Thursday 8th June 2017

Fitch: Nigerian Banks’ Foreign Currency Liquidity Improving CBN moves to boost exports, FX earnings Obinna Chima

(CBN) introduced a foreign exchange (FX) window at the end of April aimed at investors and exporters.

The Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Rate

One of the leading global rating agencies, Fitch Ratings has stated that Nigerian banks’ ability to access foreign currency (FC) has improved considerably since the Central Bank of Nigeria

Fixing (NAFEX) mechanism, commonly referred to as the “Investors’ and Exporters’ FX Window”, appears to be boosting FC supply and the flow of FC liquidity into the

banking system, the agency added.

According to a statement from the agency yesterday, improved access to FC means that liquidity pressures have,

for now, eased for Fitch-rated banks.

FC was in acute short supply through much of 2016 and early 2017, restricting imports and forcing several

Five Suspended Judges Resume Sitting... Page 9

Nigerian banks to extend maturities on their trade finance obligations.

With the introduction of NAFEX, the window provides investors and exporters with a more transparent mechanism Continued on page 10

Thursday 8 June, 2017 Vol 22. No 8085. Price: N250

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Leaders Stand United Against Hate Speech by Northern Group FGwarnsagainstunderminingnation’speace,el-Rufaiordersarrest Northerngovsbeefupsecurity,counterparts in S’East hold emergency meeting ACF: We appreciate frustration of the youths, will not condone breach of law Our Correspondents The outrage over the ultimatum given by a coalition of Northern youths to Nigerians of Igbo extraction to leave the north within the next three months or face negative repercussions was fast and furious yesterday, with the federal government,

Nigerian Northern Governors’ Forum (NNGF), Yoruba, Igbo and Middle Belt sociopolitical groups, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CBN), and several notable Nigerians condemning the ultimatum as reckless and ill-thought.

The federal government also Continued on page 9

After Recovering N11.6bn, FG Pays N375.8m to 20 Whistleblowers Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja

The federal government yesterday confirmed that it had released N375,875,000 to the first batch of 20 provides of information under the Whistleblower Policy, culminating in the recovery of N11,635,000,000.

Of the N375.8 million,

the 20 whistleblowers were paid various amounts, the government stated.

Under the Whistleblower Policy, anyone who providers information leading to the recovery of public funds is entitled to between three and five per cent of the recovered Continued on page 10

BACK OUR CHILDREN… NERC Mulls Monthly Review BRING Despondent parents of the kidnapped students of Lagos State Model College, Igbonla, Epe, during a peaceful protest at the State Government House, Alausa, Ikeja, yesterday demanding for the speedy action of the state government for the of Electricity Tariffs... Page 50 Lagos rescue of their children who were abducted almost two weeks ago by a criminal gang kola olasupo

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Five Suspended Judges Resume Sitting Justice Agbadu-Fishim of NIC fails to turn up Alex Enumah in Abuja and Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa The five out of the six judges recalled from suspension by the National Judicial Council (NJC) last week resumed at their various courts yesterday, with some of them attending to pending cases that had lingered for eight months during their absence.

The NJC had at its last meeting, directed the heads of courts to recall six out of the eight suspended judges.

The judges that were recalled are Justice John Inyang Okoro of the Supreme Court; Justice Uwani Abba Aji of the Court of Appeal; Justice Hydiazira Nganjiwa of the Federal High Court, Yenagoa; Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja, who was discharged of corruption charges; Justice Musa Kurya of the Federal High Court; and Justice James Agbadu-Fishim of National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NIC).

The six judges were cleared

by the NJC to resume sitting yesterday.

When THISDAY visited the Supreme Court yesterday, a reliable source confirmed that Justice Okoro resumed duty in his chambers at the apex court.

Similarly, at the Federal High Court, Abuja, Justice Ademola, who walked into the courtroom at exactly 9 a.m. yesterday, told counsel and other parties that he was glad to be back after nine months of absence.

Straightway, he delved into the business of the day by calling on the first case, among the seven listed for the day.

Coincidentally, the only Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) present at the court at the time was Joe Agi (SAN) who was tried and discharged alongside Justice Ademola in the alleged corruption trial.

However, Agi informed the court that the case he was interested in had been overtaken by events and as such he wanted to withdraw the matter.

Justice Ademola struck out the case as prayed by the counsel.

Other cases were thereafter taken by the judge and adjourned accordingly after taking the submissions of counsel in the matter.

Speaking to journalists outside the courtroom yesterday, lawyers were unanimous that the decision of the NJC to recall the suspended judges was in order.

They noted that it was Nigerian citizens that always bore the brunt when judges were prevented from doing their job over unwarranted trials like the ones that led to the suspension of the eight judges last year.

Kefas Gadzama, one of the lawyers who said he was happy to appear again before Justice Ademola, commended the judge for not allowing his travails affect his composure.

He added that since Justice Ademola had been discharged of the corruption charges against him, he (Gadzama)

was comfortable appearing before him.

He advised government to always get their facts right before dragging people to court.

Similarly, Wahab Toye, another counsel who appeared before Justice Ademola, advised the federal government not to muzzle the judiciary.

In Yenagoa, while Justice Nganjiwa of the Federal High Court was seen in the court premises yesterday, the judge did not sit throughout the day.

The court registrar in Yenagoa was also said to have travelled out of town.

Some of the high profile public cases that were handled by the judge before his suspension included that of the under-aged Miss Ese Oruru, who was allegedly forcibly taken away and married by her abductor, and the trial of the suspected kidnappers of Governor Seriake Dickson’s sister, Nancy.

Officials of the court, who pleaded for anonymity, said the judge did not sit because

he might have been studying some of the work he left behind to ascertain the most urgent ones to treat.

However, a visit to the National Industrial Court (NIC) where Justice Agbadu-Fishim was the presiding judge before his suspension, showed that he did not resume duty as directed.

While some of the workers in the court who were present feigned ignorance as to why he stayed away from duty, a senior official told THISDAY that the judge had actually been transferred just before the corruption allegation against him cropped up. “We are not sure the judge will resume here again. He was transferred to Enugu just before the probe of some judges,� he said.

He added that the NJC was expected to deploy a new judge, noting that no case had been heard by the NIC since Justice Agbadu-Fishim was suspended eight months ago.

Justice Ademola and seven

senior judges of the Supreme, Appeal and High Courts, as well as the NIC, were suspended by the NJC last November, following their arrest and detention by the Department of State Services (DSS) in October last year.

The NJC, in an attempt to maintain the integrity and sanctity of the judiciary and sustain public confidence, suspended the affected judicial officers the following month.

However, of the eight judges suspended by the council, only three were arraigned by the federal government, compelling the council to instruct the heads of the courts to allow six of the judges, including Justice Ademola who had been discharged and acquitted, to resume sitting, in order to attend to the backlog of cases in their various courts.

Two of the judges, still facing trail are Justice Sylvester Ngwuta of the Supreme Court and Justice Rita OfiliAjumogobia of the Federal High Court, Lagos.

yesterday at the NUJ Press Centre, the governor’s spokesman, Samuel Aruwan, condemned the threat, saying the government will not tolerate inciting statements and threats to other Nigerians.

The government declared that nobody could temper with the freedom of any citizen, adding that it would ensure the security and safety of all citizens.

Aruwan declared that constitutional right of every Nigerian to own property, move freely and to live in peace and harmony was sacrosanct. “The Kaduna State Government took exception to the fact that the ‘Northern youths’ did their irresponsible press conference in Kaduna. “This government has been consistent in taking action to punish hate speech and incitement. “People who may feel unhappy about irresponsible comments or actions that have taken place in other states must know that two wrongs cannot make a right and they cannot use our state to do or say things that threaten the peace,� the Kaduna State Government said.

Aruwan added that the state government had ordered the arrest, investigation and prosecution of the signatories to the statement.

The state government said: “The Kaduna State Government condemns in the strongest terms the press statement by some self-appointed ‘Northern youths’ that threatened the safety and property of our citizens of Igbo extraction. “Government assures every resident of our state that their constitutional and human rights to live peacefully and own property wherever they choose is sacrosanct. “The Kaduna State Government believes in and will uphold the right of every Nigerian to live safely and develop his/her full potential within its territory. “Reckless disregard for the rights of other citizens drips

through the press statement by these ‘Northern youths’ who have chosen to use the discourse around restructuring to promote their own agenda of hate, division and incitement. “This sort of opportunists cannot be allowed to distort the debate, or turn it into a pretext for a barely-disguised agenda of displacement and dispossession of some citizens. “We will not tolerate such irresponsible statements and conduct in our state.

The statement issued by the ‘Northern youths’ violates the laws of Kaduna State. “Therefore, the Kaduna State Government has directed that its Ministry of Justice should prepare charges and prosecute the signatories and anyone complicit in arranging this egregious assault on the rights of fellow citizens. “Preparatory to prosecution, the police have been directed to immediately arrest, interrogate the signatories to the statement and investigate all the circumstances and persons that may be implicated in the matter. “The Kaduna State Government urges all residents to ignore the threats from the ‘Northern youths’. We are in contact with the leadership of the Igbo community in Kaduna, and we delighted to say that this community, like all our other communities, believes in the strength of the constitutional order to protect all citizens. “Kaduna State Government wishes to encourage all our people to celebrate the diversity with which the Almighty has blessed us, to continue to shun agents of division, and to stand firm in upholding a common humanity. Everyone has a right to live in peace and harmony.�

Saraki spoke when the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 Northern states and Abuja, led by its Chairman, Rev. Yakubu Pam, visited him at the National Assembly in Abuja.

In statement by his Special Assistant, Print Media, Mr. Chuks Okocha, the Senate President said: “Let me through you appeal to all our people for tolerance and understanding. I want to appeal that we preach tolerance. I believe that it is our responsibility as leaders, to impress on our people to be very tolerant and let us seek unity. “We also wish to appeal to everybody that we should in our speeches and actions work for the unity of the country, because you made reference to some of the issues but this is not about who is right or who is wrong, we should always ask ourselves that what can

LEADERS STAND UNITED AGAINST HATE SPEECH BY NORTHERN GROUP assured Nigerians, especially Igbos, that there was no cause for alarm, even as it warned rabble-rousers against making incendiary statements capable of undermining the country’s peace and security.

But in order not to leave anything to chance, the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, ordered the arrest of members of the northern youth coalition that issued the ultimatum, while governors of the 19 Northern states moved to beef up security and protect the lives and property of all Nigerians resident in their states.

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), on the other hand, came to the defence of the youths, saying it understood their frustration with the activities of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), but would not encourage any act that is not in conformity with the law.

Speaking after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said there was no cause for alarm over the threat issued by a group of Northern youths, assuring the public that the security operatives were on top of the situation.

He said: “What I want to assure you is that the security organisations are very much on top of this matter.�

Also, in a statement last night, Mohammed warned Nigerians against making statements that were capable of undermining the country’s peace and security.

He also asked Nigerians to feel free to reside in any part of the country of their choice, saying that the government had the capacity to maintain law and order.

He said there was no reason for any Nigerian to feel unsafe anywhere in the country, warning that the government would not tolerate any threat

to the unity, peace and security of the country under any guise. “There is zero tolerance for actions and speeches capable of inciting one part of the country against another, and the security agencies are fully on the ground to deal decisively with any individual or group that engages in incendiary activities,� Mohammed said.

He advised all Nigerians, irrespective of where they reside, to go about their daily activities without fear.

Northern Govs Ask Igbos to Remain Calm In their reaction, the governors of the 19 Northern states disowned the coalition of Arewa youths who issued ultimatum to Igbos to vacate the Northern part of Nigeria within three months or be forced to leave.

Borno State governor and Chairman of the NNGF, Kashim Shettima, spoke on behalf of his colleagues in Maiduguri yesterday evening.

The governors said they were in touch with heads of their security agencies and had taken measures that will guarantee the rights of all Nigerians to live in any of the 19 states in the three geo-political zones within the North.

The governors also called on the security agencies to arrest the youths and probe the motive behind the call, saying the call by the youths was a “suspicious act that falls in line with recent the trend of arms smuggling and coup rumours, which may not be coincidental�.

Shettima said: “On behalf of the governors of the 19 Northern states, we totally condemn such irresponsible pronouncements by those groups; we condemn, we disown, and we are totally distancing ourselves from those faceless groups, who don’t have the mandate of the people of Northern Nigeria to make such loud pronouncements.

“Section 41, Sub-section 1 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is very explicit in safeguarding the rights of all Nigerians to reside in any part of the country with no hindrance whatsoever. “But then, when you see a toad dancing in the broad daylight, the drummer is not far off from the main road. We wish to call on the security agencies to beam their lenses on these groups, and unearth the faces behind the mask. “Some months back, there were cases of importation of arms, illegal importation of arms intercepted at the ports, then we started hearing rumours of a coup d’Êtat. “Now, a group, or a bunch of groups that do not have the mandate of the people came up with remarks capable of destabilising the North and the country as a whole. “We are one nation tied to a common destiny, the governance of Northern Nigeria is not in alignment with those pronouncements, and we will take whatever measures that are necessary to safeguard the lives and property of Nigerians living in any part of the North. “I am in contact with most of my colleagues, and they all talking to the heads of security establishments in their respective domains because we cannot afford to take chances. “We cannot afford to toy with the destiny of this country.

The 19 Northern governors wish to call on our brothers of Igbo descent to remain calm and go about their legitimate businesses. “Nobody can dare intimidate, harass or dehumanise them in any of the 19 Northern states, our governors will not allow that.�

El-Rufai Orders Arrest Like his counterparts under the aegis of the NNGF, the Kaduna State Government ordered the investigation and arrest of those behind the threat.

Addressing reporters

Continued on page 10

TOP GAINERS NGN NGN INTERBREW 2.46 26.53 FORTEOIL 4.90 52.92 DANGSUGAR 0.82 8.21 MAYBAKER 0.21 2.36 UNITYBANK 0.05 0.65 TOP LOSERS NGN NGN FBNHOLDINGS 0.65 6.40 FCMB 0.09 1.26 UNIONBANK 0.30 5.78 UPDC 0.41 2.71 THOMASWYATT 0.02 0.50 Saraki, CAN, Others HPE Nestle Nig Plc N965.00 Volume: 499.107 million shares Condemn Threat Value: N4.074 billion Also, the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, Deals: 6,424 called on Nigerians to tolerate each other and display As at yesterday 7/06/17 understanding because there See details on Page 42 is strength in unity.

% 10.2 10.2 9.9 9.7 8.3 % 9.2 6.6 4.9 4.9 3.8

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˾ THURSDAY, JUNE 8, 2017

NEWS LEADERS STAND UNITED AGAINST HATE SPEECH BY NORTHERN GROUP we do to unite our people and mend the fault lines.

“This is very important.

I am hopeful that we are only going through these challenges because of the state of our economy and I believe by the time the economic recovery plan of the present administration begins to yield fruits, some of these issues will fizzle out.”

In the same vein, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar said the ultimatum was not only provocative, reckless and thoughtless, but also a grave threat to national security and peaceful coexistence of the country.

Atiku, in a statement by his Media Office, expressed alarm over the latest dangerous outbursts, warning that it did not augur well for the North and the country at large.

According to him, for a country facing threats of disunity, such an ultimatum and counter-rhetoric was most irresponsible and callous, because it was capable of setting off a chain of ugly events nobody could control.

He called on politicians of all hues to distance themselves from such divisive rhetoric because, according to him, the consequences of such association could ultimately consume them.

Atiku advised that all grievances must be peacefully discussed and resolved through negotiations, and not through threats to fellow citizens.

He also called for restraint on all sides to pave the way for meaningful dialogue on how to restructure Nigeria for the good of all.

The CAN in the 19 Northern states and Abuja condemned the eviction order by the coalition.

A statement by its Publicity Secretary, Rev. Joseph Hayab, CAN said: “We are shocked to read some short-sighted and ignorant group from our region, calling on Igbos to leave the North before October.

“Such call is evil and a threat to national security and unity. Leaders of this group and their sponsors should be arrested and prosecuted

immediately.

“If we may ask, which North do they claim to be speaking for and making these evil threat? We are Northerners and cannot recall any meeting where such decision was taken and we will never support or encourage anyone to champion such evil idea.

“What our country needs today is unity for progress not threats from people who don’t know and understand the positive contributions and sacrifice our parents and many people have made to keep this country united to this level.

“The police should arrest them now without delay. They are not representing the North but some enemies of Nigeria.

“We are appealing to peace loving Northerners irrespective of tribe and religion to come out to condemn and disassociate themselves from this group that want to plunge this nation into confusion.”

Afenifere, a Yoruba sociopolitical organisation, also said the call by Arewa groups, asking the Igbo to vacate the North was not good for the country.

Quoting the words of Chinua Achebe in his book, ‘Things Fall Apart’, Yinka Odumakin, spokesman for Afenifere, said: “They are holding a knife to the tiny rope that still holds the country together.”

Odumakin said unlike 1967, the Northerners have no coalition to fight the Igbos, adding that they would not get support from any Yoruba man.

He called on the Northern elders to caution the youths “lest it may be the beginning of the end of Nigeria”.

“Carrying out their threats would be a prelude to another pogrom,” Odumakin warned.

He said: “I hope that if they still have elders, their elders should call them to order, otherwise, it may be the beginning of the end of Nigeria, as we know it.

“They should know that in 1967, they had a coalition to fight the Igbos but that coalition is no more there today. We know the people that fought the last war and won it.

“I can boldly speak for the Yoruba nation, that if the North thinks they can declare another war against the Igbo, it would not work. If they see any Yoruba man joining them to fight the Igbos, then that person must be a mercenary.

“The Igbos were not fighting, neither were they causing any crisis, but were just trying to make their grievances known in a peaceful manner.

“Why should they be threatened? For Northerners to tell them to leave the North is sad for the polity.”

Also, the Association of Middle Belt Ethnic Nationalities (ASOMBEN) and Plateau Youths Council (PYC) rejected the call, dissociating themselves from such “unpatriotic and divisive tendencies.”

The group described the call as treasonable and called for the immediate arrest of the youths and the people behind the groups.

Secretary to ASOMBEN, Rev. James Pam, said the position of the unknown youth groups was reckless and treasonable, adding that the police, DSS and other security agencies must immediately wade into the issue before it would degenerate.

He said: “Though we don’t believe in the word ‘North,’ the position of the youth groups was capable of throwing the nation into crisis. Our ethnic nationalities and youths are not part of these groups and we don’t subscribe to their position.

“This is a treasonable offence; members of the groups should be arrested and prosecuted immediately, it is a ploy to cause division and crisis in Nigeria.

“The quit notice to the Igbos is against the law, nobody has the right to threaten the life of another, or prevent anyone or group from living in any part of this country.”

Also condemning the call, Chairman of PYC, Dr. Fabong Yildam, said that the youth groups were faceless and had a hidden agenda that could cause pandemonium in the country.

He said it was unfortunate that anybody or group could

issue such a statement when the government and other well-meaning Nigerians were making efforts to promote peace and unity amongst diverse ethnic groups in the country.

However, a South-east group, Igbo Youth Movement (IYM) said that Ndigbo were not afraid of war.

A statement by its founder, Elliot Ugochukwu-Uko, described the eviction order by the Northern youths, as “childish,” stressing that people of the South-east were not afraid of war.

Ugochukwu noted that rather than issue such threat, the group should write to the National Assembly and other world bodies to urgently conduct a referendum so as to secure the future of the country.

On its part, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council (OYC) expressed outrage, warning against any move to perpetrate another round of genocide against Ndigbo.

It also described the action of the Northern youths as “a security threat and a crime against the Nigerian state,” adding that the security agencies should treat the so-called “Kaduna declaration as treason and a call for war”.

National President of OYC, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, stated the position of the group after an emergency session where the youth wing of Ohanaeze Ndigbo discussed the unfolding development in the North.

The OYC asked Ndigbo to ignore the provocative statement from the Arewa youths and called on people of South-east origin “to stay put wherever they are across the country.”

Nonetheless, the Ohanaeze youths said that Ndigbo should not be caught napping and urged all Igbos residing in the North and other areas outside the South-East to “get ready to defend themselves in the event of any provocation and attack from the Arewa youths”.

In his reaction, elder statesman and the Sarkin Fulani of Nasarawa State, Senator Walid Jibrin, also

condemned the ultimatum.

Jibrin, who is also the Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in a statement in Kaduna, said Nigerians were free to live in any part of the country.

He called on Northern leaders and traditional rulers to condemn the ultimatuim.

Jibrin said Igbos are very broad minded people who have helped to develop the economy of the North, nothing that “there is no any village, ward or town where you will not find Igbos leaving peacefully with the people.”

According to him: “Igbos and the South-south people have always remained the allies of the North since independence. Any action that will lead Nigeria to civil war should never be entertained, especially now that Nigeria needs unity from everyone.

“The agitation for Biafra by some Igbo is not enough to abandon all Northern Igbos. I have noted with admiration, the action of some leaders, including the South-east governors who are seriously against the creation of Biafra and will prefer Nigeria to remain an entity and a united country.

“Our past experiences of the Biafran war will never allow any Northern or Igbo man to pray for the bad experiences of the war.

“I want to remind the group calling for Igbos to leave the North that there are equally many Northerners living comfortably in Southeastern Nigeria who have well established businesses in Igbo land.

“Our Northern traditional rulers and elders should quickly come out to condemn the statement by the group by calling them to order and call for peace.”

But the Northern sociopolitical organisation, Arewa Consultative Forum, stated that the position of the youth coalition was as a result of the persistent agitation of some members of MASSOB and IPOB for the actualisation of the Republic of Biafra, which had continued to threaten the unity, peace and corporate

Meanwhile, the governors of South-east held an emergency meeting yesterday over the quit notice to Igbos residing in the Northern Nigeria.

President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo made the disclosure in Enugu last night during a night of tributes in honour of the late Ohanaeze chieftain, Prof. Ben Obumselu.

Nwodo further disclosed that the South-east governors had almost mobilised thousands of luxurious buses and trucks to evacuate Igbos from the North, but for the timely intervention of El-Rufai who had ordered the arrest of the Arewa youths fanning the embers of war in Nigeria.

He said the governors of the South-east zone appreciated el-Rufai's efforts.

Ministry of Finance.

Adeosun added that the unit is staffed by people seconded from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Police Force and Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit (PICA), among others.

“The WBU is the first line of response to whistleblower

information, where the initial review is undertaken before cases are forwarded to the relevant investigative agencies,” Adeosun added.

The finance ministry recently reported that the WBU had received 2,150 communications and 337 tips through its dedicated channels from many patriotic Nigerians, leading to the recovery of substantial assets that were illegally acquired by various individuals.

The primary purpose of the policy is to support the fight against financial crimes and corruption, promote accountability and enhance transparency in the management of public finances.

Adeosun said the federal government would continue to encourage all Nigerians with information on misconduct, violation or improper activity that can impact negatively on the country to report same to the appropriate authorities.

depend on a range of market and political considerations.

“The CBN can intervene on NAFEX, but we understand from our recent discussions with banks that CBN interventions have been limited. NAFEX rates have averaged about N380 to the US dollar recently and volumes are reaching about US$1 billion a week, according to these discussions.

“While the improved FC access is credit positive for banks, the ratings of all Nigerian banks remain constrained by our sovereign

rating of ‘B+’/Negative,” Fitch added.

Meanwhile, as part of efforts to ensure that all export transactions are carried out through the formal channels, the CBN has directed that bills of lading in respect of exports from Nigeria shall henceforth carry the Form NXP number of the underlying cargo.

The central bank issued the directive yesterday in a circular addressed to all authorised dealers, exporters and the general public.

The four-paragraph circular, which was signed by the

Director, Trade and Exchange Department, CBN, Mr. W.D. Gotring, said: “Consequently, all exporters are required to register Forms NXP with an authorised dealer of their choice prior to shipment in line with Memorandum 11 Section 1(a) (I).

“For the avoidance of doubt, it shall be a breach of extant regulations for any shipper to take on-board cargo for which a Form NXP is not duly completed by the exporter.

This circular takes immediate effect. Please ensure strict compliance.”

existence of Nigeria.

A statement by the spokesmen of ACF, Muhammad Biu, said: “The ACF appreciates the frustrations of the Northern youth groups with the activities of MASSOB and IPOB members, but would not encourage any act that is not in conformity with the law by any group or individuals, which will do no one any good”.

The forum cautioned against unguarded utterances or statements capable of jeopardising the unity, peace and corporate existence of Nigeria.

It said: “ACF wishes to draw the attention of all concerned, to note that our democratic system of government, which is anchored on law, guarantees free movement of all Nigerians to any part of the country and to also pursue their legitimate livelihood devoid of any hindrance or molestation by any group or individuals.

“Furthermore, the system allows settlement of all grievances through our elected representatives in both the National and State Assemblies and the law courts.

“Any act to the contrary is therefore a breach of law and order that is not helpful.”

S'East Governors Meet

AFTER RECOVERING N11.6BN, FG PAYS N375.8M TO 20 WHISTLEBLOWERS amount.

The Ministry of Finance, in a statement quoted the minister, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun as saying: “This payment, which is the first under the Whistleblower Policy, underscores the commitment of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration in meeting obligations to information providers. The policy is an essential tool in the fight against corruption.”

The statement issued by

the Director (Information) in the ministry, Mr. Salisu Na ‘Inna Dambatta, said Adeosun further disclosed the recent amendments to the Whistleblower Policy, including the introduction of a formal legal agreement between information providers and the federal government, which is executed by the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).

Procedures have also been introduced to ensure the

protection of the identity of information providers during the payment process, she added.

The minister explained that all payments are taxable and are only made upon confirmation of the final recovery of the assets and confirmed by the AGF as being free of legal disputes or litigation.

The minister also provided details of the Whistleblower Unit (WBU), a multi-agency team, which is resident in the

FITCH: NIGERIAN BANKS’ FOREIGN CURRENCY LIQUIDITY IMPROVING through which they can sell FC to willing buyers.

Authorised banks act as intermediaries, clearing funds supplied by portfolio investors and exporters and ensuring timely execution of settlement for buyers.

Despite its short record, volumes transacted through NAFEX are growing.

“In our opinion, NAFEX offers a more transparent alternative to accessing FC than is available through the other foreign-exchange markets in the country.

“Several exchange rates

operate in Nigeria. The CBN was the main supplier of FC during the height of the FC liquidity crisis and it still sells FC to the market through regular auctions, with banks acting as intermediaries.

“Its official exchange rate is N305 to the US dollar, but it sets alternative official rates at its FC auctions and different rates apply for retail, wholesale, personal and small business purchasers of FC. “NAFEX introduces yet another exchange rate, which adds to the confusion, but its rates are set by market

participants and this is already attracting greater volumes than other exchange mechanisms.

“Access to FC is essential to boost growth in the country’s highly import-dependent economy. The ability of market participants to set their own rates under NAFEX is also forcing down exchange rates on the parallel markets.

“This is positive for the banks as it helps to draw funds back into the banking sector,” Fitch said.

While noting that over time, exchange rates may converge, this, it however stressed, will

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THURSDAY JUNE 8, 2017 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

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

Troops Repel SuspectedBoko Haram Terrorists in Major Attempted Siege on Maiduguri

Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri Federal troops yesterday scored a major battle victory as it successfully repelled scores of suspected Boko Haram terrorists who made a major attempt to lay seige and take control of Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State last night The attempted siege on part of the town which lasted for about two hours, between 5 and 7 pm, led to apprehension as some residents on the outskirts were cut off from other parts of the town.

In a merciless operation, Nigerian troops have neutralized Boko Haram gunmen who attempted to attack Jiddari Polo community in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

Announcing the elimination of armed terrorists, the Army

Spokesperson, Brigadier Sani Kukasheka Usman said: “there was an attempt by a few suspected Boko Haram to attack Jiddari Polo and all have been neutralized. Situation cool and calm.”

Residents of the area who had planned to flee their homes were reassured with rapid response of Nigerian troops.

There is heavy security presence as the residents of the community were not to panic as the situation is under control Many residents of the town were made to stay indoors as bullets flew on the streets of Jiddari Polo, an area at the outskirts of the troubled town, the birthplace of Boko Haram.

A resident of Jiddari Polo, Asabe Mamza who spoke to our correspondent at about 8pm said: “Gunshots flew everywhere, and

all of us are still in panic.”

She said: “It is hard to know the number of casualties now.

But all I can tell you is that the insurgents tried to gain entrance into Maiduguri and they were engaged by the military for about two hours.”

She added that “they (insurgents) fled back when the military craft came hovering over the area.”

Mamza said: “The situation was

really sad as you can still see bullets all over the streets.”

The attack made some residents of Jiddari Polo to flee into other parts of Maiduguri as they fear they might be caught in the crossfire.

One of those that fled the area, Solomon David who spoke to our correspondent on phone said: “I just had to run from my house when

the gunshots seems to be coming closer.”

He added that: “Definitely I am not returning home tonight, I will have to sleep in our church premises within Maiduguri.”

Confirming the attack, the Deputy Director Army Public Relations 7 Division, headquarters in Maiduguri, Lt. Col. Kingsley Samuel, in a press statement, asked that the residents of the town should

not panic.

He said: “The situation in Maiduguri is under control. The general public is requested not to panic and stay calm.”

Wednesday attack is the first in recent time that Maiduguri would be coming under siege of the Boko Haram terrorists though there have been incidence of suicide attacks in the last couple of months.

NPA Kicks Out NDLEA, SON, Others from Ports Eromosele Abiodun The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), yesterday formerly kick-started the process of fully implementing the executive order issued by acting President Yemi Osinbajo by ordering the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and other related agencies who were affected by the executive order directing them to immediately vacate the ports across the country.

The Managing Director of the NPA, Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman gave the directive at a stakeholders’ meeting comprising the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), operators and major stakeholders operating in the ports.

She listed the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) as the landlord, the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Nigerian MaritimeAdministration and SafetyAgency(NIMASA),Department of State Services (DSS), Nigerian Police, NigerianImmigrationService(NIS)and the Port Health Authority (PHA) as the only agencies approved to operate in the ports.

According to her, “These are the seven agencies that are mandated and have approval to operate in the port, any agency that is operating in the port outside of these agencies are not required to and they should be aware that they need to vacate whatever location they are currently having within the port because the current approval and provision provides that they are not to operate in the port.”

She added that the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) is to come to the port only when their services are required.

“This is the current position of the agencies that are operating in the port. I can assure you that we have started implementing the executive orders, what is required now is for us as agencies of government to come together and harmonise and coordinate with stakeholders. We have issued the directives and our various officers have put in place the mechanism for implementing the executive order. The executive orders will enhance our operations and reduce the cost of doing business and improve the ease of doing business in our port.

“We have six number executive

orders that are attributable to port operations and we felt the need to bring together all agencies of government that operate in the port. The purpose of this meeting is to deliberate with stakeholders to fashion out ways we can implement the executive orders at the stipulated time lines. I will want in the first instance to recognize the seven approved government agencies that will be operating in the port. In 2011, President Goodluck Jonathan approved the guideline to streamline the operations of agencies of government that are to operate in the port, “she said.

On his part, Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Hameed Ali said the federal government has embarked on a change process that has manifested in the executive orders.

“I take this opportunity to underscore the importance of this meeting; it is key to our operations.

We have never had this before; the tendency is for us to say it is one of those things that come once in a while. This time around, it is going to stay because we believe that all of us should be committed to this. It emanated from the ease of doing business. We are trying to reduce time and processes in doing what we are doing and it is only when we abide by this that we can achieve it. Our being here this afternoon is to underscore the seriousness.

“We have been given a marching order there is no doubt about it, our duty now is to implement the order the way it is. What I enjoin all of you is to join hands with us so that we will implement this to the letter.

If we do this, first and foremost we would have succeeded in meeting the mandate, secondly, we would have succeeded in reducing the cost and time of doing business at the port.

“The most critical thing is time and cost, for importers, these are very critical for them. Even for those of us who are operators it is critical to us. I don’t see why we should spend more time doing what we should do in less time. I don’t see why we should elongate our processes of papers and approvals, it just doesn’t make sense. This is the time for change,” he emphasized.

IN A LIGHTER MOOD

L-R: Lt General Abdulrahman Danbazau (rtd) Minister of Interior, Mamman Ahmadu Director General Bureau of Public Procurement and Adebayo Shittu Minister of Communications, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, Minister of Science & Technology during the weekly Federal Executive Council Meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja ... yesterday Godwin Omoigui

Nigeria Boosts Oil Exports as Shell Lifts Force Majeure on Forcados Crude Crude Oil Prices Drop by over 3% on Rising United States Inventories Ejiofor Alike with agency reports Royal Dutch Shell has announced the lifting of force majeure on the export of Nigeria’s Forcados crude oil, thus bringing all of the country’s oil exports fully online for the first time in 16 months.

But the cheery news has been cut short following fresh report that Crude oil prices slid more than three per cent yesterday after the United States government reported an unexpected increase in inventories of crude and gasoline, fanning fears that output cuts by major world oil producers have not drained the global crude glut very much.

US crude futures fell 4.3 per cent, or $2.04 a barrel, to $46.16 a barrel, its lowest level since May 9.

Brent crude prices were at $48.40 per barrel, down 3.4 percent, or

$1.72 a barrel.

Crude stocks in the United States grew 3.3 million barrels to 513 million barrels, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).

Following several months of repairs, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) had earlier restarted the TransForcados crude export pipeline with the completion of the loading of the first tanker – Astro Perseus, at the Forcados terminal.

The crude oil tanker, it was learnt, had departed to Takoradi in Ghana.

The Trans-Forcados pipeline was first attacked by the Niger Delta Avengers in February 2016, the first attack on a subsea pipeline in the country.

A spill that occurred on February 14, 2016 on the subsea crude oil export pipeline, had forced Shell to declare force majeure on Forcados

liftings a week later.

Attempts to repair the 48-inch pipeline were frustrated by further attacks by the militants.

For instance, the pipeline resumed exports in October 2016 after it was repaired but was shut down in November after the militants bombed the subsea facility for the second time.

However ‘skeletal’ loading resumed at the facility few weeks ago with the loading of the first tanker – Astro Perseus.

But hope for increased revenue has been dimmed by crude oil prices which slid more than three per cent yesterday after the United States government reported an unexpected increase in inventories of crude and gasoline, fanning fears that output cuts by major world oil producers have not drained the global crude glut very much.

US crude futures fell 4.3 per

cent, or $2.04 a barrel, to $46.16 a barrel, its lowest level since May 9.

Brent crude prices were at $48.40 per barrel, down 3.4 percent, or $1.72 a barrel.

Crude stocks in the United States grew 3.3 million barrels to 513 million barrels, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).

Forecasters had predicted a drop of 3.5 million barrels, especially a day after preliminary data from the American Petroleum Institute indicated an even bigger drop.

Crude prices slid even as some in the market remained concerned about the move by OPEC members - Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to cut diplomatic and transport ties with Qatar, an OPEC member that had agreed to cut only about 30,000 barrels a day as part of the cartel’s agreement to reduce output.

Osotimehin was a Pillar, Mentor to Future Assured Programme Says Aisha Buhari Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo Wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari has described the late Prof.

Babatunde Osotimehin, as a pillar and mentor who has supported her struggle towards improving the lives of women and children in Nigeria.

She made the statement through Senior Special Assistant to the President, Dr. Hajo Sani at a condolence visit to the Nigeria office of United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) yesterday.

Also reacting to news of the former health minister’s death, the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Ooni

Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, expressed shock over the death of the Executive Director of United Nation Population Fund (UNFPA) and former Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Dr. Babatunde Osotiomehin describing him as one of the greatest human assets who has come out of Continent of Africa in recent times.

Mrs. Buhari said the Professor, who was the Executive Director of UNFPA and an Under Secretary General at the UN, “played a key role in the emergence of her Future Assured Programme due to his interest in the upliftment of the health standards of the weaker cohort of the society.

“He will be missed,” she stated.

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COMMENT

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

LAGOS CHAPLAIN’S SACK: FACTS BEHIND EMOTIONS Boye Alade argues that protocol dictates that the Lagos First Lady is attended to first

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t all reads like a fairy tale. Bolanle, wife of Lagos State Governor Akinwumi Ambode, got the chaplain of Chapel of Christ The Light ,Alausa, Venerable Femi Taiwo sacked for allegedly disrespecting the First Lady during an anointing service on May 14.

The sacked chaplain allegedly irked the wrath of the ‘all-powerful’ first lady when he refused to anoint her ahead of other members of the church. For his audacity, the innocent chaplain was booted out in 24 hours from his official residence with the hapless family.

No one will read such a report and not been gutted. A ‘common’ chaplain has been relieved of his job for doing virtually nothing wrong. The first lady, like most elite Nigerians, wanted preferential treatment and stormed out of the chapel, refusing all entreaties to be appeased.

It’s all so easy to take sides in a matter of this nature. In fact, most Nigerians have. But it’s better to separate facts from fictions. It’s safer to consider the issue dispassionately without holding brief for either party. It’s nicer to get over the emotive reactions to consider what’s really at stake.

First, I am of the considered opinion that the sack was reported to the media. The Punch Newspaper, which broke the story with several follow-up reports, couldn’t have discovered the development without a tip-off. So, who tipped off the media? Could it have been the aggrieved priest or sympathetic members?

Like most initiates are aware, when the media is tipped-off for such a sensational story, there is always a motive. So, what’s the motive? Could it have been to get ‘justice’ for the priest? Or is to fight back a perceived powerful force? To put the first lady where she belongs?

Okay, let’s review the events of May 14 based on media reports. The first lady, a member of the church, reportedly arrived the service early. For some time, according to the media, she had been nursing resentment towards Venerable Taiwo. Who goes to a church where the officiating priest is seen as hostile or not well-meaning?

When it was time for the anointing, Bolanle reportedly chose to go forward along with other willing church members. If there was a no love-lost, pray will she want to be anointed by the same priest? Won’t she know that the intercession of a priest you don’t believe in cannot be answered?

The Punch’s report said she stormed out of the church.

But if such an important personality had other urgent issues to attend to, could that be said to be storming off? I guess Nigerians like to play the victim’s card. It’s a ploy that many guilty Nigerians play on to maximum effect.

CAN THE PRIEST, IN ALL HONESTY, FACE GOD AND CLAIM TO BE ABOVE BOARD? IF THE LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT HIRED HIM, CAN’T IT ALSO FIRE HIM?

If the first lady indicated interest in getting the anointing oil, protocol dictates that she is attended to first. Didn’t the Bible ask we give honour to whom honour is deserved? The church, in a rejoinder on May 27, also admitted that protocol was breached.

Away from the events of that day, where is the evidence the sack had anything to do with the first lady? Did the sack letter originate from her desk or bear her signature? This is germane to ask because the chapel also formally stated its day-to-day operation is not under the office of the first lady. The Ministry of Home Affairs, as it is well-known, coordinates activities of the chapel.

What beats discerning minds is the desperation to pin the sack to Bolanle. Could someone somewhere be targeting her to rubbish her husband whose performances in two years even the blind attest to? Why is this coming right on the dot of the administration’s second anniversary? Is there a chance that someone thinks this is a perfect diversion from the good works of the governor?

Media reports already indicated the priest involved had been queried in the past by the chapel’s management. Has anyone bothered to check up why he was queried?

This is pertinent to ask instead of allowing emotions to override our reasoning. Can the priest, in all honesty, face God and claim to be above board? If the Lagos State Government hired him, can’t it also fire him?

To those playing the well-rehearsed religious card, it is necessary to let them know Palace Priests are always vulnerable to such likelihood. God designed the church to act as a check to government. But when the church chooses to align with government, it is always have a bad ending. It creates the infamous ‘CAN, my foot!’ explosion of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

When government appoints you as a priest, you either leave on a high or get booted out. Those are the two possible scenarios for those who choose to play such delicate games. Our Christian leaders should learn to stay off government patronage. They should focus on God, instead of government. If they do and government still goes after them, then they can petition God to fight their case. And God has always vindicated them when they allow Him to fight their battles.

If indeed Venerable Taiwo has been wronged, let him leave the battle to God. Isn’t that what they preach to us every Sunday? Now is the time to do the same.

Alade wrote from Lagos

NDDC AND PROJECT MISHANDLINGS IN EDO Obaseki’s re-engagement of NDDC is a fight against corruption and waste, argues Inwalomhe Donald

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here is a sense in Governor Godwin Obaseki’s re-engagement of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in public infrastructural development in Edo State. The move is meant to ascertain the level of contract completion to date in the state. It is to determine the value of work done, assess uncompleted projects and prioritise for execution as well as develop a performance evaluation that is sustainable.

Governor Obaseki has explained that the prior notice given the NDDC contractors in the state to stop work was not to embarrass the commission but to re-engage and understand what the NDDC contractors were doing. He had already revealed that his administration was unhappy with some of the projects executed in the state and emphasised the need for re-engagement. He expressed disappointment with the quality of work of many roads projects executed by the NDDC. He observed that the well-intentioned policy of NDDC has been grossly messed up as projects awarded to it were often plagued by corruption and abandonment after billions of naira had been paid to contractors. Oddly, the elite of the region, who are, in the main, the contractors since 2004, are the culprits.

Obaseki’s brave and committed re-engagement of NDDC is a fight against corruption and waste. It is a crusade by the governor to re-engage NDDC in Edo State on Ologbosere Road, Ekpoma-Emuhi Road, Udo-Ofunama Road, Adolo College Road and other contracts that were awarded and abandoned more than five years ago. The objective is not just to stem the corruption and loss in NDDC’s projects but to ensure an execution of projects that will support and reposition the economy of both the South-south region and Nigeria as a whole.

A report submitted by a technical committee which reviewed road projects executed by the NDDC in Edo State has indicted the commission for executing substandard jobs. It said the roads were below required standards and added that a total of 101 roads out of the 248 roads awarded by the NDDC have been executed. The report said work was yet to commence on 86 road projects while many of the roads already awarded were found abandoned.

Governor Obaseki has re-engaged NDDC by ordering its contractors to stop work temporarily. The commission had claimed to have successfully completed numerous projects across communities in Edo State, some of which the state government and citizens later discovered to be phantom, shoddy and abandoned ventures.

Governor Obaseki is re-engaging NDDC by liaising with the state ministry of works to avoid duplication of projects and double expenditure. This, as noted, is necessary considering the numerous fraudulent practices and mishandlings of projects in Edo. Obaseki opined that intervention institutions like the NDDC ought to ensure that only tested and trustworthy contractors were selected to handle road projects. According to him, “NDDC cannot be an appellation for substandard work, and the quality of their projects should improve.

We have to, from now on, be involved in their projects and in the selection of contractors to work in our state. We want to understand why inferior materials are used for an NDDC project.

From now on, we want to insist that the same quality of materials we use on our roads are the same NDDC contractors who operate in the state must use. We have problems with the design of their roads as reported by the committee. How can we design roads in a rain forest to have very narrow drains and expect that those

roads will last? Even from the design stage, we want to be involved. We will also like to interrogate all the contractors that have worked with us. We are imploring that NDDC gives the required cooperation.”

The NDDC is a federal government agency established by former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo in the year 2000 with the sole mandate of developing the oil-rich Niger Delta Region of Nigeria. The NDDC has said that it recovered over N60 billion from contractors who abandoned various developmental projects in the region after being paid mobilisation fees for the contracts. The Managing Director, Mr Nsima Ekere, stated this as a guest on “State of the Nation”, a Channels Television news and current affairs programme.

According to Ekere, the NDDC is presently collaborating with the office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Prosecution to ensure that such erring contractors are brought to justice. He regretted that some contractors have failed to mobilise to site years after being awarded the contract, insisting that such delay automatically invalidates the contract terms because all NDDC contracts are time-bound.

Furthermore, the NDDC said a total of 708 projects valued at N86.3bn had been awarded in Edo State since the inception of the commission. The Chairman of the Commission, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, disclosed this when he led members of the commission on a courtesy call on Governor Godwin Obaseki in his office.

According to him, the projects include 233 ongoing, 130 yet to commence, 131 completed but not inaugurated while 173 were completed and inaugurated.

Elsewhere, precisely at Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Ndoma-Egba during a visit to Governor Seriake Dickson, revealed that the NDDC would expunge N200 billion worth of projects from

its book to reduce its project-carrying capacity to a manageable size. He lamented that the commission had too many projects in its books.

Said he: “In the next couple of days, the NDDC will cancel about N200 billion projects from our books. We need to reduce the projects we are handling to a manageable number that will make more impact. We are forging a new relationship with stakeholders in the region. The new spirit of cooperation entails our not competing with the states and local governments.”

With about 8,000 projects outstanding and N1 trillion outstanding liabilities, the commission cannot afford to award any more projects and rather should be focused over the next four years on clearing up existing liabilities and sending staff and contractors who have misappropriated public funds to the justice system for prosecution. Perhaps we need an AMCON-like management for the NDDC to clean up the place and institute deep reforms before new project awards can be commenced.

The abysmal performance of the NDDC since inception in 2001 has drawn the ire of Governor Obaseki and he has vowed to take a decisive action on the matter. The commission is reported to have abandoned many projects across Edo State. The Edo committee further indicted the NDDC for the abandonment of a large number of projects in the state and the refusal to address the issue of abandoned projects with no evidence of any attempt to recover the funds using appropriate government agencies such as the EFCC and the ICPC. Concerned stakeholders from the oilproducing communities in Edo State have called for immediate amendment of the NDDC Act to allow states’ representatives to participate fully in policy formulation of the commission.

Inwalomhe wrote from Benin City, Edo State

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EDITORIAL OGBEH’S BORDER CLOSURE THREAT The authorities have to ensure that the borders are not compromised

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he recent threat by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh that the federal government would shut the land borders with neighbouring countries due to large scale smuggling of rice into Nigeria raises serious questions. Since Nigeria has hundreds of porous border posts while illegal movement of people and goods ow almost freely on a daily basis, how does Ogbeh intend to make good his threat?

Grown predominantly by smallholder farmers with mechanised production backed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Anchors Borrowers Programme and FADAMA Rice Production Cluster, there have been encouraging reports of improved local production of rice across the nation. Meanwhile, Nigeria has imposed a moratorium on rice importation through land borders and is considering a complete ban on all forms of importation by the end of the year. The goal is to ensure self-sufďŹ ciency in local production by 2018 and save scarce foreign exchange which is weakened through the unwholesome importation of food products and other THE POLITICAL consumer goods.

AUTHORITY HAS TO Unfortunately, IMPRESS IT UPON SOME smuggling activities OF OUR NEIGHBOURS, which pose serious ESPECIALLY REPUBLIC OF threats to the nation’s BENIN THAT USING THEIR economy have also become an impediment PORTS AS SMUGGLING to those rice production ROUTES INTO NIGERIA projects. The current WILL ATTRACT SEVERE national demand for CONSEQUENCES rice is between six and seven million tonnes out of which about 3.2 million tonnes are produced locally. But with ship loads of rice (at far cheaper landing cost) smuggled into Nigeria through the Seme (Republic of Benin) border and several other routes, the local producers cannot compete.

While we are not oblivious of the existence of the Immigration and Customs Services at the border posts, we

Letters to the Editor

have in the past advocated the need to establish a special border patrol unit that will be well equipped with modern high-tech surveillance gear. Aside the fact that these agencies have proved incompetent or perhaps compromised in the discharge of their duties, the challenge is now compounded by the seeming collaboration of some of our neighbours who out the ECOWAS Treaty by abetting smuggling of rice and other goods not produced in their countries into Nigeria.

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hile Ogbeh is pointing ďŹ ngers in the right direction, what he should also note is that smuggling of rice or any product for that matter will continue to thrive as long there are huge shortfalls in the supply of the staple crop in our country, more so when foreign brands are cheaper than the local ones. For instance, the lending interest rates to Nigerian farmers is as high as 18 per cent while many of the rice mills across the country operate on generators powered by diesel aside other impediments. These variable costs of production in addition to the cost of transport incurred by farmers in bringing their products to the market make the Nigerian rice (sold at between N15,000 and N17,000 per 50 kg bag) costlier in the market.

In contrast, imported rice from Thailand and India are cheaper because their production is subsidised for export by their respective countries.

While the federal government must look into those issues, there is also need for a thorough probe of the present border security outďŹ ts, namely the Immigration and Customs, with a view to establishing the extent of their collusion and collaboration with smugglers at the border towns. Beyond that, the political authority, at the highest level in our country, has to impress it upon some of our neighbours, especially Republic of Benin that using their ports as smuggling routes into Nigeria will attract severe consequences. And such a threat must be backed by concrete action in case of violation.

That is the only way Nigeria can show that it means business. Not by Ogbeh’s sermon that Nigeria is not “a volunteer nation for economic suicide�.

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

OGUN: EYES FIXED ON THE GOAL

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t’s the season of political manoeuvering ahead of 2019 general elections. Hence a hack’s offering disguised as “An Open Letter To The Governor Of Ogun State,� published recently in THISDAY. It’s a pack of taradiddles and any attempt to join issue with the write-up may amount to advancing the devil’s own game. The public should not be fooled by such disinformation as the race for 2019 gathers momentum.

However, for the sake of the reading public, it suffices to restate the obvious facts in the public domain.

The Ibikunle Amosun administration inherited tens of state government accounts, which impacted negatively on the revenues of the state. In the Bureau of Lands alone, Ogun State lost close to N30bn due to sheer racketeering. It is not surprising that the average monthly revenue (Internally Generated Revenue) inherited by the new government was a paltry N700m per month.

The Amosun government immediately introduced Treasury Single Account (which was to become popular in later years in Nigeria). Electronic payment was introduced. This ended a situation where government revenues went into private pockets.

Within one year of the Amosun government, the IGR rose to N2bn per month.

For instance, the income generated by the Ministry of Commerce suddenly rose from the average of N45 million per annum under the previous government to N550 million per annum (representing 1,122% increase) within a space of one

year - all simply by blocking the loopholes in the old system and introducing a cashless policy!

No doubt, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, being a technocrat, brought his wealth of experience in the corporate world into the governance of Ogun State. Within just three years in the saddle of leadership, Ogun State, which came last in 2008 and 2010 Doing Business Reports of the World Bank, was among the top five states in Nigeria that made the biggest strides in terms of ease of doing business. The removal of bottlenecks in the interface between government and the public resulted in more and more investments in the state. And as more industries were established in Ogun so the revenue of the government increased significantly - before the current, general economic crisis in the country, which has impacted on the obligations of virtually all the states of the federation.

Even where the government obtained loans from banks, Amosun succeeded in negotiating rock-bottom interest rates.

A government that moved the state from N700m monthly to N6billion monthly at a point is certainly in a position to know what is best for its people in terms of loans it obtained, as additional fund, to boost infrastructural development of the state.

It is interesting that the opposition cannot deny the massive infrastructural development this state witnessed in the last six years. Even the blind can see!

The Amosun government inherited months of unpaid gratuities and workers’ salaries. In Olabisi Onabanjo University

- to cite just an example - the new administration coughed out about N3bn to offset workers emoluments.

Rather than play the Nigerian adversarial politics, which takes a toll on the masses, Governor Amosun began payment of gratuity from the year 2008, three clear years before he was inaugurated. Indeed, there were people who condemned the governor then for not concentrating on his own administration alone with regard to obligations to workers. Twenty billion naira was expended in the process.

The bail out and Paris Club Refund, as directed by the federal government, were used to offset much of workers’ entitlements while the rest was deployed to social services in the interest of other 96 per cent of residents who are not government workers.

Amosun has never deceived his people. He acknowledges owing deductions, which will definitely be offset as the finances of the state improve.

In the desperation of the political opponents to discredit a top-notch governor, who has transformed the landscape of Ogun State in such a record time, making it also the industrial hub of Nigeria, it seems nothing is considered beyond the pale by these political traducers.

Governor Amosun will not be distracted by the amount of falsehood being purveyed by these opposition elements. As he stated recently, “We are not rebuilding Ogun State for the present alone but future generations as well.� Our eyes are fixed on the mission to rebuild Ogun State.

Soyombo Opeyemi, Abeokuta

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POLITICS

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

PERSONALITY INTERVIEW

Masari: Don’t Make Herdsmen Crisis a Tribal Issue Kastina State governor, Aminu Masari agrees that the issue of rampaging herdsmen deserves attention but warns against bringing religious and tribal coloration into it. He spoke with Iyobosa Uwugiaren and Bolaji Adebiyi. Excerpts:

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To be a national legislator is a wonderful thing; especially if you are the presiding officer. It is the most difficult job because you are presiding in an assembly of equal members. It becomes more difficult if you are presiding in the House, where members are politicians on the move- some members want to be senators, governors and something ease, unlike the Senate where many of the politicians there are retirees. So, managing the House’s members is more difficult than the Senate. We worked during difficult time when I was the presiding officer. We worked with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who does not believe in living in peace; except peace defines by him. But it also helped in keeping us on our toes; because, Obasanjo would call you at 3am and start making trouble; that is Obasanjo’s nature. In terms of freedom, the National Assembly gives you more freedom.

But many members of your constituency do not understand that senators or members if the House don’t have the budget to build schools, hospitals and other social amenities. Apart from that, it gives you a huge opportunity to meet people from different parts of the country. To be a governor, you face all kinds of pressure. You can do many things within the limit of resources available to you, as a governor. It enables you to touch the lives of many people, especially if you use your position for the benefit of the people.

re you worried about the activities of Fulani cattle herdsmen?

You need to tell me who are the cattle herdsmen. Are they not the same people whose activities we have been able to control in states like Kastina, Zamfara and Kano? The fact of the matter is that we have to accept we are Nigerians. How can we accommodate one another? If I say I cannot accommodate you because you are from Borno State, there is a problem because this is somebody you cannot drive away from the country. In some areas, it is not about herdsmen; some of the problems are historical. Take states like Kaduna and Plateau, it is not a fight between Fulani and farmers.

We need to address some of these issues; we cannot live on bad history; we need to rise above it and build our future. Of course, some politicians who lost out may want to fuel the crisis. We need to be very careful because the issue is taking certain coloration- as if some groups are trying to decimate or disorganise some parts of the country and some people are buying into it. They are bringing in religious and tribal colorations instead of seeing the problem for what it is.

What have you done in the past two years in fulfilment of your campaign promises to the people of Kastina State?

We predicated our campaign promises on five issues: education, water, agriculture, health and security. More importantly, the issue of security was very dear to me because without security you cannot execute other projects. When we came on board we met huge problems on ground. Though, we were aware of the problems before we came, but we were not really aware of the level of the problems. We immediately set up an education committee with a responsibility to look at the foundational education, that is, visiting all the primary schools in all local government areas of the state. The committee visited 22,272 primary schools across the state it also visited 387 junior secondary schools. It eventually gave us a conditional report of the schools, which showed that over 70 per cent of the classrooms at primary level were virtually no longer what you can call classes. The remaining 30 per cent, can be made habitable with minor repairs. We have a population of over 1.7 million students but we don’t have sitting arrangement for up to 200,000. It was a terrible situation- the sitting arrangement was for insignificant number of about 140,000. Others were sitting on the floor. Again, we have shortages of over 3262 classrooms at primary school level. This was just at the primary school level. We also discovered that 60 per cent of the teaching staff members had the essential qualification to be teachers but lacked the knowledge, because they have not been given refresher courses, they were not attending any training either organised by the ministry of education or the primary education board. So, the morale was very low, had gone down completely. After reviewing this pitiable situation, we discovered that we needed about 15,000 additional teachers in our primary schools in areas like English Language, mathematics, sciences, arts and religious studies. We discovered that for all these, what we had was not more than 6000 plus. So the primary school system needed about 9000 teachers to have a ratio in accordance with standards. We also needed about 3,262 additional classes to house 50 students per class; we also discovered that in order to fix education, restore the infrastructure, provide more classrooms, train teachers and provide other facilities, we needed billions of naira to fix it. For instance, in a school of about 800

Masari....say Buhari saved the country from collapse

populations, we had just three teachers including the headmaster. In some schools, where you have a classroom that can accommodate 79 pupils, the population was over 150 pupils.

For those schools that were still standing, it is either the windows had been broken or the rooms were inhabitable. I visited a major primary school in the centre of Katsina that trained most of the elites you see from Katsina local government, it has a population of 6,700 and it has about 40 classrooms and none of the classroom has chairs nor desks; none of the classroom has a floor, all the floors were gone. The headmaster said they were housing an average of 160 to 180 per classroom that should take 50. I also visited Hadis Secondary School that also produced many of the elites here in Katsina, I went to a class, JSS3. I asked for the number of people in the class. They said 167 in a classroom. Not convinced, I said let’s take a headcount, we counted 109. Supposed the others were present, about 58, where were they going to sit? Those who were sitting on the floor were putting their books on their laps. To begin to address the problems, we decided to restore the structures of the entire education in the state. We have constructed over 300 classrooms; renovated many schools with

The purpose of local government system was destroyed by the previous government so much so that the local government councils can no longer perform their functions

good laboratory facilities; we are changing the roofing of the schools completely; reinforcing the windows. By December last year, we have renovated 784 primary schools and constructed over 300 primary schools. We have transferred over 700 workers in local government with the required qualifications to teach in primary schools; and they are being provided with the necessary training. We have also moved to higher institutions. This is necessary because many elites in the north acquired their education here in Kastina.

Recently, you organised an economy summit in your state that attracted top business investors from within and outside the country. The whole idea was to attract them to invest in Kastina State. Have you started seeing the positive result?

Definitely, we have started seeing the result.

In the areas of housing, people have started to invest; in agriculture, groups like Dangote and others have shown interest; a Turkish company has also shown interest. We are going to develop an industrial park, and within the next two years, we will have the highest production of solar power in Kastina. The first company has reached about 70 per cent completion while the second has reached about 60 per cent.

We are placing more emphasis on agriculture because the revenue goes to the people directly; agriculture does not pollute the environment.

This is the way to go. We are really seeing positive signs from the economy summit.

Could you share with us the burden of being a governor in a state the president hails from?

Well, people expect so much from us, especially when 80 per cent of the people within the inner circle are also from the Aso Rock Villa – the presidency. We are trying to find ways to manage and see how we can leave with it. As for President Muhammadu Buahri, he has never put pressure on me; he has never demanded for employment or appointment or interfered with the selection of our projects in our state.

As a former speaker of the House of Reps, what is the difference between being in the legislature and being in the executive?

The Peoples Democratic Party is of the opinion that your party has failed the people. What is your take on that?

It is like somebody who destroyed this house and brought it down completely and suddenly, people realise that you need to rebuild it only to discover that that there is a shortage of resources and the shortage was caused by the people who destroyed the house. It is unfortunate that we have a short memory.

We and members of PDP know the damage the party has done to our country economically, socially 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 years.

Of course, PDP is now an opposition party; in Nigeria opposing is the simplest thing to do. But when it was in power, crude oil was selling for more than 100 US Dollar per barrel.

The country was producing 2.2 million barrels per day. That was the time the country was getting more revenue; it was more than enough.

Instead of even leaving the revenue for excess crude account, they finished it; wherever, there was money, they finished it. When we came there was insurgency in the North-east, which they could not control. In fact they promoted insurgency. In spite of the fact that there were not enough resources, we were able to bring peace and security to the region. Now, they can travel from Borno State to Badagry, from Ikot to Sokoto without fear of being attacked. When we came on board, two state governors- Borno and Yobe, had relocated to Abuja. Two states were virtually taken over by insurgents; they removed Nigerian flag and replaced it with theirs in virtually all the local government areas of the two states, as if it was another country.

That was the situation we met on ground. But within one year, peace returned to those states; at least, the insurgents were decapitated. We reequipped our military to fight the insurgents; we boosted their morale. PDP was a total failure, it destroyed this country. What do they expect us to do when they finished the resources of this country? We have been able to manage the resources at our disposal and used them for the benefit of the people in the past two CONTINUED ON PAGE 19

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POLITICS

Paseda: Scrap State Electoral Commissions Now To stop the charades often perpetuated by governors in the name of local council elections, an Ogun State governorship hopeful, Olatunde Paseda, is of the opinion that the country would be better of if the Independent National Electoral Commission is empowered to conduct such elections. He also suggests that governors’ powers be drastically reduced. Femi Ogbonnikan presents the excerpts:

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president to implement decisions made by the Senate. I will have no direct impact. Also, I am still going to be dependent on the House to make that decision. If I go for whatever else, ministerial, I will only be but a file carrier. But for you to make a real change, you will have to be in the position to make things happen.

o you agree with the call to strip governors of power to constitute officials of the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC)?

I totally agree because the governors are abusing that power. But if elected governor, I will not be able to do it because it is a constitutional process. I think, we need to reduce the powers of governors. It is too much! It is as if they can do anything and get away with it. There are some who very good among them though. There are some very good governors that are being praised and blessed by their people, because they are doing the right things. But when there is too much power, power corrupts and when power corrupts, it corrupts absolutely. So, we need to reduce the power. Yes, SIEC should not exist! Let the federal government take care of all elective processes, and make sure the processes are sanitised.

How can you say that in a local government election, one political party scored 100 percent.

Excuse me! So, are you saying nobody voted for another candidate, not even his wife, not even his son or daughter? In some cases when 200 people voted they only vote for one candidate meaning that even the candidate didn’t vote for himself?

Your party, the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) is a regional party, how is it funded?

It is not a regional party. UPN exists in all the states at different levels. I must say that during the 2015 general elections, the party was tested in 19 states across the country. So, that means, it is not regional since we contested in both the east and the north apart from the west?

However, because of what we stand for, we have maintained the original name, the original manifesto, and everything about UPN remained the same, nothing has changed. So, it is not a regional party, it is a national set-up. The party is being funded by me.

Your party’s membership strength is low.

Aren’t you considering merging with one of the big parties preparatory to the 2019 general elections?

You can’t make decisions based on assumptions.

You need to have correct data. You have to analyse things. You have to do surveys. Let me tell you what I had done, just before the October 2016 local government election in Ogun State, I did a survey across Ogun State, and the result gave me the courage to decide to go for local government election against the ruling APC. When we discovered, that people wanted something different, I would not use the word ‘change’, because that word has been bastardized. But the people wanted something different. We set out and we did a survey across the three senatorial districts.

It took us several weeks and we came back with the result that the people are ready for another party, barring the fact that I contested the governorship election in 2015 and I came third from nowhere. UPN was there, and it did that within a short space of time. So, if the people were looking for something different, let us test it, whether it was a fact or fiction,

Paseda.... wants a government that invest in its people.

whether the result of our survey is factual or fictitious. So, we went out and we found out that in all local government elections, the governors of various states, always decide who they want and who should contest. They will write the list, whether you win or you lose, and that wasn’t the issue for us, but we wanted to know, what the people are saying. So, we went, and we contested for local government election. And it was the UPN versus the APC only in Ogun State. I had the result and we were really happy. We won 85 percent of the votes in Ogun State. Look, that result alone, whether or not, we were given any seat at the end of it all, that result speaks volume. It makes me happy, that yes, people want us.

People want Paseda. So, when the result came out, we got the results and I told my people, please, don’t be discouraged. Don’t worry, they may not have given it to you, but the fact is, you have won and the people know that you have won. Yes, they gave us two token seats.

In fact, I wasn’t expecting them to give us any seat. Whether they gave us or not, our target is 2019.

You lost the 2015 governorship race, what is your plan for 2019?

I didn’t lose. I came third. We have first, second, third. Also, there are fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, to tenth. There are so many political parties.

When you contest in a race and you came third, you haven’t lost. You have won. You may not have the trophy but you have won.

But I believe, yes, that I won. The other thing is that, I had only four months to prepare for

the 2015 governorship election and I came out four months before the election. If I had had time, I would have won. It is not about the name of the party but about what the people say, ‘enough is enough’. The other thing that went against me is the fact that, at that point, everybody has this euphoria of ‘Sai Baba’ Even me, I wanted Buhari. Initially, I was against Buhari. I was against Jonathan.

I was on television saying they were birds of the same feather flocking together; that they were not good for Nigeria. It is on record. When we looked at the two men and we assessed their credentials, we discovered that Buhari was a much better candidate. So, we gave our support and supported Buhari’s ambition, like anybody else in Nigeria. There is no one person, except people who are blinded that followed the PDP or say that didn’t want Buhari.

Every sane, right thinking, legitimate and good Nigerian wanted Buhari and that was the position of things. So, I lost the governorship election per se, at that point. But the day after the election, I declared for the 2019. I didn’t have to wait because I knew what was going on and I knew the mandate that I have. My mandate is, let us give our people, the little succour that you can give them.

Why are you still insisting in governing Ogun State, and not seeking to go to either the Senate or the House of Representatives?

I don’t want to be in a position where I can’t deliver the mandate given to me by my people.

Let me take it one-by-one. If I go for Senate and I am still going to be dependent on the

What has Governor Ibikunle Amosun not done right that you want to go and correct?

We have been talking about it. All I have been saying here are all parts of it - education and health. Our educational system is in shambles.

They are only pretending. Students are staying at home. Students, especially genius, are being kicked out of schools.

Those that could come and develop our country and state for us are staying at home.

Our kids are being forced to do things that are unheard of just because they want to survive.

These are the things that the current dispensation in the state should have done to better the lots of the people. The other thing is that there is so much recklessness in the government and so much wastage of resources in the name of building a modern city, a modern town and a modern state. A modern state where the people are dying; a modern state where teachers are not being paid their salaries. Is modernization all about school buildings, the roads and the infrastructures and all that? The first thing every God-fearing person in government needs to do is to invest in the people. China built its people and the people build the nation. Let us build our people.

Let us invest in our people. Let our kids go to schools. Let them be well educated, good quality education. Let them have opportunities for employments.

They would in turn build the country. The other thing is, as the governor, you must listen; you must listen to your people. They are not there to serve you but you are there to serve them. We have to move away from this idea, that Paseda is the governor and so, he is the lord and master. No! The governor is a servant.

You are there on people’s mandate and you must listen to them. In Baba Awolowo’s time, they were doing town hall meetings where decisions were made.

What is your take on the resolve of INEC to allow independent candidates during 2019 general elections?

Is it INEC that does not allow it? INEC will allow anything that is doable, that is acceptable, that is possible. The people that are preventing it are the politicians.

They would like to protect their sources of income and power. Let me tell you, if they do ‘independent candidacy’, in the states, nobody can beat me in Ogun state. I want that man who can beat Paseda to step out. Let us have one-on-one debate. When you allow ‘independent candidacy’, you are throwing it open. You will get legitimate, well-meaning, well-deserving people, coming out. Independent candidacy is the way to go. We must make sure that it happens, sooner or later. It is the best thing to do and it happens everywhere in the world.

There are so many things that should change.

MASARI: DON’T MAKE HERDSMEN CRISIS A TRIBAL ISSUE years. PDP couldn’t achieve in five years what we have done in two years. Before we came in, the cattle rustlers were killing people here in Kastina State forcing some village heads to relocate to other areas for safety. In some places, the cattle rustlers sacked the entire villages.

But today, peace has returned to those villages; we are currently constructing roads to those villages. They can say what they like because they were defeated.

How would you rate President Muhammadu Buhari in the past two years? Are you proud of what he has done?

Of course; I am very proud of him and proud of what he has done. When we came 27 states were not paying salaries. The president came up with bailout.

States were given money to pay salaries; those owing pension and gratuities were given money to pay and my state benefited from that gesture. Each state was also given N10 billion from excess crude account for infrastructure.

When the oil price went down and many states could not pay salaries, again, 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. I wonder what would have happened if there were no interventions from the federal government. If we have not had Buhari we would have been in serious crisis with the way former President Goodluck Jonathan and his people messed up the economic, the politics and the entire country. Today, there is a relative peace in the country. We are able to meet the minimum obligation of paying salaries, gratuities and pension.

From what you are saying it appears many of the states are not viable?

It is not about viability; it is about poor management of financial resources. We have systematically overloaded the system. We have brought in unnecessary politics in the administration of local government system. The purpose of local government system was destroyed by the previous government so much so that the local government councils can no longer perform their functions. We have overloaded the employment in local government. This has is put so much pressure on the state government. We missed the point when we assume that government must give everybody job. What about education and other social amenities?

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THURSDAY, JUNE 8, 2017 ˾ T H I S D AY

FEATURES

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

Igniting Businesses Solomon Elusoji attended the second edition of the Ideas, Connect and Empower conference held in Lagos recently and reports on the multitude of timely lessons shared

L-R: Conference Anchor, Olu Philips, LSETF's Head of Micro Enterprise, Adewunmi Oni, Co-Founder at ROG Ministries, Grace Aiyedogbon, Pastor at ROG Ministries, Nath Ayodele, Managing Director of ST. Hub, Stephanie Obi and a Managing Director at PZ Cussons, Alex Goma, at the ICE 2017 conference in Lagos…recently

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ast month, the Ascending Men of Spiritual Substance, a group under the Realm of Glory (ROG) Ministries held the second edition of its ICE (Ideas, Connect and Empower) Conference at the church premises in Okota, Lagos.

According to a statement from the church, “ICE is an annual business empowerment summit intended to reduce the high unemployment rate in the society, and thus committed to nation building. Among others, it is also designed to; encourage start-ups of small and medium enterprises that will enable increased income generation of participants, solve the problem of under-employment through the provision of resources and competencies, provision of qualitative entrepreneurial guidance for traders/business men and women, update the knowledge required for excellence in participants chosen field or career and to help participants build their marketable skills.”

At this year’s edition, which was themed ‘Ignite Your Business, Transform Your World’, there were high profile speakers, including a Managing Director at PZ Cussons Nigeria, Alex Goma; Head of Micro Enterprise at the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF), Adewunmi Oni; Managing Director of ST Hub Limited, Stephanie Obi; and a Senior Pastor at ROG, Nath Ayodele.

Attracting over 500 participants, most of who were young people, the conference was organised to help attune people’s mentality towards success.

“From the beginning the church has always been a point of empowerment for people,” a ROG pastor, Toni Akintara, told THISDAY, explaining why the church hosted the empowerment conference. “And the church is not just confined to spiritual things, because the church has stopped becoming a centre which encourages people to believe

that what it takes for your financial life to change is just to keep praying. But you see a lot of prayerful poor people in church.

This kind of conference helps to change people’s mentality and charges them to take advantage of the available opportunities.”

Nath Ayodele, the ROG Pastor, kicked off the conference with a talk that spelt out the spiritual principles that drive a successful business. He started his talk by asking five key questions; what is the source of your business idea, is your business registered in the kingdom, what is the kingdom vision that drives your business, what is the spiritual covenant that powers your business, and what is the covenant sacrifice that drives your business?

“If your business is not born of God, it may succeed at the beginning, but something is going to happen along the way that will make that business fail,” he said. “So you need to constantly ask yourself whether your business idea is heavenly and driven

Every business is like a child, so you have to ask yourself if you have enough resources to manage the business before it begins to yield profit. If you want to build successful business, you need to have a very clear plan

Pastor Sam Aiyedogbon . . . the brain behind the conference

by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. But the problem with most Christians is that they do not know why they have been given the Holy Spirit; no, it is not just to drive demons, but also to provide spiritual access to heaven, to receive and download information and ideas from heaven. That is what it means to be born again.”

His lecture was largely centred around the biblical story of Jacob’s creative business triumph over his uncle, Laban.

Jacob had just finished serving Laban for 12 years for the privilege of marrying Laban’s daughters, Leah and Rachel. Now he wants to go home, and wants compensation for tending Laban’s flocks. He proposes an alternative to payment: Laban is to give him the unusually coloured animals from his flock (speckled, brown etc). Laban agrees, presumably because these are recognised

as being inferior. However he’s also a great schemer. To minimise Jacob’s reward even more, he takes all the speckled animals away (to be pastured far from Jacob), leaving a perfectly white flock for Jacob to tend.

“But because Jacob was connected to heaven, immediately the deal was signed, God gave him an idea on how to make most of the animals speckled,” Ayodele said.

The second speaker was Stephanie Obi, a first class graduate of Computer Science from Covenant University, who runs an online business, mentoring women to start their own businesses. She gave a talk about the dynamics of doing business in the 21st century.

Stephanie delved into entrepreneurship in 2010 when she started making Ankarainspired t-shirts and accessories. One day, she woke up with a strong desire to share her knowledge of Ankara-inspired accessories.

She started an online class. Today, through her website, she has reached hundreds of thousands of people in over 10 countries, teaching women how to grow successful online businesses.

“I think the first challenge people have to deal with is in their mind,” Obi said during ICE 2017. “People have to be ready to change and cultivate an attitude of constant learning.” To stress her point, she quoted Alvin Toffler’s famous statement: the illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn.

She gave vital tips on what it takes to be successful in running an online business.

“You need to get people to keep talking about your brand via writing blog features, organising contests and competitions, appearing on podcasts shows, granting interviews, advertising on social media and ensuring your website is search-engine optimised,” she said. “You also have to get out of your comfort zone, build trust and

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FEATURES

The speakers and some participants at the 2017 ICE conference in lagos

create products. You have to put yourself out there. When people tell you no, don’t let that discourage you. Many people that have told me no before have called me back.�

She advised online entrepreneurs that it was wise to give out knowledge for free and, on physical appearance, she noted that it was imperative for online entrepreneurs to look good. “It is only God that looks inward; human beings will judge you based on your physical appearance,� she said. “So you need to invest in your appearance, and it is not as difficult or expensive as you might think.�

The third speaker was Alex Goma, a Managing Director at PZ Cussons Nigeria, who explored what it takes to be a successful Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Defining a CEO as “the oga-at-the-top�, Goma noted that “your foundation has to go deep if you want to build a company that lasts. Your fundamentals and foundation must be solid, because you will be tested.�

He equally observed that “successful CEOs build the business and the organisation’s capacity. It’s about today’s results and capacity to be sustained.�

Meanwhile, he pointed out ‘leadership’ as the most critical skill for a CEO to possess. “Leaders are expected to envision,� he said, “they are expected to create enabling environments, they must possess the ability to energise and motivate their people and must also be able to lead the execution of strategy. Successful CEOs are excellent communicators; they secure their team’s buy-in to the organisation’s purpose.�

Goma also noted that the way CEOs treat those under them, their employees, speaks critically to their leadership worth.

Meanwhile, he harped on the need for business to be built on competence and character, two pillars which engenders

We want Lagos to be the destination for people who are business-oriented and the only way for that to happen is to make ďŹ nance available

Pastor Nath Ayodele exploring the implications of running a business

spiritual Mr. Alex Goma, giving a talk on successful CEOs

trust. “Trust is built on competence and character,� he said, “you can fool people once, but you can’t fool them forever. A successful CEO has to deliver results in a way that inspires trust.�

However, he noted that, with the changes in technology, life will become more difficult for people who learn the dynamics of knowledge application. “The world does not pay for your knowledge,� he said, “it pays for what you do with your knowledge.�

On starting a business, Goma noted that entrepreneurship is like raising kids. “Every business is like a child, so you have to ask yourself if you have enough resources to manage the business before it begins to yield profit. If you want to build successful

what makes Stephanie Obi doling out tips on how to run a successful online business

business, you need to have a very clear plan.�

The last speaker was the Head of MicroEnterprise at LSETF, Mr. Adewunmi Oni, who was representing by the LSETF Executive Secretary (LSETF), Mr. Akin Oyebode.

The LSETF was established by The Lagos State Employment Trust Fund Law 2016 to provide financial support to residents of Lagos State, for job, wealth creation and to tackle unemployment. The fund also serves as an instrument to inspire the creative and innovative energies of all Lagos residents and reduce unemployment across the State. The Fund has the mandate to directly invest 25 billion naira in helping Lagos residents grow and scale their Micro

Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) or acquire skills to get better jobs. “We want Lagos to be the destination for people who are business-oriented and the only way for that to happen is to make finance available,� Adewunmi said. At the conference venue, there were LSETF loan application forms made available for entrepreneurs to access cheap financing for their businesses.

The brains behind the ICE conference and its AMOSS umbrella are Pastor Sam and Grace Aiyedogbon, who started the Realm of Glory Ministries 27 years ago. Today, after a rough beginning, the church has grown in leaps and bounds with branches across the nation and Africa.

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Quick Takes e.Stream Backs School Exhibition Ă?Ë› ĂžĂœĂ?Ă‹Ă— Ă?ĂžĂĄĂ™ĂœĂ•Ă?Ëœ Ă‹ Ă–Ă?Ă‹ĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă˜Ă?Ă?ÞÓà ÓÞã Ă?ÙÖĂ&#x;ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă? ĂšĂ‹ĂœĂžĂ˜Ă?Ăœ Ă’Ă‹Ă? Ă?Ă‹Ă“ĂŽ Ă“Ăž ĂĄĂ“Ă–Ă– Ă?Ă™Ă˜ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă&#x;Ă? ÞÙ Ă?Ă&#x;ĂšĂšĂ™ĂœĂž ÞÒĂ? ÙÞËÖ Ă?ÒÙÙÖ Ă&#x;ĂšĂšĂ™ĂœĂž Ă˘Ă’Ă“ĂŒĂ“ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ě™ Ͱ͎ͯ;̚ Ă’Ă?Ă–ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹Ă‘Ă™Ă? Ă–Ă‹Ă?Ăž ĂĄĂ?Ă?Ă•Ë› Ă’Ă? Ă‹Ă˜Ă˜Ă&#x;Ă‹Ă– Ă?Ă Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă“Ă? Ă™ĂœĂ‘Ă‹Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă?ĂŽ ĂŒĂŁ Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ă&#x;Ă–Ăž Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă?Ă?ÒÙÙÖ Ă™ĂĄĂ˜Ă?ĂœĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă‹ĂŽĂ—Ă“Ă˜Ă“Ă?ĂžĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ™ĂœĂ? ÞÙ Ă—Ă?Ă?Ăž åÓÞÒ Ă Ă‹ĂœĂ“Ă™Ă&#x;Ă? Ă™ĂœĂ‘Ă‹Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă? ĂĄĂ’Ă™Ă?Ă? ĂšĂœĂ™ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?ĂžĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ Ă“Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă‹ĂœĂ? Ă‘Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂ?ĂŽ ĂžĂ™ĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂŽĂ? Ă?Ă&#x;ĂšĂšĂ™ĂœĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÒĂ? Ă?ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă?Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ™Ăœ Ă“Ă˜ Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹Ë› Ă’Ă? ĂœĂ‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă‹Ă˜Ă‹Ă‘Ă?ĂœËœ Ă?Ë› ĂžĂœĂ?Ă‹Ă—Ëœ Ă’Ă?Ă–Ă—Ă‹ ĂœĂ&#x;Ă?Ă“Ă&#x;Ă•Ă‹Ëœ ĂĄĂ’Ă™ Ă?ÚÙÕĂ? Ă‹Ăž ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă?ÒÙÙÖ Ă™ĂĄĂ˜Ă?ĂœĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă‹ĂŽĂ—Ă“Ă˜Ă“Ă?ĂžĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ™ĂœĂ? Ă?Ă–Ă™Ă?Ă?ĂŽ Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă‹Ăž ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă Ă?Ă˜ĂžËœ Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?ĂŽ ËÞÞĂ?Ă˜ĂŽĂ?Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă™Ă—ĂšĂ‹Ă˜ĂŁËŞĂ? Ă?Ù××ÓÞ×Ă?Ă˜Ăž ÞÙ Ă‹Ă–ĂĄĂ‹ĂŁĂ? Ă?Ă&#x;ĂšĂšĂ™ĂœĂž ÞÒĂ? Ă“Ă˜Ă“ĂžĂ“Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă Ă?Ë› ËŤ Ă?Ă’Ă™Ă™Ă–Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‹ĂŒĂœĂ™Ă‹ĂŽ Ă“Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ Ă™ĂšĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ëœ Ă˜Ă™ ĂŽĂ™Ă&#x;ĂŒĂž ĂŒĂ&#x;Ăž Ă˜Ă™Ăž ÞÒĂ? Ă?ÙÖĂ&#x;ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ë› Ă’Ă? Ă?ÙÖĂ&#x;ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă“Ă? ÞÙ Ă?ĂœĂ?Ă‹ĂžĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ Ă?Ă˜Ă‹ĂŒĂ–Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?Ă˜Ă Ă“ĂœĂ™Ă˜Ă—Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă?ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ ÞÙ ĂžĂ’ĂœĂ“Ă Ă? Ă“Ă˜ Ă™Ă&#x;Ăœ Ă?Ă?ÒÙÙÖĂ?Ë› Ă? Ă’Ă‹Ă Ă? Ă?Ù×Ă? Ă&#x;Ăš åÓÞÒ Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ?ĂœĂ˜Ă?Ăž ÚËĂ?Ă•Ă‹Ă‘Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă?Ă?ÒÙÙÖĂ? ĂĄĂ? Ă‹ĂœĂ? Ă?Ă?ĂœĂžĂ‹Ă“Ă˜ ĂĄĂ™Ă&#x;Ă–ĂŽ Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă?Ăž Ă?Ă?ÒÙÙÖ Ă™ĂĄĂ˜Ă?ĂœĂ? Ă“Ă˜ ĂœĂ&#x;Ă˜Ă˜Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă Ă‹ĂœĂ“Ă™Ă&#x;Ă? ËÚÚÖÓĂ?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă?Ă Ă?ĂœĂŁ Ă?ÞËÕĂ?ÒÙÖÎĂ?ĂœĂ? ĂĄĂ’Ă“Ă?Ă’ Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă–Ă&#x;ĂŽĂ?Ă? ĂžĂ?Ă‹Ă?Ă’Ă?ĂœĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?ĂžĂ&#x;ĂŽĂ?Ă˜ĂžĂ?ËœËŹ ĂœĂ&#x;Ă?Ă“Ă&#x;Ă•Ă‹ Ă?Ă‹Ă“ĂŽË›

MTN Employees Invest in Education

Telcos Vow to Resist NCC’s Sanctions over Poor Service Quality

Ă˜ Ă•Ă?Ă?ĂšĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ åÓÞÒ Ă‹ ĂĄĂ™ĂœĂžĂ’ĂŁ ĂžĂœĂ‹ĂŽĂ“ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ëœ Ă?×ÚÖÙãĂ?Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹Ëœ Ă‹Ă–Ă™Ă˜Ă‘Ă?Ă“ĂŽĂ? ÞÒĂ?Ă“Ăœ Ă?ÙÖÖĂ?Ă‹Ă‘Ă&#x;Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ă?ĂœĂ™Ă?Ă? Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă‹Ëœ Ă?Ă“Ă‹ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? Ă“ĂŽĂŽĂ–Ă? Ă‹Ă?ĂžËœ Ă’Ă‹Ă Ă? Ă•Ă“Ă?Ă•Ă?ĂŽĚ‹Ă™Ă?Ă? ÞÒĂ? ͯͯÞÒ Ă‹Ă˜Ă˜Ă&#x;Ă‹Ă– ËŠÍ°ÍŻ Ă‹ĂŁĂ? Ă™Ă? ËŞĂ?Ă–Ă–Ă™ Ă‹ĂœĂ?ËŞËœ ĂĄĂ’Ă“Ă?Ă’ Ă?Ă™Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă˜ Ă&#x;Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÙ Ă“Ă˜Ă?ĂœĂ?Ă‹Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă? ÞÙ Ă?ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ëœ ĂšĂœĂ™Ă—Ă™ĂžĂ? Ă•Ă˜Ă™ĂĄĂ–Ă?ĂŽĂ‘Ă? Ă?Ă’Ă‹ĂœĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă&#x;ĂšĂšĂ™ĂœĂž Ă“Ă—ĂšĂœĂ™Ă Ă?Ă—Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ? Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă–Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂ˜Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?Ă˜Ă Ă“ĂœĂ™Ă˜Ă—Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă“Ă˜ Ă?Ă?ÒÙÙÖĂ?Ë› Ă’ĂœĂ™Ă&#x;Ă‘Ă’ Í°ÍŻ Ă‹ĂŁĂ? Ă™Ă? ËŞĂ?Ă–Ă–Ă™ Ă‹ĂœĂ?Ëœ Ă“Ă? ĂšĂœĂ™Ă Ă“ĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‹Ă–Ă– Ă?×ÚÖÙãĂ?Ă?Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă™ĂšĂšĂ™ĂœĂžĂ&#x;Ă˜Ă“ĂžĂŁ ÞÙ à ÙÖĂ&#x;Ă˜ĂžĂ?Ă?ĂœĂžĂ’Ă?Ă“Ăœ Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ă“ĂŽĂ?ĂœĂ‹ĂŒĂ–Ă? ÞËÖĂ?Ă˜ĂžËœ ÞÓ×Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ëœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă˜Ă‘Ă‹Ă‘Ă? Ă“Ă˜ Ă?ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ě‹Ă?Ă™Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?Ă?ĂŽ Ă?Ù××Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă“ĂžĂŁ ĂšĂœĂ™Ă”Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ?Ë›

Ă˜ Ă‹ĂŽĂŽĂ“ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ëœ Ă&#x;Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÒĂ? Ă’Ă‹Ă?ÒÞËÑ Í­ Ă’Ă‹ĂœĂ? Ă˜Ă™ĂĄĂ–Ă?ĂŽĂ‘Ă?Ëœ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă™Ă—ĂšĂ‹Ă˜ĂŁ Ă“Ă? Ă“Ă˜Ă Ă“ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?Ă™Ă?Ă“Ă‹Ă– Ă—Ă?ĂŽĂ“Ă‹ Ă&#x;Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ? Ă‹Ă?ĂœĂ™Ă?Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂžĂœĂŁ ÞÙ Ă”Ă™Ă“Ă˜ Ă“ĂžĂ? Ă?×ÚÖÙãĂ?Ă?Ă? Ă“Ă˜ Ă?Ă’Ă‹ĂœĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?Ă&#x;Ă˜ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽËšĂ™Ăœ Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ?ĂœĂ?Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă–Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă•Ă˜Ă™ĂĄĂ˜ Ă?Ă‹Ă?ĂžĂ? Ă‹ĂŒĂ™Ă&#x;Ăž Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹ Ă Ă“Ă‹ Ă‹Ă?Ă?ĂŒĂ™Ă™Ă•Ëœ åÓÞÞĂ?Ăœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă˜Ă?ĂžĂ‹Ă‘ĂœĂ‹Ă— Ùà Ă?Ăœ ÞÒĂ? Ă˜Ă?âÞ ĂžĂ’ĂœĂ?Ă? ĂĄĂ?Ă?Ă•Ă? Ě™ Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă? ÍŻ ĚŽ Ͱͯ̚˛ Ă’Ă? Ă Ă“ĂœĂžĂ&#x;Ă‹Ă– Ă?Ă‹Ă—ĂšĂ‹Ă“Ă‘Ă˜ Ă‹Ă“Ă—Ă? ÞÙ ĂŒĂœĂ?Ă‹Ă• ĂŽĂ™ĂĄĂ˜ ĂžĂœĂ‹ĂŽĂ“ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă‹Ă– ĂŒĂ‹ĂœĂœĂ“Ă?ĂœĂ? ÞÙ Ă?ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ëœ Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ‹Ă‘Ă? Ă‹ Ă•Ă˜Ă™ĂĄĂ–Ă?ĂŽĂ‘Ă? Ă?Ă’Ă‹ĂœĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?Ă&#x;Ă–ĂžĂ&#x;ĂœĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă—Ă‹Ă•Ă? Ă–Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂ˜Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?Ă&#x;Ă˜Ë›

Stories by Emma Okonji

Indomie Begins 2017 Heroes Award

A WARM WELCOME

L-R: Director General of Bureau of Public Enterprises, Mr. Alex A. Okoh and Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin EmeďŹ ele, when the BPE DG paid a courtesy visit to the governor ‌recently

Telecommunications operators (Telcos) have vowed to henceforth resist any sanction against them by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) due to poor service quality.

The telcos, who said they are contending with myriad of challenges that are grossly affecting their quality of service, insisted that any further sanction would be resisted unless the regulator addresses the challenges hindering quality service.

One of the operators, who spoke to THISDAY on grounds of anonymity, said the telcos were fed up with

TELECOMS the sundry challenges they face on a daily basis, even as they struggle to fix the ones that are within their capacities. The challenges according to the operator, range from willful destruction of telecoms facilities, destruction of fibre cables during road construction, theft of battery at cell sites, harassment and high demands from communities and social miscreants among others, which they said, are adversely affecting service quality.

They expressed worries that the NCC keeps pushing the blames on operators, without

helping to fix the challenges.

According to the operators, should these challenges persist and the NCC did not take steps to address them, “then we will resist further sanctions that may come from NCC, based on poor service quality that is traceable to the challenges enumerated.�

Chairman of Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo, who spoke at a panel session during the broadband summit organised by BusinessDay in Lagos last week, said: “Telecoms operators are faced with lots of challenges that are beyond their control and these challenges are adversely affecting service quality.�

Adebayo said that of utmost concern, was the recent move by social miscreants to steal batteries that power cell sites, which they sell to telecoms subscribers, who do not know they are batteries stolen from telecoms cell sites.

According to him, over 20,000 cell site batteries had been reportedly stolen between January and May this year from various base stations belonging to telecoms operators.

Speaking on the implications, he said such theft would cause operational downtime at telecoms base stations, because all links connected Continued on page 24

Shittu: FG Will Collaborate with EU to Create Digital Single Market The Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu has reiterated the federal government’s resolve to create a digital single market for Nigeria, through the Ministry of Communications, in collaboration with the European Union Commission.

The essence according to him, was to reposition Nigeria and bring it at par with developed countries of the world that are keen at transforming their economies digitally.

The minister, who spoke at the 2017 Digital Africa Conference and Exhibition in Abuja on Tuesday, said: “The size of Nigeria makes it the most lucrative investment destination in sub-Saharan Africa with a high return on

ICT investment and an emerging market that made it one of the new frontiers for investment and digital market consideration.

This collaboration is timely and coming at a time the ministry is making concerted efforts to implement its ICT strategic roadmap, e-Government and mobile broadband plan.�

The ministry, he said, is committed to creating a platform, through Digital Africa, where organisations and startups can pitch their innovative ideas. These ideas will be passed through a structured selection process to come up with marketable innovations for implementation by the federal

government, Shittu said.

According to him, “ the ministry is determined to diversify the economy by leveraging on ICT as its benefits. Towards this end, I have instructed that a committee be raised comprising the ministry’s agencies and the Nigerian Computer Society (NCS) on the new Digital Single Market paradigm ahead of the EU/Africa Summit holding November 2017 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.�

In a bid to enhance business in the ICT sector, the Nigerian government is contemplating to establish a Communications Bank, which will be a development bank that will assist in the financing of ICT companies based in Nigeria.

The recent inauguration of the reconstituted Nigerian National Broadband Council and the Inter-Ministerial Committee on the Smart City Project was aimed at assisting the government in providing diverse and global input in developing a comprehensive framework to help public and private stakeholders to make informed decisions about Smart City investment strategies, Shittu said.

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, who was represented by the minister, said: “The administration of President Buhari is very committed to the use of technology to Continued on page 24

Ă&#x;Ă?Ă“Ă– ĂœĂ“Ă—Ă‹ ÙÙÎĂ? Ă–Ă?Ëœ Ă—Ă‹Ă•Ă?ĂœĂ? Ă™Ă? Ă˜ĂŽĂ™Ă—Ă“Ă? Ă˜Ă™Ă™ĂŽĂ–Ă?Ă? Ă’Ă‹Ă? Ă‹Ă˜Ă˜Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă?Ă?ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? Ă•Ă“Ă?Ă•Ě‹Ă™Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? ͎ͯÞÒĂ?ĂŽĂ“ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă? Ă“ĂžĂ? Ă?Ă™ĂœĂšĂ™ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ? Ă?Ă™Ă?Ă“Ă‹Ă– ĂœĂ?Ă?ĂšĂ™Ă˜Ă?Ă“ĂŒĂ“Ă–Ă“ĂžĂŁ Ă“Ă˜Ă“ĂžĂ“Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă Ă?Ëœ ÞËÑÑĂ?ĂŽËž Ă˜ĂŽĂ™Ă—Ă“Ă? Ă˜ĂŽĂ?ĂšĂ?Ă˜ĂŽĂ?Ă˜Ă?Ă? Ă‹ĂŁ ĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂŽ Ě™

̚˛ Ă’Ă? Ă‹ĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂŽ Ă“Ă? Ă‘Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂ?ĂŽ ĂžĂ™ĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂŽĂ? ÞÒĂ? ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă™Ă‘Ă˜Ă“ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă? Ă?Ă’Ă“Ă–ĂŽĂœĂ?Ă˜ ĂĄĂ’Ă™ Ă’Ă‹Ă Ă? Ă‹Ă‘Ă‹Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ăž Ă‹Ă–Ă– ÙÎÎĂ? Ă?Ă˘Ă’Ă“ĂŒĂ“ĂžĂ?ĂŽ Ă?Ă˘ĂžĂœĂ‹Ă™ĂœĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‹ĂœĂŁ Ă‹Ă?ĂžĂ? Ă™Ă? ĂŒĂœĂ‹Ă Ă?ĂœĂŁ Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? ĂŽĂ‹Ă˜Ă‘Ă?ĂœËšĂ?Ă™Ă?Ă“Ă?ÞËÖ Ă?Ă’Ă‹Ă–Ă–Ă?Ă˜Ă‘Ă?Ă?Ë› ĂšĂ?Ă‹Ă•Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÙ ÞÒĂ? Ă˜Ă?ĂĄĂ?Ă—Ă?Ă˜ Ă‹Ăž ÞÒĂ? Ă˜Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă‹Ă– ĂšĂœĂ?Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ?Ă˜Ă?Ă? Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹Ă‘Ă™Ă? ÞÙ Ă•Ă“Ă?Ă•Ě‹Ă?ĂžĂ‹ĂœĂž ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ù××Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ă—Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂ?Ă’ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă‹Ă–Ă– Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂœĂŁ Ă?Ă™Ăœ ÞÒĂ? ĂšĂœĂ?Ă?ÞÓÑÓÙĂ&#x;Ă? Ă‹ĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂŽ Ă?Ă™Ăœ ĂŽĂ?Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹Ă˜ Ă?Ă’Ă“Ă–ĂŽĂœĂ?Ă˜Ëœ ÞÒĂ? ĂœĂ™Ă&#x;Ăš Ă‹Ă˜Ă‹Ă‘Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă“ĂœĂ?Ă?ĂžĂ™ĂœËœ Ă&#x;Ă?Ă“Ă– ĂœĂ“Ă—Ă‹ ÙÙÎĂ? Ă–Ă?Ë› ĂœË› Ă?Ă?ÚËÕ Ă“Ă˜Ă‘Ă’Ă‹Ă– ĂĄĂ’Ă™ ĂĄĂ‹Ă? ĂœĂ?ĂšĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ?ĂŽ ĂŒĂŁ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă‹ĂŽ Ă™Ă? Ă‹ĂœĂ•Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘Ëœ Ă˜ĂŽĂ™Ă—Ă“Ă?Ëœ ĂœË› Ă‹Ă˜ĂšĂœĂ?Ă?Ăž Ă“Ă˜Ă‘Ă’ Ă?Ă‹Ă“ĂŽËœ ËŤ Ă’Ă“Ă? ĂŁĂ?Ă‹ĂœËŞĂ? Ă?ĂŽĂ“ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă‹ĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂŽ ĂĄĂ“Ă–Ă– Ă—Ă‹ĂœĂ• ÞÒĂ? ͎ͯÞÒãĂ?Ă‹Ăœ Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă˜Ă™ĂŒĂ–Ă? Ă“Ă˜Ă“ĂžĂ“Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă Ă? ĂĄĂ’Ă“Ă?Ă’ Ă’Ă‹Ă? Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ?ĂŽ Ă–Ă“Ă Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? Ă—Ă‹Ă˜ĂŁ Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹Ă˜ Ă’Ă“Ă–ĂŽË› Ă? Ă‹ ĂĄĂ‹ĂŁ Ă™Ă? Ă?Ù××Ă?Ă—Ă™ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÒĂ? ͎ͯÞÒ ĂŁĂ?Ă‹Ăœ Ă?ĂŽĂ“ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă‹ĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂŽËœ ÍŻÍŽ ĂĄĂ“Ă˜Ă˜Ă?ĂœĂ? ĂĄĂ“Ă–Ă– ĂŒĂ? ĂœĂ?ĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂŽĂ?ĂŽ åÓÞÒ Ă—Ă“Ă–Ă–Ă“Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă™Ă? Ă˜Ă‹Ă“ĂœĂ‹ ĂĄĂ™ĂœĂžĂ’ Ă™Ă? Ă?Ă?Ă’Ă™Ă–Ă‹ĂœĂ?Ă’Ă“Ăš Ă‹Ă? Ă‹Ă‘Ă‹Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ăž ÞÒĂ? Ă&#x;Ă?Ă&#x;Ă‹Ă– ĂžĂ’ĂœĂ?Ă? ĂĄĂ“Ă˜Ă˜Ă?ĂœĂ? Ă“Ă˜ ĂšĂœĂ?Ă Ă“Ă™Ă&#x;Ă? Ă?ĂŽĂ“ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ë› Ă’Ă“Ă? Ă—Ă?Ă‹Ă˜Ă? ĂžĂ’Ă‹ĂžËœ ÍŻÍŽ ĂĄĂ“Ă˜Ă˜Ă?ĂœĂ? ĂĄĂ“Ă–Ă– ĂŒĂ? Ă‹ĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂŽĂ?ĂŽ Ă?ĂœĂ™Ă— ÞÒĂ? ĂžĂ’ĂœĂ?Ă? Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ?Ă‘Ă™ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă‹ĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂŽ Ě‹ Ă’ĂŁĂ?Ă“Ă?Ă‹Ă– ĂŒĂœĂ‹Ă Ă?ĂœĂŁËœ Ă™Ă?Ă“Ă‹Ă– ĂŒĂœĂ‹Ă Ă?ĂœĂŁ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă˜ĂžĂ?Ă–Ă–Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ&#x;Ă‹Ă– ĂŒĂœĂ‹Ă Ă?ĂœĂŁË›ËŹ

Ribena Rewards Children for Loyalty Ă˜Ă? ÞÒÙĂ&#x;Ă?Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÞåÙ Ă’Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂŽĂœĂ?ĂŽ Ă?Ă’Ă“Ă–ĂŽĂœĂ?Ă˜ Ă’Ă‹Ă Ă? Ă?Ă—Ă?ĂœĂ‘Ă?ĂŽ ĂœĂ?Ă?ÓÚÓĂ?Ă˜ĂžĂ? Ă™Ă? Ă‹ĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂŽĂ? Ă?Ă™Ăœ ÑÙÙÎ Ă Ă‹Ă–Ă&#x;Ă?Ă? Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă—Ă‹Ă“ĂŽĂ?Ă˜ Ă?ĂŽĂ“ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă“ĂŒĂ?Ă˜Ă‹ ÙÙÎ Ă‹Ă–Ă&#x;Ă?Ă? ĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂŽĂ?Ëœ Ă‹Ă˜ Ă“Ă˜Ă“ĂžĂ“Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă Ă? Ă™Ă? Ă“ĂŒĂ?Ă˜Ă‹Ëœ Ă‹ Ă˜Ă&#x;ĂžĂœĂ“ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă‹Ă– Ă?ĂœĂ&#x;Ă“Ăž ĂŽĂœĂ“Ă˜Ă•Ëœ Ă?ĂœĂ™Ă— ÞÒĂ? Ă?ĂžĂ‹ĂŒĂ–Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂžĂ™ĂœĂŁ Ă?Ă Ă?ĂœĂ‹Ă‘Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÙÙÎ Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹ Þβ Ă’Ă? Ă?Ă Ă?Ă˜Ăž ĂĄĂ‹Ă? Ă’Ă?Ă–ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹Ă‘Ă™Ă? ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ–ĂŁË› Ă’Ă? Ă“ĂŒĂ?Ă˜Ă‹ ÙÙÎ Ă‹Ă–Ă&#x;Ă?Ă? ĂœĂ™Ă‘ĂœĂ‹Ă— Ă“Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂœĂ‹Ě‹Ă?Ă?ÒÙÙÖ ĂšĂœĂ™Ă‘ĂœĂ‹Ă— Ă‹Ă“Ă—Ă?ĂŽ Ă‹Ăž Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂœĂ?Ă˜Ă?Ă’Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ÑÙÙÎ Ă Ă‹Ă–Ă&#x;Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă’Ă?ËÖÞÒã Ă–Ă“Ă Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‹Ă—Ă™Ă˜Ă‘ ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă‘ Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ă? Ă“Ă˜ Ă?Ă?ÒÙÙÖĂ? Ă‹Ă?ĂœĂ™Ă?Ă? Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹Ë› Ă?Ă–Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ?ĂŽ Ă?ĂœĂ™Ă— Ă Ă‹ĂœĂ“Ă™Ă&#x;Ă? ĂšĂ‹ĂœĂžĂ“Ă?Ă“ĂšĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?Ă?ÒÙÙÖĂ?Ëœ ÞÒĂ? ÍŻËœÍ°ÍŽÍŽ Ă?Ă’Ă“Ă–ĂŽĂœĂ?Ă˜ ĂĄĂ?ĂœĂ? Ă‹ĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂŽĂ?ĂŽ Ă™Ă˜ Ă‹ ĂšĂ?ĂŽĂ“Ă‘ĂœĂ?Ă? Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? ÑÙÙÎ Ă Ă‹Ă–Ă&#x;Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?âĂ?Ă—ĂšĂ–Ă‹ĂœĂŁ Ă?Ă’Ă‹ĂœĂ‹Ă?ĂžĂ?Ăœ ÞÒĂ?ĂŁ Ă’Ă‹Ă Ă? Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă&#x;Ă–Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ?ĂŽ Ă?ĂœĂ™Ă— Ă’Ă? Ă“ĂŒĂ?Ă˜Ă‹ ĂœĂ“ĂŽĂ‘Ă?Ă? ÞÙ Ă™Ă™ĂŽĂ˜Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă?ÒÙÙÖ ĂœĂ™Ă”Ă?Ă?Þ˛

“In repositioning NIPOST, a number of dimensions must be addressed in a systematic and planned manner if Nigeria is to achieve the desired goal�

Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu

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TELCOS VOW TO RESIST NCC’S SANCTIONS OVER POOR SERVICE QUALITY

Revisit Suspended Data Price Floor, Stakeholders Urge NCC

to the cell site would be affected once there is a cut in power supply, as a result of the stolen battery.

Adebayo said unknown to the buyers, the batteries have inbuilt tracking device and that several of them have been traced to Alaba market, in Lagos, from where one of them was traced to the house of a popular politician in Kano. “Battery theft is a very serious issue that is affecting service quality in the telecoms sector and this has to be addressed urgently, he said. The ALTON Chairman also expressed his displeasure over several fibre cable thefts which he said were exposed to the earth surface during road construction and thieves take advantage of it to cut and steal the cables.

Emma Okonji

SHITTU: FG WILL COLLABORATE WITH EU TO CREATE DIGITAL SINGLE MARKET drive development especially the use of made in Nigeria technology products and services. The government has issued an Executive Order that will ensure that a minimum of 40 per cent of technology spending by the government will be on technology and value added services provided by Nigerian businesses and techpreneurs.�

Osinbajo said one of the principal objectives of government regarding technology was to use it to create employment and drive development, adding that Nigeria has experienced first-hand, how and to what extent big data technologies can assist government in analysis and decision making.

Chairman, Digital Africa Global Consult Ltd, organiser of Digital Africa Conference, Dr. Evans Woherem, said the conference remained Africa’s premier consumer technology show, which provides the perfect platform to showcase brand and enhance reputation.

It presents to its participants a major opportunity for unrivaled networking and privileged access to strategic partners, investors and potential buyers, Woherem added.

Group Business Editor

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

ĂœĂ&#x;Ă?Ă™Ă? Ă?Ă‹Ă‘Ă“Ă?

Comms/e-Business Editor

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

ÙÎÎã Ă‘Ă?Ă˜Ă?

Senior Correspondent

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

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

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

Seven months after suspension of the proposed data price floor by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), industry stakeholders have called on the telecoms industry regulator to revisit it for the benefit of operators and the subscribers.

The stakeholders, who spoke at a technology forum in Lagos recently, said the need to revisit the suspended price floor became necessary in order to maintain business continuity in the telecoms sector.

The operators were of the view that upward review of data price floor would enhance quality service delivery.

Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Mr. Gbenga Adebayo said there was need for upward review of the data price floor in order to help telecoms operators remain in business and offer quality and reliable telecoms services to their subscribers.

According to him, “The suspended data price floor should be revisited and the price raised, because there is a limit to which operators can reduce cost of service delivery and still remain in business.�

He expressed the fears that if the data price floor remain low, more operators may go out of business. He said registered telecoms services providers used to be 35 in number but that in recent times, the number has drastically reduced to 14 players, which he said could be a big threat to telecoms growth.

Although majority of the stakeholders said they needed quality service from operators at affordable cost, others insisted

on the need for upward review and reintroduction on the suspended data price floor.

The data price floor is a regulatory safeguard put in place by the telecommunications regulator to check anti-competitive practices by dominant operators.

Following the opposition that greeted the directive to introduce price floor for data segment of the telecommunications sector, the NCC, on November 30, 2016, suspended directive, which was supposed

to take effect from December 1, 2016, According to the Director, Public Affairs at NCC, Mr. Tony Ojobo, the decision to suspend the directive was taken after due consultation with industry stakeholders and the general complaints by consumers across the country. “The commission weighed all of this and consequently asked all operators to maintain the status quo until the conclusion of study to determine retail prices for broadband and data services in Nigeria,� Ojobo said.

NCC had written to the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) on November 1, 2016 on the determination of an interim price floor for data services after the stakeholder’s consultative meeting of October 19, 2016.

According to NCC, the decision to have a price floor was primarily to promote a level playing field for all operators in the industry, encourage small operators and new entrants, and not necessarily to hike price.

The price floor in 2014 was

N3.11k/MB but was removed in 2015, and further reintroduced at N0.53k/MB. But even at that, operators were charging different rates. While Etisalat offered N0.94k/MB, Airtel offered N0.52k/MB, MTN offered N0.45k/MB and Globacom offered N0.21k/MB. The smaller operators/ new entrants also charged at different rates. Smile Communications charged N0.84k/MB, Spectranet charged N0.58k/MB and NATCOMS, which operates as ntel, charged N0.72k/MB.

NOR-SHIPPING 2017 AT LILLSTROME, NORWAY

R-L: Chairman, House Committee on Maritime Safety, Education and Administration, Hon. Umar Bago, a Stakeholder, Mr. Victor Aji; Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Marine Transport, Senator Ahmed Ogembe and the Director, Maritime Services of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Mr. Danjuma Dauda at the Nor-Shipping 2017 at Lillstrome, Norway‌recently

FG Loses N2bn Annually to Recession: Experts Task Govt on Human Unregistered IT Practitioners Capital Investment Emma Okonji Computer Professional Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN), the government agency charged with the responsibility of regulation, control and supervision of the computing profession and practice in Nigeria, has raised the alarm that the federal government is losing as much as N2 billion annually to unregistered Information Technology (IT) practitioners across the country.

The President and Chairman of Council of CPN, Prof.

Vincent Asor, who raised the alarm at a press conference to announce the forthcoming 2017 IT Professionals’ Assembly, being organised by CPN in Abuja from June 28 to June 29, said the loss remained monumental to the federal government.

He said the loss could be averted should government gives directive to all IT practitioners within government agencies and to those that execute different technology projects for government.

According to him, Nigeria has a minimum of 300,000 IT practices within and outside government circles, and the annual registration fee for all practitioners is N6,500, amounting to about N2 billion.

“What government should do is to give strong directive to all IT practitioners in the country to register with CPN, and ensure that they get the CPN certificate of registration before having any dealings with government,� Asor said.

He further explained that enforcement would help in eradicating quacks in the system, which he said, constituted nuisance in the computing profession.

Addressing the issue of low IT skills, Asor said CPN had, through its mentorship and monitoring programmes, was able to reduce the IT skills gap in the country. He, however, said the gap still exists in professionalism and efficiency in IT skills, aside the general IT skills knowledge that has greatly improved in the country.

Giving insight into the expectations of the 2017 IT Professionals’ Assembly, Asor said with the theme, ‘IT for Good Governance And Economic Transformation�, CPN would be able to address burning issues like cyber infrastructure protection, leveraging on software to achieve transparency, trust and good governance, smarter environment with Internet of Things, fighting corruption with emerging technologies, among others.

Raheem Akingbolu The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) has challenged organisations in the private and public sectors to see strategic investment in human capital as the right thing to do in a precision of recession, as currently being faced by Nigeria.

SHRM, which is the world’s largest association, devoted to human resource management, representing more than 250,000 members in over 140 countries, made the call during the 7th Future-Ready Human Resource Conference organised

by SHRM, Nigeria in Lagos recently.

The conference was attended by many SHRM members in Nigeria and professionals from different organisations including KPMG, PwC, who shared evidence-based perspectives on the changing landscape of HR profession as well as best practices that should be upheld by the practitioners.

Speaking at the event, SHRM President for Middle East and Africa (MEA), Mr. Brad Boyson, during his presentation entitled: ‘Business and Human Capital Challenges Now and in the Future’, said “around the world, when economic

times are difficult, the first activity organisations cut is actually training or investing in people.�

He, however, said that business history has shown that the organisation that goes against the trend to take the opportunity when other organisations are not investing in people, are always the ones ahead of the industry. “So, the significance of an event such as this holding in Nigeria at this time is that, as HR people, we need to be the advocates for growing the organisations in the area of talent in difficult times.�

Explaining the futurereadiness of HR professionals, Boyson said: “At SHRM, we believe that the foundation to be an HR professional is to hold that professional qualifications because with that, you are proving to your global peers that you understand the necessary knowledge of HR and that you understand the best practices of HR. Not everyone that works in HR department or unit of an organisation is an HR person. “What it means to be an HR in today is different from what you need in the past. To be an HR of today and future you need to have some unique qualifications, you need to

understand technology; you need to understand cultural changes in talent and dynamics of people generally. “HR people around the world are notoriously bad at sharing best practices in terms of information because they see that attitude as their job security. New professionals don’t act like that. New professionals share and try to improve globally. That is what we stand for at SHRM and that is why we are global as the most versed HR association in the world. “So, we are taking advantage of our widest coverage in terms of membership globally to grow HR professionalism in terms training, public policy and the overall advancement of the professionals through advancing HR professionals.

With these, we are confident that we would be able to develop a pool of HR professionals that globally relevant and future-ready.

He stressed the need for HR professionals to be proactive in adapting to the changing landscape of current and future-based HR practices where technology is playing a key role not only on the organisations but also on the existing and prospective talent.

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BUSINESSWORLD

E-BUSINESS

AchievingDigitalSwitchoverwithTechnology Adoption Although it remains doubtful if Nigeria will achieve the digital switchover by June 2017, adopting the relevant technology could make the difference, writes Emma Okonji Nigeria is among the several African countries that are yet to migrate from analogue broadcasting to digital broadcasting, otherwise known as digital switchover (DSO).

Following new technology trends sweeping across the globe, the International Telecoms Union (ITU), the UN specialised agency for allocation of global radio spectrum, had asked all countries that were yet to migrate, to do so at appointed dates, to avoid radio frequency interference with other countries that are digitally compliant.

Nigeria had in June 2012 and June 2015, agreed with ITU, to conclude digital migration but failed twice to meet up with the dates, a situation that compelled the federal government to fix June 2017 for another opportunity to prepare for digital migration.

Aside huge financial investment, technology infrastructure had always been the bane of achieving digital migration in Africa, Nigeria inclusive.

But StarTimes, a leading digital-TV operator in Africa, serving nearly 10 million subscribers and covering 90 per cent of the continent’s population with a massive distribution network, has assured Nigeria and the rest of Africa, that achieving a complete switchover to digital migration, would entail the adoption of a unified system of technology.

StarTimes vision StarTimes is of the view that for Africa to achieve the complete switchover to digital transmission, it must adopt a unified system of technology.

StarTimes President, Pang Xinxing, in his speech at the 7th African Digital TV Development Seminar in Beijing, China recently, with the theme ‘Advance Hand-in-Hand to Jointly Create the Future’, stated how Africa could realise the target of providing affordable digital TV to every household through the adoption of unified technology and business models. “Digitisation is a complex technologically intensive process that also requires huge capital investment. It should be seen as a social project because it will affect how people receive and share information,� Xingxing said.

The world-wide digitisation process is being undertaken to free up spectrum for the growth of the information technology industry.

The transition to digital terrestrial television broadcasting is a complex process, requiring the involvement of legislators, regulators, broadcasting companies such as content producers, broadcasters and network operators, including manufacturers and viewers.

2017 is a critical year for Africa to meet the analogue switch-off deadline and by following a pan-African approach to technology, financing and content development - all citizens can be guaranteed of enjoying a digital life.

Apart from clearer images, increased channels for content and easier reception, the availability of radio spectrum will allow expansion of the internet-based technology.

Expert’s view Tanzania’s Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of information, Culture, Arts and Sports; Professor Elisante Ole Gabriel, said: “A completely digitised Africa is vital as digital broadcasting empowers citizens especially in the rural livelihoods with necessary information.�

The minister, who spoke during a session on Universal Digitalisation at The 7th African Digital TV Development Seminar in Beijing, China, said advances in technology meant that more African citizens would be able to access information using internet-based technology. “Through digital broadcasting, farmers can get information about the market for their crops and also access extension services where

Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed (5th right), with African leaders at the 7th African Digital TV Development Seminar in Beijing, China...recently

access to experts is limited,� the minister said.

Global perspective on DSO The theme of this year’s Africa Digital TV Development seminar was ‘Universalise Digital TV and Enjoy Smart Life’ and the seminar was attended by almost 400 participants from 43 countries for the main purpose of sharing knowledge around the digitisation process.

All countries are required to make a complete switch from analogue transmission to digital, following the International Telecommunication Union agreement. A digital broadcasting plan, covering 116 countries, mainly in Africa and Europe, was agreed to for the frequency bands 174–230 MHz and 470–862 MHz at the ITU Regional Radio Communication Conference in Geneva in June 2006.

According to this plan known as the GE06, the analogue switch-off date was 17 June 2015, except for some countries in some frequency bands where the deadline is 17 June 2020).

The GE06 Agreement of the ITU established the Digital Terrestrial Broadcasting Frequency Plan in the radio frequency bands for the Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Band and Very High Frequency (VHF) Band.

With the final deadline fast approaching, more African countries are seeking to achieve a complete digital switch, but have faced challenges in terms of technology, infrastructure and financing. Each country has their own unique situations but StarTimes said it would continue to prove itself as a reliable partner in the implementation of digital migration.

Transmission network Transmission standards of broadcasting continue to evolve and by adopting a unified approach to adopting technology across Africa, countries can achieve economies of scale and convenience of connectivity.

StarTimes said it had established an enormous network system which is able to provide service to tens of millions of subscribers. With a signal distribution platform, a Direct-to-Home satellite platform, and a digital terrestrial TV platform, StarTimes has made its signal available throughout the African continent, Europe continent and part of Asian continent.

Direct-broadcast satellite television, also

known as “Direct to home� (DTH), is delivering television programming using signals relayed from space radio stations, such as digital video broadcast (DVB) satellites.

In DBSTV systems, signals are relayed from a direct broadcast satellite on the wavelength and are completely digital. Some transmissions and channels are unencrypted and therefore free-to-air or free-to-view, while many other channels are transmitted with encryption, requiring a subscription.

Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) is an implementation of digital technology. DTT provides more channels and better quality of picture and sound, using aerial broadcasts to a conventional antenna instead of a satellite dish or cable connection. DTT is transmitted on radio frequencies through the airwaves, which is similar to standard analogue television except for one primary difference, the use of multiplex transmitters to allow reception of multiple channels on a single frequency range.

Currently the transmission standard for DTT is DVB-T2 H.264 but is soon to be upgraded to H.265. Xingxing, however, suggested that for the purpose of standardisation, coding should follow the existing system of DVB-S2.

He noted that there was need to consider advances in technology as African countries go digital. “StarTimes as a technology company has continued to innovate and is also developing the next generation of products for digital entertainment and apps, to support a wide range of content formats,� he said.

Legislation against obsolete technology In order to achieve hitch-free digital migration, experts have advised that African countries must begin to develop legislation and policies against the introduction of outdated technology on their markets.

According to Xingxing, regulations around the use and importation of analogue or second-hand digital broadcast equipment should be discouraged, as such items are electronic waste. “Africa is on a steady march forward in terms of digitisation and should take full advantage of being late-comers to the field.

Late adoption of digital technology means, more African countries stand to benefit from

cheaper but more efficient systems and will also allow for easier technology and content sharing. Many parts of Africa still face challenges in terms of electricity supply and even access but in recent times new approaches and technologies have been developed to ensure that all parts of the continent can be covered by a digital signal and a minimal cost,�Xingxing said.

Benefits of digital migration Speaking on the benefits of digital migration, he said one of the benefits is that it automatically opens up opportunities for African governments to provide more internet based services while providing a platform for more broadcasters and content providers to come on board.

The increase in content channels will see an increase in employment of people in the creative industry. New broadcast stations no longer have to invest in transmission equipment and so allow lower production costs and additional players to the information technology sector will also translate in an increase in revenue from taxes to governments.

Challenges Financing national digital migration process has been a hurdle that many countries are yet to overcome but with the support of the Chinese government, several financial institutes have made long-term low-interest loans available. African countries could tap into such opportunities to achieve digital migration. “StarTimes has successfully partnered various governments in establishing public-privatepartnership (PPP) in implementing digital migration. “Joint ventures also mean that governments can focus limited national budgets on other essential sectors such as education, health and development sectors, while ensuring that the digital broadcast sector commences as a viable business and social endeavor,� Xingxing said.

Although the Director General, National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Is’haq Modibbo Kawu, had assured Nigerians of a successful switchover, Nigeria must however, consider the adoption of a unified technology, to expedite the migration process.

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Coker: Data Centre Certification Will Enhance Efficiency Managing Director, Rack Centre, Mr. Tunde Coker, spoke to Emma Okonji on the importance of certification in data centre management and the need to host data locally, among other issues.

Excerpts: centres we have, the better for us. So big data is going to have big systemic impact on the country’s economy, especially with our huge population number.

Rack Centre recently attained the Tier Certification of Constructed Facilities (TCCF), which is the first of its kind for data centre operators in the whole of West Africa. What is the certification all about?

The TCCF certification is an advanced certification for Tier III Data Centre operators and the Tier III is a validation that the company is fundamentally fit to provide global standard quality of service at 99.9 per cent.

Since its launch in October 2013, Rack Centre has operated at 100 per cent uptime without downtime, because we operate as a Tier III constructed facility. Before the TCCF is awarded to any Tier III Data Centre Operator, the Uptime Institute, which is the global body that carries out data centre certification, will first do a detailed check of the facilities to ensure that the data centre is operating to best global standard.

The entire process of the certification was a forensic analysis of the facilities by experts of Uptime Institute from the US and UK. Of what relevance is the certification to Rack Centre, its customers and the Nigeria economy?

The certification means several things to us at Rack Centre. It means authenticity, such that our customers will know that we are committed to everything we say and do as data centre service provider.

It also means to us that our customers will enjoy quality service from us. It also means that our customers are coming into high standard facilities that have been certified globally. It also shows that Nigeria now has global standard facilities that could host local data locally, without organisations operating in Nigeria, going abroad to host their data.

With the certification, Rack Centre is now the most certified constructed facility in the whole of West Africa. The award is also a recognition of the fact that Nigeria can deliver this type of technology and operate it successfully. There are other Uptime Certifications that is the gold category and we intend to have that certification in the next six to eight months.

What is the difference between design certification and constructed certification, and where did Rack Centre start from in all of these?

The first step in TCCF certification is the design certification before the constructed certification. Rack Centre started with the design certification, and we built it to standard, and we doubled the capacity of our facilities from 119 racks to 255 racks.

Before the constructed certification, we had to do self testing before inviting the Uptime Institute for verification and certification of constructed facility. Our design extension was revalidated in July last year, before the TCCF certification. Throughout the period of the design extension, we did not have one second of downtime because it is a pure Tier III data centre. There is time limit for the attainment of TCCF, which is determined by the Uptime Institute. They have the authority to withdraw the design certification if the organisation stayed too long to get itself prepared for the constructed certification and the time limit is determined by the Uptime Institute.

Again the TCCF certification is not one-off.

The standard is certified every year and if for any reason the organisation falls short of the standard in any given year, the certificate is withdrawn immediately.

What are some of the criteria for attaining TCCF certification?

Before any data centre operator attains the TCCF certification, it must be a truly Tier 111 data centre operator that does not cut corners and does not compromise on quality

How prepared is Rack Centre to accommodate the influx of new customers, having been attained the TCCF certification?

Yes, we are expecting influx of new customers as well as surge in the demand of our services, since we have been certified, but being a modular organisation, we have nothing to be worried about because the modular nature of our business will allow us to expand with ease. We saw this coming and we have prepared for expansion and the doubling of our facilities. We have already done the design expansion and we are ready to upgrade our facilities. We have expanded to 255 rack capacity and within six months, we can double that capacity to over 530 racks, including our power expansion plans. We can expand our rack facilities to 3000 racks and we have the technology, power and funding blueprint to do so.

Coker

of services rendered. Any organisation can say they are Tier 111 data centre but what matters is the TCCF certification.

Having attained the TCCF certification, how will you address the situation where by most organisations operating in Nigeria, still host their data abroad?

With the TCCF certification, there is absolutely no need for any organisation to continue hosting their data outside the country, because we now have the quality and standard, which they are looking for outside the country. Today Rack Centre is hosting the Internet Point Exchange of Nigeria (IXPN) and this is helping organisations to localise their traffic in Nigeria because we are a true carrier neutral data centre operator.

So any pan African bank that wants to host and connect its branches, can actually do so from our facilities in Nigeria, because FinTech Application in Nigeria is domiciled at Rack Centre. People can actually host their global cloud from Rack Centre facilities in Nigeria.

Also web hosting could be done from our facilities in Nigeria, and the latency is very low.

We are also less expensive, when compared to the cost of hosting data abroad.

Recently the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) mandated all banks to host their data locally in Nigeria. How will the TCCF certification complement what the CBN is trying to achieve?

Our TCCF certification will further give CBN the confidence to hold firmly to its mandate because we can be dependable. The banks can depend on us to host their data with Rack Centre in Nigeria because we have been certified by the Uptime Institute, which is a testament to the fact that we can host the data of commercial banks in our facility in Nigeria. If a data centre is down for few

minutes, it can affect the performance of the bank and every other organisation that has its data hosted in such facility because it will affect the latency period. But now that we have the constructed certification, banks can be rest assured of quality data services from us. With us, there is reliability and reduction in cost of service. So there is a systemic impact of having a reliable Tier III Data Centre facility in Nigeria.

How will the TCCF certification help to address the issue of big data growth in the country?

Big data is part of Rack Centre business and our goal is to grow and host big data of organisations in our facilities in Nigeria. Big data is trending now and every organisation strives to grow its data. Everybody is connected to the big data analytics. The mobile phones of subscribers are constantly sending data, they are used to take photo shots and sending them through the internet or bluetooth and via the social media like Facebook and WhatsApp. But that continues to grow as our broadband penetration continues to deepen. Analysis has shown that for every one per cent of broadband penetration, there is over one per cent growth of GDP. In advanced countries, it can be up to two per cent growth in GDP. It is one thing to have broadband penetration and another thing to have a reliable power distribution. So we need data centres to actually drive broadband penetration in the country. As this systemic effect grows, businesses stand to grow immensely.

As businesses grow, organisations have come to realise that they cannot afford to expand their data centre, so they need collocation of data centre facilities, which Rack Centre offers.

So the more higher quality of collocation data

Telcos have issues with collocation because of the limited infrastructure that is on ground.

Could that be said of data centre operators?

We have sufficient collocation facilities and capacities and we will be delighted to collocate the telecoms operators on our facilities.

What we need do is to expand the capacity to accommodate colocation of telcos. We are carrier neutral and any telco could come to our centre to collocate. Our facility do not encourage competition among the telcos who will want to collocate on our facilities. Rather than the telcos building data expansion facilities, they can actually collocate on our facilities, bearing in mind that they will not need to worry about the challenges of connectivity and colocation, and this will help them focus on their core business. We have the facilities that will make telcos to expand and operate more efficiently.

What are the challenges of data centre operators in a recessed economy?

The recession is affecting every business, including the data centre business and we saw a decrease in business turnover last year as a result of the recession facing Nigeria, there are some significant growth, but not as expected. Aside recession, the ease of doing business is an issue in Nigeria, but government is coming up with some measures that will make business activities a lot easier in the country.

Where is the place of cloud services in all of these?

We have cloud on ground, which is a dedicated facility that offers cloud services to our customers. With cloud on ground, we are fully ready to host data of various organisations in our facilities, delivering services at the right pricing with better quality performance, because our services offer very little latency period.

We have millions of SMEs in the country and what we are bringing with cloud on ground is to develop SMEs and grow their services in Nigeria. Our cloud on ground allows SMEs to pay as they grow, without the need to buy the entire bundle from the beginning of the business.

What are some of the issues with deploying cloud solution?

Cloud on ground gives international and local player the confidence to host their data within Nigeria, without any cause for concern. It gives access to international business and local service delivery. So the key factor for cloud on ground is that the data must be hosted in Nigeria at the Rack Centre facilities.

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‘N13.4bn Media Advertising Spend Unaccounted for in 2016’ Stories by Raheem Akingbolu An estimated N13.4billion representing 54% of total media advertising spend in 2016 were neither executed nor implemented on time as agreed between the media and the advertisers.

According to a special investigation conducted in the first quarter of this year by mediaedge.com, an online marketing portal, an estimated N13.4billion of media advertising, which would have been paid for was either misplaced (i.e. advert not carried as planned and ordered) or unaccounted for (i.e. advert not monitored to be sure it was carried in the first place). The situation was compounded by allegations that some media monitoring service providers might have been conniving with some radio and television stations as well as media agency employees to issue questionable, even fraudulent

media compliance report over the years.

The report authoritatively stated that a radio station in the North claimed 100% compliance in the month of January 2017 but was proved wrong after back checks by a leading media monitoring service provider. The online portal indicated that in another situation, one of the three media monitoring service providers had given a zero compliance on a media campaign that none of the advert spots earlier booked by an advertiser was carried at all or on time as planned and ordered.

Findings further revealed that the dispute involving a media agency, a broadcast station and a media monitoring service agency was finally resolved February 2017 through the hiring of another media monitoring service provider who used its audio-playback facility.

This no doubt confirmed earlier fears of a tripartite

conspiracy in the Nigerian media market. “It was gathered that some broadcast stations have been alleged to be in the habit of doctoring advert logs. Our intelligence team discovered the case of an Ibadan based TV station, which after a lot of back and forth with an advertiser had the dispute resolved only after the station’s logs for that particular month were backed with air-side-audio files from a media monitoring service provider,� the report stated.

It has however been established by the marketing publication firm that lack of standards in the media monitoring space and the abuse and fraud that results there from is not limited to some media monitoring service firms and broadcast organisations and their employees. “Our intelligence unit also gathered authoritatively that in one instance, a Finance Director of a leading multinational company summoned the Head of Marketing of his organisation

and also invited a media monitoring service provider whose reports allegedly resulted in huge savings on media spend for verification. At the end of the meeting, there was evidence that the marketing executives of the said company in collusion with the interfacing officials of broadcast organisation, had been creaming off media spend. “At a time when businesses are under profit pressures from the economic recession while there remains a compelling need by the advertisers to invest even

more in media advertising to cope with keen competition in the marketplace, it remains a mystery why and how business leaders seem to look the other way when it comes to transparency and accountability on the media advertising front.

Why they would expend so much time and effort in ensuring raw materials and other inputs are delivered as per quality prescription, on time and within budget but lower the bar when it comes to media advertising deliveries.�

FG Lauds BUA Group’s Contribution to Sugar Devt Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Hajia Aisha Abubakar alongside the National Sugar Development Council commended the management of BUA Group for the extensive work achieved on its Lafiagi sugar plantation, LASUCO – a backward integration site for BUA Group’s sugar subsidiary, BUA Sugar.

This was revealed when the minister alongside the National Sugar Development Council, paid a monitoring visit to Lafiagi Sugar Company (LASUCO) - a subsidiary of BUA Group on Tuesday. The visit which was organised to ascertain the level of progress at the LASUCO Sugar plantation also included a tour of the sugar plantation and facilities.

The minister, who lauded the investments and extensive progress made on the plantation, commended the management of BUA for its progress towards local production of sugar in the country said: “We are indeed very satisfied with the current pace of work and commitment exhibited by BUA on its sugar plantation.� We hope other sugar companies will emulate the proactive steps employed by BUA to achieving self-sufficiency in sugar production which will eventually translate to positive gains in Nigeria’s efforts in becoming a Sugar producing nation.�

The Executive Secretary of the National Sugar Development, Latif Busari, also commended BUA, which operates the second largest sugar refinery in sub-Saharan Africa, for its steadfast commitment to attaining self-sufficiency in sugar through its investments in the once moribund sugar company. He also encouraged the company not to relent on its efforts but continue to sustain its strategy to moving the country towards self - sufficiency in sugar the shortest time possible.

In his response, the Managing Director, BUA Sugar, Ibrahim Yaro said that BUA’s interest in the local production of raw sugar brought about the acquisition of LASUCO which he said has over 20,000 hectares of arable land, suitable for sugar cane plantation and is strategically located to serve the Northern and Southern markets of the country. According to him, “the 500ha earmarked for our nursery development in 2016 has been developed. Similarly, what is ongoing is the land clearing and development preparation for additional 5000 hectares which would take us through 2018.� He further said, the company in its quest to sustain this laudable project, is not only planning to invest $300 million in the plantation but has acquired over 50 heavy state of art equipment to fast – track the development of the plantation and achieve its aim of producing 1.2 million tons per annum when fully developed. �We are focused, determined and vigorously marching forward to meet our set targets with the Sugar Council. LASUCO is targeting the production of 2million tons of sugar cane annually and this segment alone could produce over 4,000 jobs, while thousands of employment would be generated at plant and at an indirect level. BUA is serious and is ever ready to surprise Nigeria and Nigerians in its current efforts of becoming a mega local sugar producer and first sugar exporter in the country�, he added.

BUA Group according to Yaro, remains committed to partnering with the government in ensuring the success of the backward integration policy of the sugar industry as well as in its drive to resuscitate and develop other areas of the Nigerian agricultural sector.

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

L-R: Head, Marketing Department, NICON Insurance, Emmanuel Adoga; Marketing Consultant, Esther Ifyede; Head, IT Department, Janet Ogundayo and Head, Technical Department, Olubunmi Akinwande, at the end of a two-week training on eInsurance and InsuranceMarket.ng administration, organised by Pinet Informatics in Lagos...recently

Experts Identify as Impetus for Businesses Experts, including the Managing Director, PZ Cussons Family Care, Alex Goma and President of Nigeria Chapter of International Coach Federation, Ajibola Ponnle, have called on public and private sector executives in Nigeria to key into the benefits of coaching in order to optimise the human capital of the country and achieve reasonable development.

They made the call during a conference organised by the ICF chapter in Lagos, in commemoration of the 2017 International Coaches Week.

Goma, who spoke on ‘What Businesses Need From Coaches for Transformation’, stated that if the fundamental role of business remains relatively constant in the area of value creation by providing the goods and services that people need or want, then the biggest impact would lie in driving the right leadership behaviour and linking to performance to create the right performance culture. ‘’Organisations that build a performance culture with the right leadership behaviours and values are more likely to win.

Business transformation and sustainability occurs when a leadership culture exists across any organisation’’, he said.

The ICF president, Ajibola Ponnle, in her keynote address, lamented the rate of misconception about coaching

Coaching CCSNL Rebrands to Outcess, Successful Promises Better Offering

in Nigeria. According to her, coaching helps unlock potentials needed for development, but Nigeria seems not to be moving with the ongoing silent global revolution.

She said: “In our environment, people are still very confused about what coaching is. When you talk about coach, they think of a football or athletics coach. But we tell people that we are life, executive and leadership coach. There’s still a lot of misconception about what it is and what we do. So the aim is to tell people about what coaching is and how it call help their organisation to increase their bottom line and even individuals to perform better and live more satisfied lives in general.�

Speaking on the benefits of coaching, she explained that coaching is a global trend and is being deployed in every sector of the economy around the globe. She stated that if well embraced will help develop sectors of the Nigerian economy. “For Nigeria right now, the focus is on entrepreneurship, agriculture, SMEs. The federal government has identified these sectors as the drivers of the economy. What you find out with a lot of entrepreneurs is that they have the vision and idea; many of them lack the skills and someone that would help channel the skills, and also make them accountable.

Twelve years after commencing operation as Customer Contact Solutions Nigeria Limited (CCSNL), it was a new dawn recently as the management of the company announced ‘Outcess’ as its new name in commemoration of the 12th anniversary.

At an event attended by patrons and stakeholders in the company, to usher in the new identity, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Outcess, Mr. Ikenna Odike, said the decision of the leading integrated customer engagement and business process outsourcing to rebrand and refresh its identity was informed by the need to raise the game and redefine its operation as it prepares to start a new face of service delivery to array of local and international clients.

He also added that more is currently being done in the area of technology, innovation and collaboration to add values to customer’s demand. “This rebranding is more than just a cosmetic make over. It is our new calling card and the tie that binds our community of partners.

It is a guarantee of innovation, fresh thinking, better solutions and exceptional customer experiences. It is our solemn promise to empower people teams and organisations to do more, faster,�

He described the occasion as a defining moment because,

according to him, it gave more impetus to the company’s audacious goal to build a truly enduring and formidable brand.

Looking back at the last 12 years, Odike expressed satisfaction over the ground the integrated customer engagement and business process outsourcing company, has covered.

He said: “We deliver innovative digital solutions that empower and optimise the performance of people, teams and organisations. The CCSNL enters its 12th year in June.

Theres so much to talk about, so much to be thankful for.

Earlier, the chairman of the company, Chief Enyinnaya Onokola, had given the hint that over the last couple of months, the management of the company had instituted a lot of internal capacity building and made significant changes to key aspects of Outcess operations.

He said: “I think we have only started something. Something good I must say. But its ramifications must be expanded and the supporting structures must be reinforced and our competitive edge sharpened.

We want to ensure that this transition will lead to far better service delivery and exceptional customer experiences. Our focus will continue to be on entrenching our leadership, asserting our relevance and building an institution that will better serve all our stakeholders.�

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‘Through Strategic Leadership Change Management could be Successfully Implemented’ TEXEM is a top UK executive education provider that focuses on the enhancement of the skillsets of African executives especially those from Nigeria, recently delivered a two-day executive development programme on Strategic Leadership for Results Driven Change Management at the British Deputy High Commissioner’s residence, Lagos. The founder of TEXEM, Dr. Alim Abubakre, articulated that the organisation’s strategic intent is to give back to the African continent by contributing to the development of skillsets that organisations need to succeed.

Informed by this principle, TEXEM organised this executive development programme which took place on the 24th and 25th of May 2017. The training commenced with welcome remarks

by Director for international Trade at the British Deputy High Commission, John Woodruff and the CEO of TEXEM, Abubakre.

Thereafter, an inspiring session was delivered by Clive Carpenter on decision making, enabling personal and organisational change during crisis and in prosperity. He advised the delegates on how to better relate with their stakeholders in other to bring about change in the environment. He gave numerous examples citing his experience on the continents of Africa and Europe.

Thereafter, Professor Andrew Chambers began his session which was titled ‘Leading and Implementing Organisational Change during Crisis and in Prosperity’. Subsequently, the executives were engaged in a brainstorming session which gave them the opportunity to discuss some of the challenges that their organisations face and explore solutions to this. At 5pm, the first day of the training programme was concluded. Day two started with a session delivered by Clive Carpenter on organising for innovation. Afterwards, Prof Andrew Chambers delivered the session on leading an accountable organisation in a recession and in prosperity.

Clive Carpenter, FCIB, C.Dir., FIoD said : “In a rapidly changing world, businesses and those managing them must continue

to change and evolve if they are to remain fully relevant to the environment they operate in. There is always resistance to change and the TEXEM course was designed to assist senior managers with the change process and to emphasise to them that failure to change and adapt inevitably leads to crisis, obsolescence and eventually extinction.� In his presentations, Abubakre stressed to the delegates that whatever took their respective businesses to where they are today, the same will not be enough in future. Solutions were offered and the whole change process was clearly explained systematically and systemically.

TEXEM specialises in offering bespoke training to senior professionals to enable them to meet the challenges of today’s world. Feedback from TEXEM’s alumni clearly shows that TEXEM’s programmes achieve excellent results and assist organisations to address the diverse challenges which executives face in today’s world. “I have great respect for TEXEM and all it stands for and feel privileged to have been asked to share my experience with participants at the recent programme�. Thereafter, Prof Andrew Chambers delivered a session on leading for the board in a recession and in prosperity.

During this session, Chambers explained to senior executives that constructive dialogue is at the heart of a good relationship between the CEO and the board.

He advised that executives should always anticipate risk to enable them to be proactive and effectively address issues when they occur. His session was interactive and afforded delegates the opportunity to pose questions. Chambers suggested that the whistle blowing policy should be implemented in organisations to enable organisations to continuously improve on its processes. And the right of the whistle blower should be protected. He also said that the reputation of the organisation is also the key and the board should be involved in safeguarding the brand equity.

And the executives should build awareness, identify the principal

Abubakre

risk, draw attention, and develop a plan that would be implemented in times of crisis. He said that leaders should avoid excessive concentration of power but should be effective and not panic in crisis situations as well as keep their staff informed always.

He concluded by saying that the chairman is responsible for the agenda being right for the board. Chambers summarised: “I know from personal experience that TEXEM strives in an uncompromising way to deliver the highest quality programmes suitable for the most senior people and is dedicated to continuous improvement.

TEXEM is skilled at identifying emerging issues that need the attention of top management and directors, and has an excellent network of leading global authorities to work with, in developing and delivering these programs tailored to Nigeria’s needs. I recommend TEXEM to senior executives and directors of companies of other organisations who need to keep abreast with leading edge corporate developments, and indeed to stay ahead of the competition.�

how to turn around business in a recession. It’s been educative, informative and interactive. I recommend this programme to any executive who wants to turn around his business in time of crisis. And anyone who wants to meet people of timber and calibre should participate in TEXEM programmes�. Gbenga Adebayo, CEO Communication Network Support Service Limited. “It has given me a new insight to managing my business. TEXEM really gave me through the experience of the Profs, an insight about what management is all about.

If TEXEM continues this way, I will be attending their future programmes. Because at this level, we need to be mentored and continue to train ourselves said MD, Orbital and Oranges Nigeria Limited, Port Harcourt, Otunba Akinola Adegoke Awomodu.

On his part, the MD, ITB Nigeria Limited Ramzi Chidiac, said: “We are really enjoying the topics being discussed.

The speakers have a broad background and they are experienced. They have been on board of big companies or chairman of big enterprises. We

are learning a lot in terms of leading especially now that the country is going through economic crisis. I want to congratulate TEXEM and I look forward to participating in future seminars in Nigeria.� “I have immensely benefitted from this programme because the topics are very useful to the present situation of the economy.

I have also enjoyed the global world class faculties. It’s an opportunity for networking and sharing local ideas among the delegates. So, in total, it’s been quite an experience and I would like to see this kind of programme continue said Babafemi Olabiyi, Director, Sales, Oando. “This training by TEXEM is a wonderful one. I found the entire exercise very refreshing.

I think Dr Alim Abubakre is a wonderful person who has real vision because the quality of the programme is very high. All the sessions were handled by very qualified and experienced people. I think it’s something I recommend to other management executives to take advantage of�, said the MD, Swampsea Construction Limited, Chiedu Nweke.

software became necessary to help banks fulfil their Know Your Customer, KYC, protocol as directed by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN. He said that having deployed and successfully utilised the software for the past three years, the company has decided to commercialise it

due to the increasing need for CAV vendors in other sectors beyond the financial sector. “This software was designed to address the day-to-day human resource and technical challenges of providing customer address verification services to my clients. I am optimistic

that this solution will greatly enhance the volume, quality and turnaround time of other vendors as well. The software is so robust that it can be used by any company offering address verification services even outside the financial services sector,� Ayisire said.

According to him, “It is my resolve with my Executive Committee to have a legacy of a well-run Club that can survive Age and time and offer to generations to come, a heritage of what we all have enjoyed as a family club. This is why as part of the 50 years celebration of our club; we had the Equestrian Games 2017, to engage the younger generations as well.�

“Our club is the heritage for all children to enjoy and bond with one of nature’s kindest animals, the horse. The Event featured children games, equestrian games, food and a raffle draw, where participants won fantastic prizes. While the children were busy with games, the parents took the opportunity to de-stress from everyday life to ride, take a nature walk, jogging or hit a

Polo ball,� Barberopoulos stated.

Ikeja Saddle Club is the place for Horseback Riding in Lagos and Nigeria. Lessons in dressage, jumping and polo are available on weekends by competent instructors for all ages and riding levels. The club is a home to everyone who has passion and love for the noblest of all animals and enjoys having a good time together with others.

At the end of the training, the delegates paid glowing tributes to TEXEM for organising the successful programme and to the distinguished faculties for their inspiring sessions. This was done by Chair of Association of Telecom Operators of Nigeria and CEO communication network support service limited, Gbenga Adebayo.

Finally, certificates were presented to the participants by the Director of International Trade, John Woodruff., Abubakre, Carpenter and Chambers. This was indeed a great avenue for delegates to steepen their learning curve, network with each other which was expressed by participants in a short interview: “I would like to say thanks and I feel like I’m fortunate enough to attend this programme. This is a networking platform. I got to meet people from different businesses and this is certainly one of the best.

This will inspire us to change the way we take decisions. I am so happy to be part of this programme�. Mohan Pant, GM Protea Hotels Kuramo Waters. “I have enjoyed the training particularly areas talking about

Firm Unveils New Software to Automate Verification Processes Stories by Raheem Akingbolu To improve efficiency and effectiveness, an indigenous technology service provider, Ayisire Consulting Limited, has launched a multi-bank Customer Address Verification

(CAV), solution to help CAV vendors automate and reduce cost associated with customer address verification process.

The software, the first of its kind in Nigeria, was designed to track field agents’ turnaround time, perform quality control checks and monitor the login

attributes of the field agents, all targeted at improving the capacity of the vendor to deliver quality service to its customers at reduced cost.

Speaking at the media launch in Lagos, Managing Director, Ayisere Consulting, Mr. Wilfred Ayisere said the creation of the

Ikeja Saddle Club Celebrates Golden Jubilee As a way of celebrating its achievements and contributions to equestrian sports, Nigeria’s foremost and only equestrian sports club, Ikeja Saddle Club, has celebrated its 50th anniversary on children’s day. The event, which took place at the club’s premises in Isheri, was organised to celebrate Nigerian children and the essence of the club.

Ikeja Saddle Club was

established in 1967, at Oregun Ikeja, as a Horse Riding Club by the then Lagos State Governor, Brigadier General Mobolaji Johnson, as a way of supporting equestrian sports and creating a preserved area of flora and fauna within the state. Since then, successive Lagos State Governors have been the Club’s Patron, while His Majesty, the Ooni of Ife has been the Grand Patron

of the Club.

Speaking, the President of the Club, Vassily Oye Barberopoulos, noted that the club continues to promote equestrian sport and recreational activities not only to its members but to the Nigerian community and youth at large and it is in the spirit of this they are welcoming member of the public to the golden jubilee celebration of the club.

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BUSINESSWORLD

DEVELOPMENT

Byanyima: Govts Must Not Ignore those Living Outside IDP Camps Oxfam International has been playing an active role in addressing crisis faced by the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the North-east region of Nigeria through provision of clean water, provision of access to food by distribution of cash to people to buy in the local markets e.t.c. The International Executive Director, Winnie Byanyima, speaks with Ugo Aliogo, about the organisation’s efforts in the region, among other issues

W

Despite its status as the economic giant of Africa – the reality in Nigeria does not live up to this. Over half the population of the country lives in poverty; a quarter of the people living in extreme poverty in Africa live in Nigeria.

The rhetoric of Nigeria as one of Africa’s largest economies has clouded perceptions about it and disguised significant levels of inequality in the country.

We are now seeing a huge humanitarian crisis in the north eastern part of Nigeria. We need massive funding to overcome this. The United Nation (UN) has called for $1 billion in 2017 to meet the emergency needs caused by the crisis. We cannot stand by and watch thousands of people suffer and die when we can do something about it.

hy are we scaling up now, why has it taken so long, and what have been the main challenges?

Oxfam has been responding to the crisis in northeast Nigeria since May 2014. As the Nigerian army has recaptured areas held by Boko Haram, access has increased to areas that were previously cut off and the scale of the crisis is becoming more apparent. But the situation remains fragile.

The Nigerian government and neighbouring countries have acknowledged the huge numbers of people affected but authorities are struggling to handle the situation on their own.

Why is Oxfam working with communities outside the official camps?

To date, much of the humanitarian response by aid agencies has focused on official camps run by the government in Nigeria. But, in all countries – Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon – the vast majority of those forced to flee are already sheltering in poor communities. As well as working in the camps, Oxfam is working in these communities, providing people with desperately needed food as well as clean drinking water and sanitation to prevent the spread of disease, and we will scale up our response as more communities become accessible.

Oxfam is calling for the three governments and international donors to make sure that people living outside official camps and the communities in which they are living are not forgotten. They should provide adequate funds to support their needs.

Concerns have been raised about people returning prematurely to areas that are not yet safe. What is Oxfam’s opinion on this?

People wishing to return home voluntarily should be supported by the government and humanitarian agencies to do so. But all efforts should be made to ensure that these are voluntary – ensuring that people can make well-informed decisions based on the latest, accurate information on conditions in their home areas. Oxfam is concerned that many people are not actually returning home, but are being displaced elsewhere. Some are going back to areas where many are finding that there is no food or services and to places which have witnessed widespread destruction and have to either stay in new camps near their original home areas or are returning to the camps in Maiduguri and elsewhere.

Some agencies are describing the situation in Borno as a famine. What is Oxfam’s opinion on this?

However you define it, the situation is critical and thousands of lives are at risk if help is not provided quickly. According to the latest figures, the total number of people in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states (the three most affected by conflict) in IPC phases 3-5 now stands at 4.7 million people with around 44,000 in IPC phase 5 (famine) mostly in Borno state. Without further interventions, these figures are expected to rise between June and August 2017 to 5.2 million people in phases 3-5, with around 50,000 people in famine.

Across the Lake Chad basin countries of Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon over 7 million people cannot find enough food to eat; 4.7 million of these people are in Nigeria. There are families that only eat once every couple of days, and many people are going out begging for money to buy a small amount of food. We think that if the situation continues to deteriorate we will see more places where people have absolutely nothing to eat.

What is Oxfam’s view of the role of the

Byanyima Nigerian government concerning the crisis?

The government and the army were amongst the first to respond to this crisis – but the government was slow in acknowledging the scale and, along with other governments in the region, downplayed it. There are 2.6 million people forced to flee their homes, unable to grow or buy food millions and facing hunger and malnutrition. This is a complete catastrophe.

On June, 27, 2016 the Nigerian government belatedly announced that there was a food crisis in Borno state – the worst affected region. This was an acknowledgement of the seriousness of the situation and that the Nigerian government alone cannot handle the situation, and will enable more money to be raised to address the crisis.

The military also have a role to play in this – and they should ensure that their military strategy designed to counter Boko Haram does not come at the expense of increasing suffering.

But Oxfam and other agencies need access so they can reach the most vulnerable people. The security situation remains fragile and violence is a huge barrier in getting help to the people who need it most.

Nigeria is a wealthy country with large oil reserves. Why should people give their aid to a country where the elite neglect others and skim off for their own profit?

People living in the North-east region have not generally benefitted from Nigeria’s growth or the wealth from the countries oil reserves.

Before the conflict, it was one of the poorest zones in the country and has suffered from poor governance, widespread corruption and a lack of investment or development. Research

by Mercy Corps showed that high levels of poverty and poor governance led to some initial community acceptance of Boko Haram because of hopes that it would bring a change in government.

Have militaries in the region committed violations of international humanitarian and human rights law?

There have been alarming levels of human rights abuses in this conflict. Reports of widespread sexual violence by all parties to the conflict, the forced recruitment by Boko Haram, including of young children, some of whom are used to carry out suicide attacks, are seriously worrying.

In Nigeria, thousands of men and boys in the northeast have been detained in inhumane conditions for suspected membership or supporting Boko Haram. According to Amnesty International, at least 7,000 people have allegedly died in military custody.

The local vigilante groups which help Nigerian security forces are also implicated in the recruitment of child soldiers and sexual violence.

Survival sex has been reported by women and girls in nearly all camps. Some of these have been linked to government authorities, including policemen and soldiers.

The government has said that they will stop any abuses by soldiers and policemen. They have sent an investigation team and have deployed female police officers. It is unclear whether allegations have been investigated or anyone held to account.

All governments need to provide greater protection for civilians in order to prevent abuse and exploitation, and they need to look at how their own actions have exacerbated the scale of the crisis. People have been cut off from their ways of making a living and markets have been closed down, making it even harder for people to get by.

RANDOM THOTS Damning Evidence The statistics are appalling: Nigeria has the highest number of uncomÚÖĂ?ĂžĂ?ĂŽ ĂšĂœĂ™Ă”Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ? Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? ĂĄĂ™ĂœĂ–ĂŽËœ Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă™ĂœĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÙ ĂœĂ™Ă?Ë› ĂžĂ?Ă? Ă‹Ă‘Ă‹ĂŁËœ Ă‹ ĂœĂ?Ă˜Ă™ĂĄĂ˜Ă?ĂŽ Ă–Ă‹ĂĄĂŁĂ?Ăœ and head of the federal government’s Ă‹Ă˜ĂžĂ“Ě‹Ă?Ă™ĂœĂœĂ&#x;ĂšĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă?ĘĽĂ™ĂœĂžĂ?Ë› Ă–Ă?Ă™Ëœ Ă“Ăž Ă“Ă? Ă?Ă‹Ă“ĂŽ that around $60 to $80 billion is lost to ďŹ nancial ows annually in the country.

More worrisome is that corruption is ďŹ ghting back through judicial loopholes and eloquent defences. Ă?Ă?Ă™ĂœĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÙ Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă“ĂŽĂ?Ă˜Ăž Ă?Ă—Ă“ Ă?Ă“Ă˜ĂŒĂ‹Ă”Ă™ Ă‹Ăž Ă‹ ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ&#x;Ă—Ëœ ÞÒĂ? Ă“Ă–Ă–Ă“Ă?Ă“Ăž ow of the country’s commonwealth involves those moving the money outside ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂžĂœĂŁËœ ÞÒĂ? ĂŽĂ?Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂžĂœĂ“Ă?Ă?Ëœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă—Ă™ĂœĂ? Ă“Ă—ĂšĂ™ĂœĂžĂ‹Ă˜ĂžĂ–ĂŁËœ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă“Ă–Ă“ĂžĂ‹ĂžĂ™ĂœĂ?

Ă™Ă? Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?Ă’ Ă“Ă–Ă–Ă“Ă?Ă“Ăž ĂžĂœĂ‹Ă˜Ă?Ă‹Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ëœ ĂĄĂ’Ă“Ă?Ă’ Ă‹ĂœĂ? ÞÒĂ? Ę¨Ă˜Ă‹Ă˜Ă?Ă“Ă‹Ă– Ă“Ă˜Ă?ÞÓÞĂ&#x;ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ë› Ă? Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă?ĂœĂžĂ?ĂŽ that such ows are denying millions of Nigerians access to better livelihoods and that the practices must be checked from source and ďŹ nal destinations.

Osinbajo recently announced the federal government’s plans to designate some speciďŹ c courts to handle corruption cases as part of judicial reforms to spur the anti-graft war. “We believe that the looting of public resources that took place in the past few years has to be accounted for. Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂŽĂ? Ă‹ĂšĂšĂœĂ™ĂšĂœĂ“Ă‹ĂžĂ?ĂŽ ÞÙ ĂŒĂ&#x;Ă“Ă–ĂŽ ĂœĂ™Ă‹ĂŽĂ?Ëœ ĂœĂ‹Ă“Ă–ĂĄĂ‹ĂŁ Ă–Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ëœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÚÙåĂ?Ăœ ĂšĂ–Ă‹Ă˜ĂžĂ?Ëœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÙ Ă?Ă›Ă&#x;Ă“Ăš ÞÒĂ? Ă—Ă“Ă–Ă“ĂžĂ‹ĂœĂŁËœ ÞÒËÞ Ă’Ă‹ĂŽ ĂŒĂ?Ă?Ă˜ Ă?ÞÙÖĂ?Ă˜

Ă™Ăœ ĂŽĂ“Ă Ă?ĂœĂžĂ?ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ™ ĂšĂœĂ“Ă Ă‹ĂžĂ? ÚÙĂ?Ă•Ă?ĂžĂ?Ëœ Ă—Ă&#x;Ă?Ăž be retrieved and the culprits brought to justice. We will not relent in our eorts to apprehend and bring corruption suspects to justice.â€? Ă?Ă™Ă—ĂŒĂ“Ă˜Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă?ĂšĂ?Ă?Ă“Ă‹Ă– Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂžĂ? and the implementation of the Mutual Ă?Ă‘Ă‹Ă– Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă?ĂžĂ‹Ă˜Ă?Ă? Ă“Ă–Ă– ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ–ĂŁ ÚËĂ?Ă?Ă?ĂŽ ĂŒĂŁ ÞÒĂ? Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă‹Ă– Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă—ĂŒĂ–ĂŁ ĂĄĂ“Ă–Ă– Ă‘Ă™ Ă‹ Ă–Ă™Ă˜Ă‘ ĂĄĂ‹ĂŁ ÞÙ Ă?Ă’Ă?Ă?Ă• Ă?Ă™ĂœĂœĂ&#x;ĂšĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă“Ă˜ Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹Ëœ Ă“Ă? ÞÒĂ? political will to ďŹ ght corruption is there.

The evidence of looting is overwhelmĂ“Ă˜Ă‘Ëœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? ÙʊĂ?Ă“Ă‹Ă– ĂœĂ?Ă?ĂšĂ™Ă˜Ă?Ă? Ă—Ă&#x;Ă?Ăž Ă‹Ă–Ă?Ă™ Ă—Ă‹ĂžĂ?Ă’ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă?Ă‹Ă–Ă? Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ?Ę°Ë› Ă˜ĂŁĂžĂ’Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă–Ă?Ă?Ă? and corruption wins...God forbid!

-Abimbola Akosile

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Ëš

Faces of hunger and malnutrition in Nigeria

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?

Abimbola Akosile * No, hunger eradication in third world countries including Nigeria is a mirage because leaders and elites are too selfish and corrupt. We must revolutionise agriculture to stop importing foods.

We have the land, population, zeal, resources e.t.c. to achieve this feat, but lack the political will and honesty. Now is the right time to act.

- Miss Apeji Patience Eneyeme, Lagos * Eradication of hunger is possible, if more people go into farming. Now that farmers are making good money for their yield, as more farmers are drawn out of poverty, the average Nigerian will be speedily attracted to join the profession. If mechanised agriculture is more vigorously pursued, then we would be on our way to food sufficiency. On the other hand, without critical infrastructure in place to create the enabling environment for business to thrive, we cannot create the jobs that can end hunger.

- Mr. Buga Dunj Jos, Plateau State * What we see today, we can talk. It’s God’s fulfillment that we see. Don’t blame anybody.

- Mr. Endurance Williams, MD, Double Catering Service, Port Harcourt, Rivers State * Hunger is strange to Nigeria as we all know.

What brought the situation we found ourselves today are our thieving politicians. Nigerians have been deceived that you don’t need to labour before you can eat and some farmers have sold their land at give-away prices. Well, with God, all things are possible and we can only keep praying and try by all means to dodge idleness.

- Hon. Babale Maiungwa, U/Romi, Kaduna * No, it cannot be eradicated in Nigeria. Not right now. Apart from our low level of technology and its application this generation has very negative mindset. We must make and consume sufficient made in Nigeria foods, agro services e.t.c and check glut, sharp practices and smuggling. We have abundant natural and human resources to accomplish this vital SDG goal. No other time than now to act.

- Mr. Apeji Onesi. Lagos * Acting President Yemi Osinbajo paid a surprise visit to an Abuja market recently on his way to

THE FEEDBACK Yes, it can be eradicated:

7

No, it cannot be eradicated:

3

Others:

5

Radical tip:

Agric revolution!

Total no of respondents:

15

Male:

12

Female:

3

Highest location:

Lagos & Abuja (4 each)

Italy for the G7 summit - just to avoid swallowing fabricated stories from aides. I believe the solution to hunger in Nigeria is here in Nigeria - we should beam the searchlight internally and produce results.

- Mr. E. Iheanyi Chukwudi, B.A.R., Apo, Abuja * Hunger can be eradicated if our leaders will have fear of God in their dealings over stealing our commonwealth meant for citizenry wellbeing.

With our abundant resources we don’t need to lack food on our tables if not for bad leaders.

Until we stop bad people in governance hunger will continue lingering in our land. The solution to hunger is diversification to agriculture.

- Mr. Gordon C Nnorom, Public Commentator, Umukabia, Abia State * Yes, by a clearly defined road map that will engage the small farm holders in all ramifications (100% input support regime supported by clear cut legislation that will compel states to incentivise a private sector-led food production programme where government will truly walk the talk about eradicating hunger. We can harness this potential by developing an irrigation infrastructure for all season farming, where we can soon produce enough for local consumption and export.

- Mr. Ikpa Matthew, Asokoro Abuja * Yes, we can because we have the resources and capacity to terminate hunger, if we commit to it. We need a deliberate commitment to agricbusiness across all value chains and bridging the wide inequality gap in Nigeria through effective

hands-on synergy between leadership and its citizens at all levels of governance.

- Ms. Nkeiruka Abanna, Lagos State * Yes, we can eradicate hunger because our land can produce enough for all of us. Even the little we are producing with one-third of our land mass now is sufficient to eradicate hunger if we have the required infrastructure to distribute them widely. Can you imagine the number of food commodities trapped in the interiors of Nigeria because of cost of transportation?

That is why we need the railway system and cheaper transportation system to move them out to the urban areas.

- Prof. Kate Nwufo, mni, Abuja * The Federal Government and the States should assist farmers with soft loans in buying fertilisers at lower rate. Let government at all levels rebuild infrastructure i.e. roads leading from the hinterland to the cities where the farm products can be processed, and no doubt remarkable growth will be achieved.

- Mr. Yusuf M.B.O, Nda Aliu Kwara State * Hunger cannot be eradicated anywhere on earth.

Even the wealthiest North American, Asian and European nations have not eradicated hunger.

Nigeria has consistently lacked disciplined, people-centric leadership and therefore the thought of eradicating hunger is a huge joke.

Any political leader in Nigeria who promises to eradicate hunger is selling a dummy to the citizenry because our nation thus far lacks the type of leadership that can reduce hunger sufficiently not to talk of eradicating it.

- Mr. Utibe Uko, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State * It can be eradicated if the authorities are sincere by releasing fertiliser, loans and insecticides timely to farmers, and to stop playing politics over the issue.

- Mr. Dogo Stephen, Kaduna * The question is more rhetorical than realistic.

Hunger has always existed in the human race and it will continue to exist - notwithstanding advances in technology and living standards.

What is, however, achievable and worth pursuing is its minimisation through credible sustainable programmes targeted at the rural

poor and extremely vulnerable. Brazil, under former President Lula demonstrated that, with genuine political commitment and will, it is possible. That is what has been missing thus far in Nigeria.

- Mr. Abubakar Sani, Legal Practitioner, Wuse 2, Abuja * Yes, hunger can be eradicated in Nigeria in the long run, but the immediate focus should be on mitigation efforts. Millions of Nigerians go hungry to bed daily and the government and all stakeholders need to do something urgent, by making local food production a priority, providing incentives and inputs to farmers, ensuring good access to market for farmers, adequate storage for bumper harvests and price control for agricultural products.

- Mr. Olumuyiwa Olorunsomo, Lagos State

Next Week: Can Special Courts Help Check Corruption? Ă’Ă? Ă?ĂŽĂ?ĂœĂ‹Ă– Ùà Ă?ĂœĂ˜Ă—Ă?Ă˜ĂžËœ Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹ ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă˜Ăž ĂŒĂœĂ™Ă‹ĂŽĂ?Ă‹Ă?Ăž ĂŒĂŁ ÞÒĂ? Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă“ĂŽĂ?Ă˜ĂžËœ Ă‹Ă˜Ă˜Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă?Ă?ĂŽ ĂšĂ–Ă‹Ă˜Ă? ÞÙ ĂŽĂ?Ă?Ă“Ă‘Ă˜Ă‹ĂžĂ? Ă?Ù×Ă? Ă?ĂšĂ?Ă?Ă“Ă?Ă“Ă? Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂžĂ? ÞÙ Ă’Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽĂ–Ă? Ă?Ă™ĂœĂœĂ&#x;ĂšĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ă? ĂšĂ‹ĂœĂž Ă™Ă? Ă”Ă&#x;ĂŽĂ“Ă?Ă“Ă‹Ă– ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ—Ă? ÞÙ Ă?Ă’Ă?Ă?Ă• ĂšĂ&#x;ĂŒĂ–Ă“Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂšĂœĂ“Ă Ă‹ĂžĂ? Ă?Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ™Ăœ Ă?Ă™ĂœĂœĂ&#x;ĂšĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă“Ă˜ Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹Ë› Ă“Ă Ă?Ă˜ ÚËĂ?Ăž ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă™ĂœĂŽĂ? ĂĄĂ’Ă?ĂœĂ? Ă™Ă˜Ă–ĂŁ Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă?â̋ Ùà Ă?ĂœĂ˜Ă™Ăœ Ă’Ă‹Ă? ĂŒĂ?Ă?Ă˜ ĂžĂœĂ“Ă?ĂŽ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă Ă“Ă?ĂžĂ?ĂŽ Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă?Ă™ĂœĂœĂ&#x;ĂšĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă‹Ă—Ă™Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?Ă?Ă Ă?ĂœĂ‹Ă– ÙÞÒĂ?Ăœ Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă?Ëœ ĂŽĂ™ ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x; ĂžĂ’Ă“Ă˜Ă• ÞÒĂ?Ă?Ă? Ă˜Ă?ĂĄ Ă?ĂšĂ?Ă?Ă“Ă‹Ă– Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂžĂ? Ă?Ă‹Ă˜ Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă&#x;ĂœĂ? Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?ÞÓà Ă? ĂšĂœĂ™Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă&#x;ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂŽĂ?ĂžĂ?ĂœĂœĂ?Ă˜Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ă‘Ă‹Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ăž Ă–Ă™Ă™ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă™ĂœĂœĂ&#x;ĂšĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă“Ă˜ Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹ËŁ Ă–Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă? Ă—Ă‹Ă•Ă? ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x;Ăœ ĂœĂ?Ă?ĂšĂ™Ă˜Ă?Ă? ĂŽĂ“ĂœĂ?Ă?ĂžËœ Ă?Ă’Ă™ĂœĂž Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ó×ÚÖĂ?Ëœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?ÞËÞĂ? ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x;Ăœ Ă?Ă&#x;Ă–Ă– Ă˜Ă‹Ă—Ă?Ëœ ÞÓÞÖĂ?Ëœ Ă™ĂœĂ‘Ă‹Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ëœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă–Ă™Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ë› Ă?Ă?ĂšĂ™Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă’Ă™Ă&#x;Ă–ĂŽ ĂŒĂ? Ă?Ă?Ă˜Ăž ĂŒĂ?ÞåĂ?Ă?Ă˜ ÞÙÎËã Ě™ Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă? Íś Ęś Ă™Ă˜ĂŽĂ‹ĂŁËœ Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă? ÍŻÍ°Ěš ÞÙ Ă‹bimbolayi@yahoo.com, greatbimbo@gmail.comËœ abimbola. akosile@thisdaylive.comË› Ă?Ă?ĂšĂ™Ă˜ĂŽĂ?Ă˜ĂžĂ? Ă?Ă‹Ă˜ Ă‹Ă–Ă?Ă™ Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂŽ Ă‹ Ă?Ă’Ă™ĂœĂž ĂžĂ?âÞ Ă—Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă‹Ă‘Ă? ÞÙ 08023117639 Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽËšĂ™Ăœ 08188361766 Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽËš Ă™Ăœ 08114495306Ë› ÙÖÖËÞĂ?ĂŽ ĂœĂ?Ă?ĂšĂ™Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ă? ĂĄĂ“Ă–Ă– ĂŒĂ? ĂšĂ&#x;ĂŒĂ–Ă“Ă?Ă’Ă?ĂŽ Ă™Ă˜ Ă’Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?ĂŽĂ‹ĂŁËœ Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă? ÍŻÍł

34

T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ ÍśËœ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍľ

BUSINESSWORLD

DEVELOPMENT

Lingering bridge project at Alagbole-Ojodu, Ogun State; a white elephant project?

ABIMBOLA AKOSILE

‘Corruption Constitutes Great Obstacle to Good Governance in Nigeria’ CISLAC inaugurates local TI advisory group Abimbola Akosile Corruption has been described as one of the greatest obstacles in fulfilling a state’s obligation to protect and promote human rights and good governance in Nigeria.

Also, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the media were enjoined to demand accountability from public officials, on the need to know how the nation’s resources are being allocated or spent; because it is their right to ask and it is the responsibility of the public officials to answer.

These statements and calls were made at the one-day orientation programme and inauguration of the Transparency International Local Advisory Group, which was organised by the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) in Abuja recently.

Making the calls in his welcome address at the event, the Executive Director of CISLAC, Mr. Auwal Musa a.k.a Rafsanjani commended all participants for their commitments to see that everyone especially the key stakeholders

in the fight against corruption are given the opportunity to actively participate in the development of this country.

CISLAC, as National Contact of Transparency International, has been mandated by the TI- International Secretariat (TI-S), Berlin, to facilitate the formation of a full-fledged TI National Chapter in Nigeria.

The formation of a Local Advisory Group occupied by credible organisations involved in anti-corruption efforts is the first major step toward realising this objective, Rafsanjani noted.

According to him, “This is being pursued within the framework of the new project ‘Tackling Inequalities in Nigeria through Transparent, Accountable and Participatory Governance’, which is being implemented in collaboration with TI- S in Berlin, with support from the Ford Foundation under their governance project.

The project will support the contribution of various state and non-state actors’ efforts in enhancing transparency, accountability and participatory governance in combating corruption.

“The journey to where we are today started around 2009 when CISLAC first applied to Transparency International for process of accreditation as a national chapter in Nigeria. As an organisation working tirelessly for greater accountability and transparency in governance in Nigeria, CISLAC has been working concertedly with other CSOs,� the civil society activist noted.

To him, “Aside the socioeconomic damage corruption wrecks on a nation like Nigeria, the moral damage of corruption is perhaps more serious. Bribery and other forms of corruption, involve a breach of trust or a violation of a relationship.

The damage to confidence, reputation and image inflicted on a corporation or on public sector administration is debilitating, while the loss of faith in the integrity of decision makers can even destroy the social fabric of a nation. “While seemingly compassionate on the surface, corruption breeds distrust and may contribute to more violent crimes as the social injustices accumulate and become more obvious.

Corruption also constitutes one of the greatest obstacles in fulfilling a state’s obligation to protect and promote human rights and good governance in Nigeria. “Therefore, the purpose of this inauguration and orientation programme is to provide forum for Civil Society to offer strategic, and substantive guidance on the project implementation; as well to strengthen the project understanding of the role CSOs play in fighting corruption and how this role could be reinforced in collaboration with other relevant government agencies saddled with anti-corruption efforts coordination. “It is also to strengthen the presence of TI and the anti-corruption movement at large in the country through enhanced accountability, transparency and public engagement and monitor the overall progress and implementation of project activities and providing guidance for the different outputs. “While the main objective of the project, is to strengthen the presence of TI and the anti-corruption movement at

large in the country through enhanced accountability, transparency and public engagement. Underlying the aforementioned objective is the realisation that, with coordination and support, a vibrant civil society in Nigeria in partnership with relevant government agencies saddled with coordination of anti-corruption efforts in the country will play crucial roles. “Therefore, CSOs and the media need to demand accountability from our public officials.

We need to know how our resources are being allocated or spent; it is our right to ask and it is their responsibility to answer. We need to use the available opportunities such as passed fiscal laws especially Freedom of Information Act 2011 and Public Procurement Acts 2007 to demand for accountability on procurement and award of contracts; revenue allocation; disbursement of ecological fund; constituency allowances; infrastructural development; housing; agriculture; the Code of Conduct Bureau etc.�

Rafsanjani noted that efforts have been put in place by the current leadership and political will to create the enabling environment to address the problem of corruption and poor governance. “The challenge of tackling corruption in Nigeria has been a ‘leadership’ test for successive regimes. Therefore, to deal with corruption, a holistic approach where the people, the public and private sectors are involved must be taken into consideration. Stronger roles ought to be played by the private sector in the whole process of anti-corruption. “Perhaps the biggest question would be to ask if it would be easier to demand compliance if there are adequate legal frameworks spelling out offences and sanctions with regards to corruption in the private sector.

Also, we should ask what role incentives can play in reducing private sector involvement in corruption. Globally, research has shown that there are certain sanctions and incentives that will get businesses involved in the fight against corruption�, he added.

Gombe Launches Campaign to End Violence against Children Segun Awofadeji in Gombe Gombe State Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo is expected to lead a campaign launch that is aimed at ending violence against children in the entire state.

THISDAY checks revealed

that the campaign was in response to the directive issued by President Muhammadu Buhari on September 15, 2015 for all states in the country to follow a similar campaign which took place at the national level The Gombe State campaign

which was officially billed for June 7 is expected to initiate government policies and programmes that would protect children in Gombe State from all forms of violence.

A survey conducted by the National Population Commission (NPC), with support from

the United Nations’ Children Fund (UNICEF) and the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in 2014 showed that millions of children suffered from various forms of violence in Nigeria.

According to the NPC survey, six out of every ten children

in Nigeria experience physical, emotional or sexual violence before attaining the age of eighteen.

The survey also revealed that one out of two children experience physical violence while one out four girls and one out of ten boys experience

sexual violence. It added that one out of six girls and one out of five boys also experience emotional violence.

The exercise was said to be funded by the European Union (EU) to create awareness on the dangers of violence against children in the society.

35

T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ ÍśËœ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍľ

BUSINESSWORLD

DEVELOPMENT QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“The Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB) creates an entirely new regulatory and institutional regime for the oil and gas industry. The bill targets high levels of efficiency and independency that is at par with international best practices. With this bill, our revenues leakages will be a thing of the past and the confidence of investors in the industry will be further enhanced�

- - SENATE PRESIDENT, DR. BUKOLA SARAKI, SPEAKING IN ABUJA SMEDAN, GEMS3 Partner to Ease MSMEs Devt Carol Oku

WED: United Nations Highlights Benefits of Nature, Sustainability Â’Â•ČąÂŒÂ˜Â–Â–ÂžÂ—Â’Â?¢ȹÂ?ÂŽÂŒÂ›Â’ÂŽÂœČąÂŽÂ›Â˜ÂœÂ’Â˜Â—ČąÂŽÄ›ÂŽÂŒÂ?Čą Abimbola Akosile in Lagos and Sylvester Idowu in Warri With the theme of this year’s World Environment Day - ‘Connecting People to Nature’ - aimed at highlighting the well-documented physical and mental health benefits of being in nature, the United Nations has flagged the vast benefits of such engagement, from food security and improved health to reliable water supply and climatic stability.

In a video message on the Day, commemorated annually on 5 June, the Secretary-General AntĂłnio Guterres, said, “This is our environment. It is the keystone of a sustainable future.

Without a healthy environment we cannot end poverty or build prosperity.�

Pointing to land, water oceans, forests, and “the air that we breathe,� the UN chief reaffirmed that everyone has a role to play “in protecting our only home,� including using less plastics, driving less, wasting less food and “teaching each other to care.� “On World Environment Day – and every day – let us reconnect with nature. Let us cherish the planet that protects us,� he concluded.

The World Environment Day is the largest global day for positive environmental action.

This year, the main celebrations were hosted

by Canada. The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) said thousands of people across six continents joined massive clean-ups of beaches and parks. The Day’s theme encourages people to simply ‘get back outdoors’.

The 2017 edition of the Day coincided with the opening at UN Headquarters in New York of The Ocean Conference, the first-ever high-level global meeting on conservation and sustainable use of the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.

The 2030 Agenda resolves “to ensure the lasting protection of the planet and its natural resources,� in particular, the Agenda’s associated

Flooding in Lagos, fallout of climate change Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 14 and 15 focus on respectively conserving and sustainably using the oceans, seas and marine resources and on protecting, restoring and promoting sustainable use of land ecosystems.

Billions of rural people around the world spend every working day ‘connected to nature’ and appreciate their dependence on natural water supplies and how nature support their livelihoods in the form of fertile soil. They are among the first to suffer when ecosystems are threatened, whether by pollution, climate change or over-exploitation.

Meanwhile, oil-rich Kokodiagbene in Gbaramatu kingdom in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State has raised the alarm that erosion is sacking their community.

Consequently, the inhabitants expressed fear that the community might soon be washed off and that there won’t be anywhere known as Kokodiagbene on the map of Warri South West Local government and Delta State as a whole.

Chairman of Kokodiagbene, Sheriff Mulade raised the alarm at a sensitisation programme to commemorate the World Environment Day put together by a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ). He enjoined the Federal, Delta State Governments, and intervention agencies to come to the aid of the community and save the people of the area from being sacked by erosion.

Mulade recalled that Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), aware of the threat of the erosion to the community, awarded a contract for the reclamation of the community in 2002 but it was abandoned since then. “This great oil and gas producing community is being washed off. Where we are to save the community from extinction was awarded by NDDC in 2002 but was abandoned. It was re-awarded and abandoned again thereby leaving the people and community at risk of extinction.

The Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) in conjunction with the DfID-UK funded Growth and Employment in States (GEMS3) programme have developed a national framework for the accreditation of Business Development Service (BDS) providers in Nigeria, as well as a Credit Information Portal for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME).

A statement signed by Head, Corporate Affairs Unit, SMEDAN, Ibrahim Mohammed, noted that the accreditation framework “is aimed at promoting the development of capacity, recognition and regulating the practice of Business Development Services in Nigeria.

It added that among other things, it would also lead to the establishment of a register of BDSPs which will include confirmed locations, websites and specialisations of the people behind each firm. It said this data would be available to banks, development finance institutions, microfinance institutions and MSMEs in general.

MSME sector is one of the most important sectors of the Nigerian economy. MSMEs currently represent 96 per cent of the businesses in Nigeria and account for 75 per cent of national employment. Of the 37.06 million MSMEs in Nigeria, over 36.99 million are micro-enterprises according to NBS/SMEDAN Report 2014.

Growth in this sector is directly connected to growth in the economy as a whole and in the level of employment throughout Nigeria.

The statement however noted that this growth was not being realised and that research had revealed that there were major barriers responsible for this. The barrier, it noted, include very low access to affordable finance, poor access to business development service providers (BDSPs), lack of business experience, inadequate infrastructure and a corresponding high cost of doing business It said the Credit Information Portal is a web-based platform that hopes to bridge the information barriers faced by MSMEs in accessing finance and creating new channels of engagement for micro-finance and commercial banks by providing a streamlined and simplified source of loan information for MSMEs and assisting the process of securing credit for personal and business needs.

At the launch of the accreditation framework and re-launch of the Credit Information Portal recently in Lagos, the statement said, it was revealed that many MSME operators have had negative experiences when they procured the services of BDSPs resulting in lack of credibility in such services. “Although, there were several constructive activities being carried out to improve the market for such professional services, there is no uniformity or standardisation of service provision mainly due to the lack of a robust framework to regulate and standardise the activities of the BDSPs in Nigeria. “The launch event also featured a demonstration of the Credit Information Portal and an overview of the process of gaining access credit.�

At the occasion, the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Hajia Aisha Abubakar, promised the Federal government’s full support and commitment to the programme.

She further commended the initiators of the programme because of its impact to accelerate MSME’s access to finance and business development information which will lead to the provision of sustainable services and growth.

36

T H I S D AY THURSDAY, JUNE 8, 2017

HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

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

When The Body Revolts Solomon Elusoji tells the story of an autoimmune disease, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, considered rare in the country, but happens to be a quiet force of evil, turning friends to enemies

I

n 2008, Edosio Oghale was gripped by fever. At the hospital, doctors diagnosed her with malaria and promptly placed her on medication to that effect. But, weeks flitted by and the fever persisted, kept recurring, looming over her like an interminable loop. Later, the doctors added typhoid to her diagnosis, but she did not get better. One doctor told her she was probably suffering from a fungal infection and gave her a different set of drugs. But, all of a sudden, she developed rashes all over her body, from head to toe, with particular concentration on her joints.

“It was horrible, ”Oghale said, eight years after this terrible ordeal. “I was in my room all through. My parents were scared, I was scared. We called people, some said it was spiritual, some said it was HIV, some said it was all sorts. I was just on my bed all through; if I tried to stand or move, there would be a tear, my joints were really aching and my fingers were swollen like sausages; I couldn’t do anything but talk.”

The major point of pain was that no one had an accurate diagnosis of what was wrong, not even the doctors. She spent a great number of time and resources traversing different hospitals and specialists, but none could provide a specific answer. “When the doctors see me, the first thing they say is ‘go and do HIV test, this is HIV. It was so embarrassing.”

After about a year of groping in the dark for answers, she met a doctor who said she thought her ailment was caused by an autoimmune disease. “I can’t even remember the name of the doctor or which hospital he was with, because I had gone to many,” Oghale said.

She was given a referral letter to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), to see a dermatologist, since all the symptoms were manifested on her skin. “When people saw me, accompanied by my dad, people were just shifting away. I didn’t have any hair and my body was all soiled.”

She met Dr. Ayesha Akinkungbe, a consultant dermatologist, who also lectures at the University of Lagos’ College of Medicine. Promptly, Akinkungbe confirmed it was an autoimmune disease, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, to be precise. To be sure, Oghale was asked to run a series of tests. “The only place I could run those tests was in PathCare Laboratories.

And they even had to send my samples to South Africa. I had to wait for seven days.”

When the tests came, Akinkungbe’s observation was confirmed and Oghale was put on treatment for Lupus. “I had to come for check-up every week, because they didn’t want the drugs to affect my organs and check for side-effects. Sometimes they had to change the drugs. I was getting better, but it was a slow process.”

Today, Oghale is back on her feet. The spots on her skin, while still visible to the keen eyes, have largely disappeared. She wears a confident aura and her smile glows. But she’s still on medication and her regular checkups have not ended. She told this reporter her story in a roomy space inside a LUTH annex at Yaba, Lagos.

Understanding systemic lupus erythematosus Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), Lupus for short, is an autoimmune disease where the immune system, which is normally expected to fight off dangerous infections and bacteria to keep the body healthy, goes rogue and does the opposite. The term Lupus has been used to identify a number of immune diseases that have similar clinical presentations and laboratory features, but SLE is the most common type of Lupus.

Lupus affects women more than men. It manifests more too in women who have started seeing their menstrual periods and are in that fertility phase between childhood and menopause. In fact, patients may experience

Symptoms of systemic lupus erythematosus

more severe symptoms during pregnancy and while observing their menstrual period, an observation which has led some medical professionals to believe that the female hormone, oestrogen, may play a role in triggering the disease. However, more research is needed to prove this theory.

Some people are born with a tendency toward developing Lupus, which may be triggered by infections, certain drugs or even sunlight. While there’s no cure for Lupus, treatments can help control symptoms.

The biggest challenge in dealing with Lupus, especially in Nigeria, is diagnosing the disease.

Because its symptoms come in innocent variants like fever, skin rashes, severe headache, joint pains, most patients, like Oghale, spend a long time ‘mis-treating’ themselves. When symptoms escalate (at this stage, sometimes, a butterfly-shaped rash appears on the cheeks and nose-bridge) and wrong diagnosis leads to ineffective treatments, most people conclude it is a spiritual problem.

One sunny Wednesday in May, this reporter attended a Lupus awareness event held at the Diabetes Clinic inside the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja. The event, which was organised by the Nigerian Arthritis Foundation and the Nigerian Society of Rheumatologists, featured several Lupus patients who shared stories of their ordeal and struggle. Virtually all of the stories involved initial struggles with diagnosis. For one woman, before she knew she was suffering from Lupus, she had lost her fingers.

The dynamism of the disease is astonishing.

It has no boundaries or limitations. It can affect the kidney, the liver, the heart, the eyes and any part of the body it deems worthy of destruction, including inducing psychosis.

One of the doctors present at the LASUTH awareness event was Dr. Femi Adelowo, a professor of medicine and consultant

rheumatologist at LASUTH, who has been largely responsible for the treatment of Lupus patients in the country. “The commonest presentations among Nigerian patients are recurrent fever, which is mistakenly managed as malaria, fever or typhoid over and over again without a sustained improvement,” he told one of the national dailies in a recent interview. “Our patients also present with joint pains and extreme fatigue. Many of them are short of blood- anaemia, and are often transfused with blood over and over again without a sustained improvement. They also present with mouth sores, sore throat, chest pain and cough. Skin rashes are common, as well as significant loss of hair, especially while combing.

“A few patients will present with seizures and sometimes, psychotic behaviour and depression.

Kidney involvement is particularly common among our patients and may predate other manifestation of lupus. Recurrent pregnancy losses are common, as this ‘body at war’ battle is even waged in the womb.”

Fighting Lupus Growing up, for Oghale, was comfortable.

She is the fourth of five children. “We had no issues at all,” she said. She went to Central Bank Primary School, the Nigerian Navy Secondary School, studied English and Literature at the University of Benin and observed her National Youth Service in Lagos, before Lupus showed up.

Her dream was to become a human resource professional. “I like being in the background, making things happen,” she said.

She started falling ill during her service year, a phenomenon, which, according to her, was odd. “We are mostly healthy at home, except for the occasional malaria thing that doesn’t last so long. And that was why my case was strange at first.”

Through the initial stage of her recurrent

bouts of malaria, she started working at her father’s firm. But, gradually, as the illness worsened, she started to skip work. “I think what this illness does to you is that it slows you down,” she said.

Oghale counts herself, not lucky, but “favoured”. Unlike other chronic victims of Lupus who shared their stories at the LASUTH event, she was able to diagnose the disease before it affected any of her major organs; although, it continues to be a daily struggle.

“Sometimes, if I tend to be naughty and don’t take my drugs, I’ll wake up in the morning and my hands are swollen like sausages and my eyes are bloodshot.”

“Taking your drugs regularly”, according to Adelowo, is key for Lupus patients who want to live a normal life. “Drugs that have been used are called immunosuppressive to suppress the ‘rogue’ ‘area boy ‘coup plotter cells’,” she said in an interview.

“They include steroids, hydroxychloroquine, azathioprine, mycophenolatemofetil, tacrolimus, cyclophosphamide, and cyclosporin. Many of these drugs are also used in the management of cancer. But then, drugs can have multiple functions, for instance, aspirin. Of recent, a new group of drugs called biologics have been developed. These are rituximab, belimumab, and abatacept. Other modalities of treatment are intravenous immunoglobulin and plasma phareses. “Lupus patients must also use sunscreen, as excessive sunlight predisposes to attacks. They should avoid stress physically and emotionally. They should eat well and rest. Overall, we have in our custody very effective medications and we can switch from one to another, as the case may be.”

The main challenge, however, continues to be awareness of the disease. The number of wrong diagnosis observed in most Lupus patients’ stories shows that even most medical professionals no or little knowledge of the disease. It is an alarming situation.

37

T H I S D AY THURSDAY, JUNE 8, 2017

NEWS

Ogun to Intensify Programmes on Family Planning Martins Ifijeh The Ogun State Government has said it would intensify efforts on policies and programmes that enhance family planning services, as this would further reduce the maternal and child mortality rate in the state.

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Babatunde Ipaye made this known while playing host to the team from Pathfinder International, Nigeria and Executive of Advocacy Working Group (AWG), in his office, Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.

Ipaye in a statement made available by the Media Officer of the Advocacy Group, Mrs. Waliyat Odemakin, said all aspects of reproductive health including access to quality family planning had been incorporated in the ‘Araya’ Health Insurance Scheme which was made free for pregnant women and children under five years in the state.

The commissioner assured that necessary process required for the operationalisation of the National Task shifting/sharing policy in the state would be fast-tracked to address the challenges of lack of skilled health personnel and equitable distribution of qualified health care workers to health facilities for efficient service delivery.

“Though fund spent on family planning services are inadequate but the state government will gear more efforts to ensure that we promote policies and programmes on family planning to improve maternal and child health care in the state.”

That is more reason why the state government had incorporated access to free family planning services,

Ante-natal, post Natal care for the pregnant mothers and under five children to benefit maximally from the ‘Araya’ health insurance scheme,” Ipaye said.

The commissioner who noted that his ministry would consistently monitor the activities of private health facilities on family planning services against quackery, saying government would not hesitate to sanction erring health worker found guilty of sabotaging state government efforts on its efficient healthcare delivery cardinal programme.

In his remark, the Associate Director, Pathfinder International, Nigeria, Dr. Habeeb Salami, said the organisation was passionate to strengthening and sustaining advocacy activities at ensuring uptake and access to quality family planning services for the state to achieve the Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (CPR) target of 52.4 per cent by 2018.

Contributing, the chairman, AWG, Ogun State chapter, Mrs. Kemi Balogun said the group came on board to drive the implementation of family planning activities with the view of changing the landscape of family planning in the state.

“This group is concerned on the rate at which our women and children are dying as a result of pregnancy related complications which can be prevented by uptake and access to family planning services and we have put in place advocacy strategies to assist government, relevant stakeholders and the people at improving the well-being of women, children and the family are also in places,” Balogun stated.

Niger to Renovate Suleja General Hospital Laleye Dipo in Minna After several years of abandonment, the Niger State Government is set to renovate the Suleja General Hospital.

Governor Abubakar Sani Bello who announced this when he met with some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Suleja, Tafa and Guraralocal government areas earlier in the week, said the rehabilitation work would cost N1.1 billion.

“With the rate of expansion of Suleja and the neglect the overstretched General Hospital has suffered over the years that has led to gross infrastructural decay, we have resolved to carry out total renovation of the hospital to enable it meet the health needs of our people.

“The renovation will involve the rehabilitation of wards, consulting rooms, installation of state-of-the-art medical equipment, laboratory facilities, doctor’s and nurses’ quarters. The project will be costing government N1.1 billion.”

The governor also announced plans to address the water challenges being

faced by the residents of Suleja Town.

According to him, “We are almost through with the Minna Water Scheme and we are moving into Suleja to address the challenges at the Suleja Water Works. We are carrying out a holistic overhaul of Suleja Water Works as well as the reticulation network within the city and neighboring towns.”

He revealed that two new fire stations would be built in Suleja Town to complement the newly rehabilitated township fire station.

Earlier, the leader of the team and member of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Abubakar Lado had pledged the continued support of the people of the federal constituency to the administration of Governor Bello Lado commended the efforts of the governor for ensuring even distribution of dividends of democracy across the length and breadth of the state.

The federal lawmaker also expressed the appreciation of his constituent to the governor for considering some of their sons and daughters for appointments in his government.

Utomi: Cancer Rate Will Increase in N’Delta if Gas Flaring is Unchecked Sylvester Idowu in Warri A developmental economist, Prof. Pat Utomi has posited that the rate of cancer will increase in the Niger Delta region in the near future, unless the current rate of gas flaring is checked to stop the degradation of the environment.

Prof. Utomi noted that a healthy environment is a heritage from fore fathers, but sadly he present generation may not be able to bequeath same to their children because of activities of oil majors and poor attitude to environmental issues. Presenting his keynote address at the 2nd mid-year national conference of the Isoko Development Union

(IDU) women’s wing weekend, tagged; “Building Healthy People and Healthy Planet,” he stated that history will not treat the country kindly if it fail to show concern about the environment.

While advocating for women empowerment through proper education, he said if women were well equipped with knowledge on impact of the environment to development, they will be properly guided to take actions that will mitigate environmental challenges in the future, as women were closer to the environment than men.

According to him, “there is no challenge that cannot be won by women, because they have milk of human kindness,

therefore they are critical to development and if well educated, they can trigger up development when they apply their natural strength.”

Utomi who was given “Isoko Prestigious Award,” said there were enough resources in the world, but sadly there were high levels of poverty because of failure of leadership, adding that the country has leaders who do not have the political will, ‘the know-how and knowwhy things are not changing.

He explained that the starting point in escaping from poverty was proper education for children and women, stressing that women were important factor in the education of the children, especially in their

moral up brining On his youth empowerment programme, he noted that many youths leave school certificated but lacks skill and workplace attitude, these he said, necessitated the Center for Value in Leadership to step in to fill the gap by equipping youths with the needed skills to enable them become wealth creators through self mastering.

Earlier, in her welcome address, the President of IDU, Amb. Caroline UsikpedoOmoniye canvassed for social inclusion of women and 50/50 affirmative action on women participation in governance, noting that if implemented, would boost development and empower the womenfolk.

INNOVATION FOR REDUCING CHILD DEATHS

L-R: British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Paul Arkwright; Nigeria implementing partner for Alma Sana, winner of the Healthcare Innovation Award for Nigeria, Dr Shola Dele-Olowu; Deputy Country Director, Save the Children, Babatunde Ojei; Managing Director, GSK Pharmaceuticals Nigeria Ltd, Bhushan Akshikar; and Director, Communication & Government Affairs, WCA, Omongiade Ehighebolo, at the Healthcare Innovation Award Roundtable held in Abuja recently

NAFDAC Warns Against Fraudsters, Debunks Recruitment Rumours Kuni Tyessi, in Abuja The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has refuted on-going rumours that the Agency is accepting applications for onward recruitment.

The Agency’s director for special duties, Dr. Abubakar Jimoh who disclosed this yesterday in Abuja, said members of the public must beware scammers and fraudsters who have decided to take advantage of the on-going recession and unemployment rate to dupe unsuspecting individuals.

Jimoh who lamented that a national daily had fallen for the fake news and had published it on its platform without confirming from the Agency, said NAFDAC has a potent online platform as well as a vibrant Facebook and twitter account in which it will always use to communicate to members of the public and will also advertise in other platforms.

He revealed that the last recruitment exercise which was done in 2012 after the 2009 exercise was well documented, advertised and went through all the legitimate processes in conformity with the Federal

Character Commission as well as the Civil Service laws.

He said “Our attention has being drawn concerning the activities of some fake and fraudulent people who have gone ahead to open a. Fake website and it is dedicated towards peddling the wrong information that NAFDAC is recruiting and I want by this medium to alert Nigerians that NAFDAC is not recruiting.

“Nigerian should be alert and beware of such fake NAFDAC website. We have dedicated NAFDAC websites which everybody is very familiar with. So the websites that have been opened by some unscrupulous elements are not NAFDAC websites. Any information from any site that is not of NAFDAC should be disregarded.

“We have a very robust social media platform which was created recently by the acting director general, Mrs. Yetunde Oni as a potent and viable means of communication and public enlightenment campaign. We have a Facebook account and twitter account.

So what ever you don’t see on the NAFDAC website, please disregard it.

LoyaMilkImprovesHealthiness, Nurtures Swimming Talent among Children Carol Oku The Category Manager, Diary, Promasidor Nigeria Limited, Mr. Biodun Ayodeji, has stated that calcium fortified Loya Milk, a premium brand from the company will continue to improve healthiness and nurture swimming talent in children. He made this statement during the second edition of Loya Milk swimming competition dubbed ‘Loya Milk Swim Meet’ for secondary schools’ students in Lagos recently, where attractive prizes of over N1 million and other consolation prizes were given to participants. He said feedback from the inaugural edition held in December 2016 where 10 secondary schools in Lagos participated was very commendable, and that request was made for the competition to be an annual event where talents can be discovered and nurtured.

Ayodeji explained that Loya Milk which is fortified with 50 per cent calcium believes in the healthiness of children and that this can be achieved

not only by providing the best nutrition in the brand but also by identifying with a sport that fosters this promise. According to him, the brand helps to build stronger bones, tougher teeth, and healthier heart which are in line with some of the health benefits of swimming.

“Swimming is a 360 degrees sport that uses the entire parts of the body and helps to maintain healthy weight and heart, tones the muscles, builds strength and above all creates a platform where children can have fun while exercising,” he affirmed. He also mentioned that the plan is to extend to other parts of the country starting with secondary schools in Port Harcourt which will have their swim-meet at Bloombreed High School on Saturday June 17, 2017.

In the competition, Grange School outshined other 16 secondary schools by clinching the first position with cash prizes of N150,000 in the 25 metres freestyle; 50 metres freestyle as well as the 100 metres freestyle relays in the boys and girls categories.

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HEALTH

Proffering Solution to Ending Malaria Victor Aniagu “Tawaii-Tawaii” is all you hear from every corner of every bedroom, almost in every compound in my small neigbourhood, somewhere in the South-east of the Niger.

People are trying to get some sleep after a stressful day, but these tiny insects with wings and suckers won’t let them. The very least they can do is slap themselves “Tawaii” anywhere they feel a slight movement (especially the ears).

Hoping to kill these tormentors popularly known as Mosquitoes /anwunta/ in Igbo. Almost every night, it’s still the same old story. It has happened so often over the years, so much so that it is slowly becoming a very sad-and-sorry part of our sleeproutine. The Mosquito-story is one story I can perfectly relate with, having been an eye/ear witness.

It’s a passionate story where a particular tiny creature torments, and in some cases, kills the big guy. It’s a sad story, and I don’t like sad stories. Most people don’t, either. Hence, I have decided to stick to the original plan and write a thing or two on ending malaria for good.

“End Malaria For Good” is one phrase some Nigerians might even laugh over. A phrase seemingly “too good to be true”. But I believe it’s feasible. All it requires from us is just a little bit of enlightenment, once we’ve let go of ignorance. There are so many things about mosquitoes and malaria that most Nigerians have little or no idea about, yet they show little or no interest about learning ways to deal with the problem. There’s this common belief that “Naija people survive anything”. But why settle for “survive” where you can “thrive”. Why? For us to end malaria for good, we have to let the people know exactly what to do and how to do it.

We know from history how

badly malaria has dealt with Africans, especially Nigerians from time immemorial. History gave us a clear briefing on how Nigerian children usually die mysteriously, albeit looking back; we now understand it was malaria doing the dirty job in most of those sad cases.

History also gave us a briefing on how these tiny creatures made the earliest batch of Christian missionaries take to their heels, as they couldn’t stand the slaughter. When they ran back, it seemed at that point as though these tiny creatures were “indisputable”. But thanks to the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century, thanks to the discovery of Quinine.

The white men came back, and this time they brought the antidote with them, with which the mosquitoes could do little or no harm. The white took these drugs for both attack and defence. As time passed, we started using it as well. Now owing to the fact that science and technology kept advancing, Quinine was substituted with similar malarial drugs with much more efficacy.

Then, these drugs were rare gemstones. Now, they are reasonably affordable (even free in some cases).

Thus, just like the story of the Israelites and the snakes, where all who looked up to the bronze snake, lived. In like manner, anybody who takesArtemether-Lumefantrine(or similar malarial drugs) shall live, and not die.

Now, how do we inform the people and end malaria for good? So far, the media has done a great job I must confess, from radio to television to journals. An average Nigerian knows almost anything on malarial drugs to buy, and the dose, even without prescriptions. They have also heard of mosquito nets. But the average Nigerian is more concerned with the cure for malaria than he is, with its prevention. It makes me wonder if “Prevention is still better than cure”.

Centre Offers Affordable, Corrective Eye Surgery Adibe Emenyonu in Benin The Managing Director, African Eye Laser Centre, Benin, Dr. Godwin Stanley Okoye, has promised to ensure that people suffering from eye problem get solutions at relatively affordable rates.

Okoye made the pledge in Benin City, during the official presentation of the first set of 214 patients that had successful surgery to correct their eye defects in Benin City, capital of Edo State.

The United States of America trained eye specialist disclosed that the health facility is the first of its type in the South-south geopolitical region of the country, adding that apart from being equipped with modern day gadgets, it also boasts of competitive price regime.

While affirming that the facility to date had been able to achieve a 100 per

cent success in its operation, Okoye said that the outfit is on the way to achieving more milestones in the near future with the acquisition of more top-of-the-range equipment.

He said that the facility has the vision of helping to stop capital flight in the health sector and also help to boost tourism in the sector.

In their testimonies, some beneficiaries of the successful eye surgeries undertaken by the centre recalled the harrowing experiences they went through for years before succour came their way when they did the successful eye surgeries.

One of the beneficiaries, Elder Samuel Eboigbe, a former Executive Director Rapid Response Agency (RRA), a road maintenance outfit in the state, revealed how he got prompt and highly professional attention while undergoing his eye surgery in the facility.

We would rather buy mosquito-killers than clean our gutters and clear the environment. We would rather use the bush than use the closet.

All these and more, are the seemingly-insignificant-butessentially-crucial things we must do if we must “end malaria for good.

“We tend to neglect these crucial duties, and since everybody is doing it, it almost feels right. What the people need is a serious reorientation, but this time we need to lay emphasis more on the prevention than on the cure. TV operas and radio dramas are few of the best tools to drive the point home. And the reason is simple; people connect with them since

it’s something they can easily relate with. If we can have TV programmes that don’t just show drugs, but also show an environment that has become mosquito free because of positive change in lifestyle, hence a resultant positive change in the state of the environment.

Programmes that showcase people clearing up their homes, clearing their gutters, dumping refuse only in the right places, consciously deciding not to litter the streets like everybody else, and generally doing those simple little things that look like they mean nothing, but can make a big difference on the long run.

And I’m quite sure that when this good news starts

spreading, when the people start getting the point, the positive change becomes automatic; one individual per time, Ending Malaria For Good.

Of course, it’s an obvious fact when I say that no one individual has all the sides to the big picture of “Ending malaria for good”. I hopefully believe I just did my humble part by painting a small portion into this big picture. And believe me when I say I’m elated seeing the big-good-work Miralpharm is doing, getting all these pieces together, different views from different students.

What a beautiful picture it will be when all the pieces are put together. I only hope

they keep this fire burning, going beyond making and selling drugs, much more into harnessing ideas and enriching lives in the process. Sooner than later, we hope to sleep safe, without any “Tawaii-Tawaii”, owing to the fact that the tiny creatures have gone missing...

So help us God, Amen.

This is the leading article on Ravimal Essay Award in a series focused on raising awareness around ending malaria in Nigeria.

For winning the essay competition on malaria, Victor, a student of Nnamdi Azikiwe University was given a N100,000 scholarship and a trip to India by MiralPharm Limited

L-R: Group Managing Director, Krisoral Group of Companies, Chief Chris Oranu Chidume; National President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Mr. Ahmed Yakasai; Winner, 2017 Edition, Ravimal ‘End Malaria for Good’ Essay Competition, Victor Aniagu; Managing Director, MIRAL Pharm Ltd, Mr. Onyeka Onyibor; and Deputy Vice Chancellor, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Prof. Charles Esimone, during the presentation of award to the star prize winner of Ravimal essay competition at NAU, Awka ...recently

Alma Sana Wins Share of $1m Global Healthcare Innovation Award Martins Ifijeh Alma Sana has been awarded $100,000 for stimulating uptake and demand for immunisation, through simple practice of wearing a bracelet.

The Nigeria-based project group is one of four worldwide to have won a share of the fourth Healthcare Innovation Award from global healthcare company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Save the Children.

This is the first time that an innovation in Nigeria has been recognized and Alma Sana is the only winner in Africa this year.

The innovation uses the simple bracelets to empower mothers by presenting them with a constant reminder of their baby’s vaccination schedules through symbols embedded in the bracelet, turning their babies’ ‘jewelry’ into a vaccine calendar and check-list.

The bracelets, which were designed by mothers and nurses, are low cost, waterproof, durable, baby-safe, and intended

for parents living on US$1.25 or less a day. As the bracelet’s immunization reminders are represented through symbols and not words, they are suitable for both the literate and non-literate so that parents can more easily understand their children’s vaccination records and return on time for vaccinations.

In May 2012, Nigeria joined other member states of the World Health Assembly to endorse the Global Vaccine Action Plan; an agenda for universal access to immunization by 2020. However, the proportion of children that completed the immunization schedule in Nigeria is still very low; 25.3 per cent in 2013.

Nigeria implementing partner of Alma Sana, Dr Shola DeleOlowu, said, “we are honored to receive this Award for Alma Sana Nigeria in recognition of our efforts. After proven success in Peru and Ecuador we will be running a pilot program in Nigeria. making this a great example of South-South

cooperation. We will b working with the NPHCDA to test the effectiveness in improving timeliness and completeness of immunisation; we want to ensure that everyone has access to vaccinations and are excited to commence the pilot project over the next few weeks”.

Managing Director, GSK Pharmaceuticals Nigeria Ltd, Bhushan Akshikar, said, “the Healthcare Innovation Award was specifically designed with the understanding that those closest to a complex problem are best placed to design solutions to solve them.

The successful implementation of this project will go a long way to support the Nigerian Government to achieve its Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) in line with this administration’s recently launched Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) – we look forward to the commencement of the pilot program.”

Deputy Country Director, Save the Children, Babatunde Ojei, said “immunisation is one

of the world’s most powerful tools for reducing under-five mortality and morbidity. Alma Sana selected Nigeria for their next program because of its poor vaccination rates and large population. We welcome Alma Sana’s fantastic innovation, which can, and should, be replicated across Nigeria to support the hardest-to reach mothers and children to access immunization”.

On her part, the President, Alma Sana, Lauren Braun, said, “we are thrilled and honoured to receive this award and to be able to partner with DCL and NPHCDA on this important work. Given how much excitement and commitment there is around this project in Nigeria, it’s exciting to be able to bring these bracelets to parents so their children can be vaccinated on time. These bracelets could quite literally save these children’s lives so we are humbled to have such an incredible opportunity to help make that impact,” she added.

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BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

FG to Raise N237bn through Treasury Bills Sale Obinna Chima åÓÞÒ Ă‹Ă‘Ă?Ă˜Ă?ĂŁ ĂœĂ?ĂšĂ™ĂœĂž Nigeria plans to sell N236.66 billion of short-dated treasury bills at an auction on June 14, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) revealed yesterday.

The Bank said it plans to sell N39 billion of three-month debt, N23.02 billion of six-month bills and N174.64 billion of one-year notes, using a Dutch auction system.

According to Reuters, payment will be due the day after the auction.

The central bank issues treasury bills twice a month to finance a budget deficit, help manage commercial lenders’ liquidity and curb

rising inflation.

Nigeria, grappling with its first recession in 25 years which was largely brought on by low oil prices and the impact of attacks on energy facilities in the Niger Delta, plans to spend about N7.44 trillion this year.

The West African country expects a budget deficit of about N2.21 trillion this year as it tries to spend its way out of a recession, with more than half the deficit to be funded through local borrowing.

The Debt Management Office (DMO) on Monday revealed that Nigeria’s total debt stock increased to N19.15 trillion as at the end of first quarter 2017, from the N17.36 trillion it was at the end of last year.

According to the DMO, the external component of the country’s debt stood at $13.80 billion at the end of March 2017, as against $11.40 billion at the end of December. But the domestic component of the debt fell to N11.97 trillion, as against N13.88 trillion last year.

A breakdown of the domestic debt component showed that while FGN Bonds was N8.178 trillion, Nigerian Treasury Bills N3.6 trillion, Nigerian Treasury Bond was N191 billion and the FGN Savings Bond N2.068 billion.

The federal government raised a total of $1.5 billion through Eurobond sales in two tranches in the first quarter of this year.

Minister of Finance, Kemi

Legacy Pension Shareholders Approve N480m Dividend Shareholders of Legacy Pension Managers Limited have approved N480 million as dividend for its 2016 financial year. This translated to 60 kobo per share.

The company further declared a profit after tax (PAT) of N642.5 million for the period under review. This represented a N20.18 million increase compared to N623.37 million in 2015.

The company’s asset under management (AUM) grew by 16.55percent to N193.62billion from N166.13billion.

Also, shareholders’ funds rose to N2.66 billion in 2016 compared to N2.51billion.

The company’s registered employers further grew by 20.05 percent to 8,059 from 6,713 employers in the previous

year.

The registered contributors increased to 355,753 in 2016 from 327,211 contributors in the previous year. The company also paid benefits amounting to N31.9 billion to 14,280 accounts as at December 2016.bSpeaking in Abuja at the company’s annual general meeting (AGM), Chairman of the company, Alhaji Lamis Shehu Dikko said the company managed to achieve the performance despite the difficult operating environment particularly the currently recession.

He said: “I am happy to report that our PFA recorded appreciable financial success in spite of a daunting operating environment. “Our dogged efforts were

guided by our ageless founding values of integrity trust, excellence and empathy (ITEE) in handwork and discipline enmeshed in sound corporate governance.�

The company’s Managing Director/Chief Executive, Mr. Misbahu Yola said the contributory pension scheme (CPS) is still faced with the challenge of funding the retirement savings account both in the private and public sector.

He said:�There’s the delay or non- remittance of deducted pension contributions by employers of labour; in most cases, employers do not comply with the 18 percent minimum pension contributions as provided in the Pension Reform Act (PRA) of 2014.

PayU to Connect Businesses to N200bn Online Payment Market PayU has rolled out strategies to intensify efforts to connect businesses to Nigeria’s online payment market. Annual online payments in Nigeria is estimated to surpass N200 billion this year from N167 billion in 2016.

The Country Manager of PayU Nigeria, Ms. Juliet Nwanguma explained in a statement that in order to pursue PayU’s aggressive expansion in the online payment market in Nigeria, the firm identified businesses that can benefit from its global expertise across 16 markets where it offers over 250 payment options.

With over 2.3 billion users world-wide, PayU, according to her, remains confident it can help businesses grow their market share and help them to achieve their business objectives.

Data recently released by the Nigeria Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS) showed that 5.5 million transactions worth N46.7 billion were generated through online sales in the first quarter of 2017. This is an increase in the quarterly average of 3.5 million transactions worth N33 billion in 2016. This 58 per cent growth is a clear indication of the increased confidence and preference for online sales amongst Nigerians.

The double digit growth, according to Nwanguma, is

far below the potential of the market for online payments in Nigeria.

Nwanguma noted that in a country of over 180 million people, consisting of 61 million active bank customers and where e-payment transactions are worth N56 trillion in a year, the potential for online payments in Nigeria is huge and waiting to be tapped.

She disclosed that the mission of PayU was to leverage on Nigeria’s 97 million active internet users to popularise and increase online payments in Nigeria. “At PayU, we believe that with the deployment of appropriate strategies and products which are designed to encourage more businesses to adopt online payment, the market in Nigeria can record triple digit growth in both volume and value of online payments. This is the driving philosophy of PayU’s operations in Nigeria� she said. “Since last year when we entered the Nigerian market, we have used our globally tested products such as tokenisation, recurring payments for subscription services and single click payments for faster checkout.

Our range of services according to different business categories especially the PayU Easy service allows start-ups to start selling online instantly without the need

of a bank account or trading history. “PayU has succeeded in successfully assisting small, medium and large organisations with their online payments. In particular, the robust and flexible features of PayU Plus and PayU Enterprise have assisted merchants to grow and expand their online payment business,� she added.

Furthermore, she explained that the payment solution offers merchants safe, secure, online shopping. “Our products are PCI DSS Level 1 compliant which mean they are required to meet extremely stringent security criteria. All card details are secured by secure socket layer (SSL) and transfer layer security (TLS) encryption and reinforced through various encryption processes in order to provide protection for all payment information. They also are 3D secure enabled which gives consumers added security when shopping online. “The increased preference for online payments among Nigerians offers new opportunity for businesses to increase patronage and grow revenue.

The global expertise of PayU, combined with its easy-to-use and secure online products provide the channel to leverage on this opportunity and achieve business objectives.�

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 Ëž Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă? Ě‹

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

Ëž Ă™Ă˜Ă?ĂžĂ‹ĂœĂŁ ÙÖÓĂ?ĂŁ Ă‹ĂžĂ? Ě‹ ͯͲϹ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE AS AT TUESDAY 6, JUNE 2017

The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $46.97 a barrel on Tuesday, compared with $47.37 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)

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MARKET NEWS

NSE All-Share Index Rises 1.5% as Stock Market Rebounds Goddy Egene and Nosa Alekhuogie The stock market shrugged off losses recorded the previous to rebound yesterday with the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) All-Share Index appreciating by 1.51 per cent to close at 32,686.72. After a nine-day rally the market had on Tuesday declined due to profit taking.

However, the bulls returned

yesterday bolstered by gains in Dangote Cement, Flour Mills of Nigeria, Seplat, Forte Oil among others. Consequently, the index rose to close higher at 32,686.72, while market capitalisation ended at N11.30 trillion.

In all, 26 stocks added value, led

by International Breweries Plc with 10.22 per cent, trailed by Forte Oil Plc, with 10.2 per cent, while Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc chalked up 9.9 per cent.

T H E

Market analysts said the renewed demand for International Breweries may not be unconnected with its plan to merge with two other companies, Intafact Beverages Limited and Pabod Breweries Limited.

The three companies have Anheuser-Busch Inbev SA as a common shareholder.

According to International Breweries Plc, the proposed

N I G E R I A N

merger was considered and approved at the company’s board meeting on June 2, 2017. The Osun State based brewing firm said the merger would benefit all stakeholders, particularly shareholders. “The proposed merger is expected to generate both revenue and cost synergies, enhanced operational efficiencies, better resource management and more streamlined operations. On the

STO C K

receipt of regulatory approvals (including the NSE and Securities and Exchange Commission), all parties will take further steps to consummate the proposed merger including obtaining the approval of their respective shareholders at separate court-ordered meetings,� the company said. An analysis of the market performance across sectors indicated that three of the five indices advanced. The

E XC H A N G E

NSE Oil & Gas Index outperformed with a 3.0 per cent gain on account of appreciations in Forte Oil Plc (+10.2 per cent) and Seplat (+5.0 per cent).

According to analysts, Seplat’s bullish close could be linked to the lifting of Force Majeure on Forcados export terminal which is positive for production volumes, forward earnings and cash flow of the company.

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MARKET NEWS

LafargeAfrica Shareholders Approve N140bn Rights Issue Goddy Egene Shareholders of Lafarge Africa Plc yesterday approved the proposal by the board of directors to raise about N140 billion through a Rights Issue, with a charge to the directors that the company would remain listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

Speaking on rights issue, the first since 2005, Chairman of Lafarge Africa Plc, Mr. Mobolaji Balogun, said it represents an important step

in resolving the company’s foreign currency exposure and impact on its earnings.

According to him, apart from reducing debt of the company, the right issue provides all shareholders opportunity to increase their investment in the company.

“The recapitalisation is positive and our largest shareholder, LafargeHolcim has committed to subscribing to their rights in full through a conversion of existing shareholder loans. This investment is a strong

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

indication of the groups’ continued belief in the Nigerian story. It is the largest right issue and the largest investment in a listed company by an investor. It reduces our foreign currency exposure by approximately half, improves our cash flow and positions the company for our future capacity expansion plans,” he said.

Responding to request by the shareholders that the company should not be delisted after the right issue, Balogun said if

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 06Jun-2017, unless otherwise stated

the LafargeHolcim was considering that option, it would not commit to make such huge investment in the company.

Speaking on the company’s turn-around plan launched in the third quarter of 2016, the chairman said it has started yielding results.

“The plan revolves around achieving high reliability across our production facilities, increasing the use of alternative fuel(biomass) and locally sourced coal as a way

to mitigate disruption of production by gas supply shortages and the impact of devaluation on cost of gas.

We have increased local sourcing of critical materials to lower foreign exchange component of our operational costs. Finally, we are working on a new route to market initiative and improvements in logistics with increased vehicle turn-around and size of fleet of third party providers,” Balogun said.

The shareholders got a dividend of N1.05 per share

for the financial year ended December 31, 2016. The dividend, which amounts to N5.8 billion, represents 34.7 per cent of net income after taxation of N16.9 billion.

In his remarks, the Country CEO of Lafarge Africa, Michel Puchercos, said the company sees opportunities for the domestic consumption of cement with growth in the second part of the year supported by initiatives through infrastructure and private initiatives.

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 158.80 159.83 25.20% Nigeria International Debt Fund 219.81 221.20 3.70% 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 0.75 0.75 6.60% 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 18.54% 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 15.20 15.66 23.13% ARM Discovery Fund 335.05 345.15 16.67% ARM Ethical Fund 24.10 24.83 7.89% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 16.22% 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 125.33 126.21 19.16% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 18.45% 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 10.94 11.22 16.88% Women's Investment Fund 90.65 92.98 7.16% 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 18.79% 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 1,077.82 1,078.95 6.62% FBN Heritage Fund 129.95 130.95 16.51% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 18.01% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional $109.14 $109.52 5.85% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail $108.44 $108.83 5.91% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 139.58 141.55 23.94% 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 1.19 1.22 28.19% Legacy Short Maturity (NGN) Fund 2.74 2.74 6.81% 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 2,440.98 2,473.30 10.58% Coral Income Fund 2,261.13 2,261.13 7.45% 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 17.00% 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 17.80% Vantage Balanced Fund 1.94 1.96 15.39% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 17.59%

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 1.07 1.09 8.02% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,033.32 1,033.32 5.00% 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 12.53 12.63 29.59% 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 1.14 12.65% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 10.57 10.64 1.77% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 12.85% 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 119.32 120.35 17.22% 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 1.31 1.31 4.98% 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 2,019.38 2,030.80 10.28% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 159.27 159.27 3.45% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.89 0.91 16.88% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 199.44 199.44 6.72% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 151.81 153.94 16.99% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 18.38% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 8,639.09 8,739.11 13.92% 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 1.25 1.26 6.52% United Capital Bond Fund 1.34 1.34 13.56% United Capital Equity Fund 0.77 0.78 1.06% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.17 1.17 11.11% 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 11.83 12.05 22.17% Zenith Ethical Fund 12.42 12.55 13.51% Zenith Income Fund 17.95 17.95 8.63%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

11.41 126.92

1.01% 2.38%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

9.84 93.83

9.94 95.57

12.00% 23.81%

Fund Name FSDH UPDC Real Estate Investment Fund SFS Skye Shelter Fund

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS Fund Name Lotus Halal Equity Exchange Traded Fund Stanbic IBTC ETF 30 Fund

VETIVA FUND MANAGERS LTD Web: www.vetiva.com; Tel: +234 1 453 0697 Fund Name Vetiva Banking Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Consumer Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Griffin 30 Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

3.81 7.74 15.26 19.64 130.60

3.85 7.82 15.36 19.84 132.60

37.86% 10.04% 26.72% 22.99% 1.31%

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.

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THURSDAY JUNE 8, 2017 ˾ T H I S D AY

INTERNATIONAL

email:foreigndesk@thisdaylive.com

Iran Attacks: ‘IS’ Hits Parliament and Khomeini Mausoleum Twin attacks on the Iranian parliament and Ayatollah Khomeini’s mausoleum in the capital, Tehran, have killed at least 12 people and injured many more.

The assault on the parliament appears to be over, after hours of intermittent gunfire there. A suicide bomber detonated a device at the mausoleum.

The Islamic State (IS) group has claimed it carried out the attacks, which would be a first in Iran.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said Saudi Arabia was behind the attacks. Gunmen armed with Kalashnikovs entered the parliament on Wednesday morning.

Images from the scene showed a major security operation as forces surrounded the building. Heavy gunfire could be heard.

Iranian authorities denied that there had been a hostage situation inside the parliament building.

Reports said the gunmen had entered parliament via a public entrance, dressed as women.

Security forces surrounded the parliament, and TV footage showed people, including children, escaping from windows.

Iranian media later reported that four attackers inside the parliament building had been killed by security forces.

At about 10:40 (06:10 GMT) attackers at the mausoleum in southern Tehran, which is dedicated to the Islamic Republic’s founder Ayatollah Khomeini, opened fire.

The governor of Tehran said

one attacker there had detonated a suicide vest and another had been killed by security forces, state broadcaster Irib reports.

Images from the scene showed grenades and magazines for automatic weapons, apparently recovered from the body of an attacker. The suicide attacker was a woman, reports suggested.

It is not clear whether the death toll of 12 includes the attackers, or whether the victims were killed at both incidents or solely at the parliament.

About 40 people were injured in the two attacks, according to emergency services chief Pir Hossein Kolivand.

Iranian officials say they managed to foil a third attack.

IS said it had carried out the attack and later posted a video which showed what it claimed was footage from inside the parliament building.

A voice is heard saying, in Arabic: “We’re not going anywhere. We’re staying forever.” An Iranian MP later confirmed that the video showed his office and one of his employees lying dead.

BBC Persian’s Jenny Norton says that despite Iran’s active involvement in fighting IS in both Iraq and Syria, the Sunni group has not until now carried out any attacks inside Iran, and appears to have little support in this predominantly Shia country.

However, our analyst says, in recent months the group has

London Attack: Police Find Body in Thames Police searching for French national Xavier Thomas, 45, who has been missing since the London terror attack, have recovered a body from the Thames.

Scotland Yard said the body was recovered from the river near Limehouse on Tuesday at 19:44 BST. Mr Thomas’s next of kin have been told, police said, but formal identification has not yet taken place.

The BBC also understands Sara Zelenak, a 21-year-old Australian from Brisbane, is among the dead.

She was working as an au pair in London, and was seen fleeing from the knifemen during the attack.

Police have named Youssef Zaghba, a 22-year-old MoroccanItalian man who lived in east

London, Khuram Butt, 27, from Barking, and Rachid Redouane, 30, who also lived in Barking, as the men who carried out the attack.

They drove into pedestrians on London Bridge before stabbing people in Borough Market on Saturday.

So far four of those killed in the attack have been named as Australian Kirsty Boden, Canadian national Chrissy Archibald, James McMullan, from Hackney, and French national Alexandre Pigeard.

French Foreign Minister JeanYves Le Drian confirmed on Wednesday that a second French citizen had died.

Mr Thomas was last seen walking along London Bridge with his girlfriend Christine Delcros, who was seriously injured.

Gulf Rivals Not Seeking Qatar ‘Regime Change’ A senior Emirati official insisted on Wednesday that Gulf Arab states were not seeking regime change in Doha, as tensions built in a bitter feud between Qatar and its neighbours.

Speaking to AFP in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates’ state minister for foreign affairs Anwar Gargash accused Qatar of being “the main champion of extremism and terrorism in the region”.

But he also said measures taken against Qatar this week by Saudi Arabia, the UAE and other Arab nations were not aimed at seeking new leadership in Doha.

“This is not about regime change

-- this is about change of policy, change of approach,” Gargash said.

Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE and Bahrain announced on Monday they were cutting diplomatic ties and closing air, sea and land links with Qatar, giving Qataris within their borders two weeks to leave.

The four countries have suspended all flights to and from Qatar, pulled their ambassadors from Doha and ordered Qatari diplomats to leave.

Riyadh and its allies accuse Qatar of supporting extremist groups and of serving the interests of regional arch-rival Iran, claims Doha has strongly rejected.

stepped up its Farsi-language propaganda efforts - targeting Iran’s restive Sunni minority.

An IS documentary-style video in March featured militants who were introduced as Iranian fighters in IS ranks based in Iraq.

Speaking in Farsi, they denounced the Iranian government and the religious establishment, including the country’s spiritual leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iranian intelligence agencies

claim to have foiled an number of IS-inspired plots. But by mounting a successful attack, IS could claim a major coup against a traditional foe that other Sunni jihadist groups, including its rival al-Qaeda, have failed to target in the past.

This is the most serious terrorist violence in Tehran since the turbulent early years after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

It will come as a huge shock to ordinary Iranians, who have got

used to living in a country which is generally far more stable and safe than most of its neighbours, our analyst says.

Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani downplayed the events, describing them as a “minor issue”. However, officials announced a nationwide state of emergency in response to the attacks.

Later, the Revolutionary Guards said the fact that IS had claimed the attacks “proved” that Saudi

Arabia was behind them.

“This terrorist attack happened only a week after the meeting between the US President [Donald Trump] and the [Saudi] backward leaders who support terrorists,” a statement said. Iran’s ally Russia condemned the attacks.

“The continuation of a series of terror attacks again underlines the need for co-ordinated actions in the fight against terror and IS,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

This image appears to show a child being lowered from a window of Iran’s parliament building EPA

Debris Found in Sea after Myanmar Military Plane Goes Missing Debris has been found in the sea near where a Myanmar military plane went missing with more than 100 soldiers and their families on board on Wednesday, a local official and air force source said.

Navy ships and aircraft had been searching since the afternoon when the plane lost contact with air traffic controllers.

Most of those on board were thought to be women and children who were travelling from the southern city of Myeik to Yangon.

“Now they have found pieces of the damaged plane in the sea 136 miles (218 km) away from Dawei city,” said Naing Lin Zaw, a tourism official in Myeik, citing

the military and adding that they were still searching the sea.

An air force source confirmed to AFP that a navy search and rescue ship had found debris in the sea an hour’s flight south of Yangon, Myanmar’s commercial capital.

The commander in chief’s office said the plane lost contact at about 1:35 pm (07:05 GMT) off Myanmar’s southern coast.

A spokesman from the military’s information team said two-thirds of passengers on board were women and children.

“Some were on their way for medical checkups and to attend school,” the colonel in Naypyidaw told AFP, refusing to confirm what

rescuers had found and adding the search was ongoing.

There was conflicting information about the number of people on board. Giving an updated figure, the commander in chief’s office said 106 passengers were on board -- soldiers and family members -- along with 14 crew. Several navy ships and air force planes were sent to search for the aircraft, which was flying at an altitude of more than 18,000 feet (5,486 metres).

It is monsoon season in Myanmar but there were no reports of bad weather at the time the plane went missing.

The plane was a Y-8F-200 fourengine turboprop, a Chinese-made

model still commonly used by Myanmar’s military for transporting cargo. The former military junta bought many of the aircraft from Myanmar’s giant neighbour during their 50 years of isolated rule, when they were squeezed by Western sanctions. A former executive at the aviation ministry said many of the aircraft in Myanmar’s fleet were old and decrepit.

“Myanmar air force has (a) very bad safety performance,” he said, asking to remain nameless.

However the army said the missing plane was delivered in March last year and had logged 809 flying hours.

Turkey Throws Support Behind Qatar in Rift with Gulf Arabs Turkey threw its support behind Qatar on Wednesday, with officials saying it could fast-track troop deployment and provide crucial food and water supplies to the Gulf Arab country facing isolation from some of the biggest Middle Eastern powers.

In the deepest split between Arab states for decades, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain severed relations with Qatar on Monday and closed their airspace

to commercial flights, saying it was funding militant groups.

Qatar vehemently denies the accusations.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has said isolating Qatar would not resolve any problems.

Erdogan, who has long tried to play the role of a regional power broker, said Ankara would do everything in its power to help end the regional crisis.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is visiting

the region to discuss the stand-off.

Lawmakers from Erdogan’s ruling AK Party and the nationalist opposition MHP on Wednesday proposed bringing forward approval of a draft bill that will allow Turkish troops to be deployed to Turkey’s military base in Qatar, party officials told Reuters.

Turkey has maintained good relations with Qatar as well as several of its Gulf Arab neighbors.

Turkey and Qatar have both provided support for the Muslim

Brotherhood in Egypt and backed rebels fighting to overthrow Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The Turkish parliament was also set to bring forward approval of a draft accord between the two countries on military training cooperation, the officials said.

Both bills, which were drawn up before the spat erupted, are expected to be approved by the Ankara parliament on Wednesday.

Turkey’s lira weakened after the move.

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NEWSEXTRA

FEC Approves Tech Roadmap for Creation of 2.5m Jobs, ICT University Omololu Ogunmade inAbuja The Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday approved a new information communication

technology (ICT) package, tagged ICT Roadmap 2017 to 2020 with the intention of creating 2.5 million jobs and a specialised ICT University by 2020.

NERC Mulls Monthly Review of Electricity Tariffs Chineme Okafor inAbuja The Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) yesterday disclosed it was considering a major adjustment in the calculation of electricity tariffs to be paid by consumers in the country’s electricity sector.

NERC in a consultation paper on the review of the Multi Year Tariff Order (MYTO) which it released in Abuja, stated that it was looking to introduce a flexible electricity tariff review, one that would see tariffs reviewed either on a monthly or quarterly basis to reflect periodic changes in the country’s economy.

The MYTO is the sector’s guiding document for determining the tariff charged to consumers by electricity distribution companies (Discos). It is often reviewed annually and bi-annually by the regulator, wherein changes in fundamental aspects of the industry’s business like foreign exchange; inflation rates; gas prices; and capacity generation amongst others are captured and inputted in the tariffs of the Discos to their customers.

But the commission in the consultation paper stated that it was proposing changes in this, and thus requested stakeholders to respond to this.

Backing its proposal, NERC said in the consultation paper: “Since the commencement of the Transitional Electricity Market (TEM) in February 2015 and corresponding application of contract terms in market settlement/invoicing in the NESI, these concerns have become more pronounced.”

“Particularly, Discos are concerned that the Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) they executed provides for a monthly indexation formula where the monthly changes in the exchange rates are reflected in the energy invoices issued to them.

“This is quite different from the provisions of the MYTO methodology where indexation is applied semi-annually during the minor review process. This disparity has created undue stress in the sector given the contract provision that Discos are expected to settle 100 per cent of their energy invoices without consideration to the time lag in the adjustment of end user tariffs,” it added.

Briefing journalists at the end of the weekly FEC meeting in the State House, the Minister of Communications, Mr. Adebayo Shittu, described the new ICT roadmap as a framework for the development of ICT in Nigeria which he said would involve the creation of a specialised environment for ICT activities and development.

He also said the package would enable the dynamic Nigerian youths to maximally harness their ICT skills, pointing out that when fully implemented, young Nigerian graduates would not need to travel to India, South Korea and other technologically advanced countries to acquire ICT skills.

Shittu, who described the ICT roadmap as a component of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP 2017 to 2020) recently launched by the federal government, said when implemented, the package would increase Nigeria’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth to 20 per

cent by 2020.

He also said the roadmap would foster the development of adequate manpower for the exploitation of the ICT industry and consequently enhance effective service delivery through its e-government and e-commerce components.

The minister also said the ICT roadmap would enhance broadband penetration in all parts of the country to the tune of 30 per cent and not only guarantee job creation but also ensure the digitisation of Nigeria.

“Well, we thank God that at last the ICT roadmap 2017 to 2020 has been approved for implementation by the government. This roadmap essentially, is a framework for development of ICT in Nigeria generally. It is also one of the pillars of Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) and the aim among others, is to ensure the creation through ICT of 2.5 million jobs between now and 2020.

“Again, another aim is to ensure broadband penetration to all parts

of Nigeria particularly to ensure that by 2020, we have penetration level of about 30 per cent. Again, we believe that the content of this ICT roadmap will assist in harnessing the innate skills and opportunities available. We know that our youths are very intelligent, dynamic and they will utilise the implementation of the ICT roadmap to ensure that more jobs are created and to really get Nigeria digitalised.

“Again, we believe that this policy, when properly implemented, will contribute to growing the Nigerian economy such that even with the government revenue, it could increase the GDP to about 20 per cent by 2020. As of this year, the contribution of ICT to Nigeria GDP is a little above 10 per cent.

“Finally, we want to believe that ICT will also assist in making businesses and service delivery easy because of e-government components of it and because of the e-commerce components of the ICT roadmap. I think one of the main issues is that invariably, we

will have an ICT University which will be a specialised university to try to provide opportunities at the local level for intelligent, brilliant and innovative youths to learn more.

“As of today, with due respect to our universities, the general opportunities are not really there.

If you consider the fact that ICT is growing at exponential level, if you consider the fact that ICT is also a destructive technology, where if you have a syllabus today, by tomorrow that syllabus is changing; if you have another one tomorrow by the next day, it is changing, because there are many people involved in innovations all across.

“As at today, many of our graduates are ill-equipped for the ICT industry even in Nigeria not to talk of exporting their services to other African countries. What a lot of our people do after graduating from the universities is to go to India to equip themselves better to get all the skills that they will require for this new technology sector,” he said.

Osinbajo Receives New ECOWAS Chairman, Faure Gnassingbe of Togo Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja Acting President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday received the Togolese President and newly elected Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Mr. Faure Gnassingbe at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, assuring him and the regional body of Nigeria’s support.

Osinbajo who congratulated Gnassingbe on his new election as the Chairman of ECOWAS, further assured him that Nigeria was fully concerned about regional issues and would continue to explore resolutions in partnership with other member-states.

A statement last night by his spokesman, Laolu Akande, said the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari was

happy about Gnassingbe’s visit to Nigeria almost immediately after his election, promising that Nigeria will continue to play an active role in ECOWAS adding that Buhari holds him in high regard as a person and considers him a friend.

“Nigeria will support you in every way and we are very happy with your election. I know that our President, President Buhari will give every measure of support required because he would want you to succeed very much,’’ Osinbajo said.

He said the country would welcome continued consultations on the issue of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between ECOWAS and the European Union (EU), observing that each country had peculiar challenges.

Ikeja Electric Launches Whistle-blowing Platform Nigeria’s largest power distribution company, Ikeja Electric Plc, has launched a whistleblowing platform to enable customers reveal or report illegal and unethical activities in a safe, confidential, and secure manner for immediate attention.

The platform, which is independently managed by Deloitte, one of Nigeria’s leading professional service firms, allows customers report anonymously by making using of multiple channels; a toll free hotline; an email platform; a web-based service and a mobile

app available on ios and Android.

Speaking on the initiative, the company’s Head of Corporate Communications, Felix Ofulue explained that the new platform is one of the many measures put in place to encourage a culture of transparency and accountability.

With the introduction of the platform, customers can now confidentially report matters bothering on fraud, bribery, extortion; energy theft through illegal connections, vandalism and all actions detrimental to the society.

BULLISH MARKET

New President/CEO, Transcorp Plc. Adim Jibunoh, Sounds Gong At Closing Ceremony at Nigerian Stock Exchange. L-R: Group CEO, Heirs Holdings, Mr. Emmanuel Nnorom; Executive Director, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Haruna Jalo-Waziri; President/CEO, Transcorp Plc. Mr. Adim Jibunoh; Group General Counsel, Transcorp Plc, Mr. Christopher Ezeafulukwe; and Director of Resources, Transcorp Plc. Napoleon Esemudje, at the Closing Gong Ceremony by the new President/CEO of Transcorp Plc at the NSE today, Wednesday June 7, 2017

Appeal Court Acquits AVM Atawodi of N600m Security Boat Fraud Allegation Former Chairman, Presidential Implementation Committee on Marine Safety and Security (PICOMSS), Air Vice Marshal Saliu Atawodi (rtd), accused by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of criminal diversion of N600 million meant for the purchase of security patrol boats to fight illegal oil bunkering under his watch was yesterday discharged and acquitted by Justice Tani HassanYusuf of the Court of Appeal.

Atawodi and one Rabiu Hassan of Hypertech Nigeria Limited were accused of defrauding the federal government the sum N620 million through suspicious contracts to procure K 38 armoured patrol boats which they failed to supply.

Justice Hassan-Yusuf in her judgement over ruled the judgement of an Abuja High Court which earlier asked Atawodi to prepare his defence against the allegation despite all the submissions of witnesses,

including that of EFCC, and facts before the court that Atawodi was not culpable of the allegation.

The judge said it was clear from the evidence before her that Atawodi had no case to answer.

Earlier in FCT High Court, an EFCC operative, Usman Cholli, who is a witness in the case had told the court in across-examinationbyKarina Tuniyan (SAN) that “our investigation showed that advance payment was made to the account of Hypertech Nigeria

Limited, and not to the account of Atawodi, and we found out that the sum of N620 million was in the company’s account.”

He further revealed that though he did not see the contract documents, but that “the description in the account from our investigation showed that the money was from PICOMMS, and even Hassan himself admitted that much with reference to N620 million from PICOMMS in his statement .”

IjawYouths: Criminals Behind Igbo Eviction Notice Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Worldwide, yesterday described the brains behind the notice given by a youth group in the north for Igbo people to leave their land as criminals hiding under the guise of activism.

The foremost umbrella group of youths of Ijaw descent demanded the immediate arrest and prosecution of those behind the press briefing which took place in Kaduna on Tuesday.

Factional President of the IYC, Mr. Eric Omare ,in a statement in Yenagoa yesterday, said all those backing the group should also be apprehended, noting that there was

nothing wrong with Igbo youths’ agitating for Biafra.

“The demand by some northern youth groups for Igbos in the north to move out is baseless and senseless. There is absolutely nothing wrong in the Igbo agitation for self -determination. “ The right to self determination is a universal right recognised even

under the UN charter. Therefore, the Igbo agitation for Biafra cannot justify the demand to move out of northern Nigeria”, the IYC leader said.

He described the youths who issued the ultimatum as retrogressive, insisting that such threats should be dealt with by the security agencies.

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Parents of Kidnapped Students March to Lagos House Wailing Give govt 14-day ultimatum to secure their release Gboyega Akinsanmi Parents of six students who were abducted penultimate Thursday at the Lagos State Model College, Igbonla, yesterday marched peacefully to the State House at Alausa wailing and shouting.

Soaked in tears and troubled at

heart, the parents issued a 14-day ultimatum to the state Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, to secure the release of all victims that were kidnapped at the college.

A team of gunmen numbering 15 had on May 26, 2017, invaded the Lagos State Model College at Igbonla and abducted six students,

Smuggling of Rice, Poultry Products Economic Sabotage, Says Saraki Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has condemned the high rate of smuggling of rice and poultry products into the country, describing the practice as “economic sabotage.”

This is even as he mandated the Senate Committee on Agriculture to investigate why the Federal Ministries of Agriculture and Finance are yet to pay compensation to all poultry farmers who lost their birds during the recent outbreak of the Avian Influenza (bird flu) in the country.

The Senate president spoke when the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Anadariya Farms, Alhaji Usman Dantata Jr., led representatives of the Poultry Farmers’Association of Nigeria on a visit to him in Abuja.

According to a statement by the Senate president Special Assistant on PrintMedia,ChuksOkocha,Sarakialso tasked the Nigerian Customs Services (NCS) to step up its anti- smuggling campaigns in rice, chicken and other items as “Nigeria can no longer serve as a dumping ground for imported smuggled goods.

The Senate president said: “We will see what we can do particularly on the issue of non-payment of compensation to farmers who lost their birds to the Avian Influenza. These farmers need our encouragement.”

“Thisiswherethegovernment will show true interest in agriculture and ensure that all compensation are paid. So, Chairman Committee on Agriculture take note and meet the ministers of agriculture and finance and see what we can do.”

On the crippling effect of smuggling through the borders, Saraki said: “Another issue you raised which has become a very big one is the issue of smuggling.

We all know that about 40 to 50 per cent of poultry products are still being smuggled into the country and this is bad.

“Something needs to be done about it. Nigeria Customs officers must sit up because it is an economic sabotage. It is now that we must stop this smuggling particularly on agricultural products like rice and chicken.

“We will take this up aggressively.

Without that, we are only wasting our time. There is nothing we can do at this level in support of agriculture if products are still being smuggled in. Chicken and rice are still being smuggled in “This is something we must fight as a nation. This is economic sabotage we aretalkingabout,and the management of the Nigeria Customs Service must rise up. Either they are ready to do it or we give it to people who are ready to do it.

On access to finance, the Senate president said: “I am surprised, however, this is the aspect we have to take up. Organisations like yours are borrowing money from banks at 25 per cent interest rates. I think the Chairman of Senate Committee on Agriculture has a lot of work to do here. If we have organisations that are serious, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) must give them total support, and it is clear that they need more support.”

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Al-Hussein yesterday, admitted he made an uncomplimentary remarks about Nigeria’s Human Rights status and consequently tendered an apology to the Federal government.

The envoy had recently described Nigeria as being an “uncooperative” member regarding human rights issues and also accused the nation of blocking multiple UN expert visits to human rights hot spots in Nigeria.

Al-Hussein’s apology was contained in a letter to Amb. Audu Kadiri, Nigeria’s Ambassador/ Permanent Representative to the UN Office and Other International Organisations (UNOG), in Geneva.

“In my oral update to the 35th Session of the UN Human Rights Council on June 6, I had stated in error that Nigeria had only accepted one visit of special procedures in 2016 and the last previous visit

was in 2017.

“Nigeria has received several special procedure mandate holders in past years.

“I deeply regret this unfortunate mistake and I trust that you will accept and convey to your government my sincere apology,” the letter read in part.

Responding, Amb. Kadiri acknowledged receiving the letter with reference number HC/17/36REV. 1. “I acknowledged receipt of the letter conveying your apology,” Kadiri said. The Federal Government had earlier expressed “deep displeasure” over Al-Hussein remarks.

Permanent Secretary of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Sola Enikanolaiye, had registered Nigeria’s displeasure at the 35th Session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

In a statement, Enikanolaiye said: “Nigeria has always cooperated with international experts and its committed to discharging its human rights obligations.

the information they received from their abductors.

Aside from the students that had been ill, the parents disclosed that their abductors threatened not to negotiate with the parents henceforth or give opportunity to speak with their children any longer.

The parents, who were led in protest to the State House by Mr. Dapo Adesega, said the kidnappers insisted that they only wanted “to negotiate with the state government and not the parents of the students they kidnapped at the government college.”

During the protest, the parents were profusely weeping and grievously shouting, thereby calling

on the state government “to do something urgently to secure the release of all victims kidnapped in the college.”

But a team of key state officials received the parents of the kidnapped students at the State House, assuring them that government would not relent in its effort to ensure the students regained their freedom.

The state officials comprised the state Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, Mr. Muslim Folami; Special Adviser on Community and Communications, Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan, and the Special Adviser on the Environment, Mr. Babatunde Hunpe, among others.

On behalf of the state government, the commissioner appealed to the parents to be calm, assuring them that the state government was doing all it could “to get the children released. The state government was embarrassed that such a thing could occur in its school.”

Folami added that the state government had been working round the clock to ensure the release of the children, noting that all victims of the incidents would regain their freedom very soon.

Whenaskedhowsoonthestudents wouldbereleased,Folamisaidhecould not tell, but that there was no way government could disclose certain intelligence at its disposal.

REMINISCENCE

Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, receiving the centenary publication of the King’s College Old Boys’ Association (KCOBA), from the the leader of delegation, Alhaji Kassim Imam, with them is Mr. Rotimi Aladesanmi, when the association visited the Senate President in Abuja.

INEC Registers APDA, Four Other Political Parties Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

Human Rights: UN Chief Regrets Uncomplimentary Remarks about Alex Enumah in Abuja

thereby sending panic among the parents and teachers in the college.

Aside the six students, the kidnappers had allegedly abducted two principals from the same college, one from the junior secondary school and the other from the senior secondary school.

After the incident fortnight ago, the kidnappers contacted the parents of the victims and demanded a ransom of N1 billion, though the demand had negotiated down to N100 million, which the parents said they could not afford.

But at the State House yesterday, the parents of the affected students disclosed that four of the kidnapped students were now ill based on

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday said that it has registered five political associations as political parties” The commission’s statement issued after its management meeting in Kaduna listed the newly registered parties to include, Young Progressive Party (YPP), Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance (APDA), New Generation Party of Nigeria (NGP), All Democratic Peoples Movement (ADPM) and Action Democratic Party (ADP).

The statement read out

to journalists by the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Prince Adedeji Soyebi said that at present, 95 associations have applied to the Commission for registration as political parties.

Soyebi however said that out of the 95 associations, two have voluntarily withdrawn their applications.

With the registration of the above parties, there are now 45 political parties in Nigeria.

The INEC’s added: “The Commission today approved the applications of five of the

associations which have fulfilled the constitutional requirements for registration,”.

INEC also said that that it decided not to deploy the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) at the polling unit level because of insufficient budgetary provision” The commission said that the total budgetary provision for CVR in the 2017 budget which includes rerun and tenure elections, byeelections and general elections is just N1.2bn which is barely enough to pay for the cost of personnel on CVR duty for one day.

The INEC chairman, Prof.

Mahmood Yakubu, stated this yesterday during a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (REC) and other senior staff of the commission over the ongoing continuous voters registration process.

Yakubu noted that while N1.2bn would have been required every day to pay allowances of adhoc staff, the total budgetary provision for CVR in 2017 budget which includes rerun and tenure elections, bye-elections and general elections is N1.2bn this year.

NEITI: Crude Oil Worth $15.9bn Lost in FourYears NIMASA never prosecuted infractions James Emejo in Abuja The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Mr. Waziri Adio, yesterday disclosed that a whopping $15.9 billion in crude oil was either lost or not accounted for between 2011 and 2014.

According to him, the sum of $4.3 billion; $2.7 billion; $4.7 billion and

$4.1 billion were unaccounted for in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 respectively.

He said the losses could have stemmed from deliberate underdeclarations by indigenous oil companies as well as outright theft at production terminals.

It further emerged that the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) had never taken any individual or entity

to court to serve as deterrence to infractions in the oil industry.

Even when there were clear infractions by oil vessels, the agency had always chosen to “negotiate” and resolve the issue without considering prosecution even for once since it was established.

Speaking when he appeared before the House

of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee which is investigating the $17 billion undeclared oil and gas proceeds between 2011 to 2014, which is chaired by Hon. Abdulrazak Namdas, the NEITI Executive Secretary, partly blamed the recurring cases of crude oil theft on the absence of a mechanism for monitoring and measuring the precise volume of oil production.

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Judicial Panel: Emulate Oyinlola and Appear, Fayose Tells Fayemi Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti Governor Ayodele Fayose has told his predecessor and the Minister of Steel and Solid Mineral Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, to shed the toga of fear and appear before a Commission of Enquiry probing the financial transactions of the state during his tenure.

Fayose said it was strange for the Minister to be afraid of the law he

sponsored and assented to during his reign, which constitutionally empowered a governor to set up a commission to try anyone.

Fayose made the statement in Ado Ekiti on Wednesday while reacting to the suit filed by Fayemi seeking to stop his probe by the panel. “The law that the House of Assembly relied on to mandate the state government to set up the panel was signed by Fayemi

himself and he has gone to court to challenge the same when he has been asked to give account of his stewardship.

“During my inauguration speech, I gave details of the debt profile of the state. Fayemi took N25 billion bond and N31 billion commercial loans. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) were the facilitators and they

wrote to me to ask if the projects, for which the loans taken, were executed and I said no.

“Since 2012, Ekiti loses N1.1 billion intervention fund from UBEC yearly because we were suspended due to the diversion of N860 million by the same government. In Osun State, Governor Aregbesola set up a panel on Oyinlola and the latter appeared

before the panel. Fayemi signed the law and why is he afraid?They say you should come and give an account of your stewardship and you are running to court, for what?,” the governor asked.

On the expected Paris Club Refund, Fayose added that going by feelers from Abuja, state and local governments would be paid half of what they got from the

first tranche.

“That would mean that in Ekiti, both state and local governments would get about N4.4 billion and going by the sharing formula, the state would get about N2.7 billion and the 16 local government areas sharing N1.7 billion. That is still not enough for a month’s wage bill at both state and local government levels,” he said.

Nigeria’s Restructuring Possible Without Stress, Says Tunji Olaopa Ademola Babalola in Ibadan A renowned public administrator and public reform crusader, Dr. Tunji Olaopa, has lent his voice to the ongoing discourse on propriety or otherwise of restructuring Nigeria, saying “It is possible without stress”.

In this direction, the erudite scholar has come up with five basic ways to restructure Nigeria.

He listed them as devolution of more powers to states and local governments, regionalising the six geo-political zones, reviewing the federal character principle and decentralising anti-corruption strategy and policing.

Olaopa, who is the Executive Vice Chairman, Ibadan School of Government and Public Policy (ISGPP) came up with the list in a paper he presented at a conference at the Nigerian Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NPISS), Kuru.

Speaking on the topic: “Re-federalising Nigeria and the Challenge of Innovative Governance,” Olaopa posited that devolving more powers, particularly to the local governments will enhance their ability to address peculiar governance needs while the act will also relieve the Federal Government of its heavy burden.

FG Distributes Special Relief Materials in North-east Today NAF holds medical outreach for IDPs in Borno

YOU ARE NOT ALONE NAFholdsmedicaloutreachforIDPS inBorno

The Federal Government will distribute 30,000 metric tonnes (1,032 trucks) of cereal directly to affected persons in the Northeastern states of Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Taraba, Bauchi and Gombe. The exercise is expected to be flagged off by the Acting President, Prof.

Yemi Osibanjo in Maiduguri, Borno State.

This special relief intervention has the objective of highlighting the strategies that would be adopted for distribution of relief materials approved by the federal government for displaced persons in the North East in accordance with the humanitarian principles.

Also in support of the federal government’s efforts to resettle the IDPs, the Nigerian Air

Force (NAF), through its Medical Services Branch, recently organised a medical outreach programme for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at the Mainok, Benishek and Jakana IDP Camps in Borno State.

The Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency, Engr. Mustapha Maihaja said adequate measures have been put in place to ensure that the distribution was done in transparent manners for optimal accomplishment of task and operational objectives.

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF), through its Medical Services Branch, recently organised a medical outreach programme for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at the Mainok, Benishek and Jakana IDP Camps in Borno State.

Senate Seeks Oversight on Disbursement of CBN Intervention Funds Damilola Oyedele in Abuja The Senate yesterday passed through second reading a bill seeking to subject intervention funds disbursed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), to appropriation and oversight by the National Assembly.

The bill sponsored by Senator Rose Oko (Cross River North) is titled a bill for an act to amend the CBN Act 2007 to ensure transparency and accountability in the operations of the bank, and subject intervention advances to the

approval of the National Assembly and for related matters.

Oko, argued that a lack of appropriation and oversight on the funds, make the disbursements prone to abuse, financial recklessnes which may make the aims of the intervention unrealised.

She listed some of the intervention funds to include N620 billion bailout funds to five banks (Afribank Plc, Intercontinental Bank Plc, Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, Oceanic Bank and Fin Bank) and various donations to tertiary institutions running into several billions.

Obaseki Suspends Council Officials for Lateness Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, yesterday, paid a surprise visit to Egor Local Government Council by 8:20am, where he ordered the suspended senior officials of the council including the Head of Service, Mrs. Racheal Oriefo for coming late to work.

Governor Obaseki who arrived the secretariat at about 8.05am and met few workers at their duty post also ordered the gate to be locked immediately even as the workers made effort to call the senior officials about the governor’s presence.

Of 599 staff members at Egor, only 36 were on ground 20 minutes after the official resumption time, leading to the suspension of the Head of Administration, Mrs. Rachael Iriefo, even as the governor recalled that Egor was the most indebted Local Government in the

last administration.

He said: “You see, they do not come to work, but at the end of the month, their bill is almost N50m for salaries, outside of teachers. No senior person is here, no Head of Service; so how can they manage the Local Government?”

He also lamented that the council got N47m, yet their Union leaders would protest that the government had abandoned its obligations, adding that although the state did not owe LGs, it had to use other monies to make up for their deficits.

Governor Obaseki continued that everyone in the state had to buckle up to develop the state and that the Local Government must not be allowed to collapse.

He declared that if they failed to generate enough money to pay salaries, then he would get managers to do the job, berating them for their dilapidated

transport system in spite of the fact that they received N107m from their last windfall.

On the purpose of the visit, he disclosed that while at the Joint Allocation Committee meeting JAAC, yesterday, it came to his notice that the amount available after deductions and after IGR for this month was less than N1m, meanwhile, salary bill gulped about N50m monthly.

He therefore, visited the LG to conduct on-the-spot assessment because the solution to the problem could only come from the workers and the only way he could help them was by getting them sound leadership to make the LG viable.

“We give this Local Government 3 months to become viable. They have to do everything they need to do to reduce cost and increase revenue. Walking round your premises, I am shocked that

this is what your offices look like.

It is so filthy and I wonder how you keep your LGA clean if you cannot keep your own premises clean. All your senior officers are not at work, so if your leadership is as irresponsible as displayed now, how are we going to get the leadership to run this Local Government?” he said.

Former Deputy Governor of Edo State, Lucky Imasuen, who was also present at the LG, agreed that the LG workers had to justify their income, saying that only a radical approach could put them in their place.

Similarly last week, Obaseki also paid unscheduled visit to Owan East local council secretariat and did not meet senior officials of the council on duty.

Obaseki was visibly annoyed about the unkempt secretariat and the workers attitude to work.

Oshiomhole Condoles with Otaru of Auchi on Death of Prof Momoh Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City Immediate past Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has condoled with the Auchi royal family on the death of Prof.

Abubakar Momoh who until his demise was the Director-General, Independent National Electoral

Commission (INEC) Electoral Institution.

Oshiomhole in a condolence message to the Otaru of Auchi, HRH, Alhaji Haliru Momoh, Ikelebe III which he personally endorsed, said he was saddened to learn about the death of Prof. Momoh According to him. “Prof. Momoh, was well known to me as a charming,

highly resourceful and committed activist”.

He also described the late Momoh as a brilliant scholar who exuded a unique understanding of the Nigerian socio-political landscape, noting it was unfortunate that such a kind hearted, humane and unassuming intellectual was lost at the prime age of his life.

“In unquestionable submission to the will of God, we are condoled by the fact that in his life time, Prof.

Abubakar Momoh achieved so much and left outstanding legacies in all his engagements.

“He reached the peak of academic acquisitions, and made a bold footprint in the sands of professional excellence.” Oshiomhole declared.

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THURSDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

AFCON 2019

Eagles Honour Keshi at Training, Vow to Defeat Bafana Bafana Police to deploy 500 senior officers for match

Duro Ikhazuagbe and Okon Bassey in Uyo Super Eagles players and officials yesterday observed a one minute silence for a former captain and coach of the senior national team, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi, who died exactly one year ago.

Keshi led Eagles to win the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations as captain and returned 19 years later to win the AFCON 2013 as head coach. He died of cardiac arrest in Benin City on June 7, 2016.

But before Eagles began their last open training session at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo yesterday, interim Captain of the team, Ogenyi Onazi led the glory seeking new generation Eagles in honouring Keshi who is unarguably the most successful indigenous handler of the three-time African champions.

The Trabzonspor of Turkey midfielder later posted his appreciation for Keshi on his twitter handle.

“It’s one year now, I will never forget you sir you gave me the opportunity that made me what I am today. Rest In Peace. BIG BOSS,” said Onazi in remembrance of Keshi.

Even NFF President, Amaju Pinnick who was not at the training session in Uyo, led football enthusiasts and administrators who were present at Lagos State Football

Association EkoFootball public presentation ceremony at the MUSON Centre at Onikan, observe a minute silence for Keshi.

Most Super Eagles who spoke with THISDAY correspondent in Uyo expressed their zeal to win the match for Keshi and Nigerians. “ This match is for you Big Boss. We are determined to make you proud,” observed Onazi in memory of the coach who made him a household name in Nigerian football today.

Eagles defender, Williams Troost Ekong, declared: “It is going to be a good game.

Everyone is fit and ready. It will be a healthy competition, everybody is working hard to justify his slot. We are going to win this match for our fans to be happy,” stressed Ekong.

Also reacting, Eagles attacking midfielder, Oghenekaro Etebo, said that the team was ready to take on Bafana Bafana and win squarely. “We need to win.

Coach Gernot Rohr has a good record. All we believe is that we are going to win”.

Noting that the South Africans had won all their nine games they last played, Etebo admitted that the game would not be an easy one.

On his part, Goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa, said they were ready for the game adding that the other two goalkeepers, Daniel Akpeyi and Dele Alampasu, were in

Super Eagles players and officials observing a one minute silence for Stephen Keshi before commencement of training … yesterday top form, “we are happy with one another.”

The trio of Ahmed Musa, Elderson Echiejile and Kenneth Omeruo took part in yesterday’s training session for Rohr to have a full complement of invited players for the game.

Yesterday’s training was

Eagles last open session.

Reporters are barred from the team’s closed training today ahead of Saturday’s must-win AFCON 2019 qualifying clash with South Africa.

Meanwhile, Akwa Ibom state Commissioner of Police, Don Awunah, has expressed the

readiness of the state’s Police Command to guarantee soccer loving Nigerians a peaceful atmosphere devoid of any infractions on Saturday.

The State Police boss in a statement signed by the Command’s Public Relations Officers (PPRO),

DSP Chukwu Ikechukwu, directed the deployment of over 500 specially selected officers knowledgeable in crowd control and policing events of such magnitude to provide top notch security before, during and after the football match.

Robbers Attack Osun United Players, Officials South Africa Can’t Scuttle Nigeria’s soon as the driver of the It was further learnt that James Sowole in Akure vehicle stopped to see what the robbers also collected AFCON 2019 Ambition, Says Odegbami Armed robbers early Wednesday attacked players and officials of Osun United Football Club of Osogbo along the Ore-Ondo Highway while the team was travelling to Osogbo from Calabar where they honoured their Week 14 Bet9ja Nigeria National League match.

The team was attacked when the vehicle in which the team was travelling developed a mechanical fault few kilometers to Ondo town.

THISDAY learnt that as

the problem was, armed men reportedly came out from the bush and attacked the footballers.

The 32-seater coaster bus which contained 28 people including 18 players alongside technical crew led by the coach of the team, Mr. Duke Udi were reportedly ransacked by the hoodlums.

According to the source, the attackers matcheted members of the team, particularly the driver of the bus and the team’s goalkeeper, Ayo Ojo.

money, mobile phones and some other valuables from the victims.

Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer in Ondo State, Mr. Femi Joseph, said the attackers were not real armed robbers but hoodlums who might be living in the villages around the scene of the incident. “ The incident happened on Wednesday morning at about 1am when members of the team were coming from the Eastern part of the country.

Kunle Adewale After missing out of the last two editions of the Africa Cup of Nations, former national team Captain, Segun Odegbami, is optimistic that Nigeria would hoist her flag at the biennial competition slated for Cameroon in two years time.

“It is abnormal and totally unacceptable that one of the richest countries in terms of natural talent in football, a country with our resources

- both natural and human, a country with our size in population, a country with deep rich history in football should not be at any Africa Cup of Nations.

“It is a totally unacceptable thing, so we should all cover our faces in shame that for the past two editions of AFCON, Nigeria was not there. We have absolutely no excuse”, Odegbami said.

The 1980 Africa Cup of Nations winner is of the

opinion that Saturday’s game is an opportunity to showcase ourselves to the world with our brand of football.

“This opportunity that comes up on Saturday is another time for us to remember who we really are. South Africa cannot stop us. No country in Africa should be able to stop us from going to the Nations Cup, particularly now that we have more countries participating, unlike when only eight countries were participating.

Akwa Ibom Pegs Eagles, Bafana Clash at N1,000 Rivers to Establish Real Madrid Football Academy Super Eagles supporters especially the teeming indigenes of Akwa Ibom State have been availed the opportunity of watching the high class Nations Cup qualifier between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and Bafana Bafana of South Africa for only N1,000.

The Akwa Ibom State Commissioner of Youth and D Sports, Monday Ebong Uko, who confirmed this in Uyo

on Wednesday said hosting a top notch match like this cost millions and one is expected to recuperate some expenses from the gate yet the sports loving Governor Udom Emmanuel led government will rather crash the gates to allow fans to fill the stadium and cheer the Eagles to victory at virtually no cost. “ But for the fact that FIFA, CAF and the NFF bans free gate as a security measure

Governor Udom would have declared the gate free.” The commissioner said.

The reserved side will go for Two thousand naira only.

The Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Sports, Paul Bassey, confirmed the governor’s magnanimity and urged Akwa Ibomites to take advantage of the governors good will and turn out in large numbers to cheer the Super Eagles to victory.

Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt

As fans of Real Madrid FC continue to savour the club’s UEFA Champions League triumph, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has stated that a Real Madrid Football Academy would be established in the state to groom international soccer talents.

Speaking at the Government House Port Harcourt on Tuesday night during a

victory party he hosted for Real Madrid fans to celebrate the club’s Champions League victory over Juventus, Wike stated that he has opened discussions with the club management to actualise this goal.

Wike is a prominent fan of Real Madrid Football club.

He said football apart from being a source of entertainment globally, has proven to be a veritable empowerment tool.

“We will work with the

Management of Real Madrid Football club to ensure that a football academy is sited here in Rivers State. As you know, Rivers State is the headquarters of Real Madrid supporters in Nigeria “.

On the 2017 Champions League final in Cardiff, Wike said though most people did not give Real Madrid a chance to lift the trophy, the club displayed its resilience and discipline as it went ahead to create history.

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MISSILE NBA President to the Military “ The NBA wishes to express its concern and condemn in strong terms, any of such moves from whatever quarters. Nigeria’s democracy and democratic institutions, must not be imperiled by any undemocratic change of government� – President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr. Abubakar Mahmoud, calling on the military and Nigerians to safeguard the nation’s democracy.

MAGNUSONYIBE GUEST COLUMNIST

Dangote as a Metaphor for Development A

t 60 years of age Aliko Dangote, who is slightly older than Nigeria by a mere three years, has become the richest man in Africa and the 23rd richest in the world according to Forbes list of billionaires.

Comparatively, after nearly 57 years of the founding of Nigeria as a nation, and about eighteen, 18 years of continuously functioning as a multi party democracy, she remains at the bottom rung (169/189) of the World Bank’s ranking of countries where doing business is easiest.

In such an inclement business environment why has Dangote thrived and flourished while Nigeria, as a nation has remained a famished land?

Perhaps tracing the growth trajectory of Dangote, a brand straight out of Nigeria and comparing it to the stunted growth of our country, could help us identify the factors responsible for our nation’s arrested development.

Although the circumstances of the birth and development of Dangote and Nigerian nation are not significantly dissimilar, (products of harsh African socio-economic climate) it must be emphasised that while Nigerian nation started off as a prolific source of agricultural produce such as cocoa, groundnut, cotton and oil palm which were cash crops highly sought after by our then colonial master, Britain.

As history teaches us, after Thomas Newcomen pioneered the industrial revolution in 1712 by inventing the first steam engine, our colonial masters intensified efforts in importing our natural resources massively to feed its burgeoning industrial complexes. The inflow of cash from the British who were dependent on cash crops from Nigeria such as cocoa, cotton, palm oil, rubber lumps, groundnuts, cashew etc. ensured a steady flow of funds into the coffers of governments, at the three regional and national levels.

In contrast, Dangote only had a rich uncle Aminu Dantata, from whom he tapped entrepreneurial skills and started selling candies (sweets) through street hawkers in his neighbourhood.

It is noteworthy, that the budding entrepreneur at that time, Dangote could have eaten the candies like the leaders of Nigeria who squandered Nigeria’s riches by embarking on spending sprees, but he did not. Instead, Dangote steadily accumulated the proceeds from the petty trade of selling candies to form the capital of the Dangote group that’s now a giant.

Accounts by former President of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew, in his seminal and famous book entitled From Third World to First, illustrated the profligacy of Nigerian leaders at inception and accounts for Nigeria’s steady decline in fame and fortune while Singapore catapulted itself from third to first world in a relatively short space of two decades.

It is guts wrenching to think that if our leaders had maintained the discipline of saving up the seed capital from commodity trade with the British in the good old days, as Dangote did, Nigeria could have been robbing shoulders with the likes of Singapore in terms of GDP which is estimated to be about $300 billion up from about $70 billion in the 1960s and in terms of standard of living of her citizens

Aliko Dangote of which they are in the top 10 percentile of the world’s best.

The gap comes into stark reality when it is considered that Singapore has a single digit population of less than six million people, which is just a fraction of Nigeria’s, which is in excess of 170 million, and the GDP of both countries are more or less equal.

However, in contrast with the outstanding leadership qualities of leaders of Singapore and owing to the recklessness or lack of vision of those at the helm of affairs in Nigeria, citizens are now wallowing in abject poverty as her economy remains in the bottom rung of poverty ladder in terms of economic development.

That sad commentary is proved by the development indices of the World Bank, IMF and even affirmed by the recent report by Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

Before the view above is dismissed as a mere figment of my imagination, allow me remind us that Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, UAE, experienced the type of phenomenal growth that l just envisioned through visionary leadership that Nigeria could have emulated, if we did not have myopic leaders with tunnel vision anchored solely on religion and ethnic sentiments as opposed to economic growth and progress.

Incidentally, Emiratees are as religious, if not more pious than Nigerians, but they are equally as development focused, hence they were able to accelerate the growth of their economy and their well being with phenomenal speed during the same period that Nigeria’s fortune suffered reversals with the future of citizens not so bright.

Going back to tracing the lack of growth in Nigeria in comparison to the commendable expansion of Dangote brand which is indigenous to Nigeria, owing to his uncommon business acumen, Dangote’s business has now blossomed into a multinational conglomerate spanning several African countries (about 14 and still counting) and even east Asia, comparable to great consumer brands like Heinz and possibly Proctor & Gamble.

Conversely, Nigeria and majority of Nigerians have remained shackled in the abyss of poverty even after crude oil/gas, also known as black gold was discovered in addition to

her existing array of other foreign exchange generating resources such as solid gold, silver, iron ore, copper, aluminium, bauxite and other precious gem stones/minerals. Instead of using the revenue windfall arising from increased price of crude oil, which was a positive fall out of the famous Arab oil blockade in the 1970s, Nigerian leaders wasted its resources in 1977 in hosting Festival of Arts and Culture, FESTAC 77, which is a recurrent expenditure.

Establishing the value creating sea ports like Jebel Ali in Dubai or export processing zones like the one in Guangzu, China, could have created jobs and improved the living standards of Nigerians but politicians of those days preferred to host a global soirĂŠe and thereafter brand a champagne, Akinloye, named after the chairman of then ruling party, NPN. It is therefore no surprise and as such an irony that while Dangote prospered through dexterous and prudent management of his lean and meagre seed capital, Nigeria has been diminishing due to the profligacy and squander-mania nature of her leaders from independence in 1960 till date.

Even the 2017 federal government budget of change estimated to be in excess of N7.4 trillion, is about 70% skewed in favour of debt servicing and recurrent expenditure/ over heads- salaries, allowances and other expenses-than on capital projects like building of roads, hospitals, schools, sea/airports and homes which fuel socio-economic growth and progress of society.

In light of the above, Dangote has proven himself to be an adroit manager of men and resources way beyond the capacity of our political leaders in Nigeria’s chequered political history in the nearly 57 years of existence as a sovereign entity, with PDP at the helm of affairs for 16 years, and APC in the same position in nearly two years.

I therefore hasten to ask: Could the concept of Donald Trump, a multi billionaire businessman who went on to become the 45th and current president of the USA, be replicated in Nigeria?

Despite the fact that Dangote has been unabashedly and conspicuously apolitical, I asked the rhetorical question at the risk of being misunderstood and if Africa’s richest man ever considers such a venture, he is likely to be misunderstood too.

I suspect that my question may be misinterpreted and the premonition stems from the wise counsel of Ralph Waldo Emerson, who posited in his seminal essay SELF RELIANCE that: “Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood.�

Essentially, Emerson in the phrase above was only trying to explain that very often great thinkers are misunderstood, because they have dared to think out of the box as was the case with the list of high profile personalities that he highlighted, and who were initially misunderstood but they ended up being purveyors of positive developments and great influencers of society.

Even Mark Zukerberg, the co-founder of the hugely financially successful Facebook is

currently being misunderstood and suspected of nursing presidential ambition by a section of the USA media despite his denial simply because he has been trying to connect with American users of his social media platform by traveling round the country and meeting with ordinary folks.

In light of my advocacy for a political reset in Nigeria, perhaps like Albert Einstein who noted that “All religions, arts and sciences are branches of the same tree�, l wish that our political leaders should (irrespective of their creed or ethnicity) be like Dangote who shows up in churches and mosques for coronations, marriages, birthdays, burial ceremonies etc. for both the rich and powerful as well as the not so rich friends and associates (no matter how far flung and remote the location of the ceremonies are), so that there will be less acrimony in Nigeria.

That is because it is one of the most efficacious ways to bridge/cure the religious and ethnic divide malaise exacerbated by the negative sentiments stoked during the last general elections and contest for the presidency, which incidentally is one of the tension points and disincentive for foreign direct investments, FDI into Nigeria.

Unlike most Nigerians and foreigners whose wealth have taken flight from our shores due to initial policy inconsistencies resulting in the current economic crisis, it would appear that Dangote sees infinite spectrum of possibilities at home hence he has continued to invest in Nigeria both in good and bad times.

Furthermore, as John f. Kennedy the 33rd president of the USA declared during the dedication of the Aerospace medical health centre in 1963 “America has tossed the cap over the wall of space� implying that the USA was going to be at the forefront of space race, Dangote does not appear to be ready to be at the rear but continue to be at the forefront of economic development in Nigeria, hence he is expanding his business empire into petrochemical, petroleum products refining, fertilizer blending, farming and possibly rail transportation.

To replicate the lofty accomplishments of Dangote in the business sphere in our public sector, l wish our political leaders would be like Franklin D Roosevelt, FDR, who during his inauguration as president of USA in 1933 stated emphatically in his message that gingered up his despondent fellow Americans by saying “l assume unhesitatingly the leadership of this great army of our people is dedicated to a disciplined attack upon our common problems�.

With such motivating speech, which was backed by action, most Americans were primed up with the zeal to join in pulling the recession-ridden economy from the throes of depression. Contrary to the situation in the USA during the great depression, the exhortation and commitment that were like a shot in the arm of Americans are lacking in Nigeria, which is the reason the country is now mired in financial quagmire. This is simply due to lack of visionary leadership that would inspire and mobilize Nigerians into taking the challenge of salvaging the economy. r .S 0OZJCF B %FWFMPQNFOU "DUJWJTU JT B GPSNFS $PNNJTTJPOFS JO %FMUB 4UBUF

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