Friday 24th November 2017

Dangote’s Industrial Diplomacy Continues, Commissions $300m Cement Plant in Congo Stirs industrial revolution in Africa Jonathan Eze Dangote Cement Plc yesterday added a fillip to its ongoing efforts at economic emancipation of Africa as it formally opened its 1.5mtpa capacity cement plant in Mfila, Congo, amid ecstasy by the

government and the people of the country.

The new plant estimated at $300 million has potential for about 1,000 direct employment and thousands of several other indirect jobs.

Regarded as the biggest plant in the country, Congo

President, Mr. Denis Sassou Nguesso, while inaugurating the plant, said the investment was an industrial revolution, sort of, within the Economic Community of the Central African States (CEMAC), saying his country was happy to host the investment.

According to him, his government has observed the operations of Dangote cement in other African countries and it has helped buoyed their economies by sparking off other allied industries, as he expressed the hope that Congo situation would not

be an exception.

The president described the coming on stream of the Dangote cement as timely and encouraging because it starting operations at a time the total government revenues have plummeted by 31.3 percent and revenues from the oil sector

have fallen 65.1 percent since 2015 due to a slide in global crude oil prices.

President Muhammadu Buhari who was represented at the event by a delegation led by the Minister of Mines and Continued on page 10

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FG Identifies 500 Tax Dodgers with Homes Abroad…

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Senate Probes Alleged Sale of Recovered Pension Assets, EFCC Says No Such Properties Malami insists he had no hand in Maina’s recall Lawyer reveals ex-pension boss still on govt payroll Oyo-Ita, FCSC boss dispute AGF’s testimony Damilola Oyedele, James Emejo and Paul Obi in Abuja Barely 24 hours after President Muhammadu Buhari constituted a committee to audit assets recovered from alleged looters of the treasury,

the Senate has also instituted a probe into the purported looting and sale of recovered pension assets at below market value to officials and cronies of the federal government.

Continued on page 8

FG Approves N28.8bn Budget Support Loan Facility for States NEC okays replacement of card readers with solar-powered devices Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja The federal government has approved the disbursement of N28.8 billion as budget support loan facility to the 36 states of the federation.

According to a report presented yesterday to the National Economic Council (NEC), presided over by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo Continued on page 10

Buhari Appoints 30-member A RARE VISIT TO THE VILLA… Muhammadu Buhari, receives the Oba of Benin, Omo N'Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare II, during the Oba’s National Minimum Wage C'ttee… Page 51 President historic visit to the Presidential Villa, Abuja… yesterday godwin omoigui

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PAGE EIGHT FG APPROVES N28.8BN BUDGET SUPPORT LOAN FACILITY FOR STATES in the State House, Abuja, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had been directed to pay N800 million to each of the 36 states of the federation.

The Accountant-General of the Federation, who briefed State House correspondents after the meeting, said the governors expressed

appreciation to the federal government for the restoration of the budget support loan facility for the months of July and August.

The accountant-general also informed the press corps that council was informed that the balance in the Excess Crude Account (ECA) as of November

MEETING WITH HIS HOLINESS‌ Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, exchanging pleasantries with His Holiness, Pope Francis, at Saint Peter’s Square, The Vatican, Rome, when the speaker met with the ponti‌ recently

17, 2017 stood at $2.309 billion while the balance in the Stabilisation Fund Account (SFA) stood at N6.689 billion.

He also said the balance in the Natural Resources Fund Account as of November 17, 2017 was N100.3 billion.

Also yesterday, the Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) presented a proposal to NEC for the replacement of the card reader for the conduct of elections in the country with a made in Nigeria solar-powered electronic voting system, expressing confidence that it will effectively mitigate the current challenges encountered with the electronic card readers.

He said the new proposed e-voting device was robust and would minimise human interference with the electoral process, adding that the same proposal, which had already been presented to the Independent National Electronic Commission (INEC), will be presented to the National Assembly.

The Ondo State governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, in his briefing, said an audit

committee set up by NEC presented the report of the audit of revenue generating agencies’ accounts from 2010 to May 2015.

He said the council was informed that there were possible under-remittances from certain revenue generating agencies to the Federation Account.

According to him, the council was informed of “questionable� loans granted by some of the agencies.

He said of the 18 agencies on which the forensic audit was conducted, the audit committee had completed work on 13 agencies.

He said work was still ongoing on two agencies while three others do not generate revenue.

The 13 agencies include NIMASA, NNPC, NPA, FIRS, NPDC and DPR, among others, while two others that are outstanding are the Nigeria Customs Service (NSC) and National Communications Communication (NCC).

He said the council directed the committee to conclude its report within the next four weeks and report back to council at the next meeting.

SENATE PROBES ALLEGED SALE OF RECOVERED PENSION ASSETS, EFCC SAYS NO SUCH PROPERTIES The assets include 222 properties comprising residential and commercial properties in several parts of Nigeria, an unstated number of luxury vehicles and portfolio investments, which were recovered by the Abdulrasheed Maina-led Presidential Task Team on Pension Reforms and handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Owing to the new information available to the Senate, it expanded the scope of its ad hoc committee charged with investigating the circumstances of the return and reinstatement of Maina into the civil service to include the looting and disposal of pension assets.

The new mandate to the committee followed a point of order raised by its chairman, Senator Emmanuel Paulker who said the investigation of government officials suspected to have been involved in Maina’s reinstatement into the public sector, had revealed that the assets had been disposed off.

Paulker therefore sought the leave of the Senate to mandate the committee to unravel the identities of the beneficiaries of the looting and acquisitions.

In his presentation yesterday on the findings of his committee, Paulker had said: “The Senate should note that before Maina left, the Pension Reform Task Team had recovered assets from alleged pension looters, working with the EFCC, ICPC, DSS, police and paramilitary agencies who executed the recoveries and thereafter, EFCC took over custody of the recovered assets. “The Senate should equally note that the EFCC, as a member of the Maina-led Pension Tax Force Team, had the statutory powers to impound and take custody of the assets. “The Senate is alarmed that the total recovered assets from the alleged pension thieves

were reported to have been shared by some interest groups. “The Senate further notes that this revelation emerged during the current investigation by the ad hoc committee on the reinstatement of Maina and the committee equally received a petition on the recovered properties by the task force. “For this alarming revelation, sir, this committee requests the Senate to expand the scope of its investigation on Maina by extending it to the management of assets recovered by him and handed over to EFCC before his removal as Chairman, Presidential Task Force on Pensions in 2014 and by so doing, extend the duration of the assignment.�

The request of the committee was overwhelmingly voted for by the senators.

Presiding, Senate President Bukola Saraki charged the committee to do a thorough job and unravel the allegations. “This is a very serious matter and more of large scale corruption going on in forbidden places. We just hope that it remains at the realm of allegations and not as it is presented,� he said.

The committee is expected to submit its report in four weeks.

A senior lawyer said to be close to the presidency was alleged to have bought one of the high-scale properties in Abuja.

The said property located on Gana Street in the highbrow Maitama area of the city, was allegedly valued at N1 billion but was sold to the lawyer for N600 million.

A credible source informed THISDAY that officials, responding to queries on the Maina’s reinstatement, had notified the committee of the looting of recovered assets, including cash recoveries.

In addition, a group – Concerned Federal Pensioners – had petitioned the Senate

over the looting of the recovered pension assets.

In a letter signed by its chairman, Adodo David, the group had called for the probe of the allegations. “These properties are under the custody of the EFCC. The properties as we speak have been shared among top officials of the commission, friends and family members including lawyers,� it said.

In the course of its probe into Maina’s reinstatement, the Paulker-led committee had met with officials of the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC), the Minister of Interior, Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd.) and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami.

'There are No Such Properties' But in response to the revelations made in the Senate, the EFCC last night said there was no such asset seized from alleged pension thieves indicted Maina.

EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren said in a statement that the allegation by the Senate was alarming and disingenuous.

He said: “The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has been drawn to comments attributed to the Chairman of the Senate ad hoc committee investigating the controversial reinstatement of Abdulrasheed Miana, Senator Emmanuel Paulker, alleging that officials of the commission shared 222 properties which Maina’s panel seized from pension fund thieves. “This sweeping allegation, coming from a Senate committee is disturbing, more so as no attempt was made to verify the information from the commission.�

Uwujaren explained that “the EFCC was never invited by the committee and given

the opportunity to educate it on the status of assets seized from suspected pension thieves, yet the committee was comfortable with scandalising the EFCC with the public disclosure of unverified claims by unknown interests�. “For the avoidance of doubt, there are no 222 properties anywhere that were shared by anybody. The EFCC did not receive a single property from Abdulrasheed Maina. “All the pension fraud assets that are in the recovered assets inventory of the commission were products of independent investigations by the EFCC, for which Maina and his cohorts had no clue,� the EFCC added.

He contended that if Maina or any government official witnessed the sharing of any recovered pension assets by any official of the EFCC, they should be willing to name the official, the assets involved, and when and where the sharing took place. “As far as the EFCC is concerned, there is no controversy regarding the status of assets recovered from suspected pension thieves. “The record of all the recovered assets from both the Police Pension and the Pension Office of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, as well as their current status are intact, and have been communicated to the relevant organs of government. “However, in view of the consistent display of public ignorance about the profile of recovered assets by even those who should know, it is important to state that it is impossible for anybody to share a property that is the subject of an interim forfeiture by court. “Of all the properties seized from pension fraud suspects, it is only properties that are linked to John Yusuf, who was convicted under a plea bargain arrangement that have been forfeited permanently and handed to government.

“All the others, with the exception of Brifina Hotel, are subject of an interim forfeiture order. And the cases are ongoing in courts,� the EFCC stated.

AGF Washes Hands off Maina’s Recall However, the AGF yesterday disowned the letters written and signed by him recommending the reinstatement of Maina into the civil service.

In the letter from the FCSC on Maina’s reinstatement, which was published by the media, the commission had referenced two letters from the AGF who had asked the commission to reinstate the former pension boss on the basis of a court ruling vacating Maina’s dismissal from the civil service after he had absconded to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2013.

However, although Malami yesterday admitted that Maina had applied to his office for reinstatement, he insisted that no reinstatement process had commenced with respect to the request.

Speaking at an investigative hearing by the House of Representatives ad hoc committee on the disappearance, reinstatement and promotion of the former pension boss, the AGF said the likely consideration of Maina’s application for reinstatement was “still work in progress as of October 5� when the news of his reinstatement was reported by the media.

Malami maintained that he had nothing to do with the purported letters, adding that an inquiry had been launched to determine the circumstances leading to the letter emanating from his office with his signature.

He said he never had any engagement with the Ministry of Interior effecting Maina’s recall by the ministry.

Malami also stirred the

hornest’s nest when he alluded to the fact that Maina belonged to a pension scam syndicate made up of influential and powerful people including politicians, top civil servants and members of the National Assembly.

This led the committee chairman, Hon. Aliyu Madaki to demand that he name the lawmakers involved in the pension scam, if possible.

But the AGF declined, arguing that any revelation at that point may undermine ongoing investigations.

Malami said his initial interface with Maina dated back to January 2016 in Dubai, UAE, when he was on an official assignment.

He said at Maina’s insistence through a third party contact, he granted him audience in the presence of the National Security Adviser who was on the entourage to the UAE, and the meeting afforded him the opportunity to get first hand information on the pension scam.

He said Maina told him that the sum of N3.7 billion was being shared on a monthly basis among members of the task force Continued on page 10

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STARTERS S E N AT E P R O B E S A L L E G E D SA L E O F R E C OV E R E D P E N S I O N AS S E T S , E F C C SAYS N O S U C H P R O P E RT I E S syndicate while ghost pensioners were deliberately included in police and military pension records.

Armed with the revelation, Malami said on arriving Nigeria from the overseas trip, the information given

by Maina was acted upon, leading to blockage of several leakages.

Malami said Maina’s lawyer had only applied for his client’s reinstatement on the strength of a court order on the issue.

He said none of the government agencies joined in the suit had exercised any right of appeal within the legal timeframe, giving room for Maina’s quest for reinstatement.

The AGF said there were no strings attached in his decision to entertain Maina’s application, as it was purely a request for justice to be served.

He said that he was saddled with the responsibility, anchored on his oath of office, to listen to such complaints.

He said his correspondence with Maina was in good faith and did not shield him from future arrest.

Also appearing before the committee, the acting chairman of the FCSC, Mr. Joseph Akande, in his submission, said Maina was declared absent from duty in 2013 when attempts to locate him proved abortive He said the Ministry of Interior (Maina’s ministry at the time) had queried him but was unable to locate him.

He said, consequently, when he did not respond to the query, the Staff

Service Commission had recommended that he be dismissed.

According to Akande, sometime in 2014, Maina reportedly wrote to the commission to reconsider the dismissal. “But we turned down his request,� he told the House committee.

Nonetheless, Akande said in January 2017, “we received a letter from the attorney-general demanding an update on Maina’s reinstatement and we said he remained dismissed�.

According to him, the AGF then sent a third letter noting that the basis of his dismissal could not stand because his arrest warrant had been botched by a high court.

Akande further revealed that Maina was not promoted as reported by the media but was reinstated on the civil service grade level of his dismissal in 2013.

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HoS), Mrs. Winifred OyoIta, in her testimony, said the Ministry of Interior acted in error by reinstating Maina without a formal letter.

She said she had expressed her reservations and concern over the letters and decided not to act on it even though they had purportedly originated from the Office of the AGF, as it could not have been in the interest of the present administration’s posture on fighting corruption in the system.

However, citing procedural lapses on the side of government, the legal counsel to Maina, Mr. Muhammed

Sani Katu, argued that it was not true that his client had been dismissed from the civil service as widely reported. “He remains a staff of the civil service,� he said, adding that Maina still works for the federal government attending to letters addressed to him by government agencies, among others.

Asked by the committee if he was still being paid salaries and emoluments.

Katu answered in the affirmative, adding that files had been sent to Maina within the last two months to treat and minute on as an acting director.

He promised to provide evidence to back his claims at the next hearing.

The counsel said his client’s purported dismissal had been carried out despite the fact that the matter was already in court where the power to sack him was already in dispute.

Although the HoS and the Ministry of Interior as well as the FCSC claimed they were unaware of the court proceedings against them, Katu said evidence will be provided to the committee at its next sitting.

He said Maina, who was “avoidably� absent from the hearing due to security concerns will need the cover of the committee against arrest by the law enforcement agencies, given that the House had passed a resolution which aside from calling for an inquiry into his reinstatement, had also urged the EFCC to immediately arrest him.

Katu said by that declaration, the House

appeared to have adjudged him to be guilty.

On Maina’s disappearance in the heat of the alleged pension scam, his counsel said the former pension boss had to go into hiding as a result of threats to his life, especially from the State House.

However, a mild drama ensued to the consternation of the committee when the Inspector-General of Police (IG), Ibrahim Idris said the police did not play any role whatsoever in the disappearance and reinstatement of Maina, as no member of the force was a member of his committee.

Represented at the hearing by the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Research and Planning, Tochukwu Valentine, Idris said the police had no knowledge of the circumstances other than what was in the public domain.

When the committee, however, reminded him of a good number of policemen providing security to the embattled Maina amid the crisis, the police boss said: “We don’t have any record of any police officer guarding Maina� and challenged anyone to provide such details.

Idris said the only point at which the police got involved was when Maina was declared wanted based on a bench warrant issued against him by the Senate.

He added that till date, the police were still looking for him.

DA N G OT E ' S I N D U ST R I A L D I P LO M ACY C O N T I N U E S , C O M M I S S I O N S $ 3 0 0 M C E M E N T PLANT IN CONGO Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, commended Alhaji Aliko Dangote and his cement company for championing economic renaissance of Africa with the construction of cement plants across several African countries, saying the sterling accomplishment makes the Dangote Cement brand, and indeed Dangote himself worthy ambassadors of Nigeria.

President Buhari said his government has consistently supported and encouraged the Dangote Group in its quest to contribute its quota to the economic emancipation of the African continent, which is blessed with a plethora of natural resources. “I believe that it is only home-grown practical solutions that can address the myriad issues plaguing Africa today and one of such challenges that Africa has been grappling with for decades is the infrastructure deficit. I am confident that massive investments in cement production, which is a key driver of infrastructural development, will contribute in no small measure to addressing this perennial problem,� he said.

President Buhari recalled with satisfaction that local cement manufacturers such as Dangote Cement, Lafarge and BUA, have exploited one of the solid minerals, limestone, which is a basic input for cement production and which

Nigeria has in abundance, in different parts of the country to achieve self-sufficiency in local cement production in 2015, and is now a net exporter of the product. “The backward integration policy of the federal government in the cement sector, which was launched in 2002, has contributed to this success story by successfully substituting imports with local production.

We have saved over $2billion spent on cement importation into Nigeria, annually. “We have also started using cement for road construction in the country due to its numerous advantages over the more common bituminous road.

Again, in this area, Dangote Cement is leading the charge, through AG-Dangote, its joint venture with AndradeGutierrez, a construction giant in Brazil,� the Nigerian president stated.

Chairman of Dangote Cement Plc, Aliko Dangote, in his address said his company was delighted to have completed the plant on schedule, saying the addition of Dangote Cement’s 1.5 million metric tons per annum plant has more than doubled the total cement production capacity of Congo, which now stands at 2.550 million metric tons per annum, far in excess of national demand. “It is envisaged that this

would contribute substantially to the availability and affordability of cement in the country and the Republic of Congo will no longer need to depend on imports to bridge the gap between demand and supply. “It is our hope that the inauguration of the plant will boost Congo’s economy, conserve foreign exchange that would otherwise have been spent on imports for the country, and create employment opportunities down the value chain,� he stated.

Dangote commended the Congolese Government, noting that the bold economic reform measures put in place by President Denis administration have been quite salutary. “The construction industry, which is a major sector of the economy, is a beneficiary of his policies, and has been receiving the attention of investors. We believe that our investment will contribute to Congo’s current economic renaissance under the leadership of the President Nguesso.�

The company chairman pointed out that his organisation received tremendous support and encouragement both from the government and the people of Congo-Brazzaville, right from the conceptualisation stage of our project, to

its final completion, and commissioning.

In appreciation of the good gesture of the government and the people, Dangote disclosed that without waiting to stabilise production, the cement company had already commenced CSR projects with the construction of a road with a length of 30kilometres around Yamba, which would have cost the local government approximately 240 million CFA to execute.

He stated further “we have also disbursed scholarships for students and we are also building a school and renovating a hospital within our host communities. Apart from these, we have repaired a dilapidated bridge on a major highway at a cost of $300,000, to enable heavy duty vehicles to cross the bridge. As a policy, we also ensure that we give priority to qualified indigenes from our local host communities in our recruitment drive.�

Dangote told the gathering that Dangote Cement’s total production capacity across Africa at the end of May 2017, stood at 45.8 million metric tonnes per annum, making it one of the biggest cement producers on the continent, adding that the aspiration is to rank among the top 10 cement producers in the world by 2020.

Two-Minute BrieďŹ ng NEWS Mugabe to Attend Mnangagwa’s Inauguration Today FormerZimbabwePresident, RobertMugabeisbilledtoattend theinaugurationofhissuccessor, EmmersonMnangagwa,todayin Harare.

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EDITORIAL The Burial Of 26 Nigerians iN

Italy Withtheburialinthesoutherncity ofSalemo,Italyofthe26Nigerian femaleirregularmigrantswho wereallegedlymurderedonthe MediterraneanSea,ourcountry hasbeenexposedtotheworldas onethathardlycaresforits‌ Page 15

POLITICS Like PENCOM, Like NDDC

Butforthetimelyinterventionofthe e Senateleadership,thelegislature andtheexecutivewouldhavebeen plungedintoyetanotheravoidable imbrogliooccasionedbyexecutive recklessnessintherevocation/ renewalofthetenureof‌ Page 17

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Airline Ledbyabrilliantaviationaficionado, o, alocalairlinethatstartedasa conveyorofpilgrimsissettotake overAfrica.CharlesAjunwawho witnessedtheairline'sinaugural flightstoAbidjan,Conakryand Dakar,reportsthatitwasa pleasurableexperience Page 27

BUSINESS Adesina: High Taxes Stunting the Growth of African Airlines ThePresidentofAfrican DevelopmentBank(AfDB),Dr AkinwumiAdesinahassaidthat hightaxesimposedonairlinesby governmentagencieswasamajor challengedwarfingthegrowthand developmentofairtransportin Africa.

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NEWSXTRA Buhari Appoints 30-Member

National Minimum Wage C’ttee PresidentMuhammaduBuhari hasapprovedtheappointmentof a30-membertripartiteNational MinimumWageCommitteeto negotiateanewnationalminimum wageforthecountry.

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SPORTS Nigeria Drops to 50th Spot in

November FIFA Ranking Nigeria’sgoodruninthelasteight weeksoftheWorldCup2018 qualifiersandthevictoryinthe Grade-AfriendlywithArgentinaa fortnightagofailedtocountinthe Novemberrankings‌ Page 54

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COMMENT

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

MANY RIVERS TO CROSS IN SOUTH AMERICA Okello Oculi urges Africa to do more for the persecuted blacks in the Americas

A

s the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2024 as ‘’The International Decade for the Rights of Peoples of African Descent’’, member states of the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) should have taken deep breaths as they heard Jimmy Cliff’s song ‘’MANY RIVERS TO CROSS’’. For four centuries after 1500 their region was looted of its vigorous youths to either perish in non-voluntary human cargo crossing of the Atlantic Ocean or survive and be often worked to death in growing sugar cane, tobacco, coffee and mining diamond, gold or copper across South America and the Caribbean islands. With a total of about five million imported Africans, Brazil wore the crown of this notorious robbery in human bodies and talents.

It is, therefore, fitting that in this month a crude and urgent reminder of this burden of responsibility for ECOWAS states was on November 9, 2017 dramatised by the international media in Brazil. A class of agrobusiness tycoons are set on violating Article 68 of Brazil’s 1988 Constitution to enable them rob Africans who had rebelled from inhuman labour conditions; fled into mountainous areas and militarily defeated repeated attempts to recapture them, and sustained their communities. They are known as ‘’Qilombo’’.

These secessionists periodically attacked plantations; seized livestock; killed Spanish landowners and increased their numbers by freeing their labourers. The 1988 Constitution had guaranteed the ownership of land by ‘’Qilombo’’ communities. Their robbery today would be a grave injustice to historic carriers of the right to freedom, human dignity and self-determination.

Brazil has made token gestures of honouring the heroes of this struggle for freedom. The statue Zumbi, one of them, proudly wears sunlight and rain in Brasilia, the country’s capital. November 20 is ‘’observed as Dia da Consciencia NEGRA / Black Awareness Day’’ in the states of Sao Paolo and Rio de Janeiro. Paradoxically the big land grabbers pushing government to change the law are also mainly from these two states. Fortunately they are also grabbing land in Namibia and Ghana as well as promoting cotton production in Benin, Burkina Faso, Core d’Ivoire, and Mali. These states can, therefore, wave these economic bats for the defence of their endangered descendants in Brazil.

Mexico also hosts a distinguished record of African fighters for independence, human dignity and justice. The hero of Veracruz state, Gaspar YANGA, defended his ‘’Qilombo’’ followers against invasion by Spanish troops for 40 years - beginning from 1608 - until a truce ‘’created the first FREE State’’ for Africans in the Americas. ‘’San Lorenzo de Los Negros’’ is today called YANGA State. Three states have populations of Afro-Mexicans ranging from four to eight per cent of their total population, namely: Guerrero with 8% (268,880), Oaxaca with 6% (233,708), Veracruz with 4% (330, 178). Every state has had imported African inhabi tants for over three centuries plus new arrivals with one of the latest being Hollywood star Lupita NyongĂł. She a citizen of Mexico by the

MEXICO SUFFERS FROM ENTRENCHED VIRUS OF A FIXATION OF FEAR OF AFRICAN PEOPLES WHICH IS EXPRESSED IN DENYING AFROMEXICANS QUALITY EDUCATION, LEAVING THEM TRAPPED IN PERMANENT POVERTY AND LOW SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS

merit of being born in Mexico when her father fled political persecution in Kenya and taught in a university in Mexico City.

Since the last two decades of the 20th Century, ECOWAS has become a significant market for television soap operas produced in Mexico. This allows the region an economic push to, at the least, denounce the absence of BLACK actors in the medium. Mexico also suffers from entrenched virus of a fixation of fear of African peoples which is expressed in denying Afro-Mexicans quality education, leaving them trapped in permanent poverty and low socio-economic status. Its soap operas are insidious weapons for perpetuating this war by seeking to make Africa’s youth find heroes only in white Mexicans; while making black and mulato Afro-Mexicans culturally invisible.

Diplomats from ECOWAS states will be honouring the United Nations’ Decade for defending the rights and dignity of peoples of African Descent in Mexico by pushing for their economic empowerment, access to high quality education and inclusion as honourable stars in her soap operas.

In 2016 descendants of Jamaica’s Maroon legend, Nanny Acompong, travelled to Ghana to dip their roots among the Akan people. Nigerian owes descendants of about 300 Ibibio men and women who in 1675 survived a shipwreck and climbed on land on the island of today’s St. Vincent. The local Taino population promptly gave men wives.

The new community fought battles with Spanish invaders. Following their defeat of Spain, Britain terminated the warrior tradition of the community by deporting them to the South American mainland.

They adopted the Ibibio food technology of peeling, washing and grating raw cassava roots before squeezing starch and cyanide out of the chaff and making ‘’EBA’’ as a main food. The amalgamated people became known as ‘’GARIFUNA’’ probably derived from the word ‘’gari’’. They spread into today’s countries of Belize, Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua. Many have migrated into the United States, notably New York and Los Angeles. For economic diplomacy operatives in Nigeria, there is a market here waiting for supplies of fresh cassava and ‘’gari’’ to reunite with its ancient Ibibio ancestry in the Americas.

ECOWAS countries owe Puerto Rico massive post-hurricane support for rebuilding lives of its African descendants. Like St Vincent, Africans with DNA identical to that of current Mandingo, Wolof and Fulani peoples intermarried with the local Taino people and militarily defended their communities in mountain areas of south western areas of the island.

As Jimmy Cliff sang, there are many rivers of bloodlines waiting to be crossed by African diplomacy. Both Portugal and Spain have since the decade of African struggles for independence hid behind a history of nurtured violence. The urgent burden on African diplomacy must be that of demanding and achieving a dredging of putrid swamps of vicious fear of African peoples. This fear was engineered into geographies of barbaric exploitation of skin-colours.

BEWARE OF SNAKES! The authorities must do more to prevent cases of snakebites, writes Adewale Kupoluyi

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f recent, cases of snakebites in the country, specifically in the north, seem to be on the increase. What is more worrisome is that despite the severity of the problem, relevant authorities do not appear to be doing enough to put adequate control on what could best be described as a national crisis. This is not too surprising. There is a general pattern that the nation usually takes when it comes to tackling serious issues. We have cultivated the habit of treating things with levity until they become so severe, devastating and chaotic such that any meaningful intervention may not be helpful by the time they are applied. It is on this premise that the prevalent cases of snakebites should be given due priority and attention without further delay.

More than 100 victims alone were said to have died in the last few weeks following the absence of anti-venom for victims from the northern states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Plateau and Taraba. Statistics of snakebites obtained across the country revealed that there is a steady rise of people either suffering from such attacks or have outrightly died due to poor access to medical facilities. Most of these victims - because of the expensive cost of orthodox medicine - allegedly ended up visiting herbalists because they could not afford the antisnake venom and desire to live. Unfortunately, what the herbalists do have as ‘cure’, with due respect, has been described by observers as mere ‘trial and error’ in the sense that most victims that patronise them are known to have bled in the brain because the venom is vicious, which makes traditional healers incapable of really tackling the problem, since they concentrate on healing the wounds alone.

Snakes usually attack people when they are threatened, picked up mistakenly or trodden on, though some cobras and black mambas can be cocky. Such attacks can become deadly if not treated quickly, but

when properly treated, many snakebite cases would not have serious implications on victims, as less than 10 per cent of snakebite victims were said to visit hospitals in Nigeria when attacked. To highlight the severity of the problem, a World Health Organisation (WHO) report shows that Nigeria records 174 snakebites per 100,000 population per annum, of which the carpet viper or saw-scaled snake has been blamed for about 90 per cent of bites, out of which 60 per cent of the cases eventually result into deaths.

WHO, however, warns that snakebites remain a neglected public health problem for most of African countries including Nigeria. That is why the country needs to work hard by ensuring that necessary mechanism is put in place to overcome this challenge headlong.

Additional insights on this discourse were provided by the Kofi Anan Foundation, in a 12-page report titled, “Snakebites in Africa: Challenges and Solution�, which carefully examined the issue with inputs from experienced representatives, drawn from the scientific community, public health organisations, civil society and philanthropic institutions, among others. Findings from the report indicated that many health problems were linked to snakebites such as induced death, paralysis and disability. The foundation found out that snakebites negatively affected the lives of thousands, mostly the rural poor and resulting into declining subsistence agriculture and overall quality of life of the people. It further disclosed that an estimated 32,000 deaths and 100,000 disabilities had been attributed to victims on the continent, causing chronic anxiety, depression and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Beyond that, people that are bitten by snakes were discovered to be economically-insecure, rural hospitals were found to be inadequately equipped to manage snakebite patients while the problems of lack of quality control and regulation of anti-venom still persist.

Despite this worrisome trend, many of the

snakebite cases in Nigeria still go unreported and are not captured in official epidemiological records kept by appropriate bodies that should ordinarily do so. Snakebites should be taken seriously like Ebola, Monkeypox, Lassa fever and HIV/AIDS. This lack of important documentation is not limited to health records, as many other important and reliable data on all areas of human lives are usually very difficult to obtain, making effective national planning a daunting task in the country. Another problem that could have fueled the problem is the low advocacy on the hazards of snakebites coupled with the fact that many health workers in the country were found to have little or no formal training in the management of snakebites.

With the current realities on ground, there is the need to beam more searchlights on this area. Rural populace that are prone to frequent victims are not well protected while they go about their normal daily farming activities with palpable fear. This neglect of vulnerable people should stop. Embarking on public enlightenment among rural communities on how to prevent snakebites would involve giving them timely assistance and first aid. Such emergency and vital information should be made available in the languages that local farmers are familiar with.

Not only that, more medical personnel should be trained throughout the country, beginning with the endemic areas in the north, where cases are rampant, as this would reduce deaths associated with poor handling. People should clear overgrown grasses around their homes, premises and stop keeping snakebite attacks to themselves. They should avoid leaving their doors opened carelessly in a bid to get fresh air. Snakes are reputed to be stealthy and very quiet, making it difficult to monitor their movement.

Furthermore, snake anti-venom drugs; Echitab Plus ICP Polyvalent and Echitab G Monovalent, which were said to have been last supplied to the country several months ago, should now be imported

with immediate effect. Late placement of order for production should be avoided. This would not only reduce the scarcity, but discourage the tendency for people to either tamper with normal supply or adulterate the drugs. Already, some people were recently reported to be faking the scarce drugs and selling at almost N45,000 per vial, contrary to the original price regime sold by a study group, which ranged from N13,500 to N30,000.

A more sustainable effort would involve manufacturing the drugs through Public-Private Partnership (PPP), to increase access and minimise adulteration. The government should painstakingly identify serious and local organisations with requisite experience that could come in at this critical moment.

The intervention of few individuals and corporate bodies is commendable. For instance, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State recently procured N31m worth of the drugs for the state. More state governors should follow suit in helping to curb the snakebite menace, especially now that the country is experiencing hot weather when snakebites are likely to be on the increase because the snakes would naturally seek refuge in cool locations, where human beings would prefer to stay.

The Kofi Anan Foundation report also gave far reaching recommendations, comprising short and long-term measures. Short-term strategies include public health education campaigns that encourage the people to sleep under bed-nets, media advocacy using and mobile phones in informing and educating people about simple steps to take to avoid snakebites while long term measures include incorporating inexpensive snake-proofing design in homes and wearing of anti-snake boots. Beyond these approaches, governments at all levels should urgently treat the problem as a national priority in tackling the growing snakebite menace in the land.

Kupoluyi wrote from Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta

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EDITORIAL THE BURIAL OF 26 NIGERIANS IN ITALY The relevant authorities should unravel why the girls were murdered

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ith the burial in the southern city of Salerno, Italy of the 26 Nigerian female irregular migrants who were allegedly murdered on the Mediterranean Sea, our country has been exposed to the world as one that hardly cares for its citizens. It was bad enough that the authorities did not demand for their remains so they could be buried at home, but worse that there were no Nigerian representations at the burial conducted with dignity by the Italian authorities. Besides, there is as yet no information on the identities of those unfortunate women beyond the names of two.

The 26 bodies were retrieved early this month from the sea by a Spanish rescue ship, while some 64 people were unaccounted for and feared lost, bringing the total dead to around 90. With 26 wooden caskets, each of which was adorned with a single rose, a Roman Catholic Bishop and an Islamic Cleric said prayers at the simple but solemn funeral service. “It is very THERE IS A NEED FOR A likely that these LOT OF SENSITISATION girls were victims of trafďŹ cking for sexual

BY THE AUTHORITIES exploitation,� said ON THE PITFALLS OF Federico Soda, the IRREGULAR MIGRATION UN International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Director for the Mediterranean.

Not only is it unfortunate that the response from the Nigerian authorities to the tragedy has been both shoddy and incoherent, statements about an inquest into why our country was not represented at the burial are meaningless. But we call on the IOM to work with the Italian authorities to unravel how the girls were murdered. The report that they may have been sexually assaulted before their death points to some premeditation. Therefore, it should not be too difďŹ cult to identify the culprits who should be brought to book for this most heinous crime against humanity.

However, to the extent that the tragedy cannot be treated as an isolated incident, the Nigerian authori-

Letters to the Editor

ties must begin to take serious the issue of irregular migration and the reasons for it. Painting a grim picture of the situation, the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Mr Mohammed Babandede said recently that, “many deaths go unrecorded� while several thousands of the desperate irregular migrants “who cannot continue their journey are either stranded along the Agadez route, Niger Republic or in Libya. Majority of these stranded migrants are living in detention centres under deplorable conditions�.

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hat Babandede’s revelation conďŹ rms is what many other stakeholders have been saying: that irregular migrants trying to reach Europe may be dying in far greater numbers in the Sahara Desert than in the Mediterranean. “One thing we still don’t have is any estimate of number of deaths in the desert,â€? Richard Danziger, the IOM Director for West and Central Africa, recently said in Geneva.

Given the foregoing, we must reiterate our earlier call on the Nigerian authorities to put the recent tragedy in perspective. A combination of sustained negative economic growth and a demographic bulge has put the country in a very difďŹ cult and potentially explosive situation. Nigeria, the seventh most populous country in the world, has a fertility rate that far outstrips its economic growth. So, driven by economic desperation and sometimes by misinformation, hundreds of thousands of able bodied young men and women on a daily basis embark on perilous missions across the Mediterranean Sea. However, only small numbers eventually reach their destinations where they face huge disappointment and frustrations. Many are forced into prostitution, used as mercenaries, deployed as household servants, factory workers, drug couriers and even as organ donors. Since many of the migrants who are unemployed or pushed by outright poverty are deceived by stories of jobs, businesses and prosperity by people smugglers, there is a need for a lot of sensitisation by the authorities on the pitfalls of irregular migration.

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.

ANAMBRA ELECTION AS TRIUMPH OF DEMOCRACY

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he November 18 governorship election in Anambra State has added a feather to President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and lastly, the indigenous people of the state for conducting themselves in civilised manner during the election. The election campaigns kick-started on positive trend with policies, issues-based campaigns rather than personal attacks dominant in the society, and ended fantastically with congratulatory speeches against do-or-die politics.

President Buhari opened the floor by congratulating the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate and incumbent governor, Chief Willie Obiano immediately after emerging the winner as announced by the returning officer, and then, his All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Dr. Tony Nwonye followed suit. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flag-bearer, Mr. Oseloka Obaze who earlier attempted to act Peter Orubebe’s style subsequently followed the footsteps of other counterparts to endorse the victory of APGA’s candidate.

The re-elected governor, Chief Obiano also dutifully contributed immensely by allowing a level playing ground with no record of bullying, molestations or harassment of opponents. Indeed, this is remarkable. Despite some political arithmetic that manifested by defection of some notable APGA chieftains to other political parties, the governor having coped with the state fairly in the concluding first tenure, remained unperturbed believing that equity would certainly come to his aid. And it did. The footnote is that the people of the state

have grown beyond godfatherism to stand for visionary leadership and policy-driven politics.

In the acceptance speech, Obiano showed maturity by inviting all his defeated contenders with positive ideas for teamwork in moving the state forward irrespective of party affiliations. Be it ‘easily said than done’, basically, he has extended a hand of fellowship as done in civilised societies. By the manner the election was delightfully concluded, it will not be surprising to see the state making tremendous progress from its present position. Already, the state government has development templates in place ensuring that every nook and crannies of the state gets a quota from the state government through one project or the other.

By the renewed mandate, it entails that all the ongoing projects and tasks across the state are as good as concluded and inaugurated, and new ones likely kicking-off soon. It is a new dawn for Anambra State.

It implies there is growth socio-politically, and no longer the usual year-in, year-out, ‘Obi is a boy’. All the state funds that would have been earmarked for electoral disputes starting from the tribunal up to the apex court can now be positioned positively for adding values to the state, above all, shutting doors of aimless distractions. The landslide victory is not one that can be taken for granted. It is the verdict of the people; the high, the bourgeois and the commoners. The costly confidence the electorate reposed by their renewed mandate despite threats from the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) to boycott the election or face the music shouldn’t be taken for granted.

Splendidly, the governor is prudently in good relationship with numerous intellectuals and economists from the state especially the former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Professor Chukwuma Soludo, among others. That’s commendable and a desideratum. With such a tendency, the second term, aggregately eight years in office should afford the opportunity to move the state to a higher dimension vis-à -vis infrastructural development. With the clear-cut victory, it is time to reciprocate the good gestures, reverence and confidence from the people. The contract is clearly no longer with any godfather but with the people. The election, with no gun shots, rigging or snatching of ballot boxes as recorded in the past, other activities under the control of the state government should also be handled with the highest degree of decorum and civility. By the victory, the people have spoken; vox populi, vox dei (the voice of the people is the voice of God).

Whilst congratulating President Buhari, re-elected governor, Obiano and the good people of Anambra for a peaceful poll on one hand, I condole on the other, for the transition of eminent personality from the state, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, former Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in London hospital. Anambra having produced countless prominent figures including the first President of Nigeria, late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, former Senate President, late Senator Chuba Okadigbo, among others, irrefutably has all it takes to set the pace in the socio-economic and sociopolitical arenas.

Carl Umegboro, Awka, Anambra State

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T H I S D AY FRIDAY NOVEMBER 24, 2017

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2017

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

POLITICS A N A LY S I S

Like PENCOM, Like NDDC But for the timely intervention of the Senate leadership, the legislature and the executive would have been plunged into yet another avoidable imbroglio occasioned by executive recklessness in the revocation/renewal of the tenure of members of the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission, writes Tobi Soniyi

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ection 4 of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) (Establishment) Act 2000 provides that the office of the chairman shall rotate amongst member states of the commission in alphabetical order.

Thus, the chairmanship, which started with Abia has rotated up to Cross-River currently.

Section 12 of the Act provides that: “There shall be for the commission, a managing director, and two executive directors who shall be indigenes of oil producing areas starting with the member states of the commission with the highest production quantum oil and shall rotate amongst member states in order of production”.

Section 5(2) of the NDDC Act provides: “Where a vacancy occurs in the membership of the board, it shall be filled by the appointment of a successor to hold office for the remainder of the term of office of his predecessor, so however, that the successor shall represent the same interest and shall be appointed by the president, subject to the confirmation of the Senate, in consultation with the House of Representatives.”

Mrs. Ibim Seminatari, former Commissioner for Information in Rivers could not become a substantive Managing Director (MD) of the NDDC for this reason. She acted briefly to complete Rivers State’s tenure and made way for the former Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Nsima Ekere. Also, Senator Ndoma Egba (Cross River) was appointed to serve out the tenure of Senator Bassey-Ewa Henshaw (Cross River), who was removed along with other board members in 2015 before the end of his tenure in December 2017.

It is in line with this Act that the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, made it clear, for instance, in Ekere’s appointment letter dated 1st November 2016, (referenced SGF.55/S.2/C.3/ IV/52), that “The appointment took effect from November 1, 2016 and you are to serve out the remainder of the term of office of your predecessor in line with Section 5(2) of the (NDDC) Act”.

Yet, in sheer absurdity, the same Presidency vide a letter dated 16th October 2017 (referenced SGF.55/S.2/C.3/IV/168) and signed by the former Acting SGF, Dr. Habiba Lawal, renewed the appointment of the NDDC Board for another four-year term in clear breach of the NDDC Act. This violation of NDDC Act and other legal provisions regarding the constitution of the NDDC Board, led Senator Emmanuel Paulker (Bayelsa Central) to move the motion entitled: “The Illegal Extension of the Tenure of the Board of the NDDC” calling the Senate’s attention to this impunity. He said that the next chairman of the NDDC should come from Bayelsa State.

But for the intervention of the Senate Leader and the Senate President, who convinced the Senate to allow the Committee on Niger Delta Affairs and the new SGF, Boss Mustapha, to address the absurdity in the spirit of Mustapha’s rapprochement towards the Senate.

Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) State Chairman in Bayelsa, Chief Joseph Safi, has also petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari insisting that “the purported extension of the term of the present Board of the NDDC is done in bad faith and in fact runs contrary to the provisions of the Act that established the NDDC”.

Yet, some others have described the tenure renewal as double illegality since the FG should not have sacked the entire Ewa-Henshaw-led NDDC Board in the first place, being a statutory

Mrs Anohu-Amazu denied opportunity to complete her tenure

board.

Members of the Ewa-Henshaw-led NDDC Board have also sued the FG after their efforts to get the Presidency to reverse their sack failed. They asked the National Industrial Court, Abuja, to declare that Buhari had no powers to sack them on the strength of the FG circulars dated 16th July 2015 (referenced SGF.19/S.81/XIX/964) and 23rd July 2015 (referenced SGF.55/S.2) dissolving all federal boards because their appointments were governed by statutes and for a fixed period, which was yet to expire.

Regrettably, the NDDC conundrum is just one of several such appointment messes masterminded by some bad eggs within the presidency. The illegal removal of the entire management Board of the National Pension Commission (PenCom) without recourse to the Pension Reform Act (PRA) 2014 is another clear case of people trying to feather their economic and political nests at the expense of Buhari’s reputation.

Yet, in sheer absurdity, the same Presidency vide a letter dated 16th October 2017 and signed by the former Acting SGF, Dr. Habiba Lawal, renewed the appointment of the NDDC Board for another four-year term in clear breach of the NDDC Act.

Section 20 (1) of PRA 2014 provides: “The Chairman and the Director-General shall hold office for a term of five years in the first instance and may be re-appointed for another term of five years and no more”.

Section 20 (2) provides: “A member of the Board other than the Chairman and the Director-General shall hold office for a term of four years in the first instance and may be reappointed for another term of four years and no more subject to the provisions of section 21 (1)(g) of this Act”.

The whole essence of Section 20(1) and (2) is to immune the commission from the vagaries of change in federal administration. By virtue of this section, PenCom’s pioneer DG, M.K Ahmad (Gombe, North East), served out two terms that cut across the administrations of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Alhaji Musa Yar’Adua, and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. Also, the wisdom in making the tenure of the chairman and DG five years and those of the commissioners four years is to ensure institutional memory and continuity through the presence of experienced members of the board to pilot the affairs of the commission in acting capacity when the tenure of any DG or commissioner runs out.

Even though Section 21 of the Act lists circumstances under which a member of the PenCom Board may lose his/her position (such as death, resignation, removal by the President if he feels the person’s continued stay in office is not in public interest), the section never envisages nor provides for the disbandment of an entire membership of the board. Again, pension stakeholders believe that the FG cannot say in good conscience that a PenCom leadership that had strictly regulated the industry and grown pension fund from N2.9 trillion to over N6.5 trillion in about three years was not working in public interest.

Apart from illegally and improperly disbanding the PenCom Board, the steps taken so far in trying to replace them clearly betrays the

inordinate motives behind the entire exercise.

Whereas Section 21(2) of PRA 2014 provides that: “In the event of a vacancy, the president shall appoint a replacement from the geo-political zone of the immediate past member that vacated office to complete the remaining tenure”, Alhaji Aliyu A. Dikko (Kaduna, North West) was nominated as replacement for the removed DG, Mrs. Chinelo Anohu-Amazu (Anambra, South East). Funsho Doherty (South West) was nominated as Board Chairman to replace Adamu Muazu (Bauchi, North East).

The DG nominee, Alhaji Dikko, was however shipped off to the Bank of Industry’s as Board Chairman by the then Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, and replaced with Doherty immediately the President travelled to London on account of his health in May 2017. Apart from the fact that Doherty is not eligible to be PenCom DG for the same reasons Osinbajo removed Dikko, he was also directed to commence as the Acting DG without confirmation of the Senate on the eve of Buhari’s return from medical vacation.

Doherty was only halted by the stern statement issued by the Senate warning that there would be consequences should such illegal directive be carried out. Interestingly, Mr. Doherty, a well-known longstanding ally of Osinbajo was former MD of ARM Pension Ltd, while Osinbajo was also on the Board of Directors of the ARM Group. Observers worry, there may be a conflict of interest.

The efforts by VP’s Office to justify the nonreplacement of the previous DG with a South Easterner to serve out the region’s tenure (as was done in NDDC) on the ground that such replacement does not apply when an entire Board is dissolved have been rightly rejected by industry stakeholders and the South East people. Stakeholders wonder what laws the schemers in the presidency relied on to disband the entire PenCom Board, midway into their tenure, being a statutory Board.

It is believed that the Presidency is yet to send the names of the PenCom nominees, Funsho Doherty and others, to the Senate for the obvious fact that the illegality may not fly, hence the attempts to have them assume office without Senate’s confirmation.

The result of this avoidable miscalculation is that PenCom has been without a management board for almost a year now and the gains of the past 13 years are fast evaporating with critical stakeholders like the Police, Customs, Immigration insisting on pulling out of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) as the integrity of the system is now under threat.

Also, a statement jointly issued sometime by frontline labour activist/Secretary-General of National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers, NUTGTWN, Comrade Isa Aremu and President of NUTGTWN, Comrade John Adaji, sums the apprehensions of the organised labour over the PenCom crisis.

They said: “A labour market institution like PenCom is a specialised field that should not be a place for political appointees.

“The recent appointment of Funso Doherty by the Acting President as the replacement of Dikko Aliyu Abdulrahman will further lead to crisis of confidence in the leadership of PenCom. “The best way is for the Federal Government to return to due process by recalling the former Director General Mrs. Chinelo Anohu-Amazu to complete her tenure in accordance with the Pension Reform Act 2014.”

Will President Buhari put a stop to the NDDC, PenCom mess, and other similar mess masterminded by unwholesome interests around the Presidency? Only time will tell.

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2017

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POLITICS

The War on All Fronts in Kogi The tenure of Yahaya Bello as governor of Kogi State has been dogged by controversies from inception. Even though he will mark two years in office on January 27, many are already looking beyond him for a successor, Yekini Jimoh reports

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ver since he became the governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello has always been in the news for the wrong reasons. The state continues to retain a place of prominence in negative publicity with leaders political in the state expressing displeasure with the governor’s style of governance.

Recently, the people of Kogi East Senatorial District raises issues with the governor’s style of leadership.

The state has been swimming in a shallow river despite the fact that it is blessed with ‘two notable rivers’. Workers are not being paid as at when due. In order to help the workers, some members of the National Assembly from the state have had to donate bags of rice.

The question agitating the minds of people in the state is when will the suffering end?

The governor, who will clock two years in office on January 27 next year faces serious battles including the endless face-off with the leadership of his party in the state, his war of attrition with Senator Dino Melaye and his disagreements with workers over unpaid salaries. Others are the security challenges such as kidnapping, assassination, armed robbery and also the proscription of unions in various institutions in the state.

As at today, Kogi State is in dangerous waters, rudderlessly sailing into difficult storms.

Just recently, Kogi East Elders Council (KEEC) the Igala people’s apex socio-cultural organisation described the government of governor Yahaya Bello as an unmitigated disaster.

Addressing a news conference in Abuja recently, the former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) Senator Amodu Ali who is also the Chairman of KEEC, said the council, in its attempt to give the young administration the benefit of the doubt, had restrained itself from taking a critical posture, in the hope that the current leaders would retrace their steps and take the right path.

According to him, the council has decided to go public on the deplorable and deteriorating condition of resources-rich Kogi State.

He said: “In the last two years since Bello providentially took over the mantle of leadership as the governor of the state, impulsive and ill-informed steps taken by the administration have left in their trail the sounds of wailing and lamentation in villages, towns and cities across the state.

“The Kogi East Elders Council, in its attempt to give the young administration the benefit of the doubt, had restrained itself from taking a critical posture, in the hope that the current leaders would retrace their steps and take the right path.

“However, our hopes that the government would take the right path was being dashed as the leadership is sinking deeper into errors, making a shipwreck of the opportunity given to this younger generation to steer the ship of Kogi State towards a greater future.”

He stated that the termination of the appointments of 135 academic staff of Kogi State University by the state government was an evidence of its ignorance with regard to administration.

He also pointed out that the state of insecurity in Kogi was unacceptable.

According to him, it has culminated in a situation in which a labour leader, Mallam Abdulmumuni Yakubu, was reportedly killed in Okene on November 1, 2017. “The evidence of the widespread insecurity was manifest in the imposition of 24-hour curfew on five local government areas by the state government on November 9, 2017. The LGAs include Adavi, Ajaokuta, Okene, Ogori/Magongo and Okehi.

“Thuggery and senseless killings are not

Dickson

Bello

the only definitions of insecurity in the state.

There is kidnapping, armed robbery, conflicts between herders and farmers, leading to the loss of lives and properties. “The crimes have continued to fester dangerously, while government beats its chest for fighting the menace through donations of vehicles and other facilities to the police.

“Crimes are defeated, not only with facilities, but through intelligence gathering from the communities. Moreover, some known criminals flaunt their invincibility before their hapless victims because they have been recruited into the political strategies for the next elections.”

He accused the state government of wasting millions of naira on advertisements to showcase the number of employees who have been cleared and paid, but it shamelessly admitted that in spite of the funds accruing to the state, government still owed the salaries of some ‘cleared workers.’

Ali said: “It is nothing short of wickedness for the Kogi State government to deny workers their salaries and pensioners’ stipends in the

The chairman called on President Muhammadu Buhari, to intervene in the crises in Kogi State by setting up a presidential committee to investigate the purported staff audit and ensure that staff salaries were paid.

face of such abundant financial resources.

“The excuse of refining the civil service system or of running a digital administration does not hold water, as every improvement on an administrative system is supposed to produce a positive result, not a negative one that leaves the people in anguish and penury.”

He said the situation in the stated was totally unacceptable to Kogi East Elders Council. He therefore called on President Muhammadu Buhari, to intervene in the crises in the state by setting up a presidential committee to investigate the purported staff audit and ensure that staff salaries were paid.

The group also urged the federal government to investigate how the funds that went to Kogi State as bailout and Paris Club refunds were utilized, to the point that the president’s directive that civil servants’ salaries should be given priority in the disbursement of the funds was not adhered to.

“It is worth putting on record that Kogi State belongs to over three million people who hail from the confluence state and not the few persons who hold political offices in various capacities today.

“Every indigene of the state is interested in lifting it from its parlous state to the height of progress and prosperity.

“Therefore, the state government should consider critical voices as partners in progress, not enemies. It is imperative for this government to run an all-inclusive administration as that is the better way in which the state can move forward,” he advised.

But a youth group from the district, the Kogi East Coalition for Good Governance has expressed satisfaction with the style of administration of the governor.

The youth, at a press conference held in Lokoja disagreed with the position of the Kogi East Elders Council on the style of

Bello’s administration.

According to them, the Kogi East Elders Council was a self serving group which neither had the mandate nor the support of the traditional institutions and the people of Kogi East Senatorial District, and must be therefore ignored.

The spoke person of the group, Mr. Ishiaka Alfred said the group did not care about who was in Lugard House (Kogi State House) but wanted good governance.

“As far as we are concerned, Senator Amodu Ali and his Kogi East Elders Council cannot be counted among those who provided standard for good governance in Kogi State.

“They are at best an elitist cultural troupes or social club who periodically perform in public for the sole benefit of their members,” he said.

The spoke person who refuted the allegations of non performance by the governor said the governor’s achievements in the area of security had been acknowledged nation wide to the extend that Kogi State had become investors’ haven.

He added that the difficult decision of the governor in over hauling the state’s civil service had yielded positive results as over 1000 charlatans and over 4000 cheats who respectively forged certificates and cheated the government on sundry ways had been weeded out of service.

“Today, salaries are paid without hitches to genuine workers and the civil service is now repositioned to carry out its statutory responsibility of policies formulation and implementations, “ he noted.

“We hereby declared a vote of confidence on governor Yahaya Bello and his new direction administration. We want his excellency to know that his reforms are in order and must be brought to logical conclusion. We urge him to sanitize as many aspects of our socio economic life as he possibly can, “ he added.

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BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S MONEY MARKET OBB OVERNIGHT

A S

A T

REPO CALL

7.17% 7.75%

1-MONTH 3-MONTH

9% 9.67% 10.83%

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

N O V E M B E R S & P INDEX INDEX LEVEL 1-DAY MONTH-TO-DATE

310.91 % -0.08% 0.20%

1 7 ,

S & P INDEX 1/4 TO DATE YEAR TO DATE

2 0 1 7

5.23% 18.59%

EXCHANGE RATE N305.95//1US DOLLAR* ĚŠ

Quick Takes NCAT Granted Centre of Excellence

SEALED AND SIGNED

L-R: Managing Director of Legacy Pension Managers Limited, Mr. Misbahu Yola; Group Chief Executive of FCMB Group Plc, Mr. Ladi Balogun and Chairman of Legacy Pension Managers, Alhaji Lamis Dikko, at the Completion Board Meeting to conclude the acquisition of additional Legacy shares by FCMB Group, increasing its interest to 88.2 percent. The event held in Abuja‌ recently

Adesina: High Taxes Stunting the Growth of African Airlines Chinedu Eze The President of African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr Akinwumi Adesina has said that high taxes imposed on airlines by government agencies was a major challenge dwarfing the growth and development of air transport in Africa. This according to him, explains why the region loses about 80 percent of its market to foreign airlines.

Adesina who spoke at the International World Aviation Forum (IWAF) organised by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the federal government said it costs much more to travel in Africa than any other part of the world by air and that has undermined the growth of the sector in the region, thus denying the continent thousands of more jobs that would have been created by the aviation industry.

ECONOMY He said: “The cost of air travel in Africa remains exorbitantly high and is 200 percent more than costs in the European Union and 250 percent higher than in India for similar distances. “A big part of this is the very high taxes, fees, and levies that are charged in Africa. For example, it costs $128 to fly between London and Rome, but $597 to fly between Abidjan and Niamey, a shorter distance. And just to go from Johannesburg in South Africa, to next door neighbor Lilongwe in Malawi, the cost is $406, which again, is a much shorter distance than from London to Rome. “If you require another example of this serious imbalance, consider for a moment that taxes paid for a Lagos to Kinshasa ticket amounts to $397 which is 300 percent higher than the

total air travel costs between London and Rome. And that’s just the taxes alone.�

He also lamented that Africa’s aviation growth is held back by very restrictive regulatory environments which limit market size, profitability, and drive up costs, noting that a study by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) shows that liberalising aviation markets through open skies for 12 African countries alone would increase annual GDP by $1.3 billion and create an additional 150,000 jobs, remarking that essentially, open skies meant more jobs and increased trade and investments.

The President of AfDB said that the bank would support the development of airport infrastructure in the region, noting that aviation is the key to economic surge in the continent and therefore must be supported and developed. “The aviation sector is espe-

cially important as it opens up doors to investors. Very few invest where it’s difficult to travel to. That’s why ease of access via air travel is strongly correlated to economic growth.

Air transport promotes trade, investments and tourism, and boosts economic growth. Today, Africa’s aviation industry adds $73 billion to the continent’s annual GDP and employs about seven million people – an average 130,000 people per country in Africa. And that’s a lot!,�

Adesina said.

He noted that with rapid economic growth, increasing population, urbanisation and income growth for the middle class, the aviation industry is projected to grow by five percent annually for the next 20 years, adding that from serving 120 million passengers in 2015, the industry would triple and serve over 300 million passengers by Continued on page 20

NPA to Order Immediate Removal of Abandoned, Submerged Vessels Eromosele Abiodun In a bid to reduce security risk and the cost of attracting ships to Nigeria, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has commenced moves to get the owners of rigs, abandoned and submerged vessels to remove them immediately or face the penalty.

To this end, the NPA will issue notices and write to mariners, owners of abandoned or submerged vessels and rigs to come and remove them.

The Managing Director of the NPA, Hadiza Bala-Usman, who disclosed this at a Port Stakeholders’ meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State said the NPA has not removed them

MARITIME because it wanted to avoid people making all manners of claims as a result.

According to her, “We don’t want to do it our self because when we do so you get all manner of claims, we want to make sure we follow due process and thereafter do the needful. We have a whole lot to remove some of them are defacing our water fronts, making it unattractive and pose security risk.�

She added: “The owners find it no longer profitable to remove them and convert them to other uses but when we fully develop our plan for insurance for vessels that come

in and go out of Nigeria or make use of our port, jetties and waterways this situation will change. This has also fueled the amount importers pay to bring vessels into the country as insurers demand that they pay war zone insurance fee which is very difficult and unattractive. “ Bala-Usman, who was represented by the NPA Executive Director, Marine and Operations Mr Sokonte Davies said that the NPA is keen on making sure that Nigerian ports are attractive for business. “There are countries who don’t have the resource that we have but only have water and makes huge amount of money from it. We want to also

introduce bunkering, not the illegal one you hear about, what we want to do is bunkering in the real sense. The NPA wants to go into regulation proper and leave other activity for operators because we cannot be regulators and competitor, “she said.

Reacting to a stakeholder’s comment that the Lagos ports were congested, she explained that it is rather the access roads that are in bad shape, for which the government is already assiduously working to fix them.

She equally noted that most of the importers/exporters that used the Lagos ports were from South-West; stressing that the Authority would soon procure Continued on page 20

The Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) Zaria, Captain Adbulsalami Mohammed has conďŹ rmed that the college has been granted regional centre of excellence status by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). He said that besides inherent gains in terms of funds that would accrue to the school from training, it would also boost the image of the school and the country immensely because more students from dierent parts of West and Central Arica would come and train in the school. “I can conďŹ rm that we have been granted the status. This journey was started by NCAT 11years ago when we became members of the TrainAir Plus, before you become a member of TrainAir Plus there are also criteria you need to meet which included assessment of training facilities and personnel. The global aviation oďŹƒce sent auditors from ICAO to Zaria to come and assess us. “They came with their checklist and of course typically there were some gaps and we were given time within which to close these gaps, and we were reassessed and it was determined that we met the requirement to be a member of the TrainAir . The next level was the change in nomenclature now it’s calledTrainAir Plus and also that requirement was for the institution to develop a standard training package which we did in 2013 and in 2015.

IATA, AfDB Sign MoU

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish a framework for collaboration to boost the aviation sector in Africa. The MoU was signed on the sidelinesoftheInternationalCivilAviationOrganizationWorldAviation Forum - Financing the Development of Aviation Infrastructure - in Abuja, Nigeria by IATA’s Director General and Chief Executive OďŹƒcer, Alexandre de Juniac, and African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina. Under the MoU, IATA and the AfDB would work in partnership to further Africa’s economic and social development by helping build a safe, secure and eďŹƒcient aviation industry. The two organizations commit to create and implement programs and projects, including technical cooperation for capacity building and priority areas would include improving connectivity, safety and aviation infrastructure. “Aviation in Africa currently supports $72.5 billion in economic activity and 6.8 million jobs. Over the next 20-years, aviation is forecast to grow at nearly 6% per year. This creates signiďŹ cant opportunities. But achieving this potential will not happen by chance; strong partnerships are key. The MoU with ADB will help facilitate the growth and development of Africa’s aviation industry. In so doing, it will expand prosperity and change peoples’ lives for the better in the continent’s 54 nations,â€? said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO. “The aviation sector is especially important as it opens up doors to investors,â€? said Adesina. “Very few invest where it’s diďŹƒcult to travel to. That’s why ease of access via air travel is strongly correlated to economic growth. We must make regional aviation markets competitive and drive down costs, raise eďŹƒciencies and improve connectivity and convenience.â€?

Emirates Group Announces Results

The Emirates Group has announced its half-year results for 2017-18.

The Group saw steady revenue growth and a rebound on proďŹ tability compared to the same period last year, in spite of the continuing downwardpressureonmargins,ariseinoilprices,andotherchallenges for the airline and travel industry. The Emirates Group revenue was AED 49.4 billion ($ 13.5 billion) for the ďŹ rst six months of its 2017-18 ďŹ nancial year, up 6 percent from AED 46.5 billion ($ 12.7 billion) during the same period last year. ProďŹ tability rebounded after a low during the same period last year, with the Group reporting a 2017-18 half-year net proďŹ t of AED 2.3 billion ($ 631 million), up 77 percent. This result was driven by capacity optimisation and eďŹƒciency initiatives across the company, steady business growth, and a more favourable foreign exchange situation compared to the same period last year.The Group’s cash position on September 30th, 2017 was at AED 18.9 billion ($ 5.2 billion), compared to AED 19.1 billion ($ 5.2 billion) as at March 31, 2017.

“We need to develop airport terminal capacity to expand passenger growth, develop regional aviation hubs to improve connectivity, and upgrade air navigational services and air traffic control to improve safety,

President, African Development Bank

Dr Akinwumi Adesina

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BUSINESSWORLD ADESINA: HIGH TAXES STUNTING THE GROWTH OF AFRICAN AIRLINES 2035. “We need to develop airport terminal capacity to expand passenger growth, develop regional aviation hubs to improve connectivity, and upgrade air navigational services and air traffic control to improve safety. Modern and cheaper technologies such as the satellite based air navigation services now preclude the need for ground infrastructure, and make it possible to serve remote areas with radars. We must also develop within Africa, aircraft maintenance services and strengthen regional and sub-regional aviation safety agencies,� he said.

Adesina said that Africa needs to procure about 970 jets and 700 turboprops over the next 20 years, so the financing needs would exceed $150 billion, adding that African aviation needs fleet modernisation, efficiencies, better connectivity and much improved quality of services for an exponential growth in the number of passengers.

NPA TO ORDER IMMEDIATE REMOVAL OF ABANDONED, SUBMERGED VESSELS six gun boats to tackle security challenges on the waterways.

Speaking further, the NPA boss observed that the agency had eased up the system of doing business before the executive order was issued, noting that the policy had paid off handsomely.

She said the authority did not charge money for services it did not render to importers and exporters. She said that it would be difficult for all inspecting agents to inspect a vessel at the same time, adding that the exercise could only be done in turns. She promised to address users’ complaints constitutionally and hinted that the meeting would hold quarterly to enhance harmonious relationship between NPA and stakeholders.

The shipping companies/ agents had complained of lack of pilot cutters; inadequate security, poor light as well as shallow Bonny channel which needed dredging.

Group Business Editor

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NEWS

Facebook to Boost Innovation, Economic Impact in Nigeria with Community Hub Emma Okonji With a good record of 1.37 billion daily active users on the average worldwide and 7.2 million daily visitors from Nigeria, Facebook on Wednesday in Lagos, said it would launch its Nigeria initiative, designed to drive innovation, skills development and economic impact, through a Community Hub that it plans to locate in Lagos.

Facebook said the initiative would further cement its commitment and investment in the country, and across the continent.

In partnership with CC Hub, Facebook will be opening the doors to its first Community Hub space in the heart of Lagos, scheduled to open early next year. ‘NG_HUB from Facebook’ will be a multi-faceted creative space, which will connect and bring together developers, start-ups and the wider community to collaborate, learn and exchange ideas. The NG_HUB will also host a start-up incubator programme, as well as bespoke trainings, guest speakers and a dedicated event space, all aimed at attracting the best talent and driving innovation in Nigeria’s tech ecosystem.

According to Facebook, “This set of initiatives is aimed at helping to develop and nurture

communities, including small businesses, the tech and startup ecosystem, youths and creatives.�

Announcing the initiative at a press conference in Lagos, Facebook Public Policy Director, Africa, Ebele Okobi, said the Nigerian initiative would demonstrate the power of digital skills to aid economic growth and development in the country. “At Facebook, our mission is clear: To give people the power to build community and bring

the world closer together. Our investments and commitments announced in Lagos, further reflect our intent to partner with Nigeria’s policy makers and its vibrant tech and entrepreneurial eco-system to create economic opportunity and independence in Nigeria and across Africa,’’ Okobi said. “Additionally, across Nigeria, Facebook will be supporting a number of existing tech Hubs to serve the communities outside Lagos. The hubs will

function as learning centres for local communities, providing multiple opportunities for training and access,� Okobi added.

Commenting on the announcement of NG_HUB in partnership with CC Hub, and Facebook’s further support of local hubs across Nigeria, Facebook Head of Platform Partnerships, Middle East and Africa, Emeka Afigbo, said: “Nigeria is producing a new generation of exciting

start-ups that have incredible potential. We understand the important role Facebook plays here in Nigeria with developers and start-ups and are invested in helping these communities build for the next billion. One of our key passions at Facebook is nurturing and helping to develop the tech and start-up community, and I’m excited to announce our partnership with the Nigerian tech hub ecosystem especially the NG_HUB space, here in Lagos.�

LUCKY WINNERS

L-R: Representative of St Saviour’s School Ikoyi Endowment Fund, Mrs. Faith Obanua; Segment Manager, MTN Nigeria, Abimbola Gold; 2nd place winner of the 13 -1 5 Female category of the Kiddies Marathon, Dara Goodluck and Senior Secondary School Principal, Greensprings School, Lekki, Mrs. Feyisara Ojugo, during the cheque presentation to winners of the Saint Saviour Endownment Fund’s Kiddies Marathon at MTN’s Corporate Headquarters‌recently

FG Blames Shipping Companies, Agitation in Cameroon for Illegal Arms Imports Eromosele Abiodun The federal government yesterday blamed the agitation in Southern part of Cameroon for the upsurge in the importation of illegal arms into Nigeria.

The government also accused shipping firms particularly foreign lines operating in the country of aiding and abetting illegal arms importation.

Disclosing this at a stakeholders meeting at the Headquarters of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, NSC, in Lagos, Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service,

NCS, Col. Handed Ali, (Rtd.) said that the illegal importation of arms and ammunition was the biggest concern facing the Customs Service.

Ali also said that the trend has not only become a source of concern to all Nigerians but also to the security wellbeing of neighbouring countries.

The customs boss explained that if shipping firms collaborate with the NCS to block the loopholes that importers were exploiting, the situation would be reduced to the barest minimum.

He warned that any vessel

caught in the transportation of prohibited and banned cargoes will be arrested and detained, and warned that the security of the country cannot be compromised.

The retired army officer also told shipping companies that change in ship manifest midway into a voyage will henceforth be unacceptable noting that, that was what the arms importers used bringing his illicit cargoes to Nigeria.

He also said the all containerised cargoes must be palletised except for bulk cargoes.

According to him, “The issue of being ignorant of the content of the container will no more be acceptable. Carrying out examination on unpalletised cargoes was always a problem as palletisation of containerised cargoes makes cargo examination easy and faster. We must have standard, we must have synergy between you and us that way we can achieve 24 hours cargo clearance time.�

Explaining further, Ali said that in the light of implementing the Executive Order which was signed by the Vice President Mr. Yemi

Osinbojo as Acting President, the customs need the cooperation of every stakeholders so as to make the implementation of the Order successful. Earlier in his opening remarks, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) Hassan Bello called on stakeholders to join hands with the Customs Service to make the port a better place to do business and facilitate trade.

He said the execution of trade policies alone without the cooperation of stakeholders could make the Executive Order unimplementable.

FG Saves N3bn on Single Project with NITDA’s IT Project Clearance Oghenevwede Ohwovoriole in Abuja The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has saved the federal government the sum of N3billion on a single cleared IT Project of an agency through its commitment as the government’s clearing house for all IT procurement and services in the public sector.

The agency made this known at a press release, which was made available to THISDAY and signed by Mrs. Hadiza Umar MNIPR, Head, Corporate Affairs and External Relations.

According to her, “NITDA

has saved the Federal Government the sum of 3billion Naira on a single cleared IT Project of an Agency through its commitment as the government’s clearinghouse for all IT procurement and services in the public.

The Agency disclosed that amid growing concerns over mismanagement of huge funds on investment on IT projects in MDAs, NITDA has offered a glimmer of hope, saying that henceforth, the FG shall be getting a handle on wasteful and duplicative IT procurement and services in the MDAs. She added: “Amid growing concerns about the mismanage-

ment of huge investment of public funds on IT Projects in MDAs, NITDA has offered a glimmer of hope that the Federal Government shall be getting a handle on wasteful and duplicative IT procurement and services in MDAs. “As an unbiased watchdog of government, the Director General has ensured that there is transparency, accountability, efficiency and effectiveness in the process of obtaining clearance from NITDA targeted at extracting maximum value from MDAs’ investments on IT projects.�

The Agency stated that it is only carrying out the President’s directives on strict

compliance on IT Projects Clearance by all government establishments.

The agency further disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari, had called for strict compliance to the IT Project’s Clearance directive by all government establishments to ensure that governments ICT procurements are transparent, align with government’s IT shared vision and policy, save costs through promotion of shared services, avoid duplication, ensure interoperability of IT systems and improve efficiency across government.

She stated that “enforcing the patronage of indigenous

companies where capacity exist thus fostering digital economy through effective regulation and local content development as well as uphold the highest standards for service delivery.�

The agency quoted the President to have made the declaration at the opening ceremony of this year’s e-Nigeria International Conference and Exhibition held from Tuesday 7th to Thursday 9th November, 2017. She said that the president used the event to commend the agency’s efforts at enforcing federal government’s directive on ensuring that all ICT projects are cleared before they are implemented.

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NEWS

Environmental Beautification: Cross River Partners Sterling Bank Sterling Bank Limited has donated 700 pieces of customised reflective jackets to Cross River State for use by street sweepers as its contribution to the sustenance of the cleanliness and beautification of Calabar, the state capital.

General Manager, South South, South East & Midwest and Executive Director designate, Commercial and Institutional banking, Mr. Emmanuel Emefienim, who presented the vests on behalf of the bank’s Managing Director to the state governor Prof. Ben Ayade, disclosed the company’s willingness to work with the state at ensuring that the state remains the cleanest in the country. In his words: “We are so proud of what you are doing here and as a bank that has been doing business here in the state, we feel obliged to support you in our own little way at least to make the environment safe and secure especially in terms of cleanliness.”

According to him, “We have done this in several states. In Lagos, Rivers, Delta, Abia, Edo.

What we have realised is that some of these people who help us clean the environment are vulnerable to accidents and things like that. So, we felt it would be nice if we clothe them with reflective jackets to enable them carry out their assignments without fear of being knocked down by fast moving vehicles.”

Continuing, he said: “Today, I have the honor and the mandate of my executive management to present 700 pieces of customised vests made in such a way that it identifies clearly the gardeners and cleaners at any time for their safety.”

The manager further disclosed that “In addition to this, we have been mandated to inform Your Excellency that we will be partnering with the the Ministry of Environment to identify strategic roundabouts in the state for beautification and maintenance.”

While assuring Ayade of their preparedness to lend the state a helping hand in the area of infrastructural development, Emefienim said: “We are also open as a bank to supporting

the state with access to funding options that will help them develop infrastructure.”

Responding, Governor Ayade who commended the bank for its show of concern on the environment and safety of the workers expressed his delight for the gesture, describing it as “a classical departure from tradition.”

He noted: Here is a bank that is coming to bring value, service and not is not talking about business.”

According to the governor, “I think this is a very fantastic way to go and my heartfelt gratitude goes to Sterling bank. To think that I am not doing much with Sterling bank at this moment and they have really found a very smart and intelligent way to twist my hands and my conscience I must say that we must do business with you.

“Indeed, for someone who truly cares about your cleanliness and cares about your businesses and that they are not doing this just because they are bankers but because they do care “

Fidelity Bank Partners Group on Youth Empowerment Fidelity Bank Plc is partnering Africa’s Young Entrepreneurs (A.Y.E) to empower entrepreneurs in Nigeria.

The partnership agreement between both organisations, signed recently, is expected to strengthen the on-going efforts and initiatives of A.Y.E in developing and supporting future business leaders.

It will also afford Fidelity Bank the opportunity to offer financial and technical advisory services to enhance the competitiveness and dynamism of young Nigerian entrepreneurs.

With a network of over 12.6 million members across the continent and 1.6 million Nigerian members, A.Y.E is the largest network of entrepreneurs in the world. The organisation uses conferences, workshops and motivational talks to share practical information on how to develop and manage businesses.

“The partnership was made

possible because we share the same ideals on entrepreneurship and job creation. In line with the Federal Government’s Economic Diversification Plan, more employment opportunities lead to poverty alleviation, improved food security and GDP growth,” the CEO of Fidelity Bank, Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo, said at a media briefing in Lagos yesterday.

“As a bank, we are committed to growing the economy and in pursuit of this, we are constantly searching for critical partners that are closely aligned to our strategic objectives. A.Y.E is one of those partners,” Okonkwo added.

A.Y.E encourages social entrepreneurship with role models, powerful mentors, social innovators, thought leaders, forward thinking investors and people passionate about addressing a range of societal

and environmental challenges.

These stakeholders gather every once in a year in what is tagged the“Networking with the Giants Conference.”

The third annual conference, which is the 2017 edition is billed to hold in partnership with Fidelity Bank on the 30th of November, 2017 in Lagos.

The annual conference, according to the President of A.Y.E, Mr. Summy Smart Francis, is an exceptional platform for some of the world’s most accomplished business leaders to network with perhaps the brightest entrepreneurs in Africa.

“It provides ample opportunity for individuals with vibrant business ideas to network with established industry leaders, policy makers and outstanding investors from around the globe to draw priceless, life-transforming inspirations from success stories” he stated.

NAFDAC, NBMA Sign MoU on GMOs Regulation Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), and the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to ensure proper regulation of genetically modified foods (GM) foods in Nigeria.

The Director General of NBMA, Dr. Rufus Ebegba said that the MoU signing was necessary as the agency has previously signed MoUs with other sister agencies like Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS) and National

Seed Council (NaSC) and is also set to sign more memoranda with other line agencies to ensure the safe practice of modern biotechnology and use of its products.

A statement issued on Wednesday by the agency’s Head of Press Unit, Ms. Gloria Ogbaki emphasised the need for both agencies to work together for the good of Nigerians.

According to Ebrgba, “NAFDAC is a major stakeholder in Biosafety as the NBMA Act 2015 specifically states that NAFDAC will also be involved in the certification of GM foods. In view of this, the Agency has been working

tirelessly for several months to get this memorandum signed and it is a thing of joy to sign this today”.

The Director General of NAFDAC, who was represented by Prof. Samson Adebayo, Director PRS, said that NAFDAC is very ready to collaborate with NBMA to ensure GM products in the country are safe for consumption by Nigerians.

Adebayo expressed gratitude for the initiative to draft and sign a MoU by both agencies and assured that there would be adequate collaboration between NAFDAC and NBMA for proper regulation of GM foods in the country.

RISK MANAGEMENT WATCH Robert Mbonu

Risk Maturity: How Well, Not How Old (II)

R

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Moving from a reactive to a “proactive”and towards an “optimised” basis requires the organisation to streamline and integrate risk management into most business practices

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T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ Í°Í˛Ëœ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍľ

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BUSINESSWORLD

AVIATION

Harmattan: NIMET DG Urges Pilots to Observe all Weather Warnings Stories by Chinedu Eze The Director General of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), Professor Sani Abubakar Mashi has said that to prevent air mishap during the Harmattan pilots and airlines must observe all weather report alerts and adhere to them to ensure safe flight operations in the country Harmattan haze has started affecting flight operations, sometimes reducing visibility to the level that it prevents flight operations and as every airport has its visibility minima, flights may not be allowed by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to be operated at such airports during low visbility.

Mashi said that presently NIMET issues weather report

alert to airlines every one hour but because of the Harmattan this would be reduced to every 30 minutes and if the situations becomes adverse, it would be reduced to every 20 minutes, so that at every point in time pilots know the weather situation in the airspace.

The NIMET DG told THISDAY that the agency has deployed modern meteorology equipment to effectively monitor the weather, including the low level wind shear alert system in all the major airports in the country.

Low level wind shear is a very dangerous weather dimension which has led to air crashes in Nigeria in the past.

Mashi said that it is because of the efficient job the agency is doing that the International

Standard Organisation (ISO) certified NIMET with ISO 9001 2015 and making the agency the only organisation so certified in Africa.

He said that NIMET has been recruited to mentor other meteorology agencies in Africa and that the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) recently invited the agency to guide its Tanzanian counterpart to attain a level of efficiency required of it to deliver reliable weather report and other services. “We have always been advising airlines and telling them to adhere to weather reports we give them. If advice is given to them that they should treat it as absolutely essential. One thing with Harmattan is that it affects visibility.�

NAMA Boss Tasks African Air Navigation Service Providers The Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) Capt. Fola Akinkuotu has charged Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) in the African and Indian Ocean Region (AFI Region) to adopt and implement the International Civil Aviation (ICAO) Council Resolution on the formation of peer groups by ANSPs for the periodic review of their Safety Management Systems (SMS) implementation levels.

Giving this charge at the opening of a two-day peer review meeting of AFI ANSP Peer Review Team 3 which held at the agency’s headquarters in Lagos, Capt. Akinkuotu said only an effective peer review of safety systems and procedures among ANSPs in the region could enable Africa to build upon its rising safety profile and the make the continent

more competitive in the global aviation industry.

Akinkuotu who was represented by the Director of Safety Electronics and Engineering Services, Farouk Umar said the time had come for African ANSPs to harmonise and synergise their safety systems and procedures by bringing members up to speed with industry best practices with the ultimate goal of achieving a single African sky.

The NAMA boss assured members of the peer review team that “NAMA as a state ANSP shares the same concerns with ICAO and its allies including the Civil Air Navigation Service Organization (CANSO) and International Air Transport Association (IATA) and is also committed to ensuring the envisaged benefits of the peer review programme are fully actualised.�

He called on members to “feel free to criticize the agency’s SMS implementation strengths and weaknesses as this exercise would serve as a learning curve in organisation’s quest to step up our SMS effective implementation level.�

Earlier in her remarks, the Director of African Affairs, Civil Air Navigation Services Organization (CANSO), Ms Boni Dibante noted that the objective of the peer review mechanism among ANSPs was to address some of the challenges ANSPs in the AFI region are facing stressing that “effective implementation would enable us to standardise our Safety Management Systems and all the other areas of operations which have been identified by ICAO and the result of this, we are hoping, will bring us to maturity level.�

Etihad to Operate Only Dreamliner Flights to Switzerland Etihad Airways’ flights to and from Switzerland will become an all-Boeing 787 Dreamliner operation with the aircraft being deployed on the Abu Dhabi – Geneva from March 25, 2018.

The airline said the Dreamliner flights to Geneva would complement the airline’s existing 787 Dreamliner scheduled services connecting Abu Dhabi and Zurich, becoming the fifth European city to be served by the carrier’s rapidly growing fleet of next generation aircraft.

Etihad Airways currently operates daily flights between the UAE’s capital city of Abu Dhabi and both Geneva and Zurich.

Etihad said the introduction of the Boeing B787 Dreamliner would also see a scheduling

change that would continue to provide attractive timings for customers travelling to and from Geneva. “Etihad Airways will be the only airline operating out of the UAE to offer an early morning arrival into Geneva, and the revised timings will also improve connectivity to a wider network of destinations across Asia and the Indian Subcontinent. Etihad Airways has a fleet of 18 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners operating from Abu Dhabi to 17 destinations worldwide – Amman, Amsterdam, Beijing, Beirut, Brisbane, DĂźsseldorf, Madrid, Melbourne, Nagoya, Perth, Riyadh, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Tokyo, Washington and Zurich,â€? the airline said.

Etihad Airways Chief Execu-

tive Officer, Peter Baumgartner said, “With another of Etihad Airways’ popular European destinations joining our B787 Dreamliner network, we are giving more guests the opportunity to experience our next generation aircraft. “The Geneva services cater to business and leisure travellers in Abu Dhabi, Switzerland’s second largest city, and offer connections over our hub to and from many destinations across our global network. The Dreamliner is fast becoming our flagship long-haul aircraft and as more join the fleet, we will continue to look at upgrading existing routes offering ground-breaking cabin interiors that have set a benchmark for high service levels in the region and across the world.�

AIR WATCH Dana Air, Nine Years After

Nigeria’s domestic carrier, Dana Air has clocked nine years since it started operation.

The airline could be described as resilient because Dana Air and Afrijet Airlines started flight operations in the same year, 2008. Today, Afrijet has gone under. During that time Chanchangi Airlines was still a dominant operator in the domestic market. Aero Contractors held a record as the most flown airline then, holding strongly with about 40 percent of the domestic market. Arik Air started flight service two years earlier and one other airline, Discovery Air, which started operation on June 9, 2014, disappeared from the skyline about six months later.

Today, Aero is frail, grappling with oxygen, but with a strong management, it has entered a survival window as it hopes for the future.

Chanchangi can only be remembered with its relic aircraft still occupying a bold space at the airside of the Kaduna Airport. Arik Air is going through metamorphosis currently, and this would redefine its existence.

Dana Air broke a jinx. It is the first airline besides Nigeria Airways Limited (NAL) that was involved in a major accident and it is still operating five years after. Others which recorded similar accidents have all gone under; some immediately after the accident, like Sosoliso and others few years later, like Bellview Airline and ADC. THISDAY spoke with industry experts and officials of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) who explained why Dana Air has succeeded so far.

For Dana Air to resume operation after the accident, the airline went through critical audit with NCAA in collaboration with its international partner, Flight Safety Group. The airline was literally dissected and majority of its technical team removed and replaced.

A source in NCAA said that it was during the audit of Dana Air that the regulatory body made it as a rule that it must examine and approve the head of operations of every airline, known as accountable manager before the airline would be allowed to operate.

Spokesman of NCAA, Sam Adurogboye told THISDAY: “The regulation requires that we approve of the accountable manager. The airlines know the rule. If the person does not meet our requirement we take action.

We can close the operations of an airline because of that.�

NCAA also during the audit thoroughly examined the operational aircraft of the airline, insisted that one should be put out of use and some engines of the others changed. The airline was made to undergo such a rigorous process before it was allowed to fly again.

But Dana Air contradicted the expectations of many industry observers who predicted that the airline would be deserted by passengers, which would over time force it to suspend

operation. Few months into operation, it started recording high load factor. Recently THISDAY cornered an entertainer and on-air personality who frequently flies the domestic carrier and he said that he believed that after that accident the airline would be more careful and besides, he could not resist the good service of the airline crew.

Many travellers believe that Dana Air has the best in-flight service and on-time departure. This was confirmed by the Director of Consumer Protection, NCAA, Mr. Adamu Abdullahi who said that the airline has consistently maintained that record.

The Accountable Manager of Dana Air, Obi Mbanuzua said currently Dana Air average load factor is about 89 to 90 percent, which is considered the highest in the domestic market.

Looking at the future, Mbanuzua said in few years the airline would have a lot more routes to operate to and would also have acquired more aircraft. “A lot of our plans also depend on financing by different financial institutions. When the banking industry had certain tremors, it also affected some of those plans we had. This is why we are careful with certain things we say. We know that not everything is within our power. There are discussions and plans to acquire new aircraft but those discussions are wide and varied. We are talking to aircraft lessors, manufactures and financiers because everything has to come together to bring those airplanes. We want to expand sustainably. “I was not in Nigeria last week, three engineers are not here. We have aircraft on heavy checks abroad. So, part of the work we are doing is trying to bring those aircraft in for the busy Christmas period. One thing we look at as well is that we always operate within our capability. We do not bite more than we can chew. This business requires steady operational planning that requires you not to take risks, or do things that are not well thought out,� he said.

The Accountable Manager stated that as the airline operates about 90 percent load factor that it would aim to up the load factor to 100 per cent. “So, even without adding one more flight, we have 10 per cent of our seat that we can realistically fill over the busy period. I heard Owerri airport now has runway light. It is a good thing. As we all know that by 6:00 pm or 7:00 pm, all our aircraft stop operating. If more airports get airfield lights, Instruments Landing Systems, (ILS), we can deploy more capacity,� he added.

Mbanuzua noted that Nigerian travellers have accepted Dana Air and so far the airline has sustained their loyalty and expressed strong hope that the indigenous carrier would be there for the long haul, “for another nine, plus nine, plus nine years.�

T H I S D AY FRIDAY NOVEMBER 24 2017

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T H I S D AY FRIDAY NOVEMBER 24, 2017

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Taking Shipping to the Next Level Eromosele Abiodun posits that to fully harness the potential in the shipping industry, it is vital to strengthen the portfolio of the channel management companies because of their strategic importance as backbones of Nigeria’s maritime assets Geographically Nigeria is endowed with 852 km of the Atlantic coastline with 10,000 km of inland waterways about 30 per cent of which are seasonally navigable for passenger and freight transportation. Internationally, Nigeria has recognition of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) as a port state and a flag administration represented by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) respectively. NIMASA maintains a ship registry which registers and licenses vessels that fly the Nigerian flag. Nigeria’s maritime assets comprise huge hydrocarbon fossil fuel and gas deposits in her exclusive economic zone which the country has explored and exploited to drive its economy for the past six decades, aside the oil and gas installations and export terminals owned by government, indigenous and international oil companies whose values are worth billions of U.S. dollars. Seaports with its terminal infrastructure and equipment also add a large chunk to Nigeria’s maritime asset base.

These assets, natural and man-made, provide the catalyst for shipping in Nigeria, albeit their direct influence on shipping is rarely noticeable or acknowledged. It is worthy of note, for instance, that oil and gas exports cannot take place without the presence of dedicated export terminals as obtainable in Escravos, Qua Iboe, Brassor Bonny amongst others. It is from these terminals that the very large crude carriers (VLCCs) and the ultra large crude carriers (ULCCs) load our crude oil and gas for delivery to overseas markets. It is given that maintenance dredging has to be constantly carried out on the terminals to keep these mammoth tankers and gas carriers afloat without incident.

To ensure continuous maintenance dredging, the NPA, in partnership with the private sector, established the Lagos Channel Management Company (LCM) and the Bonny Channel Company (BCC). The BCC was established to create and maintain a safe navigational passage for all marine users to and in the Eastern Ports of Bonny Island, Onne, Okrika, and Port-Harcourt.

The LCM is saddled with the responsibility of dredging and maintenance of Lagos channels for the safe movement of vessels.

Drawing from this is the direct relationship which oil and gas demand and supply have on the shipping market. Since the demand for ships is a derived demand, oil or gas boom triggers demand for more ships to transport the products to the international market. The reverse is the case when there is a slump in global oil and gas demand. Nigeria as an oil producing nation has witnessed many cycles of oil boom and bust as well as shipping market highs and lows notably from the 1970s which sent shock waves to her economy.

Foreign Shipowners It remains indelible in Nigeria’s shipping history how foreign shipowners made record profits in demurrage charges from Nigerian government during the 1970s’ port congestion that trailed massive importation of post-civil war reconstruction materials into Nigeria. The inability of the Apapa port alone to handle the chartered ships resulted in many of them being stemmed at the Lagos anchorage for up to six months. Incidentally, the congestion coincided with Nigeria’s oil boom which made the millions of dollars paid in demurrage relatively easy for the government to offset. It is, however, a sad reflection that the bulk of these monies went to foreigners because Nigeria’s indigenous shipping tonnage was largely undeveloped, save for the Nigerian National Shipping Line (NNSL) which was the then national carrier employing hundreds of Nigerian seafarers contributing to the country’s GDP. Analysts, however, believe the good that came out of this congestion experience was the building of the Lagos Tincan Island Port, which was inaugurated on 14th October, 1977. “The port has ever since maintained a consistent second place next to Apapa Port in the volume

WORLD FLEET OF COMMERCIAL VESSELS BY COUNTRY OF OWNERSHIP, AS AT JANUARY 1, 2016 THREE COUNTRIES REMAIN AT THE TOP

GREECE is by far the largest owning country with 293 million dead weight tonnes or 16.4% of the 1792 million dead weight tonnes world total

The top 5 owning countries comprise exactly half of the world total

JAPAN is the second largest with 229 million dead weight tonnes or 12.8%

300

CHINA is in number three position with 159 million dead weight tonnes (8.9%)

250

GERMANY is in fourth position with 119 million dead weight tonnes

200

SINGAPORE 95 million dead weight tonnes

150

100

1

2

3

50

of goods and the gross registered tonnage of vessels it handles annually, thus making significant and consistent year-on-year contributions to the economy,� said maritime expert Victor Ikheloa.

Shipping and GDP Meanwhile, despite its importance, the record of contribution of shipping to Nigeria’s GDP has always been a matter of conjecture rather than fact. In the publications of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shipping is categorised under “other services� and not as a standalone item. Whilst one may be tempted to frown at this practice by the NBS, it is most obvious that the ships that trade the goods into and out of Nigeria, and the freight the ships earn, do not add to the GDP because their revenues all go to the foreigners who own them. Nigerians, at best, earn commissions on shipping support services like marine insurance and law, cargo survey, freight forwarding, transportation and warehousing, some of which have their individual headings in the NBS’ GDP computation. Given the volume of oil and gas cargo that Nigeria exports daily, coupled with the regular importation of refined petroleum products chief of which are premium motor spirit (petrol) and automated gas oil (diesel); add to this the volume of nonoil import and export that pass through our seaports, the loss of capital contribution to the economy from the ships that move these cargoes is better imagined than calculated. With regards to domestic shipping, ownership of tankers and offshore supply vessels (OSVs) is still tilted in favour of foreigners despite implementations of the Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act 2003 and the Local Content Act of 2010 both of which confer on Nigerian citizens the right to building, ownership, management and crewing of vessels that operate within Nigerian territorial waters.

It is important to note that shipping remains the largest industry on earth, or rather the industry with the largest multidisciplinary components. Maritime economics, maritime law, maritime geography, marine insurance, fishery and oceanography, naval architecture, boat and ship building, cargo and marine survey, marine meteorology, maritime logistics and supply chain management, shipbroking and ship/port agency, transportation and warehousing, marine engineering, marine electronics, metallurgical engineering, shipping accounting and finance, maritime ICT/software development, purchasing and supply, health safety and environment (HSE), and maritime training and education are some out of the numerous fields that combine to give the industry its robustness and depth.

To harness the latent opportunities that shipping

presents therefore, Ikheloa said decisive steps towards the development of human resources in the various fields as well as investment in same by Nigerians are long overdue. “At a time like this that Nigeria is battling with high level of youth unemployment, professional training and practice in any of the fields in the maritime sector can help alleviate the scourge.

Since virtually all these fields are untapped, they provide golden opportunities for Nigerians to earn decent living and contribute to developing the economy. What is unique about professional training and development in the shipping industry is that many of the fields of study do not place emphasis on particular academic qualifications, particularly those fields that are not science or engineering-based. “For instance one could become a marine insurer without having academic background or qualification(s) in insurance study. Likewise people have reached the peak of their career in seafaring as Chief Engineers or Masters of Vessels without as much as any formal schooling beyond secondary school. Guided professional education and training takes care of the knowledge gap. Professional courses abound in transport logistics and supply chain management that can launch people into the world of shipping irrespective of their academic background,� he said.

He added: “Beyond professional training and education, Nigeria needs shipping investors (foreign and local) to increase her maritime asset base. This is a rather touchy issue as most Nigerians believe that investing in shipping requires breaking a bank vault. But this assumption is often taken too far. Mature maritime nations in Europe, North America, Far East and Middle-East Asia have made investments in shipping so fluid, flexible and all-encompassing so much that virtually any one or group of persons can invest in ships and allied assets while communal savings and funds that do not have immediate use find good haven of investment in ships. “A good case is the National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) which is among the three biggest tanker companies in the world, funded with pension funds of five million Iranian pensioners. As of 2015, NITC had 42 very large crude carriers (VLCCs), each capable of transporting 2 million barrels of oil per voyage. The company transports Iranian crude to export markets and also engages in cross-trading of crude oil cargoes for some 150 oil majors worldwide, including Royal Dutch Shell, Total SA, Saudi Aramco and state-run producers in Kuwait and Abu Dhabi. With capacity for 11 million tons per year average, the NITC generates some $1.5 billion

dollars revenue per annum in voyage charter freight and time charter hires for its owners. “Imagine what fortune Nigeria is missing out on by not having as much as a single tanker of its own to lift her crude. Granted that crude lifting contracts are now being given to some indigenous companies, the tanker vessels that lift the crude cargoes are still all foreign-owned and foreign-flagged, while negotiations for their chartering are done with the shipowners’ brokers who are neither Nigerians nor resident in Nigeria. In essence, even the traditional 5 per cent broker’s commission does not enter our national income portfolio.�

Mergers and Acquisitions Others top players in the maritime sector believe the private sector can work with the federal government to float a shipping line so as to maximise the gains from the sector “In this era of mega mergers and acquisitions of ship-owning companies globally, having the private sector (groups of shipowners, industrialists and private equity investors) pool their resources with transparent monitoring by government can help to refloat a national carrier to lift Nigeria’s crude and checkmate the enormous capital flight that attends the sale of the crude on free on board(FOB) sales term, instead of on cost insurance and freight (CIF) which other oil producing nations with own tankers use for selling their crude. On the domestic scene, operators should come together to access the savings of the N51 billion cabotage vessel financing fund (CVFF) under custody of NIMASA to procure vessels to run coastal and inland waterways shuttles including the West and Central Africa coasts and the Gulf of Guinea over which Nigeria has territorial influence and authority,� said maritime expert, Lucky Amiwero.

To fully harness these shipping potential, some analysts said it is important to strengthen the portfolio of the channel management companies –LCM and the BCC–because of their strategic importance as backbones of Nigeria’s maritime assets. “Even though it is agreed by industry watchers that the channel companies have performed quite well, with green deep seaports coming on stream in Lekki, Badagry, Bonny and Ibom, among other areas, capacity building of the channel management companies will help expand their scope of operation to make room for ever larger and more vessels to ply Nigeria’s seaports and waterways, from which economic activities will be accelerated, said a major player in the sector,� he said.

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With Emerging Infrastructure is There Reason for Optimism?

Francis Ugwoke wonders if the proposed inland dry ports, truck transit parks and rail links to the seaports will address the absence of inter-modular transport infrastructure leading to the nation’s seaports For Nigerian shippers, there appears to be hope at last as far as ease of doing business in the country is concerned. This is because of the current efforts to address issues of transport infrastructure that have affected trade facilitation adversely. Importers and exporters have over the years, expressed concern over the infrastructural decay at the ports, such as dilapidated roads leading to the ports and lack of effective rail system that is linked to the ports as is the standard in other climes. Owing to the lack of rail system, everyone relied on road haulage with its attendant risks such as loss of goods, accidents and robbery attacks on the highways.

Put clearly, many importers have had to lose millions of Naira worth of goods; sometimes perishable items in containers which fall off from the trucks few meters away from either the premier port of Apapa or Tin Can Island port. Sometimes, the drivers are attacked by armed robbers on their way to deliver goods in many parts of the country. Many had cried out since the problem persisted for decades without solution. This is notwithstanding the fact that Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) alone generate about N1.5trillion annually from the ports. Besides, the infrastructural decay puts Nigeria at a disadvantage in competing with neighbouring ports. This explains the influx of smuggled goods into Nigeria from these neighbouring countries.

Rail Links to the Ports In a bid to address the issue raised above, the federal government is currently making moves to put in place necessary infrastructure.

This includes rail links to all the ports in the country. Recently, the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi disclosed plans to import more locomotives and wagons for the movement of goods from Lagos ports to Ebute Metta from where the goods will be moved to different destinations, including goods meant for the Northern part of the country. Apart from this, Amaechi said there are plans to link all the Inland Dry Ports (IDPs) in the country with rails. IDPs are part of the efforts of the Transport Ministry through the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) to bring ports closer to people far away from the seaports. To ensure that this becomes effective, government is working towards completing the rail projects, including the Lagos-Kano rail line and the Lagos- Port Harcourt standard gauge which according to Amaechi will start running before the end of the year. At least, 20 locomotives, he said, will be dedicated for cargo movement from Lagos to Kano as well as Lagos to Port Harcourt. He assured that on completion of the rail projects, movement of goods will be easier and fast for shippers who will use fails, in what will save a lot of costs and nightmare earlier suffered on the roads.

IDPS/TTPs Saddled with the statutory responsibility of creating a conducive operating environment for shippers at the nation’s ports, the NSC as the ports economic regulator has been working round to clock to ensure that the IDPs and Truck Transit Parks (TTPs) are fully operational in the six geo-political zones in the country. The Executive Secretary/CEO of the Council Barr Hassan Bello, explained that both IDPs and TTPs as modern transport infrastructure, are designed to facilitate trade at the ports. Bello said that while the IDPs will bring goods nearer to the door steps of shippers, TTPs are designed to ensure that goods that have to move on trucks either from the seaports or dry ports get to their destinations safely. Bello also said “NSC as a think-tank will suggest permanent solution,

chief of which is the rail connections to the ports. Every port should be connected to the modern mode of transport. We are also talking about the whole traffic management in Apapa and other ports to be established where we have the stage, the call system electronically controlled, so that we don’t have unwanted trucks. What we are trying to do in Shippers’ Council is to establish the Truck Transit Part (TTP), which will also have connections with the ports, and we could have a holding bay attached to that�.

On IDPs, Bello said the concessionaires were working hard to ensure early completion of their projects. The IDPs are located in Erunmu, Ibadan, South West; Isiala-Ngwa, Aba in the South-East; Futua, Katsina and Zawachiki, Kano in the North-West; Heipang, Jos in North Central and Jauri, Maiduguri in North-East. According to Bello, “we have the activities of the IDPs rising .One in Isiala Ngwa, they have just signed an agreement to commence construction which should be done immediately, and they have 18 months to do that. If they construct a port and we examine it together with international organizations, they will be accorded a Port of Origin and Destination status which means you can consign your goods to the port from anywhere in the world. And it will be a port just like Apapa or Tin Can Island . For the Jos IDP also, a lot of progress has been made and the only thing we are having problem with is the rail line or its rehabilitation. In Funtua, a lot of activities are taking place towards construction�. He disclosed that some state governments, including Plateau, Kaduna and Abia State governments have supported these projects.

He also said another one in Benin City enjoys the support of the Edo State Government.

of the projects to interested investors and financial institutions.

The Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo who was represented on the occasion by his Senior Special Adviser on Infrastructure, Kolade Sofolahan, urged investors to invest in the TTP and IDP projects. The VP was of the view that there was no infrastructure deficit but opportunities for Nigerian investors.

Similarly, the Transportation Minister told investors that there were great opportunities in investing in the IDPs and TTPs. Amaechi said IDPs have designated centres for export of non-oil agricultural commodities and solid minerals products. “I intend to very soon direct the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to open talks with the Nigerian Export Processing Zone Authority (NEPZA) to obtain export processing zone status for the ICDs. In the ICDS, there are great opportunities for investments (Added Values) including warehousing, commodity processing, packaging among others�, he said.

On TTPs, he described the projects as priority to the government, stating that institutional and legal framework have been provided for their establishment.

He added that with the concession of the six IDPs across the country, TTPs known as Rest Stops, Rest Areas in other jurisdiction will be inevitable since road transport account for over 90 percent of all freight and passenger movement in the country.� The Transport Minister said government was focusing on linking the various transport modes so as to strengthen the intermodal transport of goods and passengers as well as increased maintenance and capacity expansion to improve on the state of infrastructure. Amaechi explained that government was interested in the TTPs and IDPs because of the long term gains of efficiency and cost effectiveness.

Investment Opportunities In a bid to create more awareness on the investment opportunities on IDPs and TTPs, the ports economic regulator under auspices of the Transport Ministry recently organised a breakfast meeting attended by top government functionaries, concessionaires, investors and top financial institutions. The idea was to explain the economic benefits

Options for Financing As part of the efforts to promote the project, the Director-General of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Oscar Onyema, was on hand to give professional advice on the funding options on the IDPs, TTPs and other transport infrastructure projects. While doing this, Onyema quickly pointed out that attracting private sector funds was the only way

to bridge the finance gap on the projects.

In this regard, he said that the capital market witnessed the birth of the Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund (NIDF) which is billed to raise N200bn.

He explained that the fund which has its core investment focus on traditional infrastructure sectors, primarily transport, was an ideal investment vehicle for the planned truck transit parks and inland dry ports.

Onyema said that the financial participation of the private sector in building infrastructure can take a number of forms, including public private partnership (PPP) and full privatization.

For instance, he said that “a good example is the Lekki-Epe Expressway Toll Road Concession Project, Nigeria’s first ever PPP. For this project, the Lekki Concession Company was able to secure long term financing to the tune of N50bn for the construction phase of the project with participation from several local and international financial institutions on terms which were regarded as groundbreaking in Nigeria�.

According to him, leveraging established PPP funding mechanisms, SPVs can utilize the NSE’s platform to gain access to low-cost, long term capital. This, he said, can be achieved through public bond issuance by a project company or by incorporating a separate company to issue bonds and lend the proceeds to the project company. “The SPVs involved in PPP projects can also utilize funding from listed funds focused on PPP infrastructure investments, and a good case of this is our recent partnership with the Lagos State Government and Visionscape Sanitation Solutions where a N50bn Medium Term Note to finance the implementation of the Cleaner Lagos Initiative (CLI) was issued�.

He described the investment prospects for transportation infrastructure as very promising, adding that if the recently exposed draft rules by PENCOM were issued, they will allow for up to 20 percent Accumulated pension assets (N7.16tn) to be invested in infrastructure compared to the current 5 percent. He pointed out that this does not include potential investments from insurance, savings and fund managers.

-Ugwoke wrote from Apapa, Lagos

WEEKLY PULLOUT

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

LIVING | P31

COLLAGE | P36

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FILE

THE RISE AND RISE OF MED-VIEW AIRLINE

ACTING EDITOR CHARLES AJUNWA / charles.ajunwa@thisdaylive.com

28/COVER

24.11.2017

The Rise and Rise of Med-View Airline Led by a brilliant aviation aficionado, a local airline that started as a conveyor of pilgrims is set to take over Africa. Charles Ajunwa who witnessed the airline's inaugural flights to Abidjan, Conakry and Dakar, reports that it was a pleasurable experience

Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director, Med-View Airline Plc, Alhaji Muneer Bankole, (middle), cutting tape, others from left, Director General, Guinea Civil Aviation Authority, Mr. Mamady Kaba, Ambassador Exraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Amb. Bala Mohammed Maringa, Ambassador Exraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Embassy of the Republic of Guinea to Nigeria, Benin and ECOWAS, H.E. Gaoussou Toure and Translator, Mr. Ahmadou Batt, during the inaugural flight of Med-View Airline to Conakry International Airport…recently

One bright Wednesday morning, last month, I received an invitation to join a group of journalists on a one day trip to Abidjan, Conakry and Dakar via Med-View Airline. Med-View, one of Nigeria's leading carriers, was launching new routes into ECOWAS's Francophone bloc, with a triple flight per week schedule.

The news was not surprising. After storming into the aviation space in 2007, ferrying Hajj pilgrims from Nigeria, the airline commenced domestic operation in November 2012, with a fleet of two Boeing 737-400 aircraft at inception and added another one Boeing 737-800 just a month after. Since then, its growth has been frenetic, driven by consistent excellent customer service and professionalism.

On the departure day, I left for the Murtala Muhammed International Airport very early in order to avoid the notorious Lagos traffic.

Though the road leading to the international wing was poorly lit, I noticed the expansion work going on on both sides of the road. No cars were parked in front of the departure hall which in the past constituted nuisance to travelers. A new car park sited few metres helped to give the airport a facelift.

Inside the Departure Hall, the air conditioning system worked perfectly well while the conveniences were kept spotless.

I walked straight to the D section of the departure hall, where Med-View Airline front desk is located, to make enquiries about the trip. The entire space was decorated with blue balloons, a sign of ceremony. The airline’s workers, who were smartly dressed in their blue attires, were friendly. I felt relaxed at this point.

While milling around, the Managing Director of Med-View Airline, Alhaji Muneer Bankole, walked into the hall without any form of funfair.

Bankole who was clad in white lace and a blue cap strode briskly to the airline’s stand, exchanging pleasantries with passengers waiting to collect their boarding passes. He struck me as a simple man bristling with energy.

After the immigration checks, the Abidjan

bound passengers were ushered into a small hall, where refreshments were served. When our flight was announced for boarding, a lady stationed at the entrance of the Boeing 737-800 vessel with inscription ‘5N-BQM A.ALTHUNAYAN' carried out final checks on all passengers’ travelling documents before ushering them to their seats. As the airplane was taxing down to the tarmac for take-off, the female stewards took few minutes to demonstrate

As the airplane made its descent, I observed that the Abidjan International Airport was surrounded by water. When it touched down and was taxing along the tarmac, a stationed vehicle pumped out water which covered the aircraft.

Then it halted and the door opened and a large crowd of enthusiastic Ivorian officials and staff of the Nigerian Embassy in Ivory Coast were on hand to receive the MedView chief, Bankole and his entourage comprising staff of the airline, chiefs representing the Oba of Lagos and journalists, with love and warmth

safety rules to passengers. After welcoming and thanking passengers for patronising the airline, the pilot, Capt. Diakady, a Guinean, announced that we would arrive Abidjan at 9:05am local time. Meanwhile, passengers on the flight were treated like royalty - assorted foods, snacks and drinks were served.

As the airplane made its descent, I observed that the Abidjan International Airport was surrounded by water. When it touched down and was taxing along the tarmac, a stationed vehicle pumped out water which covered the aircraft.

Then it halted and the door opened and a large crowd of enthusiastic Ivorian officials and staff of the Nigerian Embassy in Ivory Coast were on hand to receive the Med-View chief, Bankole and his entourage comprising staff of the airline, chiefs representing the Oba of Lagos and journalists, with love and warmth.

A brief ceremony was carried out and a cake cut before the stationed shuttle bus conveyed the delegation to the main building, a few metres away from the tarmac. At the entrance point, people were subjected to rub their hands with cleansers before they entered into the terminal building. The health measure was understandable given the region's recent experience with the deadly Ebola virus.

After conducting the delegation round the airport, we were later taken to a conference room where journalists were addressed. Bankole, who called for more integration among member countries of the Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS), noted that the expansion of scheduled flight operations from Lagos to the three Francophone countries would strengthen bilateral cooperation between them and Nigeria. He said that the improvement in Nigeria’s connectivity with African countries was in line with the Yamoussoukro Decision which was formally adopted during the Assembly of Heads of State in Lome, Togo, in July 2000.

“The essence of ECOWAS is to integrate all members as one family," Bankole said. That is to say, what is your own, is my own. What

is your own, is our own. I have been in the industry for over 40 years. I started with the Nigeria Airways. Everything I do is because of the passion. I cannot do anything without talking about aviation.

“That is the Ambassador from Senegal to Nigeria, he left everything to follow us. The ambassador from Guinea left everything to join us. I promise to keep the faith, to keep the consistency and with your support we are going to lead the trail in both passengers, cargo and every other international connection because today, we are doing four flights to Jeddah, we are commencing Dubai, and we are in UK for four flights. And our dream is to be in Houston, Texas in the nearest future."

He added: “We are in seven countries already in West Africa. Our coming here is a big testimony to show the brotherliness of the ECOWAS community. This is the dream set by the founding fathers of ECOWAS and the essence of this community is to integrate everybody as one family. ECOWAS can become a force to be highly respected if we integrate and maximise our abundant potentialities.

“We are here to strengthen Nigeria’s relationship with your country and we thank your government for allowing Med-View to come into your country.”

He assured that the three weekly flights to be operated would be in accordance with the recommended safety and security practices.

According to Bankole, the airline had deployed a modern B737-800 aircraft to service the Lagos- Abidjan- Conakry – Dakar route to give comfort to the passengers.

The President of Cote d’Ivoire, Mr. Alassan Quattara, who received the airline delegation at the Abidjan International Airport lauded the relationship between his country and Nigeria.

Quattara, who was represented by the General Manager of the Ivorian Civil Aviation Authority, Mr. Silue Sinaly, noted that the country would give the necessary support to the airline to ensure its operation was sustained. Also speaking, Mr.

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From 3nd left, Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director, Med-View Airline Plc, Alhaji Muneer Bankole, Civil Aviation of Senegal, Mrs. Sarr Aissataba, Senegalese Ambassador to Nigeria, Amb. Habibou Damn and others, cutting cake at Dakar International Airport during the inaugural flight of Med-View Airlinne to Dakar…recently

The President of Cote d’Ivoire, Mr. Alassan Quattara, who received the airline delegation at the Abidjan International Airport lauded the relationship between his country and Nigeria.

Quattara, who was represented by the General Manager of the Ivorian Civil Aviation Authority, Mr. Silue Sinaly, noted that the country would give the necessary support to the airline to ensure its operation was sustained Bodewole Adebowale, representing the Nigerian Embassy in Cote d’ Ivoire, said the over one million Nigerians in the country were delighted with the airline’s coming.

After the ceremonies, we boarded the airplane again to Conakry, Guinea. The airplane took off from Abidjan International Airport at exactly 11:32a.m. and while cruising at an altitude of 34,000 feet above sea level, the pilot announced the arrival time as 1.22p.m. local time. Before the female stewards could serve passengers another set of food and drinks, Bankole went from seat to seat, greeting everybody on board.

His humility, to say the least, was infectious.

As we descended into Conakry International Airport, again, I noticed that the airport was surrounded by water. Immediately the airplane touched down and was taxing down to where we would disembark, a stationed vehicle began to release water on the aircraft. Rather than alight to the tarmac, we were received by Guinean officials from the hanging tunnel from where we were ushered into the conference hall. Before then, Bankole had performed the traditional tape-cutting. When he announced that the pilot of the airplane that convened us was a Guinean, the whole hall erupted with shouts of joy as he was formally introduced.

He harped on the same message on integration which he said would create jobs for the youths

Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director, Med-View Airline Plc, Alhaji Muneer Bankole, (3rd right), Director General, Aeria, Mr. Gilles Darriau (2nd right) and others, cutting cake during the inaugural flight of Med-View Airline to Abidjan…recently

of the country who are ready to work.

President Alpha Conde, who was represented by the Director of Guinean Civil Aviation, Mr. Mamady Kaba, welcomed the delegation. Conde, who is the current Chairman of the African Union (AU), said air transportation was very important for socio-economic development and thanked Med-View for improving connectivity within the region. On their parts, the Guinean Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Gaossou Toure and his Nigerian counterpart, Mr. Bala Maringa, said strategic partnership between both countries would be boosted by the ease of connectivity.

We boarded the airplane to our final destination, Dakar, Senegal. The airplane took off from Conakry International Airport at exactly 3:45p.m. and arrived Dakar International Airport at exactly 4:46p.m. local time. While the airplane was descending, I observed that the airport, too, was sited close to the sea. The city was beautifully

marked out with high rising buildings dotting the landscape. Shortly after the airplane touched down, a stationed vehicle sprayed water on the airplane as it taxied down. The delegation, led by Bankole, was received by officials of the Senegalese Government.

President Micky Sall, who was represented by the Senegalese Ambassador to Nigeria, Habibou Damn, also lauded the airline for extending operations to the country.

“First of all, as a representative of Senegalese authorities in Nigeria, I feel very proud to another Nigerian airways coming to Senegal after some years and I hope it will not be the last,” Sall said.

On what it portends, he said “well, this is showing the relationship that exists between Nigeria and Senegal and at the same time this is showing the will of the leaders at the very highest level of ECOWAS to improve the

connectivity between our respective countries, facilitate the passport for our people so that they can travel very easily.

“My message to the business men from Senegal, Nigeria and from all other ECOWAS countries is that we need this connectivity not only in the airways but in the land and sea. This is the only way we can develop trade amongst our countries and give jobs to our people. So ECOWAS is on the move, the Heads of State in ECOWAS want to facilitate lives for the people of ECOWAS. We are working for ECOWAS of the people.“The relationship between Nigeria and Senegal has not developed, the reason is simple. It’s very poor. There are not many flights between Senegal and Nigeria. That is why the coming of this new company- MedView Airline will help develop the relationship between Senegal and Nigeria,” he said.

An elated Bankole also harped on the need for

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From left, Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director, Med-View Airline Plc, Alhaji Muneer Bankole received on his arrival at Dakar International Airport by Embassy of the Republic of Guinea to Nigeria, Benin and ECOWAS, H.E. Gaoussou Toure and Director General, Guinea Civil Aviation Authority, Mr. Mamady Kaba, during the inaugural flight of Med-View Airline to Conakry…recently

Passengers on baord Med-View Airline (Boeing 737-300).

integration among ECOWAS countries in terms of doing business and otherwise. He reiterated that the implementation of the Yamoussoukro Declaration is of great benefit to the airline especially as it has started the integration of the West African region which has the potential to provide a vast market for air travel with its over 300 million population across board.

“We have the passion to drive governments to the opportunities that exist in Nigeria especially in air transport business in the West African sub-region and beyond Africa. We are happy to come in here to do business. We are very proud of the reception we received. There is pressure on our side for the job that has been assigned for investors to come in here. We want to assure you that this journey which was started by our great leaders will continue to unite us, as family members of ECOWAS we will continue to work together for the good of all the nationalities,” he said.

On the new international airport built by the Senegalese Government, he said “We are proud for the new international airport that will be inaugurated this November. We want to thank His Excellency, the President of Senegal for his initiative, for building a new airport.

Air transport is the fastest growing business and the fastest means of transportation. We are proud to be associated with the development on with what is going on here.”

Speaking on the type of services passengers on Med-View should expect, he said, “First, we are known for our customer satisfaction and promptness on departure as those who fly with us can confirm. We are not only subregional airline, we are an international airline.

We have four flights to the United Kingdom using Gatwick as our base. We also have four flights to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and

The Guinean Pilot, Capt. Diakady and his wife, at the Conakry International Airport

Staff of Med-View Airline attending to passengers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, during the airline's inaugural flights to Abidjan, Conakry and Dakar...recently

by God’s grace come December 7, we are hitting Dubai Terminal One. Same time, we are looking at the United States come summer and at the same time we want to get to the over 300 million passengers in West Africa, that population alone is a huge market.”

Later, our international passports, which had been collected by the Senegalese officials after a brief ceremony at the airport, were returned and stamped before we boarded the airplane from Dakar International Airport for a stopover in Abidjan. The journey took two hours thirty minutes. We left Abidjan after a brief stay without disembarking from the airplane and arrived

Murtala Muhammed International Airport at exactly 12:05 midnight. After all the immigration checks, we proceeded to the exit hall. Again, the MD of Med-View Airline, Bankole walked up to the journalists to thank them for being part of the inaugural flights to Abidjan, Conakry and Dakar. He looked very smart after the 17 hours journey. He has this natural passion for air transport and he doesn’t hide it.

The airline’s international destinations include: London Gatwick, Dubai, Jeddah, Accra, Freetown, Monrovia, Abidjan, Conakry, Dakar while local destinations are Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Yola and Maiduguri.

First, we are known for our customer satisfaction and promptness on departure as those who fly with us can confirm. We are not only sub-regional airline, we are an international airline. We have four flights to the United Kingdom using Gatwick as our base. We also have four flights to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and by God’s grace come December 7, we are hitting Dubai Terminal One. Same time, we are looking at the United States come summer and at the same time we want to get to the over 300 million passengers in West Africa, that population alone is a huge market Flying on the wings of Med-View Airline was a pleasurable experience.

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AFTA Harps on PPP in Education Sector To strike the balance between teachers and students for positive academic performance, Arc Light Foundation Teachers Academy (AFTededitedA) has advocated for Private Public Partnership (PPP) to raise competent teachers who will rescue the Nigerian students from academic failure.

While addressing the journalists at the inaugural ceremony of AFTA recently in Lagos themed ‘Teaching For Transformation’, The Chief Executive Officer, Mrs. Abimbola Obasanya, noted that the struggle for academic excellence cannot be accomplished by the government alone but with effort of privatepublic partnership, a height can be attained.

“We are contributing our quota in nation building, we are not waiting for the government because we feel empowerment in education is very important in Nigeria.

I saw things were falling apart but I also saw solutions; I see Nigerian students being the best in the whole world and we are getting there. I believe in private-public partnership. We cannot leave everything to the government but we should learn to influence our sectors by sharing the little we have and know,” she said.

Abimbola said that for the students to excel in their academics, the journey must begin from the teachers’ devotion and competency to impact, which AFTA is supporting in the transformation of the teachers education.

She said: “transforming the teachers education in Nigeria is also very important because training of the teachers will definitely reflect on the students. In colleges we have a lot of teachers that are out of the classroom which is not proper. So what we are doing

Favour Flies African flag in Braszil AFTA facilitators

is to feel the gaps by engaging the teachers by teaching them on how to be the best.”

She urged that the government should allow more private-public participation to promote collaboration. According to her, AFTA will like to take up some schools, private and government for training, confirming that there are a lot of schools with good facilities.

Similarly, the Chief Executive Officer, Incubator Africa, Mrs. Alero Ayida-Otobo explained that the education sector has been facing challenges because the government does not understand the importance of education, resulting to a low budget allocation, which is why the sector is still crawling.

“If we want to transform the educational system of any nation, focus and quality of the teachers are needed. We have all the resources to turn things around In Nigeria

but to dedicate the resources to education is the problem. The government is yet to understand that focusing on education is critical, education has not been given enough budget.” She concluded that “it takes partnership between the government and the private sector to solve the problems in education.”

The Lagos State Director General, Office of Education Quality Assurance, Mrs. Ronke Soyombo, who was a guest speaker at the event, revealed that students fail because there is no synergy between curriculum and the examination, consequently, resulting to mass failure.

Soyombo said education has gone far from acquiring knowledge but also to help the student to acquire skills to be creative and innovative which the Lagos State Government is working tirelessly on.

Honeywell Empowers SMEs, Trains Bakers Honeywell Flour Mills Plc has restated its determination to continue empowering small businesses, saying they are the engine of growth of the economy. Managing Director, Mr. Lanre Jaiyeola who stated this in Lagos, at the 34th Certificate Award Ceremony of the Honeywell Baking School, said Honeywell would continue to impact positively on the society through its laudable corporate social responsibility initiatives.

While listing empowering of bakers as part of efforts by the company to ensure success of SMEs, he said Honeywell Flour Mills recognises that Nigerian bakers need a broad mix of skills, noting that over a decade, the company has committed resources to the training of over 446 Master Bakers from different parts of the country in a total of 34 Regular Courses and One Executive Course.

Honeywell’s vision, according to him, “is driven by the understanding of the impacts small and medium scale businesses can have in our society as engines of job creations and enablers of wealth distributions of which the baking industry represents, being one of the largest SMEs in terms of number and size in the country.”

While explaining details of the training, he said “the Honeywell Baking School is more than baking. It is a place where bakers

In view of recent statistics showing that millions of people worldwide are living with diabetes but unaware that they have the disease, the management of Rainbow Specialist Medical Centre, Lekki, Lagos, has announced that the hospital will be conducting free diabetes screening and diabetes foot care education for members of the public as part of activities to mark the 2017 World Diabetes Day. In a statement signed by the Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Afoke Isiavwe, the free diabetes screening started November 1 and will end November 30 between 6.30 a.m. and 7.30 am at the hospital premises in Lekki Phase 1 and every Saturday in the month of November between 8.00a.m. and 12 noon at Circle Mall, Lekki Phase 1.

WDD is marked worldwide by the

Nigerian gospel music artiste, Favour Ndukwe, currently based in far away Brazil is making the country proud in the South American country teaching African way of life, particularly dance, dressing and language.

Ndukwe, who released her first album, 'Beautiful God' in 2010, has a unique African background which was first recognised by a Brazilian Government school, Escola de Prefeture, Emef Vereadora Anna Lambetge Zeglio, Sao Paulo, where she was invited to teach the students cultural music with African themes and everything about Africa.

Discussing her attachment to her African root, Ndukwe said: "I have been away from Nigeria for about five years, though I truly miss home and I know my fans miss me too. I miss you all so much. My interest in the peace in Africa and especially in Nigeria, remembering we are the mother of Africa, has sustained my resolve to be a cultural ambassador for the continent."

Presently in talks with other schools in Brazil and other countries, the Abia State-born musician is working on a new album, ‘Big Big God’, and she is fine tuning her plan for a world tour next year.

"Music has been a lovely friend to me, and so, wherever I go in the world, music speaks for me. I love music and the African culture. I am particularly grateful to my fans in Nigeria, South Africa and around the world for making me big today," she said.

Fuji Music Lord, K1 De Ultimate, Others to Get ODA Awards

L-R: Marketing Director, Honeywell Flour Mills Plc, Mr. Benson Evbuomwan; Best Graduating Student, Mr. Henry Akinsiku and Managing Director, Mr. Lanre Jaiyeola, at the event

from different cultures, groups, religions and regions meet to learn and share ideas of modern baking practices. Besides learning the chemistry of baking ingredients mix for great taste during bread production, bakers also learn strategy on how to make products available and visible on the shelf of retailers.

He urged the graduands to apply knowledge gained to distinguish themselves

from the pack, saying, “the more you know, the smarter and faster you can go. That’s why we set up the baking school to equip and empower bakers with modern baking skills by exploring the art, science and commerce of baking so that bakers can run their businesses more professionally and profitably. We believe this is the best way to give back to the society.”

World Diabetes Day: Rainbow Medical Centre to Conduct Free Diabetes Screening Martins Ifijeh

Favour Flies African Flag in Brazil

International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) on November 14, every year. The theme for this year is: ‘Women and Diabetes: Our Right to a Healthy Future.’

Isiavwe, an endocrinologist, says the theme should be of particular interest to Nigerians because the country has one of the highest numbers of persons living with diabetes in Africa. According to her, Nigeria also has a large number of women living with diabetes and they are worse off because many do not have access to diagnosis, education, treatment and care.

“This is why we are also encouraging women to seize the opportunity of our screening exercise to know their status.

According to IDF, two out of every five women with diabetes are of reproductive age, accounting for over 60 million women

worldwide. Diabetes is the ninth leading cause of death in women globally, causing 2.1 million deaths per year.

“Diabetes has also been recognised as the ninth leading cause of death in women globally, causing 2.1 million deaths per year. Nigerian women are part of these global statistics and we can reduce the number of such deaths through screening to detect the disease on time before it leads to complications and death.

“Persons with uncontrolled diabetes will develop a wide range of complications linked with the disease, some of which could lead to lengthy hospital stays, blindness, foot amputation or death.

We are providing this screening free of charge to mark the World Diabetes Day because early detection of diabetes could save individuals from these complications,” the statement further said.

Plans are in top gear for the maiden edition of Outstanding Dignitaries Achievement Awards otherwise known as ODAAwards Powered

By Rollicking Entertainment company, the event will hold on the 3rd of December, 2017 at the prestigious Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos.

In the words of Princess Olukemi Egbeyode, a television Presenter and movie producer, the brain be- Organiser of ODA awards, Egbeyode hind the ODAAwards project “We have observed that in recent times people who have done greatly in various intellectual industries had not been celebrated or honoured as they should.

The ODA abbreviation, she continues , is a Yoruba word meaning “You are good”. This is a perfect interpretation of what the award stands for, because it is a recognition for the best.

The amiable movie maker also stated that, the awards is focused on men and women who have done excellently well in their areas of profession, industries and works.

Those that have become achievers, by means of creating jobs/entrepreneurs developing their industry, environment and society. Those that have represented the country in one way or the other with high held integrity and honour, will be celebrated at the maiden edition and annually.

The awardees were chosen from different sectors. The list includes - Dr. Taiwo Afolabi, Princess Toyin Kolade, Oba Adetola Emmanuel king, Barrister Biyi Otegbeye, Princess Ronke Ademiluyi, Princess Folashade Adeyemi, Ademilola Odujinri, Mutiu Adepoju, Funke Oshonaike, King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, Falilat Ogunkoya, Mrs. Laja Adedoyin, among others.

Olujuwon Bukunola-Philips the media director of ODAAwards Further hinted that "ODAAwards will promote excellence. This is a one day event with lots of glamour and celebrations.

Many dignitaries, Obas, celebrities, Nigerians in Diaspora and foreigners will be in attendance. Oba Adéyeyè Enitan Ògúnwùsì (Òjàjà II) Ooni’rìsà of Ilé-Ife himself is the Royal father of the day, The event is strictly by invitation.

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Verna Natural Mineral Water Appoints Autism Girls as Ambassadors

The brand's new Ambassadors with one of the celebrities

Peter Uzoho Ghanaian premium water brand, Verna Natural Mineral Water has appointed three young Ghanaian models living with Autism as Brand Ambassadors for their newly launched rebranded products.

The girls namely; Nana Yaa Ohenewa Kuffor, Maame Bema Baffour Awuah and Yacob Tete-Manon were outdoored with a photo-shoot session at the a short ceremony held at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra.

For the purpose of grooming these beautiful autistic girls to become models, Twellium Industrial Company Limited engaged the three girls and paired them with great celebrities such as Juliet Ibrahim, Naa Ashorkor, Anita Akuffo, Deborah

Vanessa, Victoria Lebene, Afi Antonio, Charlotte Derban and other top models.

In a short interaction with Prince Akpah, Afi Antonio; mentor to and trainer of the girls, she expressed joy at having Twellium Industrial Company Limited deciding to include the girls for their relaunch of Verna Natural Mineral Water.

She asked that other brands emulate this initiative to include people with any form of disorder or disability as they are all humans like us but only different. She further stated that this will help other parents with such children to have hope and to confidently bring them out than hiding them. She concluded by saying the children have special talents hidden in them,” these can be discovered only when we love and embrace them as part of society.”

IFL Holds Evening of Variety Solomon Elusoji The International Friendship League, Lagos chapter, held an evening of variety recently at the University of Lagos, Akoka.

The IFL is a non-denominational fellowship of highly placed persons in the private and public sectors of the Nigerian economy.

The league serves primarily as a platform for networking and interaction among members, with a view to assisting them to grow spiritually and live consistent and victorious Christian lives; topical issues that promote family, business, professional and ministerial successes are also regular features of its programmes.

In his welcome address at the recent evening of variety, the Chairman of the Day, Rear Admiral Stanford Enoch, spoke about the importance of thanksgiving. "As we gather this evening, we have all cause to praise God like Paul the apostle, God who have us victory and caused us to triumph physically, spiritually and materially.

"Also, as we come together, let's remember that God is saying that the glory of the latter shall be greater than the former."

Speaking on the theme of the evening ‘Soaring on Eagle's Wings’, the Rear Admiral noted that "we need to wait upon the Lord to soar."

Other features of the evening included music ministrations, intercessory prayers, testimonies and a minister's exhortation.

Some distinguished personalities present at the evening were, the present Head of Department, History and Strategic Studies, University of Lagos, Professor R.T. Akinyele, another professor, Ayodeji Olukoji, a Medical Doctor, Dr. Pastor Dare, Pastor Olufemi Alabi and Pastor Bayo Opeyemi.

Meanwhile, IFL Lagos’ Coordinator, Pastor

The chairman of the Day, Rear Admiral Stanford Enoch, delivering his welcome address

Adebayo Oyeyemi, noted that IFL is the vision of the General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church, William Kumuyi.

“It is an arm established to take care of those people that ordinarily would not be reached by the church,” he said. “Jesus Christ died for the whole world, and the man of God packaged this ministry (IFL) to reach all sinners through which they might be saved.

“All this outreach is doing is to connect men to God, and once they are connected to God, all other questions will be taken care of.”

Water Will Flow in Umuahia, Aba Soon, Says Commissioner Emmanuel Ugwu in Umuahia Residents of Abia State capital, Umuahia and the commercial city of Aba have been assured that they would soon start enjoying public water supply once again.

The message of hope was given by the new Commissioner for Public Utilities and Water Resources, Hon. Chidiebere Nwoke while addressing staffs of the ministry and parastals after assuming office, saying that he has come to make things work.

Public taps went dry the two cities about 10 years ago pushing residents to depend on commercial water borehole operators for their domestic water needs while the price of sachet water has doubled in the past few years.

But the new commissioner said that there was no justifiable reason why public taps should

Nwoke

remain dry this long, noting that water and light are the basic necessities that government must provide to its citizens.

“Public water supply will be restored in

Umuahia. It is one of things I will pursue during my tenure,” Nwoke assured, adding that water was going to be an election issue come 2019 hence the need for government to do the needful.

Abia is already negotiating with the World Bank and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for assistance in supplying water to residents of Umuahia, Aba and other parts of God’s Own State.

The new commissioner said that he would follow up on the negotiations with the donor agencies. He stated that supply of water and electricity was central to the realisation of five pillars on which the development programmes of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu revolves. The pillars are trade and investment, small and medium enterprises (SME), oil and gas, education, and agriculture.

“This means that the governor has in mind the

PLAY TV to Launch Soon, Hosts BBC for Partnership Peter Uzoho Ahead of its launch, PLAY TV has hosted crew from the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in Lagos to discuss partnership on content creation.

PLAY, formerly known as CONSAT, is an African urbane media and entertainment company which aims to be a leader in digital TV programming through the offering of carefully selected combination of the best channels with the most flexible and convenient payment plan ever offered in Nigeria.

The platform aims to become the leading urbane brand for the young-at-heart in Africa, France, Caribbean and Indian Ocean while also planning to expand its brand in USA, UK and Brazil with its media and digital assets.

The General Manager, PLAY TV, Funmi Adenaike, disclosed that the medium presently boasts of more than 50 channels with varieties of entertainment, movies, sports, lifestyle and family entertainment channels.

“Recently, we launched Irawo on PLAY TV which was well received by our viewers. Irawo means Silver, a precious metal in Yoruba. Irawo is a 24 hour contemporary Yoruba Channel.

The Channel is exclusive to PLAY TV and it showcases movies, sitcoms, lifestyle, entertainment and drama in indigenous Yoruba language. All contents on Irawo are designed for both young and old audience who love indigenous Nigerian entertainment,” Adenaike said.

According to Adenaike, other Channels exclusive to PLAY TV include HFA TV, Mount Zion TV (MZTV), Talent Sport, 1Comedy, and others, and Play Studios is positioned to become one

A cross section of BBC crew and PLAY management and staff during the former's visit at PLAY's studio in Lagos... recently.

of the major operating studios in Lagos. She noted that with over five different studios, Play has an enviable experience of providing the finest production services from development through to post production pointing that Play studio is an international leader in the production of film and TV entertainment.

“We are willing to engineer partnerships with projects – large and small, in a ceaseless effort to create celebrated movies, television shows, and commercials.

Play VOD (video on demand) is the first-tomarket premium local and international on-demand movies without additional bandwidth charge across FreeTV and FreeSAT platform in Nigeria and likely the only such service on Free TV for the foreseeable future.

Founder of Synergos International, Peggy Dulany (right) exchanges pleasantries with Mrs. Maryam Uwais, Special Assistant to the President on Social Investment while Adewale Ajadi, Country Director, Synergos watches at the Youth in Agriculture Diversity Dialogue held in Abuja

full development of the state,” he said, adding that the Ministry of Public Utilities and Water Resources occupies a strategic position in meeting Governor Ikpeazu’s goal of developing Abia.

Nwoke who was a member of the Abia State House of Assembly for 12 years and variously served as deputy Speaker and leader, further stated that aside from restoring water supply he would ensure that street lights are also restored.

He urged the staff to be alive to their duties and eschew lateness, truancy and remain loyal to the present administration, adding that their welfare would be paramount in his scale of priorities.

Earlier the permanent secretary of the ministry, Mrs. Joyce Uchendu, handed over the reins to the commissioner after running the ministry for the six months it took the governor to reconstitute his cabinet.

Synergos Facilitates Dialogue on Diversity Collaborative agency, Synergos has organised a diversity conversation that will transform Nigeria from a country of consumers to that of producers.

The session which targeted the youth segment focused on how to use agriculture to translate Nigeria into global excellence by 2028.

Founder of Synergos Institute, Peggy Dulany, who attended the dialogue, described it as an opportunity for Nigeria to find out how different groups can come together to improve agriculture in the country.

Country Director, Synergos Adewale Ajadi, said Nigerians excel every time they engage in diversity of their talents.

He said the ability of the citizens to effectively collaborate across the 371 different ethnic nations and distinct genders will shape the future of the country.

"We are ethnically diverse, but don't have a diverse economy. Dialogue is a space for positive reflections and explorations of what can be done through a constructive, eclectic and disciplined approach to diversity," Ajadi said.

He said though agriculture is an ancestral legacy, more than 70 per cent of daily agricultural produce ends up as waste.

He said Synergos was collaborating with young farmers on how cassava peels can be reproduced into cattle feed, adding agric can lead to organic industrialization and solution.

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Extractive Industry Key to Wealth Creation and Employment Generation Kasim Sumaina writes that the mineral and metal sector holds the key for economic diversification in Nigeria The mining services industry is a vital source of economic activity and jobs in Nigeria, and a major contributor to national income and wealth creation. Technical and business innovation is continually needed to maintain the industry's international competitiveness and to ensure that mining is conducted in an environmentally sustainable manner that is aligned with society's expectations.

The value of all aspects of mining in Nigeria is encapsulated in the mining value chain, extending from exploration and discovery through mining and processing to waste disposal. Along the chain there are critical areas of industrial activity wherein improved efficiencies can markedly increase the value of Nigeria's mineral resources, and aid in the discovery of new resources, thus creating enormous opportunities for wealth creation culminating in economic growth.

It is heartwarming that President Muhammadu Buhari had continuously reiterated the commitment of his administration to the diversification of the revenue base of our country. Expectedly, attention has shifted towards non oil export such as solid minerals and agriculture as remediating strategy for bringing back our ailing economy.

It is worthy to note that a sustainable and well governed mining sector has the capacity to: Garner resources for national development; Create capacity for downstream value addition via establishment of resource based processing industries; Create capacity up stream value addition through development of resource supply/inputs for the sector goods, consumables, technology, and general services; Create potential for job creation and entrepreneurship through the development of artisanal and small scale mining.

According to the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, while speaking recently at the just concluded 2nd Nigeria Mining Week conference and exhibition, revealed that the country's mining sector has made remarkable improvements in both hard risk and perceived risk factors as it's now considered to have a better risk profile than Russia, China, India and several others in the mining jurisdiction.

Fayemi said, "I am frequently approached by many young Nigerians who want to know of opportunities in the industry. I unreservedly commend the Gems and Jewellery segment of our industry to such budding entrepreneurs to explore – you wouldn’t find a more extensive value chain with relatively lower risk profile and entry points. In yesteryears, the mining sector was seen as the exclusive preserve of expatriate illegal miners, or “old school” players. Today, we are pleased that our reform efforts have brought about stronger participation and shared responsibility across board – especially with the more youthful demographic. Many young people have worked with us on our journey to build a more vibrant mining sector, serving on statutory committees and in advisory roles. Their energy, optimism and vision have blended well with the wisdom, experience and carefulness of our older veterans and produced the results we are now seeing in the industry. It is now clear that the new face of mining in Nigeria is the young men and women taking positions in various segments of the industry.

"Permit me to quickly give a rundown of possible areas of opportunities in our mining sector in the course of this session - it is vast indeed.

“I, however, hope to start a conversation that will hopefully lead to more robust engagements between serious prospects and officials of our ministry, as well as other interested stakeholders - in order to provide the necessary guidance for those interested in participating in the industry.

“We must however remember that government remains committed to its role of stimulating the deepening of the industry as facilitators, not necessarily as active players. Prospective investors are therefore encouraged to similarly engage current investors and other stakeholders that are better positioned to speak to the business opportunities.

“Private sector players are better positioned to leverage the 'truly Nigerian' creative spirit, in spotting emerging opportunities while we as government do as much as possible to help them succeed, knowing that the outcome of their

Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi (middle), flanked by the Special Adviser to President Dangote Group, Engr. Joseph Makoju (left) and Ogun State Commissioner for Commerce, Chief Ashiru, during a tour of Dangote Cement's limestone mines in Ibese, Ogun State

Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, during a visit to the gold field in Kaduna State

success will help address key government priorities such as creating jobs and increasing revenue.

“Government renewed commitment to environmental justice requires safety experts for necessary environmental impact assessment; considering mining is a dangerous endeavour, doctors and paramedics are needed in mines to respond to emergencies; even the welfare of different cadres of mining workers require such services as catering and hospitality, especially on very large mines.

“The proposed growth strategy to unlock our full potential to achieve wealth creation and employment generation, to rebuild the sector and unlock its full potential, the ministry is pursuing a focused strategic agenda."

He further said, "I recently gave an assessment of what I found and our plans to rebuild the sector. That plan was recently articulated in a roadmap that will guide how we grow the industry over the next two decades.

"The roadmap which was approved by the Federal Executive Council, August last year has the following highlights: Aspiration: our aspiration is to build a world class minerals and mining ecosystem designed to serve a targeted domestic and export market for minerals and ores.

"Where to play: we will achieve this by focusing on Nigeria's minerals, mining and related processing industry over a three phase period: Phase 1: Nigeria will seek to rebuild market confidence in its minerals and mining sector and win over domestic users of industrial minerals that are currently imported. During this phase, Nigeria will also seek to expand use of its energy minerals. This phase will likely last about 2-3 years.

"Phase 2: Nigeria will focus on expanding our domestic ore and mineral asset processing industry. This phase will last about 50 to 10 years.

Phase 3: Nigeria should seek to return to global one and mineral markets at a market competitive price point. We expect this to coincide with the next commodity upswing."

He explained that strategy without the appropriate set of enablers will remain just a plan.

"Working alongside the private sector, other MDAs

and in partnership with the legislative branch, we will facilitate investment in a range of enablers including bulk handling terminals, railroad and rolling stock capacity, technical and engineering capacity, regulatory reform, reorganisation of the ministry itself, and expansion of access to financing to drive sector transformation."

He noted that, rebuilding Nigeria's mining sector is a function of success on seven key dimensions.

"These are: Clear minerals and Steel focus: we need to ensure that our industrial and energy minerals strategy prioritises domestic utilisation of our assets, including getting our steel sector to provide a solid backbone for the manufacturing and industrial economy.”

Speaking further, the minister said that the ministry had recorded a major breakthrough in funding and in providing access to capital and financing to artisanal and small scale miners.

“Already, we achieved a 300 per cent increase in revenue (royalties and fees) between 2015 and 2016, and as at July of this year, the sector had already surpassed the entire revenue of N2 billion generated for the whole of 2016,” he said.

Fayemi identified the signing of a ‘Modified Concession Agreement’ between the Federal Government and Global Infrastructure Nigeria Limited, which resolved the protracted litigations surrounding the ownership of Ajaokuta and NIOMCO, as one of the major achievements of the ministry.

“The implication of the signing is that ownership of Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited has now reverted to the Federal Government of Nigeria, and we can now proceed to engage a new core investor with the financial and technical capacity to run the steel complex. The operationalisation of ASC will provide the needed inputs to support the infrastructure requirements of the country and lead to import substitution, and save the country about 3.3 billion dollars annually spent on the importation of steel products.

“To stem the illegal trading of minerals, the ministry has registered over 30 Mineral Buying Centres, and enacted the Revenue and Reporting Compliance Agreement with the Nigeria Customs Service, which has improved the policing of mineral exports.

“With the successful hosting of the inaugural edition of the NCMMRD, we have covered a major milestone in the implementation of the roadmap for the sector, and at the same time set in motion a chain of positive outcomes. As we look to the future, we remain focused on working with stakeholders to deliver on all other provisions of the roadmap,” he added.

He stated further that, the ministry was working assiduously to resolve once and for all the Ajaokuta situation. "Just last year, we signed a modified concession agreement with Global Infrastructure Limited of India.”

On institutions and governance, he said “we are rebuilding the organisational and functional capabilities of the supervising ministry, and ensure the regulatory frame work is enforced.

“The capacity of our officers is being enhanced through a variety of incentives. Oversees training, local capacity building, intensive engagements with industry, improved mobility, enhanced security for field officers - cooperation with ONSA, DSS, police and civil defence corps. Moreover my ministry has entered into cooperation with National Civil Defence Corps to promote mines field security, also the Inspector General of Police has approved the revival of these mines police to protect mine sites and our reserves.”

On stakeholder engagement, he said “we need to improve the engagement of states with the minerals and mining sector, particularly around financial participation, revenue sharing and recognising the oversight of the federal government. The roadmap already dwells on this and states are being taken into consideration - ranging from the establishment of the council on mining and mineral resources development to the extension of derivation principle of 13 per cent to mineral resources extraction at the state level.

“In line with this initiative a few weeks ago, I commenced a nationwide your of mining sites and meeting stakeholders in Kaduna, Lagos and Ogun States. The essence is to ensure that all parties recognise their social responsibilities so we avoid issues similar to the oil sector.”

On industry participants, he said “we are working to attract a diverse portfolio of participants from artisanal miners to junior explorers to mining majors into the industry. Our goal is to build a sector that is competitive and supportive of our overall job creation aspirations for Nigerians.”

To this end, the minister said, "we have concretise our efforts toward organisation of artisanal miners into cooperatives nationwide.

Also the prototype mineral buying centres in Zamfara, Benue, Ebonyi and Sokoto had been handed over to state as mineral support centres.

"While at the same time, encouraging the establishment of privately owned mineral buying centres. Last year, my ministry also organised a special purpose vehicle workshop to sensitise the states on how to effectively partake in the management of their resource wealth.”

On geosciences data and information, he said “we are improving our collection and dissemination of geosciences data is also a critical enabler of success. Nigeria needs to know what it has and in what grades and quantities in order to plan more effectively. The Nigerian Geological Survey Agency is presently being repositioned to unearth the mineral endowment of the country.

Additionally, a significant chunk of our 30 billion Naira intervention fund is going to exploration activities and I am sure that many of you have seen the advertisement.”

On access to finance, he said “we have commenced a systematic effort to build knowledge and confidence among Nigerian financial institutions to support mining projects. In addition, we intend to establish the Nigerian solid minerals investment fund, structured as a private sector oriented investment outfit to provide financing to private sector - led projects in the mining sector.

The federal government recently approved about 30 billion Naira from the natural resources fund to promote exploration for new minerals and improve the regulatory frameworks in the ministry.

The ministry through the federal government is also negotiating a 150 million US dollars from the World Bank to commence the mini diver project aimed at further resuscitating the ailing sector. Today, the Bank's board is meeting in Washington to consider the concessional loan.”

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24.11.2017

Nigerians Pour Encomiums on Late Bob Ogbuagu Emmanuel Ugwu, Umuahia It was an avalanche of glowing tributes as the remains of the former Managing Director of Champion Newspapers and of the founding fathers of Abia State, Chief Bob Ogbuagu, were laid to rest on Saturday at his Umukabia Umuagbom country home in Umuahia North Local Government Area.

The public relations guru passed away at the age of 92 after decades of selfless service which spanned the First Republic when he was the managing director of the Eastern Nigeria Development Corporation (ENDC) in the defunct Eastern Regional government.

His funeral service was attended by the Abia state governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, his predecessor, Senator Theodore Orji and his wife, Mercy (Osinulo), Senators Mao Ohuabunwa, Enyinnaya Abaribe, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah and the Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly, Hon Chikwendu Kanu as well as public relations practitioners, business associates, and corporate bodies.

Governor Ikpeazu, described Ogbuagu's death as a loss that was not only for his family members and community but also Abia, Nigeria and humanity given his “life of impact service, honour and distinction."

According to him Dee Ogbuagu, as he was fondly called, was "nobility personified, an outstanding gentleman, a leader and mentor, who "left gigantic footprints in various spheres of life."

Late Chief Bob Ogbuagu's final journey

Ikpeazu reminded the living that it was not how long one lived that mattered but how well, noting that Ogbuagu has left “legacies of character, discipline and piety” adding that these virtues he left behind should be emulated

by Nigerians.

In his tribute, Orji described late Ogbuagu as a detribalised nationalist adding that “his fulfilled life marked with great longevity and multiple achievements.”

“Dee Bob as I called him was by all standards a success story. He was one of the last Titans of the independence struggle, a great link in the

chains of development in the Eastern Region, a founding father of Abia State, community leader of note, Rotarian of epic proportions and a roundly acknowledged Public Relations Guru. His fame knew no bound as he was popularly known as Dee Bob across the Igbo Nation and Chief Bob Ogbuagu nationally and internationally,” he said.

In his tribute the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Enelamah, described late Ogbuagu as "a man of deep integrity and loyalty," adding, “he was a man of endless honour.”

The minister, who hails from the same area as the deceased, promised that the people of Ohuhu would continue to remember the contributions made by Ogbuagu to the development of Ohuhu clan.

Earlier in his sermon during the commendation service held at Methodist Church, Umukabia Umuagbom, Ohuhu, the Prelate of the Methodist Church Nigeria, Most Rev. Samuel Uche, urged Nigerians to turn a new leaf in preparation for eternity.

He regretted that many people still live a life of frivolity and carelessness unlike the deceased who lived a meaningful life and served God and humanity.

The Ogbuagu family in their tribute read by the first son of the deceased and chief mourner, Chief Uche Ogbuagu, said that their father laid a solid foundation for the family to build on and promised that they would not deviate from the right path he had carved out for them.

There were also special tributes from the surviving Founding Fathers of Abia State, including Prof. A.N. Nzeako, Mr. Ezenwa Odumuko and Dr. O. J. Onyike. They expressed sorrow over the demise of their colleague, recalling his immense contribution and leading role during the struggle for the creation of Abia State.

The Old Boy's Association of Methodist College, Uzuakoli, the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) which he led between 1980-84, and Rotary Club, where he was a major donor, all paid glowing tributes to the man who lived simple but dignified life of service.

Adebayo Oke-Lawal Joins Kemi Adetiba as New Influencer for Rémy Martin Campaign Solomon Elusoji Fashion designer at Orange Culture, Adebayo Oke-Lawal has joined renowned filmmaker and video director, Kemi Adetiba, as an influencer for Remy Martin’s ‘One Life Live Them’ campaign.

Since the ‘One life Live Them’ campaign, which is a call to live a richer, larger life, to expand horizons and to seize all of the opportunities that life can offer beyond the one-dimensional path that could be embraced, launched two years ago, Rémy Martin has consistently recognised and celebrated outstanding individuals for their talents and achievements.

With a Masters in International Business from Northumbria University, UK, Adebayo moved back to Nigeria to start his career in fashion.

Interning with various fashion brands, Adebayo has since grown Orange Culture into one of the biggest menswear brands in Africa.

Oke-Lawal

Orange Culture has received several international and local recognitions, featuring in prestigious publications such as Vogue, New York Times,

CNN, BET, MTV amongst others and also winning the Future Award prize for fashion in 2016.

Most recently, the brand collaborated with popular musician Davido on a collection which is currently stocked at one of the leading department stores in the world, Selfridges (London).

Adebayo is also a creative writer and stylist and has done editorials for local and global fashion and lifestyle publications. He occasionally speaks at youth conferences, schools and other noteworthy initiatives, encouraging young people like himself to find their passion and live their many lives. As a true trailblazer, Adebayo keeps breaking new grounds and taking risks that push him beyond limits, anywhere he finds himself.

Also joining the campaign as an influencer is Onyinyechi Ilobi-Maduka who won the Slash Generation competition. The competition was introduced to encourage and inspire people to

share their stories about how they embody the ‘One Life Live Them’ campaign. Participants created their personalised slash-cards to show the many lives they live. After successfully going through all the stages of the competition, Onyinyechi joins Obinna Mbagwu as the second winner.

From working as an environmental biologist at the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency to co-owning a female fashion brand, iWearAsika, Onyinyechi also doubles as a fashion illustrator and product designer, with the ability to deliver excellent results on her clients’ projects.

Onyinyechi is a dream chaser who continues to unravel more paths for herself and live them all to the fullest.

In a statement released by the company, Rémy Martin said it “remains committed to identifying and celebrating people who are not defined by one skill or talent but are pursuing several things and succeeding at them.”

Laureate College Brings Back Culture, Values in School through Art Works Sunday Okobi Students and teachers of Laureate College, Lagos, were recently exposed to various works of art as a means to reawaken them to the dying culture, societal and moral values as well as rejuvenation of art in schools to make them better leaders in the future.

At the recent arts exhibition which took place in the school premises at Aviation Estate, Lagos, the principal of the school, Mr. Sadiq Ibrahim, explained that the exhibition with the theme: ‘Renaissance’ was to reawaken the student to the almost-forgotten works of art as well as correct the societal ills through art.

He said the programme was a way to make the students express themselves in the language of art, as engaging the youths in art can do a lot in curbing their excesses with a lot of aesthetics and economic value, adding that with the project, they are restoring and reviving Arts, Literature and Music in schools as well as culture and traditions in the youths.

According to Ibrahim, “We had this art exhibition today with the theme: 'Renaissance' because we have seen that today, the advent of technology has virtually relegated our culture and norms to the background. Our children have totally abandoned art and values and are engaged in internet, Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp among other social media, and this has posed serious challenge in our hands as their guardians.

“Meanwhile, there are a lot of activities they could engage their strength and time on and such is art. For this reason, Laureate College is doing this art exhibition to engage them in worthwhile activities like creative designs, drawings, paintings, virtue ventures among others. This is a way to

Some of the students with their art works

make them express themselves in the art language.

“Engaging the youths in art can do a lot in curbing excesses and of course, it has a lot of aesthetics and economic value. If we open their eyes to the potential of art, we believe this will ginger them to see the positive side of life. Today, we brought two iconic figures in the world of art so that the students can learn and be inspired.

Art plays key role in nation building and national integration; it intertwined and by this, it promotes peaceful coexistence. It is also a money spinner if well-articulated and regulated.”

One of the invited guests and arts icons in Nigeria, Bruce Onobrakpeya, remarked that Renaissance is a very interesting and relevant topic in Nigeria now because “we are actually passing through a state of rebirth or revival. When Nigerian novelists, Amos Tutuola, Fagunwa, Soyinka and Clark turned Nigerian neglected folktales into epics and drama, we have a revival

in Nigerian literature.”

Onobrakpeya, in his speech, took the students aback that through the efforts of Kevin Carrol, Nigerian art forms and images started to be used in Christian Churches. He further noted that this was not just a new growth in Nigeria visual arts but a revolution in its art history that can safely be compared with that of Egyptian King Akhnoten who instituted the worship of one God in place of many that were in place before he became a king.

“My murals titled the Stations of the Cross in St. Paul Church Ebute Metta, Lagos, were part of the Nigerian Christian art Renaissance.

“Nigeria attained a high point in our culture and artistic development going back two thousand years ago with NOK sculptures in Jos. Similarly Ife terra cottas and bronzes, Benin and Igbo Ukwu bronzes and Esie stone carvings among other Nigerian antique works are world famous. These

classical periods were followed by periods of decline one of which was the result of colonial occupation of our territory.

“In the beginning of the 20th century, our arts began a process of revival with the paintings of Aina Onabolu, who seemingly inspired by art from Europe was actually an incarnation of Ife realism. Ben Enwonwu and a few others artists from the Murray school then followed.

Lasekan, Akeredolu and a few others continued the march until the Nigeria independence in 1960 when a new group of artists from Zaria (mainly students) created a mild revolution in the arts," the prominent Nigerian artist narrated.

Some of the students who made their remarks, said the arts exhibition was the compilation of all their art works done over the period, adding that they have also learnt that art is life and everything about life is art. The students made and showcased different art works like adire (tie and dye cloths), bags and shoes made with adire, paintings on canvass among other beautiful works.

“I learnt that we can do more with art and one does not need to hide his talent. Art has thought me respect and patience because it takes one with these virtues to excel in art. I learnt also that art promotes friendship, it portrays history, it helps integrate people and it also strengthens bonds among people,” one of the students, Jibola Youssuf, told THISDAY. Another student, Obiagazie Henry, also said: “I learnt to appreciate art. Art is a vital element that shapes societies and family values. I will like to take a career in art. It was through our teachers and the inspiration we had that we could be able to do this. I love art and I will love to continue to showcase my talent in art and will also want to take a career in art.”

35/ENTREPRENEUR

24.11.2017

Nollywood star (right) Nse Ikpe-Etim starred in 'A Hotel Called Memory'

Why You Should See Ego Boyo’s New Film Without dialogue or artificial lighting, ‘A Hotel Called Memory’ is an ambitious movie that challenges the fundamental fibre of Nollywood storytelling, writes Solomon Elusoji Last weekend, at an open terrace that overlooked the Atlantic, film enthusiasts converged to witness a screening of ‘A Hotel Called Memory’, a film produced by vintage superstar, Ego Boyo and directed by Akin Omotosho (Blood Diamond, Vaya). There was music - jazz, rock and everything in between - and drinks and finger food; then there was restlessness as the evening dragged and guests were led upstairs to watch an eclectic, feisty ballet. “Are we going to India to see this film,” one woman joked.

The ceremonial prelude, of course, had a purpose. The screening, which had been marketed as “an immersive art experience” by the organisers, Temple Production, was designed, apparently, to showcase ‘A Hotel Called Memory’ not just as the ordinary, average movie, but a kind of artistic masterpiece, a collage of ideas that, mashed up together, evolved into something unique, a grand spectacle.

To be clear, the film is strange, not least because it does not make use of conventional dialogue or that no artificial lighting was used in shooting any of its scenes. Its theme, too, the exploration of memory and how it – this atom of remembrance – helps us heal through difficult periods is a combustible topic, as ancient as Aristotle, but no less important in a world overwhelmed with the frail facade of joy.

The film opens with a wide shot of the

beach, a location that features prominently in the narrative, hovering in the audience’s mind like a cursed metaphor for life’s chequering.

Essentially, the film follows the story of a woman going through a divorce, as she attempts to, like a snake, shed the skin of her old life and breathe through new pores.

But, as in every good narrative, there is conflict. Because there is no dialogue – the only semblance of such being text messages between characters displayed onscreen – the nature, the value of that conflict is left for the audience to decide and to debate; decide comes before debate because while the former has an end, the latter, like binary, will never know unity.

“The idea for making a film like this was to challenge ourselves and create something that not only engages people, but also gets them talking,” Boyo would say later, during the screening’s after-party. ‘A Hotel Called Memory’ definitely did that. At the end, THISDAY Style’s Fashion Director, Ruth Osime engaged Boyo about the plausibility of the plot.

There was also the unmistakable audienceconfusion at the film’s culmination. I spoke to several audience members at the end and none of them was certain about the meaning, the message of the film. Some asked for ‘Part Two’ while others shook their head in mystery, probably questioning the worth of their intelligence quotient. But

‘A Hotel Called Memory’, if nothing, is a classic example of the ‘meaningless’ form of modern art. Forget the superstitious, religious classicists, our modern geniuses say, art, great art, is not about meaning, it is about the delicate arrangement of shapes, it is about the enthronement of pattern over essence.

Boyo, who donned a glittering red dress on the evening of the screening, and Omotosho will not necessarily agree with the nihilistic portrayal of a film that took them three years to make. During the after-party speeches, Omotosho, while thanking the production team, especially Boyo (“it required a lot of trust from her,” he said), noted that ‘A Hotel Called Memory’ “is about silence and healing”, the kind of film that shows how people use silence to defeat life’s dark wars. Of course, at the end of the movie, the protagonists wears a smile that hints at victory and ties the plot into a neat knot, a Nollywood-esque performance. But, between the bad beginning and the ecstatic end, there is no doubt that the film is a minefield of debate, of persistent internal interrogation.

Silent movies are not novel things. In fact, the first films were silent, and they dominated cinema for almost four decades, giving us memorable stars like Charlie Chaplin. But in a world of pithy quotes and what has been described as ‘low attention span syndrome’ by psychologists, silent films have become

scarce; rare in Hollywood, rarer in Nollywood, Nollywood with its corny, bloated use of dialogue. So, curious about what sparked such a bold venture from Nollywood players, I emailed Omotosho.

As it happened, he and Boyo had been developing a project for about six years which, in the end, failed to live long enough to meet the beautiful sunrise. So, when A Hotel Called Memory’s screenwriter, Branwen Okpako, presented the story, Omotosho, intrigued, decided to present it to Boyo, hoping the first failure had not dampened her enthusiasm. It hadn’t. “The fact that it was silent, just the Director of Photography and I and a few assistants and the different countries required a level of trust that she gave me and I am forever grateful to her for it,” Omotosho said in his response to my email.

Omotosho’s gratitude is a tribute to creative permission, the dearth of which has turned the movie industry – whether Nollywood, Hollywood, or their other cousins – into a relentless factory churning out rolls of cheap, formulaic movies designed to titillate popular consciousness. Like Netflix – that unexpected Unicorn helping to save the art of filmmaking from the money-grabbers, from the cold grip of capitalism – Boyo has collaborated to produce an ambitious movie that challenges the fundamental fibre of Nollywood storytelling.

36

T H I S D AY FRIDAY NOVEMBER 24, 2017

37/THISLIFE

24.11.2017

The Making of Remo's Messiah The new Akarigbo of Remo is loved by many. What will his reign bring? Solomon Elusoji writes Donning a white apparel, he walked into the room and lit it up with a generous smile, acknowledging every greeting as he made his way to the elevated seat. A short but lively barrage of humorous exchange ensued between him and the visiting journalists, before silence crept in, to make way for the interview. If nothing, Adewale Ajayi, the new Akarigbo of Remo, possesses a potent energy that astounds.

As at last August, about 19 princes were still contesting for the position of Akarigbo. But before the month ran out, Ajayi was announced as the clear winner, after an open ballot was held among the seven kingmakers in Remoland.

"To be honest, it never occurred to me that one day I’ll be Oba," Ajayi said. "I think the consciousness came when the past Akarigbo passed on and it was all over the town that I had been chosen, that the kingmakers chose me two months after the Akarigbo’s demise. That was when I asked somebody, what is with me and this throne thing?"

Ajayi's initial befuddlement with the idea of becoming king is not surprising. A chartered accountant and barrister with over 20 years experience as a professional Insolvency Practitioner, Ajayi is a modern man. "I have never been someone who is into tradition before now," he said. When some of his friends heard he had been selected as Akarigbo, it was a jolt to their imagination.

But, Ajayi, who at the time of his meeting with the journalists was undergoing a seclusion rites, one of many he has to perform before he is officially proclaimed Akarigbo, sees his new role as a way to build something solid with his people. "I think it is about sacrifice," he said.

This desire to sacrifice the allures of modern life for a more traditional existence is reinforced by Ajayi's incredible popularity among his people. Before the kingmakers made their choice in August, several groups within the community had already endorsed Ajayi to become the next Akarigbo.

“What Remoland deserve now is Prince Babatunde Ajayi, a seasoned administrator, young and articulate," the Convener of Remo Youth Progress, a group representing the town's youth, Niyi Adedokun, said.

"He is very much in tune with the reality of the modern age and how to merge it with our culture and traditional heritage. That is what the people of Remoland want.”

Even Ajayi fails to fully comprehend the origins of his popularity.

"Honestly, it beats me," he said. "And I think that’s why I decided to put my heart to the race. When this whole thing started, I already had plans to travel for summer and I took off. Then it was all over the place that I ran away.

"It’s humbling. In life, you reap whatever you sow.

I have just been somebody who has done a lot for our people, but it is not with a mindset that I will be paid back. And when people see what you have done, they believe this person is worthy.

"But beyond that, honestly, I would say I really do not understand it. I have been in seclusion now for almost two to three weeks and the support is huge."

Ajayi speaks the truth. When THISDAY visited Sagamu, the centre of Remoland, posters congratulating the new Akarigbo was as ubiquitous as air. In front of the Palace, tens of groups could be seen, well dressed, waiting for their turn to see and felicitate with their new ruler. Drums made music and jubilation was a palpable thing, something that could be cupped in a palm and worn, like a necklace.

The man, in brief To understand whether Ajayi is a good choice for Akarigbo, one needs, first, to understand his journey.

When he was a child, his dad used to say the only thing he could do was to read. His love for books led him to the University of Ibadan, after which he trained as a Chartered Accountant. At 26, he was already General Manager of a massive company. He was a star.

He soon moved to Calabar, after his company landed a huge job there. Calabar, then a civil service state,

offered very few lively activities and Ajayi founded himself in possession of large swathes of time after work. Rather than fill in the spaces with frivolous activities, he decided to enroll at the University of Calabar, to study Law. The Law degree, he reasoned, would also help him fulfill his dream of becoming an accomplished Insolvency Practitioner. This sort of focused, strategic thinking is a thread that runs through the new Akarigbo's life.

He is a man, too, that craves excellence. Despite holding a full-time job, he emerged the best student in his LL.B class. When he went to Law School, too, his results were incomparable among his peers. "That’s me," he said. "When I want to do something I focus on it. And I believe that when you work hard you get results."

Today, he has handled nothing less than 250 Insolvency and Restructuring assignments, including the liquidation of Nigeria Airways Ltd as the assistant liquidator and the privatisation of the three steel rolling mills in Nigeria as the liquidator through a guided liquidation option. He was also involved in the privatisation of Skypower Aviation Handling Co. Limited (SAHCOL). His other notable clients include, the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Bureau of Public Enterprises.

In addition to his LL.B, he also has a Master’s degree (LL.M) in Law from the University of Lagos, Nigeria. He is a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), the chairman of ICAN Faculty on Insolvency and Corporate Re-Engineering and the Vice President of Business Recovery and Insolvency Practitioners of Nigeria (BRIPAN).

Ajayi's distinguished career is not limited to Nigeria.

He is a distinguished fellow of INSOL International, a global federation of insolvency practitioners. He was the first African member. He is also a member of the International Insolvency Institute (III), which is an invitation only membership of the most senior, experienced and respected practitioners, academics, judges and financial industry professionals in the world.

A new dawn for Remo Sagamu, the seat of the Akarigbo of Remo, is a city located in Ogun State, near the Ibu River. Its massive deposit of limestone makes it a key economic hub, attracting industrial investments, especially from cement producers. The city is also a major agriculture hub and, with the federal government's economic diversification policies taking shape, much will be expected from the area.

Ajayi knows this. "We are here to serve," he said.

"I have told people that one thing that we will not be accused of is not trying. We will try, we will demand, we will parley, we will talk to whoever we need to talk to, so that my people will be empowered.

"When we assume power, we will be a voice, because our people will know that we are truthful. What we are bringing is sincerity. Our people don’t want much; so once you are sincere with them, that’s it."

He has already set up a committee to map out the different section of Sagamu's economy, from infrastructure to communication, to education, to roads; and goals are being set. "The beauty is that we have a lifetime to achieve these goals and we will take it one by one," he said.

However, Ajayi lamented the unclear roles for traditional leaders in the Nigerian Constitution. "If roles are properly carved out for traditional rulers, I think there will be a meaningful transformation within the society," he said.

But constitutional role or not, Ajayi is poised to bring about a new dawn to Remo. And the wonder is, everyone is confident he will, even the Hausa community in Sagamu, who have asked to be part of the Transition Committee and have painted all of Sabo, the part of Sagamu where most of the Northerners reside, with images of the new Akarigbo.

Ajayi, of course, is no Jesus; but he has the makings of a messiah, already.

38/OPINION

24.11.2017

ADEOLAAKINREMI HOME TRUTHS

Email: adeola.akinremi@thisdaylive.com

Tel 08116759785(sms only)

Buratai’s Wrong Choice for 2017 I know war strategies are close-to-chest cards for generals. No general likes to reveal his next moves against an enemy. It will be strategic folly to do so and I’m honest enough to admit that.

But the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, will be making a wrong choice in withdrawing troops from the North-east in 2017.

Operationally, the Boko Haram insurgency has weakened in that part of Nigeria and that might give a sense of accomplishment to Buratai.

This sense of accomplishment is at best false, if Buratai will consider the recent comeback of Boko Haram insurgents in places like Borno and Adamawa that shocked everyone.

Interestingly, days before Buratai hinted at troops’ withdrawal by 2017, twin blasts, believed to have been coordinated by the Boko Haram militants reportedly killed 56 persons and injured 77 in a market in Madagali, Adamawa State.

Another suicide attack happened in Maiduguri, Borno State that claimed three lives and injured 17 persons at the same time he was considering moving the troops out.

A national newspaper quoted Buratai saying: “Going by my first message in December, we must work to get out of this place. We must work to get out of this operation very quickly.

We must defeat the Boko Haram. I was in one of the barracks and I have assured the families of our troops that many of you will go back in 2017.”

Clearly, the exit strategy of Buratai is not known, and that makes me feel he has found himself in the middle. Did I hear let’s “get out very quickly”?

I’m not sure Buratai has considered his options very well before this proposition.

But the political calculation for 2019 elections, of which the promise to defeat Boko Haram by the ruling party will be a central item on the checklist may be one of many reasons Buratai gave a hint at rushing to withdraw troops from the North-east.

I can read Buratai’s mind in another way:

Buratai

leaving the troops in the North-east beyond 2017 may be misconstrued for failure to defeat Boko Haram.

Yes, Buhari will face mountain of questions, if he decides to contest in 2019, and Boko Haram continues to make headlines. Buratai may be concerned about his own reputation as well and of course his job may be on the line.

Subtly, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, whom I think may seriously be working to try his luck at presidency for the last time in 2019, has said he has the magic to defeat Boko Haram.

Though Atiku’s magic should have been given to those currently working to keep insurgency out of our lives, but he has chosen to keep it to himself.

And despite Atiku’s clever move not to appear to be firing ballistic missile at his partyman in Aso Rock by making reference to the time the insurgency first began, it was clear in his subsequent statement that Atiku clearly drew a comparison between himself and President Muhammadu Buhari.

When he clocked 70 in November 2016, Atiku said: “Such an ugly incident requires a steadfast

leadership that is decisive in its deeds in dealing with it. For Boko Haram insurgents to have overran seven of the 21 local governments of Adamawa State beats my imagination, and the efforts I put in place that prevented Boko Haram from capturing the entire state is left between me and my Creator.”

Steadfast leadership as Atiku pointed out will be critical to how insurgency in the North-east ends without creating Mosul out of the North-east.

The war against insurgents so far has been effective and largely successful, but we must cautiously optimistic. The thought of moving the troops out by 2017 may leave us with a Mosul experience.

Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city best known for its multiculturalism is now a theatre of war as it turned ISIS breeding ground and stronghold, following U.S. exit from Iraq in 2011.

If there is one thing America’s President Barack Obama is not happy about in its international efforts to stop terrorism, it is how Mosul became a breeding ground for Islamic State, after the defeat of Al-Qaida in Iraq and the killing of its leader, Osama Bin Laden.

In 2008, President George Bush had signed an agreement with Iraqi government to withdraw American troops by 2011.

And because such agreement couldn’t be undone

by Obama, though he tried to get some compromise with the then-Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, which didn’t work out, Obama was certainly going to withdraw the troops at a cost.

He kept the timeline that was agreed to by Bush and Al-Maliki.

It is debatable, but the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq without new plan negotiated left a big void that helped nurtured ISIS and made it a new terror front after Al-Qaida Islamic terrorist group had been decimated by the American troops.

Once America was out of Iraq, the Iraqi soldiers as well vanished from the streets.

Residents were happy to see checkpoints go

away and traffic situation improved, but the Islamic State fighters took the advantage to launch.

And since the sources of instability in Iraq were fundamentally political, it was natural that with America’s exit the different groups (largely Sunnis and Shiites) would return to trenches.

In our own case withdrawal of troops too early from the North-east may allow residual militant attacks to snowball into a large operation. The potential for politicians to sponsor militant groups as we approach 2019 is something we cannot overlook as we have seen in our past life.

The two significant issues that birthed Boko Haram militancy have not been addressed also.

Education and Poverty have been central to how the group formed in the first place. Till today, the North is still backward in education. It is depressing the level of educational inequality, even within the Northern region.

There’s low level of enrollment in primary, secondary and post education levels. The incentives and motivation are not there, so there is somewhat general relative lack of interest in education in the North.

Sadly, there is also low level of investment in education by the state governments in the north.

The distance to the nearest school to a house in many part of the North makes it a challenge for kids to desire schooling.

Most parents do not send their children, especially girls, to school and prefer to send them to Qur’anic schools rather than formal schools according to several independent reports.

Surely, UNICEF was on point when it said “even when children enrol in schools, many do not complete the primary cycle. According to current data, 30 per cent of pupils drop out of primary school and only 54 per cent transit to Junior Secondary Schools. Reasons for this low completion rate include child labour, economic hardship and early marriage for girls.”

Editor’s Note: Article first published in December 2016.

Africa: Nurturing Young Entrepreneurs as the Next Generation of Hunger Fighters Bunmi Oloruntoba Des Moines, Iowa — Considered the "Nobel Prize of agriculture," the World Food Prize is awarded each year for a specific and exceptionally significant contribution to the production or distribution of food. This year, the prize was awarded to Akinwumi Adesina, a former Nigerian Agriculture Minister - and currently the President of the African Development Bank - for his contributions to increasing productivity in that country's agricultural sector.

A list of Adesina's achievements as Minister of Agriculture from 2010 to 2015 spans several pages. But for the World Food Prize, the focal point was his introduction of the Electronic Wallet (E-Wallet) platform to Nigeria's food production and distribution chain.

Through the E-Wallet, Adesina pioneered a new way for the Nigerian Government to deliver subsidised farm inputs, such as fertiliser and seeds, to local farmers through private agrodealers. The farmers, in turn, get to redeem these subsidised inputs from the agro-dealers using e-vouchers, which they can access through their mobile phones.

To implement the platform, Adesina initiated a Growth and Enhancement Support Scheme (GES). He powered the scheme by orchestrating the successful registration of more than 15 million Nigerian farmers, whose information and mobile phone numbers were added to the GES database. The database, coupled with the E-Wallet, now allows Nigerian farmers to receive directly from the government everything from fertiliser to high-yield rice seeds and palm oil seedlings.

In the past, such subsidised inputs would have bypassed the farmers and fallen into the hands of black marketers who would have sold the inputs on the open market or in neighbouring countries.

According to the World Food Prize, through the E-Wallet Adesina succeeded in breaking the

Adesina

"back of corrupt elements that had controlled the fertiliser distribution system for 40 years."

The platform also helped solve other previously intractable problems in the way of commercial large scale food production in Nigeria.

For example, the country's paddy rice farmers, through the E-Wallet, were able to receive from the government award-winning, high yield NERICA rice varieties, which saw their output rise from five to six tons per hectare. Thousands of paddy farmers producing a consistent grade of rice soon created the opportunity for several agro-based companies to switch from rice importation to local rice production, and standardisation of the country's rice output led to large private sector investments in rice milling.

The World Food Prize compares the spread of Adesina's efforts in scale to the "Green Revolution" work of the Nobel Peace Prize winner Norman Borlaug. In the 1970s and 1980s, Borlaug introduced high-yield dwarf wheat to Latin America and Asia, spawning "Green Revolutions" on two continents.

As other African countries start to adopt E-Wallet platforms to get subsidised inputs - and even financial services - directly to their farmers, the

World Food Prize claims Adesina's E-Wallet is "sparking a Borlaugian 'Take It to the Farmer' revolution across Africa."

Farming creates jobs for young people In his more recent job as President of Africa's premier multilateral development finance institution, the African Development Bank (AfDB), Adesina embraces the continent's "youth bulge" both as an opportunity and a resource in working for economic transformation.

Africa's labour market is expected to absorb 11 million youths every year for the next decade.

Despite rapid growth in formal wage sector jobs, the World Bank estimates that most of the continent's young people "are likely to work on family farms and in household enterprises, often with very low incomes."

Adesina wants to drive Africa's economic transformation by empowering the continent's youth population and making agriculture the hottest startup sector for young people. To achieve this goal, he wants to change the perception of agriculture in Africa from being a survival activity to a vehicle for wealth creation; from a hobby to a business.

It therefore, came as no surprise when Adesina, halfway through his acceptance speech for the World Food Prize, declared to the crowded room in the American Midwestern city of Des Moines that "there will be no rest for me until Africa feeds itself, and for that we need the youth.

"Even though I don't have the check in my hand right now," he continued, "I hereby commit my quarter of a million dollars... prize award to set up a fund fully dedicated to providing grants, fellowships and financing for the youth of Africa in agriculture as a business."

Adesina's vision for Africa's youth and agriculture becomes prescient as the world's geopolitical winds shift the focus of policymakers.

Britain's Brexit vote to leave the European Union and the election of Donald Trump as president of the United States mark a rightward

shift in the geopolitical landscape, with increasing numbers of countries appealing to more nationalistic agendas and responding to calls to stem immigration.

Creating jobs for young people in agriculture can both help Africa's economic transformation and offer a solution to some of the challenges facing the continent and the world: the high rate of youth unemployment in Africa; human trafficking and the high rate of illegal migration of young Africans into Europe; sustainably kickstarting Africa's industrialisation; and preventing religious radicalisation and combating terrorism.

On youth unemployment and illegal migration to Europe Africa's rapid population growth, specifically the growth of the working-age population, complicates a precarious labour market characterised by poor-quality employment, which in turn creates the urge for the youth to seek better opportunities elsewhere. The International Labour Organisation estimates that in the next four years an additional 12.6 million youth in sub-Saharan Africa will enter the labour force.

Data from the International Organisation for Migration reveals that more than 154,000 young Africans have crossed the Mediterranean to Europe in 2017 so far. More than 2,900 have died trying to make the crossing. In 2016, more than 352,000 Africans crossed into Europe and more than 4,750 died.

Adesina, in remarks leading up to the 2015 Action Plan for African Agricultural Transformation conference in Dakar, pointed out that "the agricultural sector (in Africa) has four times the power to create jobs and reduce poverty than any other sector.

"That is why we make the claim that we can diminish the migrant crisis in Europe by supporting agricultural transformation in Africa," he said.

T H I S D AY FRIDAY NOVEMBER 24 2017

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T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2017

40

CITYSTRINGS

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

R-L: President, Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria and Archbishop of Jos, Most Reverend Ignatius Kaigama; Edo State governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki; Edo State deputy governor, Hon. Philip Shiabu and his wife, Maryann, during the grand finale of the first ever National Marian Year declared in Nigeria, and 3rd Marian Congress in Benin City…recently

‘Virgin Mary’ Unites Catholics Adibe Emenyonu writes on the centenary celebration of Our Lady of Fatima apparition in Benin City, the capital of Edo State, by the Catholic faithful

O

ctober 12 -14 were remarkable days in the history of Catholicism in Nigeria as it marked the 100 years of the appearance of the image of Blessed Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus Christ. It was also significant because the grand finale of the ceremony in Nigeria was hosted by the Archdiocese of Benin.

On May 13, 1917, three shepherd children, Lucia (10), Francisco (8), and Jacinta (7), chose to pasture their sheep in a hilly depression owned by Lucia’s father and known as the Cova da Iria, or Cove of Irene. It was there, with one exception, that the Blessed Virgin under the title of Our Lady of the Rosary appeared on six occasions in that year and a seventh time in 1920 (to Lucia alone).

At that moment the First World War raged in Europe, and in far off Moscow, Lenin prepared the revolution that would overturn the Russian social order in November 1917 and eventually engulfed almost half the peoples of the earth.

It was in that context that the message of Fatima was given to the world: Our Lady of Fatima told the three shepherd children, “Continue to pray the Rosary every day to obtain the end of the war and peace for the world, for only she alone can save it.”

Since then, the Catholic Church has always accorded Mary the honour as the mother of the saviour of the world and made it clear that every honour and praise given her is never in isolation and always connected to Christ.

Besides, the church had always believed that Mary is a rightful mother to Christ.

This was the major reason why the centenary celebration had in attendance, 26,838 persons, 815 Priests, 53 Bishops, two Cardinals, 14,800 persons from Benin alone, 122 Altar Boys,

1,077 Reverend Sisters and 99 Seminarians.

In his pastoral letter at the celebration with the Theme: ‘Do Whatever He Asks You’, drawn from the gospel of John 2:5, Archbishop of Benin Metropolitan Sea, His Grace, Most Rev. Dr. Augustine Obiora Akubeze, disclosed that the Catholic Church has always accorded Mary the honour due her as the mother of the saviour of the world. He said the church has always made it clear that every honour and praise given to Mary is never in isolation and connected to Christ.

According to him, “In order to promote greater devotion to Mary in the church, the

We Christians in Nigeria want to use this as an opportunity to invoke Our Lady of Fatima, to bring peace to our country Nigeria. We want God to save us from moral, economic, religious and social decadence. We know that the closer we are to Mary the closer we are to Christ. This is precisely so because Mary always tells us to do whatever Christ tells us to do

church has accorded Marian Feast prime centre in the liturgical calendar,” noting that there are few Marian solemnities celebrated universally, and as such rightly treats Mary with special honour.

“At various times in the past there have been various apparitions of Mary. But only a few have gained the public acknowledgement of its message by ecclesiastical authorities as much as Fatima,” the Benin Archbishop stated, adding that in all, Christ is the fullness of the revelation.

His words: “There is no new revelation outside of Christ. However, there is a constant growth in the insight of this revered faith.

Authentic Marian apparitions are occasions to examine ourselves to see if we are meeting up to standard of Christian holy living. Marian apparition like that of Lourdes, Guadalupe and Fatima offer us the opportunity to grow in the sight of faith. Mary on these occasions re-echo the message of Christ which is the required conversion and total dedication to God. “It is within this context of evaluating Marian apparition as growth in insight to the deposit of faith that we should study and assimilate the message of Fatima. It is a message we judge strong enough to deserve a special year-long celebration.”

Continuing the Archbishop said, “When Mary appeared to the three children at Fatima on the May 13, 1917, not much was known about the children. They were from peasant homes just doing their daily routine work, pasturing their family’s sheep out in the open field. As they noticed something extraordinary, like every other child, they were drawn to satisfy their curiosity. Then they discovered it was our Lady. This apparition continued

for six months. In all those apparitions, our Lady told the children to announce to the world that there is need to pray the rosary daily, make sacrifices for the conversion of sinners and warned that humanity should stop offending the Lord: ‘Do not offend the Lord, or God anymore because He is already so much offended.’ Furthermore, our Lady told them that through the daily prayer of the rosary humanity can obtain peace in the world because Our Lady is the Queen of peace.”

He noted that members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria declared this universal celebration of the 100 years of the apparition of Virgin Mary at Fatima a Marian year because “We Christians in Nigeria want to use this as an opportunity to invoke Our Lady of Fatima, to bring peace to our country Nigeria. We want God to save us from moral, economic, religious and social decadence. We know that the closer we are to Mary the closer we are to Christ. This is precisely so because Mary always tells us to do whatever Christ tells us to do.”

He said the theme of this year Marian year is ‘Do Whatever He Asks You To Do’ John 2:5. Mary never lead away from Christ but a sure way to Christ. Let us rediscover the proper place of honour due to Mary and accord her of this respect of calling her blessed from generation to generation.”

Also speaking, Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama, Archbishop of Jos and President, Catholic Bishop Conference of Nigeria, harped on the need for “the world to allow peace to reign” and to ask for God’s intervention in the affairs of the country to bring about genuine reconciliation, peace towards avoiding all the provocative and very dangerous statements

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2017

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CITYSTRINGS capable of tearing the nation and her people apart.

He said: “That is what we have come for; to pray to ask God to intervene in the affairs of Nigeria, to bring about reconciliation, bring about peace and to help us avoid all these negative, provocative and very dangerous statements that we make that bring about divisions amongst us.”

The cleric further declared, “We have come on a very special mission to pray together as one family, to ask for God’s intervention in the affairs of our country, Nigeria and to also bring God’s blessings to this country.”

Speaking on the epoch making event, Most Rev. Kaigama explained further saying, “the beauty of our church, the Catholic Church; we are from different nations, different cultures but united to celebrate the 100 years anniversary of the apparition of Our Lady of Fatima.”

“This is unique and special to Catholics; this woman called Mary is the mother of Jesus; we believe that Jesus is God and therefore Mary is the mother of Jesus who is God. We give her honour and adoration. We give her so much adoration and veneration and we have come together not only the bishops but also the laity all over Nigeria will gather in Benin for the next three days to remember this event.”

Kaigama stated that, “Our Lady appeared in Fatima, Portugal and asked for prayers, for the world to allow peace to reign and that is what we have come for, to pray; to ask God to intervene in the affairs of Nigeria, to bring about reconciliation, bring about peace and to help us avoid all these negative, provocative and very dangerous statements that we make that bring about divisions amongst us.”

Earlier, the eminent heads of the faithful drawn from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, who were joined by the Pope Francis representative, said the event remains unique and special for the unity, peaceful coexistence, progress and development of the various component units and people of the nation.

Prior to the ceremony, the visiting Catholic Bishops took time off to pay a courtesy call on the Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty, Oba Ewuare II. During the visit, the Oba tasked the Catholic Bishops, the faithful and entire citizens to pray fervently for President Muhammadu Buhari and other leaders as well as for the unity and peace of the country.

Oba Ewuare II said peace and togetherness of all segments of the nation remain sacrosanct for the growth and development of all facets of the economy.

The Oba said, “I am sure you have all been praying for me, the kingdom and the palace.

We want to please appeal to you all to pray fervently for us to succeed. We have a lot of challenges; we want peace, we want security.

We keep praying to God Almighty, we pray for our leaders in Abuja, the President for his good health, for all the governors, most importantly that God should give us more wisdom, to add wisdom to our wisdom to rule our people.

“I am delighted today that the presence of many states in Nigeria and also many countries in Africa are now reflected on the map of Africa but that old map (at the Vatican), I only saw Borno and Benin, what is now called Nigeria, there was no Nigeria at that time; and of course you know by the diplomatic relationship between Benin and Portugal and the establishment of what was going to be Catholic presence at the time that eventually metamorphosed into Aruosa Cathedral. The way the palace chiefs in Benin kingdom dress as we were told was modeled along the Catholic priests then.

“You all coming here today, perhaps, you are not aware that my secondary school was Immaculate Conception College, that was where I completed my secondary school and I believe what the reverend fathers in that school imbibed in us was morality, the uprightness and truth have been helping me in particular all this while. It further strengthens the image connection with my ancestors to always tell the truth and stand by the truth and therefore, I am also trying now to pass on this concept of true light to many of our chiefs in the palace and to many of our people in Benin, I am always like a preacher usually sometimes.

“So, I cannot but say this before the end of my brief remark that, I cherish the way

Catholic Faithful celebrating the Marian Year at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital Ground, Benin City

We are grateful to God and the church for the continuous work of restructuring our minds as a people. If we, as a nation, fully accept the message of Our Lady of Fatima and are committed to her message of repentance, we would need less of political restructuring.

If we add more of love and less of self, to our leadership, Nigeria would be more united and better developed

Marian celebration at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Benin City

Catholic masses are conducted in a very sober manner; I have always cherished it, I have always liked the ambiance, the environment and not too much keen of shouting, you can like quiet environment. I like sober environment, particularly, when you are praying to the Almighty God you don’t need to shout.

You must pray with a lot of reverence, with a lot of sober mood.”

He added, “That is what I believe in; you must revere the Lord God Almighty at all times. We here in Benin, we pray to God Almighty. Today, you have come for this conference and as you have explained, we recognise a lady, a very iconic lady in the religious world, spiritual world; sometime I begin to wonder that when God created the world he first created man in our own image,

so the Bible said. But looking at man, Adam, he found him lonely or something like that and decided to behold him to his companion.

“However, eventually after all the temptations, she is to carry man and every other human being that wants to come to this planet earth in her womb for nine months.

So, one will not be surprised that you now give recognition to the woman at Fatima, Lady Fatima, that carried Jesus for nine months.

It shows to me the power of women, that women should not be relegated aside.”

Declaring the ceremony open, Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, also tasked religious leaders to show more compassion to stem the wave of agitations across the country. He also noted that Nigerians would have to restructure their minds if they are to

reap genuine benefits from any effort to tinker with the political structure of the country.

Obaseki also asked the church to play its role in uniting Nigeria, particularly as the country is faced with threats from divisive elements and interests, who propagate hate speech, separatist agitation, insurgency, and youth restiveness.

He said that, as an oasis of peace, the Catholic Church needs to continually play the role of a uniting force in Nigeria, as well as speaking truth to power when the need arises. “We are grateful to God and the church for the continuous work of restructuring our minds as a people. If we, as a nation, fully accept the message of Our Lady of Fatima and are committed to her message of repentance, we would need less of political restructuring. If we add more of love and less of self, to our leadership, Nigeria would be more united and better developed.”

The governor said his administration was committed to reforms in basic education and primary health care, adding, “We are focused on revamping vocational and technical education.

These are commitments we share with the Catholic Church.”

At the end of the ceremony, Catholics who attended the grand finale were full of joy and appreciation to God and asked Our Mary of Fatima to obtain for Nigeria, peace in the hearts, homes, places of work, noting that the cerebration of the Marian year the eventual reconsecration of our country to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, restore total peace of Holy Mother of God and mother of the Church.

They also prayed God to grant the people with a heart free from evil and hatred to enable them bring to all others true joy and peace which come from Christ Jesus.

T H I S D AY Ëž , Í°Í˛Ëœ 2017

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BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

NDIC Calls for Incentives to Lure Banks to North-east Ndubuisi Francis, Obinna Chima and Ugo AliogoËżĂ“Ă˜ Ă‹Ă˜Ă™ In order to encourage the return of banks that had left the northeastern part of the country back to the region, the Managing Director of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim yesterday suggested the need to provide incentives to the financial institutions.

The return of banking services back to the Boko Haram ravaged area, he said, would help stimulate economic activities in the region and boost financial inclusion.

Ibrahim disclosed this in Kano State, at the ongoing workshop for financial journalists with the theme: “The Role of Nigerian Banking Sector: Opportunities, Challenges and the Way forward,� organised by the NDIC. He charged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to encourage Primary Mortgage Institutions (PMIs), commercial banks and other players in the financial sector to return to the region and catalyse economic growth and prosperity.

The NDIC Boss explained that there was need for joint collaborations between the CBN and the governors of the region, adding that the collaboration would be the key in addressing

the issue.

Ibrahim added: “It will be very necessary for the CBN to find a way of providing some incentives to the deposit money banks, microfinance banks, PMIs and other financial institution to come back to the north-east. I am urging the National Assembly to do everything possible to push the CBN to provide some of the much-needed incentive for the banks to come back to the region. “The efforts in pushing for financial inclusion is a global drive, but it is more of concern to developing countries, on our path we are making frantic efforts to ensure that it is achieved in the country. “Regarding the issue of financial literacy, there is a curriculum that has been developed for primary and schools across the country. In the newspapers, we have created a column to teach people how to manage their monies and how to have access to insurance plans. We have also deployed the use of radio jingles, television, and every media platforms necessary to assure customers about the safety of their monies.�  Continuing, he said: “You cannot have a virile economy without a strong banking system. A lot of topics have been

chosen such as the revitalisation of the financial service industry in the north-east, the emergency of crypto currency, economic recovery and reforms, financial inclusion and literacy, and other issues.  “This is an annual workshop which we organise in partnership with Financial Correspondent Association of Nigeria (FICAN) to continuously sensitise and educate them on the development in the financial services industry in general and the financial service industry.�

Also in his presentation, the Director, Development Finance Department, CBN, Dr. M.A. Olaitan, who was represented by a Deputy Director, at the central bank, Sani Mohammed, said the justification for rebuilding the region was vested on its potential for agricultural development, and the federal government’s economic and diversification agenda.

Olaitan, in a paper titled: “Rebuilding Financial Infrastructure in the North-east,� noted that the region presents huge potential to contribute to the economy.

According to him, the central bank would continue to support initiatives to ensure access to financial services.

Awosika Urges Caution on Crypto-currencies Ugo Aliogo The Chairman of FirstBank Nigeria Limited, Mrs. Ibunkun Awosika has advised banks not to invest in cryptocurrencies yet.

She stressed the need for regulators in the country to develop the regulatory framework for investing in such digital currencies.

According to her, banks would run foul of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) rules if they embark on operating cryptocurrencies accounts.

Awosika disclosed this in Lagos recently, at the Global Entrepreneurship Week, organised by AfterSchool Graduate Development Centre (AGDC)

in collaboration with First Bank Nigeria, Bank of Industry (BOI), the Funding Space and the Eventful OrganisersLimited.

She said financial institutions to continue to monitor the impacts and effects of virtual currencies globally, even as she urged entrepreneurs not to build businesses thatwould make them run foul of the law.  Speaking on the essence of the event, Awosika stated that the bank was committed to building the next generation of businesses, adding that creating businesses through entrepreneurship is a national service needed for the prosperity of the nation.

She further stated that the

business ideas presented at the event by the young entrepreneurs is evidence that these entrepreneurs are committed in creating businesses and global brands that would become leading names.

In her remarks, the Executive Director of AGDC, Mrs. Funmi Adeyemi, said the event was aimed at encouraging young Nigerian entrepreneurs to think and become innovative in their entrepreneurial drive.

She also stated that during the event the entrepreneurs had the opportunity to learn business lessons from mentors who attained some of success in their pursuits, adding that it was also a platform for people to pitch their business ideas.

Fidelity Bank PartnersA.Y.E onYouth Empowerment Fidelity Bank Plc is partnering with Africa’s Young Entrepreneurs (A.Y.E) to empower entrepreneurs in Nigeria.

The partnership agreement between both organisations, signed recently, is expected to strengthen the on-going efforts and initiatives of A.Y.E in developing and supporting future business leaders.

It will also afford Fidelity Bank the opportunity to offer financial and technical advisory services to enhance the competitiveness and dynamism of young Nigerian entrepreneurs.

With a network of over 12.6 million members across the continent and 1.6 million Nigerian members, A.Y.E is the largest network of entrepreneurs in the world. The organisation uses conferences, workshops and motivational talks to share practical information on how to develop and manage businesses.

“The partnership was made possible because we share the same ideals on entrepreneurship and job creation.  In line with the Federal Government’s Economic Diversification Plan, more employment opportunities lead to poverty alleviation, improved food security and GDP growth,� the CEO of Fidelity Bank, Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo, said at a media briefing in Lagos yesterday. “As a bank, we are committed to growing the economy and in pursuit of this, we are constantly searching for critical partners that are closely aligned to our strategic objectives. A.Y.E is one of those partners,� Okonkwo added.

A.Y.E encourages social entrepreneurship with role models, powerful mentors, social innovators, thought leaders, forward thinking investors and people passionate about addressing a range of societal

and environmental challenges.

These stakeholders gather every once in a year in what is tagged the “Networking with the Giants Conference.�  The third annual Conference which is the 2017 edition is billed to hold in partnership with Fidelity Bank on the 30th of November, 2017 in Lagos.

The annual conference, according to the President of A.Y.E, Mr. Summy Smart Francis, is an exceptional platform for some of the world’s most accomplished business leaders to network with perhaps the brightest entrepreneurs in Africa. “It provides ample opportunity for individuals with vibrant business ideas to network with established industry leaders, policy makers and outstanding investors from around the globe to draw priceless, life-transforming inspirations from success stories� he stated.

Ibrahim

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

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AUGUST 2017 Broad Money (M2)

21,851,454.31

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9,890,813.10

---- Currency Outside Banks

1,523,239.91

---- Demand Deposits

8,367,573.19

-- Quasi Money

11,960,641.22

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

9,732,990.89

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

ÍŻÍ°ËœÍŻÍŻÍśËœÍ˛Í´ÍąË›Í˛Í° 26,821,446.81

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4,824,226.22

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ÍľËœÍśÍąÍ˛ËœÍłÍąÍ´Ë›ÍľÍ˛

Ě‹Ě‹Ě‹Ě‹ Ă?Ă—Ă™Ë? Ă?ĂŽË› Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă“ĂœĂœĂ™Ăœ Ă?Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂžĂ? Ě™ Ěš

-3,010,310.52

Ě‹Ě‹Ě‹Ě‹ ĂœĂ?ĂŽĂ“Ăž ÞÙ ĂœĂ“Ă Ă‹ĂžĂ? Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ™Ăœ Ě™ Ěš

21,997,220.59

--Other Assets Net

-14,702,983.39

Reserve Money (Base Money)

ÍłËœÍ˛ÍśÍ´ËœÍśÍŽÍ˛Ë›Í´Íł

Ě‹Ě‹ Ă&#x;ĂœĂœĂ?Ă˜Ă?ĂŁ Ă“Ă˜ Ă“ĂœĂ?Ă&#x;Ă–Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜

1,868,735.07

Ě‹Ě‹ Ă‹Ă˜Ă•Ă? Ă?Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ Ă?Ă?

3,268,266.17 Ëž Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă? Ě‹

MANAGED FUNDS Month

AUGUST 2017

Inter-Bank Call Rate

22.63

Minimum Rediscount Rate (MRR) Monetary Policy Rate (MPR)

ͯͲ˛͎͎

Treasury Bill Rate

13.35

Savings Deposit Rate

Ͳ˛͎͜

1 Month Deposit Rate

8.86

3 Months Deposit Rate

͎ͯ˛ͯͲ

6 Months Deposit Rate

11.51

12 Months Deposit Rate

ͯͯ˛Ͳ͎

Prime Lending rate

17.69

Maximum Lending Rate

31.20 Ëž Ă™Ă˜Ă?ĂžĂ‹ĂœĂŁ ÙÖÓĂ?ĂŁ Ă‹ĂžĂ? Ě‹ ͯ͹Ϲ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE AS AT, WED, NOV 22 2017 The price of OPEC basket of fourteen crudes stood at $61.10 a barrel on Wednesday, compared with $60.49 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

T H I S D AY ˾ , NOVEMBER 24, 2017

43

MARKET NEWS

Court Stikes Out Oando’s Suit against SEC over Forensic Audit, Shares Suspension Chika Amanze-Nwachuku

In striking out the suit, the judge held that: “the subject matter of this issue falls within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Investment and Securities Tribunal (IST) and not this court.

Reacting to the ruling, Uwechue, said the judge upheld SEC’s argument that the court lacks the jurisdiction to hear capital market matters because there is a special tribunal set up for such cases.

Mohammed Aikawa struck out the suit, which also sought an order of the court directing the lifting of a technical suspension on Oando shares and advised the oil firm to take its case to the Investment and Securities Tribunal (IST). The ruling was sequel to a preliminary objection filed by Counsel to SEC, George Uwechue, SAN, challenging the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court to entertain the suit.

Oando Plc has suffered a major setback in its effort to stop the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from conducting a forensic audit into its affairs, as a Federal High Court in Lagos, on Thursday, declined the jurisdiction to entertain the suit brought before it by the embattled oil firm.

The presiding judge, Justice

Oando had approached the court for an order to lift the suspension of its shares as well as to stop an impending forensic audit after SEC, on October 18, directed the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) to place trading of its shares on full suspension for 48 hours and on technical suspension from Friday, October 20. The suspension, according to SEC, was to enable it conduct a forensic audit into the affairs

and therefore needed to be investigated further.

“To ensure the independence and transparency of the exercise, the forensic audit shall be conducted by a consortium of experts made up of auditors, lawyers, stockbrokers and registrars,” the regulator had stated. Trading in Oando’s shares were also suspended by the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) in October.

of Oando Plc following alleged breach of the provisions of the Investments & Securities Act 2007; breach of the SEC Code of Corporate Governance for Public Companies; suspected insider dealing; suspected related party transactions not conducted at arm’s length and discrepancies in the shareholding structure of Oando Plc, among others.

The commission, in the memo said these findings were weighty

PRICES FOR SECURITIES TRADED AS OF

A S AT 3 0 / 1 0 / 2 0 1 7

Price List (Equities) PRICES FOR PREMIUM BOARD SECURITIES FINANCIAL SERVICES S/N

BANKING

1 BANKING

ZENITH INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC

S/N

OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

2 FBN HOLDINGS PLC OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRIAL GOODS S/N

BUILDING MATERIALS

3 DANGOTE CEMENT PLC BUILDING MATERIALS INDUSTRIAL GOODS PREMIUM BOARD TOTALS Price List (Equities) PRICES FOR MAIN BOARD SECURITIES AGRICULTURE S/N 4 5 6 CROP PRODUCTION S/N 7 FISHING/HUNTING/TRAPPING S/N 8 LIVESTOCK/ANIMAL SPECIALTIES AGRICULTURE CONGLOMERATES S/N 9 10 11 12 13 DIVERSIFIED INDUSTRIES CONGLOMERATES CONSTRUCTION/ REAL ESTATE S/N 14 BUILDING CONSTRUCTION S/N 15 16 INFRASTRUCTURE/HEAVY CONSTRUCTION

CROP PRODUCTION FTN COCOA PROCESSORS PLC OKOMU OIL PALM PLC. PRESCO PLC

FISHING/HUNTING/TRAPPING ELLAH LAKES PLC.

LIVESTOCK/ANIMAL SPECIALTIES LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC.

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.

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION ARBICO PLC.

17

UACN PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT CO. LIMITED

18 19 20 REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS (REITS) CONSTRUCTION/ REAL ESTATE CONSUMER GOODS S/N 21 AUTOMOBILES/ AUTO PARTS S/N 22 23 24 25 26 BEVERAGES-BREWERS/DISTILLERS S/N

MARKET CAP(Nm) 3,919,316.70

TRADES

VOLUME

S/N

FOOD PRODUCTS

25.00 1.83

743 743

90,289,874 90,289,874

28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 FOOD PRODUCTS

DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC. HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC MULTI-TREX INTEGRATED FOODS PLC N NIG. FLOUR MILLS PLC. NASCON ALLIED INDUSTRIES PLC UNION DICON SALT PLC.

S/N

FOOD PRODUCTS--DIVERSIFIED

PRICE

%CHANGE

6.95 0.72

PRICE %CHANGE 230.00 0.01

TRADES 372

VOLUME 18,399,501

372

18,399,501

1,115

108,689,375

TRADES

VOLUME

22

197,826

22

197,826

22

197,826

1,137

108,887,201

REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS (REITS) SKYE SHELTER FUND PLC UNION HOMES REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST (REIT) UPDC REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST

AUTOMOBILES/AUTO PARTS DN TYRE & RUBBER PLC

BEVERAGES--BREWERS/DISTILLERS CHAMPION BREW. PLC. GOLDEN GUINEA BREW. PLC. GUINNESS NIG PLC INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC. NIGERIAN BREW. PLC.

BEVERAGES--NON-ALCOHOLIC

27 7-UP BOTTLING COMP. PLC. BEVERAGES--NONALCOHOLIC

36 37 FOOD PRODUCTS-DIVERSIFIED S/N 38 39 HOUSEHOLD DURABLES S/N

MARKET CAP(Nm) 1,100.00 64,865.88 66,000.00 MARKET CAP(Nm) 511.20 MARKET CAP(Nm) 2,610.00

MARKET CAP(Nm) 1,853.10 194.58 2,111.93

PRICE %CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

0.50 68.00 -0.29 66.00 -

3 26 16

3,200 164,218 90,397

45

257,815

TRADES

VOLUME

PRICE

%CHANGE

4.26 -

PRICE 0.87

PRICE

0

1.33

31,406.13

16.35

MARKET CAP(Nm) 711.32

4.79

MARKET CAP(Nm) 36,960.00 165.00

PRICE

165,900

44

11

165,900

56

423,715

TRADES

VOLUME 1,500 0 0

1.53

165

22,345,117

-

38

141,833

205

22,488,450 22,488,450

45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 BANKING S/N 54

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

57

-

0

0

58

%CHANGE

28.00 6.60 -

0 TRADES

59 VOLUME

14 0

27,215 0

14

27,215

60 61 62 63 64

MARKET CAP(Nm) 2,000.00

TRADES

VOLUME

65 66 67 68 69 70 71

100.00 -

0

0

72

11,305.89

45.22 -

0

0

26,682.70

10.00 -

0

0

0

0

22

85,364

TRADES

VOLUME

1

2,000

1

2,000

TRADES

VOLUME

29 0 28 22 267

519,150 0 48,436 1,245,915 1,758,251

346

3,571,752

MARKET CAP(Nm) 6,911.73

MARKET CAP(Nm) 2,386.33 MARKET CAP(Nm) 16,050.47 242.22 221,228.66 177,691.81 1,030,783.12

MARKET CAP(Nm) 59,254.61

PRICE %CHANGE 2.66 -

PRICE %CHANGE

PRICE %CHANGE 0.50 -

PRICE %CHANGE 2.05 0.89 101.00 53.94 130.00

-4.65 4.13 -0.38

P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC. UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC.

VOLUME

11

55 56 PRICE

PERSONAL/HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS

ACCESS BANK PLC. DIAMOND BANK PLC ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED FIDELITY BANK PLC GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC. JAIZ BANK PLC SKYE BANK PLC STERLING BANK PLC. UNION BANK NIG.PLC. UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC UNITY BANK PLC WEMA BANK PLC.

TRADES

0 0

NIGERIAN ENAMELWARE PLC. VITAFOAM NIG PLC.

42 43

3.57

2

HOUSEHOLD DURABLES

BANKING

%CHANGE

%CHANGE

40 41 PERSONAL/ HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS CONSUMER GOODS FINANCIAL SERVICES

CADBURY NIGERIA PLC. NESTLE NIGERIA PLC.

S/N

0

0.70 0.50 3.25 -

54,061.83

0 0

0 INFRASTRUCTURE/HEAVY CONSTRUCTION JULIUS BERGER NIG. PLC. ROADS NIG PLC.

REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT

S/N

MARKET CAP(Nm) 249,472.28

PRICE %CHANGE

205

S/N

REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT

MARKET CAP(Nm) 784,912.34

TRADES

VOLUME

8

58,149

8

58,149

PRICE %CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

92.50 2.78

13

339,032

13

339,032

73 74 75 76 77 78 79 INSURANCE CARRIERS, BROKERS AND SERVICES S/N 80 81 MICRO-FINANCE BANKS S/N 82 83 84 85 86 MORTGAGE CARRIERS, BROKERS AND SERVICES S/N

INSURANCE CARRIERS, BROKERS AND SERVICES AFRICAN ALLIANCE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC AIICO INSURANCE PLC. AXAMANSARD INSURANCE PLC CONSOLIDATED HALLMARK INSURANCE PLC CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC CORNERSTONE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC. EQUITY ASSURANCE PLC. GOLDLINK INSURANCE PLC GREAT NIGERIAN INSURANCE PLC GUINEA INSURANCE PLC. INTERNATIONAL ENERGY INSURANCE COMPANY PLC LASACO ASSURANCE PLC. LAW UNION AND ROCK INS. PLC. LINKAGE ASSURANCE PLC MUTUAL BENEFITS ASSURANCE PLC. N.E.M INSURANCE CO (NIG) PLC. NIGER INSURANCE CO. PLC. PRESTIGE ASSURANCE CO. PLC. REGENCY ALLIANCE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC SOVEREIGN TRUST INSURANCE PLC STANDARD ALLIANCE INSURANCE PLC. STANDARD TRUST ASSURANCE PLC UNIC DIVERSIFIED HOLDINGS PLC. UNITY KAPITAL ASSURANCE PLC UNIVERSAL INSURANCE COMPANY PLC WAPIC INSURANCE PLC

MICRO-FINANCE BANKS FORTIS MICROFINANCE BANK PLC NPF MICROFINANCE BANK PLC MORTGAGE CARRIERS, BROKERS AND SERVICES ABBEY MORTGAGE BANK PLC ASO SAVINGS AND LOANS PLC INFINITY TRUST MORTGAGE BANK PLC RESORT SAVINGS & LOANS PLC UNION HOMES SAVINGS AND LOANS PLC.

OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

MARKET CAP(Nm) 46,200.00 189,600.00 84,238.01 15,860.40 1,861.25 1,028.21 41,861.13 3,676.41 MARKET CAP(Nm) 22,125.22 1,031,959.17 MARKET CAP(Nm) 1,766.22 2,814.40 MARKET CAP(Nm) 92,988.57 229,915.12

MARKET CAP(Nm) 289,279.72 27,329.26 302,767.60 47,228.92 1,236,109.53 17,383.91 6,940.15 28,790.42 105,002.00 336,864.30 5,844.67 19,287.23 MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE %CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

9.24 15.80 32.10 2.00 0.50 5.77 15.80 13.45

71 118 43 17 1 0 150 0 400

1,598,382 3,204,507 393,626 1,379,040 2,000 0 7,107,226 0 13,684,781

-0.65 2.46 1.90 -3.00 -0.57 -

PRICE %CHANGE 11.78 3.33 1,301.90 0.15

TRADES

VOLUME

35 59

500,933 115,833

94

616,766

PRICE %CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

23.23 2.70 -

0 20

0 37,164

20

37,164

PRICE %CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

23.42 -4.99 40.02 0.18

54 99

712,231 1,562,309

153

2,274,540

1,027

20,526,035

PRICE %CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

10.00 2.46 1.18 1.72

212 47

98,336,273 5,498,380

16.50 -

43

559,873

1.63 42.00 0.59 0.50 1.00 6.20 9.85 0.50 0.50

76 261 2 5 8 82 207 30 22 995

36,963,834 13,195,623 113,140 171,560 183,131 1,047,321 116,630,865 5,184,236 144,170 278,028,406

1.88 -0.14 3.51 0.16 1.03 -1.96 -

TRADES

VOLUME

10,292.50

PRICE %CHANGE 0.50 -

0

0

3,742.31 21,525.00

0.54 2.05 1.49

10 4

148,884 124,000

3,000.00

0.50 -

2

3,000

14,314.39

1.38 -

4

31,000

7,364.75

0.50 -

1

100

7,000.00 2,411.47 1,913.74 3,070.00

0.50 0.53 0.50 0.50

0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0

642.04 3,661.72 2,620.76 5,120.00 4,000.00 7,392.70 3,869.74 2,759.15

-

0.50 -

1

50

0.50 0.61 0.64 0.50 1.40 0.50 0.50

0 3 11 0 9 0 0

0 103,000 132,694 0 111,332 0 0

3.39 0.72 -

3,334.38

0.50 -

0

0

4,170.41 6,455.52 4,670.54 1,291.15 6,933.33 8,000.00 6,691.37

0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50

0 0 0 0 0 0 5

0 0 0 0 0 0 705,409

50

1,359,469

TRADES

VOLUME

0 5

0 123,000

5

123,000

MARKET CAP(Nm) 11,799.67 2,995.50 MARKET CAP(Nm) 5,460.00 7,370.87 6,005.46 5,664.87 2,949.22

MARKET CAP(Nm)

-3.85

PRICE %CHANGE 2.58 1.31 0.77

PRICE %CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

-

1 0 0 0

500 0 0 0

3.02 -

0

0

1

500

TRADES

VOLUME

1.30 0.50 1.44 0.50

PRICE %CHANGE

˜ ͰͲ˜ Ͱͮͯ͵ ˾ T H I S D AY

44

Nigeria Daily Stock Market Report: dŚŝƐ ĂLJ ĨƌŝŶǀĞƐƚ /ŶĚĞdž ŐĂŝŶƐ ϰϱďƉƐ

THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 INDEX

dŚĞ dŚŝƐ ĂLJ ĨƌŝŶǀĞƐƚ /ŶĚĞdž ŐĂŝŶĞĚ ϰϱďƉƐ LJĞƐƚĞƌĚĂLJ ƚŽ ĐůŽƐĞ Ăƚ ϭ͕ϰϳϮ͘ϭϵ ƉŽŝŶƚƐ͘ zĞƐƚĞƌĚĂLJ͛Ɛ ŐĂŝŶ ǁĂƐ ďƵŽLJĞĚ ďLJ ƵƉƟĐŬƐ ŝŶ E/d, ;нϭ͘ϴйͿ͕ ^^ ;нϮ͘ϱйͿ͕ E ^d> ;нϬ͘ϭйͿ ĂŶĚ h ;нϭ͘ϬйͿ ǁŚŝĐŚ ĐƵŵƵůĂƟǀĞůLJ ĂĐĐŽƵŶƚ ĨŽƌ ϯϬ͘ϱй ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ŝŶĚĞdž͘ dŚĞ dŚŝƐ ĂLJ ĨƌŝŶǀĞƐƚ /ŶĚĞdž ŚĂƐ ƌĞƚƵƌŶĞĚ ϰϳ͘Ϯй zd ͘

Fundamental Performance Metrics for THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 Index

Ticker

DĂƌŬĞƚ ZĞďŽƵŶĚƐ ŽŶ ƵůůŝƐŚ ^ĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ ĂĐƌŽƐƐ ^ĞĐƚŽƌƐ͙ E^ ^/ ƵƉ ϮϮďƉƐ dŚĞ ĞƋƵŝƟĞƐ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ƌĞďŽƵŶĚĞĚ ƚŽĚĂLJ͕ ĐůŽƐŝŶŐ ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ ĂƐ ƚŚĞ ůů ^ŚĂƌĞ /ŶĚĞdž ƌŽƐĞ ϮϮďƉƐ ƚŽ ƐĞƩůĞ Ăƚ ϯϲ͕ϲϴϴ͘ϳϱƉŽŝŶƚƐ͕ ǁŚŝůĞ zd ƌĞƚƵƌŶ ĞdžƉĂŶĚĞĚ ƚŽ ϯϲ͘ϱй͘ ĐĐŽƌĚŝŶŐůLJ͕ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ĐĂƉŝƚĂůŝnjĂƟŽŶ ŝŶĐƌĞĂƐĞĚ ďLJ EϮϳ͘ϴďŶ ƚŽ ƐĞƩůĞ Ăƚ EϭϮ͘ϴƚŶ͘ dŚĞ ĚĂLJ͛Ɛ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ĐĂŶ ůĂƌŐĞůLJ ďĞ ĐƌĞĚŝƚĞĚ ƚŽ ƉƌŝĐĞ ĂƉƉƌĞĐŝĂƟŽŶƐ ŝŶ E/d, ;нϭ͘ϴйͿ͕ /Ed Z t ;нϰ͘ϭйͿ͕ ^^ ;нϮ͘ϱйͿ ĂŶĚ E'^h' Z ;нϮ͘ϱйͿ͘ /Ŷ ĂĚĚŝƟŽŶ͕ ĂĐƟǀŝƚLJ ůĞǀĞů ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞĚ ĂƐ ǀŽůƵŵĞ ĂŶĚ ǀĂůƵĞ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ƌŽƐĞ ϱϱ͘ϭй ĂŶĚ ϭϱ͘ϵй ƚŽ ϱϭϯ͘ϴŵ ƵŶŝƚƐ ĂŶĚ Eϲ͘ϰďŶ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ

ƵůůŝƐŚ ^ĞĐƚŽƌ WĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ

WĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ĂĐƌŽƐƐ ƐĞĐƚŽƌƐ ǁĂƐ ďƌŽĂĚůLJ ďƵůůŝƐŚ͘ &ŝƌƐƚ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ŐĂŝŶĞƌƐ ĐŚĂƌƚ ǁĂƐ ƚŚĞ ĂŶŬŝŶŐ /ŶĚĞdž͕ ƵƉ Ϭ͘ϴй ĂƐ ďƵLJŝŶŐ ŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚ ŝŶ E/d, ;нϭ͘ϴйͿ͕ h ;нϭ͘ϬйͿ ĂŶĚ ^^ ;нϮ͘ϱйͿ ĚƌŽǀĞ ƚŚĞ ŝŶĚĞdž ƚŽ Ă ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ ĐůŽƐĞ͘ dŚĞ Kŝů Θ 'ĂƐ ƚƌĂŝůĞĚ͕ ƌŝƐŝŶŐ Ϭ͘ϱй͕ ƉƌŝŵĂƌŝůLJ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ďĂĐŬ ŽĨ ƉƌŝĐĞ ĂƉƉƌĞĐŝĂƟŽŶ ŝŶ ^ W> d ;нϭ͘ϬйͿ͘ &ŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ ĐůŽƐĞůLJ͕ ƚŚĞ ŽŶƐƵŵĞƌ 'ŽŽĚƐ ŝŶĚĞdž ĂĚĚĞĚ Ϭ͘ϰй ĚƵĞ ƚŽ ŐĂŝŶƐ ŝŶ /Ed Z t ;нϰ͘ϭйͿ ĂŶĚ E'^h' Z ;нϮ͘ϱйͿ͘ DĞĂŶǁŚŝůĞ͕ ďĂƌŐĂŝŶ ŚƵŶƟŶŐ ŝŶ D E^ Z ;нϭ͘ϱйͿ ĂŶĚ E D ;нϬ͘ϳйͿ ĚƌŽǀĞ ƚŚĞ /ŶƐƵƌĂŶĐĞ ŝŶĚĞdž Ϭ͘Ϯй ŚŝŐŚĞƌ͘ KŶ ƚŚĞ ŽƚŚĞƌ ŚĂŶĚ͕ ƚŚĞ /ŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĂů 'ŽŽĚƐ ŝŶĚĞdž ǁĂƐ ƚŚĞ ůŽŶĞ ůŽƐĞƌ͕ ĚĞĐůŝŶŝŶŐ ϱďƉƐ ĂƐ ŝŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ĂƉƉĞƟƚĞ ĨŽƌ EE ;Ͳϯ͘ϮйͿ ǁĂŶĞĚ͘

/ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ^ĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ ^ƚƌĞŶŐƚŚĞŶƐ /ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ͕ ŵĞĂƐƵƌĞĚ ďLJ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ďƌĞĂĚƚŚ ;ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞƌƐͬ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞƌƐ͛Ϳ͕ ƐƚƌĞŶŐƚŚĞŶĞĚ ƚŽ Ϯ͘ϲdž ĨƌŽŵ Ϭ͘ϴdž ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ ƚŚĞ ƉƌĞǀŝŽƵƐ ĚĂLJ ĐŽŶƐĞƋƵĞŶƚ ŽŶ Ϯϴ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ĂĚǀĂŶĐŝŶŐ ĂŐĂŝŶƐƚ ϭϭ ĚĞĐůŝŶŝŶŐ͘ h^dK z/E^ ;нϱ͘ϬйͿ͕ /Ed Z t ;нϰ͘ϭйͿ ĂŶĚ E , K ;нϰ͘ϬйͿ ǁĞƌĞ ƚŚĞ ĚĂLJ͛Ɛ ƚŽƉ ŐĂŝŶĞƌƐ ǁŚŝůĞ W ;Ͳϱ͘ϬйͿ͕ , DW/KE ;Ͳϰ͘ϳйͿ ĂŶĚ t W/ ;Ͳϯ͘ϴйͿ ǁĞƌĞ ƚŚĞ ƚŽƉ ůŽƐĞƌƐ͘ /Ŷ ůŝŶĞ ǁŝƚŚ ĞdžƉĞĐƚĂƟŽŶ͕ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ǁĂƐ ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ Ăƚ ƚŚĞ ĐůŽƐĞ ŽĨ ƚƌĂĚĞ ǁŚŝůĞ ĂĐƟǀŝƚLJ ůĞǀĞů ĂŶĚ ŝŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞĚ͘ tĞ ĞdžƉĞĐƚ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ƚŽ ƐƚĂLJ ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ŶĞĂƌ ƚĞƌŵ ĂƐ ŝŶǀĞƐƚŽƌƐ͛ ƉŽƐŝƟŽŶ ĂŚĞĂĚ ŽĨ ĂŶƟĐŝƉĂƚĞĚ LJĞĂƌͲĞŶĚ ƌĂůůLJ͘

Friday, November 24, 2017

THISDAY AFRINVEST 40

Current Price

Previous Current Price Weighting Change

Price Change YTD

Price Change Index to Date

ROE

ROA

P/E

P/BV

Divinden Earnings d Yield Yield

1,472.19

0.45%

47.2%

47.2%

20.1%

6.3%

6.7x

0.7x

4.2%

11.6%

1

Guaranty Trust Bank PLC

42.00

-0.1%

23.1%

70.0%

70.0%

26.0%

4.3%

8.7x

2.2x

4.9%

11.4%

2

Nigerian Brew eries PLC

130.00

0.0%

9.3%

-12.2%

-12.2%

18.9%

8.6%

32.0x

5.8x

2.8%

3.1%

25.00

1.8%

13.3%

69.5%

69.5%

21.7%

3.2%

4.9x

1.0x

8.1%

20.2%

230.00

0.0%

6.5%

32.2%

32.2%

30.4%

15.7%

15.9x

4.5x

3.7%

6.3%

3

Zenith Bank PLC

4

Dangote Cement PLC

5

Nestle Nigeria PLC

1,301.90

0.1%

7.1%

60.7%

60.7%

78.4%

19.0%

33.9x

22.4x

1.9%

2.9%

6

Access Bank PLC

10.00

2.5%

4.5%

70.4%

70.4%

15.1%

2.0%

4.0x

0.6x

6.5%

24.9%

7

United Bank for Africa PLC

9.85

1.0%

5.6%

118.9%

118.9%

17.2%

2.2%

4.3x

0.7x

7.6%

23.1%

8

FBN Holdings Plc

6.95

0.7%

4.6%

107.5%

107.5%

2.6%

0.3%

11.3x

0.4x

2.9%

8.8%

0.0%

0.6x

3.7%

-21.0%

4.5x

7.6x

2.0%

9

Ecobank Transnational Inc

16.50

2.9%

60.5%

60.5%

-14.6%

-1.3%

10

Lafarge Africa PLC

50.00

0.0%

1.9%

29.0%

29.0%

47.1%

9.8%

11

SEPLAT Petroleum Development C

495.00

1.0%

1.9%

30.3%

30.3%

-12.4%

-6.7%

12

Unilever Nigeria PLC

40.02

0.2%

1.6%

25.7%

25.7%

50.3%

8.4%

24.6x

9.4x

0.2%

4.1%

13

Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC

40.50

-3.6%

2.9%

170.0%

170.0%

28.7%

3.4%

9.3x

2.4x

1.5%

10.7%

14

Guinness Nigeria PLC

101.00

0.0%

1.4%

28.5%

28.5%

4.5%

1.4%

71.1x

3.5x

0.6%

5.99

0.0%

1.3%

27.4%

27.4%

40.7%

4.2%

2.7x

0.6x

40.00

0.0%

0.5%

-52.6%

-52.6%

44.3%

3.7%

10.1x

4.5x

11 PLC

170.00

0.0%

0.5%

-39.1%

-39.1%

32.6%

12.0%

9.0x

2.5x

15

Oando PLC

16

Forte Oil PLC

17

0.6x

22.4% -21.1%

1.4% 37.0% 9.9%

4.7%

11.1%

18

Total Nigeria PLC

230.00

0.0%

0.6%

-23.1%

-23.1%

37.3%

7.4%

8.6x

3.0x

2.6%

11.7%

19

Okomu Oil Palm PLC

68.00

-0.3%

1.2%

69.3%

69.3%

37.4%

25.9%

9.1x

3.0x

2.2%

11.0%

20

UAC of Nigeria PLC

16.35

0.0%

0.6%

-0.9%

-0.9%

6.3%

2.2%

10.5x

0.7x

5.9%

9.5%

21

Conoil PLC

28.00

0.0%

0.4%

-25.3%

-25.3%

12.8%

3.5%

8.1x

1.1x

11.1%

12.3%

22

Fidelity Bank PLC

1.63

1.9%

0.9%

94.0%

94.0%

8.0%

1.1%

1.4x

0.2x

8.6%

70.3%

Dangote Sugar Refinery PLC

15.80

2.5%

1.1%

158.6%

158.6%

23.8%

10.3%

6.2x

2.7x

3.2%

16.2%

24

Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC

32.10

1.9%

0.7%

73.6%

73.6%

10.4%

2.6%

8.1x

0.8x

3.1%

12.3%

25

Custodian and Allied Insurance

4.00

5.0%

0.4%

2.8%

2.8%

18.9%

7.6%

4.2x

0.7x

7.0%

23.9%

2.8%

23

26

7 UP Bottling Co PLC

92.50

0.3%

-28.3%

-28.3%

-56.7%

-13.9%

4.5x

27

Julius Berger Nigeria PLC

28.00

0.0%

0.3%

-27.4%

-27.4%

-12.2%

-1.2%

1.5x

28

FCMB Group Plc

1.13

0.0%

0.4%

2.7%

2.7%

0.9%

0.1%

13.2x

0.1x

29

Transnational Corp of Nigeria

1.33

1.5%

0.6%

52.9%

52.9%

19.6%

4.1%

5.3x

0.9x

30

Diamond Bank PLC

31

Presco PLC

32

-18.2% -8.1% 8.8%

7.6% 18.8%

1.18

1.7%

0.5%

34.1%

34.1%

2.5%

0.3%

4.8x

0.1x

66.00

0.0%

0.5%

64.6%

64.6%

42.9%

25.9%

3.3x

1.1x

2.3%

30.7%

PZ Cussons Nigeria PLC

23.42

-5.0%

0.5%

61.5%

61.5%

11.5%

5.8%

20.0x

2.2x

2.1%

5.0%

4.1%

0.8%

191.6%

191.6%

24.6%

7.4%

56.5x

12.9x

21.0%

ŽŵƉĂŶLJ ŝŶ &ŽĐƵƐ͗ E ^ KE ůůŝĞĚ /ŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĞƐ WůĐ ;͞E ^ KE͟ Žƌ ͞ƚŚĞ ĐŽŵƉĂŶLJ͟Ϳ

33

International Brew eries PLC

53.94

34

Cadbury Nigeria PLC

11.78

3.3%

0.3%

14.5%

14.5%

4.5%

1.6%

33.6x

2.0x

3.0%

E ^ KE ůůŝĞĚ /ŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĞƐ W> ;ĨŽƌŵĞƌůLJ ŬŶŽǁŶ ĂƐ EĂƟŽŶĂů ^Ăůƚ ŽŵƉĂŶLJ ŽĨ EŝŐĞƌŝĂ W> Ϳ ŝƐ Ă ŵĞŵďĞƌ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ĂŶŐŽƚĞ 'ƌŽƵƉ ŽĨ ĐŽŵƉĂŶŝĞƐ ĂŶĚ ŝƐ ƚŚĞ ůĞĂĚŝŶŐ ƐĂůƚ ŵĂŶƵĨĂĐƚƵƌĞƌ ŝŶ EŝŐĞƌŝĂ ĐŽŶƚƌŽůůŝŶŐ Đ͘ ϲϬ͘Ϭй ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ͘ /ŶĐŽƌƉŽƌĂƚĞĚ ŝŶ ϭϵϳϯ͕ ƚŚĞ ĐŽŵƉĂŶLJ ŚĂƐ ƐŝŶĐĞ ĞǀŽůǀĞĚ ǁŝƚŚ ĂĚĚŝƟŽŶĂů ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ůŝŶĞƐ ƚŽ ŝŶĐůƵĚĞ sĞŐĞƚĂďůĞ Kŝů͕ dŽŵĂƚŽ WĂƐƚĞ ĂŶĚ ^ĞĂƐŽŶŝŶŐ ǁŝƚŚ ƉƌŽĚƵĐƟŽŶ ĨĂĐŝůŝƟĞƐ ŝŶ >ĂŐŽƐ ^ƚĂƚĞ ; ƉĂƉĂ ĂŶĚ KƌĞŐƵŶͿ͕ KŐƵŶ ^ƚĂƚĞ ;KƚĂͿ͕ ZŝǀĞƌƐ ^ƚĂƚĞ ;WŽƌƚ ,ĂƌĐŽƵƌƚͿ͘ E ^ KE ĐƵƌƌĞŶƚůLJ ŚĂƐ ƉƌŽĚƵĐƟŽŶ ĐĂƉĂĐŝƚLJ ŽĨ ĂďŽƵƚ ϲϬϬ͕ϬϬϬŵĞƚƌŝĐ ƚŽŶƐͬĂŶŶƵŵ͘

35

Union Bank of Nigeria PLC

6.20

0.2%

0.3%

29.9%

30.0%

5.6%

1.2%

7.9x

0.4x

12.6%

34.00

0.0%

0.2%

6.3%

6.3%

84.3%

38.5%

14.8x

10.4x

1.00

0.0%

0.2%

31.6%

31.6%

6.1%

0.6%

5.3x

0.3x

22.80

0.0%

0.3%

44.8%

44.8%

61.2%

23.6%

4.7x

1.7x

1.3%

1.5%

0.1%

22.8%

22.8%

11.9%

3.9%

10.2x

1.2x

2.4%

0.0%

0.1%

39.4%

39.4%

9.6%

4.4%

8.1x

0.7x

36

Chemical and Allied Products P

37

Sterling Bank PLC

38

GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Niger

39

AXA Mansard Insurance PLC

2.05

40

Continental Reinsurance PLC

1.38

T o p 10 G a ine r s T ic k er

UB A

116.6

1.0%

53.94

4.1%

A C C ESS

98.3

2.5%

NA HCO

3.90

4.0%

Z EN IT H B A N K

90.3

1.8%

LIVEST OC K

0.87

3.6%

T A N T A LIZ ER

44.0

0.0%

T o p 10 L o s e r s

Afrinvest Securities Limited

(RC 603 315)

(A Dealing Member of the Nigerian Stock Exchange)

Vo lum e

P ric e C hg %

0.61

3.4%

F ID ELIT YB K

37.0

1.9%

C A D B UR Y

11.78

3.3%

C UST OD YIN S

22.5

5.0%

C ILEA SIN G

1.37

3.0%

T R A N SC OR P

22.3

1.5%

M A YB A KER

2.80

2.9%

FB NH

18.4

0.7%

13.2

-0.1%

7.1

-0.6%

7UP

92.50

2.8%

GUA R A N T Y

D A N GSUGA R

15.80

2.5%

N A SC ON

T ic k er

P ric e

P ric e C hg %

PZ

23.42

-5.0%

Z EN IT H B A N K

C H A M P ION

2.05

-4.7%

UB A

1142.1

1.0%

WA P IC

0.50

-3.8%

A C C ESS

987.6

2.5%

T o p 10 T r a d e s b y V a l u e T ic k er

Value

P ric e C hg %

2245.8

1.8%

40.50

-3.6%

GUA R A N T Y

554.2

-0.1%

CCNN

8.97

-3.2%

NB

227.9

0.0%

UN IT YB N K

0.50

-2.0%

N EST LE

150.6

0.1%

F ID SON

3.85

-1.0%

FB NH

128.0

0.7%

N A SC ON

15.80

-0.6%

WA P C O

117.8

0.0%

OKOM UOIL

68.00

-0.3%

N A SC ON

109.5

-0.6%

4.00

-0.2%

C UST OD YIN S

90.0

5.0%

ET ER N A

T ic k er

LA WUN ION

ST A N B IC

9.8%

T o p 10 T r a d e s b y V o l u m e

5.0%

Yϯ ƐƚĂŶĚĂůŽŶĞ ŝŶĚŝĐĂƚĞĚ Ă ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ǁŝƚŚ ŐƌŽƐƐ ƌĞǀĞŶƵĞ ŐƌŽǁŝŶŐ Ϯϳ͘ϲй YͲŽͲY ;ĨƌŽŵ Eϲ͘ϯďŶ ŝŶ YϮ͗ϮϬϭϳ ƚŽ Eϳ͘ϵďŶͲͿ͘ >ŝŬĞǁŝƐĞ͕ ĐŽƐƚ ŽĨ ƐĂůĞƐ ĂŶĚ ŽƉĞƌĂƟŶŐ ĞdžƉĞŶƐĞƐ ƌŽƐĞ ϴ͘ϱй ĂŶĚ ϰ͘ϵй YͲŽͲY ƚŽ ƐƚĂŶĚ Ăƚ Eϰ͘ϰďŶ ĂŶĚ EϬ͘ϲŵ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ ǁŚŝůĞ KƉĞƌĂƟŶŐ ŝŶĐŽŵĞ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ƉĞƌŝŽĚ ĞdžƉĂŶĚĞĚ ϴϭ͘Ϯй ƚŽ Eϯ͘ϬďŶ͘ Ɛ Ă ƌĞƐƵůƚ͕ W d ĂŶĚ W d ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞĚ ϴϬ͘ϲй ĂƉŝĞĐĞ ƚŽ Eϯ͘ϭďŶ ĂŶĚ EϮ͘ϭďŶ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ͘

21.2%

12.4%

4.00

IN T B R EW

6.7% 19.0%

P ric e C hg %

C UST OD YIN S

6.5%

P ric e

/Ŷ ŝƚƐ ϵD͗ϮϬϭϳ ƌĞƐƵůƚ͕ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ǁĂƐ ůĂƌŐĞůLJ ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ ĂƐ ŐƌŽƐƐ ƌĞǀĞŶƵĞ ;ƐĂůĞƐ ĂŶĚ ĨƌĞŝŐŚƚ ŝŶĐŽŵĞͿ ŐƌĞǁ ϲϭ͘ϵй zͲŽͲz ƚŽ EϮϬ͘ϳďŶ ŝŶ ϵD͗ϮϬϭϳ ;ƵƉ ĨƌŽŵ EϭϮ͘ϴďŶ ŝŶ ϵD͗ϮϬϭϲͿ͘ ŽƐƚ ŽĨ ƐĂůĞƐ ŝŶ ƚƵƌŶ ŝŶĐƌĞĂƐĞĚ ϱϰ͘ϭй zͲŽͲz ;ĨƌŽŵ Eϴ͘ϱďŶ ƚŽ Eϭϯ͘ϭďŶͿ ǁŚŝůĞ ŽƉĞƌĂƟŶŐ ĞdžƉĞŶƐĞƐ ĞdžƉĂŶĚĞĚ ϭϯ͘ϯй zͲŽͲz ;ĨƌŽŵ Eϭ͘ϱďŶ ƚŽ Eϭ͘ϳďŶͿ͘ KŶ Ă ƐŝŵŝůĂƌ ŶŽƚĞ͕ ŝŶǀĞƐƚŵĞŶƚ ŝŶĐŽŵĞ ŝŶĐůƵƐŝǀĞ ŽĨ ďĂŶŬ ĂŶĚ ĮdžĞĚ ĚĞƉŽƐŝƚƐ ƐƵƌŐĞĚ ϱϰϲ͘ϳй zͲŽͲz ;ĨƌŽŵ EϮϭ͘ϴŵ ƚŽ Eϭϰϭ͘ϬŵͿ ǁŚŝůĞ ƚŚĞ ĐŽŵƉĂŶLJ ǁĂƐ ĂďůĞ ƚŽ ƌĞĐŽƌĚ Ă ϲϭ͘Ϯй ĚƌŽƉ ŝŶ ĮŶĂŶĐĞ ĐŽƐƚƐ ;ĨƌŽŵ Eϭϴϱ͘ϳŵ ƚŽ EϳϮ͘ϭŵͿ͘ ŽŶƐĞƋƵĞŶƚůLJ͕ W d ĂŶĚ W d ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ƉĞƌŝŽĚ ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞĚ ƐŝŐŶŝĮĐĂŶƚůLJ ďLJ ϭϮϵ͘ϵй ĂƉŝĞĐĞ ƚŽ ĐůŽƐĞ Ăƚ Eϲ͘ϬďŶ ĂŶĚ Eϰ͘ϭďŶ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ͘

'ŝǀĞŶ ƚŚĞ ĐŽŵƉĂŶLJ͛Ɛ ĚƌŝǀĞ ŝŶ ŵĂŬŝŶŐ ŝŶǀĞƐƚŵĞŶƚƐ ĂĐƌŽƐƐ ŵĂũŽƌ ůŝŶĞƐ ŽĨ ŽƉĞƌĂƟŽŶƐ ĂŶĚ ďƌĂŶĚ ďƵŝůĚŝŶŐ ƚŽ ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞ ŽǀĞƌĂůů ĞĸĐŝĞŶĐLJ ĂŶĚ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ƐŚĂƌĞ͕ ŽƵƌ ŽƵƚůŽŽŬ ĨŽƌ E ^ KE ƌĞŵĂŝŶƐ ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ͘ dŚĞ ƐƚŽĐŬ ŚĂƐ ƌĞƚƵƌŶĞĚ ϭϮϮ͘Ϯй zd ƚŽ ŝŶǀĞƐƚŽƌƐ͘

1.8%

Investment Research

Brokerage Ayodeji Ebo | aebo@afrinvest.com

Robert Omotunde | romotunde@afrinvest.com

Bolaji Fajenyo | bfajenyo@afrinvest.com

Omotola Abimbola | oabimbola@afrinvest.com

45

˾ FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2017

MARKET NEWS

Spectrum Energy Services to List Shares on NSE The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) will on Monday list the shares of Global Spectrum Energy Services (GSES) Plc, an integrated marine and oil and gas services firm. The listing follows the approval given by the Council of the NSE. The entire 800 million issued and fully paid up ordinary shares of 50kobo each of the company will be listed thereby offering good investment opportunity to discerning investors.

The admission of the company into the official list of the Exchange, which is through a process of listing

by Introduction on the main board, will further deepen the stock market as well as open the flood gate for the general public to participate in the ownership of the company as the shares become tradable on the exchange.

According to the company, the listing of GSES is a major fit that makes a strong statement on the strength

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

of the company to have been granted the approval given the very tough conditions that have to be met in line with the rules of the Exchange.

The company noted that it became imperative for GSES to seek listing in view of its rather ambitious expansion plans which derives from very huge untapped opportunities in its very specialized area of operation.

In the short to medium

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 22-Nov-2017, unless otherwise stated.

term, the company said it has a well-laid down plan to expand its business in to the areas where it has already made significant initial investments. The areas of focus include gas production, establishment of steel plant for the production of pipes and allied products, as well the establishment of a lube plant for lubricants.

GSES has since it commenced operations in 2009 maintained a continuous stream of

profitability having not recorded any loss over the entire period. It also noted that the company caries no debt liabilities, as it has been able to fund its operations with revenue from its operations.

GSES was incorporated 2006 as a Private Limited Company. It commenced operations in 2009. The company’s range of services covers complimentary maritime security, logistics, energy

and engineering services.

The company combines its strategic operations with skilled personnel who bring in valuable operational experience and success into its operations.

According to the company, continuous attention to these values have led to long-term client relationships, which have been vital to its successful operations in the past, and will prove rewarding in its activities in the future.

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 177.16 178.37 39.70% Nigeria International Debt Fund 234.54 235.87 11.01% 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 0.81 0.82 16.39% ACAP Income Funds 0.63 0.63 79.56% 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 18.03% 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 17.76 18.29 43.83% ARM Discovery Fund 372.62 383.85 29.75% ARM Ethical Fund 26.51 27.31 18.65% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 17.78% 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 146.94 147.97 39.70% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 18.24% 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 18.68% Paramount Equity Fund 12.07 12.38 28.96% Women's Investment Fund 98.08 100.60 15.94% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web:www.coronationam.com , Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 18.24% CORONATION ASSEST MANAGEMENT investment@coronation.com Web:www.coronationam.com , Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coronation Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 17.70% Coronation Balanced Fund 1.00 1.01 0.47% Coronation Fixed Income Fund 1.00 1.03 1.56% FBN QUEST 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 1,120.60 1,121.74 10.55% FBN Heritage Fund 147.08 148.34 31.93% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 18.50% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional $111.53 $112.27 8.31% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail $111.02 $111.76 8.56% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 156.92 159.21 39.37% 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 1.37 1.40 47.02% Legacy Short Maturity (NGN) Fund 2.94 2.94 14.59% 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 2,918.47 2,958.82 32.73% Coral Income Fund 2,427.14 2,427.14 16.45% GREENWICH ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gtlgroup.com Web: www.gtlgroup.com ; Tel: +234 1 4619261-2 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Greenwich Plus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 17.51% INVESTMENT ONE FUNDS MANAGEMENT LTD enquiries@investment-one.com Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Abacus Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 17.47% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.07 2.10 23.37%

Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 18.43% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 113.31 113.31 16.78% 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 1.17 1.19 17.99% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,041.26 1,041.26 10.51% 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 13.28 13.39 37.44% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 18.82% 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 1.22 1.24 22.54% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 10.93 10.98 5.11% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 16.90% 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 123.77 125.50 21.92% 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 1.42 1.42 13.66% 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 2,206.72 2,219.86 20.53% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 174.70 174.70 13.47% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.98 0.99 27.92% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 216.57 216.57 15.88% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 171.48 173.70 32.08% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 17.73% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 9,448.00 9,558.60 24.59% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.05 1.05 5.00% 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 1.32 1.33 17.54% United Capital Bond Fund 1.51 1.51 23.55% United Capital Equity Fund 0.89 0.91 32.93% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 17.40% 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 12.63 12.81 30.37% Zenith Ethical Fund 13.28 13.43 21.58% Zenith Income Fund 18.85 18.85 13.98%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

11.41 131.74

1.01% 6.27%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

11.14 136.21 105.00

11.24 139.17 106.98

28.99% 37.69% 38.57%

Fund Name FSDH UPDC Real Estate Investment Fund SFS Skye Shelter Fund

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS Fund Name Lotus Halal Equity Exchange Traded Fund SIAML Pension ETF 40 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

4.50 8.57 16.94 19.83 143.43

4.54 8.65 17.04 20.03 145.43

62.50% 21.78% 43.16% 24.17% 13.03%

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.

Ëœ Í°Í˛Ëœ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍľ Ëž T H I S D AY

46

WORLD OF ISLAM

Edited by: MJO Mustapha Email deji.mustapha@thisdaylive.com

The Islamic Notion of Mercy William C. Chittick/HuďŹƒngton Post/IslamiCity

A

cquaintances of mine who have participated in recent dialogues between Christian and Muslim theologians, such as those organized by A Common Word, report that one of the biggest misunderstandings shown by Christian theologians is the notion that Islam has little or nothing to say about love.

One of the several reasons for this mistaken view is that the early Orientalists — those who first studied Islamic thought in the modern West — imagined that a school of thought known as “Kalam� played the same role in Islam as “theology� does in Christianity. In fact, Kalam has been one of several approaches to knowledge of God, and certainly not the most influential.

Kalam was closely allied with Islamic jurisprudence and typically depicted God as the supreme law-giver. When it mentioned love, it claimed that God loves human beings by issuing commandments, and human beings love God by obeying him. Those who obey go to heaven, and those who disobey go to hell. God deals with human beings strictly in terms of carrots and sticks — forget about love in any normal meaning of the word.

Despite the fact that more recent scholarship has done a much better job of describing the diverse theological approaches of Islamic thought, this has had relatively little effect on the prejudices that Christian theologians picked up years ago in seminary. Pope John Paul II, with all his remarkable accomplishments, provides a good example. In Crossing the Threshold of Hope, he wrote, “The God of the Koran ‌ is ultimately a God outside of

the world, a God who is only Majesty, never Emmanuel, God-with-us.� (his emphasis) Even a cursory glance at the Quran should lead a reader to wonder why, if God is so majestic, does practically every chapter begin with the formula of consecration: “In the name of God, the All-merciful, the Evermerciful.� In the text itself, divine names and attributes associated with mercy and kindness are far more common than those associated with magnificence and majesty.

Many verses say things like, “He is with you wherever you are� (57:4) — whether before your creation, during your brief stay in this world, or after death. This divine “witness� is tightly bound up with the notion of love and mercy.

The formula of consecration contains the two names “All-merciful� (rahmn) and “Evermerciful� (rahm). Both are derived from the word rahma, which is variously translated as mercy, compassion, and benevolence.

Rahma is an abstract noun derived from the concrete noun rahim, “womb.� Mercy is the mother’s attitude toward the fruit of her womb. When God says in the Quran, “My mercy embraces everything� (7:156), this means that God has mercy on the entire universe. Basing themselves on this sort of verse and on the very notion of mercy, some theologians referred to the realm of nature — that is, the universe in its entirety — as the divine womb.

The close connection between mercy and motherhood is obvious in many sayings of the Prophet. For example, he said that when God created mercy, he created it in one hundred parts. He kept ninety-nine parts with himself and sent one part into the world.

Mothers are devoted to their children and wild animals nurture their young because

of this one part. On the day of resurrection, the Prophet added, God will rejoin this one part with the ninety-nine parts — all for the benefit of those who dwell in the posthumous realms, whether paradise or hell. Among the several points embedded in this saying is the typical stress on tawhd, the assertion of the uniqueness of the divine reality that is the foundation of Islamic thought: What we experience as mercy, compassion, and love can only be a pale reflection of a tiny fraction of the real thing.

Another account tells us that the Prophet had stopped to rest at a bedouin camp, where a woman with an infant was baking bread over an open fire. The child slipped away and approached the fire, and the mother quickly pulled him back. She turned to the Prophet and said, “Do you not say that God is ‘the most merciful of the merciful’?� He replied that he did. She said, “No mother would throw her child into the fire.� For a moment the Prophet turned away and wept.

Then he said that God puts into hellfire only those who refuse to go anywhere else.

As a divine attribute, mercy is not identical with love, because love demands mutuality: “He loves them, and they love Him� (5:54).

In contrast, mercy is one-sided, which is to say that God has mercy on creation, but not the other way around. People must certainly try to be merciful and compassionate, but that means they must love their neighbors as themselves. Failure to do so is a sure recipe for bad karma. As the Quran says repeatedly about those who do not act appropriately, “They are wronging only themselves.�

Classical theologians spent a good deal of time explaining the subtle differences between the meanings of “All-merciful�

and “Ever-merciful.� Commonly they said that the All-merciful mercy is universal and the Ever-merciful mercy is particular.

Universal mercy begins with the bestowal of existence. Nothing has a claim on its own being or its own positive qualities. All are the gifts from the Creator. Everything other than God derives its reality — however insubstantial that may be — from the only reality that truly is. Life and livelihood do not come to us by chance, but because of the activity of the All-merciful.

Particular mercy is responsive. Some good things come to us because we seek them out. If you want to become a football player or a physicist, the ambition itself is a gift, and any aptitude you may have is also a gift. But achieving the goal has something to do with your own effort. Every mother will tell you that. If you do not strive for the goal, most likely you will not reach it.

God’s particular mercy is his response to human effort. He bestows it on the basis of your engagement, commitment and love. When the Quran says, “God is the friend of those who have faith� (2:257), this means that he has special mercy and love toward those who search him out. Universal mercy reaches people in any case, just as a mother will never stop loving her children.

Particular mercy is not guaranteed, because children may refuse to take advantage of their human status.

The goal of love is to overcome separation, to escape from the darkness and pain that define our existential plight, and to enter into the light. Or, it is to take advantage of the universal mercy that embraces everything and to seek out the particular mercy, the path to which is set down in prophetic guidance.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2017 ˾ T H I S D AY

47

INTERNATIONAL

email:foreigndesk@thisdaylive.com

Zimbabwe’s Next Leader Prepares to Take Power IMF calls for imediate reforms Zimbabwe’s incoming president Emmerson Mnangagwa was preparing Thursday for his new role as president after a triumphant return home following the dramatic departure of Robert Mugabe, ending 37 years of authoritarian rule, AFP reports.

This was as the International Monetary Fund has warned that the southern African country must act quickly to dig its economy out of a hole and access international financial aid.

Government spending and foreign debt are too high and it needs structural reform, Zimbabwe mission chief Gene Leon told Reuters news agency.

Mnangagwa, who has close ties to the army and the security establishment, returned to Zimbabwe on Wednesday where he received a hero’s welcome,

telling crowds of supporters in Harare they were witnessing the start of a new democratic era.

The 75-year-old will be sworn in as president at an inauguration ceremony on Friday.

It was his first public speech since Mugabe fired him as vice president on November 6 over a succession tussle with the first lady, in a move which prompted the military’s intervention and eventually led to Mugabe’s resignation on Tuesday.

“Today we are witnessing the beginning of a new and unfolding full democracy in our country,” he told hundreds of supporters, some wearing shirts emblazoned with his image.

He arrived at the headquarters of the ruling ZANU-PF in a presidential-style motorcade surrounded by a large security

detail.

The country’s incoming leader, according to BBC, has pledged to grow the economy and provide “jobs, jobs, jobs”.

The once-thriving economy is

now seen as a regional basket case.

“The economic situation in Zimbabwe remains very difficult,”Mr Leon told Reuters.

He said high government

spending should be reined in and Zimbabwe should address the large international debt it has defaulted on.

“Immediate action is critical to reduce the deficit to a

sustainable level, accelerate structural reforms, and reengage with the international community to access much needed financial support,” Mr Leon said.

German Coalition Talks: Pressure Mounts on SPD to Review Position Germany’s Social Democrats are under pressure to reconsider an alliance with Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives and form a coalition government, BBC reports.

SPD leader Martin Schulz is due to meet President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who is holding talks to break the impasse.

Mr Schulz has refused to enter into a coalition with the Christian Democrats.

The deadlock follows the collapse of talks between the Christian Democrats, the Free Democrats and the Greens.

Some members of the centre-left SPD are calling on Mr Schulz to change his mind and form a “grand coalition” with the conservative CDU/

CSU bloc.

The leader of the party’s conservative wing, lawmaker Johannes Kahrs, urged Mr Schulz to keep an open mind during the talks with Mr Steinmeier, Bild newspaper reports.

The paper also says that German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel, the party’s former leader, favoured a resumed coalition.

The SPD, which had governed with Mrs Merkel since 2013, said it would go into opposition following the 24 September election, when the party had its worst election result since 1949.

Germany has been without a stable government since the vote produced no overall majority.

Missing Argentine Submarine: ‘Explosion’ Heard The Argentine navy says an event consistent with an explosion was recorded near where a submarine disappeared last week with 44 crew on board, according to BBC. A navy spokesman said an “abnormal, singular, short, violent, non-nuclear event” had been detected in the south Atlantic.

The ARA San Juan disappeared last Wednesday.

More than a dozen countries including Russia and the US have sent assistance.

Spokesman Captain Enrique Balbi said the Argentine navy had been informed of the suspected explosion, which took place near the submarine’s last known location.

Captain Balbi said the navy only knew the location of the suspected explosion, not its cause.

Search efforts would be concentrated in the area, he said.

On Wednesday, Captain Balbi said oxygen would be running out on board the vessel.

Relatives have been waiting for news outside the Mar del Plata naval base.

One crew member’s sister said: “I feel like I’m waiting for a corpse.”

Brazil, Chile, Colombia, France, Germany, Peru, South Africa, Uruguay and the UK are among the countries that have sent either ships or planes to help with the search.

The US navy has deployed two underwater vehicles which use sonar to create images of the sea floor.

A Nasa research aircraft has also flown over the search area but failed to spot anything.

The ARA San Juan was returning from a routine mission to Ushuaia, near the southern-most tip of South America, when it reported an “electrical breakdown”.

The International Migration Organization says it has also gathered evidence of slavery in Libya GETTY

IMAGES

Rwanda Offers Refuge to Enslaved Libya Migrants Rwanda has offered to give refuge to around 30,000 African migrants stuck in Libya often in enslaved conditions, according to BBC. It comes in the wake of a video, released by CNN last week, showing men being auctioned off as farm workers.

Given our own history... we cannot remain silent when human beings are being mistreated and auctioned off like cattle,” the foreign ministry said.

Hundreds of thousands of Africans travel through Libya every year as they try to make their way to Europe.

They are often held by smug-

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CONFIRMATION OF NAME:

I AYOADE BUKKY AGUNLOYE is the same person as BASHIRU BUKKY KHADIJAT and AYOADE BUKKY BASHIR. Henceforth I wish to be known and addressed as MRS AYOADE BUKKY AGUNLOYE. All former documents remain the same. The general public take note.

glers and forced to work for little or no money.

During Rwanda’s 1994 genocide, some 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutu were massacred in 100 days while most countries did little to help.

“Rwanda, like the rest of the world, was horrified by the images of the tragedy currently unfolding in Libya,

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly known and addressed as MUKAILA VIVIAN CHIKA, now wish to be known and address as MUKAILA VIVIAN CHIKA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as BADMUS SUKANMI OLA, now wish to be known and address as BADMUS RIDWAN OLASUKANMI. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as OLUBUNMI OKUYEMISI DADA, now wish to be known and address as MRS MARY OLUBUNMI OGUNDELE. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as ENOBONG AKPABLO, now wish to be known and address as ENOBONG TEKLA OJILA. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as SUNDAY EMMANUEL, now wish to be known and address as KURA SUNDAY. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

where African men, women and children who were on the road to exile, have been held and turned into slaves,” the foreign ministry statement said.

Foreign Minister Louise Mushikiwabo said Rwanda was a small country but it would find space.

She told the pro-government New Times newspaper

that Rwanda was in talks with African Union (AU) Commission to determine how to intervene and resettle them.

“What I expect and know is that Rwandans will welcome these people. As Rwandans we are sensitive to people who are helpless and have no way of protecting themselves.

CHANGE OF NAME

ICHANGE formerly knownOF and NAME addressed as MISS AYO RISIKAT KEMI,Now wish to be known addressed as MRS KORODELE RISIKAT KEMI. All formal documents remain the ƐĂŵĞ͘ EŽƟĐĞ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ƉƵďůŝĐ ĂŶĚ public complaints commission.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS NWADIKWA THERESA OGOCHUKWU now wish to be addressed as MRS EKWEREMADU THERESA OGOCHUKWU N. All formal documents remain the ƐĂŵĞ͘ EŽƟĐĞ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ƉƵďůŝĐ ĂŶĚ public complaints commission.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS DURUOHA GOODNESS CHIDINMA, now wish to be known and addressed as ^ Dh >ͳ :KE , GOODNESS CHIDINMA. All former documents remains valid. The general public should take note.

LOSS OF DOCUMENTS

dŚĞ ŐĞŶĞƌĂů ƉƵďůŝĐ ŝƐ ŚĞƌĞďLJ ŶŽƟĨLJ of the loss of bag containing original land document located at PLOT NO 95 NYANYA PHASE II EXTENSION LAYOUT, bearing MOSES JOHN. Belongs to ^ĂůĂŵŝ ZŝƐŝŬĂƚ dŝƟůĂLJŽ ͘ ůů ĞīŽƌƚ ŵĂĚĞ to trace the said documents prove ĂďŽƌƟǀĞ͘ /Ĩ ĮŶĚ ƉůĞĂƐĞ ŬŝŶĚůLJ ĐŽŶƚĂĐƚ ƚŚĞ ŶĞĂƌĞƐƚ ƉŽůŝĐĞ ƐƚĂƟŽŶ͘

I, formerly known and addressed as EJUAYE IGBENE, now wish to be known and address as EJUAYE ADEPEJU. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as HELEN ANIETE OKON, now wish to be known and address as HELEN MONDAY JOHN. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as AYOMID DAVID, now wish to be known and address as JOHN OLATUNDE DADA. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as AKANJI ALIMAH KIKELOMO ,now wish to be known and address as AHMED ALIMA KIKELOMO. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as OMONBHUDE STANLEY, now wish to be known and address as OMOBHUDE STANLEY OSAREMEN. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as UWABOR NDIDI, now wish to be known and address as EMEGHA NDIDI. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

48

T H I S D AY FRIDAY NOVEMBER 24, 2017

T H I S D AY FRIDAY NOVEMBER 24 2017

49

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2017Ëž T H I S D AY

50

NEWS

Ă?ĂĄĂ? ĂŽĂ“ĂžĂ™Ăœ Davidson Iriekpen Ă—Ă‹Ă“Ă– davidson.iriekpen@thisdaylive.com, 08111813081

Mugabe to Attend Mnangagwa’s Inauguration Today Emmanuel Otaru , åÓÞÒ Ă‹Ă‘Ă?Ă˜Ă?ĂŁ ĂœĂ?ĂšĂ™ĂœĂž

Former Zimbabwe President, Robert Mugabe is billed to attend the inauguration of his successor, Emmerson Mnangagwa, today in Harare.

Mnangagwa, will be sworn in as interim President, a day after Mugabe and his wife were granted immunity, allowing the couple to remain in the country.

Mugabe resigned on Tuesday, in a historic moment that brought his 37 years of oppressive rule to an end.

Mnangagwa, returned to the country on Wednesday to take the reins, promising to lead the nation into a “new and unfolding democracy.�

He spoke in front of throngs of supporters, but made no mention of Mugabe’s future.

The former leader has been accused of waging a campaign of fear to remain

in power for nearly four decades, and human rights activists have long called for him to be brought to justice.

He was accused of ordering a string of massacres in the early- to mid-1980s in opposition strongholds to consolidate his power. Up to 20,000 people were killed, academics say.

He has also been accused of corruption to finance his lavish lifestyle, as his government drove the once-prosperous nation into economic ruin and poverty.

Mugabe had spent a week negotiating his departure with the military since the country’s army seized control in the capital, Harare, and placed the leader under house arrest.

In a long, drawn-out process, frustrated military officials gave in to the demands for immunity and allowed the President

to keep several of his properties, sources told CNN on Monday, before Mugabe stepped down.

In Mnangagwa’s remarks on Wednesday, he made clear that he played a role in the military’s operation to remove Mugabe from power. He said he had been in “constant contact� with military chiefs throughout the operation.

He is scheduled to address Zimbabweans after his swearing in.

The military was instrumental to Mugabe’s demise, staging the apparent coup, then leading talks with Mugabe to allow him a dignified resignation.

The main opposition MDC-T party has raised concerns over what role the military might play ahead of next year’s election, with Mnangagwa at the helm of the security forces. “The generality of Zimbabwe, who have experienced brutalization,

intimidation and violence, would be very skeptical if the role of the military is not properly defined,� he told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour on Thursday.

Tsvangirai also called for next year’s elections to be free and fair. He has contested the presidency three times against Mugabe and in 2013 alleged widespread fraud after his defeat.

It is widely alleged that Mugabe kept his iron grip on power by rigging the vote.

Mnangagwa’s return has raised a sense of nervousness in Zimbabwe -- he is alleged to have been behind some of Mugabe’s most ruthless policies and to many he represents the oppressive status quo.

Known as “The Crocodile� for his political cunning and longevity, Mnangagwa has been accused of orchestrating massacres in the 1980s, an allegation he denies.

In his interview with

CNN, Tsvangirai looked forward to next year’s elections and took the opportunity to reference Mnangagwa’s dark past. He warned that the incoming President would struggle to abandon Mugabe’s legacy. “Knowing Emmerson Mnangagwa, his character, he will have to work very hard to change his character so that he can define the future of the country and define his future as a democrat, as a reformer.

That I doubt. But at the same time, he knows that he can cannot continue on the same path Mugabe has traveled and still expect the population to respect him,� he said.

It was sad that Mugabe stayed in office as long as he did, US Ambassador to Zimbabwe Harry K. Thomas Jr. told CNN’s David McKenzie.

Thomas said Mugabe was leader for “far too long� and had stopped engaging in

democratic principles. “We were pleased to see the outpouring in the streets; people are talking now, all over, you can hear their opinion -- whether it is golf caddies or women in markets, they are happy.

They were, as people told me, suppressed, not stupid,�

Thomas said.

The United States’ response to Mnangagwa will depend how he behaves in office, Thomas said.

Mnangagwa is under US sanctions. “This is a new day, this is an opportunity for him and his Cabinet to live up to the wonderful 2013 Zimbabwean constitution. And that is what we will tell them. It is your constitution, it is democratic, it is something you endorsed when you were minister of justice and later as vice president. This is for your people. So live up to it and the United States will find a way to partner,�

Thomas said.

Senate Rejects INEC REC Nominee for Zamfara, ConďŹ rms Lagos, Kebbi Damilola Oyedele Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË

recommendations of its committee on INEC. The Senate yesterday rejected The Chairman of the the nominee of Zamfara State committee, Senator Suleiman for the Independent National Nazif, did not give any Electoral Commission reasons for the rejection of (INEC) Resident Electoral the nominee from Zamfara.

Commissioner (REC), Dr. Senator Tijjani Kaura Ahmad Bello Mahmud.

(Zamfara APC) however It however confirmed the said the nominee is not nominees from Lagos and from Zamfara State, but Kebbi States; Rufus Akeju from Sokoto State. and Mr. Mahmud Isah.

Kaura said it would be The confirmations and unfair to give the slot of rejection were based the state to someone from on the adoption of the another state.

Pope Francis: I Pray for the Peace of Nigeria James Emejo Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË Pope Francis has said he has been praying for the peace and stability of Nigeria.

The Pope reportedly made the comment when he met with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon  Yakubu Dogara, in Saint Peters Square, Vatican City.

The Speaker had led Nigerian delegation to the Holy See for a morning mass where nationals and leaders from different countries of the world gathered to join His Holiness for the mass and receive blessings from the Pontiff. According to a statement by the speaker’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dogara who described the meeting with Pope Francis as “awesome�, said he was surprised  and  delighted to know that the pontiff is well informed about the happenings in the country.

The moment I was introduced to him as the

Speaker of the Nigerian Parliament, he said “how is Nigeria and how  are you working for the peace of Nigeria?� “Pray for me also.�

Pope Francis then told the Speaker that he always prays for the peace of Nigeria, saying, “ I pray for the peace of Nigeria and pray for me also�.

The Speaker was accompanied by the Nigerian Ambassador to the Holy See, General Goerge Godwin Umo (rtd) who disclosed that the Pope has been holding mass in honour of the 26 Nigerian girls that died in the Mediterranean sea while trying to enter Italy few weeks ago.

Dogara is in Italy on the invitation of the President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, Ms Laura Boldrini,  for an international conference on “Human Trafficking and women empowerment: The Partnership between Nigeria and Italy.�

STRONG PRESENCE IN CONGO

L-R: Representative of President Muhammadu Buhari and Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; President/ CEO, Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote; President of the Republic of Congo, Denis Sassou Nguesso, at the inauguration of 1.5MMTPA Dangote Cement Plant in Congo....yesterday

FG IdentiďŹ es 500 Tax Dodgers with Homes Abroad The federal government has compiled the list of 500 Nigerians, some of them prominent citizens who have homes abroad and who have been tax dodgers.

Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, informed the National Economic Council (NEC) yesterday that the list of about 500 Nigerians, who also have trusts abroad had been obtained to determine their tax compliance status at home.

She explained that such Nigerians can take advantage of the Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS), to settle past taxation

defaults.

Letters would soon be going out to these Nigerians, including a number of prominent ones, asking them to take advantage of the tax amnesty in order to avoid prosecution and fines by simply paying up their tax defaults.

The amnesty is available till March next year.

At the council meeting which was chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, an ad hoc committee, a creation of the council, reported that a number of revenue-generating agencies may have significantly under-remitted returns to the

Federation Account, from 2010 to 2015.

The council had previously ordered the forensic audit to review remittances of the agencies covering 2010 to May 2015. While council received an updated interim report yesterday, a final report is awaited next month.

The council was also informed of questionable loans granted by some of the revenue generating agencies.

Out of the 18 agencies in which forensic audit was conducted, the committee completed work on 13

agencies, two are ongoing and 3 are not revenue generating.

The 13 agencies where the audit had been completed include: NIMASA, NNPC, NPA, FIRS, NPDC, DPR, among others.

The two outstanding agencies, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), are the Customs service and NCC. The NEC has directed the committee to conclude its report under four weeks and fully report back to council in the next meeting.

51

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2017˾ T H I S D AY

NEWSXTRA

Buhari Appoints 30-Member National Minimum Wage C’ttee Ama Pepple, Ngige to spearhead panel

Senator Iroegbu ÓØ ÌßÔË President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of a 30-member tripartite National Minimum Wage Committee to negotiate a new national minimum wage for the country.

The Deputy Director, of Press in the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mr. Samuel Olowookere, disclosed this yesterday, adding that the former Head of Service of the Federation, Ms. Ama Pepple, had been appointed chairman of the committee and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, deputising.

Olowookere, in a statement, said by its tripartite nature, the committee is made up of persons from the public sector (federal and state governments), the private sector made up of

the largest private employer groups, and the labour unions.

The private sector groups include the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA), Manufacturers’ Association of Nigeria (MAN), Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce Industry Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), and Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME).

Olowookere said members of the committee representing each of the groups include Chief Richard Egbule, Chairman, National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission as secretary of the committee; Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, Minister of Budget and National Planning; Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, Minister of Finance; Mrs. Winifred E. OyoIta, Head of Civil Service of the Federation, and Dr. Roy Ugo,

Permanent Secretary, General Services Office, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

From the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) are Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State (South-west); Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State (South-east); Governor Hassan Dankwambo of Gombe State (North-east); Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State (South-south); Governor Simon

Lalong of Plateau State (Northcentral); Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State (North-west) and A. B. Okauru, Director-General NGF as an observer.

On the trade union side are: Mr. Ayuba Wabba, President, Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC); Mr. Peters Adeyemi, NLC; Mr. Kiri Mohammed, NLC; Mr. Amechi Asugwuni, NLC; Mr. Peter Ozo-Eson, NLC; Mr. Bobboi Bala Kaigama,

President, Trade Union Congress (TUC); Mr. Sunday Olusoji Salako, TUC; Mr. Alade Bashir Lawa, TUC; and Mr. Igwe Achese, President, Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).

Also, on the employers’ side are: Mr. Olusegun Oshinowo, Director General, NECA; Mr. Timothy Olawale, NECA; Mr. Chuma Nwankwo, NECA; Mrs. Olubunmi Adekoje, Director General, Federation

of Construction Industry (FOCI); Alhaji Ahmed Ladan Gobir, Chairman, Kaduna East branch, MAN; Chief Francis Oluwagbenro, MAN; Hajia Muheeba Dankaka, President, Kano branch, NACCIMA; and Mr. Degun Agboade, President, NASME. The ministry spokesman said the committee would be inaugurated on November 27 at the council chambers of the State House, Abuja.

Benin Monarch Visits Buhari, Demands Infrastructure Devt Omololu Ogunmade ÓØ ÌßÔË Perhaps for the first time in the history of Benin Kingdom, the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, yesterday visited the State House in Abuja, demanding the provision of infrastructure in Edo State.

The monarch who held a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, also challenged the president to address brazen security challenges including human trafficking.

He also tasked him to assist the government of Edo State in establishing small scale industries in rural areas to curb rural-urban drift.

The monarch specifically tasked the president to complete the dualisation of Benin-Auchi road.

The monarch also implored the president to ensure that traditional rulers are assigned roles in the constitution in view of the laudable roles they play in their respective domains.

“Mr. President, what you are yet to do for us include the areas of more infrastructural development, security, human trafficking and to complete the Benin-Auchi road dualisation.

“Human trafficking incidents are not reducing. What NGOs are doing is merely palliative and at best, scratching the surface. Some NGOs may even be in business for themselves.

“The federal government needs to assist Edo State to develop low and medium scale cluster industries or establish factories in each local government area to reduce unemployment and prompt urban to rural migration in order to decongest the centre for a very holistic development in Edo State.

“We commend Your Excellency in the manner you have been handling security issues in the country. In Edo State, security issues seem to be multidimensional in

addition to the prevailing criminal activities of cultist killings, kidnappings, among others.

“The activities of the so-called community development associations are crippling the economy of our state even more. The Benin traditional authority has been relentlessly tackling the menace of community development associations that earned for themselves the disreputable name of community destructive associations.”

“These networks of groups attack are systematically destroying the normative and value system of our society and heritage. Their evil practices scare investors away.

“Our governor and the people of Edo State need more support from the federal government to effectively and decisively tackle the security challenges in our state. May I use this opportunity to appeal to your Excellency to kindly assist our state governor in dealing with the security challenges in the state.

A statement issued later by the president’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, said Buhari expressed delight on the stabilising roles that the monarch has been playing in the affairs of the country.

According to the statement, the president said Nigerians have reasons to be proud of the stabilising roles Benin chiefs have played from the colonial era to the current period, not only in the Delta region in the entire country.

It said Buhari singled out the role played by the immediate past Oba of Benin, Oba Erediauwa I, whom he described as his “back bone of support” when he was Federal Commissioner for Petroleum Resources while the late oba was a federal permanent secretary.

MAKING IMPACT

L-R: Guest Speaker, Prof. Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe; Chairman of the occasion, Chief Folake Solanke (SAN); Discussant, Dr. Adamu Jatau Noma; Discussant, Mrs. Adora Emily Ojo; and Partner, Aelex Legal, Mr. Theophilus Emuwa, at Aelex 12th annual lecture in Lagos... yesterday

States Boycott FAAC Meeting, Query Revenue Figures The 36 states in Nigeria yesterday boycotted the monthly Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting due to discrepancies in figures presented by the federal government.

The Chairman, Forum of Finance Commissioners in Nigeria, Mr. Mahmoud Yunusa, said the forum came to the decision after consultation with their state governors.

According to him, the governors have given the commissioners directive to postpone the meeting pending

the reconciliation of all accounts.

“The meeting has been postponed until we reconcile the figures in the accounts.

“I sincerely apologise for keeping everyone, but this is the position of our principals through the Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum, even though the matter was discussed at length during NEC when all the governors were present.

“So we should all take our leave and wait for the next date which will be announced later,” he said.

Yunusa said the finance

commissioners as well as the state Accountants-General would meet next week to decide when to reconvene the meeting.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) later approached the Chairman, who is also the Adamawa State Commissioner for Finance.

He refused to expatiate on the nature of the discrepancies.

However, another commissioner, on condition of anonymity said the discrepancies came from the figures presented by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

The latest development is

coming four months after the NNPC completed the refund of N450 billion to the federation account, to be shared to federal, states and local councils.

The NNPC had for 67 consecutive months, paid an additional N6.33 billion into the federation account to be shared to federal, states and local governments.

The payment, which started in September 2011, was due to an audit, which showed that the NNPC had been under remitting revenue into the Federation Account.

House to Probe 9mobile’s Indebtedness to Banks James Emejo ÓØ ÌßÔË The House of Representatives yesterday passed a resolution urging an investigation into Etisalat Nigeria, now 9mobile’s indebtedness to 13 Nigerian banks.

The resolution was sequel to a motion by Hon. Saheed Akinade -Fijabi (APC, Oyo).

The lawmakers expressed concern over the circumstances that led to the problems of the telecommunications firm, which commenced business in Nigeria in 2009 and the eventual exit of its Abu Dhabi-based investors due its inability to repay a $1.2 billion syndicated loan from the banks.

According to Akinade- Fijabi, “Etisalat Nigeria obtained a loan

of $1.2 billion (N377.4 billion) in 2013 from 13 Nigerian banks which involved a foreign- backed guaranteed bond to finance a major network rehabilitation, upgrade and expansion of its operational base in Nigeria.

“Etisalat Nigeria has so far paid about half of the initial loan amounting to about N504 billion with a total outstanding sum of about $574 million but had reneged on its debt servicing obligations after the intervention of the Nigerian Communications Commission and the Central Bank of Nigeria to restructure the loan and new repayment deadline.”

He said: “The failure of Etisalat to meet its debt service obligations with the banks since 2016 resulted in

its foreign major stakeholders pulling out.”

He rebuked the banks for their action, describing it and the renaming of the company as 9Mobile as a violation of Section 38 (1) of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003, which forbids sub-licensing or transfer of licence to another party.

House Deputy Speaker, Hon. Yussuff Lasun, who presided over plenary therefore, mandated the House Committee on Telecommunications to conduct the investigation and report back in eight weeks for further legislative action.

The House similarly resolved to set up an ad-hoc committee to investigate what it described as low concessionary tariffs

granted by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment in 2013 to some companies for importation of sugar.

Considering a motion by Hon. Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma (PDP, Edo), members said it was inappropriate for the government to review the tariffs downwards against the five per cent duty and 70 per cent levy contained in the National Sugar Policy.

Agbonayinma said the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) “had revealed that some companies had flouted the terms and conditions for obtaining a three -year low tariff running into hundreds of billions of Naira for sugar importation into the country.”

52

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2017˾ T H I S D AY

NEWSXTRA

INEC Fixes January 13 for Anambra Central Senatorial Re-run Election PDP contests exclusion at Supreme Court

Chinedu Eze ÓØ ËÑÙÝ ËØÎ Alex Enumah ÓØ ÌßÔË Following the Court of Appeal judgment which last Monday ordered it to conduct a rerun election into the vacant seat of the Anambra Central senatorial district within 90 days, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday fixed the poll for January 13, 2018.

The commission said it considered many factors before arriving on the date for the election, including the fact that it would soon be Christmas.

It added that fixing the election before the Yuletide might not be suitable considering the hustle and bustle that go with the period, especially in the South-east.

It also said it considered the

legal implications of the case at the Court of Appeal.

In a statement signed by Mohammed Kudu Haruna, the National Commissioner and Member, Information and Voter Education Committee and made available to THISDAY yesterday, the commission said: “INEC met today for its 41st ordinary meeting of 2017 and considered, among other things, the case of the outstanding election to fill the seat for the Anambra Central senatorial district. It would be recalled that the 2015 election to fill the seat was nullified by the Election Tribunal. Since then, there have been several court cases on the matter.

“On Monday, November 20, 2017, the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja delivered a judgment in which it ordered INEC to conduct the rerun election

VAT Rises by 1.73% to N250.6bn in Third Quarter The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has said revenue generated from Value Added Tax (VAT) increased by 1.73 per cent in the third quarter of 2017.

The NBS announced the figure in a sectoral distribution of value added tax report for third quarter, 2017 posted on the bureau’s website posted in Abuja.

It said the figure increased from N246.30 billion in the second quarter to N250.56 billion in third quarter.

It also stated that the figure generated in the quarter was higher than N196.70 billion recorded during the same period in 2016, representing 1.73 per cent increase quarter-on-quarter and 27.39 per cent increase year-on-year.

The bureau, according to the

News agency of Nigeria (NAN), noted that the manufacturing sector generated the highest amount of VAT with N28.98 billion, closely followed by professional services and oil producing,N22.73 billion and N12.09 billion.

It said the mining sector generated the least with N33.70 million, closely followed by local government councils and pharmaceutical, soaps and toiletries, N193.78 million.

NBS said of the total amounted generated in the quarter, N125.13 billion was generated as non-import VAT locally while N72.10 billion was generated as non-import VAT for foreign.

It, however, stated that the balance of N53.33 billion was generated as Nigeria Customs Service Import VAT.

within 90 days of the judgment.

Following the determination of this case, INEC has decided that all encumbrances to conduct the rerun election have now been removed. Consequently, there is presently no court order restraining INEC from conducting the election.”

The commission said it has also considered all the circumstances surrounding the election particularly the 90-day timeframe ordered by the Court of Appeal, the demands for preparing adequately for the election, as well as the coming yuletide and decided that the rerun election shall take place on the aforementioned date.

However, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has approached the Supreme Court, challenging its exclusion and that of its candidate from the yet-to-be rescheduled Anambra Central senatorial election.

While delivering judgment last Monday in a suit brought by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and its candidate, Chief Victor Umeh, challenging the February 29, 2017, judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja, wherein the trial judge,

Justice Anwuli Chikere, Justice Akomolafe Wilson, leading a three-man panel of the Appeal Court had ordered INEC to conduct a rerun election within 90 days.

Justice Anwuli Chikere of the Federal High Court in Abuja had ordered the inclusion of PDP and its candidate, Senator Uche Ekwenife in the scheduled Anambra Central senatorial re-run poll.

But Appeal Court in setting aside the judgment of Justice Anwuli Chikere of the Federal High Court, Abuja excluded the PDP and any of its candidates from participating in the rerun election.

Not satisfied with the decision of the Appeal Court, the PDP has therefore approached the apex court to upturn the decision.

The party in the suit filed at the Supreme Court is therefore asking for an order allowing the appeal and setting aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja excluding the appellant from fielding any of its candidates to participate in the fresh election ordered by the Election Petition Appeal Tribunal

in CA/E/EPT/28/2015 and by the court below for the seat of Anambra Central senatorial district within 90 days from 17/11/2017.

The party is further asking the apex court for an order directing the 3rd respondent (INEC) to accept and put on the ballot paper, any candidate sponsored by the appellant to contest the fresh senatorial election for Anambra Central senatorial district.

The PDP premised the appeal on the grounds that the justices of the Court of Appeal erred in law by holding that the 3rd respondent (INEC) was right to exclude the appellant and any of its candidate from participating in the fresh election ordered by the Court of Appeal Enugu Division sitting as Election Appeal Tribunal in CA/E/EPT/28/2015, between Chief Victor Umeh and another vs PDP and others which disqualified only the appellant’s candidate, Uche Ekwunife and thereby breached the fundamental right to freedom from discrimination guaranteed the appellant by section 42 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

The appellant also argued that being a corporate entity and a political party operating in Nigeria, the Appeal Court’s order excluding it and any of its candidates from contesting the said election is discriminatory and breaches its right of freedom from discrimination.

The appellant stated further that the Appeal Court erred in law in assuming jurisdiction to interpret its own judgment by sitting on appeal in its own judgment which is a final decision in CA/E/ EPT/28/2015 between Chief Victor Umeh and another vs PDP and others which did not nullify the election to Anambra Central senatorial district seat won by the appellant but merely ordered fresh election after holding that the decision of the tribunal was perverse.

Also, the party argued that the court misdirected itself in law when it held that the case of Labour Party vs INEC was applicable in the appeal at the lower court when the facts and circumstances of the case are ‘not on all fours with the facts of the Appeal at the court below.

FG to Reintroduce Toll Gates FERMA got only N800m from 2017 budget Damilola Oyedele ÓØ ÌßÔË The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has said the federal government will reintroduce toll gates on federal highways for toll collection which would however be fixed at floor and ceiling prices.

Fashola said the toll gates would only be re-introduced after the roads have been standardised.

The toll fees would be deployed towards maintenance of the highways, he said.

Speaking yesterday when he appeared before the Senate Commitee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) chaired by Senator Magnus Abe, Fashola said the design for the tolls had been finalised.

Existing laws allow the government to toll, he said and added that the completion of the road constructions are being awaited.

“It is not right to toll faulty roads,” he said.

The minister also disclosed

that only N800 million has so far been released out of the N25 billion 2017 budget appropriation to FERMA. Fashola said the low release was because the agency had no management team and added that he has received the assurances of the Ministry of Finance that the appropriation would be released soon.

The management team was appointed by the President in October 2017.

The minister also disclosed that the ministry is in talks with contractors for palliative measures to ensure the roads are motorable for the approaching festive season.

Speaking earlier, Abe said the committee remains worried at the state of the highways which would experience increased traffic during the festive season.

There will be logjam because of the state of some of the highways and of course risk of accidents, Abe added.

He expressed commitment of committee to ensure FERMA lives up to its mandate.

WORKING FOR A BETTER MARITIME SECTOR

Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Mr. Hassan Bello (right), welcoming the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Col. Hammed Ali (rtd), to a stakeholders’s meeting of key maritime industry players at the headquarters of the Council in Lagos....yesterday

Cross River, China Harbour Sign Construction Agreement for Work at Bakassi Deep Seaport The Cross River State government yesterday signed a construction agreement for preliminary works at the Bakassi deep seaport with China Harbour Company.

The Bakassi Deep Seaport project which is one of the signature projects of governor Ayade is expected to serve the North-eastern part of the country as well as Chad Republic and Niger.

China Harbour is a state owned company in China with strong expertise in construction

and drainage.

Speaking at the contract signing ceremony at the executive council chamber of the Governor’s Office in Calabar, Governor Ben Ayade who disclosed the motivation for the deep seaport, decried the unfair treatment which the state has suffered in the hands of the Federal authorities in the wake of the loss of Bakassi to the Cameroon.

His words: “The state had been treated unfairly in the Nigerian project through several

ways of marginalisation and unjust treatments.”

Ayade who also regretted the ceding of Bakassi Peninsula, loss of 76 oil wells as well as the delisting of Cross River from the 13 per cent derivation, said “the situation has reduced the state to lack and want in body and soul and a weeping child of the nation.”

According to him, his administration had been in desperate need of creating an alternative source of income for the state in spite of the set back,

adding that “the Bakassi Deep Seaport is strategic for security and economic reasons.”

To this end, he said “the “Bakassi Deep Seaport will create a new narrative in merchandise and International trade in efficient ort management system.”

The governor expressed optimism that when the Bakassi deep seaport, the superhighway and the power generation projects are completed, Cross River will be one of the investment hubs of Africa.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2017˾ T H I S D AY

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APC Lawmaker Brutalised over Distribution of Relief Materials Daji Sani iØ ÙÖË Drama unfolded at the Yola airport, Adamawa State, yesterday when two lawmakers of All Progressives Congress (APC) exchanged verbal barbs over distribution of relief materials which led to one of them being stripped naked.

The fracas unfolded when the member representing Michika/Madagali federal constituency, Hon. Adamu Kamale, wanted to board a helicopter alongside Senator Abdulaziz Nyako who is the Chairman Committee on IDPs /NEMA in the Senate, and Air Commodore Ohemu who was assigned by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to supervise the delivery of the relief Materials to internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Madagali but was stopped by the senator from boarding

the helicopter.

Kamale, while narrating his ordeal, to journalists in Yola yesterday, said it is unthinkable that relief materials would be shared in his constituency (Madagali) and he will not be represented but only to be assaulted when he made an effort to witness the distribution.

According to him, Following the incessant bomb blasts at Madagali Local Government Area, part of his constituency, he, the governor of Adamawa State, Mohammed Jibrilla Bindow, alongside other well-meaning Nigerians solicited for relief materials from NEMA to be distributed to IDPs in Madagali and he thought it wise that he witnessed the distribution.

“As the member representing the area, I personally called on the Director General of NEMA earlier on November 20

to ensure the delivery of the relief materials.

Arrangements were also made and all the stakeholders, including Senator Abdulaziz Nyako to deliver the relief materials.

Air Commodore Ohemu was assigned by NEMA to supervise the delivery.

“A helicopter was arranged by the air force to convey some of the stakeholders to where the materials were to be distributed on November 21 by 9 a.m. I was billed to travel on board the helicopter with Senator Nyako, Air Commodore Ohemu and others.

“To my utmost dismay, while I was to board the helicopter, Senator Nyako ordered that I should not be permitted to use the

helicopter as he is the chairman of the delegation.

“All my efforts to draw the attention of the senator and the air force’s senior officer failed, and in the process the air force officer ordered his men on ground to assault my person and ordered them to put me in the guardroom.

“They tore up my dress and beat me and I sustained injuries from my forceful withdrawal from the helicopter.” he narrated.

He further explained that he has the mandate of the people of Madagali and Michika and has the constitutional rights and privileges to represent them anywhere in the constituency.

According to him, “The people of Madagali have

suffered several attacks and have been traumatised for many years, as their representative, I have never seen Senator Nyako in Madagali commiserating with the people of the area over the several unfortunate incidences.

“I cannot explain this sudden monopoly of the senator on the federal government relief materials meant for the people of my constituency.”

He said as a matter of parliamentary rules, both the Senate and the House of Representatives holds each other in high esteem.

“It is clear therefore that the action of the senator contravenes the rules of the National Assembly, the involvement of senior air force officer is also unfortunate

as the helicopter was not a private aircraft of Nyako, and as such, Commodore Ohemu deserves to be sanctioned in line with the dictates of the military laws.”

All attempts to get the reaction of Senator Nyako at the time of filing this report proved abortive as it was revealed that there is a political romance between Kamale and the incumbent governor of the state who has been at logger heads with former Governor Murtala Nyako, the father of the senator which was the reason behind the disagreement.

According to the loyalists of the senator, since Kamale was aligning with the governor, he had no business getting engaged in the senator’s activities, whether personal or otherwise.

ICAO Calls for Long-term Investment in Airport Infrastructure in Africa Chinedu Eze The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has called for planned, strategic, consistent and long term funding of airport infrastructure in Africa in order to build capacity that would be able to process the increase in air travellers on the continent, projected to double from 120 million passengers in 2015 to 300 million by 2035.

This was contained in the communiqué issued yesterday at the end of ICAO World Aviation Forum (IWAF) from November 20 to 22 in Abuja to address the challenges of financing and creating an enabling environment at all levels for the development of aviation infrastructure in the spirit of global partnership and in support of the ICAO No Country Left Behind (NCLB) initiative.

Citing overall objective of the world body which is to ensure safe and secure air travel in the world, ICAO said in the communiqué that “we recognise the need to make substantial investments over the long term in the development and modernisation of quality aviation infrastructure (including capacity, technology and essential service needs) commensurate with the level of predicted traffic growth, and based on ICAO’s global plans.

“Quality aviation infrastructure should enable more efficient access and mobility; improve safety, reliability and resilience; respond to the diversified needs of providers, users

and consumers; enhance environmental performance; and ultimately support the on-going transformation to a more sustainable aviation sector.”

ICAO however said mobilising long-term financial resources has become more difficult and represents a great challenge for many states, especially given the strain on public finances and cost factors attributed to borrowing that exists in many developing countries.

“We reiterate that the first and most obvious pre-condition to developing and modernising aviation infrastructure is to improve the effective implementation of ICAO’s global aviation standards and policies, plans and programmes by states.

To fulfill this pre-condition, ICAO continues to play a key role in fostering effective partnerships between donors, investors and needful States; facilitating the mobilisation of resources; and under its NCLB (No Country Left Behind) initiative, identifying, coordinating and providing assistance to States in need,” the communiqué said.

ICAO said it recognises the need to address the financial challenges facing aviation infrastructure and capacity development which requires both ambition and credible means of planning and implementation and called for a “comprehensive, holistic and transformative approach with respect to the means of planning and implementation, which should be underpinned by coherent policies and good governance at all levels.”

WORTHY AMBASSADORS

L-R: National Secretary, University of Lagos Alumni Association Mr. Tunde Fadahunsi; 1st Vice President, Mr. Seni Adetu, outgoing Vice Chancellor, UNILAG, Prof. Rahaman Bello; President, Worldwide UNILAG Alumni Association, Dr. Sonny Kuku; and incoming Vice Chancellor, Prof. Toyin Ogundipe, during the Turning of the Sod Ceremony for the proposed redevelopment of Moremi Cab Shuttle Park in Unilag by the Alumni Association...yesterday

El-Rufai: No Amount of Propaganda, Blackmail will Derail Reforms in Education John Shiklam ÓØ ËÎßØË Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has said no amount of propaganda, blackmail and deliberate misrepresentation of facts will derail the reforms in the education sector.

Speaking at a consultative meeting with the state members of the National Assembly in Abuja, the governor appealed to the lawmakers to support the reforms to ensure quality education in public schools.

Spokesman to the governor, Samuel Aruwan, in a statement yesterday in Kaduna after the governor’s meeting with the lawmakers on Wednesday, quoted the governor as saying that the reform is not restricted to recruiting and retaining competent teachers but includes the construction and reconstructing of schools, class rooms as well as

updating the curriculum and providing facilities.

About 2,000 teachers said to have failed competency test are to be sacked.

This has pitched the governor against the teachers and labour unions, especially, the state chapter of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) and the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) who have vowed to resist the sack.

El-Rufai disclosed that 43,806 applications had been received from prospective teachers.

The state government plans to recruit 25,000 teachers to replace those to be sacked.

The governor said shortlisted applicants would be subjected to oral and practical examinations to be followed by interview and final verification to ascertain the authenticity of their qualifications.

According to him, those who scale through will undergo training on teaching before their

deployment to classrooms to teach.

However, the three senators from the state - Danjuma Laah (PDP), representing Southern Kaduna senatorial zone; Shehu Sani (APC), Kaduna Central and Suleiman Hunkuyi (APC), Kaduna North who kicked against the policy were not at the meeting.

The governor said: “The issue of ensuring quality and competent teachers in public schools is something crucial and doable, but it requires courage, sincerity and honesty as guiding principles.

“We are all products of quality public schools and can compete anywhere in the world; we are beneficiaries of quality education from public schools and we have achieved a lot from the sacrifices made by previous leaders.”

He added: “Having benefitted from quality public education,

we must be committed to reviving our public schools.

“The unqualified teachers that are being replaced will get all their rights and entitlements.

“This reform is a necessary hard work, and will not be derailed by propaganda, blackmail, and deliberate misrepresentation of facts.

“Reform is not restricted to recruiting and retaining competent teachers. We are constructing and reconstructing schools, class rooms, updating the curriculum, providing facilities and teaching aids and teachers’ welfare.

“We removed the career barrier for teachers in 2015.

Teachers in Kaduna State can rise to Grade Level 17 (Permanent Secretary grade) without having to stop being teachers.”

The governor thanked the lawmakers for their immense support irrespective of political parties.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2017˾ T H I S D AY

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NEWSXTRA

US: Commercial Dialogue with Nigeria will Deepen Investment Ndubuisi Francis ÓØ ÌßÔË The United States Representative of Commerce and International Trade Administration, Mr. Seward Jones, has declared that the ongoing Commercial

Investment Dialogue (CID) between Nigeria and his country will bolster investment and trade relations between both countries.

Seward spoke in Abuja during a meeting between

New Telegraph Award Holds Tomorrow The maiden edition of the New Telegraph Awards holds tomorrow at the Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos.

The award ceremony, which will start by 5p.m., according to the management of the newspaper, is to recognise a few Nigerians and some private sector players who have made outstanding contributions in their chosen fields of endeavour.

The management also said the choice of the awardees came after a rigorous and meticulous consideration by the board and management of the company.

According to Mrs. Funke Egbemode, the Managing Director/Editor in Chief of New Telegraph, the award is in line with the newspaper’s belief in recognising personalities and institutions that have shown excellence in the drive to make Nigeria a great nation.

“As the watchdog of the society, we believe the media should go beyond beaming searchlight on only the ills of the society. We also owe as a duty to recognise individuals and institutions that have not just weathered the storm and succeeded where others failed but also made visible contributions to the development of the country,” Egbemode said.

Already most of the awardees, including governors, politicians, sports personalities, actors, among others have confirmed

their attendance to the event.

Prominent Nigerians and corporate organisations to be recognised at the award night slated for November 25, 2017, at The Balmoral Hall, Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, are Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike (Man of The Year); Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal (Governor of The Year); Governor Abdullai Umar Ganduje (Outstanding Governor in Health and Education) and Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State (Outstanding Governor in Infrastructural Development).

The list also includes business mogul and President, Dangote Group, Dr. Aliko Dangote (Businessman of The Year); Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, United Bank for Africa (UBA), Kennedy Uzoka (Bank CEO of The Year), and Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr. Nsima Ekere (Corporate Leadership Award).

Also to be recognised at the event to be chaired by ex-Inspector General of Police, Dr. Solomon Arase, are a former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara; and television personality and Chairman, Channels Television, John Momoh (Media Icon of The Year, Broadcast), among others.

Wife of Former PDP National Chairman Mariam Ali Joins APC Onyebuchi Ezigbo ÓØ ÌßÔË Wife of a former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mrs. Mariam Nneamaka Ali, yesterday joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Mrs. Ali who was accompanied by the Delta State APC Chairman, Jones Ode Erue; Chief Frank Kokori; Chief Great Ogboru, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and other top APC stalwarts and supporters from Delta State, was received by the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mrs. Ali said she joined the ruling party in order to fulfill her desire to provide service to the people.

“A lot of persons may wonder why I am joining the APC. The answer is simple. I want to continue to render service to my people and Nigeria at large. I believe I will be doing myself a lot of disservice if I don’t fulfill this burning desire

in me.

“I know also a lot of people will wonder why I have chosen to opt for a political party different from my husband’s.

Again, the answer is not farfetched. My family is a unique family, it is a family devoid of religious and ethnic differences.

You are all aware that Dr. Ahmadu Ali is a Muslim and I am passionate Catholic. Also, Dr. Ahmadu Ali is from North Central and I am form the South-south,” she said.

She added that religion and ethnicity do not play a role in their family lives, adding that her becoming an APC member while her husband is. an active member of the PDP further displays the uniqueness of the family.

“We symbolise a people who want to serve a nation, a nation where oneness, love and peace reign supreme. Today marks the beginning of greater peace, love and oneness amongs all Nigerians. It is a new dawn, one nation, one destiny, one people. It is about an indivisible nation, Nigeria, she said.

the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), representatives of the US and some Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) under the CID platform.

He stated that deepening and strengthening investment trade relations between both countries could be achieved by leveraging the experience and underground prospectors of the business communities of both countries.

He said: “Perhaps it will help on impediments or obstacles that may stand in the way of the business community in taking advantage of this opportunity.

“Once we have identified those opportunities, we will work together with private sector and government to explore ways to overcome the obstacles so that we may take advantage of the opportunities.’’

Seward explained that both

countries had agreed to initially look at the three functional areas of infrastructure, agriculture and digital economy and two cross-cutting functional areas of investment and regulatory reforms.

He however called on representatives of the various related MDAs to explore on the needs of the key issues to ensure success of the partnership.

In her remarks, the Executive Secretary, NIPC, Ms Yewande Sadiku, called for the input of stakeholders in government to drive the Commercial Investment Dialogue partnership between Nigeria and the US. Sadiku, who was represented by the Director, Investor Relations Department of NIPC, Mr Bala Bello, said a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) had already being signed by

the Nigerian and the US governments. ``The CID is an important strategic product consummated between the Nigerian government and United States of America (USA). ``The whole idea of the CID is basically to promote sustained economic engagement between the two countries, to identify key issues like private sectors that improve bilateral investment. ``The MoU for the CID have been signed, the first inaugural meeting has taken place between the NIPC Executive Secretary and Mr Seward Jones, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Department of Commerce of the US. “The aim of this meeting basically is to solicit the input of stakeholders in government on how to move forward on the key identified issues,’’ she

said.

Sadiku said the essence of the CID was to bring private sectors from both ends together to continue to proffer solutions to issues that affect investments,”she said.

This, according to her, would ensure investors are able to do business in the country with more ease for the prosperity of both countries.

She said the programme was unique as a secretariat would be set that would monitor, evaluate and see progress made by both countries for the benefit of both countries.

She added that this was in line with the focus of the Nigerian government for the economy.

On the inclusion of the private sector, she explained that the main objective of the meeting was to bolster private sector participation.

REWARD FOR HARD WORK

Yobe State Governor, Ibrahim Gaidam (left), receiving a plaque of Honourary Membership of the Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria (SOGON) from SOGON’s President Prof. Brian-D Adinma in recognition of his administration’s effort in maternal and child care during SOGON’s 51st annual general meeting and scientific conference in Sokoto.....yesterday

Group Fingers Minister, Ex-gov in Plot to Destabilise NDDC The Initiative for Leadership And Economic Watch in Nigeria has said it has uncovered a clandestine plot by some politicians in the Niger Delta to further impoverish the people of the region for their own selfish interest.

“Disgruntled individuals and treasury looters are sponsoring smear campaign against the leadership of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), to destabilise the region, said the group in a statement signed by Ambassador Agbonkpolor F. Splendour, Executive Director.

It noted that these individuals served no other purpose than to achieve such inglorious aim.

“We wish to alert the NigerDelta people and the entire Nigerian public to an evil plot by enemies of the region working to rubbish the efforts of the Muhammadu Buhari government’s developmental agenda for the region.

“The design consists of a

vicious smear campaign against the chairman of the NDDC, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, the Managing Director, Mr. Nsima Ekere, in form of newspaper adverts/articles and sponsored television documentary dripping of lies and slander as well as intimidation and sponsored demonstrations.

“We are aware that some media organisations, mindful of the laughable and libelous contents, had responsibly rejected the said adverts/documentaries in spite of the huge money offered them in dollars.

“They believe that by sponsoring targeted attacks in the media to discredit the NDDC leadership and trigger chaos, they will realise their ambition of dipping their hands into the commission’s treasury.

The group accused a former governor of Bayelsa State and minister in current administration of conniving with some leaders in the region to work against the Buhari administration’s

development agenda in the region.

Contrary to reports that the present board of the NDDC got an illegal extension, the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), has denied any tenure elongation for the board members as alleged.

In the letter titled: ‘Re: Clarification on the tenure of the governing board of NDDC’, and sighted by journalists declared that the Ndoma- Egba headed board is not a continuation of the dissolved one headed by Bassey Henshaw.

The letter states: “Section 5(2) of the act refers to a situation where a vacancy occurs as a result of any of the provisions of section 5(1) of the act as opposed to when the entire board is dissolved . In this case, the previous board was dissolved and its tenure extinguished.

“Dissolution of the board cannot be categorised as a vacancy under the act.

Dissolution signifies total

extinguishment of the board, it simply ceases to exist and there cannot be any remainder of any term which a successor is expected to complete.

“There has to be a fresh composition of the board for a fresh term of four years. Therefore the letters of appointment stating that they were to complete the remainder of the tenure of the previous board is of no effect as the words n a letter cannot override the express provisions of an act”.

Furthermore, subject to the provisions of section 4 of the establishment act, a member of the board, other than an ex-officio member, shall hold office for a term of four years at the first instance and may be re-apointed for a further term of four years and no more.

The group advised the former governor and a serving minister of state in the present Buhari cabinet to work together with the NDDC to develop the region.

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2017

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Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

Nigeria Drops to 50th Spot in November FIFA Ranking Onazi faults grading method, says it’s ridiculous Duro Ikhazuagbe Nigeria’s good run in the last eight weeks of the World Cup 2018 qualifiers and the victory in the Grade-A friendly with Argentina a fortnight ago failed to count in the November rankings released yesterday by FIFA. Instead of upward movement, the Super Eagles who were forced to a one-all draw by Algeria in the last Group B Russia 2018 qualifying game in Constantine and winner of the friendly with the two-time World Cup holders and the world’s number four ranked Albiceleste, slumped nine places to be ranked 50th globally.

Super Eagles midfielder Ogenyi Onazi yesterday described the ranking system as ridiculous and confusing.

Speaking from his base in Turkey, the former Lazio player said though the team isn’t bothered about it’s current ranking, it has done more than enough to rank better than teams that failed to qualify for the FIFA World Cup like African champions Cameroon who are five places above the Eagles.

“Well, I don’t know how this FIFA ranking thing works but it doesn’t matter whatever position we are ranked. The current ranking is not a position of the way things are. it’s just not fair we dropped despite the performances we put up in the

qualifiers and even in the friendly match against Argentina,” Onazi told AOIFootball.com from his base in Turkey.

In Africa, Eagles are now ranked 8th after Senegal (23), Tunisia (27), Egypt (31), Congo DR (36), Morocco (40) , Burkina Faso (44) Cameroon (45).

Only Ghana (51st) and Cote d’ Ivoire (61st) are below Nigeria in the Top Ten of the African rankings.

The Lions of Teranga were the heaviest mover in Africa in the November rankings. This was due largely to the home and away defeat of the Bafana Bafana in the rescheduled World Cup qualifier. The 23rd spot is Senegal’s highest-ever position on the global ladder Of the 32 teams that qualified for the Mundial next year, Eagles are better ranked than World Cup hosts Russia (65th) as well as Saudi Arabia (63rd) and Panama (56th).

Nigeria is in Pot 4 of the World Cup draw slated for December 1 in Moscow. FIFA rankings for the month of October were exclusively used for the seedings.

Meanwhile, there was no movement in the top five of the global rankings as Germany, Brazil, Portugal, Argentina and Belgium maintained their positions from the October rankings. Spain’s La Roja leapfrogged France and Poland into the sixth place. Switzerland is 8th while Chile is tenth.

Super Eagles qualified for Russia 2018 with a game to spare yet are rated in the 50th place in the latest FIFA ranking released on Thursday afternoon

Rohr Submits World Cup Programme Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja Super Eagles Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr, has set Nigeria’s Russia 2018 plan rolling by submitting his World Cup programme to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

The Chairman of NFF Technical Committee, Alhaji Ahmed Yusuf Fresh confirmed yesterday that the FrancoGerman coach has submitted his programme to the federation.

The plan details where the coach would want the team

to camp leading to the World Cup and the number of friendly matches he will like to play.

Nigeria qualified for her sixth World Cup finals last month in a manner that left no one in doubt about the ability of the Eagles to excel on the global stage.

The Super Eagles were unbeaten in six matches and secured their ticket as the group winner with one game at hand from a tough pool made up of Cameroon, Algeria and Zambia.

Yusuf said the Technical Committee will consider in details Rohr’s proposal and make recommendations to the NFF board for ratification.

“I can confirm that Rohr has submitted his programmes. The Technical Committee will look at it and table our findings to the board. NFF will make the details of the programme public as soon as it is approved,” he said.

Rohr, who once handled the national teams of Burkina Faso, Niger and Gabon is currently

in Europe, keeping a tab on the form of the players he plans to use for the World Cup. In spite of its talented crop of players, Nigeria has never advanced beyond the second round at the quadrennial tournament, achieving that milestone in the 1994, 1998 and 2014 finals.

The Eagles, who are already classified in the seeding Pot 4 will know their group at the World Cup Draw coming up at the Kremlin Palace, Moscow on December 1.

There are fears now that the Enyimba Stadium project may still face further delay before being completed in spite of the N100million released early this week by the Abia State government to the contractor handling the project.

The delay would be as a result of hike in forex that has seen the Naira coming to an all time low.

A competent source in Umuahia disclosed that the contractor, Monimichelle had

before now only imported part of the materials needed for the project while waiting to get more funds from the Abia State government.

THISDAY learnt that as things stand now with the Naira and the euro exchange rate standing at over N400 to one, there would be a variation in the cost of the project to be realised.

“The exchange rate keeps going up everyday against the Naira. And with the delay in the

release of funds on the part of government, there is no magic the contractor can perform. All the materials needed to complete the project are being imported from Europe and that is a lot of challenge,” observed the decent source yesterday.

The Samson Siasia Stadium project in Yenagoa suffered a similar fate with the state government rising to the occasion to save the situation.

The Bayelsa State Governor,

Seriake Dickson recently doled out more funds to the tune of N350million to ensure the completion of the Yenagoa stadium likely to be commissioned before the end of the year.

The Samson Siasia Stadium when completed would boast of the best playing pitch in the country. Gov Dickson has been getting accolades for making the stadium project a priority.

Anthony Joshua Trains on World’s Highest Boxing Ring Forex Hike May Affect Completion of Enyimba Stadium

Ring is located 689ft above sea level atop Dubai’s Burj Al Arab

Joshua Nigerian-born British world heavyweight boxing champion, Anthony Joshua, has put his weight behind Dubai’s drive to become the most active city in the world, as he took part in a vigorous training session on the iconic helipad of the Burj Al Arab.

The stunt saw Joshua follow in the footsteps of other sporting greats, Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Roger Federer and Andre Agassi as he entered the world’s highest boxing ring.

Dubai is putting physical activity firmly on its national agenda following the launch of the Dubai Fitness Challenge earlier this month.

The Challenge saw almost 800,000 participants commit to 30 minutes of activity for 30

days and take part in a packed calendar of sporting events with over 1,500 free workout classes and 75 pop up fitness locations across the city.

Launched by the Crown Prince of Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the initiative was designed to encourage Dubai’s citizens and residents to embrace a more active lifestyle and take advantage of the huge range of sporting facilities across the city.

The Burj Al Arab (Tower of the Arabs) is a luxury hotel located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is the third tallest hotel in the world, standing at a height of 210 metres (689 ft.) above ground. The iconic edifice is to Dubai, what the Eiffel Tower is to Paris.

APC Flags off Soccer Competition for Youths Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has kick-started a football tournament with the aim of forging unity and patriotism among Nigerian youths.

About eight teams are currently participating in the week-long maiden edition of the APC soccer competition tagged “National Unity Cup Football Championship” in Abuja.

The teams taking part in the competition are from Jigawa, Taraba, Niger, Kogi, Benue, Nasarawa states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Speaking at the kick-off ceremony of the tournament, National Chairman of the party,

Chief John Odigie-Oyegun said the APC government was committed to using sports to create jobs and to solve youth restiveness.

Oyegun who was represented by the Deputy National Chairman, South, Segun Oni noted that; “Sports is a unifying factor that binds people together irrespective of their ethnic and religious inclination. As a party, we are committed to the development of sports and our government will continue to use it to create jobs, engage the youths and as well as for the purpose of national unity especially in this era of agitations.”

The party chairman expressed delight at the level of interest shown by the states in

participating in the competition.

He said that APC and its governors are committed to ensuring sports development as a veritable tool for curbing unemployment, secessionist threats and youth restiveness.

Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello and his Nasarawa State counterpart, Sani Al-Makura both pledged support for the competition, saying the APC governors are individually working towards the development of sports in their various states.

Bello said Nigeria can not afford to relegate sports, describing it as a potential revenue spinner for the country and an anti-dote to several health

challenges.

On his part, the National Youth Leader of the party, Hon. Ibrahim Dasuki Jalo whose office organised the tournament said the party hopes to use the avenue to spot budding talents with a view to assisting them grow in their football career.

“This is the first time a political party is organising a football competition. We decided to do this because we know that there is nothing that unites Nigerians more than sports. Another reason is to spot budding talents and help them make the needed progress in this direction”, he said.

Jalo said that the party hopes to replicate the tournament in the zones and in the states.

Friday, November 24, 2017

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MISSILE Amnesty Int’l to Lagos Govt “For the residents of these deprived communities, many of whom rely on their daily fish catch to make a living, the waterfront represents home, work and survival. Forced evictions mean they lose everything – their livelihoods, their possessions and in some cases, their lives.” – Amnesty International Nigeria’s Country Director, Osai Ojigho highlighting the inhuman treatment meted out to the people of Otodo Gbame, a riverine town who were forcibly ejected from their habitat by the Lagos State government.

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Tinubu Again!

T

hursday last week, former Lagos State governor and the self-proclaimed national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, claimed that former President Goodluck Jonathan won a gold medal in corruption. Tinubu made the remark at the Banquet Hall of the State House while delivering the keynote address at the launch of a book titled, ‘Making Steady Sustainable Progress for Nigeria’s Peace and Prosperity,’ a mid-term scorecard of this administration, authored by the trio of Femi Adesina, Garba Shehu and Laolu Akande, the media aides in the presidency. I wonder what had been listed in the book as President Muhammadu Buhari’s achievements.

According to Tinubu, corruption was so rampant during the last administration that the nation’s institutions were not only inflicted with the menace but corruption became an institution. He stated further that the former government turned the national treasury into a charity box while corruption grew fat and developed wings, citing how a former minister and those he described as “her rogues gallery” looted the national treasury with impunity.

I don’t know whether Tinubu was under the influence when he delivered his address. Because I have heard that once you step into the precincts of the State House, certain invisible forces interfere with your normality. But I presume he was not. Maybe he had been away for too long and was not fully abreast of developments back home. It is also quite possible someone wrote that speech for him and he didn’t go through it until he delivered it.

Or perhaps he was playing true to form - a fitting character portrait of the master of subterfuge, propaganda and alternative facts. Permit me to also presume he was merely playing to the gallery and didn’t mean what was attributed to him in media reports. Otherwise I can see fire on the horizon. I can see a day of reckoning. I pray that someday, his gold-medal statement does not prove to be an act of political self-immolation. It was surreal reading such blistering remarks from Tinubu. My first reaction was to say c’mon!

There is a saying in the land of my fathers that if you point one of your fingers at a person in an accusatory manner, the remaining four fingers point directly back at you. I think there is a spiritual and physical reason why this is so. Jesus Christ more forcefully demonstrated the hypocrisy of man when he challenged the Scribes and Pharisees with the following: “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” That simple but powerful statement saved a woman from certain death in the hands of some holier-than-thou custodians of societal values who had accused her of committing adultery.

First, the architect of change should have realised by now that the change he helped to berth in 2015 is nothing but a massive fraud. In just two and a half years of the APC in power, we have seen Nigeria in decay and decline on all fronts. Instead of being honest about the perilous fate of Nigeria under the APC-led government, Tinubu is in denial, finger-pointing to deflect attention and responsibility in the midst of the colossal damage done to the economy and sense of national unity by this government. Jonathan has become the stale and sour pear that carries the can for all others, and Buhari is the hero building a New Nigeria - an alternate universe and reality, where everything is working or seems to be working. Honestly, reading Tinubu’s diatribe almost made me throw a punch in the air.

Let me limit myself to corruption since it was the main focus of his reported diatribe as I address his follies with facts. Tinubu has probably never heard that Abdulrasheed Maina, former Chairman of the Presidential Pension Reform Task Team, was secretly brought back to the Civil Service, given double promotion and paid N22 million salary arrears. In case you have forgotten, Maina was declared wanted for alleged N2 billion fraud of pension funds during the Goodluck Jonathan presidency.

We have since learnt of more frightening details, that contrary to the president’s directive for the immediate termination of Maina’s reinstatement and ordering of a

Tinubu probe when the scandal broke, he was well in the know of the entire plot and was even warned by Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita, the Head of Service, of the implications of the reinstatement on the overall anti-corruption war that has turned out to be a vengeful, one-sided political war on both his real and perceived enemies.

And it came to light recently that the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami travelled to Dubai and held a secret meeting with fugitive Maina, without telling the EFCC which declared him wanted. How does that sound to Tinubu?

Tinubu was obviously totally unaware of Babachir Lawal, the grass-cutting former SGF, who embezzled money meant for the victims of Boko Haram’s atrocities languishing in internally displaced people’s camps. Tinubu was also not aware or pretended not to know of the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr Ibe Kachukwu’s damning letter to the president chronicling all the breaches and the lack of transparency in the state oil company, the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

The story was told in hush whispering tones for sometime until Kachikwu’s letter exploded Buhari’s much-hyped myth of integrity to smithereens. The allegation of ongoing humongous sleaze in all departments of government, especially at the NNPC, has been corroborated by Kachikwu’s letter. The minister listed major contracts awarded by the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Maikanti Baru, without the input of the NNPC board to include $10 billion crude term contracts; $5 billion direct sales direct purchase (DSDP) contracts; $3 billion AKK pipeline contract; financing allocation funding contracts worth $3 billion; and NPDC production service contracts valued at $3-$4 billion.

Now the joke is all on those who believed that Buhari represented change and would build the country of our dreams. The joke is on all those who alongside Tinubu, Professor Wole Soyinka, Professor Pat Utomi, Professor Charles Soludo, Professor Tam David West, etc. deluded themselves that Buhari had changed and therefore was the best person to move Nigeria forward. Collectively, they put a knife on the fragile things that hold us together and Nigeria is falling apart. It was the greed for power

by Tinubu that has put Nigeria in this mess. Some of us who warned that Buhari had nothing to offer Nigeria other than division and bigotry were shouted down as sponsored by the state. All the danger signs including his record of ethno/religious bigotry were branded as “contrived handicaps” to make him look bad. Today, we all know better what was contrived and what was not.

A government that sold itself on anti-corruption, strict adherence to due process and transparency has been caught red-handed in a whopping $25 billion contract mess that breached all laid down legal and due processes. Shame on Buhari’s supporters who had pretended very well in the past two years that Buhari was cleaning the mess left behind by the last government. The holier-than-thou posture of this government has been shattered beyond redemption. The fact that Buhari got Kachikwu’s letter and sat on it for one whole month and did nothing

about it is the clearest evidence yet that we cannot continue to exonerate him of plausible culpability of the monumental illegal award of contracts by the GMD of NNPC, Maikati Baru.

Look, nobody is talking about N25 billion. We are talking about a jaw-dropping $25 billion that breached all the laws and guidelines for awarding contracts. We are talking about a culture of impunity, nay, a “bravado management style”. We are talking about a corrupt and corrosive abuse of public trust. Particularly worrisome is that some of those contracts were awarded when the president was away in London on sick leave after he had transferred presidential power to the vice-president. The question is, how could he have signed those contracts after he had divested himself of executive powers? Was it a case of one nation, two presidents?

Tinubu sees nothing wrong in this record-setting malfeasance worthy of his gold medal? All the reforms supposedly embarked upon in the NNPC by this government to create the optics of transparency, it now appears were mere smokescreens to hoodwink Nigerians into believing that they meant well and that they are the good guys who came to clean up the mess left behind by the bad guys. If I may ask, have you heard anything about the reforms again? They painted others as corrupt, all contracts awarded by the previous government suddenly didn’t follow due process. Even Kachikwu joined in casting aspersions on every official of the previous government. He assumed office as the GMD of NNPC with extraordinary powers and started sacking everybody.

But when the government’s methods and tactics were criticised, they had a ready-made response in their new mantra: “Corruption is fighting back.”

A friend mocked the government with this email to me following the leaked letter by the minister of state to the president: “Seriously, I think this Dr. Ibe Kachikwu’s letter is a product of ‘corruption fighting back’. If we trace very well, I am sure that the minister benefited from the Dasuki loot or was a part of the corrupt PDP. His letter had all the hallmarks of antics to prevent EFCC and DSS from going after him. In fact, this is ‘corruption fighting back’. But this government which I know will not be distracted by the antics of these corrupt people who looted ‘our common patrimony’ in the past administration. They will be brought to ‘justice’ soonest.

Does that not sound familiar? It is the typical response by officials of this government, the APC and their apologists to any criticism of the government’s war on corruption.

With Kachikwu’s letter and the Mainagate, many believe the government has failed the smell test. Supporters have been unable to find a satisfactory explanation on any front, whether on the level of breach of due process, impunity or corruption.

That is the way the cookie crumbles. The angels of due process have been exposed as the biggest perpetrators of impunity in our history. There is even a darker dimension to Kachikwu’s treatise: In this government, you now have to prove you are not anti-North to be trusted and “accepted” in the cabinet of Muhammadu Buhari as Kachikwu’s painfully suggested; and who knows, probably in other departments of government. The minister grovelled and begged that he was not anti-North and went into how he was raised in Kano to prove his pro-North credentials.

It is a pity and it’s regrettable that Nigeria has been reduced to a joke.

Again, only the appointees of this government were adjudged clean and well-meaning for Nigeria. These guys rode high in the public space and estimation. Some members of the academia even encouraged the government to suspend the rule of law, which is the backbone and foundation of our democracy, in order to fight corruption.

In encouraging the government to suspend the rule of law, they forgot that every individual is entitled to the protection of due process and not subject to lynch mob and vigilante justice. As they abused due process and destroyed reputations, they were hailed as saints and cheered on as deliverers for exposing Diezani AlisonMadueke, Patience Jonathan and all other officials who served in the last government, while all those serving

in this government that were later caught red-handed were protected.

Day after day, Ibrahim Magu’s EFCC regales the public with staggering discoveries of Alison-Madueke’s alleged loot. Massive real estates are traced daily to her all over the world. Magu told Nigerians repeatedly how the government was working hard to extradite her to face trial in Nigeria. What is now obvious to even a fool is that this government was never interested in bringing Alison-Madueke to face trial here but was merely using her alleged crimes to sell its anti-corruption propaganda.

When the woman demanded that government should bring her back to face justice, behold, Magu and Malami’s extradition tale fell apart. Suddenly they came up with another tale that “oh she wants to escape trial in Britain” even though there has been no trial going on there in the last two and a half years. Now can anyone tell Nigerians why the government only suddenly realised that she wanted to escape trial in Britain when its officials had been lying to the public about working hard to extradite her?

If the authorities were so sure of their case against her which they had made many to believe, why did they suddenly get cold feet when she was willing to come to the country to face the consequences of her alleged crimes? However, this is by no means an endorsement of her alleged crimes. Punish Alison-Madueke for her infractions but please do it within the fair process of the rule of law. The EFCC should by all means treat everyone equally.

Now how does one explain that the same EFCC deliberately sabotaged the prosecution of former Bayelsa Governor Timiprye Sylva, a stalwart of the ruling APC, but has been so “efficient” with Alison-Madueke’s case?

While Sylva was on trial for corruption, he was made the governorship standard-bearer of Tinubu’s APC. Just a few days to the governorship election, a court curiously quashed all the charges against Sylva. The EFCC did not appeal the judgment. The 48 houses the EFCC had seized from him were returned even though there was a nexus between the four years he spent in office as a governor and the time of acquisition of those properties.

It is noteworthy that throughout the period of the trial, the EFCC never filed for a temporary or permanent forfeiture of those houses. Does that not smack of double standard? Can Tinubu claim not to be aware of this?

Only a man with two senses of morality will not feel outraged by such glaring double standard. For some of us however, we can still differentiate between right and wrong. And know when the thumb is put on the scale of justice to protect some people.

His party of saints also fielded the now late Abubakar Audu of Kogi State who was standing trial on multiple charges of corruption brought against him by the EFCC as its candidate in the 2015 governorship election. If the APC has any scintilla of morality, it wouldn’t have picked these persons whose conduct in prior public offices gravely undermined the message of change as candidates for elective offices.

Allow me to refresh your memory. Tinubu in 2012 at a rally in Ondo, boasted that he spent millions of pounds sterling to enable former Ondo State governor Olusegun Mimiko retrieve his mandate, but Mimiko betrayed him.

Millions of pounds sterling is not something you pick on the ground. Where did Tinubu get the millions of pounds he claimed to have given to Mimiko?

Now recall that in 2007, while answering questions from the Senate on the alleged corruption cases hanging over the heads of some governors, Nuhu Ribadu, the then-chairman of EFCC, had declared pointedly that Tinubu’s corruption case had an “international dimension”. The same Tinubu is now awarding gold medal to someone for corruption. So who is fooling who here?

Let me tell Tinubu now in case he does not know, it is the weakness of Jonathan (a poor student of power and politics), that made him (Tinubu) strong. That weakness gave him the political space to grow in stature and expand his influence by hook or by crook. So he should be grateful to Jonathan for that weakness. He is not the right person to be vilifying him.

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