Friday 16TH FEBRUARY 2018

Fuel Scarcity: Kachikwu Explains Persistence, Insists No Increase in Pump Price Directs NNPC to clear queues in Abuja before Sunday IOCs still cheat Nigeria in PSC earnings, says report Omololu Ogunmade and Chineme Okafor in Abuja In spite of the difference between the N170 landing cost

of petrol and N145 pump price ceiling, the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, insisted on Thursday, that the federal government had no

plans to jerk up the price of the essential commodity.

The minister’s position was reinforced by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and

Downplays US Shale oil rebound

Publicity to the Vice President, Mr Laolu Akande, who, at a post National Economic Council (NEC) meeting briefing for State House correspondents

in Abuja, said emphatically that price increase was not on the card for now.

Kachikwu, however, explained that the scarcity of

petrol and the attendant queues at petrol service stations across Nigeria had lingered for long Continued on page 10

NEC: Social Investment Programme Marred by Fraud, Corruption… Page 10 Friday 16 February, 2018 Vol 23. No 8338. Price: N250

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Bloody Day in Zamfara State as Gunmen Kill 41 Police: It’s conflict among hunters, vigilantes and bandits

Iyobosa Uwugiaren in Abuja with agency report and Mohammed Aminu in Gusau The orgy of violence in the country continued on Wednesday as 41 persons were killed by bandits who invaded Birane, a sleepy agrarian village in Zurmi Local Government

FG orders deployment of troops in troubled states

Area of Zamfara State.

The state police command's spokesman, DSP Muhammad Shehu, in a statement, confirmed the incident and said it was a conflict among hunters, local vigilantes and the bandits.

Continued on page 12

FG Announces Offering of $2.5bn Eurobond Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja The Federal Government has announced the offering of US$2.5 billion Eurobond aggregate principal amount of dual series notes (the “Notes”) under its Global Medium Term Note Programme.

The Notes comprise a US$1.25 billion 12-year series and a US$1.25 billion 20-year series.

The 12-year series will bear interest at a rate of 7.143 per cent, while the 20-year series

will bear interest at a rate of 7.696 per cent and, in each case, will be repayable with a bullet repayment of the principal on maturity.

The offering is expected to close on or about February 23, 2018, subject to the satisfaction of various customary closing conditions.

Nigeria intends to use the proceeds of the Notes for the refinancing of domestic debt.

They represent the country's Continued on page 12

Ramaphosa Steps In, Delivers State REVIVING THE BETTER ECONOMY...

Centeral Bank Governor, Chief Godwin Emefiele; Governor of Zamfara State, Alhaji Abdul’aziz Yari; and his Kogi State of the Nation Address Today… Page 12 L-R: counterpart, Alhaji Yahaya Bello; during the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja … yesterday godwin omoigui

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NEC: Social Investment Programme Marred by Fraud, Corruption 15.8% of budgeted N1trillion spent in 2016, 2017 Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja The federal government's social investment programme is characterised by large scale corruption and fraud, the National Executive Council (NEC) disclosed yesterday.

Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the monthly NEC meeting in the Presidential Villa, Special Adviser to the President on Social Investment, Mrs. Maryam Uwais, said the programme was hampered by corruption and racketeering by some officials in the states whom she said took advantage of the level of prevalent illiteracy and poverty among aged citizens to perpetrate malpractices.

She also stated that some of the gatemen extort those seeking to obtain loans, emphasising that states were implored to assist in stopping these corrupt cases characterizing the programme adding that they were encouraged to assist beneficiaries in opening

personal accounts and also generating bank verification numbers (BVN) for them.

She said they were also implored to assist in screening and training of cooks handling the school feeding programme.

The special adviser who put the number of beneficiaries of the programme so far at 7,821,201, added that only 15.8 per cent of the N1 trillion budgeted for the programmes in 2016 and 2017 had been spent. She described the amount as the release made to her office by the federal government.

In view of the corrupt practices impeding the implementation of the programme, Uwais said her office had pleaded with governors to assist it in stemming the tide of the situation in their various states.

According to Uwais, who admitted that her office is weak in monitoring, said traditional rulers, Department of State Services (DSS), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and National Security and

Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) had been engaged to help in apprehending perpetrators of the fraud.

"Total actual spending in 2016 and 2017 is 15.8 per cent of amount appropriated. This is the amount that has been released out of the budget appropriated for Social Investment Programme.

"We identified seven challenges relating to corrupt practices by some state officials, racketeering, taking advantage of the level of illiteracy of the women who are poor and illiterate. Their vulnerabilities are exploited. We pleaded with state governors to take more interest in what is going on so they can be protected. We are weak in monitoring.

"So, we also asked the state governors to support us with logistics. In some communities, we can only access them through bush paths and see how they can support us with offices for their own staff and all that is required for us to operate seamlessly in the states. We mentioned that

we are collaborating with certain organisations within the federal government which have presence in the states and are helping us with monitoring.

"We engaged traditional rulers.

We engaged DSS. We engaged EFCC where fraud is involved because we really need to monitor and we also engaged the civil defence which has agreed to give us armed policemen and also armed civil defence to guard the women the day they are being paid. We asked for some assistance. For example where some of the state officials act as gate keepers. They charged the beneficiaries who apply for loans certain amounts. So, we asked the states to take better interest and to stop those malpractices because they are actually cheating these people who are already poor.

"We ask states to facilitate the generation of BVN and opening of accounts for some of these people and also to form cooperative so that they can access our loans. For the school feeding, we asked them

to fast track the commencement of the programmes in states where they haven't started.

"We asked them to assist us in screening the cooks and also training them and also strengthening the monitoring and evaluation because we keep seeing or hearing stories of what is happening and we are trying to curtail those but because of the remoteness of some of these communities, the information doesn't come to us early enough but we are encouraging everybody to give us feedback; to tell us what kind of food is being fed to the children because we have come to agreement to set menu of nutritional content required for children of that age," she stated.

Also briefing, the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Oluranti Adebule, said the audit of 18 revenue generating agencies including the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Nigeria Customs Service, Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agencies (NIMASA),

among others, conducted by KPMG revealed several cases of under-remittance and late remittances into the various accounts by the agencies.

She therefore said the committee which co-ordinated the audit recommended that NEC should decide on repayment plans for all concerned as well as stepping up oversight functions on relevant agencies to ensure proper remittance as well as proper and regular audit of the amount of the revenue generated by agencies. "There is also the need for annual review of the agencies," she added.

On his part, Akande reported the submission of Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, to the council on the balances in the federation accounts as of February, 14, 2018. According to him, the balance in excess crude account stood at $2,317,252,449.57; N11,290,664,060.06 in the stabilisation account and N123,624,644,411.24 in natural resource account.

F U E L SCARC ITY: KACHIKWU EXPLA IN S PER SI ST E N C E, I N SI ST S N O I N C R EASE I N PU M P P RI C E because the federal government had been unable to address the logistics and policy issues that could end the shortage.

Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, to intimate journalists with the ministry’s plan to host a new oil and gas conference and exhibition, the Nigerian International Petroleum Summit (NIPS), next week in Abuja, the minister said the country would have to address certain fundamental policy issues especially with regards to the price of petrol to make the scarcity go away.

He, however, reiterated that the government was not ready to effect any pump price increment, adding that President Muhammadu Buhari was sympathetic to the sufferings of Nigerians in this regards and thus committed to keeping the price at N145 per litre.

Also with regards to the country’s hosting of the maiden edition of the NIPS at a time its downstream petroleum sector is greatly challenged with petrol scarcity and the kind of message this could send to the global audience that would be attending the conference, the minister said he would direct the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to ensure the queues in Abuja are cleared before the conference starts.

“I can tell you behind the scenes, a lot of meetings are taking place because the fuel queue issue is both logistics and policy issues. We will need to address fundamental policy issues to enable it go away especially in the area where the

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pricing is showing differentials between the landing and sales price, what do we need to do to continue to sell at N145,” said Kachikwu.

He, however, added: “The president is obviously very committed in keeping the price of petrol at where it is because he realises and sympathises with the sufferings of Nigerians.

“We did a massive price hike two years ago under me, we don’t intend to do that again.

We need quite a lot of efficiency re-engineering, that is one of the things that both the NNPC and most of the parastatals who are involved in this are doing. So, give us a bit of time, a little bit of patience.”

Responding to a question on how the country would host the NIPS in the midst of a lingering fuel supply crisis in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the minister said: “I take your point and my directive to NNPC would be to get these queues out of Abuja.

“The NNPC is working round the clock on this, if you remember when this first started in December, it was a lot more massive. Lagos is fuel queues free and a lot of the state capitals are. Abuja is still struggling because of the logistics issues. I haven’t gone round today but when I went round yesterday there was a huge improvement and I will be instructing the NNPC to do whatever it takes to ensure there was no queues next week.

“Quite frankly, they will have to do whatever it takes to get this eliminated in Abuja, that is the directive I will be sending to the NNPC and let them work night and day to put a lot more efforts in trying to do this.”

Also explaining the shortage at the end of the meeting of NEC, at the State House, Abuja on Thursday, Bauchi State Governor, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar, said the Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Maikanti Baru, briefed the council on the lingering fuel scarcity across the country.

According to him, the shortage was caused by what he described as an inter-play in exchange rate and the price of crude oil at the international market, explaining

that the trend affects the landing cost of refined products in Nigeria.

Abubakar said given the development, the current N145 pump price of petrol is "almost impossible" and hence, NEC asked its committee to interface with the NNPC to examine the current cost of fuel.

"As at today, most of all independent marketers have stopped importing refined products into Nigeria. It is only the NNPC that has been doing it. And the NNPC has been suffering a lot of setbacks - the highest amount of under-recovery. By under recovery, it means the inter-play between the landing cost of a litre of the PMS in Nigeria and the pump price of that product.

"If the product lands at N170 for example and you sell at N145, immediately, you know that you have an under-recovery of about N25 for each litre of fuel. So, he submitted his report and the National Economic Council has a committee that has been interfacing with all revenue generating agencies of the federal government under the chairmanship of the governor of Gombe State.

"That committee has been charged with the responsibility of interfacing with NNPC with a view to determining the correct price for (premium motor spirit) PMS considering the price of the product in especially countries that are bordering Nigeria. Because that is one of the reasons that encourage smuggling of the products to these areas," Abubakar stated.

But responding to a question on whether he meant that the committee was expected to come up with a new pump price of fuel, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Laolu Akande, was swift to clarify that the committee's assignment does not include a review of the current price of fuel, saying there was no plan whatsoever to review the price upward.

No Panic over Shale Oil Rebound Responding to questions on the rebound of Shale oil and its likely impact on the market, Kachikwu explained that the

recent rebound that halted the bullish price rise that the oil market witnessed on the back of production cuts agreements reached and implemented by member countries of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-OPEC members led by the Russian Federation, was not so much of a worry to OPEC. According to him, the slight drop in oil prices were still insignificant as to push OPEC to become reactionary.

He said: “In terms of the price, I don’t think we need to be panicky about it, we hit an all-time $70 per barrel in December, which was a surprise to all of us. We are not ruffled by it, I know it has come down to highest $60s now.

“Shale has got to be active and we know whenever we are in excess of $65, Shale gets very active because the fundamentals become much more supportive to Shale investments.”

“But, I’ve always said that OPEC needs to just focus on itself and what it needs to do, and forget what is happening in Shale. Every OPEC producer must work hard to be a least cost producer because the truth is that if Shale can produce at $65, there is absolutely no reason why we should be struggling.

So, upper $60s is not too bad, we moved from $27 and $28, let’s not begin to complain, it is a bit too early. These things fluctuate.”

He also explained that government decided to host the NIPS to help Nigeria’s oil and gas industry build its capacities and competitiveness.

Kachikwu noted: “The NIPS is supposed to be the African OTC equivalent. Those of you who were at the Houston OTC last year when I attended will remember that I made a policy statement that effective this year, we are going to begin to wind down our massive attendance at the OTC and this is not against the values from the OTC but for over the years, tons and tons of Nigerians go to the OTC for jamboree and I decided that going forward we will not be going to the

OTC enmass anymore, we will try and develop our industry because a lot is happening in our industry.”

Report Says IOCs Still Cheat Nigeria in PSC Earnings Meanwhile, a report, the 2017 Benchmarking Exercise, conducted by the Nigeria Natural Resource Charter (NNRC) has disclosed that the current earnings of the Nigerian government from crude oil Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) it signed with International Oil Companies (IOCs) operating in her oil fields were amongst the lowest in the world.

The NNRC report, also noted that at the moment, the fiscal regime that applies to Nigeria’s production of crude oil was skewed more in favour of the IOCs than to the country, which owns the oil, adding that the administration of oil-related taxes in the country were still very complex, thus leaving a lot of loopholes that IOCs leverage to short-change her.

Presented on Thursday at a workshop organised by NNRC in Abuja, the report looked at a set of precepts that measure how well Nigeria has done in managing her natural resource, in this case oil and gas, for the benefit of its current and future generations of citizens, in 2017, and disclosed that not very much had happened to guarantee that the industry was progressive.

The NNRC said it was in charge of implementing the Natural Resource Charter (NRC) in Nigeria, and that the charters in the NRC included 12 precepts bothering on legal framework and institutions in the oil industry, transparency and accountability, exploration, licensing and monitoring, taxation and other company payments, as well as the local impacts of oil and gas exploration and production amongst others.

On the precept that has to do with taxation and other company payments, the report stated: “The fiscal regimes remain unfavourable to Nigeria with the International Oil Companies benefiting more.

The taxes in the sector remain complex with multiple agencies saddled with the responsibilities of collecting diverse types of taxes

and streams of revenues and the ability of revenue authorities to collect what is due remains in doubt due to inadequate capacity and resources.”

It further explained on this that: “Government’s take from the PSCs for Nigeria remains among the lowest in the world and deep-water oil royalties remain at zero per cent.”

The report stated that there are lots of outdated contracts and expired memorandum of understandings that are still in force in the industry, adding that they are all resulting to under assessments and underpayments.

On exploration and licensing, it said that the level of disclosure of information on exploration licenses were still very poor, and that while the power of licenses award was still within the purview of the minister of petroleum resources, this leaves room for abuse and unnecessary delays.

Speaking on the report, the NRC Program Coordinator, Tengi George-Ikoli, explained that the NRC was designed as a global initiative to help governments and societies effectively harness the opportunities created for them by their natural resources, and that the benchmarking exercise report was in line with this.

George-Ikoli, said: “The NNRC uses the results from the assessment to proffer policy options and practical advice for government, civil society, and stakeholders in general on how to best to manage resource wealth for the overall benefits of the people.

“The first 10 precepts provide guidance on how best to manage natural resources while the last two precepts focus on the actors in the field, mainly the extractive companies and those responsible for international governance.”

She stated as regards Nigeria: “We recognise that the government has embraced a number of reforms notably the approval of the national oil and gas tax policies by the Federal Executive Council and the recent passage of the PIGB by both houses of the National Assembly, however, there is yet more to be done to quell the incidences of fuel subsidy currently affecting the lives of Nigerians.”

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Ramaphosa Steps In, Delivers State of the Nation Address Today Pledges not to disappoint South Africans Ejiofor Alike with agency reports Newly-elected President of South Africa, Mr. Cyril Ramaphosa, is expected to deliver his first state of the nation address today barely 24 hours after he was elected in a parliamentary vote, a day after the resignation of former President Jacob Zuma.

In his brief remarks to parliament yesterday, after taking the oath of office, Ramaphosa said he would work hard “not to disappoint the people of South Africa.”

He also pledged to tackle endemic corruption after scandal-ridden Zuma resigned on orders from the ruling African National Congress (ANC).

Ramaphosa was elected unopposed as Zuma’s permanent successor by parliament and confirmed in the post by South African Chief Justice, Mr. Mogoeng Mogoeng, who had earlier read out the former president’s resignation letter.

Pretoria East Record reported that Ramaphosa would decide whom the deputy president would be after he has been sworn in as president yesterday.

Treasurer General, Paul Mashatile, said the party would move swiftly in parliament to get the work of government going again.

South Africa's embattled former president, Zuma, resigned after intense pressure from his party.

In a televised statement, he said he was quitting with immediate effect but said he disagreed with his party's decision.

The ANC had told him to step down or face a vote of no confidence in parliament.

Reuters reported that the 75-year-old has been facing calls to give way to Deputy President Ramaphosa, the ANC's new leader.

Zuma, who assumed power since 2009, faces numerous allegations of corruption.

Earlier on Wednesday, police swooped on the Johannesburg home of the powerful and wealthy Gupta family with whom Zuma has close ties.

According to agency reports, Zuma began his speech by laughing and joking with members of the press, asking them why they looked so serious.

After paying tribute to those whom he had worked with over the years, Zuma said that violence and division within the ANC had influenced his decision to step down.

"No life should be lost in my name and also the ANC should never be divided in my name. I have, therefore, come to the decision to resign as president of the republic with immediate effect," he said.

Buhari congratulates him

in the days of apartheid, rose through the ranks of the party to become president. He led the country for more than a third of its time after apartheid.

But he leaves office with several scandals hanging over him, and with South Africa's economy in dire straits.

The road back to prosperity and self-respect under Ramaphosa, 65, who became ANC's head in December, will be long and hard in a nation still polarised by race and inequality more than two decades after the end of white-minority rule.

However, Zuma’s departure late on Wednesday provided evidence of the strength of South Africa’s democratic institutions, from the courts to

the media and the constitution.

In his brief remarks to parliament ahead of his first state of the nation address that is expected today, Ramaphosa said: “The issues that you have raised, issues that have to do with corruption, issues of how we can straighten out our state-owned enterprises and how we deal with state capture (influence-peddling) are issues that are on our radar screen.”

Ramaphosa is expected to make any changes to the cabinet after his address today.

In a related development, the rand, which has gained ground whenever Zuma ran into political turbulence, soared to a near three-year

high against the dollar on word of his resignation.

South Africa’s main stock market index jumped nearly four per cent and headed for its biggest one-day gain in more than two years as investors hailed Zuma’s exit after nine years in office rife with allegations of sleaze and mismanagement.

Ratings agency Moody’s said it was closely monitoring developments in South Africa, focusing on the policy implications of Zuma’s political demise.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday congratulated Ramaphosa on his election.

In a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, the president also felicitated with the African National Congress (ANC)) and the government and people of South Africa, on the peaceful transfer of power, which he said resulted in the election of Ramaphosa.

Buhari saluted the leadership and statesmanship of the former president, Zuma, and wished him the best in his future endeavours.

He said he looked forward to working with the new South African president and an enhanced cooperation of the governments of Africa’s two leading economies.

short term, with lower-cost international debt, with a longer tenor. We will have a range of Eurobonds in issue, encompassing five-year, 10year, 12 year, 15 year, 20-year and 30-year bonds, giving investors a full basket of options to participate in. ” Commenting on the Notes’ pricing, the DMO Director General, Patience Oniha said: "With the successful

pricing of our 5th Eurobond, Nigeria’s status as an Issuer of Eurobonds with a strong and diverse investor base has been further consolidated.

This time Nigeria has priced a new 12-year bond at a yield of 7.143% and a 20-year bond at a yield of 7.696%, both of which are consistent in price with our existing portfolio. I am particularly pleased that the issuance will enable us

to refinance a portion of our existing domestic debt portfolio, with external debt at considerably lower cost, but also that the impact of the process has already led to a reduction in the cost of domestic borrowing, and so a double benefit for the cost of our broader debt portfolio.

Lower domestic rates will also benefit corporate borrowers.”

bush, but unknown to the hunters, the cattle rustler went to Isah Local Government Area of Sokoto State and mobilised bandits to attack the hunters.

“On February 14, the bandits ambushed the hunters in the bush and there was a clash that led to fatality on both sides.

“Police/Military and other sister agencies reacted by combing the bush and it’s environs to salvage the situation and discovered 18 dead bodies.

“It is believed that the bandits took away their own members that were killed. Meanwhile, bush combing is in progress so as to further profile the area.

“Mobile policemen/special forces and other security personnel from other sister security agencies have already been deployed to the area to restore peace and stability.”

The police spokesman said that the command’s intelligence unit had already embarked on investigation to arrest the perpetrators of the attack.

He said: "You know Birane is a very remote community.

Yet, I can't tell you the actual

figures of the casualties till after the Deputy Commissioner, Operations, of the command comes back.

"He, alongside other officers are there to assess the situation and provide additional security measures."

The country has been literarily soaked in blood since the New Year, which opened with the killing of 73 farmers by armed herdsmen in Goma and Logo Local Government Areas of Benue State. Similar killings have occurred in Adamawa and Taraba States, with the federal government telling an enraged nation that it was up to the task of securing the lives and property of Nigerians.

the State House, Abuja after the meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC).

He said the decision followed the recommendation of the report of the Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo-led committee on herdsmen violence, which was submitted to the council.

The committee, he said, recommended the deployment of the military to forests surrounding troubled states to flush out bandits whose activities have been linked to such violence.

He also said the working group of the committee noted that an Agro Rangers Corps needs to be trained to provide security around ranches, livestock production centers and grazing routes.

"The vice-president also informed council that the President has approved the formation of a Committee to look into the issue of rebuilding affected communities and providing welfare and other facilities as may be considered appropriated," the governor added.

Ramaphosa

"Even though I disagree with the decision of the leadership of my organisation, I have always been a disciplined member of the ANC. As I leave, I will continue to serve the people of South Africa as well as the ANC, the organisation I have served... all of my life,” Zuma added.

ANC issued a statement saying Zuma's resignation provided "certainty to the people of South Africa."

Deputy Secretary General Jessie Duarte told reporters: "President Zuma remains a principled member of the ANC,” adding” “the ANC wants to salute the outstanding contribution he has made."

Zuma, a former member of the ANC's military wing

FG ANNOUNCES OFFERING OF $2.5BN EUROBOND fifth Eurobond issuance, following issuances in 2011, 2013 and two in 2017.

The offering has attracted significant interest from leading global institutional investors with a peak order book of over US$11.5 billion.

When issued, the Notes will be admitted to the official list of the UK Listing Authority and available to trade on the London Stock Exchange’s

regulated market.

The Republic may apply for the Notes to be eligible for trading and listed on the Nigerian FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange and the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

The pricing was determined following a series of short meetings and conference calls with investors.

Commenting following the successful pricing, the

Minister of Finance Mrs Kemi Adeosun said: “Nigeria is focused on reducing the cost of our debt portfolio and ensuring we have the optimal mix between domestic and international debt. The proceeds of the issuance, which would supplement the issuances we completed in 2017, will be used to re-finance domestic debt, which is high cost and

BLOODY DAY IN ZAMFARA STATE AS GUNMEN KILL 41 The news of the wanton killing coincided with the decision of the federal government to deploy troops in states troubled by armed herdsmen and other bandits.

The latest violence tested the will of the federal government to end the wanton killings in the North-west region of the country, particularly in Zamfara, that had come under heavy fire by bandits who rustled cattle and made life difficult for the people.

After gunmen torched dozens of residences and sent 24 persons to the great beyond in about three communities in Shinkafi Local Government Area of the state last November, the federal government indicated its intention to establish a brigade of the Nigerian Army in some states to stem the killings in the region, particularly in Zamfara, Kebbi and Katsina.

But the government’s expression of intention to balance the terror of the bandits would appear not to have deterred the outlaws as Senator Kabiru Marafa, the

senator representing Zamfara Central Senatorial District of the state told the Senate earlier in the month that the bloodletting had persisted beyond human imagination.

Thursday’s massacre at Birani, THISDAY gathered, occurred when the gunmen intercepted a Canter vehicle conveying bridesmaids and traders to the community market and slit the throat of the driver and then opened fire on the vehicle, killing everybody on board.

Bodies of the dead, it was further gathered, were set ablaze by the killers. The bandits, a source said, then proceeded to the community market and shot indiscriminately at all in sight.

The traders were said to have scampered for safety as the bloodthirsty gunmen continued their assault unabated.

"They arrived in large number and on motorbikes intercepting and killing people who were either coming or going out of the village. About 41 persons were shot dead within a short period of time,” a resident, Hussaini Abdu, said.

He added that a commercial motorbike rider conveying a woman and her three children was killed and his motor bike burnt.

Police spokesman, Shehu, however, gave a detailed version of the incident in a statement in Gusau.

According to Shehu, the violence started after hunters and local vigilantes mobilized and launched a pre-emptive attack on the bandits when they heard that the outlaws were preparing to attack their community.

He claimed that instead of the residents to give the security operatives timely information to avert the attack, they decided to take the law into their own hands by going out to confront the gunmen.

Shehu said: “On February 13, hunters from Birani Village of Zurmi Local Government Area intercepted and accosted a herder in the bush with some suspected stolen cattle and sheep.

“The herder abandoned the animals and escaped into the

FG Orders Deployment of Troops in Troubled States Meanwhile, the federal government has decided to deploy troops in states troubled by bandits.

Governor of Bauchi State, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar, disclosed this on Thursday at

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COMMENT

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

SUDAN –SUDAN –SUDAN –AND MORE Sudan has much of everything, writes Okello Oculi

S

udan has too much of many things. When the ancestors of Black African Pharoes from east and central Africa started following the River Nile from a vast lake that now borders Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, they were stopped only by the Mediterranean Sea 3000 kilometres away. When Ottoman Turks later ruled over Egypt, vital need for control of Nile waters made them slaughter populations along its way to the sources till rudely driven out by an anti-colonial revolution in Sudan led by a Mahdi. Both colonising journeys bestowed a long country with the Nile as its spinal cord.

Sudan competes strongly with Democratic Republic of Congo for the number of countries it shares borders with. These are Egypt, Libya, Chad, Central and African Republic, Ethiopia and Eritrea. Unlike D.R.Congo and Nigeria which held onto secessionist territories, South Sudan broke away in 2011 and became her southern border. Her total size is 1,886,068 square kms, pushing her from first position before losing South Sudan to third position in size after Algeria and D.R. Congo.

Sudan is rich in sand and solar heat. The Nubian Desert rolls dunes east of the Nile, while the Libyan Desert is west of the river. Both deserts yield enormous heat and lack of water. The Nubian Desert lacks underground water that pops out as oases. Unlike is huge length, the valley of the Nile challenges sands with a habitable strip of land that is only two kms wide. Khartoum, the capital, gets so hot that dormitories at the university had beds on roofs when we visited for an inter-varsity sports competition with Makerere College of the University of East Africa.

Sudan is rich in cotton. Over the centuries, Ethiopia’s mountains sent forth huge flows of river waters loaded with soils that enriched the lowlands between the Blue Nile and White Nile. An agricultural basin, the JAZIRAH, so seduced the greed of Ottoman Turks, that their European agents imposed horrendous labour and agricultural taxes on natives.

The zone exploded into a Freedom basin. A revolutionary leader used injunctions of Sharia Law to call out oppressed and destitute people into a revolt which swept away Turkish rulers.

As the Turks fled, cotton became king.

Sudan was once also rich in colonial rulers. British officials licked their wounds from serving beaten Ottoman Turks, and when their guns silenced Sudanese revolutionary nationalism, they rushed to turn the Jazeera soils into the redeemer for textile mills at Manchester city by replacing cotton imports from its former American colony. Cotton became so dominant that Sudanese men wrap millions of its cloth round their heads to keep their imaginations grounded on land and blessings of Nile waters.

THE POLITICAL IDIOCY OF SUCCESSIVE LEADERS HAD FAILED A COUNTRY WHOSE PIONEER POLITICIANS WAVED A FLAG OF BRIDGING BLACK AND ARABISED NORTH AFRICA

Sudan traps flood waters from the White Nile into the world’s largest swamp of over 30,000 square kms – the size of Belgium. Known as the SUDD, the fierce heat over it boils away ‘’more than half the water that come down the White Nile’’ from lakes around the equator in east and central Africa. When flood waters recede, the grasslands that spring out become huge pastures for livestock. Its only competitor is the delta from silt carried down by River Qash whose grasslands feed abundant food crops and cotton. Sudan is not just sand.

Sudan bleeds liberally when it fights civil wars. Between 1955 and 2011 political elites in Khartoum and Omdurman threw violence at Southern Sudanese which killed over two million and disrupted lives of over four million refugees.

Sudanese intellectuals huddled in a hotel in South Africa, wept bitter tears when it became clear that South Sudanese would vote overwhelmingly for independence. The political idiocy of successive leaders had failed a country whose pioneer politicians waved a flag of bridging Black and Arabised North Africa. Their last hope for a new nationalist leader crumbled with the assassination of John Garang with a plane crash.

Some critics have blamed this failure of leadership on three ethnic clans located in Khartoum and Omdurman where the Blue and White Niles meet. A census of senior and middle level civil servants showed that over 75 per cent of them came from this triumvirate of clans. Fears of a potential military coup by the majority of top military officers drawn from among the Fur, led to their purge by al-Bashir, a military intelligence boss, after his military coup in 1989.

Sudan is rich in mineral resources. The list includes: chromium, copper, iron ore, rare earth, mica, silver, gold, tungsten, gypsum, hydraulic cement, petroleum, etc.

Defenders of President al-Bashir’s use of Arab janjaweed militias and troops to drive rural populations in Darfur into ‘’concentration camps’’, assert that American interest in Darfur lives was driven by satellite pictures revealing vast deposits of platinum, uranium and other strategic minerals under soils in Darfur. The temptation for New York businessmen was the possibility of Darfur being occupied by foreign ‘liberation troops’; and opened for exploitation by subsidiaries of multinational corporations.

Sudan has a population that is potentially volatile. Males and females between the ages 14 and 24 years of age are 60 per cent of the total population. With 81 per cent of males and 63 per cent of females being able to read and write, any organised criticism of failures by Hassan al-Bashir’s long years in power could yield volcanic opposition sand dunes.

WIKE AND PROLIFERATION OF POLITICAL PARTIES Aaron Ossai argues that until our laws are amended, the upsurge in party registration will continue unabated

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he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recently raised the alarm that the number of registered political parties in Nigeria had ballooned to 68. Its concerns bordered on the inherent challenges of such surge, which include complicated and expensive logistics. Newspaper editorials and Radio/TV flagship shows have subsequently followed suit, highlighting the implications of the proliferation and thus confirming INEC’s concerns. Indeed, the aggregate of opinions points to the same direction: the party system implosion would put a heavy strain on our already diminished public pulse and electoral process.

But last week, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State took a reverse lane on the matter, alleging that the “mass registration of new political parties is a deliberate plan

by INEC to manipulate elections in three states”, his state inclusive. The allegation, in my view, flies straight in the face of both fact and logic. My fear is, if unproven and deuced allegations like this are allowed to fester ahead of the next general election, the outcome may be very sad. The political temperature is already getting high. We don’t need politicians to invoke a volcano, in the interest of us all.

For starters, I will take a historical look at the implosion in our party system since the beginning of the Fourth Republic. In 1999, there were only three parties during the general election. It wasn’t that there were no agitations for more parties, but INEC refused to register them. Human rights activist and legal icon, late Gani Fawehinmi, had dragged

the electoral body to the court for his party to be registered. On November 8, 2002, the Supreme Court finally granted his prayers and voided INEC’s guideline which had prevented the registration of more parties.

The Supreme Court agreed with Fawehinmi that “INEC had no power to make guidelines on how an association can become a political party in so far as the Constitution has covered the field in section 222”, stating that “to restrict the formation of political parties weakens the democratic culture”. This judgment gave birth to the surge in political parties ever since.

Few months after the court ruling, INEC was forced to register 27 additional parties, bringing the number to 30 during the 2003 general election. In the next general poll in 2007, 20 more parties were registered, and by 2011, the number of political parties in Nigeria surged to 63! In an apparent bid to curb this galloping increase, the federal lawmakers empowered the electoral umpire to de-register political parties. Thus, on August 17, 2011, the election body delisted seven parties and on December 6, 2012, it ceased to recognise 28 more parties. This trimmed the number of parties in the country to 28. The action provoked reactions from the affected parties, some of them accusing then INEC boss, Prof Attahiru Jega, “of exploiting the deregistration exercise to settle personal vendetta with his foes”. Some of them actually challenged this action in court and defeated INEC. Ever since, the surge has rebooted.

The registration of two new parties on August 16, 2013 brought the number to

30, ahead of the 2015 general elections. On October 21, 2016, INEC registered 10 parties.

The latest registration of 21 parties, which increased the number to 68, understandably sparked debates about the challenges it portends for INEC in the next general election. Unfortunately, some politicians, such as Governor Wike, have feasted on this and included it in their ‘battle strategy’, should they lose.

The reality is that the proliferation of parties will not abate unless an amendment is effected on section 222 of the constitution.

The requirements for party registration as contained in the section are so simple that nothing stops a family from registering their own party. According to section 222 of the constitution, all that a would-be party need to do is to ensure that, “(one) the names and addresses of its national officers are registered with the Independent National Electoral Commission; (two) the membership of the association is open to every citizen of Nigeria irrespective of his place of origin, circumstance of birth, sex, religion or ethnic grouping; (three) a copy of its constitution is registered in the principal office of the Independent National Electoral Commission in such form as may be prescribed by the Independent National Electoral Commission; (four) any alteration in its registered constitution is also registered in the principal office of the Independent National Electoral Commission within 30 days of the making of such alteration(five) the name of the association, its symbol or logo does not contain any ethnic or religious connotation or give the appearance that the activities of

the association are confined to a part only of the geographical area of Nigeria; and(six) the headquarters of the association is situated in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.” Those are the six requirements needed to compel INEC to register a political party.

After the Supreme Court ruling in 2002, INEC can’t refuse to register any political association for any other reasons beyond the ones stated above. It is sad that our lawmakers did not deem it fit to amend section 222 during the recent constitution amendment.

Instead, they preferred to smuggle in the ‘order of elections’ for obvious self-interest, even though it was never discussed at the public hearing as specified by the constitution.

In the United States, for example, for a party to be included on the ballot, it must meet specific requirements in the affected state. A requirement in some states is that you must have 10,000 registered members that are verifiable. So for you to have your logo in a presidential ballot, you must prove that you have 10,000 registered members from each state of the federation. That is why only the Democratic and Republican parties contest in presidential elections. Just imagine amendment to our constitution in the semblance of this proviso. How many of these mushroom parties in Nigeria do you think can show that they have at least 360,000 registered members, with 10,000 from each state? Until our laws are amended, the upsurge in party registration will continue unabated.

Ossai is an Abuja-based newspaper editor

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EDITORIAL THE NFIU CONTROVERSY

The authorities must intervene quickly to ensure that the country is not suspended

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he suspension in July, 2017 of Nigeria from the Egmont group, following failure to grant operational autonomy to the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) was bad news for the ďŹ nancial sector. With the pending expulsion, Nigeria may be denied access to some foreign sources of funds hitherto relied on for funding our deďŹ cit budget in addition to other grants and aids. There is also the risk of other agencies like the Financial Action Task Fund (FATF) blacklisting and categorising Nigeria as a non-cooperative territory which will further put the country under intense ďŹ nancial pressure. The authorities must intervene quickly to resolve whatever the problems are so that Nigeria is not suspended.

The NFIU is currently domiciled in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as a department while Nigeria was accused of divulging conďŹ dential information and constant leakage of sensitive intelligence to the media, contrary to the global best practices. But suspension could impact the ďŹ ght against insurgency and terrorTHE COUNTRY’S ism as support from EXPULSION COULD international agencies AFFECT THE USE OF VISA and organisations AND MASTERCARD CREDIT may be affected if we AND DEBIT CARDS ISSUED are perceived not to

BY NIGERIAN BANKS. IT pay attention to antiCOULD ALSO AFFECT THE money laundering and INTERNATIONAL RATINGS terrorist ďŹ nancing.

OF NIGERIAN FINANCIAL The Egmont INSTITUTIONS Group, the highest inter-governmental association of intelligence agencies in the world with membership by 152 countries, provides a platform for sharing criminal intelligence and ďŹ nancial information bordering on money laundering, terrorism ďŹ nancing, proliferation of arms, corruption, ďŹ nancial crimes, economic crimes, etc.

Nigeria was fully admitted into the coveted body in 2007 after operational admittance in 2005, in what was considered one of the biggest achievements of the Olusegun Obasanjo administration. Some of the agencies that beneďŹ t from the activities of the group include

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he country’s membership paved the path for the removal of Nigerian banks from the blacklist of international ďŹ nance. The blacklisting had prevented the banks from engaging in correspondent banking with foreign institutions and also denied Nigerians access to foreign credit cards. The country’s expulsion could affect the use of Visa and Mastercard credit and debit cards issued by Nigerian banks. It could also affect the international ratings of Nigerian ďŹ nancial institutions, restricting their access to some big-ticket international transactions.

With these implications from an impending expulsion which could happen at the next meeting of the group likely to hold next month (March), news that the Senate and House Committees on Anti-Corruption are unable to harmonize their different versions of the NFIU bill, due to its domiciliation, is a very worrisome development. While the Senate Committee wants the agency removed from the EFCC, to the Central bank of Nigeria, to avoid further interference in its operations, the House Committee believes such a move would amount to a fundamental relocation, with changes that would not avert the expulsion. The House therefore prefers that the agency remains in the EFCC with ďŹ nancial and operational autonomy.

Already, the agency has been granted independent status, with a budget estimate, albeit a measly N800 million (from the N2.9 billion it requested for) for its 2018 expenditure, a step in the right direction. It is however necessary for both committees to quickly ďŹ nd a common ground so as to quickly transmit the harmonised bill to the President for assent, to give legal backing to the independent status of the unit, which is still within the EFCC. It is also necessary that the country realises that this is one agency which it cannot afford to starve of funds, as ďŹ nancial intelligence gathering, home and abroad remains a resource intensive venture.

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.

MYSTERY SNAKE AND A COMEDY OF ERRORS

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he Comedy of Errors is one of William Shakespeare’s early plays. It is his shortest and one of his most farcical comedies, with a major part of the humour coming from slapstick and mistaken identity, in addition to puns and word play.

The play tells the story of two sets of identical twins that were accidentally separated at birth but were eventually united after a series of witty events.

Today, the phrase ‘a comedy of errors’ is often used to describe a situation that is so full of mistakes and problems that it seems funny. On that premise, it won’t be out of place to tag our nation as a ‘Land of Comedy of Errors’. Things happen in our clime that you cannot but remember the famous ‘Charley Boy Show’ where anything can happen. Ours is a land of lots of comedies. Hardly have you finished savouring the amusing effect of a particular national humour than you are faced with the prospect of another rib cracking one. So, it is more of a one day, one comedy scenario.

Few months back, the whole world was given a dose of our characteristic hilarious shows when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) discovered a large sum of money in a house in Ikoyi, Lagos. EFCC operatives allegedly found the cash during a sting operation. Specifically, the operatives uncovered about $38m, N23m and ÂŁ27,000 from the apartment. This comes two days after EFCC operatives recovered â‚Ź547,730 and ÂŁ21,090 as well as N5, 648,500 from a Bureau de Change operator in Balogun

Market, Lagos. Six days earlier, the EFCC had recovered N449, 000, 860 hidden in an abandoned shop also in Lagos. Prior to these discoveries, several millions of cash in different denominations have been discovered in bizarre places such as water tanks, burial grounds, farmlands, among others.

While the foregoing scenario might look odd to those in other climes, it isn’t to us here. It simply follows a well-known tradition of carefully keeping government fund in ‘choice’ places. Years ago, during the Second Republic, a huge amount of money was discovered at the Government House, Kano. It was then such a big scandal. But, typically, the man at the centre of it all, Barkin Zuwo, the then Kano Governor never saw anything strange about the discovery. In his words: “It is simply a case of safe- keeping government money in government house�.

While he was still in the saddle as the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, current Emir of Kano, Lamido Sule Lamido, once alleged that of the $67 billion crude shipped by NNPC between January 2012 and July 2013, only $47 billion was remitted to the Federation Account. According to him, given all the issues raised, the NNPC needed to produce the proof that the $20 billion unremitted either did not belong to the Federation or was legally and constitutionally spent. This was an era when there was a presidential pronouncement that stealing was not corruption. So, it was not really surprising that rather than paid him up for being a patriotic whistle blower, everything was done by the powers that

be to get rid of Lamido.

Ours is a nation of unending jokes. Many have insisted that our survival instinct, in the face of so many mounting pressures, is deeply rooted in our national comedies that are so numerous that it is difficult to arrange them in order of prominence.

As if to authenticate the high rating of the country as a land of plenty comedy, new kid on the block, Philomena Chieshe, a sales clerk in the JAMB office, Makurdi, recently added to our long list of rich comedies when she could not account for N36 million she made in previous years before the abolition of scratch cards. While trying to exonerate herself of any claim of complicity in respect of the missing money, Chieshe alleged that her housemaid connived with another JAMB staff, Joan Asen, to steal the money from the vault in the account office through a weird snake.

Now, while it is true that ours is a land of bountiful comedy, this latest episode seems to have been a joke taken too far. How did the snake manage to swallow such a huge amount of money?

How did it unlock the vault? How did it move the money away from JAMB office? Did it crawl or fly? These are logical questions that every sane mind would want to ask. But then, the situation is an illogical one. It is one that defies logic. This is because a ‘spiritual snake’ is involved, and in the spiritual realm anything can happen!

Tayo Ogunbiyi, Lagos State Ministry of Information & Strategy, Alausa, Lagos

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T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2018

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Group Politics Editor Tobi Soniyi Email tobi.soniyi@thisdaylive.com 07054786260 SMS ONLY

POLITICS In Ekiti, Old Foes Head Back to the Trenches

With the Anambra gubernatorial election out of the way, all eyes are now on the Ekiti governorship election which has already pitted old enemies against one another, writes Shola Oyeyipo

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kiti State is reputed with parading highly educated individuals across the globe. It is a state that has produced many professors, a feat that has earned it the name ‘fountain of knowledge.’

In its political history, it had been governed by a Ph D holder, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, now Minister of Solid Minerals Development who had as his deputy, a professor, Mrs. Mudope Adelabu. Three years ago, Fayemi lost his bid to get re-elected. The electorate then voted for Ayodele Fayose, who though may not be as highly educated as Fayemi, is considered by many as more politically savvy.

After the election of Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress as president, Fayose has become a leading voice of the opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party. He has sustained a very bitter political enmity with the president. He attacked the president ferociously before, during and after the 2015 election and he doesn’t seem ready to back down.

Not only that, after defeating the progressives in the state in an unprecedented landslide victory tagged 16-0 in 2014, with his politics of ‘stomach infrastructure’, he has maintained a firm grip of the state’s politics.

Presently, the search for the next Ekiti governor is on. Not less than fifty aspirants from the All Progressives Congress (APC) are jostling for the seat while the incumbent governor had already settled for his deputy, Professor Olusola Eleka, an individual who is not too popular with the voters.

However, the governor has started building support base for his deputy and he has told whoever cares to listen that he will repeat the 2014 victory by defeating whoever APC presents as its candidate. Observers of Ekiti politics are of the view that delivering on that promise will be tough, but not impossible.

There are new realities that will make it difficult for Fayose to push through his plan to get his deputy elected as his successor.

One is that Fayose will be going to the 2018 election without the ‘federal might’ at his disposal as was the case in 2014 when the former president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP supported him to create an inroad to the South-west which had become hostile to Jonathan’s government. Fayose received both financial and military support from the presidency during the 2014 election. Where there was no threat or violence, the federal government deployed a military team led by a general to Ekiti for the election. This team allegedly helped to tilt the process in Fayose’s favour.

It is on record that the house of the Director General of the Fayemi campaign organisation, Abimbola Daramola a former member, House of Representatives (2011 – 2015), now an aspirant in the 2018 gubernatorial election, was stormed in a midnight raid, by military men in 10 Hilux trucks and his then 87 years old father and other members of his family were beaten black and blue.

Daramola reportedly came to the polling unit on the election day from the bush.

Other major supporters of Fayemi such as the then Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Dapo Kolawole had their houses raided while a local government chairman, Mr. Ogundele was intercepted with money for election at Ifaki Ekiti among other incidents targeted at Fayemi’s support base.

The 2014 election in Ekiti State was further discredited by a tape leaked to the public which was recorded by an officer in the

Fayemi

Fayose

Nigerian Army, Captain Koli. The video clip in which detailed alleged plot to arrest and incapacitate key supporters of Fayemi on the eve of the election.

Now that Fayose does not enjoy the support of the presidency, observers believe that he does not have the capacity to repeat the sterling performance of 2014. Members of the APC see this governorship election as their best bet to take Ekiti State back from the PDP. With less than seven months to the election, the question agitating the minds of observers of the state’s politics is whether Fayose, can successfully re-enact the 16-0 feat in 2018.

However, it is worth remembering that 2014 was not the first time Fayose had defeated an incumbent governor. He did it in 2003 when he equally defeated a sitting governor, the first democratically elected governor of the state, Niyi Adebayo of the Alliance for Democracy (AD).

With APC parading many heavy weights like Fayemi, Opeyemi Bamidele, Babafemi Ojodu, Segun Oni to mention just a few, will it be able to put its house in order and take the state back from Fayose who had boasted that he would hand over the state to his deputy? Will these heavy weights allow

Fayose to retire them from politics? These and many more questions are some of the worries the APC’s faithfulls desperately what their leaders to address.

Interestingly, APC’s leaders in the state who are expected to work together to ensure a successful outing for the party in the governorship race, are allowing their personal ambition to create divisions within the party Oni, whose tenure as governor was abruptly brought to an end in 2010 by the Court of Appeal sitting in Ilorin, is today the party’s Deputy National Chairman. He has declared his intention to run for the governoship. He left the PDP to join the APC. Fayemi, who succeeded him also wants his job as governor back. Now, the Minister for Solid Minerals, Fayemi has not left anyone in doubt that the job he wants is that of the governor of Ekiti and not a ministerial job.

Will he resign and join the race? Time is of essence. He will have to decide soon.

Hate or like Fayose, one thing you cannot take away from him is his ‘street wisdom’ and ability to identify with the down trodden.

He is the self-styled ‘friend of the masses.’

He has maintained a cordial relationship with commercial motorcyclists, artisans and others. So what he may not have in federal might he has smartly made up for in his mobilisation of the grassroots.

Nevertheless, the PDP is not as united as Fayose would want many to believe. His decision to declare his deputy as the party’s candidate for the election even when a primary has yet to be conducted irked many members of the party. Others who are interested in the race have vowed to challenge Fayose. Yet, the PDP in Ekiti can ill-afford to be divided.

The party is already surrounded by external enemies.

In Ekiti, the reality is that both parties have their issues. For instance, the APC is grappling with a growing list of aspirants some

As it is, the best option available to the APC will be to bury the hatchet and present a candidate that enjoys widespread support in Ekiti State. In politics, that is easier said than done.

of whom are sworn enemies. Therefore, how will the APC manage the rivalry between Oni and Fayemi? Many are suspicious of Oni but others think that he is their best bet to defeat Fayose. Others think that he is too young in the party to allow him become the party’s flag-bearer. But those rooting for him say that Fayemi is too elitist and will be difficulty to sell to the voters.

Ironically, the national leadership of the party is sharply divided into a luxury it can not afford because any clash of interest among the leading players can only make the APC vulnerable, because if the APC goes to the Ekiti election divided, it will be weak against a formidable incumbent and ruling party in the state.

Fear is that if no concrete reconciliatory steps are taken, some divisions will make it nearly impossible for the APC to go into the election as a united house.

For instance, formerly of the PDP and now an aspirant on the APC platform, Senator Ayo Arise and Fayemi are not best of friends.

Arise was the arrow head of the rerun in Oye where 18, 000 voters dramatically became less than 3,000 which dealt a devastating blow to the then ACN. Can Arise and Fayemi work for each other after the primary assuming one of them wins?

In fact, there is the rumour that Arise once had a confrontation with Fayemi during the preparations for the Ekiti re-run election.

Also, there is the case of Senator Femi Ojodu, now Special Adviser, Political Adviser to the President who obviously broke ranks with Fayemi immediately after Fayemi lost the re- election in 2014. He reportedly fomed a faction of the party called the Action Group with plans to rescue the state’s exco from Fayemi’s men.

How will these two people work together to ensure the success of the party, because today, it is clear that the relationship between Fayemi and Ojudu is far from cordial and both of them want to be governor under the APC. There is also the case of former House Representatives member, Opeyemi Bamidele (MOB). He broke ranks with the APC and ran for the 2014 election on the platform of Labour Party (LP) against all entreaties, even from the National Leader of APC, Bola Tinubu, and former Governor of Osun State and one time national chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande.

Many are yet to forgive Bamidele for the perceived betrayal and for being a contributory factor to the loss suffered by Fayemi and APC. After what they refer to as Bamidele’s unholy romance and alliance with the then Ondo State governor, Dr. Segun Mimiko and later President Goodluck Jonathan, who allegedly funded his campaign and his obvious alliance with Fayose, can anyone trust Bamidele to support the APC if he does not get the party’s ticket?

Till now, Bamidele and Ojudu are yet to fully reconcile from the hostility that trailed the contest for the Ekiti Central Senatorial seat in 2011.

So, there are possibilities for a re-enactment of old bitterness among leading members of the party many whom are also aspirants. Will the Ekiti APC be ale to approach this crucial election with a formidable team and with a united front to face a formidable governor like Fayose?

As it is, the best option available to the APC will be to bury the hatchet and present a candidate that enjoys widespread support in Ekiti State. In politics, that is easier said than done.

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2018

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POLITICS

PERSPECTIVE

Lessons from Ekwueme’s Immortalisation Don C. Adinuba posits that for those on whom honour is bestowed, says a lot about the Nigerian value system

Ekwueme

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ne of the most remarkable events at the funeral of erstwhile Vice President Alex Ekwueme was the announcement by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Friday, February 2, that the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration has renamed the federal university in Ebonyi State after Ekwueme. The declaration received a thunderous and sustained ovation at the solemn requiem service going on at St John the Divine Church in Oko, Ekwueme’s hometown.

The Anambra State government, which commendably went out of its way to honour the great statesman, had the previous day held an interdenominational service in his memory at the Alex Ekwueme Square in Awka, the state capital.

It is delightful that monuments and institutions have been named after Ekwueme, one of the most sophisticated, accomplished, upright and refined persons anywhere, exceedingly committed to the public good. A polyvalent intellectual in the finest tradition, he awarded scholarships to thousands of people in Nigeria and overseas he barely knew, allowed a large number of his tenants in choice places like Ikoyi, Lagos, to live for years without paying rents because they faced business challenges and forgave those who betrayed him at the most critical moment in his life. He showed no bitterness whatsoever to those who incarcerated him unjustly and even lied to the Nigerian people that he was at the centre of crude oil contracts when he was the vice president whereas he knew absolutely nothing about such deals.

It is apposite that a higher institution is named for Ekwueme. Despite earning degrees in fields as diverse as sociology, philosophy, law, history, architecture and town planning, Ekwueme, unknown to most people, pursued simultaneously the master of law degree programmes at the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, and the Abia State University at Uturu when he rejoined politics in 1998. He was at different times the chancellor of Paul University, Awka, as well as the Ebonyi State University. He took each job seriously. When a new university was battling with accreditation from the National Universities Commission, he discreetly made N200m available to the

institution with a stern warning to the authorities not to disclose the gesture. He was so self-effacing.

A couple of years ago when Michael Peel of Financial Times was conducting research on a book on Nigeria and I helped arrange a meeting with the former vice president, Ekwueme rejected all entreaties to accept personal credit for the establishment of the College of Arts and Science at Oko, now a federal polytechnic. He rather insisted that it was built by the entire Oko community.

The polytechnic, the Oko Community Hospital and the impressive St John the Divine Church in the community are among different projects conceived and executed by Ekwueme.

I am happy to disclose I played my own little part in honouring this great man in his lifetime. In furtherance of my belief that monuments, institutions, streets and roads should be named after truly exemplary figures so that they can serve as role models in society, I suggested in 1999 to then governor Chinwoke Mbadinuju that a major place be named after Ekwueme. The governor chose to name the most important square in the state after the statesman whom he served in the Second Republic as a special assistant and whose brilliant leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) enabled the nascent party to become the most acceptable political organization in Nigeria as the military were retreating to the barracks in 1999, thus enabling PDP candidates like Mbadinuju to win easily.

Mbadinuju was not capricious this time. In 1999 when Chinua Achebe returned from the United States to deliver the annual Odenigbo Lecture of the Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri in

Both the Nigerian people and their leaders do not seem to appreciate that the people honoured in public places reveal everything about our value system

Imo State— Achebe’s first visit since his auto accident of 1990 which confined the globally renowned author to the wheelchair— I suggested to the governor to honour him by naming an important place after him. Mbadinuju chose to name a road linking the House of Assembly, the state legislative headquarters and Government House after the man of letters who had brought so much honour to the African world. I was over the moon.

The governor went with his deputy, the speaker of the state’s legislature and all the members of the legislature as well as all commissioners to see Achebe in his Ogidi residence. On seeing Achebe in the wheelchair, Mbadinuju broke down, overwhelmed by emotions. He read out the letter proposing to name Anambra’s Three Arms Zone after the writer who graciously accepted. The event was covered by the media which praised the governor for promoting enlightened values.

But when some barely literate fellow suggested to Mbadinuju to name the same place presidential avenue to ingratiate himself on President Olusegun Obasanjo who was visiting the state, the governor heeded the advice of this controversial young government contractor!

Despite all Achebe represents and all he did. to bring honour to Anambra State and the rest of the world, there is no street or road or institution or monument named after him in the state.

The situation would perhaps have been different if Chukwuemeka Ezeife had been governor for more than 20 months. I held a meeting with Ezeife in August,1993, and recommended that Anambra indigenes who had won the Nigerian National Merit Award (NNMA), Nigeria’s most prestigious honour for artistic and intellectual achievement, be immortalised.

By this time, Anambra and Ekiti states were struggling for the first highest number of the laureates. Among the winners were Pius Okigbo (economics), Ben Nwabueze (law), Ben Enweonwu (fine and applied arts), Chukwuedo Nwokolo (medicine), Alexander Animalu (physics), and, of course, Achebe who in 1979 became the first recipient in the country.

I went a step further by suggesting that

such internationally recognised icons as Olaudah Euiano, the first West African to write a book now entitled Equiano’s Travels; Kenneth Dike, the first African principal of the University College at Ibadan and later the first African vice chancellor of the University of Ibadan where he founded the famous Ibadan History School; and Chike Obi, Africa’s foremost mathematician, be immortalised.

Echoing the words of Okigbo, I argued that Nigerians should begin “to pay homage to education” rather than “calibrate everything in pecuniary terms”. I had hardly finished when Ezeife, who holds a Harvard PhD, jumped out of his seat and ordered that the tape of his broadcast for the forthcoming anniversary of the state be withdrawn so that he could include the government’s immortalisation of these personages. He did add the immortalisation part, but it was never implemented.

Sani Abacha and his group were to strike in yet another military coup d’etat three months later.

Both the Nigerian people and their leaders do not seem to appreciate that the people honoured in public places reveal everything about our value system. And many do not recognise the strong correlation between social values and economic development. Otherwise, the Kano State stadium would not have been named after Sani Abacha, and the Bayelsa State government would not have officially declared Deprieye Alamieyesigha, a hero, just as Delta State would not have been treating Ibori as an exemplary leader.

To appreciate that societies with wrong values cannot develop competitive economies, I would like our researchers and scholars in particular to pore over books like Edward Banfield’s The Moral Basis of the Backward Society (1958), Robert Putnam’s Making Democracy Work: Civic Traditions in Modern Italy (1993), Francis Fukuyama’s Trust: The Social Virtues and Creation of Prosperity (1997), and Lawrence E. Harrison’s and Samuel P. Huntington’s Culture Matters (2000).

If by immortalising a man of tremendous values like Ekwueme the Nigerian government has signalled that it now wants to go in a new direction, it means that there is a ray of hope for our society.

Adinuba is head of Discovery Public Affairs Consulting.

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

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Quick Takes TWO Ex- DGs Now SON Ambassadors

Former Chief Executives of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) have been commended for their commitments and seless services in building a solid foundation for the organisation.

This commendation was given by the Director General, Mr. Osita Aboloma, while welcoming his two immediate predecessors, Prof.

John Akanya and Dr. Joseph Odumodu to the SON Headquarters in Abuja.HestatedthatthevariouscontributionsofformerSONleaders to human capacity, structural and infrastructural developments as well as the enactment of the SON Act 14 of 2015 are worthy of special mention. Aboloma expressed the appreciation of his Management and sta to the former Directors General and invited them to serve as Ambassadors of SON all over the world.

Accordingtohim,theirrichknowledgeandexperiencesinstandardisation andqualityassuranceareinvaluabletonational,regionalandcontinental economic growth and development.

Responding, the two former Chief Executives of SON accepted the appointment as Ambassadors with gratitude.

They promised to provide necessary advice as may be required, towardsthecontinualimprovementoftheSONanditspositiveimpact in national, regional, continental and international standardisation.

Both expressed pride at the visible and monumental strides being undertakenbytheAbolomaledmanagementandurgedhimtosustain the passion and momentum.

FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING

L-R:Director, Special Insured Institutions Department, Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Mr. Etopidiok Joshua James; Director,Other Financial Institution Supervision Department, Mrs. Agnes Olatokunbo Martins; and Head, Nigeria Housing Finance Programme/ Deputy Director, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Adedeji Jones Adesenoye, at the workshop on Nigerian housing finance programme in Lagos...recently etop ukutt

FG’s Bid to Raise $1bn Through VAIDS Faces Compliance Hitches Eromosele Abiodun The bid by the federal government to raise $1billion (N360billion) via the Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS) may not materialise following the flawed strategy put in place by policy makers and some other factors.

The stronger part of the two-pronged strategy is data mining, and matching between government departments and agencies, a plan analysts believe, might not work due to different political tradition from countries the system was borrowed from.

However, as the March 31, 2018 deadline for compliance approaches, analysts at FBN Quest said the federal govern-

MARITIME ment may not succeed with the plan.

In a report titled, ‘The deadline for Tax eVAIDers,’ FBN Quest stated that it is not sure that the federal government’s strategy is practicable in Nigeria or indeed many countries with a different political tradition.

According to FBN Quest, “At its launch, VAIDS had a target to raise at least $1 billion equivalent. We are not aware of any interim progress reports. The stronger part of the two-pronged strategy is data mining, and matching between government departments and agencies. The Federal

Government of Nigeria (FGN) has employed a United State household name in asset recovery to link land registry records and tax receipts. Other areas of interest to the authorities include bureaux de change records, the whistle-blowing scheme, data held at the Corporate Affairs Commission, Wikileaks and the “Panama papers�, the registration of private jets and yachts, and bank verification numbers. “We have heard extreme parallels made by Nigerian policymakers with data matching in Ethiopia where, it is said, a purchase in a store with a credit/debit card is captured by the tax agencies. We are not sure that this is practicable in Nigeria or indeed many countries with

a different political tradition.

The other part of the strategy is educational. This is long-term, and requires the state to provide services for which the population is willing to pay in the form of taxes. Lagos State offers the most-quoted template.�

A successful follow-up by the authorities after the deadline, the analysts stressed, requires the full cooperation of the judicial system. “Another challenge for the authorities is to convince the working population that the amnesty is really an oncein-a-lifetime opportunity.

The experience from Turkey, Indonesia and elsewhere is that Continued on page 20

Industry Experts Identify Security, Safety Implications of Porous Airports Chinedu Eze Industry stakeholders and aviation security experts have reacted to various reports of security breach at the airside of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos and warned that continuous inaction to secure the airports might lead to terror attacks.

In the past two months, there have been reports of bandits attacking taxiing aircraft on the runway of the airports, for which the Federal Airports Authority Nigeria (FAAN) had denied. However, there have been insistence in the reports of thefts or attempted thefts on aircraft pausing at the holding

AVIATION point or stopping to allow another aircraft to pass.

The reports started with business jets taxiing to the private terminals at the airport but last week, Air Peace pilot notified air traffic control that the cargo hold of its aircraft was opened for 15 seconds as light indication showed on the cockpit, an incident that was also denied by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), which accused the airline of raising false alarm.

But the CEO of Centurion, aviation security company, and the Secretary of Aviation

Round Table (ART), Group Captain John Ojikutu (retd), told THISDAY that poaching at the airside of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport has been an old history and when it was rife in the 1990s, drastic action was taken to stop it.

Ojikutu alleged that security breach at the airports must be the handiwork of insiders, which is what is known as insider threat. “Poaching in the aircraft baggage hold compartment at MMIA should not be new happenings to older FAAN and other airport staff. What is probably new is the poaching of general aviation aircraft. In

all the cases however, it had always the hands of insiders which FAAN and NCAA should investigate within the airport and airlines security programmes. “Secondly, NCAA should review or survey the security programs of the aircraft operators and FAAN. FAAN and NCAA should begin the review of the background checks on all airport staff working in the airport restricted security controlled areas. Audit all operators’ staff to determine those that have been disengaged or retired but still with on duty cards or companies IDs that Continued on page 20

Coca-Cola Begins Management Challenge

Coca-ColaNigeriahasfurtherreinforceditscommitmenttoharnessing the underlying potential of Nigerian youths as the beverage giant commenced the Global Management Challenge (GMC) for the ďŹ rst time in Nigeria, playing a lead sponsor role.

The Global Management Challenge is the largest Strategy and Management Competition in the world. It’s the largest international event based on business simulations, with more than 500, 000 university students and company managers participating in this event throughout the world. The competition which is a virtual business simulation kicked-o recently at the University of Lagos and has eighty students with not less than a CGPA of 4.30 across dierent departments from the institution sponsored by Coca-Cola.They will competefortheteamtorepresentNigeriaintheupcominginternational ďŹ nal in Dubai in April 2018. Speaking at the event, Public Aairs and Communications Manager for Coca-Cola, Nwamaka Onyemelukwe, applaudedtheparticipatingstudentsonthelife-changingopportunity given to them with the initiative, emphasising that the competition will further prepare the students even better for the outside world after graduation.“Doingtherightthingsrequiresknowledge,understanding andexperience. Thiscompetitionwilloertheperfectsynergybetween knowledge,intelligenceandtherightexperiencetobegoodmanagers in the future. I will like everyone involved in this great competition to open their minds as this will be very helpful not just in school but also in the future,â€? she said.

Dana Decorates Captains, First OďŹƒcers

The management of Dana Air has pledged to train more Nigerian Pilots annually as it decorates two captains and three ďŹ rst oďŹƒcers.

Speaking while decorating the captains and ďŹ rst oďŹƒcers in Lagos recently, the Director of Dana Air ight Operations, Segun Omole, disclosedthatmostofthepilotsweretrainedinNigeria,someinSouth Africa and USA. Omole charged the newly decorated Captains and ďŹ rst oďŹƒcers to maintain the safety records Dana Air is known for.

Omole explained that by the time he was employed, the airline had only two Nigerian captains who were trained for the MD 83 aircraft type and the rest were foreigners, adding that today 80 percent of the workforces are now Nigerians. He said Dana would continue to train new pilots on their own and would also bring in one or two from other airlines. Omole added that the airline want all their pilots to come in as ďŹ rst oďŹƒcers and also grow from there as those who grow with them have better experience. He also that the kind of bonding Dana Air enters with their pilots are the types the airline spends about $12000 – 13000 for initial training of the pilots which are deducted gradually from their salaries and within 18 months, all the money paid for the training are fully deducted and the pilot are free.

“There is no doubt that we are now more positioned to transform air travel experience in Nigeria, the West Coast and beyond�

Air Peace Chairman,

Mr. Allen Onyema

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BUSINESSWORLD FG’S BID TO RAISE $1BN THROUGH VAIDS FACES COMPLIANCE HITCHES such programmes are repeated and gradually their edge in consequence figures cited by the Federal Finance Ministry show that there are 14 million taxpayers in Nigeria, of which 13.4 million have their taxes deducted at source. Those paying some taxes voluntarily represent less than one per cent of the economically active population. “Non-oil revenue inflows into the federation account amounted to just 2.3 per cent of gross domestic products (GDP) in 2016, and total inflows 5.0 per cent. The ratios from emerging markets such as India, Ghana and South Africa tell us that Nigeria should be managing a bare minimum of 15 per cent. “Against this background and the FGN’s ambitious plans for the infrastructure, the authorities launched the VAIDS in June. The scheme covers the whole gamut of taxes, and gives Nigerians until end-March to regularise their tax affairs. Should they not meet the deadline, they are liable, if convicted, to imprisonment of up five years, the payment of accrued interest at an annual rate of 21 per cent, penalties and possible confiscation of assets,� they stated.

INDUSTRY EXPERTS IDENTIFY SECURITY, SAFETY IMPLICATIONS OF POROUS AIRPORTS still give them access into the airside and the security controlled areas. “Lastly, the concept of follow me vehicle is to guide aircraft to its parking bay or guide visiting irregular flight through unfamiliar airport manoeuvering areas. In this case, a vehicle not two is provided in front not behind the aircraft. When poaching started in early 90s at MMIA, the concept of the follow me vehicle was to have a vehicle to follow the aircraft behind not as a guide or pilot but as a security and surveillance vehicle. Unfortunately emphasis has since shifted the vehicle more as a pilot vehicle than a surveillance/security vehicle,�

Ojikutu said.

NEWS

Dakuku Identifies Factors Militating against Blue Economy Stories by Eromosele Abiodun The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside has stated that lack of knowledge and policy framework and investment on the part of successive governments have been the major reasons why the benefits of blue economy are yet to be maximised in Nigeria.

Blue economy refers to natural maritime endowments which promote fisheries, aquatic life, oil and gas, water transportation and other mineral deposits under the sea.

The NIMASA boss, therefore tasked the federal government to be committed to introducing a framework that will drive what will lead to the utilisation of the potential of the blue economy.

He stated this while addressing maritime journalists at a seminar in Lagos tagged, ‘The Role of Journalists in Developing the Blue Economy.’ The NIMASA boss stressed that the media should enlighten the people on the benefits of the blue economy.

He pointed out that ocean resources were enormous and

can sustain the economy but added that people were not taking advantage because of lack of knowledge.

According to him, “Nigeria is truly endowed in maritime resources. But over the years,

there has not been sufficient and deliberate efforts in terms of putting in place the right policy framework, creating awareness and favourable investment climate that would engender the taping of these

huge resources to the benefit of the people.�

He identified job creation, eco-tourism, debt swaps and green ports as some of the tools and opportunities of blue economy sector in Africa.

Peterside said blue economy will bring sustainable business opportunities, circular economy, resource efficiency, and conservation of development, adding that all these were good for the national economy.

TRAVELLERS FORUM

L-R: South African Airways Cargo, Sulyman Akinwande; Sales Executive, South African Airways, Stella Aghedo; National Sales Manager, South African Airways, Kemi Leke-Bamtefa; Team Leader, Logistics, Mariam Akinbola and Travel Desk OďŹƒcer, Olorunloba Koleosho, both of Stanbic IBTC Bank during the South African Airways Corporate Travel Managers Forum in Lagos...recently

Freight Forwarders Enjoined to Obey Import, Export Regulations The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has advised freight forwarders in the country to beware of the emergence of a new task force introduced by the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Col. Hameed Ali (RTD.) and obey import and export regulations in order not to become victims.

NAGAFF in a statement said that the task force is charged with a higher scope of responsibilities to nip in the bud any intention to cheat on government revenue and importation of banned goods.

Head of Special Duties, NAGAFF, Emma Agunbanze, in the statement, warned members against trade malpractices as the Task Force may be monitoring their activities.

The association called on members to also advise their importers to avoid any form of trade malpractices. “Accordingly the Strike-Force has setup a forensic audit of the Nigeria Customs Service at Warehouse Road Apapa to view transactions in the Customs ports portals and approved border station. The implication is that wherein you may be making untrue declaration for Customs purposes, the strike force is viewing your activities and operations without you knowing that you are being monitored. “In our telephone conversation with a top management officer of the Service, we were made to understand that it shall no longer be business as usual wherein government is losing its rightful revenue due to leakages inherent in matters of false

declarations. The Strike Force is therefore, mandated to interdict fraudulent activities before or after the transaction has been completed. The top management officer of the Service did explain that the Strike Force can only treat reasonable intelligence information received through electronic medium, Customs Intelligence Unit and even from other reliable Customs information sources,� it stated.

NAGAFF added: “However the Strike Force is not authorised to mount road blocks or remain in a particular point more than 24 hours as a striking force. They are to interdict smuggling activities and return back to their base immediately. They also have the oversight powers to pick any suspected cargo in the course of their anti- smuggling duty. On the part of the Customs officers

who may have compromised to cheat the government, NAGAFF was informed that such an officer of the Service shall be investigated and where he/ she is found wanting, he/she shall be subjected to disciplinary action in accordance with civil service rules and regulations.

On the part of the freight forwarders, the investigation shall reveal the extent of their involvement and shall be treated in accordance with the Customs laws including possible revocation of the operating license, if found guilty of connivance with any defaulting client. “We were also informed of the need to educate and enlighten the importers and exporters on matters of import and export regulations. The import and export guidelines

are clear and unambiguous and the role of an importer in ensuring due diligence in import regulations cannot be overemphasised. Nigerian importers are expected to retain the services of freight forwarders with all relevant import and export documents and evidence of Customs duty paid. The Service charge by the freight forwarder shall be in accordance with approved rates of the CRFFN. Accordingly it is a law that an importer/ exporter must discharge his responsibility with due diligence otherwise there should not be any excuse for him at the time of prosecution. The Customs laws are very clear as to the liability of a freight forwarder and a shipper as contained under Section 154 and 155 of CEMA 2004 as amended.�

FG Insists Only Eight Agencies to Maintain Physical Presence at Ports Group Business Editor

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

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The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) has directed the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to ensure that only the eight agencies of the government selected since 2011 were allowed to maintain physical presence at the nation’s ports.

Others who were not in the list have been advised to keep away from the ports by the PEBEC, which noted that the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) which is the lead agency for inspection of cargoes, has developed standard operating procedures to facilitate their seamless operation.

The agencies allowed to be in the ports are the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA); Nigerian Customs Service

(NCS); Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA); Nigeria Police; Department of State Security (DSS); Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Port Health and the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) .

The General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communications, Mr, Abdullahi Goje, NPA, said in a statement that the authority remains committed to the determination of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to enhance the ease of doing business in the country as well as the improvement of conditions under which business is carried out in all ports across the country.

The Authority solicited the

kind support of all agencies and stakeholders in the maritime sector towards actualising the noble goal of making Nigeria a destination of choice for all legitimate businesses.

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Bala-Usman had while speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting comprising the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), operators and major stakeholders in the port last year said only seven agencies are mandated and have approval to operate in the port.

She added that any agency that is operating in the port outside of these agencies are not required to calling on them to vacate whatever location they were occupying within

the port. Furthermore, she said that the Nigerian Dug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLA) is to come to the port only when their services are required. “This is the current position of the agencies that are operating in the port. I can assure you that we have started implementing the executive orders, what is required now is for us as agencies of government to come together and harmonise and coordinate with stakeholders. We have issued the directives and our various officers have put in place the mechanism for implementing the executive order. The executive orders will enhance our operations and reduce the cost of doing

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

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BUSINESSWORLD

AVIATION

Air Peace Begins Flight to Kano The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi has commended Air Peace for its inaugural flight to the historical city, as the airline begins LagosKano-Lagos flight services.

The airline, which said it intends to boost the nation’s economy by connecting different cities in the country by air, described the Kano flight operations as a very significant milestone in its vision to unite Nigeria through air travel and lift the nation’s economy through trade facilitation and massive job creation.

At the brief ceremony to mark the inaugural flight, Chairman and CEO of the airline, Mr. Allen Onyema said that the airline’s operation to Kano was in sync with its strategy to expand operations in the northern part of Nigeria and connect other unserved or underserved cities of the

country.

“Kano has long been recognised as the economic capital of the North of Nigeria. We are therefore hopeful that the extension of the flight services to the state will greatly positively impact the economy of the region,” said Onyema who was represented by the airline’s spokesman, Chris Iwarah.

He disclosed that the Kano launch would be followed with the commencement of flight operations to Yola in Adamawa State on February 15, and Freetown, Banjul, Dakar on February 19; adding that last year, the airline hugely expanded its capacity to serve the flying public with the increase of its fleet to size of 24 airplanes.

The Air Peace Chairman also noted that on January 31 and February 8 the airline took delivery of two of the six

Embraer 145 aircraft it recently acquired to serve cities with air transport difficulties under its new subsidiary, Airy Peace Hoper.

He reiterated that the airline is more positioned to transform air travel experience in Nigeria, West Africa sub region and beyond.

Speaking earlier at the event, the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi said that the Emirate would continue to support Air Peace to succeed on the Lagos–Kano route, remarking that the airline’s arrival into Kano would further engineer social and economic development.

The Emir, who was represented by Ibrahim Sambo, stated that there are very few airlines operating into Kano, adding that now that Air Peace has started operation to Kano, the people are happy.

Rwand Air Plans Flights to Abuja, Bamako, Others Chinedu Eze The national airline of Rwand Air, plans to launch flights from its hub in Kigali into Abuja; Nigeria’s capital, Bamako; the Malian capital, Conakry, the capital of Guinea and Cape Town in South Africa.

These routes, according to the airline, are part of its remaining route expansion destinations and growth drive for 2017/2018 financial year.

Apart from the expansion plan for its operations in Africa, Rwand Air is also determined to expand its flights into New York, in the United States and the long awaited flights into Guangzhou in China, Asia.

Speaking in an interview, Rwand Air Country Manager in Nigeria, Ms. Ibiyemi Odusi said the airline would continue to offer uninterrupted seam-

less air services on its many routes with improvements on its products on all fronts.

She said the airline is committed to offering Nigerian market competitive fares, generous baggage allowance and seamless uninterrupted connections to destinations within Africa, Middle East and Europe.

Odusi said: “Abuja will soon be active together with Bamako, Yaounde, Conakry, Cape Town (South Africa), New York and of course the long awaited Guangzhou in China.

“We are the fastest growing airline in Africa today. Our fleet of 12 aircrafts is composed of Airbus A3330-300 and A330200 et al. We will continue to consolidate on this to enable us feed our routes seamlessly with adequate schedule planning.

By the end of this financial year, we will be looking at

31 destinations in the whole network,” Odunsi said.

Meanwhile, the Rwand Air Country Manager said the airline has concluded plans to host trade and corporate partners, for their contributions in the present financial year, adding that this has since been a tradition with the airline.

According to Odusi, the programme is drawn up to appreciate partners for their support for the airline. It is necessary to appreciate them and also update them on new products/services.

“The trade and corporate are strong partners who have been with and made us the airline of obvious choice and we wish to re-assure customers that we will continue to provide unsurpassed, safe and reliable services linking Rwanda with the outside world, which is actually our vision,” she added.

FAAN Automates Car Park at GAT, Boosts Revenue Chinedu Eze The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has automated the car park at the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos.

The agency said it hopes that this would boost its non-aeronautical revenues as every vehicle parked generates hourly revenue of N100 in addition to N400 parking tariff.

General Manager, Corporate Communications, FAAN, Mrs. Henrietta Yakubu said that within one month of the automation exercise, FAAN had recorded 68 per cent revenue increase.

She explained that the automation exercise had blocked some of the loopholes in the system, stressing that FAAN was generating more revenues than in the past from the GAT.

Yakubu said that with the automation of the car park, rowdiness and massive traffic associated with the manual collection at the park had disappeared.

She further added that FAAN would review the performance of the exercise by the end of this quarter and make adjustments where necessary, but noted that so far, the new system had been in favour of both FAAN and the public.

“FAAN decided to overhaul the whole system and see how we could make it orderly because we were getting a lot of complaints from our passengers and airport users that they were not getting a space to park their vehicles.

Then, we were wondering if all the people that park their vehicles at the car park are airport workers and travellers. Also, we are in an era

of technology where people no longer do things manually, but automated. That was what prompted FAAN into doing the automation.

“And since we started, there has been a lot of sanity at the car park, there is a lot of orderliness, progression. As soon as you go into the airport, you just go into the car park without any issues. In time past, there were lots of queues.

Once you get into the airport, if you are not dropping, you are encouraged to go to the car park and do your business there, rather than parking on the road and creating traffic.”

Despite the automation of the car park, Yakubu said that FAAN would still continue with the planned construction of a multi-storey car park within the GAT terminal, stressing that such would further enhance revenue generation for the agency.

AIR WATCH Controversy over Airlines’ Debts Last week, the Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika said Nigerian airlines are ridden with debts; that one airline owed one aviation agency N13 billion, while another has a total debt profile of about N500 billion.

The minister, who was not amused, seemed to have thrown down his gauntlet to slug it out with the airlines. He went further to say that the airlines are weak and that their problems are self-inflicted.

According to him, “Nigerian airlines are heavily indebted. I am not sure if all of them are financially healthy. The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) is currently carrying out financial audit of the airlines and I am sure that the result of the audit will not be something the airlines would want to take to the press.

Nigerian airlines have refused to grow and their challenges are not caused by government.

They are responsible for those challenges.

“My advice to them is to get their acts together to focus, to reorganise, to re-engineer and take advantage of this opportunity offered by the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) and be futuristic; rather than to sit here while the train is moving and begin to whine.

When asked about the airlines’ debt profile, he said, “Look, there is an airline that owes one of the aviation agencies N13 billion. There is an airline that owed a total debt of about N500 billion. It is not only debts to the aviation agencies but the collective debts of that airline. That airline almost went under but it was taken over by government agency. I do feel that if these airlines reorganise themselves they can do better.”

Piqued by the minister’s observation, the airlines reacted and accused government of being largely responsible for their woes in the area of unreliable source of aviation fuel, which comes at a relatively high prices, lack of critical facilities including airfield lighting which force airlines not to operate in the evenings and nights to over 17 of the nation’s airports, the high charges, including VAT and the inability of government to protect its own carriers against foreign operators by cutting back multi designation of foreign airlines and also introducing policies that could encourage foreign airlines to partner and share technical skills with Nigerian operators.

Airline operators questioned the veracity of the N513 billion debts and insisted that the aviation agencies do not have transparent system to ascertain how much they are owed, so they just bandy figures about.

Specifically, the Executive Chairman of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), Captain Nogie Meggison accused the minister of reeling out figures offhand, insisting that he cannot prove any of the debts he mentioned and noted that the aviation agencies lack the ability to transparently record their revenues and document accurately the debts owed them by the airlines.

The domestic carriers also remarked that debt accrual in the aviation industry is a given because airline operation is a continuum; so as long as airlines render services they incur debts from service providers, which are normally settled.

“Talking about debts, airline business is not a cash business because you accrue the charges, you are presented a bill and you pay. No airline in this world that does not owe,” Meggison said.

On SAATM the AON Executive Chairman said member countries participating in SAATM should provide a level playing field in terms of introducing uniform charges and taxes for the airlines so that equal opportunities are given to the airlines to compete.

Also, reacting to the Minister’s observation on Nigerian airlines, a former Vice-Chairman of Arik Air, Senator Anietie Okon told THSDAY that the airlines do not owe that much and

if they are not doing well as alleged by the Minister, it is his responsibility to ensure that airlines improve their operations.

Okon said the minister should be able to calculate the value of the assets of an airline and calculate the percentage of debts to the airline before saying that an airline went under, when there was a preconceived plan to take over an airline.

“If the total debts of an airline are just 10 percent of its assets how can you say that the company is insolvent?

Okon said that because of the critical role airlines play in the economy of every nation, sincere governments give support to airlines, whether government or privately owned.

He recalled that at a certain point in time airlines like Jet Airways of India, Kenya Airways, South Africa Airways and even recently Emirates had financial issues but they were buoyed by their governments to sustain their operations.

“If all airlines in Nigeria are not doing well, what is the Minister doing about it? The Minister is running the most nepostic administration, filling everyway with his people who are not even competent and you are running down those that committed their huge resources the airline industry. You know that the airlines are subjected to multiple taxation; you know that airlines cannot fly to over 18 airports in the country after 6:00 pm because there is no enough facilities and you are saying that government is not responsible for most of the problems of the airlines.

“We took the trouble to invest and you keep on bandying figures, possibly amusing yourself because you don’t know that your management style is crumbling people’s investment,” Okon said. But the President of Aviation Round Table (ART) a think-tank body in the aviation industry, Elder Gbenga Olowo shared the same view with the minister.

He said: “The Minister is absolutely correct.

Nigerian carriers may not be able to take advantage of Single Africa Air Travel Market simply because they are small, single, disunited and parasitic on one another.

“Almost all of them fly point to point which is not the real game in global aviation. Our airlines do not have robust interline partners, do not have sufficient code share agreements, not in the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Clearing House due to credibility issues, do not belong to global airline organisations like IATA, Africa Airlines Association (AFRAA), small fleet size which cannot guarantee schedule reliability and maintain strong airport slot.”

Olowo said government can also assist the airlines “by attending to the many operational issues hinged on multiple taxes, VAT, domestic enroute charges, too many mark ups on fuel price, high rent, landing and parking fees charged by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), given the many inefficient service delivered by them. It is absurd to hear that airlines have to power some airports, provide security on facilities etc and yet pay FAAN for the services.” He said for Nigeria to take full advantage of SAATM, it needs about three mega carriers.

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T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY FEBRUARY 16, 2018

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BUSINESSWORLD

MARITIME

Boost for Exports Eromosele Abiodun writes that the flag-off of the first export of manganese from the Ikorodu Lighter Terminal by the Nigerian Ports Authority, will be the catalyst for exports to thrive Some of the very important roles export plays in an economy are: increased productivity, employment provision, improved trade balance and general expansion in the growth of a nation’s economy.

Diversification of the economy from oil to non-oil export is a sure way of getting the economy out of this present quagmire. This is currently the focus of the federal government.

The government wants the development of non-oil export process that is expected to play significant role in revamping the ailing economy. But to make exports a mainstay of the Nigerian economy, the ports will play a vital role.

The sea is the medium through which goods originating from and destined for different parts of the world are transported. Seaports in relation to trade are major gateways to the economy of Nigeria hence, play an important role in the development of the country. Freight types are mainly containerised cargoes, general cargoes, roll-on-roll-off cargoes and petroleum products. General cargo was handled mostly by Tin Can island port, dry cargo by Apapa port and liquid cargo by Okrika port. Apapa port accounts for 30 per cent of cargo throughput in the Nigerian seaports. This form of port specialisation has implications for the provision of facilities at the ports.

Between 1990 and 2005, there was an increase in the cargo throughput, container traffic, net registered and gross registered tonnage of vessels at the ports and crude oil terminals.

However, major problems affecting freight traffic include inadequate cargo handling plants and equipment, long turnaround time, cargo pilferage and excessive charges.

Another very important factor is transportation. Transportation is a precondition for spatial interaction and a central dimension of the national and global production systems that are reshaping the world. Transport industries through nodal development provide for the movement of people and goods and provision of services. Global economic integration relies upon efficient maritime transport due to its unparallel physical capacity and ability to carry freight over long distances and at low costs.

Overtime, the maritime industry has substantially changed from an industry that was always international in its character to a truly global entity with routes that span across hemispheres, transporting raw materials, parts and finished goods. Maritime transportation plays a major role in the national and international trade and economic growth. The seaborne trade represents 90 per cent of the international trade in the world. A seaport is defined as a terminal and an area within which ships are loaded and/or unloaded with cargo and includes the usual places where ships wait for their turn or are ordered or obliged to wait for their turn no matter the distance from that area.

Seaports in relation to trade are major gateways to the economy of a country. They represent a complex structure in a country’s transportation system providing ship harbour interface services such as pilotage, dredging, provision of berths, maintenance of navigational channels, ship-port interface in terms of loading and unloading cargoes and port-land interface in delivering cargo to and from the hinterland.

In general, seaports have five principal roles.

They include: cargoes and passengers handling, providing services for ships such as bunkering and repair, shelter for ships in case of heavy sea and storm conditions, bases for industrial development and terminals forming part of a transport chain. Seaports, expert believe, are complex dynamic systems consisting of numerous interacting elements, influenced by random factors.

Obstacles to Export However, export process from Nigerian ports is plagued with factors in cross border trade, which greatly affects Nigeria’s product

of export will be most encouraged.”

Furthermore the NPA boss stated that the occasion is an eye opener and also serves to generate more revenue for the nation and provide employment opportunities.

Calling on stakeholders to key into the window of Public Private Partnership (PPP), she stated that the occasion has further deepened NPA management efforts at complying with the federal government’s directives on the Ease of Doing Business at the nation’s sea ports whilst the rehabilitation of the ports access roads are ongoing at Apapa.

In partnering with and encouraging private initiatives, the NPA MD added that the authority would ensure the deployment of Standard Operational Procedures (SOPs) with a view to complying with international best practices.

The Chief Executive Officer of Connect Rail Services Limited (CRSL), Edeme Kelikume, representing the service provider, appreciated the NPA’s role in the provision of the enabling environment for the take-off of the project.

The NPA had from inception the present management made bold that it would promote the stimulation of export trade through the nation’s sea ports.

Bala Usman

competiveness that result to rejects in the international trading environment In a letter to the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), recently the National President of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), Lucky Amiwero cited factors such as: lengthy and cumbersome documentation process on export, multiplicity of regulatory/security agencies, high and duplicated Terminal/ shipping company charges and process and lack of export infrastructures as the bane of export.

The inspection of containers, he stated, is conducted by the following agencies on product quality: The appointed pre-shipment inspection of export agents, the Federal Department of Forestry, the Federal Produces Inspection Service and the Plant Quarantine Service.

According to him, “The Pre-shipment of Export Company, which issues Clean Certificate of Inspection (CCI), is expected to carry out in pursuant to Pre-Shipment Inspection of Export Act of 1996 section 4-(c), which clearly states that the inspection agents is provided with necessary facilities to enable the inspection agents to carry out quality and quantity inspections, price comparison and other process as may be required in the circumstance.

“The pre-shipment inspection of export agents appointed by the federal government is responsible for three major functions: rice comparison (value), quantity and quality (product standard). The contract covers the international requirements with regards to the quality of the product, which is the standard of the product that should have eliminated other agency involved in terms of process and cost, so as to reduce the level of international product reject that is rampant, and in effect enhance our export capacity.”

He added: “The following federal government agencies duplicate the process of quality inspection with that of the appointed federal government Pre-shipment Inspection on Export:

The Federal Department of Forestry under the Ministry of Environment is involved in quality of product, with documentation, operational process and cost.

“The Federal Produce Inspection Service is involved in quality of product inspection, with documentation, operation and cost.

Plant Quarantine Service is involved in quality product inspection, documentation, operation and cost.”

Other stakeholders have in recent time complained about the traffic gridlock in Apapa as a result of the poor state of the port access roads. This, they said, has frustrated exporters as products bound for export are delayed on the road for days leading to loss of time and money.

NPA’s Effort Following complaints from exporters and other stakeholders, the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) decided to look for alternative ways to remedy the situation.

To this end, the Managing Director of the NPA, Hadiza Bala-Usman last week in Lagos flagged off the first export consignment of manganese, a solid mineral resource from the Ikorodu lighter Terminal.

Speaking at the event, Bala-Usman said the NPA under her management is keen to drive inter modal transport as part of efforts to further decongest the traffic gridlock on Apapa port axis.

She disclosed that the NPA is ready to partner any agency or private investor who will give priority to intermodal transport, “as the continuous reliance on our road is no longer feasible and should be discouraged.”

Bala-Usman added that the flag off event is of huge economic advantage to the country, adding that using barges to ferry containers of solid mineral across the waters to the APM Terminal within Apapa Ports will help to elongate the life of “our roads as this mode

World Class Infrastructure Meanwhile, the NPA is also making effort to ensure adequate infrastructure is provided to ensure cargo evacuation.

Recently, Bala-Usman informed stakeholders and port users of the renewed vigour and determination of the NPA at improving the present state of infrastructure to meeting world class standards towards ensuring the swift evacuation of cargo from the seaports across the country to the hinterlands through the rail lines.

According to her, the authority was fully aware of the state of congestion in the ports caused by the bad roads.

This, she regretted, has led to a reduction in revenue accruable to the organisation as well as the inability of the nation to maximise her potential as a major player in the maritime sector within the Sub-Saharan Africa.

Bala-Usman, represented by the General Manager MD’s Office, Iheanacho Ebubeogu made these remarks while on a facility maintenance inspection of the rail lines in the ports accompanied by the top echelon of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) led by its Director of Operations Niyi Alli to terminals within the Apapa corridor.

“Management would collaborate and improve on the existing synergy with the NRC at addressing the challenges facing the corporation with a view to increasing the market size of the country in the area of cargo evacuation,” she said.

Fielding questions after the inspection tour, the Director Operations, NRC, Mr. Niyi Alli, who stood in for the MD of the corporation, Mr. Fidet Okhiria, stated that the working visit was to assess the present state of the rail lines in order to further collaborate with the NPA in the area of rehabilitation.

According to Alli, the rail service would be optimally utilised for cargo evacuation in line with the federal government’s policy of Ease of Doing Business in the country.

He stated that plans are being concluded by putting into operation between 15 and 20 locomotive wagons with each evacuating 20 units of 40-footer container at a go from the Terminals to the hinterland.

The Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi had recently instituted a committee comprising the MDs of NPA and NRC as well as their top echelon to carry out on the spot assessment of the present state of infrastructure of the rail lines in the Terminals.

It is expected that the rehabilitations would further go a long way towards the swift evacuation of cargo from the ports.

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ANALYSIS

Taiwo Agboola: Hardwork, Determination are Key to Success Taiwo Agboola, chief operations officer of 7even Interactive, one of Nigeria’s youngest and dynamic, multi-level award winning agencies, in this interview with Adedayo Adejobi, highlights the pointers to success in business and life. Excerpts: Stepping up from 9th position to 4th at the last LAIF awards barely three years in business, is amazing. What is the secret?

Basically, it is hard work and passion; that’s the way I see it. We have a team of young and committed professional in the agency. They are passionate about what they do. What we have done is to show what we can offer in the marketing communications industry and more importantly in building brands.

If you recall, last year we were rated 8 or 9 position, we sat down and asked ourselves “is that the level we want to play?” Obviously, we said no. We need to push ourselves to move along with the bigger boys. The result is where we find ourselves now. However, we are not there yet. I told my team that it is not enough; to be happy is to be first. The question, for me, is next year what happens? I don’t want to have an agency that performs this year and next year and we are not found among the big players. We want to be at the top of the ladder by next year.

What particular creative works won you the award?

I will mention a couple of works for some of our clients. Uber won considerably in silver and bronze in the radio category. The digital campaign for Main One also won bronze. The work that won gold for us was a social responsibility campaign that we developed internally called the Frixion campaign, an anti-rape campaign.

The truth of the matter is that if you open the metro pages of newspapers on daily basis you would read so many stories about rape cases. It has been prevalent. We felt there was need to sensitise the community in which we operate and the country at large on the evils of rape by advising people to seek consent first before sexual relationship. The idea behind that campaign was that we created a fictional brand called Frixion.

We used images of celebrities, musicians and actors without their consent as brand ambassadors for the Frixion brand. Your guess is as good as mine, when you just wake up and see your image in newspapers or online depicting you as a brand ambassador for some fictitious brand.

People started writing to us; even lawyers also did. We apologised to them and told them that the idea behind the campaign was for a good cause as we want people to realise that you can’t have any sexual relationship without the other party’s consent. The good thing is that most of the people we used were very happy about it at the end.

That particular campaign also won us a bronze at the Loeries, making us the only agency in West Africa this year to be awarded any medal at the Loeries. So, those are the works that won us awards With these awards, you are now in a competitive environment; how prepared are you for the competition?

Competition, for us, is opium; it is what drives us. The truth is whatever industry you play in, if there is no competition, you would be lethargic. That means there is no way your creative output is not going to drop because you are not benchmarking yourself against those perceived to be better. For us, competition is our dream; we tell people to bring it on anytime, we are ready.

If we don’t compete, how do we even measure ourselves? We are very ready to slug it out with whoever it is and we are sure that with the team in this building, we are ready to stand up to competition.

Where and how do you spot the talents that create these works especially as there is a dearth of creative heads?

The creative industry doesn’t depend on what someone studied in school. Most of the times, we look for talents who also reflect our DNA because you can also learn on the job. We are heavy on training and expanding. We look for someone who thinks the way we do as a very young agency, looking at the fun side of issues.

So, once we know that you are someone that

Agboola

is very inquisitive, you are welcome on board.

Such a person must be passionate about the job because he/she can be called anytime to come to the office. The truth is that we live for the clients. If the client wants something done, it is our job to get it done. So, if you are not passionate about it, you won’t fit too well into this agency As a young company, are you not intimidated when you pitch a business against more established and older players?

You can’t achieve except you dare. The truth is that if you are going to be looking at the people

Competition, for us, is opium; it is what drives us. The truth is whatever industry you play in, if there is no competition, you would be lethargic. That means there is no way your creative output is not going to drop because you are not benchmarking yourself against those perceived to be better. For us, competition is our dream; we tell people to bring it on anytime, we are ready.

If we don’t compete, how do we even measure ourselves?

We are very ready to slug it out with whoever it is and we are sure that with the team in this building, we are ready to stand up to competition

you are going to pitch against, you would not be in business because there are some who have been there for 10, 20, 30 years or even more.

Aside, if you look at the top five agencies in the LAIF 2017 medal table only one agency is from the old school, which has been there for 30 years. There is a shift in thinking; we are not scared.

We are thoroughbred professionals, we are playful and we go there with the best of works.

If for any reason the client decides not to work with us, we shake hands and we move on to the next one. We are not bordered whether there are any antics and we don’t even think of that.

What we think about is we compete and we win. If we don’t win, we take lessons from it and we move on.

Most of the older agencies didn’t have impact at the Awards, what does the future hold for 7even Interactive say in the next 10 years?

There is no disrespect to all those agencies. When you speak of some that have gone into oblivion, you also talk of those that have transcended and still exist. Insight Publicis is going stronger, and likewise DDB just as you mentioned. The business of advertising is dynamic. I think some of them failed to change with time or move with trends, hence, the fate they suffered.

Contemporaries have changed over the time.

The kids that just left school are now marketing managers and marketing directors. Do you think that a marketing director, who is 28 - 30 years old, will like to meet with the MD of an agency, who is almost 60 years? Even if they meet, do you think they will flow?

We need to keep reinventing ourselves. You don’t need to stay too long on a thing without reinventing yourself; other agencies will come up and outstrip you. When you travel for awards or trainings in other parts of the world, you see creative directors and managing directors in the age bracket of 28 - 30 and you begin to wonder what’s happening in my industry. The youthfulness and age of ideas also matter a lot in advertising.

Good, LAIF is looking up, is the industry in any way getting close to the Cannes lions gold?

I think we are a step closer to getting there.

The issue with Nigeria’s creative industry is that we don’t spend time refining our craft, yet we hope that people will understand what we say. This is a minus because we must act “glocal” as if our client is the guy abroad. We must stop thinking that we are looking at the local audience. We must make sure we stand at the highest level of international standard.

We won Loeries because we looked at the new media and as well expanded even the most local of ideas. We will get there; we’ve gotten there on the Africa stages, Loeries. We hope that in this coming year, we will be the first agency to bring Canneslion to Nigeria.

There was a time we never even hear of agencies in Nigeria wining Crystal, Loeries or Epica, but things are fast changing. I know for a fact that an agency in Nigeria was shortlisted for an award in Cannes, though, it didn’t make the medals table. Innovation is the way forward.

You have to be abreast with the changing trends in the world; it’s a new world order. You can’t just sit here and be complacent.

Can you tell us about the LAIF’s campaign that became ads-of-the-world’s choice?

When we were approached to create the communication for LAIF, we asked ourselves, “How do we see ourselves in the industry”.

People sweat it out on the shop floor producing a single ad. Our people slave away like robots. It is same in 7even Interactive and other agencies. We were able to make this something fun, something light hearted and something everyone will see and identify with. LAIF itself gives you a lot of materials and opportunity to explore. We are delighted a lot of people including international players like the work.

How has the material impacted the Brand?

If you were there at the awards or you have been following the communication prior to the event itself and after, you will see the difference. We set out to make a difference, the materials made a lot of difference and which is commended by all. I must give credit to LAIF’s board for this year’s LAIF Award; it was different. With the innovation witnessed in this edition, I believe a new standard has been established going forward.

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NEWS

Lagos-Ibadan Rail Line: FG Rethinks Demolition of 1,400 Buildings in Abeokuta Sunday Okobi The federal government seems to have backpedaled on the planned demolition of about 1,400 buildings in Abeokuta, Ogun State, to pave the way for the construction of the $1.5billion Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge rail line.

Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi told journalists recently in Ibadan, Oyo State, after meeting with officials of the contractor handling the project, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), that with this development, government will now save the N2.8billion, which would have been spent to compensate owners of the

affected buildings.

Amaechi, who disclosed that the demolition would have overshot the budget for the project, stated that the contractor had been advised to see the possibility of avoiding the 1,400 structures marked for demolition among several buildings on the new line’s right of way. The minister stated that “what we have suggested today is that they should review the location of the train station in Abeokuta to avoid an area where we have too many buildings.

If you observe, when we visited the area where we have so many buildings on the proposed station site of the Lagos-Ibadan rail project in Abeokuta, towards the left of that

area is a huge expanse of land that has fewer or no structures on it.

“We have told the contractor to look at the possible option of going towards the left, instead of going through the MKO Abiola Complex (in Abeokuta) and running through buildings behind it. It doesn’t involve any new engineering structure. All they need do is move towards the left of the MKO Abiola Complex so that the path of the standard gauge project will avoid an area where we have too many houses.

“If we agree to go towards the left of the MKO

Abiola Complex, then we won’t be paying N2.8bn as compensation to property owners because we would have avoided where we have concentration of too many houses and that would have reduced the project cost eventually. And by that, we will allow the people to live in peace.”

He, however, admitted that he was under intense pressure to deliver the new railway project in December this year, further adding that the challenges being encountered in Lagos were enormous.

In his words: “In Lagos, we have set up a committee

to be chaired by the Chairman of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, with (representatives of) the CCECC, the Nigerian Army and the Lagos State Government as members. This is because the Lagos State challenges are huge. We have oil pipelines and water pipelines, some belonging to the NNPC, some belonging to private investors and some belonging to the Lagos State Government.

“The committee members are to look at possible solutions to the problems, having at the back of their minds the deadline target of December 2018.”

Amaechi further added: “In Lagos, “we have set up a committee to be chaired by the Chairman of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) with CCECC, the Nigerian Army, and the Lagos State Government as members.

This is because the Lagos State challenges are huge.

“We have oil pipelines, water pipelines, some belonging to NNPC, some belonging to private investors and some belonging to the Lagos State Government.

“The Committee is to look at possible solutions to this problem, having at the back of their minds the deadline target of December 2018.”

SCAN Holds Maiden Summit on Charges at Seaport Eromosele Abiodun In a bid to finding a lasting solution to cost of doing business at the nation’s seaports and vessel diversion to neighbouring countries ports, the Shipping Correspondents Association of Nigeria (SCAN) is set to hold a summit on port charges.

SCAN is a body of journalists with Nigerian daily newspapers reporting the day to day activities in the nation’s maritime sector.

In a press statement made available by the President of the group, Yusuf Babalola, the summit tagged, ‘Port charges: How plausible?’, which is expected to hold on the 15th March, 2018 in Lagos, is to find solutions to myriad of challenges confronted by shippers, terminal operators, clearing agents, importers, Port regulators and other stakeholders operating in the nation’s maritime sector.

According to Babalola, the summit is borne out of series of complaints by operators, regulators, Shippers, clearing agents among other stakeholders in the shipping industry over exorbitant charges that they said is fuelling diversion .

He said: “Stakeholders have regretted that the port sector is already sagging in the absence of appropriate pricing, billing inaccuracy, unfriendly port environment and cargo insecurity.

“The association therefore decided to hold a summit to address the various issues confronting shippers, terminal operators, clearing agents, regulators and other stakeholders especially charges that have stunted the growth of the sector since the port concession of 2006.

“Even though, concessionaires should not be

solely blamed for exorbitant charges at ports even when we know they are also experiencing hard times due to high exchange rate, dilapidated port infrastructure, inability to connect the port to the national grid and collapsed access roads leading to the ports but there is need to strike a balance in other to make Nigeria port a hub in West and Central African sub-region.”

“Also, charges in the port sector is not limited to terminal operators and shipping companies’ charges alone but also extended to Customs duty, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency’s dues, Nigerian Ports Authority’ pilotage dues, charges by Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) charges among other agencies operating in the port system.”

Babalola further stated that the objective of the summit is to make Nigerian seaports attractive to cargoes, investors, making it the hub of shipping activities, to open the port sector for jobs, eliminating corruption and illegal charges at the various seaports.

He added that making Nigerian ports most friendly in Africa by promoting import and export trade will grow Nigerian economy and also make it attractive to investors.

“It is observed that about 90 percent of vessels berthing at Benin,Togo,Ghana and other neighbouring ports their cargoes destined for Nigerian market but inability to get our charges right have made Nigeria lost the traffic to smaller ports in West Africa but the summit is set to address this by making Nigerian ports sought after in West and Central Africa.”

PRODUCT UNVEILING

L-R: Executive Director, Finance, Growing Circle International Limited; Mr. Abdullah Moruff Olakunle; Executive Director, Sales & Marketing, Mrs Chukwu Martina and Managing Director, Mr. Olalekan Ogundare Owolabi, during press briefing to announce the launch of new herbal products in Lagos ...recently.

Lekki Estates Residents Lament Toll Tariffs Increase, Seek Ambode’s Intervention Ugo Aliogo and Lawal Kehinde The Lekki Estates Residents and Stakeholder Association (LERSA) has expressed concern over the increased toll tariffs on Admiralty Circle Plaza and the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge Plaza by Lekki Concession Company (LCC), stressing that this has caused untold hardship to residents and road users in Lekki and its environs.

According to a statement issued by the Protem Chairman LERSA, James Emadoye; the Chairman Victoria Garden City (VGC) Estate Association; O.P.A. Ladega and President Crown Estate Association, John Enadeghe, the imposition of this new toll fees has resulted in sharp rise in the costs of

living on the axis including, bus fares and basic services which would further burden the plight of the people.

The body therefore urged the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode to advise LCC to rescind the decision, pointing out that the company did not consult LERSA before the toll fare increase.

It also urged the LCC to carry out the necessary consultation on issues affecting the toll gates in the community.

The statement said: “We have to state that LERSA has always and will always promote peaceful coexistence in Lekki and any situation that may affect this situation needs to be brought to the attention of the government urgently.

“We therefore hope the state

government will intervene in this matter and listen to the yearnings of Lekki residents and road users to reverse the current increase being perpetuated by LCC on the suffering citizens of this axis.

“It is instructive to know that the development of the road commenced over 10 years ago, and up till this moment, the total kilo meter of roads that has been constructed is from the Lekki Circle gate up to Abraham Adesanya is less than 25 kilometer. It is the 25 Kilometer that we have been paying tolls for since January, 2011. To stakeholders of the area, it is shameful that for over 10 years, a road of less than 90 kilo meters cannot be constructed even when thousands of vehicles pay

tolls on the same road daily.

“Your Excellency, apart from the above, we are also concerned that the very high level of activities ongoing at the Lekki Free Trade Zone, we are left with only one access road. The coastal road which the government promised to provide in 2011 preceding the tolling has either been jettisoned or abandoned.

“What we can see these days are different types of houses springing up on the path of the road. We believe that these roads are imperative for the area considering the huge population. Even the existing road from the Lekki Circle to Abraham Adesanya is totally devoid of the normal lain white markings required for such a road.”

WEEKLY PULLOUT

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

LIVING | P31

COLLAGE | P36

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ORIENTAL CONNECTIONS

28/COVER

16.02.2018

Oriental Connections Solomon Elusoji writes about a Thai restaurant in Lagos that delivers excellence

Ms. Nattanee Booncharoen started Orchid two years ago

Thailand Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Wattana Kunwongse (left) presenting ‘Thai Select Premium’ certificate to the CEO of Orchid House Restaurant, Ms. Nattanee Booncharoen (right), while Head of Decorator, Orchid House Restaurant, Ms. Nakhnan Taphirun and Head of Chef, Orchid House Restaurant, Ms. Nanrapat Dumont looks on

L-R: Mr. Kole Funsho, Mrs. Remi Agbowu and Mr. Jolomi Agbowu were some of the Nigerian guests at Orchid

On Tuesday evening, tens of people gathered at the newly opened Orchid House Restaurant in Victoria Island, Lagos, to witness a remarkable celebration of Thai cuisine.

Orchid was being awarded the ‘Thai Select Premium’ certificate, a piece of paper that cements the restaurant’s position as one of the only few restaurants in the world where authentic Thai cuisine is served.

Since the 1960s, Thai cuisine, renowned for its incredible combination of tastes, has become a global sensation, driving demand across continents. According to some estimates, there are approximately some 15,000 Thai restaurants around the world. However, due to the cuisine’s surging popularity, many restaurateurs try to attract customers by naming their business ‘Thai restaurant’, despite the fact that many of them do not even have Thai food on their menus.

Recognising this situation and the importance of maintaining high standard and quality of Thai food, the Royal Thai Government launched the “Thai Select” programme, with the aim of certifying and promoting restaurants who serve authentic Thai cuisines across the world. So, when eating out, Thai food lovers only need to look out for the ‘Thai Select’

stamp of approval to confirm they are getting authentic Thai service.

On Tuesday evening, Orchid, situated on Gafaru Animashaun Street in Victoria Island, became one of very few restaurants across the world to receive the Thai Select Premium certification. In attendance was the Thailand’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Wattana Kunwongse.

“I feel that this is the home of our people,” Kunwongse told THISDAY during a tour of the restaurant. “I don’t feel alienated. I am, right now, standing in another country while still in Nigeria. I feel that I am home. It’s a very beautiful setting. My colleagues came here last year and had a taste, and they confirmed that this is authentic Thai.”

Orchid’s history is a very peculiar one.

Its founder, Nattanee Booncharoen – popularly referred to as ‘Tukie’ – went into the restaurant business after watching Nigeria’s foreign exchange crisis hit her import and export business severely. Tukie, a Thai who has been in Nigeria for more than 20 years, is a small woman with piercing eyes and graceful demeanour. “Nigeria is like my country already,” she told THISDAY. “I have lived here for so long, more than 20 years.

So when the foreign exchange crisis affected

A cross section of guests at the Thai restaurant

my import-export business two years ago, I started to think of what to do and I thought of starting a restaurant.”

The first branch was opened in Apapa and things were excellent for the first year until the port city’s traffic gridlock caught up with Tukie’s bottom-line and she decided to move closer to her customers on the Island by opening another branch.

“The Apapa business is really affected because of the traffic,” she said. “I live in Apapa and our first year was very good.

But in the second year, we started to notice a decline because of the traffic. The situation just gets worse and worse. Then I thought of bringing the business closer to where our customers are. So many people on the island love Thai food.”

The ‘Thai Select Premium’ certification comes barely four months after opening the second restaurant.

“This award shows if you want to eat authentic Thai food, you can come here,” Tukie said, a gleam in her eyes. “And, also, look at the decoration and arrangement of this place. If you come in here, you feel like you are in Thailand. So apart from the food, you also learn something about Thai culture.

Our goal is to bring Thai here.”

However, Tukie remains circumspect about her expansion plans. “For these two branches, I feel my hand is too full already,” she said.

“I don’t want to cheat my customer and start giving them less quality, in terms of meals and customer service. I worry about that.

So when I train enough people, then I can open a new branch.”

Later on Tuesday evening, this reporter was treated to a sumptuous Thai dinner at Orchid. The food was stocked with herbs and, true to its (Thai food) reputation, had taste that combined sourness, sweetness, spiciness and saltiness. “This dynamism is the magnet of Thai food,” Tukie explained.

Expounding on this taste-dynamism, the Thai Ambassador, Kunwongse, said it was a result of Thailand’s ability to borrow from great cultures, infuse its own local content and produce something marvellous.

“Thailand is located between India and China, and we call it the Indo-China peninsula,” Kunwongse said. “So it is a kind of melting pot for the two great cultures – India and China and it is why Thai food is the mix between Indian and Chinese cuisine and culture. That’s why Thai food is unique.”

29/XTRA

16.02.2018

Celebrating Auchi Day The people of Auchi kingdom celebrated their annual day recently. Adibe Emenyonu who was there, reports

L-R: Aidinojie of South-Ibie, Alhaji Danesi; the Otaru of Auchi, Alhaji Aliru Momoh, Ikelebe III; and the Obi of Owa kingdom, HRH (Dr.) Emmanuel Efeizomo II, during the 21st Auchi Day annual celebration…recently

Auchi hunters presenting an antelope to the Otaru of Auchi at the ceremony

Representative of Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, the state Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Hajia Marian Abubakar (middle) and other celebrants at the event

Prizes for winners of the Qur'anic Competition.

As early as 6a.m., there was a long process of people round the various quarters that make up the Auchi Sacred Kingdom. The people were reciting the entire verses of holy Qur’an and chanted: "Allahu Akbar", meaning God is the Greatest. The congregation later converged at the architecturally-unique ‘Arafat’ mosque.

The chant no doubt signifies the people's appreciation of what God has done for the kingdom right from the migration of its forebears from Idah in present day Kogi State to their present abode.

Led by the present head of the Ikelebe Dynasty, the revered Otaru of Auchi, Alhaji Aliru Momoh, Ikelebe III, the people happily and not minding the early cold harmattan weather, trooped out to give thanks to the Almight Allah (God) for all his benevolence upon them before they finally reconverged at the palace of the Otaru for the main business of the day, which is entertainment of guests and the annual celebration of Allah most high.

The ceremony, which is the 21st in the series according to Dr. Momodu Sanusi Jimah, the Acting Rector, Auchi Polytechnic, "The Auchi Day is a product of great foresight by the Otaru which today has gone into the psyche of the people as a day for stock taking and celebration of the grace, mercy and favour of Almighty Allah."

To Jimah, such favours already manifest in the rapid growth of the kingdom in development, finance and economic opportunities.

Reeling out the significance of the ceremony, the Otaru said before his enthronement, he had requested his immediate predecessor to declare a day of cultural extravaganza for the people of Auchi which was agreed but could not commence.

That was why he said upon his ascension on the throne, he had to introduce Auchi Day to enable the people showcase their culture in order to preserve it.

He however stated that in 2009, the festival apart from showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the people, took a religious dimension with the introduced of Qur’anic competition, the

why we are having problems. When there is injustice you will observe restlessness and that is a big problem. The nation must give justice to both the rich and the poor.

"And for us traditional rulers, God gave us this power to lead our people. And what any King must do is to ensure that justice prevails in his kingdom. It must have no boundaries."

While expressing his gratitude to the guests who attended the colourful ceremony, the Otaru thanked the immediate past governor of the state, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole for helping in the growth of the annual event while he was governor.

High point of the celebration was the poem recitation by Salami Aliyah, a pupil of Afemai Coeducational College, Auchi titled: ‘Allhahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!!”

In this poem, Aliya said that praise which means love and trust in God during worshiping, when people gather in faith and if translated means God is the greatest, has been misused and abused by terrorists before explosions and beheadings.

She said: "Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar. A phrase that is misused and abused. You may have heard it from reports covering terrorists in the news. You may have seen videos of sick twisted minds screaming it before explosions and beheadings.

"But we Muslims we know it when we celebrate. When the righteous gather and consecrate becoming one in Salat and Hajj with no colour or race but faith saying Allahu Akbar for the Almighty with one voice, one love and no hate.

"We know it in every prayers five times.

We say it in every occasion and in every way.

Allahu Akbar when we are scared and weak.

Allahu Akbar the meaning of love and trust in a God that we worship. When all gather in faith, translated as God is the greatest.

"So don't confuse it. Don't allow terrorists to contaminate it. A peaceful religion and a phrase that is so great. When you hear it let it show its true colour. Let it resonate that Allahu Akbar is about love and trust for six

Little Miss Aliyah Salami, a pupil of Afemai Coeducational College, Auchi reciting poem of Allahu Akbar at the Auchi Day celebration

first to be held outside the Edo State capital in its 23 years of existence.

"That was how we started the culture of celebrating God. We know that some of our cultures do not actually portray the Almighty Allah. It was the Quranic recitation competition that gave us divine inspiration to now celebrate God. So from 2010 we started celebrating God instead of culture," the Otaru said.

According to him, “some of the problems confronting us today is because we don't operate within the teachings of God,” adding that “the absence of God in our day to day dealings is the cause of injustice both to the rich and poor alike.”

The Otaru who therefore, charged traditional rulers to see themselves as representatives of the Almighty God in their domain, warned that such position condemned royal fathers to always speak the truth and ensure justice to all.

Stressing the need for leaders to lead according to the word of God, he noted that peace will always elude any society where injustice is allowed to reign.

His words: "In Nigeria today, I believe justice is not applied in anything we do and that is

billion Muslims to the creator of our faith.

"Join me once again to say Allahu Akbar who commanded Mary the mother of Jesus Christ in Q. 3:34 and I quote 'O Mary worship they lord devoutly, prostrate thyself and bow down in prayer with those who bow down' also to all Christian brothers and sisters.

"Let us follow Psalm 95:6 which says come and let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the lord our maker, join me once again to say Allahu Akbar."

The occasion was attended by Governor Godwin Obaseki, who was represented by his Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Hajia Miriam Abubakar; the Obi of Owa kingdom and Chairman, Delta State Council of Traditional Rulers, HRM, Dr. Emmanuel Efezomor II; former Chief Judge of Edo State, Justice Constance Momoh; Gani Audi and Kingsley Agabi representing Etsako West constituency 1 and Etsako East constituency respectively in the House of Assembly.

Others are the Aidinojie of South-Ibie, Alhaji Danesi, Dr. Muhammed Mustafa Lecky, the Galadima of Auchi kingdom; Sheik Yakubu Elamah, Chief Imam of Auchi Central Mosque and a host of others.

Governor Obaseki in his address read by his representative, Hajia Abubakar, reiterated the desire of his administration to bring development to Auchi and other communities in the state and solicited the assistance of traditional rulers in ensuring conducive environment for investors.

"We want to drive our economy through agriculture and that is why we are making lands available to farmers and giving out empowerments for people to set up their farms.

"I thank the Otaru of Auchi for ensuring that peace reigns in Auchi Kingdom and we will continue to support Auchi Kingdom and other communities in the state in terms of development and empowerment of our women and youths."

There was also a cultural display by a group of hunters as wells as Qur'anic recitations competition and award of prizes to winners of the various competitions.

30/ NEWS

16.02.2018

CAN Lagos Interdenominational Divine Service Holds February 17 To seek divine intervention as well as proffer solutions to the numerous problems plaguing the nation presently, the Christian Association Of Nigeria (CAN), Lagos Chapter has scheduled an Inter Denominational Divine Service (IDDS) for Saturday, February 17 holding at the Shepherd Hill Baptist Church, Obanikoro, Ikorodu Road, Lagos State.

The governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, his wife, Bolanle, some commissioners, administrators and other dignitaries, organisers say would be in attendance.

While addressing newsmen in Lagos during the induction of the re-elected executives, the association seized the opportunity to remind Nigerians of voting age to ensure they register to get their voters' card for next year's election so as to elect good leaders into government.

Apostle Alexander Bamgbola, Chairman of CAN Lagos State in his speech stated that: "I am taking this opportunity to remind every true Christian of voting age, that is 18 years and above in the state of Lagos to please go and register and obtain a voter's card and be prepared to vote during the next round of elections in 2019), for the

Secretary, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Lagos State, Elder Israel Akinadewo, Chairman, CAN Lagos State, Apostle Alexander Bamgbola, National Secretary, CAN, Rev. Musa Asake at a press briefing

candidate of his or her choice."

Bamgbola who dismissed the allegation by some individuals and group that CAN is religionising election said it is the body's duty to educate their members on the essence of carrying out their civic duties in line with their conscience.

He however appealed to the government to make available enough registration points to enable the citizens register with ease, after

the state’s Assistant Secretary of the body, Rev. Fr. Matthew Ogunyase observed the tediousness associated with the ongoing voters’ registration exercise.

Further speaking on IDDS with the theme: ‘Humility In Service’, he said that: “It is a time to give thanks to God especially for the peace and prosperity of Lagos State, our own Jerusalem. We also take time to pray for our dear nation, Nigeria.

GTBank Launches Dusty Manuscript Contest Foremost African financial institution, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, has launched the Dusty Manuscript Contest (csr.gtbank.com/ dustymanuscript) to give budding writers the opportunity to win publishing deals for their finished, but yet-to-be published, manuscripts. Organised in partnership with publishing houses Okadabooks and Farafina, the contest is part of the Bank’s YouREAD initiative which is aimed at promoting the culture of reading.

The Dusty Manuscript Contest is the latest in a long line of GTBank initiatives geared towards promoting the appreciation of art and supporting creative potential. In 2017 the Bank remodelled the old Herbert Macaulay Library, Yaba into a state-of-theart learning and recreational facility that would give people in the community and beyond the opportunity to build capacity, gain exposure and connect with the world.

The remodelled library has been the venue of regular book readings and art expositions organised under the YouREAD initiative.

With the Dusty Manuscript Contest, the Bank is seeking to address the challenges indigenous writers face getting their books published. The top three entries in the contest will be rewarded with publishing contracts with Farafina as well cash rewards. The top 10 entries will get their books e-published

by Okadabooks, including book cover design, book editing, and publicity. The

After spending the last week awaiting feedback on their fates in the House, the Big Brother Naija housemates were on Sunday able to collectively heave a sigh of relief upon discovering the evictions were a hoax. Hosted by the ever suave Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, Sunday’s live show was yet more entertainment for studio guests and viewers at home as Nigerian songbird, Niniola thrilled with her hit tracks Maradona and Sicker.

The housemates’ relief was however short-lived, as they were yet again tasked with competing for the Head of House title. An interesting twist occurred as all the male housemates and Vandora were disqualified from the challenge, following their failure to adhere to Big Brother’s instructions. Khloe subsequently emerged as Head of House after competing with previous contestants, Ifu and Bam Bam. Things are, however, bound to get testy as the real nominations happen on Monday the 12th of February with the first set of evictions to follow on the next live show, with host Ebuka announcing that more than one pair of housemates will be evicted.

Voting for nominated housemates begin at 6.30 Nigerian time, and viewers can vote via SMS, mobile site and website.

To vote via SMS, simply text the word “Vote” followed by the team name to 32052. Voting costs N30 per SMS. To vote via mobile site and website, simply register on africamagic.tv/bbvote with your mobile number and password, then enter the OTP number and vote for free.

Voting opens at 6:30on Monday and closes at 9:00pm Nigerian time on Thursday.

LBS Alumni Emerge Finalists at 2018 Association of MBAs Awards

L-R: Eghosa Imasuen, Manuscript Reviewer/Judge; Enajite Efemuaye, Managing Editor, Farafina; Oyinade Adegite, Assistant General Manager and Head, Communication and External Affairs, GTBank; Toni Kan, Manuscript Reviewer/Judge and Okechukwu Ofili, Chief Executive Officer, Okada Books during a press conference

top 25 book authors will also get a two-day boot camp training on writing, marketing and branding. To submit a manuscript, interested writers are to visit csr.gtbank. com/dustymanuscript.

The entries in the Dusty Manuscript Contest will be assessed by a panel of four judges which includes Eghosa Imasuen, the author of widely acclaimed novel, Fine Boys, and Yejide Kilanko, a poet and therapist in children’s mental health, Dr. Ainehi Edoro-Glines, an Assistant Professor of English Language and Toni Kan, a writer and PR executive whose collection of short stories, Nights of a Creaking Bed, won the

NDDC/Ken Saro Wiwa prize for literature.

Commenting on the Dusty Manuscript Contest, Mr. Segun Agbaje, the Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, said; “At GTBank we see art as not just a medium for creative expression but also as a means of livelihood, and by organising the Dusty Manuscript Contest we are helping budding writers make a living off their works. He further added that; “By addressing the major barrier that our indigenous writers face in sharing their stories with the world, we hope to inspire and develop the next generation of award-winning and globally renowned authors.”

Bamigbetan Flags off Community Centre in Ejigbo Mary Ekah The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan recently flagged off a community centre at the Bungalow area of Jakande Estate in Ejigbo. The centre is to serve as a flagship project for forthcoming projects aimed at developing the estate and restoring it lost glory.

In his address, the Chairman, Bungalow Community, Jakande Estate, Ejigbo, Lagos, Deacon Peter Taiye Adediji said that by the inaugurating of the project, the association has laid a solid foundation for the development of the community.

The inauguration of Bungalow Community Centre, which also witnessed an award ceremony witnessed by handful of community members and other guests.

The project which started two years ago, Adediji said from the onset had a 7-point agenda under the caption, ‘That The Bungalow May Glow Again’, which was presented at the group’s inaugural session on August 22, 2015.

The 7-point agenda for implementation, he said included unity among people in the Bungalow community as well as celebrate and honour achievers in their midst and regularly arrange programmes that will bind them

BB Naija Week 2: Evictions to be Televised as Real Nominations Begin

L-R: Dr. Olusunmade (Vice Chairman Ejigbo LCDA representing the chairman), Dcn. Peter Tai. Adediji (Chairman of Bungalow Community in Ejigbo LCDA and donor of the hall), Hon. Kehinde Bamigbetan, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Lagos State performing the commissioning ceremony of Bungalow Community Centre, Ejigbo.

together. It also entailed fostering environmental friendly projects such as promoting clean environment, check-mate hawkers, provide street lights and encourage planting of flowers; security of lives and property by providing day and night guards and possibly have police patrol within the estate and improve electricity supply and have regular dialogue on how to have more power supply to the

community amongst others.

Having put all the plans on ground, the association was for over one year financially incapacitated to execute its plans. “We made effort by writing letters soliciting for funds but that amounted to spending the little amount some individual members could spare to run the secretariat. Running the secretariat without funds became difficult.

We, the executive, went into the cooler for paucity of funds, but the God given vision was burning in me,” Adediji recalled.

It was in the middle of this challenge that the Chairman, Bungalow Community, Deacon Adediji decided to take up the leadership risk to commence the laying of the foundation of the hall through self-financing last year, believing that other like-minded fellows would join when they see the progress of work.

But this was never to be; rather, “words came to me that people were insinuating that why starting the project when he knew he could not finish it, and such other discouraging statements. I was now in a dilemma asking myself how I would be able to solely shoulder the finance of this community project. I have to give God all the glory because it looks impossible but with God I was able to finance and get it done.”

Lagos Business School alumni, Glory Eyinnaya (EMBA 21) and Aidenehi Okosun (MBA 14) were finalists for the AMBA Student of the Year and the Entrepreneurial Venture of the year respectively, at the 2018 AMBA Awards held in London, United Kingdom.

The AMBA Student of the Year Award sponsored by the Wall Street Journal is for the high performing MBAs who demonstrate outstanding skills and motivation towards becoming tomorrow’s business leaders and the MBA Entrepreneurial Venture Award celebrates the achievements of successful alumni who are trailblazers in world-class business strategy. These awards also showcase the Business Schools that are nurturing the spirit of enterprise and ambition.

Glory Enyinnaya is a Management Consultant, Entrepreneur and a Prosci-certified Change Manager who has led the implementation of change on several technology implementation projects across Africa, including the West African team of the world’s largest SAP deployment.

She studied Accounting at the University of Nigeria and concluded an Executive MBA from Lagos Business School at the Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos in 2017.

Currently, she is the founder and Lead Consultant of Kleos Africa, an online consulting platform which aims to enable value-adding interactions between African SMEs and experienced MBAs and professionals, with the aim of increasing the rates of successful entrepreneurship in Africa.

She is also the Programme Manager for the African Women Entrepreneurship Cooperative (AWEC), an initiative of the New York-based Centre for Global Enterprise, which aims to empower 3,000 African women entrepreneurs by 2021.

She is the President of the Lagos Business School chapter of the Beta Gamma Sigma, an international association for high-performing business-school graduates.

Aidenehi Okosun possesses about seven years of postgraduate experience in various industries including the Energy, Technology and Food and Beverage industries where he has held several leadership roles during his graduation from Management Information System at Covenant University and is a seasoned Business Developer with skills in Corporate Finance, Business Strategy, Financial Structuring and Modelling, Valuation and deal structuring, Process Improvement, Project Management and go-to-market strategy design. He presently sits on the board of several start-ups and provides mentorship to a slew of budding entrepreneurs. He has a keen penchant for “Social Entrepreneurship” and “Impact Investing”; particularly on business models that improve the Quality of Life in emerging markets especially in sub-Saharan Africa. He also has volunteer experience including the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEEP), the Barcelona Technology Transfer Group, and the Diamond Bank Entrepreneurship Initiative.

Eyinnaya and Okosun were both delighted to have gotten to the final stages of the competition and are proud to be flying the flag of their Alma Mata. According to Okosun “Lagos Business School is one of only two schools who had nominees in major award categories, and this is worthy of note because LBS only recently became an AMBA accredited institution, the only school in West Africa with such coveted accreditation.”

31/ LIVING

16.02.2018

Ladies of St. Mulumba Fetes over 2000 People Distribute bibles and other items in Lagos Jonathan Eze Over 2,000 residents in Lekki area of Lagos, Ikota and Ajah communities benefitted from the evangelisation and generosity carried out by the Ladies of St. Mulumba Nigeria, Lekki-Sub Council at the weekend, where food, water, bibles, rosaries, catechism books and other items worth over a million naira were distributed freely to excited individuals that included children, women, widows and the less-privileged.

According to the President of the group, Lady Nnenne Ukairo, Ladies of St. Mulumba are wives of Knights of St. Mulumba, Nigeria, an honoured Order in the Catholic Church and charity outreach is one of the key roles of the Order. This Evangelisation outreach focused on three locations made up of two out-stations; St. Rita and St. Theresa Ikota, using Our Mother of Perpetual Help Parish Ajah, for Ajah community.

Lady Ukairo noted that LSM, Lekki Sub-Council understood that a hungry man or woman needs food before listening to the gospel in line with the model Jesus Christ set in feeding the hungry. It was a demonstration of goodwill that Jesus loved them. “That’s exactly what we are replicating.’’

She expressed happiness at the reception they got adding that the majority of people were excited

L-R: President, Ladies of St. Mulumba (LSM) Lekki-Sub Council, Lady Nnenne Ukairo;Chairperson, Evangelical Committee, LSM, Lady Ifeoma Okocha-Ojeah and Asst. Parish Priest, Catholic Church of Transfiguration, Victoria Garden City (VGC), Lagos, Rev. Father Paul Adekoya during the LSM, Lekki-Sub Council Evangelisation Drive in Lagos…recently

and were even asking for more bibles and other religious items that will aid their worship of God. The people were warm and very receptive of the items distributed.

The Chairperson of the Evangelisation Planning Committee, Lady Ifeoma Okocha-Ojeah, told

'I'm Called to Preach the Good News through Music' Peter Uzoho Upcoming gospel singer, Chinedu Chibiko, also known by his stage name 'Minista Chinedu', has said his purpose in life is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ through his songs.

"I'm called to preach the good news of Jesus Christ with my music. My desire is to see miraculous things take place as I lead the people of God in praise and worship," Chibiko said.

"I have a single titled 'God No Dey Fail'. The song has been a blessing to many lives as we speak. God gave me that song at a time in my life when all hope seemed to have lost. So it was inspired out of my experience with God." The young artiste said his entrance into music was owing to his love for God. Though, I grew up in a family of music lovers. My late parents couldn't sing but they loved music, so we always had music playing everyday at home. However, along the line, I discovered that music was my purpose in life - I have found my purpose," he explained.

Currently working on his album, Chibiko noted that his only single 'God No Dey Fail'

THISDAY that the gesture is a product of what Jesus admonished Christians to do in Mathew 28 v19 and 20, to make disciples of people of all the nations and teaching them to understand the commandments of God. She added that the outreach also enabled them to reactivate the

Ogun Engages Community Gate Keepers, Market Women to Curtail Lassa Fever Ehime Alex

Chibiko

was recorded at Honesty Studio.

"I have a music team called 'D' GENIUS' anytime I get inspired with a song, they help to arrange it professionally before I go to the studio to record. I record live, so l can work with any producer because I go with a blueprint of what I want."

He singled out worship songsters, Nathaniel Bassy, Panam Percy Paul and Chris Morgan as his role models, saying, in years to come, his life would be a blessing to many lives around the world.

inactive who are yearning for Christ.

On her part, the Vice President of the Ladies of St. Mulumba, Lekki Sub-Council, Lady Theresa Chiejina was visibly excited at the success of the programme. She said: "I feel happy and excited at our experience today. I appreciate all our members for bringing out time from their busy schedules to reach out to others. We all created and dedicated it to spreading the gospel and it's indeed fulfilling. Our Lord expects us to make good use of our talents, treasure and time in serving the people and propagating the message that can only lead to salvation. We have done our part and the Holy Spirit will continue the rest."

Ukairo also added that charity outreach is a quarterly event and they are more motivated with the impressive and successful outcome.

Some of the recipients who spoke to THISDAY were happy and promised to make good use of the items received in improving their relationship with their neighbours and with God. However, it was so obvious that the people really needed help especially materially going by the rate at which the large number of food shared, biscuits and other items didn't really go round as many more people were eager to receive more packs of the food shared.

As part of preventive measures to keep out the spread of Lassa fever from its state, the Ogun State Government said it has trained community gate keepers and clusters of market women, just as it has involved them in a service to enlighten people about the dreaded disease, especially at the border areas of the state.

The new surveillance approach which was meant to reinforce the determination of the Senator Ibikunle Amosun-led administration would be judiciously carried out across the three senatorial districts in the state.

Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Babatunde Ipaye stated this while speaking to journalists at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) 12 in Abeokuta.

Ipaye said, “Here in Ogun State, as part of the efforts of the present administration to combat the Lassa fever disease, we have trained adequate

number of Community Gate keepers and Market women clusters on the dangers and challenges posed by the deadly disease, as well as measures to identify it and the precautionary steps to take in case of any suspected case.”

The commissioner warned that early diagnosis was key to the prevention of the disease.

While stating that health workers have been saddled with the responsibility of treating every fever as Lassa case, Ipaye noted that Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) had been provided to protect them (health workers) from the danger of contacting the disease.

“We made sure that we trained all health workers to the point every suspected case of fever is treated as Lassa, because, early diagnosis is critical to prevention. We have also procured Personal Protective Equipment to protect health workers from the danger of contacting the disease while attending to patients,” he stated.

‘I Have Passion for Fashion’ Yetunde Abidoye, the CEO of Asórewa Nigeria Enterprise at the grand opening of her fashion label on February 10, which also doubles as her 25th birthday, tells Ferdinand Ekechukwu about her passion for fashion, among other issues when you try to get something and there's no one to support you, you'll be very weak and discouraged. I am happy I didn't get that. Instead they loved the idea when I told them about it.

Can you tell us about your new fashion label?

Actually, Asótorewa means cloth is beautiful.

You don't have to wear boring clothes, wear something nice that when you step out people would admire you.

What’s your educational background?

Well, I went to good schools. I studied Biochemistry at Bowen University.

You just turned 25 and you're a CEO of a fashion brand, how does that make you feel?

Trust me, it is very stressful and not easy at all. But then, it is fun and like a dream come true, everything is falling into place. It comes with a lot of hard work and lots of advice from everyone around me. It feels good to be 25 too.

So what inspired the name Asórewa?

Actually, I wanted to create something native like more African. So then I came up with "Tinwatinwa" Which means it's our own. Then at the point of registration, I found out someone already had it registered. It was so painful. I had to think hard for something else and Asórewa popped up so I registered it and was happy I did.

How long have you been making dresses?

Yetunde Abidoye, CEO, Asorewa

Let me say six months ago to be precise.

But before the six months, I have been making dresses little by little. But I started officially six months ago.

Having a daughter who read Bio-chemistry venturing into fashion, how did your parents take it?

I got full support from my loving parents, my awesome friends and family members. And I really appreciate them for the support. You know,

How do you intend to break into the Nigerian market, knowing that a lot of designers are out there who have made upcoming brand shiver at the mention of their brand names?

Actually, everyone is running their own race.

I am running mine, they are running theirs.

Asórewa has stayed to be very original. And we would love to keep staying that way. There are lots of designers like you said but I'm not in a competition with anyone but myself. We do not compromise. We tend to be real 100 per cent and original because that's our trademark.

And no one would complain about our products once they patronise us.

Have you any special material that you work with?

Daviva, I use Daviva a lot. I use checkered and licra material. We get the original ones.

Is Asórewa only for those with a full purse?

No. Trust me it is very affordable. Everyone can patronise Asórewa.

What's your market target?

It's for the youths and elderly. We first started with jumpsuits, then later on dresses and then we began to design for men. So it is not male and female.

Any mentor throughout the journey?

Ahhh... Rostal Flowers. She is my mentor. She's a big decorator, she's very good at what she's doing.

She's very hardworking too. I learnt decoration from her but it wasn't my thing. So I had to go into fashion because that's what I have always wanted to do. I learnt to be hardworking from Rostal Flowers. You don't have to sit and relax when work needs to be done. You never can tell who's watching your every move. Everybody saw my effort and supported me.

What's your motto?

At Asórewa, we share the sentiments of Ralph Lauren's quote that says: "I don't design clothes.

I design dreams."

We believe that our calling is to bring people's dream to life through the designs we make. We help you dress like the future you dream of while living in today without breaking the bank.

32 / XTRA

16.02.2018

‘Masari is a Governor that Drives Himself Out at Midnight to Inspect Projects’ Abdu Labaran, a Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, believes the state is on a mission to greatness under its current leadership.

In this interview with Solomon Elusoji, he discusses his principal’s strides in road infrastructure, economic and social security, and commitment to progressive governance ment efforts in Katsina Central. They ignored the other two senatorial zones, Daura and Funtua. All the tertiary institutions - about five of them - are concentrated in one zone.

But when Masari came, he made it a policy to ensure fair and equitable distribution of amenities. So if one road is constructed in Katsina Central, then one road each will be constructed in Daura and Funtua, and they must be of almost equal distances. Currently, there are three road projects in each senatorial zone. So no zone is preferred over the other.

What is special about Katsina, in terms of its capacity to attract foreign investment?

Katsina is the leading agrarian state in the country because we have comparative advantage in cotton production, rice production and in crops like beans and sorghum.

In fact, after Kebbi, Katsina is second in rice production. BUA is establishing an industrial park for the textile sector. They have been given 100 hectares for farming of cotton and the establishment of a giant textile industry in Katsina State. Dangote Group is meeting with the governor too to discuss the possibility of setting up a textile hub. And we are the leading producer of Kaolin, one of the most important ingredients in the production of paint. We also have gold in commercial quantities. We have not become so prominent like Zamfara in that respect because the governor has not allowed illegal mining. Then there is the Indian company, the Mahindra Group, which has set up shop in Katsina State and are assembling motorcycles and tractors and also producing nails and aluminum roofing sheets.

And the governor has said that all things being equal, Katsina State will be exporting almost everything Nigeria will be needing in the next few years. And I have no doubt about this. Aminu Bello Masari is not a politician.

When you say someone is a politician, we use the word in derogatory terms; it means the person is a liar, but this is not Masari.

If he says he will do something, he will. So, in the next five years, Katsina will be great and reliance on oil proceeds will be a thing of the past. We will be sufficient.

But to be able to achieve industrial revolution you hint at, investors have to be confident about security. Against the backdrop of the recent cattle rustlers crisis, how has Katsina been able to deal with security threats?

One day in March 2014, the then President, Goodluck Jonathan and some PDP members were in Katsina and some bandits went to the confluence of three local governments and massacred 142 people, despite that all the security apparatus - courtesy of Mr. President’s visit - in the country were in Katsina State.

In fact, the operation lasted five hours and 142 people were massacred like insects. Up to this date, none of the perpetrators have been apprehended. This is to show the degree of the deterioration of the security apparatus in the state then. So, security was one of the issues on which the present governor campaigned on. He promised that if he came to power, he would definitely accord security the necessary attention.

When he was elected, Governor Masari sounded out his colleagues also affected by the cattle rustlers cum bandit crisis in Kano, Jigawa, Zamfara, Kebbi, Sokoto and Niger states. Governor Masari beckoned on them to create a common front to fight the scourge.

For starters, each state pledged N100 million.

As time went on, some of the governors went lukewarm but Masari was not deterred: he went to Abuja and met with security chiefs.

His efforts were what led to the launch of a military operation in Zamfara - which was the theatre of the bandits.

The governor also unilaterally went to make arrangements with the Air Force, the Army, the DSS and Civil Defence. So he was given extra operatives that are permanently on ground in these affected local governments.

And, believe you me, the government spends nothing less than N250 million to sustain this individual operation.

There was also the amnesty extended to some of these cattle rustlers and bandits, where they returned all their weapons. There was a special ceremony and Chief of Army Staff, Buratai, was on ground to witness the

So, in respect to road infrastructure, this government is determined to meet those needs. These are promises the governor made on the campaign trail, and he is ensuring that he meets those promises. Secondly, the commitment of the Commissioner for Works, Engr. Tasiu Dandagoro, is top-notch. He is extremely committed and very good at his job.

Labaran

weapons handover. The Katsina Government now extended some amenities - like hospitals, schools - into the forest where some of these bandits have been forced into. Before the amnesty, no farmer dare go inside the forest and no Fulani dares to come into the town; anyone who breaks the barrier will find himself killed. Some of the Fulanis were in the bush for four years.

Now, the security situation has improved by more than 80 per cent. Before, no week will pass without reports of major massacres by cattle rustlers. But today, you hardly hear about these things in Katsina. There are normal criminal activities of course; no society in the world is free of this. But you cannot hear about cattle rustlers in Katsina anymore.

Every fortnight, the governor meets with the security chiefs here. The Katsina military formation, which used to be a battalion has now been upgraded to a brigade. Also, the Air Force, for the first time, now has a permanent Air Force base in Katsina. All these developments are a result of this administration’s efforts.

This is why investors are now trooping into Katsina. An industrial park, sitting on some 800 hectares, is set to be established and a lot of foreign companies are having meetings with the government on how they can participate in this success story.

Also, what is the government doing to improve infrastructure in the state, especially as it relates to road infrastructure?

The government is doing a lot. Three days ago, road projects worth 15 billion naira across the state was approved by the executive council.

But if we are to go back and calculate what the government has done in terms of road infrastructure since it was inducted into office, I think between 30 to 60 billion naira has been spent on new road projects and for the completion of those inherited from the previous administration. If you see some of the roads, you will think they are federal government projects.

Also, it is worthy to note that the previous administration concentrated their develop-

In light of the recent economic recession, how has the state been able to fund these road projects?

My Principal never gets tired of saying this: it is not about the lack of resources, it is how well the little that is available is used.

Definitely, it is a question of leadership. If you have good leadership, no matter how little the resources are it will be well utilised. And that’s what has been happening at the centre.

Where has the money been coming from?

Imagine what the previous administration had, when a barrel of crude oil sold at almost N140, while when this administration came on board, the same barrel sold for as little as N26, two naira less than the production cost.

So in Katsina State, we are really very glad and lucky that we have Aminu Bello Masari. The truth is that if it was anybody else, we will not be able to do most of the things we are doing today. Before he left office, the former governor, Ibrahim Shehu Shema, hinted publicly that whoever gets elected will not be able to pay more than the first three months of state salaries. But, today, Katsina State is among the only four states, along with Lagos, Rivers and Kano, that pay their workers as at when due, without waiting for federal allocation. And you have to understand what the other three states generate internally per month is twice what Katsina gets from Abuja. What Apapa, a local government in Lagos State, generates in a month is more than the entire budget of Katsina State.

Believe me, Katsina has never had it this good in terms of road projects across the state. No one section of the state can say it has been shortchanged.

This governor (Masari) is not about any worldly things. He has seen it all. Some months into his tenure as governor, one early Saturday morning, I went to see him - he is a very free man who is easily accessible without needless protocols, whether you are a politician or not. When his second child was getting married, Governor Masari gave out an order that no public officials should attend, that it is a Masari family affair and not a government matter. When the son of the last governor was getting married, every local government and MDAs were levied N500,000 in cash and each was assigned the souvenirs to produce, using public money to fund private commitments. But this is not Masari’s style. Besides, this is a governor that drives himself. He goes out on project inspections at midnight alone. He does not rely on reports on supervisors. And most times, he goes on unscheduled, unannounced visits. So we are very lucky to have this kind of leader in Katsina.

33/PERSPECTIVE

16.02.2018

Ikpeazu

Visionary Leadership: The Ikpeazu's Example Okechukwu Keshi Ukegbu Plethora of awards have trailed Governor Okezie Ikpeazu since his emergence as the governor of Abia State in May 29, 2015. The most recent in the pack is his nomination as ‘Vanguard Newspaper Governor of the Year 2017’.

The award, according to Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, who led the team of Vanguard editors, was in recognition of the governor's novel contributions to good governance and purposeful leadership in Abia State.

Adefaye further dressed Governor Ikpeazu in robes- this time not borrowed but robes that really capture the character and laudable achievements of Governor Ikpeazu in Abia State. First, he described the governor as “exceptional leader with futurists ideas”.

Jay Mitchel paint exceptional leaders to be authentic, humble, they balance realism and optimism, they are committed to making others better. Others are that exceptional leaders surround themselves with people better than them; they put people and long-term results ahead of processes and short-term goals; they have their team’s back; wade into conflicts; and they are self-aware. All these qualities are embodied in Governor Ikpeazu.

Vanguard's description of Governor Ikpeazu as an exceptional leader is not a misplacement, because, according to Jay Mitchel, "exceptional leaders talk openly about their struggles, both past and present, as well as their successes. They aren’t falsely humble, because they understand their strengths and operate within them.

They are same person when they sit in the leadership chair as when they are at home, on the golf course, or in the gym.

Leaders talk about real life issues and real world problems. People naturally follow authentic people because they know what they can count on them to be consistent, truthful, open, relationally-intelligent, and honest."

Governor Ikpeazu is a perfect match of what Christ said about the requirement of humility in leadership, which is aptly captured in Matthew 23:11 thus: “The greatest among you will be your servant.”

He is indeed a servant leader.

Besides, Governor Ikpeazu's leadership is highly-driven by service to his people and he has strongly demonstrated and professed this thus: “The overriding import is service; we are desperate to give service to the people of Abia State.

We will continue to do it as the funds are available. It is better we die serving Abia people. So, what are we keeping the money for? If money is available; we will use it to serve the people. Funding is not a barrier. The prayers of the good people of Abia will find the funds for us to do what we want to do. We are in government to serve the people and remember that in my early days, I said I was going to be common governor for the common people.”

The governor is a man with futuristic ideas, no doubt. This has reflected in the quality of roads he does. He pioneered cement technology, also known as “Rigid Pavement Technology in road construction in this part of the country. The technology ensures the mixture of crush rock-based materials and other items to achieve a thickness fill and compaction to the level of 300mm. This is followed by a concrete reinforcement cast with 8mm to10mm-high tensil (mash of wires) reinforcement bars over the stabilised base before treating it with prime coat and asphaltic concrete. Though the cost of this technology is higher than those of the conventional construction methods, Governor Ikpeazu chooses this technology as a means of strengthening the load-bearing capacity of roads in Abia and to boost the strength and quality of the finished work. The technology has a sustainability guarantee of10 to 20 years. Cement technology is one of the technologies used in the construction of airport runways, tarmac and places with heavy loads like machines and equipment. The technology is a good solution for achieving sustainable roads in Nigeria, and Governor Ikpeazu does not want to waste Abia resources returning to the roads he had earlier constructed after one rainy season.

One thing that continues to bother the minds of analysts and watchers of Nigerian politics, Vanguard Newspaper not in exception, is how Governor

Ikpeazu was able to sustain these laudable achievements despite prolonged distractions. In the words of Adefaye: "Despite daunting legal distractions, you have remained focused on your vision and mission to transform Abia State into a functional private sector-led economy; creating opportunities for citizens, improving the quality of lives and shaping the state a regional entrepreneurship hub through good governance, appropriate development and provision of sustainable enabling environment."

Throughout history, the truth is that visionaries and achievers are not daunted by distractions. The case of Nehemiah is a classical case. It will be recalled that Jerusalem came under serious sieges in 606, 597, and 586 B.C and was conquered and destroyed by the great Babylonian King, Nebuchadnezzar. The temple, palace, houses, and wall around the city were razed by fire. Many of the elite upper class of the Jewish people were taken captive to live in Babylon in 606 B.B, and most of the rest of the population were either killed or taken to Babylon in 597 and 586 B.C. No wonder, Governor Ikpeazu's exploits so much endeared to the Men Ministry of the Assemblies of God, Ukaegbu Road, Aba, that they conferred the award ‘Nehemiah of Abia’ on him.

Governor Ikpeazu is a Philosopher King” as conferred on him by a Catholic clergy.

Plato opined that a Philosopher king is a ruler who possesses both a love of knowledge, as well as intelligence, reliability, and a willingness to live a simple life. Such are the rulers of his utopian city Kallipolis. For such a community to ever come into being, “philosophers (must) become kings…or those now called kings (must)…genuinely and adequately philosophise” (The Republic, 5.473d).

Nehemiah’s story had everything to do with his vision of a preferable future for his people and their beloved city of Jerusalem. Despite strong opposition he fulfilled the vision process, implementation, opposition, and completion.

Nehemiah was attached to the Persian court- he had been the king’s cupbearer.

He was appointed governor of Judah and

authorised to rebuild its fortifications. He demonstrated his organisational skills and had the walls of Jerusalem up in 52 days.

He was greatly hampered by the opposition of Sanballat, governor of Samaria.

Tobiah, governor of Ammon. He divided his forces into two shifts- one to stand at arms, the other to build.

Just like Nehemiah, Ikpeazu met a state, especially Aba, the commercial nerve of the state, lying literally prostrate. But his vision of a preferable future for the people of Abia forced him into action. This vision has converted the entire Abia into a construction site with scores of roads, bridges completed and more undergoing construction. This vision has subjected the state into an agricultural hub and barring any unforeseen circumstances, the state must have achieved the planting seven million palm seedlings by 2019.

This vision has elevated Abia State to a Small and Medium Scale hub. The vision has caused revolutions in the health, education sectors of the state. The ongoing reforms, just like the reforms of Nehemiah in Jerusalem has saved fortunes that can be translated to millions from the ghost-worker syndrome that bedeviled the state all these while and eaten it up like a locust.

Furthermore, the vision has initiated the creation of the Aba Urban Renewal Agency with the mandate to drive the government’s urban renewal of power.

It has demystified power in the state by de-emphasising the pomp and ceremonies that create the power mystique. The vision has communised the governor and simplified the age-long image of the man of power.

It is indisputable that visions and reformations are strongly opposed like Sanballat and Tobias did in Nehemiah’s era. In the contemporary times opposition to visions and reformations can come in the forms of protracted litigations aimed at distracting the leader; negative media publications with spurious, unfounded and baseless allegations which only aim is to denigrate the soaring fame of the leader. But despite how intense the opposition may be, by the grace of God, the vision process must be completed. To God be the glory.

34/XTRA

16.02.2018

Patients receiving attention at the Obiene-Ututu Medical Centre

‘I’m Turning My Passion into Action’ Dr. Anuma Kalu Ulu, Nigerian-born medical practitioner based in the United States was in the country recently on medical mission, writes Peter Uzoho Dr. Anuma Kalu Ulu is the founder, The Kalu Ulu Memorial Foundation, a tax-exempt non-profit organisation geared towards improvement of the health and socioeconomic status of indigent rural-dwellers in Nigeria through provision of free goods and medical services.

An encounter with him by THISDAY reveals that despite his great accomplishment he remains a study in humility.

Born to a humble family in Obiene-Ututu, Arochukwu, Abia State where he said he was taught the tenets of humility, hard work and giving, Ulu has continued to nurture the same beliefs, ensuring that the indigent are given helping hand, not only to survive but providing them with hope for a better future.

Little wonder, following his deep involvement in humanitarian activities over the years he was nominated for the “2009 and 2010 CNN-Heroes Award” for his philanthropic work.

Due to his passion for charity he has continued to live a life where philanthropy defines his daily life.

“I derive joy from giving and changing people’s circumstance and I am always willing to share what I have and assist communities to the best of my ability,” he revealed during the encounter.

“I give not because I have so much, but because I know how it feels not to have. I can say that the heart to give runs in my family. I took after my father (now late) who was probably the greatest philanthropist of his time, a benevolent giver, so is my elder brother Kalu Ulu (Snr) who lives in Umuahia, Nigeria” It is the same philosophy that has over the years motivated him to reach out in his small way to the needy.

Asked to dissect what is wrong with the nation’s healthcare system compared to that of America where he is practicing, he said without mincing words that “everything is wrong with the nation’s medical situation as in reality there is no medicare system in our land which is sad.”

The accomplished family doctor and geriatrician said “There is really no basis for comparison, everything we are doing here is wrong. I have to be frank. Some of you may have had the

Rural dwellers in Obiene-Ututu, Arochukwu receiving medical services from the Kalu Ulu Memorial Foundation

Ulu...providing free medical services to the lessprevileged

opportunity to travel and see what obtains in other climes.

“I trained here at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) before I travelled, and since I

travelled and got my further training, I have been coming here to practice. So, I stand in a better stead to actually compare and say as it is based on world standard, we really don’t have anything here that is called a hospital or medical delivery system.

“The system is rippled with many practices that would land a medical staff in any other clime in jail or a situation where he or she would lose license. There is no checks and balances here and I believe that some people might know what to do, but because of self-aggrandisement or the need to make profit beyond the need to serve, then they get derailed.”

He disclosed further that “The main problem in Nigeria is lack of medical education about what you’re suffering from or what you’re going through.

“You ask doctors which medication you are giving me. They would not tell you; they would

scrape the names and tell you to just take it; what do you know, what or why do you want to know? You ask them what is my diagnosis, they can’t tell you, they will just tell you, ‘Why do you want to know, did you go to medical school?

“The situation is sad. So, lack of information, medical information, to the populace is the greatest bane of Nigeria’s system. Also, the populace believes in a lot of myths and superstitions.”

Ulu is of the view that Nigerian doctors need proper orientation if they want to provide the non-profit, value oriented service associated with the profession.

“Nigerian doctors need new reorientation.

If they see medicine as a profit-oriented thing, then I don’t think they would go far. In my own situation, I am not putting profit as the foremost thing; but if it comes then it becomes a consequence but not the reason.

“They have to reorient themselves to think that they can serve first and along with the service, they can also better their lives. I don’t believe in government thing because our government has always disappointed not only in health sector but in almost other sectors.”

He appealed to successful individuals to always endeavour to assist in any small way they can as great things begin small.

“Like in my village, when I started my medical mission programme in 2004, over 90 per cent of the people had hypertension and we used to have stroke like 10 to 15 people a year which was attributed to somebody not killing goat before laying house foundation and all sorts of traditional beliefs.

“Over four years of my programme, it reduced to like 20 per cent because the people were compliant. Six years down the lane, there was only a time that we had two strokes and one of them happened to be my mother who died at age 84 years.”

With resources permitting, Ulu said he is planning to build a state-of-the-art hospital in the country where part of the hospital will provide free health services to the indigent people.

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY FEBRUARY 16, 2018

35

36/COLLAGE

16.02.2018

L-R: Pastor in Charge of Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Lagos Province 14, Pastor Paul Adewunmi; wife, Pastor (Mrs.) Anike Adewunmi; son of the deceased, Pastor Adetunji Adebiyi; and wife, Deaconess Oluwatoyin Adebiyi, during the funeral ceremony of Pa Michael Adegoke Adebiyi held at the RCCG Divine Glory Parish, Okota, Lagos…recently.

L-R; Arik Chief Pilot, Captain Abdullai Mamudu; Captain Steve Wegoye and the Director Flight Operations, Captain Adetokunbo Adekunbi, during the send off party for Wegoye in Lagos...recently

Malam Mamman Daura (left) and Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State, when the latter paid a condolence visit over the death of Mamman Daura's younger sister and President Muhammadu Buhari' s neice, Hajiya Halima Daura in Katsina...recently

L-R; Founder/ Chief Executive Officer, eTranzact Plc, Valentine Obi; Out-going Chairman, eTranzact Plc, Dr. Felix Ohiwerei; his wife, Janet and Member, Board of Directors, eTranzact Plc, Wole Abegunde, during the dinner party held in honor of Dr. Felix Ohiwerei, at Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos...recently

Governor of Kano State, Abdulahi Ganduje (left), presenting a Glo 4G MiFi router bundled with N15,000 data to Mr. Mainasara Illo, a veteran sports journalist and CEO of Stones and Asphalt Ltd., one of the winners of the raffle draw at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA)– Integrity & Service Programme Award held on Tuesday at the Aso Villa Banquet Hall, Abuja, and sponsored by Glo. With them is Mr. Mansur Opakunle of Globacom.

L-R, Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Engineer Gbenga Adebayo; Director, MTN Foundation, Mrs. Aisha Sadauki; Chairman, MTN Foundation, Prince Julius AdelusiAdeluyi and his wife Juila at the MTN Foundation-Muson Scholars Alumni Valentine Concert at the Muson Centre in Lagos….On Monday night

L-R Sales Support Analyst, MTN, Ijeoma Akemegoh, Coordinator, M & E, MTN Foundation, Stephen Amuwa, Founder/Director, Bathesda Home of the Blind, Chioma Ohakwe, Rep of Hon Oluremi Tinubu, Mrs. Olamide Eshinlokun, Head Student, Bathesda Home, Queen Anuchaogu and Student, Bathesda Home, Chima Samuel, at the presentation of food and household items to the Bathesda home for the Blind in Mushin...recently;

L-R; Amara Izu-Ogbodo, Noris Okafor, Chairperson, Benue Internai Revenue, Mimi Orubibi, and Nkechi Ukwuoma, at the presentation of Staff of Office to Igwe Odo by Governor Ugwuanyi and Cheftaincy Tittle to Lady Mimi Orubibi in Eha Etiti, Nsukka LGA of Enugu State...recently PHOTO; DAN UKANA

37/ THISLIFE

16.02.2018

‘I Came Close to Death Four Times but‌’ Dr. Denni Inyang, general overseer, Sure Word Assembly Okota, Lagos in this interview with Mary Ekah, shares his life experience, his frustration of waiting for over 20 years for fruit of the womb with his wife as a minister, among other issues What does hitting 55 mean to you sir?

It means a whole lot. First of all, I am alive and well. I am not doing this interview on life support or even from the hospital bed. So God has been good to me. Just being alive till today is enough to celebrate. You see, I came close to death four times but each time God saved me.

The first was during the Civil War. I was about five years old and was going to the stream with my step mother when I slipped and fell into a well. It was a very deep well full of water. As I was going down, my hand caught a stick. That gave my step mom the chance to reach down and grab me. The second close shave with death was as a student in Methodist Secondary School, Nto Ndang, in Ikot Ekpene. I was a member of the school football fan club and we were all crammed into a pick up van heading to the stadium to cheer our school to victory. I was so hemmed in that I could not see the outside. We were singing and drumming. The driver was swerving the van left and right to the rhythm of our songs. I can't tell what happened but suddenly I heard screaming from everywhere and the next thing was that I saw myself seated by the roadside and policemen all around us.

I was told that the vehicle had flipped over severally. Yet, I came out or should I say I was brought out, without a scratch. Again, while in the University of Calabar, I went from the campus to Ikot Ansa to get some documents needed to collect my bursary. I was on a bike travelling at full speed on the expressway when suddenly a car crossed our path. The bike man and I saw the car but it was too late to do anything. We slammed into the car and I flew into the air. I was going to land head first on the tar but God in His mercy intervened and provided a small spot filled with sand right on the express and my head landed there. You can imagine what would have happened if my head met the coal tar.

The last one was around year 2000. My wife and I had an event at Golden Gate Hotel, Ikoyi.

We were driving back at about 9p.m. with a couple we had given a lift and as we turned the bend into third mainland bridge, we ran into a group of robbers. It happened so fast that before I knew it, we were surrounded by very young boys, wielding dangerous weapons. They took my wife's bag. Of course, we did not resist. I don't know what I did that made one of them to cock his gun to shoot me. But God saved me as another member of the gang jumped at the guy and pushed the gun away.

I have recounted these encounters to show how good God has been to me. He preserved me because He had a purpose for my life. My joy and contentment is that I'm living out that purpose today. You see, God has been good to me. I am 55 but I feel 45 and some people have even accused me of looking 35. He is renewing my youth like the eagle's.

Tell us about the challenging moments of your life. When were the major milestones and turning points?

Life is, indeed, full of issues and challenges.

It's the challenges that make life interesting, isn't it? Someone said that greatness is not seen in what you have achieved but in what you have overcome. There are many things that I can talk about but, for want of time, I will pick out just two or three.

I had a challenging childhood and that was because my father and my mother were separated.

I should ask my Dad when next I see him how old I was when that happened because I never saw them together as husband and wife. Well, that left me dangling between two worlds. Growing up, I had the feeling that the environment was quite hostile to me. Unfortunately, the way I thought I could cope with that was to become rebellious.

I don't think that anyone really expected me to amount to much. But God did. He had His loving eyes on me. Before I travelled far on the road to perdition, He saved me and changed my life forever.

When I decided to go to the university, I did not really know what that would entail.

My father was out of the country at that time,

Inyang

Inyang and wife, Aity

trying to find his feet in a strange land and my mother was a Grade Two teacher. The burden fell more on her but the demands were more than she could bear so I ended up going through school mostly on charity. Things were rough but I pulled through with the help of my friends.

One particular year, it was a friend that paid my school fees. It was normal for me to spend the holidays with my friends because I really didn't have a home to return to. As a result of that experience, I value my friends and place a lot of premium on relationships. Like the scripture says, a brother is born for adversity and there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. So whenever I have an opportunity to be of help to another, I count it a privilege. That was what motivated me to start a scholarship scheme about 10 years ago so as to assist those who are in need, like I was.

Now, let me talk about the challenge I faced in ministry. I know there are many who would like to hear that. Sure Word Assembly started in a tiny room of a brothel with nothing except the clear conviction that I was in the will of God. I did not know it was a brothel until we showed up for our first service but there was nothing I could do because we had no money to pay for a fancy place. We could not even afford to print a banner or a signboard. We had no public address system and no musical instruments whatever and I had no money to hire any. So we got started with a seminar which had in attendance my wife and I, one convert of ours and three sympathisers who made it clear they would not be members.

That was in 1998. Ten years after, we were a church you could not ignore in the Okota community. We had hundreds of worshippers attending our multiple services every Sunday.

So, riding that momentum, we moved to an Event Centre which, we got to discover, were not only too expensive but could not give us

the comfort we were used to. It was at that point that we decided to move to a land which we had bought few years before then. That movement greatly tested our faith but for God, could have snuffed life out of the church. I used to joke with friends that surviving that period was clear proof that God indeed called me.

Before the movement, Ago Palace Way was good, even if not perfect. I used to jog from my house to our land. But shortly after we moved there, the road completely collapsed and became unmotorable. I'm talking about the section between Century Hotel and the bridge, if you know the area well. Just before our church junction there was a big ditch which busses could not pass.

Taxis would not take you beyond there to our church no matter how much you offered to pay.

Those who drove through the ditch with their car did so at great risk. And that was a risk our members took week after week. Some days before preaching, I would thank the people for coming against all odds. And I meant it. I was touched that our members were so committed.

Did we lose some? For sure. A lot of people could not cope and dropped out. But majority of our people stood firm. We knew that the road would be fixed but when, nobody could tell. In the meantime, we kept praying and I kept prophesying over the road. Whenever I declared that the road would be completed, well paved, dualised and complete with street lights, the people clapped but I'm not sure all of them believed it. I had to keep hope alive.

The turning point came when, in answer to our prayer, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode looked in our direction and fixed that portion of Ago Palace Way. We are still grateful to Governor Ambode for that.

You waited for over 20 years to have your biological children, what kept you going for that long and what lessons did you learn?

I knew that you were going to ask this question that was why I did not go into it when I was discussing my challenges. This was the mother of all challenges. I have documented that experience in a book I wrote for men called Waiting Dad: What Should a Man Do When the Babies Are Yet to Come?

I got married at the age of 27. I am an only son and you know what that means in our culture. My wife was 24 and both of us were just in love. Initially, children were not on our minds. After a few years, we thought we were ready. That was when we realised there was a problem. My first reaction was that of a typical African man who thinks that when the baby has delayed to come it must be the woman's problem. You know, that African type that would not even follow his wife to see a doctor or accept to do a basic fertility test. After some years, I knew I had to do something because time was running fast. So, my wife and I started seeing doctors, and we saw all types. Some would make us feel that with a little treatment, my wife would get pregnant in no time. It did not happen and we were heartbroken. And some would give us diagnosis that made the situation seem hopeless. But we refused to give up. It is easy to talk about it now but waiting for a baby is not a pleasant experience. It is more difficult for a teacher of faith like me. But in spite of my experience, I kept teaching that there is no impossibility with God. I would stand out there in church with my wife sitting right in front and declare that by covenant, no woman who is born again is barren. The devil would whisper to me, "what of your wife?"

And I would answer, "She is not barren!" I really believed that my wife would give birth to children one day, no matter what and no matter how long. That was because I saw in God's word that if we served the Lord, none would be barren.

Did I mention that we did some surgeries?

My wife did a surgery to remove fibroid while I underwent what they call a vericocelectomy. When all the specialist physicians and consultants didn't seem to be getting anywhere, we tried IVF. That also didn't work. Then we tried immunotherapy and it failed. So we just waited on God. At a

point, we stopped praying for children. Whether it was prayer fatigue or faith, I don't know. I told my wife that we had prayed long enough and God was not deaf. So we would pray and fast for every other thing except for children. In all those years, putting away my wife or having a child by another woman were never options.

Why? Because I love my wife. It did not matter to me whether she gave birth to a baby or not.

I did not see her primarily as a baby making machine but a lover and a life companion. And you know what? In over 20 years of waiting for a baby, my wife and I never quarrelled over it in any way. Nobody abused anybody or called anybody names. Okay, I called her names but good names. I used to call her by the names of our unborn children. But I did not put the blame on her. I took responsibility. I didn't also look for a witch to blame. I guess if I looked hard enough, I could find one in her family, or even in mine. We just kept serving the Lord, knowing that He would make all things beautiful in His time. Let me emphasise that our love for each other and our commitment to God's Word kept us going. We were also blessed to be surrounded by families and friends who showed us a lot of understanding and support.

What lessons did I learn? The first and most important is that with God all things are possible.

When all hopes were gone, God came through for us. By the time my wife got pregnant, she had stopped seeing her period for four years.

A kind hearted doctor sat her down one day and told her to accept the fact that she would never be pregnant again. But God overruled medical science. And He did it in a dramatic way. Now we have three wonderful children: Lovely, Awesome and Gladsome.

Another lesson I learnt is that there is no challenge a couple cannot handle and no pain they cannot bear if husband and wife stick together. I think it's particularly unbearable for a woman when the husband becomes a judge and subjects his wife to all manner of ridicule and humiliation. Some husbands put the blame only on the wife even when they themselves have issues to deal with.

I also learned that you can live a happy life through your years of waiting. Don't put your life on hold because you don't yet have children.

Keep living your life and pursuing your dream.

At the end, your success and fulfilment in life will not be measured by how many children you have but by how well you have fulfilled your life's purpose.

You are heavily involved in youth empowerment.

How can youths make it big in the Nigeria of today?

Yes, I am passionate about youth empowerment because I understand the challenges facing our youths and the trauma they go through in their attempt to eke out a living. In my youth, the challenges were not different. There was a time when all you needed was to graduate from the university and a job would be waiting for you. I missed that era. When I graduated from school, I could not get a job immediately. I had to do all manner of things to survive.

My first advice to any youth who wants to make it anywhere, not only in Nigeria, is simple: don't outsource your future to anyone, not even the government. Take responsibility for your life and decide that no matter what comes your way, no matter what circumstance you find yourself and no matter what others think of you, you will make it. Until you make up your mind to succeed, you will always have good and legitimate reasons to fail. As a youth, you should not be at the mercy of your environment. Recognize your potential and unleash it to create the future you desire.

Anyone who wants to make it big must attempt big things. No youth should be satisfied with handouts. He must capture a vision of a higher life and pursue it with all he's got. Above all, he must realize that in life, without God, all your efforts will be in vain. I gave my life to Christ at the age of 16 and I believe that without that my story would be nothing worth reading about. I wish every youth would do the same.

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Succour for Eye Patients in Sokoto Senator Aliyu Wamakko representing Sokoto North Senatorial District recently provided free treatment to patients suffering from various eye ailments in Sokoto state. Mohammed Aminu writes

Doctor conducting test on patient with eye problem in Sokoto

Wamakko...investing in the health of his constituents Some of the eye patients treated in Sokoto

"I am grateful to God for using Senator Wamakko to bring succour and relief to the less-privileged. He is doing extremely well to render assistance to the poor and needy. We appreciate him greatly for what he is doing.

May God strengthen and increase him the more.

I thank God for using him as a vessel to bless humanity. I went through series of tests and I was given an eye glass and assorted drugs."

These were the words of Abdullahi Adamu, a resident of Unguwar Lalle district of Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

Adamu, just like many patients in the area, was overwhelmed with joy and gratitude to Wamakko for restoring his sight.

Eye ailment is a huge burden both economically and mentally, as it cuts across the spectrum and affects people from all walks of life irrespective of age, sex and religion.

It is a well known fact that many people in the rural areas are so poor that they cannot even afford the money for hospital cards let alone medicaments. Health facilities are also far from many of the rural communities. Many residents prefer to patronise traditional medicine and local healers , who lack the capacity to identify conditions and treat such complicated eye ailments.

However, succour came the way of rural dwellers in communities across 19 local government areas of Sokoto State, as Senator Aliyu Wamakko representing Sokoto North Senatorial District, restored hope to many patients suf-

fering from various eye ailments. It was a dream come true to many of the villagers, as they couldn't hide their joy over the free eye treatment rendered to them. The intervention

by Senator Wamakko has brought hope to those who have been having problems with their sight over the years.

The 19-day free medical outreach programme for those suffering from various eye ailments commenced January 4, 2018 at the Palace of Sarkin Gobir of Sabon Birni, headquarters of Sabon Birni Local Government of the state.

The free medical outreach was conducted by Dr. Emmanuel Aghalu and Dr. John Uzomah, who are Optometrists working for Dr. Awawu Obasi Eye Foundation.

A total of 4,062 persons with various eye ailments which include refractive errors, infections like conjunctivitis, as well as uveitis, were treated free while patients were given eye glasses. The benefiting local government areas included Sabon Birni, Isa, Goronyo, Wurno, Rabah, Gada, Gwadabawa, Illela Kebbe and Tambuwal, among others.

Speaking during the commencement of the medical outreach in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of the state, Wamakko said the programme was initiated as part of his unrelenting efforts to further alleviate the suffering of the people of the state. The lawmaker maintained that health is wealth and a healthy society, is a wealthy society. He recalled that, the first phase of the programme

conducted in the eight local government areas under the Sokoto North Senatorial District between July and August,2017, covered over 3,000 eye patients.

Wamakko, who spoke through his Director of Administration, Alhaji Al-Mustapha Alkali, said the exercise recorded huge success, as many patients with various eye ailments had been treated free. He said the programme initially targeted 3,150 persons suffering from various eye ailments, in 19 local government areas of the state but in the end over 4,000 people got free treatment. "The programme had surpassed its initial projected target of 3,150 patients in 19 local government areas of the state," Wamakko stated.

The Director of Administration for Senator Wamakko, lauded the various hospitals, local government areas, their staff as well the various traditional rulers in the benefiting areas, for the invaluable cooperation towards ensuring the success of the programme. He expressed commitment to continue to initiate myriad of programmes, to further alleviate the suffering of the generality of the people of the state.

According to him, patients whose cases require urgent surgery would be operated free.

He reiterated his commitment to continue to do everything humanly possible to further improve the living standard of the people of the state.

In his remarks, Dr. Aghalu, said the common ailments in Sabon Birni Local Government

Area were cataract and presbyopia, which are age-related. He therefore, commended the orderliness of the beneficiaries during the exercise.

The District Heads of Sabon Birni, Alhaji Isa Mohammed Bawa, commended Senator Wamakko for his intervention in the health sector and for coming to the rescue of the people of the state. He called on non-governmental organisation and corporate bodies to join efforts in humanitarian causes to support the less privileged in the state.

Also speaking, the District Head of Unguwar Lalle, Alhaji Haruna Salihu Mainasara, said the rate of poverty in the society, in addition to the undesirable circumstances that surround many individuals, particularly those that are suffering from one form of health challenge or the other, calls for passionate concern by corporate organisations and well-meaning individuals.

He admonished other wealthy individuals, as well as elected and appointed officials to emulate Senator Wamakko, to further alleviate the suffering of the people. "Most of the beneficiaries of the medical outreach are poor people. If not for this intervention by Senator Wamakko, they may not be able to take care of their health challenges and that is why I am here to support people who have health challenges, in line with philosophy of Islam that healthy people are healthy nation,� he added.

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NEWS

Embrace Wealth Planning and Management, Ecobank Chief Tells Customers Ecobank Securities, Wealth & Asset Management (SWAM), an arm of Ecobank Transnational incorporated has reaffirmed the bank’s determination to help its customers create, preserve and protect their wealth for themselves and successive generation.

Addressing customers of the bank, the Managing Director, EDC Fund Management and Country Head, Securities,Wealth and Asset Management , Ibukun Oyedeji, said the bank was committed to helping its customers

maximize their wealth.

Oyedeji who is also Country Manager, SWAM said Nigeria has over 12,000 High Net worth Individuals as defined by global standards, this is second to South Africa.

However, South Africa has been successful with managing their wealth. She noted that Nigerians were good at making money and creating wealth, but have not paid attention to sustaining the wealth, and passing it on to the next generation.

She therefore encouraged Nigerian to embrace wealth creation, preservation as a way of life for every citizen especially the wealthy Nigerians.

She said SWAM’s goal is to help its customers to plan their future and their wealth, saying: “As a bank, we think of how we can guide our premium customers to make sure that the wealth that they have created, actually adds value to them, and goes to their next generation and their children’s generation.

“We believe that both lo-

cal and offshore investment and partnership will help in making this a reality, which is one of the reasons we have partnered with Nedbank because Nedbank brings in that offshore balance into your wealth portfolio.

“Investing funds in one currency is risky, so Nedbank’s partnership gives access to large pool of funds globally so that one can spread his or her investments all over the world in different currencies,” Oyedeji added.

Also speaking, Ecobank Nigeria’s Executive Director, Consumer Banking, Mrs. Carol Oyedeji stressed that there are enormous benefits associated with diversified investments portfolios being offered by Ecobank and Securities, Wealth & Asset Management (SWAM). Mrs. Oyedeji, reiterated that the event was targeted to appreciate and update customers on the additional product offerings and innovative service delivery the bank has introduced for

wealth creation.

In her word: “with this session we tried as much as possible to enlighten our customers as to how they can focus on really preserving their wealth, and most importantly see their Relationship Manager in Ecobank as a one-stop shop, to give them access to types of investment as possible. When people are wealthy, they need to find a way to spread their wealth in different perspectives to help not just preserving but preventing shocks from attacking their wealth.”

DataPro Trains Top BDC Executives on KYC and Anti- Money Laundering Adedayo Adejobi In furtherance of the tandem with the overall strategy of ensuring effectiveness of the Know Your Customer (KYC) principles amidst the licensed Bureau De Change and the promotion of a safe, reliable and efficient financial system, ABCON President, Alhaji Aminu Gwadabe aligns with the CBN’s vision of providing a stable framework for the economic development of Nigeria through effective, efficient, and transparent implementation of monetary and exchange rate policy, and management of the financial sector.

He further harped on the commitment of the Association’s resolve towards a zero tolerance approach for its members that breach operational guidelines.

According to the organisers, Managing Director, DataPro Academy, Mr Abimbola Adeseyoju,’’ The BDC operators occupy a very sensitive sector within the financial industry, and there have been a lot of abuse of the sector itself by people who

see it as being very vulnerable.

The focus is to use knowledge to correct the gaps so that we can strengthen the sector, the perceived vulnerabilities can be reduced. This is the beginning and our goal is to take the training across the 36 states of Nigeria.

We are the first compliant consulting firm to be certified as an Anti-Money laundering training and compliance Academy. There is gap in knowledge and skill set needed to make the sector safe secure stable and sound. We want to bring the on board the AML/ CFT as a tool for the sustainability of their business, thus helping them avoid risks and do business in a more compliant way.’’

In a disclosure made at a Training organised by DataPro Limited, held yesterday on the theme ‘’ Anti- money laundering training for BDC Executives, Alhaji Aminu Gwadabe disclosed that these fees have made profitability in business difficult for many BDCs because of the rising operating costs and overhead. He appealed to the CBN to address this challenge in order for the market to continually enjoy its stability.

Nigeria to Prohibit Sale of Flavoured Cigarettes Jonathan Eze Nigeria is set to join countries of the World that have banned the sale of flavoured cigarettes in its markets as the technical committee on Tobacco and Tobacco products concludes the review of Nigeria Industrial Standard NIS 463:2014 for Tobacco and Tobacco Products – Specifications for Cigarette in Abuja.

An informed source at the meeting stated that industry representatives almost staged a walk out during the discussions.

Contacted on the development, Standards Organisation of Nigeria Head of Public Relations, Mr. Bola Fashina, declined comments stating that technical committee resolutions are proposals, subject to approval by the Standards Council. A key resolution of the committee according to the source, was that characterising flavours, strawberry, banana, apple and menthol amongst others shall not be used in the manufacture of cigarettes in Nigeria. This expectedly will also apply to cigarettes to be imported into

the country for sale once the reviewed standard is approved.

Other countries where flavour in cigarette and other tobacco products have been prohibited include Brazil, Canada, Ethiopia and Uganda while menthol cigarettes will be banned in the European Union, Turkey and Moldovia from May 2020.

In the UK, there’s a four-year phase-out from 2017 before a final ban on menthol cigarettes in May 2020. There is evidence that menthol relax the airways and the flavour masks the harshness of the smoke, therefore making younger people find it easier to smoke. The FDA as far back as 2009 has banned flavoured cigarette in the USA, including candy, spice, herb, cola, fruit and coffee flavours. Congress stated that flavours make cigarettes more appealing to youth and increase their exposure to toxic substances. The law in the USA defines a cigarette as any rolled tobacco product- regardless of the wrapper – “likely to be offered for purchase too consumers as a cigarette.

LUCKY WINNERS

L-R: Winner of International Holiday Trip to Dubai, Mr. Obinna Henry Ezeanyim; Ms. Evelyn Nwaokolo of Emirates Holidays Nigeria; Executive Director, Retail & Consumer Banking, Sterling Bank,Mr. Grama Narasimhan; and Winner of International Holiday Trip to Dubai, Mr. Okpara Obiora Damian, during the Sterling Bank 1dament promo prize presentation to winners of International Vacation at the Radission Blu Anchorage Hotel in Lagos ... recently

HP, Local Authorities Shut Down International Counterfeit Operation in Lagos, Abuja Emma Okonji Disturbed by the continuous rise in counterfeiting of its products, perpetrated from outside of Nigeria, Hewlett Packard (HP) and local Nigerian authorities have collaborated to shut international counterfeiting operations in Lagos and Abuja.

As part of the raid, there were several large seizures in the Lagos and Abuja regions in shops, warehouses and at manufacturing sites. The Nigerian officials also seized 142,000 illegal items, which were primarily components for manufacturing counterfeit toner and ink cartridges.

Counterfeiting is a crime. For users, such illegal imitations can cause a multitude of problems that can cause performance and reliability issues. Should your printer break because of using counterfeit printer ink or toner, you could also have issues with your manufacturer’s warranty becoming not applicable, HP said in a statement.

In contrast, original HP products are designed to meet HP’s strict quality and reliability standards, based on a long history of inventing and testing. Original HP LaserJet and HP inkjet cartridges, unlike counterfeits, benefit from superior performance and consistent results.

Country Supplies Business Manager, Nigeria and Ghana at HP, Olatunji Itiola, said: “HP is thrilled to continue its success working with the Nigerian government and authorities, to close down these illegal counterfeit operations. We are proud that the collaboration is working to reduce counterfeiting operations in the region, and bring the associated criminals to justice.

“With our unwavering efforts and commitment to end these counterfeit operations with local officials, we continue to focus on the safety of our customers through our Anti - Counterfeiting and Fraud Programme.”

Across Europe, Middle East

and Africa (EMEA), over the last five years, approximately 12 million counterfeits and components have been seized by local authorities, supported

by HP. HP has conducted over 4,500 audits and inspections of partners’ stocks or suspicious deliveries for customers.

Through HP’s Anti Counterfeiting and Fraud Programme, the company actively educates its customers and partners to be vigilant against fake printing supplies. It also cooperates closely with local and global law enforcement authorities to detect and dismantle illegal operations that produce counterfeit HP printing components.

NAMA , Labour Union Partner to Enthrone Industry Harmony Chinedu Eze The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has been deliberating with labour unions in the aviation to come to a compromise whereby labour would fully exhaust dialogue before engaging in industry action.

It is expected that when this is achieved, it would drastically reduce the operational hiccups caused by incessant picketing and strike in the industry.

In pursuit of this objective,

NAMA management recently held an engagement forum with the Joint Aviation Trade Unions that include National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), National Association of Air Traffic Controllers (NATCA), National Association of Aeronautical Engineers (NAAE), Aeronatical Information Management Association of Nigeria (AIMA), National Aeronautical Communication Association of Nigeria

(NACAN), and Almagamated Union of Public Corporation Civil Service Technical and Recerational Services Employees ( ACUPTRE).

The forum, which held at the corporate headquarters of the airspace agency provided an opportunity for the airspace agency team, led by Captain Fola Akinkuotu to engage the leadership of aviation unions on how to forestall industrial unrest and examine issues bordering on non conclusive conditions of service, poor salaries as a result

of non implementation of the National Wages and Salaries Commission approval so that NAMA would operate same salary structure with Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

Led by the National President of NUATE, Comrade Mohammed Dauda Safiyanu , the meeting offered opportunity for NAMA management to resolve mistrust that has existed in the agency due to animosities occasioned by rivalry between different directorates an departments.

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CITYSTRINGS

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

GMD/CEO, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Mr. Kennedy Uzoka (1st right), addressing customers and staff during the launch and introduction of Leo, a Chat Banking Personality on Social Media Platforms by UBA in Lagos…recently

Rise of the Bots Bots are set to take over the global financial system and the United Bank for Africa seems to have taken the lead in harnessing their powers to revolutionise banking in Nigeria, writes Solomon Elusoji

O

ne Saturday morning, recently, this reporter, still in his pyjamas, logged into Facebook and searched for ‘UBA Chatbanking’. Within seconds he was conversing with an internet bot christened Leo, who helped him to set up a bank account within minutes and completed his debut financial transactions on the UBA platform, like purchasing a recharge card and making a credit transfer.

An internet bot is a software application that performs automated tasks by running scripts over the internet. It performs simple, structurally repetitive tasks much more quickly than is humanly possible. The internet as we know it today would not be possible without bots. Web crawlers like Googlebot allow us to quickly find the most useful information by searching through millions of webpages in seconds.

Although bots can also be used for malicious reasons, some of the world’s biggest brands are using it to revolutionise the way they do business.

In April 2016, social media giant, Facebook, started to allow businesses deliver automated customer support, e-commerce guidance, content and interactive experiences through

chatbots. Through its Messenger Platform’s Send/Receive API, bots were now able to send more than just text. They were able to respond with structured messages that

Last January, Pan-African financial institution, United Bank for Africa (UBA), became the first Nigerian bank to launch a chatbot on the Messenger app, with a view to changing the face of e-banking. The company launched Leo, the UBA Chat Banker who enables customers to make use of their social media accounts to carry out key banking transactions

include images, links and call-to-action buttons. These could let users make a restaurant reservation, review an e-commerce order and do more things like swipe through product carousels and pop out to the web to pay for a purchase. Expectedly, with around a billion users, some of the world’s biggest brands like CNN and Wells Fargo launched bots on the platform to automate some of their most important customer-facing processes.

Last January, Pan-African financial institution, United Bank for Africa (UBA), became the first Nigerian bank to launch a chatbot on the Messenger app, with a view to changing the face of e-banking.

The company launched Leo, the UBA Chat Banker who enables customers to make use of their social media accounts to carry out key banking transactions.

UBA’s leadership is not a surprise. The bank was incorporated in Nigeria as a limited liability company after taking over the assets of the British and French Bank Limited who had been operating in Nigeria since 1949. In 2005, it merged with Standard Trust Bank and became one of the leading providers of banking and other financial services on the African continent. The Bank provides services to over 14 million customers globally, through one of the most diverse service channels in

sub-Saharan Africa, with over 1,000 branches and customer touch points and robust online and mobile banking platforms. Moreover, UBA was the first Nigerian bank to make an Initial Public Offering, following its listing on the NSE in 1970. It was also the first Nigerian bank to issue Global Depository Receipts. This, the launch of Leo, is another of its many firsts.

At the official launch of Leo, which took place in Lagos on a bright Thursday, customers of the bank were given a step by step demonstration on the novel way of delivering lifestyle and quality banking through the Facebook Messenger chat platform.

“This is the first time that a financial institution in Africa has come up with this manner of solution to simplify the way customers transact,” a press statement from UBA said.

“Something that has become necessary in today’s fast-paced world with demands for quick-time transactions and response.

“With the launch of the Chat Banking, customers will be able to open new accounts, receive instant transaction notifications, check their balances on the go, transfer funds and airtime top up. They will also be able to confirm cheques, pay bills, apply for loans, freeze accounts, request for mini statements, amongst other things.”

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CITYSTRINGS

L-R: Executive Director, Lagos and West, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Mr. Ayoku Liadi; CEO, UBA Francophone Africa, UBA Plc, Mr. Emeke Iweriebor; Group Head, Online Banking, Austine Abolusoro; GMD/CEO, UBA Plc, Mr. Kennedy Uzoka; Executive Director/Group Chief Operations Officer, UBA Plc, Mr. Chukwuma Nweke; and Executive Director, Risk Management, UBA Plc, Mr. Ike Uche, during the launch and introduction of Leo, a Chat Banking Personality on Social Media Platforms by UBA in Lagos

The formulation of this product, is consistent with the bank’s customer first philosophy, where we are doing things not the way we like, but focusing on what the customers want, where they want it, and in the exact platform they want it. At UBA, we have been working with technology giants that have the global capacity to ensure not only seamless but also effortless banking for millions of our customers across Africa

At the occasion, the Group Managing Director, UBA, Mr. Kennedy Uzoka, said that the launch of Leo is part of initiatives aimed at putting the bank’s customers first with UBA continuously developing strategies aimed at easing transactions for the bank’s numerous users, while ensuring utmost safety of their transactions.

Uzoka said, “The formulation of this product, is consistent with the bank’s customer first philosophy, where we are doing things not the way we like, but focusing on what the customers want, where they want it, and in the exact platform they want it.

“At UBA, we have been working with technology giants that have the global capacity to ensure not only seamless but also effortless banking for millions of our customers across Africa. We at UBA, have collaborated with Facebook to come up with this innovation that is capable of revolutionising the way banking is done in Africa,” he said. Uzoka noted that Leo will in the nearest future, show up on other social media platforms and added that all it takes to enjoy the services is simply to have a Facebook account.

As he unveiled the character of Leo, Uzoka

L-R: CEO, UBA Francophone Africa, UBA Plc, Mr. Emeke Iweriebor; Group Head, Online Banking, UBA Plc, Mr. Austine Abolusoro; GMD/CEO, UBA Plc, Mr. Kennedy Uzoka; and Executive Director and Group Chief Operations Officer, UBA Plc, Mr. Chukwuma Nweke, during the launch and introduction of Leo, a Chat Banking Personality on Social Media Platforms by UBA in Lagos

stated: “Leo being an intelligent personality will give you feedback instantaneously as you transact your business on the platform. A solution that is from the customer’s standpoint and is easy to use by anyone.”

Also speaking at the launch of Leo, the Group Head of Online Banking at UBA, Mr. Austine Abolusoro, who conducted a step by step demonstration on the working of Leo, reiterated that Leo is not just a chat machine, but an artificial intelligence personality meant to address any type of banking concerns raised by customers.

“Leo is ready and waiting to help with most transactions and to deliver any form of banking services. Leo is operating a lifestyle banking platform on Facebook Messenger to assist with your transactions while chatting with your friends and business partners. The

security with this platform is that for every transaction, an OTP (One Time Password) is generated to the phone number that is registered on your account.”

He explained that with Leo your banking needs become easy and simple, as simple as chatting with loved ones.

Although UBA seems to have taken the lead, it is expected that other banks will also borrow from the initiative.

“Chatbots in banking are a digital solution that is relatively inexpensive to develop and maintain,” Mai-Hanh Nguyen, writing for Business Insider, says. “For starters, chatbots require less coding than standalone banking apps. And the current growth in popularity of messaging platforms saves banks the cost of developing their own channels, as well as saving on data storage thanks to chatbots’

cloud-based systems.”

However, the artificial intelligence technology behind bots will have to improve exponentially if they are to eat up the financial system. Leo, for example, despite his many capabilities, still has a static personality. It does not understand nuance or semantics or human oddity and works best in strictly contextualised terms.

“For at least the foreseeable future, chatbots won’t be replacing humans in contact centre jobs,” Shep Hyken, writing for Forbes, says.

“At this point, chatbots will only replace some of the tasks that people are now handling – especially lower-level requests, questions and complaints. The best chatbot systems can recognise customer frustration and switch the interaction to a human in the company’s support centre.”

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42

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

CEOs Express Worries over Dearth of Key Skills Obinna Chima The digital age is promising exciting new ways to work and create value, a report has stated.

However, the new skills required to thrive in this new era are in short supply, forcing companies to examine their workforce capabilities.

According to PwC’s latest CEO survey, 38 per cent of CEOs globally said they’re extremely concerned about the availability of key skills as a threat to business growth.

It’s a consequence of living in an era when employers estimate that a third of the desired core skill sets of most occupations will change by 2020, the report noted. “To meet the promise of this age, mid-career upskilling and transition must be a critical focus for both companies and individuals now. “Gone are the days when you can roll out one-size-fits-all training programmes and

expect to see results. To be effective, the experience needs to be as individualised as each worker and as dynamic as the evolving roles. “And advances need to come faster, with significant buy-in from those who will ultimately be responsible for skills: employees,� the survey added.

It pointed out that understanding what skills organisation needs—both for today and tomorrow— should be the first step intransforming an organisation. “Your organisation is moved by the skills that you have,� the CEO of Burning Glass Technologies, a firm that monitors skills in the workforce in real time, Matthew Sigelman explained. “The evolution of individuals in a company ultimately translates to the evolution of a company.�

Furthermore, it pointed out that with the Human Resources function increasingly relying on data and predictive analytics

for recruiting and performance management, HR professionals need technical competencies plus business acumen and communication skills.

These hybrid roles work across domains and generally demonstrate competency in three areas: Business and science skills; human or soft skills; and technology skills. “To compete and thrive in this era, CEOs need individuals who have all three sets of skills. But where do you find these rare superstars? While CEOs are concerned about the availability of digital skills in their workforce, they continue to acknowledge that soft skills are also vital, and just as hard to find. “Companies winning the skills battleground are those that focus on the human experience while investing in technology, and can attract people who function well in multi-disciplinary teams and influence others across the organisation,� it added.

Broad street

MARKET INDICATORS

Sterling Bank Appoints Emefienim Executive Director Sterling Bank Plc has appointed Mr. Emmanuel Emefienim as its Executive Director, Institutional Banking.

His appointment has been approved by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) with immediate effect.

Emefienim has over 25 years experience in the Nigerian banking industry, having worked in various middle and senior management roles across Operations, Treasury and Sales.

He commenced his banking career with Oceanic Bank Plc (now Ecobank Nigeria) where he rose to the position of Head, Credit & Marketing before joining United Bank for Africa Plc as Manager, Commercial Banking.

Emefienim also worked in

the defunct Savannah Bank Plc and FSB International Bank Plc (now Fidelity Bank Plc) over a period of six years before joining Equitorial Trust Bank (ETB) in 2006. “In ETB, he excelled and rose to the position of Zonal Business Director. Following the acquisition of Equitorial Trust Bank and its consolidation into Sterling Bank in 2011, he assumed the position of Regional Business Executive covering the South-south 2 Region, a role in which he excelled leading to the expansion of his responsibilities to cover the entire South-South & Mid-west Regions in 2017. “Emefienim has contributed immensely to the growth and success of Sterling Bank. For his exceptional performance,

he was promoted to the position of General Manager in 2016 and was recently appointed Divisional Head, Institutional Banking Group with leadership responsibility for the bank’s institutional banking business,� a statement from the bank explained.

He had his tertiary education at the University of Benin (UNIBEN), where he obtained a B.Sc. in Microbiology. Thereafter, he studied for his post-graduate qualifications also at UNIBEN, obtaining Master’s degrees in Banking and Finance and Business Administration, respectively.

Emefienim has also attended executive courses at the Harvard Business School and is also an alumnus of the prestigious Wharton School.

MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

Ě™

Ěš

AUGUST 2017 Broad Money (M2)

21,851,454.31

Ě‹Ě‹ Ă‹ĂœĂœĂ™ĂĄ Ă™Ă˜Ă?ĂŁ Ě™ ÍŻĚš

9,890,813.10

---- Currency Outside Banks

1,523,239.91

---- Demand Deposits

ÍśËœÍąÍ´ÍľËœÍłÍľÍąË›ÍŻÍˇ

-- Quasi Money

11,960,641.22

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

9,732,990.89

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

ÍŻÍ°ËœÍŻÍŻÍśËœÍ˛Í´ÍąË›Í˛Í° 26,821,446.81

Ě‹Ě‹ Ă?Ăž Ù×Ă?Ă?ÞÓĂ? ĂœĂ?ĂŽĂ“Ăž Ě™ Ěš Ě‹Ě‹Ě‹Ě‹ ĂœĂ?ĂŽĂ“Ăž ÞÙ Ùà Ă?ĂœĂ˜Ă—Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ě™ Ă?Þ̚

4,824,226.22

Ě‹Ě‹Ě‹Ě‹ Ă?Ă—Ă™Ë? ĂœĂ?ĂŽĂ“Ăž ÞÙ Ùà Þ˛ Ě™ Ă?Þ̚ Ă–Ă?Ă?Ă?

ÍľËœÍśÍąÍ˛ËœÍłÍąÍ´Ë›ÍľÍ˛

Ě‹Ě‹Ě‹Ě‹ Ă?Ă—Ă™Ë? Ă?ĂŽË› Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă“ĂœĂœĂ™Ăœ Ă?Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂžĂ? Ě™ Ěš

-3,010,310.52

Ě‹Ě‹Ě‹Ě‹ ĂœĂ?ĂŽĂ“Ăž ÞÙ ĂœĂ“Ă Ă‹ĂžĂ? Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ™Ăœ Ě™ Ěš

21,997,220.59

--Other Assets Net

-14,702,983.39

Reserve Money (Base Money)

ÍłËœÍ˛ÍśÍ´ËœÍśÍŽÍ˛Ë›Í´Íł

Ě‹Ě‹ Ă&#x;ĂœĂœĂ?Ă˜Ă?ĂŁ Ă“Ă˜ Ă“ĂœĂ?Ă&#x;Ă–Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜

ÍŻËœÍśÍ´ÍśËœÍľÍąÍłË›ÍŽÍľ

Ě‹Ě‹ Ă‹Ă˜Ă•Ă? Ă?Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ Ă?Ă?

3,268,266.17

Fidelity Bank Rewards More Customers In a bid to boost savings culture and promote the financial inclusion, 12 customers of Fidelity Bank Plc on Wednesday won N19 million in the draw of the bank’s ‘Get Alert in Millions promo reloaded’ held in Lagos.

The lucky cash prize winners for the second Bi-Monthly draw were Adebiyi Olaide of the bank’s Iwo Branch, Ibadan and Obot Cecilia Ngozichukwu of Federal Secretariat Abuja, who won the star prize of N3million each.

Other cash winners in the monthly draw included Chisokwu Nwosu (Abuja), Ifesowapo Social Club (Southwest), Ikalumhe Stephen and Iyalla Rex (South-south), Michael Igwe and Ability Chinwe (South-east), that won N1 million respectively.

In the same vein, while Musa Abubakar, won N1 million; Emmanuel Olumide - N2 million; Mmereole Obiageli - N1 million and Azeez Adodoyin emerged the winner of N2 million in the promo.

The winners emerged from

a transparent randomisation process which was vented by the bank’s control team and witnessed by officials from Consumer Protection Council (CPC) and other regulators and stakeholders.

According to the bank, the promo dubbed ‘Get Alert In Millions Promo Reloaded’ was to encourage savings culture and promote the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) financial inclusion policy.

Speaking at the promo draw, the Bank’s Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Nnamdi Okonkwo said the campaign was the seventh in the series of promos organised by the bank to reward customers for their unflinching loyalty and patronage.

Okonkwo, who was represented by the Regional Head, Retail Banking, Mr. Richard Madiebo, noted that the promo underscored the bank’s determination to improve the standard of living of Fidelity customers even amidst the harsh economic situation in the country.

Also, the Group Head,

Corporate Communications, Fidelity Bank, Mr. Charles Aigbe, urged customers of the bank to take advantage of the campaign. “Some of the testimonies we have had underscores the fact that this promo has been changing lives.

We are encouraging our customers to take advantage of this.

There is no better way to express love than what Fidelity Bank is doing by holding this promo on Valentine day,� he added.

Also, the Regional Head, Yaba/ Surulere Branch, Chetachi Ezenagu, said the promo which was special as it was held on Valentine’s Day/Ash Wednesday was an opportunity to encourage the bank’s loyal customers. “It is a demonstration of love to our customers on Valentine’s Day and the commencement of lent.

The winning cut across all the regions of the country and we encourage Nigerians to key into the promo by opening accounts with us,� she said.

Ëž Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă? Ě‹

MANAGED FUNDS Month

AUGUST 2017

Inter-Bank Call Rate

ͰͰ˛ʹ͹

Minimum Rediscount Rate (MRR) Monetary Policy Rate (MPR)

14.00

Treasury Bill Rate

13.35

Savings Deposit Rate

4.08

1 Month Deposit Rate

͜˛͜ʹ

3 Months Deposit Rate

10.14

6 Months Deposit Rate

11.51

12 Months Deposit Rate

11.40

Prime Lending rate

ͯ;˛ʹ͡

Maximum Lending Rate

31.20 Ëž Ă™Ă˜Ă?ĂžĂ‹ĂœĂŁ ÙÖÓĂ?ĂŁ Ă‹ĂžĂ? Ě‹ ͯ͹Ϲ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE AS AT, WED, FEB 14, 2018 The price of OPEC basket of fourteen crudes stood at $60.62 a barrel on Wednesday, compared with $60.52 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 ˾ , FEBRUARY 16, 2018

43

MARKET NEWS

ASHON Moves to Boost Corporate Governance through New Structure Goddy Egene and Nosa Alekhuogie

tive Committee of ASHON may emerge as a Governing Council, the highest decision making body.

Besides , there are strong indications that the new structure may usher in some additional responsibilities for the current Executive members . The structure is coming on the heels of a new constitution which will take effect soon.

Chairman of ASHON, Chief

Barring unforeseen circumstances, the Association of Stockbroking Houses of Nigeria (ASHON) may soon announce a new structure for enhanced corporate governance in line with its on-going repositioning exercise.

Going by the proposed new structure, the current Execu-

Patrick Ezeagu had at the Association’s last annual general meeting, explained that the new constitution would be operational soon.

“With our renewed energy and change in strategic plan, we are poised to focusing on the challenges of the Association and resolving them as they confront us.

The Executive Committee is taking steps to implement

the provisions of the new constitution accordingly.

We expect that the new structure provided for in the constitution will take effect as soon as we tidy up the processes” Ezeagu said According to him, ASHON has been turning economic challenges into opportunities for its members through strategic thinking and innovativeness aimed at solving problems.

PRICES FOR SECURITIES TRADED AS OF

Ezeagu explained that in order to seek additional income for its members, the Executive Committee commenced the process to establish the Lagos Commodities and Futures Exchange (LCFE).

“The birth of LCFE is to create another platform that will provide additional means of income for our members. In spite of the many challenges that have adversely impacted

the Nigerian economy and the Capital Market, we have strived to maintain good working relationship with our regulators to moderate the impact of Minimum Operating Standard (MOS), Brokers Categorisation, Demutualisation, Debt Capital,Direct Cash Settlement (DCS) and Universal Insurance Policy for Capital Market Operators (CMOs) among others.

A S AT 1 3 / 0 2 / 2 0 1 8

Price List (Equities) PRICES FOR PREMIUM BOARD SECURITIES FINANCIAL SERVICES S/N 1

BANKING ZENITH INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

941,894.81

30.00

2.04

BANKING S/N 2 OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRIAL GOODS S/N 3 BUILDING MATERIALS INDUSTRIAL GOODS PREMIUM BOARD TOTALS Price List (Equities) PRICES FOR MAIN BOARD SECURITIES AGRICULTURE S/N 4 5 6 CROP PRODUCTION S/N 7 FISHING/HUNTING/TRAPPING S/N 8 LIVESTOCK/ANIMAL SPECIALTIES AGRICULTURE CONGLOMERATES S/N 9 10 11 12 13 DIVERSIFIED INDUSTRIES CONGLOMERATES CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE S/N 14 BUILDING CONSTRUCTION S/N 15 16 INFRASTRUCTURE/HEAVY CONSTRUCTION S/N 17 REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT S/N 18 19 20 REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS (REITS) CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE CONSUMER GOODS S/N 21 AUTOMOBILES/AUTO PARTS S/N 22 23 24 25 26 BEVERAGES--BREWERS/ DISTILLERS S/N 27 BEVERAGES--NON-ALCOHOLIC S/N 28 29 30

OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS FBN HOLDINGS PLC

MARKET CAP(Nm) 394,848.22

MARKET CAP(Nm) DANGOTE CEMENT PLC 4,408,379.27

BUILDING MATERIALS

TRADES

VOLUME

31

395

16,162,394

32

395

16,162,394

33 34

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

11.00

-3.51

674

32,595,282

674

32,595,282

35 FOOD PRODUCTS

1,069

48,757,676

S/N

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

258.70

-4.89

50 50 50 1,119

137,917 137,917 137,917 48,895,593

36 37 FOOD PRODUCTS--DIVERSIFIED S/N 38 39 HOUSEHOLD DURABLES

CROP PRODUCTION

MARKET CAP(Nm)

S/N PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

40

FTN COCOA PROCESSORS PLC OKOMU OIL PALM PLC. PRESCO PLC

968.00

0.44

-

1

2,000

69,158.48 70,000.00

72.50 70.00

-

12 22 35

92,247 65,950 160,197

FISHING/HUNTING/TRAPPING ELLAH LAKES PLC.

MARKET CAP(Nm) 511.20

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

4.26

-

0

0

0

0

LIVESTOCK/ANIMAL SPECIALTIES LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC.

MARKET CAP(Nm) 2,880.00

TRADES

VOLUME

44 45 46 47 48 49 50

DIVERSIFIED INDUSTRIES A.G. LEVENTIS NIGERIA PLC. JOHN HOLT PLC. S C O A NIG. PLC. TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION OF NIGERIA PLC U A C N PLC.

PRICE 0.96

%CHANGE -4.00

40

2,673,257

40

2,673,257

75

2,833,454

41 PERSONAL/HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS CONSUMER GOODS FINANCIAL SERVICES S/N 42 43

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

1,614.85

0.61

7.02

10

345,199

194.58 2,111.93

0.50 3.25

-

3 0

98,007 0

80,889.50

1.99

-2.45

211

29,223,367

S/N

32,654.69

17.00

-2.58

78 302 302

3,728,988 33,395,561 33,395,561

54

51 52 53 BANKING

55 56

ARBICO PLC.

MARKET CAP(Nm) 711.32

INFRASTRUCTURE/HEAVY CONSTRUCTION JULIUS BERGER NIG. PLC. ROADS NIG PLC.

MARKET CAP(Nm) 36,036.00 165.00

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

57

4.79

-

1 1

100 100

58

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

59

27.30 6.60

-

13 0

136,592 0

60 61

13

136,592

62 63

REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT UACN PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT CO. LIMITED

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

7,795.19

3.00

-

23

6,740,186

23

6,740,186

66

REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS (REITS) SKYE SHELTER FUND PLC UNION HOMES REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST (REIT) UPDC REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST

MARKET CAP(Nm) 2,000.00

67

AUTOMOBILES/AUTO PARTS DN TYRE & RUBBER PLC

FOOD PRODUCTS DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC.

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

-

0

0

65

68 69

11,300.89

45.20

-

0

0

26,682.70

10.00

-

0

0

71

0

0

72

37

6,876,878

70

MARKET CAP(Nm) 2,386.33

BEVERAGES--BREWERS/ MARKET DISTILLERS CAP(Nm) CHAMPION BREW. PLC. 23,488.49 GOLDEN GUINEA BREW. PLC. 242.22 GUINNESS NIG PLC 229,990.20 INTERNATIONAL BREWER494,262.06 IES PLC. NIGERIAN BREW. PLC. 1,022,004.08 BEVERAGES--NONALCOHOLIC 7-UP BOTTLING COMP. PLC.

PRICE 100.00

64

MARKET CAP(Nm) 65,321.00 MARKET CAP(Nm) 75,500.00

73 74

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

0.50

-

0

0

75 76

0

0

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

77

3.00 0.89 105.00

-4.55

7 0 77

131,000 0 671,790

78

57.50

-4.17

13

80,229

127.80

-3.91

97

477,058

194

1,360,077

79 INSURANCE CARRIERS, BROKERS AND SERVICES S/N 80

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

101.97

-

0

0

MICRO-FINANCE BANKS

0

0

S/N

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

15.10

-4.73

208

5,159,179

252,000.00

21.00

1.45

80

1,054,116

82,663.47

31.50

-0.95

89

1,142,875

81

82 83 84

HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC MULTI-TREX INTEGRATED FOODS PLC N NIG. FLOUR MILLS PLC. NASCON ALLIED INDUSTRIES PLC UNION DICON SALT PLC.

21,570.14

NIGERIAN ENAMELWARE PLC. VITAFOAM NIG PLC. PERSONAL/HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC. UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC.

MICRO-FINANCE BANKS FORTIS MICROFINANCE BANK PLC NPF MICROFINANCE BANK PLC MORTGAGE CARRIERS, BROKERS AND SERVICES ABBEY MORTGAGE BANK PLC ASO SAVINGS AND LOANS PLC INFINITY TRUST MORTGAGE BANK PLC

80

3,209,686 65,000

0.50

-

2

1,015.74

5.70

-

2

6,185

55,638.21

21.00

-

66

4,848,783

3,676.41

13.45

-

0 527

0 15,485,824

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

14.80 1,320.00

-2.94

37 31

121,636 67,757

68

189,393

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

1,767.74

23.25

-

1

448

3,377.28

3.24

1.57

31 32

950,375 950,823

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

99,261.93

25.00

-1.57

91

3,025,871

281,505.27

49.00

-

MARKET BANKING CAP(Nm) ACCESS BANK PLC. 347,135.66 DIAMOND BANK PLC 62,533.05 ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL 360,568.68 INCORPORATED FIDELITY BANK PLC 90,980.86 GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC. 1,342,061.77 JAIZ BANK PLC 30,642.82 SKYE BANK PLC 13,880.30 STERLING BANK PLC. 61,611.49 UNION BANK NIG.PLC. 221,317.72 UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA 381,323.55 PLC UNITY BANK PLC 22,209.74 WEMA BANK PLC. 50,146.81 INSURANCE CARRIERS, BROKERS AND SERVICES AFRICAN ALLIANCE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC AIICO INSURANCE PLC. AXAMANSARD INSURANCE PLC CONSOLIDATED HALLMARK INSURANCE PLC CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC CORNERSTONE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC. EQUITY ASSURANCE PLC. GOLDLINK INSURANCE PLC GREAT NIGERIAN INSURANCE PLC GUINEA INSURANCE PLC. INTERNATIONAL ENERGY INSURANCE COMPANY PLC LASACO ASSURANCE PLC. LAW UNION AND ROCK INS. PLC. LINKAGE ASSURANCE PLC MUTUAL BENEFITS ASSURANCE PLC. N.E.M INSURANCE CO (NIG) PLC. NIGER INSURANCE CO. PLC. PRESTIGE ASSURANCE CO. PLC. REGENCY ALLIANCE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC SOVEREIGN TRUST INSURANCE PLC STANDARD ALLIANCE INSURANCE PLC. STANDARD TRUST ASSURANCE PLC UNIC DIVERSIFIED HOLDINGS PLC. UNITY KAPITAL ASSURANCE PLC UNIVERSAL INSURANCE COMPANY PLC WAPIC INSURANCE PLC

-4.23

1,861.25

FOOD PRODUCTS--DIVERMARKET SIFIED CAP(Nm) CADBURY NIGERIA PLC. 27,797.39 NESTLE NIGERIA PLC. 1,046,306.25

HOUSEHOLD DURABLES

2.72

39

222,921

130

3,248,792

951

21,234,909

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

12.00 2.70

3.90 -4.26

188 356

6,319,346 67,697,424

19.65

-0.51

43

512,179

3.14 45.60 1.04 1.00 2.14 7.60

1.29 -0.33 -4.59 -6.54 -4.89 -5.00

370 306 53 215 68 75

42,775,666 8,699,033 5,187,900 23,282,676 3,616,497 1,995,951

11.15

-5.51

508

39,158,700

1.90 1.30

-1.04 -1.52

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

9,057.40

0.44

-

0

0

4,643.24

0.67

-

24

2,158,183

26,250.00

2.50

-2.72

6

296,885

47 4,537,294 55 4,227,360 2,284 208,010,026 VOLUME

2,170.00

0.31

-6.06

22

3,239,461

16,077.75

1.55

-4.32

10

550,370

6,333.69

0.43

-

0

0

5,880.00 2,411.47

0.42 0.53

-4.55 -

7 0

250,000 0

1,913.74

0.50

-

0

0

2,824.40

0.46

-

1

100

642.04

0.50

-

0

0

2,489.97

0.34

-2.86

86

15,705,500

3,265.21

0.76

-

2

112,046

7,360.00

0.92

4.55

20

2,244,900

3,840.00

0.48

-

0

0

10,032.96

1.90

0.53

20

8,427,910

3,869.74

0.50

-

0

0

2,869.51

0.52

-7.14

14

5,002,000

3,334.38

0.50

-

0

0

4,003.60

0.48

-

1

20

6,455.52

0.50

-

0

0

4,670.54

0.50

-

0

0

929.63

0.36

-

0

0

6,101.33

0.44

-

0

0

8,000.00

0.50

-

0

0

8,163.47

0.61

-

27

4,588,744

240

42,576,119

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

11,799.67

2.58

-

0

0

4,413.21

1.93

-1.03

17

1,271,512

17

1,271,512

TRADES

VOLUME

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

5,460.00

1.30

-

0

0

7,370.87

0.50

-

0

0

6,005.46

1.44

-

0

0

˜ ͹;˜ ͺ͸͹Ͷ ˾ T H I S D AY

44

Nigeria Daily Stock Market Report: dŚŝƐ ĂLJ ĨƌŝŶǀĞƐƚ /ŶĚĞdž 'ĂŝŶƐ ϭ͘ϳй

THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 INDEX

dŚĞ dŚŝƐ ĂLJ ĨƌŝŶǀĞƐƚ ŝŶĚĞdž ŐĂŝŶĞĚ ϭ͘ϳй LJĞƐƚĞƌĚĂLJ ƚŽ ĐůŽƐĞ Ăƚ ϭ͕ϳϲϮ͘ϱϯ ƉŽŝŶƚƐ͘ zĞƐƚĞƌĚĂLJ͛Ɛ ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ǁĂƐ ďƌŽĂĚůLJ ŽŶ ĂĐĐŽƵŶƚ ŽĨ ďƵLJŝŶŐ ŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚ ĂĐƌŽƐƐ ƐĞĐƚŽƌƐ͘ 'h Z Edz ;нϮ͘ϬйͿ E/d, ;нϬ͘ϱйͿ ĂŶĚ E/' Z/ E Z t Z/ ^ ;нϭ͘ϵйͿ ǁŚŝĐŚ ĐƵŵƵůĂƟǀĞůLJ ĂĐĐŽƵŶƚ ĨŽƌ ϰϯ͘ϳй ǁĞŝŐŚĞĚ ƚŚĞ ŵŽƐƚ ŽŶ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ͘ dŚĞ dŚŝƐ ĂLJ ĨƌŝŶǀĞƐƚ ŝŶĚĞdž zd ƌĞƚƵƌŶ ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞĚ ƚŽ ϭϰ͘ϯй͘ ƋƵŝƟĞƐ DĂƌŬĞƚ ^ƵƐƚĂŝŶƐ 'ĂŝŶƐ͙ E^ ^/ ƵƉ ϭ͘Ϭй dŚĞ ĞƋƵŝƟĞƐ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ƐƵƐƚĂŝŶĞĚ ŐĂŝŶƐ ƚŽĚĂLJ ĂƐ ƚŚĞ ůů ^ŚĂƌĞ /ŶĚĞdž ; ^/Ϳ ŐƌĞǁ ϭ͘Ϭй ƚŽ ϰϮ͕ϲϬϰ͘ϰϬ ƉŽŝŶƚƐ ǁŚŝůĞ zd ƌĞƚƵƌŶ ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞĚ ƚŽ ϭϭ͘ϰй͘ ŽŶƐĞƋƵĞŶƚůLJ͕ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ĐĂƉŝƚĂůŝnjĂƟŽŶ ŝŶĐƌĞĂƐĞĚ ďLJ Eϭϱϱ͘ϮďŶ ƚŽ Eϭϱ͘ϯƚŶ͘ dŽĚĂLJ͛Ɛ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ǁĂƐ ŵĂũŽƌůLJ ĚƌŝǀĞŶ ďLJ ƉƌŝĐĞ ĂƉƉƌĞĐŝĂƟŽŶ ŝŶ & E, ;нϴ͘ϮйͿ͕ 'h Z Edz ;нϮ͘ϬйͿ ĂŶĚ E' D ;нϬ͘ϲйͿ͘ ^ŝŵŝůĂƌůLJ͕ ĂĐƟǀŝƚLJ ůĞǀĞů ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞĚ ĂƐ ǀŽůƵŵĞ ĂŶĚ ǀĂůƵĞ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ŝŶĐŚĞĚ ϭϴ͘ϭй ĂŶĚ ϯϯ͘Ϭй ŚŝŐŚĞƌ ƚŽ ϲϭϱ͘ϭŵ ƵŶŝƚƐ ĂŶĚ Eϲ͘ϯďŶ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ͘

Friday, February 16, 2018

Fundamental Performance Metrics for THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 Index

Ticker

Current Price

Previous Current Price Weighting Change

THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 1,762.53

1.68% 2.0%

Price Change YTD

Price Change Index to Date

ROE

ROA

P/E

P/BV

14.3%

76.3%

25.1%

7.9%

8.4x

1.2x

Divinden Earnings d Yield Yield

3.3%

9.9%

1

Guaranty Trust Bank PLC

46.50

21.4%

14.1%

14.7%

26.0%

4.3%

9.7x

2.4x

4.4%

10.3%

2

Zenith Bank PLC

31.65

0.5%

14.1%

23.4%

22.1%

21.7%

3.2%

6.3x

1.3x

6.4%

16.0%

3

Nigerian Brew eries PLC

4

Nestle Nigeria PLC

131.40

1.9%

7.7%

-2.6%

-2.7%

18.9%

8.6%

32.4x

5.9x

2.7%

3.1%

1,345.00

0.0%

6.1%

-13.6%

-13.6%

78.4%

19.0%

35.0x

23.2x

1.9%

2.9%

5

Dangote Cement PLC

259.90

0.6%

6.2%

13.0%

13.0%

30.4%

15.7%

17.9x

5.1x

3.3%

5.6%

6

FBN Holdings Plc

12.50

8.2%

6.9%

42.0%

42.2%

2.6%

0.3%

20.4x

0.7x

1.6%

4.9%

2.4%

19.1%

7

Access Bank PLC

12.90

4.9%

23.4%

21.7%

15.1%

2.0%

5.2x

0.7x

5.0%

8

United Bank for Africa PLC

12.35

4.2%

4.6%

19.9%

18.6%

17.2%

2.2%

5.4x

0.9x

6.1%

18.5%

9

Ecobank Transnational Inc

20.00

1.8%

3.4%

17.6%

22.9%

-14.6%

-1.3%

0.7x

3.1%

-17.3%

WĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ĂĐƌŽƐƐ ƐĞĐƚŽƌƐ ǁĂƐ ůĂƌŐĞůLJ ďƵůůŝƐŚ ĂƐ ϰ ŽĨ ϱ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ĐůŽƐĞĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ŐƌĞĞŶ ǁŚŝůĞ ŽŶĞ ĐůŽƐĞĚ ŇĂƚ͘ dŚĞ ĂŶŬŝŶŐ ŝŶĚĞdž ůĞĚ ŐĂŝŶĞƌƐ͕ ƵƉ ϭ͘ϯй ĚƵĞ ƚŽ Ă ƌĂůůLJ ŝŶ 'h Z Edz;нϮ͘ϬйͿ͕ h ;нϰ͘ϮйͿ ĂŶĚ ^^ ;нϮ͘ϰйͿ͘ dŚĞ /ŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĂů ĂŶĚ ŽŶƐƵŵĞƌ 'ŽŽĚƐ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ƚƌĂŝůĞĚ͕ ƌŝƐŝŶŐ Ϭ͘ϵй ĂŶĚ Ϭ͘ϴй ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ ĂƐ ŝŶǀĞƐƚŽƌƐ ƚŽŽŬ ƉŽƐŝƟŽŶƐ ŝŶ E' D;нϬ͘ϲйͿ͕ t W K ;нϮ͘ϬйͿ͕ E/' Z/ E Z t Z/ ^ ;нϭ͘ϵйͿ ĂŶĚ E'^h' Z ;нϰ͘ϴйͿ͘ ^ŝŵŝůĂƌůLJ͕ ƚŚĞ Kŝů Θ 'ĂƐ ŝŶĚĞdž ĂƉƉƌĞĐŝĂƚĞĚ ŵĂƌŐŝŶĂůůLJ ďLJ ϭďƉ ĨŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ ŐĂŝŶƐ ŝŶ ^ W> d ;нϭďƉͿ͘ dŚĞ /ŶƐƵƌĂŶĐĞ ŝŶĚĞdž ŚŽǁĞǀĞƌ ĐůŽƐĞĚ ƚŚĞ ĚĂLJ ŇĂƚ͘

10

SEPLAT Petroleum Development C

685.10

0.0%

3.0%

9.4%

9.4%

-12.4%

-6.7%

11

Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC

46.00

2.2%

2.8%

10.8%

12.5%

28.7%

3.4%

10.6x

2.8x

1.3%

9.4%

12

Guinness Nigeria PLC

105.00

0.0%

2.3%

11.7%

11.7%

14.6%

5.6%

19.7x

2.8x

0.6%

5.1%

52.00

2.0%

17

Okomu Oil Palm PLC

72.00

0.0%

1.0%

6.4%

/ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ^ĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ ^ƚĂLJƐ WŽƐŝƟǀĞ ŽŶ ĂƌŐĂŝŶ ,ƵŶƟŶŐ

18

Unilever Nigeria PLC

49.00

0.0%

1.2%

19.5%

19

International Brew eries PLC

57.50

0.0%

0.7%

5.5%

20

Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC

32.50

0.3%

0.6%

12.1%

21

Transnational Corp of Nigeria

2.11

1.4%

0.7%

44.5%

42.6%

19.6%

22

UAC of Nigeria PLC

17.00

0.0%

0.5%

0.6%

0.6%

6.3%

23

Diamond Bank PLC

2.90

-0.3%

0.9%

93.3%

84.7%

2.5%

0.3%

229.00

0.0%

0.5%

-0.4%

-0.4%

37.3%

7.4%

8.5x

3.0x

2.6%

11.7%

2.80

0.0%

0.8%

77.2%

3.8%

0.6%

8.1x

0.3x

3.6%

12.3%

199.00

0.0%

0.4%

2.3%

2.3%

32.6%

12.0%

10.6x

2.9x

4.0%

0.0%

0.4%

3.5%

7.1%

44.3%

3.7%

11.4x

5.0x

ƵůůŝƐŚ ^ĞĐƚŽƌ WĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ

/ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ͕ ŵĞĂƐƵƌĞĚ ďLJ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ďƌĞĂĚƚŚ ;ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞͬĚĞĐůŝŶĞ ƌĂƟŽͿ ƌĞŵĂŝŶĞĚ ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ ĚĞƐƉŝƚĞ ǁĞĂŬĞŶŝŶŐ ƚŽ ϭ͘Ϯdž ĨƌŽŵ ϭ͘ϯdž ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ ƚŚĞ ƉƌĞǀŝŽƵƐ ĚĂLJ ĂƐ Ϯϵ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞĚ ƌĞůĂƟǀĞ ƚŽ Ϯϰ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ƚŚĂƚ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ͘ dŚĞ ďĞƐƚ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĞƌƐ ǁĞƌĞ & E, ;нϴ͘ϮйͿ͕ t W/ ;нϲ͘ϯйͿ ĂŶĚ D z < Z ;нϱ͘ϬйͿ ǁŚŝůĞ s ZdKE ;Ͳϴ͘ϴйͿ͕ KhZds/>> ;Ͳϴ͘ϳйͿ ĂŶĚ &/Z^d >hD ;Ͳ ϳ͘ϱйͿ ůĞĚ ůĂŐŐĂƌĚƐ͘ &ŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ƌĞďŽƵŶĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ LJĞƐƚĞƌĚĂLJ ĂŶĚ ĨƵƌƚŚĞƌ ŐĂŝŶƐ ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ ƚŽĚĂLJ͕ ǁĞ ďĞůŝĞǀĞ ƚŚĞ ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ ƚƌĞŶĚ ǁŝůů ďĞ ƐƵƐƚĂŝŶĞĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ůĂƐƚ ƚƌĂĚŝŶŐ ĚĂLJ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ǁĞĞŬ ĂƐ ŝŶǀĞƐƚŽƌƐ ĐŽŶƟŶƵĞ ƚŽ ƐĞĞŬ ĨŽƌ ďĂƌŐĂŝŶ ŽƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƟĞƐ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ͘

ŽŵƉĂŶLJ ŝŶ &ŽĐƵƐ͗ ĞŵĞŶƚ ŽŵƉĂŶLJ ŽĨ EŽƌƚŚĞƌŶ EŝŐĞƌŝĂ WůĐ ; EEͿ ĞŵĞŶƚ ŽŵƉĂŶLJ ŽĨ EŽƌƚŚĞƌŶ EŝŐĞƌŝĂ WůĐ ; EEͿ͕ ǁĂƐ ĨŽƵŶĚĞĚ ďLJ ƚŚĞ WƌĞŵŝĞƌ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ƚŚĞŶ EŽƌƚŚĞƌŶ ZĞŐŝŽŶ͕ ůŚĂũŝ ^ŝƌ ŚŵĂĚƵ ĞůůŽ͘ /ƚ ǁĂƐ ŝŶĐŽƌƉŽƌĂƚĞĚ ŝŶ ϭϵϲϮ ĂŶĚ ĐŽŵŵĞŶĐĞĚ ƉƌŽĚƵĐƟŽŶ ŝŶ ϭϵϲϳ ǁŝƚŚ ĂŶ ŝŶŝƟĂů ŝŶƐƚĂůůĞĚ ĐĂƉĂĐŝƚLJ ŽĨ ϭϬϬ͕ϬϬϬ ƚŽŶƐ ƉĞƌ ĂŶŶƵŵ Ăƚ ƚŚĞ <ĂůĂŵďĂŝŶĂ ƉůĂŶƚ ǁŚŝĐŚ ǁĂƐ ĞdžƉĂŶĚĞĚ ǁŝƚŚ ƚŚĞ ŝŶƐƚĂůůĂƟŽŶ ŽĨ Ă ƐĞĐŽŶĚ ůŝŶĞ ǁŝƚŚ ϱϬϬ͕ϬϬϬ ƚŽŶƐ ƉĞƌ ĂŶŶƵŵ ĐĂƉĂĐŝƚLJ ŝŶ ϭϵϴϱ͘ hŶĚĞƌ ƚŚĞ ƉƌŝǀĂƟnjĂƟŽŶ ĂŶĚ ĐŽŵŵĞƌĐŝĂůŝnjĂƟŽŶ ƉƌŽŐƌĂŵ ŝŶ ϭϵϵϮ͕ ƚŚĞ &ĞĚĞƌĂů 'ŽǀĞƌŶŵĞŶƚ ĚŝǀĞƐƚĞĚ ĂďŽƵƚ ϮϬ͘Ϭй ŽĨ ŝƚƐ ŚŽůĚŝŶŐ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ĐŽŵƉĂŶLJ ĂŶĚ ƐŽůĚ ŝƚ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ EŝŐĞƌŝĂŶ WƵďůŝĐ͘ /Ŷ ϮϬϬϴ͕ ƚŚĞ ĐŽŵƉĂŶLJ ǁĂƐ ĨƵůůLJ ƉƌŝǀĂƟnjĞĚ ĨŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ Ă ƐƚƌĂƚĞŐŝĐ ƌĞ ͲŽƌŝĞŶƚĂƟŽŶ͖ ,ĞŝĚĞůďĞƌŐ ĞŵĞŶƚ 'ƌŽƵƉ ĚŝǀĞƐƚĞĚ ŝƚƐ EE ƐŚĂƌĞƐ ĂŶĚ ĂŵŶĂnj ĞŵĞŶƚ ŽŵƉĂŶLJ >ŝŵŝƚĞĚ ďĞĐĂŵĞ EE͛Ɛ ŶĞǁ ĐŽƌĞ ŝŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ĂŶĚ ǁĂƐ ůĂƚĞƌ ĂĐƋƵŝƌĞĚ ďLJ h /ŶƚĞƌŶĂƟŽŶĂů >ŝŵŝƚĞĚ ŝŶ ϮϬϭϬ͘ EE ŝƐ ƚŚĞ ϱƚŚ ŵŽƐƚ ĐĂƉŝƚĂůŝnjĞĚ ŝŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĂů ŐŽŽĚƐ ƐƚŽĐŬ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ EŝŐĞƌŝĂŶ ^ƚŽĐŬ džĐŚĂŶŐĞ ǁŝƚŚ Ă ĐƵƌƌĞŶƚ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ĐĂƉŝƚĂůŝnjĂƟŽŶ ŽĨ EϭϮ͘ϭϲďŶ͘ /Ŷ ŝƚƐ ϵD͗ϮϬϭϳ ƌĞƐƵůƚ͕ ƚŚĞ ĐŽŵƉĂŶLJ ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞŵĞŶƚƐ ŝŶ ďŽƚŚ ƚŽƉ ĂŶĚ ďŽƩŽŵ ůŝŶĞƐ͕ ĂƐ 'ƌŽƐƐ ƌĞǀĞŶƵĞ ŐƌĞǁ ϰϳ͘ϳй zͲŽͲz ƚŽ Eϭϯ͘ϲďŶ ĂŐĂŝŶƐƚ ƚŚĞ ďĂĐŬĚƌŽƉ ŽĨ ƌĞůĂƟǀĞůLJ ŚŝŐŚĞƌ ĐĞŵĞŶƚ ƉƌŝĐĞƐ͘ DĂƌŐŝŶƐ ĞdžƉĞĐƚĞĚůLJ ĞdžƉĂŶĚĞĚ͕ ǁŝƚŚ 'ƌŽƐƐ ĂŶĚ KƉĞƌĂƟŶŐ ŵĂƌŐŝŶƐ ƌŝƐŝŶŐ ϭϭ͘ϱ ĂŶĚ ϭϮ͘ϵ ƉĞƌĐĞŶƚĂŐĞ ƉŽŝŶƚƐ ;ƉƉƚƐͿ ƚŽ ϯϴ͘ϯй ĂŶĚ Ϯϱ͘ϴй ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ͕ ĚƌŝǀĞŶ ďLJ ŚŝŐŚĞƌ ŵĂƌŬƵƉ ŽŶ ĐĞŵĞŶƚ ƐĂůĞƐ ĂŶĚ ĞĸĐŝĞŶĐLJ ŽĨ ŬŝůŶ ĨƵĞů ŵŝdž͘ ,ĞŶĐĞ͕ W d ĂŶĚ W d ƐƵƌŐĞĚ ϭϴϮ͘Ϭй ĂŶĚ ϭϲϵ͘ϯй zͲŽͲz ƚŽ EϮ͘ϵďŶ ĂŶĚ EϮ͘ϬďŶ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ ŝŶ ϵD͗ ϮϬϭϳ͘ KŶ Ă ƐƚĂŶĚĂůŽŶĞ ďĂƐŝƐ͕ EE͛Ɛ Yϯ͗ϮϬϭϳ ƌĞƐƵůƚ ǁĂƐ ĂůƐŽ ŝŵƉƌĞƐƐŝǀĞ ǁŝƚŚ 'ƌŽƐƐ ƌĞǀĞŶƵĞ ŝŵƉƌŽǀŝŶŐ Ϯϯ͘Ϭй YͲŽͲY ƚŽ Eϱ͘ϭďŶ ĨƌŽŵ Eϰ͘ϮďŶ ŝŶ YϮ͗ϮϬϭϳ ĂŶĚ /d ƐƵƌŐŝŶŐ ϵϬ͘ϱй Y ͲŽͲY ƚŽ Eϭ͘ϳďŶ͘ tĞ ďĞůŝĞǀĞ ƚŚĂƚ ŚŝŐŚĞƌ ƉƌŝĐĞƐ ŽĨ ĐĞŵĞŶƚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƋƵĂƌƚĞƌ ĂĐĐŽƵŶƚĞĚ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ YͲŽͲY ŐƌŽǁƚŚ ŝŶ ƌĞǀĞŶƵĞ ǁŚŝůĞ ĞŶĞƌŐLJ ĐŽƐƚ ƐĂǀŝŶŐ ĂůƐŽ ƐƚĞĚ ŵĂƌŐŝŶƐ͘ dŚƵƐ͕ W d ĂŶĚ W d ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ƉĞƌŝŽĚ ƐƵƌŐĞĚ ϭϭϲ͘Ϯй ĂŶĚ ϵϱ͘ϰй YͲŽͲY ƚŽ Eϭ͘ϱďŶ ĂŶĚ Eϭ͘ϬďŶ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ͘ tŝƚŚ ƚŚĞ ďƌŽĂĚůLJ ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ ĞĂƌŶŝŶŐƐ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ ŝŶ Yϯ͗ϮϬϭϳ͕ ĐŽƵƉůĞĚ ǁŝƚŚ ƚŚĞ ĞŵĞƌŐŝŶŐ ĞĐŽŶŽŵŝĐ ƌĞĐŽǀĞƌLJ ĂŶĚ ĐĂƉĂĐŝƚLJ ĞdžƉĂŶƐŝŽŶ ƉůĂŶƐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ĐŽŵƉĂŶLJ͕ ǁĞ ŚĂǀĞ Ă ďƌŽĂĚůLJ ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ ĞĂƌŶŝŶŐƐ ŽƵƚůŽŽŬ ŽŶ EE͘ dŚĞ ƐƚŽĐŬ ŚĂƐ ƌĞƚƵƌŶĞĚ ϴϱ͘ϰй zd ͘

Afrinvest Securities Limited (RC 603 315) (A Dealing Member of the Nigerian Stock Exchange)

0.9x

-15.2%

13

Lafarge Africa PLC

1.7%

15.8%

15.8%

47.1%

9.8%

4.7x

7.9x

1.9%

21.5%

14

Fidelity Bank PLC

3.29

0.0%

1.5%

33.7%

27.5%

8.0%

1.1%

2.9x

0.5x

4.3%

34.8%

15

Oando PLC

5.99

0.0%

1.1%

0.0%

0.0%

40.7%

4.2%

2.7x

0.6x

16

Dangote Sugar Refinery PLC

22.00

4.8%

1.1%

10.0%

8.1%

43.2%

19.8%

8.6x

3.3x

2.3%

11.7%

6.4%

37.4%

25.9%

9.6x

3.1x

2.1%

10.4%

21.9%

50.3%

8.4%

30.2x

11.5x

0.2%

3.3%

4.6%

24.6%

7.4%

60.2x

13.7x

12.1%

13.1%

3.0%

6.8x

0.8x

2.8%

14.7%

4.1%

8.4x

1.5x

2.2%

10.9x

0.7x

11.7x

0.3x

24

Total Nigeria PLC

25

FCMB Group Plc

26

11 PLC

27

Forte Oil PLC

45.00

28

PZ Cussons Nigeria PLC

25.00

0.0%

0.4%

21.4%

18.2%

10.7%

5.0%

23.7x

2.4x

29

Cadbury Nigeria PLC

14.80

0.0%

0.3%

-5.6%

-5.1%

4.5%

1.6%

42.2x

2.5x

0.0%

37.0%

1.7%

11.9% 5.8%

9.2% 8.5%

9.5% 8.8%

2.0%

4.2% 2.4%

30

Presco PLC

70.00

0.3%

2.2%

2.2%

42.9%

25.9%

3.4x

1.2x

2.1%

29.0%

31

NASCON Allied Industries PLC

20.00

-3.6%

0.3%

8.1%

4.1%

53.4%

18.1%

11.3x

5.2x

3.5%

8.9%

32

UPDC Real Estate Investment Tr

10.00

0.0%

0.3%

0.0%

0.0%

0.8x

7.2%

33

Union Bank of Nigeria PLC

7.55

-3.8%

0.3%

-3.2%

0.5%

5.6%

1.2%

34

Julius Berger Nigeria PLC

27.30

0.0%

0.3%

-2.5%

-2.5%

-12.2%

-1.2%

35

Sterling Bank PLC

2.16

-3.6%

0.4%

100.0%

91.2%

6.1%

0.6%

2.5%

9.6x

0.5x

10.4%

1.4x

-8.4%

11.4x

0.6x

8.8%

36

Dangote Flour Mills Plc

16.25

0.3%

33.7%

33.7%

61.6%

15.8%

5.3x

2.3x

37

GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Niger

21.20

0.0%

0.2%

-1.9%

-1.9%

61.2%

23.6%

4.4x

1.6x

1.4%

22.8%

38

Chemical and Allied Products P

36.95

-4.9%

0.2%

8.7%

3.5%

84.3%

38.5%

16.1x

11.3x

6.0%

6.2%

39

Beta Glass PLC

72.10

0.0%

0.1%

40.5%

40.5%

18.4%

11.9%

10.2x

1.7x

1.4%

9.8%

40

Transcorp Hotels Plc

7.20

0.0%

0.1%

-0.1%

-0.1%

4.7%

2.8%

21.4x

1.0x

5.6%

4.7%

T o p 10 G a ine r s

19.0%

T o p 10 T r a d e s b y V o l u m e

T ic k er

P ric e

P ric e C hg %

FB NH

12.50

8.2%

M ULT IVER SE

87.1

-2.7%

WA P IC

0.68

6.3%

SKYEB A N K

65.6

3.6%

M A YB A KER

2.94

5.0%

A C C ESS

59.0

2.4%

C UT IX

2.31

5.0%

FCM B

56.1

0.0%

D A N GSUGA R

22.00

4.8%

FB NH

39.4

8.2%

B ER GER

10.35

4.5%

T R A N SC OR P

38.3

1.4%

UB A

12.35

4.2%

GLA XOSM IT H

34.5

0.0%

A F R IP R UD

5.00

4.0%

UB A

34.0

4.2%

SKYEB A N K

1.14

3.6%

GUA R A N T Y

30.3

2.0%

2.90

3.6%

Z EN IT H B A N K

27.6

0.5%

H ON YF LOUR

T ic k er

Vo lum e

P ric e C hg %

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 P ric e

P ric e C hg %

T ic k er

Value

P ric e C hg %

C A VER T ON

2.60

-8.8%

GUA R A N T Y

1409.6

2.0%

C OUR T VILLE

0.42

-8.7%

Z EN IT H B A N K

886.6

0.5%

F IR ST A LUM

0.37

-7.5%

A C C ESS

766.4

2.4%

UN IC

0.34

-5.6%

GLA XOSM IT H

730.8

0.0%

1.71

-5.5%

FB NH

499.0

8.2%

T ic k er

UN IT YB N K C H A M P ION

2.85

-5.0%

UB A

419.8

4.2%

ET R A N Z A C T

4.75

-5.0%

N EST LE

389.5

0.0%

36.95

-4.9%

D A N GC EM

195.2

0.6%

A GLEVEN T

0.60

-4.8%

FCM B

158.3

0.0%

UN IT YKA P

0.40

-4.8%

F ID ELIT YB K

85.5

0.0%

CA P

Investment Research

Brokerage Ayodeji Ebo | aebo@afrinvest.com

Robert Omotunde | romotunde@afrinvest.com

Bolaji Fajenyo | bfajenyo@afrinvest.com

Omotola Abimbola | oabimbola@afrinvest.com

45

˾ FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2018

MARKET NEWS

WAPIC, FRSC, LASTMA Collaborate on Safety Awareness Campaign Ebere Nwoji Worried about the rising quantum of claims coming from the motor insurance market segment, due to increasing rate of motor accidents on Nigerian roads, WAPIC Insurance Plc is collaborating with the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) and Lagos State Transport Management Authority (LASTMA) to commence the ‘Safety on wheels’.

The campaign is targeted at reducing road accident and raising general awareness on road safety

responsibility and the number of safety- conscious road users in Nigeria.

Addressing journalists on the campaign, Managing Director of WAPIC Insurance, Adeyinka Adekoya, noted that deaths caused by road accidents in recent times are more than that caused by malaria which hitherto,was thought to be the number one killer in Africa.

She said against this backdrop, the campaign has been targeted at raising collective consciousness about the need for road-users to imbibe and practice appropriate

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

road-use culture in Nigeria.

She added that the initiative is an educational advocacy campaign executed in partnership with the relevant government agencies including the FRSC and LASTMA. She said the campaign, which kicks off tomorrow (Saturday, February 17), is a demonstration by the company that proactive risk avoidance is a tenet the company preaches to its stakeholders.

“This seems to be the underpinning message of the ‘Safety-on-Wheels’ campaign launched by the company to raise

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 14-Feb-2018, unless otherwise stated.

the number of safety-conscious road-users in Nigeria. As a social-focused risk advisory initiative, the ‘Safety-on-Wheels’ campaign is conceived to empower Nigerians with relevant knowledge and apposite skills that will reduce road accidents, and raise general awareness about our collective road safety responsibility”, she said.

According to her, the campaign, which will commence at the Teslim Balogun Stadium with 1000 drivers across Lagos State, will educate participants about safe road-use practices, importance of adherence

to road traffic regulations and appropriate road as well as vehicle maintenance cultures.

She said the safety campaign has become necessary given the fact that statistics on road accident recently released by the National Bureau of Statistics showed geometric increase in number of accidents that occurred on Nigerian roads year in year out.

“Worried about the spate of causalities and deaths from road accidents, validated by National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) data that “of the 11, 363

roads accidents recorded in 2016, 5,053 resulted in death. We are aware that road accidents have far-reaching emotional, financial and psychological effects on families and the workforce, which in turn have significant negative effects on socio-economic facets of the society.

As an organisation, Wapic Insurance is triggered by this awareness to collaborate with other stakeholders to combat this menace with the ‘Safety-on-Wheels’ Initiative. Our plan is to take the campaign across the country starting with Lagos State”, she stressed.

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 190.74 191.17 7.22% Nigeria International Debt Fund 245.62 246.07 6.07% 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 0.86 0.87 4.47% ACAP Income Funds 0.62 0.62 3.67% AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 16.10% ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ARM Aggressive Growth Fund 19.82 20.42 8.48% ARM Discovery Fund 417.75 430.34 7.37% ARM Ethical Fund 30.19 31.10 10.49% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 16.00% 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 N/A N/A N/A AXA Mansard Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A 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 15.10% Paramount Equity Fund 12.96 13.29 4.83% Women's Investment Fund 101.49 104.10 0.86% 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 16.78% 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 15.47% Coronation Balanced Fund 1.12 1.14 6.52% Coronation Fixed Income Fund 1.10 1.13 5.97% 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 1,172.97 1,174.13 2.19% FBN Heritage Fund 148.96 150.34 6.88% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 15.10% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional $113.98 $114.55 0.96% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail $113.94 $114.51 1.02% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 191.14 193.99 11.92% 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 1.39 1.42 6.64% Legacy Debt Fund 2.93 2.93 1.65% 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 3,103.39 3,143.95 4.10% Coral Income Fund 2,514.22 2,514.22 2.78% 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 14.61% 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 15.28% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.21 2.24 4.84% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 17.72% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 116.34 116.67 1.14%

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 1.16 1.18 1.16% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,044.84 1,044.84 1.36% 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 16.56 16.71 17.47% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 14.20% 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 1.30 1.32 9.50% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 11.35 11.44 2.98% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 13.70% 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 142.80 145.02 10.77% 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 1.51 1.51 1.80% 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 2,344.91 2,363.46 4.52% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 176.61 176.61 0.09% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 1.07 1.09 6.93% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 225.89 226.00 2.59% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 186.85 189.10 4.37% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 14.91% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 10,244.45 10,385.55 5.95% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.07 1.07 0.94% 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 1.38 1.39 16.20% United Capital Bond Fund 1.58 1.58 12.21% United Capital Equity Fund 1.01 1.03 11.59% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 14.38% United Capital Eurobond Fund 102.98 102.98 0.74% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.12 1.13 16.30% 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 13.35 13.56 6.42% Zenith Ethical Fund 13.85 14.01 5.32% Zenith Income Fund 19.41 19.41 2.59%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

10.00 133.45

-11.35% 0.75%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

12.33 161.70 119.60

12.43 165.26 121.86

1.73% 13.25% 9.49%

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

5.62 9.61 19.28 22.72 152.49

5.66 9.69 19.38 22.92 154.49

18.45% 0.38% 8.51% 15.45% 2.62%

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.

˜ ͹;˜ ͺ͸͹΀ ˾ T H I S D AY

46

WORLD OF ISLAM

Edited by: MJO Mustapha Email deji.mustapha@thisdaylive.com

The Ideal Society: Allah-Created Resources, Human Effort and the Quranic Way of Life Mansoor Alam/IslamiCity

T

here are verses in Surah Al-Waaqi‘ah that present a contrast between human effort and Allah-provided resources in a clear, direct, succinct, and interesting way. Sustenance is the joint product of Allah-created resources and human effort. When these two combine then we have an output that sustains human life. Allah gives natural resources and humans provide the effort. The Quran states, (56:63 )– “Have you ever considered the seed which you cast upon the soil? – You throw the seed in the ground. Nevertheless, after that, do you grow the seed or We do:(56:64 ) – “Is it you who caused it to grow - or are We the cause of its growth?”

Allah is asking us here: from the seed you throw to the ground, do you produce the shoot or do We (i.e., Our law does)? Allah gives us a simple and clear example, which no one can deny. What part of the contribution is yours? You tilled the ground, prepared the soil, applied fertilizer and sowed the seed. Up until this point, this is your effort. Now tell us, after this, who produces the shoot from the seed? Who turns it into a plant?

Do you do it or do We? Remember, this happens according to Our law. If it were not for Our law then it would not be possible for anything to grow from the seed. It is also possible that the seed grows into a plant and then burns and is destroyed (56:65-66). In this case, instead of producing 700 grains from every seed, even your original seeds will be destroyed. Tell us, if Our law does not aid your efforts then what is possible based on your efforts alone (56:68)? Then, the Quran further questions: The water upon which your life depends, do you produce it from the rain or does Our law produce it (56:69)? Think about it!

Our drinking water depends on rainfall – drinking water fit for human consumption is derived from the oceans’ waters. This global system of waterworks, Allah has created for humans: from fountains, from wells and canals that humans dig, these are all fine, but the water itself, who created it? Humans put effort into creating different water systems but they did not produce the water itself? Allah produced it. Farming depends upon water. There will be no farming if there is no water.

Allah asks humans: Do you ever ponder on Our comprehensive system of waterworks – from the oceans’ water – which humans cannot drink even one sip – how the Sun’s rays lift pure vaporized water leaving behind all the chemicals and salts in the oceans. This water is then carried in the form of clouds that travel great distances. If all that water in the clouds were to drop again into the oceans in the form of rain and it does not reach where it is needed, then what will happen? Have you pondered on all these things? Our winds – yes, humans did not produce the winds either! – come and take these clouds from here to there where pure and fresh water is needed. Moreover, We store extra water in the form of snow which melts for your use in summer. When the snow melts the ground and rivers are replenished with fresh water. Now, be honest and tell us: To whom do all these systems of waterworks with perfect delivery mechanisms belong?

Consider the firewood which humans burn and derive so many benefits (56:71). Is the fire created by humans? Yes, humans take advantage of this fire in different ways but who put the ability of fire inside the wood? Have you pondered on that fact – where the secret flames came from inside the green branches of trees (56:72)? Putting the fire deep inside the veins of dry branches—is it of

human creation or of Our law’s? This, you must not forget and always keep in front of you (56:73). This was a joint enterprise between humans and Allah.

Humans provided the effort and Allah provided the resources. Only then the output was produced.

Therefore, according to honest and ethical business practice we must divide the result of this common business. You take your share according to your expended effort, however, the basic investment was Ours. All this We have described to you to explain what is at stake here. Give Us Our due share. Then only you will be considered an honest and fair businessperson. You ask Me: Sir, Thou are not in front of us; nor Thou eat or drink; so to whom do we give Thine share? Give to the needy: (Mataa-‘al-lilmuqween) (56:74). Give it to the hungry. It will reach Us. (Mataa‘a) are the things that a traveler takes with him on a trip, but only as much as is necessary for survival – no more than that and never for hoarding. This is what the Quran said 1400 years ago: ((43:35. Everything in/on earth that supports life is called “Mata‘a” by the Quran. This represents a great reality. The root of “Mata‘a” means: “things of utility, things that support the basic needs of life; things that are only for utility and not for hoarding.” It most certainly does not mean “property”. The Quran always uses it as “utility value”. How much one can eat and how much one can use things to support one’s life – these are limited. Human needs are limited but human greed is unlimited. Since capitalism is based on greed, it leads to a vicious mentality of unending greed of multiplying and counting wealth. This greed for hoarding more and more for its own sake drives humans mad and does not let them rest in peace. The Quran says that this continues until they reach their graves:( 102:1-2 ) – You are

obsessed by greed for more and more until you go down to your graves. What makes you oblivious to the real goal of humankind? The obsession, avarice and rivalry to amass wealth.

Capitalism creates classes based on wealth. If this remains then how can humanity ever become one brotherhood? People living under capitalism in just one country cannot become one brotherhood, let alone becoming universal brotherhood of humankind under capitalism. Think about it – those living in palatial homes in gated communities and those living in debilitated worn-out huts in shanty towns can they ever become one brotherhood? The truth is (according to Iqbal): Capitalist vultures metamorphose themselves in every age Though humanity has grown old, the devils are still young! Gunnar Myrdal, a Swedish Nobel Laureate economist, in his book “Beyond the Welfare State” called for a universal welfare system that breaks down all national barriers. He suggests that the only way to establish such a system would be to establish a world government in which there are no national boundaries or class distinctions between people; where human beings are free to live anywhere they want; and are free to move anywhere at their pleasure to meet the basic needs of life. From the political point of view, this means establishment of a single sovereign one-world government. From humanity’s point of view, this means establishment of the highest form of human equity and dignity. As long as the condition of the world is such that half of the world is rich and the rest of the half poor, universal human brotherhood cannot be attained.

According to the shining hadith of the Prophet (PBUH) – “In any town, if a single person sleeps hungry then Allah pulls His hands of protection from that town.”

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2018˾ T H I S D AY

47

INTERNATIONAL

email:foreigndesk@thisdaylive.com

White Supremacist Says Florida Shooter was Group Member A troubled teenager accused of murdering 17 people at his former high school in Florida had white supremacist ties, it emerged Thursday, as the FBI admitted it received a tip-off about the 19-year-old gunman, yet failed to stop him, AFP reported.

As Americans reeled from the country’s worst school massacre since the horror at Sandy Hook six years ago, President Donald Trump suggested the root cause of the violence was a crisis of mental health -- and defied calls to address gun control.

Terrified students hid in closets and under desks on Wednesday at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, texting for help as

the gunman, Nikolas Cruz, stalked the school with a semi-automatic AR-15 rifle.

Charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder, Cruz appeared Thursday afternoon before a judge who ordered him held without bond.

In a somber televised address to the nation in response to the 18th school shooting so far this year, Trump announced plans to travel to Florida to meet the shocked community, located north of Miami.

He vowed to make mental health a priority -- after tweeting about the“many signs”that the shooter was “mentally disturbed” -- but avoided any talk of gun curbs to stem the bloodshed.

Ethiopia PM Hailemariam Desalegn in Surprise Resignation Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn has resigned unexpectedly, saying he hoped to end years of unrest and political upheaval, BBC reported.

In a televised address, he said his resignation was “vital in the bid to carry out reforms that would lead to sustainable peace and democracy”.

Mr Hailemariam, who has led the country since 2012, also stepped down as chairman of the ruling coalition.

Hundreds of people have died in three years of antigovernment protests.

Demonstrations first spread across the country in 2015 amid calls for political and economic reform and an end to state corruption.

Most of the unrest has

centred on Ethiopia’s two largest regions, Oromia and Amhara.

A 10-month national state of emergency that ended last year failed to stop the protests, as did the release of thousands of opposition supporters from jail last month..

“Unrest and a political crisis have led to the loss of lives and displacement of many,” Mr Hailemariam said.

“I see my resignation as vital in the bid to carry out reforms that would lead to sustainable peace and democracy.”

Leaders of the governing coalition - the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) - held an emergency meeting following the announcement, the Addis Standard website reported.

Tillerson Meets Erdogan to Ease Turkey Tensions US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Thursday held talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, seeking to ease tensions between the NATO allies that reached new heights over Ankara’s ongoing operation inside Syria, according to AFP. A prime task of President Donald Trump’s top diplomat is to allay Turkish anger over US policy in Syria, a dispute which has ignited the biggest crisis in bilateral ties since the 2003 Iraq war.

But Turkish presidential sources said Erdogan made no secret of Turkey’s concerns during the over three-hour meeting with the former chief of energy giant Exxon Mobil.

“In the talks, Turkey’s priorities and expectations on all these topics were clearly conveyed to the US secretary of state,”said a source, asking not to be named.

Tillerson will meet on Friday morning Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu who was the only other official present at the meeting and acted as translator, US sources said.

A State Department official said Tillerson and Erdogan had a

“productive and open”conversation about a“mutually beneficial way forward”for US-Turkey ties.

Turkey’s operation against the People’s Protection Units (YPG) Kurdish militia in the Afrin region of Syria has added a potentially insurmountable new problem to an increasingly rough bilateral relationship.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME dŚŝƐ ŝƐ ƚŽ ĐĞƌƟĨLJ ƚŚĂƚ DOSUNMU OLASUNBO FAUSAT and DOSUNMU BOLANLE OLASUNBO FAUSAT refer to one and the same person. All former documents remains valid.

General public take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME I, MUHAMMAD ALIYU, my name was incorrectly misspelt as MOHAMMA and MOHAMMAD ALIYU instead of MUHAMMAD ALIYU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MOJISOLA FATIMAT HAMUSA SAKA. now wish to be known and addressed as MOJISOLA FATIMA MAYOWA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

“My fellow Americans, today I speak to a nation in grief,” said Trump, calling on his fellow citizens to “come together as one nation” and “answer hate with love, answer cruelty with kindness.”

I, formerly known and addressed as MUFTAU KABIR BOLARINWA. now wish to be known and addressed as MUFTAU KABIR AYINLA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MR IDUSERI FREDRICK OSARETIN AND FRIDAY OSARETIN IDUSERI. now wish to be known and addressed as MR IDUSERI FREDRICK OSARETIN. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as OLAFARE TITILAYO. now wish to be known and addressed as OLAFARE TITILAYO GRACE. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS JULIANA NNEAMAKA AMAEFULE. now wish to be known and addressed as MRS JULIANA NNEAMAKA IBE. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as OLUTOLA OLUBUSAYO ERUKILEDE. now wish to be known and addressed as OLUTOLA OLUBUSAYO USIKALU. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as SALAWUDEEN SELIMO ANIKE. now wish to be known and addressed as SALAWU SELIMO ANIKE. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS RAFIU OLAYEMI SHAKIRAT. now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OLORUNSOLA OLAYEMI SHAKIRAT. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I former NWAOKORO SOLACE ODINAKA, also known as NWAOKORO SOLACE AMOS. Now Wish to be known and address as AMOS ODINAKA OKORO. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note I, formerly known and addressed as MISS NNENNA STEPHANIE OGBURU EKE. now wish to be known and addressed as MRS NNENNA STEPHANIE AGBEZE OKO. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS NTIRE NDOMA ENYEM. now wish to be known and addressed as MRS NTIRE EKPENYONG ANA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as ADEPOJU AREMU RASHEED. now wish to be known and addressed as REMU RASHEED. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY16, 2018Ëž T H I S D AY

48

NEWS

Ă?ĂĄĂ? Ă&#x17D;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x153; Davidson Iriekpen Ă&#x2014;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2013; davidson.iriekpen@thisdaylive.com, 08111813081

Buhari Will Run Again in 2019, Says SGF Amaechi: Nigeria will go 10 steps backwards if APC loses in 2019 Onyebuchi Ezigbo Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC; Ă&#x152;Ă&#x;Ă&#x201D;Ă&#x2039;Ë&#x153; ĂĄĂ&#x201C;Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2019; Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2018;Ă?Ă&#x2DC;Ă?ĂŁ Ă&#x153;Ă?Ă&#x161;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x153;Ă&#x17E; The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, yesterday declared that President Muhammadu Buhari would seek re-election in 2019.

Mustapha who was represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Political Matters, Hon. Gideon Sammani, at a rally organised by the Democratic Youth Congress (DYC) at the Unity Fountain in Abuja, said President Buhari is about the only option Nigerians have to salvage the rot in the country.

According to him, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am glad that you have mentioned some of the person who are interested in leading this country, but if you give them the ticket, they will do nothing with it because they have nothing to offer to this country. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You and I are here because we believe President Buhari has the right credentials to rule this country. We do not have an alternative to the president for now.â&#x20AC;?

Mustapha stated that Buhari is an embodiment of the change mantra that the All Progressives Congress

(APC) stands for, adding that he (Buhari) did everything to fight indiscipline as the then military Head of State.

The SGF told the group that other aspirants for the position of the president in 2019 have nothing to offer.

He said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I will present your messages to him. I congratulate you for your support for President Buhari to run in 2019. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am aware of some of the aspirants who are interested in leading this country, but if you give them the ticket, they will do nothing with it.

They have nothing to offer to this country. You and I are here because we believe in President Buhari and we know he has the capability to lead us. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Buhari is a man with several qualities of leadership, a God send; his coming is divine to rescue this country from total collapse due to the destruction that has been done to the economy by the past administration. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We all know that Buhari is transparent and honest. He has come with the change philosophy. He has lived for these in order to bring change to Nigeria. Since his military days, he stood to fight corruption, indiscipline among others. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Many people fear

him because he does not compromise corruption. And corrupt people are afraid that they will be brought to book. And those who have already looted the treasury of this country are followed by the security agencies, and by the grace of God, Buhari will not relent in this fight. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He will continue. The politics of this country is no more the politics of money or do or die politics.

Anybody who wants to lead this country must sacrifice. Buhari has already transformed and changed the

image of leadership and that of this country both locally and internationally.â&#x20AC;?

Speaking earlier , the Convener of the rally and DYC National Chairman, Hon. Kassim Mohammed Kassim, made it known that the team was ready, committed and dedicated to work for Buhari to be reinstalled in 2019 as president.

Kassim explained that they are working around the 36 states of Nigeria including Abuja for the actualisation of President Buhariâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s continuity

beyond 2019.

He explained that they were working with over 15 APC state governors towards actualising their goal.

Kassim said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We felt there is a need for us to mobilise for Buhariâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2019 reelection. We know the role we played when the president was away for medical checkup. A lot of people said Buhari will not come back but we kept the hope alive because many lost hope. We have mobilised for a rally in support of Buhari. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are calling on Buhari

to come out and make a public statement to run in 2019. If this does not happen between now and next Monday, we will be forced to go to court and invite him to come and make a public statement. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Some of our leaders are misleading the youths in Nigeria that power should be given to the youths. We are not in a hurry, all we are asking for is that our leaders should involve us in the system; all those

Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on Pg 53

Delta Apologises to AIB for Late Reporting of Accident DEVELOPING CAPACITY L-R: Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika; Chief of Air Staff; Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar; Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Chinedu Eze

The Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) has disclosed that Delta Air Lines has apologised to the bureau over the airlineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s failure to notify the government agency of the emergency landing involving its Airbus 330-200 aircraft last Tuesday night. The General Manager, Public Affairs, AIB, Tunji Oketumbi, made this known in Lagos yesterday and said the airlineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s crew later visited the head office of the bureau.

Atlanta bound Delta Flight 55, which departed Lagos last Tuesday night returned minutes later to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport following an issue with one of the Airbus 330-200â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s two engines.

Leading a team of the airline officials, including the technical crew of the flight and the airlines Lagos Airport Station Manager to the Ikeja head office of AIB around 5p.m. local time yesterday, Miss Shannon Masters, Manager, Air Safety Investigation, expressed the airlineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s regret for the oversight, stressing that it was not intentional.

Masters said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We sincerely apologise for the error and we promise to cooperate with AIB in the investigation of this occurrence.â&#x20AC;?

The Commissioner of AIB, Akin Olateru, while accepting Deltaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s apology, said the organisation had already commenced investigation into the serious incident and welcome the airlineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cooperation. Â â&#x20AC;&#x153;We look forward to receiving cooperation from Delta Airlines as we work to determine the cause of this serious incident in the interest of safety,â&#x20AC;? he said.

The Nigerian accident investigation body had frowned at the  American carrierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s failure to notify it of the serious incident involving its aircraft in line with Nigerian air safety regulations and international practice. The airline was believed to have notified the United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) of the occurrence immediately in line with the US laws.

Oketumbi explained that Nigeria as the state of occurrence under the International Civil Aviation organisation (ICAO) Annex 13 is responsible for investigating any aircraft occurrences within her airspace. According to ICAO regulation, the state of registry of the aircraft and the airline might serve as observers.

Nasir el-Rufai; President Muhammadu Buhari; Minister of Defence, Brig-Gen. Dan Ali (rtd); and Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, during the unveiling and induction ceremony of Tsaigumi Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, at the Nigerian Air Force Base in Kaduna....yesterday,

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Ready to Fight Back against Corrupt Interest, Says NHIS Boss Mohammed Aminu Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC; Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2022;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2122;

â&#x20AC;&#x153;In fact, when I came in as the NHIS Executive Secretary, The Executive Secretary, I realised that we can help our National Health Insurance people especially the poor to Scheme (NHIS), Alhaji Yusuf access healthcare services.

Usman, yesterday said the smear â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are working for the campaign in the media would people in order to make sure not deter him, from fighting back that they get what they deserve. against corrupt practices in the So we will never be deterred by scheme. the antics of corrupt interest,â&#x20AC;?

Usman made the assertion at he averred. a public hearing on a bill for a The NHIS boss decried that law to provide for a Contributory over 90 per cent of the people Healthcare Management Scheme are not covered in the NHIS for all residents held in Sokoto. scheme in the country.

According to him, his recent He noted that Sokoto State travails are attributed to corrupt has been in the forefront of individuals bent on destroying promoting the contributory his career. health scheme, saying the bill, He stressed the need for when passed by the state House Nigerians to disregard the of Assembly, would ensure misinformation in the media, access to healthcare services saying no amount of smear to the citizens. campaigns would deter him â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are really in support of from his efforts in bringing this bill for contributory health healthcare to the people. scheme because Sokoto is the â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is corruption that is 13th state that will pass this fighting us and we will fight bill. So, we really commend it back. People should not be Governor Aminu Tambuwal distracted by what they hear for mobilising the people on in the media. this initiative,â&#x20AC;? Usman added.

In his remarks, the Speaker of the Sokoto State House of Assembly, Hon. Salihu Maidaji, who spoke through the House Leader, Hon. Bello Garba Yabo, said the public hearing was organised to seek views and input of the public with a view to ensuring that the bill is all encompassing as regards the yearnings of the citizens before its passage.

Yabo explained that due to socio-cultural factors, the state government realised that the NHIS did not cover some major areas of healthcare services and as such decided to set up its own contributory scheme.

He said each member of the assembly would donate 10 per cent of his salary to the health contributory scheme monthly.

In his remark, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Balarabe Kakale, said the scheme would cover all ailments and would be run from primary to tertiary public health facilities in the state.

He posited that with the passage

of the bill and commencement of the contributory health scheme in the state the people would no longer sell their properties and farmlands to seek medical treatment and surgery. â&#x20AC;&#x153;With the take-off of the contributory health scheme, patients will only go to the Specialist Hospital and be treated free including patients with kidney problems, HIV, cancer, among others,â&#x20AC;? he said.

He stated that the state government had already earmarked N100 million as take off fund for the contributory health scheme to provide for the poor and vulnerable in the state.

Kakale urged companies operating in the state, businesses and market associations to contribute actively to the scheme in order to achieve the desired targets.

He reiterated the commitment of the state government towards ensuring universal access to quality healthcare by all residents of the state.

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CBN: Why We Can’t Provide Information on Buhari’s Treatment Alex Enumah ÓØ ÌßÔË The Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN),

Godwin Emefiele, yesterday explained why the apex bank cannot provide information on the funds used to defray the

Army Places N3m Bounty on Shekau The Nigerian Army yesterday offered a N3million cash reward for anyone with credible information that would lead to the arrest of the factional leader of the Boko Haram sect, Abubakar Shekau.

The Director of Army Public Relations, Brig-Gen. Sani Usman, said in a statement issued in Abuja that anybody with credible information on Shekau should contact the military command and Control Centre of Operation Lafiya Dole or the Nigerian Army Call Centre number 193.

According to the military authorities, Shekau, who has

be on the run now disguises as a woman in hijabs due to the heat turned on him by troops in the Sambisa general area.

The statement read: “The Nigerian Army will give out N3,000,000 cash reward for any credible information that leads to the arrest of the fugitive factional Boko Haram terrorists’ group leader, Abubakar Shekau.

“Anybody with such credible information can either contact the military command and Control Centre, Operation Lafiya Dole, any military location, security agencies or call the Nigerian Army Information and Call Centre 193.”

cost of President Muhammadu Buhari’s treatment in London.

He also explained why CBN cannot provide information on how much it cost the country to keep a presidential aircraft and crew for 103 days at the Stansted Airport in the United Kingdom while President Buhari’s medical treatment lasted.

Emefiele argued that it was not within the CBN’s immediate responsibilities to provide such information.

He spoke in a reaction to a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/ CS/1142/2017 filed before the Federal High Court, Abuja, by the Incorporated Trustees of Advocacy for Societal Rights Advancement and Development Initiative (ASRADI) led by its

Executive Director, Adeolu Oyinlola.

ASRADI said in the suit that the CBN and its governor refused to honour its Freedom of Information (FoI) request contained in a letter of October 19, 2017, for information on the amount released for Buhari’s medical treatment in London and the amount paid on behalf of the Nigerian Government as parking fees for keeping the presidential aircraft and crew in the UK while the president’s treatment lasted.

In the suit, with the CBN, its governor and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) as respondents, ASRADI wants a declaration that the information the respondents provided it with through its

letter of October 19, 2017, “amounted to a wrongful denial of information and a flagrant violation of the provisions of the FoI Act 2011.”

It also seeks an order compelling the respondents to furnish it with information sought in the letter of October 19, 2017, and a further order, mandating the CBN and its governor to pay the plaintiff N10million in damages “for the willful refusal of the 1st and 2nd respondents to release information in respect of the applicant’s letter dated October 19, 2017.”

In a supporting affidavit, Oyinlola contended that it was within the responsibilities of the CBN and its governor to provide the requested

information because they “are responsible for all foreign currency transactions of the Nigerian Government or transactions involving the Federal Government of Nigeria and foreign institutions as it concerns transfer of money outside the shores of Nigeria.”

But in their counter affidavit filed on February 13 this year, the CBN and its governor urged the court to reject the applicant’s prayers and dismiss the suit.

They equally urged the court to vacate an earlier ex-parte order granting leave to the applicant to apply for “a prerogative order of mandamus” compelling them to provide the requested information.

Osinbajo Queries IG over Arrest of Journalists Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has queried the Inspector-General of Police (IG), Ibrahim Idris, over the arrest and detention of the Elombah brothers who are journalists with elombah.com.

The two brothers — Daniel and Timothy, publisher and editor respectively — along with six other men were arrested at their Anambra residence on January 1, 2018 reportedly on the orders of Idris.

Tim, who was paraded in handcuffs, was detained for 25 days for allegedly publishing an unfavourable article against the IG. Festus Keyamo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, wrote a petition to Osinbajo over the arrest.

In a response to Keyamo dated January 30, 2018, Ade Ipaye, Deputy Chief of Staff to Osinbajo, according to The Cable, said the IG has been directed to respond to the petition.

Ipaye wrote: “I am directed

by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo to acknowledge receipt of your petition against the IG in respect of the Elombah Brothers.

“His Excellency has asked the IG to submit his response to the petition, following which any necessary action will be taken.

You may also wish to ensure that this office is appraised of any updates on the matter.

“Please be assured of his excellency’s highest consideration and best wishes.”

$2.1bn Fraud: Court Suspends Dasuki’s Trial The Federal Capital Territory High Court has suspended the trial of former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), pending the decision of the Supreme Court on an application filed by him.

Dasuki’s lawyer informed the court yesterday that a pending application at the highest court, which is expected to be determined onMarch 2, would have adverse effect on the matter before the lower court.

According to the lawyer, Adeola Adedipe, the application at the Supreme Court seeks to ensure government’s compliance with previous court decisions granting bail to the defendant.

Dasuki is asking the Supreme Court to stop his ongoing trial on the grounds that the prosecution lacks the ‘moral standing’ to try him (Dasuki) in the same court of law which ”issued earlier decisions yet to be obeyed by the government.”

Adedipe asked the court to allow his application for

an adjournment pending the Supreme Court’s decision, “in the interest of justice.”

In his reaction, however, the counsel to the prosecution, Atolagbe Olowaleke, asked the court to disregard the application.

Olowaleke, according to Premium Times, said the request made by the defence was belated since a similar application has been overruled by the court.

In a ruling, the trial judge, Hussein Baba-Yusuf, however agreed with Dasuki’s lawyer that proceeding with the matter would hamper the course of justice.

The judge adjourned the matter till March 22.

Dasuki whose trial began in 2015, has remained in detention since the beginning of the legal process.

He is facing various charges for alleged diversion of $2.1 billion while he served as the NSA. Despite repeated court decisions granting bail to the former NSA, the government has refused to release him.

CONDOLENCE VISIT

L-R: Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki (left), and Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai, during his condolence visit to the Chief of Army Staff over the death of his father, Mallam Yusuf Buratai, in Abuja ......yesterday.

Fire Scare Forces Senate to Suspend Plenary Committee queries alleged diversion of $100m from power sector Summons finance minister Damilola Oyedele ÓØ ÌßÔË There was a fire scare at the National Assembly premises yesterday which forced the Senate to suspend its sitting for the day.

The fire occurred in one of the technical rooms at the Senate Wing of the White House: SB 63, with smoke emanating from the room.

The fire which was quickly put out, blew out the circuit for the air conditioning system in the Senate Chamber.

The House of Representatives wing was however not affected by the incident as the green chamber was able to hold its sitting.

The Senate had initially resumed for plenary at about 11a.m. with its President, Bukola Saraki, presiding.

Senator Abdullahi Gobir (Sokoto APC) raised a point of personal explanation over the unconducive environment due to the faulty air conditioning

system.

“The chillers are not working,” he pointed out, and called for an adjournment of proceedings until Tuesday next week.

Saraki upheld the point of order, and directed that the necessary repairs to the system be effected during the weekend.

Meanwhile, the Senate Joint Committee on Public Accounts and Power, Steel Development and Metallurgy has frowned at the alleged diversion of $100 million counterpart funding intended from a $600 million loan facility for the power sector to the remodelling of the Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt and Kano international airports.

It therefore summoned the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, her Transportation counterpart, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, and the Director- General of the Debt Management Office, (DMO), Mrs. Patience Oniha.

The committee, at its sitting yesterday which had in attendance the Permanent

Secretary of the Transportation Ministry, Mr. Sabiu Zakari, noted that the $600 million eurobond facility from the Chinese government was meant for the rehabilitation of Nigeria’s ailing power sector.

Chairman of Public Accounts, Senator Matthew Uroghide, said the aviation sector was not listed as a beneficiary of the loan, which was secured by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

“We need to establish the desirability of the loan, it was for the power sector, to develop the sector, it was for the Nigerian Electricity Bulk Trading Company (NBET), the Transmission Company of Nigeria, (TCN) among others. Aviation was not in the picture, Aviation did not apply for it and was not in the list of agencies to benefit. There was no presidential approval, Aviation was not listed as a beneficiary,” he said.

He queried whether there was

a formal memo to Adeosun from the aviation ministry requesting for the funds.

“We also have to know if it was approved by the National Assembly,” he said.

In another development, the joint committee also directed the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), Mr. Uche Orji, and his NBET counterpart, Dr. Marilyn Amobi, to submit statements of accounts and other evidence to prove that the $350 million power fund is safe.

The NSIA boss in his submission, said the money was safe.

“The NBET funds are intact with the NSIA. As of our September statement, it has grown from $350 million to $397.5 million. $13.5 million was recalled by NBET to service the interest. So what we have at the moment is $384 million. So the funds are with us and they are safe,” he explained.

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IG Expresses Readiness for 2019 Elections Says herdsmen clash has been ameliorated Akiolu says Ambode’s second term bid uncontestable

Chiemelie Ezeobi The Inspector General of Police (IG), Ibrahim Idris, has said the force under his watch is ready with both manpower and logistics support for the forthcoming 2019 general election.

The IG made the disclosure yesterday at the launch of his book ‘Security and Justice: The Pathway for Peace and Reconciliation in Nigeria’, held in Lagos.

He said: “We are prepared for the election. We have the men and we have the materials (logistics) to conduct a successful election come 2019.”

On the ongoing farmersherdsmen clashes, he said: “The challenges we are having with this herdsmen have gone down. In Benue State, we have 15 units on ground and I have been monitoring their successes.

“I was in Benue and we have been having stakeholders’ meetings and we have been discussing. Based on that, people have been coming openly to state their problems and it’s through that we can understand each other and reconcile our differences.

“The role of traditional rulers in this reconciliation process cannot be over-emphasised because most of them have the ears of their people. When you have political disagreement in these communities, these traditional rulers are handy.”

On his book, he said: “I guess many of you will be wondering what a serving IG will be discussing in a book. The answer is not far-fetched.

“The police, the nation’s core law enforcement agency, which I superintend, has the responsibility to prevent and detect crime, apprehension and prosecution of offenders, preservation of law and order, protection of life and property and enforcement of all

laws and regulations.

“My experience therefore as a police officer over the years in Nigeria and the United Nations headquarters in New York, with peace keeping operations in other countries and above all as the IG has taught me firstly that internal peace is a pivotal element for instituting and sustaining democratic government.

“Secondly, that is justice is most needed as an instrument of reconciliation and conflict management and thirdly; that the role of the judiciary and security agencies in dispensing justice is imperative in ensuring peace in any country.

“I have watched with troubled heart the security challenges confronting this country. The challenges of Boko Haram in the North-east, the challenges of kidnappings and armed robberies, cattle rustling and militancy in virtually all parts of Nigeria.

“The farmers/herders clashes, the challenges of assassination for various reasons, the challenges of conflict among the divergent communities which often times take dangerous dimensions and occur along the fault lines of ethnic, religious, regional and political differences between the divergent groups and communities.

“These challenges if not properly managed at the pace we are going, coupled with inflammatory and inciting statements will tear this country apart and drag us into an unending crisis.

“As the IG, it’s my responsibility to put sufficient security architecture in place to manage the challenges aforementioned. I can say with confidence that the emplaced preventive and detective strategies have been largely successful in managing the situation based on

my achievement so far.

“However, I have realised that the issue is beyond apprehension and prosecution of offenders. There has to be speedy dispensation of justice and the protection of rights and interests of the suspects and victims of crime.

“This is the only way people must have a sense of justice, peace and reconciliation, hence, the title of the book.

“It is my conviction that when there is security, justice, peace and reconciliation in any nation, civil strife will be avoided. The civil war of 1967 to 1970 perharps turns out as the first major and catostrophic crisis in the record of our national experience” The paramount ruler of

Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, said they envisaged the problem of insecurity bedeviling Nigeria about 20 years ago.

He also blamed the infiltration of herdsmen clashes on the porous borders with grown forests that are left unattended to.

On the forthcoming state government election in Lagos, he said: “Nobody should waste his time to contest against the incumbent Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode because he is the governor we want and he must be allowed to complete his tenure.”

On funding for the police, he said, “The police will do well if they are given the wherewithal to perform their duties. The IG has not been given all that is necessary to do his job.

“I watched him on television one day where he requested for about three trillion naira but that won’t even be enough to tackle the security challenges in Nigeria. “ He also harped on the need for the police to checkmate the rank and file as some of them are bad, adding that with constant training however, they will change.

In his welcome remarks, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, Edgal Imohimi, said the topic was apt and germane to national discuss because security challenges in Nigeria is trying to tear the fabric of our national existence.

He said: “The author of the book has preempted the

security situation in Nigeria and has proffered solutions to the myriad challenges.”

Former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, called for an urgent need to improve the state of security and justice in the country, in order to prevent friction.

Former IG, Sunday Ehindero, in his speech, kicked against the call for state police, adding that Nigeria was not yet matured for it.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Chairman of the occasion, Adeyemi Makanjuola, commended the IG for writing the book what should be done to ensure peace and justice in the country at a time of security challenges in the country.

NETWORKING

Group Chief Executive, Oando Plc, Wale Tinubu (left), and the newly sworn-in President of South-Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, establishing a

Police: We will Vacate Peace strong pan-African at a Public Private Partnership summit in Switzerland...recently Corp Building House Urges FG to Compel MDAs to Patronise Locally The Nigeria Police has assured the Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN) of unsealing its headquarters before the next sitting of the investigative hearing by the House Committee on Public Petitions.

The Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, Sadiq Bello, was said to have given the assurance through a phone conversation with the National Commandant of PCN, Mr. Dickson Akoh in Abuja.

Akoh, addressed journalists when he led the PCN officials to the corps’ premises in Jabi, demanding for the office to be opened.

The Coalition of Civil Society Organisations for Justice and Equity, had on January 25, petitioned the National Assembly, accusing the police of disobeying subsisting court order in favour of the Peace Corps.

The House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions directed the police to vacate the headquarters of the PCN, which has been under lock and key since February 28, 2017.

Akoh lauded the police for approaching the matter in a civil way, saying this was the first time the police was speaking with them respectfully.

“Since they have for the first time spoken to us in a very humane manner, we will not disrespect superior order, we respect constituted authority and in that spirit we will leave.

“The CP has intervened and we will disengage because we are peaceful people and their approach was very civil.

“If this matter had been handled this way by the then CP, engaging and discussing with us, it would not have got to this level,” he said.

Akoh appealed to the federal government to accent to the PCN Bill, which had passed second reading at the National Assembly and forwarded to the president for accent since January.

The Bill, he said, would alleviate the suffering of some young Nigerians seeking employment, adding that the Peace Corps will focus on gathering intelligence for security especially at the community level.

Assembled Cars James Emejo ÓØ ÌßÔË The House of Representatives yesterday passed a motion urging the federal government to develop a policy and provide a timeline to make it compulsory for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to restrict procurement of cars to those manufactured or assembled in the country.

It further mandated its Committee on Industry to probe the reasons why the hitherto existing auto companies had so collapsed and make recommendations to the House.

The resolution followed a motion moved by Hon. Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama (PDP, Edo) on the need to prioritise the procurement of cars manufactured or assembled in Nigeria by MDAs. He said the automobile market is a multi-billion naira venture in the country, given its large population and huge reliance on road transport.

He said government at

all levels being the highest spender, remained a major buyer of automobiles in the country.

He expressed worry that over 95 per cent of the automobiles procured by MDAs are neither manufactured nor assembled in Nigeria.

He recalled that a couple of years ago automobile manufacturing companies like Volkswagen, Mercedes Benz and Peugeot had functional assembling plants in Nigeria.

He noted that the automobile manufacturing companies outside the country neither pay direct taxes nor are their activities beneficial to the economy of Nigeria.

He highlighted that the benefits of having automobile manufacturing companies operate manufacturing or assembling plants within Nigeria to include; technology transfer, employment for Nigerians, revenue generation through taxes, reduction in balance of trade deficit, increased GDP,

safety specification among others.

The lawmaker further expressed concerned that Nigeria had been relegated to the role of a ready market for automobiles manufactured in more developed economies.

According to him, the only way the country can break off the shackles of being a perpetual market for other economies, is by pursuing a deliberate policy on automobiles which will restrict patronage of automobiles by MDAs to automobile brands from companies which have their manufacturing or assembling plants within the country.

Hon. Henry Archibong (PDP, Akwa-Ibom) said the problem appeared to be with value system in the country.

He challenged President Muhammadu Buhari to personally patronise locally made cars- such as Innoson- to set example for others.

Hon. Rimamnde Kwewun Shawulu (PDP, Taraba) said the country can’t grow if the biggest spender- government don’t

patronise local cars, stressing that “We can’t afford to buy everything “ Hon. Denis Agbo (PDP, Enugu) said it was important to establish why the existing auto firms had collapsed.

He said there’s currently no conducive environment in terns of power, infrastructure and security which are factors which foreign investors consider before intervening in any economy.

Hon. Sergius Ogun (PDP, Edo) said MDAs should be persuadd to patronise locally made car as this will have ripple effect on the economysubsidiary industries that’ll emerge.

He said the executive should compel MDAs in 2019 to buy Nigerian cars.

Hon. Mohammed Monguno tasked the federal goverment to adopt protectionist policy to safeguard local manufacturing.

He said the National Assembly must also lead by example by insisting on locally assembled cars.

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Osinbajo: Nigerian Democracy is Still Work in Progress Tasks African elite on nation building Senator Iroegbu ÓØ ÌßÔË The Vice President, Prof.

Yemi Osinbajo, has said Nigerian democracy has remained work in progress that requires concerted efforts and selfless leadership to achieve the desired results and dividends.

Osinbajo stated this yesterday at the inaugural flagship lecture of the Kukah Centre, held at the Shehu Yar’Adua Conference Centre, Abuja.

The event had President

Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana and Nigeria’s former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (rtd), in attendance.

Other dignitaries who attended the event include: the host and founder of Kukah Centre and Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Most Reverend Matthew Hassan Kukah, Governor Abubakar Atiku-Bagudu of Kebbi State, and Bishop Godfrey Onah of Nsukka Diocese, Diocese, South-east.

Money Laundering: Prosecution Provides More Evidence in Trial of Ladoja The prosecution yesterday called its fourth witness before a Federal High Court, Lagos, in the ongoing trial of a former Governor of Oyo State, Rasheed Ladoja, charged with N4.7 billion money laundering.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Ladoja alongside a former Oyo State Commissioner for Finance, Waheed Akanbi.

The duo was arraigned on December 14, 2016 before Justice Mohammed Idris on eight counts bordering on of N4.7 billion money laundering.

Both pleaded not guilty to the charges and were granted bails.

When the trial resumed yesterday, the fourth prosecution witness, Mr. Obakola Daisi, a stockbroker, Managing Director of Fountain Securities, mounted the witness box and was sworn on the holy Quran.

Led in evidence by prosecution, Mr Oluwafemi Olabisi, the witness, told the court that he was the official stockbroker for Oyo State governments’ portfolio of shares sold in 2007.

He said that bidders for the portfolio included, City Securities, Spring Capital, Deep trust and Gregory Otsu’s Mcleans Securities, adding that Mcleans emerged the preferred bidder”.

The prosecutor then asked the witness if the second defendant was part of the meeting and he replied “yes.”

On whether money, was money paid to Fountain Securities in relation to sale of shares, the witness replied: “Atanda, as the senior special assistant to the executive governor of Oyo State, requested cheques and drafts to be raised in the name of Fountain Securities.”

During cross-examination by first defence counsel, Mr Bolaji Onilenla, the witness told the court that he had never been charged by the EFCC, and has never been in court for any mater.

Defence counsel then tendered in evidence, a charge sheet, with the witness named as a defendant and EFCC as the prosecution.

He also tendered a report by DTI Capital Ltd, on investigation conducted into the sale of Oyo State Government shares.

Onilenla further tendered through the witness, his statement to EFCC, where he recounted his involvement in the sale of the shares.

He then asked if the witness was aware that Atanda is the owner of Heritage Apartment, and the witness said No. When asked his reasons for remitting the proceeds of sale of shares to Heritage Apartments, the witness replied: “I was following the instruction from Atanda, who was representing Oyo State Government at the time.”

During cross-examination by second defence counsel, Mr Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, told the court that he attended several meetings with Mcleans in the process of reaching terms of sale of the shares.

When asked if the second accused was present at the meeting, he replied: “I believe so” Defence counsel asked: “The third prosecution witness testified that he had only one meeting where the second defendant was present, what is your reaction?”

Witness: “I cannot answer that” Justice Idris has adjourned until March, March 19, March 20 and March 21, for continuation of trial.

The duo is alleged to have conspired to siphon and launder N4.7 billion from the coffers of Oyo State.

The EFCC also accused them of converting a sum of N1.9 billion belonging to the state to personal use, using the account of a company, Heritage Apartments Ltd. It claimed that they retained the money sometime in 2007, despite their knowledge that it was proceeds of a criminal activity.

Ladoja was accused of removing a sum of 600,000 pounds from the state coffers in 2007, and sent same to Bimpe Ladoja, his daughter, who was in London at the time.

The ex-governor was also accused of converting a sum of N42 million belonging to the state to his use, and subsequently used same to purchase an armoured Land Cruiser SUV. In addition, he allegedly converted N728 million and another N77 million at different times in 2007 to his use.

The EFCC claimed that Ladoja transferred the sum to one Bistrum Investments which he nominated to help him purchase a property in Ibadan.

The offences contravened the provisions of Sections 14, 16, 17 (a) and 18 (1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004.

Speaking further, the vice president however, noted that democracy like in all countries, including the oldest democracies, keep on throwing up new challenges and raising “the biggest lessons of recent years.”

He said: “As elections and referenda threw up now and then unprecedented scenarios across the world; the narrowness of the Brexit vote for example and the way it has subsequently divided the United Kingdom and the electoral rise of populist right wing and even extremist tendencies are all examples of great threats to democracy.”

Osinbajo while citing the 2017 Annual Democracy Index of the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), said no region of the world recorded improvement in “its average score since 2016 as countless countries grapple with

increasingly divided electorate.

“So, it’s clear that across the world, democracy is on somewhat turbulence trajectory.

But for Africa, the challenges to democracy pose a graver threat because of the historic failure to invest, in my view, sufficiently, in nation building and state building.”

According to the vice president, many of the parochial and ethnic tensions that have tended to create insecurity and outright conflict in most African countries were largely on account of the failure to deliberately undertake nation building efforts by the political elite.

“The elite, it appears, prefer the status quo which sets the lowest possible bar for political advancement. Identity politics that emphasises where leaders come from has been the

paradigm through which most issues are analysed,” he noted.

Osinbajo also called for the strengthening of institutions to ensure the rule of law and quick dispensation of justice was imperative for security and peace of African nations.

To achieve this, he challenged the African leadership elite to take more deliberate actions towards nation building, saying that they have run out of excuses.

“We can no longer go on with the African exceptionalism, which we have seen time and time again and which we have heard time and time again; that there’s a different rule for Africa or that a different rule applies to Africa,” he said.

According to him, Africans expect their leaders to deliver on their promises to them on the basic things needed for peace,

stability and unity of nations.

“The people of our nations expect us to deliver on the important promises that politicians make, which is delivering social goods, ensuring that our youth population which is ever growing are able to get jobs, ensuring that there’s rule of law and that there is security. These are issues that remain prominent everywhere in Africa,” he explained.

Also speaking, Gowon said democracy was being deepened in Ghana and Nigeria with peaceful elections in 2016 and 2015.

In the same vein, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, represented by Senator Monsurat Sunmonu, also spoke, stating the oversight functions of the National Assembly in checking excesses in government.

AUDITORS’ SUMMIT

L-R: Partner/Head, Audit Services, KPMG Professional Services, Mr. Tola Adeyemi; President, Nigeria Shareholders’ Solidarity Association (NSSA), Mr. Mathew Akinlade; Partner, Audit Services, KPMG, Nneka Eluma; Partner, Partner, Audit Services KPMG, Ayo Otihiwa; Senior Registrar, Yaba Psychaiatric Hospital, Lagos, Dr. Abimbola Enifeni; and Partner, Audit Services, KPMG, Ayo Soyinka, at the KPMG audit committee seminar for shareholders in Lagos.....yesterday

A’Ibom Indigenes Await White Paper on Church Collapse State govt doles out N300 million to hospitals involved in rescue incident.

Okon Bassey ÓØ ãÙ The last is yet to be heard over the collapse of a church building in Akwa Ibom State where scores of worshippers died more than a year ago.

While the state is awaiting government white paper on the disaster, yesterday the state government doled out over N300 million to private hospitals and clinics that helped in treating victims of the collapsed church structure.

Reigners Bible Church collapsed in December 2016 during the ordination service of the founder of the church, Akan Weeks.

The accident left many people maimed including top government officials with the state governor among those that escaped death.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Dominic Ukpong, presented the cheques to 14 out of the 16 health facilities who were involved in reviving lives and preserving the corpses of those that died, lauding them for their patience, trust and the faith in government to fulfill its side of commitment to them.

“Today, we are here to keep to the promise we made to all of you. The governor during the incident directed that you should assist by treating anybody brought to your facility without demanding for deposit or consultation fees.

“Your actions saved many lives, we thank the doctors for understanding with government in reducing the cost of treatment to the barest minimum for us to be able to pay; this shows a lot of sacrifice on your part.

I thank most management of the hospitals for bearing with government for more than one year before payment,” he said.

He noted that during the tragic incident, different figures were given as those that died, saying that 30 people died among those rushed to the hospitals for treatment, but could not reveal the figure of those who died on the spot when the accident took place.

The commissioner called on private medical practitioners in the state to always support government in times of emergencies as such assistance would not be taken for granted.

He stressed that the issue of deposit from trauma patient before treatment should always be played down.

Some of the hospitals and clinics settled for their services included the Premier Medical Services, LifeCare Hospital, Uwakmfon Specialists Clinics, Domingo Specialists Hospital, St. Lukes Hospital, Alma Clinic and Surgery, Sifon Clinics, among others.

Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, the chief medical director of Uwakmfon Specialists Clinics, Dr. Emmanuel Effiong, commended the state government for keeping to its promise.

He assured the state government of the cooperation of private medical practitioners in the state in saving lives, but however appealed to government to review downward the payment of their practicing fees to government.

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Malabu: EFCC Tells Court It Has Begun Moves to Extradite Adoke The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) yesterday informedJustice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court in Abuja it was in the process of extraditing former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke and eight others over their alleged involvement in the sale of Oil Prospecting License (OPL) 245.

The others are Dan Etete, a former Minister of Petroleum Resources; Aliyu Abubakar; Ralph Wetzels; Casula Roberto; Pujatti Stefen; Burrafati Sebestiano and Malabu Oil and Gas Limited.

The defendants are to be prosecuted for their allegedly complicity to defraud the federal government to the tune of N1.1billion in a suspicious oil block deal.

Specifically, Adoke was said to have played a major role in the fraudulent deal that saw to the transfer of ownership of OPL 245 to two multinational oil companies – Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Company and Nigeria Agip Exploration Limited.

On April 3, 2017, the EFCC through its counsel, Johnson Ojogbane, approached the court, requesting to be guided on whether or not to issue an arrest warrant against Adoke “as the former AGF and some of the defendants are residing outside the shores of Nigeria, making the service of writ of summons on them difficult.”

But Justice Tsoho opined that “once a person has been arraigned before a court and is attempting to escape, then it becomes necessary to issue a warrant of arrest. But in this case, Adoke has not been arraigned; the matter is still being investigated.”

The matter was later adjourned to June 13, but again, the arraignment could not hold due to the absence of Adoke in court.

It was then adjourned to October 26, 2017.

Subsequently, when the matter came up on October 26, 2017, Ojogbane informed the court that “the process of getting the defendants to appear in court to face arraignment has been very

cumbersome.”

He further assured that “the process would be concluded very soon.”

The matter was then adjourned to yesterday.

At the resumed sitting, Ojogbane, according to Premium Times, told the court that the federal government was still working hard to ensure the presence of the defendants in court for their arraignment.

“Our journey so far has been tortuous and very cumbersome. The government continues to work to ensure their presence before this honourable court,” Ojogbane said.

He continued: “My lord, in the circumstances, we are asking my lord to graciously grant us a long adjournment to enable us continue the process of extradition which is ongoing. Peradventure we have the defendants before the long date; we will make an appropriate application to breach the time.”

The court granted Ojogbane’s prayer and adjourned to June 18, 2018 for their arraignment.

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FG to Probe Corruption Allegations against Olejeme, Other NSITF Officials Inaugurates nine-man panel

Senator Iroegbu ÓØ ÌßÔË

diversions from the federal government and private The federal government sector contributions has concluded plans for a amounting to N62.3 billion as comprehensive probe of at 2015 allegedly perpetrated the corruption allegations by the past board and against the former Chairman management staff of the of Nigeria Social Insurance NSITF.” Trust Fund (NSITF), Mrs. In instituting the public Ngozi Olejeme, and other inquiry, the minister said staff of the agency. though the EFCC was Therefore, the Minister of already handling the criminal Labour and Employment, investigations leading to the Chris Ngige, yesterday in prosecution of the former Abuja inaugurated a nine- Managing Director, General man administrative panel of Manager, Legal and the enquiry into the finances of Deputy General Manager, NSITF. Finance and Accounts, it Ngige charged the panel to was crucial to further unearth look into the financial state the administrative machinery of the NSITF with a view that made the looting of such to purging it of all negative colossal sum of public fund trails inflicted on it by its possible and forestall its last board and management. reoccurrence.

He said: “As you may He lamented that contrary be aware, the last board to the Act establishing the and administration of the NSITF, no Accounting Audit NSITF left negative trails Report and Returns had been inimical to any advancement done in the organisation since and progress for both the 2013. human and infrastructural “On assumption of components of the NSITF. duty in November 2015, “The Economic and I requested for the audit Financial Crimes Commission report to enable my office (EFCC) had discovered render same in my Annual various acts of fraudulent Report to the president as

required by Section 30 of the NSITF Act, CAP. N88, Laws of the Federation 2004, but no feedback was given on the matter in 2015, 2016, and even 2017. All efforts made in this direction were frustrated.

“In 2017, I specifically requested the Auditor General of the Federation to conclude periodic audit check as required by Section 85(4) of the constitution. This yielded no result as the officials of the NSITF gave no cooperation to the federal government auditors,” Ngige said.

The panel whose membership cuts across relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), would be chaired

by Ishaya A. Awotu who is the Director of Finance and Accounts in the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment while Dr. Ifeoma Anyanwutaku, Director of Occupational Safety and Health

in the ministry would serve as Secretary. Other members are Mrs. P.O Odusanya from the office of the Auditor General of the Federation; Mr. S.U. Ukut from the National Salary Income and Wages Commission, Millicent Ikeotuonye, from the Budget Office of the Federation, Eze Osuagwu, representing the prganised private sector, representative of the office of the Attorney General of the Federation, Ibrahim Jilbia, who is the Director of Skills Acquisition and Certification as well as Mrs. D.E Ajiboye, Director Social Security and Cooperative Development, both form the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

Among others, Ngige said the panel would investigate the accounting procedure of the fund, conduct proper audit of accounts and establish how statutory deductions of Pensions, Staff Housing Fund and Taxes

(PAYE) were not remitted to the relevant bodies for years as well as report on any other financial matter relevant to the thrust of the inquiry.

“The panel will also in the course of its assignment interview the former Chairman of the NSITF, Olejeme; four ex-Executive Directors; Executive Director of NECA, Chief Richard U. Uche; Ex-Director, Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Aderemi Adegboyega, and ex-Managing Director, Umar Munir Abubakar. It has six weeks to turn in its reports,” he added.

While urging that the panel be granted unfettered access to enable it swiftly carry out its assignment without hindrance as hitherto witnessed, the minister announced a compulsory 30 days leave in the first instance for the following officers of the fund. They are: Adebayo

A. Aderibigbe GM, Legal; Henry Ekhasomi, DGM, Finance; Ishmael Agaka, GM, Social Security; Zwalda Ponkap, DGM, Internal Audit; Catherine Ugbe, GM, Information, and Dr. Kelly Nwagha, GM, Compensation.

He further enjoined members of the panel to discharge their duties with professionalism and diligence required in the public service In his remarks at the inauguration, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Prof. Stephen Ocheni, said the exercise was a living testimony of the commitment of the Buhari administration to the war on corruption, and urged the panel to remain steadfast to the terms of its assignment.

Similarly, the Chairman of the Panel, Mr. Ishaya A. Awotu, pledged the commitment of the members to successfully discharge their assignment and thanked the minister.

Buhari Restates Commitment to Change Nigeria John Shiklam ÓØ ËÎßØË President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday reiterated the determination of his administration to bring about desired change to the country. He disclosed this during the induction ceremony of the first indigenous Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) ‘TSAIGUMI’ held at the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Base, Kaduna in Kaduna State.

The president noted that the successful launch of the UAV was a clear indication that his administration is interested in developing local content not only in the military, but across other sectors of the economy.

He expressed satisfaction with the efforts of current leadership of NAF adding that the significance of the milestone of national technological development cannot be over-emphasised.

President Buhari said the world is witnessing an ever increasing surge in the employment of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in military operations across the world. According to him, standard air weapons such as missiles, fighters and bombers work against well-defined targets.

“Government remains determined, despite numerous challenges to bring about the muchneeded change that will lift our beloved country

to its rightful place as a major economic and political force on the world stage.

“As I outlined in my New Year Day broadcast to the country, this administration has designed series of key projects to dramatically overhaul national infrastructure and overcome the deficit in that vital area. ”Let me once more commend the gallant men and women of the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security agencies, for their tireless efforts towards defeating Boko Haram and all other threats to our nation’s security, thus ensuring that government can proceed with its developmental activity without hindrance” Buhari said.

He stressed that “from the military perspective, the added capacity for Intelligence, surveillance and Reconnaissance provided by the TSAIGUMI will boost ongoing and future security operations. As this project moves into the next stage, which is mass production, it would create employment and possibly generate revenue as Nigeria’s first military export product.”

Earlier, Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar said NAF will continue to support mechanisms to harness, promote, commercialise and diffuse locally developed technologies for the production of globally competitive goods and services that utilises local raw materials.

BUDGET DEFENCE

L-R: Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi; Chairman, House of Represetatives Committee on Land Transport, Senator Ali Wakili; Hon. Isa Aminu; and Chairman, Senate Committee on Land Transport, Senator Gbenga Ashafa,after the 2018 budget defence of the ministry to the Joint Committee on Land Transport in Abuja.....yesterday

BUHARI WILL RUN FOR PRESIDENCY IN 2019, SAYS SGF who wants to contest in other parties are older than Buhari.”

Meanwhile, the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has said if the All Progressives Congress (APC) loses the 2019 election, Nigeria will be taken 10 steps backwards.

The minister said this while speaking with select journalists in Abuja yesterday.

Amaechi said the APC government needs another four years to surmount the challenges it met in office.

While admitting that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration has

made mistakes, he said the president “is eliminating corruption.

“For any reason we lose the election, you the young ones are taking yourselves and Nigeria 10 steps backwards because the elites who left to PDP are waiting in the wind.”

“Are we perfect? No. No human is perfect. Are there mistakes? Yes. There is no human being who doesn’t make mistake. Are we on course? Yes. Are the challenges daunting? Yes. Are we going to overcome them? Yes. “I hope Nigerians remember that by the time we came, we were borrowing money to pay

salaries. I hope you people remember that we are not borrowing money to pay salaries, we are using our money.

“If we are not borrowing to pay salaries, it means we are generating our own money.

I hope Nigerians remember during the past government oil was at 110, 120 dollars.

But when we came in oil was $58. The highest that we have gotten is the mistake that happened in the last two weeks that it rose to 70 or 80 after one day it came down to 50-something, instantly.”

Amaechi, according to The Cable, said in the buildup to the 2015 election, Buhari

called him to consider a strategy for reducing the expectations of Nigerians from an APC government.

“The problem was the expectations. Most of you, in fact, the president got worried and called me and said ‘Amaechi go and think of how we can reduce the expectation’ but I said, ‘Oga I’m not a magician.!

“That we will bring down the price of fuel, that is determined by market forces. What we are rather doing is what the president said. One reason our economy is not growing is lack of infrastructure.”

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UK Declares Oyakhilome’s Christ Embassy Church Insolvent The United Kingdom branch of Christ Embassy, owned by popular Nigerian televangelist, Chris Oyakhilome, is broke and has been declared insolvent by the Charity Commission, the agency that regulates charity organisations in the country.

The ministry also admitted in its belated 2015 financial statement (the church’s last annual return, which it published in 2017) that its subsidiary, Christ Embassy Limited, valued with a net asset of more than N1 billion (£2 million) entered into liquidation from November 1, 2016.

On its website, the Charity Commission flagged Christ Embassy as “charity insolvent”.

According to the commission, a charity is considered as being insolvent when it is “unable to pay its debts.”

“In practice there are two separate tests for insolvency and failure of either might be an indication of insolvency: The charity cannot pay its debts as they fall due for payment; The value of its liabilities exceeds its assets.

“Charities will be flagged as insolvent on our register when we are made aware of an insolvency situation and we are provided with verification from a qualified, independent insolvency practitioner.” the commission explained.

The church’s present financial problem is another episode in a series of crisis that has plagued the church since 2013.

According to Premium Times, in 2014, Oyakhilome lost a fierce power tussle over the church in

the UK with his ex-wife, Anita.

Though she, now known as Anita Ebhodaghe Schafer, was the head of the UK branch of the church, Oyakilome presided over the charity’s board of trustee since inception until he was forced to resign in 2014.

After he was kicked out of the church’s board of trustees, the former flamboyant couple went their separate ways in a bitter divorce five months later.

In 2013, the UK government set up an inquiry into possible financial misplacement of the church’s fund between 2008 and 2012. Government-appointed auditors later raised eyebrows over suspicious payments worth N2.14 billion (£4.28 million) made to companies and organisation closely related to the church in 2013.

Though the Charity Commission did not immediately respond to request for further details about the circumstances leading to the church being declared insolvent, a peep into its financial history showed that the church started bleeding about 16 months before Oyakhilome was removed as a trustee of the church.

In 2012 Christ Embassy, UK was in perhaps its best position financially. Its membership was growing in multiples and donations including tithes and offerings were ballooning. New chapters were opened all across the UK. In England, new chapters were opened in Bridgend, Peterborough, Swindon, Stockton and a third chapter in Manchester. Similarly, in Scotland, new chapters were opened in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Dundee and Glasgow.

Plot to Blackmail Oyo-Ita Uncovered Detractors of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration’s anti-corruption effort may have found a new target in the Head of Service of the Federation (HoSF), Mrs Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita, who has vigorously and courageously pursued reform in the Federal Civil Service.

Reports suggest a grand plan to carry out a smear campaign and portray the HoSF as undermining cohesion and discipline in the civil service.

The fulcrum of this plot is the appointment of Mr Olusegun Adekunle, a long-time Director of Administration, as the Permanent Secretary (General Services Office- GSO), Office of Secretary to Government of the Federation (OSGF).

Her detractors are accusing her of breaching civil service rules by appointing Adekunle as PS GSO above other permanent secretaries considered as his senior in the service.

Those behind the plot are allegedly planning to blackmail the HoSF into re-deploying Adekunle so as to make way for one of them to occupy the seat, a position considered by civil servants as “powerful and juicy”.

A highly placed source in the civil service who revealed the plot explained that there was no law or government regulation that determines the posting of a permanent secretary because of “seniority”.

The source added that while it is true that large and complex ministries might be reserved for more experienced permanent secretaries, it is however not a rule. “Permanent secretaries are often posted more on their capacity and abilities, especially in the area of administration and their personal maturity, and there is really nothing like ‘senior Perm Sec’ or ‘junior Perm Sec,” he explained.

If previous experience is any guide, the plot against Oyo-Ita is baseless and ill-motivated.

There have been many instances of relatively fresh and new Perm Secs who have done excellently well. For example Mohammed Bukar, the current PS Works and Housing cut his teeth as PS General Services Office (GSO), OSGF. He performed exceptionally well, despite the fact that it was his first posting. Also no one questioned the fact that he was a new permanent secretary.

Moreover, Bukar was posted as PS GSO at a time when the current PS Ecological Funds is senior to him.

Also, when the former HoSF, Goni Aji was first appointed PS, his first posting was to the Ministry of Defence. It was the same with John Chukwu when he was appointed PS. His very first posting was to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), a massive establishment. There was no outcry from any quarter that he was “too fresh” for the job.

Though in the year, its expenditure was N4.49 billion (£8.88 million), the church had an income of N8.43 billion (£16.72 million), which left it with a surplus of N3.96 billion (£7.84 million) excluding a gift of over N1 billion (£2 million) in net asset donated to it by its subsidiary, Christ Embassy Limited.

“The ministry is therefore in a comfortable position to meet all financial commitments and projections for the coming year,” the church boasted.

The first whiff of problem appeared after the church turned in its financial statement in 2013. The church’s income was N7.1 billion (£14.1 million) which was a drop of N1.3 billion (£2.6 million) from the income of the previous year.

However, its expenditure rose drastically to N8 billion (£15.9 million), which is an increase of

N3.5 billion (£7 million). Thus, from a surplus of N3.96 billion (£7.89million) the previous year, the church slumped into a deficit of N961.6 million (£1.9 million).

Despite the drastic slump in income, the church was still optimistic about its future: “The Ministry remains in a comfortable position to meet all its financial commitments and projections for the coming year,” it stated.

In 2014, the church’s income continued on its downward trajectory while its expenditure stayed high. Its income dropped to N6.7 billion (£13.2 million). But due to cuts in its expenditure, the church managed to make a surplus of N506 million (£1 million).

In 2015, Christ Embassy took its biggest hit. Income for the year was N2.3 billion (£4.7 million) from the N6.7 billion (£13.2

million) the previous year, while expenditure rose to over N5 billion (approximately £10 million). Thus, its deficit for the year amounted to just over N1.7 billion (£3.2 million).

The fees paid to Rod Weston of the international audit and accounting firm, Mazars LLP, who was appointed by the Charity Commission to take over the management of the church, may cause the increase in the church’s expenditure in 2014 and 2015.

The ministry’s annual return for both years indicated that a total of N7.6 billion (£15.1million) was paid to the interim manager. The church still has an outstanding fee of N1.1 billion (£2215,914) to pay the interim manager in 2015.

When reached for comments, an official of the church, who refused to identify himself, was furious that this newspaper wanted to do a

story about the church.

“Why do you need the information? What story? Who gave you the story to work on?

Why are you calling?, he asked.

When told that ethically journalists are required to talk to the subjects of their stories to write balanced reports, he said there was no need to ask the church any question.

“If you are a journalist and you got your story from anywhere why do you need to balance it, you go ahead.

There is no need to clarify,” he said.

Worried by the ministry’s sudden increase in expenditure, on 11 August 2014, the Charity Commission side-lined the church’s board of trustees and appointed an interim manager, Rod Weston of the international audit and accounting firm, Mazars, to take over the management of the church.

SERAP Asks Buhari to Act on Oyo-Ita’s Report on Maina Tobi Soniyi ÓØ ËÑÙÝ The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to act on the report of investigation into how former Chairman of the Presidential Task force on Pension Reforms, Abdulrasheed Maina, was surreptitiously brought into the country even though he was wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Maina was not only allowed to return to the country but was reinstated and promoted to the rank of a director in the Federal Civil Service.

Following public outcry that greeted Maina return to the civil service, the president ordered that he be dismissed from service. He also directed the Head of Service, Ms Winifred Oyo-Ita, to investigate Maina’s reinstatement.

On October 23, 2017, the same day the president ordered her to carry out the investigation, the Head of Service submitted her report to the president. However, since then, the president has refused to act on it.

Speaking exclusively with THISDAY, SERAP’s Executive Director, Mr. Adetokunbo Mumuni, said it was in the public interest for the president to make the report public.

He said: ”It is in the interest of transparency, accountability, good governance and rule of law to act on the report.”

According to him, “Nigerians have the right to know how a suspect being investigated by EFCC was allowed to join the civil service.

“The president should show leadership by releasing the report of the investigation and acting on the recommendation.”

Maina was recalled under a plan hatched and executed by some of the president’s ministers four years after he was dismissed from service on allegations of gross misconduct and theft of public funds.

He was sacked under the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan after he

(Maina) went into hiding rather than appeared before the EFCC to response to allegations against him.

Both the Senate and the House of Representatives are investigating the circumstances of Maina’s recall while the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister for Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), has filed a suit at the Federal High Court seeking to stop the probe.

In a swift reaction, the Senate asked the AGF to explain to Nigerians why he had to run to courts to stop the probe by the two chambers of the National Assembly into how Maina was surreptitiously

reinstated into the service after being dismissed.

In a statement by Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, the Senate wondered why the AGF would rush to court if he did not have ‘skeleton in his cupboard’ with regards to the reinstatement of Maina into the Federal Civil Service.

Abdullahi said the lawmakers were surprised that the AGF who had utilised the ample opportunity given to him by both chambers of the National Assembly to state his case on the Maina issue would be the one going to court to stop the legislature’s

investigation.

He said the Senate would not be intimidated by the AGF’s resort to using the judiciary to stop the lawmakers from carrying out their constitutional duty.

In this wise, Abdullahi said the Senate had further directed the committee investigating the Maina issue to expedite action and submit its reports on time.

The Senate commended the judiciary by upholding the sanctity of separation of powers and the right to fair hearing when it refused to stop the Maina’s probe without hearing from the Senate.

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2018

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FRIDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

F I FA R A N K I N G S

nd

Nigeria Slips to 52 , Iceland Hits th All-time High 18 Duro Ikhazuagbe As reported by THISDAY last week, Nigeria’s second place finish in the 2018 African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Morocco early this month played no significant role as Super Eagles dropped to 52nd spot in the February rankings released

by FIFA yesterday.

Nigeria’s cumulative point of 606 as against the 651 of January ensured that the threetimes African champions failed to return to global top 50.

However, it was not together all bad news as Eagles progressed from the ninth place in the African ranking of January to seventh ahead of Ghana (8th), Burkina Faso (9th) and Algeria (10th). Tunisia remained at the summit of African football with Senegal, Congo DR, Morocco, Egypt and Cameroon in the Top Ten respectively.

Interestingly, one of Nigeria’s group stage rival at the World Cup in Russia next summer, Iceland, chalked up one of the

2018 LAGOS INTERNATIONAL POLO

Lagos A-Plus Out-gallops Twinwaters as Jericho Falls Again The first week of the GTBank sponsored 2018 Lagos International Polo tournament entered homestretch on Thursday as Lagos A-Plus edged Lagos Twinwaters 5-3 in the Open Cup. Four-goaler, Spaniard Mario Gomez was the star man of the match as he complemented his great play with beautifully-taken goals.

Augustine Canale, the six-goaler Argentine hitman for Twinwaters, also showed flashes of brilliance in an exciting match which draw lots of crowd. The result means the qualifier for the semifinals will not be decided until the last round of game in the event.

Action in the Silver Cup is also at fever-pitch as Lagos Aragon, Lagos NTR and Lagos Avon all bagged victories as they strive to make the final four in the 14-team event.

Dantala Ibrahim and Tata Alli turned out in style to lead NRT to 8-4 win over Kaduna Dattaku while Lagos Aragon were in hot form as they galloped to a resounding 9 ½ - 3 win over Lagos United.

Ibadan Jericho went through another disappointing day as they were beaten by Lagos Avon 8-3 to bid bye to the tournament.

Four exciting matches are on the

card today with the duel between Lagos Leighton Kings and Lagos A-Plus the most anticipated.

A-Plus, formed by Seyi Tinubu (-1), Khalifa Ibrahim (3), Sadiq Dantata (1) and Leroux Hendricks (5) need a win to stand any chance of progressing to the knockout stage following their defeat to Lagos Twinwaters in their first match.

On their part, Leighton Kings formed by Bowale Jolaoso (0), Yemo Alakija (1), Martin Juaregi (4) and Juan Cruz Guebera (4) are a balanced side who most pundits have tipped to go all the way to the final.

There are semifinal places up got grabs in the Silver Cup as Lagos RCF tango with Kano Hago. RCF were brilliant in their 8-5 win over win Lagos Lameana and much focus will be on 14-year-old Timi Badiru (-1), who puts on a star-man display the last time out for the RCF completed by Natalie Allan (-1), Mamadu Shehu (2) and Yusuf Katako (2).

Ibadan Eleyele can also book their semifinal place with a win over Lagos United. Eleyele formed

by Nurudeen Akibu (0), Salisu Umoru (2) and Babao Lawal (1) won their opening match against Lagos Angleston.

greatest moves of the February rankings.

Iceland climbed to an all-time high position of 18th. The rise of the FIFA World Cup-bound Icelanders (18th, up 2) is one of the more notable changes in a February table left largely unaltered by a quiet period of international action.

The Vikings of Iceland were the revelations of the last Euros in France and are to clash with Nigeria on June 21 in a World Cup Group D match.

Nigeria’s other World Cup foes Argentina remain in fourth place in the global rankings, while Croatia did not also move from 15th position from the previous month.

In all, 34 international friendlies, 28 of which were in Africa, came into the equation, resulting in a static top 15 that is still headed by Germany, Brazil and Portugal (1st, 2nd and 3rd respectively, all unchanged).

The entry of Venezuela (48th, up 4), Hungary (49th, up 5) and Jamaica (50th, up 5) to the Top 50 of global rankings at the expense of Cameroon (51st, down 6), Ghana (54th, down 4), and Burkina Faso (57th, down 13) was attributed both to results in the recent friendlies and to the devaluation of last year’s CAF African Cup of Nations calculating points tallies.

The next FIFA ratings will be released on March 15, FIFA announced.

Team Nigeria’s Simidele Adeagbo at training recently ahead of her competition today in the women’s Skeleton event of the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea

Oliseh: I Don’t Want to Go to Jail over Fortuna Sittard Sunday Oliseh has said he would rather lose a job than go to jail for taking part in “illegal activities” as coach of Dutch club Fortuna Sittard.

Fortuna Sittard announced Oliseh was suspended allegedly over his poor relationship with both players and officials.

But Oliseh said he would rather walk away along with his assistants than be jailed for

NPFL…

going against the law.

“It is better to part ways like this. I won’t want to be in jail,” he said in an interview on Brila FM radio monitored in Lagos.

“My lawyers are handling the case now.”

The former Nigeria coach, who only recently led the club to a record seven straight wins, would not wish to disclose the

crux of the matter, but rather hinted on owed salaries and wrangling within the club.

“We have to be compensated for what we are owed, it’s not only in Nigeria that they owe money,” he said “The Turkish owners also got the players to say they are unhappy with me.”

The former Juventus and Ajax Amsterdam midfield star

NPFL…

also maintained that even in the event that his suspension is overturned, he would rather move on.

“It has been 14 great months coaching this club, we set records like winning seven straight games, we are looking at the top league, but should my suspension be rescinded, I won’t go back to the club,” he said.

NPFL…

CHAN Stars Boost Rivers Utd Ahead Clash with Tornadoes Travelstart Rallies Support for Ahead Speaking on what to expect of Sunday’s visit of Niger Salisu Yusuf led Eagles that Tuesday, while Atuloma was part from him this term, Ogbugh said: Tornadoes, Rivers United will be competed at the just concluded of Wednesday’s training.

Nigeria’s Bobsled & Skeleton Team boosted by the return of the duo Championship for African Nations “I am back in training and “I am more experienced now.

Travelstart Nigeria has charged Nigeria’s Bobsled and Skeleton team at the ongoing 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea to put up their best performances and aim for gold as they prepare to compete this weekend.

Nigeria’s lone entrant in the Skeleton race, Simi Adeagbo will be on the fray today and tomorrow while the Seun Adigunled trio open their Bobsled battles on Tuesday, February 20.

According to Philip Akesson, Country Manager of Travelstart Nigeria, the company that in partnership with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, is the Official Flight Sponsors of the Nigerian team, urges all Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora to support

the girls to enable them excel at the competition.

“As Africa’s largest online travel agency, we are excited to use our resources and our partnership with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines to get the Nigerian team to their first Winter Olympics.

“The team’s resilient, passion, go-getter attitude towards achieving their goals is admirable, and is a message that resonates deeply with our company values,” he stressed.

Also speaking on the sponsorship, the General Manager Air France KLM Nigeria & Ghana, Michel Colleau said, “At KLM we are always looking for ways to be innovative, we care about our customers and we are also interested in supporting the countries we fly to.

of Emeka Ogbugh and Emeka Atuloma from International duty with the Super Eagles.

Both players were with the

(CHAN), in Morocco, where the Eagles claimed silver medal after losing to the hosts.

Ogbugh resumed training on

preparing for Sunday’s match against Tornadoes. It is good to mix with the new players,” he stated.

Working under Coach Salisu Yusuf has been a great privilege and the exposure I got playing at the CHAN too,” he noted.

Egbe Faults Sports Minister on Abuja National Stadium Stadium facilities construction expert, Ebi Egbe, has faulted the move by Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung, to re-grass the Abuja National Stadium with N130million.

Egbe who was reacting to the minister’s statement early this week that the sports ministry in conjunction with a contractor have embarked on the re-grassing of the Abuja Stadium turf, said Dalung would only end up wasting government funds, insisting that N130million can’t give the multi-billion Naira edifice

a befitting world-class turf.

“My heart bled when I read the Abuja Stadium story as told by the minister. Who are the experts the minister is working with? What are their pedigree?

And what magic would they do to get the arena a natural high breed turf with N130m?

“I guess some people only want to smile to the bank with government money. In the first place, it is laughable to say that the problem of the pitch is the water channel or drainage. I

have been to the stadium, took measurements, carried out scientific test of the soil and I can tell Nigerians in all honesty that water channel is not the problem of the stadium,” observed the facilities expert.

Egbe stressed that for the Abuja arena to have the kind of pitch found in places like Wembley, Maracana, Cairo International Stadium or the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, the country must be ready to spend good money and stop the

half measure contracts that are only meant to put food on the table for some boys or in this case the girls.

“I m into stadium construction and I know what I m talking about. Nigeria is bigger than what Dalung and his so-called experts are doing. Why can’t we think of getting world class turfs in Nigeria rather than deceiving ourselves?

With what they are trying to do, Eagles would continue to play outside Abuja,” Egbe warned last night.

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MISSILE Tinubu to Oyegun â&#x20AC;&#x153;Since we won the election, the expectations were very high and the goodwill was extremely high. But where are we today?â&#x20AC;?

National leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu lamenting how the peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s goodwill which swept them to power has largely been eroded due to failed expectations.

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Musings On Nasir El Rufai At 58

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oday, I join family members as well as the teeming friends and associates to celebrate an extraordinary Nigerian, a leader of leaders, a patriot to the core and one of this best minds of our generation - the inimitable Mallam Nasir el Rufai, the Governor of Kaduna State who turns 58 years old today. Mallam El Rufai was born in Daudawa, in Faskari Local Government Area in the present day Katsina State on February 16, 1960. Given my deep knowledge of Governor El Rufai and my very close, albeit regular, interactions with him, I can take the risk of making some predictions: beyond offering prayers and fervent supplications to Almighty God for keeping him alive and well, Mallam El Rufai is not likely to be in a celebratory mood today. No, musicians and merry makers are not going to besiege his home or anywhere else he would be found today to â&#x20AC;&#x153;celebrateâ&#x20AC;? his birthday. Typically, this incredible man will all too certainly spend the better part of today behind his desk or at project sites, giving not just his best but his all to Kaduna State in particular and our dear nation as a whole.

However, for me and his other close associates, the occasion of Mallam El Rufaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 58 birthday provides a rare opportunity to reminisce on what he champions and represents: transformational leadership.

I have said elsewhere before that my dear friend and leader, Mallam Nasir El Rufai is an angry man. Not just a few persons misunderstood this assertion. Perhaps the occasion of his birthday offers me another opportunity to expatiate this point. The truth is that in spite of his phenomenal educational attainments, professional and governmental accomplishments, Mallam Nasir el Rufai wakes up every day thinking and generally carrying on like he could have done much more. In the same vein the Governor, who shares same birth year with post-independence Nigeria, seldom masks the fact that he is vexed by the glaring failure of the nation to achieve much more, 58 years after independence. He believes that Nigeria has grossly underutilized its huge potentials both in human and natural resources. El Rufai is of the firm belief that in a rapidly changing world, Nigeria ought to have become matured enough to seamlessly tackle basic challenges such as provision of modern infrastructure across the country; efficacious delivery of the best of health care, power, education, security, science and technology as well as food to the citizens. He believes the nation has been grossly mismanaged by his generation and seems desperate to do his bit and his very best to help atone for this. Sometimes, though he gets really emotional and fastidious about this. I suspect very strongly that this accounts for why he is sometimes misunderstood even by those who ought to know better. El Rufai is not the typical politician but he believes that his emergence, through a free and fair election, as the Governor of Kaduna State has offered him an opportunity, a vista of sorts, to help recalibrate Nigeria using Kaduna State as a starting point.

I have worked very closely with Mallam Nasir El Rufai for more than 20 years â&#x20AC;&#x201C; spanning his days at the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE), the period he served as the Minister of the Federal

El Rufai Capital Territory and of course when President Olusegun Obasanjo graciously appointed me his Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, I benefitted immensely from wise counsels from Mallam El Rufai, who was at the time a key and highly respected member of the Obasanjo administration. Even more memorable for me is the fact that I and a few others worked round the clock with him to achieve electoral successes in Kaduna State for our great party, the All Progressive Congress (APC) in all elections in 2015. I have remained a key aide and ally of the Governor since he assumed office. From my vantage position, I have, in the last three years, seen him doggedly and sacrificially pilot the affairs of Kaduna State. I have learnt a lot. Watching, listening and learning from him, I now have a deeper understanding of what it takes to be a transformational leader. Mallam El Rufai has imparted in me and other members of his team the expediency and urgency of moving outside of the transactional leadership space and into a transformational leadership space that focuses on long-term solutions rather than short-term gains. We have all learnt from Governor El Rufai the critical place of vision. He ensures that every member of the team understands this vision and can communicate it to the good people of Kaduna State who have reposed confidence in him. Today, every member of El Rufaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cabinet understands the Governorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vision for Kaduna State. Largely, it is a vision that is steeped in deploying new thinking to urgently meet the needs and aspirations of the of the long suffering people of our dear State From the get go, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, made it abundantly clear to all team members that driving and actualising the vision of the administration would demand uncommon courage, especially given traditionally entrenched interests that were far from being altruistic. El Rufai insists at all times that an effective leader needs courage and must take tough decisions, no matter whose ox is gored, for the greater good of the greatest number of the people. In other words, Mallam Nasir El Rufai has groomed transformational leaders in Kaduna State who have the courage to key into his vision and make the difficult decisions necessary to achieve this vision. Similarly, El Rufai has deployed

across all facets of governance in Kaduna State, transformational leaders who have passion and motivation that the people can sense and feed off â&#x20AC;&#x201C; men and women who are passionate about his vision for the State and are willing to do the hard work needed to see this vision achieved.

Keying into El Rufaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vision is easy though.

Like all transformational leaders, the Kaduna State Governor has the ability to inspire others and get them to buy into his vision of making Kaduna State the fastest growing economy in Nigeria and an investorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; heaven.

With the greatest sense of responsibility, I dare say that El Rufaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vision and sheer doggedness is paying off handsomely in Kaduna State, three years down the line. Faced with the arduous task of speedily creating an economy for the State outside allocations from the Federal Government and also saddled with the task of revamping inherited decayed infrastructures in the State, Governor El Rufai, on assumption of office in May 2015, opted for, and continues to assiduously pursue series of homegrown options. In particular, the Government began focusing on mining and agriculture to rev up the economy of the State.

Effectively collaborating with key players in the private sector, the administration has practically made Kaduna State the agricultural hub of subSaharan Africa. Not too long ago, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai was joined by the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, to perform the ground breaking ceremony for the establishment of a potato farm and processing facility worth $120 million in Manchok, Kaura local government area of the state. The project, jointly initiated by the state government and Vicampros Farms Limited, is cultivating 10,000 hectares of land and is expected to generate 30,000 job opportunities for youths in the State and beyond.

Mallam Nasir el-Rufai has attracted to Kaduna State, the biggest poultry and hatchery farm in the whole of West Africa. The farm, which is worth about $150 million (about N30 billion), was constructed by the Olam group and was commissioned at a very colourful event by His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari himself. The agricultural revolution in Kaduna State under Mallam Nasir el Rufai has caught the attention of other top investors, including the highly successful Dangote Group, the Stallion Group and Indorama, one of Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest fertilizer companies.

Conscious of the fact that Kaduna State is the leading producer of ginger in Nigeria, Governor Nasir el Rufai has perfected plans to more than triple yields this year. On this score, the State Government is collaborating with the Central Bank of Nigeria to enable ginger farmers in the State access a N5 Billion loan to boost ginger farming. The Governor believes that if and when the loan is properly harnessed and utilized as intended, ginger farmers in the State would be empowered economically as the crop is in great demand across the globe. Already many ginger farmers in Kaduna State are hitting gold as they are merrily exporting several tons of their produce to China, Chad, Sudan and Ghana while a considerable volume is being sold locally across the country.

Worth mentioning also is that under the transformational leadership of Mallam Nasir El Rufai, Kaduna State became one of the first subnational governments in the world and the first in Nigeria, to conduct an in-depth analysis of local SDGs data and strategy development to implement all 17 Goals in the State. At the last United Nations General Assembly in New York, Kaduna State was the cynosure of all eyes as the State showcased to the world how it integrated the SDGs into its State Development Plan for 2016-20 as well as how the integrated system is improving livelihoods, investing in education and ensuring access to life-saving services, while boosting environmental sustainability, social cohesion and peace for its citizens. The overall goal of the El Rufai administration is to leave no one behind as every citizen counts in this development agenda. To achieve this, the State has taken drastic steps on the journey to sustainable development to generate sufficient data to understand where Kaduna State stands in relation to these SDG goals, and to help guide policy interventions to target the deepest and most persistent pockets of poverty.

Governor El Rufai believes that the processes of governing a people in a civil, democratic administration should not be shrouded in secrecy. This undue confidentiality, he insists breeds corruption and impunity. To this end, the Governor deploys the highest level of probity, transparency and accountability in governing Kaduna State. In fact he has since instituted the culture of town hall meetings, as a necessary mechanism to constantly feel the pulse of the people of the State with a view to getting regular feed backs that ultimately help shape the policy direction of the Government. This regular interface with the citizenry at town hall meetings has also become a platform for the citizens and residents of the State to have access to, and directly participate in the preparation of the Stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s annual budget estimates before the estimates are presented to the Stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s House of Assembly for further scrutiny and passage into law. This robust public participation in the preparation of the Stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s budget led to far-reaching adjustments to the initial budgetary estimates of Kaduna State for 2016, 2017 and 2018. The Governor has deservedly won accolades for this, especially given that in some States in the country, the budget is usually regarded as a highly classified document and thus hidden from the people.

At 58, Mallam Nasir El Rufai remains a workhorse, a voracious reader, a highly introspective thinker, teacher, motivator and a chronic optimist. He believes that in spite of the lost times, Nigeria is mending and that the nation under President Muhammadu Buhari is shaking off the shackles that have for years held her down. He sees light at the end of the tunnel. Mallam Nasir El Rufai is truly driven by this optimism, uncommon patriotism and his can-do spirit. This is to wish a very close friend and a great boss a happy birthday and many happy returns. r 6CB 4BOJ JT UIF 4QFDJBM "EWJTFS PO *OUFS HPWFSONFOUBM "GGBJST BOE 1PMJUJDBM .BUUFST UP UIF (PWFSOPS PG ,BEVOB 4UBUF

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