PDP will bounce back

it’s another to implement them well.

The summary is that many things have not stopped, a lot of waivers are still being given by the federal government; importation of so many things are still going on. We cannot be producing rice in Sapele and importing rice from Thailand and expect the rice factory in Sapele to continue to work. We can’t compete with the foreign rice. Imported rice will come in cheaper than the local rice because of labour and of course because of the cost of processing; and the main fact that not only it will be more costly it will not even meet the quality of the imported rice. So, there are still a lot of things that we need to do. We on our parts, the PDP, we are more interested in the country than the political party. And so, what we have done at the National Assembly as a whole, not just in the red chamber, is that we have attempted to support almost all economic trust of this administration to see how we can get our country out of recession because, even if we were to say that we are an alternative government or an alternative political party waiting to take over the country, we would like to take over a country that is whole. We decided that we must support the government. They said they wanted Eurobond, we said okay. We supported

PDP has been used to governance. So, it doesn’t understand what opposition is.

APC has been used to so much opposition and it doesn’t seem to understand what governance is

Eurobond. They said they wanted so - so billion dollars from China, we supported it.

We will continue to support the government and bring more ideas. I think they need to do more consultations and above all, they have to look beyond APC for the solutions to Nigeria’s problem. There is nothing like, experience.

APC said recession happened because of the mess created and left behind by PDP government, and that your party failed to save for the raining day. What is your take on that?

No! It is not true. You know what happened?

Nigeria constitution says that every money that goes into the federation account, by Section 162 or there about, will be shared to the different tiers of the government: the federal government, the states and local government. The federal government takes the bigger chunks of 52 percent, the states takes 23 percent or there about, then, the local government. They have the ecological funds, the intervention funds and all that. So, these things are well spelt out and they are there in the constitution. It is even under our leadership - when I was a governor that we said okay, we need to think outside the box and go outside of what the constitution says, and attempted to set up the Sovereign Wealth Funds. We said whether it was constitutional or not, let begin to save money and invest in certain structures, to leave something for the future generations. But, I think we started late. If we had started it in the 70s - at the time when the leadership of General Yakubu Gowon had so much funds - when they said the problem of Nigeria was not money but how to spend it, I think if we had saved at that time we would not be speaking the way we are speaking now.

When we came to government and there was no road to your villages; no road to the farms to bring out farm produces to sell, and the railway lines have stopped working, it was PDP that revived all these. When we came to power telecommunication was impossible; you have 090 numbers that were available. Saving is good but what are you saving if the entire health sector is comatose and Nigerians are dying of kwashiorkor? Take for instance, when Ebola entered Nigeria, supposing you said that you cannot spend millions of dollars in combating Ebola and you want to save for the raining day.

So, we must look at these things in line with reality. In the developed countries, most of what they do is the maintenance of infrastructure.

But when we came in we have to start afresh because, most of these things are virgin: virgin lands and virgin forest. As we speak now, people like ourselves left governments as governors without even roads to our communities, without being able to curb the issues of drainage. As we speak now, so many communities in Nigeria still do not have portable drinking water. So many communities are ravaged by ocean and you tell them to save? What are they saving?

Sometimes you have to juxtapose the word saving with the reality on ground. In Nigeria, we have not seen development, and we are talking about saving. What are you saving?

I am not saying that saving is bad. A child is dying of kwashiorkor, dying of diarrhoea and you cannot buy drugs for the child because we are saving money. A labourer in Nigeria does not even have living wages. Can 18,000 minimum wage buy a bag of rice? Rice was going at the time for 23,000. So, a worker who earns N18, 000 a month has no business to even buy a bag of rice; and it is on that 18, 000 that he will maintain his house, pay for the clothing of his wife, rent an apartment and provide food. So, for that kind of man who cannot afford even food, or who cannot even afford to get to work with what they called the ‘take home pay,’ saving will sound ridiculous.

For a community that uses canoe, and that has never seen a car, because they cannot afford a bridge across river, you talk about savings?

When we start comparing ourselves with Saudi Arabia and Libya; we forget the populations.

A place likes Libya they has a population of about 4m and they were producing almost 4.7m barrel oil per day. That means, every citizen of Libya was sure of one barrel of crude oil per day. But, Nigeria has never produced 4m barrels per day. We talked about 2m barrel.

When we are doing very well, we talked about 2.2m. The highest we have produced is 2.4m and then we have a population of about 170m.

And we say we are giant of Africa. Can you be giant without money? Unless we are saying we are giant in poverty. Because the reality is that what we are producing is not enough to even feed about 50 million people let alone 100 million or 150 million. Yet, we find it easy to compare ourselves with Saudi Arabia that they are saving money. So, the problem of Nigeria is not the function of saving money, it is the problem of even producing enough to feed the population and ensure that everybody has a meal a day. That will reduce crime and also ensure production of the private sector. This is where savings can emerge. So, I am not against savings. But, I am saying what was there to save when you cannot meet up even salaries?

What is it that the APC-led government is not doing right to get out of the current economic recession?

I think one of the things they have not done right is the fact that they wasted human resources in the last two years. We have so many reservoirs of experienced people; we have diplomats who have been ambassadors, who could have assisted the government. When a government comes in place like in the United Stated of America, the government (president) goes beyond party lines.

He picks some Republicans, and yet, he is a Democratic president. The Republican president picks some Democrats and fixes them. What they think first is the country.

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

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T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017

POLITICS

Morphy: Two Years Not Enough to Clean Rot Left by PDP Is two years enough to assess a government that is trying to clean the rot created by sisxteen years of misrule? Chief Ray Ugba Morphy, a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress, in an interview with Senator Iroegbu, said no. He also spoke on his party’s struggles to fulfil the promises made to Nigerians. Excerpts:

T

wo years into governance, has APC been implementing its promises?

I will start in a very simple way.

We are a people who often forget our history. We tend to forget the recent history that all of us just experienced.

Two years ago, we publicly devised a new style with some security measures and our hearts in our mouth. A clear case is the issue of Boko Haram terrorism which almost hold the nation to ransom. The terrorists even held sway in the nation’s capital, Abuja. Remember the bomb blasts at the Banex Plaza, United Nations building, and other places? These are things that happened which are now history as we do not have them anymore. So I can use that to illustrate to you that certainly no matter how we want to deny the facts on the ground, the threat to the ordinary citizens on the streets has reduced to the barest minimum; the issue of Boko Haram has abated.

Another issue being tackled aggressively is the corruption and the usurpation of the goodwill of the people by some people in high places. Mind you, there has never been a time when we said all the rots would be gone in two years. It is not a matter of APC promised this and that, yet they have not fulfilled all.

Let us understand the human process of doing things. The truth is that Nigeria was in far worst state than most people on the street could understand. We had deficit financing, we were running a high economic budget with very low output and capital expenditure, most of the projects we had under the budget for the last few years were never funded and we all know that. There was so much rot in the system. My point is that, the country was so bad that if you want to correct it, it would take a little bit of time to get the system processed.

That is my view regarding the ability of the current administration at the federal level to put things the way they ought to be kept.

I can also tell you today that until recently, most roads in my state were not motorable.

Anybody who knew Cross Rivers will know that for me to drive from Ogoja to Calabar, I had to go to Ebonyi State first before turning back, but now the road that everybody complained about has been contracted to Julius Berger and work is in progress. They are building a completely new road.

From what we are seeing today, it’s like your party has become an opposition to itself. What is your take?

Look at the evolution of APC as a party, how did APC start? They got together with elements of ACN, CPC, APGA, DPP and PDP who now arranged themselves as an option to the PDP. They have not yet bonded and synchronised to a point where they have same mission and vision, but we will get there. You know politics is a game of interest. The truth of the matter is that what you see is the evolution of all the process of building a system and that is natural.

Muhammadu Buhari, the president is not a young man anymore, so when you embark on such brilliant campaigns and schedules, there is nobody that will not come out from such a campaign trip tired, even younger people like us let alone those who are in their 70s.

As much as you like to paint the scenario of the state of things being very bad, there were specific campaign promises they made and they gave time laps as to that. Also, another thing you must bear in mind is that we don’t have all the available information before we came into the government. I have been around the corridors of power for some time now, one thing that is hard to get is information. There are some things you do not give out by law.

That is why we have the Official Secret Act. So, there is no way the APC as a party, could have had access to certain information about the government until it took over government.

When you actually talk about deceit, talk about my state where the PDP was in power as state

for office has not even commenced. All I am saying is that, he is a child of the constitution.

People are saying he ought to have resigned.

My personal take on this is that I am not in the position to make a call on that because I do not know the real state of his health and even if I can conjecture, I am not a doctor.

Those in charge of the constitution, vested with the power, authority and processes who are in government should know what to do.

Morphy...says Buhari is entitled to be sick

government and there is a PDP to PDP transition and the PDP governor has not been able to achieve one of the promises he made. You can call that deceit because he had access to the system before assumption of office.

In essence, you are indirectly agreeing that APC ran its campaigns on information they were not sure of?

You go and find out. The information by the Federal Government of Nigeria which was given out to the people was false. One of the ministers of the PDP government said that some of the statistics that were being pushed out by the government were also false. So if the last government gave you scooped statistics about the economy, power output, investments in power, infrastructure, what do you do?

APC knew what it was getting into and still made bogus promises. It said before 2019, the country would have 19,000 megawatts. They promised to rescue Chibok girls within weeks.

They promised to feed school children. Is it that they said those things to win election?

No. APC operates in the principle of “welfarism”, which is a system where you put the welfare of the people first and always. When you have an ideology that is tended towards a welfarist state; you will work towards such things as social security. To project social security under a progressive umbrella is certainly that which qualifies. The fact that they were not in government could not have given them the kind of authentic data that was required for them to understand as much as they perceived.

Is there any unique challenge Nigeria is currently facing given the scenario you have painted which did not exist before now?

My position is very simple; the longer the problem, the more the work needed to solve it. In psychology, you do not treat somebody who ran mad yesterday the same way you treat a person that has been mad for ten years. The fact remains that if you are given a story, you must make an effort to go into the structures.

In all these years, the political elites gave lip services to the challenges of our nation. If you look at the money that was spent by the Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s government on power, it ought to have given us steady power, but look at where we are today.

How come we have a country where nothing works? It is because of the mindset of the political elites? Other places of the world were built by

people and not God. Those places are more hostile than what we have; yet, we will take our money and spend over there where people have worked to develop their country. Isn’t it ironic that our former governors and other elites are today investing in those countries?

Don’t you think the same trend has continued under the APC-led government?

What is the moral climate of this country?

The moral climate of our country today is around 2 when weighed in the scale of 1-10.

This is because there is this wealth acquisition syndrome that can be found at every level of our society and that drives crime. Ou biggest challenge in this country is crime. I am not talking about state crime, but crimes of individuals. We hear of kidnapping, robbery, and rapes among others. That is not a function of government as it were; it is the evolution of the consciousness. We have transited from a culture that has values to a culture that has no values. There is no country in the world where they have this unbridled display of negative images. Do you know that the target of alcohol is an intentional target of this country, where every brand of alcohol is being manufactured by large companies and get them cheaper than you can get them in the UK and America, the countries of origin? But the truth is that, the elites do not even understand it and unfortunately they never allow those who know what is going on to face these challenges. We have a real problem and war in the mind is more devastating than shooting guns. Nigerian politics is basically not ideological. If you look at the APC government in one state and PDP government in another state, you cannot differentiate their programs. We must try to put the agenda of ideological thinking so that we can understand some of the issues that we face.

Now about the health of the Mr. President, where do you stand?

First, illness is a ‘human right’. Every human being has the right to be ill. You can not preclude it. Second, the Nigerian presidency is the most powerful in the world. The Nigerian presidency is also one of the largest presidencies. The fact is that illness is a human right and that Mr. President is not in the best of health at this point in time is obvious, but the doctors have not declared him unfit for office. The process of declaring him not fit

Chief Bisi Akande has expressly pointed out that the health of the president is having serious effects on the state of the nation.

Do you agree with that?

One, Chief Akande is a nobody in this matter, just like me. If Chief Akande is a layman in terms of health matters, then he is not in a position to determine the president’s capacity.

Anybody who is ill will affect people around him, and will underperform for the period of the illness. The job of being a president is a chronic job and Nigerians voted for Mr. President despite his illness. These are some of the possible fallouts of doing the job and we should not punish him for becoming ill from time to time. My father was ill for a while before he died and I did not send him out of the house. I did not drive him away to stop being a member of my family. My mother was in a comma before she died and I did not ask her to stop being our mother because it is a human feeling and I have not seen any ministry that has shut down because the president did not go to work. I have not seen any part of the presidency that is not operational. When the constitutional processes declare him to leave this office, he will leave. If those who know the processes and have called the doctors and now know what is wrong, they should decide it. Right now, I do not have the power neither do you.

So I cannot conjuncture as a citizen. Besides, they are the ones telling us that the man is well. I have written somewhere and said that the issue of Mr. President’s health has been handled clearly. A man who is working for us is ill and we should be told the truth.

The simple truth is that anybody can be ill, but the process has not been invoked. The presidency is a child of the constitution. The constitution has set processes with which a man in that office can be declared unfit. The people who should do it are officers who have access to his health and they are the ones telling you that this sickness is not the way people think it is.

Back to party politics, what are your plans for 2019?

First, my political ambition is to ensure that the politics of Nigeria is stable. That is my ambition, hope and aspiration. Whatever I can do, whatever office I can take, by the grace of God, will be determined by time, and certainly I am up for it. My state, Cross River has deteriorated in recent time from the most peaceful state in the country to the terror state in Nigeria. The situation today is that some of us are even scared. I am interested in our state returning to what it used to be both as a tourism destination and as a peaceful place. The governorship of my state is vested in northern senatorial district right now and that’s where I come from.

Governor Ben Ayade is doing a first term of our normal eight year rotational turn and he is in PDP. He is not doing well. We in the APC will vie for that office. We are not going to let the PDP keep it and when we vie for that office, it will be from the north, my senatorial district. Therefore, if my people consider me worthy to be the arrowhead or the spearhead the change, why not? I am all for it. Right now, the incumbent governor is not doing well. In fact, we believe that Calabar and Cross River have deteriorated in the past few years and anybody who is honest will accept that.

20

THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017 • T H I S D AY

FEATURES

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

End of a Nightmare Confronted with the heinous gridlock, traffic robbery and environmental nuisance just after he assumed office, Lagos State governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode went back to the drawing board and worked out creative initiatives that produced the Jubilee Bridges, among others. Gboyega Akinsanmi writes

Newly built foot bridges with lay-bys, slip road and segregated bus park Ambode unveiled at Ojodu-Berger along Lagos-Ibadan expressway…recently

F

ew weeks after he assumed office in 2015, Lagos State governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode came under fire. He never bargained for such public outrage, which he said, almost got him confused. But he took up the gauntlet because he said he was left with two unpalatable options: combating social realities headlong and walking the path of failure by giving excuses.

He, however, chose to combat three social realities, which challenged his creativity and tenacity five months into his administration.

Of these realities, intractable gridlock, which held down the state’ economy, was the evil. From Ikorodu to Lagos Island, then, commuting in Lagos was a huge burden.

From Oshodi to Abule-Egba, residents accessing homes was a nightmare. From Ibeju-Ajah axis, going to offices was indeed dreadful.

Across the state, evidently, gridlock came with associated challenges. Unconsciously, the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello said, gridlock provided an environment for traffic robbers to operate. For Ambode, according to Bello, the situation was not acceptable, thereby compelling him to work out multi-pronged initiatives to effectively establish an order.

Aside traffic robbery, managing wastes was equally an issue, which Bello said, confronted the Ambode administration.

Then, streets were littered with garbage here and there; medians filled with uncollected solid wastes and highways almost relapsed to the old state. Like those bad days, Lagos regained unsavoury headlines in the national dailies almost every day.

Under two years, nevertheless, the stories about Lagos are no longer what they used

to be when Ambode assumed office. Traffic theft has, largely, disappeared. Gridlock is now better managed with the creation of lay-bys in strategic locations. Also, managing wastes has been redefined with the enactment of the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law, 2017.

But Ambode unveiled three strategic projects last week, which stakeholders said, were a mark of people-centric governance.

First is the three-in-one transformation project at Ojodu-Berger, which has changed the narratives about the state from the LagosIbadan wing. Second is the Abule-Egba

Under two years, nevertheless, the stories about Lagos are no longer what they used to be when Ambode assumed office.

Traffic theft has, largely, disappeared. Gridlock is now better managed with the creation of lay-bys in strategic locations

flyover, which x-rays the monument of a megacity. The last is the Ajah flyover, signalling an end to the nightmare commuters often went through along Lekki-Epe axis.

Miracle of the decade Amid fanfare, last week, the governor unveiled the three-in-one project at Ojodu Berger. It was the first of its kind in the state, even perhaps in the country. The project comprises foot bridges, lay-bys and slip roads, which Ambode said, were a response to the yearnings of the people for an improved life. For stakeholders, it was a miracle of the decade.

At least, specifically, two major reasons spurred the Ambode administration to embark on the transformation of Ojodu Berger. First was the incessant loss of lives at the Ojodu-Berger section of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, which the Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Mr. Ade Akinsanya said, was avoidable and preventable.

Second was the real challenge of gridlock, which gave birth to two associated issues: traffic robbery and environmental nuisance.

For a long time, according to him, crossing the Lagos-Ibadan expressway at the OjoduBerger section had been a nightmare for pedestrians due to lack of a foot bridge.

The situation was compounded by picking and dropping of passengers.

He explained that the practice worsened the traffic congestion at Ojodu Berger, which he said, sometimes sprawled several kilometres. So, he said, the need to preserve Lagos residents, whose lives were endangered whenever they wanted “to cross the Lagos-Ibadan expressway. The project equally decongested traffic at the axis with

laybys and slip roads.”

At Berger, two foot bridges were constructed. Each was designed to enable pedestrians cross the Lagos-Ibadan highway with ease. Aside, lay-bys, about 150 metres long, were constructed on both sides of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway. So, obviously, the lay-bys ended an improper practice, which spurred bus operators to pick and drop passengers anywhere at Berger Bus Stop.

Retaining walls, about 500 metres long on both sides with varying heights, were constructed to prevent commuters and pedestrians from crossing the expressway haphazardly. Even with the multi-bay bus parks and bus lay-bys constructed at OjoduBerger, the infrastructure was designed in a way that pedestrians would not be able to disrupt vehicular traffic.

By implication, the roads are fenced off; walkways barricaded with barb wires and the medians cordoned to avoid loss of lives.

Coming from Ojota, also, about 650-metre slip road was constructed. Different roads that link Ojodu-Berger were upgraded; streets and parks were lit; all roads signalised and all junctions aesthetically improved for easy traffic flow and navigation.

In all, the benefits of the projects are huge.

Akinsanya said the projects are designed “to enhance the socio-economic development of both Lagos and other neighbouring states.” Aside, he said, the projects will reduce travel time on the road; decrease loss of man hours and ensure safety of lives, mainly that of pedestrians with the construction of the foot bridges.

Two bridges, one story Aside Berger’s transformation, Ambode unveiled two strategic flyovers at Abule

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• T H I S D AY THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017

FEATURES Egba and Ajah. The narrative of the two bridges stemmed from traffic challenges, which almost crippled the state’s economy few weeks after Ambode took up the mantle of leadership in 2015. Rather than succumbing to these challenges, Ambode came up with creative initiatives, which Akinsanya said, were answers to what proved impossible over the last decade.

This, perhaps, explained when Ambode inaugurated the flyovers to mark the state’s 50th anniversary. It, equally, explained when Ambode christened the two flyovers ‘Jubilee Bridges,’ which at the moment occupies a strategic space in the recent history of the state.’ It, also, informed Ambode’s commitment to honouring every promise he made before his election.

On this ground, Ambode explained his excitement about the flyovers, which he said, was not primarily about providing them, but really about answers they provided to gnawing challenges commuters have been facing along the routes over the years. As Akinsanya puts it, the Ajah Bridge is a 160-metre long dual carriage way. The bridge itself has a total length of 620 metres.

But the Abule-Egba Bridge is twice the length of the Ajah Bridge. It also has a water fountain, which adds beauty and colour to the state. But Akinsanya said the flyovers were built with other road infrastructure with the sole purpose of reducing the rate of accidents; guaranteeing the safety of pedestrians and ensuring the protection of public installations.

The rationales justified why the flyovers were designed with comprehensive traffic signalisation, street lighting, walkways, service ducts and drainage among others.

In the case of the Ajah Bridge, Akinsanya said Freedom Road with 2.7 kilometres and Admiralty Way with 2.2 kilometres were constructed to ease traffic flow along the Lekki-Epe Road.

So, at Abule-Egba, Ambode emphasised the significance of the flyover, which he said, would open other areas of the state; improve the lives of residents and boost economic activities. He, also, said the project was as a result of the government’s engagements with the people of the axis and his administration’s strong desire “to make life easier and better for the people.”

Apparently, Ambode said the area was a strategic route for commercial and social activities, which he said, was prone to gridlock, thus compelling his administration’s decision ”to redesign the traffic flow chart of the axis to ensure better connectivity between Lagos and Ogun States. We all have cause to rejoice as the Jubilee Bridge, Abule-Egba is delivered.

“This bridge is one of the interventions we embarked upon to ensure traffic flow; stimulate commercial activities and create opportunities for our people. Lagos means business and today, Abule-Egba is open

Newly inaugurated Abule-Egba flyover by Ambode

Ambode (3rd left), Bello (2nd left) and others at the inauguration of Admiralty and Freedom Roads, Lekki…recently

At Berger, two foot bridges were constructed. Each was designed to enable pedestrians cross the Lagos-Ibadan highway with ease. Aside, lay-bys, about 150 metres long, were constructed on both sides of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway. So, obviously, the lay-bys ended an improper practice, which spurred bus operators to pick and drop passengers anywhere at Berger Bus Stop

for business. This bridge signposts the beginning of a new era of development that will enhance the standard of living of the people in this axis.”

At Ajah, too, Ambode reflected on the gnawing gridlock that clogged the Lekki-Epe expressway immediately after he assumed office. He admitted that the traffic situation was then crippling business activities, causing loss of valuable man hours and costing huge revenues. With the bridge, he said it “will eliminate traffic jam usually experienced on the route.

“We had to give this project priority because of its strategic importance to the economic growth of the Lekki Free Trade Zone (LFTZ) and the Ibeju-Lekki-Epe axis.

This axis will play a key role in the future prosperity of Lagos State as the home to many multi-billion naira private investments in the Lekki Free Trade Zone as well as the upcoming seaport and airport,” he said.

Sustainability questions For town planners, specifically, transformation of Ojodu-Berger is long overdue. Also, civil and structural engineers acknowledged

that the flyovers Ambode inaugurated last week met required standards anywhere in the world, though sought robust plan for sustained maintenance if the infrastructure would really serve the purpose for which the state built them.

For instance, former President of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Alhaji Waheed Kadiri said the Berger projects “have redefined the outlook of Lagos apart from unlocking gridlock along the axis.

In the case of Abule-Egba, the bridge is a strategic infrastructure,” which he said, “will not only solve traffic problems, but equally add aesthetic value to the state.”

He, thus, said he was pleased with the projects on three different grounds. First, he said, the projects are a mark of excellent performance. Second, according to him, it shows the Ambode administration is committed to urban renewal programmes.

Lastly, the projects simply x-ray Ambode’s resolve to tackle the state’s challenges through infrastructure development.

Likewise, former President of Nigerian Institution of Structural Engineers (NIStructE), Dr. Victor Oyenuga approved

various projects, which he said the Ambode administration unveiled to mark the state’s 50th anniversary. For him, the quality of works on the various projects meets standard globally. Apart from high standard, the projects will stand the test of time.

As a structural engineer, Oyenuga attested that the projects “will last as far as their engineering lifespan is concerned.

Critically viewed, the projects, especially the Abule-Egba and Ajah flyovers, meet all necessary engineering requirements both in concept and execution.” However, he said, meeting the engineering requirements is enough without maintenance plan.

Specifically, Oyenuga challenged Ambode to come up with maintenance template, which he argued, was critical to ensuring the sustainability of the projects.

Without strong maintenance plan, he said, the projects will not definitely stand the test of time. On the same ground, Kadiri said the state government should evolve a long-term maintenance plan “to ensure that the structural integrity of these strategic projects are maintained and preserved.”

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Quick Takes

Kaspersky Offers VPN for Macs, PCs

Kaspersky Lab has introduced Secure Connection in Nigeria, a solution for encrypting traffic on Windows and Mac computers.

Based on VPN technology, it automatically enables encryption when the risk of data interception is most dangerous for the user, especially when connecting to public Wi-Fi or using online banking or other sites containing private information.

The unprotected, or poorly protected, transfer of data puts a person’s privacy, data and even their money at risk. By using tools that are freely available on the internet, intruders can read and use information transmitted over these connections, including messages, passwords and files.

Kaspersky Lab’s Secure Connection ensures reliable encryption of transmitted data, and if the user forgets to enable it, the solution will display a reminder when it is most needed. For example, it will offer its services if a Wi-Fi network is unsafe or – in the case of the Windows version – if the user attempts to open a site with critical information.

Head of Consumer Business at Kaspersky Lab, Andrei Mochola, sais; “User security is our priority, which is why we aim to provide multi-level protection at every stage where users are at risk of losing anything.”

“Traffic encryption is an essential component of digital protection, and we are now happy to provide it to all owners of Windows and Mac computers, and by the end of the year – to all mobile users as well,” Mochola said.

DEEPENING THE CAPITAL MARKET

L-R: Chairman, Stockbroking Houses Owners of Nigeria (ASHON), Chief Patrick Ezeagu; Chairman, Nigerian Economic Summit Group, Mr. Kyari Bukar; a former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi; Director General, Debt Management Office, (DMO), Dr. Abraham Nwankwo and Public Relations Officer, ASHON, Mrs. Ife Ejezie at ASHON’s 2nd annual Capital Summit in Lagos…recently

NIPOST Strategises for Efficiency, Revenue Generation Stories by Emma Okonji Citing technology as an enabling tool that could turnaround the fortunes of the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), its managers have resolved that it would leverage technology to reposition the postal sector, and make it a ‘money spinner’ for the federal government.

The managers, who were drawn from all NIPOST operations nationwide, took the decision at a six day strategic management retreat, which took place at the Training and Conference Centre in Ogere, Oyo State.

The meeting re-evaluated the operations of the postal

ECONOMY agency and admitted that NIPOST had lost the confidence of the federal government and its customers because it failed to live up to its expectations in the past.

But with a renewed slogan: ‘Posting The Post Into Prosperity’ the managers came up with four pillars that have 18 programmes that would help to diversify the operations of NIPOST, with a focus on staff training, backed with modern technology for tracking mails and parcels. The four pillars will focus on structural reforms, service quality, innovation and diversification.

The Postmaster General and Chief Executive of NIPOST, Bisi Adegbuyi, said the new slogan would spur staff and management to achieve the best of reform, through the use of technology. According to him, modern technologies have brought about some forms of disruption and NIPOST must begin to think out of the box to adopt such technologies in order to reposing the once vibrant organisation.

“Having identified our strengths and weaknesses, we need to innovate, diversify and come up with new services that will delight our customers and restore their lost confidence,” Adegbuyi said.

In his closing remarks at

the strategic management retreat, the Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shuttu said: “Over the years, there has been a mismatch between planned targets and budgetary outcomes as well as service delivery at NIPOST. This has impeded growth and development in this very vital organ of national communication. It is in this context that the retreat was designed to discuss issues around the resolve to reposition the organisation.”

The Minister added: “NIPOST is a cash cow that had been neglected by successive governments in Nigeria and Continued on page 24

MasterCard, Jumia to Diversify Africa’s Cashless Initiative Africa’s online retail sector is set to receive another boost with an exciting opportunity for retailers to grow their businesses by connecting with new customers, courtesy of MasterCard and Jumia.

According to Jumia, a leading online retail platform, the ecommerce sector must focus on delivering a stronger consumer experience if it is to reach its full potential of developing into a $50billion industry by 2018.

The true potential of the online retail environment, it said, remained largely untapped in Africa, especially considering that seven of the 10 fastest growing internet populations in the world are in Africa.

In order to achieve full

ECONOMY potential of the e-commerce business, Jumia said it has joined forces with technology company, Mastercard to drive cash out of the online retail sector and provide a more secure and convenient way for consumers to shop online.

Many online purchases are still being paid for with cash at point of delivery, the online company said.

Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Jumia, Jeremy Hodara, said: “Developing stronger and streamlined online retail platforms and offerings is necessary to unlock the full potential of e-commerce on the continent. Optimising the

overall customer experience by guaranteeing safer and simpler payments mean opening the online retail environment to greater numbers of African citizens.”

He added: “Cash is still widely used by consumers and e-retailers. On Jumia for instance, between 65 and 95 per cent of all orders are paid using cash on delivery, a percentage that varies according to the countries in which the e-retailer operates. This clearly confirms the widespread use of cash, which presents an opportunity to introduce digital payment solutions that meet the needs of both the consumer and the e-retailer”, Hodara added.

He noted that consumers are

still hesitant about paying for items online which contributes to the drop off at check-out and abandoned online shopping carts.

Division President for subSaharan Africa at Mastercard, Daniel Monehin, said: “Studies

by GSMA indicate that mobile has taken over as the platform of choice for creating, distributing and consuming innovative digital solutions and services in Africa. Mobile is an obvious way to boost the growth of the e-commerce sector and deliver a more user friendly experience.”

Monehin further said that in Africa, mobile banking had Continued on page 24

U.S. Unveils American Space at CCHub

The United States Ambassador to Nigeria Mr. W. Stuart Symington has opened Nigeria’s first state-of-the art Priority American Space hosted at the Yaba offices of technology incubator, Co-Creation Hub (CC-Hub).

At the event attended by technology leaders, Symington explained that the space, which is equipped with cuttingedge digital technology, remained a center for Nigerians to develop innovative ideas, learn about the United States and its people, explore possible study at U.S. universities, enjoy U.S. cultural programmes and also interact with U.S. exchange program alumni.

“At the Priority American Space in Lagos, we are investing in technology and programmes to unleash the creativity of Nigeria’s burgeoning community of innovators. We are pleased to partner with Co-Creation Hub, a leading force for incubating social entrepreneurship and technological advancement,” Symington said. With a rich array of programmes and trainings, the Priority American Space which is the tenth of its sort in Africa, will promote ingenious ideas, critical thinking and reasoned discourse. Worldwide, there are 67 Priority American Spaces.

IAMCP WIT Launched in Nigeria

International Association of Women Microsoft Certified Partners and Women in Technology (IAMCP WIT) has been launched in Nigeria at an event which took place at BVC Consulting premises, Yaba, Lagos, recently.

The event which had in attendance women from diverse professional industries and stakeholders from the technology industry, took an in depth look into how Nigerian women can embrace technology more fully to meet the challenges of evolving business.

Speaking at the launch event, Director, Marketing and Operations at Microsoft Nigeria, Ade Ajayi stated that launching the IAMCP WIT in Nigeria was in line with Microsoft’s vision to empower every individual and organisation in the world to achieve more by empowering women who make up an important part of the society with technology.

According to him, “Women are an important part in the growth of any economy and the inclusion of women in the IAMCP WIT program will go a long way to enable women to do more in terms of their businesses and everyday living.”

Chair and convener, IAMCP WIT Nigeria, Chinwe Onuorah, said the vision for IAMCP WIT is to make it a preferred technology hub, existing primarily to connect women through technology, increase and retain more women in technology.

“MainOne is excited to partner Ogun State to create technology hub, capable of attracting local and international technology companies to do business in the state”

Chief Executive Officer, MainOne, Funke Opeke

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T H I S D AY •THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017

BUSINESSWORLD NIPOST STRATEGISES FOR EFFICIENCY, REVENUE GENERATION allowed to decay due to the overbearing attention on Nigeria’s oil. In this era of change, we must work differently. It is no longer business as usual.

He said repositioning NIPOST would bring about a number of dimensions that must be addressed in a systematic and planned manner if Nigeria is to achieve the desired goal.”

Shittu said that “in the face of fast-shifting customer expectations and technological disruption, we must be on top of our game; we must innovate and innovate rapidly.” To remain relevant and deliver sustainable superior performance, we need human and institutional capacity development, Shittu said, adding today’s workforce needs 21st century skills to stay competitive and relevant in the global and dynamic industry.

MASTERCARD, JUMIA TO DIVERSIFY AFRICA’S CASHLESS INITIATIVE experience more growth than traditional banking, enabling previously unbanked consumers to transact in ways never seen before.

The continent’s consumer is more connected and willing to try new technology solutions, and with mobile penetration currently at over 85 per cent and nearly half a billion Africans subscribing to mobile services, it is clear that this platform must be taken seriously by retailers and governments alike, Monehin said. According to him, mobile services in e-commerce have the power to remove the need for merchants and consumers to physically transact, opening the doors for better and easier ways to connect digitally. This removes the need for physical retail outlets, which means that cash must be removed from the online sector and replaced with quick and easy solutions using the latest technology.

Group Business Editor

Chika Amanze-Nwachuku AgriBusiness/Industry Editor

Crusoe Osagie

Comms/e-Business Editor

Emma Okonji

Capital Market Editor

Goddy Egene

Senior Correspondent

Raheem Akingbolu (Advertising) Correspondents

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

Nume Ekeghe (Money Market) Nosa Alekhuogie (Maritme)

NEWS

UN Pledges to Work with Nigeria to Boost SMEs Growth Chika Amanze-Nwachuku The Investment and Technology Promotion Office of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO-ITPO) has vowed to work with Africa, and indeed Nigeria, to realise the projected growth of small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs). According to the organisation, the increase in global demand for Nigerian products was a pointer to Nigeria’s potential to contribute significantly to global economic development.

Head, UNIDO ITPO Nigeria, Mrs. Adebisi Olumodimu, gave the assurance at the closing ceremony of a four-day intensive training programme organised

by UNIDO-ITPO Nigeria for three federal government agencies. She said a strong team had been developed to strengthen the training potential of the agencies toward improving their mandate delivery.

Olumodimu said: “UNIDO ITPO Nigeria has just finished the training of experts which it will use in its training tasks ahead”, adding, the team had been able to evolve the needed strategies to address challenges associated with entrepreneurial development in Nigeria.

She added: “As a team, the collaborators have analysed the Nigerian business climate, and we have also imbibed the spirit of enterprise so that we will train entrepreneurs in the interest of ensuring that their businesses thrive despite challenges,” she noted.

“I have no doubt that we will achieve our set goal of making conglomerates of entrepreneurs by strengthening

SMEs and placing them on the path of growth.” According to her, the beneficiary agencies are the Nigeria Incentive-based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL), National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) and the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council.

She charged the agencies to maximise the opportunities afforded them by the training, stating that they must leave

no stone unturned in applying newly devised strategies to their operations as regards development of entrepreneurs.

The Director-General, NIRSAL, Aliyu Abdulhameed, thanked the UNIDO ITPO Nigeria for the platform and assured stakeholders that NIRSAL would sustain the inter-agency collaboration established by ITPO Nigeria for the development of SMEs in the country.

“We are going to work with our partners in NIPC and NOTAP. We will identify realistic projects in the agricultural value chain that have to do with youth and we will apply the training we got here,” he added.

The Coordinator, ARCEIT Programme, UNIDO ITPO, Bahrain, Mr. Afif Barhoumi, said the end of the Train the Trainers was the beginning of a shift from theory to practice.

“Now that the intensive training has ended, there will be a practice of what has been learnt in theory,” he said.

Corroborating Olumodimu’s position, Afif said: “The training has shown that we have a very formidable team, and we are very sure that we will achieve the set task. The next thing is to deploy the shared knowledge and new partnerships to the development of entrepreneurs in Nigeria.

MEDIA ROUNDTABLE

L-R: GOtv Marketing Manager, Johnson Ivase; General Manager, GOtv, Akinola Salu and General Manager, Marketing and Sales, MultiChoice Nigeria, Martin Mabutho, during the GOtv media roundtable in Lagos...recently

FG Lauds FCMB’s Contributions to National NPA, Port of Miami Devt, Donation of School Feeding Portal Collaborate to Enhance Trade, Port Development Acting President Professor the HGSF programme. From life changing opportunities. He Yemi Osinbajo, has commended the First City Monument Bank (FCMB) for showing a strong commitment and support to the development of Nigeria through strategic partnerships with the public and private sectors over the years.

The commitment, he emphasised, has gone a long way to strengthen government’s efforts towards enhancing the well-being of the country and the citizenry. Osinbajo gave the commendation during a visit by the Management of the Bank to the Presidential Villa in Abuja. The visit provided an opportunity for the Bank’s management to formally donate to the federal government a robust Home Grown School Feeding (HGSF) programme web portal it (the bank) developed for deployment nationwide. The office of the vice president is in charge of this social investment programme, which was launched in July 2016. It is currently running in several states and when fully operational in all the 36 states, over 24 million school children will benefit from it thereby making it the largest school feeding programme in Africa.

Specifically, Osinbajo hailed FCMB, “for being proactive and demonstrating tremendous interest towards the success of

what I have seen, this portal is an excellent initiative and the Bank should be commended not just for this, but for being a partner in progress over the years.’’ He noted that apart from improving child nutrition and healthy living, the free school feeding programme will increase enrolment of children, boost agricultural production and its associated value chain as well as create employment opportunities in all sectors.

Osinbajo expressed happiness and confidence that, “with the involvement of a Bank like FCMB in this scheme through the web portal and other forms of support, we are optimistic that the HGSF programme will yield the desired results’’. He urged the bank “to do more in the areas of partnership and financing to the public and private sectors, because this will go a long way to assist the government fulfil its objectives.”

Speaking during the visit, the Managing Director of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Mr. Adam Nuru, explained that the Bank decided to take the lead in developing the HGSF portal in further demonstration of its value as a helpful financial institution committed to delivering exceptional services that create

pointed out that the portal acts as an information hub which aids remote monitoring and evaluation from the Vice President’s Office, thereby giving access to data that includes but is not limited to the number of people employed in the value chain, the menu on state by state basis, the impact of the programme on agricultural production, and ultimately, the overall health and well-being of the benefitting children.

These factors combined will ensure effective tracking of the success or shortcomings of the project on a state by state basis.

In addition, Mr. Nuru stated that, “the portal has the capacity to accurately capture data of all pupils in Nigeria as well as to enable parents, teachers and other stakeholders send feedback on day-to-day field activities through an SMS code, thereby eliminating any form of fraud during the programme and payment of vendors’’. While commending the federal government for implementing the free school feeding programme, he assured that FCMB will continue to collaborate with the federal and state governments to monitor and measure its success, considering its very important and critical nature.

Eromosele Abiodun The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), and the Port of Miami, United States, have concluded arrangements to strengthen ties to boost trading activities between Nigeria and the U.S.A. The collaboration, expectedly, will facilitate the development of Nigeria’s ports.

The trade volume between Nigeria and the United States currently stood at $5.3billion as at the last quarter of 2016.

The Managing Director of NPA, Ms. Hadiza Bala- Usman disclosed this in Lagos, Tuesday, at a forum with a delegation from the Port of Miami, on a trade mission to Nigeria.

She said that Nigeria has been developing her port industry with a view to positioning it to play a key role in the country’s economic development.

Bala- Usman also stated that the federal government was determined to develop the Nigerian ports to handle increased volumes of exports and imports that would result from the implementation of its economic development programmes.

She explained that the

current efforts between both countries will also accelerate trade and economic relations.

According to her, “We envisage very positive outcomes of this relationship in our operations and results. The anticipation is drawn from the purpose of this trade mission, which is to engage and foster bilateral trade, commercial ties, maritime services and technical exchanges between the of Miami and African ports.

“This new relationship will further expand bilateral trade opportunities and enhance the scope for Nigeria and USA to work together more closely to promote a mutually beneficial trade network.”

In her speech, the President of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, (NACCIMA), Iyalode Alaba Lawson said that the renewed partnership has the potential for increased trade especially when Nigeria reverses the negative media reports that the global business community has become accustomed to.

Lawson stressed that the collaboration will improve the ease of doing business in Nigeria and provides the much needed infrastructure to support economic activity.

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BUSINESSWORLD

E-BUSINESS

Telecoms Industry Still Unstable Despite government’s interventions, the foreign exchange policy largely unsettled the telecoms industry in two years of the Muhammadu Buhari administration, writes Emma Okonji Before President Muhammadu Buhari was sworn in on May 29, 2015, the value of naira had started depreciating gradually, but the situation worsened in the last two years of his administration, which caused instability in the telecoms industry.

In order to cushion the adverse effect of the high exchange rate of dollar to the naira and scarcity of the greenback on the Nigerian economy as well as stem the continued depreciation of the naira, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) recently came up with some palliative measures like the introduction of new forex policy that granted some key sectors of the economy easy access to foreign exchange at reduced rate.

The telecoms sector was excluded from the priority list of the sectors that benefitted from the new forex measures, despite that the sector depended so much on foreign currencies for its operations. The situation boxed telecoms operators into a tight corner. .Worried about the situation, the Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Mr. Gbenga Adebayo told THISDAY that the decision of the federal government to exclude the telecoms sector from the priority list, affected the purchasing power of telecoms operators, who could not order telecoms equipment for network expansion.

According to him, international traffic exchange, equipment procurement, systems upgrade, and network maintenance, all depended largely on foreign exchange, since every telecoms equipment is imported into the country. He said government must begin to see the telecoms industry as a critical sector that needs government attention, rather than see it as a consolidated sector that does not need government support.

Reacting to the issue of forex scarcity, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof.

Umar Garba Danbatta, admitted that the inability of telecoms operators to access forex adversely affected telecoms growth in the last two years. He, however, said the NCC intervened and secured a priority forex window for telecoms operators, which has never happened before. “The NCC had to step in and engaged directly with the financial regulator, CBN, and an agreement was reached for a priority window for telecoms operators, to enable them have access to foreign currencies in the midst of scarcity. So far, a couple of operators have been able to enjoy that priority window, and NCC will continue to push for more availability of forex for telecoms operators”, Danbatta said.

Broadband plan The five-year broadband plan that was supposed to drive activities of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector from 2013 to 2018, and make available, ubiquitous broadband for easy access, has not yielded the desired results in the last two years of Buhari’s administration. Although Shittu had said that the broadband plan would be reviewed so as to address its challenges, especially meeting the 30per cent broadband penetration target by 2018, the Chief Executive Officer of Pinet Informatics, Mr. Lanre Ajayi, blamed the inability of the broadband plan to meet target on lack of implementation of key factors that would have led to ubiquitous broadband access for Nigeria. According to him, the broadband plan had good content but its implementation was poor. He said even at that, the present government has not commenced the process of reviewing the plan, few weeks to the end of the lifespan of the current broadband plan.

The Chief Executive Officer of VDT Communications, Mr. Biodun Omoniyi, decried paucity of broadband in the cities, which he said, had led to high cost of broadband services rendered by telecommunications operators in the country, even though the country has excess broadband capacities at its shores.

He said the excess capacities were provided

Buhari

through the landing of broadband submarine cables at the shores of the country from Europe

by MainOne, Glo 1, MTN WACS, and SAT-3.

Omoniyi, who blamed the low broadband capacity in the hinterlands on lack of coordinated efforts by the telecommunications operators to build a national backbone of broadband capacity from the shores to the hinterlands, called on the operators to form a synergy that would enhance the trunk capacities of broadband connectivity to cities outside the shores of the county.

According to him, once this is achieved, it would not only reduce cost of broadband services in the country, but would also boost broadband connectivity.

Licensing of InfraCos The licensing of Infrastructure Companies (InfraCos) by the NCC has been slow in the last two years of Buhari’s administration.

Although the NCC had licensed two InfraCos for the Lagos and North central zones, ICT stakeholders have continued to express worries over the continued delay in the licensing of additional InfraCos, as promised by the NCC. They are of the view that licensed InfraCos were supposed to provide the backbone with which telecoms operators were supposed to ride on in offering broadband services across the country. They, therefore, wondered why the NCC was yet to license additional InfraCos. Ajayi said the delay is affecting quick rollout of broadband services across the country, since rollout of broadband services largely depends on broadband infrastructure, which InfraCos were supposed to provide. He called on NCC to expedite action in the licensing of additional InfraCos, owing to its importance in broadband development and penetration.

President of the Association of Telecoms Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Mr. Olusola Teniola, said for Nigeria to realise the National Backbone Network (NBN), the Open Access Model that was introduced by the NCC in deepening broadband penetration in the country, needed to be fully implemented.

Teniola however expressed concerned that both MainOne and IHS that were offered InfraCo licence since 2015, are yet to provide the much expected broadband infrastructure in Lagos metropolis and the North central.

NCC had in January 2015, awarded a consortium led by MainOne, InfraCo Nigeria Limited a licences as the fiber infrastructure provider for Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital, as well as IHS to cover North-central. The InfraCo licence covers the deployment of metropolitan fibre-optic infrastructures within

Shittu

Lagos and North-central on an open access, non-discriminatory and price-regulated basis.

Service quality Service quality in the telecoms industry has not been stable in the last two years, even though there had been slight improvement.

The President of the National Association of Telecoms Subscribers NATCOMS, Chief Deolu Ogunbanjo, said the telecoms industry is contending with several challenges that are affecting the service quality across networks. He called on the NCC to organise a stakeholders’ consultative forum, where the issue would be addressed.

But Danbatta insisted that service quality has improved slightly even though there is still a gap between the standard set by NCC and what the operators are offering currently, with regards to key performance indicators (KPIs), as set by the NCC. In the last quarter of 2016, the service quality improved slightly, but we are not near the stipulated standard set out by the NCC, Danbatta said.

He also said in the next few weeks, NCC would be publishing the performances of operators for the first quarter of the year, in terms of service quality and the subscribers would see the performances of their service providers.

Technology startups and small businesses Technology startups in the ICT industry are faced with the challenge of seed funding in financing their solutions, and in the last two years, majority of them were unable to get investors who believe in their solutions, a situation that has been blamed on policy inconsistencies of the previous and present governments. Most of the technology startups, who are small business entrepreneurs, have good software solutions that could manage organisations’ operations, but organisations are yet to trust such solutions and prefer foreign based solutions at the detriment of local software developers.

Achievements Despite poor policy implementation that bedevilled the telecoms sector in the last two years, some industry stakeholders are however of the view that some remarkable achievements have been recorded in the last two years.

Adebayo stated that the telecoms industry recorded stable regulatory environment under the NCC in the last two years. He said the NCC was able to sanitise and stabilise the

telecoms sectors, through some policies implementation and monitoring, which he said, brought about a relatively steady growth of activities in the sector.

Ajayi also commended the federal government for its intervention on the N1.04 trillion fine imposed on MTN by the NCC, following MTN’s refusal to deactivate 5.2 million unregistered and inactive lines on its network, despite repeated warnings. NCC had fined MTN N1.04 trillion for flouting its orders to deactivate unregistered SIM cards on its network, which NCC said, constituted national security risk. It took the intervention of the Buhari’s government to save MTN from total collapse as it reduced the fine from N1.04 trillion to N330 billion and MTN had since commenced staggered payment of the fine. He said the timely intervention of the government not only saved MTN from total collapse but also saved the jobs of many Nigerians who work directly and indirectly with MTN Nigeria.

Ajayi equally commended the federal government for listening to the nationwide cry of Nigerians, who spoke against the planned introduction of telecoms service tax bill that seeks to hike telecoms tax. He said the idea could have affected telecoms operations and the subscribers who would have been subjected to pay more for telecoms services rendered by the operators.

Ajayi added the timely intervention of NCC in the matter affecting Etisalat and its 13 local bank creditors, was another feat recorded by the federal government, through the NCC. Etisalat had in 2013, approached 13 local banks for a loan of $1.2 billion for network upgrade and expansion, and the money was sourced in both dollar and naira denominations. Few years after the loan was sourced, Etisalat could not continue with its repayment, blaming the high exchange rate and scarcity of dollar in the last two years.

The banks, however, threatened to take over the telecoms company before the NCC’s intervention.

In refinancing the loan, Etisalat was meant to pay certain percentage of the loan with interest on a quarterly basis, and it was meeting up with that obligation until it started defaulting, due to devaluation of naira, dollar scarcity, and the economic recession.

Ajayi commended the NCC’s intervention in the matter to save Etisalat from total collapse.

Though the past two years of Buhari’s administration was a mixture of pains and gains for the telecoms industry, but the pains far outweighed the gains.

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BUSINESSWORLD

E-BUSINESS

Adeyinka: ALAT Mobile App Will Enhance Digital Banking The Chief Digital Officer, ALAT by Wema Bank, Mr. Dele Adeyinka, spoke with Emma Okonji on how the new mobile app would digitally transform financial transactions and complement the cashless policy. Excerpts: try and hack into it, but they are yet to find any loopholes.

We are not unaware of security risks with online transactions, and we are doing everything we can to protect our customers; hence the ALAT comes with high security features that makes it difficult to hack into the system. We are providing financial services under the regulation of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) that also provide security for the financial space.

Wema Bank recently launched ALAT app, designed to transform the bank into a fully digital bank. How can this be achieved?

Wema Bank believes that banking should go beyond just transacting business, to understanding the needs of the customers to integrating into their lifestyle and offering, personalised solutions to address their current challenges and expectations.

With the shift to all things mobile, ALAT is the mobile app recently launched, and powered

by Wema Bank, to enhance digital banking.

Over the last decade, we have witnessed how technology has revolutionised the financial sector. Many products are out there in the financial market claiming to redefine the customer’s banking experience, but this is not completely true.

Presently, there isn’t that product that really captures the need of the millennials, who are the digitally savvy generation that are becoming the fastest growing segment in the world and in effect impacting economies and industries across the globe. The response of most banks to the digital revolution is the making of considerable investment in digital enterprises to maintain a competitive edge, creating gains out of technology space, with the hope that they will serve their customers seamlessly.

What is ALAT all about?

ALAT is not another online mobile banking or banking app for some banking transactions.

It is an app that helps the customers carry out practically all their bank transactions without customers ever going to a branch.

While ALAT powered by Wema Bank is driven by smartphones, it is not a digital product. It is Nigeria’s first fully functional digital bank that will totally eliminate the need to visit a physical branch. It is integrated with a responsive contact centre and a seamless back-office process. With ALAT, customers can do all their banking transactions, including account opening, document submission and all other banking transactions, such as financial and non-financial without ever having to enter into any physical branch.

How can customers tap into the benefits of the digital app?

It is simple, easy and convenient banking at its best. The service requires a simple, stress-free onboarding process to be successful. From as little as opening bank accounts, customers can transact and open a bank account under five minutes with minimal clicks on their mobile phones. Once a customer enters his or her Bank Verification Number (BVN), all his or her details captured during BVN registration are displayed. Document upload will also be handled in-app at the customer’s convenience.

Asides this, customers can request for their ATM cards via the app and get it delivered at their preferred location; free debit card and free delivery nationwide. All transactions such as account funding, account updates and profile/status maintenance will all be handled in-app. The app is about putting the bank in the customer’s pocket.

The ALAT app is currently available on Google Play Store for all Android phone users and Apple’s App Store for all Apple phone users, while users of BlackBerry and Windows phones can make use of the web version.

Why does Wema Bank pride itself as the only surviving indigenous bank in Nigeria?

It is a true statement about Wema Bank that it is the only surviving indigenous bank in Nigeria. We started banking business since 1945 and on May 2, Wema Bank clocked 72 years in the banking industry. We have been in the financial business for quite a long time and the bank is currently the

Since the launch few weeks ago in Lagos, what has been the response of customers to the app?

Customer responses have been very encouraging, and customers are currently migrating to the new digitised app. I am delighted to say that in less than two weeks that the app was launched, we have had over 10,000 customers using the app.

Digital transformation in the financial sector is a global phenomenon but Nigeria appears slow in catching up with the digital revolution.

What could be responsible for this?

Nigeria is not really slow in catching up with global digital transformation. In fact, Nigeria is catching up fast and Wema Bank has further boosted that initiative with the launch of ALAT, which is the first fully digital bank in Nigeria and the rest of African countries.

With the ALAT project, we travelled to other countries to do comparative study and we were in South Africa, where we discovered that Nigeria is ahead of most African countries in digital banking. For instance, it takes up to three working days to conclude interbank transfer within South Africa, but in Nigeria, it is a matter of few minutes.

ALAT runs 24 hours non-stop and we provide online services every day including weekends.

Adeyinka

only surviving indigenous bank in Nigeria that has been been doing retail financial business. Technology has helped us this far to do effective retail financial business since 1945 and we are leveraging the ALAT app to further digitise the operations of the bank that will bring about digital disruption in the banking sector.

What kind of digital disruption will the app bring to bear?

As a bank, we have introduced an app that will bring about a whole lot of digital disruption in the banking sector. With ALAT app, customers do not need to visit the banking hall for any kind of financial transactions, and the banks do not need to invest so much on buildings as bank branches, just to get closer to the customers. With the app, we are disrupting ourselves as well as the entire industry because it is changing a lot of status quo. With our long years of banking experience since 1945, we understand better the needs of customers and ALAT addresses all that needs, by first disrupting existing protocols that existed for several years in the financial sector.

The app appears to be targeted at the millennials who are the digital natives. Why the focus on them?

The ALAT app is not targeted at the millennials alone because it also addresses the needs of various strata of entrepreneurs, both young and old. The youths will find the app very interesting and the older generation will also be interested in using it because it is easy to access, and all financial transactions could be done easily with the app.

What are some of the unique features of the app, and what makes it different from other banking apps?

The features are quite unique because it comes with automatic transaction in the sense that once a customer makes the first monthly bill payment on the platform and saves it for subsequent transactions, the app automatically performs the function in the subsequent month, without further command.

Another unique feature of the app is that it comes with a 10 per cent interest rate per annum on the customers’ savings.

In the financial industry today, banks give three per cent interest on savings, but we are saying we are giving as much as 10 per cent on savings.

The ALAT app is different from other banking apps because it is a fully digilalised app, while other banking apps are at best, mobile products. Everything about ALART from the point of account opening to request for debit cards and delivery of the cards, as well as to the point of carrying out financial transactions, are all automated. With ALAT, new debit card can be activated online, and customers can also programme their debit cards to function in countries they wish to travel to, that is outside Nigeria and this could be done online on the ALAT platform, without visiting the bank. Card control among various payment channels within Nigeria can be done online with the ALAT app.

How can SMEs benefit from ALAT? ALAT is designed for digital transformation, which include all forms of financial transactions across all sectors of the economy. So small and medium enterprises (SMEs) who are part of the ecosystem where financial transactions are done on a daily basis, are also factored in when designing ALAT. We have several merchants on the ALAT platform currently.

What are some of the security features of the app that give customers the confidence to use the app?

The security features are of high standard and built with global standard. The app was designed locally by Nigerians, developed by Nigerians, but subjected to global rigorous testing with world-class standard. We have done several forms of testing and the app was certified good for use before it was eventually launched. Ethical hackers were employed to

Agency banking is also coming up with a focus to drive financial inclusion. How interested is Wema Bank with agency banking?

Agency banking empowers customers to do banking transactions with bank agents located on the streets closest to them, without necessarily visiting the physical bank branches.

So the agents are extension of bank branches that are helping bank customers to carry out financial transactions outside the baking hall and Wema Bank supports them.

How will ALAT compliment the cashless policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)?

The ALAT app was designed to compliment the cashless policy of the CBN and it is also meant to empower all our customers to do more online financial transactions from any part of the country and from even outside the country.

Just like ALAT by Wema Bank, FinTech is also disrupting banking activities. Do you see any competition between both platforms?

FinTech has come to stay and they are providing several financial services, using latest technologies and this calls for collaboration between banks and FinTech. Over time, it has proven that technology is the best tool to achieve financial inclusion and the need for collaboration is the key.

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Drop in Consumer Confidence, Marketing Budgets Still Big Issues Raheem Akingbolu takes a look at marketing activities in the last two years, positing that the recession and lack of proper economic policies affected marketing communications practitioners and consumer habits From all indices, Nigerian consumers and marketing communications practitioners, who provide marketing services for local and multinational companies, have not had it so good in the last two years of President Muhammadu Buhari - led administration.

As a result of heavy drop in disposable income, consumers were compelled to stay glue to a strict scale of preference. According to the former Managing Director, Nielsen West Africa, an international research agency, Mr. Lampe Omoyele, the research carried out by the firm revealed that consumption of fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) product practically began to decline in the early days of the administration. ‘’What happens is that when consumers’ confidence begins to decline, people begin to look at reprioritisation of what they spend their money on, and with inflation and consumer disposable income not increasing, what you are finding is that people are spending more money in education and housing and then having less disposable income to spend on branded items,’’ he said.

Budgets cuts For marketing communications practitioners, the story is the same because they thrive on good economy and when recession sets in, marketing naturally becomes the first casualty as most companies would be forced to cut their budgets.

This has been the situation in the last two years.

As a result of this, scores of companies have closed their offices while the existing ones are only struggling to survive.

During the last business session of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, members of the association opened up on their challenges and the fact that many advertising agencies have closed their businesses in the last two years because of lack of account to survive on.

According to the association, registered agencies that have been delisted from AAAN list because they couldn’t meet their outstanding financial obligation are; 24-7 Communications Limited, Comex Limited, Grant Advertising Limited, Media Plus International Limited and Adpure Limited. Others are BTAS Communications Limited, Novitas Limited, Sloane Communications Limited, Pemetad Limited, Elsia Communications Limited and Platform Branding Limited. The rest are; Campaign Palace Limited, Alder Media Limited, Angels Communications Limited and Explicit Communications Limited.

The number of the delisted agencies is said to have increased.

THISDAY findings have also revealed that most of the existing advertising and PR agencies in Nigeria have reduced their staff strength by over 50% for lack of business. This becomes the lots of the practitioners because their success is determined by the happenings in other major sectors of the economy, especially manufacturing.

In Nigeria, things are not looking up for local and multinational companies and this has dealt a blow on the marketing communication industry.

To this end, marketing communications practitioners have used many fora to express their worries about how consistent shrink in marketing budget is killing their businesses. At the maiden edition of the Marketers’ Conference organised by the Advertisers’ Association of Nigeria (ADVAN) in Lagos, business owners were urged to involve in more engagement. This was also the situation at a roundtable meeting of the Public Relations Consultant Association of Nigeria, where practitioners spoke glowingly on how Economic recession is affecting Public Relations.

Reasons for marketing decline Despite the drop in oil revenue, marketing communication practitioners still had hope

APCON Registrar, Bello Kankarofi when Buhari was sworn in two years ago.

The administration’s brand promise that was cleverly weaved around ‘change’ fired up the hope in the practitioners. Another thing that encouraged agency owners was the promise that the administration would control waste in the public sector and increase capital expenditure.

The first signal that things would not be as easy as assumed was the long time it took the administration to form a cabinet. For months Nigerians waited in limbo to see the list of cabinet members who would design policy direction for the new government. After ministers were eventually appointed, the passage of the 2016 budget became another subject of controversy.

Again, for months, Nigerians waited in vain until the list was finally out.

However, what appeared to be the last straw that breaks the camel’s back was the foreign exchange volatility that practically frustrated the efforts of many companies in the country as most manufacturing companies could not access raw material. As a result of this, it was difficult to engage Advertising or PR agencies.

A former president of AAAN, Mr. Kelechi Nwosu, admitted when he spoke to THISDAY that things have been difficult in the last two years for practitioners.

“Our clients are majorly in the manufacturing sector and things are not easy for them. Our industry has recorded low performance more than any year in recent time because marketing budget has suffered. Manufacturing companies are not sure of getting raw material and they are not sure of whether they would sell because consumer’s confidence has nose-dived.

When they are not sure of what to sell, why should they engage ad agencies? It is a simple Economics –you don’t supply when there is no demand. Another critical issue is that there is no government patronage. In most countries, the major chunk of advertising revenue comes from the government but in Nigeria, things are different. Finally and one instructive thing; decline in GDP will always affect marketing budget and every other things we do.”

Another issue that appears to have also affected the marketing communication industry is lack of proper marketing of Nigeria and her potentials by President Buhari and his Information Minister, Mr. Lai Muhammed. At every opportunity, within and outside Nigeria, the duo present Nigeria as a bad product and this, according to experts, is scaring investors.

Another former President of AAAN and

CPC, DG, Babatunde Irukera Managing Director of SO&U, Mr. Udeme Ufot, while reacting to this said: “There is nothing Nigerians enjoy more, both the lowly and the highly placed, than to denigrate their nation, even in the midst of foreign audiences, laying before them all our dirty linen. As marketing communicators, you would obviously feel scandalised if the marketing director of a brewery consistently tells whoever cares to listen how bitter the beer he sells is, how overpriced it is and how it is no better than other beers, you would be even more shocked if he proceeds to warn you that you could become an alcoholic if you start drinking beer, and how better off you would be saving money for your family’s upkeep and investments than buying beer.

“It may sound extreme, but that is what our chief marketing officers do to our country sometimes, not because they do not love their country, it is just that they do not understand the full implications of their utterances as it impacts the image of their country,” Ufot stated.

Consumer index Measuring 120 points in Q1 2016, Nigeria’s consumer confidence is reported to have dropped to its lowest levels in about two years according to the Consumer Confidence Index released in May 2016 by Nielsen, a global information & measurement company.

The report stated that confidence levels in Nigeria dropped by seven index points from Q4 2015 as FX challenges – Naira Depreciation, Higher Energy & Food costs drove Inflation to a 4-year all-time high of 13.7%; negatively impacting consumer disposable income and spending intentions.

Meanwhile, in the last two years, the confidence level of consumers in the economy has witnessed a downward slide amid rising cost of living and prices of basic goods including foodstuffs.

The global performance management company that provides a comprehensive understanding of what consumers want to buy had confirmed earlier that consumer confidence in Nigeria dropped in the fourth quarter of 2015.

The analysts noted that Nigeria’s Consumer Confidence Index for the fourth quarter of 2015 dropped to 100 points from more than 120 points recorded earlier. The CCI is an indicator designed to measure consumer confidence, which is defined as the degree of optimism in the state of the economy that consumers are expressing through their activities of savings and spending.

But according to Omoyele, the country’s CCI was very high before 2015.

He said: “While Nigeria has always been very high and the highest in Africa, we were concerned when, for the first time in quarter three of 2015, there was a decline in the points.

So, while it was still over 100, it had declined and this was driven by a number of factors: the inflation and other macroeconomic issues and the oil prices. The non-approval of the budget had a lot of impact because wages were static; some were cut. So, consumer disposable income had declined. While ours was still high in relation to other markets in Africa, the concern for us is that it was declining,” he said.

Given the declining condition of the outlook for many consumers; they are expected to re-prioritize spend to survive the times. The impact of this is already being seen with decline in consumption of many FMCG categories.

To win, FMCG players must strive to position themselves to consumers as offering the best “value” for their products in terms of pricing & packaging. Driving availability, awareness and trust would equally be critical APCON dissolution Another reason stakeholders cited for slow activities in the marketing communications industry was the sudden dissolution of the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) board along with other government parastatals by the president. Two years after, the body that is saddled with the regulation of the entire industry is yet to have a board. For a council that was just coming out of crises when Buhari assumed office, following the imposition of a non-professional in the person of Prince Ngozi Enioma as the APCON Chairman, by the former President Goodluck Jonathan, many expected a better regime under Buhari. But the sudden ban of a newly constituted council led

by Udeme Ufot, a thorough-bred advertising man was considered a setback for the industry.

As at the time Ufot came in, it was expected that regulation, especially as it concerned the recent industry reform would get good attention, which probably would have aligned with the ‘change’ mantra of the Buhari’s administration. Unfortunately, the sudden ban of the council scuttled this, and killed the hope of many practitioners, who had earnestly waited for the implementation of the long-awaited Continued on page 30

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P&G Nigeria Collaborates with WeConnect to Train Women Entrepreneurs Stories by Raheem Akingbolu Procter &Gamble, a leading FMCG company in Nigeria, has further shown its commitment to gender equality and supplier diversity through its partnership with WeConnect International in Nigeria to introduce the Women’s Business Development Programme.

Over 50 women owned business entrepreneurs (WBEs) located in Ibadan, Oyo State, took part in the training, which was held at the P&G Ibadan Plant Site recently.

The programme was designed to improve the entrepreneurial potential of the women

and also expand the supplier development programmes beyond the walls of P&G to women entrepreneurs through connections and trainings.

Speaking on the training sessions, P&G’s Ibadan Plant Manager, Peter Orji and one of the programme facilitators, elaborated on the importance of empowering women. He explained that P&G is renowned for women empowerment and as an extension, the organisation decided to partner with WeConnect in order to empower women entrepreneurs.

According to him, “P&G is committed to advancing and supporting the growth of Nigerian small, medium scale

enterprises owned by women and improve their management and operational skills.

Women need to be up skilled alongside their male contemporaries in thriving economic climes in order to actively contribute to the growth of the nation at large.”

The women entrepreneurs were trained on modules such as: Entrepreneurship and Strategy Development, Human Resource Development, Assessing Finance and Visibil-

ity for Personal & Corporate Branding using Digital Media & Tools. Insights were also given on P&Gs procurement processes which intimated the participants on the company’s sourcing principles and how to do business with P&G. One of the participants at the training and a certified WeConnect member, Chief Creative Director of My World of Bags, Femi Olayebi appreciated P&G and WeConnect for prioritising women and creating diverse

opportunities to empower them. She stated that “many organisations do not give women enough support but partnerships like these have equipped me to positively contribute to the family and to the nation at large.”

According to a report by McKinsey’s in 2016, if women were allowed to equally participate in the economy, they could add as much as $28 trillion or 26 percent to the annual global GDP in 2025.

P&G is one of the global advocates of women empowerment.

Currently there is a global campaign led by the organisation tagged ‘We See Equal’ which is a celebration of women and gender equality. This initiative will empower millions of women and create global pride in women breaking the glass ceiling and help shape the societal perception of women in business and in general.

Communication Minister Leads Talk at Marketing Edge Summit As preparations for the 2017 edition of Marketing Edge National Marketing Stakeholders Summit gather momentum, the Minister of Communication, Barrister Adebayo Shittu has confirmed his participation as the Keynote Speaker and Special Guest of Honour at the event scheduled to hold next month.

The minister said he was excited and willing to be a part of the yearly event especially given the theme of this year’s award, which he said was fallout of industry’s appreciation of President Muhammadu Buhari’s economic recovery and restructuring plans aimed at making Nigeria a self dependent and self reliant country.

The theme for the Summit which holds in Lagos is ‘Brand Marketing and Marketing Management in a Recovering but Restructured Nigerian Economy: Challenges and Implications for Marketing Services Providers’. The Guest Speaker at the Summit is the former Managing Director of Guinness Cameroun, and Founder/CEO, Advantage Consult, Mr. Ekwunife Okoli, while the renowned marketing guru and Managing Partner of Market Space, Mr. George Thorpe will chair the occasion.

Confirming Shittu’s participa-

tion at the event expected to attract over four hundred industry players and gladiators the publisher of the leading Brands and advertising magazine, Mr. John Ajayi, said: “The Hon. Minister, Barrister Adebayo Shittu gave his consent early in the week as a way of encouraging and assuring industry operators of Federal government’s genuine desire and intention to make everybody key into its newly released economic reform agenda while also promoting backward integration in critical industries as it is no longer business as usual.”

He stated further that the event which is a two-in-oneinitiative is intended to promote the brand idea while further expanding the frontiers of marketing and advertising knowledge. He disclosed that the theme for this year’s summit was adopted as a result of the need to create conversation around the current economic realities in the country as a way of opening up new opportunities for industry players.

His words: “We adopt the theme for this year’s stakeholders’ summit because we are not unmindful of the changing mood of the nation both at the micro and macro-economic levels.

TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION

L-R: Direct Sales Manager, DigitalPR-Wire, Rosemary Agu; Director, Nigeria Innovation Summit, Tony Ajah; Project Executive, Nigeria Innovation Summit, Loveth Igbo and Director, Operations, DigitalPR-Wire, Samuel Salami, during a press conference to announce the forthcoming 2017 Innovation Summit in Lagos...recently

Indomie Marks Children’s Day with 100, 000 Kids As part of activities marking the 2017 Children’s day celebration, Indomie Fan Club (IFC); a children based fan club organised a fun-filled children’s party for over 100,000 school children across the country and also used the event to reward winners of the Indomie ‘Show Your Talent Competition’ which started in April. According to a statement issued by the company, one of this year’s celebrations held at the Apapa Amusement Park, Lagos State hosted over 10,000 thousand children from different schools within Lagos to a fanfare celebrations. Dufil Prima Foods Plc, makers of the product was

said to have given an amazing treats to all the children present regardless of their social class as they all participated in various fun activities which include bumper car, carousel, the rockets, the pirates’ ship, the spinner, the tea cup, disco ride, and the air bicycle, all in a bid to deepen the social interactions.

The Group Public Relations and Events Manger, Dufil Prima Foods Plc, Mr. Tope Ashiwaju, said the event is replicated across various parts of Nigeria has been decentralised to make it accessible to more children in the hinterland with such fun centres. According to him, “One

of the reasons for this fun-filled event is because some of these kids may not have the privilege to go to such places to celebrate children’s day as some of their parents may not have the time or resources to do, so the brand is filling the gap and providing such ambience for the kids to have fun.”

Ashiwaju added: “This annual event targets at least a hundred thousand kids over the period of the celebration days with over a thousand schools across the country. In spite of the monetary cost, the joy on the faces of the hosted children as they bond with each

other is what is paramount to Indomie. A platform to bring kid together is what Indomie brand loves to do.”

Commenting on the competition, the Coordinator of Indomie Fan’s Club, Mrs. Faith Joshua said: “It was a deliberate act that the grand finale of the Indomie Fan’s club ‘Show Your Talent Competition’ which started in Aprilsimultaneously hold during the Children’s Day celebration week. The competition is one of the many ways through which the brand is engaging with kids by giving the opportunity to express their creative talents and abilities.”

DROP IN CONSUMER CONFIDENCE, MARKETING BUDGETS STILL BIG ISSUES advertising reform. Meanwhile, there is a pending clog in the whole process over the belief in some quarters that government made a mistake, while the late Prof. Dora Akunyili was Information minister, to have wrongly listed APCON as a parastatal instead of being treated as a regulatory body. To say this is not the best of times for players in the industry is like stating the obvious. Now that marketing has naturally become the first casualty of the current economic recession, stakeholders are calling on President Buhari to give his policy a human face. Though his fight against corruption is applauded in many quarters, many marketing communication practitioners have faulted it on the basis that it is scaring away investors.

“The hype in our fight against corruption is more than the substance and this is not good for our image as a nation, we are simply telling the rest of the world that, go, go we are thieves. New businesses are not coming in and the existing ones are cutting down the budget. As I talk, most agencies are downsizing, throwing more people into the labour market,” a concerned practitioner said. Meanwhile, the Publicity Secretary of the Media Independent

Practitioners Association of Nigeria, Mr. Yinka Adebayo, has urged the current administration to give marketing communications professional good recognition. “I can only advise government to build on what was achieved during the electioneering campaigns when most of them engage professionals to handle their campaigns. By the recent statistic, our industry now worth N120 billion and about 80 percent of this is contributed by registered media independent firms. With this, I think the industry is critical to the economy and so government should endeavour to give us more recognition,” he said.

CPC’s redress of N2.5bn However, if there is any plus for the administration it is in the area of protection of consumer rights. In December last year, the Consumer Protection Council (CPC), disclosed that it has ordered redress up to the tune of N2.5 billion for consumers in 2016 as refunds and compensation in the resolution of their complaints on unsatisfactory services and products.

The Council’s feat was made known in Lagos during the public presentation of the

agency’s 2016 Annual Report by its former Director General, Mrs. Dupe Atoki.

The Director General disclosed that the N2.5billion included foreign currencies of $31,948.87 and €1,406 recovered for aggrieved consumers, who complained to the Council.

According to her, financial services recorded the highest value of the total amount, while insurance and pensions had the least value.

She stated further that out of the 5,000 total number of complaints received in various sectors, 4,000 were resolved, while electricity/power and chemical and allied products sectors had highest and least number of complaints respectively.

Atoki disclosed that under enforcement, the total value of substandard products removed from Nigerian markets was over N242.3 million with food and beverages taking the lion share of over N200 million and tobacco with the least value of about N300,000.

Further breakdown of the value of seized products showed that substandard products worth over N202 million were seized from malls, super and open markets, shops and warehouses, while the value of electrical and electronic products seized during the period is N40 million.

Expectations For the communication industry to harness its potential in the years ahead, experts have advised the administration to constitute the APCON council as well as increase the budgetary allocation meant for the council.

Few months ago, stakeholders had thought things might look up for the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), in the area of funding, when the Senate Committee on Information promised to pursue the possibility of increasing the budgetary allocation meant for APCON. Chairman, Senate Committee on Information, Senator Suleiman Adoke, who led other committee members to APCON Secretariat in Lagos, expressed concern over the way the council is being starved of fund.

He advocated for an increased budgetary allocation for the regulatory body to enable it meet and deliver on its mandate as an industry watchdog, and also carry out more research into the sector. Till date, nothing has been done to jack up the allocation and no sign that the council will be reconstituted soon. Until all these issued are addressed, the council will continue to bleak in the dark.

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Advancing Brand Positioning through Culture and Entertainment

Raheem Akingbolu writes on the place of culture and entertainment in brand building, citing the examples of top brands that are connecting consumers through the platform As a unifying factor, culture and entertainment have been used extensively by promoters of businesses and great brands to appeal to targeted consumers. A quick look at the profile of most successful local and global brands reveals that at one time or the other, they have used music to appeal to consumers. Now, considering the importance of culture to consumer behaviour, the decision of some Nigerian companies, especially Nigerian Breweries and MTN to penetrate the market through music and cultural activities are beginning to manifest.

Savvy brand builders are always eager to come out with strategies that can connect consumers and rub on the bottom lines of their businesses.

Few years ago, Nigeria Breweries initiated what was tagged ‘Fuji T’o Bam’ as a platform to further connect with the patrons of the brand.

As a talent hunt initiative, Fuji T’o Bam, was designed to groom budding artists, who were looking platform to launch out. Now in its fourth edition, the platform has thus thrown up some new breed of Fuji musicians, who are now set to explore the entertainment industry.

In the same way, MTN has consistency drummed for Nigeria culture through collaboration with communities to celebrate traditional festivals. Beyond that, the telecom company has also used its talent hunt musical platform; ‘project fame’ to connect with youths.

Goldberg’s example Culture and entertainment play dominant roles in enhancing the lives of people living in a society. It unites people together and its adherence dates back to time immemorial.

In South West Nigeria and other parts of the country, like in Benin, any initiative that advances the course of entertainment and cultural values ae held in high esteem, as was the case of the Excellency tour embarked by Goldberg, also known as “Your Excellency” from the stables of Nigerian Breweries Plc. The tour which went through five cities in the South West namely; Abeokuta, Ilorin, Ado Ekiti, Ikare Akoko, Benin City, and Oyo and Benin City, Edo State, was aimed at promoting the culture of the people in these regions through traditional drummers’ competition where winners were rewarded with fabulous cash prizes. This was in line with the brands 3-point agenda of culture, respect and enjoyment which is synonymous with the way of life of the people in areas visited.

It was an initiative which was seen as exemplary, as the people showered praises on the brand and Nigerian Breweries Plc for enhancing indigenous talent in a way that has never been done before.

While commenting on the laudable initiative, the leader of Otapo Bata Drummers that won the grand prize during the competition in Abeokuta, Afolabi Mufutau said he has never seen such move towards advancing culture and entertainment the way Goldberg has done through its Excellency tour.

“This is unprecedented in the history of entertainment in the South West, as large numbers of drummers have not been gathered together to showcase their skills in this manner before, l commend Goldberg for this wonderful initiative,” he said.

At each location, drummers, praise singers and dancers came out in large numbers to display their talent in indigenous drums, such as gangan/ dundun, bata, omele ako, gbedu/ ogido, ashiko, gudugudu Iyalu, Sakara and saworoide.

Although, modern musical instruments are taking over the musical landscape, the place of the talking drum (Yoruba Bata) can never be downplayed. It is unique in its production and sound, which connotes so much to those that deeply understand the Yoruba language and cultural heritage. The drum is called the talking drum because it can imitate the lines speech of a spoken language especially Yoruba.

The Abeokuta experience The Excellency Tour, which commenced with

Excellency Tour Drummers

a procession on March 17, 2017 at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abeokuta, threw the rocky city agog with cultural performers in huge numbers, thrilling the audience to the latest dancing patterns as well as what they used to know, a show of both ancient and contemporary lyrics and dance steps.

Hours before the contest, the people trooped en masse to the venue to show their support for their troupe, chanting slogans and dancing to rhythms of popular songs. The huge turnout shows the people’s high regard for their cultural norms and values. The situation was also the same during the Nite of Enjoyment where winners were selected by judges with vast knowledge of the various styles involved in each performance.

The situation was however different in Benin City as it was a case of disc jockeys and free styling artistes with display of talent in Edo languages. The competition was fun, full of entertainment with a show of Edo culture.

The entertainment structure in each region was a reflection of the values which the people uphold. Spectators were thrilled to nights of excitement, joy and dancing, a situation which depicts contentment with the laudable initiative put together by Goldberg.

While thrilling the people to various performances, the contestants in the different locations showered praises on Goldberg, its position as “Your Excellency” which surpasses others in the market.

At the commencement of the Excellency Tour in Abeokuta, Ogun state, on Friday, February 17, 2017, 12 groups auditioned at the cultural centre, venue of the event, with five groups emerging from the pool to reach the grand finale.

The traditional drummers contest which was organised as part of the Goldberg Excellency Tour kicked off with a procession through the major streets of Abeokuta and attracted a huge turnout of residents who were delighted by performances from drummers, praise singers and dancers. The procession helped to pull a large turnout of residents who trooped to the venue of the contest to support their groups during the different performances.

Objective and the prizes Speaking on the initiative, the Senior Brand Manager, Regional Mainstream Brands, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mr. Funso Ayeni, stated: “The Excellency Tour will resonate the brand’s essence and strengthen its identification with the cultural values of the people of South West Nigeria.”

He added that in line with the brand’s ethos, the successful event in Abeokuta also helped to promote local talent, as the competition brought out the best skills from the performers who see the contest as an opportunity to showcase their talents and skills.

While commenting on their victory, the leader of Otapo Bata Drummers that emerged winners at the traditional drummers contest, Mr. Afolabi Mufutau said it is a thing of joy to see his group clinch the first prize after putting in putting in many hours of hard work in preparation for the competition. The group outperformed four other groups at the grand finale to cart home the coveted prize of Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N250, 000).

Ayanwale Drummers clinched the second position and won One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N150, 000) while Omo Aribido Drummers claimed the third spot and settled for the One Hundred Thousand Naira (N100, 000) on offer for the slot. The other two finalists, Ayandare Drummers and Paramount Band got Fifty Thousand Naira (N50,000) each.

Other editions also produced winners in the various categories, a situation which was witnessed in Ikare Akoko, Ondo State, where Aje Olokun Drummers emerged winners of the grand prize.

The group outshone four other drummer groups at the grand finale to clinch the first position and the grand prize of Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N250, 000). The second position with the cash prize of One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N150, 000) was won

by Afunbiokun Drummers, while Aloyinlapa Group claimed the third position with the prize of One Hundred Thousand Naira (N100, 000).

The other two finalists Omolere and Heritage Group got Fifty Thousand Naira (N50,000) each.

The situation was different in Benin City, Edo State, where the competition, which was held at the Play House, Okhoro road, was between disc jockeys (DJ) and free styling artistes. The competition which was in Edo languages produced DJ Kingsley Amhas and Nathaniel Iyayi, a rapper, winners of the grand prize of Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N250,000), while the second position with the cash prize of One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N150,000) was won by DJ Eze John, nicknamed Viroxz and Markuz Obasehan.

The third position was clinched by DJ Bright Osaromore and Destiny Okoedo, also known as Black G, with the cash prize of One Hundred Thousand Naira (N100, 000) ; while the other two

teams; DJ Amandin Osahenrunwen (Amando) and Okungbowa Endurance (Spanky B) as well as DJ Egualeona Daniel and Endurance Isaac got Fifty Thousand Naira (N50,000) each.

At the finale of the Excellency Tour, the Portfolio Manager, Mainstream Lager and Stout Brands, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mr. Emmanuel Agu, said the Goldberg Excellency Tour is aimed at promoting the rich culture of the people of Edo State through traditional DJ and free styling competition. According to Agu, the Goldberg Excellency Tour came on the heels of the unveiling of Goldberg lager beer as “Your Excellency” in 2016 and it is in line with the brand’s unique credentials that position it in a class of its own, away from its peers in the market.

Also as part of efforts in promoting the culture of the people of South West Nigeria, the brand has in the past lent credence to festivals like that of Ojude Oba in Ogun State; Udiroko in Ekiti State and the Osun-Osogbo festival in Osun State. These festivals define and capture the essence of the cultural ethos of the people.

On the correlation between Goldberg and culture; the Corporate Communications/Brand PR Manager, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mr. Patrick Olowokere, said the people of the Southwest and Goldberg lager beer share a common bond which is respect for traditional values and institutions.

He stated “that was why the brand has thrown its weight behind open festivals in the South West, and also felicitates with the people of Edo State during the installation of Prince Eheneden Erediauwa, the present Oba of Benin.

“Your Excellency”, Goldberg had also recently embarked on an expanded music talent hunt competition that encompasses Fuji and Juju music under the name Ariya Repete. Over the last years, Goldberg has deepened its bond with the people of the South West with its talent hunt competition, Fuji t’o Bam and has now decided to include Juju music, the other indigenous Yoruba music genre in this new and expanded platform, Ariya Repete.

The inclusion of Juju music was informed by feedback from lovers of the music during the 2016 Fuji t’o Bam competition, who called for its addition as some aspiring Juju artistes tried to pass off as Fuji musicians so as to get a chance to contest on the Fuji t’o Bam platform.

The fusion of Juju music dubbed Juju t’o Gbayi in Ariya Repete signals a new development in cultural contest and entertainment by Goldberg in promoting the rich culture of the people of the South West.

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Rukubi Rice Mill: Vital Cog in Nigeria’s Food Chain As part of surveys to ascertain Nigeria’s various efforts towards ensuring food security, Abimbola Akosile joined a team of selected journalists who went on a field trip to Olam Nigeria’s Rukubi Rice Processing Mill, in Rukubi area of Nasarawa State, where he got an inkling into what it takes to sufficiently feed the country’s over 170 million citizens

Harvesting rice at Rukubi, Nasarawa State

A

popular greeting in China is “Have you eaten rice today?”.

According to excerpts from Noble House, a novel written by James Clavell in 1981 and set in Hong Kong of 1963, eating rice was taken as the norm in then mainland China and nearby Hong Kong and Shangai.

In Nigeria, although the greetings differ according to dialects across regions and geographical zones, the local appetite for rice - home-grown, imported and smuggled - is no less widespread.

In a country which has been described as import-dependent, the need to feed so many millions and achieve sufficiency in local production of food has been a topical issue and there are several vital interventions by both government and the private sector to make this a reality; in line with the first goals of the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which involve eradicating poverty and hunger in the world.

Private Initiative According to various reports, Nigeria, has imported nearly 17 million tonnes of rice over the past five years. The nation imported 2.3 million tonnes in 2016, while demand in the same year was 5.2 million tonnes.

In response to government calls for local players to help feed the 170 million Nigerians, Olam Nigeria, a multi-national agribusiness and part of the Olam International Group, set up a rice farm in 2012.

Olam’s farm in Rukubi village in Nasarawa State, under the expert tutelage of Pieter Nel, a South African agricultural consultant, is one of the largest rice farms in Nigeria and in Africa, and although it grows 50,000 tonnes each year, this is just a small fraction of the country’s demand. In a bid to enhance domestic food security through scaling up rice cultivation, Olam is developing a 10,000 hectare fully irrigated paddy farm on greenfield site in Ondorie, Nasarawa State.

The farm is expected to yield 10 MT per hectare (over two annual crop cycles), based on four varieties of high-yield rice tested with the West African Rice Development Association. 4,450 hectares are already under cultivation, with a further 3,000 hectares on target for 2017/18, while up to 1,000 workers are employed on the farm depending on seasonality Integrating Processing At the heart of the rice farm in Rukubi is a

mechanised rice milling facility. The state of the art mill incorporates Satake milling technology and Italian par boiling technology. This is expected to provide 67,500 metric tonnes (MT) of milled rice per annum to the domestic market.

Olam, according to information supplied by Olam Vice-President, Corporate and Government Relations, Mr. Ade Adefeko, is the only ISO 22000 FSMS and FSSC certified rice processing company in Nigeria, and it received Global best quality rice product of the year award FY-2015 for its popular brand Mama’s Pride.

Over 950 workers are employed at the mill during peak season Vital Linkage In linking large scale agriculture with smallholders to boost rice production at Olam, the ‘nucleus’ model combines the quality control of a large scale commercial farm with the cost and scalability benefits of smallholder ‘outgrower’ networks.

The rice-growing communities in Nasarawa, Benue and Kaduna States are supported by Olam with group formation, training and all agri-inputs on credit in order to improve their own paddy yields and revenues with assured buy back system.

According to the top officials of the organisation,

Hunger Pangs One of the hardest things to do is to convince a hungry man that everything is okay. As the world marked the World Hunger day on May 28, the issue of hunger, which is targeted for eradication under the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), again arose, underlining the need to curb its ravaging and anger-provoking effects in Nigeria and globally.

As a global non-governmental organisation The Hunger Project (THP) put it “this year World Hunger Day explores the root causes of hunger. The chronic hunger in which 795 million people live - 1 in every 9 people on the planet - is

the Federal Government of Nigeria, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) MARKETS are the major stakeholders in these Olam Initiatives.

Around 4003 farmers including women are currently engaged in the programme with an area of 5563 hectares, with a target of 16,000 by 2018, ultimately supplying 30-40 per cent of the mill’s capacity. Olam also buys paddy from all producing states, controls quality and hires transport to factory.

Helping Communities While helping farming communities to thrive, Olam Nigeria is showcasing its commitment to the next generation through providing school buildings, materials and scholarships for students.

It is also connecting communities through development of 54km of roads between surrounding villages, and ensuring access to clean water and electricity through provision of bore wells and solar lamps.

Supporting Change In supporting Nigeria’s agricultural and change agenda, Olam Nigeria is ensuring quality rice

that can compete with imported products in the domestic market - creating high-end rice from Nigeria, for Nigeria.

The scalability of the nucleus model is significant, and it is hoped that other players will replicate the success of Olam’s rice farm to further enhance Nigerian food security.

Imagine driving steadily for more than 30 minutes non-stop to cover a section of Olam Nigeria’s 12,930 hectares, just to see various rice cultivation stages from planting to nurturing through irrigation to harvesting.

Although this is expected to yield around ten metric tonnes per hectare per annum, this harvest, which covers both rainy and dry seasons, cannot assuage the hunger and Nigerians’ demand for rice. However, the Rukubi rice mill, which cultivates and processes the popular Mama’s Pride rice brand, remains a best practice towards ensuring food security and local sufficiency in rice production.

That is a step in the right direction, a prime candidate for government intervention in terms of favourable policies, tighter border controls against rice smuggling and incentives for higher cultivation, and a good guide for other private sector organisations to emulate. That is what change is all about.

RANDOM THOTS not due merely to lack of food. It occurs when people lack the opportunity to earn enough income, to be educated and gain skills, to meet basic health needs and have a voice in the decisions that affect their community. Some of the hidden causes of hunger are climate change, child marriage, lack of water and sanitation, gender inequality and lack of education.”

Although hunger is driving millions of Nigerians into despair, Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has urged Nigerians not to despair over the prevailing economic hardships, assuring them that the worst days were over and the future

was brighter. In a nationwide broadcast, he said the most difficult phase of economic crisis had been overcome and encouraged Nigerians to look forward to a brighter and more promising tenure.

He also sought the co-operation and support of Nigerians in the administration’s bid to achieve its goals and objectives. The tricky part now is whether the masses, including this reporter who is an incurable optimist, would be willing to bury their hunger pangs and continue to believe in the present administration, in the face of stark reality...hard task -Abimbola Akosile

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DEvELOpmENT/ISSUESINBOx

Nigerian soldiers, defending territorial integrity

EntrepreNEWS

Can Nigeria Afford Another Military Rule?

The Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) recently raised the alarm that some top politicians have started approaching military officers to unseat the current administration and come back to power; for reasons best known to the civilians. Given that many Nigerians had mixed feelings about former military eras and against the background of the impact of such interventions on the country’s democracy and development process, do you think Nigeria can afford the return of the military to power? If not, what can be done to prevent this from happening?

Abimbola Akosile * I wonder why they would bother considering that almost all presidents we have had since democracy are ex-military presidents. They should chill. Nigeria of before is not Nigeria of now. Reaction can be volatile even when looking down a barrel of an AK gun.

- Miss Jennifer Onyejekwe, Lagos State * Not at all, it was in those eras when there were few radio and television stations and owned by government; now, we have private stations inclusive. World-wide, change of government if not through ballot, will not be accepted internationally. What we need is that our President should resign on health ground and his name will be written in gold for resigning willingly.

The Acting President should hire and fire and also be able to take blame where appropriate.

- Mr. Dogo Stephen, Kaduna * No! The Nigerian people will never allow any form of military again rule because our today’s palaver is as a result of their past involvement in governance. We (the youths) will vehemently resist the military fire for fire because our future would be doomed if we fail to act!

- Mr. Sonny Okobi, Lagos State * The question sounds as if Nigeria or Nigerians approve it to happen whereas they come by force. Despite the bad administration we’ve found ourselves today, it is still better than having service military men to rule us. Among the security chiefs dropped by PMB, is there any of them not challenged by the EFCC of carting away billions of naira? Kill those found in coup plotting in our country, firing squad period as a deterrent.

- Hon. Babale Maiungwa, U/Romi, Kaduna * No way! Military rule introduced the corruption which has left us crippled and crawling till date. We just need skilled, experienced, and respected political leaders with only the interest of Nigeria in their hearts. They abound but are too clean for the kind of politics we play here.

- Ms Nkeiruka Abanna, Lagos

THE FEEDBACK Yes, Nigeria can afford it:

0

No, Nigeria cannot afford it:

11

Others:

2

Radical tip:

Kill coup-plotters!

Total no of respondents:

13

Male:

11

Female:

2

Highest location:

Lagos (6)

* Military rule cannot work in the Nigeria of today. Any military intervention now will only lead to more ethnic nationalities opting out of the union. Even though their effectiveness has been curtailed, Boko Haram succeeded in demystifying the supremacy of the army.

Osinbajo is the right person to lead this nation at this time. He has the temperament and grace to handle the forces that are already threatening to pull us apart. God has already decided the future of this country, right from the time we came out in 2015 to vote for change.

The manifestation is soon going to be evident to all. Fortunately the military are not part of that plan.

- Mr. Buga Dunj, Jos, Plateau State * It is not a hidden fact that military rule or military insurgency into politics is no longer fashionable in any part of the world. The rumour going around in Nigeria that some politicians are talking to some military guys, to me is a fallacy, and if it is true, I can tell you that Nigerians are going to revolt and protest against such in its entirety because the worst civilian rule is far better than the best military rule. Our politicians who are engaging these people should think back, they all knew what they went through during IBB and Abacha regime.

- Mr. Durojaiye Olufemi, Lagos State * The issue of the military coming back to power is indeed a misnomer. Look at all the countries

taking giant strides in this world - America, India, China, South Africa, Singapore etc. which of them has a military regime ruling the country? We should, as the saying goes, count our teeth with our tongue. Except we want to make ourselves the biggest laughing-stock of all time, all insinuations about a coup plot must be investigated and snuffed out.

- Mr. E. Iheanyi Chukwudi, B.A.R., Apo, Abuja * Despite that few people are enjoying our democracy because of selfish interest from our politicians, military interest in governance is not acceptable and they must remain in the barracks.

After all international community has condemned it, so the military should withdraw soldiers from politicians. Our politicians should act well in governance to avoid military intervention over corruption and other vices in governance.

- Mr. Gordon Chika Nnorom, Public Commentator, Umukabia, Abia State * No, but we must make this change work.

Resisting the change is an invitation to a military revolution, like what happened in Ghana in 1979 led by a 32-year-old officer, Flight-Lt. Jerry Rawlings. Today, they are better for it.

My plea is that let every well-meaning Nigerian support this change positively; we shall reap the good of it.

- Apostle Sampson Chuks, Int’l Coordinator, APAN Gospel Outreach Ministries Inc., Ghana/ Nigeria, Accra, Ghana * No, not at all. Nigeria must not tread that destructive path of coup or military rule again for whatever reason. Past experience shows that change to military rule never brought the desired results. We must be wise enough now to avoid such calamity. Africa is unfortunately burning with senseless wars from Cape to Cairo today. We must act maturely and not blindly. We need social and economic focus, not coup that previously took us several steps backward for no just course. We must steer clear of avoidable traps.

- Mr. Apeji Onesi. Lagos State * Nigeria cannot afford the return of military rule any more. I appreciate the military as a

professional organisation and the role they played towards our nascent democracy. They should always be professional in their duties by defending against the foe and external forces.

- Mr. Yusuf M.B.O, Nda Aliu, Kwara State * No, Nigeria cannot afford another military rule now or ever. The worst civilian government is still better than any military option, where the Constitution will be suspended and the media will be gagged. But the federal government must also ensure good governance for the long-suffering citizens....this is the antidote to any military incursion or intervention of any selfish politicians. Globally, military rule has become anathema and Nigeria cannot be an exception.

- Mr. Olumuyiwa Olorunsomo, Lagos State

Next Week: Can Hunger be Eradicated in Nigeria?

The World Hunger Day was marked all over the world on Sunday, may 28, including in Nigeria.

Although the current administration pledged to eliminate hunger among its campaign promises in 2015, that is yet to happen, with several millions of citizens going to bed hungry or subsisting on one meal or less in a day in the country. To you, can hunger - which is also a vital Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) - be eradicated in Nigeria or not? If yes, how can this happen? please make your response direct, short and simple, and state your full name, title, organisation, and location. Responses should be sent between today (June 1 & monday, June 5) to abimbolayi@yahoo.com, greatbimbo@gmail.com, AND abimbola. akosile@thisdaylive.com. Respondents can also send a short text message to 08023117639 and/or 08188361766 and/ or 08114495306. Collated responses will be published on Thursday, June 8

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DEVELOPMENT

Yam tubers on display; where are the buyers?

ABIMBOLA AKOSILE

Mining: FG Inaugurates Board of Solid Minerals Devt Fund Kasim Sumaina in Abuja The Federal Government has inaugurated the newlyreconstituted Board of Solid Minerals Development Fund (SMDF), even as it approved the appointment of Hajia Fatima Shinkafi as the Executive Secretary, Head of Secretariat.

Inaugurating the Board in Abuja, Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Fayemi Kayode, hinted that the approval for the reconstitution of the Board

by President Muhammadu Buhari was a clear indication of the administration’s commitment to fixing the Nigerian Mining industry to become a key contributor to achieving

national goals of diversifying the sovereign revenue base and creating jobs.

According to Fayemi, “Mr. President has also approved the appointment of Hajia Fatima Shinkafi as the Executive Secretary and Head of the secretariat of the SMDF.” He disclosed that the SMDF was established by Section 34 of the Nigerian Mining and Minerals Act 2007 to address the fundamental challenge of insufficient funding; a problem that has historically undermined the growth potentials of the sector.

“We are pleased that this administration’s strategic focus on the mining sector is being justified by the strong sectoral performance that is

now being recorded.

He said: “The First Quarter 2017 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) results recently released by the National Bureau of Statistics indicate that coal mining; metal ores; quarrying and other metals grew strongly by 2.03 per cent, 40.79 per cent and 52.54 per cent respectively.”

He stressed that the strong performance of the mining sector has contributed to the steady recovery of the economy which the NBS further reports have steadily improved in the last three quarters.

“As our administration marks two years in office, we are pleased that these successes are being recorded

during our stewardship of this sector, and under the direction of Mr. President.

“There is however a lot more grounds to cover. In the FGN’s recently launched ‘Economic Recovery & Growth Plan (2017-2020)’, the Minerals and Metals sector was duly recognised as one of those to drive Nigeria’s recovery. The document projected to grow sectoral contribution to GDP from N103 billion (2015) to N141 billion in 2020, at an average annual growth rate of 8.54 per cent.

“Other targets for the sector include the facilitation of coal to power plants to contribute to our energy mix towards bridging our energy deficits.

The strategy document which

is very much in sync with the sector’s roadmap, also aims to produce geological maps of the entire country by 2020 on a scale of 1:100,000; as well as integrate artisanal miners into the formal sector.

“We remain committed to being guided by our roadmap to achieve greater strides in the sector. It is therefore noteworthy that this inauguration is coming at a time we have commenced the operationalisation of the roadmap as well as the implementation of the World Bank supported Mineral Diversification Project.”

“We trust the capacities of the new board to deliver on these mandates. In keeping with the law, the membership of the board is carefully drawn

from active practitioners in the sector, a representative of the Central Bank of Nigeria, and a representative of the Bankers Committee.

“We believe we have a competent team of seasoned professionals that would inspire confidence and trust from other stakeholders they would be working with. I have no doubt in my mind that with the pedigree of members of the Board, their wealth of experience and networks would be brought to bear on this job towards achieving the desired results. We therefore count on the patriotic service of the new Board of the SMDF, to play their own part as a crucial enabler in the industry,” he added.

retirement saving accounts to a whopping sum of N217 billion as at March.

Effectively, the commissioner said the state government had through the Lagos State Pension Commission (LASPEC) paid a sum of N11.754 billion into the Retirement Saving Account (RSA) of 2,886 retirees.

He said 1,291 of the retirees were from the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB); 697 from Teacher Establishment Pension Office (TEPO); 887 from the mainstream service and 11 from parastatals.

He, therefore, said the administration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode “has not relented in the bailout of the local government and SUBEB retirees. The governor mag-

nanimously gave instructions for state government funds to be utilised to pay retirees from local government.”

Oke disclosed that the state government “has paid to beneficiaries of deceased employees insurance benefit worth N170 million.

The insured death is by law to be paid to named beneficiaries to alleviate the immediate needs of the family members of a deceased person.”

The commissioner explained that the estate of a deceased staff member “is also entitled to receive the balance in the retirement account and accrued rights due, if the employee had joined service before the commencement of the Contributory Pension Scheme.”

Capacity Devt, Key to Our Success Story, Says Lagos Govt Trains over 5,000 public servants in 2016 alone Gboyega Akinsanmi The Lagos State Government has attributed its success story to sustained capacity development programmes it regularly organised for employees to enable them discharge their responsibilities in line with the best practice globally.

Consequently, the state government disclosed that at least 5,000 public servants were trained in different specialties to ensure that people’s needs are properly responded to and a functional government is effectively run to realise the state’s vision for a smart city.

The Commissioner for Establishment, Training & Pensions, Dr. Akintola Oke gave the figure at an annual

ministerial press briefing he addressed alongside the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Folashade Ogunnaike and the Commissioner for Information & Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde among others.

At the briefing, Oke said over 5,000 employees had been trained in the last one year, noting that 3,160 officers benefitted from 72 in-plant/ tailored made workshops and training programme.

Of the figure, he said 1,650 officers benefited from 25 turnkey/bespoke training programme; 84 officers were sponsored to federal training centre for career enhancing programme; 108 officers were sponsored to local training workshops and 81 officers

benefited from international workshops.

He, therefore, said the capacity building programmes were organised to fast-track the process of service delivery; enhance performance in workplaces and govern the state differently in a way that would guarantee real growth and sustainable development.

Aside capacity development, Oke disclosed that over N217 billion has been saved in the retirement savings accounts of all public servants in its employment while N11.75 billion has been paid beneficiaries since 2007 the state started complying with the Pension Reform Act, 2014.

At the ministerial briefing, Oke said there “has been

regular deduction of 7.5 per cent from the salaries of staff and corresponding 7.5 per cent by the state government into the retirement savings accounts.

The accounts are maintained with their Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs)” Currently, Oke noted that the deduction from staff members had cumulatively risen to N78.59 billion since the state government had started complying with the Pension Reform Act in 2007.

He, also, pointed out that the state government had funded employees’ pension rights under the contributory pension scheme in a period of ten years to the tune of N138.413 billion, thereby bringing the state’s

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DEVELOPMENT QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“We did not find ourselves in crises overnight, and we simply do not expect overnight solutions to our challenges. The most important thing is that we are on the right path, and we will not deviate from it, even in the face of strong temptation to choose temporary gains over long-term benefits. The old Nigeria is slowly but surely disappearing, and a new era is rising” - ACTING PRESIDENT YEMI OSINBAJO, SAN SPEAKING IN A NATIONWIDE BROADCAST World Hunger Day 2017 Highlights Hidden Causes of Hunger Carol Oku

NEPAD, OSSAP-SDGs Collaborate for Sustainable Devt Abimbola Akosile The Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (OSSAP-SDGs) and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) are engaging in a strategic partnership for the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the core NEPAD agenda in Nigeria.

According to a statement issued by the Media Assistant to the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, Desmond Utomwen, the resolve was reached during a recent courtesy visit by the National Coordinator/ Chief Executive Officer of NEPAD Nigeria, Hon. Princess Gloria Akobundu to the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire in Abuja.

In the light of the inter-dependence of the various activities of both institutions, some expected areas of collaboration include the feeding of the implementation of National Programme of Action (NPoA) of NEPAD into the SDGs’ programme /projects in order to create a robust and integrated programme in Nigeria, Monitoring and Evaluation of programmes and projects, as well as data collection that will, to a large extent, assist the government in drawing conclusions on impact assessment of the SDGs and NEPAD initiatives.

According to Hon. Akobundu, who sought the support of OSSAP-SDGs in the quest to realise the mandate of NEPAD, the meeting was aimed at fostering an enlightenment exchange on the new strategies developed towards re-aligning NEPAD Nigeria for optimal performance and to actualise its mandate of improving the quality of life of the people.

Princess Orelope-Adefulire, who welcomed the synergy, maintained that one of the numerous best practices of OSSAP-SDGs is its capacity to facilitate and sustain multi-

L-R: Princess Akobundu and Princess Orelope-Adefulire during the former’s courtesy visit in Abuja...recently level partnerships, which has resulted in a strong collaboration with the MDAs across the national and the sub-national level. The office is also in strategic partnership with the Private Sector, Civil Society and Donor Partners for effective and efficient service delivery. It is expected that the outcomes of this visit will, to a large extent, strengthen the collective aspirations of both institutions towards advancing the NEPAD-SDGs Agenda of integrated socio-economic growth and sustainable development in Nigeria.

Both NEPAD and OSSAP-SDGs have similar mandates of delivering pro-poor programmes and tracking progress in its efforts to ensure sustainable growth and development in the society.

The United Nations Resolution (57/7) recognises the need for African countries

to establish NEPAD Country Offices with responsibility for monitoring the implementation of NEPAD Programmes at the country level and serving as a repository of information, among other functions.

NEPAD, which has played a key role in the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), in a bid to ensure best practices in terms of development and good governance among African Union (AU) member-nations.

World leaders at the 70th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September, 2015, adopted the Post-2015 development agenda/Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to address the unfinished business of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which includes eradicating poverty, environmental concerns and social inequalities in all forms and dimensions.

International non-profit organisation, The Hunger Project (THP) recently honoured the World Hunger Day on May 28 to raise awareness about hunger and the world’s progress in tackling it, and has invited people everywhere around the globe to be part of the solution.

In a release issued in New York, USA and sent to THISDAY, the organisation noted that “As millions of people in our global human family face famine, this year World Hunger Day explores the root causes of hunger and highlights the need for holistic solutions.

“The chronic hunger in which 795 million people live - 1 in every 9 people on the planet - is not due merely to lack of food. It occurs when people lack the opportunity to earn enough income, to be educated and gain skills, to meet basic health needs and have a voice in the decisions that affect their community. This year, The Hunger Project is sharing about some of the hidden causes of hunger: climate change, child marriage, lack of water and sanitation, gender inequality and lack of education.

“Gender inequality and child marriage, for example, fuel a cycle of malnutrition that can span generations, making it difficult for people living in hunger to craft a different future for themselves and their communities,” said Sophie Noonan, Country Director of The Hunger Project-UK, where World Hunger Day was first launched in 2011. “At The Hunger Project, we work to empower people in rural communities to address these challenges in meaningful, long-lasting ways by empowering them to take charge of their own lives.”

“The world is making progress. According to the UN, since 1990, the world has cut in half the share of undernourished people in the population. Even with a growing global population, that’s 216 million less of our sisters and brothers who are living in hunger. And, extreme poverty rates have been cut by more than half since 1990. “Yet, there is more work to be done. This World Hunger Day, The Hunger Project is leading a series of initiatives across the globe, from a No Sugar Challenge in the UK and a partnership with restaurants and food trucks in Sweden to a partnership with the corporate sector in the US. “The Hunger Project is also collaborating with media platform UPLIFT, which is running a campaign called We Have the Power To that includes the launch of several videos to inspire viewers to be part of the movement to end hunger. All over the globe, people and communities are participating in the global call to end hunger once and for all.

“This year, World Hunger Day aims to shine a spotlight on the pervasive causes of hunger, encouraging people everywhere to take action,” Ms. Noonan said. “By investing in holistic, sustainable and gender-focused solutions, the end of hunger can be a reality by 2030.”

Established in 2011 by The Hunger Project-UK, World Hunger Day aims to raise awareness of chronic hunger at the global level and celebrate the achievements of millions of people who are already taking actions to end their own hunger.

Today, The Hunger Project is joined by dozens of like-minded organisations in a worldwide effort that brings hunger to the forefront of global discussions with strategic partnerships, fundraising initiatives and awareness-raising activities.

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T H I S D AY THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017

HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

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

Giving Hope to Women with Obstetric Fistula Incontinence has taken away the dignity of about 200,000 Nigerian women. As the country, last week joined the rest of the world to mark this year’s International Day to End Obstetric Fistula, Martins Ifijeh chronicles the lives of women who have gone through the pain from the preventable scourge, but eventually got their lives back

D

uring Gloria Nwaiboko’s hey days as a teenager, she told herself she was going to grow into a successful mother and wife. The type that would be referred to in Obeagu Ugballa community of Ebonyi State where she hails from as ‘mama doctor’ or ‘mama governor’.

She had also wanted a loving husband who would be there to cheer her up when she wins, and comforts her when things go wrong.

But life served her lemons. She got married just before the Biafran war and then experienced a different reality altogether. Her first and only pregnancy was riddled with complications during labour until the baby died in the process, leaving her to grapple with obstetric fistula; a condition that causes uncontrolled urination and/or defecation from the birth canal, otherwise known as incontinence. Gloria couldn’t make lemonades from what life served her.

“I went home not only disappointed that there was no baby to show for my pregnancy, I noticed I was experiencing incontinence.

They come out as they are formed in my body, leaving me continuously smelly. People started running away from me until I decided I could no longer stay in the midst of people because of the shame that comes with it,” said Gloria.

She lost dignity and the courage to bond with her friends. All she does was live all by herself, hoping one day succour will come her way as she wasn’t sure what kind of sickness she had come down with. People often tell her it was a spiritual problem.

“My husband believed it was a spiritual problem which must be solved spiritually.

We went to several places without success.

I could feel that my condition had gotten to him as he became unfriendly to me. He stopped sleeping with me as well.”

Gloria, who said she was very pretty at the time, suddenly became a loner. She was alone in the world as the love of her husband gradually wound down. There was no friend to lean on. “I even stopped attending women meetings because of fear of being embarrassed.

I had resigned my fate to the miserable life the disorder had foisted on me before news came from our community leaders that all those who were experiencing incontinence should be ready, that government will take them to the National Obstetric Fistula Centre (NOFIC), Abakaliki, for repair.

“The news that there was a solution to my supposed ‘spiritual problem’ excited me. I had never felt like that in a long time. I also didn’t know the treatment of my condition was free in the country. That was how I got into NOFIC and was repaired against my husband’s wish who wanted it tackled only spiritually. The incontinence stopped. I went home dry. No smell, and no one was running away from me anymore. My life was back as I could go to the market and trade with people. I started attending women meetings again,” she said.

But as though her travails weren’t over, Gloria started noticing a decline in the quality of her sight. She didn’t access eye care immediately to know what was happening.

Few months later she went blind.

“It was at this point my husband said it was the fistula repair that blinded me, and that he had warned me not to go for the treatment since it was a ‘spiritual problem’.

He believed the gods were punishing me for not seeking spiritual help.”

That was where another bout of travails started for her. Blind Gloria was driven out of the house by her husband. The once beautiful woman with great dreams didn’t have anywhere to go. “I was back to square one. I started living alone. No money. No business. No

Gloria

husband. No child. I was practically living from hand to mouth in the small hut I stayed alone,” she said.

However, Ebonyi State Government heard about her plight and sent for her. While frowning at the stigmatisation from her husband because it is illegal in the state to discriminate against victims of obstetric fistula, the government trained someone who would be acting as a caregiver to her. The caregiver received various trainings on how to make soaps, insecticides and confectioneries.

Gloria, who is 68 years old now, said, “it’s the confectioneries and soaps sold by my caregiver that I now live on. Now I can buy foods, cloth my self,” she added.

Life may not have been fair to her, because in the end she couldn’t have a child of her

own to elevate her status. No husband beside her to cheer her up. But she is grateful she still has her life and can feed herself.

The story of Dorcas Chukwudili from Enugu State is not any different. Obstetric fistula deprived her of making ends meet for herself and her children. It was 19 years of lost dignity and loneliness.

“I started having incontinence few days after I gave birth to my fifth child. Doctors said I was not doing child spacing, coupled with the prolonged labour I had while giving birth, as these may be responsible for the injury to my body,” she said.

Dorcas lived with the condition for 19 years before she learnt about interventions from government and organisations like Engender Health, DOVENETS, among others. She was

taken to NOFIC where she was repaired successfully.

“I never thought I could ever live without this shame. It’s been five years now since the repair. The society no longer stigmatises me. I go to market now to trade, sit with fellow women to discuss, among others,” said Dorcas, who unfortunately lost her husband many years ago.

Gloria and Dorcas are among the lucky Nigerian women who had obstetric fistula and were fortunate to be aware of treatment, and subsequently benefitted from it.

Globally, the Executive Director, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin says about two million women are suffering from obstetric fistula, while over 100,000 new cases are added yearly.

Country Programme Manager for the U.S.funded project Fistula Care Plus, Iyeme Efem says in Nigeria, about 200,000 women are still suffering from what Gloria and Dorcas went through, with 12,000 new cases added to the piled up figures yearly.

Today, at least 32 Nigerian women will be added to the hundreds of thousands of women in the country who are experiencing incontinence.

“But the country is only repairing 5,000 cases yearly, thereby presenting a backlog of 7,000 un-repaired cases which are being piled into the number of cases currently in the country,” says Efem; a calculation which suggests the prevalence rate is still on the rise since most of the backlogs are still not repaired. The calculation also shows much is still needed for the repair of at least 12,000 cases yearly, while interventions must be put in place to aid in reduction of recorded new cases in the country.

Speaking during a walk to mark this year’s International Day to End Obstetric Fistula in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, tagged: Hope, Healing and Dignity for All, Efem said prolonged labour, female genital mutilation and early marriage are some of the factors responsible for the condition, adding that the society must jointly work to ensure these risk factors are not available.

He says obstetric fistula is not associated with cultural beliefs or witchcraft, but a preventable health condition.

Osotimehin, in his message to mark the day said the disorder was fueled by poverty, gender inequality, early marriage, child bearing and lack of education, adding that it remains a curable condition.

The Medical Director, NOFIC, Prof. Sunday Adeoye said for fistula to be completely eradicated in Nigeria, all existing cases must be treated and new cases prevented.

“Presently only about 5,000 cases are being treated yearly, but the backlogs and the remaining 7,000 cases yearly must be treated as well if we must have a country free from obstetric fistula.”

He called on state governments and stakeholders to put programmes in place to identify women with the condition and then bring them to NOFIC or other fistula centres across the country for free repairs.

“In Ebonyi State, the prevalence has reduced drastically because of various interventions by the state government and other stakeholders.

But this passion must be picked up as well by other states, so that together we can stamp out obstetric fistula in the country,” he said.

The wife of the Ebonyi State governor, Mrs. Rachel Umahi, said the message of prevention should be told at any given opportunity, adding that childbirth with quacks should be discouraged. “Run for your life today and deliver only in hospitals to save yourself of fistula. All women, let’s take up this job and spread the word on fistula so that women can go out and get treatment,” she said.

37

T H I S D AY THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017

NEWS

Lambo Calls for Unity in the Health Sector

UNICEF Calls for Adoption of Child Rights Acts in All States

Martins Ifijeh

Martins Ifijeh

Former Minister of Health, Professor Eyitayo Lambo, has called for inter professional collaboration among health workers, as this will aid the development of the sector for the benefit of Nigerians.

He described the present situation in which various professions in the sector want to emerge winner as ‘beauty contest’, adding that this was unhealthy for the nation and the sector as well.

Speaking during a symposium organised by the Nigerian Academy of Pharmacy in partnership with the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, tagged ‘Health of the Nation: The Imperative of Inter professional Collaboration’, he said such contests stifle opportunities of collaboration, constitute significant barriers and most importantly impacts on the health of patients negatively.

The ex-minister who served the nation between 2004 and 2007 said, “the way forward is to have a broad participation of multiple stakeholders, who would accept and then impress a change management process on the various professionals,

because inter professional collaboration is a new course.

Healthcare professionals should celebrate their differences,” he said.

While stating that the constant change in the leadership of the federal Ministry of Health has been leading to policy somersault, he said the lack of defined roles and responsibilities of the various healthcare actors by legislators in the three levels of government was not also helping matters.

“Another thing is that we have a weak public-private partnership in the health sector.

60 per cent of health contribution is from the private sector, and 64 per cent funding is also from the private sector. That is why the two sectors have to form partnership to make things work better,” he said.

On his part, President, PSN, Mr. Ahmed Yakasai said cordial professional relationship in the sector is the life blood of a good and successful healthcare system, adding that, even if a country possess quality health building and facilities, if there is rancour between the players, there is no way healthcare delivery will be good.

The United Nations Children’s Education Fund has called on all states in Nigeria to adopt the Child Rights Acts and heed to President Muhammadu Buhari’s call to end all forms of violence against children.

In a statement to mark this year’s Children’s Day, tagged ‘Child Protection and the Sustainable Development Goals’, the UN body said millions of Nigerian children still suffer some form of physical, emotional or sexual violence despite SDGs goal to end the practice by 2030.

According to a 2014 survey by the National Population Commission, with support from UNICEF and the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, six out of ten

Nigerian children experience at least one of these forms of violence before they reach 18 years old. “Each one of us is responsible for creating a world where children feel safe, protected and empowered to speak up for themselves,” saidUNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Mohamed Fall.

In line with the SDG target for 2030, Nigeria has launched a Campaign to End Violence Against Children by 2030, which reinforces the presidential call to end such violence first made in September 2015.

“Since 2015, Lagos, Cross River, Benue and Plateau States have launched state-wide campaigns. The Federal Capital Territory and Kano States marked this year’s Nigerian Children’s Day by launching their own campaigns to end

violence against children and Gombe State will launch its campaign on 7 June,” Fall said.

He noted that, “to drive the implementation of the national campaign, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development is working with key government partners, civil society and faith-based organisations to develop a National Plan of Action that will set targets and milestones to end violence against children in Nigeria by 2030. UNICEF applauds Nigeria’s national and state governments’ efforts to reduce violence and exploitation of children in Nigeria and has recognised Nigeria as a Global Pathfinding country in the world-wide battle to combat violence against children.

Nigeria adopted the national Child Rights Act in 2003 to

domesticate the international Convention on the Rights of the Child. So far, state-wide Child Rights Acts have been passed in 24 of the Nigeria’s 36 states, with Enugu being the most recent to enact the law in December 2016.

“We call on the State Assemblies of the remaining 12 states to urgently pass Child Rights bills and on governors to sign those bills into law.

We also call on governors of the 29 states who have not yet launched state-level campaigns to end violence against children to do so,” said Fall. “And even while we increase our commitments to protect children’s rights,” he added, “We must work even harder to make these rights a reality for children in Nigeria.”

FG Partners Andelsta Limited, Relaunches National Mosquito Control Programme Considers increasing numbers of environmental health officers As part if its effort to achieve a preventive healthcare delivery, the federal government has relaunched the national mosquito control and liquid management programme.

Speaking at the launch in Abuja, the Minister of State for Environment, Ibrahim Jibril, said in order to ensure the effective control and management of the environmental challenges facing the country, the ministry, in partnership with Andelsta Limited have decided to reverse the trend with a sole objective of achieving a clean and green environment free of mosquitoes and other disease-causing vectors.

He added that the programme, which was first launched in 2009, failed to realise certain objectives due to funding constraints and the failure of several key stakeholders, including private sectors to key into the programme.

According to Jibril, “the present administration knows that eradication of mosquito vectors is key in achieving its mandate in preventive healthcare delivery. It is against this background that the programme is being relaunched which will be private sector driven, while government provide enabling environment in its implementation.”

“This programme is expected to eliminate the breeding spaces of mosquitoes and eradicate it in our environment, thereby preventing or

reducing the incidences of malaria parasites which is a major cause of infant mortality and mobility,” he noted.

The minister emphasised FG’s believe that the launch would attract participation and funding from international agencies and corporate organisations for the implementation.

On his part, the Managing Director, Andelsta Limited, Engr. Fintan Ibeshi, said the relaunch marks the second phase of the collective effort to change the face of sanitation practice in Nigeria.

He noted that Andelsta recognised that success in the war against mosquitoe, access to clean water and sanitation for all cannot be achieved by the activities of the public sector alone without the involvement of the private sector.

Ibeshi revealed that Andelsta intends to replicate in all the states and local governments of Nigeria through various advocacy and campaign networks such as seminar, education and training.

Former Minister of Health, Prof. Eyitayo Lambo, said malaria remains one of the health challenges in Nigeria and that the economic burden of the disease is very high.

“The total private direct cost is about N375 billion to our national budget. The national cost of malaria is over N2 billion, which represents about 7.3 per cent of our GDP. This is unacceptable.

L-R: Member Representing Onna Constituency, Akwa Ibom State, Hon. Nse Essien; Governor, Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Udom Emmanuel; and Managing Director, Jubilee Syringe Manufacturing Company, Mr. Zubeyir Gulabi, at the Flag Off/Test Run of Jubilee Syringe Factory, Onna, Akwa Ibom State ...recently ETOP UKUTT

Gaidam Donates Parcel of NACA DG: Vertical Transmission of HIV from Land to NAFDAC Flags off sensitisation campaign Mother to Child Remains on safe handling of drugs, High in Nigeria pesticides and chemicals Martins Ifijeh In a show of support to ease the operational activities of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Yobe State governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam has directed the Ministry of Lands to urgently make available a parcel of land to the Agency while adding that his Head of Service provide office accommodation in the two other senatorial districts to improve the logistics challenges being faced by NAFDAC in the state.

Gaidam who also promised to provide an operational vehicle to the Agency says the donation demonstrates the commitment in assisting NAFDAC rid the state of the menace of drug misuse and poor handling of pesticides and agro-chemicals.

He stated this while receiving the Acting Director General, NAFDAC , Mrs. Yetunde Oni in

his office on an advocacy visit ahead of the agency’s sensitisation campaign on ‘Rational use of Controlled Medicines, Safe handling of Chemicals and Responsible use of pesticides and Agricultural Chemicals’ in the state. The governor described the initiative as “a bold step taken by NAFDAC to enlighten the public about the dangers posed by the irrational use of drugs, pesticides and chemicals.

This way, the public will be kept abreast of the unpleasant consequences for society if left unchecked,” he said. The Ag DG, who presented the requests to the governor said the parcel of land will house a NAFDAC stand alone office, warehouse and laboratory complex, the implication of which she states will enhance the performance of the agency in the state, shorten the registration process and bring the activities of the agency closer to the grassroots.

Martins Ifijeh Despite progress in antiretroviral coverage for pregnant women living with Human Immuno Virus (HIV) in Nigeria, the Director General, National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Dr. Sani Aliyu, said vertical transmission of HIV from mother to child still remains high at an estimated 28 per cent of affected pregnancies in the country.

He said hence, Nigeria still accounts for a significant proportion of children living with HIV infection, a burden he notes was fed by unrestrained mother-to-child transmission and the dysfunctional Early Infant Diagnosis (EID) system.

Speaking in a message to mark Children’s Day, he said NACA has been working with partners to scale-up services for HIV prevention,

care and support. “In 2015, Nigeria successfully increased Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission (PMTCT) services to over 7,265 sites with 53,677 pregnant women placed on antiretroviral treatment. Despite this progress, a lot more needs to be done to stop children getting infected with HIV. “HIV/AIDS is a global health challenge of our lifetime but we remain committed to fighting this virus to finish.

Research has led to innovation in preventing transmission of HIV from infected mothers to their children and an everwidening scope of treatment options for children living with HIV and their families.

Counselling and testing for HIV is crucial especially among pregnant women to protect the unborn child and ensure that in the very near future, a HIV-free generation is made possible,” he said.

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T H I S D AY THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017

HEALTH MATTERS

goketakinrogunde@gmail.com

L

HEALTH

By Goke T. Akinrogunde 07036777348; 07029126776

Understanding Chickenpox

ast week, my friend Shina celebrated his fifth year as a conqueror over chickenpox infection; he caught it from his kid who brought it home from one of her classmates in school. For my friend it was an awful experience, something he is not forgetting in a hurry and an experience that the family is yet to forget - father and child running fever, with scarring skin eruptions, serious headache, unrelenting itching and hospitalised simultaneously.

Chickenpox is a common infection in children and adults. Though commoner in children, it is usually more devastating in adults. Chickenpox is noticeable as an eruption of rashes all over the body of the affected child or adult and it is usually a once in a lifetime attack.

The chickenpox rash is described as maculopapulovesicular rash-type, an indication of the fact that the type of rash in chicken pox is a mixed-type. These include the macula rash-type looking like small reddish dots on the skin; small papules, raised type, looking like heat rashes and the numerous small blisters type with each containing a clear fluid and when these ruptured they form the common scabs of chicken pox.

How it spreads During a bout of chickenpox, the virus (referred to as varicella at this stage) spreads through the blood to the skin. The virus also travels to nerve cells called dorsal root ganglia, which are bundles of nerves that transmit sensory information from the skin to the brain. The sensory nerves most often affected are those in the face or the trunk.

The virus remains inactive (latent) in these nerves for years, often for a lifetime. If the virus becomes active, however, it causes the disorder known as shingles, and the virus is then referred to as herpes zoster. It is not clear why the virus reactivates in some people and not in others. In many cases, the immune system has become impaired or suppressed from certain conditions, such as AIDS or other immunodeficient diseases, certain cancers, or certain drugs that suppress the immune system.

Mode of infection Chickenpox , unlike the ready inference is

of the blister stage, which lasts about five to seven days. Once dry scabs form, the disease is unlikely to spread.

Complications of Chickenpox Chickenpox rarely causes complications in healthy children, but it is not always harmless.

About 14,000 people (60 per cent children) are hospitalised and 100 patients (40 per cent children) die from the disease each year. Vaccinations, though not readily available in our environment, could prevent many of these deaths.

Chickenpox

not contacted from chickens by humans.; it is essentially a human to human infection transmission.The mode of infection in varicella is such that when patients with chickenpox cough or sneeze, they expel tiny droplets that carry the varicella-zoster virus (VZV). If a person who has never had chickenpox inhales these particles, the virus enters the lungs and is carried through the blood to the skin where it causes the typical rash of chickenpox.

The incubation period, which is the time between exposure to the virus and eruption of symptoms, is between 10 and 20 days. Even before the typical rash appears, the patient often develops fever, headache, swollen glands, and other flu-like symptoms. Although fevers are low grade in most children, some can reach up to 105° F. The patient usually begins to feel better once the rash breaks out. One, or more tiny raised red bumps appears first, most often on the face, chest or abdomen. They become larger within a few hours and spread quickly, eventually forming small blisters on a red base that have been described as dewdrops on rose petals. Their

number varies widely; some patients have only a few spots; others can develop hundreds. Each blister is filled with clear fluid that becomes cloudy in several days; it takes about four days for each blister to dry out and form a scab.

During its course, the rash itches, sometimes severely. Usually separate crops of blisters occur over four to seven days, and the entire disease process lasts between seven and 10 days.

Risk factors for chickenpox Chickenpox favours no race or gender and is so contagious that few nonimmunised people escape this common disease when they are exposed to someone else with chickenpox.

Between 75 per cent and 90 per cent of cases occur in children under 10 years of age. The disease is usually spread through sneezing, coughing, and breathing.

It can also be transmitted from direct contact with the open sores. Clothing, bedding, and objects to which the patient is exposed are not usually hazards. A patient with chickenpox can transmit the disease from about two days before the appearance of the spots to the end

Recurrence and Reactivation One episode of chickenpox nearly always confers life-long immunity against a second attack; such a recurrence is possible but is very rare. Of course, the major long-term complication of varicella is the later reactivation of the herpes zoster virus and the development of shingles.

Home treatments for Chickenpox Patients with chickenpox do not have to stay in bed unless, of course, fever and flu symptoms are severe. To relieve discomfort, a child can take paracetamol (acetaminophen), with doses determined by the doctor.

Soothing Baths: To relieve itching frequent baths are helpful, particularly when used with preparations of finely-ground oatmeal. One-half to one cup of baking soda in a bath may also be helpful. Lotions: Calamine lotion or similar over-the-counter preparations can be applied to the blisters to help dry them out and soothe the skin. This also controls the disturbing itching to a large extent. Preventing Scratching: Small children may have to wear mittens, or other barrier forms, so that they don’t scratch the blisters and cause a secondary infection. All patients with varicella, including adults, should have their nails trimmed short.

Chicken Vaccine A live-virus vaccine (Varivax) produces persistent immunity against chickenpox. In advance settings, major medical organizations now recommend that all children between the ages of 18 months and adolescence who have not yet had chickenpox be vaccinated with the varicella live-virus vaccine. Data show that the vaccine can prevent chickenpox or reduce the severity of the illness even if it is used within three days, or possibly even five days, of exposure to the infection.

Inside the Hospital When Your 18-Year-Old Daughter Still Bed Wets One event that is worth sharing on this page was the case of a troubled mum and her eighteen year old daughter who came calling at my clinical setting during the week. Their concern is about what measures to take on the young lady, an university undergraduate, who has not been able to go dry since birth to the embarrassment of the parent and self. Although bed wetting at that age bracket may not be so common, as the statistics outlined below shown, but nevertheless presents as spot cases here and there. Here goes the basic understanding of bedwetting in children and the grownups.

Bedwetting, a condition referred to medically as Nocturnal Enuresis (pronounced “enyur-ee-sis”), is quite common in homes; it remains the most common child-health issue. Bedwetting here refers to involuntary passage of urine while asleep after the age at which bladder control would normally be anticipated to have occurred.

Generally, most children begin to stop bedwetting at night around three years of age. Meaning that when a child has a problem with bedwetting after that age, parents may become concerned but it needs to be stressed that many other factors aside

the child’s age will determine when a child will stop bedwetting.

At this point, it is also important to emphasise that bedwetting is not so much a disease, but a symptom, and a fairly common one for that matter; although it is pertinent to note that occasional bedwetting accidents may occur, especially when a child is not feeling well.

Points of fact about bedwetting Here are some basic facts we should know about bedwetting. Approximately 15 per cent of children still wet the bed after the age of three; Many more boys than girls wet their beds and in children of the same age, more girls stopped bedwetting than the boys. Most girls can stay dry by age six and most boys stay dry by age seven; Approximate bedwetting rates with age are: Age 5: 20 per cent, Age 6: 10 to 15 per cent, Age 7: 7 per cent, Age 10: 5 per cent, Age 15: 1-2 per cent, Age 18-64: 0.5 - 1 per cent Bedwetting tends to run in families. Many children who bedwet have parent (s) who did, too.

It is also noted that most of these children stop bedwetting on their own at about the

same age their parents did. Usually bedwetting stops by puberty. Most bed-wetters do not have emotional problems.

However, it is necessary to say that persistent bedwetting beyond the age of three or four rarely signals a kidney or bladder problem.

Types and causes of bedwetting Enuresis is normally described in two broad terms: Primary nocturnal enuresis (PNE) and Secondary nocturnal enuresis (SNE). Primary nocturnal enuresis (PNE) is when a child has not yet stayed dry at night on a regular basis while Secondary nocturnal enuresis (SNE) is when a child or adult begins wetting again after having stayed dry, especially if such a child has not bedwetted for up to six months before a new onset of bedwetting.

While bedwetting can be a symptom of an underlying disease, the large majority of children who wet the bed have no underlying disease.

In fact, a definite underlying disease-cause is identified in only about one per cent of children who wet the bed. However, this does not mean that children who wet the bed do so purposely. Such children who wet the bed are not to be seen as lazy, willful,

deliberately disobedient or indolent.

In general, primary bedwetting probably indicates immaturity of the nervous system.

A bedwetting child does not recognize the sensation of the full bladder during sleep and thus does not awaken during sleep to urinate into the toilet.

The cause is likely due to one or a combination of the following: .The child cannot yet hold urine for the entire night. .The child does not waken when his or her bladder is full. .The child produces a large amount of urine during the evening and night hours.

The child has poor daytime toilet habits. Of relevance here is to note that many children habitually ignore the urge to urinate and put off urinating as long as they possibly can.

Parents are familiar with the so called “potty dance” characterized by leg crossing, face straining, squirming, squatting, and groin holding that children use to hold back urine.

On the other hand, secondary bedwetting can be a sign of an underlying medical or emotional problem. The child with secondary bedwetting is much more likely to have other symptoms, such as daytime wetting.

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T H I S D AY THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017

HEALTH

How Stimulation Can Aid Breast Milk Flow, Reduce Malnutrition In the fight against malnutrition, breast sucking and massage at the pre and post-natal stage of pregnancy is the ‘new kid’ on the block. With continuous engagement, insufficient breast milk formulation for exclusive breast feeding will belong to the past. Kuni Tyessi writes

T

he class erupted in a thunderous laughter when the United Nations Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF) nutrition specialist, Ms Phelomena Irene had revealed what the participants had considered to be funny, embarrassing, best imagined and for others, best experienced and yet, an idea which was new and knowledgeable and which happened to be the crux for why they had gathered.

As a result of the dynamism in knowledge which evolves in all spheres of life and which had also affected the techniques required in breast milk formulation for the purpose of exclusively breast feeding an infant, especially in the first 1,000 days of its existence, Irene had revealed that ‘breast stimulation’ was the key to addressing every challenge that bothered on inadequate breast milk in terms of the quantity produced by a woman’s body, or no milk at all as was the case with some women after delivery.

Her listeners, a group of journalists from different media houses who had converged in Yola, the Adamawa state capital, were all adults and most of them married, were at a media dialogue on child malnutrition with the theme ‘Investing in child malnutrition for the future’ and for emphasis, the theme was laced with a hash tag that read #stopchildmalnutritionnigeria.

Irene further explained that her claims were based on research, according to best practices and global standards and the statistics afterwards were overwhelmingly positive. She said breast milk which is cheap, economical, divinely produced, highly nutritious and a booster of child immunity from diseases was all a child needed for the first six months of life and subsequently with other foods for the following 18 months. She said after this period must have elapsed which is expected to be two years, breast milk might have been withdrawn while other nutritious foods, in their appropriate quantity were expected to take the centre stage towards having a healthy and balanced child. The participants in their laughter began to ask questions out of curiosity and naughtiness. They didn’t expect that issues that dealt with sexuality which is viewed as private and should be discussed in low tones can relate with milk formulation and serve as antidote to insufficient breast milk for a baby.

The participants, about 45 in number, became noisy because their fancy had been tickled and their imagination let loose.

But come to think of it: the breasts have been given to women by nature in order to enhance their physical appearance which is one of the characteristics that distinguishes them from men.

Sexually, it is meant to give pleasure to both parties and for its physiological make-up, it is meant to produce milk for the infant as well.

Irene who was now like a story teller in moonlight, further seized the opportunity to feed the itching ears of the participants with what was most beneficial to children at infancy.

While stating that breast pump after delivery can

Okoye and her six weeks old baby, Kubechi, who is being exclusively breastfed

be helpful in stimulating the breasts to produce enough milk which if taken sufficiently reduces the risk of infant mortality, statistics being revealed by the National Policy on Food and Nutrition in Nigeria shows that “about 23 per cent of newborns in Nigeria receive breast milk within one hour of birth, whilst the exclusive breast feeding rate is 17 per cent. Also, “During the transition period from six to nine months, when a child is expected to receive a mix of breast milk and complementary food, only 10 per cent of children six to 23 months were fed in accordance with infant and young child feeding recommendations.” She said frequent massage of the breast at the pre-natal period was of utmost importance as every part of the human body has been wired to the brain which serves as the central power plant sending signals and feelings to the entire part of the body. While stating that the fight against malnutrition and the crusade on breast milk must be fought and won respectively, the specialist said men must play supportive roles by providing the right kinds of food which must be taken in the right proportion for the enrichment of breast milk and should also see the need in assisting their wives in breast stimulation. She said the men should suck the nipples and also massage the breasts.

There was another rapturous laughter, the type from teenagers being taught sex education in school or reproduction in a biology class. Irene, like an old woman who had ben saddled with the responsibility of character moulding and in ensuring that like folklore, what she had known, tested and trusted was carefully passed on from generation to generation , wouldn’t share in the bout of laughter as the case of malnutrition cannot be over emphasised, and due to poor breast feeding which has continued to expose children to wasting, stunting and underweight in Nigeria and with the North-east and Northwest taking the lead in several disturbing cases.

However, she was happy that the message had been passed and will go viral with the help of the participants.

She said: “Mothers have to be trained to know at what stage to start stimulating their breasts in preparation for breast feeding when the baby arrives. Through stimulation, the brain is informed and it in return, informs the breast to get set for milk production. Placement of the child on the breast is also another key factor which mothers must be taught.”

“It is a continuous process and mothers must never give up in the guise that the breast milk isn’t coming. With continuous sucking

and massage, which should be done before and after delivery, the breast milk is bound to come. It is hard work because it is not easy.

However, once a mother gets it right, the child will be free from all childhood diseases associated with malnutrition.” “That is not all.

The cognitive and mental ability of the child is also developed as a result of the exclusive breast milk for six months, as this will give the child a high intelligent quotient with the ability of being above average in assimilation and understanding,” she said.

Angela, one of the brilliant and out-spoken participants during the ‘story telling’ session decided to ask a question just like a child who wanted to tell the morals and lessons learnt from the story. Like a doubting Thomas, she sought to know why expectant mothers were seldomly told about the ‘new discovery’. She emphasised that as important as the stimulation process is in breast milk formation, those who were expected to know, didn’t know after all.

The other participants, mostly the females who had experienced anti-natal in the past, all agreed with her claims and observations. It was disturbing and alarming that midwives and caregivers from the primary health institutions to the tertiary, as well as in the public and private health sectors didn’t know about the efficacy of breast stimulation for milk formulation as the answer to inadequate breast milk for the fight against malnutrition. With this ignorance, they never enlightened their patients.

“Yes, you are right” said Irene.”Many of the midwives and health personnel hardly know this and to be fair to them, it isn’t their fault” she added. “Then whose fault is it?” Some of the participants quarried in unison.”It is a systemic failure. The medical curriculum that deals with nutrition in higher institutions of learning are hardly reviewed and as the world is evolving, so is knowledge increasing. The midwives cannot give what they do not have because they were not taught in school,” she answered.

Irene further debunked the belief that largebreasted women always had challenges in producing sufficient milk compared to women with smaller breasts. She said the belief is a myth and didn’t hold water as the natural roles of breasts, if fully utilised have great potentials in solving the case of malnutrition and in increasing the breast-feeding rate from below 20 per cent to a pass mark.

At the end of the session which lasted for over an hour, every participant who had listened with undivided attention was thankful for the reliable information and increase in knowledge.

Above all, both parties were excited that the ultimate beneficiary of breasts stimulation, the child, will live above malnutrition and fulfill destiny. With this, Nigeria’s silent crisis in the guise of malnutrition will begin to give way for healthy children with sound minds and active brains who will in turn make society what it is expected to be and for the good of all.

‘Govt Efficiency, PPP Can Change Face of Healthcare in Africa’ Wannabe Medical of Deloitte Digital Africa, Thakker, who will be a efficient,” Thakker said.

Needs N7m to Live Martins Ifijeh The Chairman, African Healthcare Federation, Dr. Amit Thakker, has stated that the health indices of Africans can improve greatly if governments of various countries ensure maximum productivity of resources, and increase spending on public private partnership for the sector.

He said the progress experienced in the sector in Africa was extremely slow and not commensurate with the increaseinfundinggenerally.

speaker at the 7th Annual African Health Exhibition and Congress in South Africa July 7 to 9, said private health sector, as well as non government organisations (NGOs) are well placed to help improve challenges with governance andleadership.Budgetallocations in a number of African countries are relatively large, but unfortunately inefficiencies reduce their impact substantially. We would have saved twice as many children and women if governments were

and private sector federations to clarify roles and agree on a shared vision. P2 will include creating or adapting regulatory frameworks and contractual obligations and the institutionalisation of PPP Acts. P3 will be the project implementation phase, which will include building and operatingprojectsandproducts, followed by evaluation and sharing of information and casestudies.”Adding,hesaid “innovations should be driven by the private sector.”

On his part, the Leader

and Head, Healthcare and Life Sciences, Valter Adao, “healthcare spend is often sizeable in dollar terms but low relative to GDP, like in Nigeria, or reasonably comparable to European countries but the outcomes arepoor,likeinSouthAfrica.

“The deviation from the traditional PPP models is thatgovernmentswouldnot be the recipients, but owners or implementers and perhaps even the investors into these solutions,”Adaorecentlytold the World Economic Forum.

Solomon Elusoji A 21-year-old Anyanwu Emmanuel Chinaza, who dreamt of studying Medicine at the university, is currently lying at the Abia State Specialist Hospital, fighting for dear life.

Medical diagnosis shows if his two failing kidneys are not replaced as soon as possible, he may be gone. His condition was brought to THISDAY’s attention by his uncle, Mr. Joe Efuneshi, a civil servant with the Nigeria Ports Authority.

Doctor

Efuneshi visited THISDAY headquarters in Apapa and pleaded with the general public to help rescue his cousin from the clutches of death.

“We want Nigerians to come to his aid and save the life of the young man,” he said.

The operation is expected to be done locally and will cost the sum of seven million naira to execute.

Concerned Nigerians can send their donations to his account: First Bank, Anyanwu Emmanuel Chinaza, 3112149030

40

T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

Heirs Holdings Appoints Nnorom Group Chief Executive Obinna Chima The Board of Heirs Holdings yesterday announced the appointment of Emmanuel Nnorom as its Group Chief Executive Officer.

Nnorom previously served as chief executive of Heirs Holdings’ affiliate, Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc and will join the Heirs Holdings’ Board, reporting directly to the Group Chairman, Mr. Tony Elumelu.

According to a statement yesterday, the appointment will take effect from today, June 1, 2017. As Group CEO, Nnorom is expected to provide day-to-day leadership at Heirs Holdings and be responsible for execution of group strategy for the proprietary investment firm, whose portfolio of investments includes power, oil and gas, financial services, hospitality, real estate and medical services,

with a pan-African footprint of 20 countries.

Commenting on the appointment, Elumelu, said: “Emmanuel is a highly respected member of the Heirs Holdings executive management team and his success at Transcorp, with its multi-sector portfolio and his broader knowledge of Africa and commitment to our pan-African vision, gained at UBA, make him uniquely qualified for the position.

“Equally important, the creation of a CEO role at Heirs Holdings, demonstrates our continuing commitment to institutionalising effective corporate governance and ensuring that our investment in human capacity matches our ambitious growth strategy”.

At Transcorp, Nnorom “was responsible for the success of Transcorp businesses, including Transcorp Power, Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Transcorp Hotel

Plc, and Transcorp Energy.”

Prior to Transcorp, Nnorom had held senior positions at Heirs Holdings and had served as an Executive Director at UBA and Managing Director of UBA Africa, overseeing the Group’s African subsidiaries. He had also held the position of UBA Group Chief Operating Officer, with responsibility for information technology, operations, corporate services, marketing and corporate communications, customer service, UBA Properties, human resources and regulatory affairs.

Heirs Holdings is an African proprietary investment company with interests in power, oil and gas, financial services, real estate, hospitality and Healthcare. The Group’s operations are firmly rooted in the economic philosophy of Africapitalism, which positions the Private Sector as the key enabler of economic and social wealth creation in Africa.

GTBank Launches Biometric Mobile APP Guaranty Trust Bank Plc (GTBank) yesterday launched ‘GTWorld,’ a mobile banking app designed to cater to all that’s important to customers easily and seamlessly.

Built on the back of the bank’s customer-centric digital strategy, GTWorld (available for download from the Google Playstore for Android phones and the Apple App Store for iPhone), the bank explained, features biometric authentication, such as facial recognition and fingerprint, which recognises a customer and adapts to how and when they want to bank.

According to the bank, the mobile banking app also features a seamless switch to GAPS Lite, the online banking platform for small businesses which offers a flexible and secure channel to make payments and collections

anywhere in the world.

Commenting on the launch of GTWorld App, Managing Director of GTBank, Segun Agbaje said: “We are delighted to be at the forefront of digital banking solutions that are making banking faster, easier and safer for our customers. The Simplicity of GTWorld and innovations such as facial recognition and fingerprint also ensure that our customers enjoy a seamless experience, anywhere, anytime and anyhow they choose to bank.”

He pointed out that with the rapid growth of smartphone penetration in Nigeria, there had been a steady increase in the adoption of mobile banking solutions. “Smartphone users are however very conscious about the security and efficiency and convenience of such applications; and on those three fronts, the

GTWorld app excels remarkably. the mobile banking App offers customers access to more than 90 percent of the Bank’s services on their Smartphones, guarantees further security through biometric authentication and ensures convenience through the Quick feature, which enables a user to perform transactions without signing in, among others.

“GTWorld empowers customers, like never before, to make payments and access in-branch services swiftly and seamlessly, without going to a branch. Some of the App’s, amongst several others, when switched to GAPS-Lite, the app offers small business owners access to real-time monitoring of all transactions and the ability to make bulk and single transfers on the go to any account in the world,” he added.

Fidelity Bank Inducts New Staff into Workforce Fidelity Bank Plc has said it is building a new crop of young, dynamic and talented workforce through its graduate recruitment scheme.

New inductees who passed out of the Fidelity Crest Academy after a rigorous three months training programme were admitted into the bank’s workforce last weekend.

Recruited early this year and sent immediately to the banking school, the new hires underwent an extensive training on the fundamentals of the banking business with course modules on culture, bank processes and products; fundamentals of banking business and personal effectiveness; comprehensive

banking operations and understanding banking business; financial statement analysis and fundamentals of credit.

Speaking at a ceremony to celebrate the graduands in Lagos, Fidelity Bank CEO, Nnamdi Okonkwo, was quoted in a statement yesterday to have urged them to make use of the exposure and training to excel in their various job functions.

He stated that the rationale for setting up the Fidelity Crest Academy was to have a banking school that will help in training and equipping staff with the right skills to excel at work and compete favorably in the market place.

According to him, the bank

places a great premium on its people and the academy was pivotal to grooming the next set of leaders of Fidelity Bank.

“It is our desire to see a future CEO of Fidelity Bank from amongst you. We are committed to training you and giving you the right foundation to succeed.

It is up to you to rise to the occasion and justify our investments in you” he said.

Fidelity Bank’s Executive Director, Shared Services & Products, Chijioke Ugochukwu, also said that the initiative would attain its overall objective of producing the next generation of home grown leaders to ensure growth and future sustainability.

FirstBank Unveils New Website FirstBank of Nigeria Limited has officially announced the launch of its refreshed and user-friendly website.

The new website, according to a statement from the bank, is adaptive and responsive and has a multi-real estate billboard homepage with oneclick access to information.

“The website is featurerich with mortgage and loan calculators, a currency

converter and a Google maps integrated branch locator.

Built for the digital age, it is easy to access and navigate for the average multi-screen user. Visitors can expect to find any information they seek on the website in three simple clicks. Its mobile enabled features make it perfect for the always on-the-move generation.

“The new website is consid-

ered a unique evolution for the lender in terms of information and interactive services available for customers, investors, shareholders and the global community,” it stated.

The Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications, FirstBank, Mrs. Folake Ani-Mumuney announced that the site, which she said is a quantum leap from the old website.

Nnorom

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

DECEMBER 2016 Broad Money (M2)

23,840,392.42

-- Narrow Money (M1)

11,520,166.67

---- Currency Outside Banks

1,820,415.90

---- Demand Deposits

9,699,750.76

-- Quasi Money

12,320,225.75

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

9,353,504.03

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

14,486,888.39

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

26,774,684.47

---- Credit to Government (Net)

4,595,579.89

---- Memo: Credit to Govt. (Net) less FMA

7,436,917.79

---- Memo: Fed. and Mirror Accounts (FMA)

-2,841,337.90

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

22,374,718.08

--Other Assets Net

-12,483,409.58

Reserve Money (Base Money)

5,837,322.41

--Currency in Circulation

2,179,174.28

--Banks Reserves

3,318,344.71 • Source - CBN

MONEY MARKET INDICATORS (%) December 2016 Inter-Bank Call Rate

10.39

Monetary Policy Rate (MPR

14.00

Treasury Bill Rate

13.96

Savings Deposit Rate

4.18

1 Month Deposit Rate

8.53

3 Months Deposit Rate

8.80

6 Months Deposit Rate

10.23

12 Months Deposit Rate

10.76

Prime Lending rate

17.09

Maximum Lending Rate

28.55

• Monetary Policy Rate - 14%

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE AS AT TUESDAY 30, MAY 2017

The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $49.39 a barrel on Tuesday, compared with $49.67 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)

41

T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017

MARKET NEWS

GSK Nigeria Shareholders Approve 30k Dividend, Commend Performance Shareholders of GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria (GSK) Plc yesterday approved a dividend of 30 kobo per share recommended by the board of directors for the year ended December 31, 2016. The approval was given at the 46th annual general meeting (AGM) held in Lagos. GSK recorded a turnover of N14.385 billion for 2016, while profit after tax (PAT) stood at N2.378 billion,

up from N873 million in 2015.

Hence, the directors recommended the 30 kobo dividend per 50 kobo per share, which the shareholders approved and commended the directors for.

They urged the board and management to continue to work tirelessly to take the company to greater heights and also produce a better result in the new financial year.

Speaking at the AGM, Chair-

man of the company, the divestment of the company’s drinks business in third quarter (Q3) enabled the company to align with the global strategy and focus on its core businesses with the aim of driving improved margins and sustainable growth.

According to him, although the immediate outcome of the divestment is a leaner and nimble company, focus on healthcare would enhance

GSK’s brand portfolio. Onuzo emphasised that GSK would continue to support its brand through increased marketing and promotions. He also disclosed that the company would drive increased local manufacturing and local content contribution to increase margins and mitigate against foreign exchange fluctuations. “In 2017, GSK would focus on growing major brands like Sensodyne,

Panadol, Andrews Liver Salt and Macleans to drive baseline profitability. These are part of our sustainability measures, we are now more focused on our core strength and going forward, we hope to aggressively build our consumer healthcare portfolio,” he said. The chairman noted that the company is strongly committed to attaining and sustaining high performance and would continue to invest

in human capital and sustainable corporate responsibility initiatives while ensuring that the company fulfills its mission to improve the quality of human lives by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer.

He assured shareholders that despite the economic challenges, the company remained committed to ensuring that its shareholders received good returns on their investment.

DAILY STOCK MARKET REPORT T H E

N I G E R I A N

STO C K

E XC H A N G E

42

T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017

MARKET NEWS

Portland Paints and Products to Intensify Restructuring

Goddy Egene The Chairman of Portland Paints and Products Nigeria Plc, Mr. Larry Ettah, yesterday said the company would focus on its restructuring plan so as to drive further growth and deliver enhanced value going forward. Speaking at the annual general meeting (AGM) held in Lagos, Ettah disclosed that the company recovered from a loss of N232 million in 2015 to a profit of N8.597 million in

2016.

He stated that although the company has been undergoing restructuring of its operations in the reporting year which has been exacerbated by the daunting challenges in the operating environment, the company was able to report a modest result in 2016.

“Your company recorded a revenue of N1.971 billion in 2016, which is a nine per cent drop from the N2.168 billion of the previous year.

The company profit after tax

A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager.

Investors with similar objectives buy units of the Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities that willl generate their desired return.

An ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) is a type of fund which owns the assets (shares of stock, bonds, oil futures, gold bars, foreign currency, etc.) and divides ownership of those assets into shares. Investors can buy these ‘shares’ on the

was N8.597 million, a major reversal from the N232.98m loss recorded in the previous year. In view of this level of performance, the Board is not recommending the payment of dividend,” he said.

According to him, the in response to the challenges posed by the business environment, the board and management proactively worked towards cost reduction and optimisation in all areas of our operations to ensure 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 30May-2017, unless otherwise stated

survival of the business and its sustained value creation for stakeholders.

On the concluded capital raising exercise, Ettah said: “I wish to report that the Rights Issue of two for three approved at the 2015 AGM to raise additional capital for the company hit the market on 23rd January 2017 and closed on 1st March 2017. It was 65.5 per cent subscribed and was affected by the general capital market sentiments and softness.”

He said in 2017, the company will focus on further consolidating on the initiatives they started in 2016, expand its distribution network and improve its brand visibility to ensure the company deliver on its corporate objectives.

The company had said it would apply the proceeds of the rights issue to minimise the debt exposure risks of its business as well as carry out targeted expansion in its operations.

Ettah told shareholders

last year that the business would focus on its growth brands as well as make the necessary investment in marketing to improve its brands’ awareness and visibility.

According to him, the company commenced a process of restructuring the business, focussing on internal efficiencies and reviewing our route to market model in a bid to ensure that we build a sustainable future for the business.

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 152.23 153.18 20.00% Nigeria International Debt Fund 219.40 220.70 3.49% 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 0.74 0.75 5.46% AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 18.16% 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 14.08 14.51 14.07% ARM Discovery Fund 318.60 328.21 10.94% ARM Ethical Fund 23.18 23.88 3.76% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 16.05% 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 119.82 120.66 13.92% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 17.55% 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 0.00% Paramount Equity Fund 10.82 10.89 14.50% Women's Investment Fund 90.76 93.09 7.29% 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 18.67% 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 1,075.69 1,076.81 6.43% FBN Heritage Fund 125.22 126.14 12.25% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 17.83% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional $109.00 $109.38 5.72% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail $108.26 $108.64 5.73% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 129.29 131.07 14.79% 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 1.12 1.14 20.21% Legacy Short Maturity (NGN) Fund 2.74 2.74 6.47% 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 2,405.98 2,437.22 8.98% Coral Income Fund 2,254.73 2,254.73 7.15% GREENWICH ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gtlgroup.com Web: www.gtlgroup.com ; Tel: +234 1 4619261-2 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Greenwich Plus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 17.13% 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 18.00% Vantage Balanced Fund 1.89 1.91 12.32% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 17.66%

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 1.05 1.07 5.89% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,027.07 1,027.07 4.39% 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 11.31 11.40 17.01% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 17.13% 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 1.11 1.13 12.50% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 10.57 10.64 1.77% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 12.86% 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 118.00 118.69 15.76% 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 1.30 1.30 4.71% 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 1,970.27 1,980.91 7.58% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 158.70 158.70 3.08% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.85 0.86 11.04% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 198.79 198.79 6.37% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 140.43 142.39 8.22% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 18.46% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 8,183.87 8,270.60 7.86% 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 1.26 1.28 11.71% United Capital Bond Fund 1.36 1.36 18.51% United Capital Equity Fund 0.76 0.77 4.12% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.17 1.17 11.14% 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 11.33 11.53 17.07% Zenith Ethical Fund 11.94 12.06 9.22% Zenith Income Fund 17.90 17.90 8.28%

REITS

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

11.41 126.92

1.01% 2.34%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

8.84 86.72

8.94 88.33

0.68% 14.43%

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

3.60 7.17 13.96 16.88 129.58

3.64 7.25 14.06 17.08 131.58

30.36% 1.98% 16.07% 5.79% -0.23%

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.

T H I S D AY THURSDAY JUNE 1, 2017

43

44

T H I S D AY THURSDAY JUNE 1, 2017

THURSDAY JUNE 1, 2017 • T H I S D AY

45

INTERNATIONAL

email:foreigndesk@thisdaylive.com

Massive Kabul Truck Bomb Kills 80, Wounds Hundreds At least 80 people were killed and hundreds wounded Wednesday when a massive truck bomb ripped through Kabul’s diplomatic quarter, bringing carnage to the streets of the Afghan capital and blowing out windows several miles away.

Bodies littered the scene and a huge cloud of smoke rose from the highly-fortified area which houses foreign embassies, after the rush-hour attack tore a massive crater in the ground just days into the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan.

No group has so far claimed the powerful blast, which a Western diplomatic source said was caused by 1,500 kilogrammes of explosives packed inside a water tanker. Rescue workers were digging bodies from the rubble hours after the explosion as anguished residents struggled to get through security cordons to search for missing relatives. Dozens of damaged cars choked the roads as wounded survivors and panicked schoolgirls sought safety.

It was not immediately clear what the target was.

But the attack suggests a major security failure and underscores spiralling insecurity in Afghanistan, where the NATO-backed military, beset by soaring casualties and desertions, is struggling to beat back

insurgents.

Over a third of the country is outside government control.

“Unfortunately the toll has reached 80 martyred (killed) and over 300 wounded, including many women and children,” said health ministry spokesman Waheed Majroh, adding the figures would continue to climb as more bodies are pulled from the debris.

President Ashraf Ghani slammed the attack as a “war crime”.

The Taliban -- currently in the midst of their annual “spring offensive” -- tweeted that they were not involved and “strongly condemn” the blast. The insurgent group rarely claims responsibility for attacks that kill large numbers of civilians.

The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for several recent bombings in the Afghan capital, including a powerful blast targeting a NATO convoy that killed eight people earlier this month.

The sound of the bomb, which went off near Kabul’s busy Zanbaq Square, reverberated across the Afghan capital, with residents comparing it to an earthquake. Most victims appear to be civilians.

“The vigilance and courage of Afghan security forces prevented the VBIED (vehicle-borne improvised explosive device) from gaining entry to the Green Zone, but the

explosion caused civilian casualties,” NATO said in a statement.

The BBC said its Afghan driver Mohammed Nazir was killed and four of their journalists wounded.

Local TV channel Tolo TV also tweeted that a staff member Aziz Navin was killed.

The explosion damaged several embassies in the area, which houses diplomatic and government buildings and is a maze of concrete blast walls, vehicle barriers and armed security guards.

German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said the “despicable” attack killed an Afghan guard from the German embassy, and added that some employees had been injured, though he did not give further details.

He said the bomb had gone off “in the immediate vicinity” of the German embassy.

France, India, Turkey, Japan, the United Arab Emirates and Bulgaria similarly reported damage to their embassies, including shattered windows, as the blast drew an avalanche of international condemnation.

US ambassador to Afghanistan Hugo Llorens is s u e d a s c a t h i n g statement condemning the “complete disreg a rd f o r h u m a n l i f e ” , saying those behind the attack deserved our “utter scorn”.

Trump ‘Poised to Quit Paris Climate Deal’ US President Donald Trump is poised to pull the country out of the Paris climate accord, US media report, quoting senior officials.

The 2015 accord for the first time united most of the world in a single agreement to mitigate climate change.

It was signed by 195 countries out of 197 in a U N g ro u p o n c l i m a t e change, with Syria and Nicaragua abstaining.

In a tweet on Wednesd a y, M r Tr u m p s a i d h e would announce his decision within the “next few days”.

Climate change, or global warming, refers to the damaging effect of gases, or emissions, r e l e a s e d f r o m i n d u s t ry and agriculture on the atmosphere.

T h e Pa r i s a c c o r d i s meant to limit the global rise in temperature attributed to emissions.

Countries agreed to:

• K e e p global temperatures “well below” the level of 2C (3.6F) above preindustrial times and “endeavour to limit” them even more, to 1.5C

• Limit the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by human activity to the same levels that trees, soil and oceans can absorb n a t u ra l l y, b e g i n n i n g a t some point between 2050 and 2100

• R e v i e w e a c h c o u n t r y ’s c o n tribution to cutting emissions every five years so they scale up to the challenge

• E n a b l e rich countries to help p o o re r n a t i o n s by p ro viding “climate finance” to adapt to climate change and switch to renewable energy To d a t e , 1 4 7 o u t o f t h e 1 9 7 c o u n t r i e s h av e ra t i f i e d t h e a c c o rd , i n cluding the US, where the accord entered into f o r c e l a s t N o v e m b e r.

M r Tr u m p h a s p r e v i ously called climate change “a hoax” devised by the Chinese government.

He promised to “ c a n c e l ” t h e Pa r i s d e a l during his election c a m p a i g n l a s t y e a r, saying it was “bad for US business” because it allowed “foreign bureaucrats control over how much energy we use”.

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T H I S D AY THURSDAY JUNE 1, 2017

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THURSDAY JUNE 1, 2017 • T H I S D AY

INTERNATIONAL

Alleged Berlin Suicide Attacker Released for Lack of Evidence- Prosecutors

A 17-year-old Syrian boy who was detained for allegedly plotting a suicide bombing attack in Berlin was released on Wednesday after investigators failed to find concrete evidence against him, prosecutors said.

The boy, who arrived in Germany as an unaccompanied refugee from the Syrian civil war, was taken

into custody on Tuesday.

Prosecutors found no evidence that he had been planning an atrocity after searching his phone and internet tablet.

“No concrete evidence was found that he was planning a crime that endangered the state,” a spokesman for prosecutors in Potsdam said, adding that there was also no evidence that he was

Islamic State Fighters Seal off Mosul Mosque Preparing for Last Stand

Islamic State militants have closed the streets around Mosul’s Grand al-Nuri Mosque, residents said, apparently in preparation for a final showdown in the battle over their last major stronghold in Iraq.

Dozens of fighters were seen by residents taking up positions in the past 48 hours around the medieval mosque, the site where Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared an Islamist caliphate in July 2014.

Islamic State’s black flag has been flying from the mosque since the militants captured Mosul and seized swathes of Iraq and Syria in the summer of 2014.

U.S.-backed Iraqi government forces retook eastern Mosul in January and began a new push on Saturday to capture the group’s remaining enclave in western Mosul, comprising of the Old City center where the mosque is located, and three adjacent districts alongside the western bank of the River Tigris.

The fall of the city would, in effect, mark the end of the Iraqi half of the self-styled caliphate.

Meanwhile in Syria, Kurdish forces backed by U.S.-air strikes are beseiging Islamic State forces in the city of Raqqa, the militants’ de facto capital in that country.

linked to any foreign militant organisation.

“This is not enough for detention, so he is free again,” the spokesman added of the boy, who was detained in the

Uckermark region north-east of Berlin.

Memories are still fresh in Germany of the Berlin Christmas market attack last December, in which 12 people

were killed by a failed asylum seeker who had pledged allegiance to Islamic State.

Last Wednesday, police arrested four suspected Islamists in dawn raids in Berlin as the

German capital geared up for a long weekend of mass gatherings, capped by a joint appearance by Chancellor Angela Merkel and former U.S. president Barack Obama.

Manchester Attack: Abedi Bought Most Bomb Parts ‘Himself’ Manchester bomber Salman Abedi bought most of the components used to make the bomb himself, police have said.

Many of the suicide attacker’s movements and actions were “carried out alone” in the four days prior to the attack, Russ Jackson, head of the North West counter terrorism unit, said.

But police have yet to rule out whether he was part of a wider network.

Officers have cordoned off a street in the Rusholme area of Manchester where a property

is being searched.

Greater Manchester Police asked members of the public to avoid Banff Road, after the latest in a series of raids linked to their investigation.

Three men arrested over the 22 May attack were released without charge on Tuesday.

Det Ch Supt Jackson said much of the police investigation had been working through Abedi’s last movements.

Officers have examined his movements on CCTV and other interactions he had with people

as well as phone calls he made.

“Our enquiries show Abedi himself made most of the purchases of the core [bomb] components and what is becoming apparent is that many of his movements and actions have been carried out alone during the four days from him landing in the country and committing this awful attack,” said Det Chief Supt Jackson.

However, it was “vital” that police make sure he is not part of a wider network

and there were a “number of things” about this behaviour that were a concern, he added.

Det Ch Supt Jackson said police were keen to find out why Abedi kept going back to the Wilmslow Road area of the city and wanted to find the blue suitcase he used during those trips.

A total of 16 people have been arrested in connection with last Monday’s attack. Five have been released without charge while 11 are still in custody.

Gulf Arab Row Rattles Trump’s Anti-Iran Axis Just 10 days after President Donald Trump called on Muslim countries to stand united against Iran, a public feud between Qatar and some of its Gulf Arab neighbours is jolting his attempt

to tip the regional balance of power against Tehran.

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are incensed

by Qatar’s conciliatory line on Iran, their regional archrival, and

its support for Islamist groups, in particular the Muslim Brotherhood, which they regard as a dangerous political enemy.

The bickering among the Sunni states erupted after Trump attended

a summit of Muslim leaders in Saudi Arabia where he denounced Shi’ite Iran’s“destablizing interventions”in Arab lands, where Tehran is locked in a tussle with Riyadh for influence.

The National

Mining Summit

UNEARTHING NIGERIA’S MINING SECTOR

13 – 15 JUNE 2017 13 - 15 JUNE 2017 International Conference Centre, Abuja, Nigeria INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE, ABUJA, NIGERIA

0000 - CONMIN 2017 WHO YOU WILL MEET AD UPDATE_V2.indd 1

FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA MINISTRY OF SOLID MINERALS DEVELOPMENT

2017/05/30 8:20 AM

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THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017• T H I S D AY

NEWSXTRA

Osinbajo Gives Lagos Go Ahead to Reconstruct Int’l Airport Road

Ambode commends acting president for fast-tracking process

Gboyega Akinsanmi Almost three months after controversies on the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Airport (MMIA) road came to public knowledge, the federal government finally released the road to the Lagos State Government yesterday.

In a swift response, the state Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, commended the

Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, for fast-tracking the release of the road connecting the MMIA. The Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, disclosed this on Sunrise Daily, a Channels TV programme, noting that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the road for the state.

Law Firm Faults Use of ‘Connivance’ in Publication The law firm of Kusamotu & Kusamotu, has faulted the use of the word ‘connivance’ by another law firm, Templars Solicitors, in a THISDAY publication of January 31, 2017.

In a protest letter addressed to THISDAY on the alleged indebtedness of Emerald Energy Resources Limited to China Export Credit Insurance Corporation to the tune of $45,730,697.57, the law firm which acts as solicitors and legal representatives to China Export Credit Insurance Corporation, argued that the word ‘connivance’ in law means ‘corrupt’ or ‘guilty assent to wrongdoing.’

Kusamotu & Kusamotu pointed out that in the said publication, Templars Solicitors

was quoted as saying in a protest letter sent to THISDAY that “the offensive materials were published against its clients with the active connivance of a firm of legal practitioners, Kusamotu & Kusamotu, which acted for China Export and Credit Insurance.”

According to the firm, the words used in the publication are highly libelous, defamatory and occasioned grave injury and damage to its office in the lawful discharge of its client’s instructions.

The firm revealed that its client had instituted legal proceedings in claim number: CL-2017-000150 against Emerald Energy in the High Court of England for the $45 million debt.

On March 8, precisely, the governor had alleged that the ministry under the supervision of Fashola had been frustrating his administration to reconstruct the road linking Oshodi and MMIA. Ambode had also alleged that the ministry and Department of State Services (DSS) had refused to hand over Presidential Lodge, Marina to the state contrary to President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive.

He then described the degradation of the road as a national embarrassment, saying the state government had the cash “to do a total reconstruction of the road.

We took it upon ourselves to redevelop the road.

“We also took it upon ourselves to appropriate the

2017 budget that the House of Assembly should approve the total reconstruction of the Airport Road from Oshodi to the international airport.”

On the programme, yesterday, Fashola disclosed that he had signed a letter to Ambode to communicate the decision of FEC “to release the road to the state government.”

He said: “Last night, I just signed a letter to Ambode that the federal government has approved the release of the road based on the recommendation of the Ministry of Works, Power and Housing.

“The process takes time.

That was the explanation that I made. Also, there are other interests on the road. For instance, the Federal Ministry of Transportation seems to take the view that the road is

strategic. Because it leads to an airport, the road is subject to a certain regulatory review.

“I came to know about the application of the road sometime in 2016, certainly not 18 months. Are you going to hand over some ‘Trunk A’ roads to States who say they would like to take over some of these roads? It depends.

There are many roads that are set out as ‘Trunk A’ roads.”

In a statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello, the governor commended the acting president for his statesman-like approach and for fast-tracking the process.

Ambode said: “We are very appreciative of the good gesture of His Excellency, the Acting President for acceding to our request which is not only very timely but a very

heartwarming one. Posterity will never forget this genuine developmental action.”

He also described the approval as a 50th birthday gift to the people of Lagos State and as a further demonstration of the determination of the present administration to ensure the effectiveness of the Executive Order on improving the Ease of Doing Business recently signed.

He commended President Buhari for providing the enabling environment to attract Foreign Direct Investment into the country, noting that Nigeria would attract new investments with the upgrading of the road, which he said, was the gateway to the country’s commercial nerve centre.

NNPC: Indonesia to Increase Crude Oil Purchases from Nigeria Chineme Okafor in Abuja The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) yesterday disclosed that Indonesia, a South East Asian country, has indicated its interest to buy more crude oil from Nigeria above the current 18 per cent that it does.

NNPC, in a statement from its Group General Manager, Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, said the country made this known to it when its ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Harry Purwanto, paid a courtesy visit to its Group Managing Director, Dr. Maikanti Baru, in Abuja.

Purwanto, according to the statement, explained that Indonesian President, Joko Widodo, had instructed the Indonesia National Oil Company, to direct its attention to Nigeria in its quest to meet the country’s surging energy needs.

According to NNPC, while Indonesia produces 900,000 barrels of crude oil per day, it however supplements its 1.4 million barrels per day (mbpd) consumption with 18 per cent of such supplies from Nigeria, and 28 per cent from Saudi Arabia.

NNPC noted that the call by Purwanto signified the prospects of a soaring market share for Nigeria in emerging economies in Asia which include China and India.

It added that Nigeria lost its once long-term crude oil sales

partnership with the United State of America to advances in shale oil exploration.

Baru, the statement said, welcomed the development, and said NNPC was interested in working with Indonesia to replace firewood and kerosene with Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) as primary domestic fuel for cooking in Nigeria.

He also said the corporation was aware of the huge success of the kerosene substitution programme in Indonesia and would like a collaboration to help Nigeria achieve similar feat.

According to Baru, NNPC would also like to partner with Indonesia in the area of bio-fuels production to diversify the nation’s energy mix and meet its energy needs.

He thus challenged Indonesia to consider participating in the forthcoming oil blocks bid round in order to realise its aspiration of maintaining a presence in the Nigerian oil and gas sector.

Purwanto, equally disclosed that his country looked forward to lifting crude oil directly from Nigeria, rather than through a third-party as is currently the case.

He extended an invitation to the corporation to attend the Indonesia-Nigeria Business Forum holding in Lagos, adding that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on possible areas of co-operation between the two countries was in the works.

POLICY MAKERS

L-R: Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola; Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole; Minister of Industry Trade and Investment, Mr. Okechukwu Enelamah; Minister of Mines and Steel, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the State House in Abuja...yesterday

N’Assembly Mulls 65 Years as Retirement Age for Teachers NUT opposes salary transfer to LGs

James Emejo in Abuja The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, yesterday hinted that the National Assembly planned to increase teachers retirement age from 60 years to 65 years in a bid to retain experienced hands in public schools.

This came as the National President, Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Michael Alogba Olukoya, appealed to lawmakers not to approve the transfer of teachers salaries to the local government areas.

Speaking when he received a delegation from the NUT which paid him a courtesy visit, Dogara said the House will particularly back an upward review of teachers’ retirement age

for the benefit of the Nigerian child.

According to him: “We have done it for the tertiary institutions and the judiciary, so nothing should stop us from taking the bull by the horns. They say that wine gets better with age, it was the same consideration that motivated us to raise that of university lecturers, raise that of judges.

So this is something we can pursue.

“Thankfully, it doesn’t require constitutional amendment, it is something we can achieve by amending the existing law.

That is the responsibility of the parliament and we assure you that we will do something about that so that the benefit that comes with experience and

wisdom will not be lost.”

He further promised that the legislature would improve the welfare and working condition of teachers to enable Nigerian citizens compete with the global world and produce citizens that can achieve development that the country seeks.

He said: “If we don’t have people who will sacrifice their time and energy to impart knowledge on our children, then like I said, we have lost the future. This government which is a government of change must be prepared to change the narrative by ensuring that teachers are motivated and the condition in which they work are conducive at all levels, so that they can

deliver on their professional calling.”

However, Olukoya had earlier appealed that the state governments be allowed to administer teachers’ salaries as opposed to the local governments.

He said: “We want the responsibilities of paying the salaries of teachers be handed over to state governments in which case the salaries component of the revenue allocation of the local governments will have to be transferred to the states and restructure the fiscal allocation of our national resources in favour of the states to guarantee uninterrupted and unfettered primary education in Nigeria.”

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THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017• T H I S D AY

NEWSXTRA

Senate Scraps Customs’ Governing Board, Establishes Service Commission Imposes 1% tariff on all imports, subjects appointment of CG to confirmation

Damilola Oyedele in Abuja The Senate yesterday passed a bill scrapping the governing board of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and establishing the NCS Commission to superintend over the administration of the Customs Service.

It also imposed a one per cent levy on free-on-board (fob) value of imports on dutiable and non-dutiable goods.

The commission would be headed by a chairman who would be a retired career Comptroller General or Deputy Comptroller General, and would

APC: We Didn’t Conduct Assessment Poll on Buhari Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday disclosed that it did not carry out any assessment on the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration neither did it commission anyone to do so on its behalf.

The party said its attention was drawn to some false and misleading reports that it conducted a poll to assess the performance of President Buhari administration.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Malam Bolaji Abdulahi, the party asked Nigerians to disregard any such assessment purported to have been ordered by it.

“For the record, the APC has not conducted or authorised any assessment poll on the

President Buhari administration.

The media and indeed the public are advised to ignore the questionable poll.

“The twitter handle, “@ APCNigeria” with which the so-called “assessment poll” was purportedly conducted is not the official twitter account of the APC. “Unfortunately, media organisations that published the story did not verify from the party’s publicity department the authenticity of the unauthorised poll credited to the party,” the statement said.

The party had last year distanced itself from the twitter handle, “@APCNigeria” following similar report credited to the party on the outcome of the Benue South senatorial rerun election.

be appointed by the president for a period of four years.

The appointment is however subject to confirmation by the Senate and renewable once.

The Senate passed the bill, a Bill for Act to Repeal the Customs and Excise Management Act to Establish the Nigeria Customs Service, Reform the Administration and Management of Customs and Excise in Nigeria, following the adoption of the report of its Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariff.

The commission would be responsible for managing the policies of the NCS, or matters pertaining to administration, assessment, collection and accounting for revenues, as may be directed by the Minister of Finance from time to time.

It would also be responsible for managing all issues relating

to employment, training, welfare, and discipline of officers of the NCS, with the approval of the appropriate authority of the federal government.

The bill consolidates into a single reference document, the NCS legal authority which is scattered in multiple enactments and will bring the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA), 1958 in line with modern day realities and international best practices.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee, Senator Hope Uzodinma (Imo West), also explained that the one per cent FOB levy was included in the legislation in order to ensure better financing of Customs’ operations.

The NCS will also be financed from a seven per cent cost of collection on import duty, excise

and fees, special levies, revenues derived from assessment and collection of cost-based user fees, and from budgetary provisions.

“The new bill will substantially enhance revenue generation and facilitate trade through full implementation of modern customs’ procedures that will evolve a consistent, transparent and predictable environment for international trade, in line with internally accepted norms and practices,” he said.

Uzodinma added that the bill would also ensure pre-shipment and post-shipment inspection at the point of origin and destination to reduce the incidence of importation of dangerous items.

“It strengthens the full implementation of pre-shipment laws of the country through the provisions for screening as a prerequisite for clearing goods

into the country.

“It not only adds to the expedited clearing system, but empirically improves the security of the nation by minimising the unfettered access into the country of illicit goods, prohibited narcotics, proliferation of small arms and toxic cargoes,” Uzodinma added.

The bill also contains provisions to support the use of modern information technology (IT) platforms and systems, such as the use of electronic documents, signatures and electronic payment systems as well as application of risk management and a host of other IT-related applications.

It also provides for the publication of a Tariff Handbook, subject to the approval of the National Assembly to curtail arbitrary tariff reviews.

Kanu Thanks Biafrans for Success of Sit-at-home Order

Group tells court to revoke IPOB leader’s bail David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka and Alex Enumah in Abuja

pushers, and politicians who defied every odd and pressure from Aso Rock to make our The leader of the Indigenous sit-at-home order a memorable People of Biafra (IPoB), Nnamdi and resounding historical event.”

Kanu, yesterday thanked Meanwhile, South East Biafrans for the success of the Peoples’ Assembly (SEPA) has L-R: Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu; Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike; Deputy Governor, Ipalibo Harry Sit-at-home protest declared by asked the Federal High court Banigo; and former Governor, Sir Celestine Omehia, during the inauguration of Ulakwo II-Afara-Nihi Road in Etche Local Government Area him and his group last Tuesday. sitting in Abuja to revoke the bail by the Deputy Senate President in the state....yesterday Kanu said the realisation of granted to the self- acclaimed a Biafra republic was near with leader of the Indigenous People the compliance registered by of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu. the exercise.

Kanu was admitted to bail on Speaking through the group’s health grounds on April 25, 2017, Media and Publicity Secretary, by Justice Binta Murtala-Nyako Emma Powerful, Kanu described of the Federal High Court in the level of compliance with the Abuja.

Oloyede noted: “As at today, were released within the 24 next year, I will not release sit-at-home order last Tuesday Justice Nyako had in her Senator Iroegbu in Abuja hours of each examination in the results immediately until 640 candidates out of over 1.7 as satisfactory. ruling maintained that the He said he was encouraged only reason she admitted The Joint Admissions and compliance with their promise all the issues are resolved,” million candidates could not do their biometric verification and by the outing, vowing that Kanu to bail was because of Matriculations Board (JAMB) to deliver the results in a timely he stressed.

Speaking further, the JAMB we told you what happened he would stop at nothing in his failing health and that she has released the results of over manner.

He said: “So far, we have boss said they would ensure that about registration distortion by ensuring that the people of the was convinced Kanu needed 1.6 million out of the over 1.7 area were liberated from the more medical attention than million candidates who sat for released 1,606,901 results leaving all candidates whose results were these registration centres. In stranglehold of their oppressors. what he was receiving from the recently concluded 2017 us with a balance of 80,889 withheld after verifications are Abuja, a principal collected Kanu thanked “friends of the Nigeria Prisons Service.

Unified Tertiary Matriculations and out of which we have released before the next academic N8,000 each from their students to effect their registration but did not deliberately withheld 76,123 session.

Biafra and lovers of freedom In a letter to the Chief Judge Examination UTME).

Oloyede lamented the obtain their biometrics. all over the world for their of the Federal High Court, The Registrar and Chief because of examination To this end, Oloyede has threatened widespread examination tenacious efforts that made Justice Ibrahim Auta, dated Executive of JAMB, Prof. Is-haq malpractices.

“Let me say that we malpractices across the country to severe cooperation with over 600 our heroes day Sit-At-Home May 31, 2017 and signed by Oloyede, disclosed this yesterday released the results within aided by parents, teachers and CBT centres across the country, most order a resounding success”. the president of SEPA, Prince at a press briefing in Abuja.

His statement read in Chukwuemeka Okorie, the Oloyede also disclosed that the 24 hours but if it is left for Computer Based Aptitude Test of which are privately owned.

He also denied the report that part,”I will not fail to thank group said it was shocking to results of over 80,000 candidates me I would have withheld (CBT) centres.

He disclosed that some of over 10,000 candidates were road transporters workers, note that Kanu has continued were withheld for various the result until we clear all the CBT centres exploited the implicated for examination teachers, civil servants, market to conduct himself in a manner reasons, especially suspected outstanding issues.”

According to him, the candidates by deliberately malpractice in Anambra State, leaders, artisans, clergymen, we consider totally at variance examination malpractices. businessmen, traders, okada/ with the terms and conditions He also said there were about results were released to distorting their data so that they saying the state coordinator was tricycle drivers, school children, of the bail so granted which, 3, 811 candidates who registered prove to those who doubt can come back to pay extra money misquoted.

“Mrs. Aja-Nwachukwu was parents and all the Biafraland, amongst others, include that late for the examination with their capacity that it could be for corrections.

JAMB also disclosed of misquoted by the journalist. She said transport owners, women Kanu must not hold rallies, findings revealing that more done within 24 hours.

“However, I want to connivance between parents, only 10 candidates were implicated organisations, community grant interviews or be in than half of then had earlier announce to you ahead of teachers and managers of the but the journalist wrote 10,000,” leaders, youths leaders in every a crowd of more than 10 registered. community, wheel barrow/truck people.

Oloyede noted that the results time that if I am in charge by CBT centres to engage in cheating. he clarified.

MR PROJECTS IN ACTION

JAMB Releases Over 1.6m UTME Results, Seizes 80,000 Others

Laments sophisticated, widespread exam malpractices

THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017• T H I S D AY

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NEWSXTRA

Adewole Announces Ban of Sale of Cigarettes to Anyone Below 18 Years Orders immediate implementation of tobacco control laws Senator Iroegbu in Abuja The Minister of Health, Prof.

Isaac Adewole, has announced

the enforcement of ban on sale of cigarettes to persons under 18 years in Nigeria, and in units among others.

GENCOS: DAYS OF UNRULY ANTICS BY DISCOS ARE OVER and are not getting enough due to the strict national grid allocation, they can ask for extra power. In that case, a Disco will need a bilateral contract not with the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET) but with a Genco, and the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) being the third party,” Ogaji said.

While the eligible customer directive is yet to commence because according to Ogaji, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has yet to complete its implementation framework, its implementation would include the deposit of a credible bank guarantee by a customer to secure the contract, as well as initiation and initialling of enforceable service level agreements between parties involved.

Eligible customers does not mean it is only the Gencos and Discos that must become competitive, even the TCN has to become competitive and deliver on contract. When TCN defaults by not wheeling my available capacities, it will be held liable.

“It is going to be a contractual framework because NERC is not part of the activity. NERC

will only register the participants after they meet the requirements which it is working on now,” Ogaji stated.

Similarly, Ogaji stated that the Gencos have largely scaled down their operations and now run fewer generation units because they are unable to pay for the volume of gas needed to run all their functional units.

She said this was as a result of accumulated debt of over N200 billion owed to gas companies for supplies made by them.

According to her, the gas suppliers have now resorted to supplying Gencos gas on pay-as-you-go basis.

“To procure gas, we need money. Currently, Gencos are being owed over N600 billion and we owe gas companies nearly N200 billion. Most gas suppliers now say they can’t supply anymore until we pay.

“Most of them like Shell, Total now do pay-before-service and the electricity market is only remitting about 30 per cent. Most of the Gencos can’t operate all their machines, and this depends on what they can pay. We are in that state, a precarious and pitiable one,” Ogaji noted.

This is coming as the World Health Organisation (WHO) disclosed that over 4.5 million Nigerian adults are addicted to smoking tobacco substances.

Adewole made the announcement during a press briefing in Abuja as part of activities to mark the World No Tobacco Day. He also called for the immediate implementation and enforcement of key sections of the 2015 National Tobacco Control (NTC) Act. He said: “Having carefully analysed the NTC Act 2015, I wish to announce with high sense of responsibility that government will begin implementing the following provisions;” Adewole said, as he listed the actions to be implemented as follows; “Prohibition of sale of tobacco products to and by anyone below 18; ban of sale of cigarettes in single sticks.

Cigarettes must be sold in packs of 20 sticks only; and smokeless tobacco shall be sold in a minimum of a pack of 30 grams.

“Ban of sale or offer for sale or distribution of tobacco or tobacco products through mail, internet or other online device; prohibition of interference of tobacco industry in public health and related issues; and Prohibition of smoking in anywhere on the premises of a child care facility; educational facility; and health care facility.

Other prohibited places for smoking include playgrounds; amusement parks; plazas; public parks; stadium, public transports, restaurants, bars, or other public gathering spaces.”

The minister also directed the “prosecution of owner or manager of any of the places listed above, who permits, encourages or fails to stop smoking in the above listed places; prohibition of tobacco

advertising, promotion and sponsorship of any kind; and compliance with specified standard for content as set out

by Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).

Adewole noted that available evidence from World Health Organisation (WHO) indicates that tobacco use costs national economies immensely, through increased health-care cost and decrease productivity, adding that it worsens health inequalities and increase poverty as the poorest people spend less on essentials such as food, education and health care.

He said the country is currently exploring using tobacco tax and levies as means of financing the Universal Health Coverage agenda of the Muhammadu Buhari administration.

“Increasing taxes and levies on tobacco products can reduce its consumption and generate

revenue which can be used to finance universal health coverage and other developmental health programme,” he said.

He announced that the health ministry in partnership with Washington DC based Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids will in June 2017 launch a six-month behavioural change campaign, which he said would “create awareness among our people above the provisions of the act as well as the grave danger and burden of disease associated with tobacco use.”

Speaking earlier, the country representative of the WHO, Wondi Alemu noted that tobacco use is one of the leading predisposing factors for non-communicable diseases in the country. He cited the report from a Global Adult Tobacco Survey conducted in 2013, which revealed that at least 4.5 million adult Nigerians smoke tobacco.

Presidency Rebukes Fayose for Calling for Buhari’s Resignation The Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Political Matters, Babafemi Ojudu, has chastised Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, over his call for the president to resign.

He said the governor by his tirade against the president was portraying Ekiti in a bad light.

Fayose had called for the resignation of the president on the grounds of his ill health.

“He can do us the great help by resigning. Not resigning borders on his integrity. His absence allows others to suppress and oppress others and that means he is allowing others to suppress their fellow human beings,” Fayose said.

“There are many governments in one and they are clueless. We need an active president going by our numerous challenges.

How long will Nigerians wait for an incapacitated president?

“We cannot wait again for somebody to hold us to ransom.

I don’t have any bad blood against Buhari, Osinbajo has no powers without the president.

He owes us the duty to tell us the state of his health.”

Buhari has been in London for medical treatment for an undisclosed illness for about three weeks.

In his reaction, Ojudu described Fayose’s comments

as disrespectful of a man old enough to be his father.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), he wondered why Fayose would call for the president’s resignation at a time all Nigerians are praying for him.

“He (Fayose) has been quarrelling with everybody.

Even in Ekiti, he is demolishing filling stations belonging to the opposition,” Ojudu, a former senator from Ekiti, stated.

“He has always been insulting the president and disparaging a man old enough to be his father.

“He is portraying Ekiti in a bad light. We are not like that. Is he the only governor, why is it that he is the only one making so much noise?”

Ojudu said Fayose had failed in governance, plunging his people into hardship and poverty.

“Right now, fuel is not being sold in Ekiti because he is busy demolishing filling stations under one guise of the other,” he continued.

“People are buying fuel from neighbouring states. People are suffering, they are tired of his ways.

“Go and tell him to concentrate on governance and to stop insulting the president.”

SENIOR UMPIRES

L-R: Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) National Commissioner, Alhaji Baba Shettima Argo; Chairman, INEC, Prof.

Mahmood Yakubu; INEC National Commissioner, South-south, May Agbamuche-Mbu, at a one-day public hearing on the proposed Bill Establishing the Nigerian Political Parties Debate Commission by the Joint Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Service and INEC in Abuja...yesterday Julius Atoi

Two Million Youths to Mobilise Support for Duke’s Presidential Ambition Bassey Inyang in Calabar A group operating on the aegis of Nigeria Professional Youth Vanguard (NPYV) has disclosed that two million Nigeria youths in the country will be engaged in advocating for the former Governor of Cross River State to run for presidency in 2019.

The Chairman of NPYV, Chief Peter James, disclosed this yesterday in Calabar, Cross River State, during a media parley tagged: ‘Donald Duke for Stability Peace and Progress.’

James said the time has come for Nigerian youths to take over the affairs of the country and that there was also need for someone to put back the stability and peace of the country.

“There is need for someone to put back the stability and peace.

Nigeria needs Donald Duke to

bring it back to where it was before. Two million Nigerian youths are ready to sign up for Duke to contest for president in 2019, and he must contest whether he likes it or not.

“It is time for the youths to take care of Nigeria, we are going to send a clear message to Nigerians that we are not going to sit and allow people destroy our future. It is time for the south and the youth to take care of the country,” he said.

Speaking on zoning, the Chairman said: “On the zoning level we are aware of that but it is not all about zoning, it is about competence and Nigerians know it as a fact that Donald Duke is capable to change Nigeria and it is hundred percent sure that Duke will run for presidency.

“I think that the North and Cross Rivarians have had a

cordial relationship. I know as a fact that if tomorrow they needed to choose from the South, they will be comfortable with Cross River State. Duke is a very detribalised person.”

In the same vein, the Special Adviser on Youths to the state Governor, Mr. Godswill Osim, charged the youths to take their destiny in their hands by working towards re-positioning the country.

Osim tasked youths saying, “It is time for the youths to build their own catel. It is time for us to take what belongs to us.

Nigeria needs young and vibrant minds to take up leadership and that person is Duke.”

Speaking with journalists on the sideline, after charity visits to primary and secondary schools in Calabar to donate writing materials to mark Democracy

Day in Nigeria, the Coordinator of NPYV, Princess Ayi said the objective of the group was to write the wrongs in society by taking the lead as ambassadors.

“What we do is pick up the ills in our society for those things we think are not right and for those things people think there is nothing they can do about it, this youth group has decided to say no! Yes! something can be done about it. And we don’t stop from speaking, we take the lead, we do our bits.

“The business is for all. It is not all about government. the people are involved so NPYV say if this is what they can do to make the world a better place, to put a smile on some people’s faces then we will do what we can do to save lives,” Ayi said.

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CRIME&PUNISHMENT

Security Official Stabbed, Two Others Injured as Doctors Protest Eviction from Lounge Martins Ifijeh At least three persons, including a security personnel with the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC), Ademuyiwa Olabaya. were injured yesterday during a protest by some members of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) chapter over eviction from their lounge by the hospital management.

Olabaya, who was stabbed by an unidentified resident doctor, was rushed to one

of the clinics for treatment, while the other two personnel with LUTH sustained minor injuries.The management of the hospital said they had in the early hours of yesterday evicted members of the association from one of the lounges they occupied, after it said they have been provided with alternative places, as the lounge will now be converted to a crucial unit to serve patients.

But the resident doctors said the eviction was a victimisation act of the management since they are the only association

that have been evicted from their allocated lounge.

The Chief Medical Director, Prof. Chris Bode, told THISDAY that members of the association were given a new lounge several months ago, hence gave them quit notice six months ago to leave the lounge they presently occupy, as the place would be

used for another purpose, yet they were adamant to leave.

He said it was because the police and the hospital security men acted professionally that the protesting doctors were able to stab one of his security man, while two others were brutalised.

But the resident doctors said

the brutality was the other way round, adding that the hospital management sent security operatives to brutalise some of them.

LUTH ARD Chairman, Dr. Adebayo Sekunmade, said the management sent security officials to harass some of them who were trying to pack out

of the lounge.

The Chairman, LUTH Medical Advisory Committee, Prof. Femi Fasanmade, who addressed the aggrieved doctors after the incident, said the space was to be converted to a crucial unit to serve patients better at the hospital.

Ogun Police Arrest Suspected Prostitutes for Killing Customer Sheriff Balogun in Abeokuta The Ogun State Police Command has arrested two suspected prostitutes for killing a middle-aged man, Mr. Adeyinka Olayinka, in a hotel in Ifo area of the state.

In a statement by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, the two suspects, Kudirat Raji also known as Angela and Esther Basiru were at KS Hotel, Ifo where the victim was supervising a construction work going on in his building site and decided to pass the night.

Oyeyemi said: “Preliminary investigation revealed that the victim contracted Kudirat Raji to pass the night with him on an agreed amount, but the deceased reneged on their agreement which led to hot argument between them.”

He said while the argument was going on, Esther Basiru who is a friend to Angela, broke a bottle and injured the deceased’s friend who was at the scene while Angela used the broken part of the bottle to stab the deceased on his armpit thereby cutting one of his nerves, which led to his death.

He said the manager of the hotel quickly alerted the police and the DPO Ifo Division, Anthony Haruna, who led his men to the scene and promptly arrested the two suspects.

He, however, said the state Commissioner for Police, Ahmed Iliyasu, has ordered the transfer of the case to Homicide section of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for discrete investigation and possible prosecution of the suspects.

Police Charge Nestle, Two Others over Fake Promo Nestle Nigeria Plc and two persons have been dragged to court by the police for allegedly obtaining under false pretenses and promoting illegal lottery.

The federal government through the Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID) of the Nigeria Police slammed a 10-count criminal charge on Nestle and the two persons at the Federal High Court in Lagos.

Court papers revealed that the accused persons were charged alongside Nestle in a suit marked FHC/L/77c/15, as: Gord Hon and BeeBee Ayeku and others, said to be at large.

The suit was filed by J. Nwadike of FCID, Force Headquarters, Abuja.

Nestle Nigeria Plc, Gord Horn and BeeBee Ayeku and others were alleged to have conspired between October 2014 and October 2015, among themselves to commit an offence by inducing a person in Nigeria to confer a benefit.

The federal government also alleged that Nestle and the other accused persons at the same time and place, induced

Nigerians to confer benefit on themselves by entering into the contract of buying a product titled: ‘Year-End Shoppers Bag Promo’ with a promise that participants would win a prize.

They also allegedly induced Nigerians to enter into the contract of buying a product by way of advance payment in the guise of lottery captioned, “Year-End Shoppers’ Bag promo” upon promise to the effect that participants will win a prize.

The defendants and others at large were also alleged to have, between October 2014 and October 2015 at Lagos, established and kept the premises of 22/24, Industrial Avenue, Ilupeju, Lagos, as a place for the purpose of lottery, using the said premises for obtaining property by false pretence.

Meanwhile, their arraignment which was earlier scheduled for May 30, 2017, could not hold because the trial judge was indisposed.

Consequently, their proper arraignment has been adjourned till July 6, 2017.

NO TO VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN L-R: General Secretary, Moremi Hall, Funke Olaifa; Moremi Warden, Dr. Blessing Anyikwa; Mistress, Prof. Virgy Onyene;

President, Women Arise, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin; Moremi Hall, Residence member, Ms. Daramola Gold; and other Moremi Hall Residence members. @Silence is not Golden Walk Against Violence on Women and Girls organised by Moremi Hall, University of Lagos...yesterday

Igbonla Kidnapping: Police Arrest Three Suspects in Edo Parents bemoan kidnappers’ lack of communication

Chiemelie Ezeobi Three suspected members of the gang behind the abduction of the six students of the Lagos State Model College, Igbonla, Epe, have been arrested by operatives of the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT).

This is just as the parents of the abducted students have bemoaned the inability to communicate with the remaining members of the gang, given that

the (kidnapper’s) number used to initially contact them had been switched off.

The arrested suspects who were identified as Egelu Endurance, 25, alias Jubby, Stanley Yomi Irabomini (Powei) 25, and Bentel Endurance, 24, all from Ovia South Local Government Area, were arrested in Benin City, Edo State.

It was gathered that IRT operatives led by Abba Kyari, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), arrested the three

suspects who left the creek and went to Edo State to visit a gang member who was injured during gun battle with security forces.

According to the police, the suspects confessed to have participated in several high profile kidnappings in the southern region.

They confirmed the location of the students to the police during interrogation.

A source said: “They confessed to have participated in various kidnappings of

prominent personalities in Lagos and Ogun State including the Oniba of Iba, Turkish School, Isheri landlords and Epe School children.

“The suspects claimed they came to Benin to see their injured colleague and also relax for a while before going back to the creek.

“Serious efforts to arrest the remaining gang members and rescue the school children are in progress.”

Kogi Police Parade 20 Criminal Suspects Yekini Jimoh in Lokoja The Kogi State Police Command yesterday paraded 20 suspected kidnappers and armed robbers said to have been terrorising the people of the state in the last two months.

Parading the suspects before journalists at the Force Headquarter in Lokoja, the Deputy Commissioner of

Police in charge of Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Mr. Ibrahim Sabo Umar, said the arrests were made in the last one week across different parts of the state.

He said on May 22, operatives from SARS unit acting on a tipoff, arrested a five-man kidnap gang that have been terrorising members of the public along the Okene/Auchi and Lokoja/

Osara/Okene roads.

Those arrested according to him, were Shehu Sule, Idris Abubakar, Mohammed Danguloba, Mosume Bangogo, Setto Aliyu and Baumo Moudu.

Umar said on May 27, another suspected armed robbers and kidnappers-Olobo Abdul, Solomon Danjuma, Nasiru Aliu Ade and Adeh Sheidu-were also arrested by SARS operatives

and various weapons recovered from them.

He attributed the success to “the high level commitment, dedication and hard work on the part of officers as well as proactive strategies rooted in intelligence policing.”

The police boss said the suspects would soon be charged to court as soon as ongoing investigations were concluded.

NSCDC Suspends Operative Who Shot at Doctor in Bayelsa

Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa

An operative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) who shot at a medical and his family while driving to work in Bayelsa State

last month, has been suspended by the leadership of the corps.

The Commandant of the corps in the state, Desmond Agu, told journalists in Yenagoa yesterday that investigations into the allegation that its operatives harassed Dr. Bekewari

Sampou had been concluded.

Sampou, a resident doctor was with his wife and two children when he was said to have suddenly struck a stray dog on the road.

The officer, Jude Akpoghomhe, who was earlier detained, then fired

at the doctor’s vehicle, pulled him into a local NSCDC office where he was reportedly physically assaulted, leading to a face-off between the NSCDC and the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA).

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THURSDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

AFCON 2019 QUALIFIER

Rohr Omits Victor Moses from Bafana Bafana Clash Lists new Arsenal player, Onyekuru, 22 others for Battle of Uyo

Duro Ikhazuagbe Super Eagles Franco-German Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr, yesterday invited 23 players to camp ahead of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying game against the Bafana Bafana of South Africa with the exclusion of Chelsea wing-back, Victor Moses.

Moses whose club career was revived this past Premiership season by Chelsea’s Antonio Conte is believed to be going under the surgeon’s knife for a surgery on a nagging toe injury.

Moses scored a brace in Eagles’ 3-1 defeat of Algeria in a 2018 World Cup qualifying game last November in Uyo. Top on the list of 23 players for the AFCON 2019 qualifier in Uyo on June 10 is Turkeybased midfielder Ogenyi Onazi with Elderson Echiejile, Ahmed Musa and Kenneth Omeruo.

Also named in the squad is South Africa–based goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi who is joining home–based professional like Ikechukwu Ezenwa and Portugal –based Dele Alampasu to contest for the keeper’s gloves.

In the battle for the backline, William Ekong, Chidozie Awaziem, Abdullahi Shehu, Tyronne Ebuehi and Zamalek FC of Egypt’s Maroof Youssef

are to contend with usual suspects like Omeruo and Echiejile at the rear.

England–based Wilfred Ndidi, Oghenekaro Etebo, John Ogu, Mikel Agu and Akwa United’s former junior international Alhassan Ibrahim join Onazi in the midfield.

Musa is top among the forwards that include; Kelechi Iheanacho, Moses Simon, Alex Iwobi, Henry Onyekuru, Olanrewaju Kayode and Victor Osimhen in the fight for starting shirts.

NFF’s Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire, stressed yesterday that all invited players are expected in Abuja on Friday, 2nd June while they will have their first training on Monday, 5th June before departing the federal capital city to Uyo on Tuesday.

The Super Eagles trade tackles with the Bafana Bafana at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo on Saturday, June 10, 2017, starting from 5pm.

THE FULL LIST Goalkeepers: Daniel Akpeyi (Chippa United, South Africa); Ikechukwu Ezenwa (FC IfeanyiUbah); Dele Alampasu (Cesarense FC, Portugal) Defenders: Kenneth Omeruo (Alanyaspor FC, Turkey); William Ekong (KAA

Eagles at training ahead of tonight’s friendly with Togo Gent, Belgium); Abdullahi Shehu (Anorthosis Famagusta, Cyprus); Tyronne Ebuehi (ADO Den Haag, The Netherlands); Elderson Echiejile (AS Monaco, France); Chidozie Awaziem (FC Porto, Portugal); Maroof

Youssef (Zamalek FC, Egypt) Midfielders: Ogenyi Onazi (Trabzonspor FC, Turkey); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Oghenekaro Etebo (CD Feirense, Portugal); John Ogu (Hapoel Be’er Sheva,

Israel); Mikel Agu (Vitoria Setubal, Portugal); Alhassan Ibrahim (Akwa United FC) Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Leicester City, England); Kelechi Iheanacho (Manchester City, England); Moses Simon

(KAA Gent, Belgium); Alex Iwobi (Arsenal FC, England); Henry Onyekuru (KAS Eupen, Belgium); Victor Osimhen (Wolfsburg FC, Germany); Olanrewaju Kayode (FK Austria Wien, Austria)

Pinnick Lauds Senate Friendly: EaglesTest Might againstTogo’s Hawks in Paris for Passing NFF Bill President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick has praised the Senate of the Federal Republic for a marvelous job, after the Red Chamber passed the muchawaited NFF Bill following a third reading on Tuesday.

“Today will go down as one of the most remarkable in the history of the Nigeria Football Federation. I am very excited. With the passing of this Bill, we now await the very important assent of Mr. President. Once Mr. President gives assent, I assure you the NFF can achieve so much.

“I am not only thinking of what the present NFF administration can do; I am thinking of what subsequent NFF boards after our tenure will be able to do, as the Bill is futuristic as well.

“For us, the passing of the NFF Bill means we can now make our programme even more robust and proceed apace with our vision of building a sustainable football culture for our dear country, through driving private sector involvement and investment,” Pinnick said on Tuesday evening.

The key highlights of the NFF Bill include legislations to ensure the entrenchment of the enabling environment for the development of football in Nigeria and to drive private sector participation

and investment at all levels.

Fundamentally, the Bill has now domesticated the NFF Statutes, recognising its sanctity, as approved by the NFF Congress and endorsed

by FIFA as the supreme laws for governance of the functioning, organisation, administration and operations of the federation, as well as recognition of football by the Federal Government as a national asset entitled to special privileges and concessions to foster its growth at all levels.

The Bill further provides for special concessions and tax holidays by the government to sponsors of football in Nigeria and has clear financial reporting provisions to further entrench transparency in the activities of the NFF, such as publishing of accounts annually.

These will set the NFF on a path of sustainable growth and ensure it operates within international best practices and as a business to strengthen the social and economic impact of football to the nation’s economy.

On Tuesday, on the floor of the Senate, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports and Youth Development, Senator Joseph Obinna Ogba, presented the report of his committee, which was followed by a clause-by-clause consideration of the Bill and a voice vote by the senators.

The Super Eagles will this evening take the pitch against the Hawks of Togo in an international friendly in Paris.

Coach Gernot Rohr is using today’s game, just like last Friday’s session against Corsica Island in Ajaccio, as preparation for next weekend’s 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against South Africa in Uyo. The match against the Hawks will be played at the Stade Municipal de Saint Leu La Foret, Paris starting from 7pm (6pm Nigeria time).

Forward Kelechi Iheanacho, who scored from the spot to level scores (1-1) against Corsica on Friday, is one of 20 players in the Eagles’ Hyatt Regency Hotel camp in Paris, and who have been training in the French capital ahead of today’s game.

Goalkeepers Ikechukwu Ezenwa and Dele Alampasu, defenders Elderson Echiejile, William Ekong, Chidozie Awaziem, Tyronne Ebuehi and Abdullahi Shehu, midfielders Wilfred Ndidi, Mikel Agu, Oghenekaro Etebo, Alhassan Ibrahim and Uche Agbo,

and strikers Ahmed Musa, Stephen Odey, Victor Osimhen, Henry Onyekuru, Alex Iwobi, Olanrewaju Kayode and Sikiru Olatubosun are the others.

Thursday’s match will be the 17th clash between both West African countries at senior level, with Nigeria having won nine of the previous 16 clashes.

Togo won in three, while four matches were drawn.

The first match between both countries at senior level took place on 6th October 1956.

Albert Onyeanwuna (of blessed memory) scored the game’s

only goal, with Nigeria’s roster also including the likes of Dan Anyiam, Sam Ibiam, Asuquo Ekpe and Cyril Asoluka. Paul ‘Wonder Boy’ Hamilton (also of blessed memory) scored the one goal in each of two friendlies in Lagos in 1966.

Nigeria’s biggest win over Togo remains the 3-0 scoreline in a 1992 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match in Lagos in August 1990, but Nigerians will never forget the 5-2 hiding by the Hawks in a WAFU Cup match in Abidjan in December 1983.

NPFL: Saka Wins Maiden VAT Wonder Goal Award Ayo Saka’s 39th minute goal for Rivers United against Enyimba FC has been voted the VAT Wonder Goal of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Match-day 20.

Saka beat off a still challenge from Enyimba’s Ugochukwu Leonard to emerge with the popular votes cast by fans in the poll conducted on the NPFL twitter handle @lmcnpfl

and the official website of the league, www.npfl.ng.

Ugochukwu beat Saka in the twitter polls, earning 47% of the votes while Saka had 38% and Afolabi Abdulwaheed picked 15%.

However, Saka who recently joined Rivers United from Sunshine Stars edged Ugochukwu by a cumulative vote of 89.5% after he picked

up 51.5% of the votes cast by fans on the website with Ugochukwu winning 37.9% to end on a total of 84.9%.

Abdulwaheed of Gombe United finished third with 25.6%.

In the match against Nasarawa United, Saka had perfectly controlled a pass from Zoumana Doumbia on the left flank and with

his second touch of the ball, drove into the 18 yard box past two Nasarawa United defenders before unleashing a left hook from 12 yards to the roof of the net for the only goal of the fixture.

Saka will receive N150, 000 from which he will donate 50% to a charity of his choice in Rivers State where his club is based.

Man Utd MostValuable Club in Europe, Says KPMG Manchester United is the most valuable football club in Europe, being worth about 3bn euros (£2.6bn), according to business services group KPMG. The Europa League winners top KPMG’s analysis of top sides’ “enterprise value”,

putting it ahead of Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona.

The study analysed broadcasting rights, profitability, popularity, sporting potential and stadium ownership.

In the study of 32 teams,

English clubs dominate, filling six top 10 places.

KPMG’s Global Head of Sports and the report’s author, Andrea Sartori, said the overall value of the football industry had grown over the past year.

“While this is partially explained by football’s

broadcasting boom, the internationalisation of the clubs’ commercial operations, their investment into privatelyowned and modern facilities, and overall more sustainable management practices, are also key reasons for this growth,” he said.

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Thursday, June 1, 2017

TR

UT H

& RE A S O

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Price: N250

MISSILE Sheikh Gunmi to APC/Presidency

“The kind of leader that Nigeria needs at this critical time is the one that can pacify.

Not one that will show that he is clean and the other person is dirty. He should show that we are all dirty, let us all come and clean ourselves. So, the so-called clean party which has the broom is so antagonistic. It is so provocative that it has divided the country. If your house is also dirty, you cannot clean someone’s house” – Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, on his mid-term assessment of the current administration.

OLUSEGUNADENIYI THE VERDICT

olusegun.adeniyi@thisdaylive.com

Issues in PenCom Appointments

A

few weeks ago, the federal government announced the removal of the Director General of the National Pension Commission (PenCom), Mrs Chinelo Anohu-Amazu, who was immediately replaced

by Alhaji Aliyu Abdulrahman Dikko. In reconstituting the board, Mr Funso Doherty was also announced as the new chairman.

Since PenCom is a statutory agency where appointments require Senate confirmation, there was a lacuna that did not escape the attention of the lawmakers who instantly asked the appointees not to resume work.

However, there are also a few critical issues that are still lingering. One, Anohu-Amazu was confirmed as DG on 30th September, 2014 for a five-year term, which ordinarily was expected to end on 29th September, 2019. Two, the man initially named to succeed her hails from the North-west, a violation of Section 21 (2) of PRA 2014 which states that, “In the event of a vacancy, the President shall appoint a replacement from the geo-political zone of the immediate past member who vacated the office to complete the remaining tenure.” Since Anohu-Amazu hails from the South-east geo-political zone, why was the person appointed to replace her not from the zone as prescribed by law?

Three, Dikko’s appointment ran contrary to Section 19 (5) of PRA 2014 which says that “the chairman and members of the PenCom Board shall not own controlling shares in any of the pension funds administrator or pension funds custodian prior to or during their tenure of office as chairman or members of the board”. Arguably one of the most successful entrepreneurs in Abuja with considerable interest in real estate and the education sector, Dikko is currently a majority shareholder at Premium Pension Limited, one of the fastest growing pension funds administrators in the country today.

Apparently mindful of the foregoing, the federal government last weekend made changes by sending Dikko to the Bank of Industry (BoI) as Chairman of a reconstituted board. That, I must say, is most fitting for a man of his pedigree who can bring his business acumen and wealth of experience to bear on BoI while resolving the conflict of interest arising from his earlier appointment. But the appointment of Doherty who hails from the South-west as the new Director-General appears to me as a clear breach of the PenCom law, regardless of whatever may be his qualifications for the job.

In a nation where critical institutions, especially those with substantial funds, hardly survive one administration, it is a credit to the vision of President Olusegun Obasanjo and the then BPE Director General, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, who wrote the first concept paper as well as Mr Fola Adeola, the founding chairman of PenCom and his supporting staff, including Anohu-Amazu, that they have created a mega institution out of nothing. Between these people, they gave Nigeria the law which governs and regulate the administration of the uniform Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) for both the public and private sectors in our country today.

That is why the cynical manner in which an important, and very delicate, agency like PenCom is being treated should worry critical stakeholders. But the more worrisome aspect of the recent changes was the unfortunate ethnic

Former PenCom DG, Chinelo Anohu-Amazu slant that unwittingly gave oxygen to all sorts of pro-Biafra franchises, a vocal minority that has practically hijacked the otherwise genuine conversation in the South-east because of the disposition of the current administration. What happened on Tuesday in the South-east should teach the Buhari administration a lesson in how not to alienate a people.

Indeed, if there is anything that has given impetus to the renewed agitation for “Biafra”,

it is in the manner the Buhari government has responded to issues concerning the Igbos, especially in terms of appointments. Unfortunately, it is now difficult to give the president any benefit of the doubt given the recent declaration by the Labour and Productivity Minister, Dr Chris Ngige. “They (Igbo people) refused to listen to me and to make matter worse, there was no voting in most of the areas in the South-east; they just allocated 5 per cent to APC. It was that bad. Politics is business in a way, you invest in business and you reap profit” said Ngige whose rationalization for whatever may be the lot of the South-east today is that it should be located at the way the people voted in the 2015 presidential election.

Incidentally, Ngige was only reinforcing the earlier position of President Buhari with his “97 percent and five percent” thesis. Yet, any keen follower of the Nigerian social media cannot but see the slant of debate over the PenCom appointments. The removal of Anohu-Amazu is viewed as part of the “anti-Igbo agenda” of the Buhari administration. Even if that may not be true, the administration has provided ready ammunition with the fact that it treated a similar situation in the NDDC differently by adhering strict to the law in the correction of an earlier mistake in appointments. Why then is the PenCom situation different?

Meanwhile, the tenure of Anohu-Amazu, who served as the pioneer Secretary/Legal Adviser of the Pension Commission, before becoming

the Director General in December 2014 recorded a geometric rise in pension assets, which stood at N2.4 trillion in 2014 and was N6.5 trillion at the time of her exit from the commission.

Anohu-Amazu therefore ought to have been treated with some respect. No matter what, Anohu-Amazu gave a good account of herself and she can hold her head high. She was edged out of PenCom not due to incompetence but rather as a result of petty politics.

That the president decided to make changes at PenCom was well within his prerogative even though there are still some procedural issues. But following his recent sack as the FBI Director by President Donald Trump, Mr James Comey said most memorably that a president could relieve him of his job for any reason or no reason at all. As it is in the United States so it is in Nigeria since we both practice presidential system. But the needless propaganda against Anohu-Amazu at a time she wanted to hand over properly, something that a critical agency like PenCom demands, was rather unfortunate.

What worries is that picking and choosing what legislation (and court order) to obey and which one to ignore has become the ideology of this government. But on PenCom, there is an urgent need to be more circumspect. This is necessary so that corrective measures can be taken quickly otherwise, the Senate may have to use the confirmation hearing to intervene on the side of the law, commonsense and national unity.

time and at a reasonable price. To address this question, the Fertilizer Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN) provided a concept which invoked a partnership with Office Cherifiendes Phosphates (OCP) of Morocco and when Buhari visited the country early last year, he started the discussion that culminated in a final agreement last December.

With the design and finance driven by the NSIA, a presidential committee chaired by the governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar worked on the final details.

The basic idea is to import 35 percent of the raw materials for Fertilizer which is di-ammonium phosphate from Morocco’s OCP and Potash from European traders while using 65 percent local content which are Urea from Indorama and limestone granules produced in Okpella, Edo state to blend.

Since most of the domestic blending plants had over the years become moribund, the NSIA entered into agreements with them for blending at a fixed margin on behalf of the agro-allied dealers with the state governments expected to pick up from the plants and sell to the people. It was from this arrangement that 10 hitherto comatose blending plants were revived to participate in the programme. That was what Osinbajo was talking about in his speech.

Meanwhile, the NSIA also entered into a contract with logistics and transport companies to move the materials from Lagos port for the imported materials and from Port Harcourt and Edo for the local content. Yet, the factory

price is N5000 and the retail price is N5500, making fertilizer, essentially produced in Nigeria, very competitive and affordable with all the multiplier effects for the economy and social order.

What this means is that we will do away with subsidy and corruption associated with it in the fertilizer regime. And this is a solid achievement that should be well projected by a government that thrives in hollow propaganda.

Beyond that, if there is any lesson to learn from a country like Netherlands, with a land mass of 41,543 sq. km (far smaller in size than Niger State which is 76,363 sq. km) and a population of 16 million people, it is that we should take agriculture much more seriously.

In the year just ended (2016) for instance, the Scandinavian country earned US$105 billion from agriculture exports whereas, the best we have ever realised from oil sales in any year remains US$99 billion, and that was at the peak of the oil boom in 2011.

Therefore, the fertilizer initiative not only provides a sure pathway for ensuring food security and economic diversification for our country, it is perhaps our best bet for massive job creation--from drivers to blenders to bagging staff to labourers to technical staff etc. Against the background that the same programme can be used in grain and silo management as well as in petroleum products, the NSIA has provided a good platform for the Buhari administration in its efforts to revive and reposition the economy.

It is commendable.

Buhari’s Quiet Revolution

I

n the course of his Democracy Day address to the nation on Monday, Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo talked about the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative which he described as the “product of an unprecedented bilateral cooperation with the Government of Morocco that has resulted in the revitalisation of 11 blending plants across the country, the creation of 50,000 direct and indirect jobs so far, and in the production of 300,000 metric tonnes of NPK fertilizer, which is being sold to farmers at prices significantly lower than what they paid last year” and I didn’t know what he was talking about.

It says so much about this administration that prominent All Progressives Congress (APC) politicians, on both the executive and the legislative sides, whose opinions I sought also had no clue. Only my friend, Waziri Adio, the NEITI Executive Secretary, had a vague idea because, as he explained, he met one of the beneficiaries two weeks ago while adding that the National Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) is involved. Out of curiousity, I called the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) Managing Director, Mr Uche Orji, who then explained to me what could actually be a catalyst for the much-talked-about diversification of our economy from oil to agriculture.

The Fertilizer Initiative, I understand from my interaction with Orji, started with a question posed by President Buhari at a meeting where he asked if there were methods that could be adopted to make farmers receive Fertilizer on

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