Tuesday 26th September 2017

Oil Price Hits All Year High $58 Per Barrel NPDC targets 500,000 bpd production by 2020 Chineme Okafor in Abuja and Ejiofor Alike with agency reports The prices of crude oil hit a new 2017 high yesterday, continuing a rally fuelled by improving demand

and expectations that the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-OPEC producers will extend output cuts.

The International benchmark, Brent crude rose $1.52, or 2.7 per cent, to $58.38 per barrel, surpassing the highest level of the year.

However, the United States West Texas Intermediate crude remained well below its 2017 high, but topped $51 a barrel for the first time in

four months.

It was last trading up $1.06, or 2.1 percent, at $51.72 per barrel.

OPEC and other oil

2017 Budget: FG Keeps Mum over Capital Releases… Page 8

exporters declined on Friday to extend their agreement to limit production in a bid to drain a global glut that has weighed on prices for three years.

Continued on page 8

Tuesday 26 September, 2017 Vol 22. No 8195. Price: N250

www.thisdaylive.com TR

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TIME TO MOVE ON...

L-R: CEO, Nigerian Stock Exchange, Mr. Oscar Onyema; Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki; outgoing NSE President, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede; new NSE President, Mr. Abimbola Ogunbanjo; Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun; and President, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, at the send-forth dinner for retired and retiring council members of NSE in Lagos... yesterday abiodun ajala

You’re the Rogue Elephant, APC Fires Back at Sagay Accuses him of disrespect for Buhari Governors divided over restructuring Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja, Hammed Shittu in Ilorin, Mohammed Aminu in Sokoto and Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi The All Progressives Congress

(APC) yesterday rebuked the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Anticorruption (PACAC), Professor Itse Sagay (SAN), describing him as lacking in decorum and respect for the party

and President Muhammadu Buhari.

In perhaps the most scathing criticism by a highranking member of the APC government, Sagay had in a press interview at the weekend

described the leadership of the party as the most unprincipled group of people who were encouraging and accepting rogues into its fold.

Responding to the criticism, the APC said the PACAC

chairman had indirectly attacked the president who was its leader.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, APC said there was no way Sagay

could call out the leadership of the party as “weak” and “unprincipled” without indicting the president.

It said: "In his sheer Continued on page 8

FG Open to Divestment of 40% Shares in Discos, Says Fashola Raises hope on kick-off of Mambilla hydro power project Highlights infrastructure plans Chineme Okafor in Abuja and Ejiofor Alike in Lagos The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, on Monday, stated that the federal government

would be open to welcome new and tangible offers that would lead to it divesting its 40 per cent shares in the

11 electricity distribution companies (Disco) in the country.

Speaking on Arise News

– a sister broadcast arm of THISDAY in Abuja, Fashola said the government would look forward to having private

investors bring before it good proposals that would convince it to divest part of its shares in the Discos.

Buhari Returns, Congratulates German Chancellor Merkel... Page 43

He also disclosed that negotiations for the finance of the 3050 megawatts (MW) Mambilla Hydro Power Project would soon kick in following Continued on page 40

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PAGE EIGHT

2017 Budget: FG Keeps Mum over Capital Releases Looks to funding of projects from Sukuk proceeds Ndubuisi Francis and Chineme Okafor in Abuja There are indications that the federal government may be having difficulties funding the capital component of the N7.44 trillion 2017 Budget as none of the ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) could confirm to THISDAY as at yesterday, the release of any capital vote to them, three months after the appropriation bill was assented to

by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who was then acting president.

The budget with a capital vote of N2.36 trillion, which was passed by the National Assembly on May 9, 2017, was assented to

by Osinbajo on June 12, 2017.

At the public presentation of the budget in Abuja on June 19, 2017, the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, had assured that

funds were at the disposal of the government to immediately release N350 billion for capital projects.

However, THISDAY investigations have cast some doubt not only on government's promise to release the funds as soon as the budget was signed but also its capacity to fund the entire capital vote.

About three months after the budget was signed into law, efforts by our correspondents in the last two months to confirm the release of the N350 billion and other possible releases had met a brick wall.

Neither the officials of the Ministry of Finance nor the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) have been forthcoming with information.

Some top officials of the Ministry of Finance, who were

contacted to provide information on whether or not the N350 billion had been released, referred our inquiries to the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and the Ministry of Budget and National Planning.

Efforts to make an inroad in the OAGF also fell flat as the Director, Public Affairs in the Office, Mrs. Kene Offie, neither responded to calls nor a text message.

Although the Ministry of Finance is saddled with the task of ensuring the release of funds for budget implementation, nonetheless, THISDAY still made attempts to see if the Budget and National Planning Ministry could be of any help in terms of providing information on capital releases/budget implementation generally.

An official of that ministry,

who was contacted, expressed the obvious, adding that release of budgeted funds was the prerogative of the Ministry of Finance.

He advised our correspondent to seek the needed information from the finance ministry.

Indications are that the federal government may be finding it difficult not only to fund capital projects but some recurrent line items, especially overhead.

The Statistician-General of the Federation, Dr. Yemi Kale, disclosed recently that the delay in the release of the second quarter Gross Domestic Product (GDP) figures was due to the paucity of funds.

The delay, he noted, put the statistical agency in some financial constraints to embark on the mobilisation of the necessary data for second quarter GDP

figures, which came almost two months late.

To further lend credence to government's not-too-cosy financial position to fund the capital budget, THISDAYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s request for details of the capital release so far to the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, was repeatedly evaded by Mr. Hakeem Bello, Senior Special Assistant on Communications to the Minister, Mr. Babatunde Fashola.

On several occasions, Bello explained away the delay in responding to the inquiries.

But there were pointers to the fact that the government was exploring alternative sources of funding for capital projects, as Fashola at a meeting with contractors who were complaining about paucity of funds to execute their contracts

noted: "Sukuk is coming. If it is fully subscribed, at least, in 25 major roads, we will have some interventions."

The N100 billion sovereign Sukuk bonds recently issued by the government is promising to pay subscribers of Sukuk risk-free rental income of 16.47 per annum.

Some major capital expenditure allocations in the 2017 Budget are N553.71 billion for Power, Works and Housing; N241.71 billion for Transportation; N150 billion for Special Intervention Programmes; N139.29 billion for Defence; N104.24 billion for Water Resources; N81.73 billion for Industry, Trade and Investment; N63.76 billion for Interior; N151.91 billion for Education (including Universal Basic Education Commission); N55.61 billion for Health; and, N103.79 billion for Agriculture

perspective, saying what issues anyone had with the current structure of the country would have to be addressed by the National Assembly through the amendment of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

The governors spoke yesterday at the partyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s public consultation on True Federalism in the North East Zone held at the Multipurpose Sports Hall, Bauchi.

Abubakar, who was represented by his deputy, Alhaji Nuhu Gidado, said: "We believe in one united Nigeria because we do not subscribe to break up; it's better to remain as one country.

According to him, any position to be taken on restructuring must be in tandem with the people's view, in line with APC manifesto and the partyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s change agenda.

Abubakar also called for devolution of power from the exclusive list by the federal government to the states and local governments in the areas of Agriculture and Education.

He was, however, noncommittal over state and local government autonomy, explaining that he was still ruminating over it.

He said his administration had done a lot in the areas of agriculture and education, adding that it intended to build on its efforts.

Shettima in his submission said Nigeria needed honest

leaders who were interested in the plight of the people in fighting corruption. "My opinion and that of Borno State Government is that the present federalism should be maintained and while we build strong institutions that will stand a test of time," he said.

Shettima who was represented by the Speaker of Borno State House of Assembly, Alhaji Abdulkarim Lawal, said the current restructuring agitation was awakened by the injustice and corrupt practice of the previous Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration, which ruled for 16 years.

He, therefore, commended the president for his fight against corruption, saying it would go a long way in the restructuring of the country.

Gaidam, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Government House, Alhaji Lawal Hassan, said agitation of restructuring revolves around constitution amendment.

He said: "All we need in Nigeria is good governance hence the need for the National Assembly to amend our constitution,â&#x20AC;? noting that the meeting on true federalism would bring about changes aimed at tackling the current challenges facing the country.

In its memorandum, the Bauchi State chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress, (NLC)

represented by the state chairman of the Union, Mr. Hashimu Gital, spoke on the creation and merger of states, devolution of power, local government autonomy, type of legislature, system of government, Land Use Act and national minimum wage.

The NLC submitted that organized labour would not support any move towards the creation of additional states in view of the present economic realities in the country.

It said local governments should be granted autonomy to facilitate and fast-track development at the grassroots.

According to the union, Nigeria should retain the presidential system of government, which it said encouraged democracy, guaranteed political stability, independence of the president, proper use of talent with its checks and balances.

In his remarks, the team leader of the public consultation in North East, Senator Oseirhemen Osunbor, said the policy of the party in resolving the controversy over restructuring was to listen to the people and engage with them.

Osunbor, a former governor of Edo State said the key issues to address at the public hearing were creation/merger of states, derivation principle and devolution of powers.

30, 34, 38, 40, 41, 42 and 55; nonequity operations in three blocks of selected NNPC joint venture fields; 60 per cent participatory interest in four blocks of OMLs 60, 61, 62 and 63 and 100 per cent ownership of seven blocks of OMLs 11, 13, 64, 65, 66, 111 and 119. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In a nutshell, the company is involved in 29 concessions which comprises 22 OMLs and seven Oil Prospecting Leases (OPL).â&#x20AC;?

He further explained that NPDC had varied interests in seven deep-water concessions and successfully executed a global Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with communities in OMLs 30 and 34.

According to him, the company achieved a major feat by successfully drilling and completing five horizontal wells in nine months in OML 26, leading to production of an additional 7, 000bpd.

The NPDC, he explained had successfully turned around OML 40 asset from zero oil production to 12,000bpd. This, he stated, underlined its rising profile as the seventh largest owner and operator of Floating Production

Storage and Offloading (FPSO) in Nigeria, with FPSO Mystra having the capacity to produce 1.03 million of crude.

He added that NPDC also carried out some intervention activities which led to the peak production of approximately 10,000bpd in OML 65 in June, 2017, and that it is currently the biggest gas producer in the country, as well as the highest supplier of gas to the domestic market. â&#x20AC;&#x153;NPDC aggressive gas pursuit since 2009 has also raised the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s profile as the highest single supplier of gas to the domestic market with an average of 700 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd). â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Utorogu Non-Associated Gas 11 plant was also completed recently adding 150 mmscfd; the Oredo 2 gas plant also adds 100mmscfd and the successful re-entry of Odidi which led to an addition of 40mmscfd of gas indeed represents a major achievement for the company and a step forward to achieving NPDCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s aspiration to become a serious global player in the E&P industry,â&#x20AC;? Matashi said.

YOU'RE THE ROGUE ELEPHANT, APC FIRES BACK AT SAGAY arrogance, he forgets that it is impossible for him to call out the leadership of the party as â&#x20AC;&#x153;weakâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;unprincipledâ&#x20AC;? without indicting the president, who is the leader of the party and has the fundamental responsibility to build the party.

"If Sagay had any iota of respect for the man who dug him back from inevitable oblivion and put him in a position in which he now feels superior to everyone, he would channel his opinions and advice to the president on how to make the party stronger and more principled," the party cautioned.

In the interview, Sagay described the leadership of the APC as â&#x20AC;&#x153;the most unprincipled group of peopleâ&#x20AC;? who are â&#x20AC;&#x153;encouraging and accepting roguesâ&#x20AC;? into the party.

He said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;When I say â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;roguesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mean stealing. In literature, when you say someone is a rogue elephant, it means people who are running riot and destroying the party.â&#x20AC;?

The ruling party, however, said the presidential adviser was the rogue elephant and not its leaders.

The APC dug out the Webster dictionary meaning of rogue elephant as: â&#x20AC;&#x153;One whose behaviour resembles that of a rogue elephant in being aberrant or independent.â&#x20AC;?

The party said: "Clearly if we have today, anyone in our government or, by extension, the party who feels accountable only to his own ego; who does not feel the need to bridle his tongue for the sake of anything that is higher than himself; who feels independent of everyone and every institution; that person is Professor Sagay.

"Asked by the interviewer if he would stop speaking if the president asks him to stop speaking, he said: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Yes, he is my employer. If he tells me to stop talking, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll stop talking. But I have certain rights too that I can exercise in addition to that because Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not going to be in a position where I am impotent.

So, I must obey him, but I can go beyond that and obey myself too. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s it.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Framed in another way, what Sagay is saying here is that, no matter what is at stake, he would rather resign than obey the president if the president tries to restrain him.

This is the quintessential rogue elephant behaviour,â&#x20AC;? the party described Sagay.

The party said the presidential aide would have done better to channel his opinions and advice to his boss on how to make the party stronger and more principled.

According to it: "It appears, however, that Sagay does not have anything constructive to

say about anything. He only knows how to tear down and assault everyone and everything.

"We want to remind Sagay and all other appointees of our government that the only reason they occupy their current positions today is because the APC won the election. It is, therefore, a matter of honour to show decorum and respect for the party and its leadership.

You cannot love the fruit and hate the tree that produced it," it warned.

APC Governors Divided over Restructuring In the meantime, the governors of Bauchi, Yobe and Borno States, all controlled by the APC, have expressed divergent views over the current agitation for a restructuring of the country.

While the Bauchi State Governor, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar, stressed the need to consider national consensus on restructuring in order to meet the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians, his Borno State counterpart, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, said restructuring would be unnecessary once corruption and injustice had been checkmated.

But the Yobe State Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam, held a completely different

Continued on page 40

OIL PRICE HITS ALL YEAR HIGH $58 PER BARREL The development coincided with an announcement by the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) that it was targeting to grow its oil production capacity to 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) by 2020.

Nigeria had experienced a relief as the meeting of the Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee (JMMC) of OPEC and Non-OPEC Countries in Vienna, Austria extended Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exemption from crude oil production cut, thus endorsing the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s position that the exemption granted it at the November 2016 Ministerial Conference and extended by the May Ministerial Conference should be sustained until it stabilises its crude oil production.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, who led Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s delegation to the meeting had argued that although Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s production recovery efforts have made some appreciable progress since October last year, Nigeria is not yet out of the woods.

He noted that even though

Nigeria hit 1.802 million barrels per day in the month of August that was not enough justification for a call by some countries for Nigeria to be brought into the fold.

Resurgent production from US shale oil producers, who use advanced drilling methods, has played a major role in delaying the oil market rebalancing.

Higher oil prices this year have encouraged American drillers to pump more, but there are signs the US recovery is slowing.

The number of oil rigs operating in US fields has plateaued recently.

A weekly rig count kept by oilfield service firm Baker Hughes fell for the fifth time in six weeks, figures released on Friday showed.

Monthly US oil production figures released earlier this month showed American output ticked down slightly in June to about 9.1 million barrels a day.

Preliminary weekly figures show production at roughly 9.5 million barrels a day in the week through Sept. 15, recovering after a brief dip due to impacts from Hurricane Harvey.

Trader positioning shows the market believes there's more room for U.S. crude prices to run up.

Hedge funds raised their bullish bets on U.S. crude futures to the highest level in four weeks, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission reported on Friday.

Wagers that oil prices will fall declined for a third straight week, according to the data covering trades through Sept. 19.

Meanwhile, the NPDC has outlined its new production targets saying it aimed at achieving 500,000bpd. It explained that it would grow its production from the current 180,000bpd to 300,000 bpd and 400,000bpd between 2018 and 2019 respectively.

A statement from the Group General Manager, Public Affairs of the NNPC, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, on Monday in Abuja, quoted the Managing Director of NDPC, Mr. Yusuf Matashi, to have disclosed the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s target in Benin.

Matashi, stated that the planned increase in NPDCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s equity oil production was due to the ongoing transformation in NNPC, adding that the company has become the fifth largest oil producer in Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oil industry.

He said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The NPDC has 55 per cent equity in nine blocks of Oil Mining Lease (OML) 4, 26,

TOP GAINERS FIDSON NEWREST ASL CUSTODIAN ETERNA C& LEASING TOP LOSERS JAIZBANK SKYEBANK NEIMETH

NGN NGN 0.15 3.15 0.34 7.16 0.17 3.63 0.16 3.46 0.06 1.33 NGN NGN 0.03 0.67 0.02 0.53 0.02 0.62 UBA 0.27 8.70 LAFARGE 1.48 50.00 HPE Nestle Nig Plc â&#x201A;Ś1,225.00 Volume: 107.148 million shares Value: N1.367 billion Deals: 2,848 As at yesterday 25/9/17 See details on Page 32

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The OCTOBER 1967 ASABA MASSACRE – 50th ANNIVERSARY

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e act for the victims and survivors of the Asaba massacre which occurred when troops of the second division of the Nigerian Army unleashed mayhem upon unarmed innocent civilians who had gathered to welcome them as a show of goodwill and peace. The circumstances of their death is now a part of our history but their sacrifice, suffering, and pain remains unacknowledged by our country and the Nigerian Government since the end of the civil war. It is perfectly legitimate and not inconsistent with our commitment to one Nigeria to hold up this hideous outrage to the conscience of all Nigerians. We respectfully ask our fellow countrymen to step up and address this display of man’s inhumanity to man that continues to fester as an open sore upon decent imagination. This is more so as the very question that once bitterly divided the country and upon which they fell is once again with us. Again we watch idly and helplessly as the tanks roll on the south eastern states upon this same national question that our countries leadership have disgracefully failed to satisfactorily resolve despite the sacrifice of over One million lives in the civil war. Perhaps it must be so as all dishonest experiments with Truth invariably end in tears for all concerned. Against this background and upon the mass graves of innocent Asaba and Anioma people who were criminally executed we hold up the following to our troubled country: 1) We affirm our faith and commitment to one Nigeria and remind the country that these unfortunate and innocent Nigerian citizens died with one Nigeria songs on their lips. What a tragic irony. Perhaps it was the nigerian soldiers of the second division who claimed to be engaged on a war of national unity by slaughtering unarmed civilians who should take some urgent lessons on patriotism.

2) Much innocent blood has been shed in our country for all sorts of nebulous reasons for which those responsible have not been held accountable thereby encouraging a culture of impunity that has held us down for far too long. Upon the graves of our fellow nigerians buried in the mass graves of Ogbesowe in Asaba we ask all Nigerians to rise up to their responsibilities as active citizens and constructively engage government at all levels as we have nothing to lose other than our chains, our complacency and indifference.

3) As we commemorate this event we appeal to all agitators for various causes in the country to please abide and confine their activities within the responsible limits set by the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We also respectfully appeal to the federal government to bring the necessary sensitivity and maturity to bear upon sensitive national issues confronting our country. We appreciate the difficulties involved in governance but the government has a duty to make all nigerians, irrespective of their ethnic extraction, feel valued in every region within the Nigerian space. The impression of Nigeria as a country not at ease with itself remains a challenge to the present government and we urge this administration to bear the difficult burden of governance with grace and humility as a government is only useful if it serves its people well but must never aim to become their masters or oppressors.

4) The victims and survivors of Asaba massacre and the entire Anioma people invite all fellow Nigerians to mourn with them on October 7th, to remember and acknowledge the unique sacrifice they made on that day and they urge you to offer thanksgiving for the privilege of one Nigeria for which their blood was shed. In this connection we humbly invite the Federal Government, State Governments, the Federal and State legislators and all fellow nigerians to dedicate and observe a ‘’One Minute Silence’’ in their honour on the 5th of October at 12noon.

5) We confirm that the survivors have always expressed the strong desire to keep this matter free of worldly and unworthy considerations. Therefore all appeals for contributions by way of fund raising ( except the seed money required to host the event which had already been mobilised within ) by any Memorial Group or Task force are hereby discouraged as there is no mandate for that. In this regard we ask all Nigerians to reject any appeal for fund raising for this cause. We urgently demand that funds already received by any group riding upon this sacred issue should be honourably returned to the innocent

donors with our thanks. This is so whether the funds so realized are private or public/government funds. It is neither sought by the victims or survivors nor is it welcomed. It will not bring back the dead, nor assist the survivors who lost their dear and loved ones over 50 years ago but it will certainly soil their memory and demean the significance of their sacrifice. We trust that this clarification is more than sufficient for those involved as this is a pronouncement that any money so retained is deemed Blood Money no matter the laudable intent disclosed for its collection.

6) There is a Monument at Ogbesowe in Asaba erected in their memory from humble donations of survivors. The monument is erected on one of the sacred grounds where their blood was shed. This is satisfactory for their purposes for the time being. This tragic incident was the subject of a serious Petition before the Human Rights Violations Investigation Commission ( Oputa Panel ) in 2001 under the auspices of Ohaneze Ndigbo and till date the recommendations remain in the archives . Also a Petition dated 22nd of April 2014 was submitted to the Nigerian Human Rights Commission and same remains unacknowledged to date. Both complaints were treated with the usual official derision in the hope that the deaths of over 1000 nigerian citizens could simply be wished away. We urge all Nigerians to pay urgent attention to these human rights abuses as the country cannot move forward without properly taking stock of what had occurred to several innocent people. We acknowledge the private apology for the massacre from General Gowon but note that it was offered in his personal capacity.

7) We ask our fellow Nigerians to please participate in the memorial activities set down from the 5 - 8th October and to do so by way of ‘’establishing that all Nigerian lives matter’’ irrespective of their ethnic or religious affiliation.

8) We offer the twin objectives of ‘’Remembrance and Peace in the cause of One Nigeria’’as worthy themes for this 50th anniversary memorial event. Perhaps some day and upon a satisfactory symbolic demonstration of contrition by responsible authorities the foundation for closure and forgiveness could be laid to enable the much required healing to begin.

9) We acknowledge with much gratitude and thanks the collaborative efforts of the following: HRM The Asagba of Asaba – Professor Chike Edozien; The Asagba Cabinet & Council; Emma Okocha – author of the seminal book ‘’Blood on the Niger’’; Professors E. Bird and F. Otannelli of the University of South Florida, Tampa, USA and we recommend their recent Book Titled ‘’ The Asaba Massacre, Trauma, Memory, and the Nigerian Civil War’’ published by the Cambridge University Press in the UK; Dr Ify Uraih; Dr Getty Ogunkeye ( nee Okogwu ); The Rt Rev Emmanuel Chukwumah - the Bishop of Enugu Diocese; Chief Louis Odogwu – The Imagwe of Asaba; The Asaba Development Union – ADU; Chief Philip Asiodu- The Izoma of Asaba ( whose brother Sydney, an olympic athlete was killed on that day ); Professor Emmanuel Nwanze – former VC University of Benin, Mrs Martina Osaji and our Richie – Mr Richard Omo. We also applaud the immense sacrifice of Asaba women who gave all that they had for the defence and protection of their loved ones and in the case of Mrs Rose Nduka-Eze and the Omu of Asaba, Ma Mgbushe Okolie, gave their lives for the triumph of light and hope over darkness and despair. We can not forget the courageous humanitarian interventions of some federal troops like Captain Mathias of the Second Division of the Nigerian Army who demonstrated against all odds that even soldiers have a choice whether or not to obey genocidal superior orders.

Some day when the proper history of our country is written the true heroes that have done much to keep the flag of liberty and freedom flying will take their rightful place in our country’s affections.

Chuck Nduka-Eze & Co.

Barristers & Solicitors.

No 1 Ihuntayi Street, Oniru Estate Lagos.

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T H I S D AY Ëž Ë&#x153; Í°Í´Ë&#x153; Í°ÍŽÍŻÍľ

COMMENT

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

NATIONAL CARRIER: LESSONS FROM SOUTH AFRICA Bukola Ogunyemi argues that the country does not need a national airline

F

rom all indications, the Nigerian government is determined in its decision to float a new national airline and have it operational by the end of this year. This milestone appears to have been inspired during the election campaign that ushered in the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, who came into office in May 2015 after an unprecedented victory. This zeal to fulfil a major campaign promise and commit scarce funds to a rather capital intensive infrastructural project is in itself admirable, but the energy should undoubtedly be channelled differently.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s simple. Nigeria does not need a national airline and cannot afford one. Out of all the points on its historic 2015 manifesto, Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ruling party is well aware the National Airline promise ranks least in swinging any of the over 14 million votes that won it the presidency. There is hardly any guarantee the fulfilment of that promise will matter much to the electorate in the 2019 elections.

Floating a national airline should rank least on the economic priorities of a nation that just sneaked out of a recession spanning five quarters.

Nigeria boasts of housing Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest economy, taking that crown from South Africa after rebasing its GDP four years ago. That status is currently undisputed, but it is from that same South Africa that Nigeria needs to pick lessons on how not to lose the crown.

This 2017 revival wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first fling with a national airline project. Like most relationships, the previous one blossomed in parts and after a painful breakup died a tragic death. Nigeria Airways was founded two years before Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s independence. It became the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s national carrier in 1961 after the Nigerian government increased its shares in the company from 51 per cent to 100. By 1987 the airline, as a result of corruption and mismanagement had accumulated debts of over $250 million and was suspended by the International Air Transport Association for poor safety compliance.

Nigeria Airways at this time had 500 employees per aircraft in the fleet, twice the international average. Some 1700 people were laid off in 1985 and another 1000 the following year. In a desperate attempt to keep the airline afloat, 3000 more employees were laid off in December 1988, domestic and international fares raised and flights to a number of destinations discontinued. None of these measures proved effective in turning the fortunes of the airline around.

It, however, took the international embarrassment of having a Nigeria Airways aircraft impounded at Heathrow Airport and an eventual ban by the UK Civil Aviation Authority to convince the Nigerian government to privatise the debt-ridden venture. By the time Nigeria Airways folded

A MORE PRODUCTIVE VENTURE FOR MR. BUHARIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GOVERNMENT WOULD BE TO INSTITUTE KEY REFORMS IN NIGERIAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S AVIATION INDUSTRY TO IMPROVE THE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY OF THE EXISTING PLAYERS AND ATTRACT NEW INVESTMENTS INTO THE SECTOR

up in 2003, it had received a cash injection of $200 million from the Nigeria government and was $528 million in debt.

Still not convinced by the misfortunes of the defunct Nigeria Airways, the government in 2004 staged a revival of the national airline in the form of Virgin Nigeria Airways, as a joint venture with the Virgin Group. This quickly morphed into Air Nigeria after the Virgin Group pulled out of the arrangement. By 2012 Air Nigeria had met its demise. Fast forward to 2017 and the Nigerian government had appointed Lufthansa and five other firms as transaction advisers to kick-start the process of establishing yet another national carrier.

So why is the Buhari administration fixated on an idea that has twice been tested, has twice failed, accumulating humongous debts while costing taxpayers millions of dollars? According to statements issued at different times over the last one year, the government is convinced this new venture, touted as a public-private partnership, has the potential to be Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s answer to the largest African airline state-owned Ethiopia Airlines which clocked $175 million in profits in 2015. If records, however, are anything to go by, it could very well be the Siamese twin to the loss-making South African Airways.

Despite running one of Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest fleets, state-owned South Africa Airways is yet to post profits for seven consecutive years, managing to stay afloat on bailout funds by the South African government. State-owned regional airline, South African Express, and low-cost carrier, Mango, are not faring any better. These three airlines have recorded a combined R35 billion in operational losses over the last 10 years. Indeed, the fate of South Africa Airways currently hangs on a R10 billion bailout to be able to honour debt obligations by the end of this month.

Thus, South African governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s national carrier business has proved to be nothing but a sinkhole for public funds. Nigeria appears set to thread the same path even while the debts left in the wake of the previous attempts are still hanging on the governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s neck. The unpaid pensions and entitlements of the workers laid off when the Air Nigeria closed shop in 2012 stand at N78 billion today.

Aviation experts and economic analysts are united in the opinion that Nigeria does not need a national airline. Rather this fixation on floating a national carrier just because there used to be one and other countries have theirs, a more productive venture for Mr Buhariâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s government would be to institute key reforms in Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s aviation industry to improve the operational efficiency of the existing players and attract new investments into the sector.

Ogunyemi, a media executive wrote from Lagos

FROM THE STREETS TO THE CLASSROOMS Rauf Aregbesola, Osun State governor, has performed remarkably well, writes Kunle Owolabi

E

verything has got its own time and season. The season of politics in the State of Osun is here. Contestants are warming up. New alignments are being forged. In other places, old ones are being resuscitated. Forces are gathering, all towards the 2018 governorship election.

Governor Rauf Aregbesolaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tenure is gradually coming to an end. Dozens of aspirants are targeting this number one seat. All these contestants want to outdo one another in the ascendance to the throne game. One weapon they have and which they are using is propaganda.

They will perform more than the incumbent if given the opportunity to serve. They have now turned virulent critics of the Ogbeni Aregbesola government.

They brazenly alter statistics. Fabricate figures which are non-existing and justify what ought not to be, all in the name of wanting to give the administration of Aregbesola a bad name in order to hang it.

But the people of Osun do have very good memory. They do not suffer from rampaging collective amnesia trait of these politicians. They know. They see. They also feel what Aregbesola did and is still doing in the state.

One of the supposed governorship aspirants recently said the state of education in Osun is in a bad shape. He noted that there was a disconnect in the provision of infrastructure and economic development, promising that he possess the magic wand to synergise the two and fix the education.

Hear what he said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;My governorship ambition will aim at turning the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fortunes around, especially in â&#x20AC;&#x153;moment of crisis which its education had found itself. Osun State is in a moment of crisis as its educational sector is also in bad shape and the quality is no longer there. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The infrastructure and economic development will change if given the opportunity to govern

the state. Osun is in a critical position; it must not be left in the hands of charlatans. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a governor or aspiring to be governor and you say you have six points agenda or nine points agenda, its rubbish, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m very sure of that.

Another aspirant was milder in his criticism.

He opined that Aregbesola performed very well but made certain mistakes that he would correct if elected governor. But if a calabash isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t broken, do we employ someone to still fix it? One of Aregbesolaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s critics cited above was fortunately part of the education summit called by the governor in 2011 to fix the education sector ran aground during the seven years of misrule of the administration before Aregbesola.

This critic was not a governorship aspirant then and he did not see that education was in a shambles. Even at that, he was privileged to serve in the summit with the Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka.

The outcome of that brainstorming at the summit produced the template with which the government tailored its restructuring. And today, the state has witnessed tremendous improvement in all ramifications as far as education is concerned in the state.

The criticism must have stemmed from the utter lack of knowledge of performance charts and attention to details commonly exhibited by those who do not want to see anything good attributed to the Aregbesola administration.

Before one goes to reel out statistics on physical performance in the education such as provision of infrastructure, let us take a cursory look at the performance of the student of the high school in the state in the last three edition of the external examination, West African Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

These past records and statistics of students supplied by WAEC in the past years have shown that there is significant improvement in percentage of overall results of the student compared to the 2010 performance pre-Aregbesola era.

To start with, a comparison between pre and post Aregbesola administrations will put nail to the coffin of mischief makers. In 2007, the state registered 36,171 candidates for WAEC examination out of which 2,483 had credit pass in five subjects, including English and Mathematics.

In 2008, it was 37,715 candidates with 3,813 pass. In 2009 it was 39,676 candidates, with 5,545 pass. In 2010 it was 43,216 candidates, with 6,777 pass.

Put side by side the above four-year performances with that of Aregbesolaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s administration when government started sponsoring candidates for WAEC in 2011, one would glean the wide gulf in performances of both governments.

That year, 2011, and the first year of test of Aregbesolaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s government, the state fielded 53,293 candidates and had 11,672 pass.

In 2012, government fielded 51,463 out of which 11,431 passed. In 2013, it also fielded 47,013 candidates, recorded 9,301 pass.

In 2014, government sponsored 47,672 candidates and 9,316 of them passed.

Compared with the average performance (13.26 per cent) of the three years that preceded it, the percentage improvement in performance during Aregbesolaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tenure is put at an impressive 57.46 per cent.

Thus, those who said Osun is declining are not being honest. The above data will show that their claims are totally unfounded. The performance of pupils has not gone down under the watch of Aregbesola. This significant improvement in performance was nothing other than an outstanding result brought about by careful and strategic planning by the administration. The percentage of performance has kept improving since then. One therefore was miffed by the spurious claims of critics about education being in bad shape in the state. This same education sector!

Coming to infrastructural improvement, it is in this same education sector where, as at last count, a total of 55 new state-of-the-art structures,

comprising 20 Elementary, 22 Middle, and 13 High School have been added to existing structures while a total of 82 school blocks, comprising 1,534 classrooms across the state have been refurbished by his administration.

The same Aregbesola administration established the Home Grown School Feeding Programme (Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;MEALS) which, apart from providing pupils in Elementary one to four with highly nutritious meals every school day, has also succeeded in reducing unemployment by absorbing no fewer than 3,000 food vendors.

Another innovation of the Aregbesola administration is Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES) which, with its mopping up of more than 40,000 youths off our streets and productively engaging them, has succeeded in reducing the scourge of unemployment among our youths.

Aregbesola has also performed creditably well in bringing government closer to the people, especially through the creation of additional 31 local council development areas, three area councils and two administrative offices.

On security, with the procurement of 25-armoured personnel carriers (APC) and 100 patrol vehicles among other, he has greatly helped in the making Osun one of the safest states in Nigeria.

Without security, can there be any development? Those who easily can find a disconnection between infrastructure and development in Osun must have been living in a wild jungle. The above is just a tip of the iceberg of the development that occurred under Governor Aregbesola, which his most avowed critics could not even deny.

The conclusion one can draw from these aspirants turned critics is that because they wanted Aregbesolaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s job, then they must malign him to curry the support of the people.

This kite will not fly as the people of the state are abreast of what the governor has done for the state.

Owolabi wrote from Osogbo

15

T H I S D AY Ëž Ë&#x153; Í°Í´Ë&#x153; Í°ÍŽÍŻÍľ

EDITORIAL INTERNAL SECURITY AND THE RULE OF LAW

The federal government should urgently revitalise the police force and restore its capacity to combat internal security

A

fter a false start, the federal government eventually did the right thing last week by proscribing the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a separatist group that has been agitating for the separation of the South-east region from Nigeria.

This is signiďŹ cant because it showed that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari could be sensitive to informed public opinion and correct any error it might have made.

Following the clash between the IPOB activists and soldiers on a drill code-named Python Dance in Umuahia in Abia State, the military had declared the group a terrorist organisation. Moments after the declaration, the governors of the ďŹ ve states in the Southeast rose from a meeting, announcing the proscription of the group. However, not a few social critics felt that the steps taken by the military and the governors were unlawful and unconstitutional being in contravention of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011, which stipulates the conditions and procedures for classifying and declaring a person or IT IS DIFFICULT TO an organisation as a UNDERSTAND WHY terrorist.

AFTER OVER 18 YEARS OF The lesson from it UNBROKEN DEMOCRATIC all is that government must never resort to GOVERNANCE, self-help, particuGOVERNMENT HAS larly in dealing with NOT RESTORED POLICE CAPACITY TO DEAL WITH citizens no matter the extent of their deviant INTERNAL SECURITY conduct. Indeed, CHALLENGES government must, at all times, act according to law if it intends to have the moral authority to govern and call citizens to order.

The eventual presidential proclamation of IPOB as a terrorist group and its afďŹ rmation by the Federal High Court, Abuja on the request of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, is, therefore, commendable.

Without a doubt, the utterances and activities of the group and its leader, Mr Nnamdi Kanu, had become irresponsible and capable of undermining national

Letters to the Editor

security. Kanu had not only abused his right to free expression with hate speech, he obviously crossed the national red line when he began to talk about and created the Biafran Security Service, Biafran National Guard and the likes. The obstruction of movement of troops on a legitimate, even if questionable professional exercise, was an open affront to the authority of the Nigerian state. Certainly no government would accept that.

However, we believe that government needs to put its act together to avoid these sorts of missteps in future by developing a more effective strategy for coordinating its interrelated agencies. The more important lesson of the clash between IPOB and the military is the need to urgently review the increasing military involvement in the management of internal security challenges in the country and design a clear exit strategy for the organisation whose primary mandate is to defend the territorial integrity of Nigeria.

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ver the years, the Nigeria Police Force that has the constitutional mandate for internal security has had its capacity to carry out its responsibility circumscribed by long years of military rule, which by a deliberate suppressive policy stripped the force of its ability to bite. If the military did that in order to suppress the ability of the police to act as a counter force, it is difďŹ cult to understand why after over 18 years of unbroken democratic governance has failed to restore its (police) capacity to deal with internal security challenges.

Yet, the militaryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s continued participation in internal security operations could only engender persistent tension between it and the citizens, essentially because it is trained to repel external enemy army and not the civil populace. This perhaps explains the brutality meted out to some IPOB members arrested by the military, an action that revolted the sensibility of many Nigerians and people around the world who rightly felt that the treatment was inhuman. The way forward is for the federal government to urgently revitalise the police force and restore its competence to handle internal security operations as envisaged by the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

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.

CIVIL SERVANTS AND THE WAR AGAINST CORRUPTION

T

he story of Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s several predicaments as well as current battle against corruption will at every point of the tale borders on the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;whims and capricesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; of civil servants and politicians who have always been a part and parcel of the British, military and civilian rule right from the pre â&#x20AC;&#x201C;independence era till date.

A civil servant in the most basic term must be a career bureaucrat employed on merit and whose institutional tenure should survive different regimes of state or federal government leadership, whether colonial, military or civilian. Rationally therefore, a civil servant is expected to impartially implement policies and laws of government to ensure transparency and integrity in taking decisions that affect the everyday lives of citizens in areas of education, housing, health, transportation and so on.

On the other hand are politicians who have been variously described as individuals and persons who are professionally involved in politics, be it a candidate for elective office or holder of an office â&#x20AC;&#x201C; legislator, senator, statesman, etc. Chief executives of public service agencies who are nominated by political parties through the influence of their â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;party bigwigs or godfathersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; to head government agencies also fall into the category of politicians.

A search on Google also gives the US definition of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;politicianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; as a person who acts in a manipulative and devious way, typically to gain advancement within an organisation. Consequently, a civil servant could adopt the character traits of the US definition of a politician for personal and selfish aspirations within an organisation and to the detriment of his associates and employees.

The foregoing definition vis-Ă -vis the revelations trailing the current wind of change blowing across the landscape of Nigeria makes it necessary to examine the actual role the civil service might have played in making the one time acclaimed giant of Africa bend so low to the extent that it gasps for breath to stand up and firm again in the face of corruption that continues to confront every aspect of our daily lives.

The present administration has made and is still making conscious efforts at â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;killingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; corruption in our land but has seemingly not taken enough strides in restoring hope to the civil service.

The delay by government might be a reason why the war against the pestilence of corruption has not acquired enough energy to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;stampedeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;killâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; the locusts that possibly had existed in our land before the military finally quit the stage for politicians to commence apportioning the commonwealth of Nigeria to themselves, their families and their stooges.

Arguably, the civil service has some of the brightest brains that can accelerate change â&#x20AC;&#x201C; positive or negative - in Nigeria but the economic misery in Nigeria today makes it almost impossible to discern any significant change in the verve of civil service employees. They seemingly live each day as it comes without any predictable future for either themselves or their children. In our clime, the obedient and forthright civil servant does not have the capacity to pay his or her own bills, let alone those of his children who attend public educational institutions. House rents, school fees, transport fares and even the unavoidable costs of feeding for survival have eroded hard earned incomes that have remained stagnant despite

pleas, consultations and threats of industrial actions.

Some civil servants and other â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;straightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; citizens brought up in the old school fashion of integrity, honesty, dedication, commitment, service and contentment have resorted to prayers. They now fill the various churches that have sprung up in every nook and cranny of the land.

Consequently, religious centres have become a source of temporary succour for the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;old schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; as daily living gets tougher in the Giant of Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; enclave. They often supplement the needs of the not-so-rich, the poor and the lowly by coordinating the collection and distribution of foodstuff, clothing and other items to ensure life got easier and better for their members. The House of God has continuously provided support and comfort while the government battles the plague.

Then suddenly, the House of God became infiltrated by nonfaithful who also seek the better life. Churches blossomed, pastors multiplied, alfas doubled, religious doctrines got updated despite the fact that the Holy Books remained the same. another dimension to resolving the same crisis created by corruption surfaced. The Church seemed to have become too crowded to accommodate the needs of all and sundry.

Creativity set in across the land! The poor and lowly, the civil servant, the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;straightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;slightly un-straightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; identified another avenue to make life worth living while the wind of change gradually finds a way to clean the debris dumped in the land by corruption.

Subomi Olumide, Palmgroove, Lagos

16

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2017

POLITICS

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

EXECUTIVE BRIEFING

As New Legal Year Begins The new legal year provides the judiciary with the opportunity to redeem its battered image, writes Davidson Iriekpen

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fter about eight weeks of vacation, courts all over the country at both the federal and state levels have resumed for the 2017/2018 legal year.

Like every other resumption, the judges who used the period of the vacation to cool off, have come back to face daunting challenges.

Apart from the numerous applications and motions awaiting their attention, the judges are again returning to work at a time the entire judiciary is faced with credibility problem.

There are a number of cases that need to be urgently disposed of and the resolution of these cases rest squarely with how fast the courts can expeditiously determine them.

Over the years, many Nigerians have lost confidence in the courts not only because of the slow pace at which justice is delivered but due to illogical, incoherent and sometimes incongruous decisions and judgments the judges often dispense.

First, as the new legal year begins, many Nigerians would want to see a situation where judicial authorities led by the National Judicial Council (NJC), tackle the incessant conflicting and contradictory orders and judgments especially by courts of coordinate jurisdiction. Not only have these orders and judgments caused Nigeria huge embarrassment, they also pose serious danger to the country’s jurisprudence.

Last year, Nigerians were thoroughly embarrassed with the way and manner the Federal High Court handled the crises in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the tax allegation against the Governor of Abia State, Dr, Okezie Ikpeazu. In the cases involving the PDP, the courts in Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja were notoriously fighting for supremacy and churning out conflicting orders to the parties. Even when the court in Port Harcourt had settled the case, another court in Abuja refused to abide with the decision. The same applied to the case against Ikpeazu where the courts in Abuja and Owerri were involved in an unnecessary tussle.

With the country gearing up to enter another round of political activities, litigants want the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen and the NJC, not only to caution but to device a new strategy to effectively monitor judges at all levels in order to weed out those who have caused the judiciary embarrassment for sanity and confidence to return to the all-important third arm of government.

As the courts resume for the new legal year, many analysts would wish to see a situation where judges will expeditiously determine cases before them. Currently, it is believed that it takes over 10 to 15 years for a case to go from the high court to the Supreme Court.

Apart from political cases that are often treated with utmost dispatch from the high court to the Supreme Court partly due to the fact that politicians are able to move the court quickly, other cases such as criminal, commercial and civil matters take up to a minimum of 10 years to get to the apex court and be concluded.

Checks revealed that while it takes four to six years to conclude a case at the high courts whether at the state or federal level, it takes almost the same number of years for the same case to go through the Court of Appeal upon appeal. At the Supreme Court, it may take far up to eight to ten years.

To quicken justice delivery and reduce the pressure on the justices of the Court of Appeal in the country, many lawyers have suggested that the Federal High Court be sub-divided to hear political, criminal, business/commercial, probate and land etc particularly in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt where there are more cases . as it is done at the Lagos State High Court.

They believe that this would enable each court

Onnoghen... rolled out new measures to stop judicial corruption

to move faster in the determination of the cause before it.

Analysts have also called for an increase in the number of courtrooms at the Court of Appeal in Lagos from the two that are currently sitting to four or five to cope with the volume of appeals emanating from the federal and state high courts.

Therefore, as another legal year begins, they want judges to prove to Nigerians that they are not responsible for the slow and frustrating judicial proceedings in the country. They advised the judges to always stand up to counsel, especially those for the defendants who are in the habit of employing tricks to frustrate trials. For instance, a cursory look at some recent cause list of the Federal High Court in Lagos shows that there are hundreds of cases filed over six and seven years ago that are still at the preliminary stages. This, according to analysts, is one of the challenges facing the judiciary in Nigeria today. While some believe that most of these cases are stalled by frivolous applications mostly by the defendants in the suits, others put the blame on the judges for not standing up to counsel who are in the habit of doing this.

Some times, if it is not an application to challenge the jurisdiction of the court, it is for a stay of proceedings or other interlocutory

Another advice to the judges as they resume for the new legal year, is to protect their judgments from leakage

applications. In some cases, it could even be an outright petition or complaint against the trial judge for the case to be transferred from a particular court to another. All these are aimed at delaying proceeding and frustrating justice delivery and give the Nigerians judicial system a bad image and reputation. This is why as the courts resume for a new legal year, many analysts would want to see a situation where judges would demonstrate to Nigerians that indeed it is possible to get quick justice in the country.

Another challenge the courts will face as they resume for the 2017/2018 legal year, is the burden from allegation of corruption. The third arm of government is an indispensable tool in the anti-graft war. Hence, it is taken for granted that in a society buffeted by corruption, a courageous, independent, unbiased and financially autonomous judiciary is a most needed bulwark against the continued reign of the monster of corruption and graft in the country. Many have argued that sadly, Nigeria has not been particularly fortunate in its drive to evolve a functional democratic governance since 1999 that is able to deliver a just society, principally because of the greed of its political class, and the attendant impunity accentuated by an ineffective judiciary. This has set a lot of analysts wondering if a corruption-infested institution can actually purge the country of the malaise.

Two independent surveys on crime and corruption in the country recently revealed that the judiciary is being irretrievably destroyed by corruption. The survey shocked many Nigerians when it named the judiciary as one of the institutions where there is massive corruption.

According to it, “Nigerian courts of law receive the biggest and highest bribes from citizens among all institutions in where corruption is rampant.” Though it particularly stressed that bribery in the third arm of government was less frequent than in many other agencies and other organisations, most of the respondents to the survey admitted that they have paid the biggest bribes to the courts in huge transactions.

It also disclosed that among public officials,

police personnel were most frequently alleged to request the payment of bribes, making criminal justice administration difficult.

Another advice to the judges as they resume for the new legal year, is to protect their judgments from leakage. All over the world, court judgments are supposed to be highly confidential and restricted until they are delivered.

When judgments are to be delivered, people are supposed to be on tenterhooks, waiting with bated breadth for what would be the final word from the judge. Unfortunately, this is not the case in some courts today. Before some judgments are delivered, either the petitioners, applicants or respondents would have started rejoicing and boasting based the assurances he or she might have received from the court.

Another critical area where many observers want the courts to focus on is on the allegation that judges inadvertently shield politicians and other government officials charged with corruption from prosecution. Many analysts have argued that since corruption has been identified as one of the greatest problems confronting the country, the judiciary needs to play a critical role to eradicate it. They believe that the general lack of courage in the Nigerian judiciary to deal with corruption frontally is responsible for the upsurge of the malaise.

Incidentally, the courts are resuming at a time when the Chief Justice Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, has threatened not to tolerate any excesses that will bring the judiciary to disrepute. Since he has another three years to spend as the helmsman of the judiciary in the country, many Nigerians are anxiously looking forward to seeing him transform the third arm of government into a stronger, independent, assertive and politically neutral institution, knowing full well that success or failure of the democratic system depends significantly on a vibrant judiciary and its capacity to protect all interests without fear of favour.

At a time the country is seriously looking for foreign investments, many Nigerians want the judiciary to sit up and assist the government by fast-tracking justice delivery and embarking on confidence-building with the required zeal.

17

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY,SEPTEMBER 26, 2017

POLITICS

APC, PDP Trade Tackles in Osun lthough the 2019 gubernatorial election is still a long way off, the two leading political parties in Osun State, the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party, are already at loggerheads over the election.

Yinka Kolawole reports

T

he rivalry between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State took turn for the worse recently as both parties tried to assert their popularity ahead of the 2018 governorship election.

Recently APC boasted that irrespective of whoever the PDP chose as its flag bearer for the 2018 governorship election in the state, or whoever opted to jump ship from the APC to gang up with the PDP, the ruling party would still win convincingly.

The party’s Directorate of Publicity, Research and Strategy was forced to issue a statement to that effect in Osogbo, the state capital following reports that the PDP planned to woo members of the APC to boost its ranks and win the 2018 gubernatorial election.

The APC in its reaction accused PDP of not failing to take cognisance of the fact that it had attracted a terrible image in the state and that as such, no amount of defection to the party would make the people of Osun to choose it as an alternative to APC, notwithstanding what happened in Osun West Senatorial District in June this year where the PDP snatched victory from the APC in a move that sent shock wave across the polity.

“Those who may be tempted to jump ship and align with the PDP are very well aware of the monstrosity they will be moving into; an action that will amount to cutting their noses to spite their faces. That’s not a winning strategy,” APC said.

The party’s confidence emanates from various assessments of the prevailing situation in the state. For instance, APC argued that the PDP in Osun was suffering mainly from lack of respectable, focused and dignified leadership that Osun people could trust. The APC further argued that although a particular member of PDP appeared as the embodiment of everything that’s wrong with the Osun PDP leadership, but at a closer look, the problems ran deep within the rank and file.

“The Osun PDP appears to be structured on a heartless, capitalist business model which end-goal is profit at all cost, no matter whose ox is gored. It is this PDP’s mantra of ‘chop and quench’, (apologies to late Fela Anikulapo Kuti) that has attracted predominantly gold diggers into the party, especially politicians who have little or no scruples about enriching themselves with public funds at the expense of the people they were elected to serve.

“Besides, the use of violence has become such a nasty part of the PDP DNA such that rather than gain the people’s confidence, they earn rejection and that explains why the PDP can’t win the governorship election in Osun.

“But above all, PDP’s reckless and baseless antagonism to virtually everything Governor Rauf Aregbesola has done since 2010, including the party’s proclamation to reverse all of it, if it attains power has made the PDP, not only detestable, but also unelectable in Osun State.

“Therefore, it is not a realisable dream for the PDP to be imagining itself in power at Abere (government house) come November 2018. The party is terribly unhealthy politically to govern the state”, APC asserted.

The PDP’s Argument The opposition PDP is not leaving anything to chance either. It is already bracing up for the big challenge coming next year.

PDP’s optimism in Osun may not be misplaced in view of the support it received from the people of the state during the Osun West Senatorial District by-election The caretaker committee of the party in the state led by Mr Sarafa Tunji Isola said the major task before the party presently was to reposition the party for victory come 2018 governorship election.

Speaking in Osogbo after the committee meeting with party stakeholders recently, Isola contended that with the genuine cooperation and spirit of unity displayed by all the members of the party in Osun

PDP’s optimism in Osun may not be misplaced in view of the support it received from the people of the state during the Osun West Senatorial District by-election

despite seeming differences among the major stakeholders, stronger pedestal had been put in place to dislodge APC in the forthcoming gubernatorial poll.

He assured party’s loyalists that he was committed to entrenching internal democracy within the party and ensuring an all inclusive leadership so as to wrestle the state from the poverty and frustration foisted on it by the Aregbesola-led administration. He therefore appealed to all the members not to rest on their oars in securing electoral victory for the PDP in the 2018 governorship election in the state and the general election of 2019.

The caretaker chairman who was the former Minister of Mines and Steel Development between 2007 and 2008, said all hands must be on deck to salvage the ship of Nigeria and one of the ways to actualise this was for PDP members in Osun to start far reaching mobilisation of the masses and the electorate ahead of what he described as a crucial poll in 2018, which he said, would determine the future of the state, in earnest.

Some of the PDP leaders at the stakeholders meeting held in Osogbo, which was presided over by the caretaker chairman included the former deputy governor of Osun State and the party’s flag bearer in 2014 governorship election, Senator Iyiola Omisore, Senator Olu Alabi, Barrister Kayode Oduoye, Prince Diran Odeyemi, Barrsiter Adeyemo Adetise, Senator Olasunkanmi Akinlabi and former chairman of the party in the state, Alhaji Ganiyu Olaoluwa.

Others included Dr Bayo Faforiji, Prince Bola Ajao, former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Hon Adejare Bello, a former Minister of Youth Development, Senator Olasunkanmi Akinlabi, Mr Niyi Owolade.

They all expressed the determination to ensure that the party take over the state from the APC in 2018.

APC Fires Back No doubt, the ruling APC is not oblivious of the schemes by the opposition to outdo it in the coming election, but the party has continuously told whoever cares to listen that the PDP caretaker committee was on fruitless mission.

According to the APC, the move to unite the divided PDP members in the state would fail because the crisis rocking the party is skin-deep and multifaceted.

The APC Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, Mr Kunle Oyatomi, described

as day-dream and illusion, the plan by the PDP to sack the APC in 2018 governorship election.

Oyatomi described Ishola as “politically ignoramus,” saying that he did not know Osun politics.

“If wishes were horses, beggars will ride.

What Mr Sarafa Tunji Ishola, the mediator in Osun PDP’s imbroglio said something bout the PDP planning to sack APC from office in 2018. It is just talk, silly talk.

“Sarafa said his mediating committee was in Osun to reposition PDP to sack the APC from government come 2018 governorship poll. We wouldn’t blame him much because he is ignorant of Osun politics.

“Secondly, the exercise of bringing the divided PDP together, which he claimed to have succeeded in, doesn’t add up. The division within the PDP in Osun is skin-deep and multifaceted, and it is entirely driven by the reckless ambition of one man against the run of affairs to become governor at all cost.

“Besides, the economic problem in Osun State is nationwide and not peculiar to Osun.

So, if the PDP thinks it can capitalise on the economic downturn, it’s just fooling itself, because essentially their party created the problem with its kleptocracy rule that wrecked the Nigerian economy between 1999 and 2015, and put the country in recession.

“They stole the country blind and the monumental stealing made it impossible for us to withstand the fall in oil prices.”

APC claimed that the Aregbesola-led APC government did not steal Osun’s money, neither was it reckless. It said: “All over the state, there is evidence of what Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and the APC government did with Osun’s money that has never been seen or done in the state, since it was created.

‘Sarafa should be told if he’s ignorant, that if the PDP could not win Osun in 2014 with the entire resources of the federal government at its disposal, there’s no magic that will make it to win the state now, because then as now, the PDP told all sorts of criminal lies against the APC, did what was demonically possible to disparage the person of the governor, but yet, Osun people were not swayed by the lies and the smear campaign, there’s no way they will be accepted now.

“It’s a pity that because the PDP in Osun is blind, they have equally made Sarafa, the mediator, blind. He came to Osun but could not see, he could not feel and he could not hear what’s evidently going on in Osun.”

18

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2017 ˾ T H I S D AY

FEATURES

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

What's So Special about Jollof Rice?

The popular jollof rice is sparking a wave of controversy across West Africa, writes Solomon Elusoji

Director General of the National Council for Arts and Culture, Olusegun Runsewe (1st right), being served jollof rice prepared at the just concluded 2017 Akwaaba Travel Market held in Lagos...recently

I

n Nigeria, to disparage jollof rice is to be accused of treason. At least that was the fate of the country’s Minister of Information and Culture, Mr. Lai Mohammed, when he told CNN’s Richard Quest that Senegal had the best jollof rice on the continent.

The statement sparked an outrage across the country, especially on the social media, where a hot debate had been ongoing between Ghanaians and Nigerians on which country cooks the meal best. Few days later, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo tried to save the minister from the gallows.

“We all know that Nigerian jollof rice is the best,” he said, “we beat the Ghanaians and the Senegalese hands down.”

But Mohammed has a point. Jollof rice, which is also known as Benachin (meaning: ‘one pot’) is said to have originated from the Wolof people, who can be found in today’s Senegal, Gambia and Mauritania.

Between 1360 to 1549, the Wolof people ruled a vast wealthy and powerful empire that traded with Europeans before it fell to internal conflicts. By the time it disintegrated though, aspects of its culture, including the salacious delights of jollof rice, had spread throughout West Africa. Today, made with rice, tomatoes, and any number of variable meats, spices (such as nutmeg, cumin and ginger) and vegetables, the variety of the meal, especially across West Africa, is astounding.

This simple Wolof history, however, does very little to settle the debate on which country’s version is original and of the better quality. Every country thinks its recipe is the best. Nigerians, with their garlic, red pepper and ginger condiments, purport to have the

most authentic recipe. The Ghanaians, with their usual lavish presentation of the meal, disagree. Meanwhile, the Senegalese and Gambians, with their fish-based jollof, are wont to turn up their noses at the inferior reddishness of their neighbours’ delicacies.

It is interesting, too, to realise that this debate has been ongoing for years, with no hope in sight of a truce. These days, the hot exchanges happen on social media, with robust and brilliant ripostes flying around.

Last year, Ghanaian singer Sister Deborah, whose real name is Deborah Owusu-Bonsu, released a song called ‘Ghana Jollof’ that

Every country thinks its recipe is the best.

Nigerians, with their garlic, red pepper and ginger condiments, purport to have the most authentic recipe. The Ghanaians, with their usual lavish presentation of the meal, disagree

accused the Nigerian recipe of “tasting funny”. The video, which was published on Youtube in July 2016, now has over 140,000 views.

Rising from the social media battles, a new wave of jollof rice competitions have sprouted across the continent, the most recent one being the Jollof Rice War at the 13th edition of the Akwaaba African Travel Market held this September. Before that, in July, a three-nation “Jollof War” contest was organised by a local radio station in Ghana with Senegal winning the competition, while Ghana and Nigeria trailed. Weeks after, the first Jollof Festival was held outside Africa in Washington D.C. Nigeria won after about 600 people went through a blind tasting process to decide who was the king of jollof. In August, Lagos organised its inaugural Jollof Festival and it was attended by hundreds of people. In September, just before the Akwaaba version, the Ghanaian Tourism Authority (GTA) also organised a jollof rice challenge at Legon Botanical Garden and featured chefs from Ghana, Gambia, Nigeria and Senegal.

Gambia won the competition despite not preparing theirs with tomatoes, giving it a yellow-whitish look. A World Jollof Day, August 22, has even been mooted.

“This is not a competition,” the chief organiser of Akwaaba, Ikechi Uko, said during the launch of Akwaaba’s version of the jollof contest. “We are just trying to create a product for West Africa,” to raise jollof rice, which is the only thing common to all West Africans, to the status of a commercial product that can be used as a leverage to boost tourism in the region.

Uko’s reasoning is simple. For decades, Zambia and Zimbabwe have played on the ‘our side is better’ tussle to promote tourist interest in the Victoria Falls, the largest sheet of falling water in the world. Victoria Falls is shared by the two countries, Zambia to the north and Zimbabwe to the south. Uko sees jollof rice the same way. “The main attraction for tourists are the sights and the food,” Uko, who pioneered Akwaaba, one of the biggest privately-sponsored travel events in the world, from scratch, said.

“Jollof rice is a product our of economy,” the Director General of the National Council for Arts and Culture, Olusegun Runsewe, said, at the opening of the 13th Akwaaba festival, which was headlined by the jollof war. “And Akwaaba has raised our consciousness to realise that jollof rice is our identity.”

But the Akwaaba jollof war, itself, was clumsy. Only two countries – Ghana and Nigeria – participated. But the Ghanaian chefs, who were outnumbered, arrived late for the contest, after experiencing immigration bottlenecks. “We also had to use rice which we were not familiar with,” the head of the Ghanaian chef, Isaac Sackey, told this reporter, “we would have preferred to bring our own rice.” Also, while the Nigerian chefs – 14 in total – presented as individuals, the Ghanaians teamed up and made one lavish, exotic presentation to the judges. “We thought it was a group contest,” Sackey said.

During the tasting session, this reporter bought a coupon and had a feel of all the varieties of jollof rice on display. There was a diversity of taste and presentation.

Some opted for a hot, spicy feel, while

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FEATURES

Organiser of Akwaaba Travel Market,

Mr. Ikechi Uko (1st right) and other participants during the Jollof Rice

competition put together by the Akwaaba Team

Chef Olajide, winner of the Akwaaba jollof rice war

others toned down the harshness and tried to enmesh the tongue in salty delirium.

One of the Nigerian chefs, Godwin Omoijuanfo, a Business Administration graduate from the University of Lagos, tagged his variety â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Eko jollof riceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and it was heavy with garlic and ginger spices. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I tried to give it a smoky feeling,â&#x20AC;? he said.

He has been cooking professionally for six years after attending a culinary school in Lagos, Celebrity Mobile Kitchen. â&#x20AC;&#x153;From the responses I have been getting, I am sure I am going to win,â&#x20AC;? he told this reporter after the judges had tasted his Eko jollof rice.

One of the judges, Charity Githinji, a Tanzanian who runs an hospitality business, said her team would base their scores on a chefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s presentation of the jollof rice and its palatability. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It has to be something most people can eat, and, of course, the creativity employed in choosing the ingredients is also important.â&#x20AC;?

Among the judges of the contest was Abby Sarr, a Director of Public Relations and Marketing at the Kairaba, a beach hotel in the Gambia, where she has worked for 22 years. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Jolof from the Gambia,â&#x20AC;? she said proudly, â&#x20AC;&#x153;and, as you know, jollof rice is our national dish. Whenever someone comes to the Gambia, this is what we give them.â&#x20AC;?

Sarr told this reporter that what really makes jollof rice special is its one-pot dish status. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Every other African dishes are two pots â&#x20AC;&#x201C; you make the stew and the sauce and put in the rice. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very unusual. The only other people who do this are the Chinese.â&#x20AC;?

If you want to taste real jollof, Sarr preached, then come to the Gambia. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The way we cook it is different,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The main one we cook is with fish, where we stock the fish with parsley, ginger, salt, pepper and other condiments. And then as a garnish, we use spinach, okra, while we have the tamarind and lemon on the side. We also use cabbage, carrot, aubergine, sweet potato. We do all this because in jollof rice, presentation is number one.â&#x20AC;?

But she was quite pleased with what she saw on display at the Akwaaba contest,

Chefs that participated at the competition

Other chefs that participated at the competition

Jollof rice is a product our of economy. And Akwaaba has raised our consciousness to realise that jollof rice is our identity

especially with the addition of sweet and sour sauce, vegetable medley and plantain by some of the chefs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I thought the plantain one was new and it tasted really good.

And then the Ghanaian presentation was off the charts. It had prawns, shito, red sauce, absolutely amazing. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m so full now, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think I am going to have dinner.

I commend Akwaaba for coming up with this idea: it was great entertainment.â&#x20AC;?

Two days after the contest was held, on September 12, the results of the Akwaaba

jollof rice war was announced and the Nigerians swooped all the prizes. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Ghanaians faulted with the way they presented,â&#x20AC;? head of the competitionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Local Organising Committee (LOC), Jubilian Ngaruwa, said.

The overall winner was Chef Idowu Olajide, a veteran cook who has stoked the fires professionally for the past 18 years. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have been cooking jollof rice every Sunday at my church for the past five years, so it is a part of me.â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So when I

heard about the competition, I thought it would be great to come and show my skills and let people know me, although I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t expecting to win.â&#x20AC;? The taste of his jollof rice, which this reporter partook in, was reminiscent of the typical Lagos party jollof rice, with the smoky sensation and generous lettuce, ginger and garlic.

But, of course, the jollof rice war is far from over (the Ghanaians can feel hard done by). In fact, it might just be about to start.

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L-R: Corps Public Education OďŹ&#x192;cer, Federal Road Safety Corps, Mr. Bisi Kazeem; Chairman, National Union of Road Transport Workers, Kwara State, Alhaji Aliyu Issa-Ore; General Manager, Highway Digital, Mr. Habib Shatry; Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps, Mr. Boboye Oyeyemi; and General Secretary, NURTW, Mr. Clement Wetkur, during a joint visit of FRSC and NURTW to Highway Digital speed limiter factory in LagosĂ&#x2013;recently

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L-R; Chief Compliance OďŹ&#x192;cer, Sterling Bank Plc, Mr. Raheem Owodeyi; Chief Compliance OďŹ&#x192;cer, UBA, Plc. Mr. Franklyn Bennie; Executive Director, Market Operation and Technology, Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE),Mr. Ade Bajomo; Chairman, Association of Chief Compliance of Banks in Nigeria(ACCOBIN) / Chief Compliance OďŹ&#x192;cer, Stanbic IBTC, Mr. Opeyemi Rotimi Adojutelegan; Chief Compliance OďŹ&#x192;cer GTBank, Mrs. Subuola Abraham; and Chief Compliance OďŹ&#x192;cer, Keystone Bank, Mr. Wumi Adeniyi, at the closing of gong at the Nigeria Stock Exchange by ACCOBIN in Lagos, yesterday,,,, SUNDAY ADIGUN

L-R; Director, Honeywell Flour Mills Plc, Mr. Alan Palmer; Managing Director, Olanrewaju Jaiyeola; Chairman, Dr. Ayoola Oba Otudeko; and Company Secretary, Mrs. Oluwayemisi Busari, at the 8th annual general meeting of Honeywell Flour Millss Plc in Lagos... recently ETOP UKUTT

L-R: Edo State Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Philip Shaibu; Coordinator, World Health Organisation (WHO), Edo State, Mrs Faith Ireye; Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki; Commissioner for Wealth Creation, Cooperatives and Employment, Hon. Emmanuel Usoh; and the Commissioner for Local Government and Community AďŹ&#x20AC;airs, Hon. Jimoh Ijebai, at the Flag-oďŹ&#x20AC; of the Routine Immunisation IntensiďŹ cation Programme at Egor LGA, Edo State...recently

President Nutrition Society of Nigeria,Prof.Ngozi Nnam; President,;Dr.Bartholomew Brai and Vice President ,Dr.Sam Yuwa at the press conference on 47th Annual General Meeting and ScientiďŹ c of Nutrition Society of Nigeria held at University of Ibadan...recently FELIX ADEMOLA

L-R: Immediate Past President, Rotary Club of Ikoyi Metro, Florence Egbeyemi, New President, Laurine Ubanozie and Chartered President, Dr Mike Ileka at the installation of Rotarian Laurine as the 16th president of the club in Lagos,recently

L-R: Accountant-General/Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Treasury OďŹ&#x192;ce (STO), Mrs. Abimbola Umar; Director, Administration and Human Resources, Mrs. Mojisola Olatunde and Deputy Director, Administration and Human Resources, Mr. Bodede Olusoji, during the 2nd mini retreat by State Treasury OďŹ&#x192;ce (STO), in Lagos...recently

L-R: Area Sales Manager, Unilever Nigeria Plc, Mr. Clement Fashanu; Key Distributor Manager, Mr. Sam Uche; External AďŹ&#x20AC;airs Manager, Mr. Tomiwa Asaolu; Regional Sales Manager, Middle Belt, Mr. David Ebah and Deputy Governor, Benue State, Mr. Benson Abounu, during the presentation of relief materials to the Benue State IDPs camp, by Unilever, in Benue.......recently

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Quick Takes Nigeria Gas Summit Begins in Lagos

CELEBRATING PROFITABILITY

L-R: Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Maikanti Baru; Managing Director of National Engineering and Technical Company Limited (NETCO), Mr. Siky Aliyu and NNPCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chief Operating OďŹ&#x192;cer, Upstream, Mr. Rabiu Bello, during the presentation of a cheque of N610 million dividend from NETCO to Baru in Abujaâ&#x20AC;Śrecently

Kaduna, PH, Kano Worst Performing Discos in Q2 2017 Ejiofor Alike Kaduna, Port Harcourt and Kano Electricity Distribution Companies were the worstperforming companies among the 11 distribution companies, according to the second quarter 2017 performance scorecards released by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), THISDAY has learnt.

The scorecards of the 11 distribution companies, which were obtained by THISDAY, showed that the regulatory

ENERGY agency ranked the companies based on six criterion or performance indices.

These indices included: the companiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; remittance to the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc, metering commitment, remittance to the market operator, collection of revenue from customers, reduction of Average Technical Collection and Commercial losses (ATC &C) and fault clearance.

Kaduna Disco ranked least with weighted score of seven

per cent out of 100 per cent; followed by Port Harcourt Disco, which scored 26.9 per cent and Kano Disco, which got 32.3 per cent.

The ranking showed that Eko Disco was the best-performing Disco with weighted score of 44.4 per cent; followed by Yola Disco, which scored 44.1 per cent and Jos Disco, which came third with 40.4 per cent.

Abuja Disco took the fourth position with 40 per cent, while Ikeja and Ibadan Discos scored 36.6 per cent and 36.3

per cent to take fifth and sixth position, respectively.

NERCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second quarter scorecards for the discos also showed that Enugu Disco took the seventh position among the 11 discos with a score of 35,2 per cent, followed by Benin, which came eighth with a score of 34.6 per cent.

In terms of commitment to metering, Benin Disco scored zero out of 20 per cent to emerge the worst among the discos by showing Continued on page 22

Fashola: States, LGs Owe Larger Chunk of N90bn MDAs Debt to Discos Chineme Okafor in Abuja The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has said that states and local governments, not the federal government owe the larger parts of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) debts the 11 electricity distribution companies (Discos) have frequently claimed.

Fashola, stated that out of the about N90billion the Discos have often said was owed them by government MDAs, the federal governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s share of it has been verified to be just N27 billion, with the balance owed by states and local governments.

He stated this at the just

ENERGY concluded annual National Council on Power (NACOP) which held in Jos, the capital of Plateau state.

According to him, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Out of the estimated MDA debts of about N90 billion claimed by the Discos, only about N27 billion has been verified as debts owed by the FGN. There are invoices which show that other parts of the debt are attributable to service points at states and local governments.â&#x20AC;?

He then urged the states and local governments to meet up with the Discos and work out a debt repayment plan, as against threats issued to the Discos.

The minister equally asked the states and local governments to request from the Discos that meters be installed at their service points to allow for precise and economic use of electricity.

This, he noted would keep the Discos in operation, as well as sustain electricity supplies to the MDAs of the states and local governments. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I will urge first that states and local governments insist that their buildings are metered so that they can budget for and pay for energy they use.

It will turn out to be cheaper than diesel generated power.

It will also help reduce loss of income by Discos. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Furthermore, I urge state

governments to set up small teams with audit capacity to verify debts owed by them and their local governments, ascertain the quantum and develop a payment plan which can then be budgeted for.

This will help to reduce the liquidity issues and contribute to the reforms,â&#x20AC;? he said.

Calling on states and local governments to show more interests in the power sector, Fashola said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;More importantly the challenges of inadequate power manifests itself in households, businesses, service centres and other points of need that are located in states and local Continued on page 22

A three-day Nigeria Gas Summit begins today in Lagos with the theme: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Driving investment, capturing economic value and encouraging technology transfer into Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s critical gas sector.â&#x20AC;?

The summit, which holds at Eko Hotel, will attract all the relevant stakeholders, including a member of the technical committee of the Special Task Force for the review and implementation of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) which proposed a reform of the Nigerian oil and gas industry, Mr. Chiagozie Hillary-Nwokonko.

Hillary-Nwokonko, who is Energy and Natural Resources Partner at Streamsowers & KĂśhn, will present an update of the Nigerian regulatory framework.

He heads the Energy and Natural Resources Practice of the Firm and has over two decades of experience in oil and gas legal practice in Nigeria.

He was a British Council Chevening Scholar at the Center for Energy, Petroleum and Mineral Law and Policy at the University of Dundee, Scotland where he took a postgraduate Diploma in Natural Resources Law and Policy in 1999.

His experience in Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s energy sector spans oil and gas regulations and transactions, power regulations and transactions and mining regulations.

He was involved in advising major international oil and gas companies that signed production sharing contracts (PSCs) for deepwater Nigeria in the early 1990s.

He has been a key legal adviser to several international oil companies including; the China National Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC) in its acquisition of a PSC interest in OML 130 offshore Nigeria and Eland Oil and Gas Plc, in its acquisition of an interest from Shell, Total and Agip and its subsequent listing on the AIM of the London Stock Exchange, which was the largest listing on the AIM at the time.

SON Alerts on Falsely Declared Imports The Director General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria Mr. Osita Aboloma, has raised the alarm on the increasing cases of false declaration of imports at the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s entry posts.

Speaking in Lagos at the inspection of about 7 Container Loads of products intercepted by the agencyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Enforcement Team during the recent holidays, Aboloma observed that the importers of the products are taking undue advantage of the governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s good intentions in promoting the ease of doing business in Nigeria.

According to him, the intercepted containers most of which came through the Tin Can Port, were all carrying products different from those declared at the points of clearance.

Enumerating the infractions, the SON Director General stated that plywood were declared as electric goods; used clothes as plumbing and building materials, while refrigerators were declared as cutting machines and agricultural appliances; Others according to him include, generators declared as industrial raw materials; kerosene cooking stoves and aluminum coated roofing sheets as plumbing materials.

Ogun State to Assist Farmers The Ogun State government has pledged to assist farmers achieve best agricultural practices which will increase their yield and ensure food security.

The Commissioner for Agriculture Mrs. Adepeju Adebajo, stated this at the harvesting of an hectare IFAD-Value Chain Developmental Program (VCDP) cassava demonstration farm at Alagada village near Oba in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of the State. She said with best agricultural practices such as proper land preparation, quality stems, adequate spacing of crops, application of appropriate fertilizers, insecticide, farm maintenance, as well as improved harvesting methods of farm produce, cassava farmers will get the best yields as well as break away from traditional way of farming which is outdated, less result-oriented and unprofitable.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We must target a cost of about $15 per barrel, where most members of OPEC are at the momentâ&#x20AC;?

Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu

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BUSINESSWORLD KADUNA, PH, KANO WORST PERFORMING DISCOS IN Q2 2017

Power: Nigeria to Normalise Supply Deal with Niger, Benin Republic Chineme Okafor in Abuja

no commitment to provide prepaid meters to customers, according to NERC findings.

Abuja Disco was the worst performer in terms of reduction of ATC & C losses with a score of 0.02 per cent out of a maximum point of 10 per cent.

The ranking showed that Eko Discoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s performance in collection of electricity bills surpassed NERCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s target for the Discoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s as the company scored 11 per cent against NERCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 10 per cent maximum score set for the Discos.

Eko Discoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s performance in remittance to market operator also surpassed NERCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s maximum score as the company scored 20 per cent against 15 per cent maximum score set by NERC. In terms of clearance of fault reported by customers, Ibadan, Yola and Ikeja Discos took the first position with a score of nine per cent each out of a maximum score of 10 per cent, while Port Harcourt and Eko discos were the worst with three per cent and four per cent scores, respectively.

FASHOLA: STATES, LGS OWE LARGER CHUNK OF N90BN MDAS DEBT TO DISCOS

governments. Therefore, the impact of insufficient power is manifest at municipal level and so will be the benefit of improved power. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Therefore, it is only logical and necessary for states and local Governments to own and participate in the implementation of the 2005 Law and the PSRP.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Therefore instead of passing votes of no confidence on the Discos who serve them, I will urge that they take a more important role of engagement and consultation to help the Discos serve them better. Communities and states who want to see improved power must also sacrifice and contribute some of their land for this service to be provided.â&#x20AC;?

Group Business Editor

Chika Amanze-Nwachuku AgriBusiness/Industry Editor

Jonathan Eze

Comms/e-Business Editor

Emma Okonji

Capital Market Editor

Goddy Egene

Senior Correspondent

Raheem Akingbolu (Advertising) Correspondents

Chinedu Eze (Aviation) Linda Eroke (Labour) Eromosele Abiodun (Maritime) Ejiofor Alike (Energy) James Emejo (Nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Capital) Obinna Chima (Money Mkt) Chineme Okafor (Energy) Reporters

Nume Ekeghe (Money Market) Nosa Alekhuogie (Cap Mkt)

NEWS

Nigeria will transfer its current bilateral power supply deal with the CommunautĂŠ Ă&#x2030;lectrique du BĂŠnin (CEB), and SociĂŠtĂŠ Nigerienne dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ElectricitĂŠ (NIGELEC), to the Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Plc to regularise the power purchase agreements (PPAs), the permanent secretary in the ministry of power, Mr. Louis Edozien, has disclosed.

Edozien, stated at a recent meeting involving the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and West African Power Pool (WAPP) in Abuja that the country would migrate the supply pact to PPAs, while encouraging both countries to enter into bilateral supply contracts to generating companies (Gencos) in Nigeria.

Both countries have relied on power supplies procured through bilateral processes from Nigeria to sustain their economy. They also owe the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s electricity market huge debts for supplies already made.

Edozien however said at the meeting: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Concerning proper contracts for electricity consumption by CEB and Nigelec, current policy is to migrate the current supply to power purchase agreements with Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET), while encouraging bilateral contracts with available generators and wheeling contracts with TCN for expanded supply. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Contracts protect you from negligent or incompetent default in supply from your contracted generator.

Contracts also protect your contracted generator from payment default.â&#x20AC;?

He also spoke on the need to have both countries clear their electricity debts to the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s electricity market, in addition to having an efficient payment mechanism that would encourage non-stop supplies. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As the power sector in Nigeria progresses, we are disposed to wheeling more electricity to our international customers. Our primary obligation however is to serve Nigerians; we therefore have to be able to justify our continued supply to international customers to

continue to export power, and it is very difficult to persuade our countrymen when the international customers we want supply have not been paying their bills for electricity supply. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is therefore necessary that all outstanding bills are paid immediately, and payment mechanisms are quickly put in place to ensure bills are paid as and when due,â&#x20AC;? he added.

He further explained: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Generally, as Discos are making efforts to expand, TCN and Gencos are also expanding to stay ahead of the requirement. This

is where the regional market comes in. We may need the regional market to sustain our expansion drive. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Now that TCN and Gencos are ahead of Discos, we will ensure that it becomes a norm.

For the power supply value chain to be sustained, the trading arrangement must be respected and adhered to. â&#x20AC;&#x153; â&#x20AC;&#x153;For TCN, the only way it can continue to stay ahead financially is that the trading arrangements are viable so if WAPP/TCN builds the second Ikeja West-Sekete 330kV DC

and other WAPP back bones, they must be paid for wheeling the power, promptly. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The generators must also be paid for generating power. That is the only way the trading arrangement would work. Trading arrangements are already captured in our laws and regulations, which is periodically reviewed to accommodate technological advancement, new policies and institutional corporations like WAPP. Moving forward they must be effectively operationalised,â&#x20AC;? Edozien stated.

SHAREHOLDERS ON THEIR MINDS

L-R: Chairman, Board of Directors, Benin Electricity Distribution Plc (BEDC) Mr. Victor Gbolade Osibodu; Director General, Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Dr. Alex Okoh and the Managing Director/CEO, BEDC, Mrs. Funke Osibodu during the second annual general meeting (AGM) of BEDC held in Lagos â&#x20AC;Ś recently

Benin Disco Blames Metering Limitations on Energy Theft Ejiofor Alike The Executive Director, Research and Advocacy, Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED), Mr. Sunday Oduntan has told the customers of Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) that massive metering of customers by the company was constrained by a number of factors prominent of which was energy theft through bypass, illegal connections and load diversion.

In his address during an information sharing/Customer Forum of BEDC for third quarter 2017, held in Benin for select communities in Ologbo, Ulemo and Usen areas of Edo State recently, Oduntan urged customers to report those bypassing their meters by way of whistle-blowing.

He argued that the prevalence of bypass especially in Edo State was militating against metering. â&#x20AC;&#x153;BEDC out of the 11 discos has the highest metering rollout in the last three years. People must know that electricity is no longer a free commodity or service like roads which government is expected to provide. Electricity is also not cheap as BEDC like other Discos buys electricity from the generation end at N68 and sells at N31.50kobo thereby underselling its product,â&#x20AC;? he remarked.

Also speaking at the event, the Chief State Head, Edo State, BEDC, Mr. Fidelis Obishai assured residents of Usen community in Egor Local government area of Edo State that they would soon begin to enjoy improved power supply as the company has concluded plans to bring an additional 7.5MVA in addition to the existing 7.5MVA transformer installed recently.

He also apologised to the residents of Usen community for the present poor supply to the area.

Obishai in a statement released by the company , explained that the poor supply to the community existed before BEDC came on board, stressing that replacement cost for the transformer was huge, adding that it was due to the inadequate capacity of the 7.5MVA transformer that resulted into massive load shedding presently experienced in the community.

Obishai equally urged members of the Ologbo community under Ikpoba/Okha local government to form an Electricity Committee that would help fast track issues bordering on power supply to their area, saying that the community was not relegated

by BEDC because of its strategic position as an oil producing community.

Edo State, he said, has over 1,000 communities under the purview of BEDC, and that the company gets less than the required amount of elec-

tricity from the national grid to guarantee regular power supply to those communities and that the power supply to BEDC comes from Transmission

Company in Benin and through Oghara in Delta state assuring that â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ologbo as an oil producing community is not relegated in the scheme of things.â&#x20AC;?

NETCO Records N5.1bn Profit in 2015, 2016 Distributes N610m dividend to NNPC The Chairman of the Board of the National Engineering and Technical Company Limited (NETCO), a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr. Bello Rabiu has stated that the company recorded a profit after tax of N5.1 billion for 2015 and 2016 financial years.

The company has also provided a dividend of N610 million to the NNPC for the two years under review. According to him, the breakdown shows that N1.4 billion was recorded for 2015 while N3.7 billion was recorded for 2016.

NETCO was established in 1989 to acquire engineering technology through direct involvement in all aspects of engineering in the oil, gas and non-oil sectors of the economy. NETCO is Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premier indigenous engineering company with the strategic vision of providing basic and detailed engineering, procurement, construction supervision

and project management services, using state of the art technology.

Speaking at the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recent Annual General Meeting held in Abuja, Rabiu, lauded the feat achieved by NETCO, despite the harsh economic realities. The NETCO chairman said the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s profit was boosted by the resolve of the NNPCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Group Managing Director, Dr. Maikanti Baru, and Top Management Committee (TMG) of the corporation to transform NNPC (Autonomous Business Units (ABUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s) to profit centres.

He noted that with the stride, the company had proved that if given the necessary support of the shareholders and other shareholders, it has the potentials and capabilities to soar far better, especially now that the economy has exited recession.

Rabiu, on behalf of the shareholders expressed appreciation to the management

of NNPC and other stakeholders for believing in NETCO through their support and ensuring required patronage for sustained growth.

Rabiu commended NETCO management and staff for its continued efforts to sustain the confidence of the shareholders as well as stakeholders.

In his speech, the Managing Director of NETCO, Mr. Siky Aliyu, said the company in 2015, won four new contracts and executed nine projects and recorded man-hours of 374,000.

He noted that the company did well in 2016 on nine project execution with a total manhour of 390,000, despite the downward trend in the oil and gas industry of the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy.

Highpoint of the AGM was the presentation of N610 million dividend cheque to the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru, by Rabiu for the 2015 and 2016 financial year of NETCO.

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ENERGY

Unending Refinery Upgrades The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation recently announced new plans to shut down its three refineries in Warri, Port Harcourt and Kaduna for comprehensive repairs. Chineme Okafor recalls that the same exercise has taken place several times with no tangible results For a long time in the history of the three refineries of the NNPC in Warri, Port Harcourt and Kaduna, repairing and bringing them up to efficiency have remained quite challenging.

On the back of systemic corrupt practices and perhaps lack of commitment, the refineries have operated below their capacities and sometimes not at all because they rarely go through periodic Turnaround Maintenance (TAM).

Even when TAMs on the refineries have in the past been carried out, they have often failed to restore their operational capacities to acceptable levels, thus raising some doubts on the recent disclosure of the corporation that it intends to shut down and painstakingly repair them shortly.

A long history of poor repair works A look into the recent records of NNPCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attempts to comprehensively repair its refineries indicated that between 2008 and 2010, the Corporation completely closed down all the three refineries to undertake repairs on them. While it however blamed the resurgence of violence in the Niger Delta region, which it said was responsible for attacks on crude supply pipelines to Kaduna and Warri refineries, for its decision to undertake the repairs on the two, it disclosed that the Port Harcourt refinery had some damages on its vital units from epileptic electricity supply to it.

It stated in 2008, that the TAM on Kaduna refinery had been scheduled for November 15, 2008, with the contractors expected to conclude and hand back the refinery to it in January 15, One of Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reďŹ neries 2009. It similarly announced in 2009, through its Group Managing Director then, Dr. Sanusi Similarly, in December, 2011, the corporation Barkindo, that it spent $20 million on the Kaduna shutdown the Port Harcourt Refinery again, TAM. claiming attacks on its crude supply pipeline had impacted its operations. It further disclosed that a contract to undertake a TAM on the refinery was awarded to a Nigerian firm at a reported cost of $57 million.

Also, in 2015, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, explained during an inspection tour of the Port Harcourt refinery, that the country saved about $287 million from undertaking a TAM on the refinery with local engineers within the employs of NNPC. Kachikwu, at that time said foreign companies had requested to carry out the TAM at a cost of $297 million but the NNPC used its manpower and local oil servicing firms to achieve the maintenance at the cost of less than $10 million. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The asking price by the original refinery builder was $297 million. The disaster with that was that they were not professionals and they were not ready to give us guarantees. What we have done so far is under $10 million. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Obviously, had we consistently done this overtime, we would not have the sort of nightmare that we have had today. Whatever it takes, we are going to raise money; we are going to raise some vessels to give them what they need to run this place and run it efficiently,â&#x20AC;? said Kachikwu. Despite these TAMs, the refineries have however remained quite unprofitable and largely inefficient in their operations, thus necessitating the recent proposal of the NNPC for â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;a fresh and holistic TAMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

NNPC stated in 2008, that the TAM on Kaduna reďŹ nery had been scheduled for November 15, 2008, with the contractors expected to conclude and hand back the reďŹ nery to it in January 15, 2009. It similarly announced in 2009, through its Group Managing Director then, Dr. Sanusi Barkindo, that it spent $20 million on the Kaduna TAM. Similarly, in December, 2011, the corporation shutdown the Port Harcourt ReďŹ nery again, claiming attacks on its crude supply pipeline had impacted its operations. It further disclosed that a contract to undertake a TAM on the reďŹ nery was awarded to a Nigerian ďŹ rm at a reported cost of $57 million

A different approach Notwithstanding the troubles of the corporation with its previous TAMs, its Group Managing Director, Dr. Maikanti Baru disclosed recently at an oil and gas meeting in Abuja that it will yet again close down the three refineries for a comprehensive rehabilitation aimed at bringing them back to their nameplate production capacities.

Baru in his interactions with reporters stated that the shutdown of the refineries will allow the corporation to undertake their rehabilitation in ways that are different from what had been done in the past.

He noted that the refineries will come back on stream as new facilities when it concludes the rehabilitation project ahead of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plan to exit petroleum products importation in 2019. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As you know, it is being the perception of

the public that the repairs of the refineries are never done thoroughly, so this time, our intention is to shut down the refineries when we are ready, and then fully bring them back to what they should be as new refineries,â&#x20AC;? Baru said.

To undertake this new venture, he inaugurated eight committees and charged them with the task of returning the refineries to their nameplate capacities by 2019.

The committee which included workstations for rehabilitation; stakeholder management; financing; legal; procurement; pipeline and crude oil supply and security, as well as staffing and succession planning, would according to Baru, initiate and deploy ingenious solutions to their given responsibilities.

On this, he stated: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Obviously, it is going to be a complex procedure and as such, we have to breakdown the various work packages to ensure that all the various workforces have sufficient focus, and if you notice the time that we inaugurated (eight committees on the refineries rehabilitation), the work streams are composed of the general managers and executive directors level, and they will be having a day-to-day look at it, while the steering committee is at my level and that of the chief operating officers all looking at the problems the workstations have and they will proffer solutions immediately.â&#x20AC;?

He further explained: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We intend to focus on the repairs of the refineries with all that it takes to ensure that this time, when we are done, by 2019, these refineries will be as good as new.

Despite these TAMs, the reďŹ neries have however remained quite unproďŹ table and largely inefďŹ cient in their operations, thus necessitating the recent proposal of the NNPC for â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;a fresh and holistic TAMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am convinced that the teams we have selected here today will give the necessary direction towards returning the refineries back to their optimal levels of performance.â&#x20AC;?

He said the committees were expected to deliver well and within schedule because time was of the essence. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We want to show everyone that we can fully run the refineries. You must all work together to operate them at 100 per cent capacity as this was the only way to ensure profitability.

We can fix the refineries but without the right people to operate them, they would go back to where they were or even worse,â&#x20AC;? he noted.

New funding source While the NNPC had in the past taken monies from the government to reportedly repair its refineries, it however indicated that its new approach would include alternative funding sources for its repairs of the refineries.

Kachikwu, had in 2016, disclosed that new repairs of the refineries would be done without government funds, but private investment finances. Based on this, a statement from the Group General Manager, Public Affairs, at the NNPC, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, stated that over 28 Expressions of Interest (EoIs) had been received so far by it from private funding sources interested in funding the refineriesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; rehabilitation project. It also said it was expecting more EoIs to come in by the year end.

Quoting NNPCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chief Operating Officer, Refineries and Petrochemicals, Mr. Anibor Kragha, the statement explained that the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attempt to exit petrol importation in 2019 was possible because the corporation has both the political will and the economic climate to ensure effective retrofitting of the refineries. Kragha said on the funding scheme, that Nigeria would not suffer financially from the project, and that the approved financial model would guarantee payment to partners only from incremental profits. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Payment is therefore hinged on performance, ensuring a win-win situation for Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;?, Kragha said.

Even though past TAM record on its refineries are quite poor, and without results, the new approach the NNPC seeks to adopt in repairs of the refineries appear quite promising, especially on the back of private financing of the repairs which in return would demand improved efficiency from the refining facilities to repay their expenses on them.

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ENERGY

Addressing the Challenges in Marginal Fields Devt With 21 out of the 30 marginal oilfields awarded in the country from 1999 to date not yet producing, Ejiofor Alike writes that the federal government should address the challenges that hindered indigenous operators from developing these marginal assets before the next marginal fields bid round The federal government embarked on the award of marginal fields in the late 1990s after international oil companies (IOCs) had abandoned significant acreages unappraised and left others to lie fallow for many years even after oil discoveries, largely because the fields were not commercially viable for the oil majors to deploy their expensive technologies and resources.

The award of marginal fields is also aimed at increasing Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s crude oil production capacity through accelerated development of discovered reserves.

It also encourages aggressive exploration to increase the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oil and gas reserves With the abundant the pool of the high-level competent Nigerians retiring after meritorious services with the international oil companies, the award of marginal fields also seeks to gainfully employ these professionals, thus creating employment opportunity for more Nigerians.

The first marginal field to be awarded in the country was the Ogbelle field allocated to the Niger Delta Petroleum Resources Limited in 1999 to promote indigenous participation and build local capacity in the upstream sector.

After the Petroleum (Amendment) Decree No. 23 of 1996 was enacted to provide the legal framework for the award of the oil acreages deemed â&#x20AC;&#x153;marginalâ&#x20AC;? by the IOCs, the guidelines for farming more fields out and operation of these fields were developed in 2001 and 2003, following which 24 additional fields were awarded to 31 companies.

The 24 fields and the 31 beneficiary companies included Platform Petroleum, which was awarded the Asuokpu/Umutu field in OML 38, Prime Energy and Sufolk Petroleum, which were awarded the Asaramatoru field in OML 11, Bayelsa Oil (Atala field in OML 46), Excel E&P (Eremor field in OML 46), Walter Smith Petroman and Morris Petroleum (Ibigwe Field in OML 16), Independent Energy (Ofa field in OML 30), Millennium Oil (Oza field in OML 11), and Network E&P (Qua Ibo field in OML 13).

Others were Universal Energy (Stubb Creek field in OML 14), Associated Oil and Gas and Dansaki Petroleum (Tom Shot Bank field in OML 14), Sahara Energy and Africa Oil and Gas (Tsekelewu field in OML 40), Frontier Oil (Uquo marginal gas field in OML 13), Guarantee Oil and Owena Oil (Ororo field in OML 95), Sogenal Oil (Akepo field in OML 90), Bicta Energy System (Ogedeh field in OML 90); Britania-U (Ajapa field in OML 90), and Eurafic Energy (Dawes Island field in OML 54).

The rest included Del-Sigma Limited (Ke field in OML 54), Goland Petroleum (Oriri field in OML 88), Movido E&P (Ekeh field in OML 88), Midwestern Oil and Gas and Suntrust (Umusadege field in OML 56), Pillar Oil (Obodugwa/Obodeti field in OML 56), Energia Limited and Oando (Umusati/Igbuku field in OML 56), and Chorus Energy (Amoji/ Matsogo/Igbolo field in OML 56).

The Okwok and Ebok fields were awarded in 2006 and 2007 to Oriental Energy to compensate the company for losing part of OML 115 to Equatorial Guinea, following a boundary adjustment exercise between Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea.

In 2010 Otakikpo and Ubima fields were also awarded to Green Energy Limited and Allgrace Energy Limited, respectively, to conclude a protracted award process that commenced in 2004.

But of the 30 marginal fields awarded from 1999 to date, only nine fields are producing, while 21 are at different stages of development.

The companies producing from the nine oil acreages are Platform Petroleum, Walter Smith Petroman and Morris Petroleum, Frontier Oil Limited, Britania-U, Midwestern Oil and

President Muhammadu Buhari Gas and Suntrust, Pillar Oil, Energia Limited and Oando, Oriental Energy, and Niger Delta Petroleum Resources Limited.

The other 21 fields are yet to produce oil as a result of a number of factors.

Challenges of marginal field development Some of the marginal fields awarded in the country are largely sub-economic and nonbankable assets.

The major reason why the fields were abandoned by the IOCs was because they were not commercially viable for the oil majors to deploy their expensive material and human resources to produce the fields.

The fields were considered sub-economic and non-bankable largely because of the stranded nature of the assets.

This made it difficult for the indigenous operators that took over the assets to attract deep-pocket partners with the technical expertise to facilitate the development of the marginal assets.

Apart from some of the assets that are in clusters, most of the marginal assets are stranded and thus, not bankable.

One of the early challenges that faced the indigenous operators that were allocated marginal fields was the delay in signing agreement between the lease holders and the DPR. After the allocation of the assets to the indigenous operators, it took several years for the DPR to conclude the signing of necessary agreements with the lease holders.

The delay in the signing of the agreements also delayed the development of the fields as the asset owners could not mobilise resources to start the developments without the necessary approvals by the regulator.

Lack of access to funding also hindered the development of marginal fields in the country.

With the non-bankable nature of the assets, the indigenous firms found it difficult to attract investors.

This has delayed the assets development, thus defeating the federal governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s objective of increasing the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oil and gas reserves base, as well as daily production capacity.

Some of the asset owners have also demonstrated lack of capacity to develop and manage the acreages.

This challenge stemmed from the fact that

DPR Director, Modecai Dantei Ladan most of them did not have any track record in the exploration and production business before getting the marginal fields allocation.

Some of the companies were just hurriedly registered for the purpose of acquiring the marginal assets and had no experience in the E & P business.

This has delayed the development of these fields.

Another challenge that hampered the development of the marginal fields awarded between 1999 and 2010 is the community restiveness in the Niger Delta region.

Oil-producing communities have intensified their agitations for greater share of oil resources in recent years.

With community restiveness, most of the companies that succeeded had to understand and resolve the community issues to have uninterrupted operations that facilitated the development of the assets.

The administration of the late President Umaru Yarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Adua adopted a holistic approace to address the agitations in the Niger Delta by introducing the Amnesty Programme for repentant militants in 2009.

This programme brought relative peace in the region and facilitated the development of many marginal fields.

One of the greatest challenges that hindered the development of marginal fields in Nigeria was that some of the companies awarded the fields in 2003 were forced into partnerships and consortium by the federal government.

Instead of encouraging companies with the same vision and mission to enter into voluntary partnerships, the federal government arbitrarily merged two companies and gave them a marginal field.

By forcing companies to partner in marginal fields development, the federal government encouraged what oil and gas industry operators referred to as â&#x20AC;&#x153;forced marriagesâ&#x20AC;? between incompatible partners.

After getting the marginal field allocation, these strange bedfellows spent several years fighting each other, instead of developing the assets.

New marginal field bid round underway Despite the inability of the indigenous operators to develop 21 out of the 30 fields awarded from 1999 to date, the federal government through the DPR has set the guidelines for

the marginal oil field bid round scheduled to take place later this year or early 2018.

The proposed bid round could potentially see scores of investors jostling to acquire 46 oil acreages during the exercise.

Of the 46 acreages up grabs, it was however gathered that the DPR is considering setting aside some of the oil blocks for discretionary award to firms owned by Niger Delta indigenes, in order to sustain the prevalent peace in the oil-rich region and give its citizens a sense of ownership in Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oil wealth.

Under the guidelines seen by THISDAY for the current marginal field bid round, interested investors will be required to pay $50,000 each for a Competent Persons Report (CPR).

The CPR will require bidders to provide details of their shareholding structure, names of their directors, track record in the oil and gas sector, audited financial statements, partnership and/or collaboration with indigenous firms, and financial resources to bid and pay for the oil acreages.

It was also gathered that prospective investors will also pay $15,000 each as Data Mining fee to enable them have access to the relevant data on the fields that will be put on offer.

After the payment of the $15,000 by each investor, the DPR will commence the technical and commercial evaluations of the bidders.

THISDAY also learnt that the $15,000 data mining fee to be paid by the investors in the forthcoming exercise is equivalent to the $2,000 paid by the operators in 2003 as data purchasing fee.

In the 2003 bidding round, investors paid N50,000 for application form; N100,000 processing fee, and signature bonus of $150,000 each.

Successful bidders in the forthcoming exercise are expected to confirm their willingness to pay $300,000 as signature bonus, against $150,000 paid in 2003.

Expectedly, the oil acreages will go to the highest bidders who will be given a timeline within which to pay for the oil acreages.

However, to avoid the pitfalls and the landmines that hampered the development of the 21 fields allocated in the previous bid rounds, the federal government should look at the lessons learnt and address the challenges facing the operators to ensure that it realises the objective of marginal field allocation to indigenous investors.

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Investing in Palm Oil for Export According to Africa Investment Index, Nigeria is the 19th most attractive economy for investments flowing into the African continent. The Africa Investment Index 2016 report showed that Nigeria attracted a net Foreign Direct Investment of $3.1billion in 2015. Botswana was ranked the most attractive economy for investments flowing into the African continent followed by Morocco, Egypt, South Africa and Zambia.

Following the decline in oil prices, which impacted various African oil producing nations, the federal government has intensified its efforts towards diversifying the economy and has laid out a road map to enhance public infrastructure and support high-growth sectors in the country such as manufacturing, ICT, agriculture, among others.

Palm oil is known to be an excellent source of bio available calcium and least allergic of all edible oil available. The total demand of edible oil is 16,570,000 tones and supply is 13,326,000tonnes including the imported edible oil). The demand-supply gap thereby opens up an opportunity for investors in this sector.

After thorough research in to the market, we found out that the demand for palm kernel oil, for commercial, home and even industrial purposes will continue to increase as the year progresses and this is the same for other by-products making it a lucrative business and that with rewarding income.

Although there are few substitutes to replace palm oil, they cannot meet the high increase for its use in many years to come. Some of the industries include: Cosmetics, Food, Animal Feed, Soap Manufacturing, Confectioneries, and Bio-diesel among others.

Operation Plan The two different type of production process will be employed. The operation of consists of different sections including; procurement and storage (i.e raw material store), production/ processing floor and packaging phase. The finished products are distributed by the help of local distributor.

The necessary equipment that will be used for this business includes; bunch thresher, boiler, nut and fibre separator, screw press, oil drums, funnels, gallons, scoopers, bowls, basins among others. The product packing line comprises of oil which will be packaged into 4-Litre Keg and 1Litre Keg for both palm oil and kernel oil.

The business will require full time labor.

The services of purchasing officers, drivers, warehouse officers, store officers, sales representatives, security personnel, and accountant

growth of any business as it helps to have right predictions about the sales of products.

From the result we gathered from our studies based on the opportunities of the in the industry. Our sales forecast have shown that palm fruit processing business is going to be profitable in its first year of starting Palm fruit processing in Nigeria has peak and off-peak seasons and so to account for its availability throughout the year, 50% of the product will be stored in the ware house, and 50% will be distributed to satisfy the immediate market while the product in the warehouse will be sold during off-peak seasons.

Marketing Plans There will be strategic plans on ground to ensure the best distribution network for easy access of the product by the final consumer. A team of proficient marketing professionals and sales forces will be recruited to create public awareness of the products and to facilitate integrated marketing communication between the mill and its target market. Communication to the public will be through advertisement, public relations, sale promotion and publicity as well as both online and offline advertisement to enhance sales among others.

Again the industry will make use of customer based pricing strategy. It will also emphasize on quantity discount as a pricing strategy.

The sales representatives and agents will be used instead of middlemen to avoid hoarding of the products, excessive price hike and low customerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s satisfaction.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh will be needed. The cost of production will be low because 70% of the staff will be recruited from the community and the source of the raw materials for the mill is gotten from the natural endowment within the environment.

Product and services r 3FĂ OFE QBMN PJM r $SVEF QBMN PJM r 3FĂ OFE QBMN LFSOFM PJM r $SVEF QBMN LFSOFM PJM r 1BMN LFSOFM DBLF GPS BOJNBM GFFE QSPEVDUJPO r 1BMN LFSOFM TMVEHF r $SVTIFE QBMN LFSOFM TIFMM GPS CJP GVFM Opportunities are unlimited. Palm oil is an economic product that is in high demand both for domestic and industrial use as well as palm kernel oil alongside with other byproducts which are highly needed in the industries as a raw material for the production for different products. With the numerous

untapped opportunities that lie behind palm kernel processing, our consultancy services will necessarily be required by upcoming investors also. The proposed location of the factory is an important important decision to make.

Marketing Strategy The numerous processing industries as well as local sellers located in the proposed area of the plant are the first targeted customers.

Promoters will increase the production and the sales of palm produce in its environment, outside the state, expanding across West Africa and Africa as a whole. For the few competitors in palm oil processing and distribution companies, strategic plans will be on ground to surmount any pressure that might arise.

Sales Forecast A sales forecast is very important for the

Financial Projections Part of the financing and funding of the project will come from stakeholders of the promoters and counterpart funding from Ă OBODJBM JOTUJUVUJPOT JO GPSN PG MPBOT 3FWFOVF from the industry will be re-invested into the business while making its loan repayment a top priority.

The raw materials, labor and all other required inputs are locally available. All other essential details including accommodation, manpower, production technology, packaging and marketing will be embodied in a bankable and comprehensive feasibility report for prospective investor.

Prospective investors can start very small and gradually grow.

Uba, Godwin Global Trust Consulting, *TIBHB 3PBE TU ĂĄPPS 4VSVMFSF -BHPT Tel: 08034494437, 08023664368, 08171555133 Email: ubagodwin@yahoo.com

Diversification of Energy Mix Critical to Economic Devt Akachukwu Okafor Nigeria is one of the most populous emerging markets in the world with rich and diverse natural resources, yet the country still experiences serious difficulties in meeting its economic and social development goals.

Against this background, the overdependence on oil and gas resources also has negative impact on the current state of affairs in the economic sector. Once considered as a catalyst to turn Nigeria into one of the leading economies in the world, today these fossil fuels are demonstrating reverse effects.

The major drawbacks concerning the over dependence on oil revenue for the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s survival is related with underdevelopment of the sectorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s value chains products and services, dependence on oil multinationals and volatile global pricing.

On the other side, surprisingly huge amounts of oil and gas resources have not helped Nigeria to solve its growing energy crisis. Nigeria is currently the biggest economy in Africa; however, its power sector is performing well below the level of its peers. Over half of the population (roughly 90 million people), have no access to grid-connected electricity and those who are connected to the grid suffer

extensive power outages.

Although Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s installed capacity is estimated at around 13,000 MW, only half of it is operational, and a little below 5,000 MW is generated and reaches consumers on UIF HSJE 3FTUSJDUFE HFOFSBUJPO PVUQVU IBT been blamed on gas supply problems, water shortages, grid constraints and breakdowns.

With a current supply of 130kWh per capita, Nigeria is lagging well behind other developing nations in terms of grid based electricity consumption. Based on the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s GDP and global trends, electricity consumption should be four to five times higher than it is today.

For example, Ghanaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s per capita consumption of 360kWh is 2.9 times higher than that of Nigeria, and South Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (4,000kWh) is 31 times higher.

Primary energy consumption in Nigeria is largely satisfied by traditional biomass and waste (typically consisting of wood, charcoal, manure, and crop residues) and accounts for 74% of the energy mix. This high share represents the use of biomass to meet off-grid heating and cooking needs, mainly in rural areas. The International Energy Agency estimated that 115 million people in Nigeria rely on traditional biomass and waste as their main sources of energy. The other

26% is made up of oil, gas and hydropower.

In recent years the electricity production from hydroelectric sources, have plunged due to water shortages and climate change.

As for renewable energy sources, Nigeria has stand-alone solar energy projects, which do not produce considerable electricity and a wind project that is yet to start generation.

The insufficient energy generation and inadequate transmission and distribution infrastructure is a great obstacle for economic growth and industry development. Energy supply shortage has an adverse effect on the standard of living of the citizens.

3FBMJTJOH UIF HSFBU FDPOPNJD SJTLT UIBU DPNF with relying heavy on only a few sources of energy, the Nigerian government took a decision to add nuclear power to diversify the energy mix and generate reliable and affordable electricity.

As Nigeria wants to embark on the path of dynamic development it needs more than 60,000 MW to ensure sustainable growth. The Nigerian government aims to electrify at least 80% of its population by the year 2035, and is investing in nuclear energy to help meet this target.

In line with this target, Nigeria plans to install 4,000 MW of nuclear power by the

mid-2030s to guarantee sustainable baseload energy generation.

The development of nuclear power in Nigeria is based on a clear and strategic vision - to add an environmentally friendly and sustainable source of energy that can guarantee affordable and reliable energy generation for decades.

Guided by IAEA the Nigerian nuclear programme has already received positive JOTJHIUT GSPN JUT *OUFHSBUFE 3FHVMBUPSZ 3FWJFX 4FSWJDF *334 UFBN JO +VMZ GPMMPXJOH a 10 day mission to Nigeria.

5IF *334 UFBN JEFOUJĂ FE HPPE QSBDUJDF JO UIF /JHFSJBO /VDMFBS 3FHVMBUPSZ "VUIPSJUZ //3" SPVUJOF USBJOJOH GPS OFXT NFEJB to inform them about its processes and decisions, as well as the possible radiation risks associated with facilities and activities.

Apart from energy generation, Nigeria already employs nuclear technologies for health and medical research and science.

Thanks to its research reactor.

- Okafor is the founder, and lead consultant at Change Partners International, an energy, environment and sustainability consultancy firm that specializes in helping investors into emerging markets across Africa

26

T H I S D AY Ëž Ë&#x153; Í°Í´Ë&#x153; Í°ÍŽÍŻÍľ

BUSINESSWORLD

INDUSTRY

Leveraging on the Poultry Value Chain Agriculture has received renewed focus since the assumption of office by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015. This undoubtedly presents an opportunity for prospective investors in the poultry business. Jonathan Eze reports In pursuit of its diversification goal, the federal government promised that it would intensify efforts around ease of doing business, by creating an enabling environment for businesses to thrive. This, the government believes, will help the private sector and ultimately the Nigerian economy flourish.

Two areas where the support for agriculture is already yielding visible results are the poultry and rice sectors. In recent times, both sectors have been producing millionaires.

Poultry generally is referred to all domestic birds raised for the production of eggs, meat and other benefits for human consumption. The domestic birds include fowl ducks, turkey, guinea fowl and geese. Poultry products have been found to have the highest protein concentrate of about 20.5% relative to others success of protein (animals) and has the shortest production cycle of all animals.

Production cycle involves all the activities in the rearing of livestock from day old to maturity.

For example, to achieve a ten-fold increase in the body weight in relation to weight of a bird, Williamson and Payne (1978) outlined that it takes 25 days in broiler, 48 days in piglets, 250 days in caves and 170 days in sheep.

The rearing of pigs, cattleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and goats however requires extensive kind more than poultry where more units of production can be achieved from a given space compared to the farmer. These advantages are perhaps the cause of a higher turnover in poultry production at reasonably short period of time. However, emphasis is often paid to the domestic fowls, which are the major birds for commercial and nutritional importance In the poultry sector, the natnuPreneur out grower scheme, promoted by natnudO foods, a sister company to Amo Farm Sieberer Hatchery Limited whose farm infrastructure, located in Awe, Oyo State is among the most advanced in West Africa, has already produced millionaires in different parts of the country. The scheme is designed to fulfill the chicken needs of Nigerians by ensuring that good quality chicken meat, that satisfy safety standards, are readily available in the country.

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Amo Farm Sieberer Hatchery, Mr. Albert Begerano, recently described the natnuPreneur broiler out grower scheme as helping to achieve the food security goal of the Federal government by exposing poultry farmers to modern technology and farming techniques.

He also disclosed that the Amo Farm Group is involved in the entire poultry value chain from Poultry Feeds to Day Old Chicks production; sales and distribution nationwide, to Animal Drugs and Nutrition, Poultry processing, and production into consumable finished goods He made the assertion while receiving a group of journalists who visited some of the companies in the Group during the weekend.

Speaking further, Begerano stated that the scheme offers many services, such as free poultry consultation and a ready market for produce to registered poultry farmers and that the success of the scheme could be attributed to the backing of the different companies within the Amo group.

The Amo Farm produces about 1.9 million Day Old Chicks (DOC) weekly including 800,000 broiler chicks while Amo Byng produces between 600 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1000 tonnes of feeds daily.

Also, another company within the Group, natnudO Foods has the capacity to process 55,000 birds daily across the country- 30,000 in the western part of the country, 10,000 in the north and 15,000 in the east.

The facilities visit also took journalists through some poultry farms on the scheme.

While acknowledging the positive impact of the natnuPreneur programme to her farming business, Mrs. Remi Tomori, of Honeydew Farms in Arulogun Ibadan disclosed that the benefits of the scheme are innumerable. Specifically, she said that because of the application of the knowledge derived from the scheme, the mortality rate of her chicks has reduced tremendously while she has also been able to

StaďŹ&#x20AC; of natnudO Abattoir, Akinyele, Oyo State packaging natnudO Chicken during the facilities tour of natnudO Foods recently curtail pilfering of feeds by her staff.

She also appreciates the fact that she does not have to worry about marketing or selling her produce because the natnuPreneur scheme provides a ready market for them.

It is not enough to help farmers achieve proďŹ tability after just one cycle. What we are most concerned about is that the proďŹ t increases and gets sustained.

For this reason, we employ professional counseling on poultry management processes, to help farmers maintain proďŹ tability.

Registered farmers on the scheme are guided on how to manage and grow healthy broilers in a way that would minimise ďŹ&#x201A;ock mortality. We also provide them with a feeding, watering and vaccination schedule, and supervise these operations

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Before we joined natnuPreneur, we were rearing layers but there were too many challenges; pilfering, high mortality, debt, stress and even marketing problems. Till now, people still owe us for what we supplied them many years ago.

But, natnuPreneur is taking all these risks and stress off us. The scheme is incomparable in terms of returns on investment as I realise more than 50% profit annuallyâ&#x20AC;? she added.

Continuing, she said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our farm has a capacity of 4,000 birds which are presently in their 5th week. We joined natnuPreneur scheme in October 2014 and till date, only 15 birds mortality has been recorded on our farm. Through training and regular visitation, we realize an average weight of 1.8 as against the 1.7 minimum agreed weights. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve also been able to do between 5 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 7 cycles per yearâ&#x20AC;?.

Speaking earlier on the scheme, the Coordinator of natnuPreneur, Mr. Gbolade Adewole said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;To guarantee sustainable profit for natnuPreneur farmers, natnudO Foods provides extension services through well trained professionals.

These extension workers pay regular visits to farms, offer technical, business and project management advice, and proffer solutions to problems that may arise on the farms. They also connect farmers to the other arms of the company, which are, Amo Byng for their poultry feeds, Diversay Solutions for their drugs and vaccines need. This means a one-stop shop for poultry farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; needs. In effect, this has helped to maintain quality and the standards achieved with the programmeâ&#x20AC;?.

The coordinator also stated: â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is not enough to help farmers achieve profitability after just one cycle. What we are most concerned about is that the profit increases and gets sustained. For this reason, we employ professional counseling on poultry management processes, to help farmers maintain profitability. Registered farmers on the scheme are guided on how to manage and grow healthy broilers in a way that would minimise flock mortality. We also provide them with a feeding, watering and vaccination schedule, and supervise these operationsâ&#x20AC;?.

Adewole added that, the scheme, in the three years of its existence, has partnered with financial institutions like Bank of Industry (BoI), Bank of Agriculture (BOA), Sterling Bank, and other commercial banks to finance farmers. Also, the

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), through its anchor borrower initiative, has provided credit facilities for farmers on the scheme. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have collaborated with top financial institutions and shared resources in the process. Our data and analysis are globally recognised and this is what we use to improve output of poultry farmers for profitabilityâ&#x20AC;?, he included.

While also harping on the impact of the scheme on employment in the country, Mr. Alaba Yunusa, a Data Analyst and Farmer Satisfaction Representative (FSR) at natnudO Foods disclosed that â&#x20AC;&#x153;natnuPreneur has directly employed 150 graduates, working as extension officers (Farmer Satisfaction Representatives), indirectly employed over 220,000 people working at various capacities with farmers and that there is a potential to have an additional 2 million people, to work with natnuPreneur in various capacities within the entire value chain ( Feed mills, Hatchery, Logistics and transportation, chicken processing, chicken distribution and retailers (natnuPreneur seller) if well supported.â&#x20AC;?

It is a fact also that Poultry outnumbers all other forms of livestock in Nigeria and not surprisingly, it is found throughout the country wherever there are human settlements.

However, in spite of the immense contributions of the poultry industry to the national economy, the subsector is facing challenges such as poor quality of ingredients used in the manufacture of feed, supply of poor quality chicks, high feed costs, inadequate access to and high cost of veterinary services and poor marketing information systems amongst others.

These factors, to a large extent, have slowed down further growth of the sector. Impetus on development of commercial poultry production can be facilitated by public private partnership.

This would ensure sustainability of poultry enterprises, provision of capital subsidy by government in form of periodic grants to poultry farmers and core infrastructures.

Government should continue to provide financial assistance to subsistence and smallscale poultry farmers in form of soft loans. It should also give them tax concession. Poultry waste management system under commercial production should be properly designed, built and maintained in order to protect both surface and underground water quality.

T H I S D AY TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2017

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T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2017

PROPERTY & ENVIRONMENT Lafarge Africa Plc Has Verifiable Solutions to Road Construction in Nigeria, Says Country CEO Lafarge Africa Plc., believes it can conveniently and permanently solve Nigeria’s road construction problems, but that it would need assistance from other stakeholders. Bennett Oghifo reports

O

ver the years, the Nigerian government has spent unimaginable sums of money trying to build good roads across the nation, but the few roads constructed do not last up to five years after the contractors have left site.

This problem can be solved through a multistakeholder approach, said the Country Chief Executive Officer, Lafarge Africa, Mr. Michel Puchercos, at a summit on the ‘Economics of Road Construction in Nigeria’, organised by BusinessDay Newspaper in partnership with Lafarge Africa Plc., in Lagos, recently.

According to Puchercos, “There are also pertinent questions begging for answers. Why is the lifespan of roads in Nigeria rather short?

Are we paying adequate attention to soil texture and road stabilisation in the construction of roads? Should we be considering more concrete solutions for road construction in Nigeria.?”

Lafarge Group has solution...

“As a member of the LafargeHolcim Group – the largest concrete and building solutions company in the world, Lafarge Africa Plc surely has verifiable solutions to road construction in Nigeria. However we cannot go it alone. We are dealing with an issue that is very much beyond one stakeholder. It is a challenge for cement and concrete producers in Nigeria just as it is a challenge for contractors, consultants, financial institutions, development agencies and indeed, all road users.

“We strongly believe in the need to bring the entire ecosystem together to discuss this all-important issue. This is why I am glad that our indefatigable Minister of Power Works and Housing Mr. Babatunde Fashola is here in person to listen to all stakeholders and his perspectives to some of these issues.”

The Country CEO said, “With a road network estimated at nearly 200,000 kilometres, Nigeria’s national road network is the largest in West Africa and the second largest, south of the Sahara. Road transportation accounts for about 90 percent of all freight and passenger movements in the country. Adequate road infrastructure is central to Nigeria’s economic growth; it is at the core of good governance and public welfare.”

He said, “The road infrastructure in Nigeria as it stands today cannot adequately support and propel the Nigerian economy in the right direction. Concerns have been expressed about the quality of roads, the maintenance culture, the design and innovative construction solutions being deployed in the construction of roads in Nigeria.

“To further compound the situation, Government’s dwindling revenues at the state and federal levels mean we must get creative in addressing this all important issue. It is probably the time for a more aggressive public-private sector approach to road construction in Nigeria.”

Critical examination of our present approach to road construction and maintenance...

Also emphasising the importance of the summit, the Chairman, Lafarge Africa Plc., Mr. Mobolaji Balogun said, “With the Federal and respective State Governments grappling with dwindling resources, it has become crucial that we convene the ecosystem of public and private sector players to brainstorm on issues of funding, partnerships, design, and quality of roads in Nigeria. For sure Government can no longer do it alone.

“We all agree that roads are at the core of infrastructural provision in any modern society.

Beyond funding, we need to critically examine our present approach to road construction and maintenance in Nigeria with the ultimate goal of ensuring that the lifespan of Nigerian roads is considerably higher than it is today. Present day economic challenges require that we

L-R: Managing Director, The Infrastructure Bank Plc, Adekunle Oyinloye; Chairman, House committee on works, Mr. Toby Okechukwu; Chairman, Lafarge Africa Plc, Mr. Bolaji Balogun; Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola; CEO, Lafarge Africa Plc., Michel Puchercos; and Publisher/CEO, BusinessDay Media, Frank Aigbogun, at the summit on roads, held in Lagos…recently

become far more creative in deploying human and material resources for road construction in Nigeria. It has also become expedient that we broaden the scope of Public Private Sector collaboration on road construction.

“As an infrastructure solutions provider, we at Lafarge Africa Plc feel a sense of duty to mobilise other stakeholders to engage in this very crucial conversation on how to ensure that our roads are built better and in a more sustainable manner.”

Tax incentive policy...

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, who delivered the keynote address, ‘Economics of Innovative Solutions to Road Construction in Nigeria’, presented a hands-on assessment of the situation and workable solution, which included collaboration with the private sector.

Explaining the involvement of the private sector in the provision of infrastructure, Fashola said they would be involved in the construction of roads, culverts, drains.

He added that the government was already collaborating with the Dangote Group in this regard with the on-going reconstruction of two-kilometre on Wharf Road in Apapa, Lagos.

The minister said, “I am pleased to inform you that, we have just concluded an agreement using the tax incentive order to: Hand over the Apapa area comprising Creek Road, Liverpool Road, Marine Beach to Mile 2, Oshodi, Oworonshoki to the Lagos end of the Toll Gate on the Ibadan Expressway to Dangote Group for construction using concrete on Tuesday, 12th September 2017.”

He said processes were being concluded to arrive at the project cost, which would be borne by the Dangote Group that is expected to recoup their investment through tax incentive.

“As for the agreement with Dangote, we are now awaiting the Design of the 35 km stretch excluding the portion that has been completed, about 7 km, by the previous administration around Mile 2 area. From the design, we will determine the cost and the scope of works which we hope can be executed quickly.

“As this Government promised, we will solve the Apapa and Port congestion problem. I can only tell you that the solution is now on the way,” he said.

Fashola, who described this initiative as

“the innovative side of road construction and economics,” explained that “We inherited a tax incentive policy for individuals to benefit from tax remission, to recover investment made in public infrastructure like roads, which other members of the public can utilise.

“Apart from the fact that pending applications from Dangote group were not approved by the previous managers of the economy, which the present administration has now approved and work has commenced on 42.9 km of the Obajana - Kabba road, this Government has thought it fit to review: The five-year limit on that tax order to a ten-year period to sustain private investment in road infrastructure, because it is a long-term asset; the order by amending individual investment to include groups of individuals because not all potential investors can individually muster the resources alone but can do so as a group, and recover their pro-rated share; The order by prescribing fast track processes for MDA approvals to prevent a repeat of the 5 years delay that characterized the Dangote application, before this administration finally approved it.”

He also reminded the distinguished gathering of the “just concluded and signed an agreement with NLNG to construct the Bodo – Bonny Bridge at the cost of N120.6 Billion with NLNG and Federal Government sharing the cost 5050. The contracts were signed on Wednesday, 13thSeptember 2017.” Also, he said the federal government would reconstruct toll plazas and weigh bridges on some roads. “Going forward, we have identified 28 toll plazas out of the old toll plazas, on roads where construction work is currently going on, at which we propose to restore toll plazas.

“We have also concluded traffic surveys on 51 major highways and now have current traffic data on these roads and we can project vehicular traffic movement for tolling and concession purposes.

“We have concluded preliminary designs for the plazas, and we are now looking at how to incorporate technology such as using contact cards, installing fibre optic, using GSM to enable people pay with minimum use of cash,” he said.

The economics of this intervention, according to him, would bring more demand for services and provide opportunities to build the plazas, manage them, provide telecoms and payment platforms, creating vending opportunities for people to buy their toll tickets in the way they

buy their recharge cards.

He said, “In addition to these, our roads need traffic signs and road furniture like lane marking and we are working to deploy these very soon across sections of completed roads where we are currently constructing in all the states.

“Fabrication of road signs, poles, printing of the lettering and markings will trickle down to small contractors who will be sub-contractors to our main contractors.

“These are the economics of road construction, arising from solutions we are developing and deploying which will shortly be felt. It will also provide employment for those who will install the poles, cast the plinth, dig the trenches, install the signs and mark the lanes.

“Most of the preparatory work and designs have been done in the Ministry by our staff, working in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), to standardise the signs, the sizes, the lettering, the colour and the dimensions of the poles and the procedure for installation.”

He said to preserve the roads, “which are currently being subjected to excessive axle load pressure of overloading, we are working to install weighbridges at 22 points and 10 points have been completed.

“However, the Federal Highways Act prescribes for removal, storage and transhipment of excessive cargo from overloaded vehicles, after they are weighed. “This means that warehouses are required near or at weighbridge locations.

This was not in existence in the past and we have developed strategies to concession these weighbridges to operators who can invest in the construction and operation of warehouses.

“We are developing rates and charges for storage that will be applicable per tonnage or other measure of excessive cargo so that the operation is governed by Rules.

“We intend to make it cheaper to comply and very expensive to violate our axle load prescriptions.

“This is because those who overload their vehicles are making profit at the expense of other road users and diminishing the quality and life expectancy of our roads.

“The operation of the weighbridges, the construction of the warehouses, the storage of overloaded cargo, will further enhance economic opportunities for Nigerians from labour, to weighing, use of scales and transport opportunity to tranship excess cargo.”

A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

LEGALITY OR OTHERWISE OF IPOB PROSCRIPTION ORDER

26.09.2017

Nnmadi Kanu N

2/DASHBOARD

26.09.2017

When Bank Can Keep Judgement Debtor’s Money Despite Garnishee Order PAGE 4

Lagos Unveils ‘Plea & Sentence Bargain’ Manual for Effective Administration of Justice PAGE 5

Kogi CJ Calls for Police Collaboration PAGE 5

Lawyers Urged to Take their Health Matters More Seriously PAGE 5

Oakwell: Mediation, Effective Instrument of Dispute Resolution

QUOTABLES 'Constitutional amendments, are not really necessary because they are going to help Nigerians. Amendments are being sponsored by the Legislators, because it will either help their party, help their region, or help themselves.

So that you find that many of the initiated amendments, are not things that you and I are going to benefit from as individuals.'

– Robert Clark, SAN

'The National Assembly, the House of Representatives, is not a court of law....But you now have the House of Representatives, jumping into the realm of interpretation of laws. It is clearly unconstitutional.....They don't have the power to declare any act of the Executive, unconstitutional.

The only body that is constitutionally empowered to do that, is the Judiciary ' – Okoi Obono-Obla, Lawyer, Presidential Adviser on Prosecution

COLUMNIST ADERINSOLA FAGBURE Aderinsola Fagbure is a keen writer having written her first article which was published by the junior section of a national daily, at the age of five. She is a graduate of Igbinedion University Okada and has just completed a Master’s degree in Corporate Law at the University College London. Her column, “In black and white” discusses the need for innovation on the Nigerian legal scene particularly in the fields of Mergers and Acquisitions, Corporate Finance, Corporate Governance and Energy Law.

PAGE 6

‘Lawyers Must Read Extensively and Learn to Memorise Information Easily’ PAGE 6

Nigeria’s Escalating Health Crisis: Any Role for Law and Lawyers?

PAGE 7

ONIKEPO BRAITHWAITE EDITOR JUDE IGBANOI DEPUTY EDITOR AKINWALE AKINTUNDE REPORTER TUNDE BUSARI GROUP HEAD OCHI OGBUAKU II ART DIRECTOR

/3

How Much of a Terrorist Group is IPOB?

T

Terror, Terrorism and Terrorist Group error is defined as “extreme fear, dread, horror”. The Oxford Living Dictionary defines Terrorism as “the unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in pursuit of political aims”. It has also been defined as “the use of violence, especially murder and bombing, in order to achieve political aims or to force a government to do something”.

It seems that there exists no legally binding definition of terrorism or a terrorist group, but the common thread that runs through the definitions includes fear, violence (even murder) to achieve a specific political agenda, like “the desire for ethnic or national liberation”. One can safely say that, a terrorist group is a group which instills fear in people and uses extreme violence to achieve its political goals.

Understanding Terrorism by Harry Jackson In “Understanding Terrorism”, A Thesis

by Lieutenant Harry R. Jackson of the United States Navy, the author identifies five crucial components of terrorism, namely, “an involvement of an act of violence, an audience, the creation of a mood of fear, innocent victims, and political goals or motives”.

The first question that comes to my mind is, “does the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), fit into these definitions of terror, terrorism and terrorist group?” Yes, it has its political goals or motives, the fifth component of Harry Jackson’s definition. But what about the other four components? Does IPOB create any mood of fear in anybody? I do not want you to say that this is a doltish or unintelligent question to ask, especially from someone sitting far away in Lagos. So, over to you, people of the South East Zone, were you scared of IPOB? For instance, when you were asked to do a sit-at-home protest by IPOB on May 30, 2017, did you do it out of fear, because you were constrained to, or because you believed in the cause? By the way, which Terrorist Organisations like Boko Haram, have you heard organise protests or call for Referendum? Do they not just regularly go on rampages, bombing and killing innocent people?

Violence To the best of my knowledge, IPOB is not particularly known for violence, at least not for murder, bombing and the extreme violence that is typical of terrorists (correct me if I am wrong). Let us draw a comparison with the Fulani Cattle Herdsmen, who have unleashed so much violence against innocent, defenceless rural communities in various parts of the country, senselessly and selfishly invading and destroying their farms and means of subsistence, so that their own cows can graze, killing and maiming people, raping their women, looting

IPOB Protesters

and carting away the little valuables that these rural people have struggled for. But because we all love to eat meat, these Herdsmen are being placated and rewarded with grazing ranches, and those that have perpetrated these horrible crimes, instead of being denounced and punished for being the violent criminals that they are, they seem to be getting away scot free.

Though Kanu is on record for sourcing for funds to, in his own words, "buy guns and bullets", since he was unable to secure the required funds, and therefore, probably not able to buy the weapons, does this qualify him and IPOB to be terrorists? Can mens rea (guilty mind) with no actus reus (guilty act), constitute a crime?

Some have argued that, since IPOB set up a quasi military wing, the Biafra National Guard and Biafra Intelligence Services, kitted in uniforms and engaged in training, it qualifies as a terrorist group. Or the fact that Kanu threatened to ensure that the November election in Anambra State does not hold, is terrorism, as he would only have been able to achieve this obstruction with the use of force and intimidation.

Extortion Yes, some have accused IPOB of setting up road blocks/toll gates to extort money from innocent passers-by. Hello! We go through that with Area Boys and other Government Agencies on the roads here in Lagos, on a daily basis. There will always be bad eggs in any group. Does that make the extortionists, terrorists?

Worthiness Harry Jackson goes on to say that “They (Terrorists) endeavour to legitimise their activities in their own eyes, as it is to convince the public of their worthiness”. I do not believe that Nnamdi Kanu has had to convince most people of Igbo origin, of his worthiness or that of his cause. Though some may have found his position to be somewhat extreme, that is, the Separatist/Secessionist/ Biafra point of view, there is still a common denominator.

The South East Zone believes that within the Nigerian entity, it has been marginalised. It seems that especially within the ranks of young Igbo men, Nnamdi Kanu enjoys a strong followership, and successive governments, the present one included, have no one but themselves to blame, for his ‘popularity’.

The issue of the marginalisation of the South East Zone, is not a new one. Seven years ago, Dr Olisa Agbokoba, SAN, filed suit No: FHC/EN/M/301/2010 against the Federal Republic of Nigeria; a Fundamental Rights Class Action on behalf of himself and the South East Zone, on grounds of discrimination pursuant to Section 42 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (the Constitution).

Arguments as to whether IPOB is a nonjuristic body that cannot sue or be sued, or that the right to fair hearing was violated, because IPOB was proscribed by virtue of an ex-parte motion (Section 36 of the Constitution), the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act and so on, in my humble opinion, can only kick in if IPOB is established to be a Terrorist Group. I am not certain that this has been established, especially going by Harry Jackson's five crucial components. While the military accused IPOB members of throwing stones (missiles!) at them, it was IPOB who accused the military of murdering some of its members and Nnamdi Kanu's family dog!

Counter-Terrorism: Diplomacy One of the strategies which Harry Jackson recommends that Government should adopt in fighting terrorism, is Diplomacy. I concur.

Instead of proscribing IPOB, in order to clamp down on Nnamdi Kanu and his fellow IPOB agitators, and send a veiled threat or message to other agitators or perceived trouble makers, it is time for Government and all the players, to engage the South East Zone and indeed, all the other Zones, in talks, so as to forge a way ahead. Proscribing IPOB, is not a magic wand, that can be waved to make the frustrations and discontent that many Igbo people feel, vanish.

We are not in a military dictatorship, where laws are ignored, stretched or misinterpreted, just to suit Government's purpose. We are in a civilian dispensation, where the rule of law is paramount, and our right to freedom of expression and association, are enshrined in Sections 39 & 40 of the Constitution respectively.

While some may argue that Section 39 does not extend to inciting people against Government and the polity, with regard to a lot of the issues that have been raised in the various agitations, it is my humble opinion that, no one really needs to be incited, the writing is there on the wall, plain, for all to see.

ONIKEPO BRAITHWAITE

THE ADVOCATE onikepo.braithwaite@thisdaylive.com onikepob@yahoo.com

"TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, IPOB IS NOT PARTICULARLY KNOWN FOR VIOLENCE, AT LEAST NOT FOR MURDER, BOMBING AND THE EXTREME VIOLENCE THAT IS TYPICAL OF TERRORISTS (CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG).

LET US DRAW A COMPARISON WITH THE FULANI CATTLE HERDSMEN, WHO HAVE UNLEASHED SO MUCH VIOLENCE AGAINST INNOCENT, DEFENCELESS RURAL COMMUNITIES IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE COUNTRY....."

Readers Notice We have been consistent in our call for the need to reform our Administration of Justice System. Indeed, we have been clear that, achieving any level of development in our socio-economic and political life, requires a strong commitment and serious intervention in our justice system.

Current realities in Nigeria-insurgency, militancy, and high levels of criminality, have heightened our citizens' concern as regards insecurity. In certain parts of the country, it now takes a brave Nigerian, to sleep with two eyes closed.

Our country is struggling to maintain law and order. This, in our view, is the

direct result of the inability of successive governments, to prioritise and invest in our justice system. The Judiciary, Police Force, Prisons Service and other access to justice institutions, are struggling to work in the interest of justice. Public confidence in the justice system, remains at very low levels.

A combination of limited political will, poor understanding of what needs to be done, the lack of merit based appointments to leadership positions of key justice sector institutions, and the appointment of persons without subject-matter appreciation or passion for reform, have proven to be stumbling blocks to achieving reforms in this sector.

This page has suggested various legal, policy and administrative interventions, for managing the transformation of the justice system and the institutions that deliver justice. We have mapped out the specific steps that should be taken, and how the system might be made accountable. The slow pace of reforms in the justice system, is unacceptable.

Nigerians deserve better.

Commencing next week, we shall dedicate one page in each of our next five editions, to remind the key persons and institutions in our justice system, of the unsatisfactory state of Administration of Justice in Nigeria. Olawale Fapohunda, Managing Partner, Legal Resources Consortium and Onikepo Braithwaite, will articulate the concerns of justice sector stakeholders on the state of our justice system. Key institutions that will be subject of our focus, include the Presidency, Judiciary, Nigeria Police, Nigeria Prisons Service, and Access to Justice institutions - Ministries of Justice, Legal Aid Council, National Human Rights Commission.

4/LAW REPORT

26.09.2017

When Bank Can Keep Judgement Debtor’s Money Despite Garnishee Order

T

erroneously treated clauses of the Loan Agreement between the Respondent and the Judgement Debtor as a Charge, thereby confusing a Power and a Charge.

On the contrary, the Respondent argued that there is no debt due from it to the Judgement Debtor. Rather, the Judgement Debtor was indebted to the Respondent on the credit facilities extended to it, pursuant to an existing banker/ customer relationship, and that the funds accruing into the FAAC Account to which the Garnishee Order Nisi related, was charged to it as security for repayment of the debt. The credit balance was not available for attachment, and the Respondent was entitled to set-off the credit balances in the account for liabilities in any respect; be it actual, contingent, primary or collateral.

Facts

he Appellant entered into a contract with the Zamfara State Government, for the supply of 12,500 metric tons of Urea for distribution to/sale to Farmers in the State for the 2008 farming season. The total costs of the contract awarded and executed by the Appellant was N1,462,000,000.00 (One billion, four hundred and sixty-two million Naira) only. After due execution of the contract, payment was withheld; thereby necessitating the referral of the dispute that ensued to arbitration in line with the Arbitral Clause in the contract. At the conclusion of the proceeding, the Appellant was awarded the sum of N1, 062,000,000.00 as principal claim, 19% pre- award simple interest per annum, 10% post-award simple interest and N8,000,000.00 as costs.

The application for recognition and enforcement of the Final Award as the judgement of the High Court of Zamfara State, was granted by the Court with a further award of 10% post judgement interest per annum from the date of the Ruling until the final liquidation of the Award. The Appellant thereby, sought Garnishee Orders to attach the funds of the State Government’s Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) account with the Respondent, in satisfaction of the judgement debt.

The Application was granted by the Court and an Order Nisi made against the Respondent.

Upon being served with the Garnishee Order, the Respondent promptly filed an Affidavit of Return, wherein it averred that it is not indebted to the Judgement Debtor and that the Zamfara State Government is actually indebted to it pursuant to the credit facilities granted to it in the sum of N15,000,000,000.00.

As security for the loan, the State Government irrevocably agreed to repay the credit facilities monthly through funds in its account with the Respondent, where the Zamfara State Government receives its monthly allocation from the Federal Government. The Appellant filed a Counter-affidavit to which the Respondent filed a Further Affidavit. The High Court, after considering the processes before it, made the Garnishee Order Absolute.

Dissatisfied with the decision, the Respondent successfully appealed to the Court of Appeal, which allowed the appeal and set aside the Garnishee Order Absolute. Unhappy, the Appellant has now approached the apex Court. The Respondent filed a Notice of Preliminary Objection to the competence of the appeal.

Issue(s) for Determination The Appellant formulated three issues for determination, while the Respondent formulated a sole issue which was adjudged as encompassing issues formulated by the Appellant thus: “Whether having regard to the extant provisions of Section 83, 87 and 88 of the Sheriff and Civil Process Act Cap. S6 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, the facts and circumstances of this case, the Court of Appeal acted correctly in setting aside the Garnishee Order Absolute made against the Respondent by the trial Court?”

The Court, however, opined that the substantive issue for determination was What is the priority of interest created by the debt owed by the Zamfara State Government to the Appellant on one hand (created by a judgement of Court) and the Respondent bank on the other hand (created by an Instrument – the Term Loan Agreement)?

An underlying threshold procedural and jurisdictional issue, was also highlighted for determination by the Court to wit: Whether the Respondent is a proper Garnishee in the circumstance?

Arguments On the Preliminary Objection raised to the competence of the appeal, the Respondent argued that the grounds of appeal are all of facts or at best, of mixed law and facts, requiring the leave of Court to file the appeal. The Respondent submitted that the Appellant having failed to obtain the requisite leave, the Supreme Court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain the appeal. The Appellant insisted that the Preliminary Objection was erroneous, since it was appealing AS OF RIGHT from the decision of the Court of Appeal in a civil proceeding and that the grounds of appeal are of law only as donated by Section 233(2)(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999. Counsel submitted that the exercise of such right is not conditional on obtaining leave of Court.

Regarding the main issue, the Appellant argued that since the Respondent opened and maintained a current account for the Judgement Debtor as its customer and received pay-

Amina Adamu Augie, JSC

In the Supreme Court of Nigeria Holden at Abuja On Friday, the16th Day of June, 2017 Before Their Lordships Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad Mary Ukaego Peter-Odili Olukayode Ariwoola Kumai Bayang Aka’ahs Amina Adamu Augie Justices, Supreme Court SC.337/2013 Between Barbedos Ventures Limited

........ Appellant

And First Bank of Nigeria Plc ........Respondent Lead Judgement delivered by Hon. Amina Adamu Augie, JSC ments into the account as its Bankers, the legal relationship between the Respondent and the Judgement Debtor, was that of a Debtor and Creditor founded on a simple contract with the Respondent as a Debtor in respect of the credits received into the current account. CHIEF FESTUS YUSUF v CO-OPERATIVE BANK LTD (1994) 7 NWLR) PT. 359)676 AT 692. It was submitted further that the Court of Appeal

"IT IS NOT EVERY DEBT THAT CAN BE ATTACHED BY WAY OF GARNISHEE PROCEEDINGS, AND SO, IT HAS TO BE DISCERNED IF ANY SUM IS DUE AND PAYABLE BY THE GARNISHEE TO THE JUDGEMENT DEBTOR. ALSO, THAT THE DEBT HAS TO BE CERTAIN IN AMOUNT, AND THE JUDGEMENT DEBTOR MUST HAVE A VESTED IMMEDIATE LEGAL RIGHT TO IT. IT IS THEREFORE, IN THAT LIGHT THAT ANY FUNDS COMING INTO THE CUSTOMER’S ACCOUNT DOES NOT BELONG TO THE CUSTOMER, WHERE THE SAID CUSTOMER IS INDEBTED TO THE BANK, SINCE THAT FUND IS USED TO SETTLE THE INDEBTEDNESS"

Court’s Judgement and Rationale Deciding the Preliminary Objection, the Court agreed with the Appellant that same was lacking in substance. The decision appealed against related to a Final Award of an Arbitrator, which was recognised for enforcement as judgement of the High Court of Zamfara State, upon which a Garnishee Order Nisi and Absolute was made. The Court of Appeal, in setting aside the Order, considered the provisions of Sections 83 to 91 of the Sheriff and Civil Process Act. Each of the grounds of appeal and their particulars raised a question of law; none required questioning the evaluation of the facts, before the application of the law.

In relation to the substantive issue, Their Lordships held that, the facts underlying the relationship between the Respondent and the Zamfara State Government whereby the said account is a domiciliation account and the Accountant-General of the latter had issued an Irrevocable Standing Payment Order for monthly loan repayment subject to full recovery of the facility sum, show that the sum in the account does not amount to a credit balance. It is rather money charged in favour of the loan facility given to the State Government by the Respondent. The Zamfara State Ministry of Finance, also issued letters of set-off dated 28/3/2012 and 26/11/2012 respectively, in favour of the Respondent in addition to any existing security. This scenario is different from the deemed general position where the Bank is ordinarily a debtor to the Judgement Debtor. The Respondent is a Creditor to the Zamfara State Government, and cannot be proceeded against as Garnishee within the meaning of Section 83 of the Sheriff and Civil Process Act. The right of set-off is usually available to a Banker, when it assumes the position of creditor in a banker-customer relationship. The reserved right of set-off, underscores the position that the Respondent is a Creditor to Zamfara State Government and therefore, not a proper Garnishee against whom the Garnishee Order ought to be made.

Further, the interest of the Appellant was derived from the Garnishee Order, and could be described as an Equitable Charge, while the security created in respect of the Zamfara State Government’s Account, could aptly be described as a Floating Charge over all the money that comes into the account, and the Respondent has a right of hypothecation over the account balance.

The Respondent’s interest takes priority over the Appellant’s interest, because a legal interest takes priority over an equitable interest. WORTLEY v BIRKHEAD (1754) 2 VES SEN 571, 574. Assuming that the Respondent’s interest remains an equitable charge, it still takes priority, since it was created first in time.

The Respondent’s right of set-off, cannot be defeated by the Garnishee Order Nisi. The Term Loan Agreement, did not make provision for a formal demand, before the Respondent could exercise its right of set-off. The right accrued automatically when the Garnishee Order Nisi was made, by which the Respondent’s interests crystallised as a Fixed Charge over the balance in the account.

Based on the foregoing, the appeal was adjudged as lacking in merit. The decision of the Court of Appeal was affirmed and costs of N500,000.00 awarded to the Respondent against the Appellant.

Appeal Dismissed.

Representation: Chief O.E.B. Offiong, SAN with Princess Chi O. Igwe, Clementina Fakoya, Esq., Ifeanyi Ndumnego, Esq., Francis Genesis, Esq., Ufedo Tom-Aba, Esq. and Dooshima Adaguusu, Esq. for the Appellant Mas’ud Alabelewe, Esq. with Emmanuel Ejim, Esq. and Usman Idris, Esq. for the Respondent.

Reported by Optimum Publishers Limited (Publishers of Nigerian Monthly Law Reports (NMLR))

26.09.2017

NEWS/5

Kogi CJ Calls for Police Collaboration Yekini Jimoh in Lokoja

L-R: The Representative of Lagos State Commissioner of Police, DCP. Bolaji Salami, Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem, Acting Chief Registrar, Lagos State Judiciary, Mrs. Abiola Soladoye, Director, Public Prosecution (DPP), Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Titilayo Shitta-Bey at the Public Presentation of “Plea Bargain Protocol/Manual” at the Conference Room of Lagos State Ministry of Justice, last Thursday

Lagos Unveils ‘Plea & Sentence Bargain’ Manual for Effective Administration of Justice Akinwale Akintunde Lagos State Government, last Thursday, demonstrated once again its commitment to the reform and development of the Administration of Justice in the State, by presenting to the public a manual for 'Plea and Sentence Bargain'.

Presenting the manual at the Ministry of Justice, Alausa, Ikeja, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem, hinged the rationale behind the Manual, the first if its kind in the country, on the belief that the availability of a forum for quick and efficient dispensation of justice, would build the confidence of citizens in the administration of criminal justice in Lagos.

Giving an overview of the Manual, the Attorney-General explained that the booklet was prepared in a very simple English, to ensure that even the layman on the street can understand it.

He explained that manual provides practical information about what plea bargain entails,

the procedure for applying, and general information that would make the process less complicated for all stakeholders.

The Attorney-General explained that, it was expedient for stakeholders in the judicial sector, to embrace creative provisions in the already existing laws to decongest prisons, considering the length of time Awaiting Trial Inmates/ detainees remain in prison custody, because of length of court proceedings.

While promising that the State Government will continue to adopt reasonable and creative measures in its prison decongestion drive, the Attorney-General advised stakeholders in the legal sector, to embrace the culture of exploring the provisions of Plea and Sentence Bargain.

“My hope is that the formal presentation of this manual would trigger a change of attitude from our “don’t plead guilty” approach, even in the face of overwhelming evidence against the Defendant.

This would go a long way in

decongesting not only the Courts, but also decongesting the Prisons which are already groaning under the burden of the Population in their care.”

The Attorney-General said that Section 75 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State, 2015, empowers his office to consider and accept plea bargain proposals from and on behalf of a defendant.

According to him, though the plea bargain theory had been part of the criminal justice system for over a decade in Lagos State, yet it’s applicability has been poorly utilised by lawyers.

"Given that the length of time that awaiting trial inmates and detainees remain in prison custody is mainly dependent on the length of court proceedings, it is important as stakeholders, to embrace creative provisions in our law to decongest the prisons. It is against this backdrop, that the plea bargain protocol and manual, was designed.

“It is apt for me to state that

this office is fully committed to ensuing speedy and fair dispensation of justice to all the citizenry, regardless of economic or social status.

This commitment extends to providing a secure environment for commercial and other economic activities to thrive, and we will not hesitate to prosecute defendants who have been found to have committed commercial or financial related offences, which are contrary to offences created by statute.

"It is important to reiterate that my office understands and indeed, is constantly mindful of the unbargainable need to exercise its discretionary powers to prosecute, not to prosecute, take over or discontinue criminal cases within its jurisdiction as entrenched in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) with a great sense of responsibility devoid of any bias, prejudice,

CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

The Chief Judge of Kogi State, Justice Nasiru Ajanah, has called for continued collaboration of the Judiciary and the Kogi State Police Command, in the fight against crime and criminality in the State.

Justice Ajanah stated this, when the new Commissioner of Police, CP Ali Janga, paid him a courtesy call in his office.

He said the synergy between Judiciary and the police, needs to be sustained, so as to further tackle the crime waxing in the State.

According to him "We have been collaborating with the Kogi State Police Command in the fight against crime, and we

Lawyers Urged to Take their Health Matters More Seriously Akinwale Akintunde Nigerian Legal Practitioners, have been advised to take matters of their health more seriously.

An Abuja-based lawyer, Jude Ezeobi, gave this advice in Abuja at the 33rd Conference of Judges of the Federal High Court, held at Sheraton Hotels and Towers, Abuja.

Ezeobi, who gave a presentation on scourge of Cancer, said Nigeria has lost so many precious, gifted and talented people within the legal profession and all works of life, to cancer.

He said recent studies suggest that, cancer cases and deaths are on the rise, adding that all hope is not lost, if everyone could unite to fight the scourge.

Ezeobi said having lost his father, Chief Theodore Anachuna Ezeobi, SAN to cancer, the urge to continue to speak on the subject has been in his sub-consciousness daily.

“My Noble Lords, having had a loved one bow out reluctantly to cancer, I feel highly honoured to stand before you today, to speak on a subject that is in my subconscious daily, and the daily reality of thousands

Groups, Lawyers, Fault FG, Court’s Decision on IPOB’s Proscription as Terrorist Organisation “The Ruling of the Federal

Akinwale Akintunde

Reactions continue to trail Federal Government’s declaration and that of the acting Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Abdul Kafarati, that the activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), amounts to acts of terrorism and illegality, as well as an Order proscribing the group.

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja branch had last Wednesday, condemned the Nigerian Army for declaring IPOB as a terrorist group.

The NBA, at a press conference addressed by its chairman, Mr. Adesina Ogunlana, described the declaration as illegal and libelous, and urged the Federal Government to follow the laid down procedures of law in handling the issue of IPOB. Ogunlana also called on the

Government, to have a rethink on the deployment of soldiers to the South-East.

“After a due consideration of the fairly veritable facts of the matter, the NBA Ikeja, for the record states as follows: “Freedom of Association is the inalienable rights of all human beings, including citizens of Nigeria.

“The demand for a separate country or nation from Nigeria as presently constituted, is legitimate and not criminal.

“The existence of Nigeria as one indissoluble component, in law cannot be made compulsory on citizens of Nigeria.

“All government in Nigeria at all levels, are under legal and moral obligations even above citizens, to obey the law of the land and all part of international law binding on her.

“The Nigerian Military and the

Governors of the South Eastern States, who have declared IPOB a terrorist organisation, are wrong.”

Similarly, a human rights group, Access to Justice, also faulted the military over the declaration, and described the Federal High Court’s Order Proscribing IPOB at odds with the basic tenets of Justice and Fairness.

In a statement by its Deputy Director, Dr. Adenike Aiyedun, Access to Justice, noted that the ruling is hard to rationalise, and will send many scratching their heads, as well as fan the flames of an already volatile political situation.

“It is disturbing because, the ruling – which is a determinative, and conclusive statement on the legality of the Indigenous People of Biafra as far as this Court goes – was arrived at

ex-parte, when the other side - IPOB – was not given an opportunity at all to be heard or to oppose the application.

It is at odds with basic tenets of justice and fairness.

“It is an elementary but hallowed principle of law, that courts should not, and indeed, cannot make substantive orders against persons or groups whose interests will be affected by such orders, without giving them the chance to be heard. IPOB was clearly not given the opportunity to be heard, since this was an ex-parte application. Why the Court did not order that the group be put on notice of an application seeking its abrogation, beggars belief. It is even more alarming that a court of law would proscribe an organisation through exparte proceedings.

want the trend to continue, so that collectively, we can make the State safe for the people".

Earlier, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ali Janga, pleaded for the support of the Judiciary, saying that the Police alone, cannot provide the needed security of life and property without collaborating with relevant stakeholders.

"Since I resumed duty on Monday this week, my first port of call was Judiciary, because without Judiciary the police can not function optimally, especially in the area of prosecution of criminals.

"I am ready to work, and make the State free of any criminal activities. I will give the Judiciary the maximum support to enable us succeed."

High Court, does not stand up to respectable scrutiny, and we fear that it would further damage public trust in the Nigerian Judiciary."

For Mr. Lawal Pedero, SAN, who is also the immediate past Solicitor General of Lagos State, "In my view the decision and move by the AGF to employ the rule of law in dealing with the menance, is proper and commendable, instead of a mere fiat or proclamation by officials of Government, that the IPOB's acts in the country amount to terrorism, and proscribed the group.

"However I observed that many things are wrong with the order, and it can easily be challenged, so as to set it aside.

"In the first place, is IPOB a juristic person to be sued and

CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

of individuals and their loved ones.

“Upon my father’s demise, our law firm, The Chambers of Chief T.A Ezeobi SAN (EZEOBI AND PARTNERS) and The Ezeobi Foundation, established The Lawyers v Cancer project, to advance the much needed awareness against cancer scourge. Our first target and thematic focus, is to increase awareness about the importance of early detection and treatment.

As such, we intend to sustain this propaganda on the following levels via, law forums, social media, main stream media, health talks, awareness walks and social activities. We realised that together, we could make a difference in the legal community and resolved to take action”, he said.

The lawyer said that according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) statistics of February 2017, over 100,000 Nigerians are diagnosed with cancer annually, and about 80,000 die from the disease.

“Average of 219 Nigerians every day or 9 Nigerians every hour, dying from cancer. The Nigerian cancer death ratio of 4 in 5, is one of the worst in the whole world.

“The data at hand, also shows that cervical cancer which is virtually 100 percent preventable, kills one Nigerian woman every hour, breast cancer kills 40 Nigerians daily, while prostate cancer kills 26 Nigerian men daily. These three common cancers alone, kill 90 Nigerians daily.

“Cancer, is responsible for almost 1 in 6 deaths globally.

The World Health Organisation estimates that more than 14 million people develop cancer every year, and this figure is projected to rise to over 21 million by 2030. These numbers are dismal, particularly when they are not presented side by side with information on how many actually beat the disease”, he stated.

Ezeobi urged lawyers, to join the campaign against the deadly disease.

"I urge My Noble Lords, to join in this campaign against medical quackery, by holding every medical practitioner or care giver, accountable to the full extent of their negligence and liability".

6/

26.09.2017

Oakwell: Mediation, Effective Instrument of Dispute Resolution Businesses today, be it in the real estate sector, construction industry, land transactions, among others, are looking to conserve resources and build a sound foundation, for future growth and profitability.

However, in all this, disputes are inevitable, and if not carefully handled, could derail such goals, hence, the need to explore other alternative dispute resolution mechanism, apart from litigation, for resolving the arising disputes.

To those in the legal profession, resolution, in this instance, mediation, plays a huge part towards helping businesses achieve their overall goals, as it provides a speedy, less expensive and consensual method of resolving commercial disputes of any monetary value or complexity, adding value at every step or stage of a dispute.

These and more, were the thoughts of eminent speakers and participants at the annual Mediation Conference, organised by Messrs Oakwell Partners, last week.

The event, which took place at the Oriental Hotel in Lagos, had as its theme; "Mediation: A Core Business Process and Catalyst for Growth", attracted both international and local legal professionals, including, a renowned International Commercial Mediator, Amanda Bucklow, from the United Kingdom (UK), who has over two decades of mediating complex cross-border commercial transactions, in the private and public sector.

In her welcome address, the Managing Partner, Oakwell, Osarieme Ezekiel, a UK accredited mediator herself, while commending the leadership of Lagos State Government in recognising mediation as a mainstream justice administration solution, urged participants to be aware from the outset, that Mediation is not supplementary or subsidiary to other methods of resolving disputes. It can be, and it is, a holistic mechanism on its own, which is in sync with the courts as validating authority of course.

In her lecture, Amanda Bucklow, also admonished the audience to recognise that conflict is an integral part of life "therefore, it is how conflicts are managed that is important".

According to Bucklow, mediation is usually referred to as an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism. "But using of the word ‘alternative’ was wrong. It is suggestive that the mechanism is inferior and or less effective, in comparison to litigation, which is seen as the core process to resolving conflict; this perception thus sometimes affects its acceptability”, she explained.

The International Commercial Mediator, explained further that mediation skills could be used to negotiate and assess every area of the business process, citing examples of mediation skills that she had used to promote the negotiation and execution of complex projects from commencement to completion in 12 weeks.

According to her, the proper use of mediation skills could accelerate and help business communities, attain their respective business goals in a cost-effective way and with speed.

In her submission, the Administrative Judge of Lagos High Court, Opeyemi Oke, who represented the Chief Judge of Lagos state, Oluwafunmilayo Olajumoke Atilade, could not agree less. She was of the conviction that, mediation was the future for commercial dispute resolution in modern societies, and that, more than ever before, it has become necessary to let the business community understand the advantages of using mediation.

"Disputes are expected to arise in a society where there are business activities involving individual, small scale and medium scale enterprises, but in resolving these disputes, they should embrace mediation, because it saves time and money and promotes healthy and mutual co-existence.

“Unlike litigation, through which huge money

L-R: Mrs. Caroline Etuk of the Lagos Multidoor Courthouse, DG, Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Professor Deji Adekunle, Mrs. Amina Oyagbola and Amanda Bucklow at the Oakwell Partners Mediation Conference held at the Oriental Hotel, Lagos

is lost in the process of resolving disputes, mediation is less expensive, time is also saved and used to do other useful things, litigants are saved the big and boring jargon from their lawyers”, she said, adding that amicable resolution of cases, especially commercial disputes, boosts investors confidence in an economy.

She also disclosed that, the Lagos State Judiciary was working out a mechanism aimed to build confidence in the State's justice system, but lamented that lawyers were busy looking for ways to manipulate the process. “Mediation is not taking away your source of income”, she assured the lawyers, explaining that it rather helps everybody, by making cases and their settlement easy.

As Experts and sundry stakeholders in the profession, gathered for this second edition of the Mediation Conference, insights were offered, just as concerns were raised on mediation as an informal conflict process or mechanism for commercial conflicts

resolution.

The mediation conference, which is an annual event orgainsed by Oakwell Partners, seeks to highlight the advantages and benefits people involved in disputes, civil or commercial, derive from embracing mediation as against litigation, in resolving their differences.

To succeed in this crusade, Deji Adekunle, the Director-General of Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, canvassed mediation skills for lawyers. He noted that lawyers were often too possessive of case files, and would always want to keep those files alive for as long as possible.

Adekunle, a law professor, pointed out however, that despite the high points of mediation, it still has its challenges. “Mediation needs the consent of the litigant, which some people interprete to mean that he has a weak case that he is not sure to win”, the Professor said, adding that the regulatory environment is confusing for many sectors of the economy, and even the regulators themselves have capacity deficit.

Legal Personality of the Week Rilwanu Umar

‘Lawyers Must Read Extensively and Learn to Memorise Information Easily’ My name is Rilwanu Umar Esq, MClarb (U.S.A) MIAD (A.B.U) I was born in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, but presently reside in Kano. I had my early education in Sokoto State, and studied law at Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto where I obtained my LLB. I proceeded to the Nigerian Law School, Abuja campus for my B.L and was called to the Bar in 2004. I have a Masters Degree in International Affairs and Diplomacy, from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and I am a member of Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, North America and Notary Public for Nigeria.

I started my legal career at a family law firm, K.T. Turaki & Co. established by Alh. Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN. I practiced actively there from 2004-2012, before I started my law firm, Rilwanu Umar & Co in 2012. I am a social critic, public and political analyst, and human rights activist.

My law practice has been so rewarding and successful through the years, and I encourage both young lawyers and law students to work hard towards becoming better lawyers that our society will be proud of.

Have you had any challenges in your career as a Lawyer and if so, what were the main challenges I didn’t really have serious challenges, because I had a family background, and immense support from my father Alh. Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN. The other challenges faced normally in legal practice are connected to the frustration from enforcement and security agencies, while trying to defend your client. They seem to look at you as if you are their enemy, instead of partner on the job. Sometimes, even the administration

the court that way. Most especially when you defend an innocent poor man, but he gets convicted for an offence he knows nothing about.

What was your most memorable experience as a Lawyer?

My most memorable experience, was the day I was called to the Nigerian Bar and my first appearance in Court as a lawyer, representing a client. I was overwhelmed, when I secured the bail of a couple of my clients who were accused of rape, and also got them discharged and acquitted. That moment when you get your client free of malicious accusation, is always memorable.

Rilwanu Umar

of justice itself is challenging, through the assignment of cases and relating with court officials. Also, the rigorous nature of law practice more practically associated with brief writing at the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court, client briefing and travelling all over the country, at times are challenging.

Another challenge is the perception of many of our people, more especially in Northern part of this country, viewing a lawyer as more or less a liar.

What was your worst day as a Lawyer?

Actually my worst day as a lawyer, was the day I lost a case in court, which I was confident that I would win, but was not perceived by

Who has been most influential in your life?

I thank Allah for all his guidance and his immerse blessings on my life and Alh. Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN, who has not only played a fatherly role in my life, but seen me through my career as a lawyer. He has been a wonderful mentor and role model to many young people, including myself.

Why did you become a Lawyer?

I became a lawyer because of the enthusiasm I have for the legal profession, and its wide objective of assisting the society in checkmating the injustices happening around the globe. My vision is to assist the less fortunate, defend and protect them always against the oppression, repression, domination and cruelty of the oppressors.

What would your advice be to anyone wanting a career in Law?

Well, for anyone wanting a career in law, he/she must first of all, learn how to read extensively, learn to memorise information easily, and make it a habit, not only for the purpose of passing exams.

One must be well-behaved, honest, sincere, trustworthy, smart, intelligent, hardworking, and obedient and have respect for elders, constituted authority and society generally.

And for those already in the early years of law practice, in addition to the stated qualities, they need to be patient and learn the nitty- gritty of the legal practice for some years, to enable them have a better understanding of law before opening their law offices, and become hope for younger generation to follow them.

If you had not become a Lawyer, what career would you have chosen?

If I had not become a Lawyer, I would have become a Diplomat. Representing my country as a Diplomat, has always been my passion. And that is why I had decided to take my second degree in International Affairs and Diplomacy. I consider a Diplomat, as a highly dignified and respectful gentleman in the society, like a Lawyer.

Where do you see yourself in ten years?

So far my private legal practice is successful; and in another 2 to 3 years, God willing, I would like to attain the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, that every serious lawyer wants to become, and also have a more robust legal practice with branches across the country. I may delve actively into National politics to strengthen the tenets of our fledging democracy

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Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Escalating Health Crisis: Any Role for Law and Lawyers?

Professor Uche Ofodile discusses the escalating health crisis in Nigeria, especially in relation to maternal mortality, of which Nigeria has one of the worst ratios in Africa; explaining the roles that not just health care professionals but also those in the legal profession, can play to improve health care delivery in the country

M Maternal Mortality

The Right to Health is Justiceable in Many Countries To be sure, the right to health is not justiciable under fully domesticated into Nigerian law. Indeed, the African Commission has addressed the right to health in a number of cases including, Social Economic Rights Action Centre & Another v Nigeria, International Pen & Others (On behalf of Ken Saro Wiwa) v Nigeria, and Purohit & Others v The Gambia, Free Legal Assistance Group & Others v Zaire. Right to health issues, can also be litigated indirectly through other justiciable rights such as the right to life. In Festus Odafe & Another v Attorney-General of the Federation & Another, the Federal High Court of Nigeria (Port Harcourt Judicial Division), concluded that the continuous detention without medical treatment of four HIV positive prisoners, amounted to UPSUVSF BOE WJPMBUFE TFDUJPO PG UIF /JHFSJBO Constitution, which prohibits torture as well as inhumane and degrading treatment.

rsChisomAnekwe(nee Okereke), a young vivacious mother of two, went to Magodo Specialist Hospital in Lagos to give birth to her third child. Chisom and her unborn son, did not come out of the hospital alive. Sadly, Chisomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s story is not unique. Every year, thousands of women in Nigeria die from totally preventable maternal mortality.

Disease Outbreaks and Strikes In Northern Nigeria, a meningitis outbreak has killed close to 1,000 people in 2017 alone. A cholera outbreak, is also hitting the internally displaced peoples (IDP) camp in Northern Nigeria, and there are serious fears that the virus will spread Strike by health workers are on the rise. Just as resident doctors in Nigeria were announcing the suspension of their strike that paralysed public hospitals in the country for a few days, Nigerians were greeted with the news that health workers in the country, under the umbrella of the Joint Health Sector Unions and the Assembly of Healthcare Professional Association, will commence their own strike.

Each year, thousands of Nigerians die from preventable illnesses and diseases, thousands die due to lack of access to essential medicine, and thousands die from ingesting counterfeit, substandard, and/or expired medicines. According to the World Health Organisation, more than 120,000 people a year die in Africa, as a result of fake anti-malarial drugs alone. Even with such shocking figures, policymakers in Nigeria are not exactly sure if and how many banned anti- malaria drugs are circulating in the country; while the Nigerian Senate recently claimed that 42 anti-malaria drugs banned by the European Union, were still in circulation in Nigeria, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration (NAFDAC) appeared to dispute this claim. centres in Nigeria. In March 2017, armed robbers reportedly invaded the State Specialist Hospital in Okitipupa, Ondo State. In August 2017, armed robbers invaded the Edo Central Hospital in Benin, and allegedly robbed and raped patients and female workers. These stories and more, point to a health care system that is seriously broken; a health sector in crisis.

Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health crisis is alarming even by African standards. Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health crisis is a major threat to national security, and undermines the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sustainable development goals and objectives.

Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Health Indicators Are Simply Appalling Even by developing countriesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; standard, Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health indicators are appalling. Globally and regionally, Nigeria ranks very poorly on almost every health indicator. According to the World Health Statistics 2016, r *O /JHFSJB IBE B MJGF FYQFDUBODZ PG BOE QFSGPSNFE CFUUFS UIBO POMZ PUIFS countries in the world (Lesotho, Cote dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Ivoire, Chad, Central Africa Republic, Angola and Sierra Leone). r "GSJDB IBT UIF XPSTU NBUFSOBM NPSUBMJUZ SBUJP (per 100 000 live births) in the world, and Nigeria has one of the worst maternal mortality ratios in Africa. While countries like Mauritius and Botswana recorded maternal mortality ratios PG BOE SFTQFDUJWFMZ JO /JHFSJB T NBUFSOBM NPSUBMJUZ SBUJP XBT 814/100 000. r *O UFSNT PG NBUFSOJUZ NPSUBMJUZ SBUJP /JHFSJB is among the worst ten countries in the world BOE QFSGPSNFE POMZ CFUUFS UIBO $IBE 000), Central African Republic (882/100 000) and 4JFSSB -FPOF 5P QVU JU JO DPOUFYU )BJUJ IBT B NBUFSOJUZ NPSUBMJUZ SBUJP PG

Protesting doctors

000 and Thailand has a ratio of 20/100 000. r 3FHBSEJOH VOEFS Ă WF NPSUBMJUZ BOE OFPOBUBM mortality rates (per 1000 live births), Nigeria is also among the ten worst countries in the world. While the global under-five mortality SBUF TUPPE BU QFS MJWF CJSUIT JO /JHFSJB T VOEFS Ă WF NPSUBMJUZ SBUF JO XBT 108.8 per 1000 live births. Mauritius posted a MJWF CJSUIT VOEFS Ă WF NPSUBMJUZ SBUF and Kenya posted an under-five mortality rate PG MJWF CJSUIT There is Enough Blame to go Around Why does Nigeria â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a country that has produced and continues to produce some of the brightest and best doctors in the world â&#x20AC;&#x201C; post such poor health indicators? There are obviouslymany contributing factors. First, is the failure to prioritise health in policy planning, and the failure to appreciate the strong link between health and sustainable development. Second, is the low allocation to health in budgetary allocation in budgetary. Total health expenditure per capita is extremely low in Nigeria. In the Abuja Declaration on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Other Related Infectious Diseases adopted during the 2001 African Summit on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Other Infectious Diseases, African Heads of State and GovernNFOUT DPNNJUUFE UP BMMPDBUF PG UIFJS OBUJPOBM budgets to health. Sadly, Nigeria is not meeting this commitment. Corruption, weak institutions, poor infrastructure, poor health information system, lack of transparency and accountability in the health sector, and the scourges of the global trade in counterfeit drugs, all contribute to the sorry state of affairs in Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health sector. A few months ago, the Minister of Health, Professor *TBBD "EFXPMF SFWFBMFE UIBU N / CO

worth of HIV drugs expired in storage. To date, no real explanation has been given as to why the much needed drugs were allowed to expire in storage, and what has been done to ensure that such a situation does not occur again.

Blame for Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s broken health system, can also go to the medical schools and health institutions that train our doctors, nurses and other health personnel. Sordid details coming out of the Ogun State College of Health Technology, about sexual relationships between lecturers and student-nurses and about sex-for-grade deals, is a case in point. For those who did not catch the news, a brief recap. Mosunmola, a dental nursing student at the Ogun State College of Health

Technology, accused Dr. Oluseyi Adu, a lecturer at the institution, of getting her pregnant. Dr. Adu did not deny having an affair with Mosunmola, but only denied responsibility for the pregnancy.

Although there were some reports that a panel had been established to probe the situation, not much else has been heard about the saga. In most other countries, the Adu/Mosunmola saga, would at least trigger debates about how best to safeguard the integrity of health colleges, and ensure that unqualified health professionals are not unleashed on the unsuspecting and very vulnerable public. The whole country is at risk, when grades and board exam certifications are traded for sex at our medical and nursing schools.

Is the Adu/Mosunmola saga an isolated incident?

Possibly, but not likely.

The Right to Health is Recognised in Nigeria To be sure, the right to health, is guaranteed in several regional and international instruments that Nigeria has ratified including, the African Charter on Human and Peoplesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Rights (African Charter, Article 16), the African Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Protocol (Article 14), the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (Article 12), and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (Article 24).

Preventable maternal mortality, is a violation of a womanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right to life, dignity and equality enshrined in the African Charter and the African Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Protocol. the African Commission on Human and Peoplesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Rights (African Commission), noted with concern â&#x20AC;&#x153;that maternal mortality destroys the very foundation of the African family,â&#x20AC;? and was â&#x20AC;&#x153;Deeply disturbed that Africa currently has the worst records of maternal deaths in the world, accounting for more than two hundred and fifty thousand deaths annually.â&#x20AC;?

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health has explained that â&#x20AC;&#x153;access to medicines forms an indispensable part of the right to the highest attainable standard of health.â&#x20AC;? In its Resolution on Access to Health and Needed Medicines in Africa, the stressed that access to needed medicines for treatment, prevention and palliative care â&#x20AC;&#x153;is a necessary condition for leading a healthy and dignified lifeâ&#x20AC;?, and that State Parties to the African Charter â&#x20AC;&#x153;have an obligation to provide where appropriate, needed medicines, or facilitate access to them.â&#x20AC;?

"...THE RIGHT TO HEALTH IS NOT JUSTICIABLE UNDER THE NIGERIAN CONSTITUTION OF 1999 (AS AMENDED), BECAUSE PROVISIONS RELATING TO SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC RIGHTS ARE FOUND IN CHAPTER II CAPTIONED â&#x20AC;&#x153;DIRECTIVE PRINCIPLES OF GOVERNMENTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S POLICIES".

HOWEVER, THE RIGHT TO HEALTH IS JUSTICIABLE THROUGH THE AFRICAN CHARTER, A TREATY WHICH IS NOT ONLY BINDING ON NIGERIA, BUT IS ALSO FULLY DOMESTICATED INTO NIGERIAN LAW"

There is that Lawyers, Law Faculties and the Nigerian Bar Association Can Do Responsibility for Health Sector Reform, is not for health professionals alone. There is much that lawyers, law faculties in Nigeria, and the Nigerian Bar Association can contribute. Unfortunately, although health law ealth lawyers â&#x20AC;&#x153;work on cases and policy relating to access to care, insurance coverage, difficult ethical choices ..., providers of care (and how these providers are organised and paid), the safety of our drugs and food supply, disease prevention and treatment, and many other fascinating topics.â&#x20AC;? What is more, health law â&#x20AC;&#x153;cuts across and involves doctrine and practice from a wide array of areas, including contract law, tax law, corporations and nonprofit organisation, insurance and pension law, employment and labor law, public benefits law, torts, ethics, criminal law, administrative law, privacy, civil rights, reproductive rights, constitutional law, and statutory drafting and interpretation.â&#x20AC;?

Health lawyers play a wide variety of roles, from litigation to policy/legislative advocacy to legal advising. Universities have a major role to play here. At Harvard University, more than twenty health law courses are offered throughout the University, and are designed to equip law students for careers in the health law field. With so many cases of medical negligence in Nigeria, attention must also increasingly turn to how to put in place, adequate medical malpractice and mass-tort litigation laws in Nigeria.

The Time to Act is Now The present state of affairs in Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health sector, cannot be allowed to continue. The overlap of health and development issues, has long been a major concern of policymakers around the world. Increasingly, experts are also paying attention to the overlap of health and security issues. Many countries are moving away from the notion of security that is primarily and exclusively concerned with military affairs and conflicts, to one that encompasses non-traditional national and international security problems such as health challenges, climate-change issues, and extreme poverty. The â&#x20AC;&#x153;health and securityâ&#x20AC;? paradigm, deserve closer attention in Nigeria. In Nigeria, more people die every day as a result of poor and grossly inadequate health care, than is an incredibly broad, diverse and dynamic field of law, it is not well-recognised in Nigeria. This has to change. According to Health Law: A Career Guide published by Harvard Law School, h die from terrorist attacks. Conversation must begin about how to fix the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health care system, and forward-looking lawyers should be part of this conversation. In this regard, Nigeria can learn a lot from other countries, including a good number of countries in Africa.

Professor Uche Ewelukwa Ofodile, SJD (Harvard) LL.B. (Nig.); LL.M. (Harvard); SJD (Harvard), E.J. Ball Professor of Law, University of Arkansas School of Law

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Legality or Otherwise of IPOB Proscription Order Last Week, the Federal High Court declared the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to be a Terrorist Organisation, and proscribed it. The Order of the Acting Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Abdul Kafarati, is now a subject of deep-seated nation wide arguments and contention. Mike Ozekhome, SAN argues that neither the Federal Government of Nigeria nor any of its arms or agencies, can make a pronouncement that IPOB is a terrorist organisation and order its proscription. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa concurs, saying that the Court had no jurisdiction to entertain, let alone adjudicate upon the case, as filed by the Attorney-General of the Federation. Conversely, Abubakar Sani posits that while IPOB can be proscribed under the Terrorism Prevention Act, such proscription can be for a limited time-span only; Solomon Ukhuegbe and Gboyega Okunniga, believe that the proscription order, is both lawful and competent

No, Court Can’t Proscribe IPOB – Ozekhome

I

t is no longer news that a few days ago, the Federal Government complied with the provisions of section 2 of the Terrorism Prevention Act, 2011, by obtaining an imprimatur from a Federal High Court in Abuja, coram Honourable Justice A.A. Kafarati, on an ex parte application to outlaw the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). The application was granted ex parte by the said Acting Chief of the FHC. I had spilled streams of ink about this being the right way to go; not through sheer brute force, or mere verbal pronouncement.

It is my humble view however, that section 2 of the Terrorism Prevention Act, 2011(TPA), cannot be read in isolation. By a community reading of the provisions of the Terrorism Prevention Act, 2011, and Terrorism (Prevention)(Amendment) Act, 2013 (TPAA), the Federal Government has completed its own vengeful duty with regards to the unwarranted proscription under the Act. However, by the provisions of section 19(d) of the TPAA, the proscription is yet inchoate.

Three questions that boggle the mind are as follows: a. Can IPOB be truly described as a terrorist organisation such as to lead its proscription? b. Can a proscription be fully completed without involving the National Assembly? c. Are the provisions of section 2 TPA, 2011, and the subsequent Amendment Act which give the Attorney-General of the Federation the right to make an application ex parte to a judge in chambers for the purpose of proscribing a group without giving the group the right to be heard by the court inter parte, not illegal and unconstitutional?

Section 19(d) of (TPAA), for clarity, provides as follows: (a)substituting for the definition of the words “proscribed organisation” after the definition of the words “proceeds of terrorism”, the following new definition – “Proscribed organisation” is a group involved in terrorism and is prohibited by law from operating in Nigeria and – (i)declared to be a proscribed organisation under section 2 of this Act; and (ii)includes a group which has been declared to be an international terrorist group under section 9 of this Act; Can IPOB be Regarded as a Group involved in Terrorism as envisaged by TPAA? Features of a Terrorist Organisation Amongst others, terrorist organisations possess the following characteristics: 1. Commit offences against the human person, which can cause death or serious injury.

2. Massive destruction on a large scale, of public property, public infrastructure, transportation systems, information systems, fixed continental platforms, private property, thus risking the lives of people.

3. Hijacking of aircrafts, ships or other means of transport.

4. Producing, storing, buying, transporting or trading in explosives, firearms, biological, chemical and nuclear weapons; and research in the production of the above mass destruction weapons.

5. Distributing environmentally hazardous substances, which cause fires, floods, explosions, all with the intent to endanger the lives of persons, or causing serious financial damage.

6. Causing seizure of water, electricity or other relevant sources of energy.

7. Operating from camps, wilderness, forests, caves and other secluded areas.

8. Engaging in kidnapping, maiming, raping, bombing and destroying public properties, amongst other heinous crimes.

9. Usually not amenable to peaceful negotiation.

10. Intimidating and overawing the government and the entire nation.

From the above features of terrorist organisations, IPOB has not been linked in any way or manner howsoever, with any of these ignoble features. Rather, IPOB is a known group of protesters, who are involved in peacefully agitating for their self-determination and calling for a referendum (which has been grossly misinterpreted by government, as amounting to intimidation of the whole nation), to enable them achieve their economic, social, political and civil rights, as an identifiable entity, separate from Nigeria. The activities of the group are essentially characterised by moving in troops, with cardboards placards in their hands; singing, blowing whistles and flutes in agitation for self independence. They wear berets, t-shirts and carry flags with the Biafran insignia. These agitators live among their family members, within the society. They fetch the same spirogyra-infested water, from where others fetch. They attend the same churches, markets, schools and other social gatherings, with the rest of the members of their societies. They are not masked. They are not faceless. They can be identified in the neighbourhood. They wine and dine with others. They do not pose any threats to the society, or the nation at large. The fundamental objective of IPOB is to peacefully secede from Nigeria, and nothing more.

IPOB is therefore, not a terrorist group, since terrorist organisations have distinguishing criminal features as highlighted above.

Does Agitation For Self Determination Constitute Terrorism?

Various international instruments have acknowledged and endorsed the right to self-determination. Among such international instruments are: 1. Article 2 (a) Convention of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) on Combating International Terrorism, of 1999: provides that Peoples' struggle, including armed struggle against

a law from operating in Nigeria”.

Section 19(d) of the (TPAA), 2013, provides as follows: (a) substituting for the definition of the words “proscribed organisation” after the definition of the words “proceeds of terrorism”, the following new definition – “Proscribed organisation” is a group involved in terrorism and is prohibited by law from operating in Nigeria and – (i) declared to be a proscribed organisation under section 2 of this Act; and (ii) includes a group which has been declared to be an international terrorist group under section 9 of this Act; Having complied with the provisions of section 2 of the TPA, the National Assembly has a role to play by enacting a law to prohibit the group in its name, from further operating in Nigeria. This means that the President, HAGF, acting in concert with the Judge in Chambers, have only partially complied with the provisions of section 19(d)(i) of TPAA, 2013, which amended section 2 of the TPA, 2011, to involve the NASS . The law is trite, that an uncompleted legal act is not legal unless it is completed. See the case of BAKARE v LAGOS STATE CIVIL COMMISSION Suit No. S.C. 141/1988; (1992) 23 N.S.C.C (Pt. 111) 218 at 254-255.

Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN

foreign occupation, aggression, colonialism, and hegemony, aimed at liberation and self-determination in accordance with the principles of international law, shall not be considered terrorist acts.

2. Article 3(1) of the OAU Convention on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism, 1999: Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 1 of the Convention, any struggle waged by peoples in accordance with the principles of international law for their liberation or self-determination, including armed struggle against colonialism, occupation, aggression and domination by foreign forces are not considered as terrorist acts.

3. Article 20 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Banjul Charter) 1987 (ACHPR): a. All peoples shall have the right to existence. They shall have the unquestionable and inalienable right to self- determination.

They shall freely determine their political status and shall pursue their economic and social development according to the policy they have freely chosen. b. Colonised or oppressed peoples shall have the right to free themselves from the bonds of domination by resorting to any means recognised by the international community. c. All peoples shall have the right to the assistance of the State Parties to the present Charter in their liberation struggle against foreign domination, be it political, economic or cultural.

Nigeria not only ratified the ACHPR on 22nd June 1983, but also domesticated it later in same 1983. It is now Ratification and Enforcement Act, LFN, 2004.

IPOB Leader, Nnamdi Kanu

Aside from the ratification and domestication of the ACHPR by Nigeria, the Supreme Court of Nigeria has also made the ACHPR municipally operable and enforceable. This was in the landmark decision in GEN SANI ABACHA & ORS v CHIEF GANI FAWEHINMI (2000) 4 FWLR 533, where it ruled that, “the ACHPR is only subject to the 1999 Constitution, but above any other legislation in Nigeria”. This surely means that where the Nigerian Constitution fails in preserving, protecting, promoting and advancing these Biafran citizens’ constitutional liberties and human rights, then the African Charter on Human & Peoples Rights operates, especially with respect to right to Self-Determination.

4. Article 2 of the Arab Convention on the Suppression of Terrorism 1998: all cases of struggle by whatever means, including armed struggle, against foreign occupation and aggression for liberation and self-determination, in accordance with the principles of international law, shall not be regarded as an offence.

5. Chapter 1, Article 1, part 2 of the UN Charter provides: "To develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the

"IPOB IS THEREFORE, NOT A TERRORIST GROUP, SINCE TERRORIST ORGANISATIONS HAVE DISTINGUISHING CRIMINAL FEATURES AS HIGHLIGHTED ABOVE"

principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples, and to take other appropriate measures to strengthen universal peace.

6. The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).

7. The Helsinki Final Act adopted by the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE).

8. The Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action of 1993, and the Declaration of Principles of International Law Concerning Friendly Relations and Cooperation among States adopted in 1970 by the UN General Assembly.

9. Decisions by the International Court of Justice in Namibia Case 7, the Western Sahara Case 8 and the East Timor Case 9.

10. UN Human Rights Committee 10.

11. The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination 11.

12. UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1976.

13.International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights of 1st January, 1976.

Consequent upon the above premises and in relation to section 19(d) of the TPAA, 2013, IPOB cannot honestly be regarded as a terrorist group.

Is The National Assembly Involved In The Proscription Process?

Assuming, but not conceding, that IPOB is a terrorist organisation, from the provisions of section 19(d) TPAA, it is clear that the National Assembly (NASS), must be involved in the proscription process. Section 19 (d) TPAA defines a proscribed organisation as a group involved in terrorism and is “prohibited by

Unconstitutionality of Section 2 of the TPA, 2011 Authorities abound to the effect that, any law which deprives a party of fair hearing is null and void. The Supreme Court in the case of NWONGO v AKU & ORS (1983) 11 SC 129 at 153, held: “Any law which deprives a party of fair hearing is contrary to the provisions of the Constitution and to that extent is void”.

Similarly, in SAMBA PETROLEUM LTD & ANOR v UNITED BANK OF AFRICA (UBA) & 2 ORS. (2010) 43 NSCQR 119 at 137, the apex court held: “The right to fair hearing is a fundamental constitutional right guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 and a breach of it, particularly in trials, vitiates such proceedings rendering same null and void.

A hearing cannot be said to be fair, if any of the parties is refused a hearing or denied the opportunity to be heard, present his case or call witnesses.” See the case of MILITARY GOVERNOR, IMO STATE v NWAUWA (1997) 2 NWLR (PT. 490) 675.

Section 36 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as

altered, is explicit that in the determination of his civil rights and obligations, a person is entitled to fair hearing within a reasonable time.

Can it be legally justifiable, for an organisation whose members are peacefully agitating for self determination within the space of internationally recognised legal regime, to be proscribed without the group or its members being afforded an opportunity to be heard at all? Is it right, legally and morally, to accuse them of heinous crimes and proscribe their group on the basis of such unsubstantiated criminal allegations, without giving them a fair hearing?

I think not. I am convinced that from the analysis, it is evident that the provisions of section 2 TPA, 2011, are unconstitutional. (see section 1(3) Constitution, FRN, 1999, as altered).

Conclusion I earnestly advice the Federal Government to do the needful, by urgently restructuring this Federation with her faulty lines and inequity.

Panic measures, brute force, military repression, intimidation and subjugation through state apparatchik, cannot heal Nigeria.

Chief Ozekhome, SAN, Constitutional Lawyer and Human Rights Activist

Yes, Proscription Order Is Legal and Competent – Ukhuegbe

T

he suggestion that the process is legally incompetent because IPOB is supposedly a body unknown to law is, with respect, misconceived.

The applicable law is Section 2(1)(c) of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011, which lays down the SPECIAL procedure for obtaining a judicial order proscribing “any entity” for terrorism. This law is the lex specialis.

There is no room in the section 2 process, to seek a prohibition order against individuals.

Nor is it required that the process be taken against representatives of IPOB, unlike in regular civil procedure. Lex specialis derogat lex generalis. An application under section is sui generis and cannot be equated with ordinary civil actions.

There is nothing novel about the order obtained yesterday. There is precedent for it.

Boko Haram and Ansaru were proscribed vide Suit No.FHC/ABJ/CS/368/2013 on 24/05/2013, granted by Kafarati J of Federal High Court No.2 Abuja and published in Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette No. 34, Volume 100. No one asked then, and rightly so, about the registration of the two organisations under Nigerian law! The legal status of the prohibited organisation, is immaterial in the section 2 process. Otherwise the whole purpose of the law would be defeated.

Section 2 provides only for an application to a judge in chambers, with the consent of the President. The judge gives his ruling based on the information exhibited with the application. This supposes an ex parte application. It was unnecessary for the Attorney-General to title the process “ATTORNEY-GENERAL v IPOB.” The title could have been "Application under Section 2(1)(c) of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011. In re: Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB)".

The order merely proscribed an organisation, and it operates PROSPECTIVELY after gazetting and publication in two newspapers. That is when being a member of IPOB becomes a criminal offence. Also, it does not, and cannot, affect the holding of any political beliefs (self-determination, Biafra etc) by any person. See section 2(3)(ii).

The ease, as we have seen, with which a prohibition order may be obtained under the Act, shows how dangerous the legislation is.

When it was passed in the face of terrorism unleashed by Boko Haram, little thought was given to the possibility that powers under the Act may be equally applied to non-obvious cases. Therefore, I expect that a prohibition order under section 2, is reviewable by a higher court. Secondly, the constitutional guarantee of fair hearing justifies, in spite of the terms of section 2, a judge to whom an application for a prohibition order is made, should in appropriate circumstances be able to order that the affected party be

"THERE IS NOTHING NOVEL ABOUT THE ORDER OBTAINED YESTERDAY. THERE IS PRECEDENT FOR IT. BOKO HARAM AND ANSARU WERE PROSCRIBED VIDE SUIT NO.FHC/ABJ/CS/368/2013 ON 24/05/2013, GRANTED

BY KAFARATI .....NO ONE ASKED THEN, AND RIGHTLY SO, ABOUT THE REGISTRATION OF THE TWO ORGANISATIONS UNDER NIGERIAN LAW!" given notice and an opportunity to respond.

I should add a disclaimer from the outset, that I do not necessarily support the Government decision to approach the Federal High Court for the order.

I believe the move is premature, and unnecessary at this time. However, I have no doubt that the order issued is fully compliant with applicable law.

Solomon Ukhuegbe, Legal Practitioner, Lagos

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Yes, Court Can Proscribe, but for a limited Period – Sani

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ast week, the Government finally laid to rest the controversy over the legality of the Army’s depiction of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a terrorist organisation. On that day, Attorney-General of the Federation (the AGF) procured an order from the Federal High Court, which formally proscribed IPOB and restrained its members from openly associating with it. The order was granted “in Chambers”, i.e., it was made without hearing anyone else apart from the AGF. This procedure is consistent with the letter of Section 2(1) of the Terrorism Prevention Act (“TPA”) as amended, which does not entitle any person affected by such an order, to be heard prior to its making.

Therein, in my view, lies the problem. To the extent that engaging in terrorist acts either individually or in concert with others is a criminal offence under the TPA, do the members of such organisations or groups not deserve to be heard prior to its proscription? In other words, is the principle of natural justice or the right of fair hearing of such persons or groups, not violated by any statute (in this case, the TPA, Section 2(1)) which makes such a provision?

Legal Construct of the TPA The key provisions of the Act, for our purposes, are Sections 2(1), (2), (3) (i) and 16(1), (3), which provide thus, respectively: Section 2(1): “Where two or more persons associated for the purpose of or where an organisation engages in (a)participating or collaborating in an act of terrorism; (b)promoting, encouraging or exhorting others to commit an act of terrorism; or (c) setting up or pursuing acts of terrorism.

The judge in chambers may on an application made by the AttorneyGeneral, National Security Adviser or Inspector-General of Police on the approval of President, declare any entity to be a proscribed organisation and the notice should be published in the Official Gazette.

(2). An order made under subsection (1) of this section shall be published in the Official Gazette, in two national newspapers and at such other places as the judge in chambers may determine.

(3). A publication made under subsection (2) of this section shall contain such relevant particulars as the judge in chambers may specify. (i) A person who belongs or professes to belong to a proscribed organisation commits an offence under this Act and shall on conviction be liable to imprisonment for a maximum term of 20 years” Section 16: (1): “Any person who is a member or professes to be a member of a terrorist group commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of not less than twenty years; (3): “Any person who belongs or professes to belong to a proscribed

organisation commits an offence under this Act and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of not less than twenty years.”

The TPA is a penal statute. More importantly, in my view, it is also an expropriatory statute, at least the provisions of Section 2 thereof. Such statutes are required to be construed strictly: AFOLABI v GOV. OF OYO STATE (1985) 2 NWLR pt. 9 pg. 734 @ 753H. In this regard, it is clear that the phrase “a judge in Chambers” used in the Act is simply legalese, a catchphrase for “to the exclusion of any other person except the applicant and court staff”. To that extent, I believe that the question is whether those provisions violate the principle that a man should not be condemned unheard?

This principle is part of the guarantee of fair hearing under Section 36(1), (4) and (5) of the1999 Constitution, which provides, inter alia, that: i. in the determination of his civil rights and liabilities, a person shall be entitled to fair hearing; ii. whenever a person is charged with a criminal offence, he shall be entitled to a fair hearing in public by a court or tribunal constituted in such a manner as to secure its independence and impartiality; iii. every person who is charged with a criminal offence shall be presumed to be innocent until he is proven guilty.

I believe that these constitutional guarantees, are violated by the aforesaid provisions of the TPA which empower agencies of the State to surreptitiously proscribe an organisation simply on the ipse dixit of the Government. I submit that, the procedure adopted in obtaining the proscription order, i.e., in Chambers or ex parte, puts it beyond peradventure that the Legislature intended to shut out those intended to be affected by it.

In other words, the order is final. See OLATUNDE v O.A.U. (1998) 4 SCNJ 68. This is clearly anomalous, as juridically, ex parte orders are always provisional and for a limited lifespan; as a rule, they do not decide the rights of the parties: PROVISIONAL LIQUIDATOR v TAPP (1995-6) All NLR 253. And, for good reason too, as the following precedents will show.

The rule that a man should not be condemned unheard, has been construed by the apex court over the years. For instance, in ADIGUN v ATT-GEN. OF OYO STATE (1987) 1 NWLR pt. 53 pg. 678 the court held that “the principle that a man

Acting Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Abdul Kafarati

cannot be condemned without being heard, is often expressed by the latin maxim: audi alterem partem – hear the other side – and is applicable in all cases in which a decision is to be taken in any matter, whether in a judicial, quasi-judicial or even in a purely administrative proceedings involving a person’s interest in a property, right or personal liberty”; Further, at page 721, it held that: “Natural justice demands that a party must be heard before the case against him is determined. Even God gave Adam an oral hearing, despite the evidence supplied by his act of covering his nakedness, before the case against his continued stay in the Garden of Eden was determined against him.”

In OLATUNBOSUN v NISER (1988) 3 NWLR pt. 80 pg. 25 @ 47, Oputa, JSC, held that “the right of a man to be heard in his own defence is the most elementary protection of all, and where a statutory form of protection would be less effective if it did not carry with it a right to be heard, I would not find it difficult to imply this right”.

In making the foregoing submissions, I concede that Section 2(5) of the Act provides that a proscribed organisation may subsequently apply, after the event, to the AGF to review the ban, as follows: “The Attorney-General, upon the approval of the President may withdraw the order if satisfied that such proscribed organisation has ceased to engage in an act of terrorism. (a) The proscribed organisation or person affected by the order made an application on notice and (b) He is satisfied that a proscribed

"SO, WHAT IS THE WAY FORWARD? I BELIEVE THAT, IN THE INTEREST OF THE RULE OF LAW, THE AFORESAID ANOMALIES IN THE TPA SHOULD BE URGENTLY REVIEWED TO PROVIDE THAT EX PARTE ORDERS PROSCRIBING ‘TERRORIST ENTITIES’ SHOULD BE PROVISIONAL, FOR A LIMITED TIME-SPAN ONLY.."

organisation has ceased to engage in the acts specified in subsection (1) of this section and there is no likelihood of the organisation engaging in such acts in the future and shall be published in the official Gazette”.

However, I submit that, to the extent that this appeal is not required to be made to the judge who imposed the ban in the first place, it is simply a travesty, as it violates both the principle of separation of powers under the Constitution, as well as the requirement that no one should be a judge in his own cause – nemo judex in causa sua. It is self-evident that the AGF is an interested party, because he previously participated in the proceedings which led to that order.

This factor disqualifies him from subsequently reviewing it: ERIOBUNA v OBIORA (1999) 8 NWLR pt. 616 pg. 622. The relevant test is not actual bias, but real likelihood thereof: YABUGBE v COP (1992) 4 NWLR pt. 234 pg. 152 @ 173 Conclusion The foregoing serial breaches of the right of fair hearing in the TPA confirm the trite position of the Supreme Court that “Fair hearing is an entrenched provision of the Constitution which cannot be displaced by any legislation however unambiguously worded”: L.P.D.C. v FAWEHINMI (1985) 2 NWLR pt. 7 pg. 300 @ 370.

It is settled that the breach of fair hearing in any proceedings, without more, vitiates such proceedings in their entirety and renders them null and void: OVUNWO v WOKO (2011) ALL FWLR pt. 587 pg. 596 @ 596.

So, what is the way forward? I believe that, in the interest of the rule of law, the aforesaid anomalies in the TPA should be urgently reviewed to provide that ex parte orders proscribing ‘terrorist entities’ should be provisional, for a limited timespan only, in much the same way that Section 29 of the EFCC Act and Sections 12(5) and15(3),(5),(7) & (9) of the TPA itself, do; with a rider that, in the intervening period, whoever is affected by such an order is at liberty to challenge it, failing which the court – and not the AGF – can make it absolute Abubakar D. Sani, Esq., Legal Practitioner, Kano

26.09.2017

COVER/11

No, Court Has No Jurisdiction to Adjudicate over IPOB Case – Adegboruwa

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n Wednesday, September 20, 2017, the Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation, filed Suit No. FHC/ABJ/871/2017, at the Federal High Court, Abuja, against the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), seeking for an order of proscription of IPOB, the supposed defendant in the said suit.

The Court granted all the orders as prayed.

Legally speaking, the suit filed, the order granted and indeed all the proceedings in this case, constitute a gross abuse of the process of the Court, as the Court has no jurisdiction to entertain, let alone adjudicate, upon the case.

The suit was not initiated following due process of law, as stated by the Supreme Court in the locus classicus case of Madukolu v Nkemdilim (1962) 2 SCNLR 341. The suit filed and the orders granted, have no foundation upon which they can stand and be maintained or enforced.

The supposed defendant in the case is the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), which is not a registered entity in law. And even if it is registered, it can only be sued in the name of its incorporated trustees or indeed, its accredited representatives. Furthermore, unlike other associations like the Nigerian Bar Association, IPOB is not recognised or mentioned or legitimised in any existing statute.

For a suit to be competent, there must be proper parties before the court. In this case, the supposed defendant, IPOB, is a non- juristic person, against which no action can be maintained in any court of law.

This issue was recently settled by the Supreme Court in the case of Sunkanmi Dairo & 6 Ors. v The Registered Trustees of the Anglican Diocese of Lagos, Appeal Number SC. 148/2006, in the judgement delivered on 23rd June, 2017, where the Supreme Court held as follows: Per Kumai Bayang Aka’ahs, JSC: “A person must have the requisite legal capacity to be a party to a law suit ... the consequence of not producing the Registered Trustees’ Certificate means that the plaintiff is not a juristic person capable of suing and being sued. Accordingly, the judgement entered by the High Court, Lagos and affirmed by the Court of Appeal is a nullity and is hereby set aside.”

Per Olabode Rhodes-Vivour, JSC: “Since the plaintiff/respondent failed to prove its incorporation, this is fatal to its case. The

IPOB Protesters

plaintiff/respondent has no power to sue as it is not a juristic person capable of suing or being sued. Judgement cannot be given in favour of a non-existent body such as the plaintiff/respondent.

For this, and the more detailed reasoning and conclusion in the leading judgement I agree with his Lordship Aka’ahs JSC that the judgement of the trial court is a nullity, and the judgement of the Court of Appeal which affirmed the judgement of the trial court, is also a nullity.”

Per Chima Centus Nweze, JSC: “Here, I take liberty to state that our law attributes juristic personality, that is, the capacity to maintain and defend actions in court to natural persons and artificial persons or institutions ... who are therefore, known to law as legal persons.

In consequence, only natural persons or a body of persons whom statutes have, either expressly or by implication, clothed with the garment of legal personality could prosecute or defend law suits by that name.”

Per Paul Adamu Galinje, JSC: “The law is well settled beyond argument that a person must have the requisite legal capacity to be a party to a legal suit ... Where an association

of persons is unincorporated, it does not have the legal status of a juristic person. Consequently, it can sue only by a representative action. Likewise, any person who has been wronged by such an association of persons can only sue it by suing some of its members as representatives of the association.

For a court to be competent and have jurisdiction over a matter, it is necessary that the condition that the proper and competent parties must be identified must be fulfilled. In the instant case the respondent who initiated this action at the trial court had no legal capacity to do so. In the circumstance, the trial court lacked jurisdiction to hear the suit.”

From all the foregoing pronouncements of the Supreme Court, it is clear beyond any doubt, that the order of the Federal High Court, made against IPOB, a non-juristic entity, is a nullity.

I do hereby, humbly urge the Federal Government, not to rely on this nullity to arrest or prosecute any citizen of Nigeria, alleged to be a member of IPOB. Something, cannot be put on nothing, and be expected to stand. It must collapse.

In conclusion, I urge the Federal Government, to keep this null order in its cooler, and seize

"THE LAW IS WELL SETTLED BEYOND ARGUMENT, THAT A PERSON MUST HAVE THE REQUISITE LEGAL CAPACITY TO BE A PARTY TO A LEGAL SUIT …

WHERE AN ASSOCIATION OF PERSONS IS UNINCORPORATED, IT DOES NOT HAVE THE LEGAL STATUS OF A JURISTIC PERSON" this golden opportunity, to engage the accredited representatives of the people of the South East zone of Nigeria, to achieve a common understanding.

Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, Human Rights Lawyer

IPOB’S Proscription: The Missing Link

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Shitta v Ligali t is trite that, for an action to be properly constituted so as to vest jurisdiction in the court to adjudicate on it, there must be a competent plaintiff and a competent defendant. As a general principle, only natural persons and juristic or artificial persons such as body corporates, are competent to sue or be sued. Consequently, where either of the parties is not a legal person, the action is liable to be struck out as being incompetent: SHITTA v LIGALI (1941) 16 NLR 23.

Apparently, the principle enunciated in Ligali, appears to be the legal fulcrum upon which some legal pundits anchored their objection to Justice Kafarati’s order proscribing the Indigenous people of Biafra(IPOB).

National Security Adviser or Inspector General of Police on the approval of the President; declare any entity to be a proscribed organisation and the notice should be published in official gazette” It’s evidently unambiguous from the above excerpt, that the application under Section 2 proceeding is not for the purpose of instituting a criminal or civil action against person(s) subject to the Act, but to superscribe a judicial imprimatur on an executive decision cataloguing a person or body subject to the Act as terrorist(s). This case was definitely not concerned with the capacity of the body in question to sue or be sued eo nomine. It was concerned with whether or not the body in question can be regarded as a legal entity for

Section 2 of the TPA At first blush, their reasoning appears to be sound law; however, having anatomised the whole innards of Section 2 of the Terrorism Prevention(Amendment) Act, 2013 (TPA); the section upon which the proscription order was sought and granted; it’s manifestly clear that the principle in Ligali is unequivocally irrelevant to proceedings under Section 2TPA; where it is provided inter alia: “...that “the judge in Chambers may on an application made by the Attorney General,

""IT IS A SETTLED PRINCIPLE IN LAW THAT, THE MERE FACT THAT A BODY IS NOT A REGISTERED ASSOCIATION, DOES NOT MEAN IT IS UNKNOWN TO THE LAW"

the purposes of the application before the Judge in chambers. Therefore, the unending debate regarding the juristic status of IPOB, is preposterous, misdirected and absolutely irrelevant to proceedings under Section 2.

Legal Status of IPOB In the same vein, the use of the operative phrase “any entity” to qualify the status of a legal personality subject to Section 2 proceedings, appears to be an implied intendment of the TPA to admit of all comers, without regard to their legal personality; to attempt to circumscribe this wide scope of the Act’s intendment, will undoubtedly have an obstructive and eroding effect on the primary objectives of the TPA, to provide measures for the prevention, prohibition and combating of acts of terrorism. Therefore, it is my considered opinion that the Court, as Justice Kafarati has rightly done in this case, would ipso facto endeavour to safeguard the chief purposes of the Act, by accepting the literal meaning of the phrase “any entity” to cover non-juristic persons for the purpose of applications under Section 2 TPA. Notwithstanding the above consideration, there’s also the question of determining whether the IPOB can, in any event, be appropriately described as a legal entity for the purpose of

Section 2 proceeding. It is a settled principle in law that, the mere fact that a body is not a registered association, does not mean it is unknown to the law. Whilst relying on the principle enunciated in the celebrated case of ANYAEGBUNAM v OSAKA (2000) 5 NWLR (pt. 657) 386 The court in Registered Trustees of Igbo Community, Oyo State v Cyril Akabueze & 2 Ors held that “An unincorporated association of persons, is a constitutionally legitimate body and is not illegal merely by non-registration under applicable laws” Thus, an association of persons recognised by the Constitution is a lawful association simpliciter. It is recognition of the reality that, the group of persons who have formed an association have an existence in fact. This undisputed and sound reasoning of the court, put paid to the argument that IPOB was an unknown association in law.

Summarily, the legal contention that only natural or juristic persons can be subject to proceedings under Section 2 is, therefore, misconceived and baseless as rightly enunciated in the cited cases and highlights above. The court order proscribing IPOB, is, to this extent, valid, subsisting and enforceable Gboyega Okunniga, Dual-qualified solicitor with practice in the UK, Consultant to D’alpha & Knight Solicitors, Lagos on Trans-Borders Law

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26.09.2017

Last Monday, September 18th, marked the beginning of the Legal Year 2017/2018. Twenty-nine Legal Practitioners were conferred with the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria that day. Here are some of the New 'Silks' and other photos: Godwin Omoigui personalities that were in attendance....

L-R: New 'Silks', Akin Osinbajo, SAN, Festus Keyamo, SAN and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN

L-R: Justice Rita OďŹ li-Ajumogobia, Abubakar Malami, SAN and NBA President, A.B Mahmoud, SAN

L-R: Akin Onigbinde, SAN, Akin Osinbajo, SAN, Ogun State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr. Olumide Ayeni, SAN and Olu Daramola, SAN

L-R: Chief Bolaji Ayorinde, SAN, Ahmed, SAN and Kabiru Turaki, SAN

Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN (left) and former NBA President, J.B Daudu, SAN

Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello and Kogi State Attorney-General and New Silk, Ibrahim Mohammed, SAN

L-R: J.K Gadzama, SAN, Akin Osinbajo, SAN and Kabiru Turaki, SAN

L-R: Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN, Secretary to Edo State Government, Osarodion Ogie, New Silk, John Olusegun Odubela, SAN, Edo State Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu and Edo State Solicitor General,Oluwole Iyamu

26.09.2017

THE LIGHTER SIDE/13

LEGAL HUMOUR What do a baker and lawyer have in common? . . . They both enjoy carving up the pie.

What's the difference between a vulture and a lawyer? . . . The vulture doesn't get frequent flyer miles!

How do you tell the difference between a lawyer and a catfish? . . . One wallows in the mud and is a blood- sucking scavenger — the other is a fish!

How do you get a lawyer out of a tree? . . . Cut the rope

We Hold Your Brief JUDE IGBANOI jude.igbanoi@thisdaylive.com Dear Counsel, I have been reading your column every Tuesday and I am very impressed with the legal advice given. Please, I need your legal advice on this matter. I am a unit holder of 5,000 units in one of the new generation Banks. In 2015, this Bank paid me my distribution at the rate of 0.08k per unit. However, the 2016 Financial Statement I received contained the following statement ‘.... proposed distribution per unit N5.38 (2016) and 5.35 (2015).....’ This is found on page 3. On page 5 it stated ‘The Fund Manager proposed that a dividend of N5.38 per unit will be paid to members.’ I want to believe the same amount of N5.35 was made in 2015 financial statement for unit holders. (No financial statement was sent to me that year.) I also understand that to mean that in 2015 N5.35 per unit was supposedly paid.

If so, why was I paid N0.08 per unit? What am I to do? I felt short changed. Do I have a case?

Mr. G.O. Ogbu, Makurdi, Benue State

Dear Mr. Ogbu, You do have a very good case. But from all indications, it does appear as if there was a typographical or clerical error in the preparation of your 2015 statement.

The first step that you need to take, is to lodge a complaint to the Bank's Registrars through your Stock Broker. This error must be stated clearly.

Attach a copy of the slip indicating the amount you actually received for the 2015 Financial Year.

If you did not acquire your shares through a Stock Broker, then engage one, or get a lawyer to do this for you. They will take the necessary steps to rectify this anomaly.

But where you are unable to resolve this through this means, my advice is that your lawyer should file and maintain an action in court against the Bank, to ensure that you get what is rightly accruable to you.

A stingy old lawyer who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness, was determined to prove wrong the saying, "You can't take it with you." After much thought and consideration, the old ambulance-chaser finally figured out how to take at least some of his money with him when he died. He instructed his wife to go to the bank and withdraw enough money to fill two pillow cases. He then directed her to take the bags of money to the attic and leave them directly above his bed. His plan: When he passed away, he would reach out and grab the bags on his way to heaven.

Several weeks after the funeral, his widow was up in the attic cleaning, and came upon the two forgotten pillow cases stuffed with cash. "Oh, that darn fool," she exclaimed, "I knew he should have had me put the money in the basement."

One day a lawyer died and found herself at the pearly gates of heaven. St. Peter asked, "Who are you?" The woman answered, "I was a Hollywood divorce lawyer." Nodding ominously, St. Peter asked, "What have you done to earn an eternal reward in heaven?" The lawyer thought about it long and hard, searching her mind for the one good deed that might gain her entrance to heaven. "As a matter of fact, the other day I passed a panhandler in the street and I gave him fifty cents," she said beamingly.

St. Peter nodded grimly, looking over at his assistant Gabriel, and asked, "Is that in the records?" Gabriel nodded his assent.

St. Peter than said, "That's not very impressive, nor is it enough.

I'm sorry," and started to close the gates. "Wait, wait! There's more," shouted the woman. "The other night, as I was walking home, I almost tripped over a homeless child in the street. I gave him fifty cents too!"

Peter again checked with Gabriel who confirmed the incident. "Is there anything else?" The lawyer again thought and thought and sadly said, "Not that I can remember." St. Peter contemplated for a long time and then asked Gabriel, "What do you think I should do?" Gabriel glanced at the lawyer disgustedly and said, "I'd give her back her buck and tell her to go to hell!"

LAGOS UNVEILS ‘PLEA & SENTENCE BARGAIN’ MANUAL FOR EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 fear or favour.

"Therefore, prosecutorial powers of this office, will not be used as a platform for settling commercial disputes, family quarrels or Land tussles, and we will not be pressurised to act in the interest of one party against the interest of another party or any party,& where no criminal offence has been committed.

"To do otherwise would be against the Constitutional responsibilities of my office; therefore, we are fully committed to the tenets of justice and our prosecutors discharge their duties with professionalism, while operating within the parameters of clearly defined and transparent prosecution policy guidelines", he stated.

The Commissioner said that between January 2017 and now, the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), had filed Information papers in respect of the 1086 cases in the High Court and 56 charges in the Magistrate Court for prosecution by the DPP, while the Police also prosecute a number of

cases in the Magistrate Court.

He said this underscores the need for exploration of alternative methods of resolving criminal cases, without going through the full gamut of trial.

"In a bid to ensure maximum transparency and objectivity in the bargaining process, a Plea Bargain Committee was set up in April 2017, to consider/review cases in which proposals for plea bargain were made to my office, and to make appropriate recommendations on them.

"The Committee has considered 14 cases so far, and the plea bargain process has been successfully concluded in the cases", he said.

He listed the offences in which plea bargaining was considered, to include conspiracy and murder, armed robbery, robbery, manslaughter, causing death by dangerous driving and forgery.

In her remarks, Mrs. Abiola Soladoye, the acting Chief Registrar of the Lagos State High Court, said she believed in decongestion and plea bargaining,' and that it is not in

all offences that offenders should be sent to prison.

Soladoye, who also represented the Lagos State Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Olufunmilayo Atilade, said the courts particularly at the magistracy level, would collaborate with government to ensure success of implementation of the manual.

The Chairmen of the Ikeja, Lagos and Epe Branches of the Nigeria Bar Association, (NBA), also promised to ensure that lawyers are well educated about the provisions and workings of the manual for effective use.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Bolaji Salami, and Lagos State Controller of Prisons, Tunde Ladipo, both promised that their departments would collaborate with Government, to ensure successful implementation of the manual.

Chairman, NBA Ikeja, Mr. Adesina Ogunlana, particularly decried that the numbers of legal officers including Magistrates in the State are grossly inadequate, adding that the efforts of the State Government in judicial reforms would not yield the expected results, if the inadequacy was not addressed.

GROUPS, LAWYERS, FAULT FG, COURT’S DECISION ON IPOB’S PROSCRIPTION AS TERRORIST ORGANISATION CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 for the court to exercise jurisdiction upon?

"Secondly, this looks like a final order or judgement granted on a motion Ex-parte. This cannot be right in law. A different procedure, should have been used to achieve the desired result "Thirdly, the order or judgement is in breach of the fundamental right of the named Respondent (assuming it is a juristic person), to fair hearing. It is therefore, unconstitutional, null and void "Lastly, the main reliefs are for a declaratory order or judgement, which should not be granted vide a motion either on notice or ex-parte.

"It is my advice that, the AGF should review the strategy on the subject, and may consider a proper and better legal team, to advice and handle this important and sensitive case.

"Meanwhile I must state that, the order or judgement was granted by a court of competent jurisdiction, it is valid, subsisting and must continue to be obeyed by all persons and authorities in Nigeria, until it is set aside. Any infraction of any part of the order by any body, should be visited with the full force

of the law".

Also reacting, the 2nd Vice President of the Nigerian Bar Association said: "The ruling by the Federal High Court, Abuja on Wednesday, shows that some of us were right when we said that the Nigerian Military was wrong to have pronounced IPOB a terrorist organisation, without following due process. It also showed that we were right when we told the South-East Governors, that they have no right under the law, to proscribe IPOB. The proscription of any organisation as stipulated by law, is through a judicial process.

“My opinion is that, that judicial process has been complied with; though belatedly. The Government has already dubbed it a terrorist organisation; they have already proscribed it, before now running to the court to give it a retroactive effect.

“The issue now is, if you say you have proscribed an organisation, and that organisation is not registered in law, there is a problem. Our laws stipulate that only a juristic person can be sued. I believe that, IPOB is not registered under our laws.

So, there is a problem, because the court has just proscribed an organisation that is not registered under our laws. If you take a look at the court order, it says IPOB, whereas, there is no entity known as IPOB under our laws. This is clearly, a complex situation.

“Why the issue of proscribing any organisation is made a judicial process, is such that any organisation that has been wrongly proscribed, can come back to the court, asking it to reverse the order, because the information given to the court through an exparte motion is wrong. The court will then look at the argument and merits in deciding whether to reverse itself.

I think what IPOB has to do now, is to proceed to the court to challenge the order.

“Even if, assuming without conceding, that IPOB was properly registered under our law, does it qualify to be labeled as a terrorist organisation based on our laws and argument advanced by the Attorney- General? As it stands today, IPOB by way of the Federal High Court order, remains a terrorist organisation but that order can be challenged and set aside.

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26.09.2017

Legality of “Special Courts”for Corruption Cases In this article, Chris Akiri examines the constitutionality or otherwise, of the recent order made by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Honourable Justice Walter Onnoghen, GCON, to the Chief Judges of Courts in Nigeria, to designate at least one court in their jurisdictions as a special court to try only corruption and financial crime cases. He concludes that 'special courts', should have no place in a democracy

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N Monday, 18th September, 2017, the learned Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen, GCON, at a special session organised to usher in the 2017/2018 Legal Year and to swear in 29 new Senior Advocates of Nigeria, ordered the Chief Judges of Courts in Nigeria, to designate at least one court in their jurisdictions as a special court, SOLELY for the purpose of adjudicating on corruption and financial crimes cases. It is meet and proper to state, to begin with, that the piquant-witted and eminent jurist, Justice Walter Onnoghen, is a great patriot, who is actuated by the urge to rid the Judiciary and Nigeria of corruption and corrupt elements. It is also apt to state, in view of my stand in this article, that I believe that corruption, ethnocentricity and religious bigotry, are easily the worst enemies, the bane, of the socio-economic, political and cultural development of Nigeria. As far as this writer is concerned, stiffer penalties than are provided for in the various extant statutes in Nigeria, should be meted out to anyone found guilty of corruption, brazen nepotism and religious zealotry, issuing forth in violence. The days of the Crusaders of the 11th and 12th centuries and of the Jihadists in the 7th and 8th centuries should, in the 21st century, be consigned to the wastepaper basket of sordid history.

The Riot Act But the thrust of this write-up, is the riot act read by the learned CJN to all the courts in Nigeria, to set aside at least one court within their jurisdiction, to try only corruption and other financial crimes cases.

Constitution and Its Supremacy All the Courts of superior record in Nigeria, are established by subsection (5) of section 6 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended)(the Constitution). Subsection (4) paragraph (a) of section 6 thereof, allows the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly, to establish courts other than those established by subsection (5) of section 6, provided that such courts have subordinate jurisdiction to those established by section 6 (5). It would be clear from the foregoing provisions, that only the Constitution and Parliament (Federal or State), NOT the CJN, Federal or State Chief Judges, can establish a court (of superior or inferior record).

Section 36 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) stipulates, inter alia as follows: “In the determination of his civil rights and obligations, including any question or determination by or against any government or authority, a person shall be entitled to a fair hearing within a reasonable time by a court or other tribunal established by law and constituted in such manner as to secure its

Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Walter Onnoghen

"SUCH A COURT, SPECIALLY DISENGAGED FROM THE BODY OF THE REGULAR COURTS TO DEAL WITH CORRUPTION, IS NOT UNLIKELY TO BE A READY TOOL IN THE HANDS OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND ITS ATTORNEY-GENERAL, TO PILLORY OPPONENTS OF THE RULING PARTY, EVEN BEFORE TRIAL COMMENCES!"

independence and impartiality.” Please, note the phrase “...by a court or tribunal established by law...” Section 46 (1) of the 1999 Constitution, unequivocally provides that “Any person who alleges that any of the provisions of this Chapter has been, is being or likely to be contravened in any State in relation to him, may apply to a High Court in that State for redress.”

No CJN or Chief Judge, can change that or any provision of the Constitution, by denuding a particular High Court “within the jurisdiction of a Chief Judge” of powers conferred on it by the Constitution. Under subsection (2) of section 46, a High Court shall have original jurisdiction to hear and determine any application made to it in pursuance of this section...” That is the command of the uncommanded Commander! It would, therefore, be the height of unconstitutionality for a Chief Judge to single out a particular High Court to try only corruption cases. You either establish

new special courts or tribunals, subject to the provisions of section 6 (4) (a) of the Constitution, or you leave the existing courts severely alone with their constitution-given jurisdictions; otherwise, you would be amending the Constitution unilaterally!

In clear terms, section 257 (1) of the Constitution delineates the jurisdiction of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory as having power “to determine any civil proceedings in which the existence or extent of a legal right, power, duty, liability, privilege, interest, obligations or claim is in issue or to hear and determine any criminal proceedings involving or relating to any penalty, forfeiture, punishment or other liability in respect of an offence committed by any person.” The provisions of section 272 (1) of the Constitution on the jurisdiction of State High Courts are on all fours with those in section 257 supra.

The provision in section 46 (3) that “The Chief Justice of Nigeria may make rules with respect to the practice and procedure of a High Court for the purposes of this section” cannot, and should not, be construed to mean a usurpation, by either the CJN or any other Judge, of the constitutional powers conferred only on the National or State Assembly. Rules of practice are orders made by courts for the purpose of regulating the practice of members of the Bar and others; they are rules for the transaction of the business of the courts, which rules may be altered, changed, rescinded or repealed. While they are in force, they must be applied to all cases which fall within them; they can use no discretion unless such discretion is authorised by the rules themselves. Civil or Criminal Procedure Rules, which the CJN is permitted to make for superior courts of record are cases in point. We must note, however, that, in contradistinction to the rules and procedures of court which section 6 (3) talks about, the establishment of a High Court, any court, is ultra vires the CJN and remains the preserve of the Constitution and of parliament (Federal or State).

“Rules of Court”, according to John Bouvier, the learned author of “A Law Dictionary: Adapted to the Constitution and Laws of the United States” (1856), “cannot, of course, contravene the Constitution or the Law of the land” (3 Pick. R. 512; 2 Har. & John. 79; Misso. R. 98. 11 S. 131; 5 Pick.

R.187), a statement of fact.

The pyrotechnical statement and body language of Justice Walter Onnoghen, are a predictable augury that the “independence and impartiality” of a Federal or State High Court singled out in the manner suggested by him, cannot be secured.

Such a court, specially disengaged from the body of the regular courts to deal with corruption, is not unlikely to be a ready tool in the hands of the Federal Government and its Attorney- General, to pillory opponents of the ruling party, even before trial commences!

Other Measures The CJN should encourage the State and Federal Chief Judges, to computerise their court systems and give a time limit to the trial of corruption and financial cases, stipulating a more emphatic order in the Practice and Procedure of courts than is given in section 142 of the Electoral Act, 2011, that every corruption and financial matter must be given not just accelerated hearing and have precedence over all other cases, but should be concluded within a specified time. He must then warn lawyers, through the NJC, against frivolous adjournments, otherwise, the CJN may have to import, into the “special courts”, some strange beings from the outer-space! “Special courts” should have no place in a democracy.

Chris Akiri, Legal Practitioner, Lagos

26.09.2017

/15

IN BLACK AND WHITE ADERINSOLA FAGBURE

afagbure@yahoo.com

My Environment, Your Environment

A

while ago, I saw a picture on social media, of a flooded part of Lagos with floating take away packs, some pink, others yellow and a number were green. The rains were really heavy at some point earlier in the year, and the canals, gutters and even roads in the cosmopolitan city, overflowed.

There were hundreds, if not thousands, of these food packs, in this particular picture. The picture was an eyesore; with a few young people trying to wade through the debris filled pool of water. I can imagine that I was not the only one who felt sad, at the sight of so much filth. This picture, immediately brought back memories of my undergraduate days, when I studied Environmental Law. The lecturer emphasised that my rights with respect to the environment, ended where Zainab’s started, and for this reason, I had no right to pollute the environment.

Principle of Inter-Generational Equity Permit me to do a quick throwback to my fourth year in University. I remember my lecturer drumming it into our heads, that we all had a collective responsibility to keep the environment clean. The basis of environmental policy in Nigeria, is contained in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) (the Constitution). Pursuant to Section 20 of the Constitution, the State is empowered to protect and improve the environment and safeguard the water, air, land, forest and wildlife of Nigeria.

The principle of inter-generational equity was also flogged, or should I say over- flogged.

This concept, says that human beings 'hold the natural and cultural environment of the Earth in common both with other members of the present generation and with other generations, past and future'. This means that we inherit the earth from previous generations, and have an obligation to pass it on in a reasonable condition to future generations.

Environmental Management Protection Law 2017 It seems that the officials of the Lagos State Government saw this picture, among others and are aware of the complaints by well-meaning citizens over delays being experienced with respect to waste management. As part of its efforts to curb poor sanitation, the government flagged off the Cleaner Lagos Initiative, with the support of the recently passed Environmental Management Protection Law 2017. The initiative according to the Governor, seeks to offer the opportunity to enlist private investors nationally and internationally, in the waste management sector. In order to make it accessible to citizens, the law has been uploaded online. This law seeks to consolidate all laws relating to the environment, for the management, protection and sustainable development of Lagos State and for related purposes.

The public-private approach to waste management as adopted in the commercial city of Lagos, brings to the fore the fact that the responsibil-

ity of keeping the environment, is not that of government alone. The promulgation of relevant laws is laudable, but it must be emphasised that, a sense of responsibility among citizens, is far more important than punitive measures.

A look at the Federal, State and Local Government laws relating to the environment, shows that the country’s laws on the subject are quite robust. Much of this regulation, has involved determining compliance levels for pollution emissions. I understand the importance of putting in place punitive measures to ensure compliance, but with respect to health and environmental safety, I belong to the school of thought that believes in constant awareness creation and a voluntary approach to regulation. On this, morality wins the struggle against law. I am therefore of the view that, if every Nigerian understood the side effects of living in a dirty environment, the country and indeed the world, would be a better place to live in. This philosophy, starts from ensuring that refuse is properly disposed of. Most people would acknowledge a moral obligation to future generations, particularly as people who are not yet born can have no say in decisions taken today that may affect them.

Corporate Social Responsibility Corporations, must not be left out of this. Many modern businesses are adopting the “comply or explain” approach to sustainability, and are encouraged to incorporate their corporate social

"THE RAINS WERE REALLY HEAVY AT SOME POINT EARLIER IN THE YEAR, AND THE CANALS, GUTTERS AND EVEN ROADS IN THE COSMOPOLITAN CITY, OVERFLOWED. THERE WERE HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS, OF THESE FOOD PACKS, IN THIS PARTICULAR PICTURE. THE PICTURE WAS AN EYESORE; WITH A FEW YOUNG PEOPLE TRYING TO WADE THROUGH THE DEBRIS FILLED POOL OF WATER. I CAN IMAGINE THAT I WAS NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO FELT SAD, AT THE SIGHT OF SO MUCH FILTH"

responsibility activities into their reports. Thus, modern annual reports have gone beyond the financials, to also account for the society and the environment.

A company is said to be green, when it prioritises protecting the environment and inspires its members to do the same. The searchlight has been beamed on energy management, to drive operational excellence. By continually monitoring the energy usage and trend in factories and corporate buildings, success can be achieved in reducing national and global energy consumption and associated greenhouse gas emissions.

Every responsible business, is expected to have an environmental policy to which the team is committed, bearing in mind the principle of inter-generational equity. Companies, no matter how small, should carry out community exercises in relation to the environment. It is not a bad idea, to encourage employees to teach cleanliness at schools, based on the concept of catching them young. Establishments that are involved in production, should discourage discharging of chemical effluents into flowing water bodies, a practice that is fast becoming the norm. Top brands should be encouraged, to increase their commitment to protecting the ozone layer, keeping our communities clean and saving energy through responsible recycling. On the whole, corporate bodies should put their houses in order, so that it is not the case of physician heal thyself.

I am of the view that government at all levels, should encourage greener companies by recognising their longstanding efforts towards environmental protection. Regulators at all levels have a role to play, just as all individuals must make a conscious effort to preserve the world we live in for the unborn generations. You and I must understand, that we have a huge moral burden to save the world, it is ours. As the world looks forward to the next UN Climate Change Conference in November, it is hoped that our understanding of our individual roles with regard to cooperating with the government towards implementing the principles of the Paris Climate Change Agreement as agreed at the 2016 sitting in Marrakesh, Morocco, will be improved.

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29

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2017

PROPERTY & ENVIRONMENT

Fine and Country’s 2017 RIS in London to Celebrate Leadership in Projects, Financial Institutions in Real Estate sector For the first time, the Refined Investor Series (RIS), Fine and Country West Africa hosts annually in Nigeria for real estate sector players to brainstorm, will hold in London. The two-day event has many networking opportunities for owners of real estate and for prospective buyers, who seek property in Nigeria, according to the Chief Executive Officer, Mrs. Maryanne Udo-Okonjo in this interview with Bennett Oghifo The Refined Investment Series (RIS) is a unique platform you erected for real estate practitioners.

Tell us about its impact so far…

As a company, we are on a quest to raise the standards in the real estate sector to international levels so that we become an attractive destination for our own citizens wherever they live, as well as international investors. Our key objective and mission through the Refined Investor Series has always been to ‘inspire confidence’ in the Nigerian Real Estate Market through providing a platform for good quality information, insight, and intelligence.

We believe that limited transparency, poor access to current and accurate data are major weaknesses of our economy and certainly the real estate market. Investors, whether local, diaspora or international go where they are confident. Confidence is inspired when people feel they have the right information and an understanding of the market. Our vision is to help investors invest more intelligently and confidently as a result of the Refined Investor Series. The previous editions of Refined Investor Series held in Lagos has had in attendance over 1000 private investors over the past 5 years, with speakers and participation from notable personalities such as Mr. Atedo Peterside, Chairman of ANAP Foundation and formerly of Stanbic IBTC, Mr. Jim Ovia, Chairman of Zenith Bank and Quantum Capital, firms such as Elalan Construction, ANAP Business Jets Limited, British High Commission, Trustbond Mortgage Bank, YF construction, Lakepoint Properties, Urban Shelter Ltd, Famfa Oil Ltd, Total Nigeria Plc, Lagos Business School, Stanbic IBTC Bank, First Bank Private Bank, AM Facilities, Fidelity Bank, Palton Morgan Group, JLL, Energo Buildings , UPDC, LGV Gas. Seeing top level investors, developers and stakeholders make decisions based on insight gained at the Refined Investor Series, is the proof of its impact. Our ultimate objective is to shape the Nigerian Real Estate sector positively, so that we can unlock the real wealth that exists within it for many more investors, especially at the mid to prime markets.

That’s our focus, and we intend to continue to scale this up using both technology as a way of reaching more investors with the relevant investment information. Next year just before the summer, the Refined Investor Series will debut in the US and Canada, with a Lagos and Abuja edition in February 2018 (The Economic and Real Estate Outlook Edition), in collaboration with our standing partners Business Day, and an ‘Astute Investor Seminar for High Network

an attraction for potential investors especially when tied to their cashflow.

Investors also have the opportunity to avoid the fees associated with mortgages by buying directly with developer flexible financing. I think in working with the current weaknesses that surround the Mortgage Infrastructure, it is important not to overlook, the downsides, of the high-interest rates, and the overall increased cost influenced by interest rates. Despite these challenges, it’s interesting to note that there are banks that have become creative about Diaspora credit and this is an area that will be discussed extensively at the Refined Investor Series in London. We have one of Nigeria’s leading financial institutions, Access Bank Plc whose dynamic Group Managing Director, Herbert Wigwe is fully committed to engaging diaspora investors using Access Bank UK and its global footprint to tackle this effectively.

Udo-Okonjo

Clients in April, 2018. We also have a gender focused Real Estate Series, the Finer Wealth Series, which helps to shape the way female investors tackle real estate and build financial security. This has been on for 3 years now and will formally launch the first female property investment club later this year. For now however, our 100% full on focus is on the London Series, as all roads lead to the Refined Investor Series, UK Diaspora and International edition at the Landmark Hotel, London on October 6th and 7th.

The 2017 edition of RIS is holding in London.

What should attendees expect?

The Refined Investor Series (RIS) is a 2-day event. An Exclusive Independence Celebration Dinner themed, I.L.E.A.D: “INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP, ENTREPRENEURSHIP ATTITUDES & DEVELOPMENT” will be hosted on October 6th Friday evening at the prestigious and historic Landmark Hotel, London. We will be celebrating Nigeria’s 57th independence, visionary leadership in projects and financial institutions shaping the Nigerian Real Estate sector while encouraging networking with private wealth clients and leaders in Diaspora. The full day Premium but Free Access Investor Series and

NIQS Holds Research Conference in Bauchi The Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS) is to hold its 3rd Annual Research Conference Research in Bauchi, the capital of Bauchi State.

A statement by the Institute said the conference, which has the theme ‘Confluence of Research, Theory and Practice in the Built Environment’ began yesterday at the Zaranda Hotel, Bauchi and will end tomorrow, Wednesday September 27.

The conference will open new frontiers of knowledge and innovations, since researches have been known to be the bedrock of growth

and sustainable development, the statement said.

“There is no doubt that the built environment has been a huge beneficiary of research in diverse areas such as housing, construction and infrastructure.

The 3rd Annual Research Conference would not be an exception. The outcome of the conference would provide bedrock for growth and development of the built environment,” the statement said.

Keynote speakers are the Research Conference are the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration) Ahmadu Bello

University, Zaria, Prof. Kabir Bala and the Principal Partner, Prime and Bell Partnership, Kaduna, Mallam Abba Bello Ingawa.

The sub-themes of the Conference are Building Information (BIM), Cost and Value Management, Construction Procurement and Contract Administration, Project Management and ICT in Construction.

Other sub themes are Housing Policy and Property Development, Asset, Property and Facility Management and Alternative Dispute Resolution among others.

exhibition will hold on Saturday, October 7th in the same location. The Exhibition and Seminar will feature an extensive exhibition from all our partners and stakeholders providing direct engagement with diaspora and international investors.

What purchase plans will be available to diaspora and international investors, who are used to getting mortgage to buy real estate?

Many projects in Nigeria have routinely been sold through creatively structured payment plans.

Indeed the topic of Creative Diaspora Financing is at the fore front of our discussions at the upcoming event. For buyers, even though these real estate investments may be capital intensive at first, there is the potential to save more than the total repayment sum of the mortgages which include the principal amount plus the interest especially in a high-interest environment.

We know the Nigerian mortgage infrastructure is weak compared to the highly structured mortgage frameworks in the UK, the US, and Europe, however, that in itself presents opportunities for Investors and Developers alike. Most developers offer flexible payment plans, and longer payment periods, which is

Promoters of some sturdy real estate like the evolving Eko Atlantic City will be at the event.

Enlighten us about the new city…

The Eko Atlantic Shoreline and Reclamation Project seeks to provide approximately 1000 hectares of high-quality land for development within the heart of Lagos, and will indeed offer a long-term solution to the shoreline erosion problems at Victoria Island, Lagos but many people are unaware about the major positives.

That’s why one of our objectives is to address the myths and misconceptions surrounding real estate in Nigeria.

Fears around the Eko Atlantic are largely unfounded and rely on the assumption that all things Nigerian are fraught with a substandard approach. However, that premise is faulty and not supported by both local and international observers of this project. In actual sense, there is a real dearth of knowledge about the Eko Atlantic project and its impact on the Environment. At the start of the Eko Atlantic project, an Environmental Impact Assessment Report was commissioned and granted to Royal Haskoning, a leading EIA firm in consultation with the Federal Ministry of Environment and the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA), as well as Lagos State Ministry of the Environment (LASMOE). We have to remember that successive federal and state governments have been involved in certifying this project, including former Governors Tinubu, and Fashola, and current Governor Ambode. It would take an incredible level of conspiracy to expect that every one of these leaders will turn a blind eye to something so significant.

Lagos Students Embark on Ecotourism of Lagos Wetlands Fadekemi Ajakaiye As part of efforts to sustain the environment, the Lagos State Government has resorted to students of secondary schools to champion the ideals of conserving the state wetlands and its biodiversity through ecotourism.

The Commissioner for the Environment, Dr. Babatunde Adejare made this known during the press briefing to mark the commencement of the second edition of the Conservation Ecotourism for students in Lagos State Second-

ary Schools in Alausa, recently.

Adejare maintained that the ecotourism had the primary intention of changing the perception of the general public about conventional tourism, especially as it relates to the environment.

“The goal of this programme is to encourage sustainable travel practices that promote the conservation of protected natural areas in the State and expose students to the natural environment,” he said.

According to him the Youth Wetlands Education and Eco-tourism programme

would provide science-based, hands-on activities for students to gain proper understanding of the functions and values of wetlands and explore strategies for sustaining these unique ecosystems.

He said government was not comfortable with alarming rate of wetlands and biodiversity loss in Lagos State as exemplified by the National Theater and Iju wetlands, which was as a result of indiscriminate destruction of natural habitats, reclamation for housing estate development and population expansion.

30

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2017 Ëž T H I S D AY

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

ICRC Launches PPP Contracts Disclosure Portal Obinna Chima In line with the federal governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s drive to ensure transparency in the public-private partnership (PPP) model it is deploying to finance critical infrastructure projects, the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) at the weekend launched the first of its kind contract disclosure portal.

The acting Director-General of the ICRC, Chidi Izuwah, in a presentation at the event that took place in Abuja, obtained

by THISDAY, revealed that the World Bank and ICRC developed the dedicated web portal for the disclosure of all PPP contracts information by the government.

He said the portal would ensure timely disclosure of contract information from project initiation through to the implementation and hand-back phase of PPP

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The web portal will be dynamic in nature. More information is made available as the various projects progress. It will be a respiratory of information of current happenings and events regarding PPPs in Nigeria,â&#x20AC;? he explained.

Furthermore, the ICRC boss said the portalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s framework clearly shows the various elements for disclosure depending on the stage of the project.

A PPP is a contractual agreement between a public agency (federal, state or local) and a private sector entity. Through this agreement, the skills and assets of each sector (public and private) are shared in delivering a service or facility for the use of the general public.

In addition to the sharing of resources, each party shares in the risks and rewards potential in the delivery of the service and/ or facility.

projects to the government.

According to Izuwah, the disclosure exercise supports President Muhammadu Buhariâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s effort at institutionalising transparency and accountability in the procurement of PPP projects in Nigeria.

He further pointed out that the onus for information generation and uploading on the web-based platform would be shared by ICRC, the contracting authority, and the private party to the contract. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Information will be uploaded by the contracting authority and ICRC after redacting confidential information. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The contracting authority will upload all information and documents in the web-based platform, so as to leave at least seven days within the given timelines for ICRC to validate and approve the information for public disclosure.

CBN Intervenes with $195 Million The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday boosted the foreign exchange (forex) market by offering a total of $195million in three segments of the market.

In the wholesale Secondary Market Intervention Sales (SMIS), of the interbank forex market, it auctioned $100 million and also intervened in the small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) and invisible segments with the sum of $50 million and $45 million respectively.

This weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s intervention came in the midst of the Monetary Policy Committee meeting whose outcome would be announced today.

only last week, the CBN had threatened to sanction any Deposit Money Bank (DMB) in breach of its earlier directive of March 3, 2017, which instructed them to, among other things, open teller points for retail forex transactions and to have electronic display boards in all their branches, showing rates of all trading currencies.

He stated that the Bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s firm stance goes to reiterate its commitment to ensure liquidity in the foreign exchange market, where all genuine requests will be met in line with extant forex guidelines, noting that it would foster more transparency and to make the public become aware that these facilities exist.

The CBN had last week carried out a major intervention, to the tune of $545 million.

CBNâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s acting Director, Corporate Communications, Isaac Okorafor reiterated that the Bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s intervention was to maintain its commitment to sustain liquidity in the market to meet genuine requests as well as deepen flexibility in the foreign exchange market.

He said the CBN would continue to work on achieving the objective of convergence of rates in the various segments of the market, and would continue to strive that the forex market guarantees transparency in the sale of foreign exchange.

Okorafor recalled that

Financial Advisers Begin Collation of Returns on N100bn Sukuk The financial advisers to Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s maiden N100 billion Sukuk - FBN Merchant Bank Limited and Lotus Financial Services Limited â&#x20AC;&#x201C; are currently collating the offer returns after receiving submissions from the receiving banks and placement agents.

The Sukuk will then be allotted to successful investors after this process.

However, there are indications that the financial advisers may require some time for the collation and allotment due to the level of interest shown by retail investors in the offer which closed on Friday.

The federal government had expressed the desire to

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have identified the road projects that it is going to be tied to and there is no religious attachment to it. South Africa even did a sovereign Sukuk before Nigeria. So, there is no Islamisation agenda at all.â&#x20AC;?

The minister stressed that the Sukuk was part of the governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s programme to deepen the financial market.

Furthermore, Adeosun disclosed that the framework for the debt instrument predated the present government.

According to the minister, a lot of investors were not even bothered about the ethical consideration surrounding the Islamic bond, but were more focused on the yield.

use the Sukuk issuance as a tool for financial inclusion by giving retail investors the opportunity to invest in the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s development.

The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun at the weekend explained that the bond offering which closed last Friday, was issued to raise funds for infrastructure development.

Adeosun said the government had identified projects the funds raised would be deployed to.

She explained: â&#x20AC;&#x153;So, there is no religious driver behind it. It is really a financial product to meet the financial needs. This particular one of N100 billion is going to be used for road projects.

Stanbic IBTC to Empower SMEs In line with its promise to help stimulate and grow a strong and viable small and medium scale enterprises sector, Stanbic IBTC Bank, a member of Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc has concluded plans to host the fourth edition of its capacity building workshops scheduled to run from 9 October â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 30 October 2017 across eight cities in the country.

The bank said the rationale behind its sustaining the capacity building series, stems from its deep understanding of the important role enterprises play in providing linkages

to industries, employment generation, and the enthusiastic participation by operators over the last three years since the initiative was inaugurated.

It explained in a statement that expanding the scope, reach and impact of the specialised training last year was to benefit more businesses as part of its contribution to building capacity and deepening knowledge essential to business success and continuity in the sector.

The events would hold in Lagos, Ibadan, Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt, Aba, Onitsha

and Enugu over the above mentioned period.

Speaking on modifications made to this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s series to further drive value, enrich the training as well as the course content, Executive Director, Personal and Business Banking, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mr. Babatunde Macaulay, said the bank had engaged the services of the renowned China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), which offers a range of functional and integrative general management Executive Education programmes.

Izuwah

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)

26,970,297.97

---- Credit to Government (Net)

4,595,579.89

---- Memo: Credit to Govt. (Net) less FMA

7,436,917.79

---- Memo: Fed. and Mirror Accounts (FMA)

-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&#x2122;Ă&#x;Ă&#x153;Ă?Ă? Ě&#x2039;

MANAGED FUNDS Month

December 2016

Inter-Bank Call Rate

10.39

Minimum Rediscount Rate (MRR) Monetary Policy Rate (MPR)

14.00

Treasury Bill Rate

13.96

Savings Deposit Rate

4.18

1 Month Deposit Rate

8.53

3 Months Deposit Rate

8.80

6 Months Deposit Rate

10.23

12 Months Deposit Rate

10.76

Prime Lending rate

17.09

Maximum Lending Rate

28.55 Ëž Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2DC;Ă?Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x153;ĂŁ Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2013;Ă&#x201C;Ă?ĂŁ Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x17E;Ă? Ě&#x2039; ͯ͹Ϲ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE AS AT 22, FRIDAY 2017 The price of OPEC basket of fourteen crudes stood at $54.84 a barrel on Friday, compared with $54.59 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations. The OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Oriente (Ecuador), ZaďŹ ro (Equatorial Guinea), Rabi Light (Gabon), Iran Heavy (Islamic Republic of Iran), Basra Light (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Qatar Marine (Qatar), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and Merey (Venezuela)

SOURCE: OPEC headquarters, Vienna

31

˾ TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2017

Nigeria’s top 50 stocks based on market fundamentals

25-Sept-17 22-Sept-17

% Change

Capitalisation

EPS

P/E

P/S

Div. Yld Price/ Book Value

Table 1 Market Statistics Mkt Indicators

01 Dangote Cement Plc

213.00

213.00

0.00%

3,629,628,077,265.00

13.34

15.95

4.93

3.76%

4.40

02 Nigerian Breweries Plc

168.00

171.01

-1.76%

1,332,088,949,184.00

3.58

51.23

4.64

1.96%

8.77

03 Guaranty Trust Bank Plc

39.50

39.60

-0.25%

1,162,531,579,348.00

4.49

8.79

2.78

4.48%

2.16

1,225.00

1,230.00

-0.41%

971,003,908,700.00

10.00

122.02

5.32

2.38%

31.32

05 Zenith Bank Plc

22.01

22.05

-0.18%

691,036,828,229.86

4.13

5.52

1.41

7.89%

1.02

Table 3 Top 5 Gainers

06 Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc

39.50

39.50

0.00%

395,000,000,000.00

2.85

14.20

2.59

0.25%

2.88

Stock

07 Ecobank Transnational Incorporated

18.00

18.00

0.00%

330,291,921,870.00

0.68

26.61

0.56

3.44%

0.53

08 United Bank for Africa Plc

8.70

8.97

-3.01%

315,631,879,001.40

1.99

4.81

0.91

6.26%

0.78

09 Access Bank Plc

9.60

9.68

-0.83%

277,708,527,657.60

13.18

0.76

0.76

5.50%

0.64

450.00

450.00

0.00%

248,989,640,850.00 -82.02

-5.88

4.21

3.30%

0.71

11 Lafarge Africa Plc

50.00

51.48

-2.87%

227,745,090,500.00

3.71

15.36

1.18

5.26%

1.04

12 Presco Plc

57.06

57.06

0.00%

226,555,420,187.70

0.03 2,338.93

3.81

1.90%

6.49

04 Nestle Nigeria Plc

10 Seplat Petroleum Dev. Co. Ltd

13 FBN Holdings Plc

5.61

5.63

-0.36%

201,372,592,563.12

0.16

35.99

0.35

2.55%

0.35

14 Unilever Nigeria Plc

44.10

44.10

0.00%

166,843,364,625.00

0.81

49.26

2.17

0.13%

12.95

15 Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc

13.80

13.70

0.73%

165,600,000,000.00

2.01

6.92

0.77

3.60%

2.19

16 Guinness Nig Plc

99.28

99.28

0.00%

149,504,579,304.64

-3.06

-25.17

1.12

4.16%

2.94

17 International Breweries Plc

37.55

37.55

0.00%

123,699,060,464.00

0.02 1,642.11

4.58

0.68%

11.11

231.00

225.00

2.67%

78,429,544,347.00

43.58

5.43

0.28

5.92%

3.41

5.80

5.83

-0.51%

69,800,789,585.20

0.29

23.59

0.18

10.95%

0.43

20 Flour Mills Nig. Plc

26.55

26.55

0.00%

69,673,497,314.85

3.71

7.82

0.14

6.90%

0.72

21 Forte Oil Plc.

49.90

49.90

0.00%

64,993,807,039.70

3.66

13.66

0.50

6.90%

1.38

170.00

170.00

0.00%

61,301,194,540.00

22.61

7.69

0.67

4.14%

2.92

23 Okomu Oil Palm Plc

63.21

63.21

0.00%

60,296,651,100.00

5.15

12.75

4.36

0.15%

3.68

24 7-Up Bottling Comp. Plc

90.00

90.00

0.00%

57,653,132,670.00 -21.86

-4.21

0.52

2.39%

5.47

1.26

1.23

2.44%

48,788,456,755.50

-0.03

-43.98

0.83

0.00%

0.57

29.33

29.33

0.00%

38,715,600,000.00

-2.89

-11.83

0.32

4.39%

0.64

1.30

1.30

0.00%

37,651,361,399.60

0.39

3.54

0.26

11.68%

0.21

28 National Salt Co. Nig. Plc

12.50

12.50

0.00%

33,117,979,725.00

0.91

14.26

1.88

4.23%

4.28

29 U A C N Plc

15.19

15.19

0.00%

29,177,930,038.53

3.37

4.44

0.38

6.68%

0.38

30 Sterling Bank Plc

1.00

1.00

0.00%

28,790,418,126.00

0.18

5.86

0.27

8.57%

0.35

31 Diamond Bank Plc

1.14

1.12

1.79%

26,402,843,423.52

-0.29

-4.02

0.13

0.00%

0.12

32 Glaxo Smithkline Consumer Nig. Plc

22.00

21.40

2.80%

26,309,282,736.00

3.02

6.95

1.67

1.43%

1.50

33 PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc

25.22

25.22

0.00%

25,220,000,000.00

5.69

4.73

1.87

0.37%

0.72

34 Cap Plc

33.00

33.00

0.00%

23,100,000,000.00

2.17

15.89

3.54

3.33%

16.77

35 Custodian And Allied Insurance Plc

3.63

3.46

4.91%

21,351,167,027.85

1.06

3.35

0.51

3.93%

0.64

36 FCMB Group Plc

1.06

1.02

3.92%

20,990,873,427.86

0.09

13.13

0.13

8.93%

0.12

11.00

11.00

0.00%

20,660,222,440.00

-0.64

-18.74

0.70

10.77%

2.15

38 Mansard Insurance Plc

1.91

1.90

0.53%

20,055,000,000.00

0.25

7.57

0.96

2.63%

0.99

39 Wema Bank Plc

0.50

0.50

0.00%

19,287,233,040.50

0.07

7.59

0.37

0.00%

0.41

40 Continental Reinsurance Plc

1.57

1.57

0.00%

16,285,208,569.84

0.30

4.51

0.54

8.96%

0.69

41 Honeywell Flour Mill Plc

1.95

1.90

2.63%

15,463,885,433.10

-0.40

-5.19

0.35

7.62%

0.50

42 Cement Co. Of North.Nig. Plc

8.80

8.80

0.00%

11,058,764,340.80

1.29

6.96

0.70

1.11%

0.90

43 Skye Bank Plc

0.53

0.55

-3.64%

7,356,559,747.30

-2.93

-0.21

0.05

49.18%

0.08

44 Wapic Insurance Plc

0.50

0.50

0.00%

6,691,369,126.00

0.18

2.78

0.85

6.00%

0.41

45 Unity Bank Plc

0.54

0.52

3.85%

6,312,242,488.68

0.19

3.16

0.08

0.00%

0.08

46 Resort Savings & Loans Plc

0.50

0.50

0.00%

5,664,866,202.00

0.03

17.71

3.72

0.00%

1.94

47 UACN Property Development Co. Limited

3.00

3.00

0.00%

5,156,249,985.00

-0.90

-3.23

0.79

24.05%

0.15

48 Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc

3.03

3.03

0.00%

4,921,382,812.50

0.36

9.51

0.69

5.88%

0.85

49 Fidson Healthcare Plc

3.15

3.00

5.00%

4,725,000,000.00

0.50

6.46

0.41

1.56%

0.69

50 AIICO Insurance Plc

0.54

0.54

0.00%

3,742,310,419.20

1.48

0.38

0.14

8.93%

0.45

18 Total Nigeria Plc 19 Oando Plc

22 Mobil Oil Nig Plc

25 Transnational Corporation Of Nigeria Plc 26 Julius Berger Nig. Plc 27 Fidelity Bank Plc

37 Cadbury Nigeria Plc

TOTAL

11,584,376,243,611.80

TOTAL MARKET CAP

12,130,399,898,006.60

% OF MARKET CAP Annotation - MA* = Simple Moving Average

95.50%

Open Close Change % 22-Sept-17 25-Sept-17

NSE All Share Index NSE Market Cap (N'Trillion) Thisday BGL 50 Index Thisday BGL 50 Market Cap (N'Trillion)

35,488.81 12.23

35,358.73 12.19

-0.37 -0.37

149.34 11.63

148.78 11.58

-0.38 -0.38

Open Close Change % 22-Sept-17 25-Sept-17

Fidson Healthcare Plc Custodian And Allied Insurance Plc FCMB Group Plc Unity Bank Plc Glaxo Smithkline Consumer Nig. Plc

3.00 3.46

3.15 3.63

5.00 4.91

1.02 0.52 21.40

1.06 0.54 22.00

3.92 3.85 2.80

Table 4 Top 5 Losers Stock

Open Close Change % 22-Sept-17 25-Sept-17

Skye Bank Plc United Bank for Africa Plc Lafarge Africa Plc Nigerian Breweries Plc Access Bank Plc

0.55 8.97 51.48 171.01 9.68

0.53 8.70 50.00 168.00 9.60

-3.64 -3.01 -2.87 -1.76 -0.83

Market starts week with 0.37% loss Market pulse on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) today - Monday, September 25th, 2017 ended negative as the market closed red. This was further highlighted by negative performance from the NSE Subsectors: Banking, Consumer Goods and Oil & Gas (Save Insurance). However, trading activities decreased in volume as 107 million shares worth N1.37 billion in 2,848 deals exchanged hands today. This is a decrease from the 192.20 million shares worth N3.68 billion in 2,814 trades were carried out on Friday. Topping in volume terms are: Meyer Plc, FCMB Group Plc and Niger Insurance Plc; while Nestle Nigeria Plc and Guaranty Trust Bank Plc ended trading as the most active stocks in value terms.

The All Share Index (NSEASI) closed negative with 0.37% (-130.08) decrease to close at 35,358.73 from 35,488.81 the previous trading day. Market capitalization depreciated in tandem to N12.19 trillion from N12.23 trillion of prior trading day. Similarly, the Thisday BGL 50 Index closes with an increase of 0.38% to 148.78 from 149.34 recorded at the end of the previous trading day, while its market capitalization stood at N11.58 trillion from N11.63 trillion of the previous trading day.

A total number of 19 stocks gained on the bourse today while 17 stocks declined, leaving 67 stocks unchanged. Leading the pack again was Fidson Healthcare Plc led with a gain of 5.00% to close at N3.15 per share. It was followed by Newrest Asl Nigeria Plc with a gain of 4.99% to close at N7.16 per share.

Others on the gainers’ list include: Custodian And Allied Insurance Plc, Eterna Plc and C&I Leasing Plc. On the decliners’ list, Jaiz Bank Plc led with a loss of 4.29% to close at N0.67 per share. It was followed by Skye Bank Plc with a loss of 3.64% to close at N0.53 per share.

Others on the decliners list include: Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals Plc, United Bank for Africa Plc and Lafarge Africa Plc. Fidson Healthcare Plc emerged the toast of investors as it topped the Thisday BGL 50 Index gainers’ list with a gain of 5.00% to close at N3.15 per share. It was followed by Custodian And Allied Insurance Plc with a gain of 5.00% to close at N25.22 per share. Others on the gainers chart include: FCMB Group Plc, Unity Bank Plc and GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nig. Plc. On the decliners’ list, Skye Bank Plc led with a loss of 3.64% to close at N0.53 per share. It was closely followed by United Bank for Africa Plc with a loss of 3.01% to close at N8.70 per share. Others on the decliners’ list are: Lafarge Africa Plc, Nigerian Breweries Plc and Access Bank Plc. REQUIRED DISCLOSURE This report has been prepared by BGL Plc. BGL Plc does and seeks to do business with companies covered in its research reports. As a result, the firm may have a conflict of interest that could affect the objectivity of this report. Investors should use this report as one of many other factors in making their investment decisions.

For more details go to www.thisdaylive.com

32

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2017 ˾ T H I S D AY

MARKET NEWS

Ogunbanjo Emerges President of Nigerian Stock Exchange Goddy Egene and Nosa Alekhuogie The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) yesterday elected Mr. Abimbola Ogunbanjo as the new president of national council of the exchange. He will take over from Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, who has served his three-year tenure.

Ogunbanjo was elected at the

NSE’ national council meeting held immediately after its 56th annual general meeting(AGM) in Lagos.

Ogunbanjo joined the national council of the exchange in 2011 and has been the first vice president since 2014. He is currently the Managing Partner of the corporate law firm of Chris Ogunbanjo & Co. He is the chairman of the

T H E MAIN BOARD Activity Summary on Board DEBT Federal Bond Name 15.54% FGN FEB 2020 16.00% FGN JUN 2019 Federal Totals DEBT Board Totals Bond Activity Totals Daily Summary (Equities) Activity Summary on Board EQTY AGRICULTURE Crop Production OKOMU OIL PALM PLC. PRESCO PLC Crop Production Totals Livestock/Animal Specialties LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC. Livestock/Animal Specialties Totals AGRICULTURE Totals CONGLOMERATES Diversified Industries A.G. LEVENTIS NIGERIA PLC. JOHN HOLT PLC. S C O A NIG. PLC. TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION OF NIGERIA PLC U A C N PLC. Diversified Industries Totals CONGLOMERATES Totals CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Building Construction ARBICO PLC. Building Construction Totals Infrastructure/Heavy Construction JULIUS BERGER NIG. PLC. Infrastructure/Heavy Construction Totals Real Estate Development UACN PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT CO. LIMITED Real Estate Development Totals CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Totals CONSUMER GOODS Automobiles/Auto Parts DN TYRE & RUBBER PLC Automobiles/Auto Parts Totals Beverages--Brewers/Distillers CHAMPION BREW. PLC. GUINNESS NIG PLC INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC. NIGERIAN BREW. PLC. Beverages--Brewers/Distillers Totals Beverages--Non-Alcoholic 7-UP BOTTLING COMP. PLC. Beverages--Non-Alcoholic Totals Food Products DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC. HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC NASCON ALLIED INDUSTRIES PLC Food Products Totals Food Products--Diversified CADBURY NIGERIA PLC. NESTLE NIGERIA PLC. Food Products--Diversified Totals Household Durables VITAFOAM NIG PLC. Household Durables Totals Personal/Household Products P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC. UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC. Personal/Household Products Totals CONSUMER GOODS Totals FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking ACCESS BANK PLC. DIAMOND BANK PLC ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED FIDELITY BANK PLC GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC. JAIZ BANK PLC STERLING BANK PLC. UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC UNION BANK NIG.PLC. UNITY BANK PLC WEMA BANK PLC. Banking Totals Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services AIICO INSURANCE PLC. CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC CORNERSTONE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC. AXAMANSARD INSURANCE PLC N.E.M INSURANCE CO (NIG) PLC. NIGER INSURANCE CO. PLC. STANDARD TRUST ASSURANCE PLC STANDARD ALLIANCE INSURANCE PLC. UNITY KAPITAL ASSURANCE PLC UNIVERSAL INSURANCE COMPANY PLC WAPIC INSURANCE PLC Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals Micro-Finance Banks FORTIS MICROFINANCE BANK PLC NPF MICROFINANCE BANK PLC Micro-Finance Banks Totals Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services INFINITY TRUST MORTGAGE BANK PLC Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals Other Financial Institutions AFRICA PRUDENTIAL REGISTRARS PLC CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED PLC DEAP CAPITAL MANAGEMENT & TRUST PLC FCMB GROUP PLC. STANBIC IBTC HOLDINGS PLC UNITED CAPITAL PLC Other Financial Institutions Totals

DEALS

MARKET PRICE

Demutualisation Advisory Committee of the NSE. Also, Mr. Abubakar Mahmoud, President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and one of the founding partners of the law firm of Dikko & Mahmoud was elected as first vice president while Mrs. Catherine Echeozo, former Deputy Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank, was

N I G E R I A N QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

No. of Deals 1 1 2 2 2

Current Price 98.7 135

Quantity Traded 105 100 205 205 205

Value Traded 103,815.41 137,197.80 241,013.21 241,013.21 241,013.21

No. of Deals 11 4 15 No. of Deals 5 5 20

Current Price 44.18 46

Quantity Traded 41,208 5,201 46,409 Quantity Traded 153,470 153,470 199,879

Value Traded 1,887,024.20 240,161.40 2,127,185.60 Value Traded 119,266.60 119,266.60 2,246,452.20

Current Price 0.78

No. of Deals 1 1 4 56 48 110 110

Current Price 0.78 0.66 3.77 0.78 15.1

Quantity Traded 100 500 10,000 4,840,952 350,363 5,201,915 5,201,915

Value Traded 78 315 35,900.00 3,807,735.66 5,054,510.34 8,898,539.00 8,898,539.00

No. of Deals 1 1 No. of Deals 5 5 No. of Deals 65 65 71

Current Price 4.79

Quantity Traded 200 200 Quantity Traded 10,272 10,272 Quantity Traded 1,656,711 1,656,711 1,667,183

Value Traded 958 958 Value Traded 375,647.04 375,647.04 Value Traded 3,493,667.49 3,493,667.49 3,870,272.53

No. of Deals 1 1 No. of Deals 3 64 7 208 282 No. of Deals 18 18 No. of Deals 33 22 32 15 11 113 No. of Deals 25 98 123 No. of Deals 14 14 No. of Deals 26 17 43 594

Current Price 0.5

Quantity Traded 100,000 100,000 Quantity Traded 5,160 288,915 51,123 1,386,914 1,732,112 Quantity Traded 6,947 6,947 Quantity Traded 616,050 345,909 84,482 1,028,600 117,500 2,192,541 Quantity Traded 136,880 133,592 270,472 Quantity Traded 140,811 140,811 Quantity Traded 203,505 43,451 246,956 4,689,839

Value Traded 50,000.00 50,000.00 Value Traded 11,558.40 17,613,098.61 801,955.76 156,078,414.27 174,505,027.04 Value Traded 675,390.11 675,390.11 Value Traded 2,410,595.00 2,125,832.90 1,491,827.07 1,128,310.00 833,010.00 7,989,574.97 Value Traded 1,172,206.13 79,110,103.35 80,282,309.48 Value Traded 289,850.97 289,850.97 Value Traded 2,596,373.80 1,424,799.57 4,021,173.37 267,813,325.94

Quantity Traded 11,476,994 1,149,393 58,189 8,142,068 20,039,315 1,081,695 25,994,229 5,772,233 251,225 350 800 73,966,491 Quantity Traded 214,682 503,100 200 3,000 44,144 900 5,100 1,000 401,000 1,000 384 1,174,510 Quantity Traded 1,000 25,100 26,100 Quantity Traded 1,000 1,000 Quantity Traded 450,576 325,400 1,000 3,530,043 12,830 8,474,959 12,794,808

Value Traded 76,018,367.81 990,711.98 560,377.50 6,806,919.19 477,105,071.95 1,417,729.20 18,222,090.30 27,705,413.04 1,185,050.41 276.5 408 610,012,415.88 Value Traded 126,611.20 530,295.00 100 4,770.00 36,196.64 450 2,550.00 500 200,500.00 500 192 902,664.84 Value Traded 2,700.00 27,111.00 29,811.00 Value Traded 1,440.00 1,440.00 Value Traded 1,399,304.19 1,084,759.00 500 4,689,332.14 211,696.60 31,174,405.94 38,559,997.87

No. of Deals 167 26 27 69 219 24 1,530 73 33 1 1 2,170 No. of Deals 9 6 2 2 5 1 2 1 2 1 2 33 No. of Deals 1 2 3 No. of Deals 1 1 No. of Deals 31 16 1 68 6 132 254

Current Price 34.83 Current Price 2.12

Current Price 2.35 60.92 16.15 117.5 Current Price 106.5 Current Price 4.1 6.1 18 1.1 7.03 Current Price 9 600 Current Price 2.08 Current Price 12.16 34

Current Price 6.6 0.86 9.8 0.84 23.8 1.31 0.7 4.8 4.9 0.83 0.5 Current Price 0.59 1.05 0.5 1.59 0.79 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 Current Price 2.58 1.08 Current Price 1.47 Current Price 3.05 3.32 0.5 1.31 17 3.7

elected as second vice president.

Speaking after his election, Ogunbanjo assured that he would build on the achievements of the recent years, noting that taking the reins of leadership of the Exchange has been made easier by the transformational groundwork laid the council led by Aig-Imoukhuede.

“I have worked closely with my predecessor in pursuing our

STO C K

collective vision and building a world class exchange. Together with the other Council members I now look forward to the successful implementation of the transformative initiatives articulated in our 2018 – 2021 corporate strategy,” Ogunbanjo said.

In his speech, Chief Executive Officer, NSE, Mr. Oscar Onyema, commended Aig-Imoukhuede

for his immense contributions, commitment and distinction in service.

According to him, AigImoukhuede brought handson experience and business expertise to the council which contributed to the development of the exchange despite the harsh economic and policy environment that characterized his tenure.

E XC H A N G E

MAIN BOARD FINANCIAL SERVICES Totals HEALTHCARE Healthcare Providers UNION DIAGNOSTIC & CLINICAL SERVICES PLC Healthcare Providers Totals Pharmaceuticals FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC GLAXO SMITHKLINE CONSUMER NIG. PLC. MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. NEIMETH INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC PHARMA-DEKO PLC. Pharmaceuticals Totals HEALTHCARE Totals ICT IT Services TRIPPLE GEE AND COMPANY PLC. IT Services Totals Processing Systems CHAMS PLC Processing Systems Totals ICT Totals INDUSTRIAL GOODS Building Materials ASHAKA CEM PLC BERGER PAINTS PLC CAP PLC CEMENT CO. OF NORTH.NIG. PLC MEYER PLC. LAFARGE AFRICA PLC. Building Materials Totals Electronic and Electrical Products CUTIX PLC. Electronic and Electrical Products Totals Packaging/Containers BETA GLASS PLC. GREIF NIGERIA PLC Packaging/Containers Totals INDUSTRIAL GOODS Totals NATURAL RESOURCES Metals ALUMINIUM EXTRUSION IND. PLC. Metals Totals NATURAL RESOURCES Totals OIL AND GAS Energy Equipment and Services JAPAUL OIL & MARITIME SERVICES PLC Energy Equipment and Services Totals Integrated Oil and Gas Services OANDO PLC Integrated Oil and Gas Services Totals Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors CONOIL PLC ETERNA PLC. FORTE OIL PLC. MOBIL OIL NIG PLC. MRS OIL NIGERIA PLC. TOTAL NIGERIA PLC. Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors Totals Exploration and Production SEPLAT PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LTD Exploration and Production Totals OIL AND GAS Totals SERVICES Advertising AFROMEDIA PLC Advertising Totals Courier/Freight/Delivery RED STAR EXPRESS PLC TRANS-NATIONWIDE EXPRESS PLC. Courier/Freight/Delivery Totals Hotels/Lodging TOURIST COMPANY OF NIGERIA PLC. TRANSCORP HOTELS PLC Hotels/Lodging Totals Printing/Publishing LEARN AFRICA PLC STUDIO PRESS (NIG) PLC. Printing/Publishing Totals Transport-Related Services NEWREST ASL NIGERIA PLC NIGERIAN AVIATION HANDLING COMPANY PLC Transport-Related Services Totals Support and Logistics CAVERTON OFFSHORE SUPPORT GRP PLC C & I LEASING PLC. Support and Logistics Totals SERVICES Totals EQTY Board Totals Daily Summary (Equities) Activity Summary on Board ASeM FINANCIAL SERVICES Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services OMOLUABI MORTGAGE BANK PLC Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals FINANCIAL SERVICES Totals ASeM Board Totals Daily Summary (Equities) Activity Summary on Board PREMIUM FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking ZENITH INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC Banking Totals Other Financial Institutions FBN HOLDINGS PLC Other Financial Institutions Totals FINANCIAL SERVICES Totals INDUSTRIAL GOODS Building Materials DANGOTE CEMENT PLC Building Materials Totals INDUSTRIAL GOODS Totals PREMIUM Board Totals Equity Activity Totals

DEALS

MARKET PRICE

2,461 No. of Deals 1 1 No. of Deals 13 12 4 6 2 37 38

Current Price 0.5 Current Price 1.01 14.75 1 0.66 1.95

No. of Deals 1 1 No. of Deals 1 1 2

Current Price 1.3

No. of Deals 7 2 7 11 1 20 48 No. of Deals 15 15 No. of Deals 3 1 4 67

Current Price 11.25 6.08 29.6 4.28 0.87 42

Current Price 0.5

Current Price 1.45 Current Price 36.45 9.69

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

87,962,909

649,506,329.59

Quantity Traded 738,000 738,000 Quantity Traded 5,177,490 110,135 5,015 11,000 900 5,304,540 6,042,540

Value Traded 369,000.00 369,000.00 Value Traded 5,178,570.00 1,551,318.88 4,770.10 7,063.20 1,836.00 6,743,558.18 7,112,558.18

Quantity Traded 2,438 2,438 Quantity Traded 100,000 100,000 102,438

Value Traded 3,023.12 3,023.12 Value Traded 50,000.00 50,000.00 53,023.12

Quantity Traded 11,405 2,997 1,215,127 141,429 300 23,390 1,394,648 Quantity Traded 792,168 792,168 Quantity Traded 70,030 100 70,130 2,256,946

Value Traded 130,100.00 17,322.66 35,970,022.30 604,431.24 249 987,177.40 37,709,302.60 Value Traded 1,142,840.30 1,142,840.30 Value Traded 2,552,593.50 1,016.00 2,553,609.50 41,405,752.40

No. of Deals 1 1 1

Current Price 9.75

Quantity Traded 2,000 2,000 2,000

Value Traded 18,540.00 18,540.00 18,540.00

No. of Deals 2 2 No. of Deals 76 76 No. of Deals 16 20 229 20 1 16 302 No. of Deals 2 2 382

Current Price 0.5

Quantity Traded 18,000 18,000 Quantity Traded 1,722,434 1,722,434 Quantity Traded 35,100 284,436 905,220 12,017 100 8,826 1,245,699 Quantity Traded 5,150 5,150 2,991,283

Value Traded 9,000.00 9,000.00 Value Traded 8,234,046.51 8,234,046.51 Value Traded 1,190,988.64 886,497.72 56,399,639.77 3,215,511.70 3,708.00 2,400,901.12 64,097,246.95 Value Traded 2,045,501.50 2,045,501.50 74,385,794.96

Quantity Traded 55,000 55,000 Quantity Traded 575 29,090 29,665 Quantity Traded 1,000 13,000 14,000 Quantity Traded 500 1,000 1,500 Quantity Traded 101,050 46,801 147,851 Quantity Traded 274,973 1,000 275,973 523,989 111,640,921

Value Traded 27,500.00 27,500.00 Value Traded 2,645.75 26,607.80 29,253.55 Value Traded 3,550.00 61,623.60 65,173.60 Value Traded 355 2,190.00 2,545.00 Value Traded 275,866.50 114,662.45 390,528.95 Value Traded 242,233.86 500 242,733.86 757,734.96 1,056,068,322.88

No. of Deals 1 1 No. of Deals 2 3 5 No. of Deals 1 3 4 No. of Deals 1 1 2 No. of Deals 7 6 13 No. of Deals 14 1 15 40 3,786

Current Price 4.71 Current Price 35.49 3.24 62.5 275.99 39.03 270 Current Price 380

Current Price 0.5 Current Price 4.4 0.91 Current Price 3.65 4.98 Current Price 0.68 2.19 Current Price 2.73 2.57 Current Price 0.9 0.5

No. of Deals 1 1 1 1

Current Price 0.9

Quantity Traded 100,000 100,000 100,000 100,000

Value Traded 90,000.00 90,000.00 90,000.00 90,000.00

No. of Deals 279 279 No. of Deals 140 140 419

Current Price 15.01

Quantity Traded 48,467,690 48,467,690 Quantity Traded 1,684,690 1,684,690 50,152,380

Value Traded 727,624,234.12 727,624,234.12 Value Traded 5,345,599.68 5,345,599.68 732,969,833.80

No. of Deals 10 10 10 429 4,216

Current Price 169

Quantity Traded 45,766 45,766 45,766 50,198,146 161,939,067

Value Traded 7,736,239.30 7,736,239.30 7,736,239.30 740,706,073.10 1,796,864,395.98

Current Price 3.2

33

˾ TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2017

MARKET NEWS

Consolidated Hallmark Insurance Shops for N500m Capital Goddy Egene Underwriting firm, Consolidated Hallmark Insurance (CHI) Plc will soon begin to shop for N500million additional capital from existing shareholders of the company.

CHI is offering to its existing shareholders 1,000,000,000 ordinary shares of 50 kobo each at 50 kobo per share. The offer will open on 16th and close on 22nd of October 2017, with Planet Capital Limited as the

issuing house.

The company is embarking on the Rights Issue to raise N500 million for business expansion. Specifically, the net proceed of the issue will be applied towards financing the acquisition of a life insurance company.

Speaking at the Completion Board Meeting held in Lagos, Chairman of CHI Mr. Obinna Ekezie, said: “While CHI has continued to perform well on several parameters, the essence of this capital raising exercise

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

is to fund the company’s expansion by strategically taking advantage of emerging opportunities in the insurance industry, especially in the life segment of the market.

Ekezie also said that this will aid in positioning the company as a market leader in the industry, continue on the path of profitability, robust balance sheet, creation of value to its shareholders and overall improvement in its perception in the market thereby making it more competitive.

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 22Sept-2017, unless otherwise stated.

According to him, CHI Plc has carved out a niche for itself through big ticket transactions in aviation, oil and gas, marine cargo and hull business and other nonlife insurance underwriting including motor, fire and special perils, goods-in-transit, engineering insurance, amongst others.

“With a formidable team of highly experienced professionals, CHI Plc prides itself in providing a robust training and retraining

programme to enable the team keep abreast of developments locally and at the global level. This is backed by the deployment of a state-of-the art technology infrastructure that ensures prompt service delivery on-line real-time across all its branch and regional office network nationwide,” he added.

Looking ahead, Ekezie said CHI Plc is undergoing a digital transformation exercise which will enable it position itself strategically.

“It is believed that it would help the company deliver exceptional returns to shareholders, be profitable and increase its market share as part of a comprehensive five-year strategic plan currently being implemented,” he said.

The chairman disclosed that company has also finalised plans to revamp its agency unit to enable it position appropriately for microinsurance, taking advantage of the volume of sales accruable from the low-income class.

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 170.54 171.26 34.30% Nigeria International Debt Fund 232.64 233.46 10.01% 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 0.79 0.80 13.59% ACAP Income Funds 0.63 0.63 79.02% 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 18.92% 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 16.53 17.03 33.92% ARM Discovery Fund 352.90 363.54 22.89% ARM Ethical Fund 25.13 25.89 12.50% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 18.31% 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 140.40 141.39 33.49% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 18.77% 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 19.04% Paramount Equity Fund 11.57 11.87 23.63% Women's Investment Fund 94.94 97.47 12.28% 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 19.70% 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 1,136.88 1,138.02 12.04% FBN Heritage Fund 140.86 142.11 26.37% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 19.97% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional $110.74 $111.73 7.68% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail $110.19 $111.19 7.89% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 148.49 150.64 31.88% 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 1.31 1.34 40.96% Legacy Short Maturity (NGN) Fund 2.88 2.88 11.88% 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 2,818.67 2,860.94 28.28% Coral Income Fund 2,363.79 2,363.79 13.44% GREENWICH ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gtlgroup.com Web: www.gtlgroup.com ; Tel: +234 1 4619261-2 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Greenwich Plus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 16.01% INVESTMENT ONE FUNDS MANAGEMENT LTD enquiries@investment-one.com Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Abacus Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 18.25% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.03 2.05 20.58% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 17.98%

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 1.13 1.15 13.87% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,042.16 1,042.16 8.38% 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 12.32 12.42 27.45% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 18.96% 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 1.17 1.19 17.92% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 10.81 10.87 4.00% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 14.42% SCM CAPITAL LIMITED info@scmcapitalng.com Web: www.scmcapitalng.com; Tel: +234 1-280 2226,+234 1- 280 2227 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SCM Capital Frontier Fund 119.89 122.00 18.31% 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 1.38 1.38 10.58% 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 2,139.03 2,151.14 16.81% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 166.23 166.23 7.97% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.93 0.95 22.08% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 210.16 210.16 12.45% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 165.46 167.56 27.43% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 18.57% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 9,148.90 133.72 20.62% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.04 1.04 4.00% SIAML PENSION 40 130.91 133.72 32.32% 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 1.31 1.32 16.82% United Capital Bond Fund 1.42 1.42 16.20% United Capital Equity Fund 0.83 0.85 24.15% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 18.43% 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 12.30 12.48 26.62% Zenith Ethical Fund 12.97 13.10 18.41% Zenith Income Fund 18.50 18.50 11.87%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

11.41 130.42

1.01% 5.20%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

10.55 102.74

10.65 104.67

22.31% 35.58%

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

4.23 9.08 16.37 19.18 133.12

4.27 9.16 16.47 19.38 135.12

52.86% 29.00% 38.48% 20.12% 5.15%

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.

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2017 ˾ T H I S D AY

34

INTERNATIONAL

email:foreigndesk@thisdaylive.com

German Election: MerkelVows to Win Back Right-WingVoters The German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said she wants to win back the voters who deserted her party for right-wing nationalist AfD. Mrs Merkel is set for a fourth term in office, despite heavy losses for her party.

She now faces months of coalition talks with several parties in order to form a stable government.

After winning its first parliamentary seats, AfD vowed to fight “an invasion of foreigners” into the country.

“We want a different policy,” co-leader Alexander Gauland said following the historic surge.

But splits have already emerged between AfD leaders on the party’s direction. There were surprising scenes at the party’s news conference on Monday morning when chairwoman Frauke Petry, the best known AfD politician, announced that she would not be part of the AfD bloc when she joins the Bundestag.

Mrs Merkel’s conservative CDU/ CSU alliance recorded its worst result in almost 70 years.

What are the coalition options?

Mrs Merkel’s conservative alliance has the largest number of seats and will form the next government - as the left-leaning parties together do not come remotely close to a parliamentary majority.

As working with AfD MPs would be unthinkable, and the second-placed SPD has apparently

ruled itself out, the most likely scenario is a “Jamaica” coalition, so-called because of the colours of Jamaica’s flag and the traditional colours of the German political parties.

Such a coalition - which has never been tried at the federal level - includes the black CDU/ CSU, the yellow, businessfriendly Free Democrats (FDP) - who are returning to parliament after a four-year hiatus with 80 seats - and the Greens (67 seats).

This combination could lead to prolonged horse-trading, as the Greens and FDP disagree on key policy issues.

Martin Schulz, who leads the Social Democrats (SPD), has vowed to prevent AfD from being the main opposition party and enjoying certain privileges as a result. He insists his party will not enter another coalition with the conservatives.

But the SPD’s stance has drawn the ire of other party leaders.

The FDP’s Christian Lindner said the Social Democrats’ “rash and sudden decision to stay in the opposition in parliament is irresponsible”.

The liberal FDP has been in government for more of Germany’s post-war history than any other party. After failing to win any seats in 2013, they have re-entered the Bundestag and will have 80 Mps.

The Greens, who increased their MPs to 67, said they were “deeply troubled” by the AfD being in parliament.

Regarding possible coalition talks, co-leader Katrin Göring-Eckardt said “negotiations between these four parties will be tough, it won’t be easy”.

On Monday the chancellor said she had wished for a better result in general.

“We have started to analyse the voters we lost, especially with regards to those who went on to vote for the AfD, we want to get them back by good politics and

Russia is committing “grave human rights violations” in Crimea, according to a report by the United Nations.

The UN human rights agency says it has documented arbitrary arrests, torture and at least one extra-judicial execution in the region.

“There is an urgent need for accountability,” UN human rights chief Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said.

Russia annexed the peninsula from Ukraine after the country’s pro-Russian leader was overthrown in 2014.

There was no immediate response from Russia to the report’s accusations.

“Grave human rights violations, such as arbitrary arrests and

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to open Germany’s borders to undocumented migrants and refugees in 2015, mainly from the Middle East.

Its success has shocked Germany’s political establishment, and protests against the anti-Islam party have been held in several cities following the election result.

Alternative for Germany began as an anti-euro party but later turned its focus to immigration and Islam.

It called for a ban on minarets and declared Islam incompatible with German culture. Several of its candidates have been linked

to far-right remarks.

Its election campaign posters carried messages such as “Stop Islamisation. Vote AFD” alongside images of women wearing burkas, and “Burkas? We stand for bikinis”.

It performed particularly well in what was formerly East Germany, taking 21.5% of the vote as the second most popular party.

In Saxony, AfD narrowly beat the CDU to come out on top with 27% of the vote. According to analysis by broadcaster ARD, the AfD vote was highest among 35-44 year-olds, at 16%, and lowest among those above the age of 70, at 7%.

UN Accuses Russia ofViolating Human Rights in Crimea

11-13 October 2017 | Landmark Centre, Lagos, Nigeria

medicwestafrica.com/np

addressing some of the issues,” Mrs Merkel said.

She said her party would speak to the liberal FDP and the Greens, “but also the SPD, as we governed together for a long time and it’s always important to keep talking”.

Why did AfD gain support?

The party, which only formed four years ago, is expected to take 94 seats in the 709-seat federal parliament as the thirdlargest grouping.

AfD’s campaign capitalised on a backlash over Mrs Merkel’s decision

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Organised by life sciences exhibitions

detentions, enforced disappearances, ill-treatment and torture, and at least one extra-judicial execution were documented,” the report says.

It adds that there have been “intrusive law enforcement raids of private properties” which “interfered with [the] right to privacy”.

The report, which says the human rights situation has “significantly deteriorated” in the region, notes that hundreds of prisoners were illegally transferred from Crimea to Russian jails.

It says civil servants were forced to renounce their Ukrainian

citizenship or face losing their jobs, and condemned Moscow’s decision to replace Ukrainian laws with Russian ones.

“Education in Ukrainian has all but disappeared from Crimean schools,” the report adds.

It is based on interviews conducted from mainland Ukraine, as human rights investigators were not permitted entry into the region.

Crimea, which has a Russianspeaking majority, voted to join Russia in a referendum that Ukraine and the West deem illegal.

The UN says Crimea’s Turkicspeaking minority, the Tatars, who

make up 12% of its population, have been targeted.

The Tatar parliament, the Mejlis, boycotted the referendum on joining Russia. Moscow said it was an extremist organisation and banned it last year.

Crimean Tatar leader jailed by Russian court “While those human rights violations and abuses have affected Crimean residents of diverse ethnic backgrounds, Crimean Tatars were particularly targeted especially those with links to the Mejlis”, the UN report says.

T H I S D AY TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2017

35

36

T H I S D AY TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2017

UTILIZATION OF FOREIGN EXCHANGE AS AT 22ND OF SEPTEMBER 2017 S/N

CUSTOMERS

DATE

S/N

CUSTOMERS

DATE

273

AWE SOLOMON AYODEJI

1,772.15

BTA

360.00

21-Sep-17

1

DANGOTE CEMENT PLC

738,000.00

SPARE PARTS

311.00

18-Sep-17

138

OKPAGHORO, JAMES

9,000.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

19-Sep-17

274

WUNYI UGONNE MARGARET

3,953.26

PTA

360.00

21-Sep-17

2

DANGOTE CEMENT PLC

AMOUNT (US$)

733,309.70

SPARES FOR CEMENT INDUSTRY

311.00

18-Sep-17

139

AMALA L NWOBODO

13,905.98

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

19-Sep-17

275

MAKANJU VICTORIA IYABODE

3,994.18

PTA

360.00

21-Sep-17

3

CBN

157,432.97

UNUTILIZED IMTO TRANSFERRED TO CBN

357.00

18-Sep-17

140

DAN O ONWUJEKWE

3,990.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

19-Sep-17

276

ABELEJE SAMSON OLUWADARA

1,635.84

PTA

360.00

21-Sep-17

4

CBN

185,933.34

UNUTILIZED IMTO TRANSFERRED TO CBN

357.00

18-Sep-17

141

HALILU A ANKA

1,100.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

19-Sep-17

277

MRS OMOLE-DAOMI ROSEMARY

3,961.11

PTA

360.00

21-Sep-17

5

MTN

3,000,000.00

LOAN REPAYMENT AND INTEREST

358.50

18-Sep-17

142

MADAKI GABRIEL KURAH

3,375.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

19-Sep-17

278

AISHA AHMED ABDULLAHI

3,961.11

PTA

360.00

21-Sep-17

6

MAPLE POINT WEST AFRICA LTD

20,000.00

20MT LLPDE UF 315

361.00

18-Sep-17

143

EDIGIN EDWIN EZEMWENGHIAN

2,140.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

19-Sep-17

279

OMOKO HELEN

14,205.36

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

21-Sep-17

7

BHOJRAJ INDUSTRIES LTD

10,809.77

LDPE FE 8000

361.00

18-Sep-17

144

ADO M ZAKARI

2,995.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

19-Sep-17

280

MAC-DE RESOURCES NIG LTD

13,685.23

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

21-Sep-17

8

ANIKWENWA NKIRU JOY

2,000.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

145

CHIKE P OKONKWO

6,490.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

19-Sep-17

281

ARIN LUTU

8,127.11

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

21-Sep-17

9

KOLAWOLE ADEBISI MARY

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

146

AHMADU TIJJANI

3,100.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

19-Sep-17

282

UDUAK P ETTI

5,940.12

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

21-Sep-17

10

NWANKWO BUBRAYE HELEN

3,000.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

147

LAYI ARIKEWUYO

4,100.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

19-Sep-17

283

NURA, MAISHANU ABUBAKAR

2,850.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

21-Sep-17

11

NWANKWO CYRIL CHIDI

2,500.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

148

ADEWUYI CHRISTIANAH MODUPE

9,950.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

19-Sep-17

284

AINA J ADEJUBA

2,500.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

21-Sep-17

12

DANIEL-KALIO DABOTA GRACE

4,000.00

BTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

149

CBN

226,250.77

UNUTILIZED IMTO TRANSFERRED TO CBN

357.00

20-Sep-17

285

BOSEDE SHITTU

1,015.83

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

13

MONAGO OKECHUKWU KINGSLEY

5,000.00

BTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

150

CBN

293,396.67

UNUTILIZED IMTO TRANSFERRED TO CBN

357.00

20-Sep-17

286

RINGARDAS

100,000.00

RINGARDAS NIGERIA LIMITED

306.35

22-Sep-17

14

UDOKA CHINYERE TINA

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

151

MTN

1,377,611.44

TELECOMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT

360.50

20-Sep-17

287

ADIRA NIG TRADING

100,000.00

ADIRA NIG TRADING

306.35

22-Sep-17

15

OKOSE CHUKA JAMES

360.00

18-Sep-17

152

MTN

1,220,229.90

LOAN REPAYMENT AND INTEREST

360.50

20-Sep-17

288

MANUCHAR INTERNATIONAL

16

SHODEINDE SAMUEL OLUSOLA

5,000.00

BTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

153

MTN

1,002,158.66

TELECOMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT

360.50

20-Sep-17

289

MANUCHAR INTERNATIONAL

283,700.00

2000MT SODIUM SULPHATE

361.00

22-Sep-17

17

AROLOGUN AYINKE FAUSAT

5,000.00

BTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

154

TINCAN ISLAND CONTAINER TERMINAL

500,000.00

LOAN REPAYMENT

361.00

20-Sep-17

290

AVON CROWNCAPS

247,921.14

TIN FREE STEEL SHEETS

361.00

22-Sep-17

18

MR&MRS AGOYE OLUSEGUN

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

155

MTN

478,656.91

TELECOMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT

361.00

20-Sep-17

291

AVON CROWNCAPS

202,983.32

TIN FREE STEEL SHEETS AND TINPLATE

361.00

22-Sep-17

19

ADESHIDA EMMANUEL ABAYOMI

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

156

MTN

361,360.69

TELECOMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT

361.00

20-Sep-17

292

IKORODU STEEL MILLS LTD

131,826.00

INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY

360.50

22-Sep-17

20

YINUSA SILIFAT MOROUNKE

5,000.00

BTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

157

MTN

352,061.76

TELECOMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT

361.00

20-Sep-17

293

SAPONARIA

109,000.00

361.00

22-Sep-17

21

OLOGBO DAVID AKPESIRI

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

158

AFRICA GB FOODS MANUFACTURING NIG

66,328.91

JAGO D'LITE FAT FILLED INSTANT MILK POWDER

360.91

20-Sep-17

294

CAPITAL COLD ROLLING STEEL MILLS LTD

80,306.00

INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY

360.50

22-Sep-17

22

OLAYINKA LUKMON ABIOLA

1,000.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

159

NOURRIT TECHNOL SYSTEM LTD

36,000.00

POWDER MICRO GRINDING MACHINE

361.00

20-Sep-17

295

AVON CROWNCAPS

37,004.98

AEROSOL COMPONENTS

360.00

22-Sep-17

23

NNAEMEKEA EKENE VITALIS

3,500.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

160

SAUBANA AJIBOLA MURAINA AND CO

10,981.60

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

20-Sep-17

296

ROOSKEY ELECTRICAL LTD

35,526.00

A/C MOTOR SINGLE PHASE

360.00

22-Sep-17

24

MOSES OKONKWO MADUBUEZE

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

161

RUFUS A ADEKOYA

8,459.26

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

20-Sep-17

297

CAPITAL COLD ROLLING STEEL MILLS LTD

32,281.00

INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY

360.50

22-Sep-17

25

NWIHIM MARTHA OBUMNEKE

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

162

ANGELA N OKORONKWO

9,608.90

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

20-Sep-17

298

AVON CROWNCAPS

31,326.92

TINPLATE

361.00

22-Sep-17

26

NWIHIM STELLA TOCHUKWU

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

163

OLUBUNMI A AKINREMI

7,729.81

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

20-Sep-17

299

CAPITAL COLD ROLLING STEEL MILLS LTD

29,590.00

INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY

360.50

22-Sep-17

27

NWIHIM WILLIAM SONNYNNA

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

164

FOLA OWOYEMI

11,468.91

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

20-Sep-17

300

CAPITAL COLD ROLLING STEEL MILLS LTD

29,390.00

INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY

360.50

22-Sep-17

28

LONGE OMOTAYO

1,350.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

165

MICHAEL A ADEYEYE

8,600.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

20-Sep-17

301

AFRICAN STEEL MILLS NIG LTD

26,140.00

INDUSTRIAL MATERIAL

360.50

22-Sep-17

29

SADIQ RASHEED GBOYEGA

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

166

CHINONYE L EGBEJIMBA

8,526.60

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

20-Sep-17

302

CAPITAL COLD ROLLING STEEL MILLS LTD

26,030.00

INDUSTRIAL MATERIAL

360.50

22-Sep-17

30

AGBEYI OLUSOLA ALABA

2,000.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

167

PAUL M ANGYA

12,783.68

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

20-Sep-17

303

AFRICAN STEEL MILLS NIG LTD

12,267.00

INDUSTRIAL MATERIAL

360.50

22-Sep-17

31

JARUMAI MIRIAM L

1,250.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

168

CHIBUZOR A UMEZULIKE

4,780.39

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

20-Sep-17

304

AVON CROWNCAPS

8,518.62

AEROSOL COMPONENTS (48/50MM)

361.00

22-Sep-17

32

IGWE CHIMA CARTNEY

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

169

ADEYEMI COLLEGE OF EDU.

2,443.80

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

20-Sep-17

305

CAPITAL COLD ROLLING STEEL MILLS LTD

3,179.00

INDUSTRIAL MATERIAL

360.50

22-Sep-17

33

BAPPA USMAN ABUBAKAR

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

170

ADEYEMI COLLEGE OF EDU.

4,000.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

20-Sep-17

306

CAPITAL COLD ROLLING STEEL MILLS LTD

1,595.00

INDUSTRIAL MATERIAL

360.50

22-Sep-17

34

ODO OZULONYE TITUS

5,000.00

BTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

171

DR A AWOYOMI

5,336.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

20-Sep-17

307

AFRICAN STEEL MILLS NIG LTD

1,368.00

INDUSTRIAL MATERIAL

360.50

22-Sep-17

35

AFIADIGWE EVARISTUS EDE

1,000.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

172

IDONIBOYE-OBU TOMI JERRY

1,300.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

20-Sep-17

308

ENENDU MICHAEL NNAMDI

1,700.00

PTA

360.00

22-Sep-17

36

OPAWOLE ABIODUN AYINDE

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

173

FOLUSHO D ALIU

4,469.97

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

20-Sep-17

309

OLOWE AKINYEMI AREMU

3,000.00

PTA

360.00

22-Sep-17

37

OWHONDA OKECHUKWU

2,200.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

174

ANTHONY A EKEH

9,937.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

20-Sep-17

310

NWONU CHUKWUNONSO DANIEL

5,000.00

BTA

360.00

22-Sep-17

38

ACHIGBU ARINZE BIATOCHUKWU

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

175

SADI U ZAKARI

5,220.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

20-Sep-17

311

MOHAMMED JAMILA

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

22-Sep-17

39

OBIECHINA NNEKA G

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

176

NDUKA G OCHUBA

5,459.27

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

20-Sep-17

312

LADIPO OLUMIDE OKANLAWON

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

22-Sep-17

40

BELLO MOHAMMED BALA

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

177

G I K OBUTE CO

9,666.90

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

20-Sep-17

313

EJIOFOR JOEL CHINONSO

1,000.00

PTA

360.00

22-Sep-17

42

AMGBARE BRAYE EDWIN

2,000.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

178

TRINITY INVESTMENT LIMITED

10,000.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

20-Sep-17

314

OGUNYEMI-CALLISTO OMOLARA IYABO

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

22-Sep-17

43

OJUKWU ADEZE CHINYELU

500.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

179

HANNATU J ALIYU

7,000.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

20-Sep-17

315

ODO IKECHUKWU ANICETUS

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

22-Sep-17

44

AHMED ALIYU MAHMUD

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

180

PAX VENTURES NIG CO

5,968.62

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

20-Sep-17

316

OYEYEMI GAFFAR YAHYA

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

22-Sep-17

45

KABIRU ALI SANI

5,000.00

BTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

181

EZE G DINNEYA

9,318.86

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

20-Sep-17

317

IDAFUM CHIMA

5,000.00

BTA

360.00

22-Sep-17

46

AKINDELE OLUWASEUN

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

182

ONOJA MERCY, OKA

2,200.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

20-Sep-17

318

NWANKWO ONYEKA DONATUS

5,000.00

BTA

360.00

22-Sep-17

47

HARUNA YUNUSA HUSAINI

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

183

OKO C UDE

6,497.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

20-Sep-17

319

AKPULUMA MOROLAYO ADEBOMI

2,000.00

PTA

360.00

22-Sep-17

48

OBATERU YEMISI

1,000.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

184

ENETOP GLOBAL RESOURCES LTD

2,150.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

20-Sep-17

320

MAXWELL AVWATA

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

22-Sep-17

49

MERCY REBECCA TONE

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

185

HILARY ONYEDIKACHI ZURUIKE

500.00

PTA

360.00

20-Sep-17

321

OBAROGIE LUCKY IGBINEREDIAUWA

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

22-Sep-17

50

CHUKWU SUSAN

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

186

ONYEANI FAITH CHIAMAKA

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

20-Sep-17

322

LOMBIN GANYIR

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

22-Sep-17

51

DURODOLA OPEYEMI SAMUEL

400.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

187

ONYEANI EBUGHEME ONYEANI

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

20-Sep-17

323

ABUBAKAR NASIRU

1,000.00

PTA

360.00

22-Sep-17

52

AILERU FOLAKE OLAIDE

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

188

DANIEL EDITH NKECHINYERE

1,000.00

PTA

360.00

20-Sep-17

324

OMIDIJI O OLUWOLE

2,000.00

PTA

360.00

22-Sep-17

53

NZEH SPLENDOUR IKECHUKWU

5,000.00

BTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

189

ONU OSITA ALEX

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

20-Sep-17

325

ALALIBO OWANARI WILCOX

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

22-Sep-17

54

OGINI ALPHAEUS NDUBUEZE

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

190

ALATISE OLUKAYODE ADESEGUN

4,000.00

BTA

360.00

20-Sep-17

326

ABUBAKAR FARUK UMAR

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

22-Sep-17

55

ALALIBO OKE STELLA

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

191

ADESINA IYIOLA STEPHEN

2,250.00

PTA

360.00

20-Sep-17

327

ANI HENRY CHINEDU

5,000.00

BTA

360.00

22-Sep-17

56

EGWUATU ANULIKA NAOMI

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

192

OJINNAKA LUCY NNEKA

1,150.00

PTA

360.00

20-Sep-17

328

DAVID WEST LOLIA RENNE

900.00

PTA

360.00

22-Sep-17

57

ADENIYI ALIMAT ADEOLA

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

193

BELLO OPEYEMI NAFISAT

1,200.00

PTA

360.00

20-Sep-17

329

UCHE GRACE

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

22-Sep-17

58

ADENIYI ADEDAYO NURUDEEN

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

194

UGWUMBA IFEANYI ANTHONY

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

20-Sep-17

330

OGUDO ESTHER AZUKA

5,000.00

BTA

360.00

22-Sep-17

59

ODETUNDUN OMTINUKE ABIGAIL

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

195

DABIRI MARIAM KIKELOMO

2,450.00

PTA

360.00

20-Sep-17

331

ANEKE SABASTINE OKWUDILI

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

22-Sep-17

60

ODETUNDUN NIYI EZEKIEL

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

196

OBINNA JUDE EZEIGBO

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

20-Sep-17

332

ADERINBOYE OLADUNNI CLARA

1,600.00

PTA

360.00

22-Sep-17

61

GAMBO EMILLIA KHADIJAT

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

197

IBRAHIM HAJARA

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

20-Sep-17

333

ORIE ANTHONY IKECHUKWU

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

22-Sep-17

62

PEDRO JEMILAT OMOLARA

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

198

ANIBABA RASHEED

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

20-Sep-17

334

AGBAI IFEANYI

5,000.00

BTA

360.00

22-Sep-17

63

OKEKE PIUS CHUKWUEMEKA

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

199

ADEMOLA-ADEOYE FEYISAYO TOLA

2,800.00

PTA

360.00

20-Sep-17

335

IHEANACHO CHIDI CORNELIUS

5,000.00

BTA

360.00

22-Sep-17

64

OKEKE PIUS OGOCHUKWU

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

200

NWADOR MACJAMIN

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

20-Sep-17

336

NWAGBO EMMANUEL KAMTO

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

22-Sep-17

65

ENILAMA VICTOR CLARA

5,000.00

BTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

201

ONU ANTHONY

5,000.00

BTA

360.00

20-Sep-17

337

MOHAMMED AL-AMIN ABUBAKAR

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

66

OYEBANJI KEHINDE ELIZABETH

1,500.00

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

202

MOFOLASAYO GRACE

2,500.00

PTA

360.00

20-Sep-17

338

ADEDEJI IBUKUNOLUWA

136.11

PTA

360.00

22-Sep-17

67

GPPDLUCK OLADAMOLA OJORUMI

848.54

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

203

UDENZE EMMANUEL CHIDIEBERE

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

20-Sep-17

339

ORJI NDIDIAMAKA CYNDU

748.61

PTA

360.00

22-Sep-17

68

OMIRAGWADIA KELVIN IJOMAFUVWE

2,407.22

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

204

IKECHUKWU MATTHEW CHRISTIAN

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

20-Sep-17

340

EGWABOR IKECHUKWU TONY

239.56

PTA

360.00

22-Sep-17

69

ONIVEHU OHUNENE BOSE

1,203.61

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

205

MAFOLABOMI GANIAT OMOWUNMI

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

20-Sep-17

341

AMADI EKENE FELIX

3,994.16

PTA

360.00

22-Sep-17

70

AMGBARE BRAYE EDWIN

1,999.11

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

206

ABUBAKAR SANI RUFAI

5,000.00

BTA

360.00

20-Sep-17

342

AKEUSOLA OLAGOKE WAKEEL

1,226.88

PTA

360.00

22-Sep-17

71

ANIKWENWA NKIRU JOY

1,331.89

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

207

SULEIMAN MUHAMMAD DIJE

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

20-Sep-17

343

SENIBO ALLWELL-BROWN

3,953.26

PTA

360.00

22-Sep-17

72

SIBEUDU NWORAH IKENNA

3,997.25

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

208

SHAMMAH TISHE EZEKIEL

2,000.00

PTA

360.00

20-Sep-17

344

EDEH MARIA OMEGO

13,611.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

73

OMOSIGHO OSARUMWENSE OSARO

3,997.25

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

209

MUSA YAGANA

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

20-Sep-17

345

AKPASUBI AFFIONG

9,126.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

22-Sep-17

74

ONWUSORO LAURETTA

3,997.25

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

210

NNAMANI CHIBUIKE WILLIAM

2,000.00

PTA

360.00

20-Sep-17

346

OBONO M OKAMA

10,500.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

22-Sep-17

75

ADENIRAN YEKINI ADEYEMI

3,997.25

PTA

360.00

18-Sep-17

211

OKOKO USORO CHELLY

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

20-Sep-17

347

AMOO GANIYU KAREEM

3,026.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

22-Sep-17

76

CBN

165,927.80

UNUTILIZED IMTO TRANSFERRED TO CBN

357.00

19-Sep-17

212

MOHAMMED BAPPA ADAMU

1,100.00

PTA

360.00

20-Sep-17

348

AINA J ADEJUBA

2,500.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

22-Sep-17

77

CBN

221,763.63

UNUTILIZED IMTO TRANSFERRED TO CBN

357.00

19-Sep-17

213

ALHASSAN AISHA JUMMAI

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

20-Sep-17

349

IKWUYUM OBANDE FRANCIS

4,000.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

22-Sep-17

78

PURECHEM MANUFACTURING

143,952.00

INDUSTRIAL RAW MATERIAL

360.00

19-Sep-17

214

OKPOKWU DUMEBI THERESA

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

20-Sep-17

350

ABIBO, BELEMA BLESSING

13,611.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

22-Sep-17

79

PURECHEM MANUFACTURING

99,744.00

INDUSTRIAL RAW MATERIAL

360.00

19-Sep-17

215

OKOYE THEOPHILUS IFEANYI

5,000.00

BTA

360.00

20-Sep-17

351

DR AND DR (MRS) MOSES ANI

13,799.20

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

22-Sep-17

80

C-WAY FOODS & BEVERAGES

93,600.00

PRINTED FLEXIBLE MATERIAL

361.00

19-Sep-17

216

IKEM AZORSHUBEL IKEM

2,000.00

PTA

360.00

20-Sep-17

352

DR & MRS EKWEMPU

4,000.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

22-Sep-17

81

ENTRUST

77,188.00

LICENCE RENEWAL

361.00

19-Sep-17

217

BABATUNDE TAIWO REGINA

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

20-Sep-17

353

OBIECHINA E. CHUKWUDEBELU

14,291.55

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

22-Sep-17

82

PURECHEM MANUFACTURING

66,802.40

INDUSTRIAL PACKING MATERIAL

360.00

19-Sep-17

218

OHUOBA ROBERT EFOSA

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

20-Sep-17

354

EMMANUEL E ANYANWU

5,402.25

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

22-Sep-17

83

PURECHEM MANUFACTURING

50,400.00

INDUSTRIAL RAW MATERIAL

360.00

19-Sep-17

219

IGBITIRI MERCY

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

20-Sep-17

355

BABATOPE BABALOBI

3,824.69

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

22-Sep-17

84

PURECHEM INDUSTIRES

20,081.85

CEMENT PLANT MACHINERY'S SPARES

360.00

19-Sep-17

220

EMETUCHE NWABUEZE ETHELBERT

2,422.22

PTA

360.00

20-Sep-17

356

ALH. ABDULLAH G AKINBODE

6,533.28

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

22-Sep-17

85

PURECHEM INDUSTIRES

9,582.00

CEMENT PLANT MACHINERY'S SPARES

360.00

19-Sep-17

221

MOHAMMED SAFIYA KUDU

606.00

PTA

360.00

20-Sep-17

357

S.S DANBABA TRADING COM. NIG LTD

920.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

22-Sep-17

86

MERCHANT INVESTORS LTD

5,200.00

40MT OF PLAIN PAPER BOARD IN SHEETS

361.00

19-Sep-17

222

AYO ABISOLA ENIOLA

3,824.49

PTA

360.00

20-Sep-17

358

ARIHALAM, HYACINTH

2,500.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

22-Sep-17

87

PURECHEM INDUSTIRES

4,298.25

CEMENT PLANT MACHINERY'S SPARES

360.00

19-Sep-17

223

SCOTT NGOZI GRACE

3,961.11

PTA

360.00

20-Sep-17

359

ALHAJI M AHMED

3,100.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

22-Sep-17

88

OJEKWE-ONYEJELI OBIAMAKA STELLA

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

19-Sep-17

224

OMLE AKINMOLU WBENEZER

3,961.11

PTA

360.00

20-Sep-17

360

ADISA R OYESEGUN

ACCOMODATION AND TUITION FEES

360.00

89

IMO JIMMY NDUBUISI

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

19-Sep-17

225

CBN

166,580.66

UNUTILIZED IMTO TRANSFERRED TO CBN

357.00

21-Sep-17

361

BENEDICTA OBINYAN

2,200.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

22-Sep-17

90

OJO UGOCHINYERE BEATRICE

5,000.00

BTA

360.00

19-Sep-17

226

CBN

210,636.38

UNUTILIZED IMTO TRANSFERRED TO CBN

357.00

21-Sep-17

362

MERCY IGBITIRI

3,382.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

22-Sep-17

91

KOLA AMODU ABIODUN

5,000.00

BTA

360.00

19-Sep-17

227

CBN

137,869.20

UNUTILIZED IMTO TRANSFERRED TO CBN

357.00

21-Sep-17

363

TITUS O NAIYEJU

13,521.06

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

22-Sep-17

92

EWENIKE CHINEDU EMMANUEL

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

19-Sep-17

228

CBN

182,988.53

UNUTILIZED IMTO TRANSFERRED TO CBN

357.00

21-Sep-17

364

NWITTE EZE AJU

2,410.65

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

22-Sep-17

93

MBAMALI ANGELA CHIKA

3,300.00

PTA

360.00

19-Sep-17

229

FLOURMILLS

456,294.06

20,000M/TONS OF GRANULAR AMMONIUM SULPH.

361.00

21-Sep-17

365

KILE DAVID

6,025.34

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

22-Sep-17

94

AKOGUN ABUDU OLUSEGUN

5,000.00

BTA

360.00

19-Sep-17

230

ELECTRONIC PAYPLUS

432,719.70

SMARTCARDS

360.50

21-Sep-17

366

LUKMAN O MABINUORI

2,400.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

22-Sep-17

95

OLUSESI ABIODUN YEMISI

2,630.00

PTA

360.00

19-Sep-17

231

FLOURMILLS

283,705.94

10,000M/TONS OF BRAZILIAN CANE

361.00

21-Sep-17

367

GIFT ARC CONSULTANTS

4,122.84

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

22-Sep-17

96

ORINGAMJE CHIDOZIE

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

19-Sep-17

232

FLOURMILLS

260,000.00

10,000M/TONS OF NPK 15 15 15 IN BULK

361.00

21-Sep-17

368

GIFT ARC CONSULTANTS

4,122.84

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

22-Sep-17

97

SHITTU MORIAMO ADESHOLA

3,000.00

PTA

360.00

19-Sep-17

233

WEST AFRICAN SEASONING CO

259,200.00

MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE

361.00

21-Sep-17

369

ODUNLAMI ELIZABETH MOJIBADE

4,643.82

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

22-Sep-17

98

EKPO EDIMA BEN

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

19-Sep-17

234

ELECTRONIC PAYPLUS

152,482.18

SMARTCARDS

360.50

21-Sep-17

370

FLORENCE C IYALLA

4,614.95

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

22-Sep-17

99

AKINWALE CHRISTIANA MODUPE

3,600.00

PTA

360.00

19-Sep-17

235

WEST AFRICAN SEASONING CO

129,600.00

MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE

361.00

21-Sep-17

371

CHUKWUMA OKORONKWO

4,878.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

22-Sep-17

100

IHESIABA CHINYERE GIFT

2,600.00

PTA

360.00

19-Sep-17

236

OK PLAST LTD

88,700.00

USED PLASTIC INJECTION MOULDS MADE OF STEEL

360.50

21-Sep-17

372

PARACLETE INTERNATIONAL LIMITED

15,000.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

22-Sep-17

101

DIKE CHIKAODILI OLACHI

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

19-Sep-17

237

MP INFRASTRUCTURE

45,786.78

SPARES FOR REMOTE MONITORING SYSTEM

360.50

21-Sep-17

373

OLUGBENRO O ODETUNDE

1,000.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

22-Sep-17

102

FATOKE OLUWATENIOLA AYOMIDE

2,300.00

PTA

360.00

19-Sep-17

238

UBA ACADEMY

27,708.13

TRAINING FEES

360.50

21-Sep-17

374

BUSARI SALAWU

7,000.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

22-Sep-17

103

SULEIMAN YUSIF SULEIMAN

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

19-Sep-17

239

NAMPAK NIGERIA REPLACEMENT

2,231.47

SPARES

361.00

21-Sep-17

375

OLAWALE KEHINDE

3,388.11

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

22-Sep-17

104

UKELONU NKIRU CHIDINMA

1,600.00

PTA

360.00

19-Sep-17

240

NAMPAK NIGERIA REPLACEMENT

1,663.72

ENCODER

361.00

21-Sep-17

376

AUGUSTINE O UZOMA

9,379.10

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

22-Sep-17

105

ATAMA AMOGE BRIDGET

2,500.00

PTA

360.00

19-Sep-17

241

AGADA EKA AGADA

700.00

PTA

360.00

21-Sep-17

377

SALIHU AHMED

1,653.99

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

22-Sep-17

106

HUSSAINA UMAR

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

19-Sep-17

242

ODUTEMU CYRIL ODIBOROGHENE

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

21-Sep-17

378

FIKUTH VENTURES

11,155.92

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

22-Sep-17

107

ONWUKA THANKGOD

1,100.00

PTA

360.00

19-Sep-17

243

SOKEFUN EMMANUEL OLUMUYIWA

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

21-Sep-17

379

AUTOMOTIVE COMPONENT IND. LTD

5,945.64

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

22-Sep-17

108

PROF CHARLES IKECHUKWU ESIMONE

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

19-Sep-17

244

OMOREGIE ARUAGBON PHILOMENA

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

21-Sep-17

380

TUBOSUN AREBUWA

10,822.57

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

22-Sep-17

109

AFOLAYAN SIMEON A

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

19-Sep-17

245

MUHAMMAD IDRIS CHIROMAWA

2,500.00

PTA

360.00

21-Sep-17

110

MARY OKPOMO

500.00

PTA

360.00

19-Sep-17

246

NWANKWO KEN EBERE

2,200.00

PTA

360.00

21-Sep-17

111

EGUARE IMADE OMOADONI

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

19-Sep-17

247

UDOJI NKECHI THERESA

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

21-Sep-17

112

GBENGA BASHORUN ADEOLA

5,000.00

BTA

360.00

19-Sep-17

248

ESIRI ESE AURELIA

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

21-Sep-17

113

BEN-IWU ONAJEVWE ANTHONIA

1,697.83

PTA

360.00

19-Sep-17

249

RAFIU OLABOD OGUNJOBI

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

21-Sep-17

114

AKABA MARGARET ENO

2,768.28

PTA

360.00

115

OLUSESI ABIODUN YEMISI

116

EJEAGWU, CHIBUZOR FRANCES

117

MARY OKPOMO

118

MAKANJU DAMILOLA KOLAWOLE

3,994.56

119

OLAWALE ZAINAB OMOLARA

7,573.83

120

NICHODEMUS S ANI

9,701.29

121

HILCA COMPANY LIMITED

122

OLUKAYODE & OLAYEMI OLAITAN

123

AFEKARE TAIWO SUNDAY

124

2,000.00

PURPOSE

PTA

RATE

AMOUNT (US$)

PURPOSE

RATE

19-Sep-17

250

ANOCHIE C IFEOMA

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

21-Sep-17

474.25

PTA

360.00

19-Sep-17

251

ALABRABA FERDINAD NGOGO

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

21-Sep-17

2,710.00

PTA

360.00

19-Sep-17

252

ASIOTU DIVINE INIOVOSA ANN

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

21-Sep-17

686.35

PTA

360.00

19-Sep-17

253

GBADEGESIN KAFAYAT MOJISOLA

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

21-Sep-17

PTA

360.00

19-Sep-17

254

AJAYI JOSEPH OLUSEGUN

500.00

PTA

360.00

21-Sep-17

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

19-Sep-17

255

JIBRIL USMAN IBRAHIM

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

21-Sep-17

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

19-Sep-17

256

SMILES AZUNDA

1,500.00

PTA

360.00

21-Sep-17

4,000.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

19-Sep-17

257

IDRIS KOLA

3,000.00

PTA

360.00

21-Sep-17

14,885.50

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

19-Sep-17

258

EZEOCHA COLLINS EJIKS

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

21-Sep-17

2,000.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

19-Sep-17

259

ABANISHE OLUWAFEMI ATINUKE

3,500.00

PTA

360.00

21-Sep-17

ADESHOBA JULIUS ADEFOLA

3,000.00

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

19-Sep-17

260

SALISU ALI

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

21-Sep-17

125

ABUBAKAR S CHIROMA

4,281.71

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

19-Sep-17

261

EGUARE DAVID OMOZUANVBO

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

21-Sep-17

126

MUHAMMAD YUNUSA

8,000.00

SCHOOL, ACCOM AND HEALTH INS. FEES

360.00

19-Sep-17

262

ADEOSUN FLORENCE ADEDOJA

3,000.00

PTA

360.00

21-Sep-17

127

SOLIU ABASS GBADEBO

14,465.30

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

19-Sep-17

263

ADEOSUN ISAIAH DARE

400.00

PTA

360.00

21-Sep-17

128

OBIH, REGINA UKAMAKA

14,650.90

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

19-Sep-17

264

SULAIMAN AJOKE MUYIBAT

5,000.00

BTA

360.00

21-Sep-17

129

BUKAR A IBRAHIM

14,650.90

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

19-Sep-17

265

IFEOMA EKUMANKAMA

3,000.00

PTA

360.00

21-Sep-17

130

HAMPTON APARTMENTS LTD

5,002.16

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

19-Sep-17

266

OSAKWE-OGO IKEMEFUNA ANTHONY

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

21-Sep-17

131

AKINTUNJI E FATUNKE

3,523.00

ACCOMMODATION FEES

360.00

19-Sep-17

267

EZE IFEOMA CHINEDUM

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

21-Sep-17

132

KOLAWOLE IDOWU DAVID

7,221.60

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

19-Sep-17

268

EMMA IYAMU ABIEMWENSE NAOMI

1,140.00

PTA

360.00

21-Sep-17

133

ZOBEL NIGERIA LIMITED

6,383.89

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

19-Sep-17

269

SABO SAKINA KOFARMATA

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

21-Sep-17

134

AREBOJIE T IGHODALO

11,434.20

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

19-Sep-17

270

YAHAYA DAHARATU

4,000.00

PTA

360.00

21-Sep-17

135

FOLAHAN BIYERE

7,370.94

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

19-Sep-17

271

ADEFEMI ADETOKUMBO DANIEL

3,880.36

PTA

360.00

21-Sep-17

136

BASSEY, EDIMA OKON

2,913.73

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

19-Sep-17

272

UVOH GARDNER ELIZABETH TITI

4,994.58

BTA

360.00

21-Sep-17

137

OBIOMA UMUNNA

4,358.97

SCHOOL FEES

360.00

19-Sep-17

S/N

CUSTOMERS

www.ubagroup.com

AMOUNT (US$)

PURPOSE

RATE

425,550.00

10,298.08

3000MT SODIUM SULPHATE

SHEA FATTY ACID DISTILLATE

361.00

21-Sep-17

22-Sep-17

22-Sep-17

22-Sep-17

22-Sep-17

DATE

Africa’s global bank

37

T H I S D AY TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2017

SOURCES OF FOREIGN EXCHANGE AS AT 22ND OF SEPTEMBER 2017 S/N 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54

SOURCE AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS CBN CBN AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS INTERBANK IMTO IMTO IMTO IMTO AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS INTERBANK IMTO IMTO

AMOUNT (US$) 960.73 177,365.28 0.29 161,100.00 3,000,000.00 2,000,000.00 110.00 490.00 21.63 90.00 175.00 1,169.54 682.46 82.00 429.32 958.03 187.94 982.00 3,045.00 1,400.00 310.00 6,650.00 40,000.00 1,558.75 906.25 150,000.00 100,000.00 1,471,309.70 207,604.56 2,306.06 245,089.09 2,822.03 276.62 664.95 3,000,000.00 480.00 2,011.75 45.00 94.32 500.00 2,800.00 800.00 1,000.00 118.00 1,080.00 1,000,000.00 20,000.00 218,593.82 2,643.25

RATE 304.60 304.60 304.79 304.40 357.00 357.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 327.50 325.50 325.50 315.00 310.00 310.75 355.00 355.00 355.00 354.70 310.00 310.00 357.50 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 337.00 306.15 355.00 355.00

DATE 18-Sep-17 18-Sep-17 18-Sep-17 18-Sep-17 18-Sep-17 18-Sep-17 18-Sep-17 18-Sep-17 18-Sep-17 18-Sep-17 18-Sep-17 18-Sep-17 18-Sep-17 18-Sep-17 18-Sep-17 18-Sep-17 18-Sep-17 18-Sep-17 18-Sep-17 18-Sep-17 18-Sep-17 18-Sep-17 18-Sep-17 18-Sep-17 18-Sep-17 18-Sep-17 18-Sep-17 18-Sep-17 18-Sep-17 18-Sep-17 18-Sep-17 18-Sep-17 18-Sep-17 18-Sep-17 18-Sep-17 19-Sep-17 19-Sep-17 19-Sep-17 19-Sep-17 19-Sep-17 19-Sep-17 19-Sep-17 19-Sep-17 19-Sep-17 19-Sep-17 19-Sep-17 19-Sep-17 19-Sep-17 19-Sep-17

S/N 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 101 102 103 104 105 106

SOURCE IMTO IMTO AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS INTERBANK INTERBANK AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS IMTO IMTO IMTO IMTO AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS INTERBANK INTERBANK AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS

AMOUNT (US$) 292,453.03 3,231.81 53.87 58.69 410.80 29.34 227.70 250,000.00 385,506.80 3,600,000.00 1,100.00 1,935.48 293.32 375.65 148.60 2,011.10 4,933.75 10.00 2,240.00 250.00 1,770.00 3.91 5.87 1,000.00 100.00 490.00 146.50 364.05 150.00 1,525.00 298,236.15 3,431.54 386,685.65 4,509.91 201.02 338.72 70.57 882.08 472.36 267,850.00 500,000.00 1,192,079.36 760.76 80.00 88.67 680.00 175.52 220.00 2,190.00

RATE 355.00 354.65 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 359.00 359.00 360.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 355.00 355.00 355.00 354.61 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 359.50 360.00 360.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00

DATE 19-Sep-17 19-Sep-17 19-Sep-17 19-Sep-17 19-Sep-17 19-Sep-17 19-Sep-17 19-Sep-17 19-Sep-17 19-Sep-17 20-Sep-17 20-Sep-17 20-Sep-17 20-Sep-17 20-Sep-17 20-Sep-17 20-Sep-17 20-Sep-17 20-Sep-17 20-Sep-17 20-Sep-17 20-Sep-17 20-Sep-17 20-Sep-17 20-Sep-17 20-Sep-17 20-Sep-17 20-Sep-17 20-Sep-17 20-Sep-17 20-Sep-17 20-Sep-17 20-Sep-17 20-Sep-17 20-Sep-17 20-Sep-17 20-Sep-17 20-Sep-17 20-Sep-17 20-Sep-17 20-Sep-17 20-Sep-17 21-Sep-17 21-Sep-17 21-Sep-17 21-Sep-17 21-Sep-17 21-Sep-17 21-Sep-17

S/N 107 108 109 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 145 146 146 147 147 148 148 149 149 150 151

www.ubagroup.com

SOURCE AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS INTERBANK IMTO IMTO IMTO IMTO AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS INTERBANK AUTONOMOUS INTERBANK AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS INTERBANK IMTO IMTO AUTONOMOUS IMTO AUTONOMOUS IMTO AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS INTERBANK AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS

AMOUNT (US$) 500.00 195.00 500.00 6,711.00 350.00 100,000.00 219,342.02 2,765.52 277,697.13 3,151.37 62.74 532.08 1,773.60 118.24 2,445.00 190,000.00 388,800.00 500,000.00 1,000,000.00 6,681.34 390.00 175.00 1,500.00 191.33 111.90 110.70 1,500.00 177.53 987.00 1,490.00 3,400.00 54,121.86 15,000.00 15,000.00 100,000.00 181,889.32 1,936.28 70.22 241,285.79 109,000.00 2,698.92 245,000.00 267.62 375,000.00 669.05 2,672.80 1,200,000.00 117.04 2,911.96

RATE 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 306.10 355.00 355.00 355.00 354.71 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 359.00 359.00 360.00 359.50 360.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 310.00 314.00 314.00 314.00 306.10 355.00 355.00 310.00 355.00 360.00 354.67 359.00 310.00 360.00 310.00 310.00 360.00 310.00 310.00

DATE 21-Sep-17 21-Sep-17 21-Sep-17 21-Sep-17 21-Sep-17 21-Sep-17 21-Sep-17 21-Sep-17 21-Sep-17 21-Sep-17 21-Sep-17 21-Sep-17 21-Sep-17 21-Sep-17 21-Sep-17 21-Sep-17 21-Sep-17 21-Sep-17 21-Sep-17 22-Sep-17 22-Sep-17 22-Sep-17 22-Sep-17 22-Sep-17 22-Sep-17 22-Sep-17 22-Sep-17 22-Sep-17 22-Sep-17 22-Sep-17 22-Sep-17 22-Sep-17 22-Sep-17 22-Sep-17 22-Sep-17 22-Sep-17 22-Sep-17 22-Sep-17 22-Sep-17 22-Sep-17 22-Sep-17 22-Sep-17 22-Sep-17 22-Sep-17 22-Sep-17 22-Sep-17 22-Sep-17 22-Sep-17 22-Sep-17

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WEST AFRICAN INSTITUTE FOR FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC MANAGEMENT (WAIFEM) JOB ADVERTISEMENT

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he West African Institute For Financial and Economic Management (WAIFEM) is a sub-regional capacity building Institution established in 1996 by the Central Banks of The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. Headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria, WAIFEM has the PDQGDWH WR VWUHQJWKHQ FDSDFLW\ IRU PDFURHFRQRPLF DQG ¿QDQcial management in the countries of member Central Banks.

7KH ,QVWLWXWH VHHNV TXDOL¿HG FDQGLGDWHV WR ¿OO WKH XQGHU PHQtioned vacancy: DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH A. Duties and Responsibilities 1. Responsible to the Director General, the Director of Research will supervise the research department to ensure research into relevant issues/topics emanating from the capacity building and training programmes.

2. Direct and lead the department in the sourcing of funds to facilitate its research work.

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38

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40

TUESDAY, ͺ͞Ë&#x153; ͺ͸͚Ϳ Ëž T H I S D AY

NEWS

Hip-hop Twins, Peter and Paul Okoye, Finally Split Nigerian hip-hop twins, Peter and Paul Okoye, of the popular stage name P-Square, that dominated the Nigerian music industry for many years, have finally gone their separate ways.

According to a letter sent to their lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN), by Peter, he demanded for a termination of the agreement as a group.

According to the copy of a letter in some media outlets yesterday, Peter based his decision on some serious

allegations against his twin brother, Paul, and Jude, their elder brother and manager.

He accused Paul of no longer willing to co-operate with him.

He also accused him of cancelling their scheduled music tour to the United States.

He added that Paul was also slandering his wife and children with lies on social media and alleged that his family was being threatened with messages.

Peter, according to the News

Agency of Nigeria (NAN), further accused his elder brother, Jude, of threatening to kill him and shoot his wife, Lola.

Peter stressed that he was tired of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;dramaâ&#x20AC;? and all he wanted was opting out of the P-Square group and contract.

The social media was set on fire after Peter posted a Snapchat video revealing that he is in Philadelphia on his own for a solo show â&#x20AC;&#x201C; without his twin brother, Paul. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My name is Mr. P,â&#x20AC;? Peter

said, adding: â&#x20AC;&#x153;As from today, guess what? Its show time, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m about to go on stage.â&#x20AC;?

This post came days after his brother, Paul, wrote on Instagram saying: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Only a woman can come where thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s peace and destroy it.â&#x20AC;?

The Okoye brothers have been engulfed in a war of words on the social media in recent times, and this development has confirmed rumours that there have been strains in their relationship.

P-Square

FG OPEN TO DIVESTMENT OF 40% SHARES IN DISCOS, SAYS FASHOLA the governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s award of the contract for the $5.72 billion project.

He said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Certainly, the government wants to see more investments in the sector, you would have heard from the president and from the vice president that our role really is to enable private sector lead our economy. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So, I would like to see an offer on the table, and you will see how I will respond to it. There is an assumption that there is an investment we are turning aback and if there is one that I am missing, please show me the direction to it,â&#x20AC;? Fashola enquired.

He further said to buttress the governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s willingness to have more private sector investments in the power sector: â&#x20AC;&#x153;At the National Council on Privatisation recently, we approved the privatisation of another of the power plants â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the Afam Power Plant. So it shows you government wants to see investment, but the investments that are coming into the country are first and foremost portfolio investments on the stock market and over time you will see larger footprints settling in the real sector and infrastructure and that is when you know the economy is really back on the swing,â&#x20AC;? he asserted.

The government had in 2013 sold 60 per cent of the shares of the Discos to preferred investors during its privatisation of successor generation and distribution assets of the defunct Power Holding Company of

Nigeria (PHCN).

Speaking further on the governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plans in the power sector, Fashola said the plan for the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) would eventually lead to it getting a new board and properly staffed.

He said the delay in the confirmation of the chairmandesignate for the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) was caused by the stalemate between the Senate and the executive over the interpretation of the powers of the president with regards to appointments into executive bodies not listed in the Constitution.

But he said the stalemate had not necessarily stopped the NERC from regulating the sector.

Fashola said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The role of the government in power has been largely limited. The role of government is policymakers and enablers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So, there is a lot of investment coming on stream in generation, gas. New IPPs are coming up and old ones are being made efficient and so we must help the distribution companies to raise their games. One of the things we are doing is to verify their claims to debts and determine how much we are owing them and pay them. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The other point is to ensure that government, going forward, would not owe Discos. It must budget for power in the way that it budgets for diesel and travels. We have done that in the 2017 budget, we will do it

again in the 2018 budget, and enforce compliance by agencies to pay their debt. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This will help in bringing stability to the liquidity in the power sector, ultimately for the benefit not only of the Discos and entire value chain because government as 40 per cent partowner makes money if the Discos make money, we will get N4 out of every N10 dividend that they declare,â&#x20AC;? he said.

On how much the government has invested so far in the power Discos considering its 40 per cent share in them, he said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I honestly canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t tell you the exact money but I think that the answer would need to be verified from the Bureau of Public Enterprises who supervises the interest of the government in those companies, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have those figures, but clearly you hit the nail on the head â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the entire value chain has to run in sync.â&#x20AC;?

He equally claimed that he did not state that he would make the power sector work within six months as frequently alleged in public space.

On this he said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I remember where I made that statement, I did not say the words they said I said, I was responding to residents who, after we commissioned a power plant in Lekki to serve the water works and street lights in Lekki and Victoria Island, asked me when they can get powers in their homes, and my answer to them was that we would be encroaching the jurisdiction of

the Disco without permit from NERC and that if NERC gave us the permission to provide power for them, the plant was there, connecting to them was a matter of six months.â&#x20AC;?

Seven Energy Begins Full Supply of Gas to Calabar Power Plant Meanwhile, two wholly-owned subsidiaries of Seven Energy International Limited have commenced the full supply of gas to the 561-megawatt capacity Calabar Power plant built by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), under the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) at Ikot Nyong, near Calabar, Cross River State.

The two subsidiaries - Seven Energy Finance Limited and Accugas Limited said in a statement yesterday that Accugas Limited commenced the supply of gas to the power station after all the conditions precedent to the long-term Gas Sales Agreement (GSA) for the supply of gas to the plant have been satisfied.

Calabar Power Station is one of the 10 medium-sized power plants built by the NDPHC to deliver 4, 2771 megawatts of electricity to the national grid.

The other NIPP power plants include the 451MW â&#x20AC;&#x201C; capacity Ihovbor Power Plant in Benin, Edo State; the 451MW-capacity Sapele II Power Plant in Ogorode, Sapele in Delta State; and the 434MW capacity Geregu II Power Station built in Ajaokuta, Kogi State.

Others include: the 676MW-

capacity Olosunsogo II Power Plant built in Olorunsogo in Ogun State; 451MW-capacity Omotosho II Power Plant in Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State; 961MWcapacity Alaoji Power Plant in Abia State; 225MW-capacity Gbarain Power Plant in Gbarain Ubie, Bayelsa State; 338MWcapacity Egbema Power Plant located near Owerri in Imo State and the 225MW-capacity Omoku II Power Plant located near Port Harcourt in Rivers State.

However, the operations of the plants have been constrained by gas shortages.

Seven Energyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s midstream gas infrastructure assets, focused in the southeast Niger Delta, include the 200 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscf/d) capacity Uquo gas processing facility and a gas pipeline network of 227 kilometres with distribution capacity of 600 mmscf/d.

The Calabar GSA is supported by a World Bank Partial Risk Guarantee (PRG), a federal government-backed financial instrument that will secure the supply of up to 131 mmscf/d of natural gas under the Calabar GSA to guarantee the consistent generation of up to 561 MW of electricity to the national grid, representing around 15 per cent of current power generation in Nigeria. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This arrangement, which guarantees payments to Accugas for gas supply, is backed by the federal government of Nigeria and the International Development Agency of the

World Bank. It is the first of its kind for gas supply in Nigeria and is a demonstration of the federal governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment to increasing power supply in the country and stabilising the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;gas to powerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; value chain,â&#x20AC;? the statement explained.

Before Accugas commenced the full supply of 131mmscf/d of gas to the Calabar Power Station, it has been supplying gas to the plant under an interim gas sales agreement, with average deliveries in 2017 to date of 45 mmscf/d.

According to the statement, the Calabar GSA includes a 90-business day grace period during which the PRG cannot be called upon.

In a related development, there have been changes in the board of Seven Energy in order to strengthen the board with independent expertise and knowledge to guide the Group in evaluating and implementing its restructuring.

Under the new changes, David Duggins, David Lovett, Oluseyi Bickersteth and Ken Igbokwe have been appointed independent non-executive directors; while the Groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chief Executive Officer, Manish Maheshwari has also been appointed to the Board.

Also, Stephen Vineberg and Matthew Harwood have stepped down from the board as shareholder representatives of IDB Infrastructure Fund II and Petrofac respectively, with Satjeet Sahota replacing Stephen Vineburg.

North-central zone of the country converged on Ilorin the capital of Kwara State yesterday to articulate their views on restructuring.

Among the stakeholders that attended the forum were, labour unions, traditional councils, community development associations, professional bodies, marketers, youth and religious groups.

Apart from all other issues such as fiscal federalism, LG autonomy, power-sharing, land tenure, the creation of states and independent candidacy, raised by the people, the stakeholders unanimously agreed that power at the centre should be decentralized and the country should be one indivisible entity.

They also agreed that because states and local governments were closer to people they should be given more responsibilities.

Addressing the stakeholders, the Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, said the driving factor behind the current agitations for true federalism or restructuring was the redistribution of resources in an equitable manner.

He said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;This nationwide dialogue by our party on true federation connects with our expressed commitment to making governance more meaningful to our people by changing the way we are governed, especially in terms of access to and allocation of resources.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;While our current economic problems may have weakened our partyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment to reforming our federation, the challenges have also strengthened agitation by citizens for what is variously referred to as restructuring, devolution or true federalism. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Subsequently, I hold that any structure that meets the economic, and political aspirations of the majority of citizens will be welcomed.

Therefore, we should focus on a political economy that provides an opportunity for class elevation and egalitarianism. â&#x20AC;&#x153;How do we generate these spaces for economic empowerment of the majority without creating new layers of bureaucracy and increasing the cost of governance? â&#x20AC;&#x153;My point, in a nutshell, is that this dialogue should explore ways of ensuring the greatest good for the greatest number of our people. That, to me, is what we must address our minds to within the context of our federation or any other structure that we may come up with,â&#x20AC;? he posited.

Also speaking, Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, said the APC administration was the first to make spirited efforts to organize a public hearing on Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s co-existence.

Aregbesola who was also a member of the committee

collating the views of the zone on the issue, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our nation has been existing for well over 100 years. Before Nigeria was amalgamated, there had been sections of Nigeria. We had Northern and Southern protectorates before the 1914 proclamation of Nigeria. â&#x20AC;?This will be the first time that a conscious effort is being made by a political party in Nigeria to aggregate views, opinions and ideas about how they want to see Nigeria by ourselves being governed. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I must commend our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) for coming up with the idea,â&#x20AC;? he said.

His Niger State counterpart, Governor Abubakar Bello, represented by the Special Adviser on Political Matters, Mr. Solomon Nyase, said he would never support the breakup of the country. â&#x20AC;&#x153;However, in whatever we do or discuss we must remember Nigerians who are at the receiving end,â&#x20AC;? he said.

Spokesperson of the traditional rulers in Kwara, Emir of Shonga, Dr. Haliru Yahaya, said the agitation in some quarters for the dismemberment of Nigeria would not succeed. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Let the boys be chatting, Nigeria cannot disintegrate.

Every section of the country has got its own agitation, but at the end of the day the country will be more united,â&#x20AC;? he said.

YOU'RE THE ROGUE ELEPHANT, APC FIRES BACK AT SAGAY Other issues included fiscal federalism and revenue allocation, forms of government, independent candidacy, land tenure system, local government autonomy, power-sharing and rotation, resource control and type of legislature.

In their own presentations, the partyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s branches in Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States rejected the call for a total restructuring of the country at the North-west zonal public hearing held in Sokoto.

They, however, agreed on the devolution of powers and that the federal government should transfer some aspects of health, transport and fire service among others to the states while it focuses on defence, foreign affairs, security and currency.

The position of Sokoto State was presented by the former deputy governor, Alhaji Chiso Abdullahi, in which it rejected the creation of new states as many states had been unviable.

It advocated that the presidential system and fiscal federalism should be maintained as enshrined in the Constitution, adding that power rotation and zoning should be maintained to foster national unity.

It also pushed for a unicameral legislature and canvassed that traditional institutions should be given advisory roles in the constitution.

It said revenue allocation should be on the basis of 43 per

cent for the federal government, 35 per cent for states and 23 per cent for local government councils.

Kebbi State rejected the creation of new states and a bicameral legislature while arguing that zoning should be between North and South.

It advocated for a revenuesharing formula with the federal government having 40 per cent, states 40 per cent and local government areas 20 per cent.

It also canvassed for devolution of some powers to the states.

Zamfara State said the status quo should be maintained in state creation, derivation, devolution of powers, presidential system of government and land tenure system.

Speaking at the meeting, the Chairman of the hearing and Governor of Plateau State, Mr. Simon Lalong, said all the views collated would be taken back to the APC national headquarters.

"At the end of the exercise, all the views collated would be analysed and these would form the opinions of the APC and the federal government," he said.

In his remarks, Sokoto State Governor, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, said the aim of the public hearing was to collate views of the people on how the country should be restructured and governed.

He said this would enable the party to have a better-informed

position on the issue whenever it would make its presentation.

Tambuwal commended the APC for its efforts to get feedback from the people on the way the country should be governed.

Also speaking, Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State, said the North would not be stampeded into accepting other people's agenda but would only be guided by reason.

He noted that some of the issues being clamoured for by certain groups in the country were subject to a lot of sentiments.

Bagudu said: "Some of these issues people are clamouring for do not have any clear definition.

Some of them are partisan in nature. However, these issues are better discussed than avoided.

"So, we must not be stampeded or become emotional by the agenda of some group but will only be guided by reason," he pointed out.

He expressed satisfaction with the modest achievements recorded by the APC across the country He described the meeting as apt, saying APC was committed to true federalism as enshrined in the manifesto of the party.

The Zamfara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Wakala, said the state was solidly behind the unity of Nigeria.

The stakeholders from the

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2017 ˾ T H I S D AY

41

NEWS

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

Saraki: Senate to Pass Remaining Petroleum Reform Bills in Six Months Says constituency budget to ensure equitable allocation to all local govts Ejiofor Alike in Lagos and James Emejo in Abuja The Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has said the Senate would pass the remaining versions of the petroleum reform bills - Petroleum Industry Administration Bill (PIAB), Petroleum Industry Fiscal Bill (PIFB), and Petroleum Host Community Bill (PHCB) - within the next six months.

The Senate had earlier passed the Petroleum Industry Governance (PIGB), the aspect of the reform legislation that controls the governance structure of the Nigerian oil and gas industry.

Speaking of at the opening session of a a three- day Nigeria Oil and Gas Industry Research and Development Fair and Conference

2017 organised in Lagos by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Saraki noted that the 8th National Assembly is not oblivious of some of the challenges facing the industry.

He said the senate had done tremendous work on the bill, adding that it is working towards passing it by December and in the event of that not achievable it would be passed at the latest first quarter of 2018.

“We are assuring you that by the grace of God not more than first quarter next year but our target is December this year,” Saraki said.

“The Petroleum Industry Bill, which established clear rules, regulations, procedures and institutions for the efficient administration of the petroleum

Presidency Consults Saraki, CJN in Expanded PEBEC Meeting Today Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja The presidency will today host the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, in an expanded meeting of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) in the State House, Abuja.

Also expected at the meeting are Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, his Kano State counterpart, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, and the Acting DirectorGeneral of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration Control, Mrs. Yetunde Oni. A statement by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo’s spokesman, Mr. Laolu Akande, said the individuals were invited to the session based on stakeholder feedback.

Akande further said today’s meeting would consider new and specific initiatives to be implemented over a 60-day period in the National Action Plan 2.0.

He recalled that a previous 60day National Action Plan on Ease of Doing Business was approved on February 21, 2017.

He said the National Action Plan

contained initiatives and actions implemented by responsible ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), the National Assembly, the governments of Lagos and Kano States, as well as some private sector stakeholders According to him, PEBEC was inaugurated in 2016 by President Muhammadu Buhari with Osinbajo as chairman along with 10 ministers, including the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah, as Vice Chairman.

Also included in the council were the Head of Service, Winifred Oyo-Ita, the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, representatives of the National Assembly, Lagos and Kano States, and members of the private sector.

“Recently, the Enabling Business Environment Secretariat (EBES) of the PEBEC released the 2016/2017 Reform Update document at the 5th Presidential Quarterly Business Forum held in Abuja on September 11, where the role of regulators as business facilitators was further discussed.

“This event was chaired by Prof.

Osinbajo, and attended by ministers and Heads of Agencies, as well as leading companies in the private sector,” the statement added.

Apapa Gridlock: LASG Summons Stakeholders for Lasting Solution Following orders by the Lagos State Government to truck operators to vacate Apapa expressway, the state government has invited representatives of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners, Flour Mills Nigeria, Dangote Nigeria, Petroleum Tankers Drivers Association, NUPENG and other stakeholders in the transport sector to an interactive forum Tuesday aimed at finding a lasting solution to the meance of traffic gridlock in the axis.

According to a statement by the acting Commissioner for Transportation, Nofiu Elegushi, agenda of the meeting will focus on finding a lasting solution to the Apapa traffic gridlock and its attendant economic impact on residents.

The meeting is scheduled to hold by 12 noon in the ministry’s conference Room, Block 17, the Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja.

Meanwhile, ahead of plans

by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to commission the statue of the late statesman and consummate politician, Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s statue, the state government has advised the public and motorists in particular that vehicular movement on Obafemi Awolowo way would be impeded.

“Motorists are therefore advised to exercise caution and obey the extra traffic management rules and personnel that will be on ground as a result of the increased heavy vehicular movement to be experienced in the area,” Elegushi implored.

industry in Nigeria. This bill establishes the legal and regulatory framework, institutions and regulatory authorities for the Nigerian petroleum industry. It also stipulates deadline for operations in the upstream, midstream and downstream sectors. Given the high expectations for the PIB, and the long controversy that had surrounded the passage of the bill for over a decade, we needed to break it into four parts to enable its passage into law within the short timeframe we have,” Saraki said.

“As of today, we have successfully passed the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill. The Petroleum Industry Administration Bill, Petroleum Industry Fiscal Bill, and Petroleum Host Community Bill have all gone through second reading. We expect the report from the committee in no distant time and hope to pass the bills into law within the next quarter,” Saraki added.

He said the challenge was that the committee members had to engage in a lot of consultation with other members of the senate and other stakeholders.

“But we are given ourselves

maximum period of six months and the bill would be passed,” he added.

The Senate President, who was represented by the Chairman of Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), Senator Tayo Alasoadura, said the Senate was working on a number of legislative reforms aimed at reviving the economy.

According to him, the 8th National Assembly has introduced an inclusive broad stakeholder engagement form of law-making, adding that through the pioneer creation of the National Assembly Business Environment Roundtable, private sector groups and the civil society are participating in the lawmaking process by providing and engaging with relevant committees on technical support.

Saraki stated that the revitalisation of the Nigerian economy has been the central theme of the Senate’s Legislative Agenda.

He said the Senate had created its legislative agenda with its focal point on reviving the Nigerian economy, mapping out Economic Priority Bills, designed to create jobs and promote MSMEs growth

with particular focus on creating an enabling business environment in Nigeria, infrastructure mobilisation, and access to capital and credit.

“In line with this agenda, we have passed the Electronic Transaction bill 2015, Bankruptcy and Insolvency bill 2015, the Credit Reporting Bill, The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission Bill, the Independent Warehouse Regulatory Agency Bill, the Secure Transactions in Movable Assets Bill, to name but a few of them. These Bills create new capital mobilisation scheme for SMEs, encourage access to credit, and reduce the potential for non-performing loans,” Saraki said..

He further stated that Nigeria’s economic growth could only be sustainable if the reduce her import dependency, stressing that the Senate has rigorously pursued a campaign for made-in-Nigeria products.

“We have also considered and created practical ways by which the Government can show full support for Made-in-Nigeria goods. This is precisely what we have done with the amendment of the Public Procurement Act. It

makes Made-in-Nigeria products, the first option of purchase in any government transaction in Nigeria,” he added.

The senate president commended the executive arm of government on the robust Economic Growth and Recovery Plan of the federal government and argued that to ensure a sustainable vibrant economy, the country’s business environment legal frameworks must be safe, friendly and provide an assuring platform for investors, entrepreneurs and businesses.

Saraki said the vision of the Senate was to create a robust business environment in Nigeria, oil and gas sector, adding that adequate attention will be paid in passing the remaining aspects of the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill.

He commended NCDMB for the bold initiative of organising the fair and urged participants to come up with ideas that will help support research and development in the country.

Meanwhile, Saraki yesterday said the passage of the Constituency Projects Budgetary Provision Bill which is before the National

Cont’d on 44

PERFORMING LEGISLATIVE DUTY

L-R: Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki; Senate Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan; Member Committee on Finance, Senator Mathew Urhoghede; and another member of the committee, Senator Abdullahi Gumel, during a public hearing on Tax Incentives Management Transparency Bill 2017, Companies Income Tax Act 2004 (Amendment) Bill 2016 and Constituency Projects (Budgetary Provision) 2016 organised by the Senate Committee on Finance in Abuja.....yesterday Julius Atoi

Buhari Returns, Congratulates German Chancellor Merkel Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari returned to Nigeria last night a week after he left the country for New York to participate in the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

Buhari who left New York for London on Thursday, arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja at 7pm and was received by his Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Muhammed Bello, the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, among others.

The president had left New York in the United States for London last Thursday for undisclosed reasons.

It was however, believed that he had gone to London for further medical check-up, having earlier spent 103 days in the country for treatment of an undisclosed ailment.

Buhari left Nigeria for New York on September 17. Ahead of his departure, his chief spokesman, Mr. Femi Adesina, in a statement, said Buhari would visit London enroute Nigeria without stating the reason.

While in New York, Buhari participated in a general debate of the UNGAduring which he delivered a speech tagged “national statement.”

He also held private meetings with the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterress. The president was also one of the select nine African leaders who had a lunch with United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday. He as well met Jordan King, Abdullah II who donated 200 armoured vehicles to Nigeria to bolster the fight against insurgency. He also had a meeting with Ghanaian President, Nana Akufo-Addo.

Meanwhile, the president has joined world leaders and wellwishers in congratulating German Chancellor Angela Merkel on her victory at the weekend polls.

Buhari, in a statement by his chief spokesman, said he felicitated with the German Chancellor’s party for producing leadership for the country for over 12 years, and winning another opportunity to sustain the legacy of good work.

“The president recalls his interactions with Chancellor Merkel over the years, especially at the G8 meeting in 2015 and during his visit to Germany in 2016, coming away with a strong impression of her commitment to building stronger ties across the world.

“President Buhari wishes the German Chancellor a successful tenure,” the statement added.

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TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2017 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

Don’t Hide Your Incompetence under False N7bn Demand, Obi Tells Obiano Iyobosa Uwugiaren in Abuja The former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, has advised his successor, Chief Willie Obiano, to focus on telling the people of the state what he has done for them for four years, instead of using the “non-existent demand for N7 billion” as an excuse to hide his gross incompetence.

Obi stated this while reacting to the statement credited to Obiano yesterday, alleging that Obi demanded N7 billion from him.

Responding through his Special

Adviser, Mr. Valentine Obienyem, in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja, the former governor said now is campaign time and rather than tell the people of the state what he has done for them, Obiano is busy sponsoring people on different media to say he demanded N7 billion from him, which he said was entirely false.

The statement added that “now he has even on his own false world accepted that he did not give the N7 billion to anybody; he should go ahead

Recall: Melaye Denies Evading Petition,Timetable Service The senator representing Kogi West senatorial district in the National Assembly, Dino Melaye, yesterday denied claims that he was evading the service of petition and timetable for his recall from the Senate by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Melaye made this known while briefing journalists in Abuja yesterday.

The senator is facing a recall by his constituents who in a petition on June 23, 2017, called on INEC to recall him.

He was accused of poor representation of the constituency at the Senate.

But Melaye said accepting any “purported’’ petition from INEC would amount to breaching the 1999 constitution (as amended).

According to him, the window provided by the constitution for the service of recall petition had elapsed and I would not be seen to be breaching the law.

“It is clear that by the provisions of Section 69(b) of the 1999 Constitution, INEC must act on the petition purportedly presented to it on June 23, 2017, by conducting a referendum within 90 days of receipt of the petition.

“The 90 days period as provided for in the constitution for conducting the referendum after our verification, elapsed on September 23, 2017.

“The time having elapsed, I cannot under the circumstance, aid and abet INEC to further infringe on the provisions of the constitution, which I have sworn to defend,’’ he said.

The lawmaker pointed out that

his position on the matter had been affirmed by various Supreme Court decisions.

He cited the case of Nyako v.

Adamawa State House of Assembly and others (2016) and All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) v. Alhaji Mohammed Goni and others.

The senator said from the apex court’s decision, the constitution could not be amended by “mere’’ pronouncement of a court of law.

Melaye added that it was only right to respect the provision of the constitution.

“The trial judge failed to respect that provision of the constitution when he elongated 90 days provided for, saying the process was paused when the interim order for maintenance of status quo was granted.

“I am not evading the service of any purported petition on me

by INEC. “As a matter of fact, my lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome, served INEC a notice to produce the said petition in the course of hearing of this matter but INEC failed to produce the petition in court.

“I have also instructed my lawyer to challenge the jurisdiction of the trial court to entertain an ex parte application for the service on me.

“In view of the lapse of time, I shall no longer be in a haste to take any further step in this matter so as not to aid any party, especially INEC in breaching the constitution,’’ he said.

Melaye said having asked his lawyer to file appeal against the judgment by the court, he was aware that the matter was sub-judice.

Former Ekiti First Lady Elected into Stock Exchange Council Former first lady of Ekiti State, Erelu Angela Adebayo, was yesterday elected into the council of the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE) during the 56th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the body.

This is the first time two women will be elected into the council. The other woman elected yesterday is Mrs. Catherine Nwakaego.

The election of the two women is believed to be a deliberate act to make for gender balancing in the council.

Adebayo comes on board with a huge of boardroom experience having served as the first female Chairman of Wemabod estates, just as she is also the Chair of Afriland Properties Plc, an estate consultancy firm.

Mrs. Adebayo is also a member

of the board of Dangote Foundation.

She had also run the Erelu Adebayo Foundation (ERAF), a charity outfit in Ekiti State, to take care of vulnerable children.

The former first lady has, since leaving office, committed herself to advancing business frontiers in the real sector and hospitality industry.

and tell Anambra people what he used their money to do, bearing in mind that major projects in the state such as roads, Awka and Nnewi malls as well as Onitsha and Agulu Hotels among others, remain abandoned.”

According to the statement, “We know the governor has many questions to answer and cannot run away from them through blackmail.

“For instance, on the issue of the N75 billion Obi left for him, he tried to deny it by saying he met ‘near cash’, we went on and published the banks and account numbers where the money were and the bank certified statement of accounts, but they tactically kept quiet.

“To refresh our minds, Obi left N2,139,951,400 billion in First Bank (Acc no.

2018779464) for Oko erosion;

N4,909,576,925.98 billion in Sure-P Diamond Bank account (0026290200); N1,782,568,032 billion in UBEC 1 Diamond Bank account(0023484282); N2,101,864,766 billion UBEC 2 Diamond Bank account (0031151473); over N4 billion in many MDG accounts one of which was the N3,048,355,196 billion in Fidelity Bank(5030047097); over N35 billion cash (set aside funds added) in all the banks.

“Obi also left $156 million in Fidelity Bank ($56 million) ; Diamond Bank ($50 million); and Access Bank ($50 million).”

The statement continued: “In fact, it was one of the disagreements about the sale that led Mr. Oseloka Obaze to resign.

Obiano should be busy telling us the status of these monies rather than his current blackmail.

“Now is also the time for

Obiano to justify before Anambra people why he takes N1.2 billion as security votes, which is the biggest in Nigeria relative to income.”

The statement alleged that what was curious was that within his first six months in office, Obiano wired all the money in MDG account, with which schools and hospitals get monetary and development support to his security vote.

It further said now was the time for Obiano to clear so many “lies” his administration has been dishing out to the people of the state, with the phantom $5 million ‘Ugu’ export as an example.

“As a seasonal vegetable, at least ‘Ugu’ would be exported once every year, but now, going to two years, we do not

hear about it again.

“He recently told us that the state got the order to export 10 million tubers of yam, maybe he did not even realise that over 80 per cent of yam consumed in state come from Benue and Taraba States.

“He also said that the state is now producing over 200 tonnes tons of rice, when even Stines company source rice from Ebonyi State,’’ Obi added.

The statement further said there were legion reasons why the governor of Anambra State does not merit a second term, adding that some of which included the signing of over 100 MoUs that are not functional; the claim that he attracted $7.5 billion investment to the state; and the concentration of 90 per cent of his few development projects in his town.

REJOICING WITH KEYAMO

L-R: Mr. Israel Edjeren; Dr. Jide Sonuga; President, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; Dr. Osagie Nurudeen; and Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN), at the reception held in honour of Keyamo on his award of Senior Advocate of Nigeria in Lagos....Sunday Kolawole Alli

Presidential Panel Begins Hearing on Alleged Rights Abuses by Army, Others The Presidential Panel of Investigation set up to review compliance of the military on rules of engagement has commenced hearing in Port Harcourt.

Justice Biobele Georgewill, Chairman of the panel, yesterday said the panel would listen to stakeholders from the south-south region over alleged human rights violations by the Army, Air Force, and Navy.

He said the panel would take receipt of memorandum from state governments, traditional rulers, community leaders, nongovernmental organisations, civil society organisations, human right groups and other stakeholders.

“It is gratifying to inform that the panel has been receiving memoranda from across the country as we intend to hold public hearings in each of the six geopolitical zones.

“We have concluded our sitting in Maiduguri (Adamawa) for the North-east zone, and now, we are in Port Harcourt for the South-south zone from September

25 to September 28.

“The public sitting will attend to all memoranda submitted to the panel from all the south-south states and thereafter, move to other remaining zones of the country. “This arrangement will provide the opportunity for all those who submitted a memorandum to make presentations before the panel sittings at each of the zones,” he said.

Georgewill, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said the hearing was a unique opportunity for individuals, groups, and organisations to present verifiable evidence of alleged human rights abuses by the armed forces.

He said the panel would accept and attend to new memorandum at the venue of the sittings, saying the move was for the overall interest of justice and fairness.

According to him, the penal inaugurated on Aug. 11 by Vice President Prof. Yemi

Osinbajo, was mandated to investigate alleged crimes against humanity by the military in tackling local armed conflicts. “The panel is mandated to review extant rules of engagement applicable to the armed forces of Nigeria and the extent of compliance thereto.

“To investigate alleged acts of violations of international humanitarian and human rights laws; and to investigate matters of conduct and discipline in the armed forces in local conflicts and insurgencies.

“To recommend means of preventing violations of international humanitarian and human rights law in conflict situations, and to make further recommendations in line with these terms of reference,” he said.

Maj.-Gen. Enobong Udoh, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, commended the federal government and expressed confidence over the conduct of

the exercise. He said claims by Amnesty International (AI) that the army carried out human rights abuses in North-east was unfounded and a calculated attempt to tarnish the image of the army.

“The Amnesty International with aid of Social Media wrongly presently the Nigerian Army as the enemy of the Nigerian state which is quite spurious.

“The Nigerian army will continue to protect the territorial integrity of the country and will do so by conducting itself professionally with absolute submission to the rule of law,” he said.

In his submission, Prof. Yemi Akinseye-George, lead counsel of the army, said that Amnesty International report was littered with contradictions and falsehood.

He said the absence of AI at the sitting was regrettable and clear indication that the organisation was bent on creating mistrust among citizens towards the military.

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2017 ˾ T H I S D AY

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NEWSEXTRA

Court Remands 60 IPOB Members in Prison Group salutes South-west elders for condemning military operation in South-east Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja and David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka A Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Umuahia, Abia State, yesterday remanded 60 members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) at the Afara Federal Prisons in Aba. The magistrate ordered that the IPOB members be remanded in prison after their counsel challenged the jurisdiction of the court to hear the matter.

The magistrate, who had directed that the case file be transferred to the Department for Public Prosecution (DPP) for advice, later adjourned the case till October 25.

The IPOB members were among those arrested by security agents in Umuahia, Isiala Ngwa and other parts of the state capital during the

clash between army and members of the separatist group.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Geoffrey Ogbonna, said IPOB were arraigned on eight-count charge of conspiracy, terrorism, attempted murder, membership of unlawful society and rioting, among others.

Meanwhile, (IPOB) has commended the apex Yoruba socio-cultural groups, Afenifere and Yoruba Elders Council, for speaking out against the recent launch of a military operation in the South-eastern zone of the country tagged; operation Python Dance II. IPOB said it noted their firm and decisive stance against the operation, saying that it was a clear testimony that there still abound good men in the zone.

Journalists Escape Death as Gunmen Attack Olubadan’s Palace Ademola Babalola in Ibadan Gunmen in a white Previa Bus numbering about eight yesterday attacked the palace of Olubadan of Ibadanland as Oba Saliu Adetunji was about to commence the installation of new Mogajis (family heads) and Baales (village heads).

A former Secretary to the Oyo State Government, Chief Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli, who is the Asaju Balogun Olubadan was ambushed as the assailants fired shots into his black Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV).

He escaped unhurt.

The Correspondent of THISDAY, AdemolaBabalola,hisPunchandDaily Trust counterparts, Olufemi Atoyebi and Jeremiah Oke, also escaped death by the whiskers as they rammed into the indiscriminate shots being fired from close range by the hoodlums.

A newly constructed drainage in the city became their refuge for close to 15 minutes that the sporadic shooting lasted.

While the affected journalists sustained varying degrees of injuries, Oba Adetunji, the Osi Olubadan, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, Asaju Balogun, Chief Sharafadeen Alli and Senator Olufemi Lanlehin who later witnessed the ceremony

condemned the attackers which they blamed on the state government.

Alli who had similar attack in 2011 after the general election when gunmen nearly snuffed life out of him in Ibadan, told journalists that there was no cause for alarm in the latest development since he and his aides in the car escaped unhurt.

He sued for peace in the land.

Ladoja said the attack was unconnected with the ongoing tussle on the recent elevation and enthronement of some chiefs by Governor Abiola Ajimobi.

He said government ought not to have resorted to violence if not pleased that Oba Adetunji, like few of them had headed to court to challenge the recent reforms.

He thereafter appealed to the people of Ibadanland to go about their lawful duties, assuring them that “the end is near for the reign of impunity in the state.”

The spokesman of the Authentic Ibadan Mogajis, Chief Wale Oladoja, had earlier in the day told journalists that the ceremony would hold at Olubadan Palace following rumours that the state government had sent circulars to the palace to stop the ceremony of the installation of new chiefs.

Troops, DSS Arrest Illegal Arms Dealers Paul Obi in Abuja Troops from the 1 Mechanised Division of the Nigerian Army and officers of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested two illegal arms dealers notorious for smuggling weapons to armed bandits.

The Director of Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Sani Usman, explained that the “troops of 1 Division Nigerian Army in conjunction with elements of DSS trailed and arrested two illegal arms dealers; Abdulkarim Jibrin and Suleiman along Funtua-Gusau road in Zamfara State.

“They were caught driving a Golf Volkswagen car with registration number AWE-534-AA (Nasarawa) containing 1,479 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition.

“Preliminary investigation shows that they were on their way to

deliver the ammunition to armed bandits. The suspects are in DSS custody,” he said Usman added: “Troops of 1 Brigade, 1 Division Nigerian Army, deployed at Rabah Local Government Area, Sokoto State, also on September 24, 2017, at about 1p.m. arrested suspected cattle rustler, Abdullahi Jummo Nakogiwo at Dalingen in Rabah Local Government Area.

“Similarly, troops deployed at Dangulbi, Maru Local Government Area, Zamfara State, on routine patrol apprehended three armed bandits at Gobirawan Chali.

“The team recovered 1 AK-47 rifle magazine, 40 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition, the sum of N45,500.00k, Nokia mobile telephone handset battery and three Airtel SIM cards. The suspects have been handed over to the Nigeria Police,” Usman stated.

A statement signed by the Media and Publicity Secretary of IPOB, Mr. Emma Powerful, and made available to THISDAY in Awka yesterday, thanked groups and individuals from the zone for condemning the invasion of the zone by military men in a manner he described as “overwhelming tide of tyrannical oppression and genocide against the people of Biafra. ‘ Part of the statement reads: “You rose up to condemn evil and their well oiled propaganda machinery that sought to turn truth upside down and make us believe that light is now darkness and darkness light.

“Your collective and individual condemnation of the evil Python Dance II, staged by the President Muhammadu Buhari regime to suppress legitimate agitation for freedom through intimidation, slaughter of the innocent and military occupation has earned you an enduring legacy which history will never forget.”

The group described as rare courage and forthrightness by the south western groups in coming forth to speak up in defence of freedom of speech, expression and association, while commending them for rejecting the tag of terrorist organisation on it.

The group stated further that, “We also commend those men and women of good conscience from across all ethnic divides in

Nigeria and across the globe that condemned the genocidal campaign of this Buhari regime against innocent civilian populations across Biafraland.

“With this public display of courage, we are hopeful that many more courageous men and women across West Africa and Africa in general will rise up against this APC tyranny and oppression in black Africa as other races have managed to do.”

The group said it would remain steadfast and committed to the pursuit of the finest ideals of liberation to set free all oppressed and marginalised people in Nigeria and beyond.

Meanwhile, the Igbos for Nigeria Movement (INM) has demanded an apology from Ohanaeze Ndigbo and Igbo leaders for their earlier acts of silence and passive support that allowed IPOB led by Nnamdi Kanu to hijack the Igbo agitation for fairness to incite hatred across the land.

The group also called on Ohanaeze to retract it past statements on the Operation Python Dance II and apologise to the military.

It explained that some top members of Ohanaeze and Igbo political leaders that had banked on using IPOB and Kanu to score political points soon discovered that they were as much the victims of a terror infrastructure; but had become

too ashamed to accept their sins and dilemma until the launch of Operation Python Dance II, which some of them still kicked against out of habit.

In a statement issued yesterday in Abuja by its National Leader, Mazi Igwe Ifeanyi, commended the Nigerian Army for having the will to tackle IPOB as a festering sore that was on the verge of compromising the health of the country.

According to him, “there is nowhere in the world where terrorists are allowed to flourish unchallenged as earlier canvassed by certain many Igbo and Ohanaeze leaders with vested interests.”

The group added that, “it was reassuring that the same people that were supporting IPOB, even when they were hostages, are today relishing the freedom procured for them through the success recorded

by Operation Python Dance II, which has empowered them to again grow the courage to visit the same people that Kanu had vilified without them censuring him.”

Reacting to a visit to Gombe State on a peace mission by Ohanaeze’s President General, Chief John Nwodo and other Igbo leaders, Ifeanyi expressed relief that the period when the organisation and Igbo leaders played politics with what is ordinarily a nationwide quest for a better deal is over.

He stated: “The least Ohanaeze, Chief Nwodo and other Igbo leaders can do is to retract their past statements on the Operation Python Dance II and to encourage troops to root out other evils that have made Igboland into a place that other Nigerians avoid as a place to settle down.

“The ill-conceived quit notice to Igbos by some northern youths had exposed how groups like IPOB placed Igbos at a disadvantage because Igbos settle in other parts of the country in large numbers while only few persons of other ethnic groups make Igboland their homes because of attitudes like the one exhibited by Kanu.

“Going forward, the expectation is that Ohaneze and any one that genuinely calls himself a leader in Igboland must now put the interest of Igbo people above their personal interest and this includes accepting that IPOB was a monster that was set to consume the genuine cause which every Igbo man had vigorously pursued in the past.

“Had the military not stopped IPOB and Kanu, the path they were threading was on the verge of making Igbos lose what they had toiled to build in other parts of Nigeria in the past five decades given the way they needlessly antagonized other ethnic groups, including calling for their death,” the group said.

APC GOVERNORS

L-R: Governors Abubakar Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi); Simon Lalong (Plateau); and Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (Sokoto) after the public hearing on true federalism for Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi States organised by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Sokoto...yesterday

Premier Lotto Staff, FIRS Bicker over N790m Tax Debts There was a mild drama at the head office of Premier Lotto Limited, the popular lottery firm owned by Chief Kessignton Adebutu, yesterday, as the staff of the company forcefully prevented officials of the Federal Inland Revenue from sealing the premises over N789.6million tax liabilities.

The FIRS team led by Mrs. Anita Erinne, arrived the office, located at 112 Funsho Williams Avenue, Surulere, Lagos, with a warrant.

The company, popularly called “Baba Ijebu,” disputed the debt profile, as its officials engaged the FIRS team in a hot argument.

A man identified as Adebutu’s son said: “We are not owing and you cannot close our company.”

As the drama wore on, the lotto magnate, accompanied by retinue of security aides, arrived the scene.

He told the FIRS team that he was not aware that his company is owing. The FIRS team leader revealed the debt profile to him after which Adebutu gave the go-ahead for the FIRS to execute the warrant.

Erinne then ordered the staff to vacate the premises, but a man, who identified himself as the accountant,

told the staff to ignore the FIRS team leader.

As the FIRS officials made to leave, Adebutu’s son proposed that the company would pay N10 million out of the debt, something Erinne rejected because the figure was too little.

In a bid to avoid an escalation of the situation, the FIRS team left the premises.

The team also shut the office of Costain West Africa at 174 Funsho Williams Street, Ebute-Metta, over a tax debt of N2billion.

A similar fate befell Niger

Insurance Limited, as its office located at 48/50 Odunlami Street, Lagos, was sealed. The insurance firm owes N526.8million in taxes.

Equally affected was Goldlink Insurance Plc situated at 6, Immanuel Street, Maryland, Ikeja, Lagos. The company has tax liabilities of N244 million.

It officials pleaded for more time to enable the company pay up, but the plea was rejected.

The team also sealed off Trancit Ventures Limited situated at 50, CAPPAAvenue, Palmgrove Estate, Ilupeju, Lagos over a tax debt of N25.3 million.

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TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2017 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWSEXTRA

Buhari Feeds Three Million School Kids Over 19,000 schools and about three million pupils have so far been covered under the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme of the Muhammadu Buhari administration.

According to figures released by the Vice President’s office, 2,918,842 schoolchildren from 19,881 schools in the 14 pilot states of the federation have so far benefitted from the programme, part of government’s N500 billion Social Investment Programmes (SIPs).

N6,643,432,789 billion have been disbursed by the federal government since the school feeding programme kicked off late last year.

With 3,325 schools, Kaduna State has the highest number of schools so far covered under the programme, as well as 835,508 children, the highest number of schoolchildren who have been fed.

It is closely followed by Bauchi State with an impressive 1,904

schools already covered, while 307,013 schoolchildren in the state have so far benefitted from the programme.

Benue State follows with 2,220 schools and 240,827 schoolchildren fed. Ogun State is also a big beneficiary with 903 schools and 231,660 pupils fed.

Zamfara State also recorded a high number, with 1,952 schools covered and 198,788 pupils fed under the programme.

Osun State which pioneered feeding school kids since the beginning of Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s administration has 1,850 schools covered and 151,438 pupils being fed.

In Taraba State, 1,479 schools have been covered and 171,835 pupils fed so far, while a total of 1,403 schools have been covered in Oyo State, where 107,983 pupils have been fed.

In Anambra State, 807 schools have been covered and 103,742 schoolchildren have been fed so

far, while in Enugu State, 108,898 pupils in 622 schools have been fed.

In Ebonyi State, the school feeding programme has so far covered 1,050 schools and 163,137 schoolchildren have been fed. Also, a total of 95,134 schoolchildren in 882 schools have been fed in Plateau State.

Delta and Abia States recorded 742 schools each, with 141,663 and 61,316 schoolchildren fed respectively.

With the commencement of a new academic session this month, it is expected that more schools will benefit from the programme,

as more states would be added to the list, in line with the federal government target that 5.5 million schoolchildren would be fed by the end of 2017.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) has explained that one of the reasons the Buhari administration’s Homegrown School Feeding Programme was conceived is to address problems of malnutrition especially regarding primary school pupils.

Osinbajo, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) stated this earlier today while receiving, at the Presidential Villa, a delegation of Nigerian human nutritionists led

by the Deputy Governor of Kano State, Prof. Hafiz Abubakar.

Abubakar, who came with leaders of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria, had detailed the concerns of Nigerian professional human nutritionists on malnutrition challenges, and how Nigeria is faring regarding the global nutrition targets. The delegation urged the Federal Government to inaugurate a National Council on Nutrition to address the situation.

In his response, Vice President Osinbajo noted that the problems of malnutrition are part of the reasons “why we have the Homegrown School Feeding

Programme to deal with the issues of human nutrition.

He added that the Federal Government would be ready to collaborate with States where nutrition issues are most urgent in prioritising the implementation of the school feeding programme.

Already, 14 States are benefiting across the country, with almost 3 million pupils being fed daily.

The vice president stated that the government would consider inaugurating the National Council on Nutrition, urging the experts to come up with an action plan to effectively address the malnutrition challenges in the country.

Appeal Court Commences Special Session to Determine over 209 Cases in Kogi Yekini Jimoh in Lokoja The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal yesterday in Lokoja, Kogi State, commenced a two-week special session for expeditious determination of over 209 pending appeals emanating from the state.

The President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, disclosed this at the special inaugural session of the court in Lokoja.

According to her, the session would be handled by two regular and one Sharia panels, adding that the sitting was part of the on-going reforms on quick dispensation of justice.

“The two panels will sit over the 198 appeals consisting of 150 civil appeals and motions with 48 criminal appeals and motions and another panel of justices will sit over the 11 Sharia Appeals,” she said.

Bulkachuwa said the team of judges headed by herself, was ready and capable of dealing with the cases expeditiously and solicited the cooperation of members of the Bar – the lawyers.

“Let me use this medium to call on my brothers at the Bar to desist from filing frivolous applications or adopting measures that may cause unnecessary delay in proceedings.

“You may want to avoid frivolous briefs from clients no matter how lucrative they may seem. Try as much as possible to present your matters simply and

briefly so that the court can have a smooth and successful session,” she added.

Also speaking, the state Chief Judge, Justice Nasir Ajanah, described the inaugural sitting of the appellate court in Lokoja as divine, saying that the Almighty God had answered his silent prayers of making justice accessible to the people at minimal cost.

Ajanah who was full of gratitude to Bulkachuwa, said the sitting was hopefully, a precursor to the establishment of a division of the court in the state and described the day as a glorious one for the state judiciary.

He said justice was only attainable if the cost and difficulty of attaining it was reduced to the barest minimum, adding that the number of appeals from the state had made it imperative the establishment of a division of the court.

The state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Ibrahim Mohammed (SAN), also in his goodwill message, re-echoed the call for the establishment of the Appeal Court division in the state.

He promised that the state government’s support.

The Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Lokoja branch, Liman Salihu, on behalf of the four branches in the state, said the sitting would assuage a lot of concern over the volume of cases from the state pending at the Appeal Court.

Adamawa Assembly Removes Deputy Speaker,Three Others Daji Sani in Yola The Adamawa State House of Assembly yesterday impeached four of the principal officers, including the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Sunday Peter, and the Majority Leader, Alhaji Musa Mahmud.

Others removed were the Deputy Majority Leader, Mutawali Mohammed and the Minority Leader, Mrs Justina Nkom (SDPLamurde) state constituency.

The Speaker of the assembly, Alhaji Kabiru Mijinyawa, presided over the first plenary after the assembly resumed from a six-week

recess.

The deputy speaker was immediately replaced by Mr Emmanuel Tsamdu (APCMadagali), while Hassan Burguma (APC-Hong) was also elected new majority leader.

Abubakar Hayatu (APC-Uba/ Gaya) moved the motion for the impeachment of the deputy speaker and was seconded by Abubakar Abdurrahman (APC-Mubi South).

The assembly elected Abubakar Isa (APC-Shelleng) as the new Deputy Majority Leader while Lamsumbani Dili (PDP-Demsa) took over as the Minority Lader.

DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS

L-R: Regional Director, West Africa, Ford Foundation, Mr. Innocent Chukwuma; Keynote Speaker and Associate Dean, Research and International Programs, Indiana University Lily Family School of Philanthropy, Professor Una Osili; Founder, Emzor Pharmaceuticals and Chike Okoli Foundation, Mrs. Stella Okoli; Founder Ovie Brume Foundation, Dr. Evelyn Oputu; and African Philanthropy Forum (APF) Board Member, Gbenga Oyebode, when APF hosted philanthropists in Lagos ...Sunday

IG Orders Dismantling of Road Blocks Nationwide The Inspector General of Police (IG), Ibrahim Idris, has ordered his men to immediately remove all roadblocks on highways nationwide.

But the police boss said personnel who involve in vehicular patrol on highways and major roads across the country must wear their uniforms, a bold name tag, and service number.

The routes which the IG orders dismantling include, Lagos-Ibadan, Shagamu-Benin, Benin-Onitsha, Okene-Abuja, Kaduna-Kano, Katsina – Kano, Otukpo – Enugu, Enugu – Port Harcourt Express Ways.

A statement signed last night in Abuja by Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, said the directives became necessary to enable ease of doing business in Nigeria, safeguard, and guarantee free passage of goods and travellers throughout the country.

According to him, no police department, section, squad or unit should mount road block without express permission of the IG. The police boss added that police personnel who involve in vehicular patrol on highways and major roads across the country must wear their uniforms, a bold

name tag, and service number.

He said Special X-Squad teams of the Force have been deployed throughout the country and they are under strict instructions to arrest, investigate and discipline any police personnel violating this directive.

Moshood, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said the IG also directed the Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIGs) in charge of Zonal Commands, Commissioners of Police in charge of State Commands, Heads of Departments, to ensure

that every patrol vehicle in their respective formation carries a conspicuous and legible inscription of patrol vehicle identification number, and dedicated emergency phone numbers for ease of identification and report of distress by members of the public.

The statement read: “The IG has ordered the dismantling of all roadblocks nationwide with immediate effect; particularly on the following routes, Lagos-Ibadan, Shagamu-Benin, Benin-Onitsha, Okene-Abuja, Kaduna-Kano, Katsina – Kano, Otukpo – Enugu, Enugu – Port

SARAKI: SENATE TO PASS REMAINING PETROLEUM REFORM BILLS IN SIX MONTHS Assembly would guarantee that “every local government is covered in the allocation of projects for the purpose of infrastructural development and wealth creation in the annual budget.”

He said the proposed law is not peculiar to Nigeria alone as some African democracies including Kenya and Uganda which already have legal and institutional frameworks for the implementation of constituency projects.

The senate president said the bill would further aid constituency project implementation oversight and ensure its equitable distribution and execution.

Speaking at the opening of a one-day public hearing on three bills: Tax Incentives Management and Transparency Bill; Companies Income Tax Act 2004 (Amendment Bill) 2017 and an Act to Provide for Constituency Project in the Annual Budget of the Federation

and For Other Matters Connected Therewith, he said the bill does not seek to empower the National Assembly members to take 20 per cent of the annual budget for personal consumption.

Saraki said: “That has always been the false understanding of constituency projects even among the most educated Nigerians.

Members of the National Assembly merely identify the needs of their constituents and recommend to the executive during budgeting.

Ultimately National Assembly members have no direct control over the release of funds and all payments are processed and effected in accordance with government regulations.”

On the tax incentive and transparency bill, the Senate president said transparency and proper legislative framework were needed to address all sorts of arbitrariness, adding that tax incentives if not properly

supervised, could constitute a major drain on public resources.

According to him, “Transparency is an important element of a good fiscal and investment environment.

The various investigative hearings of the Senate, arising from the arbitrary award of waivers, tax holidays, exemptions and the likes, has revealed the need for a proper legislative framework to provide for a transparent tax incentive management.

“The Tax Incentives Management and Transparency Bill will go a long way in entrenching transparency, accountability and sound economic management on a sustainable basis.

It will aid efficiency and empower the relevant stakeholders with the right structures for a proper review of the financial and tax stream of any specific entity when necessary.

“The facts uncovered, and the recommendations of the Senate Ad hoc Committee on Duty Waivers, Concessions and Grants

have strengthened the resolve of the present Senate to make this bill a priority. Tax Incentives if not properly managed, can be a drain on the revenue of government.

There is therefore the urgent need to create the appropriate legal framework for the regulation of tax incentives in Nigeria.”

Nevertheless, Saraki said Companies Income Tax Act Amendment Bill (CITA) which is a short amendment to the existing Act would encourage investments in the industrial and mining sectors of the economy; especially in the rural areas where ordinarily it would have been unattractive to invest.

He said the bill seeks to stimulate economic activities that would be generated through tax moratorium and pilot the much canvassed employment opportunities for qualified youths and open up communities where these companies are sited.

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TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2017 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWSEXTRA

Killers of Three Policemen are Militants, Says Edo CP Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City The Police Commissioner in Edo State, Mr. Haliru Gwandu, has described the killers of three police officers and the abductors of the Executive Director of Ogba Zoo and Nature Park, Dr. Andy Ehanire, as militants.

Three policemen who were posted to provide security for fun seekers at the Ogba Zoo and Nature Park in Oredo Local Government Area of the state were last Sunday brutally killed by gunmen suspected

to be kidnappers, while their arms and ammunition were collected by the attackers.

In the process, the Director and Chief Executive of the park, Dr. Andy Ehanire, younger brother to the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, was abducted by the gunmen.

It was learnt that the killing disrupted activities at the zoo as many fun seekers scampered for safety.

Although the remains of the police officers have since been deposited at the Benin

Pirates Kill Two in Bayelsa Two persons were yesterday shot dead by gunmen suspected to be pirates in an attack on a passenger ship along the Brass waterways in Bayelsa State.

The latest attack is the third of such incident in three weeks Three weeks ago, an ambush on a military houseboat led to two persons being killed in Southern Ijaw creeks in the state.

Also, last Friday, suspected militants attacked a tugboat in the same area and killed three crew members, including a police officer.

The Chairman of the Bayelsa State chapter of Nigeria Maritime Workers Union, Lloyd Sese, who confirmed the latest incident said five persons were injured in the process.

Community sources said the gunmen numbering about four opened fire on the boat at

Okoroma axis and killed two of the passengers, a young man and a middle-aged woman, injuring other passengers.

It was gathered that the passengers’ boat was moving from Yenagoa to Okpoama in Brass Local Government Area when the pirates struck.

The pirates also collected all valuables belonging to the passengers.

Asinim Butswat, Police Public Relations Officer for Bayelsa Command who said one police operative was still missing following Friday’s attack, however said that the report of today’s incident was yet to reach the command headquarters in Yenagoa.

“You know the nature of the terrain and distance is also far, we are yet to be notified,” he said.

Central Hospital morgue, but the state Police Commissioner has described the incident as unfortunate, and promised that all hands were already on deck to fish out the hoodlums.

He said: “It was an unfortunate incidence. We lost three of our men. This is the activities of the militants because of the high sea now.

“They came and unfortunately killed our policemen, but we are on their trail. We are able to recover the vehicles they used to perpetrate the act. We are using all the available means including the high technology to fish out the perpetrators.

“They cannot go scot free.

Let me assure the public that we are on top of the situation and that they should go about their normal duty. All hands are on deck to ensure that the hoodlums are fished out,” he said.

Speaking on the incident, one of the staff, Helen Juchei,

said the assailants came as fun seekers.

“Yesterday, after I finished my normal duty in the morning, people were just entering the zoo. And at this time, my boss had not come. We usually come before him, and when he eventually came at about 1p.m., it was now his turn to take over my duty, I went to tell him that I was having a birthday party to attend and that was how he granted me the permission, and I left for the birthday hoping to come back to assume duty later in the day.

“When I eventually came back at about 6p.m., I met three policemen lying dead on the ground. I was very shocked and what I saw after was people running for safety and our boss taken away.

“It was those whom we met at the scene that told us what happened.

“They said the kidnappers paid to enter the zoo with torn money

which was rejected by the cashier at the gate.

“When the money was rejected, he went back to get a better money to pay for the entrance fee.

“At this time, their informants have already gained entrance into the zoo as fun seekers.

“When the informants finally studied the area, one of the informants decided to engage our director in conversation.

“Our boss started telling him his plans to put up a world tourism day and as one of them engaged my boss in a conversation, the other one went straight to the security personnel and asked him if they have not close for the day and decided to order for drink for the officers providing security for the zoo “This was what those who were there told us. So they bought them Heineken and as they laid down their guns to drink, that was when the hoodlums opened fire on them and killed the three police officers.

“We have not heard any information about the whereabouts

of our boss,” she narrated.

Another staff of the zoo, Mr. Zontondji Emmanuel, narrated that the hoodlums shot at the police officers without sparing any of them.

“I was on duty, I resumed by 5:30p.m. and as I came in, I went round to inspect the animals and the visitors on ground. And after having done that, I came back to the reception where the Executive Director was sitting down and there was another one sitting at this end. There were two policemen sitting by him. So I went outside for observation.

“Outside, I saw an Audi 80 car parked and suddenly, I saw three men coming out with guns and one of them wearing a bullet proof vest and I thought that they were policemen who usually come here for security reasons.

“Suddenly, I saw them running into the zoo which is very unusual and when they entered, they started shooting immediately, and all of us outside started running for our dear lives.”

FG Condemns Deadly Attack on Benin Zoo The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has strongly condemned the attack on Ogba Zoo and Nature Park in Benin-City on Sunday, during which three policemen were killed and the Head of the Zoo, Dr. Andy Ehanire, was abducted by the attackers.

In a statement issued yesterday, the minister described the attack on one of the country’s foremost tourist destinations as a big blow to ongoing efforts to lift the tourism sector in the country. ‘’The success or failure of a tourism destination depends largely on a safe and secure environment.

Incidences such as the attack on the Ogba Zoo and Nature Park therefore negate the concept of tourism as well as government’s determination to develop our

tourism industry as a tool for socio-economic development. ‘’The killing of the three policemen attached to the zoo to provide security for fun seekers, the abduction of the zoo boss and the trauma suffered by the visitors who witnessed the attack are saddening, condemnable and most unfortunate,’’ he said.

Mohammed said the government will step up security in all the tourist sites across the country in particular in order to prevent a recurrence, while urging the abductors of Ehanire to quickly release him unharmed.

He also sent his condolences to the families of the policemen who were killed in the attack, and prayed that God will grant repose to their souls.

Ambode, Amosun, Aregbesola to Grace Fourth Choral Evening The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, the Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, and the Osun State Governor are among dignitaries that will grace the fourth edition of a Choral Evening Service of the Lagos chapter of the Council of Knights, Methodist Church Nigeria, which will be held on October 2, at 3p.m. The event will take place at the Williams Memorial Methodist Cathedral, Ago Ijaiye Ebute Metta, Lagos, opposite Railway Recreation Centre, Apapa, Road, Ebute-Metta, West,

Lagos. According to a statement signed and issued to THISDAY by the Public Relations Officer of Lagos Archdiocese, Aramide Noibi, said: “The maiden event which started at the Hoare’s Memorial Methodist Cathedral, Sabo, Yaba in 2014, was subsequently followed by the second fiesta at the Methodist Church of the Trinity Council, Tinubu Square, Lagos, the Wesley Cathedral Olowogbowo Lagos, in 2015, with a focus to congregate the entire gospel music lovers, friends and associates of the church.”

STILL IN CONTROL

Former Governor of Oyo State, Senator Rasidi Ladoja (left); and Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji, at the installation of new Mogajis and Baales by the Olubadan of Ibadan in his palace in Ibadan.....yesterday Felix Ademola

Suspects Plead Guilty to Importing 661 Pump-action Guns Two out of the five men being prosecuted by the federal government for the unlawful importation of 661 pump-action rifles into the country have indicated their intention to enter into a plea bargain for a soft-landing.

The defendants – Mahmud Hassan, Oscar Okafor, Donatus Achinulo, Matthew Okoye, said to be at large, and Salihu Danjuma – were arraigned by the AttorneyGeneral of the Federation (AGF) on June 14 before the Federal High Court in Lagos.

They had all pleaded not guilty to the eight charges filed against them, while the trial judge, Justice Ayokunle Faji, refused their bail applications in view of the gravity of the charges levelled against them.

The matter was subsequently adjourned until September 25 for trial.

However, at the resumed proceedings yesterday according to Premium Times, the second and

third defendants, Oscar Okafor and Donatus Achinulo, respectively, who had changed their lawyers, indicated their intentions to change their plea from not guilty to guilty.

The application was made orally on behalf of Okafor by Rotimi Jacobs, his new lawyer, and on behalf of Achinulo by another lawyer, Paul Ananaba.

However, the judge directed the defendants to notify the AGF of their decision.

The matter was subsequently adjourned until September 26.

In the charges, the AGF said the accused persons brought 661 pump-action rifles into the country from Turkey through the Apapa Port in Lagos, using a 40-feet container, which they falsely claimed contained steel doors.

To facilitate the illegal importation, the accused allegedly forged a number of documents including a bill of lading, and

a ‘Form M and a Pre-Arrival Assessment Report.’

According to the prosecution, in order to evade payment of customs duty, the accused allegedly forged a bill of lading issued at Istanbul on January 9, 2017, falsely claiming that it was issued at Shanghai, China.

In the forged bill of lading, they allegedly filled “steel door” as the content of the container instead of rifles.

They were also said to have allegedly offered a bribe of N400,000 to an official of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) attached to the Federal Operations Unit to influence the said officer not to conduct a “hundred per cent search on the 40-feet container with number PONU 825914/3.”

The prosecution also alleged that the first accused, Hassan, corruptly gave N1 million to government officials at the Apapa Port in order to prevent the search of the container by officials.

In the last count, the federal government alleged that the defendants had between 2012 and 2016 illegally imported several double-barrelled shotguns, pumpaction rifles and single-barrelled shotguns into the country through Lagos.

The eight counts pressed against them border on conspiracy, importation of prohibited firearms, forgery, altering of documents, and bribery.

The offences were said to be contrary to sections 1(2) (c), 1(14) (a) (i) and 3(6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2014.

The customs has since dismissed four of its officials in August according to a statement issued

by Joseph Atah, its public relations officer. This reportedly became necessary, after the accused officials were allegedly found complacent in the arms smuggling case.

46

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2017

TUESDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

Eagles Get N24m Despite Defeat in WAFU Cup Final LMC urges CHAN Eagles to build on gains of WAFU experience

Duro Ikhazuagbe Despite being beaten 4-1 in Sunday’s West African Football Union (WAFU) Cup of Nations final by eternal rival, Ghana, the home-based Super Eagles pocketed $65,000 (about N24 million) as runners up of the sub-regional tournament.

Although Ghana’s Black Stars walked away from the Cape Coast Stadium with the ultimate star prize of $100,000 (about N36million) offered

by FOX Sports, sponsors of the two-week WAFU Cup tournament, the home-based Eagles were consoled knowing they were not returning to Abuja empty-handed.

A break down of the prize money outlay showed that the first place prize was $100,000 while the runners up prize was $50,000. Niger Republic that defeated Benin Republic 2-1 got the third-placed prize of $25,000. The Squirrels of Benin got $10,000 as the fourth place finished team.

In addition to the prizes for the final and the losers’ final, they all got participation fees of $15,000 each.

The four semi final losing teams got $10,000 each while the four second round losers

were consoled with $5,000 each.

Ghana defeated Nigeria 4-1 to avenge an earlier group stage 2-0 defeat they suffered in the hands of the Super Eagles who needed the win to qualify for the semifinals.

Goals from Stephen Sarfo (brace), Winnful Cobbina and Vincent Atingah set the Black Stars on a rollercoaster ride until Rabiu Ali’s late strike from a free-kick proved to be only a consolation.

Eagles Chief Coach, Salisu Yusuf admitted Nigeria lost to a better Ghanaian team. He hoped that his wards have learnt a lesson from the tournament ahead of the African Nations Championships.

“We lost to a good team and they (Ghana) deserved to win because they took their chances and it was a good lesson for us,” the former Kano Pillars coach said in his post-match reaction to AOIFootball.com.

Meanwhile, Players and officials of the home-based Super Eagles to the just ended WAFU tournament in Ghana have received commendations from the League Management Company (LMC).

The topflight league body urged them to build on the

lessons learnt from the subcontinental championship for the 2018 African Nations Championship (CHAN).

The players were drawn from the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL)

organised by the LMC. LMC Chairman, Shehu Dikko who was at the finals on Sunday, said he was impressed by the fight in the players that saw them come from the brink of ouster at the group stage

to reach the finals.

TOTAL MONETARY GAINS

BY TOP 4 FINISHING TEAMS WINNER:

GHANA

-

$115,000 + Participation fee RUNNER UP: NIGERIA - $65,000 + Participation fee 3RD PLACE: NIGER $40,000 + Participation fee 4TH PLACE: BENIN $25,000 + Participation fee

Alexandre Lacazette celebrating his brace in Arsenal 2-0 defeat of West Brom... last night

N C C T E N N I S L E AG U E

U E FA C H A M P I O N S L E AG U E

Team Muller Seals S’final Place Despite Member Losing Parents

Zidane Picks Kroos for Real, Dortmund Clash

Team Muller over the weekend in Lagos defeated Team VGC Lions 7-0 to secure a semifinal place in the ongoing NCC Tennis League with only one round-robin match outstanding in the Blue Group. This was despite the sad news of Muller team member, Emmanuel Idoko, losing his parents the same week of the tie.

Idoko, who has proved to be a dependable support for the outstanding Joseph Imeh, lost his mother on the Tuesday preceding the tie but showed up for his match on Saturday against Martins Abamu which he won 7-5, 6-1 only to get home to be confronted with the news of the demise of his father.

The news caused a slight delay on the second day as the teams rallied to offer their support and condolences.

Team Muller however had enough depth and resilience to complete the routing of fellow newcomers Team VGC Lions.

In Ibadan and Abuja, Team Kalotari and Team Civil Defence won their ties to ensure a make or break tie for the second semifinal place when they meet in Port Harcourt on October 29.

Team Kalotari beat Team Oluyole 7-0 in Ibadan while Team Civil Defence defeated Team Optiweb of Ilorin 6-1 in Abuja.

Emmanuel Sunday and Christian Paul of Team Kalotari won the singles matches on the first day by defeating Ganiyu Salami (2-6, 6-4, 6-0) and Wale Sampson ( 6-2, 6-3) respectively. Blessing Samuel had very little resistance from Colleen Orji whom she defeated 6-2, 6-2 in the ladies’ singles. Ikechukwu Iloputa then paired Sunday to defeat the pair of Salami and Kunle Bamidele 6-3, 6-3.

A change of players by team Oluyole on the second day did not make any difference as Paul outclassed Ismail Adeshina 6-0, 6-1 and Sunday bested Wasiu Ibrahim 6-1, 6-2 in the reverse singles.

The mixed doubles pair of Samuel and Paul completed the sweep by defeating the Team Oluyole pair of Orji and Sampson 6-2, 6-1.

Team Civil Defence dropped one match when Nonso Madueke, leading by a set but trailing 5-2 to Uche Oparaoji in the reverse singles, scratched because he was feeling unwell.

Germany midfielder Toni Kroos has eased Real Madrid’s injury concerns and could be fit to play in their Champions League match at Borussia Dortmund today, coach Zinedine Zidane said.

Real are already without injured Marcelo, Karim Benzema and Mateo Kovacic but Kroos is back in the squad after sitting out their 2-1 weekend win over Alaves in La Liga due to a rib injury.

“Toni Kroos is a very important player for us,” Zidane told reporters on Monday. “He is looking good.

We will see Tuesday if he is fit for the game.”

Real have never won in Dortmund before, having lost three of six matches and drawn the other three. They are under additional pressure after their lacklustre start in the league, lying fifth on 11 points with rivals Barcelona top on 18.

“We are looking forward to playing in the Champions League in a very nice stadium, where you can breathe the Champions League,” the Frenchman said.

“It is difficult to play everywhere, but it is true that we have never won here. It is a challenge for us.”

The European champions

were 3-0 winners against Apoel Nicosia in their group opener, but will need to improve their finishing against their tougher German opponents, Zidane added.

Bundesliga leaders Dortmund, who lost their opening group match at Tottenham Hotspur, have scored 19 goals in six league games, conceding just one. Real have netted 11 times in their six La Liga games, letting in six.

“I hope our strikers will score again,” Zidane said. “But I have always maintained that it is the most important thing to create chances.

“We cannot be pleased with

the amount of opportunities we have created lately. I believe in my players. But you have to show it every three days that you want to win the game. It is not always working out the way you want it to.”

TODAY (7.45pm) Dortmund v R’Madrid Man City v Shakhtar Monaco v Porto APOEL v Tottenham Besiktas v Leipzig Napoli v Feyenoord Sevilla v Maribor Spartak v Liverpool

540 World Stars to Storm Lagos for Governor’s Cup Tennis The 2017 edition of the Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis Championship will witness great influx of players across the world when the International Tennis Federation (ITF) approved competition gets underway from October 6 through October 21 at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan, Lagos.

As at last Saturday, the ITF posted on its website that 540 emerging world tennis players have registered to participate in the pro circuit competition which will last for two weeks at

Nigeria’s Centre of Excellence.

Interestingly, nine of the women players coming this year are regular faces in Lagos, while the likes of Conny Perrin of Switzerland, Tadeja Majeric from Slovakia, Christina Dinu of Romania Chanel Simmonds of South Africa and Tessah Andrianjaftrimo of France were former champions.

Others such as Alexandria Riley of USA, Valeria Bhunu of Zimbabwe, Ukrainian Valeriya Strakhova, Austrian Melanie Klaffner and Indian Kyra Shroff had played regularly on the

courts of Lagos Lawn Tennis Club.

In the men’s category, Duncan Mugabe of Uganda, Egyptian Karim-Mohamed Mammuh, Italian Akexandro Bega, French Gianni Mina, Takanyi Garaganga from Zimbabwe and Polish Maciej Smola are also regular faces in Lagos as well.

The players spread across all the continents of the world will be coming from 67 countries.

They will converge on Lagos to fight for the $100,000 prize money and world ranking

points.

Some of the countries where the players are coming from include; the Slovakia, France, Serbia, Germany, Greece, Great Britain, Italy, Argentina, USA, Tunisia, Turkey, Spain, South Africa, The Netherlands, Bulgaria, Croatia, Switzerland, Ghana, Cote D’Ivoire, Cameroon, New Zealand and Canada.

Others are Hungary, Mexico, Egypt, Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Paraguay, Japan, Colombia, Pakistan, India, Sweden, Turkey and a host of others.

T H I S D AY TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2017

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Tuesday September 26, 2017

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Price: N250

MISSILE Shehu to IPOB

“There is a difference between a criminal activity and a terrorist activity.

“Yes, some Fulani herdsmen are a criminal gang and they are being dealt with according to the law. “But IPOB, like Boko Haram, has a territory they have carved out for themselves… as a sovereign state of its own.” – Presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu drawing a line between activities of rogue herders and IPOB and justifying the military’s confrontation with IPOB to stave off threat to national security.

TUESDAY WITH REUBENABATI abati1990@gmail.com

Letter to Nnamdi Kanu

Dear Nnamdi Kanu, e have never met. I only know you by reputation and I have had cause in the last year to write on your activities within the public arena and offer my own views about you, your persona, and your interventions in the Nigerian debate.

I sincerely hope you would get to read this letter wherever you may be, that is assuming you are still alive.

Your father’s house was recently invaded by the Nigerian military (surprised you don’t have a house of your own!). We were later told that you simply disappeared into thin air, along with your parents. The murderous Operation Python Dance II that was unleashed on Igboland by the Federal Government of Nigeria has since become a subject of national interest. Many people have proclaimed that you have been killed, abducted and that many members of your family and movement – the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have been wasted. Some people said you were called The Lion, but when trouble came, you were the first to run away from the zoo.

You had boasted that you will deal with any invading force from Abuja. You also said it would be “Biafra or Death”. But when death came calling in the shape of Operation Python Dance II, your enemies insisted that you should have waited. Don’t mind them, oh. I have defended you in another piece where I argued that it is probably better to run away so you can live to fight another day. Of course, it is not every revolutionary that runs away.

Che Guevara died in the struggle, and Martin Luther King, Patrice Lumumba, and so on.

Nelson Mandela was jailed for life, but he lived to tell the story. In your case, the way the Nigerian state has been carrying on, it is clear they don’t want you to tell any more stories. You have been charged for treason.

You have now been labeled a terrorist. Your organization has been proscribed, and labeled an enemy of the Nigerian state. A week after soldiers stormed your state, neighbourhood and home, the Nigerian Air Force began to drop its men from helicopters all over Igboland.

They call it show of force.

I guess all of that is to let you and your men know that wherever you are, the Nigerian state is determined to hunt you down. If you are on land, they will grab you. If you hide in the skies, the Air Force will bring you down.

And if you hide in the seas, the Nigerian Navy and the Amphibious Brigade of the Nigeria Army will fish you out. Officially, we have been told that you and IPOB are worse than violent herdsmen and the Boko Haram who have killed thousands of Nigerians in the last year alone. The Boko Haram has been declared the fourth most violent group in the world, but the Nigerian government insists that you pose a greater threat. In fact, a government spokesperson sounded as if there is a secret plan in place to give herdsmen and the Boko Haram national honours.

There is probably something that the Nigerian government and state actors know that we do not know. You were dealing with the charge of

W

Kanu treason, now there is the additional allegation of terrorism. Don’t ever deceive yourself that if you get arrested again, you’d be released, except perhaps you change your identity and claim that you are now a herdsman or a member of the Boko Haram. There may be many people who have Nicodemus access to you who may be telling you to come and confront the Nigerian state. That is how Nigerians sweet-tongue people to their death. I am sure that by now, from your hiding place, you would have learnt some lessons.

The Nigerian state may be against you, but the people you really have to fear are the same people you claim to be leading, that is the same people who used to call you messiah and who followed you about, kneeling before you and kissing the ground on which you walked. Of what use is a change-agent without committed followers? Of what use is a revolution without the people’s buy-in? Of what use is an ideology without foot-soldiers?

The moment the Federal Government activated Operation Python II, most of the people who used to support you have gone completely silent. The Biafra Secret Service is nowhere to be seen. The Biafra National Guard threw away its uniform. Some of those boys who used to wave the Biafran flag and wear the Biafran cap have thrown them away too. One or two persons are still issuing statements on behalf of IPOB, but even those statements sound like they were issued from business centres. Your own kinsmen have called you a tyrant and an opportunist. Many of them have written social media pieces advising the Federal Government to deal with you, because you don’t listen to advice. They even say you are not a true revolutionary but a gold-digger.

In all manner of ways, the Governors of the five Igbo states are using you to play politics. They have declared IPOB an illegal organization. They are openly abusing you. All the big men in Igbo land are as quiet as the dead sea. Igbo traditional rulers have refused to support your father who is their colleague.

Some of them have in fact asked the Abia state Governor to withdraw his certificate and staff of office and appoint another person in

his place. Even the big men who signed your bail documents have refused to defend you.

You used to boast about international support for the Biafran cause. It has been said that the government now knows some “treasury looters” and international groups who are funding you and that IPOB accounts have been traced to some countries, particularly France.

The French and the Turkish promptly distanced themselves from you. But the European Union and the United States spoke nicely. America says IPOB is not a terrorist organization and America will know.

But the Nigerian government that may not know half of what America knows is insisting that it is now a crime for anybody, even as young as five years old to identify with Biafra, regardless of the Constitutional right to the freedom of speech and association and the right to self-determination enshrined in the UN Charter. Indeed, it would appear as if the Nigerian Government has been able to break the spine of your movement, at least for now, and certainly, the way things are, the November 18 election in Anambra state will take place – with or without you. If anybody expected that there would be a massive protest in the South East over the treatment that has been meted out to you, that has not quite happened. All the markets in the South East are open; Igbo traders across Nigeria have moved on with their businesses. Life is so normal in the South East, the Nigerian military is dancing and beating its chest.

Northern and South Eastern Governors are holding meetings and congratulating each other.

You turned 50 yesterday, apart from a few messages on social media, everywhere was quiet in the South-East. If this had been a month ago, the crowd that would have gathered at your doorstep would have stretched from Isiama Afara to Afikpo, and the cakes you would have received would have been uncountable.

Rochas Okorocha recently got 27 birthday cakes, presented by 27 women, representing the same number of local governments in Imo State, you probably would have received a cake from every local government in the entire South East!

Since your disappearance there has also been little talk about self-determination or Biafra among Igbos. The sound of the narrative is gradually changing. There is more talk these days about Igbo marginalization, and the need to appoint Igbos into offices. One prominent Northerner from Kaduna has since gone to Chatham House in the UK to say Igbos should not complain about marginalization when they didn’t vote for President Buhari in 2015, and that it is foolish for any Nigerian to expect to reap where he or she did not sow. Nnamdi, you’d be surprised that appointment-seeking Igbos will mobilise your people, including your followers, to vote massively for the same people who are currently hounding you, in 2019. You can be sure this will happen. In fact some people are already boasting that the only way to have peace in Nigeria is to make an Igbo man President or Vice President in 2019. While you were shouting “Biafra or death”, some people were eyeing the business

and political side of things. Every proposed revolution often runs into its own contradictions.

But don’t worry. It may be fashionable now to criticise Nnamdi Kanu but the wisdom of the mob is not always the best guide. I sincerely hope that you are alive, and that you’d not end up as an Abogunrin. Not every man has the opportunity to witness what life would be like after his own funeral. Treachery is one of those unsavoury ingredients of the change process. The deserters of the cause would claim they prefer to survive. The coffin maker prays fervently for business but he would never wish that his own family members should die. But take heart, hope is not lost. The fire that you have lit will continue to burn. Your struggle speaks directly to the subject of the national question. You have reminded all and sundry that Nigeria remains a troubled country and that there are many unresolved issues. Every effort has been made to kill your voice, and your movement, but the ideas that you have forced out of the cupboard will continue to resonate.

The good news also is that there are Nigerians in diaspora who have taken up the struggle.

They went to demonstrate at the 72nd United Nations General Assembly in New York and on the streets of London. Your friends, FFK and Ayo Fayose are still standing by you. There are many others out there who also do not agree that you are a terrorist, even if they do not agree with your methods and rhetoric. You have also exposed the hypocrisy of the Igbo elite. You have exposed the desperation of the ruling class. Don’t let your head swell, though.

If I must tell you the truth, you over-acted.

Too much acting dey spoil cinema. You paid too much attention to ceremony. You were obsessed with your own heroism.

As you read this piece and reflect on your life at 50, let me remind you of the following statement which you made on August 27, 2017: “Where we are is Biafra land. Aba is the spiritual capital of Biafra land. We started in Aba in 2015 at CKC. That day, heaven authenticated our move that IPOB will restore Biafra and that’s what we have come to do. We died in Aba at National High School. They shot and killed us in other places in Biafra land where they were protesting for my release. As our people rest in the grave, we’ll never rest until Biafra is restored. I don’t care what they say in Abuja. I don’t give a damn what they say in Lagos. I’m a Biafran and we are going to crumble the zoo. Some idiots who are not educated said that they’ll arrest me, and I ask them to come, I’m in Biafra. If any of them leaves Biafra land alive, know that this is not IPOB. Tell them what I said.

Tell Buhari that I am in Aba and any person who comes to arrest Nnamdi Kanu in Biafra land will die here. I’ll never go on exile I assure you. Some people talk about restructuring, are we doing the restructuring of Nigeria now? Are we doing fiscal Federalism? Are we doing devolution? What we want is Biafra! Forget all the nonsense they write about us. We are not slowing down and no man born of a woman can stop us…”

Words on marble, Mazi Kanu, these are strong words on marble… Whatever happens, the fight of the python and the lion is a defining moment for Nigeria.

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