THURSDAY 11TH JANUARY 2018

Crude Oil Price Hits Three-Year High of $69 New York sues oil multinationals over climate change Ejiofor Alike with agency reports Crude oil prices hit new multi-year highs yesterday as production cuts led by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)

and healthy demand helped to balance the market, but analysts warned of possible overheating.

Reuters reported that a broad,

global market rally, including stocks, has also been fuelling investment in crude oil futures.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures rose

to $63.67, the highest since December 9, 2014, before settling at $63.60 a barrel.

Brent crude futures also hit $69.37, the highest since May

2015 before closing at $69.33 a barrel.

OPEC, together with Russia and a group of other producers, last November extended an

Police Arrest 52 Protesting Shiites in Abuja… Page 10

output-cutting deal to cover all of 2018.

The cuts were aimed at reducing a global supply overhang that had dogged oil markets since 2014.

Continued on page 6

Thursday 11 January, 2018 Vol 22. No 8302. Price: N250

www.thisdaylive.com TR

TODAY'S WEATHER

ABUJA 16°C-33°C

MAIDUGURI 15°C-35°C

UT H

& RE A S O

ENUGU 22°C-34°C

N

KANO 11°C-33°C

LAGOS 23C-31°C

PORT HARCOURT 20°C-30°C

Herdsmen Have Declared War Against Nigeria, Soyinka Cries Out FG: Crisis is receiving the highest attention Saraki orders Senate panel to expedite action on killings 56 Taraba victims get mass burial, families narrate their ordeal Benue to bury its dead today, IG apologises Omololu Ogunmade, Damilola Oyedele in Abuja, Gboyega Akinsanmi in Lagos, Wole Ayodele in Jalingo and George Okoh in Makurdi Alarmed by the mounting death toll arising from the gruesome attacks allegedly perpetuated by armed herdsmen on communities in Benue and Taraba States, among other neighbouring

states, Nobel laureate, Prof.

Wole Soyinka yesterday cried out that the herdsmen “have declared war against the nation”, citing their serial attacks on innocent citizens.

Soyinka, a renowned playwright and poet, also said the federal government was “culpable, definitely guilty of looking the Continued on page 6

Ahmed Rufai Abubakar Appointed NIA Chief Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Ahmed Rufai Abubakar as the new Director General for the National Intelligence Agency (NIA).

Abubakar, a retired career foreign service officer, was before his new appointment, the Senior Special Assistant to the President (SSAP) on Foreign Affairs/International Relations.

Abubakar has extensive experience working with the United Nations in peace support operations, mediation process, preventive diplomacy and good offices, as well as the promotion of good governance and respect for the rule of law and human rights.

He also briefly served as Senior Adviser with the Multinational Joint Task Force Continued on page 6

IN SEARCH OF PEACE…

L-R: Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris; Deputy Inspector General of Police, Operations, Mr. Habila Joshak; and Benue State Governor, Mr. Samuel Ortom; during a stakeholders’ peace meeting on the recent killings in Logo and Guma Local Government Areas, held in Makurdi, Benue State... yesterday kingsley adeboye

2

T H I S D AY ˾ ͯͯ˜ ͰͮͯͶ

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY JANUARY 11, 2018

3

4

T H I S D AY ˾ ͯͯ˜ ͰͮͯͶ

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY JANUARY 11, 2018

5

6

Ëœ ÍŻÍŻËœ ͺ͸͚͜ Ëž T H I S D AY

PAGE SIX HERDSMEN HAVE DECLARED WAR AGAINST NIGERIA, SOYINKA CRIES OUT other way while the herdsmen attacked communities without let or hindrance�, noting that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari “must indeed be held complicit�.

He expressed disappointment in the manner the administration has treated the nefarious activities of the herdsmen across the country in a statement he issued yesterday, stressing that this present national outrage was “over impunity�.

In a four-page statement titled: “Impunity Rides Again�, Soyinka said the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) did not come anywhere close to the homicidal propensity and attempt at dominance before it was declared a terrorist organisation.

While acknowledging that some progress had been made by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh in the last two and a half years in improved farm produce, the Nobel laureate in outright terms rejected the minister’s explanation that the federal government had neglected livestock farmers over the years.

He said citing government neglect as the rationale would make the herdsmen attacks sound like the full story, but applauded the plan

by Ogbeh’s ministry “to empower and organise herdsmen and cow farming�. “I am in a position to know that much thought – and practical steps – have gone into long-term plans for bringing about the creation of ‘ranches’, ‘colonies’ – whatever the name – including the special cultivation of fodder for animal feed and so on and on. “However, the present national outrage is over impunity. It rejects the right of any set of people, for whatever reason, to take arms against their fellow men and women, to acknowledge their exploits in boastful and justifying accents and, in effect, promise more of the same as long as

their terms and demands are not met. “In plain language, they have declared war against the nation, and their weapon is undiluted terror.

Why have they been permitted to become a menace to the rest of us? That is the issue!� he charged.

Recalling that he called upon the federal government a week ago to stop passing the buck over the petrol shortages, Soyinka said he never intended that a reverse policy would lead to “exonerating – or appearing to exonerate – mass killers, rapists and economic saboteurs – saboteurs, since their conduct subverts the efforts of others to economically secure their own existence, drives other producers off their land in fear and terror�. “This promises the same plague of starvation that afflicts zones of conflict all over this (African) continent where liberally sown landmines prevent farmers from venturing near their prime source, the farm, often their only source of livelihood, and has created a whole population of amputees. “At least, those victims in Angola, Mozambique and other former war theatres, mostly lived to tell the tale. These herdsmen, arrogant and unconscionable, have adopted a scorched-earth policy, so that those other producers – the cassava, cocoa, sorghum, rice, etc, farmers are brutally expelled from farm and dwelling,� he said.

He also cited the hideous massacre perpetrated by the herdsmen early in 2016, saying this same “Murder Incorporated� depicted a numerical climax “to what had been a series across a number of Middle Belt and neighbouring states, with Benue taking the brunt of the butchery�.

He lamented that a peace meeting was called at the time, attended by the state government and security agencies of the nation, including the Inspector General of Police, but the herdsmen attended – according

to reports – with AK47s and other weapons of mass intimidation visible under their garments.

He equally recalled that the federal government neither disarmed nor turned back the herdsmen that attended the peace meeting with arms and weapons. “They freely admitted the killings but justified them by claims that they had lost their cattle to the host community. It is important to emphasize that none of their spokesmen referred to any government neglect, such as refusal to pay subsidy for their cows or failure to accord them the same facilities that had been extended to cassava or millet farmers. “Such are the monstrous beginnings of the culture of impunity.

We are reaping, yet again, the consequences of such tolerance of the intolerable. “Yes, there indeed the government is culpable, definitely guilty of ‘looking the other way’. Indeed, it must be held complicit,� Soyinka maintained.

Continuing, he asked: “This question is now current, and justified: just when is terror? I am not aware that IPOB came anywhere close to this homicidal propensity and will to dominance before it was declared a terrorist organisation.

The international community rightly refused to go along with such an absurdity�

For the avoidance of doubt, Soyinka observed that the IPOB leadership is its own worst enemy. “It repels public empathy; indeed, I suspect that it deliberately cultivates an obnoxious image, especially among its internet mouthers who make rational discourse impossible,� he said of the proscribed group.

However, the Nobel laureate said the conduct of that movement, even at its most extreme, “could by no means be reckoned as terrorism�. “By contrast, how do we

this government is determined to do. “Therefore, let nobody say that all this is happening because we have a Fulani president. “We have had many Fulani presidents in the past and this issue of herders and local communities at loggerheads has predated this government,’’ he added.

Adesina appealed to all citizens to continue to support and co-operate with the Buhari administration as the government was poised to find lasting solutions to the conflicts.

According to him, the government is determined to get to the bottom of it and it will get done.

categorise Myetti? How do we assess a mental state that cannot distinguish between a stolen cow – which is always recoverable – and human life, which is not. “Villages have been depopulated far wider than those outside their operational zones can conceive. They swoop on sleeping settlements, kill and strut. They glory in their seeming supremacy. “Cocoa farmers do not kill when there is a cocoa blight. Rice farmers, cassava and tomato farmers do not burn. “The herdsmen cynically dredge up decades-old affronts – they did at the 2016 Benue ‘peace meeting’ to justify the killings of innocents in the present - These crimes are treated like the norm. “Once again, the nation is being massaged by specious rationalisations while the rampage intensifies and the spread spirals out of control. “When we open the dailies tomorrow morning, there is certain to have been a new body count, to be followed by the arrogant justification of the Myetti Allah. The warnings pile up, the distress signals have turned into a prolonged howl of despair and rage. “The answer is not to be found in pietistic appeals to victims to avoid ‘hate language’ and divisive attributions. The sustained, killing monologue of the herdsmen is what is at issue. It must be curbed, decisively and without further evasiveness,� he said.

Using the mismanagement of the Boko Haram menace under former President Goodluck Jonathan as a reminder, Soyinka stated that the former president only saw “ghosts� when Boko Haram was already excising swathes of territory from the nation space and abducting school pupils. “The ghosts of Jonathan seem poised to haunt the tenure of Muhammadu Buhari,� he warned.

However, in reaction to the outrage expressed over the killings, presidential spokesman, Mr. Femi Adesina, yesterday frowned at those accusing the president of condoning the massacres occasioned by farmersherdsmen conflicts across the country.

Adesina, who is the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, in a video message he posted on his personal Facebook account, dismissed the insinuations that Buhari was condoning the killing because he is a Fulani man.

According to him, such killings by herdsmen predated the Buhari administration.

He said: “Something that is disturbing that I have heard about it is linking those developments to the fact that a Fulani man is president and so, he is brooking such kind of evil acts. “I think that is very unkind. And I will try to back my position with statistics. “In 2013, particularly, there were nine cases of herdsmen invading communities in Benue State alone and more than 190 people were killed.�

The presidential aide, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), also noted that in 2014, there were about 16 of such tragic developments, with more than 231 people killed.

He further explained that there was a change of government in May 2015, but between January and May 2015, there were six attacks which left about 335 people dead. “Now, the question is, during that period, did we have a Fulani president? This is showing us that the issue of herdsmen attacking settlements, attacking farmers, attacking communities, is pure criminality and it is something that government must deal with. “It is the duty of government to preserve the lives of the citizenry. It is the responsibility of government to maintain law and order and that

sacked last October, following a long drawn probe into the $43.5m found in an apartment in Lagos.

The money, which also

included ÂŁ27,800 and some N23 million was linked to the NIA. It was found in an empty flat at Osborne Towers in Ikoyi.

Oke, also a career ambassador,

was appointed by former president Goodluck Jonathan in November 2013. He was initially suspended in April 2017 and let go in October.

companies, which are already under scrutiny from investors about the impact of climate policies on their future earnings.

The same five companies are fighting court cases in California brought by cities and counties over the harm they expect to suffer from climate change.

Exxon in a court filing this week described those actions as “abusive law enforcement tactics and litigation� that were attempting to stifle the company’s right to “participate in the national dialogue about climate change and climate policy�.

The New York mayor’s office accused the energy companies of being aware of the effects that burning fossil fuels would have on the planet’s atmosphere, citing “recently uncovered documents�. “They deliberately engaged in a campaign of deception and denial about global warming and its impacts, even while profiting from the sale of fossil fuels and protecting their own assets from the effects of rising seas and a changing climate,� the city said.

Exxon claims that the campaign arguing that it understood the risks of

climate change in private while minimising them in public was “a complete fabrication that was conceived, paid for, and executed by anti-oil and gas activists�.

It said reporting on the issue had “cherry-picked statements from company officials and misrepresented the context of other events and statements, giving an incorrect impression about our corporation’s approach to climate change�.

Shell, which has said it was setting its strategy for a world of tightening constraints on fossil fuel use, said in a statement: “We believe climate change is a complex societal challenge that should be addressed through sound government policy and cultural change to drive low-carbon choices for businesses and consumers, not by the courts.�

Conoco and BP declined to comment on the action.

In the wake of the Paris agreement to limit global warming and weather events such as superstorm Sandy, governments globally have focused heavily on tackling climate change.

President Donald Trump, however, has pulled the U.S. out of the Paris agreement.

Pension funds globally have

increasingly begun pulling out of fossil fuel companies over concerns about their impact on climate change and fears that they could become “stranded� — or worthless — if governments across the world introduce stricter rules to tackle global warming.

Mr. de Blasio and comptroller Scott Stringer will submit a “joint resolution to pension fund trustees� to begin the process of divesting.

New York City’s five pension funds hold $5 billion in the securities of over 190 fossil fuel companies.

‘Crisis Receiving Attention’ Irrespective of the assurance provided by the president’s spokesman, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday kept mum on the devastating killings of innocent people in Benue, Taraba and neighbouring states.

Whereas the council was expected to deliberate extensively on the matter and brief journalists on its decision, there was no mention of it at yesterday’s briefing coordinated by the Minister of Information and Culture, Mr. Lai Mohammed.

It was not until State House correspondents started to ask questions on why the federal government had found it difficult to deploy troops to quell the raging crisis in Benue as it did during the threats posed by IPOB in the Southeast in September, that Mohammed attempted to address the issue.

He said the crisis in the Middle Belt of the country was receiving the highest attention in the government.

According to him, deployment of troops would be predicated on the aftermath of the current examination being conducted on the matter.

Continued on page 8

AHMED RUFAI ABUBAKAR APPOINTED NIA CHIEF (MNJTF), with headquarters in Ndjamena, Chad, before his appointment as SSAP. Abubakar holds a B.A degree in French Language and

Literature, and an M.A degree in Francophone Maghrebian Literature, both from Bayero University, Kano. He is also fluent in English and Arabic.

The appointment takes immediate effect, reported the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

The former DG of the intelligence agency, Ayo Oke was

CRUDE OIL PRICE HITS THREE-YEAR HIGH OF $69 OPEC is cutting output by even more than it promised and the restraint is reducing oil stocks globally, a trend most visible in the U.S., the world’s largest and most transparent oil market.

The cartel had at its November 30, 2017 meeting agreed to extend oil output cuts until the end of 2018 as part of the global efforts to eliminate excess oil supply in the international market.

The current deal, under which OPEC and non-OPEC producers are cutting supply by about 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) in an effort to boost oil prices, expires in March 2018.

The decision to extend the production cuts saw crude oil prices rising, with the global benchmark Brent trading at over $69 per barrel yesterday.

However, a major factor countering efforts by OPEC and Russia to prop up prices is U.S. oil production, which has soared more than 16 per cent since mid-2016 and is fast approaching 10 million bpd.

Only OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia and Russia produce more.

With oil prices rising above $60, Russia had expressed concern that an extension of

the cuts for the whole of 2018 could prompt a spike in crude production in the U.S., which is not participating in the deal.

Russia needs much lower oil prices to balance its budget than OPEC’s leader Saudi Arabia, which is preparing a stock market listing for national energy giant Aramco this year and would hence benefit from pricier crude.

However, some in the producers’ group fear current price gains could prompt shale companies to flood the market.

U.S. crude oil production is expected to hit 10 million bpd next month, leaving only Russia and Saudi Arabia at higher levels.

American Petroleum Institute data on Tuesday showed U.S. crude inventories falling by 11.2 million barrels in the week leading to January 5.

Additionally, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) raised its 2018 world oil demand growth forecast by 100,000 bpd from its previous estimate.

Oil prices have risen more than 13 per cent since early December, and there are indications of overheating.

Analysts warned that the market is ignoring U.S. production increases at its peril.

Meanwhile, some of the world’s largest listed energy companies are facing a lawsuit for “billions of dollars� after New York City accused them of contributing to climate change.

The city also said it would start analysing ways to divest its pension funds, which have $189 billion in assets, of fossil fuel companies “in a responsible way that is fully consistent with fiduciary obligations�.

New York City mayor, Mr. Bill de Blasio, said the city was seeking damages from BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil and Royal Dutch Shell to “protect New Yorkers from the effects of climate change�, according to the Financial Times. “We’re bringing the fight against climate change straight to the fossil fuel companies that knew about its effects and intentionally misled the public to protect their profits,� said de Blasio. “As climate change continues to worsen, it’s up to the fossil fuel companies whose greed put us in this position to shoulder the cost of making New York safer and more resilient.�

The lawsuit adds to the pressure on the fossil fuel

TOP GAINERS NGN NGN % CONOIL 3.48 37.51 10.2 ETERNA 0.55 5.96 10.2 CHAMPBREW 0.23 2.52 10.0 DIAMONDBANK 0.21 2.32 9.9 WEMABANK 0.06 0.67 9.8 TOP LOSERS NGN NGN % GUINNESS 1.80 100.20 1.7 UPDC 0.03 3.00 0.99 FIDELITYBANK 0.02 2.92 0.6 HPE Nestle Nig Plc â‚Ś 1,450.46 Volume: 1.089 million shares Value: N13.296.893 billion Deals: 8,025 As at yesterday 10/1/18 See details on Page 41

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY JANUARY 11, 2018

7

8

Ëœ ÍŻÍŻËœ ͺ͸͚͜ Ëž T H I S D AY

PAGE EIGHT

Receiver Manager: Dialogue Can Resolve Issues with InterContinental Hotels Group Obinna Chima The receiver/manager for InterContinental Hotel in Lagos, Messrs Kunle Ogunba & Associates, yesterday formerly reacted to the threat by the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), the multinational hotels company which manages the Lagos-based five-star hotel, to pull out of Nigeria by January 18 over a breach of contract and huge debt owed it by the law firm appointed by Skye Bank Plc. The law firm, in a statement yesterday, stressed that it would not be stampeded into paying IHG when the hotel’s finances cannot accommodate its demands, saying it would continue to seek for understanding and dialogue

with the British-based hotel group as a way out of the situation.

The receiver/manager maintained that the allegations by IHG were totally false and ingeniously fabricated, saying it would not yield to blackmail. “The receiver/manager has remitted over N173 million to the Intercontinental Group as of date. Apart from the name ‘IHG’, the group does not undertake any expenditure on behalf of the hotel, as all fees are paid directly from the hotel’s lean revenue. “The disbursed sum is therefore net of any deductions whatsoever.�

According to the law firm, IHG has benefitted more than any other stakeholder in the hotel’s affairs, “if what had been paid to them

since inception is contemplated�. “They have refused to disclose the sums paid thus far to them since the commencement of the operations of the hotel. The sum of N173 million is what the receiver/manager has paid to them for a period of about six months,� it added.

While it noted that the hotel has been in operation for over three years, the statement pointed out that the receiver/manager has consistently requested for a meeting to review IHG’s charges to no avail. “The hotel’s revenue cannot sustain IHG’s charges of almost N40 million monthly without further borrowings. Further borrowings based on the peculiar circumstances of the hotel is foolhardy as the hotel is currently indebted to two

banks in excess of aggregate of over $100 million. “A practical and more realistic approach is for IHG to sit down with the receiver/manager to work an acceptable package for the benefit of all concerned and not resort to mudslinging and persistent blackmail as they are attempting to do. “Resort to blackmail is an avoidable red herring in the circumstances and it can’t work since the hotel cannot pay what it cannot afford/sustain,� Messrs Kunle Ogungba & Associates maintained.

IHG entered into an international management agreement with Milan Industries Limited, owners of InterContinental Hotel Lagos, in January 2012.

But the hotel group, in a notice of termination of the agreement dated January 3, expressed its displeasure with Messrs Kunle Ogunba & Associates who was appointed the receiver/manager by Skye Bank, following an interim court order.

According to IHG, it had on various occasions engaged the receiver/manager to ensure the proper management and operation of the hotel as part of IHG’s global hotel network. “Despite multiple letters issued to the receiver/manager and Milan dated May 18, 2017, June 1, 2017, June 14, 2017, July 18, 2017, October 31, 2017, November 12, 2017, December 15, 2017, requesting the co-operation of the receiver/manager with IHG in order to ensure that the

hotel maintains its operating licence and to avoid a material breach of the agreement, a significant amount of fees outstanding in the sum of $3,142,324/NGN995,223,818 owed to IHG remains unpaid and continue to accrue on a daily basis. “Furthermore, Clause 16.1 empowers IHG to terminate immediately the agreement upon the appointment of an administrator or receiver over the assets of Milan, whereupon the marks, licence and software licence granted for the use of Milan by IHG shall cease; access of the hotel to IHG’s reservations system will be suspended and the management and operation of the hotel by IHG shall terminate,� it said in its letter to receive/manager which was made public on Tuesday.

press conference in Abuja. I was only trying to convey a message that Nigerians should live together in peace. As policemen, we try to avoid divisive statements,� he said.

The IG was however unsettled when speaker after speaker accused him of complicity in the crisis.

Some of the speakers including Chief Edward Ujege, representing the three socio-cultural groups in the state, Mr. Terrence Kwaghnongu, representing the youths, and Mrs. Rebecca Apedzan, representing women, insisted that only the military and not the police can curtail the herdsmen attacks in Benue.

Also, in their remarks, Prof.

Daniel Saror, Justice Utsaha and Chief John Anteyin, representing the three senatorial zones of the state, all rejected the federal government’s proposed cattle colonies, insisting that ranching remained the only solution to the herdsmen-farmers’ clashes in line with global best practices.

Anteyin, while speaking, reminded the IG: “When you were a Commissioner of Police in Nasarawa State, there were a lot of violent attacks on Agatu by Fulani herdsmen who camped in Loko Local Government of Area of the state. “The state assembly member representing Agatu constituency, Hon. Audu Sule, who is here with us today, was sent to you for help and you said there was a limit to how much you can intervene, except when you receive orders from the headquarters, but now that you are in charge of the headquarters yourself, what have you done?�

Kwaghnongu also described Idris’ presence in Benue as an insult to the sensibilities of people in the state. “Your DIG Operations told us on television that the terrain is complex, so are you now coming to clear the terrain? “We have this crisis because you refused to adhere to the global terrorism index, which rates these herdsmen as the fourth deadliest terror group in the world. “We need the military presence here in Benue State because what is happening is tantamount to genocide. “The president was in Zamfara State when the herdsmen attacked the state, he constituted a military taskforce to protect the North-west. “He said the herdsmen must be declared terrorists and the leadership of Miyetti Allah must be arrested,�

Kwaghnongu reminded the IG. Also speaking, Josephine Habba, who represented the civil society groups in the state, Rev. Fr. Solomon Mfa, representing the clergy, and Chief Benson Ogairo, a security expert, while alleging that a lot of killings of Tiv people was going on unreported in Nasarawa State, they maintained that if the president was not prepared to personally come and commiserate with the people

of Benue at this critical time, he should not bother to come for their votes in 2019.

On their part, the paramount ruler of the Tiv nation, Tor Tiv James Ayatse and the speaker of the Benue Assembly, Hon. Terkimbi Ikyange, noted that what was going on in the state was not about the Anti-open Grazing Act enacted in the state, but an ethnic cleansing agenda.

The Tor Tiv, who said that the heartless destruction of lives and property in the state must stop, further appealed to the IG to ensure that any attempt to wipe out the Benue people is immediately aborted.

HERDSMEN HAVE DECLARED WAR AGAINST NIGERIA, SOYINKA CRIES OUT “What I can assure you is that the government is very, very concerned about the herdsmen and farmers’ clashes and it is receiving attention at the highest level and as to if troops will be sent, it will be a decision after thorough deliberation on the matter,� he said.

Also asked to explain the difference between the cattle colonies being proposed by the federal government in pursuit of the solution to the farmers-herdsmen clashes in Benue State, Mohammed said he was not an expert on agriculture but believed that colonies are bigger than ranches. “I’m not an agricultural expert. I know that a colony is much bigger in nature than the ranch,� he said.

But throwing more light on the proposal, the Minister of State for Aviation, Mr. Hadi Sirika, explained that cattle colonies were more or less the creation of the cattle routes which he said were first created in the country during the colonial era in 1914.

However, he said the establishment of cattle colonies would not commence without consulting farmers and will be done in accordance with the relevant laws of the land.

According to him, cattle routes as they existed then had to do with the routes the cattle passed through, where they grazed, where they were fed and where they drank water. “I think perhaps, not speaking as an agriculture expert, but in the hinterland, where I grew up, there used to be cattle routes. They called them colonies in the local language. “They were established from 1914 as cattle routes, where they grazed, where they followed, where they fed and where they drank water. “When that was available, there was no farmers-herdsmen clash, because the routes were specifically identified and marked and then paid for overtime. “But I think due to urbanisation, due to the increase in population, the lands were either taken over or used for farms. But the question as to the difference between colonies and cattle ranches, it is about the same thing. I don’t think government will do anything without recourse to farmland owners and the laws of the land,� he explained.

Senate to Expedite Action Irrespective of the seeming reluctance by the federal government to treat the murderous attacks perpetuated by the herdsmen as acts of terrorism, the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, in response to the recent killings in Benue and Rivers States, directed members of the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Security to immediately resume sitting and work through the weekend to ensure that it has an interim report ready for the consideration of members

by next week.

In statement issued yesterday by his spokesman, Mr. Yusuph Olaniyonu, Saraki, in reaction to the situation in Benue, especially reinforced his belief that the killings were clear indications that the security architecture in the country has inherent faults and needs to be refurbished. “I believe the sad situation in Benue State shows some fundamental faults in our security system. There is a clear failure of intelligence gathering, analysis and response time. “Our security agencies must be totally overhauled in terms of equipment, specialisation, funding, training and staffing. “This is the reason why in November, the Senate set up a special committee led by Senate Majority Leader, Ahmed Lawan, to work with the security agencies and review the entire system with a view to identifying what is required in terms of laws, processes, procedures, funding and other necessities for us to have a solid security system which can be pro-active in identifying potential threats, responding to them on time and preventing any breach. “We are quite aware of the fact that security is the first and prime responsibility of any government.

That is why since early last week, I have directed the Lawan committee to take into consideration the sad developments in Benue and Rivers in their deliberations. “Now, we cannot wait for the time they planned to conclude their recommendations. They must fast track their schedule. “They must sit through the weekend and get an interim report ready for the Senate when we resume plenary on Tuesday.

We must immediately support the executive in solving this problem. “We cannot afford the spilling of blood and we are already moving into the election year with the potential for the aggravation or escalation of these problems. “We must decisively resolve the problem of needless blood letting,�

Saraki stated.

56 Victims Buried in Taraba Even as Saraki ordered the Senate committee to expedite action on its report, 56 persons killed in fresh attacks on five communities in Lau Local Government Area of Taraba State by Fulani militia were yesterday given a mass burial by the communities.

However, the corpses of no fewer than 35 people who were believed to have been killed during the attacks were yet to be recovered for burial.

Donadda, Lavoro, Katibu, Didango and Maku communities were attacked on Monday through Tuesday by the Fulani militia who

set the entire communities ablaze after killing anyone in sight.

There was an outpouring of grief as relatives of the victims and others who witnessed the burial wept uncontrollably and rained curses on the federal government for failing to secure the lives of the citizenry across the country.

They debunked insinuations that the attacks were a fall out of the crisis between Bachama farmers and the militia, insisting that they were attacked without provocation.

Narrating her ordeal, a mother of four who lost her husband to the attack, Mrs. Paulina Habila, said that her husband was slaughtered like a goat. “My husband was slaughtered like a goat in my presence by the Fulani people. They razed our community and in my village alone 35 persons were killed. Are the Fulani herdsmen fighting a war with Christian communities in Taraba State? Why are they killing us for no reason?� she asked.

Another victim who spoke to newsmen, Pastor Titus Makovini, said the attackers entered the community church and slaughtered some worshipers, as well as some of those who ran into the church for refuge while others fled into the bush.

He revealed that for the two days that the attack lasted, there was no security reinforcement in the various communities which are presently deserted as most people have moved into the internally displaced persons (IDP) camp in Jalingo, the state capital.

At the IDP camp, the displaced persons took turns to narrate their ordeals, and all of them were unanimous that they had been rendered homeless and could not go back to their homes for fear of further attacks. “We have lost our ancestral homes as the entire communities have been razed. Our communities have become unsafe for habitation since Fulani herdsmen still lurk around and they might attack us again. “Go to our villages now. All what we have laboured for has gone. We don’t know where to start and we keep wondering if the federal government is allowing the herdsmen to kill us unchallenged,� they said.

But even as they lamented their fate, the Taraba State Police Command appealed to the residents of the affected communities to return to their homes, assuring them of adequate security.

The Police Public Relations Officer, David Misal who gave the assurance on behalf of the Police Commissioner, Mr. Dave Akinremi, said additional security had already been redeployed in the troubled communities to safeguard them from further attacks, but he

refrained from giving the number of casualties from the attacks.

He, however, appealed to the public to furnish the command with useful information that would assist it and lead to the arrest of the perpetrators of the attacks in the state.

Benue to Bury Its Dead Today Just as the Taraba people buried their dead yesterday, the Benue State Government said yesterday that it would bury 73 victims of the new year day attacks by suspected herdsmen today.

The victims were killed by the herdsmen who invaded five villages in Guma and Logo Local Government Areas on new year day.

Many others were injured while over 50,000 people were displaced.

The Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, announced government’s decision to hold a mass burial for the deceased at a stakeholders’ meeting in Makurdi, the state capital.

The meeting focused on insecurity in the state and the way forward.

Ortom, who called for prayers, said that the deceased would be remembered for sacrificing their lives to protect Benue farmlands.

He appealed for calm during the burial and cautioned Benue residents against reprisals, reported NAN. Ortom vowed to ensure that the attackers are apprehended and promised government’s support to the security agencies to actualise the arrests.

However, during the stakeholders’ meeting, the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, came under a barrage of criticism as he resumed duty in Makurdi yesterday, following directive by the president on Monday ordering him to relocate to the state to stop the killings.

Idris stated that his presence in the state was to restore peace in the areas affected by the crisis and assured his audience that the “hoodlums and miscreants� responsible for the killings will be arrested and prosecuted.

He said the police would carry out detailed investigations into the cause of the attacks, adding that another stakeholders’ meeting will be conveyed involving Benue and Nasarawa State, which was accused of harbouring the herdsmen.

Idris also apologised to the people of Benue for referring to the recent herdsmen attacks on the state as communal clashes. “There was a misrepresentation I made at a press conference in Abuja. But all I was trying to do was to convey a message that all Nigerians should be able to live together in peace. “I apologise for the misconception in the statement that I made at a

Death Toll Rises to 80 Meanwhile, at least 80 person may have been killed in Benue State since the new year day attacks that forced tens of thousands from their homes, an official of the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has said.

The violence between herders and farmers intensified over the New Year, fuelled by the new law banning the nomadic cattle rustlers from moving through the state. “Eighty is the number we can say for now, the attacks have not stopped,� the SEMA executive secretary Emmanuel Shior told AFP by telephone.

Shior said the killings had displaced thousands of people in the local councils of Guma and Logo who are now seeking shelter in four camps. “The number (of internally displaced people) is 80,000 now because the killings have continued, some of the people in other states are running to Benue,� Shior said in Makurdi. “We suspect these people are reacting against the open grazing prohibition put in place by the governor of Benue State.�

The prohibition was meant to encourage the herdsmen, who belong to the Fulani ethnic group, to shift from nomadic grazing to ranching cattle, which would theoretically prevent bloody disputes over land with farmers.

But when the new law was introduced last year, it was instantly condemned by the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), the umbrella body of Fulani herders in Nigeria, which said it threatened their way of life. “It is very wrong for a governor to ban Fulani from feeding their cows.

These cows are their livelihoods,� said Haruna Usman, the Kaduna State chairman of MACBAN. “That is where the government made a big mistake,� Usman said, calling for negotiations.

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY JANUARY 11, 2018

9

THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2018Ëž T H I S D AY

10

NEWS

Ă?ĂĄĂ? ĂŽĂ“ĂžĂ™Ăœ Davidson Iriekpen Ă—Ă‹Ă“Ă– davidson.iriekpen@thisdaylive.com, 08111813081

Police Arrest 52 Protesting Shiites in Abuja Paul Obi Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË The Nigerian Police yesterday fired several gunshots and teargas to disperse members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) over the continued detention of their leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky. El-Zakzaky and wife have been held by the federal government for more than

two years over what the government said was an attempt to breach national security. Several court judgments calling for their release have been rebuffed by the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration. The protest which kick started in Area 10, Garki District of Abuja, was

FG Appoints CMDs, MDs of Tertiary Health Institutions Senator Iroegbu Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of two Chief Medical Directors (CMDs) and two Medical Directors (MDs) of the Federal University Teaching Hospital and Federal Medical Centres respectively.

The Minister of Health, Prof.

Isaac Adewole, in a statement yesterday by the Director of Media and Public Relations, Ministry of Information, Mrs. Boade Akinola, listed the newly appointed chief executive officers and their institutions. Adewole announced the new appointees to include   Dr. Ajayi E. Adekunle, Chief Medical Director, Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti,

prevented from going further after several police officers blocked the road at Area 2, Garki, preventing the protesters from reaching Area 1 Roundabout. There were reports by the IMN that about three of its members were feared dead during the fracas with the police. The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command Public Relations Officer, Anjuguri Manzah, explained that “following the violent protest by members of the El-Zakzaky’s group who went on rampage and were attacking innocent citizens

including police operatives they arrested some members of the sect and recovered some bottles of improvised petrol-bomb, stones and catapult used by members of the sect to attack police operatives.

He added that police operational vehicles were damaged. “It is pertinent to state that the unlawful action of members of the sect which started on January 8, 2018 is constituting a serious security threat to the peace of the Federal Capital Territory and at the same time disrupting innocent citizens from going

about their lawful businesses. “In view of the current security situation in the country, the command wishes to unequivocally state that while it will continue to be professional in the discharge of its constitutional and statutory roles of the protection of lives and property of the good people of FCT; and equally recognise the rights of citizens to express their lawful grievances, the command will not fold its arms and watch some persons hold the capital city to ransom by disrupting government and legitimate business activities.�

Manzah further stated:

“In view of the forgoing, the command wants to state that any person or group of persons arrested for violating the provisions of the Nigerian constitution while registering their protest will be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the appropriate section(s) of the law. “Meanwhile, the 52 members of the El-Zakzaky group arrested by police operatives during the violent protest that left some policemen with injuries will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigation.â€?Â

Ekiti State, and  Prof. Henry A. A. Ugboma,  Chief Medical Director, University of PortHarcourt Teaching Hospital, Port-Harcourt, River State. Others are Dr. T.O.  Adebowale – Medical Director, Neuro-Psychiatric, Aro, Abeakuta, Ogun State, and  Dr. Achigbu Kinsley I, Medical Director, Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, Imo State.    He said the appointments which are for a term of four years, took effect from December 31, 2017.

The minister also congratulated the new appointees, and charged them to justify the confidence reposed in them by the president

Senate Celebrates OGFZA’s Capacity to Fund Recurrent Expenditure from IGR The Senate Committee on Trade and Investment has commended the leadership of the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority (OGFZA) for its capacity to raise enough internally generated revenue to take care of its recurrent expenditure.

The Chairman of the committee, Senator Sabo Mohammed, who was speaking at OGFZA’s 2018 budget session with the committee, told the Managing Director of OGFZA, Mr Umana Okon Umana, that the committee was highly impressed by OGFZA’s ingenuity to generate enough cash from internal sources to fund the payment of staff salaries and overheads from the 2018 budget cycle.

Mohammed noted also that OGFZA’s budget presentation was thorough, detailed and clear, requiring no follow-up questions and explanation.

The committee brought the session to a close by asking Umana to take a bow and return to his office.

The committee chairman and Senator Nelson Effiong, a member of the committee who also spoke at the budget session, said OGFZA’s performance was unique and worthy of emulation by other agencies of the federal government.

They contrasted OGFZA’s resourcefulness with the case of other agencies which rely

solely on handouts from the federal government to fund both their recurrent and capital expenditure.

Umana had formally informed the Federal Ministry of Finance in a December 6, 2017 memo that the authority could meet its staff salaries and overheads from internally generated revenue, and requested the “federal government to suspend the funding of the recurrent expenditure of OGFZA from treasury funds.�

Financial independence that permits self-funding is one of the six goals that OGFZA set for itself under the Umana-led management in its three-year roadmap which became operational at the beginning of last year.

The roadmap kicked in a series of reforms which allowed Umana at year’s end to tell the Minister of Finance, “Following the measures taken by the new management of OGFZA to increase internally generated revenue (IGR), I write to inform the Minister of Finance that with effect from the 2018 financial year, the Authority will no longer depend on treasury funding to meet her recurrent expenditure requirements (salaries and overheads). The recurrent expenditure of the Authority will be funded with our IGR.�

PRESIDENTIAL HANDSHAKE

President, National Council of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Abimbola Ogunbanjo (right), during a courtesy visit to President Muhammadu Buhari, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja....recently

FBN Quest Dismisses NNPC’s Attempt at Another TAM for ReďŹ neries Chineme Okafor Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË Analysts at FBN Quest Capital Limited, a subsidiary of FBN Holdings Plc, have expressed doubts that the latest attempts by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to undertake a fresh Turnaround Maintenance (TAM) on its refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna, would eventually come good and help Nigeria address her challenges with protracted scarcity of petrol.

The analysts stated in a periodic report, Good Morning Nigeria, which THISDAY obtained yesterday in Abuja that the NNPC should consider allowing its refineries to “wither away� because new refineries like the 650,000 barrels per day (bpd) capacity Dangote refinery and others scheduled to come on stream soon would be the game changers.

They also pointed out that the NNPC refineries were old and past TAMs on them had

not been successful to suggest that the latest effort would be. “The fuel shortages highlight Nigeria’s failure to refine domestically the petroleum products it requires for its own consumption. The scarcity has been attributed variously to: flaws in distribution, upward movement in the international price necessitating subsidy payments under another name (absorbed by the NNPC), hoarding, and the fact that the set retail price of N145/ litre for premium motor spirit (PMS, or gasoline/petrol) is far below that in the countries of the sub-region. “The FGN’s response to the periodic shortages is to commit public monies to another programme of turn around maintenance (TAM) for the corporation’s refineries, costed at US$1.1bn and said to be achievable over 18 months.

An earlier investment in TAM in 2013 made little, if any impact.

In September 2017 the refineries

achieved a combined capacity utilisation rate of 6.1 per cent compared with 9.5 per cent the previous month,� said the report.

It further explained: “We all know that the combined capacity amounts to 445,000b/d crude but very few of us can say when, if ever, the refineries produced at this level. Such low rates tend to result in losses. According to the NNPC’s financial and operations report for September, the refinery companies have reported operating losses for four of the past 12 months. “We cannot say for sure that the latest programme of TAM will not be a success. However, the age of the refineries suggests not: Port Harcourt (commissioned in 1965), Warri (1978) and Kaduna (1980).�

According to it, “Our message is “Local refining, the obvious solution�. By local, we mean private sector. The corporation’s refineries should be allowed to wither away in our view. The game-changer is the Dangote

refinery under construction in Lagos State, which over time is scheduled to process 650,000b/d crude. “It is said that the Dangote plant will start processing some crude in 2019. There are other projects further down the line. To give a topical example, Petrolex plans to invest US$3.5 billion in a refinery with capacity of 250,000b/d in Ogun State and is talking of completion within five years. We would expect several more projects if the retail price of PMS was genuinely deregulated.�

It suggested that an ideological battle would have to be won, and the combination of the corporation, organised labour and some elements in the federal government defeated for a genuine deregulation to be achieved in the downstream petroleum sector. “The gains from victory would include job creation, FX savings, the prospect of regular supply and, at some stage, exports to the sub-region even,� it added.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2018Ëž T H I S D AY

11

NEWS

Anambra Central Tussle: Okonkwo, INEC, Others Know Fate Tomorrow Police deploy 4,300 officers for rerun election Alex Enumah Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ David-Chyddy Eleke Ă“Ă˜ ĂĄĂ•Ă‹ The Federal High Court in Abuja will on Friday rule on an application seeking to vary the judgment of the Federal High Court that recognised Obiora Okonkwo as the lawful candidate for the Anambra Central senatorial district.

Justice John Tsoho yesterday announced that he would deliver ruling on the matter after taking submissions of counsel for and against the motion brought by Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

When the matter came up yesterday, Awomolo informed the court of an application filed on December 21, 2017, requesting

the court to vary its consent judgment delivered on December 13, 2017, wherein Okonkwo was declared the lawful candidate for the contested seat.

Justice Tsoho had in the judgment also directed INEC to immediately issue Okonkwo a certificate of Return.

But moving the motion yesterday, Awomolo who noted that counsel in the matter ought to have drawn the attention of the court to the three judgments of the Court of Appeal, said both the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and INEC were part of the processes.

He argued that since the Appeal Court in all the three judgment ordered a fresh election to be conducted within 90 days from the date of judgment, the lower court ought to defer to

the upper court’s. “So if it is brought to be notice of the court that there are judgments of the Appeal Court that said election should be conducted within 90 days, the court should defer to the judgment?� he asked.

Awomolo in his submission then urged the court to set aside its decision and not discountenance the decision of a superior court.

He submitted that where a consent judgment is entered in error, it is bound to be set aside, adding that the court of

law cannot compel illegality or impossibility.

However, counsel to the judgment creditor and 1st respondent, Sebastine Hon (SAN), urged the court to dismiss the application for lacking in merit and being vague.

He claimed that the applicant’s submission contradicts the key prayer of the application which he said is also vague.

Hon also added that the absence of the seal of the deponent on the affidavit in support of the motion, rendered it incompetent.

Responding to the issue of court hierachy raised by INEC, Hon argued that the lower court cannot defer to the upper court since the rule changes when it involves a pre-election matter.

He said the decision of the court was not unlawful in the face of the Appeal Court as the Federal High Court in a judgment delivered by Justice Ahmed Mohammed in the same dismissed the court of Appeal processes as unrelated to the pre-election matter.

Hon added that INEC was yet to appeal the decision.

He also drew the court attention to a notice of appeal filed at the Supreme Court against the judgment of the Court of Appeal by the PDP as well as an application for stay, adding that based on the appeal the judgment of the upper court cannot be binding.

Hon in urging the court to dismiss the motion for lacking in merit, however, the said if the court is inclined to grant the application to vary its judgment, it should however

Cont’d on Pg 48

Speak out to Save Our Democracy, Uzodimma Warns Politicians The Chairman of the Southern Senators’ Forum (SSF), Senator Hope Uzodimma, has urged Nigerian politicians to always speak out on burning national issues to save the country’s thriving democracy from collapse.

He said as the major beneficiaries of democratic process in Nigeria; it is expedient on all politicians irrespective of their political leanings to speak out objectively on issues threatening the survival of Nigeria’s nationhood to keep the country’s democracy alive.

Uzodimma who spoke with journalists in Abuja yesterday in the wake of the tension generated in the country over the gruesome killings in some Benue communities by suspected herdsmen condemned the killings and sympathised with the families of the dead and people of the state.

The senator urged security agencies to step up patrol in the affected communities and the border towns of the state to nip in the bud; a recurrence of the dastardly act.

Uzodimma who is also the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariffs, commended President Muhammadu Buhari for directing the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to promptly go to Benue to personally take charge of security operations in the affected areas.

According to him, though the attack was painful as several lives were lost in gruesome manner, commentaries on the issue should be moderated to avoid the escalation of the

already tensed situation and reprisal attacks, stressing that “those blaming the president for not speaking out and accusing him (president) of backing the alleged perpetrators of the heinous crime are only fanning the embers of hatred and putting him on the spot.�

He said the president had done what was constitutionally right by ordering the deployment of the police, led by the Inspector-General to quell the situation as it is only the police that are statutorily empowered to take charge of affairs in such situations. “It is regrettable that in this country, everything is heaped on the doors of the president whereas there are statutory organs and institutions that are responsible to handle every situation. When a person in this country has an issue with the judiciary or security agencies, the president is accused of having a hand in it. We must move away from this to make progress as a nation,� he cautioned. “The attitude of our politicians on national issues must be that of unity and national interest because we should always have it at the back of our mind that it will be one person at a time,� he noted.

Uzodimma condemned those calling for the deployment of the military to Benue as the state was not in a war situation. �The police are trained to handle civil matters. Calling for the deployment of the military will compound issues as they may intend to use maximum force which will not be good for the people.�

LAUGHING WHILE THE COUNTRY BURNS...

L-R: Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun ; Minister of Mines and Steel Development , Mr. Kayode Fayemi ; Minister of Interior, LtGeneral Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd); and the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu at the first Federal Executive Council meeting of the year at the Presidential Villa, Abuja ‌yesterday

Ë›

Fayose Raises the Alarm over Herdsmen Planned Invasion of Ekiti Places hunters on red alert Victor Ogunje Ă“Ă˜ ĂŽĂ™ ÕÓÞÓ

government areas of the state and charged them to secure the Following the killings of scores state with all their might, saying: of people in Benue and Taraba “If you have charms don’t forget States by suspected Fulani to use it and make them sleep herdsmen, Governor Ayodele off, because your people must Fayose of Ekiti State yesterday not be killed.� raised the alarm over security Fayose, while addressing report that herdsmen have taken the people of the state and the over the state forest reserves local hunters at the Government and were allegedly using the House in Ado Ekiti, said: “Mr. avenues as covers to unleash President declare herdsmen as mayhem on the state. terrorists group now, they are Condemning the killings and mindless, Godless and devilish.� branding it as alleged “ethnic Sympathising with those who cleansing,� Fayose urged fell victims in Benue State, he President Muhammadu Buhari added: “ I sympathise with our to urgently declare rampaging brothers, sisters and people from herdsmen as terrorists, Benue State that are mourning predicating this on the recent the brutality of those who killed massacre in Benue State and their kinsmen.� other parts of the country.

The governor, who observed The governor, who raised a minute silence for those who the alarm that some persons died in Benue State, wore a identified as Fulani herdsmen military uniform to confirm fondly called the ‘Bororo’ were his readiness for the looming making a surreptitious move guerrilla battle. into the outskirts of Ekiti State He said: “This (uniform) is with an alleged aim to kill and done to charge our hunters to maim people and rubbish his secure the state. I saw pictures anti-grazing law. of the killings and I wondered Based on the alleged report, if those were human beings.

Fayose met with all the local “I asked the questions if hunters from the 16 local people could be that picked to

kill human beings that way. They will find no peace. It is no tribal killings but that of mindless people. Blood of the departed will find those people and they won’t know peace. It is the duty of the federal government to protect its people. We are not protected. “We have never had it so bad.

People must come to leadership with conscience. The federal government should have sent the army not the police. “Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State should fasten his belt and protect his people.

Those seeking help in Abuja would not find because Abuja also needs help. I sympathise with you, this is your home and nobody will kill you. You are all saved here,� he said.

Speaking further, the governor added: “I have received letters that the Bororos have entered our reserves, they want to violate our laws. I want to call on the attention of the federal government that they have come and wanted to kill men and kids and women in Ekiti. We will not allow that to happen. I want you all the hunters to go back

today to protect your people, be vigilant, open your eyes, make sure everyone entering our state is screened. “No one in the guise of grazing should enter our land after 8p.m. For our brothers who harbour criminals, tell them Ekiti State is a no go area. “If your plan is to make this state ungovernable, you are wasting your time. I have called this meeting for everyone to be vigilant. I will begin to support you now to secure Ekiti State.  “Don’t take laws into your hands but defend our people.

Protect our people check all arrivals at night coming in the guise. I am making a line available where you can recall distress calls. I trust you that you can secure our people. I want to appeal to our people from Benue to pray for your state and your governor. “I also leant that they want to come and be arresting people for no reasons. They would meet Gods hand in it. My hunters, you know Ekiti State very well.

Protect the state. We will be having monthly meetings.�

12

THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2018˾ T H I S D AY

NEWSXTRA

Saraki Asks Supreme Court to Nullify Part of Appeal Court Judgment Tobi Soniyi ÓØ ËÑÙÝ Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has asked the Supreme Court to set aside the decision of the Court of Appeal which ordered him to face trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal for three out of the 18 counts filed against him before the tribunal.

The Court of Appeal had in a judgment delivered in December last year dismissed 15 out of the 18 counts filed against the Senate President. The tribunal had dismissed all the charges.

Dissatisfied with the judgment, Saraki asked his team of lawyers to contest the appellate court’s judgment at the Supreme Court.

Refrain from Discussing Matters Already in Court, Onnoghen Warns Media Professionals, Public Threatens jail term for defaulters Alex Enumah ÓØ ÌßÔË

include a term of imprisonment.

“To make matters worse, in The Chief Justice of Nigeria such discourse, the language (CJN), Justice Walter Samuel being used in describing the Onnoghen, yesterday warned judgments of the courts is not media professionals and the only ungentlemanly, degrading public to refrain from publishing and contemptuous, but amounts or airing opinions on matters to uncharitable insults which already before a competent should not be encouraged in court of law. any decent democracy.”

Onnoghen’s warning which Awassam said it was in the was contained in a statement light of the above that the CJN by his Senior Special Assistant continues to encourage parties on Media, Bassey Awassam, and the general public to use also stated that the judiciary only lawful means in the pursuit would not hesitate to wield the of remedies for their real and big stick on defaulters. imagined grievances.

Citing the issue of the Onnoghen, in the statement, Anambra Central senatorial reiterated his appeal to tussle currently before the courts, litigants, advocates and the Onnoghen remarked that such public to refrain from making practice by journalists are not unsubstantiated and malicious only prejudicial but would not allegations and complaints also augur well for the judiciary against judicial officers. and the country.

He, however, reminded Part of the statement judges to consider invoking read:”The attention of the CJN, their inherent power of Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu contempt where there are Onnoghen, has been drawn to clear violations or infractions the emerging and continued in respect of matters that are practice of discussions of subjudice. matters that are subjudice in The CJN also assured the print and electronic media, Nigerians that the Judiciary such as the issues concerning under his watch remains the Anambra Central senatorial committed in the discharge of district dispute. its responsibilities in line with “The CJN wishes to remind the 1999 Constitution without the public that it is contempt fear or favour; affection or of court for anyone to discuss ill-will, adding that the rule any matter pending in any of law remains the solution court of law in the country. The to the country’s numerous punishment for contempt may problems.

In a notice of appeal filed on December 27, 2017, Saraki raised four grounds upon which he asked the apex court to set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal and uphold the judgment of the CCT. In order to demonstrate his commitment to prosecute the appeal with dispatch, the Senate President has already ensured that the records of appeal had been transferred to the apex court.

However, he is not appealing against the whole decision of the Court of Appeal. Rather, than he is challenging the part of the decision remitting the case to the CCT for him to enter his defence in respect of counts 4,5 and 6 of the further amended charge.

On ground one, the Senate President said the justices of the Court of Appeal namely: Tinuade Akomolafe-Wilson, Tani Yusuf Hassan and Mohammed Mustapha erred in law and by

were hearsays which could not be relied on, the Court of Appeal was wrong when it turned around and relied on the same testimonies as credible evidence to sustain the three counts identified above.

Saraki also accused the justices of failing to give due consideration to issues of law raised by him.

According to him, a court of law is bound to consider and pronounce on every issue properly raised and argued before it.

He however, argued that the Court of Appeal refused to follow this sacrosanct rule in its judgment.

Specifically, he said the Court of Appeal neglected to give due consideration to his submission that counts 4,5 and 6 were bad in law in that they failed to specify essential elements of the offences charged and were therefore incompetent with the result that the CCT had no jurisdiction to entertain them.

In asking the Senate President to face trial for three counts out of the 18 filed against him, Justice

Akomolafe-Wilson who read the lead judgment of the Court of Appeal held that the prosecution led enough evidence to warrant the Senate President to open his defence in respect of the three counts.

“It is ordered that this case be remitted to the Code of Conduct Tribunal for the respondent (Saraki) to enter his defence,” the Court of Appeal held.

In count 4, which was sustained by the Court of Appeal, Saraki was accused of making false assets declaration at the end of his tenure as Governor of Kwara State in 2011 and on assumption of office as a Senator in 2011 in respect of a property at 17A McDonald, Ikoyi Lagos.

The prosecution had argued that the defendant falsely declared to have acquired the property at 17A McDonald, Ikoyi, Lagos September 6, 2006 from the proceeds of sale of rice and sugar.

The Senate President denied all the allegations.

THANK YOU FOR COMING

Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson (left), presenting a souvenir to the President of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria, (SOGON), Prof. Oluwarotimi Akinola, during a courtesy call to Government House, Yenagoa....yesterday. With them is the Secretary of SOGON, Dr. Chris Aimakhu

Assailants Inflict Machete Wounds on Vice Chairman of Arewa Community in Edo

RARDUJA Warns Nigeria Against Illegal Migration

Adibe Emenyonu ÓØ ÏØÓØ ÓÞã

The President and Founder of RARDUJA International, Eddy Duru, has called on Nigerians and other Africans to avoid the perilous bid to migrate to Europe illegally in the new -year.

RARDUJA International is a non-governmental organisation re-educating Africans on the Risks & Dangers of Unplanned Journey Abroad and Empowering the Youth.

In his new year remarks, he noted that thousands of Africans, especially Nigeria’s lost their lives in 2017, a lot got enslaved & some others got their organs removed and sold.

He added that twenty-

A cattle dealer and Vice Chairman of the Arewa Community in Igarra, AkokoEdo Local Government Area of Edo State, Mr. Hassan Usman, is reportedly lying critically ill following machete wounds he received from unknown assailants in the area.

This is coming barely one week after another suspected herdsmen chopped off the wrist of a farmer in Ojah, another community in the area which led to the arrest of two suspects.

The latest attack, THISDAY gathered, occurred when some assailants suspected to be herdsmen last Monday were said to have lured the vice chairman into the bush in the guise of selling cattle to him

seven thousand Nigerians seeking greener pasture abroad died in their quest to reach Europe through the desert and sea in 2016.

Duru revealed that he will be in Kogi State University in February 2018 with his team to continue with the campaign of re-educating Africans on the risks and dangers of unplanned journey abroad.

“RARDUJA Plans to reach out at least a million Nigerian youths with her re-education campaign this year. We were in several schools & Churches in Lagos State, Abuja, Edo State, Abia State, Rivers State & Imo States in the last few years, “he said.

their decision had occasioned a miscarriage of justice when they held that the prosecutor had proffered credible and admissible evidence to establish the ingredients of the offences in counts 4 and 5 of the further amended charge to warrant the respondent (Saraki) to be called upon to enter his defence.

The justices also held that the same finding applied to count 6 which alleged the failure of the respondent to correctly declare in his asset declaration form at the end of his tenure as governor of Kwara State.

The Senate President said contrary to the findings of the Court of Appeal, there were evidence on records which showed that his asset declaration forms were duly received and verified by the Code of Conduct Bureau and were also certified to be correct.

He also argued that having found that the testimonies of the witnesses called by the prosecution

and in the process attacked him with machete.

Usman is a cattle retailer who goes into the bush to buy cattle directly from the rearers and retail to customers.

Confirming the incident to journalists in Benin City yesterday, the Chairman of Arewa community in the locality, Muammhed Umar Dankuruku, said the cuts affected the brain of Hassan and would undergo surgery even as he said the victim has remained unconscious.

After the attack, Dankuruku said the assailants used the victim’s phone to call his contacts, demanding ransom, saying Hassan was in their custody.

According to him, “Hassan Usman used to buy cows from

the Fulani people. He was in the market on Igarra market day and two of them came to call him that they had cows to sell to him in the bush.

“On getting to the bush, they told him to bring money and he said he doesn’t have money, they pounced on him and cut him severally with machete in more than five places.

“They collected his phone and called us that they have kidnapped Hassan. They called Audu his younger brother, he asked them where they were, they told him they were not ready yet to tell him where they were.

“After about two to three hours, another Fulani man was coming from inside the bush, he saw the lifeless body of Hassan with cuts, he came to town to

tell us and we rushed him to the hospital in Igarra but we have moved him to Auchi and the doctor has said the cuts have affected his brain and will have to be operated on this evening.

“After that, these people have been using Hassan’s phone to call us to say we should come and pay them N30 million that if we don’t give them N30 million, they will kill him, they never knew that we had taken Hassan to the hospital.

“For three days now, Hassan has not talked, he has not eaten, he has not opened his eyes.”

He also said they have reported the case to the police.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Chidi Nwabuzor, confirmed the incident, saying the police was already investigating the matter.

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY JANUARY 11, 2018

13

14

T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ ÍŻÍŻËœ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍś

COMMENT

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

SEASONS OF NATION BUILDING AND DEMOLITION Projects assisted with community labour have additional value of a sense of ownership, writes Okello Oculi

‘

’All roads lead to Johannesburg’’, was Alan Paton’s pun on a colonial logic in railway constructions by which rail lines lay like metal tubes on the land for sucking cotton, groundnuts, coffee, cocoa, copper and ores of other minerals into the sea for ships to deport out of African territories. The railway lines, wagons and engines would have been hauled on heads and backs of thousands of unpaid Africans. A notorious example was that from Brazzaville to Pointe-Noire during which 25,000 labourers died from exhaustion and hunger. They were not working to build a nationhood in the sense in which Prime Minister Julius Nyerere of Tanganyika exhorted his people with the slogan: ‘’UHURU NA KAAZI’’ (or our freedom must be fed with our work). It was brutal colonial forced-labour.

In 1953, British colonial officials used armed soldiers to guard over suspected supporters of Mau Mau armed revolt in Kenya to build with bare hands Embakasi international airport covering seven square miles. As one American observer reported: the men would be seen ‘’labouring at a million-tonne excavation job, filling in craters, laying half million tonnes of stone with nothing but shovels, stone hammers and their bare hands’’. President Jomo Kenyatta, a University of London graduate in Anthropology, would later recall such collective labouring as part of the culture of Gikuyu and other peoples in Kenya. He exhorted Kenyans to engage in ‘’HARAAMBEE’’ (or let us pull in unison) – in building the post-colonial Kenya. Notably, it was used in building projects in individual constituencies of members of parliament.

The notion of irrigating work with the sweat of members of a team or a community has the value of imparting a sense of ownership, both individually and collectively, in a way which projects constructed by foreign contractors cannot enjoy. I recall the pride with which our Moroccan guide told us that the magnificent art works on stone walls hosting a King’s grave in Rabat were done by the most skilful carvers brought from all parts of Morocco. That was a process of building a nation through arousing feelings of ownership of a monument by both artists and citizens. Colonial governments blocked such feelings; generating suffering.

The New Year announcement by President Muhammadu Buhari of plans to construct several railway lines offers an opportunity to adapt the example of Embakasi airport for the engagement of millions of unemployed and underemployed youths across Nigeria. This would be under paid labour.

These youths would earn incomes; develop feelings of building their own country, and build new relations across language and religious identities. As they labour and sweat, their earnings would support local women who cook fresh meals for them under inducements of a financial ‘’multiplier effect’’. This form of economic contact would also entrench feelings of ownership for these railway projects.

THE NEW YEAR ANNOUNCEMENT BY PRESIDENT BUHARI OF PLANS TO CONSTRUCT SEVERAL RAILWAY LINES OFFERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADAPT THE EXAMPLE OF EMBAKASI AIRPORT FOR THE ENGAGEMENT OF MILLIONS OF UNEMPLOYED AND UNDEREMPLOYED YOUTHS ACROSS NIGERIA

Moreover, local smelters of components of rails, wagons and engines should emerge from these projects. The season of industrialisation inside Africa being blocked by companies abroad must be terminated. In 1927 Senegalese businessmen started processing groundnuts into oil for export. French companies forced colonial officials to suppress it. In1928, a Development Commission encouraged Europeans and Indians to gin cotton in Uganda but ‘’Africans were prohibited by legislation from owning gins’’.

The inventive and innovative geniuses of Nigerians should fuel railway-related industrialisation as vital elements in economic growth for nation-building.

Both Idi Amin and Yoweri Museveni in Uganda have been attracted by Franz Fanon’s dictum that psychological damage done to dignity and self-worth of a group of people must be cured and purged by victims inflicting physical violence on those who had done the injuries. For both leaders, beneficiary groups have been greatly relieved and rejuvenated. However, Fanon did not offer answers for the ‘’healing’’ new culture of violence that grows across a country. In Algeria, for example, angry Islamists led by fighters against French colonial troops, easily returned to atavistic violence against civilians and military personnel following the cancellation of the 1992 elections which they had virtually won. The new violence overwhelmed nationbuilding values.

American taste of political blood in Rumania, Iraq, Libya and Egypt seems to have ignited President Donald Trump’s becoming an instant cheer-leader for anti-government protestors in Iran during the first week of 2018. In each case, NATO’s intelligence operatives had adapted tools for building awareness in ordinary citizens - as outlined by Che Guevara (in Cuba) and Amilcar Cabral (in Guinea Bissau and Cape Verde) - to demolish targeted regimes. Molten pools of anger, discontent, growing poverty, stolen election results, terror by the secret police and gangs regarded as tools of rulers, were patiently mapped out. Ways of lighting them up into violent wraths were crafted in laboratories.

President Clinton’s team recruited collaborators from among unemployed Egyptian graduates working as NGOs. Experts speaking on China’s television outlet (CGTN) fingered Saudi Arabia, Israel and the United States as throwers of this weapon at Iran as a 2018 New Year gift.

The degree to which a targeted country can survive such attacks depends on its success in building the fabric of nationhood. Chinua Achebe once heard a bird saying that since humans learnt to shoot without missing, it now flies without perching on a tree. Since post-Cold War imperialists have leant to put poison inside stomachs, African countries must fight against ‘’Re-colonisation ‘’ with creative tools for nation-building.

A PRESIDENT AND A HEARTBREAK NATION Ikeogu Oke argues that President Buhari could do more to arrest the violence across the nation Ours is a heartbreak nation, A killer of elation, Unmindful of its inclination To self-immolation. – Ikeogu Oke, “A Heartbreak Nation�

T

he recent killings in Rivers and Benue States and previous ones across our country, attributed to suspected cultists and Fulani herdsmen, should worry anyone genuinely interested in preserving its unity, security, peace and progress. If we have a sense of history, we should recognise the calls by some of the territorial victims to arm and defend themselves since government seems unwilling to defend them as a prognosis of crises that can threaten our nation’s corporate existence.

In fact, the killings should be of the greatest concern to our President, Muhammadu Buhari, who on assuming office in 2015 chose security as one of his major interests. That choice was clearly right for a president who took over the reins of government at a time when Boko Haram still ravaged the Northeast seemingly unchecked, and still held most of the Chibok girls as spoils of war. And its leader, Abubakar Shekau, occasionally released videos taunting the entire nation and making it seem pathetic and helpless in the face of his haughty threats of more violence.

And it has reportedly released one more of its captives, another Chibok girl named Salomi Pogu, in the wake of the Benue killings that reportedly claimed scores of lives, for which some supposed leader of a group of herdsmen has reportedly claimed responsibility, explaining the carnage as a retaliation for the loss of some of their cattle during migration across the victims’ territory.

How does one describe a country in which human beings are killed to preserve the lives of cattle? A bovine state?

As some have pointed out, the latest unsolicited release of the Chibok girl comes with such special timing that perhaps calls for special gratitude to Boko Haram, and a louder celebration than we had mustered for its previously freed captives, one involving a presidential reception for the fortunate former captives.

Indeed, isn’t it cause for a greater celebration to have regained without asking what the giver would normally resist our having back, however hard we tried? I join in extending our gratitude to Boko Haram and of course will consent to any planned celebration of Ms. Pogu’s release, even though the gesture might strike some as a queasy act, like dropping a rose on a pool of innocent blood.

But with the lives of the Chibok girls meaning so much to us, as they should, that we celebrate

or expect ourselves to celebrate every episode of their stingy release by their captors, how come we treat the lives of victims of such killings in Benue and elsewhere with seeming toleration, as shown by our having left them unchecked despite their repetitiveness in a country where the lives of all citizens are supposed to be equal and deserving of equal protection under the law?

It is somewhat comforting, however, that President Buhari has reportedly condemned the Benue killings. But needn’t he do more? Like assert himself as a leader genuinely interested in discharging his constitutional responsibility of protecting the lives and properties of all our citizens and guaranteeing peace and security in our country, by ensuring the arrest and prosecution of the culprits? Simply, a killer at large is a threat to everyone. Then think of the number behind this spreading carnage.

Sad as it is, we have to admit that these killings have left us where President Buhari met us, with a serious security crisis that we seem unable to resolve, and for which many felt justified to discredit his predecessor, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

And it should worry him, I think, that, barely two years into his administration, comparisons are being made between him and the predecessor whose critics summed up as “clueless�.

Even those who insist that things would have been worse under Buhari’s predecessor

would admit that they are merely indulging in speculation, like predicting the future which we all know is uncertain, if they have regard for intellectual honesty. Their gratuitous defence of President Buhari against such comparison shows how hard he needs to work to invalidate a troubling nostalgia and rein in what to many has become a heartbreak, unmindfully suicide-bound nation under his charge, by putting an end to these killings and restoring confidence in our country as a safe place governed by law and where the life of every citizen counts equally to the government of the day.

Just a brief trawl in social and other media would show how those behind the carnage have been killing the joys of many who believed in President Buhari’s ability to redeem our country and proved this by voting massively for him.

To put it simply, his popular support, general goodwill and integrity are haemorrhaging with every life lost to the gun shots or machete cuts of the culprits, so far as he is perceived as unwilling to check, let alone end, the attacks. They risk bleeding to death like many of the victims of these attacks, which may earn him the unpleasant verdict of history as a leader who could not learn from the past and the present despite being taught repeatedly by his and others’ experiences.

Oke, a poet, is the winner of the 2017 Nigeria Prize for Literature

15

T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ ÍŻÍŻËœ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍś

EDITORIAL GAS FLARE AND THE DANGERS

The authorities should help save the nation by ensuring gas flaring ends by 2030

T

he programme coordinator of the Nigeria Gas Flare Commercialisation Programme in the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources said recently that of the 16,000 are sites across the world, Nigeria has 178, going by a recent veriďŹ cation exercise conducted by the World Bank, United States Agency for International Development and the Canadian government. Aside the enormous waste in ďŹ nancial resources, the health hazards of such a huge number of ares in a small territory within the Niger Delta can only be imagined.

Gas is ared in Nigeria, essentially due to lack of technical know-how, regulatory defects, and economic constraints. Regrettably, much of this gas could have been tapped for use in solving the nation’s energy problem. But because oil companies believe that the technology is expensive, which makes aring a cheaper option, and they enjoy the tacit support of those in authorities, nothing has been done to stop the practice beyond making empty declarations.

However, both the THESE COMMUNITIES federal government CRY ABOUT RISING CASES and the oil companies OF STILL BIRTHS, INFANT cannot pretend to be MORTALITY AS WELL AS unmindful of the dire INEXPLICABLE DEATHS health consequences OF WOMEN DURING CHILD suffered by the BIRTH unfortunate hosts of are sites in the Niger Delta. For instance, these communities cry about rising cases of still births, and infant mortality, as well as inexplicable deaths of women during child birth.

The unfortunate situation persists because of the light penalties prescribed in various legislative measures to curb gas aring in Nigeria since 1969.

For instance, since 1984, it has been illegal to are gas without the written permission of the Minister of Petroleum Resources. Also, current penalties for gas aring in Nigeria ofďŹ cially stand at $3.50 per 1000 standard cubic feet. Yet, in 2012, a report by the Petroleum Revenue Special Task Force found that oil companies often do not pay these ďŹ nes, and when they

Letters to the Editor

chose to, they paid the old penalty of N10 per 1000 standard cubic feet ared. Also, the task force discovered that the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) is unable to independently track and measure gas volumes produced and ared since it depends on information operators provide.

M

T H I S DAY EDITOR

DEPUTY EDITORS

˜

MANAGING DIRECTOR

DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR

CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD

EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL

T H I S DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN

GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ˜

˜

˜

GROUP FINANCE DIRECTOR

DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS ˜

˜

DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR

SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS

˜ CONTROLLERS

˜

˜

GROUP HEAD

DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION

TO SEND EMAIL: ďŹ rst name.surname@thisdaylive.com

eanwhile, Nigeria has endorsed the World Bank’s Zero Routine Flaring by 2030 Initiative, which seeks to bring together governments, oil companies, and development institutions that recognise that aring is unsustainable from a resource management and environmental perspective. According to the World Bank, thousands of gas ares at oil production sites around the globe burn approximately 140 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually, causing more than 300 million tonnes of carbon dioxide to be emitted to the atmosphere.

Flaring of gas, the World Bank has noted, contributes to climate change and impacts the environment through emission of CO2, black carbon and other pollutants. It also wastes a valuable energy resource that could be used to advance the sustainable development of producing countries. For example, if the volume of gas being ared were used for power generation, it could provide enough electricity to power the country.

While we understand that associated gas cannot always be used to produce power, it can nonetheless be utilised in a number of other productive ways or conserved.

By endorsing the World Bank Initiative, we expect that the federal government will begin to provide a legal, regulatory investment, and operating environment that is conducive to upstream investments and to the development of viable markets and the infrastructure necessary to deliver the gas to the needed markets. For that objective to be realised, the federal government must stipulate in its new prospect offers that ďŹ eld development plans incorporate conservation of associated gas without routine aring. Furthermore, the federal government should make every effort to ensure that routine aring at existing oil ďŹ elds end no later than 2030.

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.

MAIKANTI BARU, BUHARI AND FUEL SHORTAGES

T

he current fuel scarcity in Nigeria has challenged Mr. Maikanti Baru’s position as Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and also tested his leadership qualities at a critical moment, a moment in which, due to some economic factors, the NNPC is the sole importer of Petroleum Motor Spirit (petrol). Though it is a temporary situation, but the eyes of all Nigerians and President Muhammadu Buhari are fixed on the NNPC to wet the entire nation. It is a tough task for the NNPC to solely stabilise fuel supply with optimum availability across the country, but it is attainable.

Most observers in the oil and gas industry sympathise with both President Buhari, who himself is the Minister for Petroleum and Baru. Baru, whose strides in the downstream sector within one year have brought impeccable achievements, now has those achievements being over shadowed by fuel scarcity during a festive season, in which demand is high and many Nigerians travel. Most Nigerians have forgotten that the long period of stability in fuel supply the Buhari administration achieved was possible through NNPC’s modest refining efforts; the revised Direct Sale of Crude Oil and Direct Purchase of Products (DSDP) programme and the re-commissioned Aba, Mosimi, Atlas-Cove and Kano depots.

Fuel shortages in Nigeria easily irritate most Nigerians; it also puts any NNPC GMD on the edge of his or her seat. Acute scarcity of petroleum products in Nigeria dates back to the early days of oil production in the country. It tends to be frustrating to know that many factors are responsible for the scarcity of petroleum products; however it placates that the feasible and lasting solution is always simple- but often difficult to implement due to their complicated political nature. 2018 is practically a year for politicking, no government hoping for a re-election would take a gamble, certainly. Baru and his team know this.

The Buhari administration was lucky to have taken some stringent decision concerning the downstream sector of the oil and gas industry without any public backlash, with Buhari’s integrity and honesty being responsible for the public understanding.

Baru’s doggedness to resolve the fuel scarcity has brought fruitful results as the queues in Abuja and Lagos have shrunk, while other parts of the country are witnessing improvement. But Mr. Baru has more challenges ahead-to sustain the achievements as well as offer the nation a feasible, lasting and easy to ‘swallow solution’. Though, any solution that Baru proffers requires political and economic endorsement of both the executive and legislative arms of the government. Baru is very fortunate; an insider in the presidency informed this writer that President Buhari has confidence in and tremendous respect for Baru’s competence.

Nigerians already know some of the short and long terms solutions to the recurring fuel scarcity- continued massive importation by the NNPC which is unarguably expensive and unsustainable; re-introduction of the subsidy regime which is corruption prone; complete liberalisation or deregulation which comes with high prices, public backlash and job losses, while construction of new refineries and rehabilitation of the existing ones are capital intensive and an extremely time consuming process.

Maikanti Baru faces a challenge while also in a position to write his name in the sands of time, being a GMD that has the total support of President Buhari, and both of them understand the complexity of the oil and gas industry in Nigeria. Baru needs to bring on board and develop home-grown and off-the-shelf approaches to put a lasting stability in fuel availability in Nigeria while at same time making sure the masses do not feel any pinch as well. It is possible, but with a new thinking.

Zayyad I. Muhammad Jimeta, Adamawa State

GOOD FOOD HELPED ALI AHMADU

Y

oung Ali Ahmadu, that Chibok boy-victim of a Boko Haram roll-over, returned from his treatment in Dubai a totally transformed youngster; head full of fresh hair, cheeks-chubby, bounding steps, good health generally.

While growing up in Nigeria Ali was not that “fresh-looking;� what changed can be put down to a change to improved diet whilst in Dubai. Lacking good food is the bane of the Nigerian child and it should embarrass us all how a few weeks outside this country can transform a child from a frail urchin to a robust child. If Nigeria cannot get its dietary programmes right, and it has not got it right so far, then the country is pitifully adrift into nonentity.

Sunday Adole Jonah, Department of Physics, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State

16

T H I S D AY ˾ ͯͯ˜ ͰͮͯͶ

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY JANUARY 11, 2018

17

18

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2018

POLITICS

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

PERSONALITY INTERVIEW

Inuwa: Katsina, No Longer Rustlers’Haven Secretary to the Katsina State Government, Alhaji Mustapha Muhammad Inuwa! says it took the support of President Muhammadu Buhari to rid Katsina of cattle rustlers and illicit drugs users. He spoke with Peter Ishaka, Bolaji Adebiyi, Charles Ajunwa and Ibrahim Shuaibu. Excerpts:

K

atsina State had a reputation for insecurity and youth restiveness, how far has the Masari government gone in bringing this under control?

I think both are related. The level of security affects behavioural attitude of the youth, particularly those who are jobless.

It’s, however, important that you have an idea of the situation we met on the ground so you could appreciate what we have done.

When we assumed office, the state was under siege. In our major towns, Katsina in particular, businesses had to close by 9 pm because there was serious insecurity situation caused by the youths, especially those called Kaurare (area boys).

They could attack you anywhere regardless of who you are. They could attack you in the house, in shops, on the streets, anywhere! So, the Ibrahim Shema administration could not do anything about this for political reasons.

The only thing the police insisted on was to impose more or less a curfew in the state. In the rural areas, especially along our major roads, it was a case of almost armed robbery on a daily basis especially on roads leading to Katsina from other parts of the country.

What did this government do about it?

Realising that it was impossible to bring development to the state without security, the governor had to tackle the problem head-on.

We sat down with all the security agencies to map out our remedial programmes and strategies. We also formed a task force with the Ministry of Health, Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), security agencies and traditional rulers to address the problem of illicit drug use by the youths. Then we had different empowerment programmes.

There was in the office of the governor under the SSG. A directorate was also established, the Katsina State Economic Empowerment Directorate, headed by a Special Adviser, with staff from the Women Affairs Ministry and the Girl-child Department.

These agencies also linked up some Nongovernmental Organisations (NGOs) and federal institutions offering similar empowerment programmes. At the state level, we initially trained about 140 through our foundation.

We organised them into eight different trades- poultry, ICT, tailoring, catering, oil extraction and beautification.

We then put them into groups and financed them 100 per cent. This was successful. The poultry group has now gone into irrigation and is doing very well. We also trained about 1,020 other youths in their areas of vocational interests. We had 11 different trades and they were also financed 100 per cent. Some of those who were qualified for employment were taken to the State Primary Education Board, others to the Head of Service to take little jobs available.

The rest of them who had interests in business were given start-up capital. The government spent over N300m to set up this group. All of these were done in Katsina Senatorial District as a pilot scheme. Following its success, we intend to re-enact it in Daura and Funtua Senatorial Districts. We also set up a lot of empowerment programme for women being handled by the Women Affairs Ministry and the Girl-child Department, which is headed by a special assistant to the governor.

How did this impact on the security situation?

We knew that idle minds would host the devil. That was why we had to engage our youths and women. Governor Masari then had to engage the security agencies to deal with

Inuwa

the security challenges. We set up a security team, consisting the military, the police, the State Security Services (SSS), civil defence and the NDLEA. Well-funded and equipped, they broke into 10 patrol teams. This lasted for almost one year and we recorded a huge success because we were able to arrest a lot of these bandits and prosecuted them. We were also able to recover 30,000 cattle and almost all were handed over to the owners because we had a committee that was established to handle this type of situation. But after a year, we found out that we were not getting to the end of the situation, so we decided to engage these people because we realised that they were also not happy with the situation.

Some of them told us that they had been in the bush for eight years and would also want peace.

The governor, therefore, granted them amnesty in return for their guns and ammunitions.

With the help of the Miyetti Allah Fulani Cattle Breeders Association we were able to get them to accept the amnesty. On the 15th of January, 2017, we had a very big celebration and lots of them were there, about 400 of them then, and from there the governor set

Whatever we do, we ensure that all stakeholders are carried along

up an amnesty committee.

This helped as we recorded more successes we couldn’t record before. But we had some challenges as some of them did not accept the amnesty. Then our vast borders with Niger Republic, Zamfara, Kaduna and even Central Africa. We, therefore, had to engage the other governors because no matter what we are able to do here, if the others are not doing something similar, these people will just move out and move in.

So His Excellency organised a meeting of the North-west governors, and then engaged the higher authorities of the security, the GOC and so on. So the meeting agreed on joint operations where we were to make contributions; and the governor, as usual, was the first to contribute the money agreed.

It would appear you had issues with Zamfara and Kebbi States?

The issue is the attitude, depending on how a particular government understands and maybe reacts to the situation. This involves a lot funds and once the security agents are not getting the cooperation and understanding of the states, they cannot be effective. So we try to see if we could do it effectively and jointly, but honestly that aspect did not work.

Why didn’t you seek the help of President Muhammadu Buhari to rein them in?

The president directed that he would reimburse the states for their expenses on the joint operations. Presently, joint operations are taking place, from Zamfara to Kaduna states. It involves both the Army and the Air Force because the president directed that the security agencies must ensure that they clear the forest of all these criminals. Honestly, the federal government is supporting our actions.

What is the level of cooperation from the traditional rulers?

One thing with this government is that in whatever we do, we ensure that all stakeholders are carried along. So all these committees I have talked to you about, we have representatives from the two emirates.

There is nothing that the government will do that requires the cooperation, understanding and participation of major stakeholders that they are not involved in. So where you need the traditional rulers, they are there; where you need the civil organisations, they are there, where you need the NLC, they are there; that’s why we don’t have any problems implementing the decisions we make because everyone is carried along.

How have all these measures impacted on the Katsina project?

What we believe is that government is supposed to provide an enabling environment for enterprises to flourish. With the vastly improved security situation, economic activities have picked up. Our markets are now fully functional. So the economy of the local people is growing. Many of them don’t even know about the oil money, because it does not go there.

So, the security has provided ample opportunities for the micro-economy to thrive.

Politically, people believe that this government is for them. The governor before could not go round freely. But our governor drives himself int town. Politically, people now understand that the government is for them. So we have very good support from the populace. All government functionaries, we are free to move around which never existed before.

Honestly, the government has done so much and the people are appreciating it. So, I think both economically and politically, the people of the state are happy. We are also getting investors; we had an economic summit here and we had people coming from different parts of the world.

19

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2018

ANALYSIS

In Kogi, Bello Fights Back After coming under heavy criticism for his poor performance in Kogi State, Governor Yahya Bello rolls out new measures to turn the state’s fortunes around. Yekini Jimoh reports

T

he Kogi State governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello in his new year broadcast to the people took his time to address critical issues affecting the state.

Before the broadcast, the governor was a target of several scathing remarks much of which questioned his ability and suitability to govern.

However, the governor dwelt more on civil servants with whom he had been fighting a running battle. Nevertheless, the governor appeared not bothered by criticisms trailing his decision to sack workers in the state as he insisted on pushing through his reform of the state’s civil service which he insisted is good for the state.

Some workers have lost their jobs due to one problem or the other while some have died as a result of hardship they suffered because they were not paid their salaries.

Some parents have withdrawn their children from schools because they could no longer afford the school fees.

Even some workers have committed suicide as a result of the hardship. A case in point was a director, Mr. Soje who took his life while another director, Mr Alphonsis Ameh, 61 year old died as a result of heart failure after he received his sacked letter.

Just recently about 800 workers were discovered to have been working with forged certificates.

They included workers on both the state and the local government payrolls According to the state’s Auditor General, Alhaji Yakubu Okala, government was committed to sanitising the public service sector and make it the pride of the state.

He also gave an assurance that the government would give top priority to the payment of salary this year even as he vowed to pursue programmes and policies that would impact positively on the lives of civil servants.

Bello, on the other hand believes that the biggest challenge facing his administration still remains the paucity of funds to finance series of development programmes.

No doubt, it is clear that no magic solution exists for the shortfalls in liquidity which has hit governments all over the country. But so far, creative governors have managed to pull through without attracting negative publicity that Bello has had to contend with.

One of the viable options before him is to be more creative in maximising existing sources of funds while developing new ones.

However, during his new year state broadcast, the governor asked workers in the state to stop blackmailing him over non payment of salaries. Bello warned that civil servants should not allow themselves to be used by political detractors to blackmail him over non payment of salaries.

He added that welfare of workers remained one of the top priorities of his administration, stressing that his administration, last December, succeeded in paying almost all the salaries arrears owed all categories of workers in the state and that the few ones that were yet to be paid were those having issues with the concluded staff screening exercise.

He expressed surprise that in spite of all his administration did to ameliorate the suffering of workers, some ”discredited politicians ” are still using some unscrupulous workers to blackmail his administration that he was owing backlog of salaries and said any worker caught conniving with detractors to blackmail his administration would hence forth be dealt with.

He said: “This information on payment of salaries in relation to the screening exercise is important to dispel the persistent use of alleged non-payment by dishonest and discredited politicians to gain political capital under guise of fighting for Kogi State civil servants.

“It is also important to sound a warning to those civil servants who defame government with claims of long months of unpaid salaries in order to solicit money from gullible people, or evade their own contractual or domestic obligations.

“As the governor of Kogi State, I do not know of any circumstance under which any cleared civil servant, whether at state of local government

Bello

level, can be owed even three months salaries after several months of being cleared, let alone 6, 10 or more months as some continue to claim.

“Our investigations show that those making these claims were caught in one offence or the other by the screening exercise and were dismissed or suspended from service without pay. In other cases, they were sanctioned for offences, granted pardon subject to regularisation.

“In all of these cases, due process is applicable.

While we are making efforts to avoid collecting our full pound of flesh from those who robbed our state in the past through the civil service, we will no longer hesitate to make an example of those we catch compounding their criminal conduct with duplicity in this

Bello, on the other hand believes that the biggest challenge facing his administration still remains the paucity of funds to finance development programmes

manner. Government will do her best to pay salaries as and at when due in 2018.”

The governor said as from this January workers’ attendance to work would be strictly monitored through the use of electronic device otherwise known as clock -in, clock- out which he said would finally determine the take home pay of each worker with a view to fish out indolent ones.

While mentioning some of his achievements in the last two years, he said his administration embarked on many projects that have direct bearing with the common man in the streets.

According to him, the agriculture policy introduced by him has brought succour to citizens in the state as the mass production of rice through the Omi dam has forced prices of food items to be reduced as government now sells rice at subsidised rate to the citizens.

He noted that he was pleased with the progress the state had made in agriculture as an alternative source of income and employment.

“Our first harvest from the experimental farm at Omi Dam was hugely satisfying, considering that it is an initial effort. The first batch of Confluence Rice hit the market in December, 2017. This is a source of income we hope to nurture from domestic sales, and if there is a surplus, distribution to other parts of the country and even overseas export.

“Our rice renaissance is traceable to the Agricultural Revolution Programme (ARP) which we launched with fanfare early in 2017 and have been working on since. Similarly, Cashew, cassava, sugarcane and benniseed are some other crops we have big plans for. We

have made advanced progress with possible investors to cultivate these on an industrial scale in 2018. By the end of the year, we should be able to attribute at least 15 per cent of our income to earnings from the agricultural sector.“ He stressed that his New Direction Blueprint also contained programmes to start earning some serious money for Kogi State from direct investments in solid minerals.

He claimed that the state had not neglected the potentials of this rich source of Internally Generated Revenue, adding that state-owned solid minerals production company has been undergoing revitalisation to give it a corporate structure which is more responsive to the current realities saying it should be ready to handle transactions from early this year.

According to him, running concurrently with infrastructure development and IGR growth was a programme of social welfare packages which his administration created to reach many people particularly at the grassroots as possible.

He said: “While this may not have reached every person and every household, I am aware that it has reached every ward. This direct distribution of foodstuff, particularly rice, has put food on the tables which will otherwise be empty, especially during festive seasons. We will work to grow this Food Direct Programme in 2018 while expanding the scope to include other essential commodities like medicines.”

Bello also expressed the hope that this year will be far better than that of last year as his administration has mapped out areas to transform the state and create employment opportunities for the teeming youths and urged the citizens to remain law abiding.

20

THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2018 ˾ T H I S D AY

FEATURES

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

Equatorial Guinea Celebrates New Capital Equatorial Guinea has unveiled its new capital, Djibloho, nestled in the sanctuary of wildlife in the African forest. Olawale Ajimotokan who attended the 3e Actuaries Open championship hosted by the country, reports

W

e left the plush Grand Hotel Djibloho, where the contingent to the 3e Actuaries Equatorial Guinea Open championship, hosted

by President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, was serenaded for a tour of the city built from the scratch.

Gabriel, the local guide, who drove this reporter and Olalekan Okusan of The Nation newspapers, pulled up near the 500 feet long suspended bridge across River Wele, along Avenida La Paz. The stop afforded ample benefit to glimpse the country’s main water-body as it meanders through the dense forest down to Mbini, where it empties its contents into the Atlantic Ocean.

Interests in Djibloho, sometime called Oyala, escalated after Equatorial Guinea, Africa’s third largest oil producer, in February last year, announced the movement of its administrative capital from Malabo on Bioko Island to the mainland.

The Prime Minister, who was also in charge of the Administrative Coordination, Francisco Pascual Obama Asue, presided over the inaugural meeting in Djibloho on February 7, 2017 with the members of the government.

Built on an area measuring 8,100 hectares for a projected population of 200,000 people, the new district is carved out of a swathe of untouched tropical forest, inhabited by western lowland gorillas, forest elephants and other rare wildlife species.

Its people belong to the Bantu ethnic stock whose main occupation is farming and hunting.

Surrounded by national parks, Djibloho is in Wele-Nzas Province, the central most of the mainland enclave known as Rio Grande.

Still a huge construction site, the amenities that will be created from the frenzy will make some developing nations go back to the drawing board. Here the electricity and telephone cables are run underground and never visible to the prying eyes.

“This city will excite many people when it is finally completed. It will be touted as Africa’s smartest capital on the evidence of the facilities to support urban living. Every concept about it speaks of modernity,” the General Manager of Grand Hotel Djibloho, Viscenzo Presti, said in a low pitch.

The palatial six-star Grand Hotel Djibloho with 50 presidential villas, international conference centre, indoor swimming pool and an 18-hole golf course was built in 2015 as part of the new capital city vision.

The construction of Djibloho began in 2010 and is due for completion by 2020. But eight years on, another African capital, with modern infrastructure and state institutions to go with it is steadily emerging from the forest.

Parliament Building

Office structures

This city will excite many people when it is finally completed. It will be touted as Africa’s smartest capital on the evidence of the facilities to support urban living. Every concept about it speaks of modernity

The dome of the Presidential Palace is visible from Avenida Justicia on the main administrative zone, the equivalent of Nigeria’s Three Arms Zone in Abuja.

This boulevard, 81m in width and about 4km long, is inspired by Champs-Élysées in Paris. It is one of the four main streets envisioned to ease the traffic flow and to host a great variety of infrastructure.

Others are Calla Malabo, Avenida Littoral and Avenida La Paz. The ministry establishments, the Tribunal (Supreme Court), Presidential Guards, National Square, several high end buildings for offices and commerce, and housing complex that correspond to a diverse range of urban activities are to

be located at Avenida Justicia.

Parallel to this avenue, close by the River Wele, is the Nature Axis where several cultural and leisure facilities are situated.

They are strategically located in order to take the most of the natural elements, specially the proposed lagoon that results from the rivers enlargement.

The Parliament is already built at Avenida La Paz, which is also reserved for the foreign embassies, residential quarters, the Universidad Americana de Africa Central (American University of Central Africa) and La Paz Hospital.

The hospital, currently under construction will serve the district.

Measuring 22,000 square metres in size,

the multi-disciplinary building will run a medical college. It also boasts of an emergency room, imaging, dialysis, cardiac, obstetrics and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and other services.

Aside the business district, Djibloho is strategically connected with other villages in Wele-Nzas province and other parts of the country.

Travelling on the asphalted highways, which vary in width from double tracks to three tracks, makes driving on the road an experience only comparable to driving on a Formula 1 track.

On the network are Aconibe, Nzok, Evinayong and Bata, the country’s largest city on the western coast. It also covers

21

Ëž T H I S D AY THURSDAYËœ ÍŻÍŻËœ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍś

FEATURES

Olawale Opayinka of 3e Actuaries (2nd left) explains a point to President Teodoro Obiang and First Lady of Equatorial Guinea, Constancia Mangue Nsue de Biang

Mongomo near the border with Gabon, ultimately branching out to Mongomeyen, which has the fifth international airport serving Equatorial Guinea, and is considered the best equipped airport in the entire Central African region.

The airport can handle aircraft in the Boing 747-400 class.

THISDAY visit to Djibloho for 3e Actuaries Equatorial Guinea Golf Open championship overlapped with the contract signing ceremony between government and engineering companies involved in the capital project.

President Obiang renewed the contract with the firms including Bouygues, Piccini, Vinci SA, Unicon, Summa and General Works over a long term.

The government is using golf as a driving force to boost tourism and attract development to the new administrative city and the whole province as part of the country’s ambitious Horizon 2020 plans.

The golf course in Mongomo, about 80 kms away, and the venue of the annual national golf championship will complement the layout at Djibloho and Sipopo in Malabo.

In addition, the government has embarked on developing a boutique golf estate called Elysian Fields on the ocean front in Bata.

Prospects are high for tourism given the firm political will, financial backing and international interest in golf in the enclave.

Obiang himself expressed this desire at the opening ceremony of 3e Actuaries Open. He stressed that the country had started to reap from the decision to invest in tourism through sports. “Golf was an unknown sports here until I introduced it to this country through investments in golf courses. Our idea is to invest in tourism through sports to continue to develop our country.

We want to create a narrative of small Equatorial Guinea doing great things. We have a new capital in Djibloho with great infrastructure and one of the best hotels in the world plus a great golf course. This tells a beautiful story about Central Africa, giving a pure message about the country and its people

American University of Central Africa

The palatial Grand Hotel Djibloho

“Equatorial Guinea used to be one of the poorest countries in Africa that nobody wanted to visit. In the past they said we could not find oil but looking at the geography, we said ‘Nigeria and Gabon have oil and why shouldn’t we?’ With that we are able to develop our country with oil revenue,�

Obiang said.

Nigerian businessman Olawale Opayinka, is the brain behind 3e Actuaries, which has been leading the team to deliver on Obiang’s vision to use golf to spearhead

Equatorial Guinea tourism.

Since 2013, Opayinka has successfully organised the Equatorial Guinea Open, creating an event that has captured the interest and admiration of the global community and attracted players from the highest level.

Through his initiatives and commitments, golfers from Africa and other continents now make yearly trips to Wele-Nzas in pursuit of the nation’s ultimate golfing honours.

He told THISDAY that the plan ultimately

is to make the event an African Major by 2020 and be the platform for at least six African children to play at the Olympic Games in 20 years. “We want to create a narrative of small Equatorial Guinea doing great things. We have a new capital in Djibloho with great infrastructure and one of the best hotels in the world plus a great golf course. This tells a beautiful story about Central Africa, giving a pure message about the country and its people,� Opayinka said.

22

T H I S D AY ˾ ͯͯ˜ ͰͮͯͶ

T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ ÍŻÍŻËœ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍś

23

BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S MONEY MARKET OBB OVERNIGHT

A S

A T

J A N U A R Y

REPO CALL 1-MONTH 3-MONTH

ͯ͜˛͹͹ ͯ͡

Group Business Editor ChikaAmanze-Nwachuku Email: chika.amanzenwachukwu@thisdaylive.com 08033294157, 08057161321

5 ,

S & P INDEX ͯ;˛͜͹ ͯ͜˛͜͹ ͯ͡˛͜͹

INDEX LEVEL 1-DAY MONTH-TO-DAY QUARTER-TO-DAY YEAR-TO-DAY

2 0 1 7 EXCHANGE RATE

͹͹͹˛͡ͳ ͎˛;ͯ ͯ˛͹ʹ ͯ˛͹ʹ ͯ˛͹ʹ

͹͎ͳ˛͡ͳ˚ͯ

Quick Takes NIG Elects Amana President Ă’Ă? Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹ Ă˜ĂžĂ?ĂœĂ˜Ă?Ăž ĂœĂ™Ă&#x;Ăš Ě™ Ěš Ă’Ă‹Ă? Ă?Ă–Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ?ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă’Ă“Ă?Ă? Ă?âĂ?Ă?Ă&#x;ÞÓà Ă? ÙʊĂ?Ă?Ăœ Ă™Ă? Ă?Ă? ÙÙÖ Ă™Ă˜ĂžĂœĂ‹Ă?ĂžĂ? Ă“Ă—Ă“ĂžĂ?ĂŽËœ ĂœË› Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă˜ĂŁ Ă—Ă‹Ă˜Ă‹Ëœ Ă‹Ă? Ă“ĂžĂ? ĂšĂœĂ?Ă?Ă“ĂŽĂ?Ă˜Ăž Ă?Ă™Ăœ ÞÒĂ? Ă˜Ă?âÞ ÞåÙ ĂŁĂ?Ă‹ĂœĂ?Ë› ÞÒĂ?Ăœ Ă—Ă?Ă—ĂŒĂ?ĂœĂ? Ă™Ă? âĂ?Ă™ Ă?Ă–Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ?ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă–Ă&#x;ĂŽĂ?ĂŽ Ë? ĂœË› Ă‹ĂŁĂ?ĂœĂ™ Ă‘Ă‹ĂŒĂ“ Ă‹Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă˜Ă?ĂĄ Ă Ă“Ă?Ă? ĂšĂœĂ?Ă?Ă“ĂŽĂ?Ă˜ĂžËœ ĂœĂ?Ë› Ă•Ă?Ă— ĂĄĂ‹Ă”Ă?Ě‹ Ă?Ă‘Ă’Ă™Ëœ ĂžĂœĂ?Ă‹Ă?Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?ĂœËž Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă“Ă–Ă‹ĂœĂŁ Ă‹Ă—Ă“Ă?Ă?Ă‹Ă’ Ă?Ă—Ă?ĂœĂ‘Ă?ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? ĂšĂ&#x;ĂŒĂ–Ă“Ă?ÓÞã Ă?Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ?ĂžĂ‹ĂœĂŁË› Ă’Ă? Ă?Ă–Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ ĂĄĂ‹Ă? Ă’Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽĂ–Ă?ĂŽ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂĄĂ“ĂžĂ˜Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?ĂŽ ĂŒĂŁ ÞÒĂ? ĂœĂ?ĂšĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă Ă? Ă™Ă? Ă™Ă‹ĂœĂŽ Ă™Ă? ĂœĂ&#x;Ă?ĂžĂ?Ă?Ă? Ě™ Ěš Ă’Ă‹Ă“ĂœĂ—Ă‹Ă˜Ëœ Ă’Ă“Ă?Ă? Ă–Ă‹ĂĄĂ‹Ă–Ă? Ă‘Ă?Ëœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ—Ă?Ăœ Ă“Ă?Ă? Ă’Ă‹Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ă–Ă–Ă™Ăœ Ă™Ă? ĂŒĂ‹Ă?Ă?Ă—Ă“ åÙÖÙåÙ Ă˜Ă“Ă Ă?ĂœĂ?ÓÞã Ě™ ĚšËœ ĂœĂ™Ă?Ë› ĂŽĂ?Ă˜Ă“ĂŁĂ“ Ă?Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂžĂ™Ă•Ă&#x;Ă˜Ëœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ—Ă?Ăœ ĂšĂœĂ?Ă?Ă“ĂŽĂ?Ă˜ĂžËœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂœĂ? ÔËãÓ åÓÞÒ ĂšĂœĂ?Ă?Ă“ĂŽĂ?Ă˜Ăž Ă?Ă—Ă?ĂœĂ“ĂžĂ&#x;Ă? Ă?Ë› ĂŁĂ?ĂœĂ™Ă˜Ă•Ă? Ë› ĂŁĂ?ĂžĂ&#x;Ă˜ĂŽĂ? Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹ĘľĂ?Ă˜ĂŽĂ‹Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ë› Ă’Ă? Ă?Ă–Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ ĂĄĂ‹Ă? Ă’Ă?Ă–ĂŽ Ă‹Ăž ÞÒĂ? Ă’Ă?Ă‹ĂŽĂ›Ă&#x;Ă‹ĂœĂžĂ?ĂœĂ? Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹ Ă˜ĂžĂ?ĂœĂ˜Ă?Ăž Ă?Ă‘Ă“Ă?ĂžĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă?Ă?Ă™Ă?Ă“Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ě™ Ă“ Ěš Ă“Ă˜ Ă&#x;ĂœĂ&#x;Ă–Ă?ĂœĂ?Ëœ Ă‹Ă‘Ă™Ă?Ë› Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂŽĂ?ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜ ÍŻÍˇÍˇÍłËœ ÞÒĂ? Ă“Ă? Ă‹ Ă˜Ă™ĂžĚ‹Ă?Ă™ĂœĚ‹ĂšĂœĂ™Ę¨ĂžËœ Ă˜Ă™Ă˜Ě‹Ă‘Ă™Ă Ă?ĂœĂ˜Ă—Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ‹Ă– Ă™ĂœĂ‘Ă‹Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ëœ ĂšĂœĂ™Ă—Ă™ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÒĂ? Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ?ĂœĂ˜Ă?Ăž Ă“Ă˜ Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹Ë› Ă™ Ă‹Ă?Ă’Ă“Ă?Ă Ă? Ă“ĂžĂ? Ă—Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽĂ‹ĂžĂ?Ëœ ÞÒĂ? Ă‘ĂœĂ™Ă&#x;Ăš Ă?Ă˜Ă‘Ă‹Ă‘Ă?Ă? Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹ Ă˜Ă&#x;Ă—ĂŒĂ?Ăœ Ă™Ă? Ă‹Ă?ÞÓà ÓÞÓĂ?Ă? ĂĄĂ’Ă“Ă?Ă’ Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă–Ă&#x;ĂŽĂ?Ëž ÚÙÖÓĂ?ĂŁ Ă‹ĂŽĂ Ă™Ă?Ă‹Ă?ĂŁËœ Ă‹ĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂ?Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă?ĂœĂ?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ë› ĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂ?Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă?ĂœĂ?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ ÞËĂ?Ă•Ă? Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă‘ĂœĂ™Ă&#x;Ăš Ă‹ĂœĂ? Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂœĂ“Ă?ĂŽ Ă™Ă&#x;Ăž ĂžĂ’ĂœĂ™Ă&#x;Ă‘Ă’ Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ?Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ă?Ëœ Ă?Ă?Ă—Ă“Ă˜Ă‹ĂœĂ?Ëœ Ă?Ă˘Ă’Ă“ĂŒĂ“ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ëœ ĂžĂœĂ‹Ă“Ă˜Ă“Ă˜Ă‘Ă?Ëœ ĂĄĂ™ĂœĂ•Ă?ÒÙÚĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă˜Ă?ĂĄĂ?Ă–Ă?ĘľĂ?Ăœ ĂšĂ&#x;ĂŒĂ–Ă“Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ëœ ĂĄĂ’Ă“Ă–Ă? ÚÙÖÓĂ?ĂŁ Ă‹ĂŽĂ Ă™Ă?Ă‹Ă?ĂŁ Ă“Ă? ĂŽĂ™Ă˜Ă? ĂŒĂŁ Ă‹Ă?ÞÓà Ă?Ă–ĂŁ Ă?Ă˜Ă‘Ă‹Ă‘Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ÑÙà Ă?ĂœĂ˜Ă—Ă?Ă˜Ăž ĂŽĂ&#x;ĂœĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă‹Ę°Ă?Ăœ ÚÙÖÓĂ?ĂŁ Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ—Ă&#x;Ă–Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ ĂšĂœĂ™Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ë›

Intel to Release Software Fixes

TECHNOLOGY ON THEIR MINDS

L-R: President, Association of Telecoms Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Mr. Olusola Teniola; Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta; former Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe and Chief Executive OďŹƒcer, Pinnet Informatics, Mr. Lanre Ajayi, at a technology forum in Lagos... recently

‘Nigeria Can’t Attain Full Broadband Economy on Weak Penetration’ Stories by Emma Okonji Given the weak broadband penetration level attained by Nigeria in 2017, which is put at one per cent penetration, the Managing Director of VDT Communications, Mr. Biodun Omoniyi has said unless Nigeria addresses the major issues impeding broadband penetration across the country, it would be difficult for the country to attain the status of a full broadband economy.

According to Omoniyi, whose company provides broadband services to corporate organisations and financial institutions,

ICT Nigeria’s broadband penetration in 2017 was 21 per cent, up from the 20 per cent penetration it attained in 2016. “We only achieved one per cent broadband penetration between 2016 and 2017, when we should be talking of five per cent increase as a nation where demand for broadband services is high. This means that with one per cent growth, Nigeria still has huge deficit in broadband growth, when compared with the 30 per cent national broadband target by the end of 2018,� Omoniyi said.

The VDT boss, who blamed

the slow pace in broadband penetration on several factors, said Nigeria lost out in the first, second and third industrial revolutions, for lack of coordinated efforts between government and the private sector.

He stressed the need for Nigeria to catch up with the fourth industrial revolution, which he said was all about knowledge economy.

According to him, Nigeria has all it takes to be part of the knowledge economy, given its population size and the broadband capacities that were berthed at the country’s seashore by several sub-marine cable operators, since 2010.

“Nigeria cannot attain a full broadband economy if we fail to address some thorny issues like multiple taxation and arbitrary levies imposed on telecommunication operators by various governments, who see telecoms business as ‘honey pot’ to exploit,� Omoniyi said.

He added that the National Broadband Plan (NBP), for instance, was an initiative of the federal government, explaining that it is either the federal government failed to share its vision with state and local governments, or that these other arms of governments Continued on page 24

Domain Name Registration, Renewal Slide in Three Years Nigeria has recorded a slight decline in the country’s code Top Level Domain Name (ccTLD) registration in the last three years, from 2015 to 2017, according to the recent release of .ng domain name report by the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA).

In its previous report, which was released in July 2017, NiRA, which is the body responsible for the country’s domain name registration and control, put the total number of registered domain name at 95,059.

The past report had raised the hope of Nigerians that domain name registration would surpass the 100,000 mark by

IT December 2017.

Although the domain name registration surpassed the 100,000 mark as at December 2017, NiRA in its latest report on .ng domain name registration and renewal as at 4th January 2018, said there was a slide in the number of domain name registration in the last three years.

In technical parlance, domain name which could be ccTLD or generic top level domain (gTLD), is the country identity of individuals and organisations in cyberspace. For anyone to have access to internet activities

privately, the individual must register with a domain name that represents a country. For instance, Nigeria’s domain name in cyberspace has the suffix .ng, Canada is .ca, South Africa is .za, United Kingdom is .co.uk, among others.

Analysing the latest report on .ng domain name registration and renewal, the President of NiRA, Revd. Sunday Folayan, said: “Though we noted the slow down in fresh registrations and renewal of .ng domain names from October, November to December 2017, the general slow-down could be attributed to many reasons, including consumer spending slowdown

and focusing on essentials.�

According to the report, the total number of active .ng domain names as at December 2017, is 101,695, which is a slight increase from the 76,907 recorded in December 2016.

The latest report, however, clearly shows a decline in fresh domain name registration and renewal since 2015.

For instance, the report shows that in October 2015, Nigeria recorded a total of 2,101 domain registration, but in November of the same year, the figure dropped to 2032, and further dropped to 1,702 in December Continued on page 24

Ă˜ĂžĂ?Ă–ËŞĂ? Ă’Ă“Ă?Ă? âĂ?Ă?Ă&#x;ÞÓà Ă? ĘŠĂ?Ă?ĂœËœ ĂœĂ“Ă‹Ă˜ ĂœĂ¤Ă‹Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă’ Ă’Ă‹Ă? Ă?Ă‹Ă“ĂŽ Ă?Ă™Ę°ĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂ? ʨâĂ?Ă? ÞÙ Ă‹ĂŽĂŽĂœĂ?Ă?Ă? ÞÒĂ? ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ–ĂŁ ĂŽĂ“Ă?Ă?Ùà Ă?ĂœĂ?ĂŽ Ă—Ă?Ă–ĂžĂŽĂ™ĂĄĂ˜ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?ĂšĂ?Ă?ĂžĂœĂ? ĂŒĂ&#x;Ă‘Ă? Ă“Ă˜ Ă—Ă“Ă?ĂœĂ™Ă?Ă’Ă“ĂšĂ? ĂĄĂ™Ă&#x;Ă–ĂŽ ĂŒĂ? ĂœĂ?Ă–Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă?ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă˜Ă?âÞ Ă?Ă?ĂĄ ĂŽĂ‹ĂŁĂ?Ë›

ĂœĂ¤Ă‹Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă’ ĂŽĂ“Ă?Ă?Ă–Ă™Ă?Ă?ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ—Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ëœ ĂŽĂ&#x;ĂœĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă’Ă“Ă? Ă•Ă?ĂŁĂ˜Ă™ĂžĂ? Ă?ĂšĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă’ Ă‹Ăž ÞÒĂ? ĂžĂœĂ‹ĂŽĂ? Ă?ÒÙå Ă?Ă Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹Ă? Ă?Ă‘Ă‹Ă? ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ–ĂŁË› Ă? Ă?Ă‹Ă“ĂŽ ͎͡ ĂšĂ?Ăœ Ă?Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă™Ă? ĂšĂœĂ™Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂšĂœĂ™ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?ĂžĂ? Ă?ĂœĂ™Ă— ÞÒĂ? ÚËĂ?Ăž ʨà Ă? ĂŁĂ?Ă‹ĂœĂ? ĂĄĂ™Ă&#x;Ă–ĂŽ ĂŒĂ? ÚËÞĂ?Ă’Ă?ĂŽ ĂĄĂ“ĂžĂ’Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹ ĂĄĂ?Ă?Ă•Ë›

Ă˜ĂžĂ?Ă– Ă’Ă‹Ă? Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă?ĂŽ Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ&#x;ĂžĂ“Ă˜ĂŁ Ă‹Ę°Ă?Ăœ ĂŽĂ?ÞËÓÖĂ? Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? ĘŽĂ‹ĂĄĂ? Ă?Ă—Ă?ĂœĂ‘Ă?ĂŽ Ă–Ă‹Ă?Ăž ĂĄĂ?Ă?Ă•Ë› Ă?Ă–ĂžĂŽĂ™ĂĄĂ˜ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?ĂšĂ?Ă?ĂžĂœĂ? Ă‹ĂœĂ? Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă&#x;Ă?Ă&#x;Ă‹Ă– Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒËÞ ÞÒĂ?ĂŁ Ă‹ĂœĂ? ĂŒĂ™ĂžĂ’ ĂšĂœĂ™ĂŒĂ–Ă?Ă—Ă? åÓÞÒ Ă‹ Ă?Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂŽĂ‹Ă—Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ‹Ă– Ă?Ă™Ă—ĂšĂ™Ă˜Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă“ĂŽĂ? ×ÙÎĂ?ĂœĂ˜ Ă?Ù×ÚĂ&#x;ĂžĂ?ĂœĂ? Ě‹ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂœĂ‹Ă– ĂšĂœĂ™Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă“Ăž Ě™ ̚˛ Ă’Ă?ĂŁ ËÖÖÙå ËʾËĂ?Ă•Ă?ĂœĂ? ÞÙ ÚÙÞĂ?Ă˜ĂžĂ“Ă‹Ă–Ă–ĂŁ Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă?Ă˜Ă?ÓÞÓà Ă? ÎËÞË Ă’Ă?Ă–ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă?ÒÓÚ˪Ă? Ă—Ă?Ă—Ă™ĂœĂŁ ÞÒËÞ ĂĄĂ™Ă&#x;Ă–ĂŽ ÙÞÒĂ?ĂœĂĄĂ“Ă?Ă? ĂŒĂ? Ùʼ Ă–Ă“Ă—Ă“ĂžĂ?Ë›

ĂœĂ¤Ă‹Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă’ ÞÙÙÕ Ă‹ ×Ù×Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă‹Ăž ÞÒĂ? ĂŒĂ?Ă‘Ă“Ă˜Ă˜Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă™Ă? Ă’Ă“Ă? Ă‹ĂŽĂŽĂœĂ?Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ăž ÞÒĂ? ĂžĂ?Ă?Ă’ Ă?Ă‹Ă“Ăœ ÞÙ ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ăœ ÞÙ ÞÒĂ? ĂŽĂ?Ă?Ă“Ă‘Ă˜ Ă“Ă?Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?Ă? ĂŽĂ“Ă?Ă?Ùà Ă?ĂœĂ?ĂŽ ĂŒĂŁ ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂ?Ă’Ă?ĂœĂ? Ă™Ă˜ Ă?Ù×Ă? Ă˜ĂžĂ?Ă–Ëœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă’Ă“ĂšĂ?Ë› ÙåĂ?Ă Ă?ĂœËœ Ă’Ă? ĂŽĂ“ĂŽ Ă˜Ă™Ăž ËÚÙÖÙÑÓĂ?Ă? Ă™Ă˜ Ă’Ă“Ă? Ę¨ĂœĂ—ËŞĂ? ĂŒĂ?Ă’Ă‹Ă–Ă? Ă?Ă™Ăœ ĂĄĂ’Ă‹Ăž Ă’Ă? ĂŽĂ?Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ“ĂŒĂ?ĂŽ Ă‹Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ Ă“Ă˜ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?ĂžĂœĂŁĚ‹ĂĄĂ“ĂŽĂ? ĂšĂœĂ™ĂŒĂ–Ă?Ă—Ë› ËŤ Ă?Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ? ĂĄĂ? Ă?ĂžĂ‹ĂœĂž ĂĄĂ‹Ă˜Ăž ÞÙ ÞËÕĂ? Ă‹ ×Ù×Ă?Ă˜Ăž ÞÙ ĂžĂ’Ă‹Ă˜Ă• ÞÒĂ? Ă“Ă˜ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?ĂžĂœĂŁ Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă?Ă™Ă—Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÙÑĂ?ÞÒĂ?ĂœËœËŹ Ă’Ă? ÞÙÖÎ Ă‹ĘľĂ?Ă˜ĂŽĂ?Ă?Ă?Ë› ËŤ Ă?Ă?Ă&#x;ĂœĂ“ĂžĂŁ Ă“Ă? Ă”Ă™ĂŒ Ă˜Ă&#x;Ă—ĂŒĂ?Ăœ Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă˜ĂžĂ?Ă– Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă™Ă&#x;Ăœ Ă“Ă˜ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?ĂžĂœĂŁËœ Ă?Ă™ ÞÒĂ? ĂšĂœĂ“Ă—Ă‹ĂœĂŁ Ă?Ă™Ă?Ă&#x;Ă? Ă™Ă? Ă™Ă&#x;Ăœ ĂŽĂ?Ă?Ă“Ă?Ă“Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂŽĂ“Ă?Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă’Ă‹Ă Ă? ĂŒĂ?Ă?Ă˜ ÞÙ Ă•Ă?Ă?Ăš Ă™Ă&#x;Ăœ Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?ÞÙ×Ă?ĂœËŞĂ? ÎËÞË Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă?˛ˏ Ă? Ă‹ĂŽĂŽĂ?ĂŽ ÞÒËÞ ÞÒĂ?ĂœĂ? Ă’Ă‹ĂŽ ÞÙ ĂŽĂ‹ĂžĂ?Ëœ ĂŒĂ?Ă?Ă˜ Ă˜Ă™ Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ę¨ĂœĂ—Ă?ĂŽ Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă“Ă˜ ĂĄĂ’Ă“Ă?Ă’ Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?ÞÙ×Ă?Ăœ ÎËÞË Ă’Ă‹ĂŽ ĂŒĂ?Ă?Ă˜ Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?ĂŽ Ă Ă“Ă‹ Ă?âÚÖÙÓÞĂ? ĂŽĂ?Ă?Ă“Ă‘Ă˜Ă?ĂŽ ÞÙ ÞËÕĂ? Ă‹ĂŽĂ Ă‹Ă˜ĂžĂ‹Ă‘Ă? Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? ĘŽĂ‹ĂĄĂ?Ë›

Samsung Forecasts Q4 ProďŹ t Ă‹Ă—Ă?Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă‘ Ă’Ă‹ĂŽ ĂšĂœĂ™Ă”Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ?ĂŽ ÞÒËÞ Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂžĂ’ Ă›Ă&#x;Ă‹ĂœĂžĂ?Ăœ Ě™ Ͳ̚ Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂ˜Ă“Ă˜Ă‘Ă? ĂĄĂ™Ă&#x;Ă–ĂŽ Ă’Ă“Ăž ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă™ĂœĂŽ Ă–Ă?Ă Ă?Ă–Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă“ĂžĂ? Ă?Ă&#x;Ă–Ă– ĂŁĂ?Ă‹Ăœ ÙÚĂ?ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ĂšĂœĂ™Ę¨Ăž ĂĄĂ™Ă&#x;Ă–ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜Ă?ĂœĂ?Ă‹Ă?Ă? ĂŒĂŁ Ă˜Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂ–ĂŁ ͜Ͳ ĂšĂ?Ăœ Ă?Ă?Ă˜Ăž ĂŁĂ?Ă‹ĂœĚ‹Ă™Ă˜Ě‹ĂŁĂ?Ă‹ĂœËœ ĂšĂœĂ“Ă—Ă‹ĂœĂ“Ă–ĂŁ ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă? ÞÙ ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ĂšĂœĂ“Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă—Ă?Ă—Ă™ĂœĂŁ Ă?Ă’Ă“ĂšĂ?Ë› Ă’Ă? Ă™Ă&#x;ÞÒ Ă™ĂœĂ?Ă‹Ě‹ĂŒĂ‹Ă?Ă?ĂŽ Ă Ă?Ă˜ĂŽĂ™Ăœ Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ăž Ͳ ÙÚĂ?ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ù×Ă? ĂĄĂ“Ă–Ă– Ă”Ă&#x;Ă—Ăš ʹ͹˛; ĂšĂ?Ăœ Ă?Ă?Ă˜Ăž ĂŁĂ?Ă‹ĂœĚ‹Ă™Ă˜Ě‹ĂŁĂ?Ă‹Ăœ ÞÙ ÍœÍŻÍ˛Ë›ÍŻ ĂŒĂ“Ă–Ă–Ă“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă˜ Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă?ÙÖÓÎËÞĂ?ĂŽ Ă?Ă‹Ă–Ă?Ă?Ëœ ĂĄĂ’Ă“Ă?Ă’ Ă“Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ Ă“Ă˜Ă?ĂœĂ?Ă‹Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? Ă˜Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂ–ĂŁ ͰͲ ĂšĂ?Ăœ Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžË› Ă’Ă? Ă?Ă™Ă—ĂšĂ‹Ă˜ĂŁ ĂœĂ?ĂšĂ™ĂœĂžĂ?ĂŽ Ă‹ ͯͲ˛ͳ͹ ĂžĂœĂ“Ă–Ă–Ă“Ă™Ă˜ ÙÚĂ?ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ĂšĂœĂ™Ę¨Ăž Ă“Ă˜ Íą Ͱ͎ͯ;˛

Ă˜ Ă“ĂžĂ? Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂ˜Ă“Ă˜Ă‘Ă? Ă‘Ă&#x;Ă“ĂŽĂ‹Ă˜Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă™Ăœ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍľËœ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă’Ă“Ăš Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă—Ă‹ĂœĂžĂšĂ’Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă‘Ă“Ă‹Ă˜Ăž Ă?Ă?ÞÓ×ËÞĂ?ĂŽ Ă?Ă&#x;Ă–Ă–Ě‹ĂŁĂ?Ă‹Ăœ Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă?ÙÖÓÎËÞĂ?ĂŽ ÙÚĂ?ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ĂšĂœĂ™Ę¨Ăž ÞÙ ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă? ͜͹˛͹ ĂšĂ?Ăœ Ă?Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă?ĂœĂ™Ă— Í°ÍŽÍŻÍ´ ÞÙ ͳ͹˛ʹ ĂžĂœĂ“Ă–Ă–Ă“Ă™Ă˜ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă?ÙÖÓÎËÞĂ?ĂŽ Ă?Ă‹Ă–Ă?Ă? ÞÙ Ă“Ă˜Ă?ĂœĂ?Ă‹Ă?Ă? ͯ͜˛; ĂšĂ?Ăœ Ă?Ă?Ă˜Ăž ÞÙ Ͱ͹͡˛ʹ ĂžĂœĂ“Ă–Ă–Ă“Ă™Ă˜Ë› Ă?Ă&#x;ĂžĂ?ĂœĂ? ĂœĂ?ĂšĂ™ĂœĂžĂ?ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? Ͳ ʨÑĂ&#x;ĂœĂ? Ă?Ă?Ă–Ă– Ă?Ă’Ă™ĂœĂž Ă™Ă? Ă—Ă‹ĂœĂ•Ă?Ăž Ă?âÚĂ?Ă?ĂžĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă? ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă? ÞÙ ÞÒĂ? Ă?ĂžĂœĂ™Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?ÞËʼ ĂŒĂ™Ă˜Ă&#x;Ă?Ă?Ă? ÙʼĂ?Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?Ù×Ă? Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? ĂšĂœĂ™Ę¨Ăž Ă“Ă˜Ă?ĂœĂ?Ă‹Ă?Ă? ĂŽĂœĂ“Ă Ă?Ă˜ ĂŒĂŁ ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă—Ă?Ă—Ă™ĂœĂŁ Ă?Ă’Ă“Ăš ĂšĂœĂ“Ă?Ă?Ă?Ë›

Advertising is a specialised ďŹ eld that requires seasoned practitioners as regulators, not politicians

Former APCON Chairman, Lolu Akinwunmi

24

T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ ÍŻÍŻËœ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍś

‘NIGERIA CAN’T ATTAIN FULL BROADBAND ECONOMY ON WEAK PENETRATION’ have made up their minds to frustrate the efforts of the federal government in deepening broadband penetration across the country.

Citing an example with right of way(RoW) permit for the laying of fibre optic cable for broadband access across states, Omoniyi said the states were busy frustrating the plans of the federal government to deepen broadband penetration in the country.

He said the Lagos State government, the Ogun State government and some other state governments have not granted any RoW permit in the last two years, and that some states have actually suspended it, thus making it extremely difficult to increase broadband penetration across the country.

DOMAIN NAME REGISTRATION, RENEWAL SLIDE IN THREE YEARS same year. In October 2016, domain name registration was 3,483, but increased slightly in November same year to 3,732 and later dropped to 3,027 in December same year. In October 2017, Nigeria recorded 4,211 domain name registration, but the figure dropped to 3,974 in November same year and further dropped to 3,560 in December same year.

In the same vein, renewal of registered .ng domain name also declined in the last three years. In October 2015, the total number of renewal was 1,276, which declined to 1,117 in November same year, but increased slightly to 1,157 in December same year. But in October 2016, the total number of renewal was 1,823, which dropped to 1,499 in November same year, and further dropped to 1,371 in December same year. In October 2017, the total number of renewal of registered .ng domain name was 2,126, which increased slightly to 2,280 in November same year, but drastically dropped to 1,917 in December same year.

Although the total number of registered domain name as at December 2017 is 101,695, out of that number, 18,717 are .ng domain names registered at the second level.

Group Business Editor

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

Ă™Ă˜Ă‹ĂžĂ’Ă‹Ă˜ äĂ?

Comms/e-Business Editor

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

ÙÎÎã Ă‘Ă?Ă˜Ă?

Senior Correspondent

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

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

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

India Targets $100bn Investment, Nigeria Eyes Knowledge Economy Revenue Stories by Emma Okonji India’s telecoms regulator TRAI, has opened a public consultation into a four-year plan designed to propel the country into being a front-runner in the fourth industrial revolution.

In Nigeria, industry stakeholders have urged the federal government to invest in broadband infrastructure that would drive broadband penetration from the seashores to the hinterland, especially in national backbone infrastructure.

This, they said, would enable government and its citizens take better advantage of the ongoing global industrial revolution that is all about knowledge economy.

The India draft document outlines a wide range of measures to increase the availability of connectivity and improve wireless and wired broadband speeds across the country, in addition to attracting $100 billion in investment into the communications sector.

National Telecom Policy – 2018 is set to be the country’s first major statement on its targets and plan for the industry in six years.

The version drafted by TRAI covers changes to regulatory frameworks, plans to expand connectivity into rural areas, quality assurance measures, business processes guidelines and rules to stimulate adoption and development of next generation technology.

TRAI said the policy was designed to “spur the socioeconomic development� and would: “Provide reliable and secured connectivity with assured quality of service, facilitate development of infrastructure and services for

new technologies including 5G and IoT, encourage innovation and manufacturing, and develop a large pool of digitally skilled man-power.� Its plan includes further urbanisation of areas into world class cities, with the eventual aim of assuming the

leadership role in the world economy. TRAI and the government aim to achieve the vision of India becoming the “front runner of the fourth industrial revolution� by 2022.

The document was put together at the request of the

Department of Technologies and follows discussions with a range of stakeholders including operators, infrastructure vendors, industry associations and consultancy companies. The consultation closes on January 19 this year.

PRESENTING PROMO PRIZES

L-R: Specialist, Partnerships, Digital Business, 9mobile, Olashile Hassan; N2.5 million winner, Mohammed Bello Abubakar with his elder brother, Umar Abubakar and Customer Experience Specialist, 9mobile, Sowari Akosionu, presenting prizes to winners of ‘9mobile Sport Promo’ and ‘Spin The Wheel Promo’, at 9mobile’s oďŹƒce in Lagos...recently

ICT Stakeholders Faults NITDA Board Appointment The recent announcement by the federal government on the appointment of new members into the governing board of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has come under heavy criticism by industry stakeholders.

The critics, who expressed their displeasure over what they described as faulty appointment, said it lacked professionalism.

They are worried that the federal government could still appoint a non-technocrat as chairman of the governing board of NITDA that is supposed to oversee the implementation of the country’s Information Technology (IT) policy.

The federal government recently announced the appointment of board members for all the federal agencies in Nigeria, and made a Professor of Political Science, Adeolu Akande, as the Chairman, NITDA Governing Board.

Other members of the board include: Hon Kazeem Salako; Dr. Lawal Bello Moriki; Hajia Binta Mohammed; Mr. Uche Onwude; Rt. Hon Abdullai Bello and Sen. J.J. Akpanunudoedehe.

Disturbed by the list of members for NITDA Governing Board, especially its chairman who is a Professor of Political Science, with no experience in technology, the Chairman, Education and Manpower Committee of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), Mr. Rogba Adeoye, said the appointment of Akande negates the ethics of IT professionalism and the Act setting up the Computer Profes-

sionals Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN), which has the mandate to accredit all IT professionals in the country.

According to Adeoye, Vice President Yemi Osinbanjo had in the past, assured IT professionals in the country that appointment into any government parastatals that is driven by IT, would be based on professionalism, but the recent appointment into the NITDA Governing Board, is a complete derailment from the promises of the Vice President. “We have qualified IT personnel in the country that are registered with either CPN or NCS or both, yet the government still went ahead to appoint someone with no knowledge of IT to man a sensitive agency of government like NITDA that is saddled with the responsibility of implementing the nation’s IT policy. “Economies are thriving through IT development and Nigeria must take a clue from other economies to properly drive IT development in the country,� Adeoye said.

The Chief Executive Officer, Pinnet Informatics, Mr. Lanre Ajayi, who also expressed his displeasure over the appointment, however, said technocrats must loosen up a little and also attach themselves to politics, since political appointments are meant for politicians.

Speaking on the economic implication of not appointing a technocrat to chair IT-driven agencies like NITDA, Ajayi said the non-technocrat would use the first two years of his tenure to learn and understand the

technology terrain, before coming up with better policies that will enhance development. He

is of the view that appointment of technocrats into the NITDA would fast-track development,

since the technocrat has the pedagogy needed to drive development in the IT sector.

Spectrum Alliance Announces New Rules forTV White Space Technology The Dynamic Spectrum Alliance (DSA) has announced the publication of new model rules for TV White Space (TVWS) technology. The new model rules will provide governments, policy makers and regulators with the tools necessary to enable the quick and efficient deployment of TVWS networks to help bridge the digital divide and support the Internet of Things (IoT).

Replacing the original version published in 2014, the updated model rules offer higher availability for dynamic spectrum devices and stronger protection for incumbent users. They are based upon the regulatory environments already put in place by Ofcom in the United Kingdom (UK) and the Federal Communications Commission in the United States, incorporating learnings from the operation of TVWS networks, including DSA member Nominet’s experiences running its TVWS services.

President of DSA, Kalpak Gude, said: “We are very proud to be releasing the latest TVWS model rules, incorporating the experience of many DSA members who are leaders in TVWS technology and deployment. “The Alliance has long been championing TVWS technology to connect those

in underserved and rural locations, which will in turn help to bridge the digital divide.

Our membership consists of organizations at the forefront of TVWS developments, and we will continue to work together to ensure global connectivity, while maintaining the most effective and efficient use of spectrum is achieved.�

TVWS refers to unused frequencies in the wireless spectrum between TV broadcasts.

The new rules are designed to facilitate and encourage international regulatory harmonisation for TVWS, and to help countries where creating a bespoke regulatory environment for TVWS from scratch is difficult and time intensive due to limited resources and the nature of the process of developing new regulations.

Instead, regulators can use the new model rules as a customisable out-of-the-box solution, for a faster and more efficient way to enable TVWS networks to be launched in their markets.

Director of Emerging Technology at Nominet, an Ofcom-approved white space database operator and member of the DSA, Adam Leach, said: “We are delighted to publish the new set of model TVWS rules and hope they’ll help to

accelerate new deployments all over the world. TVWS has the potential to bring connectivity to people and places that have never had it before, and truly revolutionise their lives in the process. We have worked hard to build on the foundations laid by Ofcom and the FCC, and hope the new rules offer the best of both worlds to countries that are considering TVWS technologies. Once adopted, operators, device manufacturers and database providers alike will be able to enter new markets very quickly, and with minimal start-up costs – meaning they can launch and start delivering benefits to local communities faster than ever before.�

The revised DSA model rules enable flexible network topologies such as mesh networks, TVWS in high-speed, long-distance scenarios such as on trains, and a more streamlined regulatory framework to facilitate market growth. In any location, rules must be in place to ensure that TVWS users will not cause interference to incumbent users, such as television broadcasters and domestic television users. The revised DSA model rules are ready and available now, for use across the world.

25

T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ ÍŻÍŻËœ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍś

BUSINESSWORLD

CONSUMER

Malas Foods Marks Anniversary in Lagos Stories by Raheem Akingbolu Malas Foods, a foremost catering service company in Nigeria, recently celebrated its 25 years of operation in rendering premium catering services to esteemed customers. The event, which took place in Lagos, witnessed the attendance of the media and many government, business and corporate personalities.

According to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Malas Foods, Mrs. Morenike Okupe, the company decided to organise a ‘Thanksgiving Service’ to appreciate God for his faithfulness in keeping the company in operation for 25 years, even with all the turbulence in the business environment.

She said: “We are not just celebrating the number of years of being in business, but also for delivering world class catering services to our customers. And as you can see most of our customers are here to testify to the quality of our delivery. So, we are showing gratitude to God and also celebrating the privilege of satisfying our customers�

Reflecting to when she started the business she said: “I cannot stop thanking God because at the beginning I never knew things will turn out to be this great. It was so challenging and difficult.

There were initial set-backs.

But with determination, hard work, and trust in God one was able to overcome those teething problems. Again, I had a passion for catering services.

I also had great confidence in myself. Today, when I look back, I cannot count on my passion or my efforts, I can only credit the success to God’s faithfulness. I am truly happy that Malas Foods has come this far.�

Malas Foods, she said, has been providing professional catering services for 25 years now, and today the company is one of the best catering businesses in Africa. “Our creative kitchen comes with freshness that gives our foods, including cross over foods, such an outstanding taste at the gourmet level that guarantees premium quality at all times. Besides God’s grace, satisfying our clients is the real reason Malas Foods is still strong and going 25 years after,� she said.

Firm Launches Wealth Creation Platform Taking advantage of the immense opportunities that reside in both the service and technology sectors of the economy, two young professionals have set up a unique service providing platform provide services and create job opportunities for our people.

JobTaska, which the brain child of Jasper Ogbonna and Samson Adewole seeks to provide a veritable platform for the provision of professional and allied services to a wide spectrum of the market. It removes the complications that come with the provisions of these services replacing it with a seamless search and engagement process. It further compliments this with an ef-

fective fee payment structure which escrows funds until a satisfactory feedback report is received from the client.

Speaking with journalists on the new offering, Adewole said that their platform immediately removes the difficulties faced in the identification of credible and professional service providers across all spectrum while taking advantage of the increasingly deep penetration potentials of the Internet.

According to him, the platform will create wealth by funnelling ‘jobs’ in a transparent and orderly manner towards very serious minded competent professionals and artisans who would be better served by the coalescing of the market.

He further stated that the whole process has been covered with an indemnity Insurance provided by a leading underwriting firm. “This protects both sides from workplace risks that usually pervades these job types. In just one month of its launching, over 1,000 professionals have registered on the portal with about N6 million in transaction volume undertaken by various individuals,� he said.

The CEO of Jobtaska, Ogbonna, emphasised on the immense potential of the platform especially in the areas of wealth creation and its redistribution thereby further pushing the notion of a radical empowerment of the people.

Entries Open for Cussons Baby Moments Season 5 PZ Cussons, makers of Cussons Baby, has announced the kick-off of another exciting season of its annual family competition ‘Cussons Baby Moments’ season 5. According to a statement issued by the company, this year’s edition would be special as it coincides with the initiatives 5thanniversary. As a way of reinforcing its brand promise ‘Growing Together Naturally’ which in essence is about the emotional confidence that comes from using its trusted baby brand, Cussons Baby Moments (CBM) competition was launched four years ago in Nigeria. It has remained consistent year-on-year, crowning beautiful babies as ‘Baby of the

Year’ and rewarding families from thousands of entries, via a system of online voting and judges. Meanwhile, the company has indicated that last year’s edition (CBM4) was its most successful yet, with over 2,700 babies entered for the competition. Participants of this year’s anniversary edition of the competition are guaranteed to enjoy a lot more rewards as the organisers have promised up to N5million worth of prizes to be won.

To enter into the competition as is the norm, “Interested participants are required to buy any Cussons Baby product and take a picture of your baby with the Cussons Baby product.

The statement further stated

that interested participants will then log on to the company’s designated website and fill in the required details. It is at this stage that they are expected to upload the picture of their babies, and then get loved ones to vote for their babies’ picture.

The competition is open to babies within the ages of 0 – 24 months, while entry closes on the 23rd of February 2018.

To celebrate its 5th anniversary, there will be regional photoshoots/family fun days in Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja, where families will have the opportunity to interact with the brand directly, take family pictures, take their baby’s pictures and get assistance to enter into the competition.

AAAN Admits Eagleserve Consultants as Member An Abuja-based integrated marketing communications agency, Eagleserve Consultants Limited, has been certified by the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) for its research centred strategies in advertising.

The managing director the company of Shola Rotimi, stated during interactive session with journalists that the agency provides holistic services for faster and better results for clients at greater value.

Being research centred, the

agency works with a deep insight of the clientele target audience’s perception and attitudes, which makes it easier to influence and change them positively.

He said: “We are proud to announce to the advertising and marketing communications industry that we have been certified and admitted to be member of the AAAN due to our proficiency in providing holistic services for faster and better results for brands at greater value and our ability and capability to know the perception and the attitude of

our numerous clients’ target audience.�

Rotimi, an expert in statistical analyses, also disclosed that the agency, as a data based integrated marketing communications creative agency, is configured to diagnose and prescribe reliable solutions that would be displayed on graphical dash boards. “Figures don’t lie, so we produce quantifiable and measurable results, we are driven to build healthier and more result oriented marketing communities�, he added.

CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT OLODU KEONYEDI

GOAL SETTING

I

t is another year; last year may have ended with us feeling like we did not achieve much.

Right now is an opportunity to refresh and start all over. Many of us feel as if we are Ă”Ă&#x;Ă?Ăž ĂŽĂœĂ“Ę°Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒÓĂ? ĂĄĂ™ĂœĂ–ĂŽË› Ă? ĂĄĂ™ĂœĂ• Ă’Ă‹ĂœĂŽËœ ĂŒĂ&#x;Ăž we don’t seem to get anywhere worthwhile. Ă•Ă?ĂŁ ĂœĂ?Ă‹Ă?Ă™Ă˜ ÞÒËÞ ĂĄĂ? Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă– ÞÒÓĂ? ĂĄĂ‹ĂŁ Ă“Ă? ÞÒËÞ ĂĄĂ? Ă’Ă‹Ă Ă?Ă˜ËŞĂž Ă?ĂšĂ?Ă˜Ăž Ă?Ă˜Ă™Ă&#x;Ă‘Ă’ ÞÓ×Ă? ĂžĂ’Ă“Ă˜Ă•Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‹ĂŒĂ™Ă&#x;Ăž ĂĄĂ’Ă‹Ăž ĂĄĂ? ĂĄĂ‹Ă˜Ăž Ă?ĂœĂ™Ă— Ă–Ă“Ă?Ă?Ëœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă’Ă‹Ă Ă?Ă˜ËŞĂž Ă?Ă?Ăž ÞÒĂ?Ă—Ă?Ă?Ă–Ă Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ—Ă‹Ă– ÑÙËÖĂ?Ë› Ę°Ă?Ăœ Ă‹Ă–Ă–Ëœ ĂĄĂ™Ă&#x;Ă–ĂŽ ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x; Ă?Ă?Ăž Ă™Ă&#x;Ăž Ă™Ă˜ Ă‹ major journey with no real idea of your destinaĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ËŁ ĂœĂ™ĂŒĂ‹ĂŒĂ–ĂŁ Ă˜Ă™ĂžË How to Set a Goal Ă? Ă—Ă&#x;Ă?Ăž Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ă“ĂŽĂ?Ăœ ĂĄĂ’Ă‹Ăž ĂĄĂ? ĂĄĂ‹Ă˜Ăž ÞÙ Ă‹Ă?Ă’Ă“Ă?Ă Ă?Ëœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÒĂ?Ă˜ Ă?Ù××ÓÞ ÞÙ ÓÞ˛ Ă?Ăž Ě™Ă?ĂšĂ?Ă?ÓʨĂ?Ëœ Ă—Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă‹ĂŒĂ–Ă?Ëœ Ă‹ĘľĂ‹Ă“Ă˜Ă‹ĂŒĂ–Ă?Ëœ ĂœĂ?Ă–Ă?Ă Ă‹Ă˜Ăž Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÓ×Ă?Ě‹ĂŒĂ™Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂŽĚš goals and write them down to make them feel ĂžĂ‹Ă˜Ă‘Ă“ĂŒĂ–Ă?Ë› Ă’Ă?Ă˜ ĂšĂ–Ă‹Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă?ĂžĂ?ĂšĂ? ĂĄĂ? Ă—Ă&#x;Ă?Ăž ÞËÕĂ? ÞÙ ĂœĂ?ËÖÓäĂ? Ă™Ă&#x;Ăœ Ă‘Ă™Ă‹Ă–Ëœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?ĂœĂ™Ă?Ă? Ùʼ Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă’ Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă‹Ă? ĂĄĂ? work through them. ĂŁ Ă•Ă˜Ă™ĂĄĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ĂšĂœĂ?Ă?Ă“Ă?Ă?Ă–ĂŁ ĂĄĂ’Ă‹Ăž ĂĄĂ? ĂĄĂ‹Ă˜Ăž ÞÙ Ă‹Ă?Ă’Ă“Ă?Ă Ă?Ëœ we know where we have to concentrate our efforts. ÑÙËÖ Ă“Ă? Ă—Ă™ĂœĂ? ĂžĂ’Ă‹Ă˜ ËŤĂ™Ă’Ëœ ĂĄĂ“Ă?Ă’ Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;Ă–ĂŽ ĂŽĂ™ ÞÒÓĂ? Ă™Ăœ ÞÒËÞ˛ˏ ÑÙËÖ Ă“Ă? Ă‹ Ă?Ă–Ă?Ă‹Ăœ ˍÞÒÓĂ? Ă“Ă? ĂĄĂ’Ă‹Ăž ËŞĂ— ĂĄĂ™ĂœĂ•Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÙward and this is the exact thing I’m going to do.â€? ÑÙËÖ Ă“Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ Ă™ĂŒĂ”Ă?Ă?ÞÓà Ă?Ëœ Ă‹ ĂšĂ&#x;ĂœĂšĂ™Ă?Ă?Ë› ÑÙËÖ Ă“Ă? Ă—Ă™ĂœĂ? ĂžĂ’Ă‹Ă˜ Ă‹ ĂŽĂœĂ?Ă‹Ă—Ëž ÓÞ˪Ă? Ă‹ ĂŽĂœĂ?Ă‹Ă— ĂŒĂ?Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‹Ă?ĂžĂ?ĂŽ Ă&#x;ĂšĂ™Ă˜Ë› Ă™ĂžĂ’Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ÒËÚÚĂ?Ă˜Ă?Ëœ Ă˜Ă™ Ă?Ă™ĂœĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂŽ Ă?ĂžĂ?ĂšĂ? Ă‹ĂœĂ? ÞËÕĂ?Ă˜Ëœ Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂžĂ“Ă– Ă‹ ÑÙËÖ Ă“Ă? Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ‹ĂŒĂ–Ă“Ă?Ă’Ë› ÓÞÒÙĂ&#x;Ăž ÑÙËÖĂ? Ă“Ă˜ĂŽĂ“Ă Ă“ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă‹Ă–Ă? Ă”Ă&#x;Ă?Ăž ĂĄĂ‹Ă˜ĂŽĂ?Ăœ ĂžĂ’ĂœĂ™Ă&#x;Ă‘Ă’ Ă–Ă“Ă?Ă?Ë› Ă? ĂĄĂ“Ă–Ă– Ă?ĂžĂ&#x;Ă—ĂŒĂ–Ă? Ă‹Ă–Ă™Ă˜Ă‘Ëœ Ă˜Ă?Ă Ă?Ăœ Ă•Ă˜Ă™ĂĄĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ĂĄĂ’Ă?ĂœĂ? ĂĄĂ? Ă‹ĂœĂ? Ă‘Ă™Ă“Ă˜Ă‘Ëœ Ă?Ă™ ĂĄĂ? will never get anywhere.

Goals are as essential to success as air is to Ă–Ă“Ă?Ă?Ë› Ă™ Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă?Ă Ă?Ăœ Ă?ĂžĂ&#x;Ă—ĂŒĂ–Ă?Ă? Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ™ Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă? åÓÞÒÙĂ&#x;Ăž a goal. No one ever lives without air. Get a clear goal on where you want to go.

Successful people plans and set goals up to ĂžĂ?Ă˜ ÞÙ ʨʰĂ?Ă?Ă˜ ĂŁĂ?Ă‹ĂœĂ? Ă‹Ă’Ă?Ă‹ĂŽË› Ă’Ă?ĂŁ ĂŽĂ™Ă˜ËŞĂž Ă–Ă?Ă‹Ă Ă? ÞÒĂ?Ă“Ăœ future to chance. Why should you? We can and Ă?Ă’Ă™Ă&#x;Ă–ĂŽ ĂšĂ–Ă‹Ă˜ Ă‹Ăž Ă–Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ăž Ă™Ă˜Ă? ÞÙ ʨà Ă? ĂŁĂ?Ă‹ĂœĂ? Ă‹Ă’Ă?Ă‹ĂŽË› Setting Personal Goals You set your goals on a number of levels: Set SpeciďŹ c Goals: Ă™Ă&#x;Ăœ ÑÙËÖ Ă—Ă&#x;Ă?Ăž ĂŒĂ? Ă?Ă–Ă?Ă‹Ăœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂĄĂ?Ă–Ă– ĂŽĂ?Ę¨Ă˜Ă?ĂŽË› Ă‹Ă‘Ă&#x;Ă? Ă™Ăœ Ă‘Ă?Ă˜Ă?ĂœĂ‹Ă–Ă“Ă¤Ă?ĂŽ ÑÙËÖĂ? Ă‹ĂœĂ? Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă’Ă?Ă–ĂšĂ?Ă&#x;Ă– ĂŒĂ?Ă?Ă‹Ă&#x;Ă?Ă? ÞÒĂ?ĂŁ ĂŽĂ™Ă˜ËŞĂž ĂšĂœĂ™Ă Ă“ĂŽĂ? Ă?Ă&#x;ĘŠĂ?Ă“Ă?Ă˜Ăž ĂŽĂ“ĂœĂ?Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ë› Ă?Ă—Ă?Ă—ĂŒĂ?ĂœËœ you need goals to show you the way. Make it as Ă?Ă‹Ă?ĂŁ Ă‹Ă? ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x; Ă?Ă‹Ă˜ ÞÙ Ă‘Ă?Ăž ĂĄĂ’Ă?ĂœĂ? ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x; ĂĄĂ‹Ă˜Ăž ÞÙ Ă‘Ă™ ĂŒĂŁ ĂŽĂ?Ę¨Ă˜Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ĂšĂœĂ?Ă?Ă“Ă?Ă?Ă–ĂŁ ĂĄĂ’Ă?ĂœĂ? ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x; ĂĄĂ‹Ă˜Ăž ÞÙ Ă?Ă˜ĂŽ Ă&#x;Ú˛ ĂœĂ?Ă‹ĂžĂ? Ă‹ ËŤĂŒĂ“Ă‘ ÚÓĂ?ĂžĂ&#x;ĂœĂ?ËŹ Ă™Ă? ĂĄĂ’Ă‹Ăž ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x; ĂĄĂ‹Ă˜Ăž ÞÙ ĂŽĂ™ åÓÞÒ ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x;Ăœ Ă–Ă“Ă?Ă? ̙ÖĂ?Þ˪Ă? Ă?Ă‹ĂŁËœ ÞÒĂ? Ă˜Ă?âÞ Í’Í‘ ĂŁĂ?Ă‹ĂœĂ?ĚšËœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ identify the large-scale goals that you want to Ă‹Ă?Ă’Ă“Ă?Ă Ă?Ë› Ă™Ă&#x; Ă—Ă&#x;Ă?Ăž ĂŒĂ? Ă?ĂšĂ?Ă?ÓʨĂ? Ă‹ĂŒĂ™Ă&#x;Ăž ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x;Ăœ ÑÙËÖĂ?Ëœ write it down and daily keep reviewing your goals.

Set Measurable Goals:

Ă˜Ă?Ă–Ă&#x;ĂŽĂ? ĂšĂœĂ?Ă?Ă“Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ă—Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂžĂ?Ëœ ĂŽĂ‹ĂžĂ?Ă?Ëœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă™ Ă™Ă˜ Ă“Ă˜ your goals so you can measure your degree of Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ë› Ă? ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x;Ăœ ÑÙËÖ Ă“Ă? Ă?Ó×ÚÖã ĂŽĂ?Ę¨Ă˜Ă?ĂŽ Ă‹Ă? ËŤ Ă™ reduce expensesâ€? how will you know when you Ă’Ă‹Ă Ă? ĂŒĂ?Ă?Ă˜ Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă&#x;Ă–ËŁ Ă˜ Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă—Ă™Ă˜ĂžĂ’ËŞĂ? ÞÓ×Ă? Ă“Ă? ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x; Ă’Ă‹Ă Ă? Ă‹ Í’ ĂšĂ?ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă˜Ăž ĂœĂ?ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ăœ Ă“Ă˜ ÞåÙ ĂŁĂ?Ă‹ĂœĂ?ËŞ ÞÓ×Ă? ĂĄĂ’Ă?Ă˜ ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x; Ă’Ă‹Ă Ă? Ă‹ Í’Í‘ ĂšĂ?ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă˜Ăž ĂœĂ?ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ËŁ ÓÞÒÙĂ&#x;Ăž

a way to measure your success you miss out on ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă?Ă–Ă?ĂŒĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ ÞÒËÞ Ă?Ù×Ă?Ă? åÓÞÒ Ă•Ă˜Ă™ĂĄĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x; have actually achieved something.

Break your goals down into the smaller and smaller targets that you must hit to reach your Ă–Ă“Ă?Ă?ÞÓ×Ă? ÑÙËÖĂ?Ë› Ă Ă?ĂœĂŁ ĂŒĂ“Ă‘ Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ù×ÚÖÓĂ?Ă’Ă—Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă“Ă? Ă‹ Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? ÖÓʾÖĂ? Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ù×ÚÖÓĂ?Ă’Ă—Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ?Ë› Set Attainable Goals: Ă‹Ă•Ă? Ă?Ă&#x;ĂœĂ? ÞÒËÞ ÓÞ˪Ă? ÚÙĂ?Ă?Ă“ĂŒĂ–Ă? ÞÙ Ă‹Ă?Ă’Ă“Ă?Ă Ă? ÞÒĂ? ÑÙËÖĂ? you set. If you set a goal that you have no hope Ă™Ă? Ă‹Ă?Ă’Ă“Ă?Ă Ă“Ă˜Ă‘Ëœ ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x; ĂĄĂ“Ă–Ă– Ă™Ă˜Ă–ĂŁ ĂŽĂ?Ă—Ă™ĂœĂ‹Ă–Ă“Ă¤Ă? ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă–Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?ĂœĂ™ĂŽĂ? ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x;Ăœ Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ę¨ĂŽĂ?Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ë› Ă™Ă&#x;Ăœ ÑÙËÖĂ? Ă—Ă&#x;Ă?Ăž Ă’Ă‹Ă Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ Ă‹Ă?Ă’Ă“Ă?Ă Ă‹ĂŒĂ–Ă? ĂšĂ–Ă‹Ă˜Ëœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ then you start working on it to achieve these goals.

Set Relevant Goals: ÙËÖĂ? Ă?Ă’Ă™Ă&#x;Ă–ĂŽ ĂŒĂ? ĂœĂ?Ă–Ă?Ă Ă‹Ă˜Ăž ÞÙ ÞÒĂ? ĂŽĂ“ĂœĂ?Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x; want your life and career to take. By keeping ÑÙËÖĂ? Ă‹Ă–Ă“Ă‘Ă˜Ă?ĂŽ åÓÞÒ ÞÒÓĂ?Ëœ ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x;ËŞĂ–Ă– ĂŽĂ?Ă Ă?ÖÙÚ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă™Ă?Ă&#x;Ă? you need to get ahead and do what you want. Ă?Ăž ĂĄĂ“ĂŽĂ?Ă–ĂŁ Ă?Ă?Ă‹ĘľĂ?ĂœĂ?ĂŽ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ă“Ă?ĂžĂ?Ă˜Ăž ÑÙËÖĂ?Ëž ĂĄĂ“Ă–Ă– make you waste your time and your life.

Set Time-Bound Goals: Ă™Ă&#x; ÑÙËÖĂ? Ă—Ă&#x;Ă?Ăž Ă’Ă‹Ă Ă? Ă‹ ĂŽĂ?Ă‹ĂŽĂ–Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ë› Ă‘Ă‹Ă“Ă˜Ëœ ÞÒÓĂ? Ă—Ă?Ă‹Ă˜Ă? ÞÒËÞ ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x; Ă•Ă˜Ă™ĂĄ ĂĄĂ’Ă?Ă˜ ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x; Ă?Ă‹Ă˜ Ă?Ă?Ă–Ă?ĂŒĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ? Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ë› Ă’Ă?Ă˜ ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x; Ă‹ĂœĂ? ĂĄĂ™ĂœĂ•Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă™Ă˜ Ă‹ ĂŽĂ?Ă‹ĂŽĂ–Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ëœ your sense of urgency increases and achievement will come that much quicker.

Nature love deadline challenge. Set goals ĂŽĂ?Ă‹ĂŽĂ–Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ëœ ĂžĂ‹ĂœĂ‘Ă?Ăž ĂŽĂ‹ĂžĂ?Ă?Ëœ Ă?Ă?Ă–Ă?̋Ó×ÚÙĂ?Ă?ĂŽ Ă›Ă&#x;ÙÞËĂ?Ë› Ă™Ă&#x; ĂĄĂ“Ă–Ă– Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ù×ÚÖÓĂ?Ă’ Ă™Ă˜Ă–ĂŁ ĂĄĂ’Ă‹Ăž ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x; ĂšĂ–Ă‹Ă˜ ÞÙ Ă‹Ă?complish. Ă˜Ă?Ă? ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x; Ă’Ă‹Ă Ă? Ă?Ă?Ăž ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x;Ăœ Ă–Ă“Ă?Ă?ÞÓ×Ă? ÑÙËÖĂ?Ëœ Ă?Ă?Ăž Ă‹ ʨà Ă?Ě‹ĂŁĂ?Ă‹Ăœ ĂšĂ–Ă‹Ă˜ Ă™Ă? Ă?Ă—Ă‹Ă–Ă–Ă?Ăœ ÑÙËÖĂ? ÞÒËÞ ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x; Ă˜Ă?Ă?ĂŽ ÞÙ complete if you are to reach your lifetime plan. Ă’Ă?Ă˜ Ă?ĂœĂ?Ă‹ĂžĂ? Ă‹ Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ě‹ĂŁĂ?Ă‹Ăœ ĂšĂ–Ă‹Ă˜Ëœ Ă?Ă“Ă˘Ě‹Ă—Ă™Ă˜ĂžĂ’ ĂšĂ–Ă‹Ă˜Ëœ and a one-month plan of progressively smaller goals that you should reach to achieve your Ă–Ă“Ă?Ă?ÞÓ×Ă? ÑÙËÖĂ?Ë› Ă’Ă?Ă˜ Ă?ĂœĂ?Ă‹ĂžĂ? Ă‹ ĂŽĂ‹Ă“Ă–ĂŁ ÞÙ̋ÎÙ̋ÖÓĂ?Ăž of things that you should do today to work towards your lifetime goals.

Set Goals in Writing: Ă’Ă“Ă? Ă“Ă? Ă‹ Ă—Ă‹Ă”Ă™Ăœ Ă?ĂžĂ?Ăš ÞÒËÞ Ă—Ă™Ă?Ăž Ă™Ă? Ă&#x;Ă? Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ‘Ă?Ăž ÞÙ ĂŽĂ™Ëœ ĂĄĂ? Ă™Ă˜Ă–ĂŁ Ă’Ă‹Ă Ă? Ă™Ă&#x;Ăœ ÑÙËÖĂ? Ă“Ă˜ Ă™Ă&#x;Ăœ Ă—Ă“Ă˜ĂŽĂ?Ë› Ă’Ă? ÚÒãĂ?Ă“Ă?Ă‹Ă– act of writing down a goal makes it real and tanĂ‘Ă“ĂŒĂ–Ă?Ë› Ă™Ă&#x; Ă’Ă‹Ă Ă? Ă˜Ă™ Ă?âĂ?Ă&#x;Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ‘Ă?ĘľĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‹ĂŒĂ™Ă&#x;Ăž ÓÞ˛ Make an Action Plan: Ă’Ă“Ă? Ă“Ă? Ă‹Ă˜Ă™ĂžĂ’Ă?Ăœ Ă?ĂžĂ?Ăš ĂĄĂ? ÙʰĂ?Ă˜ Ă—Ă“Ă?Ă?Ă?ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? ĂšĂœĂ™Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? ÑÙËÖ Ă?Ă?ĘľĂ“Ă˜Ă‘Ë› Ă? Ă‘Ă?Ăž Ă?Ă™ Ă?Ă™Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?Ă?ĂŽ Ă™Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? outcome that we forget to plan all of the steps that are needed along the way. By writing out ÞÒĂ? Ă“Ă˜ĂŽĂ“Ă Ă“ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă‹Ă– Ă?ĂžĂ?ĂšĂ?Ëœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÒĂ?Ă˜ Ă?ĂœĂ™Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă’ Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ùʼ Ă‹Ă? ĂĄĂ? Ă?Ù×ÚÖĂ?ĂžĂ? Ă“ĂžËœ ĂĄĂ? ĂĄĂ“Ă–Ă– ĂœĂ?ËÖÓäĂ? ÞÒËÞ ĂĄĂ? Ă‹ĂœĂ? making progress towards our ultimate goal. Ă˜ Ă‹ Ę¨Ă˜Ă‹Ă– Ă˜Ă™ĂžĂ?Ëœ ÞÒĂ? ĂŒĂ“Ă‘Ă‘Ă?Ă?Ăž Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă—Ă™Ă?Ăž ĂœĂ?ĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂŽing kind of investment anyone can do is selfĂ“Ă˜Ă Ă?Ă?Þ×Ă?Ă˜ĂžËœ ĂšĂ&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă’Ă‹Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ĂžĂ’Ă“Ă˜Ă‘Ă? ÞÒËÞ ĂŒĂ&#x;Ă“Ă–ĂŽ Ă—Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ‹Ă– ÚÙåĂ?Ăœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂšĂœĂ™Ę¨Ă?Ă“Ă?Ă˜Ă?ĂŁË› Ă? Ă—Ă&#x;Ă?Ăž Ă“Ă˜Ă Ă?Ă?Ăž Ă“Ă˜ Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă–Ă Ă?Ă?Ëž ĂĄĂ? Ă—Ă&#x;Ă?Ăž Ă“Ă˜Ă Ă?Ă?Ăž ÞÙ Ă‹Ă?Ă’Ă“Ă?Ă Ă? Ă™Ă&#x;Ăœ ÑÙËÖĂ?Ë› Ă? ÞÒĂ? ĂŁĂ?Ă‹Ăœ Ă“Ă? Ă”Ă&#x;Ă?Ăž ĂŒĂ?Ă‘Ă“Ă˜Ă˜Ă“Ă˜Ă‘Ëœ Ă˜Ă™ĂĄ Ă“Ă? ÞÒĂ? ĂŒĂ?Ă?Ăž ÞÓ×Ă? ÞÙ Ă?Ă™Ă˜ĂžĂ‹Ă?Ăž Ă&#x;Ă? ÞÙ Ă’Ă?Ă–Ăš ĂšĂ–Ă‹Ă˜ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂŒĂ&#x;Ă“Ă–ĂŽ ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x;Ăœ ÑÙËÖĂ? together.

Olodu keonyedi – is a trained engineer and by passion and personal development a public/motivational speaker, a business coach and human capacity developer, he has a B.Eng degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Nigeria Nsukka, he is a member of Nigeria Society of Engineer and a COREN registered Engineer.

Email: olodukeonyedi@gmail.com Tel: 08037489704, www.instagram.com/sir_keon. www.facebook.com/olodu keonyedi_mentorship

26

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍŻËœ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍś

Ě“

All Eyes on 9mobile The desire by prospective investors and industry stakeholders to see the end of the successful sale of 9mobile is one thing that Barclays Africa must strive to achieve, writes Emma Okonji

CBN Governor, Godwin EmeďŹ ele

S

ince the inception of Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) in 2001, telecommunications industry in Nigeria has witnessed unprecedented growth in subscriber number and network expansion. Based on the rapid growth, Nigeria was adjudged the fastest growing telecoms market in Africa and the rest of the world.

But contrary to the expectations of all Nigerians that the growth rate will continue to blossom, there was a reversal in the trend between 2015 and 2016, where telecoms operators experienced difficult times. They encountered challenges in growing their networks following the economic downturn, coupled with widespread vandalism of telecoms facilities, especially in the North-east part of the country, where insurgency was at its peak. The difficult situation at that period almost grounded telecoms operations as the operators suffered shrunk liquidity, a situation that frustrated the efforts of 9mobile to pay back the $1.2 million loan it took from 13 local banks in 2013 for network expansion.

Citing economic downturn of 2015 and 2016 and naira devaluation, which negatively impacted on the dollar-denominated component of the loan, 9mobile, which was then operating under the Etisalat brand name, wrote to its creditors, informing them of its inability to repay the loan as scheduled. The situation, however, degenerated for 9mobile, which led to plans to sell it and the appointment of Barclays Africa as the financial adviser to handle the sale.

Although the sale ought to have been concluded in December 31, 2017 and the new owners of 9mobile announced, but the sale was postponed to January 16, 2018. The postponement is, however, raising some concerns among investors and industry stakeholders who desire a successful and hitch-free sale of the ailing telecommunications company.

Stakeholders’ concerns Given the antecedent of the sale of the Nigeria Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) and its mobile arm MTel, which dragged for 15 years, with four failed attempts by the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), which eventually sold it to NATCOM Consortium, trading as ntel in 2015, industry stakeholders are worried about the postponement of the sale of 9mobile from December 31, 2017 to January 16, 2018.

They have therefore warned that the 9mobile sale must not go the way of NITEL sale.

The stakeholders, who expressed their concerns and fears, warned that any delay in the sale of 9mobile will create a huge gap in the telecoms industry, which the existing telecoms operators will not be able to accommodate.

Chairman, Association of Telecoms Companies of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo, who

EVC, NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta

decried the weak financial state of existing telecommunications operators, called on the telecoms industry regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), to ensure that 9mobile is sold to the right investor that will inject the much needed fund to resettle the ailing telecommunications company.

According to him, should there be delay or failure to sell 9mobile, it would put the telecoms sector in bad shape, since the existing telecoms operators do not have enough headroom to accommodate the over 21 million subscribers of 9mobile. However, in response to the concern of stakeholders, the Executive Commissioner, Stakeholders Management at NCC, Mr. Sunday Dare said there would be no further shift in date, insisting that the sale must be concluded January 16 and 9mobile handed over to its new owner on that same date.

Contending issues Having shortlisted the final five bidders for the sale of 9mobile by Barclays Africa, to include Teleology Holdings Limited, promoted by Adrian Wood, the pioneer Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria; Smile Telecoms Holdings, with operations in Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Congo DR and South Africa; Helios Investment Partners; Bharti Airtel and Globacom, the telecoms company owned and operated by a Nigerian, Mike Adenuga Jnr, four out of the five bidders have suggested an idea to form an alliance that will help them create a formidable single platform to win the bid and acquire 9mobile.

Should the plan to form alliance sail through, the entire bid process may see the sale ending up between two contenders.

The architects of the alliance bid intend to pool resources that brings to the table an unbeatable offer that will guarantee that they secure control of 9mobile. It is, however, not yet known if they will create a joint venture (JV) vehicle to advance their plan to gain ownership of 9mobile.

Market analysts have said that beyond just buying 9mobile, parties in favour of the alliance plan believe that it would radically change the fortune of the mobile network operator as the combined entity post sale will become the biggest mobile phone company in Nigeria.

But contrary to their view, some industry stakeholders are already kicking against the planned alliance, insisting that it will not allow for the injection of fresh funds into the Nigerian telecoms sector by foreign investors who are willing to invest in 9mobile.

The stakeholders are of the view that the planned alliance may not be the best option for the Nigerian economy. A growing consensus among informed segments in the telecom industry is that it is preferable to allow a fresh telecom player into the market to compete with those already in the market. In so doing, the new

CEO, 9mobile, Boye Olusanya

entrant would be encouraged to source for fresh capital with which to execute its strategy in a market that already has three major entrenched operators. “Such fresh capital will in turn drive a multiplier reaction in the overall economy,� the stakeholders said.

They added that it would be to the telecom industry’s best advantage for sale of 9mobile to preferably go to a firm that is best-placed to source and inject foreign capital into the telecom sector, rather than go for a consolidated team of bidders. A senior management staff of PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC), who declined to give his name on account of the sensitivity of the sale, told THISDAY that the telecom industry is currently shrinking fast and may indeed be suffering a “systemic structural failure on account of many factors.�

For instance, going by the third quarter reports of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the contribution of the telecoms and ICT sectors to country GDP was only 7.4 per cent in 2017 whereas in 2016 at a time when Nigeria was in recession, it was 9.3 per cent. “What this means is that the telecom industry is fast contracting even while the economy which used to be in recession is gradually recovering.�

He added that “this calls for concern and regulatory intervention if the telecom sector is to be prevented from sliding into recession in the near future.�

This is one of the reasons, he added, that the 9-Mobile sale is particularly critical to the growth and recovery of the telecom sector. “What the sector urgently needs now is a sustained injection of foreign capital. The sale of 9mobile should help to accomplish this. We earnestly hope that the CBN, NCC and other regulatory bodies, bear this in mind and help to ensure that the sale ultimately addresses this fundamental need of the telecom sector,� the stakeholders said. “It is therefore important that in the ongoing bid for 9mobile, these factors remain the guiding principles such that rather than the prospect of the number of operators reducing on account of consolidation of bids for 9mobile, the numbers remain the same, with each operator empowered to compete and deliver good service to its subscribers while delivering returns to its shareholders and growing the economy,� the stakeholders added. But in weighing the options of the bidders and that of interested stakeholders, NCC said consolidation would be in the best interest of the industry.

According to Dare, consolidation would play a key role in determining who finally gets to buy the nation’s fourth largest operator. “Nigeria can learn a lot from the Indian telecom experience of consolidation and market competition in the development of the telecom market. The consumer in India now enjoys lots of benefits and cheap data,� he said.

The 9mobile issue In a bid to deepen its investments and expand its network, 9mobile, under the brand name Etisalat Nigeria, sought and goy $1.2 million loan from 13 local banks.

However, citing the economic downturn and naira devaluation, which negatively impacted on the dollar-denominated component of the loan, the former Etisalat Nigeria wrote its creditors informing them of its intention to halt the repayment of the loan in installments, until such a time that it was able to raise more money.

Unsatisfied with the excuse from the telecoms company, the banks threatened to take over its operations, should it fail to meet its payment obligations. The situation forced the telecoms company to enter into series of negotiations with the banks, which eventually collapsed, following disagreement from the banks.

Banks involved in the loan deal include: Zenith Bank, GTBank, FirstBank, UBA, Fidelity Bank, Access Bank, Ecobank, FCMB, Stanbic IBTC Bank and Union Bank, among others.

A breakdown of the amounts owed the banks showed that Zenith Bank has the highest exposure to Etisalat amounting to $262 million and N80 billion, GTBank has the second highest exposure of $138 million and N42 billion, Access Bank follows with $131 million and N40 billion.

Etisalat also owed UBA $125 million and N38 billion; FirstBank – $79 million and N24 billion; Fidelity Bank – $56 million and N17 billion; Stanbic IBTC – $25 million and N7.5 billion; FCMB – $15 million and N4.5 billion; and Ecobank – $10 million and N3.1 billion.

NCC, CBN intervention At the peak of the threat from the banks to take over the telecoms company for its inability to repay its loan, the NCC and CBN quickly intervene to douse tension.

The Executive Vice Chairman of NCC. Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, in a letter to the banks, had warned them of what could befall the former Etisalat Nigeria, if the banks were allowed to make do their threats.

The letter from NCC, was a follow up of series of meetings held in the past between the NCC, CBN, and the the banks, at the instance of the NCC, designed to address the financial crisis.

The NCC’s letter, which was addressed to the Managing Director of Access Bank, and dated June 21, 2017, was also sent to the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and the managing directors of GTBank and Zenith Bank, who are part of the consortium of the bank creditors.

Part of the letter read: The Commission, as a responsible regulator, is concerned about the likely implications of the takeover for subscribers on the Etisalat network in particular and the telecoms industry at large.�

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY JANUARY 11, 2018

27

28

T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ ÍŻÍŻËœ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍś

Building Global Brands Raheem Akingbolu takes a look at the activities of local companies that have earned global respect and acceptability More than ever before, brand owners in Nigeria are keen about extending the frontiers of their brands beyond this shore. Some brand analysts have argued that if Nigeria entertainment industry and its products can appeal to the world, then any locally built brand can equally do so. According to a brand management expert, Dr. Jossy Nkwocha, locally built brands can only make it to the global arena, when they are first accepted locally. Nkwocha, who recently presented his new book; ‘Reputation Management and Branding’, is of the opinion that it is when a local brand is consumed locally that the world will accept it.

He said: “There is no short cut to success; brand building processes are the same everywhere.

Check it, one thing many successful businesses have in common is the fact that their promoters have devoted time, effort and financial investment towards building them. In Nigeria, we have brands that are doing well because of the commitment of their owners. But beyond this, it takes two to tango –consumers, regulators, trade partners and other stakeholders must be committed to their local brands before those in other climes can show interest. This is exactly why our entertainment industry is accepted globally because we also accept them locally.�

Dangote: Lessons in conglomeration Clearly beyond Nigeria, the Dangote brand has been recognised as one of the best things that ever came out of Africa. The Dangote Group is one of the most diversified business conglomerates in Africa with a hard-earned reputation for excellent business practices and products’ quality with its operational headquarters in the bustling metropolis of Lagos, Nigeria in West Africa.

The Group’s activities encompass about 10 segments of the market, including: cement manufacturing and importation, sugar manufacturing and refining, real estate, salt refining, flour and

The third phase of Vigeo’s evolution commenced 11 years after its incorporation. Vigeo focused on acquisition of technical competences and strategic alliances that would prove to be essential in the future evolution of the business. During this phase, Vigeo made its entrance into Nigeria Oil & Gas industry by providing amongst others, training and provision of personal protective equipment. To reect a new corporate focus, Vigeo’s vision was changed to “To be a leading global company relentlessly committed to providing total support services, professionally for the ultimate satisfaction of our stakeholders’

Dangote semolina milling. The group also involves in logistics in the area of port management and haulages as well as foundation.

Since inception, the group has experienced phenomenal growth on account of quality of its goods and services, its focus on cost leadership and efficiency of its human capital. Today, Dangote Group is a multi-billion Naira company poised to reach new heights, in every endeavour competing with itself to better the past.

The group’s core business focus is to provide local, value added products and services that meet the ‘basic needs’ of the populace. Through the construction and operation of large scale manufacturing facilities in Nigeria and across Africa, the Group is focused on building local manufacturing capacity to generate employment and provide goods for the people Aliko Dangote is the founder of the Dangote Group, which he currently presides over as President and Chief Executive. In 2013, Dangote was appointed to the steering committee of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Global Education First Initiative (GEFI). The initiative is a forum connecting businesses to make a lasting impact on the lives of children and youth through education. He is also a founding member of the Gordon Brown-led Global Business Coalition for Education as a representative from business and he is one of the Board of Directors of the Corporate Council on Africa, an organisation that seeks to promote business and investment between the United States and the nations of Africa. In addition, he is collaborating with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to fight polio.

Globacom: A pacesetter brand Since 2003, when Globacom berthed in Nigerian market, it has continued to spring surprises.

The first surprise was the determination by the founder of the telecommunication brand to enter the boxing ring with multinationals.

Another was the early assurance by the promoters of the brand that subscribers on the network would enjoy per seconds billing, which early operators said was impossible as at then. Of course, not a few people discarded the promise as a mere Trojan gift to lure in patrons on the new networks. At the end, per seconds billing was not only actualised, it became a strong tool with which Glo changed the game. For the first time it became possible for GSM users to pay for the only actual time spent on the phone.

However, the greatest surprise lies in its survival despite the odds and early comer advantage the competition had over it. Today, the story is no more about how it weathered the storm but how the brand has continued to

Osibodu put competing brands on their toes.

When the first players rolled out the first batch of lines in 2001, the initial battle they fought, albeit acrimoniously, was that for the soul of the subscriber. From any angle one chooses to look at the result of this, they succeeded, though relatively depending on who was spending what.

But the game changed in 2003 when Globacom threw caution into the winds and challenged the existing operators. By then, MTN was having a smooth sail because of the boardroom politics that was affecting the fortune of Econet negatively.

Aside gotten itself well accepted in the market and extended to other markets, Globacom profile may get boosted in few months to come its promoters succeed in acquiring 9mobile. The battle for the soul of 9mobile is currently on with 10 firms jostling for it. Globacom was established by Mike Adenuga, one of the richest black men and a patriotic Nigerian.

Vigeo: Championing global best practice Vigeo Holdings is an indigenous Nigerian company founded by Mr. Victor Gbolade Osibodu, one of Nigeria’s foremost entrepreneurs in May 1985. The company was initially founded to provide corporate promotion and marketing services. However, over the years, it has evolved into a multi business holding company with a focus on infrastructure, all through the vision/ leadership of its Chairman. Through all this, Vigeo’s pay off line, which Osibodu came up with at its founding stage still rings true: “sometimes, somehow, somewhere‌.. you’ll need us.â€?

Vigeo’s first and initial phase was its foray into marketing and corporate communications.

One can even say Vigeo pioneered the corporate gifts market in Nigeria, providing corporate gifts to a large variety of blue chip companies in Nigeria, holding true to its then vision “to be the leading provider of corporate promotion and marketing company�.

In its second phase, though still a corporate promotion and marketing company, Vigeo branched out by establishing a culture of early stage/ venture capital investments into a number of small and growing companies in the Nigerian market. The third phase of Vigeo’s evolution commenced 11 years after its incorporation. Vigeo focused on acquisition of technical competences and strategic alliances that would prove to be essential in the future evolution of the business. During this phase, Vigeo made its entrance into Nigeria Oil & Gas industry by providing amongst others, training and provision of personal protective equipment. To reflect a new corporate focus, Vigeo’s vision was changed

to “To be a leading global company relentlessly committed to providing total support services, professionally for the ultimate satisfaction of our stakeholders’. It is this initial foray into oil and gas services that created the framework under which Vigeo would go into the shipping industry in 2003 and subsequently become an indigenous Nigerian vessel owner. It is well worth mentioning that this was years prior to the federal government’s push for local content in the oil and gas industry. Vigeo Shipping is still providing its clients with renowned service in this industry today. From an oil and gas, marketing and oil and gas company with principle investments, Osibodu saw the next opportunity years before it became apparent to the public: electricity.

While in a number of cases businesses are forced to diversify into new industries, Vigeo’s diversification was driven by the vision of its chairman to position the business to take advantage of emerging opportunities.

Understanding that businesses should exist for purposes other than profit, Vigeo crafted a higher purpose goal for itself. This goal serves as the bedrock of its corporate social responsibility.

As part of the higher purpose goal of Vigeo, it has along with its chairman been a major benefactor to the Special Olympics movement in Nigeria amongst others.

First Bank: First in name, first in the market Like all breakaway brands, First Bank Nigeria has consistently formed an emotional connection with its audience. The brand owners understand the role that brand plays in the lives of consumers and makes sure First Bank’s attributes match up with the target banking public. For over 100 years, its promoters, like handlers of other global brands like Coca Cola and Pepsi, think of new ways to keep the brand top-of-the brand.

Within and outside the financial sector, the name First Bank has become synonymous with success. This obviously explains why brand management experts now make reference to brand FirstBank at different fora as case study for custodians of smaller companies, who are looking curiously into a brighter future Few months ago, First Bank of Nigeria Limited was, again, named the most valuable banking brand in Nigeria in The Top 500 Banking Brands of The Banker magazine of the Financial Times and Brand Finance, London, United Kingdom for the sixth consecutive time. In many quarters, observers see the feat as an evidence of the global status of the brand. In a country, where the mortality rate of businesses is high, First Bank has existed for over 10 decades.

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY JANUARY 11, 2018

29

30

T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ ÍŻÍŻËœ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍś

Knotty Issues as Lagos Floats Consumer Protection Agency Raheem Akingbolu urges the government and leadership of the newly established Lagos State Government Consumer Protection Agency to avoid ambiguities in the modus operandi of the new agency Like the proverbial cows without tails, consumers in this part of the world have consistently suffered abuse in the hands of heady manufacturers and service providers. Perhaps because of the country’s weak institutions and nonchalant attitude towards protection of consumers’ interests, local and multinationals seem to see the market as a place where any goes. In most cases, when victims of consumer abuse raise alarm, the matter is swept under the carpet, without sanctioning anybody or rewarding the person whose right is abused.

However, there has been improvement in the last four years with Consumer Protection Council (CPC), rising up to the challenge and putting some organisations on their toes. The new regime, which commenced with the appointment of a human rights advocate at the African Union (AU), Dupe Atoki, as Director General few years ago, has since recorded huge breakthrough in various sectors, including; Banking, Telecommunications, Aviation and Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG). Tunde Irukera, who currently heads the council, is believed to be toeing Atoki’s path to keep up the tempo.

Despite the achievement, CPC and other stakeholders have admitted at many fora that Nigerian consumers are yet to be fully liberated. Among other challenges, the council has identified weak legal frame work and lack of human and capital resources to protect over 150 million active consumers in the country. The regulatory body has also identified consumer apathy, which has resulted from the fact that over the years, Nigerians have not been able to gain the confidence of the agency to provide sufficient protection for them, as a major challenge.

To this end, CPC has continued to lobby federal government for proper empowerment, educate consumers on their rights as well as tasking state governments to establish consumer protection committee as spelt out by the law that established the council. According to the council, this is necessary to corroborate whatever CPC is doing at the centre. It is believed that more grounds will be covered when there are local committees to protect consumers’ interests.

Establishment of Lagos’ agency Perceived in many quarters as New Year gift to consumers in Lagos, the inauguration of Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency was celebrated last week by stakeholders. Aside from serving as a positive response to long time yearnings, the arrival of the new agency was timely and necessary to tame the excesses of business owners in the commercial city.

At the inauguration of the board, the state governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, pledged that the new agency would protect the rights of consumers in the state and ensure they get value for money spent on goods and services.

He also stated that concerted efforts would be made to end the daily reported cases of violation of consumers’ rights in the State especially considering the vantage position of Lagos as the largest commercial market in sub-Sahara Africa.

He said the establishment of the board, aside from being another giant stride of his administration designed to guarantee the welfare of the people on a sustainable basis, was also meant to complement the reforms already embarked upon by the state government to ensure the ease of doing business in the State “The establishment of the consumer protection agency is a strong demonstration of our commitment to the protection of the rights of consumers, the promotion of consumer satisfaction in the State and our resolve to ensure that they get value for money spent on goods and services. “The need for the agency has become more imperative in view of the fact that Lagos State, with its huge population, provides the largest commercial market in sub-Sahara Africa, with the highest reported cases of daily infractions on the consumer rights.

Ambode “The Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency is therefore meant to complement our reforms on the ease of doing business in the State especially as it affects the development of the Industrial, Commercial and Consumer satisfaction value chain,� Governor Ambode said.

Board composition As a result of the choice of personalities that were appointed on the board of the agency, many observers have concluded that it has begun business on a good footing. Chaired by a Lagos lawyer, Mrs. Funmi Falana, it parades 11 other experts, drawn from the public and private sectors.

Members include: a top Lagos state civil servant and General Manager designate of the agency, Mrs. Olugbode Ajoke; Mr. Oduyebo Jacobs, who is to serve as Secretary and the President of the Consumer Advocacy Foundation of Nigeria (CAFON), Mrs. Sola Salako-Ajulo.

But beyond their perceived charismas and the legal background of some of the appointees, the Vice President of Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Mr. Godwin Anyebe, has advised members of the board to get themselves acquainted with issues related to consumer rights, education and monitoring.

He has also advised Lagos state government not to see the agency as another revenue generation agency but a government body that would protect interests and collaborate with CPC. ‘’Considering the cosmopolitan nature of Lagos and the state’s huge population, creation of Consumer Protection Agency is long overdue.

Equally, we should commend Governor Ambode for his choice of leadership of the agency. Without mincing words, Mrs. Falana and her team are quality individuals with impressive pedigree. ‘’But beyond that, government should endeavour to create a platform through which they can be adequately tutored on what the agency requires.

For instance, this is the time for the likes of Falana to demonstrate and prove to members of the public, who always have reservations anytime a human right activist is appointed or elected as a leader that the community can deliver. I point out this because it is believed in some quarters that human right activists are in most cases autocratic. To correct this impression, Mrs. Falana and her team should give the agency human face to have a good working relationship with stakeholders.

Falana Modus Operandi To avoid overlapping with CPC in discharging of its responsibilities, the agency is expected to carefully spell out its modus operandi. For instance, while the CPC Act recommends committee for state, the Lagos version decided otherwise by naming itself as agency, which makes it a bit cumbersome. Observers have also expressed their worries on the way existing agencies in Lagos clash with federal government agencies. In this regard, two agencies; Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA) and The Lagos State Lotteries Board (LSLB), have not only clashed with their counterparts at the center, they have given the state bad publicity because of their shabby approaches to regulation and creation of unnecessary bottlenecks for practitioners in outdoor and lottery sectors respectively. Besides, in Imo State, where a state own consumer agency was first established, it soon became an embarrassment to both the state and CPC because of the way staff of the agency were extorting money from companies. At a point, the then DG of CPC, Mrs. Ify Umenyi, had to issue a statement to dissociate the council from the activities of the Imo State Consumer Protection Agency. From then on, stakeholders in that part of the country began to relate more with the Zonal Office of CPC in Awka and not the Imo State agency that was seen as money-spinning agency.

To avoid a similar scenario in Lagos, a lawyer, Mr. Chidiebere Onuokoro, while commending the government for the establishment of the body, urged government to monitor the agency very well so that it will not be turned to another revenue generation body. ‘’This is a welcome development if the new body is on the strength of the CPC law. I understand your sentiment that it can be turned to a money making venture but we should not forget that consumer protection agencies are not license issuing agencies. LASAA and LSLB were primarily established to generate revenue for the state through regulation, rate collection and allocation of sites as the case may be but this cannot be said of Lagos State Consumer Agency. Though, I have not seen the law that established it but with Mrs. Falana in charge, I don’t expect any illegality and abuse of office. That is my take,’’ Meanwhile, while reeling out the terms of reference of the board, Gov. Ambode had said noted that the agency had been designed to be

an effective service centre for the protection of the interests of Consumers, settlement of Consumer disputes and for other connected purposes as enshrined in the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency Law, Cap.C13, Laws of Lagos State, 2014.

He said owing to the responsibilities of the agency, members of the board were carefully selected both from private and public sectors based on their impeccable character, remarkable track records, experience on the subject matter and passion for the job. The Governor, who urged members of the board to hit the ground running, also tasked them to be dutiful and nurture the new agency to become an institution that will guarantee timely delivery of effective services to aggrieved consumers, just as he enjoined Lagosians to utilize the alternative commercial dispute mechanism to be offered by the agency that will guarantee reduced time for the resolution of consumer related cases.

Besides, the governor ordered that office of the agency should be located outside Alausa to bring about the sense of independence and engender confidence of the people. According to him, “I have just directed that I will like this agency to be situated outside the civil service premises. We don’t want you to be part of us so that the sense of independence that we are giving to this agency is to ensure that we command the respect of consumers generally in the State. “I want to let you know that we expect you to hit the ground running; I expect that I must start to get feedback as to what is happening to consumer rights and then to the citizens generally within the shortest possible time,� the Governor said.

Responding on behalf of the appointees, Falana thanked Governor Ambode for the opportunity given them to serve the people, assuring that they would work in the best interest of consumers and leave very good footprints on the sand of time.

As members of the public continue to celebrate the new regime, one question that is yet to be answered is what becomes of the new agency if the expected anti-competition law is eventually passed. If the law comes into being, it will repeal the consumer protection act, consume CPC and give birth to Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission. Then, what becomes of the Lagos agency afterwards?

Time will tell.

T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ ÍŻÍŻËœ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍś

31

Imperatives for Digital Switchover The Chief Operating Officer, NTA-Star TV Network Limited, Tunde Aina, writes on what should be done by government and all stakeholders to achieve the digital switchover

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed

The Digital Switchover otherwise known as the DSO is the Nigerian Government’s programme of migration of television from analogue to digital.

The Nigerian DSO journey started with the inauguration of the Presidential Advisory Committee (PAC); this body was made up of experts and stakeholders in the broadcast industry and it was tasked with charting a road map for Nigeria in the DSO journey.

The report of the PAC was submitted to government in 2008 but wasn’t considered until 2012 when a white-paper, based largely on the recommendations of PAC, was released.

Unfortunately, some of the recommendations of the white paper were already obsolete by the time it was released; this was because major events and milestones which couldn’t have been foreseen by the experts who constituted PAC had taken place.

The white-paper was completely silent about pay Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) probably because it almost didn’t exist in Africa at the time the PAC made its recommendations, but between 2008 when the PAC report was submitted to government and 2012 when the government white paper was released, two DTT pay-tv operators already entered the Nigerian market.

NTA-Star TV Network also known as StarTimes Nigeria and GOTV an offshoot of Multichoice began an aggressive roll-out of DTT infrastructure across the country, with the benefit of hindsight, the recommendations of PAC needed to have been updated before it became a whitepaper in order to factor in recent events that had a major impact on the industry.

The whitepaper tried to provide guidelines for the licensing and operations of various stake-holders but fell short in the specifics

From the foregoing, it is very obvious that trying to implement the whitepaper as is will not achieve the objectives of the DSO, some work still need to be done to make more speciďŹ c recommendation in areas where the guidelines are open to various interpretations. There is also the need to obtain legislative endorsement for the DSO to provide the required legal protection for the whole process

Director General, National Broadcasting Commission, Is’haq Modibo Kawu

and left a lot to various interpretations; while it could be argued that recommending local manufacture of set-top boxes was beneficial to the industry and the country in general, it is doubtful if 13 set-top box(STB) manufacturers can survive.

There was no mention of encryption standards or middleware, a new set of standards was proposed and approved consequently all viewers must purchase the new set-top boxes to watch free TV channels after the completion of the DSO. It has been challenging to find the funds to subsidize the set-top boxes and the current economic indices makes it unlikely that government will be able to find the funds to fund the subsidy; the country has more serious infrastructure challenges competing for scarce resources.

From the foregoing, it is very obvious that trying to implement the whitepaper as is will not achieve the objectives of the DSO, some work still need to be done to make more specific recommendation in areas where the guidelines are open to various interpretations.

There is also the need to obtain legislative endorsement for the DSO to provide the required legal protection for the whole process. Funding is also a big challenge and there is no hope of getting any funds legally appropriated if the National Assembly have not officially “recognised� and probably legislate on the DSO. The white-paper did not recommend having a separate company engaged in content aggregation but with the benefit of hindsight, it would be duplication of efforts if signal distributors have to all invest in content

aggregation infrastructure.

If content producers have to bear the cost of content aggregation, they will need to pay more than one company for the same service because the current system of allocating signal distributors to different cities by fiat would have required each content producer dealing with all signal distributors to achieve nationwide content aggregation coverage.

If we get engrossed in this white-paper mania, we may fail to notice that NTA-Star and GOTV currently cover most of the country with Digital Terrestrial Television, or that the average Nigerian household already has a subsidised digital set top box from the many available DTT or DTH providers. Let us imagine a situation where government directs the existing operators to carry freeTV channels under mutually agreed terms, directs all operators to patronize only local set-top Box manufacturers, and collects the digital access funds through existing pay or freeTV carriers.

The only sore thumb will be the fate of licensed signal distributors since there is no compelling reason for a new roll-out in areas where DTT infrastructure already exist, a solution can be found that ensures all players are assured of some protection for their investments.

The suggestions made in this write-up are completely hypothetical and require further investigations and discussions among the major players in the TV industry to determine their practicability. However one thing is very clear, to achieve the objectives of the DSO in the light of current realities, we need to do things differently.

32

T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ ÍŻÍŻËœ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍś

BUSINESSWORLD

DEVELOPMENT

Keita: Family Planning is the Best Way to Fight Maternal Mortality Barely months into assuming office as the United Nations Population Fund Country Representative in Nigeria, Dr. Diene Keita shared with Abimbola Akosile her experiences, vision and views on development issues in Nigeria, on the sidelines of an awareness creation programme held by the Ministry of Health in Abuja recently. Excerpts: comprehensive sex education for me is very formal, but I am talking of all education. All education because you have the people who do not go out at school but would do something called the husband school, talking about the women interest, about how to behave and the income-generating activities, how to involve the men in it, kind of husband daily school, parenting school, how many parent like me, you have young adult at home, a 20-year-old, 18, you don’t know how to communicate, it is a challenge.

They don’t even know how to communicate.

I have friends of mine from the Western world, living in America, they would say, “I don’t talk to my boys, so stop talking to your boy�.

So it is not only Africa that face that. So we need to educate parents, we need to educate everyone to better communicate. But as well formal education for the young girl is of utmost importance; if the young girl can stay at school longer than possible, she would, whatever happens, be better than if she doesn’t go to school, because the family wants her married, instead of being wasted or having unwanted pregnancy.

Can you just tell us a little about yourself?

I am Dr. Diene Keita, an economist and lawyer by training, 53 years old and the UNFPA Country Representative in Nigeria since July (2017).

Before Nigeria, I was the UNFPA Country Rep in Democratic Republic of Congo. So, I have been privileged to serve in a big country and this is the second one and I am very thrilled to be here.

So, what lessons are you bringing from the DRC? The lesson I am bringing from the DRC is two-fold; first is complexity and diversity.

DRC is a very huge country and relatively well-populated, and yet DRC has the duality of humanitarian issues and developmental issues.

So what I bring is really a good knowledge of how to implement diversity within what we do, especially socio-economic issues and family planning, as well as how to reap Demographic Dividend in such a complex environment.

What are your views and tips on family planning and the existing cultural, religious challenges?

I think UNFPA has this fabulous way of tackling family planning and really in doing such thing culturally. We all know that every culture, at least most of them, has issue with family planning. The only time all faith persons agree is when we have to talk about family planning, so for me the cultural approach is extremely important and yet the women and young girls’ empowerment is absolutely of essence because a woman or adolescent should be able to decide for themselves. At the end of the day, family planning is not about all these facing them, it is about giving the woman or adolescent the autonomy to decide the time she wants to have her family and the time she needs to work or rest or enjoy the health community life. So really for me, that is the stake and here in Nigeria due to the diversity it is something we are looking forward to work with. We have a very dynamic government working on it; the Ministry of Health is doing a great job, but also the other ministries because that is why I like the approach of the demographic dividend; because family planning is not health matter anymore; it is absolutely not Let me give you an example, if 13-year-old young girl, is either married too young with an old man; you know what I call old man? A 30-year-old young man is an old man compared to a 13-year-old girl; he is powerful sexually; you see what I mean? Sexually, that can ruin that girl’s life because he cannot control his actions, then he can hurt her without wanting to. This was this fabulous Nigerian movie where this young man husband obviously didn’t know how to behave to have intercourse and his young wife was 14. She was so happy to be married. She was beautiful but she was young. But the way he did it; he raped her and the woman’s life changed forever. He didn’t do it on purpose or intentionally but that woman cried forever.

But that is the reality; you don’t train young men to become men, you see what I mean?

So if they don’t know how to approach the young women, it becomes a disaster and this is part of the critical, sensitive issue. It is not about him coming or implement what general common sense says, because if that young man had known better, how to be more tender, that young lady, she wouldn’t have been scared.

And if they had known, they would be in love today. We have so many stories about this. It is really about communication first, and as well intimate communication sometime, verbal and intimate communication. “Are you happy, are you fine?�. And he can be very crude; he doesn’t have to be very modern. And I think whatever you are, Christian, Moslem or traditional religion in this part of this world, we have that chal-

approach people; you don’t want to hurt them, you just want to educate them. The meaning says quite a lot because it is very important.

The only thing that is as important of health and in family planning is education. That is why we talk about a man of 30 years who cannot even approach a woman correctly; you know in the past centuries in Europe, if you read Europe history, young men were trained sexually by their dad; they would take them in an institution, elder women would let them know how to go about it. And now because parents don’t talk to their boys anymore, the boys go aside to talk to their friends, they go on YouTube and learn by themselves, and it can be very harmful. This is the kind of thing I think we should be working on.

Can you talk about the Green Dot initiative that was launched recently in Abuja?

I think the Green Dot is a fabulous initiative; it was launched recently and it has created centres and reference places where people, young people can get the information they need vis-a-vis family planning issues and larger sexual reproductive issues and health issues.

And I think for me, this is the first country I have seen it launched really nationally in Africa and I found that very impressive. I have seen it favours the young people but the Green Dot for me is something that is very promising and we will be supporting the government and the partners to expend as much as we can and most of it - our work - is to monitor the system, to get from the users how it went, are they happy, do they want something different, and that is the thing we can help the government do that because it is a magnificent initiative and for all of us, I think it is a beacon of hope that we will reach the last mile and the last woman or young girl or young man who needs information and products.

When you are talking of education, is it formal or just sex education?

Thank you; it is everything. Of course,

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

Dr. Keita lenge of making people understand. Because if you take the priest of any Catholic Church, or master of any Quranic School, people forget, they are leaders, they are very well educated.

I was raised in a Convent in Rome; I spent quite some time in a Catholic school, I am a Moslem so I know both religions very well.

Even sometimes at home, I sing Christian songs because I was raised in it and the Christians were so courteous with my religion. When they go to the mass, big mass, I would go, but classes I would have my private Islamic classes with my Egyptian teacher. You see, so I grew up in a world where religion was really connecting very well. My dad was the Ambassador to the Holy See so I could see the Pope every year, so I have a lot of respect for all religions; that is where I grew up. For me it is not a job; it is true belief that we can make a difference with respect to everyone. And that would be my big challenge here, because you need to

RANDOM THOTS Timely Census

Ă˜ Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹Ëœ Ă˜Ă™ĂžĂ’Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?Ù×Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă’Ă?Ă‹ĂšËœ ĂŒĂ&#x;Ăž Ă?Ă™Ăœ ÞÒĂ? Ă˜Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă‹Ă– Ă?Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă&#x;Ă? ĂšĂ–Ă‹Ă˜Ă˜Ă?ĂŽ Ă?Ă™Ăœ ÞÒÓĂ? ĂŁĂ?Ă‹ĂœËœ ÞÒĂ? Ă?âĂ?ĂœĂ?Ă“Ă?Ă? Ă—Ă‹ĂŁ ĂĄĂ?Ă–Ă– ĂŒĂ? ĂĄĂ™ĂœĂžĂ’ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă™Ă?Þ˛ Ă’Ă? ÒÙÚĂ? Ă“Ă? ÞÒËÞ ÞÒÓĂ? ÞÓ×Ă? Ă‹ĂœĂ™Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂŽËœ Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹Ă˜Ă? ĂĄĂ“Ă–Ă– Ă•Ă˜Ă™ĂĄ ÞÒĂ? Ă‹Ă?ĂžĂ&#x;Ă‹Ă– Ă˜Ă&#x;Ă—ĂŒĂ?Ăœ Ă™Ă? Ă?ÓÞÓäĂ?Ă˜Ă? Ă™Ă? ÞÒÓĂ? Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂžĂœĂŁËœ ĂŒĂ™ĂžĂ’ ÒÙ×Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă‹ĂŒĂœĂ™Ă‹ĂŽË› Ă’Ă? Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă‹Ă– ÙÚĂ&#x;Ă–Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?Ëœ Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă™ĂœĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÙ ÞÒĂ? Ă“ĂœĂ?Ă?ĂžĂ™Ăœ Ă?Ă˜Ă?ĂœĂ‹Ă– Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă‹Ă– ÙÚĂ&#x;Ă–Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ù××ÓĂ?Ă?Ă“Ă™Ă˜Ëœ ÒËÔÓ Ă?Ă–Ă–Ă™Ëœ ĂĄĂ“Ă–Ă– ÒÙÖÎ Ă“Ă˜ ͺ͸͚΀ Ă“Ă? Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂŁ ÖÙÑÓĂ?ÞÓĂ?Ă? Ă‹ĂœĂ? ĂšĂœĂ™Ă Ă“ĂŽĂ?ĂŽË› Ă?Ă–Ă–Ă™Ëœ Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹ ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ?ĂœĂ Ă“Ă?ĂĄ Ă“Ă˜ Ă?ĂĄ Ă™ĂœĂ• Ă‹Ă–Ă?Ă™ Ă?Ă‹Ă“ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? ĂšĂœĂ™ĂšĂ™Ă?Ă?ĂŽ ͺ͸͚΀ Ă?Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă&#x;Ă? ĂĄĂ“Ă–Ă– Ă?Ă™Ă?Ăž Ă‹Ă˜ Ă?Ă?ÞÓ×ËÞĂ?ĂŽ ͺͿͺ ĂŒĂ“Ă–Ă–Ă“Ă™Ă˜Ë› Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă?ÞÓ×ËÞĂ?ĂŽ Ă?Ă&#x;Ă—Ëœ Ă’Ă? Ă?Ă‹Ă“ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? Ă?ĂŽĂ?ĂœĂ‹Ă– Ùà Ă?ĂœĂ˜Ă—Ă?Ă˜Ăž ĂĄĂ‹Ă? Ă?âÚĂ?Ă?ĂžĂ?ĂŽ ÞÙ

Ă?Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? Ă?âĂ?ĂœĂ?Ă“Ă?Ă? ĂŒĂŁ Ă™Ă˜Ă–ĂŁ ͽ͚ ĂšĂ?Ăœ Ă?Ă?Ă˜Ăž ĂĄĂ’Ă“Ă–Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ?ĂœĂ˜Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă‹Ă– ĂŽĂ™Ă˜Ă™Ăœ Ă?Ù××Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă“ĂžĂŁ ĂĄĂ™Ă&#x;Ă–ĂŽ Ă?Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? ĂœĂ?Ă—Ă‹Ă“Ă˜Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ͟ΠÚĂ?Ăœ Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžËœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÒËÞ Ă“Ăž ĂĄĂ™Ă&#x;Ă–ĂŽ Ă?Ùà Ă?Ăœ Ă‹ Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;Ăœ ĂŁĂ?Ă‹Ăœ ĂšĂ?ĂœĂ“Ă™ĂŽËž Ă?Ă™Ăœ ĂšĂœĂ?Ě‹Ă?Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă&#x;Ă? Ă‹Ă?ÞÓà ÓÞÓĂ?Ă?Ëœ ÞÒËÞ Ă“Ă? ÞÒĂ? ĂšĂœĂ?ĂšĂ‹ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ëž ÞÒĂ? Ă‹Ă?ĂžĂ&#x;Ă‹Ă– Ă?Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă&#x;Ă? ĂšĂœĂ™ĂšĂ?Ăœ Ă“ĂžĂ?Ă?Ă–Ă?Ëœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? ÚÙĂ?Þ̋Ă?Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă&#x;Ă? Ă?Ă˜Ă&#x;Ă—Ă?ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă‹Ă?ÞÓà ÓÞÓĂ?Ă?Ë› Ă?Ă?Ă™ĂœĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÙ Ă’Ă“Ă—Ëœ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă&#x;Ă? ĂĄĂ“Ă–Ă– Ă?Ă˜Ă‹ĂŒĂ–Ă? ÞÒĂ? ÑÙà Ă?ĂœĂ˜Ă—Ă?Ă˜Ăž ÞÙ Ă’Ă‹Ă Ă? Ă?Ă™ĂœĂœĂ?Ă?Ăž ÎËÞË Ă‹ĂŒĂ™Ă&#x;Ăž Ă“ĂžĂ? Ă?ÓÞÓäĂ?Ă˜Ă? Ă“Ă˜ Ă™ĂœĂŽĂ?Ăœ ÞÙ Ă‹Ă“ĂŽ ĂšĂœĂ™ĂšĂ?Ăœ ĂšĂ–Ă‹Ă˜Ă˜Ă“Ă˜Ă‘Ëœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÒËÞ Ă“Ăž Ă“Ă? Ă?Ă&#x;ÚÚÙĂ?Ă?ĂŽ ÞÙ ĂŒĂ? Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂœĂ“Ă?ĂŽ Ă™Ă&#x;Ăž Ă“Ă˜ Ă?Ă Ă?ĂœĂŁ Ă’Ă‹Ă—Ă–Ă?ĂžËœ Ă?Ă Ă?ĂœĂŁ Ă Ă“Ă–Ă–Ă‹Ă‘Ă?Ëœ Ă?Ă Ă?ĂœĂŁ Ă–Ă™Ă?Ă‹Ă– ÑÙà Ă?ĂœĂ˜Ă—Ă?Ă˜ĂžËœ Ă?Ă Ă?ĂœĂŁ Ă’Ă™Ă&#x;Ă?Ă?ÒÙÖÎ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÒĂ?Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ“ĂœĂ? Ă˜Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ë› Ă’Ă? ĂŽĂ“ĂœĂ?Ă?ĂžĂ™ĂœĚ‹Ă‘Ă?Ă˜Ă?ĂœĂ‹Ă– Ă?Ă˘ĂšĂ–Ă‹Ă“Ă˜Ă?ĂŽ ÞÒËÞ Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹ ĂĄĂ™Ă&#x;Ă–ĂŽ ÞËÕĂ?

Ă‹ĂŽĂ Ă‹Ă˜ĂžĂ‹Ă‘Ă? Ă™Ă? ĂžĂ?Ă?Ă’Ă˜Ă™Ă–Ă™Ă‘ĂŁ Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă˜Ă?âÞ ÚÙÚĂ&#x;Ă–Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă?Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă&#x;Ă? ĂžĂ’ĂœĂ™Ă&#x;Ă‘Ă’ ÞÒĂ? Ă&#x;Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? ĂŒĂ“Ă™Ă—Ă?ĂžĂœĂ“Ă?Ă?Ëœ ĂĄĂ’Ă“Ă?Ă’ ĂĄĂ“Ă–Ă– ĂšĂ&#x;Ăž ÞÙ ĂœĂ?Ă?ĂžËœ ÞÒĂ? Ă“Ă?Ă?Ă&#x;Ă? Ă‹Ă? ÞÙ ĂĄĂ’Ă?ÞÒĂ?Ăœ ĂšĂ?ÙÚÖĂ? Ă‹ĂœĂ? Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ĂŽĂ™Ă˜Ă•Ă?ĂŁĂ? Ă™Ăœ ʨĂ?Ă’Ă?Ă? Ă™Ăœ Ă’Ă™ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă? Ă™Ăœ Ă?ÙåĂ? Ă™Ăœ ĂžĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ë› Ă’Ă“Ă? ĂœĂ?ĂšĂ™ĂœĂžĂ?ĂœËœ ĂĄĂ’Ă™ Ă’Ă‹Ă? Ă‹ Ă•Ă˜Ă™ĂĄĂ˜ ĂŒĂ“Ă‹Ă? Ă?Ă™Ăœ ĂŽĂ?Ă Ă?ÖÙÚ×Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă“Ă?Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?Ă?Ëœ Ă“Ă? Ă?Ă‹Ă‘Ă?Ăœ ÞÙ Ă?Ă?Ă? ÞÒÓĂ? Ă?âĂ?ĂœĂ?Ă“Ă?Ă? Ă?Ù××Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ëœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă‘Ă“Ă Ă?Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă˜Ă?Ă?ĂŽ ÞÙ Ă•Ă˜Ă™ĂĄ ÞÒÙĂ?Ă? Ă?ÓÞÓäĂ?Ă˜Ă? ĂĄĂ’Ă™ Ă‹ĂœĂ? Ă?Ă–Ă“Ă‘Ă“ĂŒĂ–Ă? ÞÙ à ÙÞĂ? Ă™Ăœ Ă˜Ă™Ăž Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă™Ă—Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ͺ͸͚ΠÑĂ?Ă˜Ă?ĂœĂ‹Ă– Ă?Ă–Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ëœ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă™Ă™Ă˜Ă?ĂœËœ ÞÒĂ? ĂŒĂ?ĘľĂ?ĂœËž Ă?Ă˜Ă™Ă&#x;Ă‘Ă’ Ă™Ă? Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă™Ă? ÑÙËÞĂ? Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;ÞÒ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂŽĂ™Ă˜Ă•Ă?ĂŁĂ? Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă˜Ă™ĂœĂžĂ’Ë&#x;Ă?Ă‹ĂŽ ĂœĂ?ËÖÓÞã -Abimbola Akosile

33

T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ ÍŻÍŻËœ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍś

Ëš

An illegal refinery in the Niger Delta region

WWW.THEATLANTIC.COM

How Can FG Truly Stop Economic Sabotage?

In his New Year address to Nigerians on January 1, President Muhammadu Buhari frowned on the activities of some unscrupulous people who inflicted severe hardship on all citizens by creating unnecessary fuel scarcity across the country. He said the situation was unacceptable and vowed to get to the root of “this collective blackmail of all Nigerians and ensure that those behind this manipulated hardship will be prevented from doing so again.� Given that the issue cuts across several sectors beyond oil, how do you think economic sabotage can be checked in Nigeria?

Abimbola Akosile * Honestly, apprehend, convict and punish all guilty economic saboteurs and offenders severely to deter others. Then, oil to armed robbery, kidnapping, smuggling, insurgency, abused demonstrations, public funds misappropriation, illegal migration, tax evasion, illegal killings and deprivations and such sins etc must all be checked appropriately and urgently. In fact the apt time for justice is now.

- Miss Apeji Patience Eneyeme, Badagry, Lagos State * Where is the economic sabotage from? We were promised modular refineries and the full production of our old refineries. Three years down the line, nothing. We invest billions of dollars on generation plants without investing in the infrastructure required to transmit that power to distribution companies. Selling the distribution arm of PHCN was a great tragedy because the companies now survive on government bailouts. Bad policies, poor infrastructure and poor implementation have ensured that many hitherto healthy companies have relocated or have shut down. The greatest economic saboteurs could actually be from within the government.

All of these can be addressed when we start to abide by the rule of law which can be brought about by enforcing our laws. The political will to implement these must be mustered first.

- Mr. Buga Dunj, Jos, Plateau State * The Federal Government can truly stop economic sabotage by severely punishing those found wanting. In fact we have weak leadership at the centre, which talk too much with little action. Why plea bargain; if you have stolen any amount of money, let it be recovered and you dealt with. I am telling you, this government encourages thieving; and it is very bad.

- Hon. Babale Maiungwa, U/Romi, Kaduna State * Although the average Nigerian doesn’t mind exploiting fellow citizens in the name of quick profit, the issue of economic sabotage rests majorly on the rich and the elites who have the resources and power to practice oil bunkering, round-tripping in the banks, money laundering and even illegal export of crude oil from depots. The best thing government can do is to make examples of the economic saboteurs across each sector through huge fines, closure

THE FEEDBACK

themselves. To cushion these marketers’ ugly acts of causing fuel scarcity, government should start to build new refineries and maintain old ones. For PMB’s priorities on power, roads and others in 2018 we need actions.

Top tip:

Let the govt purge its ranks first!

Second:

Apply stiff sanctions to saboteurs

- Mr. Gordon Chika Nnorom, Public Commentator, Umukabia, Abia State

Third:

Build more refineries, power plants

* Start with cleaning up the leadership and everything else will align in Nigeria.

- Ms. Nkeiruka Abanna, Lagos State

Radical tip:

Overhaul the leadership!

Total no of respondents:

14

Male:

11

Female:

3

Highest location:

Lagos (7)

of their organisations and lengthy jail terms. To stop economic sabotage in Nigeria, the penalty must exceed the underhand rewards.

- Mr. Olumuyiwa Olorunsomo, Lagos State * By telling Buhari to tell the truth about our monies he’s been stealing since the 70s as oil minister, governor, head of state and now president - then he should resign.

- Mr. Monco Tunde Okoli, USA * Economic sabotage cuts across various sectors beyond oil e.g. smuggling, arms proliferation, drugs peddling, human trafficking, security vices, financial and social crimes e.t.c are nurtured by some influential diehard political money-bags acting behind the scene and unjustly inflicting hardship on hapless citizens; yet they go scotfree. Government keeps promising to check the grotesque dilemma but have grossly failed over time to fulfil their promises on such sensitive issues so far. It is apt time to clamp down on such criminals and bring them to book.

- Mr. Apeji Onesi, Lagos State * Well, the broadcast of our president was good over oil marketers’ acts but we want proactive action against the marketers who held Nigerians for ransom in their selfish aims to hike the price and cause fuel scarcity in order to make gain for

* The Federal Government should allow the so-called illegal refineries to go ahead as they are using waste products; instead, they should be encouraged by removing (illegal) and replacing it by (legal) giving them legal backing. The country requires not less than 30 refineries; they are using their technology and intelligence in the production. Are they exporting it or using it in the country? Let us employ the habit of encouraging our students at any field of their research.

- Mr. Dogo Stephen, Kaduna State * The government and their coronary are the rogues and issues. So the solution is handy fetched; they should stop themselves.

- Mr. Blessed Sobomabo Braide, Lagos State * I agree that the issue has become intractable, with cabals everywhere: the ‘generator cabal’ undermining our electricity industry, the ‘oil cabal’ undermining our refineries e.t.c. Who will bell the cat? Firstly, I think government should purge itself of these elements within its ranks. After successfully doing this, government should hit all of them with an iron fist. If stringent legislation has to initially come into effect, the National Assembly should rise to the occasion. God bless Nigeria!

- Mr. E. Iheanyi Chukwudi, Apo, Abuja * With the broadcast of President Muhammadu Buhari, let us keep our fingers crossed and see how the promises made would be fulfilled by the president.

- Mrs. Ijeoma Nnorom, Lagos State * The traditional, community, household and religious leaders have vital roles to play to educate their followers and lay good examples.

The Federal Ministries and law enforcement agencies should be empowered to perform

their stipulated roles. Also CSOs, Development partners, individuals, churches and mosques leaders should help ensure that the Federal Government provides accountability, transparency and social welfare packages to average citizens that will help alleviate poverty and ensure good leadership and economic development. The Federal Government, State Governors, National and State Assemblies, local Government Chairmen and all those at the helm of affairs should be proactive in addressing the citizens’ needs, and introduce a good policy that will address the cries of average citizens, stop the economic sabotage, and ensure discipline of the offenders.

- Mr. Michael Adedotun Oke, Founder, Michael Adedotun Oke Foundation, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja * There is a saying that says ‘show me your friends and I will tell you who you are’. Permit me to also say that charity begins at home.

You should start with this cabinet.

- Mr. Ifeanyi Nwankwo, Lagos State

Next Week: Can Nigeria Cease Rice Importation in 2018? ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă“ĂŽĂ?Ă˜Ăž Ă&#x;Ă’Ă‹Ă—Ă—Ă‹ĂŽĂ&#x; Ă&#x;Ă’Ă‹ĂœĂ“Ëœ Ă“Ă˜ Ă’Ă“Ă? Ă?ĂĄ Ă?Ă‹Ăœ Ă‹ĂŽĂŽĂœĂ?Ă?Ă? ÞÙ ÞÒĂ? Ă˜Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă˜ Ă‹Ă˜Ă&#x;Ă‹ĂœĂŁ Í’Ëœ Ă‹Ă–Ă?Ă™ Ă?ÞËÞĂ?ĂŽ ÞÒËÞ ÞÒĂ?ĂœĂ? ĂĄĂ™Ă&#x;Ă–ĂŽ ĂŒĂ? äĂ?ĂœĂ™ ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă? Ă“Ă—ĂšĂ™ĂœĂžĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ ÞÒÓĂ? ĂŁĂ?Ă‹ĂœË› Ă“Ă?Ă? Ă“Ă? Ă‹ Ă?ÞËÚÖĂ? Ă?ÙÙÎ ĂšĂœĂ™ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?Ăž Ă“Ă˜ Ă—Ă“Ă–Ă–Ă“Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă™Ă? Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹Ă˜ ÒÙ×Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă—Ă‹Ă˜ĂŁ Ă‹Ă˜Ă‹Ă–ĂŁĂ?ĂžĂ? ĂŒĂ?Ă–Ă“Ă?Ă Ă? ÞÒËÞ Ă“ĂžĂ? Ă–Ă™Ă?Ă‹Ă– ĂšĂœĂ™ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă“Ă? ĂŁĂ?Ăž ÞÙ Ă—Ă?Ă?Ăž ÞÒĂ? Ă‘ĂœĂ™ĂĄĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ĂŽĂ?Ă—Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă™Ă? Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ă&#x;Ă—Ă?ĂœĂ?Ë› Ă˜ ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x;Ăœ Ă™ĂĄĂ˜ Ă Ă“Ă?ĂĄËœ ÒÙå Ă?Ă‹Ă˜ äĂ?ĂœĂ™ Ă“Ă—ĂšĂ™ĂœĂžĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă? ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă? ĂŒĂ? Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂžĂœĂŁ ÞÒÓĂ? ĂŁĂ?Ă‹ĂœËŁ Ă–Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă? Ă—Ă‹Ă•Ă? ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x;Ăœ ĂœĂ?Ă?ĂšĂ™Ă˜Ă?Ă? ĂŽĂ“ĂœĂ?Ă?ĂžËœ Ă?Ă’Ă™ĂœĂž Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ó×ÚÖĂ?Ëœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?ÞËÞĂ? ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x;Ăœ Ă?Ă&#x;Ă–Ă– Ă˜Ă‹Ă—Ă?Ëœ ÞÓÞÖĂ?Ëœ Ă™ĂœĂ‘Ă‹Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ëœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă–Ă™Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ë› Ă?Ă?ĂšĂ™Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă’Ă™Ă&#x;Ă–ĂŽ ĂŒĂ? Ă?Ă?Ă˜Ăž ĂŒĂ?ÞåĂ?Ă?Ă˜ ÞÙÎËã Ě™ Ă‹Ă˜Ă&#x;Ă‹ĂœĂŁ Í’Í’ Ęś Ă™Ă˜ĂŽĂ‹ĂŁËœ Ă‹Ă˜Ă&#x;Ă‹ĂœĂŁ Í’Í–Ěš ÞÙ Ă‹bimbolayi@ yahoo.comËœ greatbimbo@gmail.com, abimbola.akosile@thisdaylive. com. Ă?Ă?ĂšĂ™Ă˜ĂŽĂ?Ă˜ĂžĂ? Ă?Ă‹Ă˜ Ă‹Ă–Ă?Ă™ Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂŽ Ă‹ Ă?Ă’Ă™ĂœĂž ĂžĂ?âÞ Ă—Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă‹Ă‘Ă? ÞÙ 08023117639 Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽËšĂ™Ăœ 08188361766 Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽËšĂ™Ăœ 08114495306Ë› ÙÖÖËÞĂ?ĂŽ ĂœĂ?Ă?ĂšĂ™Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ă? ĂĄĂ“Ă–Ă– ĂŒĂ? ĂšĂ&#x;ĂŒĂ–Ă“Ă?Ă’Ă?ĂŽ Ă™Ă˜ Ă’Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?ĂŽĂ‹ĂŁËœ Ă‹Ă˜Ă&#x;Ă‹ĂœĂŁ Í’Í™

34

T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ ÍŻÍŻËœ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍś

BUSINESSWORLD

DEVELOPMENT

Living in a state of insecurity; villagers huddled in fear after recent herdsmen attacks in Benue State

GEORGE OKOH

Expert Frets over Incessant Building Collapse Incidents in Nigeria 1,000 widows empowered in Osun Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo Experts in the building construction sector of the economy have blamed selfish contractors, professionals and lack of proper supervision for the incessant building collapse incidents around the country.

The Chairman, Nigeria Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Prof. Olufemi Omisore, while fielding questions from journalists at the recent turning of sod of Discovery Garden Estate, Osogbo identified non-involvement of relevant professionals, and emphasis on the Procurement Act, which says the lowest responsive bidder wins the contract, regardless of whether the rates are reasonable or not, as some of the factors which engender building collapse.

Omisore also blamed the

perpetual incidents of building collapse on the lack of qualified and professional supervisors.

The Professor from the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State said a well-designed building could collapse if it is not well-supervised.

He also frowned on the unpatriotic and greedy roles of some “unprofessional contractors� who use inferior materials and employ cheap labour to maximise profit at the expense of human lives.

Suggesting the way forward, Omisore said there was need for building experts to design a layout, action area plan and proper soil test to know bearing capacity of the soil as well as procurement of good materials before embarking on construction

of any building.

Commenting on the development which Discovery Garden Estate would bring to the state capital of Osun after its completion, he said the project would help in boosting the social economy of the state.

Speaking, developer of the new estate, Thirty Three Limited, Mr. Kunle Omisore said Discovery Garden was designed to offer a living experience in a friendly community based on a development blueprint that caters for the needs of those with discerning taste.

Omisore said the estate, on completion, would accommodate duplexes, detached houses, gardens and children play areas, walkways and other residential facilities like gymnasium, Lawn-tennis court, mini mart and swimming pool, among others.

He noted that this project was brought with an intention to help indigenes living in the Diaspora to get their dream houses in the state capital without the fear of falling into the hand of fraudsters.

According to the developer, “the project is a residential haven designed to be secure, aesthetically pleasing, and to promote a mix of luxury with affordability and uncompromising finishes.�

Omisore pointed out that the estate is located on Adesina Crescent within the GRA, in the neighbourhood of the Government House. “It has excellent access to neighbouring towns and is within five minutes’ drive to connecting roads to Offa, Ogbomosho, Ibadan and Ikirun. Local landmarks within two minutes’ drive include the Police Headquarters and

the Judiciary buildings. “Discovery Garden upon completion will boast of 46 detached and semi-detached houses with exceptional features and excellent finishing for a comfortable lifestyle.

Smart layouts, security and efficient use of space make Discovery Garden to stand out amongst others. Compact, yet roomy and naturally lit, these are cozy units with all the smart features of modern development. High quality finishes and premium fixtures are standard features of all Discovery Garden houses, he stressed.

Meanwhile, over 1,000 widows were recently given helping hand in the state as wealthy Nigerians were urged to do more for the lessprivileged in cushioning the effects of economic downturn ravaging the country.

A former banker, Dr. Wale

Bolorunduro, made the plea at the recent flag-off of an empowerment programme for widows financed by the Wale Bolorunduro Foundation.

Bolorunduro said the security implication of having many hungry people around for the few wealthy ones is huge, adding that those that have enough should help those that don’t have to keep the society secured.

Explaining the rationale behind the empowerment programme, an initiative of the foundation, which has been in operation since 2006, the founder said widows have special needs that must not be ignored by the society.

Unveiling the empowerment items, the APC chairman in Osun state, Mr. Adegboyega Famoodun lauded the donor for his philanthropic gesture which he described as worthy of emulation.

SOFON Decries Alleged Non-implementation of NHIS by State Governments Bassey Inyang in Calabar The Society of Family Physicians of Nigeria (SOFON) has decried what they observed as the nonimplementation of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) by state governments across the country.

President, Society of Family Physicians of Nigeria, Dr. Akin Moses, who stated this in Calabar during the recent 20th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference, said

only five per cent of the health scheme was being implemented across the country.

Moses said it was important for state governors in the country to place high premium on the founding of healthcare services in their respective states.

He stated that the NHIS services can only be offered in a functional health system, hence the need to ensure that the primary and secondary services are functioning.

“The NHIS coverage is said to be less than 5 per cent in Nigeria. Most state governments are not implementing the Health Insurance Scheme. We should not leave this burden to the federal government alone.

The state governments have the capacity to make sure that we have three functional general hospitals in each of the senatorial districts across the country. “We are ready to send our resident doctors to the rural

areas to deliver health service and improve the health of our people,� Moses said.

He assured Nigerians that the SOFON would collaborate with the governments at all tiers and the relevant agencies towards curbing the emergence and re-emergence of devastating communicable diseases in the country.

Moses said the theme of the conference ‘Combating the Menace of Infectious Diseases in Low Resources Settings’

was chosen as a deliberate response to the emergence and re-emergence of devastating communicable diseases in the face of the nation’s increasing population.

Moses said in Nigeria, several geo-political zones have experienced displaced persons arising from conflict situations, flood, erosion, communal disputes and others with their health and social life affected.

He added that family

physicians need to anchor appropriate responses by collaborating the government and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in tapping resources available to mobilise other health professionals for control strategies. “As a body of physicians, we shall continue to collaborate and partner the various levels of government and relevant agencies in combating the menace of infectious diseases in Nigeria,� Moses said.

35

T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ ÍŻÍŻËœ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍś

BUSINESSWORLD

DEVELOPMENT QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Theman(leader)ontopmustbeaboveboardandbeseentofightcorruption.Thosearound himmustalsobeuprightandvariousinstitutionssuchasthepolice,judiciary,theexecutive andotherbodiesmustmakeitanall-inclusiveaffair,becausefightingcorruptionisnota one-dayaffair;itisanendlessprocess�

- - FORMER NIGERIAN PRESIDENT, CHIEF OLUSEGUN OBASANJO, SPEAKING AT THE BLAVATNIK SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT, UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD, LONDON, UK

Tallen Commends Obasanjo for Engaging More Women in Governance Senator Iroegbu in Abuja

NAZAS Provides Free Medical Services to Amuwo Odofin Community Appoints GM, two directors Abimbola Akosile The NASFAT Agency for Zakat and Sadaqat (NAZAS), a non-governmental organisation founded to care for the downtrodden in the society, recently embarked on its second health care mission during its quarterly programme, which held in Lagos State. The health outreach, which was carried out in partnership with the Islamic Medical Association of Nigeria (IMAN) took place at the Amuwo Odofin, Lagos branch of NASFAT Society recently, with special consideration for the Hausa Community.

At the outreach, over 400 persons benefited from free drugs, spectacles, medical screening and laboratory, while 270 children and adults were given de-worming medication.

The medical team was led by the chairman of IMAN, Dr. Mustapha Alibi (who is also the Chief Medical Director of National Orthopeadic Hospital, Igbobi) supported by 20 other medical professionals and specialists.

The exercise commenced at 10am and was concluded by 4pm.

The Zonal Chairman of NASFAT Zone 2, Dr. Abdulrafiu Adegbola and other leaders of NASFAT Society were in attendance, with participants expressing their gratitude to NAZAS and its donors, whose financial contribution has enabled the free health mission.

Established in 2014, NAZAS has disbursed over N131.5 million worth of monetary donations, empowerment tools and medication to 516 beneficiaries. In a related development, the management of NAZAS has appointed a new management team comprising Mr. Sulaiman Zubair Akanni as General Manager, and Dr. Nosiru Olajide Onibon and Dr. (Mrs.) Adekola Busurat Oluwakemi as Directors, with the aim of strengthening the agency as it advances the implementation of its corporate strategy.

Mr. Akanni, who resumed in January 2018

Medical personnel attending to a beneďŹ ciary at the Amuwo-OdoďŹ n outreach‌recently as the GM, is an accomplished banker with a career spanning many years in the Nigerian Banking industry. A versatile administrator, Akanni has two bachelor degrees in Arabic Language from University of Ilorin and another degree in Accounting from Lagos State University and a MBA in Finance.

He has vast experience in Finance, Administration, Credit Risk Management, Banking Operations, Internal Control and Client Relationship Management. Expressing his gratitude to the board of director for allowing him to contribute his wealth of experience to the advancement of the agency, Akanni expressed his delight at

the opportunity to work with the directors of NAZAS to scale up the agency’s operations and expand its ability to impact the needy and help alleviate poverty amongst Muslims in different parts of the country A prolific author, Dr. Onibon is the Acting Provost of the Michael Otedola College of Primary Education, Epe and member of the Lagos State Pilgrims Muslim Board. Dr. (Mrs.) Adekola is a national executive officer of the NASFAT Society, Head Part-Time Degree studies and also a former Sub-Dean Faculty of Education of the Olabisi Onabanjo University Ago Iwoye, Ogun State.

A former Minister of Science and Technology, Mrs. Paullen Tallen has commended former President Olusegun Obasanjo for engaging more women in governance by giving them good leverage during his administration.

The former president was said to have involved women at every level of governance during his eight years tenure by emphasising the inclusion of women in nomination of political appointees from states.

Tallen made the commendation while setting the tone of an inclusive stakeholders dialogue on governance, policy development and political participation organised by the Gender Agenda Initiative in conjunction with Women’s Situation Room Nigeria, United Nations Women, the National Assembly and Women Converging for National Development, held in Abuja recently.

However, she said as good as Obasanjo’s gesture was, only two states (Ogun and Plateau) complied with the former president’s directive of including a woman in the list of three ministerial nominees from each state. This, she said, was one of the conspiracies against women participation in politics and governance, while she called for active response against male-dominated politics.

The former deputy governor of Plateau State said “women must be in the mainstream of politics and governance at all times. They must be relevant because women’s roles are divine roles�.

She suggested that it should be mandatory that at least a woman must be among elected councilors in each of the 774 local governments across the country, as a way of further enhancing women involvement in governance.

Tallen as well applauded a former first lady, the late Mrs. Maryam Babangida for playing an active role in creating awareness for women participation through her pet project, ’Better Life for Rural Women’.

The initiator of Gender Agenda Initiative, Adaora Onyechere, in her address said the dialogue was meant to “enhance holistically, look critically, deliberate and make implementable recommendations in the areas of programming, policy development, political participation, empowerment, advocacy, capacity building, mentoring and the economy, towards mainstreaming Gender and achieving the 2030 deadline goal.�

She said the conveners consider integrating young female fellowship for leadership preparedness to encourage those who aspire and solidarise with those who occupy political space “especially as we approach the 2019 elections and beyond.�

To achieve this, she said the body was going to set up mentoring/ leadership clinic for women especially to engage young girls and women alike on having access and a relative platform for learning and capacity scouting which will in effect create the Gender Mentoring Index Database.

To open the minds of political parties to the need for giving more women leadership role, she said a Gender Capacity and Development Debate would be established among all political parties.

The Country Director of the United Nations Women, Mrs. Comfort Lamptey said the numerical strength of women in Nigeria should be an advantage for involving more women in politics.

She said Senegal has 49 per cent women participation, the highest in the African continent, arguing that religion should not be a barrier to involvement of Nigeria women in politics.

36

T H I S D AY THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2018

HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

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

Can the Compulsory Treatment for Gunshot Victims Act be Enforced?

The recent signing of the Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Act by President Muhammadu Buhari has put to rest one of the most worrisome public health issues in Nigeria. But like many, will the Act be enforced by healthcare institutions and the security agencies, Martins Ifijeh asks

W

hen on September 20, 2009, Mr. Ogunbayo Ohu, the then Assistant News Editor of The Guardian was shot at multiple times on a Sunday morning in his house in Egbeda, Lagos, by suspected hired assassins, neigbhours believed he would have survived the gunshots if the nearby hospital he was taken to had offered to treat him.

But, like many hospitals in Nigeria, his neigbhours were asked to go get a police report before they would attend to Bayo, who was obviously in need of an emergency aid as he was getting soaked in the pool of his own blood, and gasping for breathe.

Noticing that the hospital management was not ready to budge, his neigbhours decided to rush him to the General Hospital in Ikeja.

But Bayo died on the way to the hospital.

The 45-year-old hardworking political reporter was at the time said to be working on two sensitive stories; one was a certificate forgery report on the then Comptroller General of the Nigerian Custom Service, Abdullahi Dikko, while the other was on certain political developments in some Eastern states.

A popular Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers Union (NURTW), Lagos Chapter, Alhaji Saka Saula died from gunshot wounds when unidentified gun men stormed his house in Iyana-Ipaja area of Lagos State years ago.

He was rushed to a nearby hospital, but was rejected because his family members and sympathisers who took him there for emergency treatment did not have police report on them. He died before they could get a report from the police.

The cases of Ohu and Saula were even heard of because of their profession and the publicity following their deaths.

Several thousands of poor and innocent Nigerians have died due to rejection by healthcare providers and facilities because their relatives or sympathisers did not have police report on them when they brought them in for treatment.

Many Nigerians, including the same health workers, have watched innocent Nigerians reel in pain, and eventually die from gunshot wounds because police report was unable to be presented following proposed treatment.

While this represented an added burden on Nigerians who, already, are paying out-of-pocket for healthcare, controversy continued to persist on whether doctors and health facilities have an obligation under law to reject victims of gunshot wounds without police reports even when signs clearly show that if emergency aid is not administered to the victims they might end up dying.

Much awaited law enacted But the recent signing of the Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Act, 2017, by President Muhammadu Buhari has somewhat put to rest the worrisome and controversial public health issue since 1960.

It is believed the law has been long over due as thousands of innocent Nigerians already, have lost their lives because health facilities have rejected them on account of not having police reports.

The President’s assent of the Act followed the passage of six bills by the Senate, and the House of Representatives, including the Compulsory Treatment and Care of Victims of Gunshots Bill.

The President also assented to the National Institute for CancerResearch and Treatment (Establishment) Act, 2017 that would provide national direction in cancer research, control

A patient with gunshot wound

and treatment; guide scientific improvements to cancer prevention, treatment and care, and coordinate actions for cancer care.

The rest are Anti-Torture Act 2017; Niger Delta Development Commission (Establishment) Amendment Act,2017; the Federal Capital Territory Water Board (Establishment) Act 2017.

The Gunshot Victims Act 2017 stipulates that a person with a gunshot wound shall be received for immediate and adequate treatment by any hospital in Nigeria with or without initial monetary deposit and shall not be subjected to inhuman and degrading

The Gunshot Victims Act 2017 stipulates that a person with a gunshot wound shall be received for immediate and adequate treatment by any hospital in Nigeria with or without initial monetary deposit and shall not be subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment or torture by any person or authority, including the police and other security agencies

treatment or torture by any person or authority, including the police and other security agencies.

The Act, according to stakeholders has put to rest the issue of medical personnel rejecting gunshot victims because they have no police report on them. They also hoped that henceforth, appropriate treatment from medical workers and essential assistance from security agencies should follow treatment of gunshot victims irrespective of the cause of the shooting.

A public health physician, Dr. Ben Akharaiye believes the law has longed been overdue, adding that majority of victims of gunshot wounds were innocent persons. “What we have continued to reiterate then was that it is most like an innocent person that is shot than armed robbers, because these robbers or assassins are the ones holding the guns.

Only few of these victims are armed robbers or assassins as the case may be.”

He said the Act is a right step in saving Nigerians from unnecessary and preventable deaths. “The idea of waiting for police reports before treatment is an obsolete idea by our past leaders. It is in itself inhuman to say the least. Imaging the lives that have been lost in this country because of the long wait for police report, or even an outright denial by health facilities!

Will this Act be enforced?

Like many laws that have been passed in the country, will this one be implemented by those concerned? Will hospitals and security agencies follow through with the public health feat?

Dr. Akharaiye believes while the signing of the Act by the President Buhari represents a major breakthrough, there still remains one more step to cross.

He believes there must be increased awareness and enlightenment campaign so that those concerned will be aware of the new order.

“What guaranty do we have that health facilities will not remain adamant on police

report before they treat gunshot victims?”

He asked.

Ohu and Saula died primarily from bullets of gunmen, but secondly because health facilities they were taken to rejected them on account of not having police report. This is despite several releases by the Nigerian Police Headquarters at the time that health facilities can treat gunshot wounds without police report.

One of such releases obtained by THISDAY, is the press statement by the Nigerian Police on July 4th,1996 and signed by the then Assistant Commissioner of Police, Force Public Relations Office, Tunji Alapini, where it said it had withdrawn laws against treatment of gunshot victims.

The nationally publicised release quotes: “The Nigeria Police is disturbed by various statements credited to medical practitioners as regard treatment of victims of gun injuries or motor accidents. Medical practitioners have the cardinal responsibility of caring for the injured and the sick according to the ethics of their profession.

“The Nigeria Police will in no way be an obstacle to this important duty. Accordingly, the Inspector General of Police has directed all Police personnel throughout the country not to molest any medical practitioner treating victims of gunshot or motor accident.

Members of the public are also at liberty, as good Samaritans, to assist victims of motor accidents and gunshot wounds,” the statement noted.

But despite this widely publicised statement by the police at the time, health institutions and some security personnel continued to live in self denial thereby insisting that police report must be presented before gunshot wounds are treated.

Like the 1996 release, will medical practitioners and the Nigerian Police also live in self denial on this new and laudable signing by President Buhari? Will the Act be enforced? Time will tell.

37

T H I S D AY THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2018

NEWS

Borno Resident Doctors Threaten Strike Issue 21-day ultimatum to government Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri Resident doctors in Borno State on Monday threatened to embark on strike over non-implementation of Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) by the state government.

The doctors gave a 21-day ultimatum with effect from Monday, 8th January, through their association Borno State Resident Medical Doctors Association to the state government to pay up or face industrial action. Addressing a press conference, the state Chairman of the association, Dr. Bukar Abbagana, said the association rose from its emergency general congress held on 4th January 2018 and resolved to issue a 21 days ultimatum to the state government to implement the “Revised CONMESS, SKIPPING and RELATIVITY” allowances and to also pay all the arrears from 2014 when the said CONMESS implementation started nationwide.

He explained that at the time resident medical doctors across the country were going on strike on the subject matter, Borno State resident medical doctors out of loyalty to the state government and empathy for the people of Borno State refused to down tools with the believe that the governor will show the same understanding to the Borno State medical doctors but to no avail.

The chairman, who led state executives and other

members of the association to the press conference, lamented that there was not even an acknowledgement from the state government four years down the line from the pile of correspondences sent to it on the matter, lamenting that all avenues for dialogue with the state governor were exhausted without commensurate response.

Abbagana said consequently, upon this, the association has no option than to issue an ultimatum from Monday, 8th January 2018 for the state government to address the above subject matter with arrears from 2014.

He however warned that failing to respond to the ultimatum given by the association, the congress may be compelled to embark on indefinite strike action as it cannot guaranty industrial harmony over the issue.

He said the congress was fully aware and mindful of the grave consequences such industrial disharmony will have on the good people of Borno State.

He however appealed to good public spirited individuals and the general populace to impress on the state government to do the needful to avert such industrial disharmony.

He also said that there are a total of 150 medical doctors on the payroll of the Borno State Government who are affected by the non implementation of the “CONMESS, Skipping and Relativity” allowances.

Adewole Directs Libya Returnees to Undergo Health Screening Martins Ifijeh The Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole has directed all Libya returnees to undergo medical screening before leaving for their various states.

Stating this during a visit to the 487 Nigerian returnees which were the second batch from Libya at the Port Harcourt International Airport, he said the medical team must ensure that the number screened must tally with the expected number as contained in the manifest provided by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) He said his visit was to ascertain the level of medical services rendered at the camp set up for them and to determine if there

were gaps needing interventions.

He spoke while inspecting the camp setup for them through the collaborative effort of NEMA, Port Health Service Division of the Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria Immigration Service, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), The Nigerian Police, Rivers State Command, FAAN, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), and the Red Cross Society. In a brief interview with journalists at the camp, Prof. Adewole informed that the effort so far recorded by the combined team showed that the team was well constituted and adequate plans and preparation made for the job.

He said the federal government through all relevant Agen-

cies and the Federal Ministry of Health was determined to make things better for the returnees and poised to see how they could benefit from what the country has to offer.

He furthered added that, this was an on going process of rehabilitation and reintegration of the returnees into the societies. This, he opined would rebuild hope and confidence in them as they got settled to start life afresh. Adewole advised that, a counselling unit must be set up to provide psycho-social services, in that, quite a number of them must have been traumatized by the unwholesome experience they suffered while in Libya.

He also noted that, the medical team at the camp needed a mobile X-tray machine and

ICT unit to ensure proper and thorough screening and documentation.

“This is the only way to achieve a comprehensive medical screening and also decongest the UPTH as some medical cases could be handled at the camp thereby reducing the number of the referrals to the Teaching hospital”.

Commending the NEMA staff for their commitment and dedication, he advised them to reach out to State Governors who were yet to pick up there indigenes who were medically cleared and fit to be reintegrated into the society. He however stressed that, they had to be a pool for the screened returnees ready to be picked up and proper contact established with their relatives.

Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole (m), flanked by key staff of the Ministry during the Minister’s visit to the Port Harcourt camp of Nigerian returnees from Libya ...recently

HowDearthofWomeninPolicymakingEscalatesMalnutrition Stakeholders say that not just supporting women to go into agriculture in order to produce nutritious foods but having more women in policy formulation will help in ending malnutrition, Odimegwu Onwumere writes As part of her first activities Ousmane Dore is a Director in African Development Bank for Nigeria. While in a public presentation lately, Dore orated that in spite of the huge labour investment by women in agriculture, productivity is low and they often have limited roles in decision-making on the farms.

Dore later frowned and added that lack of ownership of land and other productive assets due to existing social norms have created a significant negative impact on the family income, nutrition and the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at large.

This is even as Aisha Alhassan, Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, while at an event on ‘Financial Inclusion and Social Investment Interventions in Nigeria’ expressed trepidation that in many African countries, which Nigeria is among, there is a log in the wheel of inclusive pursuits, while those who call the shots against inclusion are far from meeting the needs of the population they are supposed to reach, and women are mostly affected.

A national paper harangued that women are hardly allowed access to credit facility in the financial sector. “As a matter of fact, among the total beneficiaries of the US$698 million fund created by government to ginger the growth of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises in the country, only five per cent out of the 60 per cent beneficiaries are women,” the source said.

But upon the limited roles Dore said were given to women in decision-making on the farms, about 70 per cent of agricultural workforce in the country is contributed by women. Indications are that, the 70 per cent produce cover 80 per cent of Nigeria’s food, and this is not enough to send malnutrition on errand outside Nigeria.

Highest in number of malnourished children Records show that Nigeria has the highest number of malnourished children, Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, disclosed this while at the flag-off ceremony of 2017 Nigeria Nutrition week

themed ‘Improved Nutrition and Empowerment’.

Nigeria would also require $912 million over five years to alleviate malnutrition, Dr. Chris OsaIsokpunwu of the Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja, made this known at a two-day Media Dialogue on “Leveraging Resources for Child Malnutrition in Nigeria” that took place on April 28 and 29, 2017, at Enugu.

Interventionist programme The issues of malnutrition and women empowerment are puzzlements fronting stakeholders in the country of which President Muhammadu Buhari in his first bicentenary speech to Nigerians on May 30, 2017 announced N1.6 billion National Women’s Empowerment Fund.

Worried by the grave morbidity velocity of malnourished Nigerian children, wife of the President, Hajiya Aisha Buhari in July 2016, had launched a swift interventionist programme dubbed: ‘Get involved’ to put off yearly death of thousands of malnourished children in

the country. A speech by the deputy governor of Rivers State, Dr. Ipalibo Banigo, on Wednesday, October 25, 2017, in Port Harcourt, raised dust.

The radiating, blistering and scorching beautiful Banigo on the occasion of the opening ceremony of International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Nigeria Week/ Annual General Meeting and Pre-convention meeting, while speaking on the topic, ‘Economic Empowerment of Women under the Nigeria Economic Recovery and Growth Plan 2017/2010’, said, “studies had shown that women were central to economic growth of any nation.”

Nigerian women without financial inclusion Ifeoma Okeke, a public affairs analyst on April 2, 2017, gave a shocking revelation that women make about 49 per cent of the country’s over 170 million people, yet without financial inclusion.

“With Nigeria’s female population estimated at 83 million (about 49 per cent of the country’s over 170 million

people), the need for financial inclusion of women to boost development and employment opportunities is becoming increasingly urgent, especially at this period of economic recession,” Okeke said.

It was gathered that about 42 per cent of people who are financially excluded are women. According to the source, “Temitope Fadeyi, head, Financial Inclusion Secretariat, Central Bank of Nigeria, also revealed that out of 39.5 per cent of people that are financially excluded in Nigeria, 42 per cent are female.”

Soliciting for more political appointments According to Banigo, “Women should be given more political appointments to enable them to participate in decision-making and represent the interest of women.

“Educating a girl-child was one way of empowering a woman, while engagement in agriculture remained a way out of poverty and hunger.”

The Minister for Agricultural and Rural Development, Chief

Audu Ogbeh while speaking at the AGROBIZ stakeholders forum organised by the National Centre for Women Development (NCWD), for women farmers in Abuja, said Nigerian women need to be more financially comfortable.

According to Ogbeh, “I want Nigerian Women to improve their lives and health and become more comfortable financially and that is the will of federal government.

“So, l believed that, for this country to grow and grow well, there is need for us to take a serious look at the situation of Nigerian women at every level down to the villages.”

But the presidential fund was apparently not what Banigo thought women are looking for.

Her body language suggested that investing in women would be economically important, but filling the supposed gender fissure in employment (labour) circle would add up. She was tensed-up with the view, adding that if urgent measures were not taken, “it can take about 70 years to close up the gender gap in the labour sector.’’

T H I S D AY THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2018

38

HEALTH

Osibogun: How We Tackled Ebola Outbreak in Nigeria Former Chief Medical Director of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, Prof. Akin Osibogun, played a prominent role during the outbreak of Ebola virus in 2014. He recently shared his thoughts on how the ‘war’ was won. Martins Ifijeh writes Even though it is now three years and seven months since Nigeria experienced the first ever outbreak of the dreaded Ebola virus, where seven persons lost their lives from 19 confirmed cases, it still seemed just like yesterday in the heart of many Nigerians because of the anxiety, uncertainty and shock it brought along with it.

It was a period alarm bells were set off, not only in Nigeria, but all over the world, as the fear was that it would trigger an apocalyptic epidemic that would make the outbreaks in Liberia, Sierra-Leone and Guinea a child’s play.

The fear was somewhat justifiable considering that the country has a huge population of over 180 million, with Lagos, where the index case, Patrick Sawyer from Liberia landed, having a cosmopolitan nature withover 21 million people. And coupled with the fact that for eight months, the virus was already killing hundreds of people in smaller countries like Liberia and Sierra-Leone in droves.

This prompted a barrage of precautionary measures from the federal and Lagos State governments, World Health Organisation (WHO), several health institutions, experts, stakeholders, and not forgetting First Consultant Hospital, where the index case was treated for malaria, and subsequently diagnosed of Ebola virus.

Among those who played a prominent role in tackling the three-months-span of the outbreak in Nigeria was the former Chief Medical Director (CMD), Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, Prof. Akin Osibogun, who, because of his position at the time was very strategic to the success or failure of tackling the outbreak in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial city.

Making a presentation at the Health Writers Association of Nigeria (HEWAN) Annual Symposium in Lagos recently, the Professor of Public Health chronicled some of the events that shaped the successes recorded during the outbreak all within three months, an approach, he said took some African countries three years to come up with and achieve results.

According to him, a unique factor that shaped the successes was the unity experienced both from the federal and Lagos State governments, noting that they both had a common focus of preventing the spread of the disease and treating those already infected.

“During the outbreak, there was nothing like Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) or All Progressives Congress (APC). There was strong unity,” Osibogun noted.

He said initially when news of the outbreak broke, the country was not prepared because there was no capacity at the time to say it was Ebola virus or not. “Though we had some of the facilities at LUTH, some others were immediately put together to achieve what we needed.

“Common sense was also helpful in putting together all we needed for diagnosis of the virus. It took us two to three days before we made a working diagnosis. Because if we were able to identify the virus immediately the news broke, we would have been able to suppress the outbreak faster than we did.

“During these first few days, a diplomatic row was almost imminent because First Consultant Hospital and the doctors on ground had already been threatened with sanctions because the Liberian Government through their embassy here wanted the patient moved from the hospital, but Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Jide Idris and the hospital refused. Even the Liberian Ambassador personally visited the hospital on the issue. They were citing that patients can’t be held against their will.

“But the hospital and the Lagos State Government refused because by law they can hold a patient against his/her will if they believed discharging the patient may become a threat to public health.”

He said even when Mr. Sawyer eventually died, the Lagos State Government stood its ground that the corpse would not be released.

“This was very helpful in assisting us identify the virus.” Lagos State Government had some infrastructure on ground which was useful in preparing for outbreaks and emergencies.”

Osibogun

Osibogun said one other hurdle they needed to cross at the time was speedily setting up a treatment centre, which was not available before the outbreak. “We didn’t have a treatment centre for Ebola virus but it was rapidly established. You know we had the mainland infectious diseases hospital which was used to treat tuberculosis and similar infections. We had to make a rapid decision in managing this disease. And at this point we didn’t have a plan.

“So at one of the meetings with Dr. Idris, we made a decision that instead of allowing every hospital to admit Ebola patients, there should be a designated hospital where all patients suspected to having Ebola would be admitted. That was how we decided to use Mainland Hospital.

“But the challenge at the time was that there were patients at the hospital who were already accessing healthcare for different ailments. So we had to convince them to relocate so that patients suspected to having Ebola could be admitted there. That was how we established the treatment centre in Yaba,” he added.

“There was no APC or PDP. Everybody decided to work together. Lagos, an APC state, and the

federal government under PDP had so much synergy. Same with our partners, including international agencies and experts.”

He said at the time, what he saw on the faces of most of the international experts was that of fear and worry, as they believed the outbreak would snowball into infecting millions of Nigerians because of the huge population of the country and the level of healthcare generally in the country.

“After a couple of days they began to see the level of professionalism put out by our team and the infrastructure put on ground by the Lagos State Government. One of the structures on ground in Lagos was that, every local government already had disease notification officers.

“Many of such structures we had on ground really helped. Some of which was on contact tracing, diagnosis, among others. With all these in place, it took us only three months to address the issue, while it took some countries about three years.”

He said the Lagos State Government was magnanimous enough to release enough funds to tackle the outbreak, adding that the lack

of it would have caused a big mess for the country. “This was the leadership Lagos State showed. Perhaps if the outbreak was in another state, the one million Ebola cases forecasted in Nigeria by international agencies would have happened.

“At that time, we were working with two different cases, ‘Ebola likely’ or the ‘Ebola Unlikely’. For ‘Ebola likely’, we had special ward for them. Then health workers/experts specially trained were the only once visiting that ward. And what we preached then was that they should sit down one meter away from Ebola patients. We lost a lot of resources during the outbreak. I want to say that it is much cheaper to be prepared before outbreak than during the outbreak,” the public health expert explained.

He said while the country is still reveling on the successes made in combating the virus, the country must ensure the 2014 outbreak remains the last for the country.

He called for strengthening of the country’s healthcare system, as that remains a guaranty in tackling outbreaks no matter how dreadful they seem.

39

T H I S D AY THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2018

HEALTH NEWS

The Shocking Truth about Bleaching, Whitening and Toning Product Adaku Efuribe

affect the release of hormones that control and stabilise vital functions with very serious or life threatening consequences.’

I have observed that steroid creams in tubes are sold in the markets in Nigeria. Sometimes people buy those tubes and mix them in their regular creams to achieve a skin lightening effect, Steroid creams and gels are pharmacy only and prescription only medicine in some countries.

Such creams should not be sold in the open market without the supervision of a pharmacist I believe. If you are in doubt about any products you are using on your skin, a good place to start is to double-check if the product has been approved by the appropriate regulatory agencies in your country.

Approved products fit for human use should be registered, also be mindful of using products that the manufacturers do not list all the ingredients.

Analysis by the regulatory agencies could help reveal the actual ingredients contained in those products.

Due to popular demand, I would like to discuss the chemical ingredients found in some bleaching, toning and whitening products.

Over the course of my advocacy project for better healthcare systems and healthy living, I have received a lot of questions about this, which has prompted the need for this article.

I must say the motive for discussion is non judgmental, I’m passionate about creating awareness and encouraging people to be body vigilant and practice self care.

For this article exclusions include the use of skin lightening treatments under the care of a dermatologist or doctor for skin conditions like hyper pigmentation etc.

Evidence has shown that products applied on the skin in the form of creams, lotions, patches can get absorbed into the skin, as the skin layer is embedded with blood vessels as well, hence the motive behind the use of medicated skin patches for drug delivery systems.

The colour of the skin is determined by a person’s genetic make-up, and it involves the pigment melanin.

So why do people tend to lighten their skin?

Skin lightening/bleaching, is a cosmetic procedure that aims to lighten dark areas of skin or achieve a generally paler or fairer skin tone. Most women tend to bleach their skin because they believe they would look more beautiful and attractive to the opposite sex. Others may want to fade dark spots caused by acne or other skin problems.

Whatever the reason may be, we should be aware that applying banned or harmful substances on our skin may lead to complications or permanent skin damage. Skin-lightening procedures work by reducing the concentration or production of melanin in the skin. Melanin is the pigment that gives skin its colour and helps protect it from the sun rays.

What the makeup of the human skin?

The skin is the largest organ of the body, with a total area of about 20 square feet.

The skin protects us from harmful foreign bodies and harsh weather conditions; it helps to regulate our body temperature as well.

The skin has three layers: Epidermis, dermis, hypodermis, also constituteshair follicles, sweat glands, fat connective tissues and blood vessels; The epidermis, the outermost layer of skin, provides a waterproof barrier and creates our skin tone; The dermis, beneath the epidermis, contains tough connective tissue, hair follicles, and sweat glands; and the deeper subcutaneous tissue (hypodermis) made of fat and connective tissue.

According to the London Trading standards, “The following ingredients found in some skin lightening products have been proven to be harmful to health and cause permanent skin damage: Hydroquinone, mercury, steroids, korjic acid, among others. “ Hydroquinone: This is a derivative of Benzene and has been found listed by alternative names in some ingredients lists (for example 1,4-Dihydroxybenzene). It inhibits production of the pigment melanin which gives skin its colour.

However melanin is vital to protect the skin against UV radiation so your body will over

In many parts of Africa, skin lightening is a popular practice despite the health risks associated with it

compensate by producing more melanin.

This results in a darker patchier appearance developing; it damages the elastin strands in skin causing premature aging and weakening of the skin; it can cause neuropathy (a disease of the nervous system) and it can damage your liver. It also increases the risk of skin cancer from UV radiation. It has been illegal across the EU since 2001 to sell products with hydroquinone.

Mercury: This is a toxic and accumulates in the body, damaging the kidneys, liver and brain, causing a host of serious and potentially

fatal health problems. It can also cause foetal abnormalities if used in pregnancy. Mercury has been banned from consumer cosmetic products since 1996.

Steroids: Steroids (topical corticosteroids) such as clobetasol propionate and betamethasonedipropionate should only be used under medical supervision. They are prohibited in cosmetic products. Misuse can cause skin thinning, stretch marks, bruising and broken veins. Eczema, psoriasis and acne can all flare up and there is an increased risk of skin infection, sores and boils. Prolonged use can

Research Extracts: According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) Preventing Disease through Healthy Environments, Mercury in Skin Lightening Products Flyer), in Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Togo, 25 per cent, 77 per cent, 27 per cent, 35 per cent, and 59 per cent of women respectively, are reported to use skin lightening products on a regular basis.

The main adverse effect of the inorganic mercury contained in skin lightening soaps and creams is kidney damage. Mercury in skin lightening products may also cause skin rashes, skin discoloration and scarring, as well as a reduction in the skin’s resistance to bacterial and fungal infections. Other effects include anxiety, depression or psychosis and peripheral neuropathy’.

Another research by Eric Selorm Agorku et al: (Mercury and hydroquinone content of skin toning soaps, and the potential risks to the health of Ghanaian women Published online 2016 Mar 11).

‘In this study, sixty-two (62) skin-lightening creams and soaps were analysed for total mercury and hydroquinone levels.Hydroquinone is a potential carcinogenic ingredient used in skin lightening and treatment of hyper-pigmentation (Joseph et al. 1998). Hydroquinone does not actually bleach the skin but rather, a strong inhibitor of melanin production (Yoshimura et al. 2001). Hydroquinone used for topical application is known to cause serious health hazards when used excessively (Hutson et al. 1999). Hydroquinone toxicity can lead to severe side effects such as kidney and liver malfunction, blood poisoning, nausea, abdominal pains, convulsion and even coma.

Animal test on rats, mice and rabbits showed that hydroquinone can cause acute toxicity (Aldrich 1990)’.

If you are concerned about any active ingredient or products you apply on your skin, please speak to your local pharmacist or see your doctor. I would advise you to always check with the regulatory agencies in your country when in doubt, to ensure products you use on your skin are safe, approved and registered.

Efuribe is of the United Nations SDG Advocate

Foundation Provides Self-Care Kit Relief for 300 Persons With Sickle Cell Martins Ifijeh As part of efforts to tackle sickle cell in Nigeria, Tony May’s Foundation has provided self care kits to 300 people living with sickle cell disorder in Lagos.

Presenting the kits to the beneficiaries at St. Joseph Mission Clinic, Kirikiri Town, Lagos, the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Foundation, Andrew Otokhina said the goal

was to make sure people with SCD were healthy and crisis free.

“The gesture is in line with the vision of the Foundation which is to have a sickle cell free nation and advocate for a sickle cell policy in the treatment and management of sickle disorder in Nigeria, the chairman said.

He stressed the need for increased awareness about the disorder through various

campaigns and implementation of a sickle cell policy through legislation.

He also said that the event is part of the strategies to engage communities and populace on the need for a collective effort in the fight against SCD which is endemic in Nigeria.

“Government’s support for persons living with sickle cell is critical to the reduction of the burden of the condition in the country, he added.

On her part, the Legal Coordinator of the Foundation, Winifred Otokhina said the foundation was borne out of urgent need to create awareness about SCD and address the lack of proper health management of the disorder in Nigeria.

She also said that the foundation was addressing major factors that were contributing to the number of new recorded cases of SCD which is ignorance about

disorder and the importance of genotype especially for people in sub-urban and rural areas.

She said; “We are currently embarking on awareness campaign in various parts of the country to address high level of ignorance about the disorder.”

The term sickle SCD describes a group of inherited red blood cell disorders. People with SCD have abnormal hemoglobin, called hemoglobin S or sickle hemoglobin in their red blood

cells. Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body.

SCD is the most common inherited blood disorder.

Studies have also shown that shortage of oxygen during exercise, everyday stress among other factors, cause the shortage and the red blood cells to sickle. It is no secret that Nigeria has the world’s largest population of people with SCD.

40

T H I S D AY Ëž THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2018

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

ABCON Calls for End to Multiple Exchange Rates Regime Obinna Chima The Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON) has advised the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to urgently take steps to address the multiple exchange rate regime.

President of ABCON, Alhaji Aminu Gwadabe said this while speaking with journalists at the end of an emergency meeting by the association in Lagos yesterday.

Represented by the National Treasurer, Mr. Gbadamosi Moh-Murtala, Gwadabe said multiple exchange regime affects the operations of members of the association negatively.

He highlighted contributions by the association in ensuring that the country continues to enjoy stability in the foreign exchange (forex) market.

Gwadabe said: “The issue of multiple rates is a thing we have been discussing with the CBN. It is not helping a lot of companies to plan. So, we are imploring the CBN who is the custodian of exchange rate management to work towards a single exchange rate that would favour the economy. “For instance, the rates at which they (CBN) sells to the commercial banks is

N358 to the dollar and we are being sold to at N360 to a dollar. And we are meant to sell the same products to members of the public. “For instance, dollars for PTAs, BTAs and schools fees which we sell are also being sold by the banks and the CBN is giving them preferential treatment. In view of that, our members are operating at a loss. That is why we are calling on the management of the CBN to consider our plight. “A lot of our members are withdrawing from participating in the market and the implication of that is that there would be little supply of forex to the market which can distabilise the market.�

The ABCON boss anticipated a stable forex market this year.

Gwadabe explained: “By the time we were brought into the market last year, we gave the CBN the assurance that with the number of our BDCs, we would be able to reach everywhere in this country and that contributed to the stability we are enjoying today.�

He expressed optimism that Nigeria would continue to attract inflow of foreign exchange, saying that in 2018, “I pray that the international oil market remains stable so

that the inflow of forex will help the stability to continue. “Also, if the international money transfer services (IMTS) continues to flow into the country, I believe the exchange rate would be stable.�

He said the BDCs were at a disadvantage, as forex users shunned them for the parallel market where they could buy without documentation. “Many forex users prefer to buy at the parallel market instead of BDCs because there are no longer rate gaps. They prefer the parallel market where there is no single documentation required.

That is why we are calling on the CBN to review the rate band for BDCs. “We want the CBN to review the BDC rate to ensure that currency speculators do not return to the market,� he added.

He said ABCON members would also find ways to get the CBN to reduce rising bank charges associated with their transactions. “BDCs are charged N1,000 per N1 million transaction and with each operator paying as much as N67,000 for the N67 million monthly transactions. These charges are too high and our members will be discussing how to get the CBN reduce that burden,� he said.

CBN Warns Operators on Licence Renewal, Others The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has advised operators in the national payment system to ensure that they renew their operating licence three months before the date of its expiration.

Failure to abide by this directive, the central bank warned would attract a penalty of N10,000 per day for as long as the infraction subsists.

This sanction would become effective from April 1, 2018, the banking sector regulator stressed.

The CBN gave the warning in a circular dated January 4,

2018, that was addressed to all deposit money banks, mobile money operators, switches and other payment system service providers.

The circular which was signed by the Director, Banking and Payment System, CBN, Mr. Dipo Fatokun, was obtained on the Bank’s website yesterday.

It explained: “Further to our circular referenced BPS/DIR/ GEN/CIR/02/007, dated July 2015, on the above subject, please be informed that operators in the national payment system shall be sanctioned with a penalty of N10,000

per day for as long as the infraction below subsist “Failure to apply for the renewal of an operating licence three months before the date of expiration of the licence. “Failure to regularise and respond to observations/ exceptions noted by the Bank in the course of processing an application for the renewal of an operating licence within three weeks. “Licenced operators in the Nigerian Payment System should note that the provisions of this circular become effective from April 1, 2018.�

Sterling Bank Promotes Non-interest Banking In a continuous bid to sensitise members of the public about non-interest banking in the country, Sterling Bank Plc said it has concluded arrangement to organise a one- day lecture themed: “Reducing Poverty and unemployment through Non-interest Banking.�

The event which is slated for the January 15, 2018, would take place in Kano.

This, according to a statement from the bank, would be part of its commitment to further deepen the awareness and public enlightenment of alternative finance or on-Interest Banking (NIB) in Nigeria.

Speaking on why the bank endeavors to sensitise

the public about NIB, the Executive Director, Finance and Strategy, Sterling Bank, Mr Abubakar Suleiman said the bank would continue to intensify efforts to sell the Sterling Alternative Finance offerings to customers and prospects while remaining a reference institution in the area of Non-Interest banking not only in Africa but globally.

The Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi is expected to attend the lecture as the Royal father of the day while the Governor of Kano State, Dr. Abdulahi Umar Ganduje would be the special guest of honour.

In the same vein, scholars and policy makers on all aspects of non-interest banking would present papers and

make valuable contributions to the discourse.

They include Dr. Bashir Aliyu Umar(Secretary Central Bank of Nigeria); Prof. Suleiman Karwai( the Dean of Faculty of Arts and Islamic Studies, Bayero University Kano) Dr. Ahmad Dogarawa of the Accounting Department, Ahmadu Bello University,Zaria; Dr Aliyu Thahir of International Institute of Islamic banking and Finance; Dr Basheer Oshodi( Group Head, NIB, Sterling Bank Plc) and Mr Abdullahi Lamido.

Sterling Bank commenced non-interest banking in 2013 when the CBN granted the bank the licence to operate the window.

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

AUGUST 2017 Broad Money (M2)

21,851,454.31

-- Narrow Money (M1)

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)

12,118,463.42

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

26,821,446.81

---- Credit to Government (Net)

4,824,226.22

---- Memo: Credit to Govt. (Net) less FMA

7,834,536.74

---- Memo: Fed. and Mirror Accounts (FMA)

--3,010,310.52

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

21,997,220.59

--Other Assets Net

--14,702,983.39

Reserve Money (Base Money)

5,486,804.65

--Currency in Circulation

1,868,735.07

--Banks Reserves

3,268,266.17 Ëž Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă? Ě‹

Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month

August 2017

Inter-Bank Call Rate

22.63

Minimum Rediscount Rate (MRR) Monetary Policy Rate (MPR)

14.00

Treasury Bill Rate

13.35

Savings Deposit Rate

4.08

1 Month Deposit Rate

8.86

3 Months Deposit Rate

10.14

6 Months Deposit Rate

11.51

12 Months Deposit Rate

11.40

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 TUESDAY, 9 JANUARY 2018

The price of OPEC basket of fourteen crudes stood at $66.39 a barrel on Tuesday, compared with $65.85 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 ˾ THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2018

41

MARKET NEWS

Meristem Stockbrokers Records N339bn Transactions on NSE, Ranks Second after Stanbic IBTC Goddy Egene Meristem Stockbrokers Limited, a subsidiary of Meristem Securities Limited has ranked second by value of equities transactions on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) out of the top 10 stockbrokers for the year 2017.

Stockrokers’ performance ranking for year released by the NSE showed that Meristem

Stockbrokers Limited facilitated the trading of 6.978 billion shares worth N338.611 billion on the Nigerian bourse, indicating 13.3 per cent of the transactions.

However, Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers Limited, a subsidiary of Stanbic IBTC Holdings, which is a member of the Standard Bank Group of South Africa, occupied the first position with N403.491 billion being the value of 15.375 billion shares

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R

DEALS

handled by the firm, which is 15.8 per cent of the value of shares traded last year.

But some market analysts said the performance of Meristem Stockbrokers was highly commendable given the fact it is a wholly indigenous firm without the backing of any banking group foreign affiliation.

CSL Stockbrokers Limited, which is subsidiary of FCMB

S E C U R I T I E S

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

Holdings, closed the year in the third position occupied, trading N312.789 billion, being the worth of 12.871 billion shares and 12.3 per cent.

Rencap Securities Limited, a subsidiary of Renaissance Capital Group, facilitated N2334.624 billion that was staked on 9.696 billion shares, while Cordros Securities Limited traded N218.409 billion invested in 7 .321 billion shares.

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

A S

FBN Quest Securities Limited, a subsidiary of First Bank Group, occupied the sixth position, facilitating the investment of N89.159 billion committed to 5.662 billion shares.

A.R.M Securities Limited transacted N84.668 billion that was staked on 5.806 billion shares. In the same vein, EFCP Limited accounted for N84.392 billion . United Capital Securities Limited recorded N81.960 bil-

O F

lion, staked on 30.392 billion shares to place ninth, while Chapel Hill Denham Securities Limited occupied the 10 th position with N66.877 billion.

According to the ranking, the 10 top stockroking firms accounted for N1.915 trillion being 75.23 per cent of the year’s transactions in value terms, while in volume terms, they accounted for N107.042 billion or 53.2 per cent.

1 0 / 0 1 / 2 0 1 8 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

˜ ͹͹˜ ͺ͸͹Ͷ ˾ T H I S D AY

42

Nigeria Daily Stock Market Report: dŚŝƐ ĂLJ ĨƌŝŶǀĞƐƚ ϰϬ /ŶĚĞdž ƉƉƌĞĐŝĂƚĞƐ ϰ͘Ϭй

THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 INDEX

dŚĞ dŚŝƐ ĂLJ ĨƌŝŶǀĞƐƚ ϰϬ ŝŶĚĞdž ĂƉƉƌĞĐŝĂƚĞĚ ϰ͘Ϭй LJĞƐƚĞƌĚĂLJ ƚŽ ĐůŽƐĞ Ăƚ ϭ͕ϳϯϴ͘Ϯϯ ƉƚƐ͘ dŚŝƐ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ǁĂƐ ůĂƌŐĞůLJ ĚƌŝǀĞŶ ďLJ ŐĂŝŶƐ ŝŶ 'h Z Edz ;нϱ͘ϬйͿ͕ E/d, ;нϲ͘ϳйͿ ĂŶĚ E/' Z/ E Z t Z/ ^ ;нϰ͘ϯйͿ ǁŚŝĐŚ ĐƵŵƵůĂƟǀĞůLJ ĂĐĐŽƵŶƚ ĨŽƌ ϰϱ͘ϭй ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ŝŶĚĞdž͘ dŚŝƐ ĂLJ ĨƌŝŶǀĞƐƚ ŝŶĚĞdž ŚĂƐ ƌĞƚƵƌŶĞĚ ϭϮ͘ϳй zd ͘

>ŽĐĂů ƌŽĂĚ ďĂƐĞĚ ZĂůůLJ ƵŽLJƐ DĂƌŬĞƚ WĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ͙ E^ ^/ ƵƉ ϯ͘ϲй dŚĞ ĞƋƵŝƟĞƐ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ĐůŽƐĞĚ ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ LJĞƐƚĞƌĚĂLJ ĚƵĞ ƚŽ Ă ƐƵƐƚĂŝŶĞĚ ƌĂůůLJ͕ ĂƐ ƚŚĞ ůů ^ŚĂƌĞ /ŶĚĞdž ŐĂŝŶĞĚ ϯ͘ϲй ƚŽ ƐĞƩůĞ Ăƚ ϰϭ͘ϴϭϲ͘ϭϭ ƉŽŝŶƚƐ ǁŚŝůĞ zd ƌĞƚƵƌŶ ĞdžƉĂŶĚĞĚ ƚŽ ϵ͘ϯй͘ ĐĐŽƌĚŝŶŐůLJ͕ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ĐĂƉŝƚĂůŝnjĂƟŽŶ ƌŽƐĞ ďLJ Eϱϭϳ͘ϭďŶ ƚŽ Eϭϰ͘ϴƚŶ͘ ^ŝŵŝůĂƌ ƚŽ ƉƌŝŽƌ ƐĞƐƐŝŽŶƐ͕ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ǁĂƐ ďƵŽLJĞĚ ďLJ Ă ƌĂůůLJ ĂĐƌŽƐƐ ƐĞĐƚŽƌƐ͕ ǁŝƚŚ E' D ;нϰ͘ϬйͿ͕ 'h Z Edz ;нϱ͘ϭйͿ ĂŶĚ E/d, ;нϲ͘ϳйͿ ĚƌŝǀŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ƚŚŝƌĚ ĚĂLJ ŝŶ Ă ƌŽǁ͘ ĐƟǀŝƚLJ ůĞǀĞů ĂůƐŽ ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞĚ ĂƐ ǀŽůƵŵĞ ĂŶĚ ǀĂůƵĞ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ƌŽƐĞ ϰϭ͘Ϯй ĂŶĚ ϲϴ͘ϱй ƚŽ ϭ͘ϭďŶ ƵŶŝƚƐ ĂŶĚ Eϭϯ͘ϯďŶ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ͘

ƵůůŝƐŚ ^ĞĐƚŽƌ WĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ^ĞĐƚŽƌ WĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ǁĂƐ ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ ĂƐ Ăůů ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ƵŶĚĞƌ ŽƵƌ ĐŽǀĞƌĂŐĞ ĐůŽƐĞĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ŐƌĞĞŶ͘ dŚĞ Kŝů Θ 'ĂƐ ŝŶĚĞdž ůĞĚ ƚŚĞ ŐĂŝŶĞƌƐ ĐŚĂƌƚ͕ ƵƉ ϱ͘ϯй ĨŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ ƐƵƐƚĂŝŶĞĚ ďƵLJŝŶŐ ŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚ ŝŶ 'h Z Edz ;нϱ͘ϭйͿ ĂŶĚ E/d, ;нϲ͘ϳйͿ͘ dŚĞ /ŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĂů 'ŽŽĚƐ ŝŶĚĞdž ƚƌĂŝůĞĚ͕ ĐůŽƐŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ĚĂLJ ϯ͘ϵй ŚŝŐŚĞƌ͕ ůĂƌŐĞůLJ ŽŶ ĂĐĐŽƵŶƚ ŽĨ ƉƌŝĐĞ ĂƉƉƌĞĐŝĂƟŽŶ ŝŶ E' D ;нϰ͘ϬйͿ͘ /Ŷ ƚŚĞ ƐĂŵĞ ǀĞŝŶ͕ ƚŚĞ ŽŶƐƵŵĞƌ 'ŽŽĚƐ ĂŶĚ /ŶƐƵƌĂŶĐĞ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ĐůŝŵďĞĚ Ϯ͘ϰй ĂŶĚ Ϯ͘Ϭй ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ ĚƵĞ ƚŽ ŐĂŝŶƐ ŝŶ E/' Z/ E Z t Z/ ^ ;нϰ͘ϯйͿ͕ /Ed Z t ;нϱ͘ϯйͿ͕ KEd/E^hZ ;нϰ͘ϴйͿ ĂŶĚ E D ;нϰ͘ϲйͿ ͘ dŚĞ Kŝů Θ 'ĂƐ ŝŶĚĞdž ĂůƐŽ ĐůŽƐĞĚ ŶŽƌƚŚǁĂƌĚƐ͕ ĂĚĚŝŶŐ Ϭ͘ϵй ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ďĂĐŬ ŽĨ ƵƉƟĐŬ ŝŶ KEK/> ;нϭϬ͘ϮйͿ͘

Thursday, January 11, 2018

Fundamental Performance Metrics for THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 Index

Ticker

THISDAY AFRINVEST 40

Current Price

Previous Current Price Weighting Change

Price Change YTD

Price Change Index to Date

ROE

ROA

P/E

P/BV

1,738.23

3.98%

12.7%

73.8%

24.3%

7.6%

8.2x

1.1x

3.4%

1

Guaranty Trust Bank PLC

47.25

5.0%

22.0%

16.0%

16.5%

26.0%

4.3%

9.8x

2.4x

4.3%

10.2%

2

Zenith Bank PLC

32.02

6.7%

14.4%

24.9%

23.5%

21.7%

3.2%

6.3x

1.3x

6.3%

15.8%

3

Nigerian Brew eries PLC

4

Nestle Nigeria PLC

146.00

4.3%

8.7%

8.2%

8.1%

18.9%

8.6%

36.0x

6.6x

2.5%

2.8%

0.0%

6.7%

-6.8%

-6.8%

78.4%

19.0%

37.8x

25.0x

1.7%

2.6%

247.00

4.0%

5.9%

7.4%

7.4%

30.4%

15.7%

17.1x

4.9x

3.4%

5.9%

10.63

5.6%

5.9%

20.8%

20.9%

2.6%

0.3%

17.3x

0.6x

1.9%

5.8%

5

Dangote Cement PLC

6

FBN Holdings Plc

7

Access Bank PLC

11.60

3.0%

4.4%

11.0%

9.4%

15.1%

2.0%

4.7x

0.7x

5.6%

21.3%

8

United Bank for Africa PLC

11.82

4.6%

4.5%

14.8%

13.5%

17.2%

2.2%

5.2x

0.9x

6.3%

19.3%

9

Ecobank Transnational Inc

3.2%

-18.2%

10

SEPLAT Petroleum Development C

19.08

4.9%

3.3%

12.2%

17.3%

-14.6%

-1.3%

0.7x

660.00

0.0%

2.9%

5.4%

5.4%

-12.4%

-6.7%

0.8x

42.80

1.9%

2.7%

3.1%

4.6%

28.7%

3.4%

9.9x

2.6x

1.4%

100.20

-1.8%

2.2%

6.6%

6.6%

4.5%

1.4%

70.5x

3.5x

0.6%

1.4%

52.00

4.0%

1.7%

15.8%

15.8%

47.1%

9.8%

4.7x

7.9x

1.9%

21.5%

4.8%

39.2%

11

Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC Guinness Nigeria PLC

13

Lafarge Africa PLC

14

Fidelity Bank PLC

2.92

-0.7%

1.3%

18.7%

13.2%

8.0%

1.1%

2.5x

0.4x

15

Oando PLC

5.99

0.0%

1.2%

0.0%

0.0%

40.7%

4.2%

2.7x

0.6x

16

Dangote Sugar Refinery PLC

21.80

0.0%

1.1%

9.0%

7.1%

23.8%

10.3%

8.5x

3.7x

2.3%

11.8%

17

Okomu Oil Palm PLC

67.69

0.0%

1.0%

0.0%

0.0%

37.4%

25.9%

9.0x

2.9x

2.1%

11.1%

18

Unilever Nigeria PLC

46.10

4.8%

1.1%

12.4%

14.6%

50.3%

8.4%

28.4x

10.8x

0.2%

3.5%

19

International Brew eries PLC

60.00

5.3%

0.8%

10.1%

9.1%

24.6%

7.4%

62.8x

14.3x

20

Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC

33.40

2.8%

0.7%

15.2%

15.2%

10.4%

2.6%

9.2x

0.9x

2.7%

10.9%

21

Transnational Corp of Nigeria

1.98

8.2%

0.7%

35.6%

33.8%

19.6%

4.1%

7.9x

1.4x

22

UAC of Nigeria PLC

18.49

3.3%

0.6%

9.4%

9.4%

6.3%

2.2%

11.9x

0.8x

2.32

10.0%

0.7%

54.7%

47.8%

2.5%

0.3%

9.4x

0.2x

230.00

0.0%

0.5%

0.0%

0.0%

37.3%

7.4%

8.6x

3.0x

2.6%

11.7%

2.36

8.8%

0.7%

49.4%

3.8%

0.6%

6.8x

0.3x

4.2%

14.6%

180.00

0.0%

4.4%

10.5%

23

Diamond Bank PLC

/ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚͲ ŵĞĂƐƵƌĞĚ ďLJ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ďƌĞĂĚƚŚ ;ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞͬ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞ ƌĂƟŽͿ ƐƵƌŐĞĚ ƚŽ ϮϬ͘Ϭdž ĨƌŽŵ ϲ͘ϳdž ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ ƚŚĞ ƉƌĞǀŝŽƵƐ ƐĞƐƐŝŽŶ ĂƐ ϲϬ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞĚ ĂŐĂŝŶƐƚ ϯ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞƌƐ͘ zĞƐƚĞƌĚĂLJ͛Ɛ ďĞƐƚ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵŝŶŐ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ǁĞƌĞ KEK/> ;нϭϬ͘ϮйͿ͕ d ZE ;нϭϬ͘ϮйͿ ĂŶĚ , DW/KE ;нϭϬ͘ϬйͿ ǁŚŝůĞ ƚŚĞ ǁŽƌƐƚ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĞƌƐ ǁĞƌĞ 'h/EE ^^ ;Ͳϭ͘ϴйͿ͕ h ͲWZKW ;Ͳϭ͘ϬйͿ ĂŶĚ &/ >/dz ;Ͳ Ϭ͘ϳйͿ͘ &ŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ƐƵƐƚĂŝŶĞĚ ƌĂůůLJ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ĞƋƵŝƟĞƐ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ͕ ǁĞ ƌĞ ͲŝƚĞƌĂƚĞ ŽƵƌ ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ ŶĞĂƌͲƚĞƌŵ ŽƵƚůŽŽŬ ǁŚŝůĞ ĂŶƟĐŝƉĂƟŶŐ ƚŚĞ ƉŽƐƐŝďŝůŝƚLJ ŽĨ ƉƌŽĮƚ ƚĂŬŝŶŐ ŝŶ ƐƵďƐĞƋƵĞŶƚ ƐĞƐƐŝŽŶƐ͘

Total Nigeria PLC

25

FCMB Group Plc

26

11 PLC

0.4%

-7.5%

-7.5%

32.6%

12.0%

9.6x

2.7x

27

Forte Oil PLC

48.32

1.7%

0.5%

11.1%

15.0%

44.3%

3.7%

12.2x

5.4x

28

PZ Cussons Nigeria PLC

22.20

2.4%

0.4%

7.8%

5.0%

10.7%

5.0%

21.0x

2.1x

29

Cadbury Nigeria PLC

17.00

1.4%

0.4%

8.5%

9.0%

4.5%

1.6%

48.5x

2.8x

0.0%

Afrinvest Securities Limited (RC 603 315) (A Dealing Member of the Nigerian Stock Exchange)

-15.8%

12

24

ĂŶŐŽƚĞ ĞŵĞŶƚ ; ͞ E' D͟ Žƌ ͞ƚŚĞ ŽŵƉĂŶLJ͟Ϳ ŝƐ Ă ĨƵůůLJ ŝŶƚĞŐƌĂƚĞĚ ĐĞŵĞŶƚ ŵĂŶƵĨĂĐƚƵƌŝŶŐ ĂŶĚ ĚŝƐƚƌŝďƵƟŽŶ ĐŽŵƉĂŶLJ ǁŝƚŚ ŽƉĞƌĂƟŽŶƐ ŝŶ EŝŐĞƌŝĂ ĂŶĚ ϭϰ ŽƚŚĞƌ ĨƌŝĐĂŶ ĐŽƵŶƚƌŝĞƐ͘ /ƚ ŝƐ ƚŚĞ ůĂƌŐĞƐƚ ĐĞŵĞŶƚ ŵĂŶƵĨĂĐƚƵƌĞƌ ŝŶ EŝŐĞƌŝĂ ǁŝƚŚ Ă ĐƵƌƌĞŶƚ ƚŽƚĂů ƉƌŽĚƵĐƟŽŶ ĐĂƉĂĐŝƚLJ ŽĨ ϮϬ͘ϮϱDDdW ĨƌŽŵ ŝƚƐ ϯ ĞdžŝƐƟŶŐ ƉůĂŶƚƐ͘ dŚĞ ĐŽŵƉĂŶLJ ŚĂƐ Ă ĐƵƌƌĞŶƚ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ĐĂƉŝƚĂůŝnjĂƟŽŶ ŽĨ Eϯ͘ϴƚŶ ;DŽƐƚ ĐĂƉŝƚĂůŝnjĞĚ ƐƚŽĐŬ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ E^ Ϳ E' D ƌĞůĞĂƐĞĚ ŝƚƐ ϵD͗ϮϬϭϳ ĞĂƌŶŝŶŐƐ ƌĞƐƵůƚ ǁŝƚŚ ŐƌŽƐƐ ƌĞǀĞŶƵĞ ŐƌŽǁŝŶŐ ϯϲ͘ϱй zͲŽͲ z ƚŽ EϲϬϯ͘ϲďŶ ǁŚŝůĞ ŐƌŽƐƐ ƉƌŽĮƚ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ƐĂŵĞ ƉĞƌŝŽĚ ƌŽƐĞ ϲϯ͘ϰй zͲŽͲz ƚŽ Eϯϰϯ͘ϳďŶ͘ ^ŝŵŝůĂƌůLJ͕ W d ŐƌĞǁ ϰϴ͘ϭй ƚŽ EϮϮϬďŶ ŝŶ ϵD͗ϮϬϭϳ ǁŚŝůĞ W d ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞĚ ϰϰ͘ϲй ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ƉĞƌŝŽĚ ƚŽ Eϭϵϯ͘ϭďŶ ƌĞůĂƟǀĞ ƚŽ Eϭϯϯ͘ϱďŶ ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ ŝŶ ϵD͗ϮϬϭϲ͘ /Ŷ EŝŐĞƌŝĂ͕ ĂƐ ǁĞĂŬĞƌ ĚĞŵĂŶĚ ƉƌĞǀĂŝůĞĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ĮƌƐƚ ŚĂůĨ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ LJĞĂƌ͕ ƐĂůĞƐ ǀŽůƵŵĞ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ ϭϵ͘Ϯй zͲŽͲz ƚŽ ϵ͘ϲDƚ ĐŽŵƉĂƌĞĚ ƚŽ ϭϮ͘ϬDƚ ƐŽůĚ ŝŶ ϵD͗ϮϬϭϲ͘ EĞǀĞƌƚŚĞůĞƐƐ͕ ƌĞǀĞŶƵĞ ĨƌŽŵ EŝŐĞƌŝĂ ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞĚ ϯϱ͘Ϯй z ͲŽͲz ƚŽ Eϰϭϲ͘ϭďŶ ĐŽŶƐĞƋƵĞŶƚ ŽŶ ŚŝŐŚĞƌ ƉƌŝĐĞƐ͘ KŶ Ă ƐŝŵŝůĂƌ ŶŽƚĞ͕ E' D ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ ĂŶ /d ŵĂƌŐŝŶ ŽĨ ϰϴ͘ϴй͕ ƵƉ ĨƌŽŵ ϰϬ͘ϰй ŝŶ ϵD͗ϮϬϭϲ͘ dŚŝƐ ŝŶĐƌĞĂƐĞ ǁĂƐ ůĂƌŐĞůLJ ŽŶ ĂĐĐŽƵŶƚ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞŵĞŶƚ ŝŶ ŝƚƐ EŝŐĞƌŝĂŶ ŽƉĞƌĂƟŽŶƐ ĂƐ ŝƚ ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ Ă ϲϰ͘ϴй zͲ ŽͲz ŐƌŽǁƚŚ ŝŶ /d ƚŽ EϮϳϬ͘ϰďŶ ĚƵĞ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ĐŽŵƉĂŶLJ͛Ɛ ĂĚŽƉƟŽŶ ŽĨ Ă ŵŽƌĞ ĨĂǀŽƌĂďůĞ ĨƵĞů ŵŝdž ĂƐ ǁĞůů ĂƐ ƐŝŐŶŝĮĐĂŶƚůLJ ŚŝŐŚĞƌ ĐĞŵĞŶƚ ƉƌŝĐĞƐ͘

&Žƌ Yϯ ƐƚĂŶĚĂůŽŶĞ͕ ƐĂůĞƐ ǀŽůƵŵĞ ŵŽĚĞƌĂƚĞĚ ϴ͘ϴй YͲŽͲY ƚŽ ϱ͘ϬDƚ͕ ŚĞŶĐĞ 'ƌŽƐƐ ƌĞǀĞŶƵĞ ĨĞůů ϲ͘ϳй YͲŽͲY ƚŽ EϭϵϬ͘ϵďŶ ǁŚŝůĞ ŐƌŽƐƐ ƉƌŽĮƚ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ ϱ͘ϰй YͲŽͲY ƚŽ EϭϬϴ͘ϲďŶ͘ WƌĞƚĂdž ƉƌŽĮƚ ǁĂƐ ĚŽǁŶ ϭϳ͘ϱй YͲŽͲY ƚŽ Eϲϰ͘ϲďŶ ŝŶ Yϯ͗ϮϬϭϳ ǁŚŝůĞ W d ĂůƐŽ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ ϯϯ͘Ϯй YͲŽͲY͕ ƚŽ Eϰϵ͘ϬďŶ͘ EŽƚǁŝƚŚƐƚĂŶĚŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ůŽǁĞƌͲ ƚŚĂŶͲĞdžƉĞĐƚĞĚ Yϯ͗ϮϬϭϳ ĞĂƌŶŝŶŐƐ͕ E' D͛Ɛ ϵ ŵŽŶƚŚƐ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ǁĂƐ ůĂƌŐĞůLJ ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ ĂŶĚ ĐŽŶƐŝƐƚĞŶƚ ǁŝƚŚ ĂŶ ĞdžƉĞĐƚĞĚ ŝŵƉƌĞƐƐŝǀĞ LJĞĂƌ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ 'ƌŽƵƉ͘ 'ŝǀĞŶ ƚŚĞ ŐƌĂĚƵĂů ƌĞĐŽǀĞƌLJ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ EŝŐĞƌŝĂŶ ĞĐŽŶŽŵLJ ĂƐ ǁĞůů ĂƐ ƚŚĞ ĐŽŵƉĂŶLJ͛Ɛ ĐŽŶƟŶƵĞĚ ĐĂƉĂĐŝƚLJ ĞdžƉĂŶƐŝŽŶ ŝŶ ŝƚƐ WĂŶͲ ĨƌŝĐĂŶ ŽƉĞƌĂƟŽŶƐ͕ ǁĞ ĞdžƉĞĐƚ ƚŽ ƐĞĞ ĂŶ ĞƋƵĂůůLJ ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ &z͗ϮϬϭϳ͘

10.2%

1,450.46

DĂƌŬĞƚ ƌĞĂĚƚŚ ^ƵƌŐĞƐ ƚŽ ϮϬ͘Ϭdž

ŽŵƉĂŶLJ ŝŶ &ŽĐƵƐ͗ ĂŶŐŽƚĞ ĞŵĞŶƚ WůĐ

Divinden Earnings d Yield Yield

10.1%

37.0%

1.6%

12.6% 5.3%

8.4% 10.7%

8.2% 2.3%

4.8% 2.1%

30

Presco PLC

68.00

0.3%

-0.7%

-0.7%

42.9%

25.9%

3.4x

1.2x

2.2%

29.8%

31

NASCON Allied Industries PLC

21.66

1.8%

0.3%

17.1%

12.7%

53.4%

18.1%

12.2x

5.6x

3.2%

8.2%

32

UPDC Real Estate Investment Tr

10.00

0.0%

0.3%

0.0%

0.0%

0.8x

6.8%

33

Union Bank of Nigeria PLC

8.05

7.3%

0.3%

3.2%

7.2%

5.6%

1.2%

34

Julius Berger Nigeria PLC

29.40

5.0%

0.3%

5.0%

5.0%

-12.2%

-1.2%

35

Sterling Bank PLC

6.1%

0.6%

10.3x

0.5x

9.7%

1.5x

-7.8%

8.7x

0.5x

11.4%

1.66

9.2%

0.4%

53.7%

46.9%

3.9%

0.3%

38.3%

38.3%

61.6%

15.8%

5.4x

2.3x

1.1%

0.2%

2.0%

2.0%

61.2%

23.6%

4.6x

1.6x

36

Dangote Flour Mills Plc

16.80

37

GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Niger

22.05

38

Chemical and Allied Products P

35.76

0.0%

0.2%

5.2%

0.2%

84.3%

38.5%

15.6x

11.0x

6.2%

6.4%

39

Beta Glass PLC

53.87

5.0%

0.1%

5.0%

5.0%

18.4%

11.9%

7.6x

1.3x

1.8%

13.2%

40

Transcorp Hotels Plc

7.21

0.0%

0.1%

0.0%

0.0%

4.7%

2.8%

21.4x

1.0x

5.5%

4.7%

T o p 10 G a i n e r s T ic k er

18.4% 1.4%

21.9%

T o p 10 T r a d e s b y V o l u m e

P ric e

P ric e C hg %

T ic k er

Vo lum e

P ric e C hg %

C ON OIL

37.51

10.2%

T R A N SC OR P

184.7

8.2%

ET ER N A

5.96

10.2%

D IA M ON D B N K

136.6

10.0%

C H A M P ION

2.52

10.0%

A C C ESS

122.0

3.0%

D IA M ON D B N K

2.32

10.0%

F ID ELIT YB K

86.0

-0.7%

WEM A B A N K

0.67

9.8%

FB NH

72.5

5.6%

ST ER LN B A N K

1.66

9.2%

FCM B

64.5

8.8%

J A IZ B A N K

0.85

9.0%

Z EN IT H B A N K

63.5

6.7%

SKYEB A N K

0.73

9.0%

UB A

50.1

4.6%

FCM B

2.36

8.8%

OA N D O

28.8

0.0%

T R A N SC OR P

1.98

8.2%

F LOUR M ILL

26.1

2.8%

T ic k er

P ric e

P ric e C hg %

GUIN N ESS

100.20

-1.8%

Z EN IT H B A N K

UA C -P R OP

3.00

-1.0%

NB

1719.2

4.3%

F ID ELIT YB K

2.92

-0.7%

D A N GC EM

1672.7

4.0%

A C C ESS

1441.1

3.0%

GUA R A N T Y

886.5

5.0%

F LOUR M ILL

854.9

2.8%

FB NH

770.4

5.6%

UB A

593.5

4.6%

T R A N SC OR P

365.3

8.2%

IN T B R EW

332.5

5.3%

T o p 10 T r a d e s b y V a l u e

T o p 10 L o s e r s

T ic k er

Value

P ric e C hg %

2025.4

6.7%

Investment Research

Brokerage Ayodeji Ebo | aebo@afrinvest.com

Robert Omotunde | romotunde@afrinvest.com

Bolaji Fajenyo | bfajenyo@afrinvest.com

Omotola Abimbola | oabimbola@afrinvest.com

43

˾ THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2018

MARKET NEWS

Affelka Raises Tender Offer to Minority Shareholders of Seven-Up to N125 Goddy Egene The majority shareholder in Seven-Up Bottling Company Plc, Affelka S.A who is offering to buyout the minority shareholders of the company has raised the tender offer price to N125.

Affelka holds 73 per cent of the equity of Seven-Up and it recently informed the investing public of its plan to completely buyout minority shares in Seven-Up for a consideration of N112.70 per share.

While the company has received a “no objection” from the Securities and Exchange Commission

(SEC), the shareholders will today (Thursday, January 11), are expected to give their approval, Affelka has raised the offer price for the acquisition of the outstanding 171,542,574 to N125.

The new offer price represents a premium of about 23 per cent considering the N101.97 closing price of the stock as at yesterday.

Already investment analysts at Afrinvest West Africa, have advised minority the shareholders of SevenUp Bottling Company Plc to accept the tender offer from the majority shareholder, Affelka S.A. According to Afrinvest, given

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

the recent weak financial performance, historical illiquidity characterising

Seven-Up’s stock - which will possibly worsen post-acquisition - and the premium offered by Affelka relative to the current market price, they recommended investors tender their shares for the price consideration.

The analysts explained that in its latest 2017 full year financial results, Seven-Up’s performance deteriorated on the back of rising direct and indirect cost profiles as well as finance charges despite growing revenue considerably.

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 09-Jan-2018, unless otherwise stated.

The Company recorded a N108.3 billion expansion in revenue and a loss after tax of N10.8 billion.

Similarly, in its half year (H1):2018 report, SevenUp recorded a loss after tax of N3.8 billion. Following the planned acquisition of the ordinary shares of investors, minority investors are faced with the decision to either “Sell” or ‘Hold”.

Afrinvest explained that on the consideration of the options, its overall analysis favours a “Sell” decision premised on the illiquidity, weak investor sentiments and premium pricing.

“In the event that the shares of minority shareholders are being bought over, investors who decide to hold would be faced with illiquidity challenge associated with the stock. As such, prices of the stock will remain rather unreflective of fair market pricing, thereby indicating an increasing likelihood of a substantial loss in value of investments,” they said According to them, despite investor’s negative sentiment for the stock, their our outlook for FY:2017 performance remains rather bleak given the company’s high leverage and cost inefficiency.

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 185.75 185.80 45.99% Nigeria International Debt Fund 238.94 238.99 12.75% 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 0.84 0.85 1.90% ACAP Income Funds 0.64 0.64 -1.10% AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 16.80% enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ARM Aggressive Growth Fund 19.10 19.68 4.54% ARM Discovery Fund 403.50 415.67 3.71% ARM Ethical Fund 27.95 28.80 2.31% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 16.83% 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 158.04 159.15 4.18% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 16.28% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 0.00% Paramount Equity Fund 0.00 0.00 0.00% Women's Investment Fund 0.00 0.00 0.00% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 0.00% CORONATION ASSEST MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com , Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coronation Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 18.40% Coronation Balanced Fund 1.09 1.11 9.65% Coronation Fixed Income Fund 1.03 1.06 4.32% 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 1,162.22 1,163.39 8.54% FBN Heritage Fund 144.46 145.90 2.88% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 16.10% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional $113.32 $113.43 1.50% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail $113.95 $114.06 1.48% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 157.79 160.15 -4.70% 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 1.34 1.37 56.91% Legacy Short Maturity (NGN) Fund 2.89 2.89 16.74% 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 3,070.26 3,112.25 39.59% Coral Income Fund 2,477.88 2,477.88 18.86% GREENWICH ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gtlgroup.com Web: www.gtlgroup.com ; Tel: +234 1 4619261-2 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Greenwich Plus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 16.29% INVESTMENT ONE FUNDS MANAGEMENT LTD enquiries@investment-one.com Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Abacus Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 16.40% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.17 2.20 3.02%

Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 18.39% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 115.08 115.08 18.61% 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 1.20 1.23 0.47% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,057.68 1,057.68 0.50% 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 15.58 15.71 10.46% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 16.70% 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 1.26 1.29 6.53% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 11.10 11.17 0.64% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 14.07% 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 133.85 136.28 32.12% 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 1.49 1.49 0.23% 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 2,312.89 2,328.69 3.04% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 178.97 178.97 1.43% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 1.05 1.06 4.46% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 221.63 221.70 0.64% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 182.82 185.18 2.17% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 16.75% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 10,100.00 10,228.11 4.40% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.06 1.06 0.00% 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 1.35 1.37 20.78% United Capital Bond Fund 1.57 1.57 27.95% United Capital Equity Fund 0.94 0.96 2.70% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 15.30% United Capital Eurobond Fund 103.00 103.00 4.60% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.10 1.10 15.40% 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 12.90 13.09 2.35% Zenith Ethical Fund 13.53 13.69 2.19% Zenith Income Fund 19.11 19.11 1.02%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

11.41 132.75

1.01% 0.22%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

12.08 153.51 116.03

12.18 156.72 118.21

-0.33% 7.46% 6.21%

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

4.99 9.69 18.57 20.42 151.81

5.03 9.77 18.67 20.62 153.81

80.00% 37.62% 56.52% 27.85% 19.43%

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.

44

THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2018˾ T H I S D AY

INTERNATIONAL

email:foreigndesk@thisdaylive.com

California: Rescuers Search for Mudslide Survivors Rescue workers in southern California are searching for survivors after mudslides and flooding in which at least 13 people have died, according to BBC. More than 30 miles (48km) of the main coastal road have been closed and police said the scene

“looked like a World War One battlefield”.

A group of 300 people are reportedly trapped in Romero Canyon neighbourhood east of Santa Barbara, with rescue efforts due to resume at daybreak.

The death toll is expected to rise.

More than 50 people have been rescued already but many places are still inaccessible. Several roads are closed, including the major Highway 101.

Some 163 people have been taken to hospital.

Twenty had “storm-related injuries” and four were

critically hurt.

The first rain in months caused mudslides when it hit ground that had been scorched by December’s huge wildfires.

After a wildfire, burned vegetation and charred soil create a water repellent layer which blocks water

absorption. Together with the loss of vegetation, this leads to an increased risk of mudslides and floods.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) says the risk of flooding stays “significantly higher” for up to five years after a

wildfire.

“Recent burn areas will be especially vulnerable where dangerous mud and debris flows are possible,” said the National Weather Service in a statement.

In some p l a c e s m u d was waist-deep, officials said.

Zuma Exit Not Discussed Trump Calls U.S. Court System ‘Unfair’ after DACA

by South African Ruling Ruling Party, Official Says U.S. President Donald Trump District Judge William court are commonly handled Alsup ruled that the federal The new leadership of South Africa’s ruling party did not discuss the future of President Jacob Zuma on Wednesday, its secretary general said, pouring cold water on intense media speculation that it would seek to remove him from power, Reuters reports.

Zuma’s replacement as party leader by his deputy, Cyril Ramaphosa, last month prompted widespread expectations of an early end to his time in office, which has been marred by persistent allegations of graft.

The rand has risen around 8 percent since Ramaphosa was narrowly elected in December to head up the African National

Congress. On Wednesday the currency extended losses against the U.S. dollar in a sign of investors’ disappointment the party did not move to remove him.

“That matter was not for any discussion or debate,” ANC Secretary General Ace Magashule said in response to a question about whether Zuma’s future was discussed or would be raised.

The only item on the agenda was a statement to be read

by Ramaphosa on Saturday to mark the 106th birthday of the ANC, Magashule told reporters at a break in the meeting in the seaside city of East London.

on Wednesday blasted the U.S. court system as “broken and unfair” after a federal judge blocked his move to end the program protecting young immigrants brought to the United States illegally by their parents, commonly known as “Dreamers”, Reuters reports.

The Trump administration in September announced it would rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, drawing challenges in multiple federal courts from Democratic state attorneys general, organizations and individuals.

Late on Tuesday, U.S.

Alsup in San Francisco ruled that DACA must remain in place while the litigation is resolved.

In a post on Twitter on Wednesday morning, Trump wrote, “It just shows everyone how broken and unfair our Court System is when the opposing side in a case (such as DACA) always runs to the 9th Circuit and almost always wins before being reversed by higher courts.”

It was not immediately clear which court Trump was referring to in his post. Alsup’s court is the District Court for the Northern District of California.

Appeals of decisions by that

by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which also reviews appeals of rulings by district courts in the U.S. West, Hawaii and Guam.

Earlier on Wednesday the White House branded the federal judge’s ruling as “outrageous.”

“An issue of this magnitude must go through the normal legislative process,” White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said in a statement.

“President Trump is committed to the rule of law, and will work with members of both parties to reach a permanent solution that corrects the unconstitutional actions taken by the last administration.”

government did not have to process new applications from people who had never before received protection under the program. However, he ordered the government to continue processing renewal applications from people who had previously been covered.

The ruling could complicate negotiations between Trump and congressional leaders over immigration reform.

Sanders called the decision “outrageous, especially in light of the President’s successful bipartisan meeting with House and Senate members at the White House” on immigration reform on Tuesday.

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY JANUARY 11, 2018

45

46

T H I S D AY ˾ ͯͯ˜ ͰͮͯͶ

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY JANUARY 11, 2018

47

THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2018˾ T H I S D AY

48

NEWSXTRA

INEC Declares Leadership of 18 Parties Illegal Onyebuchi Ezigbo ÓØ ÌßÔË The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said about 18 of the registered 68 political parties in Nigeria are operating with invalid national executive committees whose tenures had expired or were not reflective of the federal character as required by the constitution.

The commission, which gave the offending parties 90 days to rectify the anomaly, also said 17 out of them had no functional offices in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as required by the law, Sections 222(a-f) and 223 (1&2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) requires among

others that registered political parties must always maintain a functional national headquarters address in the FCT. In addition, members of the national executive committees of the parties must not only reflect federal character but also have tenures that are renewed at intervals not exceeding four years.

Although INEC failed to name the affected political parties that have violated the electoral law, it said it has formally advised the parties on their respective areas of breach.

Speaking in Abuja during formal presentation of certificates of registration to 21 associations that have fulfilled the requirements for registratlion

as political parties yesterday, the National Commissioner/ Chairman of Election and Party Monitoring Committee, Prof.

Antonia T. Simbine, said the offending parties have been given a 90-day period from November 2017 within which they are expected to revert to full compliance status.

At yesterday’s press conference, the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said apart from the 21 newly registered political parties that were presented with certificates, the commission was compelled by a High Court order to register the Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN).

“We have already issued

the certificate of registration to the SPN. The number of new political parties has risen to 22 in addition to the 46 parties already in existence. This means that the total number of political parties in Nigeria today stands at 68,” he said” According to Yakubu, since the registration of the 21 new political parties, the commission has received more applications from associations seeking registration as political parties.

He explained that at the moment, 90 applications are under consideration by the commission, adding that out of this number, 61 associations have failed the initial assessment of their proposed names, logos or

acronyms and have been notified while 25 associations that passed initial assessment, and have been advised to proceed to the next stage of the registration process.

He further said four associations are undergoing preliminary assessments of the suitability of their proposed names, logos and acronyms.

The INEC advised political parties to ensure free and transparent processes devoid of rancour in their operations and to also ensure equal opportunity for all members of parties irrespective of gender, age or physical disabilities.

He also enjoined the parties to ensure their activities

conform to relevant provisions of its constitutions with regard to the practice of internal party democracy.

While pointing to the challenges before the INEC, Yakubu said if each of the 68 political parties in Nigeria today fields candidates for all the 1,558 constituencies to be contested in the 2019 general election, the commission will have to grapple with 105,944 candidates.

He urged political parties to adhere strictly to the 2019 election timelines, adding that the commission would not hesitate to reject the submission by any party that violates the timelines.

CAN Asks FG to Control Influx of Foreign Herders into Country Dani Sani ÓØ ÙÖË

has the tendencies of truncating peaceful coexistence of the state.

As an effort to curtail the “CAN wishes to state in incessant and wanton killings of unequivocal terms that violent innocent citizens by herdsmen, elements are easily embolden the Christian Association and fueled by unguarded Nigeria (CAN), Adamawa utterances.

State chapter, has tasked the “We called on the government federal government to beef up to work around the Justice security around Nigeria’s porous Adamu Hobong (rtd) borders in order to control the administrative committee of influx of foreign herdsmen into inquiry set up to unravel the the country. immediate and remote courses The state Chairman of CAN, of farmers/herdsmen crisis in Rev Stephen Dami Mamza, the state. made the assertion at a press “We equally call for the briefing in Yola, the state capital, implementation of the previous yesterday, noting that both the committees reports by the state federal and state governments government. need to step up its security “The government should not apparatus so as to protect its keep silent on these crises, and citizens from the high spate no decisive action was taken by of killings by herdsmen and concerned authorities to prevent other forms of violence across it,” the CAN leader said. the country.

Mamza also called on He further explained that the government to fish out the wanton destruction of lives perpetrators behind burning and property in the state and of four churches in Sagal beyond might adversely impact community in Maiha Local on the country’s economy, and Government Area of the state results to unemployment and and bring them to book. poverty which are the major He said these elements caused of insecurity and other causing mayhem in the state social vices. should be decisively dealt with, However, Mamza, appealed as he enjoined Christians to be to the state government to law abiding and pray against the caution its officials from on insecurity challenging bedeviling unguarded statement which the country.

ANN, Others Get INEC Certificate of Registration The Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN) and 20 other new political parties got their certificates of registration as political parties from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday in Abuja at a ceremony presided over the Chairman of the commission, Professor Mahmood Yakubu.

The commission had announced in November last year that 21 political associations that applied to the it for registration had met its criteria and had been registered as political parties.

Yesterday’s occasion was the official presentation of certificates to the associations.

Speaking after the collection of their certificate, the protem National Chairman of ANN, Dr. Jay Osi Samuels, said with the completion of the registration process and collection of

certificate, the work for has just begun for the party to really present itself as a viable alternative to the two dominant parties, the APC and the PDP which has been found wanting in the last 19 years.

He added that the collection of the certificate was a major milestone in the history of the party.

“Today marks a milestone in the history of ANN with the presentation of this certificate.

For us, the work has only just begun. We shall be spreading the ANN message of hope for a new Nigeria to the nooks and crannies of this country. We will intensify our membership drive as we intend to surpass our baseline target of 10 million registered members by October 2018,” Samuels said.

MAKING LAGOS WORK

L-R: Executive Secretary/C.E.O, Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), Dr. Abdurrazaq Balogun; former Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji; Governor Akinwunmi Ambode; Commissioner for Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Relations, Mr. Oluseye Oladejo, at the inauguration of Multi-Agency Safety Arena at Bolade, Oshodi....Tuesday

ANAMBRA CENTRAL TUSSLE: OKONKWO, INEC, OTHERS KNOW FATE TOMORROW ordered INEC to issue his client with the certificate of return.

On his part, Austin Umaji, counsel to the PDP and its former National Chairman, Adamu Muazu, aligned himself with the submission of Hon, adding that the application was unknown to law, incompetent and should be dismissed.

Similar position was also taken

by Ernest Nwoye counsel to the sacked senator representing Anambra central, senator Uche Ekwunife.

Meanwhile, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Garba Umar, has disclosed that no fewer than 4,300 policemen have been designated for the Anambra Central senatorial district rerun election which will hold next Saturday.

The commissioner stated this yesterday at a press conference in his office in Amawbia, near Awka, saying three policemen would man each of the 1,448 polling units in the seven local Government area involved in the poll.

The commissioner said movement would be restricted in the seven local government areas, while warning any group planning to foment trouble during the poll to have a rethink

or be prepared to face the wrath of the law.

Part of the commissioner’s speech read: “The Anambra State Police Command wishes to inform the public that the Anambra State Central senatorial election is scheduled to take place on January 13, 2018, at 109 wards of the seven local government areas of the state.

“Based on the above, the command wishes to inform the public that there will be restriction of movement within the affected local government areas.”

The local government area involved are: Awka North, Awka South, Dunukofia, Njikoka, Idemil North, Idemili South and Anaocha.

The text further read that: “The police and other security agencies are ready to ensure that the political campaigns and voting on January 13, 2018, are conducted smoothly without public disturbance, and assure all political parties, candidates, supporters, including the public of their safety throughout the period of voting and collation.

“Anambra State is known for peaceful conduct of elections; I urge residents to be peaceful and orderly on the election day.”

Speaking if a Federal High Court judgment ordering

the immediate swear in of a candidate of the PDP, Umar said nobody has served him with any court order stopping the election.

“Besides, police don’t conduct elections. INEC conducts elections and the commission has informed us that we should assist them to conduct the January 13 election and we shall do so.”

Meanwhile, the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC),Anambra State chapter, has jettisoned its earlier call for the cancellation of next Saturday’s Anambra Central senatorial rerun election.

The council had through some of its members allegedly collaborated with some candidates in the election to call on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to shelve the election.

But the IPAC leadership, while speaking yesterday through it Chairman, Bartho Igwedibia, to the Anambra State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of INEC, Dr. Nkwachukwu Orji, called on the commission to proceed with the Saturday’s election.

Igwedibia said the body had never associated itself in such act which he described as unpatriotic and lawless, describing those who called for the cancellation as impostors

He said the association as an umbrella body of all registered political parties in Nigeria always upholds objectivity in its decisions and actions.

Igwedibia regretted that while other states and senatorial zones across the country are preparing for another round of quality representation, Anambra Central was still bedeviled with aftermath of 2015 election.

Commending the INEC on its professional disposition during the November governorship election in the state, the IPAC helmsman called on them to repeat such feat in the senatorial rerun, promising the association’s full support.

Responding, the Anambra State REC, Orji, promised that the January 13 election would hold as scheduled, urging all political parties to caution their members against violence and unlawful acts capable of disrupting the existing peace in the state.

Orji, represented by the Head of Department, Election and Political Party Monitoring, Mr. Ibeh Uche Agu, promised that the commission would once again conduct a free, fair and credible election in the state.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2018˾ T H I S D AY

49

NEWSXTRA

FG: New Electricity Tariffs Difficult to Implement with Poor Customer Record, Metering Chineme Okafor ÓØ ÌßÔË The federal government has said it will be difficult to allow the 11 electricity distribution companies (Discos) in Nigeria’s power market charge new rates on electricity they supply to their customers across the country because the country does not have an accurate record of electricity consumers in the Discos’ networks or enough customers that are metered by the Discos.

Speaking in a Channels Television early morning show yesterday in Abuja, which THISDAY monitored, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, defended the decision of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to hold back the implementation of up to three consecutive tariff reviews.

Fashola, stated that in as much as tariff was important to the commercial operations of the electricity market, the government would want to see that it is fair, and would do this by properly dimensioning the market.

He argued that it was impossible to have a fair tariff in an electricity market that has just about seven million households as its recognised customers out of Nigeria’s 180 million people, adding that proper consumers’ enumeration was required to establish the true basis for calibrating tariffs in the sector.

He also noted that the Discos would have to improve on their deployment of meters to consumption points, and that until these were done, approving a cost reflective tariff for the market looked difficult.

“We need to do something with the entire value chain, from tariff to metering to energy conservation, consumer education, to payment of debts by ministries and departments and ordinary consumers, and all of this are contained in the power sector recovery programme.

“Tariff is important. The agency that decides on tariff is the NERC, not the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, and not the Minister for Power.

The minister has no power over tariff under the law. When the last tariff was passed, I had no power, and didn’t approve it, it was NERC that approved it. All I had was an opinion which I expressed,” said Fashola.

He further explained: “My opinion as at today is that before we can review tariffs, we should increase metering, we should also increase consumer audit to actually properly dimension the economy and see whether the unit cost is understated or overstated.

“Because, if you have a market, an electricity market where seven million households are all that is in the database as consuming electricity in Nigeria, I am not sure that data is correct. So, if the tariff is one naira and applied to seven million households, it is possible that if they are actually 14 million households, you may collect more without necessarily increasing the tariffs but properly dimensioning the market.”

The minister stated: “So, I will like to see more consumer enumeration, consumer audit and identification, I will like to see more metering and more education in order to properly

dimension the market, and the regulator is working on it because tariff is also a function of the investments that have been made.

“The law says that the investments that is made by every operator in the sector is guaranteed to be recovered with some profit. Now, we want to verify that investment: what have you done and how did you do them, were they overstated investments, were they investments that were uncompetitive, did you buy at N15 what the market was selling at N10? That would be unfair to pass to the consumers.

All of these are being verified by the NERC, and it is when we do all of that, and we then look at the number of people who are using the energy that we can decide by rational argument that this is a right tariff, and this is unfair tariff,” Fashola added.

He equally spoke on the recent disruption of gas supply to some power plants in the south of the country following a fire outbreak on a section of the Escravos Lagos Pipeline System (ELPS), saying the government would not rule out the possibility of sabotage, and was investigating it.

According to him, “I felt a sense of setback. Coming from where we were coming from in 2016, when pipelines went off almost every day, one pipeline explosion 10 months after is not such a bad place to be but the best place to be is to have no pipeline explosion.

“We are still conducting investigations, what caused this, whether it was sabotage or accident, until I get the result, I really can’t say more.”

Police Warns NLC against Protest in Kaduna John Shiklam ÓØ ËÎßØË

engagement with the state government, it is clear that The Kaduna State Police Governor Nasir el-Rufai has to Command has warned against be stopped by all means with any form of protest in the state. all means lawful for the sake The warning came ahead of of Kaduna State and Nigerian planned protest by the national people,” the NLC president said. leadership of the Nigerian “Consequently, we shall Labour Congress (NLC), slated commence a series of actions for today in Kaduna in solidarity with the first phase of protests with the striking teachers. in Kaduna on January 11, 2018 Also, the state government, to constitutionally defend the yesterday disclosed that it had rights of the affected workers obtained a bench warrant to in the state. arrest violent protesters who “We once again call on Mr. destroyed government property President and all well-meaning during the NLC protest in Nigerians to please intervene,” Kaduna in November last year Wabba said. over the sacking of teachers.

But the state police The state chapter of the commissioner, Mr. Agyole Abe, Nigerian Union of Teachers warned that protesters would (NUT) on Monday, embarked not be tolerated in the state as all on an indefinite strike over the forms of processions had been sacking of 21,870 teachers said banned. to have failed competency test.

At a press conference at National President of the the command’s headquarters NLC, Ayuba Wabba, yesterday yesterday, Abe said anyone or condemned the sacking of group intending to carry our workers by the Kaduna State any public protest or procession government. should, in the interest of the Wabba in a statement in Abuja public peace shelve such plan said the NLC, having exhausted as the Nigeria Police Force will avenues for amicable settlement not standby idly and watch the of the issues in Kaduna, has peace being enjoyed by citizens no choice than to embark on of the state truncated. a protest in Kaduna.

He further warned: “Those “Having exhausted all who might be contemplating processes aimed at constructive to come to Kaduna to foment

trouble are strictly advised to stay away from the state as the command is prepared to deal decisively with any such person or group.”

The commissioner said the command only received a letter in respect of the protest lateTuesday afternoon and considering the short notice given by the organisers of the protest, the command cannot guarantee that miscreants would not hijack the protest, thereby plunging the state into another problem.

Also at a news conference yesterday, the state government said it had obtained a warrant for the arrest of those who caused the destruction of government property during the NLC protest in November over the sacking of teachers.

Samuel Aruwan, spokesman of El-Rufai who addressed journalists yesterday at the Government House, Kaduna, recalled that the last time the NLC and NUT organised what they called a peaceful rally, they attacked the Kaduna State House of Assembly and destroyed public property in addition to engaging in unlawful assembly and other violations of the Penal Code of Kaduna State.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2018Ëž T H I S D AY

50

NEWSXTRA

FEC Okays IPP for Abuja Airport, N5.44bn for Otukpo-Enugu Rd Omololu Ogunmade Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË The Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday in Abuja approved the installation of independent power system

to power the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja to avert frequent cases of power outages in the airport.

Briefing journalists at the end of yesterday’s FEC meeting in

DPR in Minna Declares Sale of Petrol in Jerry Cans Illegal Laleye Dipo Ă“Ă˜ Ă“Ă˜Ă˜Ă‹ The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has said  the sale of petrol in jerrycans or other containers is illegal. Operations Controller of the DPR in Minna, Alhaji Abdullahi Isah, disclosed this after officials of the organisation seized and destroyed scores of jerrycans being used to purchase fuel at some petrol filling stations in Minna and other towns in the state yesterday.

Isah said the DPR had discovered that owners of jerrycans and other containers were contributing to fuel scarcity in the state  by buying in large quantities and selling at exorbitant rates in the black market. “We will continue to impound and destroy any jerry can and other containers being used to buy fuel anywhere in the state,� Isah declared.

The controller also disclosed that the organisation had discovered that some vehicle owners had constructed special tanks for their vehicles some of which could take 300 litres as against the maximum of 80 litres which they use to carry and in turn sell in the black markets. “We are out to get these

type of vehicles and their owners and will prosecute them accordingly.�

He disclosed that there had been a marginal improvement in the supply of petrol to the state, saying that the state now received between 10 and 12 trucks daily as against three and four about a month ago.

He expressed the hope that supply will reach the 30 trucks daily before the present scarcity.

Isah denied the claim that some marketers were selling fuel to black marketers in the night saying: “We have requested for evidence from members of the public but nobody has come forward with such evidence.�

However, he said the DPR had commenced monitoring the stations until they close for the day and would check their tanks first thing in the morning before commencement of the day’s business.

The controller told the public that neither the DPR nor state governments was responsible for supply of petrol to states as such scarcity should not be placed at their door steps. “The responsibility of the DPR is to monitor sale and compliance with laid down rules especially pump price of petrol and other products.�

the State House, the Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, said the airport had witnessed a series of challenges in recent times particularly on the first working day of the year.

He listed such challenges to include: power outages, water, sewage and apron tiling challenges. The power supply crisis, he said, prompted the approval of independent power system by FEC yesterday to avert recurrent cases of power outages.He added that further challenges plaguing the airport would subsequently be tackled. “Today, at FEC, of course, as you are aware that we had challenges on the first day of work at Nnamdi Azikiwe

International Airport new terminal building that you call Chinese terminal. It is a new terminal building. “We have challenges of power, water, sewage, apron tiling, etc.

So, in our efforts to deal with those challenges, we are putting up an independent power system at the airport which has been approved by FEC today. “Subsequently, we will also attend to the water supply challenges, sewage challenges, connectivity between the halls at the terminal, the apron tiles and the fire station that is broken using the apron and perhaps also, the control tower that cannot see the other side sections of the airport.

All of these will be attended to in phases preparatory to full rehabilitation of the airport,� he said.

In his own briefing, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, said the council approved N5.44 billion for the re-construction of Ugbokolo road section of the ninth mile Otukpo road.

He said the road is a 36-kilometre road which links Enugu section of the road meant to boost agricultural investment adding that the project will be completed within 24 months  “My ministry had only one memo today and it was for the ninth mile Ugbokolo Road section of the ninth

mile Otukpo Road that links Enugu to Benue State. The Benue section is already under construction. “So, what we ‘ve just done is to connect a 36 kilometre-road to the Enugu section to the road. This is a major agrarian connectivity in support of our agricultural policies. The council approved that today and the award was to the existing contractor who is already working on the Benue section. “So, he should have a seamless deployment of machines and materials to site and we expect that it should be completed in 24 months. The contract sum is N5.44 billion,�

Fashola stated.

WILL BE FINE We’ll Not Tolerate Herdsmen Excesses YOU Minister of Health, Professor Issac Adewole (left), discussing with one of the Libya returnees, Eze Benedict, who lost both legs while in Libya in Port Harcourt...yesterday in Ebonyi Again, Umahi Warns Benjamin Nworie Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ‹Ă•Ă‹Ă–Ă“Ă•Ă“ out ways of coordinating the Yoruba Professionals Name Aregbesola Governor of activities of herdsmen in the Ebonyi State Governor, David state. theYear Umahi, yesterday warned that He noted that the registration the excesses of open grazing, movements and brazen destruction of farmlands by Fulani herdsmen in the state would no longer be tolerated, stressing that the state would embark on biometric registration of all herdsmen in the state.

The governor lamented how his movement was blocked by the herders with their cattle on his way to the village, saying that such development depicts grave danger to the country.

He stressed that no new herdsmen would be allowed to enter the state, while those already resident would be registered for proper identification.

The governor frowned at the level of destructions of food crops and farmlands by the cattle and the impunity with which the herders move with it around all the communities in the state.

Speaking before the 2018 maiden executive council meeting in Abakaliki, the governor said he would have serious meeting with traditional rulers, council chairmen, herdsmen and security agencies next Monday to fashion

and meeting with stakeholders would be to forestall any attempt of new herdsmen coming to the state as a result of the crises in other states of the federation, stressing that no other herdsmen would be all own into the state.

Umahi said: “We will register them and know where they are so that if anybody is expanding them, we will say no that you can’t expand. Everywhere you, you see cattle. Far away in my village, you see cattle stopping the movement of a sitting governor.

What kind of country is that? So we can’t tolerate that again, neither shall we say that herdsmen that have lived here for more than 16 years to vamoose. No. They cannot. “There’s rice husk everywhere and we said that we can open boreholes for you and your cattle and it’s your duty to replace it. Look at Ezillo rice farm, we were told that thousands of cattle went there and finished all the rice. The same thing in Izzi, Ivo, Afikpo North. We cannot fold our hands and allow that to happen, neither shall we take laws into our hands. We shall revisit our laws.�

Yinka Kolawole Â Ă“Ă˜ Ă?Ă™Ă‘ĂŒĂ™

The Governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, has been named the Best Governor of the Year 2017.

A statement by the Southwest Professional Forum (SOWPROF) named Aregbesola as the most distinguished state governor throughout the year 2017.

The group described the governor as a leader who “created gold from stone and brought out the best in the most difficult situation.�

It said it was referring to the ingenuous ways the resources of the state have been managed and how he has continued to make personal sacrifices with many of his aides in the face of lean state resources.  “In the year 2017, we have found a man whose energy is unlimited, a man whose vision is unimaginable and his courage in the face of adversary situations tough and cast in iron.�

The statement signed by SOWPROF President, Chief Olusegun Ajibulu, who is

currently in Nigeria, stated: “A good leader must be thorough, decisive and intelligent. He must be able to withstand the wave and the tide. He must be able to confront difficult economic situations with uncommon creativity backed with unlimited power of imaginations. These are the exact characters Aregbesola has demonstrated.�  Ajibulu is a tax consultant based in the United States and has been leading the professional group since 2014.  SOWPROF is an association of thousands of Yoruba professionals drawn from home and abroad. The group has its head office in Southern Carolina, USA. SOWPROF said it had sent its professionals to Nigeria on many occasions through out the year 2017 and was amazed at their various reports on ‘real development of human beings and investment in the future of the greater society,� saying the two represent the most striking elements of transformation and renaissance.

The group described

Aregbesola as a ‘man of integrity, a honest icon, a revolutionary and a downto-earth leader of the  people� saying his moral high grounds are unequalled.

The group said his government has made outstanding contributions to the upliftment of the  Osun State in ways that would impact on the entire South-west and the country at large. SOWPROF praised Aregbesola for the launching of the Ago-Owu Farm settlement and the provision of about  205 hectares of land for the state’s agrarian revolution adding that his actions represent the most practical  and profound ways of demonstrating regional integration.

The group listed the ongoing building of the biggest Cargo Airport in West Africa sub region in spite of the lean resources of the state and the strategic importance of the airport to the entire Southwest region, at zero cost to the Osun State Government, as some of the most compelling interventions the South-west

have seen since the days of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

It said the Osun State is building the airport at the cost ofN216 billion at Ido Osun, Ede North/ Egbedore Local Government Areas with the focal point of serving human and cargo transportation added to this is the historic tourist attraction being the first airstrip in Nigeria used during the second world war by the allied forces.

SOWPROF said Aregbesola’s investment in the industrial park would transform the rural backwater South-west in unimaginable ways.

Ajibulu said:  “It is heartwarming that the Chinese firm, Jiangsu Wuxi Taihu, in partnership with the people and government of Osun will have several industries including the Cocoa Food Company Limited worth $600million,� adding that the first phase of the project includes industries, the cocoa bean processing, chocolate and food processing, salt processing, cassava starch processing, gold mining and power plants.

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY JANUARY 11, 2018

51

52

T H I S D AY ˾ ͯͯ˜ ͰͮͯͶ

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY JANUARY 11, 2018

53

Ëœ ͚͚˜ ͺ͸͚΀ Ëž T H I S D AY

54

THURSDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

Nigeria, England Friendly ConďŹ rmed for June 2 at Wembley Duro Ikhazuagbe Saturday June 2nd has been confirmed as the date for the much-anticipated international friendly between the Super Eagles and the Three Lions of England at the Wembley Stadium.

First Vice-president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Seyi Akinwunmi, confirmed yesterday that details of the friendly have been settled. “The match is now confirmed.

We had been doing a lot of work in the background, even going back to last year. “Now, we are happy to say that it is all sealed. Certainly, it is going to be a big match, between two countries of remarkable historical affinity and similarities. “We have other matches and programme for the team, and we will soon roll out the entire plan for matches, camping sites and training camps,� observed Akinwunmi who is also the chairman of the federation’s Organising Committee.

Akinwunmi who also doubles as Lagos FA chairman added: “We decided to be strategic in our choice of opponents for the Super Eagles leading to the World Cup, and in total agreement with the preferences of the Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr. “That is why we opted for England. We played Argentina (in November 2017) without even knowing we were going to be in the same group at the finals,� revealed the NFF chief.

The match will be only the third between both countries at senior level, and will serve as the Super Eagles’ final preparatory game for the FIFA World Cup finals in Russia, with their first match against Croatia in Kaliningrad coming exactly two weeks after. The confirmation of the Nigeria versus England game was good news to Eagles manager Rohr.

“This is good news for myself and the entire team. England is a very strong team presently and I believe they will give us a very good match. We will be able to test our readiness for the World Cup when we meet the Three Lions at Wembley,� observed the Franco-German gaffer to NFF official website yesterday.

While the Super Eagles play Croatia, Iceland and Argentina in Group D, the Three Lions are up against Belgium, Panama and Tunisia in Group G in Russia.

England is one of only eight countries to have won any of the previous 20 editions of the FIFA World Cup finals. On 30th July 1966, following a 4-2 defeat of then West Germany after extra time in the final, captain Bobby Moore climbed old Wembley’s 39 steps to receive football’s most coveted prize from Queen Elizabeth.

Nigeria and England first clashed at senior level on 16th November 1994, also at the old Wembley Stadium. David Platt’s headed goal towards the end of the first half separated both teams.

Both teams met again at the 2002 FIFA World Cup. The encounter at the Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan on 12th June 2002 ended 0-0, with the Super Eagles being eliminated from the finals at the group stage.

The Super Eagles already have a confirmed date with Poland (1974 and 1982 World Cup bronze medallists, and who play Senegal, Colombia and Japan in Group H in Russia) in Warsaw on 23rd March. Other dates are 27th March and 27th May. Three-time African champions, Nigeria came from two goals down to defeat two-time world champions and reigning world vice champions, Argentina 4-2 in a friendly in Krasnodar on 14th November 2017.

Another Nigerian Athlete, Simidele, in Final Race to Qualify for Winter Olympic Nigerian athlete, Simidele Adeagbo, is just one race away from qualifying for the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, in the sport of skeleton.

If she is successful, she will make Olympic history as a member of the first Nigerian contingent to one of the world’s most prestigious competitive sporting events. The skeleton is a winter sliding sport in which a person rides a small sled, known as a skeleton bobsled or sleigh, down a frozen track while lying face down.

Today in Lake Placid, New York, Adeagbo will compete in her final qualifying race.

If she gets in as one of the qualifiers to be announced from January 14 to 16, she will be joining the three Nigerian women, Driver Seun Adigun and brakemen Ngozi Onwumere and Akuoma Omeoga who recently became the first athletes from Africa to qualify for the bobsled event of the winter Olympics.

Adeagbo is currently ranked 84th

in the world. In order to qualify in skeleton for PyeongChang, an athlete has to be the top athlete in the sport from their country and to have competed in five races on three different tracks in the last two seasons.

They are Nigeria’s first and biggest-ever Winter Olympics representation in PyeongChang!

Adeagbo is currently ranked 84th in the world. In order to qualify in skeleton for PyeongChang, an athlete has to be the top athlete in the sport from their country and to have competed in five races on three different tracks in the last two seasons.

As a four-time NCAA All American and triple jump record holder for the University of Kentucky, Adeagbo competed in her last major track and field competition in June of 2008. She had nursed the ambition of competing at the Olympics but was unsuccessful at the trials and thus hung up her boots.

Super Eagles have been confirmed for a June 2nd clash with the Three Lions of England

A H E A D 2 0 1 8 N P F L S E AS O N ‌

A H E A D 2 0 1 8 N P F L S E AS O N ‌

Cost Variation May Delay Enyimba’s Return to Aba Stadium Emmanuel Ugwu in Umuahia The much-anticipated return of Enyimba International FC to their home ground in Aba may be delayed following the variation on the original contract agreed for the renovation of the stadium.

The People’s Elephants have been playing all their home matches at the U.J.Esuene Stadium in Calabar in the last two seasons and the state government has been making frantic efforts to complete rehabilitation work on the Enyimba Stadium in Aba to bring the team home.

But at a press conference in Umuahia yesterday, the Chief Executive of Monimichelle Sports Facility Construction Limited, Mr. Ebi Egbe, said that Enyimba FC is set to return home to play their matches on the geo-tech pitch which would be installed at the Enyimba Stadium.

He said that everything was ready for the installation of the synthetic pitch once his firm and the state Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu agree on the contract

variation. Though Ebi did not disclose the additional cost following the contract variation THISDAY however learnt that the rehabilitation of the Enyimba Stadium was originally put at over N300 million. “We must bring Enyimba back home to start their CAF Confederation Cup campaign here,� he said, adding that once the variation is sorted out, the facilities should be ready by second week of February.

The People’s Elephants should be ready to return home by then and trample on visiting opponents,� pledged the Monimichelle boss.

Ebi who is a FIFA match agent, stated that Enyimba FC deserves the best facilities given their stature not only as the darling team of Abia, Nigeria but a force to be reckoned with in African club football. “We must make sure that their stadium meets international standard,� he said.

To this end, the contractor noted that aside from the turf other facilities like the stadium roof, dressing room, electronic

score board, among others, would all be upgraded to international standard.

The Monimichelle CEO, whose firm upgraded the Samson Siasia Stadium in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, said that the same geo-tech pitch would be installed at Enyimba Stadium He explained that the variation was occasioned by the difference in the exchange rates from when the contract was signed and now. “Synthetic grass is very expensive and because of the value of Nigeria’s currency now compared with when we signed the contract, to get the Euro is at additional cost. He noted that it costs as much as over 200 million Euros to grass a standard field.

Ebi insisted that geo-tech pitch, which is the vogue now, was the best for the Enyimba Stadium measuring 110 by 74 metres in dimension.

He confirmed that most top level players avoid playing on the synthetic pitches scattered all over the country in order to avoid unnecessary injuries “Our pitches have zero undulation,� he boasted of the

quality of his products.

He however warned that having been playing on the natural grass of the Calabar stadium, “Enyimba players would need two to three months to get accustomed to the world-class facility being put in place for the team.

Egbe pointed out that the period of adjustment to the new pitch would be eliminated if the People’s Elephants could relocate to the Samson Siasia Stadium in Yenagoa that made of the same stuff as the Aba stadium.

Abia State Commissioner for Sports, Dr Martins Okoji, said that the re-grassing of the Enyimba Stadium has been a very serious issue which has been receiving adequate attention from the state government. “The entire Abia people are worried that Enyimba have been playing their matches ‘away’ in the last two seasons. “The expectation of Abia people is that Enyimba should no more play their matches outside Aba,� he said, adding that the rebranded Enyimba Stadium would be ready before February 24.

Zenith/Delta Principal’s Cup Hostilities to Resume Jan. 23 The Delta State Principal’s Cup organised for all secondary schools and sponsored by Zenith Bank is staging a return on January 23 with matches to be decided in 10 different zonal centres.

Last month, the tournament which is now in its second edition, went on break due to the school activities of the students and the festivities.Â

All the teams that excelled as champions in their respective local governments will return to action to seek a place in the quarterfinal stage of the competitions.

This is the most crucial stage of the competition as 35 schools from various LGAs are to compete for eight quarterfinal slots between January 23 and 25.  In some of the matches,

Aniocha North takes on Ukwuani on January 23, Aniocha North will UtagbaOgbe Grammar School, Kwale as venue At the Otor-Udu Primary School, Otor Udu centre, representatives from Warri South and Burutu will clash on opening day while Burutu will play final decisive match against Ughelli North 1 before

the last group match between Ughelli North 1 and Warri South. The eight qualifiers for the quarterfinals will compete for honours between February 13 and 16 at four different centres at venues yet to be determined.

The semifinals will take place on February 21 and 22 at venues also yet to be determined by the organizing team while the final is March 3.

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY JANUARY 11, 2018

55

Thursday, January 11, 2018

TR

UT H

& RE A S O

N

Price: N250

MISSILE Ajimobi to Nigerian Youths “I left Nigeria in 1963 to study abroad but throughout my stay there, I was washing dead bodies to support myself to go to school. Whenever I got home from work, I would be weeping, remembering the number of dead bodies I washed. But against all odds, I survived and that is why I am urging the youths to see hard work as the only way to success” Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi, on the virtue of work.

OLUSEGUNADENIYI Of Oxford, Rome and 2019 THE VERDICT

olusegun.adeniyi@thisdaylive.com

H

ow do you feel about the next generation of Nigerian leaders?

That was the first question from the Dean of the Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford University, Prof Ngaire Woods on Monday. It was in the course of a meeting between the authorities of the school and the team from the African Initiative for Governance (AIG), a not-for-profit institution being gradually but steadily built by former Access Bank Managing Director and current President of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Mr Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede. The essence of the session was to explore opportunities for collaboration between AIG and Oxford University in the years ahead.

On the side of Woods at the meeting were the School’s Director of Development, Dr Kirstine Knox; Head of Executive Office, Hillary CoyneBar and Head of Partnership and Fellowships, Gail Allan. Renowned Professor of Economics and Public Policy, Sir Paul Collier was also invited to join in along with other eminent scholars from Oxford. From the AIG Board were Mr Aig-Imoukhuede, his wife, Ofovwe, Access Bank Group Managing Director, Mr Herbert Wigwe, Ms Chienye Ogwo, the AIG Chief Executive Officer and three members of the Panel of Advisors, including our chairman, former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Although we are seven on the Panel, only Obasanjo, this reporter and Mrs Yemisi Ayeni--a former finance director of the Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company, (SNEPCO) and the first Nigerian woman to be appointed to the Board of a Shell company in the country—were present at Oxford. The other four who could not make the meeting are Dr Enase Okonedo, Dean of Lagos Business School; Mr Abubakar B. Mahmoud, SAN and Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President; Mr Ernest Ebi, former CBN Deputy Governor for Policy and Corporate Services and current Chairman of Fidelity Bank Plc and Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, an economist and investment banker who is currently the Finance Minister of Ghana.

Apparently following series of earlier discussions between Aig-Imoukhuede and the Woods-led team from the Blavatnik School of Government, the Monday session succeeded in securing, on an annual basis, online training that would be facilitated by Prof Collier for hundreds of serious minded public servants in both Ghana and Nigeria though the final details will have to be worked out in the coming weeks and months. With Ofori-Atta now a top man in Ghana, AIG should have no problem securing the buy-in of the country’s authorities but while the Head of Service of the Federation, Mrs Winifred Eyo-Ita may have been supportive of AIG efforts thus far, it is our hope that Nigeria’s peculiar politics will not hinder the next level of engagement.

The whole idea arises from the realisation that the poor record of public sector governance not only in Nigeria but within the continent is an underlining factor in our current level of underdevelopment. Intent on changing the narrative, Aig-Imoukhuede some years ago conceived the idea of bringing private

Aig-Imoukhuede sector innovation, leadership and funding to attract, inspire and support future leaders of the public sector in Nigeria and Ghana. It is a tall ambition by Aig-Imoukhuede and I remember our inaugural session in 2015 where I spoke about expectations that could also come with possible disappointments, especially in our kind of environment.

To achieve its objective, the AIG would sponsor five scholarships annually for outstanding Nigeria and Ghanaians from all backgrounds--young men and women who are passionate about the public sector and are ready to pursue the Master of Public Policy degree at the Blavatnik School of Government (BSG), University of Oxford. Upon graduation, such Scholars will be expected to return to their home country and apply their learning experience to drive best practice standards of governance by ensuring sustainable economic growth and social justice.

In addition to the scholarships, the AIG is also funding an annual Fellowship tenable at the BSG. It is open to senior officials or practitioners in Nigeria and Ghana who have made outstanding contributions to the development and implementation of a policy that has had a meaningful impact on growth, development and the public good in their respective country. The first pick last year was former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega who has since completed the programme and is back to Bayero University in Kano where he was once the Vice Chancellor. The second fellow this year is Justice Georgina Woods who retired recently as the Chief Justice of Ghana. Over the longer term, AIG is working to establish Africa’s version of the Lee Kuan Yew Institute where hundreds of Africans will be given world class postgraduate training on an on-going basis.

On Monday, we had our first formal meeting with the six AIG scholars (five from Nigeria and one from Ghana). We were joined by Dr Stefan Dercon, Professor of Economic Policy and Director of the Centre for the Study of African Economies; Dr Martin Williams, Associate Professor in Public Management; Dr

Folashade Soule-Kohndou, a Global Leaders Fellow who hails from Republic of Benin; Dr Emily Jones, an Associate Professor in Public Policy and Rafat Ali Al-Akhali, a Fellow of Practice – Strategic Projects. Not only was I impressed by the young scholars whose horizons have been broadened, I could recall the interactions I had with each one of them in the course of the interview session early last year. So, in a way, I felt justified that we made the right selection.

However, what I took away from the Oxford session was the challenge before our country and continent. For instance, in his contributions before he left our meeting for another engagement (though he would join us later both at the Obasanjo lecture—during which my late boss, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, was at the receiving end of the usual vitriol—and at the dinner), Prof Collier shared interesting perspectives on the significance of the AIG idea and how it could serve as a catalyst for change. He drew examples from several countries that have tried it with varying results. “When you have a small group that is committed to shared ideals and a higher purpose, it can help to galvanise others and transform a bigger pool”, said Collier before highlighting what he considers the next big challenge for the continent: the growing demographic bulge.

Interestingly, Collier is looking at the challenge from the angle of the opportunities it also offers in that new cities would have to be built to accommodate the ever-increasing population and that in itself creates incentives for new economies in transportation, in environment, in education etc. Meanwhile, African leaders have hardly shown any concerns about the implications of a population explosion amid dwindling resources and lack of opportunities. This became glaring for me yesterday afternoon in Rome, Italy.

In continuation of the research into my coming book on irregular migration, I was at the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Coordination Office for the Mediterranean where I had a very productive, albeit, depressing meeting with two of their top officials. With Nigeria, for a third year running, topping (by a far margin) the numbers of irregular migrants either arriving in Europe or perishing on the Mediterranean Sea, I believe the authorities are not doing enough to tackle this challenge . “Just this morning (yesterday) we got information from our office in Libya that there was a ship wreck with more than 100 persons now missing (IOM euphemism for dead bodies that are yet to be recovered)”, said Flavio Di Giacomo, the IOM spokesperson for the Rome office.

Another official, Ms Giulia Falzoi, who said she had stayed in Nigeria more than 15 years ago wondered why the challenge of prostitution ring involving Edo State rather than abate seems to be growing. “What worries me is that the girls being lured into this unfortunate trade are getting younger and younger with some of them within the age bracket of 14 to 17. It is more depressing that even when we want to help some of them, they refuse help

because they believe in the efficacy of the oaths they were forced to take by their ‘Madams’ who brought them from home under the false pretence that they were going to learn some trade, mostly hairdressing before selling them as prostitutes on European streets.”

When I look at both the interactions at Oxford and Rome, I can see a connection because taken together, they tell the story of Nigeria. Rome presents the dark side of our country while Oxford speaks to the endless possibilities. To deal with the latter or harness the potentials in the former will take leadership and that unfortunately is where the problem lies. Even with all the noise about 2019, there is no real debate going on about how we can overcome the challenges we face beyond scapegoating and the usual empty promises: I will fight corruption; I will provide free health services; I will offer free education; I will create ten million jobs—without telling us how!

Besides, there seems to be neither fresh thinking nor big vision either by those in power or those who seek to take over from them, at practically all levels. The aspirations remain tackling the self-created problems that others before them have promised to “fight” without much success. Yet, leaders, according to George Ambler, must focus on a future they want to create, rather than the problem they intend to solve because by focusing only on the latter, they will always be subject to the what he described as “the “whims of circumstances”.

However, the challenge of our country is that the leadership selection process seems incapable of producing those who can harness our immense potentials by dreaming big. That was what my friend, Prof. Wale Adebanwi, Director of the African Studies Centre and Rhodes Professor of Race Relations, lamented about when I visited his office on Monday.

The nature of our politics is such that we produce only leaders who come to power to share rent proceeds or dispense patronage, as we have seen over the years, leaders who can neither create opportunities nor even solve existing problems. What saddens even more is that our leaders have never consciously groomed successors let alone invest in successor generation.

At the level of planning for the future, the absence of any strategic approach to public policy has meant that Nigeria never projects, never anticipates and never envisions beyond the immediate and that reflects in the state of our critical infrastructure and social services—from education to health.

But to the extent that we cannot continue that way if we must develop, it is not too late to embrace a new culture and a new thinking for the public service and that explains why I wholeheartedly support the vision of Aig-Imoukhuede’s AIG. Beyond what the government can do, we need men and women with resources to begin seizing the space with innovative ideas that will help to empower the young and brilliant of our society for the future that is still very much within our reach.

Printed and Published in Lagos by THISDAY Newspapers Limited. Lagos: 35 Creek Road, Apapa, Lagos. Abuja: Plot 1, Sector Centre B, Jabi Business District, Solomon Lar Way, Jabi North East, Abuja .

All Correspondence to POBox 54749, Ikoyi, Lagos. EMAIL: editor@thisdaylive.com, info@thisdaylive.com. TELEPHONE Lagos: 0802 2924721-2, 08022924485. Abuja: Tel: 08155555292, 08155555929 24/7 ADVERTISING HOT LINES: 0811 181 3086, 0811 181 3087, 0811 181 3088, 0811 181 3089, 0811 181 3090. ENQUIRIES & BOOKING: adsbooking@thisdaylive.com